#And change into the best versions of themselves

[larks-and-katydids]

[ID: White text on black background saying: well see, in my experience, there are fewer "f*gs and tr*nnies burn in hell" people than there are "I just think children need a male/female role model in their lives", "we shouldn't be injecting things into children", "surgery is mutilation", "I just don't like the LOUD gays" type people.

Neither are ideal, really, but the first type are so set in hatred that they're damn near impossible to work (on) with.

The second come from places of misinformation, fear, and uncertainty, and those are things you can sidle up next to from a place of compassion and influence positively, so long as you're willing and able to mute yourself and put in the hard work.

For example, I had a coworker who didn't know I was trans, and she was upset that our local school was "letting" her nephew ("niece") "get injections" to "mess up (his) body" over "a phase (he) was going through." She expressed that she loved the kid and thought the liberal agenda was going too far to be eagerly "helping children mutilate themselves forever."

I listened, and when I realized her primary concern was for the safety of her family member, agreed that it was alarming, and asked if she knew if they were being given hormones or just puberty blockers. At this, she said she didn't know, and asked what the difference was, and I explained that from what I understood, puberty blockers were a treatment that delayed puberty without permanently stopping it- that it was a medication used for not-trans kids too sometimes for medical reasons- that basically gave the kid time to decide they were sure before permanent changes happened.

Then I explained that the reason for this was so kids like her nephew, who maybe were going through a phase but maybe weren't, didn't end up hurting themselves to avoid their body's changes in other ways, like using ace bandages to bind and doing permanent damage to themselves.

I phrased this all as things I had read and heard of and why it made sense to me, and said that it was very likely her sister's family was choosing blockers over hormones as a compromise to keep her child safe and healthy until they were old enough for bigger choices with bigger repercussions.

What I said- which is a gentle version of what I believe- is that if a child believes so strongly that they're transgender that they're going to jump at a chance for a surgery that'll affect them for the rest of their lives, whether they ARE transgender or not, whether transgender PEOPLE are valid or not- then that's a kid who may run away from home or cut contact with family or hurt their bodies on purpose or by accident if they feel they need to. And that if your kid was so determined to sneak out at night and try alcohol for the first time on their own, wouldn't you feel better if it was a sip of light beer in your kitchen instead?

And it was a good talk. I strongly disagree with a number of the things that she said at first, but at the end she said that this made a lot of sense and was probably the best the parents could do, and that she'd do more reading on the medical things I had mentioned to figure out how they worked.

And then she THANKED me and said she was grateful for someone she could voice her concerns to who wasn't going to shut her down and call her a transphobic bitch.

So like. I suppose your options are to say nothing and keep it to yourself, which is a perfectly acceptable and good way to keep yourself safe by the way! Or you could try this approach. Which is, I admit, incredibly exhausting, but better than them sneaking out and drinking the bigot juice with someone you don't trust. Better to let them sip your light 'maybe, but also' in the kitchen, yeah?

this reply is longer than was intended

End ID]

What do you do when you find out youre queer when the homophobes / transphobes are in charge (i don’t even live in America and im scared)

I wrote a long answer when my browser crashed and tried to delete everything so I hope screenshots are okay

The good news is, you aren’t likely to be mingling with the president directly. The bad news is you’re probably going to run into people who believe his rhetoric. The good news again is that they’re easier to handle because they don’t have the same power, and most of them aren’t Hardcore Mob Bigot and are usually closer to Queerphobia Lite.

Original post below ⬇️

[microwavesaferat]

What videogames the Batfam play, I will take absolutely zero criticism.

Bruce

- Mortal Combat

- Explicitly the old arcade cabinet version.

- He sometimes copies moves from the games.

- Claims it's good for improving instincts.

Dick

- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater

- Played all of the Pro Skater games as they came out.

- The sort of person to try and launch themselves halfway across the map.

- Tried to get Tim to show him how to skate, didn't go well (he broke his nose trying to do a trick).

- Despite being an accomplished acrobat, it hasn't transferred well to doing skateboard tricks.

Jason

- The sort of guy to play Doom Eternal and Animal Crossing religiously.

- He will be sitting on the sofa, with unbridled rage on his face while he stares at a switch. Everyone thinks he's struggling with a stage in Doom (it was Animal Crossing, Tom Nook can go fuck himself).

- Has dipped from patrol before cause he realises it was a Sunday and had to sell his turnips before midnight (he will not change the time, that's cheating).

Tim

- Portal 1 and 2

- The puzzles aren't exactly difficult for him, especially after he's completed the game so many times, so now he speedruns the game, seeing what he can exploit.

- Constantly switching between no. 1 and 2 on the leaderboards (the other person he's switching with is actually the Riddler, he was allowed 1 video game in Arkham).

- Managed to rig up controls so he can play multiplayer by himself.

Damian

- Has no such time for childish wastes of time!

- How dare you assume he would sully his mind with such trivial acts!

- I mean really, he spends his time pursuing actually meaningful stimulation such as reading or research.

- It's Pokémon.

- He wanted to play Doom after seeing Jason play it, but he's like 12.

- He has played every single Pokémon game and knows all the meta.

- He has qualms with the idea of animal fighting, but Dick told him that Pokémon like to fight, like how dogs and cats will play fight.

Barbara

- Any of those CCTV horror games.

- Since her work as Oracle, these games are a piece of cake, so she plays them while doing other stuff, just in the background.

- She has completed Fnaf UCN 50/20 mode multiple times now, sometimes while monitoring the Bats in patrol.

Stephanie

- Sims

- She has made all the family and the rogues in the Sims.

- She has made Bruce and Clark 'woohoo' multiple times.

- When someone pisses her off, she will torture them in the Sims and send footage to the group chat.

- Tim has been locked in a 1x1 room for 3 weeks now (he still doesn't know what he did) (he didn't bring her anything from Batburger when he went).

Cassandra

- Story-based games like What Remains of Edith Finch and Life is Strange.

- Any competitive game is out of the questions as it's too easy to read her component. She has beaten Bruce at MK soooo many times.

- Like these games cause she finds it half way between reading a book and watching a soap-opera at times.

- Doesn't need to "be the best" as there isn't a goal, so she can just relax and enjoy herself.

- Also likes playing DDR with Duke.

Duke

- Beatsaber

- In training for We Are Robin, he used several rhythm games to improve his reaction time as it's a good way to practice without actually getting into danger.

- Absolutely dominates at DDR with the Batfam, like him and Cass will be at an arcade and it'll be like one of those scenes from a movie where they switch sides, do tricks, and are so in sync, it's insane.

- Beatsaber is fun cause he will project it in front of him as well to physically hit the blocks. He needs VR when he can just make it exist.

- The others swear he uses his powers to cheat at it cause he's so much better than the rest of them (he does on occasion when one of them annoys him).

Alfred

- Master Bruce, I do not have time to play video games and have no such interest. These things are for the younger generation anyway.

- Bloodborne.

[sylvieserene]

currently thinking about how dark enchantress is technically WLC and how maybe her weakness is still PVC deep down

It definitely could be true.

While I was writing the chapters for my PureLily fic, Love is like a Poison , I found myself pondering about it in my free time lol mainly to get a better understanding of WL's character

Idk if I have said this here before but I see White Lily Cookie and Dark Enchantress cookie as Kagome and Kikyo from Inuyasha as their characters resemble eachother perfectly.

Just like Kagome and Kikyo, both are the same as they share the same soul but with two different halves and beings.

When their souls split and DE was born, they got divided in two halves.

Just like Dark Enchantress Cookie's birth was through a tragic event and basically the "death" of White Lily Cookie

As shown in her gacha animation too

Kikyo's tragic "death" is what caused the birth of her reincarnation

But also a hollow version of her when she was brought to life again unfairly.

Just like the Shikon Jewel which shall never again choose her or shine for her in her rebirth, the light of freedom shall NEVER shine for DE because just like Kikyo, upon death both of them were reincarnated as former shells of themselves, born with only resentment, revenge and hatred towards the world, the last feeling they felt before they died.

WL got to keep the love and kindness part of her soul whole DE got born with her dark hatred, jealousy resentment, angry and regretful side. Just like Kagome got born with love and empathy while Kikyo got born with anger and resentment because of how unfair life had been to her previous to her "reincarnation" (Inuyasha fans will know)

Just like her, DE is also more than happy to get rid of her "other half" as it is the part she is missing and she.... doesn't want to acknowledge that

She doesn't want the reminder of the pain when she went through at all.

Just like DE, she (Kikyo) lived a miserable existence as she couldn't accept the fact that Kagome (who is basically her reincarnated in modern time, sharing her soul and heart) exists and Inuyasha (whom she loved) still loved her (just like she loved him) and wanted to reach a conclusion. She continued to hate him, but still kept reaching out to him. She didn't get liberated until she found closure from him.

I see White Lily Cookie and Dark Enchantress Cookie's character in the same light because underneath all that hatred and anger, DE, as much as she likes to pretend she doesn't care, she cares a lot.

Which is evitable with her question here.

Just like WL, who asks the same question.

Despite everything, DE is still what WL is, but just a former shell of it for she only got her hatred while WL got to keep the love and kindness she possessed at heart.

At the end, DE is merely a shadow of what WL is and would forever be incomplete without her. Deep at heart, despite the anger and resentment, DE is still is doing what she feels like is in the best interest for Cookie Kind. Not to attain world dominance, not to get all that power for herself but trying to "fix" the world in a way she feels is right

All of these wars and atrocities? All of this is still for the "help" of others.

Mainly because Dark Enchantress Cookie still cares.

She is still that scared White Lily Cookie with anger and fear clinging her heart as she fell to her ultimate doom.

That girl who thought she can change the world single handedly.

The girl who failed.

The girl who lost her life in the process and is angry about it.

The dead girl still saying "Only I can offer a path to unity."

Just like Kikyo, who also seeked to "fix" the world after she got reincarnated with just hatred

DE is still trying to do what's best for everyone even if it means casualties and hurting everyone in the process.

Something WL, being morally grey, also has done to reach the "truth" (not this severely ofc cuz she still held love and kindness, smth de lacks) but did all the same and perhaps even continues to do so without realising. But she recognises this flaw and is trying her best to fix it.

This is why, I can confidently say Dark Enchantress Cookie has deeply suppressed feelings still for Pure Vanilla cookie and vise versa.

Because again underneath that soul less shell, she still is an extension or perhaps a part of WL, who still carries similar feelings and sentiment over things she cares about.

And no matter what she tries, it keeps showing.

White Lily Cookie is consciously aware that Pure Vanilla Cookie is her major weak spot. Something which even Shadow Milk Cookie catches on very quickly.

Even Dark Enchantress cookie is aware that perhaps only Pure Vanilla cookie who, as much as she'd like to discard her past, continues to be someone she sees as a threat because he can stop her, not just via power but via being himself

And it shows, over and over again.

"Especially you"

Even back when she met him all over again, she's like "So you finally admit you were an idiot aye?"

When PV tries to talk about it, she goes

She is amused and curious. Because she does know this guy was close to her. She knows his deal, she is interested in hearing his side even though frankly she got no reason. She still has an interest over him.

But she recognises this instantly so she doesn't even let him speak lol

Because while she is interested, she is still angry. As evidenced here:

The interesting thing here is, she glares. Because she still recognises that something about him still makes her feel ...weak

Which is why her next question was this

She questions her weakness despite Pomegranate never even mentioning anything about it and just saying "as long as pv is here, the echoes of the past will continue in this castle"

Which is why, DE inorder to get rid of this, tries to kill him lol because she knows Pomegranate is right and that she won't be able to do anything if PV just keeps being himself because no matter how hard she wants to throw away her past, that strange pull for him would never go because he is a major part of it.

What better way to stop making yourself feel bad but by simply getting rid of the thing causing that hurt especially when you're in an eternal cycle of anger and resentment and are incapable of thinking rationally emotion-wise?

She is still angry at him for sealing her and if we go deeper, not getting/understanding her. Which ultimately lead to her doom and cause DE because like I said, underneath all those layers, WL still is alive in DE, in a form who is angry at PV for not understanding her even before anything happened. Something which ultimately led them to splitting paths as even PV admits, he didn't get her and which is what led to both of realising that they gotta part ways, leading to WL's expedition to beast yeast for searching the truth and for PV to stay back and help crispia and his kingdom.

Both did things for helping others.

Their goals aligned but at the same time, they didn't.

Because neither of them got eachother.

Because unfortunate timing.

PV valued his Kingdom more than searching the world with her for a truth they may never find.

This is why when she "meets" him again in Creme Republic, she is almost disappointed at him lol

To the point you can interpret it as "You are still an idiot and you are talking to me?! Stfu"

Just like she was disappointed back at banquet because despite all this time, he has still not seen the "error" in his ways according to her.

He still didn't understand her vision.

This is why, this is exactly why DE is the way she is to him.

She is still deeply affected by him. Even if she doesn't admit it, she still cares a lot. She still has deeply suppressed feelings for him which make her question herself even when literally no one on earthbread is capable of doing so.

She doesn't understand these complex feelings because she never processed her anger. She is permanently incapable of processing these feelings because her other half got that part and now she is merely a husk of what she was.

Just like Pure Vanilla Cookie still questioned his feelings for White Lily Cookie (whom he knew had become Dark Enchantress Cookie), Dark Enchantress cookie definitely questions hers but in a way she is capable of mentally and in her own way.

Pure Vanilla Cookie is what Inuyasha is to Kagome/Kikyo. He recognises the soul of White Lily Cookie even when she can't find it out because he truly loves her. He didn't just love her, he fell in love with her soul. He recognised it was WL in his final moments of the Dark flour war as his eyes went wide which is why he sealed her instead of killing her and along with that sealed his own memories because he couldn't bear this anymore.

This is why when told again that de is wl, he accepts it relatively fast because he knows, he knew and was in intentional denial because he didn't want her to be that.

This is also why he is the one approached by the light of freedom because it also knows that only he has the ability to know the true WL and recognise her being.

This is also why he is more than happy to get WL despite her being half alive to the point of him being willing to die just to get her back because he loves her soul and he wants that part, the one whom he fell for, come back to life and wake up.

This is also why again and again back when he didn't know the entire debacle of WL and thought she is gone for good in exchange of DE, he tried to explain her over and over again that there still was time and she can come back if she wants because he didn't want to seal her, not when he clearly recognises that it's her, it's still the same soul he fell for but now against him.

This is why he happily embraces WL back when she is alive again because he realises that she and DE are not the same despite being the same soul.

Because he fell for WL and not her but he can still/might have residual feelings because at the end, they're still part of each other but he'll always love WL more because DE and WL are no longer the same. But he will definitely always have a spot for DE too cuz that's a fragment of WL too. A part of her too.

So does that mean DE has feelings for PV? Highly possible because it's clear that she's still drawn to him and what he has to say. She still holds him in high regards despite what she likes to admit to herself.

So yes, it is very possible that DE still has deeply suppressed feelings for PV just like he did for her once (before WL woke up) but she would NEVER voice them because caught in a cycle of eternal anger, pain and resentment, she has lost the ability long ago to process these emotions.

Just like Kikyo continued to love Inuyasha but couldn't say it out loud despite her evil birth, despite everything, still continued to subtly show so as she became incapable of love in her new unfair "birth", DE shall always remain this tragic character with an unfair fate and life incapable of emotions and feelings other than hatred.

This is also why, these 3 shall always remain my favourite characters as WL is not a Mary Sue, she is a deeply complicated, complex character who deserves all the love she gets along with PV.

[laswells-ashtray]

A small little rant if you don’t mind, but I’ve recently started getting into more “girly” things(ex. Nail polish, lip liner, etc), and my family won’t stop making a big deal out of it.

Like, back when I was a kid I despised anything that was deemed girly because, at the time from what I had saw on the media and in real life, being girly meant being ‘delicate’ and ‘soft’(which I in no way am😓), and I didn’t want to be seen as someone who needed to be taken care of or who couldn’t fend for themself.

But now that I’m getting older, my style is changing and I’ve become interested in painting my nails and practicing light makeup, and now my family is gobsmacked because, “You used to hate nail polish!” Or, “You’re wearing mascara?? I thought you hated makeup!”

Dawg.. I’m still me, I’m just evolving and growing into the young woman I want to be and am finding ways to express my style through experimentation. I just want to do it in peace though, because ever since they’ve pointed it out I feel as if I should hide away and do what I do in secret. I literally ran into the bathroom and locked the door JUST to do mascara..

Anyhow, I don’t know if this made sense(and I’m sorry if it didn’t), I’m just frustrated right now. I want them to know that I’m not a little girl anymore and want to explore comfortably without being alienated and gawked at.

Tell them to go fuck themselves. Best option.

My mother fucking despised the way I dressed because she always wanted me to look like a mini version of her. I was only allowed to dye and style my hair the same colour as hers. She bought us matching clothes, jewellery, deoderant and fucking perfume.

Well, I'd like to see my mother's skull caved in.

I cut my hair short, dyed it colours she didn't like, wore make-up, clothes and jewellery she didn't like because I don't value her opinion. Or her ability to breathe, I could see that woman dead.

I once saw her years later when I had red hair, and she told me it suited me much more than black hair because it made me look softer and more like her. I cut my hair and dyed it jet black again the next day.

Explore your sense of self with a "fuck you" on the tip of your tongue.

"You used to hate-" It's simple, "I grew up" should suffice, and if it doesn't, then a "why are you so concerned about this?" usually makes people back off, and if that doesn't, then the age-old,

"Fuck off if this is the only thing you're willing to talk to me about." should do the trick.

[is-that-sand-in-my-waffles]

I am so serious when I say that Kanan and Ezra have the best developed master and padawan relationship in Star Wars and I will fight people on this point

[guardian-angle22]

Colson Baker (aka Machine Gun Kelly) | December 2021

[aroaceleovaldez]

full on feel like pjo tv s2 is not gonna hold up so they need to drag as much attention to the series as they can by using nico as a sock puppet w tsats2

im fully expecting the show to go the way of the movies. it doesnt help Sea of Monsters is almost unanimously the least favorite book of the first series. People frequently forget it even exists or what happens in it, especially more casual fans.

Heck, just look at how little fanfare the second season has gotten so far as compared to the build up to s1. I wouldn't be surprised if s2 totally flops. It would be a little funny.

[sonlah]

last meeting - bittersweet

[cryptidmads]

hi venture mains im here to tell you personally that their first legendary is going to be ugly as SIN and that is a GOOD thing actually.

queer people have been synonymous with dressing loud and garish and ugly for centuries at this point. its practically a form of communication for us, and its something that we have to continue to embrace to avoid being sanitized as a whole by society bc thats a fate worse than death if you ask me. and sloan "dirt-fucker" cameron is not someone who goes well with the word "sanitized".

its entirely and incredibly in character actually. they geek out at the very mention of anything historical. their default fit is a jacket thats like three sizes too big for them. they have a pet rock with a purple mohawk. they were associated with nothing but rock eating for like six months. they eat ice cream for dinner and call people "doofus". you're telling me someone like that wouldnt voluntarily choose to dress in the goofiest shit you can think when their whole shit is being a goofball?

they've lived in probably at least half a dozen small towns in the province of nova scotia (they are not from the city bc city kids don't grow up playing in the dirt), meaning i can say with every ounce of personal experience that 90% of their shit is thrifted and they consider something "nice" if its cheap and isnt covered in stains when they pull it off the rack. they'd wear a flannel over a hoodie on a windy day and 10 degrees celsius is t-shirt weather. they dont care about how they dress day-to-day bc nobody else they know does either, and that can translate to both casuality and confidence in flawless fashion.

"ugly" isn't an option we should be immediately disparaging of anyways. there is no separating "good" ugly from "bad" ugly in design, as any form of ugly can be made good looking despite what the adjective's conotations might have you believe. you look at the roadhog skin in the s13 battle pass and tell me its not so ugly that it wraps back around into being adorable. ugly should be approached with an open mind rather than being shunned bc its not what you wanted

tldr venture's first legendary deserves to be adorably and atrociously ugly for all the right and most in-character reasons you can think of and thats exactly what its going to be! i cant wait to see it <3

[thequibblingking13]

You could not believe how insane I am about how well MHWild's plot turned out for my Haunted Doll MC I ported over from MHGU. She's so Arkveld.

[snekdood]

theres different levels of abuser for me-

theres the ones who actually seem to try, and then theres the ones who im unsure if they're actually genuinely trying but an effort is being made, and then theres the ones who ik are pretending to've changed in any meaningful capacity while it being so fucking obvious they havent nor have they taken any steps whatsoever to do so.

[vashjul]

Thinking about how at the end of everything Jayce and Viktor basically set the timeline right. They put the world back into a state without them. They only died together because ALL versions of themselves fought to do so. But they were both dead from the start. Just buying time to be with each other they didn’t have. Cursing everyone else in the process with their stupid grandfather paradox.

In an untampered world, Jayce never made it off that mountain and Viktor died from his disease.

I believe this is the arcane trying to balance itself and correct time. This concept invaded my mind when Ekko pushed the limits of his loop and Heimerdinger literally blew up in his testing. He reverses this, taking control of the arcane for himself like Jayce and Viktor had been doing for years. This doesn’t change much because Heimerdinger is later claimed by the arcane.

It was an event that was supposed to happen.

Jayce and Viktor are (finally) claimed by the arcane when Ekko throws the same anomaly that predicted and righted Heimerdinger’s death straight at them. This allowed them to accept fate together and send themselves back to the nothingness because they are an anomaly. The first anomaly. They are part of everything and they are also absolutely nothing at all.

Accept your humanity and mortality. Know that the time you make is the only time you have. We all kick the bucket eventually, best to do it surrounded by those we love. Take care of yourselves.

[moonmoonthecrabking]

what is the point of sticking a group of people in a house for three months if there's no politicking allowed?

[helaintoloki]

Hello and good evening,

I saw you opened requests so I'm dropping by!

What about an infinity stone mishap that has multiple Bucky variants be at the compound at the same time. (Let's just have Winter Soldier be not entirely murderous for the sake of Tony's heart) and literally no one can seem to keep some apart except Steve and reader, who goes off on a rant about all the teeny tiny, to her very obvious details that differ between the Bucky's and accidentally in doing so admits she has a huge crush on him/them??

I hope that made sense omg

And as always, only if it speaks to you and you're up for it! ♡♡

a/n: hi hon, ty for sending this in! i’ll admit this was a bit challenging to tackle but still fun! hope you don’t mind that i changed a few details in the process <3

warnings: light angst, lots of pining, fluff

summary: a multiversal mishap leaves the compound teeming with Bucky variants, and Steve entrusts you with helping him figure out which one is the real deal

“I think I had a nightmare like this once,” Sam shudders as the two of you survey the plethora of Bucky’s taking up space in the compound. A multiversal mishap had led to an overflow of variants into the compound, and now your team found themselves working vigorously to determine which Bucky was your own and which ones needed to be sent back to their proper dimension.

Getting rid of the Winter Soldiers had been the easiest, the red stars on their arms giving away their identities and also giving Tony a heart attack in the process. You could tell apart the Bucky’s with hair that was too long or too short, the one’s that had brown or green eyes instead of blue, and the ones that went by Jane instead of James. The real work, however, came when there was only a handful of variants left that looked identical to your own Bucky.

“We can’t take any chances,” Steve says after having approached you and Sam. “All of these men are going to insist they’re our version of Bucky, and we can’t risk sending back the wrong one. I’m really going to need your help on this, y/n.”

“Why me?” You retort with furrowed brows, nervously peeking your head out of the office to observe the variants that sit restless in the common room.

“Out of everyone here, you and I know Bucky best,” the blond states truthfully. “I think if we work together we have a better shot at cleaning up this whole mess. The sooner the better.”

“You got that right,” Sam scoffs, prompting you to roll your eyes in response.

You couldn’t exactly deny the truth in Steve’s words. Other than Captain America himself, Bucky considered you to be one of his closest friends. Your kindhearted nature made it easy for him to gravitate towards you when first joining the team, and after saving each other’s asses on multiple occasions, he knew you were someone he could entrust with his life. You tore down his walls with ease, you brought out the best in him, and he’d forever be indebted to you for your friendship.

You decide with Steve that the best course of action is to spend one-on-one time with each Bucky you cross paths with to detect any abnormalities in their behavior. The Captain makes it abundantly clear that you cannot let them cloud your judgement with pleasantries, and it’s pertinent you trust your gut with each decision you make. The pressure is on, and you feel the nerves settling in your gut as you approach the Bucky that has made himself at home in the communal kitchen.

“Hey, stranger,” you call gently, a pleasant smile on your face as you seat yourself at the island counter. You note with interest how the man visibly relaxes at your presence and sets aside the pot of tea he’d just finished brewing. His eyes are bright like your Bucky’s, full of adoration and relief when he sets them upon your face.

“Y/n,” he breathes out gently before coming to meet you at the counter, “you have no idea how glad I am to see you, doll.”

“Rough day?” You prompt understandingly.

“Where do I even begin? Being around so many versions of myself is more unsettling than I ever could have imagined.”

“Well, Steve and I are doing our best to fix that,” you assure him. You watch as the man turns back to his pot of tea and begins to pour you both a cup. There’s nothing unusual about this considering your Bucky also enjoys drinking tea; it helps him keep calm and relaxed before retiring for the night.

“How many are left?” He asks before handing you your mug.

“Around ten. Steve and I are making our rounds to figure out which Bucky is ours.”

“Am I your Bucky?” The man prompts with a raised brow while taking a careful drink from his cup.

“You tell me,” you reply with a faint smile, ignoring the way your heart begins to flutter when he refers to himself as ‘your Bucky.’

“I know you have a scar on your stomach from being stabbed by another Widow in the Red Room, and the reason I know that is because I accidentally walked in on you changing in the shower room once,” Bucky admits with a sheepish laugh, prompting your face to heat with embarrassment.

“God, don’t remind me,” you groan while hiding your face in your hands. It’s not exactly comforting to know that Bucky has accidentally seen you naked in at least two different universes, but it also doesn’t make it easier to determine if this man is an imposter.

“I know you like your tea with a tablespoon of honey,” he continues before gesturing to your cup. You hum thoughtfully and set the mug down before meeting his gaze.

“I do, and I know you only like chamomile tea,” you reply, prompting Bucky to stiffen in front of you as you look down at the mug in front of you. “But this is green tea.”

Sighing, the doppelgänger sets his cup down with a defeated frown before meeting your gaze with pleading eyes. “Don’t make me go back.”

“I’m sorry, but it has to be done. We can’t risk the effects that come with having two Bucky’s in one place.”

“Then can I ask you a favor?” The man says solemnly.

“Of course.”

“Before you send me back, can I… is it okay if I hug you?” He asks, catching you by surprise. Noting the confusion on your face, Bucky gives you a dejected smile that doesn’t reach his eyes before explaining, “We don’t talk anymore in my universe. I was an idiot, and you rightfully cut me out of your life. This is the first time in years you’ve looked at me with love and not utter disgust, and I just want to enjoy it a little longer before I have to leave.”

Your heart aches for this poor Bucky who very clearly misses you, or at least his version of you, so you can’t find it in yourself to deny his request. You wordlessly rise from your seat and allow him to wrap his arms around your frame. His hold is tight, his nose brushing against your neck as he savors the feel of your touch, and you feel terrible for the fact that there isn’t anything you can do to help him.

“I’m not sure what happened between the two of you,” you utter quietly while rubbing comforting circles into his back, “but if she’s anything like me, I know she probably misses you but is too stubborn to admit it. Don’t give up on her.”

You release him with a smile and find his eyes shining with tears as he lets your words settle. You bid him a final goodbye before escorting him to Tony and Bruce so that he can be properly transferred back to his own time. That’s only one Bucky down with several more to go, and you know now that you really have your work cut out for you. This is going to be much more difficult than you anticipated.

You stumble upon the next Bucky quietly ruminating in your room, and it takes him a moment to detect your presence as you lean against the doorway and simply observe his mannerisms. You can already tell this isn’t your Bucky by the way he anxiously taps his fingers against his knees; your Bucky’s tell is the anxious bouncing of his leg. This Bucky also wears his hair pulled back into a ponytail, whereas your Bucky prefers to tie his hair back into in a half-up style.

His eyes widen in shock when he finally notices you standing there, and you’re taken aback by the way he nearly flings himself at you. His strong arms wrap around your midsection and lift you off the ground, holding you impossibly tight against him as if you’ll disappear otherwise.

“жена,” he whispers in a trembling voice while combing a hand through your hair.

“I don’t speak Russian…” you voice with an uncomfortable laugh, struggling to take a breath due to how tightly you’re pressed against him. “Buck, you’re kind of suffocating me here.”

The man finally releases you after your admission, but his hands immediately find their way to your cheeks as he cups your face and rests his forehead against your own. You’re startled by the closeness, but there’s no denying the rapid beating of your heart when you stare into his troubled eyes. You’ve had daydreams like this before, but it’s jarring to experience it in person.

“When I arrived here and came across your room I thought it was too good to be true,” he utters shakily, “but you’re here. You’re alive.”

“Bucky, I-“

“You’ve come back to me, жена.”

“жена?” You repeat unsurely. His panicked features melt into a fond smile at the sound of your botched Russian, and he carefully pushes back your hair before gifting you a nod of confirmation.

“Wife.”

Your eyes widen at his proclamation, your heart dropping to your chest while you process the weight of his words and struggle with the turmoil inside of you. You thought dealing with the Bucky from the kitchen was difficult, but this is way out of your playing field.

“Oh god,” you breathe out before carefully removing his hands from your face. He frowns.

“What’s wrong?”

“I know this is all really confusing, but I’m not…” you start to say, grappling with your guilt at having to crush the man’s hopes of being reunited with his version of you, “I’m not your wife.”

The man’s features become sullen at your confession, brows furrowing in disappointment and confusion. “What do you mean? You aren’t y/n?”

“I am, but I’m just not the same y/n you know. This is a different dimension, and you were sent here by accident.”

“So you’re not… she’s not really alive, then,” he murmurs dejectedly, eyes casting towards the floor in despair.

“No, and I’m so sorry I’m not the one you’re looking for,” you console, resting a comforting hand on his bicep. Bucky’s eyes flutter shut at the feel of your touch, something he’d been lacking since your death. You aren’t his wife, but in spite of that, he is grateful to be able to speak to you and see your face once more. “Can I ask what happened to her?”

“Hydra wanted revenge for my desertion and for aiding Captain America in their destruction,” Bucky utters lowly, eyes hardening at the memory. “An eye for an eye. She paid the price for my mistakes, and I’ve spent every waking moment avenging her death.”

A chill runs through your spine as you hear the recounting of your counterpart’s death, but you do your best to remain composed while in the presence of this alternate version Bucky. Your heart aches for the man, and you once again find yourself completely useless at trying to help him.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” you express solemnly. Despite this, Bucky looks to you with a tender smile before carefully taking your hand in his own.

“Don’t be. I know you’re not her, but seeing you again, hearing your voice- It’s the most precious gift I could ask for. Thank you for giving me some semblance of peace.”

You’re a wreck when this Bucky is returned to his own timeline, and after multiple instances of running into Bucky’s who believe you’re their y/n Steve assures you that he’ll take over moving forward. It seems that each Bucky you speak to cares so fondly for you, they adore you even, and yet in this universe you’ve been designated as a close friend and nothing more. It’s killing you to see all the ‘what if’s,’ because deep inside you know that you’ll never be with your Bucky the way you want to.

You’re not sure when your crush on the super soldier had first developed, but you know that you’ve harbored these romantic feelings for him for quite a while now. You’ve never told anyone, though you can guess Steve was smart enough to figure it out on his own, and you have no urge to act on such feelings in fear of how complicated things will become if he doesn’t reciprocate your emotions.

Your rumination leaves you in deep thought as you sit out on the balcony and enjoy some quiet after all the chaos you’ve endured. You hear the sliding door open and shut behind you, but you make no attempt to see who it is until they seat themselves beside you. You peek at Bucky from the corner of your eyes before returning your gaze to the New York skyline, simply enjoying his presence without making an effort to speak.

“You doing okay?” He asks, effectively breaking the silence between you.

“I didn’t think being around multiple versions of you would be so exhausting,” you confess with a humorless laugh, but it prompts his lips to quirk up slightly into a smile.

“You’re starting to sound like Sam,” he teases with a careful nudge to your side. While you’d normally laugh at his jokes, Bucky doesn’t even get a smile out of you. You feel him shift closer to you and hope he can’t detect the way your heart picks up a beat in response. He nudges you again softer this time and asks, “Talk to me. What’s eating you?”

“Every Bucky variant I met today looked at me like I moved heaven and earth together, like I was their reason for getting up in the morning, and I guess it just reminded me of the fact that my own Bucky doesn’t really look at me that way.”

You pull your knees up to your chest and let your chin fall on top of them with a melancholic sigh. A part of you feels embarrassed to be voicing your disappointment aloud, but you figure there’s no harm in telling a variant since you’ll never have to see them again after today.

“Do you want him to look at you that way?”

“Of course I do,” you avow incredulously like the answer isn’t already obvious. “I love him so much that Steve trusted my judgement enough to have me help him sniff out the doppelgängers. I know how he likes his tea, how he does his hair, what his favorite movie is- the list could go on forever. But of course, I live in the one universe where Bucky and I don’t end up together.”

You feel his hand come to rest on the small of your back and shudder at the feel of his cool metal hand seeping through your sweater. You can’t help but to lean against him so that your head is rested on his shoulder, and you’re able to find some comfort in his presence. You hear him let out a thoughtful hum beside you.

“You want to know something?” Bucky pronounces. He feels your head nod against him and smiles. “I know the exact moment I fell in love with you.”

The confession has you lifting your head to peer up at him questioningly. “You do?”

“Of course I do. We were on a mission, and you picked up Steve’s shield to stop a bullet from hitting me straight on before using it to knock out three bad guys in a row. You looked so strong, so beautiful. My heart was yours from then on.”

“I didn’t think you remembered that,” you confess quietly, stomach fluttering with nervous butterflies.

“Haven’t stopped thinking about it since,” he asserts with a fond smile. “Any Bucky would be lucky to have you, and I’m sorry yours has been too chicken to make a move.”

“I guess it’s not totally his fault,” you relent with a meager shrug. “I’m chicken, too.”

“You shouldn’t be,” Bucky suggests, tone light and inviting. “I know I’m not the most obvious about it, but I love you too.”

You open your mouth to answer only to be interrupted by the sound of the sliding door again. You turn to see Steve standing there, surprise on his features when he sees you two sitting on the balcony together.

“Y/n, I’ve been looking for you,” he says suddenly. “I wanted to talk to you about the variants-“

“Don’t worry,” you interrupt him with a passive wave of your hand before gesturing towards Bucky with your head. “I found another one for you. This Bucky just told me he loves me which means he’s definitely not ours.”

“Actually,” Steve says with an amused grin, “I was just coming to tell you we sent the last of them back to their own dimensions.”

“What?” You gape in shock, heart immediately dropping to your stomach as you slowly shift your gaze towards the Bucky sitting next to you. He flashes you a bashful smile and a small wave that fills you with embarrassment.

“I’ll give you two a moment,” the blond says with a knowing smile before making his exit, leaving you alone once more with the man you’d just poured your entire heart out to.

“I thought you knew,” Bucky offers apologetically. You take a nervous swallow before forcing yourself to meet his gaze again.

“So you’re saying that you do love me?” You ask hesitantly, almost afraid that this is all some sort of joke.

“I may not be as romantic or straightforward as the other Bucky’s you met, but I love you just as much as they do if not more,” he professes earnestly, gently resting a hand on your cheek to pull you closer. “I think we make a great team, but we’d make an even better couple.”

“I think so too,” you utter with a giddy smile, waiting with bated breath as Bucky slowly begins to lean in. The anticipation is killing you, but you’re finally rewarded for your patience when his lips meet your own in a tender kiss. Your lashes flutter shut as you melt into his touch, reveling in the moment you’ve dreamed of since discovering your feelings for Bucky.

No matter the timeline and no matter the universe, Bucky is destined to fall in love with his y/n. And you wouldn’t want it any other way.

[strawberrysznn]

How to find the best version of yourself that you'll fall in love with

As someone who has gone through SO many versions of herself and is now slowly growing to be a person she's genuinely happy and in love with

Trust me when I say I've had a lot of identities these past few years. It took me a lot of time to really find the best version of myself, the version that I'm genuinely happy with, the version that my 10 year old self would have looked up to. However, it's different for everyone. The definition of an "it girl" to me might be different from your definition, and the personality and life that truly feels me might not suit you. So, please take note that this is highly subjective and it's all about you and what works for you.

The one and only thing I did to rebrand myself: I created a character.

I gave my character a new name. You can give yours your current one or a nickname. I gave mine my second name. I built this character, I envisioned her, I turned her into a realistic person that I knew I'd look up to.

Basically, create an alter ego. And it wasn't easy to curate this character for me, it took a lot of time for me to build her into someone that I'd want to be, someone that still has flaws but embodies the energy and lifestyle I want.

Know what you want. How does this new you act? What do they like and dislike? What matters to them? How do they impact the people around them? What are they like? How would you describe them? What are their flaws and how do they deal with it? What are the bad habits they got rid of?

Make sure this version you want feels like you. This isn't about turning into another person, it's about growing as a person. It's about looking in the mirror and loving what you see with no doubt and no regrets. It's about knowing what you want and taking it right away, and it's about taking control of your own life and shaping it into one that you will fall in love with every single day.

Look up to this person. Get to know this person, know every single thing about them. Make sure that as you create this alter ego, it's truly someone you'd 100% look up to.

Fall in love. Personally, this part is my favorite. I start to visualize and imagine this person so much that I completely fall in love with her. This version is me, truly me, and utterly me. It's not someone else, it's the person I want to be because everything about this person feels like me. I start to romanticize growing and becoming this person, slowly shaping myself, changing my lifestyle, taking action, taking initiative, and building myself and my life brick by brick to fall in love with what I see in the mirror.

Take action and build yourself up. Slowly embody this person. You can't change overnight, but you can grow and shape yourself step by step.

This is NOT about turning into someone else. This isn't about changing yourself to be more likeable or to please others. This is all about knowing what direction you want to go and taking it. Make sure this character is realistic and truly you. Do not try to be someone you won't be happy with, be someone that will make it easier for you to love yourself. Don't become someone that will only push you beyond your limits and break you, become someone who can take control of their own life enough to build their life solely for themselves.

Find yourself, find the best version of yourself, and you'll know what path to take. All you have to do now is take the path.

[taamlok]

Rook Tarot Card Ask Game

Some in-depth character development questions for your Rook, inspired by the major arcana tarot cards

The Fool: Where did Rook's journey begin? What were they doing before joining the Veilguard?

The Magician: What are Rook's thoughts on Solas? Do they change as the story progresses?

The High Priestess: Which does Rook obey more: their head or their heart?

The Empress: What does family mean for Rook?

The Emperor: What does Rook's leadership style look like?

The Hierophant: Is Rook religious? How do they feel about the religious organizations that impact their life the most?

The Lovers: Who is your Rook's most significant relationship within the Veilguard? How do they help Rook feel seen and understood?

The Chariot: How does Rook fight? What are their preferred abilities and damage type?

Strength: What gives your Rook courage? What inspires them to keep fighting?

The Hermit: When Rook is alone with their thoughts, what do they think about? Is solitude a blessing or a curse for them?

The Wheel of Fortune: Describe an interesting character moment for your Rook. What made this moment stand out to you?

Justice: How does Rook feel about the circumstances that led to them leaving their faction? What does returning feel like?

The Hanged Man: What does Rook do when their hard work doesn't pay off? How do they cope with failure?

Death: What part of Rook do they need to kill to become the best version of themselves?

Temperance: What does Rook do to deal with the stress of their situation?

The Devil: What type of demon is most likely to target Rook? Why?

The Tower: How does Rook respond to unexpected catastrophe?

The Star: When things get dark, what gives Rook hope?

The Moon: How does Rook's past impact their values? Does their past come with any biases or blind spots they have to account for?

The Sun: What is Rook passionate about? How do they fuel that passion?

Judgement: How does Rook approach difficult decisions? How do they cope with the consequences of those choices?

The World: What does happily-ever-after look like for Rook? Is it attainable, or just wishful thinking?