#<-- slew of tags because i want people to see this
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timedyne · 1 year ago
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yuzu and citra are dead because the yuzu/citra devs shot themselves in the foot. they continually POSTED footage and updates pertaining to games THAT WEREN'T OUT YET, which gave nintendo actual foothold to take them down for encouraging piracy. this is recorded directly in the legal documents for the case. they also (apparently, this is according to my friend who is more active in the emulation scene than i and i don't know of any recorded proof so take it with a grain of salt) straight up shared links to piracy sites in their discord which is an obvious no-no for any emulator???? and people straight up going on nintendo's OFFICIAL SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS saying "fuck you i'm just going to emulate [insert game here] using yuzu" which is. well. loose lips sink ships.
fuck nintendo and all that, but this is almost entirely on the backs of the devs for being stupid. to any aspiring emulator devs out there: don't post about anything relating to piracy ever, especially don't post about the games THAT YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO HAVE ACCESS TO YET, and wait a while before saying a brand new game is playable on your emulator.
also: they settled out of court. no judge saw the case. this isn't setting any sort of legal precedent. all of your other favorite emulators are fine for now as long as they don't make the same stupid mistakes yuzu was making.
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rosalietodd013 · 2 months ago
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Tbh I wanna agree with you (and in an ideal world maybe I would) but… it’s brutal out here for writers. They already don’t get constructive feedback or reblogs, and get treated like shit by entitled readers who think they owe them free stories.
It honestly doesn’t take it out of any of us to just scroll past a story we don’t like—it certainly doesn’t for me. But for a writer, even one interested eye would make their day.
It’s valid to be upset about these things but we gotta be real—the fanfiction scene sort of sucks and it’s only getting worse. These people pour their hearts out and churn out quality content for free. The algorithm works against them. Their own audience and fandom works against them. A lot of people give up on writing or get depressed when work they spent weeks on barely gets a comment. Or gets a slew of likes.
The least we can do is acknowledge the hustle. It’s not like it’s harming anyone to see an OC story on their timeline. Just because some writers don’t care about engagement doesn’t mean the vast majority don’t as well. They care a lot. This is just a small thing people can tolerate so a writer can actually get their story out there to the masses. It isn’t “views”. It’s someone wanting to get their art acknowledged. I’m sure many writers on here relate to that.
As a writer, I’m want to agree with you. I see the same thing with my writings. But the same way readers aren’t entitled to the stories, writers aren’t entitled to responses. I understand how frustrating it is when things like that happen. That doesn’t give anyone the right to force their unrelated story on me just so I know they wrote it. That’s not something I’m looking for or want to see.
The reason tags exist is to make it easier for people to find what it is they are looking for. Some of these writers are also throwing tags on for content and fandoms the story isn’t even about. I see it so much and it honestly makes me respect the writer even less. As someone who suffers from depression and anxiety, sometimes that recognition is what makes my day, but for me it’s just about expressing myself through my writing. If people don’t like it or don’t want to respond or share, that’s perfectly fine. It’s better than seeing comments about how I messed this or that up because I put on the wrong tags so people have a reason to come at me.
The same thing happens with published authors who do it and make money. Their content isn’t always well received by their community either. It still gives no one the right to mislead an audience.
I’m not in any way saying this to be mean or come after anyone specifically. I’m just voicing my own frustration with how people do things on here. It’s frustrating, it’s not fair and it genuinely sucks but respect for things like this goes a long way. At least for me.
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anexperimentallife · 1 year ago
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EDIT: CRISIS AVERTED, THANK YOU!
Interracial US family w/ disabled autistic dad and toddler needs to get to the US for medical treatment
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(New post because the old one was getting LONG with the updates. Details are under the "read more" to save your dash, with updates in the notes.)
TL;DR: If I'm going to live long enough to watch our daughter grow up, we need to get back to the US and get set up in a disability-friendly place where I can use my medical benefits.
Although I was already disabled (autism, adhd, and spine, joint, and head injuries), my health was stable--until four bouts of COVID left me immunocompromised, and utterly destroyed my health (including damage to my heart, blood clots that damaged one eye, neurological and joint issues, etc.), and although we started off fine, we've been hammered with one crisis after another, both medical and financial, that no one could have predicted.
Until we have enough to get back to the US, a chunk of whatever comes in has to go towards medical care that can't be put off, so the sooner we can reach critical mass on that, the better.
If you can help, or reblog, or share the links on other platforms, we'd be grateful!
The "Donate to Little or None" Paypal donation link takes the lowest fees, I think. (Kept the same link from when we were fighting to get our daughter's birth certificate fixed so we could get her citizenship affirmed.)
Then there's Ko-Fi:
And my little sister started a GoFundMe for us!
EDIT: The donation links above still work, but I removed the GoFundMe link.
IF YOU WANT ALL THE DETAILS SEE THE "READ MORE."
(There's more in my "rob gets medical" tag if you want a blow by blow account of how we got to this point over the past few years, but this is the gist.)
HOW IT STARTED:
I moved to the Philippines six years ago, after the deaths of my adult sons, in part to make my disability payments stretch further. Shortly afterwards, I was joined by my now-wife @thesurestthing (also from the US) for what was supposed to be a visit, but which turned into a permanent arrangement.
After I got a contract to license an old story for a mobile game (which tripled our income*), we found out we were having a baby, which was fine, because despite my disabilities (autism, adhd, two spine injuries, traumatic brain injury, a herniated esophagus, joint issues, etc.), my health was stable, and thanks to the contract, we were fine financially as well.
HOW IT STARTED GOING DOWNHILL:
Zoey's pregnancy was complicated, requiring two hospitalizations, and our daughter's birth was complicated, too--requiring a C-Section--which tripled our hospital bill. A few weeks after our daughter was born, the aforementioned contract was canceled without warning. THEN, when we tried to register our daughter's birth with the US embassy, we discovered an error on her birth certificate that left her stateless, and which took nearly two years, all our savings, and a fundraiser (thank you, generous people!) to resolve. Combined with medical expenses, that left us in a lot of debt.
A brief summary of went else wrong (leaving a lot out for brevity's sake):
I got COVID three four times during all this, became immunocompromised, and developed a slew of other medical issues (heart damage, eye damage and temporary facial paralysis from blood clots, persistent infections, a worsening of my joint issues, neurological issues, etc.) as a result of Long Covid.
I've had to be hospitalized a couple of times, undergo surgery, and was on an oxygen machine twice--once for an entire month, while I was bedridden. As of 24 January, 2024, I'm still recovering from my fourth bout of covid, which started at the beginning of October 2023.
There's a lot more, but you get the idea. COVID has completely wrecked my health, including tearing up my immune system.
And yes, I'm as fully vaxxed against COVID as one can be in the Philippines, with all available boosters, but again--I'm immunocompromised, plus they don't have the vax for the newest variant here yet. Zoey is vaxxed, also, and as a result, her bout with covid was extremely mild. El isn't vaxxed yet because they won't give the covid vaccine to kids under five here, but she's been able to share Zoey's antibodies from breast-feeding--which is apparently a thing.
The only way we can see for me to stay alive long enough to watch Eleanor grow up is to get back to where I can use my Medicare and VA benefits**.
WHY SO MUCH MONEY?
First, while we're still here, we need to pay for whatever medical care can't be put off. Plus, since I'm now immunocompromised, we have to get LOTS of vaccinations before we have to spend 24 hours or so in crowded planes and airports.
Second, we're going to be arriving with only what we can carry with us on the plane, and we'll need to get into a place near a VA hospital that I can easily get around in while I'm recovering from surgeries and getting various treatments. We'll need to pick up some secondhand household goods, and some kind of used transportation (because, you know, it's the US, where you kind of need a vehicle to get around).
We'll also need enough on top of my and El's disability payments to get by for a couple of months while Zoey looks for work. And all this is while we're still paying off the debt from the stuff I mentioned above.
So we're figuring that unless we catch some very lucky breaks, it'll probably cost between 20K and 36K altogether.
(We can't simply stay with friends when we get back, because literally every single close friend we have in the US with extra room and who lives close to a VA hospital has cats--to which I have a severe anaphylactic reaction. As in my entire respiratory system shuts down, and I have to be rushed to the ER to keep from dying; this has happened more than once. The only way I can be around cats is if I'm on immunosuppressants, and my immune system is ALREADY compromised, so I CAN'T do that.)
So again, if you can kick in, or reblog, or post our crowdfunding links (or the link to this post) on whatever other platforms you use, we'd appreciate it.
(*When I told social security about it, they said I could keep getting disability, too, because licensing IP rights didn't count as work income, and since it was a Moldavian company, it also fell under a special tax clause for getting paid by a foreign company while living overseas, so no taxes on it, either. )
(**VA benefits--I was a cold warrior in 1980s Germany. It was less than forty years after WWII, there was a lot of sabre-rattling--some of it nuclear--and we were there as a deterrent to prevent in Germany the kind of thing that's happening in Ukraine right now. Disclaimer because I'm tired of people accusing me of "invading" folks in the early 1980s when I was a dumb, heavily propagandized pre-Internet kid fixing generators in Europe. I wouldn't join today even if I could.)
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a-polite-melody · 8 months ago
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Tumblr is interesting in that I can trawl through the transandrophobia tag and block everyone saying something against using the term, and then months later a whole slew of posts that should have been shown to me are there for me to block now.
Anyway, all that preamble to say it is fucking wild seeing how people say “no transandrophobia isn’t real it’s just x” in such wild and contradicting ways.
“Trans men don’t face misogyny so coming up with a word is silly. It’s just transphobia!”
“All these trans men talking about transandrophobia are missing that the thing they’re facing is just misogyny! Half the time it isn’t even related to their transness so there isn’t transphobia going on!”
Putting all of these beliefs together:
We cannot face misogyny categorically, and yet our experiences mostly fall under the category of misogyny and the transphobia is hardly an intersecting force in what we’re talking about, and yet what we face is just transphobia.
In order to not have people object to how we’re speaking on our issues, we need to stop talking altogether. Because if we talk about it the way some of them want us to it goes against the way the other group of them want us to talk about it.
And while I’m pulling two different sets of criticism together from different sources right now, it should be noted that you can sometimes find someone switching back and forth between these two types of criticism as a tactic to shut down any and all intersectional discussion on transmasc oppression.
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dtilmnh · 4 months ago
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Alright, let's be fucking for real here. The only reason that Peter gets as much hate as he does is because he's not conventionally attractive. He's ragged on constantly, belittled, made fun of, and hated on by everyone. And don't get me wrong, I hate Peter for what he did too, but the way the fandom treats Peter is not only so over the top and ridiculous, but also so hypocritical.
Like y'all are gushing over fucking Barty Crouch Jr who tortured Neville's parents to insanity, was as much a part of rebirthing Voldemort as Peter was, and was literally fucking 𝘰𝘣𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 with the racist, genocidal maniac. But no, he's just "misunderstood", don't you know he has daddy issues? And Peter? Oh, Peter's the devil in rat form.
Peter is ostracised, ignored, and bullied by the authors and the other characters in almost every fanfiction. Half of the time he's just straight up ignored, he's barely mentioned in passing, and he's excluded from the fanarts. If he's included, he's hated on or dismissed in all the fanfictions, and in fanart he's almost always in rat form curled up somewhere where he can be easily ignored and people can focus on the other, far more attractive Marauders (and non-Marauders).
Peter is just a weak, stupid, irritating person that no-one actually wants around but puts up with for... reasons. He was never a "real" Marauder anyways, he was just in the background and out of frame while the others starred. The Marauders? That's James, Sirius, Remus, Regulus, Lily, and a slew of other characters that never even show up in the books. Oh look, and there's Peter tagging along too! That's the fandom portrayal of him anyways.
This could not be further from the truth. He was their friend. Do you really see James or Sirius choosing to hang around someone whose company they don't truly enjoy? Do you really think they're the types to keep someone around out of pity? Peter was their friend, their brother, their trusted. Hell, Sirius literally trusted him more than he trusted Remus (the Wolfstar shippers won't like that, will they?).
My point is that this wouldn't be his portrayal is he 𝘸𝘢𝘴 conventionally attractive. Fans would probably take him down the "morally grey characters" pipeline, give him a tragic backstory, characterise him as someone talented, cunning, and calculating (which he was). Now, would their attempts at providing complexity to his character fall as flat as every fanon version of every Marauders character and end up completely unrecognisable and ooc? Probably, yes. But let's be honest, that's happening to him anyways.
Peter Pettigrew is an extremely hateable character, because he's a bad person. Considering the number of straight up evil characters the fandom manages to feel sympathy for, Peter's treatment is blatant hypocrisy. He's not hated for betraying James and Lily, for framing Sirius, for 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 (the twelve Muggles, Bertha Jorkins, and Cedric Diggory). He's hated for the crime of being "ugly".
Not to mention, according to fans he's weak and stupid but also somehow a master manipulator and evil since the day he was born. He entered Hogwarts with the Dark Mark already on his wrist and got close to the others for the sole purpose of betraying them later (this is an exaggeration, but you get my point).
Make Peter a complex, morally grey character, with real feelings and emotions. Give him relationships, and dreams, and goals, and motivations. Give him hobbies and interests, give him character traits, give him skills. For the love of God, Merlin, or whatever ineffable deity you pray to, can you please just give Peter Pettigrew a fucking personality, and stop excluding him from every fanfiction, fanart, or other headcanon you make.
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the-beard-of-edward-teach · 3 months ago
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I have just realized that I do, in fact, have a wip now and can participate in this for the first time! so I made this lil banner really fast (took at least an hour so idk if fast is the right word 😭)
This is the fic I just started writing for COBB 2025, which is both the first fandom event I'm participating, and is the first fic I am writing for this fandom (and the second fic ever that im writing) (even though this is my favorite fandom I've always been too scared to write anything)
big thank you to @roomwithanopenfire @thewholelemon @monbons and @fiend-for-culture for sprinting with me yesterday because without that, I wouldn't have much of a wip right now
I might be rambling too much so here's some Baz pov:
That’s nearly on par with the dragon he slew. Typical. Swing first, think never. That’s Snow. I thought he was going to murder me—going out there and fighting in just his pyjama bottoms. If I didn’t have so much practice being subtle, I’d be surprised he didn’t see me staring—prickle be damned.
you can pry em-dashes from my cold dead hands
also, the "prickle" will make sense in due time 😌 i thought it'd be best to choose a low-detail snippet that I enjoyed
okay. checklist for wip wednesdays: my goofy lil banner, check; words, check; words that the post is about, check
so i think all that's left for me to do is tag people? i'm not sure who to tag so i think i'll just tag everyone i can think of (please let me know if you don't want to be tagged in the future! i'm trying to figure out the etiquette and don't want to bother anyone)
@mecub @argumentativeantitheticalg @otherpeoplesheartachept-2 @leithillustration @carryonmybloodylovelies @ebbpettier @trinityprocessing @asocialpessimist @best--dress @pidgelikethebird @shrekgogurt @krisrix @artsyunderstudy @cosmicalart @simonscones @doll-pparts @lovelyladzzzz @iamamythologicalcreature @terra-fae @paper-beats-writers-block @prettygoododds @dragoneggos @cutestkilla @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @cattocavo @rimeswithpurple @cccloudsss @letraspal @valeffelees @sourcherryscones28 @noblecorgi @martsonmars @blackberrysummerblog @aristocratic-otter @nextblood
okay i hope i did this right 😅
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maybe-boys-do-love · 3 months ago
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What's with the discourse around whether Great Men Academy is a BL or not? Fully legitimate question for which I'd love for people to offer their perspective. I'm giving my two cents below, but they're not the end-all-be-all.
I've seen some people define BL with an emphasis on how central romance is to the plot. Since Love's wish to be lucky-in-love is the inciting incident, seems like romance is pretty central. The plot doesn't fully revolve around Love and the guy she ends up with, but ending up with the second comedic option instead of the initial romantic crush is actually a pretty established trope in romcoms (While You Were Sleeping comes to mind).
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Is it a matter of whether we're witnessing gay love? People often refer to this show as QL, and in truth, it's one of the few shows that can fully fit that bill with its gender-variation. I guess, though, I get bothered by people sorting out ql and bl for a few reasons. 1. BL is just a more established tag and search-engine term for this genre, and gatekeeping the labels has real impacts on viewership. 2. Gender-variation seems to have been a part of Thai BL since its foundations with kathoey and tom characters in shows like Love Sick, Make It Right, and SOTUS. 3. Do we need more than one pair of boys to be explictly gay for one another to make it a BL? Ignoring the fact that we've kind of got four boys who have some kind of romantic entanglements with one another in GMA, that's gonna eliminate a few well-established shows from the canon. 4. In the translation I watched, Tangmo states that he has feelings for Love because he's a boy. People are calling him bi in the tags, but that sounds much closer to a description for 'gay,' and Love I believe uses the English word 'gay' when denying him to say "he's not 'gay.'"
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As a guy who happily uses the term 'gay' to define himself (I think it's a pleasant non-sociological word that has important effiminate and campy connotations that align with my presentation and sense of self), a gay guy who dated and loved a trans-woman through and after her transition, I think it's interesting to see the kind of 'pearl-clutching' that happens around definitions when BLs decide to get complicated, especially on tumblr of all places. The words we have to define ourselves are limited. Transness throws a wrench into sexuality models, which makes beautiful exploding fireworks of what we think about ourselves. My gay identity didn't make her less of a woman because I was attracted to her. Her womanhood didn't make me less gay. At least it didn't for us, despite some heated discussions and fair fears, but you'll find your own versions of this story.
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As a guy who literally has a diagnosis of 'gender dysphoria' and started HRT before deciding transition was not for me for a slew of personal reasons (props to everyone who's thinking about, starting on, or 4lifers on that journey though!), Love's story and desires are so potent and rare to encounter in media anywhere. Trans* allegories get reserved for horror, but this show is a trans* fairytale, with a cottage, a magic wish-granting lake, and full-on duels to prove it. And its elements line up with transness in a way few stories honestly admit. Many people only start to experience gender dysphoria after the start of puberty, for example, when adult sexual traits and hormones start to kick in, aligning with the age Love’s unwanted gender-swap occurs. And there’s plenty more of the less well-known sides of trans experience tucked into the show.
The rigid lines between sexuality and gender are a lot less rigid than some would have it. There was a current in American queer discourse where it became important to delineate gay men and trans women, but some gay men might relate to women internally more than men, some might harbor real desires for womanhood that they don't live out and some might just want the diva-upped drag-version of womanhood without the everyday lived experience. Is there a kind of trans-exclusion we BL fans might perform when we try to parse out ~ t r u e ~ gays in gender-swap BLs?
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The gender-swap at its core seems to address the full-extent of patriarchal limits: the self-imposed limits on cis-men, the societally constructed limits on cis-women, the pain assumptions of heterosexuality can cause, and the aberration transition brings to the all those proceedings. From Twelfth Night to Some Like It Hot to Great Men Academy, well-done gender-swaps worm their way out of the grips of limiting categories. Is GMA a BL, yes, and its more than that, too. Two boys kiss in the sun to cap it off after saying 'Love is Love' and promising to love each other no matter the gender. If that's not enough to convince you, and the bitchy unicorn narrator didn't make it gay-enough, well, idk if you even deserve to get picked by the robot statue principal for the great men hunger games!
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Great Men Academy is not simply a BL, for me, it's one of the great BLs. Its got a singular premise and setting--few Thai shows work so hard to look vaguely filmed in Europe (check the tree types in the forest if you don't believe me). The casting and performances across the board elevate it beyond the camp it could've been, with both versions of Love played with deep sincerity, Jaylerr turning in the sweetest gay-panicked goofball in Tangmo, and Sean along with his sister/alter-ego radiating a pained cold beauty that took my breath away and got me fully fixated on Captain (Noh in Love Sick) for an evening. The dialogue is sweetly naturalistic even as the plot miraculously lands heavy-handed allegorical like when the boys literally battle against themselves. Really, it has more in common with Revolutionary Girl Utena or Ouran's High School Host Club than any of its contemporary Thai BLs, perhaps, and personally I think that's a compliment. But either way, make no mistake. These boys be loving in Thai, and along with the general consensus of both the BL-truthers and deniers, I can't recommend it enough.
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echantedtoon · 7 months ago
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Demonstober Day 19 Cupid
In classical mythology, Cupid /ˈkjuːpɪd/ (Latin: Cupīdō [kʊˈpiːdoː], meaning "passionate desire") is the god of desire, love, attraction and affection. 
Tagging: @lavenderdropp @six-eyed-samurai @trancylovecraft @shadyd3ar @cherrysuzaku
@nousija @mspurpl3
Remember if you want to be added to the spooktober taglist lemme know
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"You know I've been having some really weird things happen to me ever since my ex dumped me on Valentine's Day last year."
Your friend blinked at you from across the table as he paused mid bite in his burger. Murata blinked at you before slowly lowering said food. "Huh? How so?"
You hadn't been wrong about the weird bad luck you've been having since Valentine's Day last year. Your cheating ex-boyfriend had dumped you over text after ghosting you at the park you were supposed to meet at for a star gazing date and left you to angry cry all the way home. Luckily you hadn't been together long so it only took about two months for you to completely get over him. But ever since that day things have been rather...strange.
It started with your new neighbor. His package had mistakenly been delivered to your house so you went to go return it to him, however as you spoke something pushed you from behind and you ended up slamming painfully into him before you both landed on the floor. In front of his wife. Who went ballistic seeing a stranger on top of her husband. In the end you had a headache from where your heads slammed together, you had to pay for the china that the package contained because your combined weight crushed it, and one of your new neighbors now hate you. Great. 
You chalked it up to a gust of wind at the time before forgetting about it. However there was a slew of other things that happened to you over the next year.
Somehow the resident annoying office playboy got assigned to work with you on a project after your VERY confused boss swore he sent him an email assigning him to someone else. So you had to endure his constant flirts for two weeks. 
You were constantly bumping into people, knocking someone down, or spilling your drink on them and vise versa. Which lead to many, MANY fights, slight coffee burns, money out of your pocket paying for their drinks, and fights from their angry partners. Once you got trapped in an elevator with a pretty girl who happened to be claustrophobic and ended up vomiting from the stress all over your new coat as you attempted to calm her down.  Then there was the time you got stuck in traffic with three flat tires costing you lots of money and the tow truck driver was a creepy older man who kept asking for your number.
However what must've been the most painful blow was the call you got one day while TRYING to fix your broken pc. Your phone wouldn't stop buzzing on the table annoying until you finally got fed up and answered it with a scowl.
"WHAT?!"
"Um...Is this Y/n L/n?", a man's voice asked.
"Yeah? Who's this?" You held your phone with your shoulder as you tried to screw the back of the computer back on. 
"I matched with you on your profile. I wanted to set up a date."
You paused. "What?"
"Your profile? Your Single Me profile. I matched with you yesterday but you never responded-"
You immediately hung up on the guy and blocked him assuming it was either a scam, prank call, or he mistook you for a person with the same name. You didn't have a profile on any dating websites. However after four more calls from different people who asked when you were free for a date. A search of your phone surprised you when you found an app you DEFINITELY never downloaded and logging into said app lead you to a profile with your pictures, interests, and phone number listed.  You immediately deleted the profile and app before taking your phone to the electronics store the next day for a spyware scan. Someone must've hacked into your phone to impersonate you and made the profile but the tech guy told you there wasn't anything wrong.
You still rebooted your phone and added new privacy settings just in case.
It's been a little quiet now. You haven't had any accidents or any weird interactions with anyone else so far for about two months now. So maybe your weird luck involving stupid romcom scenarios was finally over.
"Like every other time I told you about?", you pointed out deadpanned to him.
He shrugged and just went back to eating his burger with a happy hum. "Maybe it was just a funk you were in for a while? Like how some people get burn out of writers block. Nothing's happened to you for a while now."
"I guess you're right. Nothing bad is really happening." You placed you hands down and sighed. "I just hope this isn't some divine sign my love life is going to crap though."
"Cheer up! Being single isn't bad. In fact, it's really awesome. You don't have to worry about anyone else and you have a sweet bachelorette pad!"
Despite yourself you chuckled. Leave it to Murata to make you feel better. "*Sigh* Thanks, Man. It means a lot."
"Of course. You still going to that singles event for Valentine's Day tomorrow?"
"Nah. I'm just taking the day off and eating all the discounted chocolate the day after."
"Hell yeah! Discount chocolate is the best!...Are you sure you're ok though?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"You're holding my hand."
You blinked and looked down only to raise your eyebrows. Your hand had  been by your plate. Not laid on Murata's hand. Immediately you pulled away from your friend. "I'm sorry. I must've moved it without thinking." 
He laughed and shrugged it off. "No worries. We always do that. Did you see the new ScorpionMan movie?"
Guess your weird luck wasn't over yet. 
Didn't help that Valentine's Day was tomorrow. But you had the day off so you were just going to sleep in, order take out, and just play video games all day! A perfect day for someone like you and then just buy a lot of discounted chocolate the next day. Saying goodbye to your friend, you couldn't help but feel like someone was watching you..but you shrugged it off as you walked all the way home. You didn't pay any attention to anyone as you got back to your apartment and got inside. Doing your normal night routine before going to bed and nodding off.
"Hey! Wake up!"
You snorted..but went back to sleep.
"OOOH! Come on! Wake up already!! We're already behind an hour!"
Something shoved your shoulder hard enough to turn you on your stomach. THAT woke you up with a snort and you pushed yourself up onto your arms. Blinking tired eyes as green eyes beamed at you.
"Oh finally! I was worried you'd never wake up!," a green eyed woman with long pink hair tied into braids smiled widely at you. "Do you want breakfast first?"
....you slowly blinked. 
"Oh nevermind. We can get something to go so it'll be faster! First we need to get you up and ready for the day!" Out of nowhere she produced a long paper with a list written on it. "Our first stop is a speed dating event. It'll be fast and you might get a few people's numbers! Then there's a party your coworker is hosting. I know you got the day off but if you stay for a little bit you might connect with someone you already know! And who knows where that could lead?!" She threw her arms off in a positive cheerleader pose.
She continued to babble on about something as your tired self sat up and yawned before stretching out your back and rubbing at your face. Your tired mind didn't register the fully grown woman with two fluffy white dove wings fluttering from her back for a long time as she continued to babble on and gesturing at nothing.... Before you ever slowly blinked at her. And then the reality hit your tired mind.
THERE WAS A STRANGER IN YOUR HOME!!
The reality shocked you awake staring at her before you yelled scrambling back and falling off the bed. Your actions and the thud of your body hitting the floor made her pause and watch as you shot back up to your feet in a panic and grabbing the nearest thing  to arm yourself. Which happened to be your alarm clock. You grabbed it pulling your arm back like you were gonna throw a baseball at you and pointed with your other hand.
"WHO ARE YOU AND WHY ARE YOU IN MY APARTMENT?!"
She continued to blink at you before she gasped in realization. "OH MY GOSH!! I didn't introduce myself to you! HI!!" She waved an arm at you. "I'm Cupid and I'm here to find you that perfect soulmate!"
You stared at her. "...What?!"
"Don't worry! I know I haven't been able to get but on this day my powers are off the charts! I'll be able to find you a partner in no time!"
"...Ok..Did Murata put you up to this? Seriously who are you!? If you don't leave right now I'll call the police!" 
She squeaked out dropping the list before holding up her hands. "Wait, wait, wait! Please don't panic! I'm telling you the truth I swear!"
"Yeah right!"
"Look! I'll prove it to you!" In an instant her tiny fluffy wings snapped open and flapped rapidly. Your face fell in shock as she lifted three feet off the ground, twirled once, and then floated back down. "SEE?! I'm totally just here to help!"
....Clank-
The metal clock fell out of your hand as you continued to stare before you pointed at her. "You're-..." Your hands smacked your face. "This can't be real. I must have gone nuts!"
"NOPE!! Im real and here to save your love life!! I've tried to get it right for an entire year now but nothing I tried seemed to work. But I'm sure we'll have better luck today!"
.....Wait a second.
"Wait." You scowled. "You mean YOU'RE the one responsible for all the bad luck I've been having!?"
She paused blinking at your face before guilty tapping her fingers together. "W-Well...I wouldn't call it bad luck exactly."
"Do you know what you've put me through for the last year? Because of you my neighbor hates me!" You scowled harder crossing your arms. "And I lost so much money fixing things. Not to mention all the wasted money on all the spilt food. I still have scars on my lap from coffee burns!"
"Um..Well may-maybe bumping into people wasn't the best way to go about it-"
"Especially if they're already married or got a girlfriend!" You frowned harder at her puppy dog like face. "Why? Just-...Why have you been putting me through so much? You couldn't help anyone else?"
"Oh no. I could. But I saw how heartbroken you were last year after that nasty break up and I wanted to help. I don't why I haven't been having luck though. I'm supposed to help someone find love and you don't seem to love anything no matter how hard I try."
You blinked... before sighing and reaching out to facepalm. "Well that's where you're wrong. I do love things and people."
Immediately she literally up. "So you did find someone to love!?"
"Yes. Multiple people."
"Aw.~ A poly relationship!"
"Uh...No." She blinked as you gestured to her. "Hasn't it ever occurred to you that there's other kinds of love besides romantic? I can love someone and find fulfillment in loving my friends. My family. My pet cat. I still love all of them just as much as I would someone romantically."
Her eyes widened at you. "I..Never thought of that before."
"It's not that either. I have love for other things too. I love reading and going on walks and doing my other hobbies. I love my job. I love eating at my favorite restaurant. I love things. But most of all-" You pressed a hand to your chest. "I love myself. And as long as I love myself, I'll be perfectly fine. There's so much to love than just the overrated romantic aspect of it. Don't you think?"
She stood there for a long moment thinking before nodding. "You're right. I just never thought of it that way." She frowned like a kicked puppy again. "Now I feel really bad about everything I put you through. I'm so sorry."
"Hey. It's all good. Just promise me you won't push me into anyone again."
She giggled and nodded happily. "I promise!"
"Good...Hey. While you're here, do you wanna play a video game with me?"
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4thevoid · 6 months ago
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not me creating a burner account just because the vanco antis got to me
there’s the run-of-the-mill complaint of “why do you have to romanticize and/or sexualize xyz characters who have a strong platonic bond in canon”
it’s nothing new and we know these people should just shut up, create the content they want to see, and settle with the fact that everybody will have different interpretations instead of shitting up ship tags between characters who aren’t even biologically related
but there’s a recent slew whining in shipping spaces about the use of “brother” in canon, which got me thinking about all the ways “brother” and “sister” are used IRL and in fiction to denote bonds not strictly familial in the traditional sense. you’ve got “brothers in arms,” minority men and women who use “brother” and “sister” despite being strangers, nuns and fictive witches referring to one another as “sister.” not even mentioning the history of queer censorship, it’s clear that these labels CAN and DO go beyond a bond only siblings can claim (whether blood related OR adoptive OR two people viewing each other as siblings regardless of legal status/history). they just as easily encompass group or shared identity, y’know, as two allied pioneers of an oppressed class charting a path to revolution might co-opt??? I think silco said it best: “you know what bore us through those times? loyalty. brothers and sisters back to back against whatever the world threw at us.”
these people spamming “uhh but they’re brothers” remind me of the “uhh a woman is a female” crowd. refusing to acknowledge the ambiguity of language out of spite or ignorance. meanwhile media-literate people are just rolling their eyes. to conclude: you’re not weird for liking vanco. you’re also not weird for preferring their friendship, until you start riding your moral high horse or being a nuisance over harmless things. enjoy yourselves shippers, spread the love
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valverii · 5 months ago
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Watcher/Listener Lore 101, continued: Martyn InTheLittleWood edition
so, martyn's lore surrounding the watchers and listeners is, as he describes it, his own sort of AU of the life series. it ties in with his vtuber/datastream lore (which i'm not quite as familiar with, so i won't get into too much). but basically! in martyn's lore, the lifers are trapped in this continuing cycle of death games because the watchers put them there. this is because the watchers feed on players' emotions! and while any emotions will do, as martyn explains it, intense negative emotions are 1) the easiest to provoke, and 2) the tastiest. hence, the death game in which the players are trapped and forced to kill each other and betray each other, all so the watchers can harvest their trauma.
as for the listeners' role: i THINK it's a martyn lore thing that the evolutionists were able to escape from evo with the help of the listeners. however don't quote me on this, it might just be common fanon. but basically, according to martyn, the listeners are the same "type" of being as the watchers, but they're opposed and sort of silently warring with the watchers in the background. martyn the character himself isn't even super aware of all this; he's had some conversations with the watchers before (see: his last life pov), but apparently doesn't remember them.
as for grian: he was indeed taken to be a watcher at the end of evo. however, in martyn's lore, he defected from the watchers before coming fully into his power, and now he's just as trapped as the rest of the players. iirc, grian is not aware of the listeners, but he does silently work against the watchers in his own sort of way; apparently, the way he uses his unique brand of mischief to make people laugh and be more lighthearted during the death games sorta sours the taste of all the negative emotions that the watchers want to be feeding on.
i'm certain there are elements of martyn's lore i'm forgetting, and he has a whole slew of essentially his own headcanon explanations for how certain events in the life series incorporate into his lore. for more info, i'd check the "eyesandears" tag on his blog, or if you search his vods channel you can look up his post-series lore breakdowns!
next ask will be about the last piece of the puzzle, which is about watcher fanon. however it'll probably be many hours from now because my lunch break is ending.
PART TWO OF STRIFE’S WATCHER/LISTENER LORE 101
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nadas-dirthalen · 10 months ago
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Were those just theories in the Titan/ Lyrium War post?! I need to know all the things!!
Half theories! I've seen a few codices that I've been thinking on for a long time. So here's my reason behind why I used the tags I did on that post.
This is very, very long. But it's the best collection I can cobble together of all the reasons I think these things.
Beware: HORROR OF HORMAK story spoilers at the bottom of this post!
"Mythal and Elgar'nan are both cited as mining/carving slain titans for their lyrium."
In the light of the veilfire, the runes seem to shift, coiling and uncoiling like snakes. A thunderous voice shatters the stillness, shouting: "Hail Mythal, adjudicator and savior! She has struck down the pillars of the earth and rendered their demesne unto the People! Praise her name forever!" For a moment, the scent of blood fills the air, and there is a vivid image of green vines growing and enveloping a sphere of fire. The vision grows dark. An aeon seems to pass. Then the runes crackle, as if filled with an angry energy. A new vision appears: elves collapsing caverns, sealing the Deep Roads with stone and magic. Terror, heart-pounding, ice-cold, as the last of the spells is cast. A voice whispers: "What the Evanuris in their greed could unleash would end us all. Let this place be forgotten. Let no one wake its anger. The People must rise before their false gods destroy them all."
The Titans are referred to as "the pillars of the earth" often enough that it's made it onto the Dragon Age wiki. Mythal slew at least one Titan and then gave that Titan's demesme (lands or domain) to the People (the ancient elves). The ending text of this codex makes it sound like this was later something regretted, if not by Mythal, then by the other elves of the time.
You can also see PLENTY of Mythal statues in the Deep Roads, particularly during Trespasser — curiously, with wolves always guarding the doors.
Ghilan'nain's statues feature almost as prominently in these places.
The pages of this book—memory?—describe a monument made in a single afternoon by a thousand-thousand toiling servants swarming over a lump of fallen stone as large as a collapsed mountain. By the end of the day, the stern figure of Elgar'nan stares down into a valley, carved out from the foothills of the rock. The slaves have disappeared. Light radiates from the eidolon's narrowed eyes and its open, snarling mouth. "Hail Elgar'nan, first among the gods! Mark his victory eternal!"
I take this to mean Titans/lyrium because of how widespread it is that Elgar'nan threw the sun into the earth and then brought it back out. In ancient elvhen, the words for sun (elgara) and spirit (elgar) are almost the exact same. This could mean bringing spirits (or bringing spirits against their will) into the Earth (the Titans' domain).
"It is very possible the evanuris made their own bodies out of lyrium."
This one is more theorycrafting than anything, and I'll direct you to this video where a lot of things started clicking into place for me.
But I want to add this codex to the discussion as well.
Many of these pages are filled with sketches of elven statues matching the ones found in the area, along with notes and what look like attempts to practice Qunlat: Trying to remember that old bedtime song about Mythal. My mother sang it the night before the darkspawn came for my clan. It's the last time I ever heard her voice. Ir sa tel'nal, Mythal las ma theneras. Ir san'a emma. Him solas evanuris. Da'durgen'lin, Banal malas elgara. Bellanaris, bellanaris.
Now, for the purposes of this discussion, we're going to ignore the provided translation, because we know that translation is wrong in a few spots. From my best understanding, this is as close as I can translate it.
I am [one] [not/never] [nal], Mythal grants [you/me] dreams, I [am/was] [here] [within], [Becomes/Became] Solas evanuris. Little stone [boy], Nothing [given/granted] to [the sun], Forever, forever.
Everything [in brackets] is an educated guess, the best as I can make it.
If I've gotten the translation close to right, this describes Solas, a spirit that is called to take the shape of a "little stone boy," becoming one of the Evanuris at Mythal's behest.
"They made unliving champions with no need to breathe to fight on their behalf."
A codex entry!
The pages of this book—memory?—show a narrow plateau on top of a mountain, Two armored figures—one in gold, one in black—are fighting in the snow. Steel flickers so fast the air hums. Blood dots the ground. They do not stop for breath. The one in black makes no sound as a blade parts his throat. "Mythal, in her wisdom, interceded in an argument between Elgar'nan and Falon'Din. With clever words, she convinced them to settle their grievance through a battle of their champions. Elgar'nan and Falon'Din agreed, and set their champions against each other rather than declare war among the gods. May those knights long be remembered, and Mythal's wisdom be praised."
Worth noting, this codex is titled "Duel of a Hundred Years."
These things aren't human! They bleed, but don't breathe. They never stop fighting. This duel lasts 100 years.
"Ghilan'nain's lab is fueled by lyrium that causes those awful mutations."
I don't have screencaps to pull quotes from, but it's yellow-green lyrium at the center of the part of Ghilan'nain's lab in Horror of Hormak that monsters are coming out of, and this lyrium is what's exploded to destroy the lab and all its creatures.
Honorable Mentions:
• Andruil's entire story with her trips to the Void make me think of the abyss being the deep underground (and the endless sky very deep underground), and Mythal sapping Andruil's strength and storing her memories makes me think of lyrium.
• Solas talking about Falon'din in the Temple of Mythal makes me think that amassing more worshippers may well have meant creating them from Mythal's lyrium stores.
INQUISITOR: Do you know any legends? SOLAS: It is said Falon’Din’s appetite for adulation was so great, he began wars to amass more worshippers. The blood of those who wouldn’t bow low filled lakes as wide as oceans. Mythal rallied the gods, once the shadow of Falon’Din’s hunger stretched across her own people. It was almost too late. Falon’Din only surrendered when his brethren bloodied him in his own temple. INQUISITOR: Did ancient elves believe all their gods so terrifying? SOLAS: Yes. I believe they did.
SO YEAH!! Lyrium war! Lyrium war, I say!!! It's on my Veilguard bingo card for sure—either as an explanation of what came before, something that will begin in Veilguard, or both.
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anincompletelist · 1 year ago
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[ vol i | vol ii | vol iii | vol iv | vol v ]
firstprince fic recs: hurt/comfort edition! :D
some of these have more angst than others before the comfort, so please be sure to check the tags! but I tried to choose some of my personal favorites that I always return to when I need something comforting to read <3
as always, please remember to leave kudos and a comment if you enjoyed the fic or show support in other ways, and be kind! mind the tags and if you come across something you dislike, please kindly (and quietly) move on.
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talk me down | seafloor | G | 2k
It never gets easier, but with Alex, it’s less exhausting. [Henry gets triggered, and Alex is there for him.]
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Mr. Body Pillow | @inexplicablymine | T+ | 21k
Two boys cuddling on a couch right on top of each other because they are in fact very gay™. Inviting over a complete stranger for cuddles because you are touch starved might be the worst idea Henry has ever had, or the best.
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the clementine thing | @saintlynomenclature | T+ | 6k
And, really, it doesn’t matter whether or not Alex explains it to Liam and the rest of his friends. They’ve never really discussed it between themselves through the years. Slowly, Alex had gone from asking Would you please peel this for me? to Please? to silently extending the citrus without any comment at all, just a soft smile. It’s one of the things that make them Alex-and-Henry; the silent conversations and the contentment in each other’s company. Now, as Alex starts to flourish through his position on the lacrosse team, his slew of AP classes, and his role in student government, getting him to slow down at all is a feat. The only way that Henry can do it, guaranteed, is by one of those innocuous little fruits. There’s nothing Alex can’t do—surely, he could peel a fucking orange if he felt so inclined—but Henry delights in being able to do this for him. [Five times Henry shares a clementine with Alex, and one time Alex returns the favor]
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sea of endless hope | acastle | E | 85k
Henry watches Alex, the man he adores and loves so ardently, and the moment is palpable, delicate, and yet too large for even the sky to contain. He watches Alex, and in that moment, he wants to be his husband, the ache and urge of it almost unbearable. “Daddy!” Nena takes Henry’s hands, and he looks down at her, the angel who had saved him, and he smiles at her, quiet with emotion, letting her lead him into place. He would follow her, follow Alex, anywhere. (Henry, Alex, and their daughter, and the first years of coming home, forever.)
you can see it with the lights out | weathersriley | G | 3k
Alex thinks of the water. Of feeling like he might never reach the surface, might never reach Henry. But Henry is here; Alex remembers falling asleep in the glow of his presence, and beneath his shaking fingers, Henry’s chest is warm and his heart is beating steadily and Henry is here. Alex is afraid, but Henry is here.
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I ask you how you're doing (and I let you lie) | @matherines | M | 6k
The first time Henry sees it happen, he knows instantly that it is not the first time it has ever happened. They’re sitting in the living room of the brownstone, the two of them surrounded by their favorite people in the world, a night of board games long abandoned in favor of mocking the eighth season of Game of Thrones. “God, don’t you have an off switch?” June groans, laughing as she chucks a piece of popcorn in Alex’s direction while he rambles passionately about the international legal implications of the Red Wedding. Nora cackles. “Whatever you do to thank Henry for putting up with you, it’s not nearly enough. Jesus, I can’t believe he put a ring on your loud mouth.” [Or: Alex is fine. Really, he’s fine — he just wants Henry to stay, even if Alex is too much. Henry just wants his husband back.]
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Aftercare | @whimsymanaged | M | 2k
When Alex has an intense hookup without aftercare, he finds himself on his best friend Henry’s doorstep in desperate need of looking after.
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Dream a Little Dream of Me | @affectionatelyrs | T+ | 9k
They’re no longer in the garden. There’s no grass, no flowers, no fireflies. Only stars—hundreds upon hundreds of them in an otherwise vast sea of darkness, dazzling and twinkling and here. “How—” “They came here for you,” Alex says, his voice light. “It’s what you desired. So, I asked them to come and shine. Just for you.” “But won’t the world need them?” Alex shrugs and simply says, “You need them more.” [Or, Five times Alex visits Henry in his dreams during his dark days, and one time he does so in the real world (and stays)]
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Burnt Offering | justicefortheJ14magazine | G | 9k
Alex’s hair care routine is elaborate, he struggles to let Henry help him, and he learns some important things about receiving love through service. [A look at FirstPrince’s love through each love language: Acts of Service]
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I would stay forever (if you say don't go) | @coffeecatsme | T+ | 6k
The words echo in his head, unbidden. The words from another life, practically another universe, shoved inside the small walls of a gilded cage, hidden in a room in London with shuttered windows and locked doors. A boy’s voice Henry still remembers ten years later, when he doesn’t quite remember what he had for lunch the day before. A boy’s voice on a phone that understood him better than every member of his family, even an ocean, a continent, three thousand miles away. A boy’s voice that told him in no uncertain terms that it was okay if he wasn’t okay, that allowed him to pave a path until he was. To open a new shelter in New York City, Henry needs to interview a host of potential lawyers to hire. He doesn't expect one of them to be the boy that saved his life ten years ago.
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Don't Give Up Your Ghost | @nocoastposts | G | 1k
Healing is not linear.   When Henry first heard this phrase, he brushed it off as a cliche. An evergreen proverb for those who didn’t know what else to say. As his anger morphed into crippling sadness, he began to understand the sentiment. Henry never knows when the grief will become all-consuming. A perfectly fine day can shatter instantly, with no preamble or warning given. The most trivial things - a scent, a laugh, a song - can utterly and completely devour him. Learning to accept the ebb and flow was not easy. He knows that the dark days will never cease completely. He also knows that Alex will brave the storm with him, time and time again. Henry is eternally grateful for this. [Or, Henry reflects on some common platitudes of grief - then and now.]
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outta luck to spend | potentiallyunloveable | T+ | 9k
“Nora ignorin’ ya?” a voice says from beside him, and Henry startles, turns to his left, is suddenly frozen. The man who’s slid into the seat next to him, silently, without Henry noticing, is quite possibly the most beautiful man Henry’s ever seen in his life. He’s got the widest smile, sweet dimples, soft brown skin and impossibly long eyelashes. He’s wearing a fucking Stetson, and Henry feels like the wind’s been knocked out of him. Or: Henry (lost, hopeless) meets Alex (bright, hopeful), in a bar in Texas.
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thunderstruck | @wordsofhoneydew | T+ | 2k
“Alex, slow down.” Henry pulls away softly from Alex’s taut grasp. “Are you feeling alright now?” “Y-yeah, I think I’m okay.” Alex smiles back meekly at Henry’s heedful gaze. Alex feels like he has gotten way ahead of himself. “I'm just a huge astraphobic, ever since I was little. I guess I never grew out of it.” [or, Alex has a fear of thunder so Henry comforts him]
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fell apart (in the usual way) | @hypnostheory | E | 12k
By the time they’ve reached the landing, Henry is shaking his arm out of Alex’s grip. “The picture of grace under fire,” he says, the words snapping from his mouth. Alex blinks at him, before his face smooths into its professional mask. “You can’t pick a fight with the Queen’s equerry, no matter how averse you are to the concept of the monarchy.” Alex looks Henry up at down, his mouth forming a tight line. “I don’t pick fights, Your Majesty,” he says, adjusting his grip on Henry’s suitcase. Henry can’t help but laugh at the ridiculousness of that statement. “Shaan called me a few weeks ago to go over every single thing that made you miserable about the holidays. It was a very long phone call.” Henry doesn’t doubt that. “I’m going to help you avoid as many of those items as possible.” [Henry is a mess around the holidays, and he's expecting to have a tremendously horrid time without Shaan. Fortunately, Alex has plans to make his Christmas both merry and bright.]
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ocean waves | seafloor | E | 10k
Henry Fox wakes up with a toothache one morning, and has a lot of feelings about certain things for days afterwards.
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I'd hold you as the water rushes in | @saintlynomenclature | M | 11k
“—lex. Alex.” Fuck. Where had his mind gone? Alex snaps his eyes to Henry’s, forcing his attention back from where it had drifted. “I’m listening, I’m listening. What were you saying?” Anyone else would probably be offended, or would just laugh at the clearly conflicting statements that had flown thoughtlessly out of his mouth. Instead, Henry’s brow crinkles, lips downturning as he scans Alex’s face. “Are you alright? You’ve been acting strange all night.” Those blue eyes are much easier to deal with through FaceTime. Alex has to look away from them, less he caves and spills everything to Henry. He pastes a smile on, “Fantastic, Your Highness. All this bubbly is going to my head, the sugar’ll get me in the morning.” [Or, Alex drops on New Year's Eve]
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never be so polite (you forget your power) | Standinginmoonlight | M | 6k
The one where Arthur Fox leaves letters for his children.
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while you were sleeping (I fell in love) | @kill8a | M | 3k
As their relationship progresses, Alex notices that Henry’s sleeping habits start to progress as well. Notably, more naps, less insomnia, and a knack for falling asleep at any hour of the day.
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that's all for now!
hurt/comfort is one of my all time favorite tropes, so feel free to rec me some if they aren't on this list, or to reach out with ideas for other rec lists in the future! <3
-- sarah / anincompletelist xx
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geraldthellama · 2 years ago
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Bowuigi Corpse Bride AU Lore Post
So I said I would probably make this and while I thought about making this into a fanfic and making ya'll read that, I decided that I need to commit to the other three (two and a half?) Mario fanfic ideas I have. So if anyone wants to make a full blown fic or whatever with this AU, feel free (but tag me ofc because I've got to see it).
(This will not be short, just a quick warning that this is a commitment).
This AU is very loosely based off the actual movie. Instead of them being in the underworld, they're just in a haunted house that Boo lost to Bowser in a game of poker, and instead of being a corpse (as the name suggests), Luigi is just a slightly annoying boo. Him and Polterpup are the only ones that inhabit the mansion, and, with the house completely abandoned, it's probably going to stay that way.
In this world, ghosts only stay after some massive traumatic death. Problem is, Luigi has no recollection of how he died, he just knows he hit his head and a little while later awoke, a ghost that's unable to be seen, heard, and is completely alone as a newly-deceased. Aside from the yipping ghost dog at his feet (Luigi has always been afraid of both ghosts and dogs).
As a ghost, Luigi originally spawns (spawns?) into this world with little ghostly abilities. Living beings can't see or hear him and he doesn't have the power to manipulate objects or people in any way. He is essentially a specter, watching the lives of other people for years until, eventually, it's abandoned, and the Peasley family mansion (one of many, that is) is gambled away to King Boo.
But, King Boos already got his own slew of creepy haunted mansions, and, frankly, this one is haunted by a ghost he can't stand. A ghost that hasn't been able to speak to someone for around a decade. A chatty ghost that hasn't been able to speak to someone for over a decade. He's not exactly torn up about parting with it.
Bowser, the poor thing, is on attempt...
Attempt... 2 hundred... something.
(at least 4 proposals a year, for around 20 years... that's...)
Let's just say, Peach does and has not wanted Bowser for a long ass time, and it really doesn't help his self esteem that he's still being thwarted by a plumber that's old enough to be his dad and uses a cane. He really can't understand what Peach sees in him, especially considering she still looks like a youthful 20/30-something into her 60s. Frankly, it's unfair. He's got money, kids (some really awesome ones too), power, looks (he thinks so at least), and isn't 3 pudding cups away from dementia.
What he hasn't got, until right now at least, is an awesome mansion, specially built for human(oid) creatures. Maybe she just didn't like gothic castle architecture? Maybe, as Boo suggests, he just has to get her scared enough to fall into his arms for safety. He's got this all planned out.
Boo did not specify that the "ghostly inhabitants" of this mansion were a hyperactive ghost dog and naive plumber. He didn't think it was important information at the time.
So, when Bowser is plotting and practice-proposes (does he really need more practice?) to the striking blue eyes of a, surprisingly, human painting, the last thing he expects is to be met with a ghoulish grin.
Barely ghoulish, because, god, the thing is bright. The smile and the bio-(bio?)-luminescent energy it's attached to. For a ghost who's wearing bloodied bandages and has been dead for 30 lonely years, he's surprisingly optimistic.
"Really?! And you're not even a boo!" :D
He's very optimistic, in fact, because he's willing to believe that this complete stranger might just be his ticket out of this wall-papered purgatory. He died meeting up with his forbidden love, after all, so it must be a sign. He does not hesitate to shove that ring on his finger, even if his new fiance looks hesitant (he might be naive enough to go with it, but he's not blind). He's convinced the two will make it work.
Luigi is... very tired of looking at the same things everyday. Now, he can attach to his new fiance, who's only slightly hesitant to engage with him, (and is not bad looking at all, in Luigi's opinion). Together, the two can actually have a life together. Luigi was only 25 when he died, and he was far too shy then to do any adventuring. The most rebellious thing the man had ever done was sneak out.
Man, look where that ended him.
For Luigi, this is his opportunity to live the life he wasted was robbed of.
And the guys got kids! How awesome is that?
Bowser is not liking the new pets at his side. One never stops yipping and yapping and one is a dog. Luigi is... fine. From a distance. The problem is that they physically can't get any. As long as Luigi is attached to him, consider them hand cuffed. This stupid, green boo is crimping his style, and any game he had with Peach is virtually ruined when he's got his "fiance" clinging to his side like he's the best thing since breathing air.
At least Luigi appreciates his kids. The ghost obviously has some taste (of course he does, he chose him for pete's sake), and Junior and the rest seem to like the ghoul enough... Even if Junior isn't completely sure that Luigi is a ghoul. Both Luigi and Junior agree that boos are scary.
Maybe, after some hard self-reflection (with Luigi close and present, of course), and some growing emotional intimacy and openness, Bowser begins to kind of, perhaps tolerate Luigi. Just a little. Just enough to find his stupid quirks endearing and just enough to start to think that maybe he's always been too good for Peach, anyway. Maybe he should be with someone who appreciates him and loves his family. It's not like her and Mario had ever had kids in their relationship, and her not wanting kids is kind of a deal breaker.
Bowser's newfound attention on Luigi is driving everyone else nuts, though. Boos barely seen the man since his unfortunate run in with the green leach and no one else at their poker table is any good. At this rate, Boos not even satisfied winning Peasley's riches off him anymore. Occasionally, a guy just wants to lose, y'know? Boo hates only one thing more than Peasley whining about the consequences of his gambling addiction, and that's boredom. He misses when the Koopa King spent all his time plotting against the old-ass plumber. At least then he showed his face at their meetings.
And when Boo finally brings up his grievances, because he deserves to rant, Peasley seems... nervous. Boo loves nervousness.
"There's a... human boo... in the mansion I gave you..?"
"One, you didn't give it to me, you lost, fair and square. Two, yeah, and he's just about the chattiest thing I've ever met. All dressed up in a white suit, the pretentious-"
At that, Peasley turns about as pale as a ghost. Well, if that were possible, considering he's a legume. Suddenly, he's got some important things he has to do somewhere else.
This poker table is looking weak.
When Peasley asks Bowser to meet at the mansion, Bowser warns he can't come alone. It's a stretch to get the green ghost to go back with him, and as much as Bowser wants to tell him "you're coming with me, whether you like it or not", he can't bring himself to say it. Instead, he convinces Luigi that it's a quick stay. Essentially, a welfare visit on the old house and a quick meeting with an old friend. Luigi's narrowly convinced.
Stepping back onto that porch brings back a lot of old memories for the human. Few of them anything good in retrospect.
But he does want to see his painting again. He always did cherish that painting. He's sure Bowser will too, right?
Is that painting a good memory for Bowser? He wonders.
It was all those years ago that a young Peasley gifted him that painting. Like him, he had been optimistic and in love. Even if his rich, snobby parents weren't a fan of the human, they had an entire life ahead of them. Peasley had made him a beautiful painting. It was the one part of the house Luigi felt was his. A good memory.
He never expected to be greeted by the same image he had all those years ago. Peasley, now older, stood in front of the painting. His face now wasn't proud or love-struck or whatever expression he had had then (Luigi can barely remember Peasley's face until just now), he looked somber. It was a rare occasion that Luigi wasn't green, and his teal glow seemed to throw Bowser off.
And divert Peasley's attention away from the miserable painting and over to the ghost, who was nervously twiddling his thumbs with a sympathetic look in his eyes.
It's not long before Bowser realizes that this meeting was never about him, and he feels more awkward than anything else...
Except that Polterpup has been on edge since the moment he saw the bean (now) king. Has he ever seen the dog not wag it's tail at someone?
Immediately, the older man apologizes. Things were never meant to end up how they did. He tried his best to help when he could.
Luigi's not angry, how could he be? Luigi's fall was an accident.
Peasley says he didn't know Luigi had stuck around, and if he had, he thinks he would have done things differently. He would have at least had the place cleaned instead of just letting it rot.
(So Peasley abandon the mansion? The perfectly good mansion for no reason, leaving Luigi alone.)
And, of course, Peasley's sorry for not telling Mario or his parents about what happened to him.
(HUH?)
He insisted that he waited for hours with Luigi, hoping he'd recover with enough gauze. The man told him it was a lost cause. If he could have saved him, he would have.
Hours?
"I was unconscious for hours?"
It came out as barely a whisper.
"I stayed almost the entire night. As long as I could."
Bowser didn't know boos could turn so many colors, especially that quickly. Bowser didn't think Luigi even had it in him to be anything less than smiley, especially completely enraged.
Luigi had never been more angry in his life (death).
Even Peasley's insistence that "You don't understand what they'd have done to me if they'd known I went against their wishes!" fell on deaf ears.
When Luigi's aura finally finished raving, Peasley had backed away from the now red ghost. Again, Luigi recognized the position they were in;
One of them backing up, away from the painting and towards the basement stairs. How could Peasley forget that door never closed all the way? It had only been the exact thing that killed Luigi 30 years ago. The exact thing that, of course, Peasley hadn't fixed.
Luigi swears he didn't push him, even in that state. Bowser believes him, only because the still angry and unaware Luigi yelled angrily down the stairs: "You better not die here, because I'll make your death hell!"
If they both hadn't just watched Peasley fucking die, Bowser would have kinda been into it.
It took Luigi a second to realize that even if his own fall had been an unlucky hit, Peasley wasn't 25 anymore. And he wasn't responding. His red hue didn't last long, especially when Polterpup no longer seems threatened (and Bowser notices that the bean king no longer seems to be breathing).
"What did I do?"
Bowser suggests fleeing the crime scene, which normally isn't his move, but he'd rather not be tied to the murder of a fellow royal. Luigi shakes his head.
This is his fault. And as angry as he still is at Peasley, he can't flee what he's done. Not in a right conscience. Not like what Peasley did to him. Luigi suffered enough sitting in that mansion alone for 30 years, and, as much as revenge tastes sweet, a small part of him still cares. Had he lived, Peasley and him would have had a life after all.
But he hadn't lived, did he.
Bowser can't remember a time ever seeing Luigi's color look quite as dull as it did then.
Playing with his engagement ring, Luigi thinks back on the part of the man he loved. Peasley never did buy him the ring, like he had hoped. Luigi remembers getting himself all excited over the possibility of a scenic proposal as they walked through the flower garden of the mansion. He had gifted him a painting. Which was almost as good.
He couldn't even count how many times he had stood and looked at that painting, thinking:
Was it worth it?
An apprehensive smile comes onto his face. A nostalgic smile. A somber one.
Doesn't really matter, does it? He'd never know if it was worth it in the end. This was how it ended up. Luigi had always believed that fate is what had brought him and Peasley together, considering everything else had lined them up for failure. Fate was what brought him here. What kept him here.
Who is he to drag down others?
He returns Bowser's ring.
"I'm sorry."
Bowser never deserved to have him weigh him down.
"I wasted my life chasing after a family I never got, and then spent my death doing the exact same thing."
Bowser awkwardly matches Luigi's bitter laugh.
"I lived my life, be it a short one, but you deserve to live yours."
Luigi pats the ring on his hand.
"I hope she likes it." He smiles. He means it. Peach sounds wonderful.
Tears prick Bowser's eyes, and all because...
He never did tell Luigi about him and Peach, did he? He can't help but laugh. Tears streaming down his face kinda laugh. The laugh you only get once a year kind of laugh.
"You spent, what? Maybe five non-consecutive years chasing after a family? Try twenty!"
Luigi's eyebrow goes up. This is supposed to be a super emotional goodbye and this goobers laughing? On about his conquest to marry Peach (who, apparently, is already married) and make his picturesque life. Luigi can't help but laugh, because it's so stupid that Bowser's laughing about this right now.
"Her and her stupid, human, mustachioed husband Mario have been kicking my ass for decades. I promise you, boo, you weren't ever getting in the way of anything."
Mario?!
"Mario?" (!)
"You heard of him?"
The excitement in Luigi's eyes (and aura) is obvious.
"My brother's name is Mario!"
With a look of determination, Bowser promises he'll tell Luigi the story of all his and Mario's exploits if he does him two favors.
Leaves this, frankly, ugly and decrepit mansion with him. Because this story needs atmosphere.
Puts the ring back on his finger. Because how else is everybody going to know they're engaged?
Luigi gives a grin.
He looks down the stairs. What about doing his due-diligence?
"I promise you, boo, if fate brought you and Peasley together, and pushed you down those stairs, and brought us together, and then pushed him down the stairs, fate is on your side."
Luigi's lips are still pursed.
"And it's almost sunrise," Bowser points out.
"So?"
"Well, we've waited almost all night, seems like a fair amount of time to me. It's obviously a lost cause."
At that, Luigi begins laughing. Not quite Bowser's guttural, teary laugh, but certainly a cackle. Enough to turn his aura back to a vibrant green, just like before. Enough to make him hunch over and take some (not really) much needed gulps of air.
When the laughing dies down to a hurt giggle, Bowser assures him that:
"You didn't kill him, Weeg."
No. I guess he didn't, did he?
Looking down the stairs one last time, (his death completely bloodless, the lucky bastard), Luigi's brows furrow for a second and he twiddles his thumbs.
If Luigi's learned one thing from being a condemned ghost, it's that you should take every chance you get.
The bottom of the stairs don't look so intimidating now.
"I...
I forgive you."
Maybe that is all Peasley deserves.
Luigi deserves to have another chance. And maybe Peasley does too, maybe he'll find one in the next lucky winner of poker. Someones gotta replace his spot at the table.
Bowser shares that he certainly deserves a mother to his children, and he's already got a quality candidate who's proved he's got what it takes. ("One who cooks, cleans, can't call in sick, die, and is pretty good looking! I hit the jackpot!")
Maybe, at the very least, Luigi deserves to see his brother one last time.
And maybe a few more times after that, for good measure.
Anyways so the original plan was just to have either Luigi and Bowser straight up immediately abandon the crime scene (not really crime scene) or have Luigi sit in the mansion forever and live out a miserable existence.
But I couldn't do that to my boys now could I. (But Peasley still gets abandoned because screw Peasley I hate that little bean man /j).
This wasn't meant to turn out in the format it did but, y'know, it did. Just know this isn't brief but also isn't comprehensive. I might (big emphasis on might) make a shorter headcanon post on this, but we'll see.
I hope you enjoyed. And sorry for the length, I am not known and will never be known for being concise.
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lorelune · 1 year ago
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hey fellas and folks i have been meaning to write something up about this but haven't known where to start or where i'll end up. but i DO feel like it deserves addressing.
(having my joker moment joker moment)
i really love this niche. i found a home in it during a very difficult time in my life, and have found many friends and lasting irl connections from the writings shared and conversations had. this place is so incredibly, INCREDIBLY dear to me. despite going through many horrors (tm) while in this community, i continue to stay because there is a lot about it that i love.
however, in the last... i don't know, year or so? there has been such an abundance of discourse, gossip and drama both publicly and privately that has exhausted me to no end. these things have always existed, they always will, but in the past year they have felt so draining and despairing that it has made finding the same comfort and joy in this community is hard. a lot of times, impossible!
one of the things that genuinely makes me SO sad is the tags. i made most of my lasting friendships in this niche but seeing a writing in the tags that i enjoyed and dming the author and shouting together. i have found so many great writers in the tags, and i still crawl around them today looking for fic!! HOWEVER. i find it difficult, not just because of the abundance of vague smut-related comphet posts with a slew of character names underneath from unrelated fandoms (to each there own but it isn't a posting style i enjoy!) but moreso because of the INSANE number of posts by antis that get thrown into the tags. main tags, character tags, x reader tags. it is so deeply disheartening to be looking for fic to enjoy and get jump scared by a posts saying horrible things about those who enjoy dark content. respectfully if you're above the age of eighteen and looking for writing on tumblr dot gov, i HIIIIGHLYY recommend using your literacy to first read ANY article or study summary about human psychology and sexuality and why fantasy does not equal what someone actual desires! signed a sex-repulsed ace spec mf who writes and enjoys smut. hate to use myself as example, but i hate even more to see folks in the tags be puritanical and pro-censorship under the guise of progressive ideology.
i want to say that there are parties within this niche that are CONSISTENTLY at the center of drama and conflict. no matter what fandom, no matter the url changes and lurking, they are there and its the same mfs. this is a complete vague, as i'm sure the parties in involved in the targeted harassment and ensuing drama do not know who i am, nor know that i know. but i DO <3, and so do plenty of other writers in our niche who have politely blocked and left you alone. do us all a fucking favor and do the same, instead of instigating harassment and being hateful cunts.
in this vein, in my closer circle, i know that these events (especially in the last six months) have caused folks to become conspiratorial and assume bad faith. i understand this is a protective measure because folks have gone through the wringer. however it makes me so sad to see what is often folks who likely do not know any context or horrors of the community, be painted so poorly in casual conversations when most of the time, communication is made to create a connection, not to start a fight.
i find myself reflecting on WHY i have come to not feel comfortable in this community. why i don't enjoy writing the same way, why i don't feel the same security i once felt, why i get so damn nervous to post a silly thought or thirst on main, and i find myself coming back to these experiences and the subsequent fear that follows. perhaps i am a weak-hearted coward, but i find it hard to find joy when i feel surrounded by constant negativity and genuine cruelty. it is hard to want to share any of myself when i am so deeply aware that whether it is strangers or people i have become close to, what i enjoy and what i choose to express and share can be so easily twisted into something it is not.
i know it would be easier if i had a thicker skin, or felt secure enough that this didn't bother me, but part of the core problem is that this community has made me insecure. it's a loop. it is one that makes me genuinely sad, as this place once felt so much like home. i know it still can be, but it certainly won't be sitting here, starting at blank documents and text posts wondering to myself 'why can't i just put words on paper' while i have the cortisol levels of a prey animal.
i'm not sure if other folks have felt similarly, or find themselves in the same point. however if you do, or you find yourself resonating, here's to feeling seen 🥂
- papa salami (lore) 🌙
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bg-brainrot · 1 year ago
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Hugs for a Vampire (Astarion x GN!Reader) - Chapter 12: After Entering Baldur’s Gate
Chapter 12: After Entering Baldur’s Gate
Each chapter can be read as a standalone hug.
Pairing: Astarion x GN!Reader (Rogue!Tav)
Genre: Fluffy, Filling in Canon
Rating: Teen
Tags: Gender-Neutral Pronouns, POV Second Person, Act 3, Canon-typical violence, Astarion's coping mechanisms
WC: 1k words, 12/18 chapters
Summary: Set in early Act 3, the group finally arrives in the city! Astarion marvels at its sight while slipping into old habits.
Ao3 | [Hug11][Hug13] | Hugs for a Vampire Masterlist
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Finally, you’ve made it. Baldur’s Gate– it looks so beautiful in the bright, golden sunlight of the Sword Coast. Your heart swells with joy at the sights, sounds. Somehow, even the various city smells, which might have normally left your nose wrinkling in disgust, are calling you forward.
You turn toward your companions, each Baldurian, each with vastly different experiences of the city. It shows in how they enter it now. Shadowheart has a look of vague recognition on her face, as if she’s piecing together each part of the city into a map she’s not quite familiar with. Karlach’s entire face is lit up, much like when you stumbled upon the circus. You strongly suspect that if she weren’t attached to you all at the hips, she’d have run off into a crowd or tavern to just relish the feeling of being surrounded by people. As for Astarion… 
When you finally take in his expression, a lump forms in your throat. His eyes are wide, sweeping across the city in wonder. His expression is so open and vulnerable, you hesitate to break it, yet you can’t pull your gaze away from him. Of course, he notices your staring.
"Gods,” he breathes out, continuing to look around you, past you to the full expanse of the city. You might not have even registered that he was speaking to you except for his occasional glance back at you. “This is the first time in two hundred years that I've seen these streets in the sunlight. You can forget just how much color there is in the world."
The vampire may be speaking to you, but his voice is realms away, the memories of another lifetime, another man unable to hide in the blinding daylight. You’re torn, because he seems to genuinely delight in the colors of the city– however, the underlying sorrow, the wistful regret is unmistakable. For the first time since you’ve learned of Cazador’s profane ritual, you contemplate if any price is too grand to pay for this man’s happiness.
You shoo the thought away as quickly as it comes. There are other ways. There have to be other ways. Instead, you intend to pull him out of this reverie, asking him softly, “Are you alright?”
His reaction is swift, knee-jerk, “Yes, of course.” The moment passes as he adopts an annoyed tone, “ Obviously. Sorry, did you want something?” Again his defensive wall is up, a flippant attitude paving over the subtle cracks of weakness.
You try not to let it bother you, you really do. You remind yourself that a lot of this is new to him, and that which isn’t new comes with a slew of horribly familiar memories. But it still pricks at you, a dull ache blossoms in your chest as you take a shuddering breath. “No, sorry for asking.” The words come out clipped, hurt despite yourself. 
As you move to continue onward, you feel the chill of Astarion’s fingers wrapping around your wrist. His eyes are now entirely trained on you, only a smidge of annoyance left as he whispers, “Darling, you don’t constantly need to ask me if I'm alright. I'll have you know, I'm a perfectly grown adult vampire.”
Resisting the urge to turn toward him, to bury yourself in his chest and apologize– for what you’re not entirely sure– you opt instead to whisper back over your shoulder, “I know, but I can't help caring. You know that.”
He produces a small sigh, looks to see both of your companions are distracted by a nearby stall, and smoothly snakes both of his arms around you. Pressing his chest into your back, he leans in to whisper your name in an exhale. “Darling, don’t take this the wrong way, but you are utterly insufferable.”
“I don’t know how else to take that,” you state dryly, continuing to stare forward and cursing your heart for its excited palpitations.
“A term of endearment perhaps?” he questions into your hair. Holding you a bit tighter, he continues, “I… apologize for not appreciating your concern.” The word ‘apologize’ sounds like another language on his leaden tongue, but he manages through it. Much like the time he thanked you, the discomfort is palpable.
Something about it placates your heart, and you grip his arms to your stomach in a loving squeeze. “Thank you. And,” you hesitate, looking down at your linked arms, wondering how you will stand up to this man when push comes to shove. “I’m sorry for pressuring you. I know you’re perfectly capable on your own, I promise.”
He gives a laugh, an airy, happy thing. “Oh, I know, my sweet. You certainly task me with enough grueling work to remind me of that fact daily.”
You nudge him in half-hearted annoyance, but the carefree rhythm to his voice has you smiling to yourself. “If you don’t want more to do, then let go of me. I think Karlach might accidentally set the Stormshore Tabernacle ablaze if we leave her alone too long.”
Astarion releases you with a retort, “It’s made of stone, dear. How in the hells would she manage that?”
“I, for one, would not like to find out,” you say, pulling on one of Astarion’s arms as you chase after your other companions. 
With all of the practiced dexterity of a rogue, his arm slips out of your hand, only to be replaced by his hand. You’re a bit surprised, but the feel of his cool palm, his long fingers, is anything but unwelcome. As if it’s the most natural thing in the world, your love intertwines your fingers in his and walks through the city of Baldur’s Gate by your side.
Again, the thought strikes you: what wouldn’t I do for this man’s happiness? You’re left with that burning question unanswered as you catch up with Shadowheart and Karlach.
“Okay everyone, let’s head to the Elfsong. I promised Alfira we’d meet her there. And maybe we can find a few rooms to hole up in while we save the Coast.” You receive a few nods as a response, a gentle squeeze of your hand from Astarion. Your heart is heavy with the number of tasks ahead of you, with the decisions that you’ve yet to make, but hearing Karlach’s occasional happy giggle, seeing Shadowheart’s head bob this way and that, feeling the soft pressure of Astarion’s hand in yours– you’re reminded to stay steady on your path, one foot following another.
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mariacallous · 9 months ago
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After the Summer Olympics’ opening ceremony, drag artist Nicky Doll felt she was on a cloud. Her makeup had survived 45 minutes of torrential rain as she performed on a bridge over the Seine River and she’d just witnessed waacking and voguing, both dance forms with queer roots, reach a worldwide audience of billions of people.
Back in the dressing room, which was on a boat, the mood was celebratory. “We were all so proud that in 2024, we were given the platform to be,” says Doll, known for her appearance on the reality show RuPaul’s Drag Race and as the host of Drag Race France.
It wasn’t until the next day that Doll realized she was also at the center of an Olympic-sized backlash. French Catholic bishops decried the ceremony’s “derision and mockery of Christianity.” Donald Trump called the show “a disgrace.” Critics focused their anger on one scene, where Doll posed alongside other Drag Race artists, interpreting it as a parody of the Last Supper, a painting by Leonardo da Vinci and an important image in Christian iconography. Organizers denied that was the inspiration. But by then, it didn’t matter. The online mob had its momentum.
On Doll’s phone, that momentum took the form of a slew of notifications. Her name was getting tagged. Personal attacks were filing into her DMs. Then came the threats: “we know where you live,” “we have guns,” “we will cut your throat.” Other performers were getting harassed, too. A special police unit dedicated to fighting hate crimes was tasked with investigating online abuse targeted at lesbian activist DJ Barbara Butch, the Paris prosecutor's office told the Associated Press.
“As queer people, we are used to being criticized on social media,” says Doll, who is from Marseille but now lives in New York. “But when we saw they were using religion … in order to attack us, this felt like a low blow that we didn't see coming.”
Behind the messages were the usual crowd of anonymous trolls, hiding behind accounts with no names or profile pictures. But among them was also Laurence Fox, a British actor turned right-wing commentator, who has become notorious for making misogynistic and homophobic comments. On the night of the opening ceremony, amid the backlash, Fox posted a video of the catwalk scene on X, calling the cast “little pedos.” The post remains visible on the platform with a fact-check label that says: “There is no evidence that any of the people in the photograph are pedophiles.”
In response, Doll, who features in the video next to Butch, decided to sue Fox for defamation in France. “I want to sue him personally, because I want him to understand that he cannot continue to use us for his personal agenda and his words matter,” she says, “The message that he sends to his fan base matters. He's an enabler for hate and homophobia and transphobia.” Representatives for Fox and X did not reply to WIRED's requests for comment.
For Doll, the concern is that the type of rhetoric that came in response to the opening ceremony, if left to spread unchecked, could inspire offline violence. “Queer people could be literally murdered in the streets,” she says. “It’s very important that we stop allowing this kind of rhetoric to demonize queer people. We are not demons. We are not trying to attack religion and families. We are just trying to live our lives and to have representation in the media for other people who are not loved or have not even come out to feel like they are seen.”
This is not the first time Fox has been sued by someone in the drag community. In April, a British court ordered him to pay £180,000 ($200,000) to Simon Blake, incoming CEO of British LGBTQ+ campaign group Stonewall, and Crystal, another star in the Drag Race universe, after calling the pair pedophiles on X.
Doll is hoping her case can dispel the idea that online mobs have to be endured alone. “I am showing them that the law is an option they can [pursue],” she says. “The government is on their side and there are things they can do when they are being attacked.”
Doll, who received the majority of the attacks via Instagram and X, says the two platforms have not been equal in their attempts to contain the abuse. “I think that Instagram and [parent company] Meta are doing as much as they can,” she says. After reporting DMs she received through the app, the company responded to tell her those profiles had been removed.
On X, however, she feels like there are barely repercussions for people spreading abuse. “I think that Twitter is a trash can of negativity and allows so much hate,” she says, using the platform’s previous name.
Yet this is not just about abuse targeting celebrities. “What worries me is that people are going through things like this,” she says, “who do not have the power that I have.”
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