#as always i may be wrong in many ways so feel free to correct me

[fangsandfeels]

More shameless Hoar propaganda coming your way

I've read this great bit of lore by @y-rhywbeth2 on how the justice system "works" and how most Banites and Bhaalists managed to get away with a slap on the wrist or just avoid punishment at all by making Gortash and Orin the scapegoats - and that it's normal because you can't persecute evil god followers too hard, lest you get punished by their gods for messing with their flock. So, if some influential Bhaal or Bane worshippers get caught in action, the city higher-ups may arrange some damage control: make evidence "disappear", remove suspects from the prison, make some random the key suspect, let the case be handled by a specially designated magistrate. And it's a common practice.

It's a fascinating (and infuriating) piece of lore all by itself (also reveals what Astarion might have been doing during his magistrate years). And it also enables my shameless thoughts on how Hoar followers and Doombringers apply to such developments. Because, according to the lore, they don't. give. a fuck.

Most of Hoar's faithful spent their time wandering the Heartlands, aiding those who suffered grave injustices and praying for those in need of vengeance. The church's clergy actively sought victims of injustice out to take in their stories and investigate the crimes. When Hoarites evaluated the veracity of victims' accounts, they sought the criminals and dispensed the "essential justice." The fitting justice delivered by Hoar's clergy could be as small or as grand as the crime demanded. Tyrists and town watches often branded Hoar's clerics as vigilantes. This disapproval from the Church of Tyr pushed the reputation of the Church of Hoar to prominence among commoners as the patrons of the downtrodden.

So, what I read from this, is that if you're a Banite noblewoman who bought her way out of responsibility and made some poor sod hang from the gallows instead of you, you can try throwing your money at the guy in the silver mask all you want; he has a leaden plate with your name on it and the daughter of the man who died a scapegoat for your crime, his name tarnished forever, wants you to pay in a way that matters.

Banite noble: "Y-you, you wouldn't dare! Don't you know who I am? Don't you know what they'll do to you for this?! There will be consequences! You will pay for this, you hear me?!"

Hoarite:

[fromevertonow]

Suzanne Collins is one of the few contemporary writers who realizes the importance of names in her stories and the significance they bear. They add so many layers to the story, additional meanings that otherwise would not have existed.

The original trilogy:

Katniss: named after a plant of which you can eat the roots. Her father taught her where to find it and told her that “as long as you can find yourself, you’ll survive” (quote may be a little bit off, but it’s from one of the early chapters in THG). Additionally, the leaves are in the shape of an arrowhead, referencing her skills with the bow which her father also taught her how to use.

Peeta: literally bread lmao. But bread is one of the basic nutritions humans need, a little bit goes a long way to keep you alive. Peeta’s presence in Katniss’s life also kept her alive, literally and figuratively—the burned bread he threw her in the flashback and their complicated relationship.

Primrose: a plant with medicinal purposes, even more significant in light of her work as a medic in Mockingjay.

Gale: literally means “strong wind” and considering that in every encounter with Katniss he’s caused some reaction, he pulls her into directions she maybe initially doesn’t want to go in. Additionally, his name also represents his determination and steadfastness in his beliefs.

TBOSAS

Lucy Gray: named after William Wordsworth’s poem “Lucy Gray” which is about the titular character of the poem who got lost during a blizzard. She literally got lost in snow. Rachel Zegler sang this poem in two parts on the original soundtrack of the movie. When Snow asked who the girl in the song is, Lucy answers that she’s a mystery, just like her.

Snow: aside from the obvious snow references, I think his name is most significant in relation to Lucy and the poem. The only one who knows what caused her disappearance is Snow. He is the reason that Lucy is gone. But her traces in the snow are still visible. He will always remember her because the memory of Lucy has manifested itself in every part of his life.

Coriolanus: named after the Roman general (and also the titular character of Shakespeare’s play), Coriolanus wanted to attack Rome and become its ruler. He was scorned and celebrated by the people, only to be later exiled from the city by them. In TBOSAS, Coriolanus is the star pupil at the Capitol’s academy but sent into exile to the districts after he won the Games with Lucy through cheating.

Volumnia: Coriolanus mother who played a part in his ascent to power. In TBOSAS, she almost serves like a mentor to Coriolanus, teaching him how to think in terms of power.

(Edit) Sejanus: a roman soldier who was betrayed by the roman emperor Tiberius, just like the future president betrayed him.

(Edit) Plinth: got this info from here, but it was too good not to include here. A plinth is a base for a statue or vase to stand on. After Sejanus’s death, all of the Plinth fortune was given to Snow for being such a good to friend him. It was this money that skyrocketed the Snow family from poverty to filthy rich. The Plinth money was the foundation upon which Snow built his power.

There are so many other names that have historical (mostly Roman and Greek) connotations—Plutarch, Seneca, Cinna—but also regular names like Trinket and Beetee bear meanings that represent the character beautifully.

Names are important. For any lover of literature or (aspiring) writers, please look closely at them. They can shape your story into something unique.

Feel free to correct me if I’ve said something wrong. I know there are many names missing, but I can only add so many examples ✊🏻😔

[lizpaige]

okay wait I find the TRC graphic novel major arcana tarot assignments are so interesting and I am assuming that MStief had a say in this, so let me share some quotes from her book about tarot for the individual card meanings. Tarot has all different meanings with similar themes, but I thought it'd be interesting to look at what stief thinks about these cards herself.

All quotes are from Illuminating the Prophecy by Maggie Stiefvater. I highly recommend the book if you're interest in tarot or just are obsessed with the series.

BLUE - JUSTICE "When you see the Justive card, it reminds you that you may have fudged the rules a little and got away with it, or you may have persuaded others that your dubious choice was a correct one, but the universe believes in an absolute right or wrong, and you will get what you deserve based upon that. This card is also a reminder that your reward or punishment is often unseen. A bad turn performed on someone else will haunt you years later, and likewise, an unnoticed kind event will create its own reward inside you. At the end of it, you will become the product of these actions: you are the Justice. There's an intense comfort to knowing that you have this control, especially if you feel your good intentions are being taken poorly." - pg. 41-42

ADAM - THE MAGICIAN "Regardless of who or what you believe in, the Magician is an extraordinary master of all trades, and he is resilient because no matter what the world throws at him, no matter how much he loses, he will always have the most powerful tool at his command: himself." pg. 21-22

GANSEY - THE CHARIOT "The duality that the Lovers card mutters about becomes a proper problem by the time the Chariot shows up in a reading. There are two sides to you, seemingly opposite, and you keep being thrown from one to the other. In many decks, this card depicts two beasts of different color pulling a chariot; when they agree on a direction, the chariot moves forward swiftly. When they disagree, the chariot grinds to a halt. You've ground to a halt... "The chariot's not moving because you can't figure out how to get yourself in line. You can't figure out which you you want to be. The Chariot isn't really about choice, though. It's about balance. You aren't cutting one of the beasts free so that you can move on without it. The chariot will move with only pone of them, but not as fast as if you found a way to make them both move in the same direction. The Chariot tells you that there is a way to satisfy the warring parts of you. Find your self-control, embrace your dark and light sides, and enjoy the ride." pg. 33-34

RONAN - THE LOVERS "This card can represent actual lov ers, and when it does, the love pictured is epic - the pairing pof two souls so complementary that it seems obvious that some greater power has designed them for each other. But it can also represent a duality inside you, and the complementary pairing it refers to is your inner self and your outer self. Just like in a great love affair, everything is perfect when both sides of you are working in harmony. And just like in a great love affair, the world crumbles when you war with yourself. The card speaks to the power of wholeness and knowing yourself." - pg. 31-32

NOAH - THE HANGED MAN "The Hanged Man is all about sacrifice - not a martyr's sacrifice, but a scholar's sacrifice. He goes not only willingly, but pleasantly toward his hanging, certain that the time spent in agony will be worth it... When this card shows up in your reading, it's a sign that whatever answer you seek is not going to simply be handed to you. You need to level up in some way, and it's going to require a genuine effort on your part. It doesn't mean that it requires hard work or a huge sum of money... It requires you to literally prostrate yourself on the altar of wisdom, holding yourself vulnerable, looking deep inside yourself for answers. You've got to let go and be willing to let knowledge and transformation take you." - pg. 43-44

[fixyourwritinghabits]

How to Handle Critique

I’ve got to admit, I wish I was one of those beatific saints that could take critique with a grateful smile. Instead, I am constantly suppressing a horrible little gremlin at the back of my head hissing at anything from legit plot critiques to grammar corrections. I’m well aware I used that comma wrong, GOD.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m very good at suppressing that gremlin, but the little bastard is still there. He exists because even though your brain knows critique can help, it also knows you worked damn hard on the thing being critiqued, and goddamnit, isn’t that enough???

Anyway, here are some tips on getting that gremlin to shut the hell up.

It is okay to be upset. You worked really hard on this thing, and now someone’s gone and pointed out all the things that suck about it. You cannot control how you feel about one thing or another, but you can allow yourself to feel that way and let it pass through you. Let your critique partner you’re taking time to reflect on it, and go for a walk. Do something else. Let those feelings pass through you before you get back to the page.

Give yourself time. Don’t feel like you need to correct things right away (unless they are minimal grammar tweaks). Some pieces of feedback might take awhile to sink in, especially when you’ve got a whole novel to wrestle through. Set it aside, think about something else for a week or so, and get back to it when you’ve reset.

Get a second opinion and/or ducky friend. It can be very hard to tell the difference between good and bad feedback sometimes. Someone who means very well could give feedback that just doesn’t work for you, and someone who doesn’t give two shits could have spotted that fatal flaw right away. You can bring in a real third party or just make use of the old rubber duck technique, where you talk through the issue with a friend or a Naruto poster telling you to Believe it. Working it out out-loud is a really effective technique to figure out what needs fixing and what doesn’t.

Guide critique-givers toward the feedback you want. I, a person who prefers straightforward fantasy and sci-fi, cannot give the fine-tooth points on how a romance novel should work. However, I can give feedback on what works for me and what doesn’t story-wise. Giving your beta reader or critique partner a list of questions to look for will help avoid vague feedback based on how they don’t like the genre. There are many ways to do this, but consider using the following as a base to tailor your own questions:

Did you get a good sense of the setting? Did the worldbuilding make sense to you?

Was this story clear? Where there any parts that seemed confusing?

What characters did you like and why? What characters didn’t you like?

Did any parts of the story feel slow or repetitive?

Did the beginning draw you in? Did the middle keep you engaged? Did the ending feel satisfying?

If you were to write [insert plot point here], what would you do differently?

Again, all of the above questions are up for debate depending on your goal, but we are rarely taught how to give good feedback, and a guided feedback session would work better for you than a free-for-all.

Figure out what kind of advice doesn’t work for you. It is really hard to give good feedback sometimes, even with guided questions. It can also be really hard to figure out why some feedback doesn’t click with you, and that’s a matter of digging deep to figure out what you really want. You may lean toward characters who are horrible fuck-ups, but your partner prefers more steady characters who always strive to do the right thing. Your characters, therefore, may never click with this person, no matter how much they want to help you. And that’s okay! Figuring out where your critique partner is coming from can help you figure out what parts of their feedback isn’t working for you. Sometimes the only thing you can do is thank them and move on, but you might also want to guide them to focus more on the plot or the worldbuilding when looking at your work.

And last, don’t focus on grammar. It’s great if they point that out, but if you end up changing everything, trying to fix that first is a waste of your time. Grammar tweaks last, plot points first.

And, I dunno, give yourself a treat to get that horrible little mind gremlin something else to focus on. Sometimes patting those bad feelings on the head and sending them away can help way more than ignoring them.

[the-raindeer-king]

Nikto is such a feral cat of a man. Wild, untrusting, always alert, always bristled, refuses to be kept if he doesn't want to be somewhere.

But pretty pretty you, you don't force his attention, don't demand his responses. You let him slowly creep closer over time, never forcing him to talk, never seeming bothered if and when he doesn't respond to you. Slowly, over a long time he creeps even closer. A mangled, feral thing that's not hissing at you anymore, not barring fangs and claws but slowly blinking it's eyes because it knows you now. He knows you, and you're no threat.

So he'll come closer, maybe one day rest his heavy head in your lap and trust you to be the one keeping your eyes open when he doesn't.

That sounds nice in his mind. -🐾(I don't know Nikto as well but the vibes are there and bold lol)

Nah, I think you got Nikto pretty down pat. I know there's little info for some (most? Idk correct me if i'm wrong. I didn't play the game) of the operators in warzone, so we're running off assumptions and headcannons to cover the middle ground.

anyway, but Nikto = feral cat. Yes.

When you first join KorTac, you're introduced to some of the higher ranking operators, as many rookies are. However, unlike the other rookies, you don't spare Nikto more than a polite nod. You don't even seem bothered by the way he stares, blue eyes bearing into your soul.

It shouldn't bother him. This is exactly what he wants. But for some odd reason, it does. Your disinterest makes the voices in his head louder, demanding your attention.

Nikto, as he so often does, ignores them. For now.

But as time goes on, they become harder to ignore. Or well, the effect you have on him becomes harder to ignore. The way his mind goes quiet when he comes to visit you in the med-bay, his entire being solely focused on you. Even though you're never focused on him the way he wants you to be.

Most of your knowledge of Nikto comes from the others. Mainly whatever König and Krueger let slip when they're talking to you. You sympathize with Nikto, but you keep that to yourself, understanding that he's probably heard enough sympathetic phrases to last a lifetime. So you offer the next best thing, and that's just to treat him as you would anyone else.

Because of this, a friendship had gradually grown between you and Nikto. That's what you're calling it at least. He's friendly, occasionally bringing you tea and snacks during your shift. You sit with him at meal time, sometimes seeking him out during your free time.

Most of the time it's a one sided conversation. Nikto never offers more than a few words at a time, but you never seem bothered by it. Opening up to people is hard for him, and you don't push for more than what he's willing to give. You're a blessing, an angel, and Nikto doesn't understand what he's done to deserve you.

The thing with men like Nikto is once you've shown him kindness, he'll come back for more. Let him sink his teeth into your soft flesh, mark you in a way that can never be taken away. A warning for others that you belong to him, and he isn't afraid to bare his teeth when necessary.

For now, he'll accept this. Dragging his weary body to your room, having returned from a two month long mission, familiarized with your schedule to know that you're not busy. You're never too busy for Nikto, always willing to make time for the masked man. He doesn't bother knocking, knowing the door will be unlocked. If it wasn't, he'd either pick the lock or just kick the door down.

He has just enough mind left to kick his boots off, before he's crawling into your bed. The mask stays on, a blessing and a curse, as he lays his head down into your lap. He may not be able to feel the softness of your thighs, but he can feel the way you drag your nails over the back of his head, as if trying to drag your fingers through his hair.

If he could, he'd purr in response. Instead he sighs loudly, practically melting into your mattress. And a few moments later, he's snoring. A sign that you're not going anywhere for a while, so you might as well get comfortable yourself.

[lixies-favorite-cookie]

⊹☾⋆⁺₊🎧✩°｡ music to my eyes ₊˚｡

♪ ⋆⁺₊ ahhh im so so excited to post this collab with my best friend and fav seungmin today minho tomorrow stan @sunnysdiary we have been playing around with some ideas for a duo write forever now and it's finally here! sunny really saved my life becoming my best friend at the time i needed her most and i can't wait to share this journey with you all where we will be posting lyric themed fanfics for all of our boys!! we spent 4 hours on call yapping about this

— there is not a set date when these will be posted because we both have a very busy schedule, so please be patient!

— feel free to send me or sunny an ask or comment to be added to the taglist!

— as always these are in the first draft stages so parts and pieces may change as we see fit.

— this is also in honor of 800 followers!! thank each and every one of you who have followed me your support makes my entire universe, and with that, happy reading!!

🎧 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧, 𝐥𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 ⟶ @lixies-favorite-cookie

BANGCHAN has been your rival since FBI school, but when he dropped out to become a bodyguard you thought that was the last time you had to see his infuriating face again. That is until four years later, you've made a nice spot at the top of the FBI food chain when tragedy strikes. You were kidnapped and left for dead by the infamous Kaelthos, but now you're back—and you're not alone. What are you going to do when your supervisor sends you back to Thanatos Tower clad in a masquerade mask and your new bodyguard—bangchan.

Maybe I'm too Busy bein' yours To fall for somebody new Now, I've thought it through Crawlin' back to you — Arctic Monkeys, Do I Wanna Know?

🎧 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 ⟶ @sunnysdiary (aka my literal wife)

MINHO was way too nervous about finally taking you out after months of gazing at you from afar. All he wanted was to impress you, causing him to make some...questionable decisions. Beyond all that you decided to give him a chance.

Is it cool if I hold your hand? Is it wrong if I think it's lame to dance? Do you like my stupid hair? Would you guess that I didn't know what to wear? I'm just scared of what you think

— blink-182, First Date

🎧 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 ⟶ @sunnysdiary

CHANGBIN and you had a planned date night, but girlhood of course had to slap you in the stomach, cramps beyond belief and so you asked to stay in and Changbin was more than happy to do that with you.

'Cause you watch the TV while I'm watching you There's not many people I'd honestly say I don't mind losing to But there's nothing like doing nothing with you

— Bruno Major, Nothing

🎧 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ⟶ @lixies-favorite-cookie

HYUNJIN has been there throughout it all. From the moment you stumbled upon him during a midnight walk, pacing back and forth with your first draft in hand to finding you atop a rooftop in the middle of seoul, sobbing after a crippling rejection from your dream publisher—hyunjin has been there throughout it all; yet you have never talked to him long enough to figure out his name. You don''t have to, you follow the red string.

About the star that couldn't shine or blink Out of a million, billion Felt like an alien, alien Then that little star was surely Going to become the biggest thing

—Stray Kids, youtiful

🎧 𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐭 𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 ⟶ @lixies-favorite-cookie

HAN JISUNG has never lost a race. Throned King of Tokyo's Midnight Circuit when he was 17, he hasn't lost the title since—that is until you come into town. You were a fucking icon, utterly anonymous yet beloved by racers all around the world, known for your pink flaming-heart glasses and electric nickname, Neon. Nobody knows who you are or where you came from, but when you wittfully correct his accidental slip-up one night, he quickly realizes two things: you were impossible to flirt with and he's no longer the best racer in town. What will happen when the Queen of Cali challenges the King of Tokyo to a race? Who say's Tokyo can't have a queen too?

If you can, baby boy, then we can go all night 'Cause I'm zero to sixty in three point five Baby, you got the keys Now shut up and drive (Drive, drive, drive) Shut up and drive (Drive, drive, drive)

—Rihanna, Shut up and drive

🎧 𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 ⟶ @lixies-favorite-cookie

LEE FELIX was your new bodyguard, and you hated his guts. In a world where all humans are expendable hate was your only shield from pain. Now you're 5,956 miles from home, landing in Seoul South Korea with your infuriatingly perfect bodyguard on a very important mission—locate and eliminate the man responsible for sending your father's worst criminals to prison. Will you be able to keep it together, seeing felix every day for the next year? There's so much that could go wrong. You can't fall in love with him, he can't fall in love with you—that would be apocalypse.

Your lips, my lips Apocalypse Go and sneak us through the rivers Flood is rising up on your knees Oh, please Come out and haunt me, I know you want me

—Cigarettes After Sex, Apocalypse.

🎧 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 & 𝐂𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐬 ⟶ @sunnysdiary

SEUNGMIN finally takes the chance to kiss you after yet another successful date. He's so scared of what you'll say he runs off, little did he know you wanted it just as much as he did.

But we couldn't go very far 'Cause you locked your keys in your car So you sat and stared at my lips And I could already feel your kiss

—Troye Sivan, Strawberries & Cigarettes

🎧 𝐏𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ⟶ @sunnysdiary

JEONGIN teases about proposing to you by proposing with paper rings, and when you least expect it, he actually does. With a real ring this time.

I like shiny things, but I'd marry you with paper rings Uh-huh, that's right Darling, you're the one I want, and

—Taylor Swift, Paper Rings

⊹☾⋆⁺₊🎧✩°｡ music to my eyes's fanfic genres ₊˚｡

🎧 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧, 𝐥𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 ⟶ rivals to lovers, fbi profiler!reader, fbi bodyguard!chan, fake dating for the sake of a mission, action, tension

🎧 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 ⟶ shy!lee know, highschool!au, fluff, cute-awkward moments

🎧 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 ⟶ marriage!au, fluff, period comfort

🎧 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ⟶ red string theory, angst, hurt and comfort, author!reader, idol!hyunjin, strangers to lovers, very emotional

🎧 𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 ⟶ mafia!au, bodyguard!au, enemies to lovers, heavy forbidden love, found family, mystery!au, hurt and comfort, action

🎧 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 & 𝐂𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐬 ⟶ bf!seungmin, fluff, nervous seungmin

🎧 𝐏𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ⟶ dating!au, fluff x 1000.

⊹☾⋆⁺₊🎧✩°｡ music to my eyes's taglist ₊˚｡

—@kissesmellow21

[golden-scaled-dragon]

You decide one day to go out somewhere, to a cafe, a park, or somewhere similar. It's nice, for the most part, you stick to yourself and mind your own business. Trying, once again, to get away from the unexplained feelings of something being wrong that you've been having for as long as you can remember.

You decide to sit down and enjoy your surroundings, but unfortunately, those persistent negative feelings come flowing back almost immediately. To your credit, you hide it well.

But then, someone sits with you, a golden dragoness.

Looking at her fills you with a sense of yearning that you can't quite place.

You're about to leave when she speaks to you.

"You're like me, aren't you, little one?

You ask her what she could possibly mean by that.

"You are a dragon, are you not?"

For some reason, this question hurts to answer. You try to explain that no, you obviously aren't a dragon. You're obviously just a human. There's no way someone this small and weak could be a dr- She cuts you off.

"No no, I recognize my own kin. You may be physically human but I know what you are.

You are a dragon like me."

It almost feels nice to hear that for some reason, but you're not a dragon, you're just a human, right?

You try again to lie to yourself correct her.

"Then do you care to explain those strong feelings of desire that you have whenever you look at me? What about that feeling of something being wrong with yourself despite not being able to place it"

There's nothing wrong with you right? It's probably just some symptom of anxiety or something. But desire? No, this isn't desire, it's something else, that's it. There's no way you can become a dragon, that's not possible.

You try to stammer out another lie a defence for yourself.

"You say that but I recognize that expression anywhere. The slumped shoulders, the vacant, only partially present gaze, the being present only physically but not mentally."

"I've seen it many times before, you are a dragon like me, aren't you?"

Having that pointed out hurt. Like a crushing feeling in your heart. It's weird. How could a few simple words cause so much distress in you... Maybe there's some bit of truth to what she's saying? No, that's... probably not it.

You try, once again, to lie, mostly to yourself, rather than her, and say that you're just a normal human, but for some reason, you stop yourself.

You consider what she said to you.

You? A dragon? That... actually sounds really nice... Its too bad that's not possi-

"It is possible, actually." The dragoness interrupts, as if she can read your mind.

"Caged within that human body of yours is the soul of a great, grand, dragon, begging to get out. But you refuse to accept that part of yourself. I can see that draconic soul within you."

You feel a pain in your chest. You're feeling choked up, close to crying at this point.

You don't even try to make up an excuse for yourself this time. You just let her continue.

"I can help you break free from this human shaped cage, so that you can be the grand dragon you were always meant to be."

This feels too good to be true, surely there's no way she can help you. You can tell she's not lying though, she's telling the truth, you can feel it.

You don't even consider talking back, you just want to keep listening. To keep holding onto the hope that maybe you can overcome these feelings of being wrong.

"I can help you to become who and what you are supposed to be, but, in order to do that, you need to trust me."

She puts out her hand. You don't even hesitate to take it. You never regret that decision. You've never been happier.

[imyourbratzdoll]

𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒃𝒔𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒌𝒊𝒅𝒏𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈

🍑peaches world (and the men that just exist in it) masterlist🍑

summary - the beginning on how you were kidnapped by the king of koopa kingdom, buckle in your seatbelts and enjoy the ride, because this will be a smutty rollercoaster.

warning - mentions of cock, kidnapping, inappropriate feelings/thoughts, swearing.

18+ only please, the gif isn’t mine, header created by me.

Warnings and Reminders - Please do not plagiarise, copy, repost/republish, adapt, or translate any of my work on any social media platforms, apps, or third-party sites. The only platforms I post my work on are: Tumblr and Wattpad. I do not own any character of any franchise (Marvel etc.) All my works are fiction and may be dark or triggering content: READ ALL WARNINGS BEFORE PROCEEDING.

You watched your kingdom from above, it was a peaceful day as your people walked around and lived their lives happily. Usually, things were more of a ruckus. With a smile you turned and began to walk out of your room and down the hall, your pretty pink dress falling gracefully to the floor and sways with each step. You were happy, Lloyd and his brother Tangerine were currently out helping the people, so you had the castle to yourself.

You were wondering what you were going to do with your free time. You had many options, you could improve your parkour, do some painting that you always wanted to do but pushed to the side, you could go outside and tend to your flowers. The possibilities were endless and just as you were about to take the last step, a hand wraps around and covers your mouth. Your eyes widen, your hands immediately go up to try and pull whoever it is away. You freeze when they speak, feeling their massive body pressing against you.

“Shh, little Princess. You don’t want to warn the guards now, do you?” Ari Bowser Levinson is the one currently holding you. Your enemy, your rival. The King of The Koopa Kingdom. “That’s a good little Princess, staying nice and quiet for me.” You try to fight the shiver that runs through your body, knowing it’s wrong to feel this way when you are with someone. “Do you know how shit your security system is, Princess? I managed to slip right in, I mean. Someone really bad could’ve broken in and taken you for themselves, don’t you understand how dangerous that is.” He whispers like he isn’t the really bad person. You wiggle, trying to move away but you end up brushing your arse against him instead causing him to groan. “I wouldn’t do that, Princess. Unless you are wanting me to take you right here.”

You stop abruptly and your eyes widen, suddenly everything goes black. You don’t remember anything after that, and when you finally wake with your eyes fluttering open. You look around, confused. The walls and floors are grey, you tilt your head as you notice a large screen resting against the wall. Your attention is brought away from it when Ari enters the room. “Good morning, little Princess! Has my little Princess made herself comfortable in her new home?” He towers over you as he’s around 8 feet tall. He stalks closer, bending over to stare at your sitting form. “I sure hope so, because if I get my way, you will be staying here for the rest of your life!” He grins, and you shiver as it comes off evil-like. His eyes holding something much darker behind them. 

“Screw you and your plan, Ari! I’m sure Lloyd and his brother are already on their way to come rescue me!” You huff, arms crossing over your chest unknowingly pushing your breasts together and giving the older man/monster a lovely view. Your bottom lip juts out and you try to glare at him, failing miserably with how small and cute you are compared to him.

Ari coos, “You are correct, my smart little Princess. As far as I’ve been informed, they are already on their way!” He watches you jump with joy, your breasts bouncing with each movement, and he feels his cock twitch, licking his lips as soon the fun will begin. 

“Really?! They are coming?! That’s great!” You continue to jump, clapping your hands as a giant grin appears on your face. 

Ari laughs, shaking his head and moving closer to you. Backing you into the wall. “Not so fast, little Princess. Not everything is going to be easy for you.” He grins, placing his arm next to you against the wall. Ari directs you toward the screen, his arm wraps around you, making you feel even smaller, those darn tingles appearing again, and you try to push them away knowing how wrong it is. His hand reaches into his pocket, receiving a remote and you eye it. Your eyes move from the remote to his hands, wondering how they can still look so good with the claws. 

You had always heard stories before Ari turned his attention toward you and your kingdom. (Mostly you, but you didn’t think someone would be so obsessed with just you.) He was once a man that got his karma, being turned into half of a turtle. His already big build helped him mutate into something more monstrous. Horns in certain places, claws, sharp fangs, a larger cock. (Not that anyone got to see, but I guess it’ll be your lucky day.) 

Ari snaps you out of your thoughts, smirking when he catches you staring at his hands. “Two days have passed since I kidnapped you, little Princess. Where do you think Lloyd and his brother are now?” He hums.

“I presume they should be knocking at the door to enter the castle, right about now. I think…” You blink up at him, brows furrowed. 

Ari boops your nose, smirking wider than before. “Alright, if you have that much hope in your little boyfriend. Let’s watch it live to see how they are doing, shall we, little Princess?” You both face the tv, his large finger pressing the on button and he grins at your wide tear-filled eyes. 

“They’re at the beginning?! But how?! What are they still doing there?!” You yell in disbelief. Sure, the brothers were a bit slow sometimes, but you would’ve thought that saving you would make them go a bit faster. You begin to scream at the screen, hoping that they would be able to hear you. “It’s been two days, and you are still there?! I’m not even in that fucking world!” Ari chuckles behind his hand as he hears you swear, you look so cute as your cheeks puff out. “I’m in Bowser’s castle! Everyone knows it’s the biggest and most guarded of them all! Those are just fucking decoys!” You stomp your foot, practically throwing a tantrum, not noticing the big bad King sneaking closer behind you. “You fucking idiots! They’ll kill you now! Fucking watch out! That’s just the first Goomba of that level! Don’t let him touch you, you idiots!” 

“This is going to take a while, little Princess. So… Why don’t we have some fun while we wait.” Ari smirks as you turn with a confused look on your face. Before you can react, he rips your dress from your body, and you stand there with wide eyes. “Oh, we are definitely going to have some fun, little Princess.”

would you like to follow the game? if yes, please click round 1 when the link is avaliable.

𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 1

thank you for reading!

feedback and reblogs are greatly appreciated.

[hibiscuslegacy]

Matt and Dex's dynamic is really interesting from a societal expectation perspective. Matt is expected to be dependent on others due to him being visually impaired and hates it, which is part of why he treasured his friendship with Foggy so much. Dex is expected to be completely independent since he worked for the FBI and appeared to be a well-functioning adult when he needed a "North Star" so much he began stalking Julie.

They both need people but in different ways. Matt needs someone to keep him from destroying himself and Dex needs someone to keep him from destroying others and thus, destroying everything he built for himself.

Daredevil Born Again Spoilers

Then, Dex ended up destroying Matt/Daredevil by killing Foggy, Matt's own North Star. Foggy could always save Matt from himself because Foggy needs Matt and, in many ways, feels like Foggy gives Matt permission to save himself.

Dex wanted to destroy Fisk by killing Vanessa (his North Star) because Fisk had taken his and replaced her.

Dex destroys Karen by leaving her alive to watch every other star die. It also makes me sad because it's like he's also telling her that she is not enough. She wasn't enough to save the people around her and the people she loved and she wasn't enough to save Matt from himself; she's not anyone's "North Star" (from what I remember. I'm on a rewatch so this point may be wrong).

I'm on my rewatch but am also overwhelmed so this may be a bit wrong but i wanted to share 😭Feel free to correct or add onto

Also, this got me thinking that an AU where Matt is Dex's "North Star" would be really interesting to explore.

[liketwoswansinbalance]

What's something that you heavily disagree with??

Hmm... multiple, closely-related things come to mind. Keep in mind that I am human, biased by default and probably defensive as all (or most) humans are, and that no one has to agree with me. Anyone is allowed to argue with me. I will not mind being questioned or examined. (Also, why this question? Just curious.)

Anti-intellectualism. I can somewhat understand people who may not trust experts or science. They probably have their reasons or personal proof not to. However, I would (in most cases) not trust anyone who subscribes to anti-intellectualism. I'm not sure, but I think I would not think highly of myself if I were forced to live a simple life and do "ordinary" or manual labor type of things. Nothing is wrong with any of these things. I just think I would not be content and would feel unimportant in my head. I would probably judge myself, even if I wouldn't want to criticize others.

Mob mentality. Dumb mobs that are too sure of themselves sound very scary. I wouldn't know, but in theory the entire idea is just... not good. Dangerous. Unstable. With this, I have the vague idea that if there's anything in this world to be feared, it's not necessarily (or not always powerful) individuals but more so when deindividuation strikes and affects swaths of people at a time. I wouldn't say rule by one person would automatically be better, but I have a distrust of any image where unorganized crowds exist or when any decision is unanimous.

Actually, that adds another item to this list:

Certain unanimous decisions. Basically, groupthink. The fact that people sometimes suppress the truth or necessary fact just to get along.

^They do not feel right in certain contexts. If everyone agreed, I might feel like something about the situation were wrong? Are those involved brainwashed? I think I don't trust collective judgment. I'm not sure whether this is learned or instinctual, but I know for a fact that multiple psychological concepts prove me right in that people collectively or gathered en masse are... far from ideal, let's say.

Relatedly, extrajudicial punishment and vigilante justice.

Anarchy as a concept probably? No laws? No regulations? I would not trust a world with free rein, knowing human nature is imperfect and that we live in a fallen world. I know we are a selfish species and that we need order, social contracts, various things, etc. to keep the less ethical than average few(?) in check. I claim we are selfish because I doubt that for most people selflessness comes easily in an all-loving way. For instance, do you prioritize your family, friends, or your community/nation over the rest of the world or anyone you do not know personally? Many people do this, so I’d argue we all possess a degree of selfishness, even if it isn’t obvious.

EDIT: Silly but—I was re-reading this and realized that I might be starting to sound like TBOSAS Coriolanus because I've been reading some fics lately. So, correction: my reason for thinking humans need laws and the thought of (reasonable) consequences is not as bad as his. I promise I do not think humans are brutes. I just think we sometimes can lose sight of what's right and that we need need reminders or tools in place to remind us of (self-)restraint, to remind us, that, just because we can justify anything to ourselves in our own minds, we still could be acting with bad conduct and should not. If we are clever enough to create beneficial laws, we should be good enough to follow them.

Lastly, lack of education/simplistic morality? I'm not sure how to put it, but I'm aware certain conditions are more likely to cause violence to break out. I think this is true statistically and am not trying to cast judgment, but I personally do not approve of unprincipled, animalistic, immoral, immoderate, reckless, or unrestrained people, especially those with zero impulse control or who live by their ids. I think everyone should be taught conscious decision-making, if possible and if they are capable.

If someone lives by their first thoughts, executed by their hands like thoughtless children, I would definitely not trust them. I also hate the thought of brutality or primitiveness in general and I don't like how people mistrust intentionality. Yes, anyone can have bad intentions, but sometimes, I believe deliberating over intentions or acting with intention is proof that something (a course of action?) has been thought through. It's one step above being animals, children, or potentially, uneducated. Of course, having intention doesn't automatically makes someone more moral, but being able to pause, think, and decide could prevent a lot from going wrong, or prevent people from doing the above and taking justice into their own hands, especially if they are misinformed or acting from very personal or unfair motives. I believe the world would be partially bettered if criminals or criminals-to-be did not act on impulse or with unclear heads.

Essentially, anything that puts emotionally-charged or hot-headed people (plural) (especially those with grudges or vendettas) in charge of anyone's lives is kind of disarming to me. And while it may not be immediately true, I see assembled people as more dangerous than one outspoken individual—unless the one has widespread influence over many.

[shiningmystic]

"Why Are Things just Not Working Out for Me?" PAC

Pile 1: Cottage front I Pile 2: Shell

Pile 3: Pocket watch I Pile 4: Stress

Hello Stars, I hope this finds the people who are struggling. This pick a card provides practical advice and attempts at validation for your pain. We all are struggling so be kind to your neighbor and to yourself. Close your eyes and pick a number or a picture from your minds eye. Do not be afraid to pick more then one picture if you connect to it. Not every message in every pile is for you so take what resonates and leave what does not.

If you appreciate the reading and it resonated, drop a follow and a like, reblog this post or, if you want to take it a step further, support me on ko-fi.

Ko-fi I Shmfeedback I Get to know me

Thank you for your consideration and kindness, I truly hope this general pick a card reading helps you.

Pile 1: page of swords (rx), king of swords (rx), the hanged man, four of wands (rx), two of coins (rx) page of wands

Key phrases: missed opportunities, stuck in a uncomfortable place, no more room to grow, too much to take on, I must be free, lack of responsibility

So to begin your reading I would like to say a lot of our beliefs are not our own fault. Why am I mentioning this? Because you my pile one believe in something that you may not think you do. There are many beliefs here so I cannot pinpoint what is personally holding you but it is there. We learn a lot from the people around us as we grow older, friends and family alike even insignificant peoples opinions can influence our view of ourselves and the world. You may believe there is no way out when it takes a whole lot of work to change that perspective just as much as it takes to change this problem. You are in an environment (or once were) that held no growth or comfort for you. You were always put to work or walking on egg shells to get things done in your home.

This environment puts the belief in you that there is no better place to go or to be so manifestations and attempts to change have felt hopeless but you must recognize your contribution to this belief. For many their is a specific belief that was instilled in you that holds you to be right. That if you are wrong the people who are right deserve the opportunities more than you do. These thoughts hold a charge that only stops you from moving forward. Not everyone is always right. Even experts can be false.

I’m here to say that it is not helpless and the first thing to do is to move out of an environment that may be oppressing you, even if it is your own thought patterns. Always challenge those judgments even if they feel like you have a correct analysis of a situation, they aren’t fully right. Sometimes a familiar environment gives way to us repeating past actions that may not align with us now but we are wired to repeat patterns, our brains do this to preserve energy. Stop assuming the worst, stop judging yourself because you deserve space to grow and learn. You deserve grace, you deserve a space to keep learning even if you know better; it’s hard to shake off what we have always done.

If you can change your environment in some way this will help you get out of the need to repeat state; maybe even making it a routine to go to a friends house or just out. Then from there you need to surround yourself with the new belief you want to implement. Do you want to build more independence? Slowly make choices that align with that, small ones first and take your time until your belief in yourself shifts. It’s hard to notice but that’s why we have people around us to help. If you have only yourself it may be hard to gauge but you are changing with every step you take. You are not stuck to the tree like the hanged man, you can free yourself from the confines if we actively challenge those set beliefs. Keep challenging the norm and you and your subconscious will start catching on to this change. Things will start working out more as you begin this process. You are not your mistakes or judgments, you are the human being who is witnessing the judgments and having the choice to internalize them or challenge them.

Pile 2: the world (rx), six of cups (rx), page of coins (rx), the high priestess (rx), seven of cups

Key phrases: my comforts aren’t helping, I see no way forward, there are too many options that I’m frozen in place, my intuition isn’t working, the world is against me

I see pile 2 that you are stuck in a repeating cycle. This seems to be about the past and holding onto something from the past that does not serve the you that you are becoming. There is an aspect of bad luck as well so if you feel like things are against you I see why, you're so valid. I also get the feeling that many of you know exactly why things aren’t working out but it’s just nice to hear someone agree with you.

This transition you are going through is a big one that expands over a long period of time. For many this is about healing and feeling in control of your life when it has been controlled by others. Now that you have claimed your power back it’s like you are now fighting yourself and the world; that's very scary. Sometimes we can’t be in control of everything even our own emotions. So what do we do from here? The advice I see is to not overthink why this is happening (if you can try to catch yourself overthinking then it will help but I understand how overthinking can be involuntary sometimes) and ask what you can do now instead of what could happen or what could go wrong. The why may be clear but to some it is vague.

For others I see that being to analytical, logical and critical will not help you at this time. There seems to be so many issues in the world and so much stressors no wonder why things are not working out, you're putting all that burden and pressure on yourself when one person cannot take that all on. These past habits are being released weather you liked them or not and it WILL overall benefit you to be able to accept it but its ok if you can't right now.

Trust yourself in making choices even if it feels to risky and if things continue to not work out the world won’t end or stop moving; the scales always go back into balance. The possibilities are endless for you and it’s ok to pick the one option you feel less hostile towards. Cycles do have an end and you are getting out of it, I promise you. You are learning at your pace so give yourself some grace like I had said in the last pile. (I didn't mean to rhyme but there you go haha).

Pile 3: queen of swords, 9 of wands (rx), knight of pentacles, page of pentacles, queen of pentacles

Key phrases: I may be in control but I’m tired of it, I just want to lay around and do nothing, everything is so slow I want to give up, I love what I do but how do I stay motivated?

So for you pile 3 I see that things aren’t working out for you because there is impatience and judgment of the process. I see for some, you think you should be in a better place by now with all your knowledge and specialties. For others of you, there is this burnt out feeling and you hate that you keep getting burnt out when all you desire is to be stable; to be in a place where you feel secure in yourself and your work or school. You feel off balance and there are peoples opinions and conditioning swirling around your head and not realizing that this is what is holding you down.

You are the one living your life and if you must take it slower then listen to your body not your brain who always thinks it knows what is best for you. Listen to your feelings. I’m not saying to ignore your logic and I am also not saying to ignore deadlines especially if you have to work on projects but you need to be more understanding with your limits and how your limits may be pushed a lot with you own expectations and demands.

I think some of you know this and are trying to find the balance but most here are ignoring the fact that every part of you has to have a say. Your body, mind and emotions are all in need of balancing to reach a place of peace so things may start feeling like they are going your way again. These expectations of yourself should be motivation, not something to hold above your head and to use against you.

Just know that with patience and understanding things will get better, take this advice and find a good balance of rest and work which may not be favorable right now but when it can be done make the shift. You deserve kindness at this time and slowness. Finish what needs to get done now but after take some time to relax and gather yourself. Heal then get back up, life will start going your way again.

Pile 4: 7 of swords, 2 of wands, queen of cups, knight of pentacles, 4 of wands (rx), the fool

Key phrases: I want to pave my own way, ambitious but anxious, taking things slow makes me feel like I’m going no where, no room to grow where I am now, I want to take risks but is that the right choice?

I think for you pile 4 you may be knowingly sabotaging your plans in fear of losing your freedom. Wow that’s some heavy stuff but I understand where you are coming from. Right now you may be able to do what you want but the things you truly desire to cultivate may have to take a lot of time and effort to really build up; that takes sacrifice. For some of you, you don’t want to lose your freedom doing whatever you desire in the moment which make a lot of sense.

You guys follow your happiness but sometimes our true desires and happiness are actually aligned with working and discipline. It is hard my loves, to let go of what you have to get to what you really want but that’s why things aren’t working out for you (this kinda reminds me of pile 2 but you guys are way more specific). You don’t want to let go because you think you will lose it when really it will always be there its just acknowledging you need to sacrifice some of your free time for the future, not all of it but some.

Sometimes we have to work on a dream for it to come true. Some of us who have been through trauma or neglectful childhoods can’t find the motivation for future plans because our brains are wired to focus on “what can I do right now to make myself feel better?” Then the latter “what should I be working on so my future is better?” It’s ok if you don’t have that issue, some of us are just wired differently. You my pile 4 are just more wired to please yourself right now then to please your future self but oh golly will your future self appreciate your efforts.

The advice I see is at least doing one thing in your day that will contribute to your goals but then you can also have the benefits of your comforts as well so you don’t feel like you are bored all day working on something that is for the future. Who knows maybe you will feel amazing doing this work and find joy in it. Your future self and current self deserve a plan, don’t let your dreams be forgotten because you can’t find the time. Take 1 hour out of your day and that’s it, to dedicate it to your dreams. You deserve happiness now and in the future love.

[wisdom-devotee]

A Begginer’s Guide to Hero Worship

There are a lot of terms I use throughout this post that are explained in my beginner’s guide to helpol — start there if you’re completely knew to Hellenic Polytheism! I won’t define many of my terms here as they’re mainly explained in that post, Hero Worship itself is the only thing I’m defining here.

The heroes I worship are Helen, Odysseus, Penelope, Hephaestion and Tiresias, so I do have a bit of experience, but I may get things wrong! Feel free to correct me if that is the case. I just want to help, as I’m asked about this topic often.

That said, feel free to ask me anything if this post doesn’t help to answer a specific question you have!

What is Hero Worship?

Hero worship is a term in Hellenic Polytheism that describes the worship of a hero from Greek Mythology. In hero worship, the word ‘hero’ doesn’t mean what it means nowadays in the context of superheroes and whatnot, but a hero is just any mortal that appears in Greek Mythology. It was practiced in antiquity with heroes such as Achilles, Herakles, Perseus and Odysseus, among others. Female figures in Greek myth can also be worshipped. Historical figures can be, too.

How to Worship Heroes (and how it’s different to deity worship)

As always, start with research.

The most important and best piece of advice I can offer is to treat them like humans. Don’t put them on too high a pedestal, and you can be more casual than with deities.

In many ways, worshipping heroes is quite similar to worshipping a chthonic deity, since heroes are humans who have died. That is to say, when it comes to prayer position and food offerings, do as you would with a chthonic deity. (I cover ouranic and chthonic in my beginner’s guide to Helpol, linked above!)

And on that note, yes, building kharis with a hero still involves prayer and offerings as well as devotional acts and communication via divination methods, and all those other things that are central practices for this religion.

Now, when it comes to prayer, with heroes I don’t see it in quite the same way. This is purely UPG, but it still might be useful and I know some other people agree: my prayers to heroes tend to be more inspiration-based than asking for a physical thing. Heroes are not deities, and I personally find that distinction important, and I don’t feel that the heroes I worship have the divine power to grant me things. I’ve used this example before, but I have a long-distance best friend. If I was praying to Aphrodite, I would ask for an opportunity to see her soon. If I was praying to Odysseus, I’d ask him to help me remember that she loves me and that she’ll be there for me regardless of distance.

The Point of Hero Worship

As heroes are human, I find them to be much closer to role modes than the gods are. It is not attainable to be like a deity and suggesting so feels hubristic. Wanting to be like one of the heroes (or at least certain aspects of them) is more possible.

They also often feel more approachable and like the relationships are more casual than with deities. They were human, and therefore understand human struggles. They’re not gods, so you don’t have to fear them. I’d argue it’s important to not be afraid of the gods either, but it’s easier with heroes, and they generally aren’t as intimidating.

A Bit of UPG

Something I find really helpful for hero worship is having a Chthonic deity who I use to aid in contacting the heroes. For me, this is Melinoë — Goddess of Ghosts. Hermes would also work for this because of He psychopomp-ness and being a messenger, or Hades since He rules the dead, but really I’m sure any chthonic deity could be made to fit this. I name the deity (plus an epithet relating to the dead) at the beginning of all my prayers to heroes. With Melinoë, it’s usually “Melinoë Enodia, (Melinoë of the Crossroads), let <hero’s name> hear me” and then I continue my prayer as if it were just to the hero.

FAQs

How do I reach the heroes?

The same way you reach deities, however that looks for you! If you’re not amazing at recognising signs, divination methods like tarot or dice can be helpful (I also use runes), you can write letters, and even ask for specific signs in your prayers, things that you will be able to recognise.

How do I address the heroes? (ie: By nobility title or name? Are nicknames okay?)

This depends entirely on your relationship with the hero, so I’d say don’t use nicknames at first but as you build kharis, you may be able to. Nobility titles (like ‘Queen Helen’) are unnecessary in my opinion unless you’re using them in prayer since my prayers tend to be quite formal. I also use them when talking about the heroes to some of my friends to differentiate between, say Odysseus (from EPIC the musical) and King Odysseus (the hero I worship)

Is worshipping rival heroes okay?

Yes, as this religion is polytheistic the deities and heroes know, expect, and accept that we will worship a variety of them. It’s fine to worship heroes from opposing sides of the Trojan war (like, say, Achilles and Hector) just as it’s fine to worship deities and heroes who don’t get along (like Aphrodite and Helen, for example) often people will separate altars if they have separate ones for each figure they worship

Is it okay to consume retellings and other media about them?

Yes! As the ancients would have had their own media about them (like the plays, especially the comedies) we also have our own that can be consumed.

Taglist:

@gay-gremlin-is-gay @my-name-is-outis @honeybumblebuzz @volestia @thechildofhypnos @shootand-styx

[five-thousand-loaves-of-bread]

Hey, I read your post about the harmful impact of saying "going nonverbal" and the like. As a low-needs autistic person who has speech loss episodes, it was really helpful in educating me on circumstances that I never considered, and I really appreciate that!

I have a bit of a question, and if you feel uncomfortable answering for whatever reason, feel free to delete this ask. I also apologize in advance if I say anything disrespectful, and if you can correct me on those things I will be glad to hear it so I can learn to be better.

I have DID and therefore am part of a system. We are all autistic, though we each showcase symptoms differently. Some of our alters showcase symptoms more severely than others, in that they cannot speak and cannot communicate their needs because of various reasons (severe dissociation with body, trauma response, etc). Since I now know nonverbal isn't an appropriate term for us, I'm wondering if you have any thoughts on how we can describe those headmates. I'm not sure if they fully fit saying that they have "speech loss episodes", because they are fully unable to communicate at all times (even with the rest of us), though they are not always "in the driver's seat" of the body, so to speak. What do you think would be an appropriate term for them? (I know this might be a bit out-of-bounds of your experience as it's more about dissociative disorders than autism, but if you have any insight, that would be great! I definitely don't want to be using the wrong terminology.)

Again, apologies if this is in any way disrespectful. I see now what you mentioned in your post about how true nonverbal folks are drowned out by folks with speech loss episodes, so I figured it would be best to ask you directly, but if you are unable to answer for whatever reason, feel free to delete this ask! No worries.

We hope you're having a nice day!

no worries, not out of bounds for own experience

yep, you exactly right that alter / headmate / system member / etc who can’t mouth speak in system that can mouth speak, is not nonverbal. even if feel like or is own separate person, even if don’t have so called body verbality because so blendy. — just like how alter who can’t hear in hearing system not Deaf, how darker alter in white skin system not Black or Brown or Asian etc. (though these also continue be issue in system community) — n really glad you noticed (genuine)

personally find best n clearest say “[alter] cannot speak”.

have heard people try coin new adjective identity words for this experience. can look those up if want, but for me they 1) too many n confusing n new n thus inaccessible to keep up so don’t, 2) niche micro label which have its purpose n you may or may not find useful, but in situation of limited communication n time, give unheard of term you then have to define take more time n effort than just quick “can’t speak”, 3) some of them suspiciously way too close to “nonverbal” “nonspeaking”

thank you for question!

[xkaidaxxxx]

Zuko x Reader

Mentions: Betrayal, Angst, Arguing, suicidal thoughts, Happy ending.

sorry for errors. 1am story.

reposts are appreciated.

“Zuko, she’s a traitor. She didn’t take our side.”, Azula said to her “darling” brother. She’s always manipulating and gaslighting him. “No, I’m not. Zuko, please. We were doing so well and living a good life us and your uncle. Please.” You said crying. Your heart was aching, hoping he wouldn’t believe Azula’s horrible lies and follow her path in life. You have loved  Zuko more than anything, since your childhood. “She went against us, and so did our uncle. I bet she’s even lying about being in love with you.” Azula said while rubbing his back. You knew all Zuko ever wanted was approval from his family to get his honor back. In proving he’s worthy of his family name. “ Zuko I am in love with you! Don’t listen to her.” You pleaded. You were practically on your knees at this point. “Azula is correct...I’m in love with you that’s what’s wrong…you betrayed us. You went against us and the fire nation.” Zuko said and then looked away. Your heart broke into a million pieces. You felt like time stopped. Tears ran down your cheeks. It felt like you couldn’t breathe, you felt pressure on your chest. “ You’re doing what’s right brother,” Azula reassured him and it brought you back to your senses. “You bitch! You’re lying to him! You don’t care about him! You’re using him! You’ve been hurting him since we were all children. Even now!” You yelled standing up,  suddenly feeling a burning sensation on your arm and neck. Azula burned you. Zuko wanted to run over to you, but Azula stopped him.

Once everyone was at the Fire Nation you and Iroh were locked up in separate gender prisons. Your wounds were treated there. There wasn’t a day you didn’t cry. All you want is to live happily with Zuko. Marry him and have kids, but you were currently in what probably felt like hell. You were devastated, disappointed, angry, heartbroken, betrayed,  yet you still love him. 

A month or so passed. You heard a guard walk in, “ You have a visitor.” he said to you. “Leave us alone,” Zuko ordered and the guard obeyed the Fire Nation’s prince. “I’m here. I’ve been thinking about you..us. I love you y/n.” he said with tears forming. “You don’t love me enough. If you did…I wouldn’t be here…alone..cold…treated horribly, wanting to die. I want to kill myself. I can't take it anymore. This prison is torture. You know what’s funny, is that you betrayed me and I’m still in love with you. I still want a bright future with you. I’m so stupid to even need or want that while I’m locked up.” You cried feeling like you were slowly losing yourself. You faced away from him. “I don’t want you here. I’ll speak to Azula…I promise I’ll get you out of here. I love you so much…hold on a bit longer.” he said wanting to hold you in his arms but those stupid bars were in the way. He left. Time passed since the first visit. Weeks maybe months, you couldn’t tell. Many thoughts ran through your mind. 

Did he move on? 

Is he dating Mai?

He left and didn’t take me with him?

Does he think I’m a waste of time?

He’s dead?

The truth was he was caught visiting you. He was being watched since then. He was finding a way to leave with you and Iroh. Somehow every time he’d come up with a plan there was always a dead end, however, he’s not giving up. 

He pulled out a scroll that had you drawn on it. He got ready to sleep opened the scroll and spoke. “ My love, Y/n whenever I close my eyes I always picture you there. Throughout my days I see you in people's faces. It’s driving me crazy but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I swear I’ll be coming back for you. I love you y/n, more than anything. Don’t worry…hold on longer please.” he closed his eyes crying himself to sleep. 

Suddenly a week later team Avatar showed up and caused a huge scene, while Azula and the Fire Nation’s soldiers were after them Zuko took it as an opportunity. He let you and Iroh free and an hour later team Avatar took pity on you. Next thing you know, you all were on Appa, flying away. “ Thank you. We appreciate it very much.” Zuko said pulling you close to him. They were shocked by Zuko. A. Zuko is in love. B. Being kind. C. Thankful. 

“No problem,” Aang said with a smile. Everyone else nodded. “ I love you. I’m sorry,” he spoke looking down at you. You nodded forgiving him, cuddling up to him. 

As nightfall came Appa landed. The camp was set. You went down by the lake to wash up. Zuko followed you. “ I’ll keep watch just in case.” you rolled your eyes. You undressed carefully walking into the lake. The water was cold but soothing. You made sure you were completely clean. Head to toe. Zuko turned to watch you for some reason you didn’t mind. “Hey may I join you?” he asks with a blush on his cheeks. You decided it was time to get intimate physically with him. “Y-Yes. I’d like that,” you replied nervously. A few minutes you found out you had nothing to be nervous about. He washed up as well. “I’m glad we’re together once again. This time I know it’s forever even though the war is still going on,” he spoke moving closer towards you. You felt his hand on your waist. “I’m in love with you y/n.” you smiled and hugged him tightly, “I know, I’m in love with you too Zuko.” Suddenly your lips touched his. Your tongues roamed each other's mouths until you guys had to catch your breaths. He placed pecks on your neck and also left hickeys behind. You moaned in the process. Once you guys finished you got back into your clothes. You guys walked into the cave you were all resting in, Zuko grabbed the blanket he had brought along, and spread it on the ground. “Is..Zuko..can we sleep together?” you asked. You only dared to ask him because you got privacy from the others. “Yes. I’d like that,” he replied. You held onto reach other warming up. After a while, his hands began to roam your body. You didn’t mind it at all. If anything it made you feel closer to him. You snuggled closer. “ I’m never letting go of you my love,” he whispered. Your hearts burned with so much love.

Please like, comment and reblog.

Hope you liked the story. I will be posting more.

much love, Kaida

[whos-lucy]

Vee and shelly headcanons!!^^

soo im kinda new to this but im really bored so I thought why not try it? also if u c some grammar mistakes feel free to correct me since my first language is not English but Spanish so it would help me learn if im speaking wrong lol

im kinda doing this just for funsies and it may help my writing a bit idk

oh and also Shanon included bc I love that one au where she just kidnapped Vee and Shelly from the abandoned wardenview and like just has them around lol its so cute (au from @cupcakewebkinz )

Vee(I DIDNT KNOW WE COULD USE COLORS???)

-Vee definitely rolls her eyes(not in a mean way but more like in a playful way at Shelly or Shanon)

-Vee hates going shopping to places where there are lots of people. This is because I think she has sensory issues! she gets super uncomfortable when there are loads of different noises and may be overheating because of it. its all because her systems are NOT made for hearing all this voices at the same time! I guess at the time she was made, technology wasn't as advances as nowadays. That's why she preferred when her gameshows were recorded and not in real life. Though she always pretended it didn't affected her, Veronica more than anyone knows it did.(ofc she loved being a game host she just didn't like that aspect.)

-I headcanon that Vee just loves making fire. like. just setting things on fire for the pure joy of it. Shanon just lets her because since she's a robot the fire doesn't really do much but she still can't do it inside the house and has to be at a certain distance from the fire for security( she also just can use paper or something like that for the fire an has to clean when she finishes lol) she mostly does it because she thinks fire looks pretty and kinda reminds her of shelly which ofc makes her happy(after some time, shelly and Shanon gave Vee a little fake fire that emits a bit of heat so Vee doesn't have to do that more).

-Vee is lowkey a theater kid. She so would listen to Hamilton, Epic the musical, Heathers and more.

-After spending so much time being supervised 24/7 by Delilah and being always watched, she literally CANNOT do anything without Shanon's permission and Shanon is just there like "Vee for the 214634 time, u can do x thing without my permission" and she tries to say it in the most loving and patient way but VEE JUST KEEPS ASKING!! Shelly finally got her out of that habit tho! She wasn't doing it on purpose it's just that she isn't used to being this.....free?

-Definitely loves board games! Since she doesn't have much to do now that she doesn't need to do her gameshows, she feels bored most of the time! That's why she started many hobbies. She now does guitar, cooking, sewing with shelly(even if Vee is horrible at it), but her favorite thing is board games! she likes all sorts and thinks is fun to play with Shanon and shelly (I like to think that her favorite is dungeons and dragons or something like that bc she could feel like the game host again)

Shelly

-Ohhh I really like the idea that shelly is a sleep walker(bonus points if she also talks in her sleep)!! Imagine Vee getting out of bed at 3 am because she can't sleep bc of her zoomies and when she doesn't find her Dino wife and goes to search for her, shelly is just sleep talking one of the plants on telling her where are all her fossils at

-Shelly definitely has some problems speaking(I kinda self inserted here) like, she is so used to people ignoring her that when someone gives her the chance to speak about idk?dinosaur facts? well, when that happens, she is just so exited that she tries to say all the info she can before whoever gave her the chance loses interest. this results in shelly speaking INCREDIBLY fast and in people being barely able to understand her.

-She has a fast metabolism just bc. I think is bc her body is so used to only being able to eat what wardenview gave them (and that is probably just cans-o-pop or candy or something) that when Shanon gives her an actual meal her body is like "what". probably most of the toons have fast metabolism too.

-she eats lemons raw. just slice them in 2 and eats them. yup

-She believes in santa and is all because Bobette convinced her of that. Shelly just casually said she didn't believe in santa in a conversation with her and Bobette just started PRESENTING A WHOLE ASS CANVA ABOUT WHY IS SANTA REAL(ginger too tried convincing shelly) and after all that she somehow got shelly to believe too.

-She sometimes has nightmares about Shanon not rescuing them or Vee not wanting her anymore o just everyone forgetting her and it TERRIFIES her every time it happens(even if its not that often) It used to happen before too but astro could just help her and now that he can't, she didn't know how to deal with it! Luckily for her, her robot wife is always by her side to reassure her just as she did with her

-she once stole a lollipop on a store when Shanon took her shopping and it still doesn't lets her sleep at night

[moldybonessmell]

Sevika character analysis post

Because it feels like everyone's miscaharcterises her and she's being treated only like a "hot mommy" I think I got an aneyrism writing this sentence sorry

// ARCANE spoilers season 1 & 2

So, a little disclaimer, I haven't rewatched season 1 so I might get some stuff wrong from it, feel free to correct me in case I get facts wrong

I want to start from the first impression we get from her. In season one she's a brutal right hand of an undercity mafia basically, a gambler and a card player, smokes, a frequent visitor in brothels (tiktok thinks she and Ambessa fucked the same twink and it changed the course of my life, I feel). She's a brutal and strong fighter. All in all, scary bitch (slay, if I may).

But the other aspect of her charcter in season 1 is that she's ridiculously loyal. She's loyal to Silco like a dog. The way she kept following him even after many many opportunities to get deals with his enemies. What it tells us is that even if she seems like a typical villian, she has a strong moral code. "But what about Vander?" You may ask. Well, her moral code also tells her to support the idea she sees as right. Her and Silco both disagreed on Vander's view, and decided to go their separate way. So even if she's loyal, she's still not going to support someone she doesn't agree with, which distinguishes her from a common minion trope.

In the same loyal theme, I would like to touch upon her relationship with Jinx. Yes, they were openly hostile to each other, but in season 2 Sevika decides to follow Jinx at some point. I have yet to decide if it's just because of Jinx being dear to Silco (a gesture of goodwill) or Sevika actually saw the girl growing up and had warm feelings. I firstly thought Sevika collaborated with Jinx on attack on Cait n Vi just for the sake of revenge (the entire Grey ordeal), but the way she instinctively covered Jinx n Isha with her entire body in this one scene, I fall more on "warm feelings" scale than "cold alliance".

Also don't forget the episode where Jinx gifted Sevika her new hand (which didn't last long but oh well). That was a gesture of goodwill, which is crazy concidering all the curcumstances ngl.

The way Sevika told everyone about Jinx they are not handing over their people even before she knew Jinx was relatively stable or even if she wanted to kill Sevika or not shows really well where her loyalties lie. Whether it was in memory of Silco or Sevika changing to be more like Vander and prioritize community.

And now her relationship with Jinx leads us to a revolution in Piltover. Right after Silco's death Sevika, who has always been a number 2, a right hand, tries to become a leader... but kinda fails. Which is expected. If you folow orders your entire life, it's difficult to make people listen to you even if you have a strong character and morals. And she tries again with leading a revolution against the Piltovian regime.. and fails again. But Jinx somehow has people folowing her without even trying. And Sevika decides to support her in hopes of making Zaun's life easier.

I bet she has complicated feelings about Jinx: maybe some warm ones from seeing her growing up, definitely hatred from all the stuff Jinx did (we still don't know if she knows Jinx killed Silco, right? I bet she figured out tbh), but also the sense of hope for change. And so Sevika becomes a number 2 again. The problem is, this new leader to follow doen't have any ambition or even care about community (she only cares about Isha let's be fr).

And Sevika, who very obviously craves community and connection loses everyone. No Vander, no Silco, and now no Jinx.

But you know what she has? The strong desire to make people's lifes better.

And this is why she doesn't stay back during the Ambessa's attack on Piltover, even tho it's not her, as a zauntie, fight. There's a possibility of Zaun getting in danger (bc let's be honest, Ambessa would just obliterate Zaun in case she reighns) and Sevika stands up for a fight.

And this is why I think she's the perfect candidate to end up in the new Piltover senate.

Tbh the first one would definitely be Ekko with the way he build up his community. Yeah he seems kinda down after all that, but for me personally it's a weak plot to make him all about Jinx in the end, sorry, we need TWO places in the council, you know (on my planet they are both there together)

Sevika tried several times in the past to be a leader and failed, but she still tries again, as her sense of responsibility for her people is stronger than her personal doubts.

(And you know she would have them after whole 2 times oof)

I've seen people on multiple platforms make jokes about Sevika in the council being ridiculous, but I strongly disagree, as you can see. No, she does not have anger issues, Jinx's just annoying/j

All in all, I think she's a very interesting and complex character.

Thank you for reading, feel free to share your thoughts.