#but also vulnerability and self expression

[nothnxpls]

Wrote this very quickly; umm I guess trigger warning selfharm, suicide (?)(nobody is really actively killing themself, also first time writing something like this), but I am not really sure, I don't really think this is that grim. But I hope Sombedoy continues this, cause I enjoyed it.

Immediately, I thought of Jason. Imagine this scenario: the Red Hood, Jason, still burning with rage (fairly fresh from death with perhaps a vivisection scar of his own) wanting to set up a standoff between Batman and the Joker.

 Now, picture this: the Fenton family visits Gotham to help Jazz move into college. Maddie and Jack take their equipment around the streets of Gotham, looking for ghosts when their sensors indicate something unusual: civilian Jason.

 They approach Jason, intending to investigate him, believing he might be a very convincing ghost or possibly possessed. At first, Jason is freaked out because this couple appears out of nowhere, pointing their guns and bazookas at him. 

When they fire a shot, Jason experiences an unexpected shift. The pit rage inside him is hostile but somehow afraid of the weapons. But Most importantly, he feels no rage; and all his negative thoughts related to his death vanish, retreating into the abyss. The anger he felt towards the Joker's continued existence, the betrayal of being replaced, the envy he held for the new Robin, and the sense of being forgotten by what he once thought was his family—all of it is gone.

And the sudden departure of Every violent impulse, leaves behind a semblance of peace. Of course, that peace is disrupted when Jack inadvertently says something. However, the damage is done, and Jason feels an unexpected gratitude towards them.

 When Maddie and Jack invite him to their temporary residence, Jason accepts out of curiosity about their weaponry, and theri rather suspicious get up. Very rogue like.

Upon entering their home, he meets Jazz and Danny, and he and Jazz hit off. Jack and Maddie conduct some harmless, mostly non-invasive tests, concluding that while he is no longer possessed, he is still vulnerable to being possessed by a ghost. They give him a Fenton gun for self-defense. Cause that's a normal thing apparently.

Throughout their stay, Jason continues to receive invitations to join them. For Maddie and Jack, it's because they want to keep an eye on the young man and protect him from ghosts. Jazz invites him simply because she likes him. For Danny, there’s a familiar, muted feeling of liminality when he's around Jason.

Although everyone has their agendas for inviting him back, Jason feels included and wanted, which soothes something within him. This warmth translates into him becoming kinder as the Red Hood, initiating more compassionate initiatives to help his territory. While he remains a crime lord, the people begin to warm up to him much faster this time. 

By the time Jack, Maddie, and Danny return to Amity, Jason becomes an honorary member of the Fenton family, which sparks a sense of warmth within him that buzzez like a hive of angry bees. 

Jazz and Jason frequently go out to dinner together and enjoy each other's company. Their relationship could develop into something romantic, or it could remain platonic; either way, I just want them to be close. This friendship inspires Jason to pursue his academic goals. He earns his high school diploma and applies to college.

During the holidays like i dunno Thanksgiving, he and Jazz visit Jack, Maddie, and Danny back in Amity, and they always have a blast together.

 Jason is trying to spend more time with Danny during his visit because Maddie and Jack have expressed their concerns about Danny becoming more secretive and defensive around them. While Danny is behaving fidgety and growing slightly more reclusive, Jason isn't too worried—after all, Danny is just a teenager. It's possible that he is simply going through a typical angsty phase where everything his parents do feels lame.

Jack and Maddie are professional ghost hunters, and Jason understands that Danny’s behavior might reflect typical teenage rebellion. For him, adopting his Red Hood persona is in a nutshell his rebellion against Batman, which is not typical behavior. However, Danny is not a vigilante; he is just a normal, albeit strange, kid. 

Back in Gotham, and back in college, Jason comes across Bruce. And Jason wasn't sure what to feel, but seeing Bruce's disbelief is enlightening. When Bruce tries to reconnect, Jason hesitantly reaches out in return. He has accepted the Fentons, and look at him now—suger fluff and everything nice-he's in a much "better" mental state. It may not be perfect, but he slowly feels like a part of the Wayne family, a part of the Batfam.

:) 

You probably forgot about the Fenton gun from the beginning from all the fluff. But I did not, and certainly Jason didn't either. Because the reprieve from the pit rage did not last. It came back, and it came back strong. The rage felt even more incapacitating and suffocating when you compare it to before. When he mentioned it to Jack and Maddie, their response was to shoot him with the ghost gun, again. Like before he was surprised and very alarmed, but the effect was the same. The pit rage was silenced once more.

And so, every time the pit rage came rearing onto him he would shoot himself with the gun. At first, he was a little worried, cause it was a gun, and It felt completely against any ingrained bat training in him to shoot himself with a gun. But all it seemingly did was silence the rage.

 And that gun became an important and very essential part of his person. He carried it pretty much everywhere and it brought comfort and a feeling of control. Like he is finally in control of his feelings.  And really its just a gun. Nobody in Gotham would bat an eye, if you carried one. And Jazz, Danny, Maddie and Jack pretty much always have one on them too. So really it would be unusually if he didnt have a gun. 

Ignoring the fact that it's a Fenton GHOST gun, and the gun was made to hurt the non-living. But Jason isn't dead. He died yes, but he was revived. And the Gun was not hurting him just the pit rage. Not him. Anyways that gun was the only thing keeping his fucking sanity. It was like a drug, taking away his pain. 

Jazz didn't know, but if she did, she would be very much against it. As a psychology student in training, she is pretty good at reading people, but Jason is exceptional at keeping secrets. He knows how to uncover them, burry them, learning from his Robin days , during his time in the League, and now as Red Hood.

But there are others who are also good at keeping secrets and are very nosy; they would also definitely not approve of the gun—that's right, the Batfamily. 

When Bruce and the others learned about the Fentons and their unusual occupation, they became highly alert, especially since Jason was convinced they were genuine. However, Bruce and the others never trully voiced their suspicions to Jason, nor did they mention the unethical research paper or the anti-ecto acts supported by Jack and Maddie. Although Bruce disapproved of the Fentons, he was hesitant to express his feelings to Jason, fearing that Jason might choose the Fentons over him. 

On what seemed like a normal day for them, Bruce saw his baby boy, Jason, overwhelmed with pit rage. When he prepared to restrain Jason to protect himself and others, he saw Jason point a gun at his temple. All blood fled his face and a pit formed in his stomach when he heard the gun activate. But unlike the shooting of his parents, no thud came, for his son still stood in place. Bruce ran to Jason and snatched the gun from him.

Bruce was like WTF and his impression of the Fentons worsened when he saw the familiar gun design. 

Bla bla bla Insert heartfelt moments between Jason and Bruce.

And Bruce contacts a magic person, maybe Constantine or maybe Deadman or maybe both. And they both act appalled when they see Jason. Constantine is appalled because Jason smells of death and Deadman because he sees that Jason's core is damaged to the max. (Let us point back to Danny's reason for inviting Jason). No surprise, the gun was hurting him. Stopping him from "healthy" confronting the pit rage. ect blabla bla. Stunting his growth. 

Jason comes to better terms with his death. Accepting and actual self-healing montage. More room for reconciliation and happy family batfam vibes. Insert more Jazz and Jason moments.

Jason and Jazz visit the Fenton household again during your selected holiday. They are greeted in a similar manner as before, but they quickly notice that Jack and Maddie seem busier than usual, and Danny is nowhere to be found. According to Sam and Tucker, Danny has been missing since last Friday( what date it is now is up to u). So, Jazz and Jason prowl the streets of Amity Park, looking for Danny, unaware of his true location being close to home. 

When Jason and Jazz return to the house, they bring dinner with them, aware that Jack and Maddie often forget to eat when they get hyper-focused.

However, Jason is quite upset with them. Danny is missing, and Jack and Maddie's dismissive and belligerent attitude toward the situation raises several red flags. Especially their unwillingness to join their search for Danny. Like what was so important that they could not spare time to search for their son. 

They called for them to eat dinner but received no answer. This was expected, but they could hear strange muffled noises coming from the lab door. Opening the door, reveals Jack and Maddie covered in blood and ectoplasm, arms deep in the open chest cavity of Danny, strapped on a medical table; gagged, bloody, pale and unconscious. 

"Jazz, Jason, you'r back. Quick come look at this spook!"

-----

if you felt that the gun came from nowhere, me too. but it felt fitting that they gave him a weapon with the intetion to protect himself. but also straight up telling himself to shot himself with it. like blatant forshadowing of their terrible choices

----

Alternative ending.

When they opened the lab door it was only Jack arms deep in Danny's chest. Maddie nowhere in their sight. Then they hear the whirr of the gun. Turning back, it was Maddie pointing a gun once more at Jason. Except this time, she looked very sinister.

"Can't trick us spook. The sensors don't lie!"

…you know what could be a really horrible twist for a fic to pull?

It starts with the “kind Fenton parents pull some other people into their family in a chaotic but loving way” dynamic I’ve seen in some DPxDC fics/prompts (e.g. Family Bonding and Other Perilous Pursuits)

but then it’s also a bad parents vivisection fic.

Like, it’s presented from the perspective of those outsiders. And to them, the Fentons wholeheartedly presented as incredibly kind, loving people (after all, they’re not ghosts). Thus, at first, the story feels like the typical family fluff/comedy affair.

And then the readers get a scene showing the vivisection part.

All the fluff is ruined, almost painful to read knowing truth. But the characters still don’t know yet.

Sure, they’ll presumably find out eventually, but in the meantime the reader is left waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Dramatic irony and all that.

[sosa2imagines]

Let us be there for you...

Warning- Angst, insecurity, introvert, self doubts, fluff. Disclaimer- @mrvl-addict finally got all four parts ready for you fic idea.

You’ve been a part of the Avengers for a few weeks now, and on the outside, you’re everything you’re expected to be confident, outgoing, always ready with a joke, never shy to dive into conversation. You make people laugh, you keep things light, you engage in every mission and meeting with the kind of energy that makes you look like you belong.

On the inside, however, you’re terrified. Terrified of being found out. Terrified of not being good enough. On the inside, you’re the opposite of everything you try to portray.  What the Avengers see, it’s all just a disguise. You put on a mask, a persona to cover up the real you.

You’ve spent your whole life like this. Putting on this persona in order to feel accepted, to feel wanted. To feel like you belong somewhere. You don’t actually know how to truly be yourself. Being yourself got you bullied, being yourself got you hurt. So you’ve learned to rely on masks.

Every moment spent around people leaves you drained. The constant performance of being the ‘fun one’, the ‘social butterfly’, is exhausting. You’d much rather find a quiet corner to recharge, but you don’t want to be seen as weak, or worse, lonely. So, you push through, hoping no one will notice that you’re barely keeping it together.

Except Steve and Bucky do notice.

It’s a typical afternoon in the Tower. Everyone’s just wrapped up training, lounging around in the common area to catch their breath.

Tony’s in the middle of telling some absurd story about his latest tech malfunction on a mission, his voice animated as usual. You’re on the couch, laughing along, making jokes, throwing in a few quips of your own. After all, you don’t want to be left out.

But as you laugh, you feel a familiar weight at the back of your mind. Steve and Bucky are both watching you from the corner of the room. You glance over, and for a moment, it feels like they’re seeing right through you.

Steve turns to Bucky, his voice low, but not low enough that you can’t hear. “She’s been acting like this a lot lately. It’s like she’s trying too hard to stay in the center of things.”

Bucky doesn’t respond immediately, but his eyes narrow slightly, like he’s weighing his words. “Yeah. I don’t know… she’s doing it, but I don’t think she’s really there.”

You can feel your heart rate quicken, and you’re not sure why it stings. You’re just trying to keep up the persona, to keep everyone happy, make it look easy. And yet, somehow, they see right through it. Before you can stop yourself, you blurt out, trying to brush off their observation with a grin, moving towards them, “What? What are you both talking about? I’m having a blast, really!”

There’s a brief pause. Steve’s expression softens, and it’s almost too much, the way he looks at you, like he’s reading your every thought. He smiles gently, but there’s an undercurrent of concern. “Of course you are,” he says, his voice warm. “But you don’t have to always be on for us, you know? You don’t have to prove anything.”

You blink, taken aback. For a split second, you feel a wave of embarrassment. It’s like they’ve peeled back the layers, and you’re exposed. You try to laugh it off, but your voice is a little quieter. “No, really, I’m fine. I’m just… just trying to keep things light, you know?”

Bucky, sitting across the room, looks at you with a careful expression. “You don’t have to do that with us, doll…” he says, his tone calm and surprisingly gentle. “We’re not gonna judge you for not being on all the time. If you need a break, or if you just want to…  we’re okay with that.”

His words hit you in a way you didn’t expect. It’s not the typical ‘you’re part of the team’ pep talk. It’s something different, something that feels like permission to be yourself, no masks. You feel a rush of gratitude, but also an overwhelming sense of vulnerability. You force a smile, but it’s a little shaky this time.

“I… didn’t mean to put on an act or anything,” you say quickly, suddenly feeling the need to clarify. “I just don’t want to be a drag, you know? I guess I’ve just gotten used to being the one who keeps the mood up.”

Steve’s eyes meet yours, and there’s no judgment there, just understanding. He leans forward slightly, his voice quiet but sincere. “We all have our moments. You don’t always have to be the one holding it together. It’s okay to lean on us.”

Bucky’s nod is almost imperceptible, but you catch it. He doesn’t say anything more, but the look on his face is one of quiet reassurance. He doesn’t expect anything from you, not the way you’ve been expecting from yourself.

You sit back on the couch, feeling a little out of place. For a moment, there’s silence. Then Tony, oblivious to the shift in the room, starts talking again, and you’re grateful for the distraction.

Later that evening, after everyone has gone to bed, you find yourself standing in front of one of the massive windows in the Tower, looking out at the city. The lights are peaceful, calming, and for once, you don’t feel the need to pretend. You’re just… you.

Footsteps sound behind you, and before you can react, Steve’s voice cuts through the quiet. “Hey, you okay?”

You don’t turn around right away, but the warmth in his voice makes your chest tighten. You inhale slowly, then speak softly, your words almost a whisper. “Yeah. Just… thinking.”

There’s a pause, and then Steve steps closer. “You don’t have to pretend with us, you know. We’re not gonna expect you to be this... bubbly, confident person all the time.”

You swallow, feeling a flush creep up your neck. It’s embarrassing, this sudden exposure of everything you’ve tried so hard to keep hidden. You turn to face him, and the words catch in your throat for a moment. “I guess… I guess I just don’t know how to be anything else sometimes.”

Steve’s expression softens, his eyes kind. “You don’t have to be anything else. Just be yourself. That’s more than enough for us.”

Bucky’s voice comes from the doorway, quiet but steady. “You’re part of the team. That means we’re here for the quiet moments, too. You don’t have to go through everything on your own.”

You nod, a small smile tugging at your lips despite yourself. There’s a weight in your chest that’s easing, bit by bit. It’s strange to feel like you don’t have to keep up the act anymore. Like, for once, it’s okay to just be.

“Let us be there for you…doll.”

“Thanks,” you say, and this time, you mean it. “I’ll try to remember that.”

There’s a long moment of quiet, and for the first time since joining, you don’t feel like you have to be anyone other than yourself. It’s a small thing, but it feels like a step toward something better.

Part 2-

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[solomonomenon]

skz ideal type

⚠️ for entertainment purposes only *based on tarot

𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣

personality:

someone who’s really in touch with their emotions, kind of dreamy and open-hearted, but also super intuitive and deep. they’d be someone who just gets him without needing to explain everything. there’s also playful, optimistic vibe about them, always seeing the beauty in things and bringing a creative energy to life. so, overall, it’s like someone who’s both a big dreamer and quietly wise, with a warm, emotional depth that feels really comforting.

appearance:

someone with sharp, confident look, with striking features—maybe bold eyes, a clean hairstyle, or a strong jawline. they’d look put-together but not in a flashy way, more like they just naturally stand out. they’d have a more relaxed, effortless style, like casual clothes that still look really good, maybe in earthy or neutral colors with a touch of unpredictability like they might take risks with their look, maybe with a cool tattoo, unique accessories, or some bold fashion choices.

𝙡𝙚𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬

personality:

he'd want someone who’s open to change and isn’t afraid to go with the flow. they’d also need to be tough in their own way, able to handle challenges and stand their ground when things get rough. there’s probably a vulnerability to them too, like they’re learning to become stronger and more independent over time, but they’re still kind and gentle at their core.

appearance:

someone with intense, magnetic vibe, something about them just draws people in, like they’ve got an edgy, mysterious energy. maybe they’ve got a sultry, confident look with bold features, like sharp eyes. at the same time, they’d have this fiery, energetic look that gives off vibrant, passionate energy. there’s also a youthful, fresh quality to them, like they’re still figuring things out and have a bit of an innocent, curious side. maybe a clean, neat style like button-up shirts, neat hair, with simple accessories.

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙗𝙞𝙣

personality:

his ideal type is someone who's confident and resourceful, someone who knows what they want and has the skills to make it happen, yet they wouldn't be quick to rush into things, instead weighing options thoughtfully. they’d definitely have a strong sense of justice and be the kind of person who stands up for what’s right and helps others out whenever they can

appearance:

they would probably have a bit of a humble, grounded look. they wouldn’t be super flashy, maybe more practical and laid-back in their style, but also not afraid to be a little different. he'd prefer someone with positive energy that just shines through, someone who has warm and inviting vibe, like their smile can light up an entire room.

𝙝𝙮𝙪𝙣𝙟𝙞𝙣

personality:

someone who’s super social and loves to connect with others, always up for a good time and making fun memories with friends. they’d also be really emotionally open and warm, not afraid to show affection or share how they feel. at the same time, they’d have a strong sense of right and wrong, someone who values fairness, knows when to stand their ground, and makes decisions based on what’s fair and just.

appearance:

mysterious, reserved look maybe they have like quiet intensity, their eyes or expression hold a lot of depth, making you want to know more. they’d also have this balanced, confident vibe, like they’re someone who carries themselves with a sense of self-assurance and dignity, like how someone might walk into a room and immediately command attention without even trying. think of someone with a sharp, elegant style, like a tailored suit or simple but sophisticated clothing that gives off a calm, powerful energy. and they’d have ethereal, almost otherworldly beauty like they look naturally stunning without much effort, maybe with soft, glowing skin and a graceful presence, almost like someone who could easily fit into a fairytale.

𝙝𝙖𝙣

personality:

someone who’s pretty well-rounded and at peace with themselves, someone who knows who they are and is confident in that. they’d also be super generous and caring, always looking to help others out and keep things balanced in their relationships. they’d have nurturing side, like they naturally want to take care of people and make sure everyone around them is okay.

appearance:

calm, introspective vibe like someone who doesn’t need to stand out but still has this quiet confidence about them. maybe they have a more relaxed, effortless style, something like simple but clean clothes, like a cozy sweater or a neat button-up, and a natural look that doesn’t try too hard. and he'd prefer someone who pays attention to the little details, maybe with a well-kept, put-together appearance that reflects how dedicated they are in everything they do. they’d also have this wise, comforting aura, like they’re someone you’d turn to for advice or just feel safe being around.

𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙭

personality:

someone who’s super confident and full of energy, they could light up the room with their passion and creativity, always ready to take charge. but they’d also have this quiet strength about them, like they’re really calm and patient even in tough situations, and they can handle anything that comes their way with grace. they’d also have a fierce, protective side, someone who always has your back, especially when it comes to the people they care about.

appearance:

they would probably have tough, resilient look, someone who’s been through challenges but still stands strong. they might have a more serious or guarded expression, like there’s a lot beneath the surface, but they still carry themselves with this quiet confidence. they’d have a bit of a mysterious edge, they don’t reveal everything about themselves right away, and their style would probably be a little unconventional, maybe wearing something that gives off that I know what I’m doing vibe, a cool jacket or unique accessories that make them stand out without trying too hard.

𝙨𝙚𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙢𝙞𝙣

personality:

someone who’s not afraid of shaking things up or starting fresh when needed. they’d also be super dreamy and imaginative, always thinking about the future and exploring different possibilities. they might not always know exactly what they want, but they’re excited by all the options ahead of them. they’d also have nurturing, caring side, someone who’s always there to look out for others and offer love and support.

appearance:

strong and confident. they’d also have a look that’s full of hope and adventure, maybe with a spark in their eyes like they’re excited about the future and whatever comes next. think of someone who dresses with purpose, maybe in sleek, bold clothes. they’d have humble and hardworking look, like they put effort into everything they do, even if no one notices. they could wear something simple yet practical, like comfy sneakers or a jacket.

𝙟𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣

personality:

confident and knows how to stand up for themselves, not afraid to fight for what they believe in. they’d also be grounded in their values and have a strong sense of purpose, someone who knows where they’re going in life and doesn’t get easily swayed by others. they’d also have this curious, analytical side, always asking questions, analyze things deeply, and always be a few steps ahead.

appearance:

someone with active and energetic look who always seems on the move, with a spark in their eyes like they’re ready for anything. they’d have a practical, clean style like wearing something simple but stylish, maybe a well-fitted jacket and sneakers. and they’d be in good shape, showing off a strong, fit build. think of someone who dresses comfortably but still looks sharp, like they could easily transition from a workout to a night out.

─── ⋆⋅ ☾⋅⋆ ────── ⋆⋅ ☾⋅⋆ ───

[aventurineswife]

HI HI! I hope you are having a good day/night 💞

I wanted to know your opinion on this:

Like, i been seen a lot of people saying that he should go to therapy, or even go to couple therapy with him. But, since everyobody doesn't want to go to therapy, or when they go, they don't feel still right, or even can get worse. I think he would find another way to heal, one that truly makes him feel safe and comfortable.(SORRY I CAN SEE AVEN IN THERAPY FOR THE MOMENT.)

In my experience, i meet a lot of people that feels more comfortable telling problems to family, friends, or find comfort in some hyperfixation, or be on their own worlds. IDK WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS.

We love you Aven's wife. If you can, please, don't dissappear and became dust.

In my opinion, I think it's entirely valid to think that Aventurine wouldn't find traditional therapy appealing, at least not immediately. His character is deeply rooted in self-reliance and distrust, shaped by a lifetime of betrayal and survival through his own cunning. Therapy, which requires vulnerability and trust, might feel like too much of a gamble for someone like him. Instead, his path to healing could align with the following methods:

Aventurine might find solace in close, meaningful relationships with people who slowly earn his trust. Sharing his burdens with someone who understands his complexities—like a friend or a partner—could serve as his version of therapy. These connections might help him confront his trauma without feeling exposed or judged.

Aventurine's love for gambling and strategizing could act as a coping mechanism and, eventually, a tool for healing. For instance, he might channel his need for control and calculation into something constructive, like designing elaborate strategies to help others, which also gives him a sense of purpose.

Aventurine may benefit from moments of isolation where he can process his emotions without external pressures. He might find clarity in journaling, planning, or even something symbolic, like playing solitary games of chance to reflect on his decisions and fears.

Aventurine thrives in situations where he feels in control, so his healing journey could involve taking action to help others or dismantle systems of cruelty. By addressing the larger injustices that mirror his own trauma, he could begin to reconcile with his past.

Aventurine might find joy and comfort in lavishing his partner with gifts, experiences, or acts of service, using his flair to express love and distract himself from his inner struggles. This could be his therapeutic way of coping—showing care outwardly to feel a sense of connection and purpose.

However, if his partner refuses these gestures or encourages him to focus on his own healing, it might force him to confront his avoidance tactics. Over time, this could lead Aventurine to realize that true healing requires addressing his own pain rather than masking it with grand displays.

And that's pretty much it, I hope this explains it well. Remember this is my opinion but I'd love to see others opinions on it too🤗💖

Also, I'll try not to become one bite from the dust 🕴️ and love you guys too!! 🤗🫂💖🥺

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

From April 2024. Covid denial is a bipartisan platform.

By Julia Doubleday

Viruses are bad for kids' health. Public health is a collective effort. Liberals no longer believe either.

There are few groups so reviled in liberal circles as the anti-vaxxers. Seen as embarrassingly anti-science and anti-social to boot, the popular anti-vaxxer archetype is a shrill, loudly wrong grifter straight out of YouTube Medical School. They are not only uninformed, but dangerous. And their specific brand of ignorance invites a mocking condescension from those of us who self-identify as “educated” and “pro-science.”

There’s one big problem with liberal media outlets, individuals and institutions expressing this disdain today: they have, themselves, adopted many foundational beliefs of the anti-vax movement without even realizing it. While they express continued appreciation for vaccines, their underlying ideas about immune systems, illness, herd immunity, and the social value of public health have all aligned with anti-vaxxer ideology. I’ll unpack each of these foundational beliefs individually, but first I’d like to address why this has happened.

After the release and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines, world governments, rather than waiting to see what sort of immunity these vaccines would produce in the long-term (would it be durable? How quickly would the virus mutate? Would people get infected? How often would they get infected?) gambled on the so-called “vax and relax” strategy. They bet everything that the vaccines would significantly limit infection and exposure to the point that everyday life could resume without any long-term disruption to society. They unwound every other virus mitigation tactic on this poor assumption.

In 2020, the Republicans had wanted to pursue “herd immunity” at any cost- meaning a quick reopening, massive die off of “the weak”, followed by the resumption of business-as-usual once the public was exposed. In early 2021, the Democrats’ approach was also a “herd immunity” strategy- but one accomplished by vaccinating the public. The only problem is that we’ve since learned that we cannot achieve herd immunity to COVID- ever.

Herd immunity would mean long-term, durable protection from infection, like we have for viruses like measles, mumps, and rubella. This society-wide protection would then enable vulnerable people to rejoin society without constant risk of infection. But since reopening, COVID has circulated year-round at high levels and the population is continually getting reinfected. Both the Republican and Democratic strategies to achieve herd immunity were doomed from the start. There are a variety of biological reasons for this.

The problem is that we cannot achieve herd immunity to COVID- ever. Herd immunity would mean long-term, durable protection from infection, like we have for viruses like measles, mumps, and rubella. This society-wide protection would then enable vulnerable people to rejoin society without constant risk of infection. But since reopening, COVID has circulated year-round at high levels and the population is continually getting reinfected. Both the Republican and Democratic strategies to achieve herd immunity were doomed from the start.

Firstly, infection with COVID does not produce durable immunity. That means that the experts who claimed a single infection would mean immunity for life, or immunity for a significant period of time like a decade, were wrong. These experts- the overly optimistic ones- were the experts continually platformed by both our governments and our media. In fact, COVID immunity is measured in months, not a lifetime or decades or even years, for the average person.

Secondly, vaccination against COVID also does not produce durable immunity. The CDC’s own vaccine efficacy data shows how rapidly protection declines- yet this rapid waning has never been properly explained to the public. Studies have repeatedly found that COVID protection dwindles over the course of mere months. This VE (Vaccine Efficacy) study looking at hospitalization rates found that:

"During the first 7–59 days after vaccination, compared with no vaccination, VE for receipt of a bivalent vaccine dose among adults aged ≥18 years was 62% (95% CI = 57%–67%) among adults without immunocompromising conditions and 28% (95% CI = 10%–42%) among adults with immunocompromising conditions. Among adults without immunocompromising conditions, VE declined to 24% (95% CI = 12%–33%) among those aged ≥18 years by 120–179 days after vaccination. VE was generally lower for adults with immunocompromising conditions."

In other words, a mere four months after receiving their first booster (so their third shot overall in the series), immunocompetent people’s protection from hospitalization with COVID was 24%. With three shots, only months out from their booster, they were 24% less likely to be hospitalized than a fully unvaccinated person. This is a significant percentage, and surely worth receiving a vaccine for- but it’s nowhere near the public’s perceived vaccine efficacy, which would be much closer to 100%.

That perceived efficacy- the idea that we are all well protected from serious outcomes of COVID in the long-term- is a perception that was deliberately promoted and cultivated by institutions that do not want to see any additional attention on pandemic control or COVID mitigation. “Vax and relax” as a strategy is less appealing when people understand how temporary and weak that protection really is.

Thirdly, COVID mutates around vaccine protection quickly. For example, upon their release, the Moderna shots were 92% effective against infection with the ancestral strain, but only 48% effective against infection with Omicron BA.1. Last year, a study looking at data from 2022-2023 found that children under 5 who received the bivalent boosters had an 80% reduction in risk of ER visits, whereas those who received the original series Moderna shots had only a 29% reduction in risk of ER visits. Studies continually find that new subvariants “escape neutralizing antibodies induced by both vaccination and infection”.

The mRNA vaccines were a great leap forward in vaccine technology because they can be quickly updated with new strains of COVID as they emerge. But “quickly” is still a matter of months, not minutes. And COVID keeps outpacing our ability to update the vaccines. In the winter of ‘22-23, we were encouraged to get bivalent vaccines that included both the original strain and Omicron BA.1. By the time people could get the shots, the currently dominant variant was XBB.1.5- a recombinant descendent of BA.2.

Similarly, this past winter we finally got the XBB-specific booster shots. By the time they were released, JN.1 was the dominant variant, a descendent of BA.2.86. Again, there is still efficacy associated with updated vaccines; it makes sense that a vaccine formulated for a strain that is genetically closer to the dominant one would protect better than the original vaccine. But the virus is still outpacing us. Additionally, thanks to (purposefully) poor communication about boosters, variants, and strains, most people do not understand why they need a booster, nor do they seek them out.

When politicians lost their gamble that we would achieve herd immunity to COVID, they didn’t admit they were wrong or explain that, without any mitigation, our “new normal” would be continual reinfection with a blood vessel, organ, immune system and brain damaging virus. Instead, they doubled down and worked to normalize this continual reinfection- and all the negative downstream outcomes that come along with it, like overwhelmed hospitals, record student and teacher absences, constant illness, record rates of worker sickness and long-term illness, re-emergence of controlled pathogens, dropping test scores, high excess deaths, and increasing heart attacks and strokes among younger people.

This normalization process relies on a few tactics. One is burying data, like refusing to test for COVID and failing to report on excess deaths. Another is misinformation: promoting false, pseudo-scientific explanations for the clear results of uncontrolled transmission we see all around us. This is the juncture at which the goals of COVID normalizers intersect with the goals of anti-vaxxers; both want to manufacture broad consent to destroy collective belief in public health. And this is the point at which their tactics, explanations and justifications become nearly identical. Since 2021, our institutions, with the help of our media watchdogs, have mainstreamed nearly every foundational belief of anti-vaxxers and brought them into ascendence over scientific reality. I’m going to explore each one below.

Mainstreamed anti-vaxxer belief #1:

Viral and bacterial infections are good for the immune system

This has long been a foundational belief of anti-vaxxers. They claim that not only can vaccines harm the body, but that illness itself is a boon to health, training and building a hardy immune system. They insist that natural infection is important for the growth and development of children. Visit any anti-vaxxer facebook group; you’ll find parents boasting of their decisions to purposely expose their kids to chickenpox, tips on how to navigate measles, and collective back-patting for the “wisdom” of purposely sickening children.

The belief that illness makes us well is completely false and incredibly dangerous. It comes from the also-controversial Hygiene Hypothesis- the belief that exposure to certain microorganisms is an important part of the development of babies. Even were we to accept the hygiene hypothesis- which again, is itself debated, with a recent study finding lockdown-era babies have healthier microbiomes and fewer allergies - the microbes in question are healthy or neutral types of bacteria that occur in our environments and thrive in our guts; they do not equate to pathogenic viruses. There has never been any serious contention that a pathogen- meaning a microbe that is harmful to humans- would somehow be healthy for you. It is simply a complete fabrication.

However, liberal outlets adopted and adapted this anti-vaxxer belief in the glorious healthful effects of viral illness and laundered it to their audience of scientifically minded liberals. They did so because children became notably sicker after reopening. As parents began to question the levels of illness they were observing in their kids, media outlets and elected officials rushed to rebrand illness as a positive sign that kids’ immune systems are developing well. This brings us to:

Mainstreamed anti-vaxxer belief #2:

Public health measures and disease mitigation harms people

As part of their push to handwave away record childhood illnesses and absences, the press also embraced the completely fabricated “immunity debt” idea. This is the idea that, because children were kept at home and/or wore masks, their immune systems were harmed. Their weak immune systems therefore have more trouble fighting off common childhood diseases- a phenomenon that will surely abate with time (but hasn’t yet, three years on).

Implicit in the claim that kids’ immune systems were harmed by masks is the idea that masks and quarantines- basic mitigation measures, in other words, are bad for your health. In fact, if people need pathogenic infections to build up their immune systems, any form of disease mitigation at all could be construed as negative for public health. This claim was first promoted by anti-vaxxers in Spring of 2020 and beyond; at the time, outlets corrected the misinformation, asserting that no, masks and isolation measures could not harm people’s health.

But as 2022 dragged on and the effects of continual COVID spread became apparent, our governments and media had only two options: clearly, something had changed since 2019. People were sicker. The two possible culprits- the only things that had dramatically changed- were the spread of COVID, and the adoption of COVID mitigations. Our institutions chose to throw mitigations under the bus, rather than admit that continual COVID spread was a mistake, a bad decision, and a social catastrophe. On to:

Mainstreamed anti-vaxxer belief #3:

Public health shouldn’t pursue the elimination of pathogens

The fact that pathogens are harmful for humans underlies the entirety of modern public health. It is why mitigation has always been not only a goal, but in fact, the ultimate goal, of public health itself. The CDC itself was first founded as a malaria elimination project. HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB projects worldwide openly pursue the goal of elimination, and they are never seen as irrational or extremist for doing so. Elimination was the goal of vaccination campaigns that all-but-eradicated polio and other common infections like diphtheria, typhoid, measles, mumps, and rubella in developed countries.

In the age of COVID, elimination has become a dirty word. Absurd labels like “Zero COVID extremists” came from the far-right, but this attitude toward those of us still advocating mitigations has been adopted by the press, Democrats, and the liberal public. No press outlet would label people advocating for the elimination of a deadly disease as a “Zero HIV extremist” or a “Zero measles extremist” or a “Zero cholera extremist”. That’s because it’s well understood that elimination is the highest goal of public health; once elimination is achieved, all the resources devoted to mitigation can be repurposed. It’s ultimately far cheaper to eliminate a disease than it is to attempt to continually mitigate and manage it; however, neither goal is now being pursued by our public health institutions in regard to SARS-COV-2. In fact, there doesn’t seem to be any public health goal at all in regard to the spread of a highly infectious, highly disabling, incredibly disruptive and widespread airborne virus.

Instead, completely abandoning its public health obligations, our institutions have embraced the ideologically extremist, libertarian “Let it Rip” approach to COVID. In other words, zero attempts to mitigate, zero attempts to halt, zero attempts to eliminate, just a complete disease free-for-all. Normalizing this non-approach to disease to a science-embracing liberal audience required a ton of ideological messaging. From there it’s a short leap to:

Mainstreamed anti-vaxxer belief #4:

Health is an individual choice, not a collective practice

Much has been made of anti-vaxxers refusal to understand that their choices impact others. Ok, yes, your kid may be fine if they contract measles- maybe. But even if your kid is fine, you’re contributing to community spread. Viral spread threatens herd immunity (to viruses like measles, where herd immunity is possible and was attained decades ago). Contributing to disease spread means that vulnerable people- people who cannot get vaccinated, do not mount an immune response to vaccination, and/or will die if infected, can no longer be safe and protected.

This reality is the crux of the criticism us pro-science folks lob at anti-vaxxers. You frame this decision as your individual choice, we point out, but your decision is affecting and harming the collective. It shouldn’t be your right to afflict harm on others because you think you will be okay.

Now that it’s clear COVID will require additional mitigations aside from vaccines alone, liberal institutions have adopted and mainstreamed the worldview that disease mitigation is a personal choice that must be left to the individual. If some people want to wear a mask, that’s fine, but I’m pretty sure I’m low risk for Long COVID- so why should I have to mask? This is exactly and precisely the same logic used by anti-vaxxers to justify their personal choices not to participate in protecting collective health. If other people want to mask- 24/7, amidst unmitigated COVID spread- that’s not any of my business! This bleeds directly into:

Mainstreamed anti-vaxxer belief #5:

If vulnerable people are so weak, they should simply hide forever or die

One of the major things people seem to have memory-holed about the early pandemic is that mitigation measures, from day one, were first and foremost about protecting the vulnerable. Even in the earliest, pre-vaccine days, COVID infection was never highly deadly to young, healthy people. It was dangerous for the elderly, new babies, immunocompromised folks, folks with underlying conditions, and our decisions to collectively adopt mitigation measures were explicitly done to care for our vulnerable populations.

Now, people have been persuaded to not only ignore, but even openly despise vulnerable people. Defenses of refusals to mask often expressly state that “only vulnerable people” are dying from COVID- even though vulnerable people were always the ones dying from COVID. Our public figures like former CDC Director Rochelle Walensky commented that she’s “encouraged” those dying have underlying conditions, while just this past winter, Dr. Fauci acknowledged that “the vulnerable will fall by the wayside”- framing this as an okay, or even positive thing.

Media outlets continue to push that narrative that “most” people won’t get Long COVID, while encouraging everyone to assume that the unfortunate outliers will be, simply, somebody else. Vulnerable people, left with zero public protection, have had to adopt extreme measures to protect themselves, including isolation, constant masking, avoiding medical care and abandoning professional careers. These measures are not only ignored by liberals; they are mocked and derided by liberals, and sometimes even leftists.

The message is loud and clear to disabled and immunocompromised people who cannot afford a COVID infection (or in the case of Long COVID patients, another COVID infection): shut up and/or disappear. It’s the message vulnerable folks have always received from anti-vaxxers, and an explicitly eugenicist one. This brings us to the end with:

Mainstreamed anti-vaxxer belief #6:

The strong will survive, the weak won’t, and that’s a good thing

The anti-vax movement has always been eugenicist. The logic goes that, if your kid is healthy, they will not only recover, but build strength from infectious disease exposure. The people who die- well sadly, they just weren’t built for survival. They’re the necessary sacrifices of a stronger collective, weeding out the weak and embracing a Darwinian, survival of the fittest model. It’s no surprise that anti-vaxxer beliefs overlap heavily with other fascist beliefs, like white nationalism, great replacement conspiracies, and fear of diversity and inclusion. Fundamentally, anti-vaxxers believe that some people should survive, and others should not. Some people should have rights and privileges, others should not. Some people are superior, others inferior.

This deeply fascist belief is the beating heart of COVID normalization. Without it, all the other beliefs listed above don’t gel together and form the poisonous worldview now adopted across the political spectrum: some people are going to die, and it’s not our job to prevent that or care.

Now, morally, this view is abhorrent. It’s also completely wrong on a practical level. As mentioned above, COVID infections are not harmless, but are directly harmful to anyone with a vascular system, a brain, an immune system, and organs (that’s you). You may feel okay after your COVID infection, and you may not. You may develop microclots in your blood, a new onset heart problem, and you may sustain cognitive damage, no matter how healthy you were prior to COVID. You may develop new onset autoimmune disorders, and/or become more vulnerable to other infections.

In other words, the “strong” who survive COVID are becoming slightly less strong all the time. They are not beating COVID and becoming a super-race of Übermenschen, destined to rule over a newly healthy population with an incredible life expectancy. Instead, they too are becoming sicker. They too are missing work and school at record rates. They too are becoming vulnerable. Different people may tolerate different numbers of infections, but one thing is certain; continue to get infected with SARS-COV-2, every year, over and over again, and you will eventually move into the category of disposable people. You will have become the vulnerable, who don’t deserve protection. Who don’t deserve mitigation. Who don’t deserve to live.

The story of COVID normalization is ultimately a story of breaking solidarity. We went from embracing a social model of public health that prioritized the safety of vulnerable people as the greatest priority, to one that explicitly denies them safety and promotes harming them. In essence, public health itself, the concept of collectively combatting disease for the collective benefit of all, is what we’ve lost. It’s been replaced by a cruel, sadistic, eugenicist program of deliberate elimination of the weak as a named and accepted cost of abandoning all attempts to control COVID.

This social normalization of the anti-vaxxer worldview, the mainstreaming of the idea that illness is good and the weak must die, has implications that will follow us well past the normalization of this virus. What does a society look like when parents believe making their children sick is good for them? Is that a society that effectively controls measles outbreaks? What does a society look like if the people in it believe lockdowns and masks can physically harm them? Is that a society that willingly adopts those measures again during an outbreak of a highly pathogenic disease like H5N1, now spreading uncontrolled among America’s dairy cows?

What does a society that no longer “believes the science” do when science is our greatest disease fighting weapon?

What does a society full of people who think disease elimination is stupid and silly do about other diseases?

What does a society trained to hate the vulnerable do to the vulnerable?

Anti-vaxxers are certainly a threat to the collective. So are the mainstream liberals who’ve adopted every one of their beliefs about viruses, disease mitigation, public health, and who deserves safety.

[loeewenzahn]

In my eyes what Käärijä does with cha cha cha falls into the realms of a drag performance. It's so gender, it's so dramatic, it's so funny, it's on point.

[neoputo]

saw someone say izzy's makeup in the calypso's bday episode was ugly... so what? IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE UGLY! this is izzy's first time doing drag/painting his face. he didn't know what makeup is. god, he didn't even know it was an option! & ofc when you try doing something for the first time you're gonna be bad at it. guaranteed. & i guess john wee (who, btw, ATE that look) helped izzy out a bit, but probably only by suggesting some tips & tricks while izzy did the makeup himself—at least to me, he himself chose the colors, the shapes, etc. & he was so happy he could finally express himself in a way he didn't know was even possible yet he certainly needed.. ahhhh the power of drag!

[angelsdean]

ruthlessly deleting old 2021/2022 posts (not by me) from my dean studies tag like *click* un-incorporating that from my beliefs system! also the way SO many posts have me like ok uh-huh good aaand then say one completely wrong thing that loses me. it's so many posts.

[buttercup-barf]

Under the cut are mostly self-insert doodles of decreasing quality. Again, not much directly tied to Team Fortress 2. Might as well toss these out while I have no access to my puter. Much yapping under the cut and in the tags incoming.

Another self-insert, this time less of a "here's me as a tenth class" and more of a "here's my game experiences translated into the class I would take the place of". The Cleaner. Although I guess they could still be wearing either suit. It doesn't matter that much.

That one Convict's Case taunt with Backup would be extremely funny, because the man would be on the verge of a breakdown (he does not want to go to jail so bad you have no idea). The second image- I owe no explanation. You know what I am. You see the pattern with my favourites.

The duality of the man. Resting face versus "just heard you express interest in religion/Russian folklore" face. He's not that hard to make friends with, when you pull him away from all the explosions.

Some doodles of trying to figure his face out. Unfortunately, the more I stare at him, the more I worry that he looks like A Certain Guy With The Last Name "Kazarin", and the fear of never being original in my life caught up to me.

Don't look at me, don't perceive me, I refuse to explain any of my actions to you.

[nugatorysheep]

Sometimes I think about how, back when the roster was much bigger, me and my old friend group all picked out WTL characters that we thought the others were the most like, and almost universally people thought Druid was the most like me. That probably should've been my first clue that none of them knew a single thing about me, but hindsight is 20/20

I also often think about how, after several days of going through things that had happened to me over the last four or so years, I was told 'You seem like a person who wants to be understood', and it hit me that until then, I had never met someone who ever really got me. Now that I have, I could never settle for less.

[aberooski]

so that surprise song mashup, huh

I AIN'T GOTTA TELL HIM I THINK HE KNOWS HE'S GORGEOUS !!!!! 😭😭😭

They are everything to me she has no idea but she did that for me I stg ✋😭

[carehounds]

Oogh wait ... if red guy wasnt perpetually naked i think hed actually wear really silly clothes

[kasugayama]

i dont normally entirely erase canon (although I definitely do on occasion), but Makoto Nijima would never become a cop. they were just completely wrong about this. The phantom thieves fucking hate cops they have every canonical reason to despise the police force, it's honestly completely stupid to just make one of the character a cop in the end after playing......the entire game. This is regardless of how i feel about cops

same for Chie Satonaka, considering the police were consistently lousy and only wanted to speed up and close the case regardless of actual justice served. I can kinda see her like a bit optimistic or "im different!" about it, thinking it might empower her therefore joining the police academy, but tbh she'd drop it after really seeing what police officers are like and how they treat her as a woman

I barely get the "They want to be good cops!!" thing. No♡ They would be disgusted and for good reason and not want to touch cops with a 10 foot pole.

[chiarrara]

often, i will say something out loud in full confidence, then spend the next few months quietly disagreeing with myself & questioning why i thought that in the first place

should i then...

a. never speak,

b. never speak confidently,

c. always correct myself as loudly and confidently as i spoke the first time,

d. accept that sharing your thoughts out loud, whether later you agree with them or not, is a valuable part of thinking through a concept, and that even your subsequent thoughts may be ones you disagree with later, meaning the value of speaking comes not from being right, but from communicating, with yourself and others, in an ongoing discourse on a quest for understanding, or

e. completely forget i ever said the thing in the first place and act confused and scandalized whenever anyone brings it up, because why the fuck would i say that?

[musical-chick-13]

I want to sing through some Weird Emotions, which has the effect of me wanting to share art, but also no one perceive me ever.

[verygayandverytired]

i am a broken man after this