#Which I Suppose I Am but i don't mean it in a shitting on ppl way just more in a uh...different cups of tea

[seventh-district]

not even gonna tag this properly bc i don't wanna get Involved but i do have some Thoughts i need to get out into the void so here we go

(aaa quick edit: CW for mention/discussion of Boothill leaks)

[wereh0gz]

Y'know I think I'm starting to truly understand the kids who just didn't do anything in class during middle and high school. As someone who used to be a gifted kid and never really got it. Fucking hell

[varibean]

being in a fandom where the characters don’t have a canonical way they look or they’re so simplistic that they can be interpreted in multiple different ways is wild bc i’ll see art or read a fic and it’ll be super good but part of me is like ‘hmm, so this is really how you see them huh? interesting, interesting.’ 

[itneverendshere]

hi again! so I've been meaning to send a request, but before i go about it I wish to say it's completely okay if you're not inspired by this, or if you simply don't want to write it, i would hate myself if I made you overwhelmed or smth. love you anyways 💕 so for the request: reader who's autistic. she's not very talkative nor socially active, never had a boyfriend, has one or two friends, yet somehow rafe notices her and finds her endearing. she's okay being herself with her friends, like she's funny, kind and passionate about her interests (like geek stuff, fantasy books, animals and such). she has zero flirting experience and is always dismissive towards rafe bc she doesn't think someone could like her romantically, and she's always suspicious of people bc they've wronged her in the past (in my experience as an autistic person i tend to believe everything ppl say and am kinda naive, so ppl played me or said unrealistic things and I believed them, which then is a reason for laughter, now I'm always suspicious to ppl's intentions). I'm giving you creative freedom with this, just wanted an autistic reader for once :) if you feel like writing it but need to know more abt autism, you can just post question and I'll answer in your asks, if that's okay. Just a reminder again before I go: feel free to decline this request, I know it might not be something cool to write and that's okay ☺️ love you lots, thank you for your time!

i tried my best, hope you like it 🫶🏼 and if you don't lmk so i can do better!! this was really fun since it's a compeltely new topic of inspiration. kinda left an "open" ending bc i couldn't make my mind up lmao. thank you for the resquest and sorry it took me a while to finally do it 🫂

got dreams but i can't make myself believe them - r.c

paring: rafe x autistic!reader word count: 6.9k

The party was a mistake. You knew it the moment you walked in, the thumping music and crush of people making your skin crawl. Your friends had been relentless, insisting that you needed to “get out more” and “live a little,” despite your repeated attempts to explain that “getting out” meant something different to you.

But somehow, you’d caved, and now you were standing awkwardly in the corner of a stranger’s living room, clutching your book like it was a life vest. You needed to stop letting them drag you everywhere.

It was the typical college party scene, at least the one's you'd heard or read about before. Red solo cups everywhere, groups of people huddled on couches or pressed together on the so called dance floor, and a few already-drunk guys yelling loudly in the kitchen.

This was supposed to be fun?

“Just stay for an hour,” they said. “If it’s really that bad, you can leave.”

Right. Except an hour felt like an eternity when you were trapped in a sensory nightmare. You took a deep breath, scanning the crowded room. There were people everywhere—laughing, dancing, chattering loudly in clumps—and the noise was a constant, overwhelming buzz in your ears.

This was definitely a mistake.

So, you did what you always did in these situations: you found a place to hide. After walking through the drunk college students, you eventually ended up on quiet nook near the back of the house. It was a small room, probably some sort of den or study. Blessedly, it was empty. With a sigh of relief, you settled into an oversized armchair, opened your book, and let the world outside your pages melt away.

Time slipped by as you read, the noise of the party changing into a distant hum. You were so engrossed that you didn’t even notice when someone stumbled into the room until a loud crash jolted you out of your fictional word. He nearly tripped over his own feet, catching himself at the last second with a slurred, “Shit.”

You looked up to find a guy standing unsteadily in the doorway, blinking blearily at you. He was tall, with tousled hair and a loose, easy grin that spoke of far too many drinks. His eyes were a striking blue even in the low light, and it took you a second to place him.

Rafe Cameron.

Oh, God. You knew him—well, of him, at least. He was in your sociology class, always sitting a few rows behind you with his gaggle of equally charming friends. He’d never spoken to you before, though, and you’d never had a reason to pay him much attention.

Until now.

Then his face split into a lazy grin, and he swaggered—no, stumbled—into the room, somehow managing to make even that look effortless.

“Heyyy,” he drawled, leaning heavily against the arm of the chair across from you. “It’s… it’s you.”

You blinked at him. “Me?”

“Yeah,” he slurred, squinting like he was trying to see you clearly. “T-The girl from my class. The quiet one.”

Your stomach did a weird flip, part confusion, part disbelief. “Okay?”

“Yeah.” He nodded sagely, as if you’d just confirmed some great truth. “You’re the uh, the smart one. With the books.” He gestured vaguely at the one in your hands. “Always sittin’ up front, all… all cute n'shit.”

Your cheeks burned. Was he seriously calling you cute? No. He was drunk—really drunk. He probably didn’t even know what he was saying.

“Do you need help?” you asked cautiously. “You look—”

“I’m fine,” he cut you off, straightening up as if to prove it, though the effect was somewhat ruined by the way he swayed on his feet. “Needed to get away from those idiots out there. Too many people.”

You almost laughed. Rafe Cameron, overwhelmed by people? The guy who was always surrounded by friends, girls practically draped over him like accessories? But he looked sincere—well, as sincere as a drunk person could look.

“Why don’t you sit down?” you suggested, gesturing to the empty chair. “You, um, might fall over if you don’t.”

“Pfft, I’m not gonna—” He paused mid-sentence, wobbling precariously. Then, as if he’d just made the smartest decision of his life, he plopped down in the chair, sprawling out like he owned the place.

“See? Told ya m'fine,” he said, flashing you a lopsided grin.

You couldn’t help but snort. “Right.”

He looked at you then, really looked at you, his gaze roaming over your face “What’re you doin’ here?” he asked abruptly.

You glanced at your book, then back at him. "Reading?”

“No, I mean… here,” he insisted, gesturing vaguely around the room. “At this shitty party.”

You shrugged, feeling awkward. “My friends dragged me. I didn’t really want to come.”

Rafe’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully, and for a moment, he looked almost sober. “Yeah, same.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

He smirked, a flash of the cocky, arrogant guy you’d seen in class. “Yeah, well… they’re fucking assholes, but they’re my assholes, y'know?”

You didn’t, but you nodded anyway. “Sure.”

“So, what’s that book about?”

You hesitated. “Um… it’s a fantasy novel.”

“Fantasy, huh?” He tilted his head, eyeing the cover. “Like wizards and dragons n'shit?”

“Sort of,” you admitted. “It’s about a girl who finds out she has magic and goes on a quest to—”

“Save the world?” he finished with a mock-solemn expression.

“...Yeah,” you said, narrowing your eyes. “But it’s more complicated than that.”

“Bet it is,” he murmured, his gaze still fixed on you. “You’re really into that stuff, huh?”

You shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah. Why?”

He shrugged, his smirk softening into something that almost looked like genuine interest. “You looked happy, talkin’ about it.”

Your heart did another weird little flip, and you frowned, pushing the feeling down. He was drunk. This didn’t mean anything. He probably wouldn’t even remember it in the morning.

But then, his eyes drifted shut, his head lolling back against the chair. Within seconds, he was snoring. You sat there, stunned.

What the hell had just happened?

Three days later, you were sitting in your usual spot in the lecture hall, flipping through your notes. Class was about to start, and the room was filling up with the usual pre-lecture chatter. You were just getting settled when someone slid into the seat beside you.

You glanced up, expecting one of your friends. But it wasn’t.

It was Rafe.

“Hey, friend,” he said casually, like you hadn’t left him passed out at a party a few nights ago.

You stared at him, completely disoriented. “Hi?”

He grinned, leaning back in his chair like this was completely normal. “Didn’t think I’d forget about you, huh?”

Your eyes narrowed. “I… yeah, actually.”

Rafe’s grin widened, and he leaned in closer, “See, that’s where you’re wrong, princess,” he murmured. “I remember everything.”

Did he just give you a nickname?

Your stomach dropped. “What?”

“Yeah.” He crossed his arms, looking entirely too smug. “You, sitting there all cute with your book, talking about magic and shit. Thought I was too drunk to remember, huh?”

“I—” You stared at him, completely off balance. “Why are you here?”

“Because I want to be,” he said simply. “Got a problem with that?”

You blinked, caught off guard. “No?”

“Good.” He flashed you a grin, all cocky charm. “So, you gonna tell me more about that book, or what?”

You gaped at him. “You actually want to hear about it?”

“Why not?” he shot back, raising an eyebrow. “It made you smile.”

And for some reason, that simple statement knocked the breath out of you.

“Okay,” you said, still unsure if this was some kind of elaborate prank.

But Rafe just leaned back in his seat, eyes fixed on you like you were the most fascinating thing in the world.

“Yeah,” he murmured. “I think I’ll stick around.”

The next few classes were…weird, to say the least. Ever since Rafe decided you were his new "friend," he’d taken to sitting beside you every lecture, plopping down in the empty seat as if he’d been there all along. It was confusing. Most of the time, he’d breeze in at the last possible minute, sauntering up to your row without so much as a greeting and settling into the chair with that infuriatingly self-assured smirk.

You were already seated, your notebook open and your pen poised to start taking notes when he dropped into the seat beside you with his usual nonchalance. He stretched his long legs out in front of him, casting you a sidelong look as if daring you to acknowledge him first.

“Hi,” you said quietly, eyes flicking back to the front of the room.

“Hey, princess,” he replied, voice low and teasing.

You kept your gaze firmly on your notebook. You’d quickly learned that the best way to deal with him was to pretend his presence didn’t affect you—no matter how much his proximity messed with you.

He’d spent the last three classes nudging your foot under the desk, passing snide comments under his breath, or leaning over just close enough to murmur sarcastic observations about whatever the professor was droning on about. And today was no different.

The lecture started, Professor Callahan launching into her usual detailed overview of sociological theory. You tried to focus, pen flying across your notebook as you jotted down her points.

“Is she always this boring?” he whispered, leaning in slightly so his arm brushed against yours.

You stiffened, eyes fixed on your notes. “If you listened, it wouldn’t be so boring.”

He snorted. “Yeah, right. Like I’m gonna waste my time listening to her go on about… what is it today? Class structure?”

“Yes,” you hissed, refusing to look at him. “And if you don’t stop talking, I’m going to—”

“You’re going to what?” he challenged, his grin audible in his voice.

You snapped your mouth shut, trying to ignore the way his leg brushed against yours under the desk. He was doing it on purpose—nudging your knee every so often, shifting just a little closer until the faint scent of his cologne surrounded you. It was infuriating. And yet, when you glanced sideways at him, he was looking at you with that maddening, lazy grin that made your heart stutter.

“Just pay attention,” you mumbled, cheeks warm.

“Why would I do that when I have such a pretty view right here?”

Your head whipped around, eyes wide. “What?”

But Rafe just smirked, his gaze drifting lazily up and down your face before flicking back to the front of the room as if he hadn’t just made your brain short-circuit. 

“Relax, princess. Just messin' with you.”

You swallowed, trying to refocus on the lecture. His attention was like a physical thing—intense and all-consuming. It made you uneasy. 

Determined not to give him the satisfaction, you forced yourself to look at the professor, tuning out the heat of Rafe’s gaze. Professor Callahan was in the middle of explaining something about social hierarchies when she suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

“Mr. Cameron.”

The entire class fell silent.

You looked up, eyes widening in surprise as Professor Callahan fixed Rafe with a stern look. “I’m aware that I’m not as pretty as your classmate,” she said dryly, gesturing toward you, “but I would appreciate it if you could pay attention for at least ten minutes.”

A ripple of snickers spread through the room, and your cheeks flamed scarlet. Rafe, however, didn’t even blink, he was completely unruffled and offered the professor a lazy, arrogant smile. “Sorry, Professor. Just got a little distracted.”

Your stomach dropped. He was staring at you, unabashedly.

The professor raised an eyebrow. “I’m sure.” Her tone was dry, unimpressed. “Would you mind keeping your distractions to yourself until after class?”

Another murmur of laughter swept through the room, and you shrank in your seat, mortified. His smirk widened, but he leaned back in his chair, raising his hands in mock surrender.

“Of course, ma’am,” he drawled. “No more distractions.”

Professor Callahan gave him a pointed look, then turned back to the board, resuming her lecture. You sat there, face burning, refusing to look anywhere near Rafe, but you could feel his eyes on you.

“Guess I got you in trouble, huh?” he whispered, leaning closer.

You grit your teeth, still staring resolutely at the front of the room. “Stop talking.”

“Can’t help it,” he murmured, his voice teasing. “You’re way more interesting than this shit.”

“Rafe, I swear—”

“Okay, okay, I’ll behave,” he said lightly, sitting back. But he didn’t take his eyes off you. You could feel him lingering, warm and intent, and you wanted to scream. How was he so calm? So unaffected, like getting called out by the professor was just a minor inconvenience?

You hated every second of it.

“Rafe,” you hissed under your breath, finally daring to glance at him. “Will you just—”

“What?” He leaned in again, eyes bright with mischief. “You want me to go back to ignoring you?”

“Stop staring.”

He hummed thoughtfully. “Can’t promise that, princess.”

Your heart hammered, and you squeezed your pen so tightly it nearly snapped. “Why are you even here?”

He shrugged, his expression turning oddly serious. “I like sitting next to you.”

Rafe Cameron—the arrogant, cocky asshole you’d written off as nothing more than a nuisance—had just chosen to stay by your side.

As soon as class ended, you gathered your things in record time, heart still thumping wildly. The room buzzed with students shuffling out, but you kept your head down, hoping to slip away unnoticed.

Maybe if you were quick enough, you could escape before he decided to make good on his new, annoying habit of sticking to you like glue. But, of course, he was nothing if not persistent.

You’d barely slung your bag over your shoulder when he appeared at your side, his tall frame looming over you as he fell into step like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Heading to lunch?” he asked, all casual charm, as if he hadn’t just spent the entire class making you the center of unwanted attention.

“Yes?” You tried not to sound as thrown as you felt, but the way he looked at you—with that infuriatingly lazy grin—told you he could see right through you.

“Cool. I’m starving.” He said it like it was an invitation, like he was entitled to follow you, and before you could muster up a half-hearted protest, he was already steering you through the crowded hallway.

“Wait, what are you doing?” you demanded, glancing around in panic. People were staring, eyes widening as they took in the sight of Rafe Cameron, of all people, trailing after you. Whispers flitted through the air, curious and disbelieving, and you shrank under the scrutiny, feeling painfully exposed.

“Uh, going to lunch with you?” He made it sound so obvious, his voice lilting with amusement.

“I didn’t invite you!” You glanced at him, trying to tamp down the fluttery, nervous feeling his presence always seemed to stir up. “What if I’m eating with someone else?”

He shrugged. “Then I’ll eat with them too.”

You gawked at him. “What?”

But Rafe just flashed you that cocky, confident grin. “Relax. It’s just lunch.”

Just lunch, he said, like this wasn’t completely absurd.

You narrowed your eyes, debating whether to make a break for it, but he was already steering you toward the main quad, his hand ghosting the small of your back in a way that made your skin tingle. 

Your heart hammered as the familiar outdoor seating area came into view. Your friends were already there, sitting at your usual table—a small group of two girls and a guy, all talking animatedly. You hadn’t even sat down yet, and they still managed to look up as one, their expressions morphing from curious to shocked when they caught sight of you—and Rafe—heading straight toward them.

“Uh, hey,” you greeted awkwardly as you approached. They just stared, mouths agape.

Emily was the first to recover. “What the—since when do you two know each other?” she asked, eyes darting between you and Rafe like she was seeing some kind of glitch in the matrix.

“Yeah, what’s going on here?” Max, the guy in your small circle, chimed in, his gaze flicking to Rafe warily. “Is this, like… a project thing?”

“No, it’s not—” you started, but Rafe cut you off with a breezy smile.

“Can’t believe y’all kept her to yourselves this whole time,” he drawled, pulling out the chair beside yours and plopping down like he’d done it a thousand times before. “Thought you’d have the decency to introduce me to the most interesting girl on campus.”

Your friends gaped, eyes wide with shock. You could practically see their brains short-circuiting. Meanwhile, you were fighting the urge to smack him upside the head.

“Please shut up,” you muttered under your breath, cheeks burning.

But he just smirked, his gaze sliding over your stunned friends with lazy amusement. “What?” he said innocently. “It’s true.”

“What the hell is happening right now?” Emily demanded, still staring at you like you’d grown a second head. “You—you and Rafe Cameron?”

You sighed, already regretting every life choice that had led you to this moment. “There is no ‘me and Rafe Cameron.’ He just—he’s being annoying.”

“Annoying?” he repeated, feigning offense. “C’mon. I thought we were past that.”

“We are not past anything,” you snapped, shooting him a glare. But that only seemed to amuse him more.

“Okay, back up,” Max interjected, brow furrowed in confusion. “How do you guys even know each other?”

“Uh, sociology class?” you offered weakly, as if that explained anything. “He’s been sitting next to me.”

“Sitting next to you?” Emily repeated slowly, like she was trying to process a particularly difficult equation. “And now you’re… eating lunch together?”

“It’s not—” You looked helplessly at Rafe, who was watching the exchange with that insufferable smirk. “I didn’t ask him to.”

He looked completely unfazed by the mess he’d caused. “What can I say? I like the company.”

“Since when?” Emily shot back, clearly unconvinced.

Rafe shrugged, “Since she started talking to me.”

Your friends fell silent, eyes wide and suspicious as they turned to you, searching for answers. But you just sat there, feeling utterly, hopelessly lost. What were you supposed to say? That Rafe Cameron had decided, out of nowhere, to insert himself into your life? That he was following you to lunch like this was some sort of normal occurrence?

“Look,” you sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose. “It’s really not a big deal. He’s just—”

“Rafe Cameron is never ‘just’ anything,” Emily interrupted, folding her arms as she fixed Rafe with a suspicious look. “So what are you up to?"

“Nothing,” Rafe said easily, his smile all sharp edges. “Like I said, I’m just getting to know her.”

“Getting to know her,” Max echoed, clearly skeptical.

“Yeah.” Rafe’s eyes never left yours, his eyes gleaming with something that made your pulse flutter. “What’s so weird about that?”

Your friends exchanged looks. You didn’t blame them. This was weird. More than weird. You’d never been the kind of girl to attract attention—especially not from someone like Rafe. Popular, arrogant, and completely out of your league in every possible way. And yet, here he was, acting like sitting with you at lunch was the most natural thing in the world.

“So,” He said suddenly, turning his attention back to the group, “Are you gonna sit here gaping all day, or are we gonna eat?”

Emily blinked, snapping out of her daze. “Uh, yeah, we’re… we’re eating.”

“Good.” Rafe turned to you, eyebrow raised. “You eating, princess?”

You stared at him, “I—yes?”

“Cool. Want me to grab you something?”

You stared at him, incredulous. “You’re offering to get me lunch?”

He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I am. Now, what do you want?”

“I—” You swallowed, glancing at your friends, who were watching the exchange like it was some sort of bizarre performance. “Um, a sandwich?”

“Got it.” Rafe pushed to his feet, his smile smug. “Be right back.”

And then, to your utter disbelief, he sauntered off toward the food line, leaving you and your friends staring after him.

“What,” Max said slowly, “the hell just happened?”

You groaned, burying your face in your hands. “I have no idea.”

The awkward lunch with Rafe didn’t end as badly as you expected.

Your friends had spent the entire time shooting you confused, bewildered looks, while he seemed to thrive under their scrutiny, lounging beside you like he belonged. He didn’t flirt—thank God—but he didn’t exactly tone down his usual cocky self either. By the end of it, he’d somehow managed to charm your friends just enough to leave them confused rather than outright hostile. Still, after that lunch, you’d expected him to lose interest, to move on to his usual crowd and forget all about his bizarre little experiment. But of course, he wasn’t known for playing by the rules.

You learned that the hard way two days later.

It was late afternoon, and you were holed up in the campus library, buried under a mountain of textbooks and notes for an upcoming exam. The library was your sanctuary—quiet, calm, and blissfully free of distractions. At least, until Rafe sauntered in. You didn’t notice him at first, too absorbed in your notes. The library was busy, students murmuring as they worked, the rustle of pages and the faint clack of keyboards filling the air. You were hunched over a particularly dense passage in your sociology textbook when you felt it—

You stiffened, glancing up cautiously, and there he was.

He leaned against the bookshelf a few feet away, his eyes fixed on you with a lazy, assessing look. He didn’t move, just watched you, his lips quirking in that infuriating smirk when your eyes met.

“What are you doing here?” you hissed, glancing around nervously. No one seemed to be paying attention, but you still felt like the entire room was suddenly staring.

“Studying,” he said, straight-faced.

“Since when do you study in the library?”

“Since now,” he said easily, pushing off the bookshelf and strolling over to your table. He pulled out the chair across from you, dropping into it like he had every right to be there. “What? Can’t a guy broaden his horizons?”

You stared at him, incredulous. “You’re joking.”

“Not today, princess.” He leaned forward, resting his chin in his hand as he peered at your open book. “So, what’re we learning?”

“We are not learning anything,” you muttered, eyes narrowing. “I’m studying. You are… I don’t know what you’re doing.”

“Keeping you company,” he said simply. “You looked lonely.”

Your mouth fell open. “Lonely?”

“Yeah.” He tilted his head, his gaze sweeping over your face. “All holed up in here with your books. Thought I’d help.”

What was he even talking about? This was insane. He didn’t just hang out in the library, especially not to “keep someone company.” He was the kind of guy who spent his free time at parties, or on the field, or wherever people like him thrived. And yet, here he was, sitting across from you in the library like this was normal.

“Rafe,” you said slowly, “you don’t even know what I’m studying.”

He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter.”

“It does if you’re trying to help,” you shot back, frustration seeping into your voice. “You’re—what are you even—”

“Okay, okay,” he interrupted, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Calm down. Just trying to see what’s got you all riled up.”

You bit back a groan, rubbing your temples. This was absurd. You didn’t need—didn’t want—his attention.

“Fine,” you muttered, turning your textbook around so he could see the page. “I’m going over Durkheim’s theory of social integration.”

Rafe leaned in, squinting at the page. “Durkheim, huh?”

“Yes,” you said, a little impatiently. “He believed that society functions through a collective conscience—shared beliefs and values that bind people together.”

“Sounds boring as hell,” Rafe said bluntly.

“It’s not boring,” you retorted before you could stop yourself. “It’s actually really interesting—he argued that a lack of social integration could lead to anomie, a state of normlessness that causes people to feel disconnected and isolated.”

Rafe stared at you for a long moment, his expression unreadable. At least it felt that way to you.

“What?” you demanded, suddenly self-conscious. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

He shrugged, a strange, thoughtful smile tugging at his lips. “Just… you get really into this stuff, don’t you?”

Your cheeks flushed. “It’s sociology. It’s important.”

“Yeah, but…” He shook his head, “It’s kinda cute.”

You blinked, your brain short-circuiting. “Cute?”

“Yeah.” He leaned back, crossing his arms as he regarded you with a casual, easy confidence that made your heart flutter. “You get all intense when you talk about it. Like, you actually care.”

“I—I do care,” you stammered, “It’s my major.”

“I know,” he murmured. “I like that about you.”

What—what was that supposed to mean? Why was he looking at you like that, like he actually meant it?

Before you could even begin to untangle your thoughts, a shadow fell over the table, and you glanced up to see another student standing there—a tall, lanky guy with dark hair and glasses. He looked vaguely familiar, probably from one of your classes.

“Uh, hey,” the guy said awkwardly, glancing between you and Rafe. “Are—are you using this seat?”

Rafe’s expression changed instantly, “Yeah,” he said flatly. “We are.”

The guy blinked, taken aback. “Oh, uh, sorry, I just—”

“You just can find another table,” Rafe cut in, “We’re a little busy here.”

You gaped at him, mortified. “Rafe, stop.”

But he didn’t even glance at you. He just kept staring down the poor guy, his posture tense and unyielding until, with a muttered apology, the student backed off, scurrying away like he’d just had a close encounter with a predator.

“What the hell was that?” you hissed as soon as the guy was out of earshot. “He just wanted to sit down!”

“Yeah, and we’re studying,” Rafe said dismissively. “No room for distractions.”

“We’re not studying anything!” you shot back, resisting the urge to smack him. “You’re just sitting here, being—being weird.”

“Not weird,” he corrected, leaning in again. “Protective.”

You froze, your mouth going dry. “Protective?”

“Yeah.” His eyes were dark, intense, locking onto yours. “Can’t have just anyone bothering you, can I?”

After the bizarre encounter in the library, you were convinced Rafe would drop this whole… whatever it was. Surely, following you to lunch and then “protecting” you in the library was enough.

So when you found yourself at another party two nights later—dragged along by Emily despite your vehement protests—you knew it was only a matter of time before he found you. Because somehow, no matter where you went, Rafe had made it his mission to seek you out.

“Come on, you need to have some fun,” Emily had insisted, half-pulling, half-dragging you through the front door of one of the fraternity houses on campus. The music was already blaring, the heavy bass vibrating through your body. People were packed in the main room, laughing, talking, drinking, the buzz of chatter filling the air.

“This isn’t my idea of fun,” you muttered, hugging your arms around yourself as you tried to avoid brushing against the partygoers. It wasn’t that you disliked parties, exactly—it was just that the noise, the sheer volume of people could get overwhelming quickly.

“Just stay for an hour,” Emily pleaded. “Please? I swear it’ll be more fun than you think. We can dance, have a few drinks—”

“I don’t dance,” you cut in flatly, giving her a pointed look.

“Okay, fine, I’ll dance, and you… can hang out and people-watch,” she amended, undeterred. “Besides, who knows? Maybe you’ll meet someone.”

You gave her a withering stare. “Yeah, because I’m such a social butterfly.”

You sighed, resigned to your fate, and began making your way through the press of bodies. After a few minutes you managed to find a relatively quiet corner in the back, near the stairs, and gratefully leaned against the wall. Maybe if you stayed out of sight long enough, Emily would give up on trying to get you to socialize and let you leave early. It was a long shot, but you could hope.

You hadn’t been there long when you felt it—the now-familiar prickling sensation of someone’s gaze lingering on you. Sure enough, when you glanced up, there he was.

Rafe, in all his infuriating glory, leaning against the wall a few feet away, his eyes locked on you with that lazy focus that made your heart stutter. He looked unfairly good, dressed in a dark button-up that clung to his frame in all the right ways, his hair tousled just enough to look effortlessly cool. And, as usual, he was watching you like you were the only person in the room.

You narrowed your eyes at him, your stomach twisting in irritation and something else. “Are you stalking me now?” you demanded, crossing your arms as you glared at him.

Rafe’s lips curved into a slow, teasing smile. “Would it be so bad if I was?”

“Yes,” you said flatly. “It would be very bad.”

He chuckled, the sound low, sending an unwelcome shiver down your spine. “Relax, princess. I just saw you standing here all alone and thought I’d come say hi.”

“Hi,” you muttered, your voice dripping with sarcasm. “Now you can leave.”

But he didn’t budge. Instead, he straightened, pushing off the wall and closing the distance between you in a few long strides until he was standing directly in front of you, his presence overwhelming.

You tried to step back, but the wall blocked your escape.

“Actually, I was thinking we could, I don’t know, hang out for a bit?” he suggested, tilting his head as he regarded you with a faux-innocent smile.

“Why?” you blurted out before you could stop yourself.

Rafe blinked, seemingly taken aback by the question. “Why?”

“Yes,” you insisted, frustration bubbling up inside you. “Why do you keep… doing this? Showing up, sitting with me, following me to lunch, acting like—like we’re friends or something. What is your deal, Cameron?”

Slowly he reached up, bracing one hand on the wall beside your head, leaning in so close you could feel the warmth of his breath against your skin.

“My deal,” he murmured, his voice low and smooth, “is that I like you.”

No. No, no, no.

That couldn’t be right. People didn't just like you. They tolerated you, maybe, or found you useful sometimes, but they didn't like you. Not like that. Not in the way he was implying. You felt panic rising in your chest, like a wave that was too big to stop. You couldn’t stop it.

“You’re lying,” you said shakily, shaking your head in disbelief. “You’re just—this is some kind of game, isn’t it? Some—some bet, or—”

Rafe’s expression tightened, his jaw clenching. “It’s not a game,” he ground out, his eyes flashing. “I wouldn’t do that to you.”

You swallowed hard, your chest aching. No, this couldn’t be happening. This didn’t make sense.

“I don’t believe you,” you shook your head stubbornly.

His eyes narrowed, “No?”

“No,” you repeated, crossing your arms defiantly. “You’re just… you. You can’t just decide you like me out of nowhere.”

“I didn’t decide,” he murmured, “It just happened.”

Your breath hitched, your heart racing. Why was he doing this to you? Why couldn’t he just leave you alone?

“I—” You broke off, struggling to find words, but before you could answer, a loud voice interrupted.

“Yo, Rafe! There you are, man!”

You both jerked back, startled, and you glanced over to see one of Rafe’s friends—Topper, if you remembered correctly—stumbling over, a wide grin plastered across his face.

“What are you doing back here?” Topper slurred, his gaze sliding to you. He blinked, “Who’s this?”

Rafe stepped in front of you slightly, his posture tense and protective. “Doesn’t matter,” he said curtly, “Go find someone else to bother.”

Topper blinked, taken aback. “Whoa, man, chill. I was just—”

“Go,” Rafe repeated, his tone brooking no argument.

Topper stared at him for a long moment, then slowly backed off, muttering under his breath as he disappeared into the crowd. As soon as he was gone, Rafe turned back to you, his eyes softening again.

“Sorry about that,” he murmured, “Didn’t mean to—”

“Why did you do that?” you cut in, your heart still pounding.

Rafe frowned. “Do what?”

“Get rid of him,” you said, shaking your head in confusion. “He was your friend. Why would you—”

Maybe you’d misread him. Maybe he didn’t actually mean any of what he said. He was probably just bored, looking for some amusement—another toy to play with for a little while.

“I wanted to talk to you. Not him.”

You blinked, bewildered. “But he’s your friend.”

He gave a half-hearted shrug. “So? Doesn’t mean I want him interrupting us.”

Us. Like there was an “us.” Like there could ever be an “us.”

You shook your head, trying to clear the fog of confusion. “But I don’t understand,” you mumbled. “I don’t get it. You don’t even know me.”

“I know enough,” he said quietly, his eyes holding yours in a way that made it hard to breathe. “More than you think.”

You frowned. It was impossible to shake the nagging feeling that he was just… playing with you. That this was all some sick joke and at any moment, the punchline would hit, and you’d be the idiot.

“You’re just messing with me,” you muttered, taking a small step back to put some space between you. “You’re bored or something.”

“I’m not bored,” he said firmly, stepping forward to close the gap you’d just created. “I told you, I wouldn’t do that.”

“I didn’t ask for any of this. You’ve been following me around, showing up where I am, saying all these things like—like we’re something, but we’re not.”

Rafe stepped closer, his eyes narrowing as he looked at you, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “What are you talking about? You really think I’m just messing around?”

“Yes!” you practically shouted, throwing your hands up. “Yes, I do! Why else would you be doing this? You’re Rafe Cameron, for god’s sake. You don’t even like me. This is just some twisted game to you, isn’t it?”

You stared at him, trying to read his face, trying to find any hint of dishonesty, any sign that this was all an act. But all you saw was that same intensity, that same focus, like you were the only person who mattered.

Your chest tightened, panic grazing at you. This wasn’t right. It couldn’t be. People didn’t just… like you. They didn’t seek you out at parties or show up in libraries to talk about sociology. Guys like Rafe didn’t choose people like you. There had to be some ulterior motive.

“You show up out of nowhere, act like I’m some project, some… someone who needs your protection—why, Rafe? Because I don’t fit into your world? Because I’m some joke to you and your friends?”

“That’s not it,” He growled, his voice defensive. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I don’t know what I’m talking about?” you scoffed, shaking your head. “You haven’t been honest about anything. You haven’t given me a reason to believe any of this.”

“You think I’m lying? 

You moved your head again, harder this time. “That doesn’t make sense. You’re—you’re saying things that don’t make sense. I don’t understand.”

He took a slow, poising breath, his eyes never leaving yours. "What doesn't make sense to you?" 

"All of this," you replied, your voice quivering with frustration, "You, acting like you—like you actually care. Like you see me. People don’t just do that, not for someone like me. I don’t—" You cut yourself off, not sure how to finish the sentence, your thoughts spiraling.

It wasn’t just that you couldn’t believe him; it was that you didn’t know how to believe him. Your experiences had taught you to be wary, to always look for the catch, because there always was one.

Always.

Rafe's brows drawn together in something that almost looked like concern. "Someone like you?" he repeated, "What does that even mean?"

You swallowed, feeling your insecurities gripping down on your chest. "It means I’m not… like you. I don’t know how to talk to people, I don’t get things right all the time. People don’t notice me, and when they do, it’s usually because I’ve done something wrong, or because they want something from me. That’s just how it is."

He shook his head slowly. "That’s not how I see you."

You opened your mouth to argue, to say something—anything—to dismiss what he was saying, to protect yourself from the disappointment that was sure to come. But Rafe didn’t give you the chance. 

"You think I’m messing with you because you’re not like everyone else? Is that it? You think I’m playing some kind of game because you don’t fit into some stupid idea of who’s supposed to matter?" 

You wanted to pull away, to recoil into the safety of your doubts, but something in his voice, in the way he was looking at you, made you stop.

"I’m not going to pretend like I know everything about you," Rafe continued, no less serious. "But I know enough to know that I’m not bored. I don’t care if you don’t fit in with my world, or whatever you think that means. I like that you’re passionate about the things you care about. I like that you don’t put up with anyone’s shit—not even mine." A small, almost self-deprecating smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "I’ve spent enough time around fake people to know the difference."

You weren’t used to this—this kind of sincerity. It felt too real. And part of you still wanted to push it away, to reject it before it had a chance to hurt you. But another part of you—a much smaller, quieter part—was whispering that maybe he meant it.

"Why me?"

"Because you're you," he said simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

For a long, breathless moment, the two of you just stood there, the noise of the party fading into the background. Your mind was still processing everything, but there was something in the way he was looking at you, something that made you feel—just for a second—like maybe you could trust this.

You shook your head, "I’m not… I’m not good at this," you admitted, your voice uncertain. "At understanding what people mean, or knowing if they’re being serious or not. I don’t know how to read you."

Rafe’s eyes softened even more at your confession, and he took a deep breath, like he was trying to figure out how to make you believe him. "I get that," he said quietly. "And I’m not always great at this either. But I’m serious. I wouldn’t lie to you, especially not about this."

You wanted to believe him. More than anything, you wanted to believe him. But there was still that tiny voice of doubt in the back of your mind, reminding you of all the times you’d been wrong before, of all the times you’d trusted someone only to be let down.

You hesitated, your throat tight. "I don’t know if I can."

He didn’t push, didn’t demand anything from you. Instead, he just nodded slowly.

"That’s okay. You don’t have to believe me right now. But I’ll be here when you’re ready."

And with that, he stepped back, giving you the space you so desperately needed. He didn’t try to force anything, didn’t press for more. Instead, he just gave you a small, almost hopeful smile and turned, disappearing back into the crowd.

And as you stood there, your heart still pummeling into your ribs, you couldn’t help but wonder if you’d been wrong about him after all.

[deluweil]

Thanks for your response to that other anon about Tommy; you’re totally right. I also was intrigued, even liked him and Buck after their first kiss. But his closet comment and behavior on their first date, like he didn’t care that Buck has LITERALLY just figured out his bisexuality and that’s A LOT to process, his dismissive attitude towards Buck’s ideas and feelings (the bachelor party henley, the “enjoy it while it lasts” at the medal ceremony)….and then add in the way some fans have gone 0 to 100 on them so quickly, even calling them endgame, and likely at least in part JUST because it’s two men…it’s become such a turn off. I was neutral, even wanted to like them at first, but now am counting the days until it ends. And it’s not because I’m a BoB or would dislike any Buck LI that isn’t Eddie. And I don’t agree with anyone getting HATE (we can sideeye and judge people’s actions ($cameos$) But I think seeing Buck in a canon male/male relationship has caused some people to lose their damn minds. Ship and let ship! Stay in your sandbox, we’ll stay in ours!

LOL I am so removed from all the crowing bummies that I have to ask wth is BoB?

I actually went to look it up and found some interesting options, I am going with this one:

"Bob" is a generic and common name, and using it can be a way of avoiding formalities or creating a relaxed and approachable atmosphere

If you have the other meaning go ahead and tell me, like bummies I understand what benefits me in the moment😂

I kinda wish ppl will look up the meaning of "comphet" (I actually looked it up) that Ryan keeps bringing up in his interviews - that way ppl can stop saying crap things about him being the one to derail Eddie-T because he was supposedly against it. - Which is bullshit, Tim repeatedly said it was because the Natalia actress couldn't come back and M actress could. - Also, Originally T was supposed to be Lucy, she just couldn't come back so they took Lou in a pinch, so Obviously the endgame sure as shit wasn't the pilot.

And you're right, T's attitude was condescending at best, I was talking about it with a mutual the other day, and said that if they really had an interest to build BT properly, also by the time they came up with BT they knew they were being renewed for S8, they could have slowed into this. Actually make Buck's coming out story, a coming out story, not "So first date was a bust, how bout you come to my sister's wedding?" like who does that?

They could have started as friends with Lou being a gay guru, they could have had private dates until Buck was actually out to everyone and ready to be seen in public.

There could have been feelings involved that developed over time.

I gave the example of Tim-Ashley vs Nolan-Bailey from The Rookie, while Ashley was fairly kept to the background (btw she got more screen time than T, just saying) while Bailey was constantly and still being weaved into the story, intricated into Nolan's life, because he was meant to end up with her.

What ppl, who seem to have never watched good tv in their lives, don't seem to understand is that there is a way to write a story, and 911 not only screwed up spectacularly with Buck and Eddie's storylines, but they managed to make it clear from the get go that any LI to come along would be written just bad enough for it to be clear that they are not lasting.

Even furious, Eddie never walked away from Buck. Even when Buck was an asshole in 2x01, Eddie stood his ground and insisted they sort it through making it clear that they are on the same side, that he cares about him and wanting to be his friend. - His partner, a team.

Tommy, like all his predecessors, walked away as soon as something didn't fit his little comfort zone. Tommy walked away on that first date, he didn't contact Buck after that, Buck had to make contact and apologize for not being comfortable on his first date with a guy, like how messed up is that?

And Tommy's little acid retort in front of Eddie in the restaurant before that? From the side it's hilarious for someone who was never in that position. It was mean and uncalled for, but not exactly a surprise because T was never much of am understanding person, he was pretty much an ass from the get go in S2, only difference now is that he is out of the closet.

How did Athena put it when Michael first brought his new bf home after they got divorced? "If Michael had cheated on me with a woman, no one would have expected me to slap on a fake smile and welcome her into my home."

And that is exactly what the GA expects us to do, so what if Buck injured Eddie for attention? He's bi now.

So what if T was an ass and pretty much dismissive towards Buck and talks to him often in a bored way like one talks to a child? He's gay now.

A certain sexual preference does not excuse bad behavior. A person's behavior is supposed to be taken at face value, and not excused just because that person is now seeing someone who happens to be of the same gender.

Crappy behavior is just that - crappy behavior - equal accountability and all that.

I actually liked Taylor for Buck in S2, I think Lucy could have been perfect for him in S5, but the writers made sure to smear their characters in the eyes of the GA from the beginning, thus ending up with another failed relationship, while Buck's relationship with Eddie thrives from one episode to another for the last 7 seasons. One has to wonder about that even if they don't ship buddie.

Same pattern here with T. I was prepared to like him with Buck, I was prepared to see Buck making his way out of the closet with someone who would make him feel safe to do it, not kiss him unprepared under the pretense of coming originally on Eddie's behalf. Not that crap show that was that restaurant date. Not Buck apologizing after feeling insecure and exposed in public for the first time out of the closet and so many other things. - I'm getting the same vibes as Taylor looking through her phone in disinterest in 4x11 as Buck recites some google fact.

And you're right, the fans going from 0-200 after one kiss was just ridiculous, like chill people have you never seen two men kiss before?

I have, on screen and in RL, I grew up with lovely lgbtq+ friends from childhood, it's not all that. When my gay best friend dated someone who didn't treat him right, I told him to get rid of him. When my cousin's gf treated her like property and like she owes her something I urged her to find a better more nurturing person to be happy with.

Two men kissing is not endgame making, hell, from experience two men having sex (hot as it is) is not endgame making.

Love, passion, trust, security, fun, friends gatherings where they're cute and gross, can be made into a healthy endgame making relationship.

Buck and Tommy have physical attraction, they make for a steamy picture but nothing else.

And Lou, I am just... I don't know, I would have preferred not to find out the things he's done as cast of 911, I am just so disappointed.

I loved Lou, now it's just meh. Like he's trying to make as much money as he can before he finishes his way in the show is all kinds of wrong. Also very misleading to the ppl who are hanging on his every word. (And I don't think Oliver likes it either, he is pointedly ignoring any scene with T, not promoting anything that doesn't involve Eddie and Christopher or Buck's own development).

Even Ryan didn't know he was going to get shot until he got the 4x13 script, he was sure he was being killed off until he talked to whoever was showrunner at the time lol.

So Lou can't know he just talks out of his ass and make himself look bad in the process.

And I agree, ppl should be free to ship whoever they desire, but they are not entitled to force their desires upon others, I'm talking about both sides of the ships not just one. (Although I gotta say I've never got hate asks until a certain ship popped up this season. A lot of hateful - now blocked anons - that I refused to give stage to.)

These toxic battles are useless and made this season worse than it's writing.

All that's left is kick back and hope this season's last episode can salvage the poor and repetitive storylines we got this season, - I mean even Henren and Bathena got a replay of S4.

And don't even get me started of the fart shaped storyline Eddie got after switching last minute.

I'm tired lol

didn't mean for this to become this long monster, If you made it this far thank you, sending LOTS of love. ❤️

[ca-suffit]

I'm so disappointed by Armandstans recently,i naively though that there would be some kind of solidarity because they are 2 moc but i guess antiblackness is stronger, probably also for shipping reasons they are trying to sidelines him,i think at this point i prefer lestans over them.

It's infuriating,i'm glad next season the focus is less on Louis let's see who 's gonna take the blame now.

I know Louis is far from perfect, you can criticize him but i rarely see good takes that 's why they think we want to absolve him from his wrongdoing which is completely false.

I have always been extremely critical of his actions toward Claudia.Louis is not an angel but his deserves a nuanced treatment just like his vampires peers.

I'm shocked at what I'm seeing too. I cannot believe how much worse the antiblackness has gotten now. We've seen Louis in two abusive relationships now and ppl are still victim blaming? Across BOTH?? I thought the parallels made it easier for everyone to see a much fuller picture of all these characters. I mean this post I made shows Lestat and Armand complaining similarly about Louis. This season showed a lot more of Louis' issues and it was great to see them! Claudia was over him too. He was fucking up all over, he was going crazy, he was insecure and lonely and lost. How the hell ppl take all that and wrap it up into "I don't know why anyone feels bad for Louis at all, he's not so innocent." What the fuck kind of thing is that to say??

The show keeps saying, thru itself and interviews otherwise, that everyone here is flawed. This is a bunch of traumatized vampires trying to navigate relationships with each other. They hate themselves, they hate each other, they hate immortality. It's a lot of figuring out what "enduring" means and how u do it without losing ur fucking mind in the process. Louis' self-medicating thru addicts and hooking up / eating ppl, his hobbies, Armand's theatre and the coven, whatever Lestat was ever fucking doing. It's all a bunch of vampires trying to give their eternal life purpose and manage a shit ton of unresolved grief. "Nuance" is a word that everyone loves using but does anyone know what it means? Cuz why does it keep coming down to "my side is better than ur side." Everyone sucks here! Exploring the ways they're all damaged is the part that's supposed to be fun! It's the tragedy of it and the beauty.

I am also interested in seeing what happens if Louis is not prominent in S3 to blame. Although I also have an idea of how it will look and there's gonna be no talking to ppl about it. I wish ppl understood their own racial biases and it was easier to communicate this stuff to anyone. Fandoms are always inherently racist and the fact that we can never move forward on this is sad af.

[cios-correct-opinions]

@starrynightarchive

big ol tl;dr for anyone looking:

if ppl "not appreciating" female characters by creating content for them bc they don't want to bothers you that much? there's only one thing you can and should do:

MAKE YOUR OWN CONTENT OR APPRECIATION POSTS OR WHATEVER IT IS YOU THINK PEOPLE SHOULD DO INSTEAD AND STOP DEMANDING PEOPLE CHANGE THEIRS. IF YOUR FANDOM SPACE IS LACKING IN CONTENT YOU WANNA SEE? MAKE IT. DO IT. NOTHING'S STOPPING YOU EXCEPT YOURSELF.

but if you don't wanna do that and you don't wanna pay someone to, then stop complaining.

(note re: the discourse thing/me wanting to "start discourse": i only reblogged onto my "discourse" sideblog bc i didn't want this on my main blog. not bc i think it's automatically discourse. political stuff just goes over here now so i can keep the things more separated for my own sake)

op of the post blocked me but im genuinely baffled at this response

because how in the fuck did you gather ANY of that from me saying this

brother all i did was define what the word means. like i am so baffled as to how you decided that i was implying op was transphobic or some shit bc i absolutely was not!

nor was i trying to start discourse. i was literally just saying that, in my experience in the circles i'm in and the people i've seen, doing both is possible and they often do both. i'm not a huge fan of cis genderbends myself in any direction because if i'm gonna genderbend they're gonna be trans given that i am also trans

and then theres this that i said

which everyone seems to have completely ignored. bc that's the crux of this. it's not that they dislike the canon women it's that they want to take their blorbos they love the most and girl them because that's how fandom works. it's about self indulgence. fandom is supposed to be you doing what you love the most, and engaging with the characters you love the most, bc it's about fun

why are yall trying to force people to post abt characters they may not care for for a number of reasons? bc thats what this feels like. it feels like you want ppl to talk abt, post abt, write abt, draw abt, etc, characters they are not super passionate for, simply bc you believe they should, bc you think what they do in fandom is some kind of formula for their like, actual real world beliefs

i genuinely cannot stress enough to you guys that most peoples actions in fandom are almost entirely divorced from any political meaning. or at least, they were, until people started acting like that was a sin actually and that if you liked this character or if you liked too many male characters and not enough female ones that means youre secretly a misogynist who just hates women so much because you don't post about them all the time

most of my fandom blorboposting ends up being about a handful of any random assortment of characters because that's who my brain latches on to, but that doesn't say shit about my feelings about any other character. specifically in bsd, i mostly post and talk about literally two of the characters WAY more than the others bc they are my favorites. this includes ALL the other characters, just about. most of my fanworks are for them and will continue to be for them because they are my OTP and my top two in this series.

why is this important?

because someone genderbending a male character or multiple of them in order to see a CHARACTER THEY ALREADY THINK ABOUT 24/7 AND LIKE A LOT AND HAVE A DEEP ATTACHMENT TO, as a woman, does not mean they don't love and appreciate the canon women. holy shit. that's what i was criticizing in the original post.

also like. most of the ppl doing the genderbending i see are either women or like, somehow woman-aligned, or wlw/attracted to women in some way, etc. and most of them are making these genderbends bc theyre attracted to the canon character. it's self-indulgence it's ALMOST ALWAYS self-indulgence guys it's FANDOM that's what it's FOR you CANNOT FORCE SOMEONE TO CARE ABOUT A CHARACTER FOR ANY REASON AND STILL MAKE AN ETHICAL ARGUMENT OUT OF IT JFC

it wasn't meant to be discourse on my end either. i was trying to offer an alternate reason or perspective of approaching what op seemed to think was an issue given the wording of the post, by offering my personal experience. i also never said op was wrong, by the way, my expression of disbelief was also put alongside me going "maybe it's just the people i follow" because i tend to follow people who, when they do genderbends, are also avid fans of the canon women too, they just like the men they're genderbending more. hence why they're doing that.

this expectation within fandom that people must create content of female characters - or ANY characters - lest they be accused of despising them or not appreciating them is going to be the death of fandom and i'm so fucking serious. you CANNOT insist people spend their time making shit for FREE that they aren't 100% jazzed and excited about in FANDOM SPACES and then get mad when they don't do that and expect fandom to be something that continues for generations as it has in the past

and for the record seeing as how op reblogged with this which. where do i even start lmao. ik they've written me off as a woman-hating misogynist so i'm not expecting good faith arguments in response from them but, c'est la vie

[nerves-nebula]

i think my mother might be abusive.

She's really controlling over the smallest things, and will get mad if I don't do things exactly the way she wants. She has really high standards of me, and it feels like to reach those standards,I'll have to lose anything that makes me happy.

But she can also be really nice.whej I was a little kid, she would make me really elaborate birthday cakes. She truely loves me.

But I feel like the love is stifling, like I can never tell her anything for fear of judgement. If I do anything she doesn't like, I'm persecuted,and she always wants me to do horrible things like manipulate people, be fake, and cheat and lie and be a bad person just to get good grades or something.

Am I wrong?

ok bud look your first mistake is asking a random internet stranger to validate you cuz like. what if i said NO? you're setting yourself up to be hurt if it turns out im a dickhead. and your second mistake is thinking you can be wrong about how you feel.

now i might have a stricter definition of love than most people but i'd ask if your definition of love includes someone completely trampling over your desires (i've found a lot of peoples do, when it comes to parents)

nah but fr thats just what i did when i was with my parents and it made me realize oh hey they dont ACTUALLY love me. they like the idea of their child and of being parents but those fuckers don't know shit about me. and if that counts as love then so does like. a creepy stalker who's obsessed with me. i mean they both "care" about me right? and if boundaries/what I want doesn't matter to them, then how do i differentiate the two kinds of "love"? i literally don't tell my parents where I live because I don't want them to do shit like move in near me or visit me cuz if they did i wouldn't be able to stop them.

yknow my mom made us a lot of deserts. a lot more than most ppls mothers i think. it was probably the nicest part of my childhood. and she cooked these huge elaborate dinners based on whatever we wanted for our birthdays. if i wanted bacon wrapped filet mignon (one of her favorites, so i'd sometimes ask for it cuz i knew she liked it and i loved my mom and wanted her to be happy) or taco pizza or hot cross buns I'd get it. and she'd spend all day cooking and we'd set the table with the fancy plates and it was. nice. she did a lot of things a Good Mom was supposed to do.

she was and is still a horrible bitch to live with.

THE POINT IM TRYNA MAKE IS THAT YOU'RE ASKING ALL THE WRONG QUESTIONSSS MAN. abusive parents are often not abusive 100% of the time cuz they're people who do Other Things, they're not like machines for abuse. There's no reason someone can't abuse and manipulate you and also make you a cool cake. I can't tell you if your mom is abusive idk ur situation, but you can tell me if you feel abused or steamrolled or manipulated. which it sounds like you do, so. there's that.

normally the next step would be to try to talk to your mom about this but

If I do anything she doesn't like, I'm persecuted

that doesn't seem feasible rn sooo. idk. my way of dealing with it was to make as few waves as possible until i moved out for college.

[11queensupreme11]

What if later on in the story where there is a prediction one of the seven demigods could die during the battle, the ROR gods might be worried that Percy might die if they are not there to protect her? I know that in the books that Percy and the other demigods went to meet Asclepius to get an antidote that can bring someone back to life but it can be used once. I am not going to say which person died and was brought back. I was wondering in ROR world, how would the gods react to someone being brought back to life like would they also be upset? I mean PJO Zeus and Hades were not happy at all about someone being brought back because they think it would disrupt balance of life and death.

hades and the other underworld gods would definitely be displeased UNLESS the resurrection was supposed to happen, and thankfully that's the case for jason, hazel, and leo!

but anyway, ur first question, the thing about the seven is that FOUR OF THEM SHOULD'VE DIED. back in pjo series, it was literally stated that the number 3 held huge importance. back in battle of the labyrinth, chiron even stated that every time more than 3 kids left for a quest, ONLY THREE would return while the others die or are left behind. the quest to rescue artemis was proof of that; 5 ppl left, but only 3 came back.

and yet that went out the window when hoo came (another reason i didn't like it ughhhhh).

but back to ur question, yeah they would definitely be freaking out!!! they absolutely don't give a shit about the other six, percy's their number 1 priority and they're pretty much ripping their hair out every time she's put in danger

[ganthritorchic]

I am not sure I am going to articulate this with any semblance of clarity. I expect this to be mostly rambling

The short version is I'm trying to figure out my own internal heuristics on how I decide something is relevant to me, others, my disbelief at others going into places and just doing or saying the most unhinged thing for the context and are genuine about it.

I'm at work today and I'm part of a voluntary work group thing that exists to facilitate changes in tech and be guinea pigs to test stuff out before or if it's rolled out enterprise wide. I fell into being part of the guiding committee and my sub team is committed to facilitating new associates to the group getting settled in--this has been a BIG OPPORTUNITY for this group. VERY sink or swim, after they drowned you with a firehose. I've only been involved in it about a year. We had a "getting started/intro" meeting today and a dude in it is like. "I have been in this a year and still don't know what to do" and I'm just like. Imma facilitate THE SHIT outta this.

And I did! With patience and genuine investment. But like. How????? Sure, this IS voluntary and is not the job I(or the bulk of the ppl involved) do that pays my bills. But if you go to the monthly meeting... Or watch the recording of it the meeting after. Or read ANY of the posts on the group in Teams. How do you NOT know what you should do??? WHY didn't you ask? Your question wasn't dumb by any means! But why wait a YEAR????

We just rolled out a new task we're responsible for on our team. Some of us have been doing it for years, most have not. Multiple genuine times have been offered to ppl if they had questions if they needed help did they feel lost..... And NO ONE FOR WEEKS has asked. They have just been.... Suffering?

And then I started pushing. Offering to shadow, share my notes, show me working, answer questions. Doing so individually and in team meetings. It's a job, sure and the state of the world is WILD rn. I too would rather not be here. But to sit there and just ignore the work, or miserable bc you feel stupid about not getting it bc it's new to you? WILD.

I ask so many questions at work. All the damn time. And I take notes and all that jazz.

I go online. I game, go all over. Here. And you just see over and over people what looks like blatantly refusing to read the room. Don't try to figure shit out. Maybe I just have a fucked up perspective.

But like...

If you're playing a game and it's not working for you and you blame the game this is generally one of several problems. If it wasn't to your address in the first place and you're not engaging with it in the generally intended manner. Don't blame a game bc you suck at interfacing with it--the game in this example is an exploration game. You are genuinely intended to go EVERYWHERE. If you can't find your way through the plot, there ARE points you can fuck your up, but the dev has been GREAT about helping ppl on the boards and I'm providing the tools to help yourself but it doesn't hold your hand. You are supposed to fuckin GO AND LOOK. And to say you don't think that is what you should have to when that is the FUCKING POINT....uhhhh what???

I was in another games forum and this one player very politely and nicely was like. "I am being harassed in multi player. There are no tools in your mp games to address this can we do something about it?" And he was. It's been a month and this other fuck is harassing them in chat being dumb in games, etc all harassing actions. And to read that forum, which I should know better now, you would think this person asking for some reasonable solution was the fuckin WORST. They were all upset bc OP of the post was going into MP to learn to play the game. On MP. Which is different than single versus the computer. What's happening to this dude is more than the time honored tradition of smack talk. And the one fuck was like "I'm reporting YOU for harassment bc you're a liar and your malicious about wasting someone else's time in MP" and I'm just like????????? Do you ... All not have anything better to do?

I got away from myself. If a game is ultimately not to your address. If a game IS actually designed poorly. If there are bugs. If he directions for what should be really really clear are just wrong. If the UI doesn't do the work. If the controls suck are or unable to be adjusted.

There is a fine line to build a game where you have an intended way to play and how much ability you provide to players to tweak it to their preference. Like. I LOVE Hades the game. Suck at it! But not bc of the game. When I die, it is bc I put Zag in the dumbest place or didn't pick my boons real well or didn't figure out how to use what I had. And that's on ME. Not the fuckin game. EVEN if that game WAS cheating me somehow it didn't feel like it. My runs ended bc I was a dumb bitch who needed to keep playing and get better lol.

And then that gets me to Tumblr. I KNOW I KNOW. It's fuckin Tumblr. It's WILD to see the takes you see here. But like. Going into a fandom and getting mad you see ppl shipping and doing any and all the things that go on in there? Why are you in there. What did you expect to find. Why didn't you research the concept before you jumped in?

Is it me. I must be the weirdo. I too am not without hypocrisy but I do try to minimize it. but like. Before I do or go into something I do a minimum bit of recon generally. I ask questions. I Want To Know. Even if only very surface level. Proximate knowledge of many things.

Which leads me all the way to you to the way first point, how I think I try to organize, sort, identify components of things in my life and around me.

Because there ARE things I should pay attention to and stick my nose or maintain a degree of agency in it. I.e. My Internet settings, who I interact or don't with. Blocking tags here. Driving and paying attention to others while driving.

There ARE things I want or need to pay attention to, but aren't my fuckin business even if it annoyed or grossed me out. I.e. What ppl ship and how they do it can be something I don't wanna see or am just not into but there isn't really a wrong way to do it in most cases.

I would put it down to being nosey but that's not really it though. I just don't know how you can interact with your life and the stuff around you if don't know how it works and aren't curious about it. If only to know "hey I'm not going to fuck around with that and get a pro to do it" like. I would much rather do plumbing shit before I do electrical but I can change an outlet successfully. Fuck drywall though don't have patience for that. My bathroom is so ugly for that lololol.

You don't need to know everything. Just how to find the solution/answer/best guess/expert. That post about 13 younger voters who all voted for that 🍊 turd. And if that's real... Those reasons are. Not great. And I can only be ??? ???????? Bc NONE of those are good reasons. How can you not care enough to find out? It directly effects you, if those were real.

I don't know. And this is alllllll over the place. Out of my head now though. Guess that's good

[xjustonemoremiraclex]

rwrb thoughts from someone who hasn't read the book (yet)

The good/general thoughts:

pleasantly surprised by the acting! which I know sounds mean, but listen, I saw these guys in other things and I wasn't suuuper into them, so it was a nice surprise lol

THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THE TWO again, pleasantly surprised by that lol they played off each other SO well

10/10 soundtrack, it definitely took inspiration from older rom-coms and I loved it <3

PS I really liked all the side characters! I wish we'd gotten to spend a little more time with some of them, but everyone was pretty great <3 also, all the women were awesome, and I am very gay and very in love <3

Ok, I really, REALLY liked how they showed the two of them texting each other, and the whole editing around it. It was pretty cute

I was living for all the latine songs at the new year's party, that was a nice touch

ok, when everyone was getting down at the party and alex and henry stayed up and stared at each other and time slowed down, I know it was supposed to be romantic, but I have to say it: it was also the funniest shit I've ever seen lol

henry at the party is giving both 'i have social anxiety and my only friend here is a social butterfly and keeps leaving to be with other people send help' and 'i thought you invited me here as a first date kind of thing but you're dancing and making out with other people and i'm feeling so betrayed rn :('

'christ you're as thick as it gets *kiss*' LMAO

Listen, I'm not usually into rom-coms (I say, like a liar), but I was pretty happy with the writing, in general. I laughed at all the funny parts, got emotional over all the dramatic ones and swooned at the romance bits. Great job, everyone

'I just can't afford for you to fall in love with me' LMAO babe, we're WAY past that. On both sides

ok, full disclosure: I don't really like sex scenes all that much (there's nothing wrong with them, I'm just very ace lol), so I usually just use my phone while they're happening, and while I did that a little bit here too, I was still paying attention, and honestly, they were pretty sweet. They did a good job. And, like, I have no idea why the film was R-rated lol you literally don't see anything

again, love the little montages that show the passing of time, while also showing they're keeping in touch and getting to know each other better and stuff. It makes the relationship between the two and the way it's developing feel a bit less rushed, which is nice

ZAHRA MY MOST BELOVED

YES PLEASE I WANT TO SEE THAT POWERPOINT PRESENTATION THANK YOU

KARAOKEEEE

alex giving an impassioned romantic speech to henry, about to confess his love: // henry:

'I didn't want to break his heart' - oh, honey, you already did :(

'to tell you that I love you, knowing that you wouldn't say it back' brb sobbing

NOT CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE 😭😭😭

'because when they write the history of my life, I want it to include you and my love for you' help i'm dying 😭😭😭😭😭😭

MIGUEL DON'T THINK I DON'T KNOW IT WAS YOU please die in a fire <3

alex's speech was really good by the way 🥺

LOVESICK HOMOSEXUALS LMAO ZAHRA MY BELOVED

'baby' screaming crying throwing up jgdkfk

I FORGOT THE KING WAS STEPHEN FRY why is this so funny to me

SEQUEL WHEN

The... less good?/general questions:

Kinda wish there'd been a bit more enemies in my enemies-to-lovers film

'he just grabbed my hair in a way that made me understand the difference between rugby and footbal'' - please, I beg you, someone smarter than me - what the fuck does this mean 😭 ppl are LIVING for this quote and I'm like ??????

this is probably me being stupid and ignorant lol but why would alex's relationship cost his mum the election? like, from what I've seen, her government has been very pro-queer, that's not really a secret, so her son being queer and in a relationship with a man shouldn't lose her any voters..? the people who are against 'the queers' were not going to vote for her in the first place, soooo..? me is confused

honestly, this is probably an unpopular opinion, but... the king was not that bad? like, i'm not saying he's not kind of homphobic and kind of a dick lol but i get the impression that everything stems from the whole thing about sticking to tradition and public image and bla bla. Like, again, obviously, part of that involves homophobia, but I think that on a personal level, he... doesn't really care? Even at the end, he's like 'ok, are you absolutely sure about this, cause there's no going back. Yes? Really? Well, go off I guess *long-suffering sigh*'. Like, I got way more homophobic vibes from phillip than the king idk 🤷‍♀️ (I really hope I don't have to clarify that this only applies to the film, and not like, the real life crown lol)

Sooo, as I said, I haven't read the book yet, but I've seen some posts about it, and I think after watching the film I've realized that it's biggest flaw is that it's that - a film. It's a great film, don't get me wrong! And it's pretty obvious I really liked it. But damn, I'm a firm believer that book adaptations only work as series. They don't have to be super long or anything, but there is just no way to fit everything in a book in a two hour film. And yeah, when you're adapting something you have to make some changes, but Idk, it's kind of a shame that you lose so much (and even without reading the book, I can tell there's a lot of stuff missing). In any case, I can't talk too much about it until I read the book, but yeah 🤷‍♀️ It does seem like they did a good job, though - like, it genuinely can stand on its own really well, but I guess I'll have to find out for myself

Also, tagging @silassstingy bc I promised her my thoughts on the film and she might give me some interesting insights on some of the stuff I mentioned, cause she's a queen like that <3

[landhoe-norris]

I see so many Lando fans screaming, crying, throwing up hoping he'll get a win to "silence the haters" and like …. Lando could win a championship and people would still harass and spread misinformation about him - a win isn't going to change that.

While it would be nice to stop reading "Nowins" all the time, I don't want a win to one-up the haters, I want a win for HIM. He's given so much of himself to this team. He's apologized to them every time he's screwed up - frankly, he's shouldered a lot of blame to defend them when they've screwed up. He's shared his data with his the competitors he'll be compared to first - two different teammates - all to advance the team even if that becomes his own detriment. He defended this team and their shit start to the season, even had his own fans calling him petulant and disrespectful when he rejected Jenson's (who he clearly respects and admires) opinion that staying with McLaren had been a bad decision. Yet this same team, that he spent his first 2 years helping rebuild, spent 2021-2022 essentially carrying on his back, and has spent 2023 being leader of and defending has never returned the favor anytime he's come close to a win. Between 2 different occasions of team orders where he could have likely fought for that maiden win, 2 different strategy blunders including one where he was just given a complete lack of information that somehow every other driver on the grid was given complete information for.

And now we're in a situation where he won't be happy until he stands on that top step. Because this man should not be qualifying P2 at a track the car isn't even strongly suited for and then immediately beating himself up and criticizing himself for it as if that performance wasn't incredible.

And I know that self-criticism is going to continue to happen because the novelty of P2 has worn off for him, he's ready to move up to the next step, but the team clearly isn't ready for that. Hell, the team itself can barely congratulate and support him when he puts on amazing qualis now.

And God I don't even know at this point. He loves this team, he's given everything for them, but I still hope he has the strength to walk away if it comes to choosing between team loyalty and never getting to recognize his full potential. I am and always have been a McLaren fan, but the way Lando has been treated by supposed "fans" for the past 3 years (which the team leadership allowed and didn't really say/do anything to prevent or discourage) and now even the team leadership refusing to rally around him when clearly some of that 2019 "I'm not good enough" mentality is coming back has me wondering if this new leadership team isn't headed in a completely different direction than the one that truly allowed Lando to thrive, both professionally and personally, in 2020-2022.

preach! i know that nothing this man will do will ever make the ef's of social media stfu. i want the win for him. he's put so much into his career, put so much into mclaren and he deserves everything back. and when i say deserve i mean it. cause ppl are always like "you don't deserve anything in f1", well fuck that cause he deserves all the success he can get. he's so good, like i can't keep making dissertations about how good he is (mainly because i'm running out of words 😭).

agree with all of this. love you 🥰

[7ndipity]

Hiiii! Happy New Year and congratulations on the 2K followers!! You totally deserve it, your writing is top tier ❤️ I hope the shipping game isn't over, but if it is, feel free to ignore! :)

I am a college student, and my sign is Cancer, and my personality is basically this: I am a smartass who owns it, clumsy af-always keeps breaking and losing stuff, has a teensy bit of leader instinct, pretty good at speeches, but at the same time I'm pretty childish, and people immediately assume I am very innocent due to my babyface™ when in fact I'm not lmao. I'm very good at using my cuteness to get my way, no one can resist me hehehe and I'd also call myself a pretty good singer! But I can get whiny and pouty when I don't get my way. I am a girlie girl who still loves pink lol! I love reading books so much that I forget the world around me when I start a book. I love music, especially singing. I can also be dramatic af. I am also hopelessly romantic, and want to be swept off my feet. I'm super optimistic, and try to look at the bright side. I can also be crazy and weird at times. Also can get ridiculously clingy - I'm a very lovely dovey person, I'll be randomly hugging and smooching my loved ones whenever I feel like it, and the sort of person to blurt out ily at the most random times. I love it when ppl remember a very teensy weeny detail about me and when they take the effort to try something just cause I recommended it. Especially if it's books and music. I have a very dumb sense of humour, and I tend to be unintentionally funny to people. I've also got a very short temper, and the moment my patience wears thin shit goes down and I turn into a screaming banshee lol.

Physically, I'm a shortie so I get teased very much about it and tho I've gotten used to it over the years it still bothers me. Also super insecure about my thicc thighs and big butt 😩 andddd I have a very tiny button nose which again was the butt of many jokes since school but I've learnt to embrace my cute nose! I do have a nice dimpled smile and that's the only physical feature about myself that I like. My eyes are kinda big too, not bambi-big, but still, pretty big. Again, like I mentioned, I have a babyface so people think I'm still in school 💀 and my high pitched voice doesn't help either.

In short, people describe me as a cute, smart and sunshiney person. I think that pretty much sums me up! Whoops that turned out longer than expected, sorry :(

Looking forward to your answer, and thank youuuu in advance! You're the best 🫰🏼

I would ship you with Jin, and maybe Tae! They're both classic romantics, and are quite physically affectionate, though in slightly different ways, and although they're quite stubborn and dramatic too, I think they would potentially match your energy.

I think Jin's into that classic girly girl vibe(he would also be into princess treatment), so he would find your style and energy quite attractive(Also, I firmly believe that he’s a thighs man, and I will die on that hill) Plus, he would love that you have a similar silly sense of humor, the man needs someone to laugh at his dad jokes!

Tae also has a love for softer, sweet styles, and he’s also has that cuter, baby-ish energy at times, but with that mischievous nature underneath, which means you'd both see right through your games, but you'd still go along with them anyways, lol!(Also Capricorns are supposed to be a good match for Cancers)

Hope this was alright💜

[my-castles-crumbling]

Hey! It's gc anon, as you've so named me, here's your update! (very confusing...)

Also, good luck on your new job! Wishing you luck 🫶🫶

So, I don't know if I clarified this in the first ask, but the 3 people in my class who were in the friend group and chat were NOT active in the crap talking, i just know they were in the chat. It was only Jacob and two other people. I suppose it's also important to note that those three ppl (the shit talkers, ima call them the Plastics bc mean girls is iconic) are completely gone from the school I attend where we all became friends. I will never see any of them again. Anyways, back to the point.

I was nervous going into that class and seeing them all, even not truly knowing what they specifically thought. It was odd though. They all greeted me like normal, and then right in front of me were talking about the hangout they had without me, not even trying to hide it. That was kinda weird flag one. By the end of the class I decided that I was going to ask them what I did to the Plastics and/or the rest of the group, and I would say that I saw the messages off of someone's lockscreen. So that's what I did.

And when I tell you they were shocked and appalled. Like shocked. Like this guy:🫢

They said that they were told by the Plastics and thought that I didn't want to be friends with them... that I was "stepping away and making other friends." For context...these ppl were my best friends, like my whole world last year. They said they hadn't read the gc (not really suspicious as none of them were normally on insta, which is where the gc was) and they had no idea what it's about. They were also adamant that the Plastics had not given them any context. It would explain why they would talk about the hangout in front of me, assuming they thought I didn't care.

Frankly, I don't know at this point. They could be lying to save face (we're all in theatre, and I know they're all very good actors, so I can't leave it out of the question even though I find it unlikely) or they could be sincere. I'm leaning towards sincere however because when I walked into class today, the second day, they were all very eager to talk to me and joke around, even getting us in "trouble" a couple times for talking too much. They seemed to enjoy my company.

I'm not sure of anything at this point, I am very bamboozled, but I've sorta made some half baked decisions.

1. All the Plastics are no bueno and I won't affiliate with them at all. Which, if you recall, is very easy seeing as the three of them are gone from my vicinity.

2. The three people in my class seem safe, but I'm not going to get in deep friendship with them again, because they could be lying. Why they would, I don't know, but I also know to not trust things as they seem when it comes to teenager drama.

3. At this point, I still don't know what I did, and I've decided I don't wanna know. That is not my problem, and if I knew, I would probably obsess over it and take down my mental health. I have a total James Potter complex where I want everyone to be happy but forget to take care of myself, so this is me trying to put my sanity first.

I don't know if this completes the gc anon saga, but it looks like it's done for now. I'll update you if there's a major update I suppose.

Thank you for being kind, you deserve all the good things this world has to offer, truly.

Ciao!🫶

Hi!

I think your decisions (1, 2, 3) are perfect. It sounds like you know yourself and the other people involved pretty well, and I'm proud of you for handling this all well! Keep me updated if anything else happens!

[anachronistic-falsehood]

EPISODE 19 TRIVIA:

- PRAISING YAKKO FOR HIS ACTING BC HE MADE THE REST OF THEM REALLY EMOTIONAL. well deserved.

- a chorus of "fuck mark hes such a shitty dad" from all of them . however i am immune to this bc unfortunately i love mark . he sucks so bad (affectionate)

- the phrase "gaslight, gatekeep, gillion tidestrider" came up. i know you have not listened to riptide so this is mostly just for me but i am CRACKING up over this

- "okay i wanna know. yakko how do you feel about the episode" ".... i feel....." << he does not finish this sentence

- "i hope we get to Weekend At Bernies williams corpse"

- ok so theyre talking about how much theyre emotionally invested in alk of their characters and bizly goes "i was watching animatics of my character [<< referring to chip from riptide] earlier and almost cried" this isnt rlly trivia but i love shit like this . i love when the ppl who make a thing are just as passionate about it as fans are and open about that fact. makes me happy

- NEVERMIND THEYRE TALKING ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY HATE MARK AGAIN. which i mean. ok. valid. but also free my man.

- grizzly: mark makes me so angry just as a person that it makes it hard to play dakota. dakotas not supposed to be so angry but i cant help it i just want to yell at him

- grizzly thought william possessed the guard by accident at first and he was gonna wake up in the guards body

- condi: can you possess vyncent

charlie: NO????

- now they want to do a body swap episode. i also think this would be extremely funny (they have not done one of those yet :[ )

- i cant remember if this has ever been said in an ep or not but the main w.a.t.c.h base is in space which is why the heroes keep saying theyre off world.

HI ok im gonna try 2 answer the rest of these 2day. forgive me if i don't tho i am doing. my best <3

YAKKO i love yakko. tbh when ashe was first introduced and i watched the video version i thought yakko was a beautiful trans woman. i was incorrect and he is in fact Just Some Guy but thats ok i love guys who are Just Some Guy <3 either way ashe is trans 2 me this headcanon is real and true trust me yakko told me himself

GOD I WISH THEY GOT TO WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S WILLIAM'S CORPSE. how fucking funny would it be if they dragged that thang around school and somehow managed to fool people into thinking he's still alive and well. every day i wish they had done that

I LOVE WHEN PPL ARE INVESTED IN THE CHARACTERS THEY PLAY!!!! big reason i love qcellbit so much. cellbit fucking loved that little guy. every day i curse the universe for ending the qsmp so soon. where is his lore. gimme a conclusion. where is my cat i miss him

WHY DO THEY HATE MARK SO MUCHHHHH thats so funny. world's most hated single widowed divorced dad. give my man a break he doesn't deserve all that <3

A BODY SWAP EPISODE WOULD BE SO SILLY!!!! how would that work for vyncent?? would his classes/headmates follow him to a new body or would whoever he switches bodies with just be stuck with a bunch of fucking guys in their head??? are william's powers connected to his soul or something and not his body so would they follow him to another body or what??? much 2 think about......

[demonsfate]

anonymous sent . . .

thank you for your in-detail posts about my boi jin kazama and the tekken series in general i really enjoy your blog. yes, i agree the battle pass is bullshit and they should've either included them tekken 7 port outfit at launch or made new costumes for the cast.

anyways, i also hate how some people in the tekken fandom and outsiders thinks jin kazama is "selfish". i mean he is supportive of xiaoyu's dreams in tekken 4 and tekken 8 instead of calling her something like "an annoying foolish idiot for having such pathetic dreams". he also saved hwoarang's ass from the south korean military in hwoarang's tekken 4 ending. jin literally entered the king of iron fist tournament 3 and bothered with martial arts competitive tournaments in the first place because he thought his mother died and wanted to avenge her. hell he also saved lars's ass when he was about to die to kazuya and freed nina from being brainwashed by ogre. anyways like i said, your blog is amazing and i hope you have a wonderful day.

thank you so so much anon and you're welcome!!! the funny thing is, unlike many players, i wasn't even fully against the store when it was initially announced. like... i didn't mind the idea of buying legacy or new outfits they'd develop later into the game's release. i don't completely mind the idea of microtransactions as long as they're fairly priced and were good content for the price. the problem arose when i quickly realized the first 4 items were all ports from the older games. they were $5 per outfit for stuff they didn't even remake from the ground up, but instead we're paying $5 for assets that are outdated and look horrible compared to the graphics in tek8. and then the predatory practices of how you buy these assets. the fact that outfits are supposed to be $4, but the lowest amount of coins you can buy are the 500, so technically outfits are $5. the option to buy coins should be 100 ($1) 200 ($2) and then so on until you reach 2000 ($20) coins. so how they do that, along with the ports, is just super scummy. you should only have to pay for original content, not fuckin' ports (that frankly, sometimes modders port better lol) then the battle pass happened and it's like... really? do we REALLY need a season pass, a store, AND a battle pass? it's just so much. especially when the battle pass mostly had shit that should've been in the game already for free. (the female gi outfit??? even though males had that to begin with. or the eye colors - fuck, eyes should just be recolorable in general. and some hairs which were hairs we already had but ... they have to the option to be dual colored lol, and so on)

it drives me wild that there were so many people claiming jin was "selfish" or that he doesn't care about anyone. when not only did he do all that stuff you've mentioned, but like... i know a lotta ppl forget this, including the game's writers themselves, but the whole reason jin wanted to kill heihachi and kazuya to begin with is because he believed they were evil, and he wanted to save the world from their evil. like jin just wanted to save the world and protect people from the beginning. it's funny that a LOT of ppl would try to claim jin being evil makes sense because he wanted revenge in tek3??? even though the whole revenge thing was Only in his first appearance, and like... there are so many other characters who want revenge, too. ironically, i don't see anyone really calling miguel evil. also, it was said in the 3rd game that ogre was "absorbing souls" (like he did with heihachi) and i thought fighters from previous tournaments were "mysteriously disappearing". in jin's ending, when ogre burst into bright lights, i thought that was supposed to be the souls he took returning to their bodies. whilst i'm not entirely sure if that's true or not, if i am right, it would also mean jin saved many fighters. also in tk5, when jin said he couldn't keep his promise to hwoarang, and hwoarang immediately got angry (jealous????) by asking jin if he found "someone stronger" than him, jin immediately denies this by saying "that's not what i'm saying." if jin didn't care about hwoarang... wouldn't you think he'd insult hwoarang by calling him weak or trying to instigate him? no, instead - jin didn't even deny how strong hwoarang was, he was just simply busy with family drama.

also jin supporting xiao's dreams, supporting hwoarang, wanting to save the world, are evidence that jin isn't an "edgelord" like a lotta ppl like to call him. like the only "evidence" that jin was an "edgelord" is tekken 6 damages, and the fact he wanted to kill himself in tek4. but like... the only reason he wanted to kill himself because he feared devil posed a serious threat to the world and his loved ones. the only time jin acted uncaring was in tekken 6 and the era of tekken 6 (see street fighter x tekken, and the kof crossover) and well, i just think it's unfair to use that game to judge jin's character because goddamn, i KNOW it's jin, but it's not jin if you know what i mean. like if you compare tekken 6 jin to how jin was depicted in previous games (or even in 8), then he's completely unrecognizable - the only thing he really shares with the jin we all know and love is the name and the design lmao. but for some reason, ppl just can't look at the character critically like that.

anyway, my long rant is over with and i hope you are having a wonderful day, too!!! <:-)