#from my experience people tend to either completely deny there being any similarities between them

[mafukasa]

the day people finally understand whats the actual deal with mafukasa parallels is the day I will achieve inner peace.

#prsk lore rambles #you see my point is. #from my experience people tend to either completely deny there being any similarities between them #or say things like 'omg theyre so similar' without ever elaborating or digging deeper into the topic #and it annoys the shit out of me #because people fail to understand that what makes tsukasa and mafuyu specifically so interesting to compare to eachother #is that they are so similar yet so different at the same time #they are polar opposites in so many ways but at the same time have many almost identical themes/tropes or whatever you call it going on #even their character designs scream 'the writers wanted to make these two be 2 sides of the same coin' if you look closely enough #I could write an entire essay on them but thats for another day. #I think about them a normal amount i promise

[bestworstcase]

You’ve mentioned that you think Mistral is the worst kingdom for Faunus rather than Atlas. Could you please elaborate?

Mostly, Velvet knew who she didn’t want to be paired with. At the top of her list was the tall dude from Mistral. Less than a day, and Velvet had already been bullied by some of the upperclassmen at Beacon for being a Faunus, and of course, her tormentors were from Mistral. Velvet loved her ears, which only made it worse when people called her “bunny girl” or made those awful jokes she’d heard hundreds of times before, from the harmless-but-hurtful “hop to it” jabs to the squicky comments that made her feel threatened … the boys who joked about hunting rabbits or asked if she could teach them multiplication. The big kid hadn’t said anything like that to her yet, but his people didn’t like Faunus and didn’t mind letting them know how they felt.

and

“You’re from Mistral,” she said. Yatsuhashi blinked. “So?” “Your people don’t tend to like my people,” she said quietly. She folded her arms against her chest and turned away from him. For her the gesture worked, and she seemed to shrink a little. “I’m—” Yatsuhashi began. At the sound of his voice, the girl tensed. He lowered his tone as much as he could. “It’s clear that people from Mistral have hurt you before. I’m sorry that you had to experience that.”

and

“What about Mistral?” Yatsuhashi asked. “I’m not going to Mistral,” Velvet said sullenly.

<- all this is pretty telling coming from a girl who’s spent considerable amounts of time in atlas because her father works there, and yet has no similar fear of atlesians. 

and then in before the dawn, we get stuff like this:

“Why did they decide to ally themselves with Vale, who’d done nothing but watch as mining companies from Atlas and Mistral drew resources out of the ground, taking the Dust from Vacuo and leaving behind barren sand?”

<- a vacuan character talking about events leading up to the great war and backporting the modern state of atlas to a time when that state did not exist in any meaningful sense. (and i don’t think this is a mistake, because vacuan characters in this book are frequently sloppy in this way; theodore refers to ‘mistral academy,’ jax says haven when he means mistral. it’s a cultural thing.)

so a lot of the deep vacuan antipathy toward atlas is motivated by things pre-war mantle did… whereas the faunus protagonist hates mistral and is afraid of mistrali people because all but one of the mistralis she’s ever met have been viciously and overtly racist to her. that’s a noticeable difference.

and then in V4-8, we see the atlesian and mantelian attitudes toward faunus and… it’s not socially acceptable in either city to be overtly bigoted in the way velvet has come to expect from mistrali people. in V4 we see this conversation:

JACQUES: That’s precisely my point. We offer faunus the exact same wages given to the rest of our mining staff; their argument’s completely invalid right out of the gate.  ATLESIAN MAN: Well, I think the bigger issue here is our society as a whole.  JACQUES: Why, you mean Atlas? ATLESIAN MAN: Atlas, Mantle… You can’t deny the economic disparity between the two.  ATLESIAN WOMAN: I mean, what exactly are you suggesting? ATLESIAN MAN: I’m just saying I don’t think it’s necessarily an issue of compensation as much as it is one of opportunity…

<- which tells us two things:

first, jacques—who we know to be virulently bigoted, because weiss parroted things she learned from him in V1—cannot be so in public. his bigotry informs his behavior in obvious ways, but he screens it behind a mask of plausible deniability. “we pay faunus the same wages as anyone else! see, i’m not racist!” jacques is very, very image-conscious and he’s a covert bigot.

second, the atlesian everyman here is conscious of the class inequality between atlas and mantle and brings it up to push back on jacques’ covert racism; “it’s not about the pay, it’s about a systemic lack of opportunity.” we’re hearing this from an atlesian businessman; it’s a mainstream position. and it’s lukewarm at best because the guy is a businessman, but it shows why jacques has to veil his bigotry like this. 

similarly, in mantle, we have the drunk guy call blake a “stupid faunus” before weiss dumpsters him and his drinking buddy kind of… doesn’t react to the dumpstering other than to (belatedly) recognize weiss, there are a bunch of dejected human miners sitting alongside the dejected faunus miner in the truck in 7.1, the most popular candidate in the race for the council seat has a faunus spokeswoman, racist grandma’s adult daughter is frantically trying to get her to shut up and stop making a scene before yang steps in, there are generally a lot of details that together establish that at an individual level, most humans in mantle don’t feel any particular antipathy toward faunus. 

so faunus in atlas/mantle face a status quo which systemically disadvantages them—many of them live in deep poverty and economic mobility is low across the board—but the general public mostly sits in an indifferent-to-nominally-supportive zone. certainly there are people like jacques or the madame or racist grandma but at least in the present they are constrained by the social consequences of being openly racist. 

which presents a pretty stark contrast with the extremely overt racism velvet has experienced from mistrali people. every human kingdom sucks for the faunus in different ways—even vale (no one does squat to address the racist bullying) and vacuo (faunus were enslaved there too and velvet, the only faunus transfer student, gets singled out for bullying)—but atlas/mantle and mistral suck in particular due to the historical institution of slavery, and mistral sucks the most because on top of all the systemic shit, mistralis are known for being horrifically racist and proudly open about it.

it’s probably worth noting that sun “the white fang are stupid holier-than-thou creeps who use force to get whatever they want!” wukong went to school in mistral. and probably worth noting lionheart’s utter political irrelevancy in comparison to ozpin (public figure, gets tapped for sound bites when random huntsmen screw up in RH) or ironwood (two votes!) or theodore (de facto king of vacuo). 

lastly, the adam character short? the first part is set in mistral—note the architecture here:

so this?

the group of humans out for faunus blood because the faunus dared to drive through town? probably either mistrali or animan. they might be valean—it’s hard to tell from the landscape bc both kingdoms do look similar—but in the scene after this, the transition to vale is signaled by the red trees of forever fall (and that’s also 4-5ish years later given that blake is now. you know. a teenager there), so i think in the absence of distinctive landmarks here it makes the most sense to read it as mistral, like the last scene.

#mistral’s an old empire it’s had more practice 🙃

[therianterritory]

Wolf behavior nuanced by human behavior

Hello hello, I go through the jungle of the Therian Community pretty much daily. I didn't need more than a year to know that therians love to express and talk about the urges, behaviors, and instincts of their theriotype. Logical, of course, it's what the community is about, to talk to people who experience the same thing. But something I often notice is that therians tend to link almost anything to their therianthropy. Of course, therianthropy can influence a person's life greatly. But something important we tend to forget is the fact that humans are also still animals. Even though we have evolved far enough to let our intelligence dominate our instincts, we still unconsciously display instinctive behavior 24/7. If I'd be a fly on your wall and observe you for a little bit, I could point out several behaviorisms that you didn't even think about doing.

Upon questioning a theriotype and examining your therianthropic behavior, it's always important to divide the instinctive human behavior from the non-human animal. I'm not saying some behavior can't be both, in fact, I believe a lot of therianthropy can be influenced by human behavior and the other way around. I often notice myself doing some wolf-like things, and then think to myself if that is normal for a human being to do as well. I am also in no way trying to debunk therianthropy, of course, why would I?

I wanted to dedicate this post to nuancing some often talked about wolf behaviors by comparing them to similar human behaviors. Of course with every human instinct and behavior, it is important to rather compare it to the times when we were still living in tribes, because that's the time where instincts were still crucial to our survival. Because that's what most behaviors and instincts are about: survival.

1. Packs We'll start off easy. A lot of therians express their desire for finding a therian pack. I sometimes hear wolf therians saying it's because their "inner wolf" desperately tries to find some soulmates to be family with. But in reality, as most of you may know, humans are also seriously drawn to forming groups (even with a hierarchy system). This is because it is essential to someone's survival to stick with a group. It's that sense of "belonging" that people are actually after, and that's okay.

2. Being a "lone" wolf Opposite to the human urge to form groups, a lot of therians claim they don't want to be in a pack and that they're generally anti-social. They believe that the lone wolf stays alone and completely fine with this. First of all, a lone wolf is never alone by choice, because every lone wolf either seeks a mate to start a pack with or has walked away/was driven away from their pack to find rest and die. A wolf being alone and staying alone voluntarily goes entirely against their nature, as wolves are pack animals. Now to look at human behaviors, social capabilities really variate per person. Every human eventually has to distance themselves from groups to recharge that social battery. Some people have a very long-running one, and some have a very short-running one. Even tho it may seem to go against that group-forming instinct, it's still a very normal human thing to do.

3. Curling up I often hear wolf therians whine about the fact that their human body is incapable of curling up the way a wolf does when they sleep. I speak from experience that this can indeed be a struggle, as it seems incredibly comfortable. But even though a wolf naturally curls up when they sleep, humans actually also have a rooted urge to curl up or at least make themselves small when they sleep. This posture stems from the fetal posture we had when we were still in our mother's womb. It was scientifically proven that reenacting this position gives a sense of protection. 40% of people actually sleep in this position. [source]

4. The Weather & the seasons I've heard quite some therians mention that the weather and the changes of the season have a great effect on the amount and severity of their shifts. I have the same, and I am not denying that shifts get influenced by these factors. But it is important to note that humans, in fact, also get greatly influenced by weather and seasons. The greatest proof of this is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which is the occurrence of a person dealing with great mood swings and states of depression based on the time of the year. A lot of people feel more depressed during winter, for example. This also has to do with the amount of sunlight in comparison to summer. But factors like storms and snow also affect people's moods. It can make them excited and/or tensed.

5. Therian Territory ;) A lot of (wolf) therians such as myself have a big tendency to claim territory in a variety of ways. Wolves mark their territory by urinating everywhere. Although not every therian feels comfortable sharing their potential urges to urinate on trees like so, territorial urges are still expressed within the community. But have you ever wondered why people look for houses to live in? And why there is such a distinct border between what is your private property and the plain unclaimed sidewalk? Territory is linked to social status, for this reason, people often buy bigger houses when they earn more money than average, simply to claim space. In this article, there is some good evidence that human territoriality is, in fact, different from other animals.

6. Alphas This is actually the only point that I'd really like to debunk: what was once known as the wolf hierarchy. When wolves were being studied thoroughly, about their pack system, their behaviors, and body language, they were studied by putting a bunch of unrelated wild wolves in an enclosure. In order to survive, the alpha-beta-omega system formed, and this false theory was spread throughout the entire world. In reality, wolf packs are nothing more than families. The supposed "alphas" are simply the elders or parents of the pack. The betas are often the big sisters, and the omegas would be the pups.The funny part about this theory is that it was later discovered that apes, in fact, do have this hierarchy system... including humans. When humans form a group (not talking about families here), they will actually subconsciously create such a hierarchy system. There's often a leader (alpha), the people who follow that leader (beta), and the people who walk on the sideline, aren't taken as seriously or are even being a little neglected by the rest (omega). 7. Drawn to nature While most therians are particularly drawn to nature-like sceneries, more so than more people, humans in fact still generally feel more connected to nature than the city life. Living in cities is, in my opinion, more of a result of people staying together for better survival and being able to take a shorter distance to work. But naturally, humans have a deep connection with nature. In the world of biology, this is apparently called Biophilia (philia is a New Latin noun-combining form to describe a fondness or love for a specific subject). More about Biophilia can be found in this article.

In all honesty, a lot of therianthropic urges and behaviorism can have some type of nuance from our human nature. It does not make our Therianthropy any less valid (yes, I said the v-word :laugh: ). With this knowledge, I just hope that people are now able to make a better distinction between wolf and human behavior. So I hoped this helped a little, in case you're questioning an animal or researching some therianthropy roots.

Feel free to critique this piece as it was partially from my own memory from a couple of years of research, I'm not trying to play the all-knowing wolf here. I'd also love to know if you guys know more of these wolf behaviors that could be nuanced by human behavior! How many of these did you know about?

#therian #therianthropy #psychological therianthropy #wolf behavior #wolf nature #human behavior #human nature #therians #Wolftherian #therianterritory

[classic80sand90smovieloves2]

Meeting and Dating Jason Voorhees

(Not my gif)(Requested by @fandoms-are-my-friends-1321​)

(I’m sorry that the meeting part is so long but granted, the start of your relationship with a slasher is going to take a while.)

- You first met Jason when you were little and attending Camp Crystal Lake. You were a few years younger than him; and a girl, so you weren’t around him much, especially since his mother tried to keep him away from the other kids as much as she could.

- Even so, you would occasionally see him around the camp, specifically being bullied around the camp, and felt sorry for him. Anytime you saw him, you tried your best to be nice and make him feel welcome. You still remember how awful you felt upon hearing that he drowned. But you were young, years passed and you slowly forgot about him.

- When you were older, you bought a cabin near the lake, wanting to have a break from people. The whole week after you moved in, you felt like someone was watching you. You figured you were just paranoid since you were alone up there. Unbeknownst to you, you were being watched.

- Everything came to a head the second week that you were living there. It was late and you were walking home from the lake. A part of you knew that it was a stupid idea to have stayed out so long but you rationalized that no one was up there with you, you’d be alone and the most that would happen is you would run into an animal on the beaten path.

- A little ways into your walk, you could hear the sound of something nearing you. You ignored it for a while until you were sure that it was there and could hear that it had gotten very close. It sounded big, so like a rational person, without thinking, you began to run.

- At most you thought it was a wolf, maybe a bear, but your assumptions were proven false as you were gripped from behind and thrown to the forest floor. When you opened your eyes, you could see the person who had attacked you; a big man in a hockey mask.

- Letting out a shriek, you fought your way from him, managing to escape his grasp enough to take off running again. You could hear him following after you as you reached your home, slamming and locking the door behind you, though it did little to stop him.

- It seemed as though he struck down your door in seconds, pursuing you even further into the cabin until you reached the living room. You were backed against the wall as he raised his arm to slash at you, that was when he noticed the photos framed on the wall behind you.

- He froze, there was something so similar about the little girl in the pictures, obviously they were you, but who were you? In an instant, his memories came flooding back, the little girl at camp, the one person who was nice to him, his first and only crush as a child.

- You stood still, terrified to even move until his arm lowered and his other hand came up. You winced as it approached you, snapping your eyes shut until you noticed that he hadn’t touched you. Upon opening them again, you saw that he had tore a frame off the wall and was looking down at it. You thought that perhaps this was your chance and quietly spoke.

“That’s me. In the picture, I mean. I was seven there.” He didn’t look at you for a long while before he glanced in your direction, heaving a deep breath.

- A wave of fear coursed through you but he didn’t move any closer. Instead, he dropped the frame on a table nearby, hesitated for a moment, and then walked out of your home. You made sure he was gone before calling the police. They combed the area but could find nothing of the man. Inexplicably, your mind flashed back to your time at camp. The boy who drowned; he was never found either.

- Still shaken up, you went into town and stayed at an inn for the night. In the morning, you went to the library and searched through their archives, trying to find out more about the area in an attempt to figure out what had happened. 

- A part of you began to believe that the masked figure was Jason. He was the proper age, seemingly knew the area well, and his body was never found. It seemed like a ridiculous idea but was it completely implausible? 

- Having bought the cabin; and having nowhere else to go, you had to return home at some point. He was gone, right? So you made the trip back and tried to put the encounter out of your mind. Even so, every now and again you could swear that you saw him; always in your peripheral or in something's reflection. 

- A day or so later, you found that the tires on your car were slashed. The situation confused you, why would he slash your tires yet leave you completely unharmed. What was the point of keeping you alive if he wanted you dead, he didn’t seem like the type who wanted to scare you before he finished you off. Deep down, some part of you knows that; for whatever reason, he doesn’t want you to leave. 

- It was some time later that you encountered him again. You were swimming in the lake when you felt eyes on you. As you looked around, you could see him standing at the tree line. He just... stood there, saying nothing, still as could be. 

- Were you scared? Yes, but you were also curious. This whole charade had to end at some point, right? Why not now? Seeing that he was empty handed, you stood in the water and slowly made your way over to him. He let you approach him until you stopped just a few feet away on your own accord. 

“You’re Jason, aren't you?” You asked tentatively, quietly. He said nothing. “I thought you were dead. We all did. I saw you.... How?”

Still, there was no reply and for the first time, you remembered that he couldn’t speak. So you asked a simple question, one that he could answer without his voice and one that could potentially ease your nerves. “Do you want to kill me?”

- He didn’t reply at first, looking at you for a long moment. You could see his eyes locked on your face from behind his mask. Then, silently, he slowly shook his head. 

- You see him more after that; he doesn’t hide as much though he still keeps his distance. A part of you knows that you should probably be wary, try to escape or call the cops or something. But another part of you tells yourself that if he wanted to hurt you, he could have already, and he probably would be carrying a weapon with him.

- The only times that he actually got close to you was when you tried to go into town, he’d appear quietly behind you, your face level with his chest, blocking you from going anywhere until he made sure you only had your purse with you. He didn’t want you leaving him; escaping, he liked you too much.

- Over time, you’re feelings of empathy got the best of you. His mother; his one true friend, was dead, he was alone in the world and alive when he should have been dead himself; he had no one, nothing. So after debating with yourself about it all day, you made your way over to him when he appeared and invited him inside your home. 

- You supposed you were more lonely than you expected since; after a few minutes of hesitance and awkwardness, you began to talk to him... and then talk some more and more until finally you realized you were recounting half your life to the masked killer. Trailing off, you apologized and asked if he was hungry. 

- Over the next few months, you started to interact with him more and more. It was normal for the two of you to spend time together and soon enough, you genuinely begun to enjoy his company. 

- Your relationship will definitely be a slowburn; I mean, it is Jason we’re talking about. So it could be a full year before anything of value happens between you. And when something does happen, it happens slowly as well. 

- After some time, you realize that there’s more to your feelings for the man and though it may not be the greatest crush you’ve ever had, you can’t deny that it’s there. So you decide to confess. You tell him that you like him, a lot, and ask if there’s any way that the two of you can be together.

- In response, he stays very still for a long moment before reaching out, stroking your face and hair, and clumsily pulling you into his arms. 

- You don’t exactly have dates so you don’t really have a first date, and you’re not sure if your first kiss even counts. It’s a quiet night, the two of you are sat beside each other on your front porch and you have the inexplicable urge to kiss him, even though you know he won’t even let you see what's underneath his mask. 

- Not knowing what else to do, you lean over, place a gentle hand on the back of his head and press your lips to his mask. He stiffens but lets you and moves just a bit closer to you once you’ve pulled away. It’s certainly not the most conventional relationship you’ve ever been in but you can’t say that you regret being in it. 

- The two of you have gone out in public together like five whole times so pda is a difficult thing to explain. He occasionally holds on to you but more often than not he’ll make a quick escape as people start to show up around you.

- He tends to keep a bit of a distance between the two of you, mainly because he isn’t sure of what he should do with you. He’s never had a relationship before so this entire experience is new to him. 

- He’s so not used to human affection anymore. It’s been a very long time since he’s interacted with anyone so he’s going to have to learn how to accept it again. He goes still and cherishes every touch you give him though; for a while, he’s going to be internally panicking the entire time. 

- If the two of you are going to be together, you’ll have to be innocent(at least on the outside) and kind; someone his mother would approve of since; even in death, she’s still affecting his decisions.

- He tries to be very gentle with you, not wanting to hurt you in any way, especially on accident. You feel like a little china doll with the way he holds and touches you. 

- Jason has never been kissed …but he deserves to be!!! He lets you kiss his mask without hesitation but is apprehensive when letting you see what's underneath. He may yearn to kiss you but he isn’t sure if he should since he’s completely inexperienced and; in his eyes, physically grotesque. 

- You make him nervous. Jason’s never really had any friends besides his mother and he’s certainly never had female company that he’s found attractive(and that's actually liked him) so being around you has an effect on him. 

- He likes listening to you talk. You could be rambling about nothing at all and he’ll still want to hear it. Most of the time, you’ll assume he isn’t even listening but then he’ll look at you once you’ve stopped, nod his head at something, or let out a noise that's the equivalent of a laugh for him; and you’ll realize he’s actually been listening the entire time. 

- Learning how to communicate with him. 

- Going on weekly runs to get all the supplies that the two of you will need. 

- Patching him up when he gets injured. You know that he heals himself but you still feel the need to do something about it. 

- Even though he has a really high pain tolerance, you still wince for him every time he gets hurt. He finds it sort of touching that you care or at least show empathy towards him, it’s also amusing in a way. 

- Receiving little gifts. Flowers, rocks, feathers, …bones. He sometimes steals things from his victims that he thinks you’ll like. You don’t ask where he gets his “proper” gifts from. 

- He’s honestly a big fan of pets/animals and; weirdly enough, they love him too. Doesn’t matter if you have a dog, cat, bunny, bird, or hamster; he’ll like them and they’ll like him.

- You once gifted him a teddy bear, mainly as a joke, but he genuinely adores it. It stays in his little shack where he can hold it when he’s away from you.

- Under all that murder, he’s really just sweet boy. You’re respected, cared for, and loved at all times. 

- Would you not fawn over him? Would you not act like a doting, proud mother as he stands there menacingly? Would you not boast about him over the phone as he sits and eats at your kitchen table? Don’t lie to me. 

- Whenever you compliment him, he sort of just stares at you for a long moment before going back to what he was doing. He doesn’t know how to respond and hearing your praise makes him flustered.

- You’re gonna have to take care of him a little. While he can, in theory, take care of himself and live on his own; if you call consuming foraged berries, squirrels and lake water living, you’ll have to provide him with a few essential's if you want to see him thrive. He likes being looked after anyways; it reminds him of when he was little. 

- Either learning how to sew or buying him new clothes every week. He most likely tries to assure you that its fine but only having like 60 percent of a shirt doesn’t seem very fine to you.

- Cooking for him. Don’t worry if you’re a bad cook, Jason could literally eat dirt and find something good about it. He sets the table and offers to wash the dishes which is …quite the sight to see. 

- Catching him up on what’s been happening in the world. He died and was suddenly thrown into a whole new world so there’s certainly a few important things that he’s missed. 

- Getting bridal carried or literally held on his hip like a toddler. Tired after a walk through the woods? You’re immediately in his arms. Injured in the slightest? In his arms. Just want to be carried? Fine by him.

- You’ll never have to worry about struggling with something heavy ever again; this boy could pick up a house if he wanted to.

- Comparing hand sizes. He’s amazed at how small you are compared to him and how much softer your skin is. 

- Trailing behind him as he goes lumbering through the woods. He usually doesn’t really acknowledge your presence besides occasionally stopping to make sure you’re following or that you can catch up with his long strides; or physically stopping you so that you don’t get hurt on something. Having a companion is new to him but he does enjoy it.

- His mother taught him manners so while it may be a little funny seeing a hulking mass of a man gingerly knock before he enters your room or pull out your chair for you or wash his hands before dinner; it’s pretty commonplace for you.

- Campfires when it gets dark. 

- Tight yet careful hugs. 

- He’s enthralled by television. When he was little, him and his mother had a black and white tv with like three channels on it so seeing a full color tv amazes him. 

- Taking photos with him is kind of hilarious. You’ve certainly took a few over the years and while you have different poses or faces in each one, the only thing that changes about him is his clothes. He just stands or sits there stoically, his mask still on as you position yourself around him.

- What's better than cuddling with a big ass boy? He loves being able to cradle you in his arms and listen to the sound of your steady breathing. 

- Swaying together while listening to music. 

- You kissed his cheek the first time he showed you his face and he nearly cried. Emotionless killer Jason Voorhees isn’t nearly as emotionless as you think. 

- Jason; above all, wants to make you happy. He can’t stand the thought of you being upset or not having everything you’d like. He always tries his hardest to provide you with whatever he can to make your life better and happier. 

- He never really questions you. You’re just below his mother on people and things he should listen to. it may take you a few moments to truly convince him to do something but more often than not he’ll listen, unless he really doesn’t like the idea.

- Reassuring him that you really do love him. There’s no way he isn’t insecure after everything that he’s gone through so sometimes he just needs to hear you say it.

- There’s not many instances where he has the chance to get jealous but if there is one then I assure you: he gets jealous. Even so, he doesn’t quite understand the feeling. He just knows that you’re his and whoever it is that he’s jealous of better stay away. 

- He’s incredibly protective of you; overprotective to say the least. You’re everything to him and he’s not letting anything happen to you. 

- He tries to keep you as far away from his killing as he can. You’ll never see any bodies if he can help it.

- He feels nervous when letting you touch his machete yet... inexplicably turned on. Excuse him while he prays for himself.

- It’s sort of hard to fight with him but whenever he get’s mad, he’ll storm off and not return for a long time. He gives you the silent treatment for a little while but will ultimately forgive you fairly quickly. 

- He cant stand it if you’re angry with him; he’ll do whatever it takes to make things better. God forbid you get up to leave; he’ll physically stop you, pulling you into his arms and all but throwing you away from the door. He can’t exactly say he’s sorry so he’ll sink to his knees and hang his head in apology. 

- It’s definitely going to take a while for him to show you what he looks like without his mask on whether you already know or not. He still remembers what the other children at camp thought of him and he definitely doesn’t want you to be able to look at him for too long. 

- When he is comfortable enough to let you see, He’ll allow you to take it off while he sits incredibly still. It’s the ultimate show of trust for him so don’t think of it as nothing. 

- Obviously, he can’t speak so he conveys his love through his actions and perhaps the occasional sloppily written note. 

- Well he’s pretty much bound to live forever so expect a long and loving life with him. He’ll steal a ring from someone he comes across and; in both your eyes, you’ll be husband and wife. 

#slasher imagines #slasher headcanons #slasher headcanon #jason voorhees imagine #jason voorhees headcanons #jason voorhees headcanon #80s movie imagine #80s movie headcanons #80s movie headcanon #80s movie imagines #friday the 13th imagine #friday the 13th headcanons #friday the 13th headcanon #friday the 13th imagines

[thejustmaiden]

Jaken = Rin's Dad?

Okay, is this how a daughter treats their so-called father?

Most definitely not.

Rin and Jaken's relationship clearly screams of your typical sibling rivalry punctuated with cute and silly moments of playful bickering.

Yes, Jaken may technically be her main provider, but that doesn't necessarily equate to him being more of a father than Sesshomaru. If anything, he demonstrates more of a brotherly love towards her. As we all know, parents (which Sesshomaru embodies more based on real life patterns and parallels) will leave their older more capable children in charge of looking after their younger brothers and sisters. In this case, that would mean making Jaken responsible for watching over Rin and protecting her if need be. Ah-Un offers protection, too. Think of it as Jaken as the big brother and Ah-Un as the family dog who are babysitting while Sesshomaru as the parent of the household is away at work or taking care of business. I mean, they literally fit that description to a tee and I'm dying at the accuracy of it all! 🤣👌

[Quick! Someone write up a modern au where Sesshomaru finally gets out to have a nice date night but everything goes wrong in the most spectacular way. Like maybe Rin and Jaken catch a ride on Ah-Un to go spy!]

I recently revisited some episodes from The Final Act, and I couldn't believe how many moments like this there were where Rin got after Jaken or when she would "put him in his place" so to speak. Obviously, all of it is mostly harmless. I was only surprised by how often it occurred, not to mention how Jaken would just stand there and take it. Towards a supposed father figure, Rin's behavior is downright unacceptable. There's a certain level of respect a child is expected to show their parents/guardians, and that's just not what I'm witnessing here between them. Like at all.

Rather their dynamic has the nature of some sibling relationships like I mentioned above. So I really wish fans would stop pretending otherwise, because based on what we know of father-daughter relationships- healthy ones at least- they don't appear anything like what Jaken and Rin have. If you could please provide me other examples of where we've seen similar portrayals in fiction or in real life, then perhaps I can get on board.

Look, that doesn't have to mean that because Jaken isn't her father then Sesshomaru must be. They can both be her caretakers without necessarily filling that traditional father role. I'm just saying that if we're going to start assigning titles to characters, let's make sure we are accurate and truthful in our assessments. If you're going to label anyone Rin's dad, then it needs to be Sesshomaru. Jaken doesn't have precedence over him in terms of fatherly attributes, that just wouldn't make sense.

After all, this isn't about what you want to see, this is about what Rin very likely sees. It's safe to assume that she views Sesshomaru more like a father than she does Jaken. She knows she's safe with him (broadly speaking lol) and that he'll come for her no matter what. That sense of security and comfort is what a child seeks and what they should always feel in a parent's presence. She trusts and even idolizes him, just as a young and innocent child tends to do with their parents. At that age, parents are perfect and could do no wrong in their child's eyes. Idk about you, but this describes perfectly how Rin is around Sesshomaru.

Rin adores him and will follow him anywhere- yes, even into danger! That's what the innocence and unconditional love of a child will bring them to do if necessary. Fortunately, at the end of The Final Act we learn Sesshomaru takes Kaede's advice when he realizes that leaving Rin with her in the village is in her best interests. That way she'd be able to lead a more normal and safer life alongside other humans. Remember, Sessrin shippers, that doesn't mean he wasn't still a part of her life and didn't witness her become a young woman over the years right before his very eyes. Therefore, if they eventually do become romantically involved, then most if not all of those gifts had intimate and seductive intentions and it essentially constitutes as child grooming.

I understand from a Sessrin shipper's point of view why it'd be so much easier to claim Jaken as the father. In doing so, they diminish Sesshomaru's role in her upbringing. By refusing to acknowledge the real role he had in helping raise Rin (short periods can be crucial and impressionable too esp. in a child's early years so yes they did assist in raising her not only Kaede), these shippers are better able to justify how their filial-like relationship evolved into a romantic one. So yeah, I get it, if I were a Sessrin shipper I'd probably do the same. It's one of the more plausible arguments available to them, after all. "Let's pin Jaken as the father to fend off antis!" is the best chance they've got, but even so, it's still not good enough. But if you insist Jaken is indeed like a father to Rin, then Sesshomaru is most certainly one too. Who says she can't have two fathers anyway?

The thing is however much you want to deny or downplay what Sesshomaru truly means to Rin and vice versa, nothing will ever change or hide the truth of the matter. Please, stop acting like they're only traveling companions and nothing more. Some of y'all even go so far as to say that they're like strangers. Knowing potentially little about a person is not equal to a lack of love and affection. Making big assumptions such as this to defend your ship is actually doing you more harm than good. Let me elaborate.

According to your reasoning, if that's all Rin ever was to him was a companion and Sesshomaru had no real attachment to her, then what precisely is the basis of your ship? Recall that Adult!Rin doesn't exist yet, thus we have no real idea what she will be like or if she's even alive. So how can you make comments like that but then go on later to say "they have such a unique and unbreakable bond" or "only Rin can be the mother because she's the only human he ever cared for" if all that time spent traveling together didn't amount to much in the first place like you claimed to believe beforehand? Do you see how your rationalizing is confusing?

Contrary to what some of you may think, I'm not just saying all this because I'm an anti and I'm obligated to disagree with you, or whatever other excuse you want to tell yourself. Believe it or not, I'm attempting to give as unbiased and objective of an analysis I can based on widely accepted interpretations of family dynamics, development, and any history we know of.

Of course I respect that at times fans will perceive things differently since that's bound to happen. What's hard for me to wrap my head around however is the unwillingness of some fans- not exclusively Sessrin shippers- to apply basic common sense and sound judgment to their observations and deductions.

Looking at all our facts, then taking the small handful of scenes Sesshomaru and Rin do share together into account, one can logically conclude that their dynamic is akin to one found in a typical parent-child relationship. If you still fail to recognize Sesshomaru as a parent to Rin, then that's fine too. In the end, that won't really change the fact that he'd still take on a role resembling an adult figure overseeing a young child's care and protection. Be it as a vassal, guardian, what have you. Plus, nobody is saying here that Sesshomaru doesn't make mistakes regarding Rin's general well-being, but so do all parents. Overall, I think the majority of us agree that Rin is in good hands. Whether it's in his direct company or in his occasional supervision from his frequent visits to the village.

In other words, it doesn't really matter what exact title you assign him in relation to Rin, as the distribution of power is all inherently the same with any and all adult-child relationships. That bond never changes once you've established it either, seeing as it's a special kind of connection one can only form with a child and a child alone.

I was a teacher for a few years, and speaking from personal experience, you don't need to be a parent, per se, to take on a role of authority in a child's life. I know without a doubt that I could never and will never view any of those kids I taught in a sexual/romantic light later down the road; yes, not even once they become grown-ups who are independent and more than capable of making their own decisions. Those of you who disagree are usually missing the whole point though, because we're not trying to dictate what Adult!Rin can and cannot do like many tend to accuse of us doing. This isn't a question of taking away from her autonomy nor does it fall under "purity culture," which is why people shouldn't continue jumping to these outrageous conclusions and really listen for a change. You're deflecting from the real issue here when you choose to misinterpret what we're saying by ignoring the problem we're actually referring to. You cannot present a valid counter-argument if you persist in twisting our words.

Bottom line: once these kids become old enough to pursue a sexual/romantic relationship, of course they have that right if they're ready. All we're trying to say is you guys ought to stop pushing forward this it's-completely-normal-to-want-to-bang-your-adoptive-dad-since-you're-an-adult-and-can-do-as-you-please agenda and not expect backlash. Ship it if you want, but please stop acting like their romance would be the epitome of a pure and healthy relationship.

Sesshomaru may not wear his heart on his sleeve, but it's foolish to presume he didn't actually care about Rin during their whole time together just because he didn't openly express his feelings until the very end. Surely everybody can comprehend that people handle and process their emotions differently. The way Sesshomaru chooses to is completely valid for the most part, so let's cut him some slack regarding this already.

What I'm trying to get at is that any child whose life you played an influential role in will always be a kid in a lot ways to you even when they're old and wrinkly. Just as they will always picture you as the loved one who guided and protected them when they were most vulnerable and couldn't always fend for themselves. Can't we relate this to children we know personally and apply it accordingly?

Finally, I want to end on this note. Could you kindly take a look at these two images below for a second?

The reason I ask is because of something I recently read that's relevant to the topic. There was this pro-sessrin tweet I saw that stated Rin trying to take care of Sesshomaru when they first met is what a mom would do for a child, which in their opinion, translates to Rin being more like a mother than a daughter if anything.

First off: are you freaking kidding me????

Seriously, so now children aren't allowed to tend to their sick or injured parents?! Parents are apparently superhuman and shouldn't be offered a helping hand from a child, even if they mean well and want to help their parent who's in pain?? Now this Twitter user was mostly being a smartass, but at the same time, it was evident they genuinely thought they offered a valid enough point that warranted no further explanation or clarification.

Secondly, by saying this Sessrin fans don't seem to realize that in actuality they're contradicting themselves and proving the point we've been trying to make all along. Glancing at the first picture and moving down to the second, the role of the one being cared for and the caretaker is reversed. So then by their own logic, Sesshomaru IS in fact like a father to Rin.

What it comes down to is the names you give to the roles these characters play aren't as crucial as the dynamic they share. The specific characteristics of that dynamic are what define the importance of said role, not so much the name in the role itself. So real father or not, Sesshomaru and Rin clearly mean a lot to each other. Close relationships are defined and solidified by the devotion and belonging they have to one another, not solely by the duration of time spent together and their proximity.

Well, that's a wrap! I hope you guys got something outta this blog, and that you enjoyed or found some portions of it interesting. I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject from this fandom, but only engage in conversation if you plan to be respectful. Thank you!

#inuyasha #hanyo no yashahime #sesshomaru #rin #jaken #anti sessrin #child grooming #family dynamics #parent child relationship

[jackmfvegas777]

Furry Species Stereotypes #1 - By Me

Note;

These are only my personal views of the furry fandom's species I know from my personal experiences with them,

and if not that, then general common assumptions or stereotypes.

Thus, this is not gospel truth for everyone!

If you disagree, please tell me why!

I'd love you guys' take.

I also tried to name as many species I could think about off the top of my head without looking them up, which took FOREEEEVER.

You can reply to this or anon ask me, or DM me with ones I've missed, even your personal own created species (even if no one knows them yet), I'll do them too in a reply to this!

Real existing species stereotypes down below, here!;

WOLVES ; Due to this being the most common persona, you are most likely someone who follows the crowd and likes things that are popular. You however are still a pretty solitary being, preferring a dark corner over a party's dance floor. You love honesty and loyalty and have those traits to a fault, never ever abandoning a friend or ally, in need or not. You may also like things like squishy toys and squeaky toys, fidget spinners, and any manner of play item. Also, basically, to sum it up; YA' BASIC. Sorry. 😆

FOXES ; Somewhat similar to ferrets, raccoons, & sometimes rats, you both scurry around quickly simultaneously physically, and in conversation, and you may "borrow" items from places seemingly like a kleptomaniac, but for sentimental items. Basically if you are friends with a fox fursona, your jacket and/or gloves, pins, pizza (LOL) and many other miscellaneous items may go missing "mysteriously" due to them collecting it as a habit. They almost never mean true harm, they just like keeping your stuff because it reminds them of you, which can be seen as creepy by some people. But it is also very endearing, if done with pure intentions. But you may want to tell the fox to stop taking your things and ask you first! LOL. You always seem to have a ridiculous amount of energy and for some reason, an insane amount of optimistic viewpoints, and positive happy personality. You also like your books, preferring to spend a night reading then playing video games. (Although you do enjoy those too.) You are pretty academic, but yet you can also do well in physical sports, if you're into that sort of thing. There are a few points in the wolf & dog category I would assign here too, most likely due to all three being canines, like liking the squeaky and squishy toys and other stem items, and being verrrry loyal if a bit solitary in nature.

CATS (BIG) ; ...Y'all are usually assholes! There! I said it! I'm sorry to say, but nine times out of 10, you guys seem to be huge dicks, and I'm... not sure why, exactly?? What attracts the enormous dickwad to the big cat's umbrella of wild cat species? Maybe, perhaps, it is the superior, regal, and majestic appearance of big cats,--perhaps relating to their usual narcissism in normal life? Okay, so, I'm exaggerating a little, I have met some big cats that are great and very good friends. But a lot of them I've seen have been downright rude, callous, cold, and distant, at best! And downright asswads at worse!! However it seems like as bad as they go when they're bad, they go really good when they're actually good. When they are cool people, they're actually surprisingly chill, especially when comparing to the other type of big cat. They tend to usually be D.J.s, dancers, comedians, performers or some sort of person in the entertainment field, in some way. Those type're usually hella nice to get along with, however their super friendly exterior disguises a very weird, eccentric and esoteric mind beneath. They also seem to ooze confidence outwardly, even if they aren't confident feeling on the inside. They are royal and regal, and usually relatively unfazed by anything that would hurt normal people pretty badly. These are usually the type of people who don't get into emotions very often, or if they do, they always still have a wall up between them and the other person. They're strong, but that's because they force themselves to be strong, and it makes for a very bad night if the big cat snaps and takes out their very strong, tiger-like roar of anger on others! Thus if you are a big cat, I suggest finding ways to manage your anger, and finding ways to relieve your stress, as I noticed people who are big cats in their fursona tend to be very stressed in real life for some reason. Again, I'm not sure why people who are, are attracted to that species specifically.

CATS (SMALL) ; You kitties are solitary like the big cats and wolves, however much more docile. There's two main types of cats that are house cats in fursona; There's the serious brooding figure that seems to be always alone yet peaking curiosity in everyone's eyes--the type that is stealthy, sneaky, and very cat-like--as in, realistic cat-like. You may sit strangely or have odd habits in voice or body, something that makes you stand out as different. There's also the second type of cat, which is basically an UWU XOXO anime girl that is ridiculously feminine, high pitched, and almost always is a neko type furry character instead of a full furry anthropomorphic character. Not that there's anything wrong with nekos, they're awesome too, it just seems to be a trend that any neko is usually a cat. You may like to actually smoke catnip! (Okay that was a joke LOL, but yes, it is possible, and yes it does get humans somewhat high, but most would not recommend it due to it being short & tasting bad! LMAO 😆) You also really like batting things around, or batting things off tables or counters--when you have a cup of tea beside you, the urge to knock your mug off the table is irresistible, even though your rational mind denies the notion from actually happening. You tend to like yarn snd thread, whether that means just playing with it or knitting or sewing etc. and making creations with it! You usually like fish a lot, mostly sushi is your favorite, and usually, you tend to be more based in Japanese culture.

DOGS ; See wolves, but add loyalty hella and way more people-oriented. you're somehow more basic than wolves 🤣

RABBITS ; As someone who has a rabbit as one of my main 3 fursonas, I have to admit I love rabbits. We are usually very social, unlike the animal we're based on, preferring to conversate and meet people. Although, like the rabbit, we may be shy to actually begin the conversation, or initiate plans on our own. We also scare easily, and most of us for some reason tend to have anxiety or panic disorders, not always, but quite often, and that can usually be why we relate to the characters of rabbits which go still & shake or attack fiercely with their hind legs if scared. There are some people with rabbit fursonas that are definitely fully shy, but a lot of them are actually quite more outgoing than you would think they are. And no, rabbits usually don't love carrots. (Including real rabbits, they eat mostly hay and carrots should only be a treat!) But for some reason one thing I noticed is that almost everybody's fursona in existence is. Just. Super sexual and flirty and just out there in every way. They can come across as perverted and strange to a lot of people due to this, once they reveal their true colours rather than their cutesy entrance, to those they know well.

DEER ; You guys are the innocent bunch, the kids that seemed to never know what was going on when it came to violence or sexual content in any media or situation. This innocence continues throughout your life. You're usually a 'deer in the headlights' and can get very confused easily and a lot, and also you can become quite shy and reclusive if you don't have friends to pull you out of it to shove you into social situations by force. You may not be 'the brightest bulb in the bunch', but you are definitely the friendliest, kindest, and most understanding one in it. Most people love being your friend because your support gives strength that can't be found elsewhere, due to the power and stability of your connection to people. You also may really like salad.

BEARS ; You guys are a bunch of big gentle giants. For some reason, most every person who plays a bear fursona seem to be gigantic in real life, either super tall, or super fat, or super muscular, or a combination or all of the above! Whatever it is, they're always big intimidating figures. Yet, despite this, they seem to be very sweet, mild-mannered and very loyal. They also seem to have a lazy streak, preferring to lay down and eat honey rather than do anything productive on time. Don't get me wrong, they'll do the task, but it'll just take until they feel like doing it. However when they have ambition, they have it and have it well, being able to rise to Big manager positions very easily. They tend to be very shy both in romantic situations and just in general. Despite their large presence, they're just a bunch of softies.

OPOSSUMS ; An opossum is one of my main fursonas, based on me. Plus I can tell you from experience that opossums are little shits. They will pester the shit out of you, text you non-stop, and talk your ears off if you let them. They're not trying to be annoying or clingy, but they're just that type of person that really clings to people and likes talking to people as long as possible when they like them. Like raccoons, rats, and other things on this list, they like hoarding treasure and they tend to be sneaky mischievous little beings, loving to pull pranks or make a joke to make someone laugh hard. The opossums are kind of the clowns of the furry species, always being the comedian of the group. We love soft blankets and we tend to sleep with our head under the covers completely like we were in our mother's pouch. Also a lot of us do what I call the 'human sofa', where we curl around someone's back as they sit, and become their backrest, to snuggle them.

WEASELS & FERRETS ; Same as opossum, but make them scary and super suspicious all the time. I mean seriously, these guys are "sus". Who knows what they're up to? But they tend to be great comedians, and can always crack a joke that's sly and sarcastic to make someone burst out laughing, even if it's just one person who does due to their obscure references to their many fandoms.

RACCOONS ; Same as opossums, weasels, and ferrets--except add that you love trash. Whether this means collecting empty boxes, like shoe boxes and electronic boxes, or collecting old newspapers, or straws, or broken glass, (who knows?!) or making new pretty things out of old withered things, all of it you adore! You enjoy the feeling of making the most out of nothing, and pulling something out of your ass to survive no matter what the situation. This tendency can lead to intense resourcefulness in every area of life.

SKUNKS ; They all tend to be really chill, mostly... because all of you are fucking weed smokers! I guess it comes with the territory since skunks have a skunky smell, but damn does your skunky smell smell skunkier than a skunk! 😆🤣 Okay, okay, now besides the usual stoner stereotypes, you skunks are pretty chill beings, usually preferring a night on the couch. Although when they do catch you adventuring, they'd catch you frolicking in nature, and catching tadpoles, or doing something odd in a river. You love forests, and also love the sounds of city, traffic, and cars passing by. Rain is one of your favourite times.

BADGERS ; Y'all are some bad motherfuckers, the type of person who could kick anyone's ass, any amount of people, and come out without a scratch. People like you are nearly indestructible, and also tend to be somewhat snappy and harsh to others, although usually unintentionally. You tend to love honey, and/or any kinds of sweet things, which tends to contrast with your spicy personality. You have a pain tolerance out of this world, and you also have mental pain tolerance as well, seeming to never get hurt or let down by others' actions. This is due to you never fully trusting, and always preparing somewhat for a let down.

TANUKIS (JAPANESE RACCOON DOGS) ; This is my main fursona, and like opossums, Japanese Raccoon Dogs / Tanukis are ridiculously loyal and strange, almost clown-like beings, and also like raccoons, they love finding old things and transforming them into new. They also tend to be very artistic and really like colours, usually having some form of synesthesia if not multiple, usually having to do with colour association. Also you usually have a very strong connection to Japan and it's culture, either being Japanese or just loving the culture itself, and tend to base a lot of your life around Japanese things. You may even be planning to move to Tokyo someday! Tanukis are notoriously mischievous, but in a friendly, jokey way, and they tend to never want to make people mad. Due to this, they are always very friendly and positive, as much as they can, even if they feel the opposite inside. These are also the types of people to be very esoteric, weird, and downright uncanny, which fits their Japanese theme as Japan does some weird shit too LOL. Also usually stoners. Also pretty flirty, but not overly.

COYOTES & OTHER MISC. CANINES ; As a less common version of dogs, you have some manner of uniqueness about you! You tend to be active, especially physically, and in sports, usually very likely to do hiking as well. You tend to be pretty chipper, although you can come across as sarcastic or biting when you're in a bad mood. When you're in a good mood, everyone can feel it, and your smile brightens up the space around you! People tend to be attracted to your demeanor, even if you don't mean to attract them, they still come, and this quality can lead you to some of your lifelong friends (and perhaps, enemies.).

SHARKS & OTHER AQUATICS ; You aquatic creatures tend to be the jocks of the group, however despite your jockiness, you actually have quite a brain on you; being able to figure out complex things like math problems that are way ahead of where you are, or learning to read very soon in your life, and maybe even being in spelling bees or talent shows later on! You tend to have a scientific mind, and definitely have at least one or two fish tanks, if not a whole room full. You can be a bit perverted, and even a little bit dominating in conversation, but for people who can get past that--you make a loyal, fun, and active friend.

SNAKES & OTHER REPTILES ; You all tend to seem shady no matter how stand-up you are, and the fact that you never go in the spotlight, always preferring to stay by the sidelines and observe and watch others closely. Occasionally, you may leave a small remark, and due to you barely talking, those things you do say echo only louder for those who hear. You tend to be reclusive and secluded, loving the silence of rainy days with no one bugging you, and your beautiful reptiles. You tend to be quite confident, and even heroic at your best, being kind and also empathetic and caring, and intelligent. At your worst, you can come off as cold, manipulative or even cruel at times. Snakes and reptiles are usually seen with dislike and/or fear by others, which can lead to a hardened heart in you that makes you trust less easily, fearing judgement in who you are.

AXOLOTLS & OTHER AMPHIBIANS ; You guys kiiinda tend to be the 'uwu i'm special!!1!' bunch, but rather than in an insensitive annoying way, in the way that you're genuinely childish and innocent and naive, which can be both a blessing and a curse. Like the aquatic axolotl, you stay young forever, (kind of like Peter Pan!) and you seemingly never lose your sense of humour, your playfulness, or your absolute randomness at times. You are someone who would fight to the death for a friend you just met, even though you are usually pacifistic. You have great traits when it comes to caring for others, and fully taking care of others--skills that would bode well for you becoming a nurse, doctor, psychiatrist or therapist. You tend to love water, and will go swimming the whole summer while it's warm enough! You also don't mind, even if it's cold, you'll jump in anyway.

MICE & OTHER RODENTS ; You guys tend to be even more cutesy and little than rabbits! A lot of you guys seem to be age aggressors due to mental illness, and thus choose a very small, innocent animal as their fursona. These people can also just be generally childlike, innocent and playful, albeit very shy. The other type of rodents are the creepy ass ones who give off a high & mighty vibe, being very confident, swaggering, and even mysterious at times. They're the cool kids you see in school, pretending to be some mysterious goth kid, but really they just learned the goth look a week ago.

GENERAL INSECTS/BUGS ; You tend to be very odd, weirding out the general public more than you do connect with them. You've always felt a strange disconnect between yourself and the world, feeling like you're not really there or like you could be more. You might have transformed from being a totally different person in your past, to being a radically different person now. You tend to rule change and dreams and mystic things, perhaps even being some sort of psychic. You tend to have an extremely open mind and a very welcoming, understanding personality, due to you even seeing the beauty in bugs, which so many find repulsive. This quality will follow you into life, which you must be careful of--don't start trusting everyone you meet. Due to you always seeing the best in everyone, you can get taken advantage of easily.

And now fictional/mythical/extinct/hybrids down here;

DUTCH ANGEL DRAGONS ; Y'all give off a very confident vibe to me, although it's hidden under an exterior of pretend anxiety or hesitancy, which you really don't feel. You're one of those preppy kids who tends to dress girly regardless of gender, can't handle coffee but loves their jasmine tea, likes their succulents planted in their house in cute little DIY decorated plant vases, and wears pastels of colour. You tend to be a bright, vibrant person who sees the best in things, and you can be a little naive due to your extreme and blind happiness that radiates purely from you.

GENERAL DRAGONS ; You tend to intimidate others easily, but this is not something you mean to do whatsoever. In fact, you usually try your best to make friends although you usually scare them off, whether due to being unintentionally too clingy, or just being too awkward in conversation. You tend to have anxiety or different worries about things, but you try and overtake these things with a massive upbeat attitude. Although sometimes, this attitude does falter, and you can become somewhat pessimistic without reminder. Also, like raccoons, ferrets and other similar animals, you love to hoard treasure and things you love, everything from gemstones, to rocks, to bottle caps, to pieces of broken glass--it doesn't matter what it is, if it's collectible, you will collect it.

PROTOGENS/PRIMAGENS ; You guys tend to lean heavily into the Japanese aesthetic, or at least into the vapourwave aesthetic. Perhaps even steampunk! Whatever it is, you follow it heavily. You also tend to be a tech nerd. You can help anyone with any computer problem almost effortlessly, and you even have knowledge of technologies in the recent past such as devices like record players, VHS tapes, etc. that most younger people wouldn't know about (if you are young, or if you're old, you know from experience.). You could even be a hacker of some sort if you wanted to, considering your huge skill with computers. Personality-wise you tend to be very cutesy, excitable and both very very innocent, and yet somehow perverted, at the same time. You most likely speak more than one language. I'm not sure why, but it seems like every protogen or primagen I've met speaks multiple languages, two at least, if not more.

SERGALS ; Very similar to sharks, with some qualities of reptiles. You guys also have the Leo zodiac-like personality type of loving to be loved; being in the spotlight is your favourite thing, no matter what it's for! Due to this, some Sergals will tire of reaching for difficult positive attention, and will start to even accept negative attention as attention they want, then will try and act like a troll on purpose to fuck with people, only to get a reaction. Other times they're just chill and generally relaxed people, although if you threaten their family they become very hostile and very unstable emotionally, quickly.

CRUX ; Due to the history of the species being about being experimented on, and abused, and combined, etc. etc., people who play cruxes tend to be pretty edgy "look at how dark I am!!" people. However not always--sometimes, weirdly, very girly, upbeat & happy people will roleplay cruxes. So it's kind of unsure what you'll get when you interact with one. It's pretty much a 50/50 chance on whether they're upbeat & happy, or dark & brooding. Whatever the case, they tend to be usually neurodivergent, since cruxes are mentally ill if you think about it basically, a lot of people have latched on to them as their comfort species for being mentally ill. Like dogs, you love squeaky toys and also you love piercings, and tattoos, and any body modification you can achieve!

PHOENIXES ; Similar 'emo' type to cruxes--people generally choose phoenixes due to their history of being unbreakable when it comes to physical harm. Due to this, a lot of emo people latched on to them. However there are also regular people who play phoenixes, and they tend to be very regal--if a bit intimidating, and are very ambitious & strong-minded people. They have a fieryness that blazes through to show their phoenix-y nature bubbling underneath the surface.

GRYPHONS ; For some reason, you tend to be very aggressive and domineering individuals--think Bakugo Katsuki from My Hero Academia, the anime. Sometimes you can come off as a huge asshole, but you're really well meaning on the inside, and you try to do your best by everyone--you just seem intimidating and aggressive due to resting bitch face and voice, LOL.

DINOSAURS ; You are an excitable individual, whether that means being angry easily, or hyper easily. You tend to be younger in age, or at least younger in mind, having an innocent heart and somewhat ferocious ambitions. You are strong and untamable when it comes to authority figures bossing you around. Most of the time there's no changing your mind if it's set, and you can be very stubborn, pushy, and audacious at your worst, and at your best; proud, confident, encouraging and passionate!

SKULLDOGS & OTHER SKULLIES ; Similar to phoenixes and cruxes, they tend to attract emo, goth, punk, or scene people, however rarely a bubbly girly person will roleplay one, and usually do it with pastel colours instead of dark. They tend to be somewhat reclusive, but yet enjoy people's company when forced to interact. They are people who don't really give a shit much in most circumstances, but when something gets them stirred up, it gets them up and going quickly. They can be somewhat cold and harsh to those who don't know them well, who know that it's all a façade of intimidation, to drive you away from getting closer to them.

FOLVES & OTHER HYBRIDS ; Similar to foxes, you're an excitable hyper furball that will jump around the room, and meet as many friends, and talk to as many people as you can! You guys seem to have none of the reclusive types of personality traits that foxes usually have, and instead seem to be very pack-bonded people! You love finding lucky things, like a clock or license plate that has triple numbers, or picking up a lucky penny off the street. The little things in life make you very happy.

So what do you think?

Did I get your species correct?

If so, or if not, tell me why in the replies! I will read 'em all.

#furry #furries #furry fandom #the furry fandom #furry species stereotypes #furry stereotypes #furry species #fursona #fursonas #furry oc #furry ocs #furry original character #furry original characters #furry character #furry characters #stereotypes

[msotherworldly]

10 CAS Features I Would Like to See in the Sims 5

I’ve already made two lists on features I would like to see in the next installment of the Sims series, but I thought the area of character creation necessitated it’s own category. For some, building is all they do; others simply want to play the game, completing as many of the aspirations and befriending as many other sims as they can. Then there are those of us who are obsessed with the characters themselves. We use mods to give them height or new hair colours, spend hours downloading virtual clothes online, and craft elaborate backstories. Even the length of our Sims noses are important to us. With both improvements and losses in the fourth game, it’s only natural that I have a wish list for the fifth title.

1) Hair Options

EA’s hairs have improved over the years, but you’re required to buy numerous expansion and stuff packs to acquire them. Even with several expansion hairs at my disposal, I find myself turning to mods to find the type of hair I like: wavy, long, and with bangs.

The ability to craft your own hairstyles would be a boon to the series. What if you could change the length of your hair, as well as the type (straight, wavy, curly, or kinky)? What if you could add or remove different bang types? The ability to dye different parts of your hair, as seen in Sims 3, any colour you wanted, including roots, tips, or even streaks, would be feasible. Even throwing colour down wherever, as seen in the Sims 4 Pet system, should be possible: at that point, you could have someone with rainbow hair!

For more complicated styles, such as braids, buzz cuts, or accessorized updos, default hairs could still be provided, but even some of these should include the option to add bangs (straight fringe, uneven fringe, or side swept) as well as dyes and types.

2) Clothing Customization

To the same end, the ability to edit the game’s clothes would excite those of us who have become addicted to Animal Crossing’s latest “Pro Design” option. Outfits would have a “remove sleeve” option, or the ability to make them long or short. Hoodies could be toggled, so that Sims could choose to wear them up or down. Skirts or dresses could be made short, medium or long, and designs could be asymmetrical. Patterns could be added to less complex outfits using a stamp tool, similar to what was developed for Pets; t-shirts could have stripes, polka dots, or chevron patterns added! More skilled simmers could even draw their own illustrations on to clothes.

3) Accessories & Additional Categories

In the Sims 4, you can have hats and necklaces, but not tiaras and scarves. More accessories should be given their own categories, allowing you to add kerchiefs, woolly scarves, tiaras, headbands, or bows to your Sim—in addition to everything else.

Some accessories could be added to other clothes, such as a “belt” option you can use to add colour to any of the game’s pants. All of the shirts would also include a “tie” category. Purses and backpacks could be added to the game, independent of whatever outfit your Sim was wearing, as well as more slots for rings and earrings.

Jackets and t-shirts might even be made separate, allowing your Sim to don their favourite hoodie whatever their outfit for the day. There could be capes, shawls, masks...more categories would make for some fun combinations (and perhaps more notoriously ugly townies).

4) Colour Wheel: Skin, Hair, and Eyes

The Sims 3 featured a colour wheel for both hair and eyes which was missed in the Sims 4. Gone are the days when you could give your Sim dark purple hair and blood red eyes without the use of mods. What Sims 3 didn’t do was include a colour wheel for skin (though the options given through expansions over time gave a close approximation).

The types of Sims you could make in the Sims 5 with a colour wheel would be endless. In addition to making them all resemble anime characters with purple eyes and pastel pink hair, the ability to choose any skin colour would enable the creation of characters like Grimora or Thanos. You could make a town full of Simpson’s type characters if you wanted to.

Having free rein over skin tones would also allow players to tweak any EA skin tones they weren’t happy with. You’d be able to add more red to the tones, darken them, or simply make them appear less washed out.

5) Height Slider

It’s understandable why a height slider hasn’t been implemented, given the strain it would put on animations. While I won’t be (too) upset if this is too difficult to add, there’s no denying that it greatly diversifies characters. A tall character stands out from a short one, leading to cute but awkward couples of drastically varying heights, as well as making the world more realistic.

At the very least, there should be a notable height difference between teens and adults, whom I can’t tell apart.

6) Sex & Gender

The Sims 4 added great options for sex and gender when they enabled unisex clothes and the ability to make transgender Sims. It was the first game I saw that enabled that level of control, and I hope to see an improved version of the system in the Sims 5.

Still absent are more gender categories. In addition to “male” and “female” identities, there should also be a “non-binary” option. In game, depending on what you choose, your Sims would then be addressed as “he,” “she,” or “they.”

Having body types that sat more on a spectrum could open up the character creator too, adding a third body slider that would tend towards masculine or feminine without being strictly one or the other unless you chose to sit at either extreme. Masculine or feminine attributes (such as breasts) could be added independent of the body type, and all clothes and hairs would remain available to all Sims.

7) Personality Quirks

Some of these aspects might feel more like grocery shop lists to some people, but I found they added to my Sims. The Sims 3 allowed you to choose your sim’s favourite food, colour, and music. In the Sims 2, you could choose your turn on’s and turn off’s, such as hair colour or body type. The Sims 3 also introduced a biography section where you could type out your Sim’s backstory and any additional details you wanted to include.

While these attributes mostly contributed to generating moodlets, they could be made more integral to the game. Sims could experience increased happiness wearing their favourite colour or seeing it in a room. Sims could write higher quality songs in their preferred genre. Socials could be opened around these traits, with Sims finding friendships easier to build after discovering that they shared one or more.

The turn on and turn off system could be extended to all levels of attraction: a Sim’s sexual orientation could be defined, offering straight, gay, bisexual, or pansexual as options. No more having your female Sim chatting up Brent or Brant when you’re not looking!

8) More Traits

The ability to choose only three traits for adult sims has never felt sufficient. Even five traits don’t feel like enough for more complex characters. The option to have five traits by default (and then to unlock more “default traits” through the rewards store using a potion) would be welcome.

The inclusion of more options would be great too; who doesn’t want a “sarcastic” trait?

8) Disabilities

There are dozens of disabilities in the real world, making the inclusion of them all impossible. However, more common disabilities, such as having a bionic leg or being relegated to a wheelchair, should be represented. Elderly Sims should have the option of needing canes or walkers.

More complex disabilities, such as being deaf, mute, or blind, would be difficult to add, owing to the array of socials, such as sign language, that would need to be added. However, if such disabilities could be included, the game would be even more inclusive than it already is.

At the very least, wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs should be doable. There’s some hope that even Sims 4 could receive such features.

9) More Tattoo Options

As someone who’s a tattoo enthusiast in real life, I find the game’s selection disappointing. Moreover, I miss the versatility offered by the Sims 3 system, which allowed you to edit the size, colours, and placement of the tattoo. There need to be more tattoos, particularly with each pack; they should follow the typical categories (tribal, new school, traditional, Japanese, and more) with some funkier pieces thrown in.

Tattoos shouldn’t be limited by slots either, meaning that you should be able to have ten different designs on one leg if you choose. More skilled Simmers should be given the option to draw their own designs, and then share those designs with others on the Gallery.

A Sim could have their name, or a portrait of their significant other, inked into their skin—with wonderful or disastrous results.

10) Save an Outfit

This final feature is more about convenience than anything. Have a fashionista Sim for whom five outfit slots aren’t enough? Plan to create an asylum or group in which a single uniform is needed? Wish to transfer the same outfit to another outfit category?

This feature would allow you to save an outfit. You can already save Sims and houses to the library, and a third “closet” category could save hours of sifting through clothes in order to recreate a look. These looks could be uploaded to the Gallery. With the other features I mentioned (colour wheels, hair manipulation, dyes and stamps), outfits, along with their matching hairstyles, could be accessed effortlessly and shared with the community.

Shirts with detailed illustrations or zanier dye jobs could be uploaded and accessed by others, thereby removing the need for simpler mods and the barrier they present for those who want to keep their game “cc free.”

There are more features, most of them small, that I would love, but these ten cover what I would like to see. It goes without saying that I want to see other aspects (such as the click and drag tool and the two body sliders) given further freedom, but if even a colour wheel is added I’ll be enthused.

#sims4 #rileyplays #wish list

[ohwereusingourmadeupnames]

Don’t Go Wasting Your Emotions

Pairing: Peter Parker/Tony Stark (Starker) Rating: (M) Notes: This is my pop star au fill for my @starkerfestivals bingo card. It’s based loosely off of this post here. There is a ton of 80′s music in it, so you might want to listen along while you read; it’ll really enhance the experience!  Warnings: NSFW things, period typical homophobia Word Count: 11.5k Summary: 

Tony Stark refuses to follow in his father's footsteps, his one true love is music and nothing is going to change that. During a particularly audacious performance of ABBA, Tony is noticed by Peter Parker, a man looking for lead singer for his band.

Or - the one where there's a lot of 80's music & Tony and Peter do a lot of eye fucking on stage.

Read it here on AO3

Throughout his life, everyone assumed Tony had it made. People looked at his last name like that held the key to who he was as a person. From a young age, Tony hated it. It seemed silly, to be compared to a name – one that he didn’t even want anything to do with. His father’s work didn’t define him, despite what everyone thought. The never-ending conversations about his eventual takeover of the company drove him even further from the obligation that came with his last name and the empire built around it.

The second Tony got the opportunity to do what he wanted, he did. Being so advanced in school meant graduating high school early and escaping to the dorms of MIT. With freedom came Tony’s true awakening. His roommate, a gorgeous man studying aeronautical engineering, loved everything about music.

Up until a year or two ago, Tony simply dealt with silence in the big house he felt trapped in – then, he discovered vinyl and the goodness of classic rock; The Beatles, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin – they were all part of the soundtrack that brought him true joy and happiness.

Rhodey, on the other hand, had a very eclectic taste in music. He appreciated all of the genres, funk, pop, rock – there was always something new on the record player when Tony walked in from a class or the extra time he needed to spend in the lab. Throughout their time together, Rhodey taught him everything he ever wanted to learn about the music world – including how to play the guitar.

By the time graduation rolled around, Tony knew he wouldn’t be using his mechanical engineering degree one single bit. He wanted to explore more of the music world, he needed to be something outside of the Stark name. His father didn’t approve of his decision, but he never did – nothing Tony accomplished throughout his life would ever be good enough, anyway. Though he didn’t cut him off, he didn’t allow Tony back to the compound – he figured it to be a punishment, that Tony would come crawling back. Tough luck that was.

Getting a job at a record store kept Tony up to date with all of the new music being produced by some of his favorite old artists and some of the new ones of the day. Every day, Tony went to work in a place that he actually liked, then came home to an apartment that he paid for by himself, decorated the way he wanted, and did whatever he wanted within it. It took a little while to get the place soundproofed – but when he did, all bets were off.

He got pretty good at the guitar, his hands nimble from years of working on small parts and pieces. His brain processed the notes easily and the tone seemed to come naturally to him. Through his dabbling, Tony found that he could sing – that his voice was rich and could carry many different pitches. From ABBA to Def Leppard, Tony slowly found himself learning how to control his voice and hit all the notes throughout the different octaves.

One of his favorite pastimes quickly became karaoke. Between the good times he always had with Rhodey and the ability to get on stage and work out his voice, Tony always enjoyed the weekly trips they took to Monteros’. The bar was a dive, there wasn’t any denying that. The chairs were old and the people behind the bar were even older – but they had a great stage and an audience that rolled with whatever got brought to the table.

They tried the more upscale places a couple of times – they were nicer and had younger, hotter people tending bar. Yet, the singers were usually stiff, and the song selection was very slim. The reoccurring theme in Tony’s life came down to freedom and he was bound and determined to only surround himself with people and places that fostered that – dingy dive bars included.

That Friday night, Tony put on his straight leg jeans, white t-shirt, and leather jacket – the outfit one of his favorites to perform in. He grinned at the worn-out Sambas on his feet and quickly left his apartment, Rhodey was probably already waiting there for him with a table and a pissy expression.

Walking into the bar that he could easily add to the list of his favorite places, Tony grinned when he saw Rhodey sitting in their normal spot. The other man didn’t take part in the singing, but he always appreciated the performances – their front row seats gave him the best vantage point to enjoy them head on and center. “Hey, Rhodes,” Tony said in a way of greeting, his hand squeezing his friends shoulder briefly.

“Tony Stark – nice of you to finally join me. I know your 19-year-old self can’t have one, but I’m going to get a drink. Hold down the fort for a few minutes, will you?” Rhodey got up without preamble, the man knew Tony would do what he asked – they’d been doing this song and dance for a couple of years now.

When Rhodey got back, he sat down with a smirk on his face – dark eyes glistening with a combination of mischief and excitement. “I put your name on the list already. You’re going to love what I picked out for you.” His smirk had a chuckle bubbling out of Tony’s chest, a grin of his own spreading across his cheeks.

“You don’t scare me. Nothing will ever beat the night you made me do the entire collection of Cindi Lauper – I still haven’t forgiven you for that, by the way,” Tony remarked, his hand wrapping around Rhodey’s glass to down some of the contents. The scandalized look on his friend’s face made the burn of the alcohol worth it so much more. “Bring it on, Rhodes.”

They sat through a handful of performances before Tony was called to the stage, the song selection making everyone in the audience laugh, Rhodey included. Meeting his eyes, Tony shook his head – what an absolute prick. Either way, Tony wasn’t going to waste a second of performance time. He cycled through the embarrassingly big collection of ABBA songs in his head, the lyrics and beat of this one calling for something special.

The music started when he nodded to Clint in the sound booth. Tony wrapped both of his hands around the microphone that still sat in the stand, his foot tapping to the beat of the instrumental – the song started with a couple of empty bars filled with the thump of synthesizer. Looking out in front of him, the transition happened easily – his mouth opening wide to belt out the first lyric. “I wasn’t jealous before we met,” Tony started, the end of the line hitting perfectly with the cutting tempo of the song.

The more he got into it, the more he loosened up – Tony swung his hips to the beat and pulled the microphone from its stand, the chord following behind him easily. There weren’t too many people in the crowd, the early part of the evening always a little bare. He kept his eyes up, the best part of performing for him the reaction of everyone else. One particular set of eyes seemed to follow him the entire time – Tony pointed his body in that direction, the first chorus quickly approaching.

Stepping down off the stage, Tony started to walk through the tables – he carried himself with excitability and knew getting close to the crowd would transfer some of that energy. He passed by the table where the intense eyes were, his gaze connecting with a boy around his age, his clothes somewhat similar to Tony’s – he hit the first “lay your love on me” right as his fingers brushed against the top of the table. Turning quickly, Tony strode over to Rhodey, his friend laughing, face completely lit up.

He sprawled across the tabletop; his face turned in Rhodey’s direction so the man got the full effect of the words coming out of his mouth – “Don’t go sharing your devotion. Lay all your love on me.” Tony reached out and pressed his palm to Rhodey’s cheek, his smile evident in the words vibrating out of his chest. He sat up then, his feet dangling from the table as he moved onto the next verse.

By the end of the song, Tony was dripping sweat and completely enraptured. The energy of the room picked up the further he got into the cheesy ABBA lyrics – the crowd got into it and the more that happened, the more Tony did, too. He finished the repetitive chorus with a bang, the edges of his leather jacket spinning with every turn he took. The applause he stepped down from the stage to made his heart ache – it felt so damn good to be up there, doing something that he actually enjoyed.

It took him a few minutes to calm down from the rush – his back against the bar where he nursed a cool glass of water. He would probably put his name in for another performance later – the queue more than likely not long, anyway. For now, though, he felt content to bask in the post-performance glory. It was small time karaoke and he still felt like a star.

Turning to flag Nick down for another glass of water, Tony was surprised to see the man from the crowd standing at the bar right next to him. He glanced over at him – his features were stunning; sharp cheek bones, plump lips, and eyes the color of cinnamon. The hair that framed his face was long, the edges of it curling around his ears and up against his neck. The best part of the decade had to be the hairstyles and wardrobe freedoms – he loved the long hair and jean jacket combo.

“You were pretty good up there,” the man started, his body turning until his side was leaning against the bar – it seemed as if he could see Tony a little bit better from that angle. Tilting his head, Tony let go of the glass in his hand and did the same thing, their gazes locking much easier now.

A smile at the man’s compliment slipped across his lips. It wasn’t often random people stopped him to talk, let alone tell him he was ‘pretty good’. The only recognition of who he was came when people put him and his last name together. This guy seemed genuine, so he opened up a little. “Thanks. My friend is a dick and thought he’d trip me up with that one. Sucks to suck – I fucking love ABBA,” Tony replied, his cheeks heating up from the admission. “I’m Tony,” he muttered after a moment, his hand sticking out between them.

It took a second for the guy to take his hand – he fiddled with the hem of his jacket before actually filing the gap and grasping Tony’s offer of friendship. The black polish on his nails made Tony smile wider – this guy had to be one of his people. “Good to know you. I’m Peter,” the other finally replied, his hand lingering for a second longer before the touch was gone. Tony’s hand felt a bit bare now that the warmth was absent.

“Have you ever tried a duet?” Peter questioned, his eyes roaming over Tony, the look seemingly nervous, like he just asked him the answer to the secret of the universe, not about musical performances.

Shaking his head, Tony pursed his lips – it never crossed his mind, trying to drag someone else on stage with him. He knew a lot of music and could sing, but that’s as far as it went. Tony sung to a hairbrush in the bathroom and marveled when he got the opportunity to actually have people hear him. The thought of other people present on the stage wasn’t a thing until that very moment. “I haven’t – but I wouldn’t be opposed. Why, you interested?”

In that moment, Tony saw something that would change him forever – Peter’s smile. The other guy looked so somber until his face lit up with excitement. His eyes were bright, the caramel of them smoothing out, like molten candy straight from the boiling pot. The slightest of crinkle started at the corner of his eyes, like maybe he spent a little too much time squinting at sheet music or small text. Tony found himself grinning widely back. It wasn’t particularly safe to be looking at another man like this in public, but he didn’t care – the radiant light of this guy was too much to ignore.

“I’m interested. Do you think you could take the first part of Don’t You Want Me?” Peter asked him, the tangible elation in his words making Tony nod his head without a thought. Luckily, The Human League’s record sat on his shelf, that particular song one of his favorites from the album.

“You bet. I’ll follow your lead in the harmonies.” Tony could already hear the lyrics in his head, the thought of performing that kind of song with another man felt scandalous, but also so right.

Another couple of performances went by before Tony and Peter were called up, the crowd a lot bigger than before, the claps loud and more than enough to spur both of them on. The stage crew did a good job putting another microphone on the stage, Peter saddling up to the furthest one before Tony could even ask. Looking over at him, Tony got a nod from Peter – the light in his eyes still so bright, the anticipation of performing very obviously coursing through him.

The song started, the funky beat playing into the first set of words – “You were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar, when I met you.” The pace was fast, so he focused on getting the words out. His eyes flashed between the teleprompter, the crowd, and the gorgeous man standing up on the stage next to him. Peter watched him the entire time, his body swaying ever so slightly. If this was what intimacy felt like, Tony wanted so much more of it.

Peter took up the second verse seamlessly, his stage presence a lot different when the music overtook him, and his mouth started to move with the lyrics. His voice was a lot higher than Tony’s, the fit of it for the second part of the song absolutely perfect. Tony felt himself beaming, this performance so much different than the one he put out for the crowd to see on his own. It felt good playing off of someone else’s energy – especially someone as talented as Peter seemed to be.

At the end of the song, they ended up back to back, their voices mixing to bring the last couple of repeats to a close. The music ended and the crowd came alive with noise and applause – Tony could hear Rhodey’s voice over the mass of people, his whoops so recognizable. He felt his chest heaving – sweat collected across his forehead and soaked his shirt throughout the performance; but man was it worth it.

Turning, Tony caught his breath at the look on Peter’s face. Tony loved the limelight – it was hard to break from after being in it for so long. Peter, on the other hand, seemed to appreciate a job well done – the reaction of the crowd something that brought the happiest look Tony had seen yet to his face. This guy belonged on the stage.

Warm hands were on his shoulders as they made their way down the stairs and off the stage, the heat of them seeping down through his leather jacket to the exposed skin of his arms. Tony felt himself laugh, his heart was beating a mile a minute and he just had the best encounter of his life up on the place he felt the most comfortable. He never thought this kind of happiness existed.

“That was the most fun I’ve ever had on stage,” Tony admitted, his hand reaching up to tap one of Peter’s. If they were anywhere else, he probably would’ve pulled him into his arms, swung him around in an excited hug. Even still, the small touch was enough – Peter tightened his grip for a moment, then pulled away.

The other’s face was absolutely flushed – the wetness of sweat making the hair on the front of his forehead stick to the skin there. Tony’s fingers itched to reach up and push it back. He refrained, but only just barely.

“You’re something else, Tony. Any chance I could convince you to come play with me and my band? We need a new lead singer and you seem to be everything we’ve been looking for.” Peter quirked a brow at him, the smirk on his lips only adding to the sexiness of the look.

Tony stared at him for a few seconds, his eyes roaming over his handsome face to make sure there weren’t any signs of joking or fucking around with him. He seemed pretty genuine, though – the redness of his cheeks made it difficult to see anything other than adorableness. Biting down on his bottom lip to keep the huge smile from spreading over his cheeks like a cheap whore’s legs, Tony nodded – hell fucking yes he wanted to be in Peter’s band.

“If you’re not fucking with me, I’m absolutely game. 100% down to be in a band and do that more than just once a week,” Tony answered, his own face red from the eagerness that couldn’t be contained.

Peter’s response was a swift arm around his shoulder, the shorter guy’s frame pressing into the side of Tony’s chest so sweetly. Without a thought, Tony wrapped his arm around him, keeping the contact between them close.

“When do we start?”

----

Much to Tony’s delight, Peter introduced him to the band the very next day.

Ned, the drummer, was a bigger man with dark hair and a friendly look on his face – he shook Tony’s hand with a grin on his face. “Pete says you’re better than Steve – can’t wait to see what you bring to the table, my man.” He shot him a smile and stepped back, his hands already fiddling with the sticks that were just in his pocket.

The bassist, a beautiful girl with the craziest curly hair and dangerous smile was up next – she didn’t shake his hand, her arms stayed folded across her chest, the bass tucked safely against her. “Do you play anything? Or just look pretty and sing?” MJ, as Peter introduced her, asked him with the slightest hint of sass. She was the spunk of this group – Tony could already tell.

“I play the guitar – I have a Gibson Les Paul and a Fender Strat. I’ve been slamming since college.” Tony was quick to quote a couple of his stats; her eyes were boring into him and it felt a little scary. He felt more of a need to impress her than anyone else standing in the room.

She was quick on the kickback, the look on her face softening a bit. “Was that yesterday, then? You look younger than Petey over there, and he’s the baby.” MJ pointed over towards the guy standing on Tony’s right side. People always asked him that question, his young face still something that got him into trouble every now and again.

Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Tony shrugged – “I graduated from MIT when I was 16. So, 3 years ago now, actually.” The collective gasps made him laugh – his secret identity obviously didn’t get to stay secret for long.

“You’re that Tony?” Peter piped up first, his voice causing Tony to turn a little. Peter’s eyes roamed over him – the appraisal not any different than before, just a bit more hesitant. “Tony Stark, right? Wonder kid – tech genius. You’re in line for a billion-dollar business. What are you doing here, with us?”

Tony didn’t have to think hard to answer that question, there were many reasons, so goddamn many of them. “I love music. My father just assumed I’d dump myself into the business. I followed his rules, went to college, did the whole song and dance – but it didn’t make me happy. This does – music, performing, bringing beats and words to life. I’m here for me, I guess. Because this is what I want.”

There was a moment of silence where everyone looked around – Tony watched the other three share looks between them, that mode of silent communication only available to the people that wrote the language. All at once, they swooped in and wrapped him up in a weird group hug. “This is the misfit family club, you’re totally welcome here, Tony Stark.” MJ was the one to voice the group’s opinion.

With the awkward stuff out of the way, the group got themselves organized – Tony stood behind the microphone with his guitar strapped across his chest right across from Peter, the man behind a fancy looking keyboard and a mic. There wasn’t a set list in place, so Ned started to tap out the opening lines of Take On Me – the beat of it easy to remember. Taking a deep breath, Tony started to sing, his entire being knowing that this was probably his only shot to impress these people. Peter was only one part of the package – MJ and Ned needed to get on board with his talent, too.

They didn’t stop for a while, Ned led them into song after song, all of them covers – all of them sounding a bit better the more the group played together. Tony took it as a good sign, MJ didn’t stop them right off the bat and demand him to leave – in fact, she got so lost in the music, it was difficult to bring her back from wherever she went when they were done. In all his life, he never felt so carefree – so openly accepted by people that liked the same thing he did.

“So, that’s the best we’ve ever sounded,” Ned said a little while later, all four of them sprawled out on the floor from pure exhaustion. They played for more than two hours, Tony’s throat was raw, and his fingers hurt – but it was the best he’d ever felt. “Like – we might actually have a chance to do something at Battle of the Bands this year.”

Looking around, Tony’s face split into a huge smile. “You guys compete at Battle of the Bands?” Tony gapped at them, his only experience with the music competition was as a fan standing in the crowd, looking up at the stage dreamily. Never in a million years did Tony think he’d actually be up on that stage.

The look on his face must’ve been dreamy, because they were all laughing. His cheeks flashed red, the idea of playing on a major stage and being teased about his excitement combining to create the ultimate blush – it probably trailed all the way down his chest at this point. Peter reached out and grabbed his shoulder, the move seemingly customary after a couple days of it happening – the squeeze was nice, the small touch reassuring. “It’s one of the coolest things you’ll ever experience, Tony.”

Still grinning, Tony went about putting his guitar away, the rest of the group doing the same. It’d been more than 4 hours since he walked in the door. His stomach grumbled, the reminder of how long it’d been making his body remember the fact that it needed food, water – sustenance was necessary to continue to rock out this way.

When he turned around, everyone but Peter was gone, the other two slipping out seemingly without a peep. Tony wasn’t mad about that, though. Since meeting Peter the day before, Tony couldn’t stop thinking about him. Of course, a lot of that had to do with their performance and the way it made him feel – there’d been so much chemistry between them. The more secretive part of him understood that carnality also played a part. Peter was hot, could play music, and the more he got to know him, the better his personality seemed to be.

“Any interest in getting something to eat? I’m wiped and could use a burger, or something.” Tony posed the question casually, he didn’t want to put any undue pressure on the outing, or Peter in general. They were practical strangers, after all.

Peter smiled over at him – “I could eat. I’ll show you some of the songs we’ve been trying to put together for Battle of the Bands, too. Maybe you’ll have some ideas.” Peter shouldered the bag with his keyboard in it, his hand once again finding Tony’s shoulder. “There’s a decent greasy spoon a couple blocks from here.”

Tony didn’t need to be told twice. He touched the spot on his arm Peter did and followed him closely – all of the touching was getting to him. Peter’s touch felt like fire, the entirety of it consuming him, moving down his arms and core to settle low into the pit of his stomach. Being gay and not really able to act on it all that often, Tony recognized the fact that he was touch starved. Yet, no one else’s touch had ever really – drawn such a reaction.

Stopping in front of May’s, Tony took a look around the place. It was old fashioned, decked out in old Coca-Cola signs and pictures of the city over the years. They settled at the counter, where Tony noticed a picture of the man he was sitting next to on the wall. “Is that you?” Tony asked, his finger pointing at a much younger and toothless Peter.

Curious eyes watched Peter’s cheeks color, the other guy shaking his head with mirth. “Oh god. Yes. This is my aunt’s place. I’ve told her so many times to take that damn picture down,” Peter’s grumbles were adorable and seemingly half assed. He might not be that old, but he was old enough to pull a picture off the wall if it really bothered him that much.

“It’s adorable. How long were you missing your front teeth?” Tony chuckled when Peter’s hand flew out and smacked against his arm.

“Asshole. It was a really long time. That smile followed me around for at least another year or so.” Peter’s lips were pressed together, the man obviously trying not to smile. “Wait – you think it’s adorable?” He tilted his head at Tony, a new look in his eye.

Blushing himself, Tony nodded his head, eyes dropping for a second. Flirting out in the open was new for him, he didn’t spend a lot of time doing this – getting to know a person. There weren’t a lot of people that seemed worth his time, so he avoided the experience all together. Now, though, he wished for just a bit more experience, for the words that were right for a situation like this. “Yes – insanely so. Hasn’t changed much, either.”

Peter didn’t say anything to that – he simply scooted his chair a little closer and leaned into his space more than he already did. The entire left side of Tony’s body was tingly and numb, the foreign feeling enough to take the edge off the hunger, despite no food crossing his lips. Maybe the hunger resided elsewhere, maybe he wasn’t just hungry for food, anymore. Opening his eyes to actual happiness came with a lot of new things to consider.

The illustrious May came to take their order. She hilariously reached across the counter to pinch Peter’s cheeks, her red lipstick smile endearing – it reminded him of his mother before complacency in life started to set in. A swift pang of something hit Tony square in the chest – his eyes leaving the scene in a rush.

A surprise moan left Tony’s lips when he bit into his burger a few minutes later. Not only was May eternally out to embarrass Peter in front of any person that would watch, she could cook better than anyone Tony ever encountered – even the paid chefs his father brought in to make them fancy meals. His father would curse him dead if he ever uttered anything like that in his presence. Regardless, she was amazing, and he annihilated his food without really looking up until he was completely done.

“Your aunt can really cook, Pete. I’m surprised you’re not a giant balloon with food like that at your disposal whenever you want,” Tony remarked, his full belly allowing him to actually pay attention to the man sitting next to him now. Though, he never noticed a weirdness in the silence, a feat that was substantial considering how much he loathed the silence everywhere else. His house growing up was riddled with a pit of quiet – but he didn’t mind it with Peter, it was actually nice, comfortable.

Tossing the last couple of fries into his mouth, Peter nodded, his cheeks full enough to make him look like a chipmunk hoarding nuts. Tony watched with amusement as he struggled to eat all of the food in his mouth and then swallow it – the bulging of his cheeks not getting any better until all the food was down. “I’ll make sure to tell her. She’ll be excited that THE Tony Stark liked her food.” Peter shot him a wink, the joke in his voice evident. “Now that’s taken care of, do you want to look at the set list?”

A rush of excitement washed over him, Tony nodding his head eagerly. “Hell yes, I do.” Peter shook his head fondly and opened up one of the zippers on his keyboard case – he placed a red folder stuffed to the gills with sheet music in front of Tony. Looking at it wide eyed, Tony flipped it open and immediately felt overwhelmed. There were handwritten sheets of lyrics, scribbled notes about key and pitch – his brain in overdrive already.

“I didn’t even need to see your face to know that was going to be your reaction. We haven’t been able to come up with anything that comes together cohesively. It’s just a bunch of little pieces of songs that don’t fit. Ever do any music writing?” Peter asked hopefully.

Tony scrunched up his nose, shaking it vigorously. “I could write you any kind of system programming you want, I can read music, but I’ve never written lyrics.” He pulled out a few sheets and flipped through them. There were three song options in the nine pages he pulled out. Taking a deep breath, Tony thought for a moment. “Does it have to be an original song? Or could we come in there with a cover?”

Peter looked at him like he’d just solved world hunger, his eyes bulging almost comically – “Holy shit – why didn’t we ever think about that? The stuff we were putting down today sounded amazing. We’ve been dragging our toes on prepping something because there hasn’t been anything to prep.” His voice rose in pitch and volume the more he talked, his enthusiasm overtaking him. “Tony, you’re a genius,” he exclaimed, his arm wrapping around Tony’s shoulder. “An absolute genius.”

Preening at the words, Tony leaned into the touch – exhilaration overtaking most of the functioning of his brain. A throat clearing had them tearing apart – May was standing in front of them, her eyebrows raised. “Stop making a ruckus in here, Pete. Take your friend somewhere else if you’re gonna do that shit.” She took their plates away, her head shaking as she walked through the door to the kitchen.

“She’s right – we should get out of here.” Peter wasn’t quite meeting his eyes then, the embarrassment of being called out by his aunt tangible. Tony nudged him with his shoulder, a soft smile on his face.

“Okay – make sure you thank your aunt for the meal?” Tony got up from his chair as he spoke, the strap of his guitar case going over his shoulder once again. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Peter.” He gripped the back of the other man’s neck for a moment – Tony couldn’t stand not feeling Peter’s gorgeous locks under his fingers for another minute. Squeezing lightly in goodbye, Tony crossed the restaurant and left through the door.

----

The next couple of weeks were spent going through a long list of songs that everyone thought would work for the dynamic of the band – and then refining that list. They performed them all over and over again, MJ arguing that the only way to really choose was to see how they sounded and how versatile they could be. Doing a cover was a good idea, but they needed to figure out a way to make it their own.

On top of all the band practice and get togethers, Tony spent some of his free time with Peter. After the diner and the mutual understanding of each other they came to, it was pretty easy to get lost in the friendship they were creating.

There was attraction there – Tony couldn’t deny how much he wanted to simply touch Peter, how he wanted to grab the back of his neck and pull him close enough to kiss. It was undeniable. Yet, toeing around the subject and merely getting to know each other felt more natural. Tony hoped something more would come, he thought about it pretty constantly; there wasn’t any need to rush, though – their similar interests weren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

About two weeks before Battle of the Bands, Nick the bartender/owner of Monteros’ got ahold of Tony, the man offering them one of the open mic spots that suddenly opened. Tony didn’t hesitate to say yes – they needed to get some stage time as a band before they hit the big one. It was one thing to practice in the space they did every day, but a whole other thing to actually be in front of a crowd and entertain for more than one song.

Relaying the news, the entire band went wild. Tony recognized the relief on everyone’s faces, the thought of getting a warmup gig under their belt as a band was reassuring – they could work out all the kinks of their performance, they could gage how well the crowd reacted and changes things up if need be. Their practice that afternoon was filled with passion and excitement – everyone hit their cues, the entire set they were planning to play sounded great.

Tony stuck around after they were done to help Peter pack up his keyboard – MJ and Ned fled the second they could, the two of them probably picking up on the unresolved sexual tension between Peter and himself. No one talked about it, not even them – but it was there, tangible in the way they looked at each other, in the way Tony seemed to know what Peter wanted or was thinking before the man himself did. He was waiting for MJ to yell at them to just fuck already – Tony couldn’t wait for that.

“So, are you stoked, or are you really fucking stoked?” Tony asked, breaking the silence in their rehearsal space. It always felt a little weird when they were done, the acoustics of the place seemingly sucking up all the sound they made during practice and pulling it into the void. The eeriness of the silence kind of reminding him of home.

Peter zipped up his case and turned towards him, a beaming smile on his face. “Really fucking stoked. I can’t believe Nick called us. I’ve been trying to get him to let us in on an open mic night for ages.” He slung the strap across his body and closed the gap between them. As was customary these days, Peter wrapped an arm around his shoulder, the man the ultimate tease with his soft touches and nonsexual intimacy.

“Rhodey was in there bragging about us last week – I bet that’s what swayed him. Nick is an old family friend of his,” Tony remarked, his own arm wrapping around Peter’s waist. “It’s a solid spot, there’s going to be a decent amount of people there. I’m so ready, Pete.” He squeezed the smaller man against him, fingers digging in slightly.

The other man stopped abruptly a second later, his shoes squeaked against the floor below them and Tony banged into his side. “Peter, what’s – “ was as far as Tony got before Peter turned slightly and pressed their lips together. It was electric – the satisfying feeling of finally settling deep within his gut. Tony adjusted enough to wrap his other arm around Peter, their chests making contact for the first time.

A subtle smack from the stem of his guitar against the back of his head had him pulling away, a gasp leaving his lips. He felt a little numb, his fingers and toes tingling obscenely – the core of the feeling pulsing his lips, the ones that finally got to be pressed against Peter’s. “Wow,” Tony mumbled, a hand moving to the back of his head to both soothe the ache and distract himself. The somewhat public space they were standing in was the last spot they wanted to get caught pressing each other up against the walls kissing frantically.

Peter’s dopey look had him pressing back in for another soft kiss – just to tide them over until they could do this properly, preferably somewhere less public. “Hold that thought,” Peter finally mumbled, his arms dropping down to his sides, feet carrying him a couple steps away from Tony. “I just couldn’t stand it anymore, y’know?” Peter asked the question with a laugh. “Of course, you know.”

Tony felt too breathless to answer, his entire body on fire from just those simple little touches. It scared him a little, just how much he felt in that moment. It was a craving – one so constant that the dam could potentially break at any time. He rifled his fingers through his hair, blinking rapidly for a moment. Peter drove him nuts and now that he knew the taste of him – he just might not survive.

By mutual agreement, they didn’t follow each other home like normal. Tony wanted time to process the new step they took – he needed to find a way to get himself under control before things ran away from him. He let his fingers brush across Peter’s cheek before they walked out of the building, the touch almost enough to spur him up again.

The walk helped to clear his head, his emotions in check now that he could think away from Peter. Getting to the point they were at seemed inevitable, yet it still shook him to the core. Someone wanted him, the Tony Stark that didn’t come with the glitz and glam, the one that just wanted to be who he was, not who people thought he should be. Giddiness slammed into him, the thought that someone finally saw him way more than enough.

He didn’t see Peter until the four of them got together a couple hours before the show at Monteros’ – Tony dug into the pizza they ordered to stave off pre-show hunger, his nervous eating something he thought he kicked a long time ago. His stomach felt funny, so he put food in it – anything else would have caused him more anxiety.

They kept their focus on the show the entire time, Tony determined to have his brain in it all the way. He planned to ask Peter back to his place after they were done, but that wasn’t here nor there in that moment – they had a show to play. Their last-minute preparations were quick and easy, the stage was already set up and ready for them to come out and hopefully blow the crowd away.

Nick announced them without much fanfare a little while later. Stepping out onto the stage, Tony was stoked to see Rhodey in their normal set of seats, he’d been on the phone with his best friend for a couple of hours the day before filling him in on the Peter situation and the insider details of what their set would entail.

Not wasting any time, Ned counted out the start of I Love Rock ‘N Roll – Tony and MJ hit the opening riffs perfectly. Sucking in a breath, Tony started to sing – “I saw him dancing there by the record machine.” He let his voice get a little gravely, his fingers moving over the frets as he belted out the first verse.

Tony dropped out at the chorus letting Peter and MJ take the harmonies through it, his mind preoccupied with the heavy guitar piece throughout. The sound of hands starting to clap through the next verse had Tony grinning, his energy increasing by the second. He almost wished he could drop the guitar and walk around the stage, work the crowd a little. It was alive, the thrum of enjoyment absolutely intoxicating.

A roar of applause sounded when they finished, the four of them clapping out the last note with the rest of the crowd. Taking a moment to soak it in, Tony turned to look over at Ned, his head nodding to start up the next song.

The click of his sticks brought Peter’s keyboard to life, the first few notes his and his alone. He counted out the beats after MJ joined in, his hands coming up to grip the microphone – “I feel the hunger, it’s a hunger – that tries to keep a man awake at night.” Flashing his eyes over to Peter, Tony quirked an eyebrow, the words coming out of his mouth never truer than in that moment.

The chorus of this song was always Tony’s favorite and their decision to bring Peter in on it as an echo made it hit a little harder – the high falsetto of his “be my little baby, oh, ho, oh” making the crowd roar. Grabbing the mic from the stand, he gripped some of the cord in his free hand to drag behind him, his guitar slung over his back. He took a few steps across the stage as he built up to the chorus.

Pressing himself against Peter’s side, Tony held the microphone between them, the chorus seeming to sound even better this time with both of their voices ringing so clearly in his own ears. He let a hand run down Peter’s thigh out of sight before walking back across the stage, stopping only when the tips of his feet were dangling off the edge of it. He leaned forward and delivered the last run into the climax of the song.

Tony couldn’t wipe the exhilarated look on his face, his cheeks burning from the smile, from having to aid in moving his mouth so much – simply from enjoying himself like never before. They finished the song off with the entire band coming in to hit the final line in a beautiful demonstration of organized chaos.

The next song was Tony’s favorite of the set. They spent a few days deciding whether they should replace the fiddles with a similar sound on the keyboard or rearrange it to include more guitar – in the end, they gave Tony the freedom to do whatever he wanted with the arrangement. During one of their late-night hangouts, Tony and Peter put together something special.

Tony started them off with the singular sound of the guitar, his fingers plucking over the strings in attempts to get a more wholesome tune, the pick he’d need later in the song between his lips. Ned came in with the bass drum and set the pace for MJ and Peter to slip in right before he started to sing – “Come on Eileen – “

Despite loving the initial entry into the song, Tony enjoyed the collective voice they put into the chorus. Most of the lines were call and response anyway – Tony dropping out every other line to magnify the sound of his guitar and the combined effect of Peter, MJ, and Ned echoing the lyrics back to him. He’d never felt the amount of energy from the rest of his friends on the stage before – they were fucking killing it and they all knew it.

Ending the song with his hand in the air, Tony finally let himself take a breath. His entire body was thrumming with a sort of energy he didn’t know existed – Tony had never felt like this before. He let the music die down completely before turning and looking at the rest of the people on stage with him – he was met with equals looks of joy and success. MJ looked serene, Ned sweaty and blissed out, and Peter – Peter looked equal parts hungry and over the moon. When their eyes locked, Tony felt the scorch of their gaze, the intensity of it off the charts.

In three songs, Tony managed to validate all of the things he’d been feeling about his step away from the Stark legacy. He worried and wondered for such a long time; it was insanely nice to finally feel at peace with his decision. The pumping of his heart felt so damn right – there wasn’t a single doubt in him any longer.

Nick came on the stage and called for another round of applause for them as they walked off. The second there was enough space, all four of them gathered together into one of their weird group hugs. Peter’s hand settled into the back pocket of Tony’s jeans, the touch adding to the tingly warmth that was already threatening to overwhelm him.

“That was amazing, right?” Peter asked. Everyone took a step back, the serenity of their group hug shifting to the room around them, instead. Tony’s face ached from the megawatt smile he could see replicated on all of the other’s faces. Amazing wasn’t the right word to describe that experience – it was world changing, Earth shifting kind of stuff.

“Hell yes – we’re going to kill it at Battle of the Bands. The changes we made to Come On Eileen made that whole set come together. Brilliant, guys – fucking brilliant,” MJ said in reply, her voice loud, the exhilaration apparent in the tone of it.

“The crowd loved it, too. They were into it from start to finish. What a rush,” Tony added, his cheeks tinging pink at the admission – he couldn’t help it, he felt good, free for the very first time in his life. He heard Peter chuckle and turned to look at him, a shy smile on his lips.

Peter didn’t look away like he expected him to. The hunger in his eyes seemed to pulse, the sight of it making his cock suddenly come to life. Obviously unwilling to wait any longer to touch him, Peter stepped into Tony’s space, an arm wrapping around his waist. Tony reciprocated, his fingers snaking across the back of Peter’s neck to wrap tightly around his shoulders.  

Ned and MJ were their friends and bandmates – it seemed pertinent to be able to feel comfortable around them. Society wasn’t on their side, but he hoped they might be.

Turning his head, Tony pressed a kiss to Peter’s hair – it smelled like citrus, some sort of hair product, and sweat; the delicious musk of him tantalizing. Tony liked to function under the rule of actions speaking louder than words – his attempt at telling them loud, but not shouting it subtle enough.

MJ turned to Ned, her fist slamming into his upper arm with a solid thwack – “Cough it up. I told you.” Her painted lips were stretched into a shit eating grin. MJ was a breath of fresh air and the silent acceptance of that one statement meant so goddamn much.

“Want to come back to mine?” Tony whispered, his lips barely grazing Peter’s ear as he spoke. He felt Peter shudder, the movement pressing the other man’s shoulder into his side more fully.

Instead of answering, Peter looked over at Ned and MJ, a smile slipping across his lips. “You two can take care of my keyboard, right?” His eyes flashed with amusement at the question, Tony noticing a deep flush coursing across his cheeks and down his neck. If all things went to plan, Tony would get to see where that blush stopped and what exactly it led to.

“Yes, go. The tension you guys let fester over the past few weeks is disgusting. I’ll stop by May’s tomorrow and get your keys to you.” She stopped, then looked back at them with a saucy smirk. “Protect yourself, boys.”

----

Throughout the walk, Tony figured things would cool down between them – they needed to focus on the steps in front of them, not each other. Yet, Tony struggled to keep his hands to himself. The overall aura radiating from Peter was so bright, like light directly from the sun – the nights activities and anticipation for more looked amazing on him. Tony wanted to grasp the brightness and keep some for himself.

It seemed to take forever to get to his place, despite it being only a few blocks away from the bar. Getting to his building, Tony practically pushed Peter up the stairs. He struggled with the lock for a couple of seconds before getting the damn thing open with a sigh of relief. All bets were off when the door closed behind them.

Tony pressed Peter against the door, his hands settling on the other man’s hips in a tight grip. Using it to his advantage, he pressed Peter more firmly into the wood and rested his own hips against him. A moan left his lips at the evidence of Peter’s arousal, the bulge in his jeans more than obvious now that Tony was pressed so tightly against him. Rolling his hips, Tony thrust against him until they were lined up, cock to cock.

Peter’s head knocked back against the door, the solid thud of it making Tony look up. Normally bright brown eyes were covered by soft looking eyelids framed in gorgeously long eyelashes. The squint was back, crinkles at the corners of his eyes and a tight pinch between his brows one of the man’s natural reactions. His mouth was wide open, little hums and gasps falling from his lips.

While he still had a bit of sense left in him, Tony pulled back a little, the hands still on Peter’s hips guiding him, pulling him forward until they were walking down the hall. Tony could find anything in his place with his eyes closed, so the backwards position wasn’t an issue for him. The backs of his legs hit the mattress when they finally made it into the bedroom. Tony sat down on the edge of it, his hands still tugging Peter along,

The man didn’t hesitate to straddle his lap, a long sigh leaving both their lips when their cocks were lined up again – the pressure of his jeans made him want to tear off all their clothes, but the deliciousness of Peter’s hard warmth against him was too hard to pull away from just yet. Peter leaned down to kiss him again, his hands greedily running down the sides of Tony’s flanks until fingers were toying with the plain red shirt he’d been wearing up on stage. Wanting to help, Tony lifted his hands so Peter could pull the shirt over his head.

Fabric hitting the floor spurred Tony on just the same, his hands not nearly as smooth in their removal of the short sleeve button up Peter looked so damn good in. He let a huff of success leave his lips when he got the shirt down the other’s arms, his wrist flicking it across the room. With so much skin on display, Tony found himself in stimulus overload. He wanted to nip, kiss, and touch every single inch of him – Peter’s skin was smooth and pale, a couple of freckles and moles littering his torso and upper shoulders. Tony ached for it all.

“Hold on,” Tony mumbled against Peter’s lips, his hands gripping under Peter’s thighs. He stood up and flipped their positions, Tony doing his best to put Peter down on the bed gently. Peter’s pearly white skin was a perfect contrast to the black sheets on the bed – the man a spark amongst the darkness.

Eager fingers moved to the button of Peter’s jeans – he worked to get them open, unzipped, and down his thighs in no time at all. It took a bit of fumbling to get his shoes and socks off without making it awkward, but Peter was in just his black briefs in no time. With a quick kiss to Peter’s lips, Tony pulled away, getting up from the bed – he needed to get his pants off that very instant, or he might actually explode.

Peter shifted his position on the mattress, the man coming to his knees and meeting Tony at the edge of the bed. A sigh of relief fell from his lips when the metal of his zipper was no longer digging into his sensitive flesh. Kicking everything to the side, Tony stood in front of him completely naked – his cock sticking straight out in a delicate salute to one Peter Parker.

Before he knew it, Peter’s lips were around his cock – the other man didn’t waste a second of time, his greedy hands palmed Tony’s ass cheeks and pulled him closer; his cock slipping even further into the tight heat of his mouth. Tony let his hands drift into Peter’s hair, his head dropping back, the tension of his neck the only thing keeping it on his shoulders still.

Despite knowing he liked men since an early age, Tony wasn’t exposed to very many options to find partners similarly inclined. His experience wasn’t vast – even still, he knew Peter was good at what he was doing; Tony’s brains were oh so delicately being sucked from his cock little by little. Finding that he couldn’t keep his hips still anymore, Tony loosened is grip, forcing himself to look down. “I’m going to cum if you keep doing that. I want the first time to be inside of you,” Tony mumbled hoarsely, his arousal coloring his voice drastically.

The licks and sucks didn’t end right away, Peter bobbed his head a couple more times before pulling away, spit on his chin and a mischievous grin on his face. “I needed to taste you,” he said simply, his body already shifting away from Tony and further onto the mattress. He shimmied out of the briefs and threw them over the side of the bed. Tony watched him settle in the middle of the mattress on his hands and knees, his head turned looking at Tony over his shoulder. “This okay?”

“More than,” Tony babbled, his body moving on autopilot to the perfectly Tony sized space between Peter’s legs. He gripped both of cheeks in his hands and parted them, his tongue slipping out to drag across his perineum. He traced up the path and settled at Pete’s puckered hole, the tip of his tongue darting against the tension without any warning.

“Fuck, Tony – warn a guy,” Peter rumbled, a chuckle lacing his words. He pressed his hips back against Tony’s face, the action totally contradictory to his words.

Pressing against the rim again, Tony felt Peter relax around him, his tongue slipping in only for Tony to pull it back and thrust forward quickly again. The small ‘ahs’ he was getting from Peter spurred him on. He took long licks around the rim, the spit of it all collecting in his goatee and dripping down to the sheets below him.

He would’ve kept going, but Peter turned and tried to paw at him, his fingers gripping whatever they could of Tony’s arm. “I need you to fuck me, Tony.” Who was he to not stop what he was doing and get down to business? Nodding, he pulled back with another long lick from his crack down to his balls – a moan sliding from his own throat as he did.

Tony forced himself to reach over and open the bedside drawer. In anticipation of tonight, he brought a brand-new box of condoms and bottle of lube. Grabbing them, he tossed the condom onto the bed next to Peter’s hip and tore at the wrapping around the top of the bottle with his teeth. He let a sigh drip from his lips when he got it open.

Flipping the cap, Tony squirted a good amount of the lube on two of his fingers and let it heat up there. “Might be cold,” Tony whispered, both fingers pressing against Peter’s rim. There wasn’t much resistance when he pushed inside, his tongue doing a good job relaxing him. He thrust a few times, fingertips seeking out that special spot and finally hitting it.

“Do that again!” Peter exclaimed, his hips shoving back in an attempt to get Tony’s fingers deeper. Complying without question, Tony reached until his fingers were pressing against Peter’s prostate with every thrust. The walls around his digits were quaking, Peter rhythmically clenching around him. Tony couldn’t wait to feel that around his cock, the hardness straining between his legs sluggishly dripping precum from the tip.

Peter reached behind himself again, his hand patting the mattress until he found the condom. “Put this on. I need you.” His voice was dripping with need, the man’s hips thrusting forward into the mattress on their own accord. Peter was strung out, the sight enough to be any man’s downfall. Tony’s head swam for a second, his arousal finally catching up to him.

He bit into the side of the package and tore it open, his fingers working quickly to get the condom down his length – he had to clench the base of his cock a couple of times to stop himself from coming; it was all too much.

A lubed-up hand circled Peter’s hole a couple of times, then smeared the rest down his length – Tony gripping himself hard as he lined up and pressed forward. The initial push was like glorious torture – “Push back against me, you’re so tight, Pete,” Tony babbled, his cock encased in the most enticing heat he’d ever experienced. The orgasm he’d been trying to stave off the entire time was quickly approaching.

Finally bottoming out, Tony gave himself a moment to calm down. His skin was riddled with goosebumps and completely sweat soaked. He marveled at the same sheen he could see on Peter’s skin. He reached around until his hand was closing over Peter’s erection, the other man considerable in size and girth – his cock surprisingly rock hard despite the pain he probably felt upon first intrusion. Tony let his hips roll forward and the cock in his hand jump – the throb there so apparent against his palm.

To impatient to give either of them anymore time, Tony started to thrust. He drew his hips back until only the tip was resting inside, his balls already scrunched up and tight against his skin. Letting his hips roll, Tony pushed back in nice and slow. Peter took every inch, his body moving in time with Tony’s. After a few minutes, they found a good rhythm – Tony sat back up and clenched slim hips in his hands, picking up the pace.

It felt like hours, the push and pull of their coupling. Peter panted out Tony’s name over and over again – his voice rough, sounding a little more shattered each time. Tony did his best to keep things tame, but finally hit a melting point – his body ached, the need for release getting to the almost painful point. “I’m so close, Pete.”

“Me too. Touch me, touch me – please,” Peter babbled in response, his hips pressing back into Tony ruthlessly, the pace all sorts of fucked up now. Reaching around again, Tony wrapped his hand around Peter’s dick, his hips picking up speed enough to where the other man’s cock slipped through his grip with every thrust.

He felt the sticky wetness on his fingers and absolutely lost it. “Ah, Pete!” he just about screamed, his orgasm hitting him like a truck going full speed. Tony had just enough left in him to pull out and sink to the mattress with only half of his body on top of Peter’s.

They laid in their mess for a few minutes, Tony doing his best to blink away the dark spots and haze. He watched Peter’s breathing even out, the man’s chest heaving a little less with each draw of breath. The sweat on his skin was what brought him completely out of the post-orgasm goodness, his skin once again breaking out in goosebumps.

“Want to take a shower?” Tony questioned, his lips pressing to the back of Peter’s neck. He sat up and pulled the condom off, tying it and sending it into the wastebasket by the side of the bed with a thunk. He ran a hand up Peter’s hip just because he could – the concept one he would have no problems getting used to.

Peter reached back and pulled him into a kiss, a grin on his lips. “Sounds good, baby.”

----

Two weeks later, they were gathered in their rehearsal space, prepping one last time for Battle of the Bands the next day. After getting some feedback from friends and randos in the audience, the group decided to add a fourth song – they were given twenty minutes to perform and could get all of them in if they were efficient about their time.

Since the night of their show, Peter and Tony were pretty much inseparable – they practiced together daily, ate at May’s, hung out with MJ, Ned, and Rhodey; and had lots of sex. It was a good kind of weird, having someone to touch and kiss – Peter loved to be near him and always wanted to be against him in some fashion. Bonding the way they were helped their chemistry on stage, too. They were on fire – the translation of that in their performance coming out in the shape of wild energy and passion.

Wrapping up, MJ posed the question they’d been avoiding this entire time. “What do we call ourselves? We’ve been playing together all this time and never thought to come up with a name.” She looked at each of them, her eyes searching for some sort of clue.

“3 dudes and a lady?” Ned threw out, his shoulders shrugging. MJ’s eyebrows pinched together, the obvious distaste for that one written all over her face. Ned shrugged again – “At least I tried.”

Tony looked over at Peter, his brain going back to all of the adventures they had walking through this very neighborhood. When there wasn’t much to do, they picked a street and wandered until they found something or ended up back home. A grin slipped across his cheeks, an idea coming to him. “Why don’t we call ourselves The Neighborhood Friendlies?”

There was a beat of silence before MJ broke into a grin of her own – “Tony Stark, you’re a genius.”

Hearing that name announced the never next day made Tony’s heart want to beat straight out of his chest. They walked out onto a stage that was twice as big as Monteros’ and brightly lit. Tony squinted, his pulse thrumming in his ears. It took him a second to adjust and then another second to recognize Peter’s hand on his arm, the fingers there squeezing reassuringly. “Let’s rock it, baby,” Peter mouthed, his right eye winking saucily.

With a click, the performance clock started, the stagehand off to the side holding up her thumb as a sign to get started. “Hey, everyone. We’re The Neighborhood Friendlies!” Tony spoke into the mic, his voice much steadier than he figured it would be. Turning, he nodded at Ned – the man grinned and bringing his sticks up, clicked out the starting tempo.

Their first three songs went great, their dynamic got better the longer they were up there – the crowd played into it, chanting and cheering – the sound of it enough to keep Tony focused, his nerves in check, but just barely. Looking over at Peter, he returned the wink from earlier and started in on their final song – “Calling out around the world, are you ready for a brand new beat?”

He swung his guitar around his back and grabbed the mic from the stand meeting Peter in the middle of the stage. Dancing in the Street called for both of them to sing the entire time, the matching pitches of their voices sounding better than Bowie and Jagger. To top it all off, they kicked around the stage, getting themselves purposely tangled in the mic wires, only to finish perfectly free on opposite sides of the stage from each other. Leaning into his shoulder, Tony pressed his face into the sweat soaked shirt and let out a huge breath. No matter what, they’d just given and left their all out on the stage.

The four of them tried to watch the rest of the bands from the back of the stage but couldn’t focus a single bit – Tony was still thrumming with excess energy and excitement from their amazing performance. After that initial jolt of nerves, Tony forgot all about the big crowd and the potential prize and just cut loose – his performance all the better for it. He and Peter were covertly holding hands, MJ and Ned flanking them to be close and act as cover all at once.

As the last band performing left the stage, Tony felt himself starting to get a little nervous again. If they took this thing, they could easily find themselves on track for a record deal – the money they brought home from this would give them more than enough wiggle room to record, maybe even find a lyricist that could help them put together original songs for them to debut. His fingers gripped Peter’s tightly; the other man just as nervous if the sweat against his palm had anything to say about it.

It almost didn’t register – when their name was announced. Tony and Peter looked at each other, then turned to look at MJ and Ned – all four of them completely dumbfounded. “I think that’s us,” Ned finally said, a huge grin breaking out across his face.

“Holy shit, that’s us!” Peter yelled, his hand gripping Tony’s so tightly he thought for a moment that he might’ve broken a bone. The other man leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek – “We fucking won!”

----

The next time Tony saw his father, they were finishing up their first tour in beautiful New York City – the band practically demanded it when they found out they’d be leaving the city for six months. It was a hell of a ride, traveling the states in a bus, getting to play for thousands of people on a nightly basis. Tony learned so much about music and singing, about himself and the things he wanted and could do, and about love and the way he could so selflessly give it to someone else.

When Peter looked at him on the stage, it felt like the first time every time. They were so much more now, together and apart – Tony figured things would always feel old as dirt and brand new all at the same time with Peter. That had to be what forever felt like.

So, seeing Howard standing there in the VIP line, Tony was pleasantly surprised. 18 months ago, he still would have tried to flee or angrily push him away. Now, he merely smiled at him, his dark tinted glasses hiding the hope that he couldn’t ever stop from coursing through him whenever his dad was around. “Dad, here for a picture with the band?” Tony asked, stepping up to the rope himself instead of letting the attendant walk him back.

“What are you doing here?” he asked once they were away from the rest of the line. He wanted to trust that his dad wanted to be there to support him, but that hadn’t ever been the case before. It felt like a longshot that something like that would change so easily.

“I had to see for myself. How good you were doing. Your mom plays your stuff in the house all the time. I just – needed to see you.”

Tony’s stomach clenched; he’d been waiting to hear that from his dad for his entire life. Without thinking, he threw his arms around him – “Thanks for coming.” He mumbled the words into the jacket of his suit, then pulled away. The current technology made getting pictures of him a lot easier these days.

“Well, come on, then. I’ve got some people I want you to meet.”

#starker #ironspider #peter parker/tony stark #tony stark/peter parker #musician peter parker #musician tony stark #au prompts #au #starkerfestivalsevents #pop star au #bobbie writes

[polyamoroamer]

Rational Poly Men(TM)

So, you've been polyamorous for a little while, maybe even a big while. You meet this guy. He's funny, quick off the mark, intelligent, friendly. He's got a lot of polyamorous friends, some people even consider him a 'polyamory expert'. He may or may not modestly deny this. He isn't close to most of his ex partners, if any. They were frequently too controlling, too jealous, unwilling to do the necessary self work that polyamory requires. He's smooth. Maybe he even tells you he no longer really experiences jealousy, or gives some terribly minor, long-ago examples of it to prove empathy.

Maybe you end up dating him, or watching him date someone close to you. Let's say it's your friend, S. She's very empathetic, a warm, loving person. She's not completely new to polyamory, but she hasn't had many close relationships within this framework. She cares a lot about those around her and will always try to make time to show you she loves you. You regard S as a very good friend, and a good partner to those she dates - always willing to work on her own issues before taking it out on the other person.

You watch as she transitions from the initial elation and progressively becomes more and more unhappy and nervous, then happy again by turns. She confides in you, more than she ever has. Mr Rational has all these fights with his longterm primary partner. She hasn't spent much time with her, but she sounds pretty controlling. It's like she doesn't want Mr R to spend any time with S.

Of course, she says, he gives his primary so much leeway but he can only give her so much, right? They both agreed to polyamory, and it's not fair for her to ask him to stop seeing S entirely.

Eventually, S seems more steady, a bit more sure of her position. She's started spending time with Ms Primary, and they get on surprisingly well - both very courteous and always making sure they help each other get what they need in their relationships with Mr R, without hurting him in the process. It occurs to you that Mr R seems to be being very passive here - he's almost more like a toy letting himself be passed between two partners rather than a man with agency who can deliberately make time for either of them. He may or may not. seem to have one form of input, however: the suggestion that Ms P and S start seeing each other sexually too. S may view this as a kind willingness to share the affection of his partners.

Mr R starts seeing someone new. Suddenly S is nervous, vulnerable, confiding in you again, and closer to Ms Primary than ever before. They try to talk to Mr R together - even Ms P can see that Mr R is neglecting his relationship with S. Not to mention her own relationship with him. S tells you that Mr R doesn't do anything at the house, that Ms P is stuck doing the cooking, cleaning, laundry... Sometimes, she whispers, it's almost like he keeps her as a housekeeper rather than a partner.

They confront him together. Mr R accuses them both of jealousy, ganging up on him, of being controlling, too insecure to deal with the realities of polyamory. Because she is kind, and easily led to believe she is in the wrong, S starts working on her insecurities and issues with jealousy. You note that Mr R stays distant from this processing and doesn't offer noticeable support. Perhaps he is still too caught up in NRE.

This is a hypothetical situation, based off what I've seen in a few polycules I've encountered over the years. My first (secondhand) experience of polyamory was watching two (and then more) friends go through something akin to this. Mr R is one of my close friends, and so is Ms P, and now S, and many others. They are also Pete and Bea and Flora, they are also Franklin Veaux (Eve Rickert's coauthor in writing More Than Two) and his partners. They are also those guys I meet at festivals and out and about. The beautiful ones who are simultaneously drop dead gorgeous, charming and utterly yawn-inducing in their similarity. Mr 2Evolved4U.

Mr Rational Poly Man: Simultaneously active in the pursuit of new connections and absolutely, unbearably passive in the maintenance of current ones. The guys who start seeing someone new and it's down to whoever has the grabbiest hands to spend time with him. If you're sad about him not making the effort to see you, it's your fault for not demanding that time. If he doesn't want to spend that time with you, it's your fault for being too controlling. If you feel insecure or jealous, it's because you can't handle polyamory. Maybe you just want him to be monogamous with you, huh?

Mr Rational Poly Man frequently has at least one partner who bends over backwards to enable his lifestyle of pursuing new partners. Usually a woman, she takes on the role of mother, doing his laundry, his cooking, his cleaning, possibly even in some cases she is the sole breadwinner. She has little time to pursue new relationships herself, or even maintain the ones she does have. She is too busy being two adults, and looking after a man child.

This is more or less just a warning post, and a reminder that those guys who believe somehow that they're terribly rational are usually complete bellends. 'I don't feel jealousy anymore, I'm beyond it' often means: 'I have caring and empathetic partners who do their best to maintain our relationship as well as forming new ones, and I take it for granted'.

In my experience, when a Rational Poly Man feels jealousy, because his partner is maybe finally thinking of leaving him, or because they have formed a new, intense relationship and are maybe showing less care than they usually would, it's a messy explosion of rage. Because the coddling has momentarily stopped, and poor baby can't handle it.

M was not quite a Rational Poly Man, but he definitely sometimes bordered on it. The one time in our relationship where I behaved with a new partner the way he did every time (sexually interacting with them and not wanting to with him), he threw a complete tantrum and actually, it made me feel a little better about my behaviour in that moment, because while it was shitty, it was important for me to see how much I'd been catering to him and how little he'd been doing the same for me, though I genuinely believe he was trying to in his own way. And that was only a lowkey version of this.

Don't be taken in by Rational Poly Men. It's just a ballache waiting to happen, and a lacklustre experience in every way. Realistically though, they do tend to be very good in bed (or so I am led to believe) so it can be hard to let that go for a lot of people. Just remember there are always more people out there who either are good in bed, or are willing and quick to learn.

Thanks for coming to my Ted talk.

#Polyamory #Polyamoroamer #polyamoroamer polyamoroaming #Polyamorous #Polyamoroaming #Rational Poly Man #Rational Poly Men #Mr R #Ms Primary #Ms P #Bea #Flora #Pete #Franklin Veaux #More Than Two #Eve Rickert #M #Jealousy #Warning #Beware the Rational Poly Man

[alternativewinxcontinuity]

How do you think being a guardian fairy works. Do you get to choose it like any other career? and how do you think it works with princesses (like the winx) or leaders of realms/planets. Love your work!

Hopefully this answers your question and is coherent. ^.^'

-

Guardian is both a Fairy Level, and a Career Title.

However, while all Titled Guardian Fairies have achieved the Guardian Level, not all fairies who've achieved the Guardian Level, have the Title.

Unlike any other Transformation, the Guardian Level comes with no outward indication of achievement, no new outfit, no new wings; but there is no visible change when a fairy becomes a Guardian, their Magical Perception and Magical Empathy increases dramatically, infusing their magical essence in a unique manner which can be detected by other Guardian Fairies, or by observant magicals.

It is achieved only after extensive training and experience, and so it is rare, but not unheard of, for younger fairies to achieve it.

Much like Enchantix is earned by a moment of understanding what a fairy is willing to sacrifice of themselves for others, Guardianship is earned when a high level fairy undergoes a moment of self-realisation. (“Yes, this is what I'm meant to do, to protect on this grand of a scale, not just the people I love, but all the people and the world(s).”)

Guardianship cannot be lucked into, it takes more than the introspection that earns the Charmix or Enchantix forms, it is a deliberate choice of life long dedication and commitment.

-

Titled Guardians are typically given the Title by the government/ruling body of their Home World, after receiving nomination by a known Guardian, as most Guardians accept Guardianship of their places of origin. While Titles of Guardianship are acknowledged Dimension over, the exact political power that comes with them changes from planet to planet, with some planets occasionally refusing to acknowledge the authority of a visiting Guardian Fairy if their planets are at odds with each other at the time.

(The exception to this are fairies who are Titled by Alfea, as only students who achieve Guardianship before graduation are Titled by the school, and are therefore considered to be 'neutral' parties. (and unbelievably powerful.))

In addition to protecting the worlds they serve from invasion or attack, Guardian Fairies, Titled or not, are partially responsible for the Magical Stability of their world, which is why there exist a distinction between A Guardian Fairy of a world, and The Guardian Fairy of a world.

(Every world can have several Guardians active at any one time, the exact number depends on the world, and whether or not replacements are available when current Guardians are ready to retire and go from 'active duties' to a more advisory role.)

The (new) Guardian Fairy of a world is chosen when they are young, and long before The (current) Guardian Fairy is ready to retire, this is to ensure that the potential replacement wants to become The (new) Guardian Fairy, and another can be found if they don't.

Unlike other Guardian Fairies, The Guardian Fairy is specifically selected by their power type.

Each world has its own type of magic, its Thematic Magic, like Solaria is the world of Light and the Sun, and Zenith is the world of Technology, The Guardian Fairy will always possess a power that matches or exemplifies the power of their world, like Stella and Tecna.

It is not unusual for a member of the royal family of a world to become The Guardian Fairy, but it is not a certainty. Power Themes tend to be genetic, family lines passing on the same type of thematic power, whether the exact same power, or variations of the same – Stella's (paternal) family line has always produced sun fairies (or on rare occasions, fairies of bright celestial bodies), Bloom's family is filled with fire fairies, (wild fire, hearth fire, fire light) – and the reason many royal families have powers which so closely match the powers of the world, is because the royal lines (Or at least those which are hereditary) were mostly started by what were essentially the first Guardian Fairies.

Guardians who don't receive Titles either become essentially understudies, or second string for Titled Guardians, or find themselves travelling the Magical Dimension, often acting in capacity as bounty hunters tracking down escaped criminals, or monsters that crop up, answering calls for additional aid when a world's Guardians would like a bit of extra help.

UnTitled Guardians who don't remain with their world, often accept the entire Magical Dimension as the area of their Guardianship. (In their later years, these Guardians may settle down on worlds under the understanding that “the whole Dimension is still under my protection, by I am currently in charge of looking after this little corner of it.”)

(Alfean Guardians, those who are Titled by Alfea, act in a similar capacity if they don't have a chosen world, but are also (as acknowledged Guardians) called upon to act as impartial parties during negotiations, and will occasionally put of graduating for several months in order to complete a course on Inter-Galactic Diplomacy.)

All Guardians possess at least their Enchantix, and while it is not an actual requirement for achieving Guardianship, it is an important step to the power level and self-awareness that enables a fairy to reach it.

-

(While no records exist to modern day, there are several stories of a handful of witches who were said to have achieved Guardian status, whether it is true or not is open to academic debate, with most academics, historians and magi-anthropologists denying the claims under the reasoning that “witches on the whole lack the mindset to choose such a selfless act of life long dedication.”Many witches would like to hex said academics on the grounds “their degrees, doctorates and other such fancies don't teach them $h*t.”)

-

TLDR:Guardian Fairy is both a fairy level, and a job. It is earned by choice and requires pre-existing high power levels, and dedication to protecting people and planets.Head Guardian in Charge of a planet is often a member of the royal family, and it's just another facet of they run the world to ensure the safety and well being of their people.

Some Guardians look out for the entire Magical Dimension, whether by acting as interstellar bad-asses, or unbiased third party diplomats.

#elf-from-the-ashes #Winx #winx club #guardian fairies #winx guardian fairies #fairy culture #Winx Alternative Continuity #Winx Alt Con #I got an Ask!

[boukenboy]

#7:鬼神降臨伝 ONI

I enjoy samurai stories. Like any good, proper weeb, the political intrigues of that particular era are rad as hell, but yet I haven’t played many games that explore that world. I discovered Kishin Kourinden ONI entirely by accident: I was browsing through ranked a list of Super Famicon RPGs on a random Japanese website. I read a bit of the blurb the author had written, and downloaded it to play later. Weeks passed. I was going through a second playthrough of Romancing Saga and feeling a bit burnt out, as I had failed to unlock any events I haven’t seen already, and the battles were becoming an absolute slog, so I decided to give ONI a go. Kishin is the 6th (!) game in a long-running series that debuted on the Gameboy, and is the first for the Super Famicom. 

Our story takes place in the Kamakura era of Japan - the relatively peaceful era of the Heian is now over, and in its place the Kamakura bakufu now rule the lands of Yamato. You play as Hokutomaru, an orphan who has been essentially adopted into the ruling family. One day, you and the son of the shogun, Yoritou, are asked to extinguish a youkai that had been stalking about the princesses’ room. She gets kidnapped, as princesses tend to do, so you and Yoritou venture forth to rescue her. 

Plot-wise, ONI isn’t anything original. The first quarter of the game is devoted to rescuing the princess. Each time you clear a dungeon, you’re essentially told “The princess is in another castle!”, - it is lazy writing. but while the main plot is rather formulaic, the individual stories you’ll experience throughout each location are what really makes the game shine. Similar to a Dragon Quest title, each village has its own issues dealing with youkai: and it is up to your scrappy band of samurai to solve them.  Some of these stories are funny. Some are very dark. I remember one very clearly: a family begs you for assistance, as their newborn child has been cursed by a youkai and cannot be roused from slumber. The monster in question appears and taunts the party, gloating that the baby will die unless they can prove that the child that was stolen from the once-human youkai is now living a happy life. 

When she was still alive, she gave birth to a child, but died soon after and turned into a demon. The baby was entrusted to a sleazeball, who sent the child to live in poverty. The woman this youkai cursed was her sister, jealous of the happy life that was denied to her. Soon after, the youkai’s long-lost daughter is revealed to be Akoya, one of our protagonists, and the story ends on a happy note once mother and daughter are briefly reunited. Thankfully!

For a Super Famicom game that was released when it was, the characterization of your party members is superb. There’s a great chemistry present throughout the story: they bicker, they tease each other, and everyone always has a strong opinion on whatever youkai-related shenanigans occurring at that particular moment, and it’s done in a way that doesn’t feel forced or tiresome to read through, especially compared to say, a Tales Of...title. 

There’s a strong theme of “found family” in Kishin. Hokutomaru is adopted into the Minamoto family after being orphaned as a child; Akoya receives an offer to join the family she saves after it is revealed that she is their blood, but rejects them in favor of the children living in the slums of her home city who she feels a deep sense of responsibility for.. Hourin, a middle-aged monk who joins your team early in the game, gives up a life of drunken laziness in order to save a little girl who looks up to him. As someone who isn’t close with his blood family, I know how important a found one can be, so the game made me quite emotional at points, so while the main plot isn’t anything special, the characterization is incredibly strong.

The battle system is, again, fairly standard, but it does a few things worth noting: once you acquire certain weapons, each character is able to transform into an oni: giving up the ability to cast magic spells in exchange for increased physical damage. The design of each oni is wonderfully gaudy and colorful, and as there are monsters who are vulnerable to oni and not much else, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to use them. While switching between forms costs you a turn, you can choose to begin battle in either monster or human status by changing an option in the settings menu. Convenient!

Characters do not learn magic by leveling up, but instead learn abilities from various gods that you meet throughout Japan. They’re all based on traditional mythology, and you’ll need to complete side-quests to receive their aid. Some of them are entirely missable, so I strongly recommend using a guide. I accidentally locked myself out of a few just in this playthrough, which is a major bummer!

Furthermore, side-quests seem to open up at random - the game provides very few hints as to what is out there, so unless you’re following a guide, you’ll have to visit each area multiples times after each major plot point in order to collect them all. Wack. That said, it is really fun once you discover something unexpected: you’re often given a choice or two, so make sure you save very often! The game has major issues with balance: at certain points of the game, you’re going to have to grind. A lot. Like, at least for 2 hours or so. Early on in the game, you’ll be locked into a dungeon with no save-point, so you’re utterly screwed if you don’t bother to level up. The game provides a recover point, but there was no warning that you wouldn’t be able to leave the area until you clear it. I wound up grinding for around an hour and a half, in one long session. Decidedly unfun. 

On top of the unbalanced pacing, the encounter rate in this game is absolutely wretched, even for its time. I am a massive fan of RPGs from this era. I imagine I have way more love for them than most people. But Kishin really, really tries my patience at points. You’ll finish a battle, and get into another one three steps later. It’s BAD. This wouldn’t be so terrible if the combat system flowed a bit quicker, but they don’t. The game occasionally likes to throw you into successive dungeons with no stopping point, and these sections feel especially draining. Despite these complaints, I really am enjoying my time with Kishin. Judging from the guide I have been using, I am around 3/4ths of the way through the game, and I intend on clearing it. If you have a lot of patience and love of the genre, I strongly recommend it! There’s several more games that were released after this one, and I look forward to trying them all.

#jrpg #video games #game review #gaymer #this needs editing but im tired of looking at it #sorry lovs #samurai #historical games #oni series

[nuestkings]

NU’EST interview with Arena Homme+

(Trans: Melodia_Muse | Original Article: Arena Homme+)

What does the door leading to adulthood look like? Nine years into their debut, we met up with NU’EST, who are returning with The Nocturne. We asked them what growth means to them, and we received wise answers. Right now, five men are singing about night.

Behind the Scenes - The Presence of NU’EST

Now in their ninth year together, NU’EST is on the path to the top. They experienced all sorts of ups and downs for such a long time but were able to overcome them and rise up, and the five handsome men became closer, their bond stronger. The fandom that has walked that path with them has become stronger as well. Maybe that’s why NU’EST has a formidable amount of “ride or die” fans. Those fans become strong and powerful roots for NU’EST to rise up even higher.

Despite the photoshoot taking place right around their comeback, none of them looked tired at all. Starting with JR, they stood in front of the camera one by one. The photographer captured each of their expressions, gazes, and movements slowly. Under his guidance, the photoshoot took place in a calm and detailed way. Each of them definitely have their own unique aura. Oh, they are are similar in some ways too. They all have an unconstrained masculine beauty. It’s not the boyish charms of a boy group that is still blooming, but the energy of youths who are already in full bloom. And then in an empty space, they sat with the right amount of distance between them. The empty space above them, their positions, and their relationship with each other all came together to become one. This felt like the presence that NU’EST has that you can’t deny.

JR

Memories of night

JR: The Nocturne is an album that expresses night. Interestingly, inspiration would find me quite often at night while working on the album. Even when I was walking home after rehearsals, I would look up at the night sky. I would look closely at how the shape of the moon was different from yesterday. I wanted to be true to the emotions I felt, and I brought back memories of when my emotions had come closest to the surface. I vowed to take out those emotions again one day, and imagined how I would use them. I worked on this album by taking moments of night that are engraved in my memories and adding more imagination to them.

Be prudent with decisions

JR: I started my social life quite early. I learned at a young age what kind of place society can be. I was able to define standards on things like how I should live and what actions were right. For my personality, I think starting my social life early was helpful. I’m usually quite prudent when making decisions, and I sometimes think of the worst-case scenario when I’m faced with a choice. If there’s a story I really want to tell, I tend to make a choice in its favor even if success can’t be guaranteed. It would be fantastic if things ended up working out, but everything can have variables. I tend to run simulations of various situations in my head when faced with a choice.

Source of confidence

JR: Making sure I have an alternative plan has been so helpful to me. It makes me feel more at ease. Feeling at ease makes my confidence grow. The confidence comes from knowing that even if this decision fails, I still have a back-up plan, so it’s okay. It gives me the strength to push forward with my decision until the very end.

Start again from the beginning

JR: There was a time when no matter how much effort I put in, I felt like I was woefully lacking compared to other people. I was facing a wall, and I turned to those around me for advice in order to overcome it. I asked for advice on how to overcome a slump, and that’s when I heard something that became a turning point in my life. “Go back to the beginning and start again.” It really spoke to me. After hearing that, I looked back on everything I had done up to that point and started from the beginning again. Of course, I had to reinvest my time and energy, but I was able to get over that wall in the end. Because I had that experience of reaching my limit, I was able to have a smooth start [the second time around].

Perfectionist

JR: Up until quite recently, I was a perfectionist. I didn’t want to put on a performance that wasn’t perfect. But there are times when imperfections can be pretty. I learned that perfection doesn’t always mean that everything is what it needs to be. Now, I’m trying to see things more broadly. I’m learning so much.

There is no right answer

JR: I think you become an adult when you start thinking of others first. Then again, there’s no right answer to the standard or conditions of what it means to be an adult. But once you reach the level of being able to think of others, you find that you’re able to look back on yourself as well.

Because we’re in our 9th year

JR: Now that we’re in our ninth year, there aren’t many people who will sternly critique things for us. Many of the people we work with are either younger than us or they haven’t been doing this as long as we have. Because of that, it must be difficult to give us directions or tell us things we need to fix when we’re rehearsing. But there are times when we need that kind of teaching. In moments when I’m not sure if I’m going in the right direction, I wish I had that kind of guidance, but the number of people who can give that to us continues to decrease.

Power source of growth

JR: Realistically, it’s lessons. (laughs) Through lessons, I’m learning and growing. I guess you could say that my growth comes from working on things that I had been idle about in the past. Now, I really enjoy learning. The more I learn, the more I feel like I’m building something up within me. My thoughts have changed a lot as well. The reason I find lessons fun is because my teacher critiques me. I love how they point out exactly what I need to do.

In the future

JR: I’m energized by seeing people listening to and enjoying me, my performances, and my songs. It’s in those moments that I feel glad that I became an idol. I want to keep being someone who makes others happy. Whether it’s on stage or elsewhere, whether it’s through a performance, a song, or anything else, I’ve left all possibilities wide open. When I see our fans being happy, it makes me realize that all of the efforts we’ve put in weren’t in vain.

Current concerns

JR: I’m in the process of thinking about how I should utilize everything I’ve learned until now. There’s a big difference between learning something and applying what you’ve learned. To complete the learning experience, I’m focusing on self-improvement and thinking about what I can do.

Unwavering faith

JR: Whenever we release an album, I show it to my parents. After playing the songs, I show them the music video and then the choreography, but I didn’t do that this time. I just wanted to do what I wanted rather than asking for someone else’s opinion. You could say that’s how much faith I have in this album. I’m confident that it will do well.

Ren

Preciousness

Ren: I wrote the lyrics for Must with my grandfather, who passed away, in mind. I was writing the lyrics when the realization hit me, about the depth and sincerity you bring when interacting with others. The Nocturne is an album that made me realize the preciousness of people.

In our 9th year

Ren: I experienced a slump around our fourth or fifth year. I couldn’t see any hope, and I even thought that this might not be my path. Being a celebrity is a job that hangs on people’s interest in you. We were supposed to be growing and gaining more recognition as time passed, but what we faced was diminishing response from the public. I used to call my friends and talk out my frustrations for three hours at a time. It was in the encouragement and comfort from the people around me that I found hope.

Inner thoughts

Ren: I’m very close with my family, so I don’t really share my inner thoughts, in case they worry. My parents have lives of their own. I don’t want to add baggage to their busy lives. Even when I was struggling, I would only tell them good things. I had no choice but to mature at a young age, because I started my social life at the age of 16.

The process of becoming an adult

Ren: It was always shocking. At first, I thought that once I became a trainee, I would live this flashy, shining life. But my days were filled with sweat and getting told off. (laughs) It was shocking going from being showered with love at home to being pushed so much. I thought to myself, this is reality, this is the process of becoming an adult.

Super positive

Ren: I didn’t have any complaints, though. Life is different for each of us. I’m just grateful to have been born. From a young age, I’d often follow my grandma to the temple. I heard a lot of good things and I learned how to meditate. I think that’s when I started to have a positive mindset about life.

Staying true to Choi Min Gi

Ren: I want to be someone who stays true to who Choi Min Gi is. I want to live a life where I do everything I want to do and I’m not held back by anything. I don’t want to care about what other people think, because this is the only life I get to live. Even if the results aren’t great, I have no regrets because it’s the path I chose and the challenges I decided to take on.

Guiding light

Ren: From a young age, I learned a lot from my grandparents. They were always such upstanding people who strove for perfection. See them made me want to be someone with good manners who listened closely to others.

Curiosity

Ren: I’m curious about our comeback and my musical, especially for the musical. It’ll be my first time in that field, so there are so many things I’m curious about. Oh! The musical is called Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. It will also be a story about growth.

Moments I want to reflect on

Ren: If I’d worked harder and taken on more challenges as a trainee, I’d probably be even greater than the person I am today? That’s something I always think about. I regret being lazy when I was younger. If I could go back to that moment in time, I would work harder. Foreign languages, dancing, singing, all of it.

To the mountains

Ren: There have been many moments when I wanted to run aways. Whenever I have thoughts like that, I just let them run their course and I go to a nearby park, mountain, or ocean and find peace. Breathing in fresh air and letting the wind blow past me helps me to change my mindset.

Half worried, half excited

Ren: There are times when I worry about what will happen next, but the future also brings new opportunities to take on, which excites me. Maybe I might end up not being a celebrity anymore and doing something else. Because I’ve been in this industry for a long time, I think I could be a producer or a stylist. Often, I think about wanting to be a producer for someone. I think it would be fun.

Happily

Ren: I hope that when people see me, they feel joy and happiness. I know it can be very difficult. (laughs) I think I’m able to spread happiness to people right now, but I want to be someone who can have a good influence on more people in the future.

Minhyun

My summer

Minhyun: My birthday is in the middle of summer. I’ve never really like hot weather, but summers have become special now because I celebrate with fans. Last summer, I held a birthday busking event at the Children’s Grand Park. The notice went up just three or four hours before the event started, and it was raining so much, but lots of people gathered celebrate with me. One night, I was suddenly struck with the desire to describe fans as my summer. I opened up my notebook app and wrote down lyrics. If I ever get to put a solo track on an album, I’d like to use these lyrics.

Clean

Minhyun: I can’t stand things being messy. I make sure to clean myself up first, and then I’ll tidy my surronudings. I feel like if I do that, I won’t catch colds and I get sick less often, and my quality of life gets better. If I don’t have anything scheduled for the morning, I usually wake up around 10 and clean. I try to get my cleaning done around then because of the noise that my vacuum cleaner makes. If it’s a nice day, I’ll open up my windows and get air circulation going as I clean, and it makes the day so refreshing.

Disciplined life

Minhyun: I don’t drink that much alcohol or coffee, and I don’t smoke. Our job is one where our appearance is important, so I have to maintain myself well. I want to always present myself in a cool and pretty light. That “disciplined life” title is one that was given to me by the agency as they watched over my trainee days, and thought I think it perfectly describes me, it can feel like a burden at times. Because I feel like if I limit myself to that title, I won’t be able to have a lot of different experiences. But I still think it’s true. (laughs)

Flaws

Minhyun: The people who are really close with me will know, but I have more flaws than people would expect. Although I try to be perfect when I work, I’m quite clumsy in my daily life. My fellow members and staff will tell me that side of me is so funny, but it’s not something that comes out that much when I’m on variety shows. I think I’m still not ready to show every aspect of myself in front of a camera.

No ups and downs

Minhyun: I don’t have a lot of ups and downs in my emotions. I rarely cry and if something bad happens, I’m able to brush it off after a few hours. When I see a malicious comment, I’ll think, “Why do they think this way?” but I’ll forget it a minute later. I sleep pretty well, too. If I put my mind to it, I can fall asleep in 30 seconds. Maybe that might sound like my mind is a bit blank, but I’m able to have a good time and not get stressed out because of that aspect of my personality.

Can’t let emotions bleed into attitude

Minhyun: I do have my own concerns, but I don’t let those concerns get in the way of other work or change my attitude. I always tell myself that I can’t let my emotions bleed into my attitude. Just because I’m not feeling good doesn’t mean I should make it obvious to those around me or negatively affect them.

Faith

Minhyun: On our fourth or fifth year, we faced difficulties both financially and mentally. We were holding lots of overseas concerts, but I could feel our venues getting smaller. But even then, I had faith that things would work out for me eventually. I didn’t want to waste the time I had, so I would go to the practice room every day and study Japanese when I got home. I’ve always had steadfast faith in my heart, so I can’t really say any moment was dark. That’s why I didn’t really experience growing pains when things worked out well. I always knew I would become a great star one day. (laughs)

How to live up to expectations

Minhyun: From a young age, I was a kid who always listened to his mom. I would study hard because my mom wanted to see good results, and I never swore because mom really hated swear words. I wanted to live up to my mom’s expectations. I worked hard, not for my own future, but because I wanted my mom to be happy. Now, fans have become that kind of presence in my life. I want to keep growing and showing a better side of me so fans don’t regret liking me. It’s because of our fans that were able to belatedly shine, so I feel even more gratitude and affection for them.

Seniors

Minhyun: We really are seniors at music shows now. There are so many more juniors than seniors when we go. But I don’t really see myself as a senior, more of a colleague. We have a lot to learn from our juniors as well. Even though Aron is older than us in our team, he has an American mindset, so things are more relaxed like we’re same-age friends. We’re all in this together, so I just want everyone to have fun without worrying about senior-junior hierarchy or age. Having that kind of heavy air between you can be uncomfortable.

Becoming an adult

Minhyun: I’ve grown up a lot. In the base, I would just do as I was told, but now I think of what I need to do. We choose our own set lists and we express our thoughts more now. I think perseverance is important when it comes to becoming an adult. I’s because of that perseverance that I’m able to stand on stage now. I’m an adult now.

Friends and foe

Minhyun: I treat other people well. Being sure to greet people is a given, and I say “thank you” a lot. I’m not very good at saying anything that may be unpleasant, but if it’s necessary, I’ll try to be soft-spoken about it. I try to not make enemies if possible. If I do have enemies, I try to win them over to my side. Maybe someone might not like me if they don’t know me well, but I can win them over once they get to know me. I’m confident about that. (laughs)

Small smile

Minhyun: I hope the music, projects, and whatever content I appear in will bring a small smile to people’s faces. I think it would be too greedy of me to hope that people can gain strength from me. I just want to be someone who makes people feel better and smile a little.

Baekho

Expectations

Baekho: What kind of response will this album get? Will our fans like it? We worked really hard to make it, and how will it sound? What will it be like on stage? I’m filled with these kinds of expectations these days. I’m excited to see each and every reaction.

Driving force

Baekho: When I meet with fans, a lot of them tell me, “In this song, these lyrics spoke to me. I liked that song because it felt different,” and hearing reactions like that brings me the biggest joy. Also things like, “It’s so nice to listen to this song on my way to work. It’s so nice to listen to this song before I go to sleep.” I’m grateful that our songs have naturally become a part of our fans’ lives and it makes me want to devote myself more [to our music].

Embrace the night

Baekho: This album is centered around the theme of night. I’m usually active at night. I usually work out, write lyrics, and compose music at night, and I though a lot about night while making this album. This album shows various different aspects of night, of me, my fellow members, and others.

Observer

Baekho: I thought long and hard about where I get my inspiration when I make music, but I don’t think I find it in a specific thing I can pinpoint. It sounds so simple, but I’m inspired by life around me. The people I meet, the thoughts I have while exercising, the landscapes that I’m seeing... small moments of daily life come together and become my music.

The power of habit

Baekho: Nowadays, I don’t feel refreshed if I don’t end the day with a workout. It’s not that I set myself a hard goal that I have to exercise, it’s more like an unconditioned reflex. The same goes for music. Working on music has become a habit for me, like how Kobe Bryant would practice his shots every morning.

On the right track

Baekho: These days, working on music is the greatest source of enjoyment for me. It’s just so fun. As there are many people who are waiting, I keep working as long as my body allows me to. I’ve been running nonstop since last fall’s The Table, but I’m not tired at all. People listen to the music I work on and share many different interpretations, and I find joy in watching that happen.

Classic

Baekho: I like classics. Rather than anything too shiny, I like things that have been worn in and have a story to them. That’s why I got myself an old car. It’s a Galloper that was at least 20 years old, and I added design elements that I wanted. Driving that car around made me fall deeper for the charm of classics. It’s such an old car that I had to send it to my hometown in Jeju because of emissions regulations. My brother drives it around now. I wanted to have it for longer, it’s a shame. If I start something that I like, I’m the type of person who will see it through until the end.

Silently

Baekho: If I look back on my trainee days now that we’re in our ninth year, I’ll probably feel like I had a hard time back then, but in that moment, it was the norm for me, so it wasn’t hard. Just like I do now, I used to eat food and drink coffee back then too. I just silently lived my daily life and that’s gotten me to where I am now.

Teamwork

Baekho: In our early debut days, we bickered a lot. Now that we’ve spent so much time together, we just accept each other for who we are. Even if another member things or acts differently, we just accept each other’s differences. He’s him and I’m me. So we don’t really have a reason to fight anymore. Things that aren’t possible alone become possible when the five of us get together. When we are all together, things don’t just increase by a multiple of five, it feels more like an infinite something is opened up to us.

Growth diary

Baekho: After our debut, we experienced some tough times. We belatedly grew thanks to our fans. I went back to my roots when I appeared in the variety show Let’s Go, Man Soo Ro. Watching over the soccer players as they did their best to go somewhere higher, I saw a lot of overlap between them and me and my members. They were probably tired and worn out from chasing after their dreams, but they never lost their smiles. Through Let’s Go, Man Soo Ro, I experienced yet another growth.

Role

Baekho: I want to be a good source of energy for our fans. It’s a small wish of mine, but I think I’d feel such a big sense of accomplishment if our songs are able to even get a small huff of laughter out of people. I want to show more growth in our music and ourselves in the future so that people can feel a sense of happiness. That is our role.

Aron

Noah and Kkotsooni

Aron: When I’m resting, I spend time with Noah and Kkotsooni. My pets became my source of motivation in life. I have to work hard so I can give them good food and snacks.

Music I listen to

Aron: I usually sleep late, but I recently began trying to go to bed earlier. I turn on peaceful music and I find myself falling asleep to it. So these days, I look up music that induces sleep, so I can immediately fall asleep the moment I start playing it.

Concerns these days

Aron: Our fans’ reactions. I’m always curious and worrying about it. That’s why I try to always be perfect, whether I’m recording music or standing on stage. Other than that, I don’t really have any concerns. If there’s one, it’s that I need some rest. We’ve had so many scheduled activities these days without any time to rest. Even just for one day, I want to hand out at home with my dogs without a care in the world. Take them out for walks, small things like that.

Greatest weapon

Aron: Whenever we’re recording for songs, our composer always tells me I have a great sense of rhythm. It’s why I’m usually in charge of the parts with a tricky beat. So I think my greatest weapon is my sense of rhythm.

Change in food preferences

Aron: Maybe it’s because I lived in the US, but I used to prefer western food. I still like it, but I recently opened my eyes to Korean food. Grilled short rib patties, bulgogi, and any type of meat dish is an automatic yes from me, and I also like raw abalone. I cook at home, too. From kimchi fried rice to soybean paste stew and kimchi stew. By the way, I prefer to put ham in my kimchi fried rice and not tuna.

Precious memory

Aron: We have fans who stayed by our side even during difficult times in our early debut days. I remember each and every one of them. They recently came to our concerts during our tour and I was so happy to see them. I got choked up thinking about how they’re still by our side. I’m grateful.

Things that have changed and things that haven’t

Aron: I think I’ve gotten much better at commanding the stage than when I first debuted. I’ve also grown in terms of my gestures and my visuals. It I was more childish in the past, I have a more adult aura to me now. And being with the other members has taught me to be more understanding. Now, I try to take care of others before I take care of myself. Something that hasn’t changed is how I never stop making an effort. I worked hard then and I still work hard now. Another thing that hasn’t changed is my height? My weight has changed, but my height is still the same.

Night over day

Aron: I prefer night over day. On a quiet night, I feel like I can do everything I want to do. After a long day, it feels so nice to wash up and lie down once I get home. I lay on the couch and watch TV, and I guess you could say that’s when “me” time starts? It’s really healing.

Desire

Aron: As someone who stands on stage, I want to show an even better and more mature side of myself. There are so many things I desire and want to achieve. I don’t want to disappoint my fellow members and the people who are precious to me.

Moments I want to cherish

Aron: When we performed for the first time at the KSPO Dome, I was so happy by nervous. I was overwhelmed by the sight of all our fans in front of us like a panorama in that large venue. The cheers we heard there were a big source of energy for me. It was a stage we’d dreamed of and it had taken us eight long years to get there. That might it such a meaningful and precious moment.

Music that brings happiness

Aron: I want to be a singer who always brings happiness to our fans. I think if our fans feel even a little happiness from listening to our music, we’ve done all the we need to do.

#NU'EST #Aron #Ren #JR #Baekho #Minhyun #photoshoots / interviews #Arena Homme

[brooklynislandgirl]

83. Have you ever wanted to have sex with someone but knew you couldnt for any reason? Why?

Once Bitten || Accepting

“No.”

The single word and the way she says it is both true and disingenuous at the same time.

She also doesn’t look up at Anakin as he quietly drops the question, all sharp edges and shot through with that specific kind of anxiety that is endemic to him, predicated on the experience of how other people treat him; either listening and completely disregarding his genuine need for guidance or clarification, or...ignoring him altogether and misunderstanding what it is he’s looking for. Anyone else, anyone not her, would have decided he wants to know out of some twisted sort of vengeance for the myriad questions she tends to ask at the most inopportune times. For the curiosity that sometimes eats her alive and knowing he won’t deny her an answer even if once given it isn’t nearly close enough to what she’s specifically trying to ask but is absolute truth all the same. It’s complicated. The way they dance around each other some days. Because they have to, because there isn't any other way to get by.

There is something very noble in his small acts of self-betrayal. In the way that he reaches into himself and pulls out parts of himself for her to examine. Turn this way and that under the bright light of scrutiny, see the lustre that exists in even the smallest kernel of his wishes. Which, she notes and not happily, have over the years dwindled down to a handful of sweet and simple things. How she hates that they have taken the rest from him. She wishes she could give them back to him. One by one. But she's just as powerless as he is. So tightly bound by rules that it's so hard to even breathe. The best she can do is to still herself. To carefully gather up the things she doesn't say and spread them out before him, let him pick and choose which he would like to keep.

Emerald shifts from dark to light and back again in a single flare when she finally looks up, dares to grace his visage with a questioning gaze. Brows knitted above her eyes. Mouth pursed just so. Makes the way the tip of her tongue probing the space between her upper teeth and the inside of her lip unmistakable for anything else. A thing she sometimes does when her thoughts become treacherously deep. When she's reluctant to divulge whatever she might find in them.

She's trod these paths that stretch out before winding back on themselves in an uncultivated mess of would-bes and mights with Anakin before. Usually under a controlled indulgence of alcohol and sugar that was only permissible under the auspices of a mission or investigation. And far, far away from the walls of the Temple. Similar but different now because the focus is on specifics about herself, about her reasonings behind it. And she's already put one foot forward with a single word. Turning back isn’t an option.

"No."

She begins again. She could ask him what his definition of sex is. They could set up artificial parameters, constructs that pass for qualification into this arena but it would hardly matter. Their only reference about it came from holovids and carefully hoarded novels, at least she thinks so. From sublimely ridiculous flower petals and wine, soft music and candle light to near animalistic acts of brutal sensuality, the only goal of which was to find release in whatever fashion it could be obtained. Expanded only by furtive whispers between clan-mates the few times they gather in leisure when they aren't being overseen by their Masters. Sex isn't explicitly forbidden by the dozens of codified rules of the Order but love is. It is attachment at its purest. Attachment is forbidden because it leads to fear and jealousy, to selfishness which is the root of all things in the Dark Side.

"To be honest? Sex doesn't interest me in the least. It's bio-mechanical, a simple physical act, instinctive enough that any animal can do it. The idea of it ~impractical, impersonal~ only for some kind of occasionally unobtainable gratification...just feels gross to me. For decades we have wrapped ourselves up in tunics and under-robes. Outer layers that swallow us whole and obscure our skin, make us one and the same, like a uniform. Not only do I not like the idea but also...it sort of scares me...to just strip down and use someone else for this purpose. 

“For years, I thought maybe it was because I might not be compatibly built, though eventually that myth was dispelled. But I still don't want to be groped and pawed at. To lay down and spread my thighs and hope that in those seconds and minutes I can derive some kind of pleasure with someone I wouldn't sit and eat with, whose name and face I only know in passing. That sounds like a nightmare to me, Anakin. I couldn't do it. Would rather go for self-gratification if it came down to it."

She shudders almost delicately, but in a rare moment, she withdraws from him, from the conversation, possibly even from herself. Her elbows drew closer to her ribs, and she enfolded her hands into the bell sleeves of her robe, not unlike he's done a thousand times. There's no evidence that she's twitching in the sheltered dark, or plucking at the seams or herself but maybe the worst part of it is that she shrinks from him in the Force. Thins out like a wisp of smoke, more ephemeral than she can possibly be, closed off.

Her lips half purse. Hesitation. A lick of nervousness so ripe that as it sweeps up her spine and makes her flesh burn under its auspices, so too does it threaten to reach across the bond they have always shared that it might immolate him, too.

Her breath hitches despite how hard she tries not to let it, and she slowly sucks in her lower lip until it becomes nearly perforated by the points of her teeth, the mild pain of her own nip reminding her to let it go.

“There is...someone I want to...I want to make love with. And that’s the difference, isn’t it? It’s more than being naked. It’s slowly unwrapping so that inch by inch there are no more boundaries. There is already love and connection and an ocean of feelings recognised and never spoken of, but there. Known. Every attachment, fear, scar, beauty. Every hope and desire reciprocated, the act itself of delving into one another is because there’s already no separation but the physical. A lick or a kiss is only words made into touch. Finally surrendering to the passion and the need to join together is because we can’t stand to be two different beings, that it hurts NOT to be one entity, where you forget where one starts and the other ends.

“I can all but feel it sometimes, the trembling of a gorgeous, long fingered hand writing broken Huttese poetry across my skin. I can taste the suns and the salt on his skin, the sting of copper because of a tiny bit too indelicate bite. Or the way his bliss eases down into the back of my throat, the way he looks when he glances up from the apex of my thighs so careful, so afraid that something isn’t right because all we want to so is share this boundless joy. Of his hands on my hips, as I’m looking down at him through strands of my hair as we finally come to that moment, every question and desire we’ve ever had about to be answered and there’s no secrets, no walls, just the purity of us in the physical and in the Force and....” And she realises that as she speaks, she’s picturing it in her mind. So starkly vivid, so exact down to the smallest detail that he cannot possibly not share the image of it. And her face...falls. Eyes damp and crystalline with the horror of saying it out loud where she could be overheard, over-felt. Mouth parted in vague horror that makes her breath reedy sounding in the strangled way it comes out of her and the sudden disruption in the Force that can only be described as a panic so close to total systems-collapse.

“But..a.h.....ah... You know...you know the reason that can’t be, ever. We are Jedi and it isn’t permissible and ...uh.” To her credit she tries to recover herself, eyes darting anywhere at him while waves of shame and fright continues to roil through her.

“We...in the general term, of course. I wasn’t meaning you specifically...just...” Liar. She did mean him. Has always meant him. Cannot imagine anyone else she would share something so intimate with, or would want to, even across a thousand galaxies, spread out over the most infinite of time. And how can she even know he’d feel the same way? Anakin is sought after, maybe for all the wrong reasons, but the Republic loves him. Those few people he considers his closest friends, love him. If he wanted to...he could have whomever or whatever he wanted. “Well, I mean, you asked...and...” She suddenly finds herself praying to the Force, to her four moons, that she’s stricken dead right there on the spot before he can say a word and kill the dreams she has.

#Mahalo!Ani <333 #Images of Broken Light|Anakin Skywalker #Pools of Sorrow Waves of Joy|AniKeni #Across the Universe|Star Wars Au #Lost In Translation || N S F W #mynameisanakin

[naughtyxstories]

Werewolf (ABO) Universe

OOC Notes:

this universe has a lot of specific structural elements so feel free to message to discuss variations to our muses’ specific (aka - the one we are playing in)

all of my muses are available for this universe but it is noteworthy that even my female muses are Alphas.

all genders welcome

MODERN VERSE

To make it clean, I will set everything in the fictional city of Blackrock, on the west coast of North America

Variable is whether the entire world is comprised of shifters and wolves or whether there are still regular humans completely unaware of these dynamics going on.

Blackrock is populated by the Werewolves (either wholly or primarily) of the Pack

Being an Omega is biological and they are the only ones capable of bearing young

Both Alphas and Betas can breed with Omegas

In this modern world, all claims and mating pairs are supposed to be consensual.

However, there is still abusive partners and families and so forth.

Pairings could be any organizational structure. Therefore it isn’t uncommon for anyone to be paired or grouped into 3-4 people

Scent gives everything away but scent blockers do exist.

Alphas experience rut but generally chemically block themselves from going through it. Still at least once a year, they are supposed to experience it. Some put it off longer. The longer you put it off, the worse the rut is when you finally experience it. (for example, instead of two or three days, it’ll last a week and be much harder to maintain control)

Omegas can only block their heat for a maximum of one year or they will damage their ability to bear pups. Blocking it has no impact on the severity of their next heat. They are always extreme. Young Omegas tend to have irregular cycles, which means they have to be extra careful.

Courtship rituals, gifting and so forth are all still a part of society but an Alpha may be bold and just declare their intentions toward an Omega. They run the risk of scaring off their intended however.

Betas tend to court the most diplomatically, aware that they are culturally perceived as lesser but they tend to be more rational and do not experience the rut so therefore may be appealing to an Omega. They have to work a little hard to assist their Omega through their heat but they can do it.

Historical

A/B/O is biological. Alphas are the leaders and soldiers. Betas run all the businesses and manage the money. Given the rise to the top pits Alpha against Alpha, there are not that many of them. They will literally fight to the death.

In general historical societies, Omegas are treated as mere property and permitted to own nothing or control their own resources and bodies.

I would push this all the way back to Vikings era so that one of the pushes for the raiding is to find Omegas for breeding purposes.

Once claimed and mated, the Northmen tended to be very respectful of their Omegas and it was considered shameful to abuse your Omega. They were also permitted to manage money and could even keep their children if there was a petition to sever the mating bond. Omegas could petition their Jarl or King/Queen to sever the mating bond if they are unhappy with their mate. This was a great shame to the mate.

This puts the Northmen as unusually progressive for their time-period but most outside their communities would have no idea.

The Northmen are, as a whole, extremely protective of their Omegas and pups.

Fuck with them and the Northmen will fuck you up.

RULES OF COURTSHIP FOR THE MODERN BLACKROCK VERSES

[under the cut]

Overview

failure to abide by these Rules can result in the Alpha being expelled from the pack or even executed if the breach is egregious or results in permanent harm to an Omega

the ritual is specific but there may be differences between the arrogant/foolish pack members and those who have given their courtship a great deal of thought.

at any stage, the Omega may reject or refuse the Alpha. at the beginning this is just refusing to accept a gift or returning the item. as the courtship progresses, the refusal must be more specific and direct. the law will intervene if an Omega reports they are afraid to refuse an Alpha

after being refused, an Alpha is not permitted to renew their Courtship.

Stage One

it begins with gifts

the gift is intended to be personal and have meaning

arrogant Alphas may only gift money or a hank of freshly caught game

thoughtful Alphas will try to offer symbolic items or items they think will catch the Omega’s interest (ie a book, flowers, fresh food, a blanket which carries their scent)

cooking for the Omega is usually the next step and intended to demonstrate that the Alpha has the means to provide for their mate and pups

an arrogant or foolish Alpha will take the Omega to a restaurant or provide the Omega food prepared by another. Only an immature Omega would not find such behaviour offensive

anything more than ‘polite’ touches or kisses would be considered an insult to the Omega (polite would be touches to the hand or arm, kisses on the cheek and similar)

Stage Two

increasingly intimate dates starting with public occasions or where other family are present

public or chaperoned dates are followed by personal dates, alone in their homes or in some other setting allowing more privacy and increased intimacy

the gifts and offerings also become more intimate (such as clothing, underwear and jewellery)

the Omega may take to wearing or keeping with them an item carrying the Alpha’s scent

intimacies and touching may increase but it would be considered insulting to go beyond ‘making out’ or a sort of heavy petting

Stage Three

the bond is starting to really form between Omega and Alpha

they will crave each other’s presence and feel bereft if too much time passes without seeing one another

an Omega may lose their ability to reach orgasm without the presence of the Alpha, as if their body is already tied to their Alpha. this can feel strange or even make an Omega feel upset or uncomfortable and can be a challenge for the pair to overcome. it is the first true loss of control to a specific Alpha. it can result in a split or end of the courtship if the Omega does not deal with it well.

there is still no penetration but they may have been quite otherwise intimate, touching, caressing and even oral sex

the gifts will continue as well as other caregiving exercises, fixing up things for them, or even planning for a future ahead, meeting friends and family, presenting themselves as a couple in public and so forth

Accept or Refuse

an Omega’s scent changes usually approximately a week before their heat will commence

an immature or younger Omega will have a shorter window (48 - 72 hours rather than a full week) and their heat can be triggered by someone they know going into heat

at this stage, the Alpha will offer himself to their selected Omega and the Omega must decide to accept or reject that Alpha.

if rejected, the Alpha must leave and will seek the assistance of friends and family to calm themselves and frequently go through a rather harsh rut for getting so close and then being rejected. it is personally devastating but there are no social consequences for either Omega or Alpha.

everyone understands that when down to the final choice, the Omega has a right to decide and therefore refuse the Alpha

Heat / Rut

if accepted, the Omega and the Alpha will go through all the soft furnishings they possess and set up their mating nest, usually in the Alpha’s home

as the Omega’s heat starts to build, the Alpha will get more protective, quite literally stockpiling supplies in the home and loathing being separated from their chosen mate.

the heat may trigger the Alpha’s rut and this is considered the most primal and intense of bonds.

the heat usually lasts for just under three days (or about 65-70 hours) where the pair will have periods of rest but will not wish to be separated.

during the mating, the Alpha may knot and do so more than once within his mate. it is not mandatory though, although a pregnancy is unlikely to result if there is no knotting

the Alpha will not wish to be parted and will take great pleasure in preparing food for the Omega, bathing and maintaining physical contact

any interference by a third party will result in violence. sometimes a family member or members will stand guard outside the Alpha’s home to ensure the pair are not disturbed

the mating usually takes about a week, sometimes just under, sometimes just over before the mated pair will tolerate being separated from one another.

the period of time after the heat but during the mating is often sweet, silly, playful and gentle. sex continues but it has lost the urgency. for some this is their favourite part of their mating.

Claiming

Following the mating there is a claiming ceremony

the ceremony is more for show -  a public demonstration of what was already privately settled.

it forms a legal bond between the pair and gives the Alpha legal rights to any pups that resulted from the mating.

without the claiming ceremony, the Alpha has no legal right to the pups and paternity may be denied

it is a vulnerable time for an Alpha

between the mating and the claiming ceremony, an omega still has the right to change their mind

to do so would be considered humiliating for the Alpha

sometimes a spiteful Omega will deliberately lure an Alpha to this point in order to humiliate them and permanently spoil their chances. Once a refusal has become common knowledge at this stage between mating and the ceremony, the Alpha is unlikely to ever be accepted by another Omega.

THE EXCEPTIONS

There are only two acceptable exceptions to the above Rules of Courtship that will not result in severe consequences for the Alpha who has breached said Rules. These exceptions are mandated and any Omega signed up for them has done so voluntarily.

The Offering

An unusual ritual and only reserved for high ranking or particularly honoured Alpha Wolves that have performed a great service for the Pack. Omegas who are interested in being claimed by the Alpha may present themselves at a great celebration. Fancy gowns and fine suits are worn. Music, dance and fine food are offered.

At the culmination of the evening, the Omegas are presented and the Alpha may select whichever one has caught the Alpha’s interest. It is considered a great insult if no Omega is deemed satisfactory.

The Omega’s heat is deliberately triggered, usually through chemical means, and the Alpha may take the Omega home. The Offering takes the place of both the mating and the claiming ceremony, although many still have a claiming ceremony at a later date.

The Hunt

The spring is the season of the heat, when Omegas are more likely to go into heat. As such, Omegas will, more often, permit themselves to actually go through their heat and not use chemical blockers. It feels safe as there are so many enduring their heat at the same time. Betas will often assist the Omegas through their heat.

At this time of year, an Omega may sign up for The Hunt. An old-fashioned ritual harking back to the original days of the Pack. A group of Omegas, all on the verge of their heat, will sign up. The Alphas then also register. The Omegas are set free first, able to run (in either form) through the woods. An hour later, the Alphas are set free to chase them, following the scent of the Omega of preference.

Surrounding the acre of forest are a series of small cabins. Once captured, an Omega will be brought to the cabin by their new Alpha. It is unusual for an Omega to leave the grounds without becoming pregnant. It is a very intense and primal mating ritual that produces a strong bond between the mated pair. Something about the Hunt pulls at the Wolf part of them in a very primal way, which they have never managed to work out of their society.

Claiming ceremonies thereafter are optional.

#abo universe

[apprentice-nylah]

Probably my last write up post about thoughts on Sweet Enchantments. 

Tl;dr: Sweet Enchantments as a whole is a reasonable series as far as worldbuilding. Reasonable enough to where I believe I’ll enjoy it with a love interest I really like, but not good enough to read through routes that I’m lukewarm about. Runa, as a love interest, I get it. I get why people like her. I just can’t get on board, especially with some of the revelations of the new update. I may be overreacting, but I have personal reasons I can’t back some of Runa’s behavior. 

Now that we’ve gotten the full picture of the pilot season, I feel that I can somewhat accurately judge how I personally feel about the series as a whole. And while Runa will likely have a lot of story and character growth to come, I can also say with relative confidence about how I feel about the character as well. 

Keep in mind they’re just my opinions on everything and, as with everything in Lovestruck, people have vast and differing opinions. This is just a wrap up to a post series I started and want to finish.

As far as Sweet Enchantments as a whole is concerned, I’ve made my opinions quite clear I believe over the last month. I think the whole magic system (different types and “schools” or disciplines as it were) and the fact the cafe is a work program of sorts for magical criminals is cool and I like both of those things. The cafe AU thing, however, is not exactly something I would read just for the hell of it. Hence why I think I would continue the series, with a different love interest that I’m more interested in than Runa or Lucian. Zain and Liora are the two I’m waiting for and hoping are more my speed. 

And speaking of Runa.... 

I’ve never been particularly warm towards her. I acknowledge my bias here and now. I personally don’t think an enemies to (physical) lovers trope was a good choice for a pilot (or at least having both premiere routes be of this trope, I think Sweet Enchantments perhaps would have been less polarizing if there had been one enemies to lovers and one, potentially, friends to lovers or something similar. I feel that might have made it more palatable for some, myself included). Mainly because it’s such a polarizing trope. Especially if it’s written poorly (not saying that either Lucian or Runa are, because that’s largely up to interpretation at this point). I typically love enemies to lovers, though I tend to like them in more established media. Azula/Katara (ATLA), Narcissa/Hermione (HP), Shego/Kim (KP) are just a small handful of ships I really love. Runa and MC didn’t have as much development independent of their enemies to lovers storyline so I believe that’s why I didn’t warm up to the idea as much. Though of course, this is no one’s fault. It’s just the way it is in otome games. The story does revolve around the relationship. Perhaps the route based on this was doomed for me from the start. There’s really not been a route I’ve played through that had an enemies to lovers trope like this one. Even the ones that I draw similarities from such as Lorelei or Antares weren’t the same as this. 

The hot/cold “I can’t control myself” attitude of Runa really gets me. Granted MC keeps inviting that behavior because she has a thing for Runa, but even in book 10, she’s getting to the point where she knows she wants something from Runa, but it’s getting frustrating and exhausting to deal with that. Runa has some good reasons for wanting to keep her distance, not least of all relationships between humans and magicians seems basically illegal and she’s already a criminal. Again, I get it’s an otome game, but if I was in MC’s shoes, I would have dropped someone with that attitude 2 weeks ago. Likely my personal opinion on this is one of the reasons I don’t care for Runa. 

Before you start off this section, please read the entire thing before thinking I’m overreacting. I’m pretty harsh on Runa here, but I have personal reasons for that. 

Then we get to the Kamila thing... I have some very strict lines in the sand, so to speak, about consent. And I have a huge problem with what Runa apparently did to Kamila (and by extension what Kamila did to MC). Love potions and spells (or other such magic/powers that use deception to change an individual’s mind in regards to romance, especially when the physical manifestation is involved) in media is almost always a huge no-no for me. It is vaguely gray around MC/Kamila because one, there was no sexual activity between the two and it’s doubtful Kamila even intended for that to happen, and two, it was more about revenge than any real feelings, but even so, I was somewhat uncomfortable around that. 

And as far as Runa/Kamila is concerned, that’s a big no-no for me. I think it’s pretty strongly implied if not almost explicitly stated that Kamila and Runa did engage in sexual activities, plus Runa used her charm magic to force Kamila to actually have feelings for her. And in fact, Runa just tossed her aside, I guess, when she got bored of her. I don’t know if that is what landed Runa in the cafe in the first place, but as far as my own feelings go, I would hope it was. It does possibly point to it since the cliffhanger ending was Runa being summoned for violating her sentence and it would have had to have been something she had done in the route thus far. And if it was using charm magic like that on other people, Kamila could have potentially framed Runa for Kamila’s spell (I don’t know what kind of magic ID exists in the storyline and if authorities could differentiate between Kamila and Runa’s magic or if Kamila could replicate Runa’s magic to where it would be possible to frame her) or perhaps Runa had some sort of relationship with a human in the past and it violating her sentence by having feelings for MC which Kamila would likely know about. Or it could be something completely unrelated. We obviously don’t know for sure. 

I know there was that theory going around the fandom and even explicitly stated in the route, of Runa charming MC. And even back then I was highly uncomfortable with that idea and prayed that wasn’t the case. We still don’t know with absolute certainty, though based on Kamila’s use of magic on MC as well as Runa’s reaction to MC saying she really likes Runa, I’m very confident that Runa didn’t do anything to MC’s feelings, at least with magic.  

All that said, I’m glad she has recognized (apparently) that her actions were completely inappropriate. Many times in these storylines, the one doing the mind control, so to speak, never learn that lesson or at least never acknowledge that they as an individual were in the wrong. They’ll say they had good reasons or good intentions or whatnot. Runa flat out did say she was wrong and that she never considered how Kamila felt and that admission seemed rather genuine. It’s unfortunate to me that she had to be presented with a parallel involving someone she loves for her to realize this, but better late than never? If this was a common thing in their world, I might be inclined to believe she didn’t know better but it seems to me like, and might have even been said at the beginning, I forget, that using magic in this way is very inappropriate and someone like Runa would most certainly know that.

I would desperately like to interpret this plot point in a different way and perhaps it reads differently to someone else, but that’s basically how it read to me and I really was uncomfortable with that whole plot point. I get that a lot of people don’t see a problem with this use of magic or superpowers. But I’ve been around the block a few times in media (Season 5 of Lost Girl springs directly to mind) as well as having my own personal experiences as far as consent is concerned, and I am a little sensitive with it.

Now that I’ve addressed that, Runa is an interesting character. I don’t deny that. She has a lot of potential and I get why people love her. I really do. In an alternate universe, I might as well. But for the reasons I’ve summed up above and over the last few weeks, Runa isn’t a storyline I’m going to continue. I’m all in for Zain and Liora, but until then, Sweet Enchantments is going to take a backburner to other routes I’m playing as they’re updated. And praying that when VN comes back this month, it comes back with Zeke and Juliette routes.

#lovestruck #runa amberthorne #sweet enchantments #critical #spoilers

[agirlinhell-a]

Like this post if you are interested in exploring a potential romantic or intimate relationship between Clementine and your muse! Clem has a very long history - she’s had crushes but she’s never permanently settled down with anyone. Friendships are as equally pleasant, so even should your character not become romantically or intimately involved with Clementine, there’s a chance that they may be her friend. She also has no preference specifically, like race, gender, etc. Doesn’t really matter. Though, I’d HIGHLY appreciate canon characters in her age group being thrown her way, but original characters and crossover characters from other fandoms are welcome, too! Keep in mind that shipping with Clementine doesn’t necessarily have to be in The Walking Dead universe, either, it could be in another verse as well, like an alternate universe or a crossover. There are many possibilities.

We don’t have to have interacted before but I do want us to be friends and for us to have talked. However, we must have enough interaction for me to get a feel for Clem’s feelings towards your muse before shipping should be discussed (unless if this has already been stated in canon). I prefer to ship chemistry over anything else. Please keep in mind that Clementine is NOT an easy person to ship with considering all of her traumatic experiences. Note that I am multiship and therefore, it’s not considered “cheating” because these characters, unless stated otherwise, will have a separate verse, and none of these, unless if they’re canonically in a relationship with her, affect her current default storyline. Do not, and I repeat DO NOT force a ship on me. If you want to ship with me, talk to me, but don’t assume I will ship with your character just because you want to. If I do not give my clear consent to ship with you and your muse, or even have a one sided ship, then do not force Clementine into a ship with yours. On the matter of shipping, I will not ship Clementine with anyone above or below her age group or anything incestuous, and it’s highly unlikely I’ll be roleplaying toxic ships or polygamous ships unless if it’s a really good ship. Clementine is demibiromantic and demibisexual - she swings both ways and she doesn’t have a preference. She won’t get intimate with anyone unless if she’s eighteen and up. What is worthy of note is that being in a relationship with Clementine won’t always be easy or sunshine, cupcakes and rainbows, given her dark and traumatic past and the tragic effects it has on her. Your muse’ll have to be there for her in her darkest hours and take care of her when she needs it most, especially since she has a lot of mental disorders, but it’s quite worth it in the end, if your muse is with her until the end, your muse will have an 100% loyal companion and lover in Clementine.

Clem had a horrible experience with the last person she got romantically involved with - and even then, it wasn’t exactly a romantic relationship either but they had just began when he either died or she had left him behind to pursue AJ. She refuses to talk about it, and sometimes even tries to deny it ever happened if the pain in her heart becomes too much. However, now she doesn’t trust people that she doesn’t know getting close to her, will get downright internally terrified if someone does try break the walls down, and for the most part she’s scared to be in another relationship - she thinks it’ll turn out similar to what happened last time.

To win Clementine’s heart, you have to show her a massive amount of kindness, patience and acceptance. This isn’t easy, as she’ll probably try to make a wall between the other and herself. Clem, for the most part, isn’t going to let just anyone get that close to her without them proving they are there to stay. Clem also doesn’t think she’s good enough for these things so your muse would have to convince her otherwise first. However, if you do manage to break down these walls successfully, encouraging her/making her feel better about herself, or giving her compliments is definitely a road to success. That will lift her spirits and make her much more confident. Just be a fantastic human being, but be yourself. For the most part, Clementine thinks almost everyone is horrible in some way, so bashing that idea to pieces will amaze her. It can be as simple as offering to help her out with something no one seems to care for but her, i.e taking care of AJ, helping her set up her room and doing things with her.

Clementine isn’t searching for love in the first place, considering she has her adopted brother/son to take care of because she thinks there are more important things in life to her, like the protection of her loved ones. One thing she looks for in a partner is honesty, if her partner is not willing to be honest with her and decides to hide things from her, it is most likely that she will find out and throw out the idea of even considering them for a partner.

Another is a good sense of humor, she may not look like it, but she likes a good laugh once in a while, especially in the moments where she’s feeling rather silly, and if her own jokes are met with seriousness and no humor at all, it’s most likely she may not want to open up to them anymore.

Being an intellectual herself, she also wants to be with someone whom she can share an intelligent conversation with in pretty much anything related to “the old world”, and if anyone can do this, you will certainly have her attention. If one can’t keep up with her, she would most likely grow disinterested and turn her attention elsewhere.

She also wants to be with someone who both respects and love nature and the animals that dwell within it. She would like the company of someone to take long walks with through the forests  and admire the scenery and watch the animals in their natural habitats. If someone disrespects it for any reason, she would most certainly not show you any sort of respect either.

Kindness is another thing she looks for in a partner. Although Clementine herself doesn’t seem to show it, she certainly appreciates it whenever someone else shows random acts of kindness, whether it be to her or to anyone else. If your muse is rude and disrespectful, they will most likely be met with the same attitude, but twice fold. Someone who can bring her out of her shell a little bit, since she’s a quiet person, someone who can make her laugh, also someone that she can be vulnerable around, be comfortable opening up to and have it understood, someone who she can talk nonsense with into the late hours, confidence is also scoring major brownie points with her, as long as it doesn’t become arrogance. Independence, creativity, focused on the task, compassionate, kind, selfless, stands up for themselves and the people they care about, someone who can love her and accept her for who she is despite everything she’s been through, someone who can hold her hand while she heals herself.

She likes/tends to go for the mysterious, those who don’t take anyone’s shit, feisty, can stand up for themselves and those they love, but isn’t over the top and likes a lot of attention and can be happy just sitting by themselves with a book, but who can be soft and laugh with her at the same time. She’s also attracted to people that can tease her and go with the flow since she can be a little serious and finds it hard to relax sometimes, who have a lot of energy, and she loves the nerdy ones who like playing videogames or card games, and the musically inclined, whether it be singing or playing an instrument - that’s a big bonus.

Concerning her demisexuality, she wants that emotional attachment before she even thinks of engaging in any physical activity with her partner. She wants an emotional attachment because for so long she has had to hide her emotions… She wants to be with someone who she can finally break loose and show the woman she truly is underneath and trust completely with her heart. If she ever were to have children in the future, be it biological or adopted, she’d have at least one, two at most. She already has AJ to take care of and he’s not exactly easy.

However, if her partner tries to push her for intimate activity of any kind without any regards to her feelings, she would lose both interest and respect for said person and would most likely leave them. Then, she’s gone.

Pros & Cons of being with Clementine:

Pros:

Even though she doesn’t appear to be, Clementine is one of the cheesiest girls when it comes to romance. She doesn’t mind taking the initiative and being one to plan cute dates. She’s all about candle lit dinners, making you sweets and desserts when she has the time, picnics on the beach, getting icecream or staying in with takeout - especially pizza - watching TV, going to the movies, stargazing on the rooftops with blankets wrapped around you and her, taking walks along the beach and in the woods holding your hand, winning a stuffed animal for you at the local carnival, sharing food with you, doing Vines and memes with you, cuddling up on the couch by a fireplace, doing mistletoe kisses, writing you poetry, songs and love letters about how she feels about you. Expect lots of cuddles and kisses, her playing with your hair, her drawing and painting pictures for you and listening to music together while she sings you to sleep or dances with you. She has this scrapbook and so many pictures of your muse’ll be in there.

In the colder seasons, such as autumn and winter, she tends to lean more to clothing with furs on and inside them if she manages to acquire them. Some of the outfits she wears consists of her own homemade outfits of animal furs she had skinned herself. She might just make a winter outfit for her partner.

-This can be a pro just as much as it can be a con, but AJ will also be a part of your muse’s life in a big role. Not only will he like you, but he’ll also protect you, as you are also important to Clementine, who is the most important person in the world to him. He’s a good kid, he just needs to learn more about morality - he’s still growing up.

She’ll have your muse’s back 100% and would kill for your muse. Clementine makes a good waifu and ninja.

-You’ll have a badass survivor for a girlfriend.

Cons:

Clem has a really dark and brutal past - she’s been through a lot of traumatizing things that no one should have to ever endure. It certainly won’t be easy being in a relationship with her.

Clem has a lot of mental disorders and suffers from depression, survivor's guilt, PTSD, anxiety, abandonment issues, suffers with hallucinatory episodes from time to time, claustrophobia, aquaphobia, she is an insomniac and has sociopathic tendencies, as well as having heightened senses. She’s got a lot of issues.

Along with her dark past, she’s also quite certain that there are people from her past who would want her dead. In doing so, this could mean that she - and anyone else she is close with - would be a target to these people.

Horrible, horrible nightmares that make her awaken in the night and gasp for air.

This can be a con just as much as a pro, but AJ can be quite a handful.

This list features the characters that have gained Clementine’s affections: 

@victoryvii - Violet - Attraction

@bowsofregret - Marlon - Pain (formerly) - Attraction

@morefinesse - Louis - Attraction

Love Meter!

Pain: “I loved you once. You were a good friend, maybe more, but for whatever reason, you turned on me. I can’t think about you without falling into fits of pain and anger.” Loathe: “You did something horrible to me, AJ, a friend, or a love of mine. Get lost.” Anger: “Don’t you fucking dare bring yourself around me. I don’t like you. We’ve met and it went wrong. You’ve did something to a friend of mine or myself.” Dislike: “We’ve met, it didn’t go well. I’ll stay away from you if you do the same for me.” Negative: “I’ve heard some not so nice things about you. Haven’t met you.”

Interest: “You're cute and attractive, but nothing more. I have no intention of showing my heart to you.”

Uncertain: “I don’t quite know what we have here.”

Indifferent: “I’ve heard of you, we’ve never met, probably never will.” Pending: “No roleplays have happened where we meet, it’s planned, though.” Acquaintance: “We’ve met and I know your name.”

Friend: “We’re on good terms and we know a decent amount about each other.”

Good Friend: “We’re on really good terms. We know a lot about each other and I enjoy your company.” Great Friend: “I care a lot for you and I want to try and be there for you. We know each other really well. Your company is appreciated.” Best Friend: “I’ll be there for you. I love your company. Please don’t go. I adore you.” *

Attraction: “You fascinate me. I would adore to get to see you when I can. I believe there is something between us.” * Love: “I love you. We’re not necessarily married, but I love you still. You mean a great deal to me and I never want to find myself without you.” * Married: “I have my friends, and those I love, then there’s you. Adoration, appreciation, bliss.” * * “We can... enjoy each other.” (adulthood)

I will reach out to you for a bit of plotting once you have liked this post! Thank you for reading!

#( SHIPPING CALL. ) #long post #but!! #YOOOO ITS HEREEEE