#and by if you value your life I mean if you value your life

[geeko-sapiens]

A few nitpicks just because I'm autistic:

Seasons are just fancy delineations of Earth's orbit around the sun and axial tilt. Further away it gets cold enough that water vapor condenses and freezes into snow, closer to the sun it gets hotter, plus there's two transitional periods where life prepares to deal with warmer or colder times. You can alter that, but you'll need to either involve Weird Magic or start fucking with orbital mechanics (which invites physics nerds and will still likely just be variants on warmer/colder).

Jewelry is just something that's sparkly and pretty, and precious gems/metals are what we generally think are the most sparkly/pretty, but it's also used socially as wealth signifiers. Anything used in jewelry will be considered either precious (and valuable) because it's rare, or tawdry (and cheap) because it isn't. Tawdry things can be made valuable, but just because of the amount of effort put into creating them (which costs value).

The northern lights are always around the magnetic poles, regardless of where the planet spins, and the "equator" is just an arbitrary line we've drawn that divides the earth between magnetic poles. IIRC, magnetic poles usually stay fairly close to the planetary axis of rotation just because of how that rotation causes the mantle and core to spin, and any reversals that move the magnetic poles away from the axis are temporary and just part of the process of switching which pole is on which side of the equator.

Domesticated animals - and I mean fully domesticated, not just "we keep them as pets" like snakes or parrots or some insects - are always going to be social animals that are small enough that we can sorta control if they breed and with who, because they need to be social to include us in their social group and they need to be controllable so we can breed them to be friendly enough to include us. That puts a fairly stringent limit on what kinds of personalities can develop. You can look outside dogs and cats for pets, try pigeons or chickens or the like, but your starting stock has always gotta be social and friendly.

What other ways can you do books in fantasy, though? As compact information storage goes, you can't really beat a book without complex technology (or magic substituting for technology) - thin pages tightly compacted and bound together in the proper order. Scrolls are still the same principle except the "pages" are bound together at both edges instead of just one. You could have complex engravings that can be read by touch, but then you have the two issues of needing tools that can engrave that finely and needing to write xenofiction about beings that prioritize touch over sight (are they all blind, or have limited vision? do they echolocate? how do you write an entire book from their perspective when so much of human perception is sight-based?) and that may be more than you're willing to take on, and every other method of non-book low-tech information storage I can think of has similar issues. If you want to involve magic, well, then that doesn't answer how Grandma writes down her recipe books and also how do you do that in a way that isn't just Magic CDs?

Yes, I know all of these can be simply answered with "it's magic, I ain't gotta explain shit." So please, don't take this as discouragement! I just mean that if you do these things you're going to have people like me asking how and possibly why, and going insane looking for answers.

Small fantasy worldbuilding elements you might want to think about:

A currency that isn’t gold-standard/having gold be as valuable as tin

A currency that runs entirely on a perishable resource, like cocoa beans

A clock that isn’t 24-hours

More or less than four seasons/seasons other than the ones we know

Fantastical weather patterns like irregular cloud formations, iridescent rain

Multiple moons/no moon

Planetary rings

A northern lights effect, but near the equator

Roads that aren’t brown or grey/black, like San Juan’s blue bricks

Jewelry beyond precious gems and metals

Marriage signifiers other than wedding bands

The husband taking the wife's name / newlyweds inventing a new surname upon marriage

No concept of virginity or bastardry

More than 2 genders/no concept of gender

Monotheism, but not creationism

Gods that don’t look like people

Domesticated pets that aren’t re-skinned dogs and cats

Some normalized supernatural element that has nothing to do with the plot

Magical communication that isn’t Fantasy Zoom

“Books” that aren’t bound or scrolls

A nonverbal means of communicating, like sign language

A race of people who are obligate carnivores/ vegetarians/ vegans/ pescatarians (not religious, biological imperative)

I’ve done about half of these myself in one WIP or another and a little detail here or there goes a long way in reminding the audience that this isn’t Kansas anymore.

[lamaery]

 Rhythm of War is the only Tor hardcover version I have of the Stormlight Archive books (the others are the Orion softcovers) ... Wind and Truth now as well, but we don't have Branderson version for that one (YET). Brandon was so awesome and signed this one for me.  As with the others (WoK Part 1 and WoR Part 1) my incredibly partner in fictional romance and crime @priscellie did the text and layout and painted the pictures.

🖤❤️ text on the back of the book ❤️🖤 

“Did you like it?” Raboniel asked her. “I did,” Navani said. “The tones were a terrible cacophony when combined, but somehow beautiful at the same time.” “Like the two of us?” Raboniel asked. “Like the two of us.”

Navani Kholin, Queen of Urithiru, has been underestimated all her life. Haunted by her late husband Gavilar’s disdain, even she has begun to believe her brilliance at engineering is merely the reflected light of her team. It takes an enemy to see her true genius. While her husband Dalinar fights on a distant front, Navani’s home is invaded by an army led by the formidable Raboniel–Lady of Pains, Lady of Wishes–infamous among her contemporaries for her cunning and capacity for genocide. But this ruthless immortal wants Navani for more than her value as a hostage. She proposes a collaboration that could rewrite the rules of their war, and perhaps alter their fundamental understanding of physics itself. To save her people and the heart of the tower city, Navani joins Raboniel in a deadly dance of scholarship, manipulation, and treachery. But she was not expecting to find empathy with her captor, to bond over shared grief, or to find healing and fulfillment in their mutual respect. With the world hanging in the balance, dare Navani hope the harmony between them can be a bridge to peace? Or is it a trap she cannot escape?

(Meanwhile, Wit gives Kaladin relationship advice, and Moash haunts Kaladin’s dreams.)

“The tension is surging in this passionate page-turner. In every thrilling scene, you’ll be longing for Branderson to unite them!” JENNY O’NEILL, SISTERWISE GAMES.

🖤❤️ Praise for Sandra Branderson’s RHYTHM OF WAR❤️🖤

“A cunning and complex game of intellectual cat and mouse. Rhythm of War will steal your gemheart.” Orsinia Scarlett Card

“This sapphic Oppenheimer gives new meaning to ‘Enola Gay’.” Hoban Robb

“Ninety percent of everything is crab!” A. Sturgeon

“Branderson delivers a dark, intoxicating dance of intellect and seduction. Navani and Raboniel’s dynamic will leave you questioning the line between love and obsession. It’s deliciously twisted and impossible to put down.” Jem Baker

“That back blurb is literally just the plot of the original Rhythm of War.” Marie

“Yeah, somehow the original Rhythm of War may still be gayer.” Priscilla

“Oh, I know. I'll turn her into a flea--a harmless, little flea. And then I'll put that flea in a box, and then I'll put that box inside of another box, and then I'll mail that box to myself, and when it arrives, I’ll smash it with a hammer!” Martina George

“This plan is sheer elegance in its simplicity.” Patricia Rothfaux

[unabletonotlovesatoru]

nanami is two seconds away from leaving.

he should’ve known this would happen. should’ve known. because when gojo says, let’s grab a drink, what he really means is, let’s make nanami’s life miserable for sport.

“so, you’re telling me,” gojo says, draped over the bar like he owns the place, “that in all the years i’ve known you, i have never seen you flirt with a woman?”

nanami exhales slowly. “i don’t see why that matters.”

“it matters because you’re pushing thirty and still single.”

nanami doesn’t react. because technically, he’s not single. but that’s a secret. a very well-kept secret.

it was your idea, really. something about keeping things professional, avoiding unwanted attention, whatever. nanami agreed because he values your privacy—and also because he likes having you all to himself, away from nosy colleagues and meddling friends.

one very specific meddling friend, currently running his mouth.

“good thing i’m here,” gojo continues. “i happen to be an excellent wingman.”

nanami pinches the bridge of his nose. “gojo—”

you, on the other hand, are having the time of your life.

you sit a few seats away, sipping your drink and watching in pure amusement as gojo continues his self-appointed mission: finding nanami a date.

“alright, what about her?” gojo leans in, nodding towards a woman across the bar. “she’s cute, right?”

nanami doesn’t even look up from his whiskey. “not interested.”

“tch.” gojo clicks his tongue. “fine. what about her?” he gestures to another woman, this one already eyeing nanami with interest. “she looks like she reads. you love that boring intellectual stuff.”

nanami takes a slow sip of his drink. “still not interested.”

you stifle a laugh behind your glass. gojo, however, is undeterred.

“okay, okay,” he says, scanning the room. “i will find you a girlfriend tonight.”

nanami sighs. “i do not need—”

“oh! her. final offer. she’s perfect.”

gojo points to a woman sitting at the end of the bar. tall, elegant, the type nanami might have considered—if he weren’t already taken.

“go talk to her,” gojo urges.

“no.”

“why not?”

“because i don’t want to.”

“ugh.” gojo slumps against the bar. “you’re impossible.”

you’re fully laughing now, covering your mouth to muffle the sound. nanami sends you a dry look, but you can see the slight twitch of his lips.

this has gone on long enough.

so, while gojo sulks and nanami drinks, you casually lean over and press a kiss to nanami’s cheek.

gojo chokes.

nanami, unfazed, simply sets his glass down.

you pull back, meeting gojo’s stunned expression with a smirk.

“he’s taken, gojo,” you say. “has been for over a year.”

gojo stares. “what?!”

you shrug. nanami simply takes another sip of his whiskey, looking more content than he has all night.

“you—you two—” gojo points between you, eyes wide. “this whole time?!”

“yes.” nanami says.

“and you didn’t tell me?!”

“no.” you say.

gojo groans, collapsing against the bar like he’s been personally victimized. “i can’t believe this. my own best friend. my own colleague. deceived.”

“you’ll live,” nanami replies dryly.

gojo pouts. “i need a drink.”

“so do i.” nanami mutters.

you just grin, raising your glass in victory.

[beabnormal24]

63 + carcar?

63. Everybody Knows/Mistaken for Couple 

Carlos has no idea who gave Lando the insane idea to move in the middle of February, but whoever it was it must’ve been someone who really hates people.

It’s so cold that Carlos swears he can’t feel the tip of his own fingers, even through his true leather, double layered, wool padded gloves that he spent at least 50 quids on and are not doing their job properly.

Carlos huffs in frustration and shivers just a tiny little bit under his coat, earning a pointed glare from Oscar beside him. “Could you stop it?”

Leave it to Oscar to be an asshole even in such a deadly situation like standing in the middle of London’s street in February.

“Could you be more sensitive?” Carlos bites back, “I am very cold.”

“I am very cold but I am not making such a fuss.” Oscar snaps. Truthfully, his hands are stuffed in his pockets just like Carlos’, but he is pretty sure they were not covered in gloves.

Oscar has a really white and delicate skin, so they’re probably already all red and covered in frostbites. Carlos does feel a little bad for him, but that doesn’t mean he’ll admit it to Oscar any time soon.

He rolls his eyes, instead, kicking a pebble in the middle of the sidewalk before it gets trapped in the soles of his boots. “I knew that going with Alex would’ve been more fun.” He mumbles, and he knows that he sounds a bit petulant, even childish, but-

Yeah, who cares, it’s Oscar anyway.

“Well, Alex isn’t here and someone had to buy this gift.” Oscar mutters something else under his breath, something that sounds very close to a dickhead, but Carlos is mature enough to pretend he didn’t hear that.

They walk a little bit more next to each other, scanning silently the windowed walls and the trinkets’ displays.

It is true that him and Oscar were the only two with a free Sunday morning to buy the housewarming gifts, but it is also true that they may be the worst ones to be assigned such a errand like buying a housewarming gift.

If it is a housewarming gift then shouldn’t they just buy a heater and be done with it?

Ah, Carlos sometimes wishes someone could laugh at the amazingly funny jokes that he thinks inside his head. He bets Oscar would appreciate them.

“Maybe a plant?” Oscar suggests, thumbing at the arrays of green displayed on their left.

Carlos snorts, “Lando is going to kill them in two days.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Carlos looks around, furrowing his eyebrows, eyes scanning the electronics shop not too far away, the jewellery one, something that looks way too much like a sexy shop of some sorts, and then-

“Uh, what about that umbrella stand. It looks good.”

Oscar follows his gaze until his eyes fall on the slick black, clearly modernly design object, too. Surprisingly, he immediately hums in approval.

“And then we put a gag gift next to it?”

“Of course.”

"Should we take the black or the white one?"

Carlos pursues his lips, trying to remember the pictures Lando sent on their group chat, of an apartment that could've easily been straight out bought out of an IKEA magazine.

He shrugs, "White, I guess. It's a white kitchen."

"Yeah, but he's not going to put an umbrella stand in the kitchen is he?" Oscar comments dryly. "I think black it's better for the porch outside"

"Why did you ask me for my opinion if you completely ignore it?" Carlos says, feeling just a tad bit offended.

Thankfully, the welcomed warmth of the shop is able to mitigate most of it, and Carlos feels like nothing can bring down his good mood when he can finally feel his fingers come back to life, joints cracking like sandpaper as he curls them.

It's just his luck that the stark difference in temperature from the outside makes a pink hue appear on Oscar's freckled cheeks, making him look very very cute - well, admittedly, he would always be cute if he weren't such a pain in the ass.

"Because I wanted to pretend I value your opinion." Oscar says, rolling his eyes. "If it wasn't clear, I do not."

"Well, if you would only listen to me, you would realise that the walls of the porch are made with white stones, which means that the white stand is clearly the perfect choice." Carlos snaps back, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Mate, it's not a hospital, it's a house, it should have some contrast no?" Oscar says, mirroring his position.

They proceed with a glaring contest mixed with biting, pointed comments about which choice is better between the two, which furtherly proves why they shouldn't have been the only two going for this 'mission' that could as well become a battle with how hard they're fighting each other.

It only, finally, ends when there is a pair of delicate hands perching on their respective shoulders, and when Carlos lowers his gaze from holding Oscar's flaring one, it's to meet the gentle eyes of the elderly woman he is pretty sure was standing behind the counter just a minute ago.

"You two lovely boys, there is no need for such a love quarrell over an umbrella stand." She says gently, pinching Oscar's cheek when he goes to open his mouth in protest, effectively shutting him up.

Carlos, to his credit, is suddenly too stuck on the love quarrell part that seems to be resonating in his head like a badly played drum roll. The only thing that assures him he wasn't the only one to hear that, it's the way Oscar's cheeks have suddenly become even more pink.

"Come on, tell me what's the problem. Let's solve it." The woman says, patting Carlos' shoulder with a bit more fervor than she used to pinch Oscar's cheek. "You're such a good looking couple, don't fight for stupid things, mh?"

Neither of them corrects her.

Oscar, through a very awfully embarrassed stutter, explains the indecision. The woman solves it in under thirty seconds by suggesting they just take the silver one she has in the back of the store, finally settling the argument without even letting them talk one single second more.

"It was this bad with my husband, too, when we first moved in together." She says, jostling the umbrella stand over her counter with much more strength than what her small frame would let on. "But you look like a very beautiful couple, and there is always love even while fighting. I am sure you will last as long as me and my husband did." she adds raising her hand to show the still glinting golden band on her ring finger.

Oscar is stuck as rigid as a tree next to him, so Carlos decides that it must be his job to take the gift and thank the woman generously, accepting the compliments she keeps sending their way as he drags Oscar out of the shop from the elbow.

"Uh, I-" Oscar mutters, not very talkative of him, as soon as they're away from the front window.

"Oscar," Carlos says, slowly, watching as Oscar blinks at him with wide eyes and a pair of red cheeks, even more flushed than before. Something tells Carlos it's not about the temperature, maybe because he personally doesn't feel as cold as before - maybe it's the sudden warmth in his chest. "Are your hands still cold?"

Oscar swallows, looking down at the purplish colour on his knuckles, "Uh, a bit." he admits.

"Okay," Carlos says and before he can think about it more than two seconds, he takes Oscar's hand in his, interlacing their fingers.

Oscar stares at him with wide eyes and a half agape mouth but, surprisingly, he doesn't protest. Rather, his confusion only lasts a moment longer before he is squeezing Carlos' hand back, smiling in what Carlos could even define as shyness.

"Do you want to have lunch before we head to Lando's?" Carlos suggests, completely ignoring the way his heart seems to be doing sudden sommersaults in his ribcage.

Oscar's smile, if possible, becomes even brighter. "Yeah, let's do that."

[nottsim]

— ᴡʜᴀᴛ’ꜱ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ʙᴀɢ 𝒽𝑜𝑔𝓌𝒶𝓇𝓉𝓈 𝒹𝓇 ᴇᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴ

⊹ ࣪ ˖ my dr consists of a mix of old and new. it’s got parchment for the vibes and a phone for when the vibes are too slow.

︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶

୨୧ bag alert: strictly post class essentials ୨୧

⊹ ࣪ ˖ 𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐞 - 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐠

before we start let’s not forget to give credit where credit is due: to my partner in crime and my lover (don’t tell Theo). my shoulder bag aka..me in bag form — scratched, worn and somehow holding way more than it should. it’s a love child made with leather and chanel and ofc much love from its doting mother.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐮𝐩 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 - 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐝

my sturdy willow wand is the overachieving intern who’s carrying the whole operation..literally. it’s the ultimate multitool. works as a weapon, light source, impromptu back scratcher and occasional toothpick..just kidding kids.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐨’𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥 - 𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐬

magically enchanted to stay flawless even after inhaling a concerning amount of pumpkin pasties. priorities, right? making out with Theo? never heard of it. anyway...nude is my everyday go to, gucci to line and chanel to make for very expensive kisses.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 - 𝐜𝐢𝐠𝐬 & 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫

ciggy wiggies and a lighter — strictly for aesthetic purposes, like dramatically flicking the lighter open while contemplating the meaning of life..aka Theo’s. he stashed them in my bag and i left them there because i value my sanity more than i value lecturing him on lung health. pick your battles ladies. the lighter is engraved with “𝒯.𝒩“ because subtlety is for peasants and gold is prettier. it was a gift for Theo but he insisted on stashing it in my bag, convinced it’d be safer there than in his pocket. too fancy for his usual chaos but somehow its always within his reach. his fingers are always on it, flicking it open and closed. moan.

⊹ ࣪ ˖ 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 - 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫

mirror, mirror..expensive? yes. worth it? also yes. tiny but mighty, just like me and makes you feel like you have your life together..sigh #this mirror gets me

⊹ ࣪ ˖ 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐤𝐢𝐜𝐤 - 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐦 + 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐝

a polaroid of Theo? essential, because yes i’m that person who stares at it after five minutes apart (guilty). a reminder that i’m dating peak perfection while barely holding it together…just kidding, i’m the hot one in this relationship. my pink digicam? it’s my way of making sure i don’t forget a single second basically. from the snowflakes on my ravenclaw scarf to that one time Pansy accidentally poured her entire drink over Blaise. my digicam’s practically my personal time machine, making sure i never forget how perfect it all is. it’s the sound of footsteps echoing in the corridors, the flicker of candlelight in the common room, the faint scent of parchment and ink…but then, Theo’s laughing with Mattheo and just like that I’m reminded. yeah, this is real :’)

⊹ ࣪ ˖ 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 - 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐮𝐝𝐬

for when i’m trying to focus in the library but instead, quill in hand, i’m scribbling random thoughts on my parchment (definitely not taking notes). the wooden chairs creak in that oddly comforting way and the soft whispers of students pretending to study fill the air. but instead of getting anything done i’m blasting my playlist..productivity? who is she?

⊹ ࣪ ˖ 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐛𝐛𝐥𝐞 - 𝐠𝐮𝐦

for when Theo’s around and i need to make sure i don’t smell like a snack before i become one. the fear of bad breath is a lifelong battle that follows me into this reality too like an eternal nemesis. i scripted fresh breath but don’t mind me..chewing on my minty armor like i’m preparing for battle. #toungefight..what?

⊹ ࣪ ˖ 𝐦𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞 - “𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞”

the magical artifact of modern sorcery: my phone. it’s the muggle relic of my bag, my emergency lifeline per se. texting? sure. calling? if absolutely necessary. it’s a modern day crystal ball, except it only predicts when i’m about to run out of battery..right. social media? it exists, just somehow tucked away from muggles. don’t ask me how it works, i just curated my instagram.

︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶

that’s it. nothing too wild…unless you count the 20 receipts, a handful of bobby pins and enough hair ties to start a collection. but yk? aesthetic.

from the bottom of my bag, 𝐣𝐚𝐬 “𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐢” ୨୧

[almostempty]

it’s not that deep but it is that serious!

I just want to come to this app to talk about deep throating mean!Joel and to make friends with other hot freaks. But I need my fellow heathens to hear me out for a moment.

I’ve tried to keep this space a little escape from reality, but that’s not a realistic privilege because life and art are inherently political.

I saw @penvisions receive some particularly cruel racist hate last month. I saw @gothcsz receive a snide racist anon message a few weeks ago. I know these issues aren’t new for our Black and brown peers.

I see a lot of folks jumping to offer support and to express their disgust at the racist remarks.

I also see a lot of shock and disbelief and I want to talk about that.

Racism, bigotry, and prejudice are not new issues for Black and brown folks. If you find yourself shocked, surprised, and outraged when folks share the hate they receive I ask that you reflect on this. It’s a privilege to be surprised, to not be used to navigating and experiencing that vitriol.

I know it’s well intended when folks say things like, ‘if you’re a racist piece of shit get off my blog’ or similar messages, and i understand the anger and frustration.

I also don’t think anyone who is aware and actively spreading hate will be deterred. I imagine there are 4chan incel type trolls that just thrive on the attention and reaction of using the most inflammatory language they can, and trolls will troll. They inevitably will pop up.

What I want to address is the levels below the overt and active hate. The accidental or inadvertent covert racism. The micro aggressions. The passive silence or enabling of rhetoric that lets folks perpetuate harm without even thinking.

Black and brown creators in our community have been disregarded or overshadowed when they speak up about diversity or inclusion in this fandom or feeling unwelcomed.

They wade through oceans of moodboards with faceless, thin, white women paired with our favorite characters. They power through reader inserts with freckles, red marks, and pink pussies that say and do things they might never feel safe saying or doing in those universes. They scroll through bad Spanish or fetishized latino caricatures and romanticized colonial values. And they still show love and support by commenting and reblogging and uplifting other writers.

Maybe there are footnotes about the moodboards only being for inspiration, but that doesn’t erase the constant messaging that it was easier to find those pictures and add a note than to search harder or leave the pictures out.

When I saw a fic with a detail about the pedro character having a confederate flag in his trailer I had to pause. This is a perfect example. I don’t read this as malicious or intentionally harmful. I understand the stereotype it’s rooted in and the general humor of the story as a whole. I get that it’s a small detail and that racism wasn’t a core part of the character or the story.

But if we sit with this longer.. what does this tell our Black and brown peers? When the reader notices it and it’s just as notable as a calendar on the wall? And she fucks him willingly anyway?

Hate symbols aren’t unserious. Background or not. Imagine writing a Joel fic and giving him a swastika tattoo just as a background detail. Sounds extreme right? Maybe you’re writing an AU felon Joel and just trying to show how hardened and dark he is. Maybe in your headcanon he only got it in prison to protect himself and he isn’t a racist.

But to nazis it says this is a safe place to be. To the general audience it says you don’t care if this makes them feel unsafe or invisible.

To folks reading that a confederate flag isn’t a big deal, it signals that it’s an acceptable symbol. It shows that people are reading and commenting and sharing this story and are unbothered. That maybe people don’t even notice.

I’m not asking anyone to send hate and I’m not writing this as an attack on the author or anyone who shared the fic. We don’t know what we don��t know, but we have the opportunity to learn!

I am asking my peers to step in and step up, because I think y’all are smart and capable of more.

I am not an expert on anything. But as someone who went to grad school for social work — a field that only exists to combat the societal harm of power, privilege, and oppression — I don’t take it lightly. I work in advocacy fighting discrimination and prejudice from institutions built on systemic racism daily. I’m aware that I have the privilege of training, language, and awareness around diversity and inclusion, and that not everyone has the same knowledge or experience.

I also know this fandom is full of incredibly smart and well spoken folks who craft moving stories and analyze characters with nuance and passion.

I’m not interested in censoring what anyone writes and I happily abide by don’t like; don’t read.

If I only wanted to read I would stick to ao3. But I’m here and I stay here because of the community. The friendships and the extra tag games and challenges and support and camaraderie.

I know I make mistakes myself. And I know it can be uncomfortable to be called out for something you never intended to hurt anyone with. I know it can feel like your voice won’t be heard or your experience won’t be validated in such a big space.

I shared a post a while ago by a creator that doesn’t write for this fandom. It was an ode to Black fanfic writers in general, and in the comments Black writers were tagging each other to show love. And I knew there was something wrong when I wanted to share it but felt deeply hesitant about tagging anyone because I didn’t want Black writers to receive hate.

One of my favorite things about this fandom is how global it is. Getting to make friends with folks around the world is such a treat. I also know racism and fascism are not unique to one region.

It’s Black history month in the states and in Canada. I know other countries observe Black history month in other months. It’s an intentional observation for a reason.

For us, this is a hobby. We’re here voluntarily, and mostly anonymously, but we’re all people. Community is so vital to thwarting the dangers of fascism and hateful rhetoric.

This IS a post about racism.

But racism is absolutely entangled with sexism, classism, ableism, ethnocentrism, capitalism, colonialism, imperialism, patriarchal hegemony, etc.

This isn’t just a rant. It’s an ask. I’m asking my peers—writers, readers, gif makers, lurkers, etc.— to help.

Reflect on what you share and post. Think about how others perceive you.

I’m asking my peers to be curious and open to discussions. To ask questions if you see covert racism. To be willing to accept feedback.

We can be gentle with one another.

Like, ‘hey, I saw this and am wondering if you’re aware of the origin or the impact it might have?’ or ‘can I share how this may be misinterpreted or harmful?’

Be kind sure, but be an advocate!

If you see someone posting about a character being their ‘spirit animal’ — send them a DM! If you read something that stereotypes a race, let the author know! There’s plenty of online resources for writing characters from other races without falling back on harmful tropes.

And even better… support your Black and brown peers. Share their work. Show them you value their presence in the fandom.

I encourage folks to read fics with original characters or reader characters with explicitly diverse ethnicities and tell the author you appreciate that character! Recommend the work to friends.

I never shut up about how much I love @furious-rogue-stuff ‘s Heat and the story is incredibly compelling *because* the reader is a Latina written by a Latina.

Anyway, I come to this hellsite to laugh and be horny—but at my core I am an ethical hater and I only wrote all of this because I care and I want this space to be inclusive.

I’m not speaking on behalf of anyone else and I don’t want to speak over anyone. I’m open to feedback or ideas.

I’m tagging some mutuals I interact with and some that I don’t know very well, not to curse y’all with reading my long winded post but to ask: when you have the capacity will you help take action to make this community stronger? Will you commit to being open to feedback and growth?

Bottom line I just wanna read about getting railed by that fictional guy and I want my Black and brown peers to have the opportunity to enjoy the same escape from reality.

I feel like this is worth posting because I think y’all can make a difference. So many of y’all write and analyze stories and characters with such nuance and passion and detail—and that’s why i believe you can help spot subtle and insidious forms of racism and make real changes.

TL;DR: I’m asking everyone to be proactive when you see microaggressions or covert racism in the fandom, and to be willing to accept feedback and learn from each other. Being passive is a luxury and a privilege our marginalized peers do not have. Let’s be more than performative or not racist. Be active. Be anti-racist.

some tags for folks (no pressure to share, I don’t want attention I just want to encourage folks to take time to reflect or let me know what you think idk):

@auteurdelabre @joelmillerisapunk @lotusbxtch @probablyreadinsmut @ace-turned-confused @baronessvonglitter @yxtkiwiyxt @slimybeth69 @bitchesuntitled @thundermartini @sin-djarin @strang3lov3 @mermaidgirl30 @for-a-longlongtime @mrs-hardy-hunnam-butler-pascal @evolnoomym @wannab-urs @sanarsi @yopossum @almostfoxglove @itwasntimethatdidit40 @syd-djarin @miss-oranje-disco-dancer

start conversations or reach out to me or send me an anon ask if you want to discuss something or share, idc but i’m begging y’all to listen to each other and advocate for one another and be open to self-reflection 💗

[deceptibots]

“Not Stopping Me” - Ratchet x Reader

“This will not stop me from calling you an idiot”

Prompt by @/creativepromptsforwriting 

Pairings -> Ratchet x Y/N

Warnings -> None

Genre/Theme -> fluff, teasing

Note -> n/a

Word count -> 764 words

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

The med bay inside the Autobot base hummed softly, its calm atmosphere a sharp contrast to the chaos of the battlefield you’d just left behind. You sat perched on a makeshift bench Ratchet had dragged over for your “fragile human body,” cradling your arm as blood seeped from a nasty gash. The sight of red against your torn sleeve didn’t faze you—you’d seen worse in your military career. What did unnerve you was Ratchet’s quiet anger.

The medic towered over you, his optics blazing with something you couldn’t quite name. He scanned your injury with a medical tool, the tension in his frame almost palpable.

“This is what happens when humans insist on diving headfirst into danger,” he grumbled, his tone laced with irritation.

“It’s just a scratch,” you said, attempting to shrug but wincing at the sharp pain that followed.

“A scratch?” he snapped, setting the tool down with more force than necessary. “This is a laceration deep enough to require sutures, which, I might add, you wouldn’t need if you’d stayed behind the cover I told you to stay behind!”

You sighed, leaning back slightly against the med bay wall. “I had to pull Smokescreen out of there. He was pinned down.”

Ratchet’s servos paused mid-movement, his optics narrowing. “And you thought that was your responsibility? What part of ‘support from cover’ did you not understand, Y/N?”

“I couldn’t just leave him there!” you protested, frustration bubbling in your chest. “I wasn’t going to let him get slagged by a Decepticon when I could do something about it.”

His optics dimmed for a moment, a rare sign of vulnerability crossing his face before his tone sharpened again. “You humans and your incessant heroics…”

“Oh, come on, Doc,” you said, trying to lighten the mood. “If you didn’t want a reckless human around, you shouldn’t have agreed to let me help.”

“Believe me, I’m reconsidering it,” he muttered under his breath, though the way his hands moved so carefully over your wound told a different story.

You smirked faintly, watching him clean and disinfect your arm with precision. “You’re lucky I’m not the sensitive type. That almost sounded like a threat.”

His servos stilled briefly, his optics flickering as he looked down at you. “equally as concerning,” he said, his voice low but stern.

"Concerning?"

He huffed, returning to his work. “The kind that involves being permanently banned from this med bay.”

You snorted. “Admit it—you’d miss me too much.”

He didn’t respond immediately, his optics focused on carefully wrapping your arm. But the faintest flicker of a smirk crossed his face before he spoke again. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

The teasing faded into a comfortable silence as he continued tending to your injury. But when he finished, Ratchet stood back, crossing his arms as he looked down at you.

“Y/N, I’m serious,” he said, his tone softer now but still carrying that stern edge. “You put yourself at risk too often. This time, you’re lucky it’s just a gash. Next time, you might not be so fortunate.”

You sighed, your gaze dropping to your bandaged arm. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“Worry me?” he repeated, his voice rising slightly. “You didn’t worry me, Y/N. You infuriated me. You scared everyone else, too. Smokescreen wouldn’t stop pacing until I told him you’d make it back.”

You blinked at that, guilt blooming in your chest. “I didn’t think—”

“No, you didn’t think,” he interrupted, his optics narrowing again. “And as much as I value your contributions, Y/N, I value your life more. You need to remember that.”

The weight of his words hung heavily between you. He didn’t often let his emotions slip through, but when he did, they hit hard.

Finally, you managed a small smile. “So… are we done here? Or are you going to scold me some more?”

Ratchet rolled his optics, muttering something about human stubbornness as he turned to clean his tools. “This will not stop me from calling you an idiot.”

You laughed softly, standing and testing the mobility in your arm. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

“And don’t think this means I’ll go easy on you next time,” he added, his tone regaining some of its usual sharpness.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” you replied, a warmth spreading through you despite the lingering sting of his words.

As you left the med bay, Ratchet watched you go, his servos clenching briefly before he sighed and turned back to his work.

“Reckless human,” he muttered to himself, though the faintest trace of a smile tugged at his mouth.

[bakasara]

of course certain types of AI have valuable use! See cancer screening for example.

But these large models of generative AI trained with stolen data and used to output "art", specifically? The thing OP is talking about? If "the people" owned them... they'd still be models that do what they do thanks to that stolen data.

People who are not corporations CAN absolutely make their own models with their own (or otherwise consesually given) data, and some have already! There're plenty of instructions out there on how to make your own AI model. Universities have created their own models - see link above. It's not secret technology.

These personal models are typically far more limited, though, because to make them as complex as the likes of chatGPT you need millions and millions of pieces of writing, visual art, video, vocal recordings, whatever that model is going to be trained on, and the only way to obtain such a massive amount of data is by scraping it from the internet without user consent.

Microsoft alone has invested 13 BILLION US DOLLARS in OpenAI, the startup company who owns chatGPT and Dall-E (among others).

You could argue the world's governments have that kind of money, and thus could create a completely public version. I don't really see writer, actor, and similar artist/creative guilds/unions arguing in favor of giving a government their data to train AI on, though, especially as the consensus has been against so far and for good reason -- because if goes against their direct interest. And unfortunately for genAI, this is not due to their ignorance. It does really go against their interest, mainly because companies and studios have been very clear that they are going to try and use genAI to replace talent. And I really wouldn't advise anyone from the general public to give away to any government all their art, writing, social media posts, recordings, etc. so that a massive publically-owned generative AI model can be trained on it. I'm fine with the government not having free access to my porn and to every other ideal and belief expressed in my art.

So if the public suddenly owned chatGPT (and the like), chatGPT would still work through stolen data. But more importantly, the public ISN'T going to own chatGPT or any of its cousins, and no public actor is going to (or should) obtain permission from millions and millions of citizens to use billions of bits of their data for AI training.

So by all means, I agree that people may have to get used to generative AI, and its specific use to output "art" and text, becoming more and more ubiquitous. But that remains a massive problem in every area of life, from work and school, where students are going through college using chatGPT to skip their homework and trash papers are being published containing completely hallucinated "scientific" misinformation, to artistic fields.

And a fanfic written by AI? Yeah, no, it has absolutely ZERO positive value or merit within the fandom gift economy or its transformative culture at large. It definitely has value in sociology and other academic fields as a phenomenon to be studied, but the fact that people are doing it doesn't inherently produce positive value within the context of its production.

Transformative fandom is predicated upon a belief in the inherent value of constructive human contribution, and in the shared agreement not to steal from each other for personal gain within the community. Members of the subculture who act against these values have historically been pushed to the margins because it is impossible for transformative fandom's core characteristics to continue to reproduce otherwise. So, within transformative fandom? Generative AI has negative value by definition. Using models that have stolen from writers to create your fanfic corrodes the inter-community trust necessary for this type of fandom to live.

This is why those who care about transformative fandom should, and will, continue to discourage the use of genAI to create fanworks. This is especially important at a time when transformative fandom is already being misperceived by many younger members as a space driven by other corporate logics, such as that of profit, engagement maximization, and so-called "family-friendly" sanitization/censorship.

Whatever cultural asset may emerge where genAI would have "positive value" in a fandom... is a type of fandom we wouldn't have seen before and that would literally not be transformative fandom.

do people have no shame anymore?

[drinkyourvillainjuice]

Tomorrow free update for Drink Your Villain Juice

also did you know that on the Patreon, there are exclusive POVs from various members of the cast... for example, Beth who has just been released... here is the first page (and it's 6000 words long! and multiple choices!)....

As the blinding blaze of twin novas fades, stars blinking across Beth’s vision, a sudden weight yanks her to the side. There’s an uncanny feeling of connection, of sensing with a part of herself that didn’t exist before this moment.

Beside her, Prii screams, shuddering wildly. Something cracks, and Beth’s stomach lurches as she realises it’s her friend’s skull. Blood pours down their face, horns pushing through flesh and bone, the screams reaching a fever pitch—

“Miss Volkova?”

Beth startles. Her eyes refocus. Where—who—

DPR Hexbury. Officer Jalen Lamont. He’s seated across from her, hands laced together and resting on the table. A mug of coffee sits in front of her, untouched and probably stone cold.

“I’m sorry,” Beth rasps, throat crackling. “Can you repeat that?”

“Of course.” Lamont smiles. He’s a few years older than her, if she’s to guess, though the thick beard might be throwing her off.

Beth’s never felt less of an adult.

Lamont continues. “As a fresh flare, our responsibility is to ensure that you can learn to use your powers safely, while supporting you through this difficult time.” He sighs. “What happened to you was horrible, and you shouldn’t have to handle it alone.”

“My friends,” Beth mumbles for the sixth or seventh time. She can’t help it. Prii, Morgan, and Shauna are still in danger. Grant’s still in danger, a couple rooms away down three pints of blood. Beth’s not the one who needs help.

“We’re doing everything we can,” Lamont replies for the fourth or fifth time with the same patience as the first. “Sky Surfer and Lockstep have taken every available officer to investigate the area you described.” Lamont has told her that already too. The mask names barely mean anything to her; she’s never paid parahumans much mind beyond their presence being a simple fact of life. Hexbury isn’t the kind of place where heroes and villains battle upon the streets.

Underneath said streets? It appears that’s a separate story.

The reality of the situation fades in and out. It’s morning now, Beth thinks. She hasn’t slept. She isn’t sure she’ll ever sleep again. If she squeezes her eyes closed hard enough, she’ll reopen them surrounded by her friends, preparing for an ‘adventure’ worthy of the name only after judicious video editing. Grant will tease, Shauna will worry, Prii will herd the cats, and Morgan—

Lamont is speaking again. “Our current concern is that whoever is behind this will go to ground, especially if what happened hits the media.” Lamont lets out a small sigh, brow creasing with sympathy. “I’m sorry for what you went through. That creature you encountered sounds… monstrous, and in my books you handled yourself remarkably well.”

“She claims her friend’s injuries were inflicted by some kind of mutated animal. Frankly, if she wasn’t dragging around half the metal in every room she enters, we wouldn’t even be bothering you with this. I suspect drugs—”

“Thanks, doctor, we’ll take it from here. Appreciate your discretion.”

The hospital staff had taken one look at Beth, blood-splattered, babbling in panic, and hauling around Grant’s unconscious body, and written her off. Lamont has accepted everything she’s told him at face value, from what she and the others were doing in that place to her description of the monster.  

She still can’t accept the compliment. She ‘handled herself well’? She left almost everyone behind.

[luvst4rc0r3]

I NEED MORE AMBESSA HEADCANON OR ANYTHING YOU WRITE HER SOOO GOODD

TYY POOKIE!!! HERE

Ambessa is all about power, and that extends to how she carries herself in a relationship. She naturally takes charge, exuding confidence in every aspect of your dynamic. But make no mistake—she respects strength, whether that’s in physical prowess, intellect, or sheer determination.

She has a teasing streak a mile long. Expect her to smirk at you over a wine glass, making some offhand comment about how “adorable” you look when you’re trying to argue with her. She enjoys seeing you flustered and pushes your buttons just to watch you fight back.

She’s incredibly protective—but not in an overbearing way. Ambessa doesn’t coddle; she prepares. She’d much rather train you in self-defense or ensure you have the skills to survive than keep you locked away. She respects those who can stand beside her, not just behind her.

She’s not one for grand public displays of affection, but her presence is undeniable. A hand on your lower back as she guides you through a crowded room, fingers tracing the inside of your wrist when she’s deep in thought, an arm slung lazily over the back of your chair when you're dining together—Ambessa stakes her claim subtly but effectively.

. She enjoys the finer things in life and will absolutely spoil you. Jewelry, exotic fabrics, rare wines—if it catches her eye, she’ll make sure it finds its way to you. But she values meaning over extravagance; if she gifts you something, it’s never just expensive, it’s personal.

. This woman could burn holes into your soul with a single look. She enjoys watching you squirm under her gaze, waiting for you to break first. It’s a game, and one she almost always wins.

 She demands honesty and loyalty, but in return, she offers unwavering devotion. If she considers you hers, she will move mountains for you—sometimes quite literally.

The way she brushes hair from your face when she thinks you’re asleep, the quiet sigh when you reach for her hand under the table,

the way her voice drops just slightly when she murmurs, “Rest, little warrior. I have you.”

Ambessa Medarda bows to no one, but for you?

Maybe, just maybe, she’ll bend.

NOTE TO THE PERSON WHO REQUESTED IT!!!

you wrote so many request, which I love, but I wont do some of them because they are NSFW and im not good at writing that:(((

I want sleep

[lgbtlunaverse]

I think it's stupid to apply modern medical ethics to the golden core transfer but if we're already doing that then I have to point that while, yes, organ donors have a right to privacy, under modern ethical standards Jiang Cheng did not fucking give informed consent to organ transfer. He was told Baoshan Sanren could restore his core– a thing that the person telling him this knows to be false. At no point is it mentioned this would involve placing someone else's golden core inside of Jiang cheng. For example: If I have a problem with my lungs and a doctor tells me they're going to do restorative surgery to fix it, and then without my knowing they perform a lung transplant instead, that is medical malpractice! Even if the lung transplant succesfully treated the problem i had. "Well you knew we were going to do SOMETHING" is not fucking informed consent.

"Oh but Jiang Cheng was suicidial which means he wasn't competent to give informed consent" Ah yes, under emergency circumstances a doctor is allowed to perform life-saving treatment even if the patient is unable to give informed consent. In those cases, a surrogate decision maker like a family member is also allowed to consent in the patient's place. So... there you have it. Wei wuxian is the surrogate decision maker and all is well!!

Except sorry! No! Regardless of whether you believe Jiang Cheng was allowed to make medical decisions in that moment (suicidal ideation and active suicide risk are two different things! You do not have your right to bodily autonomy taken away simply by being depressed, that's a downright dystopian worldview.) If a medical procedure is done without informed consent in case of an emergency, and the patient is later sound of mind again, they have to be informed of the procedure! And it has to be explained why medical profesionals thought it was essential! And this is for cases where a patient is unconscious or unable to receive information. In cases where the patient is lucid but mental health makes it so that their consent can legally be overridden, they are still to be informed of the procedure ahead of time!

All of that is leaving out that the person hiding the truth from Jiang Cheng in this case was fully aware that if Jiang Cheng had been fully sound of mind and informed of the details of the procedure, he would have refused it, and therefore intentionally obfuscated the reality of the treatment. Which is unethical no matter what. Surrogates are supposed to make their decisions based on their knowledge of the patient's values and preferences.

Again, all of this is silly because there is no board of ethics in the jianghu. Wen Qing isn't gonna be tried for medical malpractice. From a story perspective the element of violation is there specifically to highlight the harm inherent to sacrifice: that you hurt your loved ones by hurting yourself for their sake. It is to be viewed thematically alongside Yanli's death, Wen Qing and Wen Ning's sacrifice, and– even more blatantly– Jiang Cheng losing his core in the first place because he sacrificed himself for Wei Wuxian and never told him about this.

Medical ethics are completely inapplicable in that scenario, and yet it is clearly meant to contrast the golden core transfer. The two events are to be judged as a matched pair. So, if Jiang Cheng getting caught by wen soldiers can't be judged on medical ethics, but it is clearly meant to be analysed in the same way the golden core transfer is, then neither of them can be subject to these standards. I guess we'll simply have to judge them based on the thematic content of the story they're in. Drat.

[antisocialsharky]

Parents who Love their Kids Cause PDs too

The belief, that only parents who absolutely despise their kids, can cause said kids to develop a personality disorder, is a dangerous misconception.

This belief majorly stems from the facts, that:

1. People think parents who love their children do everything right & parents who hate their children do everything wrong and

2. People think, trauma can only be caused intentionally & maliciously.

Which is both bullshit btw! Let me tell you why:

1. Parents who "love" (however you define that) their children often tend to think that this love is:

• always visible and obvious to the child => therefore the child never has to question that they're loved

• a sign that everything they do is done in the name of said love => therefore no action/behavior can be wrong/abusive/bad because they didn't mean it maliciously, it was done out of love

• a reason that the child should/will forgive them for any wrongdoings and that the simple existence of this love is enough to make the child happy => therefore the child has no reason to feel unloved, no reason to complain and no reason to cut them off

Many parents do not realize, that they rely on their child automatically knowing of this emotions existence to such a degree, that they fail to verbally communicate it often enough, fail to make their actions show said love and fail to acknowledge that something done out of love, does not equal it being good or non harmful.

To give you a personal example here: My parents love me, absolutely! They'd lay down their life for mine in a heartbeat.

But when I was growing up, their actions did not always reflect that. I went years without hearing the words and whenever I tried to communicate, that I felt unloved, I only got to hear that I was being ridiculous. According to them I had food to eat, a roof over my head and two living parents that didn't beat me, so I should be happy.

They expected me to know that they provided these things for me out of love and that that should be enough to satisfy my emotional needs. It wasn't and it rarely is.

Loving your child is worth shit, if you don't make sure to remind your child of that love frequently. Its worth shit, if you fail to pay attention and fail to show up for this child. Love alone doesn't win you the "greatest parent" award.

Similarly, a lack of love, doesn't immediately mean that you're a horrible parent. You can not feel love for your children and still make decisions that are benefitial for those children. You can not feel love for them and still be a parent that doesn't ever raise their hands against them, which will make you "better" than many loving parents who do raise their hands against their kids. The emotional feelings towards your children do not determine your ability to be a good parent, at least not inherently.

There is nuance, when it comes to children needing to have their emotional needs met and being able to sense whether its genuine or not, but if someone is good at faking emotions, one could make their child feel loved, without ever personally feeling that love (=> arguments can be made about whether or not the child will be able to understand the goodwill behind the faking and will be able to value that the parent did that for their benefit, instead of being sad about there not being emotional love, but thats not the point of this post).

What I am trying to say is this:

• parents who love their children are capable of not meeting their childs emotional needs

• parents who love their children are capable of doing things that end up hurting their children

• parents who love their children are capable of being so caught up in chores, work, relationship problems, etc. that they accidentally neglect their children

• parents who love their children are capable of doing things, that they may see as "good", "character building", "helpful for later", etc. but which will do more damage than good

• parents who love their children are capable of pushing them away by being too controlling, too smothering and too invested

Being a parent isn't easy, but love alone is not the recipe for producing non traumatized well adjusted children. Thats all I wanna tell you right here. Theres always nuance and reasons why things may go wrong, but in the end love doesn't protect against that.

2. Trauma isn't always caused maliciously & intentionally. That much is probably already obvious from the previous paragraphs, but I'll get into it regardless.

If a parent works two jobs, has arguments with their partner at the side, needs to do most of the chores and has two children (one maybe at toddler age, the other a teenager), one (or both) of those children might end up experiencing accidental neglect. Theres only so much a human being can do & devote their time to and while you can set priorities, sometimes you will accidentally neglect a child, because you have no time to do their homework with them, you have no time to go to the park and play with them, you're too tired to listen to them babble on about their interests, you're too distracted to properly congratulate them about their good grades and you're not present enough to realize they're always alone and barely leave their room anymore. Maybe you fail to realize health concerns, conflicts with their friends, arguments between the kids, etc. All the while you're trying your hardest to provide for your children and balance your own life. Accidental neglect is a thing.

If a parent was brought up by an emotionally colder parent or an absent parent or a combination of that, they may have never learned how one properly cares for a childs emotional needs.

They may think they turned out fine, because they have a job, they have a house and a family, everything they're supposed to achieve, so why should they bring you up any differently than they were themselves? Maybe they even saw some youtube videos and facebook posts on how kids these days are all sensitive little things and can't manage their lifes anymore. Maybe the parent makes it their misguided mission to make sure their own kids are resilient and strong, just like they are, so they have a good chance of success and survival.

They don't tell the kids they love them. They don't comfort them when they're sad. They don't hug them. They don't allow big emotional tantrums. They harshly punish bad grades and mistakes, because if the kid is to succeed and survive, the parents needs to help it stay on the path. That parent loves their child and expresses this love in a misguided attempt at helping it succeed in life and be even better off than they were. Accidental/misguided emotional neglect (and abuse if u wanna call it that) is a thing.

I could go on about this for ages! Theres a million different situations in which parents try their hardest and best to give their kids a good life and help them succeed, but still have their children turn out traumatized.

Theres side factors like being marginalized, bullying, a lack of resources, other relatives being unhelpful/abusive, kids & parents being disabled in some way, etc.

All the love a parent holds for their child, cannot save the kid from being traumatized and it cannot save the kid from developing a personality disorder later in life.

If love (the emotion) is to be effective, it needs to be followed up by actions. Meeting a childs emotional/physical/developmental needs isn't done by holding a certain feeling for the child & especially not if you never make sure the child understands how you show & give that love to them.

By now, you might be thinking "Yeah okay sure, I suppose I already knew that much, but why are we talking about it this in the first place?"

Good question and theres multiple answers to it:

• Some parents will still not acknowledge that they have the capacity to hurt their kids. Many of them place more value in being labeled as/feeling like a "good parent" than they do in actually...producing a healthy well adjusted child. They believe themselves immune to causing their child trauma, simply based on "loving the child" and "providing food/shelter" and thats dangerous.

• Many people regularely get invalidated in personality disorder centered spaces, or also trauma spaces in general, if they have contact with their parents/have now build a healthy relationship with them, etc. Even other PDers/trauma survivors have not understood, that being loved by your parents doesn't equal a good childhood and doesn't mean that you can't be traumatized by them to the degree of developing a PD.

• Many professionals do not realize the amount of impact, that emotional neglect can have and often blame the patient for hiding in their room, being too hard on their parents, being sensitive, etc.

• Many PDers/trauma survivors also invalidate themselves because of this! They may think "was it really that bad if my parents loved me?" or "is it even valid/am I allowed to be hurt by it, if my parents didn't mean to do that?". Its challenging to hold space for both: the acknowledgement that they were loved & the pain wasn't caused intentionally, as well as their own valid feelings of having been/still being hurt by it.

• Additionally theres many people who worry that their muted emotions/difficulties developing actual bonds, may cause them to be bad parents, since they cannot love their children in the conventional way. For them it might be important to hear, that actions usually speak louder than the emotions they were motivated by and that loving your child doesn't equal being a good parent, so not loving it doesn't equal being a bad parent.

A few closing notes:

• "love" is used here in the "societal definiton" way, or more the way people seem to use it to mean "unconditional lovey dovey feelings towards one or more people". love, is of course deeply personal and for many already includes the actions one takes to show said love. I use the general idea of it here, since thats often the way parents kinda mean it when they say it (+/- the part of providing the survival essentials of shelter and food or other material things..yk for arguments sake)

• everyone has a different opinion on whether or not children can/should be brought up by people, who can't feel love for them and whether said people can meet the childrens emotional needs. I think that if ppl who do love their kids are sometimes not capable of meeting their childrens emotional needs, having or not having the capacity to love, seems to not be an inherent guarantee to excell or suck at meeting a kids needs. therefore theres no reason to think that every person with an incapacity for emotional love will suck at meeting someones emotional needs. I mean its the same as with empathy, having a lack of that doesn't make you inherently suck at comforting people or being a good friend now, does it? its always individual.

• in the place of every "parent", you can of course put "caregiver" or whichever word fits your situation! its easier to just do the arguments with parents here, but it does of course extend to any person who takes care of a child.

• this is also not meant to be a post, that tells parents they always suck, or tell them that their love is worthless or whatever. you can see it more as a reminder, that love alone isn't enough if its just what you feel for someone. I mean...no romantic or platonic relationship will work well if you just love your partner/friend and pay rent and maybe cook a meal here and there. partners/friends have emotional & physical needs they need met and so do children. an emotion alone doesn't do that and especially not if you assume that its always known how you feel! children are individuals that have & understand different love languages and being a parent doesn't inherently mean you know what your child needs. you gotta actually ask it and interact with it in order to get to know your child and then act on that knowledge.

first posted on my instagram (same @)

[theambitiouswoman]

hello lovely!

How do I feel worthy withing myself? How do I disconnect from seeking the approval of others?

Thanks in advance <333 xxx

Hi beautiful girl

I would say, start by asking yourself why you don’t feel worthy. Not to put any pressure on you, but to have an honest conversation within. Are you living in a way that aligns with what makes you happy? Are you showing up as the version of yourself you know you're capable of being?

Self worth isn’t something we get from others it’s something we remember within ourselves. The more we focus on what really fulfills us, the less we feel the need to seek approval externally. When we rely on validation, it’s often because we’re not doing enough for ourselves. So we latch onto others’ approval as a way to feel secure, keeping us in our comfort zone.

Feeling worthy within yourself starts with recognizing that your value isn’t something you earn—it’s something you already have. You were born worthy and no external validation (or lack of it) can change that.

If you need more convincing, depending on approval from others is ultimately useless because people are often too focused on themselves to give you the consistent validation you're seeking. Everyone has their own insecurities, priorities, struggles, which means their opinions of you can be influenced by their own emotions or circumstances. When you rely on external approval, you're giving up control over your own sense of worth.

I’m starting to see how so many people are living lives that aren’t aligned with who they truly are—a life shaped by family expectations, societal norms, or external pressures. It’s as if they’ve been encouraged to follow a script that doesn’t reflect their true selves. Think this is a huge contributor to a lot of mindsets, that although absolutely not anyones fault, is causing people to live so misaligned and having to live a life of force, ultimately not very fulfilled.

The more you nurture your own self acceptance, the less you’ll crave external validation. And ironically, when you stop seeking approval, people tend to admire you even more.

[jungshookz]

a little thought

HELLO

a lot of these little posts for me as of late, this one is more of a rambling word vomit type but just wanted to share my thoughts with everyone as this blog was and is such a big part of my life <3 i value our relationship as parasocial as it might seem LOL but i have to be honest with you guys and myself before i continue writing this blog and building it back up :')

but first let me say some other things:

i hope everyone had a lovely valentine's day - it's a day to celebrate love of all kind, i PERSONALLY had a great valentine's day celebration aka i ordered dinner for myself and had a sushi roll that they shaped into a heart and was definitely meant for a couple to share. however, did i body that entire roll in 20 minutes? you BET your ass i did

new stories are definitely in the works, it's just taking me a while to balance job-hunting and writing! i promise i still have a whole list of drabbles to get to and as per usual my inbox is always open for suggestions if you want to see any particular scenarios

i am going to be more active on the blog from this point onwards whether that's just talking to you guys or posting drabbles - i know i've kind of been in and out but i was doing some deep reflection the other night and i think i've come to a conclusion about why i've been so in and out which you can read below if you feel inclined to hehe but also it will get a little #deep and #emotional

i think the reason why i've been struggling to come back every time is because i worry a lot about being forgotten or that no one will really care about my stories anymore because there are so many other writers out there posting stories, so me coming back to write wouldn't matter at all?? and also i'm worried that people will be upset with me?? which is totally something that i need to work on bc why is that always my automatic thought that all of you guys are on we're mad at cee island

i am still here, i am still reading your messages, and i am very VERY slowly getting back into writing love stories. i think after experiencing an emotionally abusive relationship and realising that not all love stories are like the ones i wrote about took a bigger toll on me than i thought... i mean there's a reason why i stopped writing love stories and disappeared back in 2022: i was so preoccupied with the tumultuous relationship i was in with an Evil Man and had completely lost my zest for writing love stories which was so sad because for so long they'd been such a big part of my life! i felt i couldn't write them because my stories weren't representative of the "real" (warped) version of love i was experiencing in real life :-/ and i think i've been afraid to admit that bc of how stubborn i am about a lot of things

it's been almost two years since the end of that relationship and i still think about a lot. in fact i thought about it so dang much that my whole thesis was based on it but BOOYAH i've graduated so some good came out of that >:D of course i'm doing a lot better and have built a new life for myself in a new city, BLOCKED his ass after he emailed me with a new email address and cackled about it, achieved things i never thought i would get close to when i was in that relationship, but i would be lying if i said those experiences didn't impact the way that i approach romantic relationships now as well as the way i approach writing love stories!!

the good news is that i did a little bit of writing the other night and for a second i felt the old cee returning (i make fun of her all the time but love her and admire her productivity, idk how she was pumping out like three drabbles a week), i had a good flow going on and i realised how much i missed y/n!! i am slowly starting to feel like myself again when it comes to writing stories and it's such a great feeling

anyway this was just a long way of saying i'm going to try and be better and i'm determined to write stories again and rebuild my relationship with you <3 our ceety will rise again!!! i'm sorry that it's taken me a while and i'll probably have to fall and get up a few more times before i get back into the groove but i hope you'll stick around for the long run, you don't know how much it means to me to know that some of you have been here from the start and are still checking in from time to time

lmk your thoughts, you know my inbox is always open!

cee

[souldink]

Brief overview of Quackitys astrology chart

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(warning: I’m not an astrologer, I’m a starter, I read in whole sign, I always will. These are VERY BASIC observations, I could’ve went into better detail, I didn’t.)

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Alexis Quackity is a famous Mexican internet streamer who was known for his raiding back in like 2016-2017. He’s more known now for being an ex DSMP member and the owner of a server QSMP, he now works on a translator for the use of bringing community’s together. He’s bilingual speaking both Spanish and English. Nuf said let’s start…

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This is his chart…and according to google he was born at a certain time…so can’t be to sure this is right but we gon roll w it..?

Let’s start with his big three,

He has a Capricorn rising and sun, having the same sun as your rising really gives off a “what you see is what you get” vibe. He keeps it real but he’s also a private person. He’s hard working and it shows.

Sun in the first..His dad could’ve been a big thing in his life, or he cared about his dad and wanted him around. His suns in the first house and that can make his dad a first priority. His dad could’ve also been hard working.

He himself with a sun in the first is a born leader, he could even be a little full of himself sometimes.

His moon is in Aquarius, (Eminem has this to which I talked about in my last post) and people with Aquarius moons tend to have outbursts of emotions. He could try to use logic when it comes to how he feels. He could like to observe his emotions and what he’s feeling rather then fully indulge in them. He could feel misunderstood a lot when it came to how he felt. He could feel detached when it comes to emotions and feelings. This is one of those placements that will be like “I don’t give a fuck” and then cry about it for a whole month. (His moons at a Scorpio degree so best believe..) he’s very intellectual and smart (if underdeveloped he could’ve been closed minded)

Now his moon is in the second house, probably should’ve mention this but moon is how we process emotions, having it in the second house could mean when he’s upset, his bank is to. He could spend a lot of money on himself (or others) when upset.

He has a moon square mars, his relationship with women growing up could’ve not been well. I notice men with this either respect the living hell out of women and or disrespect them.

Moon in Aquarius for his mom. his mother could’ve let him do whatever the hell he wanted, let him have a lot of freedom. This really depends on if he had a bad relationship with his mother or a good one but she could’ve been very detached to him and his emotions as well. His mom could’ve been a very unpredictable person. (Aquarius moons give bipolar) his mother was probably more of a friend than a mother.

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OBSERVATION TIME :3

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His mercury’s in the first house: he’s got an over active mind, (over thinker placement for sure) always wanting to learn new things. Charming placement as well! I’m sensing a little bit of dark humor as it’s in the 8 degree as well.

He has a Uranus in the 2nd house, money could come and go for him (esp as a streamer) one day he’s bankrupt the next he’s rich. He could like weird foods as well.

he has a Venus in Aquarius in the second house, Venus is all about pleasures, our romantic relationships. he could like to be friends with someone before dating them, he could be very detached from love as Aquarius is also ruled by Saturn. He in the beginning won’t be very clingy or dependent he will value independence. He could be a gift giver/ really like being spoiled.

His venus squares his Saturn, this dudes poor ass love life..I can see he wants to be with someone he trusts. he has a cancer in the 7th house, he’s a very sweet boy in a relationship, could like staying home. Reminds me of baking dates.

He has a libra MC, He could be viewed as very handsome to people, very attractive, feminine and pretty. people could be interested in who he’s dating or messing around with..

His 11th house is in Scorpio, his fandom could be obsessive over him and not to mention his mars is in Scorpio as well. we can see this man has a lot of sex appeal. his fandom could become obsessed with him, what’s up with him, what fucking food he ate for lunch yesterday etc etc(so could his friends in some cases)

He could be very private when it comes to revealing things about himself(esp that cap rising)

Now he could also wonder about the physiological state of people anyway, he could want to know why people act this way, what triggers them to act that way? What triggered them in that moment to make them do that? Things like that. Very observant individual. (He could also care a lot about what his friends think of him)

(I have a Pluto in the 11th house I’m the same way)

He has a mars in Scorpio in the 11th house his friends could be mainly male or tomboy even, masculine.

His anger runs deep, now let’s not forget he’s a water mars I notice a lot of water mars people (ESPECIALLY CANCER SORRY NOT SORRY-) cry when they’re mad.

Alex with his mars in Scorpio tells me he’s a very ambitious, (these people a lot of times do a lot behind the scenes) he’s very strategic with the way he does things. He’s competitive, when he wants something he will do what he needs to do to get it. (Fun fact I think dream has one to so just imagine that)

Scorpio’s ruler is Pluto, mars can also talk a lot about our sexual style and shit. He could like to have sex with someone he’s close with, I could see a close friendship before dating someone even. He could have weird or taboo kinks. I could see maybe sex wasn’t talked about as much to him as a kid which brings me to my next topic

Saturn in the 5th house, Saturn shows us where we are restricted, things that won’t come to us until way later in life, 5th house is literally everything that fulfills us and pleases us. Dating could’ve been slowed down for him growing up, I see this placement with people who were the “ugly ducklings” as a kid sometimes then get attractive later in life. He probably didn’t get with a lot of his crushes as a kid, these types of people are AKWARD as hell around the people they like. He won’t have children until way later in life that’s for sure. This man’s probably not lying if he where to say he’s still a virgin.

(but to be fair Saturn can also (imo) show us shit that happened to early (but most times to late)

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He has a Jupiter in the 6th house he has a lot of luck(or will) with his health, work and day to day life. Maybe even good immune system.

Now time for the elephant in the room, he has an Aquarius stellium, this shows me he prolly don’t mind being weird. he could be a very detached person (sensitive to) he could hate when things he was gate keeping get popular. It’s in his second house so music could be a big thing here, he could be a good singer with a unique voice.

His chart is pretty much Saturn ruled I can tell he’s had a tough life when it comes down to it but I can’t help but notice his mental health.

He has a Chiron in the 12th house, I can see his mental health might not be the best, along with Pluto in the 12th house, he’s definitely had a lot of trauma and transformation when it comes to his subconscious.

He’s definitely prone to addiction so he should watch it.

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His north node is in the seventh house, in this life time he’s going to have to learn to let go of his ego, he’s mastered getting to know himself. he’s meant to learn about others. He’d make a great therapist, something helping others.

He has a Virgo in the ninth house, I could see he could be a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to working and learning observant student. Good grades in school.

He has an Aries in the fourth, he could be his raw self around his loved ones. His loved ones could see the unfiltered version of him. His family could see the angry side of him as well, (his mood swings)

Yeah this is all I got on the 24 year old virgin man child thanks for reading, copyright by me Bitch.

[sibylcade]

I Fell for the WitchTok to Alt. Right Pipeline

And I escaped, thankfully.

**obvious trigger warning for discussions of trauma**

TLDR: Due to childhood trauma I wanted to find my own family. I reconnected with someone from my home town to create a witchy-commune. Things quickly turned toxic—hierarchies emerged, and I realized I being used. Over time, I recognized I had been sucked into an extreme, right-wing pipeline, with supremist-based beliefs. I got out, but learned how ANYONE can be recruited into a cult. Be careful and always question the paths you're led down

************************************************************************

I grew up in a neglectful and violent home. I won’t dwell on my childhood, but it’s important to mention because it left me with a deep sense of loss from the very start. My hyper-independence and dissociative tendencies protected me, but they also made it difficult to discover who I truly was. I didn’t learn the necessary skills to communicate my wants and needs, let alone understand boundaries with others. I searched for meaning and longed for genuine connection.

So, as I had done with every other aspect of my life, I struck out on my own and severed all ties with my parents. I shunned anything that reminded me of them—including Christianity.

My world began to expand when I started practicing paganism. The deities I encountered were flawed and acknowledged their imperfections. I forged spiritual relationships with beings I couldn’t—and would never—fully understand. I was free to doubt their existence and indulge in whatever made me feel good. This flexibility became the foundation of my practice, and it’s what I cherish most about being a pagan.

As I interacted with other pagans online, I started piecing together what my spirituality truly meant. Eventually, I found a like-minded individual, and we began talking.

It turns out, this person had a similar background to mine. We had both grown up in the same town and even been childhood friends. Once we reconnected, we discovered we were both ex-Christians and pagans, so we began sharing our beliefs. We created a small bastion for ourselves, which quickly turned into an echo chamber.

Before long, we were convinced that the world was ending and that we needed to create a commune to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and possibly even others- if they aligned with our beliefs.

So, we did it. I moved eight hours away from everything I had known, to join my newfound family. Everything started out great. I was accepted fully and without question. My partner was too. We began looking for a larger house with land for two family units... until things began to unravel.

Expenses and chores were no longer split fairly. The “smaller” unit—my spouse and I—was deemed expendable because we had no children. Though I was seen as a spiritual leader, I was also considered naïve for never having given birth (or having a penis inside me). It wasn’t until my spouse sat me down and pointed out the unfairness of it all that I realized we were being used.

Thankfully, we fled and cut ties.

It took two solid years to process everything that had happened. Slowly, I realized I had fallen into a pipeline that led me to the extreme right, which scared me more than the fact that I had nearly started a cult with someone.

Here were some of the common beliefs that we adhered to/topics we talked about literally ALL THE TIME:

 (I’ve spent extensive time deprogramming these from myself, just FYI– if you find yourself in communities that resonate with them, I urge you to carefully examine your beliefs to ensure they align with your values, and respond accordingly)

StarseedsIf you’re not already familiar, Starseeds are alien souls in human bodies. This sounds neat and all, but the idea originated with the belief that the “best” aliens are blond haired, blue eyed white people. This should sound alarmingly familiar- it’s neo-nazism but spiced up with woo.

I remember spending hours pouring over forums to find where my “star family” was. I have a feeling that most people who fall into the whole starseeds rhetoric are just looking to belong, like I was. I’m in the camp now that I’d rather be alone rather than in the company of fascists. 

Womb WorshipThis one started to take hold when I first moved in with my “new family.” The woman I had been talking to and agreed to create a commune with had recently given birth, and it was a deeply spiritual experience for her. I agreed with her that it was special— as are all births—but slowly, things shifted. It became insisted that everyone in the home were to hold her in high regard, elevating her status because she was the “only breeding female.” Reducing AFAB people to nothing more than baby-makers is disgusting and completely reductive. Further, this leaves out women who don’t have wombs,  which is TERF territory. Again, fuck fascists.

Feminine SuperiorityThis overlaps quite a bit with womb worship, but it deserves its own category because I see quite a bit of magic being divided into two energies- masculine and feminine. If that’s what works for you, and you’re not promoting some kind of superiority, that’s your choice. But too often, these practices end up reinforcing hierarchical structures. In the pre-cult, women who were afab and capable of reproducing were at the top of the hierarchy. Men were all lowly idiots that were slaves to testosterone. This was especially concerning because she would call her husband an idiot and treat him like a neanderthal- and he would do the same to himself. I hope she does not instill these beliefs into her amab child.

Aside from them, I am agender. As I came to really think about all that happened, I found that this highly gendered approach repulsed me. I think it forces everything into following rigid gender roles and seeks to exclude anything that fails to fit into the norm.

I’m glad we escaped

It scares the shit out of me how nefariously this crept up on me. Sure, laid out onto a screen makes it seem loudly obvious how cult-like things were. It happened slowly, almost in a calculated way.

I thought these people genuinely cared about me and my spouse. I seriously cared about them and thought they had our best interests in mind.

I guess that’s why it’s called a pipeline- I nearly lost myself and all I held dear to the current.

Make sure you keep your head above water or risk drowning, friends.