#his stupid thing where everyone is against him + being vulnerable like that ends up in just: chomp

[3point14a]

kissing picrew because I like it a lot U_U

[taro-bae]

Twisted Wonderland - Third Years

Summary: reacting to you falling asleep in their room

Characters: Third Years

CW/Notes: gn!reader, fluff, Slight Book 7 Spoilers! (Malleus's part), mostly written as platonic but its up to the reader

Trey Clover

Trey makes it to his dorm room after a hustling day of classes and vice-warden duties. He's ready to just sit down and relax his muscles for the afternoon. As soon as he steps inside his room, he recognises a familiar figure lying in his spacious bed on his clover plush. Trey smirks a little amused by your choice of sleeping space. He makes sure the lights are off making his way towards you. He shifts your body to put the blanket covers over you.

Trey is like the older brother of Heartslabyul. He has younger siblings and knows how to take responsibility for others. Taking off his dorm Uniform hat and jacket, he settles at a respectful distance away from you, just resting his eyes with a hand behind his head. He watches you as you stir awake. "Sleep well, sleepyhead?" Trey says with a teasing smirk looking at your slightly dishevelled appearance.

Cater Diamond

After the unbirthday party, Cater returns, eyes locked on his phone as he edits and goes through all the photos he has taken during the day. He walks into the room, still looking down at his phone until he notices a silhouette hugging his smily plushie. Cater immediately goes to his camera, tip toeing towards the bed.

He takes multiple photos thinking just how cute you look with your cheek flushed and soft against the pillow. Cater hovers over you to snap different angles and profiles. "Aww, such a cutie~" Their cheeks look so soft, " He thinks in his head, trying not to wake you up. He reaches over to poke your cheek, snapping a picture at the same time. Minutes later, you are on Magicam for everyone to see, and Cater has no shame. There are plenty hashtags describing just how cute he thinks you like #sleepingbeauty #cutiepatootie #sweetcheeks

Leona Kingscholar

Leona is not pleased. Leona did sense you before even making it into his room by your scent. He scowls, seeing the person lying in his bed. "Stupid herbivore" His tail swishing behind him in annoyance. "Oi, wake up" Leona says bluntly, standing over you. When you refuse to get out and won't budge he lets out a frustrated sigh. "Move over. Now".

Leona slumps over on the bed, spreding his limbs out. He doesn't care at this point. He shifts over, pulling you into his body. "Since ya not gonna listen, you'll be my pillow," He says in a gruff voice. His tail is thumping against the mattress, but he likes how comfortable this is. He will never admit it, though. Leona has a sense of pride that you're not afraid to be near him, let alone dare fall asleep in his room. "Not a word or ya out. I need my nap". He's out within seconds.

Rook Hunt

Rook already knew you were in his room. Most likely, it was his works doing, a set up to get you into his room. Being a hunter, he knows exactly what's happening were and he keeps his diligent eyes on you. Rook returns to his room, where you sleep with an adoring look on his face. "Such a darling, Mon ange ♡" He's absolutely mesmerised by your beauty and peaceful, vulnerable state. He sees beauty in everything. To him, you're like a work of art in itself.

Rook watches over your sleeping face and body. The way your body rises with each breath to the small movement of your face. He takes in every detail. At some point, he takes out his phone to snap a few photos of you. He's so stealthy you'll never know he did. Just be warned you'll end up on his secret wall behind the wallpaper in his room. He's a questionable one.

Vil Schoenheit

The last thing Vil expects is to find someone in his room when he returns. Let alone finding someone in his bed, that's just unacceptable. He lets out a small cough before he speaks, "Wake up this instant." Vil makes his way across the room. "You mustn't sleep in such attire, and sevens forbid in my bed. One must always wear clean pyjamas and do a proper skin and hair routine prior. Which you clearly have not done."

Vil would scold you and point out your eyebags or tired look, warning about the consequences of overworking yourself. You have no choice but to follow through with his routine as he applies beauty products on your face and hair. If you complied well, he might just let you stay and rest up. "Very well...I'll permit you to stay. But don't make a habit out of this. " His voice is authorative, but without a bite to it. Vil actually secretly enjoys pampering you with some self-care and sharing his knowledge.

Idia Shroud

What was he doing out of his room in the first place? Who knows. When Idia comes back, it's an instant panic and internal turmoil. He nearly yelled but slapped his hands over his mouth. "What are they doing here! This can't be happening IRL! What do I do? They'll be mad if I wake them up!" He is slouched over, fiddling with his hoodie string, trying to decide what to do. His heart is pounding in his chest, the phrase "why me? Why my room?" Running through his head at a hundred miles per hour.

He can't help but stare at you, a small smile tugging at his blue lips. "No, stop! That's creepy. Cringe behaviour. They'll think you are a creep!" Idia snaps himself out of the trance but can't bring himself to wake you up. He huddles over near his desk, distracting himself with a game occasionally glancing at you sleeping with the ends of his hair pink.

Malleus Draconia

Malleus is surprised to find anyone in his room. He appears looming over the sleeping form eyes slightly widened as he observes your state. Malleus is rather glad that you're here, making his room seem less lonely. He is pleased that you are not afraid of him and comfortable enough to sleep not only in his room but remain asleep in his presence.

Malleus ensures the room suits your comfort, moving the blankets over you. "You're an interesting cause, child of man. A truly endearing sight." Malleus watches over you, ensuring you only have pleasing dreams and a deserved rest. After a short passing of time, He starts humming a melody. A lullaby.

"My eyes are watching over you still, let’s be together. With no fear, even if we wake from this dream"

His low voice echoes through the room, sensing you into a deeper sleep. That guaranteed would be the best sleep of your life.

Lilia Vanrouge

His room is a mess stuffed with artefacts and the most random things. Lilia finds you tired and fast asleep in his room. He sees this as a perfect opportunity to give you a little scare. Hanging off the ceiling, he yells out a "boo!" Causing you to wake up. "Khee hee," he plays it off by acting cute. "Fu-fu~ look at you all worn out, little one." Lilia doesn't miss a chance to tease you.

His red eyes sparkle with mischief. "Oh, I'm just messing around. Go back to sleep, I'll watch over you~" Says the man who just woke you up for giggles. Once you're off to sleep again, Lilias caring side steps in. He ensures you are safe and well rested, letting you sleep in his room, even on him, as he pats your head affectionately. Lilia is very parental and will guard your sleep from any nightmares.

[marsdql]

hard feelings, soft reassurance [N.RK]

Dancer!Ni-ki x ballerina/dancer!reader | snyopsis: After struggling with your turns as a ballerina and feeling frustrated, you break down, but your boyfriend Ni-ki steps in to remind you to stop stressing and just enjoy your time. With his help, you finds your rhythm again and realizes it's okay to not be perfect all the time. | genre: PUREEEE FLUFF | wc: 1.4k | cw: self doubt and mild crying? | marea talks: I feel like I keep doing the same thing… so many drabbles where reader is js sobbing .. in my defence it’s because I’m so emo these days I hate my semester so much I will never get over this. I also feel like I didn’t specify enough ABT the fact the reader is a ballerina so if u guys want me to remake it, I will..

You stood in the center of your small home dance studio, eyes fixed on the wall mirror in front of you. Your body was warm from the constant spinning, but it wasn’t the physical exhaustion that was weighing on you. It was your turns.

You had been struggling with them for days now, no matter how many times you tried, your body couldn’t seem to find the right balance. Every pirouette you attempted ended with you wobbling, and your fouetté turns were messy at best. It was as if your muscles had forgotten everything you’d worked so hard to perfect, and the frustration was building with each failed attempt. You didn’t even know why it was bothering you so much—after all, you’d done these movements a thousand times before. So why couldn’t you do them now?

The sound of your ballet slippers tapping on the floor echoed through the room as you spun again, trying to push through the mental block, but it was no use. With a frustrated huff, you stopped and gripped the barre, your breathing heavy as the tears you had been holding back began to spill over.

You hadn’t meant to cry, but the feeling of defeat swelled inside you. You wiped your eyes quickly, trying to stop the tears before they ruined your makeup. But it was no use. The more you tried to push them away, the more they came, until you were sobbing openly, leaning against the barre, unable to stop the wave of frustration and emotion from crashing over you.

“Hey, what’s going on?”

You heard Ni-ki’s voice from the doorway of your studio, and it startled you. You didn’t even realize he had come in, and you quickly wiped your face with the sleeve of your warm-up jacket, hoping he hadn’t seen.

Ni-ki, your boyfriend and a dancer himself, stepped into the room cautiously. He had been watching you practice from the doorway for a while, but when he noticed your struggle, he figured he should step in. He always hated seeing you upset, especially when it came to something as important to you as dance.

“What happened?” he asked gently, his voice soft but concerned as he walked over to you.

You sniffed, trying to compose yourself, but the frustration was overwhelming. “I can’t do it,” you mumbled, your voice cracking. “I’ve been trying to get these turns right for the past hour, and they’re just… not happening. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, Ni-ki.”

He placed a hand on your shoulder, his touch warm and comforting, but you immediately pulled away, unwilling to let him see how vulnerable you were in that moment. You hated crying in front of him—hated showing him that you weren’t perfect.

“Hey,” Ni-ki said softly, stepping in front of you. “You’re not weak for being frustrated. Every dancer goes through this, you know.”

You shook your head and stepped back again. “I’m not like you. You make everything look so effortless, but for me… I can’t even get something as basic as turns right. I’m so stupid.”

Ni-ki blinked, hurt by your words, and he placed his hands gently on your arms, guiding you back toward the center of the room. “Don’t say that,” he said firmly, his voice taking on a softer, but more serious tone. “You’re not stupid. You’re an incredible dancer. Everyone has bad days, even the best. You’re not defined by a few bad turns.”

You bit your lip, trying to fight back more tears, but your emotions were running high, and it was hard to keep it together. “I’m just not good enough,” you whispered, more to yourself than to him.

Ni-ki’s expression softened. He knew you were having a tough time, and he wasn’t going to let you continue down this spiral of self-doubt. “You are more than good enough. You’re a great dancer. But sometimes… sometimes we need a break. Sometimes the body just needs time to rest and reset.”

You swallowed hard, trying to stop the wave of tears from coming back. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” you repeated, your voice shaking. “I used to be able to do this.”

Ni-ki stepped closer to you, gently wiping away a stray tear from your cheek. His expression was gentle, his usual playful demeanor replaced with something far more tender. “You’ve been working so hard. You’re pushing yourself so much, and that’s amazing. But you can’t keep pushing through like this when you’re breaking down. Dance isn’t just about the turns, it’s about how you feel. And right now, you’re not feeling good about yourself, and that’s okay. But let me help.”

You sniffed again, looking up at him with a mixture of vulnerability and frustration. “How? I don’t even know how to make it better.”

Ni-ki smiled softly and stepped behind you, gently guiding you back to the barre. “Let’s take a moment, okay? Just breathe. Don’t think about the turns for a second. Let’s just dance for the love of it, not for the perfect technique or the expectations. You can do this.”

You looked at him skeptically, but there was something comforting in his voice, and despite yourself, you allowed him to guide you through a few basic stretches. As he held your hand and you both moved through the motions, you started to calm down a little. It wasn’t the frantic, perfection-driven practice you had been doing before—it was slow, gentle, and unhurried.

Ni-ki glanced at you, his usual cheeky grin creeping back onto his face. “Now, how about a simple exercise? We’ll focus on something easy, something that’ll make you feel good. No pressure.”

You hesitated for a moment, then nodded. It was hard, but you decided to trust him.

Ni-ki stepped to your side, putting a hand on your waist and the other on your back to help guide your posture. “Let’s just do a simple pirouette, but instead of worrying about getting it perfect, I want you to focus on the feeling, on the flow. Don’t think about the turn, just think about the movement and the music. You with me?”

You nodded again, feeling a little more at ease. You took a deep breath, and Ni-ki led you through the first pirouette, his gentle guidance helping you find your balance. And this time, something clicked. The movement was more fluid, less forced. You didn’t perfect it, but it felt right in a way that hadn’t happened all afternoon.

“See?” Ni-ki said, his voice light and encouraging. “You’ve got it. It’s not about forcing the turns. It’s about letting your body move naturally, and finding your rhythm.”

You let out a shaky laugh, a little embarrassed by how emotional you had gotten. “I guess I needed to stop thinking so hard about it.”

Ni-ki gave you a soft, understanding smile. “Exactly. You’re allowed to have moments like this. You’re allowed to feel frustrated, but don’t let that stop you from remembering how talented you are.”

Your heart fluttered slightly as you looked at him, grateful for his patience and kindness. “Thanks, Ni-ki,” you whispered.

“Anytime,” he replied, ruffling your hair playfully. “Now, how about a challenge? Let’s try those fouetté turns again, but this time, we’ll do it together. No pressure, just fun.”

You took a deep breath, feeling your confidence returning, and nodded. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

As you both danced through the routine together, the atmosphere in the studio felt lighter. Ni-ki had a way of making you feel like everything was going to be okay, even when you thought you couldn’t do it anymore. By the time you finally nailed a perfect pirouette, you were smiling through your tears, feeling like yourself again.

“See?” Ni-ki said, his voice teasing but full of warmth. “Told you you’d get it. You’re not just a dancer. You’re a fighter.”

You smiled back at him, finally starting to feel the joy of dance again instead of the pressure. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

Ni-ki’s grin widened as he pulled you into a quick hug. “Now, no more tears. You’ve got this.”

[angelickisscs]

we are or we aren’t ~ angst ‧₊˚

୨ ୧ ˚₊ ~ pairing ~ jude bellingham x reader

summary: Sometimes, you have to be true to yourself even if that means breaking two hearts in the process !

warnings: no happy ending, my sincerest apologies!!

YOUR HEAD WAS in your hands, that nagging feeling of embarrassment pulling on your heart as it inflicted life altering pain like it was nothing. The sound of it pounding against your ears, looking for anyway to escape had you close to explosion.

It was a form of embarrassment you had never felt. Sure, you had tripped and fell in front of masses of people or stuttered while speaking to your superiors but those only kept you awake, searching for a way to make it stop.

This situation had you clawing down metal walls, screaming at the top of your lungs to be heard by no one.

The anger was what stood out the most, however. It was indescribable how this man had been making you feel for months. It engulfed you, flowing through your blue-tinted veins as if it were your own blood.

He had you running in circles around him, clasping at any form of attention he gave you that wasn’t to do with the main reason he associated with you. Sure, it had you embarrassed. But after it lingered in your mind for a simple day more than it should have, it turned into relentless rage. Being taken out on everyone but him because you could not tolerate the thought of hurting his feelings.

You could not bare the thought of making him feel the same way he had been making you feel since the very second you met him.

“Look, I did not mean to upset you. If I’d know this is how you’d react, I wouldn’t have said it.” Jude said, digging the hole he had willingly stepped in far deeper than it ever needed to go.

“What else could it make me feel Jude?” You scoffed, looking up towards him with a slight grimace.

You had done that weird side-stepping thing with people where you would always end up going in the same direction. You had coughed in a completely silent room. You had taken your dog out for a walk where she had started barking at every living being like crazy.

All moments where you had used the expression worst day of my life. But now, it was no longer an expression. It was an emotion so deeply imprinted inside of you that you could feel it soaring in your bones.

“I’m sorry. So sorry.” The uncertainty in his voice threw knives at you and yet his eyes refused to watch as you bled out directly in front of him.

“What for?” You tried, your body standing up only to take a step back from him. The position you had taken on the sofa when walking in making you feel more vulnerable than ever.

Jude paused, reaching his hand up to scratch at the back of his neck. A nervous act that you had swiftly caught onto. “For saying all of that to them. I do not know what I was thinking.”

The silence was deafening, eating not only you alive. It tore you apart limb from limb, taking time between choosing what to go after next.

You knew exactly what he was thinking. A mutual friend had asked if the two of you were dating, something not even you knew the answer too. But Jude did, he was quick to deny the innocent allegation. Explaining that you were just friends and nothing more. And you could do nothing but stand there, eavesdropping on the conversation he was having from afar.

It made each muscle in your body seize, the pain that he had caused not only mental.

“I panicked, it was stupid, and I take accountability for that.” He made an attempt to fill the gap you had previously set between you both. All he needed was a weak hand raise from you to stop in his tracks and you gave him that.

There was not much you could think to say. His weak attempt at an apology like putting a plaster over a gun shot wound. Your heart tightened, feeling everything that he was saying, the shattered pieces of it tearing apart the rest of your body.

Words barrelled against your closed lips, jumbling themselves into sentences that did not even make sense to you. Your gaze drifted towards the hardwood floors that coated much of his house, having falling victim as you stared harshly at them in attempt to not let the tears fall.

Why did you even come here in the first place?

Why would you even get in a car with him? Sitting silently, letting the emotions brew in you like you were creating a mystical potion. That was until he had pointed your silence out, asking sincerely if you were okay.

“I can’t keep doing this.” You shook your head, some silly part of you disagreeing with your own feelings but it was far too late to go back. “We can’t.”

“Doing what?” The crack that split his words in half had you allowing the first tears to break free from the prison they had found themselves inside.

“Whatever this situation is! You said it. We are just friends, nothing more,” Each syllable duplicated the anguish you were feeling. “But then we get back home and then it’s the complete opposite.”

The air that surrounded the both of you was freezing, wrapping you in a not so comforting hug. It circled around the room like a lion encircling its prey.

Finally looking upwards, your eyes met with his brown ones, the pain that filled them so deeply confusing you. Minutes ago, it was the exact opposite. A barrier of some sorts keeping you from seeing what he was actually feeling and now it had finally lowered, you could not help but wish that it had happened sooner.

“I don’t-.” He had begun but you were not in the correct state of mind to listen to why he was not ready to be in a relationship for the thousandth time.

“It’s either we are, or we aren’t Jude. I am exhausted of being some little toy you can play around with, leave, and then come back when you need a fuck or some comfort.” Your voice was exasperated from all the weight it forced itself to carry, your throat begging for any form of liquids, the tears that were now rhythmically falling down your cheeks not doing enough to complete this request.

“You’re so much more than that to me, I promise.” Jude stated, taking steps towards you so he could place his hands upon your cheeks, wiping away each singular tear. His forehead fell downwards to meet yours, his eyes closing as he did so.

You paused, cherishing the feelings of his skin against yours for what was the last time. “So, we aren’t then?”

Keeping your eyes open, you awaited an answer. The answer you were bound to get from the very beginning.

“No! I just-.” His eyes stayed closed as he spoke but your face moving away from his grip had them opening once again, the panic beginning to set in.

Words failed to fall past his open lips, a sense of urgency fuelling his every movement. His hand moved out to grab yours and yet it could not. The ever-growing gap you were putting between the two of you only now hitting you.

“Please, I just need to figure some stuff out. I want you; I want to scream from the rooftops how much I enjoy being around you. How my mind is filled with thoughts about you every second of the day. I want to be with you.”

“But.” You finished for him making his shoulders slump in defeat. “Theres always a but with you and even if you want all of that, you have continuously failed to give it to me no matter how much I have asked you to.”

Jude’s head began to shake, refusing to process and accept everything you were finally saying. You were ready to let him go but he was not ready to let that happen.

“I will give it to you and so much more. I know I have failed you, just let me make it right.” His pleads fell upon death ears.

Your legs began to take control of your body, your head not in the right space to be able to make any qualified decisions in this second. They took you out of that monstrous room, guiding you seamlessly through the house using a route you had taken far too many times.

Jude was quick to follow you, calling your name but as your pace quickened, his body froze. He had never felt this type of pain before. So deeply and harshly like a million knives had punctured one particular section of his heart.

His eyes followed you as you opened his front door, the shock that overran his paralyzed body finally giving way to the adrenaline so he could chase after your retreating figure.

But it was far too late, just like everything else he had done with you. With nothing to do but watch, that is exactly what he did. From his doorstep on the cold and windy night, his eyes painfully trained on your car as you drove out of his life.

You had stupidly given your heart to the brown eyed thief and would spending the rest of your life in debt for that.

[runninriot]

no reason to hide

written for @steddie-week day 1 | prompt: secret relationship

rated: t | wc: 4.5k | tags: Max POV, Max & Eddie friendship, Max & Steve Friendship, Steve and Eddie are keeping secrets, coming out, post Vecna, everybody lives | complete fic on ao3

The first time she notices something strange is going on between Eddie and Steve, is when Max wakes up in the middle of the night from one of those ghastly dreams that have been haunting her since the whole Vecna fiasco went down.

She does what she always does when she can’t fall back asleep - goes to sit on the steps outside of her home to listen to the familiar sounds of the trailer park, looking at the sky, the stars and the moon, reminding herself that she’s back in the real world. That the Upside Down and all its monsters are a memory of the past.

It’s been almost a year and things have finally gone back to how they were. Well, mostly.

Sure, those nights where the monsters come crawling back into her subconscious are draining sometimes, but after everything that happened to her, nightmares, a walking stick, and glasses are a small price to pay. She could’ve paid a much higher one, could’ve lost it all. She’s fine. And at least the nightmares are a burden they all share.

Her friends have them too, those restless nights. And even if that doesn’t make it better, the fact that they are in this together makes it easier, at least.

Max knows she can always count on them – her now-again-boyfriend Lucas and the stupid but lovable dorks Dustin and Mike. Even El and Will, who went back to California, are always just one phone call away.

She has Steve, who – while Nancy and Robin went off to college – didn’t leave.

He’s still here, still taking care of them in his annoyingly loving way, even though they don’t need him to be their protector anymore, technically.

She’d never say it out loud, would rather eat her own tongue than to admit it, but to know that he’s part of her life is kind of... comforting. Because he’s graduated from babysitter to friend long ago, has proven time and again that he’s a good guy with a big heart. Max likes him a lot, can understand why Dustin was always so drawn to him.

And then, there’s Eddie.

Before being caught in a war against evil and nearly walking into the light at the end of the tunnel together, she never really cared much for him at all. (And no, she did not have a very stupid, very tiny crush on him when she learned about him playing guitar in this awesome band. Anyone who suggests otherwise can talk it out with her fist, okay?!)

She had often wondered how much truth was behind all the rumours, the Satanic Freak allegations. Because while he obviously liked to cause trouble every now and then, he always seemed... nice. A little boisterous, maybe, but never violent or evil.

And then she got to know him when they were trying to prove his innocence while being caught in their final battle against evil, and realised how much they had in common.

How Eddie, like her, wears a mask to protect his vulnerable pieces inside. Carrying the burden of a broken home and too much pent-up anger on his shoulders.

Max sees a version of herself in Eddie, and seeing how far he’s come – even if he himself doesn’t think he has – is encouraging, in a way.

She never told anyone, but out of everyone, Eddie might have played the biggest part in her recovery.

When she opened her eyes for the first time after being in a coma, the first blurry face she saw wasn’t Lucas or Steve or even her own mother.

No. It was Eddie.

Half his body in bandages, leaning heavy on his crutches holding him upright where he was standing beside her hospital bed, smiling down at her, which looked painful because of the stitches on his left cheek, but it was warm and friendly and honest.

And in that moment, when the memories came back and the world came crushing down, Max was glad it was him that watched her fall apart. Because with Eddie, she didn’t feel the need to pretend that she was fine. He let her cry and wince in pain without commenting on it, just took her hand – no words of pity, no promises of false hopes, just a tight squeeze of her hand in silent support.

Their friendship evolved from there, got even stronger when they were both fighting their way through physical therapy, from frustrating setbacks to miraculous accomplishments.

He’s annoying sometimes, like a brother, but he’s the kind of friend that you love to fight with because you know they’ll never hold a grudge; Eddie's friendship is unconditional and Max cherishes that more than she'd ever tell him.

Eddie, like her, finds it hard to sleep sometimes. So, more times than not, when she goes to sit on the steps in the middle of the night, she finds him outside his own trailer – smoking in silence or listening to music with his headphones on.

They don’t usually talk, just share a few moments together in peace until their minds have calmed enough for them to get ready to conquer another day.

This is why Max doesn’t startle when she hears the familiar squeak of the Munson’s trailer door. Only when a car door gets slammed close, does she look up.

Weirdly enough, it isn’t Eddie who’s going for a ride. It isn’t his van that slowly turns and rolls out of the driveway.

It’s Steve’s car; there’s no doubt about it. She knows that car better than Steve likes to be reminded of.

    What the hell is he doing at Eddie’s place at 2 in the morning?, Max wonders, worries that maybe something is wrong.

But moments later, the trailer door opens again and Eddie steps out, dressed in his pajama pants, lighting a cigarette like he always does. He seems calm, happy. Not at all like something bad has happened.

Until he notices her and his eyes widen in shock, mouth hanging open with the cigarette stuck to his bottom lip.

   “Max! How- how long have you been out here?”

She doesn’t exactly know why she doesn’t tell the truth but something about the way Eddie looks at her tells Max, he might not want her to know about his nightly visitor.

   “Just came out like, maybe a second before you did,” she lies, watching his shoulders drop as the tension in his body eases.

   “Oh, uh, okay. Nightmare?”

   “Yeah.”

   “You wanna talk?”

   “Nah, just needed some fresh air. You?”

   “I- I’m good. Just, uh, just couldn’t sleep.”

They sit there for a while, both awkwardly looking anywhere but at each other, before Max can’t take it anymore, says her goodnight and goes back inside.

There is probably a good explanation for it all. Maybe Steve couldn’t sleep, too. Maybe he went to Eddie for some weed? (Don’t act so surprised. She might just be a teen but she’s not stupid, okay?)

Whatever it is, Max will never know because going by the way Eddie reacted when he saw her, she’s sure he doesn’t want to be questioned about it.

It’s fine. It’s none of her business anyway.

And Max forgets about it entirely until something strange happens again a few weeks later...

keep reading

[l0sercat]

Yandere Alphabet w/ Hermes

Affection — how do they show their love and affection?

He'll bake you little goodies and cook you meals. Sometimes they might be drugged with things to call you down but sometimes they're not. He'll also play some songs for you on his violin.

Blood — how messy are they willing to get when it comes to their darling?

He is willing to get messy but doesn't prefer it. He doesn't like making messes or getting dirty but if he has to he will.

Cruelty — how would they treat their darling once abducted?

Depends on how darling acts. If darling is rude then he is rude if darling is chill then he is nice and gentle. But even then he can be a little sadistic. He just likes to see you cry from time to time and have you beg but nothing much.

Darling — aside from abduction, would they do anything against their darling’s will?

Depends. If darling is being terrible he might need to teach them a lesson and depending on what they did will depend on what he does. He might touch and grope you even if you try to shrug him off. He would never go as far as showing you off on display though. No one but him will get to touch you and see your beauty; not even his family. Ares is to stupid and rough to be able to admire your beauty, Zeus...(well need I say more?), Apollo has so many women and men already he doesn't need another one especially if he is just gonna treat you like a whore.

Exposed — how vulnerable are they when it comes to their darling?

He isn't exposed much. He just doesn't open up not because he doesn't love you he does. But he just doesn't because there truly isn't a need for him to do so.

Fight — how would they feel if their darling fought back?

He would be amused at first then, it would be irritating. He thought it was cute you thought you could escape. Then you kept trying and it's like you don't even see him as a god an just a weak human.

Game — is this a game to them? How much would they enjoy watching their darling try to escape?

He doesn't view it as a game but finds it pretty amusing. Watching you try and escape from him, a god. He chuckles and let's you get your hopes up and run to find a god to help you. But no god in there right mind is gonna mess with his Darling (Well Buddha will but you didn't reach him in time). He'll then quickly scoop you back into his arms and talk to you in a condescending manner. Why would you think you'd be able to escape?

Hell — what would be their darling’s worst experience with them?

When you tried to run to his brothers or father for help. It pissed him off. You could practically feel his aura coming off him. He kept the same smile but you could tell he was planning something. He slammed you against the wall and pinned you by your neck. Why did you go to his brothers? Did you want them more than him? Did you honestly think they were gonna help you? What was the point? Was it just to make me mad? Your in for a whole world of hurt :/

Ideals — what kind of future do they have in mind for their darling?

One where your basically his lap dog. You obey all his commands and don't put up a fight. You basically fall into Stockholm syndrome and view him as you should've in he first place. A god.

Jealousy — do they get jealous? How do they handle it?

He hardly ever gets jealous but when he does it probably because of something to do with his brothers. You were talking with Ares and although Ares is not competition it pisses him off to no end to see you talking to him. Then Zeus pulls you in and clearly flirting and suggesting things to you. He would simply say something that could be read as aggressive and scoop you up in his arms and take you away.

Kisses — how do they act around or with their darling?

He's the same person he is with everyone else. But he is more loving and gentle with you but also a little sadistic. He'll whisper sweet things in your ear while he is treating your body harshly. He is also an obsessive and manipulative yandere so...

Love letters — how would they go about approaching their darling?

He would try to court you by taking you on dates. He's cooking for you and getting you jewelry if you like that stuff. If that doesn't work then he's kidnapping you lmao.

Mask — are their true colors drastically different from the way they act around everyone else?

Not really but like I said he'll be more loving (and sadistic). You can totally see his yandere behaviors.

Naughty — how would they punish their darling?

By bending you over his lap and spanking you. It is probably psychical but he can and will punish you with non physically.

Oppression — how many rights would they take away from their darling?

Some you keep more than most darlings. He won't rape or SA you. He's better than that and he won't make you walk around with no clothes in his house. You also have free reign of the house and can use whatever you want in the house. Wether that be internet or even knives. You can't call anyone and you need a divine weapon to even hurt him.

Patience — how patient are they with their darling?

He is pretty patient it is gonna take a lot for him to snap. But when he does...you better stay begging and praying.

Quite — if their darling dies, leaves, or successfully escapes, would they ever be able to move on?

If darling dies he would be shocked and sad for a bit. He would grieve and move on but he probably won't get another. Its a surprise he felt that way in the first place. If darling escapes he will just find them which want take less than a day.

Regret — would they ever feel guilty about abducting their darling?

No 💀

Stigma — what brought about this side of them (childhood, curiosity, etc)?

Probably more curiosity and wanting to feed this strong emotion he's getting. He can be greedy I mean he's a god after all.

Tears — how do they feel about seeing their darling scream, cry, and/or isolate themselves?

He doesn't always enjoy but he doesn't care much. It will get annoying after a while but if he can't handle it he will gag you.

Unique — would they do anything different from the classic yandere?

Yeah he would probably let you out without supervision. I mean where would you go? He would let you out and you think you would have a chance but then you almost fall to your death and your reminded where you are. He knows you can't get anywhere or hide so he lets you roam and when you think your being slick he ends up by your side in an instant just smirking with a condescending look on his face.

Vice — what weakness can their darling exploit in order to escape?

There isn't anything you could exploit he knows how to keep a cool head. He does everything with purpose and he plans for everything. You ain't escaping him 😂

Wit’s end — would they ever hurt their darling?

He would but would only before his pleasure. If you misbehave he is putting you in his lap and spanking you. Wether or not you enjoy it he is hurting you. He enjoys seeing you beg and helpless for him. It reminds you of your place and how you need to watch your mouth.

Xoanon — how much would they revere or worship their darling?

He isn't worshipping you but he doesn't really expect you to worship him. He honestly doesn't care if you. Does he get some sort of feeling in his chest when you do of course because he is a god. But he isn't like those stuck up gods who need to be showered in mortal's praise.

Yearn — how long do they pine after their darling before they snap?

2 months. He would need to accept his feelings then he would try to court you normally. If that doesn't work he is then preparing his bike for you and after that kidnaping you so honestly could be shorter than 2months.

Zenith — would they ever break their darling?

He would and he would not feel bad about it. He probably wanted to break you in the first place. Strong willed and not giving in easily? Well now your broken lol.

[insufferableprotagonistpoll]

Round 1

Propaganda why Dean Winchester is insufferable:

"This man is racist against anyone other than humans and abused the people he was supposed to love the most. He literally abandons Castiel at his most vulnerable and never lets Sam leave the whole hunting monsters thing. Worst part is that the fandom will get behind him and defend him because what, he’s pretty? Pretty much a terrible person, more like. I sympathize with his backstory but Dean has ZERO character development during the course of 15 whole seasons. When he DOES have development it involves abusing someone. Sam tries to be a normal person and always gets punished for it. The only hint we have that Dean might’ve been trying to change is a piece of paper in the final episode AFTER HE DIES. then guess what? Sam lives out his whole life and has a family 😭 that’s very, very telling."

"misogynistic scumbag. theres also a few different times that dean finds teenagers sexy with the most recent and prominent example that i can recall being the scooby doo crossover episode in season 13 where hes super into daphne who in the version they chose for the episode is 15-16 and is interacting with her as if shes a real person cause they got magicked into the episode. he treats everyone around him like shit and the only time the narrative agrees that thats a bad thing is when he has the mark of cain put on him and hes acting no differently than he does usually its just now acknowledged that hes treating others like shit. ive been rewatching the show for shits and giggles with a friend and wow he really does not treat anyone well but i wanna focus on how he treats sam for a second cause dude's hobby seems to be ignoring what his brother wants and lying to sam about doing stuff that directly concerns him the demon blood and souless things are reasonable cause those were both Bad for sam but theyre still part of a wider pattern and the most prominent example of this being when dean tricks sam into letting gadreel possess him and actually gaslights sam about it with the whole ordeal ending when its revealed gadreel lied about who he was and while possessing sam murders a friend of theirs. his voice is just also stupid as fuck im sorry this is just petty but he just sounds like hes trying so hard to be gruff n intimidating but he just sounds like a kid pretending to be batman"

"Dean’s list of sins is crazy long because of how long the show ran, but the key thing for me is that post-locking Sam in the bunker (season 4 I think?), I just can’t enjoy their relationship anymore. I normally love their sibling dynamic, but Dean’s ultimate worst past-the-point-of-no-return moment for me was demonizing (pun intended) his little brother for being “addicted” to demon blood, which only happened because of a series of events that were either Dean’s or someone else’s fault, not Sam’s. I also really dislike how the fandom treats Dean like this angel (pun intended) who has done no wrong and even tries to justify the MULTIPLE times he’s beaten up and otherwise abused his little brother. Canon Dean is like the polar opposite of fanon Dean: he’s homophobic and racist (jokes about a Black man being sexually assaulted in prison), misogynistic (take a shot every time he calls a woman a slur and you’ll die of alcohol poisoning), and abusive."

"Misogynistic asshole and too many of the things he does get treated as not actually bad or even good by both fans and the show when he violates peoples autonomy and is incredibly abusive to the people he loves the most. And it wouldn't be as annoying if people didn't justify so many of his behaviors or if he ever changed or even just was seen as a bad guy in the show more than he is."

">Was a misogynist (loved to call women skanks, bitches, hoes)

>Used gay as an insult multiple time during the show's run (idc if he's gay an homophobic, that's still insulting)

>Beat up his brother for being possessed

>Beat up his brother for losing his soul (not his brother's fault)

>Used dubious consent to get his brother possessed in a different unrelated possession incident after possession was being used (badly...this is supernatural after all) as a metaphor for SA

>Threatened to murder his brother when he was hallucinating (yay we aren't ableist)

>Locked a child up in a box

>Threatened to kill the child he locked up in a box

>Made a creepy, sexual comment about a barely-legal high school girl

>Got the woman and kid he was living with memory-wiped"

"Really mean to Cas (called him a child, zero respect for him, calls him family and casts him out when the angels are looking for him), and an absolute dick to Jack (threatening to kill him CONSTANTLY)"

Propaganda why Batman/Bruce Wayne is insufferable:

"Always has to be right. Does the most janked up stuff and doesn't care who it hurts. Imposes his will on others to the point of willing to bodily harm them if they do not comply (and yes, this does include his children)"

"I’ll also support Batman as a candidate because of the slapping Robin meme, which is annoying, and because he is just way too much. Too much all the time."

"Has to always be right, regardless of situation. Because somehow the billionaire has knowledge of how middle class people think."

"Obviously it's the writers who have screwed him over, but my gods the fact that he can do whatever he freaking wants and still be "the hero" bcs hes the main character is insufferable. He killed his son (slit his throat) in one canon, in the canon where said son survives, he’s beaten half to death by Bruce, who of course is "in the right" because B thought J had tried to murder someone. He can hit his kids, he can be a total asshat to people, and yet he's still framed as being in the right for doing so, simply becaude he's the protagonist. There's no character development, no "whoops maybe I shouldn't have hit dick/punched tim/beaten and exhiled jason" - and it's so damn infuriating. He used to be fun. He used to be a good dad.

Now he's just an insufferable prick."

"Oooh look at me, I'm brooding in my cave because my parents died and this gives me an excuse to be a bad father, he's SO ANNOYING"

"Always has to be right. Will literally alter the makeup of his kid's brain because said kid doesn't live the way he wants him to. Acts like his worldview is the only one that matters."

"he is always portrayed as good and right by the narrative even if objectively he's a pretty terrible person"

[reachexceedinggrasp]

Have you seen the recent Adam driver interview re: redeemed Ben solo never being part of the original plans? Apparently JJs idea as pitched to Adam was 'reverse Vader' who begins the trilogy all uncertain and vulnerable and becomes super evil by the third film 😂 considering the mess that was duel of the fates, I'm not surprised. Adam said he was still 'focused' on JJs original arc even though it changed over shooting. Which is baffling to me, because even in TFA you can't seriously believe this character could go stone cold uber sinister. It's terrible how so many good things in the sequel trilogy are there in spite of tptb, not because of them!

I haven't and honestly at this point I don't even want to hear anything else about what a complete fucking shitshow of stupidity and sociopathy this whole production was.

The idea that TFA isn't setting up a redemption is so absurd to me that I'm not even going to entertain it. I don't believe that even JJ is that incompetent, and his commentary plus TROS indicates that he did absolutely understand that Ben must be reclaimed despite his total disregard for the themes and message of SW. So whatever Adam was talking about, I don't know, and I'm not going to listen to this interview to try to figure it out because I'm tired. Maybe he's referring to the earliest ideas where Kylo Ren wasn't the same person as Han and Leia's child?

But in that case I just cannot imagine why they wanted to cast him in that role.

Leaving aside that the entire concept of a 'reverse Vader' is the stupidest shit I've ever heard, because that was a) literally the prequel trilogy, b) antithetical to SW as anything other than a prelude to a subsequent redemption, and c) SO FUCKING BORING. I know this isn't the first time Adam has mentioned this, but it only sounds more stupid the more clear he makes it that they mean 'the opposite of the ending of RotJ'. Which is just 'the ending of every fucking American action movie fucking ever'. Like putting a 'spin' on Vader by having him NOT REDEEM HIMSELF is just called 'being like everyone else' and 'taking away literally the most compelling thing about Vader'.

I need these boring, unimaginative HACKS to fuck off. Like, the idea that JJ's pitch for TFA was 'worse, more boring, less visually creative, less meaingful, more shallow remake of ANH but also we will ruin the heart and soul of the story and make it like all the libertarian slop it literally existed in order to stand against'.

LIKE JAIL FOR THIS MAN. JAIL!

I saw someone say that it's also come out that the reylo connection was Kasdan's idea, which I feel vindicated by bc I've been saying I bet it was forever. But again, JJ was on board for it and knew what he was doing with the imagery in TFA. He is not so incompetent that he didn't understand he was creating romantic subtext. And text.

But like, I'm just so done with these fucking people. That ANYONE at that company much less apparently EVERYONE?? thought it was remotely acceptable to use SW to tell the story of any character whatsoever who was humanised and sympathetic and relatable to children falling into darkness and becoming ''''''irredeemable'''''' MUCH LESS the LAST SKYWALKER, the HOPE AND HAPPY ENDING OF ROTJ, HAN AND LEIA'S LOVE, PADMÉ'S LOVE, the atonement and reconciliation of Darth Vader is just FUCKING BANANAPANTS to me.

George Lucas should fight these people in an alley.

[quigzahhutt]

this is the opposite of the book emoji askgame but i have been insane thinking about. 2027 le mans teammates sargebon. like jamie chadwick, logan and a third teammate who at last minute were injured so alex, out of a contract in f1, was called in and everyone cheers, except sargebon didn't end things on a good note (situationship who fizzled out after logan's dropped. AND THE THING IS logan is hurt that alex never reached out, he thought they had something real... VS alex who couldn't even begin to process how hurt he felt when logan was kicked that he just couldn't find the words.) there's a lot of forced proximity at conditioning and a switch up of their old dynamic where logan, now already 3 yrs in WEC, get to teach alex something instead... anyway. this is a roundabout way of getting alex vulnerable enough to want to be fucked. and they get back together after the podium ❤️

OBSESSED with the idea of 1) Alex being unable to speak to Logan as a result of his grief of him being fired and Logan mistakenly taking that as a sign that Alex doesn't want him anymore and 2) LOGAN BEING THE ONE WHO GETS TO TEACH ALEX. IM SOOOOOO INSANE HELLO

love the idea that like... the first time Alex bottoms is actually after their relationship fizzled out and then got reignited ... thats just like . ugh

like the idea that now Logan carries himself with a confidence that Alex hasn't seen him have for a very long time, and his hair is longer and his smile is brighter and he looks so, so new

and his eyes are sharp. oh so sharp, and they kind of pierce Alex's frame in a way that makes him feel like a bug on the heel of Logan's shoe, small and squashed and insignificant, stuck between the notches of his soles

and Logan gets him against the wall, and hes pushing his tongue against the backs of his teeth as his fingers fumble with Alex's fly, and Alex cracks a stupid joke about getting hasty or something equally as dumb. and it's dumb because they've been waiting for this forever. its so dumb because Alex should have given Logan this opportunity ages ago

but Logan looks up at him with a stern brow and a playful smile, and Alex knows from that alone that he is about to be eaten alive. and it is about damn time

[blathannabeaga]

Hi, if you’re still doing poly!20 squad x reader and are taking requests, can I ask you for head cannons for everyone’s favourite places to leave kisses (like forehead etc.) or favourite way to cuddle? Please and thank you.

a look at my nav will tell you everything you need to know about my requests, but you’ve gotten exceeeeeedingly lucky and tapped into my poly!20-squad obsession at just the right time. if you’re so inclined to request for them again, try and stick to prompts from lists i’ve rb’d, but for now enjoy some sweet squad fluff <3

｡𖦹°‧⭑.ᐟ hondo; knuckles and palms.

hondo’s love for you and your partners runs so very deep, but given his role on the team he doesn’t get to express it nearly as often as he’d like. where zoe and alfaro might get away with a hug in the lockerroom that lingers a little longer than normal or no-one really thinking twice when gamble seems quite eager to help you with your form in the gym, he remains the head of the team and nothing but for most every single second of the time you spend on the clock.

that leaves a lot of his affection to be confined to your downtime, as well as rare moments when he finds himself truly alone with any of you. pulling deacon’s hand into his in the privacy of the charger before bringing it to his lips as they go check out a site, or kissing your cupped palm as you steal him away into a quiet storeroom to gauge his feelings on a bad day sometimes have to suffice for him to show his love until a better chance comes along.

｡𖦹°‧⭑.ᐟ deacon; forehead and hairline (sorry hondo).

deacon’s enormously protective over all of you, given both his position on the team and just his stature in daily life too. he’s the eldest of you all - something which he’s rarely let forget - and has debatably the most lived experiences, so he often finds himself acting as a sort of grounding presence for all of you (some, albeit more than others).

this easily translates into how he shows affection - a warm hand pressed into the curve of your spine and a lingering kiss left between your brows as he coaxes you down from an anxious high, or a gentle spate of kisses dotted along tan’s hairline as they lay on the couch after a tiring day. being someone you can rely on for strength is an indescribable source of pride for deacon, so he’s never going to pass up a chance to be there for you in a quieter way.

｡𖦹°‧⭑.ᐟ tan; temple/side of the head.

tan can be known to struggle with his words sometimes. he’s always preferred actions over dialogue to convey his feelings for you all - taking care of chores at home for deacon so he has a couple less things to worry about, always being at the finish line of zoe’s marathons (even if he has to swap a stupid amount of shifts to make it happen).

as such, when he’s in the midst of a conversation where he or one of you are being especially open or vulnerable about something - or even just a casual, everyday exchange - tan can find it hard to find the words to best articulate what it is he’s trying to get across to you. and he fears nothing more than leaving you feeling not heard or misunderstood, so he’ll only rarely end a talk without a kiss pressed against your scrunched-up temple or nestled into your hair, as a silent way to get across the words he has trouble finding.

｡𖦹°‧⭑.ᐟ zoe; lips.

as much as she’s matured and grown over her time at swat, at her core zoe is still impatient. impatient to be with you, impatient to be close to you, to show affection, to feel that closeness she’s forever chasing with ye - so she wastes no time on things as silly as chasteness or teasing (not in this context, anyways).

she does love a forehead kiss when she’s done something right or trailing her lips across a stomach to feel someone squirm when she’s laid atop them in bed, but when she has her way she’s going after what she wants. hands on your waist, curled around gamble’s biceps in that way she loves, fingers threading gently through alfaro’s shave to feel him arch closer, hard or soft or sweet or needy - she’s there, and she’s savouring every single but of it.

｡𖦹°‧⭑.ᐟ alfaro; stomach and hips.

for all his bravado and pomp, miguel melts around you and the team. every bit of innocuous praise, quiet support, knowing joking makes him flush with the warmth of being known and cared for - but also makes him regret every stupid remark and brash act he’s put on in front of you. he tries to move past them in little ways that put the side of him you all seem to think so deserving of love on display more - laying between your legs in bed and nuzzling kisses into your stomach, or resting back against the sofa on the ground with his head resting in deacon’s lap and idly pressing meek kisses against strong thighs.

｡𖦹°‧⭑.ᐟ gamble; between shoulder blades, and back of the neck.

for all the love she feels for you, devin still chokes a little when trying to show it. the fear of vulnerability combined with the terror of depriving herself of it is overwhelming, so overwhelming, that it can feel like she’s about to be swallowed whole by it - so to cope, she shows it in times when she can keep her walls comfortably high but still making sure that you know she cares.

it’s things like offering to help zoe fix her vest before heading out on a raid and slyly pressing a kiss to the back of her neck as she adjusts the straps, or resting her cheek against the warm valley of your shoulderblades to kiss the soft skin as you’re starting your day. little moments imbued with care to sustain you while she works towards being able to show you love in grander ways.

[eggsyfired]

Career headcanons

By that I mean how careers came to be, their culture surrounding the Hunger Games, and how reapings work. The career districts are my favorite part of the Hunger Games world, so I got a lot of ideas abt it lol. So in preparation of me posting my career pack ocs, here’s a bit of context to the shit they grew up in.

History The idea of careers came from a kid from District 2 named Theseus (I’m not a Greek mythology expert, I just heard about the minotaur and Theseus myth in ancient history class and was like “mmm yess that reminds me of a Hunger Games OC”). He was the son of a former rebel and secretly trained him just in case he was ever reaped. When the President announced the 1st Quarter Quell and its rules, he campaigned to be a tribute to save those who would otherwise not stand a chance in the arena. He won the vote and ended up winning the Hunger Games.

Inspired by his own upbringing, he began doing the same with kids from his districts. Ofc he wasn’t stupid enough to do it behind his back because he knew the Capitol would kill him and everyone involved, so he sought permission. The government was like “ya okay but only if those kids become peacekeepers after they’re past reaping-age because we desperately need peacekeepers :(” He agreed and created the first career academy with funding from the Capitol. Ik Career Academies are a little controversial and aren’t canon in the books, but shut up let me worldbuild in peace. Career academies were spread to Districts 1 and 4 due to their own victors setting up their own schools.

Theseus spread his altruistic philosophy to his students, urging kids who were strong enough to volunteer for the games to protect the weak and poor. It became a really popular sentiment, especially with the victory of Alexandria, a district 2 victor of the 29th games, who worked with Theseus and volunteered to protect a disabled girl from being reaped.

However, Theseus’s beliefs became absolutely corrupted and bastardized throughout the years. The Capitol was enjoying the good influx of peacekeepers in their force, and the Capitol audience was really enjoying the entertainment brought on by overzealous or honorable wannabe heroes that came out of the academies. The whole thing would also cause division among the districts. Non-career districts felt like career districts were cheating, and career tributes from different districts were very competitive against each other. To encourage more peacekeepers and interesting tributes coming in, they began putting out propaganda that portrayed Theseus and Alexandria as these badass heroes kids should strive to become. It didn’t help that Alexandria would spread the same “volunteering is totally rad yall should totes do it too” thing. 

They would glorify the hunger games, desensitize kids from violence, and put a lot of importance on physical strength and being the best—which leads to unathletic and disabled people being looked down upon. This all shaped countless kids to be bullies at best and pretty psychopathic at worst. 

Theseus obviously didn’t like where any of this was going. He still held onto the values his rebel father instilled in him, so seeing the districts be so divided and kids gleefully murdering each other pissed him off. He tried to counter it by trying to spread a pasifistic message, but kindness and empathy were so dark days ago, so nobody really took him seriously. Deeply ashamed with how his ideas were bastardized by the Capitol, he committed suicide around the time before the 2nd QQ.

The Capitol wasn’t done shitting all over Theseus’s ideas, though. They used his legacy to further their own agendas, like spreading propaganda that he was pro-Capitol and all.

At some point, the Capitol felt like they gave the career districts way too much control over themselves. The Hunger Games were literally made to punish the districts through child murder (aka one of the most vulnerable people they got), but they just kept sending the best of the best to the games. So the Capitol banned the traditional way of volunteering in the career districts all together, replacing it with a more random system of reaping instead (which I’ll get into later). That way the districts weren’t in complete control but had enough to not cause an entire rebellion again.

My headcanon(s) for volunteering in career districts Volunteering works differently in career districts, as it doesn't disqualify everyone who doesn't volunteer from the Hunger Games. It only increases the volunteer's odds of getting reaped. Volunteers aren't allowed to take out tesserae, and those who do can only take out a limited amount. If someone wants to take more, they’d probably have to do more work or smth idk

So right after the Hunger Games, the Justice Building would open sign-ups for kids who wanted to volunteer. Only kids who would be 15-18 by the time of the next reaping are allowed to volunteer, and they’re required to bring documents proving their age, physical health, and approval from their legal guardian. A recommendation letter also gives a kid extra entries, and a sign-up is worth more entries the older a volunteer is.

After that, they’re able to get more entries via a sort of point system. Community service, high performance in training, winning tournaments, etc. gives kids a certain amount of points that they can exchange for more entries. Parents can buy more entries if they’re rich enough, but it costs a fortune, and and buying your way into the games is seen as dishonorable.

Career culture and how it differentiates between districts Generally, career culture values strength, success, and honor. These are core principles that careers live by and strive to embody… but to an extremely unhinged degree. First off, it's common for careers equate physical strength to overall worth. If you’re unathletic or disabled, you might as well be a pile of dead clams. Success in careers means getting reaped for the games, and the pinnacle of making it in life is winning it. Even if you die, you’ll be seen as a martyr. However, not everyone is automatically a hero for being in the games. Careers have a code of honor they have to follow unless you wanna be seen as a cheater. For example, betraying your allies is a huge taboo and will always get you hated. The only time it’s acceptable is when you and your allies mutually agree to break it off. There’s also a sense of honor and “patriotism” being a tribute/victor because their presence in the games is saving a more vulnerable kid to be killed in the games and making your district richer through the rewards the Capitol brings when they get a victor.

Because these values are so valued, anyone who doesn’t fit or wants to fit into them is looked down upon by careers. Like I said, even though their whole thing came from wanting to protect the vulnerable, career kids look down on unathletic, or worse, disabled people because they’re weak. People who have no interest in being careers or volunteering for the games are treated worse because they willingly avoid being careers while disabled people “have an excuse.” There is literally an insult for ppl who dont want to volunteer (conchie, as in conscientious objector. Yes that’s a WW1 reference. what are you gonna do about it). And it’s absolutely bonkers how cruel they can be to anyone who doesn’t fit into this mold. Like kids can be driven to suicide just because they don’t want to volunteer. So with the huge pressure to conform, vulnerable people end up getting hurt or roped into the games anyway to avoid getting ostracized by their peers.

The most messed up part about this whole thing is that the Capitol and people running the Academies purposely designed a culture like this. They know that putting so much importance on these values is harmful for kids, even those who are considered the perfect career. But do they care? NAH. Academies bring a lot of money, peacekeepers, and entertainment for the Capitol. And as long as they keep a good stream of all 3 of those, they’re not stopping any time soon.

An example of this happening are entry tokens. Kids are given tokens equating to the numbers of entries they have. This gives kids physical evidence of how many entries they have and, in a deeper sense, how dedicated they are to having good careers. They literally have like a panem-equivalent of Claire’s where you can put tokens on fashion accessories so you can serve cunt while showing off how much you’re dedicated for your district. As a result, more pressure is given to rack up as many tokens as you can get, sometimes just so you can prove how much of a good career you are.

Inspirations An inspiration for career culture is actually the whole enlistment craze at the start of WW1 and the disenchantment that follows them when they finally end up in the trenches. I was endlessly fascinated by it (no thanks to All Quiet on the Western Front) and used a bit of my knowledge on it in here.

Theseus was hugely inspired by Penelope Scott's song "American Healthcare" which is about a man who became a doctor for good intentions only to discover the shittiness of the Healthcare System in the US and feels a sense of guilt for working for it. If you haven't listened to the song, I beg of you, DROP EVERYTHING AND LISTEN TO IT RIGHT NOW IT'S REALLY FUCKING GOOD.

He was also inspired by the Black Mirror episode "15 million merits". I don't wanna spoil anything in case anyone reading hasn't seen it, but I took a lot of inspo from the message of corporations taking something meaningful and watering down/bastardizing it for profit and applied it to Theseus.

Alr yap sesh over I'm gonna do my homework byeeee

[late-to-the-magnus-archives]

All my fic brain has been hijacked

The Magnus Archives AU. - Jon/Martin friends since teeny-tiny days - Professional Photographer Jon, jetting around the world and getting The Best Rarest Pics - Professional baker Martin, who survives off his YouTube channel - Featuring Vast!Jon and Lonely!Martin - Shenanigans - Two idiots who needs their heads thocked together - Angst - More Shenanigans - Angst and eventual happy ending but we are gonna have to EARN it, folks

Anyway, here's a snippet. Enjoy!

Er. "Enjoy" being relative. This would be where Jon is marked by the Vast.

I am so mean to my babies...

-----------------------

Jon never knew it could be so cold.

It’s so cold that he can’t feel the metal impaling his side, keeping him trapped.

So cold he can’t feel his fingers, his toes, his back against the snow, though he hears it crunching beneath him.

So cold his eyes feel like thin sheets of ice form over them between every blink.

It seems unfair that anything this cold could still hurt.

And it does. A deep ache through his whole body, probably caused by his circulatory system’s desperate attempt to constrict everything and keep him alive.

Pointless. What a stupid biological response.

I told you, Martin, he’d said one day, when Martin’s latest muffins had burned his hand and Jon had tenderly wrapped it. Our bodies are stupid. They didn’t evolve right. What’s the point of hands being so vulnerable to fire, anyway? They should be more heat resistant than anything else we grow!

Weird, the things that come to you when you’re dying.

Jon tries to move again, but at last, his body has stopped obeying him. He cannot even seem to breathe deeply anymore.

The jagged metal that pierced him - penetrated, bursting out the other side like some weird, red birth  - is still there, a weird and uncomfortable pressure, but at least it no longer hurts the way it first did.

Jon is trapped, staring at endless sky, like a bug pinned on its back.

A groan from somewhere behind him is no comfort. He doesn’t know how the rest of the team is - besides dying or dead - but he was the only one, after the crash, that called hello.

And help.

And Please, I don’t want to die.

The sky did not care.

Though now, it seems to listen.

Blood loss, he thinks, because it has to be, because the sky is atmospheric gasses and radiation and gravity, not a thing that can curve down toward you like a hand in a big blue mitten.

It’s terrifying, this hallucination.

He keeps staring, still.

He’d stared at the sky when the plane’s first engine went out, when they were still over Xi’an, and there was time to turn back.

He’d stared at the sky when the second engine went, somewhere over Chengdu, and the pilot’s rapid, angry Mandarin failed to get a response on the radio.

He’d stared when the third engine went, and everyone panicked, and - trying not to drown in sound of the people he’d lived with and loved for three years crying shouting and praying and pleading - pushed his mind and his gaze and his self out toward that perfect, thin horizon, instead of anticipating his horrible, flaming, crushing death.

He does not remember when the fourth failed. He’d stopped listening.

And when he saw the white, jagged mountain coming at the plane so fast, too fast, like a fist, all he could do was curl in a ball and close his eyes.

This’ll cost National Rage at least 6k, he thinks in a daze, tallying up the cameras, the hard drives, the lights, the mics, the various equipment his team had carried safely through four continents and twenty-eight countries.

What a weird thing to think.

Jon does not want to die.

“Martin,” he whispers, and tastes blood as his lips crack.

He wishes…

They should have kissed. He’s a moron.

My fault, he thinks, but has no strength to laugh.

His eyes will no longer close. All he can see is blue.

Gravity feels reversed. Like he’s falling up, somehow, away from the world, spinning without moving at all.

Maybe the sky will swallow him.

Maybe he’d like it to.

It seems… a peaceful way to be eaten.

Jon stares at the sky, and stops fighting to breathe.

[snorkling-in-sodasea]

Moments of Stupidity 5

Well, I did a little looking at the calendar and planned it. I mean, when Moments of Stupidity, as far as the amount of Helluva Boss episodes go as of now, would end. The days throughout this month will be scattered. Some in a row, some with days apart, but it should still be done by Halloween. And the newest episode, since it should be out on Halloween, I'll do a post on that sometime early November. But onto the next episode where everyone's a fucking moron!

Harvest Moon Festival -

The first instance of stupidity is probably when Blitzo had the bright idea for a pep talk to Moxxie when Moxxie was gonna take on the hell hog. Seriously, unless Blitzo was intentionally a jerkass there, which is definitely a possibility with him, then you have to be spectacularly stupid to say all that Blitzo said and not expect someone's self-confidence to take a nose dive upon hearing it

There's also probably Millie when her parents treat her husband the way they do. It's not like they really hide how they feel about Moxxie. I doubt they're even trying to. So Millie should have noticed her mother rather roughly elbowing Moxxie or notice that her father being clearly enough mocking when Moxxie brought up entering the Pain Games himself. There's also Joe and Lin's faces at first seeing Moxxie that episode. Then Millie still says the 'they'll accept you eventually' crap. It's like, 'do you notice anything about how your husband is treated?'. Even if Millie is holding onto hope for all her family to get along with each other, there's a damn limit to how they can act towards each other

There's definitely Millie just charging in and attacking Striker when catching him hurting Moxxie. It's crazy that Striker could still move around with little to no problem after getting fucking stabbed, repeatedly, in his back but Millie would have increased chances of winning if she just kept her cool like in, funny enough, Exes and Oohs. Yeah, she was weirdly overpowered there and didn't even make a damn dent here but I still feel the coolheadedness made some difference

There's also Millie treating Moxxie like he's the dumb one for not using a gun and even forgetting all about it. Maybe Moxxie should have used his gun when he tried escaping but, given how fast and competent Striker was in his debut episode, there's a real chance that Striker could have smacked it away or even use it against Moxxie. Besides, Millie wasn't even there until she just happened to hear some noise and went to investigate. How does she get to judge how well her husband did before she showed up? All without even asking how it went, no less

Oh, and I forgot this one, but there's the fact that Millie got her leg caught in a wide open bear trap when she was thrown down into the cellar, basement, whatever. This particular stupid moment goes to Millie's family, cause they're the ones who just carelessly left freaking bear traps laying around! Maybe if we saw some hellish vermin or whatever that only a bear trap can catch them, that'd be some explanation but no! We just have an active, ready-to-trap bear trap that anyone can just carelessly brush their foot or their tail against it and make it go off on them. Even if everyone in the family was told about the traps and they knew to be careful, there's still the fact that Millie fell into the damn thing. That means everyone is still vulnerable to falling on it by accident. So why the fuck would anyone just get that freaking careless with leaving around bear traps like this?

There's Stolas's behavior throughout the episode but I'll mention that, along with his flirtation with Blitzo in Loo Loo Land, will come up later. Because really, this kind of stupidity spans over multiple episodes that adds extra layers of stupid. Might as well just mention it all in its most prominent episode. This also applies to Wally Wackford, even if it's not to the same extent as Stolas

Striker, for several instances. 1, having a holy rifle in his possession out in the open where just anyone could come across it, especially if Striker's really gonna get in trouble for having it. 2, not covering the damn gun whatsoever. It was strange that Moxxie thought a glow from under the door was what's strange but it's what got his damn attention. Besides, instance one is definitely a reason why the gun should have been covered up at least. 3, throwing Millie and Moxxie in the damn basement. Fuck seriously, even if you thought of just hightailing it out of there right after you finish your hit, there was a very real chance someone could have found them before then or the couple could have escaped themselves. Which they did. Because you apparently didn't even check Millie and Moxxie for any weapons they could use, let alone any gun that can blast a hole in the locked door. In fact, instance 4 is no checking for weapons on your captives. And going back to the likelihood of someone finding Millie and Moxxie in the basement, most likely any of Millie's family, then that's gonna be a bunch of pissed off demons after Striker's ass, including Blitz since the writers like saying that he cares about his employees. Then Striker will probably have to kill more than he has to just to live for his next paycheck so that's instance 5 now

If there's any stupid moment of Moxxie's, it's not shooting Striker when he had the fucking chance. Especially when he was at the damn door that could have whacked him should someone come in. Actually, Moxxie should have shoot him before the fight even started. Considering that the show establishes that he's the best sharpshooter, then Moxxie definitely should have been able to get Striker without getting his boss. (And seeing how Striker's character got butchered big time in his second and third appearances, then yeah. I'd prefer Striker in his debut appearance shot dead)

Joe and Lin for taking pride in being meatheads. Seriously, if they're treating Moxxie as not worthy of respect because he researched about war and strategies and is physically weak (at least in this episode), then they take pride in the fact they themselves have little to no intelligence in their heads and have only muscle to back themselves up in life. Probably good thing if they just plan to stay in Wrath their whole lives, since every native there is bound to have the same line of thinking. For whatever worth that thinking could possibly have to the average Wrath citizen

Oh, and Joe and Lin apparently decide to care more about how Millie lost a fight than whether or not she could have been killed by the farmhand the parents themselves have hired and even lecture their daughter like she's wrong for getting hurt. Seriously, they're only the second best parents because the other parents - whether it's ones of main characters or that the main characters are parents themselves - are even worse! (And who is the best parent in Helluva Boss, at least in my my opinion, you may ask? Blitzo. Because yeah, if there's anything Blitzo doesn't screw up in, it's being a father to his daughter and never stop loving her no matter what. As far as I remember, the only thing Blitzo doesn't do right concerning parenthood is disciplining Loona when she seriously needs to be disciplined)

I guess Stella, too, since she had the bright idea to just yell at Stolas that she's talking to an assassin that she's hired to kill him. She's probably just lucky that Stolas is so stupid as to not take it seriously and that Octavia was wearing earbuds (Because I'm hoping that Octavia wouldn't be so stupid to still think her parents still like each other after hearing that her freaking mother legit hired an assassin to kill her father. Horrible, selfish, and incompetent father he maybe, Octavia still loves Stolas and would be devastated at just hearing it. And yeah, I don't know if I said it before, but I agree with some well-put posts on how Stolas isn't anywhere near a good dad as a good chunk of the fanbase believes so I can't agree with 'good dad Stolas' anymore)

[thorntonkrell-blog-blog]

I’ve always said that I’ve never met a stupid person. As a teacher, this was one of my core beliefs. Everyone was capable of learning—no exceptions. Every student who walked into my classroom carried their own stories, struggles, and victories, whether they recognized it or not. My role wasn’t to fill an empty vessel but to activate, validate, invigorate and nurture the potential and knowledge already present. I believed in their ability to learn, even when the world outside my classroom often preferred to divide people into two simple camps: smart or stupid.

That’s how my buddy saw things. He was a successful businessman, shrewd and confident, with an undeniable knack for turning opportunities into profits. His achievements were built on calculated risks, sharp instincts, and a work ethic that left little room for doubt. And with success came the certainty that he could spot a fool from a mile away. He often spoke of people as if they fell neatly into two categories: smart or stupid. To him, it was that simple.

When someone fell short of his expectations, he would dismiss them with a sneer and a phrase that made me wince every time: “He’s as dumb as a bucket full of rocks.” He’d say it with a smirk, convinced he was cutting to the heart of the matter. To him, people who made poor choices were “stupid,” and that was the end of it. No nuance, no room for growth—just a label that slammed the door shut.

But there was more to it than that. Even though he wasn’t much of a reader, and his academic life had never been particularly oustanding, my pal had a peculiar defense mechanism. He could handle business deals with ease, but when it came to things he didn’t understand or people who struggled to keep up with him in conversation, he would often default to the word “stupid.” His dismissal of others was his shield against vulnerability. People who weren’t as quick on the uptake, people who didn’t have the same sharpness he prided himself on, were labeled “stupid.” The more academically challenged someone appeared, the quicker his judgement was: too slow, too ignorant to keep up.

I understood where he was coming from. In his world, being smart meant winning, and winning meant survival. If you weren’t on top of your game, you risked losing everything. But I couldn’t bring myself to see people in such stark terms. “Smart” and “stupid” are not fixed states. People make mistakes, people learn, and people grow. To label someone as beyond hope was, to me, a profound failure of imagination and empathy.

So one day, when he launched into another rant about someone’s “stupidity,” I decided to push back. “I’ve never met a stupid person,” I said, keeping my voice even. He turned to me, half-amused, half-incredulous, as if I’d just suggested the earth was flat.

“But I have met a few ignorant people,” I continued. “Ignorance can be fixed. It just means there’s something you don’t know yet.”

He laughed, but it was a hollow sound. To him, ignorance and stupidity were one and the same. But I couldn’t accept that. Ignorance is simply a gap in knowledge—a gap that can be filled with experience, education, and an open mind. Stupidity, by contrast, implies an unwillingness to learn, a refusal to grow. The distinction mattered to me, even if he couldn’t see it.

And then it occurred to me: when a person, even a successful person like my friend, overuses the word “stupid,” it’s not just a casual insult. It’s a clear reflection of their own ignorance. Because it reveals a childish failure to understand the complexity of people, situations, and the mistakes we all inevitably make. And like ignorance, that kind of narrow thinking can be fixed, too—if only they recognized it and the fact that they don't is the definition of ignorance itself.

In my classroom, that distinction shaped how I taught. Every year, as spring break approached, I’d stand before my students and give the same piece of advice: “Don’t do nuttin’ shtoopid.” The phrase always got a few laughs and eye-rolls, but they knew I meant it. “Sthoopid” wasn’t about intelligence—it was about those split-second decisions that could have lifelong consequences. Even the brightest students were capable of making foolish choices, and I wanted to remind them that they had the power to think, to choose better.

One student once asked me why I said it that way. “Sthoopid?”

“Because it sticks,” I said with a grin. “Maybe you’ll hear my voice in your head when you’re about to do something reckless.” He laughed, but I saw him nod, understanding that it was more than just a joke. Humor has a way of reaching people when lectures fall flat.

It made me think back to the playground arguments of childhood. “You’re stupid.” “No, you’re stupid.” A back-and-forth volley, as if winning the argument made one of us smarter, better. We didn’t want to be seen as “stupid”—it was the worst thing you could be, the opposite of everything we wanted to prove. But those childish taunts echoed in adult life. My friend, with all his success, was still playing that game, just with higher stakes.

I couldn’t shake the idea that his division of the world into “smart” and “stupid” was a form of self-protection, a way to guard against his own vulnerabilities. But it was also limiting—blinding him to the complexity and potential of those he dismissed. And it wasn’t just him. I saw it everywhere: people eager to categorize, to label, to simplify the messiness of human experience into two neat piles.

In my classroom, I tried to push back against that mindset. When I told my students, “Don’t do nuttin’ shtoopid,” I wasn’t judging their intelligence. I was reminding them that they had a choice. They weren’t buckets of rocks. They could learn, think, and grow. Ignorance was a temporary state; stupidity was a refusal to change. I believed in their capacity to be better, even when the world wanted to divide them into “smart” or “stupid.”

Maybe that’s why I still can’t bring myself to call anyone truly stupid. The door to growth is always open. It’s up to us whether we choose to walk through it.

Unfortunately for me, as I was walking while scribbling the notes that would lead to these thoughts, I walked right into the door between my office and my vestibule.

Whoops.

Let's take this conversation out of the classroom and into American society writ LARGE.

The concept of stupidity, when applied broadly, has profound effects not just on individuals, but also on entire communities and cultures. The labels of "stupid" and "smart" carry significant weight in shaping how people perceive each other, how they interact with the world, and how societal systems function. At its core, the idea of "stupidity" is a reflection of human judgment, often used to simplify complex traits or behaviors, but it can have far-reaching consequences when it seeps into collective thought.

The binary of "smart" versus "stupid" can deepen social divides. In communities, labeling people as "stupid" often becomes shorthand for dismissing them, and it can be a tool of exclusion. Think about how people who are less educated, less wealthy, or who don’t have access to certain resources or opportunities might be labeled as "stupid." This labeling doesn’t just harm individuals; it serves to solidify class and status divides. The implication is that intelligence is something intrinsic, unchangeable, and often linked to socioeconomic status and college degrees. Communities can become polarized when intelligence is reduced to this narrow view—those at the top dismissing those at the bottom as inherently "stupid," and those at the bottom internalizing that label as a source of shame or inferiority.

Some of us are secure enough in our certainty to have MASTERS degrees and some even more certain are Doctors (whaddya call the person who graduated last in their class in medical school...that's right we call him/her Doctor)

This kind of thinking prevents social mobility. If individuals within a community are continually told they are "stupid" or incapable of learning, (neither Bachelors nor Masters) it can suppress their potential and reduce their ability to see opportunities for growth. Entire cultures may operate under the mistaken assumption that some people are simply "born stupid," and thus unworthy of resources like quality education, healthcare, or leadership opportunities. This not only harms individuals but also reduces the overall potential of the culture as a whole, stifling creativity, innovation, and progress.

Culturally, the pervasive use of "stupid" creates an environment where open-mindedness is discouraged. If someone makes a mistake, they are swiftly labeled as "stupid," and the conversation is over. This approach closes the door to dialogue, learning, and personal growth. In my classroom, I learned to welcome mistakes and priase them as ultimate learning opportunities.

People are less likely to admit when they don’t know something, afraid of being perceived as "stupid," and so they stop asking questions or seeking out new information thus amassing their own formidable brand of certainty. In communities and cultures where this mindset prevails, the fear of being labeled "stupid" can lead to conformity, groupthink, and a resistance to change. New ideas are rejected because they threaten the established way of thinking, and individuals who challenge the status quo may in turn be dismissed as "stupid" or "naive."

This dynamic can have a profound impact on cultural evolution. When an elite society or community relies on rigid definitions of intelligence and dismisses the value of learning through mistakes or experiences, it becomes harder to adapt, innovate, or overcome challenges. The dismissal of "stupidity" breeds intellectual stagnation and can suppress creativity, curiosity, and the willingness to explore new perspectives—essential components of a thriving culture.

In educational settings, the concept of stupidity is especially damaging. It’s one thing for a teacher to label a student as "ignorant" (which can be corrected), but calling them "stupid" has a much more corrosive effect. It discourages effort, lowers self-esteem, and reinforces a fixed mindset that intelligence is something innate and unchangeable, rather than something that can be nurtured and developed. The belief in inherent stupidity may prompt students to disengage from the learning process, believing that no matter how hard they try, they will always be "stupid" in the eyes of their peers or teachers.

This cultural problem extends beyond the classroom. It permeates societal attitudes toward education. If people are constantly labeled as "stupid," they may feel less inclined to pursue education, knowing that their intellectual worth is devalued. In turn, this limits their potential contribution to society. When a culture embraces the notion that some people are simply incapable of learning, it wastes talent and prevents people from growing beyond their circumstances and produces a malignant form of elitism. This is particularly true for marginalized communities, where access to quality education is already limited. If those communities are already dismissed as "stupid" by the broader society, they may face greater barriers to educational achievement along with festering anger and desire for recrimination. Even the smallest worm having been tread upon will turn and every dog will have its day.

The concept of stupidity has a dangerous influence on politics and governance. When political leaders or media outlets label opposing views as "stupid," they dehumanize the people who hold those views. Instead of fostering meaningful debate and discussion, it encourages polarizing rhetoric that divides rather than unites. When ideas are dismissed as "stupid," there is no room for nuanced conversations about complex issues. People who hold different opinions become the "other"—out of touch, unworthy of consideration, and deserving of contempt. 20 Billion dollars was just spent attempting to increase the level of contempt in America.

This creates a toxic political climate in which reasoned discourse is replaced by simple-minded attacks. It’s easier to dismiss someone as "stupid" than to engage with their argument or try to understand their perspective. This dynamic undermines democratic processes by making it harder to find common ground or build coalitions across political lines. When "stupidity" becomes the go-to insult, it weakens the fabric of public discourse and inhibits progress. Interestingly, the use of the word "stupid" often says more about the speaker than the person being labeled. It can be a defense mechanism, a way of shielding oneself from vulnerability. Those who feel insecure about their own knowledge or abilities might quickly label others as "stupid" in order to protect their self-image. If they can cast others as ignorant or inferior, it makes them feel superior, even if that superiority is based on flimsy or flawed reasoning.

In cultures that prize individual achievement and competition—like capitalist societies—people are often measured by their success. Success becomes equated with intelligence, and failure with stupidity. This cultural pressure leads to a proliferation of the "stupid" label. When individuals encounter challenges or experience failure, they might internalize that label, believing that they are somehow unworthy of success or incapable of growth. On a community-wide scale, this culture of competitiveness can turn toxic, as people constantly measure their worth against others and dismiss those who don’t meet certain standards.

The concept of stupidity extends far beyond the individual and influences entire communities and cultures. When people are labeled as "stupid," it diminishes their value, fosters division, and suppresses the potential for growth. Whether in the classroom, in business, or in political discourse, this label simplifies complex human experiences and dismisses the possibility of change. By challenging the use of "stupid" as a catch-all term, we open the door to deeper understanding, empathy, and progress—both on an individual and societal level.

In recognizing that stupidity is often a failure of imagination, we can begin to shift the way we think about people and their potential. Ignorance, after all, can be overcome with education and experience. Stupidity, on the other hand, is a refusal to grow. By acknowledging the difference and rejecting the label of stupidity, we create a culture that is more open to learning, more accepting of mistakes, and ultimately, more capable of progress.

0 notes

[rawliverandgoronspice]

Exactly!!

Conflict in storytelling works best when it's argumentative in nature. And Ganondorf works great as "the other side of the argument" kind of guy.

I'm thinking of his appearances in Wind Waker and Twilight Princess; in WW, he is the one who sees a broken world and clings to the past, of what should have been, instead of being willing to imagine any kind of future for himself and the world, denying others the future he feels he was denied. In TP, his personal journey is that the entire world is about prey/predator logic where only the strongest and more deserving will survive (which is understandable given what he went through), but also that the only way to prevail is through brute and selfish self-preservation --the parallel to the relationship of Link and Midna, where they worked to respect one another and become equals, which happens through Zant, is an endless struggle of domination and backstabbing and lies because Ganondorf is incapable of being vulnerable or trusting anyone to see him as a man rather than a god-wannabe, and this is ultimately what ends up killing him.

(genuinely I feel like his character arc in TP is incredible even if hammered in a little bit --and maybe not developed enough-- the more time goes on and the more I'm impressed at the way the writers integrated his story to the game given he was a marketing addition if I understand well)

But in TotK, he is making so many half-hearted nods towards unrelated things that I never felt like me defeating him was me defeating a cruel and toxic philosophy that can only end in suffering (including his own). And even if we accept the very vague "technology make people weak, only strong muscly men should survive!!!" shtick he has going on during the final fight, we shouldn't have learned it right before killing him! And if that's the case, why are monsters mining zonite??? Why are the Yigas doing Team Rocket shenanigans in the Depths (bless their hearts)???

Okay, but maybe it isn't that. Maybe it's that he stands alone and betrays everybody while we stand united as friends to face him, which would make for a good parallel to what went down against Calamity in BotW the first time. But that's also not true!! If we discard the very weird and frankly stupid thing where he somehow attacked his own people that were mostly already on his side at that point (and even if we don't honestly); have you *seen* the size of the demon king army waiting for you on his doorstep? Or again, Master Kohga and everyone else?

Okay, then there are some people saying the theme of the game is "sacrifice". Okay! So surely, Ganondorf never sacrificed a single thing to reach his goals, right? *cues to the fact that he accepted Rauru's casual humiliation, even temporarily, as a stepladder to a Secret Stone, that he apparently did sacrifice his people???, that he for sure sacrificed his humanity, and then AGAIN sacrifices his consciousness in the final breath of the fight*

Yeah, to me his only consistent motivation is "fuck Rauru and his whole entire grind" (which, frankly, fair, and also, same) but it's not even something we actually refute! We don't know enough of Rauru to defend the fact he was a deserving or undeserving king, or that his method of governance was better, and it's not at all a stake in the final conflict. All we have are Vibes, because that's all Rauru ever gives us, and that's all we can actually judge him on (beyond, you know, many other things, but I hardly think the game took five seconds to question their implications so yeah). He doesn't even come after Zelda and the fact she's still upholding Hyrule in the future, which he could and honestly should have done, so this whole setup of Fake Zelda is never actually paid off thematically.

I mean, I've been vocal enough about how hollow I find this entire story to be, but this is mostly why I don't think Ganondorf as pure evil works in this particular context, where I think he worked extremely well in BotW.

the "classic" villain

some ppl try to defend totk ganondorf’s one-dimensional characterization by arguing that he’s meant to be a “pure evil”, “classic” villain. now, personally, i’m not entirely opposed to having ganondorf just be an unhinged evil guy – in my opinion, part of what makes him great is the fact that he can do it all, he can be the tragic fallen hero, the sympathetic anti-villain, the remorseful old man who can’t give up the ghost of his ambitions, and also the magnificent bastard who enjoys terrorizing hyrule bc they kinda had it coming, let’s be real here. pure evil villains are fun, that’s why i love sukuna from jujutsu kaisen, he’s just an absolute unapologetic menace.

but the thing about “pure evil” or “classic” villains is that they still have to make sense. take, for instance, big jack horner from puss in boots: the last wish, a character who some have smugly pointed to as an example of a “real villain” that’s supposedly rare nowadays. the main point of jack horner is that he’s an asshole, a real piece of shit who’s uninterested in redemption or helping others, despite the best efforts of his jiminy-cricket inspired companion. jack horner is fun and adds some variety to a film that also has a sympathetic antagonist who experiences growth (goldilocks) and a force-of-nature antagonist who absolutely steals the show (death). but jack horner still makes sense; he’s an over-privileged man-child who wanted for nothing and therefore feels entitled to everything, and he’s also spiteful bc pinocchio upstaged him that one time. plus, jack horner is funny, so that’s a bonus.

same goes for every other classic villain that people like, whether it’s the old-school disney villains or the bad guys from classic cartoons. pure evil villains still have to be coherent and understandable in some way. that doesn’t mean their reasons have to be good – in fact, i think pure evil villains are basically defined by NOT having good reasons to justify their actions. but they still need to have reasons.

but totk ganondorf? this dude makes no damn sense. why does the king of the gerudo, out of all people, become king of demons? it might as well have been the king of gorons or zora or rito who turned evil. why did the gerudo support his conquest of hyrule only to turn against him once he transformed into the demon king? where did he get his powers from? how and why did ganondorf, of all people, reach the conclusion that hyrule must be bathed in eternal darkness, and why is he so dedicated to this goal that he’s willing to sacrifice his own mind and body to achieve it? what, exactly, is driving this man? you can’t call him selfish because again, he’s willing to permanently damage himself to attain his goals, that shows he’s bound to a higher cause. but there’s no explanation for why he, of all people, has chosen this particular cause.

and sure, the fandom can speculate and try to use the lore to fill in the gaps, but the fact that there are such big gaps in the first place is totk’s biggest failure, in my opinion. if people have to look at lore guides to make sense of your villain, then you’ve failed as a storyteller.

totk ganondorf might have made more sense as just a monster that spawned from the Depths rather than a man who was born among the gerudo. maybe the zonai dug around too deep and activated the Depths’ defense mechanism, and boom, ganon emerges, furious at the surface world that has dared to intrude upon his domain, and determined to return the favor by covering the land of light with darkness. he’s still a monster who must be defeated but at least there would have been some logic to his actions.

[insufferableprotagonistpoll]

Round 3

Propaganda why Dean Winchester is insufferable:

"This man is racist against anyone other than humans and abused the people he was supposed to love the most. He literally abandons Castiel at his most vulnerable and never lets Sam leave the whole hunting monsters thing. Worst part is that the fandom will get behind him and defend him because what, he’s pretty? Pretty much a terrible person, more like. I sympathize with his backstory but Dean has ZERO character development during the course of 15 whole seasons. When he DOES have development it involves abusing someone. Sam tries to be a normal person and always gets punished for it. The only hint we have that Dean might’ve been trying to change is a piece of paper in the final episode AFTER HE DIES. then guess what? Sam lives out his whole life and has a family 😭 that’s very, very telling."

"misogynistic scumbag. theres also a few different times that dean finds teenagers sexy with the most recent and prominent example that i can recall being the scooby doo crossover episode in season 13 where hes super into daphne who in the version they chose for the episode is 15-16 and is interacting with her as if shes a real person cause they got magicked into the episode. he treats everyone around him like shit and the only time the narrative agrees that thats a bad thing is when he has the mark of cain put on him and hes acting no differently than he does usually its just now acknowledged that hes treating others like shit. ive been rewatching the show for shits and giggles with a friend and wow he really does not treat anyone well but i wanna focus on how he treats sam for a second cause dude's hobby seems to be ignoring what his brother wants and lying to sam about doing stuff that directly concerns him the demon blood and souless things are reasonable cause those were both Bad for sam but theyre still part of a wider pattern and the most prominent example of this being when dean tricks sam into letting gadreel possess him and actually gaslights sam about it with the whole ordeal ending when its revealed gadreel lied about who he was and while possessing sam murders a friend of theirs. his voice is just also stupid as fuck im sorry this is just petty but he just sounds like hes trying so hard to be gruff n intimidating but he just sounds like a kid pretending to be batman"

"Dean’s list of sins is crazy long because of how long the show ran, but the key thing for me is that post-locking Sam in the bunker (season 4 I think?), I just can’t enjoy their relationship anymore. I normally love their sibling dynamic, but Dean’s ultimate worst past-the-point-of-no-return moment for me was demonizing (pun intended) his little brother for being “addicted” to demon blood, which only happened because of a series of events that were either Dean’s or someone else’s fault, not Sam’s. I also really dislike how the fandom treats Dean like this angel (pun intended) who has done no wrong and even tries to justify the MULTIPLE times he’s beaten up and otherwise abused his little brother. Canon Dean is like the polar opposite of fanon Dean: he’s homophobic and racist (jokes about a Black man being sexually assaulted in prison), misogynistic (take a shot every time he calls a woman a slur and you’ll die of alcohol poisoning), and abusive."

"Misogynistic asshole and too many of the things he does get treated as not actually bad or even good by both fans and the show when he violates peoples autonomy and is incredibly abusive to the people he loves the most. And it wouldn't be as annoying if people didn't justify so many of his behaviors or if he ever changed or even just was seen as a bad guy in the show more than he is."

">Was a misogynist (loved to call women skanks, bitches, hoes)

>Used gay as an insult multiple time during the show's run (idc if he's gay an homophobic, that's still insulting)

>Beat up his brother for being possessed

>Beat up his brother for losing his soul (not his brother's fault)

>Used dubious consent to get his brother possessed in a different unrelated possession incident after possession was being used (badly...this is supernatural after all) as a metaphor for SA

>Threatened to murder his brother when he was hallucinating (yay we aren't ableist)

>Locked a child up in a box

>Threatened to kill the child he locked up in a box

>Made a creepy, sexual comment about a barely-legal high school girl

>Got the woman and kid he was living with memory-wiped"

"Really mean to Cas (called him a child, zero respect for him, calls him family and casts him out when the angels are looking for him), and an absolute dick to Jack (threatening to kill him CONSTANTLY)"

Propaganda why Yukitero "Yukki" Amano is insufferable:

"another unpleasant one. He's so useless and stupid, and he was only saved because Yuno was crazy about him."

"No idea why Yuno is obsessed with this guy. He fucking sucks. He's a whiny little pissbaby that just hides behind his stalker and lets her do everything for him. Surprised she doesn't wipe his ass for him too. He almost gets her killed because he leaves her to fight two people at once, and then cries when one of the two calls him out for being pathetic. He's stupidly gullible, and kills all of his friends because of what Yuno, again his stalker, tells him. Then he cries about it. He arranges for another character to get attacked, and she has to watch as the man she loves gets gunned down to protect her. Yukki has the gall to act all smug about this, until things start going wrong for him. Then he cries. His deadbeat father almost kills him, and then actually murders his mother, the woman that raised him, and Yukki forgives him. Fuck his mother I guess.

At the end of the series he becomes God and does nothing. He just sits there in the void with all the power in the world, sad because his stalker girlfriend died. "

"i like the yandere trope when done well and i'd heard Future Diary's Yuno Gasai was like an establishing character for the trope, so I decided to give it a try. But the male lead Yukki is just SO insufferable... such an annoying, pathetic, non-charismatic, nothing of a character that I had to stop watching the show because there was absolutely NO reason for Yuno to like him."