#for her passing i just don't think it's something that she necessarily wants to acknowledge because after daemon leaves he and criston are

[heireign]

meta question : how did her mother's death impact how she viewed her father ?

send me character development questions. ( @sinworn )

first, i don't think there's ever really any blame in regards to it when it comes to viserys purely because it's ? as a child the circumstances of it would have been so absurdly normalized that the only real red flags about it that would have impacted her views on him from it would have been the implications around the court that ' perhaps aemma had been bedded too young', and that being the reason for why she had the complications with her pregnancies that she did which, she may or may not have overheard at court - and if she did, i don't think at the time she would've entirely understood the implications of what that even meant. and there is also the likelihood she would not have even heard it at all unless she walked into a room unannounced or around a corridor to people discussing it, or it was being spoken about when she was believed to have been out of earshot -- i don't really believe that anyone would have purposefully said that infront of her, so it would have needed to have been something she accidentally overheard if she'd heard it at all.

i do believe she would have heard him call her his great joy, but that a brother was a brother, because he was said to have said often, which means she was more then likely in his presence to hear it at least once. the fact that he loves her was never a question, the fact that he valued and cherished her was never a question, but there's a precursor of feeling not quite enough that stems from the fact her parents doted on her as a child - how she was treated by them was not affected by the fact she wasn't a son, but the fact she wasn't quite the child they needed meant that her mother suffered, and above all she would have noticed how the pregnancies and subsequent losses continued to wear on her mother and how they affected her mother. she was effectively being treated as his heir, but she could never occupy that space, and that meant that viserys only had daemon as a successor, and no son to succeed him. and like the fact a girl could not succeed her father would have been wholly normal then, too. she would not have felt slighted for the throne as much as she would have felt wholly helpless that she could not help her parents who were struggling to fill this space and she was ? thinking that if only she had been born a son, maybe they would have been able to stop with trying with how badly her mother was being affected, with her as the heir and daemon as the spare. this is important because it's what largely impacts her feelings toward him when her mother dies and she's made his heir.

she's eight when aemma dies. he becomes infinitely more important in regards to her feelings of inner security and stability - because at that point he is the only parent that she has left. then she's made his heir and she's ? confused and a bit frustrated, and more then a little overwhelmed because it seems so completely pointless all of a sudden; because if she was worthy of being his heir now, she could have well been then, and then she would still have her mother. she doesn't even know how to want it at first because actually being content she had the position would feel too much as if she were celebrating a tragedy, that she was glad to have profited off of such a devastating loss and like, she wants to make him proud in turn. she doesn't want aemma to be remembered as someone who failed in her duties as a wife and queen. and if she's the heir, and if she actually somehow gets to sit her father's throne, then she won't have been. she would have given him a successor even if she wasn't male.

but like, it also incidentally changes the relatively close relationship she had with her father and makes it one that is two-fold. now she's not just his daughter, she's his heir. it makes things very stiff between the two of them for a while as she settles into the role. she's less inclined to display vulnerability around him due to fearing that he might find it too much for her, and take it. they can't quite talk as they used to due to the fact she's afraid that whatever she might say to him might make him upset and take it from her too - and after he remarries and begins to sire children with alicent her fear of being replaced personally manifests itself in a drive for her position - and this is because this is something she can actually tackle, and solidify her place in, and prove her worth in a way she has always struggled with personally because she has always been loved, but she's never been particularly useful in regarding to filling the place she now occupies. i think her proving that she is is her best attempts to both give her mother a legacy to be proud of ( one that speaks of not just success but actually something historic in her being the first queen regnant ) and solidify those anxieties with her father that she might be set aside in a personal sense, because for a while the notion of her being replaced in her position would have felt more then a little like an inevitability and less like something that may or may not happen. the security and comfort she would have derived from him as her only surviving parent rises and then it plummets again when she's made heir because she doesn't know how else to regain control of a very overwhelming situation that people are now looking at her in a whole different way because of. and there’s this whole new facet to their relationship that’s serious and scary and important and it’s nothing she wants and now it’s everything she wants because of what it could mean for her mother.

[antiquarianfics]

Better Than Us

Being a woman is hard, and it’s not necessarily something you’d wish on another.

A/N: Comfort fic because I’m sad and I have not stopped thinking about that scene in Barbie. Warnings: Mentions of sexism, mentions of self-loathing/body issues. Not really proofread. Genre: Angst/Fluff Note: I do not own the character Bucky Barnes or any other Marvel affiliated characters.

You do not have permission to copy or repost my work; however, you may like, comment, and reblog.

——

“Congratulations, Mom and Dad, it’s a girl!” The sonographer says, hitting a few more buttons on the ultrasound. “Your baby girl is looking great. I’ll get the sonograms printed off for you to take home, get you cleaned up, and get you out of here. Alright?”

You stare at the sonogram, watching as your baby moves around in your uterus.

Congratulations, Mom and Dad, it’s a girl!

Mom and Dad, it’s a girl.

It’s a girl.

A girl.

Bucky watches you, and when you don't respond to the sonographer after a while, he turns to her and nods.

“Thank you.”

She smiles and nods as she takes a wipe and cleans the gel off your stomach. When she finishes, she smiles and excuses herself to go grab the sonogram photos from the printer in another room.

You pull your shirt down and sit up on the exam table.

“You all right, Sweetheart?” Bucky asks, concern laced in his voice. He gently run his hand through your hair comfortingly.

You lean into his touch before looking up at him and forcing a smile. You’re attempting to be reassuring, but he seems to see through it, you think. Bucky lets it go, though, and kisses your forehead.

——

You’re quiet for the rest of the day, and it worries Bucky. Usually after a doctor’s appointment, you’re giddy; you love getting news about your unborn child.

“Bucky! The baby’s the size of a grapefruit now! Isn’t that crazy?”

“Buck, did you know our baby has fingernails already? Wild.”

“Holy shit! Holy shit! James, come here! The baby just kicked!”

Bucky was always just as excited to hear about his child, and he was expecting to be celebrating finding out the sex. However, ever since the words “it’s a girl” were uttered, you’d been quiet.

“Could she be disappointed?” Bucky wonders, but it seems so unlikely he pushes the thought aside.

When the majority of the day passes without you saying much or expressing any excitement about your daughter, Bucky can’t help but confront you.

“Y/N? Doll?” He asks, a little nervous.

You’re sitting on the couch, fiddling with the blanket across your lap, and the TV on and ignored in front of you. You hum in acknowledgement, but you don’t meet his gaze.

“Doll,” he says again, moving to sit next to you, bringing his hand gently to your face so that he can divert your gaze to his. “Is everything alright? You’ve been quiet since the appointment.”

You clench your jaw, obviously anxious. Perhaps a little angry with yourself.

“You’ll be mad.”

“Why would I be mad?”

“Because you’re gonna realize you’re having a baby with someone who’s going to be a terrible mother.”

Bucky is taken aback. You’re so sincere that it scares him.

“Y/N, honey, you’re not going to be a terrible mother. Why would you think that?”

You look away from him to try and hide your impending tears.

“We’re having a girl.”

“And that means you’re going to be a terrible mother?” Bucky’s eyebrows scrunch together. He is absolutely not following.

“No, it’s not that. It’s just. We’re having a girl, and I should be excited, but I’m not. I’m going to be—no, I am—a terrible mother because I’m upset I’m having a daughter.”

Bucky is still not following, and his hesitance to respond pushes you to keep going.

“It’s not that I don’t want a daughter. It’s that being a woman really sucks. One day you’re a kid, playing with Barbies, playing tag, making up games no one else understands, and the next day you’re so self conscious about random things; and men look at you when you don’t want them to; and people make fun of you for liking anything; and no matter how good you are at your job, people still question if you should have it.

“I remember the first time I was aware my stomach was bigger than it should be to be considered pretty. I was in the 5th grade, Buck. I was standing in line to throw my lunch away and go to recess, I looked down at my feet, and I saw my stomach. I remember sucking it in and never stopping. And when I told my mom, she didn’t tell me not to. She didn’t tell me I was healthy, and a kid, and that I was beautiful without sucking my stomach in. No. She praised me. Told me she did the same thing. Said it strengthens our abs and makes us healthier when it really messes with your breathing, and reshapes your body, and-“

You cut yourself off with your own tears. You’re immediately pulled into Bucky’s arms as he moves to soothe you; a comforting hand slides up and down your back, soft kisses are pressed to your forehead, and sweet nothings and reassurances meet your ears.

When you finally calm down some, Bucky pulls away, grasping your shoulders and holding you just far enough away to look into your eyes.

“Listen, I hear you. The way women are treated—the way you’re treated—sucks. It really does. But it’s a lot better than when I was a kid, and it takes women like you recognizing that the way you’ve been treated is wrong and working to make it better for your daughters. The fact that you’re upset for your daughter—not about her—means you’re a good mom. And I know you’re gonna do everything you can to instill confidence in her and let her be a kid as long as possible. And we are going to teach her how she should be treated, and we are going to teach her how to stand up for herself.

“And if we ever have a son, we’ll teach him to respect women. Not to ogle or harass them. We’ll raise our kids to be better than we are.”

Bucky’s speech takes you off guard. You’d expected him to tell you you were being dramatic. You’d expected him to tell you that you should just be happy about having a daughter regardless of what that entails.

You’d expected him to act like every man that he was not.

You wipe your eyes with the back of your hand.

“You’re sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“I’m not a bad mom?”

“You’re not a bad mom.”

A pause. You catch your breath; Bucky holds you close.

“Hey, Bucky?” You say after a while.

“Hmm?” He hums. He is gently massaging your scalp to comfort you as he holds you.

“We’re having a girl!” You pull back to look at him, a smile across your face. You’ve finally processed the day, its revelations, and Bucky’s assurances, and you’re finally ready to be happy.

“We’re having a girl,” Bucky agrees, smiling and kissing your forehead.

[marciabrady]

Hullo Marcia! I was wondering, what- for you- are the most annoying misconceptions Disney fans have about Disney (or if you want to narrow it down, just Walt's original three)? I feel like fans for the last 20-30 years are just so intellectually far removed from the franchise and don't understand anything about it which is why we have stupid takes like "Mulan would hate those boring feminine princesses" or "Snow White is passive" or "Rapunzel is the healthiest most feminist Disney film" being passed around like basic facts.

Oooh that's a good prompt. I have so many more, I was actually thinking about making a post about this soon but:

Belle is the smartest princess because she likes to read lol you all knew this would be coming!! It's the most painful because it's overly simplistic, to the point of being glib, but she also probably makes the stupidest decisions out of any princess and doesn't showcase intelligence at all throughout the film, imo. The fact that she holds a eight page illustrated edition of Jack and the Beanstalk doesn't absolve her of her terrible choices, nor the fact that she probably is the most communicatively ineffective character I've ever seen lol

That the original three princesses are practically interchangeable when they could not be further apart in terms of visual decision, storytelling approach, or vocal performance- *especially* when the past two or three decades have given us nothing but Belle and Rapunzel variants.

Snow White being 14 and the Prince being 31...I don't think the people who repeat this actually believe it either, it's just false outrage at this point.

Cinderella waited for a Prince to save her or that Ariel went to the surface only for her man/gave up her voice and family for him (which like...this is already a reach but you have to actively not pay attention to the film to think this).

That Tiana's "girl boss" status is aspirational when that's actually the part of Tiana that's pre arc. Contributing to grind culture isn't a good thing and the movie acknowledges that there's only so much in Tiana's direct control. She grows after she discovers that there's more to aspire to, outside of something that's so restricted to the capitalistic structure. I think we all need to relisten to "Dig a Little Deeper" lol idk if she's a princess, but I feel this about Meg too. Her jaded side isn't #goals the way most people make it out to be, like it's one thing to be relatable but I don't think we should necessarily cheer her being damaged before she works to overcome it.

When they summarize or promote any Princess as "the first who's not looking for a man." At a 2017 D23 panel of four princesses, Annika, Auli'i, and Paige all said the same thing about their princesses by defining them on their relationships to men while only Jodi was smart enough to avoid this trap lol add to this: when they promote a Princess as "breaking the mold," which is the mold at this point.

When they market any princess as the only one to have x attribute or be the most y (it's normally strongest, bravest, fill in your patriarchal attribute here). It's passe at this point and comparing apples to oranges. Tiana isn't the only one that has a business acumen, Belle isn't the only one not looking for a man, etc.

[starmapz]

i’m absolutely blown away by the way you handled the situation, seriously it couldn’t have been executed any better- i’m somewhat glad they didn’t confess their feelings to another yet, with reader thinking her love is not reciprocated because of how sukuna isolates himself in his own mind, keeping his thoughts and emotions to himself. she tells herself she’s fine, that loving him from a distance is enough, but the empty spaces where she hoped for something more never quite disappear.

what she doesn’t seems to notice are the quiet moments, when sukuna thinks no one is watching- the way his gaze lingers for a second too long, or how his hands clench just slightly whenever emotions threaten to surface. it’s fleeting, but it’s there. his undeniable yet conflicting feelings for reader. and yet, both of them keep their feelings tucked away, afraid that if they let them show, the balance between them might shift and break. sukuna questions if it’s admiration, infatuation, or simply comfort in her presence. so, they stay in that in-between space, suspended between hope and fear, holding onto these little moments and gathering them like small stones in his pocket, waiting for the weight of them to tell him what it is he’s feeling..

trish, your writing doesn’t just capture emotion- it unravels it. the way you wove angst and desire and confusion together feels so raw. i’ve said this many times but i’ll come here and say it again- it’s rare to find writing that doesn’t just describe feelings but makes the reader feel them just as intensely. and with sukuna’s character it’s even more of a challenge. your ability to translate complex, layered feelings into words literally never fail to amaze me. i love love love this fic and oh my god i genuinely can’t wait for what comes next.

(p.s.: i so knew it was their mother trying to get back custody!!!!)

OMGGGG this is so sweet 😭😭

for real this made my dayyy <33

i'm so glad you enjoyed it!! poor sukuna's got so much going on that wrapping his head around his growing feelings for reader when he's been burned by those close to him in the past just isn't in the cards for him, but!! the progress is there!! he's acknowledging that she's important to him and slowly letting his guard down around her.

i really wanted to make sure with this latest chapter that it comes across that sukuna and reader come from different worlds and their friendship relies on an understanding of sacrifice from both sides. On sukuna's end, he needs to offer more of himself to her, while she needs to sacrifice her feelings for him in order to give him the time and space he needs to open up. of course being the sweetheart that she is, she doesn't need him to reciprocate her feelings and is content to love him from afar if it means he's happy, but of course she absolutely longs for it.

that sacrifice on both ends definitely leaves them hanging in a space somewhere between friendship, romance, and the complete unknown of where it is they stand with one another and that absolutely terrifies them both, but i don't think it should necessarily be seen as a bad thing. they both have space to grow in that manner- reader, although a very hard worker, has been very fortunate to have a lot of help while sukuna (also a hard worker) is the opposite, they each offer a perspective into another life and bounce off of one another well in that aspect while never passing judgment.

although he's a bit of a hot-head and struggles with his own issues, he actually handles reader's problems (that aren't caused by him) quite well. sure, he is a history major and could help her with studying, but her real breakthrough is the realization that she just needs to memorize some names and dates. sukuna is very quietly observant in the same way that he's quietly emotional just like you mentioned- fleeting looks and quiet moments of comfort. it's not always noticeable, but his affection, although conflicted, comes across in often silent ways.

as for my writing unraveling emotion- i literally have no worrrds 😭 this is so sweet and makes me SOOOO unbelievably happy!! 🥹 i know i say it endlessly but i'm genuinely so thankful for the love and support on this fic, kind words like this not only make my day but inspire me to keep wanting to share my writing. it means the absolute WORLD to me to hear that my writing is able to convey so much emotion, that's such a massive compliment and i seriously can't thank you enough <333

i'm running out of ways to say thank you LOL but!! just know this means so much to me so thank you sm for reading and the kind words ily <33

[ohno-the-sun]

Hello! :]

About the question game:

🟠 Bright

🟡 Sun's mom (you didn't see that one coming, did you? >:]) the question is in past tense for obvious reasons (i have some thoughts on what the answer may be, but want to hear it from you)

🟢 Y/n and Moon from Mad Scientist AU

🔵 Mad Scientist Sun if "work" and "researches" weren't an option

⚪️ Moon from Luca AU >:}

(I know what I said about getting a good look at the characters firstly. Buuut I've seen him in 1.5 chapters and I've got my headcanons for the time being, so it counts for me. and i'm just being extremely curious about this one)

🪩 Bright and Sun from luca au

🔴 Moon from Mad Scientist AU

⚽️ Freddy... from luca au? (I'm not sure if he plays a significant role in your fic- but still)

Take your time answering these. It's understandable if you ignore some of them if they're unanswerable or if the information shouldn't be disclosed yet

expect more questions at some point. You've been warned >:)

P.S. if you want to infodump about luca au, you're more than welcome to 👀

I barely resisted from asking a bunch of questions about mer Moon. What stoped me is that I want to get to know him more or less gradually. He seems like a finely layered character 👀 (AND YET I ASK THE WHITE QUESTION, YES pffhpffhf)

P.P.S when I address a question to two characters I don't necessarily mean them as a duo, but you can answer it this way if it's fitting

Hehehehe

Gonna put all my thoughts under the cut cause there are LOTS

🟠 Orange- What is a trait your OC hides about themself from others? Do they refuse to acknowledge it or begrudgingly accept it?

For Bright they kinda have a lot of things about themselves they don't like and try to hide from others

I'd say the most obvious one is their phobia, they really don't like talking about it or showing a lot of weakness or vulnerability in general

The only reason they are okay with Sun babying them sometimes is because they've known each other for a long time and Bright knows that is how Sun interacts with everyone he cares about, he tends to be overly protective and worrisome

🟡 Yellow- What is something your OC wants but knows they can never have? How does it feel to never get this specific desire?

Hohoho this is a super interesting one

I would say this gets into some serious spoiler territory but I will say if she could remember and if she was still alive her biggest desire would have been to be there for both Sun and Moon, to have a happy family, all 4 of them

I think if she met Moon as he is now she would have deeply regretted not being there for him

🟢 Green- What is considered a weakness in your OC that is actually a strength? What is a strength in your character that can be twisted into a weakness?

Ooooo ok this is a bit of a toughie

I'd say for y/n I'd say it's their empathy, they are the type to tuck their stuffed animals into bed and cry when spiders are killed

bit of a softy they are

I think its both their biggest strength and weakness considering it both saves and kills them depending on the timeline

Mad scientist Moon it would be his will to survive

It's kept him alive this long, but it also requires the sacrifice of another, potentially the consumption of others

He doesn't want to hurt anyone but if he is going to survive he will need to

🔵 Blue- How would your OC spend a single day of interrupted peace? Where would they go or who would they be with?

For mad scientist Sun, there's a single bench on a secluded corner of campus near a dead tree that he goes to when he needs a moment or a breather

Its at the top of a hill and overlooks the surrounding city, during the late afternoons it gives the best view of the sunset

Sun doesn't get days off, he becomes more stressed when he isn't doing anything than when he's working on something

But in moments he allows himself a break, he likes to go to this spot, maybe bring a cup of hot tea or coffee, just watch as the world passes by

He's brought Y/N up there a few times, it's a beautiful peaceful spot

⚪️ White- When was a moment in your OC's life that they felt the most vulnerable and exposed? Were they alone or surrounded?

HOOOOOO

Don't wanna spoil it for you but let just say its the moments after the incident

**spoilers for chapter 12 of Under the Surface**

Moon oddly enough wasn't super emotionally messed up about killing Bonnie initially, he didn't know the guy and didn't like him

It was the moments after that kill him, the choices he made after he killed Bonnie that eat away at him and weigh on his conscience

I will say that Moon made some bad decisions

🪩 Disco Ball- What was an achievement that your OC felt worthy of celebrating? Was it a personal victory or a big impact on everyone around them?

For Bright this moment is coming up actually and will happen later in the fic

It's not a super big spoiler but I don't wanna reveal it before it happens cause it's a fun wholesome scene

For Sun, back in college he was able to land the lead role in the musical play they put on, he had mainly played cooky side characters before this, so this was the first time he was really acknowledged for his skills

Of course he hasn't landed a lead role since and has kind of given up on theater, but he still holds that moment close to his heart

For both they also consider landing the other a really big achievement pfptpfp

🔴 Red- What is a trait your OC has that those around them don't see very often? Is it seen by a rare few or completely overlooked?

Oooo another MS Moon one

I'd say it's the fact that he's actually quite perceptive

He notices when Y/N is stressed or when some people poke and prod him and he's pretty good at reading those who intend him harm or only want to help

This ends up being an issue for Y/N in the bad Moon ending since he knows that Y/N wants to leave but doesn't want them to. Some of the things that seem like accidents in that ending are actually on purpose

⚽️ Soccer Ball- Who is someone that your OC believes in and roots for? Are they private about their admiration or do they make it well known?

Oooo interesting hmmm for Freddy...

I'd say ironically enough Monty

You'll learn more abt their relationship with the newest chap I hopefully will post today, but Freddy and Monty are uh- not super close right now

Freddy does feel a lot of guilt about the situation though and wants to be friends with Monty again eventually, but as of right now he isn't super vocal about those feelings

[ovaruling]

Hey! Sorry if you get this a lot, but you mentioned in your one really long post that you'd maybe talk about the "non-invasive" procedures one day. I have a friend considering a few (notably that ice fat removal one, cryo something) and I was hoping you could tell a bit more about your experiences with them. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

hi! i’m happy to discuss, definitely. i hope you don't mind my publishing this, because i haven't yet had a chance to publicly talk about CoolSculpt (similar if not identical in fashion to cryo- methods of "fat removal") or other med spa procedures, and i'd like to add this to my anti-cosmetic surgery tag. if you're not comfortable with this ask being published, please let me know asap and i will remove it without issue!

if your friend is indeed interested in CoolSculpt, my caution there is firstly going to revolve around Linda Evangelista, the 90s supermodel.  

her story about PAH (paradoxical adipose hyperplasia) that she experienced because of CoolSculpt is harrowing. here’s an article about it.

this happens a lot more with CoolSculpt than most people realize. i didn't experience PAH necessarily, but i will say that when i got CoolSculpt on my inner thighs, it left them extremely, extremely lumpy, and hardened. i already had one spot--about the size of a prune--on one of my inner thighs from when i got actual liposuction. i figured it wasn't the end of the world, and ignored it as best i could.

but when i went in and got CoolSculpt, i noticed in the weeks afterward that my thighs looked... bumpy. lumpy. like there were small, hard avocado pits underneath my skin. of course, i freaked out. i didn't know why it looked like that--the technician and the ads had all said it would be left smooth, fat-free, no trace of a procedure left behind.

before my last session (CoolSculpt takes multiple sessions), i asked the technician to take a look. she said, "oh, that'll go away in a few weeks. your body just has to detox it."

i was skeptical, but i wanted so much to believe she was right.

i waited, and i waited. i waited some more. weeks and weeks and weeks passed. not a single change.

i still don't rightly know what happened. i haven't quite had the time to get it checked out, because, depressingly, this disfigurement is very low on my list compared to my more pressing issues atm.

i also want to mention that i got CoolSculpt on my arms (they offered me a free "area" with my purchase of the inner thighs) and so i figured i'd try to get rid of some of my the fat under my biceps and triceps. all that happened was that the skin began to droop and sag. CoolSculpt did not transform my arms into firm, smooth limbs, not by any stretch. (there was no muscle there, so obv this was gonna happen!)

so, the inner thighs remain a mystery to me. the hardened lumps are still there, and seem benign, but they are extremely annoying. and i no longer care what they look like, but back when i did, the extremely firm lumpiness really, really bothered me. it was like huge ocean waves, frozen. Linda described her aftermath as "protrusions," and i kind of relate, honestly. i don't have it nearly as intensely as she does, but protrusions is a perfect way to describe the behavior of the flesh post-CoolSculpt.

as i've built more muscle in my legs over time, the lumps are less visible, but i still feel them there. it's really unsettling. makes me think of having parasites under my skin, which then makes me really queasy and panicked. but i can't do anything about them.

i got one suggestion to try to massage them, because they may just be gnarled tissue of some kind that could be broken up and metabolized if given proper stimulation and circulation. but no such luck--they're still there.

so, again, not totally sure what happened to me--not quite what happened to Linda Evangelista, but. i still had an adverse affect, which is frightening.

the people at the med spa i went to, btw, refused to acknowledge this as an issue. they told me i must just "metabolize fat poorly." not their fault, evidently. and i was powerless to challenge them, because i had signed a lot of waivers.

so, here i am. CoolSculpt just gave me another in a long line of apparently permanent side effects, even though it was noninvasive.

i wish so much i had just... fucking stopped, honestly. i should've begun my fitness journey then, if i wanted "toned thighs" so much, instead of spending a ridiculous amount of money (that i didn't have, btw) on this completely unregulated procedure that remains wildly popular. it is 100% a scam.

at least with working out, i gained confidence and strength and stopped caring so much about how i look once i realized that how i feel is so much more important. having done both, i can firmly say that i would choose my strong, big, muscular thighs over the trim, slim CoolSculpted ones any day.

and to drive the point home, i do still have the lumps in my thighs.

CoolSculpt is a waste of time, money, and health.

please do encourage your friend to look up the side effects reported from CoolSculpt, and keep in mind that most women who get CoolSculpt do NOT follow back up with the med spas they received treatment at. so when you see "over 95% of patients reported satisfaction with their treatment," know that they are NOT returning the calls of those who received adverse effects.

as i do with all cosmetic procedures, both invasive and noninvasive, i believe the percentage of those who have been "botched" is way, way, way, WAY under-reported, underrepresented, and vastly, vastly underestimated.

technically, because my surgeons never returned my communication, and because i never participated in an official survey (usually provided by the place that gives you the surgery, lmfao), i would not be included in the data collected for "botched procedures."

so please, please keep that in mind. most of us who have received life-altering results from any manner of cosmetic procedures either A) are not being communicated with by the providers of the procedure afterward, or B) are not even thinking about communicating with the provider of the procedure because they are now at their doctor or a hospital, trying to find answers to what went wrong.

or simply C) are too embarrassed to come forward and admit that we were “botched.”

or even D) have accepted it in numb silence or deeply flat denial because it would be too painful or too much effort to acknowledge that we most certainly didn’t get the results we were promised.

like, trust me, no one is calling me or knocking at me door asking me if i’m happy with my surgeries or my noninvasive procedures. not a single one. as far as the world was concerned, until i spoke up this year, i was a happy customer. so idk WHERE the fuck they get all these surveyed patients from. but sure as hell, no one ever asked me.

my point is, i don't believe the data collected on procedure satisfaction is AT ALL trustworthy, let alone accurate.

if there's another procedure you have a question about, i'd be happy to answer it to the best of my ability.

[mermaidsirennikita]

I'm finally getting into historical romance after avoiding it for too long. Weirdly, this is because of Bridgerton, even though the show is often boring and the books feel as old as they are. Can you help me find overtly feminist books with sex scenes that are meaningfully connected to the characters and/or the plot. I enjoy fic, but I want the exact opposite of it when I'm reading a novel. Thanks!

Sure!

Scarlett Peckham is a great starting point here. Her books are on the more creative side re: sex scenes (by which I mean mildly kinky lol but also INTENTIONALLY kinky, as in the characters know what kink is) but she's very interested in the movements around them and come from diverse backgrounds. Her recently-concluded Society of Sirens trilogy is about a group of friends who campaign for women's rights, etc; what makes it more interesting to me than say Evie Dunmore books (I'll be honest, not a big fan of those, and they WILL get recommended to anyone who asks for feminist historical romance) is that the heroines legitimately come from different walks of life. One of them is a "rakess" who's basically a high class lady gone rogue; one of them is a biracial heiress; one is a courtesan who actually doesn't hate sex work but also can acknowledge its pros and cons.

This series also has some of the more consistently... I don't wanna say "beta" heroes, but none of them are alpha males and they're also not straightforward "cinnamon rolls".

Sarah MacLean has a great ongoing series called Hell's Belles about a group of female friends who fuck shit up for the sake of helping women who need them. The most recent book hits on the subject of abortion rights especially, which I looove. All MacLean books are written with feminism in mind, but this series is probably the most explicitly feminist.

Joanna Shupe is another author I'd blanket recommend on that level. Her Uptown Girls trilogy has a heroine, for example, who wants to open a casino for women and hits on things like an "unconventional" happily ever after (i.e., one where being together and happy forever doesn't necessarily mean marriage and babies.... people HATED that Florence and Clay were like "oh we're just gonna fuck each other and not have kids for the rest of our lives" and I liiiived).

Her Fifth Avenue Rebels series is also quite feminist, both casually and more politically. Our first book has a tennis playing heroine, and the last focuses on a heroine who spends a lot of her free time providing birth control to poor women, while also being upfront about her sexuality, the fact that she's had an abortion and doesn't regret it, the damage the Comstock Act caused... Also, her hero is completely in awe of her. I WOULD recommend reading this series in order, as they're all good and that last book is at its best when you see the buildup of the leads beforehand.

Grace Callaway definitely has a lighter tone... while actually hitting on some pretty dark shit... But if you want something that's feminist, super sexy, and kinda campy, Lady Charlotte's Society of Angels is literally Victorian Charlie's Angels with a female "Charlie". There is a lot of sex in these books, but I find it really fun and about getting the characters to bond. She also gets into subject matter that a lot of (white) authors don't... Like the Opium Wars.

Beverly Jenkins, of course, is one of the best out there. Her characters are more quietly feminist, but it's kind of an obvious part of the stories because she's not interested in white society at all. She also writes excellent female friendships and familial relationships. I'd recommend trying Forbidden (the Black heroine goes out west and becomes a cook, falls for a rich white man, thinks they can't be together, is unaware that he actually is NOT white and is the son of an an enslaved woman and a plantation owner who left the South and is now passing) or To Catch a Raven (really fun heist-y romance that involves the THEFT OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE) to start, though Indigo is my favorite of hers.

Diana Quincy writes really fun, feminist-streaked romance novels, some of which star Palestinian characters. Her most recent book is The Duke Gets Desperate and I fucking loved it. An American businesswoman inherits a castle and shows up like "Okay but we need to start hosting paid tours here because otherwise it's a money pit and I'm selling" while the duke who insists she did not actually inherit gasps in horror because you can't! Host! Tours! IN A CASTLE!!!!

Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller is a great one. The heroine is the third generation to run this hotel in Vienna after her grandmother and mother did. They've also been consistently officially single (her grandmother actually has a female partner and her mother is a rich man's mistress) and illegitimate. The heroine is very independent, has no shame about her sex life, and is both funny and practical... Then people start trying to kill her and the strait-laced undercover American spy who's been at the hotel has to save her. Also he's a virgin. Fast-paced, funny, super romantic, and very unconventional.

Minerva Spencer has an entire trilogy about a group of women who perform in a circus—The Wild Women of Whitechapel. Very feminist, very fun, there's dueling and boxing and men who are very happy to be with women who could step on them.

Definitely get into Adriana Herrera's Las Leonas series—it's about a group of friends who leave the (now) Dominican Republic for Paris. You get everything from birth control to Lesbian Paris discussed, as well as tons of romance, fingerbanging on the Eiffel Tower, and more.

[amelikos]

Multiple interviews with characters VAs I want to keep track of (notably the VAs for Liko, Roy, Dot).

Interview with Minori Suzuki (Liko's VA), translation here.

Lots of interesting stuff brought up in the interview, such as Liko's development and how she started voicing her feelings more. They brought up the scene with Dot in HZ049 when she voiced her concern about Dot passing her test as Gurumin, which made me happy since it's a scene that really stood out to me too, since Liko was trying to convey her worry at the right moment, which highlighted her kindness.

They also talked about Kaede and Chili and their impact on Liko, as well as Liko's relationship with Nyarote (Nyarote encouraging her to pull herself together, and how they show affection to each other since Nyarote is bigger and can hug Liko now).

I'm curious about Liko's future confrontation with Grusha (a sense of uneasiness between them was brought up).

Interview with Terasaki Yuka (Roy's VA), translation here.

Various talks about how Roy is growing as a trainer. They also brought up the fact that Terasaki Yuka was the VA for Corni during the XY anime (I liked Corni, so it's nice to see her VA talking about her), and how her experience as Corni influenced a bit the way she approached Roy at the beginning.

Also, I liked the part when Terasaki Yuka explains the way she sees Roy's approach to dream (and that she brought up the promise Roy made to his grandfather, to go meet him back in the island on Rayquaza!). I also feel like Roy is the type to be fixated on a singular dream, and that his dream to be acknowledged by Rayquaza is his alone. Him and Liko just happen to have shared goals, but I think they're distinct.

They talked about the possibility of Hogator evolving (which will mostly likely happen in Roy's battle against Rhyme), and wondered how Hogator's song would be once he evolves.

Terasaki Yuka also mentioned feeling reassured that kids are enjoying Horizons since she has children who love the anime a lot, so she gets to see upfront the influence of the current anime.

Interview with Yoshino Aoyama (Dot's VA), translation here.

Yoshino Aoyama mentioned that she didn't audition for Dot at the beginning (I wonder who she was auditioning for?). "Fans are happy to see you playing another shy character" may be referencing Bocchi the Rock?

They mentioned the fact that Dot's test against Nanjamo was a two-parter because the writers wanted to carefully depict her change of heart and feelings (Dot really is loved). Dot's relationship with Nanjamo was brought up as well, and is thought about positively.

They brought up the possibility of Kuwassu evolving (just like with Roy's Hogator, I think it'll happen pretty soon, probably during Dot's implementation test). Yoshino Aoyama also talked about Dot's relationship with Kanuchan and the way it gets Dot out of her comfort zone. She also brought up that small moment in HZ044 when Dot called back Kanuchan in her Pokeball because she wasn't sure how to handle her crying (also a moment I really liked for the exact same reasons she brought up).

They also talked about how Kanuchan's final evolution form attacks Armorga! Yoshino Aoyama brought up Amethio, and how she thinks Dot probably knows about the history between Armorga and Dekanuchan. I also wonder if the writers will do something with it eventually (and I'm glad the VAs are also aware of these facts and think about them as possibilities).

They talked about how children don't necessarily realize Dot is Gurumin, which is interesting (I didn't even think about that). Yoshino Aoyama also talked about her view of Dot saying things are a "pain" (very insightful part btw) and how she doesn't want Dot to be seen as unpleasant because she isn't (again, Dot is loved).

At the end, Yoshino Aoyama mentioned that she believes Dot will get a more concrete goal eventually, which made me curious. Perhaps becoming a professor eventually? Who knows.

Interview with Miria Takagishi (Poppy's VA), translation here.

Lots of talk about Pokemon in general. Miria Takagishi mentioned that HZ039 is her favorite episode. Dot's meeting with Kanuchan and the relationship between them, etc.

[aikoiya]

DP HC - The Power of Grief

I just came across a very interesting idea from a prompt by @confusedlittlebastard. They had the idea of someone giving Danny & Ellie graves & it actually doing something for them.

I think it's a really cool idea. Like, of course they wouldn't necessarily need them unless it's a Corpse AU as they don't have corpses to bury otherwise.

It also makes sense that they wouldn't think that they'd need them because of this.

When I think about it, it'd make sense if having a well-kept, frequently visited grave, an unmarked grave, or even no grave at all, would do something to a ghost. If only psychologically.

I'm not sure what it'd do, but I'll think on it & see what I can come up with.

Though, I feel like I'd edit the death date that @confusedlittlebastard put on Ellie's gravestone, personally. As even though she was created as a half-ghost, I kinda hc that she legit died in D-Stabilized. So, I'd make that her death date myself. But that's just me.

Edit: I suppose that having a grave would give a ghost a sense of not being totally forgotten. That they had an affect on the world, even if it was a small one.

I suppose that they wouldn't necessarily need a specific burial. Like, a basic grave with their name would do or even being just another name on a monument, but if the individual had a specific burial in mind, such as being cremated & scattered at sea; then if said burial was done, then it would bring the ghost a sense of fulfillment & feeling of being acknowledged or respected.

On the other hand, not having a proper grave at all could cause quite a few psychological problems. Whether it be ghostly depression or anger issues.

I mean, aside from the psychological issues already present in just being a ghost to begin with. So, the issues would sorta compound.

@kaezer suggested that "Perhaps having a grave offers the ghost some closure. For a ghost with no unfinished business, the moment their grave is closed they pass on. Whereas a ghost with unfinished business would linger without the closure of a grave, even if they achieved their obsession. Thoughts?"

I think that's part of it, but I believe that it's still possible for ghosts to move on even without a grave. It's just that, having one, & especially being buried in the place they wanted or beside who they wanted or having the burial they wanted. Those sorts of things make passing on exponentially, incrementally easier.

It's just that, when they don't have a grave, they have to learn to be able to let that go & it can be hard being able to acknowledge that there was no one who missed them & actually find a way to be, if not okay, then not tormented by it.

It's similar to the Right of Retribution, where it is legally a ghost's right to want their murderer taken care of in whatever way they deem necessary. Whether it be by them being dead or in jail or so crippled that they are unable to harm another person. It is considered, in civilized ghost society, to be a ghost's inalienable right to wish to pursue such.

Again, the ghost CAN move on from it, let it go. But it's extremely difficult as their killer's continued existence or crimes causes direct psychological harm to ghosts.

It's all about ghosts learning to be content/at peace & ready to move on.

It's because of this that places like the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is very important to ghost communities. Especially ones like the one in America where theirs is always well-maintained & treated with utmost reverence. Specifically to the ghosts of soldiers, veterans, & first responders. There's sort of this unwritten rule that such places are NOT to be haunted or disturbed. Those ghosts who do are considered extremely disrepectful & are quickly jailed.

For more, go to my full Ghost Zone Masterlist.

[circusangel]

Hiiii. I lately realized that I'm bi. A girl in my college was my gay-awakening. We only have one same subject every other semester. She's sweet. She sings and plays a handful of instruments [I stalked her youtube😭].

It all started when I seemed to notice her in that class and that we made an eye contact everytime we were in the same room. I rarely look people in the eye but when I felt her eyes, I just glanced for a mini-second too. I thought she was just acknowledging me and so I acknowledged her right back. This happened a year ago [2nd sem]. I passed it off as a mere "curiosity" and guys and gays, IT IS NEVER CURIOSITY.

Now in the 4th SEM, I forgot it all but I did know that she was the girl whenever I'd pass my her in a corridoor. I only saw her once in the class, cause I bunked a lot of it, where we again made an eye-contact. And a few days later, out of the blue, it dawned upon me when I found myself waiting for yet another eye-contact.

Now how do I approach her? Especially when we're only going to be at college twice to give exams before vacation starts. I know she's sweet but she seems unapproachable to me [it's psychological; I do not think that I'm good enough. I think that she'll get angry once she learns of my crush. I've always thought so about all my crushes] And also she belongs to the "cool" people group ya know the fun ones. I, on the other hand, don't belong to any group though there are a couple folks I spend my time with. I'm rather introverted (atleast until you get to know me which most people don't because in too closed off)

HOW DO I APPROACH HER?????

I've always heard and been told that sitting next to the person you most want to befriend in a room tends to work out best. If you're like me though, you may sit next to her and never have a conversation....but if you're really into her then you can start by asking simple or small questions...offer her something like gum and see how she reacts. Continuing to build up small interactions is my approach to situations where I'm interested in someone but not necessarily ready to take a big leap.

Do you know for sure she's gay? I would not mention having a crush on someone as the opener to any sort of conversation unless you're only interested in being in a relationship with her and not friends...? I guess it's good to state your intentions to people too....you said you thinking she'd be mad is a more psychological issue on your half than anything else so...unless you're given a reason to assume she would be, I'd move like you're assuming she wouldn't be mad...

I'm not an expert or anything, I may have even answered this 100 years too late as I rarely check my inbox on this blog, so I do apologize and I hope everything works out for you 😩

[tenebriism]

Ghirahim/Fi for the ship meme thing? ( if you don't ship them, no pressure )

Send Me a Ship and I'll Tell You . . . [ ACCEPTING ] ;;

GHIRAHIM X FI :

Who is more likely to hurt the other?

Ghirahim would 100%, without a doubt, hurt Fi before Fi would hurt him, whether accidental or intentional.

Who is emotionally stronger?

Fi. Ghirahim suffers from one tiny little inconvenience and he has a meltdown.

Who is physically stronger?

I'd have to say Fi? Simply because light trumps darkness, and as the spirit of the Master Sword, Fi has a huge advantage over Ghirahim.

Who is more likely to break a bone? 

Neither. They're sword spirits, so they're extremely resilient.

Who knows best what to say to upset the other? 

Ghirahim. He's a spiteful, rude man and won't hesitate to resort to tactics that give him the upper hand, even towards someone he's, supposedly, supposed to care about. This gets better as time passes and he learns how to treat other people, but it's definitely a rocky start.

Who is most likely to apologize first after an argument? 

Fi. Ghirahim would sooner perish than ever admit he was wrong.

Who treats who’s wounds more often? 

Surprisingly, I could see them both being extremely over-protective and attentive? Just in their own unique ways.

Who is in constant need of comfort? 

Ghirahim, although he won't want it and he won't admit it. Post Skyward Sword, he has a lot of self doubts and self worth issues... a lot to work on, and work through, basically.

Who gets more jealous? 

Ghirahim, Ghirahim, Ghirahim. He's territorial, his emotions are a ticking time bomb on a good day, and if something or someone is imposing upon something that is HIS, he definitely gets pissy about it.

Who’s most likely to walk out on the other? 

Ghirahim would walk out on Fi. In fact, he probably does it several times amidst their relationship, and then comes crawling back like a fool. It's not necessarily to hurt Fi, but his ability to cling onto something good, and believe he DESERVES this aforementioned good, is non-existent.

Who will propose? 

I could see Ghirahim proposing to Fi. When Ghirahim loves, he loves INTENSELY, and if he has decided that he wants to be with someone for the rest of his life, he's not going to hesitate to seal the deal. It would take QUITE some time to get there, though.

Who has the most difficult parents?

Ghirahim. The way Demise treated him as nothing more than a tool to be used? Hardly acknowledged his existence or individuality, and Ghirahim definitely has some trauma from that... meanwhile, Link would probably give the Master Sword bubble baths and wrap it in a blanket if he could.

Who initiates hand-holding when they’re out in public? 

Surprisingly, Ghirahim, but very, very tentatively.

Who hogs the blankets? 

Definitely Ghirahim, lmfao. It gets better with time, but he's, uh... not the most GENEROUS of beings to start.

Who gets more sad? 

Ghirahim. Fi is still learning human emotions, so I don't think she'd cry much, if at all, and if she does, it would be rare and purely unintentional. Ghirahim, on the other hand, feels... and he feels a LOT. It's a lot easier to get him worked up than it is Fi.

Who is better at cheering the other up? 

Definitely Fi. Ghirahim and positivity don't necessarily mix, and it's difficult for him to get out of his OWN head, let alone help someone else out of theirs.

Who’s the one that playfully slaps the other all the time after they make silly jokes?

Mm... I can't see either of them doing that, but if I had to choose? Ghirahim.

Who is more streetwise?

Ghirahim. Not by too, too much, but he's, arguably, had a lot more freedom and exposure than Fi has.

Who is more wise?

Fi.

Who’s the shyest?

Fi. Ghirahim? Shy? Naaaaaah.

Who boasts about the other more? 

Ghirahim about Fi. He finds her absolutely gorgeous even while they're enemies, so once he successfully gets with her? Oh, EVERYONE is gonna know about it (the few people who are willing to listen to his rambling, at least.)

Who sits on whose lap? 

Hilariously, I can see Ghirahim wanting to sit on Fi's lap a lot. Nobody else can sit there if he's there, after all~

@braveryhearted ;;

[judeharoldvich]

you know who i despise? self-proclaimed 'parent friends' or 'therapist friends'. we are all parents and therapists sometimes to certain people. if you are good you will be naturally inclined to nurture and attend to others needs as and when you have capacity to. some people chronically over-nurture to the point of smothering or else can be taken advantage of by ill-meaning people. i know a lot of people who are like this, and i'm always telling them to be meaner for their own sakes. but then there are these other people who go around proclaiming themselves the 'mum' of the group, or the 'therapist friend'. they use this role to gather information and wield it as a kind of weapon or shield, depending on the situation -- and then, after they have calmly squeezed every last drop of vulnerability out of someone, they use it against them to break them down until they're convinced they need that person, that they need a 'therapist friend' as opposed to, you know, an actual licensed therapist.

ive witnessed one of my good friends essentially get gaslit into believing this other girl was her friend, that her friendship was worth her time, after that same girl had left my friend feeling utterly worthless. she would bring up deeply personal things my friend had told her in confidence with other company present, then fondly joke that my friend was 'broken'. she would obsessively comment on what my friend ate, to the point that it was clear whatever eating disorder she had supposedly recovered from was still rotting her mind and she couldn't help but pass it on to my friend like a true mother. whenever my friend brings that girl up i feel a pang of sadness and anger, partly with myself for not being able to tell her to her face that this person is a terrible friend. i just know that she can be fragile, especially where this girl is concerned precisely because of the borderline narcissistic behaviour she's exhibited in their friendship. i want to lay it all out for her and break the difficult news that this person has let her down, that in this case they are just masquerading as a friend, but i cant do that without confirming what i know to be one of my friend's biggest insecurities. i have to stop myself from positioning myself as the 'therapist friend' because i know i am not qualified, and i don't necessarily know what's best for her, but i do know that i want her to be happy.

it's something in their eyes, too. you can tell a narcissist from their eyes so easily i think. and my intuition is razor sharp. something about this girl from the moment i met her made me feel uneasy. and it wasn't awkwardness -- as an autistic i can also spot neurodivergence a mile off and i tend to subconsciously become more friendly when i notice that because i understand it better. this is very different. it's sort of sinister. not norman bates sinister but regina george sinister. and the fact i'm watching this happen to someone i care about, and i can't say anything about it because i know it will not be appreciated or really acknowledged is so frustrating. but there it is.

[loisinherlane]

I don’t really know the f4 but for the headcanon thing, cassie and one of the f4 of your choice?

Thank you, Britta! <3 (I always recommend the F4 but especially Johnny because he's my poor little meow meow of the Marvel Universe. GOOD. So I gotta choose him.)

Cassie

Headcanon A:  realistic

Cassie doesn't realize she's a lesbian until she's in her twenties or thirties. I do think she MAYBE realizes she's attracted to women sooner, but god, she's so deep into comphet.

Headcanon B: while it may not be realistic it is hilarious

Cassie and Tim are both trans and met as children, but they don't recognize each other as teenagers. Also, they fucking hated each other as kids (because their parents hated each other).

Headcanon C: heart-crushing and awful, but fun to inflict on friends

I don't know if this is necessarily HEART-CRUSHING, but I've got a fun and sexy AU where Cissie is murdered after she and Cassie get together, and then Cassie has sexy foemantic tension with Rose. And Cassie is constantly mourning Cissie.

Headcanon D: unrealistic, but I will disregard canon about it because I reject canon reality and substitute my own.

Cassie is a lesbian. While DC wants us to live in that reality, in my real world, Cassie is still friends with Cissie, Anita, and Greta. I think it's such a shame that we've lost her close friendships with the girls over the years.

NOW JOHNNY!!!

Headcanon A:  realistic

In a world where he wasn't the Human Torch, Johnny would ideally be a househusband. He just wants a nice, quiet life with a family, a spouse, and kids. Unfortunately, he has halfway accepted that this may not be in the cards for him.

Headcanon B: while it may not be realistic it is hilarious

God, I love Johnny so much, but I like to make him suffer more than anything so this took so long. This isn't exactly a headcanon, but throwback to when i sent my friend @anti-solidcoffee this pic and her response was "I saw that and the first thing I thought was that Johnny is definitely a bottom and I've never been so immediately sure of something like that before"

Headcanon C: heart-crushing and awful, but fun to inflict on friends

One day, long after Johnny gets married to Wyatt whoever he actually married, he'll wake up in the middle of the night, convinced that his spouse is a Skrull. He'll wake them up in the middle of the night to do the quiz, the one he's made to make sure all of the people in his life are who they say they are. They pass. But even so, Johnny will lay there, still half-scared that he's wrong, and he can't even tell the person he loves most because he doesn't want to hurt them.

Headcanon D: unrealistic, but I will disregard canon about it because I reject canon reality and substitute my own.

Sadly, the idea that Johnny will ever be able to acknowledge that Lyja raped, abused, and gaslit him openly at least within his family instead of continuing to be gaslit into believing he's a manwhore when at most it's a trauma-response (if not just a front). But I still long for the concept of Johnny actually being able to come to terms with his trauma. And I will continue to write fics about it.

[ginnsbaker]

Im sorry this has taken so long life has been so busy but I wanted to make sure i did this (and im rereading as im doing so here we goooo)

First thing reader is down BAD getting freaky in the shower after seeing a patch of leighs stomach skin 💀

And leigh finally acknowledges/accepts her feelings like we been knew why else do you keep popping up. I love the way you wrote the part about leigh not wanting to believe things are decided for her through fate because its so accurate to the way she needs order and control (and also to the fact she doesn’t seem to get that)

The thuds scared me I genuinely thought it was danny (which wouldn’t necessarily have been a bad thing cos then leigh would question how danny knows reader and the truth would come out from dnny himself). What she says about danny being safe because he wants her more is so leigh coded but it’s true theres less risk of being hurt it’s predictable allowing her control

Poor jules is probably so confused and ik she kept that note like under her bed or smth maybe someone will find it later (possibly jules or danny or maybe reader themself)

Reader does not deserve this hot and cold from leigh 😭 but good for you being determined to get your girl.

Leigh literally can’t leave cos i will fight for logan we are not co-parenting that far apart i refuse 😤 and good job little buddy for being protective of her and telling danny non verbally to piss off

Excellent timing sara (and something casual could be exactly what reader needs at least sara is understanding of the unavailability emotionally) and thank you suzie and jules for being so gossipy the info will pass back to leigh

“Is she here” 😭 hi how are you how was your day no we getting straight into itjeez leigh anyone would think you’re a jealous possessive gf and after ignoring all the text messages and sending jules for logans appointment like readers right leigh doesn’t have any right to demand anything (i do love her tho 😂)

THE KISS FINALLY.

The build up to it chefs kiss everything.

And then the crash 😭

Espresso Eyes i mean on one hand reader did write to leighs thing can they really be surprised she put the pieces together but on the other didn’t said advice also say move on and now leigh is here so i can see why reader might be upset but also part of me like what did you think would happen

I can’t wait for Wednesday these two just need to get their shit together istg

-🧃

Ps your amazing ❤️

Sorry this answer took a bit long, been busy with marathon training and writing and... life in general lol.

I just find myself nodding to your reactions and comments :) Especially the part where Leigh basically skipping the niceties to see if Sara is at R's apartment lol. that was fun to write for me.

We'll see what happens on Wednesday, and I don't want to say anything about it, just that, we really are nearing the en.

Thank you once again for reading and sharing your thoughts :)

[woahjo]

Hi Cal I saw the KS asks and I was summoned! This situation truly was the precursor to modern dark content morality policing. I remember so many people ran with the toxic BL label because the author had allegedly acknowledged it as a valid reading of the work. She was just excited that KS was getting so much attention and basically said that she was happy to see people engaging with her work even if it was in a different way from what she thought. Which brings up a really interesting point: is the author allowed to tell you how to read the book? And as an author, what do you do when differing interpretations escalate into completely missing the point? Is there anything you can do?

still insane to me that an author acknowledging that reading something as a romance is valid can equate to "i condone this behavior and think it's what people should strive for! it's only a romance!" very wild. the world is failing. media is dying. subtlety has been dead for a long time.

also.. as much as i'd love to say that an author is allowed to tell someone how to read or interpret work but i honestly think it's just not realistic. different life experiences breed different interpretations and, in most cases, that's not necessarily a bad thing. when it comes to missing the point completely... i really don't think there is anything to be done outside of just saying "this is the point of that work". people will read things the way they want to read things and im sure the author of KS feels some type of way about how people have interpreted her work.

when it comes to creative things, one of the blessings and curses is that people will make their own interpretations of intended messages or themes. honestly, i like it when people develop their own ideas about things i make, but there have also definitely been times where certain things i've written or done don't get noticed/are missed. i think the most an author can do (in the case that opinions end up spiraling into "missing the point") is to just.. say what the original point is and sort of let go of the reigns. once something creative is out in the world, there's no taking it back, ya know? on the other hand though, it's a wonderful things to have people enjoy / engage with your work so much that there's room for mass interpretation that way!!!

regardless, i really think that with KS and a lot of other works in similar genres that contain dark content, the issue is the demonization of thought and story. combined, ofc, with less media literacy and the currently prolific idea that writing it = condoning it. we all draw our line somewhere when it comes to that (i know i do), but the crux of the issue is that a lot of people simply... don't know how to properly read anymore. that sounds mean but it's def true. as a society, we've undervalued literature and the humanities to the point that print media is literally a dying industry. things that aren't STEM have taken a backseat not just culturally, but educationally, because they've been passed off as "easy" and "common sense", so people have stopped trying to learn it. the general belief has shifted greatly in the last few years to the idea that media literacy is a natural-born ability rather than a skill honed over many years (we all know the joke of "who cares that the curtains are blue" when the point of those exercises isn't about the color, but the ability to pick up on subtlety in literature and to teach people how to pick up on subtext). we've stopped caring about learning it because we've been taught that STEM is the more educated route and should be the central focus of education. tragically, this means that more complicated works end up in the "bad" category purely because bad things happen without obvious condemnation. and the worst part of it is that, on a daily basis (outside of profession), we use the humanities (reading, writing, analysis, ethics, etc) more than most people will ever need to use a complex math problem or know a specific scientific formula or cycle. but alas... the world is changing and i hate it.

[tea-with-evan-and-me]

i also want to make clear commenting does not equal hating. it’s two entirely different things to acknowledge a public figures changing appearance vs. being hateful about it

depends on the intention i think. like when people say evan lost weight, doesn't necessarily mean a bad thing but we know it's not nice to say it and that should be valid only when it comes to him, but to everyone. i think if it's not something positive or makes any difference to the subject maybe we should keep it to ourselves. and i'm not saying this because it's ariana, i've also said it a while ago when people were talking about emma's appearance here and believe me, i hate that woman with all my strength.

im not saying you have to like her or agree with everything she does. me, as a fan, don't agree with the things she's done and i can acknowledge her mistakes, but like i said last time with emma, not liking someone doesn't give us a free pass to talk about their appearance, even if it is "just a comment" because, want it or not, it opens up to more people to do so and things sometimes get out of control.

ariana specifically has been very vocal about how uncomfortable she feels about the comments people make about her appearance, mostly about her body and we should respect that. most of her fans have been really nice and happy with evan's cameo on her music video and if we'd like people to respect him, maybe we should do the same when it comes to others

i hope you don't get it the wrong way, i get really anxious with "sensitive" topics. all i'm trying to say is if we want people to respect him we should respect others too

-

i definitely didn't take it in any wrong way - while i may feel differently, i respect your opinion and perspective. i think it speaks to where we each draw the line on celebrity commentary - and in all honesty, the very premise of this blog would be one that some people stand against, which is gossip and discussion of celebrity's personal lives outside of their work. and i am completely fine with someone saying they would not read or interact with content such as mine. however, i don't think of ''celebrity'' like a menu one can order from ala carte - you either take it with all of it's warts, or not at all. if you enjoy the luxuries that come with fame and celebrity, you cannot opt out of the less-than-fun aspects, one of which is commentary on all aspects of you and your art. again, when i say commentary i am speaking about general commentary, not someone disparaging your appearance in a cruel way or lying to defame.

we're all human. i mean, imagine being ariana's ex-husband - i am very certain he would prefer ariana didn't write songs about their relationship for the public to dissect and badmouth him on the internet for. he is a regular dude after all, he didn't sign up for this simply by falling in love with a star. but such is life.