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pupmkincake2000 · 5 months

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Characters study?

Since I play as Gale, I wanted to look at relationships from his side and from my own, since I think that Gale and I have very similar beliefs regarding relationships.

Don't get me wrong, I love Halsin,

he's an incredibly kind and caring teddy bear, but being in a relationship with him is not for everyone. And there are moments in the conversation with him that were very unpleasant for me. But I’m glad that he warned me in advance how he perceives a relationship with someone.

Yes, there are many people who are into polyamorous relationships, but I don’t think Gale is one of them, despite the opportunity to sleep with Halsin even when playing as Gale (I think that in this case some lines should not be available at all as it was with the Dark Urge, when you cannot resist your nature, even when playing a good character).

Now I will explain why.

Halsin honestly admits that monogamy is not for him. He considers us someone special, in fact, declares his love, but immediately says that we are not that special at all and he, even having entered into a relationship with us, will still be free to sleep with other people.

His words are not a lie, but they seem to contradict each other.

That is... there are more people who want to be something special, who want exclusivity from those they are dating than those who would prefer polyamory, I believe. In the case of Halsin, you will simply be just one of his huge number of lovers, and, perhaps, in another couple of decades, he will say those words about love and specialness to someone else, as he spoke to us. It's not mine cup of tea, to be honest. I am a selfish person, and I would like to be special for someone I love. And I really didn’t like that Halsin, without even knowing whether such a relationship suits me, says he hopes to sleep with the person I am dating too. This remark made me understand that although Halsin is still my type of men in appearance and character, he absolutely does not fit into my understanding of relationships, love and specialness. Let me remind you, I play Gale's origin and I am sure that Gale would also refuse and be disappointed.

Just like Astarion. And I will now explain why.

Literally Gale's entire problem and trauma is based on the fact that he wants to be loved,

he wants to be cared for, seen, considered special (which in the case of Halsin will be impossible), he wants to be visible and significant. I know that playing his origin you are still able to choose any lines but... if you play Tav and romance him, Gale does not agree to share his love with someone else and does not agree to be shared too. I believe that Gail is monogamous, and not just monogamous, but he won't allow the thought that his loved one could be with someone else or that he himself could be with someone else while already being in a relationship. Such people rarely fall in love, they are like the wolves Halsin spoke about, who choose a lover for the rest of their lives. And no, I don’t think Mystra was such a lover. I'm sure Gale wants in a relationship not so much exclusivity, but to have something of his own. Something that no one can take away from him. Someone only his.

The same story with Astarion.

He hasn’t had anything of his own for 200 years, and despite his mannerisms and flirting with everyone, he also wants to have something of his own, something that no one will take away from him, and something that will belong to him and to no one else. He is also desperately looking for someone who will be his. Only his. Yes, he agrees to a threesome, he agrees to share his lover with Halsin, but he clearly does not want this and agrees only because he is afraid of losing his love. He refuses to have sex with the drow twins, and if you agree, he will most likely end the romance with you. He is very afraid of not satisfying his lover; he wants to be desired and loved. He and Gale are very much alike when it comes to the relationship, although their reactions are different. Both want exclusivity. One speaks about it directly, the second one shouts about it with his behavior and body language.

I think that's why I love the ship so much.

They both want the same thing, they just express their desires differently.

#bg3 halsin #halsin #bg3 #bg3 gale #bg3 astarion #gale of waterdeep #gale dekarios #astarion ancunin #astarion x gale #bloodweave #baldur's gate 3 #astarion

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librarycards · 4 months

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A lot of the backlash against nonmonogamy is, in my opinion, reflective of anxieties about monogamy. And while there are absolutely couples in open relationships where one is very unhappy with the arrangement – as the tweet above suggests – what about the millions of married couples where one is crying themselves to sleep every night because they know the other is cheating, or because they want to leave but don’t have connections and support outside of their partner? Why is the idea of genuinely being able to love multiple partners so culturally unavailable? Is it because functioning polyamory might flash up some of the potential problems with monogamy: the scarcity mindset around affection or the possibilities for isolation and coercion? And might experienced poly people be able to teach us something about how to avoid unhappy, entrapping versions of monogamy, and how to cope better with common insecurities around relationships, even if you ultimately want an exclusive relationship?

Eli Cugini, Polyamory isn't Perfect, But Neither is Monogamy

[emphasis mine]

#relationships #polyamory #eli cugini #mine #readings #family abolition

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rottenraccoons · 4 months

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Are all the ros monogamous?

Would any of them be open to just being fwb?

Francesco He's monogamous, but might be willing to try an fwb or open relationship setup. Knowing him though, he'll get attached a bit too quickly, and he'll want to become exclusive on the long-term.

Keir Keir is monogamous, though definitely open to having a polyamorous partner. He might do friends with benefits, though not with anyone from Mouse Hole (too complicated).

Oleander Oleander's usual MO is non-monogamy by way of casual sexual partners, so he's open to non-monogamous relationships and FWB arrangements. The only friends he wouldn't fuck are those he's working with as a merchant; he doesn't like to mix business and pleasure like that.

Cirrus Cirrus is monogamous, and he plans on keeping it that way. It's a hard line that he doesn't really breach. That being said, if his partner wanted their relationship to be on the more 'messing around' side of things, he might be able to make some kind of compromise there, so as to keep it more platonic. (He would still want exclusivity, though)

#obscura vn #rotten raccoons #asks #cirrus #keir #francesco #oleander

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letaot-ze-magniv · 5 months

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Infodump on birds in Israel? 👁️👁️ Pls go on

General guide to birds in Israel

This post is going to be very long

Level 1- really common ones

Hooded crow/o-rev a-for (gray crow)

These big boys are the most common birds in Israel. You can find them everywhere, especially in urban areas. They’re quite big, the average crow is 40-50 cm long with a wingspan of 1m. (That’s bigger then a pigeon).

Like all corvids, they are incredibly intelligent. They have an excellent memory, can recognise specific humans and pass on information through generations. They are fond of shiny things, have funerals, an understanding of games and a justice system. They can use tools and have a taste for peanuts and grapes.

Laughing dove/tzo-tze-let/yo-na

These are the second most common birds in Israel, and they’re also an invasive species. The vast majority of people call them “yona” and if you say “tzotzelet wont know what you mean. You can find them everywhere, especially in cities.

This is an invasive species, and is commonly thought of as the first invasive species in Israel. It was brought over by Muslims during the Ottoman occupation and has lived here since.

Domestic pigeon/yo-nat ha-Ba-it (house dove)/yo-na

Like the tzotzelet, most people call this bird “yona” too. That leads to the misconception that they’re the same species and confusion between the two. This pigeon is also extremely common, and you can find it in all urban spaces in Israel.

Feathering mutations are widespread among domestic pigeons, and they can also look like this:

House Sparrows/ dror ha-ba-it/dror

On the left, a female, on the right is a male. This birds are tiny and common and very cute. Can be found in all areas of Israel. They like eating small seeds and bugs, and you can feed them bread.

Monk parakeet/ tu-ki ne-zi-ri (commonly known as tu-ki)

They’re green, adorable, can speak, and you guessed it, are invasive! Like the maynas, monk parakeets were introduced to Israel in the 90s after they escaped the Tzafari. You can find them in all parts of Israel except the Negev, and they’re especially common in Tel aviv and it’s neighbouring cities. Monk parakeets are often confused with rose-ringed parakeets as they’re the only green birds in Israel.

Rose ringed parakeets/da-ra-ra

Above is the male, below is the female. Like monk parakeets, dararas are also an invasive species. I thought they were introduced in the 90s, but apparently they were introduced in the 1860s because they were kept as pets. Like monk parakeets, they can be found in all areas of Israel that aren’t deserts. It’s hard to tell them apart from monk parakeets if you can’t see their chests.

Eurasian Jackdaw/kak

Yet another corvid! Like all other corvids, jackdaws are extremely intelligent, have an understanding of death, can use tools, and so on. Jackdaws are unique in that they also have an understanding of monogamy and privacy around mating! They prefer to mate away from their murder (is murder what you call a flock of any corvid or is that exclusive to ravens?) and they also kill their ill. They can be found in all areas hooded crows are, but aren’t as common. Its possible to confuse them for a hooded crow, but they’re smaller and darker.

Hopoe/du-khi-fat

This lil girl isn’t extremely common, but it’s the national bird and is adorable so I HAD to include it. Hopoes tend to live near sources of water, and you can find them in coastal areas. There used to be more of them but sadly deforestation and invasive species hurt the population. They have a floofy feather thingy on their head that they can open and close and that’s adorable!

I’ll make a part 2 now about somewhat uncommon birds

If anyone is interested in learning more about the birds of Israel, I highly recommend אתר הצפרות הישראלי. They have detailed descriptions of the birds, they include scientific Hebrew and Arabic names, they have a map that shows you how common each bird is in what part of Israel, AND THEY HAVE RECORDINGS OF THE BIRD CALLS

They also have a page for every bird that was ever spotted in Israel, even if it was only once. Don’t ask me what they define as Israel, because I’ve wondered about it too and I don’t know

#מקורי שלי #ישראבלר #ציפורים #לטאות #jumblr #birds of israel

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asksythe · 10 months

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I've been understanding a lot of cultural subtext around MDZS thanks to you. I'd like to ask more about what makes "cultivation partners." Is it synonymous to marriage or is it a different thing altogether? From my understanding of various marriages depicted in MDZS, marriage can easily be a power move, right. I've also read about dual cultivation, but not sufficiently, and I wish to understand if becoming cultivation partners, sex, marriage - all are supposed to be exclusive stuff. like Jin Guangsham was married yet had sexual relations with plenty of people, perhaps including cultivators? JFM and Madam Yu had a complicated marriage; were they cultivation partners as well? Mianmian married a non cultivator (?) but still went on night hunts to cultivate her core. Other marriages were Qin Su and JGY, and JZX and JYL - so, I do wonder if all of these were classified as cultivation partners.

Another thing I do wonder is, from where I am, in olden times in certain dynasties it was acceptable to have many wives or spouses or marry for gains. In others, the emperor had one true wife who would repeat 7 lifetimes with him and the others were on a lower social level - ploys for expansion etc. I wonder how monogamy etc plays out in chinese context around mdzs time frame, as well as what sort of "expectations" marriage should entail?

Woo… that’s a fair bit. Okay. I’m going to try to answer what I can. Let’s take this one thing at a time.

1. The O.G meaning of cultivation partner:

Cultivation partner = Daolǚ （道侣）

From a lingual view, dao is path, truth, knowledge, and faith. Lǚ is a companion who shares your food, your bed, and your path. So Daolǚ = one who walks the same path in pursuit of truth, faith, and knowledge as you.

From a Daoist view, Daolǚ is a couple who cultivate together, who seek the same truth together, and who share life and death together. They don’t necessarily have to be husband and wife or lovers. They can also be family members, parent and child, or shifu and dizi. They can be of different sexes or the same sex. All of those are only accessories to the OG meaning.

The core of Daolǚ is “ones who seek the same truth.”

This video is from a master Taoist answering the question, “Are Dao couples husbands and wives?”

http://baike.baidu.com/l/nBoL850d

2. So why did MDZS use Daolǚ when talking about married couples? AKA a stealth reference to a real-life historical split in opinions:

The first time the topic of Daolǚ comes up in the novel is during the Cloud Recess era when Lan Qiren taught the history of the Lan ancestor, how Lan An met his Daolǚ, and together they created House Lan. Then the students started discussing their future Daolǚ, which eventually led to the fight with Jin Zixuan.

Daolǚ, in this context, definitely sounds like a different word for a married couple in the setting. Why?

Well…. Because there is a historical split in opinions regarding what Daolǚ really is in practice.

Of course, if we are only talking in theory and lingual origin, then the married or sexual aspect just doesn’t come into play. But in real practice, this kind of close proximity inevitably ends up becoming (or is born out of) actual physical, emotional, and sexual intimacy.

Think about it. The one who shares your faith. The one who shares your path. The one who holds the same ideal. The one who shares your food, your life, your bed. The one whose life and death are intertwined with yours. The one who will walk with you to the very end, wherever it may be. The one whose soul is literally linked to yours through shared cultivation.

You don’t really get this kind of exclusive, super intense, intimate relationship from anywhere other than a married couple. Of course, there are exceptions, but they are, by and large, exceptions that prove the rule.

It’s very funny because even in the official Baidu entry for Daolǚ, beneath the super official definition provided by Daoism associations and sourced from some of the most credible historical texts that survive to this day, even they had to admit in the modern understanding, and especially in media portrayal, Daolǚ is used almost exclusively to refer to Daoist couples in every way that a regular couple can be. Even funnier, if you go and search for the term 道侣双修 (Daolǚ dual cultivate) in the book section, it turns up some 4300 titles concerning Daolǚ dual cultivation. And a very significant portion of those 4300 titles aren’t actually entertainment media at all, but actual historical texts, modern research, and serious treatises written by reputable modern Daoists on the subject.

Okay. So then, why not just admit that outright? Why the extra step? What’s there to disagree about?

Well, because sex is icky.

Hahahaha! But no really…

3. Dual Cultivation aka Magic Sex:

And here we are at the crux of the historical split of opinions.

Dual Cultivation aka Magic Sex (eyebrow waggle!).

From Daoism's founding point, the idea of harmony between Yin and Yang has been one of the founding precepts laid by Laozi himself. There’s not a single reputable Daoist school that disagrees with this precept. The disagreement comes from the interpretation of this precept instead.

From very early on, there were already schools that believed in the application of Yin Yang harmony to manifest as the physical and spiritual relation between men and women (or Yang bodies and Yin bodies).

How early are we talking? Well, BCE kind of early. The earliest text that teaches sex art as part of Daoism is a pre-Qin-dynasty book named The Dao of Huangchi 黃赤之道. This text was later religiousized by various schools of Daoism.

Before the 10th century, there was not much disagreement at all among ancient Daoists about the sex part.

Sexually explicit dual cultivation only became an issue sometime around the Tang dynasty forward (618 - 906 CE). Why the Tang dynasty? Well, that’s around the time Daoism became bourgeois. Before Tang, Daoism was the religion of anti-authoritarian hippies (for lack of a better word). Yep, they were very screw-the-government, let-me-have-my-weed-and-intense-sexercise-while-high kind of people (I’m not even kidding).

One of the earlier records of Daolǚ dual cultivation after the bourgeois-ification of Daoism that still survives to this day is Wu Zhen Pian by Zhang Boduan from the 10th century. Around this same era, numerous sects and schools adopting the same practice of Daolǚ dual cultivation (sexually explicit at that) sprouted up, such as: Shuangxiu Sect, Fangzhong School, etc…

The Wu Zhen Pian, despite being a fairly cryptid text, also explicitly referred to the “places where the body is first given qi” as the male and female genitalia. So there really isn’t any room for misinterpretation as to what exactly it was speaking of.

Around this same era, the disagreement around dual cultivation being sexually explicit and Daolǚ being 99.99% couples became very intense… as in sect war kind of intense.

Ancient High Chinese society was, by and large, very “performatively” puritanical. So from the time Daoism started rubbing shoulders with kings and rulers (instead of eschewing them as the literal founders of Daoism taught), they also started eschewing their fairly sexual, anarchist roots.

Ergo… the ideological schism.

This schism would split between diehard, purists practicing Daoists from the more neutral ones that used Daoism as a political tool as well.

4. A history of sexual exploitation:

Okay, so sexy Daoism is the pure, root Daoism. Why isn’t it the one being preached as official these days?

Because… as usual, whenever there’s a great idea, some chuckleheads somewhere would come along, bend it around its knees, and abuse it instead.

Think about it for a moment. Daoist sects in ancient times were steeped in mysticism. Many of them were powerful and rich. You throw in the sex element. It’s extremely easy for exploitation to happen.

Cults are some of the oldest things in the history of mankind. Sex cults aren’t new, and they aren’t rare, either. Charles Mansion of the Mansion family is just one in a very, very long string of such things.

Let’s just say that for many reasons and many factors, pure Daoist schools practicing sexually explicit dual cultivation also tended to have a checkered history and that along with the historical transformation of Daoism from an anarchist religion to a state-sponsored philosophy massively discredited them.

To this day, you can still trace this history of exploitation down to modern media concepts such as “Human Cauldron,” which is the term denoting a human being used as a sex slave and a cultivation tool by another cultivator. You would think that’s a modern media invention… but no… this term has a long and dark history. Forgive me but I don’t exactly want to go into details in this part.

5. So, what does this all have to do with MDZS?

Well, you can use this context to understand how concepts like dual cultivation and Daolǚ are interpreted and practiced by different people within the MDZS world. MDZS is based in Wei Jin period, which was a period of transition, chaos, and clashing ideologies. You can kinda see that complexity in the way a concept like Daolǚ seems so… mixed and different between theory and practice.

When you really get down to it, there are two ways to understand Daolǚ. 1/ Those who share the same mind, the same faith, the same truth. And 2/ Those who are boinking magically.

Do Wangxian meet these requirements? Yep, both of them. I think that’s pretty clear. Near the end of the story, when Wei Wuxian said his goodbye to Wen Ning and Lan Sizhui, he also remarked about everyone having their own “road” to walk and that, in the end, only one person walked the same “road” as him. That person, Lan Zhan, was also the one person he wanted to walk with. (I don’t have to provide a snap for this, right? People aren’t going to shoot out of nowhere and accuse me of not providing adequate citations, right?). Dao is road. So that’s another nod to the fact that Wangxian are Daolǚ in every interpretation of the concepts (And yes, I’m totally into the interpretation that their boinking is, in fact, magical and working to stabilize Wei Wuxian’s cultivation! Look at the Japanese art featuring Wei Wuxian with the blue cloud patterns on his body! Clearly, lots of people agree with this interpretation! You can’t convince me otherwise!).

What about Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan? Are they Daolǚ? Ehh… it’s kind of a toss-up, isn’t it? There’s not really much in any permutations of MDZS (with maybe the exception of the live-action) that either supports or disprove. I think if you want to interpret them as Daolǚ and Jin Zixuan would eventually help Jiang Yanli cultivate a Jindan and be able to stay young alongside him, you definitely can do that. Or if you want to see them as a more traditional, ordinary husband and wife couple, then that’s a valid interpretation too.

Jin Furen and Jin Guangshan? Ehhh… the above paragraph applies… although… geee… I really don’t see them as either pursuing the same truth or… exclusively boinking magically or that either is using the other as a human cauldron… although that doesn’t disqualify Jin Guangshan himself from using that for his sexual escapade? But then why would he die to marathon sex? I guess Jin Guangyao is hax enough?

In any case, I’m going to stop here. I’ve been sick for the past three weeks and my work has been really demanding. I really tried hard to reserve some free time to write. So the things I have not answered, can you come back to me another time and I will, when I find the time and full citation materials, write a separate reply?

Have a great day!

Oh, also… just as a disclaimer, please don’t use my writing for fandom strife or anything like that. I only very recently found out there were people using my writing for… well… Let’s just say I’m not for that. If anything, please use my writing for creative purposes or just to learn something new!

#ask sythe #mdzs #mo dao zu shi #wangxian #Daolu #Dual Cultivation

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vegasandhishedgehog · 7 months

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Seeing a lot of upset posts about how the show ended with Boston and feeling like something really went over a few heads. Do I also believe Boston deserved better? Yes. But let's be realistic in the way Jojo and Ninew approached this.

Boston and his promiscuity have been the target of harsh judgements from episode one. And the writers have stated that he has a moral code, it's just very different from others. I was never expecting him to state it outright, that it would just be a thing worth paragraphs of speculative meta, but he does!

Boston stated his definition of boyfriend. If he wants to be exclusive, that's for all the emotional bonding that he desires with someone special, but does not deny him the ability to fulfill his physical desires with whomever he wishes. That's not just polyamory, it's a very specific kind!!! And it's entirely different from the traditional sort of relationship society has accepted. The thing is, he wouldn't have discovered that possibility without knowing Nick.

Boston did genuinely fall for Nick. But how could he have handled that properly when he has no experience being loved and has never learned how to love someone back? Moreover, how could he come to the conclusion that he likes being exclusive in one way but not another without absolutely fumbling the bag with someone who's on a different page? It's not exactly Nick's fault that he prefers physical affection to be exclusive as well, that's just how he is. There couldn't have been any discussion about this, it was a discovery in the making.

The truth is Boston would still have a hard time finding happiness in Thailand due to the political climate, especially with his father being a politician. He's gay and that alone makes achieving his dreams more difficult, but being as promiscuous as he is means even a majority of the queer community will shut him out. He's better off moving to the states where at least he has rights and better acceptance for who he is. And that's what happened.

Because having a sexual or romantic appetite outside of monogamy is still looked down on. I still see it in the BL fandom. I see it just in general. 3 Will Be Free is so often cited as a must-watch, but how many people stick to their comfort branded pairings?* How many people have made or heard jokes about the "Seattle polycule"? How many romantic aces and allosexual aros get othered and excluded and judged for their identity?

Jojo said there was no intended message, but that doesn't mean there isn't one to be found. Boston's arc is a prime example of how slutty queers get treated even by their own peers, even by people who care about them most. It's a cry from the cold and lonely dark that if we think these people deserve better, we need to change existing paradigms and find how we can give them that!

Nick wasn't prepared to do that because he is still hurting, and that's also okay. Not everyone has to change themselves to make the puzzle pieces fit. Boston and Nick's story centers around that so much. Nick being jealous and trying to copy Top, Boston trying to be what he thinks a boyfriend is - they only hurt each other because the parts that don't fit are digging in.

I hope we get a second season, but if not friends, remember Boston. He represents such a particular demographic that gets hated on and ignored constantly, and they deserve a chance. They're not easy, but that doesn't mean they're not worth it. Remember Nick too. We all have a Nick in some manner - someone that made us want to try, but no matter how much we cared for each other it just wasn't going to work. Family, friends, partners, whoever.

Instead of being outraged with the show, be outraged with society. Do something about it. Be kinder. Community is important, now more than ever. I cannot possibly overstate how much we need community, especially among minorities.

*this isn't meant to be judgmental toward fans who prefer branded pairings or aren't interested in that particular show. I know watching anything requires time and energy and scratching a certain itch at the right moment. It is, however, a concern that so many fans complained about numerous aspects of OF to the point where the creators went to the effort of explaining themselves on a weekly basis and editing certain parts to avoid backlash. I mentioned 3 Will Be Free because it's another example of Jojo's work. Many BL fans have heard of it, but only a small portion seem to have watched, and that can be an indicator of certain biases. This is not to imply anyone who hasn't seen it has said biases and is only intended to encourage reflection if needed.

#boston only friends #nick only friends #bostonnick #boston x nick #only friends the series #only friends #ofts #jojo tichakorn #neo trai #mark pakin #neomark

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cosmicanemoia · 5 months

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Nobody Like You

Larissa Weems x Reader

Chapter 1 (Settled Down)

SUMMARY

Just as much as you bounce from woman to woman; you also bounce from city to city. All of that will change once you meet the love of your life; Larissa Weems.

You are not one for monogamy. Even if you were in a serious relationship with someone; that relationship would be an open one.

They could not hate you for turning your head, or stopping at your tracks at the sight of a gorgeous woman. They could see the hunger in your eyes, and no matter how much they feed you; it still wouldn't be enough to sate you.

Women and men throw themselves at you. Though you prefer the former, and you're disgusted when the latter makes a move on you.

Women would feel honoured if you gave them the right to be called to be your girlfriend even if you're not exclusive. Sometimes, you feel that they only want you cause they think they can tie you down. You don't have a problem with that, but you don't feel that they should tie you down.

But you are easily bored. You treat your former girlfriends right, and they know you're not the type to be tied down. Still, you couldn't keep the same girlfriend for two months at least, and three months at most. At first they would say they're okay with you sleeping with someone else but after more than a month they would ask you to stop sleeping with somebody else, you would give it a try, but you also could not take it any longer cause you feel suffocated, and in the end you'll decide to just break up with them.

It's obvious to everyone that you can't be tamed. Maybe the women see you as a challenge to be conquered, maybe they could be the one who can tame you.

Just as much as you bounce from woman to woman; you also bounce from city to city.

All of that will change once you meet the love of your life; Larissa Weems.

---

Larissa is married to her work. But if someone came along and make her swoon, she wouldn't be opposed to the idea of marrying them. As much as she loves her school and her students; it is one of the main source of her stress.

She could handle it all by her lone some for sure... but it would be nice if someone would be there to take care of her and give her some relief. She's in a pattern she's grown used of, but it's fine with her because these patterns give her some sense of comfort.

She got everything she ever wanted and more, but one thing is for certain... she's lonely.

---

You went to Jericho to "get away from it all." And for that much needed change of scenery. You have heard that there aren't many people there and that it's a quiet town. When you got there it is indeed quiet and not over populated; it's just what you needed-- for now.

Though the people kind of creep you out, and you also get the vibe that you aren't welcome there, so you contemplated on whether you'll stay or go to another place.

You were there for almost a week now and you went to your usual spot at the weathervane. You ordered your usual hot chocolate and sat at your usual booth, but the barista ask you if you could sit somewhere else saying that some regular costumer always sits there every Tuesday. You shrug the barista off and get comfortable at your seat as you said with a smile "I'm sure they won't mind."

After a few minutes, a woman sat next to you; you almost spat your hot choco out at the sight of her, and you thank the gods that you didn't.

On the other hand, Larissa was lost in her own thoughts. She didn't even notice someone else sitting there.

"You don't mind me sitting here right?" Larissa was broken out of her trance by the sound of your voice, and she thought to herself 'what a gentle and caring voice you have.'

When she saw you smiling at her she's instantly drawn towards you. She didn't even register what you just said but she replied "yes." She gives you the most precious smile you've ever seen, so you smile in turn and she thought the same.

You turn your head to the barista and shouted to them "see... the gorgeous woman doesn't mind." You then proceeded to give Larissa a flirtatious wink.

Larissa feels herself heat up and blush by your innuendos. You smile at yourself feeling proud of your accomplishment.

You plan on flattering Larissa some more, but it was interrupted by a plan you've already forgotten just by looking at her.

A woman approached you and said "Y/N, right?" You nodded at her to confirm. She gave you a moment to reply, and when you didn't she typed something on her phone, and yours pinged when she finished. You read the message and your eyes widen at the realisation. You have a date with this woman. "Lin." You said and she replied with a simple "yes."

You gathered your things and stood up. You signaled Lin to lead the way, and when she turned her back- you lean down on Larissa's ear to say "I hope we had more time, but see you when I see you miss beautiful." You gave her another wink and add a flying kiss as you walk away from her.

You try to focus on the pretty woman infront of you but your mind keeps drifting back to that even prettier woman at the café. If you knew her name; it would be what you were screaming or moaning instead of Lin's.

Now-- everytime you lay with someone; her face pops up in your head, and no matter how hard you close your eyes it can't be helped. When the others speak up and you open your eyes, then you would get disappointed that it is not her underneath you. It's so wrong and so cruel to others but they don't know and nobody's getting hurt, so you continue.

Another Tuesday comes, and you eagerly wait for her at your usual booth. And at last, you meet again...

"Hey, miss gorgeous, it is so nice to see you again." You said while you devour her with your eyes.

"Hey stranger, you miss me?" She asked as she gulped at the sight of you.

You chuckled at her question and replied "Oh, I very much did. Ever since I laid my eyes on you you're all I could think about. I longed for the moment I would see you again." You put your hands at the table, and you lean towards her to admire her beauty more closer.

"I'm Y/N by the way." You held your hand out for her to shake, and that she did "Larissa Weems. Pleasure to meet you darling." She said as she held your hand.

"Larissa..." you remarked and smirked as you bring her knuckles to your lips to kiss them. "Ms. Weems the pleasure is all mine." You said as you caress her knuckles with your thumb.

Larissa can't help but be flattered by your declaration matching your actions. She have never met someone so confident and she never have someone who treats her as kindly as you. She thought to herself 'she's a woman, but she's also such a gentleman.'

The teachers at nevermore sees the glow and the change in Larissa's demeanor. Even the students teased her, and even question her for being kinder and softer than usual. She didn't know why... until it hit her like a lightning from above.

Almost everybody she's close with mention to her or pester her about being in love.

'But to whom could I possibly fell in love with?' Larissa found herself asking the same question from time to time.

She was in her way to weathervane on a late Sunday night even if she has an early start tomorrow. She had overheard from the baristas that you stay as late as you can every Sunday. She doesn't even know why, but she miss you so badly, and would love to really see you or talk to you.

She thought she didn't catch you when she went into the café when she couldn't see you there. You were just relieving yourself and she's relieved in turn when she saw you walk out the rest room.

Your back is turned from Larissa so she made her way to you. As she got closer she put a hand on your shoulder.

You turn to face the person who puts their hand on your shoulder, and your eyes widen as you see Larissa. You were shocked, but glad nonetheless. "Larissa! --what are you doing here? Don't you have an early morning? Are you okay?" You bombarded her with questions. Larissa opened her mouth to reply, but before she could answer, you were already dragging her out of the café and you continued to hold her hand as you walked to your apartment.

You can tell Larissa is bothered by something so you decided to soothe her in anyway you can. "Have you eaten? Do you want anything? Some tea, or wine maybe? How can I help you?"

Larissa wondered how she got in your apartment. She didn't remember walking to get here, but she does remember the warmth of your hand holding hers. She suddenly remembered that you asked a question so she answered "uh-- yes..." you just gave her a warm smile, and prepared everything you just offered. This routine became usual.

Wednesday morning Larissa decided to get breakfast at the weathervane; hoping to see you there.

When she got there you were sitting at your usual booth talking to some woman, so she quickly took her place beside you and greet you. She doesn't care if she seems rude... 'who is this woman she's talking with?' is playing in her head as she display one of her most charming smile at you.

"Y/N darling." Larissa greeted you with a wide grin plastered on her face, and you just replied with a "Hey." She moves closer to you and you look at her with confusion written on your face.

"I had a good time last time, is there any chance we could do it again soon?" The woman asked and you quickly replied "I don't think so. I told you it was just a one time thing--"

Larissa butted in "what are you two talking about?" You try to form an answer but you can't, so the other woman asks Larissa a question "Are you Y/N's mother?"

Larissa scoffed, "what?" The other woman growled, "well in that case we were talking about sex." Larissa just nodded and asked "how old are you?" the woman answered "22."

Larissa looked at you with dismay, rage, and something else that you can't quite put a pin on. "Y/N, she's basically a child." She sneered and you could only sigh in response as you shook your head from side to side. The other woman huffed and sneered back "how old do you think she is? She might actually be the same age as me."

Larissa's eyes widen and she remark "what!?"

With that you decided to wave the other woman goodbye, and ask her politely to leave you and Larissa alone.

You laugh nervously as Larissa glared at you, "is it true-- that you're as young as her?"

You look at her with puppy eyes and reply "I'm not as old as her... I'm atleast a year or two older. I met her before you."

Larissa sighs in defeat, "I can't believe it. From all the people I could possibly b---" you watch her intently waiting for her to finish her thoughts. But before Larissa confessed she's inlove with you she stopped herself, and she looked back to all the things she did just so she could get a glimpse of you, hear your voice, make you smile or laugh, and everything in between. She just realised herself that she is infact inlove with you.

You clear your throat and it pulled her out of her reverie, and you asked her "what? From all the people you could possibly what?"

'I'm inlove with you' Larissa almost blurted out. But she just shrug you off and said as she inhaled deeply "Nothing. Never mind."

You both have such amazing time together. She spend the night at your place. Till it get to the point where you were cuddling each other 'til you sleep.

If someone told you that you would spend a night with a very gorgeous and hot woman in your bed and sleep with them, but not have sex with them; you would laugh your ass off, and think that it is such a clever joke. But here you are cuddling Larissa as she sleeps. You're definitely inlove with her, and the thought that she might be inlove with you sends you into a deep and peaceful slumber.

The morning rays that escaped the curtains hits your eyes, and it wakes you from your slumber. When you open your eyes you see Larissa watching you passionately and lovingly- making your lips break into a smile, "How long have you been watching me sleep babe?"

She chuckles at your question and asked, "you sleep alright darling?"

You quickly replied, "the best I had in such a long time, and it's only because you were beside me baby." You cupped her cheeks and you move closer to kiss her...When you pulled away from the kiss it dawned on you that you just can't do that "I --uh... sorry; I should not hav---" you try to apologise but Larissa quickly shuts you up with her tongue on yours. When she pulled away you sighed contentedly.

"I could get used to waking up like this every morning." You quipped and she laughed at you. You muffled her laugh with your tongue on hers as you climb on top of her, "I'm serious."

Larissa hummed at your mouth as your hands began to wander, and trace every curves in her body. Then your alarm sounds waking Larissa up from her delicious dream.

When she open her eyes everything is still blurry, so she moved to scratch her eyes, then she realised she's laying on top of someone. Her tall figure is hiding your whole body and only half of your face can be seen. She panicked and thought that she might be suffocating you, so she try to move away to let you breathe.

You felt her pulling away so you pull her closer, and you wrap your arms around her tightly. "Don't go yet-- you're so warm and cozy... I don't wanna get up yet." You declared groggily. She gulped and inhaled deeply, but she instantly relaxes in your touch and in your embrace that it made her fall asleep again. She'll worry about that dream later.

Your next alarm woke Larissa up, and she realises that you weren't underneath or beside her anymore. When she lifted her head up to look for you; the smell of pancakes envelops her nose-- it puts a smile on her face and it warms her heart.

"Pancakes huh--" Larissa said and you turn to face her. "Pancakes, bacon, and eggs; I'm not the best cook so don't expect something as extravagant as you my lady." You replied and she lowered her head as she chuckles to try to hide her blush. 'Heavens... I'm so inlove with this girl--' Larissa thought to herself.

You were chatting with Larissa at your usual booth at the weathervane and when someone asks you out you told them you were dating exclusively.

"I didn't know you were dating someone." Larissa told you after the other woman left. You just smiled and chuckled at her. Then there's an awkward silence.

"So... who's this lucky girl you're dating?" She asked and you look at her to get a read on her expression- she was kind of beaming with excitement, but also kind of pissed off, but you thought she was just being silly, so you play along.

You chuckled, "oh-- you know her... you see her everyday." You smirked at her.

"That is rather unfair-- I see a lot of women everyday... why can't you just tell me?" Larissa declared.

You grinned widely, amused by her query, which you thought was her matching your humor that she thinks is you being serious...

After a few minutes, Larissa thought to herself and she began to speak, "is it Dr. Kinbott?"

You're confused by her statement, "what about her?" You inquired.

She quickly replied, "the one you're dating... is it her?"

You scoffed and chuckled, but it quickly faded when you saw her face, her eyes laced with something serious and something you can't put a name on. You furrowed your brows and moved your body closer to her. "Are you serious?" You asked Larissa, and she just shook her head, "yes," in response.

"I'm not dating her. You have to stop now, I don't like where this is going." You declared. She replied "Stop what?"

She's oblivious-- You're oblivious... surely chaos ensues.

"This silly joke." You stated.

"I haven't got a clue what you're on about." Larissa shrugs, and you bit your lower lip in frustration as you exhale through your nose.

You commanded her to look at you and that she did. "I thought we're dating this whole time." You declared, and Larissa just looks at you completely still, "what?" Was all she could mutter.

"Well I made it clear that I really like you, and I thought you like me back. Also, we've been spending a lot of time together in a lot of different places. You are my everything... Hell --we've been sleeping together; not in the way I've been wanting to... but still-"

Larissa was left speechless by your declaration.

After a moment, you speak again, "Turns out I was being delusional, and it only became clear to me that you don't feel the same." You release a breath you didn't know you were holding, and you wipe the tears you didn't know we're falling.

You begin to stand up to walk away and mope, but you were stopped by soft and slender hands gripping on your wrists for dear life.

"I wasn't sure you like me back, and I thought you were just being kind." She inhaled deeply, and after she exhaled, she said, "you are not delusional. I was just blind... I do feel the same about you, my darling. You are everything I never thought I needed, and more."

The tears of sorrow that you've been having are now the tears of joy brought by Larissa's confession and your feelings being acknowledged and reciprocated.

#larissa weems x reader #larissa weems x you #larissa weems x y/n #larissa weems #x reader #lesbian #wlw #sapphic #larissa weems x original female character #larissa weems fluff #larissa weems x female reader

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polyamzeal · 9 months

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got any polyam book recs

How many time do I need to reccomend the Smart Girl's Guide To Polyamory by Dedecker Winston! I feel like I never shut up about it and still people have never heard of it! I am just going to create a quick list of all the polyam books I have read. Because when I was first learning about polyamory it felt like you were required to read certain books before you could get your polyamory license yet so many other people haven't read any books! One day I might write out longer reviews for these.

The Ethical Slut: A Practical Guide to Polyamory, Open Relationships & Other Adventures by Dossie Easton and Janet W. Hardy- This is one of the first ever books focused on polyamory. As such it is a bit dated. Despite that I think it is still a good book that people can get a lot out of. Just keep its age in mind.

More Than Two: A Practical Guide to Ethical Polyamory by Franklin Veaux and Eve Rickert - When I started learning about polyamory this was the holy bible of polyamory that everyone insisted that everybody must read. I honestly liked The Ethical Slut better though. Since then though the book has been utterly condemned by the community and people are now very quick to scream how nobody should read this book because Franklin Veaux was revealed to be abusive in his relationships so now suddenly the book is a guide to teach people how to be abusive in relationships. I guess??? Eve Ricket has put out multiple statements about the book about if people should still read it or not but I am sure I will miss something if I dive into that. Like more The Ethical Slut, just keep in mind it might have some problematic aspects. But I personally think there is still some good stuff in it that people might find value in. It has been a while since I read it but I don't remember it being problematic, just a bit dry and boring.

The Smart Girl's Guide To Polyamory by Dedecker Winston - I'm skipping right to this to say this is my favorite polyamory book! It is very unfortunate that that the title isn't great. And indeed it is written to be aimed at women but honestly I found very very little in the book to feel exclusive to women and not apply to me (a cis-male) just as much. I love this book so much that I re-typed up a passage from it, had it printed on a large poster, and framed.

Sex At Dawn: How We Mate, Why We Stray, and What It Means for Modern Relationships by Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jetha - This is another book that used to be worshipped in polyamory circles and wholehearted reccomended. I am so glad that it is now mostly forgotten. Why? BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A POLYAMORY BOOK! This is a very scientific anti-monogamy book. So I was waiting for all this set-up to talk about why polyamory fixes all these problems of monogamy it has taken so long to explain. Spoilers! Polyamory is only briefly mentioned in the epilogue of the book in a half-hearted, "Maybe this solution works for some people". Let's be clear, this is not a bad book. It is a very good book at using scientific evidence to point out flaws with monogamy and can lead to interesting discussion. But it is not a polyamroy book and shouldn't be recommended as such.

Love's Not Color Blind: Race and Representation in Polyamorous and Other Alternative Communities by Kevin Patterson - Another great book that is highly underrated. But note this is not a Polyamory 101 book. I consider this a "next-level" polyamory book. And to be clear I am white/Caucasian and I learned so much from this book and really love it! It opened my eyes in so many ways.

The Polyamorists Next Door: Inside Multiple-Partner Relationships and Families by Elisabeth Sheff - This isn't a bad book but I also didn't really find it to be a good book either. It feels neither pro-polyamory or anti-polyamory. Just a whole lot of stories and facts. I think it might be most interesting for a monogamous person to read.

Polyamory by Marissa Blake - Worst book I have ever listened to and I am pretty sure it is plagiarized. Been meaning to do a project where I research that claim but just haven't been interested in doing so. it is utter garbage.

The Polyamory Breakup Book: Causes, Prevention, and Survival by Kathy Labriola - Another advanced level polyamory book. But I think an especially important one for everyone to read. When you date more people you have more breakups. And when "cheating" is far less of an issue it is becomes hard to understand when you should breakup.

Polysecure: Attachment, Trauma and Consensual Nonmonogamy by Jessica Fern - The new holy bible of polyamory that everybody in every polyamory group will recommend immediately. It is a good book but honestly I think it is overrated. I think it is aimed at a very certain kind of person struggling with polyamory but it didn't resonate a whole lot with me on a polyamory level. I thought Secure Attachment was very interesting but I felt the actual polyamory aspects of the book were a little lacking to me. I do recommend the book but maybe not as someone's first polyamroy book. I think there are better polyamory 101 books. To note I have not read Polywise yet, the authors sequel book that just came out. I think I have higher hopes for that one though.

Ready For Polyamory by Laura Boyle - Most recent book I read and I had wanted to write a full review but I forgot. This is a fairly good book. I feel like it doesn't stand out much from the other Polyamory 101 books but overall solid. The one place where I give it the most praise is it has the most up-to-date definitions of terms which over the years have evolved and changed over time. The spectrum of polyamory styles I think is especially important for people to read. Older books didn't mention this at all or it was only Parelle VS Kitchen Table. Now we have a much wider spectrum and I often see a common mistake for newbies is for 2 partners to be at different point of the spectrum and never acknowledging it.

Do you know of any polyamory books I missed that I should read? Please let me know!

#polyamory #polyam #nonmonogamy #Books #Reccomendations #Book Reviews #Book

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