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#something i actually wrote
mercurialturnip · 9 months
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Happy Disability month! Fun fact: in the US, being too disabled to work for the rest of your life is not sufficient to qualify you for disability insurance. You have to also either:
A) be in a household that makes miniscule income if any. This is the one that means disabled folks are penalized for getting married. Spouse makes a anything approaching a living wage? No disability insurance for you. The cut off 📴 n income is much lower than it takes to reasonably support two people, even before you throw in a bunch of medical expenses. And no, the amount the insurance gives you if you do get it is not a decent living wage either. You have to be dirt poor and stay dirt poor. (The loophole is you can live with your parents or other relatives or (theoretically) friends, and they don't count as in your 'household')
B) have been sufficiently employed in the last (I want to say ten?) Years to qualify for social security based disability insurance. Which disregards need, but is entirely based on what you were making before. So if you had a shit job, you get shit money. And if you were underemployed (for instance, due to deteriorating health) you may well not qualify at all.
Bonus! Even if you qualify for that first one, it's standard practice that they'll deny you first until you bring in a lawyer. I think they don't pull that shit on really obvious visible disabilities. But absolutely for everyone else.
In summary, it's very important these resources exist, but how restricted and inadequate they are is a fucking travesty that needs to change.
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inkskinned · 9 months
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because sometimes there are invisible tests and invisible rules and you're just supposed to ... know the rule. someone you thought of as a friend asks you for book recommendations, so you give her a list of like 30 books, each with a brief blurb and why you like it. later, you find out she screenshotted the list and send it out to a group chat with the note: what an absolute freak can you believe this. you saw the responses: emojis where people are rolling over laughing. too much and obsessive and actually kind of creepy in the comments. you thought you'd been doing the right thing. she'd asked, right? an invisible rule: this is what happens when you get too excited.
you aren't supposed to laugh at your own jokes, so you don't, but then you're too serious. you're not supposed to be too loud, but then people say you're too quiet. you aren't supposed to get passionate about things, but then you're shy, boring. you aren't supposed to talk too much, but then people are mad when you're not good at replying.
you fold yourself into a prettier paper crane. since you never know what is "selfish" and what is "charity," you give yourself over, fully. you'd rather be empty and over-generous - you'd rather eat your own boundaries than have even one person believe that you're mean. since you don't know what the thing is that will make them hate you, you simply scrub yourself clean of any form of roughness. if you are perfect and smiling and funny, they can love you. if you are always there for them and never admit what's happening and never mention your past and never make them uncomfortable - you can make up for it. you can earn it.
don't fuck up. they're all testing you, always. they're tolerating you. whatever secret club happened, over a summer somewhere - during some activity you didn't get to attend - everyone else just... figured it out. like they got some kind of award or examination that allowed them to know how-to-be-normal. how to fit. and for the rest of your life, you've been playing catch-up. you've been trying to prove that - haha! you get it! that the joke they're telling, the people they are, the manual they got- yeah, you've totally read it.
if you can just divide yourself in two - the lovable one, and the one that is you - you can do this. you can walk the line. they can laugh and accept you. if you are always-balanced, never burdensome, a delight to have in class, champagne and glittering and never gawky or florescent or god-forbid cringe: you can get away with it.
you stare at your therapist, whom you can make jokes with, and who laughs at your jokes, because you are so fucking good at people-pleasing. you smile at her, and she asks you how you're doing, and you automatically say i'm good, thanks, how are you? while the answer swims somewhere in your little lizard brain:
how long have you been doing this now? mastering the art of your body and mind like you're piloting a puppet. has it worked? what do you mean that all you feel is... just exhausted. pick yourself up, the tightrope has no net. after all, you're cheating, somehow, but nobody seems to know you actually flunked the test. it's working!
aren't you happy yet?
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littlelightfish · 24 days
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This... this is a whole different kind of psychic damage here. When nightmares got Marcille, we get to knew that her's biggest fear is outliving her friends. This isn't even canon probably, but look at this. This isn't a "I don't want my friends to die" kind of dream. This is a "I'm terrified of loosing my daughters, of something killing them, and being incapable of stopping it" kind of dream. It's so simple yet it explains perfectly the whole of chilchucks character. He loves, he cares, deeply. But he, or doesn't acknowledges, or doesn't know what to do with that knowledge.
Besides that. Someone had to wake him up after this. Imagine the devastation in this man after he wakes up. He just saw his three little babys murdered corpses (or maybe he saw them die, wich isn't better). He would possibly not talk about it, and that would worry the hell out of the party, because we'll, they see him all down and only one of them knows what he saw. Imagine being the one to pull him from that nightmare. Seeing this man, usually so composed, fuking staring with tears and terror in his eyes to the composes of what you can only assume are his daughters. It would be heartwrenching.
Idk, I love this man so much...
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linterteatime · 7 months
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Happy undertale day!!! Very cool game that definitely didn't change my brain in any way ❤️
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Human: Dude I'm not so sure about this whole pack bonding thing you've been talking about humans don't even like each other
Alien: Well is it not true that your species collectively grieved over a non-sentient robot on the planet I believe you designate as "'Mars"?
Human: Okay look, that's different, Opportunity's last words just broke our hearts okay
Alien: But... it did not send a last message of words. It was merely the last data recorded by the non-sentient robot. The data showed scientists low power and also indicated the skies on the planet were dark to the point where no sunlight was visible at the time of the last data transfer, nothing more. x
Human: Exactly
Alien: So why does your species grieve over basic data?
Human: Well you just said it "My battery is low and its getting dark"
Alien: That is a poetic translation of basic data
Human: Are you trying to dishonor Opportunity's work?
Alien: N-no I jus- - -
Human: Opportunity was a good boy who did his best. End of story *huffs out and goes to grab some soda*
Alien: *watches human walk away without any farewell words* ?!?!? *jots down in notes* [ Humans can be very protective of their own even when challenged with basic facts, proceed with caution when discussing pack mates of any type, including all non-sentient pack mates. ]
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applestruda · 1 year
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Horn/antler gang
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(source, 11/30/22)
KING
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basslinegrave · 3 months
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touch
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ngl the "im white so i dont talk abt any characters' race ever bc im afraid of accidentally saying something racist" approach to fandom is like. very weak. imo.
like first of all: i get that "i dont incorporate race into my media analysis because i'm afraid of messing up" comes from a different place than "i don't incorporate race into my media analysis because I Don't See Race 😊 there is only The Human Race." but it has the same functional effect, right? that effect being that your analysis of [INSERT MEDIA HERE] ignores the very real way that race impacts people.
second of all: it feels kinda lazy! like ur saying "i dont know enough abt race to feel comfortable commenting on how race affects this show and i dont care enough to learn." the only way to become more comfortable discussing race is to actually practice discussing race. but when i see people saying this it feels like they're saying "i'm white, which means i don't know how to talk about race, and i don't have to know how to talk about race, and i don't ever have to know how to talk about race, so i'm choosing to never learn how to talk about race."
third of all: just because you don't openly talk about race doesn't mean you're any less likely to accidentally say or do something racist. implicit biases run deep, y'all. it's probably already there in your interpretation of the show. but the "i don't want to accidentally say something racist" implies that you are positive that your interpretation of the show isn't racist. and i'm not saying you're wrong. but i'm saying that if a person of color tells you that something you said about [INSERT MEDIA HERE] was racist, you better be prepared to actually listen and not just brush them off because "i can't be racist! i purposefully never talk about race just to make sure i'm not racist!"
which brings me to my final point: if you do accidentally say something racist... literally just apologize. if someone says you've been doing something racist, apologize and stop doing that thing. it's literally not that hard. i've done it. i've seen other people do it. "i'm scared of being called racist!" is such a weak excuse im tired of it. getting called racist is not the end of the fucking world. calm the fuck down and grow a spine. jesus.
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Hello may 31th anon! Look at that, another year behind us and a new one to come. Have a nice day! ₍՞◌′ᵕ‵ू◌₎♡
#may 31th anon#hello friends!! (。’▽’。)♡ how are you!! I missed you so much!#I'm sorry that once again i have not been posting but I did that thing again where I got scared of posting#I do not know why but it is the same with physical paper diarys#I have 3 diarys and they all have 1 entry#I think one just says 'I am ten'#what have you been up to!! did you do something fun? is it summer too where you live? c:#my tumblr messages seem to be broken! I'm sorry if you wrote something :C it just says 'no new messages' despite also saying new messages#not a lot has happened here! I got a tomato plant and then I got very invested into the tomato plant and I have eaten three tomatos so far (#my roses are also doing well!! I just got a new yellow rose and since she got here she only made orange flowers#I do not know the meaning of that#but I am very thankful! ( ˊᵕˋ )♡ I love it when things are orange!!#I've been trying to buy an orange shirt for the past 2 weeks but they always sell out before I get to them#I'm also thinking about buying a jean jacket#I have not worn a jean jacket for at least 15 years because one time in 7th grade  tthe girl behind me said#that I was wearing a cool jean jacket and I just assumed that this was bullying for no actual reason#but maybe she just thought that it was an acutal cool jean jacket#we'll soon have out 10 year school reunion#maybe I should ask her#is anyone else going to a secret Sherlock phase again#I just want to see that silly little hat again#would sherlock holmes wear a jean jacket#have a nice day everyone!!#see you soon hopefully!!#♡^▽^♡
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mera-mera-simp · 7 months
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OP Character's Love Languages
Characters: Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Nami, Ussop, Ace and Law
Content Warning: fluff. Some angst (Sanji, Ace and Law)
Pt. 2
Luffy:
Absolutely physical touch. There is no debate on this.
He can and will cling to you with no hesitation. Man doesn't know personal space<3
But you and most of the Strawhats don't mind it. It's sweet.
Though you do have to gently remind him sometimes that not everybody he knows likes it when he does that</3
Definitely a words of affirmation kinda guy too.
This one isn't as often but he loves making you smile.
Constantly telling you how funny you are and how much he loves you. He is a sweet baby even if he's a menace sometimes<3
Sometimes, you'll get a combo of the two. He'll wrap his arms around a multitude of times and tell you all kinds of sweet things just to see you smile.
Gift. Giving.
Please give this sweet baby gifts it will make his eyes light up like stars and he'll treasure it forever.
You could get him the silliest thing and he'll be so happy. You'll have his stretchy arms wrapped around you and multiple kisses on your face while he's yelling 'thank you' multiple times within an instant.
Zoro:
Quality time.
He's not much of a touchy guy and he's not the greatest with words.
But he actively seeks you out on the Sunny. He just wants to be by you<3
He's not great at words, so just being by you is enough for him
He will make you take naps with him<3
He likes to sit by you when he's cleaning his swords.
Please just chill with him while he trains. He likes being in your presence.
This goes both ways low-key. He knows that you love him so he doesn't need to be reminded. And as mentioned earlier, he's not really a touchy feely guy.
So just spending time with you is enough.
Bro loves you so much, he'll chill by you while you're talking to the other strawhats. He doesn't need to involved in the conversation. He'll just sit by you (he'll take a nap depending on where you are on the ship)
Maybe a small bit of gift giving?
Only if he finds it useful though probably.
Get him stuff to clean his swords with and he'll be happy.
Send him over the moon with alcohol.
But definitely quality time for the most part.
Dude just wants to be by you<3
Sanji:
Is it absurd to say that it's everything? (Because I feel like it is but thats cause I'm in love with him and delulu)
He'll match to whatever your love language is babes<3
Gift giving? He'll spoil you
Quality time? Just hang out with him in the kitchen while he cooks
Words of affirmation? He'll tell you a thousand times a day that he loves you
Acts of service? Say the word and your wish is his command.
Physical touch? He'll be all over you.
He'll match your energy.
Sometimes you'll get the buy 1 get 4 free combo.
He bends over backwards for you.
And it's all super sweet. He'll cook for you, buy you some cute trinkets that you like, spend time with you while you're doing something, tell you all kinds of romantic things, and he'll hold your hand at all times
Bro is such a sweet guy<3
Please tell him that you love him. Reassure him for the love of god
He didn't get it a lot as a kid after Sola died so whenever you do, he really appreciates it <3 (Sanji my sad chef, my beloved I love him so much)
Nami:
Look me in the eye and tell me that her loves languages aren't gift giving and acts of service.
She'll be over the moon if you buy her stuff
Specially if it's expensive <3
Bake something for her, Sanji will help you if you ask him to!
She'll give you a bunch of kisses for it. It's her way of say thank you.
You're the only one who doesn't owe her a single berri. Cause why would she charge the love of her life?
She gets a little jealous super easily though. She'll pout at you. Just laugh at her and tell her she's cute. Kiss her cheek, forehead or tip of her nose if you want to make her melt.
Sometimes she'll indulge in physical touch, only for you though.
She'll hold your hand when strolling through a town on a new island. And then persuade you to buy something she likes by acting cute.
She's super appreciative if you do though
She'll hug you and kiss you with a big grin on her face
It makes her feel important
She likes to make you feel important too. She'll actually go out of her way to buy you stuff sometimes. She teases about an interest fee but if you actually try to pay it, it's the only time she refuses
Ussop:
Words of affirmation
My guy needs a lot of reassurance so he appreciates it
Tell him that he's brave and he'll be absolutely smitten
He also likes physical touch
He'll hold you as he tells his stories
Talk to him about the world. You both love being out on the Grandline and seeing how big the world is. It's one your 'late night can't sleep' topics.
Hangout on the deck of the Sunny and look at stars together. He'll hold your hand and point out the constellations to you. (He learned them from Robin, he just wants to impress you<3)
If you hug him from behind randomly, he'll swoon.
He'll let you stay like that too. He thinks it's sweet. He'll just casually talk to you about his day so far.
He's constantly telling you how much he loves you.
You make him feel strong and brave so of course he's going to return the favor.
Overall, Ussop is just a sweet guy. He likes holding your hand and making you smile<3
Ace:
Oh my beloved sad himbo
Please hold him and reassure him.
He's definitely a physical touch and words of affirmation kinda guy too.
Trace the freckles on his face (he'll melt in your arms with a blushing face if you call them mini constellations<3)
He likes to hold you yeah but please hold him. He needs it.
He likes to be in your embrace but he'll only let you do it when you guys aren't in sight of the crew, he's afraid that Marco and Thatch will tease him for a life time. (They wouldn't)
Pepper his face in kisses
This poor cowboy is so sad please tell him all of the things you love about him
Tell him he's worth everything in the world (Ace was the One Piece</3\hj)
Whisper sweet nothings to him as you guys try to fall asleep at night, that's when his head tries to attack him the most.
He appreciates it all and he'll definitely return the favor.
He constantly has you wrapped in his arms.
He'll kiss the top of your head and nuzzle his face into your hair.
He'll purposely act stupid just to see you laugh.
Please just make him happy. He is so sad
He will deny though.
"Me? Sad? Blasphemy."
Law:
Another quality time kinda guy
He doesn't like physical touch
Or words of affirmation
Please don't openly say you love him or promise him anything, the last person who did both those things died almost immediately after (he's traumatized </3)
Just spend some time with him, that's all he asks. You don't have to say anything he just wants to he by you.
He doesn't know how to accept gifts so that's also kinda out of the question
If you do something for him though, he'll be appreciative. In his own way
Just quality time for the most part.
Just sit by him while he reads or looks over some notes he has.
He's comforted by your presence, you make him happy even if he never outwardly shows it
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mercurialturnip · 20 days
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The most important thing about anybody's body is that's them. That is the physical aspect of a whole-ass human person.
There is an ancient and still popular tradition of looking at the body as separate from the mind, a vessel, a meat mecha, whatever. I think there is reason to hypothesize that it's more intertwined than that. Consciousness might well be an emergent property of the body. But either way, you can make some changes to a body, but there's no separating the two. (Not in life, anyway.)
So all the basics of decency on how one should treat a person, the innate value of being human, the right to dignity and respect, the reasonable expectation of basic care and kindness, all of that applies to our bodies as well. Prioritizing aesthetic concerns over basic decency is bullshit. Considering the perceived state of a body's health (you can't actually tell by looking, btw) grounds for moral judgement is also bullshit. That is a human being. Don't be a dick.
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marigoldendragon · 1 month
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oh. I am more nervous posting this than I anticipated. I don't get the writing bug very often (last thing I wrote was at least a year ago) and I've never written fanfic before. But this one wouldnt leave me alone so... have some fluff and a drawing.
Lilia Vanrouge x reader. 400 words 
You sat there in Ramshackle lounge, across from Lilia, having just finished a long, difficult and necessary conversation about the nature of your relationship moving forwards. There were many things to consider when dating a fae, especially when you yourself were from a whole other world. Butterflies fluttered in your stomach, a flush crept up your cheeks as the situation started to sink in. You were now officially dating Lilia Vanrouge.
You shifted in your chair ‘So what now?’ 
He tilted his head ever so slightly, his smile grew wide. You could see just the hint of his fangs as his vermillion eyes locked onto yours.
‘Now?’ 
A soft chuckle escaped him as he leaned forwards and slipped off his dusty chair. His feet didn't touch the ground, and yet you could swear he was prowling towards you. Eyes lidded, sultry, holding promises of devilish things yet to come as he crosses the distance. 
Your heart thudding a strong tempo in your chest, he leans over you. The swirling of butterflies now a raging storm as his face ghosts close to yours, wisps of hair tickling your face. His gaze piercing, breath heavy; he wants this as much as you do. You close your eyes, anticipating. His hands ever so gently caressing your face, tilt your head up so his lips can meet yours…
Only for his kiss to find your forehead instead. It’s soft, it’s tender, it's lovely. It wasn’t what you were expecting. 
He pulls back as you sit and blink in confusion. You look up at him, floating there, arms lightly crossed, body shaking in suppressed mirth with the biggest shit eating grin on his face. 
The storm inside you ran through the gamut of emotions in quick order, eventually landing on annoyance. The worst part, the worst part  was that it made you love him even more. Rogue. Villain. Rapscallion. You scowled up at him, making your displeasure known.
He floats further back, eyes glinting in the lamplight, feet barely above the threadbare carpets. Drinking in your reaction. Still barely suppressing his laughter. Smug as the cat who got the cream. 
Oh. Oh you were going to kill him. 
You leapt out of your chair with a small puff of dust as his deep laugh finally burst free. You swatted at him futilely as he elegantly danced away from your ire.
‘Come back here and kiss me properly you menace!’
Mirth crinkled his eyes as he blew you a kiss. 
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tartarusknight · 1 year
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Eddie Joins the Family
Eddie didn’t think that he would get a big family when he pulled Dustin, Mike, and Lucas into Hellfire. He didn’t think it would happen but it did. One day, after school he’s stopped short at the sound of his name. He stopped and glanced back to see a redheaded girl. She looked familiar but he couldn’t place her. She had a skateboard under her arm and a determined look on her face. “You’re Eddie Munson right?”
Eddie frowned, “I don’t sell to kids.”
Her nose wrinkled, “ew. I’m Max, Lucas’s girl- we’re friends.” She stumbles a little and his eyebrow raised. 
She rolled her shoulders back, “can you give me a ride home? I missed the bus and we’re neighbors. I can give you embarrassing stories of any of the boys,” she waves her hand but he can see her nerves. 
“Sure,” he shrugged and she brightened. However, she was definitely trying to hide her emotions. “Our chariot awaits, milady.” He opened the door for her a swept his hand towards his shitty van. However, it didn’t stop there. Suddenly he was driving her more and more. Even though she didn’t even join his club! Okay, but she was quickly becoming one of his favorite freshman anyways. 
But Max wasn’t the only one. One day he ran into Nancy Wheeler and she actually stopped him. “Eddie, right?” Her eyes were hard and he shifted nervously. He gave her a small nod and she cleared her throat. “Mike’s really looking up to you lately.”
Eddie grimaced, “he could’ve picked someone better.”
She nods in agreement which stings only a little. He knew it was true. “You’re going to meet me twice a week. Give me your schedule.” She ordered and he stood there dumbfounded. “It wasn’t an option, come on.” She waved her hand. 
So he took a moment and wrote it all down before handing it over. She frowned, maybe at his shitty hand writing or the way it was kind of jumbled. “We have study hall the same hour. I’ll get a pass and I’ll meet you.”
“Uh, why?”
Her glare was terrifying, “because if he’s going to look up to you than you can give him a good example. I’m not going to let you keep failing all your classes and show him what it’s okay.” She snapped and Eddie wasn’t sure if he’s ever been this shocked before. “Understand?”
“Aye, aye, captain.” He gave her a weak salute before she turned and walked off. 
Then suddenly he and Nancy were working together often and in the few classes they shared she offered to be paired with him. It was freaky and his friends were just as weirded out as he was. But he had to admit that as they met after school a few times, that maybe, just maybe they were becoming friends. It wasn’t confirmed until one day she was painting his nails as he rambled about an idea he had for a campaign. Except she wasn’t just listening, she was giving him tips and helping him develop it even better. 
And with Nancy came Karen Wheeler. The woman would give him baked goods and thank him for all he was doing with Mike. It was weird but she made amazing cookies so he dealt with it and fucking Ted who didn’t deserve Karen. However, it got even worse when he made a comment that he mostly cooked for himself and his uncle since Wayne worked the worst hours. That had him in the kitchen with Sue Sinclair, Claudia Henderson, and you guessed it, Karen Wheeler. 
The three moms taught him all their tips and tricks, telling him he could impress any girl with his new skills. He didn’t say he wasn’t interested in any girls. Instead, he grinned and took all the information he could. It became a weekly thing and he got all the good gossip that wasn’t high school bullshit. And he gave them all the high school bullshit they wanted. 
And suddenly he became a babysitter for his younger friends. The freshman were annoyed at the development and Eddie got paid to hang out with them so he was fine with it. It didn’t happen often, since apparently Eddie was the back up babysitter. He didn’t care... that much, he was just curious. But being the back up babysitter gave him Erica Sinclair who quickly became his arch enemy and favorite. They didn’t do much but when he was in charge of her they would argue back and forth before retiring to painting mini figures with music playing in the background. 
However, that wasn’t even the end of it. Because suddenly Dustin was introducing him to Robin Buckley. Apparently Dustin had been trying to get her and their friend together but since they didn’t seem to get their act together, Dustin believed him and Robin would work together. Eddie and Robin took one look at each other and saw the fruitiness of the other. Which gave him a friend to talk about all the shit he dealt with that no one else did. No one else but Robin. 
Robin was a beauty and became one of his closest friends. They often spent time at his trailer and she started eating lunch with him and Hellfire. Of course Dustin was being a little bitch about it but Eddie and Robin claimed their were completely platonic. Which had the young members echoing, “with a capital P.” 
That one comment brought in the last of the party that remained in Hawkins, Steve Harrington. Steve was someone he knew from school but this Steve wasn’t what he expected. The first interaction after all the bragging the rest of the party did for him didn’t match up with his old vision. Eddie was leaving Hellfire and noticed Robin standing next to the man, waiting for the kids. “Eddie!” Robin waved like he wasn’t walking towards her already. 
He grinned, “hey Buckley, fancy meeting you here.” Then he glanced over at Steve and god dammit, he was still as pretty as he had been back in high school. 
“Harrington,” he drawled and watched Steve’s face grow pink. Which was curious...
Steve smiled and it wasn’t a smile Eddie had seen on him before, not really. This looked completely real and a little dopey. “Hey, Munson, I heard I’m missing out on the Munson friendship train.” He tilted his head a little and his hair flopped. The kids were already getting into Steve’s car but neither Steve nor Robin looked to be in a rush to leave. 
Eddie laughed a little awkwardly, “Yeah man. You don’t know what you’re missing.” He waved at himself and watched Steve’s eyes drop to follow his hands up and down his body. Which was... it was... Eddie didn’t really understand what he was feeling. 
He cleared his throat, “welp, enjoy driving these gremlins home.” He waved at the back seat. However, when he looked at Steve the dude look upset at the idea. Which was weird because he’s been told over and over how much Steve loved the kids. He waved and jogged off to avoid anymore of that. 
But that wasn’t the last he saw Steve. No, in fact, suddenly Steve always picked them up. Nancy no longer took time out of her schedule nor did any of the parents. And when Eddie went to his weekly dinner session with the moms they all laughed and said Steve was a good babysitter, always so caring about their time and kids. 
And well... Eddie didn’t hate it. Not one bit as Steve got there about 30 minutes early each time and watched the end of the session. Then he’d help Eddie clean up and they’d talk until they parted ways. Some times Robin was with him and most of those nights they’d meet him at the trailer after dropping the kids off with a movie for the three of them. Except soon, Steve would stop with or without Robin. 
Eddie loved and hated his time with Steve. Because the more time they saw each other, the more Eddie fell for the straight boy. He was done falling for straight boys so it pissed him off. But it didn’t stop him from putting his legs in Steve’s lap during a movie. Or letting Steve play with his hair. Or letting Steve kiss-
Okay the kissing was knew. And Eddie wasn’t sure of anything anymore. Not when during Grease Steve got up from the couch to sing and dance along. Eddie had laughed and when he was pulled to his feet, he stumbled into Steve’s chest. It was just the two of them but even if they had been in a crowded room, Eddie was sure the only thing he would’ve seen would’ve been Steve. 
Steve had cupped his face and smiled, “You’re the one that I want, o o oo honey. The one I need,” Steve had sung so soft and Eddie blinked at him, shocked. “Eddie,” Steve whispered as he leaned in closer. “Can I kiss you?” Eddie had made some noise that he’ll never claim and nodded frantically. Steve kissed like it was a sport that he never got less than gold in. Eddie pressed in and they moved in sync. 
And when they dropped next to each other in Eddie’s bed. Eddie didn’t think Steve might be as straight as he previously thought. “You know,” Steve started after they both regained their breath. “All I heard for weeks was Eddie this, Eddie that. Suddenly even the moms were in love with you. And it was so god damn annoying. Cause I knew they were all right. I remembered you from school, how free and open you were. When Dustin and the others mentioned you befriending them I knew they’d be okay. But I was jealous.”
Eddie looked over at him, “You were jealous? Of me?”
Steve snorted and Eddie didn’t think it was fair that even that was endearing. “Of you, of them. I don’t know... but I saw my shot and I took it.” He shrugged and Eddie raised an eyebrow. “Dude, you were like my gay awakening! I serious!” Steve had a big smile on his face and Eddie grinned back. 
“Really? Little ol’ Eddie Munson was King Steve’s awakening?”
Steve smacked him and rolled so he leaned over Eddie, “yeah. You were.”
They grinned at each other, “so you were checking me out when you first picked up the kids.”
“Hell yeah I was,” Steve winked and it was so dorky. He was flushed pink but still trying to stay confident. “To be honest, I lied when we started talking.” Eddie raised an eyebrow, insincerity rising up in him. But then Steve flushed more, “I didn’t want to join the Munson friendship train. I wanted to see what you’d be like as my boyfriend.” Steve wiggled his eyebrows and Eddie couldn’t stop the laugh.
“Yeah?” He flipped them so he was on top of Steve. Steve looked pleased as he did so. “Get ready, big boy. I’ll show you what you’re missing.” He promised and kissed him just because he could. 
Steve broke it though, “so, you, Eddie Munson agree to go on a date with me?”
Eddie rolled his eyes, “yes. I Eddie Munson, will date you, Steve Harrington. You can pick me up tomorrow at 7.”
And Eddie would swear that Steve’s eyes fucking twinkled. “It’s a date.”
So, yeah bringing Dustin, Lucas, and Mike into Hellfire was one of the best decisions he’s ever made. Maybe one day he’ll thank them for giving him the best year he’s ever had. 
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solacium · 1 month
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presence // aventurine
he'll never outrightly ask you what it is, not at the outset.
he might find you curled on the couch, quiet, trying to breathe out the something in your chest that writhes and constricts, or in tears, but he won't ask, only sit quietly with you, lean against you, the weight of him enough to reassure you of his presence. maybe you reach for him, curl into the hollow of his body, and he'll let you, hold you until the tears stop, or you can feel your hands again, or you fall asleep, to the steady rhythm of his heart.
you'll wake, or look at him, and he'll speak, then, maybe look back at you with those iridescent eyes that you love, as he asks, softly, if you're feeling better, if you want to talk about it.
he'll keep you company, either way, listening. there is a steadiness in the weight of his arms around you, in the even beat of his heart against your back. you'll have to move, eventually, one of your legs falling asleep under you, and you'll both laugh, and shift. he gently disentangles himself from you, to get you something to drink. you settle back down, curled around each other, talk quietly until the sunlight changes.
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gravitywonagain · 4 months
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Inquiring Minds
holy shit, i finished a thing. well, a draft of a thing, but still counts!
based on this post about wwx being just dead enough be susceptible to the compulsion of inquiry
--
It was, in retrospect, the stupidest possible way to be found out. Wei Wuxian will readily admit that. Unfortunately, the level of stupidity was not a determining factor for the level of reality — as was the case for so much of Wei Wuxian’s life.
It all happened because one of the two dozen Jin disciples who bothered to show up to the war got a little drunk and a lot prideful and ended up starting a fight he couldn’t finish. Or, that was the going theory, anyway. The Jin leadership — such as it was — wanted an investigation done. As if they had nothing better to do. As if there weren’t reasons to be conserving spiritual power and not wasting it playing Inquiry for a guy who had decided to pick a fight — hopefully, hopefully it was a fight — with a Nie disciple who, granted, did not have the startling musculature of some of her shixiongs, but was still a fucking Nie disciple! 
This guy was not worth their time. This guy was not worth Lan Zhan’s time. Or his attention, or his spiritual power, or the stress it would put on his guqin strings— okay, maybe Wei Wuxian should have taken a moment to purge some of his resentment before walking into the tent. 
But he didn’t. This is important. 
Because then Lan Zhan began to play. 
And there was this strange… tugging sensation in the pit of Wei Wuxian’s gut, right where his golden core was supposed to be, pulling him toward Lan Zhan, or toward the empty space in front of Lan Zhan. 
Wei Wuxian shouldn’t have ignored it. He gets that now. He does. But he always wanted to be near Lan Zhan, and his body had been doing all kinds of weird shit since he’d had his core cut out, and who was to say this wasn’t just another weird side effect. 
Well. It was. A weird side effect. After a fashion. 
But that’s not the point! 
He should have noticed then. He should have left then. But he didn’t. 
The melody changed and the tugging sensation stopped. Which was great! 
Until something else started. It felt like a kind of drunkenness, light and hazy in his head, loose around his tongue. Three or four bowls in. 
He shook himself to dislodge it, but the motion only drew a sharp glare from Jiang Cheng. 
The tent was full of spectators. At least two representatives from each major clan were present, plus several “close friends” of the victim -- like four of the fifteen total Jin disciples -- who probably just wanted something else to do outside of eat, sleep, and fight. Wei Wuxian couldn’t blame them, exactly, war was remarkably boring most of the time, but it was getting awfully stuffy in there. 
Lan Zhan changed the melody again, something almost lexical about it. Wei Wuxian could almost hear the question being asked, even before Zewu Jun’s voice chimed in, translating for anyone who didn’t know the qin language — which was pretty much everyone else in the tent besides the Twin Jades — “What is your name?” 
Wei Wuxian caught his own response between his lips, pressing them together tightly, as the guqin sounded three distinct notes which Zewu Jun reported as Jin Zixin. 
So, good. It was the right guy. That was great. Nothing weird at all. 
He should have left then. He didn’t. 
Lan Zhan played again, and again Wei Wuxian thought he understood the phrase, the question, even before Zewu Jun said for the tent, “How did you die?”
Wei Wuxian felt the answer fly to the tip of his tongue and bit his teeth around it, through it. His cheek bled with the force of keeping quiet. 
It was weird. So weird. But maybe, Wei Wuxian justified to himself, maybe it was just an effect of holding a secret inside for so long and having someone actually ask the question out loud. Maybe, it was just the same automatic reaction of answering with your name when someone asked for it. Maybe he was just too fucking tired, and the resentment under his skin just wanted something to laugh at, something to entertain itself with. Like the five of ten Jins standing in the back of the tent. War was boring, okay?
The notes from Lan Zhan’s guqin hung in the air, resonant and waiting. The moment seemed to stretch out too long. It dragged and Wei Wuxian gradually felt the words stop fighting him to escape. 
But the Jin ghost didn’t answer either. 
When Lan Zhan played the same phrase over — “How did you die?” echoed on Zewu Jun’s tongue — the compulsion was much stronger. This time it was like Wei Wuxian could feel Lan Zhan’s spiritual power pouring through him; the strongest of wines, several jars of it. 
He couldn’t fight it. 
His mouth opened. 
I fell. I fell. I fell. 
“I fell.”
All eyes in the tent turned to him. 
Jiang Cheng’s elbow caught him in the ribs. He didn’t even bother to glare. He said, “Not you, Idiot.” 
The qin sounded and everybody looked back to Lan Zhan and Zewu Jun, waiting to hear the Jin disciple’s answer. 
Zewu Jun hesitated for the barest of moments, stuttering into the start of his translation before finding the confidence of his voice once more, recounting whatever it was that the ghost had strummed out. 
Wei Wuxian didn’t hear a word he said. He was, instead, pierced on two sides. 
On one: Jiang Cheng muttered to himself, “Wait,” and then his eyes went wide as he looked back at Wei Wuxian. 
On the other: Lan Zhan’s fingers froze above the strings of his guqin and he turned to stare over his shoulder at Wei Wuxian with something like horrified understanding dawning within his gaze. 
Wei Wuxian finally realized he should fucking leave. Immediately. 
He wanted to run. He knew better. Knew what that would look like. 
Instead, he was going to simply walk out of this tent as he had walked out of so many already during this campaign. Gravel crunched under his heel as he turned. 
But his brother knew him too well. Jiang Cheng’s hand clamped tight around Wei Wuxian’s bicep, his grip unyielding. With his golden core, Wei Wuxian might have been able to break it. But the real bitch of it was that it was his golden core that was holding him in place. 
Jiang Cheng tensed as if readying for a fight, but Wei Wuxian already knew how that fight would end. So he let himself be restrained. 
He turned back to face the Inquiry. 
Lan Zhan was still staring at him when Zewu Jun finished speaking. He was still so stuck in place that his brother had to prompt him into finishing the ritual. Which he did, with all the grace and skill expected of him. He really was just so beautiful to watch. 
All the while, Wei Wuxian listened to the music and bit through his tongue to keep it silent. The questions continued to drag at him -- “Do you know who killed you?” Wen Chao. “Do you have any last requests?” To leave this fucking tent. -- though the pressure to answer eased significantly as the Jin ghost became less stubborn about it. Wei Wuxian settled for reciting the answers to them in his head until they no longer felt pressed against the thin seam of his mouth. 
It took approximately sixteen-hundred years. 
All seven Jin disciples supporting the war effort left the tent after the ghost had recounted his final moments. The attempted sexual assault was not unexpected, judging by their faces, but still disappointing to hear about. Clearly not the entertainment they were hoping for. Luckily for Wei Wuxian, they were apparently too wrapped up in their Jin nonsense to realize new entertainment was fidgeting in the corner and trying not to sever the tip of his tongue completely. 
The Nie, represented by Nie Mingjue and Nie Huaisang, left shortly after the ritual concluded. If Nie Mingjue had to tug his brother away, Wei Wuxian was too busy keeping his mouth shut to comment on it. 
And then there were just the four of them. Plus the corpse. But they were like six months into a war, so the corpse didn’t actually seem to bother any of them. It hadn’t even started to smell yet. It was still pretty intact, too, and now that it was verifiably a criminal, Wei Wuxian wondered idly if the Jin would let him use it in their next battle. Probably not. 
His idle wondering ceased abruptly as his brother’s fingers bit deeper into the meat of his arm. 
“Wei Wuxian,” he said, all of his surely filial worry for his gege boiling over into a spitting, incandescent fury. He never had to say he loved his brother, Wei Wuxian could always tell. It was the teeth gnashing that gave him away. “What the fuck do you mean you fell?” 
Right. 
Wei Wuxian played it as cool as he could with a definitely-not-bleeding tongue. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Jiang Cheng.” He shrugged, but his arm didn’t move very far. 
“You answered Inquiry,” said Lan Zhan. Succinct as ever. 
“No!” Wei Wuxian said, maybe a little too loud, but not at all childishly. 
Zewu Jun narrowed his eyes and pulled out his xiao. Wei Wuxian tried not to flinch about it, he did. But Zewu Jun only played a short, non-Inquiry melody, and a shimmering, blue barrier manifested around the interior of the tent. 
“No,” Wei Wuxian said again, this time at a totally normal volume. “I was just… messing around. You know how I do that, Lan Zhan. Always a rule breaker.” He grinned, desperately trying to play it all off. Realizing faster and faster how very badly this was going for him. 
Lan Zhan surprised him, then, saying, “Not when it matters.” 
“What?”
“Wei Ying doesn’t break rules when they matter.” 
Wei Wuxian didn’t know where the fuck that was coming from. But he couldn’t say he hated it. 
Except that he did, because it was going to be a problem for this whole I’m just a silly rascal defense he was setting up. 
Jiang Cheng still hadn’t let go of his arm. His fingernails were starting to split the fabric of his sleeve. And worse, his eyebrows were scrunched together in the way they do when he’s thinking through all the angles of a problem. 
Zewu Jun still had his xiao in hand, and he was looking at Wei Wuxian like he was deciding whether to perform an exorcism or an execution. 
But Lan Zhan… Lan Zhan hadn’t moved from his seat on the mat. He had turned his body so that he was facing Wei Wuxian, giving him his full attention, and was looking up at him with… pain in his eyes. Shining, wet pain. 
“You died?” he asked. “Are you dead?”
“I don’t…” Wei Wuxian trailed off. He couldn’t find the words. 
He didn’t know. Which was, possibly, not the best sign. 
“I can’t be dead,” he said, looking over at Zewu Jun, Jiang Cheng, then back to Lan Zhan. “Can I?”
Zewu Jun, still wary, said, “You responded to the compulsion in Inquiry. Inquiry is a song that speaks to and compels answers from the dead. It does not generally work on the living.” 
“Well--” Wei Wuxian started, defensive and scared. But again, he didn’t really know where to go with that. 
“Where were you, Wei Wuxian?” Jiang Cheng asked him. “Why didn’t you meet me at the bottom of the hill?” 
Lan Zhan and Zewu Jun shared a look. They didn’t seem to know what Jiang Cheng was talking about. But Wei Wuxian really, really, didn’t want to get into that whole mess. If anyone was going to see right through him and his flimsy tale about suddenly remembering the location of Baoshan Sanren’s mountain, it would be Lan Zhan. Actually, Zewu Jun would probably figure it out, too. And then maybe even Jiang Cheng. Now that he wasn’t all broken and desperate and gullible. 
Fuck. With the way Jiang Cheng was looking at Wei Wuxian, the way his hand released some of the pressure around his arm, he might already have. 
Wei Wuxian laughed, hoping it came off more smoothly than it felt in his chest. “Ah, Jiang Cheng.” He brought his own hand up to lay over his brother’s. “What if I told you--”
“No,” Jiang Cheng cut him off. “No more bullshit. Where were you?”
The mirth, false as it was, drained out of Wei Wuxian as he saw the pain building behind his brother’s eyes. 
There was movement in his periphery and then Lan Zhan was standing on his other side. His fingers wrapped around Wei Wuxian’s other arm with a much gentler grip than Jiang Cheng’s. Something imploring about the touch. Like he was seeking confirmation to a theory, or maybe proving to himself that Wei Wuxian was actually there. 
“I…” Wei Wuxian trailed off. 
Zewu Jun’s gaze was hard as steel, but aimed, it seemed, at Lan Zhan’s hand, rather than at Wei Wuxian in general. 
“There was a rumor,” he said in slow, even words, “that Wen Chao had thrown you into the Burial Mounds.” He waited a moment after he finished speaking, as if trying to reconcile the words himself, before he looked up to meet Wei Wuxian’s eyes. 
Of course, Wei Wuxian didn’t want to meet Zewu Jun’s eyes. He didn’t want to meet any of their eyes. He wanted very much to be out of this tent and away from knowing gazes altogether. 
Unfortunately, he hadn’t quite figured out how to teleport using resentful energy yet. So in the tent he remained. 
He looked down at his feet. His boots were crusted with dirt and blood and other bodily fluids. War really was super gross, in addition to being largely boring. 
“That’s ridiculous,” he said, still looking down. “Everyone knows that nothing leaves the Burial Mounds.” 
Lan Zhan’s hand tightened around Wei Wuxian’s arm. Jiang Cheng’s loosened, but didn’t let go. 
“Yeah,” said Jiang Cheng, like an accusation, “it would be impossible.” 
Wei Wuxian still didn’t look up from his feet which meant that he missed whatever silent conversation happened between Jiang Cheng and Lan Zhan that had both of them tightening their grips on his arms just before fingers were pressed to the pulse points of his wrists. He struggled, flailing as much as he could, but against Lan Zhan’s golden core and his own, he stood no chance. He could barely budge them. 
He screamed but the sound only reverberated inside the tent. 
The only thing he could think to do was to call up the dead. The dead man still lying in front of them. The Jin. Rapist. Criminal. He could use that wicked corpse to fight off the people holding him down, taking his secrets. Smoke curled out of his sleeves and he--
He stopped himself. 
It was over anyway. 
Even if they couldn’t read his spiritual energy, or lack thereof, his fighting them was confirmation enough. 
He went limp in their grasp. His knees buckled. 
It really was the stupidest possible way to be found out. 
“Where is it?” asked Jiang Cheng. But it was clear from his voice that he already knew the answer. 
Lan Zhan was silent. 
Zewu Jun looked to his brother for an answer, not understanding what they had just discovered. 
“His golden core,” said Lan Zhan. “It’s gone.” 
“Wen Zhuliu?” Zewu Jun asked. 
But Jiang Cheng made a sound that was somehow both a laugh and a sob. 
Wei Wuxian regained control of his arms. He sprawled himself out on the tent floor, exhausted from his struggle. He laughed, too. “After a fashion.” 
Jiang Cheng fell to the ground next to him, hands cradling the place where Wei Wuxian’s core now spun. “What the fuck?” he said, quietly, to no one in particular. Then, loudly, to Wei Wuxian in particular, “What the fuck!” 
His cheeks were wet. Jiang Cheng’s, his own. He looked over to confirm, and yeah, Lan Zhan’s too. Zewu Jun had nothing to cry over, except maybe confusion, but he was too cool for that, so he just stood in the middle of the tent, shocked, presumably, as his brother, another sect leader, and a demonic cultivator broke down around him. 
Wei Wuxian stared up at the tented canvas ceiling and cursed himself for not leaving the tent when he first noticed something wrong. 
“Jiang Cheng,” he started, but Jiang Cheng cut him off with a wet yell. 
“Why would you do that, you fucking idiot?! What the fuck were you even thinking?! How did you-- How--” 
He seemed to lose steam trying to figure out what happened on “Baoshen Sanren’s mountain” and potentially also why Baoshen Sanren’s voice sounded so familiar. 
Zewu Jun’s voice was remarkably calm for a man witnessing-- whatever he made of what he was currently witnessing. He said, “Wei Wuxian, I believe your Sect Leader would like to know how you lost your golden core.” 
Wei Wuxian laughed at that. Because yes and no. 
“No, Zewu Jun,” he said, still laughing. He tried to stop, but it was just too funny. “No,” he said again, slightly more sober, “he wants to know why and how he now has my golden core.” 
He didn’t really mean to say it. He felt drunk again, like he did when Lan Zhan was playing Inquiry. Ready to spill all his secrets at only the slightest provocation. Zewu Jun could probably ask him just about anything right now -- Lan Zhan and Jiang Cheng too, for that matter -- and he would answer it. It wasn’t exactly a safe mindset to be in. But he couldn’t really do anything about that now. 
At least there was some kind of privacy barrier over the tent. 
Zewu Jun stood. Speechless. 
Lan Zhan’s tears fell silently. 
Jiang Cheng glared, hands clutched tight against his lower dantian -- whether to hold something inside or to tear it out, Wei Wuxian wasn’t sure. 
Wei Wuxian felt light as a feather. Drunk and dizzy with it. A weight had been lifted, he supposed, but one he was never supposed to let go. His laughter died down to the occasional press of his lungs. Tears collected in his eyelashes until everything was blurry. 
Emptiness yawned inside him, but it was gentler somehow. As if the secret itself had been clawing away at his slowly healing wounds. 
“Fuck,” he said with a hiccup of a laugh. And again, quieter, “Fuck.”
He really should have left the fucking tent. 
Also, wait. Was he dead?! 
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