#I take time to do what I want rather than something that might be more practical AND THAT'S FINE

[morlock-holmes]

The Conspiratorial Mindset

So, I've always had a bit of an interest in scams and hokum, and what people call "Cults".

One of the common refrains when you talk about religious Cults is, "If you think about it all religions have beliefs that seem odd to outsiders" and this is true, but as I read more about cults I started to think,

"Wait, a lot of these groups aren't united just by having unusual religious or supernatural views; a lot of them also seem to have matching patterns of behaviors that have nothing to do with belief in psychic space aliens"

I'm talking about things like,

Having a leadership structure which is absolute, where the top leaders cannot be disciplined or even openly criticized by lower members;

Exerting tremendous control over the dress and behavior of adherents;

Telling adherents that outsiders are untrustworthy and that contact with outsiders should be strictly limited and heavily monitored by organizational leadership;

The extensive and common use of shunning and reprogramming in response to violation of any of the above rules.

In some groups, failing to adhere to the dress code and spending a lot of time with outsiders is, at worst, the subject of a few little jabs at family gatherings. In other groups, those same behaviors are treated as Defcon one crises and become the central issue of the adherent's relationship with everybody else in the organization until they can be bullied back into doing the organization's bidding.

It was gratifying to learn that other people have noticed these patterns (Some people prefer the term "High Control Group" to "Cult" because it highlights what the actual problem is)

I am starting to notice similar dynamics in what are commonly called "Conspiracy theories".

The thing about conspiracy theories is... Well, conspiracies exist, and sometimes groups of powerful people get together to do something in secret which would get them in big trouble if they were to do it openly.

But I am starting to notice a particular, I don't know, a particular way of conceptualizing the organization and purpose of conspiracies which is unique to some people and which characterizes the kind of conspiracy theorist who takes Alex Jones seriously.

I kind of think of it as a "Witch-Hunting mentality".

For certain people in more primitive times and places, if they, say, slipped off a ladder and hurt themselves, their first thought would be, "That must have happened because a witch cursed me. We need to find and punish the witch who cursed me."

And this isn't just the attribution of malice that characterizes this idea:

One malicious conspiracy that might make you fall off a ladder is a manufacturer who doesn't care about safety ratings. Imagine that the manufacturer is really deliberately malicious here. A subordinate comes to him and says, "Our ladders can't reliably hold the weight of a person and a lot of them will probably break and cause people to fall and hurt themselves." and he says, "I know that but who cares, by the time people figure it out it'll be too late to get their money back."

That's a malicious conspiracy, but, importantly, if Bob buys a faulty ladder and falls off, the conspiracy wasn't trying to hurt Bob; it merely didn't care whether Bob got hurt.

Now, this distinction doesn't take away the malice and hostility towards Bob, but if you go to the ladder manufacturer and say, "Hey boss, Bob bought one of our faulty ladders, but he's really skinny so the ladder didn't break" the manufacturer will go, "Who the fuck is Bob? And good, that's one less angry person."

Whereas imagine Bob's ladder has been cursed to break by a witch. The witch did it because she hates Bob, and wants him to fall, and if she finds out he didn't fall, she'll go, "Curses, I'll have to find some other way to hurt Bob."

Conspiracy theorists, it seems to me, are far more inclined to conceptualize conspiracies as acts of deliberate malice aimed at them rather than acts of negligent malice.

@loving-n0t-heyting posted this article from the New York Post which contains a good example of what I mean:

“I thought I was on the cutting edge of promoting rights for gay people,” Yang said. “But then I started looking deeper into where this was coming from and who was paying for it, and I started to get very disillusioned...

I assume the people paying for it are LGBT advocacy groups? Did you, uh, not know that the people you were working for were paying you to work for them?

“When you really dig down you can see how much of this comes from documents and plans at the United Nations,” Yang said, referring in part to the UN’s “Gender Equality” initiative. “It’s part of a global agenda to restructure society, re-structure our social norms and the economy,” Yang claimed. “They are undermining the sexually dimorphic nature of reality and breaking down the differences between the sexes to break down our identity. They are constructing identities for us and they want us to adopt them.”

Oh, I see.

This is exactly what I mean. LGBT rights efforts make Yang and others feel disoriented, like society is being restructured and that they are being left behind, like they aren't quite in control of social norms and that stable identity categories can't be relied on anymore.

Now, one kind of conservative might look at that and say, "These are bad second order effects of LGBT people trying to assert their lifestyle in public and that's why we should oppose them."

But another kind says, "These changes make me feel unstable. Therefore, the main purpose of the changes is to make me feel unstable. In order to understand these changes, I need to figure out who wants me to feel unstable and what they would gain from making me feel unstable."

The idea that Yang's feeling of instability is simply a side effect of a series of efforts mainly focused on LGBT rights is incomprehensible. Instead, she believes that there is a series of efforts focused mainly on making her feel unstable, with LGBT rights as a kind of side effect to the main goal of making her feel unstable.

This kind of thing is, to me, a big red flag that indicates that we are starting to float away from reasonable conspiracy thinking into crazy town.

I am particularly curious if folks can recommend any writers or researchers who have noticed this dynamic.

[val-the-protoss-simp]

Yeah, so. The best way I can explain my thoughts on these ships (especially Artazun - Artanis/Vorazun) is using one of Avril Lavigne's most iconic songs:

He was a boy

She was a girl

Can I make it anymore obvious?

Like, I'm not trying to throw any shade at all, people can ship whatever they want. But I am yet to meet a person who ships these two that explains why they like them so much in a way that makes sense to me. Because sooner or later, their explanation boils down to "He's a guy and she's a gal so ofc they'd be into each other" as if a straight ship is some kind of default and if a story has a male main character and a female main character, they have to end up together. And I just don't see it. Them as friends? Sure, absolutely, imo they're great as friends, but not as a couple. Alarak and Artanis have way more chemistry with one another. Bit of a hot take but so does Rohana and Vorazun. But Artanis/Vorazun is about as interesting to me as watching paint dry is. It's like when you pick up a mediocre romance book where the girl character obviously ends up with the boy character because That's Just How Things Are no matter of they're good together or not. No thanks. Pass

Kerrinor is a bit more complicated in a sense that the game actively tries to convince you these two are really into each other. But if I had to sum up their vibes, I'd reach for Sk8tr Boy again. "He was a boy, she was a girl, can I make it anymore obvious?" I just don't get the romantic vibes at all off of these two. Raynor frequently comes off as an incel that gives the vibes of someone who'd insist they know better than you and just to listen to them because they know best, while also transforming into the biggest simp in the galaxy in SC2 as he pines over a woman that's obviously not into him.

And Kerrigan gives me the vibes of someone who really does wanna see more in this weird relationship, but more because she thinks having someone to love will make her feel whole and worthy of living rather than that she really wants this. Like, if shit didn't go south and she didn't get infected, I'm 100% that eventually she'd go "Yeah sorry lol this ain't gonna work." and break it off with Raynor. Like, I do think she cares deeply for Raynor, don't get me wrong, and at one point might have thought what she feels is romantic love, but eventually comes to a point where she realises that it's a sense of kinship rather than anything romantic. She loves him as a friend, that is all.

And funny enough, if you know more about his character, you know he had a wife and a son that he tragically lost. Knowing this information and how he's written, Raynor comes off to me as someone who's desperately looking for that kind of love again, albeit without realising, because the time he spent happy with his family was the happiest he ever was and his defeated, depressed ass desperately wants that again. So he seeks that shit and Kerrigan just happens to be there.

You can clearly see that he cares deeply about her, but his feelings of affection are misplaced to the point he doesn't want to see the kind of person she is and instead tries to morph her into the kind of woman HE wants. Which is not who Kerrigan is at all. Revenge is all she has left, no matter what it takes, and Raynor again and again tries to talk her out of it for his own personal wants when she makes it very very clear this isn't something she wants to do and that she cannot just let go of what Mengsk did to her and what that man's choices turned her into. And instead of trying to understand why someone he supposedly understands so deeply would want to kill the man who robbed her off of everything and turned her into a monster that killed billions, he gets butthurt when she doesn't wanna run off with him and live happily ever after. I love Raynor for many reasons, I think he's a well written character in a lot of aspects but this just. Ain't it. If the game treated this behaviour of his as a flaw, I'd dig it. But instead it tries to tell how boo boo poor Raynor is just so unfortunate to want a woman that doesn't want him, even when he ignores everything that's important to her. That's just not doing it for me, fam. I get that the game tries to ram it down my throat as the technically only canon ship it gives us in its five installments, but I can't get behind it. Kerrinor is a big fat no for me, let them just stay friends.

a ship where i see what people see but it is simply not very interesting to me personally it’s like

[miumura]

SHE GETS HER WAY ｡ ｡ ｡ 보이넥스트도어 🪽 ✦

( 𝓢 ) ﹕ gf privilege with boynextdoor

──── 0t6!boynextdoor x f ! r ╱ ⌕ est. relationship, fluff ∿ w. none, they are just cuties wc. 0.7K+ ( 757 ) ｡ ｡ first post of 2025 😚 !! ( many more bnd works to come! ) happy new years everyone !! i am so thankful for everyone && i hope that 2025 treats you well and also becomes your year 🤍 !!

❛❛ 💬 ❞ 𝗦𝗢𝗣𝗛 > 𓂃 𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗖𝗞 𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗙 ⋮ 🪽

MYUNG JAEHYUN freely allowing you to bother him

no matter what kind of tricks you could pull, he never seems to get even a little bit annoyed. in fact, it's almost as if he adores you even more because of your antics. sometimes, it leaves you wondering if anything could tick him off at all. in reality, he might just play hard to get purposefully just to watch you persistently ask for something he would do for you without a second thought—no matter what it was. he just finds it rather cute when you're so determined to make him do something that you want. you wouldn’t even notice it’s an act until you see his wide grin as he finally “gives” in. so really, there's no need to beg for anything—you’re his weak spot, and he doesn't even try to hide it.

PARK SUNGHO dragging him into doing silly trends

regardless how silly he may think the tiktok you just showed him is, there’s such a low chance for him to say no. almost all of the time, you’d catch him saying yes. to his defense, how could he say no to someone like you? he loves seeing that spark of excitement in your eyes and can’t help but smile as you eagerly set up for the video you’re about to record. sungho, without a doubt, would just look at you with so much love as you tie that pink ribbon around him, adoring and cheesing over you internally.

LEE SANGHYEOK random physical touch

he doesn’t dislike physical touch, however, he will get all tensed up if someone were to randomly give it to him without warning. but with you? that’s a complete different story—poke at him, wrap your arms around him, or even smother him with affection, and he'd let it happen without a single complaint. if you wanted it, he’d simply give it to you. regardless, it’s a win-win situation for him—you’d get all the physical touch you want and he gets pampered with your sweet kisses and hugs. let’s say, there was always a motive all along—one that leaves him content with getting to keep you as close as possible.

HAN DONGMIN taking his belongings without asking

the first time he saw you wearing one of his hoodies, he could’ve sworn he fell even harder for you. sure, he’s the type who usually prefers when people ask before borrowing his things, but seeing you in it? that was a whole different story. it brought an instant smile to his face, one he couldn’t hide even if he tried. from that moment on, he’s never refused you—or asked for anything back. need to borrow his phone for a bit? go ahead. want to wear that accessory he cherishes so much? it’s yours. he’s just that down bad for you. honestly, it doesn’t matter how long it’s out of his sight because as long as it’s with you, he’s at ease. he trusts you completely—and maybe, just maybe, he secretly loves the reminder that he’s yours.

KIM DONGHYUN you have all of his attention

safe to say, you have the leehan completely swooned. you could be distracting him from his game or youtube video, but the moment you call his name, it's like everything fades into the background. it’s almost as if, within a split of a second, he’d be right there for you. even when you don’t call for him, he’ll pause whatever he’s doing just to check up on you. whether it’s a quick text or simply staying close within your reach, it’s more than enough to keep him content. his eyes soften the moment they land on you, almost as if he can’t help but admire the person who means the most to him. and honestly? he wouldn’t want it any other way.

KIM WOONHAK decorating his belongings

at first, he might refuse and say a few half-hearted complaints as you pulled out your sticker sheets. but the moment you stuck those tiny heart stickers on his phone case, it was game over. his heart started racing faster than he’d like to admit, and suddenly, those so-called “childish” designs didn’t seem so bad. ever since then, he’s been extra cautious with anything you’ve decorated, treating them with such care as if his life depended on it. he’s practically paranoid about getting even the tiniest scratch on them. in fact, he takes every chance he gets to proudly show them off—whether it’s his phone, notebook, or water bottle—and purposely leaves his things out in the open, secretly hoping you’ll add more. it doesn’t matter if the stickers are cute, silly, or completely random. what matters is that you’re the one who decorated them, and to him, that makes them absolutely perfect.

‘💬’ ─── new year new layout ( ? ) do we like this way of writing for hcs ??

BND PERM TAGLIST ( OPEN ) ! — @juyeoz @j4d

[fishnapple]

12 months forecast for your 2025

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

This is a general reading meant for multiple people. Take only what resonates and leave out the rest.

Your feedback is much appreciated. If you find the reading resonated with you, leave a comment, I’d love to know 🎐

About me | Masterpost Book a reading with me - KO-FI (→ personal reading)

WILLOW

January: You will start the year with planning and preparation for the months ahead. You have the resources and opportunities to make whatever plan you're having into a reality. The year starts bountifully, you might receive some money or see your financial situation getting better.

February: Lots of gatherings, family, friends, colleagues. This will be a social month for you. You will meet, work with, and care for many people. Family responsibilities could be the focus of this month. Home decoration or cleaning will be the idea you entertain.

March: Continuing from February, you will need to take steady steps this month. Things might move slowly for you. Consider things carefully before making a decision, especially one involving finance, health, family or your living space. You will want to work hard, to get over the grind, steady wins the race.

April: It seems your effort of the previous months will finally reach a conclusion. Maybe a project will end and now you can celebrate and relax more. This month will also be about socialising, but of the celebratory kind, you might go to a fair, a concert or somewhere with lots of people to have fun.

May: As you relax more into May, your emotional space will also expand and be more open. Leaving the door open to let more opportunities for connecting come in. A new bud of attraction will be there. You feel that you're ready to give and receive love and affection.

June: The bud of attraction will bloom in this month, you will meet a person that you find very compatible with you, or you will have the opportunity to get to know someone on a deeper level and feel a new attraction towards them. For some of you, a connection will take the next step, commitment will be offered.

July: Summer will be a joyful period for you. You will feel very inspired this month and begin to envision more plans for the future. You're excited to start, but this month should be spent for building a picture in your mind about the things you want to do with careful details rather than jumping straight into action.

August: This is when you need to start putting your plan into action. This will be a prime time for you to build more structure in your life, take more control and be more responsible, you might also be put in the position of authority or be the one who makes major decisions. You will need to be firm and stay clear headed, because someone or something will create a distraction for you.

September: The result of your actions in the previous month will show itself in this month. It will feel like a reward. You will feel emboldened to do many things that you've been shy to do. Life seems much more lively and colourful for you. You could hear some joyful news or you just feel generally in good spirit.

October: As the months get colder, your spirit will also cool down a little bit. Maybe the good news of September will now make you feel doubtful, you need to reconsider some choices. You could have a tense situation with someone and you don't know how to solve it successfully, it seems whatever you do, the outcome would be the same, so you will hold off making a move in this period.

November: You will become much clearer headed in decisive. You might lean on your rational side more when it comes to approaching situations. You will think you need to cut something out of your life. It might not feel good, but it's necessary. Someone will act a little cold or less emotional, they will judge the actions of other people. This person could be you, but I feel it's likely someone else, they might be older than you.

December: The way you act in November will help make this month more light for you. You will be in good spirit again, ready for a new year, with many things you want to execute. I see many hangouts with friends. You will have the opportunity to freely share your feelings and what you've been looking forward to. I also see a concert, lots of singing and talking.

ROSE

January: New year will mark a new transition for you. The cold weather will leave you feeling a little chilly inside. You might have to give up or change something that you've been familiar with for so long. But you realise that it no longer serves your growth, so you want to change. Travel could be possible for some of you, to go on a trip to heal or to get away from the stress you've been feeling.

February: You will feel a little uncertain about the change you made in January, you feel like you're going blind into an unknown future. But the freedom of endless possibilities entice you to keep going. You might find yourself suddenly being interested in a new project, a new hobby, or anything new, really. Some people will be there to welcome you to the new stage of your life.

March: The feeling of uncertainty still lingers, if not even more heavy than before. You keep being distracted by all the things going around you, your mind is unclear in this month, being too occupied by mundane tasks and respite. You will feel like there's not a moment of rest for you, that you're stuck in this endless cycle.

April: You will have more time to clear your mind and think things through carefully. You're unstuck and will now put on your thinking cap to strategise. A new information will arrive to help you. Every puzzle piece will fall into place, you will know what you need to do. This is the best time to make a decision or to start learning something.

May: You will make slow progress this month, but the faith has been restored, you now have solid goals that you will be working towards, no matter how slow it it. Avoid the urge to compare, just focus on your current work.

June: Help and support will come to you. You're not alone in your journey. A woman or someone with motherly qualities will help you. Children might be around. Also, you need to take care of your stomach and be mindful of what you take into your body.

July: I wonder if the person who appears in June will be someone whom you feel attracted to. You're a lot more inspired and joyful this month, like a new creative energy is blooming. Making yourself appear attractive to that person or just people in general.

August: There are several possibilities here. One is that you will get to see the results of your hard work and actions of the previous months. The other is that you will want to consider returning the favour. If there is something unresolved between you and another person, you will likely want to solve that unfinished business this month. The thought about commitment will also be heavy on your mind.

September: Whatever action you choose to take in August, it will have a positive effect on this month. You will feel fulfilled and happy. Maybe you will establish a more solid connection with the person you're attracted to. There could be a trip to somewhere with lots of water.

October: If you decide to commit to someone, this will be the topic of gossip for some people. Also, your work and what you're doing will be scrutinised. Don't let people's words get to you.

November: There could be a conflict this month. Either with the people who don't have great opinions about your life or an inner conflict. You want to do many things, but they all require your time and effort, so you will need to prioritise more.

December: A surprise or a secret awaits you this month. You could be aware of it through your own detective work or through divination. If an elderly woman gives you some guidance and advice, you should listen to her.

DOLPHIN

January: You might not start the new year with much of a celebratory mood. Someone might do you wrong, and you feel really stuck in the feeling of hurt and fear. You feel like you have the worst luck and need to be wary of the people around you.

February: But you will recover from this month, a new day has arrived. You no longer feel stuck anymore, you will slowly gain back your confidence. You will snap out of the blaming mode and start to take care of yourself more.

March: In an effort to turn the wheel, you might bite more than you can chew in this month. Avoid taking on many things at once. If you feel it's too much, best to ask for help. Don't be in a hurry and running when you're holding something.

April: The busy mood of the previous month will prompt you to take up learning management skills or skills that help you be more efficient.

May: Beware that someone might go behind your back, or try to trick you when you leave the door open. Selfish motives are there. You will want to be more discreet and not disclose your plans to people too openly. Some actions are best taken silently. Also, there can be a bad influence from someone, even if they are not intentional, you need to examine what you're doing with them is truly good for you or not.

June: A success or happy story will inspire you to make changes. You want to learn from examples, but you feel like you still have a long way to go. Be in nature will inspire you more.

July: You will be more relaxed and do things at a more leisurely pace this month. Though generally feeling good, you might be putting off making some major decisions, wanting to just enjoy the present moment.

August: Now the decisions can't be put off any longer. You will have to make a choice. The choice might be related to an emotional matter. It's not a heavy choice, and you're calm. You can listen to other's takes but don't take them to heart too deeply. It's important that you make this choice yourself.

September: You will decide to be bold in this month. Ready to offer your affection. You could start a new friendship or enjoy talking to someone more this month. Companionship is the highlight.

October: Festive feeling. You will feel more connected to people in general and want to go out more. Picnics, camping, and parties are around the corner. You will also feel the urge to join a community, a different world from your usual interactions. The community could be about shared interest, you will feel that you really belong there.

November: A new opportunity for financial gain or career achievement is there. It may be something you've been eyeing for a while but feel too unprepared for. But in this month, you will feel just right, that you're capable of more. Cooking and eating will bring a lot of joy to you.

December: You are finally able to grasp what you wished for and more. This chance is fleeting and doesn't come often, so be sure to keep your eyes open and catch it. You will also feel more playful and adventurous, so take good care of your health to enjoy this moment.

CORAL

January: Someone will be there to support you, they're generous and very warm. When you feel uncertain and frail, they will give you the right dose of affection that will get your strength back. In turn, when you see people who are in the same difficult situation as yours, you will want to act similar to that supportive person.

February: You will get inspired by the person from January and want to emulate their way of living. You look up to this person and want to chart your life in the same direction as theirs. This month will be a crucial step that can determine the course of the following months for you.

March: You will look around to see what you're lacking, what needs to be improved, what you have, what you can offer. Though you feel that you're not yet at a comfortable level, you're hopeful. You might embark on a new journey in this month with a mentality of a student, still have many things to learn.

April: Whatever you're doing, some people will not react kindly to that. You might face ridicule or outright bullying behaviour. Being timid and silent won't help you in this case, you're asked to stand up for yourself more.

May: Either you're fed up and start to come to your power, or someone with more power will intervene and protect you. Their energy is very soft yet protective. You're safe with them. Similarly, you will want to nurture a softer side of yours, let your ideas feel safe enough to run freely.

June: This will be a busy month for you. You have so many things you want to do and are asked of. Proper planning is needed if you don't want to see everything stays in WIP status. Also, be mindful and focused when you're driving and travelling to avoid any accidents. Don't put yourself in a hurry mode.

July: It seems the effort you spent in the previous month won't be paid off well in this month, you feel like you've wasted a lot of time and effort only to see things crumble. Which begs the question, is your foundation solid? Think carefully about what you invest in. Also, pay attention to your living space to avoid leaks, floods, or appliances malfunctioning.

August: Another busy month, this time, you will start to learn to balance things more, you will still do many things at once but you're getting the hang of it and be more skilful, make sure to surround yourself with supportive people. You still need to be careful when travelling, though.

September: You seem to have mastered the art of balancing. You're extra patient this month and willing to take a slower and more sustainable approach. You will also care more about your overall health and want to cut out unhealthy habits. Green juice and nature will do wonders for you in this period. Avoid any excessive behaviour, whether it's in the name of health, betterment, or work.

October: I see a potential lover on the horizon, or someone who can work with you effortlessly, a match for you, whether it's a romantic, platonic, or professional connection. You will want to adorn yourself more beautifully, pay attention to the beauty surrounding you. Rose and butterfly might be symbolic.

November: If the person you meet in October is a romantic potential, you might have some competition there. Also, you will feel a little conflicted about them, like you're not sure what exactly your intention is, or you have so many things you want to do that it's hard to organise the schedule.

December: I see that you will stay home a lot in this month, or prefer to be in solitude, which is probably what you need. To gather your thoughts and do some soul searching. You might want to search for new reading materials. Don't stay up late too much.

[ihaznoclue]

Hiii I would like to request Shadow the hedgehog with an alien!reader. They look human but have an ability that resembles light and glitter? If that makes sense lol

(If you can, could it be a stranger’s 2 lovers? If you only do platonic that’s fine! Reader would be also be on Sonic’s side and living with the trio)

Pairings -> Shadow the Hedgehog x Alien Reader

Warnings -> None

Note -> Reader is a alien who looks like a human but have the ability that resembles light and glitter

Genre -> Fluff [Strangers to Lovers]

Shadow The Hedgehog

You're both aliens at this point

But you were more human looking which is a good thing as people never seem to like aliens

You were like a alien that could disguise as a human but could resemble light and glitter

Which is a weird thing that most people might think but you think it is cool

Ever since you came to earth, you never knew the interesting things you might see on the way

But sometimes it is always tough as things may happen out of the blue

After a few years of being in this world called Earth you never realised you would find the most kindest people

The Wachowski

They took you in as one of them as they already had some company

A Hedgehog, A fox and a Echidna

They all looked so adorable to you

Sonic being the first one to introduce himself as they other did so too

Now you guys were all like a big happy family

But not everything turns out happy in the end

Sonic and his friends seemed to be caught in a mission

You missed them dearly, but the Wachowskis thought they could bring you to london to take on this mission with them as they need all the help they could get

That was until you saw HIM

Shadow the hedgehog

A black and red Hedgehog, seeming to be a different version of sonic

But you came to the wrong place at the wrong time as you saw Tom on the ground, Shadow with the key in his hand as he saw you

That's how you are now taken in by him as your wrists were tied together

Trying to free yourself as you thought of idea on how to get out

Doctor eggman and his grandfather seemed to be suspicious about you seeming that you looked rather different than the Wachowskis

Shadow also thought too but didn't think much of it as it seemed like a waste of time

But Shadow knew something was up with you and he wanted to know what

During your time being captured by The robotniks, shadow had seemed to take a interest in you all of a sudden seeming that he was always the one who stood close to you

So you decided to start a conversation with you if you could only to get a huff out of him

But you didn't stop as you told him things about you

Shadow looked like he wasn't listening but actually he was

During all this, you wondered if the others were coming to get you back

But you didn't feel threatened at all as they seemed to untie you

But on one condition if Shadow supervisors you

Which you didn't mind at all seeming he was the only one you've talked to during all this

Now Shadow has become more talkative ever since he started to look after you seeing if you were trying to escape

But you never did as you always tried so hard to keep a conversation going

You were joyful, talkative and very sweet

Someone that he cared for, someone who didn't think he was a monster

You reminded him of someone he dearly loved and cared for

And he was scared if he was going to care for you, something would happen to you

Shadow tried to keep it on the down low as you were the one to always talk about stuff

Shadow took interest about the stuff you would talk about

Like how pretty flower fields are, how lovely the forests are around your home town, how your family was the best

And maybe you spilled in a little bit of something else you weren't suppose to talk about

Maybe something about you being an alien just like him

Shadow was confused until you proved it, your skin reflected on the light

It was because you trusted him enough to know

Shadow thought it was pretty, your skin shining and looked sparkly

Shadow wasn't the only alien here

The person he cared and came close to was also an alien just like him

And he is willing to protect you from anything that tries to come after you

And he was going to do the right thing

-A<3

[cosmowgyral]

Falling into Sin with the Black Tiger ~ Gilbert's 4th Birthday

▪︎ Chapter 2

This is a fan translation so please don't expect it to be 100% accurate. Creative liberties have been taken. All content belongs to Cybird. Reblogs are appreciated. Hope you enjoy!

Gilbert: Ahaha, I was found right away.

The moment I heard a voice from behind me, I was embraced by a cold body.

When I turned around and looked up, there was not a trace of remorse on Gilbert’s face.

Emma: Is work going well for you?

Gilbert: Today my work is to look after you.

Gilbert: But, taking others’ opinions on account while deciding on a present, that’s not good, little rabbit.

(You’ve been watching me all this time.)

I felt both embarrassed and giddy, and my cheeks relaxed.

Emma: But, I don’t know much about gemstones.

Emma: I want to choose something good as it’s a gift for you, Gil. But I don’t know what is good or bad.

Gilbert: Then I’ll teach you.

Emma: That would take the fun out of it.

Gilbert: That’s not true. Rather, you can now go on a date with me, so it’s more fun, right?

(Surely, that’s a possible way to think about it?)

My face becomes sloppier as Gilbert asks me to “enjoy our date”.

(It might be better to wait and see his reaction while choosing.)

Emma: If that’s the case, may I ask you a favour?

Gilbert: Heehee, with pleasure. I’m glad.

Gilbert: I was worried you might try to rely on someone other than me again.

(He really is a troublesome villain.)

I walk through the town, holding Gilbert’s cold hand tightly.

Emma: Which gemstone is your favourite, Gil?

Gilbert: I’ve never considered it.

Emma: Obsidian or something….

Gilbert: Heehee, isn’t that a bit too simple?

Emma: You always give them to me.

Gilbert: I just want to dye you in my colours. It’s not about likes or dislikes or anything like that.

I showed him one gem after another, closely watching his reaction, but there was no change in his refreshing smile.

Gilbert: Which gemstone is your favourite?

Emma: …..When you ask me that, I don’t know what to say.

Gilbert: Right?

(All gemstones are beautiful and sparkly…but my favourite….)

What caught my eye was a rose-red gemstone with a matching blue stone.

(…Maybe I just like Gilbert rather than the gemstones.)

Gilbert: Hey, aren’t you tired from walking? Let’s take a break.

Emma: Uh…that’s right! Let’s do that.

I was so embarrassed that my voice came out higher than usual.

Gilbert gave out a small snort and went to a nearby food stall.

He ordered food so naturally that it was hard to believe he was part of the royal family. Then he promptly received the dishes.

Gilbert: Here you go.

Emma: Thank you. This is?

Gilbert: Dampfnudel…a kind of steamed bread that sells well this time of the year.

Gilbert: There are a variety of sauces but I ordered two kinds, a sweet one and a weird one.

(This is the first time I'm seeing this. It’s a standard thing in Obsidian.)

We sat down next to each other on a nearby bench and I immediately took a bite of the bread smothered in the sweet sauce.

Emma: Mmmm, it’s fluffy, chewy, and delicious!

Gilbert: What about the weird one?

I opened my mouth obediently to take a bite of the bread offered to me by Gilbert, and the sweet and spicy taste balanced well on my tongue.

Emma: It’s so spicy that it warms up my cold body right away.

Gilbert: Heehee, your thoughts are so cute and honest, aren’t they?

Emma: I’d like to hear your thoughts as well, Gil.

To return the favour, when I bring the steamed bun to Gilbert’s mouth, he bites it off all at once, along with my fingers.

(I..thought I was done for….I don’t feel the cold anymore, it’s actually getting hotter.)

Gilbert: They’re delicious, but….I’ve become tamed by your sweets, you know.

Gilbert: Eating street food makes me miss it.

Emma: That’s an honour.

Gilbert: Will you bake me a cake for my birthday again?

Emma: Of course. Not just cake, but lots of other foods too. Do you have any requests?

Gilbert: You’re always like that.

Emma: For your birthday, I want to pack in as many as your ‘number one’ things as possible.

Gilbert: Hmm…..

Gilbert: I’ve been thinking about it for a while, and I really think that right now is the happiest I’ve been in my life.

Gilbert leans in and rests his head on my shoulder.

Gilbert: It’s not that I’m being shy or considerate.

Gilbert: But what you want, you want me to be more selfish than this, right?

Emma: That’s right.

Gilbert: To bother me like this…

Emma: I’m sorry. But I won’t say ‘you don’t have to think about it’.

(Gilbert always thinks about his country and other people, but never about himself.)

(That’s why, when asked ‘what do you want?’, I knew you couldn’t answer.)

(People who don’t know how to live selfishly, are confused, worried, and at a loss for words.)

(I want you to be very selfish.)

Emma: I’ll wait as long as it takes for an answer.

Gilbert: Little rabbit, you have a mean look on your face.

Emma: That’s because I’m the fiancée of a great villain.

Gilbert laughed and quietly closed his eyes.

Spending casual time listening to the peaceful hustle and bustle of the crowd was blissful, and yet I felt a little pain.

*scene shifts to the dining room in the palace*

Emma: Lies….

[Chapter 1] [Masterlist] [Chapter 3]

[universalzones]

"I think they did right after Eggman was beat and he lost his control over the entire world, though I think it was rushed for the most part. I didn't really have time since I was busy blowing up any standing bases, though if I were to guess he might've ran unopposed if no one really heard about it. It would make sense too. I wouldn't be surprised if not many wanted be President with how much work there was to do to get things back in order." The entire planet was a mess from when Eggman has complete control of the world.

"That is a sound theory, and if he has strong ties to G.U.N then I'm sure they wouldn't have had second thoughts about 'convincing' anyone attempted to run against Thawne not to do so." Blaze would turn her focus on the Chaotix. "Perhaps you time might be better looking into this Thawne. I still hold hope that he didn't have any involvement and is intentions are genuine with his concerns."

"Maybe we could simply ask him some questions? I mean, it can't hurt, and he shouldn't have any reason to lie to us. I know this is me being optimistic, though I just hope I'll see the best in people." Belle wasn't really using reasoning rather than feelings with what she just said, though sometimes being kind and direct got answers. Throwing out the idea doesn't hurt anyone either.

"That's... foolish thinking." Kitsunami seemed to want to say something else, though he bite his tongue and softened his words. The fennec actually liked Belle's company so didn't want to be mean to her. "Though it's not like it'll do any harm. The worse that could happen is he deflects or simply refuses to answer. If you want to ask then ask, though I personally think its a waste of time."

===========================================================

"Sounds like you'll miss me being a pain in your ass, which is just weird. Though I guess no one on this team is normal." Surge wasn't good at this, mainly because she simply expected them to shut her out and leave her to face the music solo style. Now they were saying they'll miss her and how she caused problems? Ugh, why does being a good guy have to be so weird.

"...Just take it easy Lanolin. I know you gotta deal with Tangle being Tangle, though you seriously need to relax more. Plans are fine, though if you wanna deal with Eggman you gotta learn to role with the punches and change on a dime. I know it's sucks to be put in a position like that when you gotta lead, though I think it's important." Why was Surge trying to give advice in a situation like this?

"I could dash you where you want to go before heading to the command center. I know a lot of people get stomach sick, though I've got more control now, weirdly enough." Surge actually had a moment to process just how stable her powers were. Made her wonder how tied her emotions were to her powers. Well, not like she'll have time to explore that.

That village, they condemned her the moment they found out who tinker was. It was also ground Zero for the Zombot virus. Of all the people they were hit the hardest. They of course put that blame on poor Belle. Miles couldn't help but feel like it was a sore spot for her, and hoped deep down that she was right. They'd have to contact him, get papers and confirm it all. But he knew it was just as likely even the mayor would turn on her. He'd be there to help her through it regardless--- chaos he hoped she was right.

Miles flipped through his phone as he looked for information on this president. A Name, a birthdate anything he could use to give him a clue about who he was.

" Here we go, President Thawne... first name Luthian... 28 years old, served in GUN from the time he was 18, fought with GUN in the War-- yea right more like cowered in a hole. Not much else here... just lots of photos of him with Abe. Guess they knew each other... still young for a president... did they even do an election i wonder? "

He flipped through the photos and checked his social media but until he could hack in and check things. He could only tell so much.

" Likes his guns, gives to charities, helps out at the local homeless shelter... guy is squeaky clean... like to clean, this feels--- Staged? no angry posts, no joking posts... nothing from before the war... Dunno if this will help us, and its very sus..."

The chameleon didn't seem phased by her decision, and frankly if she knew someone to counter that ability good. But he guessed they'd get involved before it was over. Plus they knew the lay of the land well enough. No point in arguing right now, they'd have time to discuss it later.

" As you wish princess, we'll be here if you need us. "

==========================================

She chuckled at Surge being upset that she wasn't angry, that it might be easier if she was. If anyone was angry it was Sonic, pissed that she wouldn't fight for her freedom. But that wasn't to say Lanolin wasn't feeling emotions. She was, but they were a jumble of sadness and feeling like she failed Surge on some level. She hugged herself and looked down at her feet, just for a moment that stern façade she wore faded away.

" Anger would be easy... i wish i could be angry at you. Yelling would have been so much easier. But i just feel... i'm going to miss you Surge. Even your little outbursts, and raiding the fridge at all hours of the night. Our little arguments about how to handle missions... i'll miss it... "

She said in a softer tone less the commander and more like a friend, even if they had there problems. She saw Surge as more then just a weapon, more then just some soldier.

" But i guess i'm being sappy, and sentimental--- Yes Report to the command center. Get Miles to get your testimony and get it all on tape concerning that day. I have one more stop to make, and then i'll be back at the command center. "

She took a deep breath and let her personal feelings go. She held a hand out to Surge as if to shake her hand.

" It was a pleasure working with you Surge... I hope we one day in the future we can do so again..."

[just-a-carrot]

I'm not really in the mood to make a festive Happy New Year's post. So instead I'll just say... we made it. I made it. You made it. The year is over and we're still here. And that is enough.

It's no real secret by this point but 2024 has been one of the worst years of my life. From constant anxiety and panic attacks over job stability in the spring, to losing two family members, to the depressive spiral I entered after finishing OW, to the second spiral in the fall just when I thought maybe I was finally doing a bit better and everything came crashing back down, my mental health has been worse than it's ever been. And I've spent a lot more nights than I'd like to admit wishing I wouldn't wake up in the morning. (And downed a lot more sleeping pills than I'd like to admit because it's the only OTC thing I can get to mildly decrease my anxiety and help numb me a bit LOL)

I just want... this year to be over. Even though I have no hope for 2025 either and mostly just feel anxious and hopeless about it. But I will continue trying. Continuing grappling for the bits of joy that can keep me going. And maybe I finally will get a little bit of calm and peace. Who can say. I guess we'll see what 2025 decides to bring. I just really want to feel a bit better finally. And I hope that 2025 might take pity on me and allow me some mental respite.

2024 did have its moments of joy. Despite it sending me into the spiral, I am ofc glad that I finished OW finally this year. I consider it one of my greatest accomplishments. And I still can't believe that I put 3 whole years of work into this thing and just how much of my soul went into it. Even if my depression keeps trying to convince me that it (and me) are worthless.

I feel like I grew a lot in my art over the year. Trying new and more complex things. Getting better at composition and poses. Which led into my starting Broomtail, which gave me really the first renewed spark of creative joy since releasing the finale and actually made me excited to work on something again.

Speaking of joy amidst melancholy, DD2 was released this year, and it became the one thing that could keep me going at times. It brought me so much joy and inspiration when nothing else would. And it still holds my heart captive in its grip. From all the DD2 art I did, to the O2A2 game, to my silly tragic music video, to a very self-indulgent fanfic, it gave me so much creative energy, and I want to do more art for it in 2025 too! (And I'm still waiting for that DLC, Capcom...) I can't think of another game ever that's had this much of a hold on me before. Though I do attribute much of that to the fact that in my head it's mostly an OW AU since I could make Iggy and Genzou and play out their tragic love story and it was so beautiful and Genzou was so so sweet and cute GUH. Yeah... that helped a lot.

I think my main goal for 2025 is just to keep trying. To keep surviving. To keep trying to find hope and joy where I can. To believe that I can feel better and things can be better. Even when it's hard. And that hopefully... hopefully I will be able to find some peace in there finally.

I do have various projects I'd like to work on too. Like finishing the remaster, continuing Broomtail, maybe working on another game later on. But I'd rather just think of those as things I'd like to do for myself and because they bring me joy, rather than as any kind of goal or pressure. Especially since I never want to make any promises given the instability of my mental health.

I'm just so tired always. And I hate feeling scared and worthless all the time. I hate feeling trapped. Even if I know it's my own life choices and debilitating fear of change that has led to a lot of this. So it's my own fault in the end. But I hope I can find some solace. And I hope you can, too. I hope 2025 will be a kind year to everyone. And even if it's not, that we can find some joy and hope to help us through it.

Sorry this felt a bit morose LOL I guess I wanted to just take this opportunity to reflect back on the year a bit for some catharsis. I shall now sleep for 24 hours to recover from my flight hahaha.

if you saw this post a day ago for a few seconds i'm sorry -- i was working on it in my drafts and must have accidentally clicked post instead of save(??) somehow(???) idk but it posted and i panicked and deleted it and then had to rewrite it from scratch LOL

[milkoomi]

₊˚⊹ ᰔ a guide to maintaining financial wellness ᝰ.ᐟ

having good money habits can be insanely difficult. i know i personally struggle with impulsive spending, and i’m sure we’ve all fallen victim to the “i’m just treating myself” mindset. financial stress and even financial depression can feel so daunting and overwhelming, so i’m here to help you guys (and myself as well) manage your money better!

let’s begin !!

ᝰ.ᐟ set aside funds

it’s important that when every paycheck hits your bank account to immediately set aside some funds into your savings account. whether it’s 10-20% of your paycheck or even $20-$100, set aside some money into your savings!

it also might help to have that savings account be locked so that you can still put money in, but you can’t take money out. let that savings amount pile up and don’t touch it until you’re absolutely ready to make that big purchase!

ᝰ.ᐟ set aside any cash

get a piggybank or even one of those money organizing binders to set aside any cash that may come your way! keep that cash away from your wallet so you won’t be tempted to use it in any outside purchases. and, same as the first point, that cash will start to pile up!

ᝰ.ᐟ purchase needs rather than wants

let’s start getting out of that “i’m gonna treat myself” mindset!! while it’s nice to treat yourself, we really should only be doing it every once in a while. we can also find different ways of treating/rewarding ourselves that don’t require spending any money! (i can make a separate blog post on this if you guys would like!)

especially when you’re trying to save up for school, a new apartment, a new car, or whatever it may be, it’s really important to keep your purchases to only things that are absolutely necessary.

ᝰ.ᐟ keep track of automatic payments

especially if you have a subscription of any kind, keep track of when those automatic deductions from your account are happening. make note of when your next billing date is and how much you’re being charged for each month/year.

this would also be a good way to determine what subscriptions you really need/want to keep and which ones you can do without and unsubscribe to! i did a full cleanse of my subscriptions list and kept the ones i definitely wanted to keep. sometimes you never really realize how much money your losing when you’re subscribed to things that have no use to you anymore!

ᝰ.ᐟ plan accordingly

when your paycheck comes in and you have all these payments that are coming up yet you still need to buy groceries or get gas or whatever, make sure to plan your funds ahead of time! this way, it’ll help you budget for your groceries & any other necessities as well as help you determine how much money you can set aside into your savings and even calculate how much extra funds you might have to spend on for more personal things!

𝜗𝜚 final notes 𝜗𝜚

don’t let these tips make you feel like you can’t treat yourself to something! as i mentioned earlier, you can still treat yourself to nice things, but it might be best to do it once in a while! i know most of us associate success with money, and to reach success with money we have to learn to be more mindful about how we spend our money and how we manage it.

live and love, babe.

sincerely, juno ⭑.ᐟ

[writerfromshikahr]

I'm currently playing my little Dwarf Rook as a Grey Warden and I know she would ask him about this particular topic. The Calling & contracts. Generic Rook name. No race mentioned in this piece.

-----------------------------------------------------

It's Your Calling - Lucanis X Rook

-----------------------------------------------------

Lucanis sat on the couch in the corner of the kitchen, a book resting on his lap. His eyes moved lazily across the page as the soft hum of conversation drifted from the table where their companions sat, sipping coffee and tea. Rook was perched beside him, her book in hand, though she hadn’t turned a page in several minutes.

She hesitated before breaking the silence. “Lucanis, can I ask you something?”

Still reading, he murmured, “Sure.”

She took a steadying breath. “What you said to Davrin today, about taking contracts on Grey Wardens before their Calling…”

Lucanis froze mid-turn of a page, “Yes?”

Her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her book. “Would you do that for me? Take a contract?”

His eyes narrowed slightly, his voice dropping low. “Rook.” He closed his book, the gesture deliberate, as though he already knew this conversation would demand more than a passing comment.

“If I knew it was my time,” she continued, her voice steady despite the tension in her shoulders, “would you… take care of it? For me?”

Lucanis didn’t respond immediately, his dark eyes searching her face for any sign of hesitation. Finally, he spoke, his tone measured. “The Calling might have changed. The Blight itself has changed. Evka and Antoine said as much—we don’t know what that means for Grey Wardens anymore.”

She tilted her head, undeterred. “Okay, let’s say nothing has changed. One day, if I start hearing the song, would you take a contract from me?”

Lucanis’s jaw tightened, and he looked away for a moment, his hand brushing absently against the spine of his book. “We can’t be having this conversation, Rook.”

She leaned in slightly, her voice soft but insistent. “You’ve done it for other Wardens. A contract is a contract. Wouldn’t you want that for me?”

The room felt impossibly quiet, save for the faint clink of a spoon against a mug at the table. Lucanis exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable, but the weight of her words settled heavily between them. “I’m not doing this.”

“But you can discuss it with Davrin?” she countered, crossing her arms, her voice tinged with frustration. “Look, I’m not saying I would ask you to do it. I’d probably choose the old-fashioned way—dying in some deep, dark hole surrounded by carnage. But if I were to take a contract out on myself, would you honor it?”

“I’d rather be in that deep, dark hole at your side.”

“You’re dodging the question, Luca.”

He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “Fine.” His voice softened, the tension in his posture easing slightly. “I’d do it, but I’d ask Viago to create a poison—something that lets you sleep. Maker knows you could use some rest if you’re asking me questions like this.”

“No knives? I’m surprised.” Rook smiled slightly.

Lucanis shook his head, his tone solemn. “I can’t do that. I can’t be the cause of your pain in the last moments. Maybe that makes me weak.” He reached for her hand.

Her expression softened, “Lucanis, weak is something you could never be.”

He held her gaze, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “When it comes to losing you, I’m the greatest coward,” he said. He hesitated for a moment before adding, “I’d much rather you stay here with me. I cling to the hope that whatever has changed with the Darkspawn and the Blight is enough to keep you safe and never take you away from me.” After a brief pause, he gently brushed his thumb over her knuckles. “Do you worry about it?” he asked.

“Not really, not at the beginning. But maybe… more now?” she admitted, her gaze dropping briefly before meeting his again. “I have something worth staying for in this world. I didn’t have that before.”

[thefixations-ofmine]

snippet: new year, new me

a/n: I suck at titles, please be nice. This is a snippet for something I'm working on for the bucktommy winter fest, and it's inspired by this exchange here. I currently have 1,8k on it, but I'll be adding/editing more tomorrow and before posting on Saturday. I'm not sure if I'll take this one to the nsfw part or if I'm rather going to use next week's prompt for that. I'll see where this takes me!

“There’s still time to turn around, man.” Eddie offers, and Buck shakes his head. He’s gotta do this. For himself. And for Tommy, perhaps.

“I’m okay, yeah. I’m okay.” Buck rubs his hands onto his jeans - the tight blue ones he remembers were Tommy’s favourites. The same jeans he wore on the night- Buck shakes his head.

Yeah, he really needs to talk to Tommy.

The house looks a little different, and in his current state, Buck can’t really tell why. The grass is a little longer than usual, but that’s not it. Tommy was never really a fancy landscaping guy so the hedge and small bushes are the same. New roof? Nope.

Then Buck’s eyes fall onto the bright red, 2019 Charger parked in the driveway and his brows bend with curiosity. Did Tommy have that bad of a crisis that he made an impulsive (and expensive) decision?

Ha! Buck silently laughs to himself. Ironic.

Then his heart tightens at the thought of Tommy going out and changing plenty of things about himself that he might have been holding back because of their relationship.

Eddie catches the change in energy and tries to comfort his friend; “I remember he told me he was thinking of getting a more recent sports car because working on classics was becoming expensive.”

“But he loved his truck. I loved his truck…” Buck whispers, reminiscing over their short trips and the laughs they shared eating take-out and watching planes take off at Burbank.

After a deep breath to control himself, Buck nods and thanks Eddie for driving him over, that he’d catch an Uber back to his place if Eddie got called while on his stand-by shift.

He jumps out of the truck and wills himself to walk to the door.

It’s eleven forty-five.

There’s a few seconds too many after his first knock and Buck goes for another. The door swings open as if the person was waiting behind it for whomever it was to dare knock again.

The comforting smell of the house drafts out, bringing up a wave of emotions.

“Can I help you?” There’s a tall, broad man on the other side of the threshold, but it’s not Tommy. The features are similar though; blue eyes, dark hair, muscles all over and a nose that would crunch up on his cheek during a kiss like Tommy’s and-

“Who is it, Sal?” Buck hears Tommy shout from inside. Sal. What a stupid name.

“Some random mook.” Sal turns around to tell. Then his piercing gaze falls back onto Buck; “You’re bumming out our party. The fuck you want?”

“Um, well-” There’s a moment of disbelief that makes him forget everything he needed to say. Tommy’s already got a date. Buck was sure he’d be alone moping, or at least working an extra shift, but he’s already found another man to spend his spare time with. Tommy was better at going out to explore than he was apparently.

Fuck off. Not on his watch.

You can find my masterlist here. Let me know if you wish to be tagged in this and/or future works!

[veinsfullofstars]

Hope you don't mind the question but what do you suppose a mirror version of Daroach would be like? And what of his relationship with Dark Meta Knight.

It would be quite humorous to imagine his reaction to seeing Dark Meta Knight dating his counterpart

Ooh, I’ve actually been thinking about this for a hot minute, mostly for Kintsugi AU stuff. See, the way I write the Mirror World - as a deeply-imperfect reflection of Popstar and its surrounding universe - events in one dimension don’t always play out exactly the same in the other. Sometimes, they don’t play out at all due to timeline divergences. In the KAU specifically, both Squeak Squad and Mass Attack (as well as a few others games in the series) fall into the latter category, meaning we sadly won’t be seeing Mirror Daroach and his crew committing crimes and stealing treasure chests among the Mirror populous (nor will he get to hear all the juicy gossip about his counterpart and a certain scarred knight).

Not to say they aren’t still out there, though, causing trouble elsewhere in the cosmos.

I imagine the Mirror Squeak Squad still live that criminal life, but - rather than a motley crew of “honorable” thieves - they operate more like an interstellar mafia, with M!Daroach as the Don, M!Spinni, M!Storo, and M!Doc as his consiglieres, and the M!Squeakers as the low-level grunts. Unlike their Popstar counterparts, there is not an ounce of honor in their creed. They take what they want whenever they want with no qualms about morality or fairness, seeking power and control alongside endless riches.

M!Daroach himself has much of the same cool and charismatic demeanor as his counterpart, but a bleaker upbringing seems to have left him colder, crueler, not above using intimidation or even causing harm in pursuit of his goals. Socially, he is well-spoken, charming, and very persuasive. He has his vices and indulges in them liberally, but he keeps his connections strictly business, with the closest ones held at arm’s length, ready to sever at a moment’s notice. He is deeply protective of those he brings into his “family” … so long as they remain loyal to him. Though he keeps his claws clean, he's not afraid to demonstrate just how sharp they are.

In the unlikely event that he did encounter Dark Meta Knight, I imagine he’d view him… neutrally, a right-hand blade to a man in power (not unlike his own boys), with the potential to be either an enemy or an ally. Seeing the knight in battle might have him considering the latter, intrigued by a show of ruthless yet well-directed strength, wondering if there is worth in swaying his loyalty. That said, it would only take a single interaction with Shadow Dedede to dissuade him. He’s toppled many a rival organization in his day, but he’s also smart enough to know when not to make an enemy of someone (especially when they wield power like a starsdamn sledgehammer).

In the even more unlikely event that he learns of Dark’s… situationship with his counterpart… well, first off, he’d have a lot of questions. He'd be way more fascinated by the idea of having a counterpart - something most Mirror denizens of the modern day aren't normally aware of - rather than what he does in his spare time (though he would find it amusing that Daroach's tastes are just as abysmal as his own). Beyond that, though, it's doubtful that he'd get involved any further, the notion of mirror clones and alternate dimensions being a little outside his wheelhouse. He'd much rather be off smuggling goods off-world or threatening small-business owners who can't make their loan payments.

Sketch started 12/31/24, finished 01/01/25. | Kintsugi AU Masterpost

[mythica0]

Ok, I kinda feel greedy asking for this.. but that Poseidon x Amphitrite fix was so good I just HAVE to have seconds! X3

Can we maybe get a Part 2..?

What if Poseidon got into a massive Lee Mood? Because, he keeps thinking back to that one night and how nice it was, and.. he wants more of it. But he'd sooner get stabbed in the face with his own trident before he ever admits that!

But with nothing else working to quell this annoying feeling he soon realizes he doesn't have a choice. So one night imagine Poseidon's just sitting there beside his wife, mumbling and stuttering over his words, blushing like an idiot and making 0 eye contact as he struggles to make this request as indirectly & vaguely as possible. But Amphitrite's able to catch on surprisingly fast, and she's more than willing to grant her husband's wish. He just has to ask~ 😉

The whole prompt is basically Amphitrite teasing the hell out of her husband, and this time, she's a lot more ruthless (get it~?) in her attacks (i.e. lots of upper body tkls, gill tkls, neck kisses & belly raspberries).

(P.S. Out of slight curiosity, since I know everyone has different visual descriptions for Poseidon in their stories- does your Poseidon have gills on his sides/ribs or his neck? Sometimes I get a lil confused while reading. 😅 Which specific artist's version of him (AnniFlamma's, Neal's, Gigi's, aulith's, Willows', etc.) are you envisioning when you write him?)

Stupid moods

🎂: Epic the musical

🧁:Poseidon

🍫:Amphitrite

Summary: after a sweet night of tickly cuddles, Poseidon finds himself craving more, much to his dismay.

A/N: this is soooo cute absolutely!! Also, this is a sequel to Sweet Lovin’ so read that first! Not sure I like the ending, but whatever.

Happy new year and Enjoyyyyy!! :D

(P.s: my version/picture his gills are on his neck, and because I’m an artist I imagine my own design!:3)

Stupid moods

Poseidon was irritated.

The previous night, his loving wife have given him a night of cuddles, which ended up with him being gently tickled until they went to sleep.

And now he wanted more. And he hated it.

He felt all buzzy and fizzy, like a soda can that had been shaken. And it was so. Annoying.

All day he tried to ignore it. Pretend it didn’t exist.

All day he yelled at his brain to stop.

But it just wouldn’t listen. Pictures and daydreams flooded his head without his permission, and it was getting difficult to focus.

Obviously, he could just ask his wife to help him, but that was so embarrassing he thinks he might actually rather be skewered by his own trident.

So on the day went, this stupid mood growing and growing with every minute it went unsatisfied.

And finally, it reached a point where Poseidon couldn’t take anymore. If he didn’t do something about this dumb craving now it was going to be a problem. He didn’t really have much choice, unless he wanted to live with this annoying, insufferable buzzing for the rest of his immortal existence.

So, when he climbed into bed with his wife, ready to relax and then go to sleep, he attempted to ask. But it was still incredibly embarrassing, so he stuttered and blushed and really struggled to get the words out.

“Hey, darling?”

Amphitrite looked over curiously. “Yes, my dear?”

“Can you- uh.” He failed to say it directly, needing to find work arounds. “Can you do the- the thing?”

Amphitrite tilted her head a little in confusion, and Poseidon was looking anywhere but in her eyes. This was quite out of character for Poseidon, so Amphitrite was reasonably curious. “I’m sorry?”

“Y- Y’know, the thing. The one you- the thing you did last night?”

At these words, Amphitrite’s eyes widened in realization, a small, fond smile gracing her features.

“Of course honey. But.” She paused for dramatic effect. “I want you to ask. Directly.” Her voice was soft and gentle, but also teasing, making Poseidons already intense blush even worse.

“Uh- I-“ he stuttered a bit, still incredibly flustered and embarrassed.

“Well, if you want something you have to ask for it! It’s only polite.” She teased again, clearly enjoying the lighthearted chance to mess with him.

He stammered for quite some time, but eventually managed to spew it out, the words quick and tumbling as if he was trying to rip it off like a bandaid. “Pleasetickleme!”

As he finally succeeded, Amphitrite smiled and pushed Poseidon down so he was lying rather than sitting. “Of course, my love.”

She leaned down to whisper in his ear, her voice low and teasing. “Your safe word is trident. Use it wisely, because once you say it, I’m done.”

Once he nodded, she pulled back, putting on an uncharacteristic sort of tickle monster persona. “You know, since you asked, I’m not going to be merciful.”

Poseidon tried and failed to mask the excited shiver that he felt at the words.

“You’re going to be a hysterical, breathless mess by the time I’m through with you. No matter how much you beg me to stop, I won’t. I am free to do whatever I want to you, and no matter how bad it tickles, you can’t do anything about it.”

Her voice was sinister and mischievous, in a playful sort of way, not genuinely evil by any sense of the word. That teasing lilt, full of a playful kind of mischief, sent butterflies racing through Poseidon’s tummy, excitement zipping along his spine.

“Are you ready, darling?”

He gave a small, sheepish nod in response, and without any further words, Amphitrite started to rake her claws over his ribs, a fast, gentle motion that left him no chance to hold back his giggles.

“Ehahahahaha Oho myhyhy- ehehehe!”

“Haha, such cute little giggles, my dear~” Amphitrite teased, cooing in a way that made Poseidon blush all the more, his face turning a light pink.

Poseidon squirmed slightly under the hold, despite not wanting to get away. It was overwhelming. It was torturous. It was exactly what he wanted.

She scratched and scribbled at his ribs, pinching up and down the bones. Poseidon squirmed and giggled, unable to stop himself from laughing as that fizzy feeling fully exploded into a ticklish, tingly sensation of butterflies in his stomach.

“Eehehahaha ahaha- ihihi- ehehehee!” He was unable to get words out, not knowing what to say, or wanting to put in the effort to speak clearly through his joyful, bubbly giggles.

Amphitrite cooed, leaning over her husband teasingly as she raked along his ribs. “Tickle tickle tickle~”

Poseidon erupted into a much deeper blush, and as much as he hated to admit it his giggles grew a little more frantic at the teasing.

“Nohoho-! Dohohont dohoho thahat!”

“Do what?”

“Sahahay thehe wohord!”

“Oh? What word? Tickle?” She smirked, feigning ignorance.

“Yehehehehes! Thahat wohord!”

“Hmm.. I don’t think you’re in any position to be making demands, my dear. Besides, it’s such a fun word, isn’t it?” She grinned playfully, moving up to scratch at his armpits as she began to tease once again.

“Tickletickletickletickletickle! tktktktktktk!”

Poseidon let out a small, giggly squeal. “Eehehehehe nohohoho!”

Amphitrite smirked, speeding up the scratching, to which she got frantic protests.

“Ahahahahaha! Whyhy- hahahahahaha-!”

Amphitrite huffed a laugh. “Every time you say ‘no’ or ‘stop’ or ‘don’t, anything of the sort- I’ll make it worse.”

“Whahahahahat?! YohOU cahahant doho thahat!”

“Actually, I very much can. Remember, you aren’t in control here, darling.” She emphasized the endearing nickname, making her voice low and teasing. Which, of course, caused Poseidon’s blush to double in size.

“Aww, how cute! You’re turning all red~ is my teasing getting you all embarrassed and flustered~?” She cooed slightly, which only intensified the mentioned blush.

“Nohohoho-! Dohohont tehehease!”

Amphitrite immediately increased the pressure on the touch, turning it into drilling. “What did I say about protesting, hmm~?”

Poseidon’s laughter grew in pitch, frantic but still joyful. “AhahahahahHA-! Ohoho myhyhy gohods thahat TIHIHICKLES-!”

“That’s the point, honey~”

Amphitrite trailed her hands down his sides, a light, teasing touch, leading all the way down to his hips. Once she reached the spot, she squeezed and then drilled into the divots of the bone.

“GYahahahahaha! Nohohoho-! PlehehehEASE-!”

“That’s more protesting, darling~”

Getting the implication of the teasing words, Poseidon frantically protested, only digging his grave deeper.

“Nononono- dahaharlihing plehehehehease-!”

Amphitrite ignored the protests, continuing to drill into his hips and also going up to pepper tickly kisses all over his neck.

At the new, more gentle touch, the sea god scrunched up, his giggles becoming more bubbly.

As much as he was protesting, Poseidon was having the time of his life right now. It tickled so damn much, and he loved it.

While still sprinkling kisses all over his neck and ears, Amphitrite moved her hands to scribble at his belly, making sure to use her claws for extra ticklishness.

“EE- ahahahahaha- dahaharlihing-!” He erupted into louder laughter once more, squirming uncontrollably. He arched his back slightly, which only increased the pressure of the nails on his tummy, making him laugh even louder.

“Yes dear?”

“Ihi- ehehehehe-!” Poseidon had to cut himself off from protesting, knowing it would only make it worse for him.

“Ahh, you’re learning. Let’s see if I can get you to protest some more~”

The words sent shivers down Poseidon’s spine, a frantic, giddy nervousness settled in his chest and stomach. Amphitrite removed her hands from his tummy, and started to blow raspberries there instead.

“EE- nohoho- ahahahaha-!” Poseidon failed to stop the fruitless pleas that spilt from him, squirming around and laughing loudly as his tummy was assaulted with ticklish sensations.

“Hehe, there we go~ now I get to make it worse~”

“AhahHA- PlehehehEASE- myhy lohoHOVE-“

She ignored his pleading, starting to add nibbles with the raspberries on his tummy, using her claws to trace his ear fins at the same time, the conflicting feelings of harsh versus gentle driving him crazy.

“AHAHA- ehehahahHA- ohoho myhy- pleheheHEASE-!”

Amphitrite decided to let up for a moment. “Ah, fine. I don’t want you to give up just yet~”

She stopped the raspberries, and started to just gently trace along his sides, making sure to tease at his ribs, drawing swirling patterns along his skin that left him in a fit of bubbly giggles. He was a little embarrassed to say that he melted at the touch, the gentle shapes relaxing him.

“Aww, look at that. You’re turning into a little puddle of giggles~”

Poseidon didn’t bother to deny it, a few contented hums mixing with his warm giggles. Amphitrite waited until his eyes were closed and he was super relaxed, then she suddenly stopped the tracing.

“Whaha-“ Poseidon’s confused protests of why she stopped were cut off by a scream of laughter as she blew a massive raspberry over his gills, using her hands to scribble and scratch at the gills in the other side of his neck.

“AHAHAHAHA- OHOHO GOHOHODS NOHOT THEHEHERE PLEHEHEHEEASE!” His laughter immediately grew loud and hysterical, his shoulders scrunching fruitlessly to try and block the sensation.

He protested frantically through squeaky, loud laughter despite not meaning any of this. It was absolute torture, complete and utter insanity. And he loved it.

His face was flushed from laughter, tears falling from his eyes as his stomach quivered and trembled from all the laughing.

“Oo, looks like this is a lovely little sweet spot, hmm~?” Amphitrite’s teasing made Poseidon’s already flushed face even redder, his cheeks feeling like they’re on fire from the warmth rushing to them.

“AHAHAHA MYHY LOHOVE- AHAHA- PLEHEHEHEASEE!” He struggles to speak through his laughter, gasping for air in between the loud, joyful sounds.

Then Amphitrite moved both her hands to scratch at his gills, even wiggling slightly underneath to the insides. And just when Poseidon thought it couldn’t get any worse better, she added raspberries and nibbles to his tummy, especially over his navel.

Poseidon couldn’t speak, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. All he was in that moment was just pure, complete, joyful laughter. All his thoughts could say was ‘it tickles, it tickles, it tickles!’ It was so maddening, so amazingly horrible. As much joy as this was providing, Poseidon really was struggling to breathe now, his stamina running low and his sides starting to ache from the workout, his limit thoroughly reached.

“TRIHIHIDENT-!”

As soon as the magic word was said, Amphitrite stopped. Poseidon panted with leftover giggles, feeling intense lingering tingles over his gills. He had a feeling that he would be struck by giggles just at the thought for weeks to come.

“Aha… Wohow..” he panted out, going to wipe his eyes from the tears, but Amphitrite got there first.

“Are you okay, my dear?”

“Yeheah… I’m Ahalright. Juhust.. neheed a minute.” He giggled, taking deep breaths to try and get the air back into his lungs and the warmth in his face to cool down.

“Was it everything you wanted?”

Poseidon’s brain was so thoroughly turned to mush from the maddening feeling that he couldn’t even think straight enough to be embarrassed, just giving a sleepy hum. He was exhausted after that.

“Would you like some water?”

“Yehes please..” Poseidon answered quietly, and Amphitrite stood up to go get him some.

Poseidon found that he couldn’t stop giggling for the life of him. He still felt it. It was as if it was so intense that it was burned into his nerves and it wouldn’t go away, leaving happy, giddy feelings lingering along his gills.

Short after Amphitrite returned with a glass of water, handing it to him. “Drink slowly, love.”

He just hummed in agreement, sipping off the water for a while as Amphitrite gently rubbed her hand along his stomach to try and ease the leftover tingles.

“Okay, let’s go to bed. I’m guessing you’re tired after that, huh?”

Poseidon hummed as he set down the now empty water glass. They cuddled up in the bed, and Poseidon gave a contented, sleepy hum.

Sleep didn’t take long to descend upon him, and he fell asleep in the comfort of Amphitrite’s loving arms.

———THE END———————————————————-

[byanyan]

being friends with byan is so weird bc they say they want you to have the balls to be bluntly honest with them, but then the very moment you're honest about something they don't like, they're peacing out, all "lmao ok friendship ended byeeeee"

[cockatrice-writers-guild]

[heartyearning]

handsewing button holes through 6 layers of fabric is an unfortunately huge pain in the ass and tragically i have to do 18 of them