#And I want to emphasise that I do see a real difference between the way cis fans talk about Harry talking about gender

[yuri-for-businesswomen]

another crazy thing about having been a prostitute is to realise how little difference there has been in how many of my male sexual partners have treated me and how sex buyers treated me, especially since i was an escort where often you get paid to simulate dates. i even had sex buyers beg to see me again meanwhile men in real life often ghost or keep me at armlength especially when there are no romantic feelings involved.

this is why i dont want to have sex without feelings and care for each other anymore - it almost feels like im prostituted all over again, bad in a different way because i actually like the men i sleep with and want them to like and appreciate me too and consider my desires (dont get me wrong obviously prostitution is always worse than sleeping with men im actually attracted to and want to have sex with but it hurts in a different way to realise that ive often also been just a means to get off to them).

like for example, since sex buyers often pay for time instead of sex act (or both combined), they want to get the most out of their money and do the most to you in the set time - but as a prostitute you want to get it over with as soon as possible and it feels like torture. meanwhile so many heterosexual men who dont pay for sex try to reach orgasm as soon as possible and then its over, lmao. like the direct comparison between having been prostituted and having voluntary sex with men will make you feel absolutely crazy but it also made me realise why i thought i didnt even like sex for so long. because i was always treated like an object, not a person. men will do the bare minimum to keep you around for sex if they dont see you as wife material (and then they also do just little more than the bare minimum up until they reached their goal of marriage then usually start neglecting their wives as we know).

which brings home the point that we need a cultural and legal shift. as long as men treat sex as masturbation with another person, and women as objects or tools, there will always be demand for prostitution, and there will always be (privileged) women deluded into thinking „might as well get paid for it“ or even „at least now im being appreciated“, paradoxically. thats how bad heterosexual men treat women in bed.

this also emphasises that yes, #allmen, because even the men who dont buy sex contribute to the system of sexual exploitation with their behaviour. the reason ive heard men say most often why they dont buy sex is not care for women, but pride. they can convince women to get them off so why pay for it? same with porn, they dont stop watching because they care about women, but because their dick stopped working. and then of course you have a lot of sex buyers who dont even want to do the bare minimum mentioned above so they buy sex to go immediately to using a womans body with no „hassle“. the state of heterosex is fucking dire because i know im by far not the only one experiencing this.

and even before prostitution i could feel it but not really put my finger on it, now with this horrible experience and a radical aligned feminist view on things i realise and its really dark. and dont even try talking to men about their inadequacies in bed because they will act like youre the problem and an annoying nag for voicing desires.

[beannoss]

Hi Bean!

I have a question for you! I have noticed in your writings that Twilight and Yor begin a romantic relationship after their secrets are revealed. Are you opposed to any romance between them before they find out? I assume if so, it’s because it’s morally questionable, though a lot of fans find romance before compelling as it raises the stakes considerably. I’m not suggesting one is right and the other is wrong, I’m just interested in your take on this! I love your writing! Thank you! 😊

Hello you! I'm always chuffed to see your name pop up 🫶😊!

Oh boy! Thank you for this ask — it's a big question but also I do have thoughts XD Sorry it's taken me a few days to get my ducks in a row!

I want to start, though, by emphasising that my thoughts and preferences here are exclusive to Spy x Family as a canon enterprise; they don't pertain to fanworks or other fan theories, I'm not out to yuck anyone's yum ✌️ ditto for even my own writing! You're right that I don't really have an interest in exploring that dynamic but I reserve the right to change my mind ;)!

[Reference herein to manga chapters not yet animated]

Right, so. There's lots of things I love about SxF, but one of the things that interested me early and keeps me engaged is that it operates under an interesting and complex morality. Spy work and contract killing are obviously an ethical minefield, and in the real world, generally to the bad. Within the world of SxF, Endo takes pains to write Twilight and Yor both firmly on the morally right side, even if Twilight’s tactics or Yor’s actions in a vacuum are frequently questionable. With Twilight especially it seems Twilight is currently (resisting) working through the impact and ethical implication of his actions on Anya. When it comes to Yor, I expect that’s where we’ll see him wrestle with similar questions through a romance lens. I think it was quite deliberate and important that Twilight specifically articulated that he’d been wondering if Yor had previous romantic relationships, and that it was now confirmed she hadn’t. As far as I can remember, it’s the only time he’s had that sort of reflection on Yor's life before the Forgers; I mention it because it mirrors times he’s reflected explicitly on Anya’s history and trauma and her needs as a child, with implication that his actions and motivations for adopting her could/probably will hurt her. I hazard that his observation about Yor will be similarly indicative of an arc down the line.

When it comes to canon, if the Yor x Twilight romance were to firm up while Yor still believes Twilight is Loid, I admit there’s a high chance I’d nope out. I want to emphasize firm up though… I tend to think Yor already has feelings for Loid (Twilight?) whether she’s fully aware of them or would necessarily articulate them as romantic (and I think this is being really interestingly conveyed and explored through her current feelings about kissing, though I may differ with some on how I think that may shake out). I also think there’s a… less high but not impossible chance that Twilight is aware he has or is developing feelings for Yor. I’ve argued before that he knows he has formed/is forming an attachment to her and that he knows he trusts her. I don’t think it’s too far from there to romantic feelings for Twilight: after all, attachment and trust (intimacy) are not things he's had in a long, long time. And given his current pseudo-short temper and general malaise comes out most with Anya, with Yor he’s been notably softer and more receptive. In my view, this is partially because so far he hasn't really done much that would really hurt Yor and nor has she done anything that would really hurt Twilight. So far, Twilight and Yor are on a fairly even footing.

This is a very long way of saying that I trend toward thinking we’ve got at least a few toes into the romance already.

The reasons I’d be a squicked by the firming up of the romance, pre-reveal, are related to its being morally questionable as you pointed out (I'll talk a bit more about that in a moment.) But it's also because I think it would undermine character arcs and dominant themes.

Twilight’s arc involves finding and forging a new pack, a new family. Somewhere safe and loving that he’s been denied essentially for his whole life (I don’t dispute that his mother loved him deeply and did her best to protect him: living with an abuser and then with her under war was never going to actually be or feel safe). A big part of this safety and love for Twilight is about being accepted, warts and all. Twilight started lying because he wasn’t accepted by his father as he was. There’s a fair bit to work through by way of accepting Twilight’s warts already — I think Yor will be fairly understanding as things currently stand, and that’s part of why they’re a good match. Their moral compasses, their sacrifices, how they see the world and how they want to try and make it better, align and/or resonate in foundational ways. However, given their current standing, pursuing deeper intimacy of a romantic/sexual relationship with Yor before reveals, I think would take it past the line. And particularly when considering Yor’s character arc.

Yor’s arc is also around finding love and security, but centred less around acceptance (although that obviously also explicitly features!) and more around self-worth and understanding her value. If the romance were to firm up pre-reveal, the false pretences are… I mean, to me, they lob a Molotov cocktail into that theme of self-worth and being valued, as she really would just be being used: the intimacy could never be real because Twilight is not Loid Forger. To expand a bit on an earlier point, perhaps ironically, Yor’s relationship with Loid is mostly on the up-and-up: they both know any marital connection they demonstrate is fake. They may be (are) friends, and also they’re under no illusions that it’s something of a tenuous friendship (at least for now). They co-parent Anya but are clear that this co-parenting comes with clear lines around and between their relationship otherwise. I want to tread mindfully here, because I also really like and appreciate aroace interpretations of Yor and Twilight and their relationship: I think this discussion around firming up their romance actually also holds true in the case of attempting to substantially deepen their platonic bond, pre-reveal. In the same ways, Twilight needing acceptance and Yor learning self-worth would be severely undermined by a pre-reveal apparent and false deepening of their commitment to one another.

On the point of it being morally questionable generally, yeah it is. I mean, look, it's fiction and they aren't real people who can be hurt by those actions. So in principle, Endo can write what story he wants, I wouldn't think it reflected poorly on him or anything like that. I just don't really want to read a story that goes to that place; it’s a squick. I'm sure this has been discussed before in fandom, but my read on the moral dubiety centres around the idea that it isn’t possible to actively choose or meaningfully consent to emotional or physical intimacy when one person is lying about who they are (and in this case, they're both lying about who they are... Although Twilight to a greater extent). This does tie back into SxF themes as well, as choice and consent are also… maybe not big themes of SxF exactly, but active choice and informed consent are things which have come up more than once (I have my thoughts as to why: for a character whose choices drive so much of the narrative, Twilight is actually also a character who’s shown to have little actual choice or control over much of his own life. Considering his motivations for a world where children don’t cry, imo valuing active choice and meaningful consent are important factors required for that world. And I also actually suspect the theme of choice will become more important the more we learn about Donovan, and his role as foil for Twilight.)

Also, honestly for me, it would be too close to a common trope in a lot of popular western fiction/media that I don’t like: a woman being taken advantage of by a man in some way, shape or form, and then through the magic of her non-specific womanness, forgiving him his gross transgressions under the thinnest of pretences. Particularly as Endo has already taken pains to sidestep that as a foundation of their arrangement. To be fair, I wouldn't be surprised that were Endo to take the pre-reveal romance path, it would be a deeper interpretation of that trope, but as with other sexist tropes utilised in pop fiction/media, I have to ask why the choice couldn’t have been for a more interesting path, rather than retreading that one. And particularly given everything he's established for Twilight and Yor: it goes against much of what Twilight stands for — and indeed goes against much of what he meaningfully brings in his current relationship with Yor, that of encouraging her, supporting her, and shoring up her thoughts, opinions and self-image, particularly when she voices upset or doubt about them. It also goes against much of what Yor stands for: while the power imbalance would lie firmly with Twilight, it remains true that Yor’s lies in an apparently deepening intimacy would also undermine the safety and security she ostensibly creates for Twilight. She also so obviously hates lying, the prospect of her keeping her secret into what she believed was a real relationship would wreck her. Doubly so, given the weight Yor puts on Loid's acknowledgement of who she is and what she believes: something she hangs her self-worth on, a recognition of her value. And I'd argue here that it would actually, conversely, be impossible for Loid Forger to acknowledge or accept Yor's truth: that's only something Twilight can do.

And so I guess there’s also just the bare fact following from the above that I think a pre-reveal firming up of their relationship is the less interesting choice for what is a major franchise that has otherwise done innovative things. Another reason I love SxF is that it subverts tropes and complicates cliches. One of which includes communication: for a pair who have crossed lines as a foundation of their relationship, Yor and Twilight actually do a lot of communicating. That’s a subversion of many heterosexual romantic tropes and norms, at least in a Western context, and, to put it sort of flippantly, it would bum me out if it failed at the final hurdle.

I just want to emphasise one more time, my opinions and preferences here are strictly related to Spy x Family in an official canon capacity, and nothing to do with fanworks or fan theories or what fans want to explore in whatever fashion. Part of my feelings here are also honestly because of the tone and pacing of SxF. I think it entirely possible to do interesting things with those tropes and actually think Endo is the type of writer I would trust to do so. But the way SxF is written by way of tone, pacing, narrative priorities and audience demand, I don't think even Endo would be able to do them within SxF in ways that wouldn't squick me out and make me lose love for Twilight, specifically, pretty entirely. I'd rather he just didn't 😂

Tl;dr: in canon exclusively I’m not into a firming up of their romantic relationship pre-reveal! Their situation is complicated enough as it is; give these goobers the love they want and can share with one another, kindly and gently, when the world has been neither kind nor gentle with them. In my view, it’s already primed in their character and thematic arcs 🫶

[lenascornerofchaos]

Some Ramblings on Rebel Moon

Sometimes I feel like I'm losing my mind taking apart this film. Everything tells me that there shouldn't be anything to gain out of it but this image driven storytelling has me hooked. So I thought I would begin posting my messy analysis that I've been writing. Maybe I'll feel more sane.

Introduction: Themes and Important Notes

The very first thing I need to get out of the way is that this isn’t Star Wars. I think there is no point in comparing it to Star Wars anymore. I think Rebel Moon has grown to be something far different than what it could have possibly been originally conceived to be. It is undeniable that Star Wars was a major influence, but to say one is better than the other is to compare apples to oranges. Rebel Moon isn’t trying to be Star Wars killer, it’s trying to carve its own niche, this bizarre pulp inspired violent world. I also want to emphasise that I think that the decisions made on the release of this film were horrible and I truly hope neither Netflix nor Zack Snyder ever do this again. That said, let me provide my analysis for the Director’s Cut of Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon. Now where to start…

From the very opening I think a technique is employed that is perfect for an otherworldly science fiction movie such as this. We watch a mass of metal and flashing lights move around us, it’s not immediately clear what this is. We slowly ascend upwards. As we reach the summit of our ascent it becomes clear that this is a ship of some sort. It pulls out of the airlock and begins its descent. As the ship ascends so too, do we descend into this other world. In the Maze Runner, the film opens on a teenager vomiting in an industrial elevator. This is an immediate and viscerally surreal moment combined with the movement of the shot that completely brings us into the world of this film in mere seconds.

What follows is a typical militaristic conquest that while hyper violent is basically what someone would expect. This is our introduction to Admiral Noble. I want to skip ahead just slightly to the height of this conflict. A young boy is asked to kill his own father by Noble. (well more demanded to) Downward facing shots of the boy’s sister and mother mirror that of many real life war victims. To put it simply, he does follow through with what he is forced to do. After this visceral horrific moment the requester of the action, the leader of this conquest, Noble, leans down and pulls a handful of brains from the skull. He speaks to the family that remains “These are his memories”. Everything is quiet while he tells the children of their now deceased father’s memories. The grief flows like a river through this scene, the loss is felt like none other. It is not only the tragic loss of a father but the sick perversion of the emotional life of that father’s life by the very orchestrator of his killing.

Already here we have established the horrifically evil nature of our villains and the very real very human victims of their crusades. There are two more subtle elements to this scene that are worth mentioning. The weapon given to the child to commit the horrible act is a femur adorned in gold. The entire scene there are priests standing just out of focus behind the boy. Whenever the camera is on Noble we can see a high ranking general behind him out of focus. Already we have two looming forces. A deep religious ritualistic element to this killing, a divine presence (if only an evil one), and an ever present higher royal power. The priests also remove a tooth from the corpse and attach it to a picture made of hundreds more teeth. So already we have a contrast between the visceral militaristic actions of this force and the more distant religious actions that accompany.

This is where it seems most logical to introduce the central images of this film. The Wolf, described by Wolf: Ex Nihilo as “The Mother of the Material World”; The Wurm, described as “The Serpent of Time”, The Graal described as “The Vessel of Mercy and Redemption”, and The King’s Gaze, “Described as the Divine and Persistent Consciousness of the Royal Bloodline”.  In this scene we see Admiral Noble as the Wolf, the cold material reality. We see the general in the background as the King’s Gaze. We see the priests as (albeit in a corrupted sense) the Graal, the spiritual “mercy and redemption” brought by this killing, with the image of the slain princess in the centre of their ritual. The Wurm is seen in the man and his family, his memories and the bygone times, a past time destroyed by the present, specifically by his younger generation, his son. In nearly every important scene we can see these symbols driving the film.

[coolchulainn]

Hey, so in your recent DRK art tags you mentioned German Sidguru being extremely different from the English, and I'm Intrigued, can you spare any details?

HI IF YOU'RE FINDING THIS OLD POST IN THE TAGS OR SOMETHING GO CHECK OUT THIS SITE https://germanffxiv.neocities.org/

the thing is actually that german sidurgu isn't all that different from the english one, the german one is just (in my opinion) a way better execution of the same concept. fray and myste are completely different characters between languages so their english versions have their own appeal going for them but sidurgu is just The Better Sidurgu in german lol

the biggest point for me is that sidurgu is primarily driven by his trauma over having to watch his family be murdered as a child yeah? from which the german writers concluded that hey, I don't think this guy would be an asshole to myste actually (which is a name customarily given to orphans in the brume). he's still clearly not good with kids and struggling to keep his patience with myste, but he makes the effort to not be cruel to a child, because he's very aware of how much you can fuck up a child forever. it's just a so much more compassionate and nuanced take. his interactions with myste are more entertaining for it too, because instead of a gruff guy being mean to a child you have a gruff guy trying really really hard to not be mean to a child and then two quests later trying to pretend he's still sternly keeping an eye on this child and definitely doesn't have signed adoption papers in his back pocket.

another thing with sidurgu is that he claims to be fighting to protect rielle, but he's really just using her situation as an excuse to act on his violent hatred of the temple knights and lash out in response to his own issues, and doesn't actually listen to what rielle wants or needs. in german it's emphasised much more that he attached himself to rielle because she's effectively orphaned too and he recognised himself in that but it's precisely because her situation hits so close to home for him that he's getting caught up in his own desire to avenge what he lost and fails to see what he still has.

after rielle and the moogles rip into him for this he actually admits using the capital T trauma word that yeah, he's been so caught up in his own trauma that he failed to do right by her, because the german script isn't embarrassed to have the tall broody dark knight say he's traumatised and begin to heal from it. the real kicker on this part for me is that after this convo in english sidurgu is like, let's go back to ishgard, and in german he additionally says they can talk things over on the way back (because he does care for rielle and does want to do right by her and he's going to make active effort to listen to her), like it's such a small thing that makes such a big difference.

in english when it turns out the person hunting down rielle is her own mother, sidurgu gets mad at her for keeping this a secret when he and fray bled and died for her. in german he rages at her mother, because he's been so fucked up from having to grow up without his parents after they were violently taken from him that he can't even begin to comprehend a parent willingly withholding love from their child. when he initially spares rielle's mother he explicitly says it's because no child should have to watch their parents die, and rielle tells him to kill her anyway by saying it's her turn to get vengeance. it's the same general plotline but it feels much more internally consistent in german.

in the english 70 quest fray and sidurgu barely acknowledge each other. in german sidurgu calls fray by name, and fray says somewhat apologetically that they're just a painful memory from a corner of the wol's heart. sidurgu responds to this by throwing his sword at fray and saying "here, this way you can't complain the issue was a blunt weapon again", clearly referencing a memory he shared with fray because the memory of fray is just as important to him as the "real" thing was. when you ask sidurgu about fray after completing all the quests he wonders why you'd bring up fray of all people now, but then adds "fine, I do like remembering him". it's much more tangible that the two of them meant a lot to each other within the very few snapshots you get of their relationship.

overall when put next to each other it just feels to me like the english script was scared of ruining the image of dark knight being so cool stomping around in your spiky armor with your bigass sword, while the german script says with its whole chest that dark knight is about traumatised people banding together to hopefully spare others some of the same pain. both scripts tell you that being a dark knight is about love, but english feels embarrassed to say it while the german quest is permeated with it at every point, in so many ways that if i wanted to list them all it'd be more efficient to just translate the whole thing directly. in being so focused on sidurgu's image of edgy brooding knight the english script ends up being way less compassionate to him.

ironically german sidurgu as a character more purposely cultivates his brooding edgy image as an extension of how much it means to him to be a dark knight, which leaves him open to other characters poking fun at him for it to humanize him and he's way funnier in german because of that. english rielle calls him a chocobo's arse and german rielle jokes that his short temper seems to be an occupational disease among dark knights. he feels more like a complete person rather than a character archetype because they actually let him have a full range of emotions. in english he loudly complains about having to help myste because idk its uncool for dark knights to actually help people or whatever. in german he says helping myste is all well and good but he's not exactly a good therapist so he really hopes some of the people they'll be trying to help have problems that can be solved with violence (and is openly excited when you encounter that girl who poisoned you at falcons nest and he realizes helping her will involve beating the shit out of her prison guard).

i'll be real i think the german team are just straight up better writers than the english team. I've been replaying the msq in german and it's a consistent pattern that the german script has more elegance, is more thematically consistent, and above all isn't afraid to let characters be motivated by emotion. i'm getting off track but you know how in castrum meridianum livia says she's going to kill you because gaius is hers and you can't have him? in german she's mad at you for killing her friend rihtahtyn (yknow, from cape westwind) and she's going to kill you and avenge him before you can take gaius from her too, which just makes way more sense as a character motivation without compromising her possessiveness. in english cid left the empire over moral disagreements in german he's additionally motivated by the complicated resentment he feels over losing his father to project meteor (which in english doesn't come up until three expansions later in bozja) and having gaius fill that paternal role for a while only to lose him to a mad search for power too. it just really doesn't compare. highly recommend anyone who can to start playing the game in a language other than english.

[batsplat]

well bat you can’t just drop that you’re a signed up expert on the 2006 250 cc szn and not share WHY (unless you already have ofc…..I’m so sorry tumblr search is so ass) please divulge!! I see bb Jorge domination from the wiki 👀 also Aleix…Dovi…and Chaz Davies entered under like 5 different teams omfg what was going on w Casey’s bestie that year

JORGE DOVI TITLE FIGHT JORGE DOVI TITLE FIGHT omg, I'm like the #1 scholar of 2006-07 250cc era (admittedly another one of those fields where I'm not exactly getting a lot of competition on this website, guys please they're so funny). my short thesis for their 250cc vibe is here, where I described it as the huis clos of teenage motorcycle racing. which!! it is

also jorge categorically did NOT dominate that season, he scored only 17 more points than dovi!! but the thing is that jorge wins WAY more races than dovi does (the races dovi win are pretty cool, mind) - it's as close as it is because jorge is a bit less consistent and also tends to stink up the place in the wet. and then 2007 is a way more dominant season... still, broadly everyone's very impressed with dovi because the consensus is that dovi's honda is way way inferior to jorge's aprilia. see from the 2008 season preview (x):

MotoGP has received a welcome injection of young blood this year, and all of the rookies have been fast. The first question we hoped to see answered is the duel between Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Dovizioso. Last year, Dovi managed to make Lorenzo's life very difficult, despite being on vastly inferior machinery. This year, the Italian is only on slightly inferior equipment, and will be hungry for revenge. Lorenzo, for his part, will want to make his mark on the series, and get a good finish to establish his place in the hierarchy, which he feels is really at the very pinnacle.

(this is also what sets up dovi being late noughties motogp forums' darling, like I cannot emphasise enough how much they LOVED that guy in 2008. plucky underdog syndrome)

it's a big dovi story point that him sticking with honda during 250cc is like,, a real act of loyalty. and initially it gets paid off when he gets the repsol honda ride in 2009, and then it gets rather less paid off when it all becomes a bit ugly in 2010-11 (more on that here). so it's not even that dovi's defeats during 250cc reflect BADLY on him.... but. but!! the joy of it is that these two SO clearly do not fuck with each other that the vibes are just consistently DREADFUL. in really fun ways!! you've obviously always got these great podium photos where one guy aggressively does not want to be there

generational vibes mismatch

it's also just so AWKWARD because dovi just doesn't really care to engage with jorge AT ALL and jorge is playing out all these sports movie narratives in his head where dovi is like,, his great teenage rival who he learns so much from fighting before joining the big leagues. dovi is not interested in being jorge's great teenage rival. and jorge is just so dramatically undersocialised that his attempts to sidle up to dovi and engage with him are consistently very funny to watch. cf something like sepang 2006... jorge is always trying so so hard. not always clear WHAT he's trying but he sure is trying

and 2007 adds another great twist with this, where jorge shows up with increasingly zany celebrations. so dovi's not only being beaten but he's also having to watch his title rival like,, show up in full gladiator kit. which is just. not dovi's vibe. regular reminder that jorge had a dovi mask made but unfortunately never used it:

as far as WE know, he still has that thing. anyway please just take a moment to picture dovi's reaction to jorge lorenzo showing up with a mask of his face. just let that image sit there for a moment in your mind's eye. appreciate it

what dovi had going for him those years was, a) the power of his contempt and distaste for jorge, and b) the ability to remind everyone of how underpowered his bike was. and both of those things were perfect to very much GET to jorge, like it genuinely would've been easier for him if dovi could've had the decency to openly despise him. he wants some feisty rivalries!! not dovi just staring at him like he's dirt on his shoe and then turning away omg. here's jorge about dovi in 2008 (from the longer post about the jorge/dovi feud):

'play the victim' godddd you can really picture dovi doing his factual neutral little just :) telling :) it :) like :) it :) is :) lines about how shit his bike is while jorge is having so many emotions he's going to explode. you get the sense jorge felt dovi was always looking down on him, like it's SUCH an unpleasant vibe... and jorge basically confirmed that's exactly what was going on when he said the following in 2018, during their teammate stint:

DURING MY WHOLE CAREER TRIED TO UNDERMINE MY MORALE likeeee this goes SO far back... jorge seeing dovi as this kind of condescending know-it-all who has always thought he's smarter than jorge... it's such a horrid little dynamic with two fundamentally clashing characters repeatedly trapped together, all of jorge's brash earnestness constantly colliding against the wall that is dovi's cold disinterest. funny in every single iteration, I'm so so glad they got to be title rivals for two years to consolidate their life-long loathing of each other. now THERE is a reconciliation that is not happening any time soon. anyway, if literally a single person is interested in more in-depth discussion of the 2006-07 250cc seasons and the actual races therein, lmk

[charly1902]

Analysis of Charles and Edwin's friendship/love: a thread #DeadBoyDetectives

1/ Right from the start, it's clear that they've known each other for a long time. They know each other, they know how to react and how the other will react, and beyond that, they're really complementary, which we can see from the very first scenes of the series, particularly in their different approaches (mental for Edwin and physical for Charles) to solving a case.

2/ Later, in this same first episode, we also discover their complementary way of being. Edwin is fussy, organised, cold and thinks a lot before doing anything, and can even be described as "uptight". On the other hand, Edwin is much more spontaneous, unthinking, funny and cheerful (at least at the time, that's what we see of him).

3/We also immediately see the attachment they feel for each other. From the very first minutes, they both express their desire to stay together, hiding from death so as not to be separated. What's more, Charles' instinct to protect Edwin is immense throughout the series. Whether it's the Cat King's attitude towards him or the boxing training he undergoes to learn how to defend himself.

4/ Still in this first episode, we have the arrival of an element that will upset this balance, Crystal. Charles, unlike Edwin, likes her quite quickly, but we begin to see that the relationship between the two becomes a little strained by a difference of opinion about whether Crystal is welcome or not. After 30 years of just the two of them, it's understandable that Edwin seems to be jealous of Crystal, who has Charles' undivided attention. But then again, you might think it's just friendly jealousy, or maybe just a lack of familiarity with a third person on their team.

5/ It's in episode 2 that we realise (in a way, at the same time as Edwin) that this isn't just friendly jealousy but something deeper than that. The arrival of the Cat King shows Edwin something he didn't want to see, his romantic love for Charles. This creates a real rift in their relationship. Edwin becomes hateful to Crystal and Charles can't understand why Edwin is so strange and refuses to talk to him about what's bothering him. For his part, Edwin is kind of hurt by how nice it is for him to have someone new their age (and alive too).

6/In episode 3, this is further emphasised by Crystal and Charles talking in front of Edwin and Niko about how much they like each other and how much further they could go together without any problems. For Edwin, this reinforces the rift between him and Charles by his desire to have a relationship with Crystal, but also by Edwin's inexperienced/"uptight" side, as he realises that he's not on the same wavelength as Charles, who thought he was. (Still in friendship, I mean, they never seem to have talked about it).

7/ In this episode, the crack in their relationship almost reaches its climax. We discover Charles' violent past with his father. Charles is going through hell with this violent father who slaughters his family over and over again. At this point, Edwin discovers another side of Charles that he didn't know before, and at the same time realises that Charles would rather talk to Crystal than him about it. But for all that, Edwin still loves Charles, and it's this paradoxical feeling that will trouble him enormously over the next few episodes. He sees both his best friend of 30 years, whom he knows by heart, and he discovers a complete stranger in this episode.

7bis/ It's worth noting Charles's great distrust of Monty from the start, which could be akin to a feeling of rejection of his best friend with a friend he doesn't know and doesn't really like at first.

8/ This paradoxical aspect of knowing Charles and at the same time not knowing him is once again supported in the fourth episode. First of all, Edwin plucks up the courage to talk to Charles, explaining that if he needs to talk, he's there for him. Charles politely refuses. Edwin feels a fracture again, understanding that Charles doesn't feel the need to discuss it with him. However, he is still very disturbed by his new feelings for Charles, looking at him intently for several seconds.

9/ As a viewer, in this episode we learn even more about the circumstances of Charles' death and his behaviour. But for Edwin, it's all the same: he discovers a violent Charles who even sends someone into the belly of a fish to protect him and Edwin. However, Charles doesn't seem to realise how extreme his actions are, once again coming into conflict with Edwin.

10/ At the end of this episode, we witness a heartbreaking scene in which Charles finally expresses himself. He explodes with sadness as he explains that he didn't feel ready to die, that he hates the fact that he's dead and that he's keeping a smile on his face because Edwin isn't the positive type and prefers to react cheerfully to everything to balance things out and keep his spirits up. Edwin falls flat on his face, hurt by Charles's words. But Charles continues, this time on another subject, the fact that he's good for nothing, pointing out that he can't reassure Edwin about what's happening to him. This shows us that the situation doesn't suit Charles at all either. Up until now, we've seen him detached from it all, occasionally trying to find out what's bothering Edwin but not seeming to be hurt that he's not responding. In truth, he's just as hurt by Edwin's silence as Edwin is by his own. At the end of this scene, he even rejects Edwin's reassuring hand, showing once again the chasm that has been created between them. At the end of the episode, Edwin again reminds Charles who can talk to him, Charles nods and heads off to Crystal's room. I find this scene quite striking. The 2 characters are pitted against each other and end up in opposite rooms. This can be seen as a reminder of the characters' estrangement from the beginning.

11/ At this point, the two find themselves in a new situation with new people in their team and a misunderstanding between the two of them that disturbs them enormously and which really reaches its climax in this episode (in my opinion).

12/ However, in the following episode, we notice a desire on the part of the 2 friends to get closer again, finding themselves once more in a case they know and can handle as usual. On the one hand we have Charles telling him that he kissed Crystal, which is a bit disturbing for Edwin but we can see that he's still trying to get interested, but he still manages to come back to the fact that Charles doesn't like being dead. Charles realises at this point that Edwin was really hurt by his words and that he was still thinking about it. So he reassures him, explaining that he was very angry and that if he's going to be dead, he's delighted it's going to be with him, his best friend. Edwin feels better after these words and things seem to be slowly returning to normal.

13/ Things continue to be positive for both boys as, at the end of the episode, Charles finally confides in Edwin about his desire to be a good person, not to be like his father and his distress at the anger he's been feeling all the time lately. Once again, Edwin reassures him that he's not a bad person. The scene ends with a hug, which seems to please Edwin but also upsets him a little.

14/ We finally understand at the end of the episode that Edwin has finally accepted his feelings for Charles and so he explains to Monty how he feels. This episode is a sign of renewal in their relationship. After a long, dark period when the two couldn't understand or get along with each other, here the two protagonists finally talk to each other and accept their feelings. They also accept themselves. It's a really lovely episode where you get the feeling that things are finally going to work out.

15/ In episode 6, there isn't much to say about the relationship between the two, with the stories focusing instead on Monty and Crystal and David. However, we still get a nice show of love and protection from Charles for Edwin when they're both caught by Teeth Face and, faced with the possibility of their demise, Charles puts his hand on Edwin's as encouragement. This is a particularly beautiful scene too, as we can see that Charles is frightened by the idea of disappearing, but at this point he prefers to be reassuring with Edwin rather than lamenting. We can assume that, for Charles, Edwin will always come first whatever the circumstances, which makes us wonder about the nature of the love Charles feels for Edwin.

16/ So at the end of episode 6, we had Edwin being dragged back to Hell by a creature, leaving Charles totally helpless and distraught. Within minutes of this happening, we see a Charles determined to find a way to get Edwin back to him. Once again, he thinks no further than that, by which time he is already sure to be going to Hell to look for Edwin. Finding no other solution, he even agrees to the Night Nurse's deal, obliging them to return to her once he's managed to find Edwin. At this point, he prefers to leave his "life" on Earth and go to the Beyond if it means having Edwin by his side.

17/ At the same time, we discover the true circumstances of Charles's death and his meeting with Edwin. And so we understand why they are so close. In both cases, they were the first people to meet in their new "lives". Charles is dying and has learnt a lot about death from Edwin, and Edwin has just escaped from hell and discovers a Charles who is about to go through the same stage as him: dying by someone else's hand without ever having asked for anything. However, what really stands out for me is Charles' trust in Edwin from the outset. He asks no questions and seems at ease with him even though he doesn't know him. Edwin is the same: he's not frightened, he's happy to spend the last moments of Charles's life by his side, and he naturally confides in him that he's a ghost. Right from the start, he seems connected by something, without knowing what would happen next, they both trusted each other in a situation where they should no longer trust others because of their past. This trust has evolved into a totally natural, fusional relationship that makes them, in my opinion, true soul mates.

18/ And it's clear from the start that they love each other beyond measure. Even though they don't seem to realise the extent of their relationship and how lucky they are to know each other in death, they would do anything for each other without hesitation.

19/ Charles's arrival in Hell shows us how determined he is to find Edwin. As he passes through the different rooms, he doesn't understand what Edwin has been through. It's only when he reaches him that he realises what his best mate went through during those 70 years in Hell. When he finds him, he immediately tries to reassure her, using a series of gentle gestures towards Edwin. You can see in his eyes how relieved he is to have found him. But Edwin is both delighted to see him and panicked. First, he's afraid for Charles, he doesn't want him to get hurt or trapped in his own Hell, especially if he's coming to save him. Secondly, Edwin felt very vulnerable. He'd never told Charles about what he'd been through in Hell, and he has to show Charles a part of himself that he wouldn't have wanted him to see. Charles is obviously very worried about Edwin when he finds out what he's been through, but here he's acting as a guide to help him escape. He relies on him completely, not having the strength to do it on his own.

20/ Towards the end of Hell, Edwin finally manages to express his love for Charles, even though Charles doesn't really seem to listen or understand him at first, replying that he loves him too but without conviction. Even though he is completely honest in his words, he doesn't respond at all to Edwin's love for him. It's when he finally understands that he makes a speech that I find incredible for Edwin. In my opinion, this speech doesn't close any doors and Charles doesn't even seem to think about what he's saying, pouring out his words as if they were completely natural. He tells him that he loves him very much, admittedly not in the same way that Edwin loves him, but enough to go to Hell for him, which he wouldn't have done for anyone else. And above all, he tells him at the end that they have all eternity to work out their relationship. For me, with these words, Charles doesn't close the door at all to a possible relationship with Edwin, even explaining to him that they'll have time to understand the nature of their relationship. It also shows us that even Charles is aware that they have a strong bond and that he may already be wondering about the nature of their relationship with Edwin. For the moment, he doesn't feel the same love as Edwin, but he loves him like he loves no-one else and he leaves the door open to their relationship. Frankly, I can see why Edwin is happy with this answer, which I think is the best answer he could have given her in return. I find it really perfect and full of love. To conclude this episode, we even get Charles reassuring Edwin one last time that his revelation hasn't upset him and he even responds with an honesty and a smile that can raise a lot of questions.

21/ In the final episode, we find them both much more at peace with a relationship that never seems to have been so positive. However, this is short-lived as Esther puts her plan into action and goes to find the 2 ghosts to take them home. During all the moments when Edwin is suffering and being tortured by Esther, we see Charles being totally helpless and he is extremely worried about Edwin. It's not as strong as it should have been, but you can see it in the few scenes. Charles is subjected to a kind of psychological torture that prevents him from intervening to save his soulmate, and he can only listen to Edwin's cries of pain. When it's all over and after SPOILER's death, we see him once again being the rock, pulling Edwin and Crystal out of the house so that they don't get swept away by Death.

22/ Towards the end of the episode, we have a final discussion between Edwin and the Cat King. Edwin seems much more at peace with himself than he has ever been. He's done some real soul-searching about his resemblance to the Cat King, realising that he's finally accepting himself and his feelings. You can tell from his speech that he knows he is no longer alone and never will be again.

23/ At the end of the episode, after their near dismissal, we know that he's once again worried about Edwin's fate, reminding us that he's there because of a mistake. Eventually it all works out and they're very reassured for each other by the end of the episode. I think that at this point, their relationship is healthy, they no longer have any secrets from each other and it can only get better. At this point, they're in tune and they seem to want to move forward together in their "new death", away from their fugitive lives and happy to be together.

24/ I'll just conclude this thread by expressing my love for these 2 characters, because for me, their relationship is so beautiful but at the same time, so complex. That's honestly my favourite thing about TV shows, the relationships between the characters, and sometimes I struggle to be truly satisfied with the way the characters are treated. But in this show, in my opinion, it's flawless. Every character reacts as they should and that's why I'd really like to see this series renewed for a 2nd season at least.

[bennydunbar]

Can't Take My Eyes Off of You

oh wow took me long enough but HEY ive finished it finally

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It was in the midst of winter, the only thing that's warming the both of you were your home heater and your fireplace. A perfect time to have hot chocolate with marshmallows, to cuddle up while you watch horror movies and maybe to just, goof around. Goof around? In this cold? Sounds a little dumb.

Buuut that doesn't stop you, does it?

You connected your TV to your phone, looking for something. Peter is puzzled as he sees you doing this while he holds two mugs of hot chocolate.

"Darling? What are you looking for?"

"Give me a second, dove."

That term of endearment tugs his heart; honestly, whatever endearments you give him is always a blessing anyway. He blushes as he sets your mugs down the coffee table.

You found what you've been searching for, and you turned up the volume. Thankfully, Peter lives in the middle of nowhere, so there's no neighbour to worry about.

"Oh? Trying to set the mood?" Peter teases you, a light chuckle escapes him as he does so. 

"Something like that," you stood up, spooking the poor 6'5 man and having him back up a little. The instruments start to play, and your shoulders groove. Your partner's eyes widen.

"Darling?"

You're just too good to be true, Can't take my eyes off of you 

You take his hand, making him yelp.

"Darling!" he chortled as you intertwined your fingers with his own; instinctively, he rest his hand on your waist and yours on his shoulder. The both of you slowly swayed in the living room.

You'd be like heaven to touch,  Oh, I want to hold you so much 

You can feel his slender fingers tightened a little on your waist, carving a smile on your face. His feet synced to the song, and his sapphires are fixed on you. He'd usually slouch to meet your eyes — but not this time. His height towers you, and you adore looking up to him.

At long last love has arrived,  And I thank God I'm alive 

"I didn't know you could dance."

"Just a little, my love. Just enough," a warm smile is plastered on his face as this time you're going to have to keep up with him. You chuckle at how content he looks.

You're just too good to be true,  I can't take my eyes off of you 

Peter looks completely smitten now, mumbling the lyrics to himself. It's as if he knows this song, but a little shy to actually sing it to you.

"Mind being a little louder?"

Pardon the way that I stare,  There's nothin' else to compare 

He smirked, "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"I'd love it, actually!" you replied enthusiastically and the both of you laughed. 

"Do excuse me for staring, you know, with my blue eyes and all," he widened his eyes at the statement, emphasising the joke. You laugh and you can feel his hand moved up to the small of your back.

The sight of you leaves me weak,  There're no words left to speak 

He continues to mumble the lyrics, but it's clear that he's enjoying the height difference between the two of you. His feet are meticulous and he's careful not to step on your toes as his body moves to the rhythm.

But if you feel like I feel,  Please let me know that it's real 

He leans closer to you, both of your foreheads meeting as you both swayed in the room. The music warms the room, his cold hands no longer blue.

You're just too good to be true,  Can't take my eyes off of you

He opens his eyes to look at you. To savour you. His gaze burns right through you.

The instruments play, and now it’s his turn to groove his shoulders. The both of you picking up the pace to the rhythm. You see him smirking, clearly planning on something. He smiles cheekily; cunningly?

I love you, baby

“Whoa!”

and if it's quite alright I need you, baby, to warm the lonely night I love you, baby, trust in me when I say:

You’re suddenly dipped! He laughs as he fleetingly kisses your neck. A hand making sure that you’re steady and stable so you won’t fall onto the floor. You didn’t notice this, but you’re laughing too.

Oh, pretty baby, don't bring me down, I pray

You’re back up, chest to chest with him. You really hear him sing now. A steady and soothing voice laced with excitement. You’ve started this. Might as well go all out, right? You give him a knowing look, receiving a curious one from him.

Oh, pretty baby, now that I found you, stay And let me love you, baby, let me love you

You bring your intertwined hands into the air, the other holding his slender waist. Foot stepped back and your bodies spin. His mouth agape, not expecting you to take the lead.

You're just too good to be true Can't take my eyes off you

The scenery behind the both of you slowly melts like oil painting on canvas. Nothing stays the same. The first blink, your boyfriend looks surprised! The second, you see a bright smile. The third, you hear a hearty laugh coming out of him. Snorts and wheezes – as if he’s really taking in the sight of you. Breathing in this dance and capturing the moment with you.

You'd be like Heaven to touch I wanna hold you so much

The spin has slowed down. You see colours in his cheeks. Something rather hard to find. His eyes are lovestruck, his iris glancing back and forth from your face to your lips. 

“You’re stunning.”

At long last love has arrived And I thank God I'm alive

A heat warms up your face, painting it blush. His warm hand gently tilts your head up, catching you off guard when he gently boops your nose. You sigh contently before resting your arms around his neck.

You're just too good to be true Can't take my eyes off you

The both of you look down to your feet, slowly trying to properly dance to the song. You both are pretty bad at this. But you’re still grinning at each other like high-school lovers. He slipped.

I love you, baby, and if it's quite alright I need you, baby, to warm the lonely night I love you, baby, trust in me when I say:

You laugh, this time it’s barely a dance. You hold his hands to spin around, hopping as you do so. The poor man is confused, but whatever you do is beautiful. And why wouldn’t he hop with the love of his life in their living room?

Oh, pretty baby, don't bring me down, I pray Oh, pretty baby, now that I found you, stay Oh, pretty baby, trust in me when I say:

He holds your hand up in the air as you spin, your head tilts to let your eyes linger on him for even a second more. Once you’ve finished a round, the two of you are grasping each other’s hands, trying to catch each other’s breaths – panting and giggling.

I need you, baby, when will you come my way?

You gasp! He lifts you up into the air, as if your weight means nothing to him! For a moment you feel like you’re floating, gravity pausing just for the two of you.

Oh, pretty baby, now that I found you, stay

He embraces you, arms wrapping your whole being as the two of you fell onto the couch. Laughter decorating the picturesque moment. His face nuzzling perfectly in the crook of your neck as your hands rest beside his head.

And let me love you, baby, let me love you.

He leans into you, ever so softly kissing your lips as his fingers brush through your hair.

“Happy?” he gingerly asks.

“As I can be.”

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YIPPPEEE you got to the end!! have this if you'd like to see me really mess around w customising my fic. also if you see any redundancies,,, no you dont.

[notknickers]

it's here, barely in time. enjoy, or don't. i'm done. which is what matters.

synopsis: when colonel könig gets restless, he knows he can always count on his favourite recruit to put him in his place the way he needs to. warnings: unethical power imbalance, full-con otherwise, boot blacking, proud to messy submissive, slight degradation, manhandling, könig loves it when mummy steps on him, orgasm control, masturbation, praising, köning is a little worm who loves to squirm, smoking, light petting, aftercare, second-person narration in present tense, no gender mention, but reader assumed to be afab, military-related inaccuracies, probably. word count: 2643

a/n: i was stoked to write a boot blacking scene, so i hope it came out right.

if you are under 18, tentakönig doesn't want you to clik below. you don't want to make tentakönig sad, do you?

that day started exactly as expected. early wake, frugal breakfast and another simulation of a real mission. tomorrow will be the same, until, one day soon, it will not be just another realistic exercise to drag you from bed, but a real, multi-day operation with unbelievably high stakes. so you and your squad completed your tasks, competing against the others, making use of all the skills cultivated in the almost ten years of service before being hand-picked for your new position in the private sector, just to see if your current employer is satisfied with it, or thinks you could all use a few pointers and much more training to meet their very high standards. you cleared the assigned objectives to the best of your abilities, each member of the team there to shore up each other’s weaknesses and emphasise each other’s strength, then exfiltrated and had an end-of-day debrief. a very boring one, by then. with all the adrenaline spiking and dropping, all you could think of was supper, then the cot. not a recap of the day. even less so a reprimand for accidentally tracking mud inside. that one ended with the sergeant with a stick up his arse threatening all kinds of debasing chores around base to instil in you some sense of decorum. luckily, colonel könig stepped in to take the task of teaching you a lesson personally.

the sergeant really wanted to be the one to discipline you, before the colonel swept you from him! too bad.

you felt grateful, suspecting könig had far different plans in mind, even though exhausted, dirty and starved, you were not sure you could perform them as well as he had come to expect.

you found comfort in the fact that he did not appear to be in a full-on crisis like last time, even though you could sense nervousness exude from his fidgety fingers and pace.

when the two of you turned the corner of a corridor and he lifted you off the ground like you weighed nothing – to avoid leaving any more mud prints and no other reason, surely – all worry dissipated like fluffy clouds battered by ruthless winds.

so, this is how you find yourself in the colonel’s private office, sitting on his incredibly comfortable – and duly reinforced – leather chair he usually keeps behind his desk, with one muddy boot rested on the kneeling man’s bulky right thigh, a boot blacking kit set on the floor beside him.

he has just finished wiping the worst of it from your soles and is now undoing the laces, pinching them between thumb and index to force the dried dirt to crumble on the towel he has intelligently spread under both of you.

you observe the meticulous care with which könig folds the lace into a hank and puts it on the corresponding side, so he will know to what boot it belonged. he does the same with the other.

perched up in his – now yours – chair, you watch the colonel dip the bigger brush in water and saddle soap a few times, before he begins to lather the leather until the whole surface froths with white foam, the circular motions soothing your aching feet even through the thick material.

but it’s not just the pleasant, physical sensation that captures you: it is always fascinating watching the colonel labour with such practised skill.

it’s not that you are a stranger to caring for each item of your uniform to the mandated standards yourself: minding your equipment is just another one of your duties. however, the fact that a man several ranks higher than you is hard at work on his knees to clean muck from your boots never ceases to tickle that well-hidden spot in the secret hallways of your mind. that spot that feels increasingly less concealed, as time goes by and colonel könig keeps, knowingly or not, to appeal to it with such naked candour and good will.

you sink into the padding a little, closing your eyes as the clean, slightly pungent, scent of soap fills your nostrils and the gentle rustle of cotton against the leather grain reaches your hearing with regular cadence. könig is vigorously wiping the foam with a rag, mercifully sending warmth up your stiff legs, weary from all the walking, scuttling and crawling.

he takes his time with it and you don’t dare say a word, lest you distract him and ruin the moment. you can envision his serious expression even under the mask he has not removed: brow knitted. intent focussed. mind clear.

you wonder if the colonel is the type who, when fully committed to a task, lets the tip of his tongue inadvertently snake and wander from the confines of his lips, leaving it to peep out for the duration. the thought makes you snigger, a small but crystalline sound that has könig halt a moment in question.

you shake your head in dismissal, mirth warming your features: «please, colonel, continue.»

the harsher sound of dry bristles from a smaller brush going through seams and metal eyelets resumes as he obeys, until this stage, too, is completed to his – and, implicitly yours – satisfaction.

as much as you crave the sight of him, so much you wish you could burn it in your retinas, you don’t have it in you to open your eyes when he firmly lifts your right leg to rest it on the bulging muscle of his quadriceps, like he just did with your left, to restore that boot, too.

you let the colonel serve, his movements and their sounds giving you a very clear idea of what is happening all the same, as you sink even more in your seat.

the clinking of a metal jar makes you grimace faintly, but the known smell of shoe grease gets you back in the moment. he works the stuff with his bare fingers, massaging it into the leather up to the ankle, which he carefully turns to slather the whole boot.

you almost wish you could get away with keeping your endowments in worse condition, as all it will take for your boots to rediscover their as-new shine will be a single coat. two at most. you can’t help but sigh, trying not to let your disappointment sift through: so attentive and attuned is the colonel, he would surely detect it and risk thinking he is the source of your displeasure.

a notion that could not be furthest from the truth.

as the left boot soaks in the wax, the colonel’s hands operate as deftly on the other. this time you indulge in watching him knead more product in with knowing touch. the time to buffer the other one with another clean clothe comes too soon, but you enjoy the care anyway. when the right one has also been thoroughly wiped, he takes both of your feet back on his thighs to laces them back up. making sure the length on each string is even.

quiet but proud, he waits for your verdict.

you peer at the renewed leather with critical eye, toying a bit with the colonel with long pauses and pensive frowns, the soft light of the desk lamp suffusing the outline of your right boot enough to let you admire its state.

«an impeccable job as always, colonel», you state as you plant your left boot on his shoulder, «however…»

you sense his tension at your objection, that sudden tautening that goes through every fibre of könig’s ample figure like lightening. his eyes lift to yours, expectant.

«however, i think they could use a spit shine… what do you say, colonel?»

könig eases right away as his neck turns towards your ankle. there’s no need to specify you expect his tongue to serve as both applicator and buffer, this time, as the colonel is already lifting his hood, using the bridge of his nose to secure its hem.

his eyes fix on yours as his tongue traces your boot from heel to toe, through the side, and a deep, intense shiver seizes you from within as he continues, lips smacking as he delivers a flurry of wet and languorous kisses on the leather itself.

his large hand firmly braces your ankle, further bending your knee. he cups the rubber sole with the other, as his tongue contours the shoe’s silhouette. he glances at you in between long sweeps of his tongue, desire glinting as bright as fireflies in the dark.

you take it all in from above. the fluid movements; the way his ruined, red lips, glowing with spit, part and suck; how his soft, pink tongue flutters over the dark surface, careful not to miss a single spot.

as diligent with his mouth as he is skilled with, you have come to believe, all he does. a quality of his you thoroughly appreciate.

you find your teeth pinching your bottom lip as the sight of him filters through the heave of your chest, getting slightly faster as it accommodates your heart picking up pace. so devoted to his task, he barely notices when your stamp your other boot on his muscled chest and push, shoving him down to the floor.

you abruptly stand as könig drags backwards on his elbows, resettling after the unexpected fall.

«tell me, colonel, do my boots taste good on your tongue?», there’s a hint of a cruel smirk pulling your lips in a tense line.

könig, eyes a little desperate in arousal, nods slowly.

you draw closer, speaking more softly: «do you miss it, colonel, their taste?»

again, he nods as he still holds himself up from the floor on his elbows as you loom closer.

«how much?», you breathe out as he watches you advance with no more room to escape.

you press the boot on his cheek, pushing his face between floor tiles and rubber, forcing könig to lie on his back.

«well?», you taunt, «show me how much you miss it, colonel.»

in that position, he has to strain his tongue to manage to feel the lovely leather back on it, where it belongs. where he aches for it. the tip of it almost reaches you several times as he groans at every attempt, saliva dripping down his mouth to his chin, where it pools thickly, before drooling down to the floor, wetting his reddened cheeks at its passage.

«go on, colonel. if anyone can manage, that is you», you taunt and encourage at once, until, indeed, his tongue brushes the boot that holds him down.

«good, pup!», you coo, dragging the rubber of your boot lower on his chest, the tread of it engraved in könig’s face.

you don’t stop your descent, slow though you decide to keep it, until it approaches könig’s waists. his hips jolt up a little of their own accord before you’ve even found balance, letting you know in unmistakeable terms what he hopes from you.

«you want me to go lower, puppy?»

he nods more emphatically, panting a little in anticipation.

«oh, colonel… do you really want me to use my shiny, black, leather boot to make you come in your drawers, like a pathetic adolescent?»

you rub the toes of your boot downwards, feeling könig’s impressive length struggle painfully against the durable material of his uniform, barely any room to accommodate his hard-on, his hips lifting up against you.

he whines pitifully when you pull away, leaving him to thrust into empty air in utter frustration.

«oh, puppy… but what would all the respectable men and women who serve under you think, if they knew that their colonel likes to make a sticky mess in his clothes?», your voice oozes mockery and sympathy in almost equal measure, as you rile him up.

just like the defeated way in which he peers back at you in supplication both pulls at your heart strings and makes you slick between your thighs at the same time.

you sigh: «alright, then. cock out, colonel.»

he’s not quick enough to react to your tastes, so you intimate again, voice much harsher and peremptory, this time: «cock out, i said!»

he quickly fumbles with belt and buttons, until his heavy member, slicked and leaky at the tip and swollen from all the constriction ill-endured inside his trousers, springs out, lending with a smack on his lower abdomen, on his enticing trail of blond curls.

your boot is quick to kiss it, further squeezing its shaft against könig’s stomach as he groans, full of longing and gratitude. he mindlessly grinds against you as you watch him, barely having to do any work yourself.

«my floor-loving, little worm… squirming so desperately…», you swear you can feel the warmth of his skin as you taunt him.

he’s incapable of uttering anything of meaning. only grunting and grinding. the sight of it makes you feel like your heart is racing from between your legs. it seems, for now, the only one between you who will be making a slicky mess in their drawers is yourself.

you bring your fingers to your mouth and quickly moisten them, before disappearing them in your trousers, a gesture the colonel’s eyes suddenly gain focus for.

under the clothes, you part your lower lips and trap your clit between your fingers, rubbing and pulling at it idly, at first. you are so wet you could have forgone licking your fingers and your breathing turns to sighing sooner than you expected, vying with the obscene squelching of your sex for könig’s senses.

the way the colonel rubs against the tread of the boot that presses down on him, you’re not the only one mere moments away from bliss.

your breath hitches and you barely avoid embarrassingly choking on your own saliva when you try to speak: «are you close, puppy?»

könig frantically nods affirmatively, motion almost matching the rhythm of his hips. a quick glance at him, at the interest with which he stares at you, at his own movements, could have told you as much. the known, mindless litany of german words is right behind his lips, ready to tumble out of them.

it will have to wait

«good puppies wait their turn, don’t they?»

könig whines in supplication, but he will not get any pity from you.

«you might be the big dog out there, but in here, colonel…»

you fail to finish your sentence that your voice breaks, head falling back in a whole-body shiver, as heat waves scorch your core. your cunt clenches tight on nothing. you swallow, panting and can’t help the snigger that emanates from your throat as your body still shakes.

pure euphoria.

könig is not far behind you, especially after that. a few more strokes from your boot and he spills on his own stomach, pumping his hips a little longer, before sagging to the floor.

exhaustion finally catches up with you. you join könig on the floor, after sweeping for papers and tobacco on his desk. he asks you to kindly roll a cigarette for the both of you, before indulging his hunger for your slicked fingers, now that you’re so close to him.

he’s such a nasty man. you oblige him in both favours, of course.

the two of you find yourselves passing cigarettes back and forth, occasionally blowing smoke in each other’s mouths, quietly lying on the floor.

you take a drag, cinders burning bright in the dim chamber, as he undoes the top of your fatigues, clearly tired of lying on your chest without feeling your skin on his, obviously finding there something more interesting to suck in his mouth than nicotine.

he gently cups and kisses, caresses and suckles tenderly on skin and breasts and collarbone, still half undressed and stained in his own juices. neither of you particularly disturbed by it, either way.

thank you for reading. if you enjoyed, please consider reblogging.

[the-martyrfication-of-the-matron]

I agree so much with the fact that the fandom focuses way too much on the age gap problem with Aarmau and not the other issues.

I am going to be completely honest. Their age gap issue in high school bothers me, but in MyStreet, when the reunite years later after having little contact, I don't give a shit. They are adults now with developed brains (based on the fact that in America a lot of the activities they do, you gotta be at least 21+) probably mid to late 20's. 4 years apart when one is 25 and the other is 29 is rather normal.

There are other issues than their age gap, that at the end of the day, doesn't matter when it comes to their relationship as adults.

Cw, age gaps, discussing Aphmau’s infantilisation in the context of Aarmau , Aarmau neg,

I come from the stance of. The age gap does matter, because the things that make the age gap wrong continue in the ship even after they become adults, I just think focusing solely on the age gap and not the other issues is just ignoring the other issues exist.

Like I think it’s the least of the ship’s problems, at the end of the day, there’s a lot for/against it and there will always be people going ‘lol it’s not that big of a deal’… but it’s a pretty damning piece of evidence when you bring up how the relationship is otherwise written.

Because saying that Aph is written like a child and some of the lines between her and Aaron are uncomfortable because they really emphasise a kind of maturity gap is definitely a valid criticism. It’s a weird thing they did. But you can probably just argue that they had a preteen fan base and Jess has always been known for her childish humour.

But when you bring up that Childishness and that emphasis on a difference in maturity alongside the fact that they canonically got together when he was a senior and she was a freshman… it begins to get sketchy.

Because now it’s definitely not just ‘oh the age thing was based off of their own ages!’ Or ‘oh that’s just their humour!!’ Because there’s a growing pattern. You can’t look at the 15/18 thing and then the jokes they make about Aarmau in the mini games and go ‘oh haha there’s no association here!!’

I can name an exact joke they have made about Aarmau that is… gross, and technically ‘not canon’ because its in a minigame, but these are the kinds of perspectives they have of the ship after a certain point and it… just gets uncomfortable. I won’t state the joke until I find the video, because I don’t want to make claims and not have the receipts.

But really the point is, the apology didn’t do enough apologising about the real issue. And people don’t focus on the real issues either. The highschool age gap was bad but what about every joke afterwards that played into it, even after the age gap was technically not bad anymore. The growing infantilisation of Aphmau, the growing sexualisation of her at the same time… it just became very bizarre, and uncomfortable for me even back when Starlight was first airing. And I don’t see it addressed enough. It even seeped into other series (Rebirth) and it makes me yuck out.

I need to rewatch MyS and some minigames before I have any exact examples but… yikers dude

[chaotic-history]

"While waiting [for Émilie], [Voltaire] seemed attached to several horses, for he had made the little 'abbé' Linant come to Rouen and even offered hospitality to another young man named Lefebvre, a budding poet aged 20 like the other, and like a certain Lamare, the third ephebos that he cosseted and who was also an abbot. The first had already made a trip to Paris to keep his acquaintance with [Lord Bolingbroke]. This boy seems to have had equivocal relations with Cideville, which makes this phrase from a letter from Voltaire from May 29 to this advisor, a letter prior to the return of the 'chubby abbot', amusing: 'When he wants to come back to Paris, I will rent him a hole near my house; he will furthermore be the master of dinner and supper every day in my retreat.' He practically offered him to share his bed. The presence of these two young men by him distinctly reminds one of the young 'writers' that the abbé Desfontaines, the famous pederast, had had near him for so long, and who served at once as mignons and secretaries. Even if he did not take up with them the liberties that he had formerly had with Thieriot in M. Alain's study, he still cherished this extreme familiarity with young people." - Voltaire et Frédéric II by Roger Peyrefitte.

FIRST off, why are we stating as fact that any "liberties" happened with Thieriot. There is zero proof. There is circumstantial evidence in that you could interpret V's letters to Thieriot as being kinda gay and then infer that "liberties" occurred, but even if we are interpreting the letters as gay, that's still a big jump to make from 'V felt more than just friendship for Thieriot' to 'they definitely slept together', which there's no real evidence for.

Second of all, there is no evidence of anything going on with Linant. Nancy Mitford suggested it as well, with the reasoning being that Linant was stupid and useless and why else would V keep him around, which is the same argument that's been used for V and Thieriot being gay. But a relationship between V and Linant being a possible explanation for something does not mean that that's evidence for a relationship, and Mitford doesn't cite anything V wrote as potential proof. And also like. The man resorted to full-on referring to his plays + la Henriade as his children to an extent and (unofficially) adopted Marie-Françoise and pretty much Reine Philiberte and Villette as well. And reading the letters about Linant from V to Cideville, and V talking about Linant's improvements in writing, it very much sounds like he's just proud of Linant and sees himself as a father figure. Again, also just a possibility, but it works equally well as an explanation and it fits into an already established pattern, plus it's based on what V actually wrote.

Thirdly, I would like to emphasise the "aged 20". "Aged 20" is not the same as what the "famous pederast" was doing.

Fourthly, saying that that quote about Linant coming back to Paris is "practically offering him to share his bed" is the single most batshit far-fetched gay interpretation I have ever seen in my life, and I was in the Hamilton fandom for three years. Genuinely how do you even get there. Bitch could've invited Linant to stay with him but he specifically said he'd rent him a different place. How does that equate to inviting him into his bed. This part alone is what's gonna convince me of Peyrefitte's bottom V thesis cause I can interpret two letters in that way and I can no longer be self-conscious about how I interpret literally anything, because it's still gonna be 10 miles more sane and evidenced than anything Peyrefitte's said.

@enlitment I apologise deeply for making you read this, but here's a taste of why the book sucks... Turns out I actually stopped reading on page 20 lol cause that's where my yelling at Peyrefitte in the margins stops.

[four-bastard-bustle]

You know I've always wondered how your interpretation of Matt would've reacted to being punched in the face by Tord in the end part one. Like, he seems the kind of guy who would either go whimper and hide behind Edd like a puppy or would punch back.

Ok so like see this is where you unleashed the floodgates because ive thought abt this scene for ages because its such a peak example of ew(legacy) failing the serious/emotional moments. Making this piece of violence work in a sea of violence is no small undertaking, but I think what it really comes down to is the difference in context between the guys slapping each other around for shits n giggles with no real malice, and the outright fury expressed by Tord in that scene in the episode. If that had been emphasised more, it couldve been peak I think.

This is kind of a lot so its going under the cut

But like, my version of Matt specifically. I mentioned in a couple posts that he was abused pretty heavily as a kid and was occasionally even hit by his father. So having someone suddenly express clear fury over him for doing whatever he was doing and punch him brings back a massive flood of terrible memories. Usually, when one of the other guys hits him, Matt starts whining and complaining. He’s the type to talk and yell a lot when he gets mad. But the sudden fear he feels makes him completely clam up. This is further compounded by the fact that Tord (and by extension Red Leader) goes nonverbal when furious.

Matt lies there on the cold floor. In his mind he sees all the times his father has held him down and “lectured” him for “inappropriate behaviour”. Sometimes he’d even hold his son down by the neck and start squeezing. Strong hands grab his collar and he can feel the air being choked out of him. Matt is surprised that he’s being liften up instead of pushed down for once.

His mind reeling, he can’t tell if the face staring at him in a blind fury is his father’s or “Tord”’s. They’re blending together. They look so terrifyingly similar.

The monster raises its fist but something stops it. A hand clad in green is holding the monster back. There’s talking. Matt wishes he could hear any words. Everything is just ringing for him.

Edd for his part is very much overwhelmed with this situation. As much as he cares for his friends, he is TERRIBLE with conflict resolution. So far, he’s been lucky enough to never need it, but also so far any scraps the boys have gotten into were just petty arguments. This is very different.

Edd starts by just telling “Tord” to let Matt go, at which his grip tightens. He really doesn’t want to add to this by getting physical too, so he just repeats the command, but a little more gently. The fist Edd is holding back shakes a little, but finally “Tord” lets Matt go.

The sound of heavy breathing is filling the room, and no one is able to look one another in the eyes. But after a bit, Red Leader finally collects himself enough to express one clear command.

“Get out of my room.”

Matt doesn’t need to be told twice, and though he’s on shaky legs, he hurries out. Edd gives Tord one more glance before leaving as well. But not without first telling Tord that the two of them are going to talk about this later, when he’s calmed down.

After that, he brings an ice pack to Matt’s attic. The cold helps with the swelling and with Matt’s ongoing panic attack.

But really, Edd is feeling just about every negative emotion right now. He hates how he froze up in shock for a second when Matt got punched instead of immediately helping him up. He wonders why the hell “Tord” felt this protective over a stupid ass button. He hates seeing one of his friends lose himself in a fury this way. He hates seeing another one of his friends have a full on panic attack. He hates that this is kind of the best he can do right now. And he wonders, just what the hell is going on with “Tord” and his secret room.

I want the scene to be so deeply painfully awkward. I want there to be no way Red could laugh it off, or change the topic. I want the three of them to stew in negative emotions like its an awful soup.

Also, the ice cream line. Part of me gets so pissed off by it because Matt literally said he hated ice cream in H&F. But also, as a scene where like, Matt gets too scared to mention that so he just meekly agrees. That’s really good. And I think(?) that’s what the scene was actually intended to be? But they should’ve expressed this better, maybe have a bit in the store where Matt mumbles to himself “But I hate ice cream” as he puts it in the shopping cart. That would definitely be a part of it all in my version of it.

And most importantly no “who’s my brave little soldier” because fuck that line. Infantalize my man like that again and I’ll smite thee.

Uh I mentioned doing my own hc au version of th* *nd and not making it as melodramatic, so I don’t think this would happen in my version of the entire episode. But this is just my version of the Scene. Very different things

[fanonical]

So in your mind what’s w the garudo? To me they seem to think presentation = gender way more than the other peoples.

But in your version what’ll you be doing? Sorry if this one’s a bit blugh

no, i think you hit it square on the head. there is some semblance of a gender binary culturally recognised by the gerudo (they, after all, interact with men all the time) but as of BOTW/TOTK, the traditional gerudo culture dictates young gerudo girls of a certain age move to Gerudo City, which forbids men from entry. that's how it is on paper, anyway -- in actual fact, Link can walk right up to the guards in front of Gerudo City, be perceived as a "guy" and thus refused entry, then change into women's clothing IN FRONT OF THEM, and be allowed in, whereupon there is nothing Link can do to be kicked out from Gerudo City other than change out of the outfit.

In reality, the Doylist answer to this is it's a videogame abstraction -- and the whole thing is rather transphobic & racist too; a lot of the stuff going on with the Gerudo is between "kinda" and "very" racist just in general. i don't know how to (or if i adequately can?) address all of the problems there in my fic? . "desert race of giantess middle eastern warrior women" goes pretty deep to the core with this one, and that's before you get onto Ganondorf. and the whole stuff with the crossdressing... look man, if other people thought the Vilia storyline was meant to be progressive or sympathetic, i guess i'm glad they got that out of it, but it felt like a big transphobic joke to me. i'm changing pretty much all of this, and a bunch of other stuff. i still think it's not gonna be perfect (not really for me to say how unsalvageable some of the Gerudo stuff is in terms of racism, but i think i'm gonna reach out and talk to a couple of my friends about it and how they feel and what they might do etc) but i'll be changing stuff, and emphasising the good changes Nintendo has made over time whilst rejecting the worse ones

one thing i think i will do on the transphobia front is change it so that Gerudo City will allow trans women inside the walls if we are actively performing femininity to some degree. now, this is of course transphobic too, but i think it's kind of interesting to explore a more complex situation where trans women are a recognised type of person, and by the official legal policies of Gerudo City accepted in as women, but because of overtly binaristic, cisnormative overtones to the society, culture, politics & history there are probably still quite varying reactions, responses to transfemininity etc. because, well, that's my experience in a lot of gendered/women-only spaces! and i'd love to explore that through Link.

i also think that just before the Great Calamity, maybe there weren't as many openly trans people across Hyrule, perhaps due to social conceptions about gender at the time; i think maybe in the pockets of surviving towns and cities and villages 100 years later whilst Link has been asleep, trans people have become more recognised and embraced to some extent -- including in Gerudo City -- but, like in the real world, the change is slow, and some people struggle to see past their preconceived notions about gender. i just think it's more interesting to relate aspects of a #trans Hyrule to the trans experience now (i.e. in a time of great cultural shift for trans people both for good and for bad) but also exploring how and why it would be different in a fantasy post-apocalypse lol. i also don't want to overdo it into a depressive circlejerk of trans misery, either though, so don't worry, it won't be like that, i am making sure to steer very very clear of this.

i do also have maybe some potential reasons as to why there's been a cultural shift on transness in Hyrule (and particularly Gerudo City) in the 100 years after the Calamity though -- and i'd love to say more, but unfortunately, i've already said too much 🤐 gotta leave soooome stuff for the fic, and i have to check some stuff against lore before i commit to it.

great question!

[ohbother2]

hi! so like, i might try writing smut soon enough (because why the hell not amirite?) so like, is there any advice you could give me? like DOs and DONTs, tools that could be useful to avoid orthographic errors etc etc (im used to using chat GPT to look at my horribly, horribly written texts and correct them, but i've got a feeling it will straight up censor it, and english's not my first language, so anything that would make my dirty dirty texts into dirty clean text would be dope)

Hi!

I'm sorry but because you're an ageless blog I'm not going to give actual smut-writing advice, but ig it's okay to give general writing advice?

Just a reminder to everyone, if you're a minor please do not interact with me or my posts!

In all honesty I don't really know what I even do when I write, the words just sort of appear and I'm like 'yep, that works', but that's not the most useful advice, lol

I envision the story I want to read, and then I write it how I want to read it. I hope that makes sense

I guess my main advice would be to find your own niche, like, are you a dialogue or an 'action' based writer? Ofc it's good to be good at both but people have their own strong suits. For me, for example, I'm much better at descriptive writing than dialogue so that's what I focus most of my writing around

People also have their own unique styles and formatting to their writing - I feel as though mine is pretty distinctive with certain types of vocabulary and paragraph spacing/grammar/etc - so I guess it would be good to find a style that works good for you! For example, don't stick to lengthy paragraphs of immense detail if that doesn't come naturally to you, etc

My absolute top priority when writing is to not tell the readers what's going on, but to show it. Sometimes 'They felt X/Y/Z' is a useful tool for emphasising a particular point, but sometimes it detracts from the writing overall.

As an example: 'He felt as if his heart was going to burst from his chest...' (This can be good when used in the right moments, but if that's the only descriptor the writing loses a bit of life to it)

Compared to: 'His heart hammered painfully against his taut ribs as he gasped uselessly for breath...' (This is showing rather than just simply telling, and is how I personally prefer to write a majority of the time)

It's also important not to repeat yourself unnecessarily - it can be good to repeat when you're really trying to emphasise a point, but sometimes writing can stagnate and become less engaging? It's very difficult to find the right balance but it makes a world of difference to a piece of text

For dialogue (arguably my weakest skill) the best piece of advice is that you cannot write accurately how people in real life talk. When we talk we mostly fill out thoughts with nonsense and fluff out the main point - you can't write this because the readers will become disengaged. There's an important balance to find between being too formal for speech, maintaining the main point of the conversation, and ensuring the characters still sound like themselves. I tend to really try and put myself in the characters heads, think about what they'd actually say, and then 'translate' it into a written format that works whilst keeping that characters traits.

The way I 'learnt' to write was through reading, and I'd really recommend you read in your desired writing language (I'm guessing English from your ask) to see the typical structures and vocabulary of that language when written down. Direct translations don't always work, especially with literature, because there are phrases and sayings and common slights-of-tongue that are language specific, so I think it's really useful to get used to that language in its own written form, yk?

I forgot!! But it's also important not to tell your readers everything. Let them fill some gaps in on their own - they don't need to be told how a line of dialogue was said if it's obvious in the speech and context, and they don't always need to know how a character moved across a room or what their hands are doing 100% of the time. Sometimes the best parts of stories are the bits that go unsaid :)

Sorry, this is rambling and probably not very useful, but I've never given writing advice before.

Writing really is all down to the author finding their own 'voice' within their texts, and I'm sure you're writing will be great!!! I hope this helps! :))

[caesarflickermans]

As someone who has read The Hunger Games trilogy, what lessons you can take from it?

Mockingjay deals with rebellion of the Districts toward the Capitol.

What lessons can we apply to current world affairs?

Thank you.

@curiousnonny

I’ve thought about this question a lot, because I’ve taken so many lessons from THG with me, and the book keeps giving me new insight in different parts of my life. As I’m currently mastering in political science, it would be hard amiss to not talk about this from a political perspective.

The Hunger Games is a story about inequality

The Capitol and the Districts are a metaphor on our world relations with one another. I find it disastrous not to read the story as such; we are the Capitol. Even if we might not be well off, it is vital to recall that it is us who are harvesting the majority of the resources, who are creating the climate disasters that are largely affecting other countries, and we are living in countries where our politicians and our companies are making decisions to the detriment of others.

As much as we might emphasise with Katniss and her journey, we aren’t Katniss. It’s vital to remember that the empathy we have for this main character ought to extend to little kids starving from hunger, dying in wars, and working for our products.

Our world is so systematic and so complex that there is often little we can do to truly move to change, but that ought not to stop us.

That said, it is easy and almost Capitol-esque to get hung up on current conflicts. This week it will be Palestine. Last week it was Ukraine. The week before that was Afghanistan. The way our news circle is spinning, we are often moving from one heart-wrenching conflict to another, one worse than the one beforehand.

But The Hunger Games asks us to see the bigger picture. A world that has dealt with heart-wrenching Games and deaths one year after the other forces us to look at the bigger picture: We are challenged to look at the systematic aspects to the pain that is repeatedly being caused. The answer isn’t to make life better for Katniss and Peeta—or even the people of District 12—but for all of Panem.

And in a similar aspect, we are tasked to look at the world’s inequalities and must ask the questions not how to prevent one next Hunger Games, but how to prevent them in general. How can we look at the world from its structural level and move it to a better place? This is the difference between rockets and a Camp David accords.

The Hunger Games is a story about war

This series does not shy away from the brutality of war. Collins could have picked anyone. Truth be told, for a whole encompassing perspective on the changing world of Panem, anyone would have been a better pick than Katniss.

But Katniss’ story is not one to offer us how forces are moving and how war itself functions. Katniss’ story is to learn about what it feels like to be at war—and be at war as a child! Many of us readers will never experience our homes being bombed or a resistance movement fighting the good fight against our oppressive governments (most of us are fortunate enough to live in democracy).

Katniss is meant to show us how destructive war can be to a person.

We aren’t given the typical hero figure that wants to show us and the world what a good fighter she is. Katniss cares deeply about the people around her, and she doesn’t have much reason to afford caring for broad concepts such as “a whole civilisation”. She’s here for her sister, and she’s left with deep traumatic wounds that do not heal; because that’s how life works.

I’m on yet another read-through of Mockingjay, and I think we are seeing just how much soft power (that is, not tanks and weapons and people on the field fighting, but rather persuasive tactics) matter to wars.

And it’s important especially for teenagers to see. So often we reduce wars to tanks and manpower and who won with what battlefield strategy. But wars are about so much more, and we see those effects in real life. We see how groups are fighting about the ultimate authority on interpreting a conflict; pictures, newspaper headlines, videos. Stories are being told to all those who aren’t on the front lines to position themselves. And The Hunger Games is telling us exactly how vital this is, and that wars can be won with those tactics.

The Hunger Games is a story about totalitarianism

As someone whose country’s history has been shaped so strongly by past influences of totalitarianism, I find it necessary and important for readers to see The Hunger Games as a totalitarian state.

To prevent fascists from rising, we need to know how they act. And The Hunger Games is showing us warning signs in the same way that classics in the genre did.

It is not without reason that North Korean defectors have found similarities in this series, which is why I find the books such an essential read to recognise those tactics and attitudes before it is too late.

To paint an example; Hannah Arendt spoke about the separation of person with themselves and the others. Katniss experiences this repeatedly throughout the trilogy, starting with the disinterest of others to help her or the lack of compassion for siblings being reaped.

People fear, and that’s why it is hard to step over the line of what their state forbids them to do. And many others are very, very comfortable in the place they are in: The Merchants rarely need to worry about the reaping, because the Seam is there. The Careers rarely need to worry about death, because the other Districts are weak. The lower class of the Capitol never need to worry about their life, because the Districts have it so much worse.

As someone who has been fortunate enough that my country reckons with its past, I have learned early about even the changing public dialogue that a country can slip into as early warning signals of rising totalitarian control. But it’s important that everyone is able to recognise the systems for what it is, and to do everything possible to prevent that.

The Hunger Games is a story meant to call you into action

As I’ve already alluded to in all of those points, The Hunger Games leaves you with all of this information and plenty of action to take up on.

It is meant to get you politically educated and curious about the world. And, ideally, you will find a cause that is worthwhile to stand up for. I’ve found that throughout my life, there is only so much doomscrolling one can do in the name of remaining informed. What, to me, is so much more worthwhile is picking a cause and sticking with it.

The Hunger Games teaches us that we cannot singlehandedly change the world; Katniss was the revolutionary to a web of people who had been ready to put her in this place.

Instead, we need to recognise activism in the small ways, just as Katniss had done many small things that led to a bigger change. Pick a cause that interests you and help out. Clean your rivers, demonstrate for your cause, join activist organisations, help out at a homeless shelter.

The world is an overwhelming place with a plethora of problems. You can care a little about all of them and feel saddened that you couldn’t have the time and energy to change them all. Or you can pick one, care passionately about it, and achieve change.

[littlespoonevan]

i really want to know your opinion on last night's episode! do you think we finally saw Eddie's oh moment? I see a lot of people talking about it and about his heartbreak but I'm not seeing it? like I see eddie upset about what buck is saying, but that could easily be platonic imo, my best friend saying someone else actually sees them? that would make me feel awful, like I'm here??? I see you??? and i get eddie feels lonely as well, but i dont ser that particularly related to him realizing he's in love w buck, idk idk what are your thoughts?

askjdhlf okay. where do i begin??? i should preface by saying i only got a chance to watch the last 25 mins of the ep like an hour and a half ago bc of how long it took for the ep to upload this morning so i'm still very much processing bUT

that cemetery scene was a lot.

to start by answering your question, i don't think we got an oh moment in the deliberate sense?? by that i mean, i don't think this was the show telling the audience "this is it!!!! this is the moment eddie realises he's in love with buck!!!!!" however i do think that scene did A Lot to suggest something big and buddie-related in the pipeline.

something about the tone of it felt very different to what we've gotten previously???? it's most certainly one of the longest conversations they've ever had at 3 minutes uninterrupted. it's also one of their most serious and touched on a wide range of topics (like it felt almost like a post-ep coda fic conversation to me????? askdjfh) and i think it's interesting that twice now in 6b we've had meaningful conversations between them that don't involve chris being brought up. because that's been something i've always said was maybe missing when it came to the possibility of them becoming canon??? we have so many conversations that emphasise buck/eddie/chris as a family but very few conversations between buck and eddie just about them and their friendship/relationship, y'know??

likewise eddie's reaction to natalia was in very stark contrast to the usual way he sort of snarkily comments on buck's relationships. @mellaithwen made the great catch that it paralleled buck talking about ana in 5x02 and it also reminded me of eddie's reaction to abby??? in the way it was this sort of weary-frustrated-resigned combination where he Knows this won't end well for buck and he's maybe a little bit annoyed at buck's lack of regard for himself (in 3x18 bc he's willing risk his own life for abby to save her fiancé even after she left buck the way she did and now with natalia in a 'how can you say she sees you better when the version of yourself you're showing her isn't you' way)

there's also just the big giant elephant in the room where buck is talking about how natalia sees him when eddie is the one who's always Seen him - all the way back to "to be seen to be found, isn't that what we're all searching for?". eddie is the one who constantly validates buck's feelings, who understands his reasons for the choices he makes, who knows exactly what to say to make buck open up. he even does it in this scene!!!!!! when he says "you don't have to be anything for anyone". it felt like a big fat example of dramatic irony tbh

and i think for me, regardless of what happens on the actual show, when it comes to how i write and approach canon in fic that scene acts as confirmation of my favourite headcanon that eddie knows about his feelings but buck has no fucking idea. and while we may or may not ever get real confirmation of that in canon, i think you can for sure read the scene that way without twisting it into something it's not :')

overall, you know i'm the most cautious person alive when it comes to canon buddie but i do genuinely, genuinely feel something has shifted in this scene even if it's not a definitive oh moment for now💛

[formulatrash]

Sorry for dropping something non-F1 related in your inbox but you are one of the first people I have ever seen acknowledge that in the harsh light of hindsight, baby Ryan and especially Shane do come across as a bit thoughtlessly dickish and insensitive in their older videos.. And how lovely it has been to see them mature into genuinely thoughtful, sensitive people who clearly value each other and what they’re doing all without needing to call attention to it. Your tags are just a nice little tribute to underrated growth <3

never apologise for putting non-F1 in my inbox tbh. (and sorry for not replying to the rest of the SM asks brain has been on low power mode)

idk what went on at Buzzfeed but the men who've come out of it - Ryan and Shane, Steven and Andrew, the Try Guys - have all emerged as very thoughtful versions of themselves. they're goofy idiots, also but I think it's interesting proof that cishet men, in particular, benefit massively from diversity. once they're allowed outside their regimented boxes they don't freak out, they grow.

Ryan and Shane are particularly sharp because Ryan's easy to point to as a no-homo jock but he was also the one least able to hide his emotions. whether that was excitement that he got to tell people about something or pretty deep empathy for the victims and circumstances of cases, which he often seemed quite distressed about even in the early BFU episodes, to the fear that he barely gets a grip on. he didn't have to get taught vulnerability and there's probably all kinds of things from being (relatively speaking) short and a PoC and coming from two different, non-white cultural backgrounds and working on all those muscles cus he seems like he was probably a bully magnet but when he wasn't scared the frat guy mask did used to slip down pretty fast.

Shane was a much worse, IMO, kinda dick in that he had a real or acted superiority complex in that nerdish self-defensive way where he had to be The Smartest Guy In The Room. he often went way over dismissive into outright rude and was insensitive about real-life cases. I don't mean the thing where he laughed at the woman in the Bellaire house saying her dog had been thrown - tbh, I can well imagine having some weird laughter response that was half-awkwardness and half-panicky there myself, confronted with a serious conversation about something that I don't believe happened and in such weird circumstances. I mean he used to be a bit snipe-y and often excessively cynical in a quite invasive way about the true crime cases and the same in searching for a slam-debunk on supernatural. the kind of guy your friend brings to the pub as their new boyfriend and he spends all night telling you everything you enjoy is wrong and stupid.

both of them obviously always had redeeming features and the flashes of them being dicks were small enough it wasn't actually off-putting. there were a few BFU moments where they'd either get snobby about crime-heavy neighbourhoods or have some weird cop-loving moment that gave me the heebs but also: standard 2016.

every time they got called out for shit, they seem to have learned from it. every time they were pushed to consider other people, they did. it turned out even though both of them had massive on-paper dickhead potential, they only needed the tiniest push to tear through that paper and find something much more interested in not just the world and people around them but who they are and what they really like/want to be.

a really interesting thing, I think, is the contrast between Ruining History and Puppet History. in Ruining History (which I really enjoy, I wanna emphasise) Shane is the smartest guy in the room. in Puppet History, he's at best the weirdest. using the Professor as a weird little blue ballsack avatar means Shane doesn't exactly disappear but gets more space to do his strange little bits as a production he creates, not something about him. it obviously has weird roots in the horrors of the Hotdaga and the determination to keep doing a bit whether anyone likes it or not comes from that standoffish superiority but in Puppet History it becomes a sandbox to play in, not an emotional straitjacket.

something I think about a lot is in the nearly-70th episode they have that bit where Shane fucking books it out of the body chute in Waverley. properly terrified, running up the stairs because of a frog or something and Ryan chose not to put that in the episode because he knew Shane being unflappable and immune to fear was a more interesting contrast to his own terror. idk I have a lot of Ryan And Shane And Masculinity And The Contrast Between Nerds (Stupid And Jocks (Also Stupid) And How To Exist In The Venn Spaces Overlapping In Between that are mostly about some complex relationship to my own identity.

(which is def woman but also Stupid Car Boy)

anyway wow I will stfu but basically: the BFU to Watcher pipeline is a very good model for how to be fellas (considerate)