Tumgik
#Harassment while exercising
coochiequeens · 2 years
Text
Ladies, arm yourselves
Tumblr media
On 3 September 2022, a 34-year-old mother of two named Eliza Fletcher was brutally kidnapped and murdered while running near her home in Tennessee. For women, the story, although tragic, is one they’ve heard too many times. And it is forcing some of them to take extreme measures.
The majority of US women have worried about harassment while in public spaces during their lifetime. According to a 2019 national study on sexual assault by Stop Street Harassment and the University of California San Diego Center on Gender Equity and Health (GEH), 81% of US women have experienced some form of sexual harassment or assault.
For some women, threats while running are so significant that they’ve turned to carrying a concealed firearm. Although women’s vulnerability while running or walking is clear, no one can seem to agree on the solution. Some argue the danger is low – murders of women out running are rare, although they often attract plenty of media attention. According to a 2017 Runner’s World study, for women between the ages of 16 and 44, there is only a one in 35,336 chance of being a victim of homicide at any time – and most women are killed by someone they know, rather than a random stranger. However, incidents of sexual harassment not ending in abduction, serious injury or death are common and can have serious negative affects for women. According to the GEH, sexual harassment while running or walking causes women, “to feel anxiety or depression and prompt(s) them to change their route or regular routine”. Holly Kearl, Founder of Stop Street Harassment and author of the book 50 Stories About Stopping Street Harassers, says, “Street harassment is not a joke or a compliment. [It] is a human rights violation because it prevents women from having equal access to public spaces.”
Women who experience sexual harassment and assault while running agree that the effects are long-lasting and significant. But each woman who has been threatened while running is not identical, and neither are the stories of those who run with a gun.
Jamie, a 40-year-old runner who prefers to withhold her last name for privacy, says, “Women who carry while running are not monolithic, but we are often characterized as such in the media. We are characterized as right-wing, aggressive, backwards-thinking and ignorant of the risks of gun ownership. I am none of these. I am educated, politically moderate and sane.”
Jamie goes on to describe her own experiences. “I was followed around a popular lake trail by a man who exposed himself to me … about a half mile later, I heard steps behind me and it was him.” It was getting dark, and Jamie realized she was alone with the man, who she assumed was strong enough to overpower her. He came closer and closer, ignoring her entreaties to leave her alone, and backed her into some trees. Finally, “I put my hand on my [up until then concealed] pistol like I was about to draw and I told him to get away from me.” Suddenly, Jamie’s aggressor completely changed his demeanor, telling her to, “stay safe”, and running away.
Amy Robbins, a runner from Dallas, Texas, began carrying weapons on runs after she was followed and verbally harassed by a van full of men in 2015. “I got home and told myself I’d never be in this situation again,” says Robbins. She also understands the difficulty in carrying weapons with sportswear and founded Alexo Athletica, a company designing shorts and tights for concealed carry.
Not everyone is an advocate for carrying guns. David Hemenway, PhD, a professor of Health Policy at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, does not recommend guns as a self-defense tool for runners. Hemenway says “when looking at data regarding defensive gun use in the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), there was no evidence that gun use reduced the likelihood of injury during attacks on women.” Hemenway adds that the percentage of American women who carry a gun is small: in a 2016 Runner’s World survey of 4,670 runners, only 1% of women said they run with a gun.
Hemenway also says that in his opinion, some Carrying a Concealed Weapon (CCW) courses are faulty. “Being able to stand still, carefully aim and shoot a target is not going to help you if you’re attacked. Your heart is pounding, your fight or flight kicks in, adrenaline is flowing, it’s a very different situation than when you’re standing in a gun range,” he says.
As an alternative to carrying a gun, Hemenway suggests women who feel threatened choose a different route or run during the day, in groups. If a woman feels she needs protection, “bear spray (also known as mace or pepper spray) is much safer to use and just as effective as a gun would be,” he says.
However, advice like Hemenway’s – running in daylight, or in a group, is not realistic for all women. Work, personal and family schedules mean that women need to fit in their runs when they can, just like their male counterparts. Some experts advocate for shifting the responsibility of ensuring women’s safety to men. Eliza Fletcher was attacked while on her pre-dawn run, wearing running shorts and a sports bra, and some online commenters have suggested she is partly to blame for her attack. But Kearl says that “if [women] don’t follow every guideline, they may face blame and that’s not OK … the blame for men attacking women should only lie with those men.”
Like Hemenway, Kearl agrees that guns are not a safe option for self-defense. But she adds, “our society must do more to stop men from committing violence against us. Women and girls should not have to feel like prey and men and boys should not be socialized to be predators.”
Some runners agree that carrying a gun is not the best way to stay safe on a run. Kayla Kowalsko, a 30-year-old runner, took multiple CCW courses and ran with a firearm until she, “attended a self-defense class that provided a ton of information I didn’t receive when I took my CCW course … if another person is within 20 feet of you, your reaction time is too slow to pull a weapon and fire it.” Kowalsko adds: “That person could take your weapon and use it against you or others. I’d rather take my safety into literally my own hands than give someone a huge upper hand.”
Gender-based violence self-defense experts like Lauren R Taylor also advocate for women using their own bodies over a weapon. Taylor is the founder of Defend Yourself, an organization that describes its mission as “helping people claim their power, assert their boundaries and protect themselves,” and the author of the book Get Empowered: A Practical Guide to Thrive, Heal, and Embrace Your Confidence in a Sexist World, which will be released next year.
Taylor advocates for people doing whatever works for them, but, “in general I’m in favor of using things you have on you all the time, such as your voice, brain, elbows, feet and hands. Weapons as weapons can be picked up and used against us, whereas your hands, feet and voice can’t … I also know people who were relying on a weapon and in the moment, couldn’t get to that weapon.”
Referring to NCVS data evidence that guns used in self-defense don’t reduce a victim’s likelihood of injury, Taylor says, “Data, such as it is, on using guns successfully in self-defense as opposed to accidental injuries or death, would lead a person to an anti-gun status. You’re much more likely to hurt yourself or someone you care about than you are to hurt someone trying to harm you.”
Some women choose to carry a gun because of the particular environment in which they run. Julie, a 40-year-old from Tacoma, Washington, who also prefers to withold her surname, took seven CCW classes, in addition to serving in the US Army. For her, living in a particularly dangerous area contributed to her decision to run with a weapon: “I run in Point Defiance Park, which is large and wooded. Even if I yelled and screamed I might not be heard … [and] Tacoma is on track to have the highest murder rate ever this year. It just keeps getting worse.”
Opinions may vary about carrying guns, but runners and experts can agree on one thing: more needs to be done to protect women. Women receive all sorts of advice: change your route and don’t run at night; or run with a weapon; or demand more change from men and society to stop normalizing street harassment. But after hearing the harrowing stories from female runners about the assault and harassment they routinely endure, it is difficult to judge anyone for the choice they make. Taylor explains, “This is about options. Nobody can tell you what to do, our job is to add tools to your toolbox. When you’re in a situation that feels threatening, only you can decide what is best.”
At the end of the day, women want to head out for a run worrying whether they’ve double tied their shoelaces, or if they ate the right pre-run meal, not whether they’re going to be attacked or harassed. Jamie says that when she heads out with her concealed firearm, “I feel like I can move in the world and do normal things without fear. I wonder if that’s what a man feels, as he’s lacing up for a run?”
20 notes · View notes
terastalungrad · 26 days
Text
Happiness advice is hard to compose, since we're all born with different brains, producing different chemicals in different quantities at different levels of efficiency.
"Try regular exercise!" chirrups an influencer whose brain has never known a day of depression in its squiggly grey life.
But I do think I've noticed behaviours that poison joy, and I haven't ever heard it as advice. My theory: bullying is bad for your happiness.
Of the four types of bullying, three of them - intimidation, humiliation and harassment - are usually committed by insecure people, trying to make themselves feel more powerful by taking that power from another.
(The fourth type of bullying is exclusion, and I have no citations for any of this, since it's just a bunch of stuff I reckon. I do think I'm right though, for what it's worth.)
The least happy comedians I've met are the ones who smoke weed in their flats while watching and scoffing at clips of their rivals. Their enemies. Their friends.
I'm slightly transfixed by the story of a relatively well-known comedian who became obsessed with the Instagram stories of an amateur comic. The established comic would watch the videos, share them with friends, play them at parties - mocking the comic's lack of self-awareness.
This newer comedian wasn't internet famous or anything. Just a guy starting out, trying his hand.
To operate like this, you must believe that some people have value, and others do not. Once you've decided this, how can you expect your brain to permanently accept that you're one of the worthy? You can make yourself feel powerful in the short term by humiliating another. But in the long term, you curate a worldview where a person's eccentricities are a reason they deserve to suffer.
Good luck enjoying what you see in the mirror.
2K notes · View notes
fatphobiabusters · 7 months
Text
People say weight loss is for sure possible...but no one agrees on how to do it.
Dieting works...but there's now an "ob*sity epidemic" despite people lining the pockets of weight loss corporations more than ever.
Weight loss products work...but weight loss corporations are making the Exact. Same. Claims. about their products that they did in 1910 with the products that were sold and then discontinued over a century ago.
Humans are all meant to be thin...but there are families of fat people who stay fat no matter how much "willpower" they muster and have fat ancestors going back generations.
It's about health and not looks...but people who are losing weight due to smoking, cancer, illness, mental disorders, and other health conditions are praised for their weight loss and told to keep going.
Fat people aren't oppressed...but fat people have no positive representation, no proper access to clothing, face a wage gap, endure deadly medical neglect and abuse, have their deaths by police brutality excused with their fatness, and countless other aspects of oppression that they deal with every single day.
Fat people are all fat because they overeat...but you can point to any fat person on the sidewalk and there's an extreme likelihood that they're on their 30th diet attempt in the past 10 years while there's thin people who eat whatever they want, however much they want, and don't exercise yet never gain a single pound.
Fat people are privileged because they gorge on unnecessary food...but fat people are overwhelmingly living in poverty, are not paid the same amount of money for the same work as their thin peers, are not chosen for promotions, are turned away from jobs that an employer wants more than a "pretty face" for, are at major risk of workplace harassment, and endure oppression even beyond just that.
Fat people aren't treated badly...but people use the word "fat" as a metaphor and synonym for "ugly," "unlovable," and "unworthy," while at the same time believing "fat," the most basic term for a specific body type, is a dirty, taboo insult you should never allow to leave your lips.
Professionals agree that fatness is inherently bad...but almost any weight-related research study that people, especially weight loss corporations, use to justify demonizing fat people has the worst methodology imaginable with validity errors and logical fallacies galore as well as conflicts of interest due to how many of these studies just happen to be funded by the corporations that make millions and billions of dollars off of the demonization these studies promote.
All health conditions a fat person has are caused by their fatness...but there is not a single health condition that only fat people obtain, many fat people developed the health condition in question when they were thin or thinner, weight gain is often a symptom of said health conditions, fat people are not given the same amount or quality of healthcare as thin people, and repeated starvation attempts (also known as "yo-yo dieting") have been shown to worsen a person's health.
Fat people can't have eating disorders...but fat people are the group encouraged to partake in disordered eating by this fatphobic world the most and then are not given any support to recover.
Thin privilege doesn't exist...but thin people who see the way fat people are treated in society do their absolute damndest and take whatever drastic measures they have to in order to prevent themselves from ever becoming one of "Them."
Fit and fat are mutually exclusive...but there are fat athletes as far up as even the Olympics, and sports are intentionally made inaccessible to fat people to the point of fat children even being turned away when trying to join a sports team.
Fat people are ugly...but all we grow up ever seeing in media are thin, conventionally attractive people painted with layers of makeup next to fat characters who were intentionally designed with an ill-fitting outfit, matted hair, and all other traits that fit the "ugly" stereotype that the character designer could manage to slap onto a single person.
Fat people are big, bad bullies...but studies show that weight is the number one excuse that children use to bully their peers, outcompeting a multitude of other oppressed identities considered.
Fat women are just men and vice versa...but sometimes they're androgynous, and sometimes they're basically nonbinary, and sometimes they're just things, and sometimes they're nothing at all depending on what labels a fatphobe decides will hurt a fat person most that day.
Fat people are subhuman...but fat people deserve the same love, respect, compassion, and support that all people are born inherently deserving.
Fatphobia isn't real, but—
-Mod Worthy
4K notes · View notes
gatitties · 8 months
Text
War & crack
─Task Force 141 x young!reader
─Summary: some headcanons about your life working with TF141
─Warnings: cliché¿, reader is a gen z
Part two / Halloween special
so... I've been consuming some content about CoD and I know the least about the franchise but the few things I've read have been so good that I couldn't resist writing something too 🫢, sorry if something is out of character since I don't know many things
Tumblr media
— You are a threat to society.
— Your parents sent you to the military in the hope that your bad behaviors would disappear, realistically, they were not prepared to be parents either.
— Parental neglect, what a surprise.
— You had many bad influences in your adolescence and free access to the Internet without parental control was like throwing gasoline on the fire.
— Theft, extortion, assault, harassment, banditry, disobedience to authority, fraud, driving without a license, breaking and entering, kidnapping, arson, arms trafficking...
— You had a good record of minor criminal records, the vast majority due to bad friends, but you were already an accomplice.
— Which led you to the fact that when you reached the age of majority, you were enlisted directly into the army without being able to have a choice.
— It wasn't as bad as you thought except for the amount of physical exercise you were subjected to, but you knew how to put up with it.
— Despite being young, in the three years that you served as a cadet, you were sent to many missions, perhaps with the hope of dying since the generals sent you to the front lines of the battle.
— You didn't care, you were feral, careless enough and craving adrenaline, you liked to dance with death in every fight.
— You were the first to run whenever you could to start the attack, after all, all you liked to do was hit, stab or use close-range weapons.
— You lost an arm because of that, you didn't care much because now you have a prosthesis with decorations to your liking.
— Then you were sent to Task Force 141.
— None of the boys expected someone like you, they definitely had a bit of a hard time adjusting to your personality.
— You were a strange combination between Ghost and Soap, going from being a grave to being an explosion of emotions at any moment.
— The first time you saw Ghost you thought he was giving you a side eye and you gave it back to him.
— Later you learned that it's his normal look but you give him the dead look every once in a while.
— Soap and you are not a good combination when you know each other better, he will just give you approval to all the stupid things you see on the internet.
— Gaz might join, but most of the time he just warns you that Price won't be amused.
— Price will look at you like a parent disgusted (but not surprised) by some of your nonsense.
— Confidence sucks, and when you're spouting darkly humorous jokes or about the ways you want to kill yourself because something goes wrong, Price isn't in that boat.
— It's not worth it if you justify it with 'my traumas, my jokes'.
— Honestly, everyone is worried about the number of times you've said you were going to kill yourself for the slightest inconvenience.
— They don't understand most of your current meme references, maybe Gaz, being the second youngest, will pick up on something.
— They were so confused with your attack tactics, because you had practically none, you just jumped in with luck to hit everything you could, which worked every time.
— You will train with Ghost because you are not aware of your surroundings when it comes to fighting.
— The first time they saw your prosthesis they thought a bullet had hit you in the arm, but when you laughed and removed the metal arm shouting 'everything is possible when you're physically disabled' they swallowed their concern.
— You show affection with punches, you punch Soap's shoulder, Gaz's back or Price's side, Ghost... you prefer to communicate with your eyes because the last time you punched him in a friendly way you almost ended up with your shoulder out of its place.
— They can't take you seriously, they really do try but it's impossible, you look like an impulsive teenager who they are babysitting even if you're in your twenties.
— At least it's like that outside the battlefield, you get more serious or focused on the missions.
— Gaz saves your ass whenever you get distracted, which is most of the time, you tell him that he has won heaven but if death wanted to kiss you you weren't going to refuse the offer.
— Seriously, stop with the jokes about your death or depression, Price will get you a psychologist.
— It seems like a joke but Ghost and you end up getting along quite well, it's a quiet and pleasant dynamic, without pressure.
— As with Soap, you know how to adapt a lot to everyone's personalities, as if you were a sponge that absorbs all the likes and disappointments of the boys to get along better.
— You don't give a shit about your own life but you're fighting tooth and nail to protect others.
— Which leads you to almost die once, on top of that, Price scolded you for jumping to try to save them, you didn't care, you'll do it again.
— Squeaks or bangs in the wee hours of the morning? It's you moving the few pieces of furniture in what you can call your own room.
— Someday you'll give the boys a heart attack (Ghost maybe not) because you walk in the dark at night since you tend to stay up late.
— Price will scold you for not sleeping well and drinking so many energy drinks or coffee.
— You will leave random objects in the boys' rooms, like, last time you bought little ducks of different colors and hid them.
— Price denies with a small smile when he sees a yellow duck with a cowboy hat as a paperweight.
— Gaz laughs when he sees a blue duck with an aviator hat in the drawer where he kept his records.
— Soap finds a yellow duck with an umbrella hat next to his bath stuff and fiddles with it when he has time for a long bath.
— Ghost narrows his eyes at the sight of a black duck with sunglasses and gold chains under a pile of clothes in his room, he sighs leaving it in the small window of his room as decoration.
— You are strictly prohibited from bringing any type of animal into the base of operations as a pet, once you wanted to have a raccoon, a tarantula, a snake, you even named a cockroach you saw in the kitchen.
—Just- no.
— So you chose to have a carnivorous plant as a pet, it was acceptable at least.
— You are also prohibited from cooking without supervision.
— You're like a new world for them, but honestly, they wouldn't know what they would do if something happened to you now that you've earned their love.
2K notes · View notes
froggywritesstuff · 3 months
Text
the least judgmental demon in hell | angel dust
Tumblr media
ship/pairing: Angel Dust x male!reader (featuring Fat Nuggets)
fandom: Hazbin Hotel
request: Could you possibly do Angel dust x Male!reader? Possibly soft/comfort where Angel dust attempts to comfort the reader after a meltdown or something similar?
warnings: mentions of dead bodies and murder, mentions of harassment towards the reader, mentions of sex, swearing (it's Hazbin Hotel so...), crying, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, meltdowns, pet names (reader gets called baby multiple times), ooc Angel?, kinda rushed the ending, not entirely proofread 
word count: 1232
A/N: fem readers DNI, Angel Dust is a nwlnw character. I wrote in Fat Nuggets while I was editing so apologies if the writing doesn't flow as much. friendly reminder to not compare trauma :)
Hell isn't the most mental health friendly place to be. Like anyone with common sense, you're not unaware of that, and though not on your own terms, you've gotten used to it. Though it's useless, that doesn't stop you from wishing it was different some days. Wishing that maybe on your walks to the hotel you wouldn't trip over a dead body, or get harassed by other sinners, or witness a violent murder or very graphic sex scene. You were grateful that some days were better than others. However, today was not one of those days. And after an entire week of shitty days, it was too much for you.
You were on the edge of tears when you entered the hotel, ready to have a good cry in your room while hopefully cuddling with your boyfriend, but fate had other plans. More accurately, Charlie had other plans. You never allowed yourself to feel angry with Charlie. After all she had done for you, and all the other hotel patrons, working tirelessly for what seemed like a hopeless cause. However you did allow yourself to feel upset with her bad timing.
Barely a second after you returned to the hotel, she dragged you over to the lounge, rambling about one of her new trust exercises she'd come up with. Normally, Charlie would've been able to sense something was up with you in seconds, but she was clearly driven by her inspiration, too excited to slow down.
Your hands fidgeted together, your legs bouncing up and down as Charlie explained her idea. You tried to pay attention, you truly did. But you could barely even comprehend a word she was saying. Everything was too loud and your head felt like it was gonna explode.
"Hey," you felt a hand on your shoulder and looked up to your side, meeting the black, white and pink eyes of Angel. You calmed slightly at the touch of his hand, and you were able to focus on his voice, "You ok?"
You nodded. You knew he could tell you weren't ok in the slightest. He was more than familiar with faking smiles and bottling up feelings. Luckily for you, he didn't pry, instead choosing to stay close and keep an eye on you, figuring you'd much rather prefer to vent or cry to him in private.
When Charlie finished explaining her idea, she met your eyes and gestured for you to stand. A wave of stress hit you, and you did your best to hide it as you stood up, moving to stand beside her in front of everyone. You tried to focus on what she was telling you, you really did, but the overwhelming tightening in your chest paired with multiple pairs of eyes on you made it impossible. Surprisingly, you felt a million times worse when she stopped talking. You don't think she had stopped talking since you walked in the room, so her silence meant she was expecting you to start talking. 
You looked around the room, your breaths getting shallower with every second. Charlie gently placed her hand on your shoulder, a concerned look on her face. She asked if you were ok, her voice quiet so only you could hear. You don't remember clearly, but you're pretty sure you shook your head before apologising and excusing yourself. Voices called out to you in concern as you sped up the stairs, making your way to your room as quickly as possible.
You closed the door behind you, leaning your back against it and sliding down to the floor. Tears streamed from your eyes while you held your head in your hands, trying to take deep breaths to calm yourself.
A knock sounded at the door, and you quickly wiped your tears away and cleared your throat, "Wh-who is it?"
"It's me." you recognised Angel's voice, his tone quieter than usual, "Can I come in?"
You jumped to your feet and rushed to the door, opening it and pulling Angel in. He was quick to hold you close, wrapping his arms around you, running his hands up and down your back to calm you.
"Just breathe baby," he whispered soothingly, his voice like music to your ears, "You're gonna be ok, I've got you."
Your breathing calmed down after a while, not before Angel lifted you off your feet - rather easily considering his height. He shut the door and gently sat you down on your bed, his hold on you never wavering as he sat beside you.
"You feelin' a little better?"
Shrugging, you pulled out of the hug, nodding your head yes.
Two of Angel's hands cupped your face gently, his thumbs wiping your tears away, while another set of hands rested on your shoulders, rubbing them softly, "You wanna talk about it?"
That would be harder to do than just breathing. You thought you were being over dramatic, getting so upset over small things every sinner goes through. Especially when you were sitting in front of Angel Dust. It's not that you doubted his love for you, but there was a small part in the back of your mind making you think he'd belittle your feelings and tell you that you were getting worked up over nothing.
"I dunno," you shrugged, "It's silly."
"Hey," Angel lifted your head slightly, getting you to meet his eyes, "You don't have to tell me if you don't wanna, but clearly it's not that silly if it's got you cryin'." you stayed quiet, and Angel could tell you were overthinking this, "Baby, you know me. I'll listen to you. I won't judge you for nothin'."
You hesitated, and Angel stood up from the bed, kissing your cheek before he stood to his full height, "Wait here," he said, hurrying out of your room and into the hallways until you couldn't see him anymore. Thankfully, you weren't alone for too long, and he arrived soon after he left, entering your room with Fat Nuggets in his arms.
You lit up at the sight of him, smiling widely when Angel sat back on the bed and placed him in your lap.
"If you're nervous, you can tell him." he pet Fat Nuggets on the head, "He's the least judgmental demon in Hell."
A soft laugh left your lips at his words. Fat Nuggets sat himself down on your lap as you pet him. You looked up at Angel, heart warming at his reassuring smile. Still slightly hesitant, you proceeded to explain everything that led up to your meltdown. And while you mainly directed it at Fat Nuggets, Angel listened intently, giving you his full attention just like he said he would. When you were finished talking, Angel wrapped his arms around you again, pulling you - and Fat Nuggets into a hug.
"Do you feel better now?"
"Yeah..."
"Good. And it's not dumb, baby. When you don't talk about these things, they just add up and get overwhelming. You know you can always talk to me about anything, right?"
You nodded, before resting your head in the crook of his neck, "Thank you, Angel."
“Eh, it was nothin’.” he chuckled softly, before he pulled away from the hug to look you in the eyes, “I love you so much.”
You smiled. Both his words and the caring smile on his face making your heart swell, “I love you too.”
782 notes · View notes
chinesehanfu · 2 months
Text
[Hanfu · 漢服]The relationship between women in history is not just love rivals,
“but also thousands of years later, everyone knows that it is me and you.”
Let's get to know about them/她们 in China history.
1.【Han Dynasty】:Princess Jieyou (解忧公主) & Feng Liao (馮嫽)
Princess Jieyou (Chinese: 解忧公主; 121 BC – 49 BC), born Liu Jieyou (Chinese: 刘解忧), was a Chinese princess sent to marry the leader of the Wusun kingdom as part of the Western Han Chinese policy of heqin(和亲).
As the granddaughter of the disgraced Prince Liu Wu (劉戊) who had taken part in the disastrous Rebellion of the Seven States,her status was low enough that she was sent to replace Princess Liu Xijun (劉細君) after her untimely death and marry the Wusun king Cunzhou (岑陬).
Jieyou lived among the Wusun for fifty years and did much work to foster relations between the surrounding kingdoms and the Han. She was particularly reliant upon her attendant, Feng Liao, whom she dispatched as an emissary to Wusun kingdoms and even to the Han Court. She faced opposition from pro-Xiongnu members of the Wusun royalty, particularly Wengguimi’s Xiongnu wife. When word came that the Xiongnu planned to attack Wusun, she convinced her husband to send for aid from the Han Emperor. Emperor Wu of Han sent 150,000 cavalrymen to support the Wusun forces and drive back the Xiongnu.
In 51 BCE at the age of 70, Jieyou asked to be allowed to retire and return to the Han. Emperor Xuan of Han agreed and had her escorted back to Chang'an where she was welcomed with honor. She was given a grand palace with servants usually reserved for princesses of the imperial family. In 49 BCE, Jieyou died peacefully.
Feng Liao (馮嫽)
Feng Liao (馮嫽) was China's first official female diplomat,[citation needed] who represented the Han dynasty to Wusun (烏孫), which was in the Western Regions. It was a practice for the Imperial Court to foster alliances with the northern tribes via marriage, and two Han princesses had married Wusun kings.
Feng Liao was the maidservant of Princess Jieyou (解憂公主), who was married off to a Wusun king. Feng herself later married an influential Wusun general, whose good standing with Prince Wujiutu (烏就屠) of the kingdom later proved beneficial to the Han dynasty.
When Prince Wujiutu seized the throne of Wusun in 64 BC, after his father died, there was fear in the Imperial Court of Han that Wujiutu, whose mother was Xiongnu, would allow Wusun to become Xiongnu's vassal.
Zheng Ji, Governor of the Western Regions, recalled that Feng Liao had married into Wusun and with her familiarity of the Wusun customs, she was a prime candidate to persuade Wujiutu to ally his kingdom with Han. Wujiutu acceded and Emperor Xuan of Han (漢宣帝) sent for Feng. He praised her for her judgement and diplomacy, and appointed her as the official envoy to Wusun.
Wujiutu was conferred the title "Little King of Wusun" while his brother, the son by a Han princess, was named "Great King of Wusun". Wusun was divided between the two kings and tensions in that region were eased.
※Xiongnu: Xiongnu: A nomadic tribe that has occupied northern China for a long time. Later it gradually became a state. It harassed the borders of the Han Dynasty for a long time and robbed supplies.
------
With their efforts, the Wusun Kingdom gradually tended to support the Han Dynasty, and the Xiongnu's defeat in China also began.
------
2.【Tang Dynasty】:Shangguan Wan'er(上官婉儿)&Princess Taiping (太平公主)
Shangguan Wan'er/上官婉儿 (664 – 21 July 710) was a Chinese politician, poet, and imperial consort of the Wu Zhou and Tang dynasties. Described as a "female prime minister,"Shangguan rose from modest origins as a palace servant to become secretary and leading advisor to Empress Wu Zetian of Zhou. Under Empress Wu, Shangguan exercised responsibility for drafting imperial edicts and earned approbation for her writing style. She retained her influence as consort to Wu's son and successor, Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, holding the imperial consort rank of Zhaorong (昭容). Shangguan was also highly esteemed for her talent as a poet.Shangguan was also highly esteemed for her talent as a poet. In 710, after Emperor Zhongzong's death, Shangguan was killed during a palace coup that ended the regency of Empress Dowager Wei.
Princess Taiping (太平公主)lit. "Princess of Great Peace", personal name unknown, possibly Li Lingyue (李令月) (after 662 – 2 August 713) was a royal princess and prominent political figure of the Tang dynasty and her mother Wu Zetian's Zhou dynasty. She was the youngest daughter of Wu Zetian and Emperor Gaozong and was influential during the reigns of her mother and her elder brothers Emperor Zhongzong and Emperor Ruizong (both of whom reigned twice), particularly during Emperor Ruizong's second reign, when for three years until her death, she was the real power behind the throne.
She is the most famous and influential princess of the Tang dynasty and possibly in the whole history of China thanks to her power, ability and ambition. She was involved in political difficulties and developments during the reigns of her mother and brothers. Indeed, after the coup against Empress Dowager Wei, she became the real ruler of Tang. During the reign of Emperor Ruizong, she was not restricted by anything, the emperor issued rulings based on her views and the courtiers and the military flattered her and majority from every civil and military class joined her faction, so her power exceeded that of the emperor.
Eventually, however, a rivalry developed between her and her nephew, Emperor Ruizong's son, Crown Prince Li Longji. Both of them were hostile in power-sharing and they fought for the monopoly over power. After Emperor Ruizong yielded the throne to Li Longji (as Emperor Xuanzong) in 712, the conflict came to the political forefront, and openly, the court became a manifestation of conspiracy rather than the administration of the empire; in 713, Emperor Xuanzong, according to historical records, believing that she was planning to overthrow him, acted first, executing a large number of her powerful allies and forcing her to commit suicide.
------
The relationship between Shangguan Wan'er and Princess Taiping has always been written as "enemies" in official history, but with the phrase "千年万岁,椒花颂声", their friendship that has been buried for thousands of years was revealed.
The"千年万岁,椒花颂声" sentence comes from the epitaph written by Princess Taiping for Shangguan Wan'er. The original text is: "潇湘水断,宛委山倾,珠沉圆折,玉碎连城。甫瞻松槚,静听坟茔,千年万岁,椒花颂声”
Translation: Now that you are far away, the sky and the earth will lose their color. I'm afraid that all I can do in the future is to sit and look at the tea tree in front of your tomb. Maybe I can hear your voice again when I stand within an inch of the tomb. But this is a delusion after all, a quiet tomb, no beautiful face, a empty place of death. I hope that in a thousand or ten thousand years, there will still be people like me who remember you.
------
3.【Late Qing Dynasty】:Lü Bicheng(呂碧城) & Qiu Jin (秋瑾)
Tumblr media
Lü Bicheng(呂碧城)also known as Alice Pichen Lee(1883–1943) was a Chinese writer, activist, newspaper editor, poet and school founder. She has been mentioned as one of the top four women in literature from the early Republic of China.
When she was four, her father retired to Lu'an, Anhui. She lived a life of comfort until the age of 12, when her father died in 1895. Because Lü Fengqi had no male heir, relatives of the Lü lineage contested for his inheritance, and Yan Shiyu and her four daughters were forced to move to Lai'an County to live with her natal family. When she was nine, Lü Bicheng was betrothed to a Wang family, but as her own family fortune declined, the Wang family broke off the marriage contract, giving the young Bicheng the stigma of a "rejected woman". The resulting emotional scar is often considered a major factor in her later decision to never marry.[8] Her widowed mother and the Lü girls were not well treated at the Yan family in rural Anhui. When Lü was 15 or 16, Yan Shiyu sent her to live with her maternal uncle Yan Langxuan (嚴朗軒), who was the salt administrator in Tanggu, the port city outside the northern metropolis of Tianjin. Her sister Huiru also joined her later.
During her stay in Tanggu, Qing China went through the tumultuous period of the failed Hundred Days' Reform of 1898, which brought about increasing awareness of women's education, and the Boxer Rebellion of 1900. In 1904, Mrs. Fang, the wife of her uncle's secretary, invited Lü Bicheng to visit a girls' school in Tianjin, but her uncle prevented her from going and severely reprimanded her. The next day, she ran away from her uncle's home, and took the train to Tianjin with no money or luggage. She wrote a letter to Mrs. Fang, who was staying at the dormitory of the Ta Kung Pao newspaper. Ying Lianzhi, the Catholic Manchu nobleman who founded the newspaper, read the letter and was so impressed by it that he made her an assistant editor. Lü Bicheng wrote a "progressive" ci that she had previously written, set to "A River Full of Red" ("Manjianghong") usually used to express heroic emotions. Ying transcribed the whole song in her diary and published it in L'impartial two days later. At the time, it was sensational for a woman to write for an influential national newspaper such as Ta Kung Pao. She was 21 years old. She used Ta Kung Pao to promote feminism and became a well-known figure.
Lü's ci poetry was published in the newspaper and it was very well received. She was the chief editor of the newspaper from 1904 to 1908. In 1904 she decided to improve education for girls. She had published her thoughts on women's rights and the general editor of the newspaper introduced her to Yan Fu who was an advocate for Western ideas. The Beiyang Women's Normal School was established that same year. At 23 Lü took on the job of principal of the school she had founded two years before. At first this school found it difficult to find girls who qualified for secondary education and students were brought in from Shanghai to make up the numbers.
Lü knew the revolutionary Qiu Jin and they had similar objectives but Lü did not join her in Japan when she was invited as she was unsure whether women should meddle in politics. She was then chosen to be secretary to Yuan Shikai, one of the most powerful people in China. When he set out to declare himself emperor of China she left, like many of his followers, and abandoned him.
--
Tumblr media
Qiu Jin (秋瑾)8 November 1875 – 15 July 1907,was a Chinese revolutionary, feminist, and writer.Her sobriquet name is Jianhu Nüxia (Chinese: 鑑湖女俠 lit. 'Woman Knight of Mirror Lake').
Qiu was born into a wealthy family. Her grandfather worked in the Xiamen city government and was responsible for the city's defense. Zhejiang province was famous for female education, and Qiu Jin had support from her family when she was young to pursue her educational interests. Her father, Qiu Shounan, was a government official and her mother came from a distinguished literati-official family. Qiu Jin's wealthy and educated background, along with her early exposure to political ideologies were key factors in her transformation to becoming a female pioneer for the woman's liberation movement and the republican revolution in China.
In the early 1900s, Japan had started to experience western influences earlier than China. As to not fall behind, the Qing government sent many elites to learn from the Japanese. Qiu Jin was one of these elites that got the chance to study overseas. After studying in a women's school in Japan, Qiu returned to China to participate in a variety of revolutionary activities; and through her involvement with these activities, it became clear how Qiu wanted others to perceive her. Qiu called herself 'Female Knight-Errant of Jian Lake' — the role of the knight-errant, established in the Han dynasty, was a prototypically male figure known for swordsmanship, bravery, faithfulness, and self-sacrifice — and 'Vying for Heroism'
Qiu Jin had her feet bound and began writing poetry at an early age. With the support from her family, Qiu Jin also learned how to ride a horse, use a sword, and drink wine—activities that usually only men were permitted to learn at the time.In 1896 Qiu Jin got married. At the time she was only 21, which was considered late for a woman of that time. Qiu Jin's father arranged her marriage to Wang Tingchun, the youngest son of a wealthy merchant in Hunan province. Qiu Jin did not get along well with her husband, as her husband only cared about enjoying himself.While in an unhappy marriage, Qiu came into contact with new ideas. The failure of her marriage affected her decisions later on, including choosing to study in Japan.
While still in Tokyo, Qiu single-handedly edited a journal, Vernacular Journal (Baihua Bao). A number of issues were published using vernacular Chinese as a medium of revolutionary propaganda. In one issue, Qiu wrote A Respectful Proclamation to China's 200 Million Women Comrades, a manifesto within which she lamented the problems caused by bound feet and oppressive marriages. Having suffered from both ordeals herself, Qiu explained her experience in the manifesto and received an overwhelmingly sympathetic response from her readers. Also outlined in the manifesto was Qiu's belief that a better future for women lay under a Western-type government instead of the Qing government that was in power at the time. She joined forces with her cousin Xu Xilin and together they worked to unite many secret revolutionary societies to work together for the overthrow of the Qing dynasty.
Between 1905 and 1907, Qiu Jin was also writing a novel called Stones of the Jingwei Bird in traditional ballad form, a type of literature often composed by women for women audiences. The novel describes the relationship between five wealthy women who decide to flee their families and the arranged marriages awaiting them in order to study and join revolutionary activities in Tokyo. Titles for the later uncompleted chapters suggest that the women will go on to talk about “education, manufacturing, military activities, speechmaking, and direct political action, eventually overthrowing the Qing dynasty and establishing a republic” — all of which were subject matters that Qiu either participated in or advocated for.
Life after returning to China
Qiu Jin was known as an eloquent orator who spoke out for women's rights, such as the freedom to marry, freedom of education, and abolishment of the practice of foot binding. In 1906 she founded China Women's News (Zhongguo nü bao), a radical women's journal with another female poet, Xu Zihua in Shanghai. They published only two issues before it was closed by the authorities. In 1907, she became head of the Datong school in Shaoxing, ostensibly a school for sport teachers, but really intended for the military training of revolutionaries[citation needed]. While teaching in Datong school, she kept secret connection with local underground organization—The Restoration Society. This organization aimed to overthrow the Manchu government and restore Chinese rule.
Death
In 1907, Xu Xilin, Qiu’s friend and the Datong school’s co-founder was executed for attempting to assassinate his Manchu superior. In the same year, the authorities arrested Qiu at the school for girls where she was the principal. She was tortured but refused to admit her involvement in the plot. Instead the authorities used her own writings as incrimination against her and, a few days later, she was publicly beheaded in her home village, Shanyin, at the age of 31. Her last written words, her death poem, uses the literal meaning of her name, Autumn Gem, to lament of the failed revolution that she would never see take place:
秋風秋雨愁煞人 (Autumn wind, autumn rain — they make one die of sorrow)
After Qiu Jin was killed, no one dared to collect her body. Lu Bicheng endured her grief and took great risks to bury her friend. The guarding Qing army learned that the woman who came to collect the corpse was Lu Bicheng, who was famous in China, and they had no choice but to do anything.
Qiu Jin's death caused Lu Bicheng to lose a rare confidant in life. She wrote many poems in memory of Qiu Jin, recalling this like-minded friend.
Later, Lü Bicheng wrote "The Biography of the Revolutionary Heroine Qiu Jin" in English, which was published in newspapers in New York, Chicago and other places in the United States. It caused a great response and not only made many people in the world know about Qiu Jin's legendary story, but also published it in newspapers in New York and Chicago. It also makes people understand the darkness and corrupt social status quo of the Qing Dynasty. Lu Bicheng used a pen of her own to record her friendship with Qiu Jin, and also fulfilled her promise to Qiu Jin to respond with the "battle of words"
————————
📸Video & 🧚🏻‍ Model:@荷里寒 & @阿时Ashi_
🔗Weibo:https://weibo.com/3618951560/NEZZnpQRq
————————
358 notes · View notes
ms-cartoon · 3 months
Text
Tumblr media
Charlie genuinley annoyed me this ep.
I get that she means well and didn't intend for anything bad to happen, but she was a real burden during her appearance here. I also understand that she has such high positivity about all the sinners in hell, but she needs to get a clue. She may be naive, but she's not blind. Actually, it's not really her that I'm annoyed with but more or less how she's written so far.
She tried to keep Angel from leaving the hotel because she wanted him to focus more on her redemption exercises and looking back on it, she was kind of coming off as selfish here. Uh, ma'am? Did it ever occur to you that these people have (after)lives to live apart from staying at your hotel? If Alastor is allowed to participate in his radio shows, then Angel can do his job as a pornstar. You do not need him to stick around that badly. He lives there! Your exercises can be saved at a later date.
That was her first step in being a nuisance, but then she makes it worse by showing up on Val's set unannounced. She really should've thought this through a little bit. Idk what she thought talking with Val would do for Angel. And when Angel frantically tells her to leave, she hardly bats an eye at this. Like he's obviously panicking as if he's going to get in trouble and she doesn't get a clue at this? Like I said- she's naive, but she's not BLIND!
Plus, you'd think that miss "I don't take shit from other demons" Would have a little bit more backbone in her when she's disrespected in the slightest. She literally gets harassed at work and she doesn't give Val a new one for it. Girl, if you don't rock his shit-!
Also, while it probably wouldn't have solved anything for Angel, maybe if Charlie just stood to the side and waited for the porn scene to end instead of talking to the film staff while they were in the middle of a shoot, things wouldn't have escalated to a literal fire hazard. And then she starts suggesting to Val of different scenarios for the porno they're filming?? Like- Girl, can you not--!
I'm sorry! I know this is coming off as ranting and not critiquing, but pondering about all this irritates me and I can't think straight when typing.
287 notes · View notes
treecove · 18 days
Text
wanna help me and my cats out?
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
hi im neo, and those four are my cats.
being physically disabled and unable to work, making sure that they get enough exercise and enrichment can be... taxing on myself to say the least.
their last cat trees recently broke, and they dont really have that many toys any more. while they do get outside on leashes, it's not regular enough due to my physical health being the main factor on if i can do that. they have a lot of shelves for climbing around the place, and i'm currently working on putting up some more and making a climbing surface with some carpet for them, but i'd still like to be able to have a bit more for them.
this is not to say that they arent happy and healthy- i go above and beyond for all four of them. the problem lies in that me needing to do more walks and things with them, as their current setup is not really adequate, means that i physically end up struggling for my own needs.
i have POTs, a degenerative spine condition, fibro, and a heart problem related to connective tissue disorder (currently being invesitgated). this along with my own mental issues makes things very exhausting! i always always put my cats first, but my own health then falls by the wayside. this has a cycle of me crashing and not being able to properly provide for them for a few days beyond just food.
i did also have another cat, who would be the main source of play and companionship for the last two cats pictured, especially his brother (third pictured). he unfortunately passed due to unforeseen medical issues that caused a severe unrinary blockage. ever since then, those two have been restless and often get into near-fights, as the brother specifically has the most energy and now doesnt have his bonded partner. he has even begun to harass the other two, which has led to at least a few actual fights with the oldest sister who is getting on a bit in years, so it's not good for her either.
more toys and areas to explore, and places for the others to hide, would be helpful in this!
i have a wishlist of things that would help make my cat's lives happier, and my life caring for them easier.
it's a UK amazon wishlist, however i will be looking at more local stores for any other options or things that i can get for them as well.
if you can't/prefer not to help via amazon, i have my paypal and revolut (please ignore the deadnames on both <3).
this is not an emergency, it would just really, really help my QOL and that of my cats. thanks for reading, reblogging, or helping <3
355 notes · View notes
pumpkinpaix · 10 months
Text
Regarding #EndOTWRacism’s summaries of 2023 OTW Board election candidate positions
Before I begin, let me say now that while I am a volunteer with the OTW, my views are personal and should not be taken as any kind of official statement from the org, its leadership, or other volunteers, especially not the candidates in question. My focus here is on the Asian candidates for obvious reasons, but this post is not meant as endorsement or disavowal of any of the candidates, whose bios and platforms can all be read here.
Do not take this as an excuse harass the mods running EOTWR. I cannot make myself clearer.
--
I am making this post to express my extreme disappointment with End OTW Racism’s post purporting to summarize the platforms of the candidates for the upcoming Board elections. It is no longer rebloggable, but can be read here.
The way that the candidates with Asian names were spoken of is deeply insulting when compared with how candidates with English-language names were discussed. Asian candidates had their platforms misrepresented, their expertise downplayed, and their lived experiences reduced down to “bringing an international presence” to the board, which was then further caveated with, “diversity alone is not going to solve the issue of racist harassment currently allowed in the OTW’s policies and enforcement practice”. While it is true that diversity alone is not a solution, it’s pretty offensive to essentially have “remember! Just because they aren’t white doesn’t mean you should vote for them!” tacked on to one of the Asian candidates��� platforms. 
End OTW Racism seems more concerned with whether or not candidates used the buzzwords they wanted to hear rather than with how racism is discussed holistically within the statements. While I can appreciate that EOTWR has a specific agenda, to say things like, “[s]he does not mention racism, racist harassment, or hiring a DEI consultant in her platform, so outside the outreach and support she mentions, there is not enough for us to conclude that these would be priorities for her” regarding Zixin Z.’s position, directly following the statement, “[s]he also mentions the need for outreach towards non-English-speaking fans and has a desire to provide support to volunteers from minority groups” is fucking laughable, especially after the initial mistake of stating that Zixin Z. only wanted to do more outreach to Chinese-speaking fans. Again, I understand that people make mistakes and that this mistake has since been corrected, but I hope it prompts some reflection on the sort of biases that would lead to such a mistake in the first place. It may have been completely innocuous, but in charged discussions about racism, please understand that it gives an impression that is difficult to shake. I do thank you for not trying to hide that this happened. 
Why is Anh P.’s lack of discussion on TOS/PAC a point against her, while Zixin Z.’s years of experience on PAC, her role as a mod on Weibo, and her background in nonprofits don’t even warrant a mention? For that matter, why did none of the Asian candidates’ skills or experience warrant mention? Qiao C. and Zixin Z. have both been volunteers with the organization for several years now, and Anh P. has years of moderation and volunteer experience elsewhere prior to her work with the OTW.
It is so fucking frustrating that despite each one of these candidates specifically talking about the need for diverse voices, they had their platforms essentially passed over because they didn’t use the right words, and it is particularly fucking aggravating to see that EOTWR will use Chinese issues as props when trying to press OTW leadership on the racism that occurs within the org, but then completely fail to connect the dots on why these candidates are running because the wrong language was used. Zixin Z. is one of the Weibo mods, for fuck’s sake. 
The entire post feels like an exercise in virtue signalling, from every time it was brought up that a candidate did not provide pronouns in their platform statements, despite every one of them having pronouns provided in their bios (why mention this detail at all? You could have simply used the pronouns), to what felt like willful obliviousness to the anti-racism stances in the Asian candidates’ platforms. It feels like the concern starts and ends with racism in Anglophone terms, on Anglophone terms.
I can respect the driving ideas behind EOTWR, even if I disagree with the way that EOTWR pursues their goals. I do believe that we want the same things in the end, and therefore chose not to interact with the many posts I have seen about the protest. However, I saw the summary post and could not let it pass without speaking.
For a protest group supposedly dedicated to ending racism in the OTW, this felt incredibly hypocritical, conscious bias or not. In my most charitable frame of mind, I can see this as misjudging and overcorrecting to ensure that there was no favoritism shown to the obvious non-white candidates lest EOTWR be accused of tokenizing– again, it is true, that diversity in and of itself is not a solution to racism. 
In my least charitable and most bitter frame of mind, I feel inclined to wonder if EOTWR, much like the OTW itself, is uncomfortable with the lack of influence they could exude over an international candidate. It would be much, much easier to push their agenda forward with more culturally familiar candidates, particularly white ones. Guilt and public scrutiny are powerful weapons and easy to wield against those with perceived privilege in our current atmosphere, often to the detriment of the actual discussion at hand in my experience. I know that’s cynical. It’s hard not to be. (For clarity's sake: I do not know the other candidates' races. This is a hypothetical.)
This isn’t a demand for an apology. I think we fetishize the capital-A Apology to the point where I find them sort of meaningless unless they are given freely. I don’t need EOTWR to agree with me, and I don’t really want to keep talking about it. Rather, I would prefer that EOTWR take action to do better as they continue in their campaign. What that action is is their decision. If they truly mean to stand against racism in the OTW, then I’d like them to demonstrate it.
--
DO NOT HARASS EOTWR MODS. I AM FUCKING SERIOUS ABOUT THIS.
629 notes · View notes
coochiequeens · 2 years
Text
As if women joggers aren’t already on edge there’s a perv harassing women in Texas
THE WOODLANDS, Texas – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office wants joggers to be on the lookout for a man who they said inappropriately touched a woman running near a park in The Woodlands Thursday morning,
Deputies were dispatched around 11 a.m. to a report of an indecent exposure on the running trails behind Ridgewood Park.
Upon arrival, they learned that a suspect approached a female jogger, touched her on the buttocks, and then exposed himself. The jogger acted quickly, pushing the man away. The suspect ran north towards the soccer fields, deputies said. 
The suspect is described as a black male, age 25 to 30 years old, and stands between 5 feet 8 to 5 feet 10 inches tall, with a muscular build. He was wearing a dark shirt, grey jogging pants, and black and white shoes. 
Anyone who is approached by the suspect, or any other person threatening harm, please report it to law enforcement immediately.
MCSO said to please remember these safety tips when exercising outdoors:
Always pay attention to your surroundings and those around you
Consider leaving one earbud out so you can hear and maintain situational awareness
Exercise with friends or a partner
As the days grow shorter, be aware and plan accordingly
Avoid exercising alone after dark 
Consider taking a self-defense class
The sheriff’s office offers free R.A.D. Women’s Self-Defense classes. Visit MCTXSheriff.org and click on the ‘Women’s Self-Defense’ link at the bottom of the page for more information.
2 notes · View notes
Text
Ikeprinces Ranked By Their Swim Speed
God Tier
RIO . This may be controversial, and while in practice his speed seems indistinguishable from Silvio’s, on paper it’s a different story. He didn’t survive a lifetime of well-intentioned harassment and water chases to come out as the loser. And frankly, even Silvio’s a little proud of his bro.
SILVIO . (Bane-voice) They say he was born in the sea. A sea of amniotic fluid.
LUKE . What he lacks in swim speed (which he doesn’t) he makes up for in sheer power.
Olympic Tier
KEITH . He is a powerful, tol boi.
LICHT . Our exercise king does not limit himself to activities on land.
JIN . You can’t be in his line of work and risk getting caught, no matter the terrain.
SARIEL . His regular outfit is basically a medieval goth wetsuit.
LEON . Faster than Chev? What? Am I on drugs? They have comparable swim speeds, but Leon has a sleight height advantage which he has learned to make exquisite use of.
CHEVALIER . What he lacks in swim speed he makes up for in sheer power and underwater presence. Shark energy.
Wet Clavis Tier
CLAVIS . What kind of list would this be if Clavis wasn’t exactly one spot below Chev.
Weenie Hut Jr. Tier
NOKTO . No
YVES . Ponds hate him. Mud wants to date him.
GILBERT . You cannot measure what does not exist.
209 notes · View notes
genshin-scenarios · 7 months
Text
secrets shared by two—☆
Summary: Idol AU headcanons with them! (For another version with 5wirl, check my previous post!)
Characters: Wanderer, Albedo, Lyney
Tumblr media
Wanderer & Albedo: Reader is their unit's junior manager, joining them at their highschool to make sure things are fine. You’re undercover, but they aren’t. (If this sounds familiar, yes the setting is inspired by Heroine Tarumono!)
Despite his annoyance at being forced to go to a normal highschool, Wanderer is pretty good at keeping a low profile. He'll study, do what's needed, and get out of there as soon as the bell rings.
All he wants is to be left alone and have some peace and quiet, but sometimes his fans would approach him with gifts and letters, which he'd politely reply to with a smile while hoping you'd come around the corner so he could use you as a scapegoat.
As much as you were all instructed to be secretive about your manager job, Wanderer does seek you out more often than not. He says it's because you're supposed to keep people away from harassing them, but you fail to see how this applies to other guys asking if he'd like to join a sports match during lunch.
And while you're plenty confident during your work, he's noticed you're a little less assertive in school. Which also means that you lose out on food items that get sold out quickly because you keep getting cut in line - so he pretends to be picky with food to give them to you. 
Once, you were working late the night before and he could see the dark circles under your eyes. Suffice to say he got up, saying he wasn’t feeling well and needed to go to the nurse’s office - your teacher was informed about your job, and thus assigned you to follow Wanderer. 
As soon as you get to the nurse’s office he simply stands there and asks you to lie down. There’s a moment of confusion before Wanderer explains he could hear you yawning from across the room (lie), so you should rest while he’s still in the mood to cover for you.
People can't tell if you're close or not unless they really pay attention (Wanderer tends to watch for things happening around you and Albedo, his gaze lingering only on people that he actually bothers about.) You once got whiplash from seeing him speak to others and then texting you after. He really is a two-faced idol… you have to commend his acting skills.
Tumblr media
Surprises everyone (and this somehow makes it onto celebrity news, along with Wanderer's talent at kendo and literature knowledge) with his academic expertise - particularly in the sciences and painting/drawing.
Albedo didn't really care much for the attention, but with so many eyes on him, he’s careful about hiding the sketches he's done of you during class. (You’re seated at a perfect spot next to the window’s lighting, so sometimes Albedo draws you absentmindedly while he listens in class.)
He doesn't want to bring you trouble, which is why Albedo is also quite good at keeping up the pretense of a kind classmate whenever he helps you pick up a pencil you dropped, or takes half the stack of the class’ exercise books to the teacher's office.
Quite enjoys spending lunch times in a quiet classroom or the greenhouse - which is normally closed off for higher-grade science lessons, but Albedo managed to request for special access because he wanted to paint the flowers there in peace. 
Of course, you become a part of this hideaway quite quickly - Albedo finds this secret rendezvous quite fun, and if you take the chance to have a nap because you're too tired… Who's he to deny you of your rest? It's in their unit's best interests to have their manager at optimum level after all.
Albedo has to admit; he quite enjoyed being at school like this because it gave him a chance to see you laughing with friends and having fun as just a teenager, rather than at work. This might be why on a weekend, he'd asked if you could accompany him to try the crepes nearby campus, seeing as it was quite popular amongst your peers. 
Sometimes Albedo notices you doing homework while waiting for them, only to spring to your feet and pass them drinks and towels once they exited the practice room. He offers to help tutor you if there’s anything you’re having trouble with (Albedo can’t help but admire how much effort you put into tackling your responsibilities. It makes him confident that he can rely on you well.)
Tumblr media
Lyney: a solo idol who’s great at capturing hearts - figures that you’re one of the only highschoolers in the modern world that don’t follow that side of pop-culture. Lyney is undercover here and dresses a little differently! 
In school, Lyney tries to blend in. He’s friendly and has a nice smile, but above that reserves his energetic self for his idol work. It’s a little therapeutic really, to just attend classes and let his hair down (literally, and wearing fake glasses too for an extra touch).
The first time you took notice of Lyney is when you found him practicing magic tricks in a quiet corner of the library. You didn’t speak up then, but as soon as you turned around you let out a surprised squeak and covered your mouth; Lynette had just turned the corner with her backpack in tow, her eyes lighting up with equal surprise that you were there.
Awkward as it was, you quickly excused yourself and scurried away, trying to forget about the encounter. Later on you realize Lyney was in the same class as you, though he sat two rows behind you so you wouldn’t see him normally. When the teacher makes everyone switch seats however, you do find yourself next to him.
Lyney offered you a small smile and apologized for Lynette startling you the other day. You asked him about the magic tricks he was practicing, and the rest of your interactions were history.
Could you call it friendship? You spoke to one-another in class, sometimes in the hallways or library, but otherwise it wasn’t like you were close enough to hang out after school. It was a pleasant sort of dynamic though, and you enjoyed the routine of seeing Lyney every week.
Lyney on the other hand, was slowly but surely falling into dangerous territory when it came to you. He tries to tell himself it’s just friendship, but one look from Lynette and he has to bury his face in his hands to try to ignore the way his heart was beating out of his chest.
You’ve always expressed interest in his hobby of magic, and shared the same tastes in shows and books about fantastical mysteries… Sometimes he daydreams about your reaction if he’d told you he was the idol Felis; would you be awed, surprised, or intimidated? He brought up the topic of idols to you once, not-so-secretly waiting for your reaction, only to feel like a boulder had landed on him when you said you didn’t follow any of them at all, much less recognise anything beyond their posters and most popular songs.
…So you might think he’s weird rather than cool, in the worst case scenario. His mind gives him a slideshow of all the fanservice and promotional photoshoots he’s done, and firmly pushes the memories away from his mind. Nevermind trying to impress you with his job, now he hopes you’ll never find out! What if you laughed at him? He might have to move schools and never step foot in this classroom again!
Dramatics aside, Lyney does like to hum songs when he’s doing homework. So when you ask him for the name of the tune, he gives you a mischievous smile and says he’ll tell you if you dance with him in exchange. 
Playing along, you sometimes wonder how much more of Lyney’s personality you haven’t seen. You’ve witnessed his cute moments, and protectiveness over his sister - but hints of something more extroverted plays in his eyes at times, inexplicably pulling you closer towards him.
You’ve always tried not to overstep your bounds, but it seems that over the course of these few months, you could never go a day without seeing or speaking to Lyney. Sometimes you wonder what he’d look like with his hair tied up, seeing as his sister always had hers in braids.
Turns out, Lyney is pretty good at dancing. It almost seems like he’s practiced this before, as he leads you in an improvised version of a choreography he’s done a hundred times. Perhaps it’s a more carefree version, but you have a feeling this improvised stage belonged solely to him, spotlights and all.
When you look back at Lyney though, the feeling is gone as soon as it appeared. Did you imagine it? You could’ve sworn that he wore a different expression just a second ago.
370 notes · View notes
highseas-swede · 4 months
Text
...I seriously cannot stress how much I hate tags like "Give us BAMF Aziraphale" because it seems to imply that he's not badass.
He IS. Tell me how well most people could endure 6000 years of consistent, persistent demoralization, harassment and shitty treatment without snapping?
Do you know how HARD it is to be kind when you've been put through a system that actively discourages kindness and softness, a system that tries to beat it out of you - not physically, but still. The fact that Aziraphale got through all of that and is not just still kind, but still has the capacity to be kind to the very people who hurt him, is fucking remarkable.
Aziraphale is badass. Period. Full Stop.
It's well past time that we stopped equating physical and fighting prowess as a measure of badassery. Just about anyone can exercise and get strong enough to fight someone. Just about anyone could possibly get weapons training. Neither of these things is half as brave as putting yourself in front of a crowd of people and holding off 70 demons with just conviction and a candleholder because it's the RIGHT THING TO DO.
EDIT: I had to add this while I was thinking of it.
I feel like people are buying into Heaven's version of badassery. Angels were made to FIGHT. To fight the last big battle against demons and Hell.
Aziraphale is a deviation because he DOES NOT WANT THAT. He doesn't want to fight a war that will hurt billions and destroy the world. His defining moment in Season 1 is when he stands in the face of the quartermaster and refuses to fight the way they want him to. Instead of a weapon, he chooses to find another way.
If anything, I would think it's leading to the idea that Aziraphale feels he must fight, that he has no choice, and then, when it comes right down to it, finding another way. A kinder way. A BETTER way.
By the standards of Heaven, Aziraphale picking up his sword and fighting would be Normal. Him refusing and finding another way is what makes him Unique. THAT'S what makes him badass.
190 notes · View notes
doc-pickles · 5 months
Text
waking up in vegas | matthew tkachuk x hughes!sister (pt.10)
Tumblr media
series masterlist
summary: siblings come to visit and everything changes
warnings: none :)
a/n: okay this is the last official part of this fic BUT I have lots of one shots, social media blurbs, and headcanons rolling around in my head so this is not the end of this universe! thank you all so much for loving this fic as much as you do! i didn't think that this random idea in my head would turn into something so big but I am SO happy it did. i hope you all love this ending as much as I do!
xoxo
nina
“Does the crib really need to be built today?” Matthew groaned as he sat on the floor of the nursery. 
“We’re a month out from my due date, we need to be prepared as possible,” you smiled at him from your spot perched on the glider in the corner of the room. “Think of it as a team building exercise.”
Matthew scoffed, “And what team is that?”
“Team Tkachuk, obviously.”
Matthew smirked up at you, ears tinged pink at the comment. Your relationship had blossomed since your confessions to each other and you found yourself falling more and more in love with him everyday. 
“Okay fine, but only because I know if I don’t build this you’ll try and do it by yourself tomorrow when I go to the rink and that’s the last thing I want.”
“Aw you know me so well,” you laughed as you pressed your fingers into your side. “Your kid is trying to break my ribs over here. Maybe they’ll take up soccer instead of hockey.”
“Don’t put that evil out there,” Matthew glared up at you as you smiled sweetly at him. “He’s gonna be a third generation hockey player.”
“And if it’s a girl?”
Matthew paused for a moment then went back to assembling the crib pieces, “Then she can be the first female NHL player.”
+
The regular season finished up two weeks before your due date, much to your relief. While you were sad the Panthers hadn’t made it into the playoffs you were happy to not have to worry about Matthew possibly missing the birth of your child.  
You and Matthew were enjoying a slow Saturday, sipping coffee and eating breakfast in the kitchen, when a loud knock interrupted your peaceful morning. 
“Who the hell is here at 8 AM,” you grumbled as Matthew headed toward the door. 
A flood of voices sounded out and before you could react all three of your brothers are standing in your kitchen. 
“What- how? What the hell are you guys doing here?” You stuttered over your words as your brothers smiled at you. “Oh my god!”
You were up and out of your seat in seconds as you went to hug all three of them. Laughter echoed around the room as your brothers brought you into their embrace. 
“You look amazing sissy,” Luke said as you pulled back, your nickname from your twin warming your heart. “Little man’s ready to pop, huh?”
“It could be a girl,” you insisted as your brothers snorted and laughed at you. “You guys suck! Worst brothers ever!”
“Sweet, the bar is on the floor,” you turned to see Brady, Emma, and Taryn standing in the entryway. “Taryn we got them beat for best siblings.”
You looked between everyone before turning to Matthew who wore his smirk that you loved so much, “Figured you might want to see everyone before Baby T comes.”
With a grin you launched yourself at Matthew, not caring about your siblings as you pressed a sweet kiss to his lips. Your brothers and Brady groaned as Taryn and Emma whooped behind you. You'd confided about everything happening between you and Matthew to the girls and they were overjoyed to hear things were going well. 
“This is borderline harassment,” Luke groaned as you and Matthew pulled apart, his arms tightly wrapped around you. “I didn’t sign up for this.”
“My house, you have to deal with me kissing my husband,” you grinned as Matthew squeezed your hips affectionately. “I’m so glad you’re all here! I missed you!” 
“We have a whole day planned,” Taryn smirked as you frowned at her. “Which we know you probably don’t want to do much, but we also know that the nursery still needs some work. So we’re here to help clean and build things and get everything ready for my niece. Well I am, I don’t know about the boys.”
You all settled in for breakfast, Brady producing a box of bagels and donuts while Quinn dished out coffees for everyone. Your siblings talked animatedly while Mathew kept you close in his hold, his hands never leaving you for more than a few seconds. 
“Okay we’re going to work on the nursery,” Quinn announced. “Why don’t you… You and Taryn and Emma can go get pedicures? I don’t know what girls do, just keep yourself busy and don’t worry about us.” 
You glared at Quinn, looking between your brothers, Brady, and Matthew, “If I had to worry about anyone it would be you five. Don’t ruin my baby’s room.” 
Matthew grinned as he leaned down to kiss you, one hand coming up to cup your ever growing bump, “Enjoy yourself a little, yeah? And call me if you need anything.”
You blushed under his gaze, nodding as you leaned in for one more kiss. When you pulled apart your eyes flitted to your brothers who were all watching silently. With a quick thank you, you and Emma and Taryn headed out the door. 
+
“Soooo…?”
Looking over your sandwich you rolled your eyes at Taryn, “Just ask what you want to.”
“How’re things with Matthew,” Taryn eyed you warily, Emma raising an eyebrow in your direction . “Asking as a friend not a sister by the way.”
With a pause you stared at your lunch, thinking back on the past few months. From Thanksgiving to now your life had changed so much. Moving to Florida, falling in love with Matthew, preparing to be a mom… All of these were experiences that had changed you so much. 
“It’s good… It’s great actually,” you sighed and smiled at the girls. “I don’t know Matty is just different now. He’s so sweet and caring and… And I love him. I’ve never said it but I do. I wouldn’t pick anyone else to have a baby with or be married to. The ways my life has changed have been so crazy but I wouldn’t change anything.”
Taryn looked at you with teary eyes and grabbed your hand across the table, “I’m so happy for you two. Three. God I can’t believe Matt is gonna be a dad.”
“He’s such a different person,” Emma remarked. “Even Brady thinks so. I’m glad you two have found each other, no matter how unconventional it was.”
The three of you laughed together and finished your lunch. Exiting the restaurant you headed toward your car, pausing to grab Taryn’s arm, “Tare?”
“Yeah?”
“I would really like it if you’d be the baby’s godmother,” you smiled as Taryn failed to blink back her tears, Emma choking up too. “I couldn’t think of anyone better.”
With a teary laugh Taryn nodded and hugged you close, the two of you embracing in the middle of a parking lot. You knew without a doubt that your baby would be loved and cared for by all of your siblings. 
+
“Oh pizza!”
You walked into the kitchen to find a few pizza boxes scattered across the counter. Matthew came up behind you and wrapped his arms around you, holding you close. 
“Mmm we ordered from Gino’s, the place that has the Prego Pizza,” Matthew explained as he pointed to one of the boxes, his lips caressing your neck. “It’s supposed to induce labor.”
With a chuckle you crossed the kitchen, grabbing a slice of pepperoni and a slice of the pizza Matthew mentioned, “I doubt that but we can see. Baby T is comfy where they are.”
All of your siblings sat around the table, pizza and drinks flowing as they all chatted with each other. After everyone settled Matthew stood up, grinning at you before looking over the table. 
“I just wanted to say thanks to all of you for trekking down here. We appreciate it so much and know that you’re all going to be such good aunts and uncles to Baby T,” Matthew grinned and then turned to you. “And to my wife… I know this was all unplanned but I couldn’t picture doing this with anyone else. You’ve been the best partner I could ask for and I know we’ve had an unconventional start but you’re the light of every day for me. So… Thanks for sticking with me. I can’t wait to see where we head next.”
With tears in your eyes you leaned up to kiss Matthew as all your siblings cheered. Your brother’s approval meant everything to you as you all settled in for dinner, chirping each other and laughing around your dinner table. 
Matthew grabbed your hand under the table and you leaned into him as he kissed your forehead, “You’re my favorite, ya know?”
“I know,” you chuckled as you squeezed his hand. 
+
Your eyes shot open, reaching for your phone to check the time. 
4:18 AM
With a groan you rolled over and stood to walk toward the bathroom. But as soon as you stood up, a gush of liquid hit the floor. With wide eyes you stared at your legs until a cramp ran through your stomach. 
“Oh my god,” you gasped as you leant over the bed. “Hoooooly shit…”
Focused on your pain you didn’t even register Matthew waking up and turning the bedside light on. It wasn’t until his hand landed on your back that you looked up at him with wide eyes. 
“Hi,” you gasped out. “My water just broke.”
Without a prompt Matthew jumped into action, “Okay, bags are in the car already. What can I do for you?”
“Mmm I need new pants,” you groaned as a contraction ripped through you. “And maybe just your hand to hold. Fuck this hurts!”
Matthew grabbed your hand and used his other one to rub your back as the contraction subsided. With a deep breath you looked up at him with a grin, “Guess that pizza worked.”
Matthew laughed, helping you to sit as he grabbed you another set of underwear and sweatpants. You quickly changed and then took Matthew’s hand to head downstairs. 
You paused in front of the front door, meeting Matthew’s eyes for a long moment. The boy you’d met at your brothers hockey camp, the teen who’d begged you for cookies, the adolescent who’d bothered you for fun, the man who’d loved you so freely… You saw every version of Matthew as you stood at your front door ready to bring a new life into the world. 
“I love you,” you breathed the words out as you cupped Matthew’s cheeks. “I’ve loved you for years, but I know now that I’m in love with you. With every flaw and imperfection. Every truth you’ve given me to hold. All of it. I love you Matty, more than anything.”
Tears shining in his eyes Matthew kissed you wholeheartedly, arms wrapping around you as he held you close to him. 
“I love you too baby,” he gasped, cupping your cheeks. “So much. And I can’t wait for what’s ahead.”
+
“She’s got your eyes.”
You looked over at Matthew with tired eyes, grinning as he held your daughter in his hands. 
“Really?”
“Yeah,” you scoffed as you reached a hand out to brush her dark curls. “And the curls. She’s got my coloring and nose but she has a lot of Tkachuk in her too.”
Matthew laughed lowly then turned his attention back to your daughter with a grin, “I can’t believe you’re here. You’re real, not just a little thing I would talk to in mommy’s tummy. You’re here in my arms. God, you’re gonna be such a good hockey player. Ice those boys and show em who��s boss.”
The tears fell from Matthew’s eyes before you could comfort him but he was still laughing as he stared at your daughter. Finally he looked up at you with a wide grin, “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For everything. For her and for you and for… For being the best partner I could dream of. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
196 notes · View notes
ztarduzted · 28 days
Text
So like the Illymation drama????
vile take I support illy like fully I don’t get the people who don’t rn
So like ok ok don’t get me wrong, illy isn’t like perfect 100% by any means but who is??? That one carrot and chocolate thing she said in her video could have been worded better but cmon, it’s really not that big of a deal, for the most part you out understand what she was saying. The video that TBYS posted wasn’t “criticism” the way that people are trying to say it was. People are trying to play it off as just a normal constructive criticism video, but if your “constructive criticism” includes like two whole minutes of making fun of someone’s appearance for no reason, I’m concerned. Illy’s response was a bit immature, but I understand where she’s coming from. She said not to send hate and to just take down that one video, not his whole platform, because it was damaging her reputation and mental health because TBYS never even tried to make a statement telling people not to harass illy and she got sent hate for it. People are blowing it way out of proportion saying she was trying to “deplatform him” when she just wanted one video taken down because it was causing her to be deplatformed, and she never even talked about it to her actual YouTube audience, just the small community on tumblr, then TBYS made two more hate filled videos and people just kept dog piling on her. If your gonna get mad at someone for “deplatforming” a known homophobe and transphobe, maybe practice what you preach. And alongside that, I know that some sources were shown in TBYS’s original videos, but there were no links in the descriptions, and absolutely nothing in any of the response videos I’ve seen. There was one video I saw just speculating that all of her doctors were dumb and lied to her, and TBYS also said that most doctors that specialize and make money from being good at nutrition were just wrong. Also, that one response video I mentioned tried to claim gym bros were better at health than licensed professionals???????? It just feels like this is all a massive, overblown hate campaign to a creator because of mistakes. There’s a difference between constructive criticism and just making fun of someone, and while some things that TBYS said were understandable, he made a point to straight up make fun of illy in the middle of his video, not even attempt to stop his fans from harassing illy, then when she replied (and barley received any backlash mind you), he blew up making more videos sending more and more hate and trying to ruin illy’s career. I know illy could have clarified that one point in her video and acted more maturely about the situation, but people are entirely overlooking the fact that TBYS was no where near “perfect” in this situation. (Also, final note, yes, you can absolutely be fat and healthy, saying otherwise is just wrong and makes no sense. Do your research before making half hour long videos making fun of someone)
I assume this drama will just die eventually and people will move on, but either way, I’m going to continue watching and supporting Illy no matter what. She’s a fantastic content creator, and when that video first came out (and there wasn’t some dude bro on the internet telling me it was bad) I absolutely loved at and had a great time watching it. It made me feel really good about myself (since I’ve been exercising daily and been working on myself a lot, but I’ve seen little to no weight loss despite eating healthy and going on a calorie deficit and working hard. It turns out I have something up with my thyroid, and along with that, part of it is just genetics.) I’d started feeling really bad and was trying to eat the bare minimum and it was making it harder to work out and I was feeling sick all the time. One day I was staying home because I felt sick, and I watched illy’s video. It’s not like one video is going to fix my relationship with food, but it has helped. I’m still not losing weight, but I’m getting stronger, feeling better, and eating healthier. Despite all this drama, illy’s videos have helped me feel more comfortable being myself and I will continue supporting her. And Illy, if you’re (somehow) seeing this, just know that there are some people that want to see you fail, but there are so so many more people that love you and your content.
85 notes · View notes
redtsundere-writes · 24 days
Text
Jinx | Sukuna Ryomen
Tumblr media
mma fighter!sukuna ryomen x femalecoach!reader
Part 9. Don't Know
Beginning. ← Previous | Next →
Synopsis: Sukuna is a world champion with anger issues. It's believed by many that he is untrainable. Yeah, you can't train him, but you can dominate him. Contents: Fighting. Sukuna being Sukuna. Female reader being dom. Jinx AU (the BL, not the character from lol) Warnings: Cursed words. Fighting. Sexual harassment. I only read it once, lmao Word count: 2722 words. A/N: Shoutout to @ghosts-girl_ on IG for sending me a Sukuna fanart that was inspired by this fic! Tysm <3!
Btw I made a PLAYLIST
Tumblr media
Going back to the hospital always scared me. I always enter the doctor’s office with sweaty hands while imagining the worst in my mind. The white and neat walls, decorated with informative posters about the importance of exercising regularly. The light gray floor was freshly waxed, I could see my scared face reflected in it. There were a few fake plants around to make the place look less intimidating.
The doctor was asking me questions about my lifestyle over the past six months while typing incessantly on the computer perched in the middle of the large desk. The doctor took out the new x"ray that had been taken of my neck and inspected it in front of the light screen. He didn't say anything, he just analyzed her very carefully to not make a wrong diagnosis. My manager, Mei Mei, came with me this time for support despite having a tight schedule. She noticed I was nervous, so she patted me on the back to calm me down.
“Do you think she can fight soon, Doc?" Mei Mei asked him my biggest concern.
“Her neck has completely healed, if she wanted, she could fight tonight,” the doctor answered with a smile.
A sigh of relief escaped my lips at the wonderful news I had awaited for so long. 3 years to be precise. I was out of the octagon for 3 years on medical recommendation so that my neck would heal completely and avoid future injuries. My face was about to cry with joy, so I hid it in my hands. I was about to reborn, I already wanted to return to the gym with my team to train like in the old days. Start again, conquer the battlefield and recover the title that was taken from me.
Mei Mei and I left the office to meet my friend and training partner, Nobara, who was waiting for us along with Mei Mei's younger brother, Ui Ui. I told her the good news, and she hugged me happily. We used to do everything together before I was injured, now we could go back to our routine as if nothing had happened.
“Everyone will be very happy when they see you back at the gym,” Nobara said excitedly.
“Finally,” I sighed heavily jokingly. “Mei Mei, shall I ask you to gather the team?” I asked her nicely.
Mei Mei was in charge of ensuring that my schedule was met without delays. She was the one who organizes my fights, gathers athletes for special training, hires doctors, etc. She was always busy, but she never let me out of her sight. Not only that, but she always took care of my my needs even though Team Black gives me everything I need. I told her not to worry so much in several occasions, but she always responded with “you never know.”
"I'm already on it, darling. Also, since your appearances with Ryomen, there are several sponsors interested in you,” Mei Mei reminded me of the unexpected kiss Sukuna gave me after his crushing victory against Naoya a couple of weeks ago. "Your life will return to normal in no time."
"When do you plan to come back?” Nobara asked me excitedly.
"I don't know yet, I have to talk to Sukuna's manager to agree on a release date and find a replacement,” I replied.
"When you have the date, let me know,” Mei Mei asked me without taking her eyes off her phone.
"When you return, could you bring me something signed by the King of the Ring?". Ui Ui asked excitedly.
"I'll see what I can do,” I answered honestly.
Mei Mei and Ui Ui left after that. Once we lost sight of them, Nobara took my hands to approach my face curiously. I moved away from her face at the unexpected proximity. When I saw her eyes sparkling from excitement, I could imagine what she wanted.
"So… You and Sukuna, huh?" she asked excitedly.
Since living with him, I have noticed that our relationship had improved, but only as a coach-athlete relationship. I haven't noticed that he treats me sweeter, that he gives me flirtatious glances or that he gets nervous when I am around. He continues to act as the same fearsome Sukuna as always.
My feelings towards him have also increased. When I have to watch him to make sure he does the exercises, my mind travels back to the passionate nights we've had together. I can no longer see his hands without thinking about how he holds me by the waist or his face without imagining him moaning my name. He made me blush without even trying, I was fed up. It was so frustrating not being able to do my job well.
"There’s nothing between me and Sukuna,” I answered, removing my hands from the grip.
"Don’t lie to me! Everyone saw that passionate kiss he gave you!" Nobara scolded while pretending to make out with herself.
"Sukuna only did it to annoy Naoya," I answered, trying to downplay it…
…but I couldn't ignore it. After that night, my perspective on Sukuna had completely changed. I wasn't surprised that I fell in love with him, I mean, I have a reputation for choosing the worst possible men. I had to get rid of this feeling as soon as I could. If I could do it while I lived with him, great, but I knew perfectly well that after asking for my resignation, Sukuna would throw me out and this feeling would go away on its own like a cold.
"And how are you so sure that he doesn't like you?" Nobara asked me.
The idea that Sukuna was interested in me in that way was tempting. It wasn't crazy considering we've already slept together twice, and he kissed me on international television, but I highly doubted that was the case. Yuuji had told me that Sukuna wasn't interested in having a girlfriend and I doubt that will change anytime soon.
“Impossible,” I answered without further ado.
"Oh, come on! Men never kiss woman just because,” Nobara argued.
"What do you know know about men? You're a lesbian,” I joked.
"I know how they behave when they like a girl, it's what we have in common," she challenged me.
My heart wanted to believe her, but my mind warned me with red flags that I shouldn't. Being in love is complicated.
At first, I had a hard time adjusting to living with Sukuna. I lived alone for so long that I forgot how it was living with someone. Quickly, I could adapt to his cold attitude in the morning, seeing him walk around the house wet and with a towel wrapped around his slutty waist, and listening to his complaints when we left the gym. Sukuna is the one who pays for everything, the only thing I could contribute to the house was to cook for him from time to time if the cook was not available. I couldn't help but feel like a sugar baby, but that feeling went away every time I used the magnificent indoor pool.
The microwave announcing that my popcorn was ready brought me out of my thoughts. I was preparing myself some popcorn as tonight's fights began. The schedule was not very exciting, except for the main fight. The fight for the heavyweight division championship between Toji Fushiguro and Aoi Todo. A battle between two powerful giants of the UFC.
I returned to the kitchen to prepare the popcorn to my liking in a bowl. I opened the refrigerator to look for the juice I had bought before I got home. Being a high-performance athlete, Sukuna's smart refrigerator only served to store large amounts of chicken breast, vegetables, and sparkling water. If I wanted something with sugar or “chemicals”, I had to buy it myself and hide it so as not to tempt Sukuna's appetite. As I closed the door, I noticed the new dietary regimen that Sukuna's nutritionist had asked hm to follow.
"Chicken, rice, and broccoli for 4 days straight? No wonder he's always so angry,” I thought out loud as I quickly scanned the sheet of paper.
No sugar. Do not eat carbs after 6 pm. Just an egg without yolk in the morning. I knew that Sukuna was a highly disciplined athlete, but going on such a demanding diet was ridiculous. If a nutritionist asked me to follow this regimen like a soldier, I would fire her in no time.
There were so many things I wanted to change about his extreme lifestyle, but I was sure I wouldn't be able to figure it out before my last day. Furthermore, I had to tell him that I would no longer be his coach and that someone else was going to take my place. I didn't know how he would even take the news. I just had to make sure to tell him when he is in a good mood. Who am I kidding? He is never in a good mood, that goes against his personality.
"Fuck this shit!" Sukuna yelled as he reluctantly entered the house. Now was not the right time to tell him.
He tossed his backpack onto the small stool at the entrance, where we kept our shoes and had a mirror for finishing touches. Sukuna slammed the door shut which offended my ears. I just watched him confused while I ate my popcorn.
"Things didn’t go well with the Olympian?" I asked, trying to understand where his anger was coming from.
While I was at the doctor, Sukuna went to the Olympic stadium to have an exclusive sparring with a boxing gold medalist. He insisted that I cancel my appointment to come with him, but I told him that even if I did that, I wouldn't be much help. My specialty is jujitsu, not boxing. I told him that Gojo knows more than me, and he stopped annoying me.
"That idiot asked for a break on the fifth round. Can you fucking believe that?! The best boxer in the nation?! My balls can last longer than that!” He exclaimed in annoyance as he ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation.
"Could it be because it was training and not a real fight?" I asked before putting a popcorn in my mouth, staying calm. If I got down to his level, he would only get more upset.
"If I had wanted to waste my time, I would have trained with one of the gym's rookies,"Sukuna mumbled.
He sat on the stool and sighed heavily as he unlaced his shoes to enter the house. I could see the helplessness in his eyes at not having the demanding training he wanted. Having a perfect streak of 28 overwhelming victories, he hasn't had a rival who can match his level in years. Always being the winner means that you are not learning, and you are staying stagnant while others moved forward, Sukuna was afraid of being left behind.
I sighed as I understood his anger, putting the bowl aside to approach him. I took advantage of the fact that he was at my level to gently massage his shoulders. Even though I didn't do it with a romantic intention, touching him like that after weeks felt like drinking water in the middle of the Sahara. A temporary pleasure that I had to take advantage as much as I could.
"Do you know what it means that he didn't last more than 5 rounds?" I asked him while massaging his neck.
"I'm not in the mood for your shit," he mumbled, focused on his shoes.
"Let me finish!" I barked. "It means you're better than an Olympic medalist," he looked at me again, calmer now.
"You think?" he asked me, looking at me to deduce if I was saying it out of pity or not.
"Of course! You are the king of the ring, not just in the UFC!" I cheered, giving him a friendly pat on the arm.
"Not everyone can go against the king," he said with an evil smile.
It was one of those few times I've seen him smile like that. I'm glad to know that I could be of use to him outside the gym. I wanted to be the cause for him to smile more often, even if it meant he didn't feel the same way about me. A reality that I was willing to accept for the sake of both of us.
The fight between Aoi Todo and Toji Fushiguro was about to start. The current champion, Toji, entered shining his glorious belt with Welcome To The Jungle by Guns N' Roses in the background while the commentators read his statistics. Aoi, the challenger, Todo looked forward to the fight from the octagon. The crowd was excited, music was blaring from the speakers, and commentators were debating who would take home the belt. It was an important fight that deserved to be seen on the room's beautiful 80"inch screen.
"That son of a bitch," Sukuna snorted behind me, referring to Toji. He was in my robe as always before going to sleep.
"A talented son of a bitch," I joked. "Sit down and watch it with me."
"I'll watch it until I get sleepy," Sukuna scoffed as he sat next to me on the couch.
After formal introductions and the referee's instructions, the first round took place. The two mastodons faced each other face to face in a rain of punches and jabs that seemed to have no end. They were like two bulls striking each other with their sharp horns, making the plaza resonate with the power of their tackles. It was clear that Aoi Todo was a born boxer who did not allow himself to be intimidated by the enormous presence of Fushiguro with those beastly hits. Before Toji could take him to the ground, like he had done in the fight against Sukuna, the bell rang.
“Who are you rooting to?” I asked Sukuna excitedly.
"I do not know, and I do not care." he answered with a yawn. That answer deserved me to throw my empty popcorn bowl at him.
"It's a very important fight! You should know!" I scolded him as the TV went to commercial break. "Todo and Fushiguro have been fighting for the division title for 2 years. Both have won twice simultaneously. This is their fifth fight. It's the fight for 3 out of 3!” I explained. Sukuna shrugged his shoulders, downplaying it the importance it deserved.
"And who are you rooting for?" He asked me to make conversation as they returned to the fight.
"Aoi Todo is a magnificent boxer like you…". At the comparison, Sukuna gave me a killer glance. "Obviously, you are the best," I corrected before he killed me.
"That is what I thought."
"But Toji is a complete fighter, I am team Toji for life," I replied with a proud smile. Sukuna gave me another killing look, this time it was more stern. I really don't learn from my mistakes, huh? "Obviously I'm Team Black before that," I said with a guilty smile.
The champion threw a quick jab, but the challenger easily dodged it. Aoi responded with a combination of quick strikes that made Fushiguro flinched. He stumbled back, but stayed upright. He threw a wild right hand, but the challenger blocked it with his forearm. The challenger took the opportunity to launch a flurry of jabs that Toji dodged like a master. Aoi continued entering her field, causing Toji's back to hit the fence. He threw one last desperate right hand, but Todo dodged it and responded with a left hook that sent the champion to the ground.
"¡No!" I exclaimed upon seeing the knockout.
"Too bad…" Sukuna mocked me.
After my champion couldn't get up easily, the referee ended the fight. The challenger had won the fight with a monstrous knockout. The crowd roared and Todo raised his arms in victory as he ran around the octagon. He had defeated his legendary opponent and became the new champion of the heavyweight division.
"First words after defeating such an important rival?". The interviewer asked Todo as he celebrated with his team supporting him behind him.
Tumblr media
Next →
Masterlist.
Order your own fanfic! (Starting price: $5 USD)
Tag list: @maskedpacific @thepurpleempath @mazzd4 @charlie-xo @s0uldarling @sunako-0120 @berranurates @00frenchfries00
Let me know if you want to be tagged in the next one! :)
76 notes · View notes