#also yes i have given davey anxiety

[angry-kid-with-no-money]

WIP Wednesday Game

Newsies college au, newsies college au

“Sooo, David, how long have you been playing Exy?”

“Uh almost seven years. Sir.”

Denton smiled at him, “my team just calls me Coach or Denton kid.” David nodded silently, staring at a spot just above the man’s shoulder in lieu of making eye contact with him. “Your stats are certainly very impressive Jacobs. Your playing style demonstrates a level of skill and confidence I think would fit nicely onto my team, so I would like to offer you a full ride scholarship to Pulitzer University and in return you will play for my team ey? How does that sound kid?”

[frogmanfae]

Newsies as Things I Heard This Week Part 3

Race, who decided to fuck around and take an intro to med course: Boogers, man *solemn nodding*

Literally everyone else who was having a normal conversation 2 seconds ago: ...

Race: They have a purpose

Davey: What's on your dress?

Romeo: Are those corn dogs?

Jack: They're popsicles!

Katherine: No!! They're otters!! You're like the third person! They're two otters swimming next to each other and holding hands because otters holding hands is the cutest thing ever!

Romeo: Ohhh I see it now

Katherine: I would wear a dress with corn dogs on it though, that sounds pretty cool

I'm gonna drop out

Spot: What happened

Race: Change my name

Spot: What happened??

Race: Move to another state-

Spot: What happened???

Davey: He was talking to his english teacher while she was trying to grade and she asked him to shut up

Race: MY ENGLISH TEACHER

Spot: ooh... That's rough buddy

Jojo: Uh... I think it's red?

Buttons: Damn that's a big apple!

Jojo: I know it's like huge-

Buttons: What kind is it??

Buttons and Elmer: ...

Elmer: *bursts into laughter*

Buttons: *gasping for air* I mean... Are we talkin gala, pink lady, honey crisp...?

Albert: Do you ever want to just start some chaos for no reason?

Jojo: Oh! Uh... *laughing but the crying kind* I don't know...

Race: Absolutely-

Albert: Because right now I just wanna- I'm fighting an urge

Elmer: *out of nowhere, directed at no one, for no reason* itty bitty titty committee

Race: What? Literally what did you just say?

Davey, running on an hour of sleep, three monster energies, and the crippling anxiety that if he takes a break he will have failed his entire family: It's like thing that there where like... What is that?

Davey: Where all the words are the same? Oxymoron!

Race, who isn't an english scholar but is pretty sure that isn't right: ...no?

Davey: Wh- *realization* ... Alliteration. I meant allitera-

Race: DID YOU JUST MISTAKE ALLITERATION FOR OXYMORON-

Race: NO BECAUSE YOU'RE A FUCKING OXY-MORON

Davey: SHUT UP

Crutchie: Were you on the marching band bus with the penis game last year?

Davey: THIS IS ANTISEMITISM AND HOMOPHOBIA AND- UH- fuck what see am I? I'm something else, for sure, right?

Race:.... An immigrant?

Davey: YEAH THIS IS ALSO XENOPHOBIA

Race: DID YOU JUST FORGET THAT YOU-

Davey: I SAID SHUT UP

Buttons: What?

Crutchie: The penis game

Buttons: No? Can I- I'm gonna need some elaboration

Crutchie: Okay so you say "penis" and you start really quiet and then the next person-

Buttons: Okay I understand. I need no more instruction, I know what to do now. I'm so glad I've been given the honor to bring this to Bus 1

Denton, addressing the marching band kids on expectations before they leave for their first away game of the season: Did I cover everything? Is everything said?

Medda: Language!

Denton, very obviously tired: Oh yes! Language. Only use the good words, not the bad ones. Like... Yay and... Yippee.. Oh darn... Holy smokes... Things like that...

Romeo: The trombone section shirt is going to say "I'm about to blow" and it's gonna have a trombone with a bomb

Henry: Why the bomb?

Romeo: So people think we're talking about explosions but actually... Cum

Henry: I mean the trumpet shirts say "I'm horny" so-

Romeo: RIGHT?! THAT'S WEIRD! If they can have that we can have this.

Elmer: Please don't quote me on that

Buttons: I'm quoting you on that

Elmer: Nooo...!

Denton: *chainsaw imitation in the middle of teaching class*

Davey and Spot: *autistic discussion about angler fish* (I wasn't able to write all of this down because deadass this conversation about angler fish lasted 20 minutes in the middle of my creative writing class instead of doing our work)

Elmer: *tricks his cat into thinking he has a treat when he, in fact, does not* Look he's looking at me like "you whore I knew you were lying"

Denton, teaching biology: This is called phagocytosis (fag-oh-sigh-toe-sis)

Davey and Race: *bombastic side eye*

Crutchie: *trying not to laugh*

Denton: It occurs when a phagocyte (fag-oh-sight) essentially, like- *eats* another piece of biological material in the body-

Davey and Race: *BOMBASTIC SIDE EYE*

Crutchie: *TRYING NOT TO LAUGH*

Medda, to her english class: Oh don't read that that's hetero

Les: you just use your tippies *talking about fingertips*

Davey: ... *trying so hard not to laugh*

Davey: I'm gonna touch you with my tippies

Race: *trying and failing not to laugh*

/after Les leaves/

Race: PLEASE GO UP TO JACK AND SAY THAT

Albert: *gets his heart broken by a guy* I'm straight now!

Henry: No!

Albert: I'm taking the rainbow heart pin off of my bag right now!!!

Race: I support you, I'm shopping for a straight pride pin to replace it

Elmer: Relationships are give and take, lately you've only been giving and he's only been taking you should really end that

Albert: thank you! A true friend

Race: here, here's an ally pin-

Albert: no I'm straight up homophobic after this

Race: oh shit

Crutchie: Damn okay look at you getting deep, freshman??

*long line to get in through a door*

Buttons: *opens a second door*

Denton: Oh there we go, second option. Always use plan b!

Jack: *snorts*

Davey: *side eye*

Race: *deep voice* get off my property

Race: You should keep that one in mind

Davey: I'm having a hard time seeing what I could use Plan B for

Jack: It's so weird to hear you using your straight guy voice

Race: *southern deep voice* oh yeah-

Davey: WHY ARE YOU SOUTHERN???

Race: *still in the voice* I was born in South Carolina

Jack: THAT DOESN'T COUNT

Race: *still in the voice* In another life I coulda been a cowboy

Buttons, about Oscar: Nah girl that is more than a bad day that's a bad YEAR-

Spot, sarcastically: It's governMENt not governWOMANt so sit down

Denton, teaching a band class: It's like your tongue is ever so slightly flicking the note-

Sarah, jokingly: :0

Davey, also a drummer: *trying (and failing) not to laugh* shut up

Spot, a drummer and therefore not a part of the tongue flicking thing: *starts laughing*

Specs: It's like we're a travelling truffle of elephants-

Romeo: Is that-

Specs: Yes that's the right term

Denton, about a halftime peice: No no it can't be that

The entire band: ah- pff- uh-

Denton: i's not funny anymore now it's just sad

Race: Alright I'm going to the bathroom so no funny conversations while I'm gone

*2 minutes later the book falls*

Race: Everyone point and laugh at her because her book is slowly falling off her desk

Davey: It's not that funny

Davey: *snorts*

Elmer: You have a cartoon character frown

Race:

Davey: shut up

Davey: What

Elmer: Like your frown is cartoony

Davey: I dropped ap chem

Jack: What?

Davey: I'm taking ceramics now

Jack: You-

Davey: I dropped chemistry for ceramics

Jack: You're so real for that

Albert: AH- You did not just L my jeans that are black!

Elmer: Okay but why would you have edibles if you could just have gummies

Jack, who has never actually done drugs of any kind in his life: I mean like drugs tho

Elmer: Okay but would you rather have a bowl of fruit gummies or like 3 edibles

Jack: But-

Elmer: Infinite fruit gummies or-

Buttons: We should give birds space suits and just send them up there

Davey: Huh?

Race: I'd get arrested if I was a politician

Buttons: See if they would fly without air

Davey: I feel like you aren't thinking any of this through

Romeo: Aren't the best politicians attested at some point? (/sarcastic)

[violetwolfraven]

Blink and Mush and Sarah and Katherine in Wonderland

Hi @addie-your-queen ! I’m filling a request for a blush/newsbians double date, with no swear words. I think I remembered not to use any but I apologize if I missed any. @newsiesgiftexchange

I sincerely hope you enjoy my portrayal of feral teen friendship with a side of relationship softness.

Tw: Blink has social anxiety but I don’t think there are any others.

…

Blink was, objectively, bad at making friends.

It was just a fact. If Jack ‘friendly extrovert’ Kelly hadn’t looked at Blink in 8th grade and for some reason decided “I’m going to befriend this kid,” he probably wouldn’t have any friends. He definitely wouldn’t have accidentally become part of Jack’s family of queer problem children, which he was a lot more grateful for now than he was in 8th grade.

The group had an odd dynamic where, yes, everyone mostly hung out with their usual few friends, but they also each maintained a constant familiarity with all the others. They knew each other’s backstories. Any given pair or group of them could have a comfortable conversation. Blink would help any of them get rid of a dead body, no questions asked. It was just how they rolled. They loved each other unconditionally. It was only weird if you were looking at it from the outside.

For a long time, Blink had been part of that weird family, but only actually had a real conversation with… like… Mush, Davey, and Race. He’d gotten closer with Albert lately, but that was pretty predictable because they were the two most defensive and they understood each other. Most of the friend group still saw Blink as the angry one, for good reason.

The kind of close friendship with Sarah Jacobs where she would ask if he wanted to go on a double date was… unexpected.

See, Sarah was plenty angry—she and Blink were alike in that way—but she carried it differently. She favored using her words first. Goading an enemy into throwing the first punch so if anyone asked, the fight wasn’t her fault. Blink was more direct. He didn’t get into fights at all. One or two precise hits was enough to ruin someone’s day if they had said or done something to deserve it, and that was enough.

The two of them had vastly different mentalities, so it was probably a miracle their friendship worked as well as it did.

Sarah did well in math and science, and Blink favored English and art. Blink liked coffee and Sarah preferred tea. Sarah liked girls and Blink liked boys. The only thing they had in common was that they were both angry gay introverts.

Their double date was at a new cafe Sarah’s girlfriend Katherine had found, which was themed ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ A clever twist on a mad tea party, Blink guessed. The aesthetic was carried by the mirrors suspended on wires to the ceiling and the Lewis Carroll quotes on the walls. The foam in Blink’s coffee was blue.

Blink was firmly of the belief that wherever you could find a Starbucks, you could find some small local place with better coffee. This place definitely lived up to that.

Sadly though, the three employees on duty couldn’t seem to agree on a playlist. The songs playing over a cheap sound system kept switching abruptly, which made sitting in silence with Sarah while they waited for their respective partners kind of awkward.

Blink tried to be subtle about shooting a text to Mush, hoping he was close. Mush was good at being comfortable with people no matter the circumstances. It was one of the things Blink loved most about him.

Sarah cleared her throat, startling him into looking up.

“Kitty says there’s a traffic accident on 4th,” she said, gesturing to her phone, “She and Mush are carpooling and they’re stuck behind it.”

“Right.”

Mush and Katherine lived pretty close together. It made sense they wouldn’t waste the gas to come separately.

Sarah rested her chin on her hand, smiling kind of dreamily, “Kitty’s such an amazing writer.”

Blink didn’t know where that came from, “Okay?”

“It’s on my mind because she’s writing a modern interpretation of Alice in Wonderland that’s also a commentary on the treatment of neurodivergent people in our society.”

“Sounds interesting.”

“Yeah, I’ve only read the few polished scenes she’s ready to share, but it’s pretty amazing. It’s gonna be a bestseller when she’s done with it.”

“What’s it called?”

Sarah grinned, “Life Through A Looking Glass. The storyline is that Alice and her friends all have different disorders, and then they somehow spend a week alone together in ‘Wonderland,’ tackling various issues and trauma. It’s trippy because the reader is never quite sure what’s real and what’s not.”

“Jack doin’ her cover art?”

“Naturally. And a few illustrations in the book too, cause those really need to be in more books.”

“That’s rad, dude,” Blink said, fully meaning it.

“You know what’s even radder?”

“What?”

“She based a few of the characters on our friends. I’m not gonna spoil who’s who, but our friend group’s got a fun mixed bag of neurotypes. Kathy’s been doing a bunch of interviews to accurately portray things.”

Blink nodded, “Well, Mush is more of a reader than me, but I’ll still read that book when it comes out.”

“Well, while we’re on the topic of partners,” Sarah took a sip of her coffee (with pale purple foam in it), “How are things with Mush?”

Well, wasn’t that something that Blink didn’t know how to put into words? He wasn’t sure he wanted to put it into words. Sure, he loved Sarah as his friend and trusted her, but it wasn’t like he really talked about his relationship with Mush with anyone.

Blink didn’t want to seem too cliche, even in his own head, but his life had been pretty dark. Mush was a soft, warm light in that dark. He was one good thing after years of bad. He complemented the best parts of Blink and made the worst parts not hurt so much.

Like hell was he saying something that emo out loud, though.

“Things’re good,” he ended up saying, “I don’t know what else to say about it. Y’know. How much can ya really say when you love somebody that much?”

Sarah smiled softly, “Yeah. Yeah, I get that. I could talk about Kitty for hours and still not put it into words the right way.”

Blink shrugged, “I already know I can’t, so why even try?”

He didn’t really mean for it to be funny, but he could understand why Sarah laughed anyway.

They both looked up as the door to the cafe opened and the two they’d been talking about walked in.

“Traffic can suck it!” Katherine Plumber announced in her bold way as she entered, “We made it only 15 minutes late!”

Mush was laughing, trying to shush her, “Katherine, there’s other people here!”

Sarah smirked and reached over the table to nudge Blink.

“You may not have the words for it, Kid, but the look on your face says everything.”

Blink didn’t get a chance to respond before she was out of her seat to go greet her girlfriend. He stayed where he was, because arguably making sure they didn’t lose their table was the more important gesture.

It only took a couple minutes for Mush and Katherine to order their coffee and come over to sit down.

“So,” Katherine said with a warm smile as she set down a majenta drink, “Trying to steal my girl, Blink?”

“I don’t want your girl, Katherine,” Blink deadpanned at the same time as Sarah mock gasped and exclaimed, “He couldn’t if he tried!”

Mush smiled with all the warmth in the world, “Tell Sarah how ya really feel, why don’t ya?”

He bumped his shoulder against Blink’s, and laughed when he was bumped back harder.

“I refuse to be perceived as straight.”

“I was about to be offended,” Sarah said with a grin, “But honestly, fair.”

The song playing over the crappy sound system switched to Straight No Chaser’s Christmas Can Can, and Blink looked over to see that Mush was already looking at him with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He put down his coffee, which had green foam in it.

Blink really loved being 100% in sync with his partner.

They started singing along quietly on the exact same line.

“Thoughts of joy and hope and cheer but mostly shopping, shopping, shopping—“

Sarah and Katherine laughed and joined in right on, “Heard this same song twenty times, and it’s only Halloween…”

Was it really their fault if they started singing louder as the song progressed? Wasn’t that just the spirit of the holidays? Especially since they’d sang this song in their high school choir last year and still remembered most of the harmonies and the dance they’d choreographed as a group, which fit pretty easily in the space around their table?

Blink’s favorite part was coming up.

“Hey, what’s troubling you, my friends?” Mush sang.

Sarah did an exaggeratedly sad frown, “It’s not fair if you’re Jewish, Jewish.”

Katherine joined in, “Not fair if you’re Jewish, Jewish!”

They were all outright belting, “Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay! You realize that Christmas ain’t the only holiday!”

The few other customers in the cafe were staring, but somehow Blink was too high on the feral energy of this friendship to care. People tended to stare at him anyway. Let ‘em. The singing along to the song wasn’t as good as it would be if they had the whole group with them, but two tenors, a soprano 2, and a soprano 1 still made for a few good harmonies.

By the time they finished out, what was left of Blink’s coffee was cold, but he didn’t mind. He and Mush and the girls were laughing, and they were having an amazing time, and he could taste peppermint when Mush kissed him out of pure joy.

Katherine giggled, her head leaned against Sarah’s shoulder, “Best double date ever!”

“Davey’s gonna be so jealous when I tell him about this,” her girlfriend agreed, barely seeming to notice as Kath took out her phone to take a selfie of them before turning her camera on the couple across the table.

“Smile, boys!”

They both did automatically. Smiling genuinely around Mush was always easy.

Katherine lowered her phone when she was done, “Permission to Instagram this cuteness?”

Mush nodded automatically and Blink just shrugged.

Sarah swatted her in the arm, “Get one where I’m actually looking at the camera and then sure.”

Blink reached across the table, “Let me take it. It’s only fair.”

He tried to maintain a completely deadpan tone while holding the phone camera.

“Okay, boss woman who don’t need no man faces…”

The girls actually did do boss faces for a second before bursting out laughing. Blink managed to get both expressions on camera.

“Don’t worry,” he said as he handed the phone back, “Those photos should be decent; I still have one good eye. My depth perception ain’t nearly as bad as it was in middle school.”

Mush put a hand on his shoulder, “That ain’t funny, love.”

“It’s my childhood trauma and I’ll joke about it as much as I want, thanks.”

“It was like 2 years ago.”

“Well, as ya told me back then when I was cryin’ on your couch and all that, I’m safe now and that what matters.”

Mush leaned leaned in to kiss him on the forehead with a soft smile, “I’m still happy Crutchie convinced you to go to therapy.”

“You two are revoltingly cute,” Katherine said, reminding them there were other people in the room.

Mush did finger guns at her, “Back at ya, Kathy.”

“Um, excuse me?”

One of the cafe employees was standing next to their table, already looking apologetic.

“Look,” he said, “You guys’ singalong to the Christmas Can Can was awesome, and I think most of the people here would agree.”

“Thank you,” Sarah said politely.

“Yeah, however, one of them did complain about it, so I’m gonna have to ask you to leave.”

The guy looked like he was expecting them to fight him, but instead they all just exchanged glances and started gathering their stuff.

“I mean, would it really be a date if we didn’t get kicked out of somewhere?” Katherine asked, sweetly directing it at Sarah.

Blink snorted, “Remind me never to agree to a double date with you two again.”

They all laughed as they chugged the rest of their coffee, disposed of their dishes, and headed for the door.

Then the four of them just kind of stood there on the sidewalk outside for a second, not knowing what to do.

“So…” Mush shrugged, snaking an arm around Blink’s waist, “What now?”

“We could go to my place and watch bootlegs on YouTube,” Sarah suggested, “Davey and Les are out with the Larkin boys and my mom won’t care as long as you guys leave before dinner.”

Katherine shrugged, “That shouldn’t be a problem. I’m expected home at 6:00.”

“The Jacobs house it is,” Blink agreed.

A bootleg date sounded even more fun than being loud in a coffee shop anyway.

[tellthosewithpowersafeintower]

light your match and spark a fire

Um, hello! So this fic is inspired by a lovely series of writing prompts that have given me lots of muse for touch-starved Davey Jacobs apparently

The line in particular I used for this was: ❝ i think i forgot what human contact felt like. ❞

This is also published on ao3 if you'd prefer to read it there as well or see the summary

Davey Jacobs went to the Refuge instead of Crutchie, but the strike continued and they did win. It's not really specified but it did know the boys for several weeks before the strike in this universe, and this is set directly after Crutchie brings Davey back after his release

I haven't really written anything more for this universe but if people enjoy I'd definitely be interested in exploring it? I really loved what I've done so far, and even though my anxiety has been picking on me about I truly loved writing this and decided I wanted to attempt to share it

I'd love more than anything to hear your feedback! Hearing from you will always make my day 💕💕💕

Trigger warnings: discussions of and references to past child abuse (courtesy of the Refuge)

When David Jacobs appears, Jack feels like for the first time he can breathe and the world starts turning for the first time since Dave vanished. "Davey," the word is breathless and soft and ginger and Jack wants nothing more than to never let it or him go. What's visible of Davey's skin is littered with cuts and bruises, old and new, and faint lines that look they will curl into scars. There's a fresh cut on his cheek and his left eye is black and blue, turning into a nasty looking shiner and his hair messy and unkempt in a way Davey before most certainly would have deplored. Davey smiles. The action seems very forced.

"Hey, Jack."

It seemed everything in the room had frozen when David had entered, and in an instant the tense atmosphere shatters. Racetrack moves forward, feet flying and he's at Dave's side in an instant, eyes wide and cigar tipping down as his mouth drops in shock. Race's hand hesitates by Davey's shoulder. He flinches back slightly on instinct, short of breath, before forcing an apologetic smile. Race just dips his head ever so slightly, eyes knowing. The flurry of motion from the boys follows, all keeping their distance but undeniably relieved and joyful.

There's the thump of a crutch with wood as Crutchie takes a few steps forward. He shoots a look over his shoulder, hand flying out towards the other boy and smiling reassuringly at him the way he has since their entry.

Jack stares, his breathing hitching. Davey takes several steps forward, wincing and holding ribs gingerly. Jack feels his throat constrict when he notices the limp and the way one of Dave's legs doesn't seem willing to cooperate, and hates the way the injury old or new restricts the most beautiful boy ever known. Davey meets him in the middle and tries to smile. "They shut down the Refuge. Roosevelt... he heard about you. And the Refuge, your... drawings. Sny- Snyder's going to be incarcerated."

Jack's hands want to twitch at his sides, to break the distance between them and pull the weight of Davey Jacobs' body to him to prove to himself that Dave is warm and there and real. He'd seen the wary look, though, the urge to shy back from unexpected rough hands and Jack feels his heart constrict in his throat because not Davey Jacobs. None of his boys.

Except it seems that even though he'd wanted to keep every one of them out of the Refuge they had all lived it a thousand agonizing times.

"God, Davey..." Jack's voice feels ragged and painful. His hand moves painfully slowly and when Davey nods slightly at Jack's silent question he traces his fingers ever so softly under Dave's black eye. Davey shudders under the touch, painfully thin and slight and shaky, breath catching in his throat as Jack whispers, "I'm sorry."

The boys are silent at the spectacle. There was a faint cough and silently it seemed everyone agrees they couldn't pull their eyes away, afraid that if they do their friend is going to be gone in a breath. Davey licks his lips, trying to find the words. After a few staggered moments he breathes in, eyes sincere.

"It wasn't your fault."

Jack makes a noise of disbelief and tries to turn his head away, but he can't bring himself to let David out of his line of sight. He watches as Davey fiddles with his lip between his teeth before glancing around at all the others.

"It wasn't any of your faults."

Jack closes his eyes and breathes out. He opens his eyes as quickly as he can and feels a spike of relief that yes Davey is still here, and not a phantom or dream he's just jerked out of. Davey spins to face Jack, wincing at the sharp jarring of his ribs with the sudden movement and he sighs.

"Is it okay if I touch you?"

The words are painfully desperate. Jack hates the way the words wobble and strangle in his chest, pleading. Davey's eyes flash with some strong emotion Jack barely has time to register before it's gone. Davey lets out a shaky, breathless noise that could perhaps be called a broken laugh before he ever so slowly nods. It seems far too long and not long enough before Jack has him in his arm. Jack moves cautiously, making sure Dave is aware of every movement before he wraps his arms around Davey and pulls him close. Davey shudders, a tremor rolling down his body and Jack hates the way he can he feel the bones beneath the other boy's shirt. How painfully light he is. Jack tries to swallow the bile in his throat and hopes that Davey can even remember the last time he ate.

The moment he pulls the warm presence of Dave close to his chest the suffocating, heavy weight coiled in his chest unfurls. Jack let out a shaky breath. Davey sinks into the embrace and Jack's grip tightens.

"I think I forgot what human contact felt like," Davey's words come out strangled and incredibly small.

Jack huffs on a bitter, garbled laugh and struggles for breath. When Dave buries his face into Jack's shirt and continues to tremble, Jack breathes in the scent of sweat and metal and the bitter iron of blood. He tries to ignore the throb in his forehead it awakens.

"Guess we'se gonna have to remind you," he runs his thumb over one of Davey's fingers, forcing himself to swallow the painful bubble in his throat. "What it's like to be cared about."

Davey stiffens in his arms, stilling before his fingers grasp at the material and he lets out a choked noise that sounds painfully like a sob. He all but falls into Jack and Jack holds him close. He buries his nose into Dave's hair and breathes in the warm weight of Davey Jacobs under his arm and the tickle of his hair.

Holding Davey felt like coming home.

Race drops his cigar to side before walking slowly towards them, caution to each step. He stops, making eye contact with Jack above Dave's head before moving a half-step closer to the shaky boy. "Davey?" His pitch raises in another question and Davey gives a jerky nod and manages to choke out a, "Yes."

Race's fingers softly brush David's shoulder, keeping an eye on him and, when it seems safe to continue, outstretching his fingers to wrap his hand around the other boy's shoulder. Racetrack moved to pull himself around the boy in an awkward sort of embrace. Jack felt Davey's breath stutter before a strained pleasant hum greeted them. "Good to stop whenever you need us to," Jack assured him as his thumb lightly brushed along Dave's fingers. One-by-one boys filter forwards, asking and double-checking before adding themselves to the sea of gentle touches- Crutchie with soft smiles and fondness silently stroking Davey's hair with feather light touches, Blink adding himself to the hug, Albert tracing patterns silently on the back of Dave's hand.

In the end they all wound up on the floor tucked between two bunks. Davey huddles in the middle of the tangled limbs in a giant, messy group hug held close to Jack's chest.

It's hot, and snuggling close together with a sea of hot bodies hardly helped such matters but none of them seem bothered. Every motion and touch is soft and made with care. Even the bickering is gentle, with no heat or bite and soft words and faint smiles.

When Dave takes in a tremulous breath and forces out, "I really missed you guys," everything falls quiet save for his breathing.

Then comes a rise of voices, newsboys fumbling over themselves for their own comments. "We missed you too." "It's good to have ya back." "'S okay, Dave. We gotcha." "Ain't gonna let them getcha again."

"You're a newsie," Crutchie's says in the breath that follows. "Newsies is family. You're one of us now."

When Davey buries a smile into Jack's shirt, Jack gently traces patterns along Dave's fingers and returns one faintly.

Contact, in the Refuge, was limited to pain, rough touches, and jarring movements. Even eye contact marked the mere silent exchanges with other terrified children, moments like huddling close in the cramped, uncomfortable mattresses at night and maybe a desperate grapple of limbs before impending pain. Even other kids could be harsh, with shoves and scratches and striking flesh on flesh in a way they'd all become accustomed to. Shoving down and kicking and nicking food from too clumsy hands. There were no softer moments like these, hugs or embraces or fleeting brushes of hands or ruffling someone's hair. With the newsies, everyone always seemed to be touching in one way or another. Playful pats, claps on the shoulder, tugging someone into a one-armed embrace, bumping elbows with one another, and signature spit-shakes filtered into the flurry of never ending touch.

The newsies all seem to be very physical people. They showed affection through thousands of varying touches, welcomed others through contact, and reminded themselves of their connection and presence after rough days through contact with one another.

Feeling Davey shudder under the slightest touch, as though he didn't know what to do with it or what to expect, did something to Jack's heart.

"This is so stupid," Davey chokes, twisting to hide his face and heavy breaths into the fabric of Jack's shirt. Even as he says it, he makes no move to draw away. His breathing hitches and he bites his lip when a hand reached up to brush his cheek soothingly, but unconsciously he continued to lean into the contact.

"No, it ain't," Jack retorts, and, at Davey's strained noise of disbelief, "It ain't, Dave."

"We've had months to be wit each other and share beds and walk all over each other," Mush speaks up. "None of us have a problem making up for lost time."

"You went from school to the streets to prison in a couple a weeks," Race's eyes are sad when he fiddles his cigar between his fingers. "Nothing wrong with needing time to figure things out after that."

Davey's shoulders tense at the word 'prison' and he bites out, "That's not-"

He breaks off.

Jack tips his head up. "Sometimes you need somethin to remind you you're still here. You're allowed to want a hug. Ain't nothing wrong with wanting to held for Christ's sake," Jack huffs.

"Some of us come from places where we wasn't really allowed to love or have affection. It isn't bad to want that when you ain't known anything different from bad touch," Crutchie's voice is smaller but wise and aged in the way some of the older boy's got, smile pinched ever so slightly.

"I'm sorry."

That startles a snort out of Jack. "What you got to be sorry for?"

"You didn't- you shouldn't-" Davey's words tapper out at his next words. "You shouldn't have to know all that."

Jack hears a few sharp breaths and fond smiles from the boys. They shuffle closer around Dave. Jack feels something warm and fond in his chest as some of the boys wave off the words with light comments, but their eyes were undeniably affectionate. Watching the way Davey nervously twisted with his fingers, trying to repress a wince, something painful contracts inside Jack's chest.

And neither should you.

"I'm sorry for worrying you."

The words are incredibly small and Jack swears all thoughts in his brain short-circuit, sluggishly trying to process what had just been said. Feeling strangled as his grip around Davey tightens, "Of course you'd apologize for getting beaten and arrested, Christ."

Jack presses his eyes shut. Beside him, a few of the boys shift nearer as their affection for the boy in their arms grew.

"It ain't your fault Davey. It ain't," he presses firmly. Trying not to groan at the disbelief denial guilt he caught twisting the other boy's features, Jack grits his teeth for a moment. "Ain't on you. The only people who's at fault is the guys at did this. None o' this is on you."

Davey huffed, and his curled fingers squeeze tighter into the material of Jack's shirt.

"It. Ain't. Your. Fault."

Each word is firm and as punctuated as Jack could make it.

It falls silent beyond the ragged, heavy breaths that escape Davey. Jack stares at the shuddering boy and noiselessly pleaded with him to understand. Crutchie runs his fingers through Dave's hair, letting it curl up in little fluffs at all angles. He didn't seem to mind the press of other boys at his side, arms snaked around him and supporting his shoulders.

Then, incredibly soft from where he wrapped around the boy, Race whispers, "You don't gotta do this alone."

Davey's shoulders heave.

There was nothing, and then, squeezing his eyes shut so tight it likely sent spikes of pain through his face, the former schoolboy's fingers twitch.

"What did I do to deserve you?" He says, strangled and breathless.

"Started a strike, kept us all safe, fought like hell, gave up everything for us an' gave us something to believe in ourselves for."

It was perhaps the most Davey had heard from Blink in one breath before.

"You're a newsboy. Not just a newsboy now, you're one of us. We pick the best a our own. Like Crutchie 's said- Newsies is family, so you're stuck with the rest of us now, there's no goin back."

A snort and a grumbled, "Ain't that the truth."

The startled noise that brings out of Davey almost stops Jack's heart. He has to focus to catch his breath. It wasn't a laugh, not quite, but the strangled not entirely unpleasant sound is more beautiful than Santa Fe could ever be.

It's the closest any of them had gotten to one of Mouth's laugh in what feels like an eternity. Even before, the joy that had eventually, fleetingly shone through at them from the elder Jacobs had been brief at best before it was gone. Every one of them couldn't help but want for the next.

Then, after a breath, an incredibly small voice comes from Davey.

"Thank you."

Jack feels his lips lop up in some play on a smile. "Of course, Mouth," equally as soft

. They stay like that for a while. Quiet, save for breathless noises, soothing murmured affections, and gentle adoration. One of the littles tries to toss a blanket over the bundle of bodies to make them comfortable. It drapes over a few of their heads, but most of the grungy newsboys aren't even touched by the scant cloth. They appreciate the gesture anyhow.

When it becomes too overwhelming and Davey makes a strangled, gasping noise, there is a fumble of bodies rapidly withdrawing without protest. They seat themselves around the others, sprawling over beds or crossing their legs or kneeling or leaning against railing nearby. Jack starts to gingerly draw himself back but Davey clutches tighter to Jack's shirt with a noise of protest. Jack stares, shocked for a moment before a wave of fondness rose up and threatens to drown him. Tucking his smile into Davey's hair, Jack whispers feather light reassurances and watches the way the shaky tension slowly seeps away. David didn't want to let go. Jack had no protest.

The newsies speak softly to each other and watch gently with light words and smiles, whispering soft comforts to Davey.

Of course, a few teasing comments slip in now and then but none of them held any malice.

Davey quietly fiddles with a few of the buttons on Jack's shirt. Pulling back, Jack drops his gaze to Dave's. "Good?" He checks, a murmur.

Davey nods.

When some of the rest of their ragtag family draw near, they move with care about Davey's ribs and tender, fresh injuries. They level quiet questions and eventually pull into a group hug, snaking their arms about one another and nosing near to each other.

When they pull back, the boys sprawl across the floor but all hold as close as possible to each other. Everyone is brushing at the least one other person's skin. Blink and Mush sprawl together, Blink laying his head on Mush's chest as they curl up with one another, hovering close and casting glances to Dave every other moment between silently exchanged fond glances. Crutchie leans slightly against Dave, one hand on the crutch slightly behind him and offering a quiet presence of support.

When Davey leans the side of his head against Jack's chest, slowly his eyes start to droop further. The bone deep exhaustion that has been bleeding off of him in waves seems to catch up with him. Jack gently brushes the hair plastered to Davey's forehead aside, keeping as still as possible. Davey jerks and his eyes fly to Jack as he shoots upright, eyes panicked.

"I can't-" Davey's voice breaks and he tries to keep his hands from trembling. The pure fear on his face sends a knife through Jack's heart.

Racetrack's eyes soften in understanding and he winces, turning to curse lowly under his breath. Crutchie sits up, closing his eyes tight and drawing in a long breath.

Can't doze off for fear of how he'll be jolted awake and what he'll face when he does. Can't deal with the way his throat closes up when he opens his eyes and is trapped back in that hell in his own his head.

"I know, Davey," Jack finally grits out, voice raw and wishing he didn't. "I know. 'm not going anywhere. We got you."

He promised.

Davey holds his gaze another moment. His blackened eye seems to glare up at Jack. Davey wrings his hand, twisting his anxiety into something physical as his breath comes unsteadily. Jack's throat burns and he holds his breath for another moment. Everyone watches, eyes sad and a thrum of protective fury warring their features.

Davey nods jerkily and drops his head to Jack's chest, breath dangerously wet as his shoulders heave.

Wordlessly everyone shifts closer. Race drops his head to smile and pull Dave into a brief one-armed hug, resting his chin on top of Davey's head. He draws back with a reassuring smile and whisper meant for their ears only. Davey shifts the weight on his shoulder, fingers resting curled neatly on Jack's chest. Jack reached an arm to wrap around Dave's waist.

Davey's breath stills as slowly he curls closer to Jack Kelly. Finally, a quiet plea unconsciously tumbles past his lips.

"Don't leave?"

Davey clamps his mouth shut, biting his lip hard and turning his head further into Jack's shirt. Jack's heart seizes in his chest and he feels as though all air has been sucked out of the room. Inhaling sharply, he presses his lips to Davey's temple. The pain of seeing the undercurrent of vulnerability and longing is going to rip him apart.

"Ain't any way in hell nothing's gonna take us away from you."

The words are vehement. Jack isn't sure who they came from. The rise of "Yeah!" echoed by the rest of the boys seems to be enough for Davey's shoulders to drop as he relaxes full, all tension seeping away into trust and warmth as he turns into a more comfortable position.

Eyes flashing in pain, Davey's breath falters when his ribs twinge painfully. Jack hums soothingly, ears heating and stopping abruptly but hoping as he watches Davey settle himself that it helped. "Not a chance," he murmurs instead in response to the boy's earlier words. Davey's fingers twitch, breath going shallow as half-lidded eyes fix on nothing in particular. Jack watches as slowly Davey drifts off, lips parting slightly and limbs losing the lingerness stiffness rigidly clinging to his thin frame.

Davey stirs, a series of unintelligible mumbles falling from his lips. The crowd of newsboys crack a smile. Jack huffs a laugh, doing his best not to disturb the slumbering boy.

Eyes undeniably fond, he whispers into the curls, "Go to sleep, sweetheart."

A few more noises and grumbled syllables before a much more coherent "love you" graces them all.

Jack's fingers still over Davey's shoulder, breath hitching.

Then, from Racetrack, a fond, exasperated, "Love you too, Mouth."

A hum of agreement from the surrounding boys. Jack feels his face crack into a smile that hurts as he softly begins to run his fingers through soft hair. As the crowd settles, hats drooping over faces as the ragtag gathering of boys begin their silent watch they knew whether their presence chased away darker phantoms or fitful sleep and silent shudders wracked a too small frame they'd be there. Davey wouldn't wake alone, and none of the boys had any intention to let the world touch him any time soon.

Newsies was family, and Dave was theirs.

And none of the newsboys could be prouder of that fact.

[fragilecliche]

This AFI Music Video Perfectly Depicts the Effect Your Suffering Has on the World around You

Your choice isn’t whether or not you will have an impact. Your choice is what that impact will be.

As ‘spooky season’ officially falls on us, many button up their flannels, head to the apple orchard or home decor store, throw on a scary movie, sip a pumpkin-spiced anything, and rejoice in the cool change of season.

Personally, although I do enjoy a good flannel and Starbucks PSL, the Fall is my favorite time to listen to emo music. The descending leaves and fading sun confer contemplative and mellow moods, of which softer and sadder tunes accompany well.

One of the best albums for such a time is AFI’s Sing the Sorrow (yes, that band who wrote ‘Miss Murder’). And one of the best songs from that album is “Silver and Cold.”

However, not only is it a shining gem in the Emo Canon, the music video it accompanies holds a brilliant lesson about the effect our mental health has on those around us.

The Story

As the music video opens, we are shown shots of a bridge and a man standing on the ledge (lead singer Davey Havok). That scene is juxtaposed with a group of friends sitting in a café (AFI bandmates), with one guy answering an urgent phone call.

As the music video progresses, it becomes clear that the phone call was from the man on the ledge who rang to tell his friends he was about to jump. His friends then rush to their car to stop him before it’s too late.

In their haste to save their friend from committing suicide, the group recklessly crashes their car, resulting in a fiery explosion (leading the viewer to conclude that they all perished).

Unaware of the events that took place, the man on the ledge eventually steps down and decides not to take his own life, meaning his friends suffered needlessly.

The Lesson

This music video teaches us a few things:

That we don’t suffer alone and that our suffering impacts those close to us;

That in getting caught up in others’ struggles, we can get caught up ourselves;

That our actions produce a ripple effect on the world around us.

Often when we suffer, it feels like we’re alone. In periods of depression and anxiety, we feel the urge to retreat from the world around us, to hide our emotions from others, and that nobody would care or understand what we’re going through.

But the truth is you aren’t the only one who struggles. In a given year, roughly one out of five will experience some mental health issue. It’s likely there is a peer, friend, or confidant who will understand you if you reach out to them.

Yet, another important thing to realize is that when we suffer, those close to us can also feel our pain and begin to suffer alongside us. This is perhaps one of the biggest reasons people never open up about their mental health issues. They don’t want to bother those around them and they sure don’t want them to feel the pain that they’re feeling.

Paradoxically, the solution is to realize that you and only you are responsible for saving yourself. You are not responsible for saving others. If others express the need for help, you can only try to point them in the right direction.

In the attempt to save others from drowning, you can inadvertently drown yourself, such as the group of friends did in this music video. It’s a tough and heartbreaking thing to realize — how much we would love to save humanity as a result of our efforts — but you can only help others help themselves.

The last thing to emphasize about this music video is the cascading effect our actions have on the world around us. Could the man on the ledge have possibly realized that his dance with death would result in his friends (and others) dying?

It’s a reminder that we don’t have a choice whether or not our life produces some effect, our choice is what that effect will be.

In my opinion, this is one of the strongest reasons for prioritizing your own well-being and working on yourself.

If you want the world around you to be the best and brightest it can possibly be, if you want to see others be happy, if you want good things to happen, the best way to achieve that is to be the best person you can possibly be.

That means addressing your emotions and listening to what they’re telling you. That means living life in a way that makes yourself happy. That means not projecting your negativity onto others around you. That means trying your best to be grateful and not resentful.

It doesn’t mean trying to control others or trying to control external events. It means focusing on your internal locus of control and letting the rest simply be.

If things ever seem pointless or meaningless — and trust me, they will — boiling down your world to what you can control and achieve will produce positive results.

Your actions have consequences. What do you want those consequences to be?

Let this music video serve as a reminder that it’s of the utmost importance to prioritize your own mental well-being; that you don’t suffer alone; that others suffer alongside you; and that your choice is what impact you want to have on the world, not whether or not there will be an impact.

[regular-lord-reckoner]

AFI: Secret Nazis?!?!

Alright, so...let’s jump into this, I guess 

I’ve posted before about Davey’s clothing line Eat Your Own Tail here because that’s just a wholllllle bucket of problems, although like I said in my post, I’m not gonna take that as solid 1000% proof that dude’s a secret Nazi 

Do I think what he’s doing there is the most responsible thing? No. Have I called him out on it? Yes. Is he gonna do something about it? Idk, that remains to be seen 

I realize that this has caused a looooot of emotional turmoil for fans and it’s even garnered the attention of non-fans who have looked further into the band and the situation as a whole and there’s a post going around that lays out what it claims to be proof that AFI is basically a beehive of racism 

And here’s the thing, like...we all understand on just a base line level that white people are inherently racist. We were born into a racist society and we benefit from white privilege and it’s not like reading a few articles or watching 13th magically cures any of us of being racist 

Is it possible that this group or at least half of it is totally fucking racist and at the very least Nazi sympathizers? I mean...yeah, anything’s possible. 

Given some of the posed arguments, though...Idk. I might be an oblivious fan over here with my head stuck up my own ass, but I’m not swayed by arguments such as “They have a song called ‘White Offerings’” as proof of them being racist 

Like...okay, and? 

These are the lyrics: 

If I were only If I were only here I'd try I'd try to give you little birds I've made Oh, everyone takes flight never to return again White offerings are all I bring Welcome to white room, white room White offerings are all I bring I welcome you, I offer you this white room If I were only If I were only here I'd try I'd try to gift you paper birds I free And you'd set fire to my sky Oh, but I will offer you White offerings are all I bring Welcome to white room, white room White offerings are all I bring I welcome you, I offer you this white room I can feel your color changing I can feel your color changing I can feel your color changing I can feel it change White offerings are all I bring Welcome to white room, white room White offerings are all I bring I welcome you, I offer you this white room White White room White room White offerings are all I bring I offer you this white room

Now, perhaps I’m just super duper ignorant here, but...this doesn’t sound like a pro-ethnic cleansing anthem to me ???? 

As someone who’s listened to this band for years I can tell you that the lyrics often reference colors (white, black, gold, grey, etc.) and that there are a loooooot of songs about failed relationships 

Another way of looking at this song could be that the use of the color white here is symbolism for the absence of something. I’m no color theory major, but I know a lot of people tend to think of white as being the absence of color (which I feel like is actually wrong but regardless it’s still something people believe so bear with me) 

You could interpret this song as being about a situation being disturbed or changing, becoming tumultuous or chaotic. “I offer you stability and you reject that” in other words. 

Or, y’know, you could take it to mean Davey wants to see the destruction of all other races, that’s a thing, too. 

I guess by that logic any time I hear the word white in a song sung by a white dude I’m gonna have to rethink everything. I’m lookin’ at you, Thom Yorke and your “Daydreaming” song. “WHITE room, by window?” I see you. 

Another point was that Kerrang! magazine rated AFI’s most recent album with a series of Ks because their name begins with a K so I guess instead of stars they made the piss poor decision to giving albums ratings in Ks? Or maybe just this one? I don’t fuckin’ know, but it sounds like Kerrang!’s problem if you ask me, but Idk maybe Davey asked for that rating specifically as a shout out to his brothers in the klan. 

Yet another point is in XTRMST lyrics and this one I can see because that’s some angry, violent shit but...here’s the thing, I dunno why we all suddenly have amnesia and are pretending that we don’t know what that band’s purpose was 

Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t XTRMST supposed to be an angry, violent straight edge thing? Meaning...the references to Xs have to do with straight edge symbolism. The lyrics are talking about drugs culture, alcohol culture, meat/dairy culture, and religion? The talk about eradicating shit is in reference to doing away with society’s acceptance of what Davey perceives to be toxic behaviors and mindsets as they pertain to drugs, alcohol, meat/dairy consumption, and religion. 

Because it’s not really any big secret that these are things Davey has a pretty big problem with, like he’s not been quiet about that in interviews and in songs and look, like...I like AFI and shit, but I do find some of that shit to be borderline obnoxious 

I bought into straight edge culture at one point in time and thought myself morally superior and better than, etc.,etc and now I’m just like...let people fucking live their lives, man. If someone wants to get fucked up on drugs, that’s their choice. If someone wants to believe in something I don’t, I’m cool with that as long as they don’t try to force it down my throat. If someone wants to eat meat and consume dairy I’m cool, just don’t insist that everyone else do the same and we’ll be okay 

So yeah, on that level that kinda makes him a dick, like I get that he has strong feelings about this shit, but the name XTRMST itself suggests that he knows as much but he’s gonna go ahead with it anyway 

But like I said, I get how you could look at that, especially given everything else, and be like, “Yiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiikes” And I could be totally ass wrong about this, I really could 

My thing is, though...I’m trying not to go into this with confirmation bias. Like...I think people are understandably uncomfortable and displaced with the EYOT shit, fine. But I think now people are looking into other things and trying to find further evidence to compound this situation and I just...I’m not sure it’s really there??? 

Again, I could be totally, totally ass wrong and if I am then believe you me I’ll be right there with you throwing away all my posters and albums and shit because fucking no, man 

But like...before I start just burning everything down and wailing and screaming I’m gonna try to take a step back and really think about this shit and think about what the other possible explanations could be 

Ideally, yes, they would be 100% up front about this and it would be clear as fucking DAY where they stand and I realize that’s caused a lot of anxiety and uncertainty and I feel ya on that one, I do 

But I think it’s also worth noting that like...people have pointed out how good Hunter and Adam especially have been about speaking out against all the bullshit that’s been happening lately in the world and with politics. And if nothing else, maybe that’s something to consider? 

Because here’s the thing, either these two are somehow completely hookwinked by their bandmates and somehow would have just no-fucking-clue whatsoever that they’ve been friends with Nazis for like 20 some odd years and they’re completely innocent in this or...

They’re okay with it. They don’t think it’s that big of a deal and by proxy then, they’re assholes as well and belong in the trash right alongside Davey and Jade 

And I would hope to fuckin’ god that Adam especially isn’t in the latter category because heyyyyy someone tell his wife she needs to fuckin’ run because apparently Adam’s down with his bandmates wanting to kill her 

So, there’s that. 

Again, like...I’m not here trying to excuse a bunch of shit and act like, “my faves aren’t problematic!!!” because uh, yeah, they are 

Personally, I’m of the camp that I think Davey’s clothing line disaster was an effort to try to pay homage to the occult/witchcraft shit it’s just...so many of those fuckin’ symbols and shit are tainted now and should probably go in the fucking trash, Idk. Being that that’s the theme I could understand why there’s an image of a church with a noose in front of it because correct me if I’m wrong, but supposed witches were hung in the gallows in addition to being burned and thrown in rivers with pockets full of stones and being that this persecution came from churches, well...ya know

But again, the image of a noose brings up a lot of other shit that, given this whole situation makes people go, “Eh????” so I get that, I do, I’m just saying like...that’s not the only explanation, especially when you put the image in the context of what at least was trying to be intended here 

Again, though, I could very well be wrong and this whole thing could Davey’s way of trying to make his Nazi affiliation be known, I’m not necessarily ruling that one out because the world’s a fucking garbage dump, my country’s basically on fire, and I say you kill your heroes and fly, fly baby don’t cry because people you look up to usually end up disappointing and devastating you in some way or another, right? Might as well go big or go fuckin’ home in this case 

As of right now, though, right in this moment I’m sorry but I can’t get on this bandwagon of, “Let’s throw all AFI shit away and wash my hands of this!!!” because I feel like this is a clusterfuck of a situation and that there are other explanations besides, “Well clearly this is the work of some racist mother fuckers who want ethnic cleansing” 

Yes, XTRMST lyrics are...what they are and maybe I’m being misdirected by the creators themselves, but if you look at the songs again from the lens of someone who’s talking about rejecting/destroying these things that he finds abhorrent (again, drug culture, religion, consumption of meat/dairy, drinking) it leaves less room to interpret it as, “Oh, well clearly this is all about ridding the world of races other than white” 

Hold Davey accountable for his misstep with his clothing line and keep trying to reach out, try to get him to listen because I agree that even if his intentions were good, even if he was trying to reclaim these images back to their original context, given the climate of things right now it’s A. not really his place to be doing so and B. just overall not a good idea and comes off as super sketchy and not okay 

But I will implore you, if I can, to not jump to conclusions. To not try to twist every lyric you find that has the word “white” in it into something it’s more than likely not. And to just sort of take a step back if you’re starting to feel overwhelmed and upset 

Also to realize that yes, we need to do our best to recognize and identify and reject symbols that have Nazi affiliations, but to also realize that guys, there are...a fuck ton. Because as I said in my other post, that’s part of their insidious nature is to hijack shit that doesn’t belong to them and fucking taint it and ruin it for everyone else. The fucking Swastika should tell you as much (and although there are cultures that have since given up the symbol there are some that still continue to use it because it belonged to them first and they refuse to let someone take it from them, fair enough). 

In the case of the occult/witchcraft symbolism Nazis have borrowed pretty heavily from this well. The image of three figures cloaked in black has been circulating with some of these posts. These, again, are images meant to signify the occult, these are as far as I know meant to represent witches. The pointed hood, however, lends itself to klan imagery which came after and which stole from this look, taking the all black look and turning it all white. You could then argue that continuing to use the all black imagery is a middle finger to the klan for trying to re-purpose and make shitty what doesn’t belong to them, but that’s sort of a tricky area, I think. I’ve seen recent photos taken of covens at some of the protests that have been happening and these individuals are still wearing the black garb with pointed hoods because it’s still integral to their imagery. If the two are too similar, though, I think we need to have a larger discussion then about what needs to be done in those communities regarding certain imagery, wardrobe, and symbolism and if Davey wants to get in on that and contribute in a positive way, then great. If not then that’s unfortunate and we need to continue to try to address that point with him. 

And here’s the thing, like...I get it, man. Nobody wants to be the fucking asshole. Nobody wants to have egg on their face and it’s better to err on the side of caution by just saying, “Yeah, they’re probably a bunch of racist Nazi fucks, fuck them” because if you’re wrong then...oh well, but if you’re right then you dodged a bullet and you have the satisfaction of knowing that you made the right call 

At the same time, though, maybe don’t make villains out of people because they’ve done problematic shit? Still hold them accountable for what they’ve done wrong, absolutely, but like...you don’t have to go on a fucking treasure hunt to uncover more fucked up shit that might not even be there to support your argument 

I think the clothing line shit within itself is bad enough without having to take lyrics out of their original context in order to say, “And as you can see, this clearly proves my point that these dudes are racist as FUCK” 

They may very well be, but I guess I say all of this to say I’m gonna need something besides what’s been provided to convince me and maybe that’s just shitty and terrible and ignorant of me, maybe I’m being a stubborn fan here, but I’m just not seeing it. 

I am seeing the problems with EYOT (even though I don’t think there quite as severe as some have made them out to be) but when I see these posts dragging out lyrics and shit all I can think is: it’s not that deep 

I understand that this is a serious and sensitive issue and I’m not saying people are wrong for being concerned, but...being that it’s a serious and sensitive issue I guess I want to see it treated with a little more care than just going, “Well, he used the word white in a song so clearly he’s racist” or “he used occult imagery that’s since been tainted by Nazi use so let’s rule out the possibility that he’s misguidedly trying to reclaim these images and instead insist that it means he’s a full blown Nazi because here’s some pictures of witches with pointed hoods and a picture of a church on fire, clearly this can’t have anything to do with his views on religion or interest in the occult, it’s gotta be the Nazi thing and the Nazi thing only and if you say different then you’re a Nazi, too!”. Like is that really helping? Nazis are a legitimate problem right now, we’re dealing with some serious shit and there are people insisting that if you don’t reach to connect these dots that you’re the real problem here. I realize that not all Nazis exist in the spot light, not all Nazis do super obvious Nazi shit, but like...we’re also not going anywhere if we’re going to, forgive me, go on a witch hunt. 

Be skeptical, keep your eyes open, pay attention, watch this EYOT closely and like I said, keep trying to push this point with him if you can and hopefully we’ll get some answers or going forward he’ll start using symbols that haven’t been tainted in his designs instead. But digging into lyrics and taking shit that’s honestly likely about failed relationships and straight edge culture and twisting it to fit a certain narrative isn’t really helping anything. You can still be 100% on your fuckin’ guard about this shit without having to reach 

By all means, if I end up being wrong you can come rub it in my face and tell me how badly I have fucked up and how wrong and stupid I am, but I honestly, i feel like people are jumping to conclusions here and I’m not saying there’s no basis for it whatsoever, because there is unfortunately, and I understand the mindset of “no fucking excuses” and that’s fine, but like...these arguments are just not that good, my dudes. Beyond the already established problematic use of symbols in EYOT the rest of this is relying on taking things out of context and finding a way to apply it to this particular situation and it may in all actuality be completely valid and I’m just too blind to see that right now, but I just...yeah, I can’t get on this particular outrage train 

From what I’ve seen from this band so far is that even though some of its members are a little extreme in their edge life shit that overall they’ve been on the progressive side of things and before you say anything like I get it, there are people who are fairly liberal and supposedly open-minded who are still racist sacks of shit and I understand that, I’m just saying it’s something else to keep in mind 

We need to be aware of who the enemies are, for goddamn sure, but I think it’s also important that we don’t make enemies out of people who might not actually be enemies. 

Do your own research. Look into these symbols, see what their origins are and what the other meanings consist of. Think about shit for yourself, not just what someone else is telling you to think. You can take everything I’ve said and throw it out the goddamn window if you don’t agree and that’s fine because I don’t want someone to just mindlessly read what I’m saying and go, “Yep, that sounds good, I’m gonna believe that now!” 

I think people mean well and I think you’re trying to do the right thing, I do, but I see a loooooot of people who just let someone else dictate to them what is and isn’t good and bad. Someone posts an argument and it sounds convincing and suddenly everyone’s on board with that, they’re fully behind it, but someone poses a counter argument that’s just as convincing and suddenly there’s some doubt there, there’s some uncertainty and people are reevaluating their feelings 

I know it’s tempting to sit back and let someone else do your thinking for you, I fall prey to this as well, but I implore you to really take a step back here and reassess and if you feel the same way then that’s totally fine, I won’t hold it against you, but I just...I really feel like this is verging on fear-mongering and I can’t get behind it