#ari thread.

[inkshadow]

random closed starter for @sunliights

"did you think we'd end up like this?" this was arbitrary and could be taken a great number of ways. ari wonders if bella knows she means completely, totally head-over-heels in love with your best friend. that eventually it becomes insufferable to be apart from one another for too long. she wonders if this is the feeling she's supposed to have that will finally drive her to split entirely from her parents. for now, she'll just remain thankful for the sanctuary that her brother's home provides the two of them for the summer. "i know that caelum likes to joke around about us not talking about what we are and i'm not super bothered by labels or anything at this point but... y-you know how i feel about you, right?" and really, the better question was if bella knew the extent of how much ari loves her.

[inkshadow]

❝ i don't? ❞ usually, it's the opposite. usually ari has to exaggerate her thanks due to her opposite's love for theatrics. however, ari is unable to help the way her smile suddenly reaches from ear to ear, the muscles of her face hurting as she nods. ❝ r-right, mhmm. ❞ and with that, she rushes around to her side and slides in, buckling up and relieved that she gets to spend a few more hours with bella.

-fin.

"m-hm..." bella purses her lips a little bit, though decidedly lets her curiosity go for now. she doesn't think she'll be able to pry much more from ari for this evening. the little kiss is surprising but it doesn't linger nearly as long as she'd like. though, with them being in public and all she can kind of accept it. "you don't have to thank me," she muses as she moves to get in to the car, "after all, you're going to take me on one next time." she winks as she slides into her seat, readying the car to allow them to head off with no real destination in mind.

[dailypokemoncrochet]

Jan-New-Ary Day 7/8! I think paradox pokemon are going to be difficult for me to do in the sense that I have done many of their "regular" counterparts and they'll feel too much like remakes, but this one had the additional hurdle of basically being 3 pokemon in one (magneton which is just magnemite x3 and both of which I've already done), PLUS more details. Altogether took 8hr7 and I had to take so many breaks because I was falling asleep a lot. Also this is a good example of a pokemon whose design really isn't that complicated, just time consuming. I love the way it turned out though!

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Ari Drennen at Ari's Threads:

When authoritarian regimes collapse, it often looks sudden—leaders flee, governments dissolve, and the state unravels in real-time. But collapse is rarely spontaneous. More often, it’s the result of a slow, self-inflicted erosion of power, set in motion when leaders overestimate their own support and push too far. This was the case in Afghanistan in 2021, where the U.S.-backed government, built on external military support rather than genuine legitimacy, crumbled almost overnight. It was also the case in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, where a war meant to demonstrate strength instead exposed military and political weakness. And it was the case in South Korea’s 2024 martial law crisis, where a government that assumed it could impose military rule without consequence was swiftly removed from power. Again and again, regimes that assume their grip on power is unshakable discover—too late—that their own overreach is what brings them down.

Overconfidence Leads to Overreach

Authoritarian regimes don’t collapse because of one bad decision. They collapse because of a pattern of miscalculations—each one widening the gap between the government and the people until the state is too hollow to stand.

[...]

Not all resistance looks like street protests or armed insurgencies. Some of the most effective opposition happens quietly, in ways that authoritarian governments struggle to contain. During World War II, the OSS Simple Sabotage Field Manual outlined ways that civilians could disrupt enemy governments—not with bombs, but with small, deliberate inefficiencies. Workers were told to misfile documents, delay projects, introduce small errors that, over time, would make the entire system grind to a halt. That same principle applied to Hong Kong’s 2014 protests, where a leaderless, encrypted messaging-driven movement made it nearly impossible for authorities to arrest key organizers. Every time police tried to crack down, new protest flash mobs would appear elsewhere. Digital resistance allowed the movement to stay ahead of law enforcement for months. In South Korea’s 2024 crisis, protesters flooded government hotlines, overloaded digital reporting systems, and created so much bureaucratic noise that state enforcement became nearly impossible. The government couldn’t keep up with digital disruptions, and by the time authorities responded, resistance had already moved to a different platform or tactic. Once a government loses the ability to enforce its own rules, even in the most basic ways, its power begins to slip—sometimes faster than even the people resisting expect.

[...]

Regimes Collapse from Within as Much as from Without

Governments don’t just fall because of external pressure. They fall because of their own mistakes. They push too hard, alienating even those who once supported them. They purge too many people, creating enemies where there were none. They assume military force can solve political problems, only to find that wars are easier to start than to win. They mistake silence for support, failing to see that silence is often just the absence of a safe way to speak. And then one day, the silence shatters, and the regime collapses so fast that even its leaders are caught off guard. Regimes that look stable on the surface often collapse the fastest. Russia hasn’t fallen, but it has been plunged into a financially ruinous war, losing soldiers and resources at an unsustainable rate. What was supposed to be a quick military victory has instead forced the country into a long, grinding conflict that is weakening its global influence and economic stability. Iraq was supposed to become a stable democracy, but de-Baathification fueled years of insurgency. South Korea’s government thought it could impose martial law, but within weeks, mass resistance forced it out.

Ari Drennen wrote a solid column on how autocratic regimes accelerate their collapse as a result of their drunken hubris, as we have seen in South Korea and Russia. This also applies to regimes that seemingly look stable.

[noirhistories]

closed starter for max / @fatebinds

"hurry up, you're being evicted," ari declared as he opened up the door of the cell. no matter what max was picked up for or by whom, it seemed like nothing ever managed to stick to him. which really wasn't any of ari's business and he wouldn't have cared about max sitting in a cell, except his shift ended in about ten minutes and he wanted a beer. he wasn't being nice, he wasn't lowering himself to do the works of other people, he was acting completely in his own self interest. plus, he always thought it was funny to have an excuse to shove max in the back of a car and threaten him with handcuffs - it truly was the little things in life that mattered. "five, four, three…"

[inkshadow]

❝ mmm wow is right... ❞ the feeling that runs through her veins is one she wasn't prepared for, if only because she didn't think she'd ever be here. every senses heightened from their kiss, her touch, ari's overwhelmed by it all in the best possible. her nose nuzzles against luna's and she presses another peck to her lips. ❝ do you know how long i've dreamed about this? it... it's a bit ridiculous now that i think about it. to pine for your best friend for so long. a-and it really sucked whenever i saw you with other guys. i just kind of had to grit my teeth and bear it. i guess this was worth the wait, huh? even if it's just one kiss. ❞

luna had tried so hard to keep her feelings for ari at bay. she didn't want to risk losing the best friend she'd ever had. if ari didn't feel the same way, luna knew she'd be heartbroken, and she wouldn’t be able to act like nothing happened. but that kiss… it was everything she’d dreamed of for so long, and even more perfect than she imagined. when ari stood on her tiptoes to deepen the kiss, luna couldn’t help but wrap her arms around her waist, pulling her in gently. as her lungs demanded air, she slowly pulled away, resting her forehead against ari’s. "wow," she whispered, her heart racing.

[oopsallmabari]

oh i'm really vibing with the graphics style tbh!!!

and HARDING MY BELOVED HARDING HIIIIIIIIII

[inkshadow]

"you know how to make eggnog? that's... actually really impressive." this is under the impression that making it was rather difficult, with how thick the drink is despite its delicate taste. "okay fine. it sounds like it's shaping up to be a good night but i am going to warn you that if i end up sounding like a screeching cat, you only have yourself to blame."

“obviously, we can have spiked eggnog.” stevie’s grin only grew at the mention of the drink — another timeless tradition. she knew it could be a bit much at times, but she loved christmas. from caroling to fruitcake, stevie partook in as many traditions as she could each year. “i bet i even have the ingredients to make it.”

[inkshadow]

random closed starter for @sunliights

❝ it's here, it's here, it's here! ❞ there's a few envelopes in hand, one that housed either an acceptance or rejection letter for the internship she applied for. ❝ do you have yours? we should open them together. ❞

[ofduskorofdawn]

@warofthebeasts continued from here

"But..."

The boy jumps a little at another rumble of thunder, and he shrinks himself down further, his expression an equal mix of shame and genuine fear.

He hadn't yet gotten used to how the storms around the ShinRa building always sounded so close, as if he could open a window and lightning would come in.

The realistic part of him knew he was safe.

But he is only a child.

"...It's...childish... to be afraid of storms... but it sounds so close..."

@ofduskorofdawn

To see the kid so jumpy is a rarity, to be certain. She suspects it was not something he had necessarily intended to be observed, considering how she had just happened across him. But happened across him she did, and, as usual, she couldn't just look the other way.

[ He's just a kid. He shouldn't have to feel like he has to deal with these things alone. ]

"Hey, it's not childish. Hells, I've seen grown adults who are scared of storms. The fact is, anybody with any sense is afraid of something. It's just a matter of what. That's just how our brains are wired. You could say that it's a survival mechanism."

"Me? I hate the dark... Well, no, that's not exactly right... Maybe it's more that I hate the unknown of the dark, not being able to see what's in it."

It hadn't always been a fear of hers, but... Sometimes fears aren't innate; they're learned.

"So for me, it's things that go bump in the night. For you, it's storms. I don't know, but yours seems pretty reasonable, if you ask me."

[bittcrsuite]

open to: anyone ! plot: based on this ! muse: stella monti. 26-32. cosmetologist. dreams of opening her own salon one day.

"what are you doing here?" stella feigns surprise, failing to mention that she assisted with the guest list. she was tired of being iced out, so it was time to take matters into her own hands. "are you... did you bring a plus one?"

[inkshadow]

❝ i do and i'm sorry that i have to resort to such harsh methods but this is for the best, ❞ she huffs out confidently with a playful nod of the head. she doesn't have it in her to truly reprimand, whether it's now or any other time, and seeing him so weak and lethargic only amplifies her sweetness as she brushes her nose to the curve of his jawline. ❝ i know and i'm sorry that you're feeling so bad. do you know how you got it? ❞ if he's able to pinpoint then maybe there's room for preventative measures the next time around. with how thin he feels beneath her wound arm, she sometimes wonders if he's eating enough. stroking fingers up and down his spine, ari returns to her resting place against his chest, ear pressed gingerly above the soft drumming of his heart. ❝ it must have been difficult... going through all of that on your own. i don't think i've really done much to teach you but sometimes all it takes is for someone to see you... right? ❞ her mother and father have done everything in their power to prime her, teach her what they believed was best, but never in their hours had they taken the time to listen to her wants, her interests. it's all she's ever really wanted, such a small and trivial thing. perhaps similar can be said for her beloved. ❝ you're stronger than you realize and it's so good to see you with your chin up. you're my hero, key. ❞ // @evocatiive

"Noooo," he rushes out to say, hand weakly cupping her elbow in protest and his nose sniffling. "You know I hate to see you cry..." Which is why it is the perfect 'punishment' and the threat is enough of an incentive for him to behave. HIs skin is clammy from the continual fever that he has been sporting since this morning, but he hasn't taken anything to remedy that. His Google searches over the years had been his only recourse when he had been sick, and his research told him it was better to sweat out the fever when it's only a mild grade like the one that he has. Besides, with Ari at his side, he's now convinced that there is a healing power to snuggles. "I mean, being stuck together isn't so bad, but being sick is never any fun." This tends to happen to him with the gradual changing of the weather, his immune system not as robust as he'd like. For someone so tall, he's half convinced that he would tumble over in a harsh wind. He wants to get stronger. Not just physically, but mentally. It's something that he's become all the more determined to work on. Wanting to grow into a man that could stand his ground. That's why it mystifies him when Ari mentions that she derives strength from him, too. Red-rimmed eyes moisten. "You teach me a lot, you know? I've never felt particularly brave, but these days, I'm not...all that scared anymore. Not like I used to be." // @dysnomiias

[heartfullofxfright]

@babyitsmagic <3

"oh, thank god it's just you, aries."

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Ari Drennen at Ari's Threads:

I have always been terrible at jumping through bureaucratic hoops, but the incoming Trump administration was enough to make me finally take action. Like many trans people, I felt an urgency to update the name and sex on my Social Security card. The stakes felt high, and the timeline felt even tighter with Trump’s promise to enshrine into law that there are only two genders, assigned at birth. My first attempt to navigate the Social Security Administration (SSA) process was through their phone system. After calling multiple times and enduring hold times of over an hour and a half, I found myself frustrated by the lack of options. There was no way to speak to a human without waiting indefinitely, no callback system, and hold music that made me want to claw my eyes out. It was a bureaucratic nightmare, and I still hadn’t even made an appointment.

Thankfully, my friends who had recently updated their Social Security cards reassured me that you could simply walk into the local office to get it done. So, on Friday, I headed down to the Social Security office, paperwork in hand, hopeful that this would finally be the end of the ordeal. When I arrived, I was met with an unexpected roadblock. The security officers at the door informed me that the SSA no longer processes any changes without an appointment. They said I could take a number, but it would be a four-hour wait just to speak with someone—and even then, all they could do was schedule me for a future appointment. [...] With less than one week left before Donald Trump takes power, armed with a legislative agenda that explicitly targets trans people, this new policy is creating unhelpful barriers for those scrambling to update their legal documents. Even though the actual process to update a name or sex marker on a Social Security card can be done by a single employee in about a minute, there’s no online option to schedule appointments, and appointments made over the phone or in person could be weeks into the future. President Biden has often said that he has trans people’s backs. Changes like this suggest otherwise.

[...] By standing my ground, I was ultimately able to update my Social Security card. But this experience shouldn’t have been this difficult. It shouldn’t require navigating byzantine policies or advocating for oneself in a system that feels designed to wear you down. To my fellow trans people: if you’ve been putting off updating your documents, now is the time. Go today, tomorrow, or Friday. Print out the announcement so that you can cite the language. If you have not updated your passport with your new name or gender marker, do the paperwork and drop the application in the mail before this weekend. The process can be frustrating and exhausting, but getting it done before these barriers grow higher is crucial. Trump could easily introduce even more roadblocks to updating this paperwork, making the process even harder in the future. The process can be frustrating and exhausting, but getting it done before these barriers grow higher is crucial. Resources are out there to help, and with persistence, you can make it through. There’s still time, but don’t wait—protect yourself now.

Ari Drennen recounts the horror story she faced while updating her legal documents in the wake of Donald Trump’s return to the White House and how trans and gender nonconforming people can change their gender markers before it becomes even more onerous.

[noirhistories]

closed starter for dante / @saltedearths

"crying mothers shouldn't count." ari muttered in annoyance as he walked into the office and pulled out his wallet, removing a five from inside and shoving it in the glass mason jar with a post it note that said 'crying fees' along with a price chart. "they cry too fucking easy. you look at them the wrong way and they start sobbing over every injustice their baby has ever faced." they were all bleeding hearts and you'd think eventually they'd harder themselves to loss, but maybe grief remained an oozing, infected wound when you didn't have the closure of knowing why your loved one was lost.

[inkshadow]

❝ we're friends now but you have to admit it came as a bit of a shock to me when you reached out so i just assumed you didn't want to be friends anymore. ugh, go home bella. see what your boy toy has to say tonight. ❞

“so are we not friends anymore? does that, in this moment, not make me a concerned friend?”