#i can't have anything with this show jfc

[shirogane-oushirou]

no promises anymoooooreeeee i'll appear online when i appear online 😭 every time i say "ooh i think life is almost done being overwhelming!" it. becomes even more overwhelming in the dumbest ways. all i can manage rn when i'm not stressing myself into a shut-down state is staring at the wall while listening to youtube essays + mindlessly crocheting.

i might queue up ppls art and fics w/o commentary in the tags... i want other ppl to see what all of my cool friends have made, but i genuinely can't think right now with this monstrous brain fog. i'm really sorry, just. yeah. maybe i'll think of some way to make it up later!!! once the dust has settled!!!! but until then i wuv u and miss u. smiles.

[venting in tags including familial manipulation and ableism. i. didn't mean to write all of that, thiss was originally going to be a main blog post but. aaaaaAAAAAA!!!!!

also no need for replies or anything, i'd turn them off for just the one post if i could kjsndkn, i just needed to get things out and go eep jsjndsfdn ok bye bye bye bye!!!!]

[noirapocalypto]

Would it bother you guys if I started reblogging vaguely spicy thirst trap inspos of my OC's?

[ooffmlsorry]

OP Men Dating a "Girly Girl"

A/N: sorry this took so long and I haven't posted anything original in a minute my life is mess and I'm so very tired jfc...I know this isn't more than my usual group but I was just gonna stop at Luffy and then decided to add Ace and Sabo as a thank you because writing these and putting them on Tumblr has been really good for me, so thank you for always being here to indulge me 🥲 ❤️

Sanji, Zoro, Law, Luffy, Ace, Sabo

Sanji

Let's be honest, girly-girls drive Sanji craaaazzzzyy (not that all women don't, but he's definitely more partial to the feminine ones) Your make-up, pretty skirts and dresses, jewelry, and manicure, he can't help fawn over you constantly 😍Although you do it because you enjoy it, it's nice that your efforts are so appreciated!!

He spoils you soooo baaaddd!! He literally can't help himself when he sees something pretty or cute that reminds him of you, he has to get it for you. You're drowning in squishmallows at this point.

A river of blood shoots from him every time you show off a new outfit. You're going to kill him and he'll thank you for it.

Dressing up in nice outfits together, especially on date night, is a shared activity that you love to do together. Y'all are living your best happily ever after lives.

Ya'll definitely have scheduled self-care nights. You put on some slow music, open a bottle of wine, draw a bubble bath, all that.

He's utterly useless when it comes to helping you pick your outfits or makeup if you're stuck because he loves you in everything, it's too hard for him to pick. You're his perfect, beautiful Y/N-swaaaaan 😍💖💖✨

He does love to see you in pink or red though so he might default to those colors

Don't try to test your makeup on him lol, you're going to re-awaken the gender identity crisis...I mean Kamabakka trauma

Listen...I'm not saying Sanji has a mommy kink...I'm not even at Whole Cake Island so idk wtf is going on there. All I'm saying is if you give this man a bath, wrap him in a towel to dry him off, and rub him down with luxurious lotions and oils, you might awaken something...that's all...👀

ZORO

He has no clue wtf you're doing. If it weren't for the fact that there's no proof that witches exist in this world, he'd think you are one

He looks at your vanity full of serums, creams, scrubs, lotions, etc, not to mention the makeup and he's like "??????" Just completely baffled

But what do you expect? This man would use that five-in-one Irish Spring soap if he could.

Just because he doesn't understand it doesn't mean he doesn't appreciate and admire the fact that you have extensive knowledge in something he can't even comprehend

He knows you like nice shiny things, and again, while he doesn't get it, he does think it's really, really cute when you go starry-eyed over a necklace or an outfit in a store.

In the same vein, he knows how much you love cute things and animals. He has absolutely found a cute animal in the jungle, picked it up, and brought it to you just to show you because he knew you'd love it.

Sometimes in his own gruff way he'll agree with you that it's pretty cute. Thank you for helping this manly man admit things are cute and that's okay.

Other times, he's the one making sure you don't get distracted because it's so cute

Unfortunately and fortunately, you're pretty to him no matter what you do to yourself so it's all kind of a moot point to him.

You can try to ask him about which 'x' to wear, sometimes it's helpful because he'll throw out a really practical answer and then other times he's like "How 'bout you just go naked" 😏.

He'll wear a face mask with you like...twice a year. And he's going to bitch and moan about it but he does it because he loves you. The entire process is like trying to give a cat a bath "WHY IS IT SO COLD? THIS STAYS ON MY FACE FOR HOW LONG???"

Exfoliate this man at your own risk...I'm dead serious that water is going to be brown

LAW

I need you to know right now this man will let you paint his nails!!! I mean, not like gel or acrylics or anything, but he'll let you paint them any color as long as it's a dark shade of that color. You once designed Bepo on his middle fingers. He did in fact flip people off a lot more often when he had them.

Let's you wear a pastel boiler suit because you he loves you and wants to see you happy

Much like Zoro, he's got no clue what you're doing. He'll stand back and watch you while making the exact same face as the gif above.

He thinks he's being stealthy peaking around a corner to watch your morning or night routine, but you quickly catch on. Please please pleeaaassee ask him if he has any questions because he does. He's just really curious why you're doing what you're doing and what it does. It's basically skin medicine and he's really fascinated.

Knowing that you like shiny things makes his life admittedly a little easier, it's not that he doesn't think of what to gift you, he puts A LOT of thought into what he gives you, but knowing that earrings, necklaces, and bracelets always make you happy is great just in case of analysis paralysis or he forgets. Sorry.

Also you wearing the jewelry he gets you does something to him, especially a necklace he can pull on a little, mmhhm you're making this man struggle with impure thoughts.

You both love cute things, it's something y'all connect on. It's really good that you help him access that very neglected inner child of his and encourage him to coo and fawn over adorable animals with zero reservation.

He'll do skincare with you too when he's not super busy. He can admit it's kind of nice to sit in bed with a book, glass of wine, and a face mask and just bask for a minute

He acts like he hates when you rub serums across his face and use a derma roller on him but he loves it

Law doesn't really pay attention to your clothes, but when you really go all out he breaks out in a sweat and he can't keep his eyes off you.

LUFFY

I'm not saying he thinks it's stupid, it just...why have an hours long care routine when you could be going on adventure with him??? 😭😭😭

He will help you pick out your makeup but don't expect it to look good. You're gonna end up with neon orange eyeshadow and green lipstick. Like literally every "My Boyfriend Does My Makeup" youtube video.

Plays around with your stuff but that's because he has no idea what all these strange contraptions are. The moment you try to explain his eyes glaze over and next thing you know he's whisking you away to go do something more fun.

He likes the shiny bright stuff (highlighter), makeup probably is the only part he even remotely engages in because it's

Explain how contour works to this man and watch him lose his fucking mind, he thinks you're a shape shifter now (honestly this applies to all of them except Law and maybe Sanji)

He never notices what you wear, Nami is gonna have smack him on the back of the head to get him to realize you put on something fancy

Luffy points out everything, it just so happens that things he points out sometime happen to be cute animals

Hides in all the stuffed animals and squishmallows in your room to surprise attack hug you

*throws mud at you* "Is this the kind of mud you like, Y/N??" He really means well though.

You know those hair masks with all natural ingredients like honey and banana? Yeah, he's gonna start sucking on your hair like spaghetti...I'm so sorry.

He'll bathe with you but that's because he wants to be close to you, it's definitely not about being pampered or relaxing.

Try to put a face mask on him or something else and it'll just become a game of tag around the Sunny. You can't catch him and he's having a great time outrunning and outwitting you.

He knows this is all important to you so even though he doesn't get it he'd never make fun of you for it and the moment someone calls you "extra," he's kicking their ass.

ACE

Maybe all the glam is a little silly to him but that just makes you extra cute!

He will also absolutely let you paint his nails. Hell, he'll let you do a full beat on him just for fun and he'll wear it for the whole day because he's so unserious lol

...As long as he gets to do your makeup after...Much like Luffy you're gonna be covered in neon colors that don't even remotely match, but you guys have a great time lol

Admittedly likes to be pampered by you when he gets back from a long mission.

Please take a bubble bath with this man, it's not like the water is ever going to get cold!

I'm pretty sure you'd legitimately lead to Ace taking better care of himself. Got this man out here talking about his cuticles and shit lol

Honestly, it's really good for him because self care leads to self love and Ace needs a lot of help with that.

He tells Pops about all the stuff you do 1.) because he loves you and 2.) he hopes some of it will help Whitebeard heal a little, god bless him 😢

All of your hardwork doesn't go unnoticed, he legitimately gets kind of misty eyed when you really dress up because he's so so so lucky. He swears he doesn't deserve you.

He always brings back some kind of gift even whether it's a cute plushie or something exotic to wear from all of his long travels

I need to stress how much this means to him, everyone of these things is like a little proposal because he already knows you're it. Every little gift is leading up to a ring from this man.

He's also just genuinely impressed by the skill it takes to do your makeup so well, especially after he tries doing it on you

Much like his little brother unfortunately, he does play with all the little contraptions in your vanity, especially in the beginning because have you seen an eyelash curler? He's so confused lol

SABO

Sabo and Ace truly are his brothers because he really don't get all the effort lol

Admittedly, a lot of that is because he thinks you're so hot already what's the point???

Once he gets this is just how you are he's less confused, he's probably the most normal out everyone. He lets you do your thing, although he's really curious how you managed to always look amazing while being in the fucking revolutionary army!!?? Where are you getting the time???

If someone were to intrude on y'all on a free afternoon you're both in fluffy robes with face masks on and Sabo loves to pretend to act like a bitch when he's in selfcare mode with you lol

"Are you seriously bothering us right now, ugh! I can't even right now!!" And then you both break out in laughter

He really thinks you should teach others how to contour and do makeup because it has great applications for disguises and infiltration.

And brags about your skills to everyone

Wonders how many of your makeup supplies could actively be used as a weapon *eye roll* jfc Sabo

There's a part of you that secretly worries all your boujieness will remind him of his blood relatives, but he assures you that it doesn't because you have a good heart and he never doubts that

Besides, being a little extra with him helps him associate those things he used to associate with his blood relatives with you instead so it's even better

He spoils you so bad, but with a Sabo-flair, ie. stealing from shitty people and bringing it back to you because you're oh so more deserving of nice things let's be honest

He gets jealous of the cute animals that you squeal over hehehe, please hug him when he starts pouting

He'll always wear a little pink just for you ❤️

[theallianceofcelestials]

Okay, so apparently people have been harassing Kat, Earth's VA because they... don't like the characters she plays and how she writes for the show? The actual fuck?

Like don't get me wrong, perfectly fine to look at a character and decide you don't like them, even hate them potentially, but you don't go and harass the people responsible for making the character. That's just plain dumb. I hate/dislike characters from some of the shows (Bonnie from Moon and Sun Minecraft for example), but that doesn't give me the right to go and harass their VAs. BECAUSE IT'S JUST A CHARACTER FOR A SILLY LITTLE SHOW PEOPLE MAKE FOR FREE! IT'S NOT THAT SERIOUS! Sure I may rant about the character, but NEVER badmouth the actor, because them being able to achieve such a visceral reaction out of me by just looking at the character, makes them so incredibly talented.

Like how can you be so fucking terminally online, that you decide to harass someone because "I Don't LiKe ThE chaRacTeR"?! Like that's no valid reason to do that! Go and touch some god fucking grass, my god! I swear it's actually good for you!

Like this is just straight up disgusting behaviour in general. It's unacceptable, and shows just how much of a coward these people actually are, because there're no consequences for THEM. And well, they clearly don't fucking care about their fellow human beings, so like jfc.

And like the shit Kat does is for FREE! She doesn't charge us money for her services! She just went and did some amazing stuff for us, and now some idiots're feeling butthurt because they hate female characters or something.

I sincerely hope it was only a couple of individuals at worst, and a single person at best, because my faith in humanity is already rather fragile, and this is just ridiculous and pathetic.

So like, if by some miracle the person/people who harassed Kat is/are reading this, I want you to know this says more about to how sad and pathetic you actually are, and how you peaked back on the playground as a bully and didn't manage to develop into an actual fucking person, than it does anything about Kat. I hope you realise just how stupid you are, but I know you likely won't. Because people like you lack brains, so you can't comprehend basic fucking concepts like how the sky is blue, and 2 + 2 is 4. Or how grass is not your fucking enemy.

This isn't about just just Kat, because from what I've heard, other female characters' actresses get similar bs, and their characters get tremendous ammount of hate compared to male characters that potentially did incredibly horrid stuff, but I don't really follow the other TSBS to know what's going on. But my gods. That's so disappointing.

Why are fandoms nowadays so toxic? Back in my day, and I'm not that old myself either, and joined fandoms later than most people in said fandoms, since I'm a not native english speaker, but back in the day fandoms were so much more positive. Sure, there was the toxic minority, but they were just that. Loud small group of jerks. Like when did we start catering to these people? When did we decide that these toxic people were whom we should listen to, and explain every little thing we do to them? Like why do I have to explain why I like villian characters or whatever to internet strangers? I think people are more than smart enough to realise morality should not be taken from media!

And when did fanart and fanfic start becoming expectation, something the fanfic writer has to do, the fanart artist has to do? Instead it being the expression of joy and feelings the consumed media gave them? When did shipping become life or death? When did a headcanon or an AU become so fucking serious that lives apparently depend on it with how people jump eachother? Why can't we just relax and have fun? Like do what fandom is meant for?

This is obviously not for the people who didn't do any of this shit, but the fact I need to clarify that or someone will get offended is disheartening. Like people please deal with your anxieties! If it's not your shirt, don't put it on as a saying in my native tongue goes!

Sorry for the angry rant, it's just so disappointing, especially because Kat is such a talented person! I really enjoy how she plays these characters and I love her writing! So I thank her for deciding to not just quit altogether, no matter how understandable that would have been! I hope stepping back will make things better!

I just hope her mental health doesn't have to suffer more, because this shouldn't have happened to her in the first place. She's been doing amazing work, for free I'll say once again, and I'll forever cherish it! I hope things get better for her!

If by some miracle this reaches Kat, thank you for sticking with us for as long as you have! I hope things'll get better for you! Take care of yourself! :)

[violetasteracademic]

What does it take for regifted jewelry to be romantic?

Rambling crap post that will literally only make sense of you have seen the movie The Family Stone but let's do it.

Sometimes I genuinely try to understand other ships. I actually really mean that, in a deeply authentic and non sarcastic way. If this shipwar wasn't so nasty, I'd engage with other people the way I do with my real, human, offline friends- some of whom are E/lucien's and G/wynriels. They are genuinely wonderful people who are not chronically online like we are (and we are, there's no point throwing that around as an insult) and they don't actually care that much. They are just going off vibes - but would be absolutely disgusted to see the violent misogyny and bullying that takes place here. We enjoy talking to each other about the ships, even when we don't agree.

Typically, when I am trying to understand something, I seek out more of it. I've asked my friends for fated mate book recommendations that match E/Lucien's story (meeting your mate, then genuinely falling for another person that is absolutely right for you in every way except for the fact that he is not your mate, and somehow the plot leads to falling in love with your mate that you don't like anyways because fate is always right and never makes mistakes, even if everyone is questioning it because you have feelings for someone else) and I haven't been able to find anything. The closest I can get is meeting your mate when you are possibly already in love/engaged/what have you to someone else and then you find out that person you are already with is actually the worst (aka Graysen) and then you wind up falling in love naturally and authentically with your mate. This is what makes it work. The person who isn't your mate showing his true colors and realizing you were wrong about them.

I think this is why Azriel's character has been rewritten to create a moment of the male Elain is actually into showing his true colors. Otherwise, her moving on to her mate that she isn't interested in just because the guy she likes rejected her literally doesn't make any sense. It can't be political machinations and the threat of violence and exterior motives and interference keeping Azriel and Elain apart. It has to be Azriel's personality and personhood, or the fated mates typical structure that I assume everyone is basing their thought process on falls apart.

I've actually been wracking my brain for years to find a piece of art or story that represents a piece of jewelry being regifted symbolizing the transference of a relationship and I FINALLY realized- my favorite holiday movie- The Family Stone! My God, the movie is literally named for the piece of jewelry, his mother's ring.

Finally having a piece to work with and pick apart allowed me to understand what elements are required to really pull off "regifting" to show that the gift is symbolically landing where it needs to go in a moving and romantic way.

1: The jewelry must not have been picked out and purchased for a specific woman, with deep and thoughtful insights as to why the man saw this piece of jewelry and thought of the woman he loves. In The Family Stone, the ring is an heirloom. It is no one's ring but his mother's. And the journey of this stone landing on the hand of the woman that is right for Emmet is deep, complicated, and heart breaking.

This is not the case for Azriel, who saw the rose necklace (very widely agreed to symbolically represent Elain on all sides) and saw something that the full depth and color was revealed when held to the light, a thing of secret, lovely beauty. And he knew it was meant for Elain. My God. Jfc. That's poetry.

2: The original recipient of the gift must actively show displeasure or disappointment in the jewelry- further revealing that this is the wrong woman.

In The Family Stone, Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker), the "first" and "wrong" woman sees the ring on her little sister Julie's finger (Claire Danes) and while there is some drama (the ring symbolically gets stuck on Julie's finger lolol) Meredith looks at the ring and hilariously goes- "That's it?" because the diamond is so small. She doesn't like it. She wouldn't want to wear it. Meanwhile Julie was stunned. She lost her breath over its beauty and was overwhelmed.

Elain was also stunned and breathless at how beautiful her gift was. She wants to wear it immediately, and she wants him to put it on her. The act of this beautiful, thoughtful gift emboldens Elain to do something she has never done before: Blatant, unrestricted touching. Even while the man she is supposed to be with, the man whose gifts do disappoint her, sleeps upstairs. So the classic holiday romance trope of one gift is right and one gift is wrong is already playing out. From Elain's perspective, the woman who will demand a say in who she chooses and is the only confirmed FMC, she's been getting disappointing gifts from her mate for years. When she finally sees a gift that steals the air from her lungs and lights up her eyes, a gift she wants to wear and use immediately after years of lukewarm responses to the man she is "meant" to be with, it's romantic as fuck. Unless you don't like her and don't want her with Azriel, in which case it isn't romantic to you personally. However, personal opinion on Elain doesn't actually change the fact that after years of many of us already assuming Az and Elain were into each other, they had an extremely classic holiday romance reveal.

4: The act of changing your mind about who will receive this gift, in order for it to be romantic, must be an act of hope. An act of joy and dreams and revelation. Realizing that there is more out there for you, and after years of playing it safe, of trying to make it work for the wrong reasons with the wrong woman, you are ready to be brave and break your character patterns to act on that dream of happiness.

Near the climax of The Family Stone, we discover that Emmet's mother, the keeper of this ring, has had her breast cancer return. It is already clear she is not going to make it this time.

We learn that Emmet has been acting out of trauma, grief, and loss. He cannot wrap his mind around the thought of getting married without his mother being there. In a heart breaking scene, Sybil finally gives Emmet the ring she has been refusing the entire movie and lets him know it is his decision. But she also frees him from the horrible pressure he has placed on himself to get married while she is still alive. She wishes passion, joy, and happiness for him. She helps him cope with the loss of her, helps him heal the wound and burdens he carries of trying to be the Perfect Son and do everything right. All she wants for him is happiness and love. But ultimately, the decision is his.

In a rush of hope and healing, Emmet asks Julie to try the ring on. He wants to see it on her. It is a culmination. It is powerful, emotional, and restorative. In this story of brothers and sisters coping with the loss of their mother and trying to find their personal happiness, they all wind up together in the end. Meredith winds up telling Emmet she can't marry him, before he even reveals he decided not to ask her, because they both knew it wasn't right. It was so clear that they weren't in love with each other, but just trying to fit this ideal picture for reasons that had nothing to do with love. Still, Meredith isn't a villain, and winds up falling in love with his brother. The next year, everyone but Sybil gathers as a family, the first Christmas without her. The grief is palpable, but so is the love. The image of Sybil smiling at her gathered family through last year's gifted photograph of her ends the movie.

Azriel's regifting of Elaine's necklace was not a culmination. It was not an act of hope, it was not Azriel releasing Elain because he realized his love for her was not genuine and there was real and true happiness to be found in G/wyn. He did not even care to give it to her directly. He gave it to Clotho, who absolutely read the vibes and noted his sadness. He didn't even care if it wound up with Gwyn or literally any other priestess. He needed to relieve himself of the necklace because of the pain of not being able to be with Elain, just like Cassian yeeted his first Solstice gift to Nesta into the Sidra after her rejection. Regifted or getting rid of gifts as an act of pain is not romance. It is not even symbolic of a change. It only reflects a man who is hurting because he has nowhere to channel his love and longing.

What I find odd is that most people do agree that Az regifting the necklace via Clotho is absolutely not romantic, thus Azriel incel fuckboy (which literally makes no sense) was born. For the necklace regift to hold the symbolism that G/wynriels want it to hold (a sort of passing of the torch of Azriel's affection and attention) they agree that this is icky and gross behavior but G/wyn will fix him and he'll stop being icky and gross. I'd ask for recommendations on romances like that to try to understand that thought process as well, but frankly I am not interested.

Azriel getting rid of the necklace was not an act of hope, it was an act of pain. It was lot an act of love, it was an act of loss.

A change in who a gift belongs to can be romantic, with the right elements. The great ACOSF bonus chapter necklacegate has none of them. And yet somehow, even though everyone agrees it wasn't romantic, people are still out here arguing that it clearly symbolizes a new romance.

I assure you, romance symbolizes romance. It shouldn't be tricky or leave you feeling icky or like the MMC is flaky and entitled. I cannot think of a single romance author who thinks it's a good idea to sit down and write toxic fuckbois as MMC's. Even if they were toxic fuckbois in the past, they IMMEDIATELY simp for their women. As of now, Azriel still hasn't noticed G/wyn, his supposed mate, and is hurting and heartbroken over another woman that he would kill for if asked to. He is not coping with it by raking about town and looking for a new girl to fall in love with since he was ordered away from the one he wanted. He's just training, not sleeping, and putting rocks in snowballs.

When trying to determine what is being foreshadowed as romance, if we have to stretch beyond asking the simple question what is romantic, I fear we have lost the plot.

[oshinohoshi]

Kana's breakdown

I've been thinking more about Kana slapping Aqua's dead body (why am I even typing those words jfc) last chapter. Lots of folks are using this as a reason to call Kana immature, selfish, etc. which I don't agree with even though I do understand some of that thinking.

Was it disrespectful to his family? Absolutely. Imagine you're standing there mourning your dead son and his friend comes up and slaps him lol. And while it would not be OK to do this in any circumstance, in the eyes of everyone but Akane he was murdered. So while they are probably upset that he went looking for trouble by chasing after Hikaru, this is just a tragic murder in their eyes. Although to be clear, I don't condone slapping suicidal people whether dead or alive.

But grief can really screw you up. Your emotions are running high and you may not be fully in control of your actions. Everything is terrible and you just want that person to miraculously come back because you can't live with this.

Of course that doesn't trump Miyako's grief. Still, I can't imagine reading this and not having empathy for Kana. Also, even though at this point I hardly care what Akasaka's intensions are given how much I dislike this ending, it should be clear to everyone that this scene is not meant to show us that Kana is awful.

And then there's Miyako's reaction after the slap fest:

Is this the face of a woman who is angry? No. She looks shocked. She just realized how much Kana loves Aqua and how much she's hurting. If anything, this goes to show just how loved Aqua was.

If this manga wasn't in a full on sprint to the finish line with no room to breathe, I can easily imagine a scene where Miyako goes up to Kana, who is remorseful and blaming herself, and lets her know with words or actions (she really needs a hug) that she forgives her and she understands. There's just no way that Miyako would hold any kind of resentment over this.

But man this scene really is such a soap opera. It's just tragedy porn at this point. Still, it made me emotional despite feeling kinda contrived.

[murfpersonalblog]

IWTV S2 Ep6 Musings: Loumand (Spoilers)

Armand stressed me TF out this episode; I can't believe they had me yelling at my favorite TVC book character this much on this dang show. But I still stand by what I said about him having good intentions--

--but by god does this man make the worst decisions for the best reasons.

FACTS, I can't stand modern art. The first vamp capitalist, faaaacts.

The first vamp pilot--Louis WANTS to fly now!? Or maybe it's just the Cloud Gift that freaks him out; a vampire taking him up without his control/consent?

I cannot BELIEVE they're banging in Armand's office right in front of that flimsy glass door--that's why the coven hated y'all. 🤦 Rubbing in their faces that Lou can do whatever--and whoever--he wants.

OF COURSE that mofo was gonna say No--DUH! Lou, Armand don't want Lestat's spawn, he wants Lestat's SEED, there's a DIFFERENCE. 😅

He. Didn't. NO. The attitude in Lou's neck rolls had me QUAKING. AMC is leaning IN to Armand withholding more than Lestat, jfc. 😬

It was NOT ok, Armand. That was your cue to be part of the family, and join Lou as he went to the IVF clinic to get his eggs fertilized with YOUR seed, MORON. 🤦 Y'all could've been the Le Russe/Romanus family! Now they'll always be Lioncourts! 😩 Alexa, play Rolling in the Deep, cuz they could've had it all! 😔🎵 🎶

☝️ SAY IT LOUDER! ☝️

Roleplay don't mean ISH outside the bedroom--just cuz Armand's a subby bottom don't mean he didn't hold ALL the power the whole time; eff what Lou said, asked or "ordered." I said back in S1: Les & Armand HUMOR Lou, and let him pretend to be in charge (X X). It's called POWER IMBALANCE.

It looks like childbirth gone wrong.

Lou going from battered wife depression in S1 to post-partum-depression in S2. 😔 So Loius tried to kill himself again? By bleeding out? Throwing up all the blood he drank from Madeleine. Dang.

What "you did to yourself" is a little inaccurate, considering it was YOUR insensitive words that triggered him and made him want to yeet himself into the sun! This is what I always mean by Armand taking advantage of Louis' agency, cuz Louis was CLEARLY not in his right mind at the time to be asking for anything THAT serious, which he NEVER would've done elsewise.

So, 3 days after Louis' failed suicide attempt, he asked for his mind to be wiped--cuz he was still TRAUMATIZED, Armand! 🤦

Lou got high as a kite (if he was ever sober in SanFran.....)

Nearly killed the first human who managed to get anywhere towards helping him process his PTSD--if not just VENT a bit; as he hadn't spoken Lestat's name in 20+ years by that point.

Vented all his resentment to Armand for being hella boring

Was triggered by Armand telling Louis Claudia never loved him, wtf

Tried to kill himself by burning himself alive in the first sunrise he'd seen since Paul's suicide

Burnt to a crisp, he has to watch Armand torture TF out of Daniel, begging for his life & powerless to do anything

Then lay there all crispetty cracketty crunchetty and hear Armand have a effing telephone call with LESTAT

He even told OIdmaniel he'd been in so much pain he blanked out

Armand said drugs did a number on Dan's mind--Louis DIED an alcoholic; he was turned while he was drunk, and I bet mental illness runs in his family, too. So what damage was done to LOUIS' mind when he was in SanFran getting stoned every night b4 you scrambled his brain, Armand?!

Daniel's mind is sharp, yes, but his body sure ain't. Armand caused Daniel's Parkinsons--if it's even really Parkinsons, and not just the consequences of 6 days of bodily & mental torture, as his arm was crushed, head bashed, nose bled, and muscles were contorted. "To protect me, from YOU, my Molloy"--we been knew. "Why did I owe YOU my shame...my one act of cowardice?" Oh, you mean selling Claudia & Louis down the effing river?!

I'd bet money that Armand was so shook seeing Louis' reaction to what he said about Claudia hating Louis, and was so terrified of being on permanent suicide watch, that he was RELIEVED to have the chance to wipe Louis' memory, and soften the blow of his own culpability in WHY Claudia died hating Louis. Cuz she was HAPPY at that cafe with y'all! What happened AFTERWARDS, Armand!?

Why would vamps cheer and drink with alcohol; y'all shoulda known something was up; with this JUDAS at the effing table.

Why tf is Armand sleeping in Claudia's coffin? I guess Loumand doesn't share Louis' the way Loustat did. But better question: Why TF are they still in that flat?! I'd've left Paris for good; that was stupid of them to stay in coven territory. But I guess we know why Armand didn't insist they leave. 😒

Louis and Madz have tension. :(

This poor boy just CANNOT help himself, LOL.

LOLOLOLOLOL! Madz is NOSEY, spill all the tea, girl, yaaas! XD (The bass in Lou's voice when he says BIIIIIG HEAD nearly put me in a stretcher--omfg it was IMPROVISED!?)

👀 Yeah, he knows, alright. Knows you'll forgive him, Lou.

Cuz he felt he had nothing left if he didn't have you.

Cuz Santiago was right:

Speak of the devil, carrying the effing burlap sacks.

I could never sit there that calm and talk about all that without lunging over and pulling every follicle out of Armand's head.

Omg it's a matinee in DAYLIGHT, it's happening right then & there. 😭☀️

💀

[invisiblegarters]

The Heart Killers Ep 3

I won't lie, I was planning to approach this episode with a lot of trepidation (and the tags with even more than that if what I thought was gonna happen happened, if I'm honest). but a soul who is far kinder than I think I would be eased my mind on the first thing. The second I'm still nervy about but well. I want gifs so I'll have to brave it at some point I'm sure.

But before that, let's get into this episode with bells on baby. Give me Fadel's tragic backstory and give it to me now.

Previously: Style was annoying af but also hot and we learned Fadel is not immune to that. Bison and Kant played more games and I was floored by how ruthless Kant actually was (and I haven't seen anything yet whee).

Now: Well we know this woman is evil because she's dressed in all red.

HI PEPPER. HI JJ I didn't know you were in this.

Oh she's really good at that dead eyed I will end your life stare. Good for her.

GIVE ONE OF THE Js A BL ALREADY.

Yeah you know what lady I don't believe you. Bison you little dumbass Fadel told you he'd ask. JFC kid.

Bison is literally the only one in that room who doesn't get that this woman is kind of the devil isn't he? How sheltered has Fadel kept him really? I do love a devious, evil woman though.

PFFFT Style babe please don't talk about who is the type to listen to heavy metal wearing that shirt.

"I can have a good time all by myself" Yeeeah you can.

Fadel if you actually follow him I will lose all hope for you.

One thing I will say, I think Style definitely is one of those people who can make himself fit in anywhere by sheer will.

There was a whole moment there when Fadel absolutely thought about choking him again lol but I don't think it was in the fun way that Style was looking for.

Wel that pool conversation was interesting. Both of them lying their asses off. And Bison absolutely did follow him there I'd bet money on it. I still don't think he really gets what's going on (or at least I hope not), but that meeting was too coincidental to be coincidental. Bison literally showed up to deliver that little warning and bounce. I really don't love the idea that he's hip to what Kant's pulling yet - it annoys me in a very specific way that all "oh this character is so smart and plays 4D chess in his sleep" stuff annoys me, but also, I just like it better if he starts falling before he really starts to wonder if Kant might be on to something. That he's going to choose to ignore the signs at some point feels like a given right now, but personally I'd prefer Bison a little naive for a bit (and it would fit with what happened earlier in the ep with Mother Lilly).

Then again, if Kant insists on meeting his Captain friend literally five seconds after chatting with Bison maybe he deserves Bison knowing the entire time. JFC dude this is almost as bad as you meeting the dude you paid to get a bowling ball dropped on his foot in a parking structure two seconds after Bison leaves your sight.

Can no one do these things right.

Oh Captain Christ followed him too. Man Kant is popular today.

Captain Christ doesn't give two shits if Style gets himself hurt lol he's only asking because he wants to know how much damage control he might have to do later. People keep talking about how Kant siccing Style on a literal murderer is wild and it totally is, but I do think that it is also a case of what Style doesn't know can't get him killed. I really don't think Kant wants or expects anything to actually happen, he just wants Style to distract Fadel for a bit so he can work on Bison. Hard to get in already, even harder with a scowling big brother dogging your every single move.

So Captain Christ and Kant have totally banged, yes? Bet it was really good but Kant felt a little (or a lot) dirty about it after (still went back for seconds though).

The way that Fadel isn't even trying to drive Style off anymore is kind of hilarious.

"You're not my type" says yet another liar.

So Style absolutely knows that Fadel wants to bang him like a screen door right? Yes, yes he does and he's gonna poke at it until Fadel explodes from frustration. He is so ridiculous.

Put the grandma glasses on Kant. Put them on.

He's not gonna put them on is he? All my dreams are now dust. Jojo you're on notice.

Hm. I'm going to have to think some about this before I really talk about it. All I'll say is Kant you fucking dumbass this is not the kind of thing you do when YOU don't trust someone 100% and I know you don't you loser.

Fadel babe Style is not gonna guess you're an assassin and even if he does it won't be seriously calm down.

OH MY GOD KANT STOP YOU'RE EMBARRASSING YOUR GLASSES THEY'RE JUDGING YOU ALMOST AS HARD AS I AM.

Lol okay I know this is an unserious show but if one more person does some sort of shady shit right out in the open I'm gonna lose it.

And here it is. The tragic backstory, delivered by a smirking Pepper. Pepper I hate your bangs but I am kinda getting a kick out of how much enjoyment you're getting out of rubbing Fadel's mistakes in his face.

Or well. "Mistakes," I'm sure.

Oh no please not back to these two dumbasses I can't.

Bison baby he doesn't even know what a safe word is (unless he's putting that on so that he can make Bison explain it to him but I dunno he does seem to not get it) please put an end to this farce.

(spoiler: he is absolutely not going to put an end to this farce)

Here's the thing though. I don't actually think that Kant would hate this if it really were coming about organically? But one, right now it's a job that he's getting through, not something he actively wants. And two, he does not trust this man. Right now Kant is sailing through this with sheer balls and not much else. And it kind of makes me wince a little when we have Bison trying so hard to make sure it's consensual and that Kant's not pushing himself.

Hahaha now they aren't even safe from Fadel in Kant's tattoo parlor why is this so funny to me that man is everywhere. He sewed a tracker into the hems of Bison's pants didn't he.

Lie better Bison.

"Gimme a sec Bison I've gotta threaten your not boyfriend again I don't think he heard me the first time."

Kant is such a shit I swear.

Oh Fadel. I just love him so much.

Well Bison called this one. Good for him. Dark and brooding indeed.

Oh this should be fun. I would have thought that -

*Joong starts dancing, head empties*

Style: oh, he's hot.

Buddy where have you been.

Also ah, so Bison's drugging the secretary's drink then. Interesting tactic, that (but also low key cackling because well I know what's coming).

Style babe I like the way you think.

Hahaha of course he learned it from Magic Mike Jojo I love you you're back off notice for the glasses.

Actually though this is kind of perfect because to Style it would explain everything if Fadel just leaned into the host thing. Except he might want to show up again and that could turn into a problem. Oh no is Style actually trying to be helpful? Every time he stops being deliberately obnoxious it's pretty much always to be randomly earnest in a disarming sort of way, isn't it? And usually it's when he's trying to help someone, be it doing Kant a solid by telling Bison how down bad for him he is, helping out at the restaurant simply because they're busy and he's there, or offering to find a way to help Fadel out with his financial troubles (that he definitely does not have lol).

And now Fadel is going to kick all of these dude's asses.

What is with all the mouth close ups.

I don't believe for a second that Style didn't believe that Fadel was a host because he needed money. Style I'm liking you a lot right now and I don't think you're dumb but I do think you believe people when they tell you things...until they give you a reason not to, that is. Such as beating the everloving shit out of three dudes without breaking a sweat.

I say again, Kant is such a shit. Like he knows Fadel can kill him, he was genuinely worried he was gonna do something to him earlier, and he's still acting like a bit of a dick to the man's face. I swear, this dude is either great at compartmentalization or he has a death wish.

Or both.

You know, I'm gonna miss the running gag of Fadel interrupting these two every time they start to have a moment.

Oh no I am way too invested in Fadel because all I needed was the tiniest little flash of him being so happy with his past lover and I got all teary.

YES he's scared he doesn't TRUST you and he doesn't actually LIKE anything you've done so far.

Style. Style. Style what are you doing Style.

Jfc dude is nothing sacred.

Although to be fair, I don't think he knew what it was a support group for. But still, good god. Maybe back away graciously when you realize what you've walked into? Maybe? Don't' invent a dead dog story and fake sob about it these people are grieving holy shit Style.

Okay that bartender sucks what. Why would you make those drinks.

Oh look more drugs they really are made for each other.

Ha. You can just tell that Fadel thinks fucking Style is gonna get him out of his system. Ever look at a man and think wow honey you are so wrong that it's both hilarious and a little sad? Yeah.

Pffft Style that confidence is gonna get you in trouble.

And you know what? I'm not even mad about it. Play stupid games get a fist to the stomach and a knee to the groin.

Actually Bison has it better than the secretary at least he's not vomiting all over the place.

Oh Kant I see you. And so do the cameras.

Kant give him five minutes before you go snooping jesus.

...you know what I just realized. Bison's "prize" for winning the bet still assumed that Kant would be coming home with him. So there's that. But of course Kant would have still had to drug him because he doesn't want to go home with Bison for sex (kinky or otherwise). He wants to go home with Bison to get his snoop on.

The way that Bison pulled out those ropes was very funny, and when I paused it to laugh I got the best reaction face from Kant:

this is the face of a man who did not properly think this through. Dying. The question is though was Bison too drunk to clock it? Although...hm. Would it matter if he had? Maybe more on that later.

The music is hilarious what even.

"I have been waiting to have fun like this with someone for so long," he says. Yes honey we know you literally have your bed prepped for it even though you just said you've never taken anyone home (and unlike some of the other shit that comes out of his mouth, this I believe. Mostly because Fadel would do a murder).

Why is this cracking me up is it supposed to? It's First's fault entirely.

Because this is what Kant's mouth is saying: "I'm Kant. I'm a tattoo artist who loves adorable guys." What his eyeballs are saying is "I'm a fucking moron who is gonna get whipped to within an inch of his life and have to ask for more," and it shouldn't be funny, the underpinnings of why this is happening are absolutely NOT funny, but the music and the faces are taking it there. I'm kinda grateful tbh because it could have gone really dark instead and I kinda love this dark comedy tone the show has going on let's not ruin it.

Well Kant you said you liked being slapped.

He was totally enjoying himself at the end there. Getting into it big time. See the thing with him is he strikes me as the kind of guy who actually wouldn't mind trying something like this out in a normal setting, and he might even like it, but the problem here is that he doesn't feel like he's allowed to say where his limits are because due to what he has to do for Captain Christ, his limits have to go as far as Bison's. Even if he's not comfortable with it. And his limits might even be as far as Bison's! It just doesn't matter.

Add that to the fact that he knows damn good and well that the dude squirming in his lap and getting off on hurting him a little could easily kill him. Has killed. Will probably kill again while he takes his sweet ass time investigating. So he's unable to have real limits while dealing with a man he doesn't actually trust who could very well kill him if he slips up.

Fun.

...okay but did Fadel kill his ex lover because his mom told him he was a traitor or was working against them? That's how I'd write it but also I like angst and drama way way way too much.

This episode had a lot, and I have a lot of thoughts. and I don't now how coherent I will be in them but here we go I guess.

I like that everyone kind of sucks - I was worried that we'd have a situation where at least one of these guys is an innocent baby but we're not getting that at all. Even Style, arguably the most innocent of them all, is a jerk. This is fine and honestly kind of exactly what I want from this show. I'm invested in no one save Fadel but that makes it a lot easier to just enjoy what I'm getting.

Kant continues to fascinate me. I'm still so wary of what will happen to his character but man, right now I'm loving how ruthless he's being. I know I keep saying that but I don't even care this guy is a dick.

But also, this isn't his first rodeo, is it? While I'm utterly certain he's expendable to Captain Christ he's used him for dangerous jobs before and if all goes well here will probably continue to do so in future.

I really can't wait to see how he falls into his own trap. Just please bl jesus let him stay competent and ruthless. He can turn that ruthlessness in another direction, you know, he doesn't have to lose it just because he falls in love.

This was the first episode where I looked at Bison and went, "oh honey," which I was surprised by. It wasn't the drugging and it wasn't the tattoo shop stuff or even the stuff after the bar. Nope. What got me was his delighted little smile when Kant said he was helping him clean around the restaurant to prove himself to Fadel. That was the first time I looked at him and thought "oh this really is gonna hurt."

I truly don't know if I buy that he's actually given Kant his heart next ep - as I already said this was also the first ep that he did something that had my eyebrows going up a little so I'm side eyeing him a little right now - but he's definitely in this a little too deep. How could he help it though, when Kant's there working so hard at every turn to please him and trying to prove himself to his big brother and is even game to try this new kinky thing that is actually pretty important to him? And here is why I think that even if Bison clocked that Kant's apprehensive at best about this pain stuff, it might actually work in Kant's favor.

Because as far as we know, Bison doesn't know that Kant is basically being coerced into this whether he likes it or not, all it looks like from someone on the outside is him trying to please Bison. That's heady stuff, especially for someone who likes being in control as much as Bison does.

And I'm really starting to think that Fadel has kept Bison from knowing a LOT. Because some of the stuff he said with Mother Lilly was just jarring. I'd understand it if she coddled him but she doesn't, not really. And yet he's the only one who doesn't seem to understand to tread carefully with her. It's weird.

Which brings me to Fadel, literally the only character that I am emotionally invested in and who I am just so in love with I can barely handle it. Honestly though this tracks for me, since Kat was the only character I really cared about in 10 Things.

Joong is just playing him so well, he's killing me a little bit. He plays so stern but oh, there are already cracks aren't there. Mostly with Bison - it was only a matter of time before he cracked and let him have what he wanted, not because of Style but because he does want Bison to be happy, and as much has he chides him for being naive and trusting he has clearly worked hard to make it so that Bison can be that way. In spite of everything.

And this lover he used to have that he was going to leave everything for. I'm assuming he's dead or that he were disappeared by Mother Lilly, and there are different ways they could play this but my two favorites are as follows:

Mother Lilly lied about BF being some sort of traitor after either disposing of him herself OR she made Fadel do it/Fadel was so mad he went and did it himself.

He was actively working for someone, either a rival or even the police, and Fadel found out and disappeared him / told Mother Lilly and let her handle it. Or Mother Lilly was the one who told him.

Mother Lilly discovering (or "discovering") that BF was set to betray Fadel would go a long way towards explaining his devotion to the job and his unwillingness to go against her - he might not like it himself but maybe he feels like he owes her?

Also, number 2 would fit in with 10 Things and the Joey plot - Fadel warning Bison about Kant because he has been there before but also not telling Bison the real reason why and Bison just thinking he's being a paranoid weirdo. It wouldn't be a perfect 1:1 because Bianca was over Joey pretty fast lol but it'd be close enough, plus I kind of love that kind of parallel (except I guess in Bison's case loverboy accidentally does the job so well he actually falls in love. Also no killing of the Kant Bison he's too pretty to die).

Maybe we'll get fed a little more info next week, eh?

[progmanx]

Soo… thoughts on the flip side?

I enjoyed it when I played it, but it left zero lasting impression on me, unlike the first two games. It holds no special place in my heart, and I honestly question why it exists. I think there's a lot you COULD say about sex workers and how that internal perception works, how Jecka's total lack of control in her life paralyzes her, but...I don't think this has really much to say at all. The FYE route reads and feels like a bad South Park episode, which is completely baffling.

And for the love of God if you want to if you NEED to for some reason make a joke about how this kid from the suburbs doesn't know geography SAY PAKISTAN FIRST as the one she is mixing up that was so tone deaf and pointless as a writing decision.

As much as SBN3 talks about how humor and jokes work and that's what he does? Where are the jokes. The same bit with Jecka's dad screaming at her is kind of funny the first time you play it but it's not gonna work twice. There's no longevity there's no LIFE to this, unlike the first two.

Basically none of the humor is actually going to be funny a second time unlike ALL of the Re-Up and a lot of the original game. For something that marketed itself as "the other games matter here to remember" they really didn't except the Nicole suicide route which was done extremely well but...we already did this messaging. That's why it was good we did ALL of this before. There was nothing actually new here to explore or say.

Just a remix in a far more muddied and far less entertaining way. Three routes are about jobs in the Recession which could be really interesting to explore but. They didn't.

I don't even have a problem with the feet thing, tbh, but it's the SAME joke over and over and over and it stops working faster than the game thinks it does imo.

Nicole having toe sex with Jecka's dad feels...baffling and bizarre. Especially after how much time was spent in the sex worker route FOR NICOLE last time. She can't fuck a stranger sober but she can do this? To this old creepy dude she is disgusted by at the start? I know she's vindictive but jfc???

We did this already.

Ms. Ames as the counselor (no she's not she's Remedial English), Kyle as...cited as the guy who killed his mom for Jecka in the opening but then he's just there? Again, talking about how the other games matter but they don't?? There's like. No characterization here, but most of all, above everything else, why I only enjoyed it once and why I don't love it?

There is not one trace of sincerity outside of the Nicole Suicide route. BECAUSE THAT'S FROM THE FIRST GAME. It all feels just so...hollow and forced and frustrated and almost spiteful. Like why the fuck is it ARI who dies and not JECKA KILLING HER DAD?! There's no consistency here, basically everyone is flanderized I just.

what the fuck?

I'm not even that disappointed, since I went in expecting nothing, but to go that hard on the first two and then you show up with whatever the hell this is? Anachronism after anachronism---if you want to talk about instituional cp you need to actually oh gee I dunno give that some fucking room. You SHOULD talk about it if you feel you can in a way that's HELPFUL but shouting it with nothing else to say doesn't do shit and really doesn't fit with...the other games actually saying stuff and meaning it.

I have defended the Mr. White stuff because of how easy the slippery slope of radicalization is but this is just fucking stupid. There's nothing to this. It's a bunch of references in the FYE route and if you can't get Antfish back just do not put the counselor in the voice doesn't work with an impression. There's like. no actual banter in this game, either. There's no solid back and forth.

I doubt I'll stick around for the anime if this is where things are at, like okay man. You had two great things I'll always love them. This gave me a fun evening and I am already struggling to remember anything that happened or anything that was said. The other two are seared into my brain forevermore.

also that last text message was just lazy troll dick move; everyone will think he is being entirely serious.

God just

HOW DO YOU GO FROM HAVING A COMEDY DUO THAT IS UP THERE WITH ABBOT AND COSTELLO TO DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING?!

[ladzwriting]

incomplete thoughts about episodes 2 through 6 of House of the Dragon season 2

episode 2!! the acting in this yelling scene after the murder is so fucking good

Otto looks like "the consequences of several poor decisions will now play out in sequence"

Rhaenyra is like, "wow, everyone was right about my unhinged uncle husband, i should've listened" (babe, your husband is a sliding door, no hinges)

Daemon, that's a PRETTY BIG FUCKING MISTAKE, BUDDY

Criston and Alicent match each other's freak (Catholic guilt)

oh is this season going to be the season of mommy kink?? i think this season is going to be the season of mommy kink

Otto "I have made so many mistakes" Hightower: to get fired from a job once is unfortunate, but getting fired from the same position a generation later is quite silly

(no, but seriously what is this man up to? he fucked off from King's Landing and has not been heard from again)

Otto Hightower is the most done man, he is so finished with everyone's bullshit

Mysaria!!!!!! I love her

Alicent "the consequences of several mistakes will now play out in sequence" Hightower

Simon Strong has no desire to throw arms against Daemon, and TO BE FAIR, valid

i got nothing, i just like all the women and the diversity of responsibility bestowed upon them

the peas and poison exchange is good comedy

oh I love Daemon haunted house hours

NEW GIRLFRIEND?!?! (Alys Rivers)

sorry Rhaenyra, you can't yuri your way out of this one

"do you think me capable of such naked deceit?" no, Alicent, but this isn't the first time you've misread a situation

Daemon is too busy being psychologically tortured to send ravens

lamprey pie?!? even Larys is like, "babe, I know you're lying"

Daemon, please don't drink the strange draught from the woman who just told you she's a barn owl...never mind

I think Criston has been dethroned as stupidest man, that award goes to Gwayne now

Vhagar is just a kitten the size of a building

"whose dragon is that??" G W A Y N E JFC

OH DRAGON BLOOD IS HOT?? this fight choreography is so rad

brain is going full "hell yeah monster fight, let's go monsters"

RHAENYS DO NOT JFC

honestly, I'd probably defect if I saw multiple dragons falling out of the goddamn sky, like that should NOT be happening, fuck this entire thing

also no one should be surviving these dragon fire fights, that's too much heat, as fucking metal as they are

hey cole, how are you going to explain that one to your liege? (nice touch having him be really fucked up by what he saw on the battlefield)

yeah, I'm with the smallfolk on this one, fuck that, dragons should NOT be decapitated like that

that canNOT be good for anyone involved

Daemon: "show them your worst"

this is going to go SO WELL (it goes as expected)

Aemond is trying so hard not to volunteer himself for regent, bless him

the currency of orgasms has no place at this council table, much to Alicent's chagrin and disadvantage

"the smallfolk will notice the king's absence"

uh…sure big if true :]

"our fear lies in Vhagar" I DO NOT BLAME THEM

oh my god, they are just straight up eating on a door

idk if they (Daemon and Rhaenyra) are going to finish that last conversation 🥴🥴

I'm so curious what that character returning means for like…anything

I will also point out, it's been like 3 episodes since we heard about the triarchy and that's good, that's when the writing works

the writing works when they're not pretending there's this grand external threat that isn't the madness and ambition within

also it's really cool how most of what's depicted in the opening embroidery has come to pass, I like touches like that

OH I SPOKE TOO SOON ABOUT NOT BRINGING UP THE FUCKING TRIARCHY

I'm going to lose my marbles if it comes down to Caraxes and Vhagar

Alicent earns the restraint MVP award, wow

I was wondering how Daemon chose to remember Viserys, and that's definitely it

Daemon has gone full gothic heroine, full babygirlification

is Alys free on Thursday when I'm free on Thursday so we can hang out when we are both free on Thursday

this liturgical fete for being acknowledged by a dragon is such good worldbuilding

oh this dragon thing is definitely going to go in the same way that like, some kitty tummies are a fucking trap

IT'S A TRAP.gif

MYSARIA I LOVE YOU

"do you take me for a fool?" Aemond, Larys is taking you for a teenager (I typed Varys initially, and man, I miss him)

omg the baby dragons 🥺🥺🥺

I want to go aboard a ship called the Gay Abandon

Rhaenyra deserves to strike whoever she wants tbh

oh I LIKE THIS A LOT (not the part I know is coming, the bit with the provision boats)

whispering who the fuck is Daeron

ok but wouldn't it have been safer to stay in the high sept during the riot???

Rhaenyra, you can become a man if you want to!!

omg of course she goes in for a hug first, USELESS

idk if this is the yuri that will fix Rhaenyra but I'm glad this is the yuri explicit :] :]

I think the thing that keep nagging me about Jacerys Valeryon is that he looks like a thrifted Timothee Chalamet in Dune

all right, onto tomorrow!!

[mpsansy]

I finished the ouaw series and I can't believe it ended with a cliffhanger USHSJSJA

But with that aside,

MAJOR SPOILERS for 53.

What emotional or meaningful memory will Mina talk about as her story to get answers from the Orcle? (is that how you spell it??????)

Also she'll have to forget it, keep in mind!

Of course it would !!! AAAAA

(This is a long one jfc)

I feel like she would have no choice but to participate in this. Just to help her friends out. Though I suppose it's also to see if there's any possibility that the children she raised are alive and living as their best selves.

But the meaningful memory? Hm.

I feel like what she'd tell would be about a time where she couldn't save one of her children. She'd be around 11 years of age. Thrashing and clawing as her captors kept her away from a body. Just about 10 feet away from Mina.

The body was that of a child. No more than 6 years of age, blood not of its own splattered on its clothes and a broken axe in their hand. But right beside the body was a figure. Large in nature, but certainly wasn't anything orge-like. Hard to tell who they could've been. The fire flickering here did no favors in showing that initially.

Looking at this through Mina’s perspective, the sensation of pure distress & sadness was palpable. Screaming and still trying her best to claw her way over to the clearly deceased child.

Eventually, she gets to them and all she could do was cradle the child. Burying her face into their neck as she sobs uncontrollably. The weapon was already in the figure's hands, watching her quietly.

And soon, they spoke.

"You see child, this is the price you pay for trying to make change. It leads to all this unnecessary bodies being piled up.

If you hadn't put that notion of freedom. Or thoughts of a better tomorrow in their heads, they'd still be alive. Safe in your hold."

Mina would hear these words. Hear them well, and shift her face up to see the figure. Now it’s here she can see them clearly.

This stocky figure was some kind of human woman. Likely a cursed one, as when she locked eyes on them, the woman's form looked rotten.

Flesh having little color, parts of her skeleton appearing on her cheek and fingers. Practically a rotting corpse.

So many thoughts and feelings swirling. Burning in her as she kept staring at the woman.

This woman was going to die and stay dead. One way or another, Mina was going to make that a reality. And free every individual, young or old.

That woman would see her end.

- -

The memory of hers would eventually burn away. Going completely dark for a solid minute.

But it's not over.

In an instant you'd hear some commotion going on. Is it screaming?!

No, no, it’s… laughing? And music! Not to mention that scent in the air. It was so rich with food of all kinds. Matter of fact, it looked like a grand celebration was taking place. The atmosphere here alone compels you to walk towards the source of all this commotion.

As you do, all around you can see both young and old people. All drinking, eating and chatting for the most part, as many younger children of all kinds played. They don’t seem to acknowledge you, but the place is so hectic. It’s no wonder.

But as you traverse silently, you feel your heart warm up and grow heavy. Eyes at times getting blurry as you start to recognize some of these now young men and women before you.

They all seem so happy. So healthy.

That much said, you fight off the tears as you go further. Eventually stopping as you see an individual standing alone on a pier.

He looked somewhat like Kremy, but it wasn’t him.

You knew it wasn’t.

This gator you see here is slightly bulkier than him, eyes a beautiful mixture of orange and yellows that seemed to pair perfectly. The outfit he wore was a casual one. Nothing particularly fancy, but there were some hints that it was special to him. Calm as he may seem in this moment, he looked empty.

Staring at the water below, swirling his drink in hand. Waiting. But nothing happened.

He sighed. Frustratingly.

“I don’t know why I keep doing this to myself. I stare into the waters as if she’ll come swimming out. Greeting me with open arms and saying how sorry she is for leaving us. I know she didn’t leave on purpose, I saw her fall. Saw her die with that... monster. Not just for me, but for everyone else.

I should accept that she’s dead, but I can’t. No matter how much I try, I keep thinking about her.”

He wanted to be mad, yet just as his anger came, it subsided. Huffing briefly before smiling. This was a celebration for gods sake. No use in standing all alone here. These are words that he thought to himself. Trying his best to push aside his moody somber demeanor just seconds earlier.

In an instant, he soon turned around to the celebration, facing it with a bright toothy smile.

Just as he did, he automatically stopped his feet from stepping any further. Staring at the individual in front of him now. The joyous demeanor of his immediately falling apart.

The seemingly well-put looking gator now seems to have changed to a meek thing. Eyes completely locking with yours.

Words that he wanted to express more eloquently didn’t come out. Instead, he choked on them.

This wasn’t real.

Couldn’t be real.

But… she’s right there.

“… M …”

“M-mama Mina?”

And then it abruptly stops. 🙂

[astercontrol]

okay this is very tangential to that other post about the churchgoer who expressed outrage at someone wearing a backwards baseball cap at a Christmas Eve service and said "you can't make this up"

But I find it kind of sadly fascinating that so many of the things people claim "can't be made up" are like. the most mundane things, that would not even take more than the absolute minimum creativity to "make up"

if you were a writer trying to make up a scene where a character dressed in a way that the congregation might view as disrespectful for church, "wearing a backwards baseball cap" is like... probably the very first or second thing that a decent writer would reject as Too Cliched

"can't make it up" WTF. (Why? because every 10-year-old writing their first fanfic already did?)

...at one of my jobs, probably the worst one I ever had, I came in one day to see everyone, from the site manager to the entry-level employees, talking absolute vitriolic trash about some applicant who'd failed to show up for her interview on the scheduled day and then later called saying she'd be in for the interview on a different day. "Who does she think she is? The nerve! Like we're gonna give her a chance after she just straight up ghosted us" etc etc

And not once did anyone even mention what seemed to me like the obvious explanation (that there had been a misunderstanding about what day the interview was scheduled). And I knew that if I mentioned it, I'd just get disdain, because the culture of that workplace was "always assume deliberate malice, from everyone always" and if I broke that code I was clearly just the clueless newbie talking about things I didn't understand (and if I turned out to be right, then I'd get disdain with resentment-coated embarrassment on top, and none of that would be pleasant for anyone)

so I kept my mouth shut, and what do you know, it did turn out to be a scheduling miscommunication. Big surprise. And then I sat there with my mouth still shut, in a room full of coworkers expressing total astonishment and going "you can't make this stuff up!!!" over and over

... inwardly going, yes you can, jfc, it doesn't even take creativity, it is the first thought that pops into any reasonable person's head, what is wrong with this place

Anyway, I have a difficult time trusting people who say that something can't be made up.

Or at least I have a high threshold. It's gotta be a thing that I actually have some difficulty imagining how a person would make up.

And I've... very rarely seen the phrase used for anything like that.

[my-supernatural-rewatch]

Episode 13: Route 666

Dean Winchester in the Supernatural episode Route 666

Hey, look! It's the racist truck episode!

Listen, I'm going to be honest here, as a white person the first time I saw this episode I thought "Cool, they killed the racist white dude." But the more times I watch this episode I can't help thinking that this is what happens when white people try to write about black people without actually talking with black people first.

SO this entry is going to be a little different because I'm not up for going through this whole thing.

If you've seen the show, you know the synopsis. Dean's ex calls him when her father is killed in a car accident and she thinks it's due to supernatural causes. More people die suspiciously and we eventually find out it's the ghost of the guy his girlfriend's father and friends killed and buried in his truck coming after the black people (and one white savior dude) who killed him in the first place.

It is...not good.

More under the cut.

The only good thing about this episode, IMO, is Cassie, Dean's ex. SO all I'm really going to write about here is Dean, Cassie, and that relationship and how it affects Dean.

We find out that while John and Dean were working a job in Ohio and Cassie was going to college, the two met and, in Dean's words, "went out for a couple of weeks."

Sam is PISSED because if she's calling Dean for help it means he told her the 'secret' (Sam's word) about what they do. Here's Sam's rant:

"You told her. You told her, the secret! Our big family rule number one. We do what we do and we shut up about it. For a year and a half I do nothing but lie to Jessica, and you go out with this chick in Ohio a couple of times and you tell her everything?"

Now part of me thinks Sam is right to at least QUESTION why Dean told Cassie. Especially given the whole 'couple of weeks/times' thing. But in this scene Sam is seriously pissed...and of course he brings it back to Jessica. Which had literally nothing to do with Dean. He could have told Jessica anything he wanted because, remember Sam, he wasn't a hunter anymore.

But actually none of Sam's rant will matter in a few minutes when he pretty much tells Dean, after meeting Cassie, that it's no big deal that he told her.

JFC

Anyway.

When Cassie and Dean reunite, Sam is in the background smirking at how obviously taken Dean still is with her. I had to keep reminding myself in this episode that currently Sam is only 22 years-old and college boy or not he still has the brain of an idiot 10-year-old when it comes to certain things...like being a spoiled brat or Dean liking a girl.

But at least Sam is savvy enough to pick up on cues, like Cassie and Dean not being able to look at each other at the same time, and he deduces that, at the very least, back then Dean was in love with Cassie.

At this point Dean only admits to being "a little bit more involved" with Cassie than he initially told Sam. And without words he confirmed that Cassie was the one who did the dumping, not him.

(Which I find fascinating...what was Dean's plan had Cassie not freaked out and dumped him? Was he going to just go visit her every so often? Was he going to bring her with him? Would he have considered quitting hunting for her? We'll never know; and I kind of hate that.)

So a couple of interesting tidbits about Cassie and Dean....he's so comfortable with her, even now, that not only did he tell her what he actually did for work, but here and now, when they discussed how they broke things off, he admits to her face that she hurt him.

WHEN DOES DEAN EVER DO THAT? NEVER. THAT'S WHEN.

Also worth noting that when he admits her breaking up with him hurt him, she apologizes and ten seconds later we get a fairly steamy (for the CW anyway) sex scene. Just be vulnerable, fellas, and someone will schtup you.

I want to point out one other thing before I forget. Dean has a reputation for hooking up with women who the writers want us to think are loose bimbos without brains. But his first true love is a college-educated woman who isn't easily led by bad pickup lines and who had enough self-confidence to dump the boyfriend she thought was either batshit crazy or on his way to breaking up with her.

Which is to say, Dean appreciates women with brains as well as beauty and I hate how the writers often forget that.

SO we get the sex scene which leads to pillow talk about why they broke up resulting in Cassie saying that if you want them to, things usually work out. Sounds like she's back on the Dean train...but then Dean responds:

"You know, I'm still really involved. With my dad's work."

And I want to give him such a pinch. What the hell, Dean? Even if it's true, maybe don't bring up your dad while you're in bed with a woman who is willing to take you as you are, huh?

John is forever an albatross around Dean's neck, man.

One quick random note: When Dean and Cassie have sex, Dean is shirtless but is still wearing the Samulet. Jensen Ackles has said on many occasions that the Samulet was super heavy and I can't imagine it was very comfortable for Dean OR Jensen in that moment.

SO when Sam realized Dean and Cassie got down, what does he do? Does he say, "Good for you? An actual relationship with a good woman?" No. He teases him about it. Because Sam can't read a room.

Another odd thing I noticed. In this episode there are three, THREE scenes where someone brings someone else a cup of tea. Cassie brings Dean and Sam tea when they first sit down to talk. Then she brings Dean a cup when they are at the paper and then Sam brings Cassie's mother a cup when she's about to tell her story.

It doesn't mean anything...I just thought it was interesting and kind of obvious. But that could be because I was ignoring the plot of the show.

Okay I'll say one thing about the plot. When Cassie's mother shares the story of how Cyrus was so jealous of her being with a black man that he started kidnapping black men, then burned down a church with black children in it...and then tells them that her husband killed Cyrus after he tried to kill him...Dean wants to know why they didn't call the cops.

Now, first off, Dean never calls the cops, but that's a different story. Secondly, it really does show the disconnect between the kid raised by the white guy from Kansas and the mixed raced girlfriend of his. I'd like to say that it also served as a reminder to the viewers that in the 1960s things were very different than they are now but it doesn't always feel like they're that different these days.

Before they go try to kill the ghost truck, Sam decides to tell Dean he knows Dean is still in love with Cassie.

Dean's response is: Can we focus?

One little thing about Sam...he figures out how to get rid of the truck (having it go over hallowed ground...okay, whatever)...but tells Dean he thought MAYBE it would work. (It did, but Sam didn't actually know it would.)

When Dean upsettedly asks him what if he was wrong, Sam's answer is a smarmy:

"Honestly that thought hadn't occurred to me."

I mean, what IF he was wrong? Not only would the racist, killer truck still be out there but his brother would be dead. JFC Sam. When are you going to make me like you?

Dean and Cassie have their goodbye which Dean hopes will be "a little less permanent" and once again it's Cassie who has to make the call.

"You know what? I'm a realist. I don't see much hope for us Dean."

Dean says he's seen stranger things happen, they kiss, stare at each other, and Dean and Sam drive off into the sunset. And Cassie?

We never see her or hear about her again.

Which is doubly annoying when the episode ends with Sam asking Dean:

"You meet someone like her, doesn't it makes you wonder if it's worth it? Putting everything else on hold, doing what we do?"

And Dean just smiling, putting on a pair of shades, and settling in for a nap.

Is this the first and/or only time we see Dean in shades?

HOW DO YOU GO FROM A BRILLIANT EPISODE LIKE FAITH TO THIS? THAT'S ALL I WANT TO KNOW.

Some notes for posterity:

Significant music in this episode: She Brings Me Love by Bad Company and Can't Find My Way Home by Blind Faith.

Cassie basically tells everyone their real names in this episode but when they question the friend of one of the deceased, Dean tells him they're from All Natural Mutual insurance company

Sam drives the Impala in this episode more than once. He's driving it at the end of the episode while Dean is eager to take a nap.

Dean wears John's jacket

They light bones on fire but we don't see with what. They pour the gas, but whether by lighter or matches is anyone's guess

This hunt takes place in  Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Recognizable Guest Stars: Kathleen Noone as Audrey

According to the Hollywood Reporter this episode is the highest rated of all the Supernatural episodes for same-day viewing. 5.82 million people watched this one when it aired (compared to the 5.69 who watched the pilot episode)

[adoriels-tears-if]

I love this wip and this is not a criticism to u as an author more a vent about the attitudes of the characters (even tho i completely understand why they have to behave the way they do around strangers, it's just frustrating from the pov of the mc) like, reading about a child whose own mother pretends not to be related to them in public is heartbreaking and I always have to act out and be a little brat when im playing as my mc bc like,, what kid wouldnt😭 it feels hypocritical for the MC's family to tell them that they have nothing to be ashamed of with regards to their heritage and then only ever act ashamed of them around strangers, and to then be surprised/confused when the MC has tantrums and meltdowns like jfc they are gonna grow up so traumatised😅 again, I understand its the society the characters live in and I think this is more a testament to ur ability to write complex nuanced characters than anything else. It just hurts my heart. I can't wait for the (even angstier) teen phase❤️

I totally understand what you're saying Anon! Don't you worry.

To be totally honest, it hurts my heart too. (Sometimes I get so depressed about Mc that I'm forced to let the story rest so I can feel better and come back to it. XD)

I only dream of one thing, that Mc can show how extraordinary half-bloods are. But there are still so many things Ash and Elianna have to plan before that, so many obstacles for Mc to overcome.

[lovebotomy]

merthur alternate first meeting where they're both captured and kept locked next to eachother and they immediately start bickering war but eventually merlin is like.. listen are u actually a good fighter.. like if.. let's say... I could open the cells.. could u beat the guys... and arthur is like yeah just get me a sword. so merlin decides to use magic in front of this asshole bc he really wants out and arthur proceeds to obliterate them while merlin trips them and stuff and arthur is like "ur a sorcerer why didn't you run away before.. and why can't u do anything useful" which makes merlin absolutely furious because "noone taught me anything you idiot!! and ofc I couldn't run away before just because I can move some stuff sometimes doesn't mean I can take 7 warriors going after my neck are u insane??" after which more men show up and it starts to get too much even for arthur and when it looks like he might get seriously hurt merlin just blasts them away. he gets hysterical after that "oh my god I didn't know I could do that what have I done am I a monster" and arthur has to deal with the warlock's existencial crisis so they can actually escape and 'jfc dad you didn't warn me about these kinds of sorcerers'

[oatmealcrisp-freak]

Yuuri Katsuki has Bullied Kid energy.

Yuuri : Don't you dare see me as weak or perceive my vulnerability. Please comfort me and reassure me. I'll be constantly afraid of your reaction if I inconvenience you. Nothing scares me more than the people I trust lying to me. I'm more competent and at home in the face of people's scorn than in the face of their genuine love for me. The idea that anyone could see me as desirable is baffling. The world sees me as little more than dirt and I don't disagree with them. I am going to make them eat their teeth with their words or so help me I will set myself on fire trying. Just watch, I am the most beautiful woman in town and you will rue the day you underestimated me. How you like me now?

Victor, thinking he'd been dumped by the first person who'd made him happy in a very long time : I see this, I respect this, I am going to use the hell out of this. Hey. Hey fatty. Watch me pry the thing you love and use to cope with your feelings right out of your fingers until you lose weight. kinda reminiscent of what you did to me :) kinda sorta you know just a lil bit. You don't know what eros is? Okay, now you're just making fun of me.

Victor, after Yuuri had his katsudon eros realization : ...JFC he actually literally doesn't know. I. Uh. ...Huh. Well. Uhm. Okay. Maybe that means he doesn't get OTHER things too. He. He genuinely doesn't know what he did to me. He probably didn't even do it deliberately. Okay. Okay? Okay. I can work with this. THINK OF THE JUICY SUCCULENT PORK, BABE. ...I can't fkn believe this.

Victor, several episodes later when Yuuri reveals he literally doesn't remember the banquet: ...Well shit. The past year of my life has been a lie and I might be an asshole. Hm.

I've read some fics where after Yuuri's ED gets triggered and he crashes hard Victor looks back at all those early comments and goes 'I didn't mean it that way babe you're hot when you're fat and you weren't even that fat it was just that it could be unsafe for your joints to skate in that condition' and sure okay I get wanting to minimize the blow and Yuuri is adorable AF when he's heavier and i still enjoy those fics for the most part but

I disagree with that fully and completely cus nah, Victor's a petty lil bitch who can be cold and ruthless and isn't afraid to hurt people. Is he also warm and kind and loving and doing his best? Yes. He contains multitudes. But he was absolutely aiming to hurt, because he was hurt.

Yuuri, meanwhile, who's been bullied for a great majority of his childhood but has complete faith in Victor and unwavering confidence in his honesty - especially when that honesty fits his world view - that he has an entire Victor shaped blind spot : Eh? Pfft. He wasn't bullying me, what are you talking about? He was literally telling the truth. :/ I mean really, he was taking care of me.

Victor, falling to the ground and clutching his stomach with a groan because ooouuugghhh guilt-nausea : Y-....Yuuri.....

Yuuri : I mean Yurio can be a bully but that's just how he shows he cares so :3 Nah haha, I've had waaaay worse, trust me, lol

Yurio : ....I would very much like to be excluded from this narrative, one that I have never asked to be a part of?

Victor, convulsing :

I think Yuuri can absolutely pick up on when Victor is being dishonest with him and poking his sharp little fingers into the sore spots, but more on an intuitive level that he doesn't know how to make sense of logically, so he just accepts it and moves on largely without comment a;dlkf he'll probably figure it out like fifteen years down the road when he's older and wiser and one day he squints at his husband and goes "...huh, okay" and then never does anything about it anyway because he loves Victor and forgives him and also Victor's hot when he's being mean so