#cannot point to a Single good thing about my degree

[thelunaticghost]

cant wait to get my degree certificate I'm gonna burn that bitch up

[lxdymoon0357]

Hey I hope you are doing well. Can I ask for a story on yandere Phinéas lapiléon x f reader of the manhwa my in-laws are obbsessed .please

(Oooo, good idea! I like the Lapileon family as well...| Noncon, kidnapping, forced usage of Lapileon blood, drugging, manipulation, usual yandere stuff. )

© Writing belongs to me, Lxdymoon0357. Do not plagiarize, but reblogging, liking and commenting is deeply appreciated.

Yandere! Phineas Lapileon X Reader HCs

⋐ Phineas met you through his doctor degree, you both studied together. You were supposed classmates, he often kept you at arms's length, mainly cause he himself is reserved, but also to kind of protect you from his blood, he had no idea if he had a cut anywhere..He does to everyone he meets..

⋐ You and him slowly became friends and becoming friends with him took some time as the Lapileons are always more than distanced people, they barely make friends due to the fear of their blood going out and being revealed, it would put not only them in danger but a lot of others as well.

⋐ He would try to push you away, but after you showed no sign of wanting to do such a thing, he decided to give it a try, but was EXTREMELY careful around you, he never wanted you to be hurt.

⋐ He seeked you out at times when he felt he wouldn't be good enough. Phineas also began thinking of you as his precious little flower, you're so innocent and kind, not knowing what was concealed behind the Lapileon family's perfect image...

⋐ You didn't need to know that, not now atleast. What if you run away, Phineas can't have that now, can he? He would have you completely dependent on him, until he knows you won't leave him, before he kidnaps you.

⋐ He is gonna make sure to use Gin to his full extent, he's a shitty person hitting his kid, hiding her, abusing her ,using their blood for wrong things. What's one more thing of being shitty? He will make sure you have the completely and most perfect stay in his arms since it's gonna be your home from now.

⋐ Will guilt trip you, Islette and Celphi are close to you, they're kids they will tattle tale to Phineas and adults for anything you do. They love you, you're a family now. Worry not, everyone approves; Gloria, Therdeo, Pereshati and others, so you don't have to think about anything.

⋐ Will constantly check himself and other, other than Pereshati, for any single cut that will allow his blood out, is thinking of having Pereshati share some blood to you so you can be immune to their blood like she is, Pereshati is excited for that, you're her sibling-figure even if you don't accept it!

⋐ He is refusing to let anyone other than family be near you, he's thinking of actually moving in the manor instead of being away since it will help him to make sure the whole family is making sure you're with him

⋐ He is SO SO SO paranoid about you, cannot be away from you for even more than an hour, he has to be in you at this point and not only in the sexual way, but also the literal sense, he does want a kid afterall....bu he'll settle for snuggling inside you shirt.

[roseykat]

TITLE: SKZ members as submissives

WARNING: minors DNI with this post or my blog. I create NSWF SKZ related content and I know I won’t be able to regulate/monitor every single potential interaction with those posts so please do not engage with my work or page whatsoever.

SUMMARY: An OT8 blurb of how each of the members are as subs.

TAGS: sub!skz members, implied dom!reader not necessarily gender specific, mentions of sex, orgasms, humiliation, edging, collars, leashes, spitting, nipple play, implied brat behaviour, praise, choking, gagging.

MASTERLIST

A/N: my next work that will be uploaded after this is Venom Eater! Also trying out a new layout for when I do OT8 blurbs…

This man is 50/50. He can be so good for you by letting you use him in the ways that you want and then be a devious, disobedient little upstart if you look away for one second. If he’s in that type of state, expect him to whine to you about what it is that he wants; ‘make me cum~’, ‘but I need you to use me,’ ‘need to get off on you, please.’

Denying him is always so fun because he gets so teary eyed and agitated. At that point, he’ll cave. He is strong, but when his needs are being compromised, Chan will see your instructions through to the end. Whether it’s to use his mouth for your own pleasure, his cock, fingers, whatever part of his body you see fit to seek an orgasm out of, he will make it happen as reparation.

A sub that can be a full on stubborn brat who won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. Trying to get him to listen is like pulling teeth and it can take a lot to strip Minho back into a conforming, incoherent mess. Overstimulation usually does the trick, bc he gets what he wants at first then realises he’s bitten off too much that he can chew and finds himself running into multiple orgasms bc you keep getting him hard enough to make him cum.

You like showing him how much cum he’s dribbled out of his stiff yet sore cock just by lifting up your hand, forcing him to see your palm glisten in white. Seeing it is like a slap of humiliation to him which paints a nice deep red blush across his cheeks.

A very sensitive sub that can only handle being touched so much. Edging works so well that it’s almost always part of the bedroom routine. You try to utilise it in order to see his strong, taut body writhing, and to hear him moan out ‘please, wanna cum so bad. Can’t take it anymore.’ Just hearing him say that invites you to cuff his hands to the bedpost so that he doesn’t try touching himself when you refuse him from orgasming.

The one thing that he absolutely cannot take is watching you get yourself off. Therefore, in the instance where you do attach him to the headboard, you peel yourself right off of his body and get into a position where he can see you make yourself cum. Whether it’s by your fingers, a vibrator, a dildo, whatever it takes to make him see what he’s missing out on, is a form of torture to him.

Obedient when he wants to be, but for the most part, he will let you use him whenever you want because Hyunjin is too in love with you not to. He likes having a collar fixed around his throat with a leash attached while you get him to fuck you in positions where he may appear ‘on top’ but you still have every degree of control over him.

He’s a relatively messy sub as well but adorns it with pride. Sometimes he cries from overstimulation, drools when you gag him with your fingers, chin and nose wet from you using his face, and will leak a decent amount of precum when you edge him. All in all, he’s versatile to use especially when he wants you to.

Is a sub that requires a lot more attention than most. He is very needy and reactive to the things he allows you to do to him. However, Jisung does explore when it comes to new kinks but to him, nothing beats just getting absolutely fucked. That being said, this man is a pillow prince. You have to put in all the effort - which you don’t mind, but there comes a time where you make Jisung work for it.

If that’s the case, he gets all whiny, mopey, and annoyed because he doesn’t want to ride you - he wants you to fuck him. He gets so stubborn that sometimes he’ll prep himself, fingering his hole even though it’s not nearly as satisfying as when you’re involved. In the end, he will end up riding you, but either very lazily or angrily.

Is everyone’s darling, innocent, and placid submissive that they just want to ruin. Whatever it is that you want to try, Felix is for it. He wants to please you and make you happy. He’s a sub who needs a lot of praise and boy does he deserve it because he’ll let you fuck him, let you clamp his nipples, spit in his mouth, edge him, a combination of all if not more of these activities - you name it.

Sometimes you have to remind Felix that he doesn’t have to do the things you suggest to him, that there are alternatives also or that he just doesn’t have to do it at all. But he always, always assures you that he does. He likes to experiment with you in bed but also wants to test his own limits while achieving pleasure.

Seungmin can be a very hard sub to work with at times. He has the ability to use his words as a weapon, yet sadly, it’s a double edged sword because it does come back and bite him in the ass when you clock him for his behaviour. So if he tries to trip you up with his words when you’re in full dom mode, saying things such as, ‘are you sure about that?’ ‘What makes you think I can’t take it?’ etc, you know how to handle him - with a ball gag.

It limits his supply of verbal daggers and plea bargains that you never bother considering bc he stepped on your last nerve. Another way to get him to shut up is if you use his face. But, his reset button - something that forces him to switch up is by telling him that he’s a ‘good boy’. He gets all flustered and embarrassed but he loves hearing that type of praise from you.

Jeongin starts off as a seemingly disobedient sub, almost leaning towards being a brat, then will slot right into his place of being submissive when you ramp things up in bed. Therefore, it’s easy to snap him out of that phase by threatening that he’s not going to get what he wants - no head, you won’t fuck him or you won’t let him fuck you. When those stakes are on the line, he straightens his act out and behaves.

As a sub, Jeongin is into many things but has a particular interest for shibari. He likes the intricacy of the many different ways in which you can bind his body, the tight feeling of the rope around his muscles, and how it shapes his body well. That’s only if he’s behaved himself well.

[pastelpinkkadan]

My most blunt, controversial ACOTAR opinions. Nothing is safe, nothing is sacred. Mind the tags for your own peace of mind please.

P.S.: Absolutely not directed at any other blog/person specifically. Just general fandom/shippers.

Elriel/Gw*nriel:

Gwyn is not that important of a character. She is a secondary character whose main purpose in the story was to be Nesta’s friend. She has no connection to any overarching plot. She could literally never be seen again in the books and all the main plot points would still work.

People have inflated Gwyn’s character and importance solely because they ship her with Azriel. And they ship her with Azriel because 1. She is the only other single female character (besides Elain) that he has interacted with. 2. Gwyn is enough of a blank slate for people to project/self insert themselves into and thereby romance themselves with Azriel 3. Gwyn has only been shown in a positive light, with only positive personality traits (good friend and can wield a sword) so there’s no REAL controversy on her character/personality. Because there’s not enough to actually have any controversy.

If Gwyn was actually that important, Emerie would also be as important, if not more so. But 90% of time Emerie is forgotten by the fandom. Even to the point that the theory of an Illyrian plot is somehow given to Az and Gwyn, rather than Emerie. The two people that, arguably, have the least skin in the game concerning that theory. And the reason Emerie is this pushed out of her own potential story line is because she isn’t shipped with Azriel or another Fae male.

If there was no Bonus Chapter Gw*nriel would not exist. Or at the VERY least, it would be acknowledged as the crackship that it is. Because outside of the BC, there is nothing in the main ACOSF to accurately ship them to the degree that the fandom does. Elriel, however, still has several books where canon scenes have taken place. The BC is absolutely not needed to show that Elriel have feelings for each other, we already knew.

“Well Elain gave by TruthTeller, so Elriel isn’t end game!” Is one of the stupidest reaches I’ve seen. TruthTeller was always, OBVIOUSLY, meant to be something lent to Elain for the war. It wasn’t a permanent gift, and Az didn’t say it was. He said he wouldn’t use it TODAY, implying he would expect to use it again in the future. Imagine -

“Well Gwyn gave back the books Nesta recommended to her, so they obviously aren’t friends.”

Thats what y’all sound like. It’s just purposely misinterpreting things in a scene that obviously aren’t there for the sake of your ship. It’s disingenuous and not at all the win you think it is.

You cannot call Azriel an incel/fuck boy for Elain and then ship him with Gwyn in the same breath. If he’s all those things with Elain, he’ll be the same for Gwyn. She is not magically going to make him “better” or a gentleman. Actually, he’s already a gentleman. He just didn’t have sexual thoughts about Gwyn and y’all can’t stand it.

Same vein, but if Azriel had had those sexual thoughts in the BC about anyone else besides Elain there would have been no issue/debate.

If a Gw*nriel book did somehow happen, it would 1000% be for fan service/peer pressure. No previous books have set it up, even the main story in ACOSF. Elriel has been setting up since book 2. It makes sense. Anyone who says it doesn’t just doesn’t want it to happen, mostly because they don’t like Elain. And that’s also mostly because they can’t see themselves in Elain, so they lash out.

Saying Elriels are delusional is the wildest thing, because Elriels have the most canon scenes spread throughout the books, Elain and Azriel have interacted with each other positively the most and the longest, and they are the only potential couple that actually bluntly like each other. They exist outside of misinterpreted bonus chapters and “what if” theories with no real backing.

Elain:

Whether anyone wants to admit it or not, part of the Elain hate IS misogyny. The amount of hate this character receives, compared to what she has actually done in the series, is entirely undeserving. She has received the same level of hate, if not more, than Tamlin, any of the ACOTAR villains, and Nesta, who is still a very controversial character. And for what? Liking Azriel, and not wielding a sword while doing it, apparently.

Elain liking flowers does not determine who she’ll end up with. For fucks sake we didn’t know Nesta liked to read smut or was great dancer until her book. And neither of those things determined her partner. It’s just what she likes. Same with Elain.

Nessian/ACOSF

The idea that Nesta will leave Cassian and make her own court is stupid.

Being anti-ACOSF but Pro-Nesta is a streeeeeetch, because all of Nesta’s actual good character development came from ACOSF. Like, did you like that she was angry and unhealed before? Because that’s where she would still be without all that happened in ACOSF.

People don’t understand the intervention that HAD to happen with Nesta in ACOSF. And I would even venture to say that most people against it have never HAD to have a real intervention with someone to that level. The level of, go to rehab/therapy or you are not allowed to be in my house/take up my resources. Because you will not get better on your own, you will only hurt yourself or others and I won’t enable you anymore. It’s a difficult decision that but often it is NECESSARY. Speaking as someone with several addict family members.

El*cien/Lucien:

All the theories about an El*cien plot line are completely focused on Lucien, and ignore everything built up with Elain. It’s always about Lucien figuring out his heritage, becoming some High Lord of one of the courts, or something with the Band of Exiles. Elain doesn’t have to be involved for any of that to happen. She’s pushed to the side in her own romantic story line. Nothing about her Seer powers, or the fact that she’s apparently been gaining spy abilities, or her place at the Night Court.

Lucien fans make me hate Lucien more than Lucien ever could.

The poor Lulu mindset can die.

While we’re at it, the theory that Elain likes Lucien so much that she avoids him is also stupid. That makes no sense. She loses her boldness around. She got better WHEN HE LEFT. All of Elain’s most powerful moments are when Lucien isn’t around. And that says something.

People cling to 1st book Lucien so much, but he has not been that way SINCE book 1.

Tamlin:

Tamlin already got a redemption arc when he brought Rhys back to life. He doesn’t need another one, and he certainly doesn’t need a full book.

The Tamlin/Elain ship is stupid and only benefits Tamlin, not Elain. Once again placing Elain to the side of her own romance, much like El*cien.

ACOTAR:

If you hate everyone in the IC, you don’t actually like ACOTAR. They’re the majority of the books, including half of ACOSF. And it’s actually really stupid to hate the IC and still pretend you’re an ACOTAR fan. Because, again, the IC is the MAJORITY of ACOTAR. Please read something you actually like.

If you hate the entire main story and main characters of ACOTAR, but like one or two characters, you don’t like ACOTAR. You see yourself in a character, and want the story to reflect what YOU want to happen to that character (ie, yourself), and can’t handle that it didn’t. You don’t actually like the ACOTAR series. Again, maybe it’s time to read something else.

3 Acherons x 3 Bat Boys isn’t cliche. It’s a pattern. It’s a literary motif. It’s a theme. It is a pattern that SJM has naturally set up, the fact that you can see and assume that Elriel would be apart of that just means you can recognize basic literary devices in a fantasy novel. Which is the POINT.

I have no intention of debating anything. I’m just stating my opinions on my blog, like everyone else gets to do. So take that as you will.

Anyways, thanks for coming to my TedTalk.

[writingquestionsanswered]

How do you stop being insecure about writing and how do you become less sensitive to criticism?

Confidence in Writing, Less Sensitivity to Criticism

While few writers are ever completely secure in their writing ability (confidence can increase or decrease with mood, project difficulty, and other factors), your confidence in your writing will grow naturally as you write more and more. In other words, it's not something that just happens. You have to spend a lot of time writing a lot of things, and your confidence will build as you go.

You can help the process along by:

-- reading a lot -- writing a lot -- honing your craft via learning about writing -- seeking feedback from writing partners/beta readers/editors, etc. -- learning your weaknesses and improving them -- learning your strengths and embracing them

Becoming less sensitive to criticism is a little bit trickier, especially because there can be complicated things that play into it, like past experiences, present mood and mindset, Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, etc.

However, if you're someone who is sensitive to criticism, I cannot stress enough how important it is to simply avoid reading reviews and comments left by readers. If you want feedback you can learn from, seek that out through a qualified writing friend, critique partner, beta reader, editor, etc. and let them know in advance that you're sensitive to criticism so they work with you to give you the feedback you need in the least upsetting way possible. And even with feedback from a qualified person, remember that writing feedback is rarely truly objective. People always bring their personal preferences and own ideas into the feedback they give, so just because a qualified person criticizes something you wrote doesn't mean they're absolutely right or that you're a bad writer. Feedback is there for you to weigh and use only if you agree it will benefit your story.

Something else that helps to remember is that even the best, most critically acclaimed writers in the world have people who hate their writing. Tolstoy, Dickens, Poe, Hemingway, Steinbeck, Austen, Woolf, Christie, Angelou, Atwood, Gaimen, King, Morrison, Allende... every single one of them has thousands of 1-star reviews, critical reviews, and people who just can't stand their writing. Yet, they're all popular writers known the world over, with millions of books sold, and universally loved. All of these names appear on lists of the greatest writers of all time.

And, something else... the degree to which criticism bothers you will decrease as your confidence increases. Not just because confidence naturally thickens your skin, but also because you learn to tell the difference between haters and people with genuinely good points.

I hope that helps!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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[mishy-mashy]

A bit of a toss to the wind, but what if Shinomori is related to Bruce? Probably not gonna happen but

They have:

Straight nose bridges

Thick necks

Same ears

Spiky yet fluffy hair that's still somewhat cooperative

Both their eyes are flat on top with small/single eyelids, and a bit of a tired or intimidating feel about their eyes

Small pupils (sanpaku eyes)

Mouths that naturally frown the same way

Similar chins and jawlines

Long legs

Both are weirdly, VERY tall, and intimidating on first impressions

Both are cautious individuals that rebel against society in their own way: Bruce by fighting directly, and Shinomori by ducking out

The fact Bruce knew where to find him and gave the Factor to some guy he met in the forest, and being as level-headed as Bruce, there had to be a deeper reason for his choice (unless it's just desperation and Shinomori's the most level-headed existence after Bruce dealt with Kudo's experimenting) beyond simply "Shinomori's a good choice"

Because Bruce was not one of the "as they laid down to die, it was passed to an unfortunate soul" vestiges, he had time and passed it on his own terms. There's also some degree of trust when every user passes on the Factor, and Bruce had space to choose his next person.

Shinomori and Bruce are level-headed and self-sacrificial without thinking. (Technically this applies to a LOT of characters, but-)

Shinomori pushed everyone behind him and got snatched by AFO so no one would be stolen, even though he hid from the guy his whole life. No hesitation at all in this.

Look at how there's multiple "whams", he didn't just push one person. Even Kudo's legs are blurred, his arms are raised, and he looks mid-air, despite being on his feet earlier. Like he was thrown back. Banjo and Nana's mouths are open in shock, and you can tell by their bodies' positions they weren't running (except maybe Bruce).

They all look like they were pushed. En got shoved in the middle of his back, and his blur even lines up with Shinomori's hand, Yoichi got thrown back, and Nana doesn't look like she was running, but that she was being tripped from Shinomori.

Banjo panicked and the first thing he did was yell the news to Midoriya. AFO surprised them, but Shinomori did too.

Like I mentioned in my [Shinomori is cute] post,

"His sense of self-preservation is probably heightened by the nature of his Quirk to keep him out of danger too."

And he still put everyone else before him. Even when he was caught, all he said was along the lines of "I leave the Ninth to you!".

Meanwhile, Bruce was willing to go against AFO in a closed space, back when AFO was at his peak and just killed Yoichi. He wasn't thinking either, he just took a stance. And Fa Jin was not as strong as we see Midoriya use it back then. Meanwhile, this is AFO at his strongest point.

Are both very "Do or Die". And both have died in the Do. (Protecting OFA, when alive and dead; passing it on, cultivating on their turns, giving up their Factors to damage AFO and protect OFA in their own ways [being taken, forceful transfer], etc)

Like Bruce, Shinomori communicates. He's eloquent, and explains a lot for Midoriya to understand about OFA's mechanics.

He explained how OFA couldn't be wielded by naturally Quirked people.

He explained his own life story to elaborate and add reasoning and consequence.

He introduced himself and asked Midoriya questions so he could participate and further his understanding about OFA.

When Midoriya was clearly hurt and tired in his running around alone, Shinomori calls him out with "Ninth, your injuries aren't fully healed yet". He remained and watched him go as Midoriya pushed them all away. And Shinomori could tell their Quirks were only giving Midoriya the power he needs to accomplish his goals. He didn't keep this knowledge from the other users, saying it immediately.

Though he's also a bit roundabout in communication like Bruce

"One For All cannot be wielded by a normal person." meaning normal, Quirked people

"This too, is destiny." *is immediately contrasted by Banjo saying it's timing*

"Do you know how I died?" *knows the answer is no. answers himself* "I died of old age."

"I'll get straight to the point." *has to correct himself before he starts to go on for too long*

Maybe just because they're both tall and have muscles, but. Shoulder blades and biceps. (Oh boy, two things most humans have)

If they're related, it just gives more reason to why Bruce can put up with Kudo; he's dealt with Shinomori and his weirdness

[bokutosbiceps]

Who do you think out of the Kengan cast are girl dads? Give your personal takes😝

okay okay okay okay. here are my personal takes + honestly they’re right so these are, in fact, law. i also included some kengan omega characters 😉

ps. the dudes that i left out, i believe, would not be a good father/i can't see them as a father or they would likely be closer to their son(s). for example, i can't really see gaolang as a father. he's a daddy, sure, + would be a top tier husband, but as a father i think he'd be super traditional + distant from his kids. raian, on the other hand, would likely see his kids only as "weapons" in the sense he wants to make them strong, but he'd also be closer w a son if he had a kid.

tokita ohma is a girl dad. he’d be anything his daughter wants him to be + he loves her to absolute death. he’d kill for her. he’ll raise her to be the biggest girl boss in the world + he’s incredibly proud of her, no matter what she decides to do. he’s not really great at the advice + wisdom part, but he’s very comforting + supportive. 

narushima koga is a girl dad. he’s so afraid, though. he’s so afraid he’ll mess his daughter up or teach her the wrong things but his daughter loooooves him. he seriously can’t get away, not that he would want to though. they’re best friends + he adores her. would kill + die for her. also, her biggest hype man.

hatsumi sen is a girl dad. he knows how bad men can be + is suuuper protective of his little girl. he’s basically like her shadow, but not in a creepy way. if anyone messes with his daughter, they’re fucking dead. he’s also at the mercy of absolutely anything she wants. he spoils the absolute fuck outta her.

himuro ryo is a girl dad. he’s a girl dad in the way that he doesn’t really see the point of separation of the sexes + he believes that anything a guy can do, a girl can do just as well or even better. he will instill this confidence in his daughter + watch her take over the world. he’s her number one fan 🥺

jose kanzaki is a girl dad. kiind of like sekibayashi but to a much less degree. he’s the kinda girl dad that lets his daughter do absolutely whatever she wants + will back her 100%, especially if what she wants to do is in a male dominated field. he’s gonna help her bring down tHE FUCKING PATRIARCHY. 

KANOH AGITO IS A GIRL DAD. YOU CANNOT CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE. ABSOLUTELY WHATEVER HIS DAUGHTER WANTS HIM TO BE HE WILL TO THE ABSOLUTE BEST OF HIS ABILITY. FIND THIS MAN GIVING HIS DAUGHTER PIGGY BACK RIDES, SHOULDER RIDES, ETC ALL DAY EVERY DAY. HE WANTS TO LEARN HOW TO DO HER HAIR SO HE CAN BE USEFUL TO HER. HE WANTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT SHE LIKES SO THEY CAN TALK EVEN MORE. HE WILL TRY HIS BEST TO GIVE HER ADVICE + HE WANTS TO SEE HER SUCCEED AT ANYTHING SHE PUTS HER MIND TO. ALSO. IF YOU MESS W HER YOU’RE GOING TO BE WIPED FROM EXISTENCE.

lihito is a girl dad. In a similar way to Sen, he knows how men can be + will be super protective of his daughter. BUT he’s kinda awkward around her. he sees are as such a precious little thing + is super scared of fucking it up. he loves her from afar though + is always always always there for her when she needs him.

mokichi robinson is a girl dad. need i say more?

muteba gizenga is a girl dad. he’s his daughter’s best fucking friend. they wreak havoc together. he teaches her everything he knows + is her biggest fucking fan. he’s a Grade A Dad.

SEKIBAYASHI JUN IS A FUCKING GIRL DAD. HE’S OUT HERE BEING THE BEST FRIEND, FATHER, TEACHER, IN THE WORLD. HE IS THE BEST DAD. HE’S SO WISE + SO CARING + SO PROTECTIVE. he’s never done a single thing wrong. i want him to be my father actually.

takayama minoru is a girl dad. he’s the sweetest w his daughter + she prefers him over everyone. so gentle + so kind. wow 🥺

[monosanimegenericzone]

Hunter x Hunter: pain packer pt 5 pt 2

pt 5.5 if you will

i didnt intend to make this immediately but the demons demanded it.

i also give you the thought of feitan studying fashion design for a time to figure out how to conjure his various suits for each form before i completely lose my mind.

Fire: levels 1-5 (correlates to the number of bones broken, scales exponentially)

Wildfire: hot enough to burn skin but relatively low heat

Rising Sun: its a miniature sun! you're cooked

Meteor Shower (specifically multiple ribs shattered): tracking bolts of pure fire, everyone within range gets one to play with

Supernova: starts as a sun, you have about 5 seconds to run away before that thing fucking explodes into a supernova.

Neutron Star: a much smaller star that burns so much hotter and even drags its victims in with an incredibly powerful gravitational pull. if you aren't braced on something that can withstand that gravity then you will be sucked straight into that point of insane heat and immediately incinirated

Water: levels 1-5 (correlates to rate of blood lost volume/time)

Tidal Wave: Creates a tidal wave that hits with enough force to immobilize even the strongest opponent. Not a guaranteed kill

The Great Wave: based on the historic painting and basically tidal wave but with so much extra power behind that force and is capable of breaking bone on impact. Also not a guaranteed kill.

Typhoon: spins the water around in a typhoon centered around himself with winds fast enough to move water fast enough to where it cuts through anything it touches.

Sheer Cold: same as tidal wave but the water is now frigid and the shock alone could kill on the spot regardless of defense. the water is just that cold.

i dont have a good fifth one, suggestions are appreciated, can go in any of the levels

Electricity: levels 1-5 (correlates to what degree the burn is and then how many burns he has) (all attacks hit automatically unless opponent can exceed the speed of light)

Nervous Overload: basically forces a heart attack but the slow kind. snaps the vagus nerve in half and stops the automatic pulse of the heart. Technically not a guaranteed kill but the opponent has to be expecting it

Lightning: Single bolt of lightning, enough to paralyze and maybe kill depending on who it's used on.

Twin Spears: Two bolts of lightning. wow shocking. (please laugh)

Spear of Zeus: super charged bolt of lightning that remains on the target for the duration of the attack.

Solar Storm: believe it or not this is still electricity. instant kill. it doesn't matter who you are or what you do. you cannot stop this unless you have an incredibly powerful magnetic field.

Air: levels 1-3 (correlates to personal assessment and degree of threat to his life)

Ruthless Zephyr: winds that reach speeds up to 200 mph (321km/h)

Empty Space: seals the area of effect and then instantly vacuum seals it, causing the opponent to either suffocate or explode from the lungs. slow death (max 2 minutes)

Venus Sky: dumps the atmospheric pressure of venus onto his opponent. which is about 50-100x(?) the pressure on earth so it would crush the human flat immediately.

honestly i dont think air needs more than this. but if anyone has more suggestions im down to listen. i am just a nerd :D

this is a certified nen nerd post. kinda. more like am overall nerd.

[bilbao-song]

ulterior motives: an unnecessarily elaborate guide & review

okay literally no one asked for this but here is my full synopsis of the ulterior motives album. i wish more secret time capsule-ish albums from past decades would be released so i can start doing this type of thing more often

🐬 disclaimer: i think only like two? three? people who follow me are (currently.....) interested in this as far as i'm aware. therefore it's going to be sooooo self indulgent and tbh partially just for my own satisfaction <3 but hopefully someone will find it useful/enjoyable/etc.!! also it's super long but like...idk it's a Review. also if ur interested but otherwise have no clue what this is about, i'm putting some useful links at the veeeery bottom :-)

🐠 relevant introductory notes: im not rlly a lostwave person actually. like as a concept i think it's very cool, but this is litcherally the only one i've come across that appeals to me thus far. i was somehow exposed to it like a year ago and went bananas bc i enjoy funky little 80s songs and i desperately wanted that song in particular. i think some people have kind of dismissed this as like, a ~tiktok thing~ and well <3 i don't care. tiktok didnt exist in the 80s but this music sure did. anyway i would urge you to ignore that entirely at this point and just enjoy the funky 80s bops no matter how they got here (actually that's like part of why i'm even making this post. consider this like...a guide. forget tiktok exists and learn to love this album full of 80s music w me)

🐬 preliminary assessment of vibes: half cute 80s synthpop and half things that make me want to pretend to be really elegant on a cruise ship somewhere between like 1987-1992, a period of time in which i was not alive but enjoy pretending i have some kind of experience with anyway. sometimes it kind of feels like music that someone would put over an old video of people walking around a mall, which is probably really appealing to a lot of people tbh. that seems to be a well-liked vibe recently. *not* an album to listen to if ur looking for something deep/poetically meaningful/super serious, 10000000% an album to listen to if u want something catchy/fun/zesty/poppy/very 80s!! it is very muchly unpretentious music for a good time

also may i just say that throughout this album there are like, random elements that remind me of like 68769376386896 different other artists who are varying degrees of wildly unrelated to this album. i mean like, there are brief moments that give me michael jackson vibes (tangentially related!), and every once in awhile something reminds me of frankie valli (??????????). that's only the tip of the iceberg tbh but if i made an exhaustive list i feel like it would just look like me listing off every third thing i have ever heard of. also a lot of people have made comparisons to wham! and i can definitely see why, soooo if that’s your type of thing!! ur in luck

anyway:

🐠 a track by track analysis & review:

to preface this: if ur skeptical...the sweet spot for me is like, tracks 8-11, and if you like those, try 4 as well. i like the album start to finish tbh, but if you just want a little sampling for now, i suggest starting with those. beyond that, upon putting this together i have noticed that you can kind of break this album into categories vibe-wise. tracks 1-4 seem like they wanted to be long lost singles, 5-7 = Vibing Music. smooth and pleasant sounds to have on in the background. not the sort of thing you’d probably sing along to but the vibes are immaculate. a calm moment before things get zesty again, 8-11 = back to back hits. cream of the crop. exquisite cuisine. all pretty upbeat and poppy and i genuinely cannot imagine not enjoying this at least a little. 12-13 = very nice closing tracks to put a neat bow on it <3

pink titles = my top recommendations (i'm trying to be selective here)

here is the full album on youtube and here it is on spotify. individual youtube links next to each song title :-)

#1 - chemistry - [x] - excellent choice as a first track bc the quality is very Crisp and it kind of encompasses both the whole 80s synthpop vibe and the smooth, kind of classy thing that a lot of these songs have going on. this one is very popular among those of us who have been eagerly waiting for this album to be released and it’s super nice to have a full version available now!! we had like a minute long sample of it there for awhile and i kept listening to a three minute looped version on youtube bc i was desperate. anyway!! there’s a LOT going on here. it flows well, is super catchy, and i really like it. would probably be fun to dance to if ur into that sort of thing

#2 - your guy - [x] - smooth and snazzy!! makes u want to light some candles. spoken portions in songs are always kind of funny to me for some reason but i can lean into the overall vibe and embrace it. very cute. one of my favorite things about it are the moments where the backing vocals are like, drastically deeper than the lead vocals (around 1:42ish). love that

#3 - ulterior motives - [x] - this one needs no introduction i guess lmao. tbh i feel like i still kind of need more time to absorb this version as compared to the old version — being entirely honest, if i pay very close attention, i CAN pinpoint a few little odd things going on with it quality-wise. idk what that's about (definitely doesn’t seem to be a skill issue lmao these guys know their shit) but it also doesn't ruin it for me or anything. i feel like a major part of the issue is just down to being sooo used to hearing one particular version. any difference good or bad is going to stand out. whatever, it’s still a delicious song (and there are pleeeeeenty of different cleaned up versions ripped from the movie to be found on youtube if anyone is just fully unsatisfied w this one)

#4 - man needs love - [x] - THIS is one of the best ones hands down. once again we are monologuing in the middle of a song but imo it works pretty well here. it feels veeeery of the era and i definitely feel like this could've been tremendously popular if not for the whole Never Got Released thing. it is super fun and catchy. if u came for the wham! comparisons this should be ur starting point

#5 - so in love - [x] - the beginning to this one is soooooooooo exquisite to me. my overall take on this one is that it's kind of...well. Vibing Music. like i would never choose or recommend this for karaoke night but it is excellent for having on in the background while you do basically anything else. smooth and snazzy yet again. definitely creates some kind of vibe. also i really like a lot of the vocals on this one

#6 - you turn me on - [x] - when i first saw the title i did not expect to enjoy this one quite so much, BUT it's actually pretty great.......visceral subject matter notwithstanding (that's just rlly not my thing usually but i think i'm the odd one out here so disregard this lmao). very chill vibes; kind of in a similar category to the previous track re: Vibing Music status. lots of interesting sounds and things, very very VERY of the era. importantly, it contains that instrument that i can only ever think of as "lizard noise thing" (apparently that's a vibraslap), and that appeals to me immensely.

#7 - rock me to sleep - [x] - more Vibing Music. initially i wasn’t sure how to feel about the whole whispering thing but i’ve concluded that they pull it off well. it reminds me of something but i really can’t place what it is — some kind of particularly funky and vibey 80s background music type of thing. late 80s/early 90s fashion show music!! for sure

#8 - think i'm gonna cry - [x] - back to the more upbeat vibes. another one of my favorites!! possibly THE favorite for me. seems a little underrated among fans thus far imo so allow me to champion it here. kind of similar vibe-wise to man needs love, so if u liked that one then you'll probably feel positively about this one too. definitely another one that should appeal to anyone for whom the wham! comparison sparks interest. i honestly think this is like...one of the best tracks. if i didn't know any better you could have easily convinced me that this was popular in its era bc the overall quality is there and it reeeeaaaaally has a poppy vibe that feels almost universally appealing. it feels like a fun song for summer. also pretty short in length, so v approachable to anyone feeling impatient <3

#9 - potion of emotion - [x] - another one that i thought i wouldn't be a huge fan of when i saw the title lmao but i was wrong!! i love the deeper vocals here and just ?? well. basically everything about it. not to bust out a technical term but i do just absolutely love the synthiness. there's something kind of satisfying about the lyrics...i mean they're not like, deep elaborate poetry lmao it just sounds neat from like, an auditory perspective. anyway, it’s smooth yet fun. i want to be hearing this on a cruise ship

#10 - one last look - [x] - deliciousss. i feel like this one is almost a sssslightly different flavor of 80s vibe but i have no idea how describe it. maybe ummm idk more pop-rock than just straight pop. feels pretty summer-y. very 80s classic rock-sounding guitar parts (delicious). if i had heard this on the radio at some point i would've wholly accepted it as just like. idk a normal popular 80s song i just never happened upon before (this applies to a Lot of these tbh)

#11 - nothing lasts forever - [x] - another solid favorite for me!!! suuuuuper catchy, has been stuck in my head for like three days!!!!!! i love it!!!!! fun horns!!!!!! idk what else to say but it's fun, upbeat, and ummmmmm. one of the best songs here imo

#12 - language of love - [x] - actually probably my least favorite, but it's still fine. from what i've seen it seems pretty popular though so who knows!! i feel like putting it second to last was a good idea because it does kind of seem like…idk, calming down after four very zesty ones in a row.

#13 - lie school - [x] - if u feel dissatisfied with the new ulterior motives, this is like...the next best thing. very similar vibes both in terms of theme and sound, but not in like, a repetitive way. i actually rlly like that it's the last track bc it kind of feels like sort of a callback to ulterior motives, and i looooooove when albums do that kind of thing. anyway i definitely feel that it’s a little……hmmm. idk the whole school thing is just such a highly specific theme and they really stick with it. but i like it >:-)

🐬 closing thoughts:

i just really really like it tbh. i hope i have converted at least a few people not only bc it's a worthy cause but also bc i spent literal hours spread across two days writing this. shoutout to christopher and philip booth, thank you for this whole entire album and also for inexplicably moving to my town in the midwestern usa despite being from the uk. idk why you did that but i think it's very cool and learning that information after a year of hoping somebody would find ulterior motives made me feel like i was living in some kind of weird dream. also. vinyl release when?? <3

additional links:

rolling stone article that pretty thoroughly explains what this is about

my tag where i've been putting relevant posts thus far

album on youtube

album on spotify

[na-t0]

𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳

Nicholas D. Wolfwood x reader (fem)

nsfw . male masturbation . multiple mentions of religious themes . minors please do not interact

"I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth...shit, what's next?"

Despite of what others think, Nicholas D. Wolfwood has come to the conclusion that he is indeed, the perfect example to belie the thought commonly held by people that him, and all the other children of the Lord who is high in the heavens, are made in his image and likeness. He is just a man, a mere mortal, vulnerable and weak in the face of temptation, son of original sin. Trying to atone for, and amend, the errors that life has brought within his path, and from which he cannot seem to escape.

Same life that unfortunately has also placed him in the way of your so intoxicating self. As if it were an unforgivable and cruel test to endure the strength of his already cracked spirit, a test to prove how much he is capable of resisting when the sharp claws of lust slowly scratch his back when he tries to sleep and the image of your beautiful face invades his mind. He also claims being able to feel them scratching once again when, after what seems like an eternal week of waiting, he manages to spot you sitting among the 47 people that fit in the orphanage’s chapel at the time of the religious ceremony he presents on Sundays at 10 in the morning.

Nicholas talks to himself all the time. He talks about a whole bunch of different things to stay busy and distant from the loneliness that his profession entails. He also writes, on a small black notebook that shamelessly reads Holy Bible on its cover, which he keeps in the inside pocket of his suit all day. It is possible to find random thoughts scrambled between its pages, occasional unfinished sketches of the kids who visit him frequently, prayers and attempts at poetry that, despite the ease he possesses to release a speech towards an audience made up of people full of faith in the word he preaches every weekend, the simple idea that one day you might inadvertently read what lies on those yellowish paper sheets terrifies him to the point where he can feel each and every one of his nerve endings on the surface of his skin, pulsing with the same intensity as the wings of a flying hummingbird.

He writes for you, more specifically. Even though in life, there are weaknesses that sometimes, do not allow the deepest feelings of the heart to flourish freely.

"I am just an object waiting to be ashes, and it is precisely for that reason that I would like my body to burn until it is consumed as one with yours. So at the end, dust will be the only thing that remains of our spirits, mixed together, to be later carried away by the wind of this unforgiving desert we call home."

“I have reached such a degree of insanity that, not even with the help of a thousand divine healing rites, my composure will return. I have even considered exchanging the blood of as many sinners as necessary to the Devil in order to melt into the blazing but purifying fire that surely arises with the single touch of your lips, and if you allow me, to endulge in the perfect contradiction that lies between your legs. A place both sacred and infernal, a place where good and evil converge and is powerful enough to drive even the most righteous and ruthless of religionists to an infinite madness. A place that I can only imagine feels like heaven and hell at the same time, capable to burn but also soothe the wounds in the soul of a disgraceful believer, one such as myself, your humble servant.”

“And I am not ashamed to affirm in front of the cross in which the son of God was punished because of filth like me, that, your mere presence encourages me to violate every order imposed by the invisible power of my belief, all that for what he, the same guy I mentioned earlier, sacrificed himself for in the first place. He sacrificed himself for you and especially for me, and above all, for the atrocities that come with the human race to disappear from the world. Such as the kind of things that flood my mind when my gaze manages to distinguish a little glimpse of your underwear when you put on that pretty dress of yours and you take a seat in the front row. A dress I like to imagine you only use for me.”

When Sunday comes, the ceremony starts and it's your turn at the moment of communion. It all happens in a matter of minutes every single time, a fleeting contact that is difficult to remove from his system. The host is delicately held by Wolfwood's hands as he stares at you, the abyss of his obsidian orbs capturing your attention to ask for your permission. You nod and look back at him too, subtly batting your eyelashes and slowly sticking out your tongue in an inviting way, that more than innocent, seemed diabolical, as if you knew which cards to move to obtain an absolute victory. And he feels it, he feels something struck his chest. Like a pair of magnets who can't fight the silent attraction that tries to unite them. You glance at the thick fingers infront of you for an instant, and then once again, you lift your stare towards him to take the host. His breathing stopped the moment he felt the back of his fingers get in contact with the wetness of your tongue while accommodating the wafer on it, and he almost, just almost, stutters in his words, but he doesn't, it takes all of his will not to. He blinks and his hand moves away from your lips to continue with the the other presents. You turn around and go back to your place without looking back. Luckily for him, the robe that covers his body does not allow to reveal any trace of what could give away his growing hunger for you.

Reminiscing something that he himself already wrote once in his notebook.

“It’s a disgusting sight, truly. How you take the sacramental bread from the hands of a sinful bastard, how you try to be purified by the same hands that are permanently stained with the obscene thought of consuming your body, your entire being. But you don’t have an idea of how much I love it, how much I want you to be mine.”

The lecture finished at 10:57 a.m. Nicholas remembers glancing at the watch on his wrist to regain the track of time he lost when you got close to his body. Seeing that people were starting to get up, he decided to clean his instruments to leave everything in order, and at the same time, bring some peace to his mind. He didn't have long arranging his space when Wolfwood felt a sudden and intense urge to look back, and when he did, you were the first thing that he focused on, stumbling upon the surprise of your eyes already searching for his while walking to the exit, wearing the most precious smile he’s ever seen on your face. A smile just for him.

By 11:23 a.m. the chapel was completely empty and Wolfwood walked with an unbearable weight on his feet towards the confined space of the confessional, along with a box of matches in hand that he took from an old cabinet. He closed the door, took a seat and leaned his head against the wall, which protested with a slight screech, as if it knew what was going through the troubled man's mind. Of course you appeared immediately, the images of every time you two have exchanged greetings in the streets, in the market, or even at the events to raise funds for the orphanage.

First came the color of your eyes, which seemed to dominate and illuminate the darkness of the small space he was in, then your eyebrows and the expressions that characterize your words while speaking. Thirdly, your mouth, the Eden he dreams of so much, reflected in the shine that your lips acquire when you bite and wet them with saliva. Imagining how they move to the compass of your voice, if they are rounded, if you smile or if you stay quiet. Nicholas raised his right hand and gently touched his own mouth to try to calm the urgency of joining it with yours. He closed his eyes and remembered the slight meeting he had with it an hour ago. The warmth of your breath on his knuckles and the softness he touched with the pads of his mistreated fingers. How easy would it be to draw a whimper out of you, the sweetest sound he can think of. His pants began to feel more and more uncomfortable with every passing minute, the pressure exerted by the growing erection in his groin started to become unbearable. Will he be able to obtain salvation if he confesses everything, here and now?

"God...please" And just as he often does, he began to talk. "I want her more than...a-anything in this world...can't I have her either?" The hand that previously touched your lips, traveled up to his crotch and gave a first cautious squeeze, allowing himself to be carried away by the venom of the serpent that condemned us all as sinners centuries ago, which little by little contaminated his veins and blinded his sight. Now not only did he imagine the Eden in your beauty, he was about to enter that precious place, only to break the rules. "I haven't been...a g-good man, but..." His breathing began to falter, with great gulps of air, his chest rose and fell, trying to oxygenate his racing heart. "I swear I...I can treat her right." The restraint of the stiff bottoms was starting to be painful for Nicholas, so he reached for the button, hastily undoing it to reach into his underwear. The burning heat of desire greeting him. And as he could, he pulled out his member from the base without removing his pants. The cold edge of the zipper brushed against the prominent veins of his rigid sex while his hand tried to conciliate the relief he so desperately needed. He kept traveling with his mind through your neck, your chest, your waist and your navel, the unknown nudity that he longes for unfolding before him in an imaginary scenario within the four small walls of the confessional. His breathing became more and more disturbed and growls began to sprout from the depths of his being.

"I'm sorry, God...I'm so s-sorry" He started to apologize because he knows exactly what is next. He enjoys being rough with his wicked self, he is violent. Pulling his own hair with one hand while the other strokes himself harshly. He spits on the tip, and watches how saliva slowly rolls to the base. He grunts, an animalistic type of sound that reveals the wildest part of his existence, his human predatory instinct, the part that he tries to repress with calling himself a preacher of the Lord’s word. He likes to tighten the grip in his member to the point where the veins on his forehead begin to become visible and the color of his shaft changes entirely with the accelerated flow of blood. Suffocating in his own body, a prisoner of his dark desires.

"Our Father, who...a-art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is...i-in heaven." It was in that moment when he began to pray. And the drops of fluid that came out of his slit with anticipation gave his hand more access to stroke with a quicker pace. From outside the confessional, it was possible to hear the faint slippery sound of friction from skin to skin and the murmured pleas of a man sunk in perdition.

"Give us this day our daily bread, a-and forgive us our trespasses...as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temp-temptation...but deliver us from...evil."

Would God be able to truly forgive such an act?

"A-Amen."

And it's just when he finishes his pleas that he finds himself betrayed by his own mind, letting your name slip from his lips, over and over again, like a renovated prayer, but profane and corrupted. The peculiar burning sensation in the lower part of his abdomen starts to approach. He bites the collar of his white camisole and drool escapes from the sides of his mouth in the delirium of a near orgasm. Squeezing his eyes shut he imagined your breasts swaying in front of his face as you grind on top, your angelic face contorted with the ecstasy of a fictional encounter, and your core eagerly receiving each of his thrust. The sweet aroma that your sweat must have and all the possible ways you could moan his name.

"Ni..cholas, ah...Nicholas...Nic..."

The entirety of his skin crawls to the thought. And his hips begin to move with an unbridled, involuntary frenzy, consequence of the carnal instinct that species keep hidden in their bodies.

"Oh...God..please, please...ple-please." He calls uselessly for the only one who could redeem him, the only one who could accept a sin like this. Finally, he rapidly drags his hand a couple of last times and the orgasm begins to hit his senses. A last growl comes out of his chest before his teeth unconsciously loosen the fabric of the shirt to let out a deafened cry. With some last thrusts, his hips rise in a lost rhythm from the bench on which he is sitting as his seed spills violently into his right hand, staining some of the fabric of his black pants along the way.

The warm sensation of contact with his own release brings him back to himself, and he can only at this point, contemplate more clearly the mistake he has made.

“Divine forgiveness, what a bunch of shit.”

He drops the other hand that was tugging at his brunette locks in the heat of the momentum inside his pocket, pulls out a cigarette, places it in his mouth and proceeds to wipe the remains of cum on his right palm with a handkerchief, so he can pick up the matches he had brought with him, light the stick, and take a hit, trying to quell with smoke the latent nectar of lonely intimacy impregnated in the air. He takes a few moments to let the haze of the moment pass completely as he watches the mess in his lap and his now softened member.

The cigarette is half finished, he is a fast smoker.

He inhales and exhales once more, and then, there’s a subtle, almost silent, knock on the door, followed by what he recognizes is your voice coming from the rusty confession room's grate.

“F-Father Nicholas...?”

[rageprufrock]

Hi Pru, this is a career question... I am in my mid-twenties, female, not quite the most junior employee at my organization but treated often as one. The workplace is highly male-dominated, competitive, the older supervisors sometimes hilariously old-boys'-club, and the younger men (my age) mean well (feminist, etc.) but have their own territories to defend. For complicated reasons I cannot leave. I knew some of this coming in but am ashamed to say that

You’ll love this: my response is so late because I too girlbossed too close to the sun and have accidentally reached mid-senior leadership status at my organization and the past month has been the most hilarious cluster of fucks. Insert clown emoji herey.

ANYWAY.

I have a few thoughts on this one, and hopefully one, or some, of these are helpful as you're navigating your early career.

To address your most immediate question: is it meant to be this hard? I think "is it meant" or "is it always" are two different questions, and each with branching answers completely dependent on your field and profession. Some are notorious for early career hazing--banking, medicine, etc--and then the answers are that the suffering is a feature, not a bug, for these industries (this can be debated ad nauseum but you know what I mean), and then for many, many other professions, the answer is that while it's not meant to be this difficult, it still is, and that it's all we can do to survive it.

But setting aside the macro issues, of whether the role itself is objectively hard or if the environment you're in is objectively sub-optimal, the more nebulous and inescapable thing is that each one of us, individually, in our early career are undergoing one of many puberties and all its attendant implied indignities. I find it weird that culturally we don't talk about this much--at least not in Western or the Eastern cultures with which I'm most conversational--but think about it: in the first five to ten years of your working life, you're often simultaneously navigating a staggering number of life-changing systemic shifts that have a tectonic impact on your lived experience. I

For a lot of us, beginning your life as a working adult means you're likely moving out of your parents' home, which adds a huge amount to your mental load and financial burden.

For a lot of us, these early professional jobs are also the first time we're operating in a performance-reward system for which there is no clear rubric or understandable progression monitoring--there aren't any grades, and I can't tell you the number of people who I've spoken to in my career who have been shocked when they're told they're being put on performance improvement plans even though they thought they were doing fine.

It's like being sent to college with no class list, textbooks hidden in eight different departments run by varyingly helpful people, while trapped in an inescapable group project run by someone who seems just as frazzled as you are, and told "okay well you should need to bring me your completed degree by EOD Thursday." This doesn't even take into account your genetic assignment to play this entire game on hard mode by failing to be a cisgendered man in the dominant cultural demographic.

People who've had multiple jobs and career changes can attest, every new job, no matter how seasoned you are, is fucking exhausting. It's almost a joke among my friends at this point how often I change jobs, and every single time I do, there's at least a six month run where at the end of every day, I'm fucking spent. I couldn't calculate 1+3 if my life depended on it, because I've spent my working day so furiously trying to read the professional tea leaves and figuring out what the actual fuck I'm supposed to be doing--which, funnily enough, is never as clear as you would think! Even if you are at increasingly senior levels of responsibility! It's really fun and good! Your boss's boss's leadership team meetings? Surprisingly similar to when I used go get coffee during my break working at an ice cream shop to complain about our customers and equipment and boss! It's amazing how no matter how much changes, everything stays the same!

So I think in the end, my answer to your question is this:

Is it meant to be this hard? Depending on what you do, maybe.

But should it be this hard? Of course not. Life is short and lush and wonderful, but already so filled with challenges, and it's a shame that being rooted in capitalism, we're all forced to participate in a system that's so unbending and unforgiving.

But does that mean it's going to be forever? Or that you can't survive and thrive and have fun in the process? Absolutely not.

However awful you feel, however bad the job is, it doesn't have to be forever. This role you're in now may be just what you need to find your next, better, better paid opportunity. And maybe that one won't be the ideal for more than a year, maybe two, but that's why you keep an eye out and a keen focus on what you want, and what's most important, and like a shark, you continue to move and grow as you get clearer on where you want to move and how you want to grow. The person I was at 24 could not have imagined the person I am at 38, and I'm guessing that the woman I am today can't fathom who I'll be in another 10 years. Whoever she is, I hope she's still choosing to do hard things and--to the very best of her ability--having a good time in the process.

It's okay to cry about work. It's okay to cry at work, even though I strongly recommend that you do this huddled in a restroom in privacy because otherwise it gets messy--fairly or otherwise. It's okay and normal to do these things. It's okay and normal to feel like a fucking disaster, to feel--or to in actuality!--be categorically failing. It is okay and normal to hate and love your job, and to love money and hate the work. There is no right way to do this, and the only wrong way is to give up on yourself, or to create a situation where you cannot have the freedom of your choices or your future.

It's also going to get easier with time. Even if you don't feel it, every day you're getting more experienced, more confident, more discerning. Those microscopic, atomic changes in you accrue, and I'm sure if you're honest with yourself you can already identify how even today, you are a stronger, more capable person in your professional context than you may have been just a year or two ago. Even if you don't mean to do it, just the experience, the bruises, the callouses from throwing yourself at the brick wall over time will rewrite the person you are--if you do this with your eyes open and intentionally, all the better.

Five years from now, ten years from now, you might still find yourself crying about work. But hopefully you'll share the good fortune I have been privileged enough to have, and find yourself the type of good friends who say, "don't care during work hours, it's beneath you to give them the satisfaction--cry later," and actually have the wherewithal to follow that extremely correct guidance.

So anyway, it shouldn't be this hard, but it is. The good thing is, you're better and stronger than it is, and you can look forward to the day you get to look over the shoulder at all the worlds you've conquered as you get ready to do it all over again.

💖

[gabrielsbubblegumbitch]

I just wanted to say that I am really envious of the way you write the Vees. As someone who struggles with making characters woobiefying and with characterization in general, I appreciate how you can write these characters perfectly that the show didn’t have time to portray. I didn’t have a specific request, but now I was wondering if you could give me some advice on how to analyze and write a character, even if you have a personal bias towards them?

Awww thank you so much ❤️ I don't have like any degree in literature or anything that would give me credibility in giving writing advice, usually I just go with the flow. But I'll do my best!

Imo the most fundamental thing is the way you think about characters. In fandom spaces, we very often see them as "people we like" - hence all the discourses like in Valentino's case "if you like him it means you are a bad person". I think that woobification is influenced by this cognitive dissonance caused by liking characters that should be unlikeable. For me the way out of it was giving up "characters as people" mindset and changing it for "characters as tools". Bacause that's what they are - tools you use to build your narrative. When I say I love Valentino I don't mean I would shake his hand - I mean he's my favourite toy I can do multiple things with. And it's his flaws that make him so much fun. Because outside of the comedy genre, narrative cannot exist without conflict. The more flaws a character has, the more conflict it causes. That's why villains are such a powerful driving force for stories (here are some great essays about it: 1, 2). Put any character in the room with Val and you have an interesting bit not only because of the usual character differences that could happen between eg. Vaggie and Husk but also because stakes suddenly become high. What will he do? Will he hurt them? We saw what he's capable of. Will he be nice? Man, that's even worse because it means he has his own motive to be nice. What might it be? That's what keeps the audience engaged with your writing. Extra points if you give him some human weaknesses or conflicting desires. When it comes to characterization, nuance is the key. That's why I love VoxVal so much - two characters that are absolutely awful but they are fiercely in love. How could Valentino be capable of simply caring about someone but himself? What kind of human is buried underneath all this evil? So much to unpack here. Nothing I'd like to experience but everything I'd like to see from a safe distance. Consider: would you even like the Vees so much in the beginning if they were just other guests at the hotel? In the show, neither of them has a single redeemable quality. And yet, here we are.

When it comes to writing characteristics it's also important to watch characters from different perspectives - that helps with giving them nuance. Let's take Vox. People seem to like and respect him, he's obviously an influential figure (he has a lot of social power). But from Alastor's perspective, he's just a pathetic little attention-seeking looser (he has a fragile ego and lowe self-esteem). Yet his assistant seemed to be scared shitless while talking to him (he had done things that made people from his closer look aware that he's dangerous). Angel knows he watches his abuse and hangs out with Valentino (at best he's indifferent to other's suffering, at worst he enjoys it). Carmilla doesn't respect him but they are on terms good enough, Vox wants to do business with her (he's a competent business partner). For the rest of Vees he's smart enough to listen to him but at the same time he's their cringefail naurospicy bestie. Add all of those perspectives together and you have yourself a multidimensional character that can interact with other elements of the narrative in vastly different ways. Also, from that point you can build up, asking yourself other questions "What would they think/do/say?".

Also, the last thing: every character needs a clear goal that influences all their decision. Choose it and always keep it in mind. Bonus points: a character has two main goals that are contradictory. When I write Vox he has two goal: power and adoration. He always has to choose which one is more important to him because while he has measures to achieve great power, some things that he would want to do are socially undesirable. In Valentino's case: hedonistic pleasure and immediate gratification vs love for Vox that demands sacrifices and compromises.

So anyway I hope that will be helpful to you <3 And don't be too hard on yourself when it comes to writing, not everything must be Game of Thrones. Especially in fandom spaces, sometimes we all want to indulge in some simple fluff or crack.

[electricprincess96]

anti Talia rant incoming, specifically about the topic of Talia being a abuser. Very all over the place, ignore if you must.

To reiterate what you've said in your "Talia sexually abused Jason" posts, It's so completely a gender thing. They infantilize Talia to such a degree to minimise her actions (and blame her actions on another characters such as Ra's or Bruce) and act like Jason, a literal teenager (who I always though was younger than 17 when he was resurrected), has the agency of a fully grown adult. This is such a dirty tactic because they're basically erasing Jason's victim status and rewriting Talia to be either a victim or a saviour depending on their mood.

Even if ages weren't a problem (even through they are), Talia was his captor and had been isolating him while purposely lying about/omitting important details (Bruce did try to avenge Jason...promise) that would have lead to Jason making radically different decisions and seeing Talia in a different light. There is no way that anyone can. in good faith, say that Jason was fully capable to firstly consent to sleeping with Talia or secondly was on the same level of power that Talia had in their relationship. (and they wonder why they get called rape apologists)

Jason was a vulnerable child and Talia was an abuser who was in a position of power over him who decided to take advantage of him. End of story. Nothing more.

It reminds me of every single last post where Talia is posited as the victim/passive one of any situation (someone tried to act like Bruce slept with her when she was nineteen or something despite the comic they were referencing wasn't canonical since it was released *wink wink* and her being age being revealed to be 150 during the Lazarus Affair which is also non-canonical now due to the Crisis event) and that Bruce held all the power in their relationship ignoring that fact that she: lied to him on multiple occasions, withheld information, played both sides, ignored/overstepped boundaries etc. Or they act like the reason the relationship fell apart was due to Bruce's wrongdoings. Not that Talia would always side with a terrorist organisation that obviously disagreed with Bruce's morals.

Another thing that pisses me off in relation to Brutalia (I know Jason's your favorite guy, but Bruce's mine so a lot of Bruce from here on out) is just how they have no self awareness when posting "cute" moments about them. No the moment between them in No Man's Land wasn't cute, no that moment wasn't cute either. Like the whole marriage between them was creepy. I'm tried of downplaying it to avoid annoyed fans and I'm tried of them being oblivious to it.

She drugged him, kidnapped him, held him on a boat and married him without his consent (all while ignoring his rebukes when he came to). That is Grade A creep behavior. It wasn't cute, romantic or something people should be posted acting like it's a step closer to Brutalia being canon. Are my modern sensibilities strong, yes, (and I absolutely understand that "innocent" things can age badly) but that doesn't mean it wasn't creepy.

Then the whole Bane debacle *slaps face*. I hate it when someone is like "Well, Talia was abused by Bane, meaning that what happened to Bruce/Jason doesn't matter because she'd never do that in the first place cause she's the only victim". (Never mind she abused Bruce before Bane happened) That isn't a point. Anyone, past victim or past abuser, can be abused. There's no rule book dictating how can or cannot abuse.

Something else which is funny to me is that for no other character, except Poison Ivy and Harley, will stans do Simone Biles mental gymnastics for their character. Like I do remember people saying Doctor Light was character assassinated but no one every accused people that mentioned the fact that he was a serial rapist of ableism or hatred of abused characters or something stupid. I never see Slade stans come out of the woodworks to accuse Tara of seducing him or consenting to her abuse. I never see anyone try to educate fandom on the history of Deathstroke to try and act like it was such a horrible thing they made a mercenary who on multiple occasions tried to kill teenagers, forced Tara to be a double agent, abused his kids and Cass (I'm pretty sure) also be a child molester.

Like did people forget that Talia was a part of a eco terrorist organisation that had multiple plans to cull most of the Earth??? What's not clicking? Why is the idea of sexual abuse soo out there for her, it's not her worst crime by a long-shot. It's that fucking meme. Y'all can excuse genocide but you draw the line at rape???

*sigh* sorry for this long-ass brain vomit.

Please rant away, we've all got to at times.

And yeah, Jason may be my main fav in the BatFam but unlike a lot of Jason fans I love Bruce, I hate the bad writing that's circled both Jason and Bruce basically since UTRH (it set up something fantastic... and then Bruce "died" and we got Ginger Jason which... less said about that the better).

As for Jason's age if memory serves me correctly he was 15 when he was properly resurrected and dug out hus grave but closer to 17 when she throws him in the Lazarus Pit cause he spends a close to a year on Gotham Streets(how'd he survive, don't know, comic logic) and at least a year being cared for by Talia before Ra's tells her to stop playing nursemaid. But I could be wrong, regardless he was definitely under 18 and regardless as you point out the power dynamic makes the ages irrelevant anyway, there's no version of this story where he can reasonably consent because he can't reasonably say no. Coupled with the fact she does in fact fill Jason's mind with all this bullshit about how Bruce didn't seem to care enough to avenge him when Bruce thought the Joker was dead after the UN incident and was basically suicide for months after that until Tim came along (and even then, he was never really the same after Jason's death).

Talia is absolutely just as much an abuser of Bruce as she is Jason, I bring Jason up more because he's my fav and also it is a bit more generally known by fans than ALL the shit she did to Bruce throughout the years so it's easier to point to it when trying to articulate my overall issues with Talia.

Like Talia is an abuser of men, and that predates her supposed "character assassination" and has always been a thinly veiled part of her character. On top of all that she is a literal terrorist, and whether they like it or not the very environment that is fostered at the League would result in her always been at the very best a mediocre mother. Now, yes, Ra's is also an abuser, but being a victim of abuse does not allow someone to then become just as abusive. Ra's is not entirely responsible for Talia's actions. She's a grown woman, in many ways more capable than her father, she can say no. Likewise, the Bane shit, as you say, happened after a lot of her abusive behaviour towards Bruce, and still doesn't justify HER abusive actions. Talia can be both a victim and a victimiser.

And yeah, Deathstroke fans will admit they don't like the Tara stuff, they'll often choose to ignore it, but they won't blame the underage girl for it. I don't mind Slade myself, don't love him, don't hate him. His fans are a lot less obnoxious that some others I've met so they don't make me hate him the way some other fans do with their favs.

It really is simple if Talia was a man and Bruce/Jason were women no one would argue it was abuse. And the single worst thing for me is that fans will depict her as some deep love of Bruce's life when I'd argue a lot of his other love interests, not just Selina, are all much better written with more chemistry with Bruce and he doesn't have to be wildly OOC to justify the relationship. OR they'll depict her as a surrogate mother figure for Jason when she literally raped him. Like Jason absolutely needs a surrogate mother figure, one that doesn't take advantage of him, but like... he could go talk to Diana, or Dinah, or Selina, or almost every other female Bruce has ever spoken to because they are all significantly better options than Talia.

[acourtofthought]

Buildup Means Little

Honestly, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter what how much buildup anyone thinks two characters have. It doesn't matter how many moments from two books back you think support your endgame ship.

There is buildup for every single pairing around. Tamlin is STILL in love with Feyre as of SF, that's buildup over the entirety of the series and his only goal has ever been to protect Feyre (leading him to make really shitty decisions) but I don't see anyone shouting that they're going to be endgame.

Hell, Feyre was so inappropriate with Lucien in ACOWAR that for half a second I thought SJM was changing her love interest yet again

SJM has proven that characters can be engaged yet end up with someone else. She has proven that the FMC can call the MMC her "home" yet still end up with someone else. She can have one all but confess her love for the MMC only to turn around and give up her virginity to someone else, sleep with many after that then turn around and end up back with the confession of love guy.

So the events of the past, to a pretty major degree, are not all that matters. All that matters is where we're at now.

And as of SF, SJM went out of her way to show us how extremely similar two female characters are only to then demonstrate how only one is going to be the right one for Az.

"I don't need to be coddled. Only spoken to like a person"

"You do not decide what I can and cannot do, Nesta." / "You can't have it both ways. You cannot resent my decision to lead a small, quiet life while also refusing to do let me do anything greater." / "I am not a child to be fought over."

Gwyn snorted. "Try me"

Nesta looked at her from under lowered brows again. "Get out of my sight."

Gwyn grinned, a broad, bright thing that showed most of her teeth and made her eyes sparkle in a way Nesta knew her own never had. "Oh you're good." Gwyn turned back to the stacks. "Really good."

"Oh, fuck you," Nesta snapped, and then choked.

Elain blinked. Nesta blinked back, horror lurching through her.

And then Elain burst out laughing.

Howling, half-sobbing laughs that sent her bending over at the waist, gasping for breath. Nesta just stared, torn between questions and wanting to throw herself into the icy Sidra. "I - I'm so sorry-"

Elain held up a hand, wiping her eyes with the other. "You've never said such a thing to me!" She laughed again, "I think that's a good sign, isn't it?

Gwyn was probably good at this. Gwyn was good at everything, actually. It didn't irk her, though. For whatever reason, Nesta wanted to crow about her friend to anyone who'd listen.

- She had purpose, and joy, and friends: those two half-wraiths who worked in Rhysand's household. But those things had always come easily to her sister. Had always made Elain special. Had made Nesta fight like hell to keep Elain safe at all costs.

The priestess had been pretty in the library, but with that joy, that confidence as she aimed for the three priestesses, she had emerged into a beauty to rival Merrill or Mor.

Elain had easily been the prettiest of the three of them, and when she'd been turned High Fae, that beauty had been amplified. Nesta couldn't put her finger on what changes had been wrought beyond the pointed ears, but Elain had gone from lovely to devastatingly beautiful. Elain never seemed to realize it.

"Promise me we'll face it together."

Nesta couldn't stop her tears then. The chill wind froze them on her cheeks. "I promise," she breathed, stroking Gwyn's matted hair. "I promise."

Gwyn sobbed, and Nesta let herself sob with her, squeezing her tightly. Letting her stroking hand come to rest of Gwyn's neck.

A pinch in the right spot, exactly on the pressure point Cassian had shown her, and it was done.

Gwyn went down. Unconscious.

forged over common goals: protect Elain

"The first five months I was at the library, I barely spoke. I didn't sing. I went to the priestess who counsels all of us, and sometimes I just sat there and cried, or screamed, or said nothing.

"Weeks, while you wasted away, refusing food and drink. While you appeared to hope you'd just wither and die."

And when Nesta finished, she braced herself for the disappointment in their faces, the disgust.

Gwyn's hand slid into hers, though.

Nesta was wrong, Cassian realized, to think Elain as loyal and loving as a dog. Elain saw every single thing Nesta had done, and understood why.

"Because I don't ever want to feel powerless again," Gwyn said softly.

Elain spoke from the doorway, having appeared so silently that they all twisted toward her, "Using me." / "Find me when you wish to begin". / When Feyre had offered to let her remain home, Elain had squared her shoulders and declared that she was part of this court

"I blame Cassian for this. He's too busy making eyes at Nesta to notice such mistakes these days."

Azriel laughed. "I'll give you that."

"You put them in your ears, and they block any sound. With Nesta and Cassian living there with you..."

He chuckled, unable to suppress the impulse. "No wonder you didn't want me to open it in front of everyone."

Elain's mouth twitched into a smile. "Nesta wouldn't appreciate the joke."

Silver Flames Gwyn and Silver Flames Elain are basically one in the same, they even have innocent hobbies (bracelet making and baking / gardening). . So why then, is there such difference in how SJM wrote Az responding to each?

Her breath curled in front of her mouth, and one of his shadows darted out to dance with it before twirling back to him. Like it heard some silent music. / Could have sworn his shadows sang in answer.

Elain sucked in a soft breath that whispered over his skin. His shadows skittered back at the sound. They'd always been prone to vanish when she was around.

Azriel dipped his head in sketch of a bow, something restless settling in him. Even his shadows had calmed. As if content to lounge on his shoulders and watch.

Wrong - it was so wrong / Until he felt nothing. Was again nothing at all.

He wouldn't go so far as to call Gwyn a friend, but....(statement made after knowing Gwyn for a few months and ONLY through training)

He knew she had no idea that he had done unspeakable things that sullied his hands far beyond their scars.....(statement made after knowing Elain for 2 years and being able to chat with her whenever he wanted).

Something sparked in Azriel's chest, but he only nodded his thanks and left. He could picture it though, as he ascended the stairs back to the House proper. How Gwyn's teal eyes might light upon seeing the necklace. For whatever reason...he could see it.

But Azriel tucked away the thought, consciously erasing the slight smile it brought to his face. Buried the image down deep, where it glowed quietly.

Still waiting on a scene where Az thinks anything about Elain's happiness.........

And this would be the time where the other side loves to throw in the super classy argument of "well Az hasn't wanted to get down on his knees and taste Gwyn" but people.....it's called RESPECT. He knows her past, he's not treating her like a sexual object (really, the only way he looks at Elain considering he said he hasn't planned anything with her beyond his sexual fantasies). Az looked at Mor with hunger and yearning. Tamlin wanted to have sex with Feyre rather than try to help her escape. He also wanted to sleep with her rather than talking through his problems. Focusing on Az lusting over Elain is really not supporting your defense.

"You'd know if she'd died," Azriel said, pausing hsi work and looking up at Cassian. He tapped his brother's chest with a scarred hand. "Right here - you'd know, Cass." / The shadows deepened around Azriel, his Siphons gleaming like cobalt fire. "You - we - trained them well, Cassian. Trust in that. It's all we can do.

"There is an innate darkness to the Dread Trove that Elain should not be exposed to"

People will say that Az responds differently because he loves Elain but if the way Az treats Elain is true love, then I don't want it and I don't think SJM wants it either because his behavior towards Elain reads exactly like Tamlin's towards Feyre. It's way too clear that SJM wrote Az having healthy responses to Gwyn because she is the right person for him. The one he thinks is strong all on her own. The one he believes doesn't need his protection. The one he likes for who she is rather than fixating on her as a sexual object.

Also, if Az loves Elain then why did he sulk for 3 days after Solstice and that was the end of it? Why were there no more glances towards Elain? No longing? Why instead was there admiration and amusement for Gwyn? It's been over two years that Lucien hasn't gotten a fulfilled bond with Elain yet he's still struggling and looking at her with longing.

Az was over it in less than a week!

And not only that (and this is what I mentioned above), for all their similarities, SJM really hammered home the important differences, keeping in mind that Az works from the shadows, talks to the shadows, has an icy rage, can torture using a symphony of pain, likes his space and has his found family in the IC.

Gwyn donned the leathers without thought versus Elain refusing them in ACOWAR. She embraced dagger handling and asked for lessons while Elain "walked away and did not look back". SJM made it known that Gwyn is one of Nesta's people while Nesta calls Elain a dog and Feyre calls her only a pleasant companion. And despite Elain claiming that she's part of the NC, it means something that through Cassian, a completely neutral party when it comes to Elain, thinks how the color black (symbolic for the NC) sucks the life out of her while Gwyn came alive while training to become a Valkyrie. Gwyn embraces the night, choosing to stay up late to train, while we know Elain wants sunshine. Gwyn feels most comfortable in the safety of the library, a place full of shadows and away from the bustle of crowds whereas Elain is happiest by sunny windows, watching the liveliness of the city and at balls and parties. Gwyn witnessed Az slaughter an entire group in front of her and plotted / led the beasts to attack the Illyrians while cruelty bothers Elain.

How can buildup (which doesn't actually exist to the level some believe it does) possibly compare to all the new information we've been presented in the most recent book of the series?

[oldworldpoolhall]

HI OMGOGMGOGMGKGJGKGFG SORRY TO REQUEST AND BOTHER BUT. CAN YOU DO. LIPPMANN HCS.. I KNOW THAT'S VAGUE SO YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT WITH IT IM JUST. I NNNEEED LIPPMANN CONTNENT PSLFJFFJ TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF REMEMBER TO HYDRATE

Worry not! My requests are open, you can send me asks whenever you like ❤️

Thank you for your continued patronage.

Lippmann headcanons

•Lippmann’s very courteous and usually initially watches how he acts towards you, wanting to gain a good impression you can associate him with.

•He’s not doing this because he wants to deceive you— quite the opposite actually. He wants you to trust him, to make you see that he’s actually someone you can rely on despite the nature of his job that normally deceives people.

•Lippmann is good at catering to what you may want, though sometimes it may come off as excessive. If you don’t set proper boundaries, the light affection of giving gifts may turn overwhelming after some time.

•He would love it whenever you give something to him in return, it could be food you made, or maybe a handmade bracelet he would wear all day everyday once he gets it from you. Chuuya would complain about how annoying Lippmann is about it at some point, but the latter wouldn’t really be too concerned— he sings you praises behind your back.

•If you’re not a member of the mafia and knows what he’s actually doing instead of seeing just the facade he puts on for the public but refuse to turn him away or judge him, his love for you would increase tenfold. It would mean a lot to him for you to understand and still love him despite that, he’d understand too if you’re afraid. Don’t worry though, rest assured he won’t turn a blind eye to you if you’re in trouble.

•He’s surprisingly a bit shy when showing romantic gestures to you; he’s no stranger to hand holding, it puts him in a serene mood, something considerably less hectic than his lifestyle both as an actor and a mafioso.

•He’d teach you how to play billiards, he’s a gentle teacher, so you’ll be fine most games. He lets you win too— it’s a little thing that you two can bond over with together.

•He flirts lightly when teaching you too, and sometimes you both will become a subject of teasing by the other members of the flags because of this. They mean well and he knows this, and this often results in banter that everyone will laugh about for a week.

•He’s very reassuring in giving you compliments, it could be the little things really, maybe your hobby, maybe your hair, maybe the way you speak or your eyes. He’s very smooth about it, seamless in delivery.

•Lippmann would kiss you under the light of a lamp post either at dusk or very early in the morning before he departs from you for a job. He covers your kiss away from the eyes of others with the small book he often carries with him, the kiss being sweet and brief, before he gives you a beautiful smile and looks at you with adoration and then leaving.

•When you’re sad, he will let you talk it out while hugging you. As a negotiator, he’s a very good listener and remembers almost every single detail that you told him— he thinks it’s important, a good way to know more about you and he feels that you spilling your sadness for his ears to hear has a degree of intimacy to it. He takes it as you trusting him with your feelings. He’s more than happy to keep your secrets.

•On a bit of a darker note, much like Iceman he’s willing to resort to violence for you if he needs to. He’d usually try to settle it with a talk first, but sometimes, words aren’t needed because actions deliver a better message. He isn’t afraid to get dirty— he can always buy another coat if the one he’s wearing cannot be thoroughly cleaned. What’s more important is you. No money or a piece of clothing would be equal to you, and he will make sure you know that.

[fullmetal-scar-simping]

You know this isn't even going to be a deep and thoughtful ask like all the previous asks, but I just need to chime in and say that every time I think about mangahood Ishval, I just know that shortly after the end of the manga there will be an Ishvalan War of Independence type event.

Like to me that was the only I could reconcile the ending of the manga/09 anime; and while fmab is the Elric Brothers' story (well really it's actually Ed's story and Al is also there because we all saw 03 and know what the real Elric Brothers' story looks like), my mind keeps straying towards Ishval and I just have this gut feeling that there will be another war because I cannot see a future where Ishval will ever be fully incorporated into Amestris without More Violence. They really are so ethnically, religiously, and surely even linguistically different + the painful history between them that a true union will never be possible

And Miles/Scar shippers this is when we rise up and pray that Mr Copaganda's third eye opens🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Also I'm SO sorry because I know you're an 03 enjoyer and consequently think less about the political landscape in 09's Amestris (good for you btw; I am not happy being stuck here and honestly desperately need to rewatch 03), but it genuinely baffles me how people fail to make a connection with Amestris' fifty billion border conflicts + Ishval = Amestris' is the local Imperialist

Speaking as a Briggs enjoyer, I just have to sit there and shut my eyes when they talk about how it's sooo important to stand strong against Drachma because every evidence points to Amestris being the instigator fhsjhdjd

Add to that Amestris' border wars with Aerugo (who supplies Ishval with weapons for seven years as a means of conducting a proxy war) and their skirmishes with Creta and the outright genocide they committed in Ishval and the only conclusion I can draw from this is that Amestris is at fault every single time, which makes it very difficult to sympathise with sad war criminals when they serve a country that's harassing no less than four nations😭😭😭

I love Scar's brother, I do, but his whack optimism in the face of annexation and imperialism is exactly why you can't just study STEM without at least taking a few classes in world history and ethics dhsndhns

Scar meanwhile was the star student in AP Religious Studies, and one can only assume history as well based on clergymen's traditional role as record-keepers, and that's why he was able to correctly assess his people's situation and went after state alchemists - Amestris may have denied him the chance to get a Master's degree in theology, but they'll never take away his critical thinking skills and Bachelor's in History😤

(They didn't have to because Arakawa did that for them😭😭😭 I literally just ignore the second half of his arc in mangahood and just world-building Ishval in my head as a form of copium because nobody else in this fandom will provide😔 I've actually seen more people draw half-Ishvalan Elric Brothers to avoid handling full Ishvalan Scar the way he is presented at the start of the series😑)

Anyway, I do apologise for rambling!!!! And thank you again for all your thoughtful responses to my asks🙏🏻

Ramble away my friend! I'm no better at restraining myself lol. Sorry for the wait in replying to yet another excellent ask tho. 🙇‍♂️

The political landscape in mangahood is a major reason why I don't fuck with this side of the series. (Not the only reason, but a damn big one.) That being said, it's fun to actually dissect it and mull things over with folks who can actually look at mangahood with a truly critical eye. So no worries, no worries, I'm enjoying this ask!

--

An Ishval War of Independence is damn near inevitable, agreed. The ending for Ishval is just straight-up terrible, but like so many aspects of mangahood's epilogue it's sold as if it's a satisfying conclusion to such a weighty issue. The Amestrian military being fully invested in rebuilding Ishval should have sent alarm bells off in everyone's heads, but no no, the military is its own protagonist and we ought to see this as a character making reparations. It's totally not a soft-takeover of Ishval and total colonization if the heads of this project are a pair of Ishvalans, right? /s

There's no way that the state overreach, the acquisition of wealth generated in the rebuild that siphons to the military itself (let alone investments made on a burgeoning economy they're set to rig), and the establishment of the rule of law that will certainly carry Amestrian standards and codes won't tip off returning Ishvalans that this is just another form of occupation. If autonomous Ishvalan councils or looser associations of Ishvalans outright reject the military's aid or presence, what do we realistically think will happen from there? Having a pair of tokenized countrymen doesn't smooth over tensions as well as imperial-colonial forces often think it does. And there's no way Amestris just up and leaves on command of the people it's imposing itself onto.

Ishval should have been released from Amestris' grasp entirely. Funds and resources could have been sent in as part of a reconciliatory effort sans military/state presence, so that the Ishvalans have what they need to rebuild at their own behest. Amestris should have no say or active participation whatsoever.

And it will never not be completely out of character for Scar to agree to act as a liaison between the Amestrian military and the Ishvalans. That shit makes no damn sense. He already did too much for Amestris, all so that the same core (human) imperial governance can remain. (Amestris certainly wasn't ending any other occupations or breaking apart as an entity to allow autonomy of the lands it coalesced into one over its ~400 years of development.)

I like to think that it would take one moment for Scar to snap out of his bootlicker phase, and it would be finally witnessing a fully sighted-Mustang. He would just have to ask Marcoh, whom I have no doubt would stupidly and callously reveal how the future leader was healed. And he'd go rogue once more, though I would imagine with greater tact and in coalition with a rising Ishvalan liberation front. He could feign his continued obeisance to Amestris, act as diplomat, and feed that intelligence back to Ishvalan networks.

Something will break the faux peace eventually, such as actions that are seemingly sporadic rising in frequency against the state. Miles would either catch on by his own observations or be given the opportunity to finally align with his people. As much as I see him attempting to report back to the Armstrongs (since he's much too loyal to them, plus they're definitely a benefactor of this military rebuild; their lineage's wealth derives from a military nobility and philanthropy is no less colonial and financially sound). But I leave it to you Miles/Scar shippers to sort that man out how y'all see fit. 🫡 May the power of back blowouts cleanse the nationalism from his heart

"[B]ut it genuinely baffles me how people fail to make a connection with Amestris' fifty billion border conflicts + Ishval = Amestris is the local imperialist," it's incredible, isn't it? We're even discouraged from making the extremely obvious connection in canon. The show will literally reveal the creation of Amestris from a tiny central point that slowly radiated outwards into its present circular formation and no one sits there thinking "Hold up. How did we accrue all of this land? Who were the people living here before becoming amalgamated into the burgeoning quadrants of this nation? How many Ishvals did it take to make our 'glorious' country?" The characters don't think it and neither do the fans lol. I recall Ed early on musing how bloody conflicts have been consistent since Bradley came into power and like. I can see a lull in war campaigns and skirmishes while the state and Father were grooming new viable candidates for the Wrath stone, but really Ed? Do you think this is a disturbing new phenomenon in Amestris' sordid history? Really?

Amestris' major neighbours do make me wonder though. Given their geographic sizes, I have my doubts that they aren't any less imperialist. (Given how this region of the world is broadly Europe-inspired, and much of Europe is a collection of colonial-imperial forces.) Drachma especially, given its enormity. Which isn't to say that Amestris would be any less antagonistic towards them and wouldn't expand its borders into Drachma territory if Father et al thought it useful. Of course expansionism would need to be roughly radial as its always been, so that necessitates further incursions into Aerugo, Creta, and the seeming no man's land that is the entire desert to the East. (Would Xing see such a land grab as a power play in their direction? Perhaps.)

Even without attempting to swallow hunks of land and people from Drachma, Creta, and Aerugo, continually agitating them for those blood seals is part of the game. So yeah, Amestris is the core instigator in so much bloodshed that leaving it mostly intact and with a change in military governance doesn't bode well for anyone. Let alone feeling any sympathy for soldiers and war criminals in the Amestrian military for willingly getting involved. Again, the Ishvalans and all other occupied peoples will quickly catch-on to this false start to a "better, reformed" nation.

People can say what they will about the Sacred Star of Milos, but I did like its portrayal of both Amestris and Creta vying for Milosian land, and how both imperial powers shunt the Indigenous peoples into the bottom of the canyons that make up the land. It hints that no, imperialism does not stem from homunculi usurping the rule of a nation (can't usurp what a homunculus created to begin with, but mangahood seems to forget this key fact). Human beings create societal systems that are the bedrock for empire building. Creta, Aerugo, Drachma, hell Xing aren't massive nations run by homunculi who want to become gods. They're governed by people who wish to maintain and expand their own power. Aerugo waging proxy wars with Amestris by supplying the Ishvalans with weaponry while denying Ishvalans escaping the massacre refuge shows that Amestris isn't the only bastard empire who use entire peoples like disposable pawns.

But I digress. Certainly hearing Olivier bloviate about the significance of Briggs to protect Amestris is yawn-inducing. Just a nationalist from a wealthy military family who sees Amestrian power and aggression as a proud way of life. No doubt the Briggs platoon sees Drachma as an evil invader without any self-awareness. Even if it's imperial nation vs imperial nation, I'm not shedding tears for the Amestrian side lol (and both can burn lolol)

Oh Scar Bro, why did they make you a bastion of bizarrely positive vibes while gunfire, fire, and bombs rained down on your long occupied people? "Whack positivity" lmfao real, real. I get different people handle atrocities in their own ways, but ???? Guess having cracked the code on why Amestris is arranged the way it was, and having developed the insignias for wielding alchemy that is in-tune with the planet's energy made him extra jazzed that everyone could be free.

Still comes across as a metatextual rebuttal to Scar's pain and fury.

(I like Scar Bro too, rest assured.)

That's a good point regarding Scar's academic/clergical background. He would no doubt be an excellent student/bearer of knowledge, likely learned in numerous subjects given his years of monkhood. When not training his fighting skills or body, he had to have been studying not only Ishvalan theology but the culture, its history, politics, and the natural sciences. His background in the clergy would make him quite the asset for restoring lost documents, life ways, knowledge, and passing down these lessons to future generations. He'd absolutely lend himself to the more back-breaking labour too, because this man would work himself to the bone for others.

Amestris may have denied him the chance to get a Master's degree in theology, but they'll never take away his critical thinking skills and Bachelor's in History😤

(They didn't have to because Arakawa did that for them😭😭😭

hsgvskehdhxbdndkslmfaooooo 💀💀💀 Yeah, I uh. I too wanna ignore what Arakawa and friends do with mangahood Scar's arc because that shit suckssssssssss. Our babygirl is too smart to cowtow to so much pro-Amestris nonsense. Love your tactic of focusing instead on world building Ishval, especially without centering the goddamned Elrics in all of it. I really find that drive to side-step the racism and racial privilege they have in canon by making them mixed Ishvalan just so distasteful. They won't address especially Ed's canon racism but they'll pretend like he too suffers like the Ishvalans in their fanworks. Making some Ishvalan ocs would be preferable, if focusing on Scar and other canon Ishvalans is apparently too high an ask for these fans. 🙄

(Have you seen some folks theorize Riza to have some distant Ishvalan heritage, just because her eyes are a bit ruddy in colour? Sounds like another attempt at imbuing the pain of an ethnic minority into the racial majority characters without actually engaging with these topics whatsoever. Also reeks of "How juicy would it be if the genocider was genociding their own people," which is 😒)

Anyway, Scar would absolutely turncoat on Amestris and aid in Ishvalan liberation, but this time fully embraced by his people and without having to be the sole bearer of direct violence too.