#perhaps this ideal date would end up being a vacation

[liftwellnes]

Is My Partner A Narcissist?

To piggyback on a previous post about couples in communication, I must add a new post altogether. I see couples who enter into counseling with an immediate, and plaguing question. “Am I, or is my spouse a narcissist? And, if so, can this marriage or relationship be saved?”

First of all, I will often reassure clients that typically, narcissists will not present for therapy inquiring into whether they are on. Many individuals end up in therapy to deal with the narcissists in their lives, and very rarely does it go the other way around.

To begin, I will note that narcissism, or in clinical circles, Narcissistic personality disorder, is one of several types of personality disorders. A simple Google search will yield you this: Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental condition in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for excessive attention and admiration, troubled relationships, and a lack of empathy for others.

Narcissism accounts for approximately 6% of the population, is more readily seen in males than females, and can only be diagnosed in adulthood. Symptoms must be present for at least one year. A person with narcissistic personality disorder will: exaggerate achievements and talents, need to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements, preoccupy themselves with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love, believe that they are special and unique, envy others or believe others are envious of them, behave arrogantly, possess a strong sense of entitlement, and exploit others to achieve his or her own ends.

Of course, many individuals, if not all, possess some or more of these traits within their lifespan. Who has not felt envious of someone who has more? Who does not crave recognition upon a job well performed? Who does not dream of great success and what they would do with it? Especially in the era of social media, wherein it is socially acceptable to post pictures of your self (selfies!) or perhaps worse, your shelf (shelfies!), or your car or vacation on a regular basis, is it not easy to misunderstand the true nature of narcissism?

Yes, it is. Much like all the mental health conditions, these are traits, not diagnoses. We live in a competitive age, and people have been socialized to market their personal brand to a large audience for career, for potential matchmaking, dating and mating, and even for social position for their children. This behavior, though it is an often unfortunate relic of our time, is not categorizable as narcissistic personality disorder, but rather a signpost of the era of technology we currently occupy. We can recognize narcissistic traits in others, but we cannot diagnose a person (or ourselves) based on traits alone.

As a trained therapist, narcissism is clear to spot and quickly presents itself in the following very specific ways: invalidation of others, inability to accept the reality of others’ emotional landscape, refusal to recognize the perspective of others, lack of emotional attunement with loved ones, difficulty owning and admitting blame for wrongdoing, and inability to change direction when presented with helpful feedback based on emotional reactivity and high defenses (demonstrated by lashing back, blame, stonewalling, sulking, attacking, shaming and blaming.)

Many of my clients present to me initially because they suffered an upbringing with a narcissistic mother (read: The Drama of The Gifted Child, Alice Miller.) Many of those same (now, adult) children then suffer from marrying a narcissist. It is this, then, that brings them into healing.

If you suspect you live with a narcissist or were impacted by being raised by one, do seek help. Shame, self-blame and a host of depressive disorders can be alleviated by learning to detach with love, set boundaries, take your power back, and stop the generational cycle. We are rooting for you and hope you reach out for a consult.

#narcissist

[mittenlayer7]

China Travel Restrictions 2022, When Will China Open Its Borders

Upon arrival, it may only have a 30-day validity, throughout which period you want to apply for a residence permit. The processing time in your Germany short-stay visa might take up to 15 days. If 台胞證 file your visa application during peak seasons when the German embassies obtain too many purposes you could have to wait up to 30 days for the processing of your visa, and even up to 60 days in extraordinary cases. Please notice that you just cannot apply for a short-stay German visa from a rustic by which you're currently on a visa. You need to be a citizen of that nation or on a residence permit there, to find a way to be eligible to file your Germany Visa application. Issued to those who have been admitted by a Chinese college. Holders of a service passport, being nationals of Bolivia, Indonesia, Jamaica, Malawi, Morocco, Peru, Thailand, Tunisia or Turkey. In common, a service provider should present a receipt for all Visa transactions. However, if the transaction is under a certain quantity, the merchant is simply required to provide a receipt upon the cardholder’s request. (I have the means to help myself.) The F-visa would have been ideal, contemplating I don’t need to work while I get the “lay of the land”. But the F-visa is seemingly inconceivable to get nowadays. You’ll have to wait for publication of R visa guidelines to see if that visa may be an possibility for you. I would like to move to china to increase my business, with a watch on the export market. The customer stays only within the cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, Huizhou and Shantou. Depart Mainland China on a flight, cruise ship or train within 24 hours after arrival. Onward tickets and all paperwork required for his or her subsequent vacation spot if they're arriving by air so as to board a ship, or arriving by ship and continuing to the airport. China Visa Types To get hold of a TTP, it's first essential to book a tour operated by a journey agency based mostly in Tibet which incorporates lodging and transportation. A TTP is often processed and issued within 15 days of submitting an software. We count on that these adjustments in visa validity might be very popular amongst Chinese vacationers. The data within the a name for participation includes your full names, date of birth, gender, passport quantity, and citizenship. In this case, the entity may be an individual, a enterprise company, a tutorial establishment, or perhaps a tourist group. The letter of invitation is a crucial document that's written by an entity in China displaying why you intend to go to the nation. Processing occasions start on the next enterprise day following submission and serve as indications of processing instances under regular circumstances solely. Maximum validity refers again to the period over which you are allowed to enter a given country. Within 24 hours of arriving in China on a Z visa, expats should additionally full a Temporary Residence Registration Form and produce their passport on the nearest PSB. Some cities additionally require expats to do this after every journey they make out of the country. Expats who wish to take up employment in China for greater than six months will want a Z visa. This visa can additionally be used by members of the family accompanying the expat. China Travel Restrictions 2022, When Will China Open Its Borders They must journey with the New Zealand citizen or resident member of the family on the same flight to New Zealand. "What are the brand new rules for testing and hotel quarantine?". "Moldova opens border for residents of Russia and another countries". "The Faroe Islands has re-opened to visitors from sure international locations". "New situations for entry of individuals to the Czech Republic (from August, ninth". Think Global Health has recognized a complete of ninety-six WHO member states and territories imposing journey restrictions of varying severity on China as a end result of COVID-19. Legally restricts the measures nations can implement when addressing public well being risks to those measures which are supported by science, commensurate with the dangers concerned, and adjust to any specific WHO guidance. The U.S. authorities requires all passengers flying to the united states – 2 years and older – to finish the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention attestation type confirming they meet entry requirements. Citizens that qualify for a medical exception should contact Special Assistance at least seventy two hours earlier than departure for approval. You ought to check the transfer rules and services of the airport you will switch at. Flights may change depending on updated insurance policies of the various countries and airlines. Non-Hong-Kong-residents now residing in high/medium risks areas such as the USA, the UK, France, Germany, Thailand, India, and Italy cannot enter in Hong Kong. Directions For On-line Visa Utility Form The NZeTA and IVL are legitimate for multiple visits and as a lot as 2 years. Passengers ought to request their NZeTA properly upfront of their journey to New Zealand. Passengers who don't maintain an NZeTA after they verify in for his or her flight is not going to be allowed to board. You can download the Entry Permit Application to Taiwan for China Passport Holders from the National Immigration Agency's website if you have to apply for entry/exit to/from Taiwan. The Malaysia eVisa is a multiple-entry visa and a short-term visa sort. For long-term stays, overseas nationals should always consult with their closest Malaysian Mission to verity the sort of visa required. Fortunately, this doesn’t imply that Chinese travelers must go queue on the Tanzanian embassy and fill out prolonged paperwork. In truth, Chinese nationals are eligible for the Tanzanian on-line visa. Money will be requested for processing Work Permits, Visa purposes or the like. Applicant/s have right to their private info provided by them. Users may request entry to their private data by writing an email to the Info e mail ID talked about on the ��Contact Us” page with topic line as “Subject Access Request”. This request might be forwarded to the respective Governments/ Diplomatic Missions since they're the data controllers and additional motion shall be taken by VFS GLOBAL based on the directions obtained by the respective Governments/ Diplomatic Missions. Holders of diplomatic and official passports aren't eligible and should obtain a visa. Visitors to the Republic of China must get hold of a visa or authorization upfront, unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries or nations whose nationals are eligible for visa on arrival. Through this technique, the longer term employee and employer can submit the supporting documents electronically. The new on-line management service system has eliminated nearly half of the beforehand required paperwork, chopping out submissions like software letters and private CVs. Uae Visa Data As in a domestic adoption, the adoptive relationship shall be established as the date of registration for all adoptions concluded on or after April 1, 1999, the efficient date of the revised regulation. For adoptions occurring prior to that date, failure to obtain a Notarial Certificate of Adoption remains prima facie evidence that a legal adoption never happened. While a Notarial Adoption Certificate is not required, one may be obtained ought to any get together concerned within the adoptive relationship want to have one. The Notarial Abandonment Certificate should detail beneath what circumstances the child was either orphaned or abandoned. Consulate Guangzhou's Adoption Unit for extra on the intercountry adoptions course of. China codified its adoption laws and regulations within the Current Adoption Law of China on December 29, 1991, which got here into effect on April 1, 1992. If you propose to remain in Taiwan for greater than 14 days, please comply with the instructions below and apply for a visa. Please remember that should you get an L visa, we have absolutely no control over what visa college students are literally issued. On our part, the invitation letter lists all students as just that, and ideally they need to now be receiving an X2 visa. If that's not the case, so lengthy as they have a valid entry visa for China, the major points could be fastened after arrival in Beijing. For visa functions, we'd like a legitimate passport quantity a number of weeks before you leave. Dept. of State for information about acquiring or renewing a passport. There is no reciprocity payment for the issuance of a J visa if the alien is a United States Government grantee or a participant in an exchange program sponsored by the United States Government. If the applicant is under 18 years old, one of many dad and mom or guardian has to accompany the applicant for passport software. Total number consists of vacationers, enterprise people, students, change guests, temporary workers and households, diplomats and other representatives and all other classes of non-immigrant admissions (I-94). Holders of the new biometric Two-way Permits with legitimate entry endorsements that contain fingerprint information. Starting from August 19, 2016, passengers are in a position to use the e-Gates in terminal 2 of Beijing Capital International Airport to finish exit procedures from China as properly. For best performance, please don't bend, perforate or expose to extreme temperatures or extra moisture. Visa Coverage Of Mainland China Some contemplate visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry, significantly when switching between various varieties of visas is permitted, a pull issue for migrants to seek or have interaction in employment or enterprise activities irregularly—both of which usually require particular authorization. This challenge could also be notably pertinent to sure African countries, because the migration of Chinese nationals to work on Chinese funding tasks across the continent is properly documented. A visa is a travel document that allows you to enter a foreign country for a particular time frame. In most instances, you want to apply for a visa earlier than travelling, both at an embassy, consulate, or on-line. Visas are often affixed onto your passport and state how long you'll have the ability to stay. four.It normally takes four working days to course of visa purposes. As long because the overseas spouse and children travel with the Balikbayan, they will be entitled to a visa-free entry to the Philippines for a period of 1 12 months. Upon reacquiring their Philippine citizenship, they shall take pleasure in full civil, economic and political rights as Filipinos. Four unique duly-accomplished Report of Marriage Contracted Abroad kind, typed or printed legibly in black or blue ink, signed by both husband and spouse. Wives should point out their maiden name as the last name. VFS GLOBAL isn't liable for any lack of money, time, goodwill, or popularity, or any direct, special, indirect, or consequential loss or damages arising out of the visa applicant/user’s use of its web site. 5.2 Clients must make their visa applications at an applicable time in accordance with their journey arrangement. 1.10 “Basic Services” refers to the services directly related to visa applications that the Chinese Visa Application Service Facility provides to shoppers. Once you could have that discovered, you then want toreview all the Europe visa utility requirements you have to fulfil and start the method of setting up a visa appointmentat one of many Schengen consulates in your nation. China To Problem Visas To Foreigners Who Have Taken Chinese Jab Vaccinated passengers travelling to China by air will nonetheless want to indicate negative tests as beneath current rules, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian mentioned, based on an official transcript of a day by day briefing. The transcript did not present further details on how visa functions could be simplified. Holders of legitimate APEC enterprise travel cards may apply for the M visa by presenting the unique legitimate APEC business travel card and the invitation letter issued by the inviting get together within the mainland of China. China will simplify visa purposes for a lot of overseas nationals who have been inoculated with Chinese-produced COVID-19 vaccines, the most recent step towards normalizing personnel exchanges. On March 15, 2021, the Chinese embassy within the US issued a notice which states that international nationals and their relations who have been inoculated with Chinese COVID-19 vaccines will have the ability to apply for visas based on pre-pandemic necessities. These requirements could vary slightly depending on the individual’s circumstances. Also, particular person cross holders who had been vaccinated abroad may also be required to take a serology take a look at to substantiate their vaccination status after serving their SHN. Beijing didn't comment when asked at a press briefing Tuesday whether it might be higher to make use of WHO-recognised vaccines, since many nations are not administering the Chinese shot. China's vaccines have been rolled out in several international locations around the globe, together with Turkey, Indonesia and Cambodia. First, there's uncertainty as to the manufacturers of vaccines that qualify as “Chinese-made”, because the Notice is silent on that. China additionally plans to roll out well being certificates for international travelers that may declare a person's vaccination standing or recent check outcomes to facilitate the safe and orderly circulate of personnel, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a news conference on March 10. Since vacationers who have been inoculated with a few of the coronavirus vaccines out there in the United States could test positive for sure proteins without actually being contaminated with COVID-19, the Chinese embassy has released particular testing requirements to accommodate such passengers. That foreigners from certain nations who hold valid Chinese residence permits for personal affairs, household reunion and work can return to China with out making use of for a model new visa. Serve a 14-day SHN at an SDF or a place of residence or suitable accommodation. Travelers with travel historical past to Indonesia or the Philippines will be required to take an Antigen Rapid Test in addition to the PCR check. Serve a 14-day SHN at a SHN-dedicated facility or a spot of residence or appropriate accommodation. On the seventh day of the SHN, the entrant is required to retake a COVID-19 PCR test. Researchers Charged With Visa Fraud After Lying About Their Work For Chinas Peoples Liberation Army They can apply to increase their stay for an additional 14 days for AED 250 . F-1 and M-1 visas could be issued as much as a hundred and twenty days in advance of your study begin date, but you will not be allowed to enter the US earlier than 30 days before your start date. If you wish to enter the US before these 30 days, you should qualify for and acquire a customer visa. The 30 day limitation doesn't apply to college students returning to renew research – they might enter the US at any time, provided they've a legitimate visa. At the time of writing, the I-901 charge is US$200 for F/M visa holders and $180 for J student visa holders. J visa holders working as camp counselors, au pairs or in summer work/travel pay $35 as an alternative. Don’t fear if you want to schedule your interview appointment at a different US embassy or consulate than the one you used to use for your visa. The barcode from your DS-160 can be utilized to retrieve your info in any US embassy or consulate. However, be aware that it could be difficult to qualify for a visa when you apply outside your place of permanent residence.Wait occasions for visa interview appointmentsvary by location, season and visa class. Holders of the X2 Visa can not re-enter China unless they apply for a model new Visa a sign that X2 visas aren't multiple entry visa. To apply for China pupil X Visa, applicants have to a set of documents to apply for these visas on the Chinese Embassy of their nation. Form I-131, Application for Travel Document You ought to file Form I-131 to use for a refugee travel document and appear for any required biometric providers appointment before you leave the United States.

#台胞證

[moonraezz]

12. what would be your ideal date? (Kinda really curious about this one 👀)

Ok this is really tough because I romanticize basically every single thing in the world and please bare with me because this may be a really intense ideal date.

Right so I think it would probably be an entire day out? Or like a good portion. Going around the city or country just exploring and listening to music. Making up little games as we stop by shops and joke about the cool things we find. Heading to the book store to look through books and maybe sit down in a discreet corner to read a bit. Ordering take out and driving to a small hill on the outskirts of the city, watching the night lights in the back of the car and looking at the stars. Bringing the computer to watch movies or playing music as we talk. Then heading back home late at night to snuggle and end the day. 🥰🥰

#tbh there was way moreee #but you can only fit so much into a day #perhaps this ideal date would end up being a vacation #i think a more chill date would be the single day broken up into separate dates #also the beach!!! anything with water will make me happy #either that or staying at home binge watching shows or trying to play a game #theres a lot honestly as long as im with them 😊 #ask game #waterinathermostat

[espresso-lessdepresso]

mno

Fluff Alphabet HC: abc, def, ghi, jkl, mno, pqr, stu, vwx, yz

M - Marriage — Do they ever think of marriage or how they would propose?

Schlatt would entertain the thought of marriage every so often. It would be a comforting thought for him to fantasize about having a house together and perhaps even a family if you'd up for it. He’d acknowledge the fact that you’re both young and that there is still so much you guys want to do together. So marriage would remain a sweet dream for a while until you’re both a few years into the relationship. When you two take your relationship to the next level by moving in together, his distant dream of marrying you will begin to become a reality. Living with you would make Schlatt accept that ‘Them. I want to spend the rest of my days with them. Forever even.’ And so the planning of the proposal would commence. The date would easily be decided, that being the day you went on your first date together. The actual place for the proposal would be the dilemma. Plan A would be: Since Schlatt is more of a private person, a simple cozy date at a nearby restaurant sounds be ideal. You would order your favourite foods, enjoy the evening together and end the dinner with a sweet dessert. On the way back home, you'd hold hands together as you would walk through a park and halfway through, he’d stop you. With his arms around you, he’d pull you close into a much tender kiss before pulling out a small velvet box from his inner jacket’s pocket. Carefully watching you, he'd open the box as you figure out what was about to happen, “What do you say? Will you...marry me?” Plan B would be: Something a little bit more extravagant. Flying out of the country for a week with a few of your close friends. Everyone but you would know the real reason behind the sudden ‘vacation’. All you thought was that he wanted to spend your anniversary a bit differently. The entire week would be leading up to the anniversary party. Where, before the cutting on the cake, Schlatt would surprise you with an open box, sitting within it a shimmering wedding band. He’d go all the way with one knee on the ground and ask you, saying your full name, "I never thought I would get to say this, but will you be mine?"

N - Nicknames — What nicknames do they call their s/o?

Apart from the standard "Babe," which is pretty common among couples, the nicknames "Sweetheart," "Sweetie," and "Honey" would naturally roll off Schlatt’s tongue when he speaks to you. When you'd come over to his room, he'd greet you with, "Hey Sweetie :)" from his desk and hold his hand out to you. He would, however, retain these nicknames between you two and use them only when you're in a more private setting.

Would also call you “Bro” even when dating.

O - Oath — What is something (i.e. a bad habit) they try to stop doing for their s/o?

Schlatt would try to drink less or avoid drinking with you if you weren't comfortable with it or just didn't like it, keeping his intoxicated self away from you. And when the inevitable would arrive, at least once, where you would help his intoxicated self to bed, he would feel awful. He'd slur his apologies while appearing like a guilty puppy.

The shit sleep schedule, or rather the lack of it, that Schlatt had developed would be something that he’d want to fix. If you’re the one in the relationship with the normal or somewhat normal sleep schedule, he wouldn’t want to be drowsy or sleeping whenever you call him or meet him. He would, however, enjoy it when you climb into his bed and cuddle with him before falling asleep on him.

++++++ Personally, I really like Plan A, I find it more fitting and it just makes me very soft~

Engage and let me know if/how you like the writing. Reblogging/Sharing is much appreciated.

credit: Fluff Alphabet HC by @ halloweenismyfav

master list

#jschlatt #schlatt #jschlatt fanfic #schlatt fanfic #jschlat fluff #schlatt fluff #jschlatt imagine #schlatt imagine #jschlatt x reader #fluff alphabet #jschlatt alphabet #schlatt alphabet

[fictional-scenarios]

hello! can i request an angsty fic with aizawa and f! reader where they break up? thank you!

i hope you enjoy this! i did it from his perspective, hope thats okay! also i know he probably wouldn’t actually be like this in a relationship, but for the fic, this is the only way i could see him being at fault :3

always appreciate reblogs and comments! if you’d lie to support me, here’s my ko-fi!

In the worst of the aftermath, Aizawa was not angry. He was never angry, not truly. Not even when he’d snap at his friends for bringing up her name, or when he’d feel rage churning in his stomach at the thought of her being with another. He was never angry. 

He was sad. So devastatingly, core achingly sad, that it kept him bed ridden for days at a time. Work, come home, eat and sleep. It wouldn't end. 

He’d always considered his quant home a safe haven, but lately it’d been feeling like a prison. It felt like a haunting museum, little bits of her as far as the eye could see. The memories were so vivid, he could still almost see the figure of her standing in his doorway. He could see her leaning on the window sill peering outside. He could see her shoes by the front door, her toothbrush in a cup upon his sink. He could see her under the covers with him, hushed laughter and soft snoring into the early morning.

Even now, he see’s her beside him in bed. He see’s the indent of where she should be, now terribly empty. It makes him feel cold, alone. 

But, being alone had never been a huge issue to him before all this. In fact, he knows it was the downfall of him. 

She’d just wanted him to go out with her now and then. She just wanted to take photos with him, hold his hand out in public without feeling like she’d been forcing him. 

Aizawa buries his face in his hands, his back leaning against the cold wall, blanket curled around his waist like a weight. 

All she had wanted was just a little more life. Just a few more kisses, a few more hugs. A few more signs that he truly cared for her, but he wouldn’t hear of it. She knew he loved her, why couldn’t that be enough? 

He refused public dates that weren’t anniversaries or events. He hated photos. He hated when she’d clasp fingers around his own, hated it because all it brought was attention. Paparazzi's scavenging and ruining every affectionate and tender moment they’d shared together in public. 

He never understood why it had to be public. He couldn’t wrap his mind around why she would insist they get out and so something together. Why couldn't hanging out in the seclusion of his home be enough?

Always so stubborn, especially when it would have been the correct time to give in. His annoyance and unwillingness to be anything other than slow moving and low maintenance drove her away from him. He was just fine being on his own, so why couldn't she?

‘I feel like you’re embarrassed of me,’ She’d cried, having hit her breaking point. ‘I feel like you don’t even really care about me.”

Aizawa’s jaw tightens. Of course I care about you. Why else would I want you here?

He should have said that. But, he didn’t. Just silently witnessed the destruction unsure of what to do next. Unsure of whether to argue, or remain dormant and quiet. Not quite apathetic, but he was never one for a shouting match. 

Unfortunately, he chose to remain still in the face of a crumbling heart. 

‘Even now, you won’t say a word. You don’t ever talk to me, Shota. You never ask how my day was, or if I want to go do anything. Why do I feel like I’m just here so you’re not lonely?’ She’d had fat tears welling in the pits of her eyes. She looked drained, broken. ‘I need more,’ Voice cracking, a terrible realization she’d stumbled upon. ‘I need more than that.’ 

It was a tense moment of silence. She shook her head and choked back a harsh sob.

‘Then that’s it.’ Lip trembling, feeling unwanted. ‘I can’t do this with you anymore. I’m leaving.’

At the lucid memory, Aizawa wish's he could go back and punch himself in the head. Say something, you idiot, he’d scream. Tell her to stay.

She’d passed him by, and the door slammed shut before he even turned to watch her go. 

It’s been weeks now, and he can’t seem to get his head right. It’d taken days before she came to collect her things, something he hoped would never come to be. A stupid part of him believed that she’d come around for some reason. It’d happened before- her storming out, him never changing, her missing him enough to just... Get over it. This time, however, was much different. 

Sinking in the memories, Aizawa feels his throat tighten at everything she’d said, and even worse, everything he didn’t say. His phone lights up beside him. 

yamada: are you still moping in there???? come out w us tonight! you need to get outta bed at some point

yamada: its been weeeeeeks!!!!!!! come on!!!!!!!

Aizawa knows he does. He knows his friend has been trying to get him to leave since it happened, but it’s hard.  He answered his friend, deciding that tonight he would in fact go out for a few hours just to clear his mind- anything is starting to become better than seeing a home empty of her. He sends the message, and his heart grows heavy.

He said yes to his friends when he was feeling sorry for himself, but never for her. He knew he deserved it, but it hurt not having her anymore. Especially when all he had to do was say yes sometimes. 

What stung the most was that he didn’t get to see her when she came to collect all her items, cram them into a box and leave for the last time. He’d hoped at that point, if it ever came to that, he could convince her to stay. But.. She hadn’t told him she was coming. Perhaps because she knew she was bound to give in. 

He came from from U.A., hoping that she’d be there, sleeping soundly or sitting terse on the couch ready for an argument ending conversation. 

But, she wasn’t there. In fact, nothing of her was. All her things vacated. Everything but the memory of her stripped away. 

Aizawa had stood stunned in the doorway. Then, it all came crashing down. She was serious this time. It was set in stone.

She’d really left him.

He didn’t think she’d actually leave him. Arguments were always so easy for Aizawa. He was a firm believer in ‘take me as a I am, or don’t take me at all.’ But, he’d never realized just how much changing she’d done for him. 

When he’d first met her at a group outing, she was full of life. She was bouncy and energetic. She had a sea of friends, a world of opportunities. But with him, with Aizawa’s stubbornness combined with her need and want to spend time with him, she went out less and less. Contacts in her phone dwindled from a vast ocean to merely puddles. 

Seldom she went out, and on the rare occasions she was able to get Aizawa to go, she’d dress in her best just for him to chastise her. ‘We’re not going anywhere that fancy,’ he’d remark, not noticing how her eyes fell. ‘Aren’t you a little over dressed?’

Guilt tore up his heart, now. She was always so beautiful dressed up like that, how could he ever say those things? Too late did he notice how she’d changed everything for him. Lost friends, missed outings, just so she could remain by his side. He did everything wrong and wasn't even willing to see it. He felt like a neglectful, stubborn, ass. 

Forcing himself up from bed, it takes all his strength to get up and wander into the bathroom. He’d need to start getting ready then if he was to go later. He was a slow moving creature, after all. Lazily, mentally drained and exhausted, he opens the mirror and pulls his toothbrush from the little shelves inside. The mirror swings shut and he’s met with his dreadful reflection. 

His eyes are even darker, redder, than they ever were with his quirk. Even he could tell he looked worse for wear. Drained, emotionally vacant yet so powerfully overrun with them at the same time. He looked dead. He brings the toothbrush to his teeth, but can’t bring himself to find the motivation to actually begin cleaning up. 

So tired. 

He just wants to sleep again. 

He wants to text her. But he doesn’t.

Tossing the toothbrush into the sink, resting his elbows on the edges and allowing his head to hang in sorrow, he wonders what she’s doing right now. It’s a warm Friday evening, the blue sky wide and clear. He’s sure she’s going out tonight, finally allowing herself the freedom to make up for all the time she’d missed with her friends. Friday’s were always Aizawa’s least favorite day. He just knew she’d want to go out, and he’d always combat it with a movie she’d been wanting to see, coming up with some random excuse as to why it wouldn’t be an ideal idea to go out. 

Then, he’d ignore how she sadly watched her friends social media stories about the night, and ignored their texts asking why she’s never around anymore.

God, what he would give for one more Friday night with her. He’d dress up, he’d take her somewhere so nice even he would be afraid he couldn’t afford the food. Her and all her friends. Whoever she wants, the whole world if need be. He’d do anything she wanted, strut her to a party on a red-carpet. Anything just for another Friday night. 

Aizawa’s eyes cast back up to his reflection. A lump forms in his throat, he watches his eyes glisten with tears. He wants to fall into the floor and forget about everything. 

Pushing himself away from the sink, he shake his head and gags on how tight his threat feels. Without even a moments hesitation, he finds himself right back in his room, pulls the covers aside, and drowns in them all over again. It’s dark, it’s cold. His own rooms uninviting without her. 

Yet, he can’t seem to bring himself to leave it.

His phone sits on his pillow. Aizawa opens his friends message. 

‘im going to stay in tonight. thank you for inviting me. im tired’

Aizawa doesn’t even want to see the messages his friend instantly starts blowing his phone up with. Instead, seconds after the text sends, he holds the power button until the entire screen goes black. He rolls over to face the wall, and he feels like he’s made of led. He swallows hard and gives into sleep all over again. His arm slings around a pillow, and he clutches it to his chest. 

A forever inanimate reminder of where she once laid. 

#aizawa shouta #angst #bnha #mha #imagine #x reader

[blu-joons]

DATING NCT A⇴Z HEADCANON ⇴ Park Jisung

A ⇴ AFFECTION

Being touched isn’t something that Jisung is particularly huge on, so he much prefers to be the one to initiate affection so he can decide on what he likes. He’ll usually tend to hug you from behind as he’s tall and can rest against you.

B ⇴ BEFORE DATING

You were reluctantly dragged to a football game by one of your friends, and just so happened to be sat beside Jisung. You were instantly drawn to how passionate and invested he was in the game, however, when he cheered one goal and sent his drink flying into your lap, he never imagined the first words he’d say to you were sorry.

C ⇴ CONFESSION

Somehow, you reluctantly agreed to accompany him to the last game of the season for the team and endure yet another football game. You didn’t realise it, but to Jisung, it meant a huge deal that you went because you knew how much he watched to watch games. It was enough for him to realise that perhaps you were the one for him, recognising that you did things for him that even his closest friends wouldn’t do.

D ⇴ DATES

Whenever the two of you enjoy a date, it’s a necessity that you either go out for food or order food in, Jisung is forbidden from ever cooking dinner for your dates as it always ends badly. Neither of you are people who enjoy sitting around at the dorm on your dates, but whilst you don’t necessarily enjoy sitting down to watch a sports match, you’re always more than happy to make sure that you beat him at a game of air hockey at the arcade or win the biggest toy at one of the stalls at the local carnival that’s in town.

E ⇴ EXPERIENCE

Jisung has zero experience when it comes to dating, so he’ll rely on his hyungs a lot to give him a few pointers and learn from any experiences they’ve had. Whilst most of the members are yet to date too, being the maknae, some of the sunbaes are more than happy to help him out too, particularly Baekhyun who takes him under his wing. They don’t want Jisung to mess up either, even if they do like to mess with him from time to time and try and sabotage any dates that he might have prepared for you.

F ⇴ FIGHTING

Whatever Jisung puts his mind to, he does, and sometimes that includes arguing with you. It certainly takes a while for him to stand down in an argument, particularly if he truly believes that he’s done nothing wrong. He doesn’t enjoy arguing with you at all, but when he strongly believes in the point that he’s trying to prove, then it’ll take a while for him to even try and listen your point of view. Eventually, you’re usually the one that makes the breakthrough and decides that things aren’t worth it anymore, and even though Jisung might carry things on for a little while longer, he eventually gives up on it too.

G ⇴ GETTING TO KNOW HIS FAMILY

You were introduced to his big brother before anyone else as Jisung wanted to get his approval first. Seeing the two of them together instantly brought a smile to your face, and it didn’t take long before their duo became a trio, and his brother began to treat you as if you really were one of the Park family too.

H ⇴ HOME

Jisung had no plans to move out of the dorm, he enjoyed having so many elder brothers to look after him. However, he knew that a bunk bed was no good for you, so as your relationship became more serious, he tried to fight a little harder to get a single room that could give the two of you a bit more privacy too.

I ⇴ “I LOVE YOU”

He was the first to say, ‘I love you,’ when with the help of Mark, you arranged for you to surprise him at one of his shows on the tour. All of them had been telling you how much Jisung had been missing you, and so you decided the only way to try and make him feel better was to go and surprise him and completely overwhelm his heart.

J ⇴ JEALOUSY

As the youngest, the other members definitely liked to tease him from time to time and try and push the boundaries. For the most part, Jisung knew that it was just banter between him and his friends, but there were also a few times when he’d find himself getting jealous too. He’ll try and not let them see that any of their comments are getting to him, but you’ll always be able to tell when he starts getting a little quieter and his laughter becomes a little more forced that he’s not enjoying their teasing anymore.

K ⇴ KIDS

Having children was a subject that was pretty off limits for the two of you at your age, neither of you ever really wanted to look too far into the future at the best of times when you were still so young and had so many years ahead of you. If anyone would even try and ask you about children then you’d usually be pretty quick in shutting them down, not wanting to think about your future family for a little while just yet.

L ⇴ LAUGHTER

You’d often find yourself laughing at Jisung because he was forever bumping into things. You’d never met someone quite as clumsy as him, you failed to understand how one person could break so many things and hurt themselves so often, but somehow Jisung found a way. As much as it would hurt when he was forever bashing his hip against the side of a table or stubbing his toe on a door, hearing your little giggles in response to his mishap would still bring a smile to his face, even if he knew your laughter was at his expense, just knowing that you were laughing was always a huge, and a happy deal for him.

M ⇴ MISSING

Whenever he was missing you, every member rallied around him without fail. He’d try and be strong and convince them all that they had nothing to worry about, but despite how often they teased Jisung, he was still the youngest, and so they had a duty to care for him, especially when you weren’t around. However, it wouldn’t stop them teasing him still, one of them would often try and get in his bed as the little spoon or play with his hair whilst they were flying to try and make it seem like you were still there with him. But no matter how hard any of them tried, Jisung knew all too well that it never compared to having you there too.

N ⇴ NICKNAMES

Jisung had a tendency just to call you, ‘love.’ It was the first every nickname that he used for you, and so it always held a bit more of a significant meaning for the two of you than any other nickname that he decided to use.

O ⇴ OBSESSION

He was obsessed with your hands, he loved how they felt in amongst his big hands and how easily it was for him to wrap his hands tightly around your smaller ones.

P ⇴ PDA

Jisung’s love for your hands translated into his affection whenever the two of you were in public. Despite not being huge on affection, he wanted to keep you safe in the chaos, and so he’d always hold onto your hand because it was his favourite thing about you, and also enough that still made him feel comfortable when out and about.

Q ⇴ QUESTIONS

His determination meant that he often tried to run before he could walk, which didn’t always end well. Whenever Jisung had to ask you for help with something he hated it, he’d be reluctant, and pouty, but you’d always offer your services anyway.

R ⇴ RANDOM FACTS

Jisung loves his hat collection but will quite often notice that one or two are missing, and that’s usually down to you. As you often remind him, his hats are the perfect solution for when you’ve had a bad hair day or when you know that there’s fans lingering outside of the dorm. He usually doesn’t tend to mind if you take one, but if you take any of his favourites, then trouble will most definitely be coming your way.

S ⇴ SEX

Intimacy is usually the time when Jisung is most open to your touch, there are still a few times when he finds it all overwhelming, but for the most part, he’s happy to feel your hands explore his body and not allow himself to close off too much. As well as this, you’ll feel his hands explore your body a lot more during intimacy then you do during any other occasion, although you try not to react, you usually can’t help but smile.

T ⇴ TEXTS

Jisung doesn’t tend to text you too much, he’s quite forgetful at the best of times and will often completely forget to reply to your texts too. He’s always quick to apologise, but it’s a habit of his that you very quickly get used to.

U ⇴ UNIVERSE

In amongst the chaos that came with his crazy life, you were the one constant that Jisung adored. He never imagined that he’d find love at such a young age, but the time was right, and he had to accept that as he could.

V ⇴ VACATION

When he had time off, Jisung usually preferred to spend it doing nothing at the dorm and enjoying your company. He travelled enough when he was on the road that just being able to enjoy his own home for a while was what he preferred and knowing that you were there too was the icing on top of the cake.

W ⇴ WHINING

If he wants his own way, Jisung will be sure to let you know about it. If he has his heart set on something from you, he’s relentless until he gets it.

X ⇴ XXXXX

Jisung uses his height to often kiss the top of your head, as he much prefers kisses to cuddles. The easiness and speed of kisses are his favourite things, whilst he might not always like to be touched, he doesn’t mind receiving a peck on the cheek or the lips from you from time to time. He loves to use his height to his advantage whenever he’s kissing you, and crane around your smaller frame to get access to where he wants.

Y ⇴ YOU

You were a comfort to Jisung, his life was hectic, but you were always there to bring him back down.

Z ⇴ ZZZ

Jisung tended to sleep in the living room as a result of the bunk beds, which would often mean the two of you were curled up on the sofa. It wasn’t ideal for either of you, but if it meant you got to spend the night with him, you’d take it.

---

Masterlist

#nct #nct imagine #jisung #jisung imagine #park jisung #park jisung imagine #nct dream #nct dream imagine #nct jisung #nct reaction #nct scenario #nct one shot #nct fluff #nct drabble #jisung reaction #jisung scenario #jisung one shot #jisung drabble #jisung fluff #nct dream jisung #kpop #kpop imagine

[birdwonder]

Could I get life with the Bucci gang + Trish headcannons from after they defeated Diavolo? Like what do they do after they have freedom to do whatever they want now? Everyone lives AU of course because I miss my children 😔

|| i am a tumblr n00b who can not find a way to directly link my rules into my bio but i don’t take part 5 requests juuust yet. BUT. i have been wanting to write for part 5 so i’ll probably make an exception for you, lovely anon, and do some headcanons/fics i’m able to do in the future, until i’ve finished Golden wind ~! also - you hit my feels man.

 i made them s/o related bc i’m so used to them that i didn’t realise that the request wasn’t specified for that :,) 

Bucci Gang | Happy Ending Headcanons 

Bruno Bucciarati 

- God, he wants nothing more than to finally have some peace and quiet. Remaining in the mafia isn’t even the least of his concerns, instead he wants to know what you want. Whether you joined him on his journey to take down Diavolo or not didn’t matter as he knew that either way, the stress of him dying and you being tangled up in his mess would have been enough to cause premature grey hairs.

- Even if he does return to the mafia as a Capo, he wants a vacation, just perhaps not somewhere in Italy. With Giorno’s new status, and his own being fairly high ranking, he has the funds to take you somewhere away from any gangs and drama. His first idea would be a holiday island so the two of you can relax on the beach and feel the cool water from the pool washing away all the anxieties you once had; a couple spa day would not be out of the question.

- A change in scenery such as a cold country wouldn’t be too bad either, though he feels like the preparation for that would be a little harder as he doesn’t own many winter clothes.

- During the holiday, the two of you would spend every evening in a 5-star restaurant, dining in front of the sunset with joy in your hearts. On your final night of your stay, Bruno seems to be the happiest he’s ever been the whole trip and you can only assume that the effects of taking a break had finally worked on him. “It’s so nice to see you smiling, amore,” you tell him, resting your hand over his own on the clothed table.

- “It’s all thanks to you, [F/N],” Bruno softly explains, standing up while taking your hand into his own, glancing at the slowly falling sun. “I feel like I’ve been through Hell and back, and yet every moment with you so far has been Heaven.” Your heart melts at his words, eyes softening when he turns to look at you. “I’ve risked everything ever since my father died, and it’s made me realise how short life can truly be…”

- You can only gasp when he lowers himself to a single knee, one hand intertwined with your’s and another holding a small, velvet box with a ring fit for you. “I want to cherish every day, hour and second with you, amore. Will you marry me?”

- Whether you say yes or no, he respects your decision and makes it his goal to enjoy ever last day with you in a beautiful house. He still works alongside Giorno and his gang, but never once steps into a fight or situation without you and both of your safeties in mind.

Leone Abbachio

- He needs a drink, and bad. Yet, you stop him and instead force him into your arms on a couch and hold him until you’re crying tears of joy that it’s all over and even he’s close to shedding one or two; his face buried into the top of your head and muttering that he’s so grateful he hasn’t lost you.

- From there, his need to live for something or someone changes. His goal is no longer to be on hand and knee for an authority, but to be with you.

- His loyalty to Bucciarati remains, especially when they had been through so much together, yet much like his friend, he takes things easier. Leone’s mood is not as bitter as it once was and he softens every time he comes home from work to see you waiting for him or you return from your own occupation - both of you ready for some serious intimacy.

- If you’re apart of the mafia, he might pressure you to leave and live easy with his support, but he knows that you’d have to be pretty hard-headed to join the Passione, so leaving won’t be easy.

- After a year or so since the Diavolo incident he’d really want to settle down. Officially, the two of you would be living together by now but the house is just too quiet, which says a lot for such a silent, kept to himself man. During dinner one day, his cheeks are flushed red and he can’t even bring himself to eat or look at you. Worried that you’ve done something wrong, you ask what was causing this mood and the response of “I want children,” makes your fork drop to the floor.

- It’s entirely up to you if you both have children but if you do want to start a family, he’ll be overjoyed. He wants to commit to you and a rugrat or more. After all the shit he’s been through, having the ideal happy family dream is everything he could want. Also, he’d be an incredible father and husband. Nothing comes before his family, not even a mission. 

Pannacotta Fugo

- oh shit oh fuck he’s lost. what does he do?

- There’s a good chance he hasn’t announced his love for you yet, so that’s probably the first thing on his to-do list. He knows he shouldn’t wait for life to take it’s course anymore and that he knows to be with you. Sooo, with pure fear, he pulls you aside and yells out that he loves you and starts to ramble that it’s ok if you don’t feel the same. You shut him up with a kiss and tell him you feel the same.

- After that, he has no real plans. It’s ironic seeing as he’s a strategist who has everything planned out, but he doesn’t have much in mind. Would he stay in Passione? Maybe, maybe not. Fugo has realised that he’s missed so many opportunities when it comes to his education and that he could be using his high IQ for something good, yet he knows no where could handle his anger issues quite like Bucciarati and the others could; aside from you.

- He’s young still, so marriage and a settled life style is too early however he still wants to be with you a lot more. As awkward as they may be at first, Fugo takes you on many dates and makes sure they all end with him shyly telling you that he loves you.

- If he keeps up working with the Passione, he continues to mentor Narancia for sure. Still just as aggressively if the poor boy gets anything wrong.

- Might try to practice using Purple Haze in a way that doesn’t affect the others around him. After all, if he can’t develop himself academically in a educational field, then he wants to grow in other ways. His anger issues and reluctance to use his stand? He wants them gone, or at least manageable to a satisfactory level. Fugo knows it won’t happen quickly or maybe at all, though that doesn’t stop his efforts.

Narancia Ghirga

- He’s going to go to school, baby !!

- And you’re coming with him, whether you were already in it or not. He’s going to become smarter and at least try to experience a portion of a normal growing up experience with your’s and Fugo’s support. Both you and the strawberry man will be begged for tutoring, to which there’s no hesitation for agreeing.

- Narancia is so happy that the whole mess is over and takes you into his arms, kissing you at least hundreds of times, telling you in-between each kiss that he loves you and that he can’t wait to go back to how things were. “I (mwah) love (mwah) you (mwah) so so so (mwah) much! We’re going to (mwah) kick back and relax (mwah) and watch all our favourite movies and (mwah) eat all our favourite foods!” “Narancia, stOoOoP!”

- You don’t have a choice in the matter when it comes to sticking by him. You both are going to live free and happy, with no cares aside from homework and upcoming tests. 

- He’ll probably stay in Passione but makes time for school. It’d be a waste to not use Lil’ Bomber/Aerosmith and he wants to stay close to his gang until forever.

- Celebratory torture dance anyone?

Guido Mista 

- Both he and his sex pistols are all over you once they realise that you’re all free from the gruelling mission. His hands are under your arms and he picks you up, swinging you around with so much cheer that hearing anything but his joyous yells of, “we did it!” is impossible. At the same time, his sex pistols are crawling up your arms and towards your face, hugging your neck and face with their own mini cheers of victory. Eventually, they each place an individual kiss on your cheek while Mista plants his own right onto your lips.

- He sticks with the Passione as Giorno’s right hand man, living in the joy of being a top dog and working alongside his friends. With all that they sacrificed, he’s enjoying everything that he does.

- Much like Fugo, he feels as though he’s still too young to marry or start a family immediately. Instead, he helps set you up with your own job and visits you every lunch break to spend time together. If you’re in the mafia, he begs Giorno to let you work alongside him, which was probably the new Don’s plan from the get-go, otherwise he visits wherever you work whenever he can. If he doesn’t have the time, he’ll text you with a cute image of him at work to which you reply with your own.

- Oh, even without starting the family, Mista’s mini stands definitely act like you’re their mother. Everytime they see you it’s constant cries for food and attention, and sometimes they can only be calmed down by your affection, not even Mista can make them work well without them at least seeing you recently. Suppose that’s all apart of a stand being the true nature of a person. 

- Mista likes to spend his new raise in pay on himself and you. More rented movies, more lavish items, tons of gifts and bouquets that you insist you don’t need! 

- You guys would probably move in together just because he likes coming home to you and telling you about his day, or seeing your smile after doing nothing but stand around next to Giorno. He’ll lie at first and say it’s for the sake of controlling his sex pistols because they can’t get enough of you. 

Giorno Giovanna 

- Aw yeah, who’s head bitch now? This guy.

- He works day and night to make sure his dream becomes a true reality, not letting the opportunity that his gang members and you have given him by risking your lives by even associating with him. 

- Giorno’s head is in the game and he hits the floor running as soon as he’s the new boss, not wasting any time in claiming land and setting people straight with his new rules. 

- This leaves you a little down in the dumps. After all that, and he still wants to work… It’s only right that you grab him by the face and tell him that he deserves at least some sort of a break, preferably with you.

- Realising that he really does, and so do you, he complies by having at least a week of resting, eating fine food and doing whatever you want as money was no longer an object to him.

- Mafia or not, you’re his right hand aside from Mista and the others. He’s had a bad day or really doesn’t know what to do with all the work he has? You swoop in and relax him, telling him that it’ll be ok and suggesting ways that he could deal with things. 

- Mista jokes by saying you’re like his secretary like in those cheesy romantic movies and you come in the next day in a formal, assistant like outfit and Giorno’s heart stops. All and every ‘appointment’ for that day is cancelled.

- “I’m so proud of you Giorno, you got what you wanted.” You tell him, brushing a hand through his hair. “The love of my life and a fulfilled dream? Definitely, amore.” 

Trish Una

- She’ll probably want to stick by the you and the Bucci Gang since you all supported her so much. Plus, she wants to improve on using her stand, especially if it’s for good.

- The two of you are glad to be together and spoil yourselves rotten with a shopping trip and a long spa day or two. You spend a lot of hours hugging and comforting her as she definitely breaks down in tears after all she’s been through has caught up. Even if she tries in front of the others, she can’t hide the stress that’s been hitting a rubbery wall and waiting to break through.

- If you cry too, she’ll laugh and say “look at us. Aren’t we just the perfect mess?”

- She isn’t really sure about how or where she wants to live though she wants to see you a lot, maybe not 24/7 just yet but at least close to where you live. If you do end up living together, she’ll enjoy it all the same but will make sure she works hard or longer outside of the home so coming back to see you is a breath of fresh air. 

- Trish would want to have a committed, set life after all the bumps she’s had before. She knows who she is now, so from here on she’s going to be finding new parts of herself. From finding new hobbies and interests to doing some exploring across Italy and maybe the world, she really wants to come to terms with herself. 

#trish and a few others are short bc im not quite sure yet how things are for them ! #trish una #trish x reader #guido mista #mista x reader #narancia ghirga #narancia x reader #panacotta fugo #fugo x reader #giorno x reader #giorno giovanna #leone abbacchio #abbachio x reader #bruno x reader #jjba x reader #jjba headcanon #request

[onthesandsofdreams]

Thanks to a bet [2/2]

Pairing: Steve/Diana Summary: “Dear soulmate,” Diana looks up to the stars, for all appearances a calm woman simply stargazing. And then she takes a deep breath and… “Where the fuck are you?!” No sooner than those words are spoken, that somewhere behind her, a man yelps and says, “Ouch, my arm!” Note: This is my wondertrev christmas gift for @violetoutburst.

Read @ AO3 | Chapter 1

It takes Diana three dates to decide that, yes, Steven Trevor is a soulmate worth keeping.

They date and take things slowly, Diana likes this, just because Steve is her soulmate and she, his, doesn’t mean that everything will be smooth sailing, and she would rather not rush into things. So they date and get to know each other.

At the end of the month, Diana decides that yes, Steve is the right man for her. She falls in love easily, he’s kind and generous and loving and passionate about his things. He’s also a good listener, he wants to know her, he never shies away from any part of her, he embraces everything and he asks things about herself and she never fears having to censure herself, because with Steve, there’s a calm and easy rapport that comes that makes her feel secure.

They date for a year before they even consider moving in together, they don’t want to rush, even if the words on their arms seem to glow whenever they are together. And everything’s fine, well, until his friend, Charlie declares that they should go and celebrate Steve’s newest book ending in the best seller list to Vegas.

They go. Diana has never been to Vegas, it has never appealed to her, but she would not be alone, she has Steve, Etta and the boys, as she has taken to affectionately call Steve’s old unit.

They party, they celebrate and, like any proper Vegas vacation, they drink a little too much.

Diana wakes with a groan, her head feels like it’s being pounded by invisible smiths. She rolls, well tries to, but she finds that she’s trapped in Steve’s arms. It is him snoring that halts her movements. She opens her eyes and the sunlight that filters through the curtains feel wrong, and too damn bright. She squints her eyes and does her best to make sense of last night.

But Diana remembers little, only that they had gone out to a concert and followed that with food and drinks. And now, here she is, in the room she and Steve share, bare and in his arms (which is not a problem at all) with no recollection of events.

Diana shuffles a bit, so that she may be on her back instead of her side, then lifts her is about to rub the sleep out of her eyes, when the glint of something in her finger makes her freeze. She moves her hands, and there is the glint, on the ring finger of her left hand. Her eyes grow wide and she brings her hand closer for inspection. Oh.

It’s a gold wedding band.

Diana’s squeal was loud, loud enough to wake Steve, who blinks and near bolts upright, “Diana,” he starts, voice still heavy with sleep. He’s squinting at her, trying to keep his eyes open against the light. “What’s wrong?”

Diana finds herself speechless. Of all the things to happen, she did not see this one coming. So, she does the only thing that makes sense. She brings her left hand to Steve’s line of vision. His reaction doesn’t disappoint.

“What the hell?” Steve asks, now very much awake. He bolts upright, lifts his left hand to his view, and yes, there is a matching gold band on his left ring finger. “What the hell did we do?”

Diana, looks around frantic, and she spots a paper atop the bedside table. She reaches for it, “I don’t know,” she says. And it seems that she has struck gold, for the piece of paper is a marriage certificate. One that bears her name and Steve’s own. And their signatures, and the witnesses (Charlie and Sameer). “Steve,” her voice trembles a bit. “We’re married.”

Steve draws near and looks at the paper in her hands, he reaches out to steady her own, since they are trembling a bit. “Oh god, we did.”

They sit in silence for a bit. And Diana feels so terribly off kilter, she doesn’t know how to proceed. Yes, she loves Steve, and yes, he is her soulmate and this is the man she wants to spend the rest of her life with, but… it feels strange knowing that she can’t even remember her wedding.

“Diana,” Steve’s voice is soft. “How do you feel?”

“I don’t know,” Diana opts for honesty. “I… well, I do want to marry you, I love you after all and I do want to spend the rest of my life with you, but… I don’t know how I feel.”

“It’s fine being confused, I am.” Steve admits easily. Further proof they are right for each other, how easy difficult conversations come between them and how easily they solve them. “But, truth be told, I’m sort of… glad?”

Diana turns to look at Steve, and he looks back at her, his eyes are still sleepy, but there is certainty there, there’s no fear nor doubt, nor regret, there’s contentment. She allows herself a small smile, “Are you?”

“Yeah.” Steve says, firmly, reaching out and holding her hand. He begins to caress it in soft motions with his thumb. “You are the one for me, there will no other, ever. And, I’m just glad we took the plunge and married, even if we were drunk and don’t remember it much.”

“Do you remember something?”

“Only kissing you. But then again, I always remember kissing you.”

Diana chuckles and leans forward, Steve meets her halfway and they place their foreheads together, then, “Flatterer,” she teases.

“When it comes to the most amazing woman I’ve known? Yes, absolutely.”

Diana leans back, twists and quickly puts their marriage certificate away on the nightstand. Then, she goes straight into Steve’s arms. “That certainty of yours is quite convincing,” she says and lets herself be held. “And if you don’t regret our wedding…”

“I don’t. I would never.”

“Then, perhaps I shouldn’t either.” Diana sighs. “It’s not an ideal wedding, but I do love you. I never want to part ways with you. So, I could learn to be thankful for this.”

“We could host a reception back home, someplace nice – your pick and just celebrate us.”

Diana closes her eyes, visualizes herself dancing with Steve, under either low fairy lights or candles, to the rhythm of their song, in a white dress as people simply watch them. And she likes that, she’d never visualized a wedding before, she never planned for it, but now, one drunken night had taken to a road not planned.

“I’d like that,” Diana admits. “I’d like that very much.”

#wondertrevsecretsanta #wondertrev #Diana x Steve #Diana Prince #steve trevor #wonder woman fic #wonder woman #au: accidental marriage #established relationship

[youllgocrystalcrazy]

   November 14th? Gosh what time does to a person sometimes. It hadn’t even fully registered in the genius’ mind that it was already drawing close to the years end. Halloween had come and gone, but he’d hardly batted an eye at it, even with it’s vampiric perks. Plus, it didn’t help that he’d spent the last twenty-some-odd years in a distant crack in time to the past. The sweltering heat. The chasm he was forced to reside in... All alone. With N. Tropy and Uka Uka... Of course his internal clock was off!! It’s only tonight that it fully strikes him what day it is. What month it is... It’s his birthday. Hair sagging at the idea of it, Cortex sighs, resuming his business. Nothing good EVER came from his birthday. Oh, the notion of just having ONE year, just ONE where he could celebrate it while on top!! Or in the lap of luxury! With the world at his disposal or just a simple island vacation, either or would be lovely... But why celebrate the day where everything started to go wrong in his life? He’d been trying to preoccupy himself with organizing and tidying his room; Try to make heads or tails of all the stuff his alternate had amassed during his stay in this city. Sitting bow-legged on the floor while rummaging through various boxes in his closet, expression flat.

   Peeking inside the closet, the most noteworthy thing he can see are those very same items he was met with on his arrival. Teddy Bears. The Ushanka. The scarf. Not to mention some of the other brick-a-brack. The most damning thing though... The photo of the golden knight. It lies face down on his desk, tossed aside haphazardly in a desperate attempt to stay out of sight. Embarrassing. It’s a little too embarrassing to look at; head down and eyes fixated on the box before him, Cortex desperately tries to ignore the photo. All it did was force a heat to rise to his cheeks, recollecting that humiliating and pathetic display. A ‘heartfelt’ reunion? Greetings and being toyed with? Hugs and... Kisses? The latter generates a chill to run throughout his body. Cortex hasn’t the foggiest idea of the last instance anyone has given that level of affection, and he’d rather not be reminded of it. Such a breach in personal space. “Better now, Doctor Grumpy-wears~?” He paraphrases. “I’d rather bide my time waiting to return to the End of the Universe than be met with such treatment again... Really!! DO I LOOK the sort to rub shoulders with someone like... THAT?! A King? ...Knight? King Knight?! Ah, what did I do to get myself into this situation?! That lout!!” He crosses his arms, snorting at his alternate’s endeavors. He wants to curse his own name so terribly, but what good would that do? At least he’s found SOME Things of use his alternate had prior in the box before him.

   Holding up the wires in his gloves hands tenderly, Cortex analyzes what it is. A Surveillance system; One used for the confines of their home. Ah, to spy on everyone. Maybe he’ll set this up when Crash isn’t home. Hair drooping again, the genius scoffs. He’s never going to get used to that is he? Living with Crash Bandicoot. Why? Whatever force placed him here must have thought it a funny little joke to pull. He’s hardly laughing. Setting the cords aside, he continues to root around in the box again. A Pharaoh Costume? Really? He owned something like this?! The Headdress even has an ‘N’ Embroidered onto it!! “...Fine. At least my other self seemed to have impeccable taste in costumes.” Bringing the linen to his face, he gives it a light whiff. “Smells sweet. Halloween costume, no doubt. ...I didn’t go to a party in this, did I?” Setting that aside now, hands return to poke around in the container. This time, an ugly holiday sweater is removed, and honestly what it reads makes Cortex’s face twist in confusion. “‘I survived Empatheorem.’ ...What?” The hell’s ‘Empatheorem’? Well, whatever that meant, he balls up the sweater and tosses over his shoulder with reckless abandon. 

   Another box he begins to hunt through. “OW!!” Having something jab his finger, pinch it, results in him sucking on his finger comically. What the hell? Oh, It’s a tool box. He couldn’t see the wrenches and screwdrivers beneath the scrapped sheets of blueprint paper. Plucking one of the sheets from the pile however, Neo skims over it. Plans for a ‘Memoryraser’, as it’s called. Something to, well, wipe the memories of anyone it’s used on!! Looks to have been scrapped however. Clicking his tongue, he sets the paper back down and sighs. “Nothing of note yet... It seems. That Memoryaser idea sounded quite scintillating however. Perhaps if I revise it?” 

   One last box. Hopes are rather low, for answers, but maybe something? Anything at all? The Tupper clicks, and what he sees inside is- “A laptop. Hm. A little outdated too, if you ask me. Ah, it’s better than nothing... Let’s have ourselves a little looky-loo~” Charge cord plugged into the wall, Cortex sits himself at the desk, opening the device up. 

   ...He sees it out of his peripheral vision. A small groan, flushed cheeks, and eyes darting to the nearest wall, a gloved hand paws at the desk until it makes contact with the photo, quickly stowing it away where he won’t see it again for a bit. Beneath the desk. Of course! Ideal! Deep breaths and eyes focus on the screen again. “Now... If I know Me. And I AM Me, Hmhmh~ The password is...” A twenty-two letter word. Atomic number 119. Of course. It’s no surprise he uses that at his password. A bit of loading and... He’s in! “HAH!! Take that!! ...Me! ...” No one heard that, right? It’d be embarrassing if anyone, especially Crash, heard that. And should he really be trying to rub it in his own face that he had the password to his own laptop? Tossing his hands in the air nonchalantly, fingers hastily type away at the keys. Oh, there’s already quite the plethora of stuff in here to discover!!! Files on the citizens of Spirale! Well... a select few of them, but did their information shine!! Especially the information on Rosa. 

   ...This island wasn’t some sort of strange place overruled by some higher force?! But just a faction of individuals?! Some group calling themselves ‘The Island Stars’?! A new wave of anger washes over him. He was pulled here?! For what reason?! As part of an experiment?! A Game?! What were they doing this for?! To make fools or everyone?! To make a fool of him?! He wants to lash out and curse them, in his usual Cortex Fashion, but there’s still more information to uncover. 

   ...He- ...He had plans to take over this place. Well, it’s not unexpected, but it’s still surprising how much information on this strange city he’d gathered in his short amount of time!! Dating back to mid 2019 even!! What blows him away the most is his plans on The Cortex Vortex Redux. The N.E.O. How he planned to use a workshop called ‘Facet Five’ to his own machinations. Rosa and why she played such a significant part in it all!! Amazing!! Simply amazing!! Of course this was Dr. Neo Cortex’s own thought process being laid bare before him. Of COURSE He thought it was Perfect!! “My, my, and here I was beginning to think something was terribly wrong with my other self!! Still... Who is this ‘Rosa’? The photo of her is so blurred I can hardly make a thing out. I only have description to go on... An Underground shark dragon woman?” Well, one good thing about this city was that he wouldn’t need to make a brand new Evolve-o-ray. All the strange folk here made the need for such a devastating device pointless!! Why not just get right to the brainwashing after all?!

   One thing was clear. That little well deserved vacation could wait. Cortex, now filled with a new desire for revenge, a new ambition, and a new hope to turn everything in his favor, was grinning maliciously from ear to ear. Yes. It might take some time, more studying, and an arduous process, but he’d make this city his... It was like a reverse Rift Generator after all!! Bringing everything to him and isolating them from where they belonged. Underneath his rule... YES!!! IT’S ALL COMING TOGETHER!!! ...Oh. But, Crash. And N. Tropy...

   Quickly peering out his bedroom doorway, he scans the house. No sign of anyone or anything. Still, to be safe, he stows the laptop away in the closet again, sandwiched between some of the boxes of his belongings. The last thing he needs is them snooping and finding out what he’s planning. Crash would no doubt try to stop him before he could even try.... And Tropy might try and steal his plans. No. Even improve them!! Hypocrite that he is, between the pair of them, Cortex is more known for hijacking anyone’s plans... Still, with these worries bouncing around in his skull, that smile remains on his face. The laughter is welling up inside him... But not here. He can’t!! He has to hold back... at least a little bit.

   So he laughs. And laughs, and laughs and laughs. Chuckling devilishly to himself about his new discovery. Soft, low, villainous laughter can be heard from within... Looks like this birthday went well for him for once... 

Happy Birthday, Dr. Cortex. Don’t get too Cocky, though!!

#𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐱! | IC #𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 | Drabble #~~ HAPPY [Headcanoned] BIRTHDAY TO THE EVIL #~~ AGAIN!! #~~ This was written with the intention of also #~~ Recollecting some of the shit he went thru last I apped him~ #~~ Hope you like it!! Sorry it's a doozy!!

[ask-hetaaca-southafrica]

Infatuation

Perhaps it was weird to expect to see his crush just wandering around in the unbearably early morning, but, other than hunting down the tall kid to apologize, there was really nothing else Marick could do. Though he had arrived at camp a couple of days ago, the flight all the way from Cape Town to the island had left him jetlagged, and his sleep seemed far more like that of an old person, sleeping from dinner to sunrise. 

Still, he liked the quiet of the early morning, the way everything seemed to sharpen as the sun rose. Even as a social butterfly, Marick still loved the feeling of basking in silence, feeling himself settle in his own body. 

He had just been strolling aimlessly through the camp, marvelling at the animals and plants that seemed so different from home. However, now looking up at the circle of cabins that surrounded him and the blue fabric that hung from all of them, it seemed as though he had ended up at the second-year housing. 

No matter how much he liked this mystery second-year though, Marick was still not one to follow the objects of his affection around. It was far too creepy for him to be comfortable with. Continuing his morning stroll, he promised himself that if he did see his fellow student, he would attempt to introduce himself. 

Fortune always favours the bold. Yi-Hsuan had been lying a lot over the past few days at camp, telling whoever who asked about his feelings towards the event how exciting it was to be around everyone. Really, he wasn't any kind of enthused about going to an extended gathering of people he honestly didn't care about. Though having his own cabin set him at ease somewhat, it was also having his own cabin that left him tapping on his paired watch every few hours during the night.

He had gotten up just a little earlier today since he couldn't fall back asleep. It was only by about half an hour, but that was enough time to clear through his morning routine. Finishing up his morning movements, he raised his hands upwards and clasped his hands. There was a temptation to stretch out his exercise session since it was the only activity he expected he would enjoy for the entire day. Unsurprisingly, the team sports weren't his taste.

After a couple of seconds of deciding against picking right back up from the beginning, Yi-Hsuan didn't have much of an idea of what to do next. He had already had a snack, and going back into the cabin was a waste of the particularly pretty day and good weather. A walk sounded nice, but he didn't have a detailed enough layout in his mind of the forest to feel comfortable to go on his own with his needed mask of pacifism. 

It only took a second at most for him to think of the only person he liked to be around at the camp and finally lower his arms to pull out his phone, still standing outside his cabin.

Strangely enough, despite the ungodly hour, there was still a person up and about. Marick squinted at the figure, a grin blooming on his face as he realized who exactly it was. 

“Good morning!” He waved, trotting up to the mysterious second year. Hearing someone greet him, Yi-Hsuan put his phone back in his pocket. Who was that tall guy coming towards him? Racking his mind didn't turn up any answers, though it wasn't like he had many options stored in his mind to look through.

He yanked the corners of his lips up and brought up his hand to wave back. "Hello! Good morning!"

Surprisingly enough for Marick, he had gotten a friendly and energetic reply from the mystery boy, something he wasn’t quite expecting with how cranky people usually were in the morning. 

“Sorry for bothering you, but I just saw you around the school lots and just wanted to say hi!” Despite his normally confident demeanour, Marick began to balk at the idea of actually speaking to his crush face-to-face, the strange silence of the forest not exactly helping his racing mind and blabbering mouth. “My name’s Marick by the way, I’m in year three.”

"I'm Yi-Hsuan from 2-C!" Outstretching his hand towards Marick, he was clearly reaching out for a handshake. "Most people just call me Yi." 

Yi-Hsuan was not feeling all too happy to be speaking to some stranger from an entirely different year. "It's nice to meet you!" This third-year seemed to be the super talkative type on top of being unnecessarily vertically gifted. Looking him over, Yi-Hsuan spotted some piercings that didn't really help to add some excitement to having this conversation. But at the same time, it wasn't like this meeting would go anywhere and it wasn't like he'd see this dude again, so whatever frankly. Most people would just introduce themselves to him and leave it at that.

Shaking the other’s hand enthusiastically, Marick smiled, eyes briefly squinting and lips curling with joy. Perhaps it was time to shoot his shot. Just as his luck would have it, he had noticed a flyer for a carnival in town right before arriving at camp. The romantic side of Marick was tempted to ask Yi to go, but looking at the other’s sunny deposition, it seems like it would be hard to convince him to break the rules in such a major way. 

Still, he did hear on TikTok that good girls like bad guys. Maybe he could try that theory out. 

“How are you liking camp?” He asked, playing at faux-innocence. Yi-Hsuan didn't let his smile drop for even a second despite the massive urge to. Thinking of camp only stirred feelings of yearning for home and general annoyance for everything the camp was. "It's been good! Everyone's really fun to hang out with! My favorite part is the activities!" It was rehearsed through having this same conversation over and over again with others, but it wasn't like Marick knew every single chat Yi-Hsuan had ever had at the camp, so whatever really.

He brought his hands up to his chest, clasping them together. Combining it with a cheery tone, he asked whatever question came to mind first since they were only having small talk. "What about you?"

Oh. Well, if Yi liked camp that much, it would be harder for Marick to convince him to leave. Still, Marick couldn’t help but agree. The camp was pleasant enough with its friends and noises and laughter. 

But it was not an ideal place for a date. 

“I guess it’s cool, yeah,” Marick shrugged, eyes fixed on his crush’s smile, trying his best to not be obvious about his staring. Someone as cute as Yi was probably not unused to having admirers and Marick did not want to embarrass himself at their first meeting. 

“Honestly, could they have chosen a worse time though? There’s a carnival in town now, and we have to miss it because we’re in the middle of the woods,” Crossing his arms, Marick quirked an eyebrow at Yi, a conspiratorial glint shining in his eyes. “Still, I bet we could sneak out and go together, if you wanted to?” That sounded pretty good. Within a short moment, a plan was already thought of: Yi-Hsuan would agree to Marick's offer and just get "lost" at some point; it didn't matter at when as long as he could go home. Yeah, he didn't know how to get through the forest on his own, but that was only a small setback. This was an easy way to leave, and this guy looked confident enough in his offer. Perhaps this third-year knew the way out. Why would he seem so self-assured otherwise?

Yi-Hsuan pressed his knuckles against his chin, glancing back and forth between the cabin and Marick in a hesitant manner, mouth in a stiff line. "I don't know," Dragging out the last syllable solemnly, his gaze landed on Marick. "the carnival sounds super cool, but what if we get caught? I really want to go though, honestly."

Wow! Surprisingly enough, Yi actually sounded interested in his offer. Marick grinned, his delinquent facade crumbling in his excitement. “It’s gonna be fine!” He chirped, clapping his hands together and tilting his head. “My quirk is luck, y’know? So we’re not gonna get caught, promise!”

Thoughts of a romantic carnival date flitted through Marick’s mind. He had been pining over this boy for months now, and now that camp has provided them with a perfect Hallmark-esque opportunity, he was going to make sure it was the best date Yi could ever ask for. He could even imagine the teasing faces of his family at home, making fun of him for only now asking out a boy he had been talking to them about for forever. 

Still, late is better than never. That’s the way Marick looked at the world at least. He could take a few jokes on his dignity if it meant he could get to know Yi better. The change in demeanor was something strange, and candidly, Yi-Hsuan didn't fully understand what a luck quirk was, but he didn't dwell on either of those facts. There were more important things to think about. Plus, no reason to doubt Marick came up. Yeah, perhaps, maybe, definitely, Yi-Hsuan saw Marick's delinquent appearance as sort of an argument against leaving with him specifically, but it wasn't like he was going to stick around to see much more of it anyways.

"You promise?" Only a little more of this and a vacation from both this and the camp would be guaranteed--at least Yi-Hsuan was hoping so. Letting a little bit of genuine anticipation seep through, a smile appeared on his face again. "Well, if you say it's going to be fine, it'll be okay, right?" Truthfully, he wanted to fight a little more against leaving, but there was no case for it when Marick seemed so eager for whatever reason. 

Marick hadn’t exactly thought that escaping the camp would be easy. Not with its facilities full of qualified faculty, each trained to take down villains far more powerful than the kids they were assigned to watch. Still, he thought his luck was supposed to kick in at some point. So when he heard the unmistakable sound of Mr.Bhatt rounding the third years up for breakfast, Marick tensed. He and Yi were not deep into the woods yet, and he had a feeling that getting caught trying to escape camp would not be a good first date. They had been following a hiking trail that led to a clearing near the edge of the forest, and it was clear that Bhatt was now on the same trail. As the sound of the teacher drew nearer, Marick froze, trying to figure out a way to escape with Yi without making too much noise and alerting the teacher. Yi’s expression twisted to one of determination as he wordlessly reached up and pulled at the air, jerking the thick branch of a lush tree down with nothing but the power of his quirk. Marick yelped as leaves brushed against his head but Bhatt passed them, nonplussed. Moments later, a phone began to ring. The science teacher picked up, a smile evident in his voice as he sauntered away, chattering to whoever had called him. Turning his gaze to Yi, Marick grinned, awe sparkling in his eyes. That was a cool quirk.

Yi-Hsuan was not having a great time. An estimate of how long this journey through the forest was updated itself every few minutes, and it had started to reach a number he was not pleased with. Though, he couldn't be sure whether it just felt long or if it actually was--out of courtesy, he hadn't brought his phone out of his pocket. There seemingly wasn't going to be a chance either to bring it out; Marick's chatter had been nonstop beyond the occasional question so there wasn't a silent break long enough to check the time. Instinct told Yi-Hsuan they were getting somewhere. They hadn't crossed any landmarks or trees he noted in his brain more than once, which was a win. All that meant in the end however was that they were wandering, which quelled Yi-Hsuan's positive outlook with the equalizing force of a loss. As much as he wanted to ask about the exact time until they'd be out, it was plain with just a thought to the path they had already taken that the third-year probably wouldn't know either. But Marick took his steps with such self-assurance, it felt like there was something to the obvious meandering. When the shadows from the overcast of the trees on Marick's face disappeared, Yi-Hsuan was surprised to find them on the edges of the forest. That was pretty lucky.

There wasn't anything else to do for a while other than mess around on his phone. Yi-Hsuan had been hiding out in the bathroom for a few minutes; if he stayed in long enough, maybe Marick would leave or go off and do something. 

Almost immediately after arriving at the carnival, Yi had asked for the direction of the bathroom. Of course, Marick, being the gentleman he was, simply just bought a few snacks for them to share and waited. And waited. And waited. 

It was a good day, really. The carnival was so much more than Yi-Hsuan expected in every sense of the phrase; it was larger with more space to walk than he expected, the lights and rides were extremely flashy, and there were so many items both food and toys that there was no one he could ever assume could buy them all. Every ride was better than the last, especially at night when they glowed. Though his original plan didn't work out, and he ended up spending the day with some guy he just met, for some reason, there was no sense of regret.

Marick returned to camp with a spring in his step, a big teddy bear cradled to his chest, and the cutest guy in school meandering beside him. His giddy grin refused to leave his face the rest of the night, every glimpse of Yi bringing back memories of a fun-filled day. As he went to sleep in a cold, almost-empty cabin, he could only imagine the other dates that they would go on in the future. Call him an optimist, but some gut feeling told him that everything was going to work out. 

(Thank you @ask-hetaaca-chiwanan​ for Yi’s writing and art!!)

#aph south africa #aph taiwan #hws south africa #hws taiwan #hetalia #marick #yi #my art #other's art #summer camp event

[maddie-grove]

Little Book Review: Red as Blood

Author: Tanith Lee.

Publication Date: 1983.

Genre: Fantasy.

Premise: In this nine-story collection, Tanith Lee puts her own dark, woman-centered spin on classic fairy tales, set during various historical periods from antiquity to the far-off future.

Thoughts: This book is so early eighties that I half-expected it to invite me to a D&D game in a wood-paneled basement with shag carpeting. (I’m a modern lady. I play remotely, and also it’s a Star Wars RPG.) I don’t mean this as an insult; I like that it has a flavor. The subtitle reads “Tales from the Sisters Grimmer,” which is about right. Tanith Lee retains the heaviness and earthiness of the Brothers Grimm, but her stories operate on a more chaotic, unsettling moral logic. (The Grimms are harsh and very Lutheran, but you usually know who’s going to get it and why.) She also has a more positive attitude towards young ladies hooking up with Satan or becoming werewolves.

It’s a very solid collection, with a few stories that knocked me off my feet, a couple that were good but didn’t affect me as much, and a handful that didn’t quite coalesce but were nevertheless very interesting. Now, one by one:

“Paid Piper”: Cleci is a poor fourteen-year-old girl living in a village that worships Raur, a ratlike god. On the day of the annual Festival of Raur, a beautiful flutist comes to town, but is he there to bring joy or rain fury down on them all? This was a fine story, but I couldn’t really get into it. I was a little annoyed that the story was set in Asia during the first century BCE, but nothing indicated what part of Asia . 

“Red as Blood”: What if Snow White was a vampire and her stepmother was rightly concerned about that? I read this story as a kid in a different anthology (Young Vampires), and it definitely stuck with me through the years. I’m not sure how I feel about the religious implications, but the concept is clever and the imagery is gorgeous.

“Thorns”: A wandering knight comes across a castle frozen in time. Can he wake the princess and break the spell? Does he even want to? The atmosphere in this story is lovely, but the ending is anticlimactic. To be fair, the dust jacket copy made it seem like he would unleash a more terrible curse by breaking the existing one; if I hadn’t been stoked about that ending, I probably wouldn’t have been as disappointed by reality.

“When the Clock Strikes”: My absolute favorite! I love Lee’s bizarre and vengeful Cinderella, the Venetian Renaissance setting, and the creepy framing device.

“The Golden Rope”: Innocent young Jaspre has been raised in a tower by an adoptive mother as a sacrifice for Satan, but Jaspre has her own ideas. I was a little burned out on Satan at this point, to be honest, and this story didn’t capture my imagination despite no obvious flaws.

“The Princess and Her Future”: Princess Jarasmi, anxious over her still-unknown future husband, receives a translucent golden ball from a mysterious stranger who says it will show her the future. This is perhaps he purest horror story in the collection, and its simplicity is very effective.

“Wolfland”: Anna, a spoiled city girl, reluctantly visits her eccentric grandmother’s remote, wolf-infested Scandinavian estate so she won’t be cut out of the will. Then werewolves happen. This story is clearly meant to be the star of the collection and, although there are one or two stories I like better, it deserves that status. I love the complicated grandmother and Anna’s ever-changing attitude towards werewolves.

“Black as Ink”: Viktor, a melancholy young man in turn-of-the-century Scandinavia, is spending a dull vacation with his well-meaning but overprotective mother and uncle. In his boredom, he finds himself intrigued by a mysterious young woman on a neighboring property. This story is a little different; instead of an extensively reworked but still recognizable version of a fairy tale, it seems to be very loosely inspired by the ballet Swan Lake. I love it, though; it’s deliciously enigmatic, and the unhappy Viktor is an interesting point-of-view character.

“Beauty”: Estár Levin, misfit youngest daughter of a prosperous merchant, is chosen/drafted to live with a mysterious alien on a distant planet, as is the custom in the twenty-third century. I thought this story would be very goofy (speculative fiction from 1983 that’s fixated on test-tube babies? C’mon), but the aesthetics grew on me. I also enjoyed Estár and her romance with the alien dude. The infodump at the end was way too complicated and undermined some of what I liked about Estár, though.

Goodreads Hot Take: “Not so keen on old stories being revamped,” imparts one reviewer, with no additional context. Girl, the subtitle is “Tales from the Sisters Grimmer.” I don’t know what you expected. Other reviewers, more fairly, complain of an excess of Satanism. This wasn’t such a problem for me, but ideally the collection would have contained 33% less Satanism, for variety’s sake.

#little book review #red as blood #tanith lee