#accidental country diary

[mostlyfate]

PARK SOO YOUNG as AHN JA YOUNG ONCE UPON A SMALL TOWN 어쩌다 전원일기 2022, dir. Kwon Seok Jang

[consumeronionbulletin]

Once Upon a Small Town (2022)

It's hard to dislike this show, even if it's the TV equivalent of a giant fluffy bag of cotton candy. It's short, sweet, safe, and uses a bunch of familiar tropes. It feels like Hometown Cha x 3 only with a smaller budget, and way more farm animals.

There's a meet cute, followed by a long lost Childhood Connection, with both leads having an Orphan Family Story, as well as a Double Love Triangle with a Surprise Ex-Girlfriend. The writing feels lazy, but they manage to do just enough work that it doesn't feel like pandering. You know from the beginning that the OTP will make it okay, and that the love pentagram will be complete, with everyone important paired off just in time for the last episode.

The Performances

Park Soo-young (aka "Joy") as Ahn Ja-young. Park Soo-young has an entire career as part of a K-pop group (which I know nothing about), but she's started to branch out into acting. She's pretty good in this. I think it helps that this is a small series with no one there to outshine her, but she's onscreen with kids, and animals, and (despite the cliche) she isn't completely upstaged. I even felt genuine feels a couple of times from her performance.

Chu Young-woo as Han Ji-yul. The other lead is also a very young actor, but kept enough of my interest that I never got bored with him. Again, it helped that his character was a bit of a stoic, but he was obviously trying his best and had a few good moments, especially the episode with the Old Man and the 30-year-old Bull. I wouldn't say his chemistry was off the charts, but this was basically the Korean equivalent of a Lifetime Movie, so it didn't have to be.

Park Ye-ni as Young-Sook. I picked this show up because I enjoyed watching her play a side character in You Are My Spring. The writers didn't give her much to work with until the end, but she did a good job with it and was able to bring out a few good moments in the last 3-4 episodes when they gave her something to do. Still funny and fun to watch.

Baek Seong-cheol as Lee Sang-hyeon. Normally, this character is the boring third wheel, and his/her job is to help the OTP figure out their feelings and then disappear. One of the smarter things the writers did was to make this character be a childhood friend who is a pretty decent guy. Instead of just getting dumped on, he was helpful and supportive of Ahn Ja-young. He just wanted something that she didn't. The downside to this choice is that it can make all of the characters seem indecisive and wishy-washy, but the acting (especially from Baek Seong-cheol) was good enough that you felt like you understood and respected the characters instead.

Everyone else. The Auntie brigade was fun. The small town cops were okay. The little kiddos were largely okay, and even good in a few places. All of the side characters (including Old Guy With 30-year-old Bull) were good. The actor who played the ex-girlfriend was very new but didn't mess things up. So there's no big complaints.

TL; DR:

It's a cute show that you can just put on with dinner or in the background and not worry about it. It knows what it's trying to do, and it manages to accomplish most of those goals without screwing up. If you like fluffy romance stories, you'll probably enjoy this.

[squidthusiast]

Ok, but why do I imagine Eight being the unofficial child of Pearl x Marina?

Because I imagine Eight was minding their business and all of a sudden, Pearl would slam the paper down and said “You’re adopted now”

Basically OTH at the start of their world tour haha, I love that they took Eight with them.

I have more detailed thoughts under the cut for those interested in my ramblings, analysis and interpretations of the characters.

Disclaimer: This is my own take on it, don’t let it ruin your fun!

I personally don’t really subscribe to the fandom’s ‘pearlina moms��� headcanon.

On the one hand, I am an absolute sucker for the ‘found family’ trope, and I definitely think Agent 8 and OTH fit in it!

On the other hand, I think people immediately put Pearl and Marina into the ‘parenthood’ box, a little too eagerly. Not saying this specific ask is that, btw, it just reminded me of some instances i’ve seen.

I personally think that the relationship between OTH and Agent 8 is a little more nuanced & sibling-esque, for the following reasons:

1. Within canon, we often see 8 being referred to as a friend by both Pearl and Marina.

Pearl does it more explicitly (see that one interview at her house), whereas with Marina it’s more insinuated (ex. In the Side Order dev diaries, she starts calling Agent 8 as ‘Eight’, which is stated to be a name used by their friends).

Pearl seems to be an accidental-duck-parent of sorts who haphazardly collects octoling teenagers & young musical talent. It goes in line with her whole mentor-esque leader personality, and i’m sure these disoriented teens find relief in an idol who seemingly knows what she’s doing (she really doesn’t).

However she doesn’t act in a parental manner. More-so like your estranged gay cousin who hit it big in another country and is down to show your queer little butt the ropes.

Marina on the other hand seems to have a more empathetic approach with Agent 8 (opposite to Pearl’s brashness). Marina clearly connects with Agent 8 through their shared experience as defected octoling soldiers, and probably sees her younger self in them. She’s already caring as it is, but this is accentuated during octo expansion given the circumstances.

I feel however that, unlike Pearl, Marina has a bit of a harder time actually forming a bond with Eight at the beginning. Their similarities (seemingly) end at their shared experience, and probably leaves Marina awkwardly wondering how to approach them further. What we can assume though is that they become closer friends during OTH’s world tour, given the events described in the Memverse Dev Diaries.

Meeting Eight during difficult circumstances (OE) and helping them get out creates a sense of camaraderie between them, which probably devolves into genuine care, established friendship and a strong bond amongst the three overtime.

2. Pearl and Marina are very career-centric both in Splat 2 and 3.

It is reasonable that the two young idols, who see their fame and musical recognition rise spectacularly & fast, are not particularly interested in settling down at this point in their lives.

Now entering her late 20s, Pearl is most definitely still interested in keeping the ball rolling with Off the Hook’s international success. Her character often points towards restlessness, freedom and discovery. There has definitely been character development in regards to her maturity in Splatoon 3, but these aforementioned traits are still ever present in her demeanour & decision-making.

Marina on the other hand can be seen slowly blossoming from a supporting character to being her own person. She definitely develops more self-confidence by Splatoon 3, but is still naturally bashful. It’s clear that she is allowing herself to explore & open up to new things for her own sake. She remains a caring and somewhat nurturing individual, but she is at a stage where she’s learning to live for herself and not for others.

Parenthood (and all the responsibilities and sacrifices it entails) at this moment of their lives would probably freak Pearl out, and stunt Marina’s personal growth.

3. The age gaps between OTH and Agent 8 are too close for it to create a parent/kid bond.

This makes their relationship a little hazy in regards to roles; 8 is still young enough that they may seek out rolemodels and mentors (still relatively influenceable), but they’re also nearing their 20s. By this point they are fairly self sufficient, have a sense of their personal values & identity, and they are relatively responsible & mature.

Pearl and Marina are 8’s seniors by approximately 4-6 years. However, in Splatoon 2 they’re entering their early 20s and their career has just begun to take off.

They are both still relatively youngsters, albeit older & more mature(? glancing at Pearl) youngsters than 8. This places them in a position where they can guide 8 and offer certain support and resources, but lack the maturity and experience of a full-fledged adult. This would approximate their relationship closer to that of siblings in a family setting.

Pearl & Marina are also less likely to feel a duty towards Eight as an adult would with a child. Instead, the latter’s circumstances are more likely to incite feelings of rapport and compassion as a fellow young inkfish.

Now, with all of this said, I will acknowledge that friendship/found family is MUCH more nuanced than a strict binary.

From personal experience in my last years of college, I did find myself caring for my fellow freshmen as though they were my kids, in certain ways. Hell, I called them my kids.

I acted as a proud parent whenever some of them achieved something, attempted to pass down my knowledge to them, and was protective of them to a certain extent.

They also annoyed me sometimes, like younger people do haha. And i’m sure I annoyed them too!

So I wouldn’t put it past OTH to call Eight their kid and have this mentor/parent-esque rapport with them in certain circumstances.

This is all based both on canon & my own interpretations of it, but still closely aligned to what has been shown in-game.

So if you have a different interpretation of Agent 8 and OTH, that’s great! I love to see people’s personal headcanons. Ultimately, Agent 8 is meant to be somewhat of a blank slate for the players to mold, with some hinted-at personality traits of their own.

As long as you have fun with these characters, that’s all that matters. This is just my personal opinion on their relationship in-game.

If you read all of this, you deserve the biggest golden star for listening to my incessant yapping 🤲⭐️

Feel free to bother me about this or other opinions you may have in my inbox, just be kind please!

[hrrtshape]

things i love in my FAME DR

⋆  drinking champagne on a random tuesday just because i can.

⋆  driving a vintage convertible with the top down in LA traffic, blasting my own songs.

⋆  being so known that people quote my lyrics like poetry on social media.

⋆  the absolute artistry in my vogue italia cover shoots.

⋆  randomly flying to paris…or milan…..or berlin for a dior, miu miu…HERMESSSS fitting—because, duh, i’m their muse.

⋆  seeing my movies being studied in film schools like they’re modern classics.

⋆  sneaking a cigarette on the balcony at the oscars after winning.

⋆  walking barefoot backstage because my heels were killing me.

⋆  getting unhinged fan edits that make me cry and scream at the same time.

⋆  performing at coachella while visibly high off my rocker—and nobody caring.

⋆  writing songs that feel like therapy for me and my fans.

⋆  tom blyth. 

⋆  always having a stash of…uhm….special powder in my gucci clutch—classy, chic, unhinged. very 50s star.

⋆  wearing vintage chanel on grocery runs just to feel extra.

⋆  posing dramatically on yachts during european summers.

⋆  owning a gallery-worthy art collection in my mansion.

⋆  crying during interviews and still getting called “so brave and real.”

⋆  that iconic met gala moment when i wore THAT dress everyone still talks about.

⋆  my diary entries being turned into art—fans eat it up.

⋆  tripping on red carpets and making it fashion.

⋆  messy nights in ibiza.

⋆  doing photo shoots with baby animals just because it’s cute.

⋆  dressing like a modern marie antoinette for a themed gala.

⋆  fans tattooing my lyrics on their skin—forever.

⋆  spending a whole weekend at a spa retreat just to recover from partying.

⋆  hosting insane house parties where EVERYONE shows up.

⋆  scandals.

⋆  being so unapologetically messy that it’s endearing to the public.

⋆  being a walking contradiction—diva but down-to-earth.

⋆  leaving paparazzi photos with my mascara smudged everywhere—aesthetic.

⋆  showing up late to events but making an entrance.

⋆  my hair being an absolute serve 24/7, even messy buns.

⋆  touring the world, performing while fans scream every lyric back at me.

⋆  married men.

⋆  the unshakable LOVE from my fans, who see me for all my messy, beautiful, insane glory.

⋆ accidentally causing global trends—like wearing a mismatched outfit and suddenly it’s high fashion.

⋆  randomly disappearing from social media for weeks and sending fans into a frenzy.

⋆  posting cryptic captions that spark 10,000 conspiracy theories.

⋆  photographers constantly snapping candid pics of me reading some obscure classic novel in public. book club incoming ???

⋆  wearing diamonds that literally weigh more than my head. hell yea.

⋆  constantly being compared to old hollywood icons like elizabeth taylor, but with a “modern tragic edge.”

⋆  writing poetry on napkins during nights out.

⋆  sneaking into museums after-hours because art IS just better without people around.

⋆  my team dragging me out of the club because i have a press interview in six hours.

⋆  my, my, my, my!!! name constantly being whispered on red carpets—“she’s here.”

⋆  dilfs, part 2. did i stutter?

⋆  fans screaming louder for me than anyone else at film premieres. i’m a bit of an attention whore if u haven’t decoded that already😔

⋆  causing heated debates over my most “controversial” songs (when I’m just vibing).

⋆  dropping albums with no promo, knowing it’ll still hit #1 in 47 countries. attention whore part 2.

⋆  literally JUST EXISTING and still being considered the cultural moment.

[bangtanhoneys]

GRACE TOUR DIARY: April 3rd 2025 - New York City

The red roses were the first thing Grace woke up to the next morning. She could see them in their vase as they sat on the vanity table of the bedroom of her hotel suite, and the team had already packed away the teddy bear. It was going to be a long but hectic day—soundcheck, go through any rehearsals of pieces that needed a last-minute touch, and then it would be the concert, and afterwards, straight to the airport to head to Seoul.

It was a little vacation, but at the same time, the concert that the idol industry and the government had put together as a tribute to BTS had fallen right in the middle of her tour. It was a little amusing that they would do this after everything that they had put BTS as a group through. 

None of the boys would be performing, with those in the military given leave to attend. It had been put to her while she was planning her own concert whether she would attend or perform, seeing as she would be the only member to do so (something she questioned as to why she would be the only one performing but it was easier to bite your lip and say nothing).

There had been a lot of secret planning and a lot of secret rehearsals with those idols and groups already signed up, and somehow Seokjin had found out. He had accidentally seen the concert plans and set list, seeing Grace’s name predominantly with some of their hardest yet popular songs. Sworn to secrecy, Seokjin locked his mouth up, threw away the key, and said nothing. 

Yet the red roses and the note meant he hadn’t forgotten she would be flying into Seoul tomorrow, undercover to hide the fact she was back in the country. 

But that was later, and right now, Grace had to perform on the last night of the American leg of her tour.

Second nights were always easy—it was the same thing; maybe one or two costume changes added a bit of variety to the night—same venue, crew, dancers, city. There had been no major hiccups other than one VCR didn’t play on time for when it was needed, and some dancers wanted a run-through of two songs, In My Head and Dangerous Woman. Everyone knew the songs like the back of their hands, but sometimes a refresher was needed. 

After all, it had been a while since they had put together the concert with all the songs, VCRs, costumes, and dance routines. 

A long, refreshing shower woke up Grace, and she could see that her blonde dye would need a top-up soon. That would need to be added to the list of things to do the moment she got to Seoul, and that list was growing every moment. 

“Just think about your own concert, not that one coming up,” she muttered to herself as she changed into her casual clothes to go and get breakfast and meet up with the team.

There was nothing to report over breakfast, and with plenty of time until she had to drive over to the Barclays Center, she packed up everything in her room and mournfully looked at the red roses. They wouldn’t be able to come on the flight with her, and as much as she wanted to take them with her, it wasn’t going to be practical. So the note was tucked carefully into her purse and with instructions to give the flowers to someone who would appreciate them for longer than she could, Grace was ready to go home.

Rehearsals went smoothly, and any little knots were worked out. Dancers were happy, the team were happy, the venue staff were happy, people selling food and merchandise were happy, and all Grace had to do was wait. 

She hated waiting and was one of the most impatient people in the group, always just wanting to get on stage and just go for it. The wait to get into costume, grab her mic, pump up her dancers, and then finally, finally, get on stage - it allowed for unwanted thoughts to creep into the mind. 

What if no one turned up? You sold out the stadium for two nights in 10 seconds. 

What if there was a threat? There is plenty of security and police around to stop it. 

What if you mess up? You’ve done this job for nearly thirteen years, so what?

As the costume for the opening segment slid up her legs, Grace allowed herself to relax. The chatter of the staff and the noise of the crowd above her allowed the nervousness and anxiety to wash away. The moment the mic was in her hand and her team was pumped up, the idol persona washed over her, and in that moment she was Grace of BTS. 

“New York!”

The crowd was even louder than the night before. The lights, the signs, the costumes, the people - it was just bigger and louder and more hyped up than anything she had seen. It was as if they knew this would be the last time they would see a BTS member until they were all back together again and back for their world tour. 

“Welcome to the In My Head tour! Are you ready to help me finish this leg of the tour?”

Grace grinned at the noise in return and nodded, letting the crowd and their feelings hype her up through every performance. 

And when it got towards the end, when they knew the BTS song was coming, the noise grew. 

“This is the last night of the American leg of the tour, and it seemed only right to have this song for this moment. I just wanted to say thank you to all of the team, staff, dancers, band, venue staff, and, of course, ARMY. You have come out in your thousands to fill up this stadium of 17,000. And to those who are outside, I hope to see you all soon when we will hopefully be back as an eight. Until then, let me remind you of a special place.”

The instrumental of Magic Shop soon started, and it took all of Grace’s professionalism not to stop singing and burst into tears. Hearing 17,000 voices sing along to a Korean song that was written with ARMY in mind, and after all the hard work, pressure, tiredness, and sickness and everything else that came along with creating this tour, this song meant more than anything.

She had a good cry in Sejin’s arms when she got backstage, and her bodyguard stood in front of them, not even letting the normal BANGTAN BOMB cameras capture this moment. Every bit of emotion that had been built up from releasing her own solo album to now was coming over in a wave of tears. Sniffling quietly as the make-up artists cleared her face of make-up, her last costume off and packed away, and she was back in normal clothes as handfuls of tissues were passed her way.

“Sorry,” she chuckled as she wiped her nose.

“Nothing to be sorry for,” Sejin sighed. “I’m surprised this hasn’t happened already. The Grammy's, I think, were a good sign of you starting to realise what the music industry and the world think of you, and it wasn’t because of what band you belong to.”

“It was just listening to them all sing Magic Shop. It was as if I felt every bit of their emotion and thought in that one song. That all their worries and happy thoughts came at me at once, knowing they were happy to see me but sad at the same time because who knows when we can come back here?” The tissue in her hands was replaced with a new one from her bodyguard and Grace let out a huge sigh.

“I want to go home,” she chuckled and rubbed a hand over her face.

While some of the team were going to stay behind to pack up costumes and make sure they arrived at the next location as well as the stage, the rest of them would be heading home for a little break. Not that Grace, Sejin, Hana, the bodyguards, or the make-up/costume team were going to have much time. 

The drive to the airport was quiet. The Barclays Center faded from view, as well as the few concertgoers still hanging around. And the lights of the highway from Brooklyn down to Queens illuminated the car now and then, and finally, the JFK airport came into view. 

Check-in was handled quietly and discreetly, with the private plane ready to go. As much as Grace had baulked at the idea of even having a private plane, especially one that would fly to Seoul, the government had already booked it for her to make sure that she flew home safely and arrived on time to get to rehearsals for their tribute concert.

It was awkward getting on a plane where everyone treated you like you were royalty, but once she was in her seat with a blanket thrown over her, Grace didn’t care. There were fifteen hours of flying to get through and much-needed sleep to be caught up on. 

But first.

Grace pulled out her phone and opened up the messages to Seokjin.

‘ On the plane and ready to fly home. See you in about sixteen hours.’

The reply came just as she fell asleep.

‘I’m already counting down the minutes. See you at the airport. Love you.’

[crepesuzette2023]

hey really loved your list of ‘weird’ beatle fics! Is there any chance you know any more that fit in that same category (and also have ships outside of mclennon?)

Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked that selection of weird fics.

I also have a list of my favorite writers and their most 'underrated' fic, which contains some weird stuff, and pairings outside mclennon, with minimal overlap with the first selection—perhaps you'll find something you enjoy there? And I made a specific rare pairs list, also with little overlap to the above (or I wouldn't mention it here).

But you were primarily asking for more weird fic! Let's see.

@greatsaladavenue pointed out Insect Farming (DoeInTheHeadlights). I stopped reading after the first chapter, because it was too much for me to handle, but it gets a lot of love in the comments. Check it out.

@skylikeaflame mentioned deflower a flower (NamPhuong). Summary: George is a bee. He wants to suck the nectar of Paul, John's flower. Poetic and unusual!

Two fics about Tiny Paul: Now in Authentic Beetle Size! (sleeprettydarling), and I'll Pretend That I'm Kissing the Lips I am Missing (yaggerdangs_jumpsuit). The alternative ending to Help!, and: John and Paul always find ways to get off.

Also by sleeprettydarling: Wild (John is a wounded mershark; Paul finds him, stranded) and Dear Friend (Paul tries to write his and John's story in a magic diary that makes everything he writes reality).

But as the words are leaving his lips, a noise comes from behind (hootiepgh). The Beatles accidentally kill Allen Klein. It brings them closer together. Starts out absurdly hilarious, then dives into the sweet angst of their emotions. From the Summer of Love Fanworks-a-thon.

Five Nights at Johnny's (innitmarvellous). Paul is a succubus.

Monkberry Moon Delight (goodbody). Early Days. John and Paul's ritual. Not wanking as mates: nursing as mates. I love this one a lot.

bedtime story (two sleepy people) (Anonymous). 1968. John and Paul need each other to sleep.

love like ghosts (@backbenttulips). Summary: "When Yoko marries John and moves with him into a grand house in the country, she doesn't expect the ghost of his old flame to follow them. A Rebecca AU."

The Nordic Prince (@skylikeaflame). Erik Bruhn/Rudolf Nureyev meets John Lennon/Paul McCartney.

This is probably going to be my final fic rec list in a while, because I have to finish stuff, and summer is coming, so: enjoy! <3

[firthbetterorfirthworse]

Colin Firth

My first unhinged project involved watching all of Colin Firth's IMDB acting credits, to see how often he got wet.

Figured I'd make a master list of the posts I made. I didn't make a post on everything, so if there's one without a link you can always request to hear my thoughts hahaha

I also made a post about his hair choices, because he does a lot of period pieces and oh boy do I often have Thoughts

And here's a post about how his trend of getting wet changed our perception of Darcy forever

1917 (2019)

1919 (1984)

The Accidental Husband (2008)

The Advocate/Hour of the Pig (1993)

And When Did You Last See Your Father (2007)

Another Country (1984)

Apartment Zero (1988)

Arthur Newman (2012)

Before I Go To Sleep (2014)

Blackadder Back and Forth (1999)

Born Equal (2006)

Bridget Jones Diary (2001)

Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason (2004)

Bridget Jones' Baby (2016)

Camille (1984)

Celebration (2007)

A Christmas Carol (2009) Intro, Movie

Circle of Friends (1995)

Command (2018)

Conspiracy (2001)

Crown Court episode (1984)

Deep Blue Sea (1994)

Devil's Knot (2013)

Donovan Quick (2000)

Dorian Gray (2009)

Dutch Girls (1985)

Easy Virtue (2008)

Empire of Light (2022)

The English Patient (1996)

Femme Fatale (1991)

Fever Pitch (1997)

Fourplay/Londinium (2001)

Gambit (2012)

Genius (2016)

Girl With a Pearl Earring (2003)

The Happy Prince (2018)

Hope Springs (2003)

Hostages (1992)

Hour of the Pig/The Advocate (1993)

The Importance of Being Earnest (2002)

The King's Speech (2010)

Kingsman: Secret Service (2014)

Kingsman: Golden Circle (2017)

Last Legion (2007)

Londinium/Fourplay (2001)

Lost Empires (1986) Intro, Pt 1, Pt 2, Pt 3, Pt 4, Pt 5, Pt 6, Pt 7

Love Actually (2003)

Magic in the Moonlight (2014)

Main Street (2010)

Mamma Mia! (2008)

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018)

Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

Master of the Moor (1994) Pt 1, Pt 2, Pt 3, Pt 3 Finale

The Mercy (2017)

A Month in the Country (1987)

Mothering Sunday (2021)

My Life So Far (1999)

Nanny McPhee (2005)

Nostromo (1996)

Operation Mincemeat (2021)

Out of the Blue (1991)

Pat Hobby Teamed With Genius (1987)

Playmaker (1994)

Pride and Prejudice (1995) (I didn't make a single post, it got a bit away from me so you can find the collection of links on my Pride and Prejudice masterlist)

The Railway Man (2013)

Relative Values (2000)

The Secret Garden (1987)

The Secret Garden (2020)

The Secret Laughter of Women (1999)

Shakespeare in Love (1998)

A Single Man (2009)

St Trinians (2007)

St Trinians 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold (2009)

The Staircase (2022)

Stars in Shorts (2012)

A Summer in Genoa (2008)

Supernova (2020)

Then She Found Me (2007)

A Thousand Acres (1997)

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

Trauma (2004)

Tumbledown (1988)

Turn of the Screw (1999)

Valmont (1989)

What A Girl Wants (2003)

Where the Truth Lies (2005)

The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd (1995)

Wings of Fame (1990)

[sistersorrow]

I'm gonna preface this by saying that I know that Games Workshop are not fascists and that Warhammer 40k is openly intended to be a criticism and parody of fascism and other forms of authoritarianism

However, GW has still kinda stumbled into a similar issue that The New Order did, that issue being what I'm gonna call The Problem of the Reasonable Fascist because pretending I'm doing something clever makes me feel special

So, The New Order: The Last Days of Europe is a mod for Hearts of Iron 4 set in a timeline where the Axis won WW2 and things are to put it lightly not going well

Over time, the setting's lore has gone through a bunch of revisions, with a pretty big one being the removal of Esoteric Nazism as a distinct ideology group

In early versions of the mod, there was Fascism (ie. the ideologies practiced in real world Germany and Italy in during WW2) and then there was Esoteric Nazism, which was basically Batshit Insane Fascism, which takes Fascist ideology in darker or downright bizarre directions (eg. A vaguely 40k-inspired Russian Imperial Cult that believed that Alexei Romanov was still alive and would return once the country was "cleansed") and represents some of the worst possible excesses of Fascism

These ideologies still exist in TNO, but were moved into the same ideology group as the non-esoteric fascists and went through revisions because the developers concluded that when you have groups like the Order-State of Burgundy wanting to trigger global nuclear war so True Aryans will inherit the Earth (ie. the ending of the Turner Diaries), the 3rd Reich seems a bit less crazy

That's what I'm referring to as the Problem of the Reasonable Fascist, the way some anti-fascist narratives are written can create something so over the top that it accidentally makes less extreme forms fascism seem not as horrible

40k runs in to this same issue due to the way it handles characters and the pre vs post-Horus Heresy Imperium of Man

The Imperium of Man in the 40th millenium is a theofascist hellhole so incomprehensibly vast that the death of billions each day to keep the war machine running isn't even a statistic, it's a rounding error, but it's also repeatedly presented as an empire in decline whose existence is a mockery of the Emperor's vision, which runs into the exact problem I'm talking about

The pre-Heresy Imperium was authoritarian, xenophobic in multiple meanings of the word, and openly hostile to any schools of thought that wasn't their own, but in comparison to the post-Heresy Imperium, it was a golden age, and those who fought in defense of it are generally written as pretty reasonable even though they're still authoritarians

Hell, the Horus Heresy happened in part because Horus saw a vision of the 40th millenium and thought that was the Emperor's end goal

The bar is set so low in the modern Imperium that if you aren't the kind of zealot who shoots someone for stuttering during prayers, you are basically treated as a pillar of rationality by the audience

Again, GW and its writers are not Fascists, but this is an interesting phenomenon I've noticed

[mostlyfate]

@kdramaspace + @userdramas YEAR IN REVIEW 2022 cinematic excellence | best cinematography of 2022

ONCE UPON A SMALL TOWN (어쩌다 전원일기) 2022, dir. Kwon Seok Jang.

[sugolara]

Gone but not forgotten

ft. Katsuki Bakugo x Shoto Todoroki x Izuku Midoriya x fem! reader

Synopsis: After a deadly virus leaks all over the world, every country is forced to close down it's borders and airports to prevent anyone from coming in and out. Though, it's to late for some people. The dead has rose and is looking for revenge. Cw: gore, quirkless! au, apocalypse! au, zombie! au, weapons, death, angst, lots and lots of blood, cannibalism, suicidal thoughts, slow burn

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Jolting in bed, F/n's eyes opened widely as her heart raced. She placed a hand on her chest to calm her rapidly beating heart as she tried to forget the nightmare she had. Beads of sweat had collected on her forehead and she wiped it away before it could roll down the side of her face and onto the mattress.

Once her heart was calm and she no longer felt shaky she looked around the cabin and noticed she was alone. The bed next to her was empty. Of course, she should have figured that Izuku didn't need anyone to have by his side. Having a crowd wasn't a good idea anyways, "Maybe it's for the best."

Arising from the bed, her back popped, satisfying her from the back pain. She gathered her bag and placed her gun that was placed underneath her pillow on her waistband. She stretched her arms as she made her way to the front door.

The door opening had caused the sunlight to pour in, blinding her in the process. She underestimated just how bright the sun could be as she covered her eyes and made her way outside. Unfortunately, her covered eyes had caused her to trip on something large and had her tumbling to the floor.

Dirt flew around her as she groaned, holding her head and trying to stand up when she heard Izuku's voice, "Are you okay? That was a nasty fall."

She blinked her eyes to regain her focus. Once she could, she saw Izuku rubbing the back of his head most likely from her hitting him as she accidentally tripped from his form. Confusingly, she eyed him, "I thought you had left?"

He in return gave her a confused look, "Leave? Why would I?"

She let her hand fall as she stared at him. She shouldn't have judged him because of the way she was raised. It almost made her feel bad to judge someone who had been nothing but nice for the time they've met. Her eyes moved away from him and onto his hands, "Never mind. What's that?"

"Oh!" Izuku exclaimed, his heart that was racing from her look began to calm down. He showed her his notebook when she had settled next to him, "I've been jotting down important info. For example, what type of berries are poisonous, the right ammo for my gun, and how to treat wounds."

He hesitated before handing it to her, "Also, other stuff."

"Like a diary?" She asked, flipping through the pages, her eyes catching on a few words.

"Just because it's the end of the world doesn't mean I can't have hobbies." He stated, "But yes, like a diary."

"You have a point." She continued to flip until a page caught her eye. Her heart squeezed when she made contact with a photo. Her brows twitched when she saw the mother of Izuku holding him in her lap as he grinned with an action figure in his hand. Around them was a basket and they sat on a blanket, having a picnic on a sunny day. She could even spot a butterfly resting on a flower near his mothers shoe.

She slowly moved to another page to forget what she had seen as a distant memory had suddenly come up. The page she had then turned to also caught her attention. A list of names had filled the entire page. From teachers to classmates and friends in other classes, however her eyes had slightly widened when she came across a name rather familiar.

Maybe that's why the male next to her looked familiar. She's seen plenty of class photos around her cousin's bedroom, but she never thought to get a closer look. She leaned in closer to the notebook, her finger grazing his name and whispering as the wind passed by, "Hant-"

"I was thinking we should stay here for a couple days." Izuku suddenly said, unknowing of what she was thinking about. He smiled when she handed his notebook back and if he knew her clearly he would've noticed the look in her eyes, "We definitely need some rest and then we'll get going."

Shaking her feelings off, she glanced around them and shrugged, her ears listening as he unzipped his bag to place his notebook inside, "Whatever works for you."

Izuku stood up, extending his arm out to her so she could pull herself up, "Good. Seeing how long you slept had me thinking you'd still be exhausted. But if we're going to be staying here we should grab a few items."

She glanced up at the sky when he mentioned she slept for a while. The sun was already over their heads, "Wow, it's already noon. I don't even feel like I slept for long."

He glanced up at the sky, shielding his eyes from the burning sun, "I feel like that too."

Her eyes averted to him. His freckles that rested on his cheeks glowed as the sun made contact with it. Whatever she was feeling made her uncomfortable so she turned to look somewhere else, "So, do you know any places to look for stuff? Considering we're in the middle of nowhere I doubt there would be a store."

"Actually, I walked a mile following the road while you were asleep." He then placed a hand on his nape feeling embarrassed, "I know it wasn't safe just leaving you, but I wanted to know if we were any closer to a town."

"Did you find anything?" She ignored his last comment as she would have done the same.

"I did!" He smiled, "I saw a gas station sign above the trees. I saw a few cars, but couldn't get a good look from the bushes."

She shrugged her bag on, "Then we should get going before it gets dark. I'm not too keen on finding out if the dead can run at night."

At that he grinned and followed after her. Before they knew it they reached the gas station without any problems. Looking at the exterior, it was surprisingly clean. Not a broken glass nor vines from the nearby bushes grew over. It was a little dusty, but nothing they couldn't handle.

Izuku, who stepped to the front door, wiped the dusty glass with his sleeves before looking through. His eyes saw no lock or chain around the handles of the door. The employees must have left or their rotten corpses are still inside.

Behind him stood F/n on lookout. Despite having her empty gun that was rather heavy if a kid were to hold it, she was on high alert. Bushes, trees and empty vehicles were their cover, but in a split second one of the dead could jump out and surprise them.

She listened and glanced around for any sound of growls, but the sound of the doors opening caught her. "Stay here. I'll clear the place out."

She blinked before following after him, catching the stare he gave her, "You really shouldn't be doing all the work yourself. That's how accidents happen. Or in this case, death."

He shook his head before entering deeper, "Fine, but stay by me. If you run into trouble I want to be there as quickly as possible."

"'Kay." She muttered, though the second he walked off towards the back, she headed for the counter. She checked behind it and unsurprisingly found nothing besides a rusty scissor. She then checked the register only for her brow to raise when she spotted dry blood.

Izuku once again shook his head and let out a sigh as F/n was not following behind. Even if his attention was elsewhere for a split second it gave a rotter enough time to pounce onto him. He grunted, trying to shove the dead off him, but its blood that had seeped from its melting skin had made it difficult.

His hands would occasionally slip despite using all his strength. It didn't help that the rotter was bigger than Izuku and had him knocking off products from the shelf behind him. The items had fallen near his feet and as the dead pushed against the green-haired male he had stepped on a dish soap causing it to splatter around his feet.

He slipped as his red shoes stepped over the liquid and he was very thankful that he was able to hold up the dead from tearing apart his inside. He groaned in disgust when the rotter's drool mixed with clumps of blood began to fall from its bloody and torn mouth.

He had looked towards his side as the drool came in contact with his freckled cheeks. He desperately looked around while scolding himself for not having his weapon ready. His rifle he had forgotten in the cabin was a foolish mistake and his hammer was digging in his back as it was inside his yellow bag that he took to school.

He looked and looked, his hand no longer having the energy to keep the dead off him as it was just mere inches away from his neck and it seemed like he was in luck as the second he turned to look at the dead a sharp tip penetrated the skull. His pupils dilated as the sharp tip was close to stabbing in between his eyes.

Pulling the scissors back, she kicked the dead away and let out a sigh of relief, "I almost thought you were a goner. Imagine that."

He quickly stood up before hunching over and gagging multiple times. She reached to place her hand on his back but she eventually refrained from doing so, "You okay? If you need to throw up then it's okay. The dead smell pretty bad."

"No..." He weakly muttered trying to speak without gagging, "It's just...I think I got some of its drool in my mouth."

"Oh, that doesn't sound good." She looked around for water and thankfully there was one, only almost empty. She handed it to him, "Here. Wash your mouth quickly."

He took a sip, gargling the water so the taste would leave and redoing the processes till there was nothing left, "Thanks."

She dropped the bloody scissors, "Anyways, looks like we found the employee. Should we ask if he knows where the snacks are at?"

"That's not funny." He muttered, wiping the excess water from the corners of his mouth. He ignored her as she went off to the backroom. As he used his sleeves to wipe the blood away from his face, his emerald eyes roamed to the dead where it stayed glued to the bite wound on its shoulders. It was terrifying to know he was just seconds away from dying.

"Lighters, gauges, bandages, peroxide, and a bottle of painkillers." F/n said when she returned from the backroom, "That's all he had."

He placed the empty bottle on the shelf next to him, "That's it? Not even bottles so we could refill it?"

"Yeah, but they're all bloody." She said, noticing his face fall, "We don't know if consuming blood can get us infected even if we clean it."

"We shouldn't take the chance." He said disheartened, "We should get going. It's starting to get dark."

For Izuku it would be another day where he goes hungry. His last water he gave it to F/n as she was basically a dried up starfish. He didn't mind that he had given his last supply to her, he was just bothered that it was getting difficult to find supplies to keep them going. He had heard a creek earlier, so maybe with the cups that are stored in the cabin they'd be able to boil it.

After reaching their cabin in a silent walk, they settled in their small bed with their body drained of energy. Hopefully tomorrow, luck will be on their side. Not only was sleep important but nourishing their bodies to regain their energy was important, especially since they were walking on foot. 

[lintwriting]

why symbols can be useful for characterization: crow country and the crow family

a nifty thing about crow country's Crow Family is how subtle the characterization is. At first you think it's upfront and exaggerative. Gilded Age era theme park Baron. Greedy and shady, with false veneer of being "civilized," as they'd say. In reality, that's a red herring, a false set-up for a more nuanced look at Edward Crow and his father.

In a kitsch-y game like this, with those Final Fantasy-esque models and the setting of an abandoned Theme Park, he'd fit right in. This is the set-up we need to create for a good subversion, which'll help create depth for his character.

Thus, throughout the game, we get little hints that he's not what he seems.

The phone calls, for instance, seem like the evil monologue taunting of a 'civilized' man, but there are aspects that feel dissonant. Such as his crazed remorse and self-disgust.

Similarly, his degree in BioChemistry. A theme park tycoon you'd expect to have some kind of Business MFA, but instead, he's got a science degree. This is even reflected in his personal diary entry.

I love this notebook because it explains EVERYTHING. This disconnect between his greedy actions in the past and his sudden atonement. Between his day job as a Theme Park owner and his actual skills in biochemistry. To do this, Crow Country highlights his relationship to his father, the senior Crow, to make sense of things.

Edward Crow is a man punished for his father's sins. He's not without his own crimes, but I don't think he'd have went down that doomed path had his father not started him on it when he was still a child.

Even the things they're interested in seem vastly different.

Where Edward was a biochemist who didn't care one bit for the gold, his father was the one who bought the land and left it to Edward. Little Edward was excited for camping and thought the wriggling metal was a bug, showing off his already apparent interest in biology. His father, on the other hand, saw it as made of copper and gold. I'd even hazard a guess by saying his father probably had that Business degree LOL

And like, these are the interests of CROWS, as in the corvids. Crows like bugs and "shiny things." With this symbolism, the disconnect between his father's pursuit of gold and Edward's pursuit of biochemistry (the disconnect between Edward's shady business and life-saving science) feels coherent instead of dissonant. Their last shared name becomes like a Sword of Damocles for Edward, so the twist feels like intentional depth instead of an accidental out-of-character writing decision.

Like Edward and his father are two sides of the same coin, or two phenotypes of the same genes.

[ofc-vi-writes-too]

In honor of me being black and loving being black and thinking everyone should love black people, here are a list of characters I believe love black women with everny bone in their bodies:

• Starting off strong: Steve Rogers. I can’t explain it but trust me please. If you get it you get it if you dont you dont.

• Jason todd. Like c’mon. Look at him. Tell me he doesn’t want to wake up next to a brownskin queen every morning. Look me in my eyes.

• MCU Bucky Barnes. I love to say it, Wakanda changed him. Stepping foot in that country was like seeing the light for the first time. He was basically reborn. I said it before and I’ll say it again. Look at how he looked at Sarah. SAME LITERALLY EXPLICITLY TOLD HIM NIT TO FLIRT WITH HER BEFORE THEY EVEN GOT THERE.

• Gojo, Itadori, nanami, and Toji from JJK. i dont think i need to eloborate here.

• Haley from Stardew Valley. She is not only a fellow girl kisser, but she would genuinely have a real tweak if the farmer was a black woman. Haley needs a 6 ft nonchalant butch dreadhead in her life it would literally solve all her provlems. She has written in her diary about this, and Alex hasnt heard the end of it.

• Fear from Inside out. Just believe me, please.

• This might be controversial but Squidward.

• Bruce Wayne. Literally thinks about eating drywall every time Selina Kyle is even mentioned. “Alfred why hasn’t God hand delivered me what i CRAVE and what i NEED *loud dramatic sigh*” hes also accidentally a perpatrator of hard wig soft life lmao. He donates ridiculous sums of money to black charities like 100 black men, and the black youth helpline. He’s an advocate for his girl’s community and we love to see it.

• Barry Allen. also thinks about eating drywall whenever he sees Iris. She’s just so sigh. And he loves her so much and he’s so glad that he married that beautiful amazing strong and powerful woman.

• Ellanore Shellstrop. After she died she had real clarity about the truths of the universe. If soulmates didnt really exist then wtf were her and Chidi im so deadass.

• Woody from Toy Story. Please do not at me. I will not be taking questions comments or concerns on that one. And for anyone saying “but what about bo peep ?!” Shes albino. Look at those 3B curls and tell me to my face that I’m lying. I dare you.

• lightning Mcqueen. Hear me out here! In universe there have to be like… black cars. He’s def the type to go for a UK baddie ykwim.

————————————————————————

a/n: guys please im just being silly they are fictional characters please dont argue about how much these FAKE characters like black people 😞. also if you try and argue i feel like that makes you a liiiiiiiittle bit racist but like thats a convo for another time. Anyway, sorry to all my sistas out there who’s fav character I forgot. Ur probably right and they probably do belong on this list, I just might have forgotten they exist! Dont be scared to comment them tho. I need to know what yall think too.

[kruemel8]

accidentally fell into a rabbit hole on simon loof and this man’s lore is insane. he was born in sweden but attended merrimack college in massachusetts, where he played on a hockey team and was pretty well known for it and at one point adam lambert (country singer in the u.s. and lgbtq+ activist) was following him on instagram during those days. he has a spotify account and has been releasing music on it for years now but he only has like 500 streamers monthly. obviously he models and some of the pictures had me gasping aloud. and he used to have an entirely different look on instagram in those hockey days before he got signed to management for acting and he deleted his account or just deleted all his posts. i’ve accidentally stalked this poor man

(also he’s 28 and a gemini and geminis and scorpios are generally known to have great compatibility in friendship but that’s not quite the case in romantic relationships 🫣)

Thank you for your research. 🔬Something is up with these two and it’s quite obvious. The posts are well orchestrated and the comments have me like. 👀 Maybe I’m wrong though and Omar felt like posting a vacay diary this year. 🤷‍♀️

We will see what comes next. 🍿🥤 Also BTB in the comments. 🤨

[riansdiary]

Rian's Diary Entry #7

I'm back~

This song is so my mood right now:

A little update from moi. I feel so proud of myself. From complaining, worrying, thinking negatively, being depressed to now feeling like a fucking queen (excuse my french), hardly any negative thoughts, not paying attention to what I don't want, knowing it's done in 4d, not finding it in the 3d, leaving the 3d alone, feeling extra confident and empowered because I now know and understand that changing the 3d and the how is not my job and not my problem. Confident and empowered again because I decided and know it's done now regardless of what I see in front of me.

Your girl came a loooong way and I'm really proud of myself for that. Been persisting like a baddie and finally getting a heck ton of money just by following my dad's instructions and clicking a button everyday on this cryptocurrency app. Btw it's not Illegal or whatever, it is an official trusted cryptocurrency app and people are able to use it now to earn that currency and convert that to actual cash. I will literally get paid to exist! Oh My God. I am so proud of myself. I don't care whether my other desires are in the 3d or not, all I know is that IT IS DONE! I will fully accept them as facts now. Thank you and I will keep going with that boss/queen attitude! I know my inner child is probably so so so happy right now! 😭

This is a success story and a diary entry in one! Also if anyone wants to know what app it is, please message me with your country. It's available in 10 countries only right now so hopefully it's available for you! I have an article thing that says which countries it is currently available in. Anyways, I am really proud of how far I've come in terms of the law of assumption and manifesting! I swear I was over consuming, over complicating and was extremely lost just like anyone who's just starting and doesn't know what works for them. I wanted to write this because I'm so happy I'm feeling even more confident, positive and empowered about manifesting!

I have a little subliminal journey update for you! I quit listening to my playlist and decided to focus on two subliminals. I decided to commit to it for 2-3 months even though I know I have my full results already. The first is an oldie but a goodie! It's Baejin Cafe's rain version most intense glow up ever beauty and life! I chose this because it's packed with things that I want. Everything that you could ever think of is in this subliminal! That's for my overnight sleep sub. I listen to it mostly 7-8 hours a day when I go to sleep. The rain sounds really help me sleep faster and relax. The second one is G3m1nI's doppelganger face morph in 1 listen sub! It's my day sub that I listen to when I'm playing games and just chilling. I listen to it one to two hours a day.

Some results I'm getting is that, I'm starting to look more like Wonyoung! My last Pictriev similarity check with the same angle and pose, I am now 55% similar to her! 🎉

I have been noticing that my skin is clearer and more glowing than usual. My hair is much longer and thicker now. I was surprised how fast my hair grew recently. My eyes seem more sparkly too. My dancing skills are improving even more. My lips plumper and jawline sharper. My stomach got flatter. I also look a bit CGI, noticed that since I re-read the benefits. I used to hate my face tbh back then but I stopped focusing on that and using subs. Now I don't hate it as much, I love it! I look good even with just a tone up cream, blush and lip tint. Last thing I noticed is that I have less face fat now.

So that's all for now everyone! If I accidentally notice anything else I'll make another post!

Yours Truly,

Lady Rian Whistledown 💋

[thatsneakymedic]

People are not joking when they say that time flies when you do what you like. In June it shall be five years since we are free. FREE. I never hoped to even live to know the meaning of that word. I paid a small price to be free after all...besides my doctor is my life companion.

"Kabuto stop taking pictures I know what you are doing"

The day already started...already but I don't want to get up. When did I become this lazy? I am turning into a wife slowly but sure..." ahh no Kabuto move your foot you are tickling me, alright alright I am up" We have our own space now close to the sea, a small apartment with a big terrace looking out to the sea. The scent of coffee would lure even the dead up. While Kabuto kept his old job as a doctor, he also still had a pile of books still learning more and more, how much more info that nerd head can take? Surprisingly he learned Italian fast so that I or my cousins couldn't prank on him. He adapted to family really quick. His fear of being rejected because of religion and the way Italians think is always a bit present, and their fear of accidentally offending Kabuto as well. Sometimes they are so funny and I can't help but laugh. They avoid religious subjects and Kabuto just being himself quiet and shy.....

"No Kabuto put the damn camera down...now I don't like to take so many pictures...Come back here..."

With only a little it's so easy to be happy, Shisuu had an empire and was never happy. Now he had a stupid job as an icecream seller and occasionally a bartender at the beach parties...a few euros in his pocket and Kabuto... he was always happy.

"come back will you I am too old to run all there after you..."

(Mafia verse 👀)

@shisui-uchiha-anon

*click* *click*

"You're talking to yourself again, I did mention that making a video diary would do you good. Since it sounds like you're in some kind of interview. Besides, I want to take as many pictures of you. Because we may never know when we would want to look back at them in the future. The years are passing by so fast after all." Kabuto chuckled with a smile as he places his foot on them to use his toes to tickle at their side.

Shisui.... Beautiful Shisui...

How the hell did he manage to get so fortunate (or unfortunate) to marry such an incredible and exciting man who many others wished to claim for their own selfish reasons? It felt like years since they first met, when he was an pathetic unfortunate young man who was desperate for money by taking that degrading job as an exotic dancer to the now famous and very well respected doctor that even other doctors, college professors, and medical students from various countries in the world seek him or his books out to learn to become as good as he is.

5 years...

That's all it took for his soft features to begin to shape into that of an incredibly beautiful but tired 27 year old man. He was worried about if Shisui would lose interest in him, but he was reassured by them. Saying how he's become even more beautiful than before.

Unlike Shisui who had lost his eye days after they moved to Italy thanks to the unexpected side effect of the drug. Since then, Kabuto has been keeping a sharp eye on Shisui and would often regularly give him check ups, even after years since that happened. Looking for any behavioral or mental issues that could happen since the eye IS connected to the brain. But he's also working on restoring the eye since it can be fixed as well.

He loved his new home, far away from the hustle and bustle city of Japan. Since the people here are so friendly (or not in some cases) with each other, the salty sea air always refreshed him upon waking up and it soothed him to sleep. And their home is rather quite humble and cozy, just for the two of them since living in the large fancy apartment back then made him feel incredibly lonely and small. And that included Shisui's beautiful mansion. Least now that apartment belongs to Urushi and his mother so that they can have a place to live in while also resuming their work in a much more comfortable modern and respectable orphanage facility with better workers with intensive background checks on both workers and newfound parents to avoid giving a child to potentially abusive parents.

Kabuto and Nonou also made sure that religion would not be seen as mandatory among the children and the workers as well. Even the new children are told to relax their views on it and the adults working there are told to not influence them as well.

From outside their relationship and family, not many people know about Shisui's mass wealth that could keep the two living comfortably for as long as they live so they assume that Kabuto is the one who's making the money and around the area, he has made a name for himself.

"El Grigio" or in short "The Grey One" in Italian among Shisui's relatives, neighbors, and friends when they forget his name. Not that he minded but it did make it easier for people to know who they are talking about in conversations. Kabuto was extremely nervous that they wouldn't accept him nor his relationship with Shisui or his aversion to religious topics like the church. But after his success as a doctor and his contributes to the community by creating a better and much more affordable health care plan for those struggling to pay for medicines or treatments, they wholly accepted him even more than before. It's refreshing that he's become more popular than he was in the past when such talent was always judged by background and social status and not by actions.

Sage is still alive and living with them very comfortably, but their age has been showing in their behavior these days. It's upsetting to know that in a few more years, Kabuto's first and only companion who was with him at his lowest is more likely to pass away from old age so Kabuto makes sure to take plenty of pictures of them too. After them, Kabuto isn't sure if he would want a new dragon to keep since Sage will always be the dragon for him.

*click*

"Nope, you missed out on your morning walks today and I didn't want to wake you up till now. So now you have to make up for it by catching me." He gets up from the bed to walk ahead of them now, his ash grey hair was now flowing behind his back that reached his hips, much longer than he used to have before.

While it's a hassle to take care off, it's always worth it since he did look so captivating with it. Not just his hair, Kabuto since then has also perfected his self-defense and gun shooting to the point that he can not only protect himself and Shisui, but other people who would need that kind of strength. When words won't work and only physical karma would be enough to stop a situation. And because from what Kabuto learned, is that he won't ever let anyone take what is precious to him. Not ever again.

He and Alustriel still work closely together, but as of recently a mysterious message from an anonymous person from Brazil has invited Kabuto and Alustriel to have a meeting with them. And while Kabuto has no idea who it is, judging by Alustiel's excited expression. It is obvious who the messenger is and even then, Kabuto is looking forward to their talks. Hopefully Shisui would like a mini vacation to Brazil since Kabuto likes to take Shisui to various places and countries during work.

As he watches Shisui pace after him, he grins his biggest smile as he hurries out of reach for them playfully. Not minding the June summer sun on his face.

How far they both have come despite their pasts and even if it does feel like happily ever after, their adventure together has yet to end and it has only begun. And as long as he has Shisui, he will never want anything more in life.

[booksinmythorax]

Thorax Does the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge 2024 - #13: Read a comic that has been banned

Flamer by Mike Curato

If you're reading this, you probably know that book challenges and bans in the United States of America are at a historic high in the 2020s. Many targets of these challenges are graphic novels and comics. It's tough to tell exactly why, but the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund proposes this explanation (emphasis mine):

The visual nature of comics and graphic novels, which can improve comprehension of complex ideas, makes it even easier to target by taking images out of context or misconstruing them. We have seen cases of graphic adaptations such as The Handmaiden’s Tale [sic], Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” and The Diary of Anne Frank become challenged or removed when the prose versions are not.

Flamer was the #5 most challenged book in school and public libraries in the USA in 2023, according to the American Library Association. The ALA received 67 reports of Flamer getting challenged at libraries around the country in 2023.

Most of the challengers cited the book's LGBTQIA+ content and claims of "sexual explicitness" as reasons they were requesting the book be moved or removed from the collection. (Because, you know, acknowledging that queer people exist and that sometimes people have sex is evil. /sarcasm)

Flamer is a semi-autobiographical work of fiction about a half-Filipino boy named Aiden going away to summer camp before he starts high school. The camp is not a church camp, but it is religious and it does have a chapel, echoing many Boy Scout camp experiences I've heard about.

I highly recommend checking this book out from your local library. It's received starred reviews from publications like The Horn Book, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, and Booklist, for good reason.

I love graphic novels, and the art in this one is stirring. It is entirely black-and-white except for red, orange, and yellow colors in moments of emotional intensity, tying back into both the title and the protagonist's fear of being burned (emotionally or religiously) for being attracted to other boys.

The plot deals with friendship, first crushes, and the arbitrary lines that people draw between acceptable "heterosexual" behavior and unacceptable "homosexual" behavior. Aiden is teased for his sensitivity and for behavior his peers and camp counselors perceive as too feminine. His best friend, a girl pen pal, is of course unable to come to his boys-only camp with him, so he forms friendships with other boys for the first time - and gets a crush on a fellow camper.

A moment in the novel that many challengers have taken out of context is when the protagonist accidentally discovers several of his fellow campers masturbating together in a tent. The campers pressure Aiden to join in, but he's uncomfortable, as well as confused. He runs away, mind swirling with questions. Why are his fellow campers so against gay people as a concept, but willing to do something like this? Why do they insinuate that he's gay if he doesn't participate in this ritual? In the context of the rest of the novel, this moment is disconcerting and adds complexity to the book's theme of cognitive dissonance.

We cannot let sexual identity and sexuality disappear from books for teenagers, even if it makes adults uncomfortable. This is a powerful read.