#THIS IS A RHETORICAL QUESTION BTW IT'S HAPPENING ANYWAY

[cherrybomb107]

I see people saying that Silco ultimately had Zaun’s best interests at heart, but I disagree. I think HE definitely thinks that, but at the end of the day, actions speak louder than words. Silco didn’t act like a revolutionary. He acted like a wannabe Piltie who disguised his rhetoric with vague plans of rebellion and monologues 😭😭😭

Disclaimer: I love Silco! He’s one of my favorite characters in Arcane and I think he was a fabulous villain. Not quite THE big bad(that title is reserved for the institution of Piltover and its apathy and downright callousness towards the Undercity) but he was definitely a villain at the end of the day. No amount of “nuance” or “character complexity” is gonna erase that

Let’s start with the obvious: the fact that he fully planned on killing Powder before she launched herself into his arms and he realized how similar they were. I’m sorry, but in my mind, no one who’s willing to kill children is a revolutionary. Sorry. 🤷🏾‍♀️🤷🏾‍♀️🤷🏾‍♀️Only reason why he didn’t is because he saw himself in her. If he truly believed in revolution, he could’ve done youth outreach programs to get young people involved in protests, and given them classes on what to do/how to prepare for when the enforcers show up to shut them down. That’s a real thing that’s been done before btw. I know Arcane is fiction, but it deals with politics that mirror our real world struggles. If Silco actually backed up his claims of wanting freedom for Zaun, he’d do things like this.

To continue this, the creation of Shimmer. Silco claims it’s needed in order to give Zaunites the strength they need to fight back against Piltover. Which, again, I’m sure he believes that, but come on. Creating a monopoly on a highly addictive drug that permanently disfigures its users when they take too much is not the way to go about it. Modeling the capitalist system of Piltover is ultimately not going to help. Shimmer does make people feel empowered, yes. But that empowered feeling doesn’t last long, and when you come down from your high, all you want is more, more, more. So where does that leave you?

It leads you to living out on the streets, willing to do anything for your next hit. That’s what happened to Huck, and we don’t even know how many others. Silco never once expressed concern for the wellbeing of the addicts that he created! What kind of revolutionary would toss his own people to the side when they’re no longer useful to him?

Speaking of the drugs, why does he have children working in his factories? Now, child labor is a very complex issue. I’m from the States, so we’re generally (or we claim to be anyway) against child labor. In other countries however, children not only work, but they protest and fight for their right to work. They take pride in their work. So I don’t want to debate the morality of child labor. I wanted to bring it up for the sake of the argument. Let’s say that child labor is a cultural norm in the Undercity. That brings me back to my original question: why does Silco have kids working in his factories? Child labor isn’t the issue; it’s the kind of labor they’re doing and the level of danger they could be in. What kinds of things are the kids that work in Silco’s factories responsible for? Do they get equal pay to their adult counterparts? Worker’s comp if something happens/they get injured on the job? Are there even protections in place so that there are little to no injuries? These are questions which we can’t even begin to answer, because Silco never brings it up!

He never talks about the ways in which he sets out to improve not just the lives of child laborers in Zaun, their adult counterparts, or people in Zaun, period! He only ever talks about “the nation of Zaun” in the abstract. Never once does he sit down and ask himself if this is the best way to go about it. I’m pro revolution. I absolutely believe that the people of Zaun have the right to fight back against their oppressors. But, with the way Silco was acting, he functionally became another oppressor.

Let’s say he was able to make a deal with Jayce and secure the Undercity’s freedom without having to sacrifice Jinx. What would that even look like? What does Silco know about running a government? How would he address the population of Shimmer addicts he manufactured? You can’t just get rid of/stop the production of Shimmer and leave those people without support! It’s true that the air was cleaner under Silco’s reign. But “cleaner” is the operative word. Doesn’t mean it was completely clean. And if people in Zaun didn’t even have clean air, who’s to say they had access to clean water and good food? Did Silco ever do anything to address those issues or did he, along with the rest of the chembarons, acquire enough capital to tell working class and underprivileged Zaunites “fuck you, I got mine”?

To summarize, Silco SAYS he wants freedom from Piltover’s oppression. He SAYS he wants to give his people the power to fight back. But actions speak louder than words. I can’t think of a single action that Silco took that benefited anyone outside of him and those closest to him. Realistically speaking he would have been a terrible leader for Zaun, and it all would’ve fallen apart when he died/was killed for his lack of leadership skills. It was only a matter of time imo.

Did he ever truly want to remove the boot from the Undercity’s neck? Or did he just want to be the one wearing it? I’m leaning towards the latter. But maybe that’s just me.

[beautifulpersonpeach]

Bpp I'm dying to know your song rankings in chapter 2 now they've all debuted. What are your top picks this year? I miss your writing and hope I can coax you back with 'a fun ask'

***

Okay. :)

Since you asked...

Top 10 Non-BTS K-pop Songs in 2023

10 - Watch It - The Boyz (this song just dropped and it's already in my top ten, yes)

9 - Seoul - H1-key

8 - Ay-Yo - NCT 127

7 - Sweet Venom - ENHYPEN

6 - Neverland Farewell - TXT (Say whatever you like about BigHit, they know how to make good music. Soobin sounds incredible on this song. Beomgyu too. Really, they all do.)

5 - Cool With You - NewJeans

NewJeans isn't going anywhere, so everyone else really should get comfortable with the idea of seeing them at the top. That's all there is to say.

*

4 - Crying - BOYNEXTDOOR

I don't know where my head was at when I ranked this the worst song on the album. Clearly, I was wrong. This song was a pleasant companion during the autumn months, and I can't wait to see what else they come out with.

*

3 - Chaconne - ENHYPEN

Do you know what a chaconne is? That's not a rhetorical question btw. No shade either, I'm just curious. For those who don't know, a chaconne is a rhythmical and harmonic motif over a pronounced bass-line. That's my leftover understanding from music classes taken a lifetime ago. According to google, a chaconne is also "a slow, solemn dance in 3/4 time, of Spanish or Moorish origin, similar to the passacaglia." For a non-k-pop example, I recommend Hilary's rendition of Bach's chaconne (more leftover knowledge from a lifetime ago).

Anyway, this likely isn't important context. The use of "chaconne" in the song probably has more to do with how it sounds in the song, than what it means. In any case, Enhypen earned a gold star from me with this pantydropper anthem.

*

2 - Criminal Love - ENHYPEN

I'm not sure how many of you were here when Heartbeat and Dream Glow were released. What I remember was shock, pure incredulity that BigHit would release songs of that quality for game OSTs. From ARMYs and k-pop stans alike, this was the sentiment. It was like a flex that BTS had such a peerless discography they could make songs like this for a side gig.

That's immediately what I was reminded of when I first heard Criminal Love, released as the OST for Enhypen's webtoon. It's moody, vampy, seduction in a song. That's what that song is. Sad too, when you hear the lyrics. Watching the live performance only drives it home.

*

1 - Blind - ENHYPEN

This song has given me one of the best auditory experiences I've ever had in k-pop. Which is a bit odd because yes a lot happens in the production, but the switches are so subtle you almost don't notice it.

Heeseung, Ni-ki, Jay, Sunoo, Sunghoon, Jake, and Jungwon - all outdid themselves on this song. Vocally, they sound incredible. The writing, (again) is top notch. This is one of the only songs released this year that I genuinely struggle not to loop.

*

Top 5 BTS Solo Songs

5 - Yes or No - Jung Kook

This is one song I'm praying and begging that we get thousands of remixes of. HYBE, please work your magic and give us 10 remixes of Yes or No. I need it. This is the perfect pop song in that it makes you crave more. I know it's got a predictable, common almost, chord progression in VI -> V -> I -> IV, but it's perfect in that it's impossible to get sick of it. It just worms itself into your head and all you can think of is all the ways to sing all over those chords.

Jung Kook's vocal work on that song is irreproachable. He's really set himself apart with this album and I'm glad he did it.

*

4 - Snooze - AGUST D, ft. Ryuichi Sakamoto & Woosung

HUH?! should be here, as should Amygdala so consider this a triple entry: HUH + Snooze + Amygdala. The reason why is self-evident (I hope).

Anyway... I want to talk a bit about Snooze.

Yoongi loves using the piano. He likes the sound of it, and you can tell in songs like Snooze. He has such a profound love and respect for that musical instrument that it only makes sense a man like Ryuichi acknowledged Yoongi before he passed.

With everything that happened this year, remembering Moonbin, and knowing that Yoongi made this song for his juniors... the first time I heard this song it completely destroyed me. Anyone who hasn't paid attention to the lyrics yet should check it.

When I casually listen in to TXT, SVT, Enhypen, BoyNextDoor, and see the work they're doing, putting out easily some of the best music and performances in their generations, I hope and pray they develop a support system that genuinely values them, soon. I hope they survive this industry, and thrive in it.

*

3 - All Day - RM ft Tablo

Not to be that person (since he's canceled for reasons and it actually makes sense why), but when I first saw the song title All Day, I immediately remembered All Day by Kanye West - one of the sauciest and meanest songs he's ever made. I was worried, given the tone of the album to that point, that Namjoon was going to give us his take on Ye's original. Joon is more than capable of dropping a track just as mean if not more. I didn't put it past him to pay homage to the Kanye joint by taking a spin on it. But, thankfully, All Day is nothing like Kanye's song, and it's my favourite song on Indigo because it's the best.

Joon's diction on this track is *chef's kiss*. His voice.... that outro, and thank goodness, Tablo came through. He actually has a presence on the track and made it even more worth the listen.

It kills me that we don't even have a visualizer for this masterpiece.

*

2 - Set Me Free Pt 2 - Jimin

Thank you for giving me another chance to talk about Set Me Free Pt 2.

One reason all the anxiety and fear-mongering around Jimin seems insane to me is because Jimin dropped this song and ended k-pop in 2023. He literally has no real competition. He came in, showed out, and left. That song is the sexiest joint out of Korea this year. It's so nasty. He's absolutely disgusting on this song in how brutally he makes rubbish of everything beneath him. Like, he literally has people bowing down to him in the choreography. Bobbing their heads like Funko Pops, while he sings to be set free. I'm going on a bit of a tangent here, but I want to say something. There's a cruelty in the way Jimin speaks. Whether to someone else or to himself. It's often (somewhat) restrained, born of the way he sees the world I think, and it was especially brutal in their early days, but he's toned it down significantly since 2016. It's virtually non-existent in his speech patterns and word choice now. Jimin of the last few years communicates gently, directly, tactfully, and at worst, bluntly. A lot of that cruelty is toned down but he unleashes a whisper of it on SMF Pt 2. Just listen to what he's saying on that song. That autotune effect on his voice was for our benefit and safety. Nothing can convince me otherwise. And we haven't even yet gotten into the full symbolism of the MV and his lyricism...

The moment I heard this song I knew I would bias Jimin. He's a man who knows what he's doing.

Jimin is a one of a kind wonder. Real magic in a person. An artist. He proves it on Set Me Free Pt 2. Kudos to PDogg too - the GOAT.

*

1 - On The Street - j-hope ft J. Cole

When it comes to song construction, I have to give credit where credit is due and the fact is Hoseok outdid himself with this song. It is perfect, my top pick for a k-pop song in 2023. Jermaine did good on it too. But, you know... Hoseok.

The whistle melody he came up with, the beat, the vocal layering, the mixing, the MV direction - all of it is perfect. If we were giving scores based on separate components, OTS would get 10s in every category.

Honestly, Hoseok coming out at number 1 is kind of expected of him lol.

[honeydew-wecantwo]

Hi! I've been wanting to learn more about transabled folk so I'd like to ask you a few questions. I'd specifically like to know more about transautistic and what that means/is because I'm actually autistic. (If you're not transautistic I'm sorry I'm just asking a bunch of people the same thing)

Why do you want to be autistic?

Why do you want to be disabled?

How are you trying to be autistic?

How are you trying to be disabled?

Why don't you think it's insulting to pretend to be disabled?

Why don't you think it's insulting to pretend to be autistic?

Ok that's all my questions. Now I'd like to explain to you why it's hurtful to be transabled (specifically transautistic)

1.Actually autistic people suffer a lot

Because you're not actually autistic I wouldn't expect you to understand but, autistic people go through a lot. We are constantly misunderstood, we are constantly told we're disrespectful, communication can be very difficult, we get overstimulated easily and a lot.

Now I'm going to talk about my personal struggles that I have because of my autism. I struggle to eat and sleep because of my sensitivities. I struggle to work because I have meltdowns over really small things, which means that I don't want to work on (the thing that made me have a meltdown) and meltdowns are very emotionally and mentally draining so I don't have the energy to work after them. On bad days, 5 people talking in a room is TOO LOUD and will trigger a meltdown or shutdown. Because of my autism, ADHD, and possible NPD, I have some of the highest highs, when I feel unstoppable and invincible but because of my autism, ADHD and possible NPD, I have some of the lowest lows as well. When that happens, I can't move. I can't talk. I can't BREATHE. It's all too much.

By identifying as autistic, you insult the people who struggle because they're autistic.

2. Autistic people are actively discriminated against

There are so many shows, movies, books, etc that depict autistic people in hurtful and insulting ways. There are companies out there right now who want to "cure autism" (I'm talking about AutismSpeaks btw). They want to CURE us for being different. Many autistic people are forced through FUCKING TORTURE (ABA "therapy") because they're autistic.

And here YOU are. Identifying as autistic because it's "quirky and cool"

Fuck you and I hope you have a terrible day <3

hi! honestly, i was debating on responding to this, because you can't just start a conversation with 'i just want to learn', pepper it with wild accusations, and end it with 'fuck you'. but, even if i don't change your mind in the slightest, i can probably reach to others.

(three chunky paragraphs under the cut!)

first of all, i feel like your discomfort at and hate of transautistic people comes from the fact that you see being autistic or disabled as an inherently negative experience that no neurotypical or able bodied person in their right mind should want to go through. this, obviously, is wrong, and in my opinion more harmful than transautism itself. taking away autistic people's agency and just tell non-autistic people that the life of a neurodivergent person sucks so hard nobody should feel a connection does nothing but spread more ableist rhetoric. anyway,most of your questions can be answered by the fact that autistic people, though it's sometimes more difficult than neurotypical people, are just as capable as anybody else to have a happy and fulfilling life. and such, someone wanting to be autistic is not as utterly disgusting, insulting, and confusing as you think it is.

secondly, i was born neurodivergent and disabled and belonging to several other marginalized groups. i identify with transautism because i'm likely autistic, but because of how expensive getting therapy and all of that is, im not able to get a diagnosis. i struggle with meltdowns, sensory issues, social isolation, etc in a similar way to you. i struggle with seizures and such a big heat stroke risk that i can only go outside hours before the sun comes up. being able to get a diagnosis because of the economic class i was born in does not just magically make me a privileged neurotypical, able-bodied asshole. and honestly, most people in the transautistic community aren't privileged, neurotypical, or able-bodied either. if you float around the community for a little while, you'd start to realize that (/nsar)

and thirdly, and this is a bit of an aside, but you've got to learn how to phrase a question if you actually want to learn about this community. maybe you wrote it while in a fit of anger, i'm a bit frustrated writing this myself, but it sounds like you just wanted an excuse to white knight in someone's anon, lol. questions like "why don't you think it's insulting to pretend to be disabled?" and statements like "you only want to be autistic because you think it's quirky and cool" already put so many words into the recipient's mouth and so many assumptions into the world that anyone else in their right mind will just end up ignoring you.

hope this helps, if you ever even read it :3

[hellwurld]

sorry bestie but i need more challengers au. im dying. the dynamics, the crazy, itrs insane. lando why? is anybody gonna do anything???? wil the groupchat ever notice????? you leave me in suspense each time and its beautiful. thank you for posting and thank the government for thanksgiving vacation

never apologize for wanting more challengers au. i also want more but unfortunately (or very fortunately) i am the writer, so if i want more i have to actually write it lmfao! i'm glad that you're loving the fic so far, and if u have any requests of specific stuff u want to see, i'd be happy to post some snippets/side-stories here on tumblr!!! i always want to include MORE in the fic, but the last chapter was already 15k words, so i don't want to overwhelm lmfao. sorry for the suspense btw! i have a tendency to leave on cliffhangers and questions, but with an upload schedule like mine (read: a bad upload schedule), it's not rlly the best for a reader lol!

ALSO ! okay so while i know these questions are likely rhetorical, im gonna answer them anyway! so um, answers and other fun context below:

why is lando the way he is? he wants a job! unfortunately, formula 1 is a cutthoat space, and lando is worried about causing internal drama. he's a little insecure in his place on the team, specifically after hungary, so he doesn't want to start shit with oscar. he's ignoring logan purely because he will feel too guilty to not do something if he actually watches the video and pays attention, so he's choosing to ignore him so he won't have to confront the situation! sad! basically, lando feels bad for logan, but he doesn't want to get involved in something that has so much history and mess attached, because he doesn't want to risk hurting the situation, and himself, more. a crucial part of this fic to me is the theme of selfishness and personal benefit vs the betterment of the whole, and formula 1 drivers need to be selfish, which lando is, for better or for worse.

it depends what you mean by do anything. you can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped. the ptsd group chat just tries to support logan as much as they can, but logan isn't looking to leave oscar, and they can't just kidnap a grown man so... they're a bit stuck. stuff will happen tho, i promise!

the larger f1 groupchat will notice! soon! i promise!!! they're wrapped up in their own stuff, and the people that do have an inkling of what's going on are keeping their mouths shut, but something is bound to break. it's all just a matter of when.

[littleoddwriter]

so... now that it's confirmed that Cooper's last name is, indeed, "Abbott"... do we go back and change it/move forward like "Adams" never happened? hwdjshjkfh (this is a rhetorical question, btw. everybody can do what they want, I just think it's funny)

tbh, I'll use both tags anyway because Cooper Adams has been so ingrained in our small community since the beginning, because of Wikipedia saying that. it's the wiki's fault, dhkfsgfkj (but also, I totally heard "Abbott" both times I watched it and I was so confused when I read Adams on Wiki and on Tumblr, but I get it. mistakes happen! maybe it was Adams in the script at first? who knows. doesn't matter!) but I'm gonna change his last name to Abbott in my writing

also, the evidence of the Wiki saying this before it gets changed and we all look weird to newcomers, fksdfshjkfsf

[selfship-confession-box]

OH MY GOODNESS I LOST MY ORIGINAL CONFESSION YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING MEEEEEEE—

OKAY. SO UH.. LET ME TRY TO RETYPE THIS:

SO! First of all: I made two kandi bracelets for a f/o of mine and my s/i for him!! Joy!! But I NEED(not really but like.. the urge to is holding a lot of mental over meh.. so-) to make matching Kandi for me and X🦇 aka batty!!(which: for clarification. Is a nickname for that one f/o. my ride or die, Mr. misunderstood strong with blond hair honey bunches of oats!!)

And like.. I wanna imagine how X🦇 would react to me giving this to him!! Because..

Ok rainbow rat x Batty lore rq

[heh.. rat and bat rhymes.!! >:333]

our relationship starts off as strangers, wonderful!! And like.. I start crushing on him.. maybe even sorta HARD.!! (My s/i has a heavy dousing of being neurodivergent. Like me.) To a point where (my newer friend f/o from the same source as X🦇) uses my struggles w/ talking to him as to help us get together!!! (Thank u btw to her!! Love ya girl!!!!)

And like.. it then turns into a sorta awkward filled friendship between us as he starts crushing as well!! but I’m like. 2 awkward to confess so tension fills!!! Oh noes!!!!

So like.. with that lore in mind (spoiler alert. Rainbow rat x Batty ends with me confessing with a blurted out “screw it what could go wrong?” Jumbled mess right before X🦇 is bout to confess!)

I’m wondering how X🦇 would think if I showed him the kandi I made for us!! I feel like stuff along the lines of “Oh.. that’s cool 🌈🐀..” if we’re imagining this during that pre and mid crushing for him. And like he’d say that with a mostly blank expression while on the inside he’s like.. “*SQUEAL* THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENIBG.???!!!!” Cause I wanna imagine that despite his cold and sometimes mean exterior he can.. be a TOTAL fangirl when he’s happy :3 AND IT MAKES ME HAPPY THINKING OF HIM SQUEALING WITH JOY!!

Another option for reply from him could be like, a small smile and a “That’s nice. Mind if I try it on?” While pointing at the kandi with MY name on it!! This would happen during that time within our mutual crushing friendship where he maybe starts dropping hints or figuring out of the love and romance is mutual!!!

…

Lol uh… can ya tell that I’m going crazy thinking about this scenario, folks? /pos /rhetorical question

Anyways I get to go to bed tonight knowing that if I made us matching kandi bracelets that he’d totally wear them and we’d get to match… cause like.. friends make matching kandi with hearts beside the names for each other and then also wear tjose same matching accessories.. right?? ….. RIGHT???!!! 🌈🐀<3🦇👍👍👍👍

Okay that’s all for my much needed expression of my love for my sweet guy!! Happy selfshipping folks!! <33

Sincerely, 🌈🐀!! [ps. I think more people should make matching bracelets/kandi for themselves and their f/os!!!]

.

[punkscowardschampions]

Bibi & Janbi & JJ Pt.1

Libi: [okay so I’m thinking this is like late on her bday catch him before he goes to bed vibes, because 1. She doesn’t really wanna talk to him and is lowkey gonna be leaving this message like a secretary and 2. She’s been busy with all her bday shenanigans, especially Peach and only been going on to post pics of her excitedly without checking anyone’s socials but she finally does when they’ve finished the paint party of her new room cos clearly her plan was to post content of that too but then she sees what Bobby/China/both have posted and is genuinely so upset about it that she has a really bad full blown asthma attack in said newly painted empty room, like I’m vibing she would have had to go to hospital if not for JJ doing some iconic levels of teamwork and managing to calm her down, so sending this boy a message when she’s recovered enough to do it]

Libi: I’ll be off [whenever the nearest school day is, whether her bday is on a school day so literally tomorrow or it’s the weekend and she means monday], you’ll have to manage on your own

Bobby: 👍 no problem

Bobby: You get wasted and throw another party again, is it?

Libi: Closest to a happy birthday as I’ll get from you, is it?

Bobby: you’ve been spoilt plenty

Libi: Alright, night then

Bobby: Don’t let the paint fumes kill you

Libi: Don’t wake me when you come in, more like, I’m having the sofa

Bobby: By all means, make yourself at home, he’ll have already said it’s fine without consulting me at all

Libi: Yeah, he did

Libi: hurts to be blindsided by something important you should know about, huh?

Bobby: He’s an idiot but a generous one, his inability to say no has stopped surprising us at this point

Bobby: what’s he meant to do, leave you with nowhere to go

Libi: I have loads of somewheres to go, it’s not lack of options keeping me here

Bobby: do you though

Libi: Of course I do

Bobby: There’s no room above the pub, taken away another option by gifting you a slobbery massive dog, I don’t know about that, like

Libi: Tah for your fake concern, but I’m okay, really

Bobby: just pointing out the obligation, even if he’s the only one of ‘em who believes in it still

Libi: You know what, I’d love to point something out if that’s what we’re doing

Libi: for all your big talk after my party, everything you were up to today is exactly like a move Casey would pull

Libi: she’s even blonde, congrats

Bobby: Of course you’re mad 🙄

Bobby: you hate her anyway, it wouldn’t matter to you if she was really helping me right now

Libi: With her kind words? She can’t speak to you in person, how can she possibly help you with anything other than the proper reason you picked her to spend your day with?

Bobby: As I’m nothing like Case, I can read, tah

Bobby: just like I’ll have to at school when you can’t be arsed to show up

Libi: You couldn’t be more like him right now unless you’re posting with her sister soon

Bobby: You’ve never wanted me to have any friends of my own

Libi: That’s such bullshit

Libi: you’ve never shown no interest in China before wanting to hurt me

Bobby: I wouldn’t have told you if I had

Bobby: because you’d react like this, making an absolute show of yourself for no reason

Libi: No reason, you used to be scared of her, for fuck’s sake

Bobby: When I was five, and I’d just been dragged here away from home, maybe, I was scared of every fucking thing, thanks for bringing it up 

Libi: She was a massive bitch to you, it needs bringing up

Bobby: Isn’t any of this teaching you that we don’t live in the past now?

Libi: Says you, but why her? 

Libi: it’s a rhetorical question btw, cos the answer’s obvious

Bobby: I’m glad you’ve filled in those blanks, I’m not about to tell you what’s none of your business 

Libi: I would’ve never treated you this way, whatever’s happened

Bobby: it’s not about you, Libi

Libi: How can you just lie and lie and lie?

Bobby: Don’t call us a liar

Libi: Why, does it hurt your feelings?

Libi: I fucking hope so

Bobby: Who’s being a bitch now…

Libi: You started it

Bobby: 👌 acting all 14 of your years

Libi: There you go calling me childish again when this is the most little kid on the playground behaviour ever from you

Bobby: I like her, if you can’t handle that, it’s not my problem

Libi: Very convenient date to choose to act on liking her though

Bobby: Hardly

Bobby: I’m sick of the lot of you, stressed out

Libi: You deffo have some problems, Bobby

Libi: 🤞 she can help you

Bobby: and your family causes all of them

Libi: Don’t look inward, god forbid

Bobby: I haven’t done anything, didn’t ask for any of this

Libi: Might’ve been true before now, but today you did loads, I thought the stories would go on and on ‘til my next birthday

Bobby: Says you, always having to film everything

Libi: What was it you said? Clearly I’m filling a void, sorry

Bobby: You’re showing off, what a class time you’re having with them trying to make it up to you like you’re a spoilt little brat, yeah

Bobby: rather die than have anything off ‘em as a bullshit apology, but you do you

Libi: I will, I’ll do what I want, since you aren’t after it being none of your business no more

Bobby: Suits us down to the ground, that

Bobby: stay out of my way, I’ll be well out of yours, can assure you

Libi: I’m made up for you

Bobby: You would be, if you were any sort of real mate

Libi: Yeah well, maybe we never were

Bobby: Wow

Libi: It’ll be better like this, according to you

Libi: it hardly matters what or who we were to each other, how keen you are to chuck it to one side

Bobby: There’s just no need to be so bloody dramatic, like

Bobby: Of course we were friends, don’t be an idiot

Libi: Don’t call me an idiot

Libi: I’m sorry I’m not a chill cool girl like her and can’t shrug off losing my best friend as if it’s nothing to me

Bobby: I’ve not gone anywhere, Jimmy wouldn’t

Libi: Jesus, yeah you have, you couldn’t be further away

Bobby: You’re making no sense right now

Libi: Forget it, I’ve tried and tried to get through to you, but I don’t, I can’t

Bobby: All I know is we’re still about because he thinks he has to be for your sake

Libi: Blame me, go on, but he’d still have to be about for Janis and the baby if I wasn’t here

Bobby: He hasn’t mentioned it, not once, he don’t want it, care about it

Libi: To you, he don’t fancy putting up with how you’d react, they’ll be talking

Bobby: Optimistic 

Bobby: Isn’t that why they split, you know, beyond the affair she had

Libi: For the baby’s sake they’ll have to both try

Bobby: Babies fix everything, how could I forget

Libi: Wasn’t what I said

Bobby: It’s what you believe

Libi: No it isn’t, they’ll be parents, they have to grow up and raise this kid together putting everything but doing that aside, or he should leave town with you and start over in a new place

Bobby: He clearly thinks she wants him back, what else would he with all the time she’s suddenly spending with him when she couldn’t be bothered before, he’s not going to leave now

Libi: Option 1 then, like Ali and Junior’s dad before my mum died

Bobby: That isn’t fair to him

Bobby: but of course, neither of you cares because you get what you want, never mind he’ll be trying not to die every second

Libi: The kid didn’t ask to be brought into this mess, he had a part in it, I can have all the sympathy in the world for him about how hard it’ll be but it’s still a situation he got himself into

Bobby: He was really in a fit state to consent, weren’t he

Libi: He must’ve been, Janis wouldn’t force him to have a baby with her

Bobby: And why did she do it, eh

Bobby: the marriage was that bad for her, so bad she had to go and fuck Case

Bobby: well good parenting already

Libi: I wasn’t in their bedroom with them, I don’t know

Libi: all I know is, she’s not a monster

Bobby: It’s obvious, come on

Bobby: she did it for attention, and not off Jim, clearly

Libi: How weird you can only see when she’s doing it

Libi: people make mistakes, you’re making one going out with China, so

Bobby: Hardly the same, they’re meant to be adults, aren’t they

Libi: Adults fuck up too

Bobby: Who do you think you’re talking to, I bloody know, that’s all they do

Bobby: you being stupid acting like any of this will ever be alright or work

Libi: Stop calling me stupid

Bobby: Quit your acting and sounding it, easiest way to put a stop to that

Libi: We’re off on our separate ways, remember, it won’t make the slightest difference to you if I want to believe things might be alright

Bobby: I’m off nowhere, so if I want to get myself a missus to make that slightly less shit, I can and I will

Libi: You’re calling her your missus after a day and I’M stupid

Bobby: You think it started today ‘cos you think everything is about you, you’ve got no clue though

Libi: Alright, when did it start? Clue me in

Bobby: Why would I tell you now?

Bobby: obviously she didn’t just agree to go out with me today out of nowhere, we’d have to have been talking, use your common sense, like

Libi: Why wouldn’t she? Obviously you’ve no clue who your missus is

Bobby: real nice, that

Libi: It’s nicer than you using a girl you don’t even like to piss me off and try and ruin my birthday

Bobby: You are so up yourself, I don’t know how I didn’t realise before this

Bobby: for God’s sake, Libi

Libi: And you’re such a liar

Libi: I’d realise if you had a crush on anyone, whether you told or not

Bobby: You rate your detective skills, still, when you didn’t see any of this bollocks coming

Libi: That’s an unfair comparison

Bobby: It were right there, under all our noses, don’t pay yourself the compliment, you’re as clueless as everybody else is

Libi: You’re being a prick to be a prick

Bobby: nah, I’m not

Bobby: this is exactly why I stopped talking to you

Bobby: because you just want to talk about yourself, like the most important thing isn’t currently happening 

Libi: Yeah, and you don’t wanna talk about that, you’d rather act out by getting a missus and rubbing my nose in it

Bobby: You talk like you have a clue, when all you’re saying is noise, you’ve had nothing useful to say since day one

Bobby: I’m better off alone at this point

Libi: Fine, be alone with her

Libi: at this point, I’m done

Bobby: Thanks so much for your blessing

Libi: You’re welcome for everything I’ve ever done for you

Bobby: Holding that all over my head now, are we?

Libi: Sure, fuck it

Libi: you’re determined to let the bridge burn, and to run me down every second that’s left before I walk off

Bobby: I never asked for you to translate for me, I didn’t ask to be like this

Libi: And I didn’t ask to come from a family of fuck ups but you keep on punishing me like hers are mine

Bobby: The best thing for Jim would be to leave, to never look back

Bobby: and you won’t support that

Libi: I would if it was what he wanted

Bobby: Why will no one listen, he can’t be trusted to make that decision right now

Libi: You can’t make it for him, even in his best interests

Bobby: maybe if I had your support

Libi: It isn’t my support you’re looking for, it’s for me to agree with every word you say

Libi: lucky for you, your new girlfriend probably will

Bobby: You’ve really made that sound terrible, well done 👏

Bobby: anyone in their right mind would agree with me

Libi: I’m not in my right mind, I don’t know how any of us would be

Bobby: I won’t be dragged down to their level

Libi: Good for you

Bobby: You’re going to end up just like the rest of ‘em, you know

Libi: I can’t believe I built my entire life around someone who could say that to me

Libi: you win, I’m really fucking stupid

Bobby: I never thought you’d let me down this hard either

Libi: At least this is the last time

Bobby: Suppose we’ll take that

Libi: 🤝

Janis: How’s your lungs?

Janis: Back on track yet?

Libi: The drs will sort them out tomorrow, long as I can drag myself to my appointment 

Janis: I’ll take you

Janis: though, I’m not quite out of touch with my emotions enough to think you mean the physical is the thing holding you back there

Libi: You did loads already, I’ve sorted a lift with [what are you calling Ali cos Tess is nan? Grandma? idk lol] she’s worried

Janis: It was a bad one, I’m not surprised

Libi: Yeah

Janis: have you told her, about any of that?

Janis: She’d be able to help, breathing exercises, all that, right up her alley

Libi: I don’t want to talk about it

Janis: Of course you don’t

Libi: With you either

Janis: Yeah, I got it

Janis: I can’t tell you to, I wouldn’t have told anyone

Janis: but you can’t be making yourself ill, you have to figure out something there, alright?

Libi: I didn’t make myself ill, he did

Janis: Alright but I can no less make him behave like any less of a dickhead so you have to take the responsibility for your health here

Janis: He don’t appreciate what he’s doing is having that kind of effect, and you wouldn’t appreciate if we had to tell him

Libi: He wouldn’t care, he’d tell you I faked it for the drama and sympathy

Janis: I’ve witnessed enough fake panic attacks when Gracie has lost her favourite shoes and her date is in 10 minutes, like

Janis: We both know you weren’t, me and Jim, who were actually there

Libi: What’s important is he still wouldn’t care

Libi: if I was dead he’d invite China to my grave like Mary Shelley

Janis: The one in your year?

Libi: Asia’s sister who bullied him when we were younger, I’m a twat for pointing that out though since he expects me to believe they’ve been in love, or lust, from afar forever, but cos I’m a massive cockblock there’s the reason he didn’t have a childhood wedding to her instead

Janis: I see

Janis: well, YOU know that that’s clearly not true, there’s been no mention of her since those days

Libi: Yeah, and obviously it’s just a coincidence they made it official on my birthday, not at all about me

Janis: He’s never going to cop to that, however obvious

Libi: Why bother when you can keep on lying and being a prick

Janis: If it were purely about pissing you off or ruining your birthday, then he has to see that out

Janis: he won’t be able to hack it long though, if she’s still a bitch like that

Libi: They’re welcome to each other for the next [however long she went out with Jake because we’re being a bitch]

Janis: I don’t think Jimmy knows anything yet

Janis: and I think he’d still tell him, if it was serious?

Libi: It’s all over socials, that’s how Bobby lets people who care about him find out something like this now

Janis: I’m not sure he uses his now but I’ll forward that as a warning, if nothing else

Janis: He knew this would hurt you, or he’d have approached it differently, that’s not bullshit, whatever he’s said, you know that

Libi: If you hadn’t gifted me Peach, it never would’ve happened

Janis: What could she have to do with anything?

Libi: She lives here in his house, he has a right to be upset

Janis: He loves dogs, he just doesn’t appreciate the gesture

Janis: he’d take whatever cue he was given to do what he wanted, he’d still be angry

Libi: You should’ve picked a less permanent gesture, maybe, a gift that don’t have a literal life span to consider

Janis: If you don’t want her, Jim will keep her

Libi: 1. Of course I want her 2. Jim keeping her wouldn’t solve anything about not consulting his brother beforehand about her or me staying and Bobby focusing all his anger on him about it instead of me is the last thing I’d agree to

Janis: As you pointed out, she’s a living creature, not something to be pushed pillar to post on Bobby’s whim

Janis: and he has been ‘consulted’, I know that for a fact, Jimmy’s spoken to him numerous times about still wanting a relationship with you, what Bobby means is his objection wasn’t listened to and he didn’t get his own way about it

Libi: Alright, but he has a point about not being listened to when it comes to your weird and reckless dog giving decision, the timing’s well bad

Janis: You said you want her, how is it bad timing

Libi: All of our heads are fucked, why’d you bring another living creature into it?

Janis: because you can off-load to her as much as you like, it’s never fucking her head up, that’s why people have pets, it’s legit, not made that up myself

Libi: Seeing her every day means avoiding him as much, and probably his missus, as he calls her

Libi: what good she’ll do for my mental health, that’ll cancel out

Janis: He’s just parroting, I’m sure it’s not that real

Libi: She’s blonde too, btw

Janis: I’ve had a look, from a bottle 🐭

Libi: He had the fucking audacity to tell me she’s been helping him

Libi: What with? His Casey impression? Losing his virginity?

Janis: Nice, if true

Janis: I’m not wholly convinced either

Libi: There’s no chance he’s having deep and meaningfuls with her, before today or after, I wish he would, even if it has to be with China, I hate this

Janis: I know, I wish he would talk to someone, he needs to

Libi: 🤞 doctor’ll refer me at least, feel like I’ve lost the plot whenever I talk to him

Janis: he’s purposefully keeping you on that different page, for his sake, he doesn’t want you to get it

Libi: I know, but knowing doesn’t make it any less shit while it’s happening

Janis: nah, of course it don’t

Libi: I’m tired, I’m gonna go to bed

Janis: Are you on the sofa? Grab the nice blankets from [wherever they are, hidden from general slobby use and dogs]

Libi: Not a good idea, as she’s here, might as well grab my dog from out of her crate to sleep with me

Janis: As good an idea

Janis: and we’re talking to your school soon, you won’t have to be around him, should that still be something you’re not about, alright

Libi: Can you talk to them about getting China moved to a different school, preferably miles away in the far far north of the country?

Janis: Well, I’ll have to be thinking on a good enough reason to get them on side

Libi: I’ll sleep on it, slut shaming her sadly isn’t a good enough reason

Janis: He’s nearly half a year younger than you, remember

Janis: I’m sure she isn’t being a slut anywhere near him, really

Libi: I’m sure she is, he’s tall, nobody remembers that

Janis: No one has ever gone as far as they claim, at your age, trust me

Janis: Take my word for that one thing

Libi: I used my birthday wish before realising the slags of my year needed to factor in, I don’t have a choice really

Janis: I’ll see if he’ll talk to Jim, subtly

Janis: it happens, I should think he remembers how to handle himself around girls but a refresher can’t hurt

Libi: He should talk to Case but we all know that’ll never happen

Janis: Didn’t suggest it for that reason

Janis: I’ve said to Jimmy countless times that either of us will be a verbal punching bag but there it is

Libi: Jim’d always rather be it

Janis: yeah

Janis: but they should talk anyway, let him say some of the things he needs to, maybe things will get better with the rest of yous

Libi: Is he back under your thumb how Bobby reckons? Be honest

Janis: No, of course not, not that that’s how I’d ever have described it, personally

Janis: we’re trying to work together, that’s all

Libi: Okay, that’s what I hoped

Janis: We want more time like today again, including Bobby, ideally but not until he’s calmed down some

Libi: He doesn’t think it’ll ever work, he thinks I’m stupid

Janis: He doesn’t want it to at the minute, I didn’t expect any different

Janis: Jimmy and him have a special kind of bond, like, and I betrayed Jim

Janis: he’s protecting him now the only way he knows how, letting it be known how he feels, it’s okay

Libi: So do me and you, I expected him to get why I can’t just cut you out and hate you, he don’t have to like it, but 

Janis: He’s definitely being a little unfair to you, don’t get me wrong

Janis: we’re all fucked in the head by it, like you said, none of us are gonna ace every part of it

Libi: I failed every part earlier, Christ, it was a mess

Janis: You were pretty much in shock

Libi: We’re done, I said, and I’m standing by it

Libi: I can’t keep doing this with him how it is, especially not with her there watching him make me look a twat too from here on

Janis: I’d say that’s a good shout for now, definitely

Janis: focus on yourself, your other friends, we’ll be making sure he’s good, at school and in the important ways, so try not to worry about him at all for a while

Libi: 🤝 I’ll do my best

Janis: All you gotta do 🤞🤝

Libi: Tah again for the parts of my birthday you had some control over

Janis: I know it ain’t gonna make the shortlist of best evers but, hope it was alright

Libi: It ain’t your fault it won’t, you properly did your best

Janis: don’t mention it, part of my job, like

Libi: Needs mentioning when I’ve been such a bitch

Libi: I’m sorry it’s a hard job

Janis: You’re owed some bad behaviour, if we can set the limit at getting us evicted though, yeah, I would appreciate that

Janis: I’m not, whatever I may have said when I was not quite reaching my best

Libi: I love you and whatever Bobby says if I turned out like you I’d only be 🤏 gutted

Janis: the 🤏 is so warranted

Janis: I love you an’ all and you know who that is, however lost you’re feeling right this second

Libi: I thought I was about to die, seriously, not in a Grace way

Libi: and I can’t hack him having that much power over me when I can’t trust him anymore

Janis: I know what you mean, it’s terrifying 

Libi: I need another birthday wish

Janis: I’d offer mine but I’m not sure you can borrow that far in advance

Libi: If I’m still feeling the same by then, there’d not be enough hope in more candles than all our birthdays combined, be none

Janis: feels like a very current Bobby move to point out that there’ll be another birthday added to the list by then

Janis: but technically there are no candles so guess the number of wishes stays the same

Libi: It’s okay, I’m not him, you don’t have to keep it off limits as a taboo subject

Janis: It still seems long enough away not to need to push it

Libi: I guess it is, but I’m used to thinking so far ahead when everyone else is asleep

Janis: right now that’s my fault, keeping you when you said you were tired

Libi: I just don’t know what to say to anybody… I feel ridiculous and embarrassed and gross and sad and too thick to be allowed to open my mouth

Janis: oh Libs

Janis: I’ve seen you at your most embarrassing, you can’t top the baby years, nothing you say or do is going to shock us

Libi: Rude, those were my best years…

Libi: she knew who she was, who the fuck am I now?

Libi: maybe he’s right that I’m suffocating, cos I don’t remember how to have a life, make friends, do things

Janis: You do, you know people who aren’t Bobby, just none of them figure as important, you can do it

Libi: It’s really unfair I can’t go back and need to go forward

Janis: tell me about it, girl

Janis: It’ll get easier and feel less strange, the longer you’re there, swear

Libi: Why won’t he just 

Janis: I don’t know, I wish I could tell you

Libi: I don’t want it to get easier for him or for me, not in that sense

Libi: to leave each other behind and tell ourselves it’s good, that we belong in the past

Janis: You’ll have a future, it’ll be different but they aren’t going anywhere, he will have to accept that

Libi: But he’s going places I’ll never reach him

Janis: you have to trust he will come back

Libi: I’m not sure he will

Janis: you can’t be, if you could, you’d have no problem

Libi: I used to have a feeling always, intuition or whatever about almost everything 🔮

Janis: boys fuck that up

Libi: Yeah

Janis: Not that I can say boys at my big age, sound like I’m trying to be too relatable and cringe about it

Libi: To be fair, saying men to me at my age’d be weird and sound like you want me to give up and get in Mr Lucas’ boot

Janis: Sincerely hope he’s about when we go down for our meeting 🙏👊

Janis: just like old times

Libi: A light in a dark time, we’d all be cheered up slightly

Janis: bit gutting to include him in that but 😬 once a weirdo always a weirdo, him

Libi: If I get another detention I’ll not go, like you said

Janis: don’t, however tempting the peace and quiet of a boot might seem at the time, been there, not worth it

Libi: I was angry at you, but something’s gotta give with him and her added high on the list, it’s too much rage otherwise, I don’t think I have it in me

Janis: Prioritize, yeah, sensible

Libi: Besides, you did bribe me with a very cute puppy to stop

Janis: I mean, yeah

Janis: pretty top if entirely unreasonable gift

Libi: She’s top, even though the day itself ended up much lower down cos of the near death experience and everything

Janis: you and your shit lungs

Libi: And it wasn’t even what I’d class as a top near death experience, I didn’t hear mum and dad calling to me or nothing

Janis: you was probably still miles away from the bright light, drama queen

Janis: would shit you up if they started screaming

Libi: I’d have a job to hear anything over Jim trying to talk me down off the ledge as if I was trying to kill myself, but he should honestly work for the Samaritans, it was comforting 

Janis: Can’t decide if that would give him a sense of purpose or give him ideas, as a hobby goes

Janis: he can be comforting though, always has been

Libi: So was you though, and from what I remember after the party as well

Janis: Can’t pretend there’s a 1 before my age, kicking off would’ve felt great but you know

Libi: You’re always there, like mum, I didn’t ever need to reach for her, she was just so close to me all the time knowing what I wanted

Libi: you have to reach too far for some people and it doesn’t mean they’ll end up with a clue what you want

Janis: She was a good mum, even though she was that young

Janis: maybe because, it’s all she wanted at the time

Libi: You were good too, even though you were that young and you didn’t ask to be my mum

Janis: Telling you to shut up goes against telling you you’re not embarrassing or gross and whatever but

Janis: dunno what my new hormones are capable of yet

Libi: It’s okay, my hormones are taking the piss lately too

Janis: Being a girl does, big time

Janis: can’t be crying in the tescos like a mental person here, Christ

Libi: Why are you in Tescos when I’m spilling my guts here? Bit rude

Janis: We ran out of [basic household necessities], soz, I haven’t broadcast it over the tannoy, like

Libi: Oh no, I’m deprived of their advice in aisle 5, could’ve been perfect insight into my messy life

Janis: All the 👩‍🦳👩‍🦳s that reckon they know it all, like they weren’t tucked away in a laundry or whatever the fuck 

Libi: China’d deffo get put in one for being a temptress, they were still about

Janis: Church can’t even do you that favour, honestly 🙄

Libi: Finding faith as a hobby goes, to fill the void, unlikely, sure Jesus would be my new best friend, but at what cost?

Janis: Personality? Body weight? Ask Ro

Libi: He’d fancy that I washed Bobby’s missus’ feet or something, at least sat down and had dinner with her, I’m alright for all of it

Janis: 🤣 fuck’s sake

Janis: fairness, kid stood no chance, they’re all like that

Libi: I’d pray she cheats on him same as her last boyfriend

Janis: Bob knows about that, yeah?

Libi: The whole year does, he weren’t bothered by the smaller dramas but I’d not leave him out of the loop on anything that big

Janis: Just checking

Janis: definitely not serious, if that’s her rep

Libi: Their mum has cheated on every man she’s ever been with America said, with a margin for how often she lies, the truth must still be loads of times

Janis: Wouldn’t surprise me, Asia was the worst of that little bunch by a mile, which was saying something

Libi: Like, I’m aware of the irony of us talking about this right now, but 

Janis: Alright, maybe not the best two but only two, nevertheless

Janis: I could run a pissing laundry, those numbers

Libi: I’m temporarily missing you off my hit list, lucky for you

Janis: Aisle 5’ll have worse to say, don’t you worry

Libi: The whole year might have shit to say to me when I go back, they all think he’s my boyfriend, meaning they’ll reckon I was dumped for her

Janis: What’s your plan for it?

Libi: I don’t have one yet

Janis: You’ve got the time your appointment gives you

Libi: Thankfully, I’ve no ideas at the minute

Janis: Let them clarify, I bet they will

Libi: Gross, I could win money putting a bet on how I know they will

Janis: Not the first or the last to utilize it, even I can’t take credit

Libi: Cliche for a reason, exactly

Janis: Effective for him, if people are finally paying attention

Libi: I’m genuinely off to bed now, we’re at my limit

Janis: Alright, give Peach some love from us

Libi: [a pic illustrating that she is]

Libi: Goodnight

Janis: Nanight

Janis: Have you checked Insta?

Jimmy: [potentially after a pause because he might be asleep/getting ready for bed but obvs before Bobby has loudly bowled back in either with or without this gal lol cos never knows how loud he is]

Jimmy: Fuck’s sake, what’s gone on now?

Janis: Not necessarily fuck’s sake level but Bobby has some news he’s shared with his feed but not us

Janis: well, I don’t think you know?

Jimmy: Be why Libs went poorly

Jimmy: hang on, I’ll have a look

Janis: I’ve spoken to her about all that, think it made her feel 🤏 better but

Janis: told her she can’t be pulling stunts like that over him, to sort herself out, like

Jimmy: Do we know that lass from somewhere?

Janis: Asia’s kid sister, the one in their year

Jimmy: She were Mary, ‘course

Janis: 🐑 upgrade, well done, kid

Jimmy: Little dickhead back then, her, but 🤞

Janis: Apparently not now, according to him

Janis: Libi is obviously not on the same team about that but she has reason

Jimmy: Long as her and her 🦷🦷 are behaving nowadays, no need for us both to have same reaction as the birthday girl about it

Janis: nah, just didn’t want them randomly showing up and making you wonder what year it is

Janis: clearly shock was the reaction he was going for so I’ll get ahead of him just to be a dick

Jimmy: He’s not in yet, be waiting up for him now I’ve heard to find out how far he’s reckoning he’ll push it with her sleeping on the settee tonight

Janis: I know what we’d have done but

Janis: he isn’t us, who can say

Jimmy: Can say what I’d still put my money on

Janis: yeah, sorry if this woke you but I remember how he enters a room so

Jimmy: You’re alright, and a mate for the heads up he weren’t fancying chucking us

Janis: hitting the teen years with a vengeance now 😈👿

Jimmy: Be about right, far as pisstaking timing and bollocks I could do without goes

Janis: 😈👿 advocate, he reckons this a top distraction for you?

Janis: see the logic, teenage boy logic but nevertheless

Jimmy: Top fuck you for not packing up the car on his say so, more like, and the rest

Janis: none of us best speak to this girl, get such a complex

Janis: Libs is convinced it’s all about her too

Jimmy: See her logic, teenage lass based or nah, today of all days he’s posting he’s got himself a new missus

Jimmy: convenient coincidence if it were, that

Janis: alright, marple 😏

Janis: ‘course he’s buzzing that none of us will be hugely

Janis: but maybe he does just fancy her as his own distraction as well

Jimmy: I get it, whenever he don’t fancy a chat he can tell her his phone’s dead

Janis: exactly, you wish you could’ve got me to fuck off that easily

Jimmy: Never did commit to the fake deafness hard enough, too much to juggle without the rumour about us being famous off [whatever hollyoaks style teen soap people reckoned he was in back in the day when he first arrived] being for real

Janis: if only they knew how so-so your acting was, yeah

Jimmy: Save it for when they’re back and I have to play the role of disappointed dad over our kid treating the place like an hotel

Janis: cue sighing as you wipe up an imaginary spill on the counter with your tea towel, see it now

Janis: but you’re more likely to need to hold Libs back, she’s being a right cow about her, like

Jimmy: Soz to her I can’t help being a bit chuffed he’s getting himself out there, pissing about and lasses off how a normal lad his age would do, weren’t reckoning there’d come a day at one point

Janis: I know, me too, not that you heard that from us

Janis: after she’s had her time to be devvo about it, hopefully she’ll do the same

Jimmy: She were you, she’d do the same tomorrow ready or not, ‘cause she’s gutted

Janis: 🙄 Christ, what an embarrassing age

Jimmy: Watching this space for some dickhead lad at the door an’ all before the happy couple have had a minute

Janis: looking like a long lost relative, undoubtedly

Jimmy: ✔️

Janis: Unless you’re hoping she’s not quite that much like me, as we all should be

Jimmy: You might be, but I’ll live if she turns out to be owt like you, her an’ all

Janis: Yeah, you’re definitely half-asleep still, being this nice

Jimmy: There’s something to hope for, be knackered for work tomorrow this rate

Janis: Have we ever had to discuss a curfew with them? 🤔 What’s standard?

Jimmy: What kind of question’s that?

Jimmy: pair of ‘em didn’t used to be off nowhere but [a cinema they like and some food places they like, that kinda thing]

Janis: I’m not going on mumsnet, more your crowd, go on and get your flirt on for advice

Jimmy: Tah for that heads up an’ all then, it’s a good shout and I will do

Janis: Any time, mate

Jimmy: 👍

Jimmy: be needing to sit him down and discuss all sorts else, won’t I?

Janis: Potentially, but like, he probably knows, right

Janis: I knew at that age

Jimmy: Probably ain’t he 100% does do, though, is it?

Janis: Yeah, you’re right, got to be responsible

Jimmy: And I’ll have to leg it down the school to have a go about nobody giving us a ring back and put a rush on them lot sorting something, she can’t sign for him this new lass, bloody hell

Janis: Just tell me what day/lunch break/whatever you can and I’ll be there

Janis: they’ll have to give him their presentation printouts and handwritten instructions in the meantime, let them struggle with that before they can’t deal any longer

Jimmy: No choice but to fit it in soon as, sound of how fuming Libi is, what she’d be signing to him in lessons won’t help him pass no exams

Janis: It’s always been a bullshit ‘solution’, they can finally do their jobs, we’ll get it sorted

Jimmy: I let it go on as there were no stopping her but

Janis: We did

Janis: and when he was a little kid, Ian would’ve had to hire someone, you couldn’t

Janis: he’s done alright, but now he needs someone proper, can’t rely on her

Jimmy: She were you she wouldn’t be about to rely on, I should probably check the settee ain’t just a pile of blankets, like

Janis: I stayed for ages, you were snoring like a pig with Peach doing the same, tah very much

Jimmy: Can’t be doing a full blown runner with her lungs any road, end up in the hospital not the train station

Janis: She won’t, it’s not her style

Jimmy: Dunno how much comfort that is, lying here waiting to find out what her style might be

Janis: You know, if anything she don’t know when to leave him alone, stop trying

Jimmy: Make you feel better? It don’t me

Janis: Not really

Janis: but I know we can’t get in the middle of it

Janis: if it’s a lover’s tiff, which is how it feels to her, we can’t treat it like a family affair, fuck up their heads

Jimmy: Right you are, mate

Janis: Do you not agree?

Janis: don’t have to, I’m hardly an expert

Jimmy: What about how I said it makes you reckon I don’t?

Janis: I dunno, the ambiguity of a 👍 energy, genuine or sarky?

Jimmy: Come on, you can trust yourself this far with knowing what you’re on about

Janis: Can I?

Janis: still just feels like I’m making it up as we go along

Jimmy: Might be how it always feels, as we’re so used to it, don’t mean you’ve no common sense

Janis: think you’re doing alright too, as it goes

Jimmy: I’m trying, don’t seem it to our kid, but there we go

Janis: His way or the highway, like you said, nothing but is what he wants to hear

Janis: he’ll grow out of it

Jimmy: 50/50 chance

Jimmy: less Ian’s included

Janis: don’t reckon it’s as simple as all that anyway

Jimmy: Nor me, nowt’s ever as simple as all that

Janis: If only, eh

Jimmy: If only, girl

Janis: Now we really sound about 100

Jimmy: First time for everything

Janis: S’a new you, for sure

Jimmy: Wouldn’t put it past her to use her candles, state of the old me, be why

Janis: I don’t need 3 guesses to know at best you were cheekily tacked on the end

Jimmy: Went well for her, poor cow

Janis: know it’s our fault but

Janis: it’s not healthy, how they were

Jimmy: 🤏 our fault for being such bad role models, but nah, you’re bang on again, something had to give for them as well as us

Janis: guess so

Jimmy: They’ll both end up having some space, however heavy handed he went about it don’t change the fact needed doing

Janis: There were no way else to go about it, drifting apart weren’t on the horizon, she’ll get it, once she’s there too

Jimmy: I don’t doubt she’ll never be on about saying tah to him or this lass for it but still it’ll do them both a favour, long run

Janis: She don’t need to, if that were what he were after, be the worrying thing

Janis: but it’s not

Jimmy: Obvious what he’s after, like you said before

Janis: feel like everything just makes me sad these days, even good things

Jimmy: Know the feeling, my dear

Janis: Fuck sake, how do we stop

Jimmy: Knew that I’d cancel my doctor’s appointment and crack on telling him to sod his happy pills

Janis: Why?

Jimmy: What?

Janis: I don’t even fucking know

Janis: just that we should all be heavily medicated so I won’t be long after you, I reckon

Jimmy: His and hers

Jimmy: don’t sound so bad to me put like that

Janis: you said it was BFF matching only from now on

Jimmy: Did I? Mates rates then, bound to have a group discount

Janis: Wow, you’ve already forgot about being matching heads in jars, some mate 🎻

Jimmy: Something about how you look covered in paint makes it hard to remember owt else, takes us right back to my 🎨 homework

Janis: Traumatic memories of bowl cuts and thick-rimmed glasses, yeah, what a time it was

Jimmy: Tah for reminding us an’ all to hide the scissors before Libi cuts herself a DIY 💔 fringe

Janis: 😱😱😱

Janis: remember when she cut their hair, looked like they had mange 

Jimmy: Be dead awkward if she reckoned there were a career in it for her

Janis: I SHOULD make her do her work experience at the salon, you’re right 😏

Jimmy: Nowt else she can be mates with the blue rinse brigade, always with your nan, be well in off the practice

Janis: I’ll float the idea, as she reckons she has no idea how to make any mates

Jimmy: I dunno if it’ll cheer her but it will me, chuffed to bits at the idea of them lot gatecrashing of a night

Janis: should’ve never stopped being a barista boy, you

Janis: not enough old ladies in [whatever it is exactly Jimothy does]

Jimmy: Advertisers missing a trick, what could be fitter than a blue rinse? And you watch it catch on when Libs has one to keep up with her new mates

Janis: So a fringe’s a no go but you’re alright with that? 😂

Jimmy: DIY’s the no go, be rough at school for a bit as is without the target on her forehead showing through her uneven fringe for every dickhead

Janis: She can handle herself, she’ll surprise herself with it

Janis: the shit people have to say is never as 🎯 as they wanna believe/you worry about when you’re first the target, like

Jimmy: Dagenham or whatever her bloody name is might take after her big sister far as 🧠’s go, no worries there then

Janis: Fucking names and 🦷🦷 alone are all the ammunition she needs for a clap back so

Jimmy: What is her name before she shows up here? Tokyo? 

Janis: You’re killing me

Janis: China, think Asia but smaller, should get you to remember

Jimmy: Fucking hell Suze, you outdid yourself with that one, love

Janis: galaxy 🧠 behaviour

Janis: she should’ve kept to her continent theme and kept going but 

Jimmy: I’d be beyond keen to see the dad she picked out for Africa

Janis: I’d not ‘cos it’d be mine and I want less than this much to do with them again, nevermind DNA shared, tah

Jimmy: Dunno about that, keeps us on our toes does Suze, more than likely be someone from Tokyo

Janis: Could be you if you’re that keen

Jimmy: Have her ‘round for a little chat about Romeo and Juliet the next generation, see where we end up

Janis: Well she combined North and South America into one kid so that’s less hassle for you

Jimmy: The kid I’m having with her ain’t called Antarctica, I don’t want it, send it there out my sight

Janis: 🐧❄️☃️

Jimmy: Suits how frosty the reception’ll be morning after

Janis: Poor Suze

Jimmy: Oi, from her, always charming, me

Janis: Oh, I thought you were gonna crack on trying a new bad boy thing like Bob

Jimmy: She don’t let ‘em hang about what I’ve heard, gotta prepare myself 🩹

Janis: You’ll be grand, boy

Janis: stand around too long, she’ll cover you over in crushed velvet

Jimmy: *leopard print

Jimmy: which I’d look well fit in

Janis: try your luck then

Jimmy: 👌 

Janis: 🐆 camo or nah, still be able to find you

Jimmy: Good, be gutted to lose you

Janis: Swear?

Janis: ‘cos the freezer aisle is feeling a little too 🥶 now

Jimmy: Only on my life which ain’t worth loads at the minute, but

Janis: it is to me

Janis: priceless like a 🏺 yeah

Jimmy: There you go then, I swear

Janis: Good 😁

Jimmy: 😁☀️

Jimmy: ‘til I hear the door go at least and it’s either him or them pair both

Janis: Bit full on, which he deserves the embarrassment but you don’t the Lucas rep of it all

Janis: save your 😁☀️ for decorating really bad cakes

Jimmy: *for you

Janis: yeah but made me sound a bit full on myself, or full of, nothing new there

Jimmy: Saved you from it, you’re alright

Janis: Tah 🦸‍♂️

Jimmy: Fancy seeing me in tights again, I get it, been too long for all of us

Janis: Only fair, you got a paint-covered throwback

Jimmy: Weren’t fair, I’m still thinking about it

Janis: did kill the mood a 🤏 with her asthma attack, were having a good time

Jimmy: Yeah, but I’ll leave it out chucking loads of guilt over him sec he walks in, however much I want to right now 

Janis: I know, gotta resist the urge, couldn’t have known she’d stop breathing about it, however much he fancied pissing her off with his own stunt

Jimmy: Best behaviour or I can’t have a go at him for being a dickhead and we can’t have that

Janis: Someone does need to have a word, yeah

Jimmy: That’ll be me, nobody else’s job, they’d not hack it now he’s 😈👿

Janis: I could

Jimmy: It’d go nowhere good if you did do

Janis: I still think he might act like less of a 😈👿 to the rest of you if he could have it out with us but

Janis: it is ultimately up to you

Jimmy: I can’t stop him if that’s what he really wants, knows where your inbox is, up to him, that

Janis: True, he hasn’t tried so maybe he isn’t interested in taking it out on me

Jimmy: Don’t reckon he’ll be interested in sod all else now he’s got a continent for a missus, dodged that bullet, you

Janis: I’d say phew but

Jimmy: You’d rather be hit by it, I know

Janis: I still deserve it

Jimmy: I ain’t gonna give you the answer you’re after hearing and tell you yeah you do

Janis: I know you won’t, I know you

Jimmy: But you can have it for that, yeah you do

Janis: when it felt like I didn’t anymore, that we were strangers

Janis: that was the hardest, harder than now, for me

Jimmy: I’d know you anywhere

Janis: I see you now, just lost, for a while

Jimmy: Piss easy for me, always has been

Janis: shouldn’t let you wander, like

Jimmy: Don’t, keep us close

Jimmy: who knows where I’ll be else

Janis: I have to, I can’t imagine you anywhere else

Jimmy: Nor me

Janis: I’d have had to get on the tracks if you’d run away when he wanted

Janis: not to be dramatic or anything but

Jimmy: It weren’t ever even a might do

Janis: I can’t lose you

Jimmy: You

Jimmy: I need you

Janis: I need you, always will

[mo0n-water]

hi :)

i’m sorry to hear that you had a bad day yesterday. i hope that you were able to give yourself some time to feel and then to recover because you deserve it! sending you lots of love and i hope that today was/is bit better.

what time zone are you in, btw?

my tbr is basically just any fic that i’ve seen someone like so it’s extensive and spans many ships and tropes so there’s something for any mood i happen to be in. i mark things for later on ao3 and it’s about 5/6 pages of fics… i can’t remember many off the top of my head but i want to read everything that eyra has ever written because i loved ‘a brief history of dragons’ so much and i’ve been putting off reading choices for forever but i’ll eventually get round to that. and of course black mass, i started it before exams but then i stopped so i’m going to go back and start it again.

i’ll have to give noah kahan a listen, everyone i know has been talking about him recently.

i love love love that you’re asking me questions back, you are genuinely making my day <33

good things recently… one of my friends, who i’m not particularly close to, bought me flowers for my birthday a few months ago after a conversation we had about how people don’t give flowers to each other enough, especially between friends. it was her birthday a few days ago and so i bought her some beautiful flowers and she was so happy with them. it feels so innocent and intimate to give flowers, i love it and i definitely will be doing it more often and without reason.

a lovely thing about my life at the moment is my friendship group. for a long time i’ve felt out of place with other people or not settled but now i feel so safe and comfortable with my close friends. it’s like i’ve suddenly matured and found my place. there are no arguments and no tension and it’s nice to relax into a group that is calm and loving and still exciting. i’ve finally got to the point where i’d have them over to my house just to do nothing with them and that’s saying something because i think domesticity is the highest form of flattery.

i’m looking forward to many things. i’m going to see a performance of the great gatsby tomorrow, i’m going to a harry styles show on friday, next wednesday i’m going to the bfi premier of asteroid city, the new wes anderson film and then next friday i’m going to a music festival, which i can’t wait for! after that it’s about a week or so until me and my best friend leave for our month long holiday through france and italy which i still can’t believe is happening!

sorry, i’ve been waffling for ages but questions:

- what’s your favourite picture on your phone and why?

- what’s your love language?

- what’s your favourite trope?

- what’s your favourite lyric of all time? do you write songs? if you have, what about of the ones you have written?

- if you could time travel, would you go backwards or forwards and what year for both would you go to?

again, sending you lots of love and hoping you feel better soon xx

ps. 264 HOURS

i ended up being a total bitch for a few days & concerning everyone around me, but i’m doing a lot better today! cried it out to the new noah kahan songs, reread looking for alaska, & the intersection of those two artistic experiences happened to help me realize why i was feeling the way i was. isn’t it lovely how art can offer you that? i’m thankful for that today. also thankful for your kind words!

i like your answers, especially in regards to giving flowers to friends. i’ve been thinking a lot about flowers, lately, both as gifts & as a symbol of finding love within grief. that’s a tad melancholic, but i think flowers are so beautiful as a sign of love (to anyone) because they imply a sort of commitment. a flower is going to wilt, so are you going to be there to replace it? rhetorical question. but anyway it makes me think of something john green likes to say about how love is not a feeling, but a choice we make again & again (loosely paraphrased!)

it sounds like you’ve got a wonderfully busy time ahead of you! have fun! lots of experiences. so jealous in regards to the harry show, omg, & the music festival? that sounds like a blast. (actually thinking of going to a music festival on thursday, so i wonder if it’s the same one haha!)

to answer your questions!!

i’m in est! same timezone as nyc. i’m pretty close to cst though. i feel a conflicting sense of loyalty to each timezone. i hope that tells you something about how bonkers i am in personifying things that have no business being that personified. but yeah it’s currently 3:30 am here. (4 now)

i don’t know if i have a favorite picture on my phone? there are a lot that represent really important memories, so it’s hard to choose a favorite. everything means so much to me in the moment. so i have a lot of favorites, but i’ll tell you about one. it’s a somewhat blurry selfie of me & my best friend sitting at a restaurant in savannah, georgia. i like that picture so much because that was one of the best nights of my life - and the best trips tbh, so iconic - and to me it represents a lot of things that bring me joy. (that friend is like the only person who reads these posts, so hello to her <3!!)

everything i do is done in an effort to express love. all of it. one thing that i find underrated is giving someone your time. what says ‘i love you’ more clearly than choosing to spend the day with someone? & what spells indifference more clearly than not making time for someone?

ooh, favorite trope! i think someone asked me this recently, & i can’t remember what i said? hm. well, if you’ve learned one thing about me from this, it’s that i hate picking favorites. but if i had to, i’d say enemies to lovers! i like reading about people learning to look at familiar things in startlingly new ways. i’m a sucker for a good road trip au as well, & stories about going back to a familiar place once you’ve changed quite a bit.

OH I LOVE YHIS. i love this so much. favorite song lyric!! okay omg i adore you for asking this.

all-time favorite: “i was cleopatra / i was taller than the rafters / but that’s all in the past now / gone with the wind” from cleopatra by the lumineers - i know that one’s technically like half a verse but UGHHH i can’t explain how much it means to me. and that whole song just means everything to me.

current favorite: “if i could leave, i would’ve already left” from paul revere by noah kahan. OUCH. this motherfucker from vermont captured my small town appalachian pain so succinctly.

favorite of mine: “i like to say i can’t get homesick for tennessee, ‘cause i’m always thinking of kentucky.” i love that line but it also haunts me because whenever i sing it, i get overwhelmed with this deep sense that the people listening Know Too Much lmaooo

time travel question! fun. okay so i have no interest in spending the rest of my life in the future or in the past, but i would like to spend a yom kippur in jerusalem in the time of the first temple. so that’s what i’d do if i could time travel. i don’t want to travel to the future at all, because that sounds like a lot of responsibility & i am a coward haha.

for your questions… there is a lot i want to ask you that wouldn’t sit well with your interest in continued anonymity, like what your name is, & how old you are, & where you’re from. also lots of other things that i’m not even gonna write here because they’re just embarrassing. i am giving you these instead!

- what is something kind that you wish someone would do for you?

- what is it that you like about anonymity? you could just as easily send asks with your name attached, so i’m curious what makes anon preferable to you

- and, of course, favorite song lyric? (also, favorite harry song? gotta ask)

sending good vibes & flowers 💐

[roseverdict]

i may have mad rat brainrot encroaching on my attempts to write gf and 101 fic but i also figured out how to get my old header font back so really, i'm winning this round

[ekjohnston]

just saw your takes on Barriss Offee's possible destiny, and wondered: don't you think TCW kind of fundamentally misunderstood her character? also, don't you think her portrayal as a terrorist plays into some latent Islamophobia, given she's not only muslim-coded, but also resonates with muslim women?

i'd just like to know your opinion :) thanks for your time

okay, I am going to answer this to the best of my ability, and hope that we all take a deep breath and try to understand each other.

(I don't know Legends Barriss at all, btw, beyond that she was a healer and also that they aged her down for TCW so she'd be closer to Ahsoka's age. As soon as I thought about it, I got the Muslim coding, but my initial reaction was "nun". I do love people who struggle with their religion, and the balance of the ideals with the worldly practicality.)

To Answer The Question:

I think the way Barriss was written on TCW is fundamentally flawed. The writers fell into what I call The Representation Trap, wherein they (accidentally?) created a character who was coded as Muslim, and then when they needed someone for Ahsoka to react to emotionally, they brought her out again without thinking of The Optics. This happens in Star Wars ALL THE TIME, and even as a book author with a bit more freedom, I find myself fighting it off pretty regularly.

(Example: I super wanted to make Versé trans. BUT SHE DIES. I don't think that's, like, nice? If you're reading your first trans character in Star Wars? AND SHE BITES IT???)

Anyway.

Daniel José Older said that representation doesn't count if the character is dead, evil, or a stereotype. The main problem with Barriss is that her story is truncated and short. At the end of the day, she's CORRECT. Why is it so easy to forgive Saw (or, god help me, Crosshair), but BARRISS has to languish forever, her story cut off and untold while other characters get arcs and redemption options and so on?

(That was a rhetorical question)

This leads, naturally, into: Why me? Why do I think I am the person to tell that story? And it's possible that I'm not! There are a few Star Wars characters I wouldn't write, because I feel like other people should write them, but Barriss is someone that I would like to take out for a bit. I would be just as happy to read someone else's words, but I have been thinking about her and turning it over in my head and I keep coming back to the same thing:

The problem with Barriss Offee's story is that we never got it. They used her for emotional pull for Ahsoka, and didn't really think of the consequences. At least she LIVED (*glares eternally in Steela Gererra*). At least we can tell more of it if we get the chance. We can break through that stereotype and really give her the centre stage that she deserves.

A Twitter post can't really encompass all the things I feel about her, and it wasn't even my ideas for a book! It was just how I react to things I read on the internet, and my preferred order for them. Obviously if I do have my own ideas, I am keeping them to myself for now. :)

I hope that makes sense. I want to fix it, and maybe that's selfish of me. I spend a LOT of time thinking about this, pocket friends. I hope the decisions I make keep me in your good books.

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 305: Worst Intervention Ever

Previously on BnHA: Shinomori, whose name took me an entire week to memorize, was all, “nice to meet you Deku, I’m ten feet tall, do you want to know how I died?” and without waiting for an answer explained that he kicked it from old age at forty thanks to good ol’ OFA. Deku was all “wait a minute, then how come All Might, who’s fifty-five and is definitely dyeing his gray hair, is still alive?” First and Shino were all, “we really have no fucking clue but we think it’s cuz he’s quirkless, JUST LIKE YOU!” So basically, since quirkless people don’t exactly grow on trees these days, Deku is probably going to be the last user of OFA. The chapter ended with Nana being all, “psst, Deku, about my grandson. Uh, can you kill him?” which is sure to lead to a very interesting conversation this week.

Today on BnHA: Nana And The Gang are all “so, Deku, how can we put this delicately. The thing is, we’re pretty sure that AFO really fucked my grandson up, so on the off chance you can’t save him, how would you feel about, you know... [throat slitting gesture].” Deku is all “idk you guys, I kinda feel like he’s really just a traumatized child at heart and he’s in a lot of pain and stuff and so I should try to help him.” The Vestiges are all “BUT WHAT IF YOU CAN’T” and Deku is all “BUT I WANT TO TRY, DAMMIT” and the Vestiges are all “well when you put it that way, we, uh, were just testing you, so congrats, you passed!” The chapter ends with First being all, “ANYWAY SO WHY DON’T YOU TWO SHY BOYS STANDING OVER THERE IN THE SHADOWS COME SAY HELLO” before we CUT AWAY FOR ANOTHER WEEK, goddammit.

seriously, Nana

just... have you met Deku?? look, if you really want Tomura dead, just sic him on the U.A. first years and tell Shouto and Honenuki that it’s a training exercise

oh my god lmao

we’re too far away to see Nana’s face here so I will just assume that she turned and is staring DIRECTLY INTO THE CAMERA for this one line lmao. “I just wanted to clarify in case anyone felt inclined to take my dialogue out of context and spend an entire week complaining about it”

oh my god?! are you all purposely trying to make me sad??

someone stop me before I launch into an impromptu rant about all my Tomura feels. WHY IS NOBODY STOPPING ME. oh my god but yes, exactly. he’s just in pain all the time. this is exactly why I think Tomura has such high redemption potential even though so far he seems to lack so many of the redemption arc essentials such as feeling remorse, wanting to change, and taking responsibility for his actions. the reason why I’m willing to overlook all that in his case is because Tomura has essentially had zero agency his entire life. AFO molded him into a killer by making sure he was in constant mental agony, and making it so that the only thing that even slightly relieved that agony was killing peeps. like, please don’t think I’m making excuses for him or anything, but if you take a child and manipulate their existence to make it virtually impossible for that child to grow up as anything other than a killer, and basically never give him the chance to be anything else, then no shit he’s gonna be a killer?? he’s basically never had the choice not to be. it’s never been an option for him. anyways I feel like I am EXPLAINING MYSELF SO BADLY but nonetheless I am prepared to die on this hill

anyway so now Nana is all “that’s a rhetorical question btw because Our Hearts And Minds Are One so we can feel everything you feel bro.” so yeah, that’s interesting

now Banjou is getting started on the “let’s try and talk Deku out of wanting to save Tomura because it’s insane” part of their OFA Mystical Space Void Reunion agenda

look, Banjou, I feel you, I really do. you guys don’t think it’s realistic that Deku can defeat Tomura without killing him. so if it’s a choice between killing Tomura vs letting Deku and everyone else in the entire world die, then duh, you think Deku should kill him. I get it! and if this were a real life mass murderer I’d totally agree with you. but the problem is that this isn’t real life, this is a sympathetic shounen villain with a tragic past who might as well have FUTURE REDEMPTION ARC RECEIPIENT stamped on his forehead at this point

so First is all “look, there’s absolutely no doubt my brother has fucked this kid up good and proper by now”, which, again, fair

though, that’s kind of exactly my point though. everything that Tomura is, everything he’s done, he’s done because of AFO. AFO has so effectively shaped his personality and his worldview by this point that it’s all but impossible to penetrate that. he’s AFO’s puppet. but the problem is that rather than treating him like a victim, you all are treating him like a casualty. like he’s already a lost cause. but good luck trying to convince Deku of that

WHOA WHAT, RANDOM SUPER-IMPORTANT AND BIZARRELY UNRELATED EXPOSITION DROPPED IN JUST LIKE THAT??

way to still not reveal Sixth’s name, btw. THE PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW, DAMMIT. but also so this confirms something we basically already knew already, which is that not even AFO can steal OFA. it literally can’t be taken away by anyone unless the owner wills it. SO SUCK ON THAT AFO YOU EGG

(ETA: so I have no idea why this was omitted from this translation, but apparently the Sixth’s name was revealed as “En”, which is obviously not his full name but at least it’s something. also he most likely has a fire or smoke-related quirk based on the kanji used, 煙.)

so Banjou is saying that Deku’s “lack of an iron will” could be a disadvantage against AFO. hahaha what?? Midoriya “I’ll break all of my bones without blinking an eye just to protect someone” Izuku lacks an iron will? do tell

he says this is going to be a test of Deku’s determination. well yeah, no shit. but just not in the way you guys think

OH HELLO AGAIN

darker hair again here! but I don’t trust the contrast in these scans at all after last week. his coveralls are way darker than they looked before too, and you can clearly see he’s standing in the shadows now

(ETA: yep, once again the raw shows that his hair is considerably lighter than what’s shown in these scans here. although there’s no mistaking now that his hair is consistently being colored in this slightly darker shade, and it’s not just the lighting.)

anyways lol First was saying something about how AFO can’t steal OFA, and they’ve spent all this time cultivating it as the ultimate weapon against AFO, and blah blah blah. go on then, keep lecturing

NANA GODDAMMIT NONE OF THIS IS YOUR FAULT

girl what?? you did everything in your power to protect your family, and AFO, fucked up man that he is, targeted them anyway. there is one person and one person only to blame for what’s happened to Tomura, and that potato-faced asshole needs a good kick in the balls

NANA GODDAMMIT DON’T MAKE ME COME OVER THERE

SO HELP ME GOD!! I WILL GIVE YOU THE BIGGEST HUG YOU’VE EVER HAD!! THAT IS A THREAT

so now Nana is all “I’m just going to call my grandson a Thing to ensure that fandom has only the freshest, grass-fed no-hormones-added discourse this week”

I don’t even need to drop into the tags to know exactly which specific people are going to respond to this, and what kind of posts they are going to write lmao. everyone’s all caught up in the “that thing”, and meanwhile I’m over here completely hung up on this “nay” that’s appeared out of NOWHERE you guys. look at that. she really said “NAY”

Nana, my love, my dearest, I feel you girl I really do. but he’s not an unforgivable manifestation of pure evil, Deku is exactly right actually, he’s a boy in pain. you guys need to stop questioning Deku’s shounen protagonist instincts here and just let him work his sparkly magic. “let’s try and convince Midoriya Fucking Izuku that he can’t save someone” is a plan that is NEVER going to turn out well you guys

“DEKU GODDAMMIT WHAT IF WE CAN’T SAVE HIM” lmao it’s like an intervention

“DAMMIT DEKU JUST ADMIT YOU HAVE A SAVING PEOPLE PROBLEM!”

RED ALERT IT’S ANOTHER CLOSE-UP OF THE BACK OF MISTER TWO BON CLAY’S HEAD OMG

(ETA: I was too distracted with freaking out about Two and Three to really appreciate how ridiculously handsome First looks in this panel. but on my second readthrough it stood out so much that I had to go back and add an extra bullet point just to talk about how hot he is. look at him. wtf.)

THAT IS DEFINITELY AN UNDERCUT. THE PLOT THICKENSSSS. also those are fucking exhaust vents on Mister Three’s neck. MISTER THREE COULD YOU POSSIBLY BE RELATED TO THE IIDAS, PLEASE TELL ME YOUR SECRETS I’M DYING OVER HERE

so now Deku is launching into what will undoubtedly be a “saving people problems require SAVING PEOPLE SOLUTIONS” heroic counter-speech!

I mean, they can already feel the “lol nah I’m gonna try and save him” feelings running through him lol. ~OuR hEaRtS aNd MiNdS aRe CoNnEcTeD~ and all that. this is just a formality, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love a good shounen protag speech

oh wait hold up, do you mean to tell me that the whole “hearts and minds are connected” thing I was just mocking just a paragraph ago actually allowed Deku to feel what Tomura was feeling?? like literally feel it??

YET AGAIN these Tomura feels are pounding on my front door you guys?? they just will not quit?? people my house is already full of feels, does it look like I need you to sell me any more of them?? -- what do you mean, they’re free??

AW YISS THAT’S IT DEKU. THAT’S SOME GOOD SPEECH RIGHT THERE

I appreciate the contrast here between the Douchebag Triumvirate of Overhaul, Muscular, and Stain versus the Misguided Twosome of Gentle and La Brava. never let it be said that Deku doesn’t know the difference between a redeemable villain and an unredeemable one

OH NO -- OH MY GOD

someone please help me I need directions to the OFA Spooky Galactic Nebula Realm in this fictional Japanese manga land. it’s not on google maps. I need to give these two babies a big hug and wrap them up in a blanket and treat them to some McDonalds Happy Meals please help

other things: (1) ENDEAVOR CHILLING OUT IN DEKU’S “PEOPLE I HOLD DEAR” PANEL LMAO NEON DISCOURSE EXTRAVAGANZA, (2) “ONE FOR ALL IS A POWER TO SAVE, NOT TO KILL” I’M ABOUT TO CRY DEKU I LOVE YOU SO MUCH HOW IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE TO FEEL ALL THIS LOVE, (3) [SLAMS HANDS ON TABLE] THERE’S YOUR MOTHERFUCKING IRON WILL!!!!!!!! -- I’m sorry, please don’t call security, I’ll be good

I just randomly remembered that Deku is still saying all of this in his muffled “FMMPHHMMPHMM” voice and I’m somehow cracking up lol. so actually it’s a very good thing Their Hearts And Minds Are Connected, otherwise they’d no doubt be all, “...what?”

(ETA: so I completely missed this on account of it literally not being visible in the scan at all, but in the raw you can clearly see Baby Kacchan and Baby Shouto fanboying over All Might in two of these panels, and excuse me, ma’am??

thank you very much Deku for including them in your montage, particularly since you’ve never seen Baby Shouto before lol. amazingly accurate image you managed to conjure up, all things considered.)

SDKFJLSKHG -- AS IF ON CUE???

HE’S SO ADORABLE HELP?? Trippy Space All Might looks like he’s about to cry, and First is all “don’t crack a smile... you have to be Firm and Serious here... dammit, don’t smile” omg

anyways! YOU GO DEKU. “MY QUIRK MY RULES, BITCHES” damn, son

KLJLKKHLG TRIPPY SPACE ALL MIGHT LITERALLY ACTUALLY IS CRYING ALL MIGHT HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME

“I JUST... [CLENCHES FIST] REALLY LOVE SAVING PEOPLE” FUCKING HELL LMAO THIS IS THE WORST INTERVENTION OF ALL TIME

Deku is literally all “sure, maybe I’ll have to kill him, but have you guys also considered, MAYBE NOT??” it’s no use Nana he’s too powerful

LMAO FIRST

“like I’ve been saying this whole time, you should definitely try saving Shigaraki Tomura.” “but, uh... First, didn’t you just -- ” “shut up”

(ETA: clearly it’s not just his brother who inherited those smooth-talking genes.)

so now Deku has turned back into a sixteen year old and his clothes have gone missing again. just OFA things

dskljdlsklgk

yes... sure... “testing” you...

HEY

FIRST OF ALL, DAMN YOU HORIKOSHI YOU MADE NANA CRY. even if I’m pretty sure they’re actually tears of happiness/relief. and SECOND OF ALL, “TELL MY BOYFRIEND I SAID HI” DJSKDLKJJL ANYWAY MAYBE GRAN, NANA, AND MR. SHIMURA WERE IN A THROUPLE

[SCREAMS]

WHY WOULD YOU END IT THERE?? WHY WOULD YOU END IT THERE!!!!!

(ETA: and two-to-one odds that we cut away to some other scene once they finally start to turn around next week. I’M CALLING IT NOW. giving myself a week to brace myself for the rage.)

fucking hell. well if anyone needs me I will be adding Horikoshi fucking Kouhei to the list of irredeemable villains, peace

[rai-knightshade-art]

"Lullay, Knight Errant, goodnight brother mine; rest now, in moonlight's embrace. Bear up my Lullaby, winds of the earth, through Cloud and through Sky and through Space. Carry the peace and the coolness of night, and carry my sorrow in kind... Jacen, you're loved so much more than you know; may troubles be far from your mind... And, forgive me, for being so blind..."

-Lullaby for a Princess, by PonyPhonic (some lyrics altered)

(image id in Alt text, further thoughts and alternate version below the cut)

So fun fact: i read a bunch of different star wars books when i was younger, courtesy of my dad, because he had a bunch left over from when he was younger and he gave them to me once he re-found them in my grandpa's basement in middle school. Thing was, though, he had a far from complete collection; some trilogies would be missing a book or two; he only had the first arc of the Young Jedi Knights series (and even it wasn't complete), he only had one of the X-wing books total, etc etc. So I'd read through these books and I'd kind of get the picture of what was going on, but not completely, cause parts would be missing. He also only had books from the 80's and early 90's; the YJK books were actually the latest he had. So i had no idea what happened later in the lives of all of the new Academy students.

But, see, i was in middle school in approximately 2009-11, which was when they were still producing EU star wars books, which dad would see when he'd go to the store. One day he brought home the latest paperback book for me to read (probly caused I'd mentioned running out of material).

It was Invincible.

I jumped. From the Young Jedi Knights books. To Invincible. No New Jedi Order, no Dark Nest Trilogy (tho that may be a blessing honestly), none of the rest of the Legacy of the Force series. Straight to the end (minus the Fate of the Jedi books but whatever).

I do not recommend this method of consuming the Star Wars EU, for the record. The emotional whiplash was not appreciated. Hell, i suspect this may in fact have sparked my foray into fanfiction by way of fix-it fic because holy hell what happened to my spunky cast of teenagers?!?!?! Who hurt them?!?!?! (Rhetorical question the writers via the Yuuzhan Vong did.) (Not that I knew that of course, I'd completely skipped that series.)

Anyways I'm telling y'all all of this because this scene from Invincible, the aftermath of the battle of the twins, has stuck with me to this day, and while listening to Lullaby for a Princess (and the BotW fan animatic version, Lullaby for a Hero by @snowcapmt --which btw if you haven't watched either of these animations you need to go do that right now immediately actually) today i was possessed with the need to draw it along with the lyrics as a Text Art illustration, because I'm a sucker for those.

There's an alternate pencil version below btw because i started with pencil but this particular paper doesn't seem to like it very well so i inked over it (was able to add a few more lines of lyrics that way so it all worked out).

[writterings]

In light of the new Owl House episode, I have some THOUGHTS about its excellent writing.

So, first things first, I wanna state something that everyone knows but we also kinda forget sometimes; TOH is a kid's show. Yeah, yeah, that's obvious. But also, that GREATLY impacts its writing. However, it also balances this type of writing PERFECTLY with the adult perspective on the world which ultimately does make it great for all ages. And "Yesterday's Lie" is the ULTIMATE example of this.

Luz's story fits the typical isekai plotline - but it also is an example of what real-life kids in Luz's positions want. Like think about her life in the first episode - she had no friends, she wanted adventure and fantasy and magic, and her mom and she weren't seeing eye to eye. She then got whisked away to a magical realm full of adventures, magic, friends (and a girlfriend!), and a mother figure who tries hard to understand her and loves the fact that they're both weirdos. The Boiling Isles is heaven for Luz, just because it's fulfilling all her wants and needs that she wasn't getting in the human world.

As someone who is going into the professional writing field and spends a lot of time in and out of class thinking about writing rhetoric, I've taken one or two classes about writing children's stories/media. And, obviously, children's media is written differently than adult media -- but specifically in the idea of values. Kids value different things than adults because of their perspectives on the world. Hell, the whole reason "whisked away to a magical fantasy world" is so popular in kids' media is because so many kids find themselves in that position in wanting that to happen to them. I sure as hell did when I was Luz's age.

Stories like these essentially are wish fulfillment for kids. And since they are wish fulfillment, that typically means that more real-life concepts such as abandoning family, missing the "real world", or any negative consequences are either conveniently written out in a satisfying way or are left out entirely. (Think how in Harry Potter, he's able to escape the "real" world without negative consequences because his family's abusive.)

(Also, fuck JKR btw but just using this example because this is the example we used in my one children's lit class.)

And what I'm about to say next also explains further how TOH is wish fulfillment, but it starts as a bit of tangent first. Just bear with me, it'll make sense.

Anyways, I've seen a few MP100 posts around that praise the show for having an adult "step in" and tell the child protag that they don't have to fight the villains because they're just a kid. And to me, that shows how MP100 is an adult-focused media -- because a piece of children's media would NEVER do something like that. That's not to say that children's media encourages kids to do dangerous stuff that harms themselves, but it's just not appealing to kids. Kids want to be the ones going on adventures and saving the day. They want to be treated with respect and be trusted as capable as the adults around them. And who can blame them? We all want that - it's just that kids hardly get ANY respect or autonomy. That's why kid's media where the kids are allowed to fight, be the chosen one, or go on adventures is so normal and popular: it's what kids want!

And that, again, is how TOH is wish fulfillment. Luz is allowed to go on adventures, do dangerous and stupid things, and she still kicks ass! Sure, Eda might express concern for her or say she doesn't want her doing something dangerous -- but Eda trusts Luz and is never angry when she goes someplace dangerous (think how she acted in "Separate Tides" when she found out Luz was also there in the cave).

So, ultimately, this is all how TOH's writing reflects its status as a children's show. Which is totally fine! And it's brilliantly written!

But as for the more adult-focused parts of its writing -

To state again, adults value different things in media than kids do. We (since I'm an adult) typically do want to see the more nuanced and darker side of things. We want the complexity. We want subversion of genre. We also want things that reflect our experiences. And TOH does this by addressing realistic negative consequences.

Camilla was upset that Luz left her. She cried and got mad, and even asked the questions of "Were you trying to live out some witch fantasy? Did you hate living with me that much?"

This is a genre subversion because we usually don't get this kind of confrontation in a kid's show. Typically, our plucky young protag who chooses to stay in another world faces no negative consequences for this choice (except for Marcy in Amphibia but for different reasons lol). But here Luz is, watching as her mother cries all because of her choices. It's not explicitly adult and tbh isn't mature - but it's still a level of nuance and character complexity we don't typically get in a kid's show/media. Honestly, it's most likely that adults are the ones identifying with Camilla instead of Luz in this situation - even if we don't have kids. Camilla, essentially, feels abandoned and rejected by her daughter. While some kids might be able to sympathize, it's probably mostly adults (and older teens) who have been through similar situations and emotions. And, in that, shows how TOH can also appeal to audiences in a more "adult" way as well.

But, despite that, it's still not a polarizing scene. It may frustrate some kids watching (or even teens/adults who identify strongly with Luz), but ultimately Camilla's words and actions are still understandable. She's not being evil or mean; she's just hurt. And that's clear! Even Luz sees it! But it doesn't harm the narrative appeal of the show being kids' wish fulfillment because Camilla can't do anything to take Luz away from her amazing life in the Boiling Isles. While she did make Luz promise to find a way back and to stay for good, she ultimately has no power to do anything. The status quo of the show is not changed and it is still wish fulfillment -- though, now, it just has some complexity added to the situation, plot, and characters.

In that sense, the scene where Camilla confronts Luz can still appeal to kids and doesn't make the show unenjoyable for them despite it being a more "adult-focused" scene. Sure, it adds complexity, but it's a type that kids can understand.

And that, basically, is just brilliant writing. It's such a perfect balance of adult and kid-focused,m and the writers definitely understand the values that both children and adults have when approaching media. TOH is definitely one of the best-written cartoons of this decade, and I'm so glad it exists.

Anyways, here's my essay. Thanks for reading if you got this far!

[fuckdidcringe]

r/DIDcringe, aka r/Systemscringe aka “Dissociative Alliance”

hi everyone, my name is bug. i’m writing this post on an alt account because my main twitter account got suspended when i posted this stuff on it, due to the people this shit is about stalking me and i’m assuming they and their friends mass reported my twitter account to get it taken down (because twitter’s bots don’t check your actual account when you’re mass reported, they just ban you no questions asked. i’m currently appealing the suspension.)

now obviously everyone knows who/what r/DIDcringe is (or was), it’s a subreddit about mocking “fake” systems, whether they be endogenic or traumagenic. i’m gonna start this post by saying that i’m not innocent here. i absolutely WAS a member of r/didcringe and the discord server to go along with it. the point of this post isn’t about me, but it’s about the people who are stalking me, and acting like I’M the only bad guy in a situation in which they had all already been telling me to kill myself en masse and they also doxxed me.

(this’ll go below a read more because it’s gonna be a long ass post.)

so what happened was, i joined a minecraft smp server for people who are systems a long while back (like sometime last year?) and i got banned for posting someone in that server to r/didcringe, this is when i was an active member on the reddit. i got banned from the smp server when the admins found out, however Grian from the Wynncraft System was one of the admins of the minecraft smp server, who, after me being banned, they THEMSELF joined the fucking r/didcringe discord server. (the hypocrisy is already showing itself in this little bit.) then what happened was the entire r/didcringe discord server pretty much got overrun by terfs. nearly every active user at that point was either a terf or someone like the Wynncraft System who had been sucked into the terf rhetoric. basically, the subject of sex work came up and i said it wasn’t rape. as in, 2 consenting adults with one of them being a sex worker IS NOT rape... because you.. consented to it.. as a grown adult. anyways, the people on the server didn’t agree with this opinion i guess, and claimed ALL sex work is rape (once again with the TERF/SWERF rhetoric) and started calling me a “rape apologist.” that’s when the suicide baiting and doxxing came in, as well as insulting me and calling me a rape apologist, which obviously i’m not. here is the google drive folder “calling me out”: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/131d1HPR8vW1mexC-WYSPYVZ4jcUlFKnw

this folder is created by a user known as “Grian” from the Wynncraft System, they, in fact, despite pretending to be innocent, actually told me to kill myself the MOST and is the most hypocritical person i’ve ever met. the screenshots below are of him calling me a rape apologist and saying i “need to” kill myself, which, as someone with psychosis is a specifically worded way to make someone enter an episode. that’s the kind of way a manipulative/abusive person tells someone to kill themself. obviously, i was thrown into a panic attack/mental episode/breakdown over all of this. which was when i said the insulting/hurtful things in the screenshots on that drive folder^^

not only Grian from the Wynncraft System is a piece of shit here, because plenty of the other people in this screenshot are horrible people as well! the person in the screenshot above, “Vingus” or “vinnie” was the one to doxx me. (technically it wasn’t doxxing but they searched my usernames/info to find my irl name, old job, etc.) they then attempted to email my old job and get me fired. look, i don’t give a fuck if you’re an asshole to me in drama on the internet, that’s not a reason to FUCKING DOXX SOMEONE AND ATTEMPT TO RUIN THEIR LIVELIHOOD IRL. 

here are more screenshots:

there’s vin doxxing me.

btw these are people who claim to have OSDD/DID and be trauma victims, they want sympathy when they treat other mentally ill people like this. do not befriend these freaks.

anyways, this is getting long enough already but here’s my side of the drama. here is a google doc folder with all my images, since these assholes will probably try their best to get this account/post banned too. (if this account/post disappears, it’s because they ARE stalking me and mass reporting any posts i make about them.)

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ZDzUW2Kd5Ev6uRjgQmrd8Q5NS8XdUroW?usp=sharing

and here is a document containing most of the mods/admins who are the worst offenders in these images. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Uqi-b2Kci07E9QnWJftpnKty7m77O5R_7eE_46BiZNE/edit?usp=sharing

anyways, everyone (except these people) have a nice day!

[burninglilys]

83 for Phutian. (I really love your fics btw!) :)

Hi lovey! Sorry for how long this took! Hope that it is worth your time! ahhh thank you 🥺💕

For this fic, imagine that during ep 5, Dr Nam tells Phupha that Sakda + his henchman talked to Tian and that Tian got a little more injured during the 'altercation' (nothing too serious! I can't bear to see him in pain fjsjs). Phupha comes visit them to just check if Tian is safe!

CW: mentions of blood and injury!

Regardless of what people in Tian’s life say, Tian does not want to be a ‘trouble magnet’. At least, not anymore.

It is not as though Tian actively looks for trouble; it is just that trouble finds him, inconveniently, almost always, with no concern for whether he is actively disregarding his life, or whether he is actually trying his hardest to break out of the harmful way that he's lived, before.

It's not his fault that Trouble — this time in the form of Khun Sakda and his goons — adamantly whiffs him out. This evening, especially, is not entirely Tian's fault and this time, particularly, it is not That Huge a Deal.

The tense silence that stretches over him, Tul, and the chief — who had miraculously appeared here, out of nowhere — says otherwise.

As far as Tian can tell in the darkness that surrounds them all, the chief is livid. Silently, of course. His jaw clenched and his nose flaring, all that lasting for only one stretched moment across time, before it snaps, the chief's anger melting into blatant concern.

“You were attacked,” he says again, this time more furious than before. “Because of Khun Sakda’s men.”

“We’ve covered this already, Chief,” Tian repeats. He is exhausted. He still feels breathless, his arm throbs, and he just wants to lie down and forget that he was ever attacked by those goons only for pointing out what was obviously wrong.

Phupha, who had always been at an arm’s distance, comes closer. He suddenly seems a breath away. From the corner of his eye, Tul, who was silent ever since the Chief found them panting underneath the motel, perks up. Tian actively avoids looking at him. “Tian…”

“Look,” Tian says, stretching his hands — which, in retrospect is a bad decision. His arm throbs at the sudden movement, but he ignores it, for the sake of not alerting anyone. “I am perfectly fine—”

“Tian!”

Phupha’s eyes zero onto the reason for the pulsating, burning sensation that erupts from the top of his arm all the way to his fingers. Oh. This was why it was hurting. Distantly, he remembers getting scraped on his arm, but the pressing need to run away from them, successfully losing them in the crowd, and subsequently meeting the chief underneath their motel had made him forget that one maddening moment in the thousands that led him here.

Phupha’s fingers immediately circle his elbow, and perhaps it should feel restricting, but it only feels comforting, grounding.

His voice, much less. “You are bleeding!” he exclaims — although it doesn’t come across as an exclamation, only an astute observation. But, Tian knows him a little too well to know that this is the most discomposed he has seen Phupha.

Tian tries pulling his hand away from him, only for him to grip it tighter. “Let me look,” he says.

“I will have to remove my clothes off then,” Tian says, trying to diffuse the heavy tension in the room. “Is that what you want, chief?”

Tul coughs a little. Tian does not feel bad for him.

Phupha remains undeterred.

“Take your clothes off for me.”

“At least take me out on a date first!”

“You are bleeding. You were stabbed—”

“Chief!” Tian says and pulls his arm away — another bad decision. His entire arm starts hurting tenfold. “I wasn’t stabbed!”

“You are bleeding!”

“I am not, not anymore, I don’t think!” Tian denies. The bleeding does seem to have stopped, but the top of his sleeve has a patch of blood that is… not something he can fathom looking at. “It is only a scrape, I am sure! I don’t even remember how I got it!”

Phupha lets out a highly exasperated breath. “Let me help you, Tian. Why are you so reluctant?”

Tian is not reluctant, per se, he just -- does not want to remove his t-shirt. Despite knowing that the chief has accidentally seen the scar, it is different here, in the broad light of the motel room. The scar on his chest aches -- a phantom reminder as to why.

Phupha must see something on Tian’s face for he nods in understanding.

He looks at Tul and gestures him to come closer.

Tul looks startled but edges closer anyway. He inclines his head towards Tian, a silent question, are you okay?

Tian nods. He doesn’t need people worrying over him for something that isn’t even a huge deal!

“Clean his wound with warm water and a clean cloth,” Phupha says in a voice that can’t be described as anything but stern. “Put pressure on the wound if it is still bleeding. I am going to get some first aid.”

Phupha leaves without another glance.

In the bathroom, with his injured arm dangling off of his clothes, Tul cleans his wound (which hasn't been bleeding for a while) diligently. It stings and it burns, but it is nothing as sharp as the look Tul keeps giving him, coupled with a question as clear as the moon in the cloudless night sky.

“What?” Tian asks, regardless.

Tul raises his eyebrows. “That is the person you like, right?”

“Tul!” Tian hisses, looking at the door on the off-chance that Phupha is back without a fuss.

Tul does not look perturbed. “What?” he asks. “Am I wrong?”

Tian does not have to answer in an affirmative for Tul to know. “You have it bad, my dude,” Tul says, turning the tap off. “Like really bad. I did not think it was this bad for some reason.”

Tian scoffs in response, though he can’t stop the small smile from curving his lips. “What does it matter? You saw how strict he was, wasn’t he?”

“Look at you!” Tul amusedly exclaims. "You're smiling when you say it. You're glowing bright pink!"

"I am not, shut up," Tian says, trying his hardest to stop smiling. He does not succeed.

"Besides, he didn't seem strict at all!"

"How did he seem then?"

"Like he cares. A lot," Tul says, matter-of-factly.

"It's his duty to care for me," Tian says, despite that making his stomach flutter.

"He came all the way from the village to check on you just because he heard that those jerks talked to you in the morning. That isn't out of duty," Tul points out.

"Well, it isn't out of whatever it is that you think either! So, no!" Tian denies vehemently.

Tul gives him a long, suffering look. He's about to reply when the door jingles open.

The chief stands against the door frame mere seconds later. He doesn't even have to ask; Tul gives him a detailed report about Tian's stab wound.

Phupha nods approvingly, holding the first aid box awkwardly in his hand.

Without prompting, Tul rhetorically asks, "It's too small for the three of us, no?" and slips out of the bathroom.

Tian, from where he sits on the cover of the toilet seat, stands up on instinct, but Phupha's hands firmly push him down.

He inspects the wound, humming disapprovingly. "They're getting too bold," Phupha sighs. "This should not be happening."

Tian gently touches Phupha's elbow. "Will the villagers be safe?"

Phupha opens the first aid box and takes out the antibiotic cream. "They will be," he says with certainty. "I will make sure of it."

Then, softer: "You're lucky that the wound isn't that deep."

"I told you," Tian sighs. "You don't have to do this."

Phupha gives him a Look™. "You won't be able to bandage yourself, Tian."

"I can ask Tul to do it, chief."

"Why won't you let me take care of you?"

"I am just saying that you don't have to," Tian says. "It's not on you."

"It is my duty to take care of you," Phupha says.

"Is that all it is? Duty?" Tian asks.

The way Phupha looks at him now, under the glaring fluorescent lights of the bathroom, is almost inscrutable. His hand freezes where it was bandaging his arm.

Tian probes again. "Do you only take care of me out of duty?"

That seems to break Phupha out of his reverie. "Tian." Phupha's voice is low, calming. "Don't you know it already?"

Tian's heart seems to glow golden, slowly at first, and then all of a sudden in haste, burning bright enough to light his way back to the village. To his home.

There are a lot many things that Tian wants to do at this moment, but he decides on covering Phupha's hand with his, giving him the warmest smile that he can muster.

The smile that Phupha gives him is nothing short of undisguised fondness.

[zevlors-tail]

BNHA SPOILERS BELOW THE CUT - Let's Talk.

Okay if you're caught up you know exactly what image I'm talking about when I say, "The one with the guy standing against the wall with gauntlets."

And now, without further explanation, I have a question for everyone up in arms about it right now (about whether it's Bakugou or not):

What are you going to do if it is?

No, seriously. I get people get passionate over things. But I have literally seen so much hate and discourse over the time travel theory and Bakugou's character, especially over this new scene that just came out. So what if it is Bakugou? Personally I don't think it is, as I think it would be a little too obvious of a trope in my opinion, but so what? If it is, then...seriously, what are you going to do about it if anything?

Why does it bother you that much that you need to go on tirades about it and flip figurative tables and fight over it? It's Horikoshi's story. If he wants to write it that way, then he can and should, and it's still great. It's still a really entertaining story with interesting plot and great character development, and you can't change that.

My point is, why get so freaking heated over it? Gosh, I see so many lengthy posts over the theory and reasons why X or Y shouldn't and can't happen, but nothing about people supporting Hori or his story regardless of which way it goes. You guys are forgetting one very large detail, and that is that you cannot and will not change his story.

Why do you even need to? Why do you even want to? (Those are rhetorical questions for you and only you to think about, btw.)

All that time and energy spent criticizing and harassing your fav content creators (in general) and explaining your ideas and thoughts could be better spent elsewhere...like, say, writing your own fic to vent, or singing a good song, or just creating or enjoying things in general. You're just gonna exhaust yourself if you keep on like that.

Anyways, it's pretty cool if that is Bakugou. And it's cool if it's not. I just can't wait for this all to get animated; the fights and conversations are gonna be awesome on screen!