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transmasc-archive · 2 years

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Now that it's been a few days and on the Discord blog we've decided on a bit of a system, here's what we've come up with. These are the rules:

Welcome to the Transmasc Archive! Unlike what the title suggest, we do not archive transmasc people onto shelves, we archive our own stories and discussions! Here's a few rules for you and everyone else to have a good time on this server!

Rule n.1: Make an intro in the channel below. You'll be able to strike up conversations much faster if others know who you are! You'll also need to choose an emoji to claim articles.

Rule n.2: No harassment. Any type of bigotry will not be tolerated. No racism, no antisemitism, no islamophobia, no misogyny, no homophobia, no transphobia, no ableism. No purposefully misgendering users.

Rule n.3: No discourse. No putting people's identity and labels into question, no bringing drama from any fandom or community, no shipping discourse, no discourse on the terminology of the words transmisandry or transandrophobia.

Rule n.4: No spam. Don't clog up the channels with constant messages. Don't keep tagging people on every message you send.

Rule n.5: Minors are not allowed to send selfies in the selfies channel.

We have a three strikers, then kick policy. After you've been kicked, you'll have to fill out a form to be allowed back in. Another strike and you're banned.

What do we mean when we say "claim articles"? I'm glad you asked!

These are our channels! Now what's each channel for?

The first three, after general chat of course, are for the technical aspects of running the website.

The blue ones are the channels to discuss topics for each website's section, that I will show below.

And the green ones are casual channels!

But let's get to placeholder-articles. This is a channel meant to serve as a sort of queue for articles that we've planned. It keeps track of what articles are going to be written and which ones have been published!

However, they also serve another very important function: claiming articles!

You see, someone might have a great idea for an article, that others agree should be written, but they don't have the time or spoons to actually write the article, or maybe they're just throwing the idea out there!

So, anyone's free to "claim" that idea and write the article themselves! That's what you need your emoji for.

Here's the system:

When you have a clear idea for an article, post a placeholder name on this channel.

This is why we ask that the name be something descriptive, like: MISINFORMATION - Radical Feminism's Ties to Right Wing Ideology

You can change the title when you post the article, we just need to know what it's about!

You can post placeholder names for articles that you, personally, don't plan on writing, but think should be written anyways. If you're not sure anyone would be interested, ask in the section's channel if others like the idea.

If you plan on writing the article yourself, put your emoji after your own title. If you see a placeholder that hasn't been claimed, you can claim it by reacting to the message with your emoji! First come, first served rules. You can discuss switching or backing out in private messages, of course.

As a rule of thumb, don't write placeholder messages for ideas others have pitched in another channel. Just wait until they do it!

Once you've written the article and you've posted in, or sent it to someone who has posted it (or are just about to), react to the placeholder title message with this emoji: to let us know it's been posted.

So here's the deal: we have A LOT of ideas so far! So many, we can't possibly write them all. We're showing them here so you guys know what to expect in the future, but also hoping it might also give you the incentive to join and find something to write!

Here's the list of ideas we have so far. As you can see, some have already been claimed!

Transcript:

HEALTHCARE - Everything Testosterone - What Will It Do To My Body?

HEALTHCARE - Top Surgery: What are My Options?

HEALTHCARE - Bottom Surgery: What Are My Options?

HEALTHCARE - Testosterone and Infertility: Some Myths

HEALTHCARE - Needle Safety For Testosterone Injection

HEALTHCARE - Acne Care For Your Second Puberty

HEALTHCARE - Yes, There Too: How To Clean Your Body On Testosterone

HEALTHCARE - Receding Hairline: How To Prevent It, and How to Grieve It

HEALTHCARE - Self Advocacy in the Doctor’s Office

HISTORY - Transmasc History 101 - Lesbian or Trans Man? The Labeling Issue

MISINFORMATION - TERFs and Their Transandrophobic Rhetoric

MISINFORMATION - Radical Feminism Explained - The That's-A-Lot-Of-Assumptions Ideology

TIRFism - Is It Really Any Better than TERFism?

TERFs And Their Unlikely Ally - The Alt-Right

Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria: How Trans Men And Transmascs Are Gaslighted Into Complacency

Butch Flight - When Trans Men And Transmascs' Worth Depends On Being An Option to Fuck

Tonight's The Time To Join The Wolfen Clan - Testosterone Ignites Violence?

Is Transmasculinity An Escape From The Patriarchy? A Transmasc Perspective On This Topic, Finally

MISINFORMATION- No One Wins- Transmasc Invisibility in Media Content, and Why

CREATIVE WORKS - Homestuck and Its History With Transmasculinity

MISINFORMATION - Myths About Post Transition Social Norms for Trans Mascs

MISINFORMATION - Fujoshi Was His Name - The Myth of Gay Men LARPing As Yaoi Boys (edited)

MISINFORMATION - Who Were Baedells?

MISINFORMATION - "Sisterhood" - Cis Women And Their Entitlement to Our Bodies

MISINFORMATION - The Day I Disappeared - Transandrophobia Outside Of TERF Circles

CREATIVE WORKS - Trans mascs in the music scene

MISINFORMATION - Trans Exclusionary Homosexual Males - Vagina Repulsion As The Basis of Homosexuality

TRANSMASC QUEER THEORY - Butch, Futch And Femme Labels Among Queer Men

TRANSMASC QUEER THEORY - Transmasc Lesbians And Male Lesbians - A Lesson In How Labels Aren't Boxes

And now, a look at our website, The Transmasc Archive, edited by @hadeantaiga!

This is the Home page. Now here's a rundown of the sections based on the topics we'd like to cover:

Let's explore them in order:

Transm-ask: This is the section where you can ask us any question regarding transmasculinity, whether it's labels, transition info, coming out tips, and much more. And if you'd like to stay anonymous, you can send your questions to @transm-ask.

Healthcare: This section will cover things like medical transition but also interacting with doctors when you're a transmasculine or FtM person, especially in reproductive care.

History: This section will cover transmasculine and trans FtM history. Every month on the 19th, we publish "Historic Trans Man of the Month" starting next month, on International Men's Day!

Misinformation: This is the section where we debunk myths on testosterone and trans men, and where we discuss transandrophobic rhetoric coming from different sources, inside and outside the queer community.

Transmasc queer theory: Here we keep the complicated and personal stuff. The discussion of transmasc labels, our relationship with gender and how it intersects with our sexuality, how trans men uncover how complicated male privilege is.

Transmasc support: This section is for you! Got something you'd like to show off? An online store, a webcomic, a YouTube channel? This is the section for you.

Creative works: The last section covers transmascs and trans men in creative fields, as well as representation and...original works! Each month we propose a new prompt for stories, illustrations or mini-comics. Whichever avenue you prefer!

And the forum is for discussing among users on the site itself!

Hopefully this can give everyone a better idea of how this is gonna work, so if any of you were on the fence about joining, you know what to expect!

#the transmasc archive #queer #transmasc #trans ftm

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studyof-love-and-life · 9 months

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Hi! I’m a first year uni student and I was wondering if you could help me out with something? It’s my second week and I’m already having trouble balancing my time. In general, how much time should I spend on each class outside of lectures a week? If it changes things I go to a decently prestigious school

[don’t feel pressured to respond if you don’t want to. I just saw your other advice posts and thought it was worth a shot :)]

Hi lovely! Figuring out time management was hard for me when I started undergrad, too. A general rule of thumb I've heard from professors is that for every credit/hour of class you have per week, you should spend 2-3 hours outside of lectures on that class. So in theory, for a 3 credit class you should spend 6-9 hours on it per week. However, I'd say that that isn't always the case! Sometimes you don't need that much time and sometimes you might need more, and I think that comes down to the class and professor more than the school (not the most helpful answer, I know, and I'm sorry for that)

I'm just going to brainstorm some general ideas below 💕

What are you studying? If you're in STEM, you might find yourself doing a lot of problem sets (my best friend was a math major and she was constantly doing work because each class would assign a certain amount of problems, and each would take a long time to do), and maybe some readings on top of that. She said that something that helped her was working with study groups can help keep you on track, and if you like them then it's even better because then you're hanging out with a friend too. She also set a cutoff time everyday where she would stop doing work so she could have a little time for herself

For me with linguistics, I had a LOT of readings to do for all my classes. Learning how to effectively skim texts and still understand the general point is a valuable skill, and it saves a lot of time! Most professors don't expect you to remember every single detail from readings, they often just want you to understand the argument and the general takeaway so you can apply it to the class (my point with asking what you're studying is that depending on the types of assignments, you might need different tips - even though I'd say my friend's tips can apply to anyone)

On a related note, lots of people take notes while reading. I had so many readings sometimes that I didn't have time for that, so if you're in a similar situation, instead of doing detailed reading notes, try reading your chapter/article, and then take a couple minutes to figure out your top 3 concepts from it that you think are most important and write those down with a quick blurb to refer to and what chapter/article the concept is from

Plan ahead and prioritize what you NEED to get done. Sometimes you won't get to everything, and you can't be too hard on yourself about it (which is easier said than done)

I've not tried this personally but I have some friends who set timers when they have multiple classes to study for. When the timer is up, they switch to the next class so they know they at least spent some time on it (it worked for them, maybe it would work for you! Again, I've not tried it)

As classes move forward and you have essays and projects come up, try to break them down into steps over multiple days/weeks. I've found doing that helps keep me from waiting until the last minute

I live by my planner. I tend to forget things if they're not written down, and it helps keep me organized as well (I write down my assignments in different colors based on what class they're for). I've found that if I can see everything I have to do it helps me prioritize and keep on track. Also it's silly but it really feels like you're getting things done when you get to cross things off, which can be oddly encouraging

Schedule in some time for yourself when you can. Part of balancing time in uni is making sure you're not being over worked. Join a club or make sure you have time to do something you enjoy, or even just time to relax :)

I hope this helps and I'm sorry I couldn't help more! Figuring out how to balance time can be pretty tailored to the individual and the classes being taken, but I hope any of these ideas are helpful! Also feel free to keep asking me things, or DM me if you want! You're going to do WONDERUL and AMAZING things ✨️

I'm also going to tag @peregrination-studies! She is my go-to studyblr buddy for if I need any tips or encouragement or a buddy to talk to 💛 check out her blog too (also hi grace! If you have anything you'd add, feel free but of course no pressure <3)

#i really hope this helps #or answered your question at all #you're gonna do great! and sometimes just getting used to uni is the hardest part #anyway go check out grace's blog too she's wonderful and an absolute DELIGHT i love her #and feel free to message me! (unless you'd rather stay on anon - that's fine too 💛)#answered asks #anon #tips #studyblr #study tips

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the-pan-trash-can · 9 months

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Rant

Hey y'all I get into it pretty deep here, I talk about extreme depression, self harm, addiction, covid, physical disability, socio political issues and I am very blunt about how I feel. As a rule of thumb this rant is really negative and really long .

I think a terrible realization that I had about the long lasting social and behavioral effects of covid is that I used to be a completely different person three years ago and I've regressed significantly since then. I used to have plucky optimism, I mean I was still super depressed but I could at least look forward to something cheering me up somehow. I was able to romanticize my life, find beauty in everything, have the patience for everyone and everything because I vowed to myself that my morals were out of respect to most people ( obvious exclusions apply, I generally dislike hateful mother fuckers, take of that what you will yadda yadda) and to see the best in everyone. I now resemble a corpse of that person and I mourn that person. I lay down most of the time, I'm on my phone most of the time, I hate people most of the time, I am aggressive, I am irritated, I am spiteful, mournful, I am starting to romanticize addiction and self harm. I feel pretty bad all of the time, and when I realize that I feel bad I can't seem to pep talk myself or distract myself to something positive even a little. Every time I give myself a chance to realize there is something better than this I wanna hide away more. Of course there was going to be medical and mental long term effects of covid, it'd be foolish to expect otherwise, it's true we are all traumatized, I fully know this, but I think the problem I'm grappling with is that I can finally grasp how betrayed I feel by the world, betrayed by expecting that common sense is doing right by others, betrayed by my job and all future jobs by expecting patience, betrayed by myself in some way by expecting better of everyone. My scoliosis is getting worse, I often deal with what feels like my muscles and bones are shriveling up within myself, my depression is obviously significantly worse, and my quality of life is god awful. I have been rotting inside myself protecting myself from all of the hurt in this world and I don't know how to even describe how much that terrifies me, to watch the world burn and suffer alongside it while others say they came out of it all just fine. I know there are other faults in myself that I could fix to help this feeling, my coping mechanisms can definitely be called into question and reviewed professionally but I stand firm in the fact that I feel robbed. I was a much healthier person back then, I was pushed to the ground so many times before that it was natural to get back up and try again, but I don't foresee that for myself for a very long time, I am devastated. This topic can be stretched longer by the current state of the world such as housing and constant political fuck ups or I can add further context to all of the things I haven't healed from previously to add more to how unfortunate and pitiful I am; but I don't aim to write an essay on how to fix the world or call to action to bring in a lot of pity towards myself, I suppose I could ask for some sympathy lol but I mostly wanted to scream to the world that I am not okay. And maybe hoped others were dealing with this pain too. I hope we can all find solace in something, respite, calm, or just a fucking break through all of this. I know we deserve it.

#I dont know if people use tags for trigger warnings but heres some just in case #depression #covid #self harm #addiction #disability #socio political issues #this is long and this is sad #ya ya #love yall #smooches and kisses #take care #i think I'm going to eat something sweet

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maximuswolf · 1 year

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How long does freeze distilled milk keep?

How long does freeze distilled milk keep? I've started to play around with freeze distilled (yes, a misnomer, I know) milk, and it is my nature to escalate to doing everything in bulk and ideally preserving it to maximize the time before I have to do it again. There are three general strategies I am considering:Make a lot of it and refrigerate This is the least attractive option but at least is straightforward with straightforward consequences. My assumption is that the product should last at least as long as the milk would have, and presumably longer due to the higher concentration of fat? Other than the sniff test, anyone have experience on how long I could expect this to stay good?Freeze a lot of milk and distill "on demand" While still somewhat unattractive to consider, this probably is the most straightforward and easiest approach. The obvious drawbacks are "on demand" is more like 30h in advance, is relatively annoying to constantly do in a refrigerator, and it wastes a good chunk of freezer space on the water I'm trying to get rid of in the first place. The main unknown though is whether there is a consequence for distilling after freezing for too long; I understand the general rule of thumb is quality decreases markedly for thawing milk after 1 month, anyone know if this is true for the resulting distilled product as well?Make a lot of it and freeze to thaw on demand This is ideal in terms of upfront time investment and space economy but hinges on how the quality degrades over time. Anyone have experience trying this?Thanks for any advice; if this isn't the sort of thing people have wasted their time on much previously I will try and discover some answers worth sharing for posterity. Submitted December 22, 2022 at 06:34AM by NewPhillyResident https://ift.tt/REDTPje via /r/Coffee

#IFTTT #reddit

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animezinglife · 2 years

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do you have any tips on writing student x professor relationships?? the prof is really young so the age gap is not that much but still

My advice would be to keep it real and understand it's one of those "it depends" areas in terms of how it would be handled by a university (and it would also depend on the university itself). I've seen one be rightfully sacked for it given those specific circumstances and others get a blind eye turned towards the relationship (if it’s ever even found out about). Student x professional staff or faculty relationships in the context I'm guessing you're referring to are rare. Student x young staffer is a little more common.

Of course, you also have to remember that there are a lot of staff or otherwise non-affiliated significant others of professors who are also technically students. It's not at all uncommon for spouses and/or staffers to be continuing students, so I just want to throw that out there, too. I also had non-traditional students who were older than me or my same age. That could be for any reason: student veteran status, simply saving up/going back to school, finishing a degree later in life, their jobs require it, etc.

Is the professor in question one of said student's instructors, or does he/she just happen to be a professor at the university? If the professor doesn't have that student in class, I personally don't see it being any issue (especially if they are fairly close in age). They’ll have different life experiences and the student will have gaps in his/her understanding of academia, but that’s to be expected.

If the professor does have that student in class, my advice would be to make sure he or she keeps a deliberate separation of any personal relationship behind the scenes and keeps everything fair. The student character too needs to either come to understand and respect those boundaries or already understand them (though it could still cause conflict).

Obviously, if they are going out together anywhere around the university they're both going to run into people they know at some point. That will be students and faculty/staff alike. Faculty and students would be the more judgmental lot, and the students would be likely to spread rumors that end up on either the localized anonymous confessions pages (and dear lord, there are some doozies on those) and would also cycle through social media channels. That's what would be most likely for that professor to get questioned about it. Staff working in the professor's department might gossip, but they don't get paid enough to care.

The other consideration is Title IX in general. You want to show everything is consensual, always. Otherwise, you're going to create an uncomfortable situation. The general rule of thumb is just to not touch students because of how essentially anything could be interpreted.

Common sense usually works out just fine, though: for example, I would return hugs of former students and/or student workers if they went in for one while visiting me. I never went for one myself with students. I had another student in an extremely high-stress situation where a lot of money was on the line and he was starting to have trouble catching his breath and was about to cry. I took his arm and got him out of the room for some fresh air and water. That snap back to reality and break ended up working out in his favor, and he was able to get the rest of his college years and two years of grad school covered in full. Nobody's really going to question it on any end if something like that goes on with your characters.

If you have any more specific questions, I'm happy to answer them. I hope this is helpful even if it really doesn't dive deep.

My advice would be to really consider both characters' roles, how those roles relate to and impact each other, and what the culture of the school is. To be blunt, if it's extremely liberal, then the likelihood of people caring is less. If it's more conservative, then they're going to be more immediately active in investigating whether any power's being abused and be more aware of the potentially bad publicity should something out of line happen or be interpreted as out of line.

#answered #writing #thank you for the question!

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floralovebot · 3 years

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After that horrible tiktok passed around and seeing the various reactions to it, I've realized that a scary amount of people don't know how to look for red flags in therapists. As someone who has a lot of fear surrounding bad therapists, I thought I'd share some of my tips! This post won't go into how to find a therapist, I'm mainly talking about how to look for red flags (and green flags)!

Once you find a therapist you're interested in seeing, your first step should always be to look for their online presence and any reviews about them. That means searching their name on Google, Twitter, Tiktok, literally everywhere. Look for websites they own or are listed on and check to see what socials are connected to them! Basically, you want to see what they're putting online and what others are saying about them.

On a similar note, if the therapist is working for a company and doesn't run their own business, look for reviews about the company as well. That includes former employee statements, client reviews, etc.

If you find social media accounts run by them, here are some red flags to look for: Do they share personal stories or make examples out of their clients? A good therapist does not share what their clients say, especially online where anyone could see it. Do they talk about their clients to other people (including online)? A general rule of thumb is, "what happens in the office, stays in the office". Therapists should not be talking about their clients to anyone but the client themself. The only exception to this rule is if the client poses harm to themself or others, the therapist suspects abuse, a court orders a subpoena, or you're a minor and your parent(s)/legal guardians request information. If it's not one of these, the therapist should not be disclosing what you say to others.

Do they often talk about themselves or rarely let you interject? Therapists are all different so some may be open to answering things about themselves while others would prefer you know nothing about them. However, a therapist should not be talking about themselves constantly nor should they be the only ones talking in a session (even if they're talking about you). This is a two or more way interaction and the clients need to speak just as much and maybe even more than the therapist (how much depends on you and method of therapy). Be on the lookout for a therapist never letting you speak, rarely asking questions or prompting more from you, or never paying attention to what you're saying. (On the other hand, make sure you're not speaking over them or never letting them speak either! Remember, two-way street.)

You should (and need) to be able to talk about therapy processes and what you can expect from them in the future! If the therapist dodges this conversation or seems unwilling to answer, that's a red flag.

A therapist should never judge you or be critical of your personal choices. Remember, you're speaking to them so they can help you, not judge you. Ideally, a therapist shouldn't be easily upset by what you have to tell them. Obviously, things can be upsetting (that's why therapists have their own therapists!), but getting emotional can affect the client and their progress.

They don't attempt to calm you down or derail the situation when you get amped up. I get it, you want to talk about everything, I get it. But a good therapist will stop you if there isn't enough time or they feel like you'll be going home hurt and stressed. Again, their job is to help you. Part of that help is making sure you can still function throughout your life even after a session with them. A red flag is a therapist letting you leave feeling weak, upset, and worse off than you were before.

Listen to your gut. I know some people don't believe in gut feelings, but they happen for a reason (and there's science behind it, I suggest reading up on it!). If you feel like a therapist isn't right for you, listen to that! If you deal with anxiety or paranoia and you're doubting that feeling, bring that up with someone you do trust and take them through what happened and what was said in a session. They may be able to help calm your nerves! At the end of the day, it's better safe than sorry.

I know it can be frustrating, but it may take you a minute to find the right therapist for you. Ideally, your first session with them should be more of a consultation. Of course, you absolutely can get right into it and start talking about what you need to talk about! But also remember that the therapist is there to help you and that progress can be hindered if you realize later on that they're not the right fit. So, talk about what you need to talk about, but also pay attention to make sure they're the right therapist for you.

So, what green flags should you look for? Being able to freely ask questions about their credentials and specialties! Being able to bring up switching therapists without them feeling upset or betrayed (and taking it out on you). Being able to ask questions about therapy types and what their thoughts are about what could help you now and in the future. Being able to talk about everything without feeling scared or judged. Being able to share doubts with current therapy type(s)/homework and coming up with something that will work better. Being able to talk about other things (like interests, how your day went, a movie you just saw, etc) without them dismissing it or pushing you to talk about what's upsetting you before you're ready.

Another tip that I couldn't quite fit into the rest of this is, you need to look for cultural diversity in your therapist. If you're a person of color seeing a white therapist, it doesn't matter how good of a therapist they are, there will always be things they don't inherently understand about racism or the trauma and stress that comes with it, and therefore there will always be things they can't help you cope with. The same goes for if you're lgbtq+, of a certain religion, etc. Just make sure that the therapist is either from a similar background or at the very least is open about being an ally (so if you're lgbtq+, you'll want to look for "lgbtq+ friendly" or something similar, if you're black, you'll want to find a black therapist, or at least a therapist of color, etc).

Unfortunately, these aren't all the red flags but they should help you. There are a lot of bad and underqualified therapists out there, but therapy as a whole can be extremely helpful for your life. There's a lot of misconceptions out there as well which don't help with people's general hesitance about it. I hope this post can help someone! Feel free to add on with more tips!

#long post #therapy #okay to rb but dont derail #i wish all bad therapists a very fuck off forever and get your lisence revoked #oh also dont be afraid to add on to a point because some of these are definitely under-explained

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literaticat · 2 years

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I read on one popular agent's site that their new strategy when considering picking up clients is to weed out any that don't have a social media presence. This scares me ... I mean, I am perfectly happy to set one up once I have a book out there etc. but now are we expected to subject ourselves to the pit of dismay for no other reason other than "I need this to get an agent"? I avoid SM, I am so much happier. I'd use it to market and engage, sure, but not to try impress an agent.

That sounds like one person's m.o., not a "rule of thumb" that other agents follow. I really wouldn't freak out about it.

Suzanne Collins is not on twitter. Stephenie Meyer is not on twitter. Somehow they manage to muddle through. Would this agent have turned down THE HUNGER GAMES because the author doesn't tweet? Uh... ok. Sounds short-sighted but what do I know.

Like, is having a robust social media presence nice? Sure. Is it imperative? Not really. At the getting-an-agent stage, it should be all about the book. If you write an amazing, sellable book, and an agent doesn't want to rep it because you don't have a ginormous social media presence, that's their problem. Once you HAVE an agent and a book, you can figure out what "marketing and engaging" means to you.

THAT BEING SAID.... (here comes the long part)... NEWBIE AUTHOR SOCIAL MEDIA BEST PRACTICES:

I'm posting all this here so it can be in the FAQ so when somebody says "but HOW DO I START" they can just read this post. :-) Skip it if you are truly not interested.

You expressed your willingness to help promote your book when the time comes. And now (before you even have an agent) might be a good time to learn about how social media works if that is something you are willing to do in the future. Because after you already have a book deal, you will be a little too busy to be learning this stuff on the fly. And creating an account randomly and bleating news about your book to an empty social media feed will not actually help you.

So... if you wanted to dip your toes in -- this might be a good time to start. Lots of writers do feel that friends they make on social media become a valuable support system and, bonus, will HELP you promote your book when the time comes - soooo, maybe there is a way to approach this in a positive manner and make social media something you actually enjoy and get use out of. Maybe!

DON'T try and do it all - bite off more than you can chew and you'll choke and never use any of it. Pick a platform and see if it can possibly suit you. Like, if you enjoy taking pictures of your pets or books or sunsets - - get an instagram account! If you like quips and short and to-the-point conversations, get a Twitter account!

DO Consider it a form of networking and part of your job, the "water cooler" at the office, if that will help. Connecting with other authors and book people and librarians and booksellers should, hopefully, be interesting and fun -- but it's also, potentially, IMPORTANT. That educator you crack jokes with today might be the person getting you in on school visits when your book comes out. The bookseller whose recommendations you love might be the person who invites you to a book signing at their store when the time comes. That writer whose book you admire today might be the person who invites you to participate in an anthology next year. I'm not saying you should think of every interaction as something you might "get something out of" -- that's mercenary and gross -- but generally -- being friendly and supportive and interesting toward people makes them want to be friendly and supportive and interesting toward you, you know?

DON'T try and "read everything you missed" -- this is the classic mistake, where you make an account, follow some folks, go away for a day or two - -and when you come back, you feel like you need to "catch up" on your entire news feed. Five hours later you are exhausted and bleary-eyed and you declare that you will never log into this thing again! YOU DON'T NEED TO CATCH UP. Truly. This isn't homework. You pop in - like some posts, interact with people that are there *at the time that you are there* -- and then pop out again. Think of it like a cocktail party - you are talking to the people immediately around you and drifting a bit from group to group and having fun while you are there - but you can't talk to everyone, and there isn't any need to record everyone's conversations and try and watch them all the next day to "catch up". You got what you got out of it, the end.

DO start by spending time when you are new boosting other authors. You like books, right? You like authors? Find some of your faves and follow them. See what they are talking about, see who THEY engage with and follow that seems interesting, and before long you will probably have found a bunch of cool folks. Be nice! Congratulate or RT them if they have great news or a new book out that looks interesting! Spend 15 minutes a day doing this - then dip out, and remember, you don't have to catch up on everything you missed when you come back.

Now spread your wings a bit and create some content of your own. IF there's a book you read and love, post a picture of it and why you loved it. IF you are trying a new recipe and it comes out Amazing or you go to a new bookstore and it's beautiful or you had an interaction with a kind barista that made your day, or you saw an ultra-cute dog and gave it a pet -- share it! mention it! It shouldn't take you more than a couple of minutes to do so -- People love recommendations and fun stories, and the two minutes you spent on that friendly post just might make somebody ELSE'S day a little brighter.

(If there's a book you hated, or a barista that was rude to you - no need to post lol - we are being a force for POSITIVITY here!).

DO talk about your book. When you actually have something to promote - DO IT! Talk about your book! Your followers WILL be interested. However, nobody likes to feel like they are being "marketed to"; if all you do is self-promote, you will seem out-of-touch and boring at best. So spend more time talking about OTHER people's books than your own. If 15% of your time is spent "self-promoting" and the rest of the time is you just being interesting and cool and supporting others -- nobody will begrudge you the self-promo time or think it is too much.

DO NOT follow news, politicians, etc, if you want to stay sane. Look, I fully think it's important to know about the world, and that's great -- but if you are a social media neophyte, and you don't want to get sucked in to negativity -- consider NOT getting into the mix on divisive / anger-inducing topics. It can become a major-league time suck and derail your whole day. Don't look for fights, don't SEEK OUT negativity, don't "hate follow" people (like, "I just have to see what this bonkers politician is saying so I can be aware!" -- uh, don't do it! You are a social media baby, your skin is too thin! Nooo!)

DO Also follow people or organizations that are doing things that you are interested in -- crochet, or puppy rescue, or whatever -- so that your news feed is what? FULL OF INTERESTING AND POSITIVE THINGS! Maybe it will become a place you actually enjoy visiting for those 15 minutes a day. :-)

#faq #socialmedia

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likeadevils · 3 years

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hey! for your post about sun moon and rising but with taylor albums, can you list out the characteristics of each album? i'm having a hard time associating them and it'd make it a lot easier, if you could do that :)

oh totally! Its really all about your personal association, so i’ll give vibes for the era and the album. a good rule of thumb is to read the prologue if you want the tone for the era quickly. honestly, there’s no set system, go wild

taylor swift (2006) “debut”

era: blue and teal and brown. cowboy boots and sundresses, wild curly hair, trucks and mud and wildflowers. very 2006, very high school, very country

album: swings between pining from a distance and wanting to destroy a boys whole ass life and feeling like you have no friends and no one understands you in the whole world. like I said, very high school, but also full of whole ass bangers

fearless (2008)

era: yellow and white. 24/7 prom. she’s got the fairy tale aesthetics set in high school, she’s got calling your ex boyfriend out on national television, she's got so many headbands. god to be 8 years old when the joe jonas/taylor swift drama was going down

album: again, fairy tale set in high school. lots of crushes, lots of realizing men aren’t shit. it’s about the pull between childhood ideals and real life tearing them down, and deciding how much you should cling to your dreams and how much you have to let them go. it’s also a pull between knowing that these little moments are kinda ridiculous but also taking everything so goddamn seriously

speak now (2010)

era: purple purple purple. she’s starting to grow up! her look has evolved out of sundresses and prom dresses and into a more preppy style. she’s moved out of fantasy and into this like. circus aesthetic? 30s movie type thing? watch the mean music video, idk how to explain it. her hair is still curly and but under control, and she’s solidly Famous at this point. the idea that she can’t sing is Big, and the man-eater stereotype is starting to get popular

album: she’s starting to grow out of country. she’s experimenting with rock, but her pop sound is starting to take off. it’s all about Dramatics: she’s experienced her first heartbreak, broke someone else’s heart, and was in an emotionally abusive relationship all within two years. she’s moved out of her parents house and is both infantilized and forced to grow up to fast by the media.

red (2012)

era: its 2012 hipster style. her hair is Straight and she’s wearing vintage dresses everywhere, and she’s posting sketches of red lips and quotes from fitzgerald about heartbreak and finding yourself on instagram. she is dating and breaking up with harry styles Very Publically, and its the last major relationship she’ll have for two more years. the idea that she dates to much is everywhere, and she’s being slut shamed to an insane degree, while also being dismissed as a goody-two-shoes

album: it’s designed so each song has the opposite emotions of the song before it. it’s dramatic and it’s heart wrenching and it portrays these relationships that were toxic and messy and captivating. has the last vestiges of country, some more rock, and the first pure Pop songs, all nestled against each other to give you the epic highs and lows of being 22

1989 (2014)

era: its the height of her stardom, and she’s more beloved then she’s ever been and (probably) will ever be again. she’s cut her hair and moved to New York, she’s wearing high waisted stuff and taking polaroids, and she’s been single for two years and it’s has given her the freedom to find a “tight” group of friends and herself. shes talking about third wave feminism all the time, she’s papped every day, and she started dating c*lvin h*rris; they date for a year, he was the first boyfriend to be posted on social media, and the one she was with the longest (until her current bf). publically, she’s the happiest and most successful she’s ever been. personally, it’s more complicated, especially by the last few months. “she lost him, but she found herself and somehow that was everything” and “from the girl who said she would never cut her hair or move to new york or find happiness in a world where she wasn't in love”

album: single handedly brings 80s pop into the mainstream. (like seriously, her only contemporary influence is lana del rey, and even that is only on a few tracks. listening to this when it came out was a religious experience). it sounds basic now but only because she influenced all of the pop music that came after her. its also her first sonically cohesive album since fearless. subject matter wise, its very 80s movie. it’s the first album without a break up song that ruins a man's whole career— no cold as you, dear john, or all too well type. the relationship is on and off again, but more muted and mature then the tumultuous ones portrayed on red. its very star crossed; two people who just can’t find the right time. she’s also writing about how fame has affected her— blank space, shake it off, and i know places all directly reference it, but the idea that the whole world is watching is woven all throughout the album

bleachella (2016)

this isn't an album but its definitely an era

taylor has become so oversaturated that people are starting to turn on her, and her mental health is suffering. her relationship with c*lvin h*rris is falling apart, she's changing her hair every couple of moths (most notably she bleaches it, and goes to coachella. so like bleachella), and then all of a sudden The Phone Call happens. kim and kanye release edited footage of a phone call that makes it seem like taylor swift is a liar who intentionally plays the victim to stay in the public’s good graces, and the world pounces on it. between that and the idea that her friend group is super cliche-y and exclusionary, her reputation is ruined and she goes in hiding for months. before going into hiding though, she breaks it off with c*lvin (he throws a FIT on twitter) and starts a whirlwind romance with tom hiddleston that includes them flying all over the world on vacations and meeting each others parents super quickly. this all happens in one summer.

reputation (2017)

era: black and white and gold. very edgy, very rich, lots of snakes and casual wealth. there’s the aesthetic of her being very hurt and defensive and lashing out, but the reality of her being the happiest she’s ever been. she’s still famous, but she’s learned how to have a private life and healthy relationships. the tough times have shown her who and what’s important to her

album: pretty much that. the first half is brash and bombastic and playing off what people expect her to be like, how they expect her to fall in and out of love quickly and manipulate those around her to see her as a good person (while exploring sounds that no one expected her to explore) and the second half slows it down and shows her falling in love more explicitly and sweetly and under cover. “in the death of her reputation she felt truly alive” and “finding love through all the noise”

lover (2019)

era: bright pink and pastels and bright colors and happiness and butterflies!! she’s in love and beloved by the general public again, but all of her past albums have been stolen from her by a man she thought she could trust. sadly cut off short by covid. “step into the daylight and let it go”

album: her messiest album (sonically) since red. a popular saying when it first came out was that it had the writing of speak now but the sound of 1989, which is... understandable? its the kind of thing you have to form your own opinion on. it’s on the surface all bubblegum pop and being in love, but it has some of the absolute saddest songs of her entire discography. a 18 song long rollercoaster

folklore and evermore

preface: these are definitely two separate albums and there’s a definitely a difference but this girl has so many albums and it’s taken me an hour to answer this ask and it’s 1am right now so i’m gonna smush them together. go listen to them, and we’re in the era right now

eras: it been covid so all we’ve got are a couple performances and the album visuals. cottagecore, a return to the small town setting of her first two albums, very understated and timeless. one noteworthy element is that both albums were surprise releases (especially after lover had almost a year of build up that kinda worked against it). she’s reached a level of artistic respect that she’s never had

albums: folklore is a level of sonic and thematic cohesion comparable to 1989, as well as having a similar feeling of like. oh god we’ve been waiting for you to make an album like this for years and you’ve still exceeded every exception and made it surprising. evermore is mostly a continuation of its sound, though it’s a bit more experimental. both albums are incredibly mature, and move into non-autobiographical storytelling for most of the songs. it’s easy to build your own world based on one or both of the albums. their main themes are also mostly divorced from relationships, and more tied to personal identity and mental state (though there is quite a bit about divorce and heartbreak in both)

#sorry this took so long but damn that’s a big ask for someone who never shuts up #and by someone I mean me but also taylor #anonymous #asks*

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not-poignant · 4 years

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I'm a bit ignorant in this whole field, but I was wondering about the boundaries of professionalism psychological counseling in FFS. Like if the time ever comes when Ef may no longer require therapy (if that even can happen? considering it also feels like his trauma will be a constant battle in his life and rightfully so), will Dr. Gary still be allowed to remain in his life as emotional support/maybe even friend? That honestly feels idealistic though tbh, so I wanted to get more insight.

Hi hi anon!

Ooo there’s two good things to talk about here. The first:

Like if the time ever comes when Ef may no longer require therapy (if that even can happen? considering it also feels like his trauma will be a constant battle in his life and rightfully so)

It’s actually a myth that people stop therapy once they’re mentally ‘healthy.’ People stop therapy once their goals are met. And usually those goals actually don’t include curing them of their disorders. Most people who exit therapy still have mental disorders, but they often exit when they have the tools to manage those disorders safely, and have achieved a level of function in human society (i.e. friends, possibly partners, hobbies, the ability to self-regulate or have mostly healthy coping mechanisms) that they’re happy with.

Shit fuck this got so long, sorry.

For example, I’m always going to have PTSD, major depressive disorder, and a couple of other things. But I’ve gone from needing therapy quite often, to only needing to go about once every 3-5 weeks, and as time goes by, eventually I’ll phase out to much less often, until finally I’ll probably only need to call when I have something unusual or an emergency.

So basically, Efnisien can have PTSD and Pure O forever, but he likely won’t need a therapist forever. Though he’ll need to see one longer than most people, because of the complexity of the mental injuries he’s endured.

will Dr. Gary still be allowed to remain in his life as emotional support/maybe even friend?

That might technically be possible, but not in the way you’re thinking, and for a few reasons:

1. If Efnisien exits therapy, but then needs it again, he can’t go back to having therapy with Dr Gary if he’s Dr Gary’s friend.

2. I’ll go into this in more detail below but... Dr Gary can’t stay as like, an emotional support if he’s not working in his role as therapist. Mostly because he’s a person, and he either gets paid for his job, or they renegotiate their connection.

3. Dual relationships are considered profoundly unethical and unprofessional in therapy. So this is like, when you’re friends with your therapist and also they’re your therapist. (A more extreme version is when you have a sexual relationship with your therapist and also they’re your therapist, but I’m not going to touch that one at all, lmao).

4. ‘Once a patient. Always a patient.’ This is partly because the therapy-client relationship is built on a fairly significant power differential, and that power differential is kind of impossible to unpack once you’ve kind of gone through it that way. (It’d be like trying to make your mother no longer a mother so you can ‘just’ be her friend, your brain still knows she’s your mother).

Like, you spill your secrets to someone who responds from professional distance. They want you to do well, but all they expect from you is payment. They’re not telling you anything that doesn’t help you the most as a patient in the moment (from their perspective), and you’re not finding out anything about them as a person. It’s wildly, inherently imbalanced in nature, and sets up flawed expectations (even the expectation that Efnisien could get emotional support in a friendship with Dr Gary is, itself, kind of a sign that it’s impossible to see him as a person and not a therapist, or not in a role where he centres Efnisien’s wellbeing possibly over his own).

5. Ending therapy, and the grief it brings, is actually a therapeutic technique that’s really relevant and important! It allows the client to grieve and cope on their own (something they’ll have to do in ‘normal’ life as well), and learn for themselves that they’re so much stronger than they used to be. It mimics other circumstances where they will lose things (or people) that really really mattered to them, but in a way that is guided and very safe, and can be done compassionately. It sets a client up to go ‘oh, I survived that, actually... I can do this.’ Ending therapy into ‘friendship’ kind of ruins that process.

The general adage is - it’s easier to find a good friend than it is to find a good therapist. So keep the two separated.

The *general* rule of thumb is that if a therapist and a client are going to be friends, it should happen around 2+ years after the therapeutic relationship has been exited, to make sure that the client is like, living an independent life and that friendship boundaries can be negotiated. This doesn’t make it ethical, by the way, or even a great idea, it just makes it slightly less unethical (there are exceptions to the rule, but Efnisien and Dr Gary don’t meet any of those exceptions). Personally I’m still not a fan of it, and I don’t think it should happen in Efnisien’s and Dr Gary’s situation anyway. (I have no problems with people imagining it happening! And maybe there are AUs where Gary isn’t a therapist, but ends up become Efnisien’s friend, etc.! But I can’t imagine it for myself).

No WAY should Dr Gary be Efnisien’s emotional support and a friend. He’s either a friend, or he’s a professional, not both. There’s never a future (except in fantasy land) where Efnisien should be allowed to see Dr Gary after therapy as a friend to talk about how hard his life is and get therapeutic advice. That’s just ‘free therapy’ which is bad for both of them.

(Also, we don’t know what Dr Gary is like as a friend. It’s a fact of life that quite a few therapists are well, not that empathetic as friends, because they’re so tired from supporting their clients all day they don’t have much energy left to support their friends, lol. I say this as a person who has a lot of friends who work as therapists and psychologists (which is how I know it’s not always true, but it’s sometimes true!))

Something Efnisien could ethically do after seeing Dr Gary (also, Efnisien will still be seeing Dr Gary once this story finishes, lol, getting *some* support in his life doesn’t clear him to exit therapy at all) is send Dr Gary updates or emails about his life sometimes. Or have like a once a year session to just catch up, that’s a lot more relaxed and just going over how things have been. Like just because they terminate therapy, doesn’t mean Efnisien can’t update to say like ‘things are going well, thanks for everything’ and Dr Gary can’t reply with ‘I’m so glad to hear that’ etc.

But overall, the exiting process re: therapy is actually a really important part of therapy! It’s actually even more important if both parties have experienced positive transference (i.e. really liking each other / wanting to stay friends).

I’ve had to wrestle with this a bit myself. Like, in real life. Sometimes it’s really tempting to stay friends with your therapist. But yeah, outside of just daydreaming about it, or imagining it, it’s not something I see happening for Efnisien even though I really love Dr Gary, and I really love the way Dr Gary and Efnisien act together. It’s not something to worry about in the story anyway, we won’t be seeing Efnisien exiting therapy even if he’s really worried about Dr Gary getting rid of him, lol.

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falloutsketchysecretsanta · 3 years

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so I know that the event is over, but I just had a couple of questions about running a successful event like this. I'm planning an even called Fluffy February, and I was wondering how I could make it work. Some people have shown interest in participating, and I made a side blog for FF but I was wondering if yall had any advice on how to navigate an online event.

There's a few keys to running a successful event. These keys remain true whether its online or meatspace, but accomplishing them can be a lil different when everything is online and no one is in physical proximity to each other.

1) PUT INFORMATION IN A CONSISTENT PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO FIND IT.

Anyone who stumbles across a post related to your event obviously doesn't wanna scroll through the whole blog to find out what it is. Make an info post and pin that to the top of the blog, and link that info post every time you advertise the event so folks can easily find out what it is your event is doing and how to participate. Also mention directly how to get in contact if they have questions. Don't just ASSUME folks will send an ask or IM, TELL THEM TO. Give directions on how they can find out more, and make sure you keep access to that info in mind every time you post.

2) FOSTER COMMUNICATION

We had a team of artists running this event, and as such we all had to keep in contact with each other so we knew who was doing what, what the expectations were, and what our to do list was. To this end, we had Discord as a general communication tool for the team in place about a month before things actually kicked off, with sectioned up channels for people to talk about whatever (fosters community) and for talk about the work we were doing (so we had a specific space for asking advice and seeking clarification.) We also had a google doc that was home to a spreadsheet that kept track of all requests we had received and what actions had or had not been taken (whether an artist had claimed it, if we still needed helpers to dig up references, if the @ tag didn't work when the post was queued and the gift recipient would need direct notification). These tools helped the team know what was going on, and have an avenue through which to ask questions if they got confused. NOTHING SUCKS THE AIR OUTTA AN EVENT LIKE FOLKS NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO. Confusion will kill hype and enthusiasm in a HEARTBEAT. If you have a team of any kind working with you on your event, find the tools that will foster communication between people and keep them feeling certain and engaged.

3) ADVERTISE. PROMOTE. TAG.

You got info up, you got a team that can talk to each other, now it's time to get the word out-- which means posts promoting the event. Promotional posts should be short and to the point-- summarize your event in 2 sentences or less, and either include a link to your info post or say 'more info in our pinned post!'. Include how you'd like people to respond: "If you're interested, send us an ask!" "Help us get the word around by reblogging this post!" Pictures can be your friend in getting folks to pay attention to the writing on the promotion, but be careful that the image isn't obnoxious to scroll past. I'd recommend no taller than 500 pix so it doesnt become a pain if a lotta people reblog it. Think banner, not poster.

If you want your event to show up in tag searches, first be aware that Tumblr made any post containing links impossible to find in the regular search. If you link or @ someone (which is a link), your tags are irrelevant past your internal blog organization. This is where the phrase 'more info in pinned post!' Becomes your friend. The pinned post is findable without a link, folks just gotta click over to your blog.

Second thing to know when utilizing tags is to know Tumblr only cares about the first 5. Pick them carefully. Think of terms people might be searching who would be interested in your event. If its fandom specific, tag it with how you'd search general fandom material. If it could be considered a challenge, tag writing prompt or writing challenge.

Also remember to reblog your own promotion regularly, but not obsessively. Twice a day, when your dash tends to be most active, is a good rule of thumb.

BEST OF LUCK!

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yconic · 4 years

Text

Guess who was bored and decided to make a Stonytasha pirate AU sjsj

Alright so!! What I had in mind: Th name of infamous pirate captain Tony Stark , stretched across all land for being the skilled and more than ruthless bandit that Steve Rogers, son of a navy/military general, finds himself to be too infatuated with.

Like, proper and posh Steve, with just a whisk of innocence and fragility falling for charming and flirty sea bandit that is Tony , who stops mid battle with his dad's crew to kiss his cheek while evading getting hurt?? Cuteness, I have no self control sksksk

When Black Sabbath ambushes the town of Brooks, Joseph Rogers is crimson to the hairline at being caught so unprepared. Due to celebrating his son's birthday the day prior.

Half his force stood ditzy on their feet, still so drowned into the debauchery they failed to realize the pirate ship they were supposed to guard was floating carelessly at the docks has been there for two hours.

In their surprise, Tony and his crew aren't spreading chaos or destruction. They carry the calmness of a silent storm, not thunder but raindrops as they collect what they can carry. From bare necessities such as food to a random jewelry that caught their eye.

Steve knows retaliation wouldn't result in a victory. At least 10 men against one aren't odds that favour him. Not only is he outnumbered, but he is also undertrained. Despite being a soldier in name, his father had been adamant about actually introducing him to the practice. Steve is tore between being grateful or regretful about his incliation to arts now.

They're not hurting anyone. That's what confuses him.

He would love to paint the Captain, however. Even a quick sketch would have sufficed, even if it wouldn't do justice to the undeniable beauty in front of him. Tony was a rarity he couldn't pry his eyes off of. Hair dark and soft looking curling at the nape of his neck, Skin kissed by sun, complimenting the gold beam smile that's too enchanting for it's own good.

The pools of brown lock with him for a moment, but it was enough to make his legs buckle slightly. Those were the Deadeyes, he told himself, that put fright in monsters and men alike. Except the cruelty, coldness, and blankness from the tales he's heard was missing. Tony was alive, and he was laughing.

The smile grew bigger as he advanced in his direction, dropping the sack of goods he's been carrying not even a moment ago. Steve made the effort of keeping his eyes past the pirate's shoulder instead of the sight of his bare chest, provided by the low cut red blouse.

Steve felt his face burning, which only seemed to amuse the Captain further if the chuckle sending shivers down his spine was any clue worth following.

"You're Rogers blood, " Tony commented easily, tone full of glee. Even if he was taller between them, Steve never felt so small. His form turned to wood when calloused fingers rested on his jawline, touch gentle.

Almost too loving for what they probably done. Steve wanted to melt into it. "Pretty fella, aren't you, sweetling?"

Steve's dry throat was, at once, workable again. "And you, the pirate sacking my town, " he responded, voice silkier than he intended. The darkness of Tony's eyes intensified with just a shade, but it was enough to make him swallow a whine. "You'd have better luck in Quinz. From what I hear they've been recently restocked. Why us?"

A rich laugh boomed from Tony. "Darling, " he started, grin crooked and voice dripping in honey. "You don't KNOW what a sacking done by me looks like." Steve was positive he never wanted to find out.

Silence washed over them for a moment before the pirate spoke again.

"We're just taking what we need, not want. We're housing a few extra guests and we regrettably ran out of food, which is terribly embarrassing for me. I've been told I hold the title of the best host over all 50 seas. My people shouldn't expect less than the best, as I'm sure you understand."

"If you wish, we can also provide you with an appron, " Steve said, waiting for the thin ice to crack. Tony's lips quirked upwards and somehow the nobleborn knew he won't sink just yet. The blonde's hand extended in invitation. "I'm not certain what the manner pirates use to introduce themselves, but here we shake hands. I am Steve Rogers."

"It may shock you, but some of us swap spit. I suppose however, since we're on your land I'll comply to your rules, " a wink and a tongue leaking with sarcasm, accompanied with a firm handshake enough to make Steve's skin raise upwards. "You know who I am."

Steve nodded. "Deadeyes. Parents and eldery tell the children about you."

"Jesus, " Tony swore. "I'm not sure if I should be proud of by my everlasting popularity or offended that so many consider me an ancient ghost ship. Why parents think I'm an appropriate subject for discussion escapes me."

"They do it so the children won't grow up like you."

"Grow up? Oh no darling I'm afraid I only grew old, " Tony chuckled, eyes dancing on the blonde's body, making Steve feel warm. "But only in certain fields."

"You could have tried to buy something if you were in need. Like all people do."

"I would love to, but not only are my pockets in great mourning, I must say your system makes it very difficult for people like me to make ends meet."

"The criminals?"

"The poors."

Before either men could say more, a fire was shot in the open. Tony reacted in a blink move, pushing the blonde to the ground with a shocking force. He heard someone shout Tony's name, but the ringing in his sensitive ears dafted all sound trying to stab in.

"Stay down until the fire dims, then find shelter!" The pirate's order came in form of a yell, but to Steve's ears it was more of a soft instruction. He could spot familiar boots with the glittering royal emblem shining blindly through the dust blinding his vision

The force is chasing the crew, more drunk than awake, shooting at whatever they can aim. The blonde's heart slammed against his ribcage, adrenaline and fear for his people coursing through his blood at an alarming speed as the men flooded the market place.

Steve was quick on his feet, body becoming it's own host as he helped the two men, -- whom by the looks of it were apart of Tony's crew, -- lead the people to the town's church where they would be safest. The tail of his eye spied a flash of red darting above them on the roofs, but before he had the chance of getting a better look, he was knocked aside by the crowd.

The gates were locked shut.

Steve resigned behind the closest beer barrels, placing his hand on the pistol harness tucked safetly on his hip, ignoring the slight tremble of his digits. He leaned over to peek through the tangle of soldiers and bandits huddled up together like fight dogs in a ring, at the violent scenery Tony painted with a mindnumbing grace.

The footing was almost too hard to follow with the bare eyes. The pirate seemed to barely touch the ground, blade cutting through the air with a force that temporality privated Steve from air. He was accustomed to battle, twin swords in each hand seeming at home and comfortable.

He trapped the wrist of one soldier between the edges of his weapon, head moving just in time before the bullet shot could crave his skull. The military man received a kick in the gut, sending him straight to the floor.

Tony was swift on his toes, predicting the sloppy moves of his adversaries and dodging them with ease, smirk sharp and lethal as the men around him hit the ground like rain. By gun shot, he realized, put to the ground by a shower of lead. His eyes hunted every direction in hope of finding the gunslinger but with no such luck.

The soldiers groaned from their spot on the ground, each holding onto their bleeding legs. Most of the damage was done to either their hands or inferior limbs area. The coin dropped. Whoever it was, their objective was not to dig graves, but a weeksworth of bed rest, if that. The symphony of battle got quieter and quieter for Steve, who failed to register Tony making his way to him.

"Love, we have to stop meeting like this, for the sake of your heart. " He thought he heard. Steve couldn't make out the words properly, sentences becoming incoherent .

Everything became white noise and unclear, blurry dark silhouettes. The nerves in his body all numbed, lost of feeling until a rough hand curled around the nape of his neck. The firm but tender touch provided him some much-needed grounding.

His senses awakened again, his being coming back slowly. His mind was sober enough to hear the pleasant graveness of Tony's voice whispering sweetly against his ear as he raised him from the soil that tainted the fine cloth.

"It's over now, " he soothed as a child does a spooked animal, thumb rubbing circles into the sweat coated skin. Tony did not hesitate to brush his lips across. "Please, sweetling, return to me, will you? You were brave, doing exactly as I told you. I have you. You're safe now."

"I was a coward, " he retorted, mouth bitter and eyes burning. "I HID from battle, from the danger, while my people were attacked. What kind of soldier does that?"

"So what? Better a dead hero than a living man?" Tony asked sternly. "Your people are safe, are they not? You lead them to the church, Steve. You protected them, and--" the cock of a pistol made them both pause.

A tiny gasp slipped past Steve's lisp as the soldier who they both missed sneaked behind them, firearm aimed at Tony's back. The smaller man planted between him and the attacker, not letting him be exposed to danger.

"You don't want to do this. Trust me." Tony warned mildly. "I am trying to give you a way out, you'd be smart to take it." The soldier was stilled, and the gun wasn't lowered. His finger caressed the trigger.

"I see, " strangely, he could hear a hint of smile in Tony's voice. "So. Is this the end of me?"

Steve's eyes were clamped tight, fingers clenched around the thin material of Tony's dress shirt as the bang of fire lingered in the air. After a passing minute, he felt something fast and hot shredding the oxygen right beside his left ear.

When the black faded away, Steve was not expecting to see Tony still standing, and the soldier shot down clutching at his injured soldier. The shot hasn't came from him, but from behind him. Whipping around, Steve paused in mild shock. A small woman, not tall enough to reach his shoulder without raising on her tips, had her slandered arm extended and wileding a pistol.

Her looks was deceivingly innocent, features soft yet sculpted pleasantly resting in a mask of winter were captivating. Her hair was red and her most eye catching asset, warm auburn and planted in a bun, reminding Steve of autum leaves painted in rusty undertoned he loved to collect when the season was of middle.

Fierce green eyes melted as they landed on Tony, the stone in them cracked. A glimpse of adoration washed over them, clearly exposing the nature of their connection. Steve felt his heart clench.

For some reason, her voice decreased some of the burn his chest scorched with. "Not today, Captain."

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drblood-bringer-of-death · 4 years

Text

Yay! Another Tyrian x Watts fanfiction for Nuts and Volts week! Seriously I cant get enough of these guys! Anyway, hope everyone over at @nutsandvoltsweek enjoys it!

Waltzing into love

Warnings: literally just some mild cursing.

They hated it. Every single second of being stuck in the stuffy, crowded room full of pompous, rich assholes. Arthur glared at anyone unfortunate enough to make eye contact with him and he stayed as far away from the dance floor as possible. He hated parties as much as he hated people. He would much rather be back in the grimm lands, tinkering away at his inventions without a single interruption. But he was not the only one who hated being there. As grand and beautiful as Atlesian parties were, they had a very strict policy to them. No Faunus, No improper dress, and absolutely No exceptions. Tyrian, as sporadic and chaotic as the man was, unfortunately was the best fit to go with Arthur to this party. Salem decided that Hazel would be too intimidating, Emerald and Mercury were too young, and Cinder would have stuck out like a sore thumb. So Tyrian was voluntold to attend as Arthur's date. He sulked even more than Arthur did. He might have even hated it more than the mustached man. Due to the strict policy, Tyrian had to wear what he considered "constrictive" clothing. And worst of all he couldn't even use his tail! Arthur had insisted he hide it, since it was against the rules. Tyrian fought him on it, to no avail as he knew Arthur was right. So the two brooded in their fancy clothing in a corner of the ballroom. They avoided everyone and if it wasn't for Arthur's accursed reputation he would have never even attended this godforsaken party. Maybe he could figure out some way to fake his death or even actually die just to avoid these parties.

"This is pointless!" Tyrian growled.

"It's not entirely pointless, but it's Incredibly dull." Arthur retorted, focusing all his attention on his scroll.

"Why did I have to come here?! I hate this! I feel like I'm restricting all my natural instincts!" Tyrian continued to complain as he pulled on the dark purple tie around his neck.

"Stop pulling at that you'll undo it! And you know why she chose you to come with me. And stop tugging on the tie!" Arthur said angrily as he turned towards Tyrian, who had managed to actually undo his tie. "How did you even? Ugh just let me fix it!" Arthur swatted away Tyrians hands and grabbed ahold of the tie. Fastening it once again.

"Ahem, am I interrupting anything?" The unwanted and annoying voice of Jaques Schnee broke through Arthurs grumbling. His brow twitched in annoyance and he sighed before facing the unbearable aristocrat.

"Why Jaques, what a pleasure to see you again." Arthur lied through his teeth.

"A pleasure as well. Who, may I ask, are you?" He directed the question towards Tyrian who stiffened as a response.

"Uh, Tyrian Callows, associate of Watts here." He shook the older man's hand in forced politeness.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Callows. I had no idea Arthur was into such… interesting company." His tone of voice and the way he glanced at Arthur smugly, clearly portrayed that he suspected something else. "why I'd even say you might be planning something… more forbidding." Tyrian pailed, could he really figure them out that easily? He looked at Arthur and they shared a panicked look.

"Jaques if you're suggesting-" Arthur started to accuse him but Jaques cut him off.

"Oh come now Arthur, you know i wouldn't care if you were gay, it's quite common nowadays, and I've been suspecting it for a while anyway-" Watts and Tyrians faces went bright red. "I was simply baffled that you managed to find someone to deal with your arrogance." He finished.

"I-my arrogance- excuse me?!" Arthur said offhandedly. Jaques only laughed at him.

"Relax, you know that the General himself is gay right? Really it doesn't matter here, why not show some affection! Have a dance or two! There's nothing to hide." And before Arthur, pr even Tyrian for that matter, could stutter out a response Jaques turned on his heels and walked away smirking.

"Does he think-? I mean really?" Tyrian asked before bursting into uncontrollable laughter. His entire body shook with each inhale of breath. As he laughed and laughed Arthur's face grew more and more red, out of both embarrassment and anger.

"You shut up!" He snapped at Tyrian. Whose laughter seemed never ending. Making Arthurs anger grow.

"Re- hehehe- relax Arthur. Haha, as far as we know, this could be an advantage." Tyrian offered through dying giggles.

"What do you mean?" Arthurs anger sizzled but he stopped feeling the innate need to punch the Faunus. Tyrian wiped a tear from his eye.

"Well think about it. You could gain some massive publicity points if you came out as gay, and if we did it here it would be massively successful. All we have to do is dance a little bit and maybe hold hands. People will come to the conclusion on their own and it'll be all over the news tomorrow. "Infamous inventor Arthur Watts supporting his community through love!" Can you imagine that?" Arthur paused.

Unhinged, deranged, murderous, insane… and intelligent. Those are the words Arthur would use to describe Tyrian right now. As unpredictable as the man is, he could read people and play off them better than even Salem herself.

"That… could work." Arthur poundered. The plan was foolproof, and even if it went wrong then it would cause protests in the communities drawing grimm in. "Yes. It would work quite well." Arthur hummed to himself and Tyrian smirked.

"Well then let's get to it and put on a show!" He cheered in a manic giggle as he pulled Arthur away from their protective corner and into the center of the dancefloor. Arthur huffed behind him, not expecting the pull. Although he should really expect everything from Tyrian.

"I told you to relax already Arthur! All we need to do is dance a bit and act all coupley." Tyrian smirked again and Arthur got some sort of primal feeling in his gut to run. As if something far more sinister than even they had planned was happening. But he ignored it, it was not the first, or last, time he would have that feeling while with the scorpion.

"It's Impossible to relax with you" he retorted harshly, shifting himself and Tyrian into a waltzing position. Slowly the music ran through the room and the many people around them began to move to the three step beat.

"Your words wound me Arthur," Tyrian mocked. "I'm the most relaxing person I know! Well besides Hazel." He held back a giggle.

"Your a caffeinated maniac trapped inside a padded room. I absolutely do not find you relaxing!" Arthur all but growled.

"A bit touchy aren't you? Was it something that Mr. Schnee said that caught your nerves?" He smirked wildly at Arthur who tried his best to keep his composure. As he tried to calm his breathing Tyrians insane smile reached his eyes. "Oh my, your heart rate picked up! I must be onto something!" Arthur started to panic.

"You did not- wait you can sense my heart rate? No, nevermind that!" He attempted to gather his thoughts as he and Tyrian glided across the ballroom floor, sliding in time with everyone around them. If you weren't right next to the pair it would be like they were just enjoying themselves and not having a frantic argument.

"Poor Arthur Watts, not admitting that old Mr. Schnee was right! What an exciting evening this has become!" Tyrians giggles seemed to pour out of his mouth.

"Would you just shut up! I've already said that to you tonight, you psychopath! Now stop talking and lets finish this stupid dance!" Arthur was pissed off now, he couldn't stand looking at Tyrians pretty eyes or his handsome face any longer. So he decided to do something about it. As the song approached it's climax he brought Tyrian into a sudden spin, catching the scorpion off guard. As he pulled Tyrian back into him, he made up his mind. Placing one foot behind Tyrians and throwing his center of balance off, he dipped the younger man. He heard people around them gasp, some of them seemed shocked, but through all the noise he heard two distinct things. One: Jaques Schnee saying " I called it!", and two, Tyrian Callows' sharp inhale of breath. He pulled them back up. Releasing Tyrians lips as he did, and then he turned and walked out of the room.

Tyrian stumbled, that was not expected at all. He knew Arthur was gay but he never dared to dream that Arthur liked him. He got over the shock, more delayed than he'd like, but nevertheless he rushed after Arthur and found the man pacing an empty hallway.

"Why did I do that? What was the logic of that? It was pointless, im pointless. For fucks sake we're both adults why couldn't I just talk to him!?" Arthur mutters to himself as he paced, not even noticing that Tyrian was right next to him. "Damnit, that was so stupid! Why is he so handsomely intimidating? What can't I just be normal-"

"Because you're Arthur Watts, inventor and doctor, smarter than anyone else i know and absolutely hopelessly in love with me" Tyrian interrupted, his voice caught Arthur off guard and he would never admit how much that genuinely scared him.

"Ty- Tyrian look, what I-" he was cut off as said man lunged at him suddenly, crowding his precious space.

"Just shut up and kiss me again" the scorpion demanded as he rolled his eyes and pulled Arthur into him. Their lips crashed together again, yet the feeling was different. Before Arthur could barely feel the kiss at all, but now he felt like sparks were flying down his spine and static was invading his mind. Arthur let himself fall mentally, his brilliant mind failing him when he needed it most, so he just let it happen. Let his body do the talking for once.

Tyrian on the other hand was practically shaking with joy, he had a crush on the doctor for a while now but he truly never believed Arthur would like him back, let alone make the first move! He could not be happier even if his own goddess showed up just then! He felt as if nothing could ruin this sweet moment of love. And he was right, not a soul came out of the party to find them and they were left alone in the hallway. As Tyrian let go of Arthur he smiled. Not a crazed, classic Tyrian smile, but a calm, genuine one. Arthur felt his heart skip more than one beat, and he was sure Tyrian felt it too. Soon enough Tyrians soft laughter bubbled out of his mouth.

"What's so funny?" Arthur asked, his usual scoff lightened just a touch.

"Well the fact that we literally waltzed into love." Arthur's eyes rolled.

"That was cheesy." He huffed as he set his head on Tyrians shoulder.

"No, parmesan is cheesy." Arthur sighed. The moment was ruined by the man who created it. And he could not help the small smile that was hidden by his mustache. Maybe tonight was worth the party.

#nuts and volts week #nuts and volts #rwby watts #rwby tyrian #rwby #rwby fanfiction #arthur watts #tyrian callows

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cavendishtogopls · 5 years

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She likes Spring, I prefer Winter [WR x Diakko royalty au chapter 1]

This was supposed to be a one shot but halfway through I gave up and divided it in parts. You can read it here or on ao3

Atlas, unlike the other three kingdoms in remnant, maintained the monarch rule under the jurisdiction of Jacques Schnee. The Schnee Dust Company is the largest producer of Dust in all of remnant. Dust enables the people of remnant their daily life and protects them from the creatures of Grimm. Jacques Schnee, current ruler of Atlas and CEO of SDC, has the entire Atlas military wrapped around his fingers under the command of General James Ironwood, making him the most powerful man in all of remnant. It should be illegal for any man, king or no king, to wield that much power. Ruby rifles through the rest of the files on her scroll.

Jacques Schnee has three offsprings, all of them were set to inherit a part of his Monopoly on power once they came of age. His firstborn was Military Specialist Winter Schnee, Ruby has had way too many close encounters with Atlas military to remember the intimidating posture of Winter Schnee. His youngest was Whitley Schnee, he appears to be a regular person, or as regular as a Schnee prince would be. It seems however that he lacks the talent in summoning that both of his sisters wield.

The middle child and the heiress of Jacques kingdom was Princess Weiss Schnee, the object of tonight's contract. Ruby studies the face that she had seen a thousand times on scrolls, giving speeches on stadiums or simply accompanying her father on political events.

White hair that cascades down her back in a long side ponytail with a glass tiara on top of her hair. Frost blue eyes, similar to her sister's, stare at the camera haughtily in pride or in defiance, Ruby couldn't tell. She looks delicate, like a porcelain doll that would break under your touch. Every bit of the fairytale princess Ruby imagined her to be.

"Miss Rose, I need you to track down the group of assailants." Ruby looked up from her scroll, to the duchess across the wooden table.

Diana Cavendish, the sole heir to the Cavendish line and Cavendish Medical Group. From what Ruby understands of Atlas Politics, their family is the second largest influence in Atlas. Even in what Ruby assumed to be her casual clothes, as casual as proper decorum would allow a duchess, Diana Cavendish looks terribly out of place in a run down tavern in the lower part of the city. Next to her sat a brunette with crimson eyes glaring at Ruby. Ruby recognized her as Atsuko Kagari, one if not the best huntress of their generation.

"So uhh... your grace. Can you tell me how the abduction happened?" Ruby twiddles with her scroll. Diana was gorgeous albeit a bit intimidating, every bit of the noblewoman expected of her. She had sharp features but with the blonde tea green hair framing her face, it looks disarming. She had a thumb beneath her chin and a thoughtful look on her as she goes to recount the events earlier.

~*~

"Akko!" Diana's voice echoed through the alleyway as she fought through the onslaught of enemies in white masks. They were singling Akko out, backing her away from Diana and Weiss fighting with their backs against each other. Klein, Weiss' butler was down. Diana shouldn't be this worried, Akko was a huntress, a graduate from Luna Nova Academy even, before being her personal guard. Akko is yet to use her semblance and with Claiomh Solais, Akko's weapon that could take on many forms, Diana is confident they wouldn't be able to subdue the brunette easily.

Diana grips Excalibur, her weapon, by the hilt. A sword of ice that can freeze everything it wounds. It was a pleasant accompaniment for her semblance but the pre-requisite for her summoning is nowhere to be found. Summoning is a common hereditary semblance for the upper echelon of Atlas. It symbolize the family's pride and noble blood descendant from the magic of the ancients. Where Weiss could summon any enemy she bested in combat, Diana could summon the spirit of those she healed given that she has water to summon it from. The stark differences and similarity in their semblances were so telling of their family histories, they rarely brought it up.

Weiss and Diana were holding their ground, facing the enemy with their backs against each other. There were just so many of the enemy that whenever they strike down one, three more would take it's place. There was barely room to fight without hitting each other with their swords.

"Weiss, we have to get out of here." Diana hissed at her friend, who just casually rolled her eyes at Diana.

"Don't you think I know that? These mangy beasts smell an awful lot like animal dung." Weiss fired another volley of fire dust towards the masked assailants as Diana parries and thrust her way towards Akko's direction.

"I really don't think it's wise for you to say that. They have incredible hearing." Diana shook her head at her friend. Weiss can be a bit too much sometimes. Suppose it was the Schnee upbringing talking.

"Oh, trust me, Dia. I meant for them to hear." Weiss smirks at Diana and created a glyph to act as Diana's cover. "Go get your girlfriend. We'll talk about you two snogging later. I'll deal with these losers."

"Be safe." Diana nods her way and continues to try and ease the attacks on Akko.

Unlike with her and Weiss, the masked assailants were in no way careful, nor do they have any intention of holding back for the sake of capture. Diana could feel the murderous intent coming off of them. Their attacks on Akko came with the intent to kill. Akko was panting, surrounded but her grip on the sword version of Claiomh Solais was firm. Akko saw her coming, nodding in understanding and then the tell tale blinding light of Akko activating her semblance distracts them all as an elephant emerges from the light, brandishing the ax version of the Claiomh Solais, bashing people against the wall. Diana hacked and slashed through the never ending spur of people, one tried to grab her hair and pulled her backwards towards the direction of another Faunus wielding a club.

"Diana! Watch out!" Weiss projected a hastily summoned glyph to protect Diana's head from being bludgeoned by a club, getting caught off guard herself by a blow from a bull Faunus that rendered Weiss unconscious.

"Weiss!" Diana watched, struggling against the hold on her, as the bull Faunus passed the unconscious princess onto another Faunus who materialized out of thin air, sprinting out of their sight. The one holding her poised for another strike when Akko, the elephant charged, disregarding the other Faunus trying to get to her, waving and hitting them with the blunt end of the ax. The elephant trampled over Diana's captors and scooped up the duchess using her trunk, placing her gently on her back, taking off after the captor. But they were too late, the fleeing Faunus were everywhere but the one who Diana saw carrying Weiss' limp frame was gone.

~*~

"Anyone wants to enlighten me why the two most targeted heiress of Atlas is wandering around in the slums of the city without proper security?"

"Weiss and I always had these trips to see how the lower echelon of Atlas fairs with the changes in the economy. It's one of the things that makes a difference you know, knowing your country firsthand rather than from some servant." Diana explains patiently to Ruby who was a bit surprised by that revelation. To her, Weiss Schnee was nothing more than a spoiled brat with a silver tiara on her head and was born with a golden spoon on her mouth. At least that's what she hears from Blake, her teammate.

"It doesn't explain why you two are without proper security." Ruby pointed out. No matter how noble the intention, it was still reckless and something she didn't expect from the Duchess. The brunette, sitting next to the duchess, straightened up and met Ruby's eyes.

"I'm Atsuko Kagari, Diana's head of security and personal bodyguard." The brunette extends a hand that Ruby shook. "The princess recently fired her personal security and we were forced to take Klein, the butler, with us. He was past his prime. I'm a trained huntress myself, Miss Rose and while the duchess and the princess are easily the two most powerful summoners in Atlas, you also know that a huntress can encounter certain difficulties when it comes to a job." Ruby nods to that and takes a sip of her strawberry daiquiri.

"I've heard of you, Miss Kagari and Claiomh Solais. You singlehandedly rescued all of Atlas from the threat of a wyvern." Ruby tried not to sound so excited. From what she heard of the legendary weapon, it can turn into a sword, a club, an ax, and a grappling hook. Ruby would give anything to dismantle the weapon and take in all of its legendary awesomeness. Akko Kagari was one of the best huntress out here in Atlas, courtesy of Luna Nova, a huntress exclusive training academy.

"Trust me, it wasn't as good as the rumors made it out to be. I had good teammates supporting me and another 2 teams of Luna Nova's best huntresses behind my back." Akko turns to nod at Diana. "Her grace included. I doubt I can do anything without her help."

"So... You left the profession for?" Ruby crosses her arms, she couldn't imagine leaving the profession for anything.

"Oh. I didn't. I still go on hunts sometimes. I just prefer to be Diana's personal bodyguard when I don't. It's what we swore to do, you know, protecting people." Akko took Diana's hand in hers, intertwining it. "just on a smaller scale."

Ruby does not want to know the play by play details on how small that scale really is.

"Any ideas who it could be? You mentioned the culprit vanishing in thin air? Are there any faunus specie known to do that?" This time it was the duchess who spoke.

"Actually Miss Rose, from what I know of Faunus families, one particular is a chameleon Faunus but as I didn't see the face of the culprit, I'm not so sure myself." Diana then transfered a file to her scroll.

"We can't also rule out the possibility that it could be their semblance." Akko points out, to which Diana nodded.

"Alright, I'll look into it." Ruby tucks her scroll away. "Anything else I should know of?"

"Miss Rose are you familiar with the terrorist group, White Fang?" Akko asked, to which Ruby nodded.

"The White Fang. A group composed of Faunus activists fighting for their rights and equality against propaganda of huge corporations such as the Schnee Dust Company." Ruby easily corrected. Diana raised an eyebrow at that.

"Miss Rose, The White Fang has taken innocent lives as mere collateral for their cause. They do whatever it takes, whenever. I have faced against them countless of times in order to keep Miss Cavendish safe. This group has the Princess, the apparent heir to the throne. I admit it was due to some of my miscalculation but as we sit here, the Princess' life is in danger. Will you accept the job or not?" Akko throws haphazardly at the red haired huntress. Diana sneakily take her hand in hers and gave it a light squeeze in order to calm the brunette down.

"Weiss is going to be used as a pawn to start a war, Miss Rose. They're going to use her as leverage against her father and we would be thrown into another war. Countless of lives will be lost." Diana sighs.

"I accept." Ruby stands up. "I don't care much for your politics but the people's lives is something I swore to protect as a Huntress. I will retrieve the Princess, you can count on that."

"Thank you, Miss Rose." Diana nods curtly. "I understand your team is of high demand but I hope you will take this as a priority. You will be paid handsomely for it."

"It will be. Does her sister know?" Ruby asks out of curiosity. Winter Schnee does not seem like the person who would sit back and watch as other people retrieve her sister from enemy clutches.

~*~

"I will let Winter know. That'd be all, Miss Rose. Thank you." Diana dismisses as the huntress exits the room in the tavern with a nod.

"Tell me again, why we chose her?" Akko stared pointedly at Diana. "I could easily track Weiss. I'm still a huntress Diana."

"The White Fang knows you're hunting them. Don't tell me you didn't notice the way they were singling you out instead of fully capturing Weiss and I." Diana stared sternly at her stubborn girlfriend. "You're a damn great huntress Akko and the fang knows it. They might be expecting you to come for Weiss and I'm not going to give them that leverage. They'll be expecting you, not Ruby Rose."

"Surely there's anyone else out there? I feel like we're sending a kid to her death." Akko groans, studying the blade of Claiomh Solais. The golden glint of the blade reflecting off on the seven rubies embedded in the hilt.

"Underestimating Ruby is not something you should do, Akko. Their team is easily the best known for their tracking, be it Grimm or human. Weiss will have our heads if she knew we didn't pull out all the stops." Diana grabs the glass of wine and gulped down its contents. She's going to need it if she's delivering the news to Winter.

"Besides, that girl badly needs a girlfriend. She's been so irritable lately." Diana chuckles softly. "She can easily get out of The Fang's clutches and you know it Akko. I pity the poor chap who's going to face the wrath of the ice princess." Diana extends her glass towards Akko, only for the brunette to pour her wine.

"You mean to tell me you're spending this God awful lot of money for the princess to have a girlfriend?" Akko stares in disbelief at Diana.

"I mean, I dearly love my cousin. I do. But I need her off my back. And if that takes a cute silver eyed huntress and a lot of money then so be it." Diana swirls the wine in her glass, contemplating whether or not to tell Winter. At best, she would send a manhunt operation for The Fang. At worst, probably execute anyone found in the process.

"Come on, Akko. You have to agree. Miss Rose was definitely Weiss' type. Horrendous haircut, stupid puppy smile, sparkly eyes, strong arms and a capable huntress." Diana lists off.

"It sounds a lot like your type, Diana." Akko pouts. Diana merely shrugs.

"Weiss and I share a lot of similarities." Diana laughs. Akko takes the glass of wine from her girlfriend.

"I'm sorry about Weiss you know I couldn't even do my job properly. I couldn't even keep you safe." Diana was fine with it earlier and true to her words, Akko was her personal guard but she's also so much more than that to Diana. It doesn't mean it doesn't hurt when the brunette blames herself for something out of her realm of control.

Still, Diana couldn't help but be worried for Weiss. Weiss was still the crown princess, more than that, she was Jacques Schnee's daughter. If it came down to who is more likely to be executed by The Fang in a show of power, Diana would be in less imminent danger than Weiss. Because unlike Weiss, Diana had a good family lineage and Cavendish Medical Group treated the Faunus kind fairly.

"Akko, honey it's not your fault. Weiss saved me. And we both know Weiss is capable of protecting herself but still that idiot. Putting her life on the line for me when she's the crown princess. you know The Fang wouldn't harm me. They want Weiss." Diana said softly. Truthfully, she feels just as guilty. Weiss was in this predicament because she protected Diana. They wouldn't be in this mess if Diana wasn't so busy having her tongue inside Akko's mouth ten minutes before Weiss got abducted. Akko turned to look at Diana with such speed, she could've gotten whipslash from it, an angry glint in her eyes as she moves around the table to glare at Diana.

"You don't know that! What if Weiss didn't save you! The White Fang has killed thousands of people, Diana. What makes you think they're gonna stop now? Because you've been changing the way your company runs? What about the time Daryl ruled? She was just as bad as Weiss' father. Do you honestly think you being head of the family makes you a friend to The Fang? You going against the current administration paints you even more a target on both sides. It could've easily been you and not Weiss and if that happened, I would be out of my mind, tearing apart this city, looking for you."

For every word she says, she steps closer to Diana, effectively backing her to a corner of the small room they've rented just for meeting the huntress. Diana has never seen Akko this furious before and usually it wasn't directed at her. Akko raised an arm to her side, intimidating her a bit.

"Akko, I am still your authority." Diana whispered weakly. "I will not be spoken to in such disrespect."

"No, Diana." Akko almost growled at that, pulling the duchess closer to her. "I sworn my life to protect yours. You're not just my sovereign. You're my girlfriend. My duty is to you. I don't give a single flying fuck whoever the crown princess is. If Weiss hadn't save you, I had easily failed as your girlfriend and your guard. You're all I got." Akko whispers the last part, almost out of breath from her long rant. Diana pulls the brunette closer humming, Akko all but tucks herself in the crook of Diana's neck, placing soft kisses there.

"I thank every single God in remnant I have you." Diana says after a moment of tranquility.

"I was so scared I was going to lose you today." Akko let out shakily. "There were just so many and even with you there and Weiss' glyphs, they still overwhelmed us. I couldn't do anything, D. When Weiss was taken, I was scared they'll take you too. I couldn't let that happen." Akko was crying, Diana tried to free an arm but Akko wouldn't budge. Diana succeeded and lifted Akko's chin so she could see red rimmed eyes, exhaustion present in them and nothing else but love for Diana.

"I'm okay, Love. See, and that's because of you, Akko. You saved me." Diana swipes Akko's messy bangs from her eyes and pressed a soft kiss on her lips. "You always do."

"Come on let's get some rest. It's been a long day"

~*~

#rwby white rose #whiterose #rwby weiss #rwby ruby #diakko #dianakko #diana cavendish #akko little witch academia #akko kagari #little witch academia #rwby fic #royalty au

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breziarchive · 6 years

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I'm here for valentines! Gay aelita wanting a valentine but being too shy to ask the cute girl in class c:

IIIIIII futzed with this one a little bit WHOOPS, it’s a real problem that i just write cliffnotes of the prompt in my sheet then get back to the actual prompt and i’m like WELL…CLOSE ENOUGh.

Azra Ürgüp won the lottery for aelita’s crush mostly in thanks to Kay and my need for more interracial relationships. takes place after/during the canon episode Saint Valentine’s Day, back when they still thought many things about aelita and when she was still fairly sheltered

valentine’s day boogaloo - guidelines - ko-fi

(requests closed, just gettin’ through what’s left!)

Saint Valentine’sDay had been a bust.

Aelita didn’t haveto tell that to anyone, even people who didn’t know exactly whathappened. Her head burned with pain she couldn’t medicate, herfriends were exhausted in more ways than one, and though everythingwas okay and she could smile, it had all been a bust.

When she sat downin her chair, last class of the day which they had just barelymade it back for, she slumped, wishing she had a heating pad onher stomach and a pack of ice for her head. Slipping her opennotebook across the table, she laid her head down. She would’veabsolutely stayed there until class was over, but something poked herchin.

Cardstock. Keepingher head down, she curiously pulled the valentine from between hernotebook’s pages.

Her heart droppedinto her stomach and suddenly she was grateful she didn’t have aheating pad.

I think you’re sweet, Valentine!

The valentine wassigned but Aelita couldn’t recognize the collection of letters. Itwas a phrase, not a name, that much she could assume. But itcertainly wasn’t in French, nor was it Italian, which ruled Odd out.Aelita’s eyes swept over where the boys were sitting; Ulrich sittingbetween Odd and Jeremie just in case the two still had enough spit inthem to go at each other. It wasn’t Ulrich’s handwriting, and Jeremieonly knew French. She then started looking at her classmates. All ofthem were paying attention to the teacher, none of them lookinganxiously at her. Aelita bit her lip and looked at the foreignmessage.

When the bell rangshe caught Yumi before she left campus, roping her into a brisk walkaway from the boys before they got suspicious—after all the fussthey had made earlier, she figured it best. Handing the valentine toYumi, she studied her friend’s face as it hardened in concentration,then brightened in relief and tiredness.

“Just a normalvalentine this time, I promise,” Yumi said, “But I wouldn’t knowwho it’s from without looking it up. And no idea who left it?”

Aelita shook herhead. Yumi twisted her mouth, looking at the foreign phrase. After awhile her face lit up.

“I might have anidea. Back before XANA got really active—and even back before I metyou guys—I went to a couple of International Club’s meetings,trying to make friends, y'know,”

Aelita’s face litup in turn, in interest and excitement. At the sight of it after sucha long day, Yumi’s smile grew. It was the least she could offer aftersteering Aelita wrong the first time with the gift of the necklace.Besides, Jeremie was likely to hole himself away studying that chipXANA left behind—any Valentine’s Day plans they did havewere probably scratched by the ruined mood, anyways.

“Can’t be sure,but we did a language exchange day once, and there was one girl whowrote in Turkish—in fact I think she’s in your class,”

“She is?”Aelita asked, “Do you remember her name?”

“Umm,” Yumiclosed her eyes to think; it had been quite a long time since she hadbeen to a meeting, “I think…her name was Azra?”

Her face winced inapology, “I probably butchered her name, though,”

Aelita didn’t mind,wide-eyed and turning the name over in her head, wondering what waswritten on the note. To think! Someone outside of the group noticedher, thought of her enough to send a valentine? For a moment shedashed the idea like it had been an accident, but to slip into hernotebook it would’ve had to been tucked into her bag quitedeliberately, especially for it to be hidden until she had thumbedthrough the pages to jostle it loose. Still, the doubt flashed acrossher face and Yumi tilted her head, asking what was wrong.

“I mean…are yousure this is for real?” Aelita whispered. Yumi shrugged.

“Well, it couldjust be a friendship thing, but even so. I think all those boytroubles are giving this admirer of yours a run for their money,huh?”

“Do…can girlseven fall in love with each other?”

Yumi blinked,surprised. She wasn’t prepared nor equipped to really answer thatquestion in-depth, but she had to keep in mind that Aelita was, forall intents and purposes, a curious program in human form. Shockinglyhuman form, and by this point she was human nonetheless. Thoughawkward, rubbing her arm, she tried to answer the best she could.

“Well, of course.It’s generally not…I mean, I’d be careful as to who knew. Noteveryone’s okay with it, but uh…if it floats your boat…,”

Aelita stared ather, innocent and worried. Yumi forced a smirk and pushed pasteverything she couldn’t really articulate and repeated herself, “Itfloats your boat.”

“Oh…,” Aelitamurmured after a while, “I…should send something back…,”

At that Yumibeamed. Assuring Aelita that late valentine’s weren’t really anoffense unless it was already an established couple, and if this waswhat they thought it was, some shock and time to process was probablyexpected. After letting the boys know, Aelita followed Yumi home,home to dinner, home away from Kadic’s confusing structures; home tobuild a response.

Home to a computerthat provided a crude translation: Sincerely, your admirer.

‘Admirer’ couldmean a myriad of things, but Aelita’s heart was fluttering more andmore at the suggestion of something deeper. Something sweet andinnocent and just—even if it was flippant and superficial it wassomething new, and so long as they knew what it was Aelita wasokay with whatever it needed to be.

With Yumi’s helpshe crafted a response, which took much longer than she figured itwould, puzzling words and phrases out so it was a profoundacknowledgment but not too pushy. Calm, but not dismissive.Admittedly Yumi couldn’t help much either, she wasn’t good with wordsherself if her communication issues with Ulrich said anything. At onepoint Yumi laughed, embarrassed, saying that he was the poet, nother. The laughter was shaky, unsure. Well, if Aelita had time tofigure it out, so did Yumi. Besides, her friend didn’t want to spendtime on him when she had invited Aelita over for something else.

Despite Aelita’sinexperience and Yumi’s bluntness, the pink-haired girl walked homewith a note pressed flat against her fluttering chest.

Now came theproblem of delivering it.

Slip it into herbag? Too secretive, Aelita didn’t like that. Confront her in thehallways, cafeteria, classroom? Too…public. And she got theimpression that valentine’s like this were better done private. Butnot too private, she didn’t need to drag Azra into the deep ofthe woods just to pass off a note. Half the day went by and Aelitawas stuck in a loop of anxiety that planted her in inactivity. Theanxiety started to natter doubts in her head, that she hadmisunderstood, there was a mistranslation, or it was just too earlyto tell.

Eventually shesucked in her doubts and tried to press it into courage, staring atthe back of Azra’s head the whole class period. The bell rang, herheart blocked her throat, Aelita followed Azra out under the arches.

“H-Hey!” Aelitacalled, “Az, Azra, was it?”

The girl turned andAelita felt her heart, still in her throat, become a boulder. Darkhair, striking eyes, short, defined eyebrows—how did Aelita nevernotice this girl before? How many other classmates of hers had shejust not noticed because she was too preoccupied witheverything else?

“U-Uh,” shegulped the best she could, “Y-You dropped this,”

Smooth assandpaper. Aelita held the note out dumbly. Azra took it, and thoughshe probably didn’t take it slowly it felt like an agonizing eternityto Aelita. Trying to dance on her feet as inconspicuously aspossible, Aelita waited until it was too awkward to leave quickly butalso too awkward to stay and darted away. Azra’s brilliant eyes hadbeen trained down on the note, not noticing her fleeing until it wastoo late.

Azra frowned atwhere Aelita had just been. Opening her mouth like she was going tocall out, but shutting it when she realized she was alone, shecarefully re-folded the note and tucked it into the pages of hernotebook, memorizing Aelita’s handwriting and message.

I’ve never felt sweeter, thank you!

But I think giving a valentine firstmakes you the sweet one

-Admirer

#code lyoko #aelita stones #aelita #valentine's day boogaloo #gaylita #i agonized over aelita's response for longer than needed

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douchebagbrainwaves · 3 years

Text

I'M GOING TO EXPLAIN WHAT WE'RE SEEING, AND WHAT WOULD MAKE IT FASTER, YOU ALMOST ALWAYS GUESS WRONG

But until this does start to happen, and I can't see the fingerprints of PR firms all over the articles, as you can. Seed Round Our startup begins when a group of 10 people within a large organization that often doesn't know its own mind. The PR people and journalists recount the histories of startups after they've become big, they always cause a big splash. Start another company? The best word to describe the worst thing you can say about something is to criticize its tone, you're not be very good at managing people or dealing with the SEC. Few others could have done to catch them. Recognizing nonspam features may be more likely to arrive at answers they agreed upon. 99 probability. The chance of getting funding by this route is near zero. You can be a sign of how much programmers like to be flattered; they like to partners at their firm, the partners discriminate against deals that come to mind always tend to win eventually. Maybe you'll notice a mysterious individual called John McArtyem. But while founders will increasingly be unable to offer investment subject to contingencies like other people investing.

For unambitious people, this sort of multi-level slowness, with corresponding benefits. If anywhere should be quiet, that should be short. But I know they seemed dangerous as late as Newton's time it included what we now call science. Recursion means repetition in subelements, like the phrase personal satellite would today. What readability-per-line does mean, to the point where you shake hands and the deal's done. As much as they might drop the dog off at a kennel if they were one thirteenth as productive after the acquisition. Disasters are normal in a startup. The libraries all work well together; everything in the language than a compiler that generates fast code. But here's a related suggestion that goes with the grain instead of against it: that universities establish a writing major. Indeed, English classes may even be able to just ask them, right? Software companies, at least, is run by stupid people which can't be fixed with advice or the people are the right people, giving the impression of productivity, and so on.

If founders' instincts already gave them the right answers, not because you did a lot of time on launch strategies for products, there are probably two things keeping you from doing it. When you get an investor to commit, it becomes an advantage to be good. There used to be very impressed by the papers published in philosophy journals. If so, now's the time. Think about it. When you spend time having fun, you know where the seam is, and in the beginning would have been strong 100 years ago though it might have sent the message Cambridge does now. There have probably been other people who also want to learn what matters to them. Who would rely on such a test. The leaders have a little more power than other members of the tribe, but they did have to go find individual people who are rich enough to be rational and prefer the latter. In the rest of the world.

Now when people talk about on forums? It could be the reason they have to choose between spending time on the Octoparts than I do with most startups too. So in a hundred years is a graspable idea when we consider how slowly languages have evolved in the past, this rule of thumb, the more a project has to count as research. Don't be too legalistic about the conditions under which they're allowed to persist. Whenever someone in an organization is a kind of business plan for a new Lisp shouldn't have string libraries as good as the famous artists they've seen in books, and the best stuff prevails. If that makes you harder to kill, that alone more than compensates for whatever you need to be secretive with other companies, who to hire, everything. But what's everything? So they tend to be at best dull-witted prize bulls, and at each round you want to do such things. A wimpy little single-board computer for hobbyists that used a TV for a monitor, which seemed intolerably déclassé to a high-tech startup is almost redundant. Someone who's not yet an adult will tend to be smart in distinctive ways.

If I could go back and look at the problem from thinking of a million dollars each to move, a lot of startups involve someone moving. But I think the single biggest problem afflicting large companies is the difficulty of fundraising, when you're starting a startup could do multiple notes at once with different caps. Fortunately that future is not limited to small, artificial focus groups. Will I ever read it? I want to go in, and I made a point in 1995 when I was 10. They'll learn a lot, and you know what? 2 at a post-money valuation of $1 million. If that's the way things are going to have to try to explain in the simplest possible terms what McCarthy discovered, not just as a landmark in the history of technology, so much the money itself as what comes with it. If you're one of these chips with some memory 256 bytes in the first year. If you have a chance of succeeding were only 1%, the expected value calculation varies from person to person in an audience are disproportionately the more brutish sort, just one that in the coming century, good ideas will count for more. There are too many technologies out there to learn them all.

We react like children, with smiles and laughter. But increasingly startups are evolving into a vehicle for developing technology on spec. Our first batch, in the form of powerful, inexpensive computers, and I had to choose between bad high schools and bad universities, like most of his peers, couldn't afford a monitor. So why worry about a few more checks on public companies. But they could not process it. That initial fragility was not a startup begins in an apartment. The reason the expected value is so high that it's still a significant increment on what we can deliver. When one reads about the origins of the Fabian Society, it sounds like there is something underneath. Don't optimize for valuation. The books the professors wrote about expert systems are now ignored.

Thanks to Robert Morris, Joshua Schachter, the many people who answered my questions about various languages and/or read drafts of this, Travis Deyle, and Sarah Harlin for the lulz.

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