#engaging in extremely normal activity

[pac1fythehunger]

don't worry, they behave.. usually. (orig by JakeLikesOnions)

[antiwaradvocates]

“My name is Aaron Bushnell. I am an active duty member of the United States Air Force and I will no longer be complicit in genocide. I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it’s not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal. Free Palestine.”

—Aaron Bushnell

“The act of an American soldier sacrificing himself for Palestine is the highest sacrifice […] a poignant message to the American administration to stop its involvement in the aggression.”

—PFLP Central Media Dept.

[illustriousdaydreamer]

Aaron Bushnell is the first active duty servicemen to ever self-immolate. This man lit himself on fire in an attempt to stop a genocide his country was complicit in, and one that would attempt to actively force him to also become complicit. This is what he chose to post to his friends and family on Facebook before he lit himself ON FIRE in front of the Israeli embassy in DC.

"Many of us like to ask ourselves, 'What would I do if I was alive during slavery? Or the Jim Crow South? Or apartheid? What would I do if my country was committing genocide?'

The answer is, you’re doing it. Right now."

His final words were "It's Aaron Bushnell. I'm an active duty member of the United States Air Force, and I will NO LONGER be COMPLICIT in genocide. I'm about to engage in an EXTREME act of protest. Compared to what people are experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers it's not EXTREME AT ALL. This is what our ruling class has decided is NORMAL. FREE PALESTINE! FREE PALESTINE! FREE PALESTINE!.... FREE PALESTINE!" Before collapsing

Talia Jane, @taliaotg, on twitter writes: "Loved ones of Aaron Bushnell, 25, reached out to me and gave me consent to post a blurred version of Bushnell’s protest today against genocide in Palestine.

“Aaron is the kindest, gentlest, silliest little kid in the Air Force,” said Errico, who met Bushnell in 2022."

https://x.com/taliaotg/status/1761944158636331247?s=20

[kookinglikeachef]

How ATEEZ members tell you that they’re horny

Pairing: ATEEZ x Reader

Warning: YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT YOU CONSUME! [🔞, mdni]

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kookinglikeachef: This was not requested but please start requesting more even though I have a bunch of unanswered ones that are half written and nowhere near completed. 😬

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Hongjoong:

Joong is a bit tricky. Maybe through words of affirmation or giving you gifts. No physical contact needed. Just simply through suggestive looks, body language, or conversation. He would feel a strong sexual attraction to you, but doesn’t necessarily want to engage in sexual activity. He prefers the anticipation and build up of desire than the act itself.

Seonghwa:

Hwa is like a very gentle and nurturing person. So when he’s “in the mood”, he’d take care of you more often than he normally does. Uses terms of endearment and loving phrases, indulgently. However, he’d try to hold himself back, like he’s afraid of making you uncomfortable. Doesn’t want to come across as perverted. HOWEVERx2, if your feelings are reciprocated he’d definitely finish what he started. Like sweet romance. Take you slow and deep.

Yunho:

Oh, Yuyu. I think he’s someone who’s multifaceted. He could be the least likely member to tell you that he’s horny because he doesn’t want you thinking he only wants sex. Would rather give pleasure than receive it. He could also be the one to tease you the most. Purposely pulls away from a heated kiss when he sees that you want it just as bad. Or he might also be very direct and palms you over your underwear while you’re *not* watching Spider-Man or something.

Yeosang:

Sweet baby just observes you. Won’t openly tell you so you kind of just figure it out yourself when he’s unable to take his eyes off of you, and would particularly stare at certain parts of your body he wouldn’t normally focus on. Subtly adjusts himself in his pants to be more comfortable. If asked, he wouldn’t be opposed to receiving intimacy from you.

San:

Straightforward pt. 1. Physical touches. Like holding you firmly by your hips, pressing your pelvises together so that you’d feel exactly how horny he is. He’d work you up with some ‘sexual-light’ talk. Calls you cute and stuff. Tugs on your clothing, fingers hooking the waistband of your underwear. Hands sliding down to squeeze your butt.

Mingi:

Becomes extremely whiny, needy, and clingy. Follows you around like a lost puppy. Tells you countless times how fine he thinks you are. Licks and bites his lip whenever he’s watching you. If you’re still not giving him the attention he’s craving, he’ll resort to kissing you on your lips, face, neck, chest, breasts—dry humping—LOOK, this big teddy bear just needs you. NOW!

Wooyoung:

Straightforward pt. 2. He would just straight up tell you that he wants you. How he wants you. Where he wants you. And when. But not before cooking your favorite meal for you. He’ll patiently wait until you’re done eating and tells you to take your time. Takes his time cleaning up afterwards. Takes his time walking you to the bedroom. Takes his time undressing you. Takes his time to touch every part inside of you. Even if you’re begging for him to go faster. Seriously, what’s the rush?!

Jongho

He’s shy about his feelings so he’s not telling you a single thang. But he would spend quality time with you. Just enjoys being in your presence and should he become physically affectionate, he’d touch your hand or cuddle to fulfill his needs.

[ohnoitstbskyen]

I deleted the ask, but someone wrote one basically saying "why do you post reaction videos to Helluva Boss? Don't you know the show exploits its workers and they're overworked and get burned out?"

And, I mean, I love your energy, person who asked, definitely hold on to those values and speak up about this. But also, I am afraid I might have some bad news for you about literally the whole entire animation industry.

As near as I can make out from the sparse journalistic reporting that's been done on SpindleHorse -- and as a sidebar, please for the love of god read actual reporting about these things and not just callout posts and fandom discourse -- as near as I can make out, SpindleHorse as a studio is neither all that much better nor all that much worse than basically anywhere else in the industry on their level. It seems like it is (or was? Hazbin Hotel seems to be run differently) a studio mostly run by contracting people on a project-by-project basis, which leads to a crapton of turnover, and a huge need for organizing and onboarding, which according to the reporting I have read, the producers and freelancers have struggled to balance and manage properly, which has negatively impacted a number of the workers.

Top that with the usual catty, clique-based backbiting, sniping and poorly managed conflict resolution that's just kinda endemic in creative environments mostly staffed by twentysomethings and stressed out freelancers, and you have the recipe for a workplace where a lot of people are going to have a great time and feel creatively fulfilled, and a lot of people are going to come away feeling justifiably burnt the fuck out and exploited.

All of this is... not especially unusual for the animation industry, or indeed for any creative industry. Which is not to say that it is good, or that it should be allowed to be normal, or that it shouldn't be reported on and criticized (and please for the love of god support unionization efforts because that's the only thing that will actually address these kinds of systemic problems). It's just to say that if those kinds of issues are the line in the sand you draw where you refuse to engage with a studio's output...

Then, for starters, say goodbye to basically all of anime, because the Japanese animation industry is actively in a state of crisis trying to recruit new talent because its working conditions and pay are so astonishingly abysmal. And the horror stories that escape from that industry make the issues at SpindleHorse look like summer camp at times.

But you also have to say goodbye to a lot of American and European animation. Please do not imagine that Disney and its subcontractors, or that Nickelodeon or Warner Bros, are benevolent employers. They exploit their staff brutally and are currently trying to crush the labor value of animation with threats of generative AI being used to replace jobs. But those corporations also have extremely well-funded PR departments and the ability to silence employees with NDAs and threats of blackballing, so you don't get to hear as many of the horror stories as you might from a smaller independent studio that's less able to silence criticism by holding people's careers hostage.

All of this is to say that 1) it's valid and important to have criticism of both large and small-scale animation studios, and to keep the well-being and happiness of the workers higher in your priorities than the output of Products™.

And 2) if you're going to have a principle for what kinds of problems make a studio's output morally untouchable for you, and what kinds of problems you think should make a studio's output untouchable to other people, you do need to apply that principle consistently to the entire industry, and not just to the independent animation studio that happens to be surrounded by the internet's most inflammatory fandom discourse.

If you don't apply that principle consistently, maybe don't send reproachful messages to strangers scolding them for not living up to your standards, and even if you do apply that principle consistently, maybe still don't do that, because it's mostly quite annoying, and doesn't really do anything to support animation workers struggling for better working conditions.

The Animation Guild in the US is currently in the middle of a bargaining process with their industry, and they have a social media press kit as well as relevant talking points on their website which you can use to post in solidarity with the workers. If it comes to a full industry strike, consider donating to their strike funds to help them maintain pressure. Outside of the US, try and find out what (if any) local unions exist for animation workers, and maybe sign up to their mailing lists. They will let you know what kind of support they need from you.

[jpolgar1]

FREE PALESTINE! CEASE FIRE NOW!

Before he set fire to himself outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, the last words of Aaron Bushnell - Free Palestine

"My name is Aaron Bushnell, I am an active duty member of the US airforce, and I will no longer be complicit in genocide. I'm about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers. It's not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal. Free Palestine!"

[fidenciocryptidcreechur]

Note: this is me just making a wonderland post about the canonical character in twisted wonderland based on translations, vignettes and manga. everyone has differing opinions and interpretations and I'm not gonna bicker about someone's version of Trey in their writing or their au.

I feel like some folks in twst fandom are realizing that canonical Trey isn't really like early/previous fandom Trey, who was characterized as a sweet completely normal bakerman who's also the heartslabyul mom, but instead of just going "oh yeah no, Trey can be petty and mischievous sometimes. usually in situations where there are others also being petty and mischievous while still keeping on top of his duties and engaging in his hobbies" some of the fandom seems to have swung to the other side of the spectrum and are like "oh? so trey has been living a lie this entire time! He actually HATES baking and he's got a ✨secret agenda✨ and he probably is a mastermind and is part of a heartslabyul shadow government!!!!"

And while i know that there's a good chance many are just being silly and making memes and jokes, i have seen the way fandom genuinely boils down characters and strips them of all nuance. Notable with the leech twins, sebek and rook who are all canonically dorks and goobers with their passions and interests in both the games and mangas. They're all intense but most are just awkward and passionate/invested in their interests. Like Sebek being boiled down to shouty malleus fanatic and ignore his various interests and hobbies. he can and will question Malleus notable in the recent chapters and also times when Malleus acts in a way that makes Sebek confused<- mainly in manga and vignettes. Like Floyd being boiled down to unhinged and unpredictable, when most of his actions and activities happen because he got bored of something being monotonous or tiring or repetitive and goes to look for something more interesting like drama or someone with strong reactions to mess with. Guy just gets bored and goes to look for something interesting. Or Rook who gets extremely invested in whatever is his current interest/passion to the point of ignoring everything else. Jade also does this. They're all goobers tbh. Just guys, just folks.

Trey Clover is also just a guy. He is just conflict avoidant tbh. Trey just wants to keep the peace, to make sure people aren't fighting, people are following the rules and aren't making messes. Like that's something he mentions often and that many of his actions reflect from how he checks in on all the students and makes sure they're following heartslabyul rules but doesn't tell Riddle about any rule breaks so as to keep peace, to holding back in activities so he doesn't draw attention and not mentioning stuff he might know specifically so that he doesn't get asked about it (notably when Jamil wants to read ancient texts and trey only reads it upon finding out it contained an ancient tooth paste recipe). He seeks convenience, peace and calm. He's not exactly a schemer, out to get something specific or complete some goal in life like those such as Jamil, Leona or Azul. He's also not necessarily someone solely attempting to coast by and only seek stimulus/fun like with Kalim and Cater.

He's not secretly cruel and not the secret mastermind behind heartslabyul. Yes, He's mischievous and sometimes petty. Notably he gets this way when other petty and mischievous people are around him and it's usually in response to those that were acting like that (messing with ace, messing with Jade, etc). He does care and he does look out for his dormmates and peers. Honestly if he truly didn't care about Riddle or Ace and Deuce then he really wouldn't have helped them, plus he doesn't necessarily go out of his way to help every person anyways. If he truly didn't care then he could've abandoned Riddle when he was at his lowest like the rest of the dorm, or even just let Ace and Deuce carry out their punishment instead of helping them bake tarts and pies to try to help out with Riddle's anger.

As for if he likes baking? Imma be real, that guy can't not like baking. If he hated baking then he's a masochist (joking) because fucker is baking everyday with a smile and trying get everyone to eat his baking and constantly sharing all the goodies he's made (genuine). He's baking constantly in both the game and in manga. There are so many instances where he bakes experimentally, he bakes recreationally or bakes for his dorm. There're so many instances where he just carries cupcakes and scones and cookies everywhere. He bakes some to share with his Science club members, shares some type of goody with every iteration of the Yuu's (mangas and game). He goes out of his way to buy new recipe books with his own money to bake more things. In one vignette he bought an entire recipe book specifically so he can learn to bake this one (1) type of dessert he saw once because he liked the way the dessert looked so much that he wanted to make it and went and BOUGHT AN ENTIRE NEW RECIPE BOOK just to make that one dessert. That guy likes to bake. Yeah sure, he says "i don't bake with love 😏" but that doesn't mean anything in the context of NRC which is "emotionally repressed anti-feelings" central where nearly everyone can't be genuine and blunt with their feelings and emotions (even the more blunt and jovial characters have some deep sadness or deep trauma stuff that gets hinted at several times like with Cater, Kalim, Silver and Sebek). Folks in NRC are emotionally repressed and hate admitting connection with each other. Seriously, check out Yuurei20's post on how often the term "friend" is used in the original Japanese, there's very few canonical mentions of them calling each other friend EXCEPT WHEN ENGLISH TRANSLATION ADDED IT otherwise they don't normally actually acknowledge their connections and some never actually say friend at all. They'll call each other classmates or something but in JP they don't really like to acknowledge closeness.

Trey clearly likes to bake and invests a significant amount of time into it beyond just occasional cooking duty and he also shares his goods with practically everyone. Yeah sure he's from a family of bakers and I've seen some people say that "oh but he's just baking because of his family job" but it's not like they urgently need their son, who's in class and currently at the magic boarding school, to bake everyday for their baking needs and i guarantee that he doesn't need to go out of his way to get experimental with his baking and wouldn't bake that often if it's just cause of family business or practice. Plus if it's just that then why would he go out of his way to buy recipe books just cause he saw a single dessert that inspired him. He's not just baking for family business reasons. Trey likes to bake.

Honestly, I'm not surprised he says that he doesn't bake with love especially in a place like NRC. As mentioned earlier, everyone gets so weird and pressed about connection and also makes fun of each other for expressing care. Some even get anxious about another's intentions if given unasked for help (notable when Kalim helped Azul get his hat in the manga and Azul stresses about trying to repay this favor). Also baking is just a hobby, similar to crafting, drawing or writing and sometimes people just take satisfaction and joy in simply doing those things. When someone makes something, they don't always have to put in heartfelt feelings in it per se. When someone draws, sometimes it's cathartic or you just felt inspired and just wanted to draw. Sometimes it is specifically to destress or to get out feelings. Sometimes drawing is just because you can do it so you did. Similarly, baking can just be because you wanted to and you like baking. Plus it makes sense Trey wasn't like "i put all my love and feelings in my baking<3" because in the context of that line he seemed to be referencing baking for his peers and strangers. He's baking for people in his school or for events. So Honestly yeah??? Of course Trey wouldn't say he puts love in his baking. He's baking for his friends, for his club and for dorm stuff and also bakes experimental recipes. He isn't stirring that bowl of batter and going "now to put in all of my love and dedication <3" during those times because it would be kinda odd for most of those scenarios tbh. For experimental recipes, you're low-key kinda just fucking around and taking notes to see what works and i imagine trey would be doing the same and wouldn't be emotional over his bowl of batter during this time. For his club and dorm stuff, Trey isn't super close with EVERYONE in there and he's just trying to make sure there's enough so again fitting that he's not going "made with love". If he's making treats for his friends then he certainly tends to put in more effort, usually in regards to taste and diet (notable with vil and Cater as he tends to make things that they will actually like) and seems to like compliments on his cooking especially from those he's closer to. While he does put in that extra care which implies closer bonds, i do think most of the nrc boys would still be put off if trey was like "for you, made with love <3" (i think Ace would make fun of him so hard and even cater would be thrown for a loop). I will also note that in several vignettes as well as in several scenes in the manga, he gets genuinely put out if someone doesn't want to eat his cooking (notably in the manga if people were too busy to eat though this also happens in game) and in a few vignettes he even tries to adjust what he makes and what he pairs it with specifically so they will eat more of what he makes (notably with Vil and trying to make light desserts and pastries as well as pairing it with certain preferred teas) which to me shows he does put care and thoughtfulness into his baking even if he doesn't say it outright.

Long story short: Trey is not uncaring (he looks out for his dormmates and friends even baking treats specifically for their taste when he can), he likes baking (he wouldn't be so invested in trying new recipes, looking for inspiration or going out of his way to experiment with his baking if he wasn't), he's not really scheming so much as he's trying to keep the peace and avoid conflict to the point of either keeping quiet, thwarting shenanigans (notably with ace and deuce), or hiding his abilities (he's not like Azul, jamil or Leona who are aiming for top spot and in fact trey dislikes added fuss and dislikes the spotlight), and he's mischievous and petty at times though notably with those that are also mischievous or petty (he will mess with his younger dorm members though will try to stop them from actually messing up like with the oyster sauce joke for the chestnut tarts, and sometimes messes with others)

[engineering]

Tumblr Hack Day, September 2024 Edition

Once again it was Hack Day at Tumblr! You've probably seen one of these posts before. A couple of times per year we slow down our normal work and spend a day working on scratching a personal itch or features we want as user and see how far we can get with our hacks. One thing from the last Hack Week in January made it out: new default blog avatars!

Here are some of the projects that got built for our most recent Hack Day in September. Some of these things you may also end up seeing on the site… and one of them isn’t included here because it’ll likely be a fun Halloween surprise. ��

Advanced search operators

Instead of telling you about this here, we have the extreme pleasure of telling you that this already launched! Read all about it over on the Changes blog. Instead, what we can preview here are some potential new interface elements for these advanced search options, now that we have them thanks to @lesianlen:

“Live” engagements on posts

There are many thousands of reactions, likes, and reblogs happening on Tumblr every second. Right now you can only really “see” these happen if you are frantically refreshing your feed (which, we know, some of you do). Wouldn’t it be neat if the note count, reactions, etc, all update automatically as you scroll your favorite feed (or many feeds at once with Patio)? Check it out this hack from @leogcrespo:

Communities activity tracker

Likewise, some of our beta testing Communities are extremely active, with new members, comments, and reactions flying around. Right now we don’t have a way to show those actions, as they happen, inside the community, but we know we’ll need something like this. @yi5h hacked together a sidebar widget “activity tracker” that shows recent activity happening inside a community in near-real-time:

As always, stay tuned to the @changes blog to see if any of these hacks make it on Tumblr for real! Especially the aforementioned-but-as-yet-unrevealed Halloween surprise…

[edwordsmyth]

Today in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C. "My name is Aaron Bushnell. I am an active duty member of the US Air Force and I will no longer be complicit in genocide. I'm about to engage in an extreme act of protest. But compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it's not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal.” He then set himself on fire and repeatedly shouted: “Free Palestine.”

[asses-to-ashes]

Pedophiles don't belong in the proship community. Zoophiles don't belong in the furry community. Can we stop conflating these communities.

If you're recovering from a paraphilic disorder, great! Can't afford a psychologist but are anti-contact and anti-enabling? Also great! I wish you the best.

My problem comes from the normalization and celebration of paraphilic disorders on this site specifically under the disguise of disability or queer activism. A psychologist will NEVER, EVER recommend that you post about it or engage in an online community of enablers. Paraphilic disorders are not kink. Embracing paraphilic disorders is not disability activism.

You can be anti-contact and anti-enabling without being hateful or making assumptions about people who have a disorder, but people who run Para Blogs are not anti-enabling. The ProPara community has turned into a cesspool of enablers and legitimate pro-contact pedophiles who hide behind the fact that people have empathy for those with disorders they can't control. They've created a space where people brag about being pedophiles and celebrate attraction to children. This is the opposite of how the disorder is treated by professionals.

Stay away from fiction & communities that could cause you to relapse or backslide. Proshippers are not attracted to minors, our stories don't exist for pedophiles to displace their attraction onto.

The reasons paraphilic disorders are different from fetishes is because:

1. They include unwilling people or people who cannot consent, such as voyeurism or pedophilia

2. They cause the participant or others harm that is potentially lifelong

3. They prevent a person from functioning or adjusting in society

I'm going to address a post I saw earlier. EXTREME TW for the defense of pro-contact "big 3" paraphilias

START QUOTE --------------------

END QUOTE --------------------

Being gay harms nobody. It is an attraction between two consenting adults.

PARAPHILIC DISORDERS are not normal attraction. Comparing being a pedophile to being homosexual is not the #WOKE PEDOPHILE WIN that you think it is. It's insanely regressive and harmful.

To reiterate, you are not evil for having a paraphilic disorder.

You are not a bad person. You are a bad person for glorifying it, enabling yourself and others, fighting for your right to harm other people without consent, and engaging in an online community of pedophiles.

[delicatestones]

Various Parahuman Teen Couples Go To The Mall

Brian and Taylor: Going to the mall is a normal thing neither of them enjoy, which is precisely why they convince themselves that they should do it. Brian musters up hope that he will be able to carry Taylor's bags and wait for her on benches outside of clothes stores, which will affirm his value as a man. Taylor, who only wants to buy a single hoodie, anxiously refuses to let Brian carry her bag because she doesn't want to be a burden, which banishes Brian to the Masculine Insecurity Pocket Dimension in his own mind. They attempt to rally by going to the food court, where they try to have an awkward 'normal' conversation over greasy pizza slices.

Fortunately, a supervillain they have history with attacks the mall mid-pizza, and they rush off to change in the mall bathrooms and return to thoroughly beat the interloper's ass. Brian apologizes for the mall date going wrong (secretly relieved, also deeply compelled by watching Taylor break a guy's arm with a baton) while Taylor says it's no big deal (even more relieved, mesmerized by Brian's visible sweat on the back of his neck). They may or may not awkwardly touch hands at the fire exit before they flee the scene of the crime.

Krouse and Noelle (Pre-Simurgh): On a quest for limited edition Ransack merch at the Gamestop, which turns out to be all sold out or on reserve. Krouse tries to social engineer it out of the clerk anyway, but Noelle gets so visibly uncomfortable he desists. In the depths of excruciating failure he says something shitty about the guy's haircut after they leave the store and Noelle tells him he's being a dick, which he apologizes excessively for in a way that just makes it more awkward.

In a now desperate effort to turn things around, Krouse tries to lighten the mood by latching onto listing Alternative Mall Activities including one of those photo booth set ups. He makes fun of how cliche they are and how it would be completely lame if they went into one, which transitions into cajoling Noelle to join him in this extremely cringe activity for the bit. She says her hair looks dumb and she doesn't want to, so he gallantly offers her his over-sized hoodie so she can hide her face the entire time, a gesture he does not realize extends the shelf life of their relationship for a solid two weeks. His visible joy when she agrees to the idea adds another week to the tail end of that. They hold hands on the way to the parking lot.

His copy of their photos becomes an instantly precious memento he sticks on the wall above his bed; Noelle puts hers in her picture shoebox in her closet. He spends all night on E-bay overbidding for the merch.

Krouse and Noelle (Post-Simurgh): Twelve Injured One Dead In 'Food Court Nightmare'.

Dean and Victoria: It takes Victoria half an hour to get ready for a mall trip. Dean shows up too early to pick her up and engages Carol Dallon in small talk for twenty minutes, a time span in which Carol manages to list every single one of Victoria's deepest insecurities in the form of barely veiled criticism while Dean smiles like he's being held at gunpoint.

At the mall they get stopped outside the Gap by a gaggle of Glory Girl preteen fans. Dean holds Victoria's bags (many) while she goes through the New Wave Fan Experience Checklist. Victoria says something afterwards to him on the way to the next store that hints at the Dallon Torment Nexus. Dean continues smiling and offers the mildest possible effort at sympathy, which Victoria reacts to with virulent irritation, so he gives up and buys her a mall outlet jewelry store diamond tennis bracelet instead. Thus mollified, she proceeds to allow him to obtain Jamba Juice for the both of them. It's another normal (bad) day in Brockton Bay.

Aisha and Alec: There strictly to cause problems for the sake of causing problems. Alec 'distracts' the staff at Hot Topic by faking a fall into a rack of studded belts and loudly insisting he will sue them for emotional and psychic damages while Aisha shoplifts bracelets. They buy hot pretzels and perch on the edge of the mall fountain marked 'NO LOITERING' to conspicuously loiter while occasionally kicking each other in the ankle. When a security guard tries to get them to move they collaborate on roasting his bloodline back to medieval times, triggering rent-a-cop wrath and a threat to call the Real Cops.

Now officially Wronged By The System, they decamp to breaking into the mall's back corridors (going through an unlocked access door) to vandalize the security office while throwing gummy worms at each other's mouths and missing 70% of the time. In high spirits, they make their cunning exit (leaving through the same door) and sneak into a horror movie at the mall theater halfway through its run time. They heckle the on-screen slasher victims for being idiots until an usher shows up with the original security guard, and then book it for the outside world while laughing like small and charming hyenas.

They agree they should totally rob the mall for real later, preferably while Brian and Taylor are on their make-up mall date, because they are good and kind teammates who only want the best for them.

(This post inspired by the learned discourses of Wormblr character understanders, particularly users lakesbian and simurghed. Any mischaracterizations and errors are my own. These hypotheticals are a non-representative sample of Ways They Could Be At The Mall.)

[octuscle]

Full investment

Martin had been very lucky in his life. He founded his first start-up at the right time, sold it at the right time and invested the proceeds wisely. Of course, it wasn't just luck; Martin was clever, hard-working and charismatic. And with this combination, he was bound to succeed. The fact that he was extremely good-looking didn't necessarily hinder him. Martin was at every party, Martin knew everyone and Martin was at least one of the first followers of a new trend. If he didn't set the trend himself. That's why he was very annoyed when he got talking to a cool, masculine and sporty-looking guy at a party at the Turkish Embassy. The young stallion turned out to be a rising star in the mixed martial arts world and ran a gym in one of Stockholm's hipster neighborhoods. And in the course of the conversation, Mete asked Martin why he wasn't investing in the fitness sector. Martin was fascinated by Mete's engaging manner. And they shook hands on Martin's entry into Mete's gym.

The press conference was a date to Martin's liking. He was in his element. Not that Mete was not photogenic, but Martin loved the camera. And the camera loved him. One of the reporters present asked if Martin would now train here too. Martin was taken aback for a moment. He hadn't expected that. Normally, he trained with his personal trainer at his gym at home. But this was the moment Mete had been waiting for. He threw a bag with a pair of sports trousers and a pair of gloves to Martin and said it was time for them to train together. Martin hesitated only briefly. He looked good in a suit. But he also knew that he looked at least as good with his shirt off. The pictures of the sparring session were amazing. The success for the gym was overwhelming. And Martin had to admit: this kind of training was something completely different from training at home.

Martin's daily routine changed soon after he joined Mete. Mete regularly picked him up in the morning to go jogging. Martin and Mete often had breakfast in a Turkish café near the gym, and Mete created Martin's new nutrition plan. Mete provided Martin with food supplements, the contents of which Martin did not question, especially since the green packaging only had Arabic writing on it. Mete created a training plan for Martin that required a lot of time in the gym… But Martin was happy to have a real physical balance to his otherwise very stressful job. And at the moment he was only active as an investor, he didn't have to run his own company. So why not give it everything you've got in sport? And he gave it everything. Running with a lead vest, weight training, sparring, technique training… At some point, Martin was practically living in the gym. And Mete and Martin also spent more and more time together. So much so that Martin moved into the apartment above the gym, which he had originally only intended to use as a second home. So much so that at some point he went with Mete to his Turkish barber. And so much so that, out of curiosity, he went to the mosque with Mete on a Friday for the midday prayer. Mete and the Imam spoke a lot and quickly with each other. The two of them smiled a lot. They said goodbye warmly. Martin hadn't understood a word. But for some reason it felt right to be here.

At the beginning, Martin's short hair was the most obvious sign of his change. His increasingly athletic body was also impossible to miss. Martin grew a beard. Martin started wearing a prayer cap. And more and more Turkish and Arabic words crept into his speech. And while he was only sporadically in the mosque at first, a Friday without the midday prayer and without an exchange with the imam soon became unimaginable for him.

Of course, his change did not go unnoticed. There was unrest in his network of companies. Mete advised him to withdraw from the public eye. His social media accounts were dormant. Martin withdrew from most of the supervisory boards of his holdings. This task was taken over by a few guys he had met at the gym, in cafes or in the mosque and whom he had come to trust. Martin enjoyed the freedom he gained as a result. He had more time to prepare for his next fight, more time to learn Turkish and Arabic, and more time to devote to his prayers. Even though Mete had to spend more and more time managing the prospering gym and the other businesses Martin had entrusted to him, he made sure that Martin, who he increasingly called Mehmet, continued to receive optimal training and nutrition plans. And, above all, with the right nutritional supplements. The side effects of the pills and injections were becoming increasingly obvious: a dark fur was growing on Martin's chest and his beard was getting darker and darker.

MMA shorts and thobes… At some point, there was nothing else left in his wardrobe. At most, when Mehmet helped out at the gym reception or when he was supervising at the gym or training customers, he wore a tracksuit. But basically, he no longer felt comfortable in it. Fortunately, Mete gave him quite a generous allowance after Martin had given him and Iman extensive powers of attorney. This allowed him to get through the month without having to work. However, Mehmet still had to work from time to time as a temp at the gym to pay for the expensive nutritional supplements. He didn't have to overcome any great obstacles to do this: he was at home at the gym and he was proud to be part of this gym. And as a trainer, he had close contact with the hottest guys in the gym. Even though Mete was the only one who was allowed to fuck Mehmet, there were enough holes that Mehmet's cock could fill after the wounds of the circumcision had healed.

Hardly anyone recognized Martin at Mehmet's new appearances on social media. If you looked closely, you could have seen Martin's blue eyes in the otherwise more masculine features of Mehmet's face. But hardly anyone looked at Mehmet's eyes. There were other body parts that attracted the public's attention.

Ole had been following Martin's latest investment closely. Martin's new CEO, Mete, was very active in the Swedish startup scene and Mete and Ole met regularly at various events. Mete needed more capital to finance the planned aggressive growth of the gym chain. And Ole was ready to get on board. The business figures were simply too tempting.

The press event to mark Ole's entry into the gym empire was a great success. It was accompanied by the opening of a new gym in Martin's former house. And by the victory of the Swedish MMA heavyweight title by the star of the gym, Mehmet. At the photo shoot, Ole was surprised at Mehmet's good Swedish. Actually, he would have expected less from such a monkey. But never mind, Mehmet wasn't there to speak. The photo shoot with Ole and Mehmet was followed by a training session in which the two men demonstrated their skills. Mehmet did everything he could to make Ole look good. But at the end of the session, he said that Ole could do a little more to improve his fitness. After all, he was now a figurehead for the gym. Mehmet had already prepared something: a training and nutrition plan. And Mete had also already procured a few dietary supplements.

[ladychlo]

Literally an active-duty soldier in the US Armed Forces (Aaron Bushnell, may he rest in peace) has committed self-immolation as an act of protest against genocide in Palestine. X

He's last words were : "Today in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C. My name is Aaron Bushnell. I am an active duty member of the US Air Force and I will no longer be complicit in genocide. I'm about to engage in an extreme act of protest. But compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it's not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal."

As much as the media wants you to believe that you have become desensitised to the suffering of others, Aaron's protest should spark outrage. Free Palestine.

[sleepingdeath-light]

ranpo edogawa smut hcs ; 18+

requested by ; nobody / self indulgent

fandom(s) ; bungo stray dogs

fandom masterlist(s) ; here

character(s) ; ranpo edogawa

outline ; “smut hcs for ranpo”

note ; may be a bit shaky in terms of characterisation as i haven’t written for this character before, may come back and tweak this in the future…

warning(s) ; sexually explicit content, dominant-leaning!ranpo, mean dom!ranpo, brat!ranpo, food play, somnophilia, praise kink, edging, overstimulation

minors and ageless blogs will be blocked

ranpo is a switch by nature but it’s not often that you’ll get the chance to truly dominate him in the bedroom — of course there are times where he wants nothing more than to sit back and be pampered by his adoring dom/domme after a long day of solving cases that everyone else is too stupid to crack themselves, and there are certainly times where he’ll get all whiny and bratty in an effort to get your attention back on him when he feels like you’re neglecting him, but nine times out of ten when you two are being intimate its the world’s greatest detective that’s holding the reins

a lazy lover by nature, ranpo prefers to have sex with you on top doing most (or even all) of the work — ideally this means you riding him in the ‘cowgirl’ or ‘reverse cowgirl’ position while he gets to sit back and take in the view, but if you ask him nicely enough then he can be convinced to spread his legs and let you fuck him with your strap/cock (just don’t expect him to get any more active now that you’re inside of him, if anything he becomes even more of a pillow prince when you do this)

as a dom he can get rather mean, putting his powers of observation to good use by ensuring you never have a moment’s peace when you’re in his vicinity (unless you use a safe word, of course; he may be cruel, but he’s not a monster!) — this usually translates to him teasing the hell out of you in public in ways that are subtle enough to not tip anyone else off about what he’s really saying and doing, but he also uses his intense familiarity with you and your body to edge and deny you in the bedroom until he gets whatever it is he wants from you

as touched upon earlier, when he’s in a more submissive mood ranpo gets extremely needy and demanding of your attention and affection — and if you happen to be distracted by something (or someone) else and he feels at all neglected by you as a result then he’ll turn into a complete and utter brat who can and will make your life a whole lot more difficult than it needs to be until you either give into his demands (ideal for him) or put him in his place (not ideal but still enjoyable enough for him)

he’s a big fan of food play and often goes out of his way to bring home sweet foods that he knows are completely safe for you both to play with — of course there are the standard items like whipped cream or chocolate sauce, but ranpo is much more adventurous than that and is always eager to branch out and test out which new flavour and texture combinations work best with the taste of your release (frankly this is one of the only times where ranpo will be active and engaged in the bedroom, so enjoy it while it lasts!)

ranpo excels at dirty talk because he’s quick to pick up on what gets you hot and bothered — whether you’re more into degradation or praise or if you prefer him to mix them together, whether you get harder/wetter from his voice when he’s whispering his words against the shell of your ear or when he’s teasing you in his normal speaking voice, what you like him to call you and what tone he should use when he’s saying it, what phrases get the best reactions out of you, and so on… all things that he picks up on pretty much the first time you two sleep together and that he continues to make use of for the rest of your relationship

he loves being woken up by you either fucking yourself on his cock or sucking him off after he’s had a wet dream — nothing beats it in his eyes and he swears waking up like that gives him much more energy to deal with the day ahead of him

he can enjoy giving and receiving mild amounts of pain (e.g. playful spanking, leaving hickeys on each other, and some light hair pulling), but refuses to engage in anything more extreme (such as knife play or breath play) — yes he knows how to participate in those kinks safely, and yes he can understand the appeal of those kinks on paper, but he refuses to engage in anything that runs a risk of causing either of you real harm and that’s one limit of his that will never change

ranpo has a massive praise kink and loves hearing you tell him how good he’s making you feel, how amazing he is, how much you love him, and so on — and if you happen to combine it with some begging for his touch (bonus points if it’s for his frustratingly talented tongue or his cock) then you’re all but guaranteed to have an eventful evening ahead of you

because of his intimate familiarity with your body ranpo is extremely good at both edging and overstimulating you, skills that he takes full advantage of when he’s dominating you — e.g. edging you until you say what he wants you to or until he’s bored of doing so, and then overstimulating you until you’re in tears and either clearly too far gone to continue or lucid enough to call the safe word before you get to that point

his approach to aftercare varies depending on what role he was in and how intense your session together was — e.g. if he was submitting to you then he expects to be pampered and will act rather childish and entitled to the ‘princess treatment’ from you, whereas if he was dominating you he’ll remain lighthearted and teasing while also subtly checking you over for any injuries and just generally making sure you’re okay (he might even share some of his snacks with you if he’s feeling nice enough… might being the key word there)

[thepigeonhasapen]

⚔️SFW A-Z: Ares⚔️

Did Dio already, so here's one for our favorite little sadist! Also I accidentally posted this one before it was finished so if you saw it then, no you didn't <3

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Ares is somewhat reserved with his touch. He is quite touchy, but in that standoffish, no-homo kind of way if you know what I mean. Clasping arms. Putting his hand on your shoulder. Ares's touches are brief but meaningful. He actually likes physical affection a lot more than he lets on, but he has trouble initiating it. Considering how many people on Olympus find him weird and off-putting, I feel like Ares is EXTREMELY touch-starved and really just wants to be held, but doesn't quite know who or how to ask for it. Would probably melt if somebody hugged him from behind.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

In order to befriend Ares, you'll have to share at least one of his niche interests. Be that violence, weaponry, or warfare, Ares just wants someone to talk to about the things he's into. Full warning, he will be extremely overbearing because well... not a lot of people like him. Even less people like discussing the things included in his domain. As a friend, Ares tends to have trouble being um, what's the word? Normal. Someone messes with you? Ares has already cut off their head and is finding a nice spike to put it on. Something you have to do? No, wrong. It's hang out with Ares time. Tends to be almost yandere-like in his affections, born in part from his small pool of friends. You can see how frequently he expresses the desire to meet new characters if they come up in conversation. It may take an explosion of violence to draw Ares's attention, but all it takes is any degree of interest to draw his obsession. He just wants companionship, okay? He doesn't have enough friends that he can afford to lose any. Don't leave him. :(

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

I don't care what anyone else says, Ares is a little spoon. HOLD HIM. Also fond of having you lie on his chest so he can stroke your hair. Secretly loves to cuddle but won't ask for it. If he wants a cuddle, he'll get extremely touchy, his hands somehow finding their way to your waist or shoulders. If he's not touching you, he's hovering over you. Just hug the man already!

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

Yes and no. I feel like Ares would want to be a father and engage in cute little domestic activities, but he's also not dropping his day job as the literal embodiment of war. I hope he at least remembers to wash the blood off himself before he hugs his kids. Ares is good at cooking but he doesn't do it all that often because he has little interest in eating. However, he will usually make the food himself for dates and such. Lifehack: weaponize his need for love. Praise his food and he'll make you dinner every day. You won't even have to worry about the mess either because Ares is very fussy about cleaning up after himself. This usually pertains mostly to his weaponry, but anything else he happens to be doing is also included.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

Ares won't. His passions don't burn out. Ever. Once you've got his attention, you've got it forever, so I hope you've properly considered the ramifications of that before you started talking to him. On a semi-related note, I feel like he's especially prone to toxic and codependent relationships because his family situation was shit so he doesn't know what healthy love looks like his biggest draw in relationships is extreme passions.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

It takes Ares a long time to trust fully, but once he's fallen in love, he's commited. He wants you. He wants you forever. Unlike most of the other Olympians, he actually prefers a monogamous commitment. Wouldn't advise cheating on him. You'll break his heart. Also he'll kill you. (The exception is Aphrodite. According to Ares, you are both allowed to sleep with Aphrodite. Because Aphrodite. Obviously.)

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

He tries, he tries, oh how he tries. Ares does his best to be a polite gentleman and be careful with the ones he loves. But he is still the god of war and a love for aggression and violence comes with the territory. Often he gets strong urges to be rough and sometimes he can't stop himself. He'll bite when you kiss him. Dig his nails into your skin in the heat of passion. He doesn't mean to hurt you. Well, he does, but he's sorry about it. He kisses your wounds in apology, licking up whatever blood he's spilled. Ares wants to be gentle with you but by his very nature he craves roughness. He doesn't even care if it's him in control. He'd love it if you'd bite him back, shove him, hit him. But he'll try to keep his lust for violence away from you and on the battlefield unless you give him explicit permission otherwise.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

I firmly believe that Ares has never been hugged in his life. Zeus can't be bothered and Hera is emotionally distant. Dionysus hangs off of him sometimes but to be honest it's just intended to get on Ares's nerves. Aphrodite cuddles, but it's either a post-coital thing or very sexually charged. Nobody hugs Ares just to hug him. And I feel like he'd short-circuit if anyone ever did. In theory, he understands the concept of a hug and what to do with his limbs during one. In practice, he is internally freaking out. Despite the fact that Ares doesn't have a lot of experience hugging, he actually gives great hugs. After the initial shock is over, he just kinda melts into you, holding you so tightly as if he'd rather die than let you go. Always has one hand at the back of your head, gently guiding your face into the crook of his shoulder.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

Because many people are put off by him, Ares is cautious when he gets to know people. Sure, you'll know about his love for bloodshed upon your first interaction with him, but the deeper stuff, like how he feels about his family? It takes a very long time for Ares to open up enough to trust others with his innermost thoughts. When he starts lamenting about how he wishes his kin liked him more, you'll know he adores you. Ares is quite lavish and open with his praise so he'll tell you he loves you quite frequently once he gets to that point. Never absently or off-hand though. Anytime Ares says it, he says it passionately, looking into your eyes or clasping your hands so that you know he truly means it.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Ares is extremely possessive but the degree to which he is depends on your mortality. If you're mortal, well, suffice to say that flirting with you is now a death sentence. If you're a god, Ares tends to treat you as more of equal and less of a possession. More understanding about the distribution of your time. Unlikely to kill your followers. Still gets possessive, but can be convinced to back off easier. Maybe soothe his ego by telling him how strong and handsome and dedicated he is. You know, before he loses his temper and starts a war on purpose because his pookiebear didn't pay enough attention to him.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Like everything else Ares does, passionate. A hand is at the curve of your jaw, another at the small of your back keeping you pressed to him. Not sloppy or messy, but definitely intense. Ares kisses like he means it. Occasionally gets too caught up in the moment and nips you hard enough to draw blood, but he'll apologize by licking it up. Goes most often for the neck and the lips, but also HUGELY into body worship and will spend hours planting kisses on every inch of your body if you'll let him.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

I feel like Ares would fucking love to be a father. He can teach them manners, he can play with them, he can show them the best places to display the severed heads of their enemies, all that good shit. Ares would be a devoted, doting father, if a little prone to sending his children down a violent life path. Has very little experience with children though because literally no one wants the crazy guy with a love of warfare and a spark of madness in his eyes babysitting their youth. I wonder why.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

Ares doesn't usually sleep. He doesn't need to and he'd honestly rather spend his time doing something else. Rest is few and far between for Ares, but if you insist, he'll spend his nights in bed with you. Still, no matter what time you wake up, Ares is up before you and has already made/procured breakfast. Even if he has something to do that day, he's left you food and a sweet note. However, he tries not to have responsibilities in the morning because he loves spending those soft moments with you. Because he has very little interest in food, he mostly just spends the morning watching you eat. Your choice on whether you find that creepy or cute.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

Ares spends his evenings tending to the tools of his trade. He cleans his weapons and armor. Makes sure everything is in its proper place. Probably does a bit of general tidying before he joins you in bed. Often prefers to be in his own head then to sleep, so he'll pretty much always fall asleep after you, if he sleeps at all. He's a very light sleeper so any movement at all will disturb him, which is wonderful if you have nightmares. Less wonderful if you're an insomniac or a restless sleeper. To be perfectly honest, Ares doesn't mind being woken up though. He's not that big on sleeping anyway.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

Like I said, Ares is cautious with his emotions. It'll take a long time to get him to open up about the really deep stuff. Can however be hurried along slightly if you open up to him first.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

He's a Greek god. Asking if he's touchy is like asking if otters enjoy swimming. Ares is a massively petty bitch. Not quite as petty as Zeus or Aphrodite, but, man, he's up there. He doesn't usually hold grudges, but he will respond to perceived slights WAY out of proportion. Forget about date night? Oh, don't worry. Ares has slaughtered your entire family so you can get a better grasp on your priorities. Ares, babe. What the fuck is wrong with you.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

Everything. All of it. Ares knows your favorite food. Your favorite breed of dog. Your favorite god damn shade of green. Ares hangs off your every word and remembers every one of your little quirks.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

Ares can't pick just one. He loves every second you spend together and cherishes them all deeply. Although, he does find himself often thinking of the first time you showed an interest in his weapons. He's quite possessive over his personal tools and generally dislikes if you touch them, but he adores when you sit with him while he tends to them. He'll tell you stories about fights he won (or lost) with them. He'd love it even more if you sparred with him or if you let him teach you how to use one of them. There's nothing he'd like more than to fight at your side. This is meant to be SFW so I won't go too into detail about how Ares feels when he sees you battle-drunk and dripping with the blood of your foes, but suffice to say he's having issues taking his eyes off you.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

EXTREMELY. Anybody hurts you? Bitch, give him a NAME. You know what, a country even. Ares will quite simply destroy anyone who even shows you the slightest disrespect. Fuck, he'll probably massacre the whole township just for good measure. If one of the other gods are threatening you or doing something you're not comfortable with (*cough cough* Zeus, Poseidon), Ares will be a little more subtle but he is definitely having A Word with them. The kind of word where, behind his polite smile, you can tell that Ares is flat-out threatening the person he's speaking too. While some of the older gods probably could beat him, it wouldn't be without great personal loss, so pretty much everyone would rather drop it than actively piss off Ares. Alternately, he'd find it sweet if you tried to protect him. Whether that be parrying a blow aimed at him on the battlefield or standing up for him to his family, Ares finds it deeply charming, even if he really doesn't need the help. However, will be absolutely LIVID if you put yourself in danger for his sake. It's the one and only time he may actually raise his voice and shout at you.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

Lots and lots. All of it. All of the effort. Ares is a very gentlemanly type when it comes to dates. He always brings you flowers and has a fancy meal waiting, probably under the stars because he just is that Extra. He tends to remember everything about you and so each of his gifts are sweet and thoughtful. He generally always remembers your anniversaries, unless there's an especially huge war going on and he's busy being hyperfixated on that. Will absolutely go above and beyond to make it up to you though if he forgets. Overall, just very thoughtful and high-effort.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Tends to get ADHD style hyperfixations about war and violence and gore. A new conflict has started? Ares literally will not shut up about it. Someone invented a new torture implement? Ares is lowkey begging for you to play with it with him. Come do torture with him! As a date! Or maybe you can torture each other?? Ares is down for that too! Unfortunately Ares has a tendency not to notice (or maybe care) that he's making people uncomfortable unless they flat out say something so he may accidentally bulldoze across your boundaries over how much you actually want to hear about violence. Also, he values blood family above all else and will have a tendency to meddle in yours if you have a difficult/unpleasant familial situation. I don't think you can ever cure him of it either (not without a fuckton of therapy anyway) so you're just going to have to deal with his "family is important" speeches until the end of time. He won't force you to talk to them but you can tell he definitely disapproves. (He gets that trait from Zeus btw)

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

He is a vain little peacock of a man, he just doesn't want anyone to think he is. Like, look at his stance. All the other gods look like they're having a casual conversation with Zagreus or were in the middle of doing something when they started talking to him. Ares has his helmet under one arm, meaning he was either literally just wearing it and took it off to talk or he picked it up to have this conversation. I'm inclined to believe the latter because he's also pretty boldly brandishing his sword in a way that literally nobody would hold it unless they were posing for a photo. The only other two holding themselves this way is Zeus who despite literally being a god manages to have a god complex on top of that, and Aphrodite who is definitely trying to flirt with Zagreus given some of her voice lines. Also have you seen his eyes? There is no way that bitch is not wearing mascara. Not to say Ares isn't up for getting dirty or bloody, but my guy is a fuck of a lot more vain than he wants anyone to find out about.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

Despite his deep passions, I feel like Ares would in fact be able to get over you. He'll vent out his emotions by starting a few wars, but he'll be fine. I mean, he's never going to not be in your life, but he's alright with just being friends and admiring you from afar if that is as you so desire. (Assuming it was a clean break-up and he didn't like kill you because you cheated on him or lied to him.) If you're mortal and something killed you, you can bet your ass he's paying a visit to Hades and politely requesting if he wouldn't mind making an exception. Look, if Dionysus of all people can march down there and get his mom back, Ares can certainly get you back. (As an aside I do like to imagine that all the stories throughout greek mythology of people visiting the Underworld actually did happen in canon, Hades has just absolutely forbidden anyone upon pain of eternal torture in Tartarus from speaking of them.)

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

Ares is secretly really into animals, especially birds. The Wiki says the bird on his breastplate is a raven, but I'm actually pretty sure it's meant to be a vulture given his historical connection with them. He definitely has a few pet vultures kicking about back on Olympus. And, when he and Athena were kids, they used to bond over their shared love of owls and had a little aviary where they trained them. They actually had a falling out over it because Ares's owl liked Athena better. He's over it now. Mostly. He's still a little bitter to be honest.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

A holier-than-thou attitude is something that really gets under Ares's skin. It just makes him want to put them in a situation with no good options and see how they deal with it. Ares, my sweet, has anyone ever told you that you're a mite sadistic? He also has absolutely no patience for abusers and rapists, which would usually go without saying but considering the other Olympians' track record... yeah. (Looking at you again Zeus and Poseidon.) The funny thing is that he likely will not notice or even care if he himself is in an abusive relationship even if it's explicitly pointed out to him. Get him to love you and you've got him wrapped around your finger. Poor Ares is just so starved for affection.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habit of theirs?)

Ares doesn't like sleeping. He gets bored. He's got better stuff to be doing. Also I imagine that Zeus was not exactly a great parent, especially to Ares who is pretty clearly not his favorite child. Typical misguided "hitting my children will make them be better" kind of father, especially with Ares and his quote unquote weird interests. Ares definitely has some sort of trauma from this and gets really bad nightmares if he falls too deeply asleep, which is why he will often just doze or straight up not sleep at all. Somebody please call Hypnos and give this man a decent night's rest, I am begging you.

[angel-in-your-basement]

Hi, i Hope to not disturb you, but I'm discovering new things about me with your blog, the problem is that I always feel guilty, and disgusted by myself even if i find It okay or attractive when other Person share It.

Any advice on how to deal with this senseless emotion? 🤡

Thanks to you in advance even if you don't answer, love your writing and your blog, big hug if you are comfortable with them <3

Hi!

Sorry I wasn’t able to get to this sooner! This is gonna be a long one, so I’m gonna put it under the cut. Let’s talk about one of my favourite topics: kinks & shame/guilt/disgust 🥰

So in my experience, over time your brain will get used to the ideas, and the disgust level will go down naturally - especially if you talk about it with other people who are into it, because that helps to normalize it.

But that’s not an 100% fix, so let’s talk about some things you can do to actively manage the icky feelings.

First of all, guilt + shame + disgust are all feelings that are intended to protect us from doing bad things & being bad people. When you start doing or wanting to do something that you’ve been told is “bad”, it’s normal to feel bad! It makes a lot of sense, actually - it’s our brains trying to keep us on track with our values & maintain our relationships.

But, of course, what we’ve been told is bad is generally not objectively bad, it’s heavily influenced by opinion, unprocessed emotion, politics and a whole bunch of other shit. So what we want to do is identify what we’ve internalized, and whether that actually fits for us.

The single best thing you can do is to get curious & (gently & non-judgementally) question those thoughts.

So here’s some questions to get you going & explanations to go with them:

Why is this kink “bad”? Where is that idea coming from? Do you 100% agree with this? Why or why not?

Often, it’s something very black & white like “hurting people = bad”, but when we actually unpack it, there’s a LOT of nuance to it. Like, what counts as hurting? Emotional? Physical? Is someone being hurt always a bad thing, or is it sometimes necessary in order for us to learn/hold boundaries/etc.? What if someone wants to be hurt? Is there any situations hurting someone might be okay in?

What do you feel like it says about you that you’re into it?

Generally, this comes down to something like “if I am into this, I am a bad person”. So I would question again: what’s a bad person? How do you know if someone is one? What is the exact criteria and cut off point for being “bad”?

One particular point to mention here is that it is my very strong belief (guided by research + my job + personal experience) that thoughts, feelings, urges etc. are not “you”, and they are not bad. Where we get into “bad” territory is in how you deal with them. I am a big supporter of identifying the core needs behind your thoughts & urges, and meeting them in healthy ways, like kink! Which leads us to…

What are you getting out of this kink?

For instance, a lot of my kinks, both sub and dom, come from my need to be wanted, and exploring the extremes of that (what if someone wanted me so bad they would do anything to have me? What if someone wanted me so bad they would do anything I tell them?). Other common themes are control, exploration of insecurities, exploration of shame/taboo, and so on.

Do you want to be okay with this kink? If yes, what boundaries do you need in place to help you feel better about exploring it? If no, why not?

This one is important because you don’t HAVE to be okay with a kink. You don’t have to engage with it, even if your horny brain thinks it’s a good idea. If you don’t want to engage with it, set out a plan outside of horny time for how you will hold that boundary. If you do want to engage with it, what parts are most uncomfortable? Do you need to engage with them in order to engage with this kink? Again, if you DO want to be okay with stuff, ease yourself into it. Go slow.

And most importantly: connection

Nothing helps more with shame than to talk about what you’re ashamed of with someone who you know will be kind, non-judgmental and can relate to you. That’s what kinky friends are for!

One final note:

If you are worried that you are a bad person, it’s extremely unlikely that you are. Bad people don’t sit around worrying that they are bad.