#avoid pronouns

[sleepygaymerdisease]

[ID: Tweets from Emily 'Soup Lesbian' Gwen (@theemilygwen) on twitter with the following text:

Well, just left a job interview crying because the hiring manager told me they liked my application but were disappointed that I didn't bother dressing appropriately. I tried to explain that I haven't been able to afford new clothes in years but I just couldn't handle it.

That comment and my reaction was one of the most mortifying moments of my life. I thought I put together a decent outfit for the job with what I had, and hearing her say that just destroyed me.

Anyway I'm still looking for work and struggling a lot. Even $5 would help pay for a meal. ko-fi.com/emilygwen

End ID]

Please help Emily Gwen, the creator of the lesbian flag. If you show me that you donated any amount I will draw you something. You can also support them by buying something from their Threadless store!

EDIT: I still appreciate any donations made but I can't guarantee a drawing anymore 😭 sorry if that's a deciding factor for you

[serpentface]

WARDI TERMS OF ENDEARMENT

emense [ɛmɛnse] (eh-mehn-say)

Has meaning close to 'beloved' or 'darling'. "Ya emense" (meaning 'my beloved'/'my darling') is often contracted "y'mense".

bubuch [bubuk] (boo-bookh)

Somewhat of a nonsense word, basically ‘big-big’. Tends to either be used for small children or flirtatiously between adults (kind in between 'baby' and 'big boy' in functionality, though without gendered implications of the latter). Sometimes instead used as a form of intense condescension.

ya mache mes [ja mɑke mes] (yah mah-kay mace)

Functionally means "my other face", using the figurative word for face describing a concept of fundamental nature rather than anatomy. Very intense term of endearment, expresses the recipient as a core part of one's identity. Kind of equivalent to 'my other half' but not exclusively romantic.

ya tsitsima [ja ͡tsi͡tsimə] (yah tsee-tsee-muh)

Means "my blood". This term is used more broadly to denote familial relations, and is more of a term of endearment when used outside of actual biological relationship (calling your sister 'my blood' is just an intense way of saying 'my [relative]', calling a non-relative 'my blood' is VERY pointedly affectionate).

ya ungande [ja ungɑnde] (yah oon-gahn-day)

Often contracted to y'ungande, dead literally means "my liver" as in the organ. Ungande alone is also used as a food-based term of endearment, similar to 'honey' except instead with delicious organ meat.

anuje [ɑnudʒe] (ah-noo-jay)

Food based term of endearment, referring to a tree sap that is the most commonly used form of sweetener. Functionally identical to 'honey' in usage.

anu tlansekoma [ɑnu tlɑnsekoʊmə] (ah-noo tlahn-say-koh-muh)

This one actually means 'honey' (dead literally 'bee sweet'). Less common than 'anuje' as a term of endearment due to general cultural preference for anuje as a sweetener and the relative rarity of beekeeping.

inyagit [injəgit] (een-yah-geet)

Diminutive form of 'sun'. 'Ya inya' (my sun) occurs as well, but is less common.

y'mit agai [j'mit ɑgaɪ] (yuh-meet ah-gai)

Contraction of 'ya amit agai', 'my blue moon'. This specification is more common than a general 'my moon(s)' and is fairly loaded, given this particular moon is the site of the afterlife for the most honored dead. The phrase both suggests a sort of celestial beauty and a sense of being honored and finding rest in the recipient. This is a VERY intense and almost exclusively romantic term of endearment.

coutomara [koʊtoʊmɑrə] (koh-to-mahr-uh)

Means 'handsome' or 'beautiful', implies masculine attractiveness. (Dead literally closer to 'strong face'/'strong featured').

jaimara [dʒaɪmɑrə] (jaim-mahr-uh)

Means 'pretty' or 'beautiful', implies feminine attractiveness (dead literally close to 'beautiful face'/'beautifully featured').

katsuy [kɑtsui] [kaht-soo'ee]

Sexually charged description of physical attractiveness, basically calling someone 'sexy'.

ya katsuymen [ja kɑtsuimɛn] (yah koht-soo'ee-mehn)

Related and also sexually charged, close in meaning to 'my desire'.

at akmatse yachouy [ɑt ɑkmɑtse jɑtʃɔɪ] (aht ahk-mat-say yah-choi )

Sexually explicit term of endearment. The dead literal translation is "one who makes me flower". The word "flower" here is not as euphemistic in context and is rather the nicest sounding possible way to say "makes me cum (HARD)". Not considered vulgar, rather cloyingly romantic if anything.

gan(ne) ama [gɑn(e) ɑmə] (gah(-nay) ahm-uh)

Means 'bull'. When used affectionately, implies masculine strength. Usually used in conjunction with an adjective (ie 'handsome bull') or more teasingly gannit ama (little/baby bull))

jaimeti [dʒaɪmɛti] (jai-meh-tee)

Means 'gazelle' (the name for the animal itself is close in meaning to 'beautiful horn'), heavily associated with grace and beauty. Also tends to be used with adjectives ('lovely gazelle' 'handsome gazelle' etc) or with a diminutive.

ansiba [ɑnsibɑ] (ahn-see-bah) or ansibit [ɑnsibit] (ahn-see-beet)

Means 'duck' and 'duckling' respectively, specifically refers to the animal and implies cuteness. Ansibit is a very common term of endearment for children.

"Wannaukoma such datse anmo" [wɑnaʊkoʊmə suk dɑtse ɑnmoʊ] (wahn-now-koh-muh sookh daht-say ahn-moh)

Means 'an ant could swallow you', implies cuteness (ie the recipient is so small and tiny an Ant could devour them whole). Usually used on children, occasionally used on adult women (in a way that feels intensely patronizing to many). 'Datse' (you) may be replaced by the recipients surname or honorific in the rare case that someone would dare calling someone this without being on first name basis with them.

wannaukomit [wɑnaʊkoʊmit] (wahn-now-koh-meet)

Means 'little ant', a term of endearment that borders on insulting even to babies.

OTHER:

-it [it] (eet)

This is a diminutive modifier, which can be added to a name or other word/term of endearment to denote affection (can also be condescending). It lacks internal meaning in everyday use and is closer to the English -y or -ie (billy johnny rosie susie puppy kitty ducky etc).

hippe [hipɛ] (heep-peh) (some dialects drop the h sound entirely)

Means 'small' or 'little', can be spoken with other words/names as an affectionate diminutive.

Other epithets-

Various epithets used in the language are not exclusively used as terms of endearment, but can be contextually. Most commonly, this will be the -machen epithet of the recipients zodiac birthsign (particularly those considered auspicious). Someone with the lion birthsign could be respectfully and/or affectionately called 'odomachen', or VERY affectionately called 'ya odo' ('my lion'). There's also a good variety of poetic epithets that have worked their way into common language as affectionate compliments/descriptors- ie ganatoche (dead literally 'cow-eye', more prettily 'ox-eyed') is a complimentary descriptor for brown eyes, anaemaitsa (dead literally 'river-haired', more prettily 'flowing-haired') compliments wavy hair.

Given name basis-

In Wardi culture, full names are spoken with the family name preceding the given name. When respectfully speaking to a stranger, peer, or authority figure, you refer to them by their family name, title, and/or an honorific. Being on an accepted given name basis with someone is generally indicative of closeness and affection.

datse [dɑtse] (dah-tsay)

This is the word for "you". Similarly to the use of a given name, actually referring to someone as 'you' (rather than a surname, title, or honorific in place of the pronoun) expresses familiarity and intimacy.

[latibulater]

im not going to spend too much time after this one post

Treister as this character-figure on the same story level as Jonas Venture. Jonas to Rusty to the twins, Treister to Hunter to Brock. this episode implies a rich history where I'm left thinking that Hunter's insecurities around inner turmoil stemmed from Treister ("Hans Brinker's thumb was stuck in a dike" "Son, whatever depravity you get up to on your own time is between you and your living god") which of course bled down to Brock, who must have tried to block out the fact that his mentor and person he respects most is constantly belittled and degraded as being foolish and girlish ("Wayland Flowers called, he wants his Madame back") because Hunter's entire character, of course, is introduced as a transphobic gag. Hunter can't escape from being a man who wants to be a woman no matter how hard Hunter begs the narrative ("I miss my breasts! Inside of me, there is a woman screaming to be heard."), the very next episode Hunter meets with Treister and is immediately shoved into the role of successor, replacement, and son. Over and over, Treister calls Hunter son, makes regular remarks into homophobic comments, and "Took guts to bust out the nest and go off on your own, son. Took balls to cut off your balls. Even without 'em, you got more true grit man-moxie on tap than any of these "yes" men and bureaucrats been runnin' the place."

Similarly to Rusty, in this regard at least, Hunter was created for a singular purpose and trying to make a new way inevitably results in Hunter right back where he started. Honestly, in the same way I imagine Jonas constantly belittling Rusty over any perceived weakness, I can easily picture a young Hunter being put through hell by superior officer Treister, for the good of god and country and the secret president. And additionally, just like how Rusty says no matter how bad a father Jonas was, he still loved him and misses him and wouldn't be who he is today with Jonas and so he can't imagine ever actually going against his father, Hunter clearly is panicking when he thinks Treister is self-euthanizing.

Even after Hunter lets go of the wheel the first time and Treister yells "What the hell are you doing?! Do not let go of that wheel, boy! There are 2,000 souls on board!", Hunter inevitably lets go AGAIN because he can't bear to hold on while someone he must've cared greatly for climbs into a shuttle-capsule. "Do not kill yourself, you crazy bastard!" "Ain't killin' myself, son." And AGAIN with the BOY. the SON.

And like, Hunter was an open joke for believing in the GCI in the 80s, so why was so many resources, a private office with an escape hatch outside, and a personal hulking assistant given? I can only believe b/c at the time Hunter was still Treister's favorite, still Treister's spy kid and most likely prepped to be his successor, despite the weird results. Then Hunter fucks up with Billy and Phantom Limb and gets sent out of country and is separated from Brock. To me, that reads as Treister getting irritated his "son" is playing dress-up on stake-outs and is getting distracted running around on wild goose chases, and it's time to find Hunter a nice, new assignment away from the only person in the entire OSI to provide back-up and believe in Hunter full-heartedly. Sending Hunter to Guam is Treister's version of sending his unruly "son" to military school, never mind the fact they're all in the military anyways.

Parent belittles non-conforming child, child grows into a bitter angry adult, becomes a parent and slowly has to Detangle and work through their past, even getting dragged back in after believing escape was possible, and now trying to do a tiny bit better by their own children. Not TOO much easier of course, cant get rid of that "walked to school uphill through snow both ways" attitude instilled. i think a main difference is that in the end Hunter was verbally loved by Treister and handed the OSI as a sign of trust, whilst Jonas spent zero screen time ever complimenting or being loving towards Rusty. So this leads to an unequal balance between Hunter and Rusty where Hunter can mind-control and take advantage of Rusty whereas Jonas and Treister were on more even-footing IMO.

Moreso, in "Any Which Way But Zeus", when everyone is passing out and checked out, Hunter is the only one still trying to come up with a reasonable plan but Treister completely interrupts and dismisses the plan out of hand. AND

AND Hunter is the only one given a 'female' code name "Kelly Clarkson", opposed to all other code names "Kenan and Kel" "Matthew Perry" "Orville Redenbacher", EXEPT of course "Topanga Lawrence" (she was an actress). Who was the only other person at the table Treister called a girl/disrespected (from a military masculinity complex)? BROCK. Hunter's protege. Previously, Treister had given a lot of respect to Brock even as a commander to an insubordinate...subordinate. "Still breathing, General Treister, sir.

No thanks to you." "Aw, you're lookin' fine, son." and the following: "Son, I believe your mind has gone AWOL. I shoulda seen this comin'.

Your work's been gettin' sloppy across the board, boy.........Why don't you come back with us so we can find you a nice, new assignment? Maybe somethin' a little easier on the ol' noggin'?"

Then the next interaction they have is Treister realizing Brock not only left the OSI but joined SPHINX with Hunter. That is all to explain why I feel like Treister is directly disrespecting them best he can while avoiding making things personal in front of power players in the villainous community. It's this whole power play exchange that reminds me of a family feud happening in front of company where the father is holding on by the skin of his teeth to not slap his kids.

Moving beyond that, Brock's own issues with masculinity are never brought up by Hunter. He gets the length of his hair mocked by others, is told constantly he's over-compensating, and is emasculated over his role within the Venture family. Never by Hunter, far as I can recall. And personally, I think Hunter nicknaming "boychick" is much softer and more affectionate than "boy" and "son" even because it's a very possessive word.

UMMMM to wrap up this post b/c idrk where I'm going anymore, I feel like Treister was a lot more influential to the background of the show than is obvious upon first viewing because he actually has been around so long and most likely has a very deep complicated relationship with Hunter that appears as Hunter unable to escape expectations of being a good soldier/son which reflects Jonas' relationship with Rusty as Rusty is unable to escape his father's infantilization of Rusty's capability and society's pre-determined expectation of him failing.

GIVE HUNTER A RX FOR ESTRADIOL SEASON 8!!!!!!!!

[songfell-ut]

Happy birthday, Vene

This was drawn by @venelona on Discord and I cleverly tricked her into letting me put this here so I can do a very small gift and rewrite the fork scene if Frisk was a dude. I realize this is not reassuring to those of you who are tired of my self-AU, but I super swear I am editing the final draft of Chapter 34 in the other tab right now.

Also, it's not the entirety of their first meeting in Frisk's room, just skipping around to the relevant bits, explaining how there's still a dramatic reveal if this Frisk isn't wearing a veil because you can pry that dramatic reveal out of my cold dead hands.

Over a day later, the High Priest shut the outer door to his chambers, whistling to himself. He set a covered tray on the table, sat down at the mirror, and checked that his eyes were clear, or at least not too red. Then he picked up his coronet and settled it over his head. He stared at his reflection for a full minute, as if waiting for the young man in the mirror to get up first; with a sigh, he finally pushed himself to his feet.

Just outside his bedroom, he let the whistle peter out into a thread of magic that ran ahead to check the loose barriers he'd set around the bed. Two echoes came back, one very close by. "Good morning. Please step back," he said into the slight crack in the door.

A pause, then a soft creak of floorboards, unnervingly quiet for something – someone – his size. "Further, please," he ordered.

The skeleton made a noise he couldn't interpret. Floorboards creaked again, and the bedframe groaned under his weight. The priest turned the doorknob, picked up the tray, and elbowed the door open.

Sans was sitting near the edge of the bed, legs crossed, elbows on his knees. He had left the nearly transparent inner bedcurtains closed, but opened the windows, and even just his outline through the thin curtain looked menacing; the light shone through his filthy shirt, shadowing the spaces between his ribs, and the fire in his sockets fully illuminated his features. The young man made himself place the tray on a side table and pull up a chair with perfect unconcern, as if he couldn't feel him staring his down. "I see you're all healed. You must have slept well," he said coolly. "I know I did."

The skeleton glanced behind him at the rumpled sheets. "Uh..."

"You were alone the whole time," the priest hastened to assure him. "There's a very comfortable couch in my office that I've been using."

skip

That didn't feel quite right, but without more evidence, the priest decided to leave it for now. Instead, he pulled the side table closer and removed the tray's cover.

Sans twitched at the sight of steaming hotcakes, piles of cheese-sprinkled eggs, tomatoes, and crisp-crusted sausage links. The priest cut a tomato slice into quarters with his fork, speared one and popped it into his mouth; rather than making Sans share the napkin, he dabbed his lips in passing with the very edge of one sleeve.

This courtesy was lost on the skeleton. "Need somethin’ ta wipe with?" he inquired, and plucked at the curtain. “How ‘bout this?”

The young man ignored him and made a show of chewing, swallowing, and lifting another tomato to his mouth. Sans didn't have a stomach, but if he had, the priest probably would have heard it growling; the monster was shifting around and scowling, clearly agitated. So the human quickened his pace, taking a huge bite of egg, a chunk of hotcake, and a sausage in turn, eating as fast as he could.

Sans' eyes had lit to orange again, and the human was glad to put the fork down. "There. You see? It isn't poisoned," he said briskly. he stood and pushed the side table over to the bed. "Help yourself."

The orange faded. Sans’ skull tilted this way and that, like a wary but curious animal. "What?"

"I had breakfast over an hour ago. This is for you," the priest explained.

Sans glanced at the tray, then back to him. The human waited for a full ten seconds, almost holding his breath, before he was rewarded with a rude noise. "Can I have another fork? Don't want your germs," he said.

skip

The skeleton's face was impossible to see clearly. Now that it was quiet, it reminded the young man too much of when he'd grabbed him in the cell. His instincts screamed at him to pull his hand back and throw a barrier between them, but determination surged as he remembered how he'd already faced down the boss monster’s attempts to kill him. He was going to forge a lasting bond between their worlds and hand over a kitchen utensil like a normal person or die trying.

Slowly, Sans reached down through the gap in the curtains, and the human fought to keep from panicking as the massive hand approached. The skeleton paused...and plucked the fork from his grip with delicate courtesy, holding it up between them. "Hm. Too small. Still dirty." He tossed it to the floor.

The High Priest stared at the fork. He stared at him. He retrieved the fork, stood up, dropped it into the pitcher, and plunged his hand in after it. Out came the utensil; the young man strode over and shoved the bedcurtain aside enough to gather up a fistful of it as a makeshift towel. This bed was centuries old and the curtains worth as much as a commoner’s entire wardrobe, but they belonged to the High Priest, which meant they were his. And as High Priest, if he wanted to use his antique linen to dry a mostly-clean fork in order to please a giant monster who was intimidating him and somehow also being a complete snot, then who was going to stop him? No one, that was exactly who.

With a righteous huff, he turned back around, still polishing the bedamned fork. "Here," he said, fully facing Sans for the first time. "I hope this is satisfactory."

Sans looked at him. He didn't say anything.

The world always seemed a little too bright with the bedcurtains open, and the light from the window was in his eyes. The priest rubbed them on his sleeve, and scratched under his jaw where the curtain had brushed it. "Well?" he demanded.

Sans didn't take it. He was leaning forward, hand dangling as if he'd started to reach for it and somehow forgotten what he was doing. His sockets were blank, an odd color washing over his bony face. "Uh," he said. "It's."

The priest didn't know that that could be a complete sentence. It probably wasn't, he thought in growing irritation. "Sans," he said carefully, "are you going to use this, or would you like to eat with your hands?"

The skeleton shook himself and turned away. "Never mind. 'm not hungry," he grumbled.

The human bit back the urge to call him a colorful name or two. "Sans, this is not a joke. There is nothing wrong with your food, except that it's cold. Eat it. Please."

"I will, I will." Sans hunched his shoulders. "Just gimme a couple minutes."

He did not have the time or patience for this. "Sans. Look at this." The monster glanced up, and in one motion, the human stabbed a sausage and another chunk of hotcake. "Say 'ahhh,'" he ordered, and when Sans blankly repeated, "Ahh?" he thrust the fork into Sans’ mouth.

skip

Sans was not wondering the same thing. He was thinking how he'd woken up not knowing where he was and had had to figure out that he wasn't dreaming about the battle in his cell: a human witch really had trapped him and knocked him out with some kind of weird brain-magic. Once he got over the fact that he couldn't take any shortcuts and wouldn't fit through the windows, though, he had to admit things could be worse; the bed really was the most comfortable thing in the world.

Talking with the witch was not comfortable. It was bad enough when he was asking Sans questions about his capture and not breaking out of prison, but then he had to give him food and say things that made sense, and things that made even more sense, and then...

Sans did not like anything about humans, especially their looks. He never understood how they could be attracted to each other long enough to reproduce; they seemed far shallower than monsters, for whom the inside really did count more than the outside, except maybe when it came to reproduction. But that was a rare occasion for them, and they thought humans' obsession with it was shallow and weird at best. Sans in particular had no interest in the human form unless he was trying to destroy it: male or female, they were all just skeletons with varying degrees of hair, meat and fluids in the way.

And then this infuriating human had turned around in the sunlight, curtain and stupid fork in hand, and Sans suddenly couldn't breathe. The overall picture was what made him feel a huge mess of feelings he didn't like or understand, but he could see every detail perfectly: lips pursed in annoyance, the sun reflecting off that black circlet thing, chestnut hair shining and reddish-brown eyes half closed against the light…even the seemingly dull, coarse hair on his face showed wavy patterns picked out in golden threads.

And then the human had tipped his head and shown a glimpse of his throat, and now Sans couldn't think things right. All he could try to do was turn away, then eat it all in order to make him go away, and only his punning instinct had saved Sans from saying or doing anything else stupid.

Why did Frisk have to like puns, too?

This was bad. It had gotten very complicated, very fast. He had to get out of here. The human had demonstrated some emotion behind his priest-y facade; maybe Sans could appeal to it, persuade him to pick some other monster and not risk boning things up? Priests weren’t supposed to bone, right? Ha, ha, etc.

…Granted, this one could probably manage it, given how powerful he was, not to mention easy on the eye sockets, but there was no telling if he was—

"...going to do it," he was saying, wiping away tears of laughter. "I'm not all-powerful, but I have enough influence at court and with the Church to guarantee your safety." Frisk looked up at him, bright-eyed, and his SOUL did another loop-de-loop. "So, Sans. Will you stay?"

He didn't want to, it was a bad idea, and he said, "No," in his mind.

Frisk smiled, tilting his head.

"Yeah," Sans said out loud.

[airenyah]

hello~ i was rewatching the THK trailer again and noticed something interesting: FadelStyle go from using formal/polite khun/pom pronouns -> informal/rude meung/guu later in the series.

In the trailer, I think I hear Fadel using them in the "I don't like being pursued" line and Style uses them when he says "Whenever I'm with you, you either make me feel so scared, or so damn safe".

I was wondering if you had any Thoughts about that? I was surprised they use rude pronouns when it looks like KantBison keep using khun/pom throughout. Do you think the rude pronouns a sign that FadelStyle are closer or more a feature of their personality/dynamics?

I'm still very confused about how any of the pronoun stuff works, so I apologies if this doesn't make any sense. ^^;;

ah, it's funny you should send me this ask because only last night before i went to sleep did i ramble in a group chat about the pronoun use in ep1 😂

disclaimer: i'm not a thai native speaker and i actually get kinda anxious talking about the thai language publicly out of fear of getting something embarrassing wrong lmao. calling fellow language nerd @visualtaehyun as well as Known Native Speakers™ @recentadultburnout and @happypotato48 for double checks and potential corrections in case i'm blabbering bullshit at any point <3

yeah, in the trailer it seemed to me that fadel and style were consistently using guu/mueng for each other except for when style was trying to flirt with fadel on purpose (as in, when he's flirting for kant and the car, not when he's saying flirty or romantic shit bc he genuinely likes fadel now. or at least that's what i thought was going on upon watching the trailer for the first time kfkdkfdkjkjfd)

so when i watched ep1 i was actually kinda surprised bc i hadn't expected them to consistently start out using phom/khun with each other at first! which probably also comes from the fact that i hadn't expected them to meet on their own before kant hires style to hit on fadel hahaha (like, i didn't think the "my nipples are sensitive" scene would happen before kant sets style onto fadel. i thought at that point he was already very purposefully flirting with fadel for the sake of the mission, but instead it's all style himself just to get on fadel's nerves 😂)

anyway, in ep1 fadel and style use pretty much only phom/khun with each other EXCEPT for style at three very specific points:

he uses "guu" to refer to himself at the very end of the scene of their first meeting when fadel drives off and style shouts something about fadel scolding him like a dad when fadel has left already. i'm like 90% sure i hear him say "guu" in that specific sentence

you probably caught him call fadel "nong" to be an extra little shit when he sat down and made fadel get him those beers

when fadel manoeuvers style out of the restaurant and style is raging he uses phom/khun until the very last sentence where the subs say "i'm gonna take you out!". unfortunately i can't understand the entire sentence that well but he starts the sentence with "guu" and i'm fairly sure i hear the words "เป็นแฟนกู" [bpen faen guu] which translate to "be my boyfriend" and so i'm guessing he's saying something along the lines of "i'll make you my boyfriend" or "you will be my boyfriend" (calling a native speaker to pls transcribe that sentence for me thank youuu 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻)

so we see that style uses the rude pronoun set guu/mueng when he's annoyed (no. 1) and when he's seriously pissed (no. 3). other than that he sticks to formal/polite pronouns throughout the first episode

however, we know that they're gonna be using guu/mueng for each other regularly at some point from the trailer and there's also that scene in the promo for next episode where fadel asks style who sent him: they're both using guu/mueng in the "who sent you?" "i like you" exchange

so now the question is when and why do they switch from polite to rude pronouns? personally i'm speculating that fadel is gonna start using guu/mueng with style once he's seriously fed up and annoyed by style. bc rude pronouns aren't just used to show closeness/intimacy but also when, you know, you're actively trying to be rude. and i could see fadel switch to the rude pronouns for the exact reason of being rude on purpose in order to emphasize his disdain for style and to give him a hint to fuck off. and i could see style going along with the pronoun switch bc he sure ain't intimidated by fadel and won't go away that easily hahaha

and if that really does happen then i could see them just sticking to the rude pronouns from that moment on, since these pronouns can be used in an informal way too and it does fit their dynamic

also, i just went and rewatched the trailer bc i wanted to see if there were any scenes in which fadel and style use phom/khun for each other that we haven't seen yet and yeah, all the scenes from the trailer in which they do use the polite pronouns are scenes that we in fact all got to see in ep1 already. then we have the "good morning krub" scene happening next episode, which i'm guessing is gonna happen before fadel corners style in the locker room. and i'm guessing at that point they (or at least style) will still be using phom/khun since that's what they've established as their pronouns they use to their face (note how in the above list, style is never standing right in front of fadel, yelling directly into fadel's face when he uses "guu", so fadel likely isn't even aware of it). and i'm also guessing that then when fadel is eventually seriously fed up and suspicious of style, he changes to guu/mueng in order to show his anger and to basically declare a war with style. and style switches to guu/mueng too in order to fight back bc he sure as hell won't let fadel intimidate him

idk what language you have as a first/native language, but mine is german and in german we also differentiate between formal and informal pronouns. although for us it's by far (by FAR) not as nuanced as thai pronouns since we differentiate only two pronouns for the 2nd person: formal "you" (Sie - pronounced "see") vs informal "you" (du - pronounced "doo"). and in german it is absolutely considered rude if you use "du" to address a person you should be using "Sie" for. and you can absolutely show your negative emotions (like anger, annoyance, etc) towards your conversational partner who you should be addressing with "Sie" by suddenly switching to "du", esp when you're trying to start a fight. and yeah i can see fadel switching to rude/informal pronounce in this way, to kind of start a fight with style so style will finally fuck off

and in german, usually once you're on a "du" level of addressing each other (esp if you do it regularly and it wasn't just a one-off sentence in an argument or something) then you usually wouldn't go back to using the formal "Sie" for each other. of course in thai everything is muuuuch more complicated and complex than in german when it comes to pronouns, so this is kinda like comparing apples with oranges. but yeah, i can totally see fadel and style sticking to the rude/informal pronouns since they've already crossed that line. since they've already established that they can use this level (register) of language with each other, so why bother going back to a more formal/polite register?

we'll have to wait and see if i'm right with my speculation about the pronoun switch, though. of course it could happen totally differently than what i think (who knows, maybe they'll hop between guu/mueng and khun/phom for a while depending on their moods, like, whether they're being civil to each other bc the given situation calls for it or whether style is actively hitting on fadel or whether they're annoyed/pissed at each other and basically challenging each other to a fight)

and i don't find it surprising that kant and bison would be using different pronouns for each other. they did meet under completely different circumstances and they have a completely different relationship to each other than fadel and style do

one thing thai and german pronouns have in common is that their usage depends heavily on who is talking to whom and also what situation/context the conversation is happening in. german speaking kids are taught that they have to address adults with the formal "Sie" pronoun unless they're given explicit permission by the adult to use the informal "du". german learners who take it up as a second language are taught that they need to use the formal "Sie" when talking to strangers. however, that doesn't reflect the reality at all. there are situation where you can immediately jump to the informal "du" without asking for permission first even when you don't know the person while if you met this very same person for the first time in a different situation you might have to call them "Sie" or else they'd be offended because using "du" would be very rude in this context

now if we look at bison and kant's first meeting... kant is trying to hit on bison. a rude pronoun that you'd use out of negative feelings or with peers/close friends seems a little inappropriate in this situation, don't you think? it would definitely have made the unsolicited advice sound even worse and more invasive, imo 😂

and also throughout the entire episode their goal is to be polite and friendly to the other person, since, you know, they're trying to get on the other person's good side in order to get something out of it. and even when (and after) they get to know each other, well, intimately, they don't really have a reason to be rude to each other or use more vulgar language, i feel like? UNLIKE fadel and style, who are actively trying to piss each other off

i'm not surprised that fadelstyle and kantbison use different sets of pronouns for each other since the couples have very different starting points with very different goals that require very different strategies in order to successfully get there

i hope i managed to explain it in a way that makes sense to you <3

[mono-socke]

kleine hurt/comfort Geschichte für Rhun, ft. die anderen vier Brüder. (der Fokus liegt zwar mehr auf Fips und Zeke, aber die anderen zwei sind auch da)

request von @rhuns-zahnseide ! hoffe das ist okay so !

Rhun konnte nicht schlafen.

Der Tag war anstrengend gewesen. Sehr anstrengend. Seitdem xier und xiers Brüder die ersten Andeutungen magischer Kräfte offenbarten, waren die Nonnen ungefähr zehnfach so streng zu ihnen, als sie es früher waren. Natürlich wurde dies um einiges schlimmer, als diese Anzeichen deutlicher und ausgeprägter wurden, und die Nonnen begannen, sie Experimenten zu unterziehen. Qualvolle und schmerzhafte Experimente, um die Magie zu untersuchen und, im Idealfall der Angestellten, zu unterdrücken.

Der Fakt, dass die Kräfte der Brüder nicht im Geringsten zu schwinden schienen, und stattdessen nur stärker und mächtiger wurden, war ihnen offensichtlich nicht von Vorteil. Stundenlang mussten sie sich Qualen unterziehen, bis die Nonnen sie endlich gehen ließen, um zu beten im Gottesdienst or sonstige Arbeit zu erledigen.

Es machte Rhun zu schaffen. Nun, es machte allen zu schaffen. Aber Rhun gab es ungern zu. Wenn keiner der anderen standhaft bleiben konnte, musste xier es eben. Klaus gab zwar sein Bestes, einen auf unbekümmert zu machen, jedoch hatte auch er gelegentlich Zusammenbrüche. Keiner der übrigen drei hatte besonderes Interesse an einem Gruppenzusammenhalt. Rhun selbst auch nicht sonderlich, aber allein und durch Streitereien oder ständiges Zanken würde sich ihre Situation auch nicht bessern.

Jedoch konnte auch Rhun nicht für immer ruhig bleiben. Xier ließ zwar niemals ��ußerliche Schwäche vor xiers Brüdern zu, bestand darauf ihnen bei ihren Aufgaben zu helfen wenn diese besonders schwer waren und schenkte ihnen ein offenes Ohr und Trost, sollte es einer notwendig haben. Rhun war zwar nicht der Älteste im Pack, aber im Vergleich deutlich am Vernünftigsten. Und so sehr Rhun auch Zeit allein liebte und sich nach dieser sehnte, lagen xier die eigenen Brüder doch sehr am Herzen.

Sich um sich selbst zu kümmern fiel Rhun im Gegensatz jedoch relativ schwer. So einfach es war, einem der Anderen zuzuhören und Zuspruch zu geben, so schwer war es allerdings auch, selbst mal um Hilfe zu bitten. Oft genug fraß Rhun lieber alle Sorgen und Zweifel in sich hinein, als dass xier jemanden bat, mit xier darüber zu reden.

So kam es nun eben, dass Rhun öfter mal wach im Bett lag, die anderen alle schon am schlafen, und die Decke anstarrte. Einfach nur nach oben sah, und vor sich hin schwieg, in der Hoffnung, doch noch einzuschlafen. Wenn sie tagsüber müde waren, waren die Nonnen besonders streng.

Ab und zu wurde es dann doch zu viel für Rhun, und statt nur stillschweigend da zu liegen stand xier auf, verließ das Bett das xier sich mit den anderen teilte und setzte sich an einer entfernten Ecke des Raumes hin, die Knie an die Brust gezogen und den Kopf in den Armen. In dem Wunsch, xiers Brüder nicht zu wecken tat xier alles um so leise wie möglich zu bleiben. Manchmal konnte Rhun die Tränen, und die darauffolgenden schweren Atemzüge um ja nicht zu weinen, nicht unterdrücken.

Rhun wollte nicht weinen. Weder in Gegenwart anderer, noch allein. Xier musste die Fassung behalten, egal was geschah. Ohne den nötigen Vernunft würde nichts funktionieren, wie es sollte, und dieser würde sicherlich von niemandem sonst kommen. Aber Rhun konnte weder den merkwürdigen Druck in xiers Kehle, noch die verschwommene Sicht, noch sonst irgendwas unterdrücken, und so saß xier einfach da, und spürte wie langsam der Stoff von xiers Ärmel nass wurde.

Zu vertieft darin, auf Krampf leise zu bleiben, hörte Rhun nicht das Geräusch einer sich bewegenden Decke. Sowohl dass einer der anderen vier scheinbar aufgewacht war, als auch dass dieser Rhun seine Aufmerksamkeit schenkte, bekam xier nicht mit. Erst nachdem wer auch immer aufgewacht war sich aufgesetzt hatte und langsam aus dem Bett stieg, wurde Rhun auf seine Präsenz aufmerksam. Das Knarren des Bodens ließ xier fast zusammenzucken, und Rhun traute sich kaum zu atmen.

Logisch gesehen wusste Rhun natürlich, dass es niemand war, der xier verletzen wollte. Es konnten weder die Nonnen, noch sonst irgendwer von außerhalb des Zimmers sein. Und doch war xiers Adrenalinrausch so hoch, dass xier angespannt und nervös wurde.

Die vorsichtigen und langsamen Schritte gingen auf xier zu und Rhun's Atem stockte, als sie zu einem Stehen kamen. Die andere Person hielt scheinbar einen Moment inne, bevor er sich neben Rhun auf den kalten Boden setzte und der fast zitternden Person neben sich eine Hand auf die Schulter legte. Die sanfte Geste und die Wärme neben xier, schienen Rhun zu beruhigend und xier sah endlich auf.

Neben xier saß einer der jüngeren Brüder. Der jüngste, um genau zu sein. Fips.

Und Fips sah xier besorgt an, so ehrlich besorgt, wie Rhun ihn schon lange nicht mehr erlebt hat.

“Alles okay bei dir?” fragte er leise, damit keiner der restlichen drei aufwachte. Rhun nickte zwar nicht, versuchte aber trotzdem rasch ihn zu beruhigen und abzuschütteln. Xier hatte nichts dagegen sich mit Fips zu unterhalten, aber nicht jetzt und nicht hier und nicht über dieses Thema. “Geht schon. Alles in Ordnung.”

“Du siehst nicht wirklich ‘in Ordnung’ aus,” beharrte Fips, und die Hand auf Rhun's Schulter hielt unmerklich etwas fester. Xier wischte sich schnell über die Augen und blinzelte frisch aufkommende Tränen weg, doch xiers Stimme klang beim Besten Willen nicht so gelassen wie sonst immer.

“Ich komm klar, keine Angst. Geh lieber wieder schlafen, sonst bist du morgen früh müde.”

“Nur wenn du auch schläfst."

Mit Fips zu argumentieren war schon immer ziellos.

Er war stur und dickköpfig aber seine Aktionen und Aussagen kamen meistens dann doch aus Empathie und Sorge, auch wenn er dies natürlich nicht zugeben wollte. Vorallem nicht vor Zeke und Klaus. Klaus würde ihn behätscheln bis zum geht nicht mehr, aber Zeke würde ihn regelrecht aufziehen damit, ihn peinigen und verspotten bis einer der anderen ihn aufhalten würde.

Rhun schüttelte nur den Kopf, absolut nicht in der Stimmung, jetzt eine Diskussion anzufangen, und fragte stattdessen, “Warum bist du überhaupt wach?” “Hab leise Geräusche gehört und als ich gesehen habe, dass du hier alleine sitzt, konnte ich nicht weiterschlafen,” gab Fips achselzuckend zu.

Danach verfielen beide erstmal in unangenehmes Schweigen, da keiner wirklich wusste, was sie sagen konnten oder sollten. Fips’ Hand blieb auf der Schulter seines Bruders liegen und begann beruhigende Kreisbewegungen zu machen. Rhun wusste, dass xiers jüngster Bruder noch nie sonderlich talentiert mit tröstenden Worten war, und wurde schnell, unabsichtlich schroff oder aggressiv. Deshalb vertraute Fips seinem Mund in solch ernsten Situationen nicht und schwieg.

Rhun hingegen fühlte sich nicht sonderlich nach dem Reden. Xier wäre lieber wieder alleine, aber solange Fips nicht versuchen würde, jegliche Informationen aus xier herauspressen, wäre es ertragbar.

Nach einer Weile legte Fips vorsichtig seinen Kopf auf die Schulter seines älteren Bruders, extrem langsam und zögerlich, als ob er erwartete, dass Rhun jede Sekunde zurückweichen und ihn anmotzen würde. Was xier allerdings nicht tat. Xier akzeptierte die Nähre xiers Bruder einfach, denn eigentlich war die Wärme die er ausstrahlte überraschend angenehm. So angenehm, Rhun's Gedanken verwandelten sich langsam von einem wirren und überwältigenden Durcheinander in etwas Ruhigeres.

Schon bald begann auch xiers Atem wieder zu entspannen, was auch Fips zu bemerken schien. “Weißt du… Du musst mir nicht sagen, was los ist, aber wenn du mal reden willst…,” fing er an, immer noch etwas unsicher. Jedoch merkte Rhun, dass das Angebot vollkommen ehrlich gemeint war. Rhun hatte ihm zuvor mehrfach geholfen, von Aggression und Reizungen herunterzukommen, also wollte Fips nun sich offenbar revanchieren.

“Werde ich mir merken, danke,” gab Rhun ihm als Antwort, und xier konnte schwören ein leichtes Lächeln im Gesicht des Anderen zu sehen. Fips nickte und hob seinen Kopf wieder hoch. “Nur so als Vorwarnung, ich hab keine Ahnung, wie sehr ich als Psychologe tauge. Ich kann zwar viel hören, aber ob Hasen gute Therapeuten sind, bin ich mir nicht ganz sicher.”

Rhun musste leise kichern, was auch xiers Bruder dazu animierte zu grinsen. Mal kein genervtes Augenrollen zu bekommen, war etwas, an das sich Fips gewöhnen könnte. “Ach, das ist schon okay.”

Wenige Momente später, als wieder Stille einkehrte, musste Rhun sich die Nase hochziehen, als Nachwirkung des Weinens. Dieses Geräusch weckte allerdings einen weiteren von xiers Brüdern. Die beiden sitzenden Brüder beobachteten wie Zeke sich langsam aufsetzte im Bett und eine Hand über die Augen rieb.

“Klaus, hast du schon wieder Albträume?” fragte Zeke, halb genuschelt, und schaute zu dem Ältesten der fünf, der jedoch friedlich am Schlafen war. Verdutzt schaute sich Zeke im Raum um, versuchte den Ursprung des Geräusches zu finden und schaute stutzig auf die zwei die vor dem Bett saßen und gerade zurückschauten.

Schnell fiel auf, dass Rhun derjenige mit leicht geröteten Augen und Nase war, und sogar xiers Wangen glänzten leicht mit dem Überbleibsel einzelner Tränenspuren.

“Rhun…?” fragte Zeke ungläubig. Der Fakt, dass es Rhun war und nicht Fips, welcher emotional geworden war, schien echt eine Überraschung zu sein. Naja, es war schließlich mal eine Abwechslung von anderen nächtlichen Szenarien. Immernoch etwas verblüfft wandte sich Zeke zu dem jüngsten, der sich nicht von seinem Platz neben Rhun bewegte und sich fast schon unter dem strengen Blick zusammenkauerte.

“Hase?” Auf einmal war Zekes Stimme fern von besorgt, stattdessen angespannt und wütend. “Ich schwöre dir bei allem was dir heilig ist, wenn du xier auch nur im entferntesten-”

“Zeke, stopp," unterbrach Rhun, bevor es eskalieren konnte. Zeke war immer schon beschützerisch xier gegenüber gewesen, und hasste es, Rhun traurig oder verletzt zu sehen, wodurch Zeke auch selten zurückwich davon, dem Verantwortlichen mal ordentlich die Meinung zu geigen. Vorallem wenn es sich auch nur im Entferntesten um Fips handelte.

Zeke saß bereits am Ende des Bettes, ließ die eigenen Finger knacken und war im Inbegriff aufzuspringen und auf Fips loszugehen, welcher unter Schock zurückwich.

“Lass ihn in Ruhe,” nahm Rhun den Jüngsten in Schutz, und glücklicherweise war xiers Stimme inzwischen wieder autoritär genug, um Zeke innehalten zu lassen.

“Aber wenn er-”

“Hat er nicht. Es ist alles okay.”

Zeke sackte in sich zusammen und verkreuzte die Arme, eine Augenbraue war zwar noch gehoben, jedoch kamen keine weiteren Gegenargumente mehr. Nach einigen Momenten der Stille in denen Zeke scheinbar einen inneren Konflikt mit sich selbst austrug, kletterte Zeke über das Fußende des Bettes und gesellte sich zu den anderen zwei. Instinktiv setzte sich Zeke auf Rhun's andere Seite und hielt xiers Arm fest, fast gewillt xier von Fips wegzuziehen, allerdings nicht interessiert an einem möglichen Streit. Zumindest nicht mit Rhun.

"Sicher, dass alles okay ist?” fragte Zeke, immer noch leicht besorgt.

“Mach dir keine Sorgen um mich.”

Zwar waren Rhun's Sorgen nicht vollkommen gelindert oder verpufft, allerdings war xier auch nicht mehr danach zu weinen und Trübsal zu blasen. Die Anwesenheit und zumindest der Versuch des Aufmunterns hatten deutliche Auswirkungen auf Rhun, aus welchem Grund auch immer. Gemeinsam Zeit zu verbringen wirkte beruhigend auf xier, und so gern Rhun auch Zeit allein verbrachte, desto verrückter konnten xiers Gedanken werden.

In der Stille konnte xier sich zwar am Besten konzentrieren und logischen Denken, aber zu lange ohne Ablenkung gab es viel zu viel zum Nachdenken was definitiv nicht logisch und ruhig war.

“Bist du sicher?” meldete sich Fips erneut, seine großen Augen, die sich inzwischen an die Dunkelheit gewöhnt hatten, trauten sich kaum in Zekes Richtung zu schauen, und fokussieren sich stattdessen auf die wenigen Dekorationen auf der Wand ihnen gegenüber.

“Ich bin mir sicher,” bestätigte Rhun und brachte eine von xiers Händen auf seinen Arm um Fips zu beschwichtigen.

Als Rhun wieder aufschaute, trafen xiers Augen direkt auf Klaus’. Keiner von ihnen hatte bemerkt, dass die schlafenden zwei inzwischen ebenfalls aufgewacht waren, und während Eos nur schweigend zusah musste Klaus gähnen, sichtlich träge von Müdigkeit. Als er jedoch realisierte was dort vor ihm vor sich ging, hielt er inne.

“Was geht denn bei euch drei ab? Alles klar bei euch?” fragte er, sichtlich verwundert, dass Zeke und Fips sich nicht in den Haaren hatten.

Zeke winkte schnell ab. “Jo, alles klar soweit.”

“Dann kommt wieder ins Bett. Es ist mitten in der Nacht,” forderte Klaus sie auf, rutschte sogar etwas zur Seite, um ihnen den benötigten Platz zu verschaffen. Nach kurzem Zögern stand Fips langsam vom kalten Boden auf und bot Rhun und sogar Zeke seine Hände an, um ebenfalls aufzustehen. Rhun nahm sie, Zeke starrte ihn zwar kurz ungläubig an, willigte aber kurzerhand ein und sprang rasch mit seiner Hilfe auf.

Auf dem Weg zurück zum Bett gähnte Zeke, streckte den Rücken und ließ sich schließlich rückwärts auf die Matratze neben Eos fallen. Rhun und Fips gesellten sich zu ihm, jedoch langsamer und vorsichtiger. Rhun endete in der Mitte der fünf, Zeke mit einem Arm um xiers und einen um Eos’ Schulter, Fips traute sich zwar nicht Rhun zu umarmen, lag aber extrem nah an xier, und Klaus legte selbst einen Arm um Fips, um nicht ausgeschlossen zu werden.

“Gruppenkuscheln!” verkündigt Klaus, was Fips überraschte, fast mehr als dass Klaus halb auf ihm lag. “Ey! Erdrück mich halt gleich,” beschwerte er sich, was wiederum Zeke zum Lachen brachte.

“Ach Hase, nicht immer gleich so abweisend,” kommentierte Zeke und verwuschelte ihm die Haare, bevor Fips die Hand wegschlug. “Das sagst du nur so lang, bis der alte Sack auch auf dir liegt!” Klaus umarmte ihn als Antwort nur noch enger und grinste.

“Ist ja schön dass ihr zwei Spaß habt, aber ich und Rhun würden gerne weiterschlafen,” warf Eos ein. Rhun nickte, “Ich stimme zu.” “Na schön…,” gab Klaus nach.

“Gut. Dann schlaf schön,” sagte Zeke und bevor Rhun irgendetwas antworten konnte, wurden xiers Augen zugehalten und xier konnte das eigene, leise Lachen nicht unterdrücken. Rhun kicherte und versuchte halbherzig, Zeke wegzudrücken, allerdings ohne Erfolg, weshalb xier nachgab und einfach versuchte sich zu entspannen.

“Mhm, dir auch gute Nacht.”

[puffles]

Doesn't this just do the same thing at the end of the day?? "`Western view of their identities and manipulated the text in the process" lol??

[kingoftheu]

love everything about the creature from before the time of labels in Hilda S3E6. The design. The voice. The little airsacks on the neck. The menacing hunt. The whole "if you are not food than you are friends" thing. Cryptic references, refusing all labels. iconic being

[creaturefeaster]

Does your husband respect your identity?

He wouldn't be my husband if he didn't!

[gendercensus]

Just a question but as someone who's nullpronominal / uses no pronouns, I'm wondering why "use name as pronouns" and "no pronouns" were split in the pronoun polls?

I + the other nullpronominal people I know all consider ourselves both (since we usually have to phrase it as "no pronouns, please just use my name if you refer to me!" for people to understand) so we're just a little curious about the split there.

Or am I just totally misreading this and it's about using a name as a pronoun set? (e.g. emily/emily's/emilyself)

In previous big annual surveys I've combined "use name as pronouns" and "avoid pronouns" into one checkbox option, including this year.

But I have always wondered whether technically they're the same option or not. I've learned in the past that combining two almost-identical options is sometimes unexpectedly Trouble, for one. And also, I can sort of see how the two are very subtly different, if I think about it too much:

"Avoid pronouns" is when you refer to someone by name and then, in all speech where you would use a pronoun, you sneakily avoid pronouns somehow.

"Chris said his sister liked her birthday present" --> "Chris said his sibling liked the birthday present"

"This is Chris! He likes zebras" --> "This is Charlie, who likes zebras"

"Use name as pronoun" is when you substitute in someone's name in any place where you would have used a pronoun.

"Chris bought a coffee for himself and one for his friend Sadie" --> "Alex bought a coffee for Alex and one for Alex's friend Sadie"

Or, as you said, that could well use "Alexself" as the reflexive, nounself style.

So, perhaps this is the start of me investigating whether there is a difference, and whether anyone prefers one but not the other. (Then I can decide whether to split them in the big annual survey.)

[ The tournament we're talking about ]

[mantisgodsdomain]

Fun note of the specific pronoun situation with the translation errors between Wasp and Bugnish: under normal circumstances, Jayde would get automatically assigned he/him in Bugnish, since she uses the standard "non-queen social bug" pronouns that roughly 95% of the Wasp Hive do, which get translated to drone pronouns in Bugnish due to a roughly century-old miscommunication. She gets assigned worker pronouns in Bugnish specifically because those are what Kabbu defaults to with social bugs, and other people picked it up from him during introductions. This Will Be A Point Of Confusion For Her Whenever She Asks About It.

[apollos-olives]

PRODUCER USED THEY/THEM PRONOUNS FOR ME

[stinkylittleanon]

Imagine 

Cuddling with Leviathan in his demon form. He’s cold blooded, ofc, but he has the tightest grip on you because you’re so damn warm and perfect. You’ve got blankets wrapped around you both and ngl his bathtub bed seems like the perfect place to stuff a bunch of pillows and plushies in. He’d have his tail wrapped around you and he’d keep nuzzling you in his sleep <3 He canonly does move around a lot in his sleep, though when he falls asleep with you in his arms and him in yours he doesn’t move a muscle <3333 

[anirritant]

(This a continuation of previous events found here and here. Also uhh this got longer than I thought and a bit edgier than I planned oops....)

(TW for mentions of torture and murderous intent I guess??? my guy is less-than-hinged lmao. it doesn't go too in-depth)

Okay. Darkrai... hadn't expected this, but, he can't say he doesn't understand how the other him was acting. He knows now that he'd been too hasty in his excitement, babbling and possibly coming across as, well, mildly deranged. He'd usually have more tact, okay? He's had a terribly long day filled with scheming and manipulating and battling and, ahem, acting. As well as a particularly turbulent travel through time, to top off everything else. Could you blame him for slipping a bit when he hasn't been permitted any rest?

So, yes, he certainly may have come across as rather off-putting. Depending on just how far in the past he's been sent, this version of him may not have even thought of messing with time yet, making his claims seem rather out-of-nowhere. Or, the other may believe him to be an illusionary impostor, not being experienced enough to easily see through those cheap tricks (that are, of course, not cheap when used by himself,) like he can now.

He knew exactly why the other reacted like this -- centuries of being endlessly backstabbed would lead anyone to being quite distrustful, and clearly those centuries are fresh memories for his previous self. Centuries more had it taken to refine his ability to pick out truths from deception, and he's led to believe that the other lacks those many latter years of experience.

Though, even extensive experience in detecting a lack of untruths may not've have been enough to mitigate suspicion. If he had been met by his future self who fervently divulged plans to team up for world domination, he'd be ecstatic! Which, of course, would lead straight into suspicion because nothing ever goes his way like that. It'd sound too good to be true. So, yes, he can understand.

But that didn't make it any less irritating and demeaning. Him, HIM, elicitor of nightmares and despair, being dragged about by his hair like an unruly hatchling!? If it weren't necessary to prove he's on the other's side, (if he weren't too injured to fight back,) he'd be tearing the insolent fool to shreds!

As it is, he flails and shrieks indignantly.

"What are you DOING!?", he cries, grabbing at the claws entangled in his hair, "We're on the same side! We have the same goals -- or, well, they aren't your goals yet, but they will be!"

The other simply ignores him and continues pulling him along as he defiantly rakes his legs into the dirt in an ineffective attempt to slow them both. The other glares at the sight of the ruined grass left in their trail but says nothing, continuing to drag him towards the edge of the island, in the opposite direction of the larger landmass. Towards the closer island he'd spotted before.

Ignoring him... Ignoring him!? The nerve--! Had he truly possessed such arrogance in his youth!?

... Well. Don't answer that.

He still hasn't stopped sputtering and ranting even after they've left the land behind and begun traversing the water, forcing him to begin floating as well lest he get his legs wet. And his past self still hasn't said anything! He'd find the self-restraint admirable and compliment himself for it -- the other's accomplishments are his accomplishments, after all -- if it weren't utterly infuriating! He should be using this time allowing his strength to return and concocting a new plan for a global apocalypse, not... this!

Feeling exceptionally petty, he abruptly stops supporting his own weight around three minutes into their traversal over water. He'd been remarkably agreeable so far, he'd say, but he's reached his limit. If his past self was so intent on ignoring his words, and so intent on dragging him who-knows-where, then the other can support the weight of both of them. Hmph.

Next thing he knew, he was being dunked into the water.

He coughed and spat and gagged and wheezed as he shot himself upwards, only to get rudely yanked back down by the hair again. The other had finally paused their journey, and instead was... laughing! At HIM! No, he's had enough, he cannot let this slide! He is the other's senior by centuries, he is the authority here, he would NOT be laughed at!

"You... Y-you--!!" He cut himself off as he started violently heaving again, producing even more laughter from the other.

His breathing became ragged and harsh, a low, animalistic growl ripping from his throat. His claws clenched so hard it was painful and he suspected he had drawn blood, but he didn't care to check.

Now. Darkrai had had a very long, very tiring, exhausting, humiliating, wretched day. But he'd weaseled his way out of it, he thought. He'd gotten out alive, he was somewhere away from those that would've ended him, somewhere even he hadn't recognised, somewhere they would be very hard-pressed to find. Somewhere to rest, regain his strength, and plan another attempt.

Even better, he found who he was certain would be an ally to him. Who better to team up with than himself? No one else would ever understand the unbridled hate bubbling away inside him, no one else would ever share a desire for his ideal world, he'd accepted that and decided long ago that he simply didn't quite care about what others thought.

But now he had someone that would understand, right? Someone he could talk to, right? Someone he could rule the world alongside, right? Someone to treat him with respect for once in his horrid, cursed existence? Right?

So why, why, even now, is humiliation still all he ever endures?

In mere seconds his fury had turned downright murderous. He'd tried explaining himself, he'd avoided violence, he'd tried what amounts to his version of being nice, simply because he was dealing with his own immature self. But his efforts were ignored, and he was reduced to something to laugh at. Of course. Of course! It's nothing new, is it!? Nothing ever changes. Nothing, nothing, nothing. No respect for Darkrai, never ANY respect for Darkrai!

The abrupt urge to kill the prompter of that infernal chorus of phantom laughter echoing in his head was overwhelming. Were it any other being in existence his rage was directed towards, he would have, right there, right now. His claws were trembling, not from the sopping cold, but from the sheer effort it took to not clamp them around that neck and squeeze.

But he cannot. That would have disastrous consequences for himself, and he couldn't have that. And that's fine. Yes, that's fine. Fine.

Because he has a better idea. A much, much better idea.

A delirious calm washes over him. Yes, it's okay that he can't strangle the other to death, you see? His past, young, silly self simply needs guidance. Needs to be taught respect, needs to have the grave error pointed out, needs to recognise the difference in power, the inferiority to him.

There's a proven formula for this. Proven to him, and then by him, again and again and again over his several-millennia-long existence. It always proves true, always, that the only reliable path to respect is to instil sheer, abject terror.

He cannot truly kill the other, but, in his domain, in a nightmare? He can kill, over, and over, and over again. He's done so countless times, in the most creative of ways, and he never grew sick of it. He'd go on and on and on, until his victims lose the energy to scream, and then still on and on some more. He hasn't hated enough to subject a victim to such torment in a while. He'll savour every second...

The other will try to wrench control away from him, he's certain. Drawing upon the same power, attempting to loosen his iron grip, and failing miserably in a way that cements his place at the top. He is older, he is better, more experienced, superior. He will make it happen. He will. He will.

The other has long-since stopped laughing even as the phantom chorus continues, and is instead eyeing him with confusion and a touch of concern. Hah. Hahah. A bit late for that, he thinks.

With a wheezed, stuttering chuckle of his own, he summons the beginnings of his Dark Void to his claws, already vividly picturing just how he'd go about splintering a mind to pieces this time around. A bit of physical torture, then psychological torment, followed by some obliteration of the sense of self -- that was always so very funny to watch, hah, hah...

...

Why was the world spinning?

He hadn't noticed, too absorbed in his vengeful thoughts, but the summoned Dark Void had barely flickered into existence before weakly petering out. He simply didn't have the strength. The exhaustion, the injuries, a jet-lag equivalent for portal travel, and a touch of possible hypothermia had combined to make him quite frail and ill, and the attempt to draw upon his power only sapped away at what little strength remained.

He was teetering in the air even though he was still being held up by its claws, his eyes unfocused as his body shivered and dripped. The other now felt bad for laughing -- he was clearly much less well than he had seemed. Is that why he had stopped maintaining his own hover, before? They had assumed it was a spiteful act and had therefore allowed him to fall... now they felt really bad.

Why hadn't he just said he was unwell?

Pride, its thoughts hummed immediately. If anything was clear about this supposed "future self" of theirs, it was that he was self-absorbed to a comical degree, and utterly seethed when he wasn't the one in control. He was... well, rather foul and unlikeable and very untrustworthy; the mere thought of him insisting the two of them were the same was skin-crawling. But he was unwell, all the same.

The Darkrai that was not on the brink of collapse looked to the distant island, still quite a ways away. Around two hours if one was travelling alone, but if, say, one had to carry around an unconscious double of themself, it'd be quite a lot longer and more exhausting.

With a sigh, they came to a decision. It wouldn't be ideal treatment, but there was a small stash of medical supplies available, if they returned. It would've been much more preferable to visit Cresselia sooner, but it seems that these ailments need addressing immediately rather than after over two hours of travel. So, for now, a careful Hypnosis lulls the injured to sleep as they carry him back to Newmoon Island.

He'd been so out of it that he hadn't noticed to protest... rather sad.

And, no, the look of murderous rage and the feeble attempt to use Dark Void had not gone unnoticed. A cautionary Disable was cast as well.

[dead-tireddualies]

Omg they're here finally

They're both siblings, ones in a relationship and the other watches their sibling get cornered and steals their kills during matches (working on all of my ocs lore including theirs rn 😊)