#and i understand and respect her self preservation

[suspiciousasphalt]

this!!!! i love all these characters and i have so much compassion for them cuz they are All Going Through It not just jon but Gahhhhhhh

I‘ve gotta lot of goddamn feelings y’all

[24kmagiic]

There's a nuanced scene in Sinners that I'd like to point out that may explain why Smoke didn't just throw Cornbread the money instead of placing it directly into his hand.

I'm barely old enough to remember the conversation my elders had about how exchanging money between races was a thing. Whether it was an actual written law or just a punishable social no-no, it was unacceptable to place money directly into the hands of white people.

For black people, we had to set the money on the counter so that they could pick it up, and for white people, they would purposely ignore our outstretched hand to place the money on the counter. A silent way to draw the line in the sand.

In the south, especially, it became an encoded social construct, long after the Jim Crow era, that a particular generation would still abide by these rules. My grandma would refuse to shop in places if the clerk refused to take money from her hand. Additionally, if she had to accept cash, she would demand that they place it in her hand. I've seen her and my mother refuse money if they didn't give the respect they demanded.

As a kid, I thought it was silly, but as an adult, I understand that it is a sign of respect or disrespect.

With all that in mind, no, Smoke wouldn't dare throw money at Cornbread because it was utterly disrespectful to do that during that era. Smoke was operating within the boundaries of their social customs, and as a black man, wouldn't dream of disrespecting another black man that way, accused vampire or not.

In today's society, think of the scene in ATL where Big Boi said "Oooh shit! That was so disrespectful. You done hit me in my mouth with some got damn money." Big Boi, also from the south, improvised that line, and I'm willing to bet cash that he was taught the same customs. That "oooh shit," was my exact reaction when I first saw that movie.

Additionally, I'd like to add that I appreciated the sentiment behind this interaction because you can see Smoke battling internally with whether to throw the money for self-preservation (no one would have blamed him) or to place it in Cornbread's hand.

Watching that scene, I thought of Cornbread's family and how Stack showed up to present a better way of life. I thought of how Cornbread was out there that night because he believed in Smoke and Stack's vision. And how he'll never return home to his family. And how Smoke, with all of this in his mind as well, saw past the threat of Cornbread potentially being a vampire and saw Cornbread (for the last time) as his friend.

So as a parting gesture, Smoke placed the money in his hand. Even if it meant going down with him.

[cuntyji]

@baepsays made me do it → sukuna as a cat dad except he is a wildlife (assistant) photographer. lots of crack, implied f. reader

it starts with a text from your cousin, a simple “is this not your man???” followed by a blurry thumbnail of a video with the headline “wildlife photographer tackled by tiger cubs in hilarious viral moment!” 

and you think, no. surely not. there’s no way your boyfriend got himself tackled by wild animals again. surely, the kitten incident taught him something about boundaries and self-preservation.

but oh no. oh no.

you click the video and there he is—in all his gloriously inked, painfully confident, tragically overcommitted glory—wearing a khaki vest like he’s been doing this for years, crouched in tall grass with a camera dangling completely unused from his neck, while two tiger cubs absolutely barrel into him with the force of furry freight trains.

“nope—nope, we’re not—oh, that’s a tooth—HEY,” he shouts as one of them latches onto his thigh like it’s found its new chew toy-slash-perch. he’s trying to sound authoritative, but it’s hard to pull off when you're being gnawed on by what is essentially a 40-pound meatball with murder mittens.

some poor assistant off-camera is yelling, “don’t move! they think you’re part of the pride now!” and sukuna just sighs, eyes glazed with the quiet understanding that he, once again, did not think this through.

“i said i wanted to get closer to nature,” he mutters to himself while stiffly trying to stand, tiger cub still attached to his leg like a sentient gym sock. “i didn’t mean emotionally bonded. this is not what i meant.”

and then. then.

like a scene straight out of a national geographic fever dream, mama tiger herself pads into frame. massive. majestic.

judgmental.

you hold your breath. sukuna doesn’t. sukuna points at her.

“look, ma’am,” he says—like he didn’t just refer to a 300-kilo apex predator as ma’am, “your kids? they’re wonderful. they’re enthusiastic. but they’re also menaces. i get it. i respect it. but maybe we enforce some boundaries? maybe a little claw control? huh?”

and the tiger... grunts. it’s not aggressive. it’s not a roar. it’s a low, deep huff that sounds weirdly like acknowledgement. like she’s saying, you know what? fair point. motherhood’s a scam and they’re out of pocket.

the camera zooms in just as sukuna, now on his knees, stares her dead in the face and goes, “you ever just wanna run away and eat a deer in peace?”

it cuts to black after that, but not before another cub flops directly onto his back and starts batting his shoelace like it’s a dangling cat toy.

you stare at your screen for a full minute. then another.

and then you send him a message:

“i swear to god if you bring a tiger home i’m making you sleep in the tub with it.”

he replies ten minutes later with a photo of a cub napping on his lap and the caption:

“she says she loves me. i can’t just abandon her now.”

you are going to fight him. and the tigers. maybe the tiger mama will help. she seems reasonable.

[thistle-wrote]

John finally gets the bird he’s been watching

Cw: sex, implied sadist John, mostly just smut with little plot.

F!reader X John price

Zero self preservation, this girl. John noticed it quickly: the way she was completely unaware of her surroundings; the way she smiled and apologized to each and every man that"accidentally" touched her; the way she politely chatted to blokes at the bar, all while completely oblivious to their unmistakable advances. All sunshine and smiles, her demeanor made him watch her closely. It was intrigue, maybe.

John isn't what most people would consider comfortable. He doesn't care much for social graces; he stands too close, stares too hard. He's just not exactly the soft, loving type that little thing probably needs. This fact doesn't stop him, though. She doesn't stop him either.

She doesn't seem to mind when his hand runs up her side while he's talking to her, nor does she seem to understand what's going on when he buys her drink after drink. This happens every weekend; she and her friends are here every Saturday at exactly 8 p.m. He's got it down to a science at this point.

John has always been methodical about it. He wants that stupid girl, sure, but he wants it to stick, wants her to stay.

"What do ya want today, bird?" He hums, easing himself down onto the stool next to her. Her friends have long disappeared, like usual.

"Better friends." John doesn't miss the way she grumbled, the sour little expression on her face. They've always been such awful friends, he can tell, but that's okay, Birdie. He can make it better.

"Mhm, be better off without 'em," John rumbled out in response. He watched her: her sweet expression, the little half smile. Sweet, pretty thing.

"Yeah, maybe," she sighed but smiled at him. They're friends. Or at least friends until he can get what he wants without spooking her.

"Well, you got me." A smile fell over his face, meant to ease her: We are friends, Bird, don't worry. His hand softly eased up her back; she didn't react, never does.

"I don't even actually know you." A little giggle followed her statement. She has a good point, but that's okay, sweetheart; that can be rectified.

"Mmhm, and what would you like to know about me, little girl?" He watched in amusement as the blush crept onto her cheeks due to the nickname; God, she's fucking cute. The conversation lasted all evening, hours longer than John would usually spend in this shit bar. Slowly, her friends started leaving, going home with strangers, like usual. She thankfully didn't seem to mind all that much, her poor excuse for friends not putting a damper on their conversation.

Months John had been working on this, sweetheart. Talking, smiling, doing his best to stay respectful and friendly, but today was different; it was time. "Alright, we've had 'bout enough, I think. We're going, love."

"Um...together?" she mumbled, a frown followed by a confused eyebrow raise. Sweet thing.

"Yeah, Bird, together. You've had a lot to drink, your friends are nowhere in sight, and I'm not letting you find your way back home alone. You can sleep it off at mine." John began getting up, grabbing his jacket with a small smile, an attempt to make his demand as nonthreatening as possible. To his delight, she didn't argue, didn't even say another word just got up and followed him. One day he'll have to give her a lecture about trusting strangers, but not tonight.

The walk back to his was quiet and peaceful. Just John leading his wife Bird, to his house. She just followed him like the good girl he always knew she was, not a single instinct telling her she was prey caught in a cage.

As soon as he shut the door behind them, he made sure she was comfortable, sitting her on the couch, helping her unbuckle the strap on her shoe. God, even her feet are pretty, and John hates feet. "Good, princess?"

A little nod followed by a sleepy yawn. He couldn't help the way his chest got tighter; she was perfect, adorable. "Yeah? Do you need a shower? Might sober you up a bit," he hummed softly, still squatting in front of where that beautiful creature sat on his couch.

"Uh...yeah, if you don't mind," her sweet voice muttered out. John only laughed a little, placing a hand on her thigh.

"Of course not, love." He led her through the house, into his bedroom, to the bathroom, showed her where all the things you'd need for a shower were kept, showed her where the towels were, and grabbed her a T-shirt and an old pair of sweatpants she would no doubt be absolutely swimming in.

"Just yell if you need anything." He had half a mind to just get in with her, to touch her, to taste her, to watch the way her body moves under the water, but he didn't. He's trying, probably harder than he ever had in his life, to be a gentleman.

She nodded, and he left the room. He was antsy for some reason, sitting in the living room for the duration of her shower, trying to focus on either his cigar or the telly, but he couldn't shake the thought of the sweet, naked woman just one room over.

When she emerged from the bedroom, he realized for the first time that he might actually be getting old, worried for a small moment if he would have a heart attack. Makeup all washed away, hair still wet from the shower, a sleepy expression. "Hi, beautiful." There's no possible way at this point that she doesn't realize he's flirting with her; he's been flirting with her for months.

"Hi," soft, quiet. He watched her little feet hit the carpet, walking towards the couch. He almost let her, but no, no. This was his Bird, in his house, and she was going to find out what happens when you let the older man at the bar take you home.

"C'mere, Bird." It's a demand, though not an unkind one. She stops, turns, and hesitates for a moment before walking over to his recliner. John stubs out his cigar on the ashtray next to his chair and reaches his hands out to grab her, pulling her into his lap.

She gasps a little but overall doesn't seem uncomfortable. He wants her to behave, listen, and be a good girl for him, but he wants her comfortable enough to stick around after he has his way with her. "Bird, do you know what I want from you?" There's certainly no way she didn't, not completely, anyway.

"Um..yes," Her answer sounded more like a question rather than a statement. It was cute and shy.

"You gonna give it to me?" he asked, putting her back farther against his chest, resting his hand on her clothed thigh. He could feel the way her chest rose and fell heavier than normal.

She only nodded. That was all the permission he needed before his hand grabbed her chin, turning it to face him. He let his lips brush hers softly, doing his absolute best to control himself. John wasn't a man who regularly allowed himself things like this; he was too busy, and he had too many important things to think about. But this girl was his reward. She might not know it yet, but she was going to give him lots of things he hadn't let himself have up until this point.

He felt like he was on cloud nine with her lips pressed against his. He didn't waste much time getting her into his bed. She was visibly nervous, but that was nothing he couldn't rectify. He was on top of her, his mouth tasting hers, kissing her like he'd been waiting months to do so, because he had.

"Lift your arms for me," he whispered against her lips. He waited for her to obey, which she did without any protest. John barely pulled his T-shirt over her head before his mouth moved to her nipple, sucking and swirling his tongue around it just so he could hear the soft little noises she made. John likes to take his time when he has a woman in his bed.

He let his teeth graze over her swollen peak just to test the waters, just to see what she'd allow. He felt like he won thelottery when he heard her soft little whimper. "J…John," she whimpered. Oh god, this little thing was in trouble, big trouble.

"Yeah?" he spoke, moving his mouth from one perfect breast to the other. His hands explored her body while he continued to suck on her. If these were the noises she made just from this, he couldn't imagine what he could get her to do while inside of her. His cock twitched against his leg just at the thought.

His mouth didn't leave hers when he slipped his hand down the sweatpants she was wearing, but he did groan when he just felt hair. No underwear. "Don't wear underwear?" he questioned, his breath becoming ragged.

"I…well, I didn't have any," she breathed out. Of course she didn't; his sweetheart didn't have any clothes to change into here. She was wearing his pajamas.

"Mhm, we'll remember that for next time," a subtle, silent promise that there would, in fact, be a next time. He lifted his head from her chest to allow himself to see her, to see what he was touching. He ran his hand across her bush, which he wasn't expecting her to have, but he was absolutely not complaining about.

He watched her, the desperation on her face, as he removed his hand to pull her pants down. "Oh, so pretty," he muttered mostly to himself as he got the pants past her ankles. John pushed her knees apart. He didn't even have to feel her to know how wet she was; it was all over her thighs.

John glanced at her face. She looked both incredibly nervous and excited at the same time. He moved his hand, his thumb running over her sensitive little bud and then down her soaked folds."Fuck, you're so wet."

She whined, a precious sound he could get more than used to. He didn't even have time to think before he was undoing his belt. She watched him as his jeans hit the floor along with his underwear. A gasp. God, that stroked his ego.

"That's not going to fit." She whined. It would fit; he'd make damn sure of that. He pulled her thighs closer to his as he crawled back on top of her, placing himself between her legs.

"Oh, it'll fit; we're going to make it fit." John is usually a very patient man; his job requires a lot of patience, but he's been after this Bird for months. He'd be as gentle as he could, but there's no patience left.

John is a bit of a sadist. He couldn't help but chuckle at the little whimper that left her lips as he dragged the tip of his cock against her slick sex. "You gonna be good for me, love?"

He almost shuddered when her words hit his ears: "Yes, sir." Fuck, he normally has to train his pets to behave like that. All that time he spent pursuing her would have been worth it just to hear that.

"Fuckkk." He growled as he pushed into her. She was so wet but so tight that it almost hurt. His bulbous tip was barely in before she started whining nonsense about it being too much, about him being too big.

"Shhh, princess, take a deep breath, relax, let me in." He rested his hand on her shoulder, a means to calm her. The second he felt her gummy walls relax around him, he jerked his hips, bottoming out inside of her.

"Oh my god," she cried softly as he hit her cervix. John ran a hand up and down her side for a moment, letting her settle, letting her get used to the stretch.

"That's it, oh, good girl." His hips began rocking back and forth at a slow, steady pace as he pushed her knees to her chest. He'd waited months to get in this cunt; he was going to make sure they both enjoyed it.

With every moan or whimper that left her pretty lips, he picked up the pace. An obvious sign she was enjoying it was the green light he needed to really have his way with her.

"I knew you were a little slut. There you go, baby, that's it." Every word he spoke was gritted out, every filthy sentence a mix of praise and degradation. This was his woman, even if she didn't know she belonged to him yet.

With every deep thrust into her, he watched her expression change, watching the way her mouth hung open and her eyes glazed over. She got cock drunk faster than any woman he'd ever been with.

"Look at that, pretty baby. Dumb on my cock already." He taunted her. She was too out of it to respond with anything other than incoherent babbling. It was like a reward for his patience with her.

John rutted into her hard and fast. Normally, he'd touch her clit, but he just wanted her to finish on his cock, just wanted to feel her fall apart from only that. He bullied his way in and out of her until his wish came true, until she was squirming and squeezing him so hard he could hardly move, feeling her body spasm around him.

She was saying something, but he couldn't understand it; just noises, mostly. "Fuck, baby, squeezing me so hard," he groaned out as he continued to fuck her through her orgasm.

John's was not far behind. She was too wet, too warm, and too excited. His pace quickened as he neared his end. It was brutal; she'd most definitely be bruised tomorrow. He probably should have asked if she was on birth control before he let go, but it was just too late for that. His hips slowed as he released hot ropes into her.

He rode it out, feeling himself soften inside of her. "You did so good," he murmured as he laid down, pulling her against him. She just let out a little sleepy whine.

"Guess you have something more fun to do on Saturday nights from now on, huh?"

Part two

CoD Masterlist

[nonbinary-vents]

A lot of non Jews just do not understand ashkenormativity and what non Ashkie Jews mean when we try to discuss it, and it’s really getting infuriating to me. Non Jews think ashkenormativity equals Ashkenazim being like, the privileged oppressors of all Jews, when that is just… completely not the case, and sometimes actually the invert— the early 20th century, for example, was not a good time to be Ashkenazi among other Jews, Samech Tet supremacy was a pretty big thing. Ashkenazim do not have a ‘one up’ on other Jews when it comes to how Jew haters see us, in fact, there’s actually some specifically Ashkenazi specific bigotries and conspiracy theories, things like Khazar conspiracy or chunks of leftists Jew hatred.

Some examples of actual ashkenormativity is the neglect to try to preserve and document Jewish diasporic languages that aren’t Yiddish, or the heavy focus on Ashkenazi history and oppression while downplaying everything else— I can not sit through another Jew trying to say that Jews had it good as Dhimmis or that Mizrachim were living it up with the Islamic countries until we got expelled, please I will explode—, or acting like the epitome of Jewish food is Kugel and Latkes, or the generalisation of non-Ashkie Jews as one cultural group, or the way Mizrachi culture has been looked down upon and seen as ‘primitive’, and are you seeing the pattern yet? Ashkenormativity is an intracommunity issue, and it works fundamentally differently to how most non-Jews think they understand it. It’s mostly based on the idea of neglect and the centralising of Ashkie experiences, not whatever weird idea you have of ‘Jewish racism’. If you’re trying to define it as that, then you’ve fallen for some intense disinformation and propaganda, or you yourself are knowingly spreading that to demonise Ashkenazim. Frankly, I really don’t want any non-Jews to be involved in these things at all, because it’s a self contained Jewish issue, meaning that outside communities can’t really change or work on the problem. It has to come internally.

There are a lot of things I want the Jewish community to improve on when it comes to non-Ashkenazi subcultures. I want things like my family’s customs, diasporic languages, cultural tales, foods, all of that to be preserved, cared for, and revitalised in the same way that many Ashkenazi counterparts are. I want the neglect of our Jewish subcultures to improve. I want to not feel like crying when I hear about how my mother grew up being looked down upon and being embarrassed to be spoken to in her mother’s native language in public, I want to be able to know that’s a complete thing of the past and there’s nothing that resembles it at all now. I want to be recognised properly.

I do not want, in any way shape or form, to make Ashkenazim less safe, or have Ashkenazi culture be less cared for.

Trying to tear down Ashkenazim, who are just as vulnerable to the non-Jewish world as the rest of us are, who need just as much help and respect from the people on the outside, and whose cultures are just as valuable, just as beautiful and integral to the Jewish people as anything else, that is evil. It’s just evil.

[eva-does-their-best]

Going from "I'm not one of those trans people who do x or y" to "I am so one of those and I should have not judged them and I am glad that I got rid of the normative judgemental attitude I used to have".

Going from "I'm just a lesbian so liking trans men is wrong i don't want to deny their manhood" to "My sexuality is weird and that is fine, I like who I like despite the theoretical implications of it and I am not denying anyone's identity because I like them for who they are and respect them no matter what".

Going from "I'm just a regular binary she/her woman" to "I'm a girl and a woman but my dissociation and life experiences also make me feel impersonal so I can use it/its and I'm not weird for it, i wouldn't even be weird if I had no justification either, I can even use doll pronouns because I like them and they make me feel warm and happy and that is what matters".

Going from "Ok so these are all the labels with their very clear definitions and meanings and everything else is internet quirky stuff" to "I literally would not know how to explain what you are and I won't force you to explain it if you don't want, I don't need to understand it to accept you, you are valid and loved. If you instead want to explain it to me I'll do my best to learn and defend it whenever I can".

Going from "I am so sad, frustrated, angry and in pain because I will never be or look cis" to "I actually don't like the cis normative look, I don't want to cispass, I like trans beauty but specifically I like me beauty, the one where I am still myself but a more me version of myself. The world constantly told me what I should aspire to be and look like and like and I was brainwashed for so long but now I've broken free and am free to fully love myself and everyone else in this world who ever thought they were weird or ugly because my eyes find so much beauty in everything and everyone!"

Going from "Ew furries" to "I don't want to make fun of people who deviate from the norm because that is exactly what happens to me and we should all be together or else we are treating ourselves as exceptions and exceptions are easily revoked, I will learn to love everyone against a brain poisoned with conservativism and "normality". I like rats I should make a rat fursona or smth it would be so cute it'd so represent me :3".

Going from "I am useless, lazy, falling behind, a disappointment" to "I am physically and mentally disabled, there have never been accomodations for me in any aspect of my life and the intersectionalities of gender, sexuality, economical situation, etc. have made my life extremely difficult, I forgive myself for both failing and for blaming myself, I will seek help and advocate for myself to the best of my abilities and I will respect my limits in this world that was not made for people like me".

Learning is hard, changing is scary, but it's mostly just your brain being a conservative for the sake of commodity, safety and self-preservation, sometimes you need to fight your brain in a war of attrition but when you finally win you'll be so much happier.

I am so much happier now, my world is bigger and brighter and I see everyone and everything with a new, beautiful light. I look back on how I was and how I thought and how the world works and it all looks so much worse and grey, I am not going back there, this new mind is my home now.

And the best part is that I know I will keep learning more and changing more and the world and this life will keep getting better and better🥰.

[gabbiecasso]

Just me and my reflections on Shikatema

I've been weirdly hyperfixated recently on Shikamaru and Temari, and so I reflected a lot just to properly dissect the reasons myself because I initially couldn't really understand why I liked them when I was really young, more so as an adult (and as demi/ace) LOL so imma yap

As a demi, I've always struggled with romance themes. I always subtly feel like my circuits are frying when I watch anything romance or I often just plainly feel indifferent. Thankfully I managed to spot a few patterns by spending a lot of time in my head; one of them is that I prefer romance when it's not under the spotlight (idk I noticed I always prefer the side pairs more than the main pairs in any story HAHA) I guess that was one of the categories that Shikatema falls under.

I spent more than a decade watching/reading Naruto and it was enough time for me to have a close affinity with these characters and love them for creating such a huge impact in my childhood without the heavy emotional flairs that Naruto and the rest of characters put upfront. They ultimately became my two favorite characters in the series because I share the same traits and tendencies as them. It also wasn't a surprise that two of my favorite characters ended up together because their relationship was slowly developed and it didn't come off like shocking news.

Unlike the other pairs in Naruto where it seems to have characters fixating on someone or characters overshadowing the other, Shikatema operate on a level playing field. They're each strong leaders and strategists in their own right, both competent enough to recognize each other's strengths. They don't feel the need to change the other nor prove their worth. They're their own person and it clearly shows early in the series and even as it progresses to Shippuden.

I personally dislike being the center of anyone's attention or constantly feeding someone attention so I gravitate more to people who are deeply more passionate about purpose/duty/service/something more than about me and my presence. Shikatema has that dynamic where their relationship feels more like a partnership than a romance based on dependency. They both have important (political) roles in their own respective villages, and they know their purposes and the weight that they carry very well—which prolly explains why both are self-sufficient, independent, and capable. They both take their duties seriously and you don't see a scene where one craves for the other's attention (it’s funny how actively and arduously they work on their duty while in each other’s presence so you can definitely say they were literally there for (and with) each other as they fulfilled their roles as diplomat escort/advisor and diplomat/royalty)

Another that I value DEEPLY to my core is individuality, and I've always adored how Shikamaru and Temari preserve their individuality while still thriving together. It's one of the main factors why they see each other as equals and why none of them overpowers the other.

Shikamaru, laid-back and often understated, complements Temari’s directness and assertiveness. His relaxed demeanor helps her stay grounded and objective rather than just taunting in combat or in general LMFAO

Meanwhile, Temari, who is confident and comfortable taking charge, gives Shikamaru's abilities more buoyancy—she openly calls out his BS and he welcomes it because he knows how unassuming, and, at times, self-deprecating he can be. He never seeks the spotlight and often downplays his own abilities and it's where Temari's outspokenness fits the bill (this energy is also quite evident in Shikamaru Hiden)

Both characters also challenge gender norms (I'm inclined to believe that their characters' subtle sexism when they were first introduced in the series was part of the writing, there is an active discussion about this somewhere and I genuinely believe it has its purpose) Young Shikamaru yaps about her being too troublesome because she's incessantly outspoken/spunky. Young Temari yaps about him being too emotional because he didn't seem to receive emotional training.

Yet in the long run, Shikamaru's honesty and vulnerability allow Temari to soften up and witness the act of kindness by someone who wears his heart on his sleeve (which was first seen during the Sasuke retrieval arc at the hospital where Shikamaru had an emotional breakdown) and Temari's unwavering strength and energy nudges Shikamaru into action when he might otherwise hesitate (Temari often banters with him to make him commit to his decisions and not spend too much time in his head)

Both characters also have innate leadership. I noticed that one of my main attraction points is leadership (as an act of service girlie) and these two have that strong nature: Shikamaru leads with his introspective nature, while Temari leads with her assertive nature.

It was evident first during the Chunin exams when they were pitted against each other—both read their opponents exceptionally well and they both show a strong sense of battle awareness while keeping their cool and executing their strategies effectively. It's no surprise that Shikamaru was promoted Chunin and Temari was promoted Jonin & Ambassador (it wasn't clear when Temari was promoted, but in the early episodes of Shippuden, she was already a Jonin & Ambassador who frequently visits Konoha) They both learned to grow as leaders who first serve their people before themselves in their respective villages and it stretches further during the war arc where they serve not just people from their respective villages but the entire Alliance.

Both were also Chunin exam proctors, so ain't that great LOL I think it was one of the many factors why I never doubted their parenting (and Shikadai did grew up to be such a fine and disciplined shinobi with a strong moral code) Both did seem to question each other's parenting styles since Temari favors intense training while Shikamaru advocates leisure (which I believe is a great balance) but both parents have fostered Shikadai's agency; allowing him to come up with his own conclusions and decisions based on his critical thinking because both Shikamaru and Temari share the same values in their youth.

In the series, high intensity emotions are almost always present in every relationship but their relationship has a subdued nature—They don't need long stretches of dialogues to understand each other because all they needed was experiences, and a little observation and deduction.

They didn't need to prove their worth to each other (or to anyone honestly) because it's built on deep understanding rather than overt passion. Altho it had a different interpretation in the manga, both characters even agree that marriage is troublesome LOL (but welp)

Last one is that both are strategists. Chess is my sport and puzzles/tactical games that require mental effort has always been my comfort, I guess it's natural for me to gravitate to these two. (I like any strategic characters who also wear their heart on their sleeve)

They also approach strategy differently: Shikamaru’s intellect makes him highly logical and analytical, often relying on foresight to plan for every possible outcome. Temari is a decisive, action-oriented strategist; often has the courage to commit to a decision quickly. She also heavily thinks on the fly to understand an opponent's motive and naturally adapts.

This was again exhibited during the Chunin exams where Shikamaru's strategic skills allowed him to use his environment to his advantage while Temari displayed her adaptability and quick-thinking capabilities to counter Shikamaru's offenses since she's a heavy thinker herself.

Temari may not be as exceptionally creative as Shikamaru but she highly values intel, reason, and logic in order to come up with a counter. This was exactly the reason why her battle with Shikamaru was further stretched; up to the point where Shikamaru exhausted his chakra.

I deeply adore how both characters value planning, precision, and patience in combat while other characters in the story value power, tenacity, and speed. Irl, I value the same set of values as Shikatema in chess/games/puzzles and so I guess it’s no surprise. I get to just admire the intellectual aspect of their relationship where it allows them to not just connect emotionally but also challenge each other mentally in every screen time they had.

Thanks for coming to my yapping thread if you ever made it in the end LOL

[fuddaroundandgetbueckets]

Paige & Azzi Astrology

Disclaimer: this is written with like 85% accuracy because without knowing birth times some planets (mainly Rising) may be off! I am not an astrologer; I just find it interesting. Not all planets/signs/houses are included due to redundancy – Also would like to say I did not use chatgpt for this so we say together thank yewwwwww AJ

Azzi

Planet Placements:

Sun – Scorpio

The sun sign dictates the parts of your personality that relate to the ego

Sun in Scorpio women are intense – they feel many things deeply, and that can mean towards their own emotions or empathy for others. They have deep and meaningful desires, strong intuition, and a natural intensity. Sometimes they can come off naturally shy or secretive, but generally that comes from self-preservation more than anything else

Moon – Aquarius

The moon sign represents hidden aspects of your personality; that can mean memories that have shaped you, what drives your sense of self, motivators, etc

Aquarius moons are naturally rebellious and love diplomacy; they want everyone to feel loved and protected by them and others

Rising – Capricorn (alleged)

Rising signs are generally how you are perceived by others, so it’s an import aspect of the chart. It can affect how you dress and even how your face is structured.

Women with Capricorn Risings can come off as serious or mature, cautious, and hold a quiet power to them. They are naturally driven to succeed and stay disciplined

Mercury – Scorpio

Mercury is associated with how you communicate, make decisions and generally interact with others.

Scorpio being in this sign means that she naturally a listener, and highly emotionally intelligent. Her communication style can be intense in a quiet way, but she’s very good at controlling her emotions and remaining calm

Venus – Scorpio

Venus shows us what we find pleasure in, how we love others, what we find beautiful, and what our values are in relationships

Scorpio Venus women are sensualllllllll. Being so in touch with their emotions, they can be passionate and loyal. They are highly sensitive and are prone to becoming deeply hurt, but their energy is alluring

Mars – Libra

Mars embodies a person’s aggressive nature, their drive, and sometimes sexuality. Think how you are in an argument.

Libra is the sign of balance, and being in Mars means she has a strong sense of what’s right from wrong. Think fairness, justice, and being well-rounded. She isn’t prone to exploding and stays generally charming through adversity

Chiron – Capricorn

Chiron shows us where we are vulnerable within ourself and where we have potential to heal

There is a wound of recognition, meaning she strives to be respected and acknowledged. She navigates this through staying structured and disciplined

Eros – Pisces

Eros, although similar to the Venus sign, is more linked to sexual expression and desire specifically

Love is a spiritual journey for Pisces here. This placement craves a deep love with profound understanding of one another. It emphasizes physical touch as a love language, and intimate moments feel like a fantasy. There is feeling of adaptability/fluidity in intimacy, and this person is natural poet

AKA certified freak

Juno – Libra

Although partnership related, Juno focuses on how you behave in your partnerships/what you look for in a partnership

Libra here seeks harmony and balance in partnerships, and she has a deep appreciation for art and beauty. She naturally brings grace and calm to her partnerships

Lilith – Aries

Lilith shows us how we rebel and seek independence

Naturally, she’s fiercely independent. She isn’t afraid to prove herself, be bold, and walk through life with confidence. Always stands up for what’s right!

Basically she knows she’s that girl

Paige

Planet Placements:

Sun – Libra

The sun sign dictates the parts of your personality that relate to the ego

This is such a relationship-oriented sign. They pride themselves in being the mediator, and joining groups of people through their charm and grace. Naturally charismatic, they move through life with grace and balance

Moon – Sagittarius

The moon sign represents hidden aspects of your personality; that can mean memories that have shaped you, what drives your sense of self, motivators, etc

This placement is hard to bog down – they crave independence and free spiritedness. They are naturally optimistic and adventurous in their life. This is very go with the flow placement, but sometimes subject to high emotions

Rising – Sagittarius (alleged)

Rising signs are generally how you are perceived by others, so it’s an import aspect of the chart. It can affect how you dress and even how your face is structured

This placement radiates joy and optimism. She is strong-willed, inherently independent, and knows how to balance meaningful relationships while carving her own path. Also looks great in bright colors (duh we knew this)

Mercury – Libra

Mercury is associated with how you communicate, make decisions and generally interact with others

This placement is super skilled in navigating social interactions with literally anyone. They are an attentive listener, and naturally intellectual. She has a natural grace and genuinely cares what you have to say

Venus – Libra

Venus shows us what we find pleasure in, how we love others, what we find beautiful, and what our values are in relationships

This placement naturally has a lot of friends and people seeking them out from how charming they are. Usually very fashionable, and exudes a cool aura without trying (also duh)

Mars – Capricorn

Mars embodies a person’s aggressive nature, their drive, and sometimes sexuality. Think how you are in an argument.

This placement takes themselves very seriously when they need to. They are the most determined, and are a natural leader in any environment

Chiron – Sagittarius

Chiron shows us where we are vulnerable within ourself and where we have potential to heal

This placement is a lifelong learner who prides herself in being adaptable but often struggles with what their purpose is

Eros – Scorpio

Eros, although similar to the Venus sign, is more linked to sexual expression and desire specifically

This placement is intensely passionate and giving. They are naturally curious about every aspect of romantic love and sexuality. They are explorative, and crave love just as intense as theirs. They aren’t just looking for flings – they want something powerful and that will last forever

Another certified freak

Juno – Leo

Although partnership related, Juno focuses on how you behave in your partnerships/what you look for in a partnership

This placement lovessssssss to have someone they can show off. They want someone who respects them, someone they can grow a family with, and who is at their level

Lilith – Pisces

Lilith shows us how we rebel and seek independence

At their core, this placement is a gentle person. They genuinely feel deeply for others and care for the people in their life. They want to provide, nurture, and heal others

Markers of Compatibility:

Planet Placements (Azzi & Paige):

Sun – Scorpio & Libra

Libra loveesssssss to give Scorpio the attention they want here. Libra is the sign of balance and harmony, and is very good at bringing peace and optimism wherever they go. Scorpio sun is naturally intense and brings a deeper level of emotional connection

Moon – Aquarius & Sagittarius

These two signs together here blend really nicely – they’re both super gentle with the other and setting boundaries when needed. Ultimately, they are both future-oriented with the desire to create a lasting love

Venus – Scorpio & Libra

Both of these placements strongly value emotional connection, and have a natural attraction to one another for their aesthetics and curiosity for the other. Libra absolutely feeds off of Scorpio’s depth, and Scorpio loves that they are just seen and heard and understood

Mercury – Scorpio & Libra

Their communication styles slightly differ here, which can cause some misunderstanding. Libra is naturally open and nonabrasive, while Scorpio is naturally weary and quiet. In combination with the other signs though it isn’t the end of the world

Mars – Libra & Capricorn

When fired up, Capricorn can a little too serious and ill-tempered while Libra is good at balancing them to calm down

Rising – Capricorn & Sagittarius

Capricorn is naturally serious, so Sagittarius brings out the fun and positive side of their personality. On the flip, Capricorn offers a grounding support and calmness

Eros – Pisces & Scorpio

When these two signs meet here, the chemistry is insane. Both signs are intense in Eros on their own, so together they are wildly intimate and down to explore

Juno – Libra & Leo

Juno in Libra looks for a partner that thinks they hung the moon in the sky, and Juno in Leo want someone they love to show off

Basically they’re perfect for each other

Houses:

4th House – House of the Home and Family Life

Taurus (Azzi): This placement enjoys stability and having a strong family foundation. To them, family is everything and security in the home is the most important

Aries (Paige): This placement is action-oriented, and loves to be in charge at home aka be the breadwinner. They want to provide and help the people they love be secure

Princess treatment every time I’m with her confirmed

7th House – House of Relationships

Cancer (Azzi): This placement is extremely sentimental, romantic, and thoughtful for the people they love. They love to love others and feel protected. They go for people who they know will take care of them and have the same family values

Gemini (Paige): This placement is a fun and exciting partner who loves to bring a fresh breath of air to the relationship. They like to keep you on your toes but still treat you with a gentleness

Consensus: they were soulmates your honor, never even stood a chance!!!!!

[melrosing]

why did martin made cersei evil from the beginning? tyrion and jaime are very fucked up but they still have some kindness and empathy in them. at age 7 she was torturing baby tyrion by pulling on his genitals and threatening the wet nurse her tongue would be cut out. she killed her friend at age 10. having all these negative traits baked in from the beginning makes her more flat for me. plus martin made her stupid and mockable. she has zero self awareness. she is dishonest with herself. even d&d had more respect for her. do you think cersei is a sociopath? i think martin doesn't like her. do you agree with me?

ok you pose several arguments here but I will try and reply as entirely as I can.

why did martin made cersei evil from the beginning?

I've questioned this choice sometimes but I don't think it was necessarily the wrong one?? the scene with baby Tyrion is to me a deeply disturbing but still very interesting one that says a lot about Cersei, her relationship with Tywin, and the greater part she's played in shaping her relationship with Tyrion.

here, she has obviously very quickly absorbed Tywin's 'the baby killed Joanna' narrative, and is punishing Tyrion in a manner that's like. both childish and horribly violent at once, like she doesn't fully understand how violence is usually applied (pinching is a really childish form of violence in my mind), but she knows how to make it hurt.

then there's also the fact that perhaps Tyrion now represents a rival to second place - her status over him is that she's able-bodied, but his over her is his sex. maybe Cersei has some vague understanding of this at seven, and that's another part of why she hurts Tyrion is this extremely particular way.

and also like. Tywin is ultimately a man of extreme violence, and Cersei has always been listening at the door trying to learn from him. it makes sense that she'd be trying to apply his teachings where she sees fit, and that this would result in disturbed behaviour like what she does to Tyrion. I think it's also interesting that we can distinguish this from what Joffrey does to the cat, for example. there's a kind of obliviousness to that act of violence in Joffrey's early childhood (making more the case for nature over nurture, though nurture plays its part). Cersei's childhood violence is a lot more intentional: it feels like she's trying to exercise power of her own, and that is very much fitting with adult Cersei's story.

however, I think Cersei herself identifies the Melara incident as something of an outlier in her childhood. I don't say this to suggest that Cersei was not a very violent child, but that she didn't do it out of pure evil. I think the key factor driving Cersei to do what she does to Melara is a fear for her own mortality - Melara points out that if noone talks of Maggy's prophecy, it needn't be true, and so Cersei kills the only other person who knows of it (besides Maggy). I do think spite towards Melara for yearning for Jaime factored insofar as this helps Cersei build just enough spite towards Melara that she's able to do what she does, but it is primarily an act of self-preservation, I think. I think many evil acts of Cersei's are self-preservation, though taken way past the line of what's justifiable to that end.

and ofc, Cersei as an adult feels some level of guilt about what she did to Melara. it does fuck with her a bit. I think the main reason is that Melara was a friend and confidante for a time, someone who she could have held close but instead cast out (same as how she briefly reflects on Sansa and how she might have done better by her). so..... again, it does come down to self-preservation in the end, but I don't think Cersei was a two-dimensional evil kid. you can find the sense in her reasoning, which is pretty absent in what Joffrey does to the cat.

tyrion and jaime are very fucked up but they still have some kindness and empathy in them.

i personally find the cersei/her brothers dichotomies kind of frustrating cos like. not every character needs the traits of empathy and kindness. Cersei is not the only character in ASOIAF who lacks these traits. Littlefinger, Euron, Roose, Ramsay, Tywin himself, etc, all lack these traits, and yet are not afforded anything close to complexity Cersei is. she is the only POV character among these villains. and whilst I do think that the whiplash between Cersei's occasionally-played-for-laughs foolishness and her sexual trauma is sometimes verging on ill-judged, fandom should take more accountability for the extent to which they relegate Cersei to dark comic relief. she was not written as this.

and as I've said before, whilst I do think it's notable that Cersei is our primary female villain yet written as often foolish and ridiculed as such, yet male villains comparably tend to be much savvier, it still makes sense that Cersei would lack these smarts: she wasn't taught them. still, sure, to some extent I agree that GRRM should not have played this for laughs so often.

returning again to Cersei lacking empathy etc - well, you have other characters who lack evil. Brienne hasn't really got a gram of darkness in her body, yet is enormously complex in other ways. then you've got characters like Asha, who have more of a balance of the two, and yet aren't even half as complex as Cersei (despite being a POV). GRRM has not refused Cersei complexity, and he has not written her, on his own part, without empathy. we see Cersei grieve, we see Cersei traumatised, we see Cersei frightened, we see Cersei humiliated. again, as I've said before, GRRM makes us hold Cersei's cruelty in the one hand, and Cersei's pain in the other, and reckon with both at once. neither excuses the other, as they might in a lesser story - like Game of Thrones!

and i'm not going to go deep into GOT right now, but I don't agree that d&d had more respect for Cersei as a character. d&d cannot conceive of Cersei as anything besides a mother. they reduce everything about her to motherhood, and when she runs out of children, they stick another one in her. they cannot imagine what might drive a character like Cersei beyond motherhood. it is essentially the final note of her story - 'I don't want our baby to die' etc. i don't think i need to say much more to explain that I think reducing a character like book Cersei to this, is deeply misogynistic. if you want to see that misogyny in action elsewhere, see how the finale ultimately frames a dichotomy between the childless Dany, a freak tyrant, and the pregnant mother Cersei, who the writers think we'll want to escape to Pentos to survive with her baby, and who we're supposed to weep for when she doesn't make it out. and now remember what happened like. one episode before with Missandei, the last black woman on this show. d&d couldn't respect a woman if their lives depended on it

do you think cersei is a sociopath?

GRRM says she has an 'almost sociopathic' view of the world, but obviously shies away from identifying her as such, and I think he's right to - these kinds of labels are far too prescriptive when what you're trying to write is a character in a book, not an article for a medical journal.

do you agree with me?

nah not really. ultimately I think whilst Cersei is written as unabashedly evil, this doesn't mean that that evil is two dimensional. she exists on the darkest end of the spectrum because I think that is the most interesting place for her to occupy - I don't believe Cersei's story would be improved with a redemption arc, or a couple of instances where she sneaks Sansa a sweet or w/e. grey characters are interesting, yeah, but they are not invariably more interesting than those in the darkest shades, and I don't think GRRM has done Cersei an injustice by not painting her lighter.

[simpforsolas]

So I've seen a some discussion of people both criticizing and defending the DATV companions for being nice to each other. And I think the arguments from both sides are being a little bit misconstrued, which is honestly understandable. I think that often when something bothers us in fiction, it's hard to put into words exactly what it is. So as we try our best to express ourselves, it may not end up getting to the point of what the issue actually is (this is also why it can be tough for writers to properly address criticism - the readers providing the criticism might not be accurately diagnosing the root of the problem, so their attempts to fix it are shallow and don't actually address the issue).

Now I obviously don't speak for everyone, but I do think that a good amount of the people saying they want the DATV crew to be meaner don't actually mean they literally just want people to be rude and insulting each other for no reason. I think it boils down to three things that the new crew was missing:

Inability to really feel how the companion's backstories form their unique worldview

Lack of conflict between companions

Limited relationship dynamics between Rook and the companions

Inability to feel how companion's backstories form their worldview

In previous Dragon Age games, the characters frequently discussed and argued topics of philosophy, faith, politics, and beliefs. They came from all different backgrounds. You had Morrigan, a hedge mage raised to believe in self-preservation, teaming up with an Andrastian circle mage and former templar. Their beliefs and worldviews are, at their core, at odds with each other. The game doesn't necessarily try to make you believe one way or another, it simply drops you into the world and allows you to interact with these character, see their interactions with each other, and draw your own conclusions. In Dragon Age Inquistion, you have Cole, a spirit of compassion, teaming up with Vivienne, who believes the circle teachings that spirits are demons and want to possess people, and Sera, who represents the perspective of the common people that are afraid of all things magical or fade-related. You have Solas, a staunch individualist who believes in freedom for all, Cassandra, a faithful Andrastian who follows her own inner compass even when at odds with the institution of the Chantry, and Iron Bull, a Ben-Hassrath agent who believes in the Qun not because he's a philosopher and has decided that's what works best, but because that's how he was raised and so far, the Qun has worked for him. So in previous Dragon Age titles, you have people whose worldviews and beliefs are fundamentally at odds with each other, and whose actions and dialogues are a direct result of those beliefs. Veilguard really downplayed the importance of religion in Thedas, which isn't necessarily a problem in and of itself. In DA2, the only companion with strong religious beliefs is Sebastian. However, you had Anders who believed strongly in mage liberation, Fenris, who believed strongly in the dangers of magic, and Isabela, whose lack of belief and lack of respect for religion/beliefs led to one of the game's biggest conflicts. Discussion of religion and philosophy was always a huge part of the Dragon Age games, so when they almost entirely removed that element and didn't replace it with other types of belief that could lead to meaningful differences of opinion, we were just left with nothing of substance to really talk about. This isn't saying that the companions don't have things they believe in, but it's just not the same as characters from previous games. In general, their backgrounds don't form a unique worldview that results in differences of opinions and interesting conflict. Which brings my to my next point:

Lack of conflict between companions

There's a huge spectrum between "everyone is friends and always gets along" and "everyone hates each other and is happy when their ally is sold into slavery." In fact, fans often get really into fictional relationships that have quite a bit of conflict. Speaking for myself, I love relationships where two people may fight or disagree, but they truly care for one another and would willingly put themselves in harm's way to protect one another. So I think when a lot of people say the companions get along too well, they don't necessarily mean that they want them to all hate each other (maybe some do). They mean that they just want there to be interesting interpersonal conflicts. (I personally would love for a companion pair to argue a lot, but when it comes down to it, they actually really care about each other) Why do we want this? Well first, conflict just makes things more interesting. But I think that it also ties into point 1. In this game, the companions simply don't seem passionate enough about what they believe to argue for it, or, if they are, there's not anyone who challenges their beliefs and forces them to defend their position. I would say that Emmrich is very passionate about his love for spirits and necromancy, two things which are seen as weird and dangerous by most people in Thedas. However, there's almost no chance for him to passionately argue for his worldview because no one challenges it. There is that one scene with Taash finding his passion for working with the dead creepy, but as soon as the issue comes up, it's resolved. Compare that to Solas, where a big part of his characterization is love for spirits and frustration with fear and ignorance leading people to discriminate against what they don't understand. Having to face opposition to his beliefs, both in the world and within the inquisitor's inner circle (and sometimes the inquisitor themself), gives the writers the opportunities to emphasize core parts of his characterization.

On a final note for this section, it's just more interesting when different pairs of companions have unique relationships with each other. Solas and Cole's wholesome, mostly conflict-free friendship is made sweeter because you can compare it to Solas and Sera's relationship. It makes the relationships more meaningful when you can contrast it to how those same people click or don't click with other companions.

Limited relationship dynamics with Rook

The final issue I want to talk about is how all this ties into Rook. In previous games, you could learn a lot about a character's beliefs by seeing what they approved and didn't approve of. Anders approves of supporting mages, Fenris doesn't. Leliana approves of compassion for strangers, Morrigan doesn't because why should she help people who can't help themselves, and also it's a waste of time. Cole greatly approves of helping people, Solas slightly approves of you asking questions, Cassandra approves of expressing belief in the Maker, and so forth and so on. Then depending on the choices you make, your approval actually makes a difference in how these companions view you as their leader. But in Veilguard... well either the companions don't have strong feelings about things, or Rook isn't allowed to make decisions that oppose the beliefs they do have. Because of this, there's basically no conflict between Rook and the team. From my understanding, worst relationship you can get with the team is "distant boss whose employees don't invite them to their work parties," but that's not the same as Cassandra hating you so much she gets drunk or getting specific rival scenes like in DA2 where companions react entirely differently because Hawke consistently acted in opposition to their beliefs.

Final thoughts

So when people criticize the companions not getting along, I think it's less to do with the fact that people want them to hate each other, and more to do with the fact that we want companions who have a strong worldview shaped by their backstory, and for that worldview being challenged to lead to interesting conflict. Whether that challenge comes from other companions, the world, or Rook themself, I don't care - I just want interesting and meaningful conflict that is arises because the companions are strong characters who believe in something.

[bloomzone]

The Art of Self love (wonyoung edition)

✒️..In a world often obsessed with external validation and comparisons, the journey toward self-love is both empowering and transformative. One individual who truly embodies this is for example : Jang Wonyoung her mindset and approach to life have become a beacon of positivity and self-acceptance for many. Beyond her fame and talent, her journey provides a roadmap for anyone seeking to understand how to love themselves unconditionally and stay authentic in a world that’s constantly changing. Let's into the art of self-love as seen through her lens. firssst :

ஐ- Embrace Your Authenticity

wonyoung is the embodiment of authenticity. She has openly shared that loving who you are, flaws and all, is the foundation of inner peace. “I wholeheartedly love the person that I am,” she says, and this belief is key to her self-love journey. It's about being real with yourself and not allowing external pressures or the opinions of others to dictate your worth.

In her case, wony often finds herself in the public eye, yet she doesn't let the spotlight make her feel like she has to pretend to be something she's not. She reminds us that self-love comes from within, and it’s rooted in accepting your true self without masks or filters.

ஐ- Cultivate Inner Strength

A significant part of her self-love is her unwavering strength. She stands firm in her beliefs, and that makes her both resilient and grounded. When facing criticism or tough situations, her mindset is simple: “I’m focused on what matters, and I know who I am.” the ability to remain unshaken by external negativity allows her to stay confident in her own skin. So Inner strength doesn’t mean avoiding challenges, but rather facing them with grace and the confidence that they won’t define you. It’s about building a mindset that no matter what life throws your way, you trust yourself to navigate it. (This is another topic )

ஐ- Embrace Imperfections

It’s easy to get lost in the desire for perfection. We all have areas in which we feel we could be better, but Wonyoung reminds us that our imperfections are what make us unique. She doesn’t strive to be flawless, and neither should we. Embracing who we are imperfections included is a vital part of the self-love journey. She doesn’t try to hide her vulnerabilities; instead, she embraces them. She says, “I am not perfect, and that’s okay,” which is a powerful message in a world that constantly pushes for unattainable standards.

ஐ- Set Personal Boundaries

In her career, Wonyoung has learned the importance of knowing her limits. She understands that in order to protect her mental health and energy, setting boundaries is crucial. Whether it’s not overexerting herself or stepping back from toxic situations, she knows when to say no.Boundaries are an essential part of self-love because they ensure you don’t burn out or allow others to drain your energy. Wonyoung teaches us that saying no is not a sign of weakness but a necessary act of self-respect. It’s about preserving your peace and prioritizing your well-being over external demands.

ஐ- Practice Gratitude

Gratitude plays a central role in Wonyoung's self-love. She often expresses how thankful she is for the support of her fans, her family, and her team. This gratitude grounds her and reminds her of the beauty that surrounds her, even during tough times. She believes that by focusing on the things you’re thankful for, you can shift your energy toward positivity and attract even more to be grateful for.A simple practice of gratitude can transform your mindset. Whether it’s taking a moment every day to reflect on what you're grateful for or reminding yourself of the good things in your life, cultivating gratitude enhances your self-love and helps you stay grounded.

ஐ- Encourage Self-Love in Others

While Jang Wonyoung is undoubtedly focused on her own journey, she doesn’t keep her message of self-love to herself. She encourages others to love themselves and recognizes that her platform gives her the ability to inspire others. She hopes that through ive songs presence, and personal messages, others can learn to embrace their own uniqueness and start their own journey of self-love.This sense of community and support is essential. When you love yourself, you automatically encourage others to do the same, creating a ripple effect of positivity and self-empowerment.

So, take a moment today to celebrate yourself, with all your imperfections and all your strengths. Trust that the journey you’re on is exactly where you need to be, and remember—self-love is the key to creating a fulfilling and joyful life.

@bloomzone 📇

[movingthisblogcelestialtarot11]

Astrology Observations 🤍✨

Hi friends! Welcome back to another post 💅🏻 today we’ll be looking at astro observations! Please like, comment and reblog to help this blog grow ✨

Aries + Taurus pairing as friends/couple are the show stoppers. They draw attention wherever they go, there’s so much fire between them. Although Taurus is an Earth sign, Taurus does enjoy the finer things in life and passion! Aries helps to bring the heat in the connection and the two have a lot in common. Aries is headstrong, Taurus is as well. Both are self starters and independent. Both know what they want (taurus is a fixed sign) and both know what it takes to create + sustain it.

Aquarius sun experienced being the quiet one in group settings, especially if they were with people they didn’t necessarily understand or get along with. Its not that they aren’t smart, or capable of human interaction. They’re actually great at it, they just preserve their energy for better people/interactions.

Gemini’s love to story tell and embellish their stories! They love adding jokes, flare, and drama to their stories. They’re a bit like Leo-great at storytelling and communicating! Both Leo and Gemini love to entertain 🤍✨

Transits in your 4th house-family will require your attention more, and specifically the Mother could be around a lot more. Physically, emotionally and mentally even if you may not have a great connection. She may try to wiggle her way in your life during these 4th house transits. If you work with ancestors, they will be sending you dreams and messages day to day even more than usual. Expect the things that you need to liberate yourself from will come up in dreams, or day to day. Dreaming of your childhood for example can be triggering to some, whether the dream was good or bad.

Sagittarius are often quiet but have a lot to say when in a proper group setting. They think a lot of the world around them, and I notice they like to be in situations where they can mansplain 🤣 but offering advice and mediating conversations is their specialty. They’re blunt, honest, and get to the point.

Leo women often walk with a lot of respect, flare and spirit. Their head is held high.

Cancer women love going out and love staying home! They have their homebody moments too 💅🏻 cancers love a good time! And are not stuck in their shell as ya’ll may think

Cancer women may also be the type to have fairy tattoos, or tattoos that are delicate. They have tattoos that have a whimsical charm to them, even if it may be considered “dark.” There is an ethereal vibe to it!

Virgo women love planning, decorating and getting family together! Or who they consider family. They love setting the mood, setting the atmosphere, environment. They would be great party planners/wedding planners!

Pisces women may be into cars 👀

Scorpio moon women may get into nursing at some point or considered studying that!

Gemini women may love doing their own nails, and being proud of their art! They love to show off anything that expresses their skill.

Gemini Venus women want to speak different languages but may get frustrated at the effort required 😂 as a gemini venus myself yes

Capricorn moon women may enjoy having a minimalistic setup in their room, colors that are light and simple, but with a dash of darkness or vivid color! They love creating balance in their room and have an eye for intensity through detail

Leo rising commands all the attention in the room for themselves. But I’ve noticed if a Leo rising is not feeling confident in themselves, they can come across as arrogant, and self absorbed. It’s because part of them needs their own attention and space, but the native isn’t realizing that. Or the native doesn’t know how to meet their needs.

Thank you all for being here! I really appreciate it 🥹💗 Please enjoy the little observations I put together! Feel free to like comment and reblog ✨

Paid Readings 💗✨

[perseidlion]

The Interview With the Vampire TV show is a perfect example of how adaptations do not have to follow the source material closely to be an excellent adaptation.

(This is a spoiler-free commentary, but it does discuss the dynamics of the characters in general.)

I read the books back in the day, and of course, saw the original movie. Despite a laundry list of big changes, the series still feels extremely true to the books because it captures the spirit. It gets the characters and their fucked-up dynamics right. It doesn't shy away from them being melodramatic monsters. It keeps to the rules established in the source material. The show also makes sure to preserve key moments and key scenes, but always with a twist.

Since they did that, they were free to shift things in time, amp up and adapt certain dynamics, and change the race of characters in a way that deepens the story and complicates already extremely complicated power dynamics.

The original movie stuck more closely to the era and the appearance of the characters as described by Anne Rice, but I don't think the story loses anything by changing those two elements. In fact, it gives it modern relevance and room for political and social commentary.

I have never ascribed to the idea that an adaptation has to be slavishly accurate to the source material to be a good adaptation. It just has to be smart enough to identify what to keep and what can change. An adaptation adapts. Honestly, I find it boring when I see exactly what was in a book up on screen with no surprises. Where's the fun in that?

The difference between a good adaptation and a bad one is not how accurate it is to the source material, but how well the adaptation respects what made the story compelling to begin with.

What's important here?

Lestat is dramatic and powerful and a monster who is deeply charismatic, but also manipulative.

Louis is overdramatic and self-hating, but oddly drawn to Lestat.

Claudia is fierce, but bitter about her eternal childhood.

Their relationship is deeply toxic but with true affection. They are monsters, but monsters capable of intense love and devotion - to the point where it has the power to destroy them.

THAT is at the core of this story. THAT is what they keep intact. This frees up all sorts of avenues for play around a few key plot beats.

This room for play also gives opportunities to expand on thinner characters or rewrite them entirely. It's been a long time since I read the books, but I don't recall Daniel standing out as more than a framing device, especially in earlier books. But in the show, he's one of the best parts. Not only does he take a much more active role in the story, he delivers some of the most hilarious and cutting lines of the entire series. If the show had stuck closely to the source material, we wouldn't have this Daniel.

It was also smart of them to make Claudia a few years older. The eternal child element is preserved, but the layer of arrested teenaged hormones and womanhood that will never blossom adds an extra layer of angst and sadness. She is stuck forever in a state of rebellion, never allowed to settle and come into her own.

Having her be a young Black woman also deepens her attachment to Louis, visually, socially and symbolically. They are different from Lestat and they understand each other in a way he never can. She's still very much the Claudia from the book but with layers added to deepen her character and add new, fresh dynamics and complications.

It's also delightful to see the show take the homoeroticism that was subtextual in the early books with Louis and Lestat (and in the original film) and making it unapologetically text. Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles have always been incredibly queer and subversive, but it's amazing to see that side of it fully embraced and stated plainly with no ambiguity or qualifiers or hints. It's queer and that queerness is woven into the fabric of the entire narrative. Louis and Lestat are the toxic beating heart of the Vampire Chronicles.

It's also important because we need messy, dark, fucked-up queer narratives. Sweet, coming-of-age stories and romances are of course, important - especially for younger queer people. But us older queer folk not only want to see ourselves in multiple genres, we want permission to see imperfect, messy, and yes, even evil characters. It's a way of reclaiming the monstrous queer that was villainized for so long and making it our own. We want to find something beautiful in the dark.

If we all thought about it, we could probably think of dozens of examples where a show or movie went far off-script from the source material and was still an excellent adaptation.

Interview With the Vampire is just the most recent and one of the best examples of a stellar adaptation that respects the source material but also builds and expands on it.

I look forward to seeing how they surprise me next season.

[aventurineswife]

Rebel Hearts and Bruised Knuckle

Summary: In the neon-lit underbelly of Zaun, you and Vi cross paths in the pit fights—two fighters with too much history and too little self-preservation. What starts as a rivalry built on fists and bravado slowly morphs into something deeper, something neither of you are ready to admit. Between late-night confessions, bruised knuckles, and stolen kisses, you challenge Vi to fight for something more than survival. But in a city that takes more than it gives, love might just be the hardest battle yet.

Tags: Vi x Reader, Punk!Reader, Pit Fighting, Enemies to Lovers, Slow Burn, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Baggage, Late Night Conversations, Kissing Under Neon Lights.

Warnings: Strong Language, Violence & Blood, Emotional Trauma, Mentions of Past Imprisonment, Bruises & Injuries, Smoking.

Thank you for beta-reading this @kaveriayyansolos115 🤭💖

The underbelly of Zaun had a pulse of its own—a thrumming, electric heartbeat fueled by neon lights, pounding basslines, and the sharp crack of fists meeting flesh. That was where you thrived.

A punk through and through, you wore your rebellion like a second skin—leather jacket scuffed from too many fights, chains clinking with every step, tattoos winding up your arms like battle scars. The people here knew you, respected you, maybe even feared you a little. But fear was just another form of admiration, wasn’t it?

And then there was Vi.

You’d heard whispers about her before you ever met her—Stillwater’s ghost, the pit-fighting legend, Vander’s lost girl. She carried her past like an anchor, wrapped in bruised knuckles and barely-contained fury.

The first time you saw her, she was knocking a guy twice her size out cold in the ring, her signature gauntlets absent but her fists just as devastating. She stood there, shoulders rising and falling with adrenaline, a grin splitting her face like she hadn’t just broken someone’s nose.

You leaned against a rusted railing, lighting a cigarette. “Not bad, Pink.”

She turned, eyes locking onto you—eyes sharp enough to cut. “That supposed to mean something?”

You exhaled smoke, smirking. “Means you can throw a punch. But can you take one?”

That’s how it started—an unspoken challenge, a rivalry laced with something deeper, something electric. You clashed in the pit, fists flying, bruises blooming like warpaint. She fought with the precision of someone who had everything to prove. You fought like you had nothing to lose.

It was a dangerous balance.

But the fights were just the surface. The real war happened in late-night walks through Zaun’s twisting alleys, where she asked about the anarchy symbols inked into your knuckles, and you traced the “VI” tattoo under her eye with your fingertips.

“You ever think about leaving this place?” she asked one night, voice rough from exhaustion, blood dried at the corner of her lip.

You shrugged. “Zaun’s in my bones. Running won’t change that.”

She hummed, staring out over the flickering city lights. “Yeah. I get that.”

There was a quiet understanding between you—two fighters, two lost souls, both too stubborn to break, too damaged to heal.

One night, after a particularly brutal match, you found her sitting on the edge of a rooftop, knuckles raw, shoulders slumped.

“You keep hitting walls like that, you’re gonna break before they do,” you muttered, sitting beside her.

She scoffed. “Ain’t the first time.”

You sighed, nudging her boot with yours. “Vi.”

She glanced at you, eyes dark, guarded. “What?”

You hesitated, then reached out, fingers ghosting over the cut on her cheek. She didn’t flinch. Didn’t pull away. Just let you touch her, let you see her—past the bravado, past the scars.

“I’m not gonna tell you to stop fighting,” you said softly. “But maybe… fight for something that won’t kill you.”

She exhaled sharply, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. “And what the fuck is that supposed to be?”

You smirked, leaning in just enough for your breath to brush her lips. “You tell me, Pink.”

And then, just like that, she kissed you—hard, desperate, like she was trying to pull the fight out of you and into her.

But you weren’t fighting this.

Not this time.

[kiragecko]

Authour’s Voices

I read fic for voice before anything else. Plot, tropes, canon compliance – they all pale in comparison to the word crafting. But voice is hard to describe, and referencing certain verbal tics is more likely to make an authour self-conscious than it is to flatter. So, here's my best attempt to describe the voices of some of my favourite fanfic authours – focusing on tone, subject matter, and the feelings they provoke, in a hope that I can get across at least a hint of how they sound.

@suzukiblu / suzukiblu / Rin (I read for DCU, Young Justice TV, Avatar)

REALLY intertwines characters thoughts and feelings in compelling ways. Inner monologues are a particular strength. Digs deep into what motivates characters and then lets them be insecure and angry because of those things. Writes REALLY close third person narration – ie. we are entirely in one person’s head, but the narration is using their name instead of saying ‘me.’ And we are ENTWINED in their head. Deeply. Maybe actually more in their chest -  the emotions are visceral and immediate. Very cathartic angry/overwhelmed ranting is a feature. People learning that they have inherent value. Romance/sex that is based on strong connections, and goes far deeper than hormones. A strong understanding of canon, used to write alternate universes that are much richer for that knowledge. Stories are cathartic, and leave you washed clean and energized.

@whetstonefires / Kieron_ODuibhir (/ Kieron) (I read for DCU, The Untamed/The Other Versions Of This Story)

Thoughtful, empathic stories that feel like they’ve spent months being refined to perfection. Also incredibly strong understanding of canon, with a much higher chance of showing her work on the page. A gift for searching out the nagging, poorly fitting pieces of canon characterization, and integrating them in her fic in ways that makes rereading the original a better experience. Beautiful, haunting, sentences. Feels like poetry makes me feel. A writing style that ALMOST feels intellectual, but is actually incredibly empathic. The knowledge is the vessel that carries the ... love? Respect? Maybe respect, and care, and dignity, that she has for the characters she’s writing about. Stories leave you quiet and satisfied.

@galaxystew / galaxysoup (I read for Avengers/Thor, Supernatural)

Careful, emotional, deep stories. There is a sense of immenseness, that the story can’t go too fast or it would become unstoppable. DEEPLY moving, gut-wrenching, stories told from just enough emotional distance to avoid overwhelming the audience. But they also about taking time to rest, both for the characters and the audience. Focuses on exploring and healing damaged relationships, (and damaged people), and never goes for the easy/trite solutions. Unassuming language and imagery that grounds the sometimes epic elements of her canons. Stories leave you grateful – grateful that the characters have reached that place, and grateful you got to come along.

@teland / Teland / Te (I read for DCU)

Stories have only the vestigial remains of a narrator. Almost everything is verbal or mental dialogue, usually without tags. (Ie. things like ‘Tim said.’) This would be frustrating with most writers, but Te’s character voices are SO strong and distinct that a story can start with an unnamed person talking and you immediately know who it is. She focuses on aspects of characters that many other authours miss (though some of that could be survivorship bias – perhaps she was part of a zeitgeist that hasn’t been preserved). She gets DEEP into the psyches of the characters she’s writing, dissects them, and then has them dryly comment on their displayed innards. Excels at characters that are very disconnected from their emotions, but also at characters who live immediately IN their emotions. Strong themes of identity and found family, though not in the way ‘found family’ is usually used these days. Symbolic, projected family? Stand-in, or sublimated, or substituted family? Something in that area. A lot of sex, which is also standing in for other things. Electric, transformative stories, with extremely long chapters that are hard to escape from when the world tries to call you back. Stories leave you alive to the possibilities, and maybe knowing more about yourself.

@angel-gidget / angel_gidget / Gidge (I read for DCU)

There’s an optimism and joy to Gidge’s writing. A ... cleanness. Hmm, what do I mean? I ... I’m not actually sure? But it feels refreshing and space-making, to read a Gidge story. It feels like they SHOULD be humorous, with the effects they have, but that’s not actually the focus? It feels like they’re light, even when the topic is heavy and treated seriously. It’s a really special gift, what Gidge has. Maybe the correct term is ‘conversational’? Yeah, there’s a matter-of-fact, conversational tone to everything she creates, and it lifts your spirits every time you read it.

@vmohlere / owlet (I read for Avengers/Captain America)

Absolutely brilliant way of using humour to tackle difficult subjects. Stories are so funny and positive, that it’s hard to realize how dark the things referenced are. It helps that they usually don’t become explicit until the characters have mostly processed them, and they’ve been defanged of a lot of their power. I’ve never seen someone else accomplish this, and it blows me away. Incredible OCs. Deep empathy for character’s specific needs, and focusing on what THEY’RE ready to focus on. Boundaries are not only respected, but taught. And all of this is happening behind a wry, clever sense of humour that invites you in to hang out for a while. One of the most joyful reading experiences I’ve ever had. I’ve used scenes to walk myself through bad mental periods. And I still think about their work every time I make a grilled cheese.

[wovendreamscapes]

Azriel's existential crisis (aka Eris is sexy and hot and Azriel is seriously not okay) Also known as the annoying thing that took me two freaking hours to write.

Azriel had never had an actual biological clock before, but watching Eris kneel down to a child’s level and wipe their tear-streaked face with a gentleness that shouldn’t be possible from a male who set people on fire. . . well.

It was ticking. It was clanging. It was screaming at him.

“Come on, little flame” Eris murmured, tucking a loose curl behind the child’s ear. “You’re alright.”

Azriel actually, physically, audibly sighed. Cassian, the bastard, heard him and shot him a look like Mother above, you have it so bad. And he did, but Cassian gets annoying when he is right, so Azriel ignored him.

The kid, a faeling with dirt brown curls and watery hazel eyes, sniffled and peered up at Eris like he hung the stars, and Azriel felt that, because same, kid.

“It hurts,” the child whimpered, holding up a skinned knee.

Eris hummed and tsked sympathetically. “Of course it does. I’ll tell you what. How about I make it better? In return, you tell me who won the very dramatic game of tag I saw earlier?”

The child hesitated, then whispered conspiratorially, “It was Caris, but we’re telling her she cheated. Cause she did.”

Eris nodded solemnly, as if this was the most serious intelligence he’d ever received. “Understandable. And how did she cheat?”

Azriel was fully leaning against a tree now, arms crossed, because Eris looked so—so soft with the child. He wasn’t even using magic, just a damp cloth to dab at the scrape, careful and unhurried. The child hiccuped another sniffle but was clearly distracted by relaying the heinous cheating scandal of Caris, complete with hand gestures.

“Caris pushed me, but she said she tripped, and I know she didn’t, because her eyes did the thing—”

“Ah, the thing,” Eris agreed. “A telltale sign of treachery. Smart boy, being able to see that.”

Azriel clenched his jaw so hard he thought his teeth might crack.

It was the voice. The voice.

Eris had a particular way of speaking to children—not like they were idiots, not with that patronizing lilt some adults used. He spoke to them like they were actual people, just smaller, and like their concerns such as skinned knees and cheating and all were actually worth listening to.

Which, of course, they were. But it made something in Azriel ache in a way he hadn’t expected.

“There we go,” Eris said, tying off a tiny bandage with a flourish. “Good as new.”

The child beamed up at him, then promptly launched into his arms, and Azriel saw the Mother.

The kid was hugging Eris like he belonged there, and Eris, to Azriel’s complete lack of surprise, just scooped him up with practiced ease and ruffled his curls.

“Off you go,” Eris said, patting his back. “And remember—Caris may have cheated, but you let her win, didn’t you?”

The kid hesitated, then nodded like this was true. “Yeah. I did.”

Eris winked and set him down. “I thought so.”

The child ran off, dramatically shouting something about an honor duel for the tag championship, and Eris finally turned back to where Azriel was still staring at him like an absolute lunatic.

He arched a brow. “You alright, shadowsinger?”

Azriel made a noise that was meant to be a casual grunt but sounded suspiciously like a distressed whimper.

Cassian howled in laughter. Azriel could swear he heard his shadows laughing too.

“Don’t,” Azriel muttered.

“Too late,” Cassian wheezed. “You should see your face—”

Azriel absolutely refused to acknowledge the warmth on his own cheeks. Instead, he just looked at Eris, at the way his mate was brushing dirt from his hands, looking so damn perfect that Azriel couldn't take it.

“You’re good with them,” he said, and his voice came out rough.

Eris snorted, crossing his arms. “It’s not difficult. They’re just tiny drunk people with no self-preservation. A little respect goes a long way.”

Cassian was still snickering. “You want one, don’t you?” he said, grinning at Azriel. “Admit it.”

Azriel did not dignify that with a response.

He did, however, glare at Cassian, because obviously he wanted one. Multiple. Many. An entire litter. He had visions of red-haired, hazel-eyed, sharp-tongued little nightmares darting through their home, of soft, sleepy murmurs and bedtime stories and—

No. Stop.

Eris cocked his head, clearly amused. “Azriel.”

Azriel swallowed. “Hm?”

“You’re staring again Shadow.”

Azriel absolutely was.

He dragged a hand over his face and exhaled slowly. “I just—” He hesitated. His mate was too perceptive to lie to.

“I want to put a baby in you,” he finally said, with the quiet, calm intensity of a male who had lived too long to get embarrassed easily.

Cassian choked.

Eris blinked. Then, to Azriel’s unending horror, he smirked.

“Oh?” Eris purred. “Do you?”

Azriel groaned. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re adorable.” Eris patted his chest condescendingly. “But I regret to inform you that’s not how that works.”

Azriel muttered something truly vulgar under his breath, but Eris just laughed, the bastard, and tugged him forward by the collar.

“Maybe,” Eris mused, eyes alight with something warm, something that made Azriel's cock take notice, “one day we’ll figure something out.”

Azriel narrowed his eyes. “Are you messing with me?”

Eris just kissed him, slow and deep, before murmuring against his lips, “Would I ever do that?”

Azriel grumbled but let himself be kissed, mostly because he didn’t trust himself to keep thinking about the undeniable fact that Eris Vanserra was perfect and needed to be impregnated immediately, no matter how impossible that may be.

Cassian, meanwhile, was still dying behind them. “This is hilarious,” he gasped. “Rhys is gonna lose it.”

Azriel would kill him later.

For now, he had a mate to hold, and an existential crisis to endure.