#humanity and the human connection is so wonderful and meaningful bonds are so amazing

[shackledkitty]

i think the most precious and pure thing in any relationship, platonic or romantic, is feeling comfortable enough to fall asleep around someone.

like truly placing full trust in someone to not do anything while you're unconscious and have the honest belief that you are safe around someone is beautiful.

i love the human connection

[mcverse]

ꨄ︎ Paring: ATWOW x Human!! Reader

ꨄ︎ Requested: Yes/No

ꨄ︎ Type: Headcanon

ꨄ︎ Warnings: JUST ANGST (jealousy, doubt, mention of death) and spelling errors 🫶

ꨄ︎ Side note: Neteyam, Lo’ak & Ao’nung only bby

please keep in mind that all characters in my stories are always 18+

— NETEYAM

Despite Spider being like another brother to him, there was not a close bond between you and him.

It wasn't entirely his fault because you rarely left devils gate, making it difficult for him to know you well. Your inability to breathe shouldn't be an excuse since Spider can handle it, and it's expected that you can too.

However, he did understand the situation. He recognized that it might be scary for you to be constantly surrounded by things bigger than you, and that it could be overwhelming.

As a response to this understanding, the main group came to an agreement to spend more time at the lab with you. They made efforts to convince you to engage in activities outside, aiming to foster a stronger connection.

Although he couldn't accompany them every time due to his training schedule, whenever he did join them, he displayed an overly cautious attitude similar to his mother's.

He finds it difficult to have meaningful conversations with you, often exchanging only short and curt words. This has made him think that you might not like him, and he may feel the same way.

One day, Spider, Kiri, Lo'ak, Neteyam, and Tuk manage to convince you to leave the lab. It turns out to be an amazing experience for you, far more beautiful than looking through a window.

Your whole personality changes from being closed off to being more open. You start smiling, talking, and showing genuine interest in everything around you, including Neteyam.

Neteyam is surprised and speechless. He thinks your smile is beautiful compared to your usual frown when he's around.

Your smile drew him in, making him wonder how he can spend more time with you so he can see it more. As you chat and ask random questions while walking together, you show an effort to get to know him better.

Since that day, Neteyam makes an effort to join the group more often. He comes up with excuses, like being the oldest and needing to watch over them as his father always advised. Surprisingly, his excuses work every time.

He notices that you're smiling more when he's around, even though it may not be because of him specifically. Nonetheless, seeing you happy brings him a sense of joy.

One night, after a late visit to see you, he lies in bed, trying to sleep. However, thoughts of you keep drifting into his mind. He realizes that he feels genuinely glad to have met you, maybe even too glad. It dawns on him that he has been looking forward to seeing you a lot lately.

At first, he believes it's because he has finally gotten to know you better, considering you like a sister. However, that thought doesn't sit well with him. The realization doesn't help either; if anything, it makes things worse.

He understands his own feelings and how you make him feel. It annoys him that he has only just realized it instead of remaining oblivious.

He has returned to being quiet, lost in his thoughts, and more serious. Consequently, he doesn't visit the lab as frequently anymore. He needed to redirect his focus towards something else, such as training for his future, a future where he wouldn't have you by his side.

Despite the pain of being away from you and the frustration of not being able to express his feelings, he made the difficult decision to distance himself. He believed that a romantic relationship between the two of you wouldn't work out, as it wasn't realistic and couldn't become his reality.

It bothers him when his siblings return and talk about their day, casually mentioning things you did. He despises how his ears instinctively perk up in interest and how your name immediately captures his attention.

He yearns to be a part of those stories, right by your side like his siblings. If he could have that, it would be enough for him. However, he acknowledges that his feelings for you are more than just wishful thinking. He understands that such thoughts are best kept within the realm of his dreams.

He is intelligent and considerate enough to recognize that staying away from you is the best decision for both of you. He can't have you, and you can't have him.

— AO’NUNG

He absolutely despised your presence. In his eyes, you were nothing but a freak of nature. Forget about Kiri and Lo'ak, as you had become the primary target of his attention and annoyance.

Seriously, how messed up were the Sully's in their heads to actually believe it was a brilliant idea to pick you up and bring a demon along? It just didn't make any sense to him, and he couldn't help but question their sanity.

He couldn't bring himself to look at you directly, and whenever you were in his line of sight, his eyes would narrow in disdain. Controlling his words became a futile task, as he couldn't help but let out the most hurtful and insulting remarks, surpassing even those directed at Lo'ak and Kiri

He completely ignores your existence, treating you as if you were insignificant. He constantly makes jokes about how you would be the first to perish in any situation due to your small stature and inability to breathe the same air as him.

About 8 out of 10 times, he took pleasure in making you cry, showing no remorse whatsoever. He considered you to be overly sensitive and weak, seeing your tears as a sign of vulnerability. He believed that if it weren't for the Sully family's presence and support, you would be nothing more than potential prey for a thanator or some other menacing creature.

Eywa forbid something actually happens to you, though. It would earn him no satisfaction if one of the things he teased you about actually came true. In fact, it would break him inside if such a situation unfolded right in front of him.

His perception of you took a drastic turn when, during a group swim in the ocean, you were unexpectedly pulled under by a strong current. In the chaos, your mask cracked, leaving you in a dangerous situation. It was in that intense situation that Ao'nung, who happened to be the closest and fastest swimmer in the group, came to your rescue.

Everyone is panicking, huddled around you as Ao'nung brings you to land. But nobody is more shocked than him. He's at a loss for words, his eyes wide and fixed on you as you struggle to catch your breath, your lips turning blue.

You were on the verge of dying, and then Neteyam stepped in. Without hesitation, he covered both your mouth and nose with his own, giving you the oxygen you desperately needed until a new mask could be provided.

Ao'nung knew that wasn't a kiss. He understood it was a life-saving act. Deep down, he's relieved to see you back to your quirky human self, but he didn't like that situation at all.

Now, he's more conscious of you and your surroundings after that incident. It affected everyone, but he felt it more than others. Additionally, he's keeping an eye on Neteyam and how he interacts with you. Ao'nung is starting to notice the closeness between you two.

Why did he even care?

So what if you didn't enjoy interacting with him as much as you did with Neteyam and Lo'ak, sometimes Rotxo. He understood that it was because he often teased you. And even though you rarely smiled at him unless others were around, he still cherished those rare moments.

But there was one thing that truly bothered him and kept him awake at night: your physical closeness with other males. Every time he saw you with the duo you grew up with, you were excessively touchy and intimate, which didn't sit well with him.

It wasn't fair. The only times he could touch you were when you first arrived and when he saved your life. Other than that, the guys didn't allow it, which really brought him down.

Nevertheless, he continued to tease you. Yet, he made an effort to find moments alone with you. During those times, his teasing wasn't about you being a human/demon in a Na'vi world. It was more about getting you flustered or understanding your relationships with others, without showing any signs of jealousy.

Things didn't go as planned, and his attempt to understand your feelings ended up causing a fight between you both. As a result, you both started keeping your distance from each other. It hurts him because he's not clueless. He knows what this means. He has fallen for a human, out of all the people in the village.

The space between you gives him time to accept the hard truth that he will carry his feelings silently and never act on them. He has to find peace in watching you live a happy life without him by your side because he knows he can't be with you the way he wants. It wrong and impossible. Why did it have to be you?

— LO’AK

He's probably the least angsty out of the three when it comes to you. I mean, it's Lo'ak we're talking about here — how could you be any different from Spider? You practically grew up together, like family, just from different species.

But let me tell you, once puberty hit, things changed. He always thought you were the cutest human he had ever seen, and that's saying something because Spider doesn't even come close. But during puberty, whoa, he thanks Eywa for that blessing.

Whenever he mustered the courage to speak to you, his words stumbled, his voice grew quieter, and maintaining eye contact became a challenge. Spider, Neteyam, Kiri—everyone noticed it, everyone but you.

Was it really a surprise that he ended up developing feelings for you? Not really. You showed him kindness, respect, and genuine interest. You saw him for who he truly was, listened to him, and shared moments that mattered. It was only a matter of time before his heart couldn't help but fall for you.

He's fully aware of the potential drawbacks that could arise if he were to pursue a relationship with you. He understands that the downsides outweigh the benefits, and he doesn't take it lightly. However, deep down, he wishes he could muster up more concern for the potential consequences.

Lo'ak quickly brushed aside the notion that it could never work out between you two because his feelings for you had a strong grip on his judgment. He wanted it to succeed, needing it more than anything else. Rarely had he desired something with such intensity, even though it seemed to be his nature to yearn for things that were out of reach.

He's torn between the desire to express his feelings for you openly, to lay bare his affection and the way you brighten his world in ways he never imagined.

Yet, he refrains from doing so. Fear holds him back, afraid of how you might react. He remains uncertain about your own sentiments towards him, uncertain if you feel anything for him at all.

Instead of expressing his feelings, he remains silently by your side, watching as his emotions intensify and his jealousy towards Spider grows stronger. The thought of you choosing Spider as your companion fills him with mixed emotions. On one hand, it would relieve him from the potential complications and drawbacks of pursuing a relationship with you. On the other hand, it would shatter his heart to witness you with someone else.

However, deep down, he cares immensely. If you were to choose Spider, he would have to conceal the pain that grips his heart each time he sees you together. He would have to find a way to move on, despite his heart belonging solely to you, even if he were to end up with someone else.

Why did he feel like such an outcast? Why couldn't he fit into a neat category that would make it easier for you to love him without hesitation? Why did it matter so much what others thought? Love should be blind to such superficial boundaries, shouldn't it?

The incident when you and Spider were captured by Quaritch and others only reinforced the notion that society held different standards. Only one of you managed to survive, and he couldn't help but wish he had been more courageous in expressing his feelings. He wanted to ignore everyone's expectations, disregarding their opinions—just this once, just for you—so he could hold you in his arms as lovers do, experiencing that cherished connection for the first and possibly last time.

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[stevensavage]

But What Does It Mean?

(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com, Steve's Tumblr, and Pillowfort.  Find out more at my newsletter, and all my social media at my linktr.ee)

Recently a friend found an AI generated fake trailer for a kind of 1950s-1960’s live Sailor Moon. This, it turned out wasn’t the only fake-retro live Sailor Moon trailer generated by AI. Somehow I feel the infamous failed Saban Sailor Moon has driven people to imagine such things differently (forgetting the rather well done live Sailor Moon from Japan).

Now I find these things amusing, but there was a strange emptiness about them. What, I wondered, was the point? I can imagine these things in my own head, and in fact have - once in the form of a late night discussion of Lucille Ball playing Sailor Moon (I was assuredly sober). Do I need someone to use tetchy AI to illustrate something?

As I contemplated the weird meaninglessness of these things, a friend who’s a talented cosplayer note that there was no point to such creations. What would have been truly amazing would not have been someone tossing prompts to an electricity-devouring toy, but to have rallied cosplayers and shot it live. Suddenly I got why so much of this AI art feels meaningless.

Let us imagine that some cosplayers had gathered to create a Sailor Moon trailer true to the spirit of the 50’s or 60s. They would have done research and studied costume design. They would have sewn, crafted, created, re-created, and perfected their work. Those doing the filming would have figured the angles of the time and how to get the color just right. Voiceovers would have been chosen to fit the period, perhaps finding veteran actors or new talent.

The creation of a few minutes of trailer would have involved people making, learning, researching, bonding. They would have made friendships that lasted a lifetime, spoken at cons, and taken their skills elsewhere. Someone may have used such a creation as a senior thesis, others in a portfolio. One small bit of fun would have impacted many people, echoing through their lives.

Or you can throw things into an AI. Sure there’s some talent in tweaking the prompts, calling the best shots, and so on. The editing of such things definitely requires skill. But so much of it is disconnected or not as connected as it should be. I won’t deny that a person with AI uses talent and inspiration to create a larger creation, but it lacks that big, meaningful picture of an effort without AI.

An artistic creation is a lot more than the time you watch it on screen.

What AI turns out is results with little human connection, history, inspiration, or meaning. It makes “product” in the most empty use of the term - something designed to appeal to someone’s interests, something to sell, a result not a thing with history and meaning. We’ve taken an interesting tool and now people pitch it as a substitute for being human.

This is another reason I’m skeptical on AI creations beyond some more personal and specific uses. Where’s the human connection? The team that learned from making a show? The author you love and get angry at in equal measure? The voice actors to fan over? The choices only a person could make - even if they’re the bad choices of an actual human? Where’s what comes next, with lessons learned and ideas built on?

It’s not there. Just a machine turning out stuff in the rough shape of what we asked. It doesn’t mean anything.

Steven Savage

www.StevenSavage.com

www.InformoTron.com

[donnabasinow]

Why Everyone Should Read the Bible: Past, Present, and Future Reflections

When was the last time where you felt a bond of connectivity with the Lord? Do not you think it is the time to feel rise and shine by diving into the religious pages of this book? If yes, then all you need is to take a chance and get your hands on this amazing religious guide, "PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE WHY EVERYONE SHOULD READ THE BIBLE" by Donna B. Snow. This book isn't just about religious doctrine or theological debate; it’s a heartfelt invitation to explore the Bible as the most essential guide for understanding the world, yourself, and the future. Snow masterfully lays out why the Bible is relevant to everyone, regardless of where they are on their spiritual journey.

The Bible: A Compass for Life’s Journey

At the heart of Snow’s message is the understanding that the Bible is not just a historical text but also a timeless guidebook for living a meaningful life. It offers wisdom that helps us navigate the complexities of our relationships, careers, personal growth, and inner peace. Snow writes that “the Bible is full of practical wisdom on how to live our best lives,” highlighting how readers can avoid unnecessary mistakes, build stronger families, and embrace forgiveness and love.

A Personal Connection with God

Yes, just by reading the book of God, many of you can gain a chance to sustain a bond with God. One of the most profound insights from Snow’s book is her emphasis on the Bible as God’s personal message to humanity. It does more than ancient scripture—it is an open invitation from God to each of us to know Him, walk with Him, and experience His love. Snow urges us to reflect on this: “What would the God of the universe want to say to you?” This question pushes us beyond the mere study of words and leads us into the realm of relationship—a relationship that God desires with each of us.

Snow explains that reading the Bible is not just about gaining knowledge but about developing a deep, spiritual connection with God. It reveals His heart, His will, and His promises to us.

Prayer and Trust: The Bible’s Guide to Inner Peace

Every Christian believer holds a firm faith in the power of God. In this regard, Snow has passionately advocated for prayer as an essential practice in our relationship with God. She has explained that prayer isn’t merely a ritual or an outlet for our frustrations; it’s a dialogue with the Creator, an honest conversation where God listens to our deepest thoughts, joys, and sorrows.

A Story of Redemption: Jesus and the Message of Salvation

For many, the Bible is a story of redemption, and Snow takes care to highlight the importance of Jesus Christ’s role in that story. According to Snow, the Bible teaches us that “Jesus, the Son of God, came as a sacrifice for us,” giving His life to save us from sin. His story is one of ultimate love and sacrifice—a story meant to reconcile humanity with God and to offer hope for a life beyond this world.

Understanding this central message gives new meaning to our own lives. The Bible’s message of salvation, according to Snow, doesn’t just speak to our past sins but offers us a future filled with hope, love, and eternal peace. In this way, the Bible becomes a life-giving force that sustains our spiritual journey.

Timeless Relevance

The Bible’s relevance is one of the most striking themes in Snow’s book. She reflects on how it continues to speak into the struggles, emotions, and circumstances of every generation. From ancient times to the present day, human beings have faced common dilemmas—fear, love, jealousy, pride, depression, and loss. Snow cites Ecclesiastes 1:9, “There is nothing new under the sun,” to remind readers that human nature is unchanged, and the Bible addresses these universal aspects of life in ways that remain deeply meaningful today.

Snow’s book is more than an explanation of why the Bible matters; it’s a heartfelt invitation. If you’ve ever wondered why so many people throughout history have turned to the Bible for guidance and hope, “Past, Present, and Future: Why Everyone Should Read the Bible” is a perfect starting point. It shows us that, no matter our background or beliefs, we can all find something life changing in the pages of the Bible.

[nancyshiva503]

Decode Canine Communication | Why Does My Dog Stand on Me?

Why does your dog stand on you? Explore the intriguing reasons behind this adorable behavior. Decode your furry friend's language of love today. You may wonder why your furry friend insists on planting their paws on you. Dogs have various reasons for this behavior, such as seeking attention, craving physical closeness, or trying to assert dominance. Standing on their owners can be a way for dogs to communicate their need for affection or to establish their place in the hierarchy. Although it may be an endearing behavior, it's essential to ensure you set boundaries and reinforce proper habits to maintain a healthy and balanced relationship with your pet.

Understanding The Significance Of This Behavior

Discover the meaning behind your dog’s behavior of standing on you. Understand why they engage in this action, providing insights into their affection, territorial instincts, and desire for attention. Master the art of interpreting your furry friend’s unique behaviors. Dogs Standing On Humans: A Common And Peculiar Behavior Have you ever wondered why your furry friend prefers to stand on you rather than beside you? It may seem peculiar, but it is standard among dogs. This article aims to understand the significance behind this behavior and delve into the emotional connection between dogs and their owners. The Emotional Connection Between Dogs And Their Owners Dogs are known for their unwavering loyalty and deep emotional bond with their human companions. These incredible creatures have an innate ability to sense their owner's emotions and empathize with them. Standing on their owners can be seen as seeking comfort, closeness, and reassurance. Here are a few key points to consider: - Sense of security: Dogs often rely on their owners to feel safe and secure. Being physically close to their favorite humans provides them with a sense of protection and comfort. - Seeking attention: Dogs are incredibly social animals, and standing on their owners can be a way of seeking attention. They may crave physical contact and affection or want to engage with their loved ones. - Establishing hierarchy: In some cases, dogs may stand on their owners to assert dominance. This behavior can be particularly common in certain breeds or if the dog needs to be appropriately trained to understand boundaries. - Pack behavior: Dogs have a deeply ingrained pack mentality, and standing on their owners can be seen as a way of acknowledging the human as the leader of their pack. It is a gesture of respect and submission. - Bonding and trust: By standing on their owners, dogs reinforce the bond and trust between them. It is a way for them to express their love and affection and strengthen their emotional connection with their humans. Unveiling The Secrets Behind This Behavior Now that we have gained some insight into the emotional connection between dogs and their owners let's dive deeper into the possible reasons behind this behavior. Here's what you need to know: - Dogs stand on their owners to seek proximity and physical contact, providing them with a sense of security and reassurance. - It can signify affection and attention-seeking behavior, as dogs naturally crave social interaction with their loved ones. - Dominance can play a role in some instances where the dog may attempt to establish their position in the hierarchy. - Dogs also exhibit this behavior due to their pack mentality, acknowledging their owner as their pack leader. - By standing with their owners, dogs strengthen the bond and trust between them, further solidifying their emotional connection. While dogs standing on their owners might seem odd, it is a familiar and meaningful gesture. Understanding the significance behind this behavior allows us to further nurture our emotional bond with these amazing creatures. So, the next time your furry friend stands on you, embrace the love and cherish the unique connection you share.

The Instinctual Factors That Drive Dogs To Stand On Their Owners

Dogs standing on their owners are driven by instinctual factors rooted in their need for security and dominance within their pack hierarchy. Understanding these canine behaviors can help pet owners establish a trusting and balanced relationship with their furry friends. Dogs are truly fascinating creatures, and there’s no denying that their behavior can sometimes leave us scratching our heads in confusion. One peculiar behavior that dog owners often encounter is their furry friend standing on them. So why does your dog do this? Let’s explore the instinctual factors that drive dogs to stand on their owners. The Pack Mentality And Hierarchy In Dog Behavior: - Dogs are pack animals by nature, and their behavior is deeply ingrained in their ancestral instincts. Standing on you may be their way of asserting their position within the pack hierarchy. - Your dog may display dominant behavior by standing on you, reinforcing their role as the pack leader. - This behavior can also be linked to the dog’s need for a clear social structure within the household, with you as their trusted pack leader. Seeking Comfort And Security Through Physical Contact: - Dogs are social animals that thrive on human companionship. Standing on you may be their way of seeking physical contact for comfort and security. - By standing on you, your dog can feel close to you and enjoy your presence's warmth and reassurance. - This behavior can be especially prevalent in dogs with separation anxiety or strong bonds with their owners. Marking Their Territory And Asserting Dominance: - Dogs have scent glands on their paws, and standing on you can be a way for them to mark their territory and leave their scent behind. - By doing this, your dog also asserts their dominance over you and establishes ownership. - Additionally, this behavior can remind other dogs or animals that you are their territory and should be respected. Understanding the reasons behind your dog's behavior can help you develop strategies to address it if needed. While it's important to encourage positive behaviors, it's equally crucial to set boundaries and maintain a healthy pack dynamic. Remember to consult a professional trainer or behaviorist if you have concerns about your dog's behavior. So the next time your dog stands on you, appreciate it as a sign of their instinctual behaviors and show them the love and affection they seek.

The Physical And Emotional Benefits Of Dogs Standing On Humans

Dogs standing on humans can provide physical and emotional benefits. It creates a sense of security and bonding, stimulates circulation, and offers comfort and companionship for the dog and their human. Understanding why your dog stands on you can deepen your connection and enhance your well-being. Physical Affection And Bonding Between Dogs And Owners: - Dogs standing on their owners is a behavior that holds both physical and emotional significance. - The act of your dog standing on you shows their desire for physical closeness and the need for affectionate touch. - Here’s why this behavior can create a stronger bond between you and your furry friend: - Physical affection strengthens the emotional connection between dogs and their owners. By standing on you, your dog seeks physical contact, allowing them to feel closer to you. - This behavior allows dogs to communicate their trust and reliance on their owners. Understanding this can deepen the bond you share with your furry companion. - Dogs standing on humans also promotes a sense of security and stability for both parties involved. The Release Of Feel-Good Hormones And Stress Reduction: - It's not just about physical closeness; your dog standing on you can also positively affect your mental well-being. - The act of your dog standing on you triggers the release of oxytocin, often called the "love hormone. ” This hormone strengthens the bond between you and your pet and promotes a sense of happiness and well-being. - Interacting with a dog, including physical touch, has reduced stress levels. When your dog stands on you, their presence offers comfort and can help alleviate stress and anxiety. - The tactile sensation of your dog's paws on your body can be soothing and provide a physical feeling of relaxation. Promoting Trust, Stability, And Emotional Well-Being: - Dogs standing on humans fosters trust, stability, and emotional well-being for dogs and their owners. - This behavior showcases the deep trust your dog has in you. Trust is a vital aspect of any relationship, and when your dog stands on you, it clearly indicates their confidence in your ability to support and protect them. - The act of your dog standing on you can help bring a sense of stability to their emotional state. It reassures them that you are a constant presence in their life, providing a sense of security and comfort. - Dogs may exhibit this behavior when they are feeling anxious or uncertain. They seek your support and reassurance by standing on you, which can significantly contribute to their emotional well-being. When your dog stands on you, it displays their desire for physical closeness, trust, and emotional connection. This behavior promotes bonding between you and your furry companion, releases feel-good hormones, reduces stress, and contributes to emotional well-being. So, embrace these moments of physical affection and cherish your strong bond with your loving canine friend.

Why Puppies Tend To Stand On Their Owners More Frequently

Puppies often stand on their owners as they seek attention affection, or simply because they want to be close to their beloved humans. This behavior is their way of showing respect and loyalty. The Role Of Maternal Bonding And Early Socialization Puppies are known for their cute and sometimes clingy behavior towards their owners, and one common phenomenon among them is standing on their owners. This behavior can be attributed to critical factors, such as maternal bonding and early socialization. Here’s why puppies tend to stand on their owners more frequently: - Maternal bonding: During the early stages of a puppy's life, its mother plays a pivotal role in their development. Maternal bonding helps puppies feel secure and nurtured, which can translate into seeking similar comfort from their owners. By standing alone, puppies may be trying to recreate their bonds with their mother. - Early socialization: Puppies go through a critical period of socialization in their first few months of life. They learn to interact and communicate with humans and other animals during this time. By standing alone, puppies may seek social contact and validation. This behavior can be seen as a way to establish a connection and build trust with their human companions. - Sense of security and attachment: Dogs are pack animals by nature and form strong attachments to their pack members. By standing on their owners, puppies may be seeking a sense of security and reassurance. Being physically close to their owners can make them feel safe and protected, giving them a sense of comfort and attachment. The tendency of puppies to stand on their owners can be attributed to maternal bonding, early socialization, and their instinct to seek security and attachment. Understanding these factors can help us better comprehend and respond to their behavior in a positive and nurturing manner.

Understanding The Differences In Behavior Between Breeds

Understand why your dog stands on you by exploring the variations in breed behavior. Discover the reasons behind this quirky habit and learn how to interpret your dog’s actions. Dogs are known for their unique behaviors and personalities, with each breed exhibiting distinct characteristics. Understanding these breed-specific behaviors can help us better comprehend why our furry friends stand on us. Let's delve into the factors that influence canine behavior, such as breed characteristics, size, weight, and variations in temperament and personality traits. Breed Characteristics And Predispositions - Different dog breeds have been selectively bred for specific purposes, resulting in varying behaviors and tendencies. - Some breeds, like the herding group, have an innate instinct to gather and control livestock, which can manifest as a desire to stand on their owners. - Breeds like the terrier group, known for their tenacity and hunting abilities, might stand on their owners to assert dominance or establish their territorial rights. - On the other hand, Companion breeds may stand on their owners to seek attention and affection or simply due to their desire to remain close to their beloved human companions. Size And Weight As Influencing Factors - The size and weight of a dog can significantly influence their behavior, including their inclination to stand on their owners. - Smaller breeds might stand on their owners to compensate for their lack of physical stature, seeking elevation or a vantage point to survey their surroundings. - Larger breeds may stand on their owners simply because they can, utilizing their size and weight to display dominance or seek comfort and security. - The physical impact of a dog standing on an individual can also vary greatly depending on the size and weight of the dog, with larger breeds potentially exerting more pressure. Variations In Temperament And Personality Traits - Every dog, regardless of breed, possesses a unique temperament and personality. - Some breeds are naturally more independent and aloof, making them less inclined to stand on their owners frequently. - Other breeds are known for their sociability and affectionate nature, making them more likely to behave like standing on their own to seek closeness and reassurance. - Individual dogs within the same breed can also display variations in temperament and personality, influenced by their upbringing, socialization, and personal experiences. Understanding the intricacies of breed characteristics, size, weight, temperament, and personality traits can provide valuable insights into why some dogs choose to stand on their owners. Recognizing and respecting these differences can deepen our bond with our furry friends and ensure their needs are fulfilled and understood.

Recognizing Potential Issues Or Negative Implications

If your dog frequently stands on you, it could indicate potential issues or negative implications. Understanding the reasons behind this behavior can help you better address your dog's needs and promote a healthier relationship. Overdependence And Separation Anxiety Some dogs may stand on their owners due to over-dependence or separation anxiety. Here are some key points to recognize these potential issues: - Dogs that exhibit overdependence may constantly seek physical contact with their owners, including standing on them. This behavior can indicate an unhealthy attachment and an inability to handle being alone. - Separation anxiety is common in dogs and can manifest in various behaviors, including standing alone. It occurs when dogs become distressed and anxious when separated from their owners, often leading to unwanted behaviors. - Recognizing overdependence and separation anxiety is crucial in addressing this issue and ensuring the well-being of both the dog and the owner. Establishing Boundaries And Teaching Appropriate Behavior Establishing clear boundaries and teaching appropriate behavior to address the issue of your dog standing on you is essential. Consider the following: - Set boundaries by not allowing your dog to stand on you. Consistently reinforce this rule by gently moving them away or redirecting their attention to an appropriate spot, such as a dog bed. - Reinforce positive behaviors by praising and rewarding your dog when it complies with the established boundaries and avoids standing on you. - Teach alternative behaviors through obedience training. Focus on commands such as “off” or “down” to redirect your dog’s behavior and encourage appropriate ways of seeking attention. - Provide mental and physical stimulation for your dog to prevent boredom and excessive need for attention. Engage them in activities like puzzle toys, interactive games, and daily walks. Seeking Professional Help For Excessive Or Inappropriate Standing If your dog continues to stand on you excessively or inappropriately, it may be necessary to seek professional help. Consider the following options: - Consult a veterinarian who can assess if your dog's behavior is linked to any underlying medical issues that need addressing. - Enlist the expertise of a professional dog trainer or behaviorist who can provide guidance and support in modifying your dog’s behavior. - Medication may sometimes be recommended to alleviate anxiety-related behaviors, including standing independently. - Remember, seeking professional help can be invaluable in addressing the root cause of the behavior and assisting your dog in overcoming any underlying issues. By recognizing potential issues such as overdependence and separation anxiety, establishing boundaries, and seeking professional help when necessary, you can address the behavior of your dog standing on you and ensure a healthier and happier relationship with your furry friend.

Strategies For Managing And Redirecting This Behavior

Learn practical strategies to manage and redirect your dog's behavior of standing on you. Discover proven techniques to address this expected canine behavior , from positive reinforcement to creating boundaries. It can be adorable and frustrating if your dog has a habit of standing on you. While it may seem like an act of affection, this behavior can become problematic, especially if your furry friend is large or has sharp claws. Luckily, there are strategies you can implement to manage and redirect this behavior, ensuring a harmonious relationship with your dog. Providing Alternative Outlets For Physical Contact And Attention: - Use interactive toys: Engage your dog with toys that provide physical stimulation and play, redirecting their desire for contact towards the toy rather than standing on you. - Establish designated areas: Create comfortable spots where your dog can rest and receive attention, such as a cozy bed or a blanket. Please encourage them to use these areas by providing treats and praise when they do. - Regular exercise: Ensure your dog gets an adequate amount of activity daily. This helps release excess energy and can reduce their need for constant physical contact. - Scheduled playtime: Set aside designated times for interactive play with your dog. Read the full article

[thoughts-on-bangtan]

I know we shoudnt talk about other ships but for real I don’t get how people come here asking about maknae line ships when this thread exist twitter com/stussyjeon_/status/1361977220890296320?s=21 doesn’t mean anything I know but jk ships with maknae line don’t do half of these and people call them married. Lol People should look more into jk as a person and all members instead of keep feeding their projections with y or x because he has done a lot with others. It’s insulting.

I mean, we can talk about other ships as long as we see them as friendships and not romantic ones, except for vmin (and namjin). I said it before but if anyone wants to talk to me about Seokjin with Jungkook or Yoongi with Seokjin or Namjoon with Jimin in terms of their real-life amazing friendships, I’m 100% in. Especially Jungkook with Seokjin since I adore their bond and dynamic, it’s so funny and cute and has been this steady constant ever since they became trainees. Like Jungkook once said that he came to Seoul to raise Seokjin hyung.

But, going back to the actual purpose of that ask, I agree in that what many should do (yet most of the time simply do not, on purpose or accidentally) is take a step back and consider the full picture, instead of just the “zoomed in” moment that ignores all context and what’s happening around them, as well as their dynamics with the other members. This is a major thing I see happening with Jungkook ships, though surely it happens with all of them but to a lesser degree, and it really is unfair and, in a way, discredits and erases his bonds with all the other members. And okay, I get it, I tend to notice interactions between vmin or namjin more/quicker since they are my favorite pairs, or more generally interactions or things that the Kim line do since Namjoon is my bias and Seokjin and Taehyung my bias wreckers, but I’d never go as far as completely ignoring everything else around their “moments” and the context of it all. When I watch BTS content, I observe OT7 first and foremost, since I love all of them, and then next in line are details regarding my ships and biases, not the other way around.

I don’t want to come across as preachy or like I’m some end all be all judge sitting on my high horse, but one thing I do believe is super important when you’re ARMY, and also a shipper, is to prioritize OT7 while watching any piece of content over just watching said content for the sake of catching “moments” or interactions between your ship. If you focus just on the latter, you’ll miss out on a lot of amazing things, and you’ll very quickly end up on this very slippery slope that’ll lead you into toxic shipper land where OT7 stops being important and all you’ll care about is your ship (occasionally to the point of making yourself miserable when your ship doesn’t act the way you want them to or parts of your ship “act out of line”, so to speak), and that’s just not fair toward BTS, your ship, and yourself.

That linked thread, by the way, is super adorable and showcases how wonderful Jungkook’s bond is with Hobi, but also with the entirety of the hyung line since there are threads like that for him along with Yoongi, Seokjin and Namjoon as well. Think about Jungkook’s many declarations about how thankful he is for Namjoon, how he was the reason he wanted to be a BH trainee, how much he loves him—how come that doesn’t garner bigger reactions from people? Can you imagine if he’d say the exact same thing for one of the 95s? Sns servers would quite literally break under the force of emotions exploding from shippers. But since it’s Namjoon, it gets a “cute” and written off as largely uninteresting. Funny how that works, isn’t it?

Why do people not react just as fiercely about these “moments” as they do when Jungkook interacts with the 95s, you may ask. Easy, because those who have these big and loud reactions and make these declarations of xyz ML ship being real and married are people who, generally speaking, have little interest in the hyung line due to various reasons like, including but not limited to, them being too old, too mature, not cute enough, or simply not a maknae line member. I’ve noticed that in many cases if they do pay attention to the hyung line it’s only to use them as supporting roles/props, in that they use their reactions or behavior in connection to their ship as “proof” for their claims.

Hobi laughs a certain way when Jungkook interacts with Jimin? Ships is real. Seokjin smiles a certain way while Jungkook laughs at something Tae said? Ship is most definitely real. Namjoon shakes his head at whatever Jungkook just did with Jimin or Tae? Ship is literally married.

And yes, interactions between the maknaes are cute and funny and lovely, but in most cases anything Jungkook has done with Jimin and/or Tae are things he’s also done with the hyung line, and in many cases, just like you pointed out, he’s done more significant things with the hyungs than he’s done with the 95s. Though, in a way, comparing things like this feels a bit…icky to me since every bond is different and has different boundaries and “rules”, but for the sake of this post, I’ll roll with it.

Look at Jungkook’s bond with Yoongi, how we know that Yoongi had Jungkook record several guides for songs for his mixtapes and enjoys spending time at Yoongi’s studio, how both of them started to learn guitar at a similar time and I’m sure they’ve used each other as motivation and helped each other. Look at how gentle Jungkook is with Yoongi, or how instead of saying ‘I love you’ Yoongi sometimes simply touches the purple heart tattoo on Jungkook’s hand.

Or look at his bond with Seokjin, how silly and carefree they are together despite their age gap of five years which, while it may not be so important anymore now that Jungkook is 23 and Seokjin 28, but it was definitely a significant thing back when Jungkook was 15 and Seokjin 20 (though I know in Korea that age difference will always be important to a certain degree but you get my point). And yet Seokjin practically adopted Jungkook to the point where Jungkook basically said that in Seokjin he has both an older and a younger brother.

Or look at that thread full of lovely Jungkook and Hobi moments, how clearly their closeness shines through, how cute they are together and how much they care about each other. There are so many instances of them cuddling or hugging, gravitating to each other, Hobi pretend kissing Jungkook, and generally showing how comfortable they are with each other. Like in BV4 where they shared a bed in the campervan and one morning Jungkook woke up to find that Hobi went to brush his teeth or whatever without him and was a bit whiny about it. Or that clip of Hobi wrapped in a blue blanket and Jungkook hugging him while they were both asleep that’s in the FESTA 2019 Euphoria MV which is significant since it’s a clip taken by the members in their own time, meaning this is simply something Jungkook and Hobi do together. Or how much comfort Jungkook gets from sniffing Hobi, his clothes or hair, and how often we’ve seen him do that, which makes it even cuter when you consider how sensitive Jungkook is to smells in general.

Admin 2: quick addition from my side: remember ITS and that scene where JK plays Lost Stars on guitar and Hobi sits next to him? And look at him as though he just realized that he’s in love with JK with stars in his eyes and that dreamy type of expression? It’s just a look, just a small moment, and yet it makes you think.

Just like I said in my previous post all about Jungkook and how shippers have a tendency to erase/take away his autonomy, talent, and humanity, it seems some also have a tendency to erase his bonds with the hyung line and that’s simply not okay. You can ship Jungkook with whoever you want, that’s none of my business, but at least don’t ignore his bonds and friendships for the sake of your ship. You’ll lose out on a lot of cute, fun and meaningful things if you do, honestly. Also, if you pay attention to his interactions with all the members, you’ll realize that his interactions with the 95s aren’t special or more ship-worthy or better “proof”, in fact, you might come to find that there’s far more that could be seen as “ship proof” in his interactions with his hyungs. But really, the one thing that matters in all of this is that Jungkook has a beautiful bond with all the members, different ones, yet none of them are better or worse, all worthy of being cherished and highlighted just as much. Shippability and the amount of “ship” moments are just a less important extra, if even.

Also romanticdrift got the exact same ask so you can check out their response to it here (generally the post it belongs to is amazing and worth a read).

[measlyfurball13]

Pacific Rim: Into the Black fucking sucked.

It’s problem isn’t that it’s different from the first movie. Look, I LOVE the first movie, but I agree that more of the same might have been boring. I respect the writers for pushing the boundaries a little and making an original story with an original tone. . . If by original story you mean “make it Attack on Titan but worse” and if by original tone you mean “cheap shock value and needless edge that adds nothing”.

Full rant under the cut. Swear warning, whatever.

This series has so many interesting and creative ideas but they’re buried under loads of blundering edgelord tropes that have been done before in every other anime ever. Taylor the protagonist is a flavorless “older brother” trope. Mei is the tsundere badass who’s been traumatized by daddy. Boy (yes, that’s his name) is the mystical superpowered child. Oh, and he pulls this whole Attack on Titan thing and turns into a Kaiju.

You wanna know why this is a problem? Because holy fucking shit it’s a problem. Because it’s stupid. Because it’s magic handwavy bullshit. Pacific Rim, for all of it’s big robots and big monsters, grounds itself in reality by having consistent internal rules. Kaiju are monsters with some occasional cool unique abilities, but they’re all based in biology. Stuff like acid, extra limbs, flying. Even the EMP pulse ability from the first movie feels plausible, because electricity is used in a biological body in the form nerves. Another consistent rules is that Kaiju are big monsters. Big. Monsters. Big monsters who stay big, because they’re established as having so much mass and bulk and presence that they can’t get rid of because they’re biological creatures. The first movie establishes that they eat and breed and even defecate and have parasites. These rules make the Kaiju feel plausible. These rules allow us, the audience, to suspend our disbelief and immerse ourselves into the universe.

So why the fucking hell did the writers throw all that out the window, pull some magic bullshit out of their ass, and make a human that turns into a Kaiju? They don’t even show us the transformation sequence on screen. Flash of blue, and now the little human boy is a Kaiju. The problem is not that it’s unrealistic, the problem is that it doesn’t fit in with the Pacific Rim universe. It’s disjointed. It’s stupid. Any questions?

Now, where was I? Oh, right, characters. Haley, the younger sister, is. . . okay. She feels like the extroverted younger sister cheerleader trope, but then they also give her this character facet (it’s not an arc because it’s never really addressed) about murder guilt? And she also mothers a lot Boy? And she also makes really stupid decisions for the sake of the plot sometimes? Out of the main three cast members, she’s by far the most interesting and bearable, at least, but she doesn’t feel consistent at all. She also gets damseled a lot, too, which doesn’t add to her likeability or agency.  

Moving on, one of the two even remotely interesting characters was killed for shock value in episode five in the cheapest, most abrupt way possible, so I can’t talk about him very much, other than the fact that I’m still pissed that the writers thought killing him off was a good idea. Nothing narratively was gained by it; his death doesn’t even affect any character’s trajectory! He had so much more to give alive than he did dead. But that’s all I can say, since he is dead. The only other interesting character was the Jaeger AI who gets maybe all of 13 voicelines in the entire season and is barely, barely even a minor character. Nothing much else to say.

Remember the part where I mentioned that this show actually has wonderful creative ideas? I didn’t just say that for flavor, and that’s the most frustrating part of this all. The problem is just that there’s so many ideas, all at once, so in the end none of them end up shining. Here’s a shortened list of the great ideas- you could base an entire show around each one:

Interrogating someone with drift technology

Altering people’s memories through drift technology

Australia gets claimed by the Kaiju and survivors have to duke it out to survive with the remaining Jaeger technology with no help from the outside world

Training Jaegers and what Jaeger academy looked like

Jaegers having sentient AIs inside of them- and what happens when to the AI when a Jaeger takes damage or even loses a pilot? Is the drift in a Jaeger technically a three-way bond?

What happens when you drift too much, with too many people? Inheriting someone else’s memories or even skillsets?

(this one is probably my least favorite, but still has merit:) A Jaeger and Kaiju fusion. How utterly terrifying would that be?

These are all incredible. I probably would have adored Pacific Rim: Into the Black if (magic Kaiju kid notwithstanding) it had focused on maybe one or two of these ideas in its meager 140-minute runtime. However, Into the Black tries to tackle all of these amazing ideas at once along with about a dozen other shitty ideas that fall flat. As a result, nothing gets the time it deserves. Fascinating ideas are quickly glossed over, never to be mentioned again despite being extremely relevant to the plot, just so the show can truck through the next portion with the same lack of thought.

The season feels disjointed. Nothing builds on anything else, and plot points don’t lead into each other. Characters make stupid decisions, take meandering courses of action and are constantly changing their mind, or, most of the time, just stumbling upon their objectives by pure chance. The only throughline that even remotely delivers with proper buildup and payoff is the aforementioned magic Kaiju boy. The one competent plot arc they develop is the one that breaks the believability of the universe. Great.

Finally, to top it all off, I’m going to speedrun my more minor nitpicks with the general plot/continuity holes. Here goes:

Multiple breaches and breaches on land. If the Kaiju have been able to open breaches on land this whole time, then how in the everlasting fuck has humanity survived at all? I mean, really- why would Kaiju waste time coming from the oceans if they can just pop up wherever they please?

Mr. McRandom nobody protagonist decides on a whim to be the fourth person ever who solo pilots a Jaeger after piloting for maybe 3 days, tops, and then succeeds. The show explicitly references Raleigh and Pentacost as it does this, spitting in the face of their achievements by implying that anybody can do it, no big deal.

This show acknowledges that Pacific Rim: Uprising exists and builds a lot of its background conflict off that, which pisses me off because that movie sucks ass. Here was a chance for a fresh start and they wasted it.

The protagonists fuck up so constantly to the point where they should have lost their Jaeger several times over, yet it always survives, because (go figure!) this is a show about protagonists piloting Jaegers. The protagonists do nothing to solve their problems and do nothing to earn their clever escapes or sudden powerups, leaving everything tensionless and contrived.

The villain has no motivation at all and is so cartoonishly evil it’s a miracle that he has any minions that are willing to follow him instead of ditching him the first chance they get.

The protagonists sometimes just kinda forget their goal and wander around until they miraculously stumble upon something that just so happens to connect to it.

A lot of edgy, horrifying, traumatizing shit happens, and it doesn’t seem to ever affect the characters in any meaningful way outside of maybe 1 or 2 throwaway lines after the fact?

The show takes place in Australia but only gives asshole characters an Australian accent. What?

So that’s it. Bad characters. Universe-breaking concept. Needless, meaningless edge. Contrived plot. Rushed to all hell. Pacific Rim: Into the Black is capital “b” Bad. I love this franchise and I want to support it, but I can’t advocate that anyone give this show their time.

[thebluelemontree]

Hey, sorry to be a bother but do you know any metas about Driftwood and the mythological significance of have Stranger called such? If not, could you please help me find any metas about the importance of Stranger (the horse and the god) to Sandor's future? Thank you!!

It’s no bother at all.  I love talking about this stuff.  I don’t recall any other metas specifically on that topic, but I do go into the meaning of Driftwood/Stranger in Part VI of my Winds prediction essay for Sandor.  I’m staying narrowly focused on your question here, but mythological significance branches out much farther and features heavily throughout each section of that essay if you have any further interest.     

And the seventh face … the Stranger was neither male nor female, yet both, ever the outcast, the wanderer from far places, less and more than human, unknown and unknowable. Here the face was a black oval, a shadow with stars for eyes. It made Catelyn uneasy. –  Catelyn IV, ACOK.  

Of the Seven, the Stranger is the one most regarded with fear for his/her association with death and the unknown.  He/she’s either depicted as a shrouded half-human, half-animal, or with a blacked-out void for a face.  Sandor has that thematic aesthetic going on with his hound’s head helm, which gives him the appearance of being both a man and a beast.  That is a reflection of the duality of his identity between Sandor and the Hound.  He frequently enters a scene by stepping out from the shadows, so he also fits with the shadowy figure version.  Sandor also isn’t one to allow others to know his true self, at least until Sansa, Arya, and the Elder Brother.  Rarely does any worshipper pray to the Stranger as few are eager to invite death itself in, of course.  It’s no wonder that the outcasts of society might identify with that lonely aspect of being an unwelcome presence and having nowhere to belong.  

For Sandor to give his horse such a blasphemous name, it’s because he views himself as someone who is feared and misunderstood, and as an outsider who stands on the outside looking in at the world.  This is especially true as he is immersed in the culture of knighthood but emphatically rebels against it.  There is much of ordinary life that is closed off to Sandor, and it’s not all due to his trauma response and poor coping skills alienating him from other people.  A lot of it is just unfair.  His perceived ugliness in a society that overwhelmingly favors physically beautiful people and despises disability or disfigurement has hindered his ability to create meaningful connections with others.  That resentment has only built up throughout his life.  He’s a second son who is forced to make his own way in the world since Gregor is the sole beneficiary of the Clegane lands and incomes.  It’s Gregor that got the home and wife (three to be exact), which is the domestic life that would normally ground a man, giving him a sense of purpose and satisfying his emotional needs.  Gregor doesn’t care for any of that, but there is a hint that Sandor feels this is something that has been denied him.  Since many people fail to distinguish Sandor as different from his brother, Gregor’s infamy and the rumors surrounding the deaths of his wives and family members really don’t help either.  After the BotBW, Sandor is really cut adrift from society by his desertion.  He’s unfairly marked as a craven, and then in a tragic case of mistaken identity is wanted for the rape and massacre of the Saltpans.  That’s about as hated and reviled as one can get.  

Like other instances of named horses being a reflection of their riders, Stranger’s nature says a lot about Sandor’s.  He’s proficient in battle, brave, disciplined, but extremely ill-tempered, and dangerous; however, with gentle handling from a master that has earned his trust, he’s able to respond in kind.

The horse was a heavy courser, almost as big as a destrier but much faster. Stranger, the Hound called him. Arya had tried to steal him once, when Clegane was taking a piss against a tree, thinking she could ride off before he could catch her. Stranger had almost bitten her face off. He was gentle as an old gelding with his master, but otherwise he had a temper as black as he was. She had never known a horse so quick to bite or kick.

There’s a bond there.  The horse isn’t just a tool or weapon to be used.  Sandor cares for this big, scary boy that no one else can get close to.  After rescuing Sansa from the riot, his next thought is to go back to find his horse in the chaos and fire.  Because Sandor gave him the name, it shows that he has the self-awareness of how his issues and anti-social behavior have only served to increase his sense of isolation and cement other people’s negative opinions.  The only reason an animal would so readily bite or kick indiscriminately is that it’s in constant fear of being hurt by people (*sob*).  It’s possible Sandor recognized a warhorse that was trained with brutal methods, not unlike his own childhood and adolescence.  One can imagine how much patience, kindness, and courage it took to bring such an ornery beast to the point where he can trust and reciprocate.            

People are more complicated than animals, of course; however, this is definitely meant to mirror his relationship with Sansa and her gentleness, compassion, and courage in the face of his anger issues.  Though not many are not keen on giving attention to the Stranger in their prayers, Sansa does pray for Sandor’s safety and well-being.  The Stranger is the last deity people turn to for comfort, and yet Sansa views Sandor as her protector and ally.  She wishes for his presence at times, even after seeing him at his worst.  And I love, love, love this line from Cersei about Sansa, who is deep into the unkiss rabbit hole at this point:

“… but before I am done with her, I promise you, she will be singing to the Stranger, begging for his kiss.“ – Cersei IV, AFFC.

So that brings us to Stranger’s renaming to Driftwood, but first, we need to ask what exactly is the Quiet Isle?  Quoting from Part IV of my essay:

“The Quiet Isle is also a place to cross over into the afterlife in more than one way.  Sometimes the dead and dying wash up on the shores, as did the Elder Brother.  Sometimes they are brought there like the Hound or the people of the Saltpans after the massacre to die or be healed.  The metaphoric and most common way is for penitents to abandon their old lives to be reborn in a new monastic life.  In a sense, the brothers on the isle are dead to the outside world.  They don’t speak with few exceptions.  Many cover their faces as well, obscuring their past identity.  Their brown robes and cowls are like the dead driftwood that washes up there, but even driftwood gets reborn as beautiful polished furniture and cups.  If you want to come on the Quiet Isle, you need Elder Brother’s or one of his proctor’s permission.  There’s a ferry to the isle which is evocative of Charon.  So that makes Elder Brother, like Garth Greenhand, a psychopomp.  He’s a gatekeeper between life and death, literal and metaphoric, and can also return people to the world of the living.  The imagery is evocative of the Elysian Fields and especially Avalon, where King Arthur was taken to recover from wounds sustained against Mordred at the Battle of Camlann and is destined to return from. ”  

Driftwood was dead and washed up, but then it is collected, reshaped and polished into something beautiful with a new purpose in its second life.  Driftwood in this context is a metaphor for healing and redemption.    

“The furnishings were strange but simple; a long table, a settle, a chest, several tall cases full of books, and chairs. All were made from driftwood, oddly shaped pieces cunningly joined together and polished till they shone a deep gold in the candlelight.” – Brienne VI, AFFC.

Amazing Grace, How sweet the soundThat saved a wretch like meI once was lost, but now am foundT'was blind but now I see

I zero doubts that Sandor’s character is undergoing a radical and profound transformation on the Quiet Isle.  He was broken down enough to be open to it when the Elder Brother picked him up from the shore of the Trident.  Also kinda miraculous that Stranger must have allowed himself to be led by another person while Sandor was incapacitated; however, it’s obvious Stranger is never going to spend the rest of his days as a plowhorse.  

Brother Narbert sighed. “The Seven send us blessings, and the Seven send us trials. Handsome he may be, but Driftwood was surely whelped in hell. When we sought to harness him to a plow he kicked Brother Rawney and broke his shinbone in two places. We had hoped gelding might improve the beast’s ill temper, but … Brother Gillam, will you show them?”

Brother Gillam lowered his cowl. Underneath he had a mop of blond hair, a tonsured scalp, and a bloodstained bandage where he should have had an ear. – Brienne VI, AFFC.  

This makes me laugh because although I believe Sandor has learned to have a healthier mindset through humble service and meaningful penance, he probably has been a veritable pill through the process.  As Stranger kicks and rebels, we should definitely conclude that Sandor’s time with the holy brothers is not permanent.  Especially considering that the horse adamantly refuses to be gelded, Sandor will not be submitting to the celibate life of a monk.  The new name likely won’t stick, because Sandor didn’t so much need a whole new identity, but to restore his original one.  The Hound is dead, but Sandor Clegane lives, polished and remade with a new purpose to his life.               

[stingslikeabee]

Let’s start a chain of sweetness - repost this to your dash!

5 THINGS YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER.

ONE. she went through hell - and she came out still hopeful and optimistic to an extent. She’s not naïve - but instead of letting the trauma she experienced change her into someone bitter, resentful or even detached, she still loves the world and life in general. It made her eager to fight back and to protect those she sees as more vulnerable than herself.

TWO. she portrays a persona while working - Melissa looks regal, strong and beautiful, but she doesn’t think herself all these things (or not with such intensity). There’s a difference between the queen of the bees to the actual woman behind it all and those she trusts will slowly be introduced to the real person there - they’ll see her in regular clothing, with messy hair, swearing when things go wrong, drowning her sorrows in ice cream. She’s not perfect, far from it. 

THREE. she’s not afraid of love - in fact, she has so much love to give that she is unconsciously always seeking people to be the recipient of these feelings. She worries and cares very easily for people - from the ones she’s known since she was young to the people she met the day before: her nurturing side is strong and fierce, and she can’t help but progressively devote herself to these connections when they’re solid.

FOUR. she’s a good person overall - but she has negative traits and she can behave intensely and wildly sometimes. There are specific people who just trigger strong and violent reactions from her, there are circumstances that will do the same - and she may act on impulse to then potentially regret what she has done. In brief, Melissa is very emotional - she loves deeply but she can also hate intensely and nastily. 

FIVE. her connections - and this is basically credited to the people I write with (some of them named below!). Melissa truly thrives when she has meaningful bonds with people - although she has done plenty for herself, to do things for others pushes her even further - and it’s when she has these close friends, confidantes, enemies and lovers that she truly comes alive. It’s been a magnificent experience to shape and craft her as I write with everyone here and you’ve all contributed to make her a more organic character in the end. :)

5 PEOPLE ON HERE YOU LOVE, AND WHY.

ONE. I must tag Lottie / @madamdirectcr here because she made this meme originally and because she is someone who made me realize how fucking awesome Scarlet is. She gives Scarlet so much depth and humanity and the sisterhood/friendship our girls share is just everything -  and Lottie really changed my perceptions about Scarlet for good and now I need more of her in the remake! Also, her other muses are just... Amazing. :) There is this one speech Lottie made for Rufus that I remember to this day, haha.

TWO. gotta call HMR / @architectofhope out too because Reeve is that friend who calls her ‘Queenie’ and yet is one of the few people who never really needed to pell the ‘hostess’ persona away - he just befriended Melissa directly. She trusts him with her life and if Reeve asked her to jump, she would only ask ‘how high’. HMR has such a way with words that has drawn me immediately to so many different threads / verses / shenanigans and I have nothing but this insane and absolute wonder for this particular version of the director. I am always excited to see HMR on the dash and anything she touches becomes quality in a second, it’s surreal.

THREE. now it’s time for Min / @shinrasfirst and all the muses she writes but although I love every single ounce of Johnny content in my dash (as well as Rufus, Biggs, Zack... I love everyone, ok?), I need to single out my brave and noble knight, Roche. Listen, the feelings Min has awakened in me for Roche? The absolute urge to write ALL the things with him while knowing he will degrade and die soon? But this angst and the adoration, love and mutual admiration in their relationship makes my day (and night) and the fact they do take the queen/knight roleplay seriously enough is a delight on its own, haha.

FOUR. so of course Kay / @thememcry & @firstinline would need to be here and I’m tagging both blogs because... I have so much love for both? First Kay is an extraordinary human being because she indulges me freaking out about old school Japanese rockers and because she writes all these different and wholesome creatures and ugh. My heart. Aerith is a wonderful mesh of a daughter/sister to Melissa and someone that makes her a better person - she’s welcomed Melissa in her family, she has seen into her soul and she loves Aerith so, so much she would give her the world. And Priest? I loved this grumpy man from day #1 and their entire backstory and how she refuses to be defeated in the game of ‘who’s more stubborn’ among these two - that grace, that poise, that carefully crafted portrayal - Priest doesn’t get this treatment - he gets raw, undiluted Melissa who will both slap him and then kiss it better because he drives her mad (and she enjoys every second of it).

FIVE. is anyone surprised that Han / @dogof-war is here? Because if you are surprised, then you must be new because I’ve been keysmashy and head over heels for Heidegger since my very first week around. I was so surprised to find her blog at first - then so drawn to it and so hopelessly curious, but I never once imagined I would end up in the basement of this shipping hell because that’s how far I’ve fallen. Not only Han is one of the kindest and most loyal people I’ve ever met and she deserves nothing but the best but, like, how magical can one person be? She just made me care for Heidegger, to examine his motivations and reasonings, to actually find things and think about stuff revolving around one scary general I had never thought about before. And my love for him is not nearly close to the love Melissa has for Magnar - I’ve had intense ships before, ships where the muses even married each other, potentially had kids - but this one? We have named the kid (Carwyn), he got a dog only when he was 15, he’s turned into a professional athlete and he has a friggin’ BFF from Wutai. That’s how fucking far in the future we’ve planned. :) And I love. Every. Single. Second. Of this.

5  SONGS EITHER YOU OR YOUR MUSE REGARD AS A ‘GUILTY PLEASURE’ THAT ALWAYS MAKES YOU SMILE.

ONE. I need to start with ‘She Bangs’ by Ricky Martin because this is literally the source of this blog name and have you guys actually looked at the lyrics? I love the melody but the way this girl is described - that is actually what Melissa aims for, professionally speaking. More than a vision - to be such an experience that men will keep coming for her, because of her and what she has to offer.

TWO. there’s also ‘In the Dark’ by 3 Doors Down which is also something that speaks about the image other people (usually regular patrons or even the people from the Don side) would likely have of her - someone who acts like she can hold your heart in the palm of her hand and yet remain unaffected by you, in a sense. Whether this is true or not, she’d never tell - but probably not, haha. She’s not immune to others, she’s just happened to be trained to look that way (you know what they say, nothing will make a man fall faster for you than looking like you don’t give a damn about him).

THREE. oddly enough ‘Sweet Dreams Are Made of This’ by Eurythmics is a classic one that I always saw as a throwback to her days as a working girl - everyone wants something from you and it was her job to give it to those who were willing to pay (or able to afford it). It’s a track about enduring and moving on, too - and it suits Melissa and the hardships from the past just perfectly. :)

FOUR. there’s a soft spot in my heart for ‘Velha Infância’ by Tribalistas. I wouldn’t know if this qualifies as a guilty pleasure, but it makes me smile a lot? It’s such a lovely, beautiful song and this fits most of the ships where they just see each other and get stronger because they have each other. I get very emotional listening to this if I’m being honest. :3

FIVE. there’s also ‘Bedroom Hymns’ by Florence + the Machine which is gorgeous - and the lyrics? To die for and so very fitting for Melissa. She’s not someone who truly believe in the gods or divine justice and everything, but the things you have here, during this life? These matter. These alternative forms of worship are very much valid (or even better) in her eyes. ;)

Tagged by: @madamdirectcr and @thememcry!

Tagging: you, if you’ve read everything! Because honestly, at this point Lottie tagged so many people already I’d be doubling the tags, so... Steal it! Do it! Spread the love!

[toast-the-unknowing]

What are the #thots on CDTH?

This is begging for one of those “edgy/depressed/dumbass bitch/thot/bastard” memes, but sadly you sent it to someone with no patience for slapping together graphics, so you get a lot of words instead. Behind a cut, for length and SPOILERS.

I really enjoyed this book, my reactions to most of the additions to canon were positive, it felt a wide range of emotions while reading it and upon finishing I found that it had knocked me sort of off center in that way where I don’t want to write anything ever again, or read anything, or really do much but stare out of windows. I know that feeling will pass, but I’m soaking in it for now. I haven’t yet discerned if there are going to be any substantial changes to the ways that I write these characters, when I write these characters again.

I loved Ronan in this book, which was a relief. I had been a bit worried that Maggie intended for him to end up as Lonely God Ronan, isolated and just too damn special for the rest of humanity, but it now appears that is very much not the plan. It hurt watching him be trapped at the Barns, wanting something different from life and not knowing how to get it, and it was amazing to watch him forge a connection with someone new and find the capability that he has to help other people, instead of just kind of thinking of himself as the fuck-up.

Holy Shit I felt emotions about Matthew, that was unexpected and unprecedented. Fuck did that boy make me sad. I am greatly looking forward to seeing where his story goes, now that he actually has one. I want some quality Matthew & Jordan dream duo bonding time.

I want, just, quality Jordan content in general, I love Jordan, I need more of her, she was wonderful.

Hennessy leaves me cold, but I had a very similar reaction to Ronan until most of the way through The Dream Thieves, so I am giving her the benefit of the doubt and waiting to see what happens in the future.

HOLY SHIT I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT DECLAN.

It did crack me up that it literally took one page for the book to start talking shit about him, but I also found the whole “Declan is deliberately, crushingly boring” idea interesting. It surprised me but still makes sense in retrospect, which is the best kind of surprise. I hadn’t pictured him as the kind of guy who would go to work and let people snap at him and call him by the wrong name, but I think my understanding might have been a little closer to the version of Declan that still thought he could have Senator or Congressman in front of his name. I think Declan might be the character I most have to reconsider, but I’m happy with how he was portrayed here and I’m looking forward to doing that reconsideration, and to seeing what happens to him next in canon.

God but he just continues to be the hardest working brother, and he still fucks it up, but he doesn’t want to fuck up, but he just shouldn’t have to deal with all of this shit, and ow, ow, my heart.

I adored Declan/Jordan and every moment where she delights in surprising an honest reaction out of him. “I see the real you when no one else does” is EXACTLY my kind of ship.

I had really wanted this trilogy to force Ronan to reexamine his understanding of his father, but getting to see Declan do some actual work on processing his pain is fantastic too. I love all of the moments where he admits that he hates Niall. It fucked me up so bad, because it’s like he doesn’t want to be thinking or saying it but he just cannot keep it in. It’s like his emotional nightwash, but he doesn’t get to dream it away.

@comicsohwhyohwhy​ and I once discussed the problem of Ashley, and we JOKINGLY suggested that maybe the Ashley from TRB and the Ashley mentioned in TRK are two different Ashleys, that maybe Declan has just dated a string of women named Ashley, and then we had a good laugh about how absurd that would be, and I cannot fucking believe that that has turned out to be canon. I am oddly delighted with this development.

I am happy with the Adam content that we got and with the size of his role. I felt like the book did a good job of honoring his importance in Ronan’s life, letting him be present and matter and affect Ronan (and disagree with him in productive ways where they didn’t just argue and where he wasn’t just Declan 2.0), while still keeping him in a support role, since that was apparently the goal. I’m unclear on what kind of role he’s going to have going forward, but it looks like he’s being set up to have some kind of character arc, with the “Adam is lying to everyone who knows him” situation, so I really do want that to pay out and go somewhere, even if he does continue to be a supporting rather than featured character.

That whole Harvard situation breaks my heart: Adam’s friends think that his family is wonderful and that his boyfriend is a violent drunk. I can’t imagine any interactions around that that aren’t fucked up. Adam having to defend Ronan to his friends any time he comes up, but not being able to tell the truth, so he just sounds like he’s making empty excuses for someone that’s bad for him…which is something that he has in fact had to do, but not about Ronan, about the parents that all of his friends are “jealous” of him for having. Fuck. FUCK.

I loved every mention of Gansey and Blue. I can understand why Maggie doesn’t want to include them as characters, but that could have easily ended in a situation where they’re just…noticeably absent, and instead we got this, confirmation that they still talk to their friends and love them and are involved in their lives, plus we got A+ Gansey-texts-like-an-old-man content.

I enjoyed Farooq-Lane a lot just from a standpoint of being an ordinary normal person who gets put into a weird as shit situation and then…continues to be an ordinary normal person who has ordinary normal reactions to things. I find that kind of shit fascinating – it’s the kind of thing that makes for great comedy and improv, but it can also be very effective in drama, and we really got to see a wide range here.

What. the actual. fuck. is up with the New Fenian and Mor O Corra. Like I mean okay the Lynches have to live through all their parent trauma again, yeah I get that, okay Niall apparently made a dream double of an actual woman he’d slept with which like, wow I didn’t think Aurora could be retroactively creepier but damn if Niall didn’t find a way, blah blah I get all that. But like. What is – what is that relationship, exactly? Between them? Niall’s ex made a dream copy of him, too, but like…as a kid? Or one that doesn’t age? Has Mor O Corra out-creepered Niall Lynch? What the actual fuck is up with those two. I almost don’t want to know. I kind of love being this weirded out.

Bryde is really goddamn tiresome. I am expecting he’s going to turn out to be a villain and honestly that can’t happen fast enough for me. Although I  anticipate that we’ll see Ronan buying into his crap more before that happens, so, it looks like we get to look forward to a lot more overblown insufferable monologues about how “special” we are and how we’re better than those gross boring mundane people. Blah.

I’m kind of disappointed that this is apparently a series where the stakes are THE END OF THE WORLD and where the protagonists have to fight a SHADOWY INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION that can send ARMIES of WELL-ARMED HIGHLY TRAINED OPERATIVES to HUNT DOWN THE PEOPLE WITH SUPERPOWERS – this is 90% of all fantasy stories, and it’s boring, and I’m tired of it. I like that the stakes in The Raven Cycle are small but still immensely meaningful. What happens in The Raven Cycle if the characters don’t succeed? Gansey dies. Ronan dies and Matthew falls asleep. Adam doesn’t go to college. Blue doesn’t get to travel the world. The world doesn’t explode, but we still care so so much about seeing them succeed, because we care so much about those characters living and getting to build the future they want. That’s a thousand times more interesting to me than “we have to…[dramatic music, put on sunglasses] SAVE THE WORLD.” Spare me.

I’m still going to read the other two, obviously, and I’m not even really mad about this, mostly just rolling my eyes. But I expect that Maggie is going to use this plot device I don’t care about to do things emotionally and character-wise that I do care about, and that’s the important part.

There is one actual thing that pisses me off with this book, that I actively hate and wish was not a part of canon, that I will probably just ignore and pretend isn’t canon, at least once I have wrapped my head around the fact that it even happened in the first place: why the fuck does Ronan go to confession.

I was willing to accept in The Raven Cycle that Maggie had no interest in doing anything with the fact that she had made the Catholic character and the gay character the same character, because Ronan is actively figuring himself out in the course of that series, because there’s so much else going on in his head and his life that I can buy that religion isn’t his top priority, because hey, I kind of liked that the series wasn’t one more Sad Story About A Sad Gay Who Is Sad Because Homophobia. I can accept a Ronan who goes to mass every week because that’s family time, because that’s tradition, because that’s what Lynches do.

But going to confession – with some degree of regularity! – is not going through the motions. When I was a Catholic school girl and an ALTAR SERVER who went to mass twice a week, confession was still a “maybe once during Lent, if we get around to it” kind of deal. What the hell does Ronan say in confession, exactly? He’s not confessing to the shit that he actually feels guilty about, playing god and creating life, because that’s a secret. He’s not confessing to the thing that he’s getting told every week is going to send him to hell. So what is he doing there?

This ceases to be “skipping past homophobia so we can just have a nice happy gay story for once (or at least a story that’s unhappy for other reasons)”. This is firmly into “deliberately and cruelly ignoring the real pain and suffering that the Catholic Church inflicts on oppressed people every single day” and I think it was a grave, grave misstep.

So my super general #thots: loved it, largely positive, some things I’m iffy on but excited to see where they go, a couple of plot elements/characters I don’t care for but can put up with for the sake of all of the good, one big negative that will probably feature only very very sparingly in canon.

[frostygar]

The Flash S5 Ep 1 Thoughts

- The intro being like Barry’s in the beginning, but with Nora’s voice-over? AMAZING. I’m just going to call her Nora Allen because… yeah… and XS is her name? Clearly she wasn’t named by Cisco because that’s… 😬😬😬

- However they casted Nora so, so well. She’s gorgeous and she does look like a mix of Barry and Iris. I just thank God that Barry and Iris are not actually blood related or else she’d look… not like that. Barry’s face when she tells him she was named after his mom, I’m SOFT 🥺🥺🥺

- Cisco coming to the rescue with humor to save the tension, just like she pointed out. Love to see it! But why would Caitlin not realize that if that’s Barry and Iris’ daughter, why WOULDN’T she know their names? C’mon, Caitlin is smart… although I guess it’s automatic for people to ask that so I’ll give it a pass.

- “And your name is XS…” “Clearly not my doing” wow I love being right lmao but it’s a nickname??? Because she always did things in excess? Isn’t that kind of rude because Iris called her that because she was always doing more, going over the top. Whatever, I may end up liking it I’m not sure so I’ll just continue watching.

- Ralph being Ralph and Wally low-key feeling insulted that he didn’t know about the legends, iconic as always. But what was better was Joe’s “oh fuck” face when he realized that Cecile still had her powers lmao that’s hilarious!

- Ooh the title card mixing Nora’s purple with Barry’s yellow/red? Now THAT is iconic!!! However… Iris DOES realize that the only reason their lightning is a certain color is because of their outfits, right??? Barry’s suit is red and yellow and her’s was purple. Lightning trails kind of mean nothing other than the fact that they’re a speedster…

- I know this being a bit bitchy but the fact that Iris called the idea of Nora Marty McFly-ing herself could ruin her own existence was Terminator 2 and not Back To The Future highlights the fact that Barry is a nerd and Iris isn’t and therefore, in that way, do not fit together (and yes my Snowbarry shipping ass does recognize that Caitlin probably would because she’s also a nerd but I’ll keep that out for my first thought-post)

- “I’ll be back… in a flash.” God Nora is the CUTEST thing! And her little giggle was so cjdsfhaskjfhskfa She’s so excited to meet her parents even though it’s dangerous I just love her okay

- Iris is a bit cute with meeting their daughter too. I love that she was like “I knew she was our daughter!” since Barry was skeptic, as he should because this is a superhero show and therefore do not trust anyone who comes into your life claiming to be something but Barry is also right that they need to get her back as quick as possible. I wish they’d been allowed some time to mull over what happened though because it’s been hours since everything went down last season.

- Can’t believe Wally is back (even though it’s probably just for a little bit) I’ve missed him so much and it’s just so surreal 🥺🥺🥺

- Even though I feel bad for Cisco about his breakup, instead of focusing on Iris being all cute and proud about her daughter, I was more focused on Caitlin waving her hand above Cisco’s face to check on him lol I love their friendship so much they’re really tight and I swear to GOD they better not ruin it

- FINALLY Barry is given his mundane job back! Technically it was supposed to be last episode but obviously shit hit the fan so… Still, I know that eventually Iris goes back to being a reporter but that separation, having different jobs is exactly what they need because being together all the damn time is very annoying and focuses so much on them. I’m still bitter that they made Iris the “leader” of team flash despite knowing nothing (but suddenly does because fan service) about the level of science they use every day, Iris really only knows how to be bossy and commanding

- Barry being all awkward and stuttering over calling Iris her mom I love it, so cute. Also, HE HAS HIS OWN SPACE AGAIN WE LOVE THAT FOR HIM.

- Nora being just as smart as Barry? We love to see it! Her also loving his favorite dessert? We love that too!  Barry bonding with his future daughter? WE LOVE THAT EVEN IF IT’S DANGEROUS. 

- I miss Barry having little quips when he’s out and about as the flash, like him connecting with the cops is so sweet.

- Nora if you’re going to show up where he’s going to battle another meta, don’t give away the fact that you’re there when you’re not supposed to be!

- FLASH MUSEUM. Isn’t there always a museum for superheroes in these kinds of things lol are they REALLY that surprised when they’ve made drinks and if I’m remembering correctly, a day for The Flash??

- “I’ve studied everything” hinting at the fact that she learned from the museum and not her parents, meaning something happens to one of them, probably Barry.

- Hungover Cisco is really… interesting. Sad we don’t get humorous Cisco because he’s mulling over a migraine but hey everyone has off days

- RALPH COMING IN TO SAVE THE HUMOR WITH THE “MANYVERSE” AWWW THIS POOR DUDE!!!!

- Why can’t we have this cute Iris who’s like her own person all the time? I mean the last few episodes of s4 were actually quite tolerable and I’m not sure how or why but please let this tolerable Iris stay PLEASE

- First of all, I love Schway, second of all, Iris being the mom who tries to be hip… we love to see it. 

- Knowing that Nora never was around Barry because of something I’m not sure of (gotta love seeing spoilers lol) and Iris apparently treating her… not that great… and her hugging Barry before she leaves (which will probably fail) and not Iris hinting at that in the future just—ugh wonderful show

- Called it not working! I mean, how else is she supposed to stay in the show lol they wouldn’t introduce Nora for an ep and then let her go home, especially in 15 minutes

- This meaningful talk between Barry and Iris is really sweet. Like, normally Iris makes it all about herself but she’s actually helping Barry and recognizing that this is how he feels and she’s genuinely helping. It’s so weird, it’s like I stopped watching and now we’re in a parallel universe where Iris is actually good and it’s tripping me up

- Iris using schway with Barry that was very cute

 - Barry realizing that he’s not a part of the picture in the future 🥺🥺 Poor Barry…

- Nora calling herself selfish a bad speedster sounds more like words that she heard growing up……. :(

- God I am LEGIT crying at her explaining this to Barry, apologizing to him, him realizing that he DID miss all of his daughter’s firsts. It takes a lot of emotion for me to cry, like, a LOT. This is such a raw, emotional moment and it’s so, so. good. This scene is just 😭😭😭 they are such great actors JESUS pull me by the throat why don’t you

-  BARRY USING HARRY’S WORDS THAT HELPED HIM PHASE TO NORA DJFILSAHFKSFHSKAJFHFKHFUHFKDS Nora gets to learn from her dad like she’s always wanted and Barry is a proud dad and I’m just… I’M FULL OF EMOTIONS RIGHT NOW OKAY

- NORA INCIDENTALLY OUTING JOE’S RESTING PLACE LMAO

- First of all, Nora gushing over her uncle Wally… the cutest… second of all, Joe and Wally interactions I’m so soft 🥺🥺

- “Will you take care of him, XS?” “You got it, Kid Flash.” WELL THERE GO MY TEARS AGAIN THANKS

- Ralph and Cisco banter we love to see it.

- RALPH WAS HELPING CAITLIN WITH HER KILLER FROST PROBLEM AWWWW I heard people ship them and I can see why because they have a really sweet relationship of helping one another at their lowest and I just… my crying is now a sobbing

- The second they said her dad had been dead for awhile I immediately figured that he wasn’t but anyways… CAITLIN’S DAD IS ALIVE YAY! She can get answers 🥺😭

- Why would Barry need Iris’s permission to go to Happy Harbor to get ice cream??? He’s an adult lol

- Ugh the ending, finishing with her outro just like Barry’s in the first ep. Fantastic. Chef’s kiss. Amazing.

- So is there some meta-human-hunter now??? Welp… rip Gridlock...

[cowboyjen68]

what’s your issue with long distance relationships?

I don’t really have an issue with a relationship that is long distance.. trust me on this one.. if it works for both of you.. and you are honest with each other that is sometimes enough for The Now.

I also feel that without in-person physical contact and proximity, chemistry and the connection necessary to form a long lasting romantic relationship is near impossible. Humans, for the most par, require touch, intimacy and such physical things as smell, sound, and touch to form that bond which takes people from friends to lovers. We naturally need to be in the same physical space as another person to strengthen bonds and keep the connection alive. 

It is not to say that we can’t form deep and meaningful relationships with people we meet on line who are far away. One of my dearest friends in the whole world, several actually, I have never met, some I never will. And I trust them and care deeply for them. But when it comes to intimacy and romantic attachment it is near impossible to grow that into passion and the closeness we naturally desire without physical contact. 

Part of our innate sexuality is sex, touch, physical exploration paired with intellectual and emotional connection. 

It used to be that “long distance” met people were together but then one had to move with family or job or some other compelling reason, leaving the other behind... so intimacy or touch connections had been formed. Most of those relationships faded as time when on unless there was the means to see each other in person on occasion. Not all, but many. The need for touch over rides the other connections. We are only human.

Now long distance is often two people meeting on line and talking through text, messenger or video chat. The internet can be a wonderful way to connect with people of similar interests. I can offer the chance to meet people with whom you enjoy conversation and mutual attraction. But if the means or time to actually meet is never going to be available, the chances are greater that  when one of them meets someone that is physically near them, to whom they find themselves physically attracted , the need for nearness and touch will feel over whelming. Humans are biologically formulated to use touch and intimacy to build trust and sustain connection through it. 

So, from someone who has experience very much enjoying the company of a special woman who I have never met. I can say... it has it’s perks and trust and friendship can be built and sustained. I am more skeptical of the romantic part. 

Just a quick side note. If you do form a loving and caring connection over the internet.. and there is no chance of you being physically with the other person, please grant the other the gift of freedom if they can find love in their location.. Love and friendship are amazing, but so is romance and physical intimacy paired with passion and chemistry. We humans need both.

[swiftpng]

❥ — happy birthday, selena!

Happy birthday to one of the longest friends I’ve ever had! How do I even begin to sum up over 10 years of friendship in a post? I can’t believe you’re 28, but I’m glad to have known you since you were 16. You are an amazing gem of a person and I count myself extremely lucky to have known you for 10+ years. It all started when we met at a Jonas Brothers concert and since then, you have filled my life up with so much joy and light. The love and kindness you share with others is incomparable. Whether we are half passed out on a couch together after drinking a bottle of wine or chatting thousands of miles apart, you bring a sense of calm and trust like nobody else. You have been my closest ally and biggest confidant longer than anyone else, and you still find a way to be my closest friend year after year. Over the years, you have proved time and time again why you’re the best friend a girl could ask for. You’ve been there through the toughest times. You’ve touched my heart in so many ways. I love how you stand up for yourself and the people you love. Thank you for being supportive, encouraging, loving, and loyal. You’re just as beautiful on the inside as you are out. You are one of the most positive influences in my life and always build me up when I’m broken down, and I wouldn’t know what to do without you. No one could ever understand the bond we share, we’re opposite yet similar souls. You are one of the very few people I can truly feel like I can be myself with. You mean so much to me, Selena. And if we’re being honest, you’re one of the most creative people I know. I’m honestly flattered that you value my opinion whenever you show me new music you’re working on. Thank you so much for sharing your genius. I could seriously go on and on here because you’re one of my favorite humans ever. I wish for you to have nothing but success, happiness, and fulfillment. You deserve it all, I love you. I don’t know how I would do life without you. I’m so happy I’ve gotten to grow up with you over the years. Here’s to never growing up, millions of memories, endless laughter, and many more birthdays to celebrate! 🎉🎈🎁

Selena, you’re a trusted friend for life, an amazing companion, and someone I know who will be there for me no matter what. Life is exponentially better when you have someone by your side who is down for whatever adventures life throws at you. I’m grateful that the majority of my memories of the last 10 years include you. To show my love for you on your special day, I got you a few gifts. Firstly, I got you a perfume that reminded me of you. It’s Tom Ford’s Fabulous Eau de Parfum, and just like you, it’s fucking fabulous. The next gift I got you is a card game where you can get to know your friends on an even more deeper level. We're Not Really Strangers is where you can just build a more meaningful connection with those you’re playing with, and I thought it was perfect for you. I really love listening to your stories because you have such a knack for storytelling which, duh, of course you do, you’re an actress so you know how to tell a story, but also you are just fun and exciting to talk to. You’re going to laugh at this next one, but you’re genuinely the only person who loves pickles more than anything else. To help aide in your love for pickles, I got you a monthly subscription box of pickles where you get new pickles each month and you get to try them out. For the next gift, it’s more as a future housewarming gift since it’s a picture of us. I can’t remember when we took it, but I know it was when you hung out at my house and we just chatted for hours while watching the ocean. To me, you are the human incarnation of a hug. Everything about you is so warm and wholesome. I’m so lucky to know you -- you are such a valuable and incredible friend. You have a huge heart and you’re always looking out for other people, which I’m always thankful for. It’s why I got you flowers that mean strength. From going through shitty relationships to almost losing your life, you are one of the strongest women I know. And you take it all in stride. I’ve never met someone who has been through so much yet still has so much love and optimism in their hearts. You’re truly just one of a kind. Along with that, I got you a T-shirt that says “Women in Power”. I know you're someone who loves to uplift voices that need to be heard, especially those who are women. I also know that you’re a woman who is also a badass business woman, one who is creating her own makeup line and has amazing brand deals. You work your ass off, and you’re so deserving of all the success that has come your way. I’m so beyond proud of you, I know both my parents and brother are so, so proud and happy for you, and I’m so proud to be able to watch you grow into the person you are today. You know things about me that no one else does and I know things that no one else knows about you, and we have such a super special friendship. So last but not least, I got you a necklace that is your birthstone. I read online that Ruby was July’s birthstone, and I thought it was perfect. Throughout times, the ruby has represented nobility, purity, and passion. You’re honestly a rare gem, and I will do my best to treasure you the way you deserve and the way you should be. This got way too long, but I hope this birthday is a wonderful one and the upcoming year is filled with amazing things for you. May it be full of joy and cake. When we both have the time, I would love to take you out to dinner and just have a proper catch up. So since we can’t be together right now, I'm sending you a big hug. Thank you for such a beautiful and wonderful friendship. Thank you for sharing some of your life with me. You are truly a light and breath of fresh air in my life, and I’m forever grateful for that. Please keep doing you and please keep enjoying yourself and gifting us with your talent. Thank you so much for all that you do and I wish you the happiest of birthdays. I love you, Selena. ✨💖 // @sxgomez

-- Taylor. 

[clean-bands-dirty-stories]

Why? - F.W. (part 9)

A/n: SHIT HERE WE GO OKAY DEEP BREATHS! I finally gave up on Fred gifs. Also, I'm using the "younger" fan cast for gifs on the adult peeps because the movies made them way too old. Enjoy!

Word Count: 6200+ (this is such a struggle)

MASTERLIST

The first full moon I spent with Lupin was my last, but it was no less memorable.

I turned into a crow and flew around the grounds, looking for Lupin from the sky. It had taken me a while to get the hang of flying and sometimes I was still quite shaky, but I was catching on quickly. As I tried to keep myself steady and look for him at the same time, the moon came out. The full moon, in all its glory. A pale beast that looked incredibly wolfish, even as it stood on its hind legs like a person, passed underneath me. I knew it was Lupin immediately. I mean, who else could it be?

Not sure where he was going, I just followed him. I saw him press a knot in the tree roots of the Whomping Willow of all trees. To my shock, the tree stilled. I swooped down as he began to walk towards it, seeming pained but more or less in control of himself. I flew past him and towards where he was headed. There was a hollow in the base of the trunk of the tree I hadn't noticed before. Curious.

When I landed on the ground in front of him, Lupin paused. He looked at me, his eyes narrowed, and it was such a human expression that I wanted to smile, if this body hadn't prohibited me from doing so. I tilted my head instead, lookint at him patiently, waiting for him to recognize me.

He moved to all fours, moving his nose close to me. My instincts told me to run but I forced myself to be still and he nodded, recognizing me. He shook his head and made a noise that was near a sigh. I squawked and he huffed as I hopped along the path next to him, following his lead and never moving too far away. When we reached the house, I was surprised. I'd been told all about the haunted house one could see from a distance in Hogsmead. I'd even gone to that spot, looking at it from a bit back and wondering what it would look like from close up.

Now I was inside it.

Nothing exciting happened. He curled up and went to sleep and I did the same. It was still amazing, being a bird and just casually hanging out with a fully shifted werewolf that would have killed me in any other situation. I woke up to soft nudges, still a crow. I opened my eyes to see Lupin, in human form and incredibly exhausted. "Good morning," he greeted with a weak smile. He held up a bag. "I had to pull some strings and dish up some lies but I noticed you didn't bring any clothes. Got one of your friends to bring some for you." He dropped the bag in front of me and turned away, walking out of the run down room and leaving me to get dressed. I finished up and left the room, going downstairs to see Lupin waiting for me. The bag was on my back as I stepped up next to him. We began to walk back towards Hogwarts. "So there was no disaster," he pointed out to initiate conversation.

"No disaster," I agreed. When we reached the school, the early morning sunshine was tickling cooly against my skin and I felt incredibly calm. "May I join you next month as well?"

Lupin seemed to be in a better state than either of us expected him to be. Friendship was a magic on its own I think. I felt so deeply connected to Lupin. He was in love with my father- we had both bonded over losing who would have the most important person in our lives. He didn't feel like just a teacher. He felt like family. As he smiled down at me, it seemed like he might agree. "If you so wish, I would be more than obliged to have you join me again."

It grew quiet. The comfortable, familiar kind of silence settled between us, brightened and warmed by sunshine and happiness. I wondered how many people I would meet at this school who would worm their way under my skin until they felt like a part of me. I hoped no more- my heart was already bursting, near full, and I didn't know if I could bare the fear of housing anyone else. I had stayed away because having no one meant I had no one to lose. Now... I had so much to lose. I had EVERYTHING to lose. While being emotionally high like this, there was so much room to fall. Before it had been easy because at the bottom, there was no fear of falling. I wasn't yet sure if I more preferred the safety of walking or the joy of flying.

After a while I found a need to talk because my thoughts and feelings had begun to prod at my ease and I wanted to hold the good moment just a second longer. "I was thinking of finding a way to not have to change into clothes, after I change back. Maybe a spell that charms them to just appear back on my body when I'm human again. I've seen McGonagall do it. One year, Harry and Ron were late to class. She had started it as a cat, but when they walked in she became human again. And she was dressed. Obviously."

I chuckled and Lupin smiled, nodding. "It was the one thing my dear friends never seemed to think of. Either that, or they couldn't figure out how to do it. I think it would be preferable if you could." He shot me a look that enunciated his words.

I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly. I'm sure it was awkward for him, that moment. Being in the same house as a person - a student no less - who wasn't dressed. It made me feel uncomfortable for him. For myself as well. I hadn't considered how it might have made him feel. I hadn't even thought of a moment like that happening and being a problem. I needed to think about details more- I was troubling people. "Yes I will, I think." I nodded and we moved onto easier conversation. He commented on the different plants a few times. I told him facts I'd learned about the castle from Hermione at some point.

When it came time for us to part ways, I watched him walk away. I liked him. I hoped he stayed longer. I hoped that the curse of the Defense Against the Dark Arts position was a lie and that Lupin could stay for a long while. He was a fantastic teacher, being good to his students but also respecting boundaries. He was very clear on what he did and didn't want and made sure to enforce the importance of rules when they were broken. He could have been creepy or awkward or have not cared at all- played it off like it wasn't a big deal. But he didn't. He chose not to freak out on me for not thinking my plan all the way through, but to instead stress the importance of better planning if I chose to accompanying him during full moons in the future. A respectable man. A respectable teacher too. You could see it in his gentle attentiveness to Neville and the willing aid he gave to Harry. I think no one could be a better teacher.

Hm. Then again, I might be bias. I had reason to favor him. He had given me so much I'd craved, both in information about a past I'd lost, and also in the way he was almost - ALMOST - a father figure to me.

Amos Diggory was a good man, but it was Cedric who pulled us together. He was more an uncle, accommodating and cheery and supportive and wonderful to be around. Alas, I saw the way he was with me and the way he was with Cedric, and the nuance differences between. He had raised and loved Cedric for many years. He saw me as someone who needed help; a meaningful friend who had given Cedric the gift of being a big brother. Something Cedric was MADE to do. He was grateful to me, and he showed that thanks in offering me safety and a home to begin a better life. But I was not his daughter.

That thought made me slow to a stop in the middle of the hallway. Was a teacher at a school who I had found a connection to in the worst way possible the closest thing I had to a father? My eyes turned to the outside. I wondered. I wondered what it would be like to have a real place in the world. Family. A home where I had a place that was distinctly mine. MY room. I thought about Amos' adoption offer for the first time since the end of break and realized that even if now I was only his son's favorite friend, I could maybe one day become like a daughter to him. Maybe it would just take time. Maybe in just a little while I would have everything I wanted and more.

What a thought, honestly.

-

I had so much on my mind.

It was ridiculous really, to feel overwhelmed by things that should be simple. Hermione handled so much bigger a work load than I did with such ease. Or, she seemed to he at least. Handling it well enough to be getting good marks. Unlike me, as I watched them slip as I stayed locked in my room with books and parchment as I tried to figure out how to get my clothes to stay on my body when I turned back into human. I wasn't anxious so much as I was focused, but even Echo was worried about me. She kept nudging me in the back, meowing at me.

I huffed, annoyed. "Before you were mad that I wasn't seeing you enough, now you're mad that you're seeing me too much?" I demanded of her. She meowed again and I rolled my eyes. I swore that I could feel what she was thinking. "I'm not obsessed. I'm still going to my classes, and I have passing marks. I even visited Lupin and Lohran- I visited Lohran five times! In two weeks! I've never seen him be so at peace with me." She almost seemed to glare at me and I had a thought cross my mind that made my smile fall. "Maybe I haven't been talking to Fred. Or, any of my friends. But this is important! I only have two more weeks until the next full moon, Echo!" I turned to the papers, feeling distressed. I'd been so immersed in this animagus thing that I hadn't really talked to anyone outside of Fred since it had all started. Even then, I'd only talked to Fred when I had to. When we met up or that time we'd changed for the first time together. I had isolated myself, sitting on my bed with my head in a book if I wasn't in a class. Sam has worried himself sick trying to at least make sure I was eating, convincing me to finally take my reading to at least one meal a day.

I didn't know what it was, but I was feeling odd. People had long since stopped teasing and insulting me, getting bored with it or being convinced that I was separate from my father. I had loads of friends and friend of friends. I had Harry who I was supposed to be keeping an eye on, and Cedric who had the most stressed look on his face anytime his gaze landed on me. I had Fred, who I could tell was getting a little more annoyed at me every day. I wasn't facing whatever I was feeling myself, let alone be able to open up to him about it and explain. He had said a few times that he missed me. That he was worried. That he was here to listen if something was wrong.

But what could I tell him? That I was simply uneasy and unsure as to why? That I felt much safer in my room, in the dungeons, far from the sunlight, focused on making sure I'd always be dressed so I wouldn't inconvenience someone or lead to an inappropriate situation that might jeopardize someone I cared about? Why did I even want to be with Lupin during the full moons so badly? Why had it consumed me so much to become an animagus? Why was I reaching for anything and everything that would make me feel closer to a mad man who had murdered thirteen people in one go, completely destroyed one of his best friends, turned another one in to Voldemort of all people, getting him killed and starting the mass unfortunate event that was Harry Potter's life before Hogwarts, and then plotted for twelve years to kill that same Harry Potter out of revenge for the man that had killed people who were supposed to be his friends - his family - dying because of... whatever had happened the night Harry had survived and Voldemort hadn't? He was an evil man. A follower of the personification of darkness. A loyal follower. He had betrayed his family without a care for the child or the man he was supposed to love. With no hesitation. He was a murder. He was evil and wrong and dark and twisted and insane and probably even worse now that he had been subjected to twelve years of Azkaban and Dementors.

Yet here I was.

The room suddenly felt claustrophobic. I shot out of bed, throwing open the dorm door and taking off, only seeing Echo settle in the warm spot I'd left before the whole layout was out of sight. I took off, sprinting through the common room. I heard Sam telling for me ("Liv? Liv! Liv what's wrong? LIV!") but I felt I was about to throw up and I needed air and I needed it now. So I ignored him and burst out of the Slytherin common room, speeding out of the dungeons and through the castle to get outside. It was a little cold and I closed my eyes as the wind pulled and poked at me, moving my hair. The sunshine was different this morning. Weaker. Maybe there were clouds. I had my eyes closed so I didn't know.

While trying to catch my breath, I saw none other than Pansy Parkinson approaching me, a smirk on her face as she looked at me like I was crying and she'd made it happen. That sick satisfaction she always seemed to have when she had upset me. I wondered what nonsense or rudeness she was about to throw at me. I wondered if I could handle it how I was.

"What's wrong with you?" she demanded, sneering a bit. Her face curled in amusement. It was even worse than when she was mocking or poking fun at me. Now she had finally seen me upset and she would stop at nothing to figure out why so she could exploit it.

Forcing myself to stand straight, I met her eyes. My chest still felt constricted but I refused to give her the satisfaction. "I have to see your ugly face," I responded tartly. "It always ruins my mood."

The smile wiped right off her face. "You can call me ugly all you want, but even if I was, I'd still rather be me than you." She stepped up to me and I felt suddenly off balance. "Running around with a Gryffindor is bad enough, but it has to be some blood traitor Weasley on top of that? Befriending Harry Potter and his gaggle of geese? Disobeying and mouthing off to Snape in favor of some Gryffindor idiot? Dragging down Sam as well, after what you did to his brother last year?" She was close now. "Are you even aware of how much you've messed up his life? His brother won't even talk to him. His parents are about to disown him. Are you even aware of the carnage you're causing?"

That I hadn't expected. Sam was having problems at home? That extensive? Wouldn't he have told me? Of course he would have. "Sam would have told me if any of that way happening. I'm his friend. You wouldn't know."

Pansy laughed in a way that made me feel sick. "Some friend you are! So busy shoving your tongue down Weasley's throat that you haven't been around enough to talk to him. He talks to Bertha. She's the one who told me." I paled. I knew the feeling in my body showed in my face- the opposite of the warmth I felt when I blushed. I felt cold. I could tell that it showed in my skin by the way her satisfied smirk returned. "Oh you didn't know? She doesn't actually like you. She only made friends with you because Sam has the biggest crush on you and she has the biggest crush on him." My eyes widened and I went stiff. "After the way you've been neglecting him, I'm sure Sam will see sense soon. I don't know what he's seen in you to begin with."

I tried to orient myself. Get my feet under me again. "You're just mad. I'd even say jealous." She scoffed but I cut her off before she could go off again. "Sam, like me? As if. I may not be around often but I'm as aware as everyone else that Beth and Sam have eyes for each other. THEY haven't even realized it yet, but it's getting more obvious every day. If Beth isn't my biggest fan, that's her choice. Unlike you, I don't need Slytherin friends. I don't need power to feel important. I don't need to be popular. She hasn't told you anything meaningful because I haven't told her much- and if either of you had known anything that would actually hurt me, you would have already said it. Are you done grasping at straws so you can feel better about yourself by making me feel worse? Or, trying to at least."

We were both worked up. Our noses were nearly touching. I wondered if she was flaming at the mouth or if my imagination was getting the better of me as my vision blurred with edging anger. Her face was twisted enough with hate and anger that she looked like an animal- she might as well be a rabid one.

Finally she found her words. "You think you're so special. What? Because the famous Harry Potter pays attention to you? Because no one mocks you to your face anymore? Because you have some Gryffindor slime to snog?" I opened my mouth to retaliate but she shoved me and I stumbled, not expecting it. She attacked with words again before I could find my own. "That boy is only interested in you because you're a Slytherin. It's what Gryffindors do. Impulsive things that are said to be wrong. Break rules. Tame wild beasts. I bet he's just aiming to get in your pants so he can brag about how lame and easy Slytherins actually are. I bet everyone else is even in on it." She had hit a nerve I didn't even know I had. I was knocked silent. After a second she continued and her final words drove a dagger into my chest and twisted. I was finished. "I mean really, why would they like you? You're Sirius Black's daughter. You're pathetic and ridiculous and tainted. You're going to be just as corrupted and pathetic and weak as he was. You don't belong here. You don't belong anywhere. You're the worst Slytherin that ever came to Hogwarts and you know it as well as the rest of us do." She leaned away, pausing before walking past me. Her shoulder slammed into mine as she spat, "Go back where you came from. We don't want you here." And then she was gone.

-

If people thought I was absent before, they must have thought I left Hogwarts now. I sat with no one during class and refused to come to meals, settling with going to the kitchens if I got really hungry. I avoided anyone and everyone as much as I could. That unease had increased and being around anyone anymore made me feel sick.

My room was even too much. I preferred the library, in a corner, away from eyes. I hadn't missed a weekend study session all year but in the month between my first full moon with Lupin and my second, I went to only one, the first weekend of the month, and then I began to avoid them and everyone that was apart of it. In fact, I generally avoided everyone.

I know it was basically handing Pansy a trophy for her win, but I didn't care. I'd lost myself in homework, retreating into my studies as I had planned to when I'd first come here, before everything else. Everyone else.

My grades were improving and I even found out how to get the animagus transformation to work so that my clothes would appear on my body when I went from crow to human so I wouldn't have to redress. I was on the verge of losing it and sneaking out of my dorm was a disparate attempt to regain the ease and happiness I'd felt not even a month ago when everything seemed so much better. When I was less of a mess. I wasn't even sure if I would go into the tunnel and greet Lupin because I was still so stuck on being alone always and avoiding everyone. He would have the chance to question me in the morning, and if he uncovered something that I didn't want him to, or something that I wasn't ready to face, it would be over. I wouldn't be able to hide anymore.

But maybe it would finally get better.

I stood in front of the whomping willow, debating, when I heard it. I panicked, immediately turning into a crow and swooping through the air and on top of a bush, away from the branches.

I was surprised to see Ron, Harry and Hermione. It had been a while since I'd really sat down and talked to them. I wasn't sure exactly what had brought them here, except that it seemed Ron was picking up something...

A rat? Oh, Scabbers. Harry was telling him something but then Ron was screaming something after him, much more panicked and insistent. We all looked over to see- "THE GRIM!" Ron shrieked, finger shaking as he pointed. A huge black dog was stood there, snarling. I felt my heart stop.

My dad was an animagus. A black dog.

As he started forward, I took off to... do something. Anything. I didn't get there before he jumped past Harry though, instead sinking his teeth into Ron's leg and dragging him into the hole under the tree. I cawed, panicking, and Harry and Hermione spun around to look at me. I shook my head before diving, making sure to avoid the Whomping Willow, shooting into the hole under the tree as quickly as possible. I heard Ron screaming and I was flying after him, trying to find him through the tunnel that seemed even longer than I remember. I heard noise behind me- Harry and Hermione, I assumed, were now also in the tunnel. I paused, wondering if I should guide them or go face what I had been avoiding facing all year by myself. Did I want them to be there when I met my father?

Did I want Harry there while Sirius Black was alive and trying to kill him?

Ron moaned again and it echoed. I knew his noise alone would guide them so I took off, flying again to go after Sirius. I finally got into the falling apart house and shot up the stairs, into the room I heard Ron screaming from. I landed on the floor, fluttering around him as a bird, squawking loudly.

That seemed to upset Ron even more. "Get away!" he shooed me.

To make it easier, I turned human again. He screamed. "It's me!" I called, hands up and away from myself so he wouldn't freak out. He seemed to be breathing raggedly. I hoped he wouldn't faint. "Ron! I'm sorry, I know it's very weird. But, the dog. Where did it go? I need you to answer me Ron!"

He only lifted a finger, pointing behind me. "Animagus," he whispered.

Spinning around, I snagged my wand from my back poker. "Expelliarmus!" It was gone from my hand as soon as I had it and there stood a ragged, deranged Sirius Black, Ron's wand in his hand. He looked at me very carefully, trying to gauge my threat level. "Who are you?"

I couldn't breathe. "I'm the only who's going to kill you." I hated the words in my mouth but I thought of Harry in here and that charged me to attack him. He brandished his wand though and I froze again. Ron reached forward, grabbing my wrist so I wouldn't leave. There was a second of pause. "You won't kill him. I won't let you."

Sirius seemed to deem me a severe enough threat that his expression darkened. "No one will stop me. I WILL kill him."

That moment the door burst opened and there was Harry and Hermione, scrambling to me and Ron. "Liv?" Harry inquired in the most perplexed voice. I would have to explain later. Instead, I yanked my wrist away from Ron, snagging Harry and Hermione and throwing them behind me. They turned as I opened my arms wide to block them.

"You'll have to go through me!" I screamed.

Hermione gasped. "Is that-?"

"He's an animagus!" Rom whimpered. "He's the dog! And she- she's a crow."

"You're an animagus too?" Hermione asked, as if the idea startled her.

"Not now," I reminded sternly. Attention turned back to Black.

Harry wasn't having any of my self sacrificing though. He pushed past me, shaking me off as I pulled at him. "You," he seethed. I tried to pull him again but he turned to me. "GET OFF!" I moved away. "Remember when I told you I'd kill him? You said you'd let me. You said you'd do it!"

"And I would!" I screamed. Sirius seemed to be unsure of what to do with our quarrel while he was right there, ready to kill us. It felt increasingly chaotic as every second passed. "But I'd rather not allow him the chance to kill you first!"

Hermione seemed to agree. When I grabbed at him again, she reached out too, and between us, we pulled him out of range. "If you want to kill Harry you'll have to kill us too!" She shouted firmly, despite the fear on her face.

"No," the tormented man seethed. "Only one will die tonight." Harry had his wand out and was trying to push between us as Black began to come towards us to attack.

The door burst open again. "Expelliarmus!" Harry's wand went flying. My eyes widened when I saw Black fall to the ground as Harry's wand flew into some corner of the room, none other than Lupin himself standing in the doorway of the room. I relaxed. Until his eyes landed on Black.

Lupin recognized Black immediately. He got an incredibly soft look on his face and I felt a feeling of complete horror fill me. The world seemed to go silent and a little blurry, moving too slow. The universe turned upside down as I watched Lupin offer a hand to Black, helping him to his feet and turning the offer into a hug. Their chests touched and the expression on Lupin's face only held relief. I felt such deep betrayal that I couldn't feel anything else. Not anger. Not surprise. Not even a mild awareness of anything, until Hermione screamed, "NO!" right in my ear, shaking me to reality. "I trusted you!" Her words were raw and nearly as betrayed as I felt. "I kept your secrets!" She turned to the boys. "He's a werewolf! That's why he's been missing classes."

Lupin looked at me but I looked away, my chest moving desperately. That constricted chest feeling was back and I felt like I was about to either cry or kill someone. "You really are a very intelligent witch," Lupin said as if he was talking about something completely normal and okay. "How long have you known?"

"Since Snape gave the essay." She nudged me but I was unresponsive. I really was the worst Slytherins ever. "All this time you've been his friend," she added quietly, nearly defeated.

"Stop this nonsense!" Black screamed over it all. I flinched.

"Wait!" Lupin followed up.

"IVE DONE MY WAITING!" Black screamed. "TWELVE YEARS OF IT! In Azkaban!" I found myself loosing all my will power, shrinking to the side corner of the room.

Lupin's shes settled on me a second. "Fine." When Black had fallen he must have dropped Ron's wand because now Lupin offered his own. "Kill him. But Harry deserves to know why-"

"I know why!" Harry interrupted, stepping forward. Without my help, Hermione had no chance of keeping him behind her so she didn't even try. "You killed my parents! You're the reason they're dead!"

"No, Harry, it wasn't him." Lupin again. I leaned against the wall, hoping the world would go into focus and start making sense again. "Someone did betray your parents. Someone who, until recently, I believed dead."

"Who was it then?" Harry demanded.

Black spoke now. "Peter. Petigrew." He said it slowly. Spaced. There was a pause between the first and second name, like it was some huge reveal. And- it was, I'm not going to lie.

"Impossible," I whispered.

"No," Black shot down. "He's in this room! Right now." He seemed to almost smile and I pressed into the wall. That's when I saw my wand, just behind Ron. "COME OUT COME OUT PETER! COME OUT AND PLAY!" I took a step toward it, slow and careful.

"Expelliarmus!" It was yelled a third time and Lupin's wand went flying to the floor. I jumped as everyone turned their attention to Snape, who was suddenly also in the room, but I kept my focus on my wand, continuing to make little movements towards it.

Black, Lupin, and Snape kept going back and forth and when Snape pointed out that the two were arguing likes married couple, I couldn't help but agree. I hated them both now, that shock wearing off to finally give me the anger I needed to power myself and clear my mind. I had to get us all out of here and I had to do it as soon as possible, by any means. I kneeled down, picking up my wand very carefully before standing back up again, the wand at my side as I tried to gauge if anyone had noticed.

"You." Snape had finally seen me and his eyes narrowed. "No doubt you've been helping as well. I guess it's true, what they say- the apple really doesn't fall far from the home tree. You're just like daddy, aren't you?" His words reminded me of Pansy's.

The curse had been meant for Black, but it had hit Snape instead. "EXPELLIARMUS!" Harry yelled at the same time I shouted, "STUPEFY!" The combination of the two spells sent Snape flying and Harry and I looked at each other. I looked to see that Hermione was missing her wand.

"Harry!" Ron shrieked. "You attacked a teacher!"

His words knocked us into focus and we both looked at Lupin and Black. My wand was on the Professor; Harry's was on the criminal's. "Tell me about Pettigrew," Harry demanded evenly. I was following his lead.

"He was at school with us!" Lupin began. "We thought he was our friend!"

"No. Pettigrew's dead." Harry seemed uneasy as I was as his hand twitched, almost like he was itching to send a spell to Black. I didn't doubt he was. "You killed him!"

"No he didn't," Lupin rushed, moving between Black and Harry so that both of our wands were on him. "I thought so too, until you mentioned seeing Pettigrew on the map."

"The map was lying then," Harry reasoned.

"The map never lies!" Black cut in. "Pettigrew's alive. And he's right there."

To most of our confusion, he pointed to Ron. "Me?" Ron gasped. "He's mental!"

Then it clicked in my brain. Lupin in a werewolf; Black is a dog. "Pettigrew was a rat," I whispered. My eyes fell to the rat. "You told me," I said louder, looking at Lupin again. "You told me that you and your friends. They stayed with you during the full moon. They were animagi- all of them. Pettigrew was a rat."

Black looked at me like he saw something in my face that was familiar in a way he didn't quite like. I looked away from him as Ron sputtered. "But- Scabbers has been in my family for-"

"Twelve years!" Black interrupted, wagging a finger. "Bit long for a regular rat life don't you think? He's missing a toe isn't he?"

"So what?" Ron was hysterical.

"All they could find of Pettigrew-" Harry began.

"A finger!" Black finished. "The bloody coward cut it off so everyone would think he was dead, then turned into a rat!" Black had begun to move closer to Ron, Harry turning to accommodate as I kept my wand on Lupin without hesitation.

"Show me," Harry demanded.

Black grabbed Scabbers forcefully from Ron. The rat was screeching and Ron was complaining and we were all telling him to shut up. Black put the rat on the piano as Lupin picked up his wand. They missed a few times but eventually they hit him with whatever spell they were shooting. Before our eyes, Scabbers the rat became a man that was so pitiful and disgusting, I flinched away from all three of them as Lupin and Black each took on of his arms, pulling him out of hiding and to his feet. There was chaos. Yelling and accusing and the world was spinning. All I could get out of it was that my dad was innocent. Innocent of everything. Sirius Black was a good man.

I found my mind just as Peter began to scramble for the door. I moved to block him, my wand having fallen to my side. He grasped me by the shoulders, pulling me close. "You're such a good girl. I know he acts like he hates me now but you're dad- you're dad and I- we were very good friends. I could tell you all kinds of stories about him in school. I could-" Lupin and Black had been fighting to pull him away from me but when they finally succeeded, I was left breathless. Sirius looked closely at me again, undoubtedly putting it together the more Pettigrew talked. I was relieved when he finally looked away.

"You should have known," Lupin said.

"You should have known if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would!"

"NO!" Harry yelled. The room went silent as Lupin slowly turned, a tired look in his eyes. "He killed my parents, I know," He huffed as Lupin began to say something. "We'll take him to the castle." He began to move towards Pettigrew, who fell to his knees and reached for Harry, ready to praise him. "GET OFF!" Harry snapped. "I said we'd take you to the castle. After that, the Dementors could have you." Pettigrew made a horrible sound that almost made me pity him, but it was final. Harry's parents had been the one he'd killed after all. It was smart and for some reason, even the adults seemed to listen to him. The power of Harry Potter I suppose.

All eyes finally turned to me. I felt my chest moving fast again as it finally sunk in. "You're innocent," I whispered. Black looked at me. We held eye contact until my eyes watered so that I couldn't see him at all anymore. "I'll be waiting outside."

"Wait!" Lupin called. But too late. I turned into a crow and tore out of there as fast as I had come what seemed so long ago. Now I was racing through the house, into the long tunnel, hoping I'd have time between when I got outside to when they got outside to catch my breath and get my thoughts oriented so I could at all make sense of all the information I'd just received. I didn't know how the others were taking this so well but I wasn't. Couldn't. Wouldn't. So I raced and flew as fast and hard as I could because if I knew how to do anything, it was run away.

-

Tags: @reddie-steddie-go

[sparda3g]

Gintama Chapter 703 Review

This chapter is amazing. I don’t need to review it; just leave it like that and you already know why. Joking aside (not really), what is there to say about it? It’s not the chapter I thought I wanted, but it’s the chapter I didn’t think I needed. It’s Gintama at its finest in its serious tone. It’s the finale that surpassed the last Utsuro battle. It’s the finale that surpassed my expectation, and trust me, it was pretty high. It’s the finale that the fans will forever remember.

Right from the beginning, it’s a knee-jerking experience with a sheer amount of intensity in the air. Gintoki and Utsuro are not even fighting, yet I got goosebumps just reading their dialogues. Speaking of which, Utsuro continue to be the most sinister villain in a long time for Shounen Jump. I know it’s technically not part of it anymore, but it did spawn from it. The point is, Utsuro is intimidating as always, drawing the aura of sinister that have outsmarted everyone.

He retells the whole story on why and how all the events led to this moment, in case if you are confused. Above all, it does add the shivering feeling because of how right he was about everything. The line about the path makes a callback, which makes me happy, because I reflect this many times before on how important his words were. That means I didn’t overthink it; Sorachi acknowledged it. Also, it adds more to the theme of Silver Soul; a necessary conflict to challenge. Lastly and more importantly, it adds more to Gintoki’s character; a man who can’t escape the tragic path that happened to repeat itself. It’s a mad world.

The showdown between the two have been on-point and stellar, and they haven’t yet to attack to make it so. Even Gintoki grasping his sword got me chills; that’s how unnerving it is. He may have gone through hell, but he will forever keep his words with his friends. No matter what happens, they will find their way to regroup. The conversation is so compelling. It doesn’t resort to power of friendship in blatant terms. All of their words felt meaningful because it relates perfectly to their characters. Those words about Takasugi made me feel so good, but it ultimately segue to a twist to Utsuro’s own game.

The twist is great because it finally put Utsuro in his own mind game, and rightfully deserved. It turns out that he was the one lying down and Shouyo was never there. It was confusing, of course, but the explanation is pretty rewarding. We last saw him about to kill Shouyo, but it actually never went through. He was stopped by Oboro because his blood was also consumed. This makes sense, especially when we just learned about how everything works. Not only that, but it’s even better with him being the one to stop. How can Sorachi make a dead guy, who was once a villain, become so likable in after life? That’s amazing.

I got so gleeful when Gintoki takes the role of a tyrant, looking down on Utsuro. It’s like I have foodgasm without taking a bite. The mind game on Utsuro is awesome; that line delivery about what he sees is superb. Takasugi stabbed himself rather than on Shouyo; that commitment cannot be broken. Gintoki’s strike is so well earned, along with the parallel. To recap, Shouyo is saved (for now) and he’s going to be helped by Yorozuya. Those moments were stellar enough, the next scene is downright masterful, but it comes with a heavy price.

It’s really tough to choose the best scene of this chapter. It’s interchangeable to me. Regardless, the next scene is perhaps the moment I never expected. I was so hung on the idea that the final battle must be explosive, literally or not, tons of action, and a solid storytelling. Maybe because plenty of writers thought bigger means better. That is not the case, and that’s a great thing. What the fans get and thankfully understand the nature and premise, is a wonderful climatic end.

Just before the final exchange, there’s one more conversation; preparing you for the greatness. The bone-chilling feeling that I have comes from Gintoki posing like a true Samurai, ready to fight. That cold stare only increase the chill factor. Utsuro’s words are hurtful, especially when he more or less guilt tripping Gintoki. Words about losing a master and a friend; those are stabbing to the heart pain. The narrative is whether the end path for Gintoki will forever be an empty void. Shouyo is saved, but will Takasugi be saved as well? The answer is yes; just not what you’re hoping for.

It’s badass enough for Gintoki to pose as a Samurai; it’s even more so when he doesn’t move at all to all of Utsuro’s hit. None of them connects; he stands as he knows he will never be empty. The ones he wanted to protect are right there, in his soul. That panel with Takasugi preventing Utsuro’s attacks is pure awesome. That’s friendship at its best. The next scene…is mesmerizing. Everything is impactful for one main reason: the storytelling. If Utsuro was just himself, it would have been pretty cool, but that would be the end of it. It would have been a high-five victory only. However, this is Takasugi’s body, so the story has changed. It’s a heartbreaking story that will pain the fans. It’s a tragic story that must be done. And I love it.

I love every single panel. It’s all one-sided, but it’s incredible. Much like how One Punch Man is brilliant at one-hit gag, this is brilliant at finishing the fight in a one-sided beat down with a crushing soul. I love how every hit slowly eats Gintoki’s calmness, closing in to kill Utsuro, but above all, kill his best friend. The memories begin to surface, causing me to feel the agony. I can’t do it justice here, but it’s simply gorgeous. My favorite part is the sword reflection. No matter what happens, no matter if Takasugi has to die, the reflection shows true color: he is proud of Gintoki. This is unfair. I don’t want to cry.

The way how it was paneled is amazing. It is an emotional roller coaster and each passing panel draws closer to sad fate. It aches me when it zooms in Gintoki’s eyes; understanding the pain he has to go through, but it has to be done. That roar as he holds Takasugi’s sword is chilling. The sad part is, I wanted to cheer and celebrate, but instead, I found myself pleading to stop. The double page spread says it all; epic but heartbreaking. The deed is done. I love Utsuro’s end as he truly learned the lesson as he dies; the lesson of humanity staying strong in the soul. It speaks well to his character and it’s better than simply meet people with strong willpower. It’s a great moral that captured the theme. I honestly didn’t do justice on the scene, but it’s one I often go back dozens and dozens of time; no exaggeration.

The scene with Yorozuya and Shouyo is something I thought I would never see, but undoubtedly welcoming. It makes completely sense for them to interact; it’s simply the past meet the present. It also works out well to give Shouyo a better light that his action has its upbringing and that is giving Gintoki the life he has. The panels with Gintoki looking down at Takasugi with a line about saving or protecting is quite telling. It’s very fitting for Shinpachi to be the one to thank Shouyo for meeting Gintoki. Who knows what would have happened instead if they didn’t meet. It’s such a nice moment of two generations bonding. Now, here comes the hardest part.

I wasn’t so sure what to prepare for, but it’s not the writing fault. It’s me hoping for a quick asspull or something people despise in Shounen genre. The series may be at the end, but to see a very popular character to die is hard to accept. Rarely that happens. Maybe, Takasugi would receive the Sasuke treatment, even if it was bull crap. Sadly, Sorachi doesn’t play that way. In short, this is it; pay respect one last time.

It’s as everything you can expect; it’s downright sad. I find it morbid to think the wins and losses count was a huge indication for their end. It was designed for one to receive the win to decide it all, but at a price of a life. Not like this. Even so, it’s touching that Gintoki doesn’t want the victory, even if Takasugi finds it pity. I love their last share of conversation, talking about how they were bitter with each other since youth, but they could have been best of friends. Scratch that; they always have been. What hurts me the most is the fact Takasugi had lived in the past for so long and what could have been show plenty of possibilities; but his death means it wasn’t meant to be. If that’s not tragic, I don’t know what is.

When I read the chapter’s title, I was speculating that it could mean a good thing. Technically, I was right, but not like this. Sorachi truly knows how to make something simple, complex, small, or large absolute meaningful, and by God, this is no exception. Takasugi’s left eye’s final vision was the tear of his best friend. The right should see Gintoki as the man he knows very well; the man he can called an eternal rival. That’s his final wish, and Gintoki grants that with a smile. The eye slowly closes; God, it’s hard. He vowed to get his win one day in Hell, and Takasugi will be waiting.

He’s gone. Gintoki cries. Powerful. Simply powerful.

Everything from this scene, let alone the chapter, was masterful. I don’t know how my face looked like, but I know my eyes were watery. Let me tell you, listening to Unravel acoustic was a massive mistake. It had me pouring. You can complain all you want about not wanting to end, but if it result to this pure quality, why fight it? This is what the fans truly deserved. Not exactly killing a beloved character, but the top level of writing that one would say, “It’s been 84 years.” I know it’s a joke, but I have to lighten up after this. The next chapter will be the last. By all means, end it. We are satisfied enough.

This chapter will go down as the best of the series; most likely the best I have read this year. It will likely to have the best ending in a long time. I am seriously considering to buy all volumes in one sweep. There’s no need to repeat on why this chapter is the best. You read it and you’ll know it. If only this was posted in a magazine; I will buy it in a heartbeat. Here’s to the final chapter. Takasugi won’t be here next time, but the soul will go on forever.

Rest in Peace, Takasugi.

[kiwi-astrology]

Libra Risings: Exhausting yet Powerful

From learning more about the houses in astrology and discovering personal experiences from other people I know personally or celebrities lives, I have a strong belief that the rising sign being placed in Libra is maybe one of the most difficult rising signs to have, but it is also one of the most rewarding. Like always, my posts are my observations and beliefs so feel free to add what you think. Astrology is never an answer but a tool. Libra is the sister sign of Aries, so every house sign is opposite and the chart is flipped from the ideal pattern of the signs through the houses. 

First house (Libra): 

Difficulties: Libra risings find themselves in an identity crisis on the daily wondering, is their kind nature a fake persona or a respectful attitude? The sign of balance is caught in a paradox when they can’t balance their own identity and view on the world. They want to please everyone and come off as a fair sociable person who sees the world through rose colored glasses, but this isn’t always the case. (I’ll get more into this with the 12th house which is governed by Virgo) The first house is set to create an identity and separate someone from the rest of the world but Libra in this house causes someone to continuously change who they are depending on their surroundings, never establishing an identity. 

Rewards: Libra risings are able to effortlessly come off as a pleasant person to almost anyone from any background. They are consistently able to stay polite and calm even in times they’re faced with disrespect. Frequently adored and cherished by those around them due to the Libra rising’s lovely nature. After years of learning who they are they will need to accept that their kindness should never be mistaken for being fake, it’s who they are. With the right people, they will be able to discover not who they want to be but who they are supposed to be.

Second house (Scorpio):

Difficulties: Finance and money is something that constantly worries the Libra risings, even if they’re stable. Their fear is deeply hidden of becoming involved with the destructive system rooted by money. They notice the evil embedded in money and it causes sentimental strings to be pulled if anyone they love gets into trouble with financial problems. They are someone who is very secretive with their possessions and finds it hard to open up to others on what comforts them as well. They hide their desires causing other people to never understand how to comfort this sign, but the Scorpio 2nd house ruler just does’t want to be taken advantage of. 

Rewards: They are able to create a deep connection with comfort out of the security of their secretiveness. Not opening up easily allows for their possessions to never be taken advantage of, but when they do open up to those they trust; they are able to share their comfort meanwhile embracing it with another soul. These people also learn to not become foolish with money and create a stable life after witnessing the horrific dangers it can potentially bring. 

Third house (Sagittarius):

Difficulties: Never ending thoughts that haunt their mind. So many curiosities and questions and daydreams that it’s hard to communicate their thoughts or feelings, so they become a detached communicator. So many brilliant ideas and stories that brew in this mind only to be forgotten about because they cannot figure out how to properly communicate it all. Too many thoughts that become restless, always leading to problems with trying to relax. Leads to arguments with siblings with poor communication as a scatterbrain. 

Rewards: The curious and inventive mind is continuously daydreaming and it able to come up with amazing stories or ideas. Wonderful story tellers and when they work on their communication skills, they’re the best people to talk to. Can make a conversation about anything with anyone and you’re always guaranteed a good laugh. They ask all the right questions and have the mind to break down problems if they learn patience and how to stick to one thing at a time. Adaptable minds. 

Fourth house (Capricorn):

Difficulties: The tender home life that is supposed to envelop one in a warm hug is ripped away from them and instead they are given a list of responsibilities. Their home life becomes a chore and a duty instead of a place to recharge and relax. Often troubles with family and feelings of a lost childhood. They lose out on many experiences of living freely as a child with loose restrictions. 

Rewards: If they don’t turn out wild as an adult, they can have such a successful life. They learn the importance of letting loose and never overwork themselves in the future but they also have responsibility already ingrained into their style of living. They have matured before their years and they have high opportunities of becoming successful faster by learning from others mistakes that they could never make as a child, so they have less restrictions when growing up and if they choose to leave their household. 

Fifth house (Aquarius):

Difficulties: Every way they express them self always needs to feel original and ends up being self expression for others. They fail to realize that art and self expression should always be for yourself, and not others. Independence is strong and they always stray away from erratic relationships in fear of losing that independence. Could become lonely from their lack of creating small relationships with others and instead come off as detached and emotionless. 

Rewards: Their self expression is naturally eccentric and unique without trying, their sense of independence helps them gain what they need to understand that what they do should be for them. Their natural sense of altruism expressed helps heal others through their art along the way. With growth, they can create relationships that are meaningful but establish independence and loose bonds without consequences, like friendships.

 Sixth house (Pisces):

Difficulties: What should be clear and organized is blinded by fantasies and blurred dreams. Health is a major confusion and can cause one to turn into a hypochondriac with poor understandings of their own body. Work life becomes a constant cycle of procrastination or indulgence in working. They move slow and hurt their own work style but have a hard time getting out of the cycle due to the confusion. They are given abilities to connect to others on a soul connection but they don’t know how to act on it in a professional manner. 

Rewards: They come up with new ways on how to work and take care of themselves that works for them. They can do the bare minimum and still receive healthy results. Confusion causes them to do extra research on how to improve their lifestyle even more than they’re expected to. Pisces in the sixth creates bonds with animals and pets that others fail to create.They are humane and thoughtful with their work.

Seventh House (Aries): 

Difficulties: The house that is ideal for uniting yourself with other people and groups is frustrating when being ruled by Aries. Libra risings find themselves naturally wanting to do things on their own and create independently and on their own terms. It’s hard for them to want to balance relationships and agree easily when they act stubborn in partnerships and want it one way or another. 

Rewards: Their fiery energy fueled by passion can be used to get things done in a group and they are sure to always complete their part. They take action quickly and create relationships easily that are sure to have a deep meaningful affect on their life and their partner. In groupings they learn to be fair ,not just as a person but their aggressiveness is put to use to prevent mistreatment towards other people. They are not afraid to stand up for others and the ones they adore. 

Eighth House (Taurus):

Difficulties: The  unknown, secrets, mysteries, mystical matter is not something enjoyed by the practicals of Taurus ruling the 8th house. Taurus finds comfort in the real world and nature as it is, they typically don’t need to seek for deeper ideas but the 8th house pushes you to notice the things that many disregard. There is conflicting annoyance between wanting to be satisfied with whats on earth and the practicability of that being tested with fantasy. 

Rewards: Sensuality is common for those with 8th house Taurus, they want to feel emotions deeply between people and the world. They are able to connect to nature and understand the raw deep meanings and symbols between objects in nature in a reliable way. Taurus in the 8th house can understand that even in practicability, there is always some magic involved that may be unseen, and they’re content with that. 

Ninth House (Gemini):

Difficulties: What should be left as a mystery and should be cherished without facts in the 9th house is teared down by the Gemini ruler that seeks answers. There is beauty in the unknown and imagining what lies beyond our minds, but the Gemini ruler can’t appreciate that with the deep need for factual evidence that proves there is beauty and answers of life we can’t see. They can’t just learn about one culture or language without feeling like they need to continue learning more until they run out of opportunities, it’s overwhelming. 

Rewards: Their mind works wonders if Gemini rules the 9th house, they are able to dream up their own answers and single-handily come up with answers never thought of before-something that could only make sense to them. They begin to appreciate the beauty of the way your own mind can justify the beauty in the unknown, creativeness is rich here. Soon enough they are skilled with multiple languages and information about many cultures that their mind only expands from there on. 

Tenth House (Cancer): 

Difficulties: It becomes hard to set a sturdy ground and set of rules that doesn’t fail to include everyone and make sure everyone feels welcome. When the 10th house wants you to be assertive, the cancer energy wants you to put others needs before your own. The energy that should be used to establish yourself as a strong leader can be overshadowed by the emotions you put on display for society. You’re open with your feelings in a field that wants you to hide them for a professional look. 

Rewards: Society is able to create deep emotional bonds with those with Cancer governing their 10th house. They show the side of themselves that others are afraid to expose, but society learns to appreciate that and in return support this person that makes society feel warm and safe. These people are generous to the world and spend their time comforting everyone in a selfless way. 

Eleventh House (Leo):

Difficulties: What should be unconventional and humane towards a group of people could come off as vain and selfish with Leo in the 11th house. The 11th house wants you to create a fair group and act as someone who is here to fight for others in the world. Leo wants to set a foundation that expresses themselves and highlights their own individual talents in a group. They end up feeling guilty and as if they are always attempting to steal the spotlight when they know they should be distributing it equally. 

Rewards: Their proud esteem in a group affects others in a way that causes friends to also want to be proud and confident. Leo in the eleventh house makes sure that their self love is spread to the ones they love, so they are always the ones showering their friends/family with beautiful compliments. They fight independently, but for a group. They put themselves first and at the same time teach others to follow their beneficial way to live life. 

Twelfth House (Virgo):

Difficulties: The house of dreams, spirituality, and secrets has a subconscious way of feeling deep dissatisfaction and disappointment, uncontrollably. Virgo ruling the 12th house hits hard on the soul and points out every flaw they have until they are perfect, but perfect isn’t real. The intoxicating mix of pressuring unrealistic dreams and perfection between the 12 house and Virgo is dangerous and can cause one to always feel dissatisfied. Not only on themselves but they subconsciously critique others and judge almost everyone, and they feel guilty about it as their Libra rising whats to stay fair and open-minded. 

Rewards: Healing needs to be done in this house and Virgo is the perfect sign to do so. Understanding flaws and mistakes helps Libra risings grow through knowledge and understatement of the unreadable things other people overlook. With the persevering and perfectionist nature of Virgo, things will get done even if everything seems impossible. It all comes down to the Virgo energy tuning into their intuition and using their natural care taking skills to heal their soul and put their mind to ease.