#but... at least credit openly and visibly

[barblaz-arts]

Fellow Chaggie shipper, here and I wanted to ask you a question. Could you please do an analysis post on the Chaggie argument from Hello Rosie. I know this will sound weird but I can't get over the level of icy anger Charlie had towards Vaggie or how despite everything going on, Charlie is more hurt from Vaggie not being honest with her. Just angst all around.

Oh yeah sure I'd love to!

I'm not sure there's a lot I can say about that argument that isn't already super obvious, so I wanna talk about Charlie's anger because of something my brother said as we watched episode 7. He loved that episode apparently because "When they're separated, it's even more obvious that Charlie is the one who's more quick to lose her cool." Which, looking back, is actually true!(To an extent)

Vaggie and Charlie are both quite quick to anger. Charlie is just better at hiding it because she's a chronic people pleaser. Although Charlie wouldn't immediately show her anger at a person being a jerk to her specifically, she's immediately summoning fire and brimstone over anyone who hurts/insults her friends or the cause she's fighting for.

Love this lil bit in "You Didn't Know". How Vaggie is the one telling Charlie to calm down, as if she knows what's about to happen. She knows that if she doesn't at least try to reel in her girl Charlie would be spitting literal fire at a goddamn seraphim.

It would seem like such a surprising role reversal, but if you look at all the times Charlie would lose it whenever Vaggie's not there to tell her "babe, chill", then it makes sense.

But then when their fallout happens, Charlie's short temper is even more apparent. She calls Alastor an asshole to his face even though she considered choosing his support over her father's. She openly glares and rolls her eyes at Rosie when she jokes that her and Alastor look like an item even though she still kept things cordial with Valentino after he licked her arm. She flips the bird at some old lady even though she didn't take visible offense at all the demons that inserted their crude and rude selves in "Happy Day in Hell." While she was cold and subdued even when upset with Vaggie, she was explosive and in ur face when she was pissed at everyone else.

Vaggie reigned in both the girl in Charlie who dreams a little too big and the demon who's waiting to lash out in flames. It really makes me wonder if there's a difference in the kind of person Charlie used to be before Vaggie. Before she had friends to be angry on behalf of and a person to calm her down. And then, in the wake of their argument, Charlie is left with a lot of anger that is easy to ignite.

But I love love love that despite all that anger, Charlie can't bring herself to deny that she loves Vaggie with all of her hurt heart.

This little moment is one of my favorite parts in the series. My brother mentioned that this episode and episode three were his favorites because he liked the beats the dialogues followed. So he looked back--

(the man literally paused the episode to check the opening credits of ep 7 and 3. I was a little annoyed because I just wanted my Chaggie dammit! We'd make terrible youtube reactors with all the pausing and discussing mid-episode that we do...)

--and was satisfied to see that it was written by the same person, Ariel Ladensohn. Apparently she's in a sapphic relationship too and projected her own experiences whenever she wrote Vaggie and Charlie, and it must have paid off because the moments she wrote with them felt so real.

Charlie expressing her fear that even Vaggie's support and love could also be part of the lies she told was understandable considering the betrayal she felt. But immediately following that she goes "Oh that's a horrible to thing to think!" which I love even more. Even when she's understandably mad she thinks about how Vaggie would feel over Charlie thinking that of her. Because although Vaggie lied about who she is, Vaggie was always sincere about how she felt for Charlie. Vaggie's past may have been a lie, but the things she did for, to, and on behalf of Charlie were very real and held dear in Charlie's heart.

I dont have anything smart to say to conclude this. Sorry, I'm not even sure where I went here. Let's all just appreciate the smile Charlie has on her face when she thinks about Vaggie even when she's under a lot of stress I guess.

[raysrays]

Fatal Attraction Chapter One (NSFW)

18+ MDNI‼️

CW for the entire story: Breeding, Size Difference,Size Kink, Jealousy, Scent Marking, Age Difference, Vaginal Sex, Possessive Behavior, Angst, Twisted, Creampie, Angry Sex, Vaginal Fingering, Hair-pulling, Biting, Master/Pet, Light Dom/sub, Violence, Knotting.

Content disclaimer: This story is inspired by the amazing artist @PammyJammy117 on Twitter/X. I in absolutely no way own or claim the idea of the “Cryptid Rengoku” character. Please give credit to the original artist who inspired the story.

Y/N Perspective.

It's early, too early. I don't know why I keep doing this to myself. For weeks now, I've followed the same routine: waking up, wandering the forest surrounding my village, and searching. Every day, I look for a sign that something, or someone, is out there. Yet somehow, I always come up empty-handed. It's not just me, though. My entire group is burnt out on this whole thing.

Searching for monsters has never been a passion of mine, but when you're down to your last cent and someone offers you free food and board in exchange for your help, how can you say no?

I still remember when Miss Tamayo approached me. It was snowing hard up in the mountains, and she saw how badly I was struggling in the cold. She was kind, took me in, and talked to me at length about the mystical monsters and beings her group had been studying and searching for. I'll admit, it was interesting, but I didn't believe any of it was real.

We've all heard the tales—the stories of the creatures we now call the Hashira, the terrifying monsters that once protected their respective villages and residents. While they made for nice campfire stories, there was simply no way these beings existed. Even if they did, why would they stay hidden? Wouldn't they seek revenge on the villagers who used them and then cast them out? None of it made any sense to me.

Despite voicing my concerns and disbelief to Miss Tamayo, she still wanted to help me, as long as I was willing to help her. And that's why I'm here now.

I'm in the middle of this forest. The sky is grey and cloudy, with rain surely on the way. It's foggy, and visibility is poor. Since I'm new and have only been working with these monster hunters for a few weeks, they've given me a basic route—one that minimizes the risk of encountering a real threat. Tamayo wanted me to look for a special flower that supposedly grows around here, but I haven't had any luck yet.

If I can't even find a flower, I don't feel like I'll make a promising monster hunter. At least, that's what Yushiro, one of Tamayo's most relentless supporters, thinks. Though we are civil to each other's faces, he openly voices his concerns about having me around. He says it's a waste of time to bring along someone who doesn't even "believe in the cause."

I suppose I can't argue with him too much. I've walked this same route every day for a few weeks now and still haven't come across the flower Tamayo sent me to find. Maybe it really is a waste of time—

My thoughts are interrupted by a rustling sound in the distance. My body immediately tenses up. I glance around, but the thick fog makes it hard to see. All this talk and thinking about monsters and mythical creatures is starting to get to me.

What was that? Did I lose the path? No, that's just me overthinking it, thanks to Tamayo and Yushiro filling my head with stories. I'm just being paranoid.

The rustling resumes, this time from the opposite direction. I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

"Tamayo? Yushiro? Is that you?" I call out into the fog.

I wait for their reply, but none comes. Adding to the unease, the air feels hotter now, and a strange clicking noise echoes through the area, growing closer and closer.

What should I do? Should I run?

As the clicking grew louder, I made up my mind and began to sprint through the fog, knocking branches and anything else in my path aside. At some point, I lost my footing. The trail must have ended, and I twisted my ankle on a tree root protruding from the ground.

My ears were filled with the sound of my own breathing, and it felt like my heart was going to burst out of my chest. This can't be happening. I was sent on an easy route to fetch a flower, not to be chased by some crazy monster.

I tried to stand, but the pain in my ankle was too much. I strained to stay silent and listened for the clicking sounds; they were faint but still there. I had to get out of here.

Grabbing onto the trunk of the tree I had tripped over, I pulled myself up. It hurt, but the adrenaline rush made it barely bearable.

The fog was finally starting to lift, and I could see the path I usually followed. I must have accidentally stepped off it while running. As long as I could get back, Tamayo would be able to help me with my ankle.

As I started to move slowly, a red light in the distance suddenly caught my attention. Squinting, I tried to make out what it could be and then realized it was two red lights, gradually moving closer to me.

Eyes.

Panic surged through me as I scrambled to move, trying to go as fast as my injured ankle would allow, grabbing onto anything I could for support.

This can't be happening. I refuse to believe any of this is real. How could all those stupid campfire stories be true? And why, out of all the monster hunters in Tamayo's group, did I have to be the unlucky one?

I wanted to scream and yell for help, but I was so deep in this forest nobody from the safe house would hear me.

It hurts. It hurts so much. It feels like my body is going to give out any minute, but my mind is racing, forcing me to keep moving.

The clicking is now accompanied by a deep growling, making it sound all the more intense. Whatever this thing was, it sounded terrifying. And those deep red eyes didn’t really help with my imagination.

Then it happened. I had to take a knee. The strain on my ankle kept getting worse the more I moved. I'm done for. Whatever this thing is, it's going to kill me.

At least Yushiro can look at my corpse and say, "I told you so."

As the clicking and growling got even closer, there was a small thump to the ground as whatever was about to kill me approached. I shut my eyes and prepared for whatever my fate was.

I felt it stop a few feet behind me. This monster is just staring at me. I’m too afraid to face it. I don’t want the last thing I see to be those glowing red eyes.

"What are you doing? Why did you run away?"

My heart nearly stopped. That voice—it was deep, loud, and had an eerie, echoing effect. Was this monster talking to me?

I took a deep breath. What should I say? Should I beg for my life?

"I asked you a question, human. Why are you running away?"

I could hear a hint of annoyance in its tone. The last thing I wanted was to anger a mythical being. I slowly turned my body. The sight that met me made speaking even more difficult.

It was tall. He was tall—about eight and a half feet.

He had blonde fur and a long mane of hair with red accents scattered throughout, tall pointed ears, and those glowing red eyes.

My lips parted. I wanted to answer, to beg for my life and apologize for intruding. But his appearance was so intimidating, so... enchanting.

I froze as he moved closer.

"Can you not speak, human? Are you afraid of me?" He chuckled. His laugh was as intense as his voice.

"I can speak," I managed to choke out.

His eyes seemed to light up, and he smiled.

Dear God. Those teeth. Long and sharp. If he wasn’t terrifying before, he definitely was now. I felt my heart beating rapidly. I knew I was done for, but this was all too much.

"What is your name, human? I've seen you walk this path for days now. I deserve to know who intrudes on my territory daily." Instead of anger, his tone was oddly amused.

"My name is Y/N L/N." I tried to keep the nervousness out of my voice but didn’t do a great job.

"Well then, Y/N L/N. You wandered away from your usual trail as soon as I got close to you. Why did you run away? Aren't you supposed to be looking for me?" He laughed, a mocking sound.

"You are a 'monster hunter,' aren't you?"

I didn't know what to say. He was right. I was supposed to be looking for him. That was the whole point of Tamayo taking me on, but I hadn’t expected it all to be so real.

"I didn’t believe in monsters. I was sent to look for a specific flower," I mumbled.

"Didn't believe?" He moved closer, towering over me. "Tell me then, Y/N L/N, do you believe now?" He smiled, those sharp teeth gleaming.

I felt my body run cold. He was terrifying, not just in appearance but in his entire demeanor.

“Yes, I do.”

For a moment, silence filled the air, broken only by the sound of the wind and his slight clicking.

“What is your name?” I asked.

“I am Kyojuro Rengoku, the protector of this land and its residents.” The echo in his voice cemented my assumptions.

There was no mistaking it—I had run into one of the Hashira.

I’d heard the stories, the legends of Rengoku, the fierce protector of this area. He was kind until he wasn’t. Then, humans saw him as a threat and banished him to the forest.

He kneeled down in front of me, still on the ground.

“You don’t seem too surprised. Have you heard of me?” His ear twitched, and I noticed the massive tail behind him curl around his body.

I took a deep breath and nodded. “I’ve heard the stories. You’re the Hashira associated with fire.”

He perked up at my response.

“So, my legends live on! How amusing!” He laughed.

His voice was so loud, it was almost funny.

Why is he acting like this? I thought he would have killed me by now.

“You’re hurt,” he said, gesturing to my ankle.

“Yeah... I sprained it,” I replied, shifting awkwardly.

“Yes, I know. From running away from me.” His tail flicked slightly, and a smirk formed on his face.

I didn’t know what to say or do. I was completely at a loss. Here I was, casually having a conversation with one of the scariest and deadliest creatures to walk the earth.

“What are you going to do with me? If you’re going to kill me, can’t you just get it over with?”

He looked at me, a mix of confusion and amusement in his eyes.

“Why are you so desperate to die so soon? Do you not enjoy my company?” His voice echoed with a chuckle.

Is he being serious right now?

“No— I’m just... confused. Why are you still talking to me? I’m a monster hunter, not a very good one, but still a monster hunter. Shouldn’t you just kill me and get it over with?” I was desperate for an answer, needing to know if I should prepare to die or not.

He stared at me for a moment, as if deep in thought, his ears twitching slightly.

“No, I don’t think I’ll kill you,” he said plainly. “However, only on the condition that you continue to return here. Tell no one of your kind about me and continue to come see me.”

I sat there, dumbfounded. This terrifying creature was willing to spare my life as long as I returned for his company?

“Why would you want to see me again?” I asked.

He smiled, baring his long, sharp teeth, his ears perking up.

“Because, Y/N L/N, you are the first person to talk to me in a long time. To be quite honest, something inside me is telling me that you and I are really going to like each other.”

His tone shifted, becoming more sinister. What did this creature have planned for me?

And why was I excited to find out?

Next>>

[tangents-within-tangents]

As much as I love sweet headcanons and found family fics about the Batch accepting Echo and supporting him through his adjustment and PTSD/trauma, gotta remember that what we were actually given in canon is this:

Hunter: Me and the boys will tag along anyway, if only to say I told you so. Crosshair: I would have left him for dead too. Besides, he's just another reg. (his rescue was just a mission for them, wouldn't have done it otherwise)

Tech: To be blunt his mind belonged to the Separatists until we unplugged him. We don't really know where his loyalties lie. Rex: Yeah? Well I know. Hunter: Alright Echo what are you trying to pull? Tech: How do we know that's what you're really going to do? Hunter: Well I guess you actually are on our side. (They openly doubt his loyalty even though they saw what he went through, and he already fought alongside them on Skako. Feels kinda victim-blamey to me, and it's odd that it goes straight from this to him joining them, like he had to prove himself worthy first? It's just the opposite of fanon which usually has the Batch be immediately sympathetic/protective and assume the regs would distrust him)

Tech: You are more machine than man, percentage wise at least. Echo, a triple amputee: *sigh* lucky me...

Palpatine: ...the attempt on my life has left me scarred and deformed Wrecker: You can say that again! Echo, a physically disabled person:

Echo, who was medically experimented on: *injured and having a panic attack in the medbay* The Batch: *off somewhere joking/betting about if he’s dead*

Tech: -from the Citadel rescue when you... how shall I put this? Wrecker: Blew up!! :D Crosshair: And turned into that Echo: *sigh* yes

Random stranger: *mistakes Echofor a droid* Hunter: *smiles and goes along with it for the credits* Echo, who was SOLD and dehumanized as a pow: *visibly uncomfortable* Hunter: Echo, go to your new owner.

Echo, who was treated like property by the Techno Union: *explains why slavery is wrong* And we are gonna stop it from happening to that kid. Tech: As well as earn a decent amount of credits once the job is complete. Echo: (bitterly) yeah, that too *leaves the room*

Tech: The client being a Separatist is not relevant. Echo, who was imprisoned and tortured by Separatists for over a year: It is to me! Hunter: Forget politics! We're here to do a job.

Tech: This squad existed before Echo was a part of it, and it will exist after.

For the record, yes people can and do joke about their trauma and disabilities

But look at Echo’s reactions/tone/body language in these scenes. It’s downcast sighs and discomfort, while the others are smiling, sneering, or dismissive. And because it's animated that means that every facial expression was intentionally designed.

What really clinches it for me is this moment:

Omega, a child who he just met, comforts him and helps him through his panic attack. But when the Batch, his squad who he's been living with for at least ~6 months, comes into the room he visibly closes himself off and hides his vulnerability :(

There are good moments too (though tbh i can't think of many)

I don't wanna discount that, but that doesn't discount this either. And it's just really weird when you think about it. Like half of these were in the first episode, which is the first time we are actually seeing how these characters interact together as a squad. And this is coming from the "defective" clones who supposedly know what it's like to not fit in? Who offered Echo a place with them specifically because they thought he wouldn't be accepted by others?

As with anything, there are ways we can read into or explain these moments (like honestly 'selling' your brother or betting that your brother died by lunch tray is very accurate sibling energy (And my personal headcanon (to reconcile it for myself bc the show didn't) is that Wrecker was worried about Echo so Crosshair jokingly exaggerated that he was dead and turned it into an argument/bet to distract him (which is also why I think he turns battles into a game/competition with Wrecker)) but Echo is very traumatized and there's a complete lack of consideration there). But that doesn't excuse it nor does it change the fact that this is what was presented to us in the writing. Characters aren't actually people (shocking I know lol), so any of their 'choices' are actually made by a real-life writer. And whether the implications of these moments were fully considered/intended or not, it still portrays the characters and their attitudes/relationships in a certain way.

[ozzgin]

hope this doesn't come off as rude, but do you condone the usage of ai art? because I noticed you use ai art for quite a few of your post headers ^^;

No worries, it's a reasonable question, although a rather complex one! There are multiple layers that I would like to go through when answering you.

Do I condone the use of AI as a replacement for actual art? Obviously not. I enjoy drawing, and I enjoy collecting art. This won't change regardless of technology. The reality, however, is that generative AI will continue to develop, whether we like it or not. So, you know, instead of denying its existence, I would prefer to openly discuss it and have it regulated by laws and ethical conducts. For example, laws that would protect artists from being laid off in favor of one single AI engineer. Or laws that would limit the profit companies can make using undisclosed AI. Basically, making sure that this new technology serves the people instead or rendering them useless.

Do I condone the use of AI for individual use? Depends. My opinion is that non-profit, entertainment purposes are not the root of the problem. Someone generating a funny image of a cat is not the equivalent of someone generating hundreds of images a day. Those terrible environmental statistics you see online are mostly targeted at this kind of business usage. If you were to go on Instagram, for example, you would find a lot of accounts who publish vast amounts of AI works, often omitting this fact. Some sell merch, advice, or - if they are honest about their methods - courses and books on prompts and AI imagery. It's an actual thing. Does it take visibility away from actual artists? Absolutely. Even worse, it leads to a lot of doubt, where artists must prove themselves against accusatory claims. Again, I believe the solution is not to ignore progress or demand it stops, but to find concrete measures and implement them.

I use AI images for story headers, strictly for decorative purposes. If I want to express something visually, I will draw it myself. I do not have the time nor resources to draw every single picture I want to use on my hobby blog. Whoever disagrees with it is free to pay me a full employee salary. Mind you, on that note, I've seen a lot of people mentioning Pinterest and similar as open sources for pictures. They are not free repositories to just grab whatever you want. That photograph of a foggy forest was taken by someone and requires crediting. That unspecified manga panel was drawn by someone and requires crediting. 90% of the images I see here have no source or credit. I find it terribly hypocritical to parade as a supporter of human arts while conveniently ignoring every case where said human art is stolen, modified or uncredited.

Lastly, do I condone the use of AI by artists? This is an interesting topic, and a recent case immediately comes to mind: a well-established artist I've been following for over a decade has alluded to potentially training AI to replicate their art in the future. It's their way of easing their workload. Is it any different from comic artists using filtered photos to skip drawing backgrounds, for example? Is it any different from commission artists pre-drawing body parts and objects as brushes and stamps, so they can skip a lot of the drawing process? I am not a professional artist, nor do I require the use of this sort of assistance, but I cannot help but wonder: how many of the individuals who had a meltdown over this suggestion have actually paid or tipped an artist in their life? How many of them regularly call out stolen content? How many are mindful about the content they share/distribute/save, making sure it involves given permissions and fulfills ethical standards? I'm not necessarily calling people out; rather, I'm saying that the outrage is misdirected and untargeted.

I don't have a concrete conclusion to the last paragraph. It's a novel dilemma, a gray area with a lot of factors involved. At least to me. I wanted to include it in the conversation to show that generative AI and its implications are rapidly changing and expanding, so it's difficult to encapsulate it all in one definite opinion. All I can tell you is that my appreciation for human art has not changed, and I will continue to support it. :)

[sweet-self-indulgence]

A cute prompt could be Mika and Sam watching horror movies together! Maybe she gets scared and he "protects her"

Yes! Love this one! I got a little off-task, but I think it turned out really cute.

If anyone can tell me what movie they’re watching you’ll unlock bonus content (the story that inspired this piece).

The Basement

Is what's lurking in the basement scarier than demons? Probably when you happen to love a demon.

It was all Matthew’s fault. He was the one who had been insistent on going all out for Halloween, including setting up a haunted house as part of the Halloween ball. Then again, it was James who volunteered the basement for the haunted house venue. No one else was aware of its existence, but of course he remembered seeing it on the floorplan. Still, it was Damien who knew which key to fetch from the study to open the door.

Down the narrow staircase they had found a pretty standard creepy old basement. High shelves filled with forgotten boxes housed ages of dust and plenty of spiderwebs. The unfinished concrete floor was patched with unknown stains. Even the musty odor was unsurprising.

At this point in their adventure, Mika was not a fan of the basement. It was dark, dirty, and a little smelly; however, she was considering how the extra storage space could come in handy. That was until Sam found another locked door. At first Damien scrambled over with the key, the group quickly found that there was no keyhole.

Sam tried the door again. It wasn’t stuck but locked from the other side.

That realization made Mika’s stomach do an uncomfortable flip. James managed to convince Sam not to break the house, reasoning that the basement was probably built in parts, and they could presumably get to this door from an entrance elsewhere in the mansion.

Erik, that traitor, suddenly interrupted. Apparently, he had the best idea for a movie to watch.

And now Mika is stuck in the worst movie night ever, contemplating who’s to blame for her predicament.

She’s not much of a horror fan so she didn’t recognize the title and had no idea what to expect. It started out pretty well, two strangers have to share a rented house due to some scheduling mix up. She debated with James over if the man would kill the woman, or if that was too obvious and the lady would end up being the murderer. Then, the characters found a creepy basement with a creepy door and Mika shot Erik a dirty look.

Since that moment Mika hasn’t dared to look away from the screen. She started watching the movie on the center couch cushion, but almost immediately started receding onto Sam’s. She’s wedged herself between her incubus and the back of the couch, but firmly within his arms.

“Ahhh! What was that?!”, she shrieks as something moves quickly in the darkness on screen.

She shrieks again when something suddenly touches her back. A low oof and, “watch it, doofus!” follow her reflexive strike.

“Sorry, Sam! Don’t startle me!”

“Sheesh! I was just trying to rub your back to get you to relax a little”

After getting shushed by Matthew, Mika and Sam find a configuration where Sam’s hands squish her firmly into his side so neither of them can move too quickly.

“Oh fuck! What is that?!”, Mika presses further into Sam, eyes wide with alarm.

Erik and Damien fail to suppress snickers at Mika’s outburst.

“Don’t go back in there!”, she screeches.

“Oh god, that’s so gross”

“Oh god, that’s so messed up!”

After each outburst Sam gently squeezes the girl in his arms.  

Mika visibly relaxes when the basement creature falls limp over the hood of the car, only to scream even louder than before when it is no longer there.

At this point all the demons in the room are giggling openly at her, but Mika is too freaked out to be embarrassed. At least the low rumbling in Sam’s chest is soothing.

Finally, the nightmare is over and the heroine limps away victorious. The second credits start to role Mika bolts up from the couch, “I’m going to go make sure the basement door is locked.”

Sam follows closely behind, mostly out of concern, but also because Mika has a death grip on his hand. Laughter erupts from the living room.

On the way back to the basement door Mika mumbles under her breath, “I’m going to Kill Erik and his stupid Movie, then Damien and his stupid key, and James with his stupid blueprints, and Matthew and his stupid haunted house”

“So, am I spared?” Sam jokes from behind her.

“Yes.” Mika states matter-of-factly, “I need you to protect me should any creepy shit crawl out of this basement.”

Sam guffaws and squeezes her hand.

Mika jiggles the door handle, confirming that it remained as lock as they left it. Her eyebrows knit together, “I should—”

She is cut off by Sam producing the key, “I’ve got it right here.”

Mika nods, but the pinched look remains on her face, “And it’s the only copy.”

“Right…”, Mika glances at the door again and shivers, “let’s just go to bed.”

Sam follows her dutifully. Halfway up the stairs he asks, “We’ve watched horror movies before, why did this one freak you out so bad?”

Mika groans and slides a hand down her face, “I dunno. I guess demons and ghosts are less scary than whatever fucked up shit humans can do.”

“Oi! I think I can be pretty scary!” Sam complains.

Mika laughs, “You know what I mean! I can’t be scared of fictional demons when I live with real ones!”

“Yeah, I do”, Sam grins, “Harold recommended we watch a few movies to understand how humans think about demons. I guess it’s supposed to be scary, but they’re so wrong we were laughing the whole time!”

“Ah so that’s how the horror fixation started”

He shrugs, “I guess. We enjoyed a few movies like that and then it was easier to understand other movies that were similar. And then people start asking you about what movies you like and yeah...”

Safely in her own room, Mika locks the door behind them, and if Sam notices he keeps tactfully quiet about it. The pair go through their nightly routines quickly. Sam finishes first and waits patiently under the covers. When she finishes in the bathroom Mika dives into bed and burrows into Sam’s chest. He chuckles fondly and uses a tiny bit of magic to flick the light switch off.

For a moment Mika thinks she’ll fall asleep peacefully in Sam’s arms, but a sudden spike of fear jolts her upright.

“Woah, hey”, Sam follows her up and holds her face in his hands.

“Ugh! I know it’s stupid and illogical. I don’t really think that some freaky inbred wannabe mother is going to bust in here!”

“I know”, Sam soothes, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

Mika shoves the heels of her hands into her eyes, “My nerves are just on edge.”

Sam nods and runs his fingers slowly through Mika’s hair.

After a moment Mika adds, “But the basement is really creepy! I mean who would have a door that locks on just one side like that?!”

“Do you want me to go break it down so you don’t have to worry about it? We don’t have to listen to James, it’s your house.”

“No.” Mika calmly holds Sam down, both of her hands wrapped around his bicep, “Because then you’ll get murdered. And I’ll have to find a new boyfriend.”

Sam barks out a surprised laugh, “Well I wouldn’t want to make you go through all that effort!”, he teases.

Mika giggles, “Yeah, the dating scene is what’s really scary!”

After another bout of laughter that definitely disturbs the other residents (but screw them for laughing at me earlier, Mika thinks), she lets Sam pull her back into bed. Most of her tension is gone and Mika finally feels tired.

Sam rubs slow circles into her back as Mika nuzzles into his neck, occasionally mumbling another complaint about the movie into his skin. He whispers, “I’ll protect you from anything” softly into her ear.

Mika’s body immediately relaxes and she’s just able to mumble an, “I love you” before succumbing to a peaceful slumber. She doesn’t hear Sam’s voice, choked with emotion from her display of trust, repeat the words back to her.

[solari-writes-things]

Happenstance

🛑 WARNINGS: Language. 🛑

✧ requested by: anon

✧ erik 'maverick' thorn x reader // reader and maverick have an interaction at R&D.

✱ “Please stop rolling your shirt sleeves up, it’s terribly distracting.”

✧ Solari Says: Hey, love! I hope you enjoy! It's my first time writing for Maverick, so I'm sorry if it's not as expected.

gif credit to the OP.

masterlist. // rainbow six. // request here.

Your head was low as you had been fiddling with the remnants of your gadget splayed out on the table in front of you. Everything about it was perfect, in most senses of the term. It excelled in shoot houses, was reliable on missions, and has even saved a few operations. After all, a mobile camera jammer was something that shockingly few had done on the team.

However, it could have been so much better. At least, you had believed it could be. Maybe you could improve the duration, the jammer range. Something that could make the visibility even less so, and the effect much more notable than it already had been.

You groaned a bit to yourself after staring at the internals for some time, opting to drop your head with a soft thump. You couldn't piece it together, not yet-- and it was starting to become frustrating. Maybe you needed more coffee, maybe you needed more sleep. It was getting late after all, you were at the lab later than most sane individuals.

You huffed, sitting yourself back up after a few minutes of self-analysis. You were fixing to put your jammer launcher back together, picking up the first few pieces of internals before you heard a noise behind you.

You turn, subconsciously placing the fragment back onto the table as you checked what was going on. Just across the room, not paying mind to you either, was Erik Thorn. You had been on a few missions with him, chatted with him enough to get to know who he was. What his story had been-- which surprised you, considering he had been quite reserved to others who had asked him the same questions.

You didn't know what you had done to earn his trust, but it wasn't something you had intended to break. In fact, the more you learned about him, the more you began to envy him. Appreciate him and his dedication to what he loved and the history he left behind in Afghanistan.

You recall him being quite good with tools. Maybe he had a brain for tech as well. After all, most operators in this CTU had been quite multi-talented. You contemplated walking up and asking him for a moment, considering he seemed to be quite busy with his own pet project as well.

Maybe it was something with his Breaching Torch. Considering the simplistic design of it, Erik hadn't been found in the labs all too often.

You swallow the little bit of nerves boiling up in your throat, pushing yourself away from your station and standing up straight. Your eyes seared into the back of his blonde hair during your approach, trying not to pay attention to anything else that could be considered unprofessional. You'd be lying if you didn't admit he was a looker on most fronts, leaving a lot for the eyes.

You were close to him now, reaching out your hand to give him a gentle tap on the shoulder. When he spun around in startle, you raised your hands in innocence. It was meant as a warning of you approach, considering the nature of many in the CTU. Surprising them was not the best of ideas in most cases, and you didn't want for him to dislike you for not having that courtesy.

"Sorry," you spoke openly, your eyes apologetic enough for him to relax his shoulders and offer a small smile.

"[Y/N]," he replied. "You scared the shit out of me."

"You were tunnel-visioned. I do it all the time, but... I was wondering if you could help me with something?"

He almost looked a little skeptical at first, his brow arching up in question for a couple seconds before you assumed he read the genuine expression on your face. He was good at that, reading people-- and it was startlingly so. You had hoped you had been saved from that, all things considered. You were trying your damndest to hide the fluster from your face and force back the warmth from creeping to your cheeks.

His blue eyes lightened up when the skepticism faded from the small details of his face, offering a nod of his head. "Sure, yeah. I have all night."

"Slow day?" you asked.

"Can't sleep," he responded.

Right. Erik had always had a problem falling asleep at night, he had confided once during your interactions. You thought it was maybe the racing of his head, or maybe his history coming swimming in circles. You had hoped he'd disclose the real reason, if he had chosen your company more often.

"Got it," you opted to respond, trying not to pry in business that wasn't yours.

"Anyway, show me the issue," he changed up the subject, not that you could blame him. That was the reason you bothered him, after all.

You nod your head in the direction of your station, turning on your heels to head to the location. You heard him following, allowing yourself to crack just a bit and let the heat rise to your face. Even if it was only for a moment, it would help to ensure it wouldn't happen again.

When you got to the station and the business was in front of you, the color faded from your face. You extend an invitation in the form of your hand, gesturing towards the picked-apart mess laying on the table. "You think you have any sort of ideas? I want to improve the range on it or how long the shit lasts."

On the computer was some coding for the processes of the jammer. You had thrown it up for your own reference, in order to see what you could change up.

Erik took a second to look at it, humming in thought to himself. His entranced eyes and contemplating furrow of his brows made your heart skip a beat for a bit, always finding it alluring when someone was in their zone. Doing something that they could be considered passionate about.

He had been donning a simple white long sleeve for the colder weather, closing the distance between himself and your list of codes. He hunched over the keyboard for the computer, opting not to take a seat just yet as he read.

You watched in awe as he whispered to himself, drinking in the details of your codes and mechanics of the gadgets. What had taken you days to fulfill had seemed to only be taking him mere minutes to understand, and it was a sort of intelligence that you wished to get to know better.

Knowing the man with said intelligence would be a massive bonus.

His hands raised as his eyes stayed trained on the screen, his fingers interlocking with the sleeves as he pushed them up over his forearms. Revealed now were the muscular forearms of your fellow operator, along with the tattoo that he had gotten while in Afghanistan displayed in the open. It caused the color to creep back to your face, and you could only pray he had been too focused for him to notice in his peripheral.

Judging by the sly smirk tickling the edge of his lips, it wasn't successful. Rather than be embarrassed about it, though, you had opted to roll into the realization that you were made.

"Please stop rolling your shirt sleeves up," you began, your eyes falling to the tattoo on his forearm, "it's terribly distracting."

He let out a chuckle, his attention forgetting the task at hand for a moment as he opted to respond immediately. "And you standing so close to me is just as bad."

The color deepened in your cheeks, a small grin crossing your face. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, absolutely," he immediately retorted. "I'll be the first to bite the bait, then, since we both can't seem to focus with each other around. They say practice makes perfect, after all. Me and you, grabbing a couple of drinks so we can practice interaction?"

You were almost floored at how easily he had rolled into the idea, all without you really needing to initiate. But considering how quickly he seemed to have taken to you, you shouldn't have been all-too surprised. He probably knew from the start how you felt.

Maybe you hadn't been as sly as you had thought.

"As long as the first rounds on you, I'm absolutely willing," you joke in return, offering a grin.

When he flashed one in return, your stomach had been doing flips.

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[weebsinstash]

Hi :3 I was wondering if you had watch the new episode of helluva boss any thoughts or at least any thoughts/thots for Chaz or Crimson.

My procrastination is so bad I literally waited until like today to actually watch the new episode

I keep mentally tossing around what kind of special powers Reader could have that would make them like idk more interesting since all sinners are unkillable and I kind of keep circling back to "well if they're in limbo maybe they're not beholden to 'the rules' and can travel the rings' besides whatever other special powers they may have". Maybe Reader can be helpful in killing Hellborns since they have respawn mechanics and the other IMP members dont?

In terms of Crimson I actually think his behavior is going to be a lot like Val is going to be tbh, except with Val I think, unless you're a business associate or rival/enemy, that he wins you over emotionally or waits until he has something on you before he shows his darker side, since the Overlord is also a drug dealing mafioso of the Pride ring (also what's the deal with like shark people being criminals? Is Mammon a shark or something aquatic too? And when's gender daddy Asmodeus coming back, him n Val can pass me like a blunt 😩❤️). It's kind of stereotypical Mafia shit, everyone has ranking, loyalty is everything, obey orders unflinchingly, don't you dare talk back. Like I'm literally watching Crimson grab Moxxie's face and my stoned ass is sitting here like "sigh but Val grabbing Reader like that as he threatens them to 'fix their face before he fixes it for them' because theyre scowling and glaring at him while they serve him drinks and he forces them to smile 🥰" like big scary men got me acting unwise

I for one think it would be very funny if the Chaz introduction happened and in some alternate universe he's winking to Moxxie and Millie and just *finger guns at Reader* "and don't think I'm gonna forget about YOU either ;)" as Reader just visibly changes colors with embarrassment while IMP all turns to look at them, Reader flustered all "It was ONE TIME, I was really drunk, and--"

Like his stupid ass "sexually charged musical ballad" actually made me laugh like he could've maybe actually got me with that shit 💀like did you listen to the credits where they play the rest of the song. Laughing my ass off in my bedroom at 5am because the song suddenly ends with him saying all sing song "im finished" (cumming). and then Blitz says later in the episode that he's absolutely horrible in bed... lmao... can you imagine getting drunk and putting out for this man and then he wakes up and you're gone, note behind all "thanks for the fun time kthanksbye" meanwhile he's blowing up your phone, basically crushing on you, wanting something much more than just a really awkward one-off bang. I can only imagine what would happen to Reader if they were working for Val and someone very forward like Chaz or another ex shows up and the Overlord is getting jealous af because they're just being very openly flirtatious with you, maybe even brazenly mentioning some of the things you guys did together/in bed (also jesus the apples and oranges NIGHTMARE of having either Val OR Blitz know what you like in bed 💀 the teasing. The merciless fucking teasing. They would both clown on your ass so hard. You're just trying to have a glass of water in the IMP break room and in comes Blitz "wow you're really guzzling that, just like Chaz said you really liked giving h-" *insert not so playful strangling of your employer*)

Poor Reader constantly surrounded by demons hellbent (lol) on humiliating you and watching you get embarrassed because it's just so fun to watch you squirm until you're practically ready to cry 😩👌

[resmarted]

cracking my knuckles so, so loud:

okay let's talk about how kourtney is convinced she is the best parent who has done all the self-work

kim does not get enough credit for her own self-awareness. she straight up admits she gets frustrated and sees herself in her mom, wants to yank her kid by the arm and yell at them, and doesn't pretend to be this know it all wholesome guru of motherhood. she's very real and honest about the frustrations involved in child wrangling and even allows kourtney to shine as the one she goes to for advice.

kourtney shouldn't be giving anyone advice. her kids seem miserable. penelope looks like she's on the brink of suicide half the time and they are all constantly misbehaving with teachers and nannies. she married a guy who visibly disturbs children and whose daughter has been dressing provocatively around random grown men on her Instagram since the age of ten. the dynamic of this whole parenting situation makes scott look like st. nicholas.

kim has the wherewithal to let her kids be themselves, doesn't take herself so seriously and is totally fine letting north knock her down a peg, who very openly and defiantly roasts her mom and puts her in her place every chance she can get. there is a lot to be said for the room she gives her kids to be themselves and have their own opinions and personalities.

meanwhile, kourtney is so wrapped up in her relationship she very likely neglects her kids regularly and calls it gentle parenting.

she looooves to say she's done the work but god forbid kim say she got cast on american horror or is going to further advance her work in the prison reform system, kourtney becomes visibly enraged that it's not about her, can't be genuinely happy for her (something she accuses kim of constantly) and dismisses the entire conversation with "i'm ready for a nap."

it's fine if you don't want to work or your goals are to cut everything from your diet and make that your entire personality, but the LEAST you can do is not look like you want to murder your sister for daring to accomplish something.

kourtney gives off the vibe that she is older and more goth or this or that therefore she should be handed opportunities that seemingly fall into kim's lap without acknowledging the decades of work she put in to building this life for herself.

she resents kim for trying, for daring to admit she likes the spotlight, then lashes out in various ways when all that work and effort pays off as if she is entitled to more than just crumbs from the plate kim made for her.

it is seriously so insane how much i cannot stand kourtney anymore. she used to be my favorite but now i want to petition her off the show. her vibe sucks her attitude sucks and she can't seem to see the reality of what she puts people through at the cost of her own ego disguised as a self-healing journey. it is truly such a nauseating portrayal of narcissism.

like at least kim doesn't try to pretend to be mother theresa and cast shame onto anyone for daring to admit they like and want attention. and hello, she does a fuckton of good in the world with the attention she gets, not just selling health products to rich women but actually makes genuine impact and difference in the world at large. even back when she was simply known as "reggie bush's girlfriend" she was writing checks to families she met at the airport who lost their homes to katrina. so sick of this narrative that she's this evil narcissist. suck a dick.

[vantablade]

~controversial opinion~ time but does anybody else think it’s super hypocritical for people to say “credit to the artist” (without actually crediting the artist or linking their work) but then immediately follow it up with “don’t steal my icons”. like i hate to say it but you’re literally using someone’s artwork without permission and without any suggestion of who said artist is, and then claiming ownership over it. that’s stealing my guy

[goddammitstacey]

Hey just letting you know maybe you should do some research before you talk shit about people because Anne Rice was a huge supporter of the queer community her whole life and literally said she was agender/genderfluid herself. Her son is openly gay and a trans fan came out and said last year how she and Anne used to send each other letters and how she supported her through her transition in the 90s (which is just 1 of many examples of her being supportive to us).

Not to mention she was heavily involved in the making of the new AMC show before she died so all the big changes and explicit queerness you're so excited about were either her idea or approved by her at the very least. Even before this she had written Loustat as canonically bi characters and wrote a piece detailing what their wedding would be like.

I don't care what your opinion on her is, she was flawed and what she did with fanfiction was fucked up but she changed her mind about it 2 decades ago before she died (hence why there's plenty of fics about IWTV on ao3 that were never taken down).

To say that she wasn't supportive of Loustat or queer fans is simply not true.

I’m well aware of Anne Rice’s track record and her latter more visible/active support for the queer community. Kudos to her.

But I’m an old fan. I was there for the late 90s/early 2000s shitfight between certain creators and fan creators. I was there for the cease and desist letters sent to fanfiction authors that DIRECTLY threatened their IRL jobs and businesses. I was there for the hand wringing over what these amateurs would do to her poor characters.

I was also very aware that, when all this was going down, Rice was busy cozying back up to the Catholic Church.

To her credit, she would later leave it over its stance on queer rights (among other things) but like….my pal. My friend. My mate. You would have had to be a special kind of below-rock dwelling species to not know their proven goddamn history and violent consistent persecution of queer folks. To have her leave the church because she SUDDENLY realised how bigoted it was and have her praised for that bravery? Give me a goddamn break.

But I digress.

I’m not laughing at Anne Rice spinning in her grave over Lestat and Louis finally going on-screen canon because I think she’s a life-long homophobe. I know she’s not. I’m laughing at it because here is a show, written by OTHER PEOPLE, that are taking very obvious liberties with her story and her characters INCLUDING (potentially - hopefully) making them textually/unambiguously queer.

All the same fucking things she viciously disapproved of fan authors doing back in the day to the point that she threatened their IRL assets/reputations/what have you.

Look, I can’t prove that Rice’s vendetta against fan authors was rooted in (short-lived or internal or confused or whatever) homophobia. But a LOT of the works she targeted were unambiguously queer in nature, all while she was chumming it up with the church.

I’m glad she figured her shit out in the end. I’m glad she became a staunch supporter of queer rights. But I have a long memory and she did a lot of fucking damage to queer fans back in the day. Damage that was never properly addressed or repaired in any way.

So, yeah, I’m gonna laugh at the abject irony of her works being told as what basically amounts to corporatised fanfiction and I’m going to gleefully consume the masses of actual fan content that will likely result from its release.

Fandom has come a long way, but we also have long memories.

[whomst-art-thou-whomst-whomst]

To My Star 2: We Made It Through The (vaguely rural countryside village) Wilderness

(Spoilers)

I’m glad they are splitting time between their lives. They are talking so much more openly. They are taking care of themselves. Jiwoo has an existence that doesn’t revolve around Seojoon in the village where they will retire to don’t even try me on this and Seojoon has found joy in his acting. And they didn’t do it alone. God, I love this.

More than anything else from these last episodes, I want to talk about the amazing thing the show is doing with the idea of healing from your childhood. They each have to do the work of acknowledging the issue and taking steps to care for themselves, but each helps the other to get there. They don’t fix each other, they support each other as they work on themselves. I just loved all the scenes of them communicating in a healthy way. I wish it had happened sooner, but c’est la vie. Sometimes it takes people a while to get there, and that is okay.

The sequence of Jiwoo deciding to go after Seojoon to apologize and ask for him back, being visibly panicked when he can’t find him, coupled with fears of how he would find him, and collapsing in the woods when he sees Seojoon is safe broke my heart, but between this and the crying from ep 7, we see a wakeup call has happened.

I also just think about how Jiwoo literally fainted from the relief of finding Seojoon unhurt. In the later scenes, we see his growth, his efforts to express himself clearly and openly, but here he involuntarily shows how he feels better than he could ever say.

With Seojoon’s emotional support, Jiwoo gets to cry. I loved that he comes to Seojoon at last and still asks for Seojoon to come the rest of the way to him—he wants it to be their decision together. He gets closure with his ex-girlfriend (her making them couple bracelets is an insanely sweet touch, I’m still bitter she didn’t end up with Da Kyung but I’m glad she heals through the course of the show too).

Poor baby Seojoon. I give the actor and director credit for the staging and brevity of his phone call with his dad—their conversation tells us so much about their dynamic in so few words. His parents don’t really understand his mental health issues and don’t want the “trouble” of supporting him through bad press times. Well he’s got a new family now, you pricks, protective papa bear Kim Pilhyun is probably keeping tabs on this.

In terms of what we learn about Seojoon’s child acting period: I’m sure kids are capable of taking on tough dramatic roles, but they still need the adults around them to guide them through it and look after them. At the very least, he should have had a parent or selected guardian on set, this shows he’s been in rough acting situations from the start and he just takes it because he always has had to. We finally learn about the glass breaking trigger. To repeat what I said for ep 7-8, thanks, I hate it. It makes me furious—as a human being, as an aunt, as someone who’s worked in childcare, I wanted to go hug this kid, this is gross negligence. They just left him, a child of what, maybe 8-10 years old, standing on an elevated set with no way of getting down safely, and you don’t see anyone come running when the light breaks. The sound of glass breaking triggers the trauma of that time, the memory of the glass light breaking as he stood there—he was alone, uncared for, unprotected.

These revelations support why Jiwoo’s particular form of caring helps Seojoon heal his inner child: by being present, through little actions showing that he pays attention, and—as we’ve seen from the start—through his instinctive protectiveness of Seojoon. I’m so glad that it’s implied they are having rough conversations like this one while snuggled up together in the safety of their bed. It’s meaningful too that Jiwoo narrates that glass breaking story—it must have been painful for Seojoon to tell it, even wrapped up in Jiwoo’s arms, and so Jiwoo will help him carry it (I love that even though Seojoon is always hug-tackling and cooing while Jiwoo grumbles, it’s also 9 times out of 10 that Jiwoo is enthusiastically the big spoon when they cuddle—it makes so much sense for them).

I still think the boys need therapy, but it’s good to see them taking care of themselves. The show also shows us the importance of having a strong support network: Pilhyun and Homin are fantastic, and Da Kyung, Yoo Ha and Yoon Seul are queens. They all take care of the boys when they are struggling and the ladies track down the bean-hating little shit who snitched to the news. Can we please have a rural crime-solving lesbian couple spin-off, I’m begging, just hear me out—anyway. Their intervention means Jiwoo gets to be treated as one of the villagers, his parents’ legacy is no longer tarnished, he no longer lives there as a refuge but by choice, and he’s not isolated any longer.

(—and that beautiful moment where Yoon Seul is sitting next to Jiwoo and says so softly that Seojoon is a shining person??? Bc it’s a brief moment of magic and grace between two exes who hurt each other badly but who are now at peace, her words are giving a blessing, an “I see it now, what you see in him”, and telling Jiwoo she’s happy for him without actually needing to say it, and it’s immediately and perfectly followed by Da Kyung going, “damn right, my kid is a treasure”)

We did it, folks. We survived and now I need to go watch this all over again. Give our actors and the director and the staff altogether all the awards, this was phenomenal.

[mlobsters]

my dumbass live reaction to venom: let there be carnage with expectations of some queerness.

straight away i'm annoyed because woody harrelson is playing a character that was supposed to be a teen in 1996, when he was 35. i don't like the score as much. i don't like venom's voice as much.* action feels even more hammed up.

then eddie's vaguely suicidal after anne's engagement news, venom keeps him safe and they have a pretty clunky (imho) emotional exchange and joke and then... the scene in the kitchen when venom is trying to make him breakfast? maybe if they hadn't had venom singing i could be on board? i guess it's supposed to be domestic and cute but the slapstick kills it for me. whatever charm the first movie had i am not feeling it right now.

going back to the physical comedy (ish) in the first movie, like him eating frozen tater tots, getting in the lobster tank, flailing around uncontrolled on the trolley car.. they're not played so much for laughs? and he's like. a sweaty disaster mess, and it has a very different tone to me, i guess. chalk it up to my sense of humor

then they beat the shit out of each other and break up. and venom is clubbing and "out of the eddie closet" ok. i'm only here for their relationship frankly so i'm trying to be open minded. before seeing this, i saw the articles when it originally came out and what not talking about how it was more openly queer, leaning into the eddie and venom relationship so i did have certain expectations. but i am also wondering now if the things that i read would be read as queer to the general non-queer audience. because things like that line about being out of the eddie closet certainly can be read more than one way. it's a phrase that brings to mind queerness, but it's also about him being visibly venom in public. same with venom's little speech on the mic at the club. eddie kept him hidden because he was ashamed, now he's free. certainly subtextual but. anyway, no one surely cares about my dipshit analysis, just thinking out loud again. still half a movie left

do they ever explain how eating a blob of eddie/venom blood makes a whole ass new sentient creature for woody. also surely eddie's been bleeding all over the place with all their shenanigans, were there just millions of symbiotes waiting to come into being by someone gobbling it up? is it only humans this works for? what about a little rat coming along for a snack eddie left behind? did do a little reading and i guess it was a combo eddie blood and little hunk of symbiote? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

at least frances had the appropriate reaction to meeting her now tentacle monster boyfriend, "that is so hot"

dan saying "those two need some serious couples counseling" after getting smacked by venom back in eddie, well honestly. it's giving how people talk about sam and dean too. six of one codependency, half dozen the other

(also like, now i keep thinking about natural born killers mickey and mallory with this whole mass murdering together, woody and his screamy lady)

get a little we moment with the perfect match thing i suppose. and they did follow through at the very end with the beach vacation and venom saying indirectly he loved eddie, and eddie pointing it out. and the mid-credits scene that was kind of comparing their relationship with the relationship in the novela they were watching. sorta.

so i guess really it's my bad for expecting more. i think when i'd read what andy serkis had said,

In an interview discussing Let There Be Carnage, director Andy Serkis said that the “love affair” between Venom and Eddie is the center of the movie, and that Hardy and Marcel “were always about Venom coming out and going to a party that was a very sort of an LGBTQIA kind of festival, really, I’d call it, and so this is his coming out party basically. This is Venom’s coming-out party.”

i thought it was going to be more textual. which considering it's a marvel blockbuster, that's kind of silly of me to assume :p

also, same as i thought with the first movie, this does not feel like a complete story to me and i'm not entirely sure why. it just feels like a chapter. maybe it's all the screen time sucked up with extended action sequences

*so tom hardy is the primary voice of venom, along with audio fx but the first movie also layered over another voice actor. thing i read hardy talked about differences he made in his acting decisions to reflect it being a more settled relationship vs the more antagonistic scary one that was most of the first movie, but i think what i'm clocking is just that it's not as rich and i think maybe that's due to the lack of the other voice actor in the mix

so i did manage to rewatch all of venom in one day (and change). that is something, for me. i think the reason it was so forgettable for me the first time was a handful of things. a) extended marvel action sequences especially when heavy on the cgi i just mentally start checking out (not marvel specific but definitely a thing there for me) b) it doesn't feel like a complete story to me? it feels like a chapter? weird. c) clowny cartoonish villain. i love you riz ahmed, no shade to you, this was all on the set design and the writing and the production, it was just so cliche and boring. d) and the other villain pops up in the eleventh hour and there's another boring way too long cg heavy fight sequence and viola he dies i guess. e) not really essential but michelle william's wig was A DISGRACE.

anyway. things i enjoyed. tom hardy full stop, especially when he's freaked out and sweaty and his voice is cracking. chef's kiss. peak sad sweaty pathetic mess of a man. him bickering with venom. venom's voice. anything basically involving any interaction with them. venom making out with eddie via anne. excellent choices! so i've been wanting to see the second movie since i saw the initial hype because i saw it leaned more into eddie and venom's situationship and i do really enjoy the concept and their part of the initial movie. so. maybe i can make that happen soon-ish.

[dotthings]

Jensen Ackles:

Walked into the S15 writers room with a list of people he wanted back

Back when everyone thought the series finale was going to include a lot of beloved familiar faces, he said in the New York Daily News, “I’m excited about it...I think it pays credit to a lot of things that have gotten us to where we are today.” (We know now his issue right along has to do with Dean’s fate)

Has been mister “get the band back together” more than once

Has, unprompted, said Destiel positive remarks on panels

Has, unprompted, talked about Misha, praises Misha, calls Misha “a dear friend”

Spoke a whole eloquent paragraph on the value of the different characters and relationships on the show

Was the one who urged Bobo Berens to complete the Kaia arc

Showed open enthusiasm for Wayward Sisters and said “I want to help tell that story”

Is not going to be the least bit annoyed about fans who say Misha is a 3rd lead

Showed his happiness and joy and relief when Misha was brought back onto the show in S7

Has frequently spoken warmly about the Dean and Cas bond and Cas’s emotional impact on Dean

High-fived Misha over “brokebacknatural”

Talked about filming a “western slash rom-com” with Misha

Was visibly excited about 15.18, openly supported Misha and that story, he and Misha showed each other fan reaction videos to the confession, Jensen said of the hand-print “that’s going to make someone scream in their apartment” and knows and appreciates how much Destiel and that bond between Dean and Cas means to fans

Has always been vocal about his love for his cast-mates and how he likes having those characters around, praises them as actors and their characters

Appreciates and supports found family and expanded cast

Jensen Ackles is the bro bond team free will found family cas fan wayward sisters supporter deancas king, and he is mostly the biggest Dean fan. My receipts are Jensen Ackles himself. His highest priority is Dean, he’s not about ship wars and he’s not against anyone. He cares about the whole show and has demonstrated that over and over.

[stopbeingnecrophiles]

⚠️warning post regarding the users weimu (now ppgd), flonnezillas, & stupidneet (check blog description for updated urls)

UPDATE AS OF 5/02/2021 (BEFORE POSTING):  the user weimu now goes under the name “gabberzon“. this url was a past username flonnezillas owned, and is now in use under the user weimu. user flonnezillas has terminated (to our knowledge). stupidneet has also changed her url to darkishcircles. UPDATE AS OF 5/14/2021 (BEFORE POSTING): raquel has deleted her server. the people behind the post still find everything here relevant and necessary to bring to light. 

the following post was made as a warning to showcase the behavior of some of the users on the site. if you're a minor we highly discourage you from interacting with any of the individuals mentioned; if you're 18+, do as you wish but with discretion (and the trigger warnings in mind). we find the things these users have said and done to be morally reprehensible, and to be genuinely concerning. this isn't some random petty callout post; we sincerely believe the behavior of those mentioned to be genuinely concerning and need to be brought to light.

that being said, we also do not condone the harassment or hate towards these users. the people behind this blog recognize that bringing forth this sort of thing may incite other users to do so, but we highly are against it. sending hate and harassment is not the way to go about this. simply stay away from those users if you have nothing better to add to the situation. thank you.

(all images have been censored for proper viewing. if you don't believe the claims being made, you're free to ask for the uncensored versions of the screenshots off anonymous so long as you're 18+. usernames/icons censored are of the minors or those irrelevant to the post in the server.)

⚠️ major tw: necrophilia, lolicon + pedophilia mentions, nsfw, irl gore (one image in particular contains a 17 year old girl)/drawn guro, & underaged characters in torture/sexual situations. ⚠️

users mentioned + their past/present urls (please check description of the blog for updated urls): 

raquel/witch/cas (17 yrs at the time of posting) (neko865 > ureshichan > autismchan > weimu >  gabberzon >  omduvarmin > ppgd | past sideblogs were disgustchan, suicidegirlsjp, and now currently speedcorebeach [tw for guro/gore]) 

dasch/rena (18 yrs at the time of posting ) (catgirlmode >  slashermedia > mawisa > stupidneet > femcelirl > darkishcircles  > aspiechan > 719203727299272910822810 > 71920372729922980822810) 

maid/val/vale/valentine (20 yrs at the time of posting ) (morimiyamiddleschoolshooting > raspberry-valentine > nekrofylia > phonestalker > gabberzon > pukemaid > morimiya > flonnezillas | sideblog named ichigomashimaros)

url proof here. 

TW: THE SERVER ITSELF AND ITS CONTENTS

first thing we’d like to address here is raquel’s server and what goes on in it, as the server is not at all properly ran or moderated well. on her blog, she explicitly states this:

but still allows those under the age of 16 to join her server, and doesn’t even make it mandatory to make an intro or for the users in there to state if they’re a minor or not. however there are minors that are in the server, and it’s clear who they are. we wont be showing who they are, but there are a handful that have joined and are active within it.

raquel herself is also a minor (being 17) so it’s odd that she wouldn’t make sure that fellow minors wouldn’t be kept away from some of the things that are said and shown in the server. that being said, a few of the conversations that have gone on publicly in the server have been about:

dasch’s tights and how sweaty they were, with raquel and maid talking about wanting to do things to her tights

dasch offering her bra 

talking about having phone sex together

openly condoning gore in the chats and saying it’s fine to be 100% okay with gore (which isn’t true, it’s fine to have a fascination with gore but to be 100% okay with it or even obsess over it is not okay). 

(screenshots of the conversations can be found here & here.)

we recognize that a few of these conversations are obviously jokes/banter between the three, but it is still wildly inappropriate to publicly talk like this where minors can see. you have an nsfw chat, at least use it properly.  (important to note: in raquel’s server, the nsfw & real life gore channels were opened to the public for awhile, accessible to anyone at any age, before there was a complaint to make them hidden with a role. even with a role implemented, the guro channel is still visible to those who have the ‘baby’ role [and as guro is, the content is very sexual].)

TW: NECROPHILIA IN THE SERVER

second thing that is worthy of being addressed is how (mainly) dasch and maid fetishize irl gore, dead bodies, and crime scene photos. as stated prior, we’ve censored out the images that were posted, but if you would prefer to see uncensored versions of the images (if you somehow don’t believe what is being censored), you’re welcomed to come off anon and ask for the uncensored versions (so long as you are 18+). like the rest of the screenshots, they can be found in a separate link here.

TW: CONTENTS OF THEIR BLOGS & SOCIAL MEDIA

third thing that is noteworthy of the people mentioned are the things they post publicly to their blogs. on raquel’s blogs, she has warnings in her pinned posts. 

the warnings on her blog, while one being genuine and the other uncaring, do in fact warn users that content on her blogs are nsfw and explicitly state what she posts. however, this doesn’t mean she is exempt from criticism of what she posts. anytime raquel is called out for posting something questionable, she simply blames it all on “terfs”, that she’s allowed to post the things she posts because she is also a minor, or that you’re in the wrong for insinuating that a csa victim would even have lolicon art. raquel is not free from criticism from this, as she has posted art with actual children in it. the people behind this post mean no disrespect to raquel and the things she has been through and we respect that entirely. that being said, this does not mean you are free from criticism of the things you post willingly to your blogs. especially when some of the things you’ve posted in the past include children.  when asked why she doesn’t credit artists on her guro blog, this is what she responded with:

someone in her notes also pointed this out, but to our knowledge she never acknowledged what they replied to the post with (censored out as they are not relevant to the post).

regardless if you credit the artist or not, people can reverse image search to find the creator themselves. it’s also worth mentioning that you are blatantly admitting to posting from a pedophilic artist. you are still supporting this pedophile’s art by doing so. you are admitting the guro content you post is from pedophilic sources, and regardless if you source them or not, you are inherently posting pedophilic content.

we’ve provided examples of posts on her main blog here, and examples of posts on her sideblog here. major tw (for lolicon art & underaged characters), although we’ve censored the images, the content is still pretty intense. 

the next person we would like to shed light to and the things they post are maid. since the post started, maid has terminated her account. however some screenshot examples (with links) still exist, so those are what we will be using to explain the sorts of things she posts/has posted. 

before we go on, we would like to make it clear that we have no definitive proof that maid is a pedophile, but the content she is into is very questionable due to the nature of what they are. a few of things that she is into can be considered lolibait, which includes a lot of underaged girls. 

examples of the media (click the links for examples of her posting about it):

ichigo mashimaro (strawberry marshmallow): an anime/manga about 10-12 year old girls, that while not problematic itself, the creator of the anime makes lolicon-esque content of the girls (outside of the anime/manga). the media is also heavily known for being liked by lolicons.

ro-kyu-bu!: an anime surrounding a basketball team comprised of mostly young girls, the content of the anime itself is rather deplorable as it sexualizes the young girls very frequently (which is basically the only plot it has). very much known for being lolibait and liked by lolicons. 

on her main blog, she had reblogged this post:

(post contains two young teenagers from yuru yuri.)

just on the surface, this image isn’t necessarily sexual and we do not claim that maid reblogged this with sexual intentions, however with her consumption of media known for lolibait, it makes it questionable. 

she also has a body pillow of satou matsuzaka, a 15 year old girl from the anime “my happy sugar life”. we wont be getting into the content of the anime here, but it should be odd enough that this 20 year old woman has a pillow of a 15 year old girl. 

the last thing we’d like to address with maid is the posts on her instagram (can be found here. major tw for guro & emetophilia [all of which is censored]). a main point here that we haven’t brought up is that she blatantly fetishizes asian women and often posts about them. you can go here to look at a few of the things she’s posted and the fetish nature of the content she puts out there involving them. 

CONCLUSION

the point of this post was to highlight a few users in the animecore community who are clearly unable to host servers or interact around minors properly. we still do not condone the harassment of these users, and we would highly recommend to simply block them in response to this post rather than seek them out and harass them. there’s no point in doing so, however we realize we cannot stop every single person who reads this post from doing something. all we can do is state that we are against doing so and have no want or need to engage with that sort of behavior. 

to the users this post highlighted, if you’ve read everything through, good on you. instead of taking this as a call out post for drama (which genuinely was not the intent of this post), maybe the few of you can recognize the faults you have here and work on them and change for the better. this isn’t some post made because those behind it had personal beef or something with the users it mentions. this post was made because some of you cannot behave and act appropriately when interacting with minors and the general public. clearly not, as a server was allowed to exist with tons of minors alongside fucking weirdos. maybe give a shit about the minors you allow to interact with you. thanks

[nerdygaymormon]

The Pride Month We Know & Love

In 1969, the Stonewall Riots occurred. This is considered the beginning of the modern queer rights movement. At the time, it was called the gay rights movement and the word gay, while meaning homosexual, also was an umbrella term that included all of what we now call the queer community.

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On November 2, 1969, a group of people proposed the first gay parade be held in New York City, both to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots and to be an annual reminder that we are in a struggle for fundamental human rights. They called on homophile organizations throughout the country to hold demonstrations the same day to show nationwide support. 

On June 28, 1970, the Christopher Street Liberation Day marked the first anniversary of the Stonewall riots with a march. Christopher Street is the road in front of the Stonewall Inn and the road participants marched down. The New York Times reported (on the front page) that the marchers took up the entire street for 15 city blocks. Marches were also held in Chicago & Los Angeles while San Francisco held a “gay-in.”

In 1971, marches took place in Boston, Dallas, Milwaukee, London, Paris, West Berlin, and Stockholm.

By 1972 the participating cities included Atlanta, Brighton, Buffalo, Detroit, Washington D.C., Miami, and Philadelphia, as well as San Francisco.

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The first marches were both serious and fun and served to inspire the widening activist movement. There was a dramatic increase in the number of people organizing for queer rights. In 1969, there were 50 to 60 gay groups in the country. In 1970 that increased to at least 1500. In 1972 it was 2500.

Prior to 1969, the organizations called themselves the homophile movement. They focused on showing that gay people are respectable and politely asked for discriminatory policies to be removed. Their marches had dress requirements, age limits as to who could participate, and even the signs held had to be pre-approved.

The Stonewall riots with images of gays retaliating against police changed things and inspired new activists. They considered the movement an uprising and renamed it the gay liberation movement. We are gonna be who we are and live as we want, respectability be damned. Parades and festivals were to specifically to not have dress requirements or age limits. 

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In Nazi Germany, gay men were prisoners in the concentration camps and their clothes had inverted pink triangles sewn on them to mark them as homosexual men (this also included bisexual men and trans women). This pink triangle was extra large so they could be easily identified from a distance. 

After the concentration camps were shut down at the end of World War II and prisoners freed, the gay survivors were not released but locked up in prison. Homosexuality was illegal in Germany. West Germany continued to imprison them until 1994!

In 1973, Homosexuelle Aktion Westberlin, a German gay liberation group, called for gay men to wear the pink triangle as a memorial to past victims and to protest continuing discrimination. This pink triangle became a symbol of the gay rights movement and many displayed it proudly, but the symbol couldn’t shake its association with the horrors of the Nazis. 

Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the U.S., urged artist Gilbert Baker, an openly gay man and a drag queen, to create a new inspiring symbol for the gay community to replace the Nazi symbol. 

It’s thought that Baker was at least partially inspired by the Judy Garland song "Over the Rainbow" (Garland being among the first gay icons). He also liked the idea of a flag, as that is a way of being visible. The rainbow flag was unveiled at the 1978 San Francisco Gay Freedom Day parade. After the parade, hot pink was removed from new flags due to fabric unavailability. The murder of Harvey Milk in November 1978 led to a surge of requests for the Rainbow flag, which led to it being adopted by people around the country.

For the 1979 San Francisco Gay Freedom Day parade, the organizers reduced the number of colors from 7 to 6 so that they could divide it in half and have 3 colors decorating one side of the street, and the other three colors on the other side. This 6-colored rainbow flag became the standard and quickly replaced pink triangles.

In 2003, a mile-long version of the rainbow flag was made by Baker for the 35th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, this recognized the rainbow flag as THE international symbol for LGBTQ pride, it can be seen all around the world.

On June 26, 2015, the White House was illuminated in the rainbow flag colors to mark the legalization of same-sex marriages across the country.

In June 2017, the city of Philadelphia adopted a revised version of the flag that adds black and brown stripes to the top of the standard six-colors to draw attention to issues of people of color within the LGBTQ community.

In June 2018 designer Daniel Quasar released a redesign incorporating elements from both the Philadelphia flag and trans pride flag to bring focus on inclusion and progress within the community.

————————————————————

But when did it go from Gay Liberation to Pride? 

Meetings to organize the first march in New York City began in early January 1970. Brenda Howard, a bisexual activist, is known as the "Mother of Pride" for her work in coordinating the march. She also originated the idea for a week-long series of events around the march.

She wanted to create a number of events to bring in people from out of town and wanted to unite the events under a label. The first idea was 'Gay Power,’ however gay activist L. Craig Schoonmaker didn’t like that suggestion. He explained, “There's very little chance for [gay] people in the world to have power...But anyone can have pride in themselves, and that would make them happier as people, and produce the movement likely to produce change."

Brenda Howard, L. Craig Schoonmaker and bisexual activist Robert A. Martin (aka Donny the Punk) are credited with popularizing the word "Pride" to describe the festivities in New York.

As the 1980s approached, there was a cultural shift in the gay movement. Just as the elections of Ronald Reagan & Margaret Thatcher indicated a conservative shift in their countries, activists of a less radical, more conservative nature began taking over the march committees in different cities. They dropped "Gay Liberation" and "Gay Freedom" from the names, replacing them with Schoomaker’s idea of "Gay Pride." This also coincided with the replacement of the more radical pink triangles for the more positive rainbow flags.

The word "pride" was embraced as it defies the bigotry and hatred against the LGBTQIA+ community. It also teaches people they should be proud of themselves rather than feel shame. Replacing shame with pride helps people to come out and to be more assertive about who they are and that they deserve the same rights as others. 

In 1999, President Bill Clinton issued a proclamation declaring that the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies would "celebrate the anniversary of Stonewall every June in America as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month." President Barack Obama issued a proclamation in 2009 declaring June LGBTQIA+ Pride Month. 

This is how we got Pride Month!

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Part of the original ideas of parades was to bring queer people and queer culture into what was considered heteronormative spaces. Queer lives were seen as dissident and radical. 

Today Pride events have taken on a festive character and it’s fun to join hundreds or thousands of other queer people. 

Pride events still have some of the original political or activist character. Most offer some aspect dedicated to remembering victims of AIDS and anti-LGBT violence. Booths are often on hand with people collecting signatures in support of constitutional amendments or petitions for laws & policies to change.

Large parades often involve floats, dancers, drag queens and amplified music, and they usually include political and educational contingents, such as local politicians, and groups from LGBT institutions of various kinds, such as PFLAG. Other typical parade participants include local LGBT-friendly churches and LGBT-employee associations from large corporations. 

The Stonewall riots, as well as the immediate and the ongoing political organizing that occurred following them, were fully participated in by lesbians, bisexuals, transgender people, and gays, from all races and backgrounds. Pride festivals and parades continue to be inclusive spaces. 

Historically these events were first named Gay, the word at that time being used to cover the entire spectrum of what is now called the queer. Today these festivals & parades are often called Pride.

[luna-nigthshade-wood]

New take (cause I have no self control and still havent finish my fics) that Dean is openly bisexual and everyone knows except for Sam. He is not completely oblivious mind you, at least not to the fact that his brother is bisexual and that he is in love with Cas, but he literally is the only person that thinks that Dean doesn´t know he is bi. To Sam´s credit, Dean is basically his father so he doesn´t want to think about his sex life. Anyways, it all comes to head one day in the bunker.

Dean, nervous: Hey, dude! I want to asked you something. Its about Cas

Sam, who have being waiting this moment for a long time and has been reading how to be a good ally to your bi brother articles: Yes, sure man Whats up?

Dean: Well, I was planning to inviting Cas to (insert fancy restaurant). Do you think he´ll like it?

Sam, visibly giddy but acting cool: Of course, man. What´s the ocassion?

Dean: I am planning to ask him to marry me

Sam, choking in his own spit: You are what?

Dean, getting defensive: Well, yeah, you think he´ll say yes right?

Sam, trying to get his brain back online: Dont you think you should I dont know date a little bit?

Dean, confused: Dude, WTF, we have been dating since the Apocalypse. Mind you, we have been dating on and off but seriously dude what tf?

Sam-ex not working: But you... dont.. are.. gay?!

Dean, getting pissed: For your info, I am bi, why you have a problem with that?

Sam: What? NO, I am pan. I just thought that you would be freak out about being bi?! (confused face)

Dean: First of all, thank you for telling me and I already knew. Second of all, dude what are you talking about I been openly bi since forever. Cas is not even my first relationship with a dude.

Sam, still not getting it: What? When? Dad?

Dean: Oh boy, well he wasn´t exactly happy, He kind of just took a Dont ask dont tell kind of thing. Bobby was supporting though, threathen to shoot dad if he ever said anything. And when, well, what exactly do you think that Lee and I were doing half of the time? and why do you think dad hated him?

Sam: Getting drunk, going out with girls, I dont know, how was I suppose to know?

Dean: Well, we werent exactly subtle, but yeah.

Sam: So, only Lee and Cas?

Dean: Well, no, not exactly. Benny, Cas and I had an agreement before the whole you know...

Sam: TMI, but ok, I am guessing Crowley...

Dean: Yeah, he is still bitter about that. There was the FBI dude, Henriksen and Ash, oh men Ash

Sam: When the f did you had the time with..you know what I dont wanna know

Dean, embarresed: There was Deacon too, no comments

Sam: I dont know how to unpack that one so I ll bleach my brain later

Dean: Good idea, there was also Garth

Sam: Wait what, Garth?

Dean: Yes, best foursome ever

Sam: Dude TMI.

Sam: But all seriousness aside, I am proud of you, now show me the ring

(Cas say yes when Dean asked and everyone tease Sam endeless for the rest of his life. The end)