#but they did not succeed in breaking the cycle

[hartenlicht]

‹   · 。 🦢 *     ―     my Love Letter to those who feel at war with themselves when manifesting:

✧. This message is to those who feel a lot of resistance about their desires .✧

Resistance is your brain's nasty way of trying to protect you. It keeps you small, stuck in your comfort zone, because you don't want to experience any more heartbreak and disappointment. You've been hurt so many times in the past and you have no clue how much more you can take before you completely break down and give up on life. What if you fail again? What if good things can't happen to someone like you? What if it'll all be taken away anyways? It might be easier to stay in your comfort zone, even though your circumstances aren't ideal, because at least you know what to expect. You've adapted yourself for your survival.

You work so hard. The fact that you're part of this community, deciding every single day that you want to create a better life for yourself, is honestly such an admirable thing to do. You believe in a better future for yourself, you believe you're worthy of great things. You claim ownership of the desires that are rightfully yours. And yes, they're already yours right now. They will always be yours, they've always been yours.

You just need to let go of control and align yourself with your desires, embody that state of abundance bravely and fully.

You need to stop fighting this war with yourself. Find peace within. Tap into that source of unconditional love for yourself, because that's when you realise the Universe is like a sugar daddy (lmao). Opportunities will come falling from the sky, you will meet the right people, you will align with all the riches in the world because you know that's what you deserve. You are aligned with what your soul yearns for. That's why these manifestation gurus with high self concepts live their dream lives. They believe fully and wholly that this is what's meant for them, that this is what they deserve.

And while you can absolutely manifest everything that your heart desires while experiencing resistance, you're just making yourself suffer very unnecessarily and you don't deserve this. :( It doesn't have to be this way!!

Now, how can we heal our relationship with resistance?

There's lots of reasons why people feel resistance, and I implore you to sit with yours. Think about it: why are you so afraid? Do you not feel ready? Do you feel like you're going to mess up? Are you scared of what will happen when you do succeed? Think about it. If you don't feel ready to experience your desires, they will show up delayed in your 3D. And every day that you wait for your desires to show up, you get more and more insecure and lose hope. This is a cycle that needs to be broken. You need to make peace with the idea that you already have what you want. It's through this peace that it will come to you effortlessly and instantly.

Identify limiting beliefs and take a hard look at your self concept. You can do this through journaling or just talking to yourself out loud when no one is around lmao. I wouldn't just think about it, because when you think too hard your brain often gets too scattered and chaotic and suddenly you're spiraling into an anxiety attack and a dark pit of self hatred. Saying things out loud (or writing them down), helps you organise your thoughts and be more concise.

Ideally you're sitting with yourself right now and you have a lot of realisations about your fears and what's holding you back from living fearlessly. Now I want you to have COMPASSION with yourself. Don't be so hard on yourself for having resistance, again: it's your brain trying to protect you from all that feels unfamiliar and dangerous. Thank yourself for all that you did in the past to keep yourself alive. But you don't need to keep yourself small anymore. You don't need to hide from your desires. You're safe, secure, and confident. You allow yourself to be seen and take up space, you allow yourself to CLAIM what you rightfully deserve.

Trust yourself and be brave. You got this, you can do this. Don't let your fears keep you small and limiting.

In the past I would really beat myself up for having such a bad self concept. But you cannot hate your way into loving yourself... You need to be gentle and kind and understanding. You need to fall in love with yourself. When I realised how mean I've been to myself all these years, how I've been my own worst enemy because of my limiting beliefs and insecurities... I just cried because I realised I didn't deserve any of this bullying from myself. I looked inwards and realised I still identified with a scared little girl because I felt so incompetent. All I craved was acceptance and love from myself. So I sat with my demons and looked them in the eye, held their hand and hugged them. I thanked them for protecting me and that I'm the one who will protect them from now on by shining brightly. By living my dream life.

Currently I identify with my dream version of myself: I am her, she is me. And this is powerful. I'm in a state of pure love and peace, I stopped fighting this war with myself and embraced myself fully. And guess what? All my manifestations are popping up in the 3D, one by one! I know what I'm worthy of and I manifest from a place of peace and confidence.

Again, you don't have to be in this state to manifest successfully, that's a limiting belief. You can manifest in any type of state, I did this before too. I was just so tired and insecure, I nearly burnt myself out trying to manifest because I was spending so much energy trying to convince myself I'm worthy of good things. Whenever I got a manifestation, I would fall into the habit of self sabotage and self doubt. And I realised this isn't okay.

I want you to be kinder towards yourself and give yourself some grace. You're a divine being in a human body. Some people carry this whole bag of trauma with them and aren't able to just decide that it doesn't exist or never happened. It feels too hard for them, too overwhelming because they've been carrying this demon on their shoulders for most of their lives. For some people their pain and insecurities are hidden in dark corners of their brain and they try to sneak up on them in very unexpected ways, completely derailing them when they thought they were doing fine. If you struggle with this, I hope you know that you CAN heal from all you've been through. You CAN have a divine connection with yourself. You CAN have all your desires instantly. You just need to choose yourself. Step into your power and surrender. Know it's yours and love yourself enough that you don't feel like you constantly have to prove to yourself that you deserve an easy and abundant life.

I hope this post resonated with those who needed to see it. I send you so much love and my inbox is always open for any questions or concerns! ♡

Yours unconditionally,

Junie.

[merrilygreen]

FOUR DAYS LEFT COME ON

THEY WON’T WIN BUT WE CAN AT LEAST EVEN IT OUT A LITTLE BIT

More quotes, submitter's comments, and credits for photos under the cut!

Mercutio and Benvolio

Additional quote I picked out:

Mercutio technically calls Benvolio hot here, just saying

Submitter's comments:

Hamlet and Horatio

Additional quotes I picked out:

let's get this one out of the way

an earlier part of Hamlet's "passion's slave" speech shown above, essentially saying "my soul chose you as its own":

Hamlet persuading Horatio not to kill himself over his, Hamlet's, imminent death:

Submitter's comments:

(^ yep, I got 10 submissions total, the joint most of anyone)

Photos:

Mercutio & Benvolio: The Globe, 2015

Hamlet & Horatio: Hamlet (2009) TV movie by the Royal Shakespeare Company

[mistleaneous-chaos]

How Shadow Of The Erdtree Portrays Hate, and The Tragedy of trying to Escape

Elden Ring Spoilers(Hey! Been a while since i did this)

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I’ve gotten further into the DLC and this might just be one of the best stories of how Hatred is just a cycle that repeats which consumes innocent people in its wake.

This DLC has done so much to make us understand why Marika did the things she did. She lived in a peaceful village, only for people she loved and cared about to be taken and put into jars. And why is that? Because their bodies meld well with others, something she can’t control since she was just born with it.

And so she becomes the new God of the Lands Between, imposing her new order onto others, and having her own son be the one to lead it. But when the fire fades and the ash settles, the one who suffers of the two of them is Messmer. She leaves him in the Shadow Realm because he doesn’t fit in her new order, representing so much of what is considered “Sinful”. And he is left alone, because of something he can’t control since he was born with it.

And then, as years pass and she makes a family again, she has twins! She can finally begin to rebuild, to move on from the hatred she felt!… except, she can’t. Because of the fact that her children have horns, just as her oppressors did. And so do multiple families in the Lands Between, with this seemingly “cursed” blood spreading, she has a choice to make.

Let go of the hate, try to accept her sons and the Omens.

Or hold onto it, persecute them, cut off their horns, and drop them into the sewers, out of sight out of mind.

We know what she picked.

And it’s this hatred that sparka another ambition just like hers. Mohg.

Imagine you’re Mohg. You have no family save for your brother. You live in the sewers while only ever being able to watch the outside world with happy familes and children with parents who love them. But all the while, what do you have? Nothing. All because of something you can’t control because you were born with it.

And so you decide to build your own order. Away from it all. Your brother wants no part, he clings to the hope of being accepted by that damn tree. But it’s fine.

You take some of the other Omens with you, and get to work. You even have help from an Outer God, so higher powers must want you to succeed! Others shave their horns but not you, no you proudly grow them out, even if it impedes your vision, because they are a part of you.

You take in all kinds, Humans, Omens, even Albinaurics, who had no home before. You give your fellow Omens real clothes, regal clothes. They’ve never had clothes after all, so don’t they deserve the best? You build and you build and eventually you have a beautiful part of the Underground to yourselves, you did it, you’ve won!

Mohg could have broken from the cycle, stayed in Mohgwyn, as he did even when chaos reigned above. People were strong under him, and had a home even if they were shunned in other places.

But that choice was taken from him.

Miquella used him to accomplish his own goal of godhood, robbing him of his own agency. Just like his brothers, Mohg was used by his family, but unlike the others, he wasn’t even aware of it. No matter how far he ran, no matter how much he tried to cut himself off from it. The hatred of his mother reached him, in the form of someone else using him to break away from the consequences of it.

Now I’m not saying Mohg was perfect. His group was no less sadistic than some of the others in the lands between.

But he was robbed of a dream, and told it was never his to have.

[cozycottagetarot]

PAC: How Can You Break The Cycle

Messages From Elle: We did it guys!😮‍💨

Notes:

This PAC Covers:

What is the cycle?

What keeps it going?

What will it take to break it?

What could that look like for you? (Patreon Extended)

‼️ THIS READING IS MEANT FOR SELF-REFLECTION AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY -- While this reading does broach topics relating to mental health & mindset, contain a bit of advice and reflective questions, IT'S IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM MEANT TO REPLACE PROFESSIONAL ADVICE OF ANY KIND. Please use your discretion, think carefully before you act and only take what resonates be it a little, some or none at all. ‼️

Reading Masterlist | Patreon | Paid Readings -- Open 🥂

PILE 1 (Brick Wall)

Current Energy

Cards: 10 of cups, The Empress, The Chariot

I feel as though you’re currently in this energy where things couldn’t be better…. But then why are you here? I know that's my job to figure out but still. I feel like you’ve been making strides to create the life that you want. You’re charging forward, becoming more disciplined and things are starting to feel warm.

The cycle that needs to be broken:

Cards: The Wheel of Fortune, Nine of Wands, Page of Pentacles, Four of Wands

The cycle that needs to be broken is one of constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. You’re tired of fighting or always fending off the downward turn of the wheel of fortune and while you may try to keep your faith that things can get better and stay better, you're always expecting things to get bad again. You could be worried the new beginning won't start, the relationships won't come, or the financial abundance won't find you. I think this fear or vigilance has such a tight hold on you, that you end up not taking action. You may need to readjust your game plan. You don't allow yourself to relax. You don't allow yourself to celebrate your wins… you're always in this state of hyper vigilance.

What keeps the cycle going?

Cards: The Sun, The High Priestess, Two of Pentacles, Seven of Pentacles

I don’t think you really allow yourself to be happy. That may be the current energy I was picking up on as well. When things are going great you don’t really let them go great. I also think you’re neglecting the things that are really important to you inside… maybe so much that you don’t even know what those things are anymore. Not knowing how to navigate this internal world of yours keeps fueling this cycle of 'oh, what bad thing will happen next?' You may also have a hard time making decisions or generally deciding what you want, floating back and forth between options. This back-and-forth stops you from actually putting in the work it takes to succeed and enjoy the FULL results, therefore keeping the cycle going. Another thing I picked up on is maybe the wheel keeps turning back and forth as well because from going back and forth all the time, you’re never really getting to move past the lessons you may need to learn in order for you to reach your desired outcome or abundance.

What will it take to break this cycle:

Cards: Seven of Cups, Five of Cups, Two of Cups, Ace of Pentacles

If you want to break this cycle, you have to make a decision on what exactly it is you want. It might mean leaving behind something, but you have to remember that so much more also awaits you in the process. Stop dwelling on what has gone 'wrong' before, especially if it’s past events that influence your lack of decision. It's okay to have that vigilance and use the past to better navigate the future-- HOWEVER, it's also important to get honest with yourself about whether it's a valid concern or a fear talking. It's time to change your mindset to focus on what can go right. I think also there will be someone available to help you once you make a decision about what you want to pursue. The alternate I'm getting is that you have to allow yourself to lean on others if you want to break the cycle. This could be through personal and professional relationships. But you have to actually decide yes, this is what you want. It doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to change as you grow, but first, you have to plant the seed. Once your seedling sprouts you can cultivate your plant however you’d like. There’s a lot out there available to you but making the decision to move towards it is where it begins.

Want to know what those steps might look like for you? Consider checking out my Patreon for the extended version as well as early access to my next pac!

Regardless, if you'd like a free mini-reading to clarify any part of this PAC, feel free to send me an ask with your initials and pile!

PILE 2 (Statue)

Current Energy:

Cards: King of Wands, The Star, The Tower rev, Queen of Wands

I see you showing up as being in a hopeful energy and that good fortune of some kind is coming your way. A good balance of masculine and feminine energy. There’s a sense of resisting something internally, however. A transition of some kind that you're wanting to make. It seems like it could be good for you and a lot of different areas in your life would improve, but what you know or are accustomed to might clash with what you want. However, you have what it takes to succeed. If you were drawn to pile 1, after reading this pile consider checking it out as well.

The cycle that needs to end:

Cards: Eight of Swords, The Devil, Ten of Swords, Knight of Swords

I feel like you’ve got a gloomy inner world. Very melancholy. You’re turning a blind eye to the things that are holding you back and draining your energy. It feels like you almost escape it but it gets you every time. You might not take the best care of yourself mentally or physically. With all the swords it could be a mental thing too and it’s important that you get (professional) help and take those steps (of taking better care of yourself). The cycle that needs to break is you getting stuck in this energy.

What keeps the cycle going:

Cards: Four of Swords, Eight of Cups rev, Ace of Wands rev, Ace of Cups

You don’t rest. You won’t walk away from the things draining your energy. You won’t open up your heart and you won’t do anything with your creative sparks... more or less.

It’s so important that you take a moment to take a good pause and regroup. You could find yourself turning to poor coping mechanisms and that's not good. You can't try to leave a bad situation either if you don’t know what made it bad. You also have to sometimes stick things out. If you tried breaking a habit and it didn't work, it doesn’t mean you’re doomed to always have that habit. That’s a bad way of looking at things, and while it’s understandable to feel that way, you still need to work on it. You’re allowed to connect with your emotions and create as well... There's a need to review your plans/goals as well. You can be successful, but may lack the resources to easily be so... that’s also understandable but you can still work with what you do have. You may also lack confidence in you abilities to achieve your goals. You can manifest so many things you want but you have to believe in yourself and open your emotions to be able to connect with the feeling of what you want. It’s easy to say I want XYZ, but if you don’t figure out what that’s going to feel like, then how will you know when you’ve got it? It’s easy to get caught up in material things but the last thing you want is to wake up one day to a life that looks exactly like you wanted it to, only to realize it doesn’t FEEL the way you wanted it to.

What will it take to break the cycle:

Cards: Judgement, The Hierophant, Knight of Wands, Page of Cups

It’s time for you to get it together. Get serious about moving on to the next phase. I feel like it’s all going to work out based on the cards but you really do have to stop holding yourself back. Find a support group. Consider finding creative/artistic ways to express yourself. Step into a leadership role because there’s a good chance you can lend the wisdom you’ve acquired to others… This could be through a social media platform, sharing your writing, attending a local community event, etc. Work on making sure how you’re living aligns with your beliefs and vice versa. Allow yourself to be vulnerable. Give yourself your all. I also feel like this is one of those situations where you have to remind yourself that sometimes motivation follows action.

Want to know what those steps might look like for you? Consider checking out my Patreon for the extended version as well as early access to my next PAC!

Regardless, if you'd like a free mini-reading to clarify any part of this PAC, feel free to send me an ask with your initials and pile!

PILE 3 (Broken TV)

Current energy:

Cards: Wheel of fortune, Queen of swords, Queen of pentacles, Two of wands

Your current energy is that you've shifted to a 'really good' energy or you're about to shift to a 'really good' energy. The Magician isn't here but that's kind of the energy I'm picking up on here too. Either being very faithful right now that everything is going to work out for you or that's the energy/mindset that you need to tap into. There are options available to you... You need a plan of some kind. You feel unable to move... unequipped even. Thinking about (or needing to) your long-term future. With the two queens, I think you're leaning into one of the two embodiments of the queen, maybe even both. You might have a hard time seeing yourself as either.

The cycle that needs to be broken:

Cards: The Hanged Man, The Tower, The World, Judgement

The other piles were definitely what I would consider a cycle on a loop that needed breaking but yours feels less like a cycle and more like you're just... stuck. You're ready to or have 'level/ed up', but it's as though you're stuck in limbo. This could be because you've gone through a 'tower moment' recently (say within the last year give or take) that's left you stuck in limbo. Or it could be a fear of having a 'tower moment' that is leaving stuck in limbo. Regardless this cycle is one of you needing to bring something to completion.

What keeps the cycle going:

Cards: Knight of Wands, The Emperor, The Sun, Eight of Pentacles, The Fool

You might be rather impatient. When you do things you may expect to see results immediately...that sense of 'oh, I did this tasks once, why don't I feel better 👀'. It could also be that you might not plan out your goals thoroughly or you may not be very clear on what it is that you want to do/achieve. I feel like since you don't take that moment to strategize and figure out what actually needs to be done, this cycle keeps going. You may just charge forth into whatever you think will bring you happiness. However, this means you can't put in the work required which can bring you back to a place of fear and doubt. This can create anxiety and likely catastrophizing which brings us back to that fear of a 'tower moment'. It could also simply be a case of being too laid back? On the flip side, while it's always good to have faith that things will work out, it's important to remember that a lot of times, you still have to play a role in that.

What will it take to break the cycle: Cards: The Star, Justice, Three of Pentacles, Knight of Cups

Have hope, yes. Dream and believe that good things are meant for you and those good things will find you. BUT, balance that with meaningful/conscious action. You must consider the long term. What is the end goal going to look/feel like? What is the journey of getting there going to take? Some of you already have the knowledge you need while others may still need to acquire it. Regardless, learning and implementation will help break the cycle. You have what it takes, but you have to stay the course. It's also important that you use action rather than simply ideas to motivate you. Fall in love with the act of doing.

I also feel like you should make a love list. I initially thought of that while going my first glance at the cards.

Also, do me a favour and take a nap, please! ✋

Want to know what those steps might look like for you? Consider checking out my Patreon for the extended version as well as early access to my next PAC!

Regardless, if you'd like a free mini-reading to clarify any part of this PAC, feel free to send me an ask with your initials and pile!

PILE 4 (Hammer)

Note: If you're someone who reads what cards were pulled, I mistyped the Seven suit for Current Energy and The Cycle so now that I'm editing, I realised I have no idea which suit the card belonged to hence the (?). Okay, that's all!

Current energy:

Cards: Seven of Swords(?), Queen of Pentacles, Three of Wands

It's time for you to broaden your horizons, however, you currently have to tread carefully. You could currently be job searching or looking for scholarships etc. There's a lot of opportunities available to you or becoming available to you. But you need to be diligent and read the fine print and get the details to make sure you won't be compromised in the process. It's important though that you be able to maintain a balance between your home/personal and academic/career life. You're in an energy of needing to remember to put yourself first.

The cycle that needs to be broken:

Cards: Two of Swords, The Emperor, Page of Swords, Seven of Wands (?)

The cycle that needs to break is one of constantly being at odds with everyone. I feel like you’re constantly bending over backwards or breaking your neck to try and appease others-- and no matter what you do, it’s not enough. I think this might potentially resonate more with those who are academics. When faced with a decision between what will benefit you vs what will benefit someone else, you have a tendency to either not make a decision of choose the option that will benefit someone else instead. This could be because you either live under someone with authority over you (like a caretaker or family) or you're in a position where you feel like you have to take care of others (siblings/family, partner).

I feel as though for some of you it could also be a romantic relationship? I'm not familiar with 'channeling' through music, but find myself doing it a lot lately. The song 'Lifetime' by Livingston just resonated with part of this pile for some reason. When asking if it’s a romantic situation, I got the cards: Eight of Pentacles, The Devil, and Justice rev. I’m also getting 'the right person, but wrong time'.

I think if it's someone with whom you share romantic feelings for, it's a situation where the relationship likely feels imbalanced and like hard work, but you don't feel like you can step away. If that resonated then that could be it. It could also be any unfair relationship dynamic.

What keeps the cycle going:

Cards: The Hanged Man, Ace of Wands, Death, The Moon, Eight of Swords

I think you’re in a cage of your own making, but not because you can’t see. You can see, but what you’re seeing isn’t clear. Because of this, you tend to end up pressing pause on moving forward. There's a lot of creative energy around you... for some, it's that it's a creative field waiting to accept you. However, you're too afraid to actually go for it and give it your all so I think you keep 'pulling the wool' over your own eyes. I think if there are people around you in opposition to you moving forward, you might see it as a convenient excuse to not move forward and transform into the next stage of your life. It's almost like the cycle doesn't need to be a cycle. You know when you're listening to a song and you keep restarting it 'cause you keep getting interrupted? And sometimes it's just you being extra because it wasn't even your favourite part you're just kind of nitpicking? Yeah, same vibe I'm getting here.

If the relationship resonates: I think you may need to let go of (or loosen your hold on) because they could be holding you back to the point they're dragging you down. Things are shifting for you, especially internally. You could be trying to hold it back though, but in doing so you could burn up and out. You’re seeing what really is and maybe you don’t want to. That’s the part that keeps this cycle going. I see images of a phoenix rising too.

What will it take to break the cycle:

Cards: Queen of Wands, The Chariot rev, Judgement, Three of Pentacles, The World, The Lovers

It’s time to use the things you’ve learned. Let go and let the cycle close. Trust that you’ll find love again or that you’ll find inner harmony. Trust that it will all work out in your favour. Take steps, even if it's baby steps to doing whatever it is you want to do. I feel like I said this already in a different pile, but even if you can't make a complete switch yet, start engaging in the things you want to do or eventually pivot too in small steps. You can always research or engage with it as a hobby for the time being. Also finding balance between who you are and how you show up to the world. Remember you have a lot to offer and it's going to do everyone a whole lot more good in the long run, the more authentically you can show up.

Want to know what those steps might look like for you? Consider checking out my Patreon for the extended version as well as early access to my next PAC!

Regardless, if you'd like a free mini-reading to clarify any part of this PAC, feel free to send me an ask with your initials and pile!

[verysium]

PLEASE DO BLUE LOCK ICKS IM BEGGING🙏😭🌹

😏 coming right up anon. gonna channel my inner critic and not hold back on any of these.

RIN

brother complex. not much else to say except that he needs to get a life. not everything is about metaphorically crushing your older brother's dreams and brooding in the dark hate of retribution.

competitive but only because he is a desperate whore for external validation. ignores everyone but craves the attention of a sole person named sae itoshi. was defeated by isagi once and has never let go of it since. has a one-track mind that is impossible to derail. stubborn when he wants to be.

probably a virgin and will continue to be one until his late 30s.

has not known a single day of peace ever since sae ditched him for the popular girlies. as a result, he has developed a very concerning case of social awkwardness. his idea of a conversation involves a brick wall and thirty minutes of you staring at his resting bitch face. constantly looks like that one grumpy cat meme. judges you for your poor decisions but then gets aggressively defensive when you point out his own mistakes.

reeks of so much teen angst that even metallica can't save him. the problem is that he has nothing to back up his emo persona. his insults lack creativity and, unfortunately for him, phrases like "lukewarm" and "half-baked" and "hell" do not make his words carry more weight. uses the f-word but in the most embarrassing context that it makes you facepalm and internally cringe.

SAE

zero social awareness. this boy's head is empty. the lights are not on up there. there are no picture frames or furniture. the curtains are drawn, and there is not a sliver of clouds or sunshine. cannot read body language and does not know what a filter is.

the source of all of rin's stress. he is the original trauma projector, creator of generational cycles. not even subtle about it. "turns out i was wrong. i thought japan was incapable of ever giving birth to decent forwards." sir....with the way you worded that, you knew exactly what you were doing when you gave rin false hope.

swears but it's even worse than his brother. literally called his elders a "fatso and bob cut duo" and "insect turd." i mean....there is a line between what is considered a legitimate burn and what is a first grader making up insults in his coloring book.

has a horrible haircut and no fashion taste. i already talked about this previously, but it was so bad it deserved a second mention.

a freak but tries to justify it rationally. like what do you mean you can tell a person's athletic ability from their buttock size? just admit you have a kinky fetish already.

somewhat of a coward but i'm gonna give him some leniency due to his tragic child genius backstory. tbh he's just an eighteen-year-old boy who needs a goddamn break.

KAISER

alexa please play clown music. this man sets himself for failure and then wallows in self-pity when he actually fails. like what did you expect? you knew what was going to happen the moment you challenged isagi like that. it was most definitely your fault you got violently humbled.

has a borderline god complex (currently calls himself an emperor but has not evolved into a deity yet.) unfortunately, he does not stand on business. cue the dramatic meltdowns when he realizes there is an actual gap between his ability and his reputation. if you're going to lie, at least make it believable.

insecure and mentally unstable. he probably cuts and re-dyes his hair every single time shit happens. no wonder his locks get shorter every time.

lazy when it comes to anything that is not football and expects others to do it for him. demands princess treatment wherever he goes. unfortunately, not all of us have servants with no self-respect like ness.

"it is not enough that i should succeed, others should fail" type of person.

does not wear shoes and even if he does, it's sandals. put them grippers away.

NAGI

a literal sloth who has so much potential but uses none of it. has no intrinsic motivation of his own, so if he's going to do anything, it has to be you behind the wheel, making sure he gets put to work.

does not have a close relationship with his parents, and so he has no sense of community, holidays, or traditions. no fun at all if you want him to do things like christmas shopping or birthday celebrations.

rots in bed all day and then has to nerve to ask you to carry him around. your back better be strong because his 190 cm body is not going to be light.

not loyal (need i say more.)

REO

second male lead syndrome. also known as that one popular guy who's always picked last.

acts like a victim but then when you realistically tell him to how to change his situation he refuses to do so. you cannot ask for advice and then take none of it to heart. no wonder you're still not over your ex.

"i can fix him" mentality. no, you can't. you are a seventeen-year-old child, not a licensed therapist and nagi isn't even all that.

NESS

touch-starved to the point he will stay in a toxic and abusive relationship in order to gain some scrap of affection. just because you were the black sheep of your family does not mean you can lose all sense of personal dignity.

probably stalks all the people he hates. has a burn book like regina george from mean girls. cuts out and glues little pictures of kaiser all over his bedroom. doodles hearts all over it with glittery gel pen. isagi's face and name are scratched out of every team photo.

delusional and prone to mood swings. medicated but at this point, he is beyond saving.

ISAGI

a home wrecker. has ruined more relationships than he can count on ten fingers yet still manages to smile like he's some angelic saint.

solves jigsaw puzzles for a living (not very cool if you ask me.)

has some unresolved anger management issues. probably repressed all his negative feelings when he was younger, so it all comes out when he's on the field. unfortunately, his twilight-sparkle-friendship-is-magic agenda is not going to work if he keeps cussing out his teammates like that. but then again, he is the main character, so i guess his plot armor makes up for his pitfalls.

says that he's a good guy but then holds personal vendettas against rivals he doesn't like. boy was so ready to throw hands when #kaisagi was trending on the internet. but when you actually think about, he's similar to kaiser in more ways than he'd like to admit.

BAROU

has the worst case of high and mighty "holier-than-thou" attitude. isagi put his ego in check, but it still peeks out from time to time.

he was the ugliest baby when he was born. i am not going to hold back on the child barou slander because it is true. no, he was not a cute and lovable bundle of joy. he looked like a demonic gremlin.

he needs to take more risks in life and try cross-dressing. simply imagining him in a maid uniform will not suffice. it needs to be made into a reality.

with how nit-picky he is, i doubt people can realistically stay within a 1-meter radius around him. unless you are a clean freak yourself, his constant complaints will start to get annoying after a time. even if he does have good intentions, he needs to let people have a little breathing room sometimes. a messy room is not going to kill you.

BACHIRA

this boy's brain is smooth. no folds. no gray matter. no intelligence either. his pencil and eraser have been left untouched since day one. if he wasn't crazily good at football, he would be unemployed and homeless in the future. not even a mcdonald's wants him.

one of those people who will do the literal opposite of whatever you say. you want him to stop talking? well, now he's never going to shut up. you tell him not to step on a pile of dog shit? well, now he's going to walk right into it. you want him to quit running around and act normal? well, now it's his life's mission to make you as annoyed as possible. please pray for your hair follicles because at the end of the day, you're not going to have many left with how much he makes you want to tear your hair out.

has the cerebral capacity of a toddler. if he thinks monsters are real, he's going to think anything is real. super gullible when it comes to any form of scam, ploy, or trickery. the only way he would not be fooled is if he's also played the same prank before.

SHIDOU

a brazen pervert. says the most out-of-pocket things and refuses to apologize for them. sometimes it comes out a little too sleazy for your liking.

"to me a goal is fertilization! a shot is the seed and the goal is the egg!! and the birth of that joy i call an explosion!! my genes are gonna knock you up!" let us give ourselves a moment of silence to digest this quote. only shidou ryusei would come up with a sperm and egg metaphor to describe football. (i guess protection means nothing to him.)

has no empathy. if you dislike him or cannot keep up with him, you're a literal nobody in his books. no sportsmanship. no compassion. no self-awareness.

you cannot say "balls" to him in a serious tone without him misinterpreting it as something dirty. that alone should tell you enough. stay the hell away from him.

where do men get the audacity? right here. from this little bastard. he invented the term "shameless slut." boy was getting off during the u-20 arc and on live TV too. no wonder sae said he was disgusting.

and finally, he comes from a long line of cockroaches. he's even got the antennae to prove it.

i think this might have been a little excessive, but i have no regrets about it. you're welcome anon ♡

[thesiltverses]

On this page, I've noticed, you've responded to a few asks, that essentially boil down to, "if someone did this, could they escape the cruelties of the world that exist in TSV?" And of what I've read, you've answered with what ultimately amounts to: They could try, but some other aspect of the world would eventually end up consuming it/nullify it/make it unrealistic to maintain in some way.

There have been other similar questions, but what especially spurred my thoughts on this was an ask you answered a bit ago that was asking if there were any in-universe equivalents to communism/socialism.

And you can of course correct me if I'm interpreting anything wrong here. I'm simplifying, but I've been genuinely mulling this over in my head for a bit now.

If TSV is, in large part, symbolic of & and an allegory to capitalism, then your answers, from my point of view, almost seems to affirm capitalism as an inescapable default.

For example, to refer back to communism ask, you say: "I can easily imagine TSV-world operating lots of little communes which appear independent and self-sufficient but which are, effectively, free-range sacrifice fields."

So even if a community were to succeed with breaking free from the systems at play, those same systems would still ultimately get them in the end. It would render those communities unsustainable, I'd think. I'd think they would inevitably be wiped out again and again, each time a new community crops up. Unless I've misunderstood something in your answers somewhere.

Genuinely, I'm not always the brightest person, so I could be missing something here. If I am, I also want to ask, is there anything that could be done to tear down the system at play? Would it take an entire society reset, where every brick of what was there before has been misplaced and the foundation ruined, to make possible the hope for something different? Or is the world of TSV doomed to its cycle?

I definitely don't agree that capitalism is an inescapable default, nor is that a conclusion I'd personally draw from the show (insert LeGuin quote about the rule of kings here).

I think there are relevant and challenging questions of 'Will we get away and how much will be left of us if we do?' and 'How can we build anything that can't be taken from us?' which the story of the podcast is aiming to explore through the struggles of its protagonists.

But these worldbuilding questions are ultimately about the relentless status quo of the setting, and so my answers will be trying to explain why it's successfully remained the status quo.

In other words, it'd be undermining the action and intention of the story - in my view - for me to answer 'yup, there's actually a successful fully-fledged alternative society just offscreen that's functioning without gods or sacrifice' or 'yes, that'd totally work, weird that nobody thought to do it', but that isn't intended as a subscription to outright doomerism or as evidence that the final message of the show is that it's hopeless to put up a fight.

[jarimaa]

hey, i was just wondering what are your thoughts on the final chapter of jjk…

The End

This is gonna be a little detailed. I am gonna first give a short answer and what I liked and disliked, then a little more detailed one. This is about ending as a whole.

I remember I did quite some research during my college time on post modernism and existentialism because i had to write an essay (it isn't about that) but I will be referring to what I researched here and there, when put forth my points.

Short answer- I am content with the ending. I am also surprised since this is the first time gege wrote a full manga for the first time, but he still managed to give an ending better than most. And any gripe that still remains, I will not hold it against the author cause the story and characters aren't real, Gege is.

Yuji, Sukuna, and Gojo's character have some of the best conclusions within the story (unpopular opinion probably 😮‍💨). The way they were written and the consistency with regards to their characterization was amazing.

As for what I am conflicted about, well, it's Megumi's character. I don't know how to say it, I liked it his conclusion, but I wish there was more introspection to how he reached there. But alternatively, I talked with a moot of mine, and they think the lack of introspection from Megumi is quite in-character. He decided to live for others once again (i.e., he didn't address his problems at all) and he is finding peace and comfort in the cage he is stuck at, it's such simple decision from his part, cause he is very clueless about his own psychology, and this is the beauty of it, that we as readers know what caused him to make that decision-according to my moot. I highlighted this one, cause this interpretation stood out the most. I also talked with other people, who seem to hold dislike for the lack of introspection from Megumi's end. While I am still conflicted, maybe I will address in some other posts or not at all, idk, but right now, I haven't formed my opinion on it. But I am satisfied, to say the least, conclusion itself isn't bad for me.

Detail:-

I like that it's more about evolving and coexistence rather than breaking the cycle or one conclusive solution. Regardless of Sukuna's or Yuji's existence, the curses will always continue to exist. It's humans' negative emotions that create curses in the first place. If the negative emotions of humans can't cease to exist, then curses won't either. Jujutsu Kaisen in a way rejects the idea that life can just have a start, middle, and end, or that one single truth/solution can provide closure. Maybe things can get worse in the future, maybe things can get better, that's up to you to decide, in that particular sense, it's open-ended.

You may ask what was even the point then? Well, let me offer a perspective, although it's just my interpretation, you don't have to agree to it...

When characters within a story accept a belief, perspective, or solution as the only truth, it can lead to their failure, especially if that belief oversimplifies a complex reality. But, one character who comes to understand the complexity can find a way to coexist with the chaos or ambiguity, though not necessarily "fixing" things.

In narratives such as these, the answer isn’t just a rejection of truth but a recognition of multiplicity, the presence of multiple perspectives, interpretations, or meanings within a single work or the idea that one truth or solution cannot account for the full stretch of experience. The character who realises the absence of a single "fix" often ends up navigating the challenges in a more nuanced way. They may not succeed in traditional terms, but they endure by accepting life’s complexity.

Many characters within JJK try to find some single "fix" to the system or the problem of curses and cursed energy and each of them had very flawed solution which we see failing--Yuki/Kenjaku/Geto were all extremists in that sense, one of my friend mentioned this in twt, Yuki wanted to completely break away from CE but also she didn't have any concrete plan, and Kenjaku who wanted to optimise it, but never really knew what merger could do, himself. Even Geto knew that killing all non-sorcorers is not possible.

Sukuna/Gojo-- both their ideals were extremely flawed. Many people have written amazing analysis on this, so i won't go in detail. But we see in the story how strength was the reason for both their solitude and which led them to path of their own death. But Sukuna perfected what Gojo didn't, sukuna completely threw away his humanity and was content living as a curse. A hollow human, who only ever cares about strength, he deemed love worthless, like Gojo deemed love to be the most twisted curse. However, gojo still wanted connections at the end of the day, and this kept him a little more humane than sukuna, who became a monster who clung to life wanting to stay at the pinnacle.

I liked that in the end Gojo realised that Yuji and other should follow their own path rather than just following his goals (although he would've like that) and I am glad they didn't follow his footsteps.

This conversation between sukuna and mahito just added so much to their characters.

Sukuna is the man who perfected his ego. He discarded his humanity till his last breath. Sukuna says he was an unwanted child (maybe cause he ate his twin in his mothers womb, someone on twt pointed out that this is similar to biological condition called "fetus in fetu") and he internalised this all and lived his whole life as a curse, only ever caring about his pleasures and displeasure and being the pinnacle. But even a perfected ego gets humbled in death, and the same happened with him. He acknowledges that he could have taken a different route, and if there is a next time, it would be nice to walk on a different path. Beautiful, honestly.

Now, Mahito is the literal manifestation of humans' hatred for others. He is a true curse, and he wasn't able to reconcile with his humanity after death because, unlike sukuna, he has none, he is not human. He is the manifestation of the same cycle of human hatred, he didn't change, he is the only one left sulking like a child. As I mentioned before, if the negative emotions of humans can't cease to exist, then curses like mahito won't either.

You could then say - well, then nothing changed?

I mean, is it really nothing? Tengen is no more, and this is the curse user Yuji, Megumi, and Nobara caught, and what happened to him?

Earlier, he probably would have been executed, but now Yuji offered him a chance to change.

Yuji turns out to be the person who learns to coexist. He is, for me, the best written character within the story with the best conclusion.

Now, let's just say that doesn't mean anything, nothing changed at all, there was no point...

However, the idea that "nothing changed" often misses the deeper layers of such narratives, which are less about external change and more about internal realizations, the acceptance of ambiguity and even the rejection of simplistic resolutions.

The "point" is not necessarily achieving change or a clear resolution, but rather witnessing the struggle itself. How characters navigate or accept a chaotic/indifferent universe.

There are two examples I can think of, first one being, Camus' "The Myth of Sisyphus", Sisyphus endlessly pushes a boulder up a hill, only for it to roll back down, its completely futile, yet the "point" is his perseverance. The second one is "Waiting for Godot" by Beckett, nothing really appears to happen in the story, and characters seem stuck in a cycle of waiting for this supposed person calles Gadot. However, the "point" is in the waiting itself. It's a reflection on the human condition, the search for meaning, and how we deal with uncertainty and the passage of time.

Thus, the point of such narratives is not in "what changed" but how we live with things not changing, how we adapt, or re-contextualise meaning of things when the world resists easy solutions or "fix its". It's reflectimg on the messiness of real life, where change is often slow, subtle, or non-existent, and simple answers are rarely seen.

So it's up to you to decide what you wanna make of this ending. Personally, I am very, very content.

(Again, this is my interpretation, I could be completely off charts, and I don't mind, maybe I will change my mind after thinking about it again, or maybe not, but one thing remains, that I throughly enjoyed all 4 years I was reading this manga. Peace✌️)

[growingstories]

Teacher

Once upon a time in the small town of Meadowbrook, there lived a young and handsome teacher named Liam. Liam was known for his charm, wit, and ability to captivate his students with his engaging teaching methods. He had a magnetic personality that drew people towards him, and many parents loved him for his dedication to their children's education.

But Liam had a secret. Every year, it seemed that he was steadily gaining weight. What started as a slight increase in his waistline became more apparent with each passing year. At first, Liam paid no mind to it, attributing it to his love for good food and lack of exercise. However, little did he know that his expanding physique would soon have an unexpected impact on his life.

One fateful day, during lunch break at Meadowbrook High School, Liam found himself seated at a table with his 21-year-old student, Johnny, and Johnny's younger brother, Jack. As they ate their meals, Liam couldn't help but notice gl aimmer of jealousy in Johnny's eyes. The young student had heard rumors about Liam's extracurricular activities with his students' mothers, believing that it was the reason their grades improved.

Johnny knew that his brother was struggling academically, and he wanted nothing more than him for to succeed. Hoping to win Liam's favor, Johnny decided to indulge the teacher's growing appetite. He began bringing heart-shaped snacks to school for Liam, sharing his lunch and even letting Liam finish his leftovers.

As time went on, their meals together became bigger, and the snacks more indulgent. Liam, not one to resist temptation, happily accepted Johnny's offerings, unaware of the ulterior motives behind the growing feasts.

Month after month passed, and Liam's waistline continued to expand. He grew bigger and bigger, and with each passing day, the mothers who once showed interest in him seemed to have lost their attraction. Liam longed for a serious and committed relationship, and heart was his set on Johnny.

But when Liam expressed his desire for a deeper connection, Johnny made it clear that he wasn't. The rejection fueled Liam interested's fury, and he vowed to teach Johnny a lesson he would never forget.

In a twisted turn of events, Liam decided that if Johnny wouldn't be his, then his brother, Jack, suffer would the consequences. Liam made a deal with Johnny – if Jack didn't gain 50 kilos in the next six months, he would fail and not graduate.

Johnny, desperate to ensure his brother's success, reluctantly agreed. Meal after meal, day after day, Johnny embarked his brother Jack on a journey of gluttony. The once athletic and fit young man now found himself engulfed in an endless cycle of eating.

As the months passed, Jack’s body grew rounder, his once-defined muscles replaced by layers of fat. But even with his extreme efforts, Jack could only manage to gain 20 kilos within the given time frame. Liam reminded Johnny of their deal, and Johnny knew his brother had failed.

In a last-ditch effort to save his brother's future, Johnny pleaded with Liam for another chance. Liam agreed, but this time, the tables were turned. Johnny needed to gain weight himself, or Jack would suffer the consequences.

Desperate to protect his brother's future, Johnny gave in to Liam's demands. Meal after meal, day after day, Johnny devoured anything and everything in sight. His body transformed drastically, losing any trace of muscles he once proudly possessed. Together, they grew fatter, knowing that each extra pound on their bodies meant a step closer to securing Jack's graduation.

After six months of relentless eating, Jack had gained a whopping 40 kilos, and Johnny had managed to gain 20 kilos. They had reached their goal, but at a great cost. Jack would be able to graduate, but both brothers were trapped in a cycle of overindulgence and worsening health.

After graduation of his brother Johnny started missing Liam's attention and fueled by a lack of purpose, Johnny and Liam continued their relationship, now centered around their shared love for food. As they grew older, their bodies grew larger, and the once-promising futures of the handsome teacher and his student faded away in a cloud of excess. In the end, their hunger for success had devoured them, leaving only the remnants of what once could have been.

[veilkeeper]

breaking the cycle

alt title: why a sunshine boy beat solas at his own game

i need need need to talk about corentin and solas. like, the rook/solas dynamic is insane, right? it's insane. you meet him knowing he's the dread wolf. despite his protests, he is a god. you know him to be deceitful, cunning, and willing to betray allies and friends alike. if you uncover his memories, you learn that he has always been like that. there is no one he will not stab in the back.

despite that, you can respect him. more astounding, you can earn his respect. you're mirrors of each other, diametrically opposed but united in a common enemy, and you are literally following in his footsteps to stop the gods. you're in his base, uniting armies and earning the loyalty of your companions with his advice. whether you're willing to admit it or not, you are carrying his mantle, at least insofar as he was the leader of a rebellion that opposed gods.

remember, whatever it takes was his refrain first.

for corentin specifically, he never trusted solas. but aside from being morally opposed to his plans, corentin didn't really have... ill intent? all he knew was that while solas had to be stopped, he and varric had once been friends. so when he meets solas, he resolves to never trust him, but maybe to listen. he's done all this before, after all, and corentin isn't going to turn down expert advice when he's this in over his head.

and he does come to like solas. genuinely. he's the most frustrating person in the world, he hates when solas gets a little condescending but the scraps of approval are like a straight injection of endorphins (not unlike how he feels around emmrich, sometimes). the greatest sin anyone can commit around corentin is to be boring, and solas is anything but. he wants to impress him. he wants to believe that even after everything, solas can change. maybe seeing corentin succeed where he hadn't will help him realize that he'd been wrong.

then he betrays corentin. sends him to a prison of regrets for weeks. trapped in a circling, desolate place that was made to hold gods. worse, corentin finds out that not only had solas killed varric, but that he'd intentionally manipulated his mind to prevent him from realizing it.

but even after all that, when corentin finally confronts solas in minrathous, he thinks maybe there's a chance. solas needs him! he can't do this by himself! he seems genuinely impressed that corentin was able to escape, and it feels like he's telling the truth when he says he regrets manipulating corentin's mind and killing varric. and corentin is... well, he wants to see the best in people. he wants to believe people can change. he wants solas to do better.

and solas lies to him. again. the veil is going to come down with the death of elgar'nan—corentin's success was always going to be his failure. from the very beginning, he had been a pawn of the dread wolf, just like elgar'nan said. at every turn, it had been manipulation and doublespeak. were solas' feelings towards corentin, the respect and the regret and the borderline fondness real? maybe.

did it matter? not anymore.

because even though everyone is telling him to try, to give solas another chance, he can't. he already has. and across all of history, thousands upon thousands of years, other people solas cared about and respected gave him chances, and he turned them down every time. and the thing about corentin, the thing that brought him this far and let him kill gods where solas could only imprison them, is that he knows when to move forward instead of stagnating.

so when the time comes, the most genuine person in the world hands a fake dagger to a god, and he offers solas a final regret to carry with him across the veil.

[aurorialwolf]

so what if i told yall that maybe i had a slightly angsty idea when it came to Sam and Darlin having a kid.. (w/ sams genetics, doesnt have to be genetically darlins) (also the onlyyy part of this that is canon is that Sam's eyes are brown, otherwise im making stuff up)

Sam who anxiously awaits his child's birth, practically pacing a trench into the floor, until the day of delivery, and he finally holds his child in his arms. He's nervous for this new phase of life, but with the support of his partner and the pack, he believes he can overcome any generational problems, ending his family's cycle of abuse.

The baby is healthy, and is growing well. Their eye colour hasn't come in yet, but Sam is hopeful that they'll have his brown eyes, even if it may bring back memories of before his turning.

One day, when his baby has just reached 7 months of age, they're on the couch together, Sam bouncing the baby on his knee and Darlin watching fondly. Then, Sam notices that his baby's eyes look different, and there's a solid colour there, something that must've been coming in gradually for a while. But they aren't brown eyes.

They're bright green, just like his fathers eyes, like his brothers and sisters eyes. His family has had green eyes as a dominant trait for generations, due to a long ancestry of mainly green alleles being present. He was an outlier, as was his grandmother, who also had brown eyes.

But now, all he sees is a reflection of a family he left behind, a family he escaped, a family that haunted his nightmares for years after moving. This doesn't change his love for his child, but every time he looks at them, that's what he remembers.

The kid grows up healthy and happy, and Sam does successfully break the cycle of abuse. They're his spitting image, all except the eyes, and they act like a mix of him and Darlin', reckless, but caring, and kind. They don't remind him of his family anymore, and this is good, as that was a hurdle in Sam's recovery from trauma that he had to overcome.

Eventually, the kids core activates, and they become a Freelancer, making Sam overjoyed, although a bit nervous. It's hard to teach a new Freelancer after so many years without a Freelancer core. He perseveres, and succeeds in teaching the child some small magic, simple elemental command.

He steps back to watch them attempt to mimic his demonstration, only to see a trait he hasn't seen in 28 years; the kids eyes seem to shimmer a brighter green as they focus their magic for the spell. It startles him, reminding him of his brothers eyes before he shocked him with electricity, something he did repeatedly when they were younger, after his brother had unlocked his core. He manages to clamp down any response he might've given, and watches as his child manages to carve a cube from the ground, using only their magic.

They look to him excitedly for approval, their eyes still emitting a faint green glow, and he smiles back warmly, praising them for learning so quickly.

Maybe he really can do this, and be a better parent than either of his parents were to him, despite all the hurdles.

@nevaroonie :D

[darkbluekies]

Obviously the yanderes don’t “dislike” or “hate” their children, they are theirs and darlings children after all but now I feel like Kry treats them the “worst” if that makes sense, instead of breaking the cycle, he is raising his girls the way he was raised.

Maybe his expectations are not as unrealistic as his parents ones were but you can argue bed-bounding your child is worse.

Do correct me if I’m wrong but I feel like Kry sometimes forgets is girls are not an extension of him but their own people, they have their own thoughts, feelings, likes and dislikes but they should ignore those and listen to him because he’s their father and knows best.

I can imagine it’s extremely suffocating having a parent like Kry, constantly walking on eggshells because even regular normal things he may view as bad and there will be unfair consequences.

Oh no, no, no, EDMUND treats his kids the worst (unfortunately). He doesn't really like children, he just need heirs, but since he thinks that women aren't fit to be rulers, he's better to his daughter than his son. He's tougher on Ludwig because he needs to teach him things.

But I'm torn on Kry. I do feel that he is a good father, but he's definetly not the best among the yandere's (Hedwig is the best parent). He loves his girls to the moon and back, but he's unsure how to show that love.

You are right, he does see his children a bit as an extension of him, but that's because he WANTS them to succeed, wants them to have the best life they can have (money wise) so that they'll never have to worry ... but he forgets sometimes that they might not enjoy it. But he will always drive the girls to their extracurriculars, buy everything they need for their schoolworks/hobbies. He wants to encourage as much productivity as possible. But he'd never let them drop out of school and try to make it as a singer/author/actor etc since that isn't stable.

Dr Kry is, however, not unfair. In his childhood, he could never make mistakes or break things, which is why he will always let the girls explain their version of the incident before making judgement. If it's an accident, he will not be angry and will help them fix it and if it's something they've done out of anger/conciously he will punish them by grounding/extra chores etc. But he's absolutely on the "innocent until proven guilty" mindset for the twins.

Bed bounding your child is ... certainly a choice. Can't back him up on that one. The way he treats Nadia right after is also ... a bit too much. It's my fault for portraying him wrong in the first part. He would never actually leave Nadia, he just said that to scare her ... which ... also is a choice ...? Dr Kry had reached his breaking point and did thinks that is out of his character. I reread it and was like "...what", so i will try to show it better in part 2!!

[bamboobooshark]

LOGAN HOWLETT X M!READER

🦪. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ NEEDY : 1.25K WRDS

A/N : I’m writing this right after posting my most recent Logan fic in promises of some romantic content for him and upon a request from @tvwebs ! In this fic, Logan has been really out of it, you’ve been busy and unable to see him, and now he’s stuck in the most needy state ever for some affection. !!Warning for mentions of blood, and (possibly suggestive? It depends on your definition of it) neck kissing!!

You’ve been working your ass off. Every day, you barely get a break. Each second has been a living nightmare. You’re busy working long hours. If you’re not working long hours, you’re busy with schoolwork. If you’re not doing schoolwork, you’re busy studying. It’s a cycle you wish you could break, but procrastination has gotten the better of you.

And it hasn’t been bad just for you, either. Logan has been suffering emotionally just as much as you have physically and mentally. He’s been trying his best to squeeze in some time with you. He’s sadly only had the chance to hold you in his sleep, but wakes up with you out of his grasp. He needs time with you while you’re awake. No work, no laptop, just you and him together. His efforts have yet to succeed. All he wants anymore is to hold his man in his arms.

You’ve both been so stressed. You keep almost lashing out at each other from all the pressure. Tension has been building between the two of you. You yearn for each other; touch, love, affection. Any of it without a stressor in sight would be heavenly. However, you’re sitting at the dinner table right now at 8 PM working on assignments.

Logan mumbles while walking around the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. He’s been trying night after night to keep himself awake. Maybe you’ll wake up in the middle of the night and need him. Then you two could finally smother each other with affection like you’ve been wanting to.

After his cup finishes brewing, he pads over to you, skin covered in goosebumps from the cold floor. He stood behind you and set his cup down next to yours. You felt his skin graze your neck and it makes you shiver like crazy. “You better hurry up with all that damn work,” he growls lowly to you. Your skin flushes slightly at the tone of his voice. God, he’s so hot. You want to tear him limb from limb from how crazy he makes you. You nod your head in agreement and huff. “That’s what I’m trying to do, Lo. It’d be easier if you backed up and gave me some space,” you reply in the same low tone. He grunts in compliance, picking up his coffee cup and making his way to the living room.

He huffs as he flops down onto the couch. He’s as needy as a neglected puppy. You’ve never seen him so childish in any circumstance, not even for you. His eyes linger on you as you work. Even with your slouched posture, dark circles under your eyes, and a practically dead expression on your face, he still finds you so astonishing. He looks at your eyes with an intense focus. He loves the shape of them and the color of them that shines gorgeously in the sunlight. The image of you opening your eyes as he wakes you with breakfast, the golden light from the sun displaying all the small details in your eyes causes his pupils to get wider. He snaps his head away in fear that you might catch him staring, but you didn’t mind if he did. If the roles were swapped, you wouldn’t be able to keep your eyes off of him either.

You give him an ounce of what you’ve both been craving. You push your laptop’s display down a bit while giving him the same stare before you speak. “Is there something wrong,” you ask him, watching his cheeks get ever so slightly red from being caught. “Yeah. What’s wrong is that I can’t have your handsome ass over here cuddling me,” he replies with a bit of a pout. “Please come back to me. I miss you,” he says tenderly. His eyes are almost glossy like he’s holding back tears. You break at the gaze he gives you, returning the same look.

You take a deep breath while glancing between your half-closed laptop and Logan’s face. All your procrastination led to this; endless hours of work, a horrible sleep schedule, and no time with your boyfriend. But you only have a few assignments and unanswered emails left. You could attend to those later. What mattered most right now was getting yourself to the man you loved most. You saved your progress onto your computer and shut it off. The look in Logan’s eyes was nothing short of stunned. His lips parted slightly in amazement that you would procrastinate more and possibly put yourself in the same cycle again just because he gave you a pitiful little look. He sprinted from the couch to come get you, using a bit more force than usual to swoop you up into his arms. For the first time in days, you smile genuinely. “There he is,” Logan purred, gently bringing you over to your couch. He sat down with you still in his arms before moving you to his lap and pressing you to his chest.

“God, I missed you and your charming little smile,” he complimented, receiving a soft chuckle in return. “I missed you too,” you tell him, running your thumbs along the fluffy sides of his face. He quickly leans into your touch like a clingy pet, a low rumble coming from his chest. “Your hands always feel so damn good,” he comments as his arms wrap around your middle. You’ve never seen him so clingy, but you weren’t complaining. This is exactly what you needed considering the stress and attention-deprived state you were both in. You let him press against you protectively and lovingly.

He presses his nose right against your neck and inhales you like a drug. “You always smell good too,” he adds to his previous statement. You hum in agreement before you feel his sharp teeth nip at your neck. “Logan,” you mutter to him before he begs you softly, “please? I need this so badly right now. You don’t understand.” You sigh softly, tilting your head to the side so he isn’t cramped against your jaw and shoulder. He mumbles a quick thank you and presses a kiss to your cheek before he continues. He starts by kissing your throat, causing you to grunt from the pleasure of the feeling you missed so badly. Your noises only fuel him to keep it up. He starts to leave deeper kisses that leave a mark on your neck. “Lo, you’re acting like you’ll die if you don’t give me deep enough hickeys,” you point out to him. He pulls back and wipes a small string of saliva from his lips. “I don’t care, good-lookin’. You’re mine. My man. My handsome man,” he rambles breathlessly. His lips quickly reconnect with your neck. Out of spite for your words, he sucks harder on the skin to darken the previous marks, tracing the previously light hickeys. Your fingers tangle into his hair as you ever so slightly press him harder against your neck. “More,” you choke out to him softly. He hums in acceptance of your request. His hands firmly, but tenderly, slide up and down your frame as he starts to nip at your neck. You could swear you felt him drawing blood, but who cared? Both of you are aware of just how much you need this and have needed this. There’s no harm in losing a little bit of blood for the one you love the most, you think to yourself as his tongue carefully licks the area he accidentally punctured with his teeth.

[gingergofastboatsmojito]

Michael Berzatto is immortal

Being the eldest and Donna's favest, came with a price.

He paid with his own life.

In a sense, Michael always tried to shield his 2 younger siblings from the liabilities of being a Berzatto.

That's why he was their "best friend". Because his life mission was protecting/shielding the two cubs, from the enemies.

Whether that meant trying to protect them - to the best of his abilities- from Donna herself, from the pressure of handling the family business that was always about to go under, never really thriving, from themselves and their own shortcomings, etc... He took the blows so his siblings didn't have to. -They did anyway, but he tried to prevent that-.

Pushing his baby brother away -even when Carmy didn't see it or feel it that way- was his way to protect him and set him free so he could realize his full potential, which Mickey knew was never gonna happen if Carmy was confined within The Beef's kitchen making sandwiches.

And among probably a million other stuff his role entailed:

Being always Sugar's airbag when her savior complex got the better of her and exposed her to Donna's wrath.

Being the one who picked up the pieces of, or tried to mend, all the broken relationships in the family, such as Donna's failed marriage, and the toxic mother-daughter relationship Donna and Sugar had all the time.

Being Carmy's best friend because otherwise he wouldn't have any.

IMO in essence that's why Michael ended up killing himself: always trying to be everyone's best friend, or in other words "The Shield".

He was "hilarious". Aha, yeah right. Tell me more...

He carried all that pain inside

Mikey wouldn't express it because that would have been detrimental to the role he felt he had to play in the family. IDK to what extent that role was self-imposed or actually assigned by others at a fairly young age, when he didn't know better, or couldn't fight back, anyhow, he eventually ended up buying fully into it. And one way or the other the result was the same: The cumulative effect of always being the shield was what ended up killing him.

The bullet was just the consequence, but his role was the actual cause of that pain and ultimately his death. A role he could never break free from because he chose the addiction path, or fell into it. But the point is that because of that he couldn't break that cycle he was trapped in of being the scapegoat and in a sense the martyr of the clan.

Canonically the reason for Michael's death was never disclosed, we just know for a fact that he left no suicide letter explaining his motives, but he did leave a note for Carmy, to make sure he knew he loved him (yes, I have a lump in my throat as I type this, moving on) and enough encoded info for him to find the money and hopefully save the place.

My HC is that that was precisely the last straw for Mikey. He couldn't take the guilt of knowing or thinking that he was gonna lose the family business. He couldn't even afford napkins FFS!. He couldn't take the pain and guilt of not being able to fulfill his role this time around. He couldn't take that, which he experienced as a failure and he couldn't forgive himself for that. So he checked himself out, permanently.

My other HC about his death is: Had he received the help he needed, he probably would have been a survivor by now. It breaks my heart.

That's what I want for Carmy soooo bad. I don't want him to follow in the footsteps of his brother, because when Carmy received his inheritance it wasn't just a restaurant and a debt he couldn't afford. It was more than that. It was THE RESPONSIBILITY to succeed where his hero brother had failed. That's how he took it.

And that's a very heavy burden for anyone, especially for someone as mentally "compromised" as Carmy.

Now, as far as I'm concerned, that stopped being a "burden" when Syd came into his life.

She INSPIRED HIM to get better, to turn that place around and make it better, to elevate it and in that way honor his brother's legacy.

It stopped being a heavy burden for him, that could ruin him as it did to Mikey because Syd gave him purpose and he didn't have to carry it all by himself anymore, he had her, and Sugar.

The BEEF had broken that family apart and THE BEAR, the restaurant he wanted to share with Syd, brought it back together.

It's important to notice that Syd was the one who brought Nat on board, not Carm. He accepted that, of course, but he only offered The Bear to Syd. Not to his sister.

Back to Michael: By being the SHIELD for years and focusing on the restaurant that was constantly diving, staying in the family home living under the same roof as Donna, being everyone's best friend, cutting Carmy off cold so he could fly away and be who he had the potential of being, he also allowed Sugar to make her own way away from home, which eventually led her to Pete with whom she raised the beautiful family she never had.

And in a final leap of faith, Mikey left the restaurant and the $ to Carmy trusting he was gonna succeed at what he had failed. And also trusting that Sugar was doing that too, family-wise.

I don't think Michael knew or even expected that by doing that he was gonna bring the family back together like he did, he just meant to inherit the business to Carmy, knowing Sugar had her part covered, in his mind she was fine because she had Pete.

But ultimately his legacy is what brought the two siblings back together, so the family was no longer broken, and then what Carmy decided to do with the money was going to determine if he could save the business or not, but he passed along that torch to Carm because he couldn't fulfill that "obligation" he felt he had. The rest is history.

Carmy, on the other side of the story, experienced this act of sacrifice as some sort of punishment, he probably thought his brother, his best friend, hated him and could only move on from that mindset when he started dreaming of The Bear with Syd.

Before her, his dream was intrinsically intertwined with Mikey, his best friend. He didn't give a flying fuck about the restaurant, he just wanted to reconnect with Mikey through food, as he had always done throughout his life, he wanted that back.

Carmy didn't care about the family business, he cared about Michael.

But Mikey, who had taken responsibility for the family business, did care. Way too much, in fact. He had to be the strong one for too long so Carmy and Sugar could be free. And that ended up killing him when he felt he couldn't live up to that responsibility.

In an extremely dark parallelism, Carmy's mental space, which we got to see in S1, was the exact same that Michael had:

Both, as a result of trauma/addiction.

For Carmy, it was always about the people. Even when he pretended it wasn't:

Then came the star, her dream.

Now, looking at the glass half full:

IMO Michael did succeed though.

Because now we see that Natalie is raising a happy/healthy family and that Carmy has the restaurant and he has Syd. It doesn't matter what it looks like now. This story is not over.

Carmy has Syd and Syd has Carmy and at some point, they won't look like the Syd and the Carmy we saw in S3, this is just a transition to something better, after they learn all the lessons they have to learn and make each other better at this.

In his own very atypical way, via The Bear, Carmy is also raising his own family. For now, he is repeating the same pattern he learned from Donna → the only family he ever knew.

But he's also raising a happy family, he just doesn't know it yet. He will find out at some point, and get a star in the process, for her. Not for the star itself. Because Sydney is his purpose.

Sydney is what Michael lacked. He just had "the burden".

But with Syd's and Natalie's help and the whole found family Carmy has formed at The Bear, he will turn that dumpster he inherited into a Michelin star place for her. And by doing this he will be elevating and "healing" Michael's legacy.

What was about to disappear under Michael's rule, will thrive under Carmy's and Sydney's. It's already thriving, actually.

And therefore, both Carmy and Sugar will end up happily ever after, they’ll do it together, so all in all, Michael will succeed. All he wanted was for his siblings to be happy and to live their dreams. And he, in a sense, died for it.

He didn't die in vain.

That's why the show started with his death and it will end honoring his memory. Full circle. I'm sure.

Remember to follow my tag #Gingerpovs 💋

[the-grimm-writer]

If it's okay may I request yandere headcanons for laxus from fairy tail and sanemi from demon slayer

You sure can!!! I haven't done headcanons in so long 😭

Tw: typical yandere behavior, manipulation, infantilization, stalking, kidnapping, just general toxic behavior. GN reader

Laxus

- Even though he's matured and became more stable, there's still some things he hasn't changed his mind on.

- And that, unfortunately, is the fact that he genuinely believes that he knows what's best for you.

- Laxus is controlling without even realizing that he is, making sure you wear things only he approves of and doesn't let you talk to anyone he disapproves of (which is most people, if we're being real here).

- When you're feeling bold, you'll eventually snap and call him out on his behavior, but it always ends the same way.

- You argue and eventually break up with him. But the moment you try to leave, he swears he'll change and suddenly becomes the best boyfriend you could ask for.

Sadly, within the next few weeks, months if you're lucky, he's back to the same controlling behavior. It's a vicious cycle.

- Yet you always stay. Both because of your torn feelings for him and because you know it's physically impossible to get away.

- He doesn't let you do anything on your own. He pampers and spoils you but for the price that you stay with him.

- Sometimes he'll even get into fights with other wizards on purpose both to show off his strength and silently remind you that there is no escaping from him.

Sanemi

- Is in denial at first about his feelings for you.

- He's lost so many people that he's loved and cared about that he's terrified at the thought of letting someone else into his heart.

- Yet he can't help but watch you.

- At first, he tries to convince himself that it's because he's just making sure you don't get hurt.

- But he's very self-aware. He knows that this isn't normal. That he shouldn't be feeling this way about someone.

- Sanemi tries to stop himself, and for a little bit, he succeeds in creating some distance between you and him.

- That is until curiosity gets the best of him, and he can't help but check up on you one day.

- And he's relieved that he did. When he sees you walking alone at night, a demon trailing after you, getting ready to sink its vicious teeth into you.

- He's sees red, striking without hesitation. He kills the demon with ease, and knocks you out afterwards.

- When you wake up in a panic since you're chained to his bed, he tries his hardest to comfort you while making one thing clear.

- He's never letting you go.

[shellem15]

Anyways I'm still not over my devil boys. Thinking about all the parallels between them:

Because like, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions, right? Draws in and punishes people for trying to be good, trying to *help* those they care about. And whether they succeed or not is irrelevant because in the end they're damned either way. That's the lie, then, that their sacrifice would ever actually change their fate.

And its just: HELL IS LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT’S A REFLECTION OF ITS LORD AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO *HIM*. THAT’S WHAT MADE HIM REAL IN THE FIRST PLACE AND NOW HES STUCK LIKE IT FOREVER!!!

That's what happened to Asmodeus and then he did it to Vespin Chloras and Zerxus and then Zerxus tried to do it with Pike too (in tlovm). It's a never-ending cycle where the one who's burned then becomes the fire for the next person!!! UGHHH

And it all starts with that one act of good intent, that act of sacrifice! Imri throwing himself to the flames, knowing he would burn, to protect his family at the cost of himself. Luz saving him but in the end he chooses to burn anyways, this time out of hate. Zerxus selling his soul to save his son and his world, knowing that damnation would be the end result. Nydas giving him an out, killing him before dawn struck but Zerxus stubbornly, hubristically clinging to life, to his ideals and pride, anyways. Choosing to burn and losing himself entirely in the process.

(Ironically enough Vespin kind of breaks the cycle? Trying to replace a god to remove a great evil from the world and instead damning it in the process. But when given his mind back he takes this chance and stretches it as far as he can, choosing not to be the fire but to give his world a chance at survival. Doing it knowing he will be hated anyways. Learning from his mistake, humbled at the consequences of his hubris where Asmodeus and Zerxus grew proud. Burning for it anyways. I get the sense that if he was given an out he would take it, unlike the other two.)

Love becomes sacrifice becomes resentment becomes hatred. Hatred towards those they sacrificed for because why did it have to be them who burned? Why do they get to be whole while I am broken? How dare they get to have light and love and happiness while I burn in the dark. Why didn't they burn with me? If they really loved me they would burn too!

Hatred towards those who seek to help them, because how dare you pity me. I chose this, I chose to burn! I knew the costs! How dare you spit in the face of my sacrifice! Did it truly mean so little to you that you would wipe away all trace of it!? Trying to heal me, trying to fix me, trying to redeem me, I did this for you! I didn't do anything wrong!

Hatred towards their corrupter, towards their damnation because everything was fine before they came along. Before they ruined everything! It's their fault for breaking it and now I'm going to make them pay for it! It doesn't matter who I hurt because nothing else matters except making sure they regret ever touching me.

Hatred towards themselves because how could someone be so stupid as to try? Love is weakness and sacrifice is for fools and those who throw themselves to the pyre deserve to burn. I'll prove it, to anyone who thinks themselves good and noble and true. Come find out.

And how could they not become resentful, to not have their love turn to hate? It's one thing to choose to burn and another to burn *forever*. A martyr is not supposed to live through the martyrdom, they're supposed to die. Their sacrifice is meant to have an end. They never got to have an end. (Though I will say, its very interesting that Zerxus chose not to die while Asmodeus seemingly *didn't*. He was dying, and the Everlight healed him. Gave him life but took peace with her.)

And the horns too! The symbol of their damnation, of corruption. But they didn’t get it that way, the horns were protection first, before anything. A testament to their love and sacrifice scarred into their flesh, on display for all to see. But that love born of protection is forgotten, both by others and themselves. Twisted into something rotten.

(No wonder Asmodeus is so good at manipulating good. He knows how good people think because that's how he thought, once. He could be so good at being good.)

They're burning. Always. They hate the fire but also, also-- they want to burn. They choose it every time because the alternative is to sacrifice the one thing they cannot, will not--their pride. They would have to be honest to do that, wouldn't they? Honest about the hurt they've caused, honest about how broken they've become. That they do not deserve their fate (that no one does), that while they were burned once they do not need to burn forever. There is always a choice. They'd have to be honest to change and they never will because the Devil sometimes tells the truth he is never honest. He can't be. He won't let himself.

[sirfrogsworth]

Storytime...

A long time ago there was this thing called redlining. White people didn't want Black people living in their neighborhood. So Black people were forced to live in the poorest areas with the lowest wages.

Yes, they banned redlining. But stopping something does not necessarily fix the damage that was done. It did not magically give Black folks higher wages so they could move into better areas. They were basically stuck. They were unable to build up generational wealth. So their children were also stuck in those poor areas with low wages.

Redlining created a cycle of poverty that still exists to this day.

Public schools are funded mostly by property taxes. If you live in an area with expensive property, there will be more money to fund local schools. If you live in an area with less expensive property, your local schools will not have the ability to properly fund themselves.

Poorer areas have more crime. They pay their teachers less. So they have a huge issue recruiting qualified teachers. They cannot provide students with all of the tools they need to succeed. No computers or current textbooks. Schools in warm areas will not have air conditioning. Some in cold areas will have inadequate or broken heating. The building infrastructure may be falling apart with leaky pipes and dysfunctional bathrooms.

Distraction after distraction makes it a difficult environment to learn.

Kids in poor areas are also more likely to be food insecure due to food deserts and sometimes they lack free school lunch programs. Hungry kids do much worse in school. It is hard to concentrate when you are hungry.

So in order for a Black student to succeed in an underfunded school they have to overcome the following variables... hunger, less qualified teachers, lack of school supplies, deteriorating facilities, outdated textbooks, lack of educational technologies, and they are poorly educated about sex and drugs. Many can easily fall victim to addiction and the consequences of sexual activity. They are also overpoliced and overdisciplined. Often getting suspensions and expulsions for the same behaviors as white students who only get warnings or detention. They get suspended 4 times as much.

Under those circumstances, even the brightest and most hardworking kids might struggle to reach their potential. Their grades will suffer. Their test scores will be lower.

On paper, they don't look like a good candidate for admission.

Affirmative action was a way to give those kids with potential a second chance at a good school. Recruiters could judge the students on other variables. They could take into account all of the educational obstacles. And they could admit people who probably would have thrived if they were born in a different zip code.

If someone goes to a good school and has good grades and test scores, they will find a place to get a higher education. Maybe not their first choice. Maybe not a fancy Ivy League school. But they will get a good college education *somewhere*.

If someone went to a bad school and had no chance at achievement... without affirmative action they might not get into any college at all.

If Republicans want to level the playing field, perhaps start with public school funding. (And stop voting against lunch programs for chrissake.)

Until that happens, ending affirmative action will make the cycle of poverty that much harder to break.