#and i think that deserves to be commended!!

[byler-invested]

Thank you so much for this. Reblogged. 🙏🔁

On Twitter it’s A LOT worse than on Tumblr so I always retweet posts in defense of Noah Schnapp and try to report hate as much as I can. I encourage everyone to do the same.

I also think, from now on, we should start making the effort to link this very post whenever we reply to Noah hate — be it on this platform, Twitter, or any other. 🔗⚡️

That way we can make sure that more and more people are being exposed to the full truth of the situation. 🧠

This is the only way to start to combat not only the huge misinformation campaign but also the vicious hate, defamation, homophobia and antisemitism against Noah.

I’m urging all of you to act according to what you truly think is right, instead of following the hivemind in order to ‘fit in’ and be ‘accepted’.

The latter has never been a wise path. You’d be surprised how fast those people turn on you.

Research 🔎. Learn 🧠. Empathize ❤️. And after those steps, always follow your truth. And stand for it. ✊

If not for Noah— for Byler. For Finn. For Stranger Things. For the entire cast (who love and stand by Noah!). For the crew that worked so hard. For Queer people, who all of us know will be impacted by this story. It’s important that this story has its deserved and very needed impact on the world. 🏳️‍🌈

Lastly, if you care about Palestine and other important causes in the world (which is very important and commendable), I urge you to organize, spread awareness and donate money to reliable/ certified ONGs that are working to help out as much as they can. 🇵🇸

I have been doing my part. But few people alone don’t make much of a difference.

So, please. Join us in fighting against prejudice, hate, homophobia, antisemitism, violence and genocide— while helping promote education, empathy, peace, donation to good causes and important stories that unite all of us. 🧠💡🤝

Be a force for more GOOD in the world!

💪🌍💚

The Noah Schanpp Situation Going Into S5

With Stranger Things Season 5 coming out this year, we are unfortunately going to see a revival of the debacle around Noah, even though by then it will be an almost 2 year old subject. So, I thought I would get ahead of that with some of my thoughts based on what I've seen these last few weeks and more broadly over the last 6 or more months I've been on this scene.

Spoiler Alert: This is going to be a long one. It'll probably be my new pinned post.

Why Still Talk About It?

Frankly? Because it's still going on. Keep in mind, Liam Payne died in October 2024 (just three months ago), right around Noah's birthday, and THIS is how Twitter responded to that.

And just in case anyone thinks I had to dig back a whole 3 months to find Noah-hate-content on Twitter, here was just random things I grabbed from the last week:

Which brings me to the next point.

Why Do You Even Care?

"Noah doesn't know you." "He's not your pookie."

I know that. The funny thing is, from what little I know about Noah, I'm pretty sure if he DID know me beyond the ONE DM conversation we've had, he'd probably tell me to chill. Dude is very non-confrontational and nice. So, why do it?

Because I think the online movement in favor of Palestinian self-determination has been hijacked by teenagers and performative leftists who care more about looking good for their peers than practicing what they preach.

Because (as you can see above and in screenshots like the one below), people who claim to hold my liberal/progressive/left-leaning values have used this as an opportunity to be openly homophobic and antisemitic towards a then-19-year old who had JUST come out of the closet.

Proponents of the hate campaign against Noah have said that they are just "holding him accountable" or "criticizing him" in the hopes he "learns something."

Look up. Point to me which image is accountability. Point to me the valid criticisms.

There are none. There is just flagrant homophobia. And then there are posts like this one, coming from the same crowd:

This behavior is wrong on its face.

It is violent. It is bullying (which doesn't seem like strong enough of a word) and it's bigoted.

Wanna see more? Look up @noah_schnapp on Twitter/X. See what they've done to his account.

Inevitably, some of the people participating in this will see this blog post. If you've made it this far, this is for you:

This behavior discredits your activism. It makes you look performative and fake to say in one breath that you are a "Leftist" who cares about Palestinian lives as well as the lives of minority groups worldwide, and then to turn around and talk like this about a Jewish person and a gay KID. Because he WAS a kid when this started. Furthermore, it makes it clear to those of us who actually hold the beliefs we claim, that you are vapid enough to use Palestinian suffering for your own personal vendettas. That the APPEARANCE of goodness is more important than goodness itself. And that you will shuck solidarity with minority groups the MOMENT one of them steps out of the lines you have drawn around them.

Not to mention...

It's Based Mostly On Lies

As a reminder, this is what Noah Schnapp actually said shortly after October 7, 2023:

Read that again.

"...we will hope and pray for safety, justice, liberation, and self-determination in Palestine." That was part of the very first thing he ever said about the issue.

And then this happened:

This was the image he was crucified for.

Stickers that weren't even his. That he wasn't holding up or making. He was in a cafe, someone else came up to him with them, and he was videoed with that person.

That's it. That's all. All those tweets you saw above? The fake stories made up about him like this one?

All of that was supposedly "accountability."

The harassment of his family. Murder threats. Rape threats. All for stickers that weren't even his.

There's even a paid Stranger Things author on this very site, styling herself as a Byler shipper, who has contributed to the lies that have further added to the hate campaign I've described.

As an aside, Noah wasn't the only one in that video. The influencers that actually posted the video and HAD THE STICKERS?

Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

And just to be clear - I don't think they should get hate. I think non-Jewish online Leftists appropriated a term from Jewish culture, redefined it, and are weaponizing it to beat down Jews all over the internet—which is par for the course for this charcuterie board of performative activism.

Yet the point stands. Noah was specifically targeted; and the homophobia that IMMEDIATELY came from the Left suggests to me that it was his sexuality and cultural/religious identity that motivated the attacks.

Again, I'll say, this is wrong.

Noah Has Since Responded

It hasn't stopped the bullying.

Didn't stop him from withdrawing from spaces he loved. From needing therapy from what we've learned from his now-deleted second TikTok.

And that really says something, does it? He cleared up his point. He tried to clarify and even apologize.

They didn't accept it. Not because it wasn't good enough. Not because it was "too late." Because this was the point. They wanted to keep doing it. They get sick joy from it.

Which is why...

I'm Not Shutting Up About This

This post doesn't even nearly cover the whole situation. The Byler fans who try to replace Noah's image in fan art and fan fiction. Who fan cast themselves as Will instead of Noah. The stalking and doxxing on Twitter. People reporting to GIANT hate accounts his location and when he's alone, PRAYING for him to be hurt.

I wish I could cover it all.

We have to stand up to this. On tumblr, on TikTok, on Threads, Twitter/X—everywhere we see it.

For our gay and Jewish siblings who see how Noah was attacked and feel less safe in their online spaces as a result, we have to speak up and say something.

And yeah. We have to say something for Noah, too.

The person who replied to me like this:

Him?

He did it because he needed to see a show of love from his fans. Doesn't mean he's perfect. Doesn't mean he won't mess up or do something in the future.

And no. Standing up for Noah, or for Jewish people, or other gay folks does not make you a genocide supporter or apologist. It doesn't mean you want any innocent people harmed. Don't give them the power to talk down to you like that. It's bullshit. You know it, and I know it.

All standing up to this vile shit is is an acknowledgement that Noah is a living, breathing person, as some of these people tend to forget.

And he didn't deserve this.

Any of it.

[corpsentry]

pick your battles

[awkwardrocker]

I need everyone upset about Liam's promotion to understand that it had nothing to do with him being better/worse than Yuki. Yuki outperformed him. Yuki deserved the chance. BUT Yuki is not a Redbull driver. He is a Honda driver. He has no loyalty to Redbull and that is why he did not get a chance next to Max. It's not that he didn't deserve it. It's pure business.

Redbull are ending their relationship with Honda. They are creating their own engines. It's likely seen as a big liability to Redbull to have Yuki actively involved in any tests or even near anything involving the 2026 engine.

This is not an attack on Yuki or his character or anything like that, so please do not take it that way. But, Yuki's loyalty to a different engine manufacturer is a major risk to any new manufacturer like the Ford/Redbull powertrain. You just never know. I'm not saying he doesn't deserve a good drive, but Yuki's loyalty will forever be to Honda (as it should) and that poses a lot of risks for Redbull.

Once again, I am not commenting on Yuki's character or making assumptions about him when I say this, but there are a lot of big concerns if he gets promoted. He could ditch them for Aston immediately because Honda asks, he could share information about the new engine to Honda, or he could give questionable feedback that negatively impacts the new powertrain. Maybe he wouldn't do these things. But if there's even the most miniscule potential that he could, it would make any team hesitant. F1 is rampant with cheating allegations and questionable tactics to win. The teams will want to protect themselves in any eventuality. And that is what's working against Yuki so greatly.

Yuki has proven to be a very competent driver over the past year, but let's not forget that he nearly lost his seat in 2023 and the rumored reason he stayed is due to Honda. He owes his career to Honda, not Redbull. And at the end of the day, that's his main flaw within this team. It's not his driving. It's not his temper. It's not anything else. It's purely who he is aligned to poltically in the racing world. Is that fair? No. Is that how racing works? Unfortunately, yes.

[iceeericeee]

I wonder how many tags i can add on to this

[vogelmeister]

i think what may help some swifties is separating joe alwyn the actual person and joe alwyn the character in taylor swift’s narrative

[thelamebat]

not my coworkers/bosses dissing my generation for “being too lazy to work” and then saying i’m the exception and that i work hard

lol bitch i work for you cause i’m the one who’s too lazy to work, everyone my age i’ve met do so much and so well and have worked since college or earlier. lots are traveling and work on design firms or even on independent film

i print stickers

they think they’re so high and mighty for being a small business, theyre -or at least my position- is entry level at best

my internship was more back breaking than you (editorial design), and i only got to go three days a week

[your-lcal-idiot]

But how am i supposed to traumatize my readers then 😔

What i find entertaining and they traumatizing are very different stories 💀

I’m begging you to write for yourself.

“But readers don’t like—“ who cares?

The only reader of your story that you should care about is yourself.

Do you like your story? Yes? Then it’s perfect.

[notaplaceofhonour]

An American man self-immolated in the name of Gaza, and I’m seeing two different responses:

from American leftists, acting like it’s a brave/commendable thing while do

from Palestinians, begging people not to do this

This is a man who was incredibly mentally unwell and committed suicide, initially planning to livestream his suicide, and people are applauding it—which inevitably encourages more people to follow suit, throwing their lives away too. And for what? How has this helped Palestinians in any way?

Suicide is not the answer—not to your personal struggles and not to global conflict and geopolitical struggles. If you find yourself around people who are encouraging you to see suicide as a beautiful or commendable political act, get out.

Think of all the good things you can keep doing for Gaza if you keep living. Think of your loved ones. Think of your own life. Your life has value, and you deserve to keep living.

I think Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, someone from Gaza, put it way better than I can in this tweet:

[controld3vil]

when you compliment them | earthrealm edition

pairings: raiden, kung lao, kenshi & johnny x reader (all separate) synopsis: compliments are a long milestone for you, and yet only recently have you eagerly given them to liu kang's students notes: - reader is general neutral :] - i did NOT anticipate becoming so invested in mk !! hope you enjoy these headcannons with a grain of salt. lmk if they're too out of character

RAIDEN ->  Raiden’s stunned for a moment. Don’t take it personally. He did not expect you to be blunt about it. It makes his heart flutter. You’re someone he admires dearly. And to have you look upon his talents with such delight brings a smile to his face. Raiden will quickly regain his composure and kindly thank you. He’s a humble farmer. He’ll show you gratitude in your words. But the small moments when he’s gazing at you across the Wu Shi Academy make him think back to your compliments. “Your efforts at the Wu Shi are quite admirable, Raiden,” Can you tell how flustered he is? How easily do you make his brain go haywire? If you questionably tease him, Raiden will avoid the topic as much as possible. His eyes won’t even meet yours out of pure embarrassment. And all he could imagine were the smug faces of his friends in this dilemma. [ raiden ] : i- uh appreciate all that you have done for me (name). [ you ] : (laughs) as earthrealm's champion, you deserve as much.

KUNG LAO -> He is smug about it. Are you recognizing his talents? It bloats his ego, and he loves it. Kung Lao will use your praise to alleviate himself in any situation. When he’s about to fight Raiden for the seat of the Chosen One, he uses it to one-up his friend. Your approval is his number one trophy and shield from the rest of his friends. It’s in his pride that out of everyone in the Wu Shi, you’re the one to have looked at him. Honestly, he will always hold it over your head if you two argue. And maybe it takes things too far and results in you taking it all back (and puncturing his self-confidence). It all comes crashing down when he ultimately feels guilty about all the sarcastic criticism and teasing. Eventually, he’ll apologize and express how much you mean to him. Therefore the next time you commend his actions, he’ll take it down a notch [ kung lao ] : i'll beat raiden soon enough. don't you wait (last name)! [ you ] : impress me, first then we'll see if you can beat raiden.

KENSHI TAKAHASHI -> The swordsman chuckles and genuinely enjoys your attention. “I’m flattered,” He utters your last name as a sign of delight. Of the four, he’s not afraid of what you have to say, criticism and compliment-wise. Kenshi strives for improvement. And having you admire his great efforts is comforting. His time with the yakuza was rogue and remorseful. The things he had to do for his clan’s survival were unforgivable. However, he’s made it to work, thanks to Liu Kang. By extension, you are seemingly always there to support his efforts to win his clan back and help Earthrealm. It’s your constant presence that makes his feelings known. You’re extensively supportive of what he does; what can he do to repay the favor? Of course, there will be times when he jabs at the others about it. You’re the one who started the whole fiasco. It’s evident in your favoritism. To say the others are not having it. [ kenshi ] : what sento has given will help me restore my clan tenfold. [ you ] : then i wish the best for the taira clan and its new leader.

JOHNNY CAGE -> Approval is something he’s accustomed to. From movie ratings and down-to-earth interviews, Johnny is no stranger when someone cheers on his efforts. He lavishes on it as much as he can til it’s stale. It’s just how the movie industry works. He takes in criticism and heedlessness like it’s part of the job. It’s the attention he adores. Yet when his entire career is put to a stop for Earthrealm, Johnny has fewer things to worry about. His acting career is on hold now he’s practicing to become one of Earthrealm’s champions. It’s odd for him - to prove his self-worth at face value. He’s a superstar; what else does he have to show? It wasn’t until you arrived, with the goodness of intention from Liu Kang, that made him wonder what someone like you was doing here. You’re sweet and honest when talking to Johnny. It’s like the things he wanted to hear come easily to you. And when you particularly remark on a move he did on Kenshi, his entire day feels fresher and brighter. You know the words to make anyone feel complete and content. And he can’t help to tease you about it later. Johnny absolutely adores you for it. “Doll, you’re killing me with these compliments. How about a drink later?” [ johnny ] : come on! i know sweet talk when i see it. [ you ] : has being one of earthrealm's champions gone over your head, johnny?

[khattikeri]

This response got long, sorry for sidetracking! I'm just floored with how much more Yi City makes sense through this lens; I had no idea this interview of MXTX existed.

With Xue Yang being a direct parallel to Jiang Cheng (that too, confirmed by the author), it makes the tragedy and the parallels of all the other characters involved in the subplot even more apparent.

Namely in that Xiao Xingchen and A-Qing are both parallels to Wei Wuxian, and Song Lan shares many similarities to both Lan Wangji and Wen Ning.

Xiao Xingchen, like Wei Wuxian, is an incredibly righteous and kind cultivator with a sense of humor. Plus they both have ties to Baoshan-sanren's mountain. MXTX says herself that Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian's relationship is complicated like Xue Yang and Xiao Xingchen's. Xue Yang is obsessed with keeping Xiao Xingchen attached to him and getting revenge; Jiang Cheng likewise blames Wei Wuxian for his insecurities and grief and is constantly pursuing him almost entirely to nurse his own grudges.

People tend to say that Xue Yang also having origins as a mistreated youth on the streets makes him a parallel to Wei Wuxian, but that's not true. He's far more vengeful and selfish in his thoughts and actions; A-Qing, who is brash but still good at heart, is much more similar to Wei Wuxian if you ask me.

If Xiao Xingchen represents Wei Wuxian's initial reputation as a good cultivator, A-Qing is the other half: someone who spent the majority of her life as a street orphan. Like Wei Wuxian, A-Qing ultimately chooses to do the right thing to help others even if it causes her harm in the end.

Furthermore, A-Qing distrusts Xue Yang's demeanor and intentions the whole time she knows him. She maintains a bantering rapport with Xue Yang while they all live together, knowing that she cannot risk genuinely angering him or arousing his suspicion out of fear for how he may retaliate against her and Xiao Xingchen.

After all, A-Qing isn't a cultivator. She has no backing, no real strength that she can fight and actually win with. She only has her wits, and when push comes to shove and she does reveal her own exhaustion, fear, and hatred of Xue Yang, she dies at Xue Yang's hands.

Xiao Xingchen, on the other hand, is more willing to trust and believe that Xue Yang is a good person. He has strong cultivation ability and moral character, and is both literally and metaphorically blind to Xue Yang's cruelty until Xue Yang makes the deception clear. XXC is so distraught by the selfishness and senselessness of Xue Yang's violence towards innocents with him as a proxy that he flat out kills himself.

I think both A-Qing's and Xiao Xingchen's feelings existed in Wei Wuxian to an extent when it comes to Jiang Cheng. The gratefulness to the Jiangs for being taken in, knowing he could be made to leave at any time. The playful banter with someone you've shared space with for so long, while also maintaining an acute understanding that you aren't on the same level socially. The discomfort of having to live with someone's casual callousness, seeing and thinking it but unable to truly voice a complaint or confront it until it's far too late.

As for Song Lan, he can be best described as an interesting mix of Lan Wangji and Wen Ning. All three are upright and pretty serious individuals. Song Lan's attachment and devotion to Xiao Xingchen resembles Lan Wangji's love for (wanting to make him laugh, for example) and Wen Ning's loyalty to Wei Wuxian (in life and after being turned into sentient fierce corpses).

Song Lan is the one who Xiao Xingchen was doing things for; their goal of starting a sect not tied to clan bloodlines mirrors Wei Wuxian and Wen Ning's intent of protecting the Wen remnants in the Burial Mounds.

Wei Wuxian gave up his position to do what was right and help the Wens, including Wen Ning. Meanwhile Xiao Xingchen gave up his eyes to help Song Lan, but Song Lan was furious both with the grief of the massacre of Baixue Temple (most likely paralleling Wen Ning's grief with his family's annihilation, though Song Lan is a lot more expressive with his anger) and of Xiao Xingchen hurting himself in such a way (Lan Wangji angry at Wei Wuxian using ghost cultivation). In both cases, they are separated for years because of the fight, though the exact details do differ.

As Jiang Cheng holds a grudge is against Wei Wuxian, Wen Ning, and to a lesser extent Lan Wangji, Xue Yang holds a grudge against both Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan.

Song Lan (Wen Ning) is the one who kills (verbally tears down) Xue Yang (Jiang Cheng) by the end of their respective stories for how Xiao Xingchen (Wei Wuxian) was treated.

Can you tell I'm on the verge of tears!? So much of the story lines up with these eight characters all paralleling each other, I'm dizzy. I may have missed or misinterpreted some things since I haven't read the novels in a while but I'm honestly so amazed at the level of detail that went into MXTX's writing.

Xue Yang and Jiang Cheng are Parallels

I wanted to make sure I covered this in my Yi City arc reread since it became such a hot topic on my blog for a minute. Wei Wuxian and Xue Yang are not parallels; Xue Yang and Jiang Cheng are. Here are two quotes from each individual about their never-ending hatred and perpetual thirst for vengeance paid over and over in blood:

Wei Wuxian retorted, “He’s already a dead man. I’ve also died once. What else do you want?”

Jiang Cheng pointed at him with his whip. “So what? He can die a thousand times, or even ten thousand times, but it’ll never appease the fury in my heart! Since he wasn’t destroyed then, then fine! I’ll personally destroy him today. I’ll go and torch him now, then scatter his ashes in front of you!!”

–Chapter 23: Malevolent Part 1: Running into Gunpoint, taming wangxian

“If you wanted to avenge yourself on Chang Ci’an for breaking your finger, you could have just cut off one of his and been done with it,” Xiao Xingchen said in disbelief. “If you absolutely cannot get over your grudge, then break two, or ten! Or you could have even cut off his arm—even that would have been better! Why did you have to kill his entire family? Don’t tell me you think a single one of your fingers is worth more than fifty lives?”

Surprisingly, Xue Yang pondered this carefully for a while. As though he found Xiao Xingchen’s question very strange, he replied, “Of course. The finger was mine, while those lives were other people’s. No matter how many I killed, it wouldn’t have repaid the debt. It was only fifty or so people—how could it make up for my single finger?”

–Chapt. 41: Flora IX, fanyiyi

Both of them use their trauma to lash out at innocent people who have done nothing wrong to them: Jiang Cheng chasing after Wen Ning (who, in fact, aided the Jiang heir at risk to his own life) despite having already successfully murdered his entire family for the crimes of the long-dead Wen Chao and Wang Lingjiao; Xue Yang chasing after the Chang Clan despite Chang Ping being the clan leader and not his father who hurt him.

At the same time, Xue Yang’s response provides a deeper look into why they have this mentality. “The finger was mine, while those lives were other people’s…” he says, “It was only fifty or so people—how could it make up for my single finger?” At the end of the day, Xue Yang and Jiang Cheng consider themselves above everyone and everything else, including laws and morality. In fact, this is their morality. In their world, they are justified in kidnapping and torturing people to death for reminding them of someone they do not like and are validated in annihilating whole clans because they consider an individual to have committed an offense against them. The lives of others mean nothing in their worldview; it is only their lives that hold any and all intrinsic value that must be protected at all costs.

[chaotic-archaeologist]

https://nypost.com/2024/08/28/world-news/boy-4-accidentally-smashes-bronze-age-jar-that-was-at-least-3500-years-old/

Your thoughts?

Personally, I'm kinda sick of museums being required to cater to kids so much. If you're going to do this open air exhibit, kids who don't know how to keep their hands to themselves just shouldn't be allowed in. The glass is there for this very reason.

Actually, I'm with the museum on this one. Is it unfortunate that the vase was broken? Yes. Was the vase a valuable piece of the past? Also yes. But I think the museum did something very cool by not having the artifacts behind glass and are handling this with good grace and the sense to make this a learning opportunity.

Sometimes we overlook the fact that museums often attempt to arrest or freeze artifacts in time. They are kept in controlled conditions to prevent them from deteriorating and even treated to reverse damage. Many things on display on museums are elevated beyond their original value, alienated from their original purpose, and closed off from interaction.

It's incredible that this jar survived as long as it did—and its age is what makes it special—but at the end of the day, it is still a jar. It has now experienced the thing that happens to pretty much every jar that has been or will be. After all, decay is an extant form of life. (If you want to read a very well written and interesting take on decay and archaeology, check out this article by Caitlin DeSilvey.)

The article I linked above provides some important context and the update that the museum is planning on using this as an opportunity to teach about the conservation process. The jar's story is not over; it is being pieced back together and in this next chapter in its life it will be able to tell two stories: one of its life and the other of its rebirth. The museum's approach embraces that, exactly like the Japanese art of Kintsugi.

I also agree with the museum's decision not to punish the child or his family. Things go wrong in museums all the time despite their highly controlled environments, and this is why they have artifacts insured. Sometimes the thing that happens is a child, and by and large museums do not seek damages.

I would encourage you to rethink your stance on museums and children. Museums are for everyone. Children have a right to experience museums and what they have to offer just like anyone else. There are also many studies that discuss how going to museums benefits children.

In this case, perhaps the exhibit design was slightly flawed, but the four year old boy accidentally knocked the jar over because he was curious about what was inside and wanted to investigate. Curiosity is exactly what museums should be encouraging. In an ideal world that curiosity would have been channeled into some other kind of engagement, but the folks who work in museums have a lot on their plates and cannot plan everything perfectly all the time. Even if they could, they often do not have the resources to do so.

Finally, the AP article mentions that the boy and his family were visiting the museum to get away from Hezbollah rocket fire. Regardless of your opinions on the current conflict, everyone deserves to have a safe place to exist. That museums can serve as those spaces is an honor.

I commend the Hecht Museum and the people working there. They 1) successfully provided a place of learning and refuge, 2) opted not for a punitive approach—which is often the default Western model for justice—but a compassionate one, and 3) are using this twist of fate to create programming that will further engage the public.

@museeeuuuum and @museum-spaces would you care to comment?

-Reid

[hotheadedhero]

Daft Pretty Boys

AN: I was going to try and get something Halloween-like out but it's been busy lately. Have some fluffy angst with Raph, instead :D

Raphael x Reader

Warning: kinda angsty, soft-hearted Raph ahead :)

When you blessed the turtles with your bright presence and inevitably befriended them, Raphael didn’t realise just how much of an emotional rollercoaster it would be. As a person, you are amazing. You always make a point to engage with him and his brothers, even for the small things. Other than April, they’ve never felt more welcomed by human company before. The thing is, if he were to put one fault on you, it’s your taste in men. 

You fall fast and hard, and it’s not because of their looks. It’s the ones who have this idea that they know they look good: the confidence they exude, sharp-witted flattery on the end of a hook that you can’t help biting into. You get caught, pulled in, they have their fun, and then you’re chucked back into sea awaiting the next juicy-looking cast of bait. One would think you’d be smart enough to not fall for the same routine tricks over and over again but here we are.

Each time you say, “He’s really sweet,” followed by a “This one is different,” but he never is. You’re always taking that chance, betting on the next guy being Mr Right, only for it to end in heartbreak, and every time Raph’s at your aid when you come crying to him. That isn’t said with any malice for you. He will always be there to pick up the pieces. Maybe broken pieces of these stupid shmucks if he just had five minutes alone with them.

You grasp so desperately to hope. Raph would commend you for your optimistic persistence if it didn’t break him to see you in tears. There’s only so much one heart can take. He doesn’t want you to become some calloused husk of your sweet self, too afraid to take another chance. He doesn’t want you to end up like him. Raphael knows he’s unloveable. Regardless of his appearance, he has a temper - one that he keeps as far away from you as he possibly can. His feelings for you never seem to pass despite how much he tries but he isn’t meant for love. That isn’t how this world works. You, on the other hand, should be cherished and he’ll beat the next sorry sucker who does any less than that.

How? How can someone be so foolish to drop you like these men have? He doesn’t get it. Were it him, he’d spend every waking moment appreciating you, letting it be known just how precious you are and how lucky he is to be the one to call you his. But he isn’t. The same daydream can play as many times as it likes, it’s never going to go in that direction. He needs to keep reminding himself of that.

You just deserve so much more than the cards you keep getting dealt. You’ve probably got to be the sweetest person he’s ever had the luxury of meeting. A little bubble-brained at times but that’s in part what makes you so cute. It’s also why you end up in and out of these short-lived relationships, he reckons. Much like now, for instance. It’s almost routine, weirdly systematic in a way, how you waddle into the lair glassy-eyed and red-faced wearing that grey sweater - the one he calls your breakup sweater - that’s two sizes too big for you. So much for the macho man with the green eyes. Making it to one month is a record, so there’s that at least.

Raphael doesn’t say anything, just holds a hand out whilst the other cradles the back of his neck. By now, he’s learnt that there’s nothing he can say. It’s better to wait on you until you manage to find your words. You slowly trudge towards him and smack your forehead into his chest. All he can do is stand there and stare at the top of your head whilst he battles the urge to pick you up and take you away from all this frivolous bullshit. His arm falls to his side as he watches you, and you just about say what he would expect you to.

“I really thought this one would be different,” you whimper quietly and the hiccup in your throat makes his chest burn. “He seemed so genuine.”

Raphael’s heart clenches. He wants to scream that he’s the one who’s genuine, that he’s the one who’s been here through every heartbreak, every tear. But instead, he swallows his words, feeling the weight of his own unspoken feelings pressing down on his chest.

He pats the top of your head, almost awkwardly, and sighs, “I know.”

A pained laugh muffles against his chest. “I’m the problem, aren’t I?” you ask rhetorically, playing it off as some joke at your own expense but it only angers him further.

“It’s not you,” Raph replies, a hint of a growl edging into his tone. “They’re the ones who don’t know what they’re missin’.”

“But there’s a common denominator here. It feels like it’s me.” You pull back slightly, just enough to meet his gaze. “Like, maybe if I was just different-”

“Stop right there,” he interjects, his brow furrowing. “You are not the problem. They are. Trust me on that.”

You always say the wrong things about yourself: the things he thinks about himself on a daily; if he was different. You are such an honest person and yet you lie so frequently when you talk about yourself. A nasty bi-product of those worthless scumbags treating you the way they do. You want to believe him on his word but you also can’t ignore the facts. It’s always the same song and dance. You stupidly cling to hope, searching for the silver lining that never seems to come, and end up in this sad mess of a person.

Raphael watches as you pull away, the warmth of his body replaced by the chill of reality. It’s painful to see you so vulnerable, so exposed. He wishes he could shake you out of this cycle, snap his fingers and make you see what’s right in front of you. But he can’t. All he can do is stand there, the silent sentinel, while you cry into the fabric of your sweater. The moment lingers, heavy and full of unsaid words. He wants to tell you that you deserve better, that you should never settle for the likes of those clowns who don’t recognize your worth. Yet, the words stick in his throat, tangled with his own fear of inadequacy.

He clears his throat, trying to break the tension. “Tell you what, let’s grab a couple sodas and a slice. Sit up top for a bit, yeah?”

You pull back slightly, wiping your eyes. “I don’t know if I can eat right now, Raph.”

“Doesn’t matter. You need to get outta this gloom. Plus, I’m starving,” he responds with a half-hearted attempt at humor, but the grin doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

Finally, you yield. Begrudgingly, he might add, but food and the fresh night air is what you need right now, especially seeing as you’ve been cooped up in your apartment all day crying. He takes whatever pizza he had leftover - it’s only lasted because Mikey has luckily been out - along with a couple cans and leads you through the sewers. Whilst he’s essentially forcing you outside, he goes at your pace, never pushing you beyond that. Sure, it takes longer than it should but you get to a nice rooftop eventually, and before you know it, he’s already got you venting with a slice in your hand.

“And then he pulls out the classic ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ shtick,” you say and Raph follows with a quiet “Of course, he does,” before you continue, “and I swear, I could’ve just slapped him.”

“You should have.”

You hum shortly against a bite of pizza and shrug. “Ah, the moment’s long gone, anyway.”

The two of you glance at each other with a small laugh before returning to the view ahead. This feels better. Much better. Once again, your knight in shell-y armour has helped you bounce back from your foreboding. If you had it your way earlier, you would have loved nothing more than to curl up on the couch and watch some bad reality TV to cheer you up. Not where Raph is concerned. He’s soft-natured when you need that shoulder to cry on but knows when to crack out a bit of that tough love, too. You’re always thankful for that - him - and you hope he knows just how much of a difference he makes.

"Hey.” He nudges you with his elbow and you look up, noting the light smirk on his face, though the seriousness behind his eyes isn’t something to be ignored. “Next asshole that breaks your heart, you just point me in the right direction.”

"And be an active participant in murder? Not a chance," you laugh and playfully swat him, earning a low chortle. You think you know what he’s getting at and it’s sweet in weird kind of way. With a perma-smile now glued to your face, you rest your head on his arm and speak more gently, "Thanks, though."

He glances down at you and tempts the idea of stroking a hand over your head. His fingers clasp into a fist and he looks ahead again, taking a gentle breath before responding quietly, "Yeah... don't mention it."

[harunayuuka2060]

F!MC: Riddle? Is there something wrong?

Trey: Yeah. You won the contest, but why are you not happy?

Cater: Well, it's not just Ridz who seems unhappy here.

Riddle: I am fine.

F!MC: ...

F!MC: Riddle?

Riddle: !!!

Riddle: ...

Riddle: Ridz and I had an encounter with some Royal Sword Academy students.

Riddle: And one of them... TRIED TO REQUEST YOUR PHONE NUMBER! *his face turns red in anger*

F!MC: Eh?

Toddler Riddle: It's true, Mama. *frowns*

F!MC: W-Well, it's not like you have given it to him, right?

Riddle: HE SAID HE FELL IN LOVE WITH YOU AT FIRST SIGHT! HOW DARE HE?!

Trey and Cater: *had to hold back their laughter*

F!MC: ...

F!MC: *extends a hand to gently pat his head* *smiles apologetically*

F!MC: It must've been an ordeal. I'm really sorry about that, Riddle.

Riddle: ...

Riddle: *immediately calms down* No... It was nothing, miss.

Toddler Riddle: Mama, don't give your number to anyone, okay?

F!MC: *chuckles* Of course!

Azul: Lady MC will end up single for a long time if you are this overprotective, Riddle.

Idia: Lol. So? Let her enjoy her youth. Marriage can wait.

Riddle: Just like what Idia-senpai said, Miss MC deserves to enjoy her youth and potential suitors should refrain from approaching her.

Leona: Sure. But let's not forget that it's her choice whether she wants to remarry or not.

Vil: Please, Leona. We all know that if MC does find someone, you will oppose it.

Leona: Of course. I'm her older brother here.

Kalim: Speaking of prospective suitor, I think my dad wants me to court her when given the chance.

Riddle: You don't know how to take care of yourself. No.

Kalim: I-

Idia: *laughs*

Azul: My, my. Did you really have to criticize him like that, Riddle?

Sebek: Human! I have brought the books you requested from Waka-sama!

F!MC: Th-Thank you so much.

Silver: Sebek, lower your voice, please. You startled her.

F!MC: N-No. It's fine.

Sebek: What are you going to do with all these medical books, human?

F!MC: I'd like to do some self-study.

Silver: Oh, right. Didn't you ask for history and geography books as well?

F!MC: Yes.

Sebek: Why are you studying diligently, human?

F!MC: For my son Riddle. As his mom, I need to be 20 steps—no, 50 steps—ahead of him.

Silver: I think I understand you. You want to answer every question he will ask if he ever needs them.

F!MC: *smiles* Yes.

Sebek: Hm. That is commendable, human. However, wouldn't it be better to go to school?

F!MC: ...

F!MC: I did try asking some schools here that offer co-ed. Unfortunately, they expressed concern about my status. *smiles awkwardly*

Sebek: O-Oh.

F!MC: Anyway, they promised to give me a call if there happens to be a special program I could enroll in.

Sebek: Hmph! You needn't to wait! Should distance not be an issue, I can suggest a school for you situated in Briar Valley!

F!MC and Silver: ...

Silver: Sebek?

F!MC: You would do that?

Sebek: Yes! And bringing your son won't even be an issue!

Silver: ...

Silver: *smiles; looks proud of him*

Sebek: What are you smiling at, Silver?!

F!MC: *chuckles*

[kkoct-ik]

seasonal art?? from me?? more likely than you think

bonus transparents because i actually committed to drawing them all in full and that deserves to be commended

zombie, headless horseman, and TV head, if you care. you can make guesses as to why :)

[kaizokuou-ni-naru]

Say things about Kuma

boy, will i say things about kuma.

i was reflecting yesterday on how we don’t see kuma’s eyes, i don’t think, at any point before bonney’s flashback. even in his appearances at thriller bark and sabaody, when he still retained his consciousness, we only see his blank glasses, which creates an impression of him as inhuman, detached, menacing, and emotionless.

kuma is a completely different character, visually speaking, when we can see his eyes.

the depth of kuma’s kindness and selflessness as revealed to us in his flashback is staggering. it contextualizes a lot of the care we see borne for him earlier in the story by characters like ivankov (at marineford) and bonney and sabo (at reverie)- he’s revealed to us, finally, as a deeply gentle and sweet person who was deeply loved by those around him. once we see what he was really like as a person, we understand absolutely why his loved ones care for him so deeply.

we realize, in egghead, that despite him recieving focus at several points before this, our view of him has been limited to what the strawhats, and the rest of the world, saw, and we have been barred up until this point from any real deeper understanding of his identity and personality. we never got to see his eyes. we got no indication of what he might be thinking or feeling. and this is the violence done to him; the eradication of his person.

it’s clear that kuma is defined by selflessness in the same way that luffy is defined by his selfishness. we see that for his entire life, starting from when he volunteered to be the decoy for iva’s god valley escape plan, that he has constantly endangered and sacrificed himself for the sake of others. kuma is a heroic character, one of the most straightforward we’ve seen in one piece. and this is, ultimately, tragic.

kuma is selfless to the point of self-destruction. he is a gentle and kind and heroic person- and he is that way because of an immensely traumatic childhood that led him to view his own life as having no value except to the extent that he can use it to help others. it’s both understandable and commendable, but it’s also very sad. it’s very clear that, because of his strength, he does not see himself as someone who can expect to be, or who deserves to be, saved by others.

kuma, like a true revolutionary, is unwilling to accept that there is anything he cannot change, but he also only knows how to deal with problems by throwing himself into the line of fire; he will always give of himself and never ask anything of anyone else. notably, this exact pattern of behavior, putting one’s own life constantly on the line but being unwilling to draw anyone else into it, is the same thing luffy lectured vivi for back in alabasta, because it’s ultimately not a healthy or realistic course of action, and will inevitably get one killed.

and we see this, because kuma’s ultimate act of selflessness is him quietly consenting to be literally taken apart, the obliteration of his self. could there have been another way to save bonney? a way to circumvent or fight against saturn’s insane demands? maybe. but kuma sees no value in his life except in the giving of it for others, and so he accepts the deal without a fight because he has always been too willing to throw himself away.

[hikaaa-bi]

i think people pick sides too much rather than realizing that all of the characters in Gravity Falls were equally flawed. i've noticed it with Mabel and Dipper, and more recently, i've noticed it with Stan and Ford.

it's okay if you sympathize with Stan but some people act like he never did anything wrong and Ford was just being an asshole to him for no reason.

Stan broke Ford's science exhibit. he didn't mean to do it, but he did. and he didn't attempt to fix it nor did he come clean about it until Ford already lost his chance with uni and confronted Stan about it. then Stan spouted some "silver lining, now you can travel the world with me" BS.

i'm sorry to say it but this was a shitty thing to do. it's completely understandable why Ford was upset with Stan, and i'm tired of people acting like it isn't. of course, Stan didn't deserve to get kicked out of his home for this, but he deserved to face some consequences.

Ford had no obligation to forgive Stan and i honestly don't blame him for keeping a grudge. he lost a HUGE opportunity because of Stan. and furthermore, he also gets sucked into the portal because of Stan. again, yes, an accident. but an accident that left him stranded in a dangerous terrain for YEARS.

and don't get me wrong, i'm not saying that Stan is some irredeemable monster or anything. he worked hard to undo his wrongs and bring back Ford, and he deserves to be commended for that. but this only works if you acknowledge that he was a flawed character in the first place.

the whole point of Stan's and Ford's conflict was that BOTH of them were in the wrong. especially during the finale.

it's fine for Stan to want Ford to be grateful for what he did. BUT. he did NOT have to start bitching about it right when they were about to defeat Bill. it could have waited until after everyone was safe.

and Ford certainly did not have to start the whole "grammar Stanley" thing and act like he was above saying a simple thank you.

also, you have to understand that while it's sweet that Stan wanted to sail the world with Ford, it was also an example of their relationship being codependent. Stan was made to believe that he wasn't as worthy as Ford and he saw himself as useless and dumb, so he clings onto Ford for a sense of identity.

in Stan's mind, he was just part of a whole, and this was an extremely unhealthy mindset to have. of course it was because of their father's emotional abuse, but it was something Stan needed to change.

Ford had his own dreams, and Stan's dependence on him started to feel suffocating. i would say they both needed time away from each other, especially Stan.

at the end of the day, this conflict was mutual and y'all are erasing its complexity by acting like Stan was completely innocent and played no part in their falling out, and like Ford was some terrible monster who deserved everything that happened to him.