#are not white they are from different cultures AND times

[slow-drowned-angels]

[image id: A screenshot of a tweet from the New York Post. It reads:

“Carl’s Jr. Super Bowl ad brings back bikini-clad burger models after yearslong clampdown.”

Attached to the tweet are two images of said ad. They both show the same scantily-clad, blonde, white woman posing with a burger and cars. She is wearing a bra that is made up of two star shapes and a jean miniskirt.

End image ID./]

Some notable parts of the Vox article:

It harks back to the idea that was dominant in the Bush era, a moment when our culture was capable of prizing Girls Gone Wild and purity balls in equal measure, when pop stars like Britney Spears were expected to serve their audiences sex on a platter while avowing their virginity at the same time. It’s the ideology that unites Republican raunch and purity culture, that makes them two sides of the same coin: one based on the idea that women’s sexuality should exist in the service of men. The right once again championing this brand of bawdiness while working relentlessly to restrict women’s autonomy and denigrating the women they don’t like isn’t a departure. It’s a return to form.

…

The joke was that it was funny when girls were sexy and it was sexy when girls were degraded — especially when they played along.

…

“The more attractive women around us are, whether in real life or fiction, the less one is able to maintain two important leftist delusions,” Hanania writes. “That the sexes are or can be made interchangeable, and that sexual selection either is or can be made to be an unimportant part of human affairs. If Sydney Sweeney’s boobs walk into a room, even Chris Hayes is going to experience a physiological transformation.”

Hanania’s take, if I’m deciphering it correctly, is that it is fundamental to human nature for men to publicly ogle women’s bodies and value women accordingly, and that when feminists object to the ogling, they are attempting to put some sort of vise around human nature. Sweeney’s star power, combined with her willingness to show off her curves, he argues, is proof that this vise has vanished and men can go back to the way things should be: sexualizing women pretty much whenever they feel like it.

All of this is a willful misreading of contemporary feminism. There’s a clear difference between Sweeney being proudly boob-forward — while still getting taken seriously as an award-winning actor with major star power — and other people getting rich by exploiting the breasts of beautiful underpaid women, as was the case with Girls Gone Wild, The Man Show, and, heck, even today’s Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders

The radical idea of pop feminism in the 2010s was that you should be accorded basic human dignity regardless of what your body looks like and how you choose to display it, even if you are an entertainer in a visual medium. Raunch culture looks at this request and declares it regressive, prudish, delusional. Raunch must be compulsory or it is nothing.

…

This basic fact is why raunch culture and purity culture co-exist so closely. It’s why the online right can think of themselves as being pro-sex and also be in favor of outlawing abortion and making it harder to access contraception. All of it is about men controlling women’s bodies: controlling how they look, how they have sex, and how they have children. The point is always that it’s not the woman who chooses.

…

“If we were to acknowledge that sexuality is personal and unique, it would become unwieldy. Making sexiness into something simple, quantifiable, makes it easier to explain and to market,” Levy writes. “If you remove the human factor from sex and make it about stuff — big fake boobs, bleached blonde hair, long nails, poles, thongs — then you can sell it. Suddenly, sex requires shopping; you need plastic surgery, peroxide, a manicure, a mall.”

…

The claim that sex belongs to Republicans should not be understood simply as a bizarre and self-deluding brag. It’s a threat.

while being depressing, this is also sort of fascinating to me bc there’s something so…inauthentic here. what i mean is that if you saw something like this back in say 2001 (which you probably wouldn’t, at least for carl’s jr. but i digress) it would seem tacky but in a “sex sells” sort of way.

seeing this in 2025, it’s clearly purely a political statement and you can tell partially bc the image itself is so oddly sexless. it’s like there’s more titillation in the prospect of “owning the libs” than in the image of the scantily clad blonde white woman itself.

[obeymeluv]

In Your Defense [PT 2 - Octavinelle, Scarabia, Pomfiore]

You decide to work at Sam's for Valentine's Day and your crush just happens to hear a customer hitting on you. If they get arrested, can you be their alibi?

AKA: This person has a death wish and you find out your crush might be jealous?

Note: Each one is random and some will be longer than others. If I made everyone the same length this thing would be MASSIVE and I would probably die.

Not proofread because of the length. Trying to get everyone done today. It's my last day off for a few.

Whatever part Ortho is in will be platonic, obvs.

Happy V-day!

Azul is no stranger to visiting different shops to stay on top of trends. Valentine's Day wasn't something they had in the Coral Sea so this trip was more for the experience than anything. He's taking in the overwhelming but impressive amount of red, pink, and white decorations while trying to look at the other shoppers out of the corner of his eye.

What are they buying? What's most popular?

The holiday seems too brief to plan a full menu, or even to-go specials. Maybe he can do something next year.

There's an emphasis on chocolates and sweets. He's not even eating any of it and his teeth hurt! The small chocolate assortments make more sense than the huge brick of chocolate--dark chocolate?--several Pomfiore students are planning to split between themselves. His stomach hurts at the thought of trying to eat even a third of what they're holding.

In his opinion it's an unimpressive holiday. A marketable one for sure, but unimpressive. Clearly it's meant for the nice, sentimental, mushy people out there.

Not to say there's no one he'd spoil. No one he cares about. Matter of fact, he's got something crunchy in his basket for Floyd! And if it weren't for his mother living underwater, she might like some of these cutesy knickknacks! A set of cookie cutters catch his eye and Azul throws them in his basket without thinking.

Damn hand-brain.

He stares into his own basket, wondering what the justification is. There's a part of his brain saying he doesn't need a reason but he's not an impulsive person. He's a practical person and the practical reason he needs those cookie cutters is to make cookies for the lounge in case any poor soul misses their chance to get something from Sam's!

Yes. Yes, that's it.

He may or may not be trying to tell you he likes you by collecting heart-shaped things. You'll check him out at the register and he'll just keep handing you heart things. Offering his heart over and over.

Not that you'd know. Azul doesn't have the guts to tell you yet. He's got three hearts but no guts.

It's just not the right time, he tells himself. Not the right way.

He puts sprinkles and chocolate stirring spoons into his basket. There's a little mushroom figurine that has white hearts instead of the usual spots. That's for Jade.

Azul weaves between the shelves to get to the refrigerated section, buying a couple of cartons of milk and ice cream. He's not fast but he's stronger than he looks. Aside from the work in his mother's restaurant in the Coral Sea, cooking on land has cultured a lot of muscle in unexpected ways--straining full stockpots, blending quarts of sauces, roasting whole chickens, and hefting huge fish onto the cutting board for portioning. It'll be nothing to carry it all back.

He just doesn't like to do it. And he doesn't like to lose his voice or go completely pink in front of you, but he does. Azul tries to look without looking, charmed by the glittery dangle in your hair and how it brings out the color of your eyes.

Then, he hears it. "How much do you cost?"

It is not enough to beg his pardon. The Seven must also be begged.

A fury whips up inside of him. He's furious that it's just so easy for that lander to chat you up. He's furious that he's not confident enough to do it when he's been drowning in these feelings for weeks. The manager part of his brain kicks in and he becomes furious that you're being accosted on the clock.

SAM WOULD NEVER, BUT WHERE IS HE?! STAFF SHOULD NOT BE MADE TO ENDURE SUCH CONDITIONS!

"Hardly appropriate for the occasion, don't you think?" Azul has stepped in with his signature smooth smile and calm demeanor. He has no cane, hat, or coat at the moment but he knows he makes people uncomfortable without them. There's something about him that makes people nervous. The pecking dread of 'he's human but not totally human' makes them jumpy and very prey-like.

"I-I was just messing around," the guy deflects.

"There's a time and a place. Unfortunately, it's not here and not now. You're interrupting the flow of business and I don't think the other patrons are happy," Azul hums a little as he and the abysmal Casonova look back at all the people in line. They are, in fact, not happy.

"I'll just go." he grabs the change bashfully and doesn't look back.

Azul thanks the person who let him cut in line, half wondering if said person will come back and try to coax a favor out of him. "Thanks, Azul." you smile at him.

"You're most welcome." Azul adjusts his glasses before layering the bags on his arms. You help him with the door. "I'd be happy to treat you to a milkshake. You know, something sweet to make up for whatever THAT was." he gestures to the guy in the distance.

WHY IS HE TALKING? WHY DID HE KEEP TALKING? THE LEGS NEED TO MOVE BUT THEY'RE NOT!

"Sounds great! I'll stop by after my shift."

"Okay," his voice cracks a bit but you don't hear it because the door's already closed. He breaths a sigh of relief.

----

Floyd was sent to pick through the pink and red chaos at Sam's while Jade and Azul redecorated for a Valentine's special at the lounge. It was a last-minute idea inspired by the deluge of advertising. They'd gotten bigger things in town like tablecloths and fancy napkins but smaller treats were lacking. He was tasked with getting melting chocolates and pre-made stuff to balance out the strawberries and fresh groceries they bought.

A big, aggravated sigh passed through his sharp teeth. The line is long and he doesn't really want to do this. Floyd feels his brain shutting off as his looks at heart streamers and silver-and-pink tinsel. At least I won't have to slave over a hot burner all night, Floyd sighs again as he looks at the goods and wonders what would make Azul happy.

The menu will be limited. Each item is heart-shaped, sweet, or both. It honestly just sounds like an excuse to sell people overpriced sugar.

Floyd buys a couple packs of melting chocolates in different colors and some crunchy sour candies for the trouble. Jade sends him a text asking him to grab a couple of cans of whipped cream for the pancakes and crepes. He steps out of line, grabs the cans, and pauses when he hears the guy shoot his shot.

"How much do you cost?"

Really?

Landers are so weird. They don't seem to have any conditions for mating. Why would you entertain this dude when he hasn't shown you he could provide or protect you? Spending money to buy things so he could talk to you isn't the way to provide. Buying your time is no different than those underwater pricks trying to curry his dad's favor with gifts.

It's disingenuous and disgusting.

"I don't see a 'for sale' sign. Can't buy it if it's not advertised." Floyd frowns at the little worm in front of him, sharp teeth poking out beneath his upper lip. "That's how shops work if you didn't know." Floyd laughs.

He was stupid enough to ask you out so he might be too stupid to realize why that pickup line didn't work.

"R-Right." the guy nods, swallowing thickly. Floyd was absently rolling his shoulder, annoyed with how long he'd held the basket. The guy noticed his working muscle and booked it, grabbing most of his change. A coin skipped off the counter, twinkling under the lights. Giggling to himself, Floyd stooped to pocket the change.

"Heya Shrimpy,"

"Hey Floyd," you started scanning the basket of items.

"Ya hungry? It's pretty busy in here."

"A little." you admitted. "But I'll be off soon. I can go back to Ramshackle and make something."

"Nah, come to the Lounge! We're doing specials for groups and couples."

"Does Grim count?" you give a little laugh. Azul lets him in sometimes depending on his attitude. At the very least, he'll let Grim get something to go.

"You get the best deal if you go with me. I'll buy your whole meal." Floyd wiggles his eyebrows at you playfully. His gold eye shines.

"Oh! I like that! I'll bite!"

"A bit early for that but I'll see you there." Floyd knows what he said has confused you. You landers aren't really keen on stuff from the Coral Sea but that's okay. He had a date with you and that's what matters.

----

Jade isn't quite sure what Sam's inventory will hold but he's been tasked with finding interesting things for the Lounge. Pink things, shiny things, profitable things--anything. Azul is convinced it will give him an edge over other places to eat. Never mind the fact that convenience is key and the students don't want to pay for the bus fare or compete with crowds in town.

He peruses the chocolate molds and candy necklaces, amused by the fact you can wear it and eat it. What a novel idea! Sam put a few types of tea on reserve for him and Jade knew they were pretty shades of pink and blue when brewed so that was something. The mer picks up a box of crunchy straw-like things and puts them in the basket. If they don't work as real straws, they can be milkshake accents.

Loaf cakes catch his eye. You could get at least ten slices out of each; top them with a bit of ice cream and you have a cheap but elegant-looking dessert. He puts a few in the basket. Teas considered, Jade is confident in his choices and ready to check out.

"Oya oya? What's this?" Jade's golden eye pierces the spineless lander in front of him. Did his ears deceive him or were you being accosted by unworthiness? "Do repeat yourself. I'm interested."

It sounds like an ask but it's not. It's a demand. A demand for this man to prostrate himself as an apology for his inferiority. For the gall to so much as breathe in your presence.

A punishment for conceiving the notion to approach you, he supposes. A light punishment, all things considered. Jade was capable of far more than some casual embarrassment, after all. His smile was polite but his words were anything but. "Go on. You may not have their full attention but you have mine."

"J-Just forget I said anything, okay?" the guy completely ignores him to whimper to you. He snatches whatever he bought so quick Jade doesn't know what it was.

No matter.

"Hello there," Jade smiles down at you. You definitely fit the holiday theme. Oh! Does that mean he should take you back to the lounge? You're interesting and that fits Azul's criteria.

Yes, he thinks you'd be perfect in the lounge.

"Hi Jade." you pack his items away dutifully. You bag the teas carefully.

Pink and shiny--yes, you must come to the lounge.

"Seeing as you're working for Sam today, I'd love for you to stop by and try these teas. I'm sure he'll appreciate feedback from more than just myself."

"I can make time for tea."

"Perfection."

----

Kalim is admiring the myriad of pinks and reds, bracelets and bangles jingling as he skips into Sam's. Valentine's Day is an interesting holiday. It's practically bursting at the seams with color and he's delighted to know red features heavily. The holiday is practically made to host in Scarabia!

Maybe they could make a red-inspired menu? A red and pink menu? He can't really think of foods that would fit the theme and he'd rather not give Jamil a stomach ache trying all of the chocolate things in here. Kalim trots off to look at the flowers and trinkets, just narrowly avoiding Jamil's stern grab. "Don't run off without me!" Jamil chastises, Kalim giving a half-hearted hum as he analyzed a pair of gold and red earrings.

They weren't cheap but they weren't expensive, either. The price point was fair, Kalim thought. Being who he was, he'd learned to tell the quality of gems and gold from a young age.

Would you like jewelry? He's never seen you wear jewelry. Kalim has bugged Jamil about you a million times, bouncing ideas off of him until he was so frustrated he left the room.

"I think they'd appreciate food more, given their circumstances." Jamil puts the earrings back on the shelf.

"But I always give them food, Jamil! Don't you think they want something different?"

"You're overthinking, Kalim," Jamil taps him in the forehead with a finger. "People are simple. Give them food and attention."

"I would've taken them out on a carpet ride but someone hid my carpet." even when Kalim was trying to cut his red eyes and look peeved, it didn't work. His face was too round and cherubic for it.

"I don't trust that thing," Jamil huffs, guiding him back to the line.

Kalim listens to people talk about plans to split chocolates and call relatives to see what they'd like and a sad pang cuts through him.

Why isn't it that easy for him? He's got more money than people could ever dream of and yet he feels like he's not doing enough for you.

Not that you'd know what he's done for you. He hasn't exactly said he likes you yet. Surely he'd made it obvious with all the invites to Scarabia, right? You hadn't quite caught on to the grocery drops yet but he understands the confusion; Crowley took credit for at least one of those and Kalim was not happy.

"I see an empty-handed Imp!" Sam makes him and Jamil jump. "Are my wares not enough for you, Little One?" he tuts at Kalim's empty hands.

"Oh there's lots of cool stuff!" Kalim promises, smiling brightly. "I just have to be careful about what I eat!"

"What about some roses? Those are popular! They're up there by the register. And we have small fruit arrangements in the refrigerated section, of course."

"Actually, we're just here to deliver an invitation." Jamil redirects Kalim when he seems to be thinking about going to the refrigerated section.

"We could get some festive napkins!" Kalim is leafing through packs of heart designs and colors. Sam seems satisfied. Jamil heaves an irritated sigh as the store owner moves on to his next mark.

Kalim almost drops the napkins when he hears what the guy said to you. It takes Jamil by surprise, too. Jamil starts to panic when Kalim doesn't move; Kalim's outbursts were rare but even rarer were the moments he just froze.

A frozen Kalim means he's contemplating. Dipping his toes into the side of himself he doesn't ever show because it disgusts and disappoints him. The young boy squares his shoulders and raises his head in a way that proves he was raised with etiquette and presence. It's the walk of someone unconcerned because he has so much money that nothing is a problem.

Quick as a flash that cunning, stewing heaviness disappears. Kalim hooks his arm around the guys neck, taking him by surprise. Disarmed by his sunny grin and stunned by his boldness, he stumbles over to a wall of cards. Jamil slithers through the aisles and positions himself just so to listen.

In these rare moments, when Kalim puts on that face, they think alike. Kalim hates these moments because it shows him that people just want money. That they'll trip over themselves for enrichment, compromising morals and anything else as long as the price is right.

But this time it works in his favor.

"Instead of asking how much they cost," the sunniness slowly drains from Kalim's voice, "ask yourself how much it would cost for you to leave them alone. Like, not ask them out again. At all. Ever."

It's the first time someone at NRC realizes Kalim's not all sunshine and rainbows. And that his pampered life hasn't left him completely soft. Kalim had to go through the same training Jamil did, being the heir to a massive fortune and all. He needs to be able to hold his own even though he shouldn't expect to.

Only he and Jamil know some of his rings are hollow and hold poisons. The guy doesn't know how close he is to said poisons.

"Y'know, it's, uh..it's on me. Free." the guy squeaks out, dipping out from under Kalim's arm.

Content, Kalim skips up to you and hands you the decorated envelope with gold calligraphy. "Please come to my party!" he looks at you hopefully, eyes shining.

"I would love to! You know I love your parties!"

"Perfect! I'll pick you up when you're done, okay?" Kalim waves to you.

"KALIM DON'T LEAVE! WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THE NAPKINS! COME BACK!" Jamil has no idea how many sets of napkins he just left with. "Keep the change," he breaths, darting after him.

----

Jamil was taking a rare moment to himself. Lilia and Cater promised they'd keep Kalim occupied for a little while so he could take a breather. They both understood what it was like to look after people, even if it wasn't as serious or to the same degree. The Pop Music Club sessions were normally two hours long, so he had time. Kalim had been yammering nonstop about the Sam's Valentine's setup so Jamil promised to take a look on his behalf.

He grew up around unfathomable finery, almost indulgent to the point of foolishness. Gold forks, gold plates, a knife handle carved from a tree in the Sunset Savanna and inlaid with diamonds--you name it. Perhaps that was why nothing caught his eye, Jamil thought.

So many people were excited about it, though. He had to put himself in their shoes. Their average shoes, just like he was forced to be average lest Kalim feel inadequate.

Poor thing, Jamil rolled his eyes. He was a pro at filtering out noise thanks to Kalim and his ridiculous number of siblings. It was easy to let his brain go and really look at the trinkets and seasonal food. Loathe as he was to admit, some of this stuff was cute.

Jamil let himself bask in the happiness. The freedom.

This is what he wanted for himself one day--traveling, seeing the sights, sampling unusual foods at special times of the year.

Maybe this wasn't so silly after all.

He picked up a few packets of instant curry, only what he felt he could eat and dispose of before fetching Kalim. Curry was a huge weakness of his and he hated that Kalim practically banned it. The amount of caffeine and tea he drank probably bordered on unhealthy (or at least deserved research) but it didn't stop him from throwing a canned coffee into his basket. Because he liked his curry savory and hot, he threw in a strawberry-rose milk drink. It seemed interesting.

Jamil felt the crick in his neck when he snapped his head up in disbelief. Who was this nobody asking you out?!

HOW MUCH DO YOU COST?!

With no Kalim here to temper him, to distract him or force him into the mediocrity, Jamil thought of letting go and lighting the guy up just because.

It really was appalling, his approach. Nothing to offer? What talents or skills did he have? What made him so special, more special than anyone else at NRC?

Nothing, that's what. He probably didn't even know HALF of what Jamil did!

"More than you will ever earn," Jamil answered him. "I'm sure your capacity to make money is on the same pitiful level as your self-awareness. Or do you need glasses to see they're not interested?"

He was known for his biting wit so this was nothing out of character. The way he stared into the boy as if to set him on fire might have been, had no one ever seen him try to get Floyd to cooperate in Basketball Club.

He'd earned his Viper namesake, the boy's ego clearly bitten and bruised as he dragged himself away. His words were deadly, much like Viper venom. Jamil didn't bother watching him leave, setting his basket quietly on the counter and taking out the items.

"Thank you."

All of that venom suddenly dried up. Jamil was feeling quite shy and toothless, not that he'd ever admit it. If he looked up at you, he knew he'd be done for. He could feel his neck heating up.

Unable to resist poking a little fun at him--when did you ever see him blush?--you handed him the change and slapped a smiley face sticker on the back of his hand.

IT HAD HEART EYES!

"I have to go." Jamil took off.

----

Vil was disciplined ninety-five percent of the time so he could indulge the other five percent. Rook all but dragged him to Sam's, waxing poetic about the holiday in all it's pink, sugary glory. He even made Vil promise not to look at any labels while he shopped. Or he could just compromise and let Rook buy him one sweet that he would have to eat no matter what.

That didn't seem too bad, so Vil conceded. Live a little, right?

Several companies had reached out to him in the beginning of February but their products were gluttonous and made him feel sick just looking at them. He felt like he'd be doing his followers a disservice to promote them because they just looked like death in a package. The only one he'd considered so far was a juice from an organic company called 'Beautiful Blends'.

No, not because they had beautiful in the name. The ingredients were organic--he researched the farms--and they had a nutritionist and dietician developing the blends. They had a blend for energy, immune support, digestion, and even one for headache relief. He was interested in the actual beauty blend; it had strawberry, coconut milk, collagen, and several other things he was interested in. It was a milky pink and perfect for Sam to sell during Valentine's Day.

NRC wasn't exactly health-minded outside of Pomfiore so he wasn't worried about missing out. He broke off from Rook, moving with grace and purpose to the refrigerated section. Vil took a split second to admire his reflection in the glass door, satisfied with his skin and the loose hair that escaped his half-bun but had the courtesy to frame his face despite its disobedience. His ring and nails clinked against the glass bottle but he paid it no mind.

"Would you like a basket?" Rook offered his. Vil peered curiously into said basket, unsurprised to see other flavors of Beautiful Blends in there. Rook knew him eerily well. Maybe he knew which ones he'd like to try. He also knew Vil was against overconsumption and wouldn't buy them all at once nor of his own volition.

"I'm fine, thanks." Vil smiled at him, appreciating his constant presence. His discipline and tenacity tended to chase a lot of people away but not Rook. There were people who appreciated him for his routines and followed him loyally, but not like Rook.

Rook wasn't just a 'yes' man. He was Vil's balance in every aspect. As if to prove that, he took the Beautiful Blend from Vil and put it in the basket. Vil didn't like his hands getting wet because that messed with the lotion he applied and it left a weird film on his hands the rest of the day.

"I just said--I BEG YOUR PARDON?" Vil was caught off guard by the flirtation and couldn't believe his ears. It was rare for anyone to surprise him but some NOBODY is trying to make nice with HIS POTATO?!

AS IF!

All he can manage is, "HOW GAUCHE!" as he breezes to the front of the line and stares at the man, absolutely floored. This moment would be a permanent reference for any scene where he needed to look surprised. And lost for words.

And disgusted. And furious.

"You don't think we'd make a cute couple?" the guy teases.

"You want to know what I think?" Vil proceeds to systematically point out the guy's flaws--posture, hair, that one zit coming up in the middle of his forehead--before pointing out that his greatest offense is his sheer selfishness. He's selfish for putting you in a situation where you might cave under peer pressure!

"That's enough, Roi du Poison," Rook shushed him, patting his arm and forcing it down so Vil quit pointing at the little gremlin. If he didn't stop him, he'd keep going. Rook was secretly glad he'd grabbed the Beauty Blend out of his hand earlier; if he was any more worked up it might've gone across the guy's head.

The guy was stunned by the takedown. Vil pointed out things he hadn't thought about. Things he was already insecure about (Vil could tell). "Apologize!" Vil barked in that Housewarden voice.

"I'm sorry." the guy left with whatever trash he bought.

Vil took a moment to compose himself, hands on his hips as he watched the gremlin leave. Fully relaxed, Vil walked to the counter and motioned for Rook to hand him the basket. He set everything out like nothing happened.

"Thank you, Vil."

"It was nothing." he clicked his tongue, waving his hand dismissively.

"Not to me."

Oh, you're clever. And honest. And cute. Maybe he'll drop a hint about his crush in his next interview. Rook forgets he knows French, too, and Vil smashes his hat down on his head on the off chance you know what 'he wants to love you and hug you and kiss you' is in French.

----

It's only natural that Rook would show up for the Valentine's Day sale. He is, after all, a lover of love. Sam never fails to disappoint with his wares and Rook is having a grand time perusing the aisles. There's copious amounts of candy, thoughtful cards, card games for couples, and fill-in-the-blank books with cute phrases and poems!

"You're mine," he smiles at said book, putting it in his basket. There's condensed versions of romantic classics and, had he not read them a million times before, that would be in his basket too. He picks up a pair of heart-shaped glasses for Vil. The desire for liver pate rises in him and he doubles back to check the canned meats. Midway through his careful search, he hears the...attempt...at woo.

A sad, beautiful, nervous attempt.

Rook rises to his full height, feather on his hat dancing almost indignantly as he moves to the front of the aisle. He has half a mind to huck that can of pate hard enough to scare the boy but that would not be very beaute of him.

"Mon amie," Rook drapes his arm around the boy's neck with a disappointed sigh, "There is much to teach you in when it comes to romance."

"Like what? I--" Rook knows that's rhetorical and the guy could care less what he's going to say but he uses his uniqueness to his advantage. He launches into a small monologue about how romance is considerate and kind, not brash and unrefined like that heartfelt confession. Love is delicate like morning dew and tender like the tempting embrace of your bed seconds before you have to get up for the day. Above all, love is knowing your partner in all aspects, which includes when things have gone too far and are not welcome.

Sure, a handful of people left the store entirely but mission accomplished. The guy left shortly after Rook subtly dragged his confession. Satisfied, Rook flashed you a kind smile and unpacked his basket.

"And sometimes love wears a purple hat with a little feather." you smirk at him.

"Oh, Trickster! My heart!" Rook places his hands on his cheeks, face a pretty pink that compliments his green eyes.

---

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, Vil loosened the reigns of Pomfiore's diet for the day. Epel wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth and immediately set off for Sam's. With luck, he'd still have some meats on sale. The holiday was all about fluff and pink and sweets so he wasn't worried about missing out on macarons.

To his delight, there was a selection of macarons. He was in hog heaven! If anyone heard the noise he made, it was probably the deepest and most demented thing they'd heard since Vil got his paws on him and 'refined' him. Epel was going to eat himself sick and regret it in the morning but not right now.

He picked up a second basket just for meats, afraid to crush his beloved macarons. The hamburger buns could share a basket with them, but not the meats. Knowing he had a calorie pass for the day unleashed something primal in Epel. All of a sudden he had SO MANY IDEAS.

Bacon burger? Bacon burger.

Hell, he could even make himself a little less homesick and have a traditional Harvestinian breakfast! He put a small thing of breakfast sausages in the basket. The instant grits were a bit of an insult, as was the 'heat and eat' pulled pork but the portion was reasonable and it wouldn't be money down the drain if Vil confiscated it tomorrow.

His patience begins to thin as he waits in line. The baskets are heavy but they're nothing he can't handle, growing up on a farm and all. The line doesn't seem to be moving at all! What in tarnation?, Epel squints menacingly, leaning out of line to see what the hold up was.

DID THAT NOBODY JUST ASK HOW MUCH YOU COST?!

It's clear you're uncomfortable and even MORE clear that this dude is NOT GETTING THE HINT.

As someone who's been hit on more than he cared for, this makes him mad on a whole 'nother level. You're doing all the right things--redirecting, professional body language--but this guy thinks he's going to get his way.

He's not. Everyone knows it but no one's saying anything.

Well he's gonna. What would his grandma say if he just stood by in a situation like this? He puts his hair up in a ponytail and glares at the guy.

"Were you raised in a barn? Couldn't be because EVEN ANIMALS KNOW WHEN TO LEAVE ALONE AN' GIT!" he gets louder with each word, rolling ups his sleeves. He spares his meat basket a quick glance and picks up the still-cold bacon. It's firmer than the hamburger patties and could give a decent wallop. "GO ON NOW, GIT!" Epel brandishes the bacon.

The guy is understandably confused and concerned. Probably the first time he'd been threatened with cold food. If he wasn't going for beef and bacon, he would've snagged a bag of frozen chicken wings and really wailed on the guy.

"I SAID GIT!" Epel chases him out like the dog he is, the guy narrowly dodging a bacon smack.

Word was going to get back to Vil for sure but he didn't care.

"Looks like you're going to have a good time!" you ring up the meats.

"I'm a free man today! Of course I'm gonna have a good time!"

"Have a good day, Epel. Thanks for stopping by!"

"I...I'd have a better time if you wanted to come eat some of this with me. I-I was plannin' on inviting Jack and Deuce, too. And Ace. Ace likes hamburgers. Vil lets me grill outside of Pomfiore sometimes." he starts to ramble, voice getting smaller and smaller as he goes.

"Sure! I'll grab some drinks and stuff when I get off." you smile, double-bagging the meats.

He's red as an apple when he leaves and that'll get back to Vil, too, but he doesn't care.

[cal-daisies-and-briars]

🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️ 🗨️

FIRST WORDS OF THIS BAD BOY

84 for 🗨️:

---

It all starts because of a call to a senior’s home. 

Well, okay. Buck is sure it all started way before that. But in the immediate sense, it starts because of the senior’s home call. 

There’s a small kitchen fire in one of the units. Someone making stovetop popcorn, who forgot it was on the element. Honestly, it’s nothing the staff couldn’t handle with a fire extinguisher, but the LAFD is automatically flagged when the smoke alarm goes off. The problem is, the whole experience - the alarms, the smoke, the firefighters - triggers a panic attack in a completely different resident. A resident who, according to staff, already struggles with progressing dementia.

Her name is Alva, and when Hen and Chim approach her to try and help, she’s speaking rapid-fire in a language that is completely unfamiliar to Buck. Some flavor of European? 

“Sometimes when she’s stressed, her English regresses,” one of the workers explains. “She didn’t learn it until later in life, so…”

“Harder to retain,” Hen fills in. 

“So how do we communicate with her?” Chim asks. “What language is this?”

“It’s Swedish,” Eddie says. 

They all look at him. Buck did not know he could identify Swedish just by hearing it. 

But then he does something even crazier. Even more out of the realm of what Buck would expect from Eddie. Eddie, his best friend, who he’s supposed to know everything about. He approaches the woman and starts speaking to her. In Swedish. He doesn’t sound totally comfortable with it. It’s slow and awkward on his tongue, compared to hers. But he’s obviously doing a decent enough job, because the woman calms down enough to listen and respond to him. 

The four of them - Buck, Bobby, Hen, and Chim - just sort of gape at this exchange. Did anyone know? Why has this never come up before? 

Eventually, Eddie looks back at them. 

“Alva’s okay,” he says in English. “Doesn’t need to go to the hospital.”

“Thank you so much,” the worker says. “You’re a miracle worker!”

Eddie’s cheeks go a little red. “No trouble, really.”

They give Alva another few minutes to calm down and orient herself before a worker leads her back to her room. Then they all head back to the station. Of course, from the look on Eddie’s face as they leave the senior’s home, he understands he’s about to get grilled.

“So…” Bobby starts when they all sit down in the engine.

“Swedish?” Chim asks. 

“Wouldn’t have put money on that,” Hen adds.

“Why did you tell me?” Buck asks.

Eddie groans. “So I speak a little Swedish. No big deal.”

“Um, it is a big deal,” Buck says. “Because I didn’t know.”

“I’d say more than a little,” Bobby replies. “You really helped that woman, Eddie.”

“I’ve mentioned my mom is Swedish,” Eddie says. 

“Yeah,” Chim says. “But I thought it was, like, one of those things where it’s several generations past and culturally no longer relevant, but the white side of your family liked feeling special?”

Eddie snorts. “No. Like, she immigrated when she was seven.”

“And taught you Swedish?” Hen asks. “That’s cool.”

Buck frowns. Given what he knows about Eddie’s childhood, mother-son language lessons do not sound like they fit. 

“Not exactly,” Eddie says. “I picked some of it up. There’s not much else to say, okay? It came in handy today.”

They all know Eddie enough to know that that means the conversation is over. He’s great at putting up walls quickly. Shutting stuff down. But, although Buck may not know the full linguistic capabilities of his best friend, he does know one thing. Eddie only gets this dismissive because there is more to the story. So Buck will wait. Buck can wait to ask more. But he’s absolutely going to find out. 

🗨️

It’s sort of a sensitive time to be prying into Eddie’s life. Buck knows that. The guy has only been home from El Paso for two weeks. He’s got Chris back. That’s a good thing. But it’s not entirely smooth.

[aenor-llelo]

amitoufo he is carbondated

It's the Year of the Snake. Destiny 2's Heresy just came out. But this ain't about her. I sit on your shoulder, I am your xiaoren.

I'm Taiwanese! Let's carbon date The Drifter!

Lightbearers retain their semantic memory (facts, concepts, ideas) and procedural memory (memory of how to do things) of their original life before death. This is implied from game/lore instances of Guardians with unique accents, ethnic coding, memory of languages that are obscure post-Collapse, even cases of Guardians retaining pre-rez war PTSD. It is outright confirmed by Sen-Aret, a Guardian who- due to the sheer age of her remains or some error by her Ghost- was raised with only the knowledge she had in life, and had to learn about modern weapons/language from other Guardians.

Why does this mean anything? It means that the way a Guardian prefers to dress, talk, and generally behave tells you where they came from pre-rez!

Aside from his voice actor being Vietnamese, his entry in the official cookbook is banh mi, a Vietnamese dish, and his clothes are Chinese, which would point to him being Hoa, the Han people of Vietnam. (He also wraps his clothes in an orientation specific to corpses, because he doesn't count Lightbearers as truly alive humans.)

Behavior-wise, though, have you noticed how obsessed he is with jade? The coins, the necklace. Jade is a very precious stone in the Sinosphere, and jade jewelry is for giving luck or protection to the wielder- what you will hear less commonly is that it is meant to work by breaking instead of you when something happens. We give them to kids and elderly for this reason.

(You can wonder, for a second, the jade coins he always plays with before Gambit rounds, wraps around certain weapons for you, and the Red String of Fate ornament for Malfeasance. Is this a man perpetually deeply terrified for everyone or himself, or is he every middle aging ah-yi who just got back into religion while you were in school?)

So he's Vietnamese and the Chinese influence means his pre-rez life had to have been after Chinese imperial interference with Vietnam. Unfortunately, four different historical periods between 111 BC and the 1400s isn't good carbon dating. KE SHI NI HUI KANDAO THE SANDWICH,

banh mi is a baguette sandwich. this kind of bread comes to vietnam in the mid-19th century from French colonizers, and only during WWI did a mixed flour version make this bread accessible outside luxury. Early 1900s le. But "post-1900s" isn't a better narrowing down than "BCs to 1400s" in a future setting like Destiny.

Except that Drifter's banh mi recipe specifically uses pâté. This was only a common banh mi filling before the 1950s, when the partition of Vietnam sent an influx of northerners to Saigon and led to the Saigon sandwich that is modern banh mi. So, 1910s to 1950s. And the fact that he defaults to hanfu rather than Western dress or more modern standard Vietnamese ethnic clothing like ao dai skews him having been an adult on the earlier end of this time frame or living in a more rural area where colonization ideas were not as enforced. (One could explore him having other Vietnamese forms of cultural expression like lacquered teeth, actually.)

Ain't that something? He could have lived through WWI or even saw the beginning of the Communist revolution. The possibility that his first life was a survivor of colonization, war draft, and/or violent civil war could add a lot to readings of his character, especially his C-PTSD, but that's a whole other post if the people demand it. It's a neat thing to explore, huh?

And don't call him a rat le! Bad enough already the game think that is cute! White people calling East Asians rats is generally a slur in reference (from my collection) to immigrant "infestation" and part of general stereotypes about their uncleanliness (they cook with gutter oil, they eat rats, they cheap they scam they lie dadadada). You want source bigger than I grow up with white people shout in my face and their children pull their eyes to squint like a "jap"? Look up WWI propaganda posters about Japan. They did not invent that out of nowhere, they make Japanese people into rats because that's something they already say.

"It's just about Japanese-" what if I told you a large part of Western racism about Asians is that they can't tell the difference and don't care. and they're making fun of similar cultures and features.

"My Asian friend said it was okay-" the asian friend values your friendship and your comfort more than what they feel when you say slurs, dude. sorry i had to be the one to tell you that. one friend (or stranger online) giving you the pass to say it in front of them doesn't mean you're allowed to say it to everyone.

"it's fictional-" Real East Asian people getting beat down by Sinophobia matters a little more than how cute you think it is to call a Vietnamese man an animal that your culture associates with filth and plague.

"Chinese zodiac animal-" The snake is right there. The game won't shut up about how snake he is. We're having a Drifter-heavy episode right in the beginning of the snake lunar year. His personality matches the charm, mystery, and wisdom associated with the sign. He is never thematically associated with rats. He is never respectfully associated with rats.

It would be one thing if it was another asian character calling him that in the context of the rat's folkloric characteristics, but this is an American game by an American studio writing someone voiced by a non-asian to call him a rat as an insult about his cleanliness and food choices. Good for you if that doesn't hurt your feelings! Hurt many more people than you! They more real than him!

Good game story. Mistakes happen! Doesn't mean you have special privilege to repeat it.

He is snake! Viper! Asp! Cost zero dollar to say that instead! Don't keep a pet slur in your pocket!

[blackstarlineage]

Diaspora Wars: A Garveyite Perspective on Why They Are Harmful, Counterproductive, and Unintelligent

From a Garveyite perspective, the so-called "Diaspora Wars"—the conflicts and divisions between Black people from different regions, including Africans, African Americans, Caribbeans, and Afro-Latinos—are one of the greatest obstacles to Black liberation. These internal conflicts are harmful, counterproductive, and completely unintelligent because they weaken Pan-African unity, make Black people easier to exploit, and distract from real issues like economic independence, nation-building, and global Black empowerment.

Marcus Garvey’s vision of Pan-Africanism was based on the idea that all Black people—regardless of where they were born—belong to one global African family and must work together to build a united Black world. Divisions based on nationality, culture, or colonial differences only serve white supremacy and prevent Black people from achieving true power.

This analysis will explore:

The origins of diaspora wars and why they were created to divide Black people.

Why diaspora conflicts benefit white supremacy and prevent Black progress.

The historical unity of Africans, African Americans, Caribbeans, and Afro-Latinos in resistance movements.

Why diaspora wars are based on misinformation and colonial brainwashing.

How Garveyism provides the only real solution to ending these divisions and building Black unity.

1. The Origins of Diaspora Wars: Divide and Conquer

A. Colonialism and Slavery Separated Black People on Purpose

The African diaspora exists because of slavery, colonialism, and forced migration, yet instead of seeing a shared struggle, many Black people have been programmed to see differences rather than commonality.

European colonizers and enslavers deliberately divided Black people by language, nationality, and region to prevent unity and resistance.

Black people were indoctrinated to believe that their struggles were unique and separate, rather than part of the same global fight against oppression.

Example: After slavery, Black Caribbeans were told that they were superior to African Americans because they were educated under the British system, while African Americans were told that Caribbean immigrants were outsiders taking their jobs. Meanwhile, both groups suffered under racist laws and economic oppression.

Key Takeaway: The division between Black people was never natural—it was created by white colonial powers to keep Black people weak and disorganized.

B. Nationalism Without Pan-Africanism Leads to Division

Many Black people today hold strong national identities (Nigerian, Jamaican, Haitian, African American, etc.), but these identities are often based on colonial borders that were drawn by white European powers.

Some Black people take pride in their specific nationality but reject Pan-African unity, which weakens the global Black struggle.

White-dominated countries encourage immigrants from different Black regions to assimilate into Western nationalism, causing them to see their fellow Black people as “foreigners” rather than family.

Example: Many Black people in the U.S. identify as American first, rejecting their African or Caribbean roots, even though America was built on the enslavement and exploitation of their ancestors.

Key Takeaway: Colonial borders and national pride should never come before Pan-African unity and global Black power.

2. Why Diaspora Wars Benefit White Supremacy and Prevent Black Progress

A. Black People Fighting Each Other Keeps Them Distracted from the Real Enemy

Instead of focusing on white supremacy, economic inequality, and global anti-Black racism, many Black people waste time attacking each other over accents, food, culture, and nationality.

While Black people argue over who has the “better” culture, white elites continue to control the global economy, media, and political systems.

A divided race can not fight for reparations, sovereignty, or economic independence, which is exactly what white supremacy wants.

Example: Instead of organizing for global Black wealth and political power, Black people spend time arguing about who suffered more—Africans under colonial rule or African Americans under Jim Crow. Meanwhile, both groups are still economically oppressed today.

Key Takeaway: While Black people fight over differences, white supremacy continues to win.

B. White Media Fuels Diaspora Wars to Keep Black People Divided

Hollywood, social media, and mainstream news intentionally amplify stereotypes and conflicts between Black people from different regions to promote division.

Films and TV shows often misrepresent African, Caribbean, and African American cultures, creating hostility instead of understanding.

Many social media influencers and celebrities promote division for attention and clout, rather than encouraging unity.

Example: When an African or Caribbean immigrant becomes successful in America, the media often promotes the narrative that African Americans are “lazy”, even though systemic racism affects all Black people. This fuels resentment and deepens division.

Key Takeaway: The system profits from Black division and will always promote stereotypes that make Black people hate each other.

3. The Historical Unity of Africans, African Americans, Caribbeans, and Afro-Latinos in Resistance Movements

While diaspora wars exist today, history proves that Africans, African Americans, Caribbeans, and Afro-Latinos have always worked together to fight oppression.

A. Pan-African Unity in Liberation Struggles

Haitian Revolution (1791-1804): Enslaved Africans from different tribes and regions united to defeat the French and establish the first Black republic.

Marcus Garvey’s UNIA (1914-1940s): Garvey built a movement that united Black people from Africa, the Caribbean, and America under one vision of Black sovereignty.

Anti-Colonial Movements (1950s - 1970s): Black leaders like Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana) and Jomo Kenyatta (Kenya) worked with African Americans to support liberation movements.

Example: Malcolm X travelled to Africa and the Caribbean to build alliances, proving that Black liberation is a global struggle, not just a national one.

Key Takeaway: When Black people unite, they win. When they divide, they lose.

4. Why Diaspora Wars Are Based on Misinformation and Colonial Brainwashing

Many of the stereotypes and insults used in diaspora wars come from colonial lies.

A. Stereotypes About African Americans, Africans, and Caribbeans Are False

“African Americans are lazy.” → FALSE. African Americans built America through slavery and fought for civil rights against extreme white violence.

“Africans sold other Africans into slavery, so they are responsible for the slave trade.” → FALSE. The transatlantic slave trade was organized, financed, and expanded by Europeans. African leaders who resisted were killed or overthrown.

“Caribbeans and Africans don’t care about racism in America.” → FALSE. Black Caribbeans and Africans have fought for Black rights in the U.S. for generations (e.g., Stokely Carmichael, Shirley Chisholm).

Example: The entire concept of “ADOS” (American Descendants of Slavery) and other groups with a similar ideology are created to divide Black people, making them reject Pan-African unity and reparations for all Black people.

Key Takeaway: The enemy is not other Black people—the enemy is white supremacy, colonialism, and economic control.

5. How Garveyism Provides the Only Real Solution to Ending Diaspora Wars and Building Black Unity

Marcus Garvey’s message was simple: Black people, no matter where they are from, must unite as one global nation.

A. Black People Must Prioritize Race Over Nationality

Being African, Caribbean, or African American should never come before being Black first.

The only way to defeat white supremacy is through global Black unity and power.

B. Focus on Black Economics, Not Petty Arguments

Instead of fighting online, Black people should focus on building Black businesses, investing in Africa, and developing Black-led economies.

Final Takeaway: Diaspora wars are a waste of time—true power comes from global Black unity.

Conclusion: Black People Must Unite or Stay Divided and Weak

Garvey said it best:

“Africa for the Africans, those at home and those abroad.”

It’s time to end the foolishness.

[npuppet]

A list of things I have noticed in LaDs that is probably nothing new but I need to put this somewhere other than my head pt. 2.2 ft flowers (ft Zayne and Sylus)

Hellooo I’m here doing more flower analysis. Take all of this with a grain of salt since I’m only doing a brief study into each and I’m adding my own stuff.

Pt 1 here ft Xavier and Rafayel

Sylus

So Sylus’ flower is the Datura, also known as jimsonweeds, devils trumpet, hell’s bell’s, and moonflower. Already pretty fitting. I dunno where in lore it says this (probably in his myth or something) but it looks like this irl

Any purple or black variant makes it look different

Other than that I believe it.

Relating to the nightshade family, it is highly poisonous and has hallucinogenic properties. A quip from Wikipedia says

“Traditionally, their psychoactive administration has often been associated with witchcraft and sorcery or similar practices in many cultures, including the Western world,”

Hmmmmmmm you don’t say. This and MC being called a sorcerer in Sylus’ myth makes me further believe Infold looked at flowers then make Love and Deepspac lore.

Another from a plant care site,

“A genus of over a dozen annual and perennial species. We offer a species (Datura metel) from southwestern China with large, trumpet-like flowers that produce a sweet perfume, redolent of Honeysuckle, that's especially strong at night.”

Just thought that was interesting.

The datura is overall associated with poison, medicine, and the occult.

A post from @/kadmachameleon on Reddit said,

“Datura flowers can cause hallucinations if ingested. And them laying in a field filled with this flowers, dreaming of their love 😭 …Now, on the cultural context, I laughed SO HARD when I saw what this flower is known as in Mexico, where I am from (and I believe in some or all of Latinamerica, pls let me know if you do) and mind, I have quite a dark sense of humor, so it made me laugh but it is also very VERY sad what I am going to explain: Datura flowers are also know as "Toloache". We have a saying that goes "Te dieron Toloache" (You were given Toloache) that we use when someone is so madly crazy infatuated... obssessed in love with someone. We use that phrase to say this person has been bewitched, like they were given a powerful aphrodisiac. A love potion, that is what Toloache is for us.”

Mmm suffering

Anyways

I don’t believe that the flowers in Sylus’ myth are Datura unless they are explicitly said to be (I don’t have his myth lol)

To me they look like petunias, along with his With Him flowers.

Petunias symbolize (from flowermeaning.com)

“The petunia flower symbolizes anger and resentment especially when they are presented by someone with whom you have recently had a heated disagreement. They can also symbolize your desire to spend time with someone because you find their company soothing and peaceful. According to some sources, petunias are also a symbol of not losing hope.”

A black petunia, specifically the sophistica blackberry petunia, means (from greg.app)

“The Sophistica® Blackberry Petunia isn't just another pretty flower. Its deep purple, almost black hues, evoke a sense of mystery and sophistication. Historically, purple has been tied to royalty and wisdom, suggesting that these blooms are more than mere decorations; they're a statement of elegance and intelligence.”

To me these make a bit more sense, just a bit.

Red datura, or red angel trumpet, looks like this

I dunno that’s just me.

Ik that in his myth it’s implied that MC is actually alone and hallucinates/dreams being with Sylus so it being a field of datura makes sense. But also the hallucinations from datura are not pleasant and that’s why datura is not a popular hallucinogenic so I dunno. MC’d just wildin

Zayne

Zaynes flower is obviously the white jasmine flower.

It’s mentioned everywhere that his flower is jasmine like it’s not even funny.

He makes one in your hand in Relax Time under Gift. (Like how Master of Fate did)

Pretty sure his birthday cake had jasmine flowers

His echo bottle from Touring in Love has one (it’s the only one that specifically identifies it as a certain flower in the description) (I mean Rafayels mentions the smell of gardenias but his flower is technically the flame lily so I won’t count it) (gardenias mean purity, innocence, and gentleness and are used in wedding arrangements btw) (anyways)

(Edit: nah I just looked it up and gardenia and jasmine are very similar, they both have a strong and similar smell, both have small white flowers and gardenias are also known as Cape Jasmine. And both are used in wedding arrangements. The only real different is the region they originated from and their stems. I dunno what to do with this information but it’s interesting nonetheless)

In Dawnbreakers anecdote he has a jasmine plant and visits a jasmine field because he sees Dr. Zayne with jasmine and attributes it to MC.

Ik Master of Fate has jasmine flowers though I don’t have his memories.

I’m pretty sure in the memory Forest’s Breeze, one of Master of Fate’s 4 stars, those are jasmine flowers.

The 4 star memory End of Depths also has them.

In his Secret Times, A Long Night’s description is literally “Let us see the sun set for one last time in the jasmine fields.”

Also I think it comes up in the main story too, can’t remember where tho.

I don’t think any other LI had a flower so aptly dedicated to them.

There’s more than 200 species of jasmine.

Jasmine symbolizes peace, affection, and sensuality.

A post from @/Tsarwonderful on Reddit says

“It means loyalty, purity, chastity, charm, and sincere love. It's used to express steadfast love. The specific language can also be "You are mine". The white jasmine in particular means kindness/and sensuality.

This makes sense to me. Zayne's a classic man with classic devotion. I can also see him as one of the more possessive MCs as he's always taking care of her, making sure she's doing well or even choosing what she's wearing.”

(from flowermeaning.com)

The jasmine flower is associated with love.

Jasmine also symbolizes beauty and sensuality.

In some cultures, Jasmine represents appreciation and good luck.

When used in religious ceremonies jasmine represents purity.

Jasmine’s meanings varies depending on the culture and setting.

And I need y’all to know this, jasmine comes from the Persian yasmin or yasamin. Yasmin means “gift from God”

Ohhhhh Love and Depression, how you hurt me so

Ik for sure that jasmine is mentioned a lot in Foreseer’s memories. I just haven’t mustered up the courage to read them yet lol

Master of Fate, specifically with his combats abilities, refer to orchids (Orchid Metamorphosis) and bamboo (Bamboo Mirage), two plants regarded in Chinese culture. Master of Fate in general is Chinese culture wrapped up in one man. Talismans, jade, orchids, bamboo, and his clothes?? Yeah

I also found a post about Zayne and Osmanthus that y’all should read if ur interested

The last flower post will be about Caleb. Then I plan on making a small post about the secondary characters names or something, like Mephisto and Astra.

Thank you for reading

[chronic-conjuring]

So this only really relates to @tellurfriends-im-the-threat comment but I think it kinda demonstrates how people who “work” with Lilith who aren’t Jewish think about her role in religious practices, her abilities and just how stupid it can be pretty well.

I know the person it’s talking about (I’ll refer to them as R) and they’re probably the most abusive ex-partner I’ve ever had. They’re also incredibly fucking stupid, acknowledges that they’re stupid, and then still thinks they’re the smartest person in the room. Which I think demonstrates the same kind of attitude a lot of people who work with Lilith have around many things but especially around Judaism and their appropriation of it.

See, the thing about R is that they use Lilith as an excuse to manipulate and sexually exploit people for funsies and regularly talks about doing this. Somehow I seem to be one of the very few who picked up on that even though they’ve basically admitted to it point blank. Literally stating that they try to use “Lilith’s influence” to toy with people they encounter at kink parties. They also “work” with Lilith in a very modern, non-Jewish way. Basically the exact same as they do with all the Norse gods they work with which are, or at least used to be, the only other deities they work with. Their reasoning for working with her and how they “use her influence” is that they claim she came to them asking to work with them, R also has said that they use her as a way to connect to their “dark feminine” and “take back sexual power” like a lot of other ill-informed people do.

The big thing I’m getting at here are that R is extremely irresponsible and culturally insensitive. R has made many assertions that they are not Jewish by any means, and says they’re mostly Slavic. They’re white as fuck, okay? And that the way they interact with Lilith as even a concept is extremely white-centered and I’d say they even fetishize her existence as just an excuse to mess with people sexually. They like to try and control people through sex, or at least they liked to try and do that with me. It just feels like a very apt way to look at how goyim interact with Judaism as a whole to me. (Admittedly I am not Jewish myself afaik, there’s evidence to suggest I am, but I am mixed Native American and what I’ve seen feels similar to how people appropriate my cultures. I do have Jewish family and that’s literally my Jewish girlfriend up there so I try to be informed and sensitive)

Anyways they literally used Lilith as an excuse to do what I gathered is a fucking love spell as the solar eclipse happened overhead last year, including writing Liliths sigil on a piece of paper, and burning that AND THEIR OWN BLOOD as an offering to her during said ritual. I cannot emphasize how much I am not joking here in the slightest. Which, again, I think demonstrates just how uninformed, self serving, ignorant, and disrespectful the people who’ve decided that Lilith is theirs to misappropriate, despite being told multiple times that it’s not their fucking lane to be in, are.

To be clear, I’m adding this because I think it compliments the fact that Autism2, and soooo many others, decidedly tried to argue that Lilith is just for anyone’s taking and for anyone to have like she doesn’t have a whole history and location of origin that’s notoriously closed. I find this to be kind of interesting as a large narrative these people have is that she’s a being for female sexual empowerment and sexual agency in the face of misogyny or whatever. And yet, ironically, they still take and use her. They use her image and name and strip it of all original meaning until what’s in front of them is almost completely different than what she began as. Which I find odd as many goyim I’ve seen work with her do it because they experienced SA, and/or had their agency taken from them in some way. And yet, they do the religious equivalent to her themselves.

The fact that R “works” with Lilith on the basis of reclaiming sexual agency when our entire relationship they essentially tried to force me to have sex with them (on their terms and their terms only at that) just felt like an extremely useful as a comparison to how I’ve seen a lot of people use Lilith. It’s disgusting and downright shameful imo, and they all need to do better. It’s really not that hard to stay out of other people’s closed practices. There’s plenty of open ones that have their own version of what you’re looking for that’s not a warped shadow of CLOSED source material.

To all those people: Do better.

Lilith being closed is something that was popularized by zionist aligned bloggers, and is a fringe theory, not a monolithic rule. Lilith is open

I had anon messages turned off for months. I literally turned them back on today, and I immediately get antisemitic bullshit in my inbox. Was this just coincidence, or were you like camping out, reloading and waiting for me to open asks back up?

Because it really looks like the former, and that's incredibly pathetic.

Judaism is a closed ethnoreligion. Judaism and Zionism are not the same thing. Lilith is a figure born exclusively from Jewish folklore. I did a whole fucking podcast on that. When you take from a closed culture you are not a part of, it makes you an asshole.

Go fucking look in a mirror and maybe take stock of shit. It's really easy not to be a shithead, so maybe take five minutes and reassess.

[damnfandomproblems]

Fandom Problem #7559:

Look, I understand the "you don't always need to use non-human characters for stories based on real-world historical bigotry. You can just write about said historical bigotry," kind of writing advice. Write the stories you want to write about.

I understand it on paper. In execution, most of my problems stem from the fans.

Nothing is more annoying than seeing the fans look at a fictional story full of different fictional beings and the fans believe they know exactly what kinds of real world instances of discrimination the writers drew from, over said writers.

For example, MAYBE the writers DID NOT draw on the US' history of racism towards other races for the story they wrote. Maybe they drew inspiration from literally ANY OTHER nation on the planet.

Or MAYBE, the writers DID NOT base the slavery depicted in this story on US slavery. That's not the only historical instance of slavery.

And MAYBE this fantasy race is based on a racist depiction from history, or MAYBE they're NOT, and you're just wrong, but too stubborn to admit it or realize.

MAYBE this fantasy world took inspiration from real world human historical events of discrimination, OR you just don't know history OR its purely original with NO real world basis.

It gets even more annoying when these same fans ignore all the evidence they're wrong and still think they're right.

The Writers: We drew inspiration from what the Soviet Union did to Russia, Russian culture and its people as a base for most of the lives the protagonists lived and the kind of villains they're trying to defeat. In fact! Most of our staff grew up under the cruel times of communism or heard stories from our parents.

The fanbase: CLEARLY! THIS IS ALL MEANT TO BE BASED ON THE US GOVERNMENT OPPRESSING BLACK PEOPLE! AND YOU ARE A RACIST IF YOU DISAGREE!

Or only use one example. I would take SOOO many more discussions around this discourse seriously if audiences did not cry, "Why do so many fantasy stories rewrite whites oppressing blacks!?" And if fans could show they knew more history, did not ignore any evidence that said otherwise and/or did not say this about two fictional races who aren't even human or based on said example.

It gets worse when they yell at other fans and believe those fans who dare to disagree or try to give their own take are bigots themselves. And all the exclusion is justified in their eyes.

"Can you all stop saying (insert fictional race here) is based on black people? There's entire discussions that show they're not with truth to them."

"THAT'S RACIST! YOU'RE RACIST!"

Also, gotta love when they presume certain fans that disagree all suffer from internalized bigotry or something along those lines.

Yes. There are black fans who don't see orcs as being based on black people and just have fun. What's your excuse?

TLDR: Stop substituting what you believe happened in canon for what actually happened and stop using it as a chance to other bully fans.

[kn11ves]

my comic is live right now!

kyle and rex is an absurdist drama set in a stagnant afterlife where everyone lies, cheats, manipulates, and hurts each other in order to gain political power and admiration from the public.

with characters constantly haunted by ghosts of the past, trying to stay on top of the food chain despite constant betrayals and having their secrets held up above their heads, comes back kyle, from his long stay back as a guiding spirit on earth, to take back reigns of the throne in the inbetween. though much like everyone else, hes got a long list of dirty laundry that many are aching to reveal. there are no real friends here.

⸻

updates every 2 weeks, at 6:30 pm central US time! (SP & ENG)

WEBTOON: english link + spanish link

TAPAS: english link + spanish link

FANEO: spanish link

[bluejay-makes]

Drow kiddos growing up in different cities

[cosmogyros]

It's fucking weird how rude people are about immigration sometimes. And I don't just mean bigots being biased and stuff. I mean that, on a REGULAR basis, people ask me if I'm thinking about "going back to the US". And I'm just like... no? What do you mean "back to the US"? I live in Germany. I LIVE IN GERMANY.

I literally fucking started learning German and obsessing on German culture in high school, then I went to college in the US and majored in German Studies, including two study-abroad programs in Germany, then I moved to Germany for grad school and lived there for three years and worked in various German-speaking jobs while studying, then I had to temporarily return to the US but found a German-translation-based job at the US branch of a German company, and made a bunch of German or at least German-speaking friends in my new US city, and then a few years later I was able to move back to Germany, where I got a work visa sponsored by my employer and a full-time salaried job, and after a few more years I acquired my permanent residency, and soon I'll be applying for citizenship.

And people still sometimes ask me whether I'm considering "going back to the US". Like... dude? Would you ask a Mexican living in the US about their plans for "going back to Mexico"? That is rude as fuck.

Immigration is fucking hard. Why on earth would I have gone through all this shit just to throw it up in the air like "Oh well, never mind!"

[musical-chick-13]

Regarding the whole "Fandom Is An Escape, so why should I have to care this much about misogyny/racism/ableism/transphobia/etc." thing. Idk about the rest of you, but it gets kind of hard for me to "escape" when I keep seeing people say the same vile things about characters who share aspects of my identity that I hear all the time in real life.

[hechose]

'lestat crossed an ocean to save claudia and louis from the paris coven!!!'

..... im gonna hold your hand while i bash you over the head when i tell you this,,, that mans went to paris to be healed by armand,,, that mans went to paris to punish the people he abused for daring to fight back,,,

[dykedvonte]

The Khans - My Introspective

I don't like the Military and I don't support a lot of the actions the NCR does to the Mojave in New Vegas but in terms of the Khans I feel like the fandom infantilizes or diminishes the fact that they are or at least one of the most violent raider groups in the Mojave.

What happened at Bitter Springs was a tragedy, innocent lives were lost and the fact that the NCR swept it under the rug and continued to hunt down Khans that are truly trying to back down and resettle is horrendous, but there is a history to the NCR's aggression towards them.

The Khans first appear in Fallout 1, the main faction of raiders in the game besides the mentioned Vipers (who don't actually appear if I remember correctly). They came from Vault 15 along with the members that would form rival groups; The Vipers, The Jackals, and Shady Sands. They are a very large and foreboding raiding party, known for burning towns and encampments they attack and taking survivors as their slaves or slaves to sell. They are a big reason why the Jackals and Vipers are actually so small in New Vegas, they wiped them out.

Their main targets where Shady Sands and Junker town, the former of the two would be what became The New California Republic. This explains a big part of their animosity towards the Khans, only furthered by the fact the Khans kidnapped Tandi as a young girl, the girl that would go to offically found the NCR out of Shady Sands. When the dweller saved her and killed much of the Khans, this allowed the NCR to develop into what it currently is as they no longer needed to focus on fighting off constant raids.

When the Khans became the New Khans in Fallout 2, they barely resembled the Khans as they were led by Darion, Garl Death-Hand's son (former leader of the Khans). They were smaller and refortified vault 15, still planning to take down the NCR (at this time nowhere near as imperialist as they are in FNV) as mostly a revenge/power ploy. They manipulate The Squat, a group of y'know squatters, that lived in the upper levels, promising and lying about repairing the vault and offering them ransacked caravan resources if they kept the NCR away. Being their only life line The Squat had no choice. Still the chosen one got rid of them and they left New California for the untapped Mojave.

The Great Khans, the most current iteration, continued in the path as the original Khans, regrouping and gaining information from the Followers who hoped they'd use their new medical knowledge to heal themselves. They gained more members and a substantial part of Vegas territory before they were run out by the three families. They were pushed to Bitter Springs where they first and foremost continued to pick off and attack NCR settlements, most of which consisted of caravans, towns, and camps as they saw them as easy like in their old days. It was the killing of four influential Republic members (non-military) that brought on Bitter Springs.

Bitter Springs was the result of years of hatred and animosity and likely the goal to send a final message to the Khans. It does not excuse the fact that innocent men, women, and children were slaughtered with few survivors. It does not excuse the fact that the NCR has yet to make amends for this and continues to try and persecute the Khans even in moments of surrender.

This post is not to defend what happened but to give a quick rundown of the Khan's history and their history with the NCR. It's to remind people that the NCR is not just their military power but an actual group/settlement of people that were also attacked indiscriminately by the Khans. It's to point out that the Khans were not a band of indigenous people (no matter the comparisons) driven from their homes but raiders who fed into the brutal cultures of the west coast wasteland and were in turn treated to the same things.

My frustration comes from the fact that FNV has so many comparisons to indigenous struggles but the groups it chooses are not comparable at all. Their oppression hinges on not being familiar with their past, which explains why they have the reputation they do in canon. The "tribes" are often not even groups of minorities or have goals/desires out of acquisitions of power and I feel like it is important to both acknowledge that this is bad indigenous rep because it is not supposed to be. It is supposed to be a comparison of the in-game groups and how they all do the same things and justify it in their own fucked up ways, some better at it than others.

FNV of all the Fallout games (in light of it being heavily Western based) distastefully uses indigenous imagery and theming for groups that are sad mimicries of American indigenous cultures at best and outright offensive at worst.

[giantkillerjack]

Favorite part about Death Note is that Light gets the Note and IMMEDIATELY becomes a serial killer fascist with a god complex.

No build-up, no Fall From Grace, no slow corruption of a good boy gradually becoming a monster. Just-- SPEED RUN STRATS. And I love that for him.

Tbh, I think there are a lot of folks (especially boys) from my high school days who would have immediately become monsters if given the power of life and death over every person around them.

It's kind of like how when people have apparently casual ableist beliefs, and you push them to elaborate on that just a little bit, they'll often end up openly saying stuff like "well, some people are just too disabled to be worth the resources it takes to support them." - Which is... eugenics. It's just eugenics, justified by the myth of scarcity. Now these folks almost certainly won't call it eugenics, or even think of it that way. But that doesn't make it NOT a core belief of the Nazis.

In a similar way, Light seems like a nice and well-adjusted boy with strong beliefs. No harm in that.

But to paraphrase Lindsay Ellis in her analysis of the Game of Thrones ending, "Power doesn't necessarily corrupt. Power reveals." [I think she was quoting someone else when she said this. It was someone who wrote a biography on LBJ. Whatever. Lindsay said it and she's smart as hell and I recommend her videos.]

And 15 minutes into the Death Note musical, I'm already thinking about how so many beliefs "casually" held by well-adjusted, nice people immediately reveal their monstrousness when talked through to their natural conclusion.

And I wonder how many of those people, given the power of life and death over everyone around them - the power to take their ideas to their natural conclusions - would also immediately reveal how their lack of self-reflection has laid the groundwork for them to become monsters.

[j-esbian]

it is a bit sad to see how many usamericans have internalized the idea that we’re all the same and have no culture or accent diversity aside from “generic american” (manufactured for cable news) “southern” (incredibly diverse btw) and “new yorker”

turn off the tv and go outside