#here are some of the things in the archive

[astrids-blog333]

All Eyes on Us

Ex!Lando Norris x Actress!Reader x Aaron Taylor Johnson

Summary: After a public and messy breakup with Lando Norris you attend the Oscars. You are seated next to the charming Aaron Taylor Johnson, fully aware of the paparazzi’s presence, but you no longer care.

Warnings: 16+ SUGGESTIVE content, mild angst with a happy ending, neglect, alcohol consumption, breakup (very public), media scrutiny, language, jealousy, she's an icon.

A/N: I combined two requests for this, one was for Lando where he was basically an idiot, and one was a very generic one for Aaron Taylor Johnson. Lando is basically the bad guy here (sorry Lando ily). Divider by @strangergraphics-archive

Also, please request guys 🫶

WC: 1.6k

Fame is utterly exhausting. Not the kind that comes with long hours on set or press tours across continents, that kind of fame you’ve mastered by now.

No, it’s the kind that finds its way into your personal life, the kind that controls your life, the kind that makes your relationship feel like a spectacle instead of something real.

You and Lando had been together for nearly three years, give or take. A golden couple, they called you. Hollywood’s sweetheart and Formula 1’s rising star. To the world, it was perfect. Behind closed doors? Maybe not so much.

You tried to tell him and explain how distant he’d become, how everything started feeling like a badly executed PR stunt rather than a real, loving, relationship.

Lando never wanted to hear it.

He’d always just brush it off, tell you that you were overthinking, that he was just very busy, that of course he loved you, but still, he was busy.

When you finally ended things, it wasn’t because of some grand betrayal or explosive fight, there was no cheating or crying. It was just a conversation that turned into an argument, that turned into silence, that turned into the realization that this wasn’t love anymore, it had become a simple habit.

He hadn’t wanted to let go. Maybe you hadn’t either. But you did, you had to.

And of course the world, the press, everyone had plenty to say about it.

The whole situation became a circus. Headlines and articles analysed every piece of your relationship, fans took sides, and social media exploded with ridiculous speculation.

Some called you heartless for leaving him, others accused him of neglecting you. In every interview, and every public appearance, someone asked you about Lando.

Two weeks later, the Oscars came, and of course you were going.

The minute you step onto the red carpet you can feel the cameras eating you alive. You know exactly what they’re looking for, any hint of heartbreak, some sign that you’re still reeling and hurting after Lando.

Well, too bad for them.

As you step into the grand ballroom, scanning the room for your seat, a staff member gestures you in the right direction. Your eyes follow their directions, only to land on none other than Aaron Taylor-Johnson, already seated beside your spot.

“You look like you were expecting someone else,” Aaron muses as you take your seat beside him.

You smirk, turning to face him. “No complaints. Just surprised.”

He leans back, studying you with that easy, knowing gaze. “Better me than, I don’t know, an ex?”

You smirk, “Much better.”

The chemistry is instant and so effortless. He flirts shamelessly, and you don’t stop him. Why would you? It feels good to be seen, to feel properly appreciated for the first time in months.

And when your name is called for Best Actress, Aaron is the first to stand, clapping as if he already knew you’d win.

The walk to the stage is a blur. The speech, too. But when you glance back at your seat and catch Aaron watching you, his chin resting on his hand, that unmistakable glint in his eye, you decide to have a little fun, to adlib, just a little.

“…And finally, to everyone who thought I’d be too distracted by my, admittedly, hectic personal life to focus on my career,” you say, letting the pause hang. “Guess you were wrong.”

The audience erupts in laughter and applause. You struggle to suppress your grin as you return to your seat.

Aaron, waiting for you, shakes his head with a slow clap. “Now, that was a moment.”

But the night isn’t over yet, because you and Aaron are presenting an award together.

When you arrive on stage, Aaron adjusts the mic, glancing at you before addressing the audience. “It’s always a pleasure standing beside such incredible talent.” He pauses, his gaze lingering. “Some of us know how to appreciate a winner.”

The room reacts instantly, people letting out cheers, and murmurs, some people simply laughing.

You shoot him a look, playing along. “And some of us know how to share the spotlight.”

“Or steal it entirely,” he counters, voice dripping with amusement. “Not that I mind.”

“Right." You shoot him a knowing look. "Tonight, we are here to celebrate the best of the best.”

Aaron stills beside you, then suddenly turns his attention back to the audience, mischief in his eyes.

“And of course, we know how important it is to celebrate talent, don’t we?” He glances at you before continuing. “Because, you know, nothing’s worse than when hard work and brilliance go underappreciated.”

Someone in the audience gasps, catching onto the implication. Your lips twitch, but you school your expression into something innocent.

“Oh, absolutely,” you agree, nodding. “It’s almost tragic, really.” You pause, then add, “Though, to be fair, some people just don’t recognize a good thing until it’s already gone.”

A mix of gasps, laughter, and scattered applause fills the room. Aaron bites down on a grin.

“Brutal,” he murmurs, just loud enough for the mic to pick up.

Aaron exhales, shaking his head. “And here I was, thinking I’d be the one causing trouble up here.”

You smirk. “I like to keep you on your toes.”

The moment stretches, cameras flash, capturing every smirk, every glance, every touch that lingers just a second too long. This was definitely going viral.

Finally, Aaron clears his throat, shaking his head as if pulling himself back to reality. “Right. The award.”

“Yes,” you agree, dragging your attention back to the envelope in your hands. “Before we get ourselves in trouble.”

“Bit late for that,” he mutters, winking at the camera.

The audience laughs as you open the envelope, reading out the winner’s name. But as the applause swells around you, Aaron leans in once more, his breath warm against your ear.

“Reckon we just became everyone’s new favourite scandal?”

You glance at him, deliberately brushing your fingers against his. “Oh, absolutely.”

Hours later, you step out of the afterparty, Aaron’s suit jacket draped over your shoulders. The night air is crisp, but his arm is warm beneath your fingers as you hold onto him.

The moment the paparazzi spot you together, flashes explode like fireworks.

You know what they’ll say. What they’ll assume.

But who cares? Let them.

Aaron seems completely unbothered, tilting his head down toward you as you walk toward the waiting car. “We could give them something real to talk about,” he teases.

You smirk. “Oh? And what do you suggest?”

He doesn’t answer. Just tugs you a little closer, manoeuvring his arm to wrap around your waist.

By the time you wake up the next morning, sunlight spilling through unfamiliar windows, your phone is vibrating, nonstop.

Aaron stirs beside you, groaning. “Either someone’s dying, or the internet’s having a meltdown. Your phone has been going off for the past 10 minutes.”

You grab your phone, unlocking it to see headline after headline.

"From Heartbreak to Headlines: Actress Moves On in Style

Fast Love? Ex-Girlfriend of F1 Driver Steals the Spotlight with British Heartthrob

New Power Couple? Fans Obsess Over Their Sizzling On-Stage Banter

Is This the Rebound of the Year? Hollywood’s Newest Rumored Couple Has Everyone Talking"

And they keep coming, you giggle, scrolling through the endless speculation. “Well, they wasted no time.”

Aaron shifts closer, peering at the screen over your shoulder. “Damn. They could’ve at least picked better photos.”

You giggle, resting against him as you read through the absurd theories. But before you can enjoy it too much, your phone rings.

Lando.

The name flashes across the screen, and for a moment, you hesitate.

Aaron notices. “You gonna answer that?”

You inhale, then exhale. “Might as well.”

The second you pick up, Lando’s voice is sharp. “Are you serious?”

You sigh. “Good morning to you too.”

“Don’t do that,” he snaps. “You and—him? Really?”

Aaron, still beside you, smirks and mouths, Him? pointing at himself dramatically.

You press your lips together, suppressing a laugh. “Lando, why do you care?”

“Because—” He hesitates. “Because it’s been two weeks. And now you’re all over the news, acting like...like none of it meant anything.”

You roll your eyes. “Oh, please. I was done before we even broke up, and you know it.”

Lando exhales sharply, silent for a moment.

Then, Aaron leans in, his lips brushing your ear. “Want me to take this?” he whispers.

You grin. “Be my guest.”

Before Lando can argue, Aaron takes the phone from your hand. “Alright, mate,” he says smoothly, his voice all lazy amusement. “Let’s not do this, yeah?”

There’s a stunned silence on the other end.

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

Aaron grinned, completely unbothered. “Not at all. But you know, if you called just to shout at her, I’d suggest finding something better to do with your time. We’re a little busy.” He winks at you.

Your jaw dropped as you smacked his arm, but he just winked at you, entirely enjoying himself.

Lando swore under his breath before hanging up.

Aaron tosses the phone onto the bed, smirking. “Well, that was fun.”

You burst out laughing, shaking your head. “You’re terrible.” He wraps an arm around you.

“Yeah, but you love it.” He grins, "Now, I have a really great idea of what we could be doing instead of thinking about Lando."

"What's that?"

He shifts, suddenly on top of you, running his hands down your sides.

"Well..."

[funnyscienceman]

Oh gosh— i just woke up and am not an expert on their game counterparts (and i phrased it weird in my original tags, but i'll clarify what i meant as we go along), but the long and short of it is: if it came down to one of them dying, it would be Viktor who'd disregard boundaries/autonomy/personal wishes etc to bring Jayce back from the dead, or technologically modify him to the point of unrecognizability, if it meant keeping him by his side. Jayce i think would be the one who'd search desperately for some loophole to save both Viktor and the world, and failing that, he'd stay by Viktor's side and hold him close as he passed.

This isn't to say that Jayvik (arcane) are literally 1:1 inverse of Vikjayce (game), because their conflict in the original lore is them being unable to reconcile differences in morals/ethics/stances on augmentation and bodily autonomy, i.e., conditional proximity and partnership. Like the love is there, for sure, but they can't be in the same room as each other without starting a dustcloud brawl (affectionate)! Compare that to the show, where they're more fighting the narrative than they are fighting each other.

However, given that and the scope of the above post, while there isn't exactly anything out of the ordinary for Viktor to unquestioningly support of Jayce, it is Jayce who's holding Viktor to a moral standard that the latter just can't seem to meet. Really, of the four of them, Jayce Giopara (game!Jayce) i think is the least willing to compromise or disregard morals, even if for the sake of a loved one.

What they all have consistent, though, is that no matter what happens, they'll always gravitate back to each other. If MH (game!Vik) and AH (arcane!Vik) have anything in common, it's them always going back to Jayce with the intention of working together again, even when ostensibly deep in villainy.

*cough* together we can rule the galaxy-type shenanigans *cough* jayce having to fight tooth and nail not to fold so disastrously in the face of his villain boyfriend for the sake of a greater goal *cough cough*

Like, seriously, when old mage Viktor said, "In all timelines, in all possibilities, only you could show me this," he wasn't kidding!

(These comic panels — from the PvE adventure Jayce had in the card game during Arcane's initial release — is definitely a lighter and softer version of PnZ, but the core of it is still relevant I think!)

Um. So. There's not really any concluding point, like i said im not an expert on the boys' game counterparts 😅 if you wanna know more about them, the vikjayce codex here on tumblr is a very good archive of all things game!Jayce and Viktor! This is just generally what i meant when i said Jayvik are the inverse of Vikjayce ahaha... sorry for the rambling dhsnhs

Underrated JayVik moments/lines (15/∞)

"You had a vision?"

This entry is very loosely inspired by a post I saw about how Jayce really ought to be more bewildered by the fact that Viktor just told him he had a vision while tripping balls on his own lung-blood inside the HexGates. /paraphrased

I know on this blog we like to lovingly rip into Jayce for being a serial fumbler at supporting the casual love of his life (or no, I don't really like to do that - I love both my boys and just wish they didn't have to stay miserable until two minutes before annihilation is all), but this made me think of how there is one way in which Jayce is actually much "better" at supporting Viktor than the other way around.

See, Viktor - by virtue of being a person of uncompromising principles - is prone to the pitfall of... not being very generous with regards to other people's perceived failings or weaknesses. Or his own, for that matter.

Jayce isn't exempt from this - furthest thing from it, in fact.

Yes, Viktor does always quickly forgive (and doesn't forget) Jayce's numerous blunders. But that doesn't negate the fact that anytime Jayce ventures outside Viktor's expectations of who he is - or who he could be, ought to be -, the dissatisfaction is immediate, sharp and unfaltering. While Viktor's love for Jayce is unconditional, his approval most certainly isn't.

That's not a bad thing in itself; Viktor is (generally speaking) entitled to his disapproval, and as I said, it is merely the flipside of his strong convictions.

However, compare this to Jayce, who doesn't seem to have any set expectations whatsoever as to who Viktor should be. Or the decisions he should make. Jayce will happily go along with any twist and turn in Viktor's thought processes and actions, not only because they are fascinating to him, but because he trusts and admires Viktor implicitly.

(To my knowledge, the only time Jayce expresses discontentment with an action taken by pre-Herald Viktor is during their argument on the bridge, which is driven by immense worry and fear on Jayce's part, and he also backpedals immediately.)

Here are some examples of Jayce not beating the golden retriever allegations embracing Viktor unconditionally:

You're suggesting we should amplify the power of the thing that blew up half a building yesterday? Let's roll!

You're snapping at me for taking my new job too seriously? Yeah, guess I deserve that...

You had a vision? (While tripping balls on your lung-blood?) Tell me more!

The thing that came to you in said vision is making plants scream now? You're so cool, Vik.

You carved runes in your skin and started experimenting on yourself in ways your mentor said would make everyone hate you? "I did my best using the notes from your leg, recorded everything!"

Those experiments pulverised our only assistant? ...We can fix that.

You're leaving because affection isn't holding us together anymore..? Well, I'll stay and sleep here in case you come back, I guess...

You've lost your mind and got me in the exact position where I already saw my future corpse? Eh - I'll close my eyes and trust that you'll come to your senses in time.

The fact that - for however subject to change most of everything else about Jayce was - the love and acceptance Singed told Viktor he would have to forfeit in order to live never once wavered for even a second... it just kind of gets to me, okay?

Part 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15/16

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[mostlysignssomeportents]

Twinkump Linkdump

I'm on a 20+ city book tour for my new novel PICKS AND SHOVELS. Catch me in SAN DIEGO at MYSTERIOUS GALAXY next MONDAY (Mar 24), and in CHICAGO with PETER SAGAL on Apr 2. More tour dates here.

I have an excellent excuse for this week's linkdump: I'm in Germany, but I'm supposed to be in LA, and I'm not, because London Heathrow shut down due to a power-station fire, which meant I spent all day yesterday running around like a headless chicken, trying to get home in time for my gig in San Diego on Monday (don't worry, I sorted it):

https://www.mystgalaxy.com/32425Doctorow

Therefore, this is 30th linkdump, in which I collect the assorted links that didn't make it into this week's newsletters. Here are the other 29:

https://pluralistic.net/tag/linkdump/

I always like to start and end these 'dumps with some good news, which isn't easy in these absolutely terrifying times. But there is some good news: Wil Wheaton has announced his new podcast, a successor of sorts to the LeVar Burton Reads podcast. It's called "It's Storytime" and it features Wil reading his favorite stories handpicked from science fiction magazines, including On Spec, the magazine that bought my very first published story (I was 16, it ran in their special youth issue, it wasn't very good, but boy did it mean a lot to me):

https://wilwheaton.net/podcast/

Here's some more good news: a court has found (again!) that works created by AI are not eligible for copyright. This is the very best possible outcome for people worried about creators' rights in the age of AI, because if our bosses can't copyright the botshit that comes out of the "AI" systems trained on our work, then they will pay us:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-appeals-court-rejects-copyrights-171203999.html

Our bosses hate paying us, but they hate the idea of not being able to stop people from copying their entertainment products so! much! more! It's that simple:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/20/everything-made-by-an-ai-is-in-the-public-domain/

This outcome is so much better than the idea that AI training isn't fair use – an idea that threatens the existence of search engines, archiving, computational linguistics, and other clearly beneficial activities. Worse than that, though: if we create a new copyright that allows creators to prevent others from scraping and analyzing their works, our bosses will immediately alter their non-negotiable boilerplate contracts to demand that we assign them this right. That will allow them to warehouse huge troves of copyrighted material that they will sell to AI companies who will train models designed to put us on the breadline (see above, re: our bosses hate paying us):

https://pluralistic.net/2024/03/13/hey-look-over-there/#lets-you-and-he-fight

The rights of archivists grow more urgent by the day, as the Trump regime lays waste to billions of dollars worth of government materials that were produced at public expense, deleting decades of scientific, scholarly, historical and technical materials. This is the kind of thing you might expect the National Archive or the Library of Congress to take care of, but they're being chucked into the meat-grinder as well.

To make things even worse, Trump and Musk have laid waste to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a tiny, vital agency that provides funding to libraries, archives and museums across the country. Evan Robb writes about all the ways the IMLS supports the public in his state of Washington:

Technology support. Last-mile broadband connection, network support, hardware, etc. Assistance with the confusing e-rate program for reduced Internet pricing for libraries.

Coordinated group purchase of e-books, e-audiobooks, scholarly research databases, etc.

Library services for the blind and print-disabled.

Libraries in state prisons, juvenile detention centers, and psychiatric institutions.

Digitization of, and access to, historical resources (e.g., newspapers, government records, documents, photos, film, audio, etc.).

Literacy programming and support for youth services at libraries.

The entire IMLS budget over the next 10 years rounds to zero when compared to the US federal budget – and yet, by gutting it, DOGE is amputating significant parts of the country's systems that promote literacy; critical thinking; and universal access to networks, media and ideas. Put it that way, and it's not hard to see why they hate it so.

Trying to figure out what Trump is up to is (deliberately) confusing, because Trump and Musk are pursuing a chaotic agenda that is designed to keep their foes off-balance:

https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-donald-trump-chaos/

But as Hamilton Nolan writes, there's a way to cut through the chaos and make sense of it all. The problem is that there are a handful of billionaires who have so much money that when they choose chaos, we all have to live with it:

The significant thing about the way that Elon Musk is presently dismantling our government is not the existence of his own political delusions, or his own self-interested quest to privatize public functions, or his own misreading of economics; it is the fact that he is able to do it. And he is able to do it because he has several hundred billion dollars. If he did not have several hundred billion dollars he would just be another idiot with bad opinions. Because he has several hundred billion dollars his bad opinions are now our collective lived experience.

https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/p/the-underlying-problem

We actually have a body of law designed to prevent this from happening. It's called "antitrust" and 40 years ago, Jimmy Carter decided to follow the advice of some of history's dumbest economists who said that fighting monopolies made the economy "inefficient." Every president since, up to – but not including – Biden, did even more to encourage monopolization and the immense riches it creates for a tiny number of greedy bastards.

But Biden changed that. Thanks to the "Unity Taskforce" that divided up the presidential appointments between the Democrats' corporate wing and the Warren/Sanders wing, Biden appointed some of the most committed, effective trustbusters we'd seen for generations:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/18/administrative-competence/#i-know-stuff

After Trump's election, there was some room for hope that Trump's FTC would continue to pursue at least some of the anti-monopoly work of the Biden years. After all, there's a sizable faction within the MAGA movement that hates (some) monopolies:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/01/24/enforcement-priorities/#enemies-lists

But last week, Trump claimed to have illegally fired the two Democratic commissioners on the FTC: Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Slaughter. I stan both of these commissioners, hard. When they were at the height of their powers in the Biden years, I had the incredible, disorienting experience of getting out of bed, checking the headlines, and feeling very good about what the government had just done.

Trump isn't legally allowed to fire Bedoya and Slaughter. Perhaps he's just picking this fight as part of his chaos agenda (see above). But there are some other pretty good theories about what this is setting up. In his BIG newsletter, Matt Stoller proposes that Trump is using this case as a wedge, trying to set a precedent that would let him fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell:

https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/why-trump-tried-to-fire-federal-trade

But perhaps there's more to it. Stoller just had Commissioner Bedoya on Organized Money, the podcast he co-hosts with David Dayen, and Bedoya pointed out that if Trump can fire Democratic commissioners, he can also fire Republican commissioners. That means that if he cuts a shady deal with, say, Jeff Bezos, he can order the FTC to drop its case against Amazon and fire the Republicans on the commission if they don't frog when he jumps:

https://www.organizedmoney.fm/p/trumps-showdown-at-the-ftc-with-commissioner

(By the way, Organized Money is a fantastic podcast, notwithstanding the fact that they put me on the show last week:)

https://audio.buzzsprout.com/6f5ly01qcx6ijokbvoamr794ht81

The future that our plutocrat overlords are grasping for is indeed a terrible one. You can see its shape in the fantasies of "liberatarian exit" – the seasteads, free states, and other assorted attempts to build anarcho-capitalist lawless lands where you can sell yourself into slavery, or just sell your kidneys. The best nonfiction book on libertarian exit is Raymond Criab's 2022 "Adventure Capitalism," a brilliant, darkly hilarious and chilling history of every time a group of people have tried to found a nation based on elevating selfishness to a virtue:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/06/14/this-way-to-the-egress/#terra-nullius

If Craib's book is the best nonfiction volume on the subject of libertarian exit, then Naomi Kritzer's super 2023 novel Liberty's Daughter is the best novel about life in a libertopia – a young adult novel about a girl growing up in the hell that would be life with a Heinlein-type dad:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/21/podkaynes-dad-was-a-dick/#age-of-consent

But now this canon has a third volume, a piece of design fiction from Atelier Van Lieshout called "Slave City," which specs out an arcology populated with 200,000 inhabitants whose "very rational, efficient and profitable" arrangements produce €7b/year in profit:

https://www.archdaily.com/30114/slave-city-atelier-van-lieshout

This economic miracle is created by the residents' "voluntary" opt-in to a day consisting of 7h in an office, 7h toiling in the fields, 7h of sleep, and 3h for "leisure" (e.g. hanging out at "The Mall," a 24/7, 26-storey " boundless consumer paradise"). Slaves who wish to better themselves can attend either Female Slave University or Male Slave University (no gender controversy in Slave City!), which run 24/7, with 7 hours of study, 7 hours of upkeep and maintenance on the facility, 7h of sleep, and, of course, 3h of "leisure."

The field of design fiction is a weird and fertile one. In his traditional closing keynote for this year's SXSW Interactive festival, Bruce Sterling opens with a little potted history of the field since it was coined by Julian Bleeker:

https://bruces.medium.com/how-to-rebuild-an-imaginary-future-2025-0b14e511e7b6

Then Bruce moves on to his own latest design fiction project, an automated poetry machine called the Versificatore first described by Primo Levi in an odd piece of science fiction written for a newspaper. The Versificatore was then adapted to the screen in 1971, for an episode of an Italian sf TV show based on Levi's fiction:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tva-D_8b8-E

And now Sterling has built a Versificatore. The keynote is a sterlingian delight – as all of his SXSW closers are. It's a hymn to the value of "imaginary futures" and an instruction manual for recovering them. It could not be more timely.

Sterling's imaginary futures would be a good upbeat note to end this 'dump with, but I've got a real future that's just as inspiring to close us out with: the EU has found Apple guilty of monopolizing the interfaces to its devices and have ordered the company to open them up for interoperability, so that other manufacturers – European manufacturers! – can make fully interoperable gadgets that are first-class citizens of Apple's "ecosystem":

https://www.reuters.com/technology/apple-ordered-by-eu-antitrust-regulators-open-up-rivals-2025-03-19/

It's a good reminder that as America crumbles, there are still places left in the world with competent governments that want to help the people they represent thrive and prosper. As the Prophet Gibson tells us, "the future is here, it's just not evenly distributed." Let's hope that the EU is living in America's future, and not the other way around.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/03/22/omnium-gatherum/#storytime

Image: TDelCoro https://www.flickr.com/photos/tomasdelcoro/48116604516/

CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

[lia-linny]

Your #1 Stayville High Gossip Blog!

Hey stay's! Have you ever wondered what really goes on behind the closed locker doors and in the quiet corners of our school? Trust me, no secret stays hidden here for long and I'm here to make sure you don't miss a thing.

From secret flirtations to the biggest love dramas, from unexpected couples to epic breakups, the crush Chronicles knows it all. Maybe even more than you'd like. Who was seen holding hands in the library yesterday? Whose "best friendship" is getting suspiciously romantic? And which party ended with a surprise kiss? Don't worry, I've already figured it out.

This blog also puts a special focus on our ever-popular group of friends consisting of Bang chan, Lee Minho, Seo Changbin, Hwang Hyunjin, Han Jisung, Lee Felix, Kim Seungmin and Yang Jeongin. What do you think the love lives of the school's most popular boys are like? Find out.

So watch out stay's, it's getting hot here. And remember: if you think nobody sees you... I sure do. Stay tuned and maybe you'll end up on my page soon.

Chrush Chronicles Archiv:

-Latest tea from Stayville High

1. The Art of Love: anonymous notes in the Art Room?

My first post and we're already starting off with a hot story! Okay, gossip lovers, this one’s straight out of a romance movie. Turns out our mysterious anonymous letter exchange in the art room wasn’t just some artsy school project it was a secret love story in the making.

Our now art couple of the school. Loverboy Hyunjin and his artist girly yn have been pouring their souls onto paper, sharing poetry, philosophy, and their deepest fears… all without knowing each other’s identities. And let’s just say, it all ended in a stolen kiss between paint-stained hands and unfinished canvases. Who knew love could be written in ink before it was spoken out loud? Stay tuned this masterpiece of a love story is just getting started.

2. The School’s Top Student and Her Secret Admirer?

Rumor has it, straight-A student Yn has a secret admirer and he’s a lot closer than she thinks. She has been getting anonymous coffee and notes in the library of none other than Seungmin, the school’s quietest overachiever. all without saying a word.

But the silence didn’t last forever. One late-night study session turned into whispered conversations, quiet glances, and maybe even something more. Now, sources say Yn has started looking forward to seeing him just as much as those caffeine boosts.

Is this just an academic alliance, or are we witnessing the start of the school’s sweetest slow-burn romance?

3. High School Gossip Exclusive: Yn & Changbin -just pretend?

Innocent Yn and popular Changbin just pulled the ultimate plot twist, fake dating! to keep their nosy friends off their backs. Easy, right? Wrong. Changbin goes full boyfriend mode hugs, pet names, even a kiss at a party to keep up the act. That kiss? Their feelings for eachother?

Maybe not so fake after all. Tension rises, feelings blur. What’s next? Real love or real heartbreak?

4. Spotted: The Queen and the Music Geek?!

Hold onto your pom-poms, gossip lovers, because this is the plot twist of the year! Our beloved cheer captain, Yn, has been caught sneaking around with none other than Jisung the school’s resident music nerd.

It all started when she mysteriously showed up at his band’s underground gig, and let’s just say… sparks flew. Rumor has it she’s been pulling double duty leading pep rallies by day and jamming in his studio by night.

But here’s the real tea: a certain viral video of them performing together has the whole school talking. Some say it’s just a rebellious phase, others swear there’s something real going on.

Will Yn choose the world she’s always known, or is she ready to rewrite the rules for love? One thing’s for sure this story is far from over.

5. Wait did Minho just confess without saying a word

Photography girl Yn spent years trying to get mystery boy Minho in front of her camera only for him to always say, “Maybe another time.” But when he finally agreed, she realized no photo could capture the way he looked at her.

For her final project, she didn’t pick a posed shot she chose a candid one, where Minho was just himself. And when he saw it? No big speech, no drama just him taking her hand. Some love stories don’t need words or pictures. They’re just feel it. This is NOT a drill. Minho’s been in his soft boy era all along.

6. A Love Bet Gone Wrong?

Okay besties, you won’t BELIEVE this. Rumor has it that Bang Chan, our school’s golden boy, made a bet that he could make rebel skater Yn fall for him. Classic, right?

But here’s the twist, somewhere between late-night rooftop talks and stolen glances at the skatepark, he actually caught feelings. Too bad Yn found out about the bet before he could come clean.

Ouch. Now she’s iced him out completely, and Chan? He’s out here wiping out at the skatepark just to prove he’s serious. Desperate or romantic? You decide.

7. #CoupleGoals or Just Content? The Internet’s Favorite Duo Caught in the Feels!

What happens when a viral trend turns into something way more complicated? Felix and Yn, the school’s accidental power couple, started off as social media experiment, cute couple posts, flirty challenges, and a skyrocketing follower count.

But lately, things have been looking a little too real. From the way Felix watches Yn when he thinks no one’s looking to the subtle inside jokes in their captions, fans are convinced there’s more going on behind the screen. So, are they still playing the game, or has someone actually caught feelings? One thing’s for sure this is one love story the internet will be watching.

8. News!! The School’s rising star Student and the Maknae?

Rumor has it that top-of-the-class Yn and our favorite too-cool-for-school Jeongin have been spending a lot of time together and we’re not just talking about tutoring sessions. Late-night dates, cozy library hangouts, and a certain field of flowers photoshoot? Yeah, we saw the Instagram post.

Word on the street is that Jeongin’s grades aren’t the only thing improving his love life might be getting a serious upgrade, too. Let’s just say we wouldn’t be surprised if this tutor-student duo becomes the school’s hottest new couple. Stay tuned, gossip lovers this story’s just getting started.

Author's note: the order of the uploads is not chronological... sorry. It's all really mixed up... But here they are in the correct order from oldest to newest. I'm gonna update from time to time.

[dctl-redrawn]

Welcome to DCTL Redrawn !!

꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦ဗ꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷

Welcome to our humble blog !! Here, we plan to archive and catalogue everything to do with the DCTL Redrawn project.

Read this post to learn more about it !!

Join our Discord Server to join the project !!

If you want to join the project to help with art especially later down the line, send an ask to this blog and your @ will be added to a list !! This list will be used when we make a proper call for artists.

Current Plan- (transcribed under cut and tag directory)

Tag Directory -

WARNING - SOME REBLOGGED POSTS MAY HOLD OUTDATED BELIEFS OR INFORMATION. I will try my best to add tags to the reblogs here to correct anything, but stay weary !!

ဗ #reblogs - Reblogged posts relating to the project

ဗ #asks - Answered asks

ဗ #host reblogs - Reblogs of @salpho's posts, the project's host

ဗ #dctl redrawn - All posts relating to the project (for visibility in search)

ဗ #sillies - Posts about jokes and funny things in relation to the project or server

ဗ #project update - Any post regarding updates to the project, be it moving along the plan or changing something else

ဗ #other - Simple asks and posts that feel too empty to reblog with the above tags

Thank you for reading through !! Hope to see you join us soon.

꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦ဗ꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷

Image Transcript-

ဗ Step 1- Summarise all chapters to help in later stages. ဗ Step 2- Filter through chapters/scenes/pages and figure out which to omit. ဗ Step 3- Use the summary to find where characters are described, then design them. ဗ Step 4- Decide how much flexibility artists get and start storyboarding. ဗ Step 5- Post an artist call, make a google form and update the server. ဗ Step 6- Choose artists, assign roles and get to work drawing !! ဗStep 7- Write the foreword, get fan comments and string the PDF together. ဗ Step 8- Share the finished product !!

[theratsgotinsideagain]

If I may rush in here to archive all of my infinite wealth of knowledge,

Children

-butter-pie-enthusiast (Laika) (nephew of Mavis (fungus-of-death), boyfriend to Birdie (my-blue-birdie))

-my-blue-birdie (Birdie) (niece to Chris (bl00d-and-t3ars), friends with Eric (sweetsumer-seedling), Zach (your-an-apploser), Ember (burning-breads), Ripley (cobalt-mutterings) and also friends/living with Evelyn (sharpenyourclaws))

-sharpenyourclaws (Evelyn) (adopted niece to Chris, was but is no longer living with Scarlet (scarlet-worms) arch-nemesis with Cassie (strawberriesforcassie))

-your-an-appaloser (Zach) (friends with Birdie, boyfriend to Eric (sweetsumer-seedling), dad-son to Clyde (truthseekers-journal), was at the same horse riding place as Laika)

-sweetsummer-seedling (Eric) (Son to Martha (marthajohnsonbakes) friends with Birdie, boyfriend to Zach, son-dad to Clyde, was also at the same horse riding place as Laika)

-strawberriesforcassie (Cassie) (goes to the same school as Evelyn and is her prep arch-nemesis)

Adults (idk how to categorise these guys, they're all in some way tangentially related to the children)

-marthajohnsonbakes (Martha) (Eric's mother, sister to Loretta (blissfulbutcher), bffs (best furby friends) with Marty (long-furby-marty))

-blissful-butcher (Loretta) (sister to Martha, enemy (?) to Clyde because her dad killed his cow best friend, also she's a werewolf but Martha is not)

-truthseekers-journal (Clyde) (adopted dad-son thing to Zach and Eric, suspected romantic implications between him and Chris)

-fungus-of-death (Mavis) (uncle to Laika, friends with Wisteria, is dating Circe (1tsc1rce), apprentice to Enfurnimus the Sophisticated (doesn't have a Tumblr blog but is currently using Mavis's), is a space wizard

-bl00d-and-t3ars (Chris) (uncle to Birdie, adoptive uncle to Evelyn, friends (?) with Wisteria (wisteria-html), was in a relationship with Vahn (vanhxllsing) but had a fucking devastating breakup with him, is a vampire)

-wisteria-html (Wisteria) (friends with Chris, friend-sibling to Birdie, friends with Mavis, was friends with Vahn, is also a real person outside of the croakerverse)

-vanhxllsing (Vahn) (friends with Gordon (consciousgordiacea), friends with Mal (paperthin-carapace), was trying to hunt down Sybil (n0ctur4v4mp1r4) and Alexandria (Alexandria-thornton) (?) but is now on neutral terms with them both)

The worms and others

-consciousgordiacea (Gordon) (dating (?) Milton (lifedoesntdiscriminate), worm siblings with Psii (humannematomorpha) and Scarlet (scarlet-worms), friends with honestly too many people to remember so I'll just say the ones off the top of my head, Sara (sarasometimes), Emily (chronicallychthonic), Dee (yorhusband), Mal, Vahn, Wisteria and Birdie,

-humannematomorpha (Psii) (worm siblings with Gordon and Scarlet, blog is largely inactive now)

-scarlet-worms (Scarlet) (worm sibs etc, friends with Mal, was taking care of Evelyn for some time after Evelyns mother was found out to be dead))

-paperthin-carapace (Mal) (friends with Alexandria, Vahn, and Gordon, was saved from a witch burning at the hooves of gun wielding pigs by Scarlet, has many many spiders which they call the cluster)

Former Ambrosia members

-cjsullivan (Carter) (girlfriend to Julien (juliensbones), friends with Marty (long-furby-marty), sister to Allison (formerly sister-allison, currently allison-sullivan))

-long-furby-marty (friends with Carter and Julian, is dating a Kermit plush that fur calls Flytrap)

-(wasn't part of the cult i think, but is still tangentially related) juliensbones (Julien) girlfriend to Carter, friends with Marty, might possibly be becoming friends with Pennie (pennieheart))

-allison-sullivan (Allison) (sister and coworkers with Carter, not much information on her as of now)

And that's about all the guys that I follow that are more so on the sidelines rather than main blogs in The Verse.

1. the-muppet-joker (colter)

2. lifedoesntdiscriminate (milton(flat))

3. mydarlingathena (athena(flat))

4. sarasometimes (sara(sage))

5. minuseyes (sage(flat))

6. alexandria-thornton (alexandria(monk))

7. consciousgordiacea (gordon(worms))

8. chronicallychthonic (emily(sage))

9. butter-pie-enthusiast (laika(child))

10. scarlet-worms (scarlet(worms))

11. humanemetamorpha (psii(sage))

12. n0ctur4v4mp1r4 (sybil(alexandria))

13. lifeofanemogirl (evelyn(scarlet(?)))

14. vanhxllsing (van(hunter))

15. hymen-restoration-project (bethany)

16. sweetsummer-seedling (eric(child))

17. your-an-appaloser (zach(child))

18. my-blue-birdie (birdie(child))

19. its-the-truth (carter(child))

20. fungus-of-death/(mycomortis(mavis))

21. le-petit-merle/(merle(child(?)))

22. bl00d-and-t3ars (chris(birdie))

23. wisteria-html (wisteria(????))

24. cobalt-mutterings (ripley)

25. burning-breads (Ember)

26. jigsloth (????)

[angelthefandomobsessed]

Between Teeth, Between Claws, Between Them - Chapter 4 - Leona Kingscholar x Reader x Ruggie Bucchie

This chapter is very Ruggie-centric, is the longest chapter yet, and contains worldbuilding (because worldbuilding was inevitable). Buckle up for discussions of beastman lore I just made up, and fantasy racism (yaaaaay)... as well as more of the usual (earth-shaking, pearl-clutching, flirting). Don't worry, though - there's plenty of fluff in this one too. Enjoy!

You can find chapter one here!

(As usual: This fic is a little suggestive, but not outright explicit, reader discretion is advised)

(Link to AO3: Between Teeth, Between Claws, Between Them - Angel_Ashido - Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game) [Archive of Our Own])

༺═────────────═༻

It was rare for you to leave the campus, so when Ruggie asked you to go into town with him, you jumped at the opportunity. On weekends, the students of NRC flocked to the local stores and cafés, usually causing a ruckus of some sort. Going alone wasn’t that appealing to you, so you only ventured out whenever Ace of Deuce wanted to. 

You walked beside Ruggie in silence, waiting for him to explain where you were going. 

Ever since you had first kissed both Leona and him, something had shifted. Whether that shift was a thread being pulled taut, or the string snapping completely, you couldn’t tell.

All that you knew was that there was a sense of possibility in the air, both sweet and sharp.

“You’re being awfully quiet,” Ruggie finally voiced. “Something on your mind?”

You shook your head, stepping over a puddle.

Ruggie splashed right through the puddle, keeping his eyes on you. “Hm… Is someone on your mind?”

You couldn’t bring yourself to fight the smile that spread across your face. “Maybe.”

As though it were contagious, Ruggie smiled too. “Thinking of little ol’ me?”

“Tell me where we’re going, and I’ll tell you what I’m thinking of.”

The beastman’s expression shifted to a mock-pout. “What, and ruin the surprise? No deal, kitten.”

“Then I guess you’ll never know what was on my mind.”

A bird chirped from its spot in an apple tree. It was a warm day, perfect for an outing.

“I bet I can guess.” Ruggie darted in front of you, forcing you to a halt. “Was it something like this?”

He leaned forward and gave you a peck on the lips, so fleeting that you may very well have imagined it. By the time you had registered his movement, he was walking forward again.

The bird launched into song above you, the sound frantic yet soothing to your racing heart.

You had to jog a little to catch up with Ruggie, who looked far too smug without Leona around to reign him in. Although, Leona may very well have egged him on…

He turned to you, ears flicking. “Well? Was I right?”

“You were half-right,” you half-lied.

“Oh?”

“I was thinking about kissing Leona.”

Ruggie let out a small, frustrated sound, eyes narrowing. “I thought you were sweet, but you’re just as bad as he is. Guess that means I have to try twice as hard, huh?”

You turned his words over in your mind for a few beats, before asking, “What do you mean by that?”

His expression turned blank, so you elaborated, “Trying twice as hard. Is it a personal thing, or is it… some kind of societal thing?”

He shrugged. “Nobody wants to be the bottom of the pack. So I guess it’s… kinda both?”

“But when you say ‘pack’, do you mean metaphorically, or literally?” you pressed.

“Huh? Obviously I mean literally. Didn’t they teach you this stuff back in your world?”

“We don’t have beastmen in our world,” you explained, feeling as though you were breaking some kind of interdimensional law by admitting that.

“You don’t!?” It was a little entertaining to see Ruggie look so shocked. “What happened to ‘em!?”

“They never existed. We don’t have magic, or beastmen, or fae, or direbeasts, or anything that’s not a plain human.”

“Seriously? You’re not pulling my leg?”

You had both stopped, by that point. Confused, mildly disturbed eyes searched your own, trying to detect a hint of a joke.

“No. I’m not messing with you. That’s just the way it is.”

Well… the way it was. 

Ruggie waved his hands in the air. Adorably, you felt inclined to note. “So you’re telling me that you showed up here and just… had to accept that there are whole other species..?”

“Once I accepted that magic exists, and that I’m now a single parent to a flaming, talking cat thing, the rest clicked into place pretty easily.” Your dry tone only furthered Ruggie's frantic display.

“Do you even know what a lion and a hyena is!? How much have you just been pretending to know about?”

“We have lions and hyenas in my world,” you told him. “There’s a, um… film that’s pretty well known about them.”

Was The Lion King a documentary now? How much of the whole ‘Great Seven’ thing fact, and how much was fiction? You had plenty of questions, but still no answers to go with them.

“Phew, that’s a relief… At least you have a point of reference. You’re not totally clueless.”

With that realisation, Ruggie rediscovered his highground, and resumed the walk into town.

“All right then, I guess a spur of the moment beastman lesson is in order.” Ruggie smirked. “Leona’s a lion beastman, right? It’s pretty rare for them to have just one partner. Some do, like his brother Falena, but most will have between… three or five, let’s say.”

Three or five? You had your hands full with Leona and Ruggie as is, you couldn’t imagine adding anyone else to the mix. “Sounds like a lot of work.”

“The biggest pride in the Sunset Savanna is forty strong,” Ruggie informed you.

You let out a baffled sound halfway between a sigh and a groan. “How do they remember each other’s names?”

“Beats me. There’s a reality show about them - we should watch it some time. Anyway,” Ruggie breezed. “That’s how lion-beastmen tick.”

“So… Are you, Leona and I a pride, then?”

“That’s… complicated.”

Tell me something I don’t know… you thought to yourself.

Ruggie hummed to himself, turning the situation over in his head. “We’re in the negotiating stages of forming a pride, I guess? To be honest, it’s all sorta new to me. Lions and hyenas don’t usually… y’know. Mix.”

You felt your stomach lurch at that. 

Though Twisted Wonderland felt more progressive than your world, it was bound to have its dark sides. Recalling how hurt Ruggie had seemed during Leona’s overblot, you felt as though you were gaining a better understanding of the second-year.

He seemed almost nervous, as if you might suddenly turn on him.

“There are people like that in my world, too. Couples that society doesn’t like all that much.” You gave Ruggie a soft nudge. “There will always be idiots, no matter where you go.”

“Ain’t that the truth?” Ruggie perked up at the physical contact.

When your hand sought his, he held it without hesitation.

“Introducing a human into the mix is kinda strange too. Beastmen getting with humans is a pretty modern idea.”

“So if Leona’s interested in a hyena and a human that would make him… Pretty weird, by society’s standards?” you concluded.

“Extremely weird.” Ruggie squeezed your hand, letting you feel the subtle sharpness of his fingernails. “But that’s why I like him so much. He’s not afraid to go against the grain. If we could vote for our king, I would vote for him every day of the week.”

Talking to Ruggie about something so serious was different, but it was nice. There was a sense of security in your conversation that you hadn’t known you needed.

Finally, you felt daring enough to ask, “When did you and Leona get together?”

Ruggie’s ears pressed down at that, while his cheeks turned rosy. “It just sorta… happened. I didn’t mark it down in my calendar or anything, things just… turned out the way they did.”

That sort of made sense. Ruggie was always chasing after Leona, meaning that they would have spent a lot of time together. A right hand man turning into a romantic partner… it wasn’t the strangest of stories.

“What, you didn’t get cornered at lunchtime?” you joked.

“Nope. I just swooned over laundry piles until he got the hint.”

You barked a shocked laugh - that was an image and a half.

“No way!”

“Yeah way! Leona’s a smart guy, but he can be super dense.”

You both knew that wasn’t the full truth, but neither of you spoke that thought into existence. For Leona to realise that somebody could want and accept him as he is… 

Better chance of Grim going vegan, you decided.

“Why did the two of you approach me, then? What made you think I was-”

“Because you cared,” Ruggie interrupted. “We both liked you, so it was only natural to see if you liked us. So far, things are going well, right?”

“Well… Yeah,” you said, swinging your joined hands back and forth. “Things are going very well.”

“You should ask Leona about this stuff. He’s probably thought about it more than I have… For me, you’re cute, and I like being around you. Why wouldn’t I want to be closer to someone I like?”

“Fair enough…”

Out in the open, there was nowhere to hide. All of the ways that your embarrassment manifested were about as subtle as a masterpiece in a museum. This was, of course, infinitely amusing to Ruggie, who proceeded to poke at your cheeks.

“Seeing you like this is better than finding treasure in a garbage can,” he observed, his grin shaping his voice.

“Has anyone ever told you that you have a way with words?”

“No, never.”

“Good. It’s not nice to be lied to,” you deadpanned.

Ruggie whined at that, brows turning downwards to match his pout. “You’re so mean! I take back every nice thing I said about you!”

Before you knew it, you were being led through the bustling street of the foothill town. Ruggie marched, a man on a mission, still holding onto your hand.

Your destination became clear to you when he stopped.

Donut Delights: Special deal! Lovers can buy one deluxe donut, and get one free!

“Did you seriously drag me all the way down here for donuts, Ruggie?”

His shoulders shook with his laugh. “Of course I did! There was no way I was missing out on this deal! Now c’mon, before all the good flavours go.”

It was only when you were standing in front of the cabinet that you realised; this was a date, by all definitions. Your first actual date with Ruggie…

You let him pick out two donuts, both giant with toppings piled on. One was strawberries and cream flavoured, while the other was honey and crumble flavoured. After they were given to you on scalloped, petite plates, you found a small, round table at the back of the café.

“Pick whichever one you want, my sweet,” Ruggie invited, smirking at his own pun.

You picked the one that called to you the most - though they both looked delicious - and puzzled over the best angle to eat the monstrosity from.

When you finally managed to get it in your mouth, you let out a muffled sound of approval. It was a really good donut - no wonder Ruggie had been willing to hoof it all the way to the shop.

Looking up, you realised that he had eaten his way through half of his already.

“Impressive…” you murmured to yourself. 

You couldn’t help but wonder if the way he ate - as though someone was going to snatch it from him - was a result of his nature, or the environment he had grown up in.

“Do you… Want to try some of mine?” you offered.

Ruggie’s eyes lit up, as though you had just offered him a diamond. “I thought you’d never ask!”

“Alright, here…” You pushed your plate towards him. “Don’t eat the whole thing, alright?”

“You’re pretty brave, offering food to me and expecting to get it back.” Despite that, he took a, relatively, small portion before returning it to you.

“That one’s pretty nice too.” He pointed at your lips. “Too bad you got more of it on your face than in your mouth.”

“Yeah, yeah, very funny…” You almost reached for a napkin, but an idea hit you before you could do so. “Maybe I just wanted to leave some for you to kiss away.”

Spending time with Savanaclaw boys was dangerous. They were turning you more audacious by the day. However, based on the way Ruggie’s spine straightened, he liked that about you.

He let out a low laugh, eyes narrowing. “Careful, or I might just eat you up instead~”

You smiled as though he had complimented your outfit, and finished your monster of a snack. When you left, hand in hand, Ruggie was quick to pull you around a corner - out of sight from the world. Though he was slight in build, his presence was immense as he pushed into your personal space.

His lips ghosted over yours, making every nerve in your body soar in anticipation.

When he finally made contact, he savoured the taste of you, taking great care to reduce you into a quivering mess.

Had he been taking notes from Leona?

Ruggie pulled away with a satisfied smile. “Sweet,” he said, as though he didn’t realise he was speaking out loud.

“Thanks for the treat,” you breathed, trying to commit his wonderful, dopey expression to your memory. Then, because it seemed like something that would mean a lot to him, you put your arms around him and said; “You took very good care of me.”

You must have been getting the hang of the whole beastman thing, because when you let go, Ruggie was looking at you as though you had invented the very concept of love.

The walk back to NRC was a long one, as you couldn’t keep your hands off of each other.

A/N:

Thank you for the continued support on this. The comments have been lovely, and have meant a lot to me!

If there's anything you want to see in this fic (more one-on-one scenes like this one, more time with both of them, specific scenarios) feel free to suggest them, there is a good chance that I will take them on board. And, of course, if there are any other pairings you'd be interested in seeing me write, feel free to suggest those too!

[helloarchivist]

I don't have a problem persay with the portrayal of Jonah/Elias having problems with empathy or emotions or human connections (beyond my generalized issue that any time anyone behaves meanly they're immediately stamped as low/no empathy which. is annoying, but that's a conversation for another day), but I don't think I agree with it entirely, either.

He doesn't behave the way he does with the Archives crew or with Jon because he's incapable of understanding or perceiving their feelings, or of identifying with them. On the contrary, he's really very emotionally perceptive with the people around him, and engages fairly openly (for his personal given value) with them right up until like. mid-season 4? He's playing mind games left right and center, of course, but again that isn't because he doesn't understand that it might upset people to do that. I don't even really think it's because he doesn't care, at least not exactly.

We are following this unraveling existential fear nightmare with a group of people to whom it is new. And upon first listen, it was also new to us! Do you know who it 100% was not new to in any capacity? Elias. And in fact, it has not been new to Elias in like. 200 years.

The Archives crew and all of us listening in are babies in a scary new world, knocking into things and fumbling around on wobbly legs trying to identify what's safe and what isn't. It's not that Elias is incapable of understanding or identifying or even empathizing with how upset everyone is, it's that by comparison these are children who have skinned their knees at the playground, and he is an ostensibly 200+ year old adult who knows that, if they just get up and keep playing and learn more about the world, they're going to be fine (for his personal given value. 'you're going to like it here, in the world we've made' etc etc).

In fact, the few times that Jon directly goes to Elias for explanation or comfort or to confide his concerns, Elias actually does give him those things. He's literally, very VERY literally, been exactly in Jon's position, except when he was there it was totally without the benefit of guidance or context. I don't think his conversation about "even when you had the entire archive at your disposal you only made it through a couple a week, why do you think that is?" was insincere or unhelpful. Wanting all the answers and for everything to make sense immediately is understandable but not possible. Not for the version of Jon demanding those answers. Not for Jonah, when he was careening through all of this on his own.

This is a man who started off passionate and curious and brilliant, who poured himself into understanding and prevention of the damage done by the Fears, and it's also a man who watched everyone else in his little cohort die, who outlived them all, who watched the world changed and gained the understanding he sought and found that desperate death grip on fighting the good fight to be futile.

It isn't that he doesn't have emotions or feel empathy. It's that he has a completely different world view, different conclusions, different ends, and has had time enough to let go of the reflex to wring his hands about it all. Has that made him very nice, particularly? No lmfao. But I feel like it flattens some of the nuance of his character to be like "oh he just doesn't get people or feel human emotions and that's why he acts that way."

[hyperlexichypatia]

So you want to support your local public library

You’ve been following the news about book bans, funding cuts, Moms for Liberty, censorship, and you’re outraged! You want to Do Something! What should you do? 

Here are some tips from a small-town public library worker. Some of this is stuff I’ve seen a lot of other people saying, but some isn’t. 

DISCLAIMER: Every library has different needs, policies, funding situations, etc. What I’m saying may not apply to your local branch. Ask your local library staff. 

THINGS THAT HELP A LOT: 

Use your library. Really, just using it helps a lot. Check out books. Download ebooks on Libby. Listen to audiobooks. Come to programs. Stream movies on Kanopy. Join the book club. Bring your kids to storytime. Help spread the word about library services and events (we don’t have an advertising budget). Not only do we rely on usage statistics to justify our funding, but also, robust attendance makes the library feel more like part of the community. 

Check out controversial/challenged books. Popularity affects whether it stays on the shelves. Ask the staff to order certain titles. Show demand for these books!

Give us some money. Just fork over some cash. Go to the online donation portal. Write a check if you’re feeling fancy. We rely on donation money for everything from cleaning supplies to prizes. Participate in library fundraisers. If there’s a friends of the library group, join that. If your library posts a wishlist, go shopping. 

Contact your local elected people and tell them you want libraries uncensored and well-funded. Invoke your identities that politicians care about. “As a constituent,” “as a voter,” “as a taxpayer.” Be specific about what you want the remedy to be. If the issue is censorship, say you want libraries to have free and uncensored material for all. If the issue is resources, say you want to increase library funding. If you say “The library should be open longer hours,” you and I might interpret that to mean that the solution is to fund the library to be open more hours. But politicians and their staff do not think like you and I do. To them, “The library should be open longer hours” may mean “The library is unpopular and not meeting people’s needs, so let’s defund it.” 

EXTRA CREDIT IF YOU WANT TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND: Apply to serve on your local library board.

THINGS THAT MIGHT HELP, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS PEOPLE THINK. Again, this is going to vary wildly based on your particular public library branch. At some libraries, these things might help a whole lot! At other libraries, not so much. 

Donating books. Some libraries don’t even take donated books. Most libraries put donated books in their book sale, or put them out for swaps. Very few donated books end up catalogued for circulation. Donating banned books really does nothing – if a library is ordered to remove a book from their shelves, they won’t be allowed to re-add a donated copy, either. Our library sometimes catalogues donated books if they are new (published within the past ~5 years) and in like-new condition. Your childhood favorites are not “in good condition,” I’m sorry. 

Volunteering. Again, this is going to vary widely from library to library. Some libraries rely heavily on volunteers. Some libraries don’t let anyone volunteer at all. My library requires volunteers to go through a criminal background check first (I loathe this policy with the fire of a thousand suns, but have been unable to persuade my boss to change it). Even if you are allowed to volunteer, don’t be surprised if the tasks you’re assigned look more like “clean the bathrooms” than like “read aloud to a roomful of rapt children” or “comb through archives.” Most libraries don’t let volunteers do circulation tasks, and there are very good reasons for that. And for Pete’s sake, don’t offer to “volunteer” to do someone’s actual paid job. 

I’m not saying “Don’t donate used books and don’t volunteer”; I’m saying “The well-meaning viral posts about how you can save your local library by donating used books and volunteering are missing a lot.”

BONUS EXERCISE: Kill the Mom for Liberty inside your head. The right-wing anti-library movement feeds on the same censorship, bigotry, and “think of the children” moral panic that runs rampant in progressive spaces. If you want to support public libraries, you’ve got to snap out of the idea that books, media, and truly public space are “dangerous.” Here, imagine this scenario: At a public library, a 10-year-old girl, who’s walked to the library by herself after school, is sitting at the table with her books. She’s been reading Warrior Cats, but today she’s branched into the adult section and grabbed the newest T.M. Frazier book. Across the table, a 31-year-old man is working on his laptop, but he looks up to mention that he also loves Warrior Cats, and they have a brief conversation about Bramblestar’s character development. In the lounge chair across the room, a 62-year-old woman with a huge backpack who looks like she might be unhoused is dozing and slightly snoring. At the lego table, a couple of kids are collaborating on a tower, while a 47-year-old man is twitching and talking to someone other people can’t see. A 15-year-old is checking out [most offensive book by most hateful author – I’m not even going to give an example, it’s whatever is the worst option in YOUR mind]. At a public computer, a 9-year-old with headphones is watching a video of Pokemon farting. A 25 year old woman with Down Syndrome is checking out The Joy of Sex and Because of Winn Dixie. If you want to regulate or ban anything in this scenario, fix your mindset. If you think the library “shouldn’t have to deal with homeless people because that’s mission creep,” or that there needs to be some kind of protection against the “danger” of “adults interacting with minors,” or that people should only read “age-appropriate” or “reading-level-appropriate” books, or that someone should “get help” for voice hearers in public, you are part of the problem. If you don’t support the ideal of public libraries as places where any-yes-any member of the public can hang out and read whatever they want, you don’t actually support the anyone-can-hang-out-and-read-whatever-they-want place.

[triaelf9]

Adventure Archive Tier on Patreon/Ko-fi!

My maps aren't as fancy, but there are nearly 500 character tokens & minis, monster minis, terrain maps, stuff to build a quick environment/battlemaps on the go, variations in the Adventure Archive Tiers! + a monthly token request!

And that's on top of weekly WIPs, kitty photos, monthly wallpaper, chibi and Soft 'n Sweet sketch ^_^ And it makes my doodles and comics possible!! All for just $5 a month (and a discount if you pledge for a year on patreon!)

http://patreon.com/TriaElf9

https://ko-fi.com/triaelf9

[iamanartichoke]

I don't know who needs to hear this, but as a creator -

I am fine with "the audience" -

downloading my fics

printing my fics

copy/pasting or screenshotting my fics

sharing your saved copy of my fics with anyone else who might want them in the unlikely but never impossible case that my fics are no longer available on ao3

making a book of my fic(s) and running your fingers across the pages while lovingly whispering my precioussss

doing these things with anything I create for fandom, such as meta, headcanons, au nonsense like 'texts from the brodinsons,' etc

I am not fine with "the audience"

doing any of the above with the purpose/intent of plagiarizing my work or passing it off as their own in any capacity

feeding my work into ai for any reason whatsoever

Save the fandom things. Preserve the fandom things. Respect the fandom things.

Enjoy the fandom things.

[shroomerr]

Finally, my design for Mysterion!! this boy gave me so much heartache in the process of making this but its ok its all worth it for him <3

I also couldn't choose between the version with hair or without hair, so here's the one without under the cut (+ my initial drafts for his design):

[mimiscappinisideblog]

Me throughout 2020-2021-2022-2023:

Me the moment AO3 has been down for more than ten hours:

[starrodent]

@jonmartinweek day 8: martin’s poetry

nosey little shit. also that tiny succulent in the background is my pride and joy and i’m annoyed at myself that i only showed it in one panel

[norriszn]

max's twitch stream: qatar sprint quali - nov '24

quick context: max sometimes plays background videos for chat to watch with him while he eats. during this particular stream max mentioned that he hadn't eaten for hours (just a tiny lunch) after doing a big run but dw cuz pietra saved him with some food which you can see in his camera view.

max: hello? ricky? *lando guessing if oscar is telling the truth or a lie - 1st box of lies* *chat making sure max knows his camera is blocking lando* max: 'you're in front of bob' for fuck sake. alright. i'll move. *oscar guessing if lando is telling the truth or a lie - 2nd box of lies* max: what the fuck is that? they're pickled onions or something? *oscar still guessing if lando is telling the truth or a lie - 2nd box of lies* max: i don't think he (lando) knows they're pickled onions. *production guy handing oscar the 3rd box of lies* max: chat, this is so fucking good, man. i'm not even watching the video, really, fuck. (😭😭) *lando guessing if oscar is telling the truth or a lie - 3rd box of lies* max: i don't know what- do they have to guess if they're lying or not? what? *oscar guessing if lando is telling the truth or a lie - 4th box of lies* max: peppa pig's (lunchbox). (the nooticer) *chat kinda roasting max for the way he’s eating* max: 'max really was starving' i know… *landoscar landoscaring* max: i don't get it. is he even lying? *oscar still guessing if lando is telling the truth or a lie - 4th box of lies* max: *pointing at the screen* mmm, (it's) actually peppa pig's (lunchbox). (the nooticer😭😭 ) *oscar confirming that, yes, it's actually his mom in the locket necklace - 4th box of lies* max: what? *box of lies 5 minutes video ending* max: is that it? IS THAT IT?!

[spacetimeaccordionfolder]

hey do you guys ever think about how Elhokar stopped seeing cryptics after Kaladin became the captain of his guard. He'd been seeing them out of the corner of his eye, in the mirror, everywhere, much like Shallan did before/ in the early stages of bonding Pattern. And then they stopped. Kaladin becomes the captain of the guard, Renarin bonds Glys, who is hiding, Dalinar talks with the Stormfather, Shallan has Pattern hidden in embroidery of her dress in literally every conversation with other people, and the cryptics stop appearing to Elhokar. Did the cryptics see an Honorspren and panic and stop? Did Dalinar curb-stomping Elhokar make them leave; truth and lies and Elhokar trying to be a king as now defined by someone else but now a different person? Trying to live the same lie in a different way? How often did he say that Truth that would have been the first Truth but no spren heard? Did he start to think about the shapes of those shadows that had haunted him when he saw Pattern? When did he start seeing those shapes again? Did he feel like he was able to say the immortal words? Do you think he tried to say them at some point? Do you think he decided to let himself be at that last moment before the spear and the pain and the blood on the marble?