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acomposerofdreams-blog · 1 year

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There is, hopefully, only one conspiracy I ever bought into enough that could have been worrying. I distinctly remember the what, when, and how. The what: That the fluoride in our water supply allows for government mind control at worst, and makes us more docile at best. The when, 14 if I’m being kind to myself. Back when I believed I was significantly smarter and cleverer than I actually am. A CNN article I read on a high school computer because I thought that made me smarter than my fellow students who played games or tried to look up porn. Not much of a reason to feel superior, but I needed that feeling. Back when I was far more afraid about confronting what I actually am. Just average, maybe less so.

The article was fairly simple in its scope, the writer wanted to go into the subject with an open enough mind to listen to some of these conspiracy theorists. Quite respectable actually, I don’t think I have the patience for that. And one thing that the writer admitted… that he, and by extension I, had no idea what went into the process of preparing the water that comes out of our tap.What is the government doing to that water? What are companies doing to that water? And to the writer's credit he or she went into a fair bit of the details of that subject.

How water treatment plants remove pollution from industrial waste run off, how it removes our own excrement and piss before putting that water back into fresh water supplies or the ocean. It's quite an interesting process that is crucial to stopping diseases such as cholera. But again… I was 14 and in desperate need of an ego boost. So through the little bit of reading I actually paid attention to, a shame or I might have remembered the person’s name or the article title, I discovered a tiny bit of fluoride is added to the water heading into our tap. How much? Well until 2015 it was 1.2 grams per fluid liter of water. According to myself, who is not great at math, there is at most 1.2 parts fluoride for every thousand parts water. Which then went down in 2015 to .7 parts per thousand parts of water.

To illustrate that as best as I can, the average beer bottle is at most 385ml or 13 fluid ounces. So… if you took that beer bottle, filled it with water (I know, to many of you a travesty), you’d have a total of .27 ml of fluoride or .0091 fluid ounces in that bottle. To help you visualize that, half a raindrop of fluoride is in that beer bottle. One half of one raindrop.

Again, I was 14, and too afraid of being seen as common, or average, or worse… less than average . So I ignored the facts. I didn’t care, I felt smart, I was slightly more powerful than my fellow students to know that fluoride was added to the water before it entered my kitchen sink. I didn’t know what it was either, or at least I didn’t think I did. Thankfully I never dug deep enough into that rabbit hole to become completely immune to sense. So when I asked my parents what Fluoride was… they answered me seriously. It was the stuff the dentist used to finish cleaning my teeth, teeth that had no cavities in it because I regularly brushed my teeth with toothpaste that also contained fluoride.

From there the whole thing started to fall apart. If Fluoride was being used to make me more docile, why after regularly dosing myself with far more effective quantities than what was in tap water for my whole life… was I ready to “fight the power” over it? If it was really controlling my mind it wasn’t doing a very good job of it. I did take it a step farther, I went a week without brushing my teeth and for an entire day chose not to drink liquids of any kind. Cause maybe if I got it all out of my system it’d make sense to me, that I’d see behind the curtain and realize that I was right to believe this. I don’t know if my parents noticed that, but what I did notice… was that nothing changed. I was still… me, still myself, not as clever or smart as I thought I was. My eyes were open though, I could see myself as… average, maybe even less at the time.

It wasn’t until four years later that I came across the darker side of conspiracy theories, the abandonment of logic, often by people whom you would think have the intelligence to discern the truth.

My grandfather was a physicist, one with enough knowledge and skill in studying the world that he was part of the team that developed radar technology for America during the Cold War. The systems that are used to guide the missiles that could end the world at any moment was part of his resume. The man had a Marine bodyguard with him whenever he was out of the country, whose sole duty was to kill my grandfather in case the Soviets or Chinese wanted to steal the secrets to America’s radar detection network at the time. He is probably still the second smartest person I have ever met, and that’s of course admitting that I’m more biased towards his daughter, my mother. And he believed with absolute surety that now Former President Barack Obama wasn’t an American citizen and maybe a Muslim plant to destroy the nation. And I was too afraid to ask him why.

I don’t need to go into how that former President Obama is in fact a natural born citizen. Or at least I hope I shouldn’t have to? His father was an American citizen, who married a Keyan woman, who then gave birth to now former President Obama in Hawaii. These are… facts. As factual as the knowledge that your body needs water to live. That’s how deep the discussion had to go and there are still people who think that Obama was a Musilm immigrant who stole the Presidency away from Christianity, dealing a blow against the Christ loving people of America.

And my Grandfather might have been one of them. A man who I have admired for his wisdom and raw intelligence. Whom in spite of his coarse attitude from having a childhood that saw the Depression, World War 2, and had to raise children through the Cold War. Is a kind, and empathetic person that only now do I have the sense to see. Yet when this topic of conversation came up, I couldn’t tell you what my grandfather feared about then presidential candidate Barack Obama.

I could tell you what I was afraid of as an 18 year old fresh out of high school, I had a strong belief that those in the News media need to be brave enough to ask powerful people questions that challenge their points and beliefs of their viewers and those they talk to. I believe that even more so now. So as I watched so many journalists and people get swept up in the charisma, intelligence, and hype of Obama. I was afraid of what might happen if he could keep the level of control over the news during his presidency. An ultimately pointless fear, that was basically blown away after the first hundred or so days in office.

But for my Grandfather. That… wasn’t it, during the whole eight years I think at times he believed that President Obama was a secret Muslim agent, or incompetent, or hated the “American way”, but I don’t know. I know he was frustrated by some of the more absurd “scandals” of the Obama Presidency. Such as the Tan Suit incident, one of several fistbump incidents, the political “travesty” that was the Date Night scandal, and the death of the presidency because of ordering Di-jon mustard for his burger. But… he seemed to believe that all of that was a calculated distraction, to keep people from thinking about how dangerous Obama really was. And I have no idea why?

I’ll never get to know the reason either. He passed away while battling brain cancer a while ago. Leaving that question unanswerable.

That kind of fear I’ve come across again and again. Either in person or through observation. One of the most chilling ones was watching on the news thousands of angry, afraid, men chanting in Charlottesville Virginia “Jews will not replace us.” As of Writing this… that was almost seven years ago. Yet I still feel like I need to state that about .16% of the world population is Jewish. There are actually a million more Mormons in the world than Jews and I don’t see anyone stating the Mormons are going to replace us all. Yet fear would ignore that, fear has ignored that and likely still will. I wish I could sit some with some of these people and talk about why they choose to fear others. What is it that they’re afraid of themselves? That maybe their own feelings of inadequacy have everything to do with themselves and not others? That the failings in their life are in fact their own failings, or failings of people like them?

Fear given an easy out will always become hatred, and to give credit to my Grandfather. His fear never became that. Hatred was not something that came naturally to him. But were his fears about Obama hiding something else? Because my fear of Fluoride in the water was hiding my own insecurities about myself. Because at the end of the day… I, and you, and my Grandfather, are just themselves. I’m just me. Not as smart, not as special, as I think I am. I’m just… average. And isn’t that terrifying?

(Because this one requires some sources. Here’s the link to the google doc I wrote it all on with the sources attached. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DBiWEkxlCczxnIzXsfhu1txdklJJauMHW0inX17Zpdw/edit?usp=sharing

Enjoy!)

#my essays #rambling #conspiracy thoughts

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naminethewriter · 2 years

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Between Two Lives Chapter Three: Wrath

Masterpost | First | Previous | Next | Ao3

Story Summary: Written for Intrulogical Week 2022 @intrulogicalweek

Logan is stuck in Limbo until the Afterlife Registration Bureau processes his case so he can properly move onto a afterlife, whether that is heaven, hell, reincarnation or something else. While wandering around aimlessly, he’s approached by a demon that introduces himself as Remus and offers him a quicker way to the next life.

Content Warnings: Conspiracy Theories, Yelling, Rage Room

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“Welcome to Sector W, Prof!” Remus cheerfully announces as they appear in another rather nondescript street in Limbo.

“This… is not as obvious as the last one. Who is this sector for?” Logan asked, looking around. There were a lot of apartment buildings like in his own sector but also a lot of wide buildings he could only guess were either community centers or gyms.

“You’ll see,” Remus grinned mischievously. “Come along, we’re going to attend a lecture.” That certainly peaked Logan’s interest.

“A lecture? What about?”

“Have some patience, doc. We won’t have to go far,” Remus answered with a quiet laugh, leading the way. Logan frowned – frowned, not pouted – and followed without another word. There were a lot of people around here, often talking in groups and waving their arms around like they were trying desperately to get a point across. Something about the sight made Logan uncomfortable. But before he could dwell on it for longer, Remus stopped.

“Here we are!” he said joyfully. Logan followed his gaze to the entrance of a wide, one-story building. And his blood ran cold when he read the sign posted in front of it.

“Please tell me not here to attend that meeting,” he groaned. But Remus smile crushed his hopes before the demon even opened his mouth.

“I could but that would mean lying to you! And you don’t want me to lie, do you?”

Logan sighed audibly as his eyes returned to the sign that read: ‘Flat Earth Society, Meetings Every Day, Starting at 1pm’.

“How would they even know if it’s 1pm?” he asked, already developing a headache. “Time works differently here.”

“Oh, you’ll see soon enough!” Remus sing-songed, grabbing Logan’s arm and dragging him along. “Your challenge is to sit quietly and listen to them for two hours. No arguments, no rebuttals, no nothing.”

“Isn’t one hour enough? Please, Remus, their believes go against everything I worked for my entire life!”

“Nope, sticking with two! And that’s me being generous. I promise I’ll take you somewhere fun after if you can hold it in.” He shimmied his shoulders and Logan had a suspicion that he’s missing something but he rather not ask. Instead, he takes a few deep breaths before letting Remus drag him inside.

At the entrance their given pins by a way too happy woman asking if it was their first time attending which Remus gleefully confirmed. Delightful to see new faces, she explained to them the schedule for the day and that they were free to grab drinks and food from the tables at the side. Logan did grab a water bottle, if only to keep himself from screaming.

They took their seats and thankfully were left alone by any other conspiracy theorists because Logan might have punched whoever tried to discuss with him the flaws in his life’s work. They would listen to two speeches that would both last around an earth hour and then they could leave. Thankfully, Remus had timed their arrival well and soon the first speaker stepped up to the podium.

Thirty minutes in, Logan was contemplating smashing his head against the backrest of the chair in front of him. And the first ten minutes was just introductions to today’s speakers, thank yous to the organizers and volunteers, as well as a memorial to a guy called ‘Mad Mike’ Hughes who died trying to go to space in a self-built rocket and crashed. Logan had had tears in his eyes and not because he was sad.

“They can try all they want to keep us from the truth,” the current speaker boasted, “they can confide us here in this facility all they like, but we will not be shaken!” Loud applause followed his proclamation, but Logan tuned them out. He turned to Remus.

“What does he mean ‘facility’?”

“Oh,” Remus giggled, seemingly having waited for Logan to ask him just that question. “A lot of the people here believe they aren’t actually dead but that they came too close to figuring out the truth so the government locked them in here so they can’t gather any more followers.”

Logan stared at him like he had grown a second head.

“Wha- How? What government? How would anyone be able to afford that?!” Remus just shrugged and put his finger against his lips, motioning for Logan to continue listening. Taking a big gulp from his water bottle, Logan swallowed down all the curses and questions he had. Arguing with people like this won’t work, he knew that, but that made listening to them any easier.

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As soon as the second speaker ended his speech and applause broke out in the audience, Logan was on his feet, walking towards the exit. Remus followed him, the biggest grin on his face. The woman that had greeted them earlier wished them a good day and said that she hoped they would come again but Logan didn’t even look at her. He just wanted to leave and get away from all of these people as soon as possible.

He didn’t stop outside though but kept walking stubbornly down the road. Remus followed him silently, wondering what was about to happen. They continued like that until they reached the end of the sector. Logan stopped at the border, standing ridged and still.

“So,” Remus began after a few moments of silence, but was cut off as Logan started loudly screaming into the void.

“FALSEHOOD! YOU ARE ALL IDIOTS! FUCKING IDIOTS! EVEN ARISTOTLE KNEW THE EARTH IS ROUND! IMBECILES!”

Silence fell over them again as Logan took a few deep breaths to calm himself down.

“Damn, Wristwatch,” Remus said eventually. “That was fucking hot.” Logan ignored his comment.

“I pass your challenge, I presume?”

“Yeah, you did. I’m impressed, I thought you would blow up in the first hour.”

“It was a certainly a close call. Now, I believe you said you would take me somewhere fun?”

“Sure thing! Gimme your hand and we’ll be on our way.” Logan did so without another word, just wanting to get away from that cursed place. The two reappeared in a plaza of some kind, with imposing buildings surrounding it. It reminded Logan a lot of old city centers in Europe.

“Welcome to the neutral zone! Or Sector Zero if you want. This place is not really for undecided souls like yourself, but nobody should question you as long as you stick with me. Now, no need to pop your eyes out of their sockets, we’ll be back here soon.” Remus again dragged Logan with him, this time towards a café.

The inside reminded Logan vaguely of Starbucks and the place had a few customers but wasn’t unbearingly full. Remus didn’t hesitate to approach the counter where a man in a leather jacket and with sunglasses stood, staring at his phone. He didn’t have any characteristics that would identify him as a demon or angel but somehow Logan doubted he was just any random soul.

“Remy!” Remus greeted cheerfully. “We need the bashing room.” The man looked up and raised an eyebrow.

“Remus, babe! Long time no see. And you brought someone new along.”

“Yeah! This is Lo Lo. He’s an astronomy professor and I just made him listen to flat earthers for two hours, so he needs to hit some things,” Remus explained, jumping up and down.

“I would, too, if I had to sit through that. Kinda harsh, gurl. Follow me.” Remy led them through a door off to the side and through a few corridors before he stops in front of a door with a sign on it that read ‘free’. He flips it over so that it instead said ‘occupied’.

“You know how it works, Rem. Don’t break each other and no making out. It’s not that kind of letting off steam and you know it.” He points an accusing finger at Remus who flips him off. With a roll of his eyes, Remy leaves.

“What are we doing?” Logan asked as Remus opened the door and ushered him inside.

“Rage room! The unlimited kind! You can bash whatever you want with whatever you want as long as it isn’t alive. Get out all that frustration you just built up.” Logan looked skeptical.

“Isn’t that dangerous?”

“I just told you yesterday. You don’t have a flesh prison anymore; nothing can actually hurt you. Except some very specific stuff that you won’t find here. But if you’re too much of a scaredy cat, you can have some protective stuff. Now what do you want to hit and what do you want to hit with?”

Logan hesitated for a moment more before shrugging. Might as well.

“Give me a bat.”

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“You should’ve seen him, Janny. I could’ve traced the veins on his head. If he still had an actual body, I might’ve feared they would pop.” Remus rambled about his day while Janus stroked his hair.

“So he was predictably furious. I hope you didn’t torture him for too long.”

“I didn’t! It was just two earth hours, that is basically nothing!”

“I am so proud of you for showing such restraint,” Janus commented dryly, causing his boyfriend to giggle.

“Thank you, it was really hard.”

“Yes, I’m sure it was.” He fondly rolled his eyes. They fell into silence for a moment. “You’re really starting to like him, aren’t you?” Janus asked quietly.

“I mean, kinda. He’s fun to be around.” Remus played with the seams on his shirt, not looking his boyfriend in the eyes. Janus sighed.

“Just be careful not to push him too far, Muse. He’s just a human, after all.”

“Yeah, I know.”

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imxthexhandler · 2 years

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OOC: -screams into a pillow-

So, like... Five days later, and I’m flagged again? Like...what?!

I’m not trying to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but it almost feels like I’m just being harassed by someone, and I cannot figure out who. But just...what the hell? Leave me alone! UGH!

I mean, yes, it can just be the algorithm, which...fine. Okay. But again, what the kriff? I’m barely even posting between flaggings. So it’s not where something ‘new’ has popped up on my blog. And there still continues to be no flagged posts by Tumblr.

It’s just killing me inside, and it’s frustrating me, because despite what it may look like, I have put a LOT of work both into this blog and into Amelia as a character. I shouldn’t have to move blogs; it’s very tedious, I don’t want to remake my side blogs, but I seriously don’t know what to do about it anymore!

Just emotionally been through a lot since last week. I need to post belated birthday things for my Steve’s (I apologize for the delay), and I need to work on my writing.

Thank you everyone for your patience and putting up with me whining.

#Out of field reports #tw anxiety #tw depression #tw stress #WTF TUMBLR?!

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nagaismybff · 1 year

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**FANFICTION NEWBIE - ADVICE WANTED**

I’ve been drafting a 911 fic for a few months now, but it took me some time to organize all my ideas and pick a variation to consistently work on. I don’t really plan on posting it, it’s mainly for myself and to get ideas out of my head and written down.

911 Fic Ideas:

1. Current WIP: 911 x Motherland: Fort Salem Inspired, includes other supernatural beings/creatures (werewolves, merfolk, ghosts/spirits, etc), Emerson is a zoo veterinarian in LA and is also a witch. She becomes friends with 118 & family as her boyfriend is a firefighter at the 125. Unlike in Motherland, military service is not mandatory for witches, but a large percentage of witches have served in the military at some point. Em and her boyfriend served in the military together in the supernatural division for a few years before moving to LA.

2. OC is a werewolf and is a firefighter at the 118, story mainly about werewolves integrating into public life and jobs with their abilities no longer hidden and the conflicts that arise from fear of the unknown. OC also specializes in search and rescue with dogs, so the 118 can finally get a dog! USFS Hotshot and Smokejumper background before LAFD.

3. OC is a firefighter at the 118 and finished at the top of her class at the academy. She has superhuman strength and rapid healing, but keeps it a secret for her safety. She will use her abilities on the job just enough to help people, but never so extreme that she draws attention to herself. This all changes when there’s an accident on a bridge and a tour/charter bus nearly goes over before OC grabs the edge and drags it back on the bridge. This is captured on video and soon goes viral. Now that she’s gone public, OC must decide if she will go into hiding, or stand her ground and fight for her career as a firefighter.

4. An LA fish market and marina begins to get strange 911 calls claiming sightings of a sea monster, which were not taken seriously. A near drowning with a sighting of the monster draws more attention to the stories. Ameteur monster hunters/conspiracy theorists swarm to the marina looking for answers. Mira is a mermaid/siren who has been coming to this marina for months to observe humans. She never planned on interacting or being out in the open without camouflage, but she befriends a young girl who’s father owns one of the fish markets. Mira never thought she would go on land, but saves the girl and her father from a fire at the marina. The 118 responds to this call. She sustains injuries, and is taken to the hospital. Terrified and alone in an unfamiliar environment, struggles to escape the hospital and return to the sea.

5. OC has gravity manipulation/multiverse travel abilities, accidentally ends up in 911 universe. She can’t seem to get back to her own universe just yet, so in the meantime she puts her abilities to use to help with emergencies around LA.

I also was thinking recently about my thought process for the relationship structure for my fics and wanted to share. It presented itself like this:

Dilema:

1. I wanted an OC x Eddie

2. I wanted an OC x Buck

3. I love Buddie too much to not have it in the fics

4. I don’t want to write too many separate fics to have the above criteria, I’d rather just work on a few longer fics with lots of world building.

Solution:

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟPoly Relationship ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

This is the first story/fanfiction I’m writing that has a polyamorous relationship, so if anyone has advice or some do’s/don’ts for writing realistic poly and throples please let me know! While the stories will contain smut and have mature content, it will not be the sole focus of the stories.

Also, I’ve only dabbled in writing fanfiction over the years and have only recently returned to tumblr after a 4+ year hiatus. Patience when giving advice is much appreciated.

I have so many ideas and crossovers and world building ideas I would like to flesh out, but for now I’ve narrowed it down to a few ideas. My brain likes to randomly create mashups or weird scenarios for the shows and movies I like and sometimes I don’t know what to do with all that information.

Please let me know if you would like to hear more thoughts about any of the ideas I’ve listed above!

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beansnpeets · 2 years

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I really am feeling quite miserable these days. It feels like absolutely everything is a horrible mess and falling apart and I can’t fix anything. It’s all so completely out of my control. It’s like I’ve just been waiting for years for an opportunity to come up because that’s all I can do and so far nothing has been working out in my favour. Literally the only thing that I’ve gotten is this stupid puppy that I can’t fucking stand looking at today because she has me so totally pissed off. I really do hate her right now. Like obviously I love her and am going to continue to do my best and things will get better, but right now it sucks and I don’t like her. We aren’t friends right now. And it doesn’t help that everything else is making me angry and sad and whatever else so I already don’t have the patience she needs from me so it’s just a vicious cycle of me being fucking mad at everything and crying about it. I have had so many ups and downs in my life and fuck it really isn’t any fun. I am so sick and tired of these horrible downs. I have had so many and they hurt so fucking bad. I feel like there’s nothing I can do. I can’t find a decent job, can’t start my own business, can’t even get on government assistance. I have nobody in person in my life that I can go to. I feel like I have no value. I feel so unbelievably alone.

I want to just fucking leave this town, but in order to do that I have to figure out how I’m transporting all my fucking vehicles and all my stuff and gas prices are so bad right now that it would cost me like a grand just to move all my shit and get out of here, if not even more. And then what? Go live in my parents’ camper because I won’t be able to find a place to rent, can’t afford to buy anything, and my cats won’t get along with their cats enough that I could live in the house? Yeah that sounds like a great plan. Let’s do that. And then on top of it all my parents are major bigots and conspiracy theorists. Sounds like a lovely environment for me to go to so that I can start to heal and get back on my feet.../s.

#personal

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anexlarrieblog · 2 years

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Why do you think Harry wrote “H” and “L” on his shoes? There’s no reason to believe he just picked two random letters to draw.

🙄🙄 he literally didn’t lmfao. There’s a H on a pair as they were made for him and that’s his initial. He didn’t write L on a pair that’s part of the design. I suspect you are the same Larrie from yesterday and I have just lost all of my patience with you. I’m going to block you if you come back with more of this nonsense. Ask yourself why you feel the need to keep coming into my inbox and trying to convince me with these ‘proofs’ and demand answers to connections and ‘evidence’ you have entirely invented because you are a CONSPIRACY THEORIST. You are a delusional person who is intent on finding patterns that don’t exist to confirm your delusional beliefs because for whatever reason that is wholly important to you. Face reality. You are choosing to ignore it and choosing to put stock in these ridiculous things it’s SAD. Run along to your Larrie pals who will be happy to entertain your delusions there without an ounce of critical discussion. Don’t message me again 😘

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activatebutterflyshield · 1 month

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Convincing myself I don’t have same face syndrome and also giving faces to some characters who have been kicking around for some time now

Character tidbits below the cut

Top to bottom, left to right:

- Robyn, malnourished paranoid investigative reporter

- Soren, happy go lucky dancer with martial arts training

- Rio, chill carpenter who knows all the guys

- Cameron, friendly manager with an infinite amount of patience

- July, artsy former graffiti artist turned accountant

- Isaac, civil engineer who definitely has the exact power tool you’re looking for

- Hiro, saxophone musician by day and recreational conspiracy theorist by night

- Harper, physicist with a side gig as a hairstylist and face painter at festivals

#worldbuilding #layered earth #chatter and melody #traditional art #chipping away at the pile labeled ‘character who ive never drawn but know exactly what they look like’#which grows every time i dare to look at my even bigger pile of wips #yes everyones magic and no i will not elaborate #totally not because i havent figured out how magic works around here yet nope totally not that

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starberrywander · 1 year

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Talking to Conservatives

Wait wait wait, so I just learned a thing and I wanna share. So for context, I really like the idea of making people explain their ideas instead of arguing with them so that they feel listened to and are more open to recognizing the flaws in their reasoning. I decided to try this on someone in an insta comment section claiming that CRT was a Marxist plot to make people racist (I know, very conspiracy theory) His ideas, at least what he explained before turning into an internet missionary, were certainly biased. But I think I may have found either the source or the supports behind the whole right wing "Russia is infiltrating the US and disrupting society" talking point and also maybe how to use that to our advantage? So this guy started talking about Alexander Dugin (A Russian political analyst who works with Putin, I think) and particularly his book "Foundations of Geopolitics." Now, I don't speak Russian and there doesn't seem to be an English translation of this book, but according to the Wikipedia page about it (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundations_of_Geopolitics) it seems to be, in simple terms, a plan for world domination. And apparently the ideas of the book have been adopted by Putin and integrated into his political plan. Now, I don't know how true all of it is. I prefer to be skeptical unless I can get it from the original source and I can't do that here. However, the fact that this information is out there will certainly not be lost on conservatives and conspiracy theorists who wholeheartedly believe that the US is under attack from foreign sabotage. So why am I bringing this up? Well mostly because I wanna suggest a potential strategy to use this to argue them out of bigoted positions if they try to use foreign intervention as an excuse. I dunno how effective it would be, but its worth a shot. So a quote from the wikipedia page about this is, "Russia should "introduce geopolitical disorder into internal American activity, encouraging all kinds of separatism and ethnic, social and racial conflicts, actively supporting all dissident movements"" I think this is the reasoning that people use whenever they claim that any activist movement is a Russian plot. They think that counter-protesting is defending the US from Russian domination. Which, while flawed, makes a certain kind of sense. However I think we could maybe use this to convince them that the phrase "actively supporting all dissident movements" means they try to support already existing movements AND their counter movements in order to amplify conflicts. We could maybe convince them that the best way to stop this Russian plot is to keep their cool and reign in their hostility. We could convince them that conflict resolution and patience are the things that will prevent the Russians from being able to co-opt movements to destabilize the country. If we keep citing this book (and similar things) and at least showing that we hear their concerns, we could convince them that their aggression and hostility IS the thing that the Russians want and that unity with other people is the only way to deny the Russians their victory. We could convince them that social media is full of Russians trying to amplify conflicts, effectively making them skeptical of anything on the internet that makes them feel angry toward certain people. And like, yeah, this has flaws. They will almost certainly continue to claim that anyone who does anything aggressive is supporting a Russian plot. But they were gonna do that anyway. We could at least use this to maybe reduce the aggression and polarization, and maybe convince some of them to actually start listening to people outside of their bubble. I think its worth a shot. If it works it could at least be a bridge to move them away from far right extremism. And if it doesn't, at least there will have been a new conversation for a bit and we will have learned more about their perspectives which we can use. I just think its a better approach than just trying to prove to them that they're wrong about things when they obviously won't listen. We do not make enough attempts to build bridges. Political debates with conservatives and right wingers are almost always demanding them to jump across a chasm without ever giving them another, less risky way to cross. Its no wonder they rarely, if ever, work.

#Leftist #activism #social justice #liberal #anarchist #communist #socialist #blm #blacklivesmatter #listen to people instead of fighting them #and youll learn how to help them become better people #I know this may not be the Most ethical approach #but if it reduces conflicts I think its worth it #idk im just tired of the polarization #and even though im not 100% on board #its possible their russian conspiracy claims do hold some water #i guess #they at least have the benefit of sources #so idk

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octopus-reactivated · 2 years

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Werner - time to wake up

Thank you all for the patience! I am so excited to show this to you :]

Tw/cw: Pet whump, kidnapped, gaslighting, starving, shock collar, (tell me if i missed anything)

__________

The floor, the walls - everything was white. There weren't any windows and only one door and a lamp filled the void. He remembered the accident, the fake rescue group. What was that? Did they want money? Or maybe… wait. There was something around his neck. Werner touched it and felt his blood turning cold. It was a collar. On the one side there was a box… was it one of these fancy shocking ones? It was bad, really bad…

He KNEW that was happening, he heard stories, but never he suspected it would happen to him. In hindsight it was stupid… but there is no use to beat himself over it now. It’s time to look for an escape. First: Were there any cameras spying on him? Second: can he take off the shock collar? And how will he avoid guards, run away and find some civilization? Will someone believe him? He was called a conspiracy theorist, before he even got a serial number on his collar. Damn. What to do, what to do, what to-

Something clicked and doors opened.

“Obiekt number 125-454-739, session number 12.“ Someone walked in. A… Trainer? “Obiect, repeat the rules to me” He looked at Werner

“Wow you really… you didn’t even bother to act like i’m new. That’s a really smart of you scums” he stood up. He knew he got a shock collar on him. He knew what would happen and that this would be painful. He knew he would get broken, eventually. So if he could tell them what he thought, just tins once…

“And here we got breaking rule number 2. I thought you were better than this, Pet” Trainer said. “Get on knees”

“Your thoughts are wrong about many-” Werner started when the shock came across his body. That was worse than what he imagined. It ran through his spine, his muscles and soon he was trembling on the floor.

“Let’s start over. Repeat your rules to me” Trainer said calmly, and the shock stopped. Werner panted heavily. He looked up at the man's face. How could you torture person and be co calm? There wasn’t sign or remorse, but it wasn’t the sadistics enjoyment of torturing others, either. Just… just calmness. Like he didn’t care at all. Werner hated it.

“Okay, okay!” He shouted in pain “I can repeat them! Just stop!”

Trainer stopped the electricity flow

“Well then, what are your rules?”

“I… I don't know?” Werner said “I’m new after al-”

And then he was again, on the floor, curling in the pain.

“Ah! stop, stop, please!” he shouted. It didn’t work.

“There… there was something about kneeling, right?” he said desperately, trying to remember what he picked up in his earlier life. The shocks didn’t end, but they became more bearable? “And the furniture is off-limits, right?”

“Pathetic little thing” Trainer crouched next to him. “Just the two of them, and not even in correct order”

“Oh, well, maybe Pet life is not for me after all-” He smiled and immediately felt the slap on his face

“Well then I guess you don’t need the food today. I will be back tomorrow. You better remember all your rules by then”

__________

He sat, back resting on the wall. The stories were true after all. He should have prepared himself better. He vaguely remembered he once wrote he didn’t and won’t consent to become Pet, but, well, it was apparently not enough.

He had to survive it somehow.

He probably won’t be able to get out, even from his cell. And who knows what waits outside, or how to find exit. It will be better to wait til he got transferred to the shop or Owner… he still had trouble believing it was his reality now. Yet, denial won't change anything, so he decided to skip phases of grief and go straight up to the last one: scheming.

As much as he wanted to believe that he won’t be like others, and won’t break, he knew those were professionals, dealing with people stronger than he. They probably knew every trick he could pull off. If he wanted to survive he had to give them what they wanted. He had to become broken.

But won’t they suspect something if he will start acting all nice and obedient now?

They must believe they’re in control, that he was just another case, like they deal every other time. Defiant in the beginning, then slowly shaped into the way they liked. But he will be the one dictating how it will happen, and he will be the only one controlling how he will break.

__________

Taglist: @heathenwhump @myst-in-the-mirror @kim-poce @whumpering-heights (sorry if missed anyone) (or tagged someone who didn't want to be tagged)

#whump #whump story #Werner #my writing #pet whump #juli #now is perfect time to post #enjoy the show!#he will have fun time at training facility

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asknarashikari · 3 years

Note

Funny Minific idea: Isamu pulls a Shoutaro and accidentally publicly confesses he loves Aruto (bonus points for reactions with a smug I knew it Yua and Naki being confused at human feelings)

Yua gave her companion a sideways glance, taking a sip of water to hide her concern as she watched Isamu’s expression grow stormier with each passing word their interviewer uttered. If this keeps up, he’s going to say something he’ll end up regretting, she thought.

Of course, she couldn’t blame him for what he was feeling, not with the blatant lies the man was saying about Aruto. Why they even had to do this interview was a mystery- the host was a known conspiracy theorist and a right-wing conservative, comparable to the likes of certain hosts on a certain cable “news” channel in America. Yua hadn’t wanted to do it, and neither did Isamu, but they had gotten overridden by the government bigwigs who created AIMS to begin with.

As he continued to blather on about how Hiden Intelligence was secretly trying to take over the world or something like that, Yua tried to keep her face schooled, but it was getting harder and harder. And Isamu had all but run out of patience, looking like he was going to interject any minute.

“...On top of all this, the man turns out to be a homo,” the host scoffed, sounding personally offended. “Whatever happened to our traditional values? Are we just letting people like these decide how we should run our society? And-” The host stopped in his tracks with the sound of a glass smashing. He turned to his guest with a gasp. “Fuwa-san? Are you alright, should I-” Before the host could even finish, he found himself on the receiving end of a punch from one very irate Kamen Rider.

Yeah, that’ll do it, Yua thought.

“Don’t you dare talk about him that way,” hissed Isamu, his eyes flashing with anger. “You can talk trash about the company, about AIMS... even the Riders... but don’t you dare talk about the man I love like that.” He shoulders heaved with suppressed rage, as if he was only barely stopping himself from throwing another punch at the scandalized host.

Aaaaand there it is. Yua sighed and shook her head at Isamu, who stalked off the stage, brushing past a confused Naki without a backward glance. She stood up and brushed invisible dust off her suit, then looked at the host with the most pleasant, but frosty expression she could muster on her face.

“I think we’re done here,” she stated. “If you wish to file a complaint about Fuwa-san’s behavior, I recommend you take it up with his employer... not that he’s likely going to take you seriously.” And with that, she followed Isamu off set, fed up with this farce of an interview.

“Did he even realize what he just said, on television no less?” Naki asked Yua as she came up to them. “I don’t understand why he let his anger get the best of him like that...” they trailed off.

Yua shrugged. “Well... this is Fuwa we’re talking about,” she said. “Would you have expected anything else?”

#kamen rider zero-one #fuwa isamu #yaiba yua #naki #ask #askrikkaiandhyotei

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sepublic · 3 years

Text

The Astro Queue and Party Car!

Kez… my beloved… You’re so wonderfully expressive and cartoonish, and unusually flirty with anything that exists. Yet so charming and delightful, yet beneath it all you’ve got insecurities and I feel so BAD for her… But you know what, she didn’t need Paco, and the uh… Okay I kind of forgot their names, besides Hive and Spice-something, I have a general idea, and it doesn’t matter! Oh yeah, there’s also a rock from the Hey Ho Whoa Car, I appreciate that kind of retroactive return for an old car, that’s fun.

Weird tangent incoming, but… Going back to what I said about Kez kind of reminding me of Ryan’s lifestyle, she also seems to have the insecurity of Min, and how they both have this thing of… Being afraid of how they’re perceived and letting that really get to them! And Kez… she looked SO at ease and relieved on Min’s shoulder at the end, my heart is MELTING…! Maybe Kez has traits that can make her relate to both Min AND Ryan as a mediator, as an example of the one they become (also foreshadowing One who inversely becomes One-One), and I like that her lack of understand of social cues (or knowing disregard) allows her to comment as an impartial third, outside party…

But also- LORE! So it seems that those boots are meant to root passengers in place so they can’t muck about whenever the Steward is operating in the same car; I think we finally, FINALLY have an answer to what it meant when it told Tulip to stay in her seat- It’s likely a default line for a passenger who somehow manages to move from their place whenever the Steward is operating… Which, given all of Amelia’s mess and hijinx with the Infinity Train’s normal functions, that’s kind of her fault! Seeing Kez glitch also lends credence to the interpretation of denizens being spawned by orbs in a sense… Which, for Tuba-is-Alive conspiracy theorists, hope is there? Because her orb might still exist?

Regardless… The Steward seems to really live up to its name, and it’s cool to see how it usually is meant to function- Not necessarily for maintenance, but for giving passengers anything they need, should there be a necessity! Which, that makes me wonder if the Steward and One keep track of passengers to rescue them if things get dangerous, which again, is ANOTHER problem Amelia caused, and contributes further to Grace and Simon forming the Apex! Yikes… Still, it’s fascinating to see how the Steward’s role plays in interacting with passengers more, and intriguingly, Amelia’s own dialogue there… It kind of sounds like she suggested to One that he give Min and Ryan their things back?

So, maybe this is what Amelia had in mind; Maybe she wanted a more hands-on approach to the Infinity Train? Perhaps One invited her specifically as an actual human, second opinion as a passenger, someone who can provide input on how the Infinity Train is working, a review and feedback, constructive criticism! Oh god… Imagine if Amelia actually got her number down, and THEN One asked for feedback, and she decided to stick back because it’s not like she has anything waiting- But then realizing the opportunity to bring back Alrick made her number go back up!

Still, if Amelia IS trying to convince One to be more proactive, then it’s interesting that she becomes even MORE hands-off than neglectful when she takes the role of Conductor! Did she just, like… Give up at some point? She mentions that Ryan and Min have to ‘individuate’, is One keeping a human passenger as suggestions on how to handle passengers more, as they directly watch over them? Is Amelia suggesting that Min and Ryan be more individual and separate, perhaps having their own numbers even, because she disagrees with One’s experiment? I can only guess, but I’m glad that, as I’d hoped, Book 4 indirectly gives us a look and context to Amelia’s backstory on the Infinity Train, as setup for her eventual arc… Also, just considered Kez and Amelia parallels as people called in as a second, outsider’s opinion on an issue, especially if you consider how One becomes a duo himself, too!

Poor Ryan, he really does seem to have an issue of… Feeling belittled, being made to feel like he’s dumb and his ideas aren’t good, perhaps? While Min, he can get frustrated and I feel more angry at Ryan openly as a result, VS Ryan at Min… And I think that of course plays into his obvious anxiety; How Min and Ryan both feed into but can also bring one another up… Min is nervous, he’s overtly cautious, but Ryan can encourage him to put himself out there more! But also, Min can be the patience that Ryan needs, they really complete one another… But on the other hand, Ryan’s outbursting behavior can make Min even MORE anxious and resentful, and Min constantly being a dampener on his AND Ryan’s ideas can make Ryan chafe, it’s fascinating!

It kind of fits the crossroads theme; How these two could use their opposite traits to propel one another, or instead drive each other crazy… And that could’ve played into the Infinity Train’s decision to appear to them at that moment; Do Ryan and Min collaborate and let their differences make up for one another, or drive each other crazy? How Ryan taking the keys, it could’ve led to Min taking cues from him and growing, or it could’ve led to Min being understandably frustrated and even MORE resentful with Ryan… And Ryan could learn to take into account Min setting his own boundaries, or instead disregard them recklessly! They go hand in hand together, it is a FASCINATING synergy!

Also, I have to wonder what happened to Morgan, where they are… And I like the neat subversion of like, everyone already being gone; But it doesn’t matter, the party is still a ‘hit’ because our trio had fun together! And how they don’t need to impress anyone, just themselves; That’s some incredibly clever symbolism there, I like it! Also appreciate the return of Mr. Green and the theming of the Green Car in some capacity, I wonder what’s the story THERE, if the Green Room actually has a secret portal to the Green Car, etc.! Who’d have thunk that Green Car short didn’t just allude to Book 2, but also Book 4 as well!

Onto the next destination, passengers! I can’t wait to see what awaits us…!

#infinity train #infinity train spoilers #infinity train book 4 spoilers #infinity train book 4 #infinity train duet #infinity train ryan #ryan akagi #infinity train min #min-gi park #infinity train kez #infinity train amelia #amelia hughes #infinity train one one #speculation #analysis

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geekybisexualwriter · 4 years

Text

“I’m Glad You Kidnapped Me” (Five Hargreeves x genderneutral!reader)

Request: Can you do a Five Hargreeves x reader where Y/N and Five are friends and he finds out that Y/N’s mom is Cha Cha and kidnaps Y/N while they have Klaus. Y/N and Five become close and Cha Cha finds Five and almost drowns him and as Y/N is giving him mouth to mouth, he wakes up and they kiss. Thx

Requested by: anon

(A/N: That was an amazing idea, anon! I hope I do it justice.)

(A/N #2: I accidentally deleted a different request, and I don’t remember much of it, so sorry if that was yours!)

(A/N #3: Sorry this took so long! I just started remote learning, and it is much harder than I thought it would be, and I have some family stuff to deal with as well(not getting into it). I’ll be updating as often as I can.)

Word count: 1672

Warnings: mention of kidnapping, slight fluff, waterboarding

Taglists:

Permanent:

@five-scoffee

@peepeeparkerr

@linthebinbag

5 x reader:

@sitherin-mxschief

@paradox-psychosis

Y/N sighs, staring out the window of the hotel room that they shared with Uncle Hazel and their mom. It was around midnight, and they were supposed to be sleeping so they could be on their A-game tomorrow to kill even more people.

They hated it more than anything. They would do anything to be whisked away, to not have to deal with-

And suddenly, they were knocked unconscious by a panting Five, standing over them with a baseball bat(idk how he got it). He picks them up and gets in a car that he stole, setting them down in the backseat with a smirk.

*THE NEXT DAY*

Y/N was sleeping soundly on the couch in the living room in the Academy when they wake up to yelling.

“What the hell, Five? You kidnapped a person!” A woman with long dark hair with blonde highlights glares at a boy who seemed to be around Y/N’s age.

“Yeah, that’s messed up man.” A man with short dark hair and piercing dark eyes shakes his head at a boy with a school uniform on.

“This can be used to our advantage! I now have a bargaining chip to use against Cha Cha!” The Boy (just accidentally did an homage to the comics. Nice.) says, tired of his siblings’ empathy.

“The ‘bargaining chip’ has a name and feelings, you know.” Y/N sits up and glares around at the group of adults and one boy, who all stare at them. “And one of the feelings that it’s feeling is anger.”

“I don’t care about your feelings, but I do care about your name,” The Boy says, his patience clearly wearing thin(per usual). “What is it?”

“Like I’m telling you, you’re the person who kidnapped me,” Y/N says with a death glare at him. “I don’t trust you.”

The Boy growls but keeps his anger in check for a change. “Fine. I’ll tell you mine. I’m Five Hargreeves, and you are?”

“You’re Five Hargreeves? A boy?” Y/N chuckles. “Like I’m going to believe that. The real Five Hargreeves is like eighty.”

“Fifty eight.” Five grumbles.

“I really don’t care. Let me go.”

“Not until your mom finds you. And then you can go back to her, but not until you give me information on what they’re going to do next.”

“Well, that sucks for you, because I’m not telling you anything,” Y/N says, a big smirk on her face. Of course, that feeling was only skin-deep, because she had no idea what they were going to do. They wouldn’t tell her anything, not that she was interested, although it would have been helpful right now.

“Oh, you will.” Five chuckles darkly. “Trust me.”

“I don’t.” Y/N snaps.

Cha Cha wakes up at 5 am on the dot every morning, rising from her bed and looks to the place where she always first looked on a mission(which was pretty much constantly), her child’s bed, usually finding a sleeping Y/N, who would be normally snoring quietly. But this time, she found her worst nightmare.

Y/N was gone.

Cha Cha’s eyes widen, and she runs from her bed to Y/N’s, tears running down her face. “No no no no no no…” she mutters to herself repeatedly. “HAZEL!”

Hazel, the lazy one, slowly opened his eyes to look over at Cha Cha. “Hm?” he mumbles, barely registering anything, let alone tears. “What happ’n’d?”

“They are nowhere to be found.” Cha Cha says quietly.

That sure woke him up. “Y/N?”

Cha Cha nods, not having enough emotional energy to say a sarcastic remark about how obvious it was that it was Y/N. “And I think we know who it was.” She says, her voice filled to the brim with the perfect mix of anger and worry.

Five pours himself a cup of coffee, pleased with himself. “I should probably get them something to eat…” he mutters, going upstairs to some room that he had chosen for Y/N. And by chosen, he checked to make sure it didn’t belong to anyone else and shoved them in there.

Y/N was sitting there, a million possibilities on how to escape flying through their head when they hear the door open and look up to see Five. “Oh. It’s you.”

Five rolls his eyes. “Yeah, no shit. I just came here to see what you are and aren’t allergic to.”

“Oh, so you won’t let me starve out! That’s a relief.”

“Yeah, so that you can live to give me information on your mom and her partner.”

“Oh, no way. Although, my opinion might be changed with my appetite…”

Five studies their face for a moment and chuckles. “Absolutely not, you’ll just make me steal you stuff and then you’ll never tell me anything. Oldest trick in the book.”

Y/N sighs in fake defeat. “Aw, man! That was my entire plan, all foiled by you again, Hargreeves!” They laugh.

Five laughs a bit too despite himself. “You’ll never defeat me, …?” He looks at them questioningly, realizing he still hadn’t gotten their name.

Y/N thinks for a moment. Well, they did like him, but not that much. Wait, did they just think that? “Robin.” They say, deciding that they would think about that more in-depth later(if your name is Robin, then just replace it with Casey).

Five nods slowly. “You just gave me a fake name, didn’t you?”

Y/N shakes their head. “Nope. Robin/Casey is my real name.”

“I don’t believe you, but that doesn’t matter right now. So, for real, what is it that you’re allergic to?”

Over the next few weeks, Y/N and Five became closer and closer. Unfortunately, so did Cha Cha and Hazel at finding out where Five Hargreeves was located.

Cha Cha smiles to herself in front of one of those big pinboards(like the one in the conspiracy theorist meme). “Finally…” she whispers. Hazel comes up next to her with a couple of cups of coffee. “Find ‘em?”

Cha Cha takes one of the cups and sips from it gleefully. “I sure did. Now let’s go kick some ass.”

Y/N grins, moving their scrabble piece to create the word ‘vivacious’ earning them twenty-one points and the game. “I win!”

Five glares at them. “You must have cheated somehow. I never lose.”

“Oh my gosh. You are SUCH a sore loser!” Y/N laughs harder shifting themselves into a better position on the living room floor.

“I am not! I just don’t like losing!” He exclaims.

Y/N chuckles and starts to reset the pieces. “Another game?”

Five was about to agree and vow to defeat them this time, but he was interrupted by a loud crash.

“Y/N!” Cha Cha yells. “WE’RE HERE, HONEY!” she runs up to Y/N and gives her a quick hug and a kiss on the head. “Go to Hazel, he’s outside. I’ll deal with this… thing.” She looks over at Five in distaste and a deathly glare.

“No,” Y/N mutters, barely being heard as they glance at Five.

“What was that, sweetheart?”

“I said no,”(not relating to this whatsoever but if you’re a fan of Heathers the Musical, search up I Say No deleted song) Y/N says more clearly and meets her mothers’ eye line. “You are not going to kill him.”

“And why not, dearest?” Cha Cha mutters through gritted teeth.

“Because… of the Commissioner. She will ask questions about why he is dead, you know.” Y/N says, thankful they found another way other than admitting their feelings.

“So smart…” Cha Cha’s hand cups their cheek with a loving smile. “But quite frankly, I’d rather die than let you be trapped here.” Her hand drops down to the space where her gun was supposed to be. “Oh come on...” she mutters. “I forgot my own damn gun.”

Y/N’s eyes light up. Maybe then she wouldn’t kill Five! Best case scenario, Y/N leaves and Five’s okay. They’d rather stay here with him, but they’d take this over Five dying any day of the week.

Cha Cha’s eyes graze over the mansion. First thing you learn about as an assassin? Everything is a weapon. Her gaze captures the sink and her smirk starts to grow. Guess she would be doing this the old-fashioned way.

With a smile, she grabs Five’s hair, thankful that he was a kid again and was easy to push around. And before either Five or Y/N could react, she drags him over to the sink and turns on the tap violently, sticking Five’s head under, waterboarding him.

With wide eyes, Y/N rushes over to her mother and starts pulling Cha Cha’s arm yelling at her to stop. Five was turning blue and struggling to get out of her grasp.

Finally, Cha Cha slips up and is pushed to the floor. She tries to get back up but is pushed down again by an angry Y/N. “Leave. Now.” Their voice shakes with anger.

“Sk-” Cha Cha is cut off.

“No. Leave right now.”

Cha Cha sighs and gets up, walking out the door. “Come back to me when you’re ready to admit that Five Hargreeves is nothing but an assassin who kidnapped you!” She yells.

Y/N ignores her and gets to work, putting Five on the ground, giving him mouth to mouth and pumping his chest up and down.

“Come on…” she mutters, leaning down and doing it all over again.

Suddenly, Five starts coughing up water, the color slowly returning to his face. “Y-Y/N?”

Y/N nods, their eyes welling up with relief tears. “Yeah. It’s me.”

Five smiles and sits up slightly. “So, was that the only reason why you didn’t want me to die?”

They shake their head. “No… there was another reason.”

“Oh?” Five looks at them, not really believing that someone like them could love someone like him.

“I think I’m in love with you.” Y/N looks at him, smiling nervously.

“Well, I know I’m in love with you.” Five smiles back, leaning in to kiss them.

Y/N grins and kisses him softly and then pulls away. “I’m so glad you kidnapped me.”

#five #five x reader #five hargreeves #five hargreeves x reader #five x reader imagine #The Umbrella Academy #the umbrella academy x reader #tua #fanfiction #x reader #number 5 #number 5 x reader #imagine #request

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