#i dont talk about them a lot but i treasure their relationship lots

[lyricalchrysanthemum]

I think I'll be ok, Hilbert.

[boxwinebaddie]

Wait so did Ike knoww about Stan and Kyle dating? Also I'd love to hear abt Kyle and Ikes sibling relationship thats so adorable

soooooo long story short:

...y-yes. yes, he Does know.

hOWEVER, IKE DOES NOT KNOW RAVEN IS STAN THOUGH, THAT IS SENSITIVE INFO THAT IKE CAN BE TRUSTED WITH, OFC, BUT IT WOULD PUT HIM IN DANGER AND KY WANTS TO KEEP HIM SAFE.

but long story Long...

i'll leave it in the crotch. xx

( edit: so...my bad, baby. i accidentally went on a crazy TANGENT about ike and jerseykyle's relationship bc i love them a lot and their dynamic is very complicated, so if you want that info about how ike found out about ravesey dating...i gotta put it in another ask.

bc this...got Very long.

you don't have to read this. soz. >.> )

oookay!~ so i got REALLY excited about this because rm!jerseykyle and ike's relationship is super duper special to me, in that, as sp fanfic writer girlie who tends to lean away from a more gentle, kindly, introspective kyle and much more heavily into the potential brutal parts and menacing aspects of kyle's personality when i develop my style dynamics with, ofc, jers being the most brutal of all ncu kyles...

...the way that he speaks to ike -- gently, softly, tenderly -- the way that ike disarms him, the way that j.k. unravels around ike, bends for him, it's one of the ONLY instances written into my actual published canon where we see jers be extremely vulnerable. ( not crying, lmao! )

however, i will say, it was not ALWAYS like that!

*rings the cd re-education bell*

LORE TIME!

so, per my rm!take on the south park lore, ike, ofc, was adopted from canada around age five and he...was Perfect. he was this lil gorgeous, perf, lovely thing, no health problems, dark hair, i like to think his eyes are dark brown, closer to black, sweet kid, easy-going...

...and very NOT like kyle.

and, interestingly enough, i think, At First, that sheila and gerald were super obsessed with ike, cooed over him, he was the baby, y'know? which made jerseykyle MAD jealous of ikey and an Anti from day one.

which is also v interesting because rm!ike, really just fkn Worshipped jerseykyle, wanted to be close to him, wanted his approval, craved that brotherly relationship with him, idolized him...and kyle was NOT having it, dawg! like, it took him so long to even let stan in and let his cold, black heart be light and bright enough in some spots to do That, so he pushed ike away, constantly told him to fuck off/get lost

( i do think that ike's vocab being more vulgar/him being precocious comes from wanting to impress kyle/being influenced by him ), also ike was really fkn smart from the jump in a way kyle wasn't like, to me, jerseykyle has worked hard for everything, studied hard, fought hard, and ike was naturally a child prodigy and didn't have to work that hard for anything, all while being gentle and docile and kind.

-- but going back to STAN for a minute...as a direct contrast to how jerseykyle treated ike growing up...gods angel saint ravenstan was always EXTREMELY KIND to ike. stan never had a brother: okay, he had shelley but his relationship with shelley was even more complex than ike and kyle's relationship used to be and the way shelley treated ravenstan was similar to the way jersey was treating ike, so he Deeply Sympathized with that and endeared himself to ike, encouraged him, and the more kyle pushed him away, the closer ike got to stan.

stan and ike i think ALSO had very similar interests in that they both liked louder, heavier music, revolutionary/counter culture stuff, fighting the MAN, sports ( namely hockey ) i think as a gift, actually, that ravenstan gave ike his wayne gretsky hockey yersey and ike STILL has it ( yes, kyle was jealous ), stan encouraged him to be different and carve his own path in life and while kyle, obvi, was the person most effected by stan's untimely passing...it did also do a number on ike who seriously considered stan like a brother to him and was one of the only other people who Never misgendered stan.

SPEAKING OF STAN DY*NG THOUGH: this was when everything sort of...Flipped. because when stan 'died', whatever part of kyle that could love things also died with him along with a lot of his stability.

so on top of all of his health issues, kyle got really, REALLY gnarly ptsd, would fly into blind rages, got randomly triggered by things and see stan everywhere, have really, really sever panic attacks, had to be put on several medications, got into TOOOONS of fights, etc.

and ike...was just sweet, introverted, lovely ike. stayed in his lane, did his work quietly, existed quietly...while kyle was Loud and VOLATILE.

also, to tie in Another ask where someone asked me while sheila didn't take care of ike as well as she could...fair warning, i am a liiiittle defensive abt this topic because it wasn't that she didn't want to take care of ike or meant to neglect him AT ALL, it's just...when you have a a child who has a lot going on mentally and physically, is more of a firestarter, is more aggressive or more outwardly mentally unstable...

...that tends to require more immediate attention ( especially since kyle was sooo unhinged that he was constantly in police stations, juvie, the psych ward ) and sheila's attention more helicopter parent-y in that she wanted to keep kyle safe, whereas geralds attention was more negative, felt kyle was a failure/embarrassment :/// </3 )

so ike, by COMPARISION to jersey, was VERY low maintenance, did not require to be constantly watched to make sure he didn't hurt himself or others, and so, unfortunately while sheila loved him very much ( gerald just wasn't very interested in him as the second kid other than that he not act up/argue w/ him ) he got swept under the rug because of how pliable and pleasant he was personality wise.

so sheila really does Adore ike, she just doesn't worry about him nearly as much and because of how glaring jersey's issues were, she also mistakenly assumes he's mostly fine where...i really do think ike has pretty gnarly depression, tbh. he is stan coded, i mean that. i will say that him acting out is starting to cause a stir in their house.

anyways...i am sorry this is such a MESS but jerseykyle was watched with laser focus and because of this, ike got off scott free most of the time and received almost no attention. like all his accomplishments went unnoticed or were pretty normalized because the standard he set v young being smart/capable, set the bar high. ilysm, ikey. </3

tldr; ike was The Good Child

and jersey was The Bad Child.

but, in being 'good', he got extremely overlooked by his parents.

thiiiiiiis...is where jerseykyle stepped in. so basically his entire life he was staunchly anti-ike, but he warmed up to ike a lot after stan died because they bonded over talking about him a lot/that grief, and also grew up under intense scary jewish matriarch sheila broflovski and the serious shit show that was having gerald as a father...who jersey actually regularly took shit from so ike wouldn't have to, i.g. when ike did something less than perfect or did misbehaved or fucked up, kyle always took the fall for it and was the messed up problem child, so that ike would essentially spared from gerald's mental abuse/wrath.

ike was also kind of the only person j.k. had in the world, so kyle looked after him because...again...ike is very stan coded, kyle is very protective of the lil gentle hearted people and he basically raised ike in the stead of his parents which forced him to be hard on him in a way that sheila and gerald were not hard on ike...which created a lot of dissonance when ike was becoming a teen and kyle was in hs.

so, essentially while when they were little kids, ike followed kyle around, wanted kyle to like him, thought kyle could do no wrong, as he got older and kyle started to nitpick him, actually care about him and start enforcing rules/curfews on him because no one else did, ike developed a rebellious streak and started to not like or listen to kyle because he was like, bro, whatever, you're so boring, it's one party, oh my god, just because you're boring doesn't mean i have to be!!!!

it's mostly just skin deep though, ike is only irritated because jerseykyle is mad overprotective, hard core and did not gentle parent him as an older brother at like, i shit you not fourteen, like i am so sorry but jerseykyle raised ike basically, and inspite of actin like a heartless monster...loves ike very, very much ( even if he can't say it ) and ike also loves kyle very much. jerseykyle is pretty much the only other person besides firkle, tricia, etc. ( i'll get into that in a diff ask ) that truly gave a shit about him and put weight behind his actions.

so jerseykyle is like ike's older brother/dad, rags on him about doing his homework and being an edgelord

( ike has been acting out a lot, one, because he's finally starting to come into his personality more, which, imo, my hc is that ike is p popular but mostly by accident sort of how stan was because he's pretty and very nice, ike is captain of the hockey team, his accent is cute, gets good grades ( he is slacking right now tho bc hes being edgy as hell ), is a lil skater boy gamer boy, IS V INTO TRUE CRIME, JOURNALISM AND ACTIVISM, creating positive change, exposing injustice, enjoys punk rock music, thinks emo boy stuff is neato,

IKE IS THEEEE DAWN SPAWN OF EVER AND I MEAN THAT, he is a raven of crimson dawn FAN BOY, he is obsessed; i mean that...and despite wanting to make waves in that way, like, he really is kind of an antisocial DORK but lots of girls like him, he gets invited to parties, firkle gets invited by proxy even though people think they are a crazy demonic satan worshiping freak of nature...but ike's super bestie, ofc...their relationship is also interesting...BUT YEAH! IKE! <333 )

also per rm canon, jers does miss ikes birthday every year bc going to south park triggers the fuck out of him which he feels very, very badly about, rags on him but is very pro ike doing what he wants to with reason of not acting like a goddamn FOOL and doing his laundry, his emo dirt bag phase is making kyle's eye twitch ooooof, him bleaching his hair and sticking a safety pin through his lip the second ravenstan walks through their front door while ravesey are secretly broken up and jk is extra mad at him; ITS A HOT MESS EXPRESS, Y'ALL!!!!

if you made it this far...i have to put the answer to the FIRST part of your question with all that dialogue in another ask so feel free to re-ask me that, but to reference it a little...ike is so team ravesey like it is actually painful, that is his ROMAN EMPIRE. firkle actually really does not like kyle bc they think he is lame as hell, help, and is anti-ravesey bc they think romance is a distraction,

( okay, spoiler, but firkle is in love with ike, ike does not know this, ike is super fkn oblivious and is actually very bi, so it's not like he's just not aware he is not straight, he just....actually has no idea, rip, he also has a crush on a girl in his class, it DOES make firkle want to actually dome themself to hear about it 25/8, stupid Feelings, smh, firkle b hating jersey and is lowkey a little jersey coded ) anyways they think kyle dating raven of crimson dawn is going to interfere with the band, their music, their sound and is a hater. like boooo! come on, FIRK! :/

BUT IKE IS A ROMANTIC!!! IKE IS THE JR. RAVESEY CAPTAIN!!!!

tldr; kyle and ike have a complicated relationship but love each other very much and ike does eventually learn about ravesey secret dating bc they are the brothers of ever and cannot hide shit from each other BUT I GOTTA PUT IT IN ANOTHER ASK, I AM SO SORRY, BABY, YOU GOTTA ASK ME AGAIN ABOUT THAT! but i hope this thrills you?

-uncle nina, ceo of insane hs isaac moisha broflovski lore

[superums]

roronoa zoro's 5 love languages

gender neutral reader. fluff. improper grammar. no y/n or (name). established relationship. strawhat-coded reader. i've never really been a zoro girlie... i hope this is okay tho. based on opla!zoro but can fit anime!zoro aswell. spoiler free.

color coded text: zoro

physical touch: he isn't big on giving physical affection, it's just not his nature. he doesn't like PDA all too much and in private i believe that he doesn't change. its not that he hates physical touch, it's more like he doesn't like initiating it. if you're touchy and always want to hug or hang off of him who is he to reject your affections. if you were to jump into his arms or just collapse on him he wouldn't say anything about it... well he might complain but its not real complaining. i think instead of initiating hugs and kisses he's more if a kisses your hand or rub the back of your hand with his thumb—kind of guy.

acts of service: he likes to do hard labor to show you love. ofc he dose things like get you a glass of water or get you a blanket from the bottom deck but he likes to show off his strength. if you wanted a fish he'd come back with a whale—stuff like that. he'd try to tone it down if you don't like that but thats his best quality. he likes to do absolutely ridiculous things to simple tasks because he wants to impress you. sometimes sanji gets involved and then he HAS to show off bc who dose sanji think he is trying outdo him at his job (getting you chocolate milk)??????

quality time: he spends his free time training and sleeping mostly so he probably won't invite you to join him on his free time that often unless you like taking naps or watching. i think he'd think he's boring so he probably wouldn't to invite you anyway. sometimes he will just plop down beside you whenever you're on the deck and you two will sit in a comfortable silence. he'll tell you about how he's training to lift a ton or swing his sword faster, but he honestly wants you to do more of the talking. when you leave the ship he always wants to go with you. it doesn't matter if you're leaving to get 1 thing or 100 things or even just a breath of fresh air away from everyone he wants to be with you at all times even if he doesn't explicitly say it.

giving/receiving gifts: he doesn't have any money so dont expect anything extravagant. he gets you more food than anything because thats all he can really get yk. he tries to spice things up by getting you a bird or fruit from a island, maybe even some treasures that villages gift them as a way of saying thank you, but you get a lot of fish from him. he might also give you a kiss as a way of giving you something—you gotta rmr kissing really isn't his thing so that means a lot coming from him!! he's a pirate after all and he cant really show a lot of appreciation towards you in the gift department.

he's also easy to please. be doesn't really expect much, if you gave him a towel he'd cherish it. he knows its hard to really get the other anything especially with a kingpin nami being in charge of the money holding everyone hostage financially so he's be happy with anything. i also think he's also one of those people who are content with what they have/feel like they have all they need. he has his crew, his swords and you—what else dose he really need?

[arttrampbelle]

Random shang tsung hcs

Cw:nsfw content. Fluff.

Tried to make it gn but it leans towards fem reader. My apologizes if this isn't my best. Its kinda done on the fly. I needed to put out some hc kontent for people.

💚🐍💚🐍💚🐍💚🐍❤🐉❤🐉❤🐉❤🐉❤

Sfw:

I hc shang is an ugly crier. Like when he genuinely is upset,crying,etc. He's a fucking mess. Not many ever see this,so if you do. He trusts you completely. He hates feeling vulnerable.

I also have a whole ass astrology chart for him. Maybe I'll post it up later. I hc him a Taurus sun with a scorpio moon. This explains why his emotional breakdowns are oof. (Scorpio and Taurus are opposite,they are similar but different ways of handling things but they are more alike than different. But both are fixed and very stubborn,very deep,and very loyal to those they deem safe and trustworthy) again i have a whole chart for him. And I'll explain why i personally feel these fit him. (Again my personal hcs plz dont take it too much to heart this is just how i see him)

Shang tsung is particular about his hair,he takes very good care of it. Hair,in some cultures is a symbol of status and health. He takes very very good care of himself. So if his hair is absolutely disheveled. He either isn't doing so good,if his demeanor is sour. Or if he's in a good mood,he just got laid. Those are the only times he's got "bed head hair". He doesn't even let his servents touch his hair. So if he let's you,he trusts you. Unless if you're hired as his personal handmaiden,then well that's your job. But depending on how intimate or close you are in your relationship with him,he might let you go further. Either way he trusts you.

Shang doesn't tolerate disrespect. Of any kind. Especially during a tournament. He takes his role as tournament master seriously. All guests on his island,regardless if "friend" or foe. Hospitality is his specialty. All will be accommodated for. If you are disrespected,uncomfortable with someone,or someone was "out of pocket",he will step in. Especially if you're a woman (he has a bias towards in favor of women,he trusts them more,goes the extra mile more and tends to be in more favor of women in kombat,not that he doesn't trust men. Its just an unfortunate circumstances in his past that a lot of men tended to be assholes n rude around him. He's got high ass standards for men) or if you are a new kombatant (if you're new,he's gonna go a little easy on you. Because this is your first kombat,maybe even tournament. He will be extra extra gentle with you. He wants to make a good impression. Hee hee). He hates rudeness towards people who he deems as (pardon this please) soft,gentle or looks "weak" (Look he doesn't mean anything by it ok?) Mostly outside of kombat. In kombat however,your ass better be ready. He won't be as forgiving. But outside of kombat he is poised,collected,and a soothing presence. But yeah if someone's giving you trouble,all you gotta do is tell him. And he will deal with them immediately. You never have to worry about such matters with him. But especially if he likes you.

Shang tsung loves to drink morning tea and watch the sun rise. And also read n have tea before bed. As long as he does this,He feels his day is complete. Regardless if the day was "good" or not.

Shang tsung loves fruit,all kinds. But especially Tropical or outworld "exotic" fruits. Feed this man a peach,apple,or fave fruit of your choice and he will be absolutely over the moon. The only time he'll ever be practically putty melting in your hands. He loves being pampered and to pamper. Absolutely loves gentle and romantic acts of service. God damn soft shang is fucking a treat. Totally the guy to love the champagne/wine and strawberries thing.

Shang tsung is the type to be genuinely hurt if you are down on yourself. Like if you tend to be harsh on yourself,doubts,etc. He sees you as his greatest treasure. So why talk that way about yourself? He never sees you that way. He sometimes gets even a bit mad that you feel so lowly. "Dont ever lower yourself to anyone!" He would command. "You are beautiful/handsome/gorgeous,amazing,talented. Much more of a higher standing than any of these lowly souls" . Shang is totally the man to gas you up. Put you in front of a mirror. "Purr" or "coo" in your ear and say how absolutely ravishing you are. Maybe even dress you up in fine clothing. Silk even. Like this man hates seeing you down,but especially if it's you being mean to you. Not on his watch!

Shang tsung sometimes likes to watch you. Nothing in particular. No real reason. He likes to people watch. But especially you. He loves to watch you do mundane things. Or even when you train. If you are happy,cheerful. Or even stimming. He finds it absolutely delightful. He loves your company,if ever should be the day where he can't enjoy your company. He would be very distraught and very sad.

Shang is love is absolutely suffocating,intense,hot,loyal,like the devil in love. I can't see it any other way. He of course will be respectful to his beloved. However. The internal feelings of this man for you is fucking insanely high. No words could be put how much he loves you and the lengths he would go for you. He is legit a gomez. "I would kill for them,i would die for them. Either way,what bliss"

Nsfw under the cut:

Nsfw:

Shang tsung totally has a praise kink. This mofo you can't tell me wouldn't. Giving AND receiving. He will praise you to the highnth degree. Telling you in increat detail on how fucking gorgeous you are. You body,the way your smile curves,your eyes. Your hips. Etc. Like unf. This man knows how to make you feel adored. But in the same,he likes the return. To be worshiped. But i bet you knew that. Tell him how handsome and intelligent his is. Praise his mind especially and you got him hooked! Tell him how beautifully sculpted his body is. How fine this mofo is. And again,melted.

Ok shang tsung? Is shang hung. Like nothing super outrageous. But he's got some length,and a bit of girth. 8-9inch length. A decent girth nothing again outrageous. However it will stretch you slightly. Might takes some wiggle to get it in. But it feel good af.

Shang loves to talk dirty. But he's classy about it. Like he'll say things more like "you like being masters whore?" (Emphasizes the word whore with some harsh r sounds like almost a purr or a hiss) or "you take my cock so well my dear" (i hc shang says cock rather than dick or penis or any cheesy euphemism. He's too classy).

Shang tsung if you both are nude in bed. Enjoying each others company with some wine. He's the type to take either your nipple of your breasts (if you're afab),a finger,or if you want drip it on your sex. And lick it off.

He totally has toys. Magic toys,exotic edenian dildos,etc. He would use them on you. He prefers still himself,all natural,non gmo shang cock. Buuuuut if you aren't in the mood,he's busy,or you just wanna tease or try something different. He's willing to use some magic on you while fucking you with a toy. Like this man has it down pat. You're taken well care of. And he won't stop till you've had enough. Speaking of which

This man has fucking stamina for daaaaaaaaays. Even as a foxy grandpa. This man could go for hours. He won't let up till either of you are truly satisfied or you both pass out. Like kombat,he can go several rounds. Works your ass like it's his profession. >:3c

He can be soft,sensual,and slow love making. Like every stroke is just pure ecstacy. If you want it sweet,his love is like absolute honey. Or.....he could pound that ass out and make you beg like his personal whore. Mewling and begging to him. Not caring if anyone hears you. So what if they hear you. They outta know how much he loves you. And how good he fucks you. They know they'll never have you,he has you all to himself. Smug bastard he is. But his aftercare? Top notch! He will care for you like you're a delicate petal on fresh snow. Soothe any "marks" he may have left. Kiss every inch so gently. A bath? Yes. A massage? Most definitely. Anything you need. You got it. Anything you wanna do for him? You got it.

Shang tsung is the type that if he fucks you on his throne,in his throne room. If you going doen on him. He doesn't care if people see. Tho he prefers privacy in that area. But it's not as huge of a deal. However. If he's going down on you? Nah they better leave. He hates being interrupted. Eating you out/succing you.

Places on your body he absolutely is over the moon about. If reader is afab: he loves your hips,thighs,breasts,and loves to rub your clit. Pays extra attention. Yeah he knows where its at. He knows exactly how to work that pearled pussy. If reader is amab: your chest,your stomach,your arms and biceps. Loves to play with your balls. If reader is gn/in general regardless of sex or gender: your eyes,your face. The small of your back. He loves to cum on your face,chest,lower back. And if you are comfortable he will inside you buuuut if not. Those areas will do.

Shang tsung loves to watch you play with yourself. Don't matter if he's in the mood or not. He might join and play with himself with you if he is. Mutual masturbation is something that happens quite often im sure. But overall,he just likes to watch you. He might comment on how good you are with yourself. Either way. He likes to spectate. He is a tournament master after all

It isn't easy to rile him him. Getting him hot and bothered may seem like an easy task but its anything but. However,once you do. You are guaranteed to get fucked by him. One of The best ways,is to tease and stim his mind. Good conversation,genuine honeyed words and compliments. (Remember it needs to be genuine,he'll smell fakeness from a mile away) put the ball in his court,he'll play all day. Once you stim his mind and get him going he'll play lovers chase in no time.

Remember shang will undress you with his eyes and mind before ripping it off with his hands.

He won't ever say no to a blowjob. However,he loves giving you oral more. Besides he loves to fucking tease. (Gdi shang!)

Shang if he's away from his island from you. (Hey more likely that's where you'll be ok?) Like for some reason if he's in outworld,doing various personal errands. (Not for shao kahn because i hc after a certain point,he wasn't under shao kahn anymore and was free. But twice as dangerous for others because of his still unpredictability. I have a whole thing for that. But thats for another post). But if he's somewhere private,away from you. And he starts missing you and is in a "mood"*tm* . He'll start playing with himself,he doesn't usually do this,he'd rather wait till he gets home to you to relieve himself to you. But hey,sometimes it is what it is. He'll be quick about it tho. He hates getting caught with his literal pants down when not at home. He gets embarrassed easy.

Nothing changes if he's an old man or when he's young and rejuvenated. Tho i would say sex with shang as an old man tends to be more tender,slower,and more romantic. More passionate. When he's rejuvenated,healed,and full of vigor again. He'll be more confident in getting a bit more rough. Again not to say he wouldn't as an old man. He just is more self conscious about it. You'd need to be gentle with him in his more vulnerable state. Praise him genuinely as an old man and he may be a bit more interested in fucking you harder or being a bit more exerting.

Ok that's all for now. I may make more sometime.

Hope you guys like it.

🐍💚🐍💚🐍💚🐍💚❤🐉❤🐉❤🐉❤🐉❤

[menelaiad]

ik you've talked about it before but tumblr blog search on mobile sucks ass so if it's not too much of a bother could you redirect me to your posts on why you dislike emily wilson?

i've never made a post on it. but, here you go:

as a translator? i have no issues with her. her translations are pretty good. so her 'work' i don't have a problem with. don't get me wrong, sometimes i think she toes that dangerous line of 'women good. men bad. feminism.' black and white line very finely. it's a lot more subtle than most modern classicsts but yKNOW.

my issue comes from her introduction to the odyssey. so it's her introduction. her own thoughts. not a translation of something. or outside influence. HER introduction. she says:

The second is piled high with newly acquired treasure, brought by blustering, self-pitying Menelaus. As Menelaus pompously declares ... we meet the beautiful and frighteningly intelligent Helen back home in Sparta, with her wealthy, blustering, and rather less intelligent husband, Menelaus. ...and the rich, narcissistic, uxorious Menelaus.

she then, in book 4, translates the original text in which menelaus is NONE of these things. the only thing he's guilty of really, is the rich thing. cause telemachus is all like 'damn bro ur loaded'. but menelaus is not arrogant about it. he's not smug. he's not narcissistic. he literally says like 2 lines later that he would give away most of his wealth if it meant those who died at troy could come home.

'self-pitying' WHERE?! he cries because he feels GUILTY. the tears are not for him. they are the for the men who died at troy. i'm not getting quotes because it's literally in book fucking 4. he is NOT feeling sorry for himself he is MAD at himself for troy. the only thing i can THINK where he even links his tears to himself is because he says something like, 'every time i think of them i cry because i miss them all' or smth like that. he's not crying for HIM.

'rather less intelligent husband' - you know my feelings on this. menelaus is not stupid. helen is just very smart. and THATS FINE. i love helen being the brains, i'm not against a smart woman and her husband not being as smart. but like. because he doesnt recognise telemachus straight away? or the bird omen? he's stupid? really. we're gonna measure his WHOLE intelligence on that?

'uxorious'. menelaus loves his wife and that's pathetic and funny apparently? tell me. does she describe odysseus this way? hektor in the new iliad translation? i dont think so. 'excessive love their wife' that's what uxorious means. oh im sorry. forgiving ur wife and building a relationship with her and trying to move on together and being nice to her .... that excessive now??? thats??? bad???????

she literally takes menelaus' shining moments in the odyssey. him feeling guilty and remorseful. him showing how haunted he is by the war. him caring and loving helen despite everything. the fact that he is a compassionate. kind. loving man (in comparison to most homeric men) ----- and uses them to insult him. and it just GENUINLEY baffles me. because she wrote that introduction. and then four books later is ENTIRELY proven wrong? im so-----

dont get me wrong. some of this is just very pettty 'you're wrong about menelaus' anger. but some of it is BAFFLEMENT at the fact that she has this in her introduction, those are HER thoughts. and then when you actually get to the text of the odyssey from homer. she is wrong. cause she can't change those greek words too much. translation is a tricky mistress, sure. but she cant go and say 'then menelaus didnt care for those men' because that's just outright WRONG. she has to translate, as faithfully as she can, whats there. and whats there is NOT what she claimed in the introduction.

[my-castles-crumbling]

hi cas! reg kin anon here

so! i actually have another bit of positive stuff to talk about this time. do you remember i mentioned before about missing the stars because i couldnt see them anymore? well! i went to this social event after a rehearsal for a theatre group i joined and it was a treasure hunt in a cemetery and when you get to the top you can see some stars!!

its not as clear as back home, but me and this girl i met there were stood for a solid few minutes just pointing out stars and constellations to each other and it made me so happy ♡

also! back to the theatre thing: in rehearsals today i had a solo!! its a musical theatre group and im singing lead in one of our showcase songs!!! id been feeling really nervous about it for a while because everyone else is really good, but i actually feel like it went okay somehow, so yay

and, regarding my mother, ive decided ill go home at least once more before christmas. i dont have loads of spare time (nor funds for travel) but im going back in a couple of weeks, then i invited her to watch my theatre performance (and shes actually coming?? which she never has before) and then ill go back for christmas too. im staying for the full holiday period too, because ive got a couple of appointments that are easier to go to back home than here, but as much as i feel bad for thinking it, i do wish i could at least spend new years with my uni friends. ive never had the chance to enjoy it before, even just in the house, so i was sort of looking forward to spending it with friends and having fun for once. i know i might not get next new years with her though, but thats only really making me feel more guilty about not really wanting to spend it with her. ill probably end up in my bedroom for the most part anyway, so its not even like id be doing anything with my family for christmas/new years

anyway! this is supposed to be a happy ask, so happy it shall stay! also, since halloween mightve passed by the time you read this, i dressed as dorian gray, which was really fun. i had a cane and everything. most of all, it was very gender affirming (i imagine it will be; trying it on all together certainly felt great) (i dont remember if ive said before but im genderfluid, with more of a tendency towards masc-presenting) and i probably looked slay as fuck

yknow what, lets keep the good news rolling, because this feels like the sort of news you tell a parent but i dont have that sort of relationship with them, soooo. i had a class test today and it felt like it went really well, hopefully. i did end up finishing early but im feeling good about what i wrote and such. so, yay again

lots of positivity today, wow. ive been told i can be too pessimistic (realistic, in actuality though) so its odd but in a nice way to see myself focusing on good stuff for once :)

Hi!!

It makes me so happy to hear that you're doing so well! I remember how much you were struggling when you first started sending asks to me and I'm so happy to hear things are looking better for you! I'm so proud of you for your test and for everything else you've accomplished!

Please continue to update me, I'd love to hear how things go with your showcase and also I'm here if you need to vent about things at home <3

[jvnart]

thoughts on their own txt post because i can't post in tags without causing a gd ruckus, & i have many and im very annoying

regarding to this art I just posted

oK SO at first I thought about the jumpsuit for this piece but really i think gais relationships with his kids are like.. ya know, his real legacy.

obviously lee admires him like no need to explain that

tenten in shinden goes into depth about her admiration for gai even hes A Weird Dude and its so cute i wish they had put more in the anime! tenten sparing with gai mostly because her pose was fun and we know he worked with her (& all of them) individually and thats GREAT

we dont get a lot of neji and gai moments, but in the episode where gai & kks are doing their clown race across the village, neji smiles and is like “its just what he needed”, so in my head they talk a lot and understand each other and thats VERY NICE i love neji. so I drew them chatting to heal the wound of them not getting to “on camera" also gai makes faces out loud so I just imagine neji is like.. talking about his clan and his past traumas & gai is just 👊👊👊 in his mind

& him & Lee doing their average idiot shit, perfect, no notes, I treasure them forever n ever

[sishmishtarot]

💘pick a card!💘

whats next in love?

with my little versions of angel and devil from devilish hairdresser! Any of u remember this flash game??? they came out kinda wonky but cute...but honey🤐the tarot messages are kinda brutal ngl sorry if ur not gonna get quite what u expect! again readings are alleged so dont worry. also these readings can be read as platonic

pile 1

5 of wands, 5 of swords, magician, the lovers, 6 of pentacles

first thing that popped into my head was an image of a beautiful peachy pink sunset. kinda cheesy 😝 but the cards are not so... I see your next love intrest as a bright creative person who stands out among others, that unfortunately might lead to conflict, your circle or community might misunderstand them and alienate them, try to talk you out of dating them. (for some of you it might be about their look, they might have a very unique style!) its giving a bit queer! if you are than you two might be in a tense coming out situation. it doesn't matter if you are or not, if you are single for now or in a relationship - u and ur partner will feel like everyone around u are going batshit insane and ur the only ones sane left. the world might feel a bit lonely but you'll have a sturdy shoulder to lean on. something about this energy is so calm despite these chaotic 5 of wands and 5 of swords. it seems that you and ur future partner are in complete solidarity and any hardships u face you'll be there to elevate each other. but besides that this seems like a very respectful, loving bond and an interesting soul coming into ur life to stir things up! gives me a nice feeling in my heart like when u drink tea.

pile 2

9 of cups, high priestess, strength, 8 of swords, 3 of swords

daym idk what did i tap into here! i saw a river side in a gloomy forest and a golden key buried in the sand. immediately felt a pinch of anxiety. you might feel like you're not ready for a relationship. if u are in one u might feel like ending it. trust your gut stranger on the internet! your energy seems very emotionally intelligent, you self reflect a lot and find roots to your emotions, dont rush with decisions, but this time your anxiety might be controlling u a little bit! I could read this two ways, one - you are dating someone and it doesn't feel right to you anymore, but youre scared to break it apart. two - you're scared of intimacy, and feel like your trust is going to be broken thats why ur love life is kind of frozen. If ur in situation one, i advise u to have that conversation, because its going to be easier than u think, and the person will respect ur decision. knowledge is key!(hehe) let them know how u feel. if you re situation two, you should really look into why is that how you feel, try to open up to someone u really trust, learn to share, because that takes practice too. because the right person might come around unexpectedly! u might stumble upon a golden key in the gloomy forest and u cant just pass by right? this reading left my hearth aching a little bit. but whats love without pain! love is kind of like a very scary dark forest but its worth walking through bcs u might beautiful treasures there. U can let go of the treasure if its hard to carry, its gonna be ok.

[unofficial-estonia]

Just a well mwaning ex-hetalian here: the sunflower symbolism theory isnt true. The russian character likes them because the author wanted to show russia as a big producer of sunflower oil.. also no, the baltics actively hated being in 'the household of ussr', and the three have been drawn very resentfull and hating of the russian, having bern harmed physically and bearing scars, laughing at his downfalls and being afraid. Nothing like countryhumans - definetely more mature even if STILL very bad. There are very many problems in portrayal of baltics, of ukraine, belarus, poland, the relationships with russia, and the fandom CERTAINLY has driven it into overboard (The horrors I have seen are better left in silence) but what previous anon said isnt true.. If we want to tackle the hetalians and ch fans we must know them or else they have ammunition "they dont even know what they are talking about, they are blowing it out of proportion". Cheers and i hope the estonian dashcon goes well! I wonder, will there be video, maybe clips of most important events? Live posting? I think you should also invite general estonian users, like the people who contributed to the "goncharov is estonian" propaganda a few months ago XDDD

re dash-con: that's all up to @estonian-is-horrible, I will just be there

the h*talia part: Fair enough. Having been on this site since 2012-2013, I have seen my fair part of crap h*talians have thrown around. I even remember the period where "lolololol estonia wants to be teh nordick1!!1" got so bad that h*talians thought making fun of our national symbols and history was a free game ... you know, estonia, a country with a relatively ...shit history which has few national symbols which are highly treasured. Thinking back it must have also been partial xenophobia against Eastern Europeans.

that being said there are lots of respectful h*talia fans who have taken relatively bad base material and made something out of it.

[demonstars]

would you consider c!dnf to be star-crossed lovers?

yes. Hi this is why i took so long anon.

the definition of star crossed  in wikipedia is “"thwarted by a malign star" or that the stars are working against the relationship” . And obviously peak quote right there from shakespeare’s play (tho i think i read somewhere it Has a precedent? but as many things the one writing gets all the credit probably): A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life. LIKE YOU KNOW IT YOU KNOW THE THEMES YOU ASKED ABOUT IT sorry i just like defining stuff ok but um yeah Literally that there’s something above them that prevents their relationship from occurring or continuing. in this case it is the fact that the one thing that the dsmp is trying to amend is the fact that dnf can’t be together, so they play together. this is a very important factor because the reason as to why the dsmp as a narrative exists, is because everyone was just generally inside their houses, looking for connection. i am so passionate about this, so please bear with me. 

SO at first glace it is mostly due to their actions that they fall apart. specifically a lot of people but the weight of their separation on cdream’s well entire Thing. yknow control the fawking disks and general uncaring behaviour towards cgeorge. or well no i dont actually know those were a takes in 2020. Of course this is cDream Is A Complex Character, Actually house so we’re Not going to allow such a lack of nuance in our interpretation, but the weight still falls on him a little, no? well no but yes. you see, in a way, i do think cdnf were preemptively doomed just from the core conflict that emerges the first time they fight against an actual force (lmanberg) I think i wrote this in the doc?? but To Me the actual reason as to the conflict between cdnf, ignoring the boiling point that’s obviously dethronement, is just how much stakes they have in the game aka how much they care about the other/the world. cdream cares. cdream cares so fucking much about everything. he Feels responsible for everything, when conflict happens he tries his best to act upfront about it and fix it: he wants to help everyone and he cares too much about everything, in a way that almost makes him a control freak. if he can fix everything, everyone can live happily �� but that requires everyone’s trust in him to make the right decision, and well sometimes people just wont listen to you and it doesnt matter whether or not youre right. and you can think like. a little fucked up but here’s da other thing. cgeorge just doesnt give a single fuck. cdream says its okay? eh, it must be true. he has Full Trust In All His Decisions. and that doesnt necessarily means he’s unable to make his own, or that he doenst. he goes against cdreams decisions a lot of times actually but just in Silly Mode: is just that he prefers it to when they are together, the same side. and this is what makes them work so well! cdream likes and treasures that trust. cgeorge loves that cdream cares for him and his wellbeing. It was neverrrrrrrr them Themselves who would’ve made it not work out. 

i think that there’s like the knowledge that it can’t work out in that world what makes it fall apart. the world becomes hostile against them, and as their relationships weakens due to a Variety of Reasons, it justcouldve never worked out. It’s less their decisions (cdream was going to come back for cgeorge, cgeorge would’ve received him with a little snark but open arms) BUTTHEY JUST DONT /GET TO HAVE THAT RESOLUTION/. THEY KEEP /MISSING EACH OTHER/. its like seeing two stars in the same sky in vertical knowing they will NEVER reach each other. they dont get a define conclusion and we (and them) are just left to what ifs and what couldve happen-eds. their happy ending is outside of their hands because ccdnf are atp spending more time calling each other and talking to e/o to log onto minecraft to do silly tasks. its just not enough anymore for them. it was never going to work out 

okYeah sorry for essaying my bad 

[firsttarotreader]

Hello tarot mami! I have a question for tarot. What will make Pedro fall deeply in love with a female and a male?

Thank you do much for all your readings. You are serving us the tea and dont mind the haters!

Hello! Thank you so much for the love and support! 💜🫶🏼 So, two things, I may or may not have done a reading about this, I can’t remember, but it wasn’t specifically about each gender. Second, we know this is totally hypothetical, okay? Pedro has recently said he doesn’t fall in love because “it hurts too much”, so he’s not out there falling deeply in love with anyone atm. 😄😄 Oh, and a third thing, I know these are not the only two genders, there are others, but I will stick to the ones you asked about. That said, considering him hypothetically falling for someone, I started with the women, and the first cards were the 2 of Flowers reversed, Knight of Teacups and Queen of Hedgehogs reversed.

Lol. So, 2 of Flowers reversed represents someone who is… uninterested. If the chick shows to not be interested in him, to not be available to start anything new and fall in love, if he realizes she lacks the desire for him (at least at first), she’s gonna catch his attention. Knight of Teacups may be a very lovely woman, someone who is sensitive, charming, connected to her feelings and possibly an artist of some kind. However, this might also represent Pedro having to court her, needing to be this Knight, let out his chivalry and seduction to get to her. But she’s also the Queen of Hedgehogs reversed, so she’s probably someone who might be too focused on her career and her work and who, again, isn’t really available for love and a relationship because she makes no time for it. Like, think of an artist who is so sensitive and dedicated to her craft, but at the same time she’s gonna seem emotionally distant and self-absorbed, and definitely not interested in him at first.

The second pull was The Pair, The Hierophant and 3 of Teacups. The Pair (The Lovers) means that he might fall hard for women who get along with him easily, someone he feels like she’s his “pair” in a way, someone in harmony with him, that sees things in a similar way to him, with similar ideas, who naturally gets him. The Hierophant is someone who is wise and who treasures their personal values and ideas very much. They are sure of themselves, but at the same time they are always willing to learn and search for more knowledge. So this woman might be someone who is very sure of her beliefs and personal values and who is very confident in them. A wise, non-judgemental and confident woman that makes him feel comfortable around her and with whom he can talk about everything, from the meaning of life to the best food he can find in Texas. The last card is the 3 of Teacups, which represents someone he can have a lot of fun with, someone who likes to party and celebrate life. Also, we may be talking about a woman that might only see him as a friend and completely friendzone him. 😅

So there you go, she’s gotta be unavailable and uninterested but also wise and able to get along with him well.

Then I asked about the men and the first pull was 7 of Flowers, 6 of Spears and 10 of Hedgehogs reversed. So, 7 of Flowers is about conflict, putting up a fight, so he might fall easily for men he fights a lot with (lol), that represents a rival or competition to him in any way. 6 of Spears points to someone who can sail through troubled waters and still maintain composure, who won’t lose his mind in the face of the challenges. 10 of Hedgehogs reversed is, well, someone he KNOWS it will not work out with. Again, unavailable people, the ones that there’s no way for a relationship to work, dead on arrival, that’s gonna be unsuccessful.

The second pull was 9 of Spears, 10 of Teacups reversed and 5 of Spears. Well, 9 of Spears could be representing a man who is very anxious like Pedro is, someone who is insecure and emotionally messed up just like him (even though that’s kinda different from the 6 of Spears, but we could be talking about people who are anxious but still get through the worse times without losing it). 10 of Teacups reversed is again about someone he KNOWS he can’t get a happy ending with, that he knows they will not be what each other needs from a relationship. The 5 of Spears is more conflict, a man he will fight with, have conflicts, misunderstandings, more competition, and that he knows it will crash and burn because he can see the defeat from a mile away.

So, as a friend of mine was saying, he seems to fall for people who don’t threaten his commitment-phobia, unavailable and uninterested women and men with whom he knows it will not work because they’re gonna fight like hell. Also, the dominant energy is ever present in both genders because he might feel like both cases are people he needs to convince, seduce, dominate and tame. He goes for people he thinks he can overpower in a way.

I guess it makes sense why he thinks falling in love “hurts too much”, doesn’t it?? 😅

[idyllic-affections]

🌻 i wasnt going to share it but then i thought that maybe someone else also feels like me and maybe will feel a little better knowing its not just them but hmmmm all this culture talk. hcs represantion stuff. it made me a little sad cuz yes, i am slavic and yet it just... soo doesn’t feel like. i know about some holidays but i never got to enjoy them cuz they arent even celebrated anymore. maybe by some. and its a little hard to learn about slavic beliefs and mythology cuz, well. hard to when some of the sources were destroyed but anyway!!

(i have a book though. it is about mythology and while i still have yet to read it, i treasure it a lot)

my point is that it really makes me sad to be so distanced from my own culture 😭 i dunno what traditions in my country were first slavic but then got christianized, they dont teach us about it in schools!! and. its a shame. its a rich and pretty culture and to have so little of it just makes me >:(

and while i know that my country is mostly christian so its excepted to not celebrate slavic holidays traditions etc etc etc. it still makes me sad 💔💔💔💔 i never can get my words right when i talk about it so do forgive me for my rant but eh 😔😔😔

i understand this so deeply and honestly 🌻 anon, you are not alone in feeling this way.

being biracial is really difficult for me sometimes because i am not in touch with either of my cultures whatsoever.

personally i blame my dad's side of the family for half of this issue; my relationship with them is a bit difficult, so that is why i word it so harshly. this is where my latino descent comes from. his side of the family did not learn english, so they could not communicate with me, and he did not teach me spanish, so i speak One language and that is english. i know very little about my dominican heritage. i missed out on the chance to be bilingual and it sticks with me often. people will be like "speak spanish" well first of all. i can't. second of all. shut up bro my inability to speak spanish does not make me any less latino. shut up please 🫶

and speaking of being slavic--

hello! i am of west slavic (polish) descent. i also know very little about that side of my family. my mom knows very little about that side of our family. i would have to ask my maternal grandparents, but my family talks about that part of my heritage so little that i'm not sure exactly where it came from. my grandmother? grandfather? both? no idea.

IDK???? i know nothing about myself and it is so devastating especially when. like. non biracial people push the... weird idea that i somehow have to "prove" my latino-ness.

i have nothing to prove.

but it would be nice to know more about my cultures.

[shadowynn]

hey there, im sam, nice to meet you!

im a recent follower and started reading ilal around last month i think? i guess i got here when you had just released chapter 8. im such a big fan of this fic, you have no idea! its probably one of my favorites in all ateez tumblr rn. i wasnt a fan of fanfics that have chapters (ive read one-shots for the longest time) but this preference has started to change recently and ilal has a major role in it. the story and universe is amazing, im truly amazed!

and i love how you write y/n, i see myself A LOT in her. major intimacy and vulnerability fear gang here :)) i swear that some of her thoughts have been literally the same as mine's and thats so endearing and self indulgent to me. i also love her relationship with her sibilings! then being so close is such a heartfelt element in the story for me, as a person whos rlly attached to my sibilings too. and im not even gonna start talking ab the members or else ill write a full thesis about every. single. one. of. them. and. how. they. treat. and. treasure. y/n. so. fucking. much. even though ther relationship has problems.

just wanted to say hi, present myself and say that ill probably be a frequent in your asks specially to talk ab ilal. you're a wonderful writer! thank you so so much for sharing your talent with us! :)

ps. (1): a special thanks for using hongjoong's cruella hair in ilal. as a joong biased who was obssessed w cruella in teenage and loves his hair like that ive never been hapPIER

ps. (2): just saw this reel right b4 sending this ask and althought i imagine their clothing to not be so fancy during the trip (is is the correct word? struggles in non native english speaker) to taeyang, but this is chapter 11 yunho to me. i dont make the rules.

hi!! it's so nice to meet you too!

i'm so glad you enjoy ilal! it's been an absolute pleasure to write, and i enjoy nothing more than getting to share it with all of you! and wow, i'm so glad you gave ilal a chance! that really means a lot! i've always been more of a chapter person myself, but i completely understand why one-shots can be preferable because then you don't have to wait weeks/months to get more. i've wanted/thought about writing more one-shots myself, but sadly, i'm not very good with it. an idea gets into my head and then i write way too many words. which is also a problem because i usually struggle with finishing things. my drive is literally full of unfinished works. oops. but don't worry, i have never been more motivated to finish a fic before ilal. like, this one is going to be the one that i finally finish.

i'm so glad you love y/n's characteristics. i'm honestly really bad about using my own personalities and characteristics in characters i write because it's easier. and i think ilal y/n is probably the closest person i've written to myself. i didn't really mean for it to be that way, but oops. i'm glad though that you and others can relate to y/n though, and to know you're not the only one who struggles in areas like those. (like literally, i've been with my partner for almost three years now and i still struggle with being vulnerable around them.)

i don't usually write characters with siblings in my works, which i don't really know why because i also am lucky to have a very close relationship with my siblings, but it has been very fun to write!

i'm so glad you dropped by! i literally love chatting with all you lovely people, so always feel free to send an ask or a dm my way! i may be a bit slow to reply at times, but i will always try my best to reply!

(and cruella hongjoong is my favorite joong, so i couldn't not. and i won't lie, i have to restrain myself from using him for every one of my writings. oops.)

(ahh, this actually made me laugh. and, yes, while it would not technically be canon clothes wise, please feel free to imagine things however you want in your head. because, let's be honest, i think everyone wants this version of yunho.)

[bonescribes-a]

KNOWING YOUR PARTNER WELL CAN POTENTIALLY MAKE WRITING TOGETHER A LOT EASIER.

name. bones!

pronouns. they/them!

preference of communication. discord is my absolute preference, but i also like to start out in tumblr dms and move to disc if we talk a lot. (i have...a surplus of disc friends who i havent talked to in literal years lmao. i never clean that shit out. im trying to be better about this akgkmkgdm)

name of muse(s). gestures vaguely @ my muses page

experience/how long have you been writing (months/years?). oh god, uh? about 10 years? i honestly dont remember exactly. ive been writing on tumblr for 10ish years but i started on deviantart (and before that, chat forums) when i was much too young to be rping on the internet. think like. 2008.

platforms you’ve used. as mentioned above, tumblr, deviantart, and old old old forum chats. i think thats pretty much it? i do some rping with close friends on discord but its not a major thing for me.

best experience.  UHH GOOD QUESTION, ive had a ton of really amazing moments throughout the years. times when people have made art of my threads stick out the most to me (i still have every piece of art ever made for me saved haha, it really is a treasure to me) 

fluff, angst, or smut? ANGST. WHUMP. THATS THE GOOD KUSH. this is a very obvious bias of mine lmao. fluff is a really close second though, im a sucker for soft shit. i know they can often get stale fast, but i really do love slice of life threads.

plots or memes? i prefer memes, actually, so long as we have SOME idea of relationships/storylines/whatever talked over beforehand. i really like pulling threads out of my ass with just a good prompt (call it the DM in me). that said, i do think the threads that last the longest are the plotted ones, even if you start out with a prompt

long or short replies? a happy medium, probably? i often feel like im rambling if i try to write too much, but short replies can feel lackluster/limiting frequently. just whatever works in the moment without trying to push yourself to one or the other tbh.

best time to write. at work LMAO i literally do all of my writing at work

are you like your muse(s)? UHHH you know ive been asked this before and my answer then is the same as my answer now: im not really like any of my muses LOL . we share common traits, obvs, but none to like...a noteworthy degree. i use yukito as a faceclaim p often tho

TAGGED BY: expertly thieved from @aachromaa

TAGGING: you!

[villanevehaus]

this is out of the blue (whats new) but just out of pure curiosity if you have opinion(s) on portrait of a lady on fire i would very much like to hear them. I just rewatched it for the first time in like 6 months and every time i rewatch i turn into a rabid shell of my former self.- letterboxdanon!!

omg hello letterboxd anon my beloved ♡ i havent seen it since around when it came out (watched it twice!) so i can only really speak on what i remember. ive been meaning to rewatch tho so maybe this will inspire me... ANYWAYS! (also i dont remember the character names so im just gonna use the actresses names oops).

i love it for what it is; a love with a predetermined end. no matter how much they could potentially fight it, they simply cannot escape the reality that they can't be together beyond the portrait being painted. i love that theyre aware of it and that after they accept it, they take what they can while they can. i love that this also applies to the abortion piece of the movie: it has to be the way that it is. i love the relationship that develops between all three of the women when left alone- sharing tasks, eating together, playing games, etc. i love that an appearance of a man at the end is literally a jumpscare. i love that in essence, the inescapable (the time period, the rigidity of social norms, the male action defining the female consequence, the structure between servant and hired contractor to lady of the house) is escaped for just a little bit. it feels so relaxed and then you're snapped back into the reality of... everything; the portrait has been painted, it's time to go.

it's gorgeous, obvs- the shot of noémie's character sitting nude in front of the fireplace. the shot of noémie & adéle in red and green dresses, faces obscured by their embrace. the shot of adéle sprinting to the cliffside and wobbling on her feet. the body hair, the natural faces, the clothing that's neither pristine nor perfect (save for that curated, emerald dress). and the sea, oh you know how much i love the sea!

it's been talked about to death but the scene before their first kiss, with the veils? boy howdy i die. yes obviously it's indicative of consent (im taking off my veil, you may kiss me) but i also feel it can be so much more than that, or another shape, almost: im taking off my veil, are you taking off yours? im taking off my veil, may i kiss you? im taking off my veil, please kiss me. im taking off my veil so that you can see me- if you take off your veil, you are letting me see you. i want you, and i want you to want me, look me in the eyes as i sway a little closer.

i also love! the end! working under that same "our reality does not allow for us to be together" mentality, it's just very!!! adéle has gotten married, had a child, and had another portrait painted. you see it and your heart sinks with noémie's a little despite knowing that that was inevitable... but then! the page number! all these years have gone by and she still wanted that tiny little number there for the only other person in the world that it means anything to, on the off chance that noémie would see it- because she still loves her. yes, we have aged, yes i have married, yes i have had a child, yes, it has been years since we last spoke, and yes, i still treasure this drawing of you, by you- the only image of you that i have outside of my memory- that's nestled in the book we shared. maybe i read it and think of your voice, maybe i don't, but know that i think of you often.

adéle has no way of knowing if it's recieved, but it's the only thing that she can give, so she does. if noémie sees it, she will know- and she does, so she does.

and the ending scene at the SYMPHONY... i see a lot of people saying they wish that adéle had looked over and seen noémie and i think had i been younger (i say at the ripe age of 24, having seen the movie at 20) i would agree, but i don't. for the length of the entire piece of music, adéle is allowed to openly express what's buried in those notes: noémie, always noémie, and the first piece of real music that she gave her. this music is tied to everything noémie, how she described the orchestra behind that simple piano tune, and it's here that she's able to feel close to noémie by proxy. i used to play in an orchestra and have been to several live symphony/opera shows, and have always found that the enormous reverberation of all those instruments can often feel like a catharsis for a hurt that lies outside of the performance hall. adéle weeps, smiling, because she feels her again.

it would be cruel, i think, to have them see one another across a room and still be in love, still unable to do anything about it, and still have to leave alone. it's unfortunate, of course, but it's realistic for the time- just like their love.

tldr: that quote that's like "no love, no matter how small, is wasted"? yeah.

anyways i hope u enjoyed this it got so much longer than i thought it might oh my god

[youareunbearable]

Ohhh yes yes, sorry for the long reply, I have Thoughts about this lol

I have seen a bunch of posts about the Noldor actually being colonizers, what with coming from a foreign land and just settling down and creating kingdoms and such on what would have been Sindar lands and not listening to Thingol and his rule.

But like, the Noldor once lived in Beleriand too. Thingol was friends, maybe even blood brothers with Finwe, they all used to live on those lands shared equal rule of their peoples.

But then the Valar get involved.

Both with Finwe and Thingol, higher beings bring them somewhere and keep them in "safe plots of land where everything is perfect and you won't have to leave ever which is great because we won't let you"-- almost like reservations. Yes Finwe is a king, but it is the Valar that make the overall decisions, who rule over the lives of the Noldor, sometimes literally. They are promised safe lands, and in both cases the kings are killed and the Valar wash their hands of the whole mess. The Valar exile and doom the Noldor, and Melian abandons Doriath and her Girdle

But the relationship of these groups of Elves is different. Sure yes the Noldor are only really coming back home to get the Silmarils and avenge Finwe, but its really been only a generation or two since they left Beleriand, hardly any time at all for Elves. And its not like Thingol himself grew up in the woods of Doriath either, he was travelling with his people west when he met Melian in those woods, he's as foreign to these lands as the Noldor. Yet he claims all of them for himself, even the lands he doesn't use, which is a colonizer way of behaving.

And this is why I think a lot of POC associate with the Noldor. From a Narrative standpoint, they are exiled, twice displaced of their home, turned away by their apathetic rulers/gods once they have no more value to them. They have no help, no support, and are on their own, hated by those around them. This is the narrative of so many POC: Indigenous, Jewish, African, Latino, etc.

Their treasures are taken, used against them, their perspectives are remembered as evil and dark, their leaders and heroes are vilified and Doomed in the Narrative. So many POC are told that this is their place when retelling history, that when we look and read about the Noldor, we sympathize and make connections with the characters. It doesn't help that through the author's bias/internalized racism, that some of these things come out anyways when describing the characters. I've seen so many Jewish people say they identify with Tolkien's Dwarves and the Noldor because of all the antisemitism coded into the creation of these peoples- stuff they have had to deal with their whole lives so when they see these portrayals, its like Oh That's Us.

Which is why I dont like Thingol. I've grown up on stories and seeing the Canadian government feel entitled to land and peoples they never owned that I can see it being reflected in Thingol. Banning a language, stealing a treasure he knows is important to the Noldor (twice over!), he doesn't value the opinion of others, or seems to really care about his people (i could go into that but I wont), and as part of the first post, hes cruel to those whose race he believes inferior.

If we compare how the Sindar treat other races, compared to how the Noldor have, they're as different as night and day. The Noldor, while some may not like others they still treat them equally and with honor and respect. While Thingol sits behind his Girdle and demands respect and power and never does a single thing to aid his Elven kin.

I personally think that if Feanor lived, all this would be more talked about in fandom, cause u KNOW he would have words about Thingol’s treatment of the Noldor and his desire for their possessions and treasures

Thinking about the Nauglamir, as one does, and just, like I know I have a bias as an Indigenous woman who's historical artifacts are often stolen and who's peoples' treaties and promises are typically disregarded by other authority figures and whose ancestors were treated like animals and hunted for sport but God Thingol fucking sucks in that tale (and in general)

Like I've always kinda disliked Thingol, gives off major White Settler vibes but this whole tale is so tragic when you look at it through an Indigenous lens

We start off with a friendship. Good old Finrod Badger man himself, hears about his cousin Caranthir doing business with a new type of people that Love Gems just like the Noldor! Hes Thrilled!! He meets with the people, Dwarves, and while they are a lot shorter and got more hair than the Men he met, they become fast friends.

He talks about his travels and mentions that he fell in love with the art style of Thingol's domain. The Dwarves are uneasy, cause they have bad history with Thingol's people, but inform Finrod that Actually We Made That. Finrod is Over The Moon and commissions them to make one for him too. As a show of faith, they allow him to build it on a mountain that has history to them and Finrod, you know he would be, is respectful of this and pays them their due and more through Elf goods and more trade then they normally would have

Nargothrond is done and Finrod is super impressed with their skills and commissions them again. This time, to make a necklace of the gems he personally carried over from Valinor. The Dwarves would understand the importance of these gems, they're literally Family Jewels and one of the only things Finrod has left of his homeland

So the Nauglamir is made. From Noldor gems and Dwarvish skill and shared friendship and memories of both parties. Its an agreement, a contract, a visual showcase of the friendship and alliance between the Dwarves and the Noldor.

(My people did this to. We made visual agreements. Wampum belts. Each shell bead took 1 whole day of hard labour to make and these belts had hundreds of them. They're symbolic and important as well as a beautiful showcase of skill and craftsmanship. They are almost always made between friendly nations)

Then we have Azaghal. Who was saved by Maedhros and had a great friendship with him. They exchanged gifts, worked together on an alliance, and probably traded tales with each other. Azaghal and his people would have known why the Noldor are here in Beleriand. They would have known the importance of the Silmarils to the Noldor, to the Feanorians especially. They could avenge their fallen kings, stop the evil from spreading, complete their Oath, and go home. Azaghal was even willing to give up his life, and the lives of his men, to help Maedhros get a Silmarils back.

Finrod is dead. The Noldor are weak and scattered. Maedhros is displaced from him home in Himring, and all the gossip they hear about him is that he's a shell of the Elf he used to be before the Noldor High King died.

A group of Dwarves are ordered to come to Doriath on Thingol's behalf. "Add this gem to this necklace" theyre told. Its a beautiful necklace. Its a beautiful gem. They start to do as they are told but things aren't sitting right with the Dwarven smiths. An older one notices first.

On the necklace with the beautiful and Featherlite gems, they notice a little sigil on the clasp. Its a Dwarven Smith sigil. They know the only work that smith did with Elves gems was Finrod’s Nauglamir. The smiths whisper amongst themselves in a frantic hiss. Why would the king of the Sindar Elves, one who has vocally stated his dislike and distrust of the Noldor, have Finrod’s necklace that THEY made for him out of friendship?

They turn to the strange gem they've been told to set within the Nauglamir. Its brilliant, beautiful, and glows with an inner light that is so very Elvish. One smith mentions the tale of Finrod, how he died helping Beren and Luthien get a Silmaril. The same Silmaril that the Noldor, and the Feanorians, need. The one their king died to help them get.

One of the Dwarves feels sick. These are stolen goods. Goods literally taken from a grave and from their allies enemy and given to another that literally wouldn't even spit on them when they burned. Thingol cannot have these goods, from the perspective of the Dwarves, they aren't his. The Silmaril, well, maybe you could make an argument, but the Nauglamir? No way, it was stolen from a literal gravity of a city of Noldor and the person who gave it to him had no right or claim to it ever.

So the Dwarves tell him this. And Thingol is furious. He says, and I quote: "How do ye of uncouth race dare to demand aught of me, Elu Thingol, Lord of Beleriand, whose life began by waters of Cuivienen years uncounted ere the fathers of the stunted people awoke?" And goes nuts. He's throwing out slurs, he's trying to pull a Karen, definitely claiming Manifest Destiny which is so wild and kicks them out without even paying for their labour. For their craft, their skill, their time. He doesn't acknowledge the unwritten treaty of friendship by completing this craft of unimaginable skill.

So they take it back. Sure Thingol died, but he is a thrice over thief at this point and no friend of the Dwarves or their allies.

Then Mr vegan "ill never harm or eat a living being" murders all the Dwarves that are trying to go back home with their rightful due. But what would Beren know about that anyways, he clearly has no head or mind about whats right or wrong as he himself finds it easy to cash in a favour from a king not to help resettle his displaced people, but to ask this king to sacrifice his own men and life to help him get married.

When Doriath is sacked by the Feanorians, oh I bet the Dwarves were pleased. I bet some of them even joined, what with being allies of the Noldor and all. The Dwarves hate the Elves, but not the Noldor who were loyal and trustworthy friends. Who paid and honored their skills and craft, who were cheated by the Sindar just as much as they were. Who fought and bled and died fighting evil while the Sindar stayed behind in their girdle

It was Silverfist Celebrimbor himself, a Noldor and a Feanorian who continued with their relationship. Who gave them rings of power to solidify that relationship. Shame he was betrayed, be he didn't mean harm.

By the third age its a shame the Noldor are the smaller group of Elves in middle earth. They would have helped Durin’s Folk more. The Elves and Dwarves might of had a better relationship. I'm sure Elrond tried, and some Dwarves were warmer to him on account of being adopted sons of Maedhros and Maglor. Buts hes also Thingol's blood, and that is a blood memory type of mistrust.