#I'd read most things out of curiosity tbh

[secondbeatsongs]

great job everyone!

ok ok help me to find a movie pls? they both chef working in the kitchen and finally fall in love. idk abt the details but seems like enemy to lover kinda thing. i remember seeing them a bit in YouTube and been wanting to watch them but i forgot abt the title. thank you 🙏

I'm gonna need like, a decade or an actor description or something, because there are truly so many hallmark-type movies about chefs that it's impossible to even know where to begin

[bunnyboy-juice]

spent the first hour and change at work deleting some old files and am having a grand ol time laughing at myself for not realizing i was a lesbian sooner

[theminecraftbee]

Just out of curiosity, do you know any alternative ways of showing types of relationships that could be used on ao3? I find the & and / method to be very constraining, especially with ambiguous or multi-dimensional relationships. & for platonic and / for romantic does not allow for a proper representation of nonstandard relationships, for example an enemy/loathing or polyamorous relationship. (Homestuck quadrants are their own thing and are not what I am asking for/about.)

answer that answers your question:

yes and no. if you just want another category of markers to exist, i know you said no homestuck quadrants, but those are probably most commonly used, although they're all synned to the / tag. i've seen some exchanges that want to differentiate use /& together, i've seen ? be used, and i've seen some invent their own tag (largely exchanges use these for matching purposes and it's rare but i HAVE seen it). however, there's no unifying convention, and ao3 will eventually syn all of these to either the / or & tag (usually the / unless the wranglers have a very good reason to think it's the & tbh). so know that even if you use your own symbol, it will show up in the relationship tag it ends up synned to.

one of the most common solutions to this is to use the symbol closest to what you want--personally i tend to just use the & unless there's fic content i think gen fans would really hate, since & is the tag that covers the much wider spectrum of relationships in my head, although some people will differ--and use freeform tags to disambiguate. for example, last days has the & tag for joe and cleo, along with a "queerplatonic relationships" tag! i believe "ambiguous relationships" is also a canonical tag, and you don't have to use canonicals if you can't find the one you like! the world is your oyster.

(here i'll also note: the & doesn't require them be like... friends. it just requires the fic be about their relationship in some way, and for this relationship to not be romantic or sexual. enemies is absolutely covered here, as is like, weird coworkers, or even tags like "hero & the public".)

(similarly, the / tag doesn't require they like each other, it just requires it to be a "ship"; enemies who have a ton of sexual tension goes under this, as do things like abusive romantic or sexual relationships; just make sure you're using your warnings and additional tags appropriately!)

the other most common solution is to tag both the / and & tag and use a tag like the "ambiguous relationships" or "this can be read as either" or "queerplatonic relationships" or whatever other disambiguating tag you think it needs. this is less common in the mcyt fandom because of the mcyt fandom's history of being SUPER WEIRD about shipping, but it's often the most common solution in fandoms that aren't this one.

"i want ao3 to have a ship tag that is neither & nor /, and is not considered synonymous with either" unfortunately this doesn't exist and isn't going to. like i'd love to say there's a way to make it exist but it Won't because of how ao3 was designed to work on a backend level and also ao3 does NOT change quickly, for better or for worse. you're going to have to pick between "make up a symbol and it will probably be synned to /", "use the tag you think you like best", or "use both". i wish there was another option too, if it helps, but the additional tags are really useful here!

"use no relationship tag" is also always an option; the relationship tag is not a required tag!

answer that answers your two examples, neither of which really fit the question as i understand it, hence me separating them out:

a fic about the relationship between two enemies is either the & tag if you just want the one that is actually meant to be used or the / tag if you mean for it to be like, the kind of enemies that have sexual tension. use additional tags to additionally disambiguate (example: just put in the tags the canonical tag "enemies" and you're good to go). the & tag is for ANY kind of platonic relationship, it does not require the two characters like each other, only that the fic is about their relationship! you can use the homestuck <3< if you REALLY wanna make it clear but that's synned to /, so like, up to you. if you're super worried someone will misunderstand the & tag you can also just not tag a relationship, relationships aren't mandatory tags.

i have no idea why you're asking about polyamory because that has a solution that's entirely unrelated to the problem you propose: you just tag the ship. ship tags with more than two names in them are legal tags, as long as it doesn't go over ao3's tag character limit you're good. if you do hit the limit, just use more than one tag! this is totally fine and follows ao3 conventions, don't worry. if it's the kind of polyamorous relationship with metamours, where not everyone is dating everyone, this is where more than one overlapping relationship tag REALLY helps. plus: you can mix / and & tags! not all of them will be canonical yet, but that's true of ANY ship tag you're originating! i have seen the form of "character/character & character" in many fandoms before, it's totally valid and will disambiguate! (also, the ensemble tags may help you here if you're doing like, a polyhermits thing; "hermitcraft ensemble/hermitcraft ensemble" is a legal tag and i think what polyhermits is probably synned to.)

so yeah, hopefully this helps some! good luck out there!

[learnastrowallura]

The Sun in astrology

I will resume here my findings mostly from Chris Brennan's video featuring Demetra George

The Sun: Deity, God, illumination, sight, flames, light, rays, life force, spark, life generator, justice, All seeing, divination, leadership, authority, kingship, nobility, reputation, status, publicity, identity, potential, purpose, centrality, public affairs, ideas, mind, visualization, creation, gold, fortune, wealth, privilege, spirit, honor, respect, virtous action, justice, Father figure(day) the heart, the right eye, eyesight, lifespan, vision, intentionality, creativity, masculine, hot and dry, the core, visible/inner planet

Sun in the natal chart:

The sign and house that our Sun is in can show us how and where (respectively) we tend to shine the most, where our potential lies; it represents our lifeforce, motivation as well as vitality.

Personal example: Sun in Sagittarius in 1st house (Placidus) or 2nd house (whole sign) and the idea of freedom is what helps me get out of bed every single day tbh and just doing my own thing and being comfortable so both houses resonate with me although I do resonate more with the second house since tbh I cannot fully relax and be free if I'm broke lmao but yeah you get the point

My sun trines my Saturn and I kind of see that as my love of learning and discovering new things (Sag) helping that kind of frustration going on with my Saturn being in that 9th house because I am actively fighting back and working hard I would say and I would credit that toward my passion and curiosity

My sun also squares my MC and my Uranus and I will probs only talk about my MC here so like I'm gonna be honest I have a mutable sun you know so at the end of the day I really am wishy washy not super disciplined so it does make sense that that is an area of challenge for me but yeah

I should also mention that my Sun is at 1° degree which is an Aries degree and that (along with my Aries moon as well) helps me be proactive, initiative and passionate so yeah

Dignity and debility:

Domicile: Leo (being special/standing out)

Detriment/Antithesis: Aquarius (egalitarian perspective, being within a group)

Exaltation: Aries (independance, instinct)

Fall/Depression: Libra (partnership, hesitation)

Planetary joy:

The sun has its joy in the 9th house. In other words it is most comfortable and productive/powerful being there because 9th house central/obvious themes are higher learning, spirituality and the Sun is all about clarity, self discovery and potential as well so I think it is an awesome placement to have and I will make a post about the planetary joys so I can speak of this in more detail but yeah

Sect:

If the Sun is above the horizon, the individual's chart would be a day chart which mean that the native will have Jupiter as a benefic and Mars as a malefic

If it is below the horizon, we would be dealing with a night chart and Venus would be the benefic with Saturn being the malefic planet

Gender:

The Sun is masculine so it would feel more comfortable being in masculine signs (Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, Aquarius/fire and air signs) in general expressing itself in its masculine energy (active, fast acting, welcoming change). In the case of the Sun I'd look at the Quadrant as well (I have made a post about the Gender of Planets as well)

Father figure:

Aspects between the Sun and other planets especially inner planets, as well as the house it is in (angular, succedent or cadent) can tell us a lot about one's relationship with the father/father figure(s), father's situation etc (aspects with outer planets are important too with the Sun but especially if they (Neptune, Uranus, Pluto) are in an angular house (their effect would be more notable in this case)

I will add more information as I go but I wanted to post it rn so there u go lol and make sure to check this post again in a day or two for its full version x

Thank you for reading <3

Masterlist

Paid readings available

[sanctuary1988]

~ Subtle Conscience | 5 | Gwi

French: /the petals of love/

Pairing: Gwi x fem! noble! Reader

Summary: A heartless vampire falls in love for the first time in centuries of loneliness. Passion, secrets, betrayal and love drown the royal palace. Will your love for Gwi prevail through time or will it wither away like a fallen rose petal? Maybe love was his punishment, maybe love was your salvation. Or wasn't it a curse to you both? Because, who can beat a race against time? Who can love in the dark? Who can love without truth? After all, even the most beautiful flower will wither away and end in ashes of time, remembered only by the one who cherished her the most.

Warnings: strangers to lovers? fluff, light angst, TENSION, this is another light chapter tbh. period typical misogyny, age gap (huge), dark romance, historical! AU, royal! AU?, cannon copilant, (let me know if I missed anything!)

Word Count: 2.5k words

A/N: Hi, everyone! SO, chapter 5 is here, I actually got a bit of writer's block during April and this came to me in a moment of inspiration. I really hope you will like this chapter as we are building something here! The cake is baking, darlings!

I inspired a scene on "Beauty and the Beast" as it was my favourite childhood princess movie. I guess that's where all the love for broken men started O.O

ANYWAYS.... I will not entertain you further, love. Happy reading everyone and please let me know your thoughts on this! I'd love to hear anything you had to say. 🫶

Hours turned to days. Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months. Time seemed to fly from your hands as you occupied yourself with managing the underground palace. Everything was on point, in order as you made it your task to keep everything in its place. You came to know that Gwi often left the underground paradise at night and never left during the day. He enjoyed having tea in the evenings and for you to join him for breakfast every morning. You came to know he often read in his solitude and the sweet nicknames he called you were your new designated name. 

You sat in your room reading a book under the big cherry blossom tree that made the place smell deliciously sweet. You sighed to yourself already bored of the things written in it as it was the third time you read that book; however, despite your boredom, there were always things to do around the underground palace. 

Morning came around and the routine began turning monotonous for you. With swift steps, you left your bedroom to meet Gwi in the main hall. He was sitting in his throne as usual, his demeanour as domineering as always. You bowed down at him, acknowledging his presence. You felt his eyes on your form as you walked in front of him and sat down at the table set out for you. 

“I have noticed your impeccable work around, petal.”

He commented, his deep voice resonated over the big room. You sipped your tea, softly humming at the sweet taste before you spoke, your tone soft, bored even as you began to eat. 

“I need to keep myself occupied, My Lord.”

“Is that so?”

And you nodded at his inquiry. Enjoying the food displayed out for you to eat. A subtle breeze entered the place, it was slightly colder than before, autumn was approaching and for that you were grateful, cooler days were to come. And with that, perhaps a change in a life you were forced to live. 

Gwi noticed your apathetic self. Your grey soul reflected itself to him as if he were gazing at an enchanted mirror. His eyes trailed down your form, eyes as dark as night with a tinge of crimson of buried secrets and broken promises. He looked at you, taking in the way you were tense in your posture, your hands rigid as you ate and the restlessness in your still beautiful features he was mesmerised about. 

He suddenly rose from his throne and you couldn’t help but look at him with big eyes filled with curiosity. Just as he took a step forward you rose from the table, hands tangling in front of you as you waited for his next move. 

Gwi was entranced by your beauty. Delirious over your eyes and enchanted by your lips that spoke words that encouraged him to a path he knew was doomed to drown in blood. He remembered that day when he followed you into the marketplace. That day he got a glimpse of your silver innocence. Of your pure soul that was now at the mercy of his cruel hands. He missed seeing that smile, yearning for that ray of light that illuminated his dark life. 

“My sweet flower, come with me.”

The command was soft-spoken yet it carried his power within the words that reached your ears. He extended his hand toward you and without hesitation, you took it. Trusting him blindly. Gwi didn’t know what to do with the knowledge of your blind trust. For he had once desired to have it in his possession but sadly realised you could be in danger for your golden heart. 

But his flower was owner of very sharp thorns. 

You followed him in silence, blinded by a trust you had earned ever so slowly. You reminiscenced on the first time Gwi took you to his underground palace that day at the flower garden in the royal palace above. The experience was similar, the sensation of being guided by him allowed you to rest and enjoy his mysterious self as he walked through his large palace hallways with torches and candles to illuminate the place even during daylight. 

He stopped in front of a closed door before he turned to look down at you, his eyes met yours and you could swear you saw a spark of anxiousness in his eyes. But it was gone as quickly as it came before he spoke in that thunderous voice of his. 

“You once spoke about your enjoyment when it came to reading and not once had you visited the marketplace again since we had that conversation.”

You blinked up at him, softly tilting your head to the side as your hand still rested in his bigger one. 

“When you are burdened, flower of mine, lose yourself in the world of words”

His other hand slid open the door and you couldn’t help the gasp that escaped your lips at what was in front of you. You took a step forward, then another and another and your hand left his as you ventured into the room you didn’t know existed within this walls. 

You couldn’t help the smile at what you were seeing, the craftings, the shelves, the books. The beauty within this room was magnificent to even put to words. The hidden room was a mesmerising library with large shelves filled with books and scrolls as well as paintings on the walls and flowers on vases. You could even smell the aroma from where you stood. 

Gwi watched as you looked around in utter surprise. Completely awestruck at what you were seeing. Not even the royal library in the palace above you was this beautiful and you could firmly say so as you had once ventured there without your father’s permission. 

“It’s beautiful.”

You whispered, completely enchanted by the beautiful library before you. Gwi watched you from the entrance way, he admired how the spark returned in your (e/c) eyes and how you smiled so innocently. Like that day at the marketplace. Silver Innocence. He thought to himself as he walked to stand next to you. 

“If you like it, it’s yours then.”

You turned to look up at him with your eyes wide in utter surprise, trying to suppress the smile on your lips as you asked him, suddenly conscious of what he was giving you. 

“Really?”

Gwi gave you a solemn nod as his hands tangled behind his back. 

“I have found solace within these walls for many years. Come here whenever you like, petal. You do not need my permission to enter this place, it’s yours now.”

Your eyes locked with his in a delicate dance led by sentiment. You smiled, that smile that had dulled out from your beautiful features, that smile he had secretly missed. That smile that was enough to light his dark world. 

“Thank you, My Lord. You have made me really happy.”

If you had looked at him for a second longer you would have seen the subtle smile that danced over his lips. Delicate in its nature. But you turned around as your eyes went from book to book, to scroll to scroll as you lost yourself in the world of poetry and ancient history. A new world Gwi had shown you and that you welcomed with open arms. 

Evening came sooner than later and it was only when you noticed one of the candles in the library already about to burn out that you stood up and walked out of the magnificent room you had lost yourself into. 

The underground palace was drowned in silence as usual. For only Gwi resided there and it was you who served him. It sometimes felt suffocating, to have so much empty space, so many thoughts wandering around, so many things to do. So much freedom inside your cage. You found a strange connection with the man who kept you to himself. It wasn’t of hate or of love. It was of gratitude. For he had saved you from an unwanted fate that would put even heavier chains on your heart than to serve him with absolute devotion to the lord who lived in secrecy. 

You were quick to prepare his evening tea before you were walking to the main hall of the underground palace where Gwi sat in his throne, candles were all around the place as they flickered softly with the delicate blows of the wind that entered the palace from time to time. 

His eyes met your form the moment you stepped inside, you bowed down while carrying the tray with his tea, your eyes casted down as you walked further into the room, up to his throne so that you could place the tray on the table next to him and pour him a cup of the steaming beverage. 

In silence, he watched you work. In silence, he accepted the cup you held out for him. And in silence he took a sip from it. 

“Your tea is always so sweet. What is it that you put in it?”

His words were spoken against the cup, murmured even. If you had been standing further away from him, you wouldn’t have been able to listen to him. Yet in their nature they were gentle, curious even as his eyes met yours under the candle’s light around you both

“Just some honey, My Lord. If you do not like it, I can always make you another cup.”

Gwi tilted his head, looking at you with utter magnificence that made a subtle blush paint your cheeks. 

“I never said I did not like it.”

And with that, he took another sip, nearly emptying the cup before he handed it back to you. A silent order to fill it up again. The moment you handed it back, his fingers brushed against yours, sending tingles along your arms and down your spine. 

“Did you enjoy your gift?”

A smile immediately painted your lips. And he admired the way you were so open with your happiness, especially after the source of said happiness was himself. 

“How could I not?”

You spoke, your voice carrying emotions he couldn’t fully comprehend. Emotions he had already forgotten how they felt. Emotions that had died with his immortality. He lifted an eyebrow at your enthusiasm, merely curious about your perspective. But you lowered your gaze again, clearing your throat before speaking in a more proper tone. 

“It is a beautiful gift, My Lord. I do not have the words to express just how grateful I am.”

But he didn’t like the change in your demeanour. He didn’t like the way you hid your feelings behind the veil society demanded you to cover your true nature. Your true emotions. Your innocence he so wanted to keep and corrupt at the same time. 

He lifted your chin with his thumb and pointer finger, forcing you with delicate motions to meet his eyes once more. You did, though shyly at first. His eyes, dark with a tinge of crimson explored your beautiful features, your micro expressions. Your true colours at the reach of his palm. 

“Don’t do that.”

You frowned and he continued, his deep voice nearly making you purr as he held you with firmness yet still softness to his touch. A touch that burned your skin. 

“Do not hide from me, petal.”

You swallowed, your eyes never left his as his words crushed down everything you had learned since you were a mere child. To always appear beautiful, to never express yourself, to stay quiet, to never voice out your thoughts and concerns. It was mostly your father who taught you to be that way. It was socially acceptable. It was needed for you to belong to his circle. But you did not live that life anymore. 

“Forgive me. Customs die hard, My Lord.”

Gwi lifted an eyebrow at you, his hand left your skin and you felt instantly cold at the lack of his tender touch. 

“Is that so?”

You hummed, bowing softly before you stepped aside. Trying to break the tension between you both that threatened to drown you. Gwi continued to enjoy his tea in silence. The flickering candles dimmed out softly with the slow passing of time. You refilled his cup two more times before he spoke once more. 

“Tomorrow night you’ll join me for dinner at the royal palace.”

With curiosity you looked at him but he seemed unbothered by the words that had just left his mouth. You blinked twice, trying to resist the temptation to ask, to question his choices. For you served him, he was your lord and master. But he had also forbidden you from hiding your true self. 

“Why would you desire my company at such an event, My Lord?”

You knew tomorrow night an important dinner was to be hosted at the royal palace with the council. Gwi was to attend. Your father as well. Perhaps even the king himself would be there. But you were of little significance to the royal council. He looked at you, his expression soft as his eyes held a key to his many secrets. Gwi was a mysterious being. Something you did not dare question at all for you knew you’d receive no answer whatsoever. But there was something in his gaze that moment that made you want to unravel all the secrets and sins he held in his heart. 

“Because you belong to me. You go where I go. You exist where I exist, and you will obey when I order it, petal. We made a deal, remember?”

You casted your gaze down, missing the subtle smirk that danced over his lips at your delicate submission. Yet the fire in your eyes never died down. The confidence in your stance never faltered. Not one bit. 

“I’ve never forgotten, My Lord.”

Gwi tilted his head ever so slightly looking at you with expressive eyes that, had you been looking at him at that moment, you’d have seen oceans of feelings he kept hidden behind the veil of his nature. The veil of his power. 

“Wear a red dress, my sweet flower. You are dismissed for today.”

You placed the teapot on the tray before bowing down in silence. His eyes followed your every movement as you walked away to your room and never glanced back at him. Never did you misstepped. Never did you lose your elegance in your walk. Never did you show him weakness. And for that, he smirked to himself. 

For he knew he had a beautiful rose by his side with poisonous thorns that had already pierced his heart. Though if it was painful, he couldn’t tell. His heart was dead. But maybe, the roots of your existence could start making his heart blossom with something different from his infatuation. 

Something deeper. 

Something sacred. 

Something he’d have to protect from the world and even from himself.

April/25/2024

A/N: How are we feeling about this? O.O

Are we excited? What would you like to see next, darling? My inbox is open 🫶

~ Masterpost

[dearweirdme]

Responding to some of the comments from my last mole anon ask I'm not new to the group but I am new to the ship. I first started listening to the group around 2018 but watching stuff like Run and the festas a few yrs later and from that, I wouldn't have guessed taekook were dating or even one of the closest friendship. They seemed touchy yeah but i think that for the whole group tbh. It wasn't really until solo era that I started focusing more on fan stuff. I'd say before that I was more fo a casual fan who enjoyed watching the content but wasn't really desperate to see everything bts. Like I knew the basics and the memes but never really was inclined to delve any further and my knowledge of shipping was mostly critical. I did see some of the narratives in the backlash to shipping such as taekook being less close than other members and with (what I now know is edited) official content reinforcing that, it was much easier to believe that than a secret taekook love affair.

But Layover turned out to be one of my favorite albums because it was closest to my musical tastes and culture of music i grew up with and so I started hitting up twitter and specifically searching stuff up to discuss more about tae and his musical influences coz I thought he did such a great job with that album and had some real soul in it despite not being raised in that culture or country of that kind of music. And I think because of the algorithms and how popular taekook is that's when I started seeing my taekook posts pop up on my timeline and from a ship critical perspective, I brushed most of as delulu coz wlmy first exposure of ships being discussed in fandom was that it was weird and inappropriate to ship.

And the stuff that I did see out of morbid curiosity (and I admit it wasn't a lot at that time) just really validated the 'fake' accusations because it was all slow mo'd edits and taekook seemed to have 7 different anniversary dates according to the taekook stuff I read so it was seeming more like shippers were just trying to fit a circle onto a square hole or something. Plus I'd see people responding to those slo mo edits with the real time links and that made it seem even faker.

The I recently saw the mole video on twitter that brought me here and that was the first thing were I couldn't really rationalise it with a platonicary answer because one of the first things I can remember doing in a relationship is laying in bed counting and mapping each others marks and freckles.

So that to me seemed just highly romantic for a couple of bros.

Except I lost the video on twitter so I tried YouTube to find it, nothing. Searched the Internet on general, nothing and I ended up stumbling across this blog. I think I discovered while browsing after seeing a response to an ask that I thought sounded fair enough a d really kinda middle ground for a shipper. It was framed as like 'idnk for sure but here's what I think' and after looking for the link and coming across people who were more definitive in their theories and stuff, I thought somewhere like here would be the best place to ask for the info.

Because at that point, shipping didn't have any good associations to me and I wasn't really comfortable with my own speculation that the mole vid was leaving me with but I also couldn't stop second guessing my own first reaction to deny, deny, deny and make an excuse for it.

So my intentions really were to post here, get a link to the vid, watch it again and be like 'oh yeah, that's been blown out of proportion. No ships sailing here' like I had when people sent those real time links in response to ship edit videos.

(Except we all know what happened next)

While waiting for a response which came pretty quickly, I was looking up for more info on taekook in general and was coming up with mostly horse shit but I was also noticing the more reasoned stuff now that I was actively looking for it.

And in the response, DWM mentioned and tagged the taekook timeline which really topped off me taking a second look at the ship because again it was presented as kinda 'this is what I think, beware, I could be just high on delusional and this whole post could be wish fulfilment but here's what happened and what I think' and angles like that I can appreciate because I find it way more trustworthy than someone presenting a theory as fact which is what it felt like taekook lyves was doing a lot of, imo.

The timeline really sealed the deal for me, tbh, because seeing all their interactions in one place and running on concurrent really blew the hinges off the 'distance' narrative.

Which lead me to the ultimate question which I think is the fossil fuel that taekook sails on; what's with all the fucking secrecy and what's bighit hiding??

Because to me and with the timeline on front of me there was no distance on their distant relationship.

And so I've recently started a rewatch of some of their biggest hits. Like I started with bon voyage and I'm kicking myself and wondering why I didn't consider stuff like the room choosing situation in Bon Voyage Morrocoo or Malta wherever they were, more closely. I can't even explain why I just took it at face value as a joke because looking back JK made it so damn obvious.

And I started noticing the subtleties of their touching and the lack of space. I think part of me started reqatching the BV and Run episodes to be kinda proven right that there was nothing more to the ship and I was being delulu but the more I watch, the more Im starting to notice and those fossil fuel questions keep popping up in my mind.

And as a logical creature who said taekook isn't real when I couldn't see anything proving it, I can't then refuse to consider the possibility that it might be real now that I'm seeing stuff that I consider legit proof or support of a relationship.

As for theories, I don't want it to come across like I'm acting smarter or more superior than anyone else because I think everyone is working off theories even the people who don't believe in it because none of us know these guys or their lives but I don't like when theories are pushed as fact or manipulated or framed as the only possible conclusion to a question. Like could I make another theory as to why taekook ate mapping out each others moles, yeah, course I could but based on my own experience perception and no real clear arguement otherwise etc---the romantic reason is still the strongest supported to me.

So I don't have anything against theories just the way they're framed.

So yeah I guess that's my looong (sorry) story about how I accidently became a taekook shipper.

Hi again mole anon!

It’s really nice to hear your story actually. I think skepticism is definitely a good way to get into this. Also, props to Kayla @taekooktimeline for documenting so well 💜.

[pseudo-hero]

A Hopefully Quick Compare/Contrast of Lex and Bruce; Clark and Lex; Bruce and Joker (Et. al.)

"Batman is basically Luthor but good."

"Luthor is basically Batman but bad."

No and no.

I think it's high time that fandoms (DC's in this case) finally start to put an end to overly simplistic—if not downright false—takes and conclusions like this.

Like, I don't mean to sound wrongfully condescending (because I know Lex and Bruce definitely have at least a few traits in common, on average), but I don't understand how anyone who has actually tried to dig at the cores of these two characters (and their respective hero/villain) could make statements like these and then just call it a day.

Again, nooo.

Lex Luthor, if he "became good" (ignoring the emotional journey he's currently going through right now in recent Superman comics) would not be Batman. He'd be Superman!

You want to know why? It's because Lex, arguably since at least his inception in the Superman comics and Action Comics, has not been written to be the "dark mirror"/shadow of Batman, but of Superman.

Almost everything that makes Clark so amazingly gifted and inspiring, Lex has also—but in a twisted or far less appealing way.

Likewise, a "bad/evil Superman" (if written well and not like just another murder-happy blatant tyrant) would be Luthor!

Imagine a Superman that, after self-actualizing, chooses to selfishly mold the world to his image without care for the opinions of the people, but with the same hopeful, altruistic mindset and aspirational worldview that we're used to. In that sense, he'd be less wantonly cruel and preoccupied with spreading fear everywhere he went and more-so misguidedly paternalistic and smothering. So similar to his usual self, but far worse. More like....(a tough-on-crime) Lex Luthor.

I'd argue that Superman: Red Son illustrates an amazing example of this within its pages. I won't say that it's "perfect" (I don't do that with anything, tbh.) but seeing USSR-Superman and America-Lex Luthor be true equals on the mental plane and somewhat physical and even moral, too (but with differing worldviews), is somehow very refreshing and satisfying to see. Highly recommend reading it, even if only out of curiosity.

Now as for Batman? Based on my understanding of him, his shadow self is most likely the obvious choice of the Joker, or may even be Bane or Two-Face. Bruce has a lot of issues, but he (mostly, usually) has not reached the depths of depravity that these three have, especially the Joker. He could, though. That being said, could and would they be Batman if things had been different for any of them? I believe so. Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't they come out with just such a Batman-Joker graphic novel a year or two ago?

However, I don't think any of these Batman villains could ever have been Superman. But Kal-El's pretty hard to match anyway. Just ask Lex.

[littlemessyjessi]

hello ma'am! i dunno if You still accept requests... if You don't, just ignore me, please. but if do, then lucky me!

some time ago i saw posts, where in one an author compared, what bts member is most to least likely to date a chubby/plus size person and why, and in the second one, set up a list: "how many drinks it would take a bts member to hook up with a plus size girl".

tbh the second post gave me '???' reaction, but i saw Your plus size oriented works and couldn't help but think, what would You think about that ideas and how would You do it.

if that's something You would like to write, im so excited to read Your thoughts! 🫶

BTS Members and a Plus Size Reader Partner: Thoughts and Vibes

Hello, darling!

I AM still taking requests for BTS x plus size reader at the moment!

Thank you so much for reaching out!

I appreciate you!

As far as my thoughts go, they are as follows. Let's stretch and begin.

Regarding the first topic: Well, I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with this topic. I mean, plus size is just another variety of person like blond or green eyes or freckles or whatever. I don't really think there's a problem with saying who you think might or might not be into a more cushiony body type for a partner.

But just.... why? I feel like some do this from a pure point of view just out of curiosity. But some do it to be mean... in which case... I'm going to tell Jimin to hit them with a stick.

However, regarding the second topic. .... wtf?

On the one hand, I get HOW people post that and don't get massacred. We live in a society where thin is presented as prime and best.

Not to say that there is anything wrong with slender. There is 100% not and to shame anyone for their body type, regardless of that body type, is WRONG. Again, if you're bullying anyone over their appearance like that.... I'm telling Jiminie and he will get you.

And honestly, if you rely on picking apart someone's physical appearance in a negative way... it kinda seems like a sign of low intelligence.

Like really? I mean, that's kinda of a fucking joke. It's literally amusing sometimes. Not the bullying. Just the audacity is straight up funny sometimes.

I get it. The world's standards are fucked and SK Beauty standards are so unobtainable in general. Blah, blah, blah.

However, to elude to the fact that they would have to be absolutely hammered to be with a larger person?

Brooooo..... that's so fucked up.

If I were any one of them, I'd be straight up pissed for anyone ever even having the audacity to THINK they knew what my preferences were or weren't. Or rather I'd be pissed that they thought they knew me enough to speak on them and that I would need to be intoxicated to find attractive what that writer didn't.

Like broooooooooooooo. In this day and age? Body shaming? Still doing that?

It's giving small brain energy.

It's giving insecure.

It's giving very much stagnant personality and lack of growth.

How embarrassing ....

Here's the thing, none of us know what they like or don't like. We're not them. We can't read their minds. We can imagine though. The difference lies in the details. To ask how many drinks it would take is to insinuate that the plus size person is therefore less than and the member would be in need of a mind altering substance to even consider being with a fat person. Which is fucked. What is wrong with some of these people?

Now, If I were going to write this, I would instead go about it like this.

What each member loves about dating a plus size body. Like, in theory what they might like based on what little information they have released to us. Or what they might like the best about being in a mixed size relationship. Stuff like that.

But shit! I wouldn't be like... "Oh fuck, how many shots do you think it would take Jimin to bang a fatty?"

Like bro, whaaaaat?

I feel like poor Namjoonie would catch second hand embarrassment just reading that shit.

Also, I would never be so stupid as to assume that A, Jimin would play that game or B, that the shots would even touch him.

The man drinks like a fish. I'm almost certain he's part merman or siren or Poseidon him damn self.

I don't know. I can't focus on Jimin for very long.

He tricks me with the cute, lures me in with sweet and then when I get there and I think I'm safe, he turns on the sexy shit.

Mother fucker is out to get me. I'm telling ya'll.

And he fucking knows it.

Anyway, thank you so much for sending in this ask! It was fun to explore and great responding to you! Please enjoy this Koo with a bow and a bunny smile.

Love, K

......

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[talaricula]

Hiya, just out of curiosity if you dont mind me asking. What do you think the serious dealbreakers with PVDA you mentioned in your tags are?

Yeah sure! For context - my political stance is v much "human rights lawyer" first and foremost, which I'd situate in ideological terms as democratic socialism + humanism (for lack of a better/less archaic term). Basically, my politics are informed by a fundamental bottoms-up centering of (individual and collective) human rights and the inalienable and uncompromisable value of (individual and collective) human life, dignity and happiness. Not to "no true scotsman" bc I know that a fuckton of leftists and socialists define their leftism according to other measures, but I, personally, fundamentally do not get how you can hold leftist beliefs and yet be willing to compromise on the fundamental value of human life, dignity and rights. This stance is where my dealbreakers come from. Explanation under the cut:

So, in this context: I find the PvdA to be largely hypocritical in their stance on many important issues, and imo this hypocrisy is rooted in a loyalty to abstract ideology (communism/Marxism) over what should imo be the concrete foundation of that ideology (human dignity, structural equity, etc). Most importantly, I refuse to vote for them bc I find their stance (as demonstrated by repeated votes in Parliament, even if they often state otherwise in communication) on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the human rights violations committed by China against the Uyghurs absolutely unforgivable, and increasingly so as compared to their very vocal stance on Israeli occupation of Palestine - either you condemn genocide and crimes against humanity or you don't. Picking and choosing is morally bankrupt imo, and revelatory of 1. the party's loyalty to (historically) communist countries over its loyalty to oppressed people and 2. yes, as revealed by the contrast, antisemitism, which has been a problem with the PvdA since long before October 7th and has been one of my dealbreakers forever as well (as it is for most European far-left parties, tbh). (Beyond the generalised antisemitism within the party, I also feel they excuse too much racism in general in order to appeal to the "white proletariat" that remains their primary voting base.)

More specifically for less huge dealbreakers, if you look at their party program and their answers to the stemtest questions etc, they're also just an annoyingly populist party that frames their surface communication to appeal to knee-jerk reactions but hide their actual stances in convoluted language - I compared the Groen and PvdA stances on many issues, and regularly the PvdA would say they were in favour of smth Groen was against or vice-versa, and then I'd read the explanation and the thing both parties actually wanted was the exact same thing, except the PvdA wanted to appear more radical than they actually were (ex.: PvdA said they were in favour of strikers blocking fellow workers' access to their place of employment while Groen said they were against it, turns out both parties were actually just in favour of striking booths to allow strikers to encourage fellow workers to strike without actually blocking their way into the building). I don't like it, it's paying lip service to appear more progressive than other left-wing parties and it rarely actually is. Another example of this is that they are against projects and education about gender identity in schools bc "imposing an agenda upon youingsters may be counterproductive and we should focus on supporting bottoms-up initiatives" which is a very nice way of framing a stance that fundamentally means "queer youth should be willing to endanger themsel ves by proposing queer-related projects to their peers and teachers and only then will we provide them with education and support - no of course this is not a way of de facto lowering the amount of queer education in schools and the exposure of minors to queer issues what do you meaaan".

Less dealbreaker and more general ideological disagreement: I'm just not a Marxist. I think the class struggle is very real, but I disagree with the PvdA's way of lifting it above all other forms of inequity and of ignoring the role other forms of structural oppression plays in class oppression. I disagree with their decentering of other forms of/structural/intersectional oppression which in my opinion and according to my research are fundamental to the cycle of oppression necessary to create a "lower class". I also (hence my vote for Groen) disagree with their decentering of ecology in favour of industry-focused "workers' solidarity", bc climate change will affect the most oppressed and vulnerable among us first and thus is not at all a "privileged Western bourgeois" issue.

But yes, TL;DR: my dealbreaker with the PvdA is its loyalty to (historically) communist countries and abstract leftist (Communist/Marxist) ideology over its loyalty to and solidarity with actual, real, concrete oppressed people.

[electric-plants]

I totally believe you, but I'd be interested to see your receipts of haitham being nice if you're willing to share~

hello weary traveler please take a look at my wares~

top ten (read: 3) reasons alhaitham is a SWEETIE w/ receipts:

1) he’s got really good manners:

*leaves to the entrance to wait patiently for you so he can say goodbye* and i just like how offended he seems at the implication in the last one

these voicelines in particular stick out to convey that he doesn’t really want to be responsible for causing others trouble:

also tbh basically all of his about lines are just him talking about people’s good qualities, which always makes me a little sad when i think about most of the voicelines about him in comparison rip

here’s some faves though tighnari’s especially sticks out in regard to alhaitham being nice i think:

2) he does a lot of things for other people:

“i’m not going to field any questions” proceeds to take us to his house, gather a bunch of books to help us understand, and then field all of our questions🤔 also just the entire concept of him being able to be talked into being acting grand sage at ALL

also not included but little things like taking the time to teach us how to use the knowledge capsules, taking the aaru villager’s feelings into account/getting shani to talk, and just generally taking the time to carefully address the rest of The Squad’s™️ questions/concerns during sumeru’s archon quests

3) and perhaps some people will disagree with this one but i just think he has a very kind view of humanity:

(⬆️ from sq also not cropped cause pretty🥰)

i feel that if someone is so intimately aware of the limits and faults of humanity while also still having an innate curiosity about other people and an affinity for finding people’s positive qualities it’s indicative of an inherently kind/forgiving way of thinking

i can and will defend any of these examples if anyone disagrees😤 i spend every moment of my life ready for a debate😤

but seriously lol idk there’s just SO MUCH that he does and says that can be interpreted as kind if you look for it and connect it, like this isn’t even all the examples i could think of off the top of my head

also thank you anon for giving me an excuse to talk about him and how he is GOOD i owe you my life sorry for adding so much lol

my sources for your convenience: SQ = alhaitham’s story quest, TP = teapot dialogue, KH = kaveh’s hangout, PoP = the parade of providence event

[daistea]

Okay so this is the idea. I'm sorry this is so long.

A half-monster/beastkin reader joins the Touden party with the intent to make friends. The reader covers their monstrous features so they look human. Being with them for a day or two, they click with Laios the most. So they focus on trying to be his friend.

Reader does want to show their monster/beastly side, but immediately throws out that idea when they learn the party mostly eats monsters. Their fear becomes worse after what happens with the Kelpie and Laios's words "All monsters are dangerious." Add on them seeing Kensuke flee during the fight with the Red Dragon, and Laios's face when it happened. So the reader is certain that Laios would not be happy with the truth.

Sometime after they lose Falin (before or after they see her again as the chimaera, not sure yet), the reader slips up and Laios sees the truth. He's even more surprised when the first thing the reader says is "please don't eat me, please don't hurt me" while they're on the brink of tears.

I'd like this to have a happy ending cause I love hurt/comfort. The issue is I'm so stuck on how Laios would respond to the reader begging for their life and seeing how scared they are. They're basically friends, maybe Laios has a crush, but still on good terms. I doubt that Laios would get mad, but I feel like he'd be hurt that the reader fears him? Part of me is like "he'd be interested in them and want to trust them" and the other part of me is "he would feel betrayed and would want them gone" then the third part of my brain goes "it's just his reaction to Izutsumi again." The biggest thing I'm stuck on is the first words out of his mouth.

sorry again this is so long, thank you for reading

No prob!

Firstly, I think Laios would take the situation more seriously than he did with Izutsumi(tho his eyes may flicker down to a monster part and he’s totally interested and has questions but he’s holding them back, he’ll ask them later)

Laios is actually pretty reasonable! With the kelpie, he told Senshi it was a bad idea. Laios loves monsters, but he isn’t naive about them. He knows what they’re like/what they’re capable of. Still, he let Senshi do his thing because he loves his friends(and was kinda interested in seeing what would happen). I think there’d definitely be a little war in his mind upon seeing the reader. That’s his friend! But he silently wonders what they’re capable of, how much of their mind is monster-wired… Depending on the monster they’re blended with, he might even be on edge. But that’s still his friend. Just like when he sees Faligon, that’s his sister so he’s shocked. But he’s also amazed and interested. And once it’s clear that she’s not fully herself, that she’s a danger, he knows hurting her is unavoidable, no matter how much it hurts himself to do so.

ANYWAY it would be a mix of emotions. I think he’d be a little pouty that reader didn’t tell him earlier bc he would’ve liked to take notes on them… He wouldn’t be angry, tho. Reader didn’t hurt anyone, ofc. Their begging would surprise him. His first question might be why they’re scared, what’s happened to make them react with fear. He might go sober and serious as he asks how much of their mind is monster, etc. If the reader is honest and explains that they know Laios doesn’t trust monsters and literally eats them, I think he’d be surprised and honestly start to explain that ‘well, the monsters aren’t sapient’ (I’m not sure if that would be a word used in that time period or even by Laios, but it’s the only word I can think of that succinctly describes what he’d be trying to say.)

I think he’d get lost on a tangent tbh. He’d get excited, bc he’s already clocked that they’re not dangerous(which he kinda already knew/suspected) then the biology and fun questions would start pouring in. He’s more interested in fulfilling his curiosity. If the reader is serious, though, he’d get serious. If they’re crying, he’d try his best to comfort them, probably by saying something out of pocket like ‘hey don’t be upset… You’re the best of both worlds’ which is nice.. he thinks you’re a good monster And a good human. But also WHAT? How could you not be upset? You’re terrified for your life because of your monster half!

Anywho. I hope this helps!! Let me know if you have any questions or just want to bounce some thoughts around

[makeste]

Just out of pure curiosity, isn't this a horrible way to experience the story lmao?

I'm not saying it's for everyone, but it's worked for me personally so far. more than I would have expected, tbh!

honestly though, this might sound kind of backwards, but a big part of my decision to read these chapters early had more to do with me NOT wanting to be spoiled. let me explain.

I went on hiatus from the BnHA manga beginning in January 2022. I remained completely spoiler-free for almost eight whole months without the slightest issue. then August happened. :')

the thing is, despite my taking a break from the manga, I didn't stop reading fanfiction. in fact I probably read more fic than I usually do, because I missed the series and the characters. it may sound odd that I had the time to read fic but couldn't use that same time to catch up with the manga instead, but they're very different things as far as mental load and time commitment. one is very passive, almost relaxed, while the other requires me to be quick-witted and mentally engaged (at least if I want to do a halfway decent job). something which I wasn't really capable of being at the time. so yeah.

anyway so at the time I generally thought of fanfic as a relatively safe activity, spoiler-wise. and to be fair it was. right up until the single most popular character in the series fucking DIED in the most grisly way possible while fighting the main villain, right in the middle of everyone's fucking summer break. after which pretty much the entirety of fandom erupted into "BAKUGOU DIED??!" and "HE DIED THINKING ABOUT IZUKU??!" and "BABY BOY WANTED ALL MIGHT TO SIGN HIS TRADING CARD?!?!" and "RAIN!?!?" etc. etc. pretty much 24/7 on all social platforms for weeks on end.

so what I learned from that experience is that no matter how good you are at dodging spoilers, it is literally impossible to do so when something THAT momentous and life-altering happens your favorite character who also happens to be fandom's most beloved blorbo. hell, I didn't even get spoiled on AO3 initially; they got me over on YouTube of all places. literally nothing I could do to prevent it. and after that, no matter how meticulously I avoided all of the fics tagged with "362: Light Fades to Rain spoilers", I still kept getting caught off guard because people would casually drop spoilers into untagged fics as well. so I had a bunch of additional little details spoiled for me unexpectedly and I was pretty much defenseless against it. pretty much the only way I could have avoided it all would have been to stop reading Kacchan whump entirely. which, idk about you, but to me that would have been a far more horrible fate. :p

anyway so fast forward to last month, and Kacchan finally came back, and you bet your ass I spoiled myself for it immediately. because I knew it would still take me forever to get caught up The Right Way, and in the meantime I would once again be leaving myself at the mercy of the internet. at least this way I have control over where and when and how I find out. and I got to experience the moment via the manga itself, rather than a third party. and I have to say, this way was vastly preferable to the alternative.

and at the end of the day that's pretty much the same rationale I had for giving in and reading 404 - 406 as well. I knew that once Kacchan was back, the pace of the Final Battle was going to start picking up, and things were going to start happening, and I'd rather read all of those things for myself! like just for example, there's close to a 100% chance the "Kacchan" line from this week would have been spoiled for me in someone's fic if I hadn't read 406 beforehand. just little things like that. anyway so this way, no matter what happens to Kacchan and Deku from this point forward, I'll get to read it fresh and experience it in a way that I unfortunately never got to with the chapter 362 moment. and so to me, that's more than worth the trade-off.

[neonscandal]

So excited to know that you also love Link Click...! I watched it first before JJK (I know, still kinda new in thw fandom), so Cheng Xiaoshi/ Lu Guang are special to me. And after 2nd season with that finale, wow, for me it feels like came out of a fanfic. So when I got to know Gojo/ Geto somehow they remind me of Cheng Xiaoshi/ Lu Guang, cause both couples are doomed by the narative....

And what do you think after you finished TGCF? Have you read the novels? Just so you know, it is worth it to collect the books. Their story is that good. Also when you finished it, most likely you'll also have some non-canon fav couples (I have 4 non canon fav couples from TGCF)....And have you watch MDZS or SVSSS?

Sorry for my rambling, MXTX is one of my favorite author ever and I like to talk about their works. (And now I'm still depressed with the latest JJK update and nervous with the BNHA update)......

OMG SEASON TWO FINALE OF LINK CLICK ABSOLUTELY SLAYED ME. Lu Guang, the enigma that you are. This whole time!? What a damn reveal! Just thinking about it, tbh, I'm gagged. I like to guess at things, obviously, but just never even fathomed.

I don't know if I'd mentioned that before RE: Gojo and Geto but same. It might be on an anime recommendation draft 😅 Like, sure, their character design is an obvious indication but it's really all the anguish bubbling just beneath the surface. And now I need to read all the source material because I'm not sure I can wait for them to animate (even though the animation is just 😘👌🏾

For background on my experience while watching TGCF, there are a lot of cultural/religious things that were completely out of my current realm of understanding re: ascension, conditions/relation of the supernatural beings discussed, etc. but I was still able to really enjoy it without and prompted curiosity to learn more before jumping into the novels. Like, having watched and read media informed by Japanese culture (and growing up on Inuyasha), you understand the idea of youkai, general types and their dispositions, even some religious aspects to practices by priestesses and even everyday people, etc. so it's a little easier to navigate. So getting into Chinese media of a certain time period where those beliefs and practices inform the story was a challenge but it also just kind of opens your eyes to how much you don't know which is exciting. I absolutely want to check out the books because I need to know Xie Lian's whole origin (including his 17th birthday and his parents backstory) and what transpired to have created the delicate soft spot San Lung has for him. I hadn't heard of SVSSS yet but MDZS is on my TBW and I'm wondering if watching it will help clarify my confusion from TGCF or if I should do some research ahead of time so I'm not as lost.

Never apologize, I love when people are inspired and passionate! Lol and makes the conversation I have with you guys feel less one sided (with my disproportionate essay responses haha). 💛 I'm sure I'll post when I start watching/reading any of the above so we can reconvene! I'm currently finishing up Stars Align and, from what I've gathered might need to add this to my TBR to get a satisfactory end to things, too. 😭

I've been running on an empty battery lately so Tumblr's really the only social media platform I've been consistently perusing and posting on (RIP to twitter, insta and tiktok, ig). The upside of this being that I see JJK and BNHA leaks less frequently so I'm out here living in ignorant bliss ✨ So if you're out in these virtual streets, be safe out there, anon!

[not-poignant]

I'm really enjoying A Stain! I was wondering if you could let us know some thoughts about Sebastian's perspective on Alex at the moment, because even though he's had a very low opinion of Alex, he still seems invested - checking up on him after the stiches, hanging out at Community Centre, being protective about his low pay. Is it guilt from his treatment of Alex after hearing Harvey at the funeral, fascination at the ways Alex has changed from HS, or a sense of responsibility from looking after Alex when he was attacked? (or a mix?) Is he developing an attraction to Alex at all? He clearly doesn't trust Alex and flips to being very cutting very quickly, and still sees himself as a bit of a victim to HS Alex without seeming to consider the impact of his own actions towards him. We can infer a lot from Alex's POV and Sebastian's reactions, but I'd love to hear any further thoughts you have on Sebastian as I think your thoughts are always very interesting and insightful on character psychology (if you're happy to share!). I'm loving the updates and looking forward to seeing how the story and relationship develop!

Hi hi anon,

I don't want to go into too much detail (I say...before launching into an epic amount of detail) because I want folks to learn more about Sebastian as the story goes on, but I will say that...

(Actually some of this stuff will sound a little Sebastian critical re: the story, so for people who just want to imagine that Sebastian feels all soft and guilty and concerned and just sometimes is really defensive, don't read below the Read More, lmao)

There's definitely an appeal to Sebastian in holding a certain amount of power over an old bully, after going through a divorce and experiencing other moments of powerlessness in his life. It's one of the reasons he still very much identifies Alex as being a bully (and keeps expecting it) and it's also why he's so quick to turn on a dime and become quite cutting.

I think beneath that, there are growing emotions of concern, alongside curiosity, re: the kind of person that Alex is. He definitely got invested in Alex's life not specifically because Alex got injured, but because Alex got injured by Martingale, which gave Sebastian a chance to kind of yell at his ex-husband, which he really wanted to do and hasn't really done otherwise lmao. Sebastian has motivations here that aren't entirely to do with Alex, and are also very connected to his history with Martingale, his need to re-establish himself as a powerful and secure figure in Stardew Valley (he is, right now, probably one of the top 3 most affluent people in the town, second to only Martingale and Mayor Lewis, and his coming back to Pelican Town was very much a 'fuck you, other people can achieve shit too' kind of moment, alongside genuinely missing aspects of the landscape and the mountain lake specifically).

It's tempting to interpret all of Sebastian's feelings and actions towards Alex as being a result of...well, Alex as he is now. But Sebastian's motivations re: Alex have been also very strongly influenced by Martingale's behaviours towards him, and Alex's bullying of him in the past, and frankly, Sebastian's inability to see himself or accurately situate himself in the context of being Alex's bully (both in the past and tbh, sometimes currently).

There is definitely increased attention towards present Alex, but it's come more as an afterthought. The thing he was most shaken by, that he continuously and conveniently forgets, is that Alex supported his grandparents on his own, without any help, for a long time. And he's frequently then shaken by Alex's general attitude towards himself, but he's making a lot of misfires and is miscommunicating a lot partly because it's very tempting to for him to see this as 'Alex once lorded it over me and now he's just some guy and I get to actually help him for once and have power over him and I don't even have to be a dickhead about it' lol.

I don't see Sebastian as a guy with high emotional intelligence - or it's more like...very intermittent emotional intelligence, he can be caring, but he sort of has to click into it, vs. it being there all the time. He's got a huge chip on his shoulder re: Demetrius and Martingale, and he's absolutely not worked through it and definitely slips into using Alex as a target for his issues. Sebastian has anger issues, he's a workaholic, and he has some growing to do as a person.

I don't think Sebastian feels responsible for him, tbh, I think he made that pretty clear when he dragged Alex to Martingale's against his will and against his consent, to make Martingale take responsibility for him. And after that, Sebastian was still completely reamed out by Harvey for literally putting his own needs before Alex's health. Sebastian acted in an extraordinarily selfish manner, in some ways, he got to show off his home and his amazing skills to Alex (who was actually in awe of Sebastian's home and his skills lmao), yell at his ex for being a douche balloon, show off his awesome fighting skills (which made Alex feel small and inadequate - there was definitely an uglier element of 'what have you done with yourself, Alex, when I can do this??'), and then basically go home and think about what he'd done.

I think after all of that he visited Alex more partly out of guilt, yeah, lmao. Harvey tearing him a new one definitely helped on the whole 'Alex is a human person with real feelings and not just a teenage bully who you get to show off to and use as a stand in for dealing with your real issues.'

But even his 'Mayor Lewis should be paying you more' didn't translate to him offering Alex the job, in fact he didn't want Alex to take the job. It was clearly a surprise to him that Alex suggested it, and he literally says 'you can't be my cleaner.' He thinks it over after that, but his first reaction isn't one of 'this would solve both of our problems.'

I think folks want to hear that Sebastian's really invested in Alex, but I honestly think that's still happening, and still growing within the narrative. I think it will become a lot more obvious once Sebastian becomes invested, though it's coming soon, it will still be through Sebastian's anger at other people (Martingale, Mayor Lewis, his family, etc.) Sebastian's slowness re: attaching to Alex was one of the reasons I needed to get Alex into Sebastian's house more often!

Also while I do think Sebastian objectively thinks Alex is attractive, he doesn't find Alex personally attractive. He's got the ability to go 'yeah I can see what other people see in him, but he's not for me.' He's blanked Alex as a possible sexual object / fantasy because of Alex's actions growing up, and the assumption that Alex is just an extreme homophobe and it's generally not good practice to like...cultivate attraction to your bullies and homophobes in your life, y'know? (Some people do, but most people if they feel it happen are like 'NOPE not gonna do tHAT.')

Alex's love is genuinely unrequited in the beginning of this story for that reason.

But yeah, like, there is some guilt in there for sure, and some concern, but I find it really interesting looking at Sebastian through the lens of 'he has something to prove in this town that he still hates for essentially fucking up a lot of his life,' and I find it really interesting that Alex is the safest target for Sebastian's anger at Demetrius and Martingale in particular. Sebastian's not super assertive (even within the game), because his parent/s have ignored his boundaries all his life around work, and he's faded into the background even as someone who lived in the basement of his own home and who was clearly overshadowed by Demetrius and his love and clear favouritism re: Maru.

So... you basically have two not assertive boys who grew up bullying each other because they both saw each other as safe targets. But Sebastian was the worse bully, and now is someone who sees himself as a victim not just of Alex's, but also Martingale's (to a point, that's complicated), Demetrius' and the town in general. I think it's going to be very satisfying at least personally when Sebastian realises he can be an absolute dickhead as much as anyone else, lol.

Er yeah, so... lots of rambling anon! The tl;dr of it all is that some of Sebastian's behaviours towards Alex are not wholly and sometimes not even mostly because of thoughts about Alex specifically. That's why there's been so much inconsistency between concern, guilt, compassion, bullying, meanness, spite, and more!

[prismatoxic]

hi tox I need to scream for a second because I just finished writing the confession scene for a tangled path and I have no one else to scream to and I'm going insane THEY ARE MARRIEDDDD and they LOVE EACH OTHER and they are blushing and fumbling over this newly opened arena in their relationship and ITS BEAUTIFUL

(also this is not in the next chapter. I'm the kind of person who likes to be several chapters ahead when I post long fics. yes I will post a new chapter tonight though.)

Anywhooo I love seeing your posts about Fentripp, Chilaios need a baby so bad. Someday I will write a fic about them having a baby. Probably. Most likely.

Also fun Chilaios pregnancy thought: I think Laios would love to hold Chil's stomach for him, in part because he likes to take the weight off his back for a bit, and also because he's so obsessed with feeling for kicks. he gets absolutely giddy when he feels the baby moving

-curiosity anon

respect tbh... i have to write linearly, the way i "plan" is so vague and formless half the time that i won't know how the story's gonna go until i get where i'm going. so i could write ahead, but by the time i push the full story there i'll likely have deviated too far from the original path to use it. i think it's because i'm a roleplayer, i'm so used to improv writing that it's basically the only thing i know how to do. 😔 i mean, like, i know WHERE i'm going. but how to get there or how i'll handle it when i get there? beats me, man. we'll find out.

i'm excited to see when the confession scene does make it in though... AND NEW CHAPTER TONIGHT YAY....... i still gotta read on command ogughhgh. i'm falling so far behind on everyone's fics!!!!

honestly i ought to write a fic about them having fentripp but i already have so many ideas!!!!!! so he's relegated to the roleplay zone for now. i'd love to see more chilaios baby-having though...

YEAH... HONESTLY... laios is soooooo nuts about feeling the baby move. my partner and i headcanon half-foot gestation as being shorter than that of tall-men; they're so much smaller, after all. so we have it at 3 months. laios lamenting not getting longer to spend with chilchuck's baby bump... (he's gonna be so scared of dropping the actual baby)

[dandelion-wings]

What does the emotional end of this look like for Kaeya? He's the one who fell for it (not through a fault, of course), and I can't imagine it's easy to come to terms with the consequences. Though as much as he can help it, I also can't imagine him letting himself seem extensively publicly distraught; he seems the type who'd voice things like, of course he doesn't want this to have happened, sure, he's upset because this is inconvenient, causes issues and is an objectively a bad outcome, but only in a logical 'this is factually worse and/or prevents something I'd prefer to be true, so if given the option I would rather it wasn't' way, not, like, emotionally and personally devastated about it ahaha please don't think I'm having big feelings, that's so embarrassing, these things happen, y'know this whole thing is a bit embarrassing that I fell for it in the first place lol. And like you were showing, still trying to provide unaffected comfort and entertainment.

Not trying to project anything on your work! Just, curiosity, and my own more general speculation on his personality.

Oh, he definitely considers it to have been through a fault--he can analyze it after the fact and find places where he missed signs things weren't right before the trap actually snapped shut--but unlike Jean he doesn't feel guilty about it per se, just mad at himself about it. He doesn't want Jean feeling guilty in part because as far as he's concerned, it was all on him!

TBH concerning the torture itself, once it's over, he's mostly relieved that it's over and triumphant about holding out as long as he did. The consequences are... a lot rougher, but you're right about how he tries to present himself about it, with some impediments around the TBI after-effects (which is one of the consequences that is most upsetting to him. People are not supposed to be able to read his thoughts on his face unless he wants them to, and he does not want them to). I'm still shaking out that end of things but I know there's a lot of self-recrimination, frustration/anger/resentment about how much he has to rebuild his own abilities, and trying to swallow that down and go "haha, it's fine :)" but struggling to sell it successfully, at least at the beginning, because of some of the very same impediments he's frustrated by.

Additionally, something I know comes up between him and Jean at some point, though I still haven't figured out exactly how, is that (despite his own mistake in falling for the lure) he still thinks that it was worth it if his suffering distracted the Abyss Order from a more successful attempt at finding Jean and the defectors. Which he does feel pretty proud about accomplishing! He would like to be proud about that and would like if people did not undermine that for him, because it's a lot easier to swallow if he can tell himself that what he went through, and is still going through, was worthwhile.