#confront your prejudices or die I’m serious

[what-the-fuck-khr]

hot take most writers on AO3 who write reader inserts with Tengen omit the wives bc they’re actually too scared and/or prejudiced against polyamory and they don’t want to admit it or come to terms with it. most fics that omit his wives talk a big game about consent and how they don’t like the idea of him “cheating” or introducing a new wife (cowards, my god just admit you’re too lazy to write a scene where you get introduced lmfao) or all this other bullshit and it’s all to thinly veil their feelings about polyamory as a whole. but I see through it. I see through that veil and I know how y’all truly feel and what y’all truly think. you can lie to yourself in your little authors note and tags as much as you want but I see through it. maybe readers will coddle you but I know. I know.

[aprilsrant]

Happiness.

Harry Potter x Slytherin!Fem!Reader.

Word Count: 1.3k

Warnings: mentions of the war, mentions of death/dying (promise nothing too serious), kind of angsty but fluff in the end. Enemies to lovers (kind of). Loosely based on the song Compass by The Neighbourhood.

A/N: This is a gift for my amazing girl Val, @minty-malfoy, I hope you can enjoy this fic, it was really fun to write. Happy Holidays to everyone reading this and to all of my followers, I love and appreciate all of you so much!

English is not my first language. Pictures are not mine. Open for more quality.

“I'm lucky you've been keeping me around

You're the star I look for every night

When it's dark, you'll stick right by my side.”

                                      Compass, The Neighbourhood.

Harry had never been one to believe in luck or chances, but there was no denying that ever since he was born, his entire destiny had been written in stone by someone who wanted nothing more than to destroy him; there was no denying that it felt like years of bad luck and a curse strong enough to affect everyone around him had been placed on his shoulders even before he could walk. 

After years of fighting Voldemort and his followers, Harry had the tendency of thinking that the norms of normality didn’t apply to him. Every new term at Hogwarts meant a new danger, threatening his life, his friends and the rest of the Wizarding Community that wasn’t part of the elite group of blood supremacists. 

Therefore, finding someone never did the top of his list when the number one was surviving through it all. Finding someone meant, at least to him, a glimpse of ordinariness and a sense of home, things that he never remembered of experiencing outside of Hogwarts and the Burrow. That being said, not under any circumstances Harry had believed encountering her would have been possible. 

(Y/N) was someone he had ignored and bound in a cage of old prejudice because of an ancient — and unhealthy — rivalry, one started centuries before they set foot on the castle. Their relationship wasn’t one for the romance movies the Muggles loved, those where the protagonists fall in love the moment they see each other. Instead, Harry and (Y/N) loathed the other ever since the first Potion class in their sixth year. 

For a Slytherin, dreams and ambitions are what you hold closely to your heart and anyone trying to defy them, or achieve them first, is waving a battle flag right in front of you, too loud to dismiss — or perhaps, the receiver of the message is too proud to ignore —. For (Y/N), seeing Harry Potter get all of Slughorn’s attention and praise when she had been the best on the subject for the last five years, was a slap in the face interpreted as a sign to unleash the rabid dogs of war.

If anyone had told Harry that he would grow to love her, to adore every piece of her, he would have laughed while claiming the person was mental. But, what was once a feud quickly transformed into a weird, unpredictable friendship. After that, it was only a matter of time for feelings to blossom.

Neither of them wanted to admit it, but deep inside of their chests and hearts, both knew that the sweaty hands, the longing stares, the intimacy of their jokes and the tenderness of their touch wasn’t the part of the play that friends acted.

It was then that the idea of bad luck and cursed for life appeared on his head again. How could he be so selfish to let her into his life when a real war was coming for him and for everyone who dared to choose his side? How could he pretend that the claws of death weren’t reaching for him, that his life didn’t depend on the shaky and ancient hands holding the scissors? Harry knew pulling Hermione and Ron, and his whole family, into the mess was already bad enough, but doing it to the girl who had become an unexpected beacon of light would make him even more guilty. It wasn’t fair that he had to worry about whether being with her or not would endanger her life, but Harry hadn’t been born for normality.

“Why are you ignoring me?” Harry heard her voice from behind him, strong but trying to cover the anger and hurt. It was only the two of them in the corridor since most of the other students were still in class or using their free period to study. The distance separating them gave the sensation of facing an endless ocean, one you could never cross. “Did I do or say something upsetting? Is it because of your friends? I know Ron doesn’t particularly like me but I promise I’m trying.”

“It’s not that and I’m not ignoring you,” Harry responded shortly, not stopping his walk or daring to glance back at her, afraid of giving in with only seeing the expression plastered in her face. The cold words escaping from his mouth and his attitude, rising the fire in the pit of her stomach.

“What do you mean you are not ignoring me, Harry?,” she scoffed while the pace of her footsteps increased to chase after the boy,  “you can’t even look me in the eye and say it to my face.”

“I’m answering your questions, am I not? In what way is this ignoring you then?” (Y/N) had admired Harry’s tendencies to sarcasm or ironic responses ever since they became friends — and perhaps even before ��, but now she wanted to slap him for acting so unfaced.

“Well, I don’t know, maybe because one day you look like you’re finally about to ask me on a date but the next one, you avoid me as if I were sick!”

Harry’s steps faltered, his chest tightened at the thought of (Y/N) reciprocating his feelings.

“Please, just tell me what I did wrong so I can fix it,” she whispered, putting herself in front of the boy.

“You did nothing wrong.”

“Then why are you acting like this? Is it because I’m a Slytherin?,” (Y/N) insisted. Now, Harry could see the ache and a hungry desperation in her eyes to know the answers, only there because of him. “Just don’t leave me, I- I can’t bear it. We can go back to hating each other if it makes it easier, but don’t do this, don’t leave me like this.”

“I don’t hate you, (Y/N), but I can’t give you what you want,” Harry said watching as her hands took hold of his owns, making his heart skipped a beat, “I’m not someone that can live a normal life, not with Voldemort threatening me and everyone I’m close with.” Harry didn’t miss her efforts to not flinch at the mention of the Dark Lord.

One of her hands travelled all the way up to his right cheek, the feeling of Harry’s skin and the way the boy had leaned into the touch of her fingers, forgetting for just a second all the worries plaguing his mind, had (Y/N)’s stomach almost bursting. 

“I don’t want nor need a normal life, Harry. I want you, I couldn’t care less about the rest,” she confessed.

“But I care! I care about what’s going to happen to you!,” He yelled (?), “you can get hurt, you can die, (Y/N)!”

“And so can you! Let me remind you, you’ve been there a couple of times now, Harry.” She was glad of choosing the empty corridor to confront him, not having to endure the hushed whispers and the stares, pointing at her as if she wouldn’t notice. “If there’s a war coming then I prefer to spend this few minutes of peace with you.”

“But if you-”

“And if I die, then I got to be with you in the end,” (Y/N) interrupted him, “I’m not afraid of dying, Harry, but I would love to live a little before doing so.”

He closed his eyes, releasing a shaky breath before embracing her figure and resting his head against her shoulders, smelling the signature and familiar fragrance of her perfume. A small smile appeared on (Y/N)’s face while she let herself enjoy the feeling of being in his arms, guarded from the evils outside the castle and loved by the boy she once used to loathe.

“We all deserve some happiness, and maybe even a tad of normalcy, Harry,” she whispered in his ear before looking at his green eyes and closing the distance between their lips.

Taglist: @vivianweasley @feetoffthetablee @gcdric @shadowsinger11 @thisismynerdyself @cappsikle @idont-knowrn @theweasleysredhair @aesthetically-hailey @slytherinsunrise @bannerbubble @lilac-wrists @storyisnotover

[anarmorofwords]

I kinda wanna write a better version of tlh where Tatiana is still insane but there's no Belial bc that makes zero sense to me

In this version there would be:

Kamanna done correctly with actual genderqueer rep and not toxic relationships

Barbra and Oliver bc fight me she didn't die

Genie and Filomena bc I love them and all the lightwoods are queer

The gracelet doesn't even happen bc I refuse to write that

Grace is pretty much still the same but she breaks off their(hers and james') relationship bc she notices that he loves Cordelia

No bad James. He's not a shitty person to Alastair, and he doesn't treat Cordelia like a sex object

Anna puts a stop to Kellington and Matthew's relationship before it gets serious. She also tries to get him to stop drinking all the time

Alastair apologizes around seeing them again for the first time. The merry thieves are a little reluctant because of some of the things he did but they don't actively try to keep him away from events that they're at

Matthew notices how Alastair looks at Thomas and locks them in the sanctuary with Genie and Cordelia's help

Grace gets badly injured due to a mistake in necromancy and Christopher helps her treat it without letting people know

Lucie meets Jesse, and falls in love ofc, so in order to bring him back successfully she asks Malcolm to train her in using her magic

Matthew opens up to his mom about the incident. She doesn't blame him at all and instead apologizes for often putting her work before him

Matthew finds out about Charles and Alastair because he found Alastairxs break up letter to Charles

Matthew, the mother hen he is, decided to attempt to murder his older brother, only being stopped by James who had been there at the right time

Kamala ends things with Charles and tells Anna that she still loves them and hopes that she will give her another chance

Anna told her that they needed time to think, and that she is worried how Kamala's reputation will be affected if anyone besides their friends and Anna's family finds out

Kamala respects her decision and doesn't contact her until Anna's ready to talk about things

The merry thieves don't ignore Christopher and they actively listen and help him

The merry thieves also aren't terrible to Grace bc they realize she's been isolated alone with Tatiana and 1) she might not understand what's saying/doing is wrong or 2) that sometimes she's trying to push them away so her abilities don't accidentally make them do something

Good tid parents

James and Alastair being respectful to each other despite personal differences

Matthew, Alastair, Kamala, Christopher, and Grace being besties, or as I call them, the neglected squad

No fetishizing mlm/wlw

Domestic cuddles and taking care of the other one when they're sick

Jesse/Lucie/Matthew pairing bc I love them and I refuse to pick between lucie/matthew and lucie/jesse

Christopher teaching Grace the elements(at the time) on the periodic table

Tatiana dies at the end yay

It's very unpolished and I'm open to b hearing any feedback and/or suggestions that anyone may have

The idea came to me and I decided it would be best if I told someone before I forgot

hi, I'm sorry it took so long,but I wanted to properly answer this and I keep having either internet connection issues or little time

DON'T BE SHY, WRITE THIS 👀

In all seriousness tho... THIS IS ABSOLUTE PERFECTION?!? I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START I AM UTTERLY IN LOVE WITH THIS IDEA, I NEED IT

Look, I've been on the verge of rewriting ChoI, and I keep saying I want someone to write a TLH that will live up to its potential, but I've never actually came up with a proper idea for it, and you?!! YOUR BRAIN DARLING THIS IS GENIUS

ok hold up I'll just react to each and every single one so

yes please?!? I mean it started off so sweet in EEV?! Also actually genderqueer Anna and not dancing around the subject like CC is doing now?! That's what they deserve, and that's what we all deserve too

yesss please. also just,,,, Barbara, the feminine, not-wanting-to-fight-which-doesnt-make-her-less-badass queen that she is, getting the page space and appreciation she deserves

that's actually brilliant?!? it would be so great, just imagine the new girl arrives for her travel year and Genie is completely awestruck. I'm so invested in Joshwood it's difficult to imagine not having them, but this is actually the only valid alternative?!

ok that's fine. I think it could still happen and be done well, but tbh for now... the gracelet doesn't seem to have done anything relevant to the plot itself? I mean yeah it messed up James's life and Jordelia, but what did it give Belial? Tatiana? nothing. It makes no sense atm.

could be! maybe she's still encouraged by Tatiana to befriend/seduce him, but without the gracelet it doesn't work out? or maybe James somehow manages to realize that she's in danger and he actually like,,,, kidnaps her? idk idk

yes. YES. just,,,,z James is a sweet compassionate literature nerd who accidentally makes a good leader and he actually cares about people, and not just judges them from his high horse; he does still have hero syndrome, but he's kind and respectful and overall a good character

ANNA INTERVENES ABOUT KELLINGTON PLZ. PEOPLE ACTUALLY NOTICE MATTHEW'S STRUGGLES. JAMES DOES, TOO, BECAUSE THERE'S NO GRACELET.

ok yes, so what about: basically TMT don't harass Alastair and accept his apology, and realize they were also being stupid and mean at times at the Academy (especially Math). Matthew doesn't want to accept Alastair's apology, because of The Sin, but his behaviour alerts the rest of TMT and they inquire what's wrong and he tells them about the sin and that's how he later tells his parents (because his friends encourage him) and as you say, she just hugs him and reassures him it's not his fault; so after that Matthew slowly begins to heal and accepts it wasn't Alastair's fault, and also since they've kind of adopted/started including Alastair in things, he can't help but notice he's actually changed and he even starts to grow fond of him

then like you said, Matthew notices Thomas likes Alastair PLEASE HE SO WOULD. I'm not sure about the Sanctuary, if it actually happens (I'll get to why later on), but him and Lucie get really invested in the matchmaking schemes, they include Genie/Kamala because these two are friends with Alastair (both? Or at this point only Kamala?) but they also share some Moments during their scheming/talking about love 👀 (yes I'm a Fairdale shipper, I think it's time to expose myself lol)

Which leads me to (sorry I'm going off order rn) YES YES YES LUCIE AND MATH PLEASE. A FELLOW SHIPPER, HELLO, NICE TO MEET YOU. But since we're actually fixing him then we can give Jesse a personality and I'm totally down for poly Math/Lucie/Jesse

Lucie seeking Malcolm's help in secret, morally gray heroine style?!? no, it's probably not legal. but also has there ever been a Shadowhunter like her? If the Law doesn't expect such situations, it can't really forbid them...

Plz Matthew ready to strangle the carrot when he learns about their relationship, YES. sure, maybe he's still not the biggest fan of Alastair, but he's seen how much the boy's been through and starts to develop an attachment to him, and besides, NO ONE DESERVES TO BE GROOMED AND TREATED LIKE THAT. He's SO MAD at Charles, and he confronts him about it - remembering Kellington as he does, and it makes him sick to think his brother would do the same thing to someone. Maybe he gets very emotional over this and later finally tells his friends about Kellington? Maybe they didn't know before, only Anna did? So when they all realize what was happening then they comfort him etc? Or maybe it's just Alastair that learns now, and the others knew before, and they share a bonding moment over that?

Injured Grace seeking Kit's help is a genius idea I didn't know I needed

Kamanna giving each other time and space and deciding they need to question their relationship and figure out if it actually makes sense would be great. Anna realising she's very privileged and Kamala doesn't have those same opportunities, and also in general realising coming out should never be pressured or forced. Just,,,, Anna being self-aware and respectful towards Kamala. Well-written Anna. Plz. Also Kamanna is actually developed and not just "in love" because,,,,, they're attracted to each other? Maybe even remaining friends while Anna makes up their mind?

yeah just TMT being more compassionate and less judgy because they're not written by Judith so her bias isn't projected onto them

It's not a want, it's a need. They adopt Alastair and Grace eventually. Like, maybe not literally - although, Grace? - but you know what I mean.

I think they all should just have various friendship dynamics and switch between them, because people need more than one friend group

no fetishizing, no watching your brother make out with his lover, yessss

yes domestic cuddles, affection, taking care of wounds, all those things. plz.

Gracetopher bonding over science yes

obviously. or maybe she's imprisoned?!

ok, now for some more notes/my ideas etc., if you don't mind:

I actually think Belial could still be featured? After all, I don't think Tatiana could do much on her own, and since she seeks help from demons, it makes sense to include a Greater Demon as well. But Belial would have to be a stronger villain, written better; I'll think more about this

if that was the case, the serial killer plot could still happen, but be done better. and it would allow for a scenario I talked about with @littlx-songbxrd to happen, where it's Alastair who's falsely accused of murder. It creates a great opportunity to explore some things, because we know Alastair is much more likely to be seriously suspected, considering all the prejudices and bad rep his family has and all that

...what do you say to well-written Jordelia? 👀 Cordelia hasn't been obsessively in love with James since childhood, she only had a crush then. And now that they meet again, she's fond of him but not in love, not straight away. They're both grown up, and different people, but as they spend more and more time together, they fall in love. What if Cordelia gets to flirt with some other boys first? What then. What if she ends up choosing James, instead of going for the only boy she's ever had feelings for and idealized since childhood. What if we even make it friends-to-lovers and have James be a little jealous at some point?! but not in a possessive awful way, just "oh damn oh no"

Now I won't know peace until this exists BUT THANK YOU

[thebibliomancer]

Dark Crystal Age of Resistance Tactics liveblog pt 12

I finish up the rest of the Vapra Clan missions.

Things go pretty smoothly without much to say because of all the training last time.

Seladon doesn’t even have the common courtesy to show up as I topple her government but then she has show plot places to be and people to meet.

So its a short post. But on the plus side.... uh... On the plus side, the next one will be longer as I try to do all the Sifa missions in one go?

As a reminder, the context behind these missions is that Seladon has been having her paladins arrest any Vapran with anti-Skeksis sentiments. Rian and co are here to bust out the resistance to join the age of resistance. And also to beat up every one of Seladon’s paladins. Also, the house sitter she got to watch the palace while she’s gone.

Mission: Breaching Security - Citadel Halls

"Seladon has imprisoned the Vapra resistance! The heroes must storm the Citadel to free them."

Since the Vapra clan is already behind me, might as well finish embarrassing Seladon.

Well this is an interestingly shaped level. Since its about storm a citadel, there's a big wall between the enemies and my party and I have to climb the convenient stone steps to charge in through the convenient windows.

Huh! Wait! I wonder whether siege warfare was different in Gelfling history, what with the half the population can fly thing. Or maybe the Gelfling never had full on siege warfare like that because the Skeksis have run the show for so long. The prejudices between clans seem more vaguely racist than will go to war to take their stuff.

Party: Hup, Wukki, Deet, Rek'yr, and Kylan.

The theme is 'lets pretend that this is what the other half of the party was up to while I was beating up SkekVar.' Until I lose, in which case I'll throw my strongest characters at the problem.

So this level is 'on the way to rescue the prisoners' because the prisoners aren't actually here. That's kind of a theme with Dark Crystal Age of Resistance Tactics. You have an objective but then you do a mission on the way to the objective to make things feel less abrupt.

Things went simply enough. Lost the doggo and Deet. Alas.

But even so Deet learned Thorns, Rek'yr learned Reckless Blow, Breg learned Eye Shot, and Hup leveled and didn't learn anything.

---

Mission: The Cells - Citadel Dungeons

"The heroes must release the imprisoned Vapra and lead them to safety."

So I hit the lever to open the gate which spawns two prisoners and some more guards. Now I just gotta defeat all enemies without letting any of the prisoners die.

And I somehow manage it, even though one of the spawned enemies does nothing but take potshots at one of the prisoners.

AND THEN THE PRISONER TELLS ME TO TAKE DOWN SELADON'S PALADINS WHO ARE ARRESTING DISSIDENTS

Rek'yr leveled up and finally has Paladin available as a job. I'm sticking him right in there. Wukki learns Encouraging Yap. Brea and Rian level up without learning anything. A lot of that going on lately.

Anyway, lets overthrow Seladon.

---

Mission: Zealot's Rebuke - Citadel Balcony

"The heroes seek to free the Vapra from the misguided Skeksis loyalists. They must confront Seladon's remaining loyal Paldins."

This is feeling awfully like a purge. Good thing we're just knocking people out.

Looking at the level names, we go from the Citadel Halls to the Citadel Dungeons to the Citadel Balcony. It has a nice sense of progression for how we’re rampaging throughout the citadel.

Wow, in addition to the Paladins, there's also the Palace Steward who is a Song Teller. He's lvl 27!

Party: Rian, Gurjin, Naia, Brea, and Rek'yr.

This is my serious face.

Rian: "Paladins, the Skeksis have you deceived! Your prisoners have been freed. Stop this madness!"

Palace Steward: "Seladon warned us about you! You will pay for your heresy!"

Dammit, Seladon!

Seladon's paladins’ fatal flaw is that Naia is also a paladin and she's cooler than they are. She's wearing a ring stolen off the very Chamberlain's finger.

Things went very smoothly compared to the last several missions. I ganged up on each paladin and knocked them out and then worked my way over to the Steward.

I sure kicked the crap out of those Vapra.

Rian: "Pitting Gelfing against Gelfling... This is what the Skeksis want."

We wouldn't have a game if we didn't do that, Rian!

So everyone levels but only Rian learns a thing, Awaken. Also: got the Paladin's Polearm. I don't know why I get new spears faster than new swords but this is probably going right on Naia.

Ok, so the Paladin's Polearm has the same stats as the Sturdy Halberd I decided not to put on Naia earlier but the Polearm also has a 30% chance to inflict Wound. And Naia is a paladin and deserves nice things. So this is going right on Naia.

And that finishes the Vapra missions. I destabilized Seladon and the Skeksis' influence in the Vapra clan and got them to join the resistance. A good day’s work.

[persephonesfill]

My OCs: TYatD

@anarchscry you asked for this very long post so you’ve made your bed, now lay in it. (jk jk i love you)

Osanna Gaza, 17 (on the verge of 18), She, Her, Hers. Osanna is the eldest child of Ivon Gaza (who is a fucking BITCH) and Adelina Gaza (who has never done anything wrong in her life ever). Osanna is the princess of Astoria (one of the kingdoms I created) but she’s not the heir to the throne since Astoria doesn’t practice equal primogeniture. She’s not bitter at all. Really. She has long golden blonde hair, dark blue eyes, tall, lithe stature and fair skin that tans easily (yes that’s relevant to the plot). Osanna is prone to bouts of jealousy and pettiness, especially when she doesn’t get her way. She’s headstrong and as stubborn as an ox, much to her father’s chagrin. It’s a struggle for him to get his daughter to do anything he wants. She isn’t all bad though. Osanna would do anything for her family, especially for her youngest brother, Eden, and isn’t one to balk at confrontation. Osanna is smart, resourceful, and ambitious. All she wants is to be recognized for her mind, which is her greatest strength, and she spends the majority of my book trying to get that recognition. She’s also bi as fuck 🌈🌈 I’m putting the rest under a read more bc holy fuck this got long 

Lani Neda, 17 (on the verge of 18), She, Her, Hers. Lani was orphaned at a very young age. Her parents were found mauled to death in her family home after they refused to let her leave home to attend the school meant for spellcasters secreted away in the mountains of Maras (another kingdom I created). Coincidentally, the caster who came to visit was also the one to pull her from the orphanage and take her to Magai (the school/city for casters) anyway. Totally not related at all. Lani was basically a child soldier, trained in magic, combat, and espionage, and only concerned with protecting the royal family of Maras, especially princess Mai, who’s her closest friend. Lani had short, dark, curling hair, brown skin, and eyes so brown that they appear black. She’s short but well-muscled from her training (and reliable palace meals). Not every orphan is as lucky.  Even when she's not aware of it, Lani carries herself like a soldier; back straight, firm stance and arms at her sides ready to salute or unsheathe her weapon at a moment's notice. Lani is quick on her feet, abrasive, and not the easiest person to get to know. All her life she's had her weaknesses exploited and vowed to never show weakness again. She's intuitive and relies more on instinct rather than logic. She's loyal to a fault and can be absolutely ruthless in battle, holding nothing back. Lani is brave and willing to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. She's serious and seldom jokes around with others. She hates when people don't apply themselves or give up prematurely. She always gives it her all and expects everyone else to do the same. She values hard work, tenacity, and strength. She’s also gay as fuck (for Mai and later Osanna) 🌈🌈.

Aidan Aterra, 18, He, Him, His. Aidan, like Lani, is also an orphan, except he never knew his parents. His caretaker at the orphanage, Dame Mara Finch, or Dead-Eyes as the children called her behind her back for her pale grey eyes, said that he had been left out on the porch of the Foxbrook orphanage in the middle of one the worst blizzards Iskald (another kingdom) had ever seen. His lips had been bluer than death, his skin cold to the touch. She told him that she had contemplated leaving him outside and letting nature continue to run its course but as soon as she had turned around to close the door, the most ghastly wail had burst forth from his lips. He grew up in the orphanage constantly being reminded of her kindness and her generosity, even when he went to bed without supper, or was forced to sleep in the manor’s old dungeons when he misbehaved. When Aidan was ten, he had decided enough was enough and that he was going to run away from the orphanage, making it as far as to the marketplace of their town. Aidan tried to pickpocket a mercenary and ended up following him home instead. The mercenary, and his mercenary company, the Fox Claws, took him in and Aidan was raised in their life of killing, thieving, and the occasional case of vigilante justice. Normally, Aidan is a fun-loving and spontaneous boy who isn’t one to shy away from a party or conversation (only with people he’s let in).  He’s also observant, a trait that has saved his life more times than he can count. However, in extreme situations of distress, such as his childhood at the orphanage and his life after Asher’s disappearance, Aidan withdraws on himself. He’s more prone to risky behavior and uncaring about his wellbeing. He feels a growing numbness inside of his chest and wonders why he should even bother doing anything at all. He also experiences intense regret and self-loathing. He’ll never tell anyone though. Lord knows Dead-Eyes didn’t like criers. All Aidan’s life, he's been met with derision and prejudice due to him being an orphan and likely a bastard. His personality is a result of that. He's sarcastic. Evasive. Shuttered. He puts on a devil-may-care facade to keep others out. Although he can be selfless and kind around children, Aidan is usually self-concerned. He rarely thinks about the consequences of his actions. Some view him as brave for all of the dangerous situations he welcomes with open hands. Others think he's just plain stupid and has a death wish. Aidan always likes to jape that it's a little bit of both. Aidan has black hair that touches the tips of his ears, and strange eyes for an Iskali, who all typically have blue or gray eyes. Aidan's eyes are hazel. Not quite brown. Not quite green. That paired with the olive cast to his skin tone makes him an outsider among the Iskali. After the disappearance and suspected death of his best friend and partner in crime, for which he is the main suspect, all Aidan wants to die is fuck off from the main continent and drink his way into an early grave so he can be with his best friend, Asher, again. He’s also pan as fuck 🌈🌈

Kali Sylva, 16, She, Her, Hers. Kali is the daughter of Alwin Sylva and Tiatha Meimri, and the crown princess of Dererra (another kingdom. you get the idea). Kali is also the sole heir to the throne, due to her being the only child of Alwin and Tiatha. Her very existence is a bit controversial, at least in Dererra. Dererrans are extremely traditional (read: pretentious, prejudiced fucks) and expected for Alwin to marry a Dererran noblewoman. Instead, he married Tiatha, a Khosagho (another kingdom) native. Princess Kali Sylva is a walking contradiction. Quiet, yet opinionated. Shy, yet brave. Sweet, yet fierce. Kali has little confidence in herself and often thinks the worst of others—mainly because they assume the worst of her. Half-breed, they call her. Part Dererran, part Khosaghi. Kali is straightforward and doesn’t much care for silver-tongued folk. She likes to keep to herself and more often than not, prefers the company of animals over humans. She struggles with being from two different worlds and doesn’t feel as if she belongs anywhere. Around friends, Kali can let loose and be herself, and even be playful. With strangers, Kali is reserved and keeps to herself in fear of being reprimanded. Kali is prone to reading into something too much and jumping to conclusions. The only time she feels at peace with herself is when she’s in woodlands of her home with her bow in her hands. Part of her feels as if she doesn’t deserve the throne due to the years of scorn and derision she’s been faced with from other Dererrans. Kali has jet black hair, done in one of the traditional Khosaghi styles, with it being in long, uniform braids. She has smooth dark brown skin, and her father’s bright green eyes. Kali has broad shoulders and strong arms from years of firing a bow and elegant, high cheekbones. 

Cyd Pollock, 15 going on 16, He, Him, His. Cyd is the son of Myra, an innkeeper, and Cyrus Pollock, privateer turned full-blown pirate. For nine years of his life, Cyd never knew his father. It was just him, his mother, and their roadside inn, The Dirty Wolf, and that was all they needed. Everything was fine until a wave of influenza swept through western Masae and his mother, Myra, had fallen ill. Two weeks later, she passed away. Cyd was only nine. His father showed up a week later, stricken by grief, he took in his only son and raised him in the company of pirates, thieves, and murderers. Ever since then, Cyd has had to watch his back. He never knew what his father was like before the death of his mother. He’s only ever known a hard man who was impossible to please. The slightest toe out of line, and Cyd was subjected to cruel and unusual punishment. He learned to keep his mouth shut, don’t ask questions about his father’s “business” and to keep to himself. Cyd keeps to himself. As long as he asks no questions, as long as he doesn’t mouth off, he’s safe. Sometimes in particularly emotional moments he loses control and has a slip of the tongue; a witty comment here, a sarcastic barb there, and he takes the consequences every time. Cyd is very insecure and can’t help but care what people think about him, especially his father and his pirate crew. He hates how much he craves their approval but relishes the rare moments where he’s bestowed with praise. He’s smart though. Smarter than people give him credit. All the years he’s sat in silence, he’s picked up a few tricks from those around him. When he puts his mind to it, he can complete any task with accuracy and fervor. Cyd has wavy sandy hair that falls into his dark brown eyes. Cyd has fair skin and his body is speckled with freckles from spending hours upon hours out in the sun. He has rough, calloused hands from years of pulling and tying sailing ropes and hauling heavy cargo. He has many scars, most along his hands and wrist, although there is one particular scar below his bottom lip from where he had gotten a fish hook stuck in his face as a child. Cyd is relatively short, standing at about 5’9. He hasn’t yet hit his growth spurt. The last vestiges of youth are starting to fade though. The baby fat in his face is starting to melt away and revealing the shadow of a strong jaw. 

[valentinewheeler]

2018 Book Recap!

If you follow me on twitter you saw this already, but here’s my favorites I read this year.

They weren’t all 2018 releases, but they’re what hit my kindle/bookshelf and stood out! In reverse order, basically, of when I read them. Check out the list below - it’s a little eclectic.

The Good Neighbor: The Life and Works of Fred Rogers (Maxwell King) - My toddler is ALL ABOUT Mr. Rogers. Turns out he was just as wonderful in life as he was on TV. If you’ve got a small person in your life who loves him (or you were one), I recommend this deep dive into his life and legacy.

Blackfish City (Sam J. Miller) - This sat on my kindle for months before I opened it, but once I passed the first few chapters and got into the world, I blew through 90% in a day. Beautifully woven storytelling, deep worldbuilding. Infrastructure, plague, and culture clash: three things that win me instantly. PLUS a nonbinary POV character!!

A Conspiracy of Truths (Alex Rowland) - I hate unreliable narrators, and yet, here I am, in love with this book. I finished the audiobook (which is BEAUTIFULLY narrated!!) and actually yelled out loud when there wasn’t any more. WHAT A WORLD. Economics, legal drama, and grumpy characters: three more things I can’t resist in a novel.

A Duke by Default/A Princess in Theory (Alyssa Cole) - I hadn’t read much romance until this year, and I don’t know why because turns out I love it. Or at least, I love Alyssa Cole’s work. Both of these had great heroines and super fun supporting casts. I loved both of them equally. I want the next one immediately.

Witchmark (C.L. Polk) - Everyone said I’d love this. EVERYONE WAS RIGHT. Magic! Bikes! Social class based on a false meritocracy! MURDER! MAGIC-SCIENCE BLEND! REALLY FREAKY PAYOFF! Read it. You’re missing out if you don’t.

Spinning Silver (Naomi Novik) - Now, I’ve loved Naomi Novik’s work for about fifteen years. I knew I’d like this one. What I didn’t expect was to have to lie down for a few hours to contemplate it after reading it in one go. I love a main character who ISN’T traditionally sympathetic but you love anyway. Beautifully woven folklore and feeling.

Legend (and sequels) (Marie Lu) - I love YA dystopias with all my heart. This was such a great one. I loved the characters, I loved the setting, I loved seeing the broader world than is usually seen in a post-apocalyptic setting (how DO other governments handle the end of the old way??) Just a delightful read.

Fuzzy Nation (John Scalzi) - I tried to minimize my white men on my reading list this year, but Scalzi is always an exception. I LOVE the original work, and this is a beautiful update. But then, legal battles in space will always win me over. Love it just as much as HBP’s, which is a pretty high bar to cross.

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns (Julie C Dao) - This took me a while to get through, because it was so, I don’t know, filled with impending doom? This little book had such a dark, blood-soaked voice, and I love a fairytale retelling that DOESN’T go how you expect. Absolutely worth reading. Lush setting, high body count.

The Poet X (Elizabeth Acevedo) - If I had known this was all in verse, I wouldn’t have picked it up. So I’m really glad I didn’t know that. If that turns you off, listen to the audiobook. A phenomenal performance. What an immersive experience this book was. It’s stuck with me for months after reading.

The Book of the Unnamed Midwife (Meg Elison) - I love post-apocalyptic stories. This was a brutal one. Explores how different communities deal in the face of disaster, and not for the weak of stomach. But one of my favorite PA books of the year for sure. Bought the sequel and finished both in one day.

An Extraordinary Union/A Hope Divided (Alyssa Cole) - The other set of her books I devoured this year. The first slavery-era US romance I’ve read that didn’t leave a sour taste in my mouth. The way she builds her characters and their bonds is just SO #goals.

Orientalism (Edward Said) - I’ve been meaning to read this for a while, and I finally made it through this year. A little dated, maybe, but a dense brick of really interesting thinking and history. A classic for a reason!! The audiobook is GREAT.

Americanah (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie) - I love a character who is lying to herself! And I love a book where the backstory is meted out in drips and dabs. A dive into communities I know very little about, some of which are right around the corner from me. Ifemelu is a completely solid character, one that feels ABSOLUTELY real.

Trail of Lightning (Rebecca Roanhorse) - If you’ve read her short fiction, you know she’s a master. This lived up to it. Post-apocalyptic Navajo monsterhunters? Exactly as awesome as promised. The mythology and worldbuilding are perfection.

The Calculating Stars/The Fated Sky (Mary Robinette Kowal) - THESE BOOKS! I love alternate history, I love space, I love characters who confront prejudice within themselves and without! Every character makes SENSE, even when they’re awful! All the science feels absolutely real! I WANT TO GO TO SPACE

The Book of M (Peng Shepherd) - My goodness, I read a lot of post apocalyptic novels this year? This one has one of my personal fears - memory loss that can’t be stopped. Another great blend of science and maybe-magic and spirituality (?) and how humans cope with weird, horrifying, tragic things.

Alexander Hamilton (Ron Chernow) - I figured before seeing Hamilton I needed to read the book, and I’m really glad I did. Super engaging, with just the right blend of anecdote and data. After reading this I definitely annoyed my mother and my spouse during the whole musical by whispering trivia at them.

War Against All Puerto Ricans (Nelson Denis) - I’m ashamed to say I knew very little about the history of Puerto Rico. After reading this book, that really pisses me off. The US really did PR wrong, and continues to do so. A vital read for anyone interested in US history.

Cinder/Scarlet/Winter/Cress (Marissa Meyer) - Apparently people have been into these for years and I’m just hitting them now. Fun YA, a genre I’ve missed (I like all this hard-hitting, serious YA, but sometimes over the top silly is absolutely necessary!). Spouse and I enjoyed pointing out all the absurd fairy tale tropes.

Station Eleven (Emily St. John Mandel) - !!! I’m ALL ABOUT books that weave together multiple stories that you KNOW how to intersect somehow but you don’t know HOW IT WILL HAPPEN! Post apocalyptic, weaving stories over fifteen years, all connecting to the life of one guy as the apocalypse hits. GREAT.

All God’s Children Need Travelling Shoes (Maya Angelou) - Yes, I’m well past missing the boat here. But I’m catching up. My goodness, she’s a beautiful writer. And the period covered in the book is spellbinding and brutal and painful and gorgeous.

Cooking is Terrible (Misha Fletcher) - Okay, do you have like twelve minutes and four dollars to cook dinner every night? THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU. Easy recipes in non-threatening form, with going off-script absolutely encouraged. I read this start to finish and have been referring back FREQUENTLY as I cook.

Front Desk (Kelly Yang) - THE MIDDLE GRADE BOOK I NEVER KNEW I NEEDED. Oh, this was wonderful. I want to give this to every ten year old I know (which is actually none?). Mysteries! Racism! Badass middle schoolers! Intra-community problems! Three-dimensional characters! YES!

Edge of Nowhere (Felicia Davin) - SPACE ROMANCE! Teleportation! Cafe-owning lesbians! Sweet big stoic guy/small angry disaster guy romance (my FAVORITE KIND)! SPACE SPORTS! Space HEIST!!!! Alternate dimensions! YES.

Everything I Never Told You (Celeste Ng) - This one hurt. What real, beautiful, flawed, horrible characters. All their choices made sense in context, all their pain felt real, and I didn’t want to leave them when the book ended. Content warnings for child death. The 1970s have never felt so close.

Little Fires Everywhere (Celeste Ng) - I usually hate books that start at the end, but this one earned it. Disaster rich people are kind of my jam, especially when they have consequences. And again the characters were the stars. I felt like I knew everyone, and I loved them even when they were awful.

Into the Drowning Deep (Mira Grant) - I’m never going in the ocean again. Mermaids have been ruined forever. Terrifying. Great characters, some of whom die horribly. Scary scary unending horrorshow. But oh, what a way to go. Gory fun filled with great representation.

Uprooted (Naomi Novik) - I was so delighted by Spinning Silver I almost forgot that I loved this one NEARLY as much! Scary forest, plenty of fantasy/fairytale tropes turned on their heads. Disaster love interest. Competent, frustrated main character. A+.

The Beauty that Remains - There were a lot of dead friends books this year, and this was my favorite in the not-police-related category of those. Strangers whose lives weave together around the deaths of three people close to them all, and the band that brought them all closer. Gorgeous.

An Indigenous People’s History of the US (Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz) - Another one that’s absolutely vital in filling gaps in the history I’ve learned of this country. Engaging writing and strong voice. Didn’t give me any warm patriotic fuzzies, that is for sure.

Company Town (Madeline Ashby) - Floating future town! Unions! Murder! Loved it.

The Underground Railroad (Colson Whitehead) - I know the boat on this was a couple years ago, but what a chilling, brutal, beautiful book. The slight speculative element was just the perfect touch to give it a flavor of myth, if that makes sense. Steel yourself before reading.

River of Teeth (Sarah Gailey) - HIPPOS! IN THE MISSISSIPPI! This was a DELIGHT from start to finish. Leverage on HIPPOS in the Wild West?! YES PLEASE.

The Wanderers (Meg Howrey) - Astronauts on a simulated mission to Mars basically all break down, as does everyone around them. I adored this book. I loved the thousand POVs because each one was its own distinct voice. I loved the different ways everybody fell apart!

Infomocracy (Malka Older) - WORLDBUILDING!!!!!! Future elections, future political system, future tech, all brilliantly built. I need to read the sequels, but I haven’t managed to work up the brainpower I know they deserve!!! READ THIS if you like scifi political minutiae (I DO)

The Poppy War (RF Kuang) - The first half is Tamora Pierce, the second half is George RR Martin, but better. This was nothing like what I expected. Absolutely staggeringly, brutally beautiful. What a bold novel. Will buy anything else she ever writes sight unseen.

Warcross (Marie Lu) - This is what I wanted Ready Player One to be. Virtual reality gaming with real life consequences. References and fantastic characters. The sequel is just as good.

Zeroboxer (Fonda Lee) - BOXING IN SPACE! Secret science!! MYSTERIES!! All things I love.

Dread Nation (Justina Ireland) - GREAT. Zombies during the Civil War. A heroine who takes no shit and instead takes zombie heads off. COMBAT SCHOOLS. SUPER GREAT.

An Ember in the Ashes (Sabaa Tahir) - I didn’t expect to love this the way I did, but I devoured it, and the two sequels, each in about a day. This felt like all the best parts of old-school fantasy novels, the thick kind you shoved in your backpack in seventh grade, but BETTER. And I love a good Evil Roman!

Space Opera (Catherynne Valente) - Queen meets Hitchhiker’s Guide! This was a JOURNEY from start to finish, a glorious, absurd, delightful meditation on fame and Eurovision and what it means to be worthwhile and human and a person. YES.

The Broken Earth (NK Jemisin) - More like the BROKEN ME after reading these. Periapocalyptic fiction, absolutely 100% deserving every award and more. Content warning for very small child death brutally described, and more horrors. NK Jemisin goes HARD.

American Islamophobia (Khaled A Beydoun) - Could not put this down. I learned an astonishing amount, especially about the historical place of Islam, Muslims, and Islamophobia in the US. A hard read, but worth the work.

All the Birds in the Sky (Charlie Jane Anders) - Okay, I have to admit it, I have no idea what was going on in this book. But that didn’t stop me from loving it!! Witches and technology and animals and weird apocalyptic nonsense! DELIGHTFUL

Anger is a Gift (Mark Oshiro) - Another YA book that pulled no punches. What a phenomenal look into the way kids and communities of color move through the world, and how the world moves against them.

History is All You Left Me (Adam Silvera) - SO MANY DEAD FRIEND BOOKS THIS YEAR. A great use of the start at the middle, work both directions format, it covers both the time before the death of the MC’s ex and the fallout. I wept through most of it.

White Tears (Hari Kunzru) - Horror, and the villain is essentially appropriation. Very satisfying! The author’s love of music comes through. A nerdy, scary, millennial read.

Love, Hate and Other Filters (Samira Ahmed) - Loved this. Melded teen interpersonal drama, family expectations vs. dreams, and confronting the world and the way they see you all at once, woven together in a beautiful way.

A People’s History of the US (Howard Zinn) - Obviously this is great. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by his son. Sobbed through the child labor chapters. Cheered at the union chapters. Loved it.

Thornfruit/Nightvine/Shadebloom (Felicia Davin) - I LOVE WORLDBUILDING. This is a fantasy on a world that doesn’t turn, so night and day are DIRECTIONS, not times. SO COOL. And I adore the main character. Small Angry/Large Shy is the BEST ROMANCE TROPE. The magic and language is beautifully developed.

Tempests and Slaughter (Tamora Pierce) - Look. I’ll read a gonorrhea brochure if Tamora Pierce writes it. So you knew this would be on the list. But it earned its spot! I love Numair in the Daine series, and he’s a tiny ball of feelings in this. I need more.

Unfamiliar Fishes (Sara Vowell) - I’ve always been interested in Hawaiian history, and though this was a little light and memoir-y for my taste, it contained a shocking amount of information that went down easy in her light, friendly style. Absolutely worth the couple hours it’ll take you.

The Only Harmless Great Thing (Brooke Bolander) - Elephants! Memory! What it means to have value! What we owe other beings! Radium! Sharp and dark and deeper than it has any right to be.

[femnet]

header art credit: @nemupanart

Dear 13-year-old me,

I am writing to you at the end of the year 2018, though I bet you’re only starting it. It has been an event-packed year, with so many ups and downs that I’ve lost count. Hopefully the advice I’ll be giving you can make you see things from a better perspective and take care of yourself more in the coming year.

I'm gonna start off with some predictions of the year. First of all, you're going to have the worst type of sexuality awakening by crushing on your best friend. You will try not to tell everyone the fact that you're bisexual, but you'll to end up telling almost all of your friends. Surprisingly, they were more acceptant than you expected. Yet the fact you're parents are homophobic will disappoint you to no end. It's the end of 2018 and my crush still hasn't faded, so you're in for a big ride. There's also the fact that you’ll help get someone out of an incredibly toxic friendship and gain a new friend in the process. I truly hope that this sense of justice can follow with you always, never faltering despite the many backlashes this may give you.

On more serious topics, your father is still going to hit you on occasion, and unfortunately for me, I had no bravery to do anything about it. If you manage to confront him and get help for you on your whole family, do write me a letter back so I can congratulate you. Try not to get into so many arguments with your mom, the aftermath of every single one of them will leave the two of you miserable for several days. Remember to be grateful for every meal your gran brings on the table---she’s old and supposed to be chillaxing with her friends in the swimming pool, or chuckling in front of the TV, not running here and there every morning buying ingredients and spending the evening making dinner.

There are things that I am absolutely proud of though, and I hope you can go through the same triumphs that I did in the coming year. You’re gonna make up with your friend after the biggest fight you had in your life, and your bond is only going to strengthen because of this incident. You’re gonna learn skating despite the fact that you fell flat on your ass on your first attempt on the ice. You’ll try not to whoop in public when you finally feel yourself succeeding and eventually able to skate hand in hand with all of your friends on the ice. And you’ll definitely feel great after you plucked up the courage to sing on stage in the school singing contest heats, even if you don’t get into the finals. Seriously girl, after all these predictions, I honestly think you’ll do and accomplish even more than I did because ambition is in your nature. So triumph over the challenges you’ve overcome in the process, celebrate yourself with your friends, family, loved ones. You deserve it. ;)

Here are also some tips for self-care when you’re facing immense pressure---if you want to stay up late, pluck a tea bag into your cup. Make sure the tea is warm in your hands. Not only does it make you stay up later, but it can also make you feel better about yourself and more motivated to complete the task in front of you. Oh, and try not to stay up so late either. Just stop procrastinating in the afternoon. The most effective way to make you study as quickly as possible is colourful notes. Use every single marker, highlighter, memo, sticker and pen you have, and talk to yourself constantly when you’re studying. As absurd as it sounds like, it actually works. If you feel like you’re about to drop down and die in boring lessons, put on a cardigan. It’ll make just feel all fuzzy and cozy and you’ll be more comfortable in the environment you’re in. This works for all seasons because the air-conditioning in your classroom is delightfully freezing in the summers.

Reminders that you should never give up on your imagination. I’m still very very glad that I’ve planned a whole entire biography for a fictional girl I made up in my mind and I hope you never feel ashamed for that. What’s going on inside your head is what differs you from the crowd, makes you unique. Never forget that. Your straightforwardness is something that gets things done as quickly and effectively as possible, but also gets you into constant misunderstandings with people. I wasn’t able to alter that, and I sincerely hope you can. Always recharge yourself, either with books, music, art or simply, coffee. Just remember to save time for you and yourself alone. Go to libraries, album stores, scroll through anime merch, sing in the showers, as long as it works out for you and doesn’t disturb anyone’s lives, do it. Don’t care about the off-handed comments of your father bringing to a hospital just because you’re considered crazy. No one will understand you better than yourself. Keep learning more about society, topics on feminism, mental health, even things as far-fetched as mythology. Be more responsible for your assignments and promises. Treasure your friends and family who have stayed by your side.

Last and definitely not least, stay true to yourself. Speak up for freedom, equality and speak against prejudice and stereotypes. Social standards do not dictate the way you live and never will. You are your own self, despite how many people tell you to be this and that. Love and care for yourself, even if no one does.

 Happy New Year my dear, I love you!

                                                                               Best wishes and many hugs,

                                                                                        You, but 14 years old

[homeofthelonelywriter]

Can I keep you? Pt. 4

(A/N) I just pressed the wrong button and uploaded it without all the tags! :D I’m a genius. Either way. I hope you like this part. Side note: I haven’t seen ‘Homecoming’, but I heard something about Tony giving Peter a suit or soemthing like that. If you know more, feel free to let me know!! :)

Summary: Imagine being Tony’s adoptive daughter no one knows about because you’re studying abroad. One day you come home without saying a word and all the Avengers are confused by your appearance and especially Loki being quite smitten by you. The Avengers, especially Natasha being very protective of you when they notice the tricksters’ interest in you. You on the other side, being the curious girl you always were, wanted to know more about the mysterious guy and the world he comes from.

Pairings: Loki x Reader ; Tony Stark x daugther!Reader

Warnings: swearing

Original: here

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Tags:

@hello-i-dont-have-a-name @jaihardy @sammysgirl1997 @magellan-88 @purplekitten30 @sydthekid1518 @serena157 @little-miss-mischief1 @maxtothemoff @whatthehellisacastiel @feel-like-a-dangerous-woman @ciellovesweets @hakimo2015 @go-teeha @itsnotsomefangirl @trippy-sunflower @thejulesworld @athenamalfoywinchester @iamthescarlettwitch @rebbie444 @sexysamsungl @cutie1365 @reneeisnotsane @that-theater-techie-from-kc @saxgirl21 @lokiyoulittle @mcheung0314 @sserpente @small-old-soul @jasura

If you want on or off the tag list, let me know! I hope I forgot no one! :)

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Even though it was the middle of the night, the city was as bright as day thanks to all the lights. Loki still had his arms wrapped around my body, while I lied my right cheek against his chest and stared out at Manhattan. Neither of us spoke, the only sounds were those of the people and cars and me sniffling from time to time. Silent tears still ran down my cheeks and Loki’s shirt already had a wet stain on it. “I’m sorry ‘bout your shirt.” I tried to take a step back and distance myself from the god, but he immediately pulled me back against him. “Have I ever told you how I found out that I was adopted?” His chin rested on top of my head, while he slowly stroked my back. Shaking my head, he took one of my hands and let me to the edge of the flat roof. Sitting down, with me leaning against him, he started telling me the story, while using his magic to produce images. “To be honest, I’ve always felt different from Thor. Not just because we are so different in every single aspect, but I’ve never felt as if I really belonged with him, Odin and my moth-Frigga. Odin always treated me differently, he obviously liked Thor better. I just told myself that it was because Thor was older and was more brutal than me. I was just as good in fighting as he was, but I…I was more graceful. And as a bonus, I studied ‘magic’. Thor tried, but didn’t get very far. But, that’s a story for another time. Either way, my suspicion was finally confirmed when I visited, well ‘visited’ is not the right word, we somehow attacked Jotunheim. For our defense, they attacked us first. That somehow was my fault as well, but I’ll tell you about that another time. So we attacked Jotunheim and the ‘Frost Giants’ didn’t really liked us being there, so they fought against us. During the battle, I was touched by one of them. You see, normally, if someone, that isn’t a ‘Frost Giant’ is touched by one, they will suffer wounds from the cold, but I…I just turned blue. Or better said, the part where he touched me turned blue.” “That sounded sexual.” “Oh hush! Where were we? Right, during the battle, Odin appeared and rescued us all. He banished Thor, since it was his idea to attack and break the peace agreement. Shortly after, I confronted Odin about my true heritage, but he, being the weakling, he is, broke down. Again, story for another time. My mo-Frigga told me that they loved either way, but…well…how was I supposed to believe that? Odin always chose Thor over me, and it finally made sense why. At that time, I wished that old oaf would’ve just left me on Jotunheim to die when I was just a baby, aft-“ “Don’t say that!” I hit his chest, causing him to look at me with wide eyes. “I’m happy that Odin took you with him! I’m happy that everything turned out the way it turned out. If it didn’t…well…you wouldn’t be here right now. And I don’t want that.” I didn’t look at him while ranting about my feelings. I still couldn’t look at him after I finished. Well, not until he took my chin and made me look at him. “You don’t know how happy I am to hear that, my sweet Y/N.” He kissed my forehead and pulled me down to the floor. Peter and my father were long forgotten. I would have to face them soon enough anyway. That’s why, I decided to enjoy my time up here. “Does your story continue?” “There is not much to be honest. I tried to take over Asgard, and failed. I tried to take over New York, and failed. Now I’m here and my main goal is to annoy the Avengers as best as I can. Other than that, there is nothing.” I didn’t need to be the goddess of mischief to know that he was lying to me. There was more. But for now, I’ll leave him be. So, we stayed up on the roof until, I had troubles keeping my eyes open. Loki picked me up bridal style and teleported to his room. Outside, we could hear a commotion going on. The others were apparently searching for me and Loki. Loki! I forgot! The others still hated him! They will never trust him after today! I’m such an idiot. “I need to go to my room.” I was already at the door, when Loki grabbed my wrist and pulled me against him. “I won’t let you go tonight. You need someone, and unless you don’t want me to, I’ll be that someone.” He was right. I needed someone. Plus, I didn’t have enough energy to face my father or Peter yet. I allowed Loki to pull me back, towards the bed, and tug me in. Without asking, he picked up Pride and Prejudice and continued reading where he left off yesterday. It didn’t take me long to fall asleep, and again, just before a dream took over my mind, I felt Loki lay down next to me. In my dream, I was on a cold and dark planet. I’m positive, I would’ve frozen to death, if it wasn’t for a blue giant, with red eyes, protecting me.

Natasha POV

After Loki teleported out of the room, with Y/N in his arms, shit got real. Tony send most of the guests home and everyone that was left, helped searching for the two of them. I didn’t trust Loki, why would I? He, kind of, kidnapped Clint and tried to take over planet. No reason to trust him. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling, that this time he was the knight in shining armor and Tony and Peter were actually those who we should protect Y/N from. I searched the floor where the living room was located on, together with Steve and Peter. We looked into every room, searched every storeroom and broke open every locked door. Still, we couldn’t find Y/N or Loki. Sitting down on a couch in the living room, only an occasional sigh or huff was heard. Well, until I couldn’t stand the silence anymore. “What did you do to Y/N?” I turned to Peter, who looked at me startled and with fear in his eyes. “Ah…I-I didn’t do anything!” His lie was as obvious as Thor’s pride. “Spit it out boy!” Steve towered over Peter, while still sitting. I guess, I’m not the only one that developed a liking towards Y/N in those two days. “I-I made a deal with Mister Stark. He helped me learning to control my powers and gave me a suit. In exchange, I looked after his daughter at college and played her boyfriend. Just to, you know, keep the other guys away from her. I never thought she would really lov-“ He was cut short by Steve grabbing his collar and lifting him up. “What the actual fuck were you thinking?!” I looked at Steve stunned. You really made him mad kid. That was the first time I heard Cap swear.” I walked over to the patriot, glaring at Peter. He was clearly scared, looking between Steve and me, never setting his eyes on one of us. “What is going on here?” Tony walked in and Steve let go of the boy. Peter ran out of the room, fleeing from the scene. “You are asking us?” My voice was laced with venom. All I wanted to do right now, was to kill Tony then and there. “What do you mean?” Pepper, who has returned this evening, stood beside Tony, and looked at me with confusion written all over her face. “Well, just that great Iron Man here, bribed your daughters, now ex-boyfriend, into faking a relationship with her. In exchange, he gave the boy a suit.” Pepper’s eyes narrowed and she turned towards Tony. “Are you serious?! And you say Loki is the bad guy here!” Pepper continued to yell at her husband, who had nothing to say in his defense. I decided my job here was done. Walking to the elevator, one final idea, where to find Loki and Y/N popped in my head. Going to their floor, I quietly opened the door to Y/N’s room, but found it empty. Okay, that would be too easy after all. Checking Loki’s room, I found the pair, sound asleep on Loki’s bed. Smiling at the sight, I decided for myself that I will support the two, no matter what.

[bluethepaladin]

This is probably a really weird ask but, do you have any book recommendations?

ooooOOOOOOoooo boy, oh buddy oh pal, this is the best ask I’ve ever gotten. Little do any of you know, I am an extreme book geek, I haunt all the book festivals, I regularly maintain my relationships with the publishing houses, and I frequent author’s conferences and writer’s workshops. Partly because I’m prepping my own manuscript and partly because I love books so much.

I real a lot, like 200 books a year on a bad year, so if you’re looking for something more specific, you just have to say so!

Here are some top ones that I think are great reads that I recommend from a variety of genres in no particular order.

And I Darken by Kiersten White

No one expects a princess to be brutal. And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend���and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.

The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli

In the final days of a falling Saigon, The Lotus Eaters unfolds the story of three remarkable photographers brought together under the impossible umbrella of war: Helen Adams, a once-naïve ingénue whose ambition conflicts with her desire over the course of the fighting; Linh, the mysterious Vietnamese man who loves her, but is torn between conflicting loyalties to his homeland and his heart; and Sam Darrow, a man addicted to the narcotic of violence, to his intoxicating affair with Helen and to the ever-increasing danger of his job. All three become transformed by the conflict they have risked everything to record.

In this much-heralded debut, Tatjana Soli creates a searing portrait of three souls trapped by their impossible passions, contrasting the wrenching horror of combat and the treachery of obsession with the redemptive power of love.

The Host by Stephanie Meyer

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading “soul” who has been given Melanie’s body, didn’t expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.As Melanie fills Wanderer’s thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she’s never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.

The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

Magic, adventure, mystery, and romance combine in this epic debut in which a young princess must reclaim her dead mother’s throne, learn to be a ruler—and defeat the Red Queen, a powerful and malevolent sorceress determined to destroy her.On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen’s Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon���from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic—to prevent her from wearing the crown.Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea’s kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust.But the quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun—a wondrous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend … if she can survive.

The Martian by Andy Weir

Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there.

After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive — and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.

Chances are, though, he won’t have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old “human error” are much more likely to kill him first.

But Mark isn’t ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills — and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit — he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein

Valentine Michael Smith is a human being raised on Mars, newly returned to Earth. Among his people for the first time, he struggles to understand the social mores and prejudices of human nature that are so alien to him, while teaching them his own fundamental beliefs in grokking, watersharing, and love.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Allire Saenz

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

Pachinko follows one Korean family through the generations, beginning in early 1900s Korea with Sunja, the prized daughter of a poor yet proud family, whose unplanned pregnancy threatens to shame them all. Deserted by her lover, Sunja is saved when a young tubercular minister offers to marry and bring her to Japan. So begins a sweeping saga of an exceptional family in exile from its homeland and caught in the indifferent arc of history. Through desperate struggles and hard-won triumphs, its members are bound together by deep roots as they face enduring questions of faith, family, and identity.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Oct. 11th, 1943-A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it’s barely begun.When “Verity” is arrested by the Gestapo, she’s sure she doesn’t stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she’s living a spy’s worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution.As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage, failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy? A Michael L. Printz Award Honor book that was called “a fiendishly-plotted mind game of a novel” in The New York Times, Code Name Verity is a visceral read of danger, resolve, and survival that shows just how far true friends will go to save each other.

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

For readers of Atul Gawande, Andrew Solomon, and Anne Lamott, a profoundly moving, exquisitely observed memoir by a young neurosurgeon faced with a terminal cancer diagnosis who attempts to answer the question What makes a life worth living?At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade’s worth of training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. One day he was a doctor treating the dying, and the next he was a patient struggling to live. And just like that, the future he and his wife had imagined evaporated. When Breath Becomes Air chronicles Kalanithi’s transformation from a naïve medical student “possessed,” as he wrote, “by the question of what, given that all organisms die, makes a virtuous and meaningful life” into a neurosurgeon at Stanford working in the brain, the most critical place for human identity, and finally into a patient and new father confronting his own mortality. What makes life worth living in the face of death? What do you do when the future, no longer a ladder toward your goals in life, flattens out into a perpetual present? What does it mean to have a child, to nurture a new life as another fades away? These are some of the questions Kalanithi wrestles with in this profoundly moving, exquisitely observed memoir. Paul Kalanithi died in March 2015, while working on this book, yet his words live on as a guide and a gift to us all. “I began to realize that coming face to face with my own mortality, in a sense, had changed nothing and everything,” he wrote. “Seven words from Samuel Beckett began to repeat in my head: ‘I can’t go on. I’ll go on.’” When Breath Becomes Air is an unforgettable, life-affirming reflection on the challenge of facing death and on the relationship between doctor and patient, from a brilliant writer who became both.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Achilles, “the best of all the Greeks,” son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods’ wrath.They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

Andrew “Ender” Wiggin thinks he is playing computer simulated war games; he is, in fact, engaged in something far more desperate. The result of genetic experimentation, Ender may be the military genius Earth desperately needs in a war against an alien enemy seeking to destroy all human life. The only way to find out is to throw Ender into ever harsher training, to chip away and find the diamond inside, or destroy him utterly. Ender Wiggin is six years old when it begins. He will grow up fast.But Ender is not the only result of the experiment. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway almost as long. Ender’s two older siblings, Peter and Valentine, are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. While Peter was too uncontrollably violent, Valentine very nearly lacks the capability for violence altogether. Neither was found suitable for the military’s purpose. But they are driven by their jealousy of Ender, and by their inbred drive for power. Peter seeks to control the political process, to become a ruler. Valentine’s abilities turn more toward the subtle control of the beliefs of commoner and elite alike, through powerfully convincing essays. Hiding their youth and identities behind the anonymity of the computer networks, these two begin working together to shape the destiny of Earth-an Earth that has no future at all if their brother Ender fails.

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie

In this enchanting tale about the magic of reading and the wonder of romantic awakening, two hapless city boys are exiled to a remote mountain village for reeducation during China’s infamous Cultural Revolution. There they meet the daughter of the local tailor and discover a hidden stash of Western classics in Chinese translation. As they flirt with the seamstress and secretly devour these banned works, they find transit from their grim surroundings to worlds they never imagined.

La Belle Sauvage by Phillip Pullman

Eleven-year-old Malcolm Polstead and his dæmon, Asta, live with his parents at the Trout Inn near Oxford. Across the River Thames (which Malcolm navigates often using his beloved canoe, a boat by the name of La Belle Sauvage) is the Godstow Priory where the nuns live. Malcolm learns they have a guest with them, a baby by the name of Lyra Belacqua …

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

In a country teetering on the brink of civil war, two young people meet—sensual, fiercely independent Nadia and gentle, restrained Saeed. They embark on a furtive love affair and are soon cloistered in a premature intimacy by the unrest roiling their city. When it explodes, turning familiar streets into a patchwork of checkpoints and bomb blasts, they begin to hear whispers about doors—doors that can whisk people far away, if perilously and for a price. As the violence escalates, Nadia and Saeed decide that they no longer have a choice. Leaving their homeland and their old lives behind, they find a door and step through. Exit West follows these characters as they emerge into an alien and uncertain future, struggling to hold on to each other, to their past, to the very sense of who they are. Profoundly intimate and powerfully inventive, it tells an unforgettable story of love, loyalty, and courage that is both completely of our time and for all time.

Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

A searing and profound Southern odyssey.In Jesmyn Ward’s first novel since her National Book Award winning Salvage the Bones, this singular American writer brings the archetypal road novel into rural twenty-first-century America. Drawing on Morrison and Faulkner, The Odyssey and the Old Testament, Ward gives us an epochal story, a journey through Mississippi’s past and present that is both an intimate portrait of a family and an epic tale of hope and struggle. Ward is a major American writer, multiply awarded and universally lauded, and in Sing, Unburied, Sing she is at the height of her powers.Jojo and his toddler sister, Kayla, live with their grandparents, Mam and Pop, and the occasional presence of their drug-addicted mother, Leonie, on a farm on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Leonie is simultaneously tormented and comforted by visions of her dead brother, which only come to her when she’s high; Mam is dying of cancer; and quiet, steady Pop tries to run the household and teach Jojo how to be a man. When the white father of Leonie’s children is released from prison, she packs her kids and a friend into her car and sets out across the state for Parchman farm, the Mississippi State Penitentiary, on a journey rife with danger and promise.Sing, Unburied, Sing grapples with the ugly truths at the heart of the American story and the power, and limitations, of the bonds of family. Rich with Ward’s distinctive, musical language, Sing, Unburied, Sing is a majestic new work and an essential contribution to American literature.

Artemis by Andy Weir

Jazz Bashara is a criminal.Well, sort of. Life on Artemis, the first and only city on the moon, is tough if you’re not a rich tourist or an eccentric billionaire. So smuggling in the occasional harmless bit of contraband barely counts, right? Not when you’ve got debts to pay and your job as a porter barely covers the rent.Everything changes when Jazz sees the chance to commit the perfect crime, with a reward too lucrative to turn down. But pulling off the impossible is just the start of her problems, as she learns that she’s stepped square into a conspiracy for control of Artemis itself—and that now, her only chance at survival lies in a gambit even riskier than the first.

Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel

A girl named Rose is riding her new bike near her home in Deadwood, South Dakota, when she falls through the earth. She wakes up at the bottom of a square hole, its walls glowing with intricate carvings. But the firemen who come to save her peer down upon something even stranger: a little girl in the palm of a giant metal hand.Seventeen years later, the mystery of the bizarre artifact remains unsolved—its origins, architects, and purpose unknown. Its carbon dating defies belief; military reports are redacted; theories are floated, then rejected.But some can never stop searching for answers.Rose Franklin is now a highly trained physicist leading a top secret team to crack the hand’s code. And along with her colleagues, she is being interviewed by a nameless interrogator whose power and purview are as enigmatic as the provenance of the relic. What’s clear is that Rose and her compatriots are on the edge of unraveling history’s most perplexing discovery—and figuring out what it portends for humanity. But once the pieces of the puzzle are in place, will the result prove to be an instrument of lasting peace or a weapon of mass destruction?An inventive debut in the tradition of World War Z and The Martian, told in interviews, journal entries, transcripts, and news articles, Sleeping Giants is a thriller fueled by a quest for truth—and a fight for control of earthshaking power.

American War by Omar El Akkad

Sarat Chestnut, born in Louisiana, is only six when the Second American Civil War breaks out in 2074. But even she knows that oil is outlawed, that Louisiana is half underwater, that unmanned drones fill the sky. And when her father is killed and her family is forced into Camp Patience for displaced persons, she quickly begins to be shaped by her particular time and place until, finally, through the influence of a mysterious functionary, she is turned into a deadly instrument of war. Telling her story is her nephew, Benjamin Chestnut, born during war – part of the Miraculous Generation – now an old man confronting the dark secret of his past, his family’s role in the conflict and, in particular, that of his aunt, a woman who saved his life while destroying untold others.

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil Degrasse Tyson

The essential universe, from our most celebrated and beloved astrophysicist.What is the nature of space and time? How do we fit within the universe? How does the universe fit within us? There’s no better guide through these mind-expanding questions than acclaimed astrophysicist and best-selling author Neil deGrasse Tyson.But today, few of us have time to contemplate the cosmos. So Tyson brings the universe down to Earth succinctly and clearly, with sparkling wit, in tasty chapters consumable anytime and anywhere in your busy day.While you wait for your morning coffee to brew, for the bus, the train, or a plane to arrive, Astrophysics for People in a Hurry will reveal just what you need to be fluent and ready for the next cosmic headlines: from the Big Bang to black holes, from quarks to quantum mechanics, and from the search for planets to the search for life in the universe.

The Leavers by Lisa Ko

One morning, Deming Guo’s mother, an undocumented Chinese immigrant named Polly, goes to her job at the nail salon and never comes home. No one can find any trace of her.With his mother gone, eleven-year-old Deming is left with no one to care for him. He is eventually adopted by two white college professors who move him from the Bronx to a small town upstate. They rename him Daniel Wilkinson in their efforts to make him over into their version of an “all-American boy.” But far away from all he’s ever known, Daniel struggles to reconcile his new life with his mother’s disappearance and the memories of the family and community he left behind.Set in New York and China, The Leavers is a vivid and moving examination of borders and belonging. It’s the story of how one boy comes into his own when everything he’s loved has been taken away–and how a mother learns to live with the mistakes of her past.This powerful debut is the winner of the 2016 PEN/Bellwether Prize for fiction, awarded by Barbara Kingsolver for a novel that addresses issues of social justice.

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

These are just some good ones that I’ve read or reread recently! Let me know if you need more, or are looking for something from a more specific genre! Chances are I can find you something good to read!

[punkakess]

Samurai AU

This my contribuition for the first day of the GratsuAUWeek, hope you guys enjoy and I’m sorry for any mistakes and i know it’s a day late...^^

The days had turned short, the rays of sun losing its strong heat to the cool air that blow from the ocean and travel all the way into the country. As the night quickly took over and the moon climb up high, the ground frosts over, dew rendering itself to the cold that come with the goom.

Gray’s steps are light and calculated, his posture strong and firm yet elegant, long legs parting just enough to keep the speed of his walk, but sufficient in its shortness to not give away his haste. However, despite the graceful gait, small frosted droplets of water still crunched quietly under his feet. Natsu chuckled low, lifting a hand to his mouth in a futile attempt of muffling the sounds he knew would annoy Gray.

“What are you laughing so suddenly at, idiot?” Came the expected question, spoke only after the dark haired samurai had looked around to confirm his solitude.

A simple shrug was all Natsu offered as an answer, while he mulled over the decision of telling or not to his partner what was on his very bored mind. It was mean and most likely not true, but Natsu had nothing more interesting to do and the reaction his little joke would bring forth wouldn’t be serious enough to deter Gray from his pace or even take away his focus, really.

Smiling mischievous, Natsu skipped ahead while pulling his arms behind his head, his tail twitched by his back in anticipation “Ne, Gray. Don’t you think you should control your appetite more?” The young man looked him sideways, suspicion and irritation clear in his face.

“What are you- Wait, I don’t want to hear that from you!” As soon as he realized he had lost a little bit of his composure, Gray quickly recovered with a noise from his throat, “Why are you saying this, anyway?”

Ah, so Gray did caught on the fact that Natsu’s question had being more of a statement. Once again shrugging, Natsu hugged one of his tails, rough fingers brushing the soft, salmon fur and twirling the very end of it, “Well, your steps aren’t as light as a few months ago. It’s turning sneaking around a more difficult task for you.”

A vein troubled on Gray’s temple and his hand touched the hilt of his katana in an automatic movement, “Are you calling me fat?”

“What? No, I would never. I’m just stating that you’ve probably gained a little weight in the last few weeks.” For a minute Natsu believed the vein would explode on the side of Gray’s forehead and he took a couple steps back to avoid the blood dirtying his clothes. Just because nobody would see the dark spots besides Gray, didn’t meant he wanted it anyway.

“So you’re calling me fat.” The raven stated with a bemused face, thumb circling the very tip on the hilt of his sword as a silent threat, one which Natsu ignored.

“Not fat, fatter.”

The sentence, spoke in such casual yet teasing tone, tipped Gray of off the edge of his control – not that he has a lot when it comes to the pink haired kitsune.  A growl escaped rosy lips and his hand unsheathed his Fubuki a few mere centimeters. Another hand stopped the movement, however and Gray hissed at the light scratch of claws on his pale skin. Natsu used his hold to approach the youngest until they were breathing the same air and supple lips touched a slightly red ear.

“If you don't want to draw attention to yourself, I suggest you don't cause a scene or make too much noise.” a shiver, that wasn't originated from cold, shook Gray’s body and Natsu smirked in victory.

Before backing away, he let his tongue snake over shell of the same body part. The answer was a shove on his chest where he rubbed after stumbling away, “Why do I still stick by your side?”

“Honestly?” Gray merely nodded in confirmation, but it was enough for the kitsune, “Because I make you an awesome samurai.”

“I’d probably still be good without you.”

“And probably dead. How many times have I saved you already?” Not having a retort, the raven rolled his eyes exaggeratedly, before forcefully focusing on the task at hand.

Natsu had told Gray the enemy would try a surprise attack on the camp, where the warriors slept. According with what he had heard while prowling around the enemy's territory, they would attempt to kill Commander Scarlet, knowing she was the mastermind behind all war strategies. What they weren’t aware of was the young samurai who had being graced by Kami with a youkai as protector. A kitsune no one but Gray could see and would often spy on their opponent to collect Intel. For all his allies, Gray was a young man with a gift of guessing the decisions the enemy might take. Sometimes, his guesses would be a little of, maybe sooner than necessary, but never too wrong to the point of causing prejudice.

The pair came to a stop, halting right in front of the commander’s bedchambers. There were hushed voices the tin paper, which composed the shouji,couldn’t hold in. The sounds took away Gray’s hesitance, once he knew his visit would not wake Erza. He loudly climbed the two steps leading to the small tatami deck, as a way to alert his superior of his presence and cleared his throat.

“Forgive me, Shirei-kan, but I have an important matter to discuss with you.” Rustling could be heard and Gray readied himself to be scolded for the inappropriate hour.

“Is it urgent?” Came the strong but slightly high pinched voice.

“I believe so, Shirei-kan.”

“Very well, enter.” Gray did as ordered, sliding the door open and promptly kneeling by the side of Erza’s futon, where she sat, casually dressed in pajamas, he caught a glimpse of Jellal living the room and probably posting himslef as a guard by the front door,  “What can I do for you, Gray?”

“Shirei- I mean, Erza-sama.” She smiled sweetly, and Natsu knew she was happy Gray had treated her more casually then normal, they had known each other for years yet Gray insisted with the formality, “I’m afraid I bring bad news.” She frowned, but signalized for him to proceed, “I believe the enemy is plotting a surprise attack to our side lines, with the intention to murder you. It’s not a secret you’re our mastermind and one of the main reasons this war is in our favor.”

“Are you sure of it, Gray?” She question calmly, but both Natsu and Gray could see the moment her body went rigid, the raven nodded solemnly, “When are they planning to attack?”

“In two nights…or so” He remembered to add the cell of uncertainty to avoid Erza realizing his surety, otherwise it would be suspicious.

“Why do you think, they’re planning this attack?”

Gray bit his lip, trying to remember all the clues Natsu had caught on and had driven him to inspect the enemy, “Lately they’ve been too passive and during battles, their champions are avoiding confrontation. I suppose it’s all in preparation to the attack.”

Natsu tsked beside Gray, annoyed the raven had used his exact words, but didn’t do nothing, preferring to let it slide, knowing he had no right to be mad after the little mischief he had done. The result would come at any moment now. His enhanced ears strained to hear the light steps of intruders and the sizzle of swords being unsheathed. Oh the approaching battle would be fun, maybe it would tip the war, but as a youkai, Natsu didn’t care, his duty was to protect Gray and nothing else.

“Sometimes, your talent to observe and guess amaze me, Gray.” Erza said in a friendly voice, her expression soft “Kami truly blessed you with-”

The echo of a shout reverberated throughout the camp and both samurais freezed. For a few seconds, silence reigned over the side lines until another low wail resounded. Gray took advantage of Erza’s focus on the general direction the screams came form and looked at Natsu inquisitively. The kitsune lifted both shoulders in a careless movement and, even knowing the Commander wouldn’t hear him, he whispered surprise attack. Gray’s blue eyes immediately turned wide and he was about to warn Erza when the noise of a body falling reached their ears. For a moment static filled the air and then a group of men opened the door with more force than necessary.

Without wasting time, the two samurais arose to their feet quickly, reaching for their katanas. There wasn’t any time to stare at the assailants as the clash came fast and merciless. Erza and Gray were outnumbered, but that posted no problem, they knew what they were doing and Natsu was by their side, even if the only one aware of it was Gray.

Blades kissed furiously, producing hissing sounds, sometimes clashing so violently sparks would fly from the place of impact. Bodies twirled and ducked with speed and precision. Humans sought to kill and protect and Natsu skipped around, pulling on someone shoes or sleeves, pushing a man or making another trip, lifting a tail or two to fend of swords that got too close to Gray’s blind spots. There wouldn’t be any if Gray wasn’t so adamant in protecting Erza.

“Help me protect Erza, they’re more focused on her then on me.” Gray demanded and earned an exasperated look in return.

“And who will protect you?” Natsu countered, expression frustrated.

“Don’t mind me, Erza is the Commander!”

Gray was frantic but Natsu was having none of that. It wasn’t his duty to protect the red haired woman, she could die for all he cared. Someone more competent like Gray could fill the post of Commander quickly, perhaps. Yeah, Gray would be a great Commander, the kitsune thought. With Natsu, his abilities were almost invincible and raven’s intelligence along with his millenary experience would form a great combo. Imagine the things and places they could conqueror.

While Natsu lost himself among his wonderings, the quick slide of Gray’ body towards Erza escaped his perception. Only when a katana pierced through the dark haired samurai’s torso did the kitsune realized what his partner was doing. If Natsu wasn’t going to protect Erza, than Gray would.

Time slowed down before Natsu’s emerald like eyes. He watched as the body of his lover fell ungracefully to the tatami floor, kneeling with both hands over the deadly wound marring his flesh. For a mere moment his sky colored eyes fixed Natsu and a small smile split his bloody lips. It was forgiveness and guilty, a goodbye and a promise of a next encounter, perhaps in another life. It was a confession. I love you.

A blade licked at the fragile skin on his neck, cutting deep and splattering blood on the closer wall, on the murder and on Natsu, who had approached unconsciously. A scream ripped itself from the pink haired youkai and everything around fell silent as the wail exploded in a ball of burning orange and yellow fire. The barrack is rendered to debris and all people around burned to ashes, falling victims of the kyubi no kitsune’s fury and grief.

Natsu kneeled and cradled Gray’s corpse to his chest, unmindful of the blood which painted his kimono and haori. He whispered denies and begs of forgiveness, late confessions and pleads for miracles. Guilty clawed at his heart for his mischievous nature, blood-thirsty temperament finally brought misfortune upon his life.

Carefully, he took Gray’s hand in his own, examining the slight difference of their skin color and than brought it to his face. It brushed his mask, creating crimson patterns in it before touching his cheek. Gray’s fingers were cold, they were always cool, wouldn’t warm up in no way, but this was different. I felt empty and unforgiving. Natsu already missed the old coolness, already missed his lover.

“Come back to me, Gray.”

[the-four-humors]

You're the best, ty ;-; Here's a whole bunch for however many characters you wanna talk about, I just love hearing about Neonreality: 1, 4, 18, 19, 26, 28, 29, 36, 40, 41, 44, 45

Sorry I was punishing myself by reading Hush Beyond. Okay! There’s 12 of these so I’m gonna split em into groups of 3 and do a few answers for each of the main NR characters! Thank you~

NOEL

1. Does your character have siblings or family members in their age group? Which one are they closest with?

Noel - actually all four main characters - is an only child! In Noel’s case it lead to him being kind of a spoiled brat. He does have a few cousins around his age but they all live in Scottsdale, AZ and his extended family doesn’t really like to see him. They’re a little bit afraid that if they spend time around him, his powers will rub off on them. 

4. Has your character ever witnessed something that fundamentally changed them? If so, does anyone else know?

Oh yeah! He was 13 when the Visitation happened, and he saw what became known as “The Vehicle” (a long, thin metal cylinder) descent from the sky. He was far enough away from the blast zone that he didn’t see the blast itself, but he felt the shockwave. And then the reports started rolling in about the dead and injured. He was just old enough to understand that this was something very serious, and like many of the people viewing the Visitation, he thought it was some sort of nuclear attack. From that moment forward, he essentially became a nihilist. This was proof that the world could end at any moment, so what did it matter if he behaved or got good grades? And that self-centered nihilism would last him the rest of his life (at least up until the events of the story.)

18. Is your character more likely to admire wisdom, or ambition in others?

Noel doesn’t genuinely admire anything in anyone, except for maybe Marsha’s ability to completely annihilate him with words. 

MARSHA

19. What is your character’s biggest relationship flaw? Has this flaw destroyed relationships for them before?

Marsha has like…… Gone Girl problems. Not that she’s a sociopath but more that she is legitimately A Cool Girl and she thinks that she can bring the guys she dates up to her level. She has always been wrong. None of them has been willing to improve themselves for her. As she’s gotten older, she’s start experimenting with women just to see if she can have some sort of fulfilling relationship with someone. (Turns out she kind of likes girls and they really like her back.)

26. How does your character behave around children?

For surrounding herself with a bunch of man-children, Marsha has no idea how to react to children. She doesn’t hate them, she just doesn’t get them. When kids walk up to her and say anything to her she’ll just give them a confused look and ask if anyone is missing their child. 

28. How quick or slow is your character to resort to physical violence in a confrontation?

Marsha tries to never resort to physical violence. She will always try to de-escalate a situation. Shooting someone is a sign that she isn’t doing her job right. However, when pushed to absolute extremes, she’ll fire shots and will maintain her composure while doing so. 

KING

29. What did your character dream of being or doing as a child? Did that dream come true?

King has always dreamed of being… well… a King. Or at least living a life free from the prejudice he faced growing up as a Slip. He never really knew what exactly he wanted other than to not be judged by others for his abilities. His fame as a model has afforded him a lot of money and freedom… but he still struggles to get respect. 

36. How does your character behave around people they dislike?

King’s main goal in life is to show that he - and by extension all Slips - are better than anyone gives them credit for. He is incredibly graceful around people he dislikes, more so than around people he actually likes, because he doesn’t want to give them the satisfaction of knowing they’ve upset him in any way. He is also a master of thinly veiled insults. 

40. How does your character treat people in service jobs?

King came from an upper-middle class background and quickly rose to fame so he doesn’t have much experience in service jobs, but again, he tries to be a role model for Slips and will be very respectful to service workers. 

BOSQUE

41. Does your character feel that they deserve to have what they want, whether it be material or abstract, or do they feel they must earn it first?

Bosque suffers from depression and anxiety and feels like they don’t deserve anything that they have, even if they’ve worked hard to achieve it. They have really low self-esteem and figures no one actually wants them around. That said, they do believe that people are inherently good… just that they aren’t worthy of good treatment. 

44. How easy or difficult is it for your character to say “I love you?” Can they say it without meaning it?

Bosque is SUPER FLUSTERED by telling people they love them. They fall in love easily, but again, they have low self-esteem and figure it’ll never be reciprocated. They can’t tell people they love them without meaning it, because they can barely tell anyone they love them period. 

45. What does your character believe will happen to them after they die? Does this belief scare them?

Bosque is super Catholic and goes hard for the ideas of Heaven/Hell/Purgatory. They’re scared of going to Hell and spend A LOT of time at confession. 

[serahne]

ive been seeing a lot of stuff saying how problematic and gross dr3 was but no actual descriptions, and since your analysis is thorough, evidenced, and trustworthy, i was hoping you could explain why dr3 is so taboo? thank you if you do!

So much pressure, haha. Well, my main reason for loathing dr3 is the terrible writing, the retcons, the plotholes, the characterizations of characters, the plot in general that runs on stupid, so not exactly the ‘problematic part’.

However, as always when writers didn’t care that much about writing something that makes sense, they didn’t care either about the subtext. That is to say, things that aren’t explicited by the plot or the characters, but are there not matter how you look at it. For a funny exemple of text VS subtext, I already made a semi-serious argument about Nanami being a sociopath in the anime.

As for the rest, I’m scared that I’m going to let my years in sociology take over…

             - The anime supports an ultra-liberal point of view when it comes to society. Which is a surprise, considering that dr1 and especially sdr2 were really clever at showing that human being’s behaviour has nothing do with some kind of ‘human nature’, and people just react to their environnement they are put in and the one they grew up in. This is not something revolutionnary, but it still asks the question of someone’s responsability in their own acts, and the difficulty to become someone you want to be despite the society putting you in a case.

Hope’s Peak treats his Students as Ultimates ( or Reserve Course ), and not as human beings, totally neglecting to deal with their complicated past, or their particularities. And the anime, by making the whole sdr2 classe completely cartoon-ish, by erasing these particularities ( everyone becomes despair for the same reason, none of their past is ever brought up… ) and by re-opening Hope’s Peak Academy at the end, the anime promotes the idea that it’s a good way to see things. That people being defined by the fact that they are talented is enough.

             - More generally, the anime is a lot more conservative. The entire blame of the Tragedy is put on Junko, as if nothing bad would have ever happened without her coming to Hope’s Peak. Which is ridiculous, or Junko is just the match that lights up the oil that has been poured all over Hope’s Peak for years. She is the unstoppable force meeting a still object. She makes the thing goes boom, but she wouldn’t have succeed without the state of corruption Hope’s Peak was in.

Hi, girl you are literally describing any system where elites dominate the society. Eventually people who managed to take the ‘social’ elevator wants to keep their position and we assist to a elite reproduction, where elites are the ones who runs the systems and chose themselves the next generation of elites - which, again, encourages the corruption.

Going back to the subject of Hope’s Peak, the school was doomed, no matter what. The opening of the Reserve Course was probably a last try to sustain the elitist system from Hope’s Peak, but it blew up in their face. They created their fate, and they tried to avoid it by playing God, by creating Kamukura ( which is pretty funny, by the way : trying to go back to the way things were at the beginning by creating another ‘Hope’, as if themselves realized that something had been lost in the process ).

The anime is infuriating by trying to say that Hope’s Peak is the ‘good guy’ defeated by the ‘bad’ guy, Junko, and it’s emphazised by the ‘happy end’ where Naegi, elite from Hope’s Peak and FF, and Kirigiri, elite from Hope’s Peak and FF decides to re-open the school. Which the anime is trying to tell us is an happy ending. But will eventually fall exactly the same way, realistically.

           - The anime doesn’t recognize opression. This one annoys me a lot. I mean, yes, we kinda have Hinata and Natsumi being sad that they are in the Reserve Course Student, but we have nothing about the systemical opression that RCS goes through. Their motivations are always personnal ones ( Hajime wants to be proud of himself and to be Chiaki’s friend, Natsumi wants to be with her brother ) and almost… irrationnal. Again and again, characters who are portrayed as the ‘wise ones’ like Chiaki and Chisa - and who, unfortunately, are themselves opressors - claims that there is nothing bad with being a RCS, that it’s actually even better, and that it gives them so much freedom. Which is basically like someone being super wealthy talking to a homeless person in the street ‘damn, but at least you don’t have to work, you’re free to do whatever you want !’. Sure, jan.

Even when Hinata confronts Juzo and he is violently treated, we are always reminded that the Main Course is actually kind and nice, and caring and without any class prejudice, for the only reason he was rough with Hinata was for his own good, to keep him away from the building.

I’m going to make a point about sexism later, so I won’t stay on this one for too long, but Nanami being the Ultimate Gamer is problematic in itself, since we never get any hint of sexism being directed at her. In a similar way that Yuri On Ice! is a world without homophobia so straight fangirls won’t need to reflect on their behaviour in real life, Nanami lives in a ‘world without sexism’ where she obviously never met an annoying guy ever, who would put her down because of her talent. Fetishizing a cute gamer girl is okay, targetting the main audience for the anime ( straight gamer guys ) and trying to make them think about their behaviour in real life ? Nuh-uh.

        - Talking of homophobia, the way the anime treats it is… terrible. Everyone rejoiced when Sakakura was confirmed as gay but… at the end of the day, he was forcibly outed as supreme humiliation, and then went right for the ‘bury the gays’ trope. It’s not respectful. It’s not positive representation. It’s lame. Obviously, Komaeda and Tsumiki were given a shitty treatment too, with the anime going to hell and back to erase their sexuality/canon feelings. Komaeda being apparently… turned on by Hope ( which makes me think that the writers may have read too much fanfictions from the old fandom ), and Tsumiki only falling for Junko as a result of brainwashing ( when her ‘normal self’ would have been so much cuter with the Imposter, right ? ).

They also turned the little joke from the Twilight Syndrom Murder Case into… Sato being yandere for Mahiru I guess ? Ugh. All that while force-feeding literally any straight couples they could. In 24 episodes where we are supposed to get a plot somewhere we have 8 straight couples being teased. None of them being even remotely well-written (Ruruka and Izayoi is at least interesting but that’s it). The only gay couple being given some attention is Tokomaru in one (1) episode.

        - Finally, sexism and misogyny. Something that I’m honestly really tired of when it comes to Danganronpa, but that has never peaked as much as in dr3. where do I start off ? Maybe with the terrible treatment of Mikan someone who has been canonically emotionally and sexually abused and being turned into a joke, before being sexually humiliated and used for fanservice, again and again. Or the way female characters can fall into the ‘good girl category’, the category where girls have rosy cheeks, no personnality, and are devoted to their man, and dies for their character development because that’s what good girls do. These girls have to be very good-looking but absolutely unaware of it, for fetishized innocence and childish attitude is cute, even in a grown-up adult. Obviously

Obviously at the moment where they are aware that they are good looking, they become “bad girls’ who manipulates men, aren’t good waifus, and deserves to die, too, of course, but alone and in despair because how dare these girls having personalities and their own agendas ? Ruruka and Junko falls into these categories.

And uh… other females characters don’t really exist. Peko becomes a poor little thing for Fuyuhiko to protect, Sonia seems to give absolutely no thought to her kingdom, Ibuki is a comic relief, Mahiru lost all her temper. Asahina is bicycle for Naegi, I guess. They are 100% irrelevant for the plot, for only men are allowed to further it in any way.

[the100isracist]

@commanderoswald

1. It was consensual. You forgot the word STATUTORY to demonise him without context, and this argument is useless because we don’t know the legal age on the ark. It contains many nationalities, not just American, and the legal age is 16 in most countries.

So Lincoln, Maya and Raven are rapist pedophiles too, right? Since they slept with people below 18? Can you just stop encouraging this shit from your anons? SO many young girls follow you ad everyone is calling Bellamy a rapist now based on nothing. You just decided the legal age on the ark was 18 and ran with it. Maybe think about why it’s gross to call a brown man a pedophile and rapist when a. You don’t know the laws and b. 3 other characters slept with minors too. Why are you insisting on presenting him as some creepy sleazy predator? 

You condemning him for murder and abuse is so gross and your double standards are so obvious it’s sick. You should really read this meta by Southeast and South Asians and actually try to understand you’re not in the right when it comes to racism Asians face just because you’re a POC, and you can’t just keep saying they’re ignorant and wrong about their own history and culture and the prejudice they face.

Why is this anon calling a QWOC who ship Clexa “blarke” and “becky”? Something you’ve consistently done to QWOC Braven shippers who defend Bellamy? Like, why pretend like only white Bellarke shippers care about Bellamy, when Filipino women have called you out on your aggressive and obsessive racism towards Asians multiple time?

For example, defending the bindi to Desi fans? You just ignored them the minute they confronted you. Right now you just called religious appropriation “baseless bindi discourse”. 

You’ve ignored every Desi blogger who has tried to tell you it is a bindi. You’re trying your hardest to convince the hordes of young girls following you that racism is okay when done in the name of hot white girls. Are you Hindu? Then how are you in a position to speak over Hindus and claim their knowledge of their religion and culture is baseless? Like, you constantly say your hatred of Bellamy is ignored because you’re a WOC and we always get screwed over for men, but Desi and FIlipino WOC are fucking idiots?

Bellamy fans get defensive because you’re being racist and most of us asre people of colour. You can keep pretending like every Bellamy fan is a white girl names Becky but almost everyone who defends him on here is Southeast or South Asian. How about next time you read what we have to say on racism instead of mocking us for being defensive? When you’re literally WRONGFULLY calling our rep a rapist genocidal xenophobe because you’re bigots who have convinced yourselves none of this is motivated by racism and you’re fighting the good fight by ignoring literally everything they say and then calling them “becky” and telling them to “grow the fuck up.”

2. You want a textbook white saviour to kill another POC? After 2 more were killed last week? Despite the terrifyingly high body count? Do you ever acknowledge how Clarke and Lexa are white supremacists and have extremely racist characters? Have you demonised them for their “abuse”? Have you ever acknowledge their privilege? Or how ABUSIVE the white women are?

3. You have no problem calling Bellamy xenophobic for fighting back a white woman but Clarke saying grounders are savages or wanting to leave them while Bellamy wanted to help them, is nothing? And genocidal…. like, every single character on the 100 has committed genocide including Clarke. Bellamy taking part in a massacre, by POC, was retaliation to the army of a white woman who had been trying to exterminate them, is xenophobic of him. Think about what you’re saying here. A white girl in bindi and brownface gets zero flack for trying to wipe out a group with as many if not more POC than the grounders for months, and fighting back makes the black and brown arkers genocidal?

4. Bob has spoken about the racism he’s faced and how much playing Bellamy means to him/how important it is multiple times. Can you stop rewriting the facts to prove your obsession with his race right? Asians have asked you to stop many times, and pointed out how bad your logic is, and yet you act like a kid playing him for 2 minutes determines his race rather than the man playing him for 4 seasons/the audience is going to go by 1 flashback rather than seasons of the brown man they see. Would you say Izzy Lightwood is white, or Lavender Brown is black then? (that’s the race of the actors who play them as children) Or is that just another one of your double standards?

5. You are LYING, Bellamy never once said he killed those grounders because he was mad Clarke was not there, he killed them because they were a threat to the survival of this people. Here’s how you’re making it up- by ignoring canon:

6. Are you serious?

He is protective of Octavia because since was like 6 his mother told him she’s his responsibility and he had to put her above all else. They grew up knowing she would be killed for existing and he had to protect her. His mother was killed by the government in front of him for giving birth to her. Like, do you actually not understand how these traumatised people who grew up in a hostile atmosphere work? Or is it just convenient to ignore the reasons and call him an abusive brother?

Why isnt Clarke a xenophobic prick, or Lexa? She explicitly said all grounders are savages like… your double standards are scary. You straight up ignore the shit hot white girls do and call for the death of a Southeast Asian man because your refuse to understand their role in the war or his motives.

How is saying “This is who I've always been, and I let you and Octavia and can convince me that we could trust these people when they have shown over and over again who they are, and I won’t let anyone else die for that mistake.” not owning up? How is it passing the blame on? Did you even watch past 3x07? Or remember seasons 1 and 2? How dies he not cooperate with or care about anyone when he went on a suicide mission for CL, freed child slaves, fought with Clarke because he wanted grounders in the bunker, etc?

Bellamy does not get away with things. (season 1, season 2, season 3). You’re literally endorsing reverse racism here. The fandom hates him, there are posts with 10k notes lying about him and calling him abusive for things he never did.  

None of what you say is “right there”, it’s all lies or double standards. You’ve been proudly advocating for racism for over a year now. You keep claiming Bellamy fans have no proof or arguments, or just unnecessarily call everything racism, even though that is not true and many have tried to talk to you. You can’t use that excuse anymore since I just linked you to multiple posts that have all the “proof” you need.

If a BC shipper was this obsessed with proving Lexa a demon you would label them a creepy lesbophobe, but here you are, claiming that people who are calling out your LIES are wrong and blinded by his race. You’re being racist, and then telling Asian POC who ask you to stop that they’re idiots and if they call out your double standards they’re “letting him get away with shit because of his race”. That’s circular logic that ensures you have a free pass to be racist all you want and POC have no right to ask you to stop since you think you are always right and they are wrong about THEIR PEOPLE AND THE RACISM THEY FACE.

But I’m pretty sure just like you ignore every single Asian who calls you out, you’ll ignore this, so you can continue pretending that we’re horny straight white girls with nothing to back up our defence of him and just think he’s hot. Because you think you have the right to decide for other people’s rep, you think you have the right to tell Filipino people that the first male lead they’ve ever had is a white man, is the devil incarnate for reasons your faves are guilty of too.

Just leave Asians alone. I don’t know what we ever did to you but please stop actively hurting us. And stop thinking your voice matters more than ours when it comes to our representation, culture, and racism we face. Why is it so hard for you to accept you don’t know better than actual Asians, acknowledge you might be wrong, stop being so condescending and obsessive and viciously hateful, and actually start listening to us?

[morethanonepage]

for your ask meme: rogue one and tfa (what did you expect from me)

send me a tv show/book/fandom and i’ll say the top 5 things i’d change about it

ROGUE ONE

Fewer white people – like I’m not going to be ~too radical~ here by recasting any of the main cast, but even stuff like, why are all the Rebel officers SO WHITE??? And BRITISH? It’s….weird. Even if they were going for a WWII, Keep Calm and Carry On, The Last Good War thing evoked with them, it was still very, very jarring. It made Rogue One, with its predominantly POC main cast, feel whiter than TFA. So ok, you had to have Jyn (you didn’t “have to”, obviously – she should not have been another white brunette but fine), Mon, and Galen, and the Ghost of Peter Cushing. Everyone else in this movie? Should not have been a white person. Hamilton-cast this thing! You’re making a movie about people fighting against brutal oppression! Casting white people muddles that message.

Someone Please Help Bodhi – at least don’t have him die alone, and so suddenly. Like in that last moment before the explosion have him holding someone’s hand or just have him giving an “okay. we did what we could” nod to someone. Corporal Tonc.

Let Chirrut and Baze Kiss – self explanatory

I Thought This Was a Team? – look this movie was sold to me as a heist movie with inherent squad shenanigans. THERE WERE NO SHENANIGANS. At least not with the whole team. LET THEM BE A SQUAD. For at least a week or something before they all die. I don’t even object to the fact that they all died! I mean – I understand and appreciate why other people do, and in the broader, meta narrative of “why do all the brown people die” it’s questionable, but in this particular film, with what it’s trying to say (the importance of fighting so that others can reach the mountain top, even if you don’t), I understand it. JUST LET THEM COALESCE AS A GROUP, FIRST. Otherwise it’s harder for me to care.

Stop The Flickery Elevator Bullshit – look I’m petty but I have no remaining patience for Jyn/Cassian and this was the most egregious moment of it. I don’t mind the embrace on the beach – they’re about to die and of course you reach out to whoever you can, in that moment. But the music swelling and the flickery light and the big moony eyes? CUT IT. OUT. GONE. 

TFA

“How Poe Got Off Jakku” scene (stupid reckless-ass chase scene depicted in the novelization would be way better than the thousands of ‘he blew some guys’ speculations in fandom, lbr, plus we’d get more of Poe generally and his characterization, etc, etc)

This scene and just, generally speaking (lol), more of Leia being The General.

Fewer callbacky things like ‘I was just trying to help’/’when did that ever work – and don’t say the Death Star’ – I found it creaky and unnecessary dialogue, didn’t need it. 

Just generally speaking less Han ��� Harrison Ford is generally fine but….idk I found his acting in TFA to be not great? He was good in the scenes with Carrie, but otherwise, nah. 

Cutting the line about Finn being in sanitation – I think it was there as a joke/to emphasis the fact that he hadn’t really been in the position to access the shields or whatever, but the uphill climb it then took for the fandom to acknowledge that he was, y’know, top of his class, with his only real flaw as a cadet being that he was too empathetic, was so unnecessary and exhausting. So yeah either cutting that line or making it clear that he was on sanitation either as a punishment (likely) or as part of the usual training rotation all troopers went through, something. 

STAR WARS FANDOM WAS A MISTAKE

People need to stop. Just – in general.

In particular: stop saying people are white when they’re not. Stop saying people are white-passing when they’re not. If you’re told someone that you thought was white is not, accept it, apologize, and move on, especially if they’re not part of your community. It’s not your place to say.

Stop playing oppression olympics – different groups experience racism in different ways. To say one character of color is treated better or worse than another character of color by fandom is unhelpful. It’s especially bad when you, the person saying so, is white, and numerous POC are telling you to hold up and listen, and you continue not to.

Shipping a brown person with a white person is not the pinnacle of progressivism. Brown people do not need to be rewarded with a white blond/brunette love interest as a show of how good a person they are, especially when your brown person/white person ship is a blatant case of ‘pair the spare’ and the characters don’t even meet in canon.

Speaking of progressivism and pinnacles of: it’s not dependent on what you ship. You’re not a gay rights hero because you ship slash; you’re not a civil rights leader because you ship a black character with a white one. There are serious, real world issues facing all of us, in all of our communities, that have to do with racism and homophobia and antisemitism, and all sorts of other prejudices. What we talk about in fandom spaces are reflections of that, certainly – when we ‘call someone out’ for using racist tropes or being sexist in their treatment of female characters or fetishizing gay relationships, we’re confronting prejudices with real world ramifications. And sometimes we’re doing it to change minds, and sometimes we’re doing it out of frustration, personal and otherwise. Both of which are, to my mind, valid – but I also think we should, as a group, be more circumspect about what we’re doing, and why. Because if we’re just ranting on tumblr.com to score points, or assuage our white/straight/able-bodied/cis-gendered guilt instead of taking active steps to confront our own prejudices, for instance, or of listening to people in those communities we’re ostensibly ‘defending’….Well, at that point we run the risk of making it more about us than them, and the challenges they’re facing. So, y’know – thoughtfulness, empathy, and a willingness to listen go a long way, in my experience.

But basically just stop. All of you. Silencio, por favor.

[djrelentless]

“Look Before You Leap”

(An Overview Of The Ferguson Verdict)

November 25, 2014 at 6:20am

What was originally going to be a private message to a facebook friend turned into a post and evolved into a blog. The more I wrote the more I had to say. So, this is what came out....

All hell has broken out over the United States tonight! And social media is driving a lot of anger as well. We went through this with the Trayvon Martin verdict. And the sad thing is that we will be having this argument again in a few months as the numbers of deaths of people of color come in from future protests and racial profiling shootings. And it's not just black folks who are the victims. There are many cops who are being charged with racial profiling and murder.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-xHqf1BVE4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AG_-EXd9Es

But I guess what is most disheartening is seeing folks that I have on my facebook friends list posting a lot of Anti-American memes and statements making jokes out of the pain and suffering of Black People in the states and making judgements about a group of people that you really don't know. I was very tempted to send a message to one that read: "Dude.....you're going a little heavy on the America bashing posts these days."

I am just as upset about the state of things in my home country too, but generalizing about people and places you really don't know is no different than Americans who think Canadians live in igloos and say "a-boot". If you're going by what you read and find online...don't. Many sites are set up to point out extremes. The major divide that is happening in the US has to do with The Right Wing being still upset over Obama being elected. They are not gonna let it go until he is out of office. They have made it their mission to discredit and destroy anything that Obama supports. And what is even sadder is that the poor uninformed Right Wingers (basically white and racist) don't realize that they are mere pawns in this propaganda as well. The "not-middle-class" family living in the midwest in a trailer park think that they voted against Obama in the last election when they really voted against themselves. The Republicans are gonna benefit from that last election....not you.

It is the Republicans securing their interests for the future. And trust me....the "Average Joe" (white, black or whatever color) is not included. The bad habits that the rich acquired during the Reagan and Bush years have spoiled the Republicans. That character in "The Wolf Of Wall Street" is real! They don't care about you and I. All they want to see is how much money they are going to make.

The racial bias in the United States is at an all time high. And as a person of color I can tell you it is real. I'm a fairly educated and a politically aware person and I still get discriminated against and racially profiled. After many witnesses and in some cases (video of police attacks) verdicts like this really damage what's left of race relations. Like the Rodney King and O.J. verdicts.....what little compassion and understanding that is on the table gets trampled. This cuts deeper every time a situation like this happens and I'm afraid that an all out race war is lurking under the surface. The extremes want it bad. The Republicans and FOX want it bad. It will keep everyone busy while the corporations continue to buy up the power and votes in the US. So, you see....this is bigger than some teenager getting shot. And our words shape and form what is to come.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvE-1qAs1W4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrdPpkHYOdc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy_QTljnDJQ

Another thing to consider is the Bill Cosby allegations. Social media is driving his demise in public opinion. Being a person who was sexually abused I believe he has a serious problem. The time period that his fame came was about the same time as Sammy Davis Jr. And we all remember that his fame in the Brat Pack (Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin) took a major hit when he married Swedish actress, Mary Britt. Even John F. Kennedy shunned him and would not allow him to perform at his inauguration because of it. Bill Cosby was considered a hero in White America. For African-Americans who lived in low income housing and no where near the middle class, his TV character during the late 80s and early 90s was unrelatable. That family did not represent the reality of Black America and many felt Cosby was a new version of "Uncle Tom". And the reason I bring this up is that the fall of a major Black Man is the United States puts him back in his place. The Republicans have not been able to put Obama back in his place. He's the president....what can they do but be big babies and say "we're not gonna play with you"?

And although many people of color would like Obama to come out and say the truth about his treatment in The White House, it is not going to happen. Or at least it won't happen until he is well out of office. Often when I watch Obama speaking, his pauses are very evident of self editing. It looks like he is fighting the urge to say "Ya'll have no idea what these muthafuckas are doing to me." Of course, that is total conjecture on my part, but I feel for the man. He has to walk a very difficult line as the first Black President. His words and actions are all historic and he knows it. So, he chooses them very carefully.

I have one facebook friend who seems to go out of her way to bash Obama weekly. The funny thing is that she's a drag queen who hates Republicans as well. I have another facebook friend who loves to bash the US, but has never even been to any of the major cities to get an idea of what he is talking about. It all reminds me of when I went to Greece and spent most of my trip explaining that most Americans didn't vote for George W. Bush. It was more interesting to explain to gay men that I met in Athens that their fetishized image of Hip Hop artists like Busta Rhymes and Jay Z were in vain. They didn't believe me that they men would just as soon beat the shit out of them rather than accept their advances. It's funny how people cherry pick what they want to believe or accept. I have another friend who posted a question about blackface and I couldn't believe how many people did not understand how and why blackface would be offensive.

But don't get me wrong....I'm not saying that all these police shootings are unjust. I'm sure not all of the people of color who are stopped and frisked are saints. In the case of Eric Garner, apparently he had sold illegal cigarettes. Did he deserve to die of a choke hold? Absolutely not! Were there reasons to stop him? Yes...there was. Like in the case of 12 year old Tamir Rice who was shot and killed for reaching for an undistinguishable air gun when confronted by the police. A very sad story, but what in the hell was this kid thinking reaching for any type of gun while being confronted by the police?

http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/24/justice/cleveland-police-shooting/index.html?hpt=hp_inthenews

It's been said many times before, but somehow when times are hard, jobs are scarce and things are not going in your favor it is hard to remember that prejudice is taught. Social media has done wonders for sharing information, but unfortunately it has also helped in spreading hate, lies and misinformation. Before I post anything I try to at least fact check or check the source. With so many people with plenty of time on their hands there's many fake news sites that plant stories to get hits (no different than the folks who post photos everyday to see how many "likes" they will get). I guess, it's a self esteem thing. I try to post about what I truly believe in, what I am working on or promoting the things I like. I try to stay out of threads and conversations that I know nothing about. Giving uninformed opinions only make you look stupid and usually agitate the situation that you are commenting on. Look before you leap.