#because his reaction to them is “who the fuck is that guy”

[my-castles-crumbling]

freshman - march 1 - jegulus - @taylorswiftmicrofic - NSFW (implied sex but not detailed) - word count: 523

“....so fucking perfect, guys,” James said reverently, laying on his dorm bed and grinning, knowing he had been rambling for too long, and yet completely unable to stop. He’d been talking about this all day, and yet he couldn’t stop thinking about it. Thinking about him. “He had…God, the most perfect eyes, and this little smirk that just…fuck. And his body. Fuck, I would’ve been happy just staring, but then he just dragged me into that room, and pushed me on the bed-”

“We’re happy for you, mate,” Sirius interrupted, grinning, even though all of them had heard the story of James’s mystery man at least ten times. “Glad you had fun at the party.”

“Oh, the party was awful. Right, Pete?” James asked Peter, who still looked a bit pale from the amount of alcohol he’d consumed. 

“I think so,” Peter mumbled, head in his hands.

“But fuck, it didn’t even matter. That guy was….” James grinned and launched into the more specific details again.

Remus and Peter seemed to zone out, but Sirius, the amazing friend he was, smiled and nodded along as James went on and on, giving a play-by-play, asking the appropriate questions and giving the appropriate reactions.

“...and I think I’m in love,” James finished, after giving the details about how he and the other man finished. “But I’m kicking myself because I didn’t get his number! Didn’t even get his name!”

“M’sure you’ll see him soon,” Sirius said bracingly, clapping him on the shoulder. “The school’s small. Which reminds me– Reg’s starting as a freshman here this year! I told him to stop by to visit soon, so he can meet all of you.”

The others made noises of excitement. Ever since they’d started rooming together at University last year, they’d heard a lot about Regulus, and everyone was eager to meet him. Before any more could be said, there was a knock on the door of their room.

“Reg!” Sirius yelled, ignoring Peter’s moan of complaint at his loudness. He bounded off of his bed and wrenched open the door. “Mates, this is-”

James stared into the gray-blue eyes he’d been thinking about for the past twelve hours and gasped out loud. “Fuck,” he mumbled, his shock mirrored in Regulus’s own expression.

It was Remus who realized first, and Peter shortly after. They broke into fits of giggles as Sirius still looked between James and Regulus confusedly, obviously missing something. But after twenty blissful seconds, he gasped a truly horrified gasp. 

“Oh no,” he cried, turning a deep shade of maroon. “Oh my God. James!” He pointed a shaking finger at James, who had a hand over his mouth. “You-you told me all about how much you love shagging my brother!? You gave me details! Oh fuck, I asked questions!”

James glanced at Regulus, who seemed to be struggling not to join in on Remus and Peter’s laughter. He sent James a smirk and said. “That good, eh?”

And James couldn’t help but nod. “Yeah,” he admitted, voice rough.

“Someone kill me,” Sirius wailed in the background.

But James was too busy staring at Regulus again.

[silkenwinger]

You know you're about to have a problematic day when you wake up with your tinnitus giving you hell again. At breakfast, Gaz reproaches you for not wearing the ear guards that one time, again, and you almost shove him off his chair. You massage your ear while drinking your coffee when Soap shows up, expression decidedly cat-like.

"Lass, you may want to check the notice board in the corridor," he hums, twinkle in his eyes.

"For what? Someone selling their used raggy shoes?"

"Nope," he pops the p, "it's all about you, bonnie." You frown.

"Soap, if you did an-"

"Not me," he raises his hands, apparently guiltless, "I had no part in this!" He saunters off, and you get off your chair like it's burning.

"I have a bad feeling," you glance at Gaz, and he's getting up too, now.

"Let's go see."

The board is full of old ads and invitations to meetings. The colour of some of them has faded from how long they've been stapled up there. An eye blinding white paper now sits on the lower edge, previously empty.

To the girl in 141 We kept quite the long eye contact the other day. I'd like to talk to you one on one, respond to this note if you're interested

Well.

"How is this even supposed to work?" You tell Gaz, who's scratching his head as well. The juvenile nature is often intact in military men. "He didn't even put a date. And anyone could reply!"

"Forget that, did you stare at this guy for so long he took it as interest?"

"I- I don't know! Sometimes I space out," you mutter, not remembering anyone you don't know standing out to you lately, "I don't do it on purpose."

"So? Are you going to respond? You can tell him to fuck off too."

"I-"

An arm manifests in front of your eyes. All black, the shadow of someone taller attached to it. The notice comes off the board cleanly, mechanically. Your lieutenant looks at the note to the general costernation of both you and Gaz.

He's a fast reader. A second later, he's already tearing the paper apart, thin white stripes first and then even shorter ones, rendering the original writing completely unreadable. You gape at Ghost, a bit shocked at the reaction. He finally takes note of your face, because he looks away and up, thinking of what to say.

"Task Force 141's members' identities are not supposed to be available for everyone to chatter about," he hisses, his brown eyes now glaring at you again.

For some reason, you don't think that's the full truth of it. Your ear rings quietly.

[skyfallscotland]

Quicksilver, by Callie Hart 🦋

She is moonlight. The mist that shrouds the mountains. The bite of electricity in the air before a storm.

Ohh boy. Personally I think she is none of those things, but that's me getting ahead of myself. God, I feel so anxious posting a book reaction after the Onyx Storm Debacle, but here we are, with a book I didn't love...again.

So...I started this one with a running commentary again (Throne of Glass style) but I couldn't quite commit. We will however approach it chronologically, because that's an easier way to show my thoughts as they evolved.

Would I recommend this book? No. And I’ll tell you why, but there are spoilers ahead so be aware of that.

Friends...I did not enjoy this one and I'm starting to feel like a crazy person. Is this just a massive reading slump? Or am I weird? Because everyone seems to think these books are the best thing since sliced bread and I've not liked a single one of them 😭

My first impressions? Saeris is so cliché. Like oh we're starving and can barely survive, you can see my ribs, but actually I can scale a giant wall and fight all these fully trained guards and win...ok, sure. It's giving 00's YA vibes but alright, I'm rolling with it.

I had no understanding of what it was I was doing, but if this was a world-ending gift, then good. Fuck this city and fuck this world. My family was already doomed, and what did I care for anyone else?

Bit dramatic, but whatever, I'll still ride with you. Who am I to judge? I did write Remi.

“I wear pants. Shirts. Things I can move easily in. So I can run, and climb, and—” Kill people.

"So cliché." I mutter to myself as I put the book down. Then pick it up again. Then put it down again and use the audiobook instead.

At some point, Layne would accept that I just didn't eat that much, and she'd stop loading up my plate with so much food. She'd slip an apple into her pocket for me or something.

*Deep breaths* Saeris would absolutely fit in on mid 2000's tumblr. Babe, this is such a weird flex to include when you’ve already made it very clear she was a starving orphan, ok?

We also met the infamous Carrion—more on that later—and her brother...who sucks. No two ways about it. I hated him immediately. Are there any decent book-brothers out there? Or just...no? I thought from the way he was acting he was going to be fourteen but no, he's like TWENTY, what the fuck 😭

So anyway, hooray! We've fallen through a portal to a new world and that's the stage set—then we meet Kingfisher. Oh man. Kingfisher.

Firstly:

This is a kingfisher. I just want y’all to know that. I know it’s not his ‘real’ name but it’s still what she’s crying out in rapture ok, a choice was made and it wasn’t a good one.

Anyway, surprise surprise, he's an asshole, but here’s the rub: he doesn't seem redemptive.

My jaw was screaming, I was clenching my teeth so hard. “Fuck—you—” “There you go again. Hungry, needy little bitch in heat, begging to be fucked…” he taunted. “Let. Go!”

I’m ok with enemies to lovers, but there has to be a hint at least that the ‘bad guy’ can be a decent person. There has to be something that hooks me about him—his entire personality can’t just be ‘asshole’, and above all, despite the fact he doesn’t like the FMC (even loathes her for all I care) he has to at least have some basic respect for her, otherwise I’m not down. That’s just my personal take, you don’t have to agree, but it makes me uncomfortable otherwise.

“I don't hate your kind. I'm just disappointed by how breakable you are. If I held you down and fucked you the way I'm imagining fucking you right now, I doubt that you’d survive it.”

Like that? That’s not cute or arousing in any way.

“That your body is betraying you in other ways. That I can smell you, Little Osha, and I'm thinking about drinking the sweet nectar you're making for me straight from the fucking cup.”

I do also think the smut was just not for me in this book, as a general rule, I did find it very cringe. Case in point ^

A FUNNY INTERLUDE:

—a look of rye amusement on his irritatingly handsome face.

LMAO this was meant to be wry, I assume? There were a few instances like this throughout the book, as well as typos and missing punctuation. Which, we’re all human, I get it, but it kind of annoys me a little when this was picked up for trad pub, pulled from KU (I bought it—twice!) and has since gotten a million dollar Netflix deal. Please, if we’re going to be doing that, the publishing house needs to edit the damn book. Honestly? I think it could have done with 200-300 less pages. A developmental edit was needed, let alone a final edit.

Anyway. Onwards.

So they make a blood pact, in which she agrees to basically do whatever the fuck he says, which is...tired. I'm tired. The book is tired. We're all a little tired here.

Kingfisher held out his hand and pulled me to my feet, making a derisive sound when he saw the cut I'd inflicted upon myself. “Baby.”

It’s just...this utter derision he has for her, his supposed (spoiler alert!) fated mate, that just gives me the ick.

Then there's this:

Kingfisher stunned me to silence when he dropped to his knees and started picking up the shards of broken cup. “It's all right, Archer. Hush, it's all right.”

Ok, this here is the first indication we get that he can be a decent person, and it’s not with her, it’s with some random character we’ve just met. Do I grow to like Archer? Sure, but right now I don’t know him from Adam, all this scene tells me is that Fisher is capable of respect and kindness, just not with Saeris. Be so for fucking real right now, that does not make you want to root for them. If this were your bestie you’d be screaming for them to run. This is the crux of it all. We had to get like 300 pages into this book for there to be a single hint of redemption in him and to me that's bad technique.

Clearly everyone else disagrees since they're out there praising it, but I've nearly DNF'd so many times by now, because you're 👏 not 👏 giving 👏 me 👏 crumbs. Please, give the reader something! It's all well and good for people to be out here going "well he's like that for a reason" (spoiler alert: the reason sucks, it's just the cliché 'I wanted to push her away for her own safety) but his reasoning means shit if people lose interest and don't get far enough to find out what it even is.

Note: by 'people' I mean the rest of the internet, not anyone here specifically, but since a few of you have said the same, just know that's a generalisation and I still love you! But I fear my point stands, his change of heart/any indication of kindness comes too late in the game for it to be an effective character arc (more on this later!!)

Anywho—

I shouldn't have moaned. I definitely shouldn't have told him that I wanted him. For the love of all the gods in all the heavens, why had I said that? I was going to throw up.

Same babe. Why did you? Why do you?

I couldn't believe we'd finally arrived here.

Me either!! 56% of the way in! We've basically done absolutely nothing but wander around and talk about how hot and mean he is for 300 pages but finally you're...doing things...with him 😬

Every part of me wanted to scramble from the bed and bolt for the door, but I knew that would be folly. Just like a hell cat, Fisher would give chase.

So terrified every part of you wants to bolt for the door...charming. Very hot. Love that for you.

“I could probably use a sho—” “Do not fucking dare finish that sentence,” he snarled. “I don't want a mouthful of soap and perfume. I want to taste you.”

Shower. She was going to say shower.

Another note, because I'm incapable of not shouting this from the rooftops when the occasion arises—vaginas are self-cleaning, there should be no soap or perfume going in there! You would have tasted her anyway you dumbass. You'd think he'd know that, given he's supposedly been in more of them than your local gynaecologist.

“And we can’t lie.”

*deep breaths* since WHEN? And that only makes it worse??

I'd imagined the words. Fabricated them out of thin air and somehow played them aloud in my own head in his voice.

Oh, hey Violet, how did you get here?

So anyway, then we enter the final conflict? Confrontation? Where she needs to go and save her newfound mate from under the mountain the bad guy's place! (oh and there's vampires, did I mention that before? No? Well there is now).

Anyway, turns out Rhysand Kingfisher was trapped there for 110 years with big bad Malcolm, who it's implied sexually assaulted him during that time, but we never address that. Why? Well this is romantasy and we only have six-hundred pages, why would we? Just throw traumatic experiences in there for the sake of it, why not?

Anyway—

“That's right. Fifty-five. He spent the next eight years trying to find the coin once he reached the center, didn't you, my love?”

I'm?????

55+8=63... what happened to the other 47 years? Guys? I'm????

Whatever, who cares about math! We're on the escape until—WOAH.

“It can't see or hear you. It tracks movement.”

Don't panic, don't panic, we all know how to defeat the middengard wyrm whatever that thing is! And we do. But not really, because everything in this maze regenerates, just like romantasy plotlines.

More fighting, more evil villain monologuing, etc.

THEN Saeris has to go and find a coin to break the blood oath Kingfisher made with big-bad, even though big-bad said he broke it himself five minutes ago during his evil monologue in order to make Fishie confess to...things.

“I release you from your oath to us, Kingfisher, Bane of Gillethrye. Now, go on. Tell your friends all about the deal you struck with us all those years ago.”

But no matter, we're off to find a coin and no worries, we've got that down! Of course in the process Feyre Saeris dies and gets brought back to life again as an all powerful fae/vampire queen hybrid. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT?

Not me, even I couldn't have predicted that double-doozy. Probably this guy though:

Zareth. God of Chaos.

Which? NO. Nope. No. Too late. FAR too late in the game for this. I'm out.

The way we went through so many boring pages of nothingness to this in the last 20% is truly something.

OK! SIDE CHARACTERS:

Danya was a complete and total waste of everyone's time, she existed only to be the bitchy, elitist mean girl side character who was mean to poor Saeris and occassionally made her jealous. This one-dimensional treatment of female characters grinds my gears. Even Everlayne, Kingfisher's sister was entirely useless, making Saeris the special female unicorn. Pretty sure this book fails the Bechdel test.

Ren was nice, I liked him, poor long-suffering man that he was.

Lorreth. Man, y'all can't shut up about Carrion and you're really sleeping on Lorreth. This man saved me from DNF'ing, he was fantastic. Put some respect on his name! 10/10 no notes. The guy you'd actually want to get with if this book were real.

He'd still looked dumbstruck as he headed off in the direction of his tent, cradling Avisiéth like a baby in his arms.

Carrion. CARRION. Ok straight up...is that really a word we want to be using as a name? Really? Is it relevant? Like did we do that on purpose because he somehow reflects roadkill? I figured we'd find out, but NOPE 💀

Who fucking knows at this point though whether it is his name. I doubt it, given Kingfisher's name is apparently not Kingfisher either. Personally though I still think that should have been addressed in the book. It's over 200k words, you can tell us why certain nicknames exist.

The thief held up his hands. “You're right. I apologize. I'm just a little on edge right now. I'm not my best self.”

Hilarious, there to cause trouble most of the time, 10/10, almost no notes.

“Are you going to tell me about my parents, or are you going to start undressing each other? Because I can leave. I don't have to, but I can,” Carrion said.

Except the part where he turns out to be a thousand-year-old fae too and a secret, mystery, vampire-killing-prince dude or whatever, there's a note about that and how it's kinda unnecessary to drop in the final 5%. Was it foreshadowed? Not effectively, no. Also Carrion Daianthus? Roadkill, crows, and...pink flowers? Yeah. That's him. That's the one 💀

Onyx. Token wild animal taken in as pet/familiar trope. She can have this one. He's cute.

Elroy. Dude's definitely going to become important again. How much do we wanna bet he's Fisher's dad? Anyone?

Anyway, this was wildly chaotic and I don't really feel bad about it because so was this book. It started out well in the first 5-10%. It was a slog to read between the 10% mark and 60%. Honestly, it only got better once they'd fucked for the first time, which was because Kingfisher's character did a 180 overnight with a big fat handwavey motion, like our FMC's magic coochie cured him of his violent tendencies. Like not to be crude, but I'm not sure there's any other way of putting it.

I think it's just not a great book, which I also think is a shame because the world is interesting, I loved the parts of alchemy we got (which weren't enough, imo) and the swords, the magic, the portals, the quicksilver, etc. I think it had so much potential and that's ultimately why it also bothers me so much as well. It feels squandered through a lack of refinement and editing.

Will I read the next one? Maybe. I'll let someone else take the hit first and see if it's any better paced this.

This has gone on long enough lmao, so I'll just leave you with one last quote that I think really sums up this book so, so much:

“Not that. The brother part,” she said in a loud whisper. “That’s not common knowledge?” “Well, yes. And no. It's just not spoken about. And it's very, very complicated.”

Yeah...

[click4rainy]

Could you do NSFW headcanons of Shang Tsung please?

Sassy Sorcerer//Shang Tsung Boyfriend HeadCanons

👽:I gotchu pookie bear. teehee 🫶🏼

✅:Proof Read

🖇️:Shang Tsung x Reader

⚠️:NSFW/AFAB!Reader/Mentions of fucking a sassy ass man

SFW 👉🏼👈🏼

★ He’ll never admit it outright, but he’s utterly enchanted with you. He’s used to manipulating others for his benefit, but with you? He uses that silver coated tongue of his for sweet, whispered praises and slow, teasing declarations of devotion.

★ “You think I only speak sweet words to sway you? No, my love….I speak them because every syllable is true. And if you doubt me, allow me to prove it— again and again.”

★ He never openly displays jealousy (or at least he thinks he doesn’t….) but the millisecond somebody’s eyes linger on you for too long, he gets subtly possessive, his hand on your lower back and keeping you close.

★ “I do hate it when people forget their place….shall I remind them?” “They do know you belong to me, don’t they?” “Come love, overeager eyes irk me.”

★ This man absolutely loves to tease you. Mercilessly. Your reactions always amuse him, especially when he gets you all flustered and stammering. Or even if you try to fire back, he revels in it. Always having one up over you.

★ “Oh, why so shy suddenly? We both know there’s no need for that, precious.” “Mmh, witty today, aren’t we?” “Don’t be coy, pet.” “I do love it when you’re angry, it’s quite cute.”

★ A slow graze against your spine, fingertips lightly tracing your pulse, a “casual” brush of his lips near your ear, just remember every touch from your lover is always calculated and intentional.

★ “Every inch of you fascinates me. It’s only natural I indulge in my….curiosities.” He’ll murmur, ghosting his fingers over your collarbone, looking at you with something akin to admiration.

★ I’m gonna say he enjoys watching you sleep. (Not in a creepy way of course! Unless…?) but seriously, there’s just something about the way you look so peaceful. A softness to you that seems to warm his cold heart. It’s a rare moment of genuine affection with a man of his caliber.

★ Softly chuckling as he brushes a lock a hair from your face (or just cupping your cheek lightly) he whispers, “So vulnerable….yet the power you have over me is everything, but.”

★ Shang Tsung loves gift giving—and all of his presents are nothing short of extravagant and mysterious—surprising you with trinkets and artifacts that always seem….otherworldly. When you ask where he gets said gifts, he merely smirks.

★ “Does it really matter where it came from, love? It belongs to you now. And nothing in this realm—nor any other—will change that.”

★ He’s actually an amazing listener despite his self absorbed attitude. Shang values your thoughts, and you intellectually stimulate him. He enjoys conversations where you challenge him, even if he’ll never admit fully when you’ve bested him. “Ah, you truly believe that, do you? Then convince me. I do so enjoy watching you argue with such fire in your eyes.”

★ You two definitely have matching, over the top, lavish robes for spa time. Because Shang Tsung insists on a bi weekly spa time with you. Cucumber eyes, mud baths, green stuff on the face—the whole thing, on top of regular mani/pedis. (Material gworl!!!) he’s just that guy, you know?

★ Finds your defiance extremely attractive. You could be spitting venom into his face until you’re red in your own, challenge his every word, and he would only find himself more obsessed.

★ “Tsk tsk, such spite coming from those sweet lips. You defy me because you’re dissatisfied? Or maybe it’s what comes after, that you’re craving, hmm?”

NSFW 🗿🙈

★ This man is obviously into ownership. You’re his, just as he is yours. Though you’re the one who’s on your knees before him, eager to please more than half the time.

★ “So obedient, you must be wanting some sort of reward,” He coos, cupping your face before tangling your hair around his fingers (or gripping your collar because he’s most definitely into collaring you), pulling your head back to look at him.

★ Shang Tsung is an extremely meticulous man, very passionate when it comes to bringing you pleasure beyond your own comprehension. Toys, his fingers, tongue, dick. Whatever he’s using he knows exactly how to. In fact, he probably knows your body better than you do at this point.

★ “You like this, love?” He’ll grunt out, angling his hips to drive his cock into that sweet spot even deeper than before, making your head fall back as you moan out his name, clawing at his shoulders and back. “And this?” He asks, feigning innocence while drilling into you with more force, hands gripping your hips, sinking his fingertips into the soft skin.

★ Loves overstimulating you to the brink of tears. Using a bullet vibe against your clit with your arms bound behind your back, sat at the edge of the bed, Shang Tsung kicking your feet apart, opening your legs for him, forcing you to take the buzzing sensation, the numbing—tingling—hot feeling builds up, coiling tightly at the pit of your stomach.

★ “Please—I can’t take anymore!” You huff out, but Shang Tsung simply hums in delight, sliding down to his knees as he bumps up the intensity of the bullet, watching you squirm and writhe in his hands, he looks up at you through his lashes, those devious eyes glinting in the dim lighting of your bedroom.

★ “I assure you, darling, you can.” He presses a small peck to your inner thigh, keeping your legs spread for him as he peppers more kisses along your skin.

★ Shang Tsung is a man who gains pleasure from having power and control over others. But especially when he has power over you in bed. Pinning your hands above your head, hiking a knee over his shoulder, shoving your face into the sheets—his actions are usually dominant. (Though pookie is for sure a switch—like he don’t mind getting fucked—but he’s still in charge either way. You know?)

★ “Don’t think for even a moment you have the upper hannnh~” he sputters with his hands tied above him as you grind on top of him, stirring his cock around your insides with a coy little smile. “Of course not, Master��

★ Luxurious BDSM, and by that we mean he fancies extravagant sex swings, bounding you in the finest of silks and fabrics. (No rope burn here—he likes to keep his treasure in pristine condition.) get used to mulberry silk blindfolds. A new color and design for every encounter because a special occasion such as making love with you deserves an equally lovely gift.

★ Breeding Kink. He likes to claim what’s his, and what’s the most personal, intimate, invasive way to do so? To fill you up with his cum until you’re the perfect cream filled dessert, of course.

★ it’s just—the thought of you being filled by him and only him? The idea of planting his seed into your garden? Makes him more than reel. It makes him insatiable. Not that you mind. “That’s it, love, you’ll be sure to take nicely…”

★ Pulling out to just the tip, teasing your clit just before he slams right back into you, hilting with an audible grunt—over and over again and again—until you’re a fucked out mess, thighs quivering and dripping with his essence.

★ “Take nicely…and take all of it, pet.” He warns seductively, scooping whatever dared spill from between your thighs back inside, adding a third finger for good measure, pushing into you deeper, with slowed, controlled movements, making your back arch as you clench around the invasive digits.

★ He may be a selfish man, but once he fucks you up and down the block, he’s always sure you’re comfortable after the fact. Clean sheets, pillows, fresh pajamas, a tray of elegant finger foods displayed before you with your favorite drink in arms reach.

★ “I do not say this lightly, but you have undoubtedly become my greatest weakness…” He’ll croon with a soft smile, caressing your jawline before brushing your hair and putting it in a protective style. (Or he’ll simply give you a scalp massage) praising you on how well you took him as he presses soft kisses to the top of your head, cradling you against his chest.

[weirdero]

I’ve seen a lot of people online saying that Piper is either going to be Quinn 2.0 from Season 1 or Olivia 2.0, and honestly, I get it. I understand where those assumptions are coming from and it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world especially if she ended up as another Quinn. She seems like a nice girl stuck in a fucked up family. But my god that would just be so boringgggg. We’re only on Season 3 it’s way too early for the show to start recycling character archetypes. I also think with the added dynamic of her brothers she’ll be her own evil freaky bitch yk. Anyways the siblings got me fucked up.

Her brothers are themselves. Saxon is the most outrageous out of three I don't think he's ever been proper humbled in his life and has a very very very disgusting black and white outlook on the world.

He's like those men who believe life revolves around sex and sex is just a game. The type of man that excuses his abhorrent terrible behavior on his “natural human instinct”.

Lochlan is definitely chiller, but still a freak in. He seems to crave attention from both of his siblings in a very odd way. He enjoys Saxon’s “life advice” and gossip. I think he’s very aware of his brother’s unhinged nature and recognizes that it’s ridiculous but I genuinely don’t believe he sees it as anything more than that. He’s the kind of guy that just brushes Saxon’s behavior off because “he’s just a silly guy,” YK?

And with Piper, I think he definitely knows she’s the more normal one compared to Saxon. Even though we haven’t seen them interact much yet I think they’re able to have more honest conversations with each other. He tells her that he attempted to pray and even though he didn’t really feel any sort of divine intervention or anything he still chooses to share this with Piper.

He also gives off gossipy vibes. When Saxon tells him he thinks piper has never had sex before he decided to tell piper about it but not in a concerning “our brother is a freak” way but in a playful way, kinda like it’s just some casual chitchat, rather than something deeply weird. Like I mentioned earlier he also excuses his brother behavior by down playing it and explaining the original context of the statement as a “compliment”????

And after piper is clearly disturbed and uncomfortable with this conversation he decides to double down and ask her if she had had sex before.

This gossipy nature comes out during their lunch scene with that whole Kate and Victoria interaction. I already talked about how I interpreted both Kate’s and Victorias feelings in this scene and why the both specifically acted that way in this post but the way Lochlan acts is also very telling of who he is he's the only person at that table to question his mothers odd behavior telling her straight up was was kinda rude. But just like with Saxon I don't he actually cares or takes an issue with how his mom handled that interaction he's not actively trying to call her out but more curious than anything. Get kinda messy with it. YK? Anyways like I said he doesn’t actually care about how she acted based off how he reacts to her prostitution joke laughing along with Saxon and his father. Actually scratch that he looks at Saxon first to check if HES LAUGHING. also he was 100% ready to watch his brother jack off. Weirdo!

Then there’s piper. Like fucking pipe. She does seem to be the most sane out of all of them in the instances that I brought up she’s like literally the only person with an appropriate response. but I still can't properly pin point her. I want to believe she's sane and normal I really do and hell she might be and I might just be too fucking suspicious but there is just something about her. When lochlan tells her about saxsons comment about her sex life her first reaction to me seems defensive. Not even a "why would he say that" type of reaction which she settles for later but a "he doesn't know what I do".

And again, I might be reading into things, but it just feels so specific. I’ve been watching this season with my friends one of them specifically loves Piper’s character and another thinks she’s just a performative white girl Olivia 2.0 But neither of them think she’s a freak.

In defense of my friend who thinks she’s just another privileged white girl she did point out another moment during the family’s lunch conversation

She tells her dad that she didn’t choose this hotel and that it’s not her vibe and its like “Disneyland for rich bohemians from Malibu and their Lululemon leggings”

Then later she’s seen in yoga in what honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if they were Lululemon leggings.

Anyway, it’s almost 8pm where I am now and I need this new episode to drop now.

[little-meowyao]

I really enjoy throwing some random guy with no significant connections to either NMJ or LXC into 3zun.

[lgbtlunaverse]

So I've said multipe times now (here and here) that thinking nmj is just so blinded by privilege he doesn't undertand that acting out of line gets people killed is, in my opinion, a misunderstanding of his character that ignores the part where he's, you know, actively dying the whole time and thinks that's a good thing. But that doesn't mean I don't think privilege plays no role at all in how he views the world.

Specifically, his view that death (at least premature or violent death) means something.

Death isn't always a tragedy to NMJ, but it is always meaningful. If you kill an evil dangerous person for your righteous cause, that death had meaning. There was evil in the world and now there is less of it. Similarly, if you die in the pursuit of your righteous cause, that death has meaning, because the sheer dedication you gave to it that you were willing to die for it will further that cause, and your bretheren will be invigorated by your sacrifice to fight even harder.

If a death isn't meaningful, that's an injustice and it is up to the living to give it meaning. That's what cuts so deep about his father's murder. There were no consequences, no changes, no meaning. Wen Ruohan was just going to get away with it! He fights and wins an entire war to make it mean something, to make it so that the unjust murder of Nie Mingjue's father is part of Wen Ruohan's downfall.

But this is a view he can only hold because he's the kind of person who's death will be meaningful. Most ordinary people's deaths are meaningless. Not ontologically, not inherently, but they are made meaningless because no one cares. For death to be meaningful you either have to be so powerful that anything you risk your life for will be impacted in some way. (Like, say, if you sacrifice a long life for immense martial power in a faustian bargain with a blade) Or if people with that kind of power care enough about you to do so for you. For most people, this isn't true. A starving street kid has no power to change the unfair world that put them there, even if they risk their life trying, and no one will do it for them once they die.

Nie Mingjue knows this in abstract, and of course rightfully believes it's wrong. But all that does is make it yet another righteous cause people should be willing to die for. Everyone's deaths should mean something, we'll make it so or die trying!

This is what the conflict between nieyao is about at its core. Because Jin Guangyao, fundamentally, cannot conceive of his own death as meaningful. Nie Mingjue grew up around powerful men who could change the world but refuse to do so because god forbid they risk a single hair on their perfect heads. Meng Yao, on the other hand, grew up in an environment where no one of importance would blink twice if you died. He was surrounded by meaningless death. Indeed his entire early life is defined by that lack of care.

Meng Shi dies and no one cares. Meng Yao gets thrown off a flight off stairs and no one cares. He has to be the one to do the caring, and once he's gone no one else will do it for him.

So he has to live.

Jin Guangyao eventually gets far enough that he actually does aquire the power to change some things... as long as he's alive. If he changes too much, holds on too tightly to his ideals, he'll die and it'll all be for nothing. He can't sacrifice himself for his goals because doing so would immediately render those goals unobtainable. No one will care about what he tried to do. He won't be a heroic sacrifice, he'll just be trash that finally cleaned itself up.

And well... Nie Mingjue dies, and someone makes it mean something. Makes it mean so much that the entire story of mdzs would not exist without it. Jin Guangyao dies and it doesn't mean anything. Most people are glad to be rid of him, and the few that are not don't do anything to change that.

[uchiha-gaeshi]

I would never wish growing up in a hyper religious African house on my worst enemy. The cognitive dissonance is insane especially if you grow up in the West yet your family (and other African families around you) insist on clinging on to asinine “traditions” that are really just covers for abuse.

[puppppppppy]

Atla live action 😐

[nicoscheer]

Via

“Met alex after today in Chicago, thanked him for the show yesterday, he was very kind and friendly, he also asked if we wanted a picture and I could not contain my shock. I saw Nick later on but just said hi and thanked for the show he was very kind as well”

“So funny to me that he walks around town wearing the same stuff he wears on stage. Dude is the epitome of cool”

“does he wear a nice aftershave?——yes”

“It was a dream, we also were eating next to each other, he was with Nick, and when we were leaving we said goodbye and he was smiling the whole time”

“I was telling him I love the last shadow puppets submarine and I pointed at my shirt and his eyes opened wide and said "oh nicee!" While looking at it and I said he thanked me when I said I liked his job on that record, I wish I had more time to ask a little bit more about his job in it”

———

Also just looked into the official site of 3arena in Dublin and I nearly cried when I saw this

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Via

“What did you guys talk about?

we didn't want to annoy him while he was on his own time, so it was a pretty short interaction. he was very sweet though!!!”

Via at Soho House Chicago

[charting-phighting]

i crack myself up

[sonknuxadow]

jesus christttt im not surprised at all to hear that the knuckles series focuses on wade and other human characters a lot i saw this coming a mile away with how almost all the news we were getting before the trailer came out was about the human characters/actors and not about knuckles (or sonic or tails or any other animated characters) but the fact that somebody calculated how many minutes of screentime knuckles has and it came out as LESS THAN HALF OF THE ENTIRE SERIES' RUNTIME when the series is NAMED after him is ridiculous. after this show comes out wade will likely have more screentime and overall plot relevance in the entire scu than tails does. did they actually think wade is a popular enough character for people to be down with this. what the fuck

[ratatatastic]

[red-red-spout]

imagine if Sylvester Lambridge met Lisa Wilbourn. No survivors

[vividbeast]

ok i need to. i literally Just reached lv 10 but i wuv my wol. his name's ciel de'luxe and hes so full of issues

[born-to-lose]

God I love Speed Stroke