Latest Posts by shastrlight - Page 2
Corvids have a basic grasp of the theory of mind - the ones who hide their food will remember who saw them bury it, and will come back to stash it elsewhere when they know they’re no longer watched. They are vaguely aware that others are also capable of thinking and planning, and anticipate that another bird would seize the treasure later, if ever given the opportunity.
Many corvids also mate for life. They have foods they prefer more than others, and it has been discovered that they can also know and remember their partner’s favourites, and bring those treats to each other, even if they personally don’t care for this food source.
Is that love? A crow cannot be forced to do something it does not want to do, they do as they please and it pleases them to bring gifts to their partners. What is love but joy that stems from the joy of another?
Do they know what love is? A jackdaw knows that another jackdaw it can see has seen it in return - do they know that a spouse that brings them treats does it as a treat to themselves as well?
Do these birds know what love is? Do they know that they love, and are loved in return?
Floating Worlds
the truth of dares
a compilation of things and names howl calls sophie in the book.. enjoy
Workers and activists in more than 20 countries are expected to protest as part of a campaign led by “Make Amazon Pay,” a coalition of 70 trade unions and organizations including Greenpeace, Oxfam, and Amazon Workers International.
Individuals everywhere “from oil refineries, to factories, to warehouses, to data centers, to corporate offices” are expected to participate in the November 26 event, according to the campaign.
“The pandemic has exposed how Amazon places profits ahead of workers, society, and our planet,” Make Amazon Pay wrote in a list of demands shared on its website. “Amazon takes too much and gives back too little. It is time to Make Amazon Pay.”
The protests come amid growing dissent from Amazon employees over working conditions, including long hours, low pay, and complex performance review systems. Make Amazon Pay’s demands include increased salaries, better job security, and “suspending the harsh productivity and surveillance regime Amazon has used to squeeze workers.”
The coalition also calls for a “pay back to society” that includes enhanced sustainability efforts, increased transparency over data and privacy, and ending partnerships with police forces and immigration authorities that are “institutionally racist.”
“Amazon is not alone in these bad practices but it sits at the heart of a failed system that drives the inequality, climate breakdown, and democratic decay that scar our age,” Make Amazon Pay wrote in its demands.
In a statement, Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel told Insider that the company is “inventing and investing significantly” in several of the categories the campaign addresses, including climate efforts, like a commitment to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 and pushes to improve competitive wages and benefits.
“These groups represent a variety of interests, and while we are not perfect in any area, if you objectively look at what Amazon is doing in each one of these areas you’ll see that we do take our role and our impact very seriously,” Nantel said.
Read More
https://www.patreon.com/feefal
alien
Could you please tell the long and absurd story about the elder scrolls cat term? :3
Okay, if only for the reason that it’s a very absurd story.
You’re familiar with Khajiits if you’ve played the Elder Scrolls series. Cat people, so far so good. There’s a lot the Korean fandom has to say about the series, both in general and in terms of memes, but the meme I’m going to talk about probably has the most traction in the Korean internet.You see, we really like Khajiit merchants. Not just because they have wares if you have coin, but because they invite you to ‘take a look’. Ri’saad’s audio for this phrase is uniquely memetic among Koreans:
To a Korean, his ‘take a look’ sounds mesmerizing. It wasn’t long until people transcribed what that sounds like into Korean and spread it around: 떼껄룩, or ‘t’ekaaluk’. Korean is a very mimetic language; although I’m not enough of a linguist to explain why, the combination of sounds in 떼껄룩 is absolutely hilarious to us. It really sticks in your mind. I don’t know why, but it does.
It’s not surprising to us it gained traction, is what I’m saying.
For some time, 떼껄룩 was just a colloquial term for Khajiits on the Korean internet. But soon the term expanded to cover cat people in other games (e.g. the Miqo'te of FFXIV), and after that, the meaning extended to IRL cats - at which point the meme skyrocketed in popularity.
Not only is Korean very mimetic, we also like to make suffixes out of everything. Turns out the ~껄룩 part of 떼껄룩 (’~kaaluk’) makes a fantastic suffix for describing cats of all shapes and sizes:
Black cats are called 검은 고양이 (’geom-eun goyangi’) in Korean; using the above suffix, it’s 검껄룩 (’geomkaaluk’).
Orange tabby cats are often called ‘cheese[cake] tabbies’ (치즈태비/’chizu taebi’) in Korean; you can now call them 치껄룩 (’chikaaluk’).
The colloquial term for kittens is 아깽이 (’akkaengi’), but with the Khajiits’ blessing, they are now also called 아껄룩 (’akaaluk’).
Stray cats are called 길고양이/길냥이 (’gil goyangi/gilnyangi’) because they live on the ‘streets’ (길 in Korean). The same principle applies to 길껄룩 (’gilkkaluk’).
Tigers/lions/leopards etc. are big cats… hence 빅껄룩 (’bigkkaluk’).
It is very adaptable. It ties in with the first syllable of basically anything, general descriptors or colloquial, native or foreign. You’ll see 떼껄룩 being commonly used with bloggers, youtubers, on insta etc., either as it is or with the variation appropriate to the subject. If you can read any Korean, anyone who might be reading this… I suggest you take a look sometime.
😹
Please Reblog is Your Blog is Safe for Non-Binary People.
If my mutuals can’t rb this then we can’t be mutuals
“Your identity emerges out of your habits. You are not born with preset beliefs. Every belief, including those about yourself, is learned and conditioned through experience. More precisely, your habits are how you embody your identity. When you make your bed each day, you embody the identity of an organised person. When you write each day, you embody the identity of a creative person. When you train each day, you embody the identity of an athletic person. The more you repeat a behaviour, the more you reinforce the identity associated with that behaviour. In fact, the word identity was originally derived from the Latin words essentitas, which means being, and identidem, which means repeatedly. Your identify is literally your “repeated beingness.” Whatever your identity is right now, you only believe it because you have proof of it. […] The more evidence you have for a belief, the more strongly you will believe it.”
— James Clear, Atomic Habits
kisses.
pairing: all/gn!reader
wc: 2274
synopsis: my headcanons for the types of kisses the different tot suitors would give 😉 luke’s contain spoilers for his personal story and are at the very bottom, so feel free to skip!! please rb or comment if you liked it 👉👈
artem wing.
awkward, heartfelt kisses
before meeting you, artem has never really explored the area of romance (naturally, his lips have gone untouched for the past twenty nine years), hence he doesn’t have any experience in this department
a little awkward with his hands - he feels as though he should maintain some degree of courtesy even in moments like these
arms around your waist? a little too intimate. hands on your cheeks to pull you closer? too forceful. where on earth is he supposed to put his hands when he kisses you?
you’ll have to forgive this man - all he knows about this subject comes from the dramas he’s forced himself to sit through (for you)… and that is about the full extent of it. he knows nothing else, but the effort he puts into it is enough to make up for it
his little notebook is full of hastily scribbled notes, but kissing isn’t something you can learn by watching or studying - this isn’t a bar exam
so before your first kiss, artem is racked with nerves. he knows he’s inexperienced, but he can’t think of a way to practice. when celestine finds out about this, she laughs so hard tears come out of her eyes
for his first kiss, artem is oddly quiet. you can see that he’s trying to take things slow, almost as if he’s afraid to make a mistake, so you have to take the initiative to pull him down so that your lips can meet. the little gasp of surprise that escapes him makes it completely worth it
once your mouths join, however, artem sinks into the kiss entirely. you can feel his earlier inhibitions and concerns melt away as one hand rests on your shoulder, while the other cradles the back of your head lightly to draw you closer, as if the distance between you is still too much (there is always too much distance)
his lips are a tad awkward, and when your noses bump occasionally, you hear artem let out a little sigh that makes you laugh
no need to worry about something like that, you whisper against his mouth with a smile, your arms still wrapped around his neck. everyone gets better with practice.
and practice he does. artem has always tackled difficult cases before him with single minded determination, and the subject of kissing is no different. he buys books, watches more dramas, and comes this 👌 close to buying a plush toy to practice on
he wants to be good at this. it’s a simple, innocent desire, nothing to do with pride or face - he wants to make you feel good, and that’s it
when you hear of his earnest attempts from celestine, you’re mortified, but also secretly touched
practice with me, you tell him with a laugh one day when he’s driving you home after work. there’s no need for a plushy when i’m here
he’s embarrassed (celestine why), but admits that he wants to get better before he actually kisses you again, because he wants it to feel good for you
after you reassure him about this, though, he seeks you out to ‘practice’ with him of his own accord - just not in the office, please
in typical artem style, he excels at whatever he puts his mind to
after exploring the art of kissing with you, you find that he has a preference for more subdued, sweet kisses
less about the physicality of the kiss but more of the emotional connection when your lips meet, artem prefers to keep things slow and simple - the gentle but firm press of his mouth against yours, the way his hand rests at your waist, pulling you close against him so that you can feel his heartbeat
likes to keep you in his arms for a while after just because he likes holding you (also to hide the colour of his cheeks)
Keep reading
The struggle of posting art online (especially on Twitter!)
All the Pillars are Valid
Rengoku is an OLDER BROTHER
Shinobu is a ABSOLUTE BADASS
Muichirou is a SASS MACHINE
Uzui is a FLAMBOYANT LOVER
Iguro is a SNAKE ADORER
Sanemi is a DOG PETTER
Giyuu
Himejima is SOFT-SPOKEN GIANT
Mitsuri is a STRONG CUTIE
Rengoku-sensei to get you through the day, Rengoku-sensei for when you’ve made it through!!!
Actual good first-time college student advice:
Wear jeans/pants that “breathe” and bring a sweater, even if it’s scorching hot out, until you know which building blasts the AC to 60 degrees F and which feels like a sauna
Backpacks with thick straps are your friend! Messenger bags are cool and all but if you’re commuting with a lot of stuff, symmetrically styled backpacks are better for your back
You are your own person and you can walk out whenever you need to or want to, so long as you’re not disrupting the class. Meaning you can go to the bathroom without permission, take a breather if you’re anxious, answer an important phone call, etc.
If you don’t like the class on the first day, if you can- DROP THAT CLASS AND TAKE ANOTHER ONE! It’ll only get worse from there!
If you can, take a class outside your major; it’s a good break from your expected studies.
You are in charge of your schedule. Your adviser and guidance counselor is there to ‘advise and guide’ but if you don’t like certain classes and you can substitute for others, that’s your choice.
Consequently, if you are changing anything drastic in your plan, talk with your adviser and instructors.
Pay attention to your credit hours and grades. Never leave this to the last week of school, you will be sorry and stressed beyond belief!
Unless it’s a lab book or otherwise specified, go to the class for a week or so before buying an expensive textbook. Some classes, while having it on their required list, do not actually use the textbook a whole lot and you might find some of it scanned online. Rent if you can or buy used online (schools actually don’t give discounts). Use your best judgement on what you think you need.
Tell the people who go up to you selling or advertising things you are not interested in that you are in a rush to class and don’t have time to listen to them. It’s less rude and they’ll leave you alone.
The smaller the class, the better it is to have some sort of acquaintanceship with a couple classmates. They might save your ass if you are absent one day or need to study. And talking with them makes the time go by faster without it being so insufferable.
You don’t need to join a club or sport, but internships are cool and useful!
If you can afford it, take a day off once or twice each semester if you’re too exhausted. Just be aware of what you missed and if it was worth missing!
Your health is the most important, this goes for mental health too!! Note: College-age/upper teens is when mental disorders like depression and anxiety are most commonly diagnosed. Most schools have therapy services, especially during exam time. Look into it if you need to!
Communicate with your professor if you are having trouble with something. Anything.
Eat and stay hydrated. Bring a water bottle and snack to class.
All-nighters will happen but never go over 36 hours without sleep.
It’s going to be hard and there will be times you might think about giving up. This WILL happen. You just have to make sure what you’re doing isn’t making you absolutely miserable and/or there is something rewarding and positive to look forward to at the end!
I believe in free education, one that’s available to everyone; no matter their race, gender, age, wealth, etc… This masterpost was created for every knowledge hungry individual out there. I hope it will serve you well. Enjoy!
FREE ONLINE COURSES (here are listed websites that provide huge variety of courses)
Alison
Coursera
FutureLearn
open2study
Khan Academy
edX
P2P U
Academic Earth
iversity
Stanford Online
MIT Open Courseware
Open Yale Courses
BBC Learning
OpenLearn
Carnegie Mellon University OLI
University of Reddit
Saylor
IDEAS, INSPIRATION & NEWS (websites which deliver educational content meant to entertain you and stimulate your brain)
TED
FORA
Big Think
99u
BBC Future
Seriously Amazing
How Stuff Works
Discovery News
National Geographic
Science News
Popular Science
IFLScience
YouTube Edu
NewScientist
DIY & HOW-TO’S (Don’t know how to do that? Want to learn how to do it yourself? Here are some great websites.)
wikiHow
Wonder How To
instructables
eHow
Howcast
MAKE
Do it yourself
FREE TEXTBOOKS & E-BOOKS
OpenStax CNX
Open Textbooks
Bookboon
Textbook Revolution
E-books Directory
FullBooks
Books Should Be Free
Classic Reader
Read Print
Project Gutenberg
AudioBooks For Free
LibriVox
Poem Hunter
Bartleby
MIT Classics
Many Books
Open Textbooks BCcampus
Open Textbook Library
WikiBooks
SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES & JOURNALS
Directory of Open Access Journals
Scitable
PLOS
Wiley Open Access
Springer Open
Oxford Open
Elsevier Open Access
ArXiv
Open Access Library
LEARN:
1. LANGUAGES
Duolingo
BBC Languages
Learn A Language
101languages
Memrise
Livemocha
Foreign Services Institute
My Languages
Surface Languages
Lingualia
OmniGlot
OpenCulture’s Language links
2. COMPUTER SCIENCE & PROGRAMMING
Codecademy
Programmr
GA Dash
CodeHS
w3schools
Code Avengers
Codelearn
The Code Player
Code School
Code.org
Programming Motherf*?$%#
Bento
Bucky’s room
WiBit
Learn Code the Hard Way
Mozilla Developer Network
Microsoft Virtual Academy
3. YOGA & MEDITATION
Learning Yoga
Learn Meditation
Yome
Free Meditation
Online Meditation
Do Yoga With Me
Yoga Learning Center
4. PHOTOGRAPHY & FILMMAKING
Exposure Guide
The Bastards Book of Photography
Cambridge in Color
Best Photo Lessons
Photography Course
Production Now
nyvs
Learn About Film
Film School Online
5. DRAWING & PAINTING
Enliighten
Ctrl+Paint
ArtGraphica
Google Cultural Institute
Drawspace
DragoArt
WetCanvas
6. INSTRUMENTS & MUSIC THEORY
Music Theory
Teoria
Music Theory Videos
Furmanczyk Academy of Music
Dave Conservatoire
Petrucci Music Library
Justin Guitar
Guitar Lessons
Piano Lessons
Zebra Keys
Play Bass Now
7. OTHER UNCATEGORIZED SKILLS
Investopedia
The Chess Website
Chesscademy
Chess.com
Spreeder
ReadSpeeder
First Aid for Free
First Aid Web
NHS Choices
Wolfram Demonstrations Project
Please feel free to add more learning focused websites.
*There are a lot more learning websites out there, but I picked the ones that are, as far as I’m aware, completely free and in my opinion the best/ most useful.
SDV’s 1.5 update contains content that plays into racist, colonialist, and imperialist myths and beliefs.
Disclaimer: I loved SDV (which is a given, considering I have an SDV sideblog lol?), and I’m not writing this post to get people to boycott the game or stop liking it or whatever. I just want people to understand why this content is harmful, how it might be affecting your biases and beliefs, and think of how they can engage with this media without exacerbating the harm that it does. I’m Filipino, and I don’t speak for all POC or all brown people, but I felt deeply hurt and betrayed by the content update. Please keep that in mind before you interact with this post. Explanation under the cut because of 1.5 spoilers (obviously) and because this got long.
(I will block people who clown on this post. Keep your opinions to yourself unless you also have firsthand experience with the issues I describe.)
Keep reading
"I'm gonna get so much done today!! :)"
I want to live by myself when I move out of my parent's place but I'm really afraid of money problems? I'm afraid that the only place I can afford will be in the ghetto and it'll all be torn apart and I'll only be allowed to eat one granola bar a week. I'm really stressing out about this. I don't know anything about after school life. I don't know anything about paying bills or how to buy an apartment and it's really scaring me. is there anything you know that can help me?
HI darling,
I’ve actually got a super wonderful masterpost for you to check out:
Home
what the hell is a mortgage?
first apartment essentials checklist
how to care for cacti and succulents
the care and keeping of plants
Getting an apartment
Money
earn rewards by taking polls
how to coupon
what to do when you can’t pay your bills
see if you’re paying too much for your cell phone bill
how to save money
How to Balance a Check Book
How to do Your Own Taxes
Health
how to take care of yourself when you’re sick
things to bring to a doctor’s appointment
how to get free therapy
what to expect from your first gynecologist appointment
how to make a doctor’s appointment
how to pick a health insurance plan
how to avoid a hangover
a list of stress relievers
how to remove a splinter
Emergency
what to do if you get pulled over by a cop
a list of hotlines in a crisis
things to keep in your car in case of an emergency
how to do the heimlich maneuver
Job
time management
create a resume
find the right career
how to pick a major
how to avoid a hangover
how to interview for a job
how to stop procrastinating
How to write cover letters
Travel
ULTIMATE PACKING LIST
Traveling for Cheap
Travel Accessories
The Best Way to Pack a Suitcase
How To Read A Map
How to Apply For A Passport
How to Make A Travel Budget
Better You
read the news
leave your childhood traumas behind
how to quit smoking
how to knit
how to stop biting your nails
how to stop procrastinating
how to stop skipping breakfast
how to stop micromanaging
how to stop avoiding asking for help
how to stop swearing constantly
how to stop being a pushover
learn another language
how to improve your self-esteem
how to sew
learn how to embroider
how to love yourself
100 tips for life
Apartments/Houses/Moving
Moving Out and Getting an Apartment, Part 1: Are You Sure? (The Responsible One)
Moving Out and Getting an Apartment, Part 2: Finding the Damn Apartment (The Responsible One)
Moving Out and Getting an Apartment, Part 3: Questions to Ask about the Damn Apartment (The Responsible One)
Moving Out and Getting an Apartment, Part 4: Packing and Moving All of Your Shit (The Responsible One)
How to Protect Your Home Against Break-Ins (The Responsible One)
Education
How to Find a Fucking College (The Sudden Adult)
How to Find Some Fucking Money for College (The Sudden Adult)
What to Do When You Can’t Afford Your #1 Post-Secondary School (The Sudden Adult)
Stop Shitting on Community College Kids (Why Community College is Fucking Awesome) (The Responsible One)
How to Ask for a Recommendation Letter (The Responsible One)
How to Choose a College Major (The Sudden Adult)
Finances
How to Write a Goddamn Check (The Responsible One)
How to Convince Credit Companies You’re Not a Worthless Bag of Shit (The Responsible One)
Debit vs Credit (The Responsible One)
What to Do if Your Wallet is Stolen/Lost (The Sudden Adult)
Budgeting 101 (The Responsible One)
Important Tax Links to Know (The Responsible One)
How to Choose a Bank Without Screwing Yourself (The Responsible One)
Job Hunting
How to Write a Resume Like a Boss (The Responsible One)
How to Write a Cover Letter Someone Will Actually Read (The Responsible One)
How to Handle a Phone Interview without Fucking Up (The Responsible One)
10 Sites to Start Your Job Search (The Responsible One)
Life Skills
Staying in Touch with Friends/Family (The Sudden Adult)
Bar Etiquette (The Sudden Adult)
What to Do After a Car Accident (The Sudden Adult)
Grow Up and Buy Your Own Groceries (The Responsible One)
How to Survive Plane Trips (The Sudden Adult)
How to Make a List of Goals (The Responsible One)
How to Stop Whining and Make a Damn Appointment (The Responsible One)
Miscellaneous
What to Expect from the Hell that is Jury Duty (The Responsible One)
Relationships
Marriage: What the Fuck Does It Mean and How the Hell Do I Know When I’m Ready? (Guest post - The Northwest Adult)
How Fucked Are You for Moving In with Your Significant Other: An Interview with an Actual Real-Life Couple Living Together™ (mintypineapple and catastrofries)
Travel & Vehicles
How to Winterize Your Piece of Shit Vehicle (The Responsible One)
How to Make Public Transportation Your Bitch (The Responsible One)
Other Blog Features
Apps for Asshats
Harsh Truths & Bitter Reminders
Asks I’ll Probably Need to Refer People to Later
Apartments (or Life Skills) - How Not to Live in Filth (The Sudden Adult)
Finances - Tax Basics (The Responsible One)
Important Documents - How to Get a Copy of Your Birth Certificate (The Responsible One)
Important Documents - How to Get a Replacement ID (The Responsible One)
Health - How to Deal with a Chemical Burn (The Responsible One)
Job Hunting - List of Jobs Based on Social Interaction Levels (The Sudden Adult)
Job Hunting - How to Avoid Falling into a Pit of Despair While Job Hunting (The Responsible One)
Job Hunting - Questions to Ask in an Interview (The Responsible One)
Life Skills - First-Time Flying Tips (The Sudden Adult)
Life Skills - How to Ask a Good Question (The Responsible One)
Life Skills - Reasons to Take a Foreign Language (The Responsible One)
Life Skills - Opening a Bar Tab (The Sudden Adult)
Relationships - Long Distance Relationships: How to Stay in Contact (The Responsible One)
Adult Cheat Sheet:
what to do if your pet gets lost
removing stains from your carpet
how to know if you’re eligible for food stamps
throwing a dinner party
i’m pregnant, now what?
first aid tools to keep in your house
how to keep a clean kitchen
learning how to become independent from your parents
job interview tips
opening your first bank account
what to do if you lose your wallet
tips for cheap furniture
easy ways to cut your spending
selecting the right tires for your car
taking out your first loan
picking out the right credit card
how to get out of parking tickets
how to fix a leaky faucet
get all of your news in one place
getting rid of mice & rats in your house
when to go to the e.r.
buying your first home
how to buy your first stocks
guide to brewing coffee
first apartment essentials checklist
coping with a job you hate
30 books to read before you’re 30
what’s the deal with retirement?
difference between insurances
Once you’ve looked over all those cool links, I have some general advice for you on how you can have some sort of support system going for you:
Reasons to move out of home
You may decide to leave home for many different reasons, including:
wishing to live independently
location difficulties – for example, the need to move closer to university
conflict with your parents
being asked to leave by your parents.
Issues to consider when moving out of home
It’s common to be a little unsure when you make a decision like leaving home. You may choose to move, but find that you face problems you didn’t anticipate, such as:
Unreadiness – you may find you are not quite ready to handle all the responsibilities.
Money worries – bills including rent, utilities like gas and electricity and the cost of groceries may catch you by surprise, especially if you are used to your parents providing for everything. Debt may become an issue.
Flatmate problems – issues such as paying bills on time, sharing housework equally, friends who never pay board, but stay anyway, and lifestyle incompatibilities (such as a non-drug-user flatting with a drug user) may result in hostilities and arguments.
Your parents may be worried
Think about how your parents may be feeling and talk with them if they are worried about you. Most parents want their children to be happy and independent, but they might be concerned about a lot of different things. For example:
They may worry that you are not ready.
They may be sad because they will miss you.
They may think you shouldn’t leave home until you are married or have bought a house.
They may be concerned about the people you have chosen to live with.
Reassure your parents that you will keep in touch and visit regularly. Try to leave on a positive note. Hopefully, they are happy about your plans and support your decision.
Tips for a successful move
Tips include:
Don’t make a rash decision – consider the situation carefully. Are you ready to live independently? Do you make enough money to support yourself? Are you moving out for the right reasons?
Draw up a realistic budget – don’t forget to include ‘hidden’ expenses such as the property’s security deposit or bond (usually four weeks’ rent), connection fees for utilities, and home and contents insurance.
Communicate – avoid misunderstandings, hostilities and arguments by talking openly and respectfully about your concerns with flatmates and parents. Make sure you’re open to their point of view too – getting along is a two-way street.
Keep in touch – talk to your parents about regular home visits: for example, having Sunday night dinner together every week.
Work out acceptable behaviour – if your parents don’t like your flatmate(s), find out why. It is usually the behaviour rather than the person that causes offence (for example, swearing or smoking). Out of respect for your parents, ask your flatmate(s) to be on their best behaviour when your parents visit and do the same for them.
Ask for help – if things are becoming difficult, don’t be too proud to ask your parents for help. They have a lot of life experience.
If your family home does not provide support
Not everyone who leaves home can return home or ask their parents for help in times of trouble. If you have been thrown out of home or left home to escape abuse or conflict, you may be too young or unprepared to cope.
If you are a fostered child, you will have to leave the state-care system when you turn 18, but you may not be ready to make the sudden transition to independence.
If you need support, help is available from a range of community and government organisations. Assistance includes emergency accommodation and food vouchers. If you can’t call your parents or foster parents, call one of the associations below for information, advice and assistance.
Where to get help
Your doctor
Kids Helpline Tel. 1800 55 1800
Lifeline Tel. 13 11 44
Home Ground Services Tel. 1800 048 325
Relationships Australia Tel. 1300 364 277
Centrelink Crisis or Special Help Tel. 13 28 50
Tenants Union of Victoria Tel. (03) 9416 2577
Things to remember
Try to solve any problems before you leave home. Don’t leave because of a fight or other family difficulty if you can possibly avoid it.
Draw up a realistic budget that includes ‘hidden’ expenses, such as bond, connection fees for utilities, and home and contents insurance.
Remember that you can get help from a range of community and government organizations.
(source)
Keep me updated? xx
They tied a ball to a cat’s tail for reference when animating Toothless
I’ve cracked the code.
(x)
Nightmares, dreams or rêveries • Gustave Doré (1832-1883)
A Visit to the Grand Admiral (Leviathan x Gn!MC)
Genre: Fluff, Levi is sad but MC is there for him
Pairing: Gn!MC/Reader x Leviathan
Summary: Lucifer entrusts you to bring Levi's forgotten lunch to the Hell's Navy's headquarters.
Warnings: N/A
A/N: Yes, yes, I'm a big, BIG lover of anything related to Grand Admiral! Levi... To the surprise of no one, as a fellow Leviastan. Yet I figured that, while we headcanon him as the confident type whenever he wears his uniform... what if instead, his admiral facade suddenly crumbled at the sight of MC, when he least expects a visit from them?
___________________________________________
Despite how long you had started living in the Devildom, there was one thing you had yet to see from the third eldest of the brothers. Something he had so desperately hidden up until that point, that you were wondering how he had managed to slip away from the house anytime his "other self" (as you named it) was required somewhere, without letting you see him at least once. For some reason, you always missed his departures whenever he had to replace his usual long jacket and black sweatpants, for a dark blue, heavily decorated military uniform. Almost as if... he was meticulously making sure that you would never see this side of him, ever.
That side being... Leviathan, the official Grand Admiral of Hell's Navy.
Lucifer had come to your room early one morning, handing you a wrapped up box in a paper bag that contained different kinds of Devildom food. "You are planning on accompanying Beelzebub to his fangol practice later, correct? If you could pass by the Navy's Headquarters and deliver this to Levi on your way there...".
Such a simple request from the eldest that you had immediately accepted on the spot, not realizing right away that it would be your first time seeing Levi in a completely different environment, than the one his otaku lair.
His presence at the headquarters was relatively rare: about once or twice every month, since the naval army only had to deal with the usual sea pirates and raging monsters of the many Hell's seas. And with Levi being a master at turning invisible to anyone's eyes whenever he wanted, it was no surprise that you had missed every single time he'd stepped out of the house while wearing his uniform.
As you walked beside Beel in the Devildom streets, the paper bag swinging off your hand beside you, you asked the giant how come you had never seen the third born in his military attire in the past.
"Hmm, I guess it's because he's shy. Him being the Grand Admiral is something completely different from being a shut-in. Even if he is powerful enough to command tons of other demons and be recognized by them as a superior, I guess he's still scared of showing this side of him to you. For whatever reason."
Beel made sure to add that, despite your impromptu visit to him today, Levi would surely be glad to see you. 'Maybe he'll be surprised at first, but don't let that get to you', he smiled in a way to reassure you. After hearing those words, you were growing impatient and excited, your grasp on the paper bag tightening even more once the old fortress that served as the Navy's HQ finally came into view.
The demons guarding the entrance opposed no problem to letting you enter, having recognized Beel even before he had even opened his mouth. You quickly explained your reason for visiting their admiral, and after exchanging a look between each other, the demons nodded and opened the giant wooden doors to let you in. You were expecting Beel to follow behind you as you took the first steps inside, but he only shook his head with a smile. "You'll be fine, MC. Levi's soldiers know who you are, and what you mean to him. They won't do anything to you. And I'm sure Levi will prefer it if it's just you visiting him, so I'll wait for you here."
Although a bit reluctant to not have the reassuring presence of the demon beside you, you trusted him and his judgement. You let one of the soldiers accompany you within the fortress after waving a small goodbye to Beelzebub, keeping a slow pace behind him, and watching as he guided you through the different halls and up the many staircases leading to the Grand Admiral's office. It wasn't until you had climbed up several floors, that the soldier stopped rather abruptly next to a dark wooden door, attached to the cobblestone walls with golden hinges.
"We have arrived at the Grand Admiral's personal quarters, Mx. MC" The demon bowed his head to you as he stood beside the door, his back straight and the trident in his hand standing tall. "Shall I knock on your behalf?"
"N-No, that's alright." You shook a hand in front of you to decline his offer. "I'll, hm, do it myself. If that's okay with you...?"
You stood awkwardly in front of the demon, fingers wrapping around the lunch bag nervously. His eyes shifted between what you were holding and your face, almost as if he was judging you.
"Very well." He let out with a stern expression and a single arched eyebrow. "The Grand Admiral will let you know if you are allowed to enter. If you'll now excuse me."
On these words, the demon bowed once more in front of you, before marching past and walking back in the direction where you had come from. As his figure disappeared behind a corner, and now that you were alone in this silent corridor... you suddenly felt tense.
Turning around to face the Admiral's door, you grabbed the lunch bag between both of your hands, the paper slightly crinkling under your grasp. You were surprised by how loud you swallowed the saliva down your throat, and how shaky your whole body had become in the matter of just a couple seconds. Was the excitement finally getting to you? Was it even excitement you were feeling right now, with your feet firmly planted in front of the door and staring into nothing? Or was it apprehension about how different Levi could be in this environment? You couldn't stop wondering how he'd even react to seeing you at his workplace, and completely unannounced too.
With shy knocks, and a heart beating like a thousand hammers within your chest, you announced your presence behind the large wooden door. A ratherly loud voice came from the other side, commanding a single "come in", which you immediately recognized as Levi's, but with a much more commanding tone than you were used to hear coming from him. It instantly made you blink in surprise, as you'd expect any Grand Admiral to ask for the identity of anyone who'd ask to enter their quarters, but quickly brushed it off as you noticed your hand shaking as it hovered above the handle.
Why were you suddenly turning into a timid human, when the person behind the door was none other than Levi, a demon you had known for so long, and your best friend? There was no reason for you to feel apprehensive about him seeing you there, and yet, this stupid heart of yours wouldn't stop beating like crazy.
As you closed your eyes shut and deeply sighed in order to calm yourself down, you let a smile appear on your lips, and turned the handle of the door, before taking your first step inside the admiral's office.
You almost couldn't pay proper attention to the way the room was decorated, with so many props, paintings and banners attached to the stone walls around you. Several rows of trophies adorned the shelves of a glass display on your right side, while a library filled to the brim with old books, brown scrolls and parchments occupied your left. The room was big, almost as big as Lucifer's office back at home, with a round table in its center and two velvety chairs facing each other on each side of it. Probably used for the many meetings that Levi had to host with other admirals in the past.
And speaking of the demon... upon locking your eyes on the far back of the room, there he was. Seated behind a large wooden desk, clothed almost exactly how you had imagined his outfit to be: his jacket buttoned up to his throat, with several medals adorning the left side of his chest, and a military cap resting on top of his head, stuck between both his horns. Despite the distance from which you were standing, this outfit immediately left you awestruck.
Even with the presence of a large window behind him, where the usual light of the Devildom's moon was in full view, you were still able to properly see within the room thanks to the many candles attached to the walls around you.
"Is it about the lost crates again?" Levi's piercing orange eyes were slightly glowing under the darkness of his military cap, the oculars going from left to right as they followed the tip of his quill upon the paper he was filling.
With an annoyed sigh, he placed the feather back onto the table, and you swore you could have seen his canines show for a split second within his mouth. "I swear, if you tell me they lost even more ammunition, I'll-"
His eyes finally rose to stop on you. Almost instantly, a squeal, absolutely not befitting of a man of his current status, escaped the confines of his body upon seeing the identity of the person who had entered his quarters. You backed away with a startled expression, your eyes almost as wide as his and your heart suddenly going twice as fast as it was a few seconds ago.
"M-M-MC??!" Levi's body immediately shot out of his seat at the sight of you, his legs hitting his chair and nearly making him lose his balance in the process. He grabbed the edge of his hardwood desk in the nick of time before falling on the ground, staring at you with the most flushed face you had seen yet. His wide open eyes and his agape mouth let you know that he TRULY didn't expect your presence there.
"W-What? What's going on?" You asked, a bit alerted at such a reaction from him, despite your best at trying to keep your composure. It was almost like he had seen a ghost!
"H-Huh?! Me?! You're asking ME what's going on!?" Levi asked, bewildered, his eyebrows raised up high on his forehead. "W-What are you doing here?!"
"I..." You tried to find your words, attempting to crack a smile despite him staring so intently at you. You raised your hand to show the paper bag you were holding. "You forgot your lunch...?"
If Levi's mouth was already open large enough for a fly to enter, now an entire bird could easily pass and he wouldn't even notice. He stayed there for a few seconds, silent and red in the face, before slumping back into his chair and bringing both his hands over his face as he curled up on himself. "Y-You aren't supposed to be here!! At least not without telling me in advance...!"
The sight could have made you laugh, if it weren't for the fact that... it was Levi, and seeing him flustered shouldn't be surprising. Yet, he was supposed to be a highly-decorated military expert, with what you can imagine many hundreds of victories. And here he was, desperately trying to hide his blush and contain his flustered whimpers from the human living at his house.
You had to stop standing there without doing anything, or you would surely end up laughing, and embarrass the poor demon even more.
"Sorry." You allowed yourself to step further into the room, making your way towards the desk. As you stopped in front of his huddled form on his chair, Levi let an eye poke from between his fingers. "I was going with Beel to his practice today, and Lucifer asked me to bring your lunch on the way. I thought not telling you would maybe surprise you. In a good way, that is."
"I-I mean..." He muttered against his palms, his eye suddenly avoiding your gaze. The red of his cheeks could still partially be seen despite his attempt to hide it. "I'm not m-mad, but..."
Levi straightened up in his chair and turned back towards his desk, placing his elbows on the hardwood and his hands back on his face. "I didn't think you'd actually show up like that..."
"... Surprise?" You chuckled, before placing the lunch bag next to him. Your eyes wandered around the room. "It's a really nice office you have. You must get a lot of work done here, huh?"
Too busy with looking at his decoration and furniture, you couldn't notice Levi partially opening his hand to glance at you. "Y-Yeah. I don't have any distraction here so it allows me to focus and... "
His renewed silence caused you to bring back your focus onto him, and his hand quickly closed back, causing you to miss him staring at you. For some reason, Levi really seemed more flustered by your presence than usual, and you weren't sure what was the cause.
"Hm, Levi... Am I unwanted here, while you're at work?" You decided to ask, rather bluntly, but as much as you feared the answer to be a positive one, you also didn't want to bother Levi in a place where his family probably didn't see him very often. Maybe he actually felt quite comfortable here on his own, and you were bringing him anxiety just by standing in his office?
Your worries were immediately erased upon seeing his hands go from hiding his face, to grabbing yours in a rush.
"W-What?! No, no!! You're not unwanted and never will!" You felt him squeeze your hands as his brow began to lower, as if he suddenly felt ashamed to have caused you to imagine such a thing. "I-I, I just... Sorry, I didn't mean to react like that. I'm happy you're here, MC, really... I'm always happy to see you, anywhere. You know it."
As his cheeks burned with a deep crimson, you slid a hand out of his grasp to rest it on his arm, your palm gently brushing it over the sleeve of his jacket. "But there's a reason why you don't want me to see you as "Grand Admiral Leviathan", right?"
Levi opens his mouth to say something, yet no words come out of it. He looks at you with a defeated expression, which lets you know you've hit the nail on the head.
"I'm not mad, Levi. If there's a reason why you've been avoiding me seeing you like this, then I'm sorry I didn't warn you of my visit beforehand." His half-lidded eyes fall upon your hand resting on his arm, as you continue. "But I guess there's a part of me that would like to know, why I've never had the chance to see you off anytime you had to leave to take care of your admiral duties."
Levi's mouth turns into a straight line, eyebrows pinching hard against each other on his forehead. You can easily see he's debating whether or not to tell you the reason he's kept for himself for so long now, even more so when he grabs the hand that's holding him and begins twiddling with your own fingers. You notice a pout birthing upon his lips.
"It's gonna sound dumb..."
"I'm sure it won't." You reply, your tone as soft and understanding as you can.
"But it really is dumb." He moves your fingers around gently, without any real purpose. "You've always been used to see me as the shut-in that I really am, always locked up in his room and babbling about anime and games and this kind of stuff. But when I have to wear my uniform, I have to set all that aside and be extremely serious about my duties. That's not the "me" you're used to see everyday. So I thought that..."
He stops moving your fingers, instead settling it in the warmth of his palm as his head lowers even more, in the hopes you wouldn't be able to see his face anymore thanks to the visor of his cap. "If you were to see that I can be something else than just a typical otaku... That I can actually shut up and be responsible for once, and that I can act as a "real" demon... Maybe you'd prefer Leviathan, the official Grand Admiral of Hell's Navy, rather than Levi, the official recluse of the House of Lamentation."
You watch as his fingers hesitantly close upon the back of your hand, his head now so low it'd look like he was bowing to you in his seat. The silence grew within the room, making the already tense atmosphere you had felt upon entering turn heavier by the second.
"Levi." Your voice in his ears, combined with the feeling of his cap being pulled off his head, made the demon blink. Just as he looks up to meet your eyes, he barely has time to see yours close, your body leaning in to place a kiss onto his indigo hair.
"Never in a million years would I expect you to stop being you." You place the hand that's not holding his cap on his shoulder, as you lean back to look at him. "You are both the Grand Admiral, and my favorite otaku. And no matter what clothes you wear, or whether you act like yourself or like a leader, I'll always regard you as only one person. Because you can be both an otaku, and an admiral at the same time. That's what makes you you, Leviathan."
You offer a small smile to the demon, before gently placing back his cap between his horns. "They're both the real you. Why would I want to choose one or the other, when I'm sure they're both as great and awesome to have around?"
"MC..." Levi says weakly, his lips trembling as he desperately tries to fight back tears.
Before you can react, the demon shakes his head, as well as his emotions away, before slightly opening his arms in an invitation to receive a hug from you. You happily oblige, stepping closer to him, and as your arms close around his shoulders, and his around your waist, a sigh escapes him.
"I'm sorry for doubting you. I didn't mean to." You feel him bury his face further against your collarbone.
"No harm done, Levi. Your worries were understandable." Your hand goes to rub circles on his back. "But you know I'll never prefer one side of you over the other. Never did, and never will. I'll always be proud of you regardless."
"T-Thank you, MC. I'm... r-really happy to hear that." After making sure that no tears had been accidently shed, Levi squeezes you in his arms one more time, before eventually pulling away. "Sorry, guess I kinda screwed up your first visit here, huh?"
"Oh, not at all. It's quite the exclusive sight you gave me, getting to see the Grand Admiral blush so hard because his human came without notice." You say with a delighted smile, before passing your thumb under his eye despite the absence of any tears. "You know, it almost looks like I'm a spouse bringing their husband lunch."
"S-Stop!!" The deep red from earlier reappears all over his face in a flash, the color even reaching his ears this time. Levi shuts his eyes close before hiding them under his hands again. "I-I- can't believe you'd just-- you can't say something like that out of nowhere!!"
You let out a chuckle, before gently pulling his hands out of the way so you can kiss his forehead. "Sorry, you're too easy to tease. Hey, I have to go now. Beel's still waiting for me. But I'll see you at home tonight, okay?"
Levi huffs, his eyes dropping to stare at his knees. "Y-Yeah. I'll call a guard to bring you back at the entrance. I'd accompany you myself, but, I'm already late on filling those papers..."
"Lots of work, hm? Try to take it easy for me, then." You push the lunch bag a bit more in front of him, before walking back to the front of the desk. Before you could take any more steps away from him, Levi calls for you, causing you to turn around and witness the shy little mess he had become.
"Y-You saw I have a lot of work to do, and I'll probably have to come back here tomorrow too, so... D-Do you think you could-- huh-" he twiddles with his fingers on top of the desk. "M-Maybe you could bring my lunch tomorrow, too... ?"
A feeling of satisfaction and content washes over you upon hearing his request. You beam at him in response. "I'd love to, Levi. Same time tomorrow, would that be good?"
"Y-Yes! Please, thank you!" The demon stutters, barely able to hide his own joy as he shows you a little smile. "Thank you for visiting today, MC. I-I'll see you at home!"
The nod you gave him was full of vigor, and it only made his smile grow even more. You eventually turned your back to him to walk towards the door, waving him a little goodbye which he returned with a wave of his own, and exited the room.
Before you knew it, a guard came to fetch you in the corridor, and promptly escorted you back to the entrance gates of the fortress. You greeted Beel upon returning to him, the giant thanking the soldiers to have brought back safely. You gave your thanks as well, before walking away beside the sixth-born to accompany him to his destination.
"So? Was Levi happy to see you?" His purple eyes scanned your face for any sign that your meeting with Levi had gone well. He instantly noticed you turning to him with a certain glow in your eyes.
"Yup! Actually, before I forget, maybe I could accompany you to your training tomorrow... "
From his window, located in the highest floors of the Hell's Navy's headquarters, Levi watches you depart alongside his little brother. He does not stop looking until the two of you are small dots on the horizon, and when you finally disappear from his view, his clutch on the cap resting on his knees tightens a little more.
"I shouldn't doubt them like that." He says to himself, before turning his chair back to face his desk. "They care for me. They do."
His eyes trail back to the paper bag sitting in front of him. He grabs it between his hands, and inspects the contents inside. It is indeed the lunch box he had made himself, and forgotten on the kitchen counter before leaving this morning. Although, as he inspected further, it seemed like... someone had dropped a small paper inside?
Upon pulling the lunch box out of the bag, the piece of paper fluttered around in the air, before gently landing onto the surface of the desk. As Levi picked it between his gloved fingers, he instantly felt his heart squeeze upon laying his eyes on it. It was a note in your handwriting, he recognized, wishing him a good lunch, along with a smiling doodle of yourself saying "Keep doing your best, super admiral Levi".
If the demon still felt remnants of his shyness linger deep within him, it was now even more powerful than before. Pressing the note against his chest, and internally thanking you again and again for being way too adorable, Levi was already visualizing how tomorrow's visit would go. Perhaps, with a little luck, he could actually ask you to prepare his lunch before bringing it to him, too...
Yes, MC. For you, I'll always do my best. I promise.
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