#i don't need to explain why it doesn't make sense

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

I've Got You Under My Skin 2

Warnings: non/dubcon, marital troubles, and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

Characters: Steve Rogers

Summary: your husband is a very demanding man.

Note: I can't help myself with the super soldiers.

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging ❤️

The doorbell rings and you flinch. You pop your head up as Steve keeps his heavy arm across you. You wriggle and check the time on the small clock on his side of the bed. 

"Shoot!" You struggle to break free of him. "I forgot!"

"Forgot," he turns onto his side, keeping his hand on your hip. "What's going on?"

"I invited the girls over for movie night!"

"Movie night?" He echoes.

"Yes," you move his hand off of you, your chest bouncing as you hop out of bed. "We rented Nosferatu! I'm too afraid to watch it alone so..."

"You coulda waited for me," he sits up and shakes out his matted hair.

"I know but... oh, Bucky's wife can't make it. She's working on her comic," you explain as you search for your bra. The doorbell goes again.

"You didn't tell me you were having them over."

"I forgot."

"But you planned it... you could've said something when I called the other day." He scolds.

You know how he is about the house. He's so overly cautious, he would've seen them on the security app anyhow. Plus, they're his friends as much as yours.

"It's just Wanda and Nat," you say. He stares at you unflinching. "I'm sorry, Stevie--"

"Don't Stevie me with those kitten eyes," he warns as he sits up and wags his finger. "I just... like to know."

"I know," you look at your toes. "I won't do it again."

"Mm," he hums, obviously not happy. You hurry to pull on a fresh dress, not creased or stained by his suddenness. You pull you a pair of panties and he sighs, "really?"

"Steve, the girls are here."

"So what?" He tilts his head and smirks, "kinda hot thinking of you hanging out with nothing underneath. Just waiting til they're gone so you can get back on me."

You give a bashful smile, "Stevie."

The doorbell rings several times in quick succession.

"Hurry up," he rolls his eyes. "Nat can never..."

He trails off and you hurry out, trying desperately to tame your mussed appearance. You flit down the stairs, your skirt letting the air flow over your pelvis. You shiver and hurry to the door, opening it up with a smile.

"There you are. We brought wine and you leave us out in the cold," Natasha snips and shoves the bottle at you.

"Sorry, Steve got back early."

"Ew, please, we don't need details," she snickers.

"Vis got back too," Wanda says. "But Tony kept him late. I swear sometimes I think I'm the other woman."

You shake your head and accept the wine.

"As usual, Bucky's not here and ruining it all," Nat sneers. "She'd come if he wasn't such a hard ass."

"I thought she was working," you frown.

"Oh, sweet child," she purrs. "Sometimes I think that's why he chose you, you are too trusting."

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing," Wanda pinches your chin. "You're just precious."

You back up to let them in. You don't argue. You don't like conflict. Not at all. You don't know how Steve does it.

Yet, you're irked. Everyone treats you like a child. You know you're a bit younger than all of them, a bit less experienced, but you're not stupid.

"So, pizza?" Nat asks.

Usually, you'd say no. The grease makes your chest burn and Steve doesn't like all that processed cheese. Unfortunately you didn't have enough time to make the food you were planning on.

"You two go ahead and order. I'll get some snacks ready," you wave them into the living room.

Before Steve got back, you had a plan. You were supposed to add some ambiance; dark scarfs over the lamps, pillows on the floor.... Oh, but you did do one thing.

You take out the medieval looking goblets filled with goodies; black nail polish, edible vampire teeth, red gummies of every flavour. You set them aside and start on the snacks.

Hummus and spinach dip, whole wheat crackers, veggies, and some fruits. You bring it out as Nat and Wanda set up a nest on the floor. Natasha grimaces at the tray.

"Really?"

"Well, you know..."

"We know. Mighty Captain America doesn't allow real American food in his house." Natasha sniffs.

"I got a surprise, wait," you put it down and wave off her chagrin. "One sec."

You go back out to the kitchen and grab the goblets. You bring them out with a proud smile. Wanda oohs and ahs as she nears.

"Adorable," she praises. "Oh, Natty, there's candy."

"Is it vegan? Sugar-free? All organic?"

"It's real," you assure her. "Just for tonight."

"For tonight or just for us?"

"Well, they're... presents."

"Hmm," Nat plucks out a gummy. "You should join in on the fun."

"It's okay, really. I'm not very hungry right now."

"It's one candy," she nears and holds it between her talon-like nails.

"You girls and your vampires," Steve startles you as he appears in the archway. You glance over. 

"Whatever, scaredy pants," Nat shoves the candy towards you. "It's girls' night and you're jealous."

"You're stealing my wife. Damn right I'm jealous." He scoffs.

"Mhmm," Nat hums and pushes the candy through your lips. You widen your eyes as she pulls her thumb free. You bite into it and look at Steve. He doesn't look impressed.

"Just try not to get her in any trouble," he says.

"In your living room?" Wanda giggles.

"You two have a way," Steve chides.

"Says Steve Rogers," Nat shakes her head.

"Says her husband," he tisks.

"Fucking Christ," Nat mutters. "Think a vampire would be a better husband."

"I can hear you," he retorts. "Language."

He marches off and you give a guilty look as you chew. You wish they didn't argue so much. You just want to have a nice movie night.

[lynleaf]

coping and caring for littles with RSD!

what is rsd?

(r)ejection (s)ensitivy (d)ysphoria is an experience of intense emotional pain caused by perceived failure or rejection. in short, it is a heightened sensitivity to rejection. this condition is linked to adhd because it is believed to stem from disregulation of rejection-related emotions and behavior. although it is linked to adhd, it can also come from other forms of neurodivergency, ptsd, bpd, and other conditions.

in littles, this can look like:

🍀 intense negative reactions to angry, indifferent, dismissive, or annoyed tones of voice directed at them

🍀 overperceiving or "inventing" threats around them, can lead to heightened anxiety or sudden mood changes

🍀 adverse reactions to having structured caretaking (a.k.a "firm hands"), being told what to do, or being disciplined

and can result in:

🍀 fussy littles

🍀 impure regression

🍀 emotional and physical shut downs or social withdrawal

🍀 outbursts, tantrums, or fits

🍀 negative self-talk, rumination, and defensiveness

if you are a little with rsd, here are some ways to manage (even while regressed)!

- giving yourself positive affirmations

"i did nothing wrong", "they are not upset with me", "i am loved and seen", "my opinion is valued and i matter"

- counteract your immediate response to perceived negativity. if someone says something in a rude tone, think of other possible reasons they may be upset.

"they are not upset because of something i did. they might not be feeling well, they might be having a bad day, or they might be stressed or tired right now. the way they reacted to me is not my fault"

- write down what happened, how it made you feel, and some ways you can make yourself feel better

- think about what is in your control and what is out of your control

e.g. you cannot control someone else's emotions, but you can control your breathing

calm your amygdala

- take big deep breaths

- practice identifying something in each of your senses

"what can i hear, what can i see, what can i smell, what can i taste, what can i feel"

- remove yourself from the situation if you can

take a brain break, go to a quieter location, watch a video of something you love, listen to a song that calms you

- hug your plushies!

- use a pacifier or chew toy

if you are a carer for a little with rsd:

- be patient! your small may not be able to idenitify why they are feeling or reacting this way in the moment. sit with them and don't rush them as they process their emotions

- if they are being fussy or verbally combative, it is valid to feel overwhelmed or stressed. remember that above all else, you are in control of your body and how you choose to respond. keep your voice level, avoid using aggressive language, speak gently, and reinforce positive talk

- ask them how they are feeling and listen to them. let them explain their emotions, even if they seem irrational. what they feel is real to them! validate their feelings

- help your little figure out ways of coping that work for them. give them options

"do you need some quiet time alone to calm down? would you like for me to hold you? how about we watch your favorite show? or we can play something together! you can pick!"

this is something that i have struggled with all my life, and it seems to be heightened when i'm regressed. i hope this helped others struggling or who know someone struggling, at least a little bit! <3

if you have rsd, remember:

the people in your life want you to be there. your friends care about you! you are not a bad person because you made a mistake. everything you do doesn't have to be perfect, you are human! and you are deserving of love no matter what. <3

[creatingblackcharacters]

not the same anon who asked about "pale" skin, but I've been considering the semantics of that issue as well - Ice, can you explain why and how precisely pale/blanched/ashen read different to Black people? I understand culture/society and language and how someone grew up have an influence on this, so I'm not expecting a universal answer, but I'm genuinely curious about the specific connotations attached

I can see why you take issue with the word "pale" in that ask, so I guess my question is more why does one specifically read worse than the other? as in what's the framework, what's the toolbox I'm working with as a writer? - how does blanche win over pale in this context when blanche is the French word for the colour white? how do pallid, deathly pallor, sallow-faced and wan factor into this, when they're all variations of a similar thing? so which ones get a pass in a metaphorical sense, are there any? how does context factor into picking the right words? (for the sake of an example: pale skin vs pale brown skin) and which words do Black readers want to see if not the above? is it best practice to default to what's actually going on (e.g. they're in shock, they're cold, they suffer from blood loss and it shows)?

I'm an ESL writer so being able to navigate my dictionaries well is an important skill to me, and being able to contexualise these things always helps a lot in making better word choices (essentially - what are the tools I apply to get the result I need? is a simple definiton enough or do I also need cultural understanding and etimology? I write fantasy, so I do occasionally think these things to pieces)

It took me some time to answer this because- I have to be honest- I was quite offended at something you implied here 😅 I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt, bc I don't think you meant to, but I will absolutely need you to reframe your thinking after this. I'm probably not gonna answer all your questions either, sorry.

They don't read different to Black people, they read different to y'all!

You must understand that, from some of the questions I've received, and from the things that many a Black reader has read by nonblack (usually white) authors, it is often clear that some of you do not understand how we function or even look as human beings. It's as though we're another species, sometimes.

And that is not brand new! The history of antiblackness in medicine and physiology is as old as racism itself! Thinking that we do not blush- even though blushing is a physiological, human reaction. "Paler", as though that itself is not a word used from a eurocentric perspective to describe blood leaving a pale face. Blanche is also a verb describing blood leaving the face, which happens to everyone, but like you said... Rooted in literal whiteness.

We use physiological descriptions for Black people because if we don't, y'all do not understand how these words- and thus the reactions- apply to us! Because sure, we could use "paled"- if yall understood that it doesn't mean we get lighter skinned. Sure, we could use "blushed pink"- if you understood that it doesn't mean our brown cheeks turn a whole different color. Sure, we could say "pallid as death"- the one time being grey would make sense on our skin, as it is dry- but y'all don't understand that that doesn't mean getting lighter skinned.

You do not understand me; you do not understand how I as a human being function, even though I know enough about you to write you up entirely! I don't think 'oh well when pale folk blush and the writing says "cheeks darkened", they must mean that they're getting more melanin in their cheeks!' That sounds silly, right? And yet!

We use this language because it better allows us to be a part of a conversation that doesn't happen when the language and thus the visuals obtained still default to whiteness. And this has an effect from storytelling to having illnesses diagnosed. We're literally dying out here because doctors don't know what to look for on our skin or in our bodies; doctors that think having melanin makes your skin thicker and that being Black makes you less susceptible to pain somehow, that Black women bear childbirth pain better (despite dying more often) or that being Black is a pre-existing condition.

These are not words I'd have to lean on, if I knew that you understood how my body works the way you understood your own (and hell, y'all don't always understand that either 😅). Alas. Hope this made sense 👍🏾

[dammit-tazmuir]

YEAH. Every time I see people talking like she struggles with being in Corona's shadow, I'm like??? Guys, she made the shadow.

She never wanted to be Crown Princess. She may say "Ultimate power—and posters of my face," but that doesn't mean she wants fame from just anywhere. And honestly, the emdash there could well indicate that the latter was not just an afterthought but a straight up lie. The whole answer could be a lie, even, but either way she wants eyes off of her. Perhaps long enough to achieve true ultimate power, and then eyes on her would be good, but for now she needs stealth. Perhaps she's only saying what she thinks people will believe.

In GtN when asked which twin to fear, Harrow initially thinks Corona, because she says "I" and Ianthe says "we". Harrow takes this at first as Corona being more independent and dominant, while Ianthe sees herself as part of a unit. Later information makes it much clearer that Corona only speaks for herself and doesn't really have the power or sway to speak for Ianthe, while Ianthe very much does have the ability and inclination to speak for both of them. (Possibly also "royal we" but lol.)

This isn't to say I think Corona is an innocent victim or harmless. She is a bleeding heart and a diplomat first and in many ways wonderful, but threatening herself to force Ianthe to do something wasn't a new occurrence, and it's made a point she does similar types of flattery and ingratiation that Ianthe does with people. (Paraphrasing, "You look at We Suffer like you want her to think you're into her, but you're not.") And "what throne will I mount if you don't bind me down?" to Judith, with true fear, is... Baby what tendencies do you have that you don't trust yourself with...? Regardless, it certainly wasn't a one-sided deal. Just, IF one side has distinctly more power in their dynamic and the con they pulled off, at least by any metric other than how far the other would go for them, it's easily Ianthe.

There is also! The very high likelihood that Ianthe is why Coronabeth is as unnaturally gorgeous as she is. Like. "Nobody who's seen [her] in the flesh wastes time with an adjective." Corona has been barred entry to places because she's TOO pretty. Her beauty is written about in Cohort files, including one that says Ianthe's appearance next to Corona's suggests Ianthe may not be as good at animaphilia as Corona. We ofc know Corona isn't a necro. Animaphilia is never clearly explained, and when Pal says he thought it was her specialty her response is "that's just for show", which, knowing Tamsyn's love for layers... (Also Mercymorn, whose eyes show no signs of age in sgarp contrast to her peers, accuses Ianthe of being "one of those animaphiliacs" and let's be real she's a hypocrite lmao.) We know Ianthe can do body modifying stuff because of what she easily did to Harrow's hair, and when she's reunited with Corona she starts fussing over her looks and talking about how to fix her up.

Everything suggests that animaphilia involves altering the body and appearance, and that Ianthe has gone out of her way to use it on Corona to make her as radiant as humanly possible and then some, to ensure all eyes stay on her.

Also in the aforementioned Mercy bit, "[She said] I wasn't as pretty as someone called Cyrus. It was like being back with mummy." And yeah that's ouch to read, but Ianthe says it "with a touch of fond nostalgia". She's not bitter. She thinks it's funny. (Her sense of humor is ridiculous at all times and that's not un-related but like. Not the important detail here lol.)

The issue is people take her words at face value (she lies frequently) and/or project how they would feel in what they can see of her shoes. And it's entirely possible her feelings are ultimately mixed. It's possible she's doing a balancing act between a desire for recognition and immediate gratification versus sticking to her longterm goals that she wants even more. It's also possible that any hint of "oh woe is me, Corona always got all the attention" is fully her doing a bit, fishing for sympathy for something that doesn't actually remotely bother her. It's fully possible her only real issue with "they turned our birthday into a memorial" was being pissed people chose to believe Corona was dead. There are a lot of possibilities, but all of them involve her life in the shadows being entirely by her own design.

OF COURSE there's also just The Unwanted Guest (and anyone who hasn't read it should immediately). So like...

Whatever part of her might be genuine about craving recognition and praise could, you know, be pretty new actually. Or she could have been a little before but gotten a big boost lately. Imagine feeling a sudden need for things you didn't think you cared about, and those feelings aren't even yours, except they are, and it's entirely your own fault...

Whatever the case, we may not know any of her plans exactly, but so far, she's always been at least pretty adjacent to, if not exactly, wherever she wants to be.

The inherent misunderstanding of Ianthe's character as the constant second fiddle.

I see many posts about how Ianthe must be oh so devastated to always be number two. I also see so many posts calling Ianthe pathetic and a lot of them don't sound ironic about it.

Did anyone else here notice how every single character in the books who thought Ianthe was pathetic at some point has either converted to thinking she's probably one of the most dangerous lyctors to have ever existed or is just straight up dead now? What a coincidence. Or maybe, just maybe, having the common sense to survive until the end of Nona and realising Ianthe is to be handled with caution go hand in hand.

Even Pyrrha Dve says that Ianthe freaks her out.

Ianthe could have ended the jig with Corona at any point, proven the world that she is the golden child, not her sister. But why would she? She would have given up a good portion of her control over Corona for a little appreciation from people she doesn't care about. She would become the "crown princess of Ida as she never wanted". Having Corona see her as the only reason she ever manages anything is simply so much more valuable to her.

Harrow called Ianthe a boot licker and asked her how she isn't ashamed of groveling to Augustine like that. The woman straight up told her she simply understands that "being ashamed is a privilege". A couple hundred pages later Augustine dies by Ianthe's choice and Ianthe takes his place at God's side. Weird. Another funny coincidence. Or maybe Ianthe just understood that sticking close to Augustine no matter the cost would open a gate to promotion eventually?

Asides Alecto waking up, this Woman has thus far achieved every single one of her goals or is still on her way to doing so. She did not suffer a single major setback. The only people who ever managed to give her minor setbacks were people who understood exactly how dangerous she is and how serious she is to be taken as an adversary, people who understood that her main if not only weaknesses are a) that she cares too much about the people she loves and that the gaslighting is simply a desperate attempt to make sure they never leave her. (see Coronabeth and the gun) b) she has no patience and gets bored easily, thus will take short cuts whenever she can rather than doing a job correctly from the start.

I firmly believe she'll either suffer a terrible fait in Alecto or take god's place. Or both.

[acourtofthought]

"Why would Gwyn be in the bonus chapter if she wasn't Azriel's endgame??"

I'd like to ask a better question. 🙋🏻‍♀️

Why would Elain be in the bonus chapter if she wasn't Azriel's endgame?

Objectively speaking - SJM has written the interaction with Elain and Azriel to be obviously - explicitly - romantic. They are about to jump each other in a hallway - like... there should be no question that these two want each other romantically.

The interaction with Gwyn - regardless of what people have theorized - is not inherently romantic. Azriel comes across Gwyn while she is training, then indirectly decides to regift a necklace to her (for whatever reason - mates, lightsinger, who cares), then pictures her smile. That interaction I could replace the names with Feyre & Cassian or Mor & Rhysand - and I wouldnt bat an eye. It's a platonic action/scene - regardless of how you interpret the deeper meaning.

Now realistically - if this Azriel POV was hinting at his book next and Gwyn as his endgame ... why would Elain be there???

Like first of all .... why would SJM introduce us to Azriel's endgame ... but start the chapter off with him down bad for ANOTHER WOMAN?

I don't know why SJM would do that... but let's just say that was her plan (for arguments sake). It still doesn't explain why she would use ELAIN.

It's not like them getting hot and heavy in a hallway was buildup for Elain's relationship with Lucien. Lucien didn't even see them - only Rhys did.

So why include Elain, of all people? Why not have it be some random woman at Rita's?

Why go through this elaborate setup of having Elain and Azriel wanting to kiss each other, having Rhysand intervene, order Azriel away -

Like if the end goal was to introduce Gwyn as a LI for Azriel - the first half of that bonus chapter is unnecessary. Nobody was 100% certain Elain & Azriel even wanted each other until that BC. It's not like they were entwined so explicitly on the page before the BC and SJM had to "tie up loose ends".

I'm sorry if this is annoying but one of the things I learned this year from working on my fantasy manuscript and having to cut down my word count - is that every single scene an author writes should have multiple purposes. You can't just add a scene for "drama". That's a telenovela, not a fantasy novel. Every scene has to advance the character arc or set up the plot in some way.

SJM isn't going to waste words writing an elaborate Elriel almost romance situation to end it in a bonus chapter. That's a waste of every single word.

Elain can't be there to just "add angst" for Azriel's arc. Rhysand can't have forbidden them to "add drama".

Like that is not a story.

There is only one way everything about that bonus chapter makes sense and that's to introduce Elain's book, AND cement Azriel as the LI. Gwyn is not there to be a LI for Azriel, she is there to advance the plot of the overall storyline.

"The end of a matter is better than its beginning"

"Where you start is not nearly as important as where you finish".

Elain's portion began the bonus and served it's purpose. To show Az in an unhealthy state of mind and fixating on the wrong things.

Gwyn's portion ended the bonus and will be the thing to set up Az's future. It is the first glimpse into him feeling the right things for the right reasons.

Gwynriels scenes didn't need to be romantic in order to feel right and that's all we really need to understand.

Both females were in the bonus to demonstrate wrong versus right. Unhealthy versus healthy.

[arceespinkgun]

How do you feel about people saying the Malto family in Earthspark are toxicly positive and claiming "they treat everyone who isn't a Malto badly"? I keep seeing these takes but honestly to me they don't seem any worse than most kid's show families, just that the show wasn't given enough time to follow up on situations or put in the full level of nuance needed (like most kid's shows).

EDIT: I noticed I sounded a little pointed in this response and that wasn't my intention. I'm happy to talk about this show and glad you asked! I'm just... getting exhausted....

I've seen these takes multiple times too, but... I can't really respond to them. Like, I don't agree, I can say that... but the problem is, whenever I see someone name a specific scene or moment to support the idea that they are toxic/insular/treat others badly, it just doesn't make any sense to me. But to explain why I don't agree and it doesn't make sense, I'd basically have to write an essay every single time.

I'll use one singular example of what I mean: the idea that Robby's parents were being toxic by being put off by how he was so upset about their move. ...That was like, one of the first things that ever happened in the show. You know, the inciting incident? So all of the characters could learn stuff together...? Because characters with no flaws and no desires who never grow are boring? An intro to the world of the show that helps us care about the characters and makes us interested when we learn things like that Dot was actually lured to Witwicky and that makes us care and engaged when all the Maltos open their hearts to these new life forms and the parents start taking their kids' issues much more seriously?

^This is the sort of thing I'd have to say for every little piece of evidence presented. Basically without fail, I'll see someone claim the Maltos are so bad... and then pick either the most minor flaw or conflict ever, or pick an issue that they learn from that's the whole point of a specific episode or arc! This is a big reason I keep saying I hope people watch the show and form their own opinions.

[ieunstq]

𝐊𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐎 𝐓𝐄𝐓𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐔

𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓬𝓪𝓷𝓸𝓷𝓼

╔══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╗

✮ He would definitely show you off to his teammates. He'd bring you along to every practice or game– if you're available but if not, he'd totally understand.

✮ He's the type of guy to call you nicknames you don't like just for your reaction.

❝Aw... what's wrong, my sweet cutie patootie potato?❞

He looked at you a little longer and you ask why, ❝WHY? Can't a guy just look at his sweet cheeks boopsie booboo-bear honeybear girlfriend these days, cupcake?❞

✮ Whenever you're in the middle of an argument （one-sided argument actually）, he'd randomly squish your cheeks and compliment about how cute you are or something like that.

❝Gosh, you're so cute sometimes, it makes me wanna squish your cheeks,❞ he then proceeds to do so.

✮ Kuroo is the type of boyfriend who pampers you whether you like it or not, that's a part of the Kuroo BF Experience Pack.

✮ He will most definitely choose to accompany you over his friends during school breaks. The library, a cafe, or anywhere you like to go– he'd volunteer to go with you.

I'll go to a bookstore later ︱ ❝WAIT FOR ME, I'LL COME WITH YOU!❞

Class finished? It won't be too long until you hear a knock on your classroom door, "Heyy, Y/N."

✮ If you ever fell asleep and your head leaned on his shoulder, he would shift carefully so you would be comfortable and he'd definitely glare or shush at anybody near you who's loud.

✮ Kuroo WILL test your patience by asking a lot of questions even if he already understood.

❝Why?❞ ❝Could you explain it slower?❞ ❝Oh, I get it... I don't actually.❞

✮ Kuroo makes sure you're well fed. If you're somebody who doesn't eat very well, every chance you're together, he'll buy you a snack. Or if you two are in a study date, he'll buy an originiri or make a bento box before you meet up.

✮ He's like a light switch: always switching his professional or serious mode to his funny and tease mode (i hope this made sense)

✮ He knows when you need space so he distants himself from you for a while, but keeps an eye on you.

✮ He's not possessive or controlling, but if a guy comes up to you and you keep on smiling and stuff. He'll excuse you away or insert himself.

❝Hey Y/N, I need your help with something, can you come with me?"❞

✮ He loves picnics dates because he gets to flex his muscles carrying the food and basket.

✮ If he's studying late and something comes up in his mind, he will text or call you about it.

❝hey, have u ever wondered what happened if dinosaurs existed?❞

❝I JUST REALIZED THERE'S NO J IN THE PERIODIC TABLE, WHAT❞

He FaceTimes you, ❝did you say I love you back to me earlier– oops, you were sleeping, sorry. Good night, sleep well.❞

╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝

✎ : you can tell where my productivity was lost lmao. i watched haikyuu during covid and i'm rewatching it just for him, cuz i love this tall kitty

ieunstq /ᐠ > ˕ <マ

[captainuranium543]

Alright so Im just gonna run through some of the points here and hopefully i can explain this well enough

1. If Jellal Doesn’t Need Internal Redemption, Why Does He Need Erza’s Validation?

Because people still got hurt. Jellal might be redeemed now but the consequences of his actions still remain. my argument was that I would liked to see a little more from Erzas perspective because we know she was deeply traumatized by him and that isn't just gonna disappear overnight no matter how much she might want to forgive him immediately. Jellals redemption doesn't need her validation its not about that, its about how I would have liked to see her character develop from that point forward and why i think its important development for their relationship.

2. You Moved the Goalpost: Your Original Argument Was About Erza’s Feelings, Not Just “Perspective.”

what i meant was to see her feelings and her perspective on jellal. sorry if that was unclear ig but that's why i'm trying to elaborate. in anycase I dont think Erzas perspective is necessary to "validate" jellals redemption, I think its necessary for HER character because I want to actually see her grow past her trauma. I think it would make their relationship be beneficial to their relationship if we saw her come to forgive him on her own rather then just be alright with everything one day.

If Jellal’s redemption is truly about himself, why does it need to be filtered through Erza’s point of view for it to be valid?

so to answer your question, its valid regardless. I just think it would have added to the believability of their relationship if we'd been able to see erza's feelings develop overtime.

3. Why Does Erza’s Perspective Matter More Than Jellal’s Other Victims?

in the literal sense it doesn't, but like I said this is a story. narratively Erzas forgiveness is important because shes the one we've seen the direct consequences of his actions on the most, that and the fact he's supposed to be in a romantic relationship with her eventually means that her feelings specifically are important to the narrative.

Why does Erza’s forgiveness matter more than justice for the people who actually suffered from his crimes?

?it doesn't? I'm sorry I don't really understand how this is relevant to my point. are you arguing he should spend his whole life fighting crime? I don't think that's the case but I also fail to see your point, If you could explain to me what it is your arguing here that would be helpful.

4. You Excuse the Power Imbalance Between Them Without Addressing It.

? Im not really sure where to go with this one. my original point was that I think erzas side of things is underdeveloped and your kind of getting onto a different topic. If you want my honest answer as to why she doesn't correct him, as far as I'm aware she does? I can think of a couple instances if you want examples.

I also don't see how she benefits from him doing that at all, In fact I think it actually goes against her character arc because rather then loving her as a person he treats her more like an ideal. personally, Id prefer of it was treated as a character flaw and something that changes as Jellal develops into being more of his own person after so many years without that opportunity, but I also don't really see how this negates any of my original point?

5. You Contradict Yourself On How Their Arcs Should Be Handled.

ok let me be clear, I call it a redemption arc but that's kind of a misnomer since Jellal didn't have the change in mindset that characterizes a true redemption arc. I think that Jellals character arc should be focused on himself, however I think that Erzas character arc should continue because the consequences of what he did are still relevant to both of them. Jellal is, technically speaking, redeemed, he isn't evil anymore. but there is still consequences of what he did aren't just gonna go away because it technically wasn't his fault.

Im not saying jellals entire arc needs to be shown through erzas eyes, im just saying that I would have preferred to see more of her perspective. since they are going to be in a relationship eventually seeing erza deal with those consequences and come to terms with them is as important to him as it is to her because it makes the relationship feel more believable as a whole.

case and point: Im not saying jellals arc itself need to revolve around erza, im just saying I would have prefered if erza herself had been allowed to develop on her own post tenrou. erzas feelings arent necessary for validation of jellals arc, but they are necessary for developing their relationship.

Jellals arc should be focused on himself, stopping punishing himself and discovering what he wants out of life. meanwhile, erza continues to recover from the trauma and eventually comes to forgive him. from there they start to reconnect and rebuild their relationship as a team. seeing both these things happen makes the payoff of their relationship feel earned because it shows that both have truly moved on from their past.

TLDR; I dont think erzas feelings are necessary to validate jellals redemption, But they are necessary for developing the relationship. I think seeing them would also benefit Jellal because as erza comes to forgive so does the audience, but i don't think it needs to be jellals entire arc. Jellal is free to do what he wants but the consequences of his actions are still relevant to both of them and I think addressing them and how they are continuing to effect erza is important if they are going to eventually be in a relationship. My point wasnt that jellals arc needed more focus on erza, it was that the relationship as a whole would benefit from getting some more of her perspective.

again I hope I explained this ok, feel free to elaborate on any of the points I asked about. I hope I was able to explain my thoughts clearly enough but sorry if its confusing im not great with wording. If you still dont agree with me thats fine Im just trying to elaborate further because you seem to think im saying that more of jellals arc should have focused on erza when what im trying to say here is that i would have just liked to see more of her perspective on him

I think the biggest flaw in the jerza/ jellal redemption as a whole will always be the lack of focus that erza's feelings/perspective on that whole situation are given. I will probably rant about this someday but, for now, consider this me tossing my opinion out like a live grenade and then scurrying back to my hole in the wall to see what comes of it

[melishade]

You know how we make movies out of old stories and myths from the past , just imagine if they made a movie or film about optimus or megatron and they got some aspects wrong like the paint job of megs and Op or the they made them more "bad" if you get it , Or they would make the Survey Corps stupid in a sense like when the Gaang from atla went to the theater and they were so humiliated by their interpretation of themselves, and if megatron is still there or optimus just comes to visit and they criticise the movie by say "they got that wrong" "levi wasn't that tall" , that would be hilarious,.

Alright, time to talk about the events of AOP getting the Hamilton Treatment!

Thank you @justawannabearchaeologist and @echoblaze5 for your contributions to this conversation.

So again, this is post AOP, Optimus is already on Cybertron, things are going well. Willy decides to step back from politics and focus more on his passion project: Theatre! He started getting invested in it before the Liberio attack and it's only gotten worse once he learned about musicals from Jack, Miko, and Raf (much to Miko's horror). He's made pretty decent hits over the past few years, but he's been wanting to create a master piece. He remembers Hamilton and well....you can see where this is going.

Miko:

So Willy starts putting in the work to make it a reality. He's thinking of set, vocals, costume design. Unfortunately for him, Megatron gets wind of this when Hanji brings up the fact that Willy been conducting interviews on the Survey Corps for some kind of pet project. They didn't get much of the details. Megatron goes to Willy and Willy explains what he's been doing. Megatron takes one look at the script.

Megatron grabs the trash can and drops the script in there.

Willy: You could have just said you don't like it!

Megatron: I'm helping you.

Willy:...I'm sorry what?

Megatron gets involved with theater production, cause Megatron can't murder, destroy, or be a gladiator, so this is the next best thing.

Hanji:...I mean...it's productive?

Levi: It's fucking weird!

Armin: Well it's better than him threatening everyone and wanting to murder them.

Erwin: Let's be honest, he's probably still threatening people over little details.

Levi: Someone has to stop this.

Megatron: Do it and I make you a caricature!

Levi: YOU WOULDN'T DARE!

Willy is still involved in the musical. He is the one funding this. Does all the costumes, sets, all that stuff. The writing portion? Yeah, Megatron has completely taken over with Willy trying to add some pointers. And when Megatron gets a writer's block, it's a whole thing. Hanji finds him in a river dealing with it.

Hanji: Hey, Megs. Do you need me to get anything for you?

Megatron: Hm.

Hanji: Sure? Nothing at all?

Megatron:...hm. Hanji: Alright, I will get the rust sticks.

Megatron: Hm.

Although, Megatron would ask to be under a pseudonym. He likes this privacy he has and he's already wrapped up in politics post AOP. He doesn't need the extra attention.

The Survey Corps do get to listen to it before it goes public and are surprised at how accurate it is. Willy is exhausted because of how many hoops Megatron practically made him go through for accuracy. Some of the Survey Corp members do get their own songs. Mikasa and Armin feel particularly embarrassed because the songs are good, it's just they feel awkward.

It feels even more weird when it becomes a success. Lol. Like it gets awards. Even the Autobots listen to it. And then Optimus hears about it on one of his rare visits to the AOT world.

Optimus:...Megatron, why?

Megatron: Look I'm not as blood thirsty as I used to be! I have to fill up my time!

Megatron makes Optimus watch it. And it's not great for Optimus because there would no doubt be a musical number that shows Optimus and Eren meeting, getting to know each other, their relationship deteriorating, and then Optimus killing him.

Optimus would probably have to leave at that point.

But alas, as Justa has said, it is historically accurate, so Optimus would archive it out of moral obligation.

Although Rung gets wind of the album and actually listens to it.

The Primes glaring at Rung from beyond the grave.

Rung:....So-!

Prima: REALLY?!

Rung: HE IS EXPRESSING HIMSELF CREATIVELY!

Liege Maximo: HE TOOK MY FRAGGING ARM!

Oh and vote in the poll if you haven't

[trainer-from-unova]

void

𖤐 bandom blog: @princess-lvcifer 𖤐 english ao3 𖤐 spanish ao3 𖤐 edits 𖤐

ship: the void x mutant/black widow reader (x robert reynolds)

summary: They were getting used to Bob and Void. Most of the time they dealt with Bob, who was shy and respectful — and on the other side was Void, who thought he was superior to everyone (or almost everyone) and could get on their nerves a lot of the time, but they had learned that, for some reason, most of the time he only showed up when the former was alone with _______, so they tried not to let those situations happen.

c/w: lack of communication, consensual sex, oral sex, piv sex, masturbation, alcohol, light angst

a/n: this is post-canon and the movie isn't out yet so if the void's ooc or don't have some powers or somebody who died in the movie (Taskmaster- wHO SAID THAT!?) is here don't mind it. Also English isn't my first language and this is better in Spanish because "ghosting", "empty" and "void" it's the same word: vacío.

word count: 3'8k

Dealing with a system could be difficult, let alone living with it — fortunately, they were getting used to Bob and Void. Most of the time they dealt with Bob, who was shy and respectful — and on the other side was Void, who thought he was superior to everyone (or almost everyone) and could get on their nerves a lot of the time, but they had learned that, for some reason, most of the time he only showed up when the former was alone with _______, so they tried not to let those situations happen.

At first she was confused that such a thing happened, then it began to annoy and even sadden her. She thought he hated her for some reason, and she thought it made the most sense that he hated her for being a mutant.

"He doesn't hate you for that," Yelena said in her typical annoyed tone. She and the others knew it wasn't personal.

It was girls' night out and the four of the team were drinking in a bar in Manhattan as Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte.

"Oh, so you confirm he hates me," she said in the same tone.

"No, he doesn't hate you- well, I think," she hastened to correct herself.

Of all of them Yelena was the closest to Bob, but she didn't know why he was giving her the cold shoulder; she just knew that if she asked him directly it would be too suspicious. The few times Yelena brought up the subject when the two of them were alone together he tried to quickly change the conversation, saying he didn't want to talk about it, and she accepted in defeat because she didn't want to make him uncomfortable, let alone provoke a trigger for Void to come out. Every time they commented on these attempts she or the others said that maybe Bob thought there was a possibility that it was _______ posing as Yelena with a mask and wig, and that would explain why he didn't want to talk about it even with her.

"I'm sure he hates me for that reason," she said referring to her mutation, not wanting to say it explicitly because she was in public.

"If your theory were true, wouldn't it make more sense for him to hate me too," Ava asked, "even more than you?"

"Exactly!" said Yelena pointing and agreeing with her, understanding her point. Antonia nodded slowly and silently as she sipped her drink.

"I mean, even if it's not..." she stopped and waved her hand, and they all understood that she meant "mutant" "I think my power is scarier than yours, and he doesn't treat me like he treats you," said Ava.

"Yeah, but I don't know..." She shrugged her shoulders. "That's the only logical explanation I can see, or maybe I have done or said something that upset him too much without meaning to and he doesn't dare tell me."

"You'd have the explanation if you got inside his mind," Antonia reminded her.

"But I don't want to do that," she said.

They all knew why she didn't want to do that, it wasn't the first and wouldn't be the last time they would talk about him and that subject, so there was no need to remind them.

At the beginning, when they were together with all the group, she would catch Bob looking at her, and their gazes would cross — not when they were on a mission, but when they were in calmer, more domestic settings she would sometimes smile at him, but he would always, no matter the situation or the place, look away seriously and quickly. Now it was she who looked at him from a distance, and he didn't even look her in the eye when she spoke. Luckily they both tried to be cordial in group, not wanting to make the others uncomfortable — they didn't speak directly but they spoke, and if someone were looking from the outside, probably no one would notice what was, or rather, what was not between them.

The one she did speak directly to and make eye contact with was Void, the few times they were together. He even dared to come dangerously close to her and scan her from top to bottom without any disguise whatsoever. It didn't bother her — even though she knew it wasn't technically him, she found the difference curious and it was better than nothing. It wasn't him, but his body was the same.

She knew she probably shouldn't make a big deal out of the situation, if he didn't want to get along with her for whatever reason that was his problem, but she couldn't help but feel frustrated. She wanted to get along with him — not because she felt the need to make everyone think well of her, but for the sake of coexistence and above all because she did like him, even if it didn't make sense.

It was on a sleepless night that she approached the answer that was keeping her awake — as she couldn't sleep as the hours passed she became thirsty, so she quietly left her bed and her bedroom for the kitchen to get something to drink. It was when she reached the living room on her way down the stairs to the first floor of the complex that she saw that the chandeliers were on, and stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Bob walking away from the kitchen, heading towards where she was in just his pyjama bottoms. When he noticed her he stopped in front of her and looked at her in surprise, but quickly changed his expression — she knew it wasn't him anymore.

"It's been a long time," she said in a calm tone, slowly approaching him.

"You can visit me if you miss me so much," he said in his typical mocking smile and tone, slowly approaching her as well. "As easy as knocking on Bob's door and waiting for me to open it for you," she laughed, snorting through her nose as she folded her arms.

"He'd have a heart attack."

"I'm here to protect him," and that answer made her furrow her brows in frustration and curiosity.

"Why doesn't he like me?" she asked once and for all. She didn't really want to discuss the subject with him, it was personal and emotional, but clearly she couldn't ask Bob directly either. "Why do you have to protect him from me? I don't understand."

"You've never entered his mind?" he asked still with that mocking tone, as if it was ridiculous for him to ask such a question because she could easily get the answer doing that.

"No, I'd rather not, if possible..."

"Afraid of not making it, as in my case?" He asked, reminding her of the time she tried it when he got out of control and blacked out Manhattan.

"It's not that," she said, rolling her eyes, "I don't like to do it, specially with people I'm close to."

"Then you'll never get an answer."

"Let me talk to him," she pleaded.

"Why so much interest in him?" he asked slightly more serious and even a little annoyed. "At least I like you."

"Is that another reason why I can never be alone with him?" she asked surprised and confused by the sudden and ambiguous confession.

"Maybe," he replied mockingly again.

He was starting to get on her nerves, but at the same time she couldn't help raising her eyebrows and laughing incredulously, looking in another direction. In their conversations there always came a moment when she didn't know whether to give in or play along, but that night she decided to play along.

"Oh yeah?" she asked looking at him, imitating his tone and dropping her arms.

"Yeah."

"I don't think you like me as much as you say you do," and she wasn't partly lying, but she wanted to know how much truth there was in his words.

"Do you want me to prove it to you?" He asked daring to stand dangerously close to her as he lowered his gaze to her lips. She was surprised by his proposal and his boldness, but decided to be expressionless at the moment.

"Alright," she replied averting her gaze to his lips and being aware of what was likely to happen a few seconds later. What she didn't expect was for him to bring his fingers to her chin to lift it even higher as he closed the small distance between their lips.

They got straight to the point: the kiss was intense and desperate from the start. Unconsciously she moaned and brought her hands to his shoulders as he brought the hand that cupped her chin to one of her cheeks, and with the other he pulled her closer to him by her waist.

When they parted for lack of air he raised his hand to turn off the lights with his powers, and then grabbed her hand and guided her hurriedly to his bedroom, where in complete darkness they quickly took off all their clothes and got into bed to continue kissing there, with him on top of her. When he tired of kissing her lips he settled down next to her to kiss her neck while he slid his fingertips down her abdomen, creating little spasms until he reached where he wanted: her clitoris.

He began to move his index finger in circles. Her breathing began to hitch, and she tried not to moan, but it was impossible. She bit her lip and put a hand to her mouth to silence herself, but he grabbed her with his free hand, intertwined her fingers and placed it against the mattress.

"There's no reason to hold back, the walls are theoretically sound proof," he said against her neck, tickling her with his voice. He was loving her moans, and he was getting hard just listening to her moan and feeling her writhe in pleasure beneath her, and she could easily feel it against her thigh.

Wanting more he began to move his finger faster, making her moan more often and harder. She also began to feel a warmth inside her abdomen moving down to her crotch and she began to spasm harder — it was obvious to both of them what was happening. She ended up exhausted even though she had done nothing, having to catch her breath.

Then he released her and slid down, where he put his hands on her thighs to spread them open and kissed his way down to her crotch. Noticing what he intended to do she opened her eyes like plates and blushed like hell, almost having to stifle a gasp of shock — she wouldn't complain about not having to do anything and be sexually pleasured, but she was embarrassed to have someone get that close there. He was a first in that sense, none of the few men in her sexual history had dared to do so — unfortunately it wasn't common for normal men, but he was clearly not a normal man, in many ways.

Unconsciously her hips bucked against his mouth and nose, and her body began to tremble as he thrust his tongue into her, making her even wetter than she already was inside. She closed her eyes, threw her head back and grabbed him by his long hair, tousling it even more. She found it hard not to writhe in pleasure and he could tell she was about to make her climax again by her uncontrollable moans, which grew louder as she clung even tighter to him.

After that he climbed on top of her and she noticed him settling back on top of her and between her legs, and she cooperated by wrapping her legs around his back. He didn't put on a condom as he knew it wasn't necessary.

He slid the tip of his member across her entrance as if he were painting on a canvas with a brush, causing her lips to open slightly, and then he inserted his member slowly, causing her to clutch at his back. She was very wet, but it was still hard to make her way in. "Fuck, you're tight..." he growled, his forehead resting on her shoulder and making her blush. "I thought you Black Widows had a lot of experience."

"What a subtle way to call me a slut," she said now slightly offended as he began to thrust into her, slower and then faster. Her moans were rising again, as she heard his hips grinding against her buttocks, and most of all, the bed frame bumping against the wall and the wetness inside her.

She decided not to hold back her moans as he began to thrust harder and faster, and soon after she felt that warm sensation again, moving down her belly and into her crotch. A few more thrusts and they were both on the verge of orgasm — she was moaning uncontrollably from her throat and begging him to please make her cum as she arched her back and tightened her fingers. He finished the same way, sighing and cumming inside her as her walls closed around him, her hips spasming before coming to a complete stop.

When they were done, exhausted and lying on their backs, they stared at the pitch black ceiling as they caught their breath.

"Okay, so..." she said suddenly, now calmer and after wiping herself with a packet of tissues that he took out of one of the drawers of the small table next to the bed. "You like me sexually, that's for sure, but... In general, why do you like me?"

"You're very curious," he said laughing quietly, "aren't you?" he asked as he turned his neck to the left even though he couldn't see her.

"If you were- if you two were" she corrected herself quickly, adding Bob to the equation as she did the same with her neck, only to the right, "clearer, I wouldn't have so many doubts," she said slightly annoyed.

"Well," he turned his neck towards the ceiling again, "you're attractive in many ways and you're the most powerful one here- after me, of course."

"Of course..." she repeated sarcastic, doing the same. "Thank you, I suppose...? Though I'm not the most powerful among the others by far."

"That's what you think," he said surprisingly serious, "but you have potential. Maybe with proper training you could have gotten into my mind back then."

After that she was silent and thoughtful for a few seconds, and decided to change the subject.

"When... can I talk to Bob?" she asked turning sideways.

"Do you really want to talk to him right now?" he grumbled, to which she now laughed quietly.

"No, but soon, okay?" she said poking him in the arm.

"Okaaay, okay."

She was exhausted, and he let her sleep there, in his bed. They both suffered from insomnia, but after all they had done, falling asleep was easier, especially for her. She was the first to fall asleep and the last to wake up — the last to fall asleep was Void, and the first to wake up was Bob.

He woke up slowly, and opened his eyes in surprise and confusion when he noticed that he was completely naked. The confusion got worse when he noticed someone next to him, and that someone wasn't just anyone — it was _______ and just like him she was naked, he could see it because there was some morning light coming in through the window of the bedroom. He blushed and panicked, having her there with him and guessing what happened in the night between her and Void. As usual he didn't remember anything and thought that, as usual, Void would take control of his body — but to his surprise he didn't, so he panicked even more.

He stretched out his arm until he could reach for his mobile phone on the small table to his right, trying not to move too much or make too much noise so that the sleeping woman to his left would not wake up. He looked at the time, but that wasn't really the information he wanted to get — he wanted to go to the notes app in case there was a message from Void explaining the situation, but there was nothing there. The situation took a turn for the worse when he noticed her stretch and move towards him, curling up next to him.

"Good morning," she whispered tiredly, her eyes still closed.

"Uh... Good morning...?" he asked extremely confused, almost scared.

The moment she heard that, noticing his change of tone and his complete confusion, she opened her eyes wide and sat up, not caring that she was bare-chested and looking at him just as confused and scared as he was.

"Bob?" she asked nervously.

"Um yeah," he answered and did the same.

"Oh God, that bastard appears and disappears at the worst times!" She exclaimed annoyed, referring to Void as she sat cross-legged under the sheets.

"Tell me about it..." He whispered, "What... happened last night?"

"Oh, well..." She blushed as she remembered what happened, averting her gaze in another direction as she bit her lip. "A lot of things, actually..." she laughed nervously.

"I mean, you don't have to give me all those details," he said nervously and blushed as he sat down in the same way as her, "I just want to know what led to this..."

"Okay, so..." She sighed deeply and prepared to launch into the monologue that would be the explanation. "Well, I was having trouble falling asleep so I went to the kitchen to get a drink," she said looking into his eyes, but she got nervous so she looked down, and she wasn't the only one as he did the same while listening to her explanation, "but there I ran into you and Void appeared, then we greeted each other and mentioned you. He said that he protects you from me and that confused me, even more because I've been annoyed for months now by the fact that you've been ghosting me and whenever we're alone he literally always appears..." She said, gesturing with her hand and looking in another direction. "I wanted to talk to you about it but since I couldn't I asked him, and he asked me if I'd gone into your mind..." he tensed and looked at her again, even though she was crestfallen. "I said no, not because I can't as in his case, but because I don't want to, it seems to me an intrusion..." she said, now looking in the other direction. "Like sneaking into someone's house," she shrugged her shoulders. "So, all of a sudden... I think he confessed to me that he likes me...?" she asked confused, now finally looking him in the eyes — he was listening to her intently, but also confused, surprised and embarrassed. "Because he told me that and that literally that maybe that was also a reason why he always showed up when we were alone," she said looking down again and pointing at him with one hand, "so I decided to play along and he told me that if I didn't think he liked me that much he could show me, so we kissed, came here and... Well, the rest is history," she looked back into his eyes as she laughed nervously and shrugged, waiting for him to finally say something, but he was too busy sighing deeply and taking it all in to say anything.

"So, let's be clear... You really wanted to...?" He gestured with his hand, pointing at her with his index finger and then at his chest, and so on a couple of times.

"What?" she asked confused. "Fuck? Uh yeah, you're- you two are hot, and I had three orgasms..." she whispered, smiling but blushing.

"Oh..." he said surprised and blushing. "I'm glad, I guess..." She nodded silently and slowly, and they both stood in silent, crestfallen for a few seconds, not knowing what to do or say.

"Um, Bob..." she said nervously to get his attention as she craned her neck to look at him, and he did the same, "Have I ever done or said anything to you...? Or do you hate me because I'm a mutant...?" she said trying to hide her distress as much as possible, wanting to make it seem more like curiosity, but her tone and facial expression really gave her away.

"Hate you!?" he asked nervously. "No no, for God's sake! I don't hate you."

"Then... Why don't you talk to me? Why don't you look at me? Why do you disappear every time we're alone?" she asked as her voice broke and her eyes began to water. It broke his heart to see her like this, so vulnerable because of him: she was literally naked in body and soul.

"I... I'm afraid of your power," he confessed chagrined and defeated as she looked at him without understanding what he was referring to. "My mind it's a chaos, and... I don't want anyone to see that part of me nor my past, especially you all... Knowing that you have the power to do it and that you can't get into Void's mind... Two plus two equals four, I guess... Even when we're in a group I try to think of other things in case you're hearing my thoughts."

"I've never gone into your mind or any of the team's," she said shaking her head, "I don't generally like to do it because of what I said before, it's very invasive and none of my business... I wouldn't want anyone to enter my mind without my permission, without warning. I only do it on missions. And I don't listen to your thoughts or anyone else's, otherwise I wouldn't be able to go anywhere. That's more like... Mm..." She paused to look for a good example, "like going on Spotify and hitting play on a song — you have to go into the song and hit the button, if you don't you don't hear it..."

"Good to know..." he said sighing deeply again, but calmer.

"Yeah..." she did the same.

"I'm sorry I gave you such a hard time, I really couldn't imagine it was affecting you so much..." he said embarrassed.

"Don't worry about it anymore, the past it's in the past," she said trying to smile in a convincing way.

"Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

"Void made up for enough last night, but if you want another round..." She joked, causing him to blush again, more than at any point in the entire conversation. "I'm kidding!" but she wasn't completely kidding. "Let's get some breakfast, come on," she said as she laughed.

[beevean]

What bothers me about how forceful/unbased some neurodivergency/LGBT+ headcanons are is how they give off the vibe only neurodivergent or queer characters are allowed to have anything going for them. Not even anything special! Let's take TMOSTH: Tails feels empathy for many things? Autistic! Espio speedread a book to spoil the ending for Knuckles? Autistic! Or what you pointed out in Archie, with Shadow stating he likes his motorcycle? Autistic! As someone who only recently found out they might not be entirely neurotypical, I recall quite disliking and feeling somewhat hurt that every single thing a character did immediately gets spun around to fit the OP's projecting, with the attached "fuck the straights and the neurotypicals only gay people would ever do this" that tends to come along with it (where the thing "only gay people do" 99% of the time is the most basic thing in the world). It's almost like people don't want to consider that the most normal, down-to-earth, "boring" (used in the way such OPs tend to use it: as an easy jab) neurotypical cishet person can feel empathy for many things, speedread, or like a motorcycle. I feel like there is more behind that due to the state of the world at large, but it's annoying to see have to come across it in fandom all the time, and then have the "proof" be complete nonsense or entirely taken out of context to "support" the statement. Not to mention the "joking" accusations of bigotry if you do not share such headcanons that occasionally get added as well.

Another example I thought of the moment I hit the "ask" button: Surge getting revealed as Sonic's "clone" and the ENTIRETY OF TUMBLR immediately deciding this meant Sonic was trans. The fact they aren't even the same species nor look alike in the slightest and the fact I thus promptly got very worried about the biology knowledge of the entirety of Tumblr aside, thank god that shit died down when it got revealed Surge legit was just some rando Starline plucked from the streets with no relation to Sonic.

You hit the nail on the head.

When autistic headcanons are created from the basis of "X has a passion for Y!", I'm here like... do you think autistic people are the only ones who can feel any sort of love or attachment over something? Do you think neurotypical people can only blandly tolerate things? Isn't hyperfixation something much, much more intense than a passion? Isn't autism much more than "being shy and with something they love", and isn't ADHD much more than being excitable? This shit makes legit harder for people to realize if they're neurodivergent or not because I swear that literal human nature is deemed to be "divergent". If "neurotypicalness" is associated with being an emotionless, insensitive asshole, no wonder no one would want to identify as, or call their favorite character, neurotypical!

Don't get me started on how for some people "straight" is a synonym for boring and "gay" is a synonim for fun and quirky. Shocker: love and fun are not limited to non-cishet people. It's not a "weird", exceptional state of humanity. Cishet people can have a personality too.

lmaooooo I remember that headcanon, good times. Speaking of which, while the headcanon "Sonic is trans because he doesn't have chest fur" is... something, I side-eye people who headcanon Surge as trans. Oh, you think that the nasty, aggressively masculine bully is trans? It doesn't look good in either direction :) (same for the people who headcanon her as a lesbian, despite her having 0 meaningful interactions with female characters, solely because she's "butch". I wouldn't want to do that, but I may be biased lmao)

[pupmkincake2000]

But saying that they're just jealous hankcon "has more canon proof" is complete bullshit.

Actually not? Because scroll through my posts and you'll see who are those who hate hankcon the most, you'll be surprised. So I have my right to assume so. And despite the fact that they hardcore ship other guy x guy ships, I can assume they are also homophobic, because it is extremely homophobic to only accept young looking skinny hot men, who they can use as an eye-candy and fetishize them.

As I explained before, I think people hate on hankcon as a knee-jerk reaction to perceived incest.

If they do not know what incest is, they shouldn't be on the Internet. And if a harmless ship of two consenting adults makes them uncomfortable to the point they wish us to die, make disturbing content to hurt us, it is their biases, their mental problems and the shippers do not have to suffer because of such freaks.

age gaps and what make them uncomfortable at best and predatory at worst: lived experience.

Still their personal biases and projection. Hank and Connor are fictional dudes and if you think about it, there should be NO human x android ships at all because a human will still have MORE experience, but if the human is young, then it is okay? Bullshit. They need some therapy then instead of being in the fandom.

Connor hasn't. Connor has like few days of lived experience.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT LOOKS. It's about lived experience and mental maturity.

It is exactly about looks. Example: why it is okay to ship 36yo Gavin Reed with Connor or 900 then? Following your logic it is predatory because Gavin has more life experience anyway, but since he looks Connors' age, people ignore this fact. It should not be an excuse to be ok with that ship and to hate the other.

Not valid. All androids are adults. Experience matters not. If Markus can be a leader, Kara can be a mom, then Connor, who is actually a manipulative little shit, can be Hank's lover. Otherwise you are saying Alice is more mature and experienced because she was active for 4 years. Or North who was active for 2 months maybe and whose only experience is Eden Club's walls, yet she still can be a lover of a guy with a 10 years experience (doesn't it make Markus a predator too?) and even become a revolution leader too.

It should work both ways or otherwise it makes no sense.

You either admit that the argument about Connor's inexperience works in any case, or you invalidate this argument. Because it turns out that Gavin is "seducing" a baby who is a few days old anyway? If you stubbornly ignore this argument only when it comes to characters like Gavin, then it shouldn't exist at all.

Also, comparing androids gaining experience to humans gaining experience just doesn't make sense as well. They are different species after all.

Either all androids are mentally inexperienced and can't be shipped with any human. Or you admit that they can be shipped with anyone. Period.

Most people don't see Gavin as a father figure, while a lot of people do see Hank as a father figure.

And that's just double standards. Period.

It's as easy as that. And that feeling is valid for those people.

It is not, because these are personal biases, and people need therapy, not the Internet then. Agree or disagree. The kids then need to grow up before entering fandoms' spaces, if, I hit again, a totally harmless ship hurts them so much.

I'm done here.

idea of them having father/son relationship is indeed very adorable and appealing but shipping them (as they are both ADULT men) is not problematic.

everyone can interpret their relationship as they want. now, i know it maybe controversial take but I know if they were both the same age or Connor would be a female character, shipping wouldn't be such a problem.

so, this hankcon controversy smells like ageism to me and maybe even homophobia but I'm NOT throwing that accusation at everyone who has problem with hankcon. I just know some people who would fit in this category... have a nice day/evening, would love to hear y'all's thoughts just don't be disrespectful plz

[inkskinned]

one of the things about being an educator is that you hear what parents want their kids to be able to do a lot. they want their kid to be an astronaut or a ballerina or a politician. they want them to get off that damn phone. be better about socializing. stop spending so much time indoors. learn to control their own temper. to just "fucking listen", which means to be obedient.

one of the things i learned in my pedagogy classes is that it's almost always easier to roleplay how you want someone to act. it's almost always easier to explain why a rule exists, rather than simply setting the rule and demanding adherence.

i want my kids to be kind. i want them to ask me what book they should read next, and i want to read that book with them so we can discuss it. i want my kid to be able to tell me hey that hurt my feelings without worrying i'll punish them. i want my kid to be proud of small things and come running up to me to tell me about them. i want them to say "nah, i get why this rule exists, but i get to hate it" and know that i don't need them to be grateful-for-the-roof-overhead while washing the dishes. i want them to teach me things. i want them to say - this isn't safe. i'm calling my mom and getting out of this. i want them to hear me apologize when i do fuck up; and i want them to want to come home.

the other day a parent was telling me she didn't understand why her kid "just got so angry." this woman had flown off the handle at me.

my dad - traditional catholic that he is - resents my sentiment of "gentle parenting". he says they'll grow up spoiled, horrible, pretentious. granola, he spits.

i am going to be kind to them. i am going to set the example, i think. and whatever they choose become in the meantime - i'm going to love them for it.

[quatregats]

Had a conversation about being perceived as South Asian with my cousin and her kids and I'm still rotating it around in my head because like. Did everyone suddenly forget that I am also half white. Like did you forget that I do not have two South Asian parents

[starpros-sunshine]

Why can't queer people just exist? Why do we have to 'Come Out'? Why do we have to stick a label onto everything so that other people can better understand it? Why does our existence have to be a statement?

[orchideae]

I have so very much to catch up on, my sincerest apologies, seriously— there's been mental madness going on behind the scenes, including this weekend. Please, let December be the month where normality starts and stays.

And on a more IC note, I often talk about solitude and isolation (and its origins in a very specific kind of loneliness) that is chosen and accepted, but I don't know if I ever talk about what that looks like exactly, and why, quite frankly, it's a little... for lack of a better word, concerning. Do me a favor, if you're in Genshin, turn your clock to nighttime, then go out into any of the cities, villages, camps, footholds and look up, no matter the nation you're in. How many characters are able to do that, and see a night sky that is nothing but void of any and all bounds and limitations? How many of them see that endless array of stars that illuminate it, and how many feel the cool fresh air that tickles their skin? For many, they can leave the four walls that house them, and experience that sight and sensation, because all of us to an extent, crave that. And honestly, so can Yelan— but she also, if not more often so, chooses to see something else. And the unusual concept of choosing that, is a driving force to my decisions for her and why I deem them so incredibly important: it's about the state of mind, it's about the mental that drives her.

On many days and nights especially, this is what she sees, and this is only if she doesn't descend further into the Chasm (which we know that she does), closer to the Abyss and to the Celestial nail itself that rests at its heart. And yes, it is beautiful in its own way, a pathway illuminated by the light of the moon and the nail, but it's also a cruel reminder of just how far the surface, and humans that live there (that she is by all accounts a part of, of course), are. But then, when she returns her gaze to the ground, her surroundings are void of light and dare I say, void of hope. The Chasm isn't just one of the places where you can get the closest to the Abyss, but it also consists of ruins of more than just one civilization. We see glimpses of Khaenri'ah (which we explore more closely through Dain's quest), but we know there is 'fauna' down there, even deeper, that is referenced as belonging to an even more ancient civilization that predated it. The Chasm is surrounded by reminders of death, ruin, and in that, it feels as if it's the direct foil of the world above it. The Chasm was almost the end of Liyue five-hundred years ago during the fall of Khaenri'ah, just as it had, apparently, once been to a civilization before it (please remember, the impact of the meteorite/fallen star that created the Chasm occurred roughly 6000 years ago), and its creatures wouldn't have stopped at its borders. The Chasm is the engulfing darkness in direct opposition to the light of life overhead, and the hope that humanity holds in the palms of its hands. It's dark, it's grim, and it's cold in more ways than one (See one, two, three, four).

And this place is a choice that Yelan makes to venture to and stay in, yes, yet calling it a choice is where it gets so interesting. Once upon a time, long before she got her vision, she was part of a team that surveyed the surroundings of the Chasm, and like many others before them that have descended into it, all members of this team, excluding her, died. The circumstances aren't clear, but following Yelan's line to Ning, I'm lead to believe that the Chasm's surroundings, which are all rather clearly threats to non-vision holders in specific (which Yelan also was at the time), were directly responsible for their demise. I'll note my hypothesis on what could have happened to them in a different post in the future, as I don't want to go far off-topic, but despite having likely witnessed what occurred to them, seeing the ruins of the Chasm, the threat of the Abyss and barely understanding what the Abyss even is, she continues to venture down there because the possibility of what could happen to the people of Liyue, is more important than her own existence and/or survival. And this bears even more weight following the events of Perilous Trail part 2, where she witnessed just how much the Chasm is capable of. Is this walking engima of a woman also drawn to equal or greater mystery than herself, much like a moth to a flame? I think that's part of it, but I definitely think it's infinitely more multi-layered.

Mostly, I think that this plays into the heart of what Fontaine has shown us that 'hydro' seems to represent: it's not merely a sense of responsibility (and/or justice) or selflessness, but a semblance of self-sacrifice either during the duration of one's life or at its end, either literally or figuratively. But keeping that in mind, what I really want to shine a spotlight on, is what kind of self-sacrifice seems to be the case with Yelan, and the way in which she seems to not just be at peace with it, but has truly accepted it almost as something akin to normality. And more importantly, note how this isn't normal behavior. An acceptance of solitude in such depressing surroundings is incredibly saddening, because it's not something that we ever crave by any means or should ever come to crave. Any regular individual, even most vision-holders surely, would find what she does insane to some extent. And yet, she walks the depths of the Chasm, of all places, with a similar routine as a Millelith guard patrols the outskirts of the harbor. Regardless of her clear reason for it— god, I have difficulty explaining what I'm trying to say; how does someone get to a point where they no longer do something so depressing out of necessity, but because it's... normal? That's her. The Chasm isn't... as eerie to her as it is to others, even if she knows better than most what these surroundings are; the Chasm it isn't as dangerous, even if she knows that it is and it's why she's there in the first place, to her as it is to others. Perhaps it's simply an acceptance that regardless of its dangers, that her fate lies in those depths as it did for her ancestors, that the Chasm's ruins will include her own legacy one day. But again, how does one come to terms with that? How do you come to make the decision that you will sacrifice yourself for others, especially when it means resigning yourself to a place like the Chasm, a place that is home to a pathway to the Abyss, which inherently holds the power to drive mortals to madness and death. Many wouldn't do this, or rather, many couldn't do this, not until they had no other choice and even then, think of Boyang, and even Bosacius, granted the latter had lost his mind by then. And that's where I think she's unique, because she technically has a choice, unlike individuals like Xiao whose... direct 'responsibility' and contract it is to do what he does. She could walk away tomorrow if she willed it, but she doesn't. Yes, responsibility plays into it, but the Chasm really hits differently when you tie it into that.

Now, I do need to note that I firmly stand against any believe that she a death wish or is thoroughly depressed. She isn't going down there over and over because she seeks an end to her life in some way or because she believes her life to be worthless. Quite the contrary, actually, and one could argue that the reasoning for that lies with her survivor's guilt. But all in all, before I get sidetracked again: Yelan embraces solitude to a rather extreme extent, and yet she doesn't seem to harbor a dissociation from the rest of humanity or dislike of it, but she does seem to place a firm line between non-allogenes and herself (and others who hold a vision). But what I mean with embracing solitude, is that while she is social, and she understands the laws and diplomacy of social behavior, she isn't one to always engage in it, simply because many don't seem to quite... share her headspace.