#he has resting Victorian orphan face

[always-a-slut-4-ghouls]

My brother has this cat that is constantly serving looks but the look is pathetic and on the verge of crying. He looks like this 🥺 a solid 80% of the time he’s awake because of the shape of his eyes and the fact that they often look slightly watery and I’m so mad at myself because all the pictures of him that I have saved on my phone are of him actually serving looks and having a more normal cat facial expression

[cookiekat-blogz]

Why is Akutagawa literally like the best Bungo Stray Dogs character ever?

this is half satire by the way, but I mayyy go into depth for SOME things if I feel like it. (big fat silly kinnie rant with spoilers)

#1

hes a cutie patootie. yeah he's brow-less but like, its 2024, who isn't? seriously. show me an alt person on tiktok with eyebrows /hj

#2

hes silly. Yeah he may be extremely violent especially twoards Atsushi (the foot in the face was definitely personal) and anyone else he is made to defeat, but that's quite literally how he was raised. Don't forget we're talking about PM Dazai here. He was raised by Mori, what can we say? (#justice4dazai2024) We can assume (using the BEAST manga) that up until the point where Dazai turned him down, the things that occurred were relatively close to canon.

(or not idk I didn't finish the mangas. why read some rando's essay that can't even spell's abt some sassy victorian man child on the internet, infact, why are you even reading this in the first place?)

So we can assume he's been through a hell-of-alot of trauma with everyone close to him. His siblings and friends dying, and even himself tasting death and Dazai was practically his savior-- his controversial, abusive, strict, hot, gay, problematic, silly, teenage savior. Even if that's not what went down in the main series, what he went through was enough for Akutagawa to idolize Dazai, the same man that has hurt him oh so much.

(hey its the cycle of abuse, and guess who was next in line?) that's right, Kyouka. (even if Kyouka was more impacted by Kouyou) But no, this won't be a rant about Akutagawa and Kyouka's relationship, it's simply "Why you should love Aku" and totally nothing else. wait, what was I saying??

#3

he's headless, be nice /j

#4

the fit is fire. I mean like, bring back ruffles frl. he ate down. he's even so silly he doesn't even know the name of the ruffle thing he's wearing (the collar ruffle thing is called a cravat.)

#5

hes a Picies. They do no wrong. Trust me, I know. (totally not biased or anything)

#6

His relationship with Atsushi. Their so cute like every scene together even when their fighting its just like 'make out alr'. He seems heartless and cruel and its like he hates Atsushi, but really as you can see when "Where's Your Head At?" by Basement Jaxx started playing, he cares for Atsushi deep down inside. Deep, deep, deep down. Must be really deep if it took literally dying to be nice. Seriously, even if he called him a 'damn fool' he's smiling, it's so sweet it makes me cry. As the blood traversing in his neck goes on its repetitive journey for its sole purpose of bringing oxygen to the rest of his body, it suddenly changes direction, hurriedly spraying out of the newfound opening made by a time traveling sword, and finally escaping through his pale, soon to be lifeless, dark red soaked neck. Yet, he is smiling through it all, telling his furry boyfriend "rival" to run. he cares. Just look at this beautifully colored pannel by Akutagoth on reddit:

def didn't want an excuse to show this beautiful art or anything.

#7

hes an introvert, fight me on this real.

#8

hes fruity. you don't even have to ship sskk to agree, just listen to how he talks. either this or he's a time traveler from the 19th century.

#9

the hair solos, like seriously, his hair is so cool I want it. bring back dark to light fade. /srs

#9 1/2 (I made a specific post just for this so you can just skip it.)

Also, speaking of hair, anyone else ever notice how yin-yang Akutagawa and Atsushi are? Yeah they are both orphans that were taken in by Dazai and "abused by their handler" ('handler' is wild ngl) but in the main series Atsushi is more Yang and Akutagwa is more Yin, character wise, and even design wise. Yet, in Beast (a spin-off where Akutagawa ends up in the ADA and Atsushi ends up in the PM) the roles are reversed and Aku is more Yang and Atsu is more Yi, further emphasizing that this difference between the two isn't accidental (not claiming simply speculating).

Akutagawa is relatively bad but he has shown how he could be good, in the main series, Wan, and beast. he's undeniably a good brother (just look at how much he cares for his sister in beast, he even joined the ADA and made it his purpose to find her after he learned that she was in the mafia.) He keeps promises, hates meaningless torture-- which believe it or not shows a bit about his character-- (haha he does have emotions even if it may be stemmed from a deep psychological trauma). He also has a mainly dark but light accent wardrobe, from the ends of his hair to the very same accessory that he can't even name. help I ran out of good character traits I think I'm failing

Atsushi is relatively good, and even seems to be blind to it at times, but he has shown his not the best traits. He's kinda like Gon, but less merciless, even when it comes to fights with Akutagawa (sometimes). His good:bad ratio is pretty skewed though, no matter how much he may envy or hate his kindness kinda just... drowns it out. Evil headmaster dies? cry. Evil goth boyfriend partner dies? scream. Evil American enemy still lives? team up with him. Evil 14 year old serial assassin in the port mafia exist? save her.

Although, he's pretty rash/blunt (that Dazai diss was wild aku didn't do anything to deserve that) and its also shown in wan and other scenes in the main series that he would probably participate in a 2017-19 roast battle(hj) and holds some strong grudges. (help I ran out of bad character traits he's too good, its like he's so good and he doesn't even try.) Butttt apperence wise, his singular black hair streak in a head of light whatever-colored-hair (in contrast to Akutagawa's) and accents of black (suspenders, tail-belt-thing that moves as if he was Cat Noir, tie, gloves, pants, shoes) do what Akutagwa's 19th century ruffles do best. Be utterly useless and ugly and feed into the theory that he is a time traveler Contrast.

Basically, Shin Soukoku canon because opposites attract.

#10

back to number 2, he's silly. he's super sassy and may be a bit slow sometimes have thought that shrimp grows from the dirt but just watch/read bsd wan! he's so cute <33 sure his back may be bigger(j) but still, just look:

hope that was enough to convince you cause I'm out of reasons sorry bro.

[kurov1864]

Milgram characters as animals

I am so very high and sleep deprived so I apologize if my writing is whack

Amane: Cat. More specifically, a kitten. A traumatized one. She would be a very curious kitten. Always exploring around the house and very eager to try new things. She doesn't get shaken up by new people that easily unless they actually do something to her, and treats the owners with a degree of indifference. Pet her? She won't melt or purr. Call her name? Maybe a head turn if you're lucky. Try to pick her up? Hisses and scratches. Your hand will not escape unscathed. Death to the unbeliever.

Fuuta: Another cat. I think many people are gonna be cats but like. Oh well. Very aggressive. Will bite and hiss if you so much as try to touch him within the first month of getting him. After you break down his walls though, he'll allow you to touch him with minimal grumbling. Would absolutely 100% melt into your pets, unconsciously would purr then immediately stop when he sees you chuckling. Very touch starved so he'll stare at you from around the corner begging you to pet him with his eyes. Either he's a cat or a very angry, short and loud chihuahua.

Kotoko: Wolf. Pretty obvious. She's also not your pet, more like a wild animal that you befriended but you're not sure. Kinda hangs around your house, maybe she's protecting you? Or she could be seeing if you make a good meal. You honestly never know, since you're not a professional wolf reader and neither am I. Would only allow you to touch her fur once in a blue moon, if she growls then you're better off just staying away from her. She appreciates you leaving out food and water, though you would have to bring the bowls inside often seeing how she only comes back like once a month.

Mikoto: Raccoon. Why? I don't know. It's cute, so I'm gonna forcibly smash his character into a racoon stereotype. He's probably very friendly and comfortable around you, since he's been living in human neighbourhoods for a very long time. He tried becoming the new Vincent Van Gogh by dipping his tiny grubby paws in your paint and tracking it across the floor and walls. You don't mind much, it's kinda cute. Would have lived in your kitchen cardboards if you didn't babyproof the place, so now he just visits your house every day begging for food.

John: Doberman. Has that no-nonsense and constantly tired of the stupid shit you do face, especially since your safety is number 1 to him. Probably a rescue, so he'll be very on guard against you at first, but once he starts to really trust you, then he'll simply become on guard against the rest of the world. After all, you're the stupid human that keeps stubbing their toe or falling over nothing, so obviously you need his protection against this cruel and unusual force of nature called life. Loves head scratches though, probably the only time when he lets down his guard and allows himself to relax and enjoy the moment.

Haruka: Bunny. Listen. Bunnies can die of loneliness. That's him. That's him right there. Very shy at first, but also really clingy. He probably has a lot of health issues from constantly ignoring his need for survival (is that even possible?) to potentially spend more time with you. This makes you hand-feed him, so he just does it even more. Congratulations, you are now in a dependent relationship with a very blue bunny. Clap clap clap.

Muu: Pomeranian. Turn up your thermostat all you like but this girl is never going to stop shaking. She's also the shy type, but only at first. After you make it clear that you won't harm/sell/throw her away in any manner, then she just becomes your very spoiled daughter. Constantly demands your attention and so does her body that has what I like to call "the constitution of a Victorian orphan". Try to give her low-quality dog food? She won't even glance at it. Anything less then a 100$ dog shampoo and conditioner will make her fur fall off. Soon after you take her in, you'll be spending more than half your income on her. And if you even dare try to reprimand her for bad behaviour, oh what do you know now she's sulking and whimpering and acting as if she's Y/N and you're her evil stepmother trying to sell her off to the big bad alpha werewolf mafia boss CEO of Korea.

Mahiru: Golden retriever. Not a surprise. Jumps on you the moment you get home and showers you with love. She's like happy 24/7. How does she do it? We'll never know. But hey, at least now you have a miniature sun running around your house. You'll never have to pay electricity bills again! She is quite clingy though, so be prepared to start suffocating every morning when she pounces on you. Probably thinks she's a cat that can sit on your face and lap with little problems, but she's actually a very big and heavy dog that's half your body size. So no Mahiru, you can't keep trying to sit on them. You're going to crush them with your weight. I'm not fatshaming, I'm just trying to save a life.

Shidou: Birb. What birb? Just birb. Pretty chill for the most part. Idk, I don't really know much about Shidou. Either he's a birb or a turtle. Like the type that just sunbathes in an artificial light on an artificial rock 24/7. I think he would be a parrot, maybe. One of those white/gray ones, with a bit of yellow on their heads. Are those parrots? Dunno. He vibes to music pretty well, and also shows concern through very strategically placed pecks on your skin. Similar to John, he feels as if he has to take care of your stupid human tendencies so he collects items that he thinks would be useful and brings them to you. He's just not very good at picking out which items are useful, so don't blame him when he tries to bring a frying pan and accidentally dislocates his claws or something.

Yuno: Cat. Temperamental and only acts according to their mood. Store-bought or literally auctioned off. She gives off those smarty pants vibes, like she knows how to act to increase her value. She'll be very affectionate and well-behaved at first, but when you realize she's getting more moody and haughty, you'll ask the seller. Turns out that's just her natural personality and you've been deceived, but what does that matter? She's your pet so now you're obligated to take care of her for the rest of your life, whether you like it or not. Good thing she's absolutely adorable right? Only a monster would be able to say no to that face. And when she's in a good mood... boy you better drop everything you're doing and savor what little attention she'll give you. You think she's the pet? Nah. You're the pet and she took you in.

Es: Cat!!! Again!!! Very tsundere. Similar to Fuuta, but in a much more serious manner. I'm not sure how to describe it, like imagine they will just try to walk everywhere with a ~purpose~. So with this ~purpose~ they'll walk into your lap and subtly hint that they want head pats, and again with ~purpose~ they'll walk away when your stupid ass can't understand what they want, acting as if the whole time they're this evil mastermind and that whole drama sequence was to confuse you so you'll stay on guard around them.

Kazui: Horse. Desires freedom and whatnot. How did you even get a horse. How rich are you. Not very high maintenance, well as low maintenance a horse can get anyways. He's probably the only one that I wouldn't write something goofy for. Very fast horse, but he'll try to keep things moderate so he doesn't damage your slow-ass brain. I take that back I can totally imagine him doing something goofy. Sentimental, and also kinda delusional. Wants to ride off into the sunset type shit except that he's the main character so he's just running alone with no one riding him. Speaking of which, he low-key kinda hates anyone trying to ride him but you're okay I guess since you don't try to control him much so as long as he doesn't send you flying you just let him do whatever he wants.

Jackalope: ... He's literally a jackalope. Why am I even including him. I'll lock him up in a cage and hang him from my rooftop, praying that he gets struck by lightning.

[birchbow]

*approaches like a starving victorian orphan* pls may we have have an excerpt 🥺

I've been working on original novel stuff and Winter Soldier inspired pale Gamkar stuff for a hot second, so there's not a ton of new PoF to excerpt at the moment, but u know I can never say no to interest in my fics haha :D

--

The door opens again, and it’s not a quadrant of yours this time.  A sister with a crest of hair bright mutant red between her horns and more scarves than clothes comes in like she’s got a suspicion she’s being followed, and closes the door sharp again behind her.  Looks real familiar—for a second, you can’t quite place her.

And then you recognize, and are taken immediate by both anger and delight.  Aggravation at the motherfucking presumption, to come to you after you closed court—simultaneous, the anticipating joy of a building joke well set up to add to.  You’ll play to the joke, but not at expense of your authority.  This little motherfucker better learn quicker than you suspect she will, or she’ll have quite the lesson coming.

Karkat turns back to look at her with an expression far from inviting, folds his arms in all his shiny imperial armor and glares at her.  She pays him attention enough to look and then nod, and then crosses the Big Top, bows at you and then bounces up a careless touch sooner than she should.

She says, “I got your message, my lord.”

You consider her, and whether you sent any kind of message, and are quickly and assuredly positive that no such motherfucking thing did you do.  Karkat looks from you to her and back and seems to determine that exact thing, from what tell of yours you don’t know—his eyebrows go up, and then down, and then crease in the middle.

“We’re in the middle of imperial business,” he says, strict and snapping like he must be with his recruits.  “And court’s closed.  Do your auditory sponges not fucking work?  Is your thinkpan damaged?!  Or do you just think you’re too good to listen to a direct order from the Grand Highblood?”

“I was invited,” says Ardeen, and looks, expectant, to you.

--

(And one or two brief snippets of things still dubiously canon and half-written:)

-

It’s pan-rot stupid of you, maybe—you know he won’t go easy on you, tough old hatchet of a motherfucker, with all he knows and feels and has done—but on All Colors Week, the rules lay out that you can get up in a holy champion’s personal business and challenge that motherfucker for a flag.  Not to grief them, you’ve got your ass whipped enough times by now to know you’re not ready for that yet—but if you manage to impress in their chosen challenge, that flag in royal purple is theirs to grant and give over, and you’ll be honored like a motherfucking champion yourself the rest of the holiday.

He won’t go easy on you, because he doesn’t go easy on any motherfucking one, but in scripture—in scripture if nothing else, you think you’ve found ground you can hold.

“Feeder Stædfast,” you say, and he lifts a brow at the manners you’re aiming at him, turning full to face you and snapping shut his book.  “I think you got something there you might hand me over.”

Both brows up this time, double surprised.  “Oh," he says, "Is that so?”

-

“Nitram,” snarls Kurloz, and then he moves like a lightning bolt and tries to take your friend’s head off his shoulders.

-

Karkat looks at Sollux, then at you, then opens his mouth, and then clamps it shut again and does what appears to be some kind of painful breathing routine, like he’s physically compressing his rage down into something manageable.  When he opens his eyes, his voice is very nearly calm.

“Okay,” he says.  “Fuck.  This is going to take some cleaning up.  Shit.  We can salvage this.”

[inscrutable-shadow]

WIP Intro: An Umbral Arena

An Umbral Arena by Coy Chambers

part of the ieiunusverse series

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Sci-fi, New Adult, LGBTQ+, Whump

Estimated Length: 50-70k

Features: Lady Whump, Vampires, Lesbians, Vampire Lesbians, Thanatos is a Wife Guy, Rhys is Wondering Why He is Even Here, The Author is Aware Avrae is a Mary Sue, Homosexual Pining, Stoic Whumpees, Rival Teams, Environmental Whump, Team Combat, Field Medicine

Posting: On Tumblr and AO3! Not going to commit to a schedule because it's me, but hoping to have at least one chapter out a month! (my chapters can be between 4k and 10k so it'll be worth the wait I swear)

Summary:

Avrae's always been a soldier. She is now very firmly retired, of course, content to casually hunt petty criminals and read gothic literature, but when the closest person she has to an "old friend" knocks at her door, does she really have a choice but to drop everything and risk her life in an intergalactic blood-sporting competition she will almost certainly fail to return from? Of course not. The Umbral Arena is designed to break you down until you can't pick yourself up again, but the biggest challenge will be managing a collection of vampires who unequivocally hate each other and keep them working as a unit until it's complete. There really is no rest for the wicked.

Cast:

Avrae Tenebrus - (she/they genderfluid bi lesbian) - two thousand years old and about tired of your bullshit, a mall goth/punk who values getting a job done and having fun while you're doing it (and if you can't, getting it over with as quickly as possible)

Beatrice Nocta - (she/her cis demiromantic lesbian who doesn't know it yet) - six thousand years old and has spent five thousand of those in administration, a victorian goth who values stoicism and practicality, sponsor of the Arena team

Thanatos Iuventus - (he/him cis? homoromantic bisexual) - four thousand years old and not intending on cutting that short any time soon, a dark academic who'd much rather be writing a philosophy treatise than anything involving being stabbed or shot at, dedicated Wife Guy whose husband is the manifestation of Reality itself so write that down, have you seen aer? look this is my husband isn't ae beautiful?

Rhys Velancier - (he/him cis bisexual) - a fresh-faced five hundred year old on the field trip of a lifetime, happy to be anywhere he gets to slash open arteries with his scythe

Emsy O'Connor - (they/them) - the twenty-nine year old empty-shell reader insert from the original ieiunus has a bit more personality than a reader insert should really have, an aspiring novelist working as a barista who sucks in any and all supernatural-related knowledge

World Eater Less - (it/its) - a sentient singularity orphaned at a young (for a singularity) age, fond of Rhys and consuming new objects to understand them

The Archfey, Reality - (ae/aer) - the manifestation of Reality itself/one of the Twin Divines, Thanatos' partner and host for Emsy and Less during the events of the Arena

and more....

Excerpt:

"What do you need so badly that you'd give me a transwarp and a second hunting planet to get it for you?" Beatrice takes a sip of Blanc, steadying herself. She'd probably rather be anywhere but here begging Avrae for help. Av doesn't talk about other vampires much, but from what I can tell, they kind of hate each other by nature. "My house is dying." ... "You need the prize… Bea, it could kill you." "Yes. It could." "We'd probably be destroyed before we ever got that far." "It's possible." "You're sure about this? This isn't something you can back out from." "I am aware of the risks. I have offered sufficient compensation for the assumption that you are also aware of them." ... "I'll do it. Not for the hunting planet, obviously. For you."

Tag List:

@albatris, @robinbugbanned, @painful-pooch, @milkshakes-lust-and-chiral-dust, @thethistlegirl

Let me know if you'd like to be added or removed!

[bitchfitch]

The night shift at Uncle Jim-Jim's Arcade and Fun Complex had gotten a lot less spooky since Silas learned the true nature of the monster which haunted the place. He double checked his work like he did every night, a final round of inspection through the massive and dimly lit building before returning to the arcade.

It was rare the 'monster' stayed quiet the whole night, usually prefering to follow Silas around the building while dicking around on his phone until it was time to go wherever they felt like going that night.

"Bats!" Silas called from the entrance, "I'm done. Do you want to go bother ducks in the park or something?"

There was no response from the dark room beyond.

"Chase? You're here right? I'm not talking to nothing?" Silas asked before whipping around, expecting the bastard to have snuck up behind him, but there was only the empty lobby. No waif of a vampire looking like a victorian orphan boy lost in time emerging from the shadows.

"Chase? Seriously, Bats, I'm starting to worry," Silas walked into the room, grabbing the step stool from behind the prize counter as he passed.

He approached the crane games, and set his stool down, climbing up to get a better look at the coffin that rested on top of them. Still fully closed, no gap between the lid and the box that Chase liked to keep while he slept.

Silas knocked on its side anyways, "Babe? You in there?"

he got a loud, drawn off groan in return.

"Everything ok in there?"

"Nooooo," Chase whined from within.

"Gonna tell me what's up?"

"No."

"Do you want me to leave you alone?"

"... No."

"Ok, then you're going to have to come out, I'm not going to stay perched on this all night, my darling."

the lid cracked open a hair, "It's rude to try and make people come out you know? Very problematic."

"Funny, how making an old man climb a crane game to talk to you is also, what did you call it, 'problematic'?"

"Cringe," Chase huffed.

"Yeah, well at least I'm trying to stay hip. Come on, we can go back to my place and watch a movie or something."

"No. Its- I love you, but please just leave."

"I love you too, and I'll go if you really want me to, but will you at least give me a hint on what's happening? Did I do something to upset you?"

"If I tell you you're going to be stupid about it."

"Let's be honest, I was going to be stupid about it no matter what." he grinned when that silly joke got a giggle out of Chase.

"... Promise to go straight home? Lock your doors and salt lines around every entrance. Extra garlic by the windows."

"Chase, are you in danger-"

"Promise."

"I promise, I promise, swear it on my parents' graves."

"Thank you," the lid opens fully, Chase sitting up, his hair a mess and his pale face streaked red with dried tears, "My sire is back from his trip, and I just want to keep a low profile until he leaves again. He ..." Chase grimaces, "He and I arn't a thing. Haven't been for years, but he doesn't agree with that. I- I really don't want him knowing about you, ok?"

"Chase..." Silas has to pick apart the layers of what Chase just said to him, "I- Let's start with this, What do you mean he's your Sire? Like, he's your father?"

"No, He's the guy who turned me into a vamp. He... No, not dealing with that tonight, putting that memory back into it's box. He turned me, he thinks we're still a thing and is the worst person ever, and would absolutely kill you if he found out I was quote un-quote cheating on him with you. That's All you need to know," chase rambles off. "Leave, I'll text you when he's gone again,"

Silas nods, he and Chase would talk about this more later, "Do you want me to vamp proof the entrances? I've got salt hoses in the trunk and everything already."

"No. He'll know someone is helping me and be... Listen Silas, I- He's not going to be happy with me no matter what and he's never been reasonable. It's going to be a lot safer and easier to just let him have what he wants until he fucks off again."

"Bats is he-"

"Don't say it. Yeah he is. I- I don't want him to but he is and there's no stopping it. If you aren't comfy with that... I dunno, break up with me or something." he pulls his knees up to his chest and wraps his arms around them, "Or just break up with me anyways because dating a vampire was a stupid idea and dating me specifically was an even stupider idea."

"I'm not breaking up with you for what's being done against your will," Silas's brow furrowed.

"I know, you're too nice and good and -"

"I'm not to good for you either, keep out of that doom spiral too."

"Meanie."

"Yeah. Cruelest fucker in this city at your service. But I'm serious, do I need to call Mindy? I don't like that she kills people but this is a guy who sounds like he needs to be dead."

"Chances are he'll just kill her. He's not like every other vamp she's hunted or any of the other monsters kicking around. He was the first and he's not nearly as easy to kill as the rest of us."

"But he can be killed?"

"You Promised you wouldn't be stupid about this."

"I'm not being stupid."

"Yes, you are."

"I'm not being stupid Yet, then."

"Silas. Please, Please Please Pretty Pleas I am actually Begging you. Go home. Come back for your next shift, pretend you don't know me while you're here. Leave as soon as it hits closing even. I'll handle cleaning up for the night and everything."

"You suck at cleaning," Silas sighed, "I'll go. I'll be real clever and smart. But, when it's all done, Promise me you'll come to my place and let me baby you for a bit? Take you on a nice date, and then maybe actually talk about what's happening here?"

"I won't want to."

"I know, but I don't want you to have to be alone in this. You can tell me anything and just get it out of your system. Ok? Then you can beat me at one of the videogames you keep 'forgetting' at my place or whatever. Deal?"

Chase looks at him, his face half hidden behind his knees, but his expression is still so obviously soft. The pain and nerves keeping him tense, but the love is all there, "Deal."

[heiserosandhesapollo]

that blazed post was satire right

REAL fucking suspicious that all these rolled into my inbox in a single night, back to back. Almost like you forgot to turn on anon for half of them 🤔🤔🤔

But let's go ahead and give you the benefit of the doubt.

"How to be a trans man (according to the internet)" was loosely inspired by Sherman Alexie's "How To Write The Great American Indian Novel" in the sense that I wanted to do non-rhyming couplets that directly contradicted each other to point out how people outside of a marginalized group stereotype and fetishize said group. (Alexie's poem is much, much better than mine. He breaks the format pretty quickly and the last two lines are the greatest gut-punch I've ever read in a poem. I am white and did not want to appropriate an indigenous man's pain, so I tried to only take broad inspiration from the opening lines and go in my own direction.)

Now, with that context, let's examine the title.

"How to be a trans man" denotes a set of instructions or rules for behavior. But the poem has a parenthetical, "(according to the internet)", which implies that these are not the author's (my) rules, but rather something that comes *from* the internet. Reading the poem I used as inspiration, and the last two lines, "In the Great American Indian novel, when it is finally written,/ all of the white people will be Indians and all of the Indians will be ghosts," we can infer that this is a poem not about representation, but about cultural appropriation (and, really, genocide). It is not meant to be serious advice, but layers of irony about how colonizers use literature as a tool to erase an entire culture.

When you take irony into consideration, you can then look at the structure of my poem.

Every couplet (except the final one) starts with "You must", with the second line starting with "but". This sets an expectation, then immediately limits or contradicts the expectation. For instance:

"You must have a common, boring name,/ but nothing as common as "Aiden."" If you pay any attention to how trans men's names are treated, you may have heard jokes about trans men having the names of "Drowned Victorian orphans", which is just a way to say that trans men pick old fashioned, pretentious, or "weird" names. A trans man who is not out may see these jokes and therefore try to steer towards really common names, especially ones that are common *right now*. This meant that a few years ago, there was a flood of trans mascs naming themselves "Aiden". But again, if you've paid attention to the treatment of trans men the last few years, you'll know that "Aiden" is used to insult trans men with "basic" names.

Again, look to the title of the poem. This is how *the internet* tells trans men to behave - giving them one set of instructions and then immediately punishing them for following it. The poem uses an ironic structure to show the irony that trans men experience daily.

All of the lines in the poem were either things I have been told to my (digital) face, or seen other trans men on Tumblr, Twitter, Youtube, and Tiktok been told.

Now, not to be mean, but perhaps do some literary analysis when you find a poem that rubs you the wrong way. Look at the title, structure, imagery. Perhaps even look at the rest of the author's work - if you search my blog for "trans", you'll find multiple poems about the trans male experience (my personal favorite is "I relate to werewolves for more than just aesthetic reasons"). These, taken together, paint a pretty straightforward picture of my views on the trans male experience.

I'll admit, had I gotten these asks when I first posted these poems, I would've freaked out, wondering if I was being too subtle. But at this point, with over 4,000 notes on the post and tons of people in the tags telling me that they have felt the exact emotions of the poem... I think you and anon either aren't taking the time or don't care to actually analyze a (pretty straightforward) poem.

[brideofbriar]

Yue Yanli // 越丽妍 (TWST PREFECT OC)

It is said that on a summer day, the stars rained down from the heavens to bless the Earth and its inhabitants. On the day, the moon shone brighter than it ever has. On that day, the flora and fauna of the world joined together to sing a song of peace. On that day, a small town on the edge of China was blessed. As the rivers ran and the wind flew through the mountains, the lady of the moon was reborn.

🌙 Home:: ??? (Guilin, China)

🌙 Species:: Human

🌙 VA:: Sarah Wiedenheft (eng va for Fu Xuan, Power and Tohru)

🌙 Height:: 192 cm

🌙 Birthday:: July 11th

🌙 Age:: 17 going on 18

🌙 Dominant hand:: Left

🌙 Hobbies:: Photography

🌙 Likes:: Plants, clothes and history

🌙 Dislikes:: Obnoxious people, tight spaces and dirt

🌙 Favorite food:: Anything her grandma makes

🌙 Least favorite food:: Raw radishes

🌙 Floyd's nickname:: Moonfish (Akamanbo-chan)

🌙 Rook's nickname:: Dame de la Lune (Lady of the Moon)

🌙 Personality:: Despite her oblivious personality, Yue is aloof and very mature for her age due to being the eldest of 8 children and having to help her grandmother take care of them. She loves her hometown dearly but wishes she could explore the outside world. She has yearnful attitude towards her mother's country, as she's been dreaming of it since her mother told her tales about it. Yue is secretly girly, enjoying fashion, especially that of the Shang Dynasty and the Victorian Era. She tries her best to stay clean but will get dirty if needed. She is very protective over her loved ones and can sometimes be seen as stern and serious. But behind the walls she built up around her self are two souls; one soft and playful, the other tired and mournful.

🌙 Appearance:: She has pale skin that is entirely clear save for a burn scar on the right side of her face. Her hair is dark-blue and curly and her eyes are the same turquoise as the river flowing through her hometown. Her body is full and healthy. She wears a modified Night Raven College uniform. The collar of her white shirt is ruffled, covering her neck. Her sleeves are long, loose and laced. She wears a dark grey corset-like vest in place of the regular dorm vests. Her pants are tight and the bottom part is loose and flowy. Her heels and dainty yet firm. She wears lots of loose gold night-themed accessories all over and has a ribbon around her neck with a moon pin.

Trivia

🌙 She is the child of a Chinese father and Egyptian mother

🌙 She relates a lot to Rollo

🌙 Her mother was killed by a wild animal, her father drowned at sea when she was just a child and only has memories of her mother's stories and her father's jewels

🌙 Her younger biological brother died in a fire that she indirectly caused, making her loathe herself for the rest of her life

🌙 Her grandmother is an elderly lady who takes in children who have been orphaned and they're not actually blood-related

🌙 When she first met Malleus she mistook him for death and thought to herself that dying wouldn't be so bad if death was that handsome

🌙 Despite her growing and caring for a plum tree in her grandma's backyard, she's allergic to plums

🌙 She had a white kitten named miau-miau

🌙 She is an empath

🌙 She has a soft spot for Deuce because he looks like her younger brother

🌙 She is a former delinquent but can still kick ass

🌙 Has nearly killed a guy because he bullied Grim

🌙 Can see dead people

🌙 Uses tarot cards in place of magic

I'm gonna draw her soon! Someday. Maybe never...

Layout inspired by @skibidibabygirl <3

[whitepolaris]

The Orphan Family Cemetery Monument

When the Civil War ended, Albert G. Williamson's family of Evergreen, North Carolina, lost its property. In 1873, at age nineteen, Albert, who was known locally as Mr. Jay, took a train to Dodge County after hearing about its valuable forests. He went to work as a "woods rider," protecting the timber of naval shores company. Soon after he started working, his mother died, and Albert sent for his five orphan siblings lovingly, becoming both mother and father to them, reports Dodge County historian William J. Steele. They were one of the most unusual families in the county, and locals referred to them affectionately as "the orphans."

Albert did a great job of raising his brothers. By the end of his life, Mr. Jay owned 8,000 acres of land, and he and his family were in banking, farming, retailing, and timber. The area bore the Williamson's name, as did a church, and the patriarch donated an acre for a burial ground that was named Orphan Cemetery for his brothers.

Mr. Jay married a woman named Martha, and they adopted one of his nephews, the son of his brother Lewis. The boy was named Jay Gould. One day a traveling salesman stopped at their house to sell funeral statuary. At that time, Victorian families with means often commissioned substantial statues, monuments, and mausoleums, and Mr. Jay decided that he deserved as much. He gave the salesman a family picture, which was dispatched to the world capital of marble-Carrara, Italy. The work, erected in 1912, is the very epitome of funerary art of the time. It shows the family attired in its finest: Mr. Jay, with a fluffy beard, is sitting on a tasseled chair; Martha, wearing a full-length dress, holds a fan, her hands resting daintily in her lap; Jay Gould stands between them, a bowler hat on his head, stone columns support a marble canopy, engraved with the family name. The epitaph reads GOD BE MERCIFUL UNTO US, AND BLESS US, AND LET YOUR FACE SHINE UPON US.

Legend has Williamson returning to the state to have a hated bow tie on his suit removed. When he died thirteen years later, more than a thousand people attended his funeral. Legend also claims that Williamson was buried on his left side to conceal an arm that was mangled in a cotton gin accident. The oddest rumor has Williamson giving a man land as payment to dig him up yearly and roll the body onto the other side.

Mr. Jay amid his brothers and their families. While standing in the immaculate cemetery, one can imagine him surveying the rolling hills, pastures, and pecan orchards that he made prosper. Orphans Cemetery is just off U.S. 23, north of Eastman.

[the-active-news]

Great Expectations Hulu Cast: Meet the Dream Team of Acting Superstars!

Hulu's latest version of Charles Dickens's Great Expectations features an A-list cast that will bring the novel's grandeur and drama to life like never before. This classic story of love, grief, and redemption, brought to life by some of the industry's best actors, will enthrall viewers from beginning to end. Hulu's Great Expectations ensemble portrays Pip, Miss Havisham, and the rest of the novel's unforgettable characters with such realism that you'll feel like you're in Victorian England with them.

Great Expectations Hulu Cast

1) Olivia Colman as Miss Havisham Miss Havisham, portrayed by Olivia Colman in Hulu's High Hopes, is a mysterious figure who plays a pivotal part in Pip's development. Coleman shines in the promo for the upcoming series, and it will be fascinating to see how her character develops. Olivia Colman as Miss Havisham. pic.twitter.com/jWprEGyexU — FX Networks (@FXNetworks) March 22, 2023 To name just a few, Olivia Colman has starred in the critically acclaimed films and television shows Crown, accused, and the kingdom of light. 2) Fionn Whitehead as Pip Fionn Whitehead, a renowned English actor, plays Pip in Hulu's newest period drama. Pip, an orphan, has a miserable existence. However, their lives take a surprising turn because of Miss Havisham, and their trip is the story's emotional core.

The series preview shows that Whitehead does an excellent job portraying his character's many nuances. His Dunkirk is only one of several films and TV shows she has appeared in. Also, keep it a secret from everyone you know. 3) Ashley Thomas as Jaggers Ashley Thomas, a well-known rapper and actress, plays Jaggers in the show. Jaggers is a powerful lawyer and businessman who introduces Pip to the upper class of London. He's set to have significant story implications for the audience. Ashley Thomas's brotherhood, top boy, and them: covenant are just a few of his well-known works. Several other notable actors, such as Olivia Colman, Fionn Whitehead, and Ashley Thomas, are also featured in the series. Fionn Whitehead as “Pip” Ashley Thomas as “Jaggers” Johnny Harris as “Magwitch” Shalom Brune-Franklin as “Estella” pic.twitter.com/93HfPTeTrK — FX Networks (@FXNetworks) February 17, 2022 - Shalom Brune-Franklin as Estella - Johnny Harris as Magwitch - Owen McDonnell as Joe - Hayley Squires as Sarah - Trystan Gravell as Compeyson On February 16, 2023, FX Networks premiered the official trailer for high hopes, providing a sneak peek at several major plot points. Fans of historical dramas will appreciate the trailer's promise of a tense and dramatic tone. It's a character-driven drama with multiple layers, trying to do Charles Dickens' store credit. Don't miss the Hulu premiere of High Hopes on Sunday, March 26, 2023. You could also read other articles related to the cast list of another series. - Casting a Spell Shadow and Bone Season 2 Cast: Meet the New Faces of Series - Welcome to Flatch Season 3:Welcome To Flatch Season 3 Release Date, Wiki, Çast, News Trailer? All there is to know about the cast of Great Expectations on Hulu. Stay tuned to our site, theactivenews.com, for all the latest information as it becomes available if you want to learn more about this series. Read the full article

[hornime]

voyeurant | kenma kozume x f!reader

he tentatively wrapped a palm around the shaft, shuddering at the contact, his eyelids fluttering shut. god, i’m such a pervert, thinking about her like this. she’d hate me if she knew i saw her like that, knew that i was touching myself thinking about her tits...

warnings: 18+, timeskip!kenma, kinda dubcon, kenma’s unintentionally pervy, male masturbation, poorly written video game content (i tried my best), mutual pining but u both are oblivious

w/c: 1.5k

a/n: yes, the title is a shitty pun of valorant. no, i will not be changing it. also this tiktok about timeskip kenma made me giggle so pls enjoy.

voyeurant: part one ↓ | part two | part three:

“fuck, i hate this map,” kenma grumbled into his headset.

your voiced chimed in his ears. “is it ascent?” you turned to see his face on your screen, pinched in annoyance. “ha, it is ascent. sucks for you.”

“which one are you on? haven?”

“you know it,” you chuckled. “your favorite.”

“i hate you.” he weighed his options, did he really want to play this game? the layout of the world made it irritatingly hard to strategize, and today’s losing streak was making him more agitated than usual. with a sign, he closed the application. “fuck this. i’m gonna go piss.”

“yeah, yeah, you’re such a big baby. and...” you released your mouse, throwing your hands up in triumph, “we just won. at this point, i’m gonna outrank you.” you were joking, of course. kenma wasn’t just a gamer, he was kodzuken, one of japan’s best pro-gamers, and you were just someone that played as a hobby. but it was always fun to tease.

“hmm,” he hummed. “i’m sure you will.” he turned his head to look directly at his webcam, smirking, “in your dreams.”

“ooh, catboy’s getting feisty!” he flinched at the nickname. “go pee so i can beat you at your best.”

he obliged, pulling his headphones off and looping them on the top of his chair. he casually raised his middle finger at you while smoothing out strands of his hair, prompting a series of profanities to escape your mouth, none of which he could hear. he chuckled playfully as you responded with two middle fingers of your own, before moving out of the camera to get to the bathroom.

you and kenma had met in an... interesting way, to say the least. after going moderately viral from lashing out at him for refusing to heal you in a game of overwatch—while he was streaming—the two of you reconciled over a twitter thread and exchanged gamer tags. since then, you’d struck up an easygoing friendship, characterized by almost nightly discord calls and occasional flirting. but we’re just friends, you often reminded yourself. and you were fine, well, mostly fine, with that.

tonight was like any other night: both you and him spending hours in a video chat with nothing better to do than mindlessly play games and bash each other. it was more than enough to strengthen your relationship but fell short of giving you the romantic tension you craved.

with kenma off in the bathroom, you, already bored, spun wildly in your chair. forgetting that your earbuds were still plugged in, the white wire caught on an opened can of coke sitting on your desk, spilling the sugary drink all over your keyboard and the front of your shirt. 

“shit!” you quickly scrambled for paper towels, but the still-connected wire yanked you backwards. in your haste for something to wipe the soda with, the fact that your camera remained on in the video call completely slipped your mind. making the split-second decision that the trip for a towel wasn’t worth it at this point, you quickly whipped off your shirt, dabbing the keys with the part that was still dry. since you were home, you’d gone braless, and your current predicament had you flashing your webcam.

now, kenma had seen a lot of things from your side of the call: he’d seen you get chewed out by your residential advisor for being too loud, you with two sticks of pocky poking out of your mouth like walrus tusks, and you doing random cosplay moves you’d seen on tiktok. what he wasn’t expecting to see, not even in his wildest dreams, was a screenful of your tits, slightly damp from the cola that had seeped through the fabric of your long-gone shirt.

he stopped in his tracks, still out of the frame of his camera, eyes wide and heart racing, desperately trying to calm down and prevent the gradual hardening of his cock in his pants. unable to deny his desires, he continued staring at your plump breasts on his computer, you completely unaware that he could see you.

you quickly threw your soaked top in the laundry basket before throwing on a random sweatshirt and trying to calm your frazzled nerves. you tentatively touched your keyboard, groaning internally when you fingers lightly stuck to the buttons. it’s gonna take forever to clean this, you mourned.

“hey,” kenma mumbled, reappearing on screen and shaking you out of your thoughts.

“hey.” you noticed his flushed expression. “are you okay? you look really red.”

“uh, yeah. i actually uh, i feel kinda sick. so i’m gonna, gonna go.”

“oh, okay.” why’s he acting so weird? “feel better!” you disconnected from the call with a huff, disappointment morphing your face into a pout. well, you thought, better get to cleaning.

kenma, on the other hand, was still, swallowing as the bulge in his boxers became agonizingly hard. though the only thing left on his screen was his reflection staring back at him, the luscious view of your bust was etched in his mind. his hands moved to free his cock, the tip an angry red and smearing pre-cum over the waistband of his underwear. 

he tentatively wrapped a palm around the shaft, shuddering at the contact, his eyelids fluttering shut. god, i’m such a pervert, thinking about her like this. she’d hate me if she knew i saw her like that, knew that i was touching myself thinking about her tits...

“fuck,” he whined, slowly stroking up and down. his thighs trembled as he fell back into his chair, mind wandering. he couldn’t stop himself, his thoughts become more and more lewd, fantasizing about how your breasts would bounce as he thrusted into you, how your thighs would wrap warmly around your head as he ate you out, how you’d cry out his name so prettily when he made you squirt around his fingers.

it was all too much, and as the circle he made with his fingers tightened as he reached his tip, he lurched forward, alarmed at how good everything felt just by thinking about you. i can’t cum, i can’t, the small part of his brain that wasn’t completely overtaken with pleasure tried to reason with him. there’s no going back if i—shit—if i cum. she’ll know, somehow, if i—if i cum, i—

the ecstasy kept clouding his judgement and his body worked against his mind as his hand pumped faster and faster while his conscience screamed to stop. his wrist wetly slapped the base of his cock, the sounds of both his hands and his moans getting too loud for comfort, but all he could think about was you. your eyes, your mouth, your chest, your legs, your ass, your pussy. god, he wanted to be in you so badly.

he couldn’t hold back, his insatiable need to cum overriding his senses, and the translucent liquid twitched out of his throbbing cock in spurts, drenching his fist and his balls. “fuck, fuck, fuck. i’m—fuck.”

he collapsed against the back of his chair, chest heaving with the sheer intensity of his orgasm. he combed a hand through his hair, the consequences of his actions now weighing heavily on his shoulders. i’m never gonna be able to look at her in the eyes again, he lamented. how am i ever gonna—damn it. 

the sudden ping of a notification had his eyes raising from the mess on his pants towards his computer screen. 

meanwhile, you were messaging kenma, a little off-put by his sudden radio silence but chalking it all up to his mysterious sickness.

[11:05 PM] you: hey ken! hope u feel better

[11:05 PM] you: if u get the chance u should check out what i added to our minecraft house. its perfect for sick victorian orphans like u

[12:14 PM] you: guess

[12:05 PM] you: guess

[12:05 PM] you: guess

[12:05 PM] you: guess

[12:05 PM] you: why arent u responding

[12:05 PM] you: guess

[12:05 PM] you: ok u got me ill tell u

[12:05 PM] you: its a hot tub

[12:05 PM] you: but with soup

[12:05 PM] you: but the soup is lava

[12:05 PM] you: genius right

[12:06 PM] you: anyway get some sleep and feel better <3

[12:06 PM] you: lmk if u wanna play animal crossing

[12:06 PM] you: actually no u should sleep. rest ur eyes and shit

[12:06 PM] you: no animal crossing for u!

[12:06 PM] you: sleep well so i can destroy ur ass in val tmrw

[12:06 PM] you: >:)

he sighed as he read your one-sided ramblings. he really liked you.

and he really wanted to fuck you. lucky for you, you wanted the exact same thing. 

if only kenma knew what you did on the other side of the screen, hands in your undies and his name on your lips...

>> part two

© property of hornime 2021. do not plagiarize any of my writing and do not repost/copy my writing onto any other sites.

[zinzinina]

We all know about order 66 at this point but I’ve just reached the end of tcw (it’s taken me a while to get through all 7 seasons) and I am very much not ok 😭😭😭

Idk if you’re currently taking requests (if not pls ignore) but if you are… *rattling empty bowl like a pitiful victorian orphan* can u spare a Drabble where the clones actually live happily ever after?

Ohhh hi lovely anon! There is absolutely no way to prepare for the amount of pain at the end of TCW 💔 I hope you had plenty of tissues handy.

And I'm not really taking requests at the moment, but I thought this was such a sweet idea and you just so happened to catch me in the mood for something like this, so I hope you enjoy this very teeny tiny slice of post-war life! x

Approx. 500 words, mentions of Codywan, mentions of food.

Rex is trying very hard not to say anything.

He’s trying so hard, in fact, he’s missed most of the conversation, and tunes back in mid-sentence.

“…and then I said, if they want an interview, it’ll cost extra. My schedule’s packed; I’m making another address in Monument Square with Senator Organa, a very important one, for the anniversary of the clone emancipation act, and then I’ve got a nightclub opening to go to, and then…”

Echo is bending to pull another ardees from the chiller. Rex can’t see his face, but he can see his shoulders shaking with barely-suppressed laughter as Fives continues talking, totally oblivious. Jesse, on the other hand, looks thoroughly unimpressed, arms folded atop the table.

“…and it’s hard, y’know, when everyone wants a piece of you. Which is what I told her, when I said it wouldn’t work out.”

Echo adopts a tone of faux-innocence, sliding a fresh bottle across the table. “Huh. That’s funny. Tup said he heard from Waxer, who was talking to Kix, who heard from Thorn that she broke it off with you.”

Fives huffs. “Well Thorn’s full of shit. It was mutual.”

“So not everyone wants a piece of you, then,” Jesse says drily.

Rex is thinking mournfully of the side of namba in the chiller. He’d been planning to roast it tonight with herbs and wine. He was going to put on some music while he cooked. He likes cooking with music; something he’s learned about himself since retiring from active service. It was going to be a nice, quiet evening. Relaxing.

And then Fives had shown up, completely unannounced, with a bag over his shoulder, asking to crash on his sofa, telling him he’d already called the boys to come by, and that he’d meant to bring a little thank-you gift for Rex for letting him stay but it had just slipped his mind, and is that a new rug? Very nice, and...

Fives sounds airily indignant. “Not everyone can handle the level of public adoration I have to deal with. When it’s the whole galaxy—“

“Yeah right, you saved the whole galaxy,” Echo says, rolling his eyes. “And I’m the king of Hosnian Prime.”

Still breathing calmly, Rex smooths his hands up over his hair; no longer quite so severely short, beginning to flick into tight curls at the grown-out-bleached ends. He is absolutely calm.

Fives takes a sip of his ardees, then puts the bottle back down on the table. Right beside the coaster.

Rex takes in one last slow, deep breath, mentally counts to five, and then barks his next words more sharply than any order he’s ever delivered on or off the battlefield.

“Fives. You’re not staying here. Cody has a spare room; go bother him. And get your feet off my table, or Maker help me—”

Fives blanches, his mouth dropping open in horror. “Not Cody! Rex, vod, I can’t—you can’t! Do you know how loud they are? Kenobi leaves the door open when he’s in the ‘fresher! They have drawings of each other! Not just in the bedroom, but in the hallway—“

Echo and Jesse’s snorts drown out the rest of Fives’ protests.

[princesssarisa]

A defense of the ending of “Wuthering Heights"

@astrangechoiceoffavourites, @theheightsthatwuthered, @wuthering-valleys, @heightsandmoors, @incorrectwutheringheightsquotes

 I’ve been reading other people’s opinions on Wuthering Heights this past year, I’ve noticed a small recurring theme.

It’s the idea that the ending feels out of place; tacked on; anti-climactic; too tame compared to the rest of the book. That it feels wrong for Heathcliff to simply lose interest in his revenge and then lose the will to live, or for the surviving characters to have any kind of happy or hopeful ending after so much brutality.

One book I read excerpts from on Google Books (I don’t remember the title or the author) suggested that maybe Emily Brontë originally wrote a very different, more brutal and Gothic ending, now lost. The author proposed that the final ending was probably the result of Anne and/or Charlotte urging Emily to tone down the book’s “immorality.” Of course this is pure conjecture. This same author also speculated that in the novel’s first draft, Heathcliff was explicitly Mr. Earnshaw’s illegitimate son, but that Anne and/or Charlotte persuaded Emily to change it. I’m not at all convinced by that theory, since @astrangechoiceoffavourites has argued very eloquently that to make Heathcliff and Cathy’s love forbidden because of the incest taboo rather than because of social class and race would go against the plot’s main themes and make nonsense of Heathcliff’s revenge on the Lintons and Earnshaws.

Still, this theorist isn’t the only person to think the ending (and possibly the whole second generation storyline) feels like the work of a different author than the rest of the book. Just recently I read a comment on Facebook arguing that a more cohesive, consistent Wuthering Heights would have had “a much darker and more explosive ending.” I assume a similar mindset is why some theorize that Branwell wrote the novel’s first half and Emily wrote the second. (I think I hate that theory even more than I hate the theory that Branwell wrote it all – “He didn’t write the whole book, but he did write the part everyone likes best.”) And if we compare the various adaptations’ endings to the ending of the book, there’s definitely a trend of giving Heathcliff a more brutal death.

I understand all of this. The ending of the book is ironic. Heathcliff himself knows it’s ironic: “It is a poor conclusion, is it not?” he asks Nelly, “an absurd termination to my violent exertions?” We don’t expect a towering, terrifying yet fascinating Byronic anti-hero like Heathcliff to become apathetic and ineffectual in the end and then die quietly (albeit mysteriously and eerily) in bed. We’d sooner expect him to freeze to death chasing Cathy’s ghost through a blizzard, or to be shot by his worst enemy, or to be lured by Cathy’s ghost to commit suicide by gunshot.

But I know I’m not the only person who thinks the entire book is fully cohesive and who sees nothing wrong with the ending whatsoever.

As far as I’m concerned, Heathcliff’s “absurd” end is more interesting than anything “darker and more explosive” would have been, precisely because it’s unexpected and yet makes perfect sense. Revenge never makes Heathcliff truly happy or brings him peace of mind: we know that all along. It might distract him from his pain, but it can’t cure it. While initially surprising, in hindsight it’s not surprising at all that, with no out-of-character repentance or remorse, he eventually loses the will to seek any more revenge. At heart it was never what he really wanted most; his real greatest desire is and always has been to be with Cathy.

Then there’s the strongest factor in his loss of his will for revenge: his grudging empathy for Hareton. Again, as far as I’m concerned, this is fascinating irony. Heathcliff has purposefully set out to shape Hareton into a copy of himself. Ultimately, that scheme “goes horribly right,” because he sees too much of his younger self in Hareton to hate him as much as he wants to, or to have the will to separate him from Cathy II the way he himself was separated from Cathy I. Then there’s Hareton’s resemblance to his aunt, Cathy I; even though Heathcliff’s passion for Cathy has been the motive for all his revenge on the two families that separated them, in the end it’s what makes him unable to ruin the lives of her lookalike nephew and her daughter, even though they’re also the children of the two men most responsible for taking Cathy from him. Again, it works because it’s handled delicately and without sentimentality. He still shows no remorse or regret for his past actions, and never shows any real kindness or fondness to Hareton or Cathy II, but despises the conflicted feelings they stir in him. But the fact remains that, despite all his efforts to be a monster over the years, he’s still a human being, capable of some empathy for people in whom he sees aspects of himself and of his beloved Cathy. I think it’s fascinating that this humanity, and not his monstrous actions, is what undoes him in the end.

Also, as some critics have pointed out, the very fact that Heathcliff receives no punishment for his sins (apart from his inner torment) makes the ending subversive by Victorian standards. If he had died a brutal death, it could easily have been viewed as his comeuppance, demonstrating God’s justice. From a moral and religious perspective, it might be all the more disturbing that instead he gets to die as close to a peaceful death as his character allows, with a devilish smile on his face.

Moving beyond Heathcliff’s death, I don’t see anything wrong with Hareton and Cathy II′s ending either.

First of all, it isn’t necessarily a straightforward happy ending. It’s definitely bittersweet if we have any sympathy for Heathcliff, and not just because he dies. This penniless, abused, disdained orphan of color defied the classism and racism of his society by clawing his way to wealth and status and by bringing down the two families who once oppressed him, but in the end, it’s all for nothing. Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange go back to the Earnshaw and Linton heirs and the only trace left of Heathcliff is a single name and death date on a tombstone. He’s just as much of a “nobody” in death as he was as a homeless child. Of course it’s tempting to cheer for this fact because of his cruelty and because Cathy II and Hareton are sympathetic, basically innocent young people whom he unfairly punished for their parents’ sins. But in a way at least, especially in Marxist readings of the book (which I don’t fully agree with but do see validity in), the ending can be viewed as the triumph of the classist and racist status quo.

Nor, as some critics have argued, is it guaranteed that Cathy II and Hareton will live happily ever after. First of all, the fact remains that Hareton loved and loyally served Heathcliff to the end, and to please Hareton, Cathy had to stop speaking out against Heathcliff even though he had horribly abused her. There’s also the fact that Hareton once hit Cathy himself; only once, and before they were even friends, let alone lovers, but in the real world it rarely bodes well for a woman to marry a man who once slapped her. A few critics have wondered if Hareton is really permanently “tamed” in the end, or will eventually revert to the roughness Heathcliff bred in him and abuse his new power and status the same way Heathcliff did. On the flip side, there’s the fact that apart from her conceding not to criticize Heathcliff, Cathy seems to rule over Hareton almost as much as her mother did over Heathcliff when they were children. She educates him, he craves her esteem and does her bidding, and in his lessons she meets his mistakes and inattention (however playfully) with “smart slaps” and threats of hair-pulling. Some critics have wondered if we should view these as red flags; if Cathy II is destined to be an emotional abuser like her mother was.

But even if you don’t subscribe to those darker interpretations of the ending... even if you view Cathy and Hareton as fundamentally good people who genuinely grow and change for the better, find a healthy balance between the worlds of Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights, and will be truly happy together... well, what’s wrong with that?

Is it really so impossible to believe that sometimes the cycle of abuse can be broken, or so “out of place” to show it being broken at the end of a book that shows its horrors? Is it just naïve delusion to hope that, with effort, children can avoid repeating their parents’ mistakes and opposing social structures like the Heights and the Grange can be reconciled? That at least one young couple might manage to combine the good aspects of both worlds while discarding the bad, rather than combining the worst of both worlds the way Heathcliff did? Just because the book is dark as a whole, do we really need to be so cynical when reading it that we can’t allow it to end on a note of hope?

Besides, I’ve written before about the mirror-image character arcs of the two Cathys. Cathy I is born and raised at Wuthering Heights, but eventually leaves it for Thrushcross Grange when she marries the latter household’s heir; she initially loves the rugged dark-haired Heathcliff and wanders the moors with him, but then gains snobbery, treats Heathcliff with increasing disdain, and shifts her attentions to the prissy blond-haired Edgar, whom she marries; as a result, her life ends in misery. Cathy II is born and raised at Thushcross Grange, but eventually she leaves it for Wuthering Heights when she marries the latter household’s heir; she initially loves the prissy blond-haired Linton, whom she marries, and treats the rugged dark-haired Hareton with disdain, but eventually she loses her snobbery, learns to love Hareton, and wanders the moors with him. In no way is Cathy II’s positive ending “tacked on” – her entire character arc is structured to be the opposite of her mother’s tragedy.

I understand why some people don’t care for the ending and think it feels anti-climactic or out of place. But as far as I’m concerned, it’s a thoroughly effective ending and fully consistent with what came before.

[looniecartooni]

@hawkasss‘s “Extremely Detailed Character Chart” applied to Tyki Mikk from D Gray Man-

Character Chart

Character’s full name: Tyki Mikk

Reason or meaning of name: “First Man” and “One who is like God?” possibly signifying his deeper connection with the Millenium Earl

Character’s nickname: Tyki-pon by The Millenium Earl

Reason for nickname: Not very clear. Kind of a silly “pet” name or close friend name. He isn’t much of a fan of it and it was only used once.

Birth date: December 25th, same as the main character’s adoption date  

Physical appearance 

Age: 27

How old does he/she appear: Definitely in his twenties 

Weight: 150 lbs (currently)

Height: 6ft 2

Body build: Fairly muscular, but pretty average

Shape of face: Round, kind of a pointed chin 

Eye color: Gold like most Noah

Glasses or contacts: When in his human form he wears glasses he found in the trash to hide his eyes and face mole. Doesn’t appear to need them though.

Skin tone: Usually pale, but became more tan after the showdown on the ark. In Noah form (depending on the interpretation) dark tan or gray

Distinguishing marks: Left eye has a tiny mole under it. Also has scars on his body.

Predominant features: Curly hair, large smile

Hair color: Black

Type of hair: Uhh... short? For a while it was long. Mostly straight, but has a bit of a curl to it

Hairstyle: In his Noah form, usually pushed back leaving a large bushel of hair going down the back of his head. When his hair is long, he likes to tie it back or in a side ponytail

Voice: Not too deep, quite sexy for a chain smoker

Overall attractiveness: Very attractive. He was made to be attractive and succeeded both in the story and in the fandom’s eyes

Physical disabilities: Can’t be on his feet for too long after the ark incident

Usual fashion of dress: Tends to dress in scruffy work clothes with overalls when he’s human and in a fancy Victorian suit with a top hat and one of those weird scarf things I forgot the name of, but that’s sometimes replaced by a back tie

Favorite outfit: I’d say he likes the work clothes or just a plain shirt and pants

Jewelry or accessories: Has been seen wearing earrings on several occasions. He also carries a deck of cards to play poker when he wants. His body is also full of robotic, flesh eating butterflies 

Personality 

Good personality traits: Kind, helpful, gets concerned when someone he knows is in trouble (whether or not they’re his enemy), friendly to everyone, understanding mostly to people’s situations

Bad personality traits: Murderous intent, can snap when provoked the wrong way, able to be a bit too charming when he’s ready to attack, likes to scam people in poker

Mood character is most often in: He’s usually pretty calm and chill. He smiles a lot, but has a pretty chill demeanor. He get bothered by others a lot though so he tends to look bothered a lot too. He is also notoriously known for being confused all the time on many of the story elements that have yet to be explained

Sense of humor: Not really sure. He laughs when he’s nervous or excited. Perhaps when things don’t play out how he thought they would or when there’s irony in a situation

Character’s greatest joy in life: Being able to live a double life as a Noah and a human

Character’s greatest fear: Losing his sense of self to his Noah side probably

Why? What single event would most throw this character’s life into complete turmoil?: If he lost the ability to keep having a human side and no longer live a double life which may have already began to happen

Character is most at ease when: He’s in control, doing things right, understanding a situation, or hanging out with friends

Most ill at ease when: He’s losing or disappointing the Earl or something doesn’t seem safe. Or when people don’t listen to him 

Enraged when: He isn’t able to get a task done 

Depressed or sad when: He doesn’t know how to help the Earl 

Priorities: Serve the Millenium Earl, eat fish, hang with friends, and play poker

Life philosophy: Life is more entertaining when there is two sides to it

If granted one wish, it would be: Probably to maintain control over his Noah side

Why? : Because he likes the ability to be a human too. He doesn’t want to lose that

Character’s soft spot: People missing their friends, people in pain, or needing time to themselves. Also his friend Eez. I also saw him kissing one of his butterflies once. He’s also concerned about the Earl’s feelings (and possibly others too)

Is this soft spot obvious to others?- Road and the Earl both notice his love for humans and wanting to hang with his friends, but mostly just acknowledge it and leave it be. His brother we learn about later doesn’t appear to be very understanding of Tyki’s love for living with street people and not preferring just to be of the upper-class of society.

Greatest strength: His kind heart and ability to observe

Greatest vulnerability or weakness: His obliviousness and anger

Biggest regret: Not killing the main character back when he was supposed to

Minor regret: Losing to the main character in a game of poker where the main character cheated

Biggest accomplishment: Telling the main character not to let the monsters inside of him control him. He has to be the one to show them who he wants to be. Not sure if it helped or he sees it as an accomplishment, but it was some pretty wise words for someone who seemed to be destined to be controlled by warring forces for the rest of his possibly short life.

Minor accomplishment: Getting out of doing Road’s homework that time he was given the task to kill the main character

Past failures he/she would be embarrassed to have people know about: Not killing Allen

Why?- People made fun of him for it and it made him look like a failure

Character’s darkest secret: He lives a double life

Does anyone else know?- It appears the Noah are well aware of it

Goals 

Drives and motivations: Being able to see his friends again, protecting the Millenium Earl, poker, and food

Immediate goals: Capture “the Noah reaper”, keep the 14th Noah away from the Earl while figuring out who he is, and find out who Mana is 

Long term goals: Keep the Earl safe and find out who the 14th and Mana are while maintaining control

How the character plans to accomplish these goals: Unsure. Probably by interrogation of other characters and more fighting.

How other characters will be affected: The Earl wants to see the 14th and the truth may be the thing that breaks him or the main character.

Past 

Hometown: Somewhere in Portugal probably

Type of childhood: Most likely on the streets as an orphan, but we still don’t have any back story

Pets: Unknown

First memory: Unknown

Most important childhood memory: Unknown

Why: We don’t have a backstory yet!!!

Childhood hero: Probably the Millennium Earl. It’s implied he was taken in at a young age

Dream job: Anything as long as there’s food and he’s with his friends

Education: Never went to school, but was supposedly tutored by the Earl and helps with Road’s homework. He did learn how to write somewhere

Religion: Catholic most likely, given the story and who he’s with, but I could be wrong

Finances: Living by minimum Victorian lower-class wage or the Earl’s money (along with probably scammed poker items)

Present 

Current location: His brother’s house maybe

Currently living with: Not really sure. Haven’t seen him with his friends, but we have seen him at his brother’s house a lot. His brother might have him trapped there 

Pets: His brother has a dog

Religion: Whatever the Noah believe

Occupation: He was a miner with his friends. Not sure if that’s changed.

Finances: Brother or Earl’s money probably  

Family 

Mother: Unknown     Relationship with her: Seriously Unknown

Father: Does the Earl count?     

Relationship with him: He likes the Earl. Kind of scared and impressed with him. Occasionally embarrassed by him

Siblings: Older brother

Relationship with them: Tolerated to a degree, but tends to feel uncomfortable around him for... reasons. They do talk and I think have a form of care. They don’t quite understand eachother though

Spouse: None     Relationship with him/her: Nothing yet

Children: He has a friend who is a child 

Relationship with them: Tyki gets along with Teez pretty well, as well as his niece Road. His nephew can get annoying sometimes but he still cares for him.

Other important family members: Yet to be revealed

Favorites 

Color: Image color is light blue and he has a light blue shirt so... Light blue? Maybe magenta or purple because of his butterflies, but that might be more of what the Earl likes. Wears a lot of black...

Least favorite color: Hasn’t expressed any hate for color that I know of

Music: Not sure

Food: Anything he eats with his friends, but he has a particular fondness for fish

Literature: Doesn’t read a lot

Form of entertainment: Poker, fishing, and hanging out with friends

Expressions: Eagerness??? 

Mode of transportation: Trains perhaps? So he can scam people- heheh... Might be the Ark though as he uses it pretty frequently. Probably more convenient

Most prized possession: Not entirely sure

Habits 

Hobbies: Poker, fishing, and napping. He also likes collecting people he kills’s buttons and giving them to Teez

Plays a musical instrument? Be kind of fun if he did 

Plays a sport? Fishing is a sport

How he/she would spend a rainy day: Playing poker, fishing (he definately would if it was pouring too), probably hanging out with friends or Noah family. Maybe take a nap

Spending habits: Food related probably

Smokes: Chain smoker

Drinks: He’s appeared to have drank Wine once or twice, but not really that often

Other drugs: I think he gets high on life and fighting

What does he/she do too much of?: Smoke, creative organ removing techniques

What does he/she do too little of?: Proper analying of sitations

Extremely skilled at: Combat, poker, fishing, and murder

Extremely unskilled at: Homework, defeating a 16 year old

Nervous tics: Puts hand on his face, chuckles

Usual body posture: Slups over when he’s relaxed, but actually keeps pretty good posture (probably instilled in him by the Earl and his brother)

Mannerisms: Calm, confidence, easy going

Peculiarities: You feel at ease around him which also makes you feel uneasy because you just know, even though he’s nice or acting nice, he most likely has something up his sleeve.

Traits 

Optimist or pessimist?: Optimist. Seems to believe he has the high ground or people will comply to what he offers

Introvert or extrovert? Introvert. Likes to be alone or with a small group of individuals. Also not a fan of people being clingy (he’s like a cat. Don’t go to him, let him come to you)

Daredevil or cautious? Daredevil with a sense of caution. He doesn’t always think things through, but he does keep his guard up mostly. When he lets his guard down, bad things happen 

Logical or emotional? Emotional. Worries about peoples feelings and does what makes him excited. Doesn’t always use logic, but he likes a good challenge

Disorderly and messy or methodical and neat? Disorderly I think

Prefers working or relaxing?  Relaxing

Confident or unsure of himself/herself? Mostly confident, but he has been unsure on himself and situations before. When he’s too confident, he’s most vulnerable

Animal lover? Seems like one

Self-perception 

How he/she feels about himself/herself: Seems to like their life

One word the character would use to describe self: Interesting

One paragraph description of how the character would describe self: I doubt he’d want to write a paragraph about it

What does the character consider his/her best personality trait?: His charm

What does the character consider his/her worst personality trait?: His cluelessness or lack of perception 

What does the character consider his/her best physical characteristic?: His “choose” ability 

What does the character consider his/her worst physical characteristic?: Not sure. His hair being too long? Or being “handsome”? Kind of seems to be bothered by that.

How does the character think others perceive him/her: Trustworthy or lazy

What would the character most like to change about himself/herself: Probably how he looks. He already managed to get a hair cut and straighter hair

 Relationships with others 

Opinion of other people in general: He’s clueless but handsome and interesting 

Does the character hide his/her true opinions and emotions from others? Sometimes, but seems pretty expressive in a simplistic sense. That was hindered a little by becoming a Noah

Person character most hates: Apocrypos and possibly the 14th

Best friend(s): Eez, Momo, and Clark 

Love interest(s): None that have appeared so far

Person character goes to for advice: Road

Person character feels responsible for or takes care of: Eez, The Millenium Earl, occasionally the main character, seems to instinctually know how to handle his brother, the Earl when he feels like he made him upset, whoevr puts him under pressure

Person character feels shy or awkward around: his brother when said brother is upset

Person character openly admires: His friends and The Earl

Person character secretly admires: I think he’s secretly impressed by the main character’s tenacity, but I could be wrong (no- I do not ship them)

Most important person in character’s life before story starts: His friends and The Earl

After story starts: The Earl and figuring out who the 14th is

[thehellcatcroons]

The Sun

This story takes us back to a time when Dante was known as Tony Redgrave. Following the events of Morris Island, Tony finds himself in a strange town that just so happens to be inhabited by one of his Father's former squires. After facing a short life full of hardship and trauma, Tony's luck may finally be looking up.

   Lord Modeus had been chasing ghosts for what seemed like his entire life, and as he shuffled down the dimly lit streets of Port Prince, he couldn't help but wonder if he was on a fool's errand. But the energy he had sensed had been so strong, he couldn't just ignore it; finding Sparda had been his whole reason for coming to this world, after all.  

   The legendary dark knight may have liberated the demon world from a tyrant, but he left it to collapse in chaos after refusing to take Mundus's place. Sparda turned his back on Hell and left everything behind, including his two squires.

   And after a few millenia of watching his brother Baul descend into madness, Modeus had found himself doing the same thing he'd cursed his mentor for, and left it all behind as well. Truth be told, he'd come to this world in search of Sparda, determined to drag him back to the underworld to restore order. But for all of his determination and hope, Modeus had always come up empty handed.

    He still believed that Sparda was out there somewhere, but he'd stopped searching when his wife died and left him to raise their daughter by himself. He'd all but given up on the legend of Sparda, but tonight he'd felt his energy nearby. It was unmistakable. Morris Island had just been attacked by demons the day before, could Sparda be back to defend humanity once more?

    Modeus looked around, taking in the darkness of the beach town around him. Victorian era buildings lined one side of the cobblestones streets that he was standing in, an old wooden boardwalk lining the other. He was surprised at how quickly he'd managed to walk all the way down here, he'd been trying his best to walk slowly and enjoy the peacefulness that fell upon the town after dark. It was almost unnaturally quiet, with the crashing ocean overtaking all the other small noises of the summer night. The dark haired demon could hear it all though, and it was a strange and beautiful symphony to him. Seagrass shook with the light breeze, rattling like maracas as bugs pinged off the street lights above.

    Why would Sparda's energy be here of all places? He thought to himself as he shuffled along the board walk and towards the beach. Is he leading me here for a reason? Is he trying to tell me something?

                                              Chapter One

     Why do death and destruction follow me wherever I go? Why am I always the one who makes it out alive? Why aren't I dead already, like mom and Verg?

     Thick black smoke rose to the sky as an adolescent boy stood at the edge of small motorboat, staring at the destruction that was slowly fading into the distance. They were far enough away now that the screams had faded, but not even the rough waters, nor the sound of the boat's engine could drown out the screams in his head. His hands clutched the railing of the boat, his knuckles turning white, he could feel the hot tears welling up behind his eyes. This was the second time in his life that he had been forced to run away from a place that he had called home. The first time was only four years ago, although to him, it had felt like a lifetime. He had gone by a different name then, his real name, a name he could only think about, a name he'd vowed to never speak again. He had to keep his promise to his mother, who gave her life to save his.

     And now someone else has sacrificed for me...He thought, although he wasn't entirely sure if Evelyn had survived the attack or not. They had gotten separated when the fires broke out. He was still trying to process what had happened.

     He remembered feeling strange on his walk home from school with Ernest, and soon after they had parted ways he started to hear screaming from all around the town. He remembered rushing home, only to see a mob of people surrounding the front of  home where he and Evelyn had been living.

     “This is all your fault!” One of the townsfolk had yelled. “You brought the devil here because you couldn't live without your own child! Now we will all suffer!”

     He'd slipped into the alley when he saw the mob, but he still heard their shouts, and remembered each and every one. He had managed to make it through the back door, where Evelyn had been waiting for him. He remembered her kneeling down to hug him and telling him that a demon was attacking the town, and that they needed to get to safety. She said that no matter what happened, he needed to run. If she fell behind for any reason, he needed to leave her behind and get off the island. It was a similar plea to the one his own mother had asked of him when she hid him away in the closet. Sure enough, as they were fleeing their home, the fires from the attack had started to spread, and the town had become a sea of chaos. People were running every which way, trying to flee Morris Island in desperation. But that didn't stop some from recognizing Evelyn and the boy known as Tony.

     They ended up getting separated when someone had grabbed him by the wrist and tried to pull him away from Evelyn. He hit the man square in the nose and they broke into a small scuffle. By the time he had broken free, he had lost Evelyn in the crowd.

     They attacked her because they think I'm the devil.... but why? He wondered as the smoke stacks grew smaller and smaller in the distance. I guess it doesn't matter now. If she made it off the island like I did, she's safe, and better off without me. Maybe she can live a peaceful life, and take in an orphan that isn't being hunted by demons.

     A sharp crackle of static interrupted the boy's thoughts.

     “We're going to be coming to shore in Port Prince in the next thirty minutes or so. If you've been separated from your family, you will be shuttled to the police station while we wait for all of the survivors to make it to shore. If you have not been separated from your family, we will have members of the coast guard shuttling groups to the local shelter where you will be able to stay until further arrangements can be made.” A mans voice boomed through a megaphone. “Any injured will be taken right to the hospital, and we will also have counselors available to talk about the incident should you need it.”

     Tony was thankful that he was wearing something with a hood. He had pulled it up after getting separated from Evelyn, and had not let it down since. It did well to hid his strange silvery hair. Maybe it would allow him to sneak away from everyone once they came ashore. He certainly was not going to burden these survivors with the possibility of being attacked again. He wasn't sure where he would go or what he would do, he just knew he needed to stay away from innocent people.

(Read the rest of the chapters I have so far [MORE TO COME SOON] on AO3!)

[storytelers]

hi my name is odette and here are a few characters i’d like to write more:

mary quinn (the agency series)

main verse set in the late 1800′s, mary is an orphan, her mother passed away from sickness (and tbh just poverty) and her dad died at sea (he was a chinese sailor, a lascar). after her mother dies, she is homeless and relies on pick-pocketing to survive. she is eventually caught and sent to jail where she is sentenced to death (she is eight at this point, and i cannot stress this enough, because i had to stop and google it when i was reading the book, kids were hanged in victorian england, thanks). she is saved by two women who run a school for girls, they take an interest in her and she spends the rest of her childhood there, eventually becoming a teacher. when she is eighteen, she is offered a position in the school’s little side business — they are also a spy/detective agency.

so yeah, mary is a victorian spy/detective for hire. get in some shenanigans with her.

clara stahlbaum (the nutcrakcer)

she is eighteen! she is a princess! she is an idiot! she is a genius inventor! she has anger issues! she is my favorite muse i never get to write. no, seriously, i just find her delightful. she is kind of angry at everything, but she is also the softest when she is around people she likes, she is desperate for companionship but is great at closing herself off.

charles philippe (east)

he is my soft sun hearted prince who is also cursed and is now a polar bear. okay, let me actually give you some backstory. he is based on a retelling of beauty and the beast — the princess of a fairy kingdom fell in love with him and she charmed him into following her into her kingdom. her father, angry she kidnapped a human prince, and transformed him into a polar bear. the princess struck a bargain, where if he was able to convince a human maiden to live with him for a year, if she had no idea he was human before, and she never saw his face, he would be transformed back into a human. [ rambly post here ]

the lady amalthea (the last unicorn)

if i had a nickel for every character i put on this list who was transformed into another form, i would have two nickels, which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird it’s happened twice. okay, in her case, she was an unicorn and is then transformed into a human form. in most of my verses she never changes back into an unicorn in the end of the story, instead, she lives on forever: ageless, with the mind and understanding of an unicorn, but in the body of a human. and the longer she stays in this form, the more human she becomes; emotions she never felt before now course through her veins and she really hates it.