@allronix, I'm reading your reply to my Pro-Jedi Essay On the Life and Fate of Shmi Skywalker, with unwavering interest! I address this part of your response in a separate post, since I think the seriousness of the topic and the space I need to address it properly, requires it.

"Just like when we hurt our finger, we don't think, "Oh, my finger is hurt, maybe I should help it", but rather, there is an instant and intuitive, natural response to it, our quest to be happy and not to suffer is inseparable from and complemented by the same quest of our loved ones. Unlike attachment, compassion can extend beyond the individuals who we're close with or make us feel good; based on the realization that all living things want to be happy and doesn't want to suffer, just as intensely as we and our loved ones are, it can encompass all living beings wanting to be happy and free from suffering"

This is a nice and lofty concept. And like all nice and lofty concepts...I never see it work in reality and I doubt it's possible. Call it the cynicism of a burned out idealist; we're inherently selfish, sadistic, tribal and hierarchical. Neuroscience points to hard coded limits in our ability to care for others, as much as idealists want to re-code human nature to be otherwise, often by by the barrel of a gun. Sure, we can recognize that another guy across the table isn't any different from us on a situational basis. Sure, great acts of generosity and altruism happen. Can people love the theoretical concept of all mankind? Sure. Universal love, though? The more I see people IRL proclaim they're all for peace, justice, and universal love, the easier it seems to scratch of the veneer to reveal the hate for some other tribe, be it the wrong political party, religion, or the rival sports team.

The nature of our discussion is to exchange perspectives, and me trying to persuade you into accepting the philosophy I live by would be a severe violation of these unsaid, but obvious rules. Thus, if our worldviews are colliding on these topics, I shall take it as a sign that I shall go so far and no further. However, for the reason I would find it rather tasteless and inaccurate to simply reply, "agree to disagree", and there are important things I feel I need to clarify about what I mean by "universal love" and so on, I address a few things that is not directly Star Wars.

I thank you for your reply, what I take as your advice to be cautious, and in turn, I aim to give something to reinforce hope.

Compassion is different from Empathy

I must point out that the articles you linked are about psychology and not neuroscience, and they echo the findings and ideas of Paul Bloom, author of "Against Empathy": we're not really capable of empathizing with the suffering of a million, we're better at zooming in on individuals; too much emotional empathy, that is to feeling the feelings of other people, in the sense of picking up the emotions and feelings of others, will possibly leave us drained and exhausted, as if we were running out of empathy. It should be added, though, that other psychologists are warning against not to take these findings as a judgment on empathy in general, pointing out, culture is able to influence our ability to relate to large groups. What's more important, and this is recognized by Bloom, too, the compassion I talk about is different, philosophically, psychologically and even neurologically.

What we mean by Universal Love?

There's a notion of universal love that's to hold all life, all humanity in your heart at once, that is a profound, immense feeling of love, care, benevolence just radiating from you and embracing all living things. This notion is present various cultures, and it's most often attributed to God in theistic traditions. In those traditions, this universal, divine love is said to manifest in the unselfish love we have for one's fellow humans. Ultimately, I believe, this type of universal love is reversed and possible only for, say, God. I'm skeptical whether it's possible for humans. Nor I think that it's humanly possible to have close, stable relationships with all living things, nor that we should strive for that.

True Compassion is based on Reason

Compassion is not an emotion, a feeling, an emotional response - true compassion is a state of mind, a mental attitude, and a firm commitment founded on reason. It's something that you have to cultivate and nourish, it takes diligence and time. This is why I said, genuine compassion is based on the understanding, all that lives is essentially one and the same in wanting happiness and not wanting pain. Continually familiarizing our mind with this basic fact, training our mind to look deeper, to look beyond the superficial differences and into the hearts of others, deflates selfishness, sadism and the hierarchical and tribal approach, and gives rise to the empathetic understanding of our underlying oneness, to the genuine wish for another to be free from suffering and to have happiness.

Compassion is unconditional and universal love, since it's a genuine concern for the well-being and happiness of others, that is based on and a reaction to a universal experience. Once we understand the universality of wanting to be happy and not wanting suffering, we can understand that even our worst enemies are motivated by this simple desire, and what we resent in others is also within ourselves, our reaction to their desire for happiness and not wanting suffering, will be the same: we will want them, just like everyone else, to be happy and free from suffering. The same with strangers. And if we allow this reality to sink in deep enough, it's really not hard to have a sense of connectedness to everyone we meet or know about, to genuinely care about their well-being.

Compassion is to feel with, experience with, suffer with another, and thus, we rejoice for their happiness and we want to alleviate their suffering as if it was our own, there are feelings of profound empathy, which allows us to have the sense of being parts of each other, and the well-being of another person, we will reach out to others as if they were us. This is why it's compared to hurting your finger - your hand reaches to help its pain in an instant and intuitive, natural response. The finger and the hand are parts of the same organism, and similarly, we can sense ourselves part of the same organism of all life, and we can have compassion and care for all.

Empathy Fatigues, Compassion Energizes

This cannot be equated with mere empathy, that is to take on the suffering of others or pick up their emotions, feelings and so on, which could lead to the so-called "compassion fatigue" which is, however, proposed to be a misnomer. In the West, there's a notion that compassion is always you sacrificing for others, that if you are truly a compassionate person, you serve the needs of the others on the expanse of yourself. It's crucial to understand, true compassion includes self-compassion: genuinely wanting ourselves to be happy and free from suffering. It's not surprising that self-compassion is actually, along with self-care, the core of preventing and overcoming what is called "compassion fatigue", but, in the same time, said to be comprises of "empathy overload" or becoming "over-empathetic" to a level where one feels numb to the suffering of others, "viewing self-care as selfish", leading to burnout. "If I have empathy toward you, it will be painful if you’re suffering. It will be exhausting. It will lead me to avoid you and avoid helping." Bloom explains, continuing: "But if I feel compassion for you, I’ll be invigorated. I’ll be happy and I’ll try to make your life better."

Unlike bare empathy, compassion involves wisdom and insight, making us able to understand the reality behind the huge numbers of suffering people, and in the same time, the empathetic aspiration to make others happy and free from suffering, based on the recognition of the simple fact, others, just like ourselves, want to be happy and don't want suffering, creates healthy emotional distance from the person and the situation, and rather than leading to discouragement, distress, fatigue or decreased empathy, it brings strength of mind, inner balance, courage, boost self-confidence, helps us to become more resilient and improves our overall well-being. Based on my experience, it's very much true that the more we genuinely care for the well-being and happiness of others', the greater our sense of well-being becomes. Our hearts become warm, open, bonded to others, we even feel physically better, and our mind is automatically put at ease, which is the foundation of happiness.

Compassion is Something we Practice and Nourish

Compassion is something you must practice, practice and practice. You can't just pick it up somewhere or you know, deciding to be a good person from now on, or receive it through prayer, or just born to be good as opposed t others who born to be less good. It's inherent to all of us, be we need to take time and effort to bring forth. The more conscious and mindful we become to the reality of others and of ourselves, the more naturally our compassion will flow.

The healthiest and easiest way of cultivating compassion is to train ourselves to recognize our essential oneness with our loved ones, the people we're close with, to cultivate our unconditional love for them, to want them to be happy and free from suffering on for the simple reason that we know, they want to be happy and free from suffering. Then, through understanding our oneness with the circle of the living beings who're close to us, we can go further and further, we can understand the oneness of all humanity, of all life, the basic fact that all that lives wants to be happy and free from suffering. And so, we can embrace them into our unlimited compassion as well, even if we won't and most likely can't get close to them.

Obviously, this takes time and effort, especially because we must also learn how to rearrange our way of thinking about the people who wrong us or don't care about us. And we must learn how to include ourselves into our compassion, how to be kind and caring toward ourselves. That's a very hard thing to do, considering that we have a tragic tendency to hate ourselves, blame ourselves, say things to ourselves that we would never say to another living thing.

But I am absolutely certain it's possible.

I'm working on my reply to the points you raised in other parts of your response, and await the further parts of it! :)

The Ten Greatest Structural Engineers In New York, Ny With Free Estimates

He participated in SEAoNY’s training committee resume workshop and has additionally participated in STV’s New York group for the ACE Mentor Program of Greater New York. When Hurricane Ella threatened the town in August and September 1978, evacuation plans for the encompassing structural engineer nyc area had been made in secret. In June 1978, LeMessurier was answering questions via cellphone with a young architectural student now identified as Lee DeCarolis.

My final three years at this agency, I personally lead gulf coast structural projects for several main power firms with scopes ranging up to one hundred- and twenty-million-dollar budgets. The engineering team at MFS Engineers & Surveyors is here to supply structural engineer nyc structural engineering options. Our Structural Engineers are experienced and sensible with a posh understanding of the value of secure, sustainable designs; value and pace of construction; and maintaining your project schedule.

We have a really carefully curated group, and each member of our crew brings a singular and intensive set of skills and local area data to the desk. With our small however focused group of people, we have less overheads than bigger firms which allows us to maintain our pricing competitive whereas nonetheless offering the standard service and personal consideration that every shopper deserves. Whether you realize what you want or you have no concept the place to start, we are ready to take your project from Concept-to-Key. Every aspect of our engineering process has been designed with actual individuals and communities in mind as a outcome of we wish your expertise with us to be stress-free and satisfying. We perceive the challenges you face when taking up a development project, and we’ll go out of our approach to develop a plan of action that's simple to grasp and to supply phrases and costs which are straightforward, sincere, and properly communicated.

The New York Design Awards have fun creativity, courage and innovation in design from the perspective of each creator and commissioner. The awards present a distinctive opportunity for all sectors of the trade to take part throughout an in depth vary of classes and achieve market recognition. The American Institute of Steel Construction has awarded the American Physical Society’s headquarters growth project this year’s IDEAS² Award for tasks lower than $15 million. This program recognizes initiatives the place structural steel has been utilized in an progressive manner. GMS engineers and inspectors refreshed their knowledge of welding and bolting inspection procedures at a seminar led by Albert Wong, senior inspector at GMS.

Overlooking the Hudson River, this building’s design emphasizes direct entry to nature while additionally providing a prime quality indoor environmental. The building is approximately one hundred seventy ft tall and encompasses approximately sixty five,000 gsf. Our customized solutions deliver them cost-effectively, with built-in efficiency and resilience.

With 20 years of structural engineering experience, I actually have worked in a quantity of totally different fields, together with new design, remodels and additions, restoration of historic buildings, and forensic engineering. At every alternative, I have learned extra concerning the elements that create our constructed world. Currently, I maintain a license in each Colorado and California, but if the best project finds me, I am able to purchase licenses to fulfill the project’s needs. Nilma’s love for old buildings and architecture was sparked by traveling the world with her parents and led to her pursuing a degree in structural engineering.

A State-licensed RDP must submit the required plans and work allow functions to the Department. In limited circumstances the RDP could self-certify that their plans fulfill applicable laws and Codes. Needless to say, our work has offered customers with electrifying satisfaction. "Great! Mr. Hye is nice to work with. Very skilled and type. His guys did great work, going above and beyond to verify our steps got here out looking brand new. This is the second time I have employed them and I was very pleased each instances." I was fussy about how I wanted the job accomplished, and Concept Construction happily met each request I made, without altering the agreed worth for the job.

I reviewed a quantity of companies/competitors previous to this word of mouth reference, but after talking with Ashley, it was clear Level Engineering, and more particularly, Ashley was the best particular person to assist my home project wants. Ashley was very knowledgeable on structural design, was distinctly clear and concise on the topics at hand, answered all of my technical questions, and was certain to maintain my finest interests in mind first – prime tier customer structural engineer nyc service. I was very impressed during her first visit to my property and her technical evaluation to provide a quantity of solutions to support my project requirements. She was very concerned through the project execution and answered queries to roadblocks and/or technical clarification timely. Ashley made the process to complete the work safely easier, ensured the work was carried out in accordance with the design drawings, and improved my project value and schedule.

The Log Cabin Lodge, Stellenbosch

Building your personal log cabin seems like the top of self-sufficiency. It additionally calls for much practical talent, way over log cabin I possess, and is not one thing I may be taught in just two days. All beds have a quilt, blanket and relevant linen.

Woodys Log Cabin is a self-catering 2 sleeper. It has 1 bed room with double bedas nicely as a Sleeper sofa in TV room, bathe and bathroom. The living area is a wonderful open plan kitchen, lounge and dining room.The comfortable lounge area includes a TV with selected DStv channels and a hearth. The lounge opens onto a big private balcony and a backyard. The cottage presents gorgeous mountain views, the peaceable walks or hikes may be loved within the surrounding space, or maybe some fly-fishing. The home presents four tastefully adorned bedrooms, two with pretty queen sized beds and both with full en-suite bogs.

That's how we all know our critiques come from real visitors who have stayed at the property. A swimming pool is out there for use on the property when you should lie back and funky off throughout a scorching day. Mountain biking is a well-liked activity in the space so don’t be afraid to venture out and get a deeper look into the beautiful scenery of the realm.

The dwelling space is an open plan kitchen with a breakfast counter and lounge opening out onto a covered dec, full with exterior dining desk. The unit has a cut up aircon/heater unit, and boasts unbelievable berg views. The log cabins are totally equipped with a fridge, range, microwave, on a regular basis appliances, crockery, cutlery and ceiling followers. Please convey your personal swimming towels, dish and drying up cloths.

5 friends may be accommodated by making use of the sleeper sofa within the lounge space. The residing space is an open plan kitchen with a breakfast counter and lounge opening out onto a lined deck, complete with outside eating table. The unit has a break up aircon/heater unit and boasts unbelievable berg views. Arum Lily Cottages offer 6 cabins on a working farm located just off the R46 between Ceres and Tulbagh. Each cabin is a unique measurement, providing lodging for couples, families or friends because of being charged per particular person per evening by way of Nightsbridge.

We will, nonetheless, without question be back again – and you must go to too. While it’s really easy to remain on the cottage all day, we resolve to push ourselves out in an attempt to go to the encompassing areas. We began log cabin our day with breakfast on the Winterberg Mountain Inn across the nook. A quiet restaurant observing protocol supplies polite service and simple home cooking. The tranquility is rapidly disrupted by the thump of baboons operating over the roof and into the garden.

Along with the swimming pool comes a jungle gym and sand pit as properly as a trampoline. These hold the kids busy in the berg recent air! The property is absolutely log cabin fenced and pets can come on holiday too with prior arrangement. Tiptoeing across the wood deck, down the stairs and ouch!

Our location makes it ideal for either vacation spot or for the stopover traveler. Within walking distance you will find an array of eating places, curio shops and locations of interest. If you're on the lookout for a secluded retreat, this beautiful log cabin is for you. You can sit on your own non-public patio, or take in the sun and swim in our crystal clear swimming pool while watching the boats, hippos, crocs and hearken to the cry of the fish eagle go by. We have 1 5 sleeper, three four sleepers and 3 two sleepers. If you can’t find what you are in search of, please feel free to contact us through our enquiry form or give us a call.

2 Bedroom

A North Facing Home on a Tranquil m² property. I don't wish to receive newsletters and promo offers from Gumtree. For registered users, please make changes in My Profile. All T&B timber is handled with TBTO or other applicable timber preservatives against termites and decay and anti-fungal substances.

The Posh Closet

Founded in 2011 and primarily based out of Dubai, The Luxury Closet is a platform to promote and store new and pre-liked luxurious products like handbags, shoes, clothes, watches, equipment and jewellery. Our wide selection of distinctive merchandise includes top luxurious manufacturers corresponding to Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Chanel, Cartier, Rolex, and more. We at replicawholesaleonline.com worth our customers more than something, which is why all our efforts are directed at getting 100% customer satisfaction. Get 100% quality guaranteed AAA Replica Belts from our on-line mart, free transport for any orders. We offer a transparent, honest and simple return policy, live customer support and the highest high quality products, so buying with us is a fear-free and gratifying expertise. Set the stage for epic wrestling bouts with WWE playsets and wrestling rings. When founding Gunfire, we tried to make our Airsoft store and the supply of replicas, parts, and accessories meet the wants of Airsoft players. We were in a position to collect in one place products from world-famous brands. Thanks to this, the Airsoft Gunfire retailer can give you a wide range of apparatus at attractive costs. However, we went a step additional and as an Airsoft store, we engaged in the promotion of several less-identified airsoft manufacturers, whose recognition continues to be growing. Moreover, the Custom Division, the branch of our Airsoft store that produces customized made replica, will give you unusual, unique fashions constructed by our staff. Thanks to cautious preparation, basing on the highest quality elements and interesting design, custom Airsoft replicas quickly disappear from the shelves of our Airsoft store. As one of the best Airsoft retail retailer in Europe, we know how essential it's to assist the neighborhood. That is why the Airsoft Gunfire store is concerned as a sponsor in small weekend shooters, milfs, or airsoft events bringing together tons of of Airsoft fanatics from throughout Europe. In our activities, we try to meet your expectations. Indulge in on a regular basis luxury and encompass your self with treasured collections of house decor & accessories, high-end appliances and ornate dining choices. wikipedia belt A reference value is provided by the seller of the merchandise . Percentage off and financial savings quantities are based mostly on the seller's reference price. If you feel a reference value is inaccurate or deceptive please report it with the URL for the listing to report- The belt weighs over six kilos and is crafted from metallic, leather-based and satin. The limited version relic is housed in a wood and plexiglass show case which measures to 10x48x2" in measurement. Please notice that this piece was not created in 1952; the date merely refers to the belt it replicates. Painstakingly replicated to the finest particulars of the unique Championship belt. the belt plates are cast in zinc alloy, plated in 18K gold and silver and mounted with studs and screws to the synthetic leather-based. Check out all of the amazing merchandise Buckle-Down has to assist Disney followers present their love of Disney via some nice equipment. Whether you need to add a classy belt, wallet, or key chain to your outfit, you might be positive to search out the proper item to keep you on the cutting edge of style. You will even be capable of make certain your 4-legged Disney fan is properly accessories for these all-necessary trips to the dog park with Buckle-Down’s pet line. Browse our website to find the highest quality replicas on the lowest prices for baggage of comparable high quality. You will discover that our baggage permit you to save tons of or thousands off the retail price of original designer luggage and still fulfil your desire for stylish luggage and purses out of your favourite designers. That is why we need to share our data and expertise in the subject of airsoft. Hence the idea of a sequence of service packages, in which we present you how to restore individual components of airsoft replicas, tips on how to substitute parts, and eventually how to assemble entire Airsoft replicas. We hope that they're useful and permit you to get into the world of airsoft more simply. Thanks to this, they have practical knowledge that they will gladly share with you. ASG weapon replicas or Airsoft weapons are realistically made replicas of firearms. In our provide, you will find hundreds of models of assorted kinds of Airsoft guns. From pistols to rifles and rifles to sniper rifles. For your comfort, Airsoft weapons obtainable in our store are divided into categories based mostly on the kind of power provide, type of weapon, or value. Therefore, in case you are serious about choosing your first Airsoft gun, start by looking at our supply. If you are interested in airsoft or military, in search of survival or out of doors gear, you've got come to the right place. high quality replica belts

8 Finest Rabbit Vibrators 202

For people who benefit from the stimulation of thrusting in addition to vibration, Ligon recommends the Orange County Cutie from Calexotics. It’s nice if you wish to give your arm a break, as a result of in contrast to other rabbit vibrators it thrusts by itself. “The shape and energy of it are excellent for hitting my deeper candy spots as well as my clit,” she says.

The Lelo Ina Wave is a wonderful, orgasmic, and well mannered rabbit vibrator that is properly worth the value. This rabbit vibe should be topped Queen, according to clinical sexologist Megan Stubbs, Ed.D. That's as a result of you can management every half separately. "Sometimes your outsides do not like or need the same sort of stimulation or depth as your insides, so with the ability to control the 2 components separately can help maximize pleasure," she says.

We-Vibe may have made a name for themselves because the go-to for couple-oriented sex toys, however that doesn't imply you'll be able to't use their merchandise all by your superior self. Anyone with a curiosity for sex toys has probably heard the legend of the rabbit vibrator. Rather than making you select between a dildo or a clitoral vibrator — or having penetrative intercourse whereas stimulating your clit — the rabbit does all of it simultaneously. It acts as an exterior clitoral vibe whereas giving earth-shattering inner G-spot stimulation. There's even a rabbit vibrator that adds anal into the combination for optimum erogenous-zone stimulation. Fleming launched us to this rabbit vibrator, which she loves as a result of you can use it with or without vibration. “As somebody who's on the sensitive side, I like that the Ina Wave offers you the option to take the vibe off and just use the interior come hither motion by itself,” she says.

Like the Nova, it’s made using supple, body-protected silicone, is waterproof, and rechargeable. It also presents thirteen totally different vibration patterns and has conveniently positioned power and pulse buttons. First made well-known on that iconic episode of Sex and the City (where else??), rabbit vibrators get their name from their unique, useful shape. Traditionally, they have "ears" that therapeutic massage (and/or flick) your clitoris, while the shaft of the vibe gets inserted into your vagina, explains .

At the highest end of the shaft, there's normally a curved tip—designed to simulate the pinnacle of a penis—to hit your G-spot with every thrust. Start with considered one of these eight sexpert-accredited rabbit vibrators—however be warned, it's easy to fall down an—ahem—rabbit gap. Luxury sex toy firm Lelo created a design that doesn't simply rumble but additionally caresses your G-Spot with a "come hither" motion while simultaneously stimulating your clit.

” The Amorino is rechargeable, flexible, and waterproof, and it presents 12 complete vibration settings.

It’s important to diversify the parts of the anatomy that we concentrate on.

When you flip the toy on, that band carries vibrations to your labia creating a fuller, more all-encompassing sensation.

“When we speak about female pleasure we mostly focus on clitoral pleasure and inner pleasure,” Azmi says.

Azmi says the Lelo Soraya packs the most power and depth of all the twin stimulation toys, making it properly-definitely worth the excessive price ticket. The exterior arm of the Soraya is versatile, letting you apply as a lot or as little strain as you want. “It doesn’t really feel like a clamshell on my vulva,” she says, “and it comes with a deal with.” That deal with, which is definitely slightly donut-shaped hole constructed into the bottom of the toy, is key. Engle, who can be a fan of the Soraya, appreciates its excessive-quality materials and versatile arm.

The best ones are versatile and adjustable to suit a variety of different physique types and manufactured from high-quality nonporous materials. And like plenty of the opposite vibrators we’ve written about, most of them at the moment are waterproof, rechargeable, and offer multiple speeds and vibration patterns that will help you find the sensations that work finest for you. To decide one of the best rabbit vibrators on the market right now, we asked sex therapists, intercourse-toy store house owners, and sex-toy experts about the rabbits they suggest and use themselves. According to Engle, everytime you use a vibrator you must also be using lube. “Your vulva and your clitoris are a number of the most delicate elements of your complete physique, so utilizing lube supplies a protecting barrier between toy and vagina, which is basically necessary,” she says. We’ve written about lube up to now, but it’s value mentioning that should you’re utilizing sex toys and vibrators made with silicone, you shouldn’t be utilizing silicone-based mostly lube. Silicone lube will degrade silicone toys fairly quickly so use a water-based mostly lube instead.

The Ina Wave is rechargeable, waterproof, and manufactured from body-secure silicone. It additionally has a versatile arm, which avoids the sensation of having something clamping down in your clitoris. Quite a couple of of our specialists are followers of the German brand Fun Factory because of its high-quality silicone and properly-designed inside mechanisms. The firm also is creating new and thrilling ways to deliver pleasure. Engle and Azmi recommend the Amorino as a result of, along with stimulating the G-spot and the clitoris, it delivers adjustable vibrations to the labia and perineum.

Lovehoney Jessica Rabbit 10

The Triple Curve from Lovehoney comes with vibrating anal beads along with arms that present inside vaginal and external clitoral stimulation. Pleasure three erogenous zones concurrently (and please report back on the intensity of your orgasm; this sex toy is spectacular).

This vibrator has built-in smart know-how that gives actual biofeedback to an app on your cellphone, so you'll be able to track and analyze your Os.

(In reality, the color is fairly good for many people's masturbation wants.) That said, not all of us dig pink decor, be it inside our homes or our our bodies. If you prefer the look of avenue art and need a sleek-trying intercourse toy, give the 10-pace Hype Dual Wand a whirl. This neon-yellow rabbit vibrator from intercourse-toy firm California Dreaming will heat you up whether you truly stay in Venice or are snuggled beneath the blankets masturbating somewhere cold. Its sunny disposition — and waterproof nature — make the Venice Vixen positive to heat you up and get you off regardless your location or the season. The Vicky, which Azmi likes for its versatility, is a reversible silicone toy, making it best for couples’ play and people with altering our bodies.

Fifty Shades Of Gray Greedy Woman

"The thick, versatile bunny ears are incredible for direct clitoral stimulation, and it has fifteen speeds and patterns," says Knight. These rabbit vibrators are about that will help you have one of the best orgasms of your life.

Engle’s go-to water-primarily based lube, Pjur, is paraben-free, petrochemical free, and, according to her, never gets tacky— a standard drawback with different water-based lubes. For many people, the look of a vibrator could be simply as essential because the number of vibration settings. lelo pleasure beads has a contoured inner arm and a bendable exterior arm with its personal devoted motor for intense clitoral stimulation. It’s manufactured from body-safe silicone and is rechargeable, and it comes with a two-yr warranty. She calls it arms-down the most effective price range rabbit vibrator because it’s manufactured from silicone, provides 20 completely different vibration settings, and it’s rechargeable. This $9 rabbit vibrator is an Amazon greatest-vendor, racking up shut to three,000 reviews — that's a complete lot of orgasms. It's excellent when you're on a budget, although it is important to keep in mind that cheap sex toys can mean materials that degrade over time, so get pleasure from this lovely butterfly however know that it may not final eternally.

Engle, Megan Fleming, a sex therapist, and Sid Azmi, proprietor of Please pleasure shop in Brooklyn, all named the We-Vibe Nova their favorite rabbit vibrator. “It can be utilized with a remote-managed app, and the external half meant to stimulate your clitoris flexes with you as you progress,” says Fleming. This is an actual improve contemplating that rabbit vibrators used to be very inflexible and didn’t fit a lot of people’s bodies. Engle calls the Nova the one she lives and dies by as a result of it doesn’t look anything like a penis and is perfectly curved to succeed in the G-spot. “As much as I hate that that is still a factor,” says Engle “it can be scary for a associate to see a brilliant phallic sex toy out of the blue.

this hyperlink is to an external website that will or may not meet accessibility guidelines. It's also waterproof and stays charged for as much as two hours, so convey it into the tub for some luxurious self-loving. I've rounded up my favourite bunny-formed vibes in a spread of designs and costs to select from — all out there on-line, and all with my stamp of approval. If you're going to experiment with this three-method babe, remember to add a good water-based mostly lube. Consider this vibrator from Happy Rabbit, which has an anal-beads attachment for fast butt play. The coolest factor about the Lioness isn't its sleek design (though, like a pair of all-white sneakers, how stylish!).

Einfache Einteilung Der Rabbit

The Amorino comes with a silicone band you could put across the inside and external arms in a couple of other ways. When you flip the toy on, that band carries vibrations to your labia creating a fuller, extra all-encompassing sensation. “When we discuss feminine pleasure we largely focus on clitoral pleasure and internal pleasure,” Azmi says. It’s necessary to diversify the elements of the anatomy that we concentrate on. ” The Amorino is rechargeable, versatile, and waterproof, and it offers 12 total vibration settings. Today, rabbit vibrators are a complete category, describing anything designed to stimulate both internally and externally on the similar time.

"how come we've never spoken before?" x noel gallagher

why haven't I written anything for noel in ages??????? anyways this was so cute I hope u lot like it <33

Pairing: 1990! noel gallagher x reader

Warnings: none :)

Word count: 1.951

Requested by anon x

༉‧₊˚✧

“You wanna come over tonight?” Liam asked me as we were walking out of the sixth form building. “Our kids coming to pick us up so was wondering if you wanted to come with.”

“Yeah alright.” I nodded, linking my arm with Liam as we walked out of the gates together. Going over to the Gallagher residence wasn’t an uncommon matter, if anything I was over at theirs at least once a week. Since their father had left the environment was always pleasant, his mum always cooking the best, most delicious meals which caused your body to crave it again each and every day until you returned back for dinner once again. As well as that, being able to spend time with Liam was always an enjoyable experience - him being my best friend since first joining the college, we hadn’t been able to separate ourselves from each other since. Of course, we would have different friends, different groups, but we always turned back to each other - something that I adored most about our relationship; we didn’t constantly need to be with one another to consider each other our best friend. Whenever I was over we would relax in his room, talking about practically everything and everything, sometimes smoking a joint by his window to prevent his mum finding out, even though the stench of it would stick to our clothes like glue - giving it away instantaneously.

After exiting the school gates, we walked for a bit until we reached the nearest neighbourhood of houses, where Noel said he would pick Liam up. To waste the time, Liam brought out a spliff from his pocket, placing it between his lips, then lighting it, him failing a couple times to get the lighter to produce a flame. “Give me a hit,” I said, watching Liam as he quickly inhaled the roll of weed, then passing it to me, a wave of smoke hitting my face from Liam’s mouth. “Stop that you twat.”

There was hardly anybody outside, from the look of the area, merely just the occasional car whizzing past us, causing the empyrean of smoke discarded from our throats to diffuse into the atmosphere. It produced a clear contrast against the skies, which had little to no clouds visible at all. Having a clear, sunny day in Manchester wasn’t something ordinary; it was a rarity, but for the past year the weather had been brilliant, though brilliant becomes unlivable when the temperature continues to increase to the thirties, celsius wise. That’s when the nature of constant traffic, crowded streets and lengthy queues at the ice cream machine disperse into their homes - the sun being too strong it becomes a chore to leave the house. Having the world so silent, hushed, brings another kind of tranquillity to the mind. Watching an inanimate street fixated in the same position, as if it were a ghost-town, encompasses that feeling of being the only person present in the world at that moment, which makes you realise that the life you live is not lead to be controlled of dictated by others - it is yours, and it is something in which you hold complete control over.

After a couple minutes of small talk shared between me and Liam, a small car drove past us, stopping promptly as the windows rolled down, indicating that it was Noel. Me and Liam quickly rushed out of the sun that was beaming down at us, to get inside his car; Liam hopping in the passenger seat next to his brother whilst I occupied the middle seat in the back. “Hi Noel.” I said softly, smiling at him through the rear view mirror, our eyes connecting for a short second whilst he greeted me back, then turning to greet Liam before taking off. Mine and Noel’s relationship wasn’t anything special: we spoke here and there, but since he usually was occupied by hanging out with friends, or travelling as a groupie for Inspiral Carpets, we never conversed much. It was a mere relationship formulated from my closeness with Liam, as manners are important - even if Liam shows the opposite. I was quite intrigued by Noel disregarding his conventional absences; he seemed to lead a life which was exciting and alluring, and was a complete contrast against Liam’s persona from what I had noticed. Liam was more into sports, mainly football, and causing havoc wherever he could (me constantly joining him since he knew how to have an absolute good time), whilst Noel seemed completely consumed by music and the wonders of working with bands. Regardless, they shared some idiosyncrasies, one thing in particular definitely being their love for weed.

Once we arrived at the house, we were greeted by Liam’s mum, who welcomed me in lovingly. “Always a pleasure to have you over, Y/N,” she said as I broke away from the embrace we shared to allow me to take off my shoes. “Liam, I'm going to need you to help me in the kitchen today.” she then said to Liam, whose face then dropped in complete annoyance.

“Why?” he moaned in response, sighing at his mum whilst removing his shoes. “Y/N’s literally here!”

“Maybe because you haven’t done the washing up for over a week, Liam,” she responded, turning her gaze to look at me, rolling her eyes at his demeanour. “Y/N’s not going anywhere, it won’t take you a year.”

After we were able to get Liam to do his chores, I told him that I would be waiting upstairs for him, in his and Noel’s room. Once I went inside, I wandered around the medium-sized room, finding my way over to Noel’s side, especially fixated on the stack of records that he had owned, aligned by the table next to the record player. He had all sorts of bands; the Beatles, the Who, the Smiths, Sex Pistols... All the best artists. The more and more I found out about him the interest I had about him increased. He seemed like a cool older brother to have, and share a room with, even though Liam sees boys in bands quite odd - which is humorous, since he’s practically an entity of his own. Proceeding to pick up a vinyl by the Smiths, the album in particular being the Queen is Dead, I admired the cover whilst grasping it in my palms. The Smiths were the only band that seemed to use the most aimless, but oddy aesthetic images of random men as their album covers - most likely courtesy of Morrissey’s desires - though I suppose is one element which creates the artistic composition of the band, and their music. Snapping me out of the trance I was consumed in, a voice echoed in the room, one which was definitely not Liam’s. “Like what you see?”

Turning around to find out who it was, I was accosted by the sight of Noel, who was holding a warm mug of tea. Flustered, I placed the vinyl back in the stack before taking a seat on Liam’s bed. “Sorry,” I mumbled, looking at Noel whilst playing with my fingers in my lap.

View stuck on him, I watched him walk to his bedside table, placing his mug of tea on the coaster, then reaching out to grab the vinyl that was once embraced by my palms. “You like the Smiths?” he asked, his eyes now connecting to my gaze.

“Yeah I do,” I said, smiling slightly at his question. “That’s my favourite album of theirs actually.”

“Didn’t expect that from you,” He replied back, taking a sip from his mug of tea before taking the vinyl out of its sleeve and placing it on the record player, watching the needle intently as it gently dropped onto the black disc before sitting back on his bed. The title track’s intro then seeped into the silence of the room, paired by Noel humming along to it. “Think their debut was better, if I’m honest.”

“Well preference always matters,” I answered back, walking over to his bed to grab the vinyl sleeve, gazing at the lyric sheets, also taking a seat next to Noel. I felt his stare on me, but I attempted to ignore it as I focused on the little verses of poetry in one of the songs. “Morrissey is such a depressing writer.”

A laugh rumbled at his throat at my absentminded comment. Averting my gaze, I looked at Noel and smiled again. “I’m not wrong!”

“What else you into?” he asked me, curiosity laced in his tone as he diverted the topic.

“Everything else you listen to really, I looked through most of your vinyls,” I replied, watching Noel as his eyebrows furrowed together in shock, my smile widening as I felt my cheeks start to burn slightly - I had never thought that I’d be having a genuine conversation with Noel. “Especially the Beatles, Liam’s told me how much you love them.”

Noel was impressed, and it showed on his face quite evidently. “What’s your favourite album by them then?”

Looking away for a couple seconds, I thought of a response. “Probably Sergeant Peppers. Was their most innovative stuff, in my opinion at least.”

We continued to ramble on about music for a short while, Noel continuing to act excessively shocked whenever I had told him I had indeed listened or liked an artist he questioned. It was nice to finally discuss music with somebody since Liam was never really into it. “You’d never expect me to listen to all of this because I’m friends with a lunatic.”

Another laugh left Noel’s mouth, a smile stuck on his lips. “All he’s obsessed with is football, I don’t even get how you’re both mates.”

“Opposites attract.” I answered back, leaning back to have my back against the wall as we continued to talk. My cheeks began to hurt after a while of us chatting, due to the smile that was unable to leave my lips.

“How come we’ve never spoken properly before?” He asked, walking over to flip the vinyl to side B. “You’re cool.” he added in a mumble, almost as if he didn’t want it to be heard.

I felt blood slightly rush to my cheeks after the compliment fell from his lips, my top teeth clinging onto my bottom lip as a wave of nervousness washed over me. “Maybe because you’re always out.”

A hum of agreement rumbled from his throat as my eyes fixated themselves on the white ceiling. I could see that Noel was staring at me through my peripheral, which caused my cheeks to increase their redness, only slightly. “We should hang out sometime.”

Connecting eyes with him, I admired his dark brown orbs for a second, before I responded. “We should.”

Breaking our moment together, we were welcomed by an exhausted Liam rushing into the room, breathing heavily from his jog up the stairs. Falling onto the bed, me and Noel shared a moment of laughter as we simply stared at Liam’s state. “What’re you lot laughing about?”

Me and Noel turned to look at one another, sharing a gaze once again. There was a specific glint in his eyes which I marveled at, his face beaming at me, only causing me to reciprocate in the same manner. Our stare meant more than what it was, a certain tension was held between us that was felt by both participants. Especially for Noel, whose heart was pumping as if it were about to burst out of his chest, his cheeks a little flushed out of admiration for the girl sitting next to him. “Nothing.” we replied, giggling slightly as our eyes stayed glued on one another.

Could you please write an NSFW fic with an aged up (Pt.3) Jotaro x AFAB! reader in an AU where smartphones existed in the 80s. They’ve started dating recently, & one night the reader is sitting across the table from him & sends him nudes while they’re eating dinner with the rest of the crusaders. After they’re done eating they go to their separate rooms and Jojo pays her a visit. Could you also add in that Jojo didn’t know she had nipple piercings until he saw the pictures she sent him?

I would be so grateful if you could write this, I’ve never seen any fanfics with this idea before, and I love your style of writing! Btw, do you have a kofi (or something else) for tips that you could link to your page if you haven’t already? I hope you guys have a nice day & stay hydrated ❤️

- diet-coke-fries

——

It wasn’t letting me reply to your requests properly for some reason, so this’ll have to do for now

AHH THIS IS SUCH A GOOD IDEA AND I HOPE THIS IS OK!! Also, we actually have a Ko-fi and I’ll make a post about it right after this one! Love you sm diet-coke-fries!!

🍒

(Cw: a bit of degration)

——

Message sent.

Clearing your throat, you adjust your shirt and sit back down in your chair, re-tucking your phone into your skirt pocket. You rest your elbows on the table and press your chin into your palms, a mischievous smile slipping from your lips as you look across the table at your unknowing boyfriend, Jotaro.

You'd just started your relationship only a few months ago, so you were eager to see the stoic man's reaction to the nude you took—especially because you were in a crowded restaurant with all of the crusaders seated next to you both, glass beer bottles in hand, plotting your next move to locate the next enemy stand user. You only wished to see your boyfriend contain his shock and horniness. This is gonna be fun.

Everyone is savoring the fresh steak and pasta that have just been prepared—paying deep attention to Joseph as he spoke about the leads he found in the town they were staying in—but your mind was wandering, watching jotaro from the corner of your eye. Jotaro is leaning back in his chair, his arms folded tightly across his chest and a ‘Killians’ beer in one hand. He was listening in on the conversation quietly when his phone vibrates loudly, bringing the black screen to life. You fiddle with the ends of your hair—watching eagerly as he sets down his nearly empty beer bottle, takes his phone from his pocket, and taps on the notification.

To your pleasure, his teal eyes widened slightly—continuing to gaze at the screen for a few moments longer, before looking up—a dark brow cocked and direct eye contact with you…. hot. You flutter your lashes, eyes lidded while you both focused on eachother. You noticed how his jaw clenched, and his how he swallowed thickly—his Adam’s apple bobbing. Just the reaction you were expecting

To your pleasure, his teal eyes widened slightly—continuing to gaze at the screen for a few moments longer, before looking up—a dark brow cocked and direct eye contact with you…. hot. You flutter your lashes, eyes lidded while you both focused on eachother. You noticed how his jaw clenched, and his how he swallowed thickly—his Adam’s apple bobbing. Just the reaction you were expecting. The corner of his mouth twitched as if he wanted to say something when he realized again all of the crusaders were present, debating something serious—so he refrained from created a scene.

Carefully, your run your index finger against the rim of your water glass, watching as he shifted his weight while breaking eye contact with you—closing his eyes and sighing heavily. He slides his phone back into his pocket, and takes his beer back into a tight hold. Chewing your lip to contain your grin, you watch as he pulled his other hand up and uses a finger and pushes the rim of his cap down to cover his face. All you do after that, is anticipate what’s going to happen later that night.

…

Everyone is saying their good nights, waving casually as they retire to their rooms. Since you were the only woman to go on the trip, Joseph had insisted you get a room all to yourself while the men had to share rooms. Of course you obliged to his request. While you retreat to your designated room, you look to the side and make brief eye contact with Jotaro while he made his way to his shared hotel room with Kakyoin. His face looked a little flushed, and you bite your lip, you suppress a laugh before you unlock your hotel door and slip inside.

Slowly, you take your time to get ready for bed,, kicking your shoes off carelessly, brushing your teeth, and washing your face at a comfortable pace. You brush through your hair and change into your favorite silky nightgown before sighing softly and flopping onto the soft pillows and quilts of your hotel bed. You make sure to charge your phone on the nightstand, and exchanged it for a thin magazine

After flipping through a few pages and admiring the gorgeous women and furniture that were on the pages, a soft knock sounds on your door. You sigh heavily, and hurriedly rise to answer it, softly turning the cold door knob and cracking the door open. When you lean in and peek outside, you're greeted by your boyfriend Jotaro's emotionless gaze, while he gently pushes you back, entering softly and shutting the hotel door with his hand.

“What’re yo—“

Jotaro laces his huge hands around your hips—almost encompassing them—and lifts you up before you can finish your sentence. You gasp sharply, instinctively wrapping your arms around his neck and your legs around his midsection to keep yourself from falling—not that his strong arms would let you fall anyways. He pushes your back against a nearby wall, and you slide your hands over his powerful chest, your heart pounding. He gives you a disgruntled expression, his brows furrowed.

“Tch. While we were having dinner with everyone? You’re such a whore.”

You part your lips—surprised at his callous tone. He’s never been like this before, but the harsh and degrading words spilling from his lips made your heart skip. You bat your eyelashes, gazing at him innocently, feeling arousal beginning to stir within you already.

“Jotaro, what do you mean?”

“Don't act like you don’t know.” He growls, a rumble in his voice while you bite your bottom lip, feeling his rough hands groping your thighs, and his semi-hard cock pressing against your ass.

He leans in, his lips ghosting over yours for a moment before he kisses you roughly, tongue sliding into your mouth forcefully. You sigh into the kiss, tangling your fingers and pulling right before feeling him break away, biting your bottom lip in the process.

You pant, your lips stinging as another soft gasp escapes you. You watch as he begins to slip the thin straps of your nightgown off your shoulders, pulling it down just enough to expose your breasts, and he clicks his tongue, his gaze fixed on them.

“Didn't know you had nipple piercings until you sent me that nude.”

He whispered, stimulating the buds with his calloused thumbs and fiddling with their black piercings. You moan quietly, attempting but failing to grind against him. He sighs and bends down to kiss you again, enjoying how responsive you are to his touch.

“Let's see if you can stay quiet—just for me.”

Preacher’s Daughter

**SNEAK PEAK**

Lee Bodecker x F!Reader

18+ ONLY 

A/N: just a brief snippet of the next Lee story that will be posted soon. This is based of a request from @demirunner​ it’s taking way too long for me to fulfill this request and I just also wanted to thank you for being so patient. It’s on it’s way!

It’s the day you feel like every girl dreams of. Twirling around in the full length mirror once more, your dress moving with you, you feel like a princess. Butterflies are fluttering in your stomach, and you feel so much excitement, you hardly slept last night. Your mother helped you adjust the glimmering hairpiece of your veil, and you knew you couldn’t watch or you’d just cry. It didn’t feel real. It was like a dream just for you in your little corner of the universe. Yours and now also Lee’s. 

Lee had been asking for months before your father finally agreed to let Lee take you out on a proper date. When your family moved down to Kockemstiff, the sheriff was immediately enamored with you. He said you had a sun-kissed smile and were the prettiest thing he’d have the pleasure of looking at. But, for a very long time, you were untouchable. Boys from all over the county would be turned away by your daddy, no one being good enough for you in his eyes. 

Growing up the daughter of a preacher, you were sheltered. You never were in attendance at any of the local places Lee would find the other twenty-somethings occupying. Instead, you’d be at the library, or at the Church, or at home, and always with your mother or your other siblings present. No one could ask you out on a date, unless they went through your father. 

Lee must’ve asked your father at least ten times, before finally wearing him down. He agreed to one supervised date- Lee and you both dressed up real nice while your older brother brewed in the corner glaring at Lee. Something about how hard it was to win your company, it exhilarated him. He couldn’t help but beam with pride knowing he at least made it this far while so many others had been rejected. 

You were sure you’d die an old maid, not thinking your daddy would approve of any man to court you. It puzzled you why the sheriff of all the boys who had come before secured his approval, but you trusted your father. If he thinks Lee is a good man, he must be a good man. 

And he was. He brought you flowers and candies every week, and even would bring a gift to your mother as well. He sat in during family bible study, and never once complained about not being able to take you out properly. He stayed every Sunday for dinner, and stayed to talk with your father and brothers long after you and your mother would retire to bed. Everyday, Lee proved himself more and more to be the perfect boyfriend, the perfect future husband. Somewhere along the way, you found yourself falling in love. 

It started out as a game- to see if he could be the one to win you. The preacher’s daughter- the one woman every man pined for but couldn’t have. It enticed Lee how innocent you seemed. How little you must know of things and how the one to win over your father would be the one to expose you to it all. He never actually anticipated that he was going to fall in love. 

Now he’s standing in front of the alter, your father ready to officiate, and the whole town cramped in the pews of the tiny Church, waiting for your grand entrance. He didn’t expect that he’d ever end up here, head over heels in love, blinking back tears at the sight of you on your brother’s arm as he walks you down the aisle. 

He spent so much time, fantasizing and dreaming about when you’d finally be alone together. He imagined all the ways the night would go, being the only witness to experiencing it all for the first time. Completely ready to commit it all to memory, and study every aspect of all that was unapologetically you. No more niceties and modesty, just the ability to unwrap all of you. 

The moment to you was something out of a fairytale, straight out of a leather-bound book with aged pages tucked away on a high shelf, passed down through the generations. Encompassed in tradition and swaddled with love from the community you’ve grown so fond of. You felt like you floated down the aisle, and you couldn’t pull your gaze from your husband to be. 

Many people were skeptical, claiming the sheriff was too old and they concocted terrible rumors of how he threatened or bribed your father for your hand. They said you were too naive to understand what was happening, and that your gentle nature was being taken advantage of. You always hated to hear these lies, you knew your Lee. They knew him as the Sheriff, this persona he needed to keep up in order to keep the peace. You knew they would never understand him the way that you do. 

“You’re beautiful,” he had whispered in your ear once you were standing proudly by his side. 

After the last song, and the night was over, it was the first time you’d be able to spend time with Lee alone. You are worried about what his expectations are and if you’ll be good enough. Carrying you over the threshold, Lee kisses you gently and you rest your head in the crook of his neck. 

“Welcome home, Mrs. Bodecker.”

White Mice

Mitsuhide x MC Fluff

Written for: Dice be Nice Event Request: Anonymous Roll: Mitsuhide + Gods AU + Reoccurring Nightmares

Aaah, I could afford to rest a little today, so I wrote this as a bedtime story for myself. Goodnight!  But, before I go... I can’t believe, 18/19 event stories were posted already :o When did this happen :o 

Content Warnings: none

Where was he? Why was he? Was there anybody else? He didn’t know, for he couldn’t have. His wanderings stretched, seemingly never ending, leading him nowhere past the desert of the inner space, time betraying him at each step. For years, Mitsuhide was in a state doubtful of even deserving the name of being. He was nothing. He was everything. He was everywhere, yet also couldn’t find himself. Eventually, his senses grew sharper, his eyes could see further, deeper – and, perhaps, it was then that he was in fact made himself, white little mouses beginning to appear everywhere.

To each their own, for all possess their domain – if they were brought to be long enough ago, that is. Some ancient, some recent, all gods could be divided, be it by their speciality or the realm of interest, the older beings having taken custody of all things most human. Love was the first to be assigned, only anger daring to attempt to dethrone it – and then there was hope, lust, curiosity, there was greed and generosity, feelings big and small alike. Noble, tainted, whichever it was, the gods were born to keep them under their patronage… Or perhaps they bore themselves out of the emotion, created and propelled by human belief alone. As for which truly was it, Mitsuhide never got to find out just regardless, the day he came into existence being rather uneventful to say the least. Bearing no recollection of who he was – whether he even was – before, he just strolled aimlessly, no guide nor tutor appearing in his path to lead him anywhere. Where was he? Why was he? Was there anybody else? He didn’t know, for he couldn’t have. His wanderings stretched, seemingly never ending, leading him nowhere past the desert of the inner space, time betraying him at each step. For years, Mitsuhide was in a state doubtful of even deserving the name of being. He was nothing. He was everything. He was everywhere, yet also couldn’t find himself. Eventually, his senses grew sharper, his eyes could see further, deeper – and, perhaps, it was then that he was in fact made himself, white little mouses beginning to appear everywhere.

At first, Mitsuhide was confused – what were the animals? Where were they going to, what were their paths? Curious and baffled, he traced their every step, a barely visible feeling of phantom paws leading him in places he never dared to reach by himself. He squinted, the space vibrating – he wanted to know more, to understand… Fearing his mind may be too little to properly comprehend them, he moved his hand. The first one, the second one, both of his feet, he even shook his head, bringing physicality into his realm. Mitsuhide turned himself tangible, eventually even donning a face, all for the sake of getting to the bottom of the mystery that filled the emptiness he felt for years.

The mice grew their trails, settling in places past his domain – and perhaps it could be said they prompted him to hatch, for that was what he did, breaking free of the prison that held him captive and entering into the wide world, one he still had to learn of. Much to his surprise, however, the little white creatures appeared not to obey by the standards binding their earthly cousins, instead speeding over the night sky and sneaking into human houses, one by one. Baffled, Mitsuhide caught a pair by their tails once, as to examine what could possibly his friend be feeding on – and thus, the god-protector, the god of nightmares, was announced.

Millennia passed, his grasp on the reality growing firmer, earning him the title of mind-reader among his kind. Feared and loved, Mitsuhide taught himself to weave dreams into threads, each night directing an army of rodents to aid those in need of urgent rest – and each day he made sure to line horrors with silver, to turn storms into the calm. He was the patron saint of the troubled, and yet… And yet, some things, even he could not reclaim.

Mitsuhide knew this woman for quite some time, his mice visiting her bedroom every day, seemingly to no avail. At first sure of his ability, he doubled the amount of his servants attending to her, fully convinced it would lead her dreams towards more pleasant ends… Albeit it never happened, not then, not in the following months, not when the rodents tripled and quadrupled, not even when he focused on her alone. Appearing to be the only such case in the entire world, Mitsuhide stepped off of his throne hidden in clouds. Donned in the white robes, he rode between the stars, the black velvet of the sky sighing quietly under the paws of his mice, the creatures then pulling his caravan. Wind swept his hair back, although gently, seemingly shied by the sun residing in his eyes – and there he was already, sitting at the very edge of her bed, a needle and a thread in his hands, slender fingers unravelling a string of silver from the spool sitting in his lap.

“Who are you?” Mitsuhide did not understand, his arms freezing. He gazed down at her face, the woman still being asleep. He touched her dreams again. “Who are you? Yes, yes, you, with the threa –” her voice was cut short by something, her mind rewiring itself.

He was the patron of the troubled – and she must have been one in need of his guidance, his mice being unable to put her nightmares to rest. As such, be it out of the sense of obligation or curiosity, his duty expanded once more, this time encompassing tending to her specifically. Her voice never quieting, they eventually began to converse, eating away at the tedious hours Mitsuhide spent on mending the holes littering the sleep she had. Hours grew to days, days turned into weeks – months, years… The nightmares ceased, yet he could not convince himself to stop his care.

That day it was her who waited for him, white underslip over her form. Her elbows propped against the railing of the balcony, she leaned onto her arms, inviting him to come closer with the nod of her head. “Have you ever stopped and just watched?” she hummed quietly, his shoulder brushing against hers. “There is little curiosity to darkness.” “Nonsense,” she laughed, her hand pointing somewhere into the night. Mitsuhide squinted his eyes. “The light is always present. Always.” Mitsuhide raised his eyebrows, a single sparkly spot emerging between the bushes, followed by another one and plenty more. Seemingly taken aback, he forgot of everything for a second, his world seemingly beginning at the feeling of her warmth to his left and ending at the plethora of miniscule bugs. A giggle left his lungs. “I think I have already found my light,” he noted, straightening his back. Slim fingers hooking below her chin, Mitsuhide guided her to look at him, golden eyes staring into hers with the intensity of the sun… And so, she hid her gaze, her lids closing as she stood on the very tips of her toes, her lips brushing against his in a faint kiss. “You silly, silly thing,” she sighed and returned to her place, shaking her head in mild disbelief.

Silence fell thick between them, her shoulders tensing up. Seemingly pressed to speak of the unspoken, of things eating at the border of her consciousness, she clenched her jaw, her tongue tying into a knot and refusing to let a single word out. Surprised, she looked up, Mitsuhide reaching to hold her hand. “I cannot understand, for I was not born like you…” he started hesitantly. “And yet… If I were to ask the god of death of it… Would you, one day, consider –” “Yes. The answer is ‘yes’,” she promised, her fingers curling around his.

Tag list: @datenoriko, @nad-zeta, @tsubaki3192, @missjudge-me, @ikemencrossedmyth, @nuttytani, @thesirenwashere, @milas-imaginarium, @kisara-16, @yukas-clover, @alerialumina , @cheese-ception , @iamryxx, @cottonfluffballofdoom, @ozziegrl71, @rikumorimachisgirl, @bestbryn, @kink-rabbithole @briars7 @mineko811 If you want to be tagged under my future works, let me know (any way works)! ^^ Also, do remember to specify fandoms (and characters, if you are interested only in some) :D If it ever happens that you wish to be removed from my taglist, for any reason, do let me know. I will not ask why, it’s all fine ^^

soriku little mermaid thread part 2

(Part 1)

Part 2: Saved by the Light

Starting with Ariel singing “Part of Your World”. I’m not gonna go line by line or anything, just wanna paraphrase certain parts. If you’re not familiar, the song is basically about Ariel wanting to live in the world outside of the ocean. Lol, cutting to the chase. Again, it’s basically Kh1 Riku.

One thing I want to specify is that even though the song is called “Part of Your World”, she doesn’t actually say “your” in the chorus at all. Not when she first sings it in her secret cave, where she has her collection of human stuff. Ariel just wants to be part of “that” world—the human world.

When she’s singing this, she’s in her cave, which has an opening at the top. The hole lets in light from the ocean’s surface, and Ariel reaches for it, but she can’t actually reach it obviously (bc the hole is too small lol). It’s all an obvious metaphor for how Ariel is stuck underwater while wanting to live up on land.

I wanna note that while the human world is obviously the land, what Ariel actually sings about, what she dreams of, is being in the sunlight. She reaches for the light above her cave, what you assume is the sun above the water. Underwater, sure, there’s light, but the light isn’t properly/directly touching her, she can’t directly feel it, it doesn’t fully reach her. She dreams of being outside of the water, so she can spend her days directly in the sun's light. The light represents and literally touches—encompasses—everything Ariel can’t have. (lol it’s a reverse lion king)

I gotta repeat how Ariel feels trapped in the water, and she is reaching for the light.

Cough. Riku trapped in darkness, reaching out his hand...to Sora. Riku, wanting to be, to live, in Sora’s light in general. (Letting Sora’s light shine onto his darkness.)

A shadow blocks out the light over Ariel’s cave, and she swims to the surface to check it out. Turns out it’s currently nighttime, which means the light Ariel was reaching for was actually the moon. Moonlight.

(Recoded flashbacks; the memory of Kh1 Riku reaching for the moon and bringing his hand to his chest dramatically, owie)

It gives me thoughts about Sora’s light, and vaguely hearing the idea of Sora being the moon, and Sora being closer to darkness than light. Like, as a personal headcanon ig, perhaps Sora’s light seems so bright because he’s reflecting Riku’s light, the way the moon reflects the sun, and has no light of its own. We know Riku’s light is like. Inhumanly bright. Like, Riku doesn’t just seem to have a bright light in his heart. It seems like he is light itself, or at least he’s connected to it in some way. Especially with all his sun imagery. So to me it’d make sense that even if Sora was merely reflecting Riku’s light (not to mention Riku’s light shines directly onto Sora’s heart), because Riku’s light is so impossibly bright, Sora’s would seem extremely bright as well. The reason Riku’s bright light hasn’t been “obviously attributed to him” is because he was cloaked in darkness ig. The way the sun’s light isn’t visible at night, though it continues to shine, and is only seen at dawn. And I mean, the light second to the sun in the day, is the light of the moon at night. 🤷🏽‍♀️

Anyway, the shadow Ariel saw was a ship. It’s shooting fireworks into the sky, and I mention this because I always gotta mention fireworks lol. Ariel swims up to the ship, sees the crew celebrating, but when she sees Eric, she instantly falls in love. And it just reminds me of how Riku has only ever had eyes for Sora, even since childhood lol.

But why is the crew celebrating? Apparently it’s Prince Eric’s birthday. And for his birthday, he is presented with—a statue. A statue, of himself. Of Eric. Man.

SORA’S STATUE. goodness.

Grimsby, the man who commissioned the statue, apparently had originally intended it as a wedding present, but that didn’t pan out because Eric didn’t fall for the princess he had been set up with.

“Believe me, Grim, when I find her, I’ll know. Without a doubt it’ll just—bam—hit me, like lightning.”

...sure, Sora. But it makes me wonder, once Sora does realize—would it be all at once? Versus Riku, who took his sweet time putting it to words in DDD lol. Who knows.

But lightning does strike—the ship. The ship burns, Eric’s heavy ass stone statue sinks into the ocean, Eric risks his life to save his dog—

Now Eric is drowning.

Sora, at the bottom of the abyss. But in my mind, it lines up more with Sora’s breakdown. His darkness caught up to him and overwhelmed him, and he finally confessed to feeling worthless. Riku expressed his belief in Sora, which helped Sora persist after death, and Riku sacrificed himself, which created the tear in time that let Sora rewrite the fated fall to darkness.

Riku saved Sora.

Ariel saves Eric.

We see them on the shore, under a cloudy sky the morning after the storm. Eric is breathing, but unconscious. Ariel calls Eric beautiful, when the night before she’d called him handsome, and I mention it because I love that line lol. Ariel touches Eric’s cheek and starts singing “Part of Your World”, but with changed lyrics.

This time, the song is specifically about Eric, not just humans in general. Ariel’s priority—her dream—has changed. Man. It’s DDD and Kh3 in one song! Nice.

The clouds part and the sun shines on Ariel and Eric on the shore. A literal ray of light.

Eric starts to wake up (and the sun only shines on him once Ariel’s voice wakes him), and he sees a girl surrounded by a bright light—

Eric, saved by the light.

Sora, saved by the light.

—and the girl is singing a song. “...part of your world.”

Your world. And I’m just here, thinking about Riku, and how his quote has changed from being about important people, to being about one important person. Riku doesn’t just want to see the outside world anymore, he wants to be part of Sora’s world, part of Sora’s life. ????? How to be “okay”??

Of course, Ariel has to swim away before Eric fully wakes up and realizes she isn’t human. And all Eric knows is: “A girl...rescued me. She was singing. She had the most beautiful voice.”

AND THAT’S IT, that's all he remembers. He only knows this mystery girl rescued him, he vaguely saw what she looks like, he heard her song, and that she has a beautiful voice.

Ugh. So little yet so much—SORA.

I can’t get over the in-game implication that at the very least, like Eric, the one moment Sora has memory issues with, is Riku’s sacrifice. Specifically the event of Riku saving him.

He doesn’t seem to remember the sacrifice, or who saved him, if Sora remembers he needed saving, which it seems he does. In eng, Sora tells Nameless Star that he “thought it was all over” for him, but that someone told Sora they believed in him.

All Sora remembers. Is that he was in trouble, that he was screwed, and that someone believed in him. And he acknowledges that that’s what’s helping him keep going, to literally persist after death.

But Sora doesn’t seem to remember WHO saved him.

The way Eric doesn’t know WHO rescued him.

And when I think of Eric only knowing Ariel by her voice, by her SONG (bc he didn’t get a good look at her)—I have to think of Sora and Riku’s song. The one that plays either completed or with half the song missing when Sora either defeats or loses to Yozora. Dearly. Beloved. And the fact Eric doesn’t know exactly what Ariel looks like—is a detail for later.

Another note I wanted to make was that at first, Ariel was reaching for the light. But now, we see that Ariel IS the light.

Riku reaching for Sora’s (moon)light, only for Riku to end up being the (sun)light himself.

??????

(Part 3)

masterpost ☀️ main masterlist ☀️ taglist

previously on...

Star is getting better, Sam is getting a friend, Stephen is a Sad White Boy™. A layover chapter. I'm not very happy with how this turned out but hey, it's an update and its still pandemi-lovato outside, we gotta be gentle on ourselves. PA turned out to be way more serious than I planned it to be anyways and I think that's very yeehaw of me to expand my writing from the usual almost-crackfics that I write. Love you all 3000.

Days stretched like a piece of chewed up gum, bleeding into one another at a snail's pace, one dull grey NYC afternoon after the other. The hospital wing I was forced to camp out in Tony's tower was top notch but everything, starting from the constant beeping to the sharp, chemical smells, irritated me, and what little strength I had to communicate was mostly spent on listening to Sam's tall tales.

Odette had stopped by shortly after the first wave of weakness had set in; no, I didn't dramatically faint or suddenly develop third stage cancer, I simply turned into a near-catatonic vegetable, devoid of any emotion or will to exist. My bones were like Jell-o, my thoughts - sluggish, sparse clouds that rarely swam in the grey plains of my overtired mind.

My boss was fussing over me for hours, I heard faint echoes of her and Stephen's argumentative conversations before she flipped out and shut the door to my hospital room, strong aromas of incense and smoke briefly overshadowing the bleach and plastic stench every hospital seemed to have. I

I became mostly coherent after her ministrations; enough to see the dark circles under her eyes and the ghastly tone of her skin. More often than not, I couldn't even properly focus my vision, things like using the bathroom and eating three times a day were the worst chores I'd ever had to do.

My body was trying to convince me to wither away, to simply allow the vessel for my spirit to become one with the Earth once more. I had no energy to process what had happened on the foreign planet; when I slept, I didn't dream, I didn't have nightmares, time just flowed like a fast, untamed river, my weary body drifting along the calmer streams of the shoreline and occasionally bumping into a stone of daily routine.

My stubbornness, however, was an inherent part of me. I had considered, many times, simply giving up; the voices in my head whispered at me their poisonous ideas. It would be so easy, to fall asleep and never wake up. They baited me with the promises of afterlife, of golden halls and spaces full of light and warmth.

Sam had started spending a lot of time at my bedside absolutely unprompted; sometimes, he'd hold my hand, gentle, tender fingers drawing senseless squiggles on the inside of my palm. Faint echoes of his aura told me he was worried for me, but also grateful for what I did for Stephen and angry at someone. I tried not to think about the last part: I could sense their pity and their unease every time one of his teammates stopped by my hospital room.

A healthy-looking young woman spending most of her days blankly staring at the wall wasn't a picture-postcard view. Sam wasn't bothered by it in the slightest, and when I finally clawed my way out of the dredges to be able to answer questions with a simple 'yes' or 'no', he promptly lit up, speaking to me in a happy tone that almost wasn't forced.

Tony stopped by, too, usually late in the evening, when he thought I and everyone else was asleep. He sat next to me, his intelligent brown eyes fixed on my face for twenty, thirty minutes at a time before he'd stroke my hair or run a hot, calloused palm over my arm, and then took his leave, slow, shuffling footsteps quietly receding into the hallways. I really didn't know what to think about Tony, he had always been quite quirky, but his gestures were... Nice.

Stephen... Him, his actions, I understood the least. He had argued with Tony, argued with Odette and I was sure I heard him and the Black Widow scream at each other during lunch time. Sometimes I thought I heard his voice, at night, the darkness behind my eyelids suddenly bursting with golden sparks and green bokeh but when I finally mustered up the strength to open my eyes, the empty, white walls were all that greeted me.

Stephen never stopped by, I rarely heard his voice outside of my room and almost always it was one bickering or another, mostly with Sam muttering a few choice words as he noisily sat down on the chair next to me. As much as I hated to admit it, it bothered me. Near-death experiences tended to leave a strong imprint on the human mind and whether Stephen liked it or not, we were connected for life.

"Then Steve, the dumbass, just jumps out of the plane. No chute, no warning," Sam's voice, drifting between fond and annoyed, snapped me out of my stupor. "Robot-brain curses, yells at his boyfriend like he can hear him and just... Does the same fucking thing," the exasperation made a tiny spark of mirth settle in me. I flexed my fingers despite the dull ache, gripping Sam's fingers in my palm. I didn't need to see him to know he immediately perked up. "Meanwhile I'm standing there with my wings, trying to figure out where in life did I take the wrong turn to end up with these two idiots."

"You should get them," I swallowed, my throat dry, my vocal cords tense from the lack of use. "One of those... Backpack leashes," the words were a battle to get out, it was a fight with a brick wall to force my brain to string sounds into a sentence, but I persisted.

"Should I say 'welcome back'?" Sam's optimism is cautious.

"Gettin' there," I forced my eyes to meet his, to see the life bustling in him. To feel alive, even by proxy.

"I should get Strange here, he's been running himself ragged these days, tryin' to figure out how to bring you back," Sam's free hand scrambled for his cell as I struggled to raise my eyebrows. "Yeah, yeah, I was as surprised as you were, Tony barely gets the wizard to sleep and eat."

Faint pangs of shame wormed into my headspace, for assuming the worst when I knew that his façade of vitriol and sarcasm was just that - a wall to protect himself. My rediscovery of the ability to feel, even if it was gooey shame, grounded me in this plane of existence, forcing me to face reality and return to it.

"I feel like shit," for once in my life, I allowed myself to openly, publicly complain about my state of being.

"Yeah, I couldn't tell," Sam's tone was refreshingly teasing. "Odette and Strange explained what you did. Well, sort of," the man scratched his chin. "I understood about half of it, really, but what matters is that you were badass as fuck!"

I struggled to hold onto that sense of being present. "Well, it wasn't my choice," I felt the need to state the fact. "I'm a conductor, of sorts."

Sam's eyebrows rose, both of his hands encompassing my lax palm. "Wizard-man said you consciously directed the energies, or whatever."

I felt the tiniest laugh bubble up from the bottom of my throat, my dry, chapped lips stretched on their own accord. "Because it tickled and itched. It was annoying," I belatedly suspected that there was something... Off, about my explanation.

Sam's gaping expression, exasperated disbelief, put me on edge. "You thought that radioactive ash tickles and severe nerve damage itches?" His head shook from side to side, as if he was trying to get rid of a persistent mosquito.

"Um," I had the decency to look away. "I didn't know it was radioactive," I meekly supplied as the door to my hospital room all but flew open.

Stephen looked - not much better than me, if I had to guess, with the exception of a highly anxious face instead of the (probably) dead inside high school drama club goth that I looked like. The Cape billowed behind him despite a lack of any wind, wiggling as my eyes widened in response to the fabric moving on its own.

"You're okay," Stephen's baritone had me snapping up to meet his stormy eyes with a speed I wasn't aware I possessed at this stage of my recovery. The sorcerer stood silently, eyeing me in turn.

"I'll go get some coffee," Sam delicately interjected, giving my hand a brief squeeze and all but running out the door.

"Radioactive?" I repeated the question that bothered me the most. Shock seized my chest as I fully faced the implications of our impromptu adventure, but I welcomed the acrid sensations, desperate to feel anything at all.

"Yes," the sorcerer took a few long, hurried strides before crashing into the chair. "I didn't notice at first, but then you grabbed my hand and," a jerky inhale followed the confession. "I felt the healing burn, I felt how your body rejected the particles," his speech stuttered. Slender, gloved fingers pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'd be dead in an hour, maybe, if not for..."

I was equally at a loss for words, it seemed. "Weren't we... Harmful to others when we..?" I struggled to form my thoughts.

"You burnt it all off," Stephen replied curtly, puzzled. "Your whole being rejected everything that came from that wretched place. Tony insisted we run tests, do scans. Neither of us have even residual radiation from past x-rays," Stephen's fingers twitched. "But that's not all."

"Your hands?" I offered, remembering some of Sam's words.

A sharp inhale coming from the sorcerer answered my question, if not in detail, and the man himself hesitated to reply for a reason I did not know. I didn't undo the damage, this much I knew was true. He swallowed loudly, eyes firmly planted on the wall opposite me. "They do not hurt anymore," the words were barely louder than a whisper.

I chewed on my lip, slowly, idly, letting Stephen process whatever bothered him that much. He should have been happy, or so I thought, that there was one less thing in this world that had the potential of giving him a headache. "Good," I simply replied, attempting to shrug.

"No, you don't understand," he suddenly lifted his eyes, staring at me hotly. "You did so at the expense of your own life, your lifespan, you energy, your ability to have child-"

I stopped his rant, lifting up one shaky, and my feeble gesture instantly made the tired, broken man deflate into someone that reeked of shame and regret. His shoulders dropped, head briefly touching the side of my bed. For all purposes, I nearly acquired a lapful of kicked puppy Stephen.

Mustering up my very last dregs of energy, I scoffed in his direction: "Don't fucking tell me what to do, wizard," before the familiar weight of apathy began taking over me again. One sluggish thought after the other, I came to a conclusion that he was experiencing a sort of survivor's guilt, except I didn't die.

Or maybe I did? Maybe I'd left some unknown, invisible part of me on the irradiated plains of a foreign world, coming home as a shell of my former self. To their eyes, at least, it could have looked the part; not too long after Stephen's departure, I mustered up the strength and the courage to look into a mirror, to properly see the damage I'd done to myself.

An ashen undertone to my skin, my eyes had sunken deeply into my surprisingly angular face. I had the look of a person who'd survived famine and torture, at least. I appeared to be as dull and disgusting as I felt. For what felt the first time in ages, I carefully, slowly ran myself a hot bath with some of the fancy toiletries placed in the bathroom, because of course Tony would have a full size bath in a hospital room, the steaming, herbal-smelling liquid almost instantaneously giving a boost to my blood flow and speeding up the living energies within my exhausted form.

Sam was waiting for me when I stepped out heated and pruney, a lopsided tilt to his lips and the mouthwatering smell of coffee gathering saliva in my mouth for the first time in days.

"Stephen needs to see a fucking therapist," I grouched, sitting down on the bed, bundled up in a fluffy bathrobe.

Wilson's responding eyeroll was pure reflex. "They all do," he reached out for his thermos, having noticed me eyeing it. A paper cup was promptly filled and given to me. "I can recommend a few, by the way. That specialise in unusual circumstances," he eyed me with kindness, gesturing towards the hospital room with a wide wave of his hand.

I chewed on my lip. "I don't think it will help much, at least right now, since all my hurts are- eh, magical," I shrugged. "I gotta figure out how to stop my limbs from feeling like cooked spaghetti noodles first." The coffee tasted like the usual hospital sludge but somehow, after being devoid of all feeling, it was the single best thing I've had in the past week.

"Seems like a solid plan," Sam agreed. "Your boss is a scary lady, by the way. And I mean it respectfully."

The corners of my mouth tilted up. "Yeah, but she's also very experienced and very kind. She knows her stuff."

Sam quickly looked to the side and as I followed the direction of his stare, i spied a pile of empty Tupperware boxes, causing me to lift an eyebrow at the suddenly bashful man.

"What?" He tried for indignant but it came out as a squeak. "I'm a man, god dammit! I am given free food, I take the free food!"

The realization set in. "She's feeding you now? Did you hit on my boss to get food, Sam?" I wagged my fingers, enjoying the face expressions the man was making, probably, a little more than I should. He looked like a right bird when disgruntled, all puffed up and glaring.

"No!" He almost shrieked. "She cornered me, said I was doing God's work by sitting and talking to you! She just started bringing those... Casseroles, every time she stopped by," the agitation in his voice was quite funny to me. "Not like it's a chore, I actually like the peace and quiet. You've been the best listener I've had in the past year," Sam's grin grew more genuine. "And I don't have to see RoboCop's mug all day or listen to someone argue over the best pasta shape."

"Your house sounds like a nightmare," I supplied conversationally, remembering my own peculiar place and the set of rules and- SHIT, I belatedly realized, someone might went to my apartment to get my stuff and gotten in trouble. "Sam, who went to my place to get my stuff?" I asked, trying to force down the bubbling unease.

"Some lady stopped by, I think her name was also Sam?" He quietly questioned. "Had two kids with her, the boy kept staring at me like I'd stolen his lunch money," the man finished off his coffee, gathering the trash and noisily throwing it in the bin.

"Yeah, that's my neighbor. And Armin is a cool little dude, he's just very shy," I offered absent-mindedly, inwardly breathing a massive sigh of relief.

"He looks like the boy from 'I see dead people' movie," Sam deadpanned, opening a large drawer and extracting my gym bag from it. "I'll leave you to get dressed," we nodded to each other before Sam left the room, phone to his ear and a relaxed atmosphere around his whole being radiating warmth and contentment. That was a nice change from the tense, grim atmosphere of the days past. I could get used to it, could re-learn how to let myself feel like a living being again.

I was eager to return home; stepping in through the portal, my living room greeted me exactly the way I left it the day I went to work, a few books scattered on the couch, my fleece blanket hanging halfway off the couch. Stephen hovered behind me as I set my bag down on the table, immediately surveying the state of my plants and my altar.

"Do you need, um, help with anything?" He was fidgeting, all but vibrating behind me.

Apparently, Sam had talked some sense into the wizard because he stopped by a few times since that day, for a short small-talk or a cup of coffee, the kicked puppy look back on full display.

I told Sam off, of course, saying that I was an adult and so was Strange, but something in his knee-jerk reaction told me that he was so used to playing referee, it didn't even register with him that I might be able to handle my own business. I told Sam that much, taking his hand in me: I wanted a friend, not a parent, not a therapist. It went pretty smoothly.

"No, not really," I figured I could water my own plants and vacuum my own floors. My phone buzzed at that moment, a number saved in my phone as "Tony 😎" coming through with an absolutely outrageous message.

"I'm bringing pizza in 20. You better have Netflix. Tell Dumbledore to pick up his phone."

I promptly thrust the phone in Stephen's face, who instantly developed an equally annoyed and fond expression, as he searched the numerous pockets of his robe for the sleek, light StarkPhone. "Resistance is futile," he sighed, sitting down on the couch as I went to change into something fresh and water my plants while Stephen flicked through my Netflix. I heard him mutter to himself: "Grey's anatomy? Sixth season? Oh my God," with the tone of a man tortured.

"I had a roomie in college who majored in Medical History," I snorted. "When she had a bad day, she'd absolutely pick apart every single thing in the show. From the doctor's misconduct to the way a surgeon was holding the scalpel," I explained, seeing Stephen's eyes sparkle with amusement. "She was absolutely vicious and it was the most hilarious thing."

The sorcerer stroked his chin, leaning back into the couch. "That's acceptable. All medical shows are rubbish," he stated firmly. His phone beeped, causing him to sigh and conjure up a portal within seconds, in the corner of my apartment I had aptly designated to be the landing pad to myself. Tony stepped in, a bottle of wine and three steaming pizza boxes in hand. Smiling at his boyfriend, Stephen turned to me with a curious look: "What did you major in?"

Taglist: @couldntbedamned @mikariell95 @letsby @sleep-i-ness @toomanyrobins @mostly-marvel-musings @persephonehemingway @schemefrenzy @lillsxd @bluecrazedandbeautiful @slothspaghettiwrites @xoxabs88xox @secretly-a-weeb @stuckybarton

time, mystical time, cuttin' me open then healin' me fine

a fic i wrote for @ladrienjune :D read on ao3:

Summary: Another letter. Each item was accompanied by a short message, handwritten in a font that was common yet simultaneously unique because it came from her.

In them he learned that she was an apprentice to a seamstress in the city, and the small shop where she spends most of her days was typically where she writes her messages, in short breaks interspersed throughout a laborious workday. Her favourite thing to eat was the pastries from the bakery across the road from where she lived, and that that was why the pages always had the aroma of macarons or croissants.

...

Or the time when, following the removal of Gabriel Agreste as king, his son, Prince Adrien, is locked away, in fear of him having been in on the plan, and a girl who goes by Ladybug tries to convince him that there are still people out there who love him.

(full work under the cut) @miraculousfanworks

... There it was again. Her insignia, woven in a bright crimson thread. A little ladybug, its wings spread, as if preparing to fly. As if preparing to take him far away from the prison that bound him.

Sometimes he would say that he was not fond of the fact that during his time in his cell, he was permitted free correspondence from people in the community. Some wrote saying they hated him, saying he was no better than his father, that he should’ve been executed just like the former. Some wrote to say that they still support his father’s rule, and that, if he permits, they are fully willing to break him out of prison and reinstate an Agreste monarchy.

But yet, there were the ‘good’ letters. The ones that felt like a flicker of sunshine brightening up the darkness that was his evenings. The ones that gave hope that not everyone in the kingdom saw him as a willing accomplice of his father. The ones that remembered his, albeit irregular, visits to the town,  his meeting with the townsfolk, and the positive image he left on them.

The same visits his father made sure to stop as soon as he could, in favour of a marriage to a foreign princess.

Adrien rubbed his fingers along the red stitching, taking a few seconds to admire the intricacy of the ladybug’s wings, the detailed patterns encompassing the spots, each one special, each one unique, before slightly turning the black hat inside out, watching as a scrap of tea-stained paper fluttered down to the dirt-covered floor.

 Another letter.  Each item was accompanied by a short message, handwritten in a font that was common yet simultaneously unique because it came from her .

 In them, he learned that she was an apprentice to a seamstress in the city, and the small shop where she spends most of her days was typically where she writes her messages, in short breaks interspersed throughout a laborious workday. Her favourite thing to eat was the pastries from the bakery across the road from where she lived, and that that was why the pages always had the aroma of macarons or croissants. 

Even though he was never able to reply; the guards wouldn’t have permitted it; he greatly looked forward to her correspondence, wondering who was such a nice person to offer someone who was essentially a stranger handwritten words and gifts crafted by her own fingertips. 

Sometimes, he even foolishly let himself imagine the possibility of the two of them meeting, and him being able to tell her how much happier he was because of her, and how grateful he is. 

...

The gifts continued to come, even after what has to be at least a year into his incarceration. She had been getting more reckless, lately. Instead of the clothing items, she was leaving freshly made goods, which she promised were baked by her own hands, on the sill of the poor excuse for a window in his cell. Although he had to get, inventive, for a lack of a better word, in how he acquired such items, he drastically preferred her cookies to the stale bread or cold drink he got given each night.

Sometimes he thought he could hear a satisfied hum from outside as he ate his latest present, smiling as the taste of good food, something he had lived so long without, ran down his mouth like a stream, drying up far too fast for Adrien to salvage the feeling. 

Still, the letters continued. She told him that her apprenticeship was about to end, and she, along with her family, was looking to buy a small storefront for her to start up her own place. She said this on a page filled with roughly-sketched flowers, a beauty in a way that was hardly ever found within the gaol walls. 

She told him that, even though her parents weren’t forcing it too much, the topic of finding her a suitable partner has been brought up far too many times for her to count, and that she didn’t see much appeal in any of the young men hoping to court her. That, foolishly, she was holding hope out for an old friend to whisk her away.

A part of him- even though there was no way it was possible, a part of Adrien stupidly wished that the old friend was him. 

 ...

 One evening she left him a hand-drawn sketch. He immediately recognised the younger version of himself, all bright eyes filled with an innocent wonder life has dimmed with him, hair messed in the way it would get after his mother took him with her during her town visits. He remembered being allowed to play with some of the young children that lived under his father’s rule, and this photograph hoped to capture a moment from that. Next to him stood a young girl, her hair tied into pigtails, freckles obviously darkened by the summer sun splattered over her nose. He remembered her, the bakers’ daughter. She was one of his favourite people to play with, and he remembered thinking of her as a good friend. 

Was this her way of telling him who she was?

Try as he might, he could not recall her name, however, the years following too much of a toll on his growing mind. 

Behind them was what, if the drawing was coloured in, he would expect to be a luscious green garden. He could almost hear the soft gurgle of the Silver Stream behind him, its waters ebbing and flowing from its source on a peak near the palace, bringing prosperity to all the land with its path it touched. 

 Until his father exploited the connection it created, adding an extract from the leaves of nightshade plants to end the lives of all the kingdom’s livestock, forcing increased reliability on imports sanctioned by him. This was the start of a disastrous food shortage, and a merciless famine.

 Remembering King Gabriel’s actions, Adrien felt his hold on the sketch tightening, squeezing, compressing,  suffocating the memory, until, once he returned to himself, the picture and the happy memory it sought to encapture was no longer recognisable, the pencil marks blurred.

 He didn’t look at it again that night, or for many nights following.

...

The gifts stopped for a while, Adrien would, just after the sun went down, look up to the little slit in the wall, or watch the guards making their evening rounds, hoping, praying, begging to someone who would listen that she hadn’t forgotten about him.

He could swear he heard someone walking outside, their body crashing through the bushes which lined the prison chamber walls, their voice muttering under their breath. One time he convinced himself he heard his name mixed in with it, but that was just wishful thinking, why would anyone come for him? It had been so long since he had last stepped foot outside, the wall which he began to tally the days on had overfilled long ago.

...

“Whatcha doin’ there, handsome?” A female voice rang out from beyond the slot. 

“Who- who are you?” He asked, standing up and moving towards the wall.

“Some know me as “you,” others as my name, and even fewer as Ladybug.” The voice flew over his head as she rolled into the inner corridor, her face looking up at the bars.

Oh. So she’s even prettier in real life then. 

Her hair was braided, two stems from either side of her head fusing together at the nape of her neck, in a style which he knew to have been in fashion over the past few years, and she was wearing a work dress traditionally associated with well-established seamstresses. 

“Ladybug? So you’re the one who has been leaving me gifts all this time.”

 “Well, yeah. But I was hoping you remembered me from more than just that.” Her eyes brightened, and she moved to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, stopping once she realised that her hands only met empty air. “But did you like them?”

 “I love them.” He said earnestly, his cheeks warm, sure that she’d be able to see the pink on them were it not for the poor lighting of the complex.

 “Wait, love? As in, the present tense?” 

 He moved to a corner of the room, peeling away an old jacket hastily thrown to reveal a pile of hats, scarves, jackets, gloves, and lots and lots of paper. “Yes, love. They were the nicest thing anyone’s done for me in a long time.” He turned back to her. “All the gifts I got back when I was in the palace because I was the prince couldn’t even begin to live up to what you’ve given me. I feel like your gifts, Ladybug, they came from the heart, and that means a lot more than you’ll ever know.”

 She looked away then, her voice quieter. “They did. Come from the heart, I mean.”

 “Really?” It was one thing to think it, but to have it confirmed was something else entirely.

 “Mmhm.” She smiled at him, then. “We were friends, once.”

 “Oh yeah! The drawing!” His mind flashed back to the events that had transpired the day he saw it. “I- may have destroyed it, I’m so sorry.”

 “It’s okay. I know a lot has happened since then. If you ever need someone to talk about it to or anything, I’m here.”

 “Thank you.”

“Well, of course. Even though we haven’t properly spoken in a while, I know you’re a good person.” She locked eyes with him then, glare burning with passion. “You are  not  your father, you’re so much better than him, and don’t you dare let anyone convince you otherwise.”

It was then that he truly paid attention to her eyes, they were such a unique shade of blue, vivid and bright, captivating, they made him pay attention to her whenever she spoke.

Only one other person had eyes like that. 

Her name rushed back into his brain, locking into place as if it had never slipped his mind.

Marinette. The daughter of Tom and Sabine, and one of his closest friends growing up. 

Judging by the look on her face, she was aware of his realisation, and happy with it too. 

“I wish I could break you out of here, it’s not fair to you that you’re being punished for a crime you didn’t commit.” She shook at the bars indiscreetly in between them, as if her strength alone was enough to reverse the decision of an entire proxy government.

“Yeah, I know. I’ve kinda given up all hope of magically being let out though.”

 “I’ll tell you what: one day, I’ll come back with everything I need, and I’ll help you escape, and we’ll go live in the mountains together.”

“But, I can’t ask you to do that! It isn’t fair to you.” 

“It’s fine, really. I’ll manage. Besides, this way, I’m keeping my promise to you.”

“Promise-.” Adrien was transported back to the palace gardens.

...

It was the annual festival, the day where Queen Emilie always invited all the local children to come onto castle grounds for a day. Adrien and Marinette were sitting in a corner, surrounded on all sides by leafy green hedges.

  “Marinette, do you think we’ll always be friends?”

  “Yeah, duh. And even if for some reason the world breaks us apart, I  promise  I will always try and find a way back to you.” 

  “And  I  promise I’ll do the same.” 

...

“But- but we were kids then! I couldn’t possibly ask you to still hold yourself to that.”

“But I  want to, Adrien, and I’ll always want to.” She lowers her head, pointedly watching her feet scuffing her shoes against the ground. “And, you’ve read my letters, right?” She peers at him through her lashes. 

He turns away, hand on the back of his neck, fighting a blush that threatens to vividly bloom on his cheeks. 

“Mmhm, I have.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, a loud bell rang out, and Adrien could hear the footsteps of guards swapping over their shifts.

“And I’ll take that as my cue to leave,” Marinette said, jerking upright and pivoting in the direction of the entrance she came through. “I hope to see you soon, Adrien.”

“Me too. And Marinette?”

She looked back, smiling. 

“Thank you. For tonight, and the letters, and the presents, and just, everything.”

Nodding at him, she left, just as soundlessly as she had come, leaving Adrien clutching onto the promise of a better future, one with her by his side. 

Louis walked down Main Street in a bit of a haste.

Sunny Santa Monica was bustling fluidly with tourists, visitors, and locals alike. The long weekend drew people towards the boardwalk and shoreline, and into the shops and restaurants that were not too far off from them. But unlike the others, Louis was drawn in by a dinner date with a man six years his senior. Harry was his name. A 31 year-old entrepreneur with green eyes, broad shoulders, and an alluringly deep accent that reminded Louis of home.

Despite only having a few conversations through nights out with mates, Harry was kind enough to invite Louis to join him for early dinner at one of his restaurants, followed by a walk near the beach at sunset. Just the two of them. It was an incredibly romantic proposition, with a sprinkle of Harry’s boasting, but with Louis’ bad luck with American men, he was not going to pass up the glorious opportunity.

Harry generously offered to pick him up, but Louis declined at the last second. He was only 24 in Los Angeles, the second largest city in America, and letting an older man have his West Hollywood address struck him as not cautious. It turned out to be the wrong call, however, judging by how poorly he timed his bus-to-train route and how late he was running. His hair was windswept from the ocean breeze, and the tail end of his blouse was wrinkled from squirming around in the bus seat. He had very little time to fix himself up before entering the doors of Harry’s place, on the main street of Santa Monica, and Louis felt every bit of pressure to make a nice first impression.

In a split second, he pivoted toward a parked black car that he caught his reflection in. The paint job was equally as sleek as the blacked out windows, and the car was clearly from another era. More than likely the 1970s. It was admirably Los Angeles-esque but also served as a decent mirror for Louis’ vanity.

He flicked his soft fringe out of his eyes and placed certain strands in more desirable areas. It was an exceptionally delicate process he took his time with to make sure every lock was in its right place. Louis combed his fingers through until he looked presentable for the public.

Slowly, he turned and looked over his shoulder to smooth out the wrinkles near his bum. He pressed his hands from the middle of his blouse and over his arse in an attempt to iron everything out. Unfortunately, the material sprung back toward him and left him with no other option but to tuck it in.

With swift hands, Louis tucked the tail end into his trousers and continued tuck around the front. The white lace of his underwear slipped out for a brief second but was quickly concealed as he caught it in the reflection of the car. His knickers were for Harry’s eyes only, should he get so lucky.

Once Louis deemed his outfit presentable, he pulled his tinted strawberry lip balm from his pocket and swiped it across his lips. The mirror-like coating on the windows worked perfectly in his pinch and assisted him effortlessly. As his lips turned a desirable shade of pink, he capped his lip balm tightly and stored it back into the safety of his pocket. He moved closer to the window to fix his hair one last time, just to be sure he looked pretty enough for Harry, and nearly jumped out of his skin when the horn honked blaringly in his ear.

Louis squealed in a tone only dogs and small children could hear and sprung back nearly three meters from the car. His poor, little heart was fluttering from the sudden piercing sound and tripled in rhythm as the car window rolled down before him.

“Well, look who decided to show up,” a voice from inside the vehicle called. “I thought surely you had stood me up this time.”

Louis took a deep breath and approached the classic car again.

“Harry?”

The older man was dressed sharply in pleated trousers and a tight fitting shirt. His hair was pushed back off his forehead, and his beard was trimmed just enough to show he made an effort. He had subtle crows feet by his eyes and his calloused hands tightly gripped the steering wheel. He made the car look tiny with how cramped his body was in there. Louis nearly moaned at the sight of him and the bulge of his tattooed biceps.

“It’s truly a pleasure to see you, Louis.”

“You scared me,” Louis exhaled and braced himself against the door. “I was just about to head in, I’m really sorry.”

“No, no, don’t apologize, love. I was quite enjoying the free little show you put on for me. You look incredible in white.”

Louis could not help the flush of his sun-kissed skin and the embers of fire that whirled like a storm inside of his belly. He was wearing a soft crimson top, which definitely meant Harry saw things he was not meant to see yet.

Harry gave him an obvious once over and bit his lip as if he were hungry.

“Thank you,” Louis trembled. “What are you doing out here then? Were you about to leave?”

“About to, yeah, but I’m definitely not going anywhere else now that you’re here.”

Louis giggled at how thick Harry was laying it on. He was a gentleman and sweet, but despite how polite he was being, Louis was sure Harry had to be a bit peeved at how long Louis kept him waiting.

“So, you’re willing to forgive my tardiness? You like what you see that much?”

“I like everything I see, and saw, enough to forgive just about anything right now,” Harry said with a smirk. “And I’d still love to get more acquainted with you, if you’re up for it? Dinner is still on me and my staff, or we can go elsewhere. Whatever you’d like, sweetheart.”

“Well, I’d like it if you got out and properly greeted me first of all,” Louis said. “And then I’ll decide what we’ll do after you apologize to me for honking.”

Harry laughed out loud and unbuckled himself from his seat. He pushed the door open and stood to his full height as he closed it forcefully behind him. He was gorgeously tall as he walked over and was easily a head over Louis as he stood in his presence.

Louis’ heart thud against his chest again, and his knees went severely weak as he caught a stiff whiff of Harry’s expensive cologne on his clothes.

With strong arms, Harry pulled Louis in for a proper cuddle, and squeezed him tightly as if he would slip away. His chest was warm, solid, and everything Louis wanted to encompass himself in all evening long. His hands were big as they splayed across Louis’ back and slid down to gather at the curvy dips of his hips.

“Hello, Louis,” he whispered roughly and deep, sending a shiver down his spine. “I apologize for spooking you with my horn. I just couldn’t help myself, the opportunity was there.”

Harry belly laughed once more, and Louis bit down on his own.

“You should have seen your face,” Harry went on. “It was priceless, baby. Absolutely priceless.”

“You’re unbearable,” Louis said. “I’m beginning to think it should be me who’s on my way out of here.”

“No! Sorry, sorry,” Harry swallowed down his contagious laughter. “I just didn’t expect to be able to make you scream before even saying hello.”

Louis simpered, sinfully.

“You’d be lucky to make me scream again,” he said. “You’ll have to buy me dinner first at least.”

Part 1/?

Patreon saw it first