#Friendship in Doubt

[maeviuslynn]

I had the absolute pleasure of talking to Dr. Richard Kaczynski about Aleister Crowley, agnosticism, freethought, and all about his writing and research. Join me as I get to interview one of my heroes about his most recently published book "Friendship in Doubt: Aleister Crowley, J. F. C. Fuller, Victor B. Neuburg, and British Agnosticism."

[love-is-a-pearl]

HERE THEY ARE!!! FINALLY!!!

My designs for everyone's aged up looks! As well as their bios here👀

[l-in-the-light]

Trafalgar Law: fear of closeness and touch part 2, the extended edition

Writing another post about it, because I have a lot of thoughts I need to organize for myself. This time it will be more like my interpretation about Law and his relationships with people than about the touch itself. And also I forgot one of the most crucial scenes about the topic (because ofc I would forget something so important), so I will start with it:

The last touch he remembers from Flevance is hiding under the pile of corpses, cold dehumanized bodies, treated like trash. No one wanted to touch them, just like no one wanted to be touched by Law. How poetic that Law escaped Flevance with a death sentence while hiding among the dead, because he will be treated like he's dead to the world from now on.

This reminds me of a manga I once read, Shigeshoushi (The Embalmer). It's about a guy whose job is embalming the dead, and he is ostracized, feared and refused by people as a result. Contact with death and dead bodies is taboo in Shinto and folk culture of Japan in general. If you think it's a thing of the past, I reccommend to watch Okuribito (Departures), it's really good and this topic is at the heart of the movie.

Anyway, back to the manga, warning for spoilers. Situation escalates to the point when the only human touch the guy can get is that of him handling the corpses for his job and that really messes up with his mental health. His despair leads him to engage himself in risky situations just to get by, casual sexual encounters with strangers become the only form of intimacy he can get and he soon gets addicted to it, but it still lacks the emotional warmth and love he desperately craves, so it's never enough for him. Of course to even get those encounters he has to lie about his job and whenever his lie gets exposed and he is confronted about it, forced to listen to all those women blaming him, feeling disgusted by what he forced on them (it was never forced, but suddenly it's unwanted after they learn he embalms dead bodies every day), and it just triggers and deepens his trauma.

I wonder if you can tell where I'm going with this comparison. Law is definitely as starved for touch and love as the main protagonist is. Still, I don't believe Law would become hypersexual (tho that's just my personal impression, especially after he so blatantly refused Monett), but most importantly unlike the main character Law would definitely not desperately beg for the touch. It's just not how Law is, he doesn't like to impose himself on others if he absolutely doesn't have to. Not to mention he can't bear asking openly for help or for anything really, not after the Vergo incident. It was the last time he ever begged for something.

Law seems to be the type to neglect his own needs to the point that he makes stupid and reckless decisions based on his fear of losing people (callback to Wano and imprisoned Hearts). When people dear to him are in danger, his first instinct is to rush and help them unless he's completely immobilized. That's the level of "prioritizing other people's safety and needs" he believes in, he would do it every time, but he hates when people do it for him. Mostly because he deeply believes Corazon got hurt because of him, and Corazon gave him all that love Law was starving for. And Law believes Cora-san finally died for it.

Add his trauma of expecting people to not want to be touched by him into the equation. That's why he has problems expressing his own need for love (and touch) from that point onward. He acts so tough, doesn't allow himself to show weakness and will definitely never ask for love, he learned his lesson on that.

But what about Heart Pirates? They love him! He clearly protects and deeply cares for them, but in each scene he is with them, not counting Bepo, he keeps them at a distance. I do believe Law treats his crew more or less on equal terms, he favours freedom after all, but their relationship is restricted by his fear and makes it significantly more asymmetrical than the one Luffy has with his crew. I do think Penguin and Shachi are more important to Law than the rest of his crew, they're best friends, they've formed the Heart Pirates together, but he doesn't allow them to be on touchy feely basis with him. That's reserved for Bepo. Bepo is basically the last safe haven Law allowed himself to have up until Strawhats happened.

Law at Sabaody creates three new bonds with people: with two supernovas and Jean Bart. The latter he takes into his crew and I believe it's because Jean Bart has no other place to go, especially with Marines and Pacifistas running around the island. It's possible Law does it all the time and his crew (beyond the original four) got expanded because of that.

Law's bond with Kid started on a wrong foot, not only Kid judges Law based on prejudice and "bad rep" flying around about him, he also accussed him of lack of manners (triggering a flashback to Vergo), all in Law's hearing range. It's not really surprising later on Law doesn't want to owe Kid a favour by letting Kid take care of the Marines. Law clearly doesn't want to be indebted to someone who feels disgust towards him (I don't think Kid is disgusted by him, but that's what Law thinks at this point). And even after Wano it seems Law made sure that they're even, none is indebted to the other. For Law it was just a temporary alliance, he kept his distance, they didn't end up becoming friends.

Last new bond Law created was with Luffy. It started indirectly at first, Luffy was defending his fishman friend. Things said about Hatchan triggered a trauma response in Law ("Don't come closer! Disgusting! He will spread diseases!"), in my headcanon freezing him in the spot. But Luffy defended his friend and indirectly also Law by punching the Celestial Dragon, in similar fashion to Corazon defending Law by punching the doctors spouting similar prejudice about amber lead syndrome.

Law thanked Luffy for that and he felt safe doing so, after all what Luffy did was never directed at Law himself, but the gratitude must have confused Luffy to no end (Why is that guy thanking me? I didn't do anything for him!). Law didn't mind this bond at this moment exactly because it was so indirect, as a result he allowed himself to interact with Luffy and even took the first step, probably thinking it will lead to nothing. But he would never do it if not for Luffy's indirect impact on Law. If that's the expected level for casual bonds Law has set up, I doubt many occassions appeared for that before. It just shows he avoids people as a general rule, period.

But things changed after they left the auction house. Law is displeased with Kid, only telling him not to order him around and refusing to even talk with him, but his dynamic with Luffy is completely different, he doesn't feel bad about it despite being treated like accomplice in the whole Celestial Dragon incident.

He even allows himself to tease him a bit. There's no bad air between them. It almost feels like Law feels more emotionally available despite them being strangers, or rather exactly because they're strangers here and Law thinks they will also leave as strangers, which gives him the freedom to be more open.

They fought together, mostly by accident, but for Luffy that's enough to already feel a bit attached to Kid and Law. He declares he's after One Piece, implying from now on they will be rivals.

That doesn't earn him any response from Law. In fact, he just smirks and retreats without a word.

There are multiple possible reasons for his reaction here, but one of them is important right now: if Law said anything, he would acknowledge that bond, that of being a rival to Luffy. He didn't want it, in fact he wanted them to remain strangers, with no lingering attachments. That's why, when he got offered Luffy's friendship (disguised as rivalship, mind you), he turns back and retreats.

That's his answer. Later in Amazon Lily he also ends up retreating without even waiting for Luffy to say his thanks.

And how ironic that the next time they see each other it's Law who ends up extending his hand, not once, but twice: first by saving Luffy's life by risking his own, and second time by proposing alliance. I can only imagine Luffy's surprise: he got rejected before, but now it's Law himself proposing it! And what a funny guy he is, he doesn't need to offer friendship, because for Luffy they're already friends, after all didn't Law save his life? Law though just needed help, but wouldn't ask for it directly, because we know he never does that anymore, so instead he offered a bait. Frankly he didn't need to, Luffy would do anything he wanted him to anyway. Luffy ofc thought the alliance is a fun idea, but in the end he accepted it because it's Law who needed it to be an alliance, he wouldn't accept help otherwise. Also alliance felt impersonal and safe, without the need to be emotionally open.

There's so many seperate frames of Law just staring and thinking upon their reunion. He's conflicted. Also at this point their relationship changed, whether Law wanted it or not. He was there when Luffy lost Ace, saw him breaking down, definitely thought they now share something in common: they both lost people who were the dearest to them. I'm also sure he could see through Luffy's smile, he knew there's no way he would be already "okay" after just two years.

Unusual whimsical frame of Luffy. He closed his eyes, not listening to the words spoken, but instead listening to his own heart. He knows he needs to kidnap Caesar, that's what Law asked him to do, but Luffy doesn't just want to do what he's told, he wants to make sure the person he is doing it for is happy. It's a callback to Luffy's deepest regret: leaving Sabo with his family, assuming things would be better this way, without making sure first if that's something that would make Sabo actually happy.

Ever since Luffy does this double-check-for-no-regrets for all of his friends and crewmates. He follows Nami to Arlong Park and waits patiently in case she actually needs help. She questions Kyros' choice and goes to all the way to Rebecca to the castle just to ask her if she's really fine with staying seperated from her dad. And he does it here as well. Would kidnapping Caesar make Law actually happy, Luffy wonders. And probably thinks back to their previous encounter, in Sabaody, and Law's mysterious line after Luffy punched the Celestial Dragon: "Thanks Strawhat, you showed me something interesting". And Luffy found his answer and it's this:

Punching Caesar. Apparently Luffy did something right in Sabaody and he thinks it was about the punching, so he does it again now as well. Ofc he wants to punch Caesar anyway, but he does pause before doing that, he actually doesn't jump for it straightaway, it's AFTER he thinks about it. Luffy decided this is what would make Law actually happy, despite going against the plan. Luffy didn't believe following Law's plan will actually make Law happy, but punching his enemies will.

And yet Law doesn't look happy, but let's look more closely to his body languague. He turns around, doesn't declare his unhappiness directly to Luffy's face, he's making an emotional retreat again despite shouting. He's giving mixed signals. So was Luffy wrong?

Law is trying to hide his smile. Making sure no one notices. He's trying to maintain the distance and remain cold, but seems it's working less and less efficiently.

I will let you decide it for yourselves whether Luffy was right or wrong in the end.

There is more nuance about this I didn't even touch yet, for example the drastic gap between Marines fearing Law and calling him a monster, and Stawhats (minus Luffy), at first fearful and suspicious of Law, but it took them like 5 minutes to change their mind and trust him just like Luffy did.

In Dressrosa Law declares that, deep in his heart, he actually also wants to kick Doflamingo's butt. Luffy doesn't even act surprised upon hearing that. Of course, he knew already, Law didn't even have to say it.

While in Dressrosa Law attempts to break the alliance, send off half the Strawhats to safety and despite barely being able to move himself he takes care of Luffy in the final countdown. Almost like he already treats them like his own crew, keeping them safe. If you ask me, someone got attached. And the pinnacle of it is when Law shares with us that he aims to either live or die with Luffy (not die for him, unlike Luffy's own crew declaring in this arc). That's the best he could offer and he knows how much it's painful when someone dies *for you*, he wouldn't inflict that pain on Luffy again, not when he knows Luffy thinks of him as a friend.

And finally in Wano Law finally opens up more and lashes out at Strawhats, just like he did at Corazon. He no longer feels the need to emotionally distance himself all the time, or keeping it all bottled up behind a stoic cold facade and impersonal "alliance". That's how he shows his worry and affection, he considers them his responsibility in Wano.

He also admits for the very first time his fear of losing people. "The plan isn't worth anyone dying" (in this case - Zoro dying). He allows himself to trust and to be vulnerable.

If you think Law is torn about his growing connection with Strawhats, then you're thinking the same as me. He allowed himself to get attached and he didn't want to initially.

Is it really alright if I touch you too…? (ready to retreat his hand at any moment he senses it's unwanted after all)

His words are often rough and cold, but his actions speak for themselves. He trusts the Strawhats by this point, they're his second crew, and he would do the same for them he would do for his Hearts.

And now he has a problem, he gained more people he is afraid of losing. New friends.

[chirpsythismorning]

Thinking about the what if El was never interested in Mike romantically, she just assumed she was discourse on the tag today and how it's very possible what could make El fully realize this, is when in s5 she see's Will's love for Mike in real time, for the first time, and she's just like damn! That is not me!

[carouselunique]

Cinch had three charges in her care once, Celestia entrusted her with the day-to-day care of Prince Blueblood, the new Princess Cadence and her student Sunset Shimmer - running a kingdom is difficult enough alone without three young ponies to look after - so when Celestia is absent (often) that means Cinch was in charge of these three ponies. And while the matron of the castle was always rigid about rules and wanted her three charges to uphold her reputation and to build their own budding reputations high, she cared about them very much. You'd have to, spending your time with the same three young ponies for so long, guiding and teaching them to be their best...

By the time Ditzy came into the picture, Cinch was down to two charges. She refused to fail them the way she failed...

Well, with one down, there were two left and she cared so much she wouldn't let anyone ruin them, especially not themselves. Surely they would come to realize Cinch was only helping.

[effervescentdragon]

incredible storytelling i could write an essay about dean's facial expressions only

[lichenbug]

nightmare is SO in love

[charalol]

I just saw a post that was like. You should always follow your instinct!! Your friends do hate you!!! And like. No?? Do not do this. To yourself or to your friends. Especially with super close friends. Your friends love you. It's why we are friends.

If you're really worried about it. Ask. And I get it. I'm autistic too. It's hard and you notice little changes and you overthink it but. I get busy. Things happen in my life. And I always have to tell myself life happens to everyone. Even if it's hard to see outside your lense.

Tldr. If you're worried. Ask them or talk to them. If you're right. I'm sorry. That sucks but you don't want to be friends with someone who isn't compatible/ mean to you anyways. You'll make new friends. You'll make better ones. I did.

And. Trust your friends.

[theultimatekamehamehavoc]

he got a bit curious

[comraderoscoes]

valtteri talking about lewis’s win yesterday 🫶🏾

[barblaz-arts]

Does alastor hate vaggie?

Like, in the show? Probably? I think the only people Alastor holds any positive feelings for are Rosie, Nifty, and Mimzy anyways. At the very least he probably sees Vaggie as a nuisance because of how protective she is of Charlie. He blatantly took their fallout as his cue to take advantage of Charlie and make a deal with her.

[iguessitsjustme]

I love Monster Next Door but they are not going to make me feel sorry for Jane. I mean it's obvious that those girls aren't actually her friends but they also aren't wrong. But she hasn't done any self reflection and she has been nothing but cruel to Diew. I'm glad he stood up for himself and he unintentionally really hit her where it hurt.

[ingravinoveritas]

i’m sorry but am i going crazy or is that michael on david’s apple watch??

Hi there! This is so funny, because you are actually not the first person who has mentioned wondering if that was Michael on David's Apple watch, as this came up previously during the Proud Nerd Con earlier this month.

I appreciate the zoomed in picture, as I also tried to take a look on both occasions and see what the picture was, but I found that it was too blurry/distorted to make out any details. I do love the thought of a picture of Michael being on David's watch, though I think matching bracelets are just as (if not more so) adorable a notion. Both the watch and the bracelets speak to the idea of David and Michael wanting to keep each other close in some tangible way when they're physically apart, which is precious beyond words to think about (yet seems so plausible).

What I can tell you is that someone who was at one of the meet and greets at Proud Nerd Con actually confirmed that the photos on the Apple watch are all of David's kids, and that it's set up to swap/cycle through the photos. So it may not be Michael on David's watch, but I also wouldn't say you're going crazy, either, since at least a few other folks had the same exact thought.

(Also, someone actually gave David a pair of Michael slippers at Proud Nerd Con, so if anything, he can at least keep Michael close to his...feet. Haha.)

I hope this helps to answer your question. Thanks for writing in! x

[sonik-kun]

MXTX describes Jiang Cheng as a negative person, but ultimately, he is not a terrible, evil monster.

We all know why Jiang Cheng is, by nature, a negative person. Aside from all the loss of life he has experienced, he had a rather toxic and tumultuous upbringing by his parents.

His father gave him little attention and seemed to favour Wei Wuxian (which only served to exacerbate the rumours of a secret affair he had with Wei Wuxian's mother, causing an even bigger rift between him and Madame Yu).

Not only did he seem to favour Wei Wuxian, he also often compared him to him, placed unrealistic expectations on him and refused to ever acknowledge Jiang Cheng's own amazing achievements (The fact that he was able to work hard and keep pace with a child prodigy like Wei Wuxian is impressive in itself.) He also told him that he didn't understand the family motto.. Do y'all not see how alienating that must be for Jiang Cheng? Especially being told that whilst he was still a child who was developing and set to be the future sect heir.

Then there was his mother who was both verbally and physically abusive to Wei Wuxian and him. She often demeaned Jiang Cheng and compared her to Wei Wuxian, pitting the two against each other despite the two of them wanting to just be friends. She was a wedge between a beautiful friendship and whilst I understand her grievances, especially towards her husband, she still put a huge strain on their friendship which only fed into Jiang Cheng's insecurities. It was unfair of her to take her anger out on her children and their disciple.

Jiang Cheng had no real, adult figure to ground him and reassure him other than his sister. But she too was a child under a great amount of pressure. That role should never have fallen upon her.

With all this taken into consideration, it is no wonder why Jiang Cheng grew up to be bitter, negative and resentful.

It makes you wonder that had he had a normal upbringing with supportive parents and never experienced the great amount of loss he went through, would he had turned out to be a completely different person?

I propose to you that he would. And we can see that person in his nephew, Jin Ling.

[strqyr]

the possibility that raven has met salem before summer's mission fascinates me.

and i don't think it's unlikely either, like. when she talks about needing to know more and each discovery she made since, the camera pans over the abandoned continent on the map of remnant, pretty heavily implying that this is where raven's search for more information eventually took her. exactly the area where the evernight and salem are located.

and there's no indication she would have done this after she left (or that her departure was some kind of a secret mission to begin with).

and it's got me thinking, if raven met salem first alone... would she have been free to leave? or would salem have known about ozpin's newest recruits, about one certain silver-eyed warrior in particular, and offered a deal:

bring summer to her, kill her, anything like that, and raven would be free to leave—but there's also a catch, an "or else", to ensure raven's cooperation: "what does she have on you?"

but raven doesn't just leave the evernight unharmed, she leaves ozpin's side as well, and never fulfills her end of the bargain (though i don't think the deal was the only reason she left), perhaps forgetting about it completely over the years she was gone.

but past has a fun way to come back to haunt us, and that's exactly what happens here: summer has her own plan, a goal to end this war once and for all, and she needs raven's help for some part of it—but not the main course, since that's something only summer could do: "if i do this right."

perhaps they get as far as summer trying to use her silver eyes against salem. perhaps it doesn't work as intended.

either way, summer is clearly not happy with raven before the mission has properly even begun; how much would it take to break whatever trust is between the two?

would salem thanking raven for fulfilling her end of the bargain be enough for summer to turn around and consider raven an enemy? that's what qrow assumed back at haven—for understandable reasons—, even though raven was only looking out for herself and had no intention of actually letting cinder—and thus salem—have the lamp.

and if summer didn't believe any explanations of "it's not like that" raven could give (if she even did, she's not exactly the greatest in defending herself with words), it's not too farfetched to think that raven would see that as a kind of a betrayal too, and a fight ensues; "you don't know my friends. that's how it always goes."

and thus the tragedy of team strq gets a neat bow on the top.

honestly, i think it adds up; not only does it share similarities with what happened in haven, but it also draws from the qrow-clover-tyrian fight, and you know how qrow came out of that: "i made a deal with the darkness, and he paid the price."

[aint-thata-bitch]

Playing bg3 again and after finishing the lorroakan fight and Aylin addresses Rolan, telling him he "didnt embarrass himself", I'm picturing them being besties post-game. And on a similar note, playing as a redeemed durge who adores Rolan, that just adds to the hilarity.

Like imagine being Cal and Lia and you've grown up with your jerk loser nerd older brother who has always had trouble making friends and you know hes grown as a person but you can't help but hold onto how you saw him in Elturel a bit. And then one day he tells you he's going out for lunch in the afternoon and you're like "sure. Oh that's the door, lemme get it I gotta see what poor unfortunate soul is hanging out with you lol" but then you open the door and standing there is the literal demi-goddess, daughter of Selûne, and the pure blooded Bhaalspawn that helped you guys a while back.

Truly a sobering experience that would force your perceptions into the present so fast it would give you whiplash.