#and it's okay to dislike something that *is*!

[angstandhappiness]

Nice

free my boy from his own show he did nothing wrong

[genderkoolaid]

in what way, if any, do you think that indulging kinks is different than making jokes as far as emplanting/reinforcing ideas in the mind? do you think that being a sexual sadist makes you more permissive of nonconsensual violence?genuine question, feel free to ignore or answer privately if this is too thorny.

OKAY I have tried to write this 4 times now here we go!!!! This time it will NOT get deleted!!!!!!!!

This is a really good + important question so I am glad you asked! To me, it comes down to context and critical self-reflection.

Kink, done properly, occurs in a very specific and frank context. You discuss what a scene will look like beforehand, and then you discuss what happened and each person's experiences afterward. Proper kink requires blatant discussions of what is wanted and what is to be avoided, and the consent of all parties is what helps create this context.

Humor, on the other hand, tends to live in a hazy grey area between truth and lies. We like to think that because jokes are jokes, this means they are completely detached from our world. But humor has a social function. It helps bring people together, as well as delineate divisions. And it also helps us dip a toe into a certain feeling without having to discuss the feeling itself.

To give an example, let's talk about bees and wasps.

Say there is a person named A. A generally thinks of themself as liking animals and the natural world. They are against climate change and pro-biodiversity, although they don't really know a ton about these topics. They see people making jokes about wasps vs. bees: bees are sweet pollinators just trying to enjoy the summer, while wasps are angry assholes who will fuck your wife. A finds these jokes funny, especially having learned about how important bees are but having always been afraid of wasps. A also begins making jokes about how wasps have no purpose, they just exist to ruin your day, and should be killed. A finds themself joking about how we should really just kill off all wasps, since they are evil and worthless creatures. When A sees a wasp, they feel nothing but fear and the desire to kill it painfully. If they hear about something is causing mass death amongst wasps, they think its probably a net positive for everyone.

A was clearly biased against wasps from the beginning, which isn't really their fault; wasps can be scary and hurtful! The jokes seem to reaffirm their feelings as natural, socially valid, and even funny. But as I'm sure many of my followers know, wasps ARE pollinators and are quite important to the environment, as well as having the inherent worth that all creatures do. It's rather contradictory for A to both say they value biodiversity, while also devaluing an entire group of creatures and being okay with, or even advocating for, their extinction.

It is fully possible for A to dislike wasps, AND value biodiversity. The problem is that A does not really know how to apply their values to the world and their actions. They generally have beliefs, but those beliefs do not form a bedrock they can reference. Their values and their actions are not in conversation.

To take it back to what you were discussing: properly done kink always involves conversation between values and actions. The values are consent, risk-aware safety, and mutual pleasure/satisfaction/positive experiences. Knowing these values and what they mean, the people involved can talk about what they want to do and how those actions will relate to those values. When a sadist is hitting someone in a scene, they know that this is happening because they have created a context in which that action aligns with their values. And if someone does find that they are being shaped negatively by kink experiences, they can recognize that and choose to stop.

I believe there is a problem with people not truly knowing what they believe or value, and/or not truly knowing how their beliefs/values interact with the world and their actions. And when you combine that with the ambiguity of jokes, the way we are encouraged to see jokes as something separated from the "real world," and the way they can encourage people to follow their gut feelings and reaffirm them as socially valid and true, you get. well. bad times! radicalization! Oops All Assholes!

I just made a post that was kind of an example of this. I watched Megan Thee Stallion's documentary and joked about how she should be allowed to kill indiscriminately. When I think about making those kinds of jokes, I am keeping in mind:

Killing individuals doesn't solve systemic issues

I value transformative justice over punitive justice

I generally avoid making these- humourously communicating my anger at injustice into calls for violence- because I am conscious that jokes aren't "just jokes." This doesn't mean I NEVER do it. It's not, like, radioactive. Making a joke won't corrupt me a la the One Ring. But I make a choice to steer myself away from that kind of humor. Because I don't want to create that kind of thought pattern; because I am being conscious of the distinction between feeling and value, of catharsis and justice; because I don't want to connect with others on the basis of a belief I don't actually hold and am just putting on to express frustration; and because, in the case of other jokes, regardless of their impact on ME, they can still hurt other people. Even if you feel like you can make small dick jokes and still genuinely believe body-shaming is bad… if your jokes still have the impact of body-shaming people, then your values aren't really having an impact on your actions, at which point they are meaningless.

[miwiheroes]

Dropping Byler Evidence Every Day Until Season 5

Day 3 - Mike's incriminating dilemma

I think one of the most obvious byler proofs to me that barely gets any notice or recognition that it is very convincing, is the fact that Mike seems totally unwilling to talk to Will about his problems with El. Whenever Will is spoken to about the issues they have, it's very noticeable to the audience that Mike talks about it in very general terms, making sure he doesn't end up spilling what they spoke about.

This is simply because it is incriminating.

It's also the reason why he doesn't tell Will he called him multiple times even though he easily could! It would solve a lot between the two of them if he had admitted he called him (which we got confirmation about from Dustin). However, he would rather not, and would rather sacrifice himself in a sense than have Will know how much he called, turning the focus away from himself.

So again, why wouldn't Mike just tell Will about what happened? He knows that it might help him, since he's definitely told a friend about his relationship problems before (Lucas). However, this time he's hiding something bigger -- he does not love El. He would much rather have Will stay in the dark about what he really 'needs to say' than have Will ask him more questions. He's worried that if he gives too much detail, he'll be outed as a liar, he'll be figured out by Will. There is no other reason for hiding what El wants him to say. He could tell Will, but he's simply worried about the questioning this would earn.

The fact that he's lying is one of the reasons he makes this face here:

This is when Will says 'Whatever you didn't say, you can say it to her then', referring to when Mike sees her again. He believes he's comforting Mike that she's safe and he will see her again.

At first, Mike grins at Will, simple because... he's happy that Will's comforting him. But then he starts to dig deeper into what he's just heard and what it then means. That's when he almost startles, blinks rapidly and looks nervous. The internal conflict is clear on his face, and the directors want you to take notice of it.

It's almost like he's disliking the fact he has to lie to Will here. He doesn't like that Will has no idea how deep this thing actually goes, and it's really not as simple as saying I love you when he sees El again.

All in all:

Will has no idea that he's encouraging Mike to say I love you to El.

He believes he's comforting Mike on the fact that El is safe and that Mike will see her again.

But Mike's worried about saying I love you. Meaning he's worried about seeing her again.

He does not want to say I love you.

Okay.... so this means that he does not want to say I love you. Even if it means that he can see El safe again. But this can be for many different reasons. Maybe he's not ready to make the commitment or something. But the next scene on the car is when Mike shows the real reason why he doesn't want to say it.

The next time Mike and Will talk about this, the thing that he has to say to her has been reframed to being 'The Truth.' He's realised, between the previous scene and the car scene, that he will eventually have to explain himself to El because he'll likely see her again. He thinks that if he had explained himself, maybe he would have taken him with her.

Now, 'explaining yourself' does not at all sound like a confession of love. It almost sounds like Mike trying to justify to El why he doesn't say it. AND:

He tells Will in this scene that he 'didn't know what to say' despite El spelling it out for him very clearly. This shows he knows that he can't say what she wants him to say, and he has no idea how to explain why he can't say it in a way that isn't incriminating. Again, he can't tell Will the thing he has to explain away, because it would raise too many questions.

Will says 'to say how you really feel', suggesting that Mike feels the opposite of what El wants. And the fact that Mike nods. He NODS when Will says 'what if they don't like the truth?' is just so clear to me. It AGAIN solidifies that Mike is nervous because he really doesn't want to tell El the truth. He has no idea what to say to make it better without lying.

TLDR; Mike does not want to say I love you to El. The reason? He doesn't love her.

[yuikomorii]

do we think that yui fell first and it was ayato that fell harder or do we think that it was ayato that fell first and yui that fell harder? 🤔 this has been on my mind for years and i've never came to a definite answer

// OKAY, LET’S GET THIS STARTED—

Yui definitely fell for Ayato first in HDB. From the start, she kept calling him cute and imagining them as friends. After Ayato gave her her first REAL kiss, she began picturing them as lovers, and he kept giving her more of that "cuteness aggression" that only deepened her feelings. Ayato, on the other hand, seemed to start falling for her after waking up from a nightmare, when Yui willingly offered him her blood and confessed that she actually enjoyed it. By the end of HDB, Ayato definitely loves Yui, but it’s clear she fell harder for him, especially given the things she does in the After Story.

Anyway, as for MB, we’re not sure who exactly fell for the other first. All we know, based on his route description, is that they both had feelings for each other even before the Mukamis arrived.

“With the appearance of the Mukami brothers targeting the heroine Yui, the bond between the two who have feelings for each other becomes even more intense. Ayato, who desires her heart, not just as prey, hides his painful feelings behind his rough words and actions.”

I think it was pretty clear that Yui fell for Ayato the fastest, since in the second chapter, after taking the truth, she confessed to him. Ayato also seemed happy when Yui asked for his kisses and bites there, so it’s pretty obvious he had feelings for her too. I also remember a scene from one of the earlier chapters where a classmate gave Yui two cinema tickets, and she wanted Ayato to go with her. Even though Ayato claimed to dislike movies, he was still willing to go with her. It’s clear he liked Yui; if he didn’t, he wouldn’t have done something he wasn’t interested in.

The problem with his MB route lies in how Yui constantly objectified him and pushed him to return her feelings, without ever considering his struggles. I also understand that Ayato’s past gave him trust issues, leading him to the belief that "I won’t make anyone special again because they won’t reciprocate my feelings." His intense bloodlust, likely worsened by the fig curse, pushed him to the edge too. But honestly, it was sooo tiring to watch. It felt like it was the same scenario over and over again, and I can't help but think that everything could have been resolved if they just COMMUNICATED earlier. Yet, I suppose the writer wasn’t feeling inspired when they wrote that route. 🤷🏼‍♀️

As for the After Story, sorry not sorry, but it’s undeniably the best-written one in the entire franchise. The way Ayato went to university for Yui, despite the deep trauma studying caused him, was incredibly moving. He didn’t pressure her to get a job; instead, he wanted to surprise her by building a good future for both of them, which I find really admirable. It’s also heartwarming how Yui continuously praised Ayato and helped him with his studies. In the Vampire Ending, she waited years for him to wake up from the coma, and all those years he kept searching for her in his dreams, therefore in the end, they both fell deeply in love with each other.

On top of that, there’s this official short story, where Ayato mentions not remembering when he started liking Takoyaki but then Yui rizzes him up with this confession:

Translated by Koiiro

In conclusion: They’re both down bad for each other, lol.

[transhumanisticpanspermia]

Okay yes but who or what is saying that.

Example above, The Good Place - relational forgiveness plays very little role in the story across all 4 seasons. Where present it isn't really related to the overarching "reform of moral evaluation" that the series culminates in.

The one everyone likes to get mad about, Steven Universe - goes to great lengths to explicitly disabuse the viewer of any notion that forgiveness is a prerequisite to growth. In case you didn't catch it the first time around, there's an entire epilogue miniseries that drives home the point that Steven still dislikes the reformed antagonists and doesn't really 'forgive' them, even though he works with them on improving. It's a professional relationship.

You could make the strongest argument that this notion appears in the one from our childhood everyone talks about, ATLA re: Zuko, but even there he has to get very far into the personal journey to become a better person before anyone he wronged even considers working with him and trusting him, let alone forgiving him. Forgiveness happens but it's not a prerequisite, it's a something that some of the people he hurt choose to provide him after he works on himself.

This post was about media and IRL, and similarly, I do not see many people going around saying "the first step of becoming a better person is apologizing." At least, not in spaces that have reasonable levels of contact with the world outside the computer. It happens in some insular hyper-online groups but that's because those are the groups where everyone is trying super hard to give each other adult onset moral OCD. Venture out into the spaces IRL where people work on self improvement and you'll find frequent admonishments not to malinger looking for forgiveness. In the 12 step program, apologizing and making amends doesn't even come in until step 9, you aren't supposed to expect forgiveness, and you aren't even supposed to attempt apologizing/amends-making to people it would ultimately hurt.

I wouldn't assign any credence to this "pushback" beyond projection. People always want excuses not to take difficult but good advice, and "I have a preconceived notion that you're asking the impossible [i.e. finding forgiveness from those I've wronged]" is a great projection you can use to tune out that advice.

the concept and idea of “you can always start trying to be a better person” is extremely important to me both in media and irl and i continue to be deeply deeply disturbed by the trend on this site pushing that these ideas in media are bad writing or even morally reprehensible

because theyd rather someone stay terrible or just straight up die than become a better person 

from a compassionate point of view it’s deeply distressing and from a pragmatic point of view it’s outright frustrating

it’s fucked up. 

[mywitchyblog]

hello! I really love your content, and I’ve been following you for quite some time. i think your opinions on various topics are very thoughtful and accurate, so i have a question.

i’ve been noticing a subject (particularly on shiftok😭) where many people express their dislike of others scripting traumatic events into their realities, included to create a more intense backstory for them. for example, scripting that they lost a parent when they were younger or went through psychotic depression as a child.

i’d like to hear your opinion on this. do you think it’s okay to script some kind of trauma or disorder? personally, I don’t see an issue with it since it doesn’t affect my life or anyone else’s, but i’d love to hear your perspective on this topic!

Oh, honey, you just brought up one of my favorite rant-worthy topics. Grab a snack because we’re diving in! 🍵✨

My ✨Personal✨ Take:

First, thank you for the love, darling! It’s always a vibe connecting with someone who actually gets it. 💅 Now, let’s talk trauma scripting, because whew, the discourse around this is hotter than Satan’s sauna.

Here’s the thing: your DR is YOURS. Period. Full stop. You can script a Disney princess life or the tragic backstory of a brooding anti-hero—it’s entirely up to you. If you want to script a life-altering trauma, go off, babe. As long as you understand what you’re doing, it’s valid.

Let’s debunk the idea that “scripting trauma is bad”: In your DR, you’re living that experience. It’s not just words on paper; it becomes your reality. So if scripting something intense—like losing a parent or battling a mental health condition—helps you process, heal, or simply add depth to your DR self, that’s your business. Trauma, when scripted thoughtfully, can even be therapeutic. For some, it’s about reclaiming control over a narrative that felt chaotic or unresolved in their CR.

But let’s be clear: this isn’t playtime. You will feel what you script. The loss, the grief, the psychotic depression? It will be as real in your DR as it is for someone who’s endured it in their CR. So, if you’re scripting trauma for kicks or because you think it’s “dramatic,” you might want to take a hard look at your intentions.

The Fanfic Shifters Rant (Aka I Hate These Hoes):

Now let me pop off on these Shiftok clowns for a second. 😤 You know exactly the ones I’m talking about: the “everything’s just a quirky little fanfic” crew who waltz into shifting spaces treating their DRs like a bad Wattpad draft.

These hoes (yes, HOES) script trauma the way they’d order a pumpkin spice latte—casually, without thinking. “Oh, I’ll just throw in some childhood abandonment and sprinkle in an abusive relationship for ✨character development✨.” Like, are you dumb? Trauma isn’t a fucking aesthetic. It’s not “flavor” for your DR backstory.

When these people romanticize trauma, they trivialize the pain that real survivors experience. And worse? They make the whole shifting community look like a joke. Imagine someone who’s genuinely trying to use their DR to heal from their CR trauma stumbling upon one of these idiots? Embarrassing. I hate these hoes with the fiery passion of a thousand suns. They treat shifting like a sandbox where nothing matters and then complain when they end up spiraling in their DR because “oops, I didn’t realize depression would feel like that.” 🤡

I cannot stress this enough: your DR isn’t a fanfic. It’s your LIFE. You’ll live it, breathe it, feel it—all of it. If you’re not prepared to shoulder the weight of the trauma you’re scripting, don’t do it. And if you’re scripting trauma because you think it’s cute or cool? Stay far, far away from me. You’re not just irresponsible—you’re dangerous.

TL;DR (But Make It Iconic):

Scripting trauma is okay—as long as you’re doing it with intention and understanding the consequences.

Don’t treat trauma like it’s a quirky little accessory for your DR backstory. It’s serious, babe. Respect it.

To the fanfic shifters romanticizing trauma: I hate you hoes. Y’all are the reason people side-eye our entire community. Fix it.

Remember, shifting is about creating your dream life, not trivializing the experiences of others or glorifying pain you’ve never lived. Be mindful, stay informed, and, most importantly, don’t be a clown. 🤡✨

[gloochi]

Okay, I know it's probably just a quirk of the translation (this was probably "-san" or something) and a dislike of formality instead, but this bit from Moon Cradle is still a really funny detail to me.

Like, you hate being called "sir"? So much so that you made a rule about it once you joined the new government? Do wanna unpack that at all? Wanna think about whyyyyy? 😁

[peerless-minty-cucumber]

SVSSS Liu Qingge is an ace icon in a porn logic plot. In this essay I will…

Okay so, I want to preface this with some clarifications. I'm going to assume most of yall know a baseline definition of asexuality as "when you don't experience sexual attraction." Without getting too into the nuance here, take note of the following:

Being asexual does not mean you hate sex. Some asexuals like sex. Some asexuals have sex.

Asexuals can get crushes and fall in love

Being asexual doesn't mean you have sexual trauma or are a prude or w/e

Also:

I am asexual and I think by online discourse logic that means I'm right about everything I say in this essay.

You're free to respectfully disagree honestly I'd love to hear other takes on this.

This headcanon contains a lot of projection. You've been warned.

So recently I reblogged this post that joked something along the lines of "We still don't know if Liu Qingge knows what sex is." And I thought that was a) hella funny and b) kinda true. Do I think he literally doesn't know what sex is? With that sister?? Yeah no I think he knows. But I imagine he doesn't really understand that sex is just kind of a big deal for most people and expected in typical relationships. I mean, I doubt sexual attraction really often discussed amongst cultivators anyway, so if one doesn't experience it, it a) wouldn't make one too much of an outsider and b) one would just assume this is the universal norm. In my reading of canon, he definitely has a crush on Shen Qingqiu, but I don't think he has the sexual attraction. To the contrary, I imagine that he finds the thought of sexual contact with his crush very unbecoming. Perhaps it even contributes to his dislike of Luo Binghe and the BingQiu relationship. I could even spin this into a whole thing where he could be coping with internalised homophobia because he doesn't want to have sex with men so it's fine, right? We know that in general, Shen Yuan is a pretty unreliable narrator when it comes to observing other characters' reactions. But I did find some of his thoughts about Liu Qingge during the Succubi extra very interesting. For those who don't know/recall - in this extra chapter, SQQ and LQG investigate a Succubus hideout and LQG gets affected by what is essentially an Aphrodisiac. SQQ notes that LQG is visibly distressed, but also shows absolutely no signs of desire to act on it in any way – almost as though he doesn't have experience with sexual desire. He's also clearly uncomfortable and angry with his body's reaction – not an uncommon reaction in (particularily sex-repulsed) asexuals experiencing libido. I really like to imagine an AU where LiuShen happened and they're just cute and cuddling and maybe get in a few kisses and after a few months Shen Qingqiu is like "… So are we gonna fuck or like…?" And LQG would be FLOORED because surely that's not a thing people actually do – right?! That's a thing for forbidden porn ballads and demons! I also like to imagine they actually try it and he ends up kinda liking it and unpacking his baggage but he still doesn't get the attraction.

Yall were seriously starving for this essay so I hope I at least kinda delivered. I felt like I had more to say about this but *gestures* stuff happened and my brain isn't super on top of things rn.

[halfwayhearted]

Heyy!! Could you please do an imagine with Pau and reader where he admires her eyes but she doesn't like them becuase they're brown.Thank you soo muchh!! Love your writing btww!!!❤️ :)

Moments — Pau Cubarsí.

Pairing: Pau Cubarsí x Fem!Reader

Summary: He loves admiring you, especially your eyes, with a fascination that you don’t quite understand.

Word Count: 425+

Disclaimer/s — Just fluff, a bit short.

A/N: IM SOOO SICK. January 8th can’t come ANY. SLOWER. Also reader doesn’t necessarily dislike her eyes or anything…

“Fine, fine. I give in! What’re you looking at, Pau?”

The boy in question straightens his posture and furrows his eyebrows in confusion. Was he seriously acting confused? “What do you mean, what am I looking at? I’m looking at you. I’ve been looking at you this whole time,” he tells you.

“I can see that. But why? There’s a whole movie going on and you’re only focused on me. This is quite literally the best part of the entire movie.”

His expression relaxes, and he smiles. “Is it?”

“Well, to me it is. Do you want me to rewind it?”

“Yeah—yes, rewind it. I’ll pay attention this time.”

“Pau, what’s got your attention so badly? Is there something on my face?” You question, your eyes widening slightly. “If there’s something on my face and you’ve done nothing but stare at me and stay completely silent, movie night is over, I fear.”

He lets out a laugh. “There’s nothing on your face. The light is just hitting you, your eyes look pretty.”

“How so?” You question, not really understanding his constant gaze. Were they brightened? Your eyes were brown. Brown was pretty, you just didn’t know why it made him look at you so often.

“I don’t know,” he shrugged. “They just… look really pretty. And you look beautiful, of course.”

Your cheeks flush and you look away. “Pau, oh my God. Enough with that! Please, look away now.”

His laughter fills the air once again. “What!”

“I’m serious! No more. Just focus on the movie.”

“I am focusing. I’ve been focused,” Pau defends, his hand coming to rest on your shoulder, gently pulling you against him. “What’s so bad about me saying your eyes look pretty? Don’t believe me?”

You groan, “Well! Well, I mean, like, I don’t know.”

“I always compliment your eyes. It’s not new.”

“No, it’s not. I just—what’s your favorite color?”

“Brown,” he answers almost instantly, and that’s enough for you to sit up, your gaze narrowing.

You felt sick. “See! You know what you’re doing!”

“You’re such a baby,” he teases, repeating his usual move and pulling you back into him. “Okay, so what’s your favorite color? Tell me that.”

“Hm… like, a blue-ish green-ish color. Yeah, that.”

That’s when he hums, ruffling your hair. “Y’know, that’s oddly similar to the color of my eyes.”

“Is it? I couldn’t really tell,” you reply innocently.

“Alright, alright. I’m finished. Now we can finally watch the movie. How does that sound? Good?”

Nestling closer to him, you echo, “Sounds good.”

Likes, reblogs, and comments are always appreciated ^_^.

DT(s) — @planetpedri + @spidybaby + @iovepoem + @sakashq + @joaoflms ! ౨ৎ

[ladyandherbooks]

I loved Callum and. Runaan's interactions this season. While I do agree it would have been great to see some of Callum's negative feelings towards Runaan I think that they really only had time to focus on one siblings anger towards him so I'm okay with them not focusing on it. Callum has also had time to work through his feelings towards Runaan during his and Rayla's quest to free him.

I do think that the other reason as to why they got on well this season is that Runaan has complete faith and trust in Rayla's choice of romantic partners and friends. And when this boyfriend not only helps to free you but also puts your daughter first, then Runaan wouldn't be able to dislike him.

Look at his smile when Callum chooses Rayla in 7x02:

He already likes Callum because he's putting Rayla first and making her happy.

And the worst that their reactions get is Runaan getting annoyed at Callum for using the same compliment as small talk for the 15th time in two weeks, which to be completely fair is very understandable.

But Callum quickly rectifies this by freeing Ethari from his Moon Cub duties that day, thus ensuring that he could spend the day with his husband. But he does give Callum the biggest eye raise at Callum's enthusiasm at volunteering to watch the Moonshadow elf kids because he knows Callum is way over his head and is giving his enthusiasm the reaction it deserves

And then the deadpan stare after the 10 babies comment

It really was a harmless clash in personalities where a grumpy, serious broody elf had to interact with his daughters goofy, nerdy, loving and sometimes awkward human boyfriend who is also staying with them for 2 weeks straight. A boyfriend who is also trying his hardest to make a good impression but is not always succeeding but you like him anyway because he has a good heart and loves your daughter more than anything in the world.

And the pair of you manage to bond and come to trust each other enough to go on a mission together where you not only protect one another but he also trusts you enough to ask you to kill him in order to save the world.

I think that this moment where Runaan came to love Callum as he was not only willing to sacrifice his life to save everyone in Xadia but also wanted to protect Rayla specifically from a promise that would cause her a great deal of pain and grief.

I am excited and curious to see how their relationship and interactions evolve and develop as, like some fellow fans have already discussed, Callum wants to be a part of this family and misses, wants and needs fatherly relationship, one of which Runaan and Ethari will be happy to provide, especially since Callum will be spending alot of time in the Silvergrove in the next 7 years. They're going to love each other so much and have each other's back but Runaan will still be giving his dorky son in law a raised eyebrow whenever he says or does something ridiculous or dorky.

[salty-we-never-got-mergana]

I gotta tell you that Arthur in fanfics is exponentially so much more nicer to Merlin than he is in the show. In the show, he's downright horrible to Merlin, especially in the beginning seasons, and honestly, it's pathetic how Merlin yearns for his approval. The relationship is akin to a loving abusive relationship where Merlin clearly must have Stockholm syndrome or the only reason he preens at Arthur's approval is both due to the Dragon's manipulation and deep down Merlin truly see Arthur as superior and thus any compliment from him makes him feel good since you know, he's just a peasant.

It kinda makes you wonder how Merthur even exists, but my guess is that it's all based on Merlin's one-sided devotion to Arthur and Arthur having a slight soft spot for Merlin despite treating him like a rag, albeit a very favored and somewhat treasured rag, but man get in the way of daddy's approval, he can make his threats alright.

In the Witch's Quickening, I almost kind of feel bad for Merlin for the trouble he falls under when he's trying to direct Arthur to the perpetrators but he's up against Morgana whom Arthur has affections for and Morgana is rather clever (despite how her abilities are questioned for and how apparently Mordred is hinted to be more powerful than her roll 🙄.

I mean, okay great he decides to take the blame for the stone because someone stole his keys but the way he treats Merlin, calling him an idiot all the time, hitting him, blaming him. Merlin is just his servant and Arthur treats him that way despite his loyalty. It's not even the heartwarming way some masters treat servants like they deserve devotion and loyalty

I'm sorry Arthur doesn't deserve Merlin's love and devotion and loyalty. He doesn't do anything to prove that beyond choosing to sacrifice his life in the unicorn test but that's after seeing how Merlin is determined to save his life too. Merlin has constantly stuck his neck and tried to save Arthur's life and Arthur being a decent human being tries to pay that back in fold but it's Merlin who instigate this relationship to make Arthur loyal to him. I know why Arthur is loyal to Merlin

But why is Merlin loyal to Arthur? The only answer is the Dragon but why does he just automatically believe in the Dragon who he hardly knows. In Season 1 episode 1, Merlin's skepticism about Arthur and dislike for him was completely justified. I really liked Merlin in Season 1.

But then he quickly starts liking Arthur and it's like why? Arthur works him to the bone. Even Merlin complains he does so much for Arthur with no thanks.

I'm sorry but the last episode of the serious when Arthur finally, FINALLY, says Thanks you is just NOT enough for me.

Is there a fic where Arthur wakes up and realizes that he's been a dick to Merlin? Where he gets called out for being a fucking prat. I'd really like to read that fic.

On top of that, is there a fic where Merlin grows a fucking backbone and like actually does something about helping his people instead of spending all his time cleaning up after Arthur and wiping his fucking ungrateful ass. Honestly, Idk how Merlin puts up with that shit.

There's seriously a part of me the genuinely could care less about Arthur Pendragon in this show.

[an-albino-pinetree]

A friend requested that I combine BOTH Freakshow TADC AUs

@hootbon ‘s Freakshow AU Jax

and

And my version of @kookydoodleky ‘s Freakshow AU Jax

anyways- we got this freak, and I kinda went ham n’ got carried away with my ideas for him, even if they really have nothing to do with either AU—

UNDER THE CUT you will find my bullshit ✨ WARNINGS: Potentially disturbing/triggering content mentions, dark horror elements, discussion of mild torture, injury, blood, sadistic tendency, knives, cuts, bruises, all that fun stuff that I like but some people don’t and that’s okay sdjhjh

Character and game route mechanic bullet points ✨🎡 (Boy howdy do I love myself a horror visual novel weeee!) :

Blending the two AUs was easy, all it had to be, was the mythical circus animals, from Kooky’s AU, but if they were severely mistreated.

-The Jackalope’s clown costume barely fits him anymore, and if one of the bells punched through his ears, for atheistic purposes by the ringmaster, catches on something, the wounds reopen, and they start to bleed again. This happens often.

-The physical pain and mental suffering, being a part of this circus has caused its attractions, has affected each one in a drastically different way.

The Jackalope:

-The Jackalope is a sadist.

-The Jackalope has eaten people.

-The Jackalope’s ear is bent due to a mild deformity

-The Jackalope has a strong obsession with games. Particularly card games.

-The Jackalope carries a deck of cards in his overalls pocket.

-In-Game, regardless of what dialogue choices you pick for The Jackalope, he will ask you if you want to play cards, at the end of every conversation.

-Do not take him up on his offer.

-He will ask you every time you interact with him. He may get increasingly pushy about the invite, but you will never be forced into a game.

-A strange rule of respect he won’t change? Worried his urgency to get you to play, will give away sinister intentions? We might never know the true reason.

-Although he will play fairly (until he starts to lose) he is brag-worthy good, and there are painful, sadistic, prices to pay, if you lose to him.

-He won’t kill you. It being “over” is not fun to him. But he will do just about anything that won’t kill you.

- He will also let you run away, after a few rounds/a few losing punishments, and will be surprised yet thrilled, if you choose to return to him for another game. (You need to do this to unlock a special ending and achievement)

Card Punishment Levels:

-If he’s damaging your body, he likes you. In his twisted head, that’s light punishment.

-If he’s damaging your hands in any way (aka, the things you need to play cards with him, and do just about any other life task easily, but that doesn’t mean as much to him) you’ve done something to make him really dislike you.

In-Game Violence Warnings and Injury Descriptions:

Knives

Cutting

Blood

Bruises

Broken bones

Wrist injury

Hand injury

Severing of fingers

Biting

Biting off fingers

Burning

[REDACTED]

[scoobydoodean]

omg i never considered jack attaching himself to dean because he was trying to grieve his mom and cas just like dean was.

I think it might be one of the things going on in 13.01-13.04, though it's not just that. It's also that Dean is honest, while Sam hides ulterior motives for why he was being nice. Jack's dislike of lies is a throughline all the way to "Moriah" where he makes it impossible for people to lie to each other. And I'd wager Dean specifically lying to Jack about the mal'ak box wounds Soulless Jack the most, because the truth is something he depends on Dean to give him the most, in situations where Cas or Sam might handle him with kid gloves he doesn't want. I also think Jack and Dean just have innately a similar sense of right and wrong and both care in a way that makes Jack gravitate toward Dean.

But yeah. Dean serves as a model for feeling your feelings, whereas we don't see Sam's numb exterior crack until 13.04 when he shouts at Dean over Mary. Not only that—Jack specifically overhears Sam minimize the significance of Cas's death in 13.03, which Dean fiercely rebuffs. Jack makes it very clear in 13.01 that he considers Cas to be his father, and Sam has become so emotionally detached that he convinces himself Cas death doesn't even matter. Dean fucking cares about Jack's dad, and trying to grow close to Dean is also probably a way Jack thinks he can feel closer to Cas! Dean's emotional outburst at Sam's dismissive language in 13.03—among other things—makes it clear that it's okay to miss Cas, and in that very moment, Jack calls out for his father and wakes him up.

[yesimwriting]

Happy new year! I wish you all a blessed 2025 ❤️

Now personally I don’t care the new years kiss tradition is about kissing your significant other, every single friend I love is getting love back from me when I’m drunk.

Bestie reader should absolutely give Louis the biggest platonic SMOOCH because he deserves it. He’d walk around with lipstick on his forehead or something, take a pic, save it for later to make fun of the level of readers intoxication.

a/n happy new year!! i'm totally the same about nye kisses and drinking, i get a little sappy and suddenly everyone in my life needs to know how much i mean to them lol i love this concept and it's perfect for the first fic of 2025!

also as a side note, going out/drinking with a vampire seems so perfect, ultimate scary dog privileges bc let some creepy man try anything and suddenly louis has a little late night snack <3 it sounds so freeing

----

The music's heavy pulse has aligned itself with your own, the base of it reverberating through your chest so thoroughly it might as well take the place of your heart. You can't bring yourself to dislike the feeling.

"O-kay." Your enthusiasm breaks the word into two. You let yourself lean into the feeling, into the fullness of your joy. "I think the regular vodka's stronger than the jello shots, because it's vodka not vodka-jello."

Louis presses his lips together in an attempt to keep from grinning too broadly. "That makes sense."

Your eyes narrow as you give yourself a moment to absorb the response. "It does," the words are much more contemplative than they need to be, "I'm so smart."

This time, Louis lets himself react. He laughs at the deliberateness pressed into your syllables. You're too out of it to think to mind his reaction. "You're drunk."

You straighten slightly as if that'll be enough to prove him wrong. "I'm happy."

Louis extends an arm, placing a hand on your shoulder in an instinctual attempt at keeping you steady. You're not exactly implying instability, but he's spent enough time around you like this to know it's better to be safe than sorry.

"You're drunk."

You tilt your head at the correction, blinking at him curiously. "For some people, that's the same thing."

"Yeah?" The word is much too amused.

You nod enthusiastically, shifting your weight from foot to foot in a way that leaves Louis squeezing your arm a little tighter. "Yeah." You pause, eyebrows drawing together pensively as you struggle to grasp your next thought in its entirety. "I love you. I want you to be as happy as I am."

"Okay." He lets out a partial laugh. You're a good, terribly affectionate drunk. "I'm very happy. I promise."

His assurance doesn't seem to ease you. Instead of moving onto a separate topic of conversation or attempting to escape him in order to track down another shot, you frown. You step back slightly before lifting your arm. "Here."

You're holding your wrist out in front of him so innocently Louis can almost make himself forget what you're offering. "That--that's really nice of you, but I'm okay."

You frown, staring up at him with wide, sad eyes. Louis sighs, his fingers gently bending around your forearm. He pulls your hand down towards your side before stepping closer to you. In an abundance of precaution, he angles his head towards your ear. "I had that boy that grabbed your arm earlier, remember?"

"My blood is perfectly good--blood." Great, he's stumbled onto this argument again. You're not looking to be hurt, but for whatever reason, you're convinced that Louis's refusal to consume your blood to any extent is limiting your friendship. "Seriously, a doctor has never struggled to find my veins."

The defense is slurred and devoid of serious logic. Still, such a consistent mentioning of something he's always trying to ignore...always trying to forget makes it difficult to focus on anything else. The blood moving beneath your skin is warm against his palms, and it--the scent of it...

It is possible to stop. Some know how to resist, how to take just enough to feel something without bringing a life to its end. Lestat had possessed that kind of control, had used it when creating Claudia.

The thought leaves him more somber than he's prepared to be. Even if he could sense that kind of strength in himself, he--he couldn't use you in that way. Introducing you to his world at all was a cruel enough act on its own, he doesn't need to taint you further.

Louis squeezes his eyes shut, exhaling before pulling away slightly. He lifts your arm slowly, his thumb brushing against your wrist's pulse point. You watch him silently as he brings your inner forearm to his mouth. He presses his lips against your skin. "It's not you."

You're quiet for a second, something oddly sober briefly flickering behind your gaze. "I know," you relent slowly, "On some level, I know."

You look at him, then, with a careful awareness that often leaves him feeling like you're the one capable of looking into his mind. "But it better not be because you think your existence is some terrible burden you're inflicting onto me."

It's a warning he's used to hearing. His lips part, but before he can think of a response, the crowd around you shifts. A variety of voices blend together as they start to count, "...Ten...nine...."

"New years!" You beam, reaching for Louis's hand as you turn towards the others.

The countdown continues, the numbers oddly in sync for a bar so full of drunk individuals. The clock hits midnight, the crowd erupts into cheers.

You grin, straightening fully as you lean towards him. Before Louis can think to ask about what you're doing, you press your lips against his cheek. He can feel the residue of your lipgloss against his skin, but he can't bring himself to mind it. This isn't the first time you've gotten a little affectionate while drunk, but normally there's some warning. "What was that for?"

You shrug innocently, "New Years kiss."

You let go of him fully, halfheartedly pushing his arm off your shoulder as you start moving away from him. "Where are you going?"

"I want another shot." The response is absentmindedly thrown over your shoulder, like Louis should have had the foresight to follow you.

A part of him is glad that your back is to him. This way, he can grin openly without encouraging your behavior. "Slow down--you're in heels."

You turn at that, flashing your middle finger before continuing forward. Oh, you're not going to get the hear end of this tomorrow.

[planetpedri]

hiii

could u write an academic enemies to lovers for kenan yildiz pleaseeee

Do I wanna know? 𖦹 Kenan Yildiz !

summary. You’d known Kenan since you were kids, you’d despised him since you were kids, and even know in college, you—oh. Maybe you didn’t?

word count. 545+

disclaimers. banter / slight enemies to lovers due to rivlary

bea speaks! didn’t even realize i’ve had this in my drafts since september i am so so sorry??? and this is kind of open ending but wtv i need it out of my drafts asap

You’d thought leaving your hometown for university would mean freedom—freedom from him. Kenan Yizdiz. But, as if the universe found pleasure in your misery, Kenan had shown up at orientation day with the same annoyingly perfect smile, acting as though he wasn’t the bane of your very existence.

You’d known Kenan for as long as you could remember, but not in the way that was heartwarming. No, he’d been your rival since grade school. Always somehow always beating you in everything. The spelling bee’s and honor rolls. Everything.

So, seeing him on orientation day was… well, infuriating.

“Fancy seeing you here,” he had drawled, leaning casually against the registration table as you signed in. “Still chasing my shadow?”

“More like trying to escape it,” you’d snapped, not even sparing him another glance. “Guess I failed that too.”

Now, three years later, Kenan is still somehow everywhere. In your classes. In the library. Everywhere. He’s still the same old Kenan—competitive, cocky, and stupidly good at everything he does.

But that wasn’t even the worst part. It was the way his smug grin grows wider every time he beats you (which is annoyingly often.)

The final straw comes when you were both nominated for the same prestigious academic award for your class. Today, you’d caught him the library with dozens of books spread around his study table.

“You’re really trying to win this, huh?” You ask, slamming your book into the table across from him.

Kenan’s gaze flickers up to you, unimpressed. “What gave it away, genius? The mountain of research around me or the fact that I’m not out partying like a dog like you act like I do?”

Okay, attitude.

“Hard work doesn’t make you special, Yildiz,” you shoot back. “It simply makes you tolerable.”

“Funny.” He counters quickly, leaning back into his chair. “I was just thinking the same thing about you.”

The two of you lock eyes, and for a moment something shifts. You were so used to the banter, the constant push and pull, that it takes you by surprise when his smug smirk.. softens?

“Why do you even hate me so much?” He asks, voice dropping into a quieter tone, breaking the silent tension. “You’ve been acting like this since we were kids. Like I stole your puppy or something.”

Your posture straightens and you shift on your feet uncomfortably. “Well, Frank did run to you before me that once.” You scoff at the memory of your childhood dog and Kenan, “and, I don’t hate you, Kenan. I just don’t like losing to you. That’s all.”

The brunettes lips twitch into a grin, “Is that so? Because I don’t mind losing to you.”

That.. well, it shut you up. Your eyes lock on his, stunned, while he gathers his books. As he walks past, he leans down just enough to whisper in your ear, his hot breath painting your cheeks a crimson red.

“Maybe if you stopped trying so hard to beat me—to dislike me, you’d realize we could make a really good team.”

Then he leaves.

Leaving you standing there, pulse racing, wondering what the hell just happened. And when did your agitating rival become someone who made your heart stutter.

Better yet, did you want to know?

likes, comments, and reblog’s are all appreciated. lmk if you’d like to be tagged in future posts.

ᝰ.ᐟ tags @halfwayhearted @lechrts @sakashq @ar4ujos @be11ingham @spidybaby @st4rgirl-ellie @piastri-fvx

[gnckholin]

okay I need to preface this with yes I like having representation and anyone who's been around my blog long enough should know that renarin is my specialest little guy him and him and rlain are very cute and if y'all really need it this is coming from the perspective of a queer man if you turn this into a pissing on the poor type deal I will simply block you but. now that I've had time to stew on it.

the rlainarin arc was a bit boring.

part of this is I think rooted in Brandon trying to be a Good Ally™ doing Good Representation™ and he worked a lot with sensitivity readers to make sure things are handled well but it just felt a bit... tokenizing? like they were in the spiritual realm as a bit of plot convenience but also it kinda felt like an excuse to keep them relevant enough to give them pov chapters. and it's cute! don't get me wrong! but also every other characters get emotional arcs about growing as a person and they got...trying to ask your crush out? it felt very out of place.

now you might be saying hold on! they're not primarily pov characters you can't expect as much nuance emotionally as someone like kaladin. and you're right! but let's look at the other supporting cast members here. jasnah gets the struggle of power and her entire attempt to keep thaylenah which results in a meaningful paradigm shift for her! navani gets to work on her connection with the sibling and uncover the past. we don't even really see much of relationship between renarin and glys much less rlain and tumi. sure they may have been good representation! but they were mediocre arcs. even in the discussions I'm seeing lately of favorite parts, it's not that people have disliked it it's just...nothing to write home about?

it also feels particularly weird to have an arc around "my family will think it's weird" when it's been pretty well established that alethi in general are like. fine with queerness. and sure you can say "well they're nobles" but at this point renarin is in line for 0 titles. dalinar was only going to give king of urithiru to someone who wanted it, jasnah planned on being the last queen of alethkar, there's literally no point? it feels a little love Simon. and yes absolutely in modern western culture people can feel weird about coming out to people who would be accepting and that's fine! but that's also rooted in real world homophobia which alethkar doesn't seem to have.

even when we compare with the other canonically queer stormlight character, it just kinda. . .falls flat. part of this is that shallan wasn't intended to be queer but honestly it feels like it reads well. she doesn't have to turn to camera and say she's different she's bisexual she can just be a person. she can fall in love with adolin she can get flustered around jasnah veil can call women hot and it's like. fine. and it feels more authentic to the setting! a lot of the rlainarin arc in WAT felt like it was meant to be educational. for cishet people. and like that's fine! but it doesn't make for an engaging character arc. I can't even say it really makes for good reading.

and look, I get it, we all like seeing them get flustered and worry about what the other one thinks and we all get to be excited when they confess their feelings and kiss but it just feels so tonally dissonant that like. I can't believe this was intended to fit into the main plot. it feels a bit patronizing - like look we have good healthy representation now! I'm doing so good at this! and genuinely from the bottom of my heart it's thrilling that the largest name in fantasy is willing to do this even more so considering the religious background he's writing from I'm not writing all this to say Brandon is a bad guy or secretly a homophobe I'm just saying. I wish we had more, y'know? something less feel good for the cishets for being good allies something with more of a real plot that engages with the themes of the series and whatnot. I'm looking forward to arc 2 (in like 10-15 years)! I'm looking forward to more rlain and renarin and their dynamic! I just hope it feels less. educational.

anyway a lot of this was directly inspired by verilybitchie's video on good representation it really helped me out my finger on why their arc felt a bit flat so please go check it out she's a great creator.