#but i doubt too many people would buy them tbh

[madd-nix]

wanna do a zine, don't know how to make my own, doubt there would be a lot of people who would buy a zine of just my work, can't get accepted to any group zines, great.

[sugudollz]

Hey i wanted to talk about this fr fr, many people i think view Geto as a red flag , but he is such a gentleman in the anime and manga, remember when riko and kuroi got attacked by that Q guy, since they’ve been asleep the whole time Geto went and got them a pillow to sleep on 😭, and even after that he got Kuroi his cursed spirit to walk on since she maybe couldn’t walk, and im not sure if he tried to do anything inappropriate to them but he hit him with that kiss curse back, i love him for that. Best believe he gives his partner princess treatment, like 100% no doubt would, it just shows how considerate and kind he is even through his actions.

YESSSSS YOU ARE SO RIGHT ANON!!! Sm people treat him like he’s a red flag 😔 I think about those scenes like every day it's not even funny BUT YES YOU HAVE A POINT ANON HE WOULD DEF GIVE HIS PARTNER PRINCESS TREATMENT ‼️ never letting them lift a finger if he can help it, constant respect attention and affection! He’ll always kiss their cheek and hand too omggg :( he’d kiss every single one of their knuckles and fingertips DONT EVEN JOKE!! And his touch would be so gentle n soft stop :( he would never start an argument or even engage in one with you, instead, he would just let you speak your thoughts and what you find irritating and whatnot... He’d also buy you anything and everything you want :(( <3 he's big on gift giving yes but personally, I think he's more of a physical affection and quality time typa guy ykwim? But I already went into that so um. He's the biggest sweetest gentleman tbh BUT YES ANON HES BIG ON GIVING HIS PARTNER PRINCESS TREATMENT THIS PLAGUES MY MIND EVERY DAYYY he’d def treat his partner like the princess they are :< <33

[the-s1lly-corner]

I’m hoping this is the inbox- pls help I’m used to just reading what’s in the tags on tumblr and never requesting anything 🥹

I hope you’re having an amazing day/night/whatever time of day it is for you-!!! I just found your blog and I am so happy I did!! I’ve been binge reading it but the fact that I found someone who writes for Creepypasta???? I’m??? In luv??? (platonically ofc) may I request some LJ with a fem!reader who has bpd and he’s their fp, carries his little music box everywhere she goes and always “talks” to him in public, not caring about any crazy looks she gets from people?

Also politely asking to be 🩶 anon (if you’re taking any ofc-)

Laughing Jack x fem!reader w/ BPD who has him as her FP!

UEUEUEUE im so happy to hear you love my writing sm ehehehe! always thrilled to hear people enjoying my stuff/that it makes them happy! i hope you enjoy this, i havent written a reader with BPD before so i hope this is decent! also also youre doing wonderful; requesting i mean! i dont think theres many rules against how youre meant to request (every blog is different though!!)

honestly i think hes genuinely thrilled to be taken around and about with you in his little box! usually hes sitting in his box waiting for an unfortunate soul to take it home; its been like this for... a while now... so actually being able to go around and see things is a nice change of pace! plus it makes him feel more included in your life rather than just being an "at home friend"

i think in the beginning youre going to have to ask him to pipe down a little since he might talk a little too loud... like near yelling because hes just so excited

loves helping you shop :)! quick heads up though he might beg you to buy stuff you guys dont need

general silly ideas aside, i think hed be chattering the entire time so you two probably always have a conversation going on whenever you guys are out

probably sneers at people who give you looks tbh, will probably trip them if they decide to be a little ruder and mutter something under their breath while theyre passing by you... i mean they cant prove anything! they just tripped on air! jack totally didnt swipe one of his long arms out and tug their ankle back!

the only downside is that jack cant do much outside of talking and sneaking stuff around since him just fully popping out his box might blow his cover, you know? doesnt mean he doesnt have the urge to jump out when he sees you getting a little stressed out or overwhelmed about your surroundings or when someone is being particularly cruel

though i dont doubt hes remembering faces; i mean at the end of the day hes still a clown that specializes in torment, do i really need to say what hes cooking up in his brain?

no in cases where you're beginning to struggle hes probably going to try to quietly urge you to disconnect and take a breather

keeps your favorite candies on him at all times and slips them into your hand, probably does the same to any stress/fidget toys you may or may not have.. though i do hc he can just materialize certain things and i can easily see that sort of thing falling into something he can just yoink into existence

very good at reassuring you of your worth and how much you mean to him; this is a general thing but i think he makes it more of a point if self image is something you particularly struggle with

who would have thunk it, the clown with abandonment issues is good at reassuring others that hes not going to go anywhere

[genericpuff]

Just to add to the speculation: Rachel was on Twitter and instagram over the last week being really excited over how she's talking to Webtoon about LO's return date and seemed to be in good spirits, but now that we have confirmation of LO ending and her and Webtoon are now being really quiet about it, I get the impression she was expecting that meeting to be a renewal discussion but instead was greeted by Webtoon asking when she was wrapping things up with no offer of another season. I think WT was considering it since none of the S3 ads mentioned it was the last season, but they must be seeing the internal numbers and with the potential of the TV show not happening and less and less book sales, they must have seen no financial or business reason of renew it. The obfuscation both her and Webtoon are doing right now implies Rachel was blindsided by this IMO.

fucking OOF BRO

That was definitely an angle I hadn't considered, obviously it's still just speculation/tinfoil but from what I've heard about how cagey WT can be about communicating with their creators, it could very well be a possibility. That said, while it would SUCK for Rachel if that was the case, I feel like it's also something she shouldn't have been pressing her luck with for so long. TBH there's a lot of evidence to support the fact that LO has been getting "special treatment" for years now and I think a lot of that was based on the good will of how well the series performed in 2019/2020. When the series started going downhill, WT would have likely been willing to give her benefit of the doubt, but now with things going the way they are where people are clearly DONE with LO and Rachel isn't making any attempts to actually get her shit together, it would make sense if WT is just finally deciding to cut their losses.

Of course that's, again, HEAVY speculation. But I've seen series that weren't controversial or regularly criticized like LO get suddenly dropped without much warning for the creator (see: Yuna & Kawachan). The fact that LO has been going on this downward spiral for so long without any intervention or attempts to improve things just goes to show how much WT was banking on this series to succeed, especially after all of the time and money and advertising they had sunk into it. Even look at the awards that LO won this year, including the Eisner, which isn't an award traditionally won twice, lending credence to the fact that WT is buying her these awards to try and save their golden goose. It's too late to save it. It's barely managing to stay alive on life support.

If anything I hope this is a harsh but necessary lesson to WT to not undercut their other creators and series just to shove all their eggs in one basket. There are so many series on the platform that could be massive hits if WT would just extend them the olive branch and give them the same royal treatment they gave LO for so many years. There's no reason all of their resources need to go into one series, it's not a pie, everyone should be able to get the opportunity to be seen within their library. Otherwise, if for some reason WT can't allocate those resources due to the sheer number of series on the site, then that should be a wake up call to lessen the amount of titles that are being churned out into the Originals catalogue every week. To be fair, the launch weeks have lessened over the past year, they're not quite as overstuffed with launch titles as they used to be, but it's still a lot compared to what it used to be back in the day.

The reality is that LO was released at a time when the site wasn't nearly as oversaturated as it is today so it was created at the right place, right time - if it was released today, it would likely be another buried series with little to no advertising. It was a product of its time and that time is very much long gone.

[iwonderwh0]

Someone on reddit asked, "What do you hate about The Hostage chapter?" and i was like, "oh, it's my time to shine."

My reply, copied from reddit:

Tbh, Captain Allen's flippant response to Connor. But not for the reasons other people have commented. Yes, he was needlessly antagonistic. Yes, he should have kept his calm, and not escalated the situation.

But i understand that he was under a lot of stress, two of his men had been shot, an officer from the local PD was dead, Emma was currently being dangled off a very tall building, and Allen was being made to wait an hour for a fresh-off-the-line android to show up so CL could test out their new toy, when at any time, the deviant could jump. There was no guarantee in his eyes that it'd even work, for all he knew, Connor could still have some bugs to patch, and if he failed, a little girl would die. I'd be unbelievable angry in that situation, too.

No, what i don't understand is why Captain Allen knows absolutely NOTHING about the deviant. Connor asks him two questions, and he can't answer the first, and refuses to answer the second. Now, he could just be angry because of all the aforementioned reasons, plus Connor seems to be asking nonsensical questions from his standpoint (Who cares what the deviant's name is? We don't have time for that), but his response to the first question (and it's the same for all 4 questions Connor can ask) gives me the impression he knows absolutely nothing. Which is ridiculous, because that means he's been essentially sitting with his thumbs up his ass for an hour while Emma was in constant danger.

SWAT teams very rarely go into a mission blind, they are briefed on the situation before being deployed, or updated on the go. They know the importance of learning every bit of information about the situation as possible. For them, it can mean the difference between life or death. Especially for a hostage; standard procedure is to learn every single tiny detail you can about the kidnapper's life and motives. This is a big part of hostage negotiation, Allen should be familiar with this considering his job title. This is what he should have been doing, before he got the call that Connor was coming.

In addition, i don't know if Allen ever became a detective before he entered SWAT, but i know that every SWAT personnel must spend at least 2 years as a beat cop, same as everyone else. SWAT usually spend many years as regular officer, some gaining a higher rank, before tranferring. And even a lowly officer knows to 1) assess the situation, 2) learn the how (figure out what happened), 3) learn the why (figure out why this happened).

So.......you question the witnesses.

Emma's mother was there, being escorted out of the premises as Connor arrived. She would be a key witness, as she was presumably in close contact with Daniel often, making sure Emma did her homework, drafting grocery lists, delegating tasks, etc. And buying a new android to replace your old one is not a secret you would keep in a marriage. They're pretty pricey, and that would generally be a joint financial decision. She had to have known her husband bought the AP700.

Allen could have been questioning her....but i have my doubts. He doesn't know Daniel's motive. He doesn't know if this is out of character for him. Hell, he doesn't even know Daniel's name. So what the hell was he doing for that entire hour before Connor showed up?

Why the hell doesn't he know anything about the android he's trying to rescue a 10 year old hostage from??

This has bugged me for years lmao. I was curious of your opinion on it

I don't think Allen and his team was there planning to negotiate at all, and I might be wrong but from what I gathered from a quick research, SWAT doesn't typically do negotiation on their own, they have optional Crisis Negotiation Team attached to them (?) which although works closely with SWAT isn't exactly a part of it. Moreover, from their POV it's a case of a broken machine, not an actual hostage-taker with human motives that are even worth looking into as such — android took a hostage not because it had a reason to but just because it was faulty, end of story. You don't negotiate with a crazy robot, because it's not a person with motives. Even Connor is there wording it as "errors in his software".

So, I think Allen doesn't know those things because he doesn't exactly find them relevant on the first place, his job is to come up with an armed strategy aka the position of snipers, the helicopter, etc, like all those people around the area are organised by Allen, that's what he's been doing. Their team just wants to shoot the android in the right enough way without any negotiation, that's what I think is happening.

As you said, they escorted Caroline in the beginning of the chapter, which means they probably assessed the situatsioon of what and how happened from her words. So it is possible she didn't know the motive herself, so even from her POV Daniel just got bonkers out of the blue. And once again, in their eyes it's not exactly a hostage-taking as it is a case of a broken machine, something not reasonable to talk to. They might have as well be called in a scene with an armed monkey, a wild animal pet that got aggressive. Who gives a shit if there was a reason, it's a wild animal, it's not exactly an acceptable course of action to talk to it and reason. That's why Allen is do annoyed, I think, he sees it as ridiculous to even try to talk to something that doesn't actually understand you. A waste of time.

And regarding what Caroline even knew about tue situation... Buying a new android could really well have been a decision made on a whim because Really, have you seen how rich those people are? Ten grand for them can be an impulsive purchase, even people who Don't have the money sometimes make crazy expensive purchases they can't afford just because they suddenly decide to make a bad financial decision, and then they buy a used sports car just because they saw it on sale and it was slightly lower price and higher quality than usual or something. Things like this happen.

I honestly wonder if Caroline herself even knew about this decision at all, and I think, it's entirely possible she did not. It might have been a surprise from John's side. It might have been even that John's plan wasn't actually to replace an android but just to buy another one, for whatever purposes, without talking to Caroline prior. And if you look at the timing, Daniel shoots him pretty much immediately after he hit the purchase button. Even if Caroline did know about the plan to buy a new model (if there was indeed a plan), do you think she'd have a chance to connect the two things in such a short notice, possibly not having an opportunity to know that John proceeded with the purchase at THAT evening?

So yeah, I don't think the things you listed are really a fault of a chapter tbh. I love it the way it is, I think it makes sense. The only thing I find regrettable about this chapter is that it's barely ever mentioned later on in the game.

[greensagephase]

Speaking of records? I doubt 2099 would have any stores, and I'm sure Miguel could easily make some sorta music to record device...

But I kinda like the idea of them maybe chilling in y/ns universe? And going into a cozy little record shop and browsing and maybe buying too many records but they're just laughing and poking fun at each other's music tastes?

Y/n's like, we've walked around your universe, lemme show you around mine as a thank you for letting me stay with you? And Miguel kinda gets to embrace a slower (aka our time) pace then what he's used too?

Hi, nonnie!! Thank you so much for the ask!! Also, I’m sorry for taking a bit to respond to your ask!! It's been a few days but I’m certain you’re talking about the lovely fanart I reblogged on Monday regarding Miguel’s record player. Life has been a little chaotic these last few days, so forgive me for the delay! 🥺

But okay, I love this ask so much!!!! I’ve never talked about the records situation in Miguel’s universe because sometimes I feel like I go too much into detail lol, but okay, yes!

I doubt records are easily accessible to people on Earth 928, or 928B, or whatever is Miguel’s official Earth number, however, I thought about our own reality and was inspired by that. So, very quickly, I’ll explain my thought process at least within Nonviolent Communication:

I thought about how most of us have digital access to music through our devices, and I imagine it’s similar in Miguel’s universe with all the high tech available to them, however, I know there’s still many people who love CDs, records, and/or cassettes.

Some of these individuals might be on the older side, and remain loyal to these because that’s what they grew up with, among other reasons, but I also know younger generations have taken a liking to them. For example, we’ve seen record players come back in full swing (I personally bought one myself when they first started becoming a thing again) and I think CDs are also still somewhat popular (?), so when thinking about Miguel’s universe, I imagined there might be a possibility that people in this universe also experience(d) similar trends in regards to this.

It’s why in one of the latest chapters I also incorporated cassettes. I included the small detail that that specific cassette player and cassettes belonged to Gabriel, hinting that Miguel also owned/owns some and that cassettes made a return at some point before Gabriel died, even if it was a short one.

Side note: Lowkey, I imagined it was probably when they were older teens. I had this little thought (while writing that scene) of young Miguel and Gabriel riding in a car and having a cassette adapter for it because it was the current popular trend for people their age!

Then, I also mentioned Miguel buying records from his own universe after reader gifted him the record player. So, going along with my line of thinking, I thought there could be a small online market for these kinds of items that are not popular or the norm in Miguel’s advanced society, but it's supported by people who are fond of them (and who might even collect them as historical pieces), allowing for a small online market to exist. So, yeah, this is my reasoning for Miguel being able to buy some records in his universe, but there’s not the same variety nor accessibility there is in our universe within the fic.

Of course, that’s just me taking liberties with such details in my fic, but I tried making it a little realistic to our own reality, and thought it would be a fun thing to add!

But anyway, I LOVE THAT IDEA!!! I have a few moments planned out with Miguel and reader strolling around her universe in future chapters already, but this one…???

!!!

I can already see Miguel searching through tall shelves, his eyes scanning all the titles and being in awe at how many records there are available. He’s probably in a daze at the mere fact that there’s dedicated shops in dulzura’s universe for them tbh, like he knows they exist but seeing and being in one makes him feel like now he knows knows, you know? He’d find artists he recognizes from his own dimension and gets all giddy about the fact that he’s found their records. And of course, being our universe and keeping an eye on him to see his reaction, we notice him - the way his eyes sparkle with delight and the cute little smile of excitement along with the way he picks them up with such delicacy!! 🥺

Okay, I’m def getting carried away here, so I’ll stop myself but nonnie… I have added the idea to the NC folder!! 🙂‍↕️Expect the moment soon, especially with us moving out shortly!! 😊 (I wanna live with Miguel for longer tho😔)

Thank you so much for the ask, nonnie!! I hope you’re having a wonderful day/night!! 🥰🫶🏼

Alondra❤️

[millermenapologist]

https://www.tumblr.com/millermenapologist/753018718824660992/ive-read-right-now-your-list-of-topics-you-would?source=share

Actually, that was a smart fucking response!! I doubt I would answer in this level, I mean, you made me realize I talk like a teenager compared to you (that's a compliment btw💖)

And I as someone who haven't read the book, You managed to clarify some things I had no idea about, and the whole concept of 90s is actually true and a point that never came to my mind when thinking about lolita: this was an era in Hollywood with this concept of "oh naughty teenager falls in love with older man or a male with some kind of power (like a teacher)" - I mean, The Crush starring Alicia Silverstone is an example. Those really had a part of internalize to people the belief that teen girls have a dubious innocence.

And what you said by the end just confirmed that this movie is truly what I was thinking: a coquette horror story🫠

I feel bad for her. I mean, she had a hard ass fucking life even after him, and then died so early giving birth. When I remember about the girl reading in her backyard or loving a normal life with her mom, it's hard to imagine that this person is the same one that had that life and ending. Does the movie says something about her baby and husband, or not?

Anon you're too kind (๑•з•)))⋆♡⋆ฺ=͟͟͞͞=͟͟͞͞

Also, I 100% talk like a teenager too. I'm one of those annoying ass people who repeats "like" every other word, the magic of having learned English by watching YouTube videos from 2016. My writing just happens to be a lot more curated in style because my college internship was at a place that required a lot of writing and not only I was the only woman, but I was also the only ESL, so... it was the trenches. The trenches, I tell you!

Oh, and on this topic! In his entire career of (bestselling) writer, Nabokov rarely did impromptu interviews: if someone wanted to interview him, he'd ask for them to send him a letter containing all the questions they wanted to ask him, would type down the answers, and then read them out loud during the interview. He claimed that his reason to do so was because English wasn't his native language, but it was very much another way for him to fuck with people.

Rest of the "professional" answer below the cut, and beware that, because of the very last question, I'm gonna mention stillbirth.

We are still getting this kind of movies, tbh. Miller's Girl is from this year, and it comes with a very similar premise too: young girl (albeit this time we managed to get her to turn 18! Let the kingdom rejoice!) goes out of her way to seduce a much older man because the idea of it tickles her fancy, and, as a consequence, his life is ruined from top to bottom despite him being the actual victim of the story.

We did get a lot better, as a society, at treating kids like kids (just look at the stark difference between Katherine Hardwicke's Thirteen and Bo Burnham's Eighth Grade), but as soon as we're talking about (especially) girls in their late teens, then it's still treated like open season.

Anyways, yeah, the movie is a coquette horror story, and I can't but find funny the fact that so many people on TikTok got up in arms when others started referring to Lolita as "coquette." It is. We can acknowledge it's a story about a child being abused while also recognizing its soft atmosphere and pastel tones.

I do wish that the coquette people would also find a way to include the horror too, tho...

[...] to buying beautiful things for Lo. Goodness, what crazy purchases were prompted by the poignant predilection Humbert had in those days for check waves, bright cottons, frills, puffed-out short sleeves, soft pleats, snug-fitting bodices and generously full skirts! [...] Did I have something special in mind? coaxing voices asked me. Swimming suits? We have them in all shades. Dream pink, frosted aqua, glans mauve, tulip red, oolala black. Part 1, Chapter 25, p. 107

You picked them? They're just there for a second, a small detail that your brain barely notices, but Humbert did, indeed, refer to the shade of pink he wanted to buy for Dolores' swimsuit as "glans mauve," and the black swimsuit is not simple black, it's "oolala black," which hints towards it being a lacy undergarment designed to look sexy.

The whole book is littered with descriptions of what Dolores wears, and although the coquette style definitely does fit those descriptions, what it constantly misses is that sense of uneasiness that comes from them, the little details that make you furrow your eyebrows, re-read, and go "Oh."

Also, I definitely forgot to mention this in the other response, but I think that the movies (both) aged Dolores up, brought her to a very vague age that was around ~16ish, but in the book Nabokov was very clear: Humbert is only attracted to children aged from 9 to 14 at most (he has a whole monologue about it that wasn't brought up in neither of the adaptations), and Dolores was 12 when they first meet. The bulk of the novel takes place between the summers of 1947 and 1949, and Dolores was born on January 1st 1935. At her oldest, when she was with Humbert, she was 14.

Sooooo... to your actual question (the yapping I do, my god...).

Charlotte wasn't exactly a good mother to Dolores, and the movie sweetened her a lot, and not just because he brought Humbert into their home (it's a common trait of predators, to target single mothers to have easier access to children).

In the book, Dolores used to have a younger brother, a child who had died at 2 in a very tragic accident (he's never brought up again afterwards, but it does reinforce one of the main themes of the novel: childhood lost, in the most literal of senses), and Charlotte is hinted as having greatly preferred him to her daughter.

The reason why Humbert escalates to plotting her murder isn't because Charlotte sent Dolores to summer camp (although he complains and complains about it, defining it as him losing two months of her beauty), but because she wants to send her away forever.

"Ah," said Mrs. Humbert, dreaming, smiling, drawing out the "Ah" simultaneously with the raise of one eyebrow and a soft exhalation of breath. "Little Lo, I'm afraid, does not enter the picture at all, at all. Little Lo goes straight from camp to a good boarding school with strict discipline and some sound religious training. And then - Beardsley College. I have it all mapped out, you need not worry." Part 1, Chapter 20, p. 82-83

We have no reason to doubt the truthfulness of this conversation because it works in Humbert's favor: of course he planned to murder his wife! He wanted to take away from him the love of his life, whatever else was he supposed to do? Wouldn't the kind gentlemen of the jury understand his actions, had they been in his place?

So... Dolores would've probably ran away from her mother too, if she had had the possibility. Or from boarding school.

As for her husband and baby, the movie greatly diminished their role in the themes of the plot.

For starters, when she writes him the letter asking for help, she does so by opening with "Dear Dad," and then continues to do so for the entirety of it, referring to herself as "Dolly" in the bottom signature. She desperately wants to believe that that's what he'll now be for her: a father, nothing else. Just... she was terribly scared, and this is a sentiment that's completely overshadowed by Humbert's feelings. She's pregnant and penniless, and so terrified for her future that she went out of her way to contact the man who abused her for years (and that she suspects killed her mother) in the hope that he wouldn't act like a monster and lend her just enough money to get to Alaska, where her husband wants to go because he heard that there are a lot of jobs there.

And you know what his response to the letter is? He becomes angry, violent, and plans to murder her and her husband both. He goes to her house with the intention of doing so, and the only thing that stops him is that he suddenly finds himself recognizing his Lolita in Dolly.

Her husband, Dick (and yes, the name is not a random choice), is a hard-of-hearing man who is completely oblivious to what happened to her. Dolores, a girl who spent her entire life being unheard, ultimately married a man who cannot hear her either. She has to yell at him to be heard, has to scream or force herself into his field of vision to make sure he's paying attention. No matter how much the people say they feel for her, she's still isolated, she's still alone, she's still unheard. Dick is as deaf to her needs and voice and personhood as Humbert was.

As for the baby, we gotta do some plot "rearrangement". The movie opens with Humbert reminiscing his early adolescence spent on the French Riviera with Annabel (again, I still don't understand why in the adaptation they have sex, but whatever), and only at the end (and in text) we're told that Humbert died in prison, Dolores died in labor, and that her baby was a stillborn.

In the book, we get this information as a first thing, in a Foreword written by John Ray Jr, PhD, who informs the readers that:

[...] their author, had died in legal captivity of coronary thrombosis, on November 16, 1952, a few days before his trial was scheduled to start. [...] Mrs. "Richard F. Schiller" died in childbirth giving birth to a stillborn girl, on Christmas Day 1952, in Gray Star, a settlement in the remotest Northwest. Foreword, p. 3-4

Nabokov makes you read the entire plot already telling you how it ends: Humbert gets arrested and these are his confessions, a woman married to a certain Richard Schiller dies in childbirth. You already know, and yet, plot-wise, it makes perfect sense that he'd spoil it within its very first few pages.

The following decision I make with all the legal impact and support of a signed testament: I wish this memoir to be published only when Lolita is no longer alive. Part 2, Chapter 36, p. 308-309

Again, Nabokov is fucking with us. The sole act of getting the book published means that Dolores is dead, and therefore it should be of absolutely no surprise, when the reader realizes that "Mrs. Richard Schiller" is no other than the titular Lolita and that she died in childbirth (and generally, though, the very last paragraph of the novel contains so much information and deserves so much analysis that it'd require a post of its own lol.)

So, now for the baby.

One of the main themes of the story is that of the double (Dolores is the double of Annabel; Humbert is the double of Quimby; Charlotte is a double of Humbert's mother; Humbert's name itself is a double; in the scene in which they walk in their room at the hotel where Humbert assaults Dolores for the first time, he describes it by saying that each object has itself and then its twin reflection in the mirror), and Dolores' baby has a double too.

Some motels had instructions pasted above the toilet (on whose tank the towels were unhygienically heaped) asking guests not to throw into its bowl garbage, beer cans, cartons, stillborn babies. Part 2, Chapter 1, p. 146

It's the slightest of mentions, just as with many other things, but it's there, aids the theme and serves as foreshadowing for what's to come. And, again, Nabokov just genuinely liked fucking with his readers.

Uhm... I think this response is finished here? Lemme know if you (or anyone else) wants more of this, because I could seriously go on all day ʚ♡⃛ɞ(ू•ᴗ•ू❁)

[struggle-but-its-all-ocean-floor]

I’m sure jungkook already had ideas about this going in, but I can’t help thinking about how much better all of the rappers in bts are compared to Jack Harlow and central cee. It says a lot about who gets elevated in the music industry. Like jungkook was so spoiled with rap line 😭 I wonder if it’s something he noted. Tbh, and I don’t know if this makes sense considering how much more recognized they are, but being a western pop star doesn’t seem like all it’s cracked up to be success-wise. There are a lot of people that make music that’s played heavily on the radio and heavily listened to, like kid laroi maybe, but idk if I’ve ever met a kid laroi ‘fan’ or if people really go to his concerts or physically buy his albums. Most likely he’s taking pennies from Spotify, and that’s probably what most of them do if they’re not Taylor swift. K-pop fan engagement is a different beast bc the fan culture is very much about actively engaging with the artists - going to concerts and buying albums and hyping them. You’ll more directly receive the love from your fans, which boosts you up more. Since most people aren’t going to be successful in either industry, I think I’d rather be in kpop since it might feel more rewarding in the moment

Yeah, the BTS rap line is infinitely superior to Central Cee and Jack Harlow - from flow to lyrics to looks to charm lmao.

It's true that success in the West a lot of times seems to mean people knowing who you are because they heard of you or heard one or two of your songs on the radio and not even by choice. Those artists make money from ads, performances, their label, but may not really have that many real fans. The Kid Laroi is famous, everyone in a given age group knows who he is, but he probably wouldn't fill a stadium in a heartbeat like Jungkook would, no matter how big the stadium. Even in a market like Europe, where The Kid Laroi is way more mainstream, Jungkook would still sell out any stadium over him, even if all the seats were filled with foreigners who flew in to see him. It's a bit unfair that, despite this reality, Jungkook will probably never be mainstream the way a lot of American artists are.

But American artists make a lot more money than kpop artists, work less in general, and often have more creative control and personal freedom. I wouldn't say that it's better to be a kpop artist. If you think The Kid Laroi is being paid pennies, than how much do you think most idols make? And he's just starting out. There's also a question of trainee debt, harsh beauty standards that male pop artists at least can probably evade, a grueling workload, less creative and personal freedom in general, etc. It's one thing to be BTS and another thing to be anyone else. Even Exo are all leaving SM and they're at the top of the industry. The pop industry is also exploitative, full of controlling executives, and ugly inside out, but I'd be willing to bet it gives artists more opportunities in the future. Music wise, I'd rather be an idol, and agree that the bond idols and fans share is much more interesting than what Western artists and their fans have, but I doubt that, as far as personal happiness and fulfillment go, being an American artist, pop or not, is less fulfilling than being an idol. Plenty of American artists have really solid fanbases and It opens a lot more doors too.

I don't know, both industries suck for sure.

Thanks for the ask!

[nebulouscoffee]

Kira for the ask game, because I've sewn you mentioned liking her but haven't seen you talk about it much yet and would like to enable you

Yayy thank you!! (and I'm sorry I took so long to respond, it's been a very hectic week😅)

one aspect about them i love

Kira really embodies a lot of what I miss most about Star Trek tbh, which was the real desire to make the audience uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong; there is a lot about TOS, TNG and DS9 that didn't age well- but I still think an important goal they all shared was to take certain ideas and ideologies that might've seemed far-fetched to the audience of the time, and say- "why not?" Also, "Does this character's existence- and presence- make you uncomfortable? Well, maybe that's a YOU problem." And that's a goal which (imo) really faded over the years, because they grew more and more afraid of turning off the conservative audience. But not with Kira! Within minutes of her introduction, she offers a scathing shutdown of the "frontier" that Star Trek was quite literally built upon. She is literally a sympathetic "terrorist" MAIN character (rare enough), and furthermore a woman- and that too a "difficult" woman, who refuses to let herself be ignored or compromise her people's needs for the Starfleet crew's comfort (!!!), who is ANGRY and deeply religious and nationalistic and PROACTIVE and stomps around and shouts and cries and disagrees and wears her passion on her sleeve and is not at all afraid to make a nuisance of herself- and yet, still has numerous flaws and so many moments of self-doubt and raw vulnerability. What a fantastic character! This was 1993; I can think of so few TV women from that era who actively challenged the constructs (and men) around them so much. I love everything she represents

one aspect i wish more people understood about them

That her arc is more about learning to land upon nuance; not toning down her Bajoran-isms. Her patriotism and faith do occasionally steer her the wrong way, yes- but Kira's growth doesn't at all involve her renouncing either of those things! If anything, it's Sisko who ends up having to adjust to her perspectives. In general I'm always craving more nuanced discussions re DS9's postcolonial dynamics, too- Kira has such a range of interactions with Cardassians on the show, and numerous episodes ('Destiny', 'Life Support', 'Ties of Blood and Water', etc) show that she's genuinely invested in peace between their peoples; something I think often goes ignored. Yes, she's justifiably furious about everything they did to her home- but at the end of the day, what she wants is justice and reparations for Bajor and Bajorans; and if a small (understandable) part of her does want to see Cardassia crash and burn, she really doesn't act upon it

Also, she's funny! Remember when she told Dukat the baby was O'Brien's with no further explanation? Lmaoo what a troll

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have about this character

That she only received a very basic education. She does mention finger painting and playing springball as a kid, but also- Kira grew up in a refugee camp and she joined the Shakaar cell at age 12; she probably missed out on the higher education even the average Bajoran of her generation received (which itself was likely Cardassian State-controlled). Idk, this is low key important to me because so many Star Trek characters are almost like- defined by their scientific and educational smarts, if that makes sense? It's refreshing to see a Trek character who doesn't quite make sense of herself or the world around her primarily through (Western) scientific constructs

Also, Kira absolutely has unexamined caste biases; she just never really learnt to recognise them because caste played such a minimal role in the Resistance- but most Bajorans are far more aware of caste dynamics than she typically is (I just do not buy that the D'jarra system completely went away in less than 60 years)

one character i love seeing them interact with

Ben Sisko! They have SUCH a fascinating dynamic, it's so complex and sweet and often quite trying and hurtful but still kept afloat on this deep, deep underlying mutual respect. Ben's position as the Emissary makes everything so wonderfully complicated, and watching Kira's frustrations at the fact that she actually believes in him morph into reassurance as he slowly transforms from being the Starfleet Outsider to truly being Of Bajor... ahhh it's so good. That scene where he invites her to a baseball game lives in my head rent free! (Also they high key make a fascinating ship imo, I am something of a post-canon Sisko/Kira/Kasidy truther)

one character i wish they would interact with/interact with more

I have multiple answers to this (Julian, Worf, Garak, Keiko, Ziyal, Cretak, Jake, Ezri, etc) but I'm gonna go with someone she actually interacts with quite a bit, because I just wanted mOArrr. Jadzia!

Yes, it was the 90s, so I'm glad they were at least allowed to be friends and not like, cattily pitted against each other. But I still craved more layers to their onscreen dynamic! I mean, Jadzia, the Starfleet "Science Officer" who openly dismisses Kira's religious beliefs on more than one occasion? Kira, the child soldier who finds most of Jadzia's pastimes and preoccupations frivolous and silly? It's so interesting that they keep spending time together despite such fundamental differences, and I would've loved a bigger exploration as to why! They deserved their own 'The Wire', basically. Much like the central two characters of that episode, the answer is that they actually have a LOT more in common than is apparent at first glance (fraught senses of identity, complicated relationships with their home worlds, a sense of loss regarding family) where they outwardly seem like polar opposites. And all of this is not even getting into the nonlinearity of Bajoran religion vs the lives of Dax... gosh, there was room for so much! They deserved a whole Big Sequence full of Monologues the actors could really sink their teeth into, they deserved for one of them to fly off on a dangerous quest to save the others' life- and you know what!! They deserved a little homoerotic hand-holding too!! But, I suppose that's what fanfiction is for😂

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have that involve them and one other character

She and Bashir definitely grow much closer after the show's end; whether he stays behind on DS9 or not :)

[patchesproblem]

tell us more about the immortal cat au

BET ACTUALLY

So to start off with it happens more in the future after Honkai was eradicated / sealed away. More than likely a few years after it after everything calmed down and they weren't on the constant verge of deadly threat every five seconds.

There's actually a first draft and a second draft when it comes to this. The original idea was that they figured out a way to replicate their immortality and just kinda tested it on a cat and kept it, but it was scrapped because I doubt they'd actively be trying to replicate immortality when it's more of a curse than a blessing lmao. It originally was from like Novemebr or December I believe, so it's relatively old.

For now the immortal cat doesn't really have a place of origin. The current ideas are maybe that it was created (think kinda like Theresa?? But also not really because this is a literal animal) or that some freak accident happened. It doesn't really matter because the cat itself is what's more important because it terrorizes everyone and everything in it's path.

Imagine if you took everything that makes Einstein and Tesla menaces to society but put it into a cat that doesn't have to face consequences or societal shame.

The cat can be really sweet yes, but it can also ruin your day. It can and will knock anything it feels like over. It's definetly ruined electronics before.

Tesla and her are besties but they are in a constant war with each other. When Teslas had a bad day it'll curl up with her and comfort her, but on any other day it'll be knocking stuff off of her desk or nightstand and running off with her glasses without a care. She's probably ran off with her tools at some point tbh. Also has probably knocked several screwdrivers underneath things and neither Tesla nor Einstein can reach far enough to get them back. Anti-Entropys funds are having to be put towards buying new equipment because of their pet they refuse to get rid of.

The cat is at war with Einstein too except on a lesser, less destructive scale. Their war is exactly like how Einstein chooses to mess with people. It's clear. It's subtle. It will drive you insane nonetheless. It'll stare at her dead in the eyes flicking its tail having a staring contest. They both know it's about to do something the only question is when and what. Minutes later she's chasing it around their dorm trying to get her sandwich back that it stole.

Basically it kinda mimics each of them. It's also just a cat and cats are just like that tbh (source I have a menace of my own that has destroyed many electronics and has shoved her face in my food when I glanced away.)

Though it's not all chaos. They see her as their kid and actively make sure that it has the best life they can give it. Probably one of the most spoiled cats known to man kind. It sleeps with them and just kinda chills with them most of the time when it's not being a destructive unstoppable force.

It also really enjoys chasing the laser pointers and tries to play with Einsteins hair and probably attacks Teslas pigtails LMAO.

Also does not like men. The cat just stares at them and hisses before running off. It does not care for Joachim in the slightest.

Oh and her names S'more. She's a tortoise shell and Tesla 100% put a bow on her. They take her out with them sometimes and she goes on buisness trips with them.

I think Tesla probably brushes her often too and makes sure that her furs pretty and soft. Don't know why I just think she would. They treat it like it's their child so nothing would surprise me. Probably say stuff like "go harass your mother" or something like that.

[thisselflovecamebacktome]

I'm gonna send this to you cause you are more understanding.

There are some blogs here that looove to talk about Taylor's obsesion with alchool and love to wonder how many times of drugs she has done in her life and still does. And like 1) just bc she hangs around people that do drugs, doesn't mean she does it. I don't and i have some friends that really like drugs 2) even she did do, wich i"m not saying it's impossible - is it necessary to talk about it as if this is a pride moment???

Cause the way people in this industry keep dying more and more from OD, i hope to god she stays the fuck away. Bc all it takes it's 1 time that feels different from the other times and boom she's an addict.

Like the way coke it's getting more and more into pop music scares me. Before it was alchool, then weed and coke is going the same direction. We have Harry, Dua, The Weeknd using cocaine in songs like it's so normal and it shouldn't be.

I can't be the one that gets terrifed about it. Drugs can change a person so much, so fast and i will never wish that on Taylor. But the way the industry is normalizing drugs is getting really scary for me and i seem to be only one stressed. Maybe i should leave this site tbh

I'm going to start this by saying this is coming from someone who considers themselves a recovering addict and while I wouldn't go as far as to see myself an alcoholic at any stage of my life, I definitely have had periods where I relied far too heavily on it.

So there's two aspects I want to touch on here: Celebrity drug culture as a whole and specifically Swifties reaction to not only Taylor's drug use, but other celebrities'.

In terms of general celebrity drug culture, to be completely honest, I don't necessarily agree with you that it's become more normalised, or at least that that's the issue here. Like my parents used to talk about big artists doing the same drugs back in their days and how it was the world's worst kept "secret". So instead I would say that the way that it is spoken about has changed over time. Rather than alluding to or implying it, celebs are just more blunt now. A big part of this is a small aspect of society as a whole no longer being willing to hide things. Like back in my mother's day, girls would rather die than call their period a period while in school but my generation did. Likewise things like mental illness (which addiction is part of, but I mean more broadly), reproductive health choices and other social issues are no longer being hushed. So again, I don't necessarily think the issue is in how blunt celebrities are being, but I do think it's representative of an issue that has plagued the industry (and society as a whole) for generations and a reminder that after a certain point, money doesn't buy happiness nor shield you from certain struggles.

On the positive side, I also think this bluntness has led to a place where celebrities like Elton John can speak freely and be an advocate for sobriety. As a mother figure/guardian of a preteen, it's also a good reminder to parents to talk to their children about the risks of drug use and remind them that not every action a celebrity takes needs to be replicated.

When it comes to Taylor and her fanbase, I completely agree that this fandom has been, and excuse my language here, fucking weirdos about her recreational drug use (+ mental health as a whole and even sex life) for at least nearly decade now, whether it's stuff we know she's had like alcohol or speculation of other stuff like cocaine. For the record, while I doubt she's a frequent user let alone addicted, given she's in the industry and been to her fair share of parties, it would not surprise me if she has tried heavier stuff than weed and alcohol. But either way, this fandom has been weird in that a lot of it is very much split into a once larger/louder but quietening group of arguably ableist puritans who refuse to even consider the possibility that she has taken heavier stuff and genuinely think she's a better person than addicts for it and another now louder group of people who think that making jokes about her sobriety and alcohol intake is not only acceptable, but funny.

Both sides are weird period, but I'll be honest, much like it seems to with you, the second group grinds my gears more and make it harder for me to be in this fandom given my past issues. I remember when Reputation first came out, my dash was filled with "Not 10 months sober anymore!", "We get it Taylor, you're an alcoholic!" and other jokes of that calibre which, even as recently as Midnights' release, got rehashed with "Taylor's on her drinking bender again!" jokes. And as a recovering addict and someone who feels they relied on alcohol too much (especially at the time Reputation was released), it made and continues to make it hard to partake in this fandom. To quote Taylor herself "The jokes weren't funny". They never were and to be honest, are even more horrifying post Folklore Long Pond where she, Jack and Aaron spoke about some very serious shit about alcohol that I resonated with as someone who relied on alcohol too much at one point in my life. And yes, I understand Taylor has made the odd joke about learning to make an alcoholic drink or whatever, but there is a big difference between that and ongoing alcoholism jokes coming from people who don't know her. But like you said, either way, it's not something that's really appropriate to joke about, let alone be proud of (thankfully I have not seen any of that, but I do not doubt people are saying it given this fandom's history).

The hardest part to see however is the way that both of these sides come together to bully and harass other artists to prop Taylor up. Like despite heralding Taylor as a supporter of addicts for releasing Clean and acknowledging that a lot of her fans relate it to sobriety, every single time someone disagrees with Taylor or otherwise does "wrong", these same fans that heralded her jump on the chance to belittle and villainise addiction when it has nothing to do with the situation at hand. I've even had it happen with me via hate anons over stupid shit like liking RED over 1989 in the 1989 era. Like as a whole, this fandom's lack of boundaries in general, but especially with this topic, is a big reason I keep to myself and am not that close to many people within the fandom.

In saying all of this though, if there's something I've learned from being a long term Demi Lovato stan, it's that while we can obviously care about Taylor, stressing will not do anything because we do not know her personally and cannot do anything even if she does become addicted (again noting that I don't think she is or will, just talking hypothetical here). And obviously that's far easier said than done because you're right, it is scary. But you need to prioritise your own mental health however you can. So whether that's blacklisting tags or taking some time away from this site, that's valid. But please know that either way, you are always welcome in this inbox and that I want nothing but the best for you 💜

[brolantra]

I need to get laminator sheets, and a new bra 😆 but I forgot tomorrow is Black Friday and all the crazies will be out. Thankful I actually enjoy being home, and I already have a good percentage of the material possessions I want. I have everything I need right now tbh, and I’ve put a lot of effort into making every day my own thanksgiving. Thankful every day. The laminator sheets can wait a day or two, so can the bra.

Last night I found out 2 good long time friends of mine Caitlin & Caleb , who I haven’t seen in sooo long but the love is always there, are having a baby 🥹🥹🥹 I can’t wait to buy that baby a bunch of giraffe and turtle stuff. I love giraffes, Caitlin loves turtles. Always been our thing. Most of the giraffe portraits, and even my wallet that has a giraffe smoking a blunt on it, was gifted to me by her. Her taking the time to reach out and update me on something so big reminded me that despite everyone I lost over the past few years, I still have more than enough. People who really love me, value me, and think about me often. I hope to see them soon, get some Mexican food and catch up. Smoke a blunt with Caleb, cuz I highly doubt Caitlin will be partaking now 😂

It’s funny too because when we were in high school, Caitlin and I were friends with another girl named Naomi. She was my roommate when I moved to Georgia and someone I considered to be one of my best friends. She betrayed me many times, and we’re no longer friends. I haven’t spoken to her since like 2018 maybe 2019. Idk if Caitlin is still friends with her. But we were all really good friends, the 3 of us. And back in the day, we made a bet between us. As to who would have a baby first, second, and third. They both said I’d be the first to have a baby lol… Naomi second, Caitlin third…. but Naomi was the first and had her first kid shortly after I moved to Georgia in 2015. 9 years later and Caitlin’s having a baby🤯 I don’t have any kids…….. yet lol

Reflecting really is an every day occurrence. And in recent months it’s been painful. I relived so many emotions and memories I thought I had to put rest. But today… I’m just thankful. For the journey. For the love. For all of the ways things have grown, and all of the ways things have withered away. Thankful for everything that has fallen apart, and I’m thankful for all that’s trying to come together. Through all of my struggles, with every storm, my faith in God, and in God’s plan for me, grows stronger. You can’t buy that anywhere

[petalsmooth]

People can say it till blue in face and the show can write as they like and even Nicola can defend it but Eloise and Pen are not better friends than Colin and Pen. It's not canon best on behavior and I just don't buy things because a show scripts it that way. They spent most of the season expecting me to buy Cressida and Eloise as friends and I didn't buy that either. I DO think Pen and Eloise are friends and I DO think they love each other but soulmates? BFF's?

In the sense society suggests cannot have a best friend who is the opposite sex so you spend most of your time with one girl who, like you, doesn't quite fit in and read, lay in the grass, gossip etc...yeah they are best friends. But in the more intimate sense where confide everything to each other? Trust each other? Are observant of the other's moods and feelings? Not even close. Honestly, if Pen wasn't in love with Colin and feared losing him...if society allowed BFF's of different sexes and platonic on both ends? I think she probably tells Colin from the start about WD. Because the main reason she didn't tell Eloise was she was afraid Eloise would take over the column. imo. this is long before wrote anything about the Bridgerton's other than Daphne as a diamond.

She could have told Eloise after issue one but didn't. Eloise likely would have kept the secret and nothing objectionable there. So why didn't she?

Whereas Colin would always notice if something is wrong, just didn't feel it is place to push until they were engaged and even then just let her know he wasn't buying the excuses but would wait. Even offered to allow her to break the engagement if had second thoughts.

And if you contrast his and Eloise's reactions, he understands why Pen wrote everything and listened to Pen when she explained...his anger lasted about a week over W.D. and the betrayal/lying itself before forgiving her. Eloise didn't finally start understanding Pen more until Cressida lashed out at her months afterwards and never listened to Pen's reasons for months. And deep down Colin's real issue (aside from jealousy which Eloise honestly had too) was he doubted she loved him. Because of Marina's schemes and honestly because Pen never really told Colin she loved him until just before he caught her.

That wasn't the case with Eloise imo. I know she hides behind family as the cause and maybe some of that but honestly I think with her it's pride and it's jealously. No one talked to Pen more and yet she didn't know Pen was W.D for two year's because she never listened to Pen really. And she might talk a big game about not being conformist but when society removed just a small bit of Bridgerton privilege from her, she wilted and caved. Easy to talk about defying society until no longer have society's blanket protections, right Eloise? And even still she wasn't shunned from society entirely. She talked of being ignored this season but she actually wasn't. They talked to her...I can only assume what she really means is no one really cared to listen to her...the way Pen had.

And Pen was right when called Eloise on being jealous. Pen may have hid behind her pen, but she still put herself out there. Eloise talked and did nothing. I don't think it's a coincidence the minute on good terms again and Pen is out there doing what Eloise said she couldn't, no longer hiding in shadows that Eloise finally commits to doing something more than talking.

So I did think they care about each other and they are friends and maybe will be best friends too in the future but TO ME Colin has been the best friend Pen's ever had and it's not close.

I think people confuse how awesome Claudia and Nicola are together as Eloise and Pen tbh. Because despite being mad at Eloise this year the reason I wanted them reunited was because I love Nicola and Luke N and Claudia in scenes together. If we were just going off characterizations, I'd probably have said cut your losses and name Gen your BFF. In many ways she's been a better friend to Penelope too than Eloise. But I love the actors all together too much to do that.

As for shippers who want them romantically, yeah, not seeing it. Sorry. Pen wants Eloise in her life but she's always been very clear and very single minded about her attraction to Colin. I've never seen that was her towards Eloise. And I know these are two girl's who didn't even know how babies were made and its questionable how much they knew, but I suspect Pen at least has an idea about Benedict and heard rumblings of others. If she were going to be drawn that way Francesca imo would be more her type. Someone who listens, someone who is kind...listen how she describes Colin. She likes Eloise because in many ways different than her but that doesn't mean you'd find it restful or appealing as a mate. Also, Pen was never oblivious about her feelings for anyone in the show. Bridgerton's are the ones who are depicted as oblivious. And just as an aside Pen and Colin also share the same sort of humor.

Now ELOISE...if people want to entertain SHE might have had more than friendly feelings I could accept that. Because Eloise like Colin can be oblivious (although it manifests differently for her), because she has so little understanding of love and romance and sexual intimacy etc...If people want to head cannon that, not going to say can't find basis for it.

I WILL reject ANY head cannons about Cressida and Eloise though. Eloise was "friends" with her entirely to strike back at Pen and will never convince me you could stand her otherwise.

As for what Eloise needs and wants in a partner? I think someone who listens and understands her. Someone strong enough in themself doesn't need to try to control her but can intelligently make a persuasive case in an argument. Supportive. A person with their own passions as well.

And someone whom she RESPECTS and that is going to be so key because I feel a lot of her problems arise from the sad truth she doesn't respect people enough to listen to them and hear what they have to say before running off and getting deeper into trouble. I'm not saying you have to be governed by another's wishes, but are you willing to accept their counsel if wiser than your own? Are you humble enough to discern the difference? I really don't think anyone they pair her with will work if the viewer can't sense respect is reciprocated both ways. Because to date she's basically ignored the counsel of her family and Pen and even Theo with him trying to direct her to stay away from the print shop. She didn't even respect the rights of the staff to their own belongings. I think for ME to really buy into her not only being in love but in a HEALTHY relationship, I'm going to need to feel this is the one person who's opinion she values in a way never has anyone else's. Because no relationship is going to work well if it's as unbalanced as her others have been

[urmanipulatorytendencies]

enha and whether they'd listen to chapel roan (jk, but i bet you're wondering too, hm)

I saw someone do this and I thought hm, they might just be inspecting my brains cause I had literally just been reminded of it from a separate Twitter post but here it is:

Enha's ranking from most proximity to homie(O) -- least (based from pure vibes) (this isn't meant to be taken seriously but I saw the post (that i saw, DUH) and I felt very seen because it honestly baffles me that this group has to be one of the bro-y-ish groups in existence and yet at least 1 out of 7 people are gay so that's sus and very backwards in the best way possible) (like either they're so gay they out-straight the straights) (if that makes sense) (or they're just...not-- which is no fun because straight people can be so boring) (like so many gay people who just don't care to showcase it or can't, ig, tend to be so norm looking that they go under the radar.) (but not by me, tho-- no I see those hoes for who they truly are :)

Kim Sunoo

Are you shitting my dik rn. Be serious when you tell me that that guy isn't a little fruit basket matured to perfection. He's so beautiful and has a current of exuding confidence unmatched. Like, I don't really know how to explain it but it's the kind of self assurance in one's mannerism and appearance that I only ever see more flamboyant gay guys have. And I do NOT mean the walking pride parades who buy Target pride and obsessively listen to Lady Gaga. No, I mean the (mostly non-white) flavor of gay that is very feminine, very chic, very sassy, but run their persona like a ruler-- they may have started off insecure but they know what they want, and they don't care how they appear to others just being themselves.

2. Park Sunghoon

Now don't misinterpret this please, I'm not putting him here for some sick Sunsun delusion. Pure. Vibes. He's the kind of queer to be so ravishingly attractive and normal looking that it's deceiving, but that just means that they know exactly who they are. Tbh, I could just be flaking myself and Sunghoon might just be one of the most regular-degular guys ever but idk, something in the back of my mind tells me that if he were in an American drama, he would be the super preppy Football captain: very charming, very sexy, super masculine and close with his bro friends-- but he'd never have a girlfriend. Why? Cause he's a confident closet gay in-disguise. He's not keeping it a secret because he's ashamed, no. He just doesn't see it as something important enough to share.

3. Nishimura Ri Ki

Similar enough to Sunghoon, this is either the queerest stranger or the worst deception and he's in fact, the most normal of them all. (I'm less doubtful of him than Hoon but his ranking stays where it is.) Ni ki was probably VERY influenced by his sisters and female family members growing up (as per the pre-debut videos and whatnot), and while I do think that that can influence perception (which it might-- obviously), I still think that in some way or another, Ni ki's just a fruity guy. There's a sense of mystery that surrounds him, and it's really hard to peg down as something inherently queer-- 'cause it isn't, but the way he just kind of accepts the culture around him, whether it be flamboyant and feminine, or closed-off and masculine, makes me wonder if he's really just a Sister's Guy, or if he's just open to anything and everything.

4. Park Jay

Controversial opinion, Jay seems like he'd be way more than open to ally-ship than engene give him head cannon credit for. I really don't get any queerness vibes from him-- even beyond his very average, preppy style, he just kinda seems like he'd be the close friend of a gay guy THAN BEING the gay guy. I would honestly be surprised if he were, not that it's anyone's business or that it matters, cause it doesn't, but say in a hypothetical situation where HIS world was more accepting and it was a plausible thing for him to come out with a relationship...say it were a guy, I would tell myself, "well damn, I wouldn't have clocked that one." He's so supportive and very comforting, which tells me that in my heart, I'd love to be certain that he'd be very accepting and open. (I honest to God don't think he'd tolerate homophobia or prejudice like that, I just feel like it's not in his nature.)

5. Yang Jungwon

He's an interesting case because there's nothing straight about him (not really, anyway) but there's nothing gay about him either. He just kind of exists. Honestly, it's harder for me to peg him as anything mostly because Jungwon is a very complicated person to try and understand past what has been spoon fed to us from content and business-pushed personas. He's soft and innocent, but also professional and sly in a sort of sexy way. He can get what he wants but it's the want that feels lacking. I mean this in the most bestest way possible, but there's nothing incredibly unique about Jungwon's presence. (I don't want people coming at me for this, dp he's literally my bias wrecker. Like that's my boyfriend right there, I don't wanna here anything about not appreciating YANG JUNGWON, okay?) I just mean that he has no distinctive quality that's easily classified as queer or not queer or straight as a pencil...if that makes sense. I believe he'd be an ally, definitely. But I can also believe that he might see it as an insignificant identity. If he were really queer, I could believe it. But if queerness was something that he didn't even have registered in his perception of society-- or his life-- I could believe that, too.

6. Sim Jake

Hate me or love me, I think this guy's just about every dude-bro with a gay bestie. And I mean this so genuinely. He's charismatic and masculine, he's loud and goofy. There's nothing easily identified about him that screams queerness. He just appears to be so typical that it's hard to believe in a version of Jake that has that kind of energy, you know? I really think that if the topic came up, he'd be quite supportive of it. I can imagine one of those fancalls where an Engene implies queerness, or the mention of a gay relationship (in some correlation to enha), and he'd be over the moon. But as a person, Jake comes off as the typical straight charmer.

7. Lee Heeseung

Something in my nuggets tells me that his view of real queerness is a little more than stereotyped. He's very cool, very classically chill and nonchalant. He's got great style and good taste-- all this to say, it was probably influenced BY queerness. He reminds me of a current American-male prototype (especially seen in trendy fashion), where the guy can pull off femininity well and is easily accepting of nonconforming styles/media/art/(even)people, BUT they have a hard time conceptualizing queerness as an entity of its own and not just an identifier or aura if you will. These guys tend to be the least open to any real physical expression of gay (by means of intimacy or the more vulnerable aspects of queerness). And I hate to paint Heesung in this light because he seems really vibe-y, but I can't help but think that this guy has little to no real perception of romantic or sexual queer interest.

This was just a little think-a-rooney. I can't say that I haven't thought about this before because I have-- I think it's very interesting to think deeper about an industry that uses queer influence and fan service as means to create a selling image of regular artists (that are muses, in some way or another). Especially considering the very known fact that it all takes place in one of the most traditionally conservative countries in the world, enforced by (most likely) conservatives, made for a (ideologically conservative) target market. The way style is used and the way interactions between these idols are made to pander to the fans makes wanting to know more about an UNFILTERED "them" so much more intriguing. I don't mean for this to exist as valid speculation, but purely, speculation from an observant fan, who exists in a world where queerness is a lot easier to detect, even beyond the filters and walls meant to deceive and stay hidden. Of course, it's something that isn't meant to be public information, however, as queerness has become a more social identity-- with culture and unique experience surrounding it (as more than just a commodity or kink exploit), there's something to the speculation that feels a lot like humanization. Even if it's wrong. Ig. Idk that low-key sounds like a horrible thing to say. But I'm speaking my truth. Sue me.

[fabdante]

MORE reboot thoughts because I'm having fun with it:

-I keep thinking of Dante squatting in the abandoned remains of Paradise after the events of the game, when he's in a bad headspace and self isolating. Maybe feeds the local stray cats, too, and has kinda adopted a black cat as his own.

As a more positive thing: I also like the idea of him rebuilding the place as some kind of homeless shelter or halfway house- but one of the good ones, warded against demons and cops alike. Or maybe him giving it to Kat and them forming a new Order (maybe renaming it the Protectors, like from DMC2?) there.

I'm not sure where he'd get the money and manpower to rebuild the place, tho, unless he got a hold of Vergil's wealth or somehow made enough to buy the place (assuming Vergil didn't already buy it). There'd still be so many issues with paperwork. It's not like he can exactly prove that he's supposed to inherit the place, even if Sparda and Eva willed it to him. I'm not sure if he could even buy the place or run it how he'd want to, given his criminal record. Same issue with Kat's criminal record. But its still a nice idea.

Could also see Dante just going "fuck the paperwork" and warding the place against demons and veiling it from the cops* and letting (as much as he can of) the local homeless population just turn the place into a tent city. Not as good as actually having the place fixed up and running as something official, but its better than just letting all that space go to waste.

Not sure how much Dante would actually do this one, tbh, since I'm not sure how comfortable he'd be letting people in to his old home. Even if there's nothing really left there but ash and memories and his parents' paintings, it was still the place he and Vergil grew up. Might be too personal.

*= Its not really clear what the rules for the Nephilim's powers ARE, so maybe Dante can hide things from sight, like illusion magic? I mean, the demons kinda did that, so ??? But if not then ignore this, lol.

-Headcanon that there are a lot of half demons and people with demonic heritage running around after the end of the game, just given how many demons there were integrated into human society under Mundus. I doubt all of them would be on Mundus' side, even just out of fear. Maybe after Mundus is gone, they can all rally around Dante and Kat instead? And help him and Kat build a better future? Maybe some good demons too, that never had the courage or the power to really openly defy Mundus/protect humanity before this? Idk, I just like the idea of Dante not being the only non-human good guy around, y'know? Same with Sparda. And Eva, tbh. I mean, making a nephilim takes a demon AND an angel, so presumably Eva wasn't the only one to rebel and fall in love with a demon. It'd be neat if we could see more of that, even if it was just second or third hand accounts of the relationships.

-Headcanon that Dante hangs out by Assiel's statue, sometimes, post game. He's not really sure how aware she actually is, since Phineas said she was slain, but she still turned her head and spoke to Dante when he approached her for help, so he talks to her anyway. Thanked her for her help, telling her that they killed Mundus, told her what happened with Vergil, told her about Sparda and Eva... Just. Anything. He thinks of it as kinda being like hanging out with his cousin. Or at least visiting her grave. Or both, sometimes.

He probably repaired her statue, too, as much as he could. It'd probably take some welding gear and extra metal and such, assuming he couldn't just use his powers, but hey, he's got time. Maybe tried painting her statue, too- if that's not too weird.

-Kinda inspired by the Vergil Chronicles, but I like the idea of Dante just clearing out a space in Limbo for him and Kat to just chill in. Maybe go on a date in? Just. Somewhere nice, and pretty to look at, and fun to walk around. No demons. Not sure if Dante can bring snacks into Limbo with him, but maybe he'd try anyway, for her? Or they could just eat when they get back to the real world, whichever.

(Idk if Limbo is even a thing anymore by the end of the game, but this idea was cute, so I'm sticking it here.)

-Headcanon that Dante's ill-fitting jacket in the game is a keepsake from an old boyfriend of his. Dante bounced before being around him could get the guy killed, but they were still fond of one another, and it probably could've been good if Dante had stayed/things were different. Dante kept the jacket as a memento of their time together. (I know it doesn't have to be that deep, I just like this headcanon.)

Oh these are fun!

I have thought about the idea of Dante returning to Paradise after the events of the game. I know it's one the reboot fandom considers a lot and I like seeing everyone's different takes. Me and my girlfriend had an AU once set entirely around the concept of Dante, Kat, and other survivors of the crash of Limbo City rebuilding Paradise as a sort of home base and it was always a fun one.

I had also never considered Dante with illusion powers, that's interesting. It always seemed like something more in line with Vergil but like you said there's not really any info on what powers Nephilim in the context of the reboot do or don't have and how universal all of these abilities are!

I'm also a big proponent of there being more morally nebulous demons and half demons in Limbo City. In a lot of my writing (most of which are WIPs right now) there's a lot of characters who are either full or half demons who are fairly autonomous with a lot of moral range. It's something I always liked about the reboot specifically, how we get a lot of implications that the demons are more morally complex then a lot of the ones in the preboot (given we have characters like Phineas who confirm that there were demons rebelling against Mundus and such)

As for other accounts of Eva and Sparda's relationship in the reboot, I find them really interesting. I actually wrote a meta post about them once that's just highly speculative on the nature of Eva and such (Part 1, Part 2 there's two parts). I've been meaning to do a follow up also I just haven't had time to finish it up. I'd also like to write a one shot about my view of their relationship which might not be everyone's cup of tea but I find them very interesting.

The idea of Dante returning to Assiel is very sweet! And the idea of Kat and Dante having their own little zone in Limbo/hell is very fun to!

The jacket idea is fun to! I tend to headcanon that Dante is a bit of a magpie for jackets, so my explanation for it's size was that he'd shoplifted it a while back asdfghj I like the boyfriend angle though it's cute!

[8-evil-annoying-catboys]

that’s a fair point. i’m envisioning something of a gift economy, so for example your table could be made to your specifications by someone who just, has the skills and materials necessary to do so, because you need a table and they can provide that, with no exchange necessary. i’m not necessarily thinking of mass-produced, well, anything—at most, artisans could spend their time making as many unique tables (or whatever) as they want and people would still be able to browse their stock. my point is that there would be little use for money if everyone was willing to give freely, and all of us would have more freedom to put personality, or our heart and soul or whatever, into whatever it is we’re each good at making, if we were more focused on providing for ourselves and the people nearest us as needed, instead of being focused on making money.

either way, money or no money, we can and should all agree on one thing: wealth inequality needs to go, and by any means necessary, if we want even a small chance at reducing the amount of suffering and evil in the world. money could stay or go, depending on what a free and equitable society would look like.

i definitely doubt money would be phased out in my lifetime, tbh, even if inequality was no more right now immediately, but i also doubt it would still exist for, say, 7 generations out from the death of wealth inequality. i think that the longer society went without inequality, the less people would really expect or even need something in return for providing goods and services, but i could certainly be wrong. i have no experience with that kind of society to say anything about it with certainty, we all can only pose hypotheticals.

maybe i simply give too many people the benefit of the doubt, since i personally would not care about getting anything in return for something i don’t need (like a table i made because i like and am good at making tables, or clothes/blankets i crocheted to have something to do) if i did not need anything i didn’t have, or if i could trust that my needs would be met by others around me with a similar indifference to being paid back.

fairness is certainly subjective, and in a world where i didn’t have to have money to buy food and water and to rent a home, i would see taking items off my hands that i don’t need, that are just taking up space in my home as a fair trade: my items for just the space in my home that is required to store them. and i say this as someone who grows food and crochets clothes and blankets, so i do know the work it takes to make necessary goods. it is also vital to have space to store those goods in order to keep a clean house, and sometimes you just want to make a pair of gloves even though you already have a ton of them and don’t need or have the space for more.

not everyone has the same attitude as me, but i do wonder if the attitude that everything must be paid back with something material and tangible is simply inherent to some people, or if it is cultivated by growing up in a society which requires trade for everything and does not allow everyone’s needs to be met. but that’s a question with no firm answer ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

and ultimately, the continued existence or gradual phasing-out of money is kind of besides the point anyway, since money isn’t the problem, wealth and power dynamics are. either vision for society would still be ideal, as long as everyone has their needs met and no one gets to live a ridiculously lavish life that is inaccessible to everyone else

I don't think that money is actually the root of all evil like if we got rid of money there would still be stuff to hoard inequality still existed before the invention of money

Money is quite a useful tool for doing business with people you don't know. And real billionaires don't just have a gigantic Scrooge McDuck sized pile of coins they're sitting on. They're hoarding housing, the means of production, imaginary value taken out in investment. This system would be just as bad if we were all paid out in quantities of rice or something.