#and what people focus on doesn’t focus on the fact that in the bigger picture

[dykedvonte]

Ulysses obsession with the Courier is a special type of sad to me cause the Courier’s part was so important but so unwitting. They had no idea what was in the package they delivered and neither did he. Neither had an idea of what it could’ve done and the Courier was only caring out their job (mind you the Courier could be killed via notes in the express contract if they don’t). To them it was just another regular delivery to the divide and one that they likely thought would help, just like all the ones before.

It’s so tragic for Ulysses to hold so much ire to the Courier when it really was the case of it could’ve been anyone. Anyone could have delivered that package but they did and so he focused the blame on them and it destroys what he is trying to instill in the courier on a fundamental level.

[threeacttragedy]

Entry 8: The One About the Adjacent of Convenience

Are you guys ready to return to our regularly scheduled programme?

Actually, I must applaud the majority of the people who read my blog for how well they handled Sunday. It seemed many of you got a good laugh out of it and were then gifted Monday morning with an updated post from that dear restauranteur tossing out Lady Whistledown’s name for – honestly, I don’t know why he threw it out there. Do you?

Moving on…

Yesterday, I discussed Antonia. Today, I am going to venture over to the other side of the fandom and discuss – you guessed it – Jake Dunn.

And, no, I’m not summoning the Balrog today. In fact, I don’t equate Jake to a creature from the depths of Moria because, generally speaking, he doesn’t bother me.

Do I find him a tad annoying? Of course I do. But, only because the perception of his relationship with Nicola has been warped into something ass backwards (no pun intended) to anyone with two bits of common sense, and because he’s always inconveniently there.

At the right time.

For those pap pictures.

However, the rational side of my brain reminds me that if I don’t see anything romantic in Nicola’s relationships with, say, JVN, Mark, Golda, Jack, or either of the Dylans, I shouldn’t be bothered by her relationship with Jake. Would we be paying any attention to Jake if he wasn’t being shoved down our throats by anti-Lukolas? No, probably not.

But, here we are.

I will preface this entry with my belief that Jake did not ask to be linked romantically to Nicola. That was Deux Moi's doing. Keep that in mind as you read through this. Deux Moi created that bullshit plotline and then rabid dogs ran with it.

By the way, those are the people you should be worried about. The ones pushing their “Jakola” narratives with blind aggression. I’m talking about those “in your face” assholes whose real motive behind shipping Nicola with anyone-but-Luke is solely based on their rapid-fire hatred towards Luke. These people are not Jakolas; these people are the Jakholes.

*Oh, now is the time to slip this in… My disclaimer (or, my “ask”) for today is, let’s not pick on the Sincerely Ignorant Jakola shippers. They are just as volatile as the Sincerely Ignorant Lukola shippers. They spiral fast and hard, too. Seriously, don’t fuck with these people, please. I believe most of them to be nice people.

Thank you, next.

I know that some of you will argue that Jake is a manipulative little shit and intentionally tried to make connections between Nicola and himself by way of pictures in her personal spaces and a fucking bucket hat, and that may be true. In fact, I’ve heard this argument from Lukolas that I highly respect. It’s very possible Jake has taken advantage of his friendship with Nicola. I understand the argument behind this theory and, I’ll be honest, it has made me question Jake’s character.

But, that’s not the point I’m trying to make today.

Today, I want to focus on how Jake became an “adjacent of convenience.”

What is that exactly? Well, actually, I just now made that shit up. But, it means he’s an adjacent, not because he’s romantically involved with Nicola, but rather he was in the wrong place at the right time.

It’s funny to me, when you spend some time mapping out all the little nuances that make up the Lukola timeline, that you start seeing a bigger picture.

I do not know who was behind Papsmear. Word on the street is that it was Deux Moi. I don’t know if anyone has ever actually confirmed that so, for now, I can only speculate – and speculate I will!

If you look at events in chronological order, it is interesting that, in July, the day before a video of Luke and Antonia at the GQ dinner hit social media, Deux Moi posted old pictures of Luke and Antonia from, I believe, January. Why? It’s also interesting that the day before People Magazine published the Italy Pap pictures of Luke and Antonia, Deux Moi rehashed Papsmear. Again, why?

Do you see the patterns patterning?

I thought you would.

Then what happened?

Well, “Hot Boy Summer” suddenly came to an abrupt halt with Luke returning to London.

Alone.

Is it odd to you that Luke has not been papped with Antonia since the end of July? Because it’s pretty damn odd to me. Is it possible that Luke and Antonia ceased to be “together” at the end of July? If you have read my previous entry, you already know my opinion on this.

But, dammit, that’s a shame! No more scraps for the paps. How unfortunate for Deux Moi.

Okay, then what?

Well, “Chaos Week” began. We had Nicola posting a shit storm of content starting August 4 with French toast and ending August 16 with “Juna.” We had Wordle. We had Scrabble. We had the “Drink Your Milk” shirt. We had “Bless the Telephone.” We had “very demure, very mindful” (which, in my opinion, was confirming the intent behind “Chaos Week”). Oddly, all these things seemed to weigh heavily in Lukolas’ favor. We could even take it a bit further by including the August 22 “BTS Polin” picture and the August 23 “modern day carriage” story (you know, the picture of Nicola looking oh-so-come-hither-sexy in the back of a car), which was followed up two days later by JVN’s “finger” demo. I mean, the Lukola train was rolling, right?! Fuck, yeah, it was!

But, then it came to a very abrupt stop on August 25 when Deux Moi posted pictures of Nicola hanging out with Jake at a music festival. The narrative being given? Oh, so cozy vibes.

And, that’s the moment Jake became an adjacent of convenience.

Just from being at a concert.

Taking a picture with Nicola.

Before this point, did I know who Jake Dunn was? Yeah, I did. I’d seen – in fact DEUX MOI – post pictures of Nicola and Jake hanging out in a pub together in July. I’ll be honest, I looked Jake up at the time and everything I read about him seemed to point in the exact same direction it points to today – that he’s not romantically involved with Nicola.

In fact, I polled at least two dozen of my fellow Lukolas (with the majority of them being fellow Fact Finders, with a select few being “long haulers”) about whether they’d heard of “Jakolas” before August 25. Their answer was a collective and figuratively loud NO.

What does that say to you? It makes me believe that the Jakolas were born from those festival pictures.

How convenient.

Just a few short weeks after the Antonia/Luke ship (do they even have a name?) hit an iceberg (pun intended), we suddenly have the christening of a new ship. The USS Jakola.

How convenient.

Now, think about every good thing that has come about in the Lukola fandom since the Jakholes were released into the wild.

Every positive has been collectively counteracted with a negative.

Think about the timing of all those pap pictures with Jake.

Think about who is releasing those pap pictures.

Are the patterns starting to pattern in your head?

Think about how much effort Nicola has put into erasing the Jakola narrative.

Think about how little effort Nicola has put into erasing the Lukola narrative.

Think about how much that must piss the fuck out of the Jakholes. And Deux Moi.

Anyone want to go with me to rescue Jake from the USS Jakola? I heard the Jakholes put him in the hull closet.

If you have some hesitation, I suppose I could agree to keep him hostage until we know where his allegiance lies. But I'm thinking he's dying to get off that ship.

[mywitchyblog]

what is your take in shifting to "escape your current reality"? I just saw someone on shiftok saying it's bad and you shouldn't do it bc you will take your CR problems to your DR and it won't solve a thing lol personally, I think that's bullshit. you are literally in another reality where you can be a totally different person, you can even script a different personality and you will have a different environment. so this take doesn't make sense to me at all. I'm really curious about your thoughts though

I think the people who say shifting as a form of escapism is bad often fall into two categories:

They have a misguided notion and think they're trying to "protect" you—but they don’t really understand how shifting works. Let’s be real: we all have things we do to escape our current lives from time to time, whether it’s binge-watching TV shows, playing video games, getting lost in a good book, or even scrolling through social media for hours. These are all forms of coping, right? And yet, no one really bats an eye at them. So, why is shifting any different? For some reason, there’s this assumption that shifting is inherently dangerous, and honestly, that’s just not true.

They don’t understand that shifting isn’t like dragging your emotional baggage into a new reality. In fact, it’s quite the opposite! You can shift into a completely different version of yourself, with a different personality, and even different memories. Like, imagine scripting a DR where you don’t even remember the things that stress you out in this reality (CR). That’s totally possible! You’re not bound to your CR problems unless you choose to bring them along. People who say you’ll "carry your CR issues into your DR" don’t really get how deeply you can control your DR experience.

Shifting is about creating a reality that’s tailored to you and your desires. So if you want to leave behind your stress, anxieties, or problems from your CR, you can absolutely do that. You can even script a version of yourself in your DR who has already dealt with those issues, or who doesn’t even see them as problems in the first place. It’s your reality to shape.

And look, let’s talk about escapism for a sec. Escapism isn’t inherently bad. We all do it. It’s a way to take a break from things when they get overwhelming. The key is balance. The same way people take vacations to recharge or dive into hobbies to clear their minds, shifting can be used as a form of self-care. It’s not about avoiding problems forever, but about giving yourself space to breathe, to grow, or even to find new solutions from a fresh perspective.

Plus, let’s not ignore the therapeutic benefits shifting can have. Sometimes, stepping away from your current life, even temporarily, gives you the mental clarity you need to come back and tackle issues with a fresh mindset. If you’ve ever had a "eureka" moment after taking a walk or stepping away from a stressful situation, shifting can work in a similar way. You’re not escaping in a negative sense; you’re giving yourself a chance to recharge and possibly gain new insights. It’s like pressing "pause" on your CR to focus on a more peaceful, fulfilling experience, and that’s not a bad thing at all.

Also, shifting can enhance your personal growth. You’re experiencing life from a completely different perspective, which can open your mind and allow you to learn new things about yourself. Let’s say you’re struggling with confidence in your CR—shifting into a reality where you’re more self-assured can help you feel what it’s like to be confident. You can bring those feelings back with you when you return to your CR. In this way, shifting can actually help you face your CR challenges in a stronger, more empowered way.

The take that "shifting as escapism is bad" really misses the bigger picture of what shifting is all about. It’s not just running away from your problems—it’s about exploring different aspects of yourself, healing, or just giving yourself a mental break. Everyone needs to escape sometimes, and shifting is just a more immersive way to do it. Honestly, it's like the ultimate form of self-care, because you're not just escaping, you’re choosing to create a reality that aligns with your desires, where you can be the best, most fulfilled version of yourself.

And to be fair, there are probably some people who are projecting their own issues onto shifting when they say it’s dangerous. They might not fully understand it, or they’ve only heard bits and pieces about it. But, in reality, shifting is such a personal and customizable practice. You can make it work for you in ways that feel healing, enlightening, and completely safe.

So, to wrap it up: using shifting as a form of escapism isn’t something to shame or criticize. You’re not bound by the rules of your CR when you shift. You’re free to create a new experience that supports you, whether that’s through healing, self-discovery, or just taking a break from the stress of everyday life. Balance is key, of course, but shifting gives you the power to choose how you want to use it—whether it's to escape, to explore, or to grow.

And if someone still thinks it’s “bad” to shift for escapism? Well, let them have their opinion, but it doesn’t mean they’re right. Shifting is about you and your journey, so as long as it’s helping you, that’s all that matters!

[crescentpaws]

unprompted anti keefe post because i remembered this quote just now and got unnecessarily mad about it again. almost every reason i have to hate keefe can be seen in this quote from legacy btw:

“Isn’t this the epic showdown you’ve been planning where you order Tammy Boy to kill me? Thanks for the warning about that, by the way,” he told Tam. “As you can see, it worked super well.”

“keefe can keep a secret if it’s actually important” no the fuck he can not. this quote just proves how little he actually cares for other people. tam risked SO MUCH to pass along that warning to sophie, and keefe just casually mentions it in front of gisela. i can’t tell if he’s just really stupid or if he genuinely doesn’t care about the very REAL and very LIKELY possibility that gisela would literally kill tam for that. keefe casually decides to possibly condemn someone to death just to have a moment where he can tell his mom “i already knew what you were planning all along btw! lol! haha!” god he’s a fucking idiot.

then he has the nerve to say “as you can see, it worked super well” as if keefe didn’t SPECIFICALLY CHOOSE to ignore the message????? acting as if it’s tam’s fault that they’re in this position???

i get he uses humor as a coping mechanism, but all his comebacks to his mom just seem so stupid considering he is fully aware of what she is able to do. even if he knows she won’t hurt him, she is fully willing to hurt his friends. which he never seems to care about (unless it’s sophie, because for some reason sophie is the only person that matters to him. but clearly not even she really matters or else he would stop betraying her trust over and over and over again.)

reminder that the only reason they’re here is because sophie knew if she didn’t take keefe to london he would go by himself btw. which is just so. UGH. it’s not her job to be his fucking babysitter. how is that a healthy relationship

and then keefe has the nerve to be mad after tam escapes with gisela. like, you know, the literal exact same fucking thing he did with alvar in lodestar. except in keefe’s situation, he wasn’t a prisoner. he wasn’t wearing special bonds made of light that restricted his power. tam actually had a reason to go back with gisela. which keefe never did with alvar. but it’s ok! he’s allowed to be mad because it’s his mom! he’s allowed to be mad at everyone if they focus on the bigger picture instead of what will stop making him feel sad right this second! it’s ok for him to be mad because his mom is evil! but it’s not ok for fitz to be mad about them letting alvar go! because that’s different for some reason! trust me guys!!!!!!!!!!!

and don’t even get me STARTED on the final battle scene in loamnore. keefe is just so. oh my god. he’s so fucking aggravating. literally the whole group’s plan relied on the fact that keefe WASNT going to be there. he literally PROMISED he wouldn’t show up and try to take things over (like he always does). i seriously have no idea how sophie ever trusts him again after that. that would be my final straw. all he’s done is prove that no matter how much he swears he’s telling the truth, he’s just a manipulative liar 👍 it shouldn’t be sophie’s job to be constantly monitoring keefe to make sure he doesn’t do stupid shit like this. she shouldn’t have to be using her energy 24/7 worrying about what stupid thing he’s going to do next. that is not a healthy relationship.

and what do you know, keefe arriving at the scene was exactly what the neverseen wanted! gisela got to do what she was planning from the beginning!! and keefe acts like it wasn’t ENTIRELY PREVENTABLE.

god he’s just so stupid i don’t understand how any of these characters are able to remain friends with him. but whatever. keep glorifying his shitty behavior i guess.

[bleue-flora]

as much as I like the dsmp story and its message about how there’s a deep down, I can’t help but think about the Bojack horsemen quote about how there’s no deep down and you are the actions you do regardless of someone’s intent or backstory

[context]

I believe you are referring to this quote “That’s the thing. I don’t think I believe in deep down. I kind of think all you are is just the things that you do.” (Which btw yall its real annoying when I have to find whatever the hell you are talking about, no shade just as an aside…<3)

The thing is, both things can be true. Life is about choices, and your every action and inaction has a consequence, (which I think I’ve talked about before but I don’t feel like finding it at the moment). In other words, everything you do impacts the world around you and has lasting effects. You may not know it and are likely very unaware of the consequences (positive and negative). This is because like my post said we are all inherently selfish because we live and see the world from only one view - our own. So yes, you are the actions/“things you do” and choices you make, regardless of the intentions.

At the end of the day, whether you meant to or not, whether you had good intentions or not, if you hurt someone the facts remain the same - you hurt someone. They have a fundemental right to feel hurt and that is always valid, emotions and feelings are always valid, whether it’s logical or makes sense or not. The reason deep down doesn’t change the outcome or the hurt you caused. However, that is about the past action. If you want to learn and grow and form meaningful relationships, avoid conflict… etc. That’s where the deep down comes in. Then it’s important to look at the reasons, not as excuses or justifications but as explanations - a bridge to understanding and shattering our stereotypes, assumptions and judgement.

(Okay, my foot still hurts from you stepping on it, but yeah if it was just an accident then the relationship doesn’t have to just all end over something stupid like it would if I assumed it was intentional.) Yes the impact you make on the world is the sum of what you do and that impact is true regardless if there is a deeper reason behind it. But also, if you only focus on what people do and go no deeper, then you are missing the bigger picture and your relationships will not last long and you are going to live a very lonely and conflictfilled life.

That is why it is important. Not because in the finale of the dsmp Dream’s reveal changes any of his actions, but because it changes our perspective of him and that changes how we act next. Whether we show compassion and empathy or understanding or forgiveness of someone’s actions or run the hell away. (Whether a conflict breaks out over you stomping on my foot so I step on yours back.)

As an engineer, a nerdy metaphor I could use is that it’s kinda like if situations were an equation then the effect and action is the answer (the one side of the =), but sometimes we need to used the other side of the = to solve for x, so we can solve the next equations.

The deep down matters because it should change your action. It matters because in recent years after excusing my behavior because of something or the other, I realized ya know other people might also have a valid reason too. So while my automatic assumption of why they are late to class is that they are lazy, or rude, or don’t care, maybe maybe they actually woke up nauseous and were throwing up which prevented them from being on time, maybe they fainted coming out of the shower, maybe their car wouldn’t start, maybe they had a doctor’s appointment beforehand, maybe there was a car accident making them late, maybe there was a train blocking the road…etc. there are so many reasons, but our mind just jumps to the worst, and we expect grace from others when we are late but wouldn’t give others the same benefit of the doubt. If we had, if instead of judgment and criticism, we checked on them after class to see if they are okay then maybe we learn of their struggle, and maybe they need our help, or maybe we relate and become friends, maybe you share your notes with them, maybe you give them a hug. The deeper meaning changes what you do and like the quote says, what you do is the impact on the world…

[dearweirdme]

The pictures Tae posted were taken at a moment that wasn’t for fans entertainment but the choice to post it for fans to see could be because he knew fans would love to see it. Like you said it was a private moment and he had the pictures to look at for himself anytime he wanted to so what else was the need to post it to the public? He already had the memories, had the pictures for himself so what do you think was the reason to let millions of people see these pictures that were taken at a private moment if he didn’t do it with fans in mind? I didn’t say the moment itself was fanservice, I only said his decision to post the pics could be because he knew fans would love to see them which is fanservice. When ever the members spend time together without the knowledge of fans, that ofcourse isn’t fan service but the moment they decide to share some of those memories with us by posting pictures or telling us about their outings or hangouts, i believe that they only do that because they know we love seeing them or hearing about them together, that is what I meant.

Then about the travel show not being only for fans entertainment look at it this way. My friend and I decide to do a travel vlog and in that vlog we would be traveling and making memories for ourselves but also sharing those memories with the world. We have an experience that we love and that we would also like to share with the world. That is why I said I think the travel vlog was for them first and then for fans entertainment. I don’t think that when they spoke about it then, they intended for it to be produced by the company. I think they wanted to do something similar to what Jk did with GCF Tokyo where they travel around by themselves and just take footage with their go pros like we can see them do alot in the travel show, edit the footage themselves probably and then post it on youtube or something. In some of the clips from the teasers and trailers we can see that they don’t seem to be with any staff and all the footage we get from those clips are from their go pros which they hold themselves so I think that was initially the idea but maybe the company then decided to do it the way they did so they could use it for content to keep fans engaged while the members are away. Even the people who spotted them out and about last year in Jeju and NY mentioned that they were just the two of them with their go pros and no staff. We even have that clip of the girl who posted about seeing them come into her store to get frozen pizzas. Last year she said they were just the two of them with their go pros when they came in to buy the pizza and we have that clip in the show lol. The fan who spotted them in sapporro also said they were alone too with their go pros and drove to the airport by themselves and the manager and security only met them at the airport so I get the impression that, that is exactly what they wanted to do but bighit then decided to make it into a whole show. It’s just like we know that Friendcation was also just supposed to be Tae traveling with his friends but they decided to make it into a show but just because Jimin and Jungkook had planned to make a travel vlog doesn’t mean it was all just for fans entertainment. The fact that the idea to do the vlog also didn’t come from the company is why I said It was for them first and not only intended for fans entertainment.

Just wanted to explain further because it seemed like some people misunderstood what I was trying to say. 💜

Hi again anon!

In a nutshell, I disagree. Also, I’d like to point out that when it comes to Jkk you seem to focus on them doing it for themselves, while in Tae’s case you make this more about him doing this for fans. This is going in the direction of Tae doing things for attention (which might bot be your intention, but I do want to make you aware of how your explanation reads to me).

The bigger picture here, is that it’s always Jk who gets singled out by Tae. Unless you think Tae never meets with other members (which we know isn’t true) I think that is an important factor to consider. If it was merely a case of knowing army likes to see members together, we’d been seeing more diversity in members popping up in Tae’s Instagram. It is not a coincidence that it’s always Jk. It’s because to Tae, Jk is more meaningful. I know for a lot of people that is difficult to come to terms with, but holy shit.. it literally cannot get more clear. Sure a part of Tae also understands that fans will love to see that pic.. but it sure is more than just posting a member because fans like to see it. Also.. realize.. that those pics did not only get him/them love.. but a crap load of shit as well. If you’re a Tkkr.. it’s quite alright to say that they do things that are meaningful for them.. for their own pleasure and happiness. If you’re not a Tkkr, why is the possibility of this being something Tae did for Tae something that has to be countered with ‘fanservice’, while me saying the Travel show is company content is ‘them doing it for themselves first’? Tae is just as human as the rest of us, he does choose to do things for himself. Also.. to me, those captions he used firmly took this from a member posting a member to ‘I want to share how special this was to me’.

On the travel show.. what you describe goes against what Jk himself said on Suchwita.

Jm himself had the idea for a travel variety show. That indicates content creation. Jk says they suddenly arranged a shoot, which also indicates content creation. It also goes against us clearly seeing crew around them. I don’t really know what the problem is here, we don’t feel bad about In The Soop and Bon Voyage being for content, so why (!?) is it a debate when it’s about Jm and Jk? Is it because we’re Tkkrs talking about them and people feel the need to push back? Is it because to you the Travel show being content creation is less valuable because it wasn’t a private trip gone public? Jk and Jm didn’t plan a travel vlog. They agreed it would be fun to do one and never discussed it again until they set one up for them. If they had planned it Jk would not have been surprised about a shoot being set up during his own promo time.

Again, I am positive they enjoyed themselves. I think they look back at this time with real joy. It was an opportunity for them to spend time together. But in my opinion it would not have happened if not for army content.

[linnoya-writes]

“Stop criticizing Katara’s adult narrative just because she primarily chose motherhood. Raising kids is an honor, and she raised the Avatar’s kids!”

Every time I hear someone say this about Katara, I imagine it in the tone of fans who believe big career goals and motherhood cannot coexist, and that that a woman choosing motherhood is forfeiting their big career goals (sometimes even their identity) to focus all of their energy on the kids, and that still wanting those big dreams for yourself is selfish when you have kids to take care of.

I also imagine that people who say this are fans who saw Katara as the character always helping Aang with his physical/mental/emotional struggles as well as other people everywhere she went, and so she would easily transition into full-time motherhood as an adult because she was so naturally gifted with it already. These are the fans who tend to overlook the emotional labor Katara had to internalize due to her being “that mature voice” and “pillar of inner strength” for so many people at such a young age… not really having someone who understood her darker side or helped validate her feelings. Let’s just leave Zuko in The Southern Raiders and shipping out of this.

What I want to discuss… is why is Katara the only character praised by fans for choosing to raise kids in her adult life rather than for other things she accomplished?

Toph, for example, grew up as a single mom, raised two daughters of separate fathers, and she STILL managed to take her bending abilities to whole new levels by opening a metalbending academy and becoming chief of police for the entire Republic City well into her 50s. She was still active and involved in her career and served in criminal trials while still having two girls at home (Katara was not even present in Yakone’s trial, despite that he was being tried for Bloodbending… a crime Katara herself had deemed illegal.)

Zuko also took parenthood seriously, raising at least one daughter (whether or not a mom was in the picture is still TBD) and even in his elderly80s, he definitely seemed to show up to big events with his daughter and was protective of his daughter’s safety in the world. And oh yeah. Zuko was also the FireLord, who spent time reconstructing an imperialistic country and changing the views of so many generations of his people… he raised a dragon named Druk… and was active in overseeing Republic City.

Let’s also not forget that Aang was a father to the same kids he had with Katara, and yet he isn’t praised for choosing fatherhood over anything else he did. LOK tells us that in fact, he actually favored Tenzin over the non-Airbending kids, and the other airtemples didn’t even know Avatar Aang had other children outside of Tenzin. Did Aang dedicate time to raising Tenzin when they went on all those field trips? I like to believe so, but Aang also had lovely and willing Air Acolytes everywhere he went that would probably tend to Tenzin while he did important Avarar work. The narrative here doesn’t give us much of a positive outlook on how Aang was a dad, but that’s okay… because we as fans like to praise the other bigger important things Aang did like build Republic City.

While Aang, Toph and Zuko were continuing to build their legacies through their character strengths, sense of worldly knowledge, and incredible bending talents… in LOK, we only hear about Katara’s focused on healing (something she certainly didn’t want to be known exclusively for), despite the fact that The Greatest Healer in the World failed to heal Korra (twice!). We also hear how Katara was determined to make bloodbending illegal, and yet in LoK, bloodbending is still running rampant and elderly Katara doesn’t seem to be bothered by that. The Katara we see in the SWT (who’s just as elderly as Toph and Zuko) is a person who’s thrown in the towel, chosen a reclusive quiet life rather than attending big events (such as her own granddaughter’s Airbending ceremony), and letting the world deal with its own problems. It’s as if she trained the next Avatar in waterbending and she could finally retire; her work was done.

What makes Katara’s adult narrative so diminished isn’t because she was seen primarily as a mom, but because we as fans don’t see much fruit of her labor (both within motherhood and outside it). Yes, she raised Tenzin, Bumi and Kya, but even as middle-aged adults, her kids talk about how they were culturally divided as a family. They don’t visit their mother in the SWT unless it’s deemed necessary. Outside of Kya, we also don’t really see the kids (or grandkids) really connecting with the WaterTribe side of their heritage either. We definitely hear a lot about Katara’s healing abilities, but where is the proof of that? Where are the grand state-of-the-art healing hospitals in Republic City with her statue welcoming everyone, where it’s shown that Katara dedicated her time to train other healers and master new healing techniques? We also hear how she made bloodbending illegal, so why are people like Yakone still making it a problem? Why wasn’t Katara there, making a public statement next to the president regarding this cruel bending technique and making more an effort to monitor all Waterbenders in the SWT and NWT to make sure kids weren’t being trained in that cruelty? All we hear about Katara’s greatness is in side-commentary from other characters in LOK, but compared to Aang, Toph, and Zuko, there isn’t really much we get to see from that greatness.

We can’t even say that Katara brought the next generation of Airbenders, because in LoK season 3, Airbenders randomly come back all over the world.

So, I’m not saying that Katara choosing to be a wife to Aang and mom to the Avatar’s kids in her adult life was a disservice to her character. What I’m saying is that the things she accomplished outside of those roles didn’t really amount to much in the later narratives of ATLA. Katara could’ve changed the world, but her character was reduced to serving the Avatar’s narrative instead.

[aleyalea]

Fans Aren’t Weird, But Toxic Spaces Make It Hard to Love What You Love

MDA20009 Digital Communities

When you hear the word “fan,” you might picture someone in a superhero cape, screaming at a concert, or collecting rare merch. Media often portrays fandom as “weird” or over-the-top. But being a fan is simply about passion, whether it’s for a movie, TV show, band, or actor. It’s about loving something deeply and feeling connected to something bigger. So why are fans still seen as “overly emotional” or obsessive?

Inspired by: @arlnlms

The truth is, the stereotypes around fans are mostly media-driven. Movies and TV shows often portray fans as obsessive, spending all their time and money on their interests. (I can relate to this, where I'm willing to give my time to watch their movie/tv show/fangirling about them). While some fans do take their passion to the next level, most of us are just regular people who love something deeply. Some collect items, others binge-watch shows on lazy Sundays. There’s no “right” way to be a fan, and loving something intensely doesn’t make you “weird.”

But here’s the catch, while the general idea of being a fan isn’t strange, toxic online spaces can make it harder to embrace that love. Thanks to social media, fandoms have grown from small, niche communities into massive global networks. This has been amazing in many ways connecting people from different backgrounds and allowing them to share their love for something they’re passionate about. But with this growth comes a darker side. Toxic fans, who are often loud and aggressive, can make it tough to feel comfortable in fandom spaces. And that can really suck the fun out of being a fan.

If you’ve been on platforms like Twitter or Reddit, you’ve likely seen toxic fans who belittle, harass, or shame others for not sharing their opinions, liking the “right” thing, or being new. Their behavior, from petty arguments to outright bullying, often dominates discussions, making others feel excluded or “lesser” for not meeting their arbitrary standards of fandom.

For example, let’s take a look at Twitter, a platform that has become notorious for its fandom drama. You’ll often see threads where fans argue over the smallest details of a franchise, with insults flying left and right. It can get so intense that it feels more like a competition about who’s the “biggest fan” than a celebration of shared love. These heated arguments can scare people away from joining in or even sharing their own opinions. It’s like you have to prove yourself before you can truly belong, and which makes fandom way less fun.

No one should feel like they have to prove their worth to be a fan. Fandoms should be welcoming spaces where people share their love for something, not judged by how much they know or how long they've been a fan. Everyone connects with fandoms differently, and that’s what makes it special. But toxic fandoms don’t always allow for that, making you feel like an outsider if you don’t meet their standards.

This leads me to my own experience with fandom. I’ve been part of several fandoms over the years, and for the most part, I’ve had positive experiences. It’s been amazing to connect with others who love the same things and share in the excitement of new releases or events. But I’ve also encountered those toxic pockets where negativity seems to be the main focus. I remember getting involved in a popular TV show fandom once, and before I even had a chance to join in on the fun, I was criticized for not knowing every single detail of the show’s backstory, LMAO. It was disheartening to feel like I wasn’t “fan enough” just because I didn’t have the same level of knowledge as others. It made me question if I even wanted to be part of that fandom anymore.

Well, that experience taught me that I didn’t need to prove anything to anyone. I’m a fan because I love something, not because I can recite every line or know every little fact about it. Fandom should be about enjoyment, not exclusion.

So, while toxic fans and the media’s portrayal of fandoms as “weird” can make it harder to embrace your love for something, it’s important to remember that true fandom is about passion, connection, and community. Don’t let anyone make you feel like you’re not “fan enough” just because you love something differently. After all, fandom is for everyone whether you’ve been a fan for decades or just discovered something new. The joy of being a fan is in the love you share, not in meeting someone else’s standards.

Let’s keep it fun, friendly, and inclusive. Because fans aren’t weird. Toxic spaces are.

[raineandsky]

A Date in Exchange

(Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5) (Part 6) (Part 7)

The villain turns up on the hero’s doorstep every week as promised after that. They always show up with a bouquet of burning reds and oranges and yellows, each bigger than the last, and the flames always find themselves face down in the hero’s bin.

Each week is something a little different—a movie night, a fancy meal, a game of Cluedo. The villain seems to get more and more disappointed each week. The hero takes enough pictures to appease their parents, and the villain enthusiastically escapes the disgusting cosiness of the hero’s house as soon as it’s over.

“It’s kind of cold, isn’t it?” the hero comments idly. It’s their night of stargazing, as far as their parents know, and the two of them are sitting on the cool grass of the hero’s garden. “Let me go grab a blanket.”

They haul themself to their feet with the dexterity of someone very good at pretending to not be in good shape, leaving the villain to sit on their shared little picnic blanket alone. It’s probably too small for two people, and neither of them are overly enthralled to cram onto the lackluster square—that much is obvious from how the villain contentedly spreads out the moment the hero stands. 

There’s a blanket draped over the sofa in the living room, and the hero grabs it without a thought. They turn back to the garden, fully prepared to step through the patio doors and hog most of its warmth for the rest of the evening, but they pause on the threshold.

The villain is leaning back on their hands, their gaze pointed to the sky overhead. Their lips are moving faintly, though from here the hero can’t hear what they’re saying. The hero’s mother was always so insistent on stringing fairy lights through her garden, and the hero had copied her in their own—they’re turned on tonight, washing the villain in a soft, heavenly glow. They look so serene, their focus fixed to the lights above, lit up like an angel, and the hero can’t help themself.

They raise their phone. They were always proud of the fact that it had such a good camera, and they couldn’t be more thankful for that as they frame their nemesis in its lens. With a hushed click, their phone preserves the moment forever.

They stand in the doorway for another solid minute, just watching; they’re not really sure why. They’ve never really seen the villain experience an emotion beyond violence, they suppose. It’s… a nice change of pace, they tell themself. Nothing more.

Eventually they force their legs to move again, crossing the grass with the blanket in tow. The villain glances up at them, still awash in yellow light, and the hero has to immediately revert to their usual ways to avoid saying wow.

“Are you talking to yourself?” they ask shortly, and the villain snorts.

“Constellations,” they say, as if that’s an answer. They clearly realise it’s not after a moment, adding: “My parents taught me the constellations when I was younger. You can see most of them tonight.”

The hero drops the blanket, landing half on the villain’s lap. They don’t bother to sit as they turn their gaze to the sky. “Big Dipper,” the villain points out, as if the hero can see where they’re pointing, “and the Little Dipper on the left.”

“Your parents astronomers or something?”

The villain smiles a little sadly, though their eyes stay fixed on the view. “They wanted to be. Too bad the agency had other ideas.”

Had. The hero doesn’t think they can do this. “Anyway, it’s late. You should go home.”

“Oh.” The villain glances at the clock on their own phone, and the hero notices the three people on their screensaver. “You finally realised you have all your little romantic pictures and I’ve overstayed my welcome?”

“Exactly,” the hero retorts shortly, and they don’t miss the slight frown their response receives. “Same time next week, [Villain].”

The hero can’t get their nemesis out fast enough. The villain seems to dawdle endlessly, picking their things up as slowly as humanly possible, but eventually the hero manages to slam the door in their face. They open their phone as they lean back against the door as if to keep them out, glancing down at the picture they took just minutes before. Some part of them can’t believe they never saw this before, another part disgusted at the thought. The villain is… pretty. It feels like a crime just to think that.

They glance out the window to the side of the door—the villain has already pulled their hood up, a shadow against the evening, anxious to disappear into the city. Their gait is hurried like they’re fleeing the scene as they hop over one of the neighbour’s fences and vanish.

They turn their phone off with a disheartened sigh, their stare locked onto the bin in the kitchen beyond. It smells so floral, so enticing, and it guides the hero towards it like a lighthouse in the storm. They flick it open, looking down at the carefully tied stems and the splash of vibrance beneath, and after a moment of deliberation fuelled by the overwhelming scent of flowers they pull them back out.

There’s a decorative vase on the kitchen table, and after another hesitant inner turmoil they place the flowers inside, slowly, as if they’ll explode if they rush. They’re stunning—matching the autumnal tiles of the room, matching their own hero’s uniform, matching the villain’s usual fire for life. That’s been lacking recently, only dampening each time they appear on the hero’s doorstep, and they haven’t figured out why.

Not that they care, obviously. The hero doesn’t give a damn about the villain. Their parents might get suspicious if they start looking miserable, is all. They just need to fix it so that their mother doesn’t start crying again. That’s all there is to it.

There’s a picture on the hero’s phone and a bright bouquet of flowers on their table that suggest otherwise, though.

(Next part)

Taglist: @criohfreeze

[dimesdimesdimess]

I mean, since his appearance on monsters lyle and erik menendez netflix, people are curious to know who is this guy, people start to do some kind of investigation into his past (Bc he's a very good actor and handsome of course 🤗) and they express their opinions on their opinions against him or his girlfriend (about cheating rumor with the actress of general hospital or insecure girlfriend whatever), Tiktok, his neutral/serious behavior in some interviews, and blah blah blah... You know, all this bullshxt that fans says almost every moment on the Internet and social networks

As a fan, if i like an artist, i support him and his work, to what he can bring to the art. I really appreciate Nicholas' acting but then i really don't care about his private life, if he's in a relationship or not or whatever. For me i see an actor who has a lot of potential and who deserves to receive an award for his acting in his film projects, same for Cooper Koch, they can do something bigger (as i can see Nicholas the next Patrick Bateman from American Psycho for example😁)

According to the story about the t-shirt that would seem similar to the t-shirt that the real Lyle Menendez wore, it's true that it was a little clumsy on his part but im not going to make a scandal by boycotting it or cancelling him like that as everything is allowed, you know what i mean ? And especially the story, the little kiss between him and the actress Chloe, i understand it's kinda weird but come on then it was the premiere of the series, it was an evening filled with enthusiastic events

I'm just saying that we have to be more coherent and logical abt this, instead of always wanting to look for the little move and make a Hollywood Gen Z drama for nothing, like he's a huge mistake (Today's fans are a bit unbearable i think)

And they have no interest in making hateful comments or messages about him, especially about his and Cooper's performance on the show (blame Ryan Murphy who portrayed the Menendez brothers' case) it's just my thoughts

anon - 🌸

I thought I responded to this but I guess I didn’t lol.

But I do agree with you on things. I personally don’t think Nicholas owes us a thing. I know he struggles with anxiety and it’s pretty obvious from his interviews and appearances alone. So I think people really need to give him some grace. I don’t think people understand this kind of fame is different than soap opera fame. Drastically different. It’s so obvious he’s not use to this at all and doesn’t know how to really handle or navigate it yet. Where Cooper has been doing this for so long that it’s easy for him.

So has Nicholas done things that may have people looking at him a little differently? Sure. I stand by the fact that he shouldn’t have taken that picture with those two guys dressed as the Menendez brothers. But I’m also not going to take that moment and decide he’s a terrible person. I don’t think Nicholas is a bad person at all. The fact that people do is crazy to me. Are we not allowed to make mistakes anymore? The fact that people are getting so upset as if they know this man personally and his life. We don’t. Honestly, a lot of people should maybe step back and just focus on his work if they can’t handle him as a person because the things I’ve seen being said about him is crazy.

I do know the shirt he wore that is the same as Lyle’s was actually a shirt the entire cast was given. So if people are mad about that.. I’m even more concerned because everyone has one. If they didn’t like what the back of the shirt had I would blame Ryan Murphy.

People keep talking about how he hasn’t made any statements about the Menendez brothers or he doesn’t support them. Which isn’t true at all. In the new German magazine he did a photoshoot for he literally talks about them. I’ll share some screenshots of it. Because I really need people to stop that narrative that he doesn’t believe them or care about them. Just because he wasn’t so outspoken about it doesn’t mean that’s true. You see Cooper outspoken about it and suddenly Nick is a bad person for not. Then onto him not going to see Lyle. He didn’t need too. But also did people ever stop to think how odd it may have been for him because he knows he didn’t portray Lyle correctly. I feel like he probably didn’t feel like it was right for him to do so. That’s okay. He doesn’t owe us that.

But I can’t wait to see what else he does because he is a phenomenal actor!!

But here’s the screenshots from a TikTok about the things he’s said about the brothers and Lyle.

[obislittleone]

The Winner Takes It All

Episode 8

Pairing: Finnick Odair x Tribute(OC)!Reader

Chapter Warnings: Anxiety, canon typical violence... like, a lot of it. Death, mentions of gore and vivid scenes of blood. Drowning, mentions of water consumption (not in a good way)

Chapter Summary: The hours after the bloodbath are a bit easier, but still nerve wracking for not only the tributes within the arena, but also their mentors who are watching from the winner's circle on a big screen.

Word Count: 3.8k

this is going to get so much worse and I am so not sorry

“First year I’ve actually gotten lucky.” “And the fact that they aren’t even careers is astound-” She cut herself off, looking past him to the screen he’d been watching all day. Her eyes narrowed and she looked confused. “What the hell?” 

Finnick hasn’t left the couch for hours. He knows without question that you’re alive, and that your allies have your back… but he can’t move his eyes from the screen. Every time they cut away from the career pack to focus on other tributes, he holds his breath. He only lets it out again when you and Lukas are on screen. As much as he hopes Lukas won’t win it all, he is relying on him to stay alive until the last possible second. He knows it’s selfish, and it’s cruel. He knows that Lukas is a great tribute and deserves to win as much as anyone else, but he also knows that he won’t be the same if you don’t win. Deep down he knows that this feeling he has is nonsense, and your life will probably end with the boom of cannon-fire and your picture in the sky. 

Johanna circled the couch and sat down, having already lost a tribute, she’s trying her best not to scream in the face of the first person she sees. She hates everyone and everything in the Capitol, and rightfully so. All she wants is to go home and stop watching these games. She knows her tribute will die, she just knows it. Still, she finds interest in the way Finnick keeps his eyes glued to the TV. This man before her is not the one she’s heard so many stories about. The one who pushes kids into the arena with basic knowledge of the games, refusing to get close to them and instead just reaping the glory of his own games with every visit he makes to the Capitol. This can’t be the wondrous and mighty Finnick Odair, youngest winner of the hunger games there has ever been. 

“They’re fine, you know,” she said nonchalantly, looking at how they traveled across the rainforest grounds, cutting at trees and branches to get through the muggy place. It had already rained twice since the games began, and you looked soaked to the brim. Water had been an easy find for the reason of the rain, but now viable shelter was the most important. The career pack was searching for a cave to hunker down inside, just for the night. They would pursue the other tributes in the morning. 

Truth be told, even though the careers had the highest kill count, the other tributes had gained some ground as well. The boy from eleven killed both the kids from ten, and the girl from seven had been attacked by but then defeated the girl from five. 

In total there were thirteen tributes remaining. 

“I know,” he said, unwilling to elaborate further, but also unwilling to look away for even a moment. It’s getting late, and he knows that he has to leave for his room soon, but he wants to stay here as long as he can, keep his eyes on the bigger screen until he’s certain nothing is going to happen. 

“You’re nothing like what I’ve heard about you.”

His interest was piqued, but not enough to turn away, he simply furrowed his brow and asked her. 

“How so?” 

She scoffed, as if it weren’t obvious. He knows he’s different this year than last, but he refuses to acknowledge it to another person. She’s new, the latest victor, she doesn’t know anything about him except for second hand accounts. 

“To put it plainly, you’re not as arrogant, selfish or entertaining as people say,” the slanted smile she wore was the first thing Finnick saw in hours after finally looking away from the screen. He didn’t think those words were quite right, but he understood why they were the choice words of anyone who had known him. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t live up to your expectation,” he replied, his tone sarcastic but still voiced his intrigue. He’d never seen himself from the point of view of an onlooker, probably because he didn’t care to be one until now. He was the center of every social circle in the victor’s lineup. Ever since he won. When he was young, people were just amazed by his skill to win at the age he was, as he grew older, they became enraptured with the way he grew into his divine beauty… but now, he’s the loner in a large room, sitting on the smallest couch in the dimmest corner and watching the hunger games on the screen. 

“I was even intimidated to talk to you last night, I thought you might be an ass or something.”

At this he laughed. He may have been a bit full of himself, but an ass? He felt that went just a bit too far. 

“I don’t think I was ever an ass,” he defended. She couldn’t help but give him a surprised look. Maybe he hasn’t heard everything they say about him. To her, he definitely sounded like an ass. “I know I’ve earned myself a… particular reputation.”

“What changed? Why is the mysterious and handsome center of attention over here all by himself, and so suddenly?”

He shrugged loosely, looking down at the empty glass he’d not had refilled in several hours. He’d been too glued to his spot since the bloodbath to care what kind of service he was getting. Not like he needed it, anyway. 

“Just hoping for a different outcome this year,” he let out, his tone monotonous and solemn. He wants his victor, but it has to be his prized tribute. 

“Well, the odds are in your favor... Both of your tributes are spectacular,” she scoffed after very clearly enunciating her last word, her sarcasm and envy dripping from every other one. She’d already lost a tribute. She’s new here, that was her first loss, but it would not be her last. She was certain that her other tribute would not win these games… especially not with Finnick’s dazzling pair standing in the way.

“First year I’ve actually gotten lucky.”

“And the fact that they aren’t even careers is astound-” She cut herself off, looking past him to the screen he’d been watching all day. Her eyes narrowed and she looked confused. “What the hell?” 

Finnick turned back immediately, his heart dropping into the pit of his stomach as soon as he viewed the scene. His tributes and the rest of the career pack had finally found a cavern… but within the depths was a freshwater spring, probably deep enough to drown in. This wouldn’t be so frightening if you hadn’t been ‘playfully’ shoved by a certain district one tribute, now splashing frantically in the water to keep your head above it. 

“Grab her, damnit,” he whispered to Lukas as if he were here, standing off of the couch to put himself closer to the action happening on screen. 

“What is she doing?” Johanna asked with great suspicion. Why was a district four kid like yourself struggling so badly to paddle back to the place you were pushed from? It didn’t make any sense. District four kids are practically swimming before they can even walk. 

Finnick was breathing harshly, his hands balling into fists at his sides and his jaw clenching. He completely disregarded Johanna at this moment, because she wasn’t the one drowning. 

Seeing Lukas take the time to take off all the gear he was carrying before jumping in after her was nerve wracking, but in the end, he pulled her out, and she was okay. Lukas had technically done the right thing, as now the rations and supplies are still intact and will last them far longer than if he’d jumped in with everything.

“Finnick?” 

He turned to see not just Johanna, but several other victors standing behind him. They all looked just as confused and a bit angry at the situation. How did someone like you, from district four, no less, get a perfect score… and you couldn’t even do the most basic thing that those from your district thrive on?

“Your tribute, she-”

���Can’t swim.” He filled them in. It was pretty obvious, but he didn’t want to wait for anyone else to say it, along with their foolish remarks about how ridiculous it was, or how crazy you'd be for not trying to learn. He’d already had those thoughts, and they were destructive. He didn’t need to hear them again from those who didn’t know anything else about you. “Tried to work with her, but it didn’t seem to stick. 

He lifted up his glass in the air, claiming everyone’s attention to the small object, before leaving it on the counter across from him as he stepped past everyone and left the room. There was a screen at the mentor’s center, he could watch from there. No need to be bothered with all of this nonsense and possible backlash.

-

“It’s nice and spacious here, we could set up our own community,” Freeda joked, her laughter of herself filling the cave with echoes as the rest of the group followed in. 

“Hey guys look here,” Copeline looked up at a hole in the cavern ceiling, the light pouring into the stone walls to reveal a pool underneath it. The depths looked tauntingly large, but you wanted to see about it anyway. 

You took your turn glancing at it, the color was quite pretty in contrast to the muddy puddles outside from the constant rain. Water seemed to follow you, now. No use in hiding from it, even in a cavern. 

“District four loves to swim right?” Estelle asked Lukas, nodding her head towards the pool. Lukas was told to play along. Even if your allies were to ask you, you were to lie and say you could swim. Lukas didn’t know any better of her plans, so he smiled confidently and nodded. 

“That we do.” was his response. 

She hummed to herself, cocking her head to the side, and lunging forward to tap the back of her elbow to you, not hard enough to cause harmful suspicion, but enough to look playful. You fell in for how much you were leaning, and the water instantly took you over.

You clawed at the surface, wishing it was solid enough that you could grab it and hoist yourself up. The struggle became worse when you realized your backpack full of ropes and supplies was weighing you down. You’d have to lose it in order to paddle high enough. It slipped from your shoulders, sinking into the abyss, but you still couldn’t get up. It was like this water worked as gravity, trying it’s best to hold you in place. 

The panic set in when you got deep enough to not see the sunlight as clearly. Maybe the sun was behind a cloud, but you weren’t thinking that rationally right now. You were almost sure that this is how it would end. A tragic death that you deserved for the lie you told, and that fact that it was the very thing that got you here. A watery grave, and a regret of something but you didn’t know what. A feeling, a someone, a particular hole in your chest that something was missing, but under the water you couldn’t put your finger on it.

You succumbed to the way the water seemed to pull you under, feeling that it wasn’t as bad as being murdered by another person. Death by natural causes was at least decently justifiable. Your mother would have an easier time hearing that you’d drowned than if you were stabbed or shot or strangled or whatever else they thought to do. 

Your eyes closed and you let go of your breath, about to inhale the water before Lukas’ arms wrapped around you under your arms, pulling you quickly to the top of the pool and out of it. 

You coughed up the water from your mouth, breathing harshly to intake oxygen as quickly as you could. Lukas stayed knelt beside you, hand on your shoulder to help you calm down a bit. You were instantly met with the sound of echoing whispers, but no one had the courage to actually speak up yet about what they just saw. 

“Are you okay?” Lukas leaned down into your eyeline, watching you still struggle to sit back from your hands and knees. 

“I’ll be f-fine.”

He helped you to stand, feeling the shaking sensation within your muscles. It was wild how only a two minute time span could make you feel so scared. So anxious and so helpless. 

“You good, Mercy?” 

You looked up and saw that out of the other four tributes, Rodey was the most concerned. His voice reverberating off the cavern walls nearly startled you if not for the kind gaze his eyes settled you with. 

You nodded to him, tucking in on yourself for how cold it was in here, especially having just taken an unforeseen swim in a rather chilled spring of water. 

He immediately dug into his pack and pulled out one of the thermal blankets, stepping forward to wrap it around your shoulders. It was a sweet gesture, but the feeling of the warm blanket sticking to your wet skin made it all the more uncomfortable. The other three tributes looked peeved. Not angry per se, but not at all pleased.

“Is someone gonna explain, or do we just pretend it didn’t happen?” Copelin looked to Lukas for the answers. It seemed he had them, it seemed he knew everything. They had wordlessly appointed him as the leader of the pack, and it felt like he should be able to tell them the truth. 

“I think it’s pretty obvious, guys,” Estelle chuckled, her taunt deviously infiltrating the air as she prepared to make her claim. “The mermaid, here, can't swim.”

“Look, I know what you guys are thinking but it’s not what it looks like.” 

Lukas was prepared to make a defense, about how there was a tragic backstory and you were traumatized by water and how all these years you never wanted to set foot in it… but the truth had already been told. You didn’t care for a defense. 

“It’s exactly w-what it looks l-like,” you turned to Lukas, sighing out your words in a scrambled manner. The look in your eye told him not to beat around the bush or keep the act up. They all knew, and lying would make them even harder to reason with. They already had lost partial trust in you. 

“But it’s not,” he kept on, his look to you pleading, and as he turned to the other tributes, he had a stoic expression when he continued. “We were going to tell you, but our mentor made us keep it a secret.”

At that, the tributes looked at each other, and you looked at Lukas. That didn’t really make any sense. 

“Your mentor is Finnick Odair, right?” Freeda finally peeped up, the confusion in her tone almost completely overshadowed by her curiosity. You nodded your head. Mags was your mentor, too. Her being of older age and not winning her games by brute or skill, people didn’t really see her as much of a mentoring type. She scoffed at your visual response. “Figures.”

“He must really be tired of losing,” Copelin added. 

Estelle couldn’t believe what she was hearing. 

“So what? Do we just let this go? They lied to us, and we’re not going to say anything else?” Her sass was attention drawing, and though there was lesser light in the corner of the cave she stood in, you saw it. The glint of jealousy and anger in her eye. She’d known. She had to have. That's why she pushed you. 

“It’s not their fault, they were just doing what they were told.” 

The flames in her eyes were far too much to handle, and you tried to avoid them, but they sucked you in, telling you a story. 

She’d been watching the first night in the pool, on the first floor across from the wing in which the tribute apartments for her district were. She’d been curious, but what she found was far more than anything she expected. How personal the time was, spent swimming late at night, for hours with a mentor. It was not prohibited, but it walked a fine line, she would say.

“They might be lying to us about something else, too. I’m not going to stick around and find out what that is,” she waved them all off, grabbing her pack from where she set it on the ground, and went to the opening of the cave. 

“Estelle, wait. There's still three dangerous tributes alive, do you really want to go out on your own?” Rodey tried to stop her, but her mind had been made up. Every time she looked at you it was cemented in her thoughts over and again. 

“I’ll take my chances,” she threw a nasty look in his direction before stomping off into the rainforest, the leaves still damp from the previous rain. With the sun getting lower, it was going to be easier to sneak across the arena without being caught. The remaining tributes likely were settling in if they were able to find shelter. 

Everyone went back inside the cave after she’d left, and it was then time to eat. 

-

Lukas and Copelin have stepped outside of the cave to watch the fallen tributes ceremony that night. Eleven fallen in the first day, the boy from three, both tributes from five, both tributes from six, the boy from seven, the girl from eight, the boy from nine, the boy from ten, and the girl from eleven. 

They had less to worry about, but it didn’t exactly ease their minds. The boy from eleven was still alive, and probably responsible for the kills not committed by the career pack. The girl from seven wasn’t exactly something to pass by, either. 

They went inside and gave the news, but by the time that they had, You and Freeda were passed out asleep, Rodey sitting against the wall by the makeshift fire they had started. It wasn’t anything big, as the smoke only had a little room to escape through the hole in the cavern ceiling… but it would keep you all warm, and it would help to dry your clothes. 

“She didn’t exactly rest well last night,” Copelin explained, leaning against the stone wall and sliding down to sit against it. “I don’t imagine she did, either.”

Lukas nodded, sweeping the hair away from your face to see that you were indeed sleeping peacefully. He didn’t think you’d be able to in a place like this, but he was happy to be proven wrong. Maybe it was because, at least for the time being… you were safe.

“She had these… dark circles, under her eyes. She doesn’t usually have those,” Lukas explained, looking back to the other boys. They seemed to be amused with his treatment of you. 

“You got a thing for her?” Copelin asked, because lately he noticed his protective side of the girl from his district. Lukas had volunteered, but she had been reaped. They weren’t careers, but they seemed to know each other well before this ever happened. 

“No, I uh…” he struggled, the thought having to be shaken from his head at just the premise. He didn’t feel that way about you, but he did love you another way. “She’s my best friend, I’ve known her a long time.”

“You think she’s pretty though,” Rodey piped up, a bit of laughter under her words. It was all light and airy and made to be comical with him. He would never allow a dull moment, it seemed. 

“Yeah, I mean-” Lukas stumbled to find his words, not able to get them out at first because of how poor the last ones sounded. “I think she’s gorgeous, y’know? But I just don’t really think that we would ever…”

His trail of words was purposeful, but the others liked teasing him, and pushed for more. 

“That you would ever…?” 

Lukas didn’t like where this conversation was heading, so he shut it down the only way he knew how. 

“Look, even if we did feel that way about each other, there’s really no point in thinking about it, is there?” 

It was the first grim thing he’d said since entering the arena, and it sent a shiver down the spines of both boys. It didn’t matter if he had a thing for you. It didn’t matter if any of them did. It didn’t matter if they all wanted to remain friends, and it didn’t matter that they were all chummy together, even now. They would all be dead by the end of the week, all but one. 

“Well, I don’t know about you, but if I have to die, I’m gonna do it on my own terms, having said the things I want to say,” Rodey replied. It seemed strange to phrase things the way he just did, especially since he’s already in the arena, practically having signed his own death warrant by volunteering. “Maybe you don’t like her, but I do.”

Lukas furrowed his brows at this. The kid had known you for maybe four days, but somehow this was his grand revelation. He’d begun to like the female tribute from district four, knowing that they both couldn’t possibly survive. Quite logical.

“You can’t tell her that,” he said sorrowfully. 

“What? Why not? You just said it yourself, you’re not into her.”

“Because then she might like you back,” Lukas didn’t know how to phrase it, so it came out all wrong, but Rodey didn’t take offense, he just waited for the sentence to be rectified. “It’s cruel to tell her that. She’s had a hard time, alright? She never had guys interested in her for a lot of reasons. If you tell her now, she’ll cling to you until she realizes you both aren’t getting out of here.”

“Should the fact that I like her tell you that I’m willing to protect her?” Rodey proposed, but Lukas came back quickly with a counter response. 

“Are you willing to die for her?” And at that, Rodey turned silent, dropping his head to the ground. Everyone here has to come to terms with the fact that they might not be the victor, and that they might succumb to their doom… but careers are different. They are raised to be champions. They don’t want to have to think that they won’t be the survivors. “That’s what I thought.”

Rodey shook off the conversation, laying down and turning away from the other two that were still awake. They could take the first watch, he’d be fine to sleep while he was tired. They had good cover, it was unlikely that they would need to be ready for an ambush, anyways. Unless, of course, Estelle had a mind to betray them. They would definitely have to leave in the morning, there was less chance of her selling out their hideout that way. 

Lukas woke you up several hours later, and yourself and Freeda took the next watch until morning. 

-

tags(open): @thepassionatereader @i-voluntears @secretsicanthideanymore @mystargirl-interlude @c4ttheart @lilibrn

[chicken-delight]

speech to text. God remember my speech to text erathat was fucking crazy. I need to start doing that again. Ever since I discovered Pamela des barres freshman year of high school, or actually really, it goes as far back to like being in the One Direction and being fascinated, by whoever it was the normal girl that Louis Tomlinson was dating that Eleanor girl. And like Louis was my guy but I wasn’t jealous of Eleanor. I was like fascinated with her because I guess a little bit of it was like wow she got my man, but I also was fascinated with how she dressed, and was really bummed out that like she didn’t have a strong social media presence. Anyways. But when I discovered Pamela des barres, it really cemented the fact that I love the presence of “the woman“ in my favorite forms of art. And this entire thought was queued by that picture that has a Jane in the background the picture of Richard and Robbie and is it Elliott? I can’t remember, even though I just looked at it. but I don’t know. The woman behind the man is always just been more fascinating and more alluring to me. Because it takes a lot to be in a relationship with a man in general, but it takes a lot to be in a relationship with a man who is a creative. Because OK I already know this isn’t gonna come out the way I want it to come out but I’m just hoping that you guys are understanding where I’m coming from. Because there is something about a creative man, and I’ve only really had experience with musicians and writers where they are like children who just got done eating a lot of candy and just have all that energy. Except the energy is creative energy. And they have so much of it that they don’t know what to do with it and a lot of the time it’s you know the tale is old this time that there is the number one love and everything comes after that. I think Anita Pallenberg has a quote about that. Is like you can be in a relationship with a musician, but you must always know that the music is going to come first. And it’s not the way it should be, but it is the way that it is. and there’s not a very clear line between if it’s just how creative people are in general or if it’s the person. But they have all this energy. They just need to focus on getting it out or else they’re gonna explode. So it takes a lot of patience. It really is like raising a child. Willy is my child. He is my father. It’s like your nurturing it but you’re also in awe and it moves you. One of my favorite things about Pamela des barres. is she can describe the feeling you get when you listen to something that really moves you and how that makes you wanna be connected with the people who make it and make you feel so good. And it’s beyond good it’s very spiritual. It’s like the closest thing to ecstasy that I can imagine. Is when you listen to a song that really speaks to you. so there’s a weird dynamic in between whoever is making it and their partner who loves them but must also love the art. it obviously doesn’t have to be a woman it’s whoever is on the receiving end of that. And it’s even cooler when we find out that the partners of these Rockstars are creatives themselves because then that makes the relationship i think a little bit different. It’s a mutual muse. Anyways, I’m just rambling. Don’t read this. But read it. So just makes me happy especially because the band is heavy on my mind to see pictures of Jane of Dominique and ricks wife. I forget what her name is. because the partner of any creative. And I don’t just mean art. Teachers are creative. Lawyers are creative journalist are creative being a stay at home parent is creative. But there’s a certain role of the partner that is very sacrificial. And in the most healthy of relationships understand that whatever their partner is doing whatever they are creating is bigger than them. The energy is so wild and so big that it is almost beyond them and when it’s bursting it’s bursting and it needs to get out. And I think what the band we’re doing out, Woodstock is the prime one of the prime examples of that that I know of where

[opheliaswritings]

Love for Yashiro Nene ⍣ ೋ

6/6

←

Fate or the future may also be represented by the red ropes that show up in every other cover of the manga. In Japanese culture, red strings are a sign of soulmates, predestined by god they tie a red string to your soulmate as a sign that you are bound by each other. This could also relate back to Hanako and Yashiro as they are multiple artworks to have the red ropes. This could mean that not only are they bound by fate, they could change each other’s future. As that’s what we have seen with Hanako, preventing her future from dying happening and Yashiro’s time traveling.

So, the ropes of fate are synonymous with her death, as that is the future aka her fate. Yet, Hanako is looking for a way to subvert via freeing the yorishiros themselves and getting a wish from god.

How it all interlaces:

All of this can all come back to the fact that Yashiro is very important to the manga. She’s not just a seer for Hanako’s story, but she’s central to the whole plot. The Kannagi can come back to the fact that Yashiro is one and it is the reason why she has her wish in the first place. Nanamine is one as well. Then Nanamine’s somehow involved with hers and Yashiro’s wish. Yashiro’s wish was to live, defying the future or the ropes of fate. So it may not look like it, but Yashiro is a big deal in the story, the key to every event.

Audience Perspective:

For this section, I always do a google form, so thank you for the several responses I have gotten! I appreciate it very much. This database is for you guys to get an idea on how people perceive Yashiro Nene!

As you can see, Yashiro is fairly loved in the fandom, and she is mostly shipped with Hanako. In the responses I have gotten when asked on whether she is well written and why, some said how they loved her though she was a bit boring.

Overall, Yashiro gets good reception, but there are a few problems, not with her, but the bigger picture. Despite being the protagonist of TBHK, it doesn’t focus on her, and more on Hanako and his story. He has his own covers,and the most, whilst Yashiro barely even gets one of her own. The fandom also primarily focuses on Hanako, creating fanwork and such. She may be a popular character, yet Yashiro hardly gets looked into. She is mostly branded as just “Hanako’s girlfriend”. But really it should be the other way around.

As I have discussed before, Yashiro’s character is central to the whole story, so it’s saddening to see both the manga and the fandom undermined her. And it’s not just her who gets treated like this. Female characters like Nanamine, Aoi, and Mei get favored a lot less than male characters. They often get overshadowed, and none of their brilliant stories hardly gets out or when they do; they always get accompanied by their male “love interest”. This is very prominent in the manga so of course, it’ll translate back to the fandom and fanworks.

The interpretation of the Little Mermaid was not actually seeking out love, but to adventure and seek out new heights was brought by Maria Tatar in her book “The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales”, and she also marked some other details as well. She states how, the Little Mermaid is one of the only heroines during those times, who wasn’t actually a wholly victim like the others, but the one who knew the risks and still took it. Unlike heroines like Snow White or Cinderella, she had a choice in her endeavor. She chose to exchange her voice for legs, she chose to pursue the prince, she chose to die, all knowing of the dangers. The Little Mermaid is a pure of heart adventurer. That is what makes her so ingenious, as she’s one of the only princesses who did things not for a man or to escape abuse, but all for herself.

This interpretation is not very popular, but this can align a lot with Yashiro. Audiences may misunderstand the intentions of both the Little Mermaid and Yashiro Nene. People who were raised and grown up with the romance genre will know that a lot of heroines or female protagonists do not do things for themselves. Every important action has been dictated by their love interest. So people expect this expectation on other heroines and don’t look any further. That’s another reason as to why Yashiro doesn’t even have an analysis by herself. Yashiro did not pursue romance just to have somebody near her, but to give herself purpose. Her true love was life itself.

Yashiro was curated and written splendidly. She was one of the best shoujo manga protagonists I have seen in a while, so I wanted to take the time and give her the attention and love that she never got. I have been a fan of TBHK since 2018, but it wasn’t until 2021 that my obsession of Yashiro really, and I mean really took off. She’s everything I love in a character. Than, one time I was talking to her in a server and people explained how little they know of Yashiro, as Hanako often eclipses. This disheartened me because to me,Yashiro was so much more, so I wanted to share my thoughts about her.

Conclusion:

Yashiro Nene is not a name you can just easily forget, her story is engrossing and riveting. From the mermaid motfis, and how she conects to everything to the story and back. Her story is wonderful, and somebody we haven’t seen in the Shoujo scene in a long time. I hope this anaylsis paints a better picture on how great Yashiro is, and helps you understand her a little more!

←

[an-odd-idea]

On this episode of “I Can Fix Him” : music and a little bit of choreography thoughts for Ilia Malinin

I dunno, he’s just fascinating to me, I’m like annoyed about him sometimes but also very fond of him, and I would like him to earn those PCS

I’m not a choreographer, and I don’t skate, but I watch enough figure skating to enjoy making up imaginary choreography in my head, so this is what I’m doing. Just vibes, basically, so don’t take it very seriously lol

If he wants to continue his streak of skating to music from shows that he’s only technically old enough to watch (well, he’s older now though) I think he should skate to music from House of the Dragon, if he’s seen it. If he hasn’t, then no, but let’s go with it for now

The music is his vibe, but it’s a little bit bigger than what he’s used in the past, to push him a bit but nothing too wildly different. He doesn’t need to do Swan Lake or anything (in fact, Ilia, please do not)

Overall, I’d like to see less crazy arm choreo than the Succession program, more defined, decisive movements, especially in the opening of the program, before and between the first couple of jumps. Sort of like, do you remember Junhwan Cha’s 21/22 short program where he’d do some moves, then stop (not actually come to a stop, but be traveling quickly but not moving his body for a moment)? Kind of that vibe- goes with the music and keeps it interesting without lots of arms all over the place

(Also maybe that would sort of force him to work a lot on his skating skills, which would be nice. Sometimes really good crossovers and nice changes of direction to cool music really are nicer to watch than all the arm-waving someone can muster)

Now here’s where we get crazy, though- make that boy do a spiral. Not a 0.5-second arabesque- a real, honest-to-God spiral and HOLD it. He has long legs, it would look really impressive if he did it well. It can be a Kerrigan spiral if it must, but he HAS to straighten his knee. Maybe Kerrigan spiral actually is best because he has more to do and only really one arm to contend with so he doesn’t feel so awkward holding one position for a while. I’m thinking maybe free arm in front of him and he sort of grabs something in the air, that’s skating choreography basics lol

(This is my thought process: I was listening to “Reign of the Targaryens” and that moment at 0:28 just sounds like the start of a spiral. I would do a spiral there, and I can’t even do a spiral. Also the people love spirals, and it’s extra rare and exciting when a man does a spiral, so he could get some good will from a lot of skating fans who are currently kinda “meh” about him except for the quad Axel)

Thing is, I doubt Ilia would want to do a spiral, and if he doesn’t want to, it will probably not be a very good spiral, so backup plan is a spread eagle, but he needs to HOLD that, too. Whatever it is, it has to be a sustained gliding type move and he has to hold it for a good long time, this is non-negotiable

Moving on from spiral fantasies, thing is, I haven’t seen the show myself, so I’m not sure which pieces of music you’d need to include to focus on a particular aspect of the story or a particular character, so I’m just throwing sort of general stuff at the wall

If- IF- it makes narrative sense, “Rhaenyra’s Welcome” sounds like decent music to start on. It’s interesting, but it still starts out slow, so there’s room to build, and he doesn’t have to use up a ton of energy trying to match it. It’s dramatic and slow-building, so he can take his time setting up his jumps and the music will help sell it anyway because it’s suspenseful but there’s still quite a lot going on underneath. Also these phrases with the long strings and then moments with just drums and something that sounds like maybe a hammer dulcimer in between are just so good for that kind of thing. Like picture, and we can cut music or have something repeat or whatever so he has enough to time to get ready for it but not too much time because he only has four minutes to do everything, quad Axel at 0:20 in the original music, right on the end of that phrase, everybody loses their mind, you know the drill, but the music keeps going slowly but relentlessly on, oh boy! what’s going to happen next?

We’d really need to do some music cutting and pasting magic to get him into maybe quad Lutz at what’s originally 0:29 because if you just play the song that’s not enough time, especially between the hardest jumps anyone’s ever done, so let’s pretend we have the Music Cut Fairy on our side because it’s a perfect moment, and the contrast will be good because the end of this phrase is up while the last one was down, and it has a sharper feel with the drum (Lutz is the sharpest jump, it’s fitting)

Or if that isn’t feasible or if we just like it better, 0:35 is also a really good spot, and the drum right before would be really cool

And so on and so forth. The point is, this kind of music will make things seem really big and cool and kind of gives the skater a little boost in the performance aspect (by sort of tricking your brain into thinking things are cooler than they are, but hey, all program music does that in some way or another- might as well choose music that does it in the way most advantageous to you)

Those are my thoughts, I could figure out some more, but it’s all just vibes and a few sort of snapshot moments anyway, so I’ll leave it there

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

Do you recommend any jikook blogs? Maybe someone who doesn’t write books trying to prove they are a couple and calls non-believers homophobic

Someone chill who simply likes to talk about them

This is a loaded question, anon. You know it. I feel like I'm about to open Pandora's box. I'll try and be as fair and diplomatic as possible.

The benefits of free speech and having a platform to express our opinions is something that should be cherished. The more diverse the community is, the better. It means there's a wide sprectrum of thought, less chances of having a cult mentality and so on. This is an ideal situation and far from reality. And to talk more specifically about jikook bloggers here, you'd only have had to scroll through the tag in the last year or so to see cliques and conflicts all over the place. It's not uncommon and watching it from the side, reading all the arguments painted a dark picture but quite realistic. There's a need for conformism. It doesn't matter if one runs away from it, at some point or another, it reaches that same conclusion.

I'm someone who always stood outside, looking in in the context of this community here. I'd tag my posts from time to time, but I kept my independence. Mostly because I didn't have a jikook-focused blog, nor will I, despite me talking more freely now about the topic.

People's blogs are a reflection of themselves, of their affinities and also their abilities. Each of us likes one or another, depending on what we're looking for. We also tend to judge people for what and how they express their opinions. It's not unusual. We're a judgy species, despite sometimes trying really hard to appear the opposite of it.

Some bloggers have as a purpose demonstrating the relationship is real and that is their entire focus. Others like to write a long summary of events or basically transcribe into text what they see in video format (a succesful formula here on tumblr from what I could tell). Some people can come up with really good arguments against ridiculous statements. And sometimes they get lost in the argument because it's unstructured in some almost 300-400 word answer. All of it gets repetitive too. I've seen fun bloggers with a good sense of humor and some big dosage of delusion. Hey, sometimes we can and should be clowns. But not to the point of absurdity.

The fact that all of that exists is in theory a good thing. But a lot of those blogs are also becoming platforms built on allowing space for weirdos to set up camp in the community. From taekookers and crazy solo stans. I understand the need of having a good comeback and tearing apart their asks, but as much as that brings temporary satisfaction, on the long run it ruins the entire vibe. For a long time, that's all I could read about each time I would check the tag. It was infested and instead of fighting against it, it only grew bigger and bigger because those anons got the validation simply by being aknowledged.

You're asking for chill blogs. I think that's a rare occurence now and not really the current phase of jikook blogging. Maybe I'm wrong and I don't know the community well enough, I admit that's a possibility. I do remember a time when it used to be like that. Back when writing about jikook was sometimes combined with a pop culture perspective. Looking at it through a variety of lenses. That made me as a reader definitely interested. That was fun blogging. Now it's all way too serious or honestly? Boring. At least in terms of writing. That's one aspect that holds quite an importance for me. I still check the majority of active blogs, whether I'm a fan or not. I like to be informed, but that's it.

I'm not sure I can answer your question though. I don't see tumblr as the platform for what you want. There's higher chances of finding that on twitter. Sometimes I find accounts with no mentions of any drama, just fun, adult posting.

But I am going to mention two blogs though. Simply because they caught my attention. It's not about me considering them better, but in the current landscape, I found myself enjoying scrolling through them. Minggukieology provides some great cultural context and translation and I'd say it's in the same category as Dalloga. There's also ggulmul. I could be mistaken, but I think it's a more recent blog. I liked the attitude displayed in the blogger's answers. There was a sort of elegance in the way they responded and the appearance at least of a lack of chronic online presence. It's usually evident in the way a person expresses their thoughts.

All of what I wrote is based on mostly what is evident from the blogs which utilize the jikook tag. Others daily while some do it rarely, but are still known presences in the community. There's also a few who do not do that so who knows what is out there?

As a last thought, sometimes I would find myself scrolling through a random blog that had some kpop posting, but it wasn't fandom or ship focused. And from time to time, they would reblog a gifset or a jikook photo and they would put their thoughts into the tag. No agenda, no need to demonstrate or disprove anything. Sometimes small stuff like "boyfriend behavior" or "the gays are at it again", etc., in typical tumblr language. And then they'd move on and have like 5-10 reblogs about some archeological site or some historical event. Whatever. It was casual. I always wanted that vibe. Being outside of fandom discourse allows some type of freedom in which no one comes and harasses you in the inbox because you don't agree with a theory.

[mimikoolover]

people forget fandom is its own experience and it’s the fans’ experience. not the members. jungkook decided to only focus on people that care about him. that is how he’s controlling his own experience. it doesn’t mean he doesn’t see the shit that happens but he’s not focusing on it. i’m pretty sure it’s the same for all the members. fans need to do the same and control their own experience. if you want to focus on the shit, that’s your choice. but the same as people who focus on the positive recognise that the negatives still exist, the people who focus on the negatives need to see that the positives still exist too. if all day long you listen to akgaes of any member about how unfair everything is you will end up being radicalised into believing all that and eventually become a hater of the other members, or start to diminish their achievements, or claim to love them but refuse to “celebrate” because of some perceived bs that you’re manipulated into believing by shitposts online. i mean for the love of god check your sources and don’t believe everything…especially not biased sources on things you know nothing about to begin with? akgaes already don’t like the other members. the other members’ success is a threat to their fave apparently (it’s not) but only because they want only their fave to be successful. if you ever loved bts as a group, i would strongly recommend not ruining your own experience listening to these people. all the members receive a massive amount of love and success which they should be able to happily take without fans claiming that it’s not real/isn’t good enough.

as for the company we don’t know anything that goes on behind closed doors and there’s nothing we can do about it anyway. i’m not going to pretend i know what goes down. there’s always a bigger picture than what we see. because we know nothing about the company fans tend to use that as a manipulation tool and paint the company in a bad light so they can force their perception and make it sound legit aka how tkkers claim the company is forcing tk in the closet with such bs “proof” that it’s ridiculous. but bc they want to believe that, they can use the fact that we know nothing about how the company works to their advantage and fill in the gaps with whatever they want. i just find it all exhausting to speculate on the company now when we have 0 info about anything.