#i don't think it happens too often either

[ssentimentals]

Heyyy can I request Mingyu suggestive prompt no. 7 pleaseee

heyyy, sure you can :) thank you for requesting! 💜 hopefully you will like it!

suggestive prompt: 'you either shut up or i make you.'

you can easily admit that sometimes you take jokes too far. your excuse is that they stretch thin themselves and anyways, it's hard to stop when you're on a roll. teasing people is not a hobby of yours, no matter how much mingyu claims it to be - he just so happens to fall the victim of it more often than other people.

'what is it?' you grin widely, not even hiding your joy from teasing him. 'big boy can't take it, hm? can't take some friendly teasing?'

mingyu arches one eyebrow, looking at you with a barely concealed urge to snap your neck. or push you to the wall and kiss you fiercely. 'you think it's funny?'

'what's not funny about it?' you gloat, knowing that it's a good time to stop, but never really being able to do so when it comes to mingyu in particular. 'that you little masculine heart can't take-'

'you either shut up or i make you.' mingyu cuts you off, gritting his teeth. when you look shocked from his words but don't immediately start defending, he knows he gained the upper hand. 'or is this what you're waiting for? for me to shut up? hm?'

'what even,' you mutter, watching as he comes up closer to you. smirk looks too sexy on his face, you wish you could wipe it off, but your mind is blank of any comebacks.

'how do you want me to do it, pretty girl?' mingyu asks, all cocky. it, unfortunately, makes your heart beat faster. 'with my mouth? with my fingers?' he leans closer, whispering right into your mouth: 'or maybe you prefer something else? something... bigger?'

you have to push him away. but your body is not moving and your back arches on its own, when he wraps one arm around your waist. 'cat got your tongue?' mingyu asks, pressing you to his body.

he looks like he won and he looks good with that smirk of his. you wish he didn't. you wish your pride woke up and your brain started working. you wish- mingyu kisses you. and you wish this moment never stopped, because defeat never tasted this sweet.

a/n: request your own here! <3 - nini

[dnickels]

I don't think Gibson gets enough credit for how skillfully he extricated himself from the sodomy allegations. Long post to follow ->

The evangelical mindset is "we are constantly under siege from both invisible powers and our fellow man (and even one's own thoughts), every waking moment is nonstop spiritual battle" so Gibson framing himself as too weak to refuse advances (without spiritual backing, naturally) is a brilliant play for Irving's own anxieties while also putting him in the position to be the shepherd rescuing one of his flock. A direct appeal to the Victorian bourgeois savior narrative, expertly played. He's given Irving a script so familiar and one he's so eager to act out he doesn't for a second question its veracity.

And now we depart to the realm of pure speculation (oh boy my favorite) but I always wonder what exactly Gibson told him, and how much it actually corresponds to what we hear Irving scold Hickey for. I wonder if something got lost in translation (Irving heard what he wanted to hear which is not quite the same as what's actually being said). I think Gibson is perfectly capable of shopping Hickey to save his own skin no question, but that scenario doesn't quite jive with how surprised/concerned he is that Hickey and Irving apparently had a chat about the situation. Surely Gibson didn't think he could say "I was coerced" without some kind of follow-up? It could be a feint, he's just acting to try and keep Hickey from holding a grudge (I think Gibson knows with brutal clarity that you do not want to be on Hickey's shitlist) but his reaction reads to me like he's seeing his fib start to spiral out of control. Of course, one of the grand themes in Terror is people not being as smart as they think they are (or, more charitably, that even well-conceived plans often shipwreck on the shoals of human unpredictability) so it could just be an example of a reasonable plan blowing up on contact with an unreasonable person, as individuals are a universe unto themselves and truly unknowable to each other. Or maybe he really didn't think Irving would do anything, because he asked him to keep it quiet? Maybe that's how it usually goes, everyone agrees to keep it quiet-- sobering thought.

Still, it intrigues me to think about Irving as the wildcard in Gibson's plan, not Hickey-- bringing baggage to it that Gibson didn't include in his calculations. I wonder if Gibson heard the lecture, how many of his own words would he recognize? I can see the shape of a communications breakdown, where a tactful "the temptation was overwhelming, I couldn't resist him" becomes "he used overpowering force" or "I didn't come forward because I was afraid" becomes "he threatened me into silence". Not unreasonable assumptions for Irving to make, honestly, I just think its interesting to play with the idea that they are assumptions and not part of Gibson's ass-saving explanation. Just no accounting for what happens in the pressure-cooker of the evangelical brain!

Obviously the darker read here is that Irving can't understand a messy gay situationship despite spending years at sea is because he is homophobic (while desperately refusing/denying/fighting his own desires) or was himself party to coercion, either towards himself or someone else.

I just think its interesting to think of how it might have played out if Gibson and Hickey been surprised by say, Hodgson instead-- who might have given them a stern "I don't want to catch you two not at work again" but otherwise let the matter slide, or Little, who I can see loading them down with donkeywork but refraining from escalating because doing so means talking to Crozier and Oh God, Please No.

I keep coming back to the question of whether or not Gibson was ready/intending to burn Hickey as badly as his lie makes it seem. While I think he's perfectly capable of it, but it seems like such a risky move when his confession (owning what Irving has no real proof of, I'm more familiar with the early 19th century legal situation on land but the standard of proof for sodomy specifically was actually pretty high) could just as easily backfire on him rather than exonerating them both. We only have Gibson's word that he acted for their mutual benefit, and even if he's telling the truth it seems like stepping on a landmine: no one seems to think Hickey would hang on his accusation, so he's going to still be around after a potential flogging and presumably pissed off. Obviously its a bad situation all around but I am so curious about his own risk/reward accounting. For me, I really enjoy imaging him trying to play master manipulator to Jirv who is absolutley not a player and mostly lets Jesus call the shots. Very funny to me to be so ambitious and skillful and willing to play the Great Game but it all comes to nothing due to human folly. Thesis moment.

[oro-junestar]

🫵YOU!!!🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️💖

You look like you need some kind, positive affirmations!! Come here🤗🫂

Apologies for the massive wall of text ahead, I hope that this is worth the read and you find comfort in these affirmations👉👈💞

❤️You are welcome here. You have entire communities all around the world full of people who are in the same boat as you, who support you, and who are always fighting for your human rights. We're all here for you and we love you. 🧡Always reach out for help and support when you need it. Don't let anxiety get in the way; your mind often tells you scary things that aren't true. The truth is, you are deserving of happiness and whatever it takes to achieve that happiness. 💛Don't be ashamed of the things that bring you joy. The world is your playground, you decide what matters to you! Be vibrant, be silly, wear your proudest smile! 💚It's okay to take breaks. Keep your mind and body healthy, and be at peace. Go outside often too; it's surprising how therapeutic it is to sit or walk in nature for a while! 💙Online trolls don't matter. They are lesser than you and are jealous of your joy. Don't reward them with your attention, you have better things to do with your time. TERFs and fascists can seethe all they want; you are stronger than them and you will outlive their rotten ideology! 💜There is no such thing as "not queer enough". Don't let what others think get in the way of you being your best self, you are welcome here! And if you're an ally, whether you're here for the whole community or just that one special queer person in your life, I sincerely thank you for your support, you are welcome too!

🩵Don't ever lose hope. As long as we all give our best effort, things will get better, no matter how long it takes. Times are scary right now, but we must keep fighting for a future that's not scary. 🩷You are not obligated to tell anyone the full details of your gender, why you're trans, or your entire transition plan. Often, it's difficult to put these things into words, and that's okay, you don't owe anyone these explanations. You don't have to tell anyone your deadname or any details about your body either; those are private! 🤍Be trans your own way! Whether you medically transition or not, whether you conform to traditional standards of your gender or not, you're doing it right as long as you're happy! 🩷Live to be a beacon of hope for those around you who need it. Seeing you shine with joy, others will know that they are safe and welcome too. Someone might find comfort in you the same way you might find comfort in this post. Your presence matters! 🩵If you are still waiting to come out of the closet or move out of a hostile situation, I hope that things go well for you once you do. No matter what happens, stay strong, keep holding onto hope, and remember that you have control over your own life. Don't give up!

💛Your gender is as real as the warmth in your heart and the smile on your face. 🤍You know yourself better than anyone else. You decide who you are; no one else does. They don't have to understand you completely in order to support you. 💜'Silly' genders and labels are valid too! Labels ultimately aren't all that important; people define labels, not the other way around! Whether you want alot of labels or very few, express yourself in ways that bring you joy, don't be afraid to have fun with it! 🖤You are wonderful the way you are and you will continue to grow and improve, as long as you keep doing your very best!

Thank you for reading!! I love you and I hope that this has helped you! I hope you have a wonderful day! Take care of yourself💖

[backofthebookshelf]

Another thing I find fascinating about Beholding specifically is - the pursuit of knowledge is not an inherently unhealthy or exploitative way to manage your relationships with the world! It *can* be, sure - but where is the line? Where does "I need to know what that was so it never happens to me again" turn into "I need you to relive the worst thing that ever happened to you so I can feel safe"? Where does it cross the line? Is it when you ask someone else about their experience? When you encourage someone who's reluctant to talk? Obviously at some point Jon developed an unhealthy relationship with the statements, but was that when he started intentionally seeking out live statements? When he got weak and shaky without them? When he realized he knew which statements were real? When he joined the Magnus Institute because even though Mr Spider was the only supernatural encounter he'd had in his life he still couldn't let it go?

Slippery slope is a logical fallacy because it's often used to connect things that have no inherent connection, but when it's tiny steps towards something that you can't see coming that's just... normalization. The Overton window shifting. Normal human adjustment to difficult circumstances.

Jon absolutely chose a lot of the steps that put him on the path to S4 and Scrutiny (his low point, I think, although Jordan Kennedy's domain is fighting for that spot). He didn't choose them knowing where they would lead, but most of us don't; I don't think Jonah did either, to be honest, I think he just was less unhappy with the results. But what's so fascinating to me is, absent the foreknowledge of the plot and the awareness that it's a horror tragedy story, it's impossible to say where he absolutely should have turned back before it was too late. Hell, even once he's fully tied to Beholding, it's impossible to say when he's definitely, absolutely causing more harm than doing good by attempting to understand and stop what's happening.

So yes, he was manipulated, and he chose it, and he didn't know it was dangerous until he did, and he didn't realize how harmful it was until he did, and he could have stopped but at such a cost that very few people can really argue it was a reasonable thing to expect anyone to do, but he didn't. There's a line there, somewhere, but it's not a clear one and there's no clear way to avoid getting there either.

That's why I love tragedy, I think. Because it's actually really common to find yourself, through no particular ill will on your part or anyone else's, in a situation of your own making where the only choices you have are between bad and worse. And that doesn't make you a terrible person or absolve you of blame; it doesn't mean you shouldn't try to invent better choices or make sure the same thing doesn't happen again, but it doesn't mean it's possible to do anything that won't make you hate yourself a little. That, as Picard says, is not failure. It's life.

readings of the podcast which try to frame jon as having been tragically manipulated and forced through every decision by elias are of no interest to me. because it's not true, is it. when elias tells him in mag 92 "you always chose to see," he's being cruel, yes. victim blaming him, even. but to completely disregard it as an attempt at manipulation would be a mistake. much of the podcast is about exploiting people's trauma. as i've said before, jon's role as head archivist, back when it was still presented as a mundane office job to the audiences, and he hadn't developed any beholding powers yet, involved filing away statement givers' trauma without offering help of any kind. the institute subsists on this form of exploitation, in a literal sense obviously, because it's a temple to the eye. but even if you take that reveal away, it's also true in simply an administrative sense in season one. and jon used to ruthlessly dismiss every single statement giver with as much apathy as he could muster (while knowing that if a statement doesn't record digitally, then it's the truth), and note that faking skepticism was a form of coping mechanism for him, it was the choice between making statement givers feel small or making himself feel vulnerable—and is this not simply the bureaucratic version of what he does later as a supernatural avatar of the beholding, vampirically feeding on people's terror to stay alive or risk being consumed by the eye?

(Season 3) MAG 117 - "Testament" // (Season 4) MAG 142 - "Scrutiny"

of course, i'm not saying he bought it on himself, that he deserved to be put in an impossible situation later for being an arse in season one. jon too, has had his trauma exploited in the form of a guest for mr spider, an experience which eventually led him to the magnus institute where he would help fulfill the web's designs. so, in the grand scheme of things everyone was puppeteered by forces beyond their control, but would you excuse jonah for eveything he's ever done because of it? then why must jon be rendered completely non-agentic? yes, elias manipulated him, but he has never had to straight up coerce jon into anything. jon's just always done what's been expected of him. because they're alike. their shared desire for knowledge originates from fear. jon always chose to see because something had hurt him once and he needed answers, and we can assume jonah chose the beholding because it was the only entity which would expose him to information on all the other fears. knowledge is a means of survival for both of them, an inclination which later manifests literally as they become avatars who must subsist on terror. it all really comes down to letting yourself be exploited or exploiting someone else to escape that fate (you don't escape, not really, nobody does in the podcast), and jon did choose (with as much agency he could've possibly had in a story like this). the difference between them being that elias feels no remorse for his choice, but jon's character is defined by the enormous guilt he feels about the things he has done and what he must do to continue living, until he doesn't.

[tamayokny]

OKAY so today my boss pointed out that out of everyone in circulation, me and another coworker will more likely have patrons be mean to us than my boss and another coworker. we came to the conclusion that’s because me and the other coworker look and sound younger (i'm 23, coworker is 21), so people are more likely to be patronizing and blatantly misogynistic towards us. like looking back, patrons will straight up try to bully us so we cave in lol. i never really thought about it because i do not let this faze me but damn...i do have a lot of patrons who try to test me!

[thekittyokat]

you ever just have a lot, a LOT of feelings all at once about a character and not even remotely enough words or brainpower to FORM the words to describe everything you're feeling. so it feels like you may explode. yeah

[sysig]

can i requeeeessstt edgar rescuing scriabin from something |D

Day 6 - There are consequences out here

Bonus, of what he was doing to get stickers in his hair:

[pokenoire]

I want to really understand how people look at this and see it as "confusing" he is not confused, at most grateful and the kiss was simply+ a measure of affection for him It was this admosphere for me that they wanted to create

He is surprised, but not confused, he processed the information, and then smiled and nodded happily.

What about that final smile is a confused reaction? It's more of a realization and an acceptance "oh thank you for your feelings" practically.

Even if it's one-sided, it's just "ok, it was cool until next time" 🙃

His neutral reaction in JN105 talking excitedly to her just proves my point that people either do a U-turn to not accept that Ash is okay with it or they just want to be the their Pokegirl here. Even if I wasn't an Amourshipper, this scene isn't confusing at all.

He's just an "Aroace who's okay with affection/not repulsive to kissing" or he just likes her, and didn't really feel anything too specific like an Aroace, who denies kisses I say there is nothing wrong with that .

Like, when Latias kissed him he looked more confused, and it took him even longer to process that, I think it's the fact that she added a sparkle to his eyes, it's an effect of "this is happening to me?"

And of course this being super valued in the fandom LEFT me surprised, I had personally forgotten until I saw the discussion about it being so aggressive. My mind threw this scene to the back of the drawer I think I started to care about it because of the speech about it, what stresses about it and people using it as "it's definitive Amourshipping" when it depends on several production factors despite the ship being well loved or fervently hated

It might be the favorite "kiss" scene among 4th Japanese people in 2024 if that's any indication that people want it real lol (which surprises me because I don't look at this polls often) If you look at the public's reaction in favor it's not so bad.

They'll be fine if it's a QRPT kiss at most

Anyway, it's just my own thoughts and doubts in general, I don't really value this scene.

Is he aroace?

🧡    💛     🤍     🩵    💙

Reasoning: He only really showed any indication of attraction once, when the number of episodes was still in the single digits. In the time since then, he regularly misses signs of attraction, both directed at himself and between others, near-exclusively interpreting things in a platonic way. Even on the few occasions where he does recognize romance, he doesn't appear to see it as as big of a deal as the people around him. There's also an instance where a friend kisses him and his reaction is... essentially to just stand there confused and not mention it when he meets her again, while all of their other friends have very dramatic reactions to it.

[seventh-district]

not even gonna tag this properly bc i don't wanna get Involved but i do have some Thoughts i need to get out into the void so here we go

(aaa quick edit: CW for mention/discussion of Boothill leaks)

[kaurwreck]

as a Japanese fan of bsd you’ve hit the nail on the head to why i hate this fandoms tendency to go with the “oh it’s so disrespectful to the authors” bc yea it’s my hatred of Japanese nationalism and its agenda to portray their cultural exports as untouchable…it also feels infantilizing in the sense where they can’t picture asagiri doing transformative critique of his country’s “classics” and they are adopting that very same idolatry of Japan

It's also such a flaccid, insincere interpretation of respect that is itself inherently dehumanizing. There is nothing untouchable, and substituting discernment for fawning is much worse than being superficially disrespectful, especially when the subject of your disrespect cannot possibly perceive it, and the only beneficiaries of your deference are states, institutions, and ideological concepts.

I've noticed people tend to strip agency and conscious commentary from Asagiri too. It is exceptionally infantilizing.

[spacedkey]

the eternal struggle of reading webcomics/manga/manh(w/u)a that i think are really good but have cringe ass titles so i can't recommend them without someone doubting my sensibilities and taste in stories

[edge-oftheworld]

going back through some of this fandom's history has made me realise, we really see people as black and white good or bad don't we?

[sanjarka]

when i was younger this whole ''no romantic or sexual experience" thing made me feel deeply unlovable and it still does but in a different way. now i've somehow convinced myself that i'm not supposed to desire anyone like that. like it's not meant for me. it's me who can't love now. not other people.

[alyona11]

I think my job damaged my ability to draw 😶

[electricfied-wolf]

it is saturday and I am but a simple highschooler and I am so so tired and it is literally 12:15pm and I want to just sit here and eat my banana pudding

[storm-of-feathers]

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