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werepartofthemasterplan · 3 years

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Episode 6: Normal Life.

Yes, I already watched the episode... Not sure what to think. Yes, it's Axel-Pol centred, that's why I don't know what to think. If you think Axel is hot and so on (as Hector seems to think), then you would love it. I'll be posting the summary some time in the evening but it's difficult because I have a lot of things to do in the real world today. Sorry! Ok, let's start.

First edit: Intro.

Pol is at the doctor's and the doctor tells him that he's doing really well (the viral charge has gone down so much) and he encourages him to begin living a "normal life".

Pol asks him what is that supposed to mean since nothing that is happening to him is "normal". "Can I tell people? Can I fuck the person I like? Can I have a boyfriend/girlfriend? Can I tell them this, just like this?".

The doctor tells him that a lot of couples live with HIV and that if his viral charge is this low, he can even have sex without a condom :-O.... Pol is not convince at all, he thinks that people are only going to see him as the AIDS guy.

The doctor tells him that if he wants anything with anyone, he is going to have to tell them. Pol says that for him, that "normal life" is cohabitate with the fear.

Second edit:

Pol arriving home from the doctor and Alfonso asking where he went.

Pol tells him that he went to collect his notes to a friend's house and Alfonso gets mad because he knows he's lying but cannot say anything.

Alfonso asks him once again if he's ok and Pol tells him yes, he is ok and also, he got the scholarship.

Pol leaves to college and Alfonso and Gloria talks about Alfonso confronting Pol when he's ready....

Bolaño's class. She asks if it is correct to keep on listening to Michael Jackson's music after what it was discovered about him molesting children. Most of the class is against it because they think it's unmoral.

They talk about the justice in judging the work of a person through his private life.

And of course, Rai doesn't agree with the rest of the class. He separates the work from the person. They all agree that everything is rotten and nobody is free from having a censurable behaviour. Oti says that her granny is the only one who is really honest. And Rai gets mad and says that she cannot know that even because she could get excited by throwing stones to the rabbits when she was a little girl.

The class is over and Axel is waiting for Pol in the corridor to invite him to go to the Ampurdá to meet his parents. He wants to take Lucky to meet them and he thought that Pol would like to come too... as friends. Axel says "you wouldn't come as my boyfriend because you're not.... right?"... NO COMMENT.

Axel tells him that there are plenty of beds at the house, that he should not worry about that....

Pol tells him that he doesn't know if that would be the normal way to do it and Axel asks him what normal means to him...

Pol hesitates for a second but agrees to go with him.

Third edit:

Rai's home. Alfonso and Vicky bonding.

Minerva's flat. Amy and Arnau are half naked and in bed but they have not fucked because Amy just says that it wouldn't be right to fuck a flatmate. (I really don't understand what is the reason for these two to even appear...).

Meeting with the dean at college and Biel tells Bolaño that Pol is not coming (because he's with Axel in the Ampurdá). Meeting is boring af and I'm not going to describe it.

Pol and Axel get to Axel's parents home. And WHAT A HOUSE... WOW.

Pol meets Axel's mum and grandpa first. When Axel introduces him and Lucky to them, Axel's mum says "Let's see how long this one lasts this time" and the grandpa says "Yeah, she's not talking about the dog, you know that, right?"

Axel goes to see his father and they talk. BLAH BLAH BLAH.

Axel'm mun asks Pol for help to dig out a hole for a tree. She explains him that the thing they have tomorrow is a memory ceremony in the name of her mother, who would turn 90 that day and that they are going to plant a tree to honor her. It was Daniel's idea, Axel's ex, to give her a tree as a present.

Axel calls out for Pol. Pol tells him that his mum has told him about the ceremony and that it was Daniel's idea. And Axel tells him that Danuel was his ex, and asks him if he doesn't have any exboyfriends Pols says NO, HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY EXBOYFRIENDS... (CLARO QUE NO, CHATO....).

Axel tells him that he's really glad he's there and they go for a walk by bike.... (Hector Lozano has seen "Call me by your name" too many times and he believes he's a Guadagnino because the following montage is just the same as when Elio and Oliver ride their bikes to the river.... just identical... in fact, we can call Luca right now, show this to him and he could claim author property rights for this one.... like really....).

Fouth Edit: (OK, this part is really difficult to sum up but I am going to do my best).

Pol and Axel at the beach.

Pol tells Axel that he doesn't understand why he lives in Barcelona if he has this and Axel tells him that he doesn't want to live with his family. Pol tells him that he lives with his dad and Axel answers "Wait a couple of years....".

Axel kisses him.

Pol seems kind of lost and Axel asks him if he's OK. Pol shakes his head no and suddenly Pol gets up and says "It's been a while since I swim in the sea...." (YEAH, WE KNOW HOW LONG, POL DARLING... WE ALL KNOW HOW LONG AND BRUNO DOES TOO....). Axel tells him that the water should be really freezing.

He stars pealing his clothes off near Axel and Pol asks him if he likes his body. Pol takes good care of his body and at first look Axel couldn't tell that he's sick. And he runs to the water, where he screams underwater, and cries and kicks... Underwater Pol montage.

Axel sees this and asks him loudly if he's OK and Pol goes back to him and tells him that he's HIV positive. Pol tells him that he doesn't know why he's telling him. Maybe it's because he likes him and he has the right to know.

Pol start to cry and he says that he doesn't understand anything. He doesn't understand this has happened to him and that Axel sees his body and Pol knows that he's attracted to him because he sees how Axel looks at him and Pol only wishes he didn't have that body. Pol just wants to escape from himself. And even though he takes care of himself, he exercises, he eats well and the doctor tells him that everything's going ok, he has to get used to the infamous "Normal life", in Pol's case means don't tell anyone because if he does tell anyone, then it wouldn't be normal...

Pol says that he is so tired of growing up the hard way. He doesn't remember his mum, he keeps loosing people (WHUUUUUT????? I CHOSE TO BELIEVE THIS IS A REFERENCE TO BRUNO AND NOBODY IS GOING TO BLOW THAT UP, OK???? THANK YOU!) and when he gets the diagnose he though "Fuck Pol, you too?", but it seems he can live with that and if you have someone to fuck, it's better to say it. Pol tells Axel that that is what he has been wanting since the day the went to collect Lucky.

Axel kisses him hard and hugs him and tells him: "Look, greyhounds are blue and melancholic but they learn how to be happy really quickly. Maybe you're like a greyhound somehow". Pol tells him that maybe he's right and he promises that he'll be more discreet with Axel's family and Axel tells him that it's OK as long as he doesn't tell his father he doesn't like classical music.

More kisses and hugs.

(AND WE'RE NOT EVEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EPISODE)

Fifth edit:

Rai's home. Vicky and Alfonso bonding.

University: Maria and Silvia cross ways in the hallway and they have a little talk. Seems nice. Silvia asks her if she's ok and Maria tells her that she's better....

University bar: Oti, Biel and Rai are talking. Biel wants Rai to enter the debate thing.

Maria and Laura and Laura's boyfriend keep looking for flats for them to rent. Still no luck.

Alfonso and Gloria at a hospital. A nurse comes to them. She's a friend of Gloria. Gloria leaves so that her friend and Alfonso can talk. Alfonso wants to know if Pol is going to die and Gloria's friend tells him that there are more than 3000 HIV positive patiences in that hospital and all of them are living a "normal life", some of them are more optimistic, some are more pesimistic but none of them have been admitted in the hospital and as far as she knows, Pol is ok.... (don't aks me how she knows it)...

Axel's parents house, at the dinner table. They are talking Mozart and so on and so forth...

Axel's grandpa wants wine.

Axel tells them that Pol studies Philosophy.

Axel's grandpa asks if Daniel is coming the next day and Axel tells him that of course he's not and that he doesn't know anything about Daniel for quite a while now.

Axel's grandpa says that there was a philosopher who predicted his own death. They all think about who this might be and Pol says "Democrito". Axel's grandpa says "that's him, yes!!!".

Axel tells Pol that he has won his grandpa heart.

After dinner, in Axel's room (there were a lot of beds, of course....). Pol asks about Axel's granny and Axel tells him that she died 8 years ago and that his grandpa still doesn't want to bury her ashes.

Pol asks him if he comes to the house often with his hook-ups.

Axel tells him not with hook-ups but that he did come very often with his exboyfriend, the one that is not well, asks Pol. The one with depression, yes, answers Axel. Pol asks him how long they were together and Axel says that he doesn't want to talk about him and kisses Pol hard. Pol breaks the kiss and looks worried and Axel tells Pol that he doesn't want to fuck or pressure him in any way....

And they kiss again, Pol asks him if he doesn't have anything and if he gets tested regularly, Axel tells him that he doesn't have anything and that he gets tested, yes... and one thing leads to another and they start to make out big time. There is a moment when Pol hesitates a little but then he recovers and he takes the lead...

Alfonso and Gloria are in bed and Alfonso says that Pol has told him that he was going to spend the night at a friend's parents house and wonders if he has taken his pills with him.

Alfonso is really taken back and starts saying that young people are supposed to be given all the sex info and STD prevention in the world, that they have access to it. He doesn't get where HIS Pol went to get the HIV. Gloria just hugs him and he starts to cry. It's a really sad scene.

Next morning, they plant the tree. Axel doesn't want to participate in the ceremony.

Sixth edit:

On the way back, Pol asks him if the reason he didn't want to participate in the ceremony was because it was Daniel's idea to plant the tree.

Axel asks him what he wants to know. Pol says that it's normal that he wants to know things since he feels that Axel's family really love Daniel. "Well, I don't", says Axel.

Pol asks him how long they were together - 7 years.

And you were living together? - Yes, we lived together, then he started with the depression and I left him. Do you want to make me feel bad just like my parents?

Axel is an asshole, mind you... He tells Pol that he is treating Pol really tactfully and he has no reason to complain.

Pol tells him that whether Axel thinks he has to be grateful for Axel to accept him as he is...

Axel tells him that not everybody would be so understandable.

Pol gets pissed. Of course. Pol tells him that Axel is complaining because he cannot handle sick people.

Axel tells him that if Pol is the victim now.

Pol tries to explain to him that he is not comfortable with what Axel has told him. "you had a boyfriend, you were together for 7 years, you had your life built and then, he gets sick and you leave him" (BRAVO POL, OLE TUS HUEVOS!).

Axel tells him that Pol hasn't lived with another person as a couple, he doesn't have any idea of how it is, so he cannot talk about it.

Pol is really pissed and tells him that Axel should look for another guy because clearly Pol doesn't suit him at all. Pol feels good with him but Axel should find someone who not only sucks him but also can fuck him. And he shouldn't worry about him because he will fuck someday.

Axel says that ok and that he will leave Pol at college because he surely has homework to do.

Rai's house. Vicky is talking to her posh friends about her vertigos. She tells them that Alfonso took care of her and the posh friends start gossiping about that. Vicky tells them to shut up because Alfonso is a better person than any of them. Of course, Alfonso is listening.

Pol arrives to class... Silvia is talking about Descartes. BLAH BLAH BLAH.

University corridor and Pol meets up with Axel. Pol asks him if he is calmer and Axel tell him fuck you. Pol tells him that he wants to focus on his degree and that's it. Axel tells him that he is going to be his unsolved issue (asignatura pensdiente in Spanish).

Maria is in her office and Octavi comes saying that Laura is waiting outside for Maria. Octavi says that Laura told him that she thinks that Maria is fed up with her because Laura doesn't make things easy with the flat hunting (it's the opposite, of course.... it's Maria who is being a pain...).

Silvia and Octavi blah blah blah. Silvia has asked Octavi to take care of Maria for her....

Maria at her house, going through all Laura's clothes when she was a baby.

Minerva's flat. BLAH BLAH BLAH... Biel and Amy hook up.

Oti and Pol at the library studying. Rai comes and tells them to go to study somewhere else because that place is pathetic. He takes them to the W lounge at the W Hotel, I believe because I was there and it looked familiar. And Pol talks about love, happiness, life...

FIN.

OK, I don't know why but I've got the feeling that Pol is beginning to miss the people that are not in his life anymore. Like you never know what you had until you lose it" kind of feeling.... AND YES, THAT MEANS BRUNO... OF COURSE IT MEANS BRUNO... WHO ELSE?

#merli sapere aude #merli sapere aude season 2 #merli sapere aude spoilers #pol rubio #it's sucks #really sucks #and why not?#BRUNOL #merli: sapere aude

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ucflibrary · 3 years

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Pride Month has arrived!

While every day is a time to be proud of your identity and orientation, June is that extra special time for boldly celebrating with and for the LGBTQIA+ community (yes, there are more than lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender folx in the queer community). June was chosen to honor the Stonewall Riots which happened in 1969. Like other celebratory months, LGBT Pride Month started as a weeklong series of events and expanded into a full month of festivities.

2021 is also the 5th anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando where 49 members of our community were murdered on June 12, 2016. On the main floor of the John C. Hitt Library there will be display cases with items from the University Archives relating to Pulse memorials as well as a display wall honoring the lives lost. Both of these library memorials were created in partnership with UCF LGBTQ Services. UCF will also be hosting several events in June to help the community remember, grieve and grow stronger. Full listing of events is available on the Pulse Remembrance event calendar.

Additional Pulse memorial events will be hosted by the onePULSE Foundation. An memorial archival collection from the first anniversary of the shooting can be found as part of the Resilience: Remembering Pulse in the STARS Citizen Curator collection.

In honor of Pride Month, UCF Library faculty and staff suggested books from the UCF collection that represent a wide array of queer authors and characters. Click on the read more link below to see the full list, descriptions, and catalog links. There is also an extensive physical display on the main floor of the John C. Hitt Library near the Research & Information Desk.

All Adults Here by Emma Straub Emma Straub's unique alchemy of wisdom, humor, and insight come together in a deeply satisfying story about adult siblings, aging parents, high school boyfriends, middle school mean girls, the lifelong effects of birth order, and all the other things that follow us into adulthood, whether we like them to or not. Suggested by Rachel Mulvihill, Downtown Library

All the Young Men: a memoir of love, AIDS, and chosen family in the American South by Ruth Coker Burks & Kevin Carr O'Leary A gripping and triumphant tale of human compassion, is the true story of Ruth Coker Burks, a young single mother in Hot Springs, Arkansas, who finds herself driven to the forefront of the AIDS crisis, and becoming a pivotal activist in America’s fight against AIDS. Suggested by Megan Haught, Student Learning & Engagement/Research & Information Services

And the Band Played On: politics, people and the AIDS epidemic by Randy Shilts An international bestseller, a nominee for the National Book Critics Circle Award, and made into a critically acclaimed movie, Shilts' expose revealed why AIDS was allowed to spread unchecked during the early 80's while the most trusted institutions ignored or denied the threat. One of the few true modern classics, it changed and framed how AIDS was discussed in the following years. Suggested by Becky Hammond, Special Collections & University Archives

Big Gay Adventures in Education: supporting LGBT+ visibility and inclusion in schools edited by Daniel Tomlinson-Gray A collection of true stories by 'out' teachers, and students of 'out' teachers, all about their experiences in schools. The book aims to empower LGBT+ teachers to be the role models they needed when they were in school and help all teachers and school leaders to promote LGBT+ visibility and inclusion. Each story is accompanied by an editor’s note reflecting on the contributor’s experience and the practical implications for schools and teachers in supporting LGBT+ young people and ensuring they feel safe and included in their school communities. Suggested by Terrie Sypolt, Research & Information Services

Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman The sudden and powerful attraction between a teenage boy and a summer guest at his parents' house on the Italian Riviera has a profound and lasting influence that will mark them both for a lifetime. Suggested by Rebecca Hawk, Circulation

Fun Home: a family tragicomic by Alison Bechdel Meet Alison's father, a historic preservation expert and obsessive restorer of the family's Victorian house, a third-generation funeral home director, a high school English teacher, an icily distant parent, and a closeted homosexual who, as it turns out, is involved with male students and a family babysitter. Through narrative that is alternately heartbreaking and fiercely funny, we are drawn into a daughter's complex yearning for her father. And yet, apart from assigned stints dusting caskets at the family-owned 'fun home, ' as Alison and her brothers call it, the relationship achieves its most intimate expression through the shared code of books. When Alison comes out as homosexual herself in late adolescence, the denouement is swift, graphic, and redemptive. Suggested by Michael Furlong, UCF Connect Libraries

Gender Queer: a memoir by Maia Kobabe; colors by Phoebe Kobabe In 2014, Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, thought that a comic of reading statistics would be the last autobiographical comic e would ever write. At the time, it was the only thing e felt comfortable with strangers knowing about em. Maia's intensely cathartic autobiography charts eir journey of self-identity, which includes the mortification and confusion of adolescent crushes, grappling with how to come out to family and society, bonding with friends over erotic gay fanfiction, and facing the trauma and fundamental violation of pap smears. Started as a way to explain to eir family what it means to be nonbinary and asexual, this is more than a personal story: it is a useful and touching guide on gender identity--what it means and how to think about it--for advocates, friends, and humans everywhere. Suggested by Megan Haught, Student Learning & Engagement/Research & Information Services

Heaven's Coast: a memoir by Mark Doty The harmonious partnership of two gay men is shattered when they learn that one has tested positive for the HIV virus. Suggested by Claudia Davidson, Downtown Library

Hurricane Child by Kheryn Callender Born on Water Island in the Virgin Islands during a hurricane, which is considered bad luck, twelve-year-old Caroline falls in love with another girl--and together they set out in a hurricane to find Caroline's missing mother. Suggested by Rebecca Hawk, Circulation

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo Seventeen-year-old Lily Hu can't remember exactly when the question took root, but the answer was in full bloom the moment she and Kathleen Miller walked under the flashing neon sign of a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club. America in 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia threatens everyone, including Chinese Americans like Lily. With deportation looming over her father--despite his hard-won citizenship--Lily and Kath risk everything to let their love see the light of day. Suggested by Claudia Davidson, Downtown Library

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki & Rosemary Valero-O’Connell All Freddy Riley wants is for Laura Dean to stop breaking up with her. The day they got together was the best one of Freddy's life, but nothing's made sense since. Laura Dean is popular, funny, and SO CUTE ... but she can be really thoughtless, even mean. Their on-again, off-again relationship has Freddy's head spinning - and Freddy's friends can't understand why she keeps going back. When Freddy consults the services of a local mystic, the mysterious Seek-Her, she isn't thrilled with the advice she receives. But something's got to give: Freddy's heart is breaking in slow motion, and she may be about to lose her very best friend as well as her last shred of self-respect. Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O'Connell bring to life a sweet and spirited tale of young love that asks us to consider what happens when we ditch the toxic relationships we crave to embrace the heathy ones we need. Suggested by Sara Duff, Acquisitions & Collections

LGBT Health: meeting the needs of gender and sexual minorities edited by K. Bryant Smalley, Jacob C. Warren, K. Nikki Barefoot A first-of-its-kind, comprehensive view of mental, medical, and public health conditions within the LGBT community. This book examines the health outcomes and risk factors that gender and sexual minority groups face while simultaneously providing evidence-based clinical recommendations and resources for meeting their health needs. Drawing from leading scholars and practitioners of LGBT health, this holistic, centralized text synthesizes epidemiologic, medical, psychological, sociological, and public health research related to the origins of, current state of, and ways to improve LGBT health. Suggested by Sandy Avila, Research & Information Services

Lived Experience: reflections on LGBTQ life by Delphine Diallo A beautiful series of full-color portraits of LGBTQ people over the age of fifty, accompanied by interviews. Suggested by Jacqui Johnson, Cataloging

Love is for Losers by Wibke Bruggemann When Phoebe's mother ditches her to work as a doctor for an international human rights organization, she is stuck living with her mom's best friend, Kate, and helping out at Kate's thrift shop. There she meet Emma. Phoebe tries to shield her head and her heart from experiencing love-- after all, love is for losers, right? Suggested by Pam Jaggernauth, Curriculum Materials Center

Man Into Woman: an authentic record of a change of sex edited by Niels Hoyer This riveting account of the transformation of the Danish painter Einar Wegener into Lili Elbe is a remarkable journey from man to woman. Einar Wegener was a leading artist in late 1920's Paris. One day his wife Grete asked him to dress as a woman to model for a portrait. It was a shattering event which began a struggle between his public male persona and emergent female self, Lili. Einar was forced into living a double life; enjoying a secret hedonist life as Lili, with Grete and a few trusted friends, whilst suffering in public as Einar, driven to despair and almost to suicide. Doctors, unable to understand his condition, dismissed him as hysterical. Lili eventually forced Einar to face the truth of his being - he was, in fact, a woman. This bizarre situation took an extraordinary turn when it was discovered that his body contained primitive female sex organs. There followed a series of dangerous experimental operations and a confrontation with the conventions of the age until Lili was eventually liberated from Einar - a freedom that carried the ultimate price. Suggested by Richard Harrison, Research & Information Services

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong This is a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. Written when the speaker, Little Dog, is in his late twenties, the letter unearths a family's history that began before he was born -- a history whose epicenter is rooted in Vietnam -- and serves as a doorway into parts of his life his mother has never known, all of it leading to an unforgettable revelation. At once a witness to the fraught yet undeniable love between a single mother and her son, it is also a brutally honest exploration of race, class, and masculinity. Suggested by Rachel Mulvihill, Downtown Library

Queer Objects edited by Chris Brickell & Judith Collard Queer lives give rise to a vast array of objects: the things we fill our houses with, the gifts we share with our friends, the commodities we consume at work and at play, the clothes and accessories we wear, various reminders of state power, as well as the analogue and digital technologies we use to communicate with one another. But what makes an object queer? 63 chapters consider this question in relation to lesbian, gay and transgender communities across time, cultures and space. In this unique international collaboration, well-known and newer writers traverse world history to write about items ranging from ancient Egyptian tomb paintings and Roman artefacts to political placards, snapshots, sex toys and the smartphone. Suggested by Megan Haught, Student Learning & Engagement/Research & Information Services

Real Life by Brandon Taylor A novel of rare emotional power that excavates the social intricacies of a late-summer weekend -- and a lifetime of buried pain. Almost everything about Wallace, an introverted African-American transplant from Alabama, is at odds with the lakeside Midwestern university town where he is working toward a biochem degree. For reasons of self-preservation, Wallace has enforced a wary distance even within his own circle of friends -- some dating each other, some dating women, some feigning straightness. But a series of confrontations with colleagues, and an unexpected encounter with a young straight man, conspire to fracture his defenses, while revealing hidden currents of resentment and desire that threaten the equilibrium of their community. Suggested by Sara Duff, Acquisitions & Collections

Riley Can’t Stop Crying by Stephanie Boulay While his sister tries everything to help, a young boy isn't sure why he can't stop crying in this transitional picture book. Suggested by Pam Jaggernauth, Curriculum Materials Center

Supporting Success for LGBTQ+ Students: tools for inclusive campus practice by Cindy Ann Kilgo This book aims to serve as a one-stop resource for faculty and staff in higher education settings who are seeking to enhance their campus climate and systems of support for LGBTQ+ student success. Included are theoretical frameworks and conceptual models that can be used in practice. Suggested by Terrie Sypolt, Research & Information Services

The City and the Pillar: a novel by Gore Vidal Jim, a handsome, all-American athlete, has always been shy around girls. But when he and his best friend, Bob, partake in “awful kid stuff,” the experience forms Jim’s ideal of spiritual completion. Defying his parents’ expectations, Jim strikes out on his own, hoping to find Bob and rekindle their amorous friendship. Along the way he struggles with what he feels is his unique bond with Bob and with his persistent attraction to other men. Upon finally encountering Bob years later, the force of his hopes for a life together leads to a devastating climax. The first novel of its kind to appear on the American literary landscape, this remains a forthright and uncompromising portrayal of sexual relationships between men. Suggested by Richard Harrison, Research & Information Services

The Invisible Orientation: an introduction to asexuality by Julie Sondra Decker Julie Sondra Decker outlines what asexuality is, counters misconceptions, provides resources, and puts asexual people's experiences in context as they move through a sexualized world. It includes information for asexual people to help understand their orientation and what it means for their relationships, as well as tips and facts for those who want to understand their asexual friends and loved ones. Suggested by Dawn Tripp, Research & Information Services

The New Testament by Jericho Brown The world of Jericho Brown's second book, disease runs through the body, violence runs through the neighborhood, memories run through the mind, trauma runs through generations. Almost eerily quiet in even the bluntest of poems, Brown gives us the ache of a throat that has yet to say the hardest thing-and the truth is coming on fast. Suggested by Claudia Davidson, Downtown Library

The Prophets by Robert Jones With a lyricism reminiscent of Toni Morrison, Robert Jones, Jr., fiercely summons the voices of slaver and enslaved alike, from Isaiah and Samuel to the calculating slave master to the long line of women that surround them, women who have carried the soul of the plantation on their shoulders. As tensions build and the weight of centuries—of ancestors and future generations to come—culminates in a climactic reckoning, masterfully reveals the pain and suffering of inheritance, but is also shot through with hope, beauty, and truth, portraying the enormous, heroic power of love. Suggested by Rachel Mulvihill, Downtown Library

The Ship We Built by Lexie Bean A fifth-grader whose best friends walked away, whose mother is detached, and whose father does unspeakable things, copes with the help of friend Sofie and anonymous letters tied to balloons and released. Includes a list of resources related to abuse, gender, sexuality, and more. Suggested by Pam Jaggernauth, Curriculum Materials Center

Tinderbox: the untold story of the Up Stairs Lounge fire and the rise of gay liberation by Robert W. Fieseler Buried for decades, the Up Stairs Lounge tragedy has only recently emerged as a catalyzing event of the gay liberation movement. In revelatory detail, Robert W. Fieseler chronicles the tragic event that claimed the lives of thirty-one men and one woman on June 24, 1973, at a New Orleans bar, the largest mass murder of gays until 2016. Relying on unprecedented access to survivors and archives, Fieseler creates an indelible portrait of a closeted, blue- collar gay world that flourished before an arsonist ignited an inferno that destroyed an entire community. The aftermath was no less traumatic--families ashamed to claim loved ones, the Catholic Church refusing proper burial rights, the city impervious to the survivors' needs--revealing a world of toxic prejudice that thrived well past Stonewall. Yet the impassioned activism that followed proved essential to the emergence of a fledgling gay movement. Fieseler restores honor to a forgotten generation of civil-rights martyrs. Suggested by Andy Todd, UCF Connect Libraries

Transgender: a reference handbook by Aaron Devor and Ardel Haefele-Thomas This book provides a crucial resource for readers who are investigating trans issues. It takes a diverse and historic approach, focusing on more than one idea or one experience of trans identity or trans history. The book takes contemporary as well as historic aspects into consideration. It looks at ancient indigenous cultures that honored third, fourth, and fifth gender identities as well as more contemporary ideas of what "transgender" means. Notably, it focuses not only on Western medical ideas of gender affirmation but on cultural diversity surrounding the topic. This book will primarily serve as a reference guide and jumping off point for further research for those seeking information about what it means to be transgender. Suggested by Richard Harrison, Research & Information Services

Transnational LGBT Activism: working for sexual rights worldwide by Ryan R. Thoreson Thoreson argues that the idea of LGBT human rights is not predetermined but instead is defined by international activists who establish what and who qualifies for protection. He shows how International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) formed and evolved, who is engaged in this work, how they conceptualize LGBT human rights, and how they have institutionalized their views at the United Nations and elsewhere. After a full year of in-depth research in New York City and Cape Town, South Africa, Thoreson is able to reconstruct IGLHRC’s early campaigns and highlight decisive shifts in the organization’s work from its founding to the present day. Suggested by Sandy Avila, Research & Information Services

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey Esther is a stowaway. She's hidden herself away in the Librarian's book wagon in an attempt to escape the marriage her father has arranged for her--a marriage to the man who was previously engaged to her best friend. Her best friend who she was in love with. Her best friend who was just executed for possession of resistance propaganda. The future American Southwest is full of bandits, fascists, and queer librarian spies on horseback trying to do the right thing. Suggested by Sara Duff, Acquisitions & Collections

Walt Whitman's Songs of Male Intimacy and Love: "Live oak, with moss" and "Calamus" edited by Betsy Erkkila This volume includes Whitman's handwritten manuscript version of the twelve "Live oak, with moss" poems along side with a print transcription of these poems on the opposite page, followed by a facsimile of the original version of the "Calamus" poems published in the 1860-61 edition of Leaves of grass, and a reprint of the final version of the "Calamus" poems in the 1881 edition of Leaves of grass. Suggested by Rebecca Hawk, Circulation

#ucf library #lgbtqia+ pride #featured bookshelf #one pulse

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hellomynameisbisexual · 3 years

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As I spoke with other self-idenitified bisexuals throughout my college career, I realized that many, including myself, felt a dose of imposter syndrome in both gay and straight spaces. Whether it be comments from fellow queer folk invalidating our sexuality or the general queerphobia prevalent in the larger society, many bisexuals resent the heteronormative stereotypes imposed on them from both the gay and straight communities. Further research into the erasure of the bisexual community indicated that its impact on the mental and physical health of bisexual individuals is tangible.

The term “bisexuality” encompasses many sexual identities including queer and pansexual. According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), “Studies suggest that bisexuals comprise nearly half of all people who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual, making the bisexual population the single largest group within the LGBT community.” As the largest subset of the gay community, it is interesting to note that bisexuals are routinely discriminated against in the LGBT community as well as in the straight community. Despite being the largest population behind heterosexuals, studies suggest biphobia in all facets of society has facilitated the erasure of the bisexual community to the extent that bisexuals can expect to be systematically disadvantaged regarding their physical and mental health,

The prevalent stereotypes about bisexuality that keep bisexuals from coming out are noted in the essay “Bisexuality and Mental Health: Future Research Directions,” published in The Journal of Bisexuality in 2015: “It has been argued that bisexuality has been delegitimized by negative stereotypes, such as ‘bisexuality doesn’t exist as a sexual orientation,’ ‘bisexuals are sexually promiscuous,’ and ‘bisexuals are confused.’ Several studies have found that heterosexual, gay and lesbian individuals may all have negative attitudes toward bisexuality, indicating that bisexual individuals face double discrimination.” The authors, Persson & Pfaus, assert that bisexuals are hesitant to identify themselves for fear of backlash from all facets of society, a statement I can firmly attest to having been personally asked “Can’t you just pick one or the other?” by both gay and straight people. In a press release regarding a study focused on HIV/AIDS in the bisexual community, published in the American Journal for Preventative Medicine by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, researcher William Jeffries⁠ stated, “Societal biphobia is more prevalent than antigay sentiment.”

Biphobia is prevalent enough to keep bisexuals from coming out to their homosexual counterparts. Historically, homosexuality has been considered taboo and punished with imprisonment and even death; pro-gay movements all over the world trumpet the importance of acceptance and inclusivity, yet gay communities globally refuse to acknowledge bisexuality as a legitimate orientation and discriminate against bisexuals based on this belief. In her article “Inside, Outside, Nowhere: Bisexual Men and Women in the Gay and Lesbian Community,” Kirsten Mclean examined the impact of bisexual attitudes on a group of 60 Australian bisexual men and women, “in terms of their perceptions of, and participation in, the gay and lesbian community.” Analyzing the range of biphobic attitudes within that homosexual community, Mclean’s study attempted to expose how these attitudes effect bisexual participation in said community. She found that, “though some participants were active within the Australian gay and lesbian community, many were not, due to the belief that they would be rejected or discriminated against as bisexual. Furthermore, those who did participate in the gay and lesbian community tended to keep their bisexuality hidden, for fear of being made unwelcome.” I related so much to that sentiment, having been called a “tourist” at a local gay bar when I mustered up the nerve to go with my fiance, a cis bisexual man. We left shortly after, feeling exiled to a life of languishing among the straights at tacky sports bars.

Ostracization from the gay community encourages bisexuals to pursue opposite-sex partners and fade into heteronormative society. A Pew Research Survey conducted in 2013 revealed that 84% of bisexuals end up in hetero relationships. Award-winning bisexual writer Kristina Marusic discussed this statistic, asserting that hetero relationships among bisexuals does not delegitimize their preferences and that the odds of a bisexual having an opposite-sex partner “fall enormously in their favor… the [percentage of the population that is LGBTQ] is actually closer to a scant 3.8 percent. So not only is it statistically more likely that a bisexual person will wind up with a partner of the opposite sex; it’s equally likely that they’ll wind up with someone from the over 96 percent of the population who identifies as straight.” In an interview with the HRC, an anonymous bisexual said “I wish that more people inside the gay community itself would support my decision to call myself bisexual. I am not being selfish. I am not a liar. I am not gay. I am not straight. I am bisexual.” Additionally, according to Mclean, “a large number of gay men and lesbians still flat-out refuse to date bisexuals.” Thus, many bisexuals couple with opposite-sex partners and identify as straight despite their true orientation, as is reflected by Marusic’s statistics.

The idea that there are two exclusive sexualities, gay and straight, has effectively gagged bisexuals, preventing their self-identification in the heterosexual and homosexual communities and ensuring their assimilation into heteronormative society. In her study “Living Life in the Double Closet: Bisexual Youth Speak Out,” Mclean states, “Dominant public discourses endorse heterosexuality and homosexuality as legitimate sexual identities, but do not recognize that some people are neither exclusively heterosexual nor exclusively homosexual.” Mclean interviewed 22 young bisexual people living in Melbourne, Florida. A bisexual woman herself, Mclean employed an interpersonal, interview approach to this research because she was “examining a group that had thus far been both silenced in traditional research on sexuality, but had also, for the most part, silenced themselves.”

There is nothing quite like silencing oneself, no greater discomfort than suppressing an inherent part of who you are. When I was twelve, I was at a large sleepover at a close friend’s house. Her older sister was “watching” our group of a dozen or so girls. At some point, a large bag of assorted liquors was procured. I have always been impulsive: always picking “Dare,” never scared to sneak out and certain in every situation that I was indestructible. As a seventh grader intent on proving my invincibility, I drank eagerly and abundantly. After taking several shots that blazed through my undeveloped chest and sent unfamiliar chills up my spine, I opened my eyes to the stars spinning above me where I lay in the lawn, both exhilarated and terrified at the realization that I was “completely smashed.” My next decipherable memory depicts me sitting semi-upright in the RV parked near the side of the house, the drunken faces of a few of the other girls swimming in front of me as I swayed.

Truth or Dare. I remember thinking, “This should be good.”

I was dared to kiss the girl next to me, a close friend who was as wasted as I was. I recall the nervous flip of my stomach as my lips neared hers. The Dare and I smushed our faces together clumsily. I could taste the vodka and orange juice on her mouth. I found myself falling into the kiss and she seemed receptive. We made out passionately as the other girls leered at us in an inebriated stupor. Eventually, they left us alone in the RV. I woke up the next morning in a crumpled heap on the floor of the RV; my eyelids crunched as I opened them and my lips were so dry they cracked when I sat up and coughed. The Dare was still asleep on the RV couch; last night’s events played through my head as I gazed at her sleeping face. I felt lighter than I ever had, despite having the worst hangover of my existence. I stumbled out of the camper and entered the house; girls were draped all over the furniture, looking at pictures from the previous night and nursing headaches. The room quieted when I entered; they stared at me, their faces inscrutable. I scrubbed my face with my hands to dislodge the various body fluids dried there. Under heavy surveillance, I procured some water and sprawled on the living room floor, head pounding and hands clammy.

“Z, do you remember anything about last night?” Someone asked. I sat up and put a palm to my throbbing temple. “Not really, did anyone get hurt?” I asked, doing a headcount of the girls in the room to see who was missing. Only The Dare was absent. “No..” Another girl piped up, “But you and The Dare like, hooked up.” She giggled anxiously. I flinched at the thinly veiled disgust in her voice, shrinking further and further into myself as I saw it reflected in the eyes of many of the other girls. Instantly, I realized my mistake.

It was a harmless thing to kiss a girl as a dare. It was another, far more heinous thing to enjoy it.

Panic engulfed me as my pubescent brain scrambled to find a way to maintain my position in the social hierarchy of my seventh grade class. Stalling, I sipped my water. I imagined being one of the “dykes” at school, of losing every inch of social capital I’d managed to attain. Frigid tendrils wrapped around my heart and, for the first time in my life, I consciously gave in to cowardice.

I feigned surprise as best I could: “What the fuck are you talking about?” I said, doing a small spit take to really sell it. A titter travelled through the room and girls started talking at once. “During truth or dare!” “You got dared to kiss her and you did!” “You were literally all over each other!” “She touched your boobs!” Their exclamations overlapped, the cacophony splitting my skull open. I silenced them with a shout of my own⁠— “Oh em GEEEE!” I yelled, burying my face in my hands so they couldn’t see the humiliation there. “I was completely wasted, I don’t remember anything. Did she have as much to drink as me?” I said. I knew that she’d been as drunk as I was⁠ but⁠— as I’d known (and maybe even hoped) it could⁠— the question changed the tide of the conversation. “You’re right,” a girl said from the couch, “she like.. Took advantage of you.”

That was not what I’d said but I let her comment fester as the other girls eyed me sympathetically. They no longer saw a lesbian; they saw the victim of one. My insides clenched uncomfortably and I ran to the bathroom, where I emptied my stomach into the toilet bowl.

I felt close to death as I leaned against the bathroom sink, staring at myself in the mirror. I remember my face so vividly: the self-loathing, the repulsion, the guilt and loneliness so clear on my young features as I silently tried to justify what I’d just done. My cheeks were sallow and slick with shameful tears and perspiration as I sweated liquor from my pores.

Not invincible, after all.

The Dare and I’s friendship was never the same. When our classmates made cruel remarks about what happened, I didn’t defend her. I apologized profusely to her after I came out in high school, but I know that wasn’t enough for the trouble I caused her. Though we were just kids experimenting, the reactions of the other girls solidified my denial of my bisexual identity for years to come. I tentatively called myself Bi-curious to a few close friends, but I’d temper it with comments like, “I think girls are pretty but I would never date one.” and “I don’t know how lesbians do it, vaginas are so weird!” My internalized homophobia manifested as a total denial of my bisexual identity when that identity threatened to make me even more of an outsider at my predominately white, conservative middle school. I had boyfriends and a social circle, but suicidal thoughts became a daily occurrence as the hatred I felt for myself deepened.

My experience is more common than I could’ve ever imagined then. After polling and interviewing hundreds of adolescents, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) concluded that “bisexual youth were much less likely to be out to their families, friends, peers, and communities” than exclusively gay youth. Only 33 percent of UK bisexuals surveyed by the Scotland-based Equality Network felt comfortable telling their general practitioner about their sexual orientation, and nearly half had experienced biphobia when accessing health services. Though there are many variables that contribute to a person’s ability to come out⁠— including but not limited to social and political climate, familial relations, and personal values⁠— the UK’s statistics raise alarms about global attitudes regarding bisexuality and health concerns for bisexuals.

In the United States, lack of preventative care for queer folk begins in grade school, as proper sex education for students attracted to the same sex is sorely lacking. According to a 2017 report by Guttmacher Institute, of the 22 states that mandate sex-ed, only 12 are required to acknowledge sexual orientations. Of those 12 states, 9 mandate inclusive discussion of the different sexual orientations, and 3 “require only negative information on sexual orientation.” Poorly educated bisexuals are less likely to protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases into adulthood. When The Dare and I were exploring each other, I had absolutely no frame of reference for what we were doing and how to do it safely aside from mainstream pornography tailored for hetero, cis male consumption. No lessons on safe queer sex were taught at my middle or high school; it angers me to know that is the norm.

Erasure impacts mental health as well as physical health for bisexual folk: according to the HRC, “Bisexual adults were also more likely to engage in self-harming behaviors, attempt suicide or think about suicide than heterosexuals, lesbians or gay men.” Bisexuals, especially adolescents, were also more likely to engage in risk taking behavior like alcohol and drug abuse, which negatively impacts both mental and physical health. HRC’s 2012 survey of LGTBQ youth found “only 5 percent of bisexual youth reported being very happy, compared to 8 percent of lesbian and gay youth and 21 percent of non-LGBT youth.” The HRC asserted that poor emotional well-being during adolescence translates into bisexual youth being “twice as likely” to experiment with drugs and alcohol. Furthermore, during research regarding the disparity between bisexual health and that of individuals in the exclusively gay and straight communities, the HRC found that “more than 40 percent of LGBT people of color identify as bisexual, and about half of transgender people describe their sexual orientation as bisexual or queer – making these groups vulnerable to further disparities that occur at the intersections of biphobia, racism and transphobia.”

The well-known yet oft-forgotten “Mother of Pride,” Brenda Howard, spent her life advocating against bi-erasure. She said, “The next time someone asks you why LGBT Pride marches exist or why Gay Pride Month is June tell them ‘A bisexual woman named Brenda Howard thought it should be.’” Until general attitudes in both the gay and straight communities change, bisexuals will continue to repress themselves and feel excluded from both groups. Bisexuals: never let the ignorance of others repress you. You aren’t confused, you aren’t inherently hypersexual and your queer identity is valid. Don’t let anyone, gay or straight, take away your seat at the Pride table.

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dissecting-bollywood · 4 years

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10 Queer Characters/Couples in Indian Media

A topic that has been taboo in Indian society forever now, homosexuality is now prevalent and more talked about than ever. There have been many forms of normalization the Indian audience has been exposed to, such as literature, social media awareness, and of course, Indian Media. In celebration of Pride Month, I’d like to stray away from the more dehumanizing and embarrassing portrayals of LGBTQ+ characters and instead focus on the more positive and realistic portrayals of them. So here are 10 queer characters and couples in Indian Media (keep in mind, I probably missed some queer Indian characters, so please don’t @ me. These are some of my personal favorites and most of these movies are available on online platforms)

*minor spoiler for Kapoor and Sons*

*THIS WAS WRITTEN BEFORE THE BLM PROTESTS. DONATE TO THE MOVEMENT OR SIGN PETITIONS*

1. AMAN-KARTHIK IN SHUBH MANGAL ZYADA SAAVDHAN

Probably the most recent one on the list, SMZS took the internet by surprise with the great representation. Starring Ayushmann Khurrana as Karthik and Jitendra Kumar as Aman, the movie showed a healthy relationship between the two and made their personalities deeper than the typical gay man stereotype. Although the movie did have a story structure similar to the modern situational comedy movies (i.e. Dream Girl and Badhaai Ho), this movie is a fun ride and an important step towards LGBTQ+ acceptance in Indian cinema. SMZS is available of Amazon Prime.

2. SWEETY-KUHU IN EK LADKI KO DEKHA TOH AISA LAGA

Proclaimed as the first mainstream Bollywood movie to showcase a lesbian love story as the main focus, this movie was bold for many. Starring Sonam Kapoor as Sweety and Regina Cassandra as Kuhu, their chemistry on-screen was lovable and so was the innocence of their intentions. Sweety’s journey of acceptance of her identity is one that many could empathize with and the movie overall was visually pleasing to look at. In technical terms, I found the movie slightly bland but that doesn’t make me disregard the impact it has had in queer love stories in Bollywood. Watch it on Netflix.

3. SHABNAM MAUSI IN SHABNAM MAUSI

Rolling backwards in time to 2005′s, Shabnam Mausi is about the real-life Shabnam Bano, the first transgender woman to become a political activist. Played by Ashutosh Rana, this movie was incredibly risky for obvious reasons. At that time, transgender women were ostracized by society and for a fairly famous Rana to take up this role was daring. Even though the movie had exaggerated many events that took place in Bano’s life, Ashutosh Rana’s great performance can’t be ignored.

4. RAHUL KAPOOR IN KAPOOR AND SONS

2016′s Kapoor and Son’s was an emotional movie centered around a family and their troubles. The oldest son Rahul, played by Fawad Khan, for most of the runtime is portrayed to be the perfect child but towards the end, it is discovered that he is a closeted gay in a relationship. Fawad Khan is charming and effortless as always and he bought a sense of rawness and authenticity to his performance. His subplot is just one of the many brushstrokes that make this movie the way it is. Available on Netflix.

5. RADHA-SITA IN FIRE

Both Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das were proven brave for taking up the role of Radha and Sita, especially considering the negativity surrounding LGBTQ folks at 1996 India. The movie was unjustly marred with controversy and hate by conservatives, but almost all critics hailed this film as gutsy and path-breaking, which it was in many ways. Along with portraying a lesbian love story in the forefront, the movie also portrays unhappy marriages and age gap relationships well. Catch this one of YouTube.

6. LAILA-KHANUM IN MARGARITA WITH A STRAW

Laila is a teenager with celebral palsy and Khanum is a blind Pakistani-Bangladeshi. The two extremely daring roles were carried out to near perfection by Kalki and Sayani in this gem of a movie. The chemistry between them was impeccable and the moments they have together will definitely make you tear up. This movie was path-breaking for portraying characters with disabilities in a good way and (of course) tackling the subject of sexuality with nuance. Catch this heartfelt movie on Hulu.

7. PROFESSOR SIRAS IN ALIGARH

Aligarh is a biopic of Professor Ramchandra Siras, a former professor at Aligarh Muslim University who was caught getting intimate with a rickshaw puller, causing him to get suspended. Siras is a character easy to empathize with and everything that Bajpayee emoted was very praiseworthy. You could really feel Siras’ pain and struggle through the screen. Despite the movie being moderately successful, Bajpayee’s performance didn’t go unnoticed and he went on to win a Filmfare in Best Actor (Critics) category.

8. SHILPA IN SUPER DELUXE

The only regional character in this list, Shilpa played by Vijay Sethupathi is a transgender woman who comes back to her childhood town to meet her family and child she left years ago. Although she is a small part of this 3 hour long movie, she is easily the most iconic character and her conversations with Rasukutty seems very genuine and wholesome. Her storyline was engaging and when the sad and unfortunate incident happens to her, I couldn’t help but shed a tear. Definitely one of my most favorite characters in South Indian cinema. Watch this masterpiece of a movie on Netflix.

9. NIKHIL-NIGEL IN MY BROTHER... NIKHIL

Nikhil Kapoor, played by Sanjay Suri, is a competitive swimmer who has a hard time with accepting himself when he has HIV and Nigel D’Costa is his supportive boyfriend. Much like Shabnam Mausi and Aligarh, the movie is based on the real life Dominic D’Souza, who was a well-known AIDS activist. Certainly another brave attempt to normalize gay portrayal in the silver screen during challenging times, the movie was received well worldwide and deservedly so. The movie featured great performances from everyone and the ending carried so many mixed emotions that it was just beautiful. Available on YouTube.

10. KARAN MEHRA IN MADE IN HEAVEN

One of my personal favorites in the list, Karan, played brilliantly by Arjun Mathur, is a wedding planner along with Tara Khanna. He is a well-fleshed out character with a great personality and I think 50% of my most favorite moments are with him in it. The web series manages to show the nitty gritty situations gay people faced before the court’s decision on Section 377, from the parents’ reactions, to facing society’s stigma. I found myself sobbing and smiling along with him throughout the series and I am interested as to what is planned ahead for him. Please watch this series on Amazon Prime its very good.

NOTE: IN THE LIGHT OF THE RECENT PROTESTS AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY, I’D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY THAT MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY. I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND THE PAIN AND STRUGGLE YOU GO THROUGH, BUT KNOW THAT I WILL FOREVER SUPPORT THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT AND I URGE ANYONE READING TO CLICK ON THE LINKS ABOVE TO MAKE DONATIONS OR SIGN PETITIONS. #BLACKLIVESMATTER AND #ACAB

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inkslingerharry · 5 years

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Yellow Days

Harry needs to touch up his tiger thigh tattoo, and he’s recommended to Y/N, a tattoo artist who just started up her own tattoo shop. Harry is nearly unable to hold himself together during consultation and while Y/N touches up his tattoo. After all, Y/N is an attractive, witty, and fiery woman who also happens to own a Britney Spears shirt.

thank you to @for-fucks-sake-h @yes-daddy-i-willl and @tandy-mikaelson for being beta readers, y’all are the best and mean so so much to me, thank you for doing this.

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**warning: there are mentions of mature content, blood, and tattoos/needles

here’s nearly 9k of sexual tension!

“Just a touch up?” She asks, slipping her glasses from her face to her hair, pushing back a few stray strands, looking across her desk that’s currently littered with papers, sketches, folders, the sort.

Harry nods, lightly tapping his knuckles against his knee, trying to maintain eye contact as best he could.

A friend had recommended Harry visit Y/N’s shop after he mentioned how faded his tiger tattoo had gotten. He played back the memory, nervous as he remembered how his friend had disclosed that the artist was fairly new, just opened up her own shop. He was surprised when he walked through the doors, taking off his sunglasses and looking around the establishment; it wasn’t like Harry to check out such a new artist. But he wanted the tattoo done. Plus, he figured, it would be cheaper.

He didn’t really have an idea of who Y/N was, other than looking through her work on Instagram and her portfolio on her website. She was a damn good artist for being so new to the game. After making a consulting appointment with a woman behind a tiny desk near the front, Harry was ready to see Y/N for himself. He had heard amazing remarks from his friend and this new woman, who had only been working for Y/N for five months.

“Do you mind if I ask why the original artist can’t do it?” Y/N questions, leaning forward and resting her arms on her desk over a red folder.

Despite being a tattoo artist, her arms were bare. Harry could spot a tiny line of ink on the inside of her arm, just above the crook of her elbow. The rest was hidden by the sleeve of her maroon button up. He wondered what else she was hiding under her clothes, where the rest of her tattoos were. Every other person he’s been with was covered in ink, yet the woman in front of him looked like an empty canvas.

As Harry glanced back up to meet her eyes, he’s taken aback. She never broke eye contact with him unless necessary, and when she was looking at him, she seemed… bored, unconcerned, restless. It was like she had better things to do.

“He’s been really busy lately. His schedule has been so full of appointments that he doesn’t time time for me,” Harry responded, bringing his hand up and scratching at the end of his nose twice, a habit he developed when he was nervous.

Y/N nodded, reaching forward, her eyes finally leaving Harry’s as she moved a few papers haphazardly. One paper fell to the floor in front of Harry, landing at his feet after fluttering back and forth a few times.

He quickly picked it up without thinking, leaning and bending forward to grasp the edge of it. When he emerged above the desk again, Y/N was looking at him, but not his eyes this time. When she saw him scan her face briefly, her eyes slightly widened and she took the paper that was being offered to her. She busied herself right away.

“Did you draw that?” Harry motioned towards the sketch he had just picked up, which was already thrown onto the desk in a disorganized manner.

“Yeah,” she answered, scattering a few more papers before finding what she was looking for: a label maker.

“It’s beautiful. What kind of flower is it?” Harry asked, hoping he wasn’t stepping over an imaginary boundary.

“A peony,” Y/N said, inclining herself forward so Harry could take the label maker from her hand. “Just type out your name.”

It was hard to read her. He wanted to find out more about her, see more of her art, know why she was a bit harsh on the outside. Harry could never really read her face which was different for him. Everyone seemed to be an open book except her.

“What if I misspell it?”

“Then I guess I’ll refer to you as Hatty Styles then,” she quipped, not wasting a breath.

He gave a quick laugh, looking down to read the letters on the tiny keyboard. He liked how quick she was, how it seemed like her humor left no survivors. She had wit, and Harry admired that.

“Alright,” he whispered loudly, handing the label maker back over the desk to her. She examined it in seconds before pressing a button and setting it to the side. The little machine started whirring.

“Have a preference in color?” She asked, scooting her chair back and opening a drawer in her filing cabinet.

“What?”

“Folder color,” she answered simply, thumbing over a few colors. “Purple, red, green, blue, black, or yellow?”

Harry shook his head, finding the entire scenario a little disorienting. “Yellow, I guess.”

“Last yellow one,” she commented, bringing herself forward again.

“I’m honored,” Harry joked, placing his hand over his chest dramatically. He was rewarded with the tiniest ghost of a smile from Y/N. His heart and pride soared.

Y/N picked up the label maker and ripped off the product, tearing apart the two pieces of paper so one was a sticker with Harry’s name on it. She carefully stuck it to the yellow folder in front of her, making sure it was fairly centered and even.

“So, I have to ask you about your medical history, just to be sure. Do you have diabetes, any allergies, on any blood thinners?”

Harry shook his head to all of them. “Great. Have you tested positive for HIV or hepatitis?”

Again, Harry shook his head.

“Okay, now I’d like to take pictures of your current tattoo so I can figure out what needs to be touched up and what still looks good. You did sign the papers in the front, right? With Fumiko, the lady at the front desk?”

Harry nodded, watching how Y/N reached for one of several cameras resting on a shelf. She gave a hum of approval before standing and strolling around her desk, stopping right in front of Harry.

“Oh, right,” Harry coughed, pulling up his shorts to showcase his faded tattoo. It looked rough.

Y/N snapped a few pictures, some with flash and some without. Some zoomed in, some zoomed out. After about four more pictures were taken, Y/N set her camera on her desk, still looking intently at Harry’s tattoo.

She reached forward, her fingers a few inches away before she glanced up at him. “Is this okay?”

Harry only nodded, not trusting his voice at the moment. Y/N slipped on her glasses before placing her hand on Harry’s thigh. She moved the skin around a bit, looking at it from different angles. She was careful with Harry’s thigh, making sure she was professional and pulling the skin just enough so she could take her notes.

“Not really my style, but it’s not bad,” she muttered, giving just enough praise to make Harry happy.

Her hands were warmer than he had thought they would be. Her nails were neat, not manicured, but she took care of them. Harry thought he could see the faintest stain of nail polish, but he wasn’t sure.

Y/N stopped, allowing her fingertip to lightly trace around the tattoo. The motion was different than before; it was soft and tender, almost as if she didn’t need to do what she was doing, but she wanted to. She glanced up at Harry, meeting his eyes with her hand still on him. After a few seconds of silence, Y/N nodded and stepped away, back to her chair around her desk. She huffed as she tried to sort a few papers.

Harry swallowed loudly, trying to hide the blush rising on his cheeks.

“You didn’t want anything added to it? No colors, no new shapes, just a touch up?”

“Yes,” Harry confirmed.

“I think I have everything,” she said, picking up a notepad and jotting down a few notes, the cap of her pen in her mouth. “We have your contact information, right?”

“Yes,” Harry repeated, pulling his shorts back down his leg, covering his thigh. Just as he was about to stand, the girl from the front desk entered Y/N’s office. Harry watched as Y/N’s shoulders deflated.

“Y/N! You wouldn’t believe it. Some guy came in and asked for a drop in and when I said-“

“Fumi, I’m consulting right now,” Y/N grated, her eyes already losing a bit of color.

Fumiko shrugged, walking in further. “Your desk is so messy,” she commented, picking up a few papers.

“I’m busy.”

Fumiko laughed, her black hair bouncing with her shoulders. She made a few more remarks, gaining a few laughs from Harry and a couple glares from Y/N.

“So, Harry Styles,” Fumiko read off of the new folder, “why come into Y/N’s shop?”

Harry was a little taken back by the forward question, but he saw Y/N’s grumpy face turn to one of curiosity.

“I need a touch up done,” he simply answered. Y/N’s face didn’t change except for her lips puckering a bit as she looked away.

“You could’ve gone anywhere for a touch up, so why here? Aren’t you a little nervous about being Y/N’s client?”

Harry shrugged, becoming a little uncomfortable under the investigation. “I mean, sure, I was a little hesitant because she, Y/N, is young and a bit new to the game, but she was recommended.”

Fumiko nodded, leaning her body against Y/N’s desk. “That’s what I’ve been saying!” She turned to Y/N. “You need to find people who support you. Be sure to find at least one person who understands and supports you… a spouse!”

Y/N shot up from her chair, her eyebrows now furrowed and her lips in a straight line. “I’ll escort you out,” she snapped, not bothering to reach for a few slips of paper that fell to the ground.

Harry quickly stood, shaking Fumiko’s hand and following Y/N to the front of the shop. He noticed how briskly she walked, her shoulders a bit tight and her legs not taking full strides. She was also at least half a foot shorter than he was, but he had a feeling she could fuck a person up if she wanted to.

“Sorry about Fumi’s unprofessionalism. I’ll call you, probably tomorrow, being as it’s just a touch up, to schedule your appointment. Make sure to have your calendar ready,” Y/N said over her shoulder as she walked. Once she arrived at the front door, she turned to face Harry.

“Yeah, of course. ‘m looking forward to it. And thank you for meeting me today,” Harry smiled and extended his hand towards her.

Y/N begrudgingly removed her own hand from the front pocket of her trousers, firmly shaking Harry’s hand. She glanced outside, surprised to see that the sun had nearly gone down, covering the parking lot in an orange glow.

“I hope you get home safe,” Harry said, pulling his keys out of his pocket.

Y/N’s eyes widened before she smirked. “That’s quite ominous of you to say. Is that a threat?”

Harry stopped with his hand on the door handle. Confusion riddled his face before he gave a small chuckle. She had already started turning away from him, throwing up a peace sign.

“Goodnight, Harry,” she finished, twisting away so she was walking down the hallway to her office.

“Goodnight, Y/N,” Harry shouted with a smile, finally feeling like he was reaching her. The last thing he heard was the door to her office shutting.

*********

“Shit,” Harry mumbled to himself, seeing a missed call from Y/N’s shop from over an hour ago. How he had missed it was a mystery, but he was kicking himself. It was already late, so he wondered if calling back would be a good idea. Before he could think too much about it, he tapped on the contact, bringing his phone up to his ear and listening to the ringing.

“Yeah?” Someone answered quickly. Harry could hear tattoo guns in the background.

“Hey, is this Y/N’s shop? I missed a call earlier so-“

“Oh, right, yeah, give me a few seconds,” the person interrupted, placing Harry on hold.

“Hi, this is Y/N,” her voice comes over the phone, expecting an answer. It’s quieter, so Harry assumes she’s in her office.

“Hey, it’s Harry. Sorry I missed your call, I was a bit busy.”

“Ah, Mr. Styles, how are you?”

Harry isn’t sure why his dick twitched in his pants when ‘Mr. Styles’ rolled off of her tongue, but he coughs quickly before answering. “I’ve been good, you?”

“Same old, same old,” she answered as if they haven’t just met for the first time the day before. “So, listen, I’m all booked this week and the next few weeks. I don’t have an opening for quite some time. If that’s a problem, I might be able to move someone back, but it’s unlikely.”

Harry grabs his laptop and flips it open, clicking on the calendar app. “I’m also quite busy. I’m not sure of a time that really works…”

He hears Y/N sigh on the other end. “I am able to keep my shop open for another hour tomorrow night if you can come in late. It would be around ten if you’re on board?”

Harry looked over his calendar, seeing nothing that could run that late. “I feel bad for making you stay open just for me, though.”

“Don’t worry about it. Fumiko gets overtime, and I’ll be here anyway.”

“Well then, if it’s good with you, I’d love to do that.”

“Cool, just want to remind you to eat beforehand, take a painkiller if you need to, but don’t come into my shop drugged up. Sound good?”

Harry nodded before remembering he was on the phone. “Yes, it sounds perfect.”

“Great, come in about fifteen minutes before ten.”

“I can’t wait to see you,” Harry replied giddily before realizing what he said. “Well, I mean-“

“Goodnight, Harry.”

*********

Harry walked into the shop once again, five minutes earlier than Y/N told him. Fumiko was behind the front desk, scrolling on the computer in front of her.

“Hey, Harry! Y/N should be finishing up with a client right now, but she said you can go to her office to wait for her,” Fumiko waved.

“Thank you, Fumiko,” he grinned, walking past her.

“Ah, just call me Fumi,” she shrugged.

Harry nodded before making his way down the short hallway, entering Y/N’s office slowly. She had clearly cleaned, for her desk was rid of most papers. Her certifications were framed on the wall behind her desk, and pictures of friends and family were taped on the wall. He noticed a table had been put up and a record player was on it. Harry slowly walked over to it, trying to read what record was currently sitting in the player.

“I think you should organize your emails, though,” Harry recognized Fumi’s voice.

“I’m busy.”

Harry quickly turned to see Y/N walk through her office doorway, rubbing her hands together. She glanced up, a bit surprised to see Harry in her office.

“You didn’t tell me Mr. Styles was here already,” she remarked, not breaking eye contact with Harry. He hoped she didn’t see him swallow hard.

“Oh, sorry about that. Also I’m leaving,” Fumi said.

Y/N finally turned to the girl next to her, a shocked expression on her face. “What? You always take overtime.”

“I have a date tonight. Maybe you should take note and-“

“Bah, leave me be,” Y/N shook her head, waving goodbye to Fumi before making her way to her desk.

Harry couldn’t help but notice how attractive Y/N was. Well, he noticed right away when he met her, but now, he was hoping he could calm down by the time she got to touching up his tattoo.

She was wearing a grey tank top tucked into olive green trousers that fit her nicely. Her pants were rolled up so her ankles and shoes were on full display. A patterned scrunchie was around her wrist and she had three earrings in her right ear and two in her left.

“Okay, I want to make this part quick because it’s boring, but also important so pay attention,” she started. “Go ahead and take a seat,” she motioned to the chair in front of her desk.

Harry sat, watching her pull her hair up into a ponytail. He quickly cleared the thoughts wreaking havoc in his brain as he sat down.

“It’s just safety procedure and aftercare and all that jazz. Here is a folder for some aftercare tips, and I know this is just a touch up and you’ve probably done this before, but it’s procedure. I even printed out an article on how to stop a tattoo from fading, so… you’re welcome.”

“Fuck off,” Harry chuckled, watching her face crack a smile. A few seconds pass before she shakes her head, completely ridding of the smile that was on her face.

“Alright, listen, no swimming. That means lakes, oceans, pools, rivers, hot tubs, bath tubs, whatever. When you shower, make sure it’s more lukewarm and preferably under ten minutes. Only use unscented lotion, and please do not pick at your tattoo. Do not use hand towels or anything harsh to clean your tattoo. Do not rub it, only pat dry. No sun on your tattoo. If you get a sunburn on your tattoo, it’ll dry out and cause a nasty scab to form which can result in scarring and fading. Got all that?”

Harry nodded his head every few seconds, trying to remember the details of what Y/N said.

“Aye, you didn’t, so I’ve written it all down and more in your folder. Now then, could you please sign this paper here? It’s just so you can’t sue us in case anything goes wrong with your tattoo as I just described how to care for it,” she explained, handing over a contract.

Harry glanced over it briefly before signing. He noticed how small, yet bold, her own signature was on the artist line below his own line. He was just about to hand it back to her before she shook her head.

“Next page,” she pulled a towel from under her desk and dabbed at her forehead, which had a thin layer of sweat forming on it. “There are a few more minor details that you have to sign off on.”

Harry obeyed, flipping the page over and seeing another line for him to fill. Once again, he tried handing it over to Y/N. This time she took it and ripped off the carbon copy for herself, placing his copy in his yellow folder and her own copy in a separate folder.

“Shall we get to it, then?” She sighed and stood. “And sorry for it being so warm in here, the building is so old that we don’t have air conditioning.”

Harry had barely noticed how much sweat he himself had formed. He was sure that the back of his shirt had a mark, but he was hoping it wouldn’t be too noticeable.

“You don’t have air conditioning in a tattoo parlor?” Harry questions, meeting Y/N’s glare.

“I plan on fixing that within the year, not that it matters to you, Mr. Styles."

Harry couldn’t help but snicker at her comment as Y/N lead them down the hallway and into another larger room where the actual work happened. Chairs and trays were a bit scattered, but it was clean and more organized than Y/N’s office for sure.

“Feel free to sit in this chair here,” Y/N patted a chair in front of her, walking away, presumably to gather the ink and other supplies.

Harry just now noticed the faint music drifting throughout the parlor, melancholy and echoing, but still adding character to his surroundings. Just as the song changes, Harry was startled as Y/N walked in, rolling a tray that was hip height next to her. Tiny capsules of ink roll around and he could see a few pairs of latex gloves.

By the time she reached Harry, she was dabbing her towel against her forehead again. “What the fuck is up with this humidity tonight? It’s never like this.”

Harry simply shrugged, not sure how to respond.

“I guess we can get started. Do you need anything, a pillow or something to distract yourself with?” Y/N asked, taking a seat in her chair to his left. Harry shook his head.

Just as Y/N started organizing her tray, she glanced at Harry’s thigh and stopped suddenly. “Your shorts are covering part of your tattoo.”

“Oh, sorry. Should I just take them off…?” Harry suggested, his neck already warm from the heat.

Y/N thought for a second before shrugging. “Whatever you’re comfortable with. I personally suggest you do, otherwise you’re going to have to hold them up the entire time I’m tattooing, and I’m not sure how pleasant that’ll be for you.”

“O-okay,” Harry responded, removing himself from his chair and unbuttoning his jean shorts.

“Why you would wear jean shorts to get a tattoo on your thigh is beyond me,” Y/N shrugs, turning away. Harry would’ve been offended had he not seen the smirk on her face.

Y/N gave him the courtesy of looking away, pretending she was arranging her tray, but all she was doing was putting a few ink containers in order. After she saw Harry sit down again, she swiped at her forehead one last time and made sure her glasses were on how she wanted them. Y/N snapped on a pair of latex gloves, still not looking at Harry until he coughed lightly.

“If you need to take a breather, say something. If you need to grab my shoulder or arm, say something beforehand. Do you remember the pain level you had on this one?”

“I remember it being a bit rough, but I should be good now,” Harry boasted. “Is it alright to talk to you as you do this? I know some artists aren’t fond of that but…”

Y/N raised her eyebrows, shrugging. “If you want to.”

After shaving the small part of his leg, she grabbed a tattoo gun, giving Harry one more nod before leaning over and placing one gloved hand flat against his thigh. He instantly stiffened. Y/N looks up.

“You have to relax,” Y/N said softly.

“Sorry, sorry,” Harry responds, embarrassed with himself. Trying to take some of the attention away from him, he turns to look at her. “Why don’t you have a lot of tattoos?”

Y/N starts up her gun, placing the needle against his thigh. “I prefer to give them. It’s fun tattooing people, not when I’m in the chair.”

“What does your tattoo say?” Harry asks, slowly motioning towards the spot above her elbow. Now that she was in a tank top, it was easier to see.

“It’s the outline of the earth and says ‘I miss the earth so much’,” Y/N responds, leaning back and stretching out her arm for Harry to see. “Elton John,” she shrugs.

“So I take it you like Elton John?”

Y/N doesn’t respond at first, wiping away some blood that rose to the surface. “Nope, never heard of him before I got it.” She looked up to Harry’s incredulous face and gave a full smile. “I’m kidding. My parents played his stuff all the time. I grew up listening to classics and oldies, but Elton John was always a staple in our house.”

“You’re going to make me lose my mind,” Harry breathed, giving a small laugh.

There was a short silence as Y/N looked up at him. Her face was so close to his thigh, merely a few inches away. Both of her hands were resting on it, remaining still. Her big, bright eyes gazed up at him, her lashes full. Harry noticed how her lips were parted, and he couldn’t help his mind as it let him know that this would be the exact way she would look if she were on her knees in front of him, her mouth wrapped around him, bobbing her head back and forth.

Y/N instantly went back to work, choosing to position herself so the back of her shoulder faced him instead. He brought his hand up to his face, shielding his eyes in embarrassment. He gulped, feeling his heart beat in his chest. Had it not been for the tattoo gun, he was sure that she would’ve heard it.

It didn’t help that he could feel her tits against his outer thigh. She was fully pressed against him, making sure to get as close to her work as possible. Harry could practically feel her breathing.

“What does this tattoo mean to you?” She asked, surprising Harry.

“Um,” he paused, “tigers are known for being regal, powerful, and strong, you know? I’d like to think I am, too. People have to be careful around them because tigers can be unpredictable. I don’t like being so… I don’t want people to have expectations of me, and even if they do, I want them to be wrong. I guess I just want to be different, I don’t know. And they just look sick as fuck,” he finished.

Y/N smiled at his last sentence, her eyelids settling halfway over her eyes. “They do look sick as fuck.”

There’s another few minutes where nothing is said between them, and Harry is content with that. The pain really wasn’t bad. He could’ve fallen asleep with enough time, but Y/N’s hands were a bit distracting for him to do that. Eventually, he decided on watching Y/N work.

She really knew what she was doing. Harry was mesmerized at how close Y/N’s own strokes matched those of the original artist. She was really trying to make it seem like Harry wasn’t getting a touch up, as if he’s had this tattoo for years without worry of it fading.

“I’m going to move a bit further up your thigh,” she mutters, scooting herself a tiny bit closer to Harry. Her hands followed, going a bit further up.

Harry raised his right leg, bending it at the knee and mouthing ‘fuck’ as he rubs the bottom half of his face with his hand. When the needle was placed back onto his skin, he scrunched up his nose in pain.

“Thought you said you could handle the pain?” Y/N smirked over her shoulder, pausing to gauge how well Harry was doing.

Harry stares at her, a bit in disbelief. “I don’t remember it being this bad, honestly.”

Y/N laughs, shaking her head. “Relax, I’m using a different needle than what the original artist used, I assume. This one,” she holds up the still running gun, “is better for shading, which essentially is what this entire tattoo is.”

Harry felt one side of his mouth raise. “Sly minx.”

Y/N winked and gave another laugh before turning away. Harry cursed himself. He was sure Y/N could see the tenting happening in his boxers, especially since he could feel the tightness.

“Could I grab your shoulder?” He asked before realizing the words were leaving his mouth.

Y/N stopped, straightening her back which resulted in a few pops. She turned off her gun and placed it on the tray next to her. “I’ll move around to the other side of you to finish this off so you’re grabbing my left shoulder. If you move suddenly, you’ll pull on my left shoulder instead of my right, so there’s a less likely chance you’ll mess up your tattoo. But first, let’s take a break.”

Harry sat forward, instantly going to look at how fresh his tattoo was looking. “Wow, this looks great so far. I can really tell a difference.”

Y/N only hums while removing her gloves, twisting her back so it gave a few more pops. She leans forward a bit so she can inspect it, probably criticizing her own work on it. “Like I said before, not my style, but it’s not horrible.”

“Says the person with one tattoo,” Harry said, bringing his hand out and flicking her arm.

“Did you just flick me?”

“I… maybe?”

Y/N widened her eyes. “I am never opening my shop past hours again. Hooligans like you think, once ten passes, there are no rules. Besides, who said I only had one tattoo?”

Harry shrugged. “I haven’t seen anything else on you. And, I hate to be frank, but you are wearing a revealing tank top and I still don’t see anything.”

“Revealing? You’re in your underwear,” Y/N retorts, giving a flick to his knee. Harry beamed, his dimples on full display. “Wait, have you been looking at my boobs?”

Harry lost his grin then, his ears and neck darkening. “No! I haven’t, I… I just happened to notice that it’s a tank top and-“

Y/N laughed harder than any other time Harry has seen her laugh. She shook her head a few times. “I don’t give a shit.”

Harry’s heart was still racing as he leaned back, swallowing loudly. “You are seriously going to be the death of me.”

Y/N smiled and stood, pulling her tray and stool behind her and around Harry. Before too long, she was sitting on Harry’s right side and pulling on another pair of gloves.

“Um, I’m going to have to lean over you to reach the tattoo,” Y/N informed Harry, giving him a look to ask if that was alright.

“Okay,” was all he responded with. Y/N stood and leaned herself over Harry’s right thigh so she could reach his left one.

“Go ahead and grab my shoulder, or arm, or whatever,” she said, making sure she was comfortable.

Harry reached forward, deciding to wrap his fingers around her bicep. It was warm and soft, tender yet firm. She clearly had a bit of muscle there, but it wouldn’t be too obvious unless someone were like Harry, hand wrapped around her.

Y/N also noticed how soft Harry’s hands were. Despite being in pain and being offered to basically use her arm as a distraction, he didn’t squeeze too hard. It was as if the simple act of touching another person in such a way was good enough for him.

She gave no warning as she started up her tattoo gun again, picking up where she left off. That was when Harry started squeezing her arm a bit harder, even giving a grunt which Y/N had to quickly ignore or she would’ve gone outside Harry’s original tattoo tracing.

After a few moments of silence, Y/N started blowing upwards, trying to rid of her baby hairs that made themselves present and tickled her forehead. With the humidity and her position of leaning over Harry, her hair wasn’t fully cooperating with her. So, she resorted to stopping for a few seconds to push back some stray hairs only to have to repeat the action every couple of minutes.

“Here,” Harry finally interjected, removing his hand from around her and stretching out his own arm, brushing away some of the hairs behind her ear.

She hesitated to continue, instead looking at Harry in astonishment. “Um, thanks,” she finally said, looking back to her work.

It didn’t feel like too long before Y/N was finally straightening her back, groaning and examining what she had just finished.

“I think… that’s it. We’re done. Oh, wait!” She exclaimed, quickly leaning down again. Without thinking, she repositioned herself, accidentally placing her arm a little higher than she meant.

“Y/N!” Harry shot up, squeezing her arm with more strength than he had planned. Even his breathing was a bit irregular.

Y/N was shocked, unmoving. She’s never had a client yell her name before, especially when the pain level wasn’t as low as this. However, she’s also never placed her arm on her client’s semi-hard dick before either.

“Shit, I am so sorry. I, um, are you okay? Did I hurt you? God, I’m sorry, I should’ve paid more attention,” she scrambled for words, shutting off the tattoo gun and quickly removing her gloves.

Harry sat back, his body hitting the chair behind him with a loud thump. He looked up to the ceiling, not daring to look at the woman in front of him. “For the love of Christ, please, let’s just move past this.”

Y/N was still staring at him, a bit wary of her surroundings. She wasn’t trained on how to talk to a client after she touched their dick, so she was unsure of how to continue.

“Can I just… finish this little bit? It should take less than three minutes,” she mumbled, grabbing for another pair of gloves hesitantly.

Harry only nodded, still admiring the lights on the ceiling. Y/N leaned over him again, much farther down this time, and only her hands were touching his left thigh instead of her entire forearm resting against his right thigh.

“We’re done,” she quietly said, looking at Harry who finally allowed his eyes to fall on hers.

“Great,” he rasped. Y/N watched him for a few seconds before reaching to the ground to pick up Harry’s discarded shorts. She handed them to him before quickly busying herself, somewhat facing away from him.

“I’ll wrap it up in a second,” she said, throwing a few items away. “Take a look at it and make sure you like it.”

Harry did as he was told, bringing his face closer to his thigh. “It seriously does look amazing. You did a great job on it. Thanks for this.”

Y/N shrugged, “I’ll take your thanks in the form of money.”

She wrapped Harry’s fresh tattoo, explaining to him the steps to take during the aftercare. Harry nodded along, noticing how slow and gentle she was with her actions. Once she was finished wrapping him up, she walked to the front of the room, waiting for him.

“I’ll just meet you at the front desk,” she suggested, walking out of the room, leaving Harry by himself.

Once he saw she was gone, Harry sighed to himself, giving his lower half a glare before yanking on his shorts. His thigh stung a bit, which was expected. He hobbled to the front desk, already pulling out his wallet.

“Here,” Harry haphazardly grabbed a few bills and handed them to Y/N. She quickly did the math then furrowed her brows.

“There’s too much here.”

“What about tip?”

“Even with tip, this is quite a lot.”

“Just keep it.”

“Oh… okay,” she responded, surprised. She slipped her glasses off and tucked them into her hair on her head.”Would it be alright if you came in maybe a week from now just so I can check up on it?”

“I thought you were all booked up the next few weeks?”

“I figured you could come in after hours again… unless that’s a problem for you.”

Harry watched her eyes closely. She seemed back to her normal self: bored, weary, indifferent. “Yeah, that definitely works for me.”

After scheduling another smaller appointment, Y/N turned to Harry, “Well, Mr. Styles, just remember to keep those showers to less than ten minutes if you can.”

Harry wasn’t sure if he hated or loved the smirk on her face. She leaned forward, her arms crossed in front of her on the desk, leaving her cleavage out on full display. Harry glanced down, fully aware that Y/N was watching him, but he didn’t care. Based on Y/N’s actions, it’s like she wanted him to look, like she was presenting herself before him. She didn’t move as he gazed at her chest.

“I’ll try,” he quipped back, finally looking up at her and wetting his lips with his tongue. “Get home safe.”

Y/N chuckled as Harry turned away. “Goodnight, Harry.”

“Goodnight, Y/N.”

*********

A week had gone by, which meant it was time for Harry to enter Y/N’s shop again. He had been taking care of his tattoo just as she had instructed, careful to be precise and pointed with his aftercare. His tattoo had gone through some of the healing process nicely thanks to him obeying orders.

“Hi, Harry. Y/N said to wait in her office,” Fumi raised to point her thumb behind her towards Y/N’s office.

“You’re leaving?” Harry asked, noticing Fumi carrying her purse and the computer at the front desk turned off.

“Yup! Y/N said you’re just here for a check up so I can head home. Have fun!” Fumi waved.

Harry made his way to Y/N’s office, settling himself into his normal spot and facing Y/N’s desk. It seemed that being clean was not her strong point, as papers were scattered across the surface. A small recycling bin was full of crumpled and folded papers.

He knocked his knuckles against the arm rests of the chair, impatiently waiting for Y/N.

Since the last time he had seen Y/N, she’s all he had thought about. When his friend who recommended Y/N asked how his session went, Harry could only give positive feedback. Of course, he left out some details, specifically Y/N accidentally touching his dick and him going home and taking care of himself, watching his fresh tiger tattoo move with each stroke of his hand.

Harry immediately tried thinking of something else, but it was of no use. The feeling of Y/N feeling him up came back, and he was squirming in his chair. He was overwhelmed by her, but it still didn’t feel like enough.

Y/N sure wasn’t helping when she walked into her office, addressing him as Mr. Styles once again.

“How are you doing?” She asked once she shut her office door behind her and settled into the chair behind her desk.

“I’m good, how are you?”

“Same old, same old. How has your tattoo been treating you?” She leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms up and folding them behind her head.

Once again, Harry couldn’t help but notice how captivating Y/N was with her striking features. She wore an old, faded Britney Spears shirt and loose jeans that stopped well above her ankles. Another scrunchie adorned her left wrist.

“Doing what a tattoo should do, I guess. Do you think there’ll be less scabbing being as it was just a touch up?” He questioned, reaching up to scratch his nose twice.

“Should be less scabbing, but I’m not fully sure. It really depends on your body. Plus, touching up years after you originally got it comes into play. Why don’t I take a look at it?” She suggested as she stood up.

Harry nods, standing and unbuttoning his jean shorts for her a second time. Y/N raised her eyebrows with a skeptical glance.

“Jean shorts again? I think you’re doing it on purpose at this point.”

Harry smirked, choosing to say nothing and trying to hide his smug grin with no success. The truth was that he did do it on purpose, wanting to strip down for her if he could.

As he pulled down his shorts, hearing them give a small thump when they hit the ground, he stoically stood before Y/N, hands on his waist.

“I think someone is feeling cocky,” Y/N mutters, walking around the desk in front of Harry.

He grinned, giving a small shrug, “Just be happy that I followed your aftercare directions.”

“I’m not proud of you for doing something you should be doing,” she snapped back, giving Harry a look before kneeling in front of him but not breaking eye contact. Just the sight of her on her knees before him wiped the smirk off of his face. His hands fell from his waist to his sides.

Harry gave a shaky breath as Y/N looked away and at his thigh, lightly moving the skin around it with her hand. She said nothing as she examined it, carefully looking at it from different angles.

“It looks really good, actually. It’s healed pretty fast,” she praised as she stood.

Harry didn’t step back, and neither did she. He licked his lips before smiling.

“Can I kiss you?” He finally asked.

Y/N gave a short laugh. “I’ll have to charge you for that.”

“Anything I do is money for you, hm?”

“Gotta make a living somehow.”

Harry shook his head, breathing out a laugh. “You didn’t answer the question.”

Y/N brought her hands to her hips, giving a huff. “Yes, you can.”

Harry grinned from ear to ear, finally leaning forward so his lips met hers. He was soft and gentle, testing out the waters to see how comfortable she was. It wasn’t a few seconds later before his hand was on her cheek, trying to bring her as close as possible. Her hand was fisted in his shirt as her chest and stomach were flush against his.

The intensity of the kiss immediately skyrocketed as Harry pushed her back a few feet, stepping out of his shorts as he did so. The back of Y/N’s thighs hit her desk so she took it upon herself to prop herself up on it, her legs widening once she was situated so Harry could move between them.

“Wait, wait,” she rushed, pushing Harry away slightly so she could stand again. Harry watched as she gathered the papers she was just sitting on and placing them to the side.

“We had to stop for that?” Harry snickered, going back to his spot between Y/N’s legs when she hopped onto her desk again.

“People pay good money for custom sketches,” she quipped, out of breath.

“As they should,” Harry answered, cupping Y/N’s cheek. “They’re really fucking good.”

Y/N felt her heart beat faster as Harry complimented her art. She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him towards her so she was kissing him again. Their lips moved in sync with each other, not missing a beat.

Harry grabbed the hem of her shirt, pulling it up so it was off of her body. Even though they were separated for a few seconds, they rushed back to each other, Harry’s hand on the back of her neck and Y/N’s hand reaching forward, ghosting over the waistband of his boxers.

Feeling bold, she palmed him over his underwear, feeling how hard he was already. He quietly moaned, breaking away from Y/N to look down to where she was touching him. Just seeing and feeling how turned on Harry was made Y/N aware of her own wetness between her thighs.

“I want these off of you,” Harry said, sticking his index finger into the waistband of her jeans.

Y/N leaned back slowly, taking her time as she laid her back on her desk. Her face remained calm as she deadpanned, “Then take them off.”

Harry breathed heavily as he unbuttoned her jeans. She lifted her hips to help him remove them. All that she was left in was her bra and underwear.

“Fuck,” Harry muttered to himself as he allowed his hands to roam her thighs. His eyes tried taking all of her in at once, wanting to memorize every curve, dimple, hair, and mark on her.

Y/N lifted her legs so they were bent at the knees above her desk. She widened them, causing Harry to look down at where he wanted to be most.

“Christ,” he breathed, lavishing in the view. A dark, wet spot on her underwear nearly made Harry combust right there.

“Is this for me?” He asked, rubbing his right hand on the inside of her thigh, slowly moving it down so it hovered over her heat.

“All for you,” she bit her bottom lip, watching as Harry’s mouth practically watered.

She closed her eyes and let her head fall back when she felt Harry start to rub her clit through her underwear. He took his time, wanting to see what she was comfortable with, but also wanting to tease her, wanting to see her squirm underneath him. He circled her clit, looking up as she released a heavy breath.

Harry needed more. He couldn’t keep this up for long. His hand left her as he removed his shirt then reached on either side of her hips, grasping her underwear and pulling the clothing off. Y/N gasped at the action, sitting up on her elbows as she looked at him.

“Condom?” She asked.

Harry nodded, turning away and bending to grab his shorts. He quickly found a condom in his wallet, pulling it out. By the time he turned back to Y/N, she had removed her bra and was massaging her breasts.

Harry was in awe of her. Everything she did seemed to radiate casual power, like she didn’t even have to try.

He tried opening the small package but his hands were shaking from nerves and excitement. Seeing Y/N open before him was nearly too much for him to handle.

“Here,” she said softly, sitting up and holding her hand out. Harry gently placed the condom in her hand as he pulled down his boxers.

Y/N ripped the package open, casually throwing the wrapping to the side. “You ready?” She asked, looking up to Harry.

He simply nodded, watching as she skillfully pulled the condom on him. Feeling her hand wrap around him made his knees weak and his mind blank for a few seconds.

She laughed, watching his eyes flutter open. “You alright?”

He grinned back at her, slightly embarrassed. “Yeah, yeah,” he responded, leaning forward and sloppily kissing her.

Y/N grabbed the back of his neck, making sure he followed her as she laid back down. She rested her legs on either side of his hips, feeling his hard length against the inside of her thigh. He broke the kiss and trailed his lips down her neck and chest, finally reaching his desired spot. As he wrapped his mouth around a pebbled nipple, he closed his eyes, relishing in the way she moaned and wriggled beneath him.

He moved to the other nipple, proceeding to give the same treatment. Y/N swiped the hair off of his forehead and out of his eyes, noticing his gaze already on her. She moaned loudly as he popped off of her, a line of saliva connected from his lips to her nipple.

Harry sat up, swiping his cock through her folds and tapping it against her clit a few times, making her sigh in pleasure. Just as he lined himself at her entrance, he stopped himself, looking at Y/N’s face.

“Do you want this?”

“Yes,” she responded quickly.

“Tell me.”

Harry heard her head thump against the desk lightly. “Fuck, I want it. I want you, I want you inside me right now.”

This was all Harry needed to hear.

“But go slow! You’re… a little on the bigger side,” Y/N quickly added.

Harry smugly grinned, promising that he would go slow. As he slid himself in, both of them moaned. Y/N reached her hand up and above her head, her fingers grasping the edge of her desk. Harry gave a few shaky breaths as he slowly thrusted himself in and out.

“Taking me so well,” Harry whispered as if he were talking to himself. “So tight wrapped around me.”

As he started thrusting faster and harder, Y/N used her free hand to hold her breasts down. She felt so full of him that it was overwhelming in a good way. Each thrust seemed to be harder than the last one, and Y/N definitely wasn’t complaining. She savored how good he felt sliding in and out, seeming to take his time but also in a hurry to make her feel good. Both of them were so focused on what they were doing that their orgasms came faster than anticipated.

“Shit, Harry, I’m… I’m gonna-“ she cut herself off with a moan.

“You gonna come on me? I wanna feel you come on me,” Harry grunted, tipping Y/N over the edge.

She whimpered loudly, a string of curse words leaving her mouth with Harry’s name mixed in a few times. Harry wasn’t far behind, calling out Y/N’s name and feeling himself still inside her, taking note how she pulsed around him.

It took a few seconds for the fog to leave both their brains, for them to notice how crooked Y/N’s desk was. They giggled at themselves, glancing at a few papers on the floor. Harry slowly pulled himself out of Y/N, relishing in the sound she let out.

“Um, I have a private bathroom, just go behind my desk and through that door back there,” Y/N commented, sitting up and covering herself as best as she could.

Harry nodded, picking up his clothing and heading to the bathroom. He cleaned himself off, getting dressed, ready to leave the bathroom. He looked in the mirror quickly, fixing his hair and checking his face for anything.

When he exited the bathroom, Y/N and her clothing were gone. Her desk was still crooked, the papers still on the floor. He carefully picked them up, smiling at a few of the custom drawings. Just as he was about to push the desk back into its original place, Y/N walked through the door, fully dressed and rubbing her hands together and smelling like lemongrass soap. She had also slipped on her glasses while Harry was in the bathroom.

He smiled at her, admiring the post-sex glow that radiated off of her. She didn’t notice his look, instead walking to the desk and chuckling to herself.

“A bit messy, huh?” She finally mentioned, looking up at Harry.

“Yeah, might want to clean this up by the morning,” he joked, earning a look from Y/N with her sticking out her tongue.

Comfortable silence settled over them as they quickly cleaned, throwing papers onto the desk and fixing the position of the desk. Y/N thanked him, looking around to make sure nothing else was destroyed in their lustful path.

“Well, I’m going to close the shop. You sure your tattoo is feeling good?” Y/N asked once again, grabbing her purse.

“I’d like to see you again… if that’s alright with you,” Harry softly said, reaching out and brushing his fingers against her arm. “Not just for a fuck, either. Don’t get me wrong, if it ends up being that, I’d be more than happy; but, maybe I can take you out for dinner or something.”

Y/N stared at him for a few seconds before Harry could see the blush on her cheeks. “Yeah, yeah. I’d really like that.”

Harry let out a breath of relief. “Great! Um, I have your shop’s number, but I think this would be easier if I got yours as well.”

Y/N huffed, rolling her eyes dramatically. “Won’t even go through the extra work for me.”

Harry chuckled, watching as she leaned over her desk to grab a notepad, scribbling down a few digits and ripping it off from the pad and handing it to him.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

“I’ll take your thanks in the form of a dinner.”

Harry threw his head back, letting out a brisk laugh and crinkling his eyes. “Sounds like a deal.”

They both walked to the front of the shop, Y/N stopping every so often to make sure lights were off or trays were cleaned off. She seemed content and ushered Harry outside, shutting off the remaining lights and locking the door behind her.

Harry couldn’t keep his eyes off of Y/N. She had him completely captivated and captured despite him only knowing her for a couple weeks. She caught his eyes and gave him a puzzled look.

“What are you looking at?”

Harry coughed and shook his head, trying to hide his growing smile. “Nothing. I just really want to kiss you again.”

Y/N’s face softened. She licked her lips and shrugged. “Then do it.”

Harry didn’t need to be told twice as he leaned closer to her, brushing his lips against hers. It was a feathery kiss, tender and gentle. He wanted to kiss her lips forever. Harry wanted to remember her taste for as long as possible. When he pulled away, Y/N kept her eyes closed for a few seconds, humming.

As she opened her eyes, Harry smiled. “I already can’t wait to see you again.”

Y/N laughed, patting Harry’s arm and turning away. “Goodnight, Harry.”

#kris writing #yellow days #harry styles smut #harry styles fanfic #harry styles angst #harry styles fluff #smut #angst #fluff #harry styles one shot #one direction imagine #one direction preference #writing #harry styles imagine #i'm really excited to share this so please enjoy it!!#please leave feedback

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letmemarry · 4 months

Text

HIV Marriages for HIV Positive Brides and Grooms in India

In a society where traditions and societal norms often dictate the path of matrimony, the challenges faced by HIV-positive brides and grooms in India, especially in Hyderabad, are distinctive and demanding. This article delves into the complexities surrounding HIV-positive marriages, shedding light on the need for support, understanding, and the creation of a more inclusive environment.

Brief Overview of HIV-Positive Marriages HIV-positive marriages involve couples where one or both partners are living with HIV. Despite medical advancements, societal stigmas continue to surround these unions.

Importance of Support for HIV-Positive Brides and Grooms The emotional and psychological toll on couples navigating HIV-positive marriages emphasizes the crucial need for support networks and understanding within their communities.

Context of HIV-Positive Marriages in India, Specifically Hyderabad India, with its rich cultural tapestry, faces unique challenges concerning HIV-positive marriages, and the city of Hyderabad is no exception.

Understanding the Challenges

Stigma Surrounding HIV-Positive Individuals One of the primary obstacles faced by HIV-positive brides and grooms is the pervasive stigma attached to their condition. Addressing this stigma is vital for fostering acceptance.

Lack of Awareness and Education A significant hurdle lies in the lack of awareness and education regarding HIV transmission, prevention, and the realities of living with the virus.

Emotional and Psychological Challenges Coping with the emotional and psychological challenges is a journey often traveled in isolation. Counseling services play a pivotal role in supporting these couples.

Navigating the Wedding Preparations

Support Networks for Couples Establishing robust support networks is essential for couples preparing for an HIV-positive marriage. Friends, family, and community organizations can offer invaluable assistance.

Counseling Services Professional counseling services provide a safe space for couples to address their concerns, fears, and aspirations, ensuring they embark on their marital journey with resilience.

Positive Examples and Success Stories Highlighting positive examples and success stories of HIV-positive marriages inspires hope and resilience within the community, dispelling myths and misconceptions.

Legal Aspects of HIV Marriages

Rights and Responsibilities Understanding the legal rights and responsibilities of HIV-positive brides and grooms is crucial for navigating societal expectations and safeguarding their union.

Legal Safeguards for HIV-Positive Brides and Grooms Legal frameworks exist to protect the rights of individuals with HIV. Awareness of these safeguards is vital for ensuring fair treatment.

Navigating Societal Norms and Expectations Balancing traditional expectations with the realities of HIV-positive marriages requires open dialogue and education to foster acceptance within communities.

Wedding Rituals and Traditions

Adapting Traditions for HIV-Positive Couples Customizing wedding rituals and traditions ensures that they align with the needs and comfort levels of HIV-positive couples.

Creating a Supportive Environment Fostering a supportive environment during wedding ceremonies helps create a positive and inclusive atmosphere for the couple and their guests.

Inclusivity in Wedding Ceremonies Promoting inclusivity in wedding ceremonies not only supports the couple but also contributes to changing societal perceptions surrounding HIV-positive marriages.

Community Involvement

Raising Awareness Community involvement is crucial for raising awareness about HIV, dispelling myths, and fostering an environment of empathy and understanding.

Building a Network of Support Communities can play a vital role in building a network of support, ensuring that HIV-positive couples have the backing they need to thrive in their marriages.

Encouraging Empathy and Understanding Creating spaces that encourage empathy and understanding reduces stigma and helps the community embrace the diversity of love.

Healthcare Support

Access to Medical Facilities Ensuring access to medical facilities and healthcare services is imperative for the well-being of HIV-positive brides and grooms.

Importance of Regular Check-Ups Regular health check-ups are vital for managing HIV. Encouraging couples to prioritize their health is essential for a fulfilling marital journey.

Dispelling Myths About HIV Transmission Education plays a crucial role in dispelling myths about HIV transmission, promoting a more informed and accepting society.

Financial Considerations

Challenges in Employment Opportunities HIV-positive individuals may face challenges in employment opportunities. Addressing these challenges through advocacy and support is essential.

Financial Planning for HIV-Positive Couples Financial planning becomes crucial for HIV-positive couples, considering potential challenges in the employment sector. Government and NGO support can play a vital role.

Government and NGO Support Governments and non-governmental organizations can contribute significantly by providing financial support and creating initiatives to empower HIV-positive couples.

Social Media and Advocacy

Utilizing Social Platforms for Awareness Leveraging social media platforms is a powerful way to raise awareness, educate the public, and advocate for the rights of HIV-positive couples.

Advocacy for HIV-Positive Marriages Advocacy efforts aim to break down societal barriers, challenge stigmas, and create a more inclusive society for HIV-positive couples.

Empowering Couples Through Online Communities Online communities provide a space for couples to share experiences.

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whetstonefires · 6 years

Note

how do you think the batfam mightve progressed if jason never died?

Whaa, 4 asks at once? I’m sorry I still haven’t gotten back on the last one, I thought I was unstuck but guess what, I wrote myself into a pretty little corner by being all ‘I don’t care about what’s canon! i’m just gonna have fun!’ which is the correct approach except then you find out the thing you made up is incorrect and idk how to deal with that. being wrong. it’s a life skill i’m still working on.

So like, if the vote had gone the other way...it depends so much on the writing and editing teams, and so little on real causality, it’s hard to frame a picture?

Jason was created as an alternative to aging Dick down and taking him out of the Titans; his new character origin after the Crisis on Infinite Earths barely got out of its shakedown tour before they killed him off. We know who he was enough to spot the major character derailments, but who he might have been? It’s hard to say.

If he’d made it through the vote, the noisy fans would still have hated him, and so would the man writing his comics. I doubt Starlin would ever have convinced DC to do the HIV plotline with Robin like he reportedly tried, but I feel like Something Bad remained likely.

The 90s are known for their grimdarkness for a reason, and Jason just missed living through them. I feel like his odds of going villain were pretty high anyway, not because of him but because of the constant need for drama fuel. I mean, Alfred had a villain phase, in the 60s.

Babs became Oracle almost simultaneous with the Robin trade-off, debuted the same month Jason died (January ‘89), so that still would have happened. Tim’s influence on her was very slight.

Without Tim, there would have been no need for Steph, since she was created partly as a love interest but more importantly as a foil, and a way of getting more of that high-energy feeling traditionally associated with Robin back into the story even though so many of the fans loathed it and refused to have it in their lead.

(Not that Tim didn’t have a lot of it anyway, but it wasn’t his core feel the way it had been for Dick and Jason. Possibly of note, the ‘87 Killing Joke and ‘89 Batman movie also marked a rise in the use of Joker as Batman’s main dramatic foil rather than Robin, which coupled with the Bronze Age in general really shaped Tim’s character direction. It’s hard to say what caused what, with these trends.)

They might have introduced a girl anyway, to replace Babs. Maybe even a version of Cass. Shiva stated under interrogation during ADitF that she had no child, but in comics terms that half-guaranteed she’d get one eventually, because the concept was now out there.

I doubt Jason would have gotten his own series in the 90s, considering his screaming hatedom and the fact that it took three extremely successful mini-series to get Tim a regular title, but if DC had managed to repackage his character into something that the 90s liked and he had made a go of it, he’d probably have acquired a completely different supporting cast. He might well have continued his pattern of acquiring moms. Maybe even Talia. The whole Sheila thing would have been a half-forgotten backstory subplot by like ‘94 probably.

It occurs to me after typing all of this that you might want to hear my ideas about what in-universe causality might logically have led to, lmao. Let’s see.

Jason’s adolescence was hitting a rocky stage that I doubt this betrayal and near-death experience and technical bereavement would have ended, though it would probably have hit harder than his last few near-death experiences even assuming another improbable complete recovery.

If we up the realism dial a little, he might be forced into retirement by the severity of his wounds. He’d still have to hash out his trust issues with Bruce, probably more than ever. Being a shit communicator was not yet a key part of Bruce’s personality; they might have sorted things out.

Jason would not have dropped out of college. If he’s retired, he goes into a prestigious but helping-centered field with an understanding that he is now the son Bruce trusts to step up to keep WE on the straight and narrow after he dies; inheritance of voting shares may be structured around this expectation.

(Dick experiences that really complicated hypocritical jealousy where you specifically rejected a thing, but it spent so long being marked yours that you feel robbed anyway when someone else gets it. Not a lot of it in the disability scenario, because there’s a distinct vibe of consolation prize there, but otherwise.)

Babs would still have been Oracle. It would have been a less fraught launch, though.

Dick might not have heard about the Ethiopia thing at all, if Jason made a full recovery, considering how little communication was passing between him and Bruce at that point. Dick’s level of Batcomputer access only stated Jason as ‘location unknown’ when he was dead, so.

He and Jason got along fine, regardless of retcons since then, but he was under a lot of stress from a lot of sources, and the feeling that he couldn’t go home even when he really needed to, because he’d been replaced, was very present. That might well have blown up at some point.

I tend to think of Bruce as having changed pretty dramatically as a result of Jason’s death, disregarding a lot of retcons, but I mean, 1987 Bruce already failed to notice Dick having a mental breakdown right in front of him and put him off in favor of hero work with Jason on Dick’s birthday, he just did it cheerfully and with fairly courteous wording. There was a trend in the faildad direction starting already.

There was a lot of relationship stuff in need of fixing and in some ways Jason’s presence made that as hard for Dick with Bruce as Damian’s later did for Tim, even though there was a lot less drama and intentional emotional violence and attempted murder involved. So. That could have gone a lot of ways. Realistically, even without Tim trying to play peacemaker, Dick always gets dragged back into Bruce’s orbit, though. That’s narrative causality at work, but also psychology.

In-universe, Tim can be assumed to have already existed before Wolfman invented him. He’s mostly away at boarding school, but he’s nosy and well-intentioned and he Knows. If Jason ran away more comprehensively than the Great Mom Tour, he might approach him with an argument for why Batman needed Robin and he should go home. Or there would eventually have been a case where he knew something they didn’t and attempted to subtly pass information and got noticed.

Or Oracle’s expanding field of awareness would have eventually noticed him and his zoom-lens one summer evening while his parents were in Haiti getting dead. Idk.

He’d probably have gotten mixed up in Bat-things eventually, and if it wasn’t before the Haiti thing there’s no way Batman would have been invested enough in this random disappearance to be there in time to help, so he’d have been completely orphaned at 13. Bruce taking him in is reasonably likely, since he wasn’t exactly in a position to create himself a fake uncle at the time. On the other hand, he might have gone into foster care. His parent’s company still would have crashed without them, so he wouldn’t have inherited much, but he’d have been better off than most kids in the system because he’d have some assets.

Steph is even more guaranteed to hit the vigilante scene. Bruce would be a lot friendlier to her without Jason death issues for her to trigger, though that doesn’t mean he’d actually be friendly, and Jason would like her, and possibly communicate more effectively than Tim did about how she could not die, or possibly they’d have egged each other on into steadily more unwise behavior.

On the other hand, depending on where Jason’s character development went after surviving Ethiopia, he might at 17 find 15-year-old Steph indescribably annoying precisely because they have so much in common, and lash out at her as a proxy for his younger self, and be kind of awful.

Cataclysm breaks causality to even acknowledge anymore because they rushed on from it like massive chumps, but Jason would have been a good Robin to have for it. He’d have been pretty tall by then, and he’s got the mental tools for surviving in an unfriendly urban environment where money is useless. I think he and Cass would have gotten on well, they have compatible personalities. The only major issue I can see is if Bruce or Babs got really positive about her and triggered some kind of jealousy or possessiveness issue.

We don’t really have any specific data at all from before Jason died about how he would cope with a rival for something he felt entitled to but insecure about--he deferred very nicely to Dick as his elder, but Dick wasn’t actually a threat to anything Jason valued. Assuming later canon is applicable, jealousy would be a definite issue with any additional family members, though I assume without the risk of homicide.

Okay here is an after-midnight hour of my half-baked opinions. You asked for it! ;DDD

#ask #answer #jason todd #batfam #dc comics #superheroes #hoc est meum #my dumb opinions #kuppatan

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cinderellaahhh · 3 years

Text

FIND TEAM NAMES

🏐🏐🏐🏐Funny Volleyball Team Names

1. Hit For Brains – Definitely not the smartest team out there.

2. Size Matters – Only if you’re short... or small, even.

3. Beavis and Bumphead – After Beavis and Butthead.

4. Ball Busters – The ball won’t be the same shape after playing this team.

5. Phantom Balls – Now you see them, now you don’t.

6. Setsaholics Anonymous – They’re going to sets you up.

7. Block Magic – After the South Park episode Cock Magic.

8. ACME Roofing – There won’t be a roof for long when you play this team.

9. Balls In Your Face – That’s got to be painful.

10. Safe Sets – How sets should be.

11. Practice Safe Sets – Practice every

day.

12. Where’s My Beaches At? – At the

beach?

13. How I Set Your Mother – Do tell.

14. The Dirty Half Dozen – Nice and filthy.

15. Hit Head – Why score points when you

can reduce your rivals’ brain cells?

16. Sand Eaters – They have a habit of

falling over.

17. Donald Bump – Bumping away

ignorantly of the rest of the world.

18. Nine Inch Males – So small?

19. Heads In The Sand – Stay away from

danger!

20. Good Volley Ms. Molly – Why thank

you!

21. Clever Beaches – Get ready to be

outsmarted.

22. Sand In The Vaseline – I’m sure

they’re having a great time at the

beach.

23. The Fighting Amish – Playing the old-

fashioned way.

24. Ball Bangers – Hitting balls a little too

hard.

25. Bros And Hoes – For a mixed team.

26. Public Sets Offenders – They’re not

allowed near certain places.

27. The Blair Hits Project – Getting

beaten by them is like a horror movie.

28. Ball Whisperers – They’ll get that ball

to go anywhere they want.

29. Setsy Time – After Borat’s

catchphrase.

30. Natural Disasters – It’s totally normal

for this team to lose.

31. Kinky Sets – The best kind of sets.

32. Men In Speedos – They make

everyone at the beach feel awkward.

33. Net Servers – For a techie crowd.

34. Touch And Go – Win some, lose some.

35. Caution! Low Roof! – About to leap

into space!

36. Wild Sets – These guys are passionate

about sets.

37. This Won’t Take Long – Beating their

rivals in seconds... or are they the ones

who get beaten?

38. The Joy Of Sets – Gotta love good

sets.

39. Set ‘Em Hussein – After Saddam

Hussein.

40. Spike Me Hard, Baby – It’s the only

way it should be done.

41. Setting Ducks – They have no idea

what they’re doing here.

42. Will Work For Sets – Nothing wrong

with that.

43. We Need Sets – We all do!

44. Hits Don’t Lie – After My Hips Don’t

Lie by Shakira.

45. Kiss My Ace – With pleasure.

46. Thongs And Dongs – Another perfect

name for a mixed team.

47. All Net – A team with no chance of

scoring.

48. The Blazing Sunburns – You’ll spot

this team a mile away.

49. Team Ibuprofen – They may be a little

sickly.

50. A Case Of The Hits – The only illness

that’s guaranteed to help you win.

51. Chicks With Digs – Why can’t chicks

have digs?

52. Trump’s Wall – Non–existent then?

53. Sonova Beach – Say it fast...

54. Sets With A Stranger – Players, 100%.

55. I’ve Seen Better Digging In A

Graveyard – Ouch!

56. Sand Castles – They might get a little

distracted.

57. We Showed Up – To what? To lose?

58. Chewblocka – After Chewbacca from

Star Wars.

59. Itsy Bitsy Spikers – Too cute to be

taken seriously.

60. Drunk, Stupid and Clumsy – And

honest.

61. Spiky Nips – For a girls’ team that’s got

that perfect spike.

62. Full Of Hits – They talk a lot of crap.

63. The Powerpuff Girls – Great for a girl

team made of three.

64. Setsy And We Know It – And so does

everyone else.

65. Unprotected Sets – Not advisable.

66. Big Swinging Ds And Ts – Another

name for a mixed team.

67. Go Sets Yourself – Just not on the

beach.

68. Johan Sebastian Block – Composing

a win!

69. Scared Hitless – Is what the other

team will be!

70. Death Volley – Wordplay on Death

Valley.

71. Hit And Miss – Haven’t quite got the

hang of this game yet have you guys?

72. 2 Legit 2 Hit – Well at least you have a

reason...

73. One Hit Wonders – Will score and it

will be amazing, but only once.

74. We Like Big Balls – Big balls are more

fun.

75. You’ve Been Served – Will be in court

right after this game.

76. We Dig 4-Play – Looking for another

team that also enjoys a bit of 4-play.

77. Vertically Challenged – For a team of

shorties.

78. Salad Tossers – Good at throwing

things around.

79. Sand Slingers – Why play fairly and

lose when you could play dirty and win?

80. Not In The Face! – These team will

definitely get hit hard in the face.

81. Setsy Ladies – All the guys on the

beach are looking at them.

82. Bumping Uglies – Not the most

handsome team in the world.

83. Interracial Sets – For a team made up

of people of different racial

backgrounds.

84. Here For The Exercise – Not the most

athletic team.

85. That’s What She Sets – Wordplay on

the phrase ‘that’s what she said’.

86. Smack Your Balls – Painful.

87. Butt Sets – Kinky.

88. If Pigs Could Fly – A team of fat guys

who can jump amazingly high for their

size.

89. Wild Wings – Wordplay on the song

Wild Thing by The Troggs.

90. Sets On The Beach – A dream come

true.

91. Sloppy Sets – They need a bit of

practice.

92. Just The Tip – They’re gentle.

93. Ain’t That A Beach – It certainly is.

94. Six Packs – Great stomachs or a pack

of six beers?

95. Court Jesters – More interested in

making the audience laugh than

winning.

96. Couch Potatoes – They really get this

much exercise.

97. Sets Pistols – After the band The Sex

Pistols.

98. We’re All HIV Positive – And proud.

99. Blue Balls – You guys all need to get to

a doctor immediately.

100. Red Hot Silly Peppers – Another

bunch of comedians.

Cool Volleyball Team Names

A cool team deserves a cool name, the following are cool volleyball team names you can call your team.

101. The Tidal Waves – Invading the entire beach.

102. SWAT Team – Swatting that ball out of the way.

103. Score More – Than the other team.

104. Mission Unblockable – No ball gets

past them.

105. Cobra Kai – After the martial arts team

in The Karate Kid.

106. Atomic Block – Blasting that ball away!

107. Shaken, Not Stirred – Just like 007.

108. We Always Get Up – When this team

gets knocked down, they’re quick to get

back on their feet.

109. Big Digs And Hot Passes – You know

what to expect.

110. Arm And Hammer – For a tough team.

111. In Your Face – Winning and damn proud.

112. Bump It Up – That ball will never touch the ground.

113. Net Domination – The other team will never even get it past the net.

114. Soaring At The Net – Where they play best.

115. Air Force One – After the US presidents private jet.

116. In Motion – They can’t stop moving.

117. On Your Knees – The other team will

be...

118. That Hurt? – It probably did if it came

from this team.

119. Spin Doctors – They always think

they’re winning, even when they’re not.

120. On Fire – Just unstoppable.

121. Spider Chicks – They can reach

anything.

122. Net Results – Scoring at the net.

123. Killer Serves – The other team will be

flabbergasted.

124. Sabretooth Spikers – Aggressive

spikes, to say the least.

125. Pure Energy – The other team won’t

know where you get it from.

126. Attack Pack – They play like animals.

127. Hanging Loose – The most relaxed

volleyball team you’ll ever meet.

128. Prime Time Players – A team that’s

playing in its prime.

129. Gung-Ho – Ready for just about

anything.

130. Block Or Bleed – The other team will

be too afraid to do anything.

131. Bump, Set, Dismember – After they

beat you, they’ll cut you up.

132. Hit Me – If you dare.

133. Lightning Strike – When they hit that

ball they light up the sky.

134. Planet Volleywood – So good they

should be famous.

135. It’s Gotta Be Da Shoes – Nope, they

just play amazingly.

136. Now Serving – So get ready to lose.

137. Bumping Maniacs – Addicted to

bumping.

138. Elite Volleyball – The absolute best.

139. Set To Kill – The other team.

140. Sonic Boom – You can hear them

hitting that ball from space.

141. I’d Hit That – You really should.

142. Death At The Net – There isn’t a worse

way to die.

143. The Wall – No balls get past them.

144. Volley Girls – Girls who own this game.

145. The Lost Boys – Unruly savages.

146. Extreme Volleyball – Volleyball isn’t

supposed to be a leisurely sport, it

should be hardcore.

147. EZ Pass – Making the other team look

like amateurs.

148. That’s Some Serve – You bet it is!

149. Sand People – After the fictional

characters in Star Wars.

150. Hit-men – Hired to assassinate the

other team.

151. See Ya – Wouldn’t wanna be ya!

152. Block You Like A Hurricane – After

the song “Rock You like a Hurricane” by

The Scorpions.

153. Game On – Yeah, winning is great, but

these guys just love playing.

154. Court Hogs – Loving the game so

much, they won’t let anyone else on the

court.

155. Volley Vipers – They’ve got a bite

that’ll kill.

156. High–Performance Volleyball – Don’t

even think about playing this team

unless you’re in the same league.

157. Air Traffic Control – Spectators can be

forgiven for thinking that ball was a

plane.

158. Speedy Spikers – Fast and very spiky.

159. Flight Fight – Known to hit balls in mid-

air.

160. Team World Class – Should really be

playing in the Olympics.

161. Net Ninjas – Assassinating that ball

whenever it gets to the net.

162. Net Assets – They’re owning the

game.

163. White Lightning – Striking out the

other team.

164. The Challengers – They make the

other team want to play better.

165. Volleyball Above All – It is a way of

life.

166. All Set At The Net – Can’t pass this

defense.

167. It’s A Hard Bump Life – It is.

168. The WildCats – The most vicious team

you’ll play against.

169. Vision Quest – Playing to reach a

higher power.

170. Monster Spikes – Those are some mean spikes

#volleyball

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