#and doesn't do the people who live in italy justice

[todaysromano]

10.28.2023

Today, Romano showed up to America's Halloween party dressed in one of his old military uniforms from the late risorgimento period. He had, of course, been in Rome until it was finally captured in 1870.

Romano's outfit definitely turned the heads of some of the other countries that had fought in this war including France, Austria, and Prussia, but Italy definitely noticed the outfit as well. Fortunately, enough time (and other wars) had passed since the risorgimento that wounds had healed between the nations and no new fights broke out. It helped that Romano was the losing party and the one to bring up the topic.

The worst part of the party was that one too many nations had a bit too much to drink and a small fight broke out about who had the best costume.

[lazycats-stuff]

I know the requests are closed, but I have a feeling I will forget if I don't ask. I am a big Formula 1 fan. What about batfam x batbro reader who is not a vigilante, and has been ignored and forgotten by everyone except Alfred and nobody notices that he left for the last few years (some time passed until reader got into F1). One day Alfred receives a package and he opens it in front of the family. Inside the package there is a box and a note that says: "To Alfred, I made it grandpa, I am the champion."

He takes out the box and opens it. Inside the box is a beautiful signed racing helmet. He smiles and the rest of the family is confused, asking him who sent the helmet. Alfred with a smile on his face explains batbro's racing career, from karting to the F1 and how he watches every race. The family immediately takes out their phones and google batbro, only to find that he is the current F1 champion, the youngest ever F1 champion, multiple times F1 champion and has never lost a race, giving him the nickname The Emperor, and that he lives in Italy. They follow him on Instagram, they watch his YouTube channel, they watch the highlights of his races and the skill he has demonstrated, all while Alfred is figuring out where to display the helmet. As the amount of highlights watched increases, so does their guilt, and they research the whole sport - the rules, the drivers, the racing calendar, everything. Finally, they find that the next race is in Italy - Monza (Italian Grand Prix) where batbro lives, and decide to go there with Alfred. They buy the tickets to watch the race from the finish line and sit there (they wanted to buy one to go inside the box and team's garage, but Alfred said no, because they might distract the reader).

At the end of the race (batbro obviously wins as he always destroys the competition, it's not even close), batbro exits the car, does the whole celebration with the champaigne and the trophy, does the short interview, and then Alfred approaches him with the rest of the family. Batbro is very excited to see Alfred and asks him if he got the helmet. Alfred says yes and then points at the rest of the family. Reader is curious and innocently asks Alfred if they are his friends. The guilt multiplies x1000, as Alfred explains who they are, but reader only knows Bruce from TV and somewhat remembers Damian because Damian was an asshole when he lived in the manor, but doesn't remember anyone else (not Dick, Tim, Jason, Duke, Cass or Steph). Reader always thought that Alfred was his legal guardian, because he is the only one reader ever talked to and the only one he ever saw in the manor, aside for Damian.

He takes them through the city, shows them where the best pizza and ice cream is, because he is basically a local, and they watch him talking with the people of the city in perfect Italian, giving them selfies and autographs and the people just loving him. Alfred is talking with batbro, asking him questions about the city and about his life, if he still pushes himself to improve. The family only listens and learns just how amazing their brother is and how much he knows and how much he can do. He is the F1 champion, knows more languages than any of them, has beaten Alfred in chess (none of them ever did that), has been knighted by the King of England, climbed Mt. Everest, and many other amazing things (batbro is basically a much better version of Bruce). He is even friends with the few civilian versions of the Justice League and Ra's Al Ghul (of course, batbro doesn't know who any of them really are).

The more he talks, the more their hearts break. Seeing how happy he is, how he smiles and how much he loves Alfred and doesn't even remember them, they finally break. They ask him to come back with them to the manor, but he says no, because he has a life here. They want to just kidnap him, but Alfred immediately puts a stop to that, and nobody can go against Alfred.

In the end, they settle to just asking him to visit them. Batbro answers maybe when the season is over and if they have everything he needs to keep his body and reflexes in shape (F1 drivers train a lot).

The season finishes, and batbro is once again crowned a champion. He finally goes to the manor and after hanging out with Alfred, the rest of the family just try to love him and get to know him while helping him train and keep in shape. Bruce puts a racing simulator in the manor and everyone challenges batbro, but he simply destroys them (Tim doesn't know if he should be pissed or happy, as he always thought he is the best at videogames). After all the bonding and fluff, it's time for batbro to leave. There is a lot of hugging and Alfred makes batbro promise to visit whenever the season is over. Bruce even decides to sponsor batbro's team, just to see Wayne Enterprises logo on batbro's car.

After that, they never miss a race on TV, and even their respective hero teams watch him race and cheer for him.

I know it's a long ask, but I just had to get this out of my head. Thank you.

Okay so, it's a long one as you all can see. But not a problem. Also, I have no clue about F1. None. Absolutely none. I've heard of reflex training, but anything else is just... Not a clue. So a quick heads up if there are any F1 lovers reading. I'll do research, but still... A heads up... Also, 2.4k words. Enjoy.

Summary: Family forgets about (Y/N). He's now an F1 champion.

Warnings: (Y/N) is forgotten, but Alfred is his biggest supporter, don't worry, everyone else are simply assholes, simply put

Alfred often wondered if (Y/N) has made his dream come true in Formula 1. (Y/N) loved racing more than anything, always playing racing games and when possible, he would watch Formula 1. (Y/N) even had a dream of going to Italy, which he did make true. But racing is a cut throat sport, just like any other. Not a lot of people make it in the that sport. Only a chosen few make it to the big leagues.

But Alfred knew that (Y/N) would make it. Ever since he was a teen, he would go carting whenever he could and Alfred would follow. (Y/N) was talented, that was for sure. When he moved to Italy, for their Grand Prix. Alfred remembers how they always watched the races together, even if it meant that it would be in the middle of the night due to the time difference. But to Alfred, all was worth it, seeing (Y/N) so happy and excited.

When Alfred was outside, he saw the a delivery person coming, driving the truck. Alfred was confused, not expecting a delivery. And none of the family members had ordered anything...

" Alfred Pennyworth? " The delivery man asked, opening his truck.

" Yes, that is me, " Alfred answered, watching the man rummage through his truck before taking out a package.

" This is for you. Please sign here. " The man tapped the tablet and Alfred signed, taking the package and going back inside, putting the box down on the kitchen counter. He looked it over, trying to figure out who sent it to him, but he couldn't figure out it out...

He took a knife and opened it, removing the duct tape. In the package was a box, with a note on top of it. Alfred tilted his head as he took it and read it over.

To Alfred,

I made it grandpa. I'm a champion now.

Love (Y/N).

Alfred took the box out and opened it. It was a beautiful racing helmet, signed with (Y/N)'s signature. Alfred was moved as he gently moved the helmet around, checking it out. Oh, this is going to on his shelf. Absolutely.

" Alfred? What's that? " Bruce asked as he looked away from the TV. That attracted the attention of everyone else, the sight of Alfred holding a racing helmet... That came in a package... That's signed too.

" Where did that helmet come from? " Tim asked, tilting his head as he approached Alfred.

" It came from (Y/N), " Alfred offered a simple explanation, not really caring to elaborate more, instead opting to examine the helmet in more detail.

That now got everyone's attention. (Y/N)? What?

" Wait, it came from (Y/N)? " Jason asked and Alfred nodded.

" He started carting and soon he feel in love with racing. He moved away and started his career. I watch every race, no matter how late or early it is. "

Now that is something that they didn't know. All of them took their phones out and googled (Y/N). And their jaws nearly dropped when they read about him.

(Y/N) Wayne, also known by his nickname Emperor, is champion again. For those who don't know, he got that nickname because he has never lost a single race since he started racing professionally. This championship is his 6th one and he is the youngest champion ever in the history of Formula 1...

They didn't bother to read the rest before going on every singe social media there is. Absolutely every single one there is. They were going to do their jobs as detectives. But suck at their job as a family. Really, really, suck as a family.

They watched all the highlights from the races, watching (Y/N) smile as he won. But more importantly, watching his determination and drive (pun intended) as he drove, focused and clearly in the game and in the control.

While they were watching, they were consumed with guilt. So much guilt. How could they forget that he even existed. How the hell could have they do this? Bruce felt like a failure, no he is a failure. The rest of them felt the same, clearly guilty.

Alfred on the other hand, couldn't give a damn. He moved around, trying to figure out where could he even display it. While he wanted to keep it private, he wanted people to see it... Maybe also teach the others a lesson. Sure, the guilt may be eating them from the inside and out, but, they must reap what they sow. So, he didn't feel sorry for them in the slightest.

Now, where to put this helmet...

After all of that, the family made sure to learn everything there is to learn about F1. Absolutely everything. Rules, important drivers, everything. Not to mention, they bought tickets to go to Italy, to see the races. Apparently, there's a Grand Prix, an Italian Grand Prix. It was in Monza, in Italy, where (Y/N) has also decided to live. And yes, Bruce wanted to get the tickets to see the box and the team's garage.

Alfred has vetoed the idea straight away. (Y/N) really needed to focus on this race, it's a Grand Prix after all. And Alfred wanted (Y/N) to focus. It's game on as the saying goes and right now, (Y/N) needed to make sure that he focused on his race. Sure, him losing is not likely, but still. Just in case.

So, Bruce had to be happy with sitting near the finish line. He watched (Y/N)'s car with out most attention. He watched the way he drove the car, how he showed dominance. Bruce could only imagine how much he had to think, how much he had to determine, make moves on the spot, maneuvers... Bruce had nothing but respect for (Y/N).

They all cheered when he won.

Of course, there was the champagne, where he was essentially wet with it. It was tradition, a funny one at that. (Y/N) was laughing and then smiled, looking at his trophy with a warm smile on his face. To him, this sport isn't about money. It's about racing, something he loves doing the most. Something that his heart is in and something he will do for as long as he can.

(Y/N) did a short interview and once finished, he smiled widely when he saw Alfred. He ran into his arms, making Alfred laugh.

" You came?! " (Y/N) asked excitedly and Alfred nodded.

" I had to see you win this Grand Prix in person, no? " Alfred said and (Y/N) nodded.

" Oh, did you get the helmet? " (Y/N) asked as he cradled his trophy, making sure to hold it more comfortably.

" I have, yes. " Alfred nodded. " Thank you for the gift. I'm so proud of you (Y/N). You did so great. "

(Y/N) smiled, knowing that Alfred meant it. " Thank you Alfred. " He glanced behind Alfred, seeing the rest of the people behind Alfred. " Are these your friends? "

Now that was a hit to the soul. Or below the belt, but it wasn't meant as an insult. It was actually genuine. Really genuine. And that hurt thousand times more rather than some sort of insult.

Alfred explained who they were and (Y/N) genuinely couldn't remember them. Oh, has the family (everyone but Alfred) messed up. Truly and utterly messed up. The bar was already low, but somehow, by some sort of twisted fate the bar has went even lower. Bruce couldn't help all the guilt that has risen up to his heart. And a realization set in heart.

He failed as a father. He failed. No, failure is an understatement. He was essentially going to rot in hell. That's how big this was. Bruce was a complete and utter failure in his humble opinion.

" I thought you were my guardian Alfred. " (Y/N) tilted his head as he said so.

" Well, clearly not (Y/N). "

" Well, I remember Bruce from TV and all and the only sibling I remember is Damian because he was an asshole, " (Y/N) explained and it all made sense to the family. You can't forget someone if that someone is an asshole after all. And this is Damian we are talking about anyhow and he is an asshole anyway.

After the dust and everything settled, (Y/N) has decided to give them a tour of Monza, a city where he now lives. The family has never been to Italy so there was a certain excitement in the air, despite the situation at hand. (Y/N) knew this city like the back of his hand, making sure to know all the spots that have good, local food. Not to mention, Italy has good wine and awesome pizza.

Not to mention, the variety of pasta.

And gelato.

And so the tour has began. Of course, you start with the food places first. Historical sights could come by later. Right now, good food, drinks and a nice walk will do everyone good. Clear heads and all. (Y/N) was stopped a few times and asked for selfies and for some autographs. Of course, (Y/N) took the photos and signed the photos, conversing with the fans in fluent Italian. He acted like a local. Well, he probably a local at this point.

Everyone watched, feeling utterly guilty. Alfred being the exception, of course.

But despite the guilt, Bruce was going to make it right. Would it be right away? No. Would it be easy? No. Would it be hard because it would mean you have to take responsibility for being an asshole and failure? Yes. But is taking responsibility for your actions a green flag and simply a show of maturity?

Also yes.

Watching (Y/N) smile and talk so lively with Alfred... He talked about a lot of different things. He took up hiking, going to some of the most famous mountains and tops, during the time where he takes a a break and can go without some training. He beat Alfred in chess. Alfred Pennyworth. No one in the family did that. Never. He speaks a shit ton of languages. More than the entire family combined. And Bruce, at that moment was struck with a realization that (Y/N) was a far better version of him.

" No? Why? " Bruce asked, perplexed. Why would (Y/N) say no to coming back to the manor? Bruce could give him everything he could need to continue racing.

" My life is here. My friends, heart, passion... And I prefer Italy over USA anyway. "

Okay, now Bruce thought about kidnapping him back to the US. Alfred knew exactly where it was going and he glared at Bruce, telling him with his eyes that if he even thought about doing that, Alfred will have no choice but to unleash his anger. And Alfred is the only reason why the manor is running anyway. And if he were to go onto the offensive, it would be a disaster. Cold War, but worse.

" Well... How about a visit? " Bruce asked, Alfred nodding in approval.

" Once the season is over... But I will need to train too. Drivers train a lot.

" Of course, that won't a problem at all, " Bruce said with a lot of confidence. He knew that he could give (Y/N) the best simulator, the best gym, whatever he asks for, Bruce will do it. No questions asked.

And that's exactly what has happened. Once the season ended and (Y/N) was crowned the champion, (Y/N) came to the manor after a long while... To say the very least. Everyone was just happy that (Y/N) wanted to come. That's all that they could ask for anyway. Bruce made sure to make the best simulator possible. Best simulator race ever, Bruce called it.

He also made sure that he had a place where he could exercise physically.

And they made sure to let (Y/N) know that they loved him and were trying everything to make sure he knew. Of course, not to the point where he was overwhelmed. They made sure to keep their promise of respecting the boundaries that (Y/N) has set. And yes, Bruce has got the best simulators and has made a great area for (Y/N) to train during the off season.

Others challenged him, but (Y/N) was too good. Now, Tim wasn't sure if he was impressed or just straight mad. A mixture of both, Tim would say. It just proved that (Y/N) was truly good and could backup his hype, not to mention skills and dedication to his sport.

Alfred has never been happier. He would cook (Y/N)'s favorites, make sure that everything was taken care of. He missed (Y/N), what can he say? He truly was proud of (Y/N), missed him and promised himself to go to most of his race, live. He swore to it.

But, all good things must come to an end. It was sad to let (Y/N) go, after all, they were trying to repair their relationships, but when the season and races call, there is nothing more they could do. (Y/N) had to go back to Italy. There were so many hugs, kisses and promises. (Y/N) has been happy with the change of their heart and he could see that it was genuine. He saw it was genuine.

And it warmed (Y/N)'s heart.

" (Y/N), you better come back once the season is over. " Bruce said to (Y/N), hugging him yet again, for the probably nth time.

" I will, don't worry. "

" Also, I'm your new sponsor. Having the WE logo on your car sounds great. "

" What, you need the exposure? "

Bruce chuckled and let (Y/N) go to the car where Alfred was waiting to take him to the airport. Once the car went away, Damian checked his phone, letting out a huh.

" I think Ra's paid for first class. "

" I'm not shocked. "

And once the season started again, everyone watched (Y/N)'s races. Including Ra's, who occasionally came. Bruce and Ra's had to agree to a truce during that period of time. But in the end, it was worth it. Even heroes from the Justice League came to support (Y/N) at Bruce's house.

Of course, in civilian versions. They couldn't let Ra's know.

Alfred on the other hand went to (Y/N)'s races live whenever he was able to. And he would make sure that Bruce foots the bill. Bruce is more than able to afford it.

[severalowls]

Look I'm extremely pro-luigi but some of the posts about how he's "the wrong guy" are fully nuts conspiracy shit.

"It was a different jacket" yes, the surveillance picture where you can see his face is from the night before, when he checked in to a hotel. Having a backup jacket and backpack to ditch (which he did, in central park) is like the most basic thing you can do to evade identification.

"He looks different" People look different from different angles and especially different lenses. This is basic shit yet its still the basis for shit like "Avril Lavigne was replaced by a lookalike" stuff

"He said police planted evidence" yes, but please don't just read headlines. The planted evidence was 1. Large amounts of cash, which would potentially increase the severity of the crime 2. A 'sophisticated' backpack, which is just completely nonsense it was probably just expensive. They're using both of these things to inflate a case of him being some kind of professional assassin or danger to society. This is the part that he is denying. Because it's bullshit, it's inflated, and its extremely deniable. But...

"Why was he carrying a manifesto and the gun and all that other stuff, why not dump it" now I'm not Luigi any more than the next poster, but when you escape from a high profile assassination in a major city, and are on an intercity bus which by some miracle, has not been stopped by the police for like 3 days your paranoia is through the roof. It doesn't calm down, it just gets worse as the improbability increases. I imagine the mental space to be similar to my great grandfather's friends, who escaped a prisoner of war camp in fascist italy, and those few weeks on the run left them on edge, moments from being caught, for the rest of their lives. Compare his remarkable calmness "in the moment" vs descriptions of him visibly shaking when approached by the cops.

So the gun is either 'security' or, my initial assumption was that he was heading to another city to do another one but that is likely the narrative the prosecution will try to construct.

The manifesto is also security. He was up against the nypd, who recently shot about 4 bystanders over a subway fare. If he was gunned down, he needed to be able to communicate his motivations weren't just (as I've seen some clown on here say) "wanted to kill somebody"

"The manifesto is terrible" yeah its pretty weak, its not impossible that it's fabricated but its also possible it's of the "written on his phone while on the run" variety, see above point.

"Why was he in a McDonald's" he had been on the run for days, the places that greyhound buses stop are irregular and also stupid. He didn't come out of hiding and pop down the road for a big mac. As noted above, he may not have planned not to be caught, and have overestimated the nypd.

"He's innocent until proven guilty" yeah thats how the US justice system works. He's innocent of the crime, particularly of terrorism. Does this mean that physically literally he didn't cause bullets to enter a CEO who subsequently died of bullet wounds? No, honestly, he almost certainly did that. It remains to be seen whether, legally, this makes him either a murderer and/or a terrorist. People who demonstrably shot bullets into a person who then died are acquitted on a regular basis, though most of them are cops.

[inkievoid]

I think I genuinely found the perfect song for Leon and his wife as like "their song".

(Yes ik it's the song from Twilight but it's fitting!!!)

Now, when I think about them getting married I don't think they did a big wedding. They got married on a whim because Leon had vacation time coming up. They got married by a justice of the peace at a courthouse in front of everyone they cared about and rented a party room at a nice restaurant they really love just to have a good meal and be with everyone who matters.

They didn't have a cake, no flower toss, no first dance. But you did get to dress up, everyone did. Just shared their happiness with everyone. You had a honeymoon for sure though. 2 blissful weeks in Italy together, the vacation they'd planned on taking together. Just to have a romantic get away.

You promised each other that you'd do something special for your first anniversary but you got pregnant and Violet was barely 3 months old on your wedding anniversary that the thought slipped both your minds.

But one afternoon Leon's heading home from a particularly grueling case. Everything that could have gone wrong almost did. And of course he's sitting in traffic when all he wants is to go home an see his wife and daughter. The only thing sounds are the engine and occasional honks from idiot drivers. So he turns on the radio to fill the silence. He catches the ending of some other song. The radio dj coming on and talking for a bit, he reaches for the dial when piano keys fill the car. He just goes back to waiting, sitting back in his seat as he does so.

And my God does he get emotional... He doesn't know if it's the stress he's under or if it's that he can't stop thinking about how relevant everything feels.

He knows his life is hard, It's been hard since that night in Raccoon City and everything that's happened to him. All the people he's seen suffer and the awful things he's seen. But once he met you he finally had something good. Something that gave him hope.

His life changed so much in the past 5 years of being together. You loved him. You married him. You gave him the family he's always wanted and his life is barely over a quarter of the way through. He gets to come home to you and the beautiful baby girl he loves so much.

How could he not finally be thankful for being alive?

Because he gets to live not to just be a weapon anymore. He's got something to look forward to.

Your anniversary rolls around. It's almost midnight and you're prepping your lunch for the next day at work. As Leon walks into the kitchen. Doing his usual schtick of wrapping his arms around you and burying his face in your neck. Giving you the usual kisses with a tight squeeze so you can't escape his love as you squeal for mercy. He eventually stops his torturing affection and looks at the stove clock as you zip you're lunchbox closed.

Soon you're lifted from the floor being carried by the waist out of the kitchen.

"Leon! I'm not done yet!"

"It's our anniversary now so I get to do what I please."

"That's not how this works!"

He sets you on the floor, standing as you playfully glare at him. He hustles over to the stereo, plugging his phone in and turning it up, not loud enough to wake the baby.

"What're you doing?" You question, hearing the piano fill the living room as he hustles around the couch.

"What we should of done last year. Our first dance. He wraps his arms around you, pulling you close.

"Leon, we've danced since we got married."

"Yes, but we never picked a song! So just, dance with me and listen. Please? Pleeeease?" He bounces on place till you sigh and wrap your arms around him.

You just stare into each other's eyes while you slow dance. Swaying gently to the music as you listen. Both of you getting emotional by the end of the song. Tears streaming down both your faces. Still smiling as you hug him tight.

"Being with you was one of the best choices I've ever made. I love you so much."

[horizoneffect]

2d6 table for law enforcement methods in D&D

So recently I've been thinking about how to portray dystopias in D&D, which is something that's harder for me to do well than it sounds. Most of the cruelly authoritarian governments I'm familiar with existed post-1900, which doesn't vibe with D&D's fantasy setting... So I've been dredging up my historical knowledge of awful governments, and as someone working on a thievery campaign, this has made me think of different methods of law enforcement.

Feel free to use the table below either as a 2d6 table, or simply as a list of ideas. Something I realized while making this is that methods of law enforcement are intricately connected with details about the town in question: who lives there? What kind of life do they live? Urban or pastoral setting? Large town or small town? What is the town like, socially -- do people put a lot of credence in religion, their neighbors, their in-group or family, the law, reason, or technology? For this reason the table below is intentionally generic.

If anyone has recommendations for other possible methods of fantastical law enforcement (trial by ordeal involving a dark cave and a dragon?), please add them below. Also please share if you have historical inspiration for awful governments (1700s Britain, 1500s Italy, the entire history of colonialism -- seriously, the concept of the existence of a company given monarchical and therefore divine right to rule over an entire nation is ripe for inspiration imo.)

In this town, lawbreakers are detected and apprehended in the following way (roll 2d6):

2 - Everybody knows and likes everybody. There's no need for any sort of law enforcement.

3 - When a crime is committed, the members of the victim's family are honor-bound to discover the perpetrator.

4 - A religious order divines information about criminals in cases of particularly heinous or sacrilegious crime. Then, the order's knights are sent to apprehend the suspects.

5 - Wealthy noble families, who have taken on the role of steward of the town, court mercenary groups to provide security as a favor to the public.

6 - The town is policed by members of the military, who are taken from the ranks of the imperial army, or the army of an occupying power.

7 - Town guards patrol the city. In smaller towns they simply keep an eye out for trouble; in larger towns they are given a set beat; in still larger cities they are assigned to separate locations and perhaps assisted with magical defense systems.

8 - Any citizen who has been wronged can submit an appeal for aid to their lord, who, in exchange for fealty, is in charge of marshaling forces to catch the perpetrator.

9 - Roll again, ignoring other rolls of 9. One of the other systems here is in place, but has gone wrong. Citizens often rely on hiring adventurers to solve crimes, and they must contend with the danger that a corrupt form of justice poses.

10 - Vigilante organizations have formed, which keep order in return for the citizens' respect. Whether or not those organizations themselves are legal is an open question.

11 - There is no real law enforcement to speak of, because no one follows the laws. Citizens pay protection money to the city's emboldened crime syndicates, which compete for territory, subjects, and power.

12 - Crime? What crime? Under the Dread-queen, all is peace.

[jasper-tarot-reader]

Neopets/Skyrim Tarot: XX. Judgment

Judgment is a card depicting the Last Judgment aka Judgment Day, further emphasizing the fact that tarot came from Italy because come on, man. And people alternate naming it Judgment or Judgement, because both are correct; Judgment just happens to be the more common one. Typically, this is depicted as an angel blowing a trumpet over a family who are obviously dead and about to get yoinked up to Heaven.

This is also one of the most commonly changed cards in the tarot. One of my decks, the Gay Tarot, changes it into "Beyond Judgment" to portray the same feelings in queer men as the usual card does in Christians.

In these two decks, the card is not renamed, but the characters portray the same type of Judgment - the Judgment of someone who will bring villains or criminals to the court of law, a more powerful version of Justice focused on legal and mortal justice rather than cosmic justice. The difference between them is clear once we dive in, so let's take a closer look at our judges, shall we?

Judge Hog is a Blue Moehog who was born in 25 BN (aka 1974, meaning that he turns 51 years old this year, even though he will forever look and be 32 years old in the Neopedia because Neopets doesn't believe in linear time for character designs) and is the head of the Defenders of Neopia. The Defenders of Neopia are a worldwide organization of superheroes who protect Neopia from villains such as the Pant Devil and Iron Skeith, as seen in the card. It's unknown if Judge Hog founded the Defenders of Neopia or is just the current boss.

Judge Hog serves as a superhero bringing down villains, the chief logistical officer and mission control for when other superheroes get sent out, and also as their PR person doing public announcements and appearances for kids. He also lives in a gingerbread house. What a fantastically whimsical motherfucker despite being serious about his job. Truly evidence that you don't have to stop having fun even when you're doing important work.

Mjoll the Lioness is a Nord warrior and ex-adventurer currently living in Riften who is single-handedly trying to tackle the pervasive corruption in its streets and all the way up to the Jarl. She retired from adventuring after Aerin saved her life outside of a Dwemer ruin, but she will follow you if you recover her lost sword Grimsever.

Like Judge Hog, she is dedicated to the protection of others and the clearing of corruption from the streets. Unlike him, she's a one-woman show in a city where the Thieves Guild operate in broad daylight and the real ruler in the city doesn't need to work that hard to puppet the current Jarl (or to take her place if the Imperial Legion takes Riften at any point) and have the city's guards in her pocket (or pay a visit to the Dark Brotherhood). She doesn't have much in the way of outside help, considering the first thing that happens when someone new comes to the city is a shakedown from the guards outside.

Honestly, considering she's literally a Skyrim character, she makes perfect sense for the Judgment card here. Her whole schtick is that she passes judgment on whether or not people are corrupt and strikes against that corruption when and where she can. (However, this isn't reflected in her in-game morality, which allows her to tolerate the player doing any crime...of course, that could be a fascinating look into her internal hypocrisy and justification. More than likely, though, it's a programming oversight because this is Bethesda we're talking about.)

If I were assigning an Elder Scrolls character for a broader deck, I...have no idea who I would pick. Honestly, any Daedra, Aedra, or other divine being could fit this card, as they all represent Judgment in their own way with their own distinct flavor. For some reason my brain keeps throwing Malacath at me though, so what the hell, sure.

[cocrante]

In these weeks, I've found myself writing, and consequently, collecting many ideas about Nico and particularly about solangelo in Italy. Countless scenarios of them traveling along the peninsula, along Lo Stivale, have opened up to me. I've imagined solangelo settling in Venice, living together in a cozy apartment.

However, in these days, I've often wondered about Nico's origins, his family in Italy, especially his mother. I've read Riordan's books countless times, from when I was a child to now as I'm becoming an adult. I'm incredibly attached to them; however, Nico's mother is barely mentioned, a nearly blurred memory. Also, reading online about his mother, it's said that she went to America with his father because he worked as a diplomat, and there she met Hades, attracted by her ability to see beyond the mist.

I would like to be able to say, without drawing anyone's displeasure, that I don't like this view of things. Forgive me, but I felt the need to think of something different, more Italian and certainly less American. I would like to exalt with the idea I had, the beauty of Italian authors that frame the history of my country, a glimpse immortalized by the poems, sonets and epistles of the authors who lived in this country divided by seas and mountains. The influence, sometimes philosophical, of the romanticists of the nineteenth century among noble families, the burdensome and almost suffocating weight that falls on the shoulders of children in the twentieth century who can no longer see the beauty that their fathers saw, where everything is ruined and heavy, and people feel inadequate in front of the grandeur of those who came before them.

It's not absurd for a woman of the twentieth century to move to America with her father (accompanied also by her mother and her family, I suppose), but it's not a story I like—it doesn't do real justice to the feelings that were experienced in Italy between the 1800s and the 1900s.

Hoping not to attract the enmity of the international fandom, I would like to start writing, possibly today, this revisitation. The story I would like to write will focus on Maria di Angelo and Hades—it will be a violent story, at times harsh and bitter, somewhat gothic but also full of love. I hope that when it's finished, you'll appreciate it as much as I enjoyed imagining it

[fantastic-mr-corvid]

Celias story

i was writing out a summary of Celia & her life till shes 18 for the soon to be posted Celia intro post/graphic[EDIT: Posted!], however it got to large to fit reasonably [about 600 works] so i rewrote it to be more concise, at the cost of the summary of the events that took her from mechanic to Passione member, among other details, and so im posting it here!

Born in Egypt, Celia came with her mother to Naples, Italy chasing promises of employment and stability in the early 70s, with Celia gaining a younger brother, Cecio in 1975.

While Paula found some initial success, money was tight and at 11 Celia started working for Marco as a mechanic, often doing modifications for street racing or smuggling. Though working at such a young age cut into her education, Celias strong dyslexia and immigrant status meant she was heavily discriminated against by her teachers, making school hellish, until she finally doesn't go back after finishing her mandatory education at 16 as her mother wished.

Luckily over her time at school Celia makes friends: Conficcare who helped her in class and who she helped give a safe place to; Elena, who she fell in love with; Russo, her best friend who fights for her; Dina and Cherry, two girls who were all also ostracized; Tesoro, Elenas best friend who teaches her how to fight, all meaning she did have a group of friends to help, or in Russos case, cuss out the teachers to keep her company in detention, during and beyond her time at school.

While Celia may have learned to keep quiet, she has a strong sense of justice when it comes to other people suffering, her most endearing- and worrying- trait to her friends. Helping her mother raise her younger brother and working from a young age has placed a lot of responsibility on her shoulders, leading to her growing up to fast and her current environment means shes had to learn to harden her heart to survive.

Celias work as a mechanic may have brought her close to Napules criminal underbelly, but she is fully thrust into it at 16 when Tesoro, her main protector and mentor, is thrown in juvie, leading to her taking his place in the ring, her fighting skills tested again and again, ending with her gaining her most prominent facial scars and accidentally killing an opponent.

Shes dragged even futher into the underworld when a mysterious and powerful prize is offered to whichever youth gang wins a race, leading to alliances and conflicts, and on race day, her groups racer and leader Baccio, getting shot dead at the starting line and Celia, with Elena fighting off the other vheicles, racing to victory in his place, and starting their relationship.

All isnt over as Baccios death sparks a gang war, with a mysterious group fanning the flames and doing anything, including causing attacks that wound Celias mother and kill many others to keep the fighting going. Unfortunately its revealed too late that that group is Passione the very group that promised the prize, with Celia and her friends becoming the 'winners', getting powerful stands and roles in the newly established Passione- and doomed to never be free from Passione and its interference for the rest of their lives.

Celia is 18 as the love of her life, Elena, leaves for her hard won art scholarship, escaping the violence that has entangled them with Passione, and cutting contact for fear of being dragged back into it. Dina has also seemingly escaping to uni, Russo having disappeared, and Cherry in jail for her actions during the gang war. Conficcare serves Passione by applying to medical school with the goal of becoming Passiones pawn, but Celia, now going more and more by her male 'persona' Muro, and Tesoro are not so lucky and become members of Passiones district squad for their area, forced to abuse and prey on their ravaged community to survive, among hostile transplants from other areas and a leader who has his eye on them.

[stonewallsposts]

January 2025 Reading 

Life has been really busy since we've been taking care of my mom. She is unable to get around anymore and we have been arranging everything to get her into assisted living along with my aunt. But there is a LOT to it, and so reading time has been diminished. It doesn't help that 3 of the last 4 novels have been Henry James, and I really have a hard time getting through his stuff. But anyway, here's what I DID manage to read.

Purgatorio- Dante  (1321)  Continuing through Purgatorio 

Canto 15   Level 3: wrath  Still on the second level when the canto starts, the travelers are dazzled by the light from an angel, who removes one of the P's on Dante's forehead and then ushers them up a stairway to the third level. On the way up, Dante asks Virgil about Guido del Duca's phrase: men set their hearts on what necessarily excludes others. Virgil explains that it refers to envy- which, because it hates to see others have something, means that the envious person must exclude others in order to grab as much for himself as possible. In the heavenly order, the more you share, the more you have. Dante doesn't get this so Virgil explains that Dante is thinking in purely earthly terms about material possessions. But in God's order, the more one is willing to share out of love, the more God blesses, since God gives as much love as the person gives out. This process just augments as men share. 

At this point the travelers arrive up on the third level and Dante is immediately pulled into a ecstatic state where he is given three visions of mercy: Mary meekly addressing Jesus at the temple when Jesus was 12; Pisistratus responding to his wife, who wanted vengeance on a youth who loved their daughter; and Stephen, the first martyr who asked that God not account this sin to them. Virgil explains that these visions were given to Dante so that he would open his heart to the waters of peace that spring from the eternal fountain. Then they see thick, impenetrable smoke coming towards them and they are enveloped. Here the canto ends. 

Canto 16  Level 3: wrath cont.  In the thick smoke, Dante hears voices singing, and as he asks Virgil about it, someone notes that he speaks like one still alive. Dante addresses the spirit and asks him to say who he is, and where he and Virgil can find passage to the next level. The spirit says he is Marco, a Lombard, and that he loved courtly values, which no one strives for anymore. This statement prompts Dante to inquire where this corruption of the human nature comes from: is it causally determined by the universe, or is it the fault of men's choices? Marco answers that it is from men's choices, though they always look to place the blame outside of themselves. They have free will, and they choose poorly. Marco states that the soul is essentially blank at birth, knowing only the joy of its maker. Accordingly, it seeks joy, but can be led astray in those desires. As such, laws are necessary, and a king as leader to direct the people towards the good. In Italy, the problem is that the church has tried to take on temporal power, which has led it astray, and the people along with it. The church was not supposed to have dominion over the temporal, that was the place of an emperor, so now the church does both badly. Rome had originally given the world both temporal justice and peace, and then a home for the universal church. But when the pope took temporal power, everything went off the rails. 

Marco explains that in his homeland of Lombardy, one used to be able to find valor and courtesy, but no longer, because of the church. The canto ends with Marco needing to turn back since Dante and Virgil draw close to leaving the smoke, which Marco can't do. 

Canto 17  Level 3: wrath cont and level 4: sloth  The canto begins with Virgil and Dante exiting the smoke from the last canto. Dante is then given three visions in his imagination, each of the punishment of some example of wrath: Procne, from Greek mythology, Haman from the book of Esther, and Queen Amata from Virgil's own Aeneid. After that, an angel ushers them to the stairway leading to the fourth level. As they reach the fourth level, the sunlight is fading and they are unable to go on. Dante asks Virgil to explain what sin is punished on the fourth level, and is told 'sloth'. 

Virgil then explains that even our sins are rooted in love, but in love misdirected, weakly applied, or too strongly applied. The three levels below punish love of excellence in order to put oneself above others- pride; love of others being knocked down- envy; and love of punishing those who slight us- anger. 

The three levels above punish love misdirected towards created things rather than the Creator. But Virgil will not say anymore, it is for Dante to understand at the proper time. 

Canto 18  level 4: sloth  The canto begins with Dante asking about how love leads to both good and evil works. Virgil's basic response is that the soul is created to respond to that which pleases it. As it encounters things that please it, it is drawn to those things, and just as fire climbs up, so does desire increase for those things, whether good or evil. 

Dante then asks how, if this is natural, can man be blamed for doing what he is created to do? 

Virgil responds that man is given an intellect and will, so that he always retains the ability to direct his love. 

Love is natural, but where man directs his love is meritable. 

At this point, it's almost midnight, and Dante is starting to get really tired, when a group of the sloth penitents comes racing by. The leaders proclaim two good examples of haste: Mary quickly went to visit Elizabeth as soon as she heard Elizabeth was pregnant; and Caesar didn't delay to go to Spain to conquer Lerida. 

Virgil asks one how to get to the next level, and he is told by the former Abbot of San Zeno in Verona to follow him. The Abbot explains that Alberto della Scala, in charge there now, will soon die and regret he ever had any power there, because he installed his wicked son in place of the true shepherd. Dante and Virgil, don't keep up with the racing penitents and soon find themselves at the back of the pack listening to two examples of sloth: the Israelites who refused to go up in to the promised land, and so died in the desert, and Aeneas' men who remained in Sicily rather than go to their glorious destiny. Then Dante is so tired he falls asleep and the canto ends. 

The Ambassadors- Henry James  (1903)  Lambert Strether is sent by his potential fiancé, Mrs Newsome, to Paris to bring back her son, Chad. Mrs. Newsome has a successful business in Woollett, Massachusetts, and is convinced her son has been lured away from home by some immoral woman. Mom wants her son home and running the business. But as Strether finds Chad, he finds him greatly improved from the young man he knew in Massachusetts. The novel explores the allure that European culture can have for Americans, and the appeal America has for the Europeans as well.  

Pedagogy of the Oppressed- Paulo Freire  (1968)  This book is said to have had a nearly ubiquitous influence in American educational circles. Paulo Freire was a Brazilian Marxist Philosopher of Teaching. The central idea of his book is conscientization- bringing oppressed people into awareness of their situation through reflection, and then movement to action. This reflection > action process is called praxis. He doesn't directly quote critical theory, but that process is essentially what the critical theorists outlined: get people to reflect on their cultures so they can identify the ideas therein that are contradictory, and then work on rectifying the contradictions. 

Freire astutely points out that revolutionary leaders who attempt to overthrow the order, only to impose on it, a new oppressive regime, are not really bringing about revolution. The point is to work with the oppressed to get rid of oppression altogether. This is a well-defined point, and one that socialist revolutions should have taken note of. Any humanizing organization of society must work with the people, not impose upon them.  

Of course, when Freire talks about oppressors, he is taking aim primarily at western capitalism, and more primarily the form he saw of it in Brazil in the 50's and 60's. He doesn't push a Marxist program in the book, but he quotes Marx, Lenin, Mao, Fidel Castro, and Che Guevara. Almost all his examples of oppression are western and capitalist.  

But to be fair, he also takes aim at leftists who pretend to care about the oppressed, but not only do nothing to really help, but the efforts they do engage in actually maintain the oppression by defining themselves as saviors, and the oppressed as dehumanized objects. The point Freire wants to make is to turn the oppressed into fully human subjects who define their own destinies, and in so doing, escape the oppression. 

Chapter 1 covers the dehumanization of the oppressed, essentially meaning they are not treated as fully human. 

Chapter 2 covers two approaches to pedagogy: the banking model, whereby a teacher (considered the one with the knowledge) deposits his knowledge into the students (considered empty); and the problem-posing model, where teachers pose problems to the students, encouraging them to take an active role in their education, rather than the passive role of the banking model. 

Freire says the problem-posing model treats students as fully human, the banking model dehumanizes students. 

Chapter 3 covers the process of dialog with the oppressed in order to discover themes, and arrive at generative themes that can restructure oppressive institutions to make them not oppressive. 

Chapter 4 covers ways in which oppression occurs: conquest, divide and rule, manipulation, cultural invasion; and ways in which dialog leading to more just societies must occur: cooperation, unity for liberation, organization, and cultural synthesis 

The Good Soldier- Ford Madox Ford  (1915)  The story tells the tale of two couples: the English Ashburnhams- Edward and Leonora, and the American Dowells- John and Florence.  

Edward Ashburnham is the 'good soldier' of the title. The book is narrated by John Dowell, who relates that Edward, despite having the appearance of being a perfectly respectable man, had carried on an affair with Dowell's wife, Florence over a number of years. The story goes back into Edward and Leonora's background; John and Florence's background, and also narrates John's discovery of a previous long-term affair of Florences. 

The narration works as John's own discovery of things he hadn't noticed at the time, but understood in light of the way things turned out. But eventually it all comes clear and the story ends in tragedy. 

The story is told using a series of flashbacks, then a pioneering use of literary impressionism. 

[drarryruinedme7]

Last year I made a post with all my fave Drarry fics from my first year of fandom. Have my second year wrap up! Listed by Rating and then length. 

RATING: TEEN AND UP AUDIENCES

Beautiful by @xx-thedarklord-xx​​ (2017; 8.9k)

Summary: With the second task looming closer, Harry escapes to the Black Lake to open the egg, in the hopes of avoiding Myrtle. The Mersong isn't just helpful in figuring out that Mermaids are real, it attracts his very own handsome Merman.

*I didn’t know I love merpeople AUs until I read this one. It was cute and sweet and I’m really glad I read it. 

Hermione Granger's Hogwarts Crammer for Delinquents on the Run by @waspabi​​ (2017; 93.3k)

Summary: 'You're a wizard, Harry' is easier to hear from a half-giant when you're eleven, rather than from some kids on a tube platform when you're seventeen and late for work.

*What can I say. This is a masterpiece, it absolutely entered my heart to never leave it again. Best AU ever!!!

Away Childish Things by @letteredlettered​​ (2018; 153.8k)

Summary: Harry gets de-aged. Malfoy has to help him.

* This has been the turning point of my Drarry passion this year. First, I discovered Lettered (good Lord why hadn’t I before?!) and then, well. This fic brought out so many feelings in me and I’ve already re-read it something like 5 or 6 times in the span of a few months. Amazing.

RATING: MATURE

you’ve got the antidote for me by Kandakicksass (2018; 20.7k)

Summary: When Harry Potter unintentionally severs their soulbond before it can fully form, Draco Malfoy resigns himself to a slow death and decides not to burden Harry with a soulmate he's made it very clear he doesn't want.He's never been selfless before, but for Harry, he can try.

* The angst!! It’s usually not my cuppa, but this was bittersweet and just so well written, I couldn’t stop reading. Find the rec for this one at this post.

RATING: EXPLICIT

Give Me Sweet Oblivion by @tryslora​​ (2012; 4k)

Summary: Italy seems like a long way to go to keep a fetish secret. But the club is exclusive, and the far away location, and Muggle nature, promises anonymity from Wizarding Britain. The only problem is that sometimes, great minds think alike.

*Super hot, I love finding old gems like this one. Plus, Italy. Go, folks!

Shiny Things, Slightly Damaged by @lqtraintracks​​ (2020; 5.3k)

Summary: Harry may not ever have had to see it if McGonagall hadn’t decided it was a good idea to hold a ceremony on the grounds outside before the Sorting in the Hall. And by ‘it’ he’s referring to Draco Malfoy on a motorbike.

*jsklajdksajfa This one! THIS ONE! Slayed me. I read it feverishly and then like, fainted at Draco on a motorbike.... this fic surprised me and I 100% loved it.

A Ghost of Blissful Feelings by @alpha-exodus​​ (2020; 6k)

Summary: Harry hadn't expected to spend his eighth year fucking Draco Malfoy, but it's the only thing that helps him let go.

*Dunno guys, I’m amazed by how much this one hit me. You should read the tags before diving in, but it was darkish in the right way, Harry and Draco suffers and find peace in a ‘’special’’ way, but I stand by it. Hot and intense.

Tell Me (What you Need) by @keyflight790​​ (2019; 6k)

Summary: Even though Harry was paying for his Dom, there were limits; breaking points in which someone would refuse, no matter how many Galleons were pushed in their direction.

*Okay, I may be biased because this is a gift for me, but Chris never lets down with her amazing writing and this has everything I need and more: Dom!Rentboy!Draco and a perfectly sweet Harry with a Daddy!kink. I mean.

Dangerous by Faith Wood (2014; 6.3k)

Summary: Being trapped in a dungeon with Malfoy — who's a werewolf, a former Death Eater, and a giant git — is definitely dangerous. Harry has no reason to be excited. None at all.

*Y’all know Faith Wood is like my n.1 fave Drarry author. I have no idea why I had never read this one though!!! It’s actually phenomenal, scorching hot and just dsjkafjaks love this werewolf!Draco. OMG.

Scent and Sensibility by aidaninkling (2018; 7.5k)

Summary: [...] Draco's always known he'd be married off as a trophy omega, but suddenly his mother's trying to make him king by promising him to some stupidly good-looking alpha and she just won't stop smiling at him. Does fate's cruelty know no end?!

*This blew my mind. A/B/O AU so hot I melted while reading it and I loved it so much that I re-read it three times IN A ROW. No kidding. Read it. 

The Eighth Tale by @letteredlettered​​ (2012; 12k)

Summary: Draco Malfoy tries to fix the past, but instead mucks it up some more. For Harry, it all becomes quite clear.

*Back to Lettered. I love Time Travel fics, and this just delivered perfectly. The ending was also enigmatic enough to keep me wandering, which I always appreciate in these kind of stories. 

Sex, Lies and Veritaserum by @letteredlettered​​ (2011; 17.9k)

Summary: This entire fic is one long conversation about sex.

*LOL alright, I’ve developed a new obsession this year (clearly). This was ...gosh! Hot but it also gives away a certain level of intimacy and trust between Draco and Harry to be so open about their kinks... it was perfect.

On One’s Knees by pir8fancier (2008; 33.8k)

Summary: The war is over and to the victors go the spoils.

* The fic which made me fall in love with DownAndOut!Draco. 

The Pirate and the Prince by @nerdherderette​ (2019; 49.2k)

Summary: Draco can't believe that fate and circumstance have made him a stowaway on the Master of Death's ship. He doesn't know what's worse: the dread pirate's legendary vendetta against the aristocracy, or the fact that his captor is the most infuriating yet irrefutably fascinating man Draco has ever met.

*Okay y’all. Nerd is a great person and author. She is phenomenal. And this fic shows it so well. The pirate!AU the Drarry fandom both needed and deserved. Sublime.

Unhook the Stars by jad (2016; 70.5k)

Summary: [...] Seventy-thousand words of pornographic discourse between two boys-turned-men that still haven't learned how to communicate like normal people – with words. Guest appearances by Pansy Parkinson, Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger, Blaise Zabini, Teddy Lupin, Gregory Goyle, the Weird Sisters, ex-wives, several Weasleys, a Boggart, and a Honey Badger.

*Again, Dom!Draco and such a beautiful sub!Harry. They stole my heart. In this fic they grow up together through the aftermath of the war and they just... they have this intense Dom/sub relationship, I can’t... explain how much I loved this. Scorpius also makes his appearance and it’s so real and cute!

Such Great Heights by aideomai (2015; 93.3k)

Summary: Draco Malfoy, wide-eyed and pale and in a decidedly ragged shirt, was crouched next to the pile of whatever the dragon had been eating. Harry threw himself to a halt and yelled, “Merlin, how many times do I have to save your life?”

*This is one of the last ones I’ve read. Find my rec for it here. Such a cool fic, with a shunned Draco who gets to be so happy in the end, it made me happy too.

Burn The Witch by @lettersbyelise​​ (2019; 95.8)

Summary: When Harry Potter is sent in to investigate Draco Malfoy’s successful potions company, posing as Draco’s bodyguard, he doesn’t know the case will launch a series of events that will change his life — and Draco’s. A story about choices, scars, Chopin piano pieces, and finding all kinds of love in the most unexpected places.

*I do not have the words to express what this fic means to me. First of all, it’s how I met Elise who’s an amazing person and who I’m glad to call friend. She’s the sweetest. And also incredibly talented. This fic will take your breath away from the first word to the last one. Smol!Scorpius is perfectly characterised and my absolute favourite bit of the fic. 

Who we are in the shadows by @quicksilvermaid​​ (2019; 99.7k)

Summary: What happens when you’re forced to become the very thing you despise? Ex-Auror Harry Potter, tossed out of the Ministry for something he had no control over, has been looking for a way back to his former life. When he comes across Draco Malfoy in the criminal underbelly of Wizarding London and in need of protection, Harry figures bringing him in to face the Ministry's justice is his ticket back to everything he's lost. But nothing is exactly as it seems. Not even Harry himself. And as he gets drawn further and further into Malfoy's world of honour and deception he finds himself questioning everything he thought he knew—about his childhood nemesis, the Ministry job he misses so much, and most of all, about himself. What happens when you’re forced to see that you were wrong?

*Another incredible person who I got to know better thanks to her breathtaking storytelling and her sweetness for sharing it with me. Quick made something amazing with this fic and I urge you to read it. It was my first creature fic ever, first time I read about werewolves and I totally fell in love with it. Sheer perfection. 

Freedom to be by @quicksilvermaid​​  (2019; 169.5k)

Summary: Harry Potter is the Boy Who Lived. 12 years after the war, he's become the Boy Who Lived For Everyone Else. He has the perfect wife. The perfect house. The perfect job. The perfect friends. Only nothing feels perfect. Until one day he stumbles across a club called Release and begins a journey of self-discovery that takes him to a very different place.

*Well, could I just miss out on another one of Quick’s great works? With, again, Dom!Draco!??? No, I couldn’t! This is such a great exploration of BDSM and what it means and Harry’s path into it. 

19 Years and 5 Minutes Later by TheMightyFlynn (2015; 202.8k)

Summary: Five minutes after his happily-ever-after, Harry finds himself locked in the public loos with an angry Draco Malfoy and a need that he has denied for 19 years.

*Find my rec for this fic here. It’s really long and has Ginny bashing, but it’s totally worth it!! 

[filthforfriends]

not tagging this

my first draft ever, but I never posted it because I was too nervous. now that Maneskin are becoming popular in the US it kind of needs to be talked about. their team needs to do something and you can boo me if your want.

Ask almost any American what this is a picture of and they’ll say some version of "Native American." A lot of us westerners thought that Ethan was, or at least looked like, an Indigenous American. Tan skin, dark features, long black hair. Hair has a large cultural and spiritual significance among many First Nations. Of course he's not, he's Italian. While he looks mixed race to many of us, Italians are regarded as white. That puts him in a position of cultural appropriation.

this isn't to say that he shouldn't wear his hair long, its his hair. But with the feathers and head band, it looks like he's wearing an Indigenous American costume. It's offensive and he should apologize before a media outlet has a field day and gets the whole band cancelled.

I do doubt that at the time he was aware. Italy is about 92% white and most people immigrate to the north of Italy so that 8% would be more concentrated there. Rome is in central Italy so its likely that Maneskin encountered very few people of color growing up and weren't aware of their appearance or lived experience.

Regardless, now that they've grown up a bit, its their responsibility to say and do something. Even though it wasn't intentional, it piles on hundreds of years of violent oppression of Indigenous Americans. Instead of explaining it myself, here are articles by Indigenous Americans.

Star Diavolikis Op-Ed

Glory Ames interviewed by Marian Liu

Henu Josephine Tarrant interviewed by Leila Fedal

tell me you don't have a single American on your management team without telling me you don't have a single American on you management team.

Why did Victoria let them put her halfway in blackface? Again, I don't think she knew what blackface was, but she should have. They marched for Black Lives Matter. It seems the thought process was "racism is bad, murder is bad, lets do something about it." but thats not enough anymore. Part of activism is educating yourself so you don't accidentally participate in racism like she is here.

I don't care about the pressure from Eurovision. I don't care that someone decided on this look for her. When a makeup artist paints your skin brown you, bare minimum, don't do that photo shoot. But what if the photoshoot got cancelled? If your activism doesn't inconvenience you, then its not worth shit.

and remember that they profit from having marched for BLM. It wasn't the goal, I know that, but its reality. Generations have loved rock music and loathed the behavior of the rock stars, so Maneskin being PC is part of the appeal. In fact, advocating for social justice as a celebrity in general is hugely profitable. But the people whose rights we're fighting for, who are already oppressed, get none of that money or visability. so the least we can do is be educated.

and while you're at it, learn what racial slurs are so you don't accidentally include them in your set list!

Also Ethan painting his skin red after after posing with a cheap, sexualized impersonation of regalia is tone deaf. You've heard Indigenous Americans referred to with the racial slur "r*dsk*n" No one can agree on etymology, but what can be agreed on is its popularization due to the Phips Proclamation. Which resulted in this document.

White men would hunt Indigenous Americans and cut off their scalps, then sell them for huge amounts of money like a beaver pelt. "Red" doesn't refer to the hue of Indigenous American's skin. It refers to Indigenous American's blood.

SO NOW YOU KNOW

Also his box braid phase? Not ideal, technically cultural appropriation. I blame Xfactor. But not as bad as Axel Rose.

Nothing is as bad as Axel Rose.

[yasmini24]

I just saw someone post on how Vincenzo Cassano and Bong Sang Pil (Lawless Lawyers) are so alike and in correspondance and I agree with it so much. Since episode 2 of Vincenzo, I've noticed their similarities and it irks me because while they are so alike, they're so different.

Vincenzo and Sang Pil are people who are associated with crime like gang and Mafia crime, doing things that are deemed reckless by outsiders, fighting with the law and are always one step ahead of their "villian". Not to mention that their villian is also associated with the law. They also have impeccable Italian suits.

But heres the difference, Vincenzo is possibly one of the darkest male leads in k-drama history. Episode 9 flashback's of him in Italy proved that. He is an anti-hero. However, Sang Pil was always shown as the hero. Even if he did do criminal things, he was shown as heroic. He had someone backing him up, whether if its his right hand man, the people at the law firm or Ha Jae Yi (female lead). Vincenzo doesn't neccesarily have that. The people who are in his life like the tenants don't completely trust him. Chayoung (female lead) is just as ruthless as he is. They serve each other as a guiding tool of sorts. This moves me onto my next point.

Hong Chayoung and Ha Jae Yi

These are two female leads who are so smart, cunning and doesn't take shit from anyone. But when I compare the leads from both shows, these two seem so juxtasposed that it baffles me; when I think of Vincenzo as an anti-hero, Chayoung is there as equally as an anti-hero. When I think of Sang Pil as an hero, Jae Yi is there as an hero. Even though Vincenzo and Sang Pil are quite similar, Chayoung and Jae Yi are not. Even though they are both lawyers, Chayoung was seen as anti-hero/villain from the audience and characters from the beginning. This is because of her time at Wusang and association with Babel. Jae Yi was shown as a hero from the beginning because of her morals and sense of justice to "always fight with the law" (same as Sang Pil). Chayoung does not have a sense of justice in that sense and will do almost anything in the book to make sure the case goes her way (ex. arson in episode 4-5, court case episode 6). This doesn't mean that she doesn't have good intentions, she just goes about her way differently (same as Vincenzo).

It confuses me so much that while Lawless Lawyers and Vincenzo have a similarity of sorts, there is still a juxtaposition with the characters especially with the female leads. It makes me wonder what would happen if all of the characters had different driving influences in their lives.

anyway, I did ranting that I needed to get off my mind and I'm not sure if this made any sense but yeah

*Both are mine*

[hussyknee]

@beartofry

I can't reblog your commentary but fixed it anyway. 🥰

"The reason that this post blurs the line between race and nationality xenophobia (mind you the post actually talks about ethnic groups nationalist ethnic violence, not national ones? nationalist xenophobia) from an american pov is that in europe xenophobia, ethnic clashes, antisemitism, antiRomanyism, antiSlavism and Islamphobia overlap with racism a lot those lines do not exist clearly to begin with. We do not have one major historical event that is the main source of racial tension everywhere It doesn't understand that race was a system of social stratification created by white European enslavers and colonists in the 17th century that now exist as a universal system of continuing neo-colonization, which is different from the historical ethnic tensions within regions in Europe. We have thousands of years of wars and oppression and imperialism that blur the lines and complicate the relations between different groups and places, like every other region on earth, but white supremacist systems are the same because it is the current world order.

We also widely don't use the term race when discussing groups of people because that's considered racist white supremacists have successfully convinced us that talking about racial oppression is divisive. Especially here in germany it can get you in big trouble to validate the concept of race, which means most Germans don't acknowledge racism exists, making life hell for Black and brown diasporas. You discuss ethnic groups, not races, because it's easier to sidestep the issue of majoritarian privilege if you frame them as "clashes" instead of oppression.

There is also a lot of xenophobia in addition to racsim and it's arguably the main m.o. for racism here. We've been talking about xenophobia this whole time but the patterns of discrimination work the same as race so we're going to insist they're the same thing. Most things you would call racism don't actually work along racial categories like they do in america, because it's not racism, but based more on a racialized feeling of being under threat the racialization of Islam and Rroma (Islam and the Rroma people are seen as threats because they originate from Asia and brown-skinned people, so even white skinned Muslims and Rroma are subjected to the same kind of racism) (See islamophobis, for example.) This point is not hard to explain at all without going super in depth.

Trying to apply american race dynamics to talk about racism and anti-blackness in europe gets people who don't know wtf racism is really het up is just so incredibly arrogant.

There is also this whole thing about americans treating europe as a monolith white Europeans thinking anti-blackness and racism isn't as bad in Europe compared to ethnic discrimination and xenophobia again. I would never dare speak as a real authority on this topic outside germany, even within germany I only come across so much of it and am not an authority on specifics on any given minorities struggles but I'm going to run my mouth anyway. I can take a 2 hour train and be in another country with it's own history, culture and issues, like most other regions in the world. Europe is not a country, as Black and brown people not living in Europe know perfectly well, since they're not infantile idiots. And peoole applying the american model racial justice discourse led by Black people within the U.S, that spurred the same conversations in other countries due to the American cultural hegemony to the whole of it frequently don't account for it region-specific xenophobia because it's a completely different structure to racial oppression, even though the discriminative practices are the same. You tell me people who aren't Black and brown in turkey can be treated just as poorly because of different systems of bigotry in poland? Or italy? Or sweden? Or ireland?"

[harbingham]

                   Harry took one look at the survey && rolled his eyes. What a waste of fucking time. As if they were all going to BOND because a survey supposedly confirmed they could be  f r i e n d s  . Or at the very least good roommates ?? Whatever. Harry quickly wrote his name, crossing out the rest of the questions with EASE. Besides, they knew who he was already.

          Instead, cursive letters inked the paper — If you put me with someone annoying, I’ll make sure the trip is absolute hell. Ending the sentence with a thick period, annoyance festering as it usually did with life’s POINTLESS trifles.

                    The usual smug smirk dipped over his lips, carelessly turning the questionnaire in without a second thought.

so yeahhh, because my son is the way he is ... i filled it out for him bless up. why do i love harry bingham when i fucking hate him ?? idk fam, idk.

BASIC INFORMATION

FULL NAME: Harold Theodore Bingham PRONUNCIATION: H EH - r uh l d   th EE - uh - d aw r    b IH  ng-uh m   MEANING: estate ruler  /  army leader  REASONING: Harold was his great-grandfather’s name, while Theodore is is father’s name that’s been passed down for quite a while as either a first/middle kinda deal NICKNAME(S): Harry, Har ( though he doesn't like it  ) Bingham, Pretty Boy PREFERRED NAME(S): Harry, just Harry unless you want a punch or a mean remark bless BIRTH DATE: April 13th, 2001 AGE: 18 ZODIAC: Aries !! GENDER: Male PRONOUNS: He/Him ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: Heteroromantic SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Heterosexual NATIONALITY: American ETHNICITY: wonder bread

BACKGROUND

BIRTH PLACE: West Ham, CT HOMETOWN: West Ham, CT SOCIAL CLASS: Upper/Close to the 1% FATHER: Theodore Bingham † MOTHER: Karen Bingham SIBLING(S): Stacy Bingham ( 12 ) BIRTH ORDER: Harry, Stacy PET(S): In the Bingham household ?? Never. OTHER IMPORTANT RELATIVES: He’s surrounded by family, they usually always have at least two reunions a year. However he’s never felt close to them ?? So he’d never list their names here really. He’s only somewhat close to his immediate family. Though, he was close to his nanny growing up if that counts bless PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIPS: it’s a list of like ... relatively short lasting relationships, hookups, && one night stands, until his most recent, kelly, which is probably his longest lasting one ?? ARRESTS?: Technically, on record, none :). He’s definitely been caught like, trespassing, underage drinking, && drunk driving lbh ... but yeah, no record. i hate him. PRISON TIME?: N/A

OCCUPATION & INCOME

SOURCE OF INCOME: intern at parent’s company  /  his parents CONTENT WITH THEIR JOB (OR LACK THERE OF)?: he doesn’t really like it tbh, but it’s done his family well so after college he definitely plans to continue the legacy && make if flourish even more. PAST JOB(S): n/a SPENDING HABITS: *throws money in trash can* MOST VALUABLE POSSESSION: the gold ring with the bingham family insignia his father gave him when he turned 13 ( made him feel like he finally belonged you feel )  though he’d tell you it’s everything he owns ... i hate him

SKILLS & ABILITIES

TALENTS: bringing people together ( or apart ), lightening the mood ( or you know, fucking it up too ), banter, racing, fixing cars SHORTCOMINGS: oh honey — saying shit he doesn’t mean, his own arrogance, addictive personality, emotional invulnerability, aloof nature, shall i continue ?? LANGUAGE(S) SPOKEN: English, French, Italian DRIVE?: Hell yeah JUMP-STAR A CAR?: Yes CHANGE A FLAT TIRE?: Yes, but he’d rather pay someone to do it before ever doing it himself RIDE A BICYCLE?: nope catch me crying SWIM?: Yes PLAY AN INSTRUMENT?: Does learning the recorder in 3rd grade count ?? PLAY CHESS?: Yes BRAID HAIR?: Yes ( Stacy made him learn since he was the only one home most of the time ) TIE A TIE?: Yes, his father practically taught him that in the womb. PICK A LOCK?: nah. he’s more into the jump the fence, break some glass, make a fucking scene, kinda trespassing

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE & CHARACTERISTICS

FACE CLAIM: Alex Fitzalan EYE COLOR: dark brown, specks of gold in natural light HAIR COLOR: Chestnut Brown HAIR TYPE/STYLE: Curly && wavy, his hair texture kinda varies by each strand unless he properly styles it ... which he does when feeling okay GLASSES/CONTACTS?: No, but he definitely likes the aesthetic of glasses sometimes. Like bet money on his ivy interviews he wore glasses ... did i mention i hate harry bingham ?? DOMINANT HAND: Right HEIGHT: 5′10″ WEIGHT: 140/150ish lbs ??? BUILD: Slender Muscular EXERCISE HABITS: it’s rather irregular and depends heavily on his mood. if he’s in a good/okay mood then a few times a week. otherwise it’s hard to do much of anything, let alone work out you know. SKIN TONE: light with pink/tan undertones TATTOOS: none PIERCINGS: none MARKS/SCARS: small dark birth mark near his right, outer ankle. shoulders/back && cheeks tend to get rather freckly in the summer && he hates it. some random cuts && bruises from blacked out drunk/high escapades, the occasional hickey bye. NOTABLE FEATURES: dimples when he actually smiles, white af teeth, the hair™ USUAL EXPRESSION: either completely unamused or smirking tbh CLOTHING STYLE: designer, preppy — think polos, ironed pants, or cuffed skinny jeans, all paired with some boat shoes. sometimes when he’s not feeling so great he’ll wear a plain tee/hoodie JEWELRY: gold pinky ring ( mentioned above ), apple watch on occasion ALLERGIES: long haired cats BODY TEMPERATURE: runs hot 😏 DIET: no such thing, boy’s metabolism is fast, the lucky son of a bitch. PHYSICAL AILMENTS: N/A

PSYCHOLOGY

MORAL ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Neutral TEMPERAMENT: Choleric  /  Melancholic ELEMENT: Fire MENTAL CONDITIONS/DISORDERS: Anxiety, Depression, Toxic Masculinity 👀 SOCIABILITY: Moody™, but very social. Popular™. EMOTIONAL STABILITY: um ... he tries ?? it’s not good though, nope. PHOBIA(S): autophobia ( fear of being alone ),  atychiphobia ( fear of failure ) ADDICTION(S): coffee, opiods, alcohol, etc DRUG USE: yes please ALCOHOL USE: yes please PRONE TO VIOLENCE?: if provoked yes, or if he feels the need to protect/stand against something.

MANNERISMS

QUIRKS: easily annoyed, rolls his eyes a lot, has a comeback for almost everything ( even if it’s just a fuck you ) HOBBIES: cars, racing, sailing ( learned from his dad ),  HABITS: drinking, swearing, pills, drinks coffee every morning NERVOUS TICKS: furrowed brows, pacing/unable to stand still, hand twitching, squinting eyes DRIVES/MOTIVATIONS: Money, Perfectionism, doing the Bingham name justice FEARS: Being forgotten, Isolation, Losing the rest of his family/the few he cares about, Death, Fatal Illness POSITIVE TRAITS: Charming, Adventurous, Witty, Ambitious, Assertive, Protective NEGATIVE TRAITS: Moody, Enigmatic, Cocky, Prideful, Destructive, Sarcastic, Stubborn, Impatient SENSE OF HUMOR: sarcastic, dark DO THEY CURSE OFTEN?: he fucking literally fucking says fuck every fucking other fucking word :D CATCHPHRASE(S): fuck you cassandra, fuck off, fuck you, fuck me, fuck that, we’re playing fugitive tonight

FAVORITES

ACTIVITY: Racing  /  Sailing ANIMAL: Otters BEVERAGE: any && all alcohol™ ... or secretly strawberry hi-c don’t @ him. BOOK: never let me go by kazuo ishiguro CELEBRITY: Margot Robbie COLOR: Navy Blue && Dark Gray DESIGNER: Balenciaga && Ralph Lauren FOOD: loaded fries FLOWER: blue stars GEM: Sapphire/Diamond HOLIDAY: halloween MODE OF TRANSPORTATION: he has a lot of favorite cars, but his black maserati ( aka the fugitive car ) is probably his favorite. he also likes helicopters MOVIE: Fight Club, The Wolf on Wall Street, The Breakfast Club MUSICAL ARTIST: blackbear, Drake are two of his go-tos, though the list is long QUOTE/SAYING: “Just do it.” boy bye SCENERY: nothing like overlooking a long wooden dock into a bright blue lake surrounded by trees  SCENT: cedar, sandalwood — anything kinda woody/musky ?? bless. SPORT: golf SPORTS TEAM: his father always rooted for the yankees, so he roots for the yankees TELEVISION SHOW: Mad Men WEATHER: cloudy with just a bit of sun peaking through, bright blue sky — not too hot, not too cold. VACATION DESTINATION: anywhere near a body of water, though he’s particularly fond of lake como in italy cause there’s a bit of everything ?? mountains, the lake, beautiful architecture, etc :’)

ATTITUDES

GREATEST DREAM: living that ‘american dream’ baby GREATEST FEAR: peaking in high school, being forgotten/not wanted (yet you push people away boii water u doing ?!), being vulnerable ... again there’s a long fucking list MOST AT EASE WHEN: in a fast car, living that reckless™ lifestyle LEAST AT EASE WHEN: realizing what a dumbass he is && having to apologize for it BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT: getting into brown && columbia off some actual merit && not just money wow BIGGEST REGRET: not really being there for his dad near the end bc that would mean being vulnerable && saying goodbye coming on this fucking trip MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT: losing the student body president position to cassandra BIGGEST SECRET: which one you want honey ?? TOP PRIORITIES: for everything to stay the same  /  go back to the way it was  :) :( :) :(