#i dunno why this exists but it SURE FUCKIN DOES

[stickers-on-a-laptop]

just a reminder that Fudanshi Bartender no Tashinami exists, where the bartender acts like:

-goro ryuki and yamato zyuohger are together -brain drive and chiaki shinkenger kiss -misugi agito and karasuma blade get together

AND IT'S ALL DIRECTED AND WRITTEN BY GAI GOKAIGER

[red-mage28]

Why does it seem like people completely gloss over the fact that Uzi canonically does not blame any of the disassembly drones for her mom’s death

She sat down in front of one of the possible candidates and told him he was being mistreated and was sent to die. She had the opportunity to blame one of the two she did not like at the time and chose to blame humans. She told Doll to shove it cause there were bigger things at stake than getting revenge

The only people who would care about N killing Nori are Nori and N (and maybe Khan but he clearly warmed up to N and V existing if ep5 is anything to go off)

“Oh but it could’ve been an interesting plot point” fuckin

Oh yeah sure let’s make Uzi get all weird about N killing the mom she barely even knew instead of focusing on the bigger issue of The Things That Sent The Disassembly Drones in The First Place. Yeah that’ll be an interesting plot point seeing Uzi act completely out of character about something like that.

That’s not Uzi. I dunno who some people think the characters are but Uzi canonically did not hyper focus on something like that. Doll did because she witnessed both of her parents get taken from her.

[masked-and-doomed]

heya do you got any oc's or anything? like funger oc's n stuff? i'm obsessed with oc's

*since this post mentions her relationship with pocketcat, implied csa warning. also she's depressed so suicide warning ig*

Also. this is 2k words. waow.

Not specifically funger OCs, but I do have a self insert character that I've put in the funger universe!

(the hair is supposed to be black btw it looks more brown to go better with the colour pallette)

I welcome you to- uh. Right. *Turns to face her* You don't have a name. It's been what, fuckin' 3 years? You still haven't decided anything? Oh, now it's kinda maybe meaningful for your character to have no name? Poetic shit? Yeah sure. *Turns back to face you* So, no name. For our sakes, I'll call her Unnamed Girl(ie). UG for short.

She was a human that suddenly got snatched from Earth and put into a white void. And she was trapped there. With memories of nothing. Why she has no name. Well she has some vague memories of her previous life, like her being fatherless, she doesn't remember any names, faces. Just some interactions.

We dunno what the hell happened to Earth nor her, really, all we can assume is that there's probably some sadistic ass higher being that's putting her through that shit? Watching her suffer every moment here. But, we never got to know. They don't really matter to us really, they've never showed up. Not important.

In the white void, she also gained. Some sort of Godhood? She got powers of some sort. So that's one upside. Downside with this is that she's immortal. And as you see, a white void. Is well. A white void. Nothin in it. Sure, she's made a room for herself to get comfy but then you start to go insane with the fact that you're isolated and that there's no one to talk to and you have no purpose in life and that it feels like you were an unwanted part of the universe that wasn't meant to ever be existing but yet you still do, and then erm she can't take it anymore and tries to. Off herself. Multiple times, in fact!

Too bad for her, immortality exists. Or perhaps better called, eternal youth. She hasn't aged since she got here. Perpetually 12, what a hell to be in, huh buddy? Fucked up thing to add on, the way her immortality works is that she suffers the wounds, damage, pain, before her body starts to regrow it back. (Usually like a minute but if she pushes it, it can be instantaneous.)

After a few days in the white void she starts conjuring up friends in her head to try and combat the eternal loneliness. Barely works. She's got three guys in her head, that talk to her from time to time. They're pretty flat and 2D in personality, UG really isn't that much of a creative girl.

(Oohh tumblr compression...)

So, with these characters, let's show you how horrible she is at naming, hm? We got the furry one, Kats. Sadistic and mean one. Guy with the hat is Meowzerz. Cheerleader, also tries to advise UG to be kind. Gas masked fellow is Koolmeow. Wild card, she does whatever she finds fun. Mostly burning things up.

Really shitty names for those last two. No wonder she hasn't picked a name for herself if these are the names she gave these mfs.

...

Well, fuck. Friends aren't really friend-ing great unfortunately. What to do?

Oh, lookie that. That's a buncha.. games and anime. Huh. Well, might as well get through them. All this white is awfully boring.

So after some days of hell, she got to see stories she's vaguely familiar with. Must been stories she experienced back in her previous life. Entertainment is entertainment.

With nothing else in the void really, she gets heavily attached to these media. Filling her time with making fanart and obsessing over the characters. Three in particular she got attached to, but only one of them is of importance considering where we're headed to in this timeline.

Ahh the cat. The horrid horrid cat. I mean she's a young child, having a man tell him she loves her even when it's just a character written by someone else to be a creepy piece of shit is. Well a charming and interesting specimen such as him sharing affection? She can't help but reciprocate back.

With all the time in this non-existence, she makes a whole shrine of shit. Plushies, posters, figures. She loves recreating his likeness and having something physical to hold. Well, she is most well versed in digital art. That she does remember about herself. She was an artist. And most of him is drawn in a computer over and over again. She has no other way to show her love other than to put him in silly situations and emulate how he reacts. Yes I do mean fanfiction. She has a lotta files of just art of him she made, you don't wanna know how big it is.

Even besides him, she's pretty enamoured with this world of Funger. She'd much rather go through that hell than this hell. At least you can die there. And things actually happen.

...

Oh? We can finally go out? After all this time?

You really did get to find a way out, Kats?

It's.. Ahah. The multiverse thing does actually exist, doesn't it? This.. this is the dungeon...

...

Ah, so much explaining her backstory and I haven't gotten to her personality! Well she's. Seriously mentally ill for one. Isolation for god knows how long and all that. I can only conclude Depression or some variation of it for now, though there is definitely another mental disorder at play here. Erm. We might never know. I don't think she'll ever go to therapy or a psychiatrist.

Due to her being in that void for so long, and with barely any memories, there's some things that she's real bad at. Of course, she retains her memory of how to walk, how to speak and communicate, and most basic human things.

However, this bitch cannot social interaction. How unfortunate, my friend.

She can be very blunt and clear with her words. Oh she also has this stupid thing where she's either really crass and informal or just talks fancy and with a thesaurus. Fucking weirdo. can't talk normal ever.

Next note, she has no respect for anyone. That's not to say she doesn't appreciate anyone's company, she definitely likes a good amount of people. Thing is, since she saw this all in a game she played and saw as fiction. Little dolls for her to play with. She never really got to get out of that thinking. Also that with her being some sorta higher being? Yeah, she thinks a little high of herself. Sometimes. Sometimes. (She also think she's the worst thing ever that existed lmao)

Adding on, she also possesses no self respect. No shame. No dignity. No regrets about anything ever. She just lives on. She's a very YOLO it is what it is kinda gal.

UG has a very normal perception of love. She thinks of violence as a sort of love language to her, she just wants to rip her beloveds to shreds. She also has an intense hatred for the cat, despite him being the one she loves most. The hatred plays along with her obsession of the cat. Also. Um. Yandere. yeah. She's obsessive. Isolation and all that. Makes you intensely crave affection and attention. And also being a child. Forever. Yeah she's quite an attention whore. (self label)

Other effects from the isolation also happen to be extreme boredom. She wants to do anything. In her life. And hey, she's got a lot if it to spare.. plany of time. It is mildly boring her that she knows she's most likely gonna win any battle with enemies but still, the experience of fighting is pretty banger. The adrenaline... Thrill seeking. Ahh... She loves fighting.

So um, with those last two paragraphs, she does normal things to both the party that dared step into the dungeon, and the termina contestants. She's normal about them. She is both heavily protective and extremely violent murder maim.

Ah, next thing! She's quite the contradictory thing. Mental disorder again, she can go from one extreme scale to another. Like her love and hatred, protecting her allies to killing them. High self confidence and self praise to self loathing. Sometimes a little bit of a hypocrite. She's weird.

Her morals are. Eh. Eh. Again, she both cares about everyone's lives yet is also apathetic. She doesn't mind murder too much, as she'll dirty her soul a lot through experiencing the funger universe. This. Image.

Everything might as well just be a game to her.

With all o' this. There's multiple timelines of her doing many different things because of how much she can vary and still be in character (well to me, at least). She can do so much. Silly girl.

--

That's all I can think of for now about personality! Little tidbits about her powers before onto the brief timeline. She has some future telling. If the future is far, she can see more possibilities it can go in, not giving an exact determined route of what will happen. If the future is soon, as in, will this guard swing at her right arm or her left arm in 5 seconds? She can check and the future will be certain, that it will be her left arm that will get cut if she doesn't prevent it.

Most of her powers stem from the other media she watched during the isolation period; she rarely uses the Gods' powers in funger purely to fuck around with it and also confuse smart asses. (enki)

--

After finding an escape from the white void, she wakes up in front of the.. dun dun dun... funger dungeons...

She does what any sane person would do and explores with glee.

They aren't really all that scary to a creature like her, only serving her to activate fight mode and get a rush.

She recruits everyone possible with her knowledge of these dungeons, and decides to change some things.

She approaches Pocketcat as she is done with her journey. There are no more battles to fight. No more exploration to be done in this dungeon. She is satisfied. The girl wishes for Pocketcat to eat her, since she hasn't tried that method of killing herself. (Also because she is crushing hard on this man and she knows he loves her too)

He instead gives a different proposal...

...

Remember how she's a sort of 'god' (but not in the funger way) and has OP ass powers? Well there's actually 2 drawbacks to them.

First one, it is quite exhausting. It is also exhausting just living and breathing in fact, but that's the mental disorders. She can go on long without rest but she will be extremely fatigued if she pushes. And my, she pushes a through a lot.

Second, there's one thing that nullifies her powers. Fear. But ah, with a soul like hers, it is quite difficult for her to fear anything. With problems in her way, she either brushes it over, gets enraged, or drowns in sorrow. How on earth could anything scare her?

Ahaha... Well a few actions made by a specific person could scare her...

(he soo gets off being the only one that can get her into such a submissive state, btw)

The one thing keeping her heart from total darkness, now entirely painted black. What a sad soul.

...

So, he didn't kill her. big whump. Fine though, she thinks about the termina festival in 350 years. She wouldn't mind living for that long to see more silly people. Plus, the dungeon took a lot out of her. A lot more magic she used than usual. This period will be... A nice and long break, she thinks positively. One hell she has endured in here, she will prepare to live through and enjoy another. Plus, if it's all adrenaline rushes, how is she meant to savour Termina?

She occupies her time by living with Pocketcat, and.. His usual activities. She joins in on his child murders from time to time. Not as fun as killing monsters that are fully intending to end her life but snuffing another life is still somewhat satisfying, nevertheless. And hey, fun bonding activity, right?

She also does the same as she did in the void, making a bunch of art and stuff. But this time, she actually has someone she can show it to! Speaking of the cat, they do typical lover activities time to time. Dates, and stuff. Doing things together. Fun!

Both of them had their fair share of isolation for a long period of time and needless to say, their 'eternities' are much more lively and worth living through with a like-minded being by their side.

She also.. has a little fun with the contestants before they enter the worst period of their life..

(This part is totally not because of recent events) After spending 350 years with Pocketcat, she picked up some of his mannerisms to her misfortune. Her hand feels like it should be doing something within conversation, so her subconscious makes her jack off a ghost dick. She's gonna have a fun time with talking to people.

...

Now we're at the festival, one meant to end all festivals! And boy it'll end more than just festivals, alright! Hehe.

At the end of this festival, she has one plan.

And that is to finally rest.

She will not be returning from this trip.

...

So, some stuff were left vague because. well. yeah. I don't fully expect to write this into actual fanfiction, but no worries, I'll reveal the gist of what happens at some point. Whether I actually can find it in me to write it out or just make a post about what happens, we shall see.

Extra stuff to mention:

This is basically her. In every universe she visits.

You can check out the '#unnamed OC core' tag to see. More of her vibes.

I also got a playlist.. of her..

(Also, since this is a self insert about half of the traits mentioned are. me. so. yeah. I should try getting diagnosed for something but idk man I can't find shit)

Got any questions! Feel free to ask anything!! >:3 Hell, I'll even answer in character for fun.

[mystery-moose]

BOOKS

Sometimes I read books! This time I read Dan Chaon’s Ill Will.

This was a real fucked up piece of work! (affectionate)

Okay, maybe not entirely affectionate. This is a hard one to read, not in terms of prose or structure (the nonlinearity and unconventional scene transitions and typographical tricks are actually a lot of fun for me!) but because of raw content. I haven’t read something this fucked up since I was going through Berserk and that should REALLY fuckin’ tell you something about the sorts of content I’m talking about.

I’ll say it’s never quite as... lurid as Berserk got in its worst moments? Part of the consequence of being a prose novel and part of it is just what the writer chooses to describe or focus on and for how long. But it is just about every upsetting thing or taboo subject that can come up will come up, and eventually it just got to be sort of... numb? Like at first it hits you REALLY hard but as you go on you’re just like “yeah, of course, sure. What the fuck else could happen to this family?” And it stops feeling upsettingly real and starts feeling like... well like reading a fiction. Which it is, so this wasn’t actually a problem! It never crosses over into being cartoonish or contrived, really, it just... I dunno! People can get used to a lot, I guess, and I got used to horrific shit being discussed!

It’s largely a psychological thriller and a character study, and it succeeds wildly at both of those things, because I learned a ton about basically every major named character, and felt absolutely propelled to keep reading by around the halfway point. It uses multiple perspectives, nonliinear storytelling, and a few weird tricks that feel pulled from Danielewski to great effect. Chaon really knows how to pace out his reveals, explore his characters and their lives and the events that shaped them, and how to fuck with your head and make you fall into the same traps as he’s writing about -- seeing patterns that don’t exist, making connections between unrelated events, and feeling paranoid when nothing is out to get you.

But he also builds such a thick atmosphere of suspense, dread, and the uncanny that you’re never quite sure where the story is going to go or how it’s going to land! UIntil about the three-quarter mark, anyway. Then you kind know who done it, or who’s gonna do it, or who’s been at it the whole time, or whatever. The trick then is how it all shakes out, and in trying to decide whether or not you can really trust that you know... what you know.

Some examples: numerous characters feel a looming sense of dread or unease, as if doom approaches. Multiple people feel as though they are being watched, or that someone is right behind them. Several describe a kind of “presence,” a malevolence, an idea of evil that is outside of traditional reality. These are all vague feelings, never concrete, never quite enough to make them or you believe in anything supernatural occurring.

But then why does it seem that multiple people echo each other across time and space? Why does one person see someone and call out their name, and then days, weeks, months later, someone hears it in the same place? Why do two different people, decades apart, who’ve never spoken and have very different knowledge of events, imagine the same two robed figures? Why does Guland represent drowning?

We don’t know. We’ll never know. We see dots, and we connect them. The individual stars in a constellation are separated by hundreds or thousands of light years. They exist totally apart from each other.

But what if they are connected?

What’s worse: suffering that is random, disconnected, dispassionate, and fundamentally meaningless? Or a perfectly designed cruelty, a work of malevolent clockwork?

In summary: killer pacing, sick use of typography, wish it had ended stronger, gonna have weird dreams tonight, four outta five I enjoyed feeling bad!

[decodedlvr]

“King Steve” doesn’t exist |PT 2. | Steve Harrington x Eddie Munson (steddie mini series)

Summary: Steve Harringtons deepest secret gets revealed, but will the freak accept him? Will he runaway from him like everyone else? Does size really matter?

Word count: idk this is pt.2

Pt. 1 is here | pt.3 |

Warnings: slight homophobia, angst, smut, blowjobs, good fluff, coming out, Panic attacks, slight bullying, body insecurities, f-slur

Steve feels like he can’t even see he’s still breathing and running in panic mode. Going anywhere outta the school people aren’t he bumps into—

“Fuck, fuck I’m sorry I’m sorry”—

“Hey, hey Steve.. hey it’s okay hey—

He bumps into Eddie in the woods at the ole famous smoke bench. He didn’t even know he made it that far outta the school until Eddie’s smacking him on the face to calm down—

“Ow fuck!” Steve screeches

“Im sorry.. I know I just- I didn’t know how else to get you to breath and— Harrington are you alright man?” Eddie asks laced with concern

Steve’s still breathing hard but he’s at least aware he’s not around those assholes in the locker room anymore. He makes his way over to the bench; elbows on knees, hands on face

“..Fuck I guess, I don’t know”

Eddie and Steve are good friends. Obviously they are, having a whole friend group and the whole upside down thing. It’s not like they hate each other. So Eddie knows he doesn’t exactly have to be ready to engage in a fight when it comes to Steve the hair.

Eddie being clueless, wanting to help but also not wanting to push Steve he sits beside him rubbing his shoulder

“Hey, talk to me man.. please tell me you didn’t see any weird monster shit, I don’t know if I—

“No.” Steve says bluntly

“Alright…” he lights a cigarette takin a hit and offering to Steve; he obliges immediately too stressed to care about the gross habit

The silence is making Eddie anxious now. “Hey uh, I won’t push just know that you can talk to m—

“—God those fucking assholes, i don’t know why the fuck I hangout with them.” Steve says interrupting & sighs

“Who?”

“Just everyone” Steve replies back

Eddie feels a pang but it goes away after Steve finishes his sentence

“King Steve, this king Steve that..always expecting me to do eveything and be everything everyone wants like; I’m sorry I’m not goddamn perfect!”

Eddie’s not sure what to say, he wants to say “I think you’re perfect” but he’s too vulnerable to scare off right now.

“What do you think?” Steve asks

“Me?”

“Yeah..?”

“About what?” Eddie asks puzzled

“Like how do you just..not be how-fuck..I don’t know what I’m saying man fuckin—“

Steve’s speed talking and now heaving again

It’s starting to make Eddie panic.

Eddie’s heard from a friend that kissing someone whilst or before they fall into a panic can trigger and shock them out of it. He doesn’t know if he’s even close enough to Steve to be able to do that without getting kicking in the throat, feared being called a fag. Wouldn’t be the first.

He’s trying to listen to every word Steve is saying the best he can—while going 30mph per second.

Soothingly rubbing his back showing he’s listening, he makes out the words “Hargrove”, “embarrassing and “pantsed”? —

“—does size really fuckin matter to people now a days? Jesus I can’t go anywhere without being expected to even—

Eddie kisses Steve anyway.

Eddie’s hands on Steve’s face basically squeezing them together he lets go with a pop; both wide eyed at each other—

“I’m sorry.. shit!.. I’m sorry. I just heard that you can calm someone from a panic attack from kissing them and I know you literally just had one, and I know how it feels it sucks please don’t hit me—“ Eddie says even faster than Steve was talking a minute ago; now panicking because the freak just kissed the king. The ex douchbag Steve.

“Why would I hit you Eddie?”

“Oh.. i dunno, sorry trauma response I guess.” he laughs in a relief breath

“Thank you.” Steve sighs

“I didn’t do anything”

“You did..you-you’re just you unapologetically i- just, you have every right to judge me I’m sure I was no better to you in the past..” Steve says guiltily with his head down

“Hey, it’s the past and we’re pals now right? Eddie peaks over at him

Steve looks into Eddie’s sincere eyes and nods.

“We’ve killed the literal devil together, pretty boy. we got the scars to pay for it so it’s all good.” he smiles

Not the nickname anything but the nickname Steve screams in his head.

“But I’m gonna be honest with you Steve— you were kinda rapping along about what happened earlier with ya.. would ya maybe like to tell me again but slower maybe?”

Steve gulps and looks away remembering not only what happen but he may have to explain why he had to run.

“You don’t have to right now, but you know me as the freak I have no room to judge.” he says chuckling—

“You’re not a freak Eddie”

“Steve it’s okay I’ve had this name my whole life, I’m so numb to it now—“

“You’re not! I am” Steve shouts

Eddie blinks stunned but confused at his words

“Why would you be a freak Steve? Cmon tell me what happen”

Steve sighs heavily and shakey.

“God-it’s so fucking stupid honestly” Steve replies

Eddie, now sitting in front of Steve letting him know silently to take all the time he needed to explain.

Steve explains the scene in detail of what happened in the boys locker room, but not realizing he may have stated why he ran and how he started a secret bet with all the girls he’s been with to keep his ‘king Steve’ secret. The secret about his small dick.

Eddie’s kinda just speechless

“Oh! Jesus please say something— Steve can only hear Eddie’s breathing

“I’m thinking” is all Eddie says

“Oh god, fuck it’s bad I knew it!” Steve looked like he was gonna start panicking again

“No no hold on now ok?”Eddie says as he puts his hand on Steve knee to keep him from running off again

“You’re telling me all the times you were with some chick, you basically never came once? Just hid your dick because you don’t have a horse cock everyone thinks you do?” Eddie asks bluntly but no judgment in his voice

“Yes.” Steve whispers

“Tommy’s a dick so is Billy, wait; you meantioned Billy calling you a pretty boy got you hard? When does Billy ever say that? he snorts

Hell the only person I’ve ever heard say.. that is..

Now coming to the realization, Eddie’s eyes slowly trail up to Steve’s and Steve’s to Eddie’s..

“Wait—“

Steve hadn’t fucking left the part out about Eddies tease name being part of the issue. Perfect.

“Oh shit- I didn’t”—Steve starts

“I call you pretty boy, Harrington.. I thought you were..??

Reminder Eddie’s hand is still on Steve’s knee. But his thumb his now rubbing in circles

Steve feels like he’s choking. What is happening he thinks.

“I’m sorry I-uh”-

“Steve I’m not gonna judge you, you know that, right?”

“Ok”

“Can I ask you something without you freaking out on me again Harrington?”

“Ok…” Steve says in a lower whisper; now avoiding Eddie’s eyes

“Do you like when I call you a pretty boy Steve?” He asks in a low tone

With the warmth of Eddie’s hand and that stupid fucking nickname, Steve’s cock kicked up like a board.

“I- um..”

“Hm..?” Eyes boring directly on steves face, Steve can feel himself on fire

“Yes” he says below a whisper also feeling like he could cry

From Eddie’s angle sitting in front of Steve on the bench, Eddie can see his boner in his gym shorts. Or what appears to be one? Steve did say his dick was smaller than normal but Eddie’s intrigued

“Why do you like when me specifically, Eddie the freak calls you that?”

There’s a pause that lasts so long you can hear laughs down the road to the school cafeteria.

“I don’t know” all Steve mumbles

“Do you like me Steve?”

Steve glances at Eddie for a split second to see if his face is teasing or asking

He doesn’t answer.

Eddie doesn’t need the answer. The silence gives it away

“I thought you were um, you know into girls Steve?” Eddie asks quizzingly

“I am..”

“Are ya sure?”

“No..”

“No?”

“I think I like both” Steve mumbles

“You think?”

Steve sighs. “Robin said it was called being bisexual. To like both men and women”

Eddie purses his lips and nods understandably

“I see.”

“..are..you?”

“Am I..what?”

“Bisexual?” Steve breathes out already tired from this conversation

“Oh, god no.” Steve feels a pang in his heart sharp as hell almost—

“I’m gay as shit”

“You’re gay??” Steve asks shocked

“You’re surprised ? Cmon when’s the last time you seen me even near set of tits hm?”

Steve thinks for a moment

“But- i-

“No bud I’m as gay as they come.” he says winking at Steve, making him flush

“Oh. Well uh, cool.”

“Yeah.”

Taking another cigarette out to smoke but also sharing with Steve; he changes positions now sitting uptop of the bench with him

“So, you’re gay” Steve says as a statement

“And, you’re gay” Eddie says back adding ‘half gay’ with a chuckle to lighten the mood

“Yeah..”

“And.. you kinda have a thing for me is that right?” Eddie asks

Steve glances into Eddie’s eyes for a second and nods slowly

“Well Harrington, I kinda have a thing for you too”

“Really?” Steve’s neck almost breaks double taking to Eddie’s response

Eddie kicks his head back at the reaction.

“Are you kidding me? Have you seen your ass in those shorts?”

Steve finally laughing; also hiding his face to blush

“Don’t worry your personality isn’t too bad neither.” he smiles genuinely as Eddie adds on

Steve smiles back feeling a million times better than before this started.

Reblogs appreciated :>

[whyispotatoheadalreadytaken]

Response to all the parts

So, I hope Walmart lady gets fired for that. That is not at all appropriate or professional. I’m surprised you didn’t just knock her fuckin lights out. I might have. Babies cry, especially as they grow up, and want more independence and autonomy.

Look, what you do sucks sometimes. You don’t suck. Let’s settle on that. I think I have stuck around for various people over time because I understand the circumstances. I get why it is scary and why people initially hold back or run from me. So, I patiently wait for people I love and care about. I’ve had to learn to balance that over time and have boundaries. Like, I can’t stop living my life by waiting, but I know there’s potential and that a person has the means to absolutely flourish if I help it grow. That is probably another reason I love gardening. It speaks to the soul of who I am as a person. The payoff of encouragement and growth is always so rewarding. It’s what I used to tell Zoë when she would ask me the same question when we were in college. I just knew (probably because the circumstances are eerily similar and always have been) that she would be unstoppable the minute she accepted herself for who she is. And she is now more than she’s ever been. Getting to watch that happen in real time was kind of incredible. So, that’s why I stick around. Gotta watch all of my hard work pay off.

Glad that your family seems to be doing well at the moment. I hope it stays that way for a little while. We’ll see how that stands in a month. I wonder what her reaction would be if you were to talk to her about it, though. Yo, Sly is so big!!!! I about died when you posted that picture of him. When did he get so tall???? I found a picture of him as a baby on my hard drive at the beginning of the year. I had no idea it existed, and that was a hard find. Somehow not nearly as hard as stumbling upon a video of you, me, and tabby in the back of your mom’s van on our way to Lexington. That was when we went to Hurst’s for your band stuff? Maybe? If I’m remembering correctly. That was hard. We were all so tiny. Especially Tabby. The hardest part about your tweet about sharing the Christmas story with your kids wasn't even that you told them that you weren't friends anymore. It was that Tabby liked the tweet. I'd be lying if I said that seeing that didn't make me tear up. And then all that was somehow not as hard as stumbling onto that phone recording. It had been so long since I had heard your voice. I was a hot mess. I was just trying to organize the contents and was not going out of my way to dig stuff up except for trying to find something from you in those specific folders. Jessica getting married, haha; why does that thought make me laugh? I dunno. It feels weird, I guess. She’s not been married for so long now that it feels weird to imagine her married, if that makes sense. It does make me sad to hear that story about Aiden, though, because I remember when you told us that his favorite character from Star Wars was Finn. I remember saying out loud, “Wow, that’ll be cool while that lasts.” Something along those lines. And I guess it didn’t last that long. I feel Faith and Colson. I feel like winter gets harder and harder as I get older. I’m not sure why that is, or maybe I just miss gardening so much when it’s gone. That was something I didn’t have to miss a few years back. We are thinking about going to Hawaii again at the end of February. It’s the cheapest time to go, and our mental health could use some nice weather and a break. I’m glad that Tabby is doing well compared to where she was. I’m proud of her too and sad that I can’t see it or even say that to her.

Um, so I knew the Sydney thing was bad…but I didn’t realize it was that bad. Yeah, you gotta cut that loose. Seriously. That’s a different level of emotional manipulation and codependency. She kinda sounds a little borderliney. It’s the repeated, intense self-harm bit that gives me that indication. She needs to find herself a DBT therapist. Tis very effective for individuals who struggle with emotional regulation (hello, I love DBT!!!) but especially for individuals who have borderline. Though this makes me sad that you aren’t going to Nashville anymore. Was gonna be nice knowing we were both there. But yeah, that’s a relationship past the point of unhealthy. Establishing healthy boundaries with her would be hard if she isn't already working on those skills with a trained professional who can also help her process the intense emotions that come with that. That really sucks for her, though, if I can humanize that experience. Emotion regulation is hard enough already, but it is one hundred times harder for people who have borderline. So, I have an enormous amount of empathy for her situation, but there also needs accountability. She needs to get better, and she can if she follows through.

[nat-20s]

 Part 8 of the wonderful! Au: the boys answer some questions! Up to you to decide if they actually clarify anything!

(also on AO3)

~*~

Martin: Hey everyone! I know what some of you are thinking right now: it's not Tuesday, why is this episode in my feed? I know significantly more of you are thinking: I don't consistently keep up with podcast releases, how much free time do you think I have, buddy? To answer your queries: this is a bonus episode! We're answering listener questions to clear the air and/or have fun. Also, I don't know, around 20 to 40 minutes a week, as that is the average amount of time per episode? Maybe during your commute? My husband's omnipotence has been gone for five years, we just have to guess at that sort of thing now.

Jon: For legal reasons, that last statement was a joke. In fact, to cover all of our bases, we do not guarantee that any of our responses are genuine.

Martin: Just because we say we'll answer things doesn't mean we'll answer truthfully. Though, honestly, I think we might make it more enjoyable if we do tell the truth. Like, I don't necessarily have a fun lie prepared for our first question from konspiracyking97: "What's their fuckin deal anyway?"

Jon: Is this referring to the oblique references  we've made about being from a parallel reality and only ending up here as a consequence of ending one apocalypse and potentially starting another or the general premise of the show?

Martin: Oh, it's gotta be general premise, yeah?

Jon: In that case, I'm Jon, the other voice you're hearing is Martin, we're married, and we talk about things that are..nice? Good? Usually generally but occasionally rather specifically pleasant.

Martin: That pretty much covers it. It's not a complicated show. Uhh, next question comes from Shane: are either or both of you aliens? Nope!

Jon: Well..

Martin: No. We are 100% human people from Earth, we are under no definition extraterrestrial.

Jon: Eh..

Martin: Okay, first off, I know the tone of that 'eh' and "not fully human" is not synonymous with alien, so even if 100% is being a bit generous, we're still from the same planet as our listeners.

Jon:..

Jon: But. We sort of aren't though. Technically speaking.

Martin: No no no no no. I don't care if it's parallel, Earth is Earth is Earth, regardless of whatever nonsense metaphysics might be occurring.

Jon: So what you're saying is that if you got sucked through a portal and landed on an Earth where dinosaurs were still the predominant species, you wouldn't consider yourself to be an alien?

Martin: Nope!

Jon: I'm certain that they would consider you an alien. All of their mammals are probably shrew sized.

Martin: Sounds like a them problem.

Jon: Sounds like a-?! You know what, no, this will be an off the record debate, for now, I suppose I concede that the two Earths and our physiologies are similar enough that we might, maybe, not count as aliens.

Martin: Thank you. Anyway, our next question is from anonymous, and asks, "Is all of this an ARG?"

Jon: A whomst?

Martin: Alternate reality game. It's a method of storytelling that's interactive with audience, and usually has, I dunno, a certain suspension of disbelief to it where it pretends to be something actually happening in the real world until a dramatic reveal. A lot times it was used as a marketing gimmick, but others have done it just for fun. I can show you some examples after the show?

Jon: So it's in essence a more involved creepypasta?

Martin, delighted: Aw, babe, I'm never going to have a handle on what pop culture you are and aren't aware of, huh?

Jon: We were born within a year of each other, and I've told you that I was a deeply morbid teenager, you should probably be able to intuit some of things, love.

Martin: This coming from a man who has yet to see "It's a Wonderful Life", but has seen every film in the "Banjo Cannibals" franchise, including the Easter special. Jesus doesn't exist in the Banjo Cannibals universe, why does it have an Easter special?

Jon: The movies are rather shoddily translated from Russian, so I'm fairly certain the Easter component of that special was invented wholesale in the English version.

Martin: You say that like it answers more questions than it raises.

Jon: Yes, because it does. Oh, and to answer anonymous's question, no, this isn't an ARG. From my understanding of it, if it were, it'd be a poorly constructed one, as there's no real game element to any of this.

Martin: Hmm. Well, sometimes the game component is just trying to figure out what's going on with the story, or if there's any deeper content, and people are definitely doing that with this show.

Jon: That's not by design though. It's more a side effect of us having poor brain to mouth filters, I'd say.

Martin: Harsh, but fair. Oh, this next one is from Zac, no K, who asks, "Are you two actually even married?"

Jon, flat: We are, but it's under false names because this whole thing is an elaborate insurance scam.

Jon, incredulous: Yes, obviously, we're married. What did you hear in this podcast that would make you wonder otherwise, and how do we rectify it?

Martin: Clearly we need to up our quota for how "disgustingly in love" and "horrifically sappy" we are per episode. Which segues nicely into the next question from Gwen, "What's your favourite wonderful thing you've brought so far?" My answer: my husband. He's kind of my favourite in most things, you know?

Jon: Boooooo

Martin: Why, what's your favourite thing?

[Jon reluctantly sighs]

Jon, indulgent: being married.

Martin: A: serves you right for trying to pretend you're the less horrifically sappy and romantic one even though earlier today someone put a love note in the lunch they packed for me-

Jon:- Lies and slander! I have never, in my life, done that, even once.

Martin: Oh, sure, not even once. And you definitely don't reserve the lilac sticky notes specifically for my lunches because you know I like the colour. 

Jon: I..I don't.. you're rather ruining my image here.

[Martin snorts]

Martin: Can't have the audience think that you are, on occasion, an incredibly doting husband-

Jon: -A title I would argue we both share-

Martin: - which is obviously why, even with it being your favourite thing you've brought, being married to me is just a small wonder-

Jon, audibly rolling his eyes: As I already explained-

[A Pause}

Jon: Actually, you're right-

Martin: Wait-

Jon:- I really should have brought it as a larger wonder-

Martin: Wait-

Jon: though I should warn you, I think I'd have far too much material for just one little segment-

Martin: No no no no no-

Jon:- In fact, I think I might have too much material for just one little episode-

Martin: Joo-oon-

Jon: I might have to do a whole series! Where would I even start? I mean I could talk about how every day I get to watch the early morning sun highlight your curls when I get up first, or hear you quietly humming and shuffling around the kitchen when you do, or I could talk about how the lunch notes only started in the first place as retaliation to the notes you would leave on the mirror for me to find, or how every time I get to see you at ease in a way that you aren't with anyone else, it takes my breath away, or I could talk about how cute I find the lines between your eyebrows that you only get when you're thinking something petty, but you know it's petty so you don't want to say anything-

Martin: Okay, okay, Christ, I give !up I surrender, and will cease my teasing on this particular topic.

Jon, probably making the :3 face: You don't have to stop. I mean, I could also discuss how very, very attractive I find your voice when it takes on a teasi-mmph!

[There's a pleased hum, then a pause.]

[The audio quality is slightly changed, as if the recording has been stopped and then started later]

Martin, giddy: Uh, heh, anyway, Eric asked what the least favourite thing we've brought was, and because of Jon's attempt to embarrass me live-

Jon, overlapping: It's definitely not live-

Martin:- on air, I'm gonna say it's my husband.

[Jon scoffs]

Jon : If the past few minutes are any sort of indication, I'm going to go ahead and saying that you are lying.

Martin, sighing contentedly: Maybe a bit, but how was I supposed to resist when your indigance gives you that adorable little nose scrunch? In reality, my least favourite thing was probably, um, mini golf? Which, I still don't think is inherently bad, definitely superior to regular golf, but when it's the only thing a next door two year old wants to do with you, the charm begins to wear off a bit.

Jon: Wow. A rather scathing review of a toddler.

Martin: Not so much a scathing review of a toddler as it's a scathing review of minigolf's inability to keep its appeal after the third time in the same week.

Jon: Mmm, the sound effects rather quickly go from part of the atmosphere to part of the irritation, don't they?

Martin: So what's your least favorite thing we've covered here?

Jon: Oh, love, I'm not going to pretend to have nearly enough memory of what we've covered so far to have a least favorite.

Martin: Really? Nothing that you regret or rescind?

Jon: Well, regret, certainly. It was one of the weeks where you went first, and your second item was mutual aid funds, and what they can do for marginalized communities, and I had to follow it with fucking Slapchop.

Martin, poorly suppressing laughter: In your defence, Slapchop, or whatever offbrand we have, is pretty useful, especially when either your scar or my arthritis is acting up.

Jon: I'm still not convinced you didn't somehow see my notes for the recording and decided you get revenge for the first year that we knew each other.

Martin, no longer suppressing his laughter: Yep, you got me! This marriage wasn't an act of insurance fraud, but it was a near decade long con to humiliate you on a podcast that about twenty people listen to. I'll draft up the divorce papers immediately, and then we can finally go our separate ways. 

Jon: I'm glad you've at last admitted it. Such a weight off of my shoulders. Goodbye forever then.

Martin: Right.

Jon: Right.

[A beat.]

[There's a pfft from one of them, before both dissolve into giggles that lasts a good 30 seconds.]

Martin, slightly out of breath: I can't believe we're the kind of people that talk this much about speciality kitchen gadgets.

Jon: Sorry about that.

Martin: God, don't apologize. I'm, like, deliriously happy with our varying degrees of useful cooking ware filled life. If you had told 25 year old me that one day he'd be debating the merits of getting a tortilla press with his husband, he'd have wept, I tell you.

Jon: Funny, if you told 25 year old me the same thing, he would've said "You don't know the future,piss off" and then quietly have a bit of a panic at 3 am that night.

Martin: I bet you were insufferable in your mid-twenties.

Jon: First of all, who isn't, secondly, I was fresh out of Oxford, and third, I was insufferable in my late twenties, as you can attest to, and I'm insufferable now, as you can further attest to, so extrapolation would indicate that, yes, I was insufferable back then.

Martin: Probably a different kind of insufferable, though.

Jon: There are different kinds?

Martin: Of course! You used to be "prick boss" insufferable and now you're "smug in a way that I can't admit I find hot or it will go straight to your head" insufferable.

Jon, in the aforementioned smug tone: Oh, really?

Martin: See, see! Straight to your head.

Jon: Well straight is probably the wrong descriptor-

Martin: Oof, 4 out of 10 joke, babe.

Jon: That would be a far more convincing rating if you weren't grinning right now.

Martin: It's a genuine review, I'm just well known to be a sucker.

Jon: You and me both, darling.

Martin: Okay, if you're pulling out darling, you're clearly in too giddy of a mood to be focused on recording. Last question, from Jess, "You two mentioned meeting at work, but how did you actually end up together?" That's easy, Jon pulled me out of a hell dimension and then we went on the lam together to Scotland.

Jon: If that's not the way to tell a cute boy you like him, I don't know what is.

Martin: All right, that wraps up this bonus episode, and as the old saying goes, hiding from murderers in a cottage is more conducive to romance than suggesting you gouge out your eyes together.

Jon, cut off: Hey-!

[fierceawakening]

Yep, any religion can be authoritarian and abusive, but my steelman of cultural Christianity discourse is that different faiths are authoritarian in different ways, and that growing up in a Christian-dominated culture can shape your assumptions of how other religions operate even if you're not Christian. For example, many Christian denominations heavily emphasize proper belief as the factor that determines whether you're eternally saved or eternally damned. And yeah that flavor of spiritual abuse shows up in some other religions (the main one I can think of being Islam), but many religions, say, place more emphasis on properly following customs, and/or lack a doctrine of heaven and hell. But yeah I agree that not all Christianity is dogmatic or toxic, and that "cultural Christianity" has been overapplied to the point where it's no longer useful (compare phrases such as "emotional labor" and "cultural appropriation").

Yup. Like the usual “why Christianity is Just Fuckin Baaaad But Judaism Isn’t” is orthodoxy vs orthopraxy.

Maybe that’s right! But as an outsider looking in, I’m not sure I want people judging me for disobeying rules that don’t make sense any more than I want them judging me for disbelieving things that don’t make sense?

Like, the whole reason I have trouble faithing seems to me to likely make lawkeeping just as hard for me. And that is: if it doesn’t make sense, is it the right rule? Why did we decide on this rule rather than that one?

Which are very similar to the questions that led me to atheism. Maybe I only think that because I am culturally Christian, but i’m not convinced of that.

I once asked an exChristian who converted to Judaism “why do you keep the Law? A lot of it sounds silly, so help me understand what’s compelling for you about it.”

And her reply was “I dunno, because we do?”

Which leads me to think there is a thing many religious people do that many atheists don’t: namely, whether it’s belief in deities or commitment to tradition, there’s something You Just Do(tm).

Where atheists from what I see around me and what I have experienced tend to have the kind of mind (perhaps the kind of neurodivegence?) where the part of ourselves that asks why doesn’t shut off.

Where like, there are indeed a lot of things that I do without thinking, like brush my teeth, but the reason isn’t “I just do” it’s “I don’t want my teeth to rot” or “I don’t want other people to think I smell weird.”

And I feel like a lot of people who say atheists’ problem is faith alone don’t really get that we don’t understand WHY that orthopraxy is meaningful to you any more than we understand WHY that orthodoxy is meaningful to Mom, or whatever.

“Ortho” to us isn’t “doing the proper thing” it’s “being correct.” The existence of a god seems unlikely. So does the idea that it’s any kind of worthiness marker whether you follow laws written in an ancient book. So we want to know why those things matter, and when we get “that’s personal to me” that’s fine, but it’s no less weird than when Christians say it. Not to me at least.

So when you say “I’m an atheist Jew,” I ??? at that because my immediate thought is “don’t the irrelevant ones drive you batshit every time you open the book though?”

To me the fact that they’re ancient is Fascinating, but not an indication they’re Worth Following.

I love the ambiance and air of the Greek Orthodox church when I go (unlike my very Faithy mom who thinks it’s hidebound and weird) but I can’t take it seriously because just because those chants are old doesn’t make them useful.

[womanlives]

THESE BRAIN BUGS REALLY KNOW HOW TO FUCK UP A PERFECTLY NICE MOMENT. One second Mercy’s trying her best to illicit a laugh; the next she’s in the middle of a city on fire. The whiplash is excruciating as two traumas erupt simultaneously and collide. Panic, fear — hers, and yet not hers at the same time — family? Then someone’s boot crashes down on her skull and the vision splits in two. Her mind reels. In front of her, Bethany winces and folds in two.

“Waukeen’s — tits.” It comes out as a strangled gasp. Mercy? Not being able to curse? Truly, a horrifying first. She does her best to be cavalier, trying to summon up a nonchalant little laugh with a wave of her hand. This? Oh, happens all the time! But the fear’s still there. It’s transformed, see, and it’s growing ever stronger.

First fear, worst fear: what will you do, little girl, if Bethany sees? She shies away from the answer, and her tadpole takes full advantage. The connection’s still closing, see; there’s still a crack.

In the wake of the stampede, the dust rises. It takes the shape of a wizened, bony man with the longest fingers you ever did see. He has a kind face, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s got you by the throat. You’re small; those long fingers wrap all the way ‘round and squeeze. What did you see, Girl? The press of a blade against the flat of your starving stomach. What did you see?

Reality crashes back with an audible snap. And with it, a revelation. Mercy’d been lackadaisical about the threat of the tadpole before — if it wanted to flay her skin from mind, it would have gotten on with it, already — but not anymore. A whisper, from somewhere long-forgotten in the dark: our secrets die with us.

Redirect; cover. Pretend, pretend, pretend. Mercy finds the end of Bethany’s sentence and clings to it like a drowning man to a piece of driftwood. “Baldur’s Gate?” Gods be damned. Of course it’s Baldur’s fuckin’ Gate. “Oh. Well. It’s a nice enough city — ” lie “ — and I’m sure your uncle’ll be more than happy to take you in — ” lie “ — and who knows? Maybe you’re right. Maybe we will meet ‘em somewhere along the way.”

Lie, lie, lie.

Mercy rubs at her forehead. Searching for anyone?

“Yeah,” she says, and it’s so depressingly easy to keep the wheels turning. She grins at Bethany, then lifts a hand to hover about a foot or so above her head. “Someone tall. Brooding, but with a sense of humor. Buff, so they can carry our shit. Patient, kind, yada yada, but most importantly: rich. Really fuckin’ rich. I mean, buy a godsdamned town-level rich.” Money is power. Money will always be power. She wiggles her eyebrows. “Thoughtful — the sort that gets you presents, and not just when they’ve fucked up. With dimples, maybe. Should I add dimples to the list? Or am I setting my standards too high?”

A faux pout. Then she shrugs, and brightens.

“Whatever. We’re probably better off looking for your people. Since, y’know. They actually exist.” Mercy nudges Bethany’s side with a wink. There’s a moment of silence as she looks back down at her pack. This isn’t what she’d intended it for, but — fuck it. She reaches in and pulls out a small, beautifully ornate box. Unlike a lot of shit she carries around, this has been treated with obvious care: cleaned, polished, loved. It’s a music box — the very same as the one that’d been nestled behind the goblin trader in their camp. Now it’s clear why Mercy’d started that game of ‘spin the bottle’ with all those drunk goblins a few days prior.

“Here.” She passes it to Bethany. “Kinda outta tune, but.” A shrug, albeit a sheepish one. “I dunno. Struck me as odd, to see such a pretty little thing in that camp. Survived the burning of Waukeen’s Rest just like you survived the shitshow that was — whatever that was. So.”

She scratches her cheek. There’s a week-old cut that’s healing, and it’s starting to itch something awful.

“Maybe before we head out, we check back in with the druids, yeah? They got powerful magic. Maybe one of ‘em can do that thing where they look from afar. Scrying, yeah?” A small crack in the façade: this isn’t common magic. At least, not to the average thief. That she knows about it all speaks to powerful friends — and, perhaps more truthful, powerful enemies.

The good old 'infinitely disarming' trick. Always a fun gag. Bethany had seen something similar once from her friend Isabela when she had taken her out to The Bent Helm. The amount of knives that 'bela could conceal on her person was inspirational, quite frankly.

But Mercy's joke nor the nostalgia of memory are quite enough to pull her mind completely back from that clouded feeling of being so utterly and unpleasantly adrift that hangs in her skull like an unseen weight. The companionship of those she's met who all share a tadpole'd fate is nice, bonds of circumstance strengthening with each new battle and twist in the road both literal and metaphorical, but the absence of her twin -- of all her family -- is like a cold shard in her innards every time she thinks about it.

Solution: Try not to think about it. Which has even worked some of the time, but it fails her now.

An odd throb in her temple is provoked by Mercy's question, a sensation that has been growing uncomfortably more familiar of late. The tadpole wriggles in her skull as if tapdancing upon her misery, and unbidden it searches for connection with Mercy's as the last memory Bethany has of Carver begins to unravel and threads between them.

Screaming in the streets. Fire. The smell of sulphur and death. Pained cries. A crowd surging in every direction all at once, chaotically. A brief glimpse of Carver and mother Leandra as bodies part then slam together again as people attempt to flee, making a wall separating them. Her own scream, drowned out in the cacophony. Slipping on blood-slicked streets. Almost being trampled to death by a stampede and barely making it out intact.

"Shit. Sorry. I didn't mean to do that. I don't know HOW the worm did that. Fuck." An innocent question, no doubt conversationally meant, didn't warrant a front row to a horrific snapshot of the descent. Bethany's issues and pain are her own and should not be inflicted on others. "Sorry," She repeats. "But that's the last I saw of them. If we got separated and made it out alive we were to meet in Baldur's Gate, I have an uncle there. Who knows, maybe we'll even meet them on the way." There's a forced inflection of hope in her voice, mustering a force of positivity that she doesn't fully feel.

"What about you, you searching for anyone?"

[giotanner]

Art Theft and Bullying in The Old Guard Fandom

Hey TOG fandom! Do you know that stealing art is a crime? Do you have a problem with bullying (“because that poc muslim artist deserves!11!” based on a random tumblr post) within Discord servers? You do?... then read on.

Please grab some cookies and tea (and get comfortable!) and read on. This is a SERIOUS matter that I, as an outsider, was able to see WITHOUT being influenced by anyone else. I am not friends with any of the people involved here, although after these events I have empathy towards them.

I’m telling you this so you won’t be able to say to me "you are allied with/you are influenced by"... That is not the case. I have facts and evidence, so please read! I will be talking about ART THEFT, BASHING, REPOSTING, AND DISGUSTING BULLYING BEHAVIOUR towards a person who is not even in the server. As a fellow fanartist I feel so bad because  “this artist deserves it” in their mind. 

(Now: apparently there is a part of the beautiful The Old Guard fandom that thinks: the characters and people’s headcanons are more important rather than an actual person's well-being, and with every new illustration by the artist, they are badly spoken of. Because… ugh, why not?)

I talked about facts, so here’s one:

If you joined this server (there are a couple servers with this name, please don't get mad at the wrong one - note the icon!)  The first thing you know is: karanoidandroid is a racist and a homophobe… in their opinion. People and also these mods think this because of some posts on tumblr by white people. AH.

Why? Hearsay, bimbi belli. If you go to this artist's page you won't find a single racist thing (the artist is literally a POC who is brown and a Muslim. How? - you may say- What? Ah yes, she must be under "white influence! 11 !! bad POC !!" and who says that? Ah right, a white person. Or another POC with a different experience.  wtf we have so many experiences, how can you say ‘you’re racist’ to a POC about this? Just because this artist’s preference is a different sex position, and no one is trying to force you to like it, eh!)

And from here on out... hatred. Terrible and personal hatred that has spread like wildfire. EVERYWHERE. Even people who know nothing about this fandom know that this artist is "racist and homophobic". Only.Because.Of.Hearsay.

So what did this artist do, you ask? She created a safe place on discord, away from tumblr. For people who like top!Joe. Don’t you like it? GOOD FOR YOU. That’s fantastic. We should as a fandom respect everyone's preference. This server was simply made so people could get away from tumblr and the drama and bullying. That’s it.

But did they leave this artist alone? No. The gossip had infected this fandom by now. It is now a "fact": this artist is x and y, you know. Because a couple people spread that, knowing nothing about the artist other than she was making a server they didn’t like.

Because THEY decided it. Because this artist decided not to fight and leave and you weren't satisfied with that.

Let’s BULLY a Muslim POC because we disagree with their views IN FANDOM! Because someone’s views on a CHARACTER are more important than an actual person, right? (According to sources who wished to remain anon, I know for sure the mod is white. A white mod is bullying and stealing the art of a brown Muslim woman because their views on FANDOM are different)

How? 

READ these screenshots. They were posted a couple days ago. EVERY FUCKIN’ TIME this artist posted an art… they bully her. (So yeah, it’s NOT the first time)

No source, no link, no name. It was posted by a Mod (in blue) and the point is: a rule of this group is “don’t steal art/don’t put art without source” BUT HEY- WE’RE MODS and this artist deserves it!11!!1!)   

This poc muslim artist didn’t insist on “top!joe only”. It’s just her preference, you know? I don’t care about people’s preferences. If you want to read more about how racial issues have somehow gotten involved in sexual position preferences, check out this post by +lgbtq poc with a degree in Medieval Islamic History x (note: his blog is gone (bullying again!) so the link is to a reblog)

“Where is the source?’ a person asks. They don’t want to put the source and THEY’RE THE MODS, they made that the R U L E.

But you already know, again only by hearsay: “the artist is homophobic and top!joe is full of bullshit”. (A mantra - but they’re NOT IN THE SERVER to know. It’s an assumption)  What bullshit? I dunno. I’ve been on tumblr for the past few months and I read everything, and what I read is just a preference, not racism. But they went to the artist saying “you can’t”. Just because they have a different opinion. A ‘woke opinion’ against a POC Muslim artist. Well.

You don’t like her preference? Again: BRAVO. Amen, that’s okay. But it’s not “end of story kiss kiss”.

If you steal and you put a drawing without source… it’s not a joke anymore, do you know this mods? Even if you don’t like the artist or agree with all of her opinions, THEFT IS THEFT. There’s no excuse for it, especially if their excuse is saying the artist ‘deserves’ it.

Discord community Guidelines:

#1 Do not organize, participate in, or encourage harassment of others.

#17 You may not share content that violates anyone's intellectual property or other rights. 

 Anyway the artist deserves their art to be stolen ONLY BECAUSE OF HEARSAY everyone knows that she is..? (chorus: racist and homophobic!) And this was decided by white people and is now being used to bully a POC Muslim.

BRAVI! Have a biscuit!

You’re bashing and bashing and bashing and bashing for MONTHS, so now you don’t know the truth, but only this…  because /this/ it’s common knowledge.

Stealing art and trying to say that's okay because they’ve decided that someone they don't know is racist doesn't change the fact they stole is disgusting. Then saying it’s just a joke? wow, the audacity. 

The point of all this is clear: Since I hate this person/I have this immeasurable hatred towards this artist from posts that other people have made about her THEN I am a mod so I can do it, I am allowed to steal her art, bash the artist and mock her in other comments and every time this person just… exists.

THESE ARE THE FACTS. I have so many screenshots. Thanks to some people I know within the discord. This is only ONE day. It has happened before. 

Why “that artist and linking her blog would break multiple server rules and make numerous people uncomfortable?” Ah, yes, c’mon you know… I know you know! (Chorus: Because the artist is racist and homophobic… even though they’ve never spoken to her, and are literally bullying a POC Muslim and refusing to source art)

Well, yeah, Without proof. Just “common knowledge and the same old “by hearsay” on tumblr. By ‘woke’ people and then it was shared by people like me or you if you don’t know the story.

And how did this story end? They stole the drawing. They put the stolen illustration in a group of TWO HUNDRED and SEVENTY PEOPLE and said  “oops, i did it again” and they refuse to link the source. It’s stealing. And it’s serious. It’s terrible because they are bashing this artist all the time. 

TO REITERATE

1.They STOLE an artist’s work and laughed about it, which is bullying and against their own rules. This has happened more than once with this artist. 

2. When they were called out, they bullied the person calling them out.

3. When they didn’t like that they were called out, THE PEOPLE (yellow and green) CALLING THEM OUT WERE KICKED OUT OF THE SERVER, despite art theft and bullying being against the server rules. Again, the rules that they made. 

Regardless of what you think of the artist, stealing art sets a dangerous precedent for future fandoms. If someone doesn’t like your opinion does that mean they can steal YOUR art/writing/creations? Because if you think it’s okay for this person’s art to be stolen because you don’t agree with them, that’s basically what you’re saying.  

They were cruel. And TOG doesn’t deserve this. I love this movie so much. I love this fandom. I love to make fanarts of Joe and Nicky. Joe is so sweet, full of love, a true warrior and Nicky isn’t an Italian dramaqueen, he isn’t naive, he is kind and a bravo sniper. Two imperfect men, but perfect for each other. A Muslim and a Christian, a white and a brown man. Together. Not stereotyped. Wow, thanks at least for that 2020.

and I hope we can do better, in future. 

[butwhatifidothis]

Can't STAND these bitches in the fandom whining about "Wah, Rhea didn't wanna let go of power, she endangered the students by never revealing the truth of anything to them" and then turn around and fuckin' GUSH about how ~brave~ and ~daring~ Edelgard is for ~standing up against Rhea~ by doing THE EXACT. SAME. SHIT.

Edelgard never told her allies about TWS and thus they were ill-prepared for them when the post-game war came about. You can tell that no one was prepared for the war because so fuckin' many endings Byleth has in CF has it say that their marriage with the person they get with was immediately followed by the war against TWS. The other characters were literally never told once about their existence and Edelgard expected everyone to throw themselves into this war she never told them would happen, after already finishing a war she'd already forced on them. Run it back guys! Edelgard's War That She Makes Everyone Go Through Without Their Prior Knowledge Or Consent Part 2: Electric Boogaloo!

Edelgard stripped every noble that stood against her of almost any power they had and only nobles that at that moment stood against her got that treatment. Counts Bergliez and Hevring were equally involved in the Insurrection of the Seven - that thing that revealed Vestra, Varley, and Aegir as "corrupt" in Edelgard and Hubert's eyes - but since they choose at that moment to stand by Edelgard they're suddenly not corrupt anymore - they "earned forgiveness". As long as they never go against Edelgard - i.e., threaten her hold on power - then they are cured of their supposed corruptness. How convenient for Edelgard, that that's how that works! Suddenly Bergliez and Hevring are totally good guys and all it took was them bending the knee to her, how lovely. Also, see Acheron.

Everyone expects Rhea to just fuckin' spill the beans of everything right away as if that exact thing didn't fuckin' lead to the near extinction of her race. As if humans knowing everything the Nabateans know didn't almost lead to the permanent ruination of all of Fodlan. And then they pull excuse after excuse after excuse out of their asses for why Edelgard was so much better for all the shitty things she did. They pin all the blame on Rhea for Edelgard's actions, because I guess Edelgard isn't a grown ass woman who's capable of making her own independent decisions. She can never be blamed for her actions, no, someone else is always at fault, but Rhea can and should be completely and solely responsible for the decisions she makes.

Nothing can influence her decisions. No outside force made her think her actions, morally questionable they can be, are the best course. Nah chief, it's her being just fuckin' evil that was the reason she did what she did. Rhea's bad for secrets, but not Edelgard! Even though her secrets involved hiding the existence of two incoming wars that she was planning on spearheading- that's fine! Rhea is bad for wanting to hand the reigns over to someone specifically, but Edelgard wanting a successor worthy of her bloody throne is something to be admired. Just look over the fact that this person almost certainly cannot be someone who came from the people, and that it's almost definitely someone deemed worthy by Edelgard, from the elite social circles, with connections to Edelgard and/or other powerful people, with the best tutors and the perfect environment, and an already surefire shot at success already. See, Rhea's means were more morally questionable, so that means Edelgard is squeaky clean!

Who cares that there is literally no fuckin' way the weak aren't gonna be fuckin' trampled under the boots of the stron- oopsy daisy, I meant "meritable". Who cares that the literal one person in BE that could even possibly be considered someone who defies this is someone who 1) admits herself that she had to "pull some noble strings" to have a chance at paying the fees - oh, yeah, because you know who thrives under a meritocracy? Bitches with no money, for sure!! - and 2) is the only BE to not be appointed general post ts. Who cares that the weak have gotten persecuted and exiled under Edelgard's reign if they believed in the wrong faith, and who cares if any faithful in Edelgard's Fodlan have to cope with the loss of a foundational support system of theirs - just be strong! Just be good! It's just that easy amiright guys

And like... look, I honestly wouldn't care about people raggin' Rhea so hard about what she's done if it existed in a vacuum. She's done some questionable shit! Shit that could very easily warrant disdain! But it's when it's coupled with the fact that I know these people will go on to praise Edelgard and love her despite her doing equally morally questionable actions that peeves me off so much. Edelgard deadass started a war that lasted five years! She starved her citizens to have more food for her men! Men of whom some of which are forced to be there! She uses meat shields in AM and VW just like Rhea does in CF! She lets her citizens be turned into Demonic Beasts for her to use as war assets! She hides shit that people oughta know just like Rhea does!

But people wanna ignore that, just like they ignore Rhea just having the Church fuckin' off away from Adrestia 120 years before the game even starts, and how Faerghus definitely has a unique view on religion that doesn't align that perfectly with the Seiros faith, and how the Eastern Church might as well don't real for all the power it has, and how it's Rhea and the Church that is dealing with all of the issues in the game and not, oh, I dunno, the nations the problems are set in (with the only possible reasonable exception being Faerghus, because of Edelgard's allies) - fuck all that I guess!

Rhea's power hungry and Edelgard "just NeEdS all that power guys!!" and Rhea's bad for holding secrets and Edelgard is FoRcEd to keep the literal cause of all of Fodlan's problems hidden from literally almost everyone and Rhea should be held solely accountable for every single one of her actions and Edelgard shouldn't because others MaDe hEr Do iT

[ssplague]

Chapter 0ne

“And so it begins”

Katsuki B. X Reader

Rated M

Warnings: Gaslighting, manipulation, power play, light degradation

The day before the two of you left for UA; Your best friend gave her word to your mother that she would always look after you. Now that the two of you are in your third year she’s officially FED UP with your attitude and childish antics. Mentioning her dilemma to your shared group of friends results in the most unlikely person offering to be her solution to the problem that is YOU.

A/N: The girl in the banner is NOT how the reader is “supposed” to look, it was just a drawing I did specifically for this. You look however you want to, I don’t really make any specific references to your appearance in this story.

🌅

Its Saturday morning; Ive been awake for about five minutes now, but I’m not ready to open my eyes and embrace the conscious world just yet. Hearing the door of my room unlock and open does the trick though. Only one person (other than myself of course) has a key to my dorm room.

“I made breakfast for the both of us, its your favorite” announces Euphie as she walks in, kicking the door shut behind her. I sit up, just as she’s pushing my black out curtains to the side I let out a hiss of disdain as sunlight immediately begins to permeate the room.

“Thank you Euphie” I say with a yawn.

She hands me a plate before settling down on my bed, acknowledging my thanks with a nod as we both tuck in.

“We have plans this afternoon, can you be ready by at least 12:30? No need to get super made up but at least out of your pajamas?” Euphies voice is gentle, but I catch the underlying “I’m not asking, but telling you” vibe she tries to hide.

“For sure”

She smiles at my seemingly agreeable mood so early in the morning and we easily segway into our standard start of the day discussions. “Are we um…Are we going to be busy all day? I….I kinda planned on going to hangout with-“ Euphie cuts me off as she picks up our plates: “No worries you’ll have plenty of time for that, I promise!” Giving me a wink before shutting my door.

She didn��t even know who I was referring to, or what I was going to say….

At 12:55 Euphie reappears to rush me out of my room.

“Hey I forgot my purse I-“

“Don’t need it”

“But my wallet is-“

“Not necessary”

Her tone is clipped, and she has a death grip on my wrist as she quite literally drags me down the hallway. Initially I was taken aback, not being used to receiving this type of treatment from her. My bearings have started returning along with growing frustration each time one of my questions are receiving one word answers, or met with a complete dismissal. Reaching my limit I fail to notice that she’d began to slow down, and I’m wrenching my wrist free of her grip at the exact same time she’d come to a stop.

“What in the fuck is your problem?! You told me that we had plans to go out this afternoon, and you’d treat me to whatever I want!

This-“ I’m interrupted again.

“I certainly wouldn’t do anything for a fuckin’ brat throwing a tantrum like this”

My eyes snap to the side where I see the irritated scowl of one Katsuki Bakugou, as he leans against his door frame glowering at me. Embarrassment further fuels my anger as I turn toward him, pointing an acusatory finger as I begin “No one fucking asked you, stay out of it Katsu-“.

Kirishima suddenly emerges from Bakugo’s room, giving Euphie an enthusastic greeting

“Hey there! You look nice, ready to head out?”. The red head is flashing his signature shark toothed grip at my best friend as he offers her his arm. “You know it” she giggles, taking hold of his muscular bicep. The two of them start to walk off, confused and furious I start to head after them, but a large hand grips my shoulder grounding me in place.

“Bakugo told me he wouldn’t mind keeping an eye on you while Kiri and I went out this afternoon, this way you’ll stay out of trouble and get to keep the plans you’d made with him, bye!” The closing elevator doors add a sudden finalization to her brief explanation.

“Plans?” Bakugo questions while uncermoniously yanking me backwards.

I stumble back, falling through the doorway and landing flat on my ass in front of the now closed door (Which he is standing in front of). Glaring up at him as he continues: “She must have me confused with the local brothel, because thats the only place I’d imagine wearing a skirt as short as that would be deemed appropriate”. His insult doesn’t deter his crimson eyes from roaming the length of my body, lingering on the aforementioned skirt. Getting to my feet, he walks around me and move towards his desk, taking a seat behind it.

“Oh fuck you Katsuki, you can be a real dick sometimes, I dunno what stupid Euphie told you about keeping and eye on me, but I dont need a fucking baby sitter! So ill be off now” with a huff you turn towards the door. “________, I’m not in the mood for bullshit today so just sit down and shut up” he growls, not turning to look at you. He always feels embarrassingly giddy when you adress him by his first name, thats why he insisted you call him by it. That in itself should be an indication of how he seems to favor you.

It makes him almost feel a bit guilty for using a harsh tone when he’d spoken to you. Despite how he treats others, Katsuki is hardly ever outright mean to you; He’s never even given you a derogatory nickname like he has for everyone else. Today’s an off day though…He’s just not used to running on little to no sleep. That paired with his already non existent level of patience makes for a blow up. Especially when YOU were the cause of his latest bout of insomnia….turning to look at you has his thoughts beginning to wander.

Those lips of yours flapping away as you berate him…

They sure would look a helluva lot better wrapped around his-

“-Not even fucking listening to me are you?!” You snarl, starting towards the door again. “I cant believe I woke up this morning wanting to hangout with YOU, guess I’ll change my plans and hangout with someone not so shitty to me…. Like Deku!” A loud crash comes from behind you. The now enraged man had stood up so abruptly, it sent his now vacated chair careening into the wall and toppling over.

“You really just cant help yourself can you?”

His voice is so eerily quiet as he turns to face you, something unidentifiable flashes in his rapidly darkening crimson orbs. You couldn’t exactly identify it, considering it disappeared as abruptly as it had originally came.

“Course you cant, I already know that”

A menacing smile appears on his face as he takes his first step toward you, immediately triggering your natural “Fight or flight” response.

“I know what you need”

He’s only an arms length away when you start to step back.

“You dont know shit”

You somehow summon the courage to speak, but are unable to summon any false bravado to keep you from betraying how unnerved he’s got you feeling as he takes another step.

“I know that your best friend cant stand what a spoiled fuckin’ brat you’ve become, I know she’s so fed up with your shit that she’s about to write you off completely”

The defiant expression you’d worn all this time finally starts to falter.

This marks the first time Katsuki has ever seen how you look when your confidence begins to ebb away, only to be replaced with a mixture of uncertainty and fear.

His sadistic side emerges with glee as your now saddened doe eyes meet his.

“You’re constantly disregarding everyone’s opinion of you unless it aligns with your own, but you dont even know what to think of yourself now that your faced with the possibility of being alone now…do you?

You remain silent, taking yet another step back as he continues speaking.

“You need someone who isn’t afraid to correct you, but they’ll have to of earned your respect….So when you inevitably step out of line, you wont put up a fight when you get put over their knee”

Your back hits the wall.

You swallow down the panic that slowly begun to rise from your chest up into your throat as you realize there is nowhere left for you to go.

“You desperately want to be a good girl, just dont know how to be one, huh princess?”

It’s so adorable the way your bottom lip juts out, but at the first quiver it quickly gets sucked between your teeth.

“That’s why you’re acting out right now isn’t it?

I bet you drench your cute little panties every time you get a rise out of me. Always hoping that its going to be the time I yank you the fuck up and put this brat in her goddamn place, hah?”

You shamelessly lean into the large hand thats now cupping your cheek, letting out a sigh as his thumb caresses your soft skin.

“Mhmmm”

It’s horrifying how easily you just admitted your most guarded secret! The triumphant smirk he sports makes it even harder to accept.

His tone is surprisingly gentle when he starts addressing you once again;

“I can do that for you baby….Let me be the one that finally brings the princess down on her knees”.

Your eyes are practically sparkling at the feel of a sudden pressure being applied to your throat. His calloused fingers squeezing the delicate skin of your neck, effectively making it harder and harder for you to breathe. The thrill of this foreign feeling is instantly addicting.

“Tell me if thats what you want: If its not then shake your head and we never speak of this again”

Bakugo has to at least give the illusion that you have a choice in the matter. Even though its more than obvious that you need want this just as much as he does.

“I want it, I want you” your words come out in a breathy whisper as he releases his hold on your throat.

“I wanna hear you say it princess, what do you want me to do with you”

“I want…no I NEED you to….t-to make me into your good girl please…”

He gestures for you to continue, his raised brow implying you must be forgetting something.

“Please make me into your good girl….Daddy”

The pleading expression and twinge of desperation in your voice stirs something deep inside Bakugo. It was something akin to the last vestiges of some ancient seal had disappeared: The monster that it had rendered dormant had finally roused from its slumber, intent on wreaking havoc.

“You do understand that you’re mine now right ________? Every part of your being belongs solely to me”

Gorgeous ruby eyes scrutinize your face carefully, searching for a single trace of fear, uncertainty, or possible apprehension. All they found was admiration and girlish excitement, and this earned you a genuine smile from the almost always scowling young man.

“Yes, every part of me belongs to you now Katsuki”

“Better get used to this then”

Before you could inquire what he was referring to, he was kissing you.

❤️‍🔥

A/N: So concludes chapter one

Oh god I hope this is well received.

Should I get a tag list together? Is it too soon? If anyone would be interested leave a comment. SMUT in the next chapter, we’re moving faster here because let’s be honest; Smut is what all of us want! 💦

[robinruns]

The Umbrella Academy Season 3 Episode 10

FUCK YOU REGGIE YOU FUCKING FUCK!!!

Luther and Klaus eating pizza in the afterlife is sorta sweet actually, but not the Klaus spinoff I was looking for lol

Klaus is right about pineapple on pizza

I knew someone would suspect Alison

Klaus and Luther in a bounce house bouncing off at the end of the scene in the bounce house was probably the best thing

What was the deal?!

He's gonna ring the bell goddamn you Reggie!!!!

What the hell is going on with the floors?

KLAAAAAUUUUUSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA FUCK YOU REGGIE YOU TRAINED HIM TO DO THIS!!!!

I hope the guardian offs Reggie

Ok the Guardian is fuckin intense as fuck

There's no way one knife is gonna stop it, and yep and there are multiple

What the hell is Reggie's endgame here?!

Five with a fucking hatchet is like the most deadly force

DIEGO NO DO NOT DO THAT TO YOUR GIRL

I thought Ben was gonna finish him off honestly.

I now believe they can win the fight. I truly didn't before that.

FIVE GOT SKYWALKERED!!!! Fuckin Chekov's Arm. (If an arm is missing in an earlier episode which features the future old version of yourself, then you must lose the arm before the season finale)

LUTHER?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!

WAIT WHAT?!?!?!?!!!!!!!

Kyle says I should run a reaction channel because I am very animated when I react to stuff. Ok sure, sign me up

Ok so that's where my phone died on me. I was so stressed out, I was so worried when Alison sliced off Reggie's face that she would fuck everything up, but like at the same time that's not how shows work?

At first I was like oh good, Alison got her happy ending, but after some discussion, it does feel sorta like... she won after being sorta awful all season. Like I understand her feelings, but I don't know why when she immediately arrived back from 1963 that she thought everything would be the same. Like you don't exist here!!

And then for Luther to go through all that, get his life back, and his wife is nowhere to be found? Come on, let spaceboy have his happiness for more than a week.

The fact that they all lost their powers is very interesting and leaves different avenues open to go down if/when season 4 happens.

Honestly I could write a whole fucking essay right now about Klaus this season. Like he just wanted to be reunited with Ben, but accepted he wasn't the same. Wanted to find his mom, she's dead. Befriended his father, got him back to his full mental capacity, only to be fucking betrayed by him, forcing him to kill himself to get to the after life and therefore back to life in Hotel Oblivion. And then he brought Luther back to save Sloane and let them say goodbye. Like fuck man. He tries his best, is trying to do what he thinks is right, and he just gets betrayed! And now he's not even immortal anymore!!! In conclusion, please be nice to my meow meow Klaus, my belovedest of TUA.

I dunno if I have anything else to add right now, but that's where we are at for the night ✌🏻

[leupagus]

Who’s your County Executive? and other steps to becoming a valuable pain in the ass

I fired off a tweet thread this morning, but I feel like a lot of folks here might benefit from this info, too. Which is: if you want anything to change, from police abolition to getting statues removed to passing local ordinances requiring masks to removing local legislation putting limits on abortion (just for some random examples), you need to get real familiar with your local reps. As in, you need to know who they are, what they do, how they’re elected/appointed, how long they’ve been doing that job, what their history is and how you can pressure them into doing what you want. Using hashtags and sharing links and signal boosting can only do so much. Talking to the people who are actually able to implement the change you want is a huge part that I don’t think gets discussed enough; and although it requires some preliminary work, once you get into the groove it’s surprisingly easy.

First, find out where you live! Which you may think is a stupid step, but —do you live in a city? Are you sure? I live in a city, for example, but I actually live in a township/suburb of that city, not the city proper. (Fortunately due to what I suspect is some white flight-related weirdness, I can still hassle the city proper.) There are entire towns inside of some cities, like West Hollywood and Los Angeles. Double-check; you might be surprised.

Then, find out who’s in charge of said place. There are quite a few people, actually. You probably have a mayor — but they might be called a supervisor. Or you may have a city manager, or executive, or clerk, or all three, or someone else entirely, who’s actually doing the day-to-day running of the place — for instance, while Austin has a mayor, it also has a city manager, and the city manager does WAY more than the mayor does. You also have people at the county/parish level — a county executive is I think the most common term, although sometimes it’s the county clerk, who can have entirely different duties depending on the county. Whatever way it works where you live, find out. While you’re at it, find out who’s in charge of your local elections. Sometimes that’s the county clerk (actually I think it’s almost always the country clerk, but sometimes it’s the county auditor or something weird like that); sometimes they’re elected and sometimes they’re appointed. Find out. Get names, put their contact info in your phone. (More on that later.)

Then, find out who represents you on the city/town council and the county legislature, or whatever they’re called where you are. Finding out what district you’re in can sometimes be hellaciously frustrating; when in doubt, an email to the county or city council can often get you an answer if you provide your address. Also bear in mind that different places have different ways of apportioning council members; sometimes they’re all “at large,” sometimes they’re elected according to districts, sometimes it’s a combination of both. Sometimes (not often I don’t think) they’re not elected at all but appointed by someone. Find out who! And don’t leave out things like school boards and zoning boards and community college boards and anything else you happen upon that has a representative you didn’t know existed. They exist, and I guarantee they’ve got power.

Note: find out who represents you state-wide, too. Often calling the governor isn’t that effective (at least for me, calling Cuomo ain’t gonna do much; if you live in Delaware or Montana or Iowa or somewhere relatively less populous, definitely get your governor’s information), but your state reps are usually pretty eager to talk to constituents, even — and this is really important these days — ones who aren’t of the same party. I’m represented by a GOP state senator, for example, but he ended up voting for this bill that just got signed into law. Most states are bicameral (except Nebraska, heyooo), so you likely have a state senator and a state rep/assemblyman/whatever. Make sure to get info for both. (Unless you live in Nebraska, in which case tell Ernie I said hi.)

Next, find out what the court system looks like where you are. Are your state/county/district/etc judges appointed? Elected? What are their terms? Who’s your District Attorney? Who’s in charge of your Public Defender’s office? (I actually haven’t bothered to look up that myself until today!) What courts handle which offenses in your area? Collect that information.

And what do you do with this info? You put it into your phone contacts, or whatever you use to keep your contacts organized, I dunno, maybe you still use your Wizard from 1992. No judgement. However you do it, put all of these contacts somewhere they’re all together — for example, if you have a letter in your directory that isn’t used much. I have a kind of weird method of organizing my contacts, which is that I put their first and last names (and their handles, if I know them online) in the Firstname field, then the Lastname field I use to say how I know them. So all of my New York-based friends are listed as “NYC, Holly Golightly/moonrivergoddess” or whatever. So for me personally, I just put all my political contacts under “Y” as in “Y do I have to keep pestering you to make you do the right thing.” So a county clerk would be listed like so:

Y, County Clerk Horace Vandergelder

In the “Company” field, I usually put their party and when/if they’re up for election next as well as term length, so Horace would be “Dem, 2020/2024.″ And then I might add any links I thought were helpful as well as notes about, say, what staffer I may’ve talked to or if there’s an important bill coming up etc.

And now you’ve got that information, it’s time to fuckin’ use it. Was there a protest that happened in your area that ended in arrests or violence? Call your mayor, register your displeasure. Call your DA, ask if anyone’s being charged. Call your city council member, ask them what legislation they’d support to end police violence. What do you know that you want them to know? Alternatively, was there a protest in your area that was really great and positive? Call these people; ask if they attended. If they did, offer support for them and say that you want them to follow up with actionable steps. If they didn’t, ask why. (BTW, it’s election season — look at the candidates, too! That state senator I mentioned earlier is retiring this year, and a pretty awesome Democrat is in a good position to get his seat; I’ve started volunteering for him in part because he’s got a history of agitating for police reform and has been regularly attending the protests here.) You can email, too; you’re welcome to c&p form emails, but once you have all these people’s contact info at your fingertips you’d be amazed how easy it’ll be to write something from you, that will be far more effective.

It’s also important to keep a record for yourself of who you’ve talked to, when you talked to them, what they said, if you want to follow up etc. I’ve got a little section of my planner for this; it has dates, names, topics, the works. It’s been really helpful to me over the past few weeks making sure I’m exerting pressure to a variety of people in a variety of positions, not just repeatedly calling one office and leaving the same message over and over again.

But if you really want to, as I put it on twitter, tighten the sphincter of local government, nothing beats face-to-face (or, these days, facetime-to-facetime). And here you’ve got a shitton of options. You can see if a particular politician/government office is taking virtual one-on-one meetings, where you can lobby either your politician or (more likely) one of their staffers to support legislation or policies or whatnot. This is, and I cannot stress it enough, HUGELY EFFECTIVE, especially if you are a demo they don’t often see (aka if you’re not a white Boomer). Local politicians are both desperate for and terrified of an engaged constituency; they want you to care but they’re very much aware that anyone showing up to an office (or a zoom meeting) could make their lives very, very difficult.

If one-on-one isn’t your style, there are also committee meetings, which... holy shit, you would not believe the number of committees there are. Committees for art festivals, committees for transportation, committees for public safety, committees for pretty much everything you can think of and a few I’ll bet you can’t. Noodle around on your councils’ and county’s websites, including their facebook page (nine times out of ten there will be more — and more up-to-date — info on the facebook page) to find out what committees meet when. And here is where your specific priorities will be important, because usually you can attend and in some cases even become part of these committees. Do you want to advocate for better public transportation? Find out when the transportation committee meets. Go to that meeting. If they have a Q&A, get some fuckin’ Qs ready and demand some fuckin’ As.

And then there’s the big kahunas of council meetings and state legislature sessions. Most city/town councils have a segment of their weekly/monthly meetings to hear from the public (this is different from a public hearing, FYI, although they too are really important and you should find out if there are any going on where you live and when). Do you have something you want to get in front of the whole council? Get your ass on the list! In Austin I think you had to call or email the council’s office by the day before; in my town you just roll up and get in line when it comes time. Then for state legislatures, often there will be specific bills on which they ask for “citizen input” or however else they describe it. This is less practical because we don’t all live in easy distance of our state capital, but if you do, consider getting involved there. (And right now with the pandemic, your state legislatures may have new rules about citizen participation that actually make it easier for you to get involved, for once.)

Mostly, though, this is about local involvement — find out who’s in control of your city, your county, your precinct and district and all the other ways your home is demarcated. Talk to these people, even if it makes you nervous; their power to make effective change comes with their responsibility to listen, and your power to make them listen comes with your responsibility to speak.

[metalheadkells]

this draft is not even close to presentable yet but i have to give you something from it 

“What’s it like, waking up every day and knowing you’re a fuckin’ legend?” 

Em grimaces. “C’mon.” 

“What? Why do you hate it so much when I say shit like that?” 

“‘cause it makes you sound like a fanboy. Hold still.” 

Em is in the middle of bandaging a gnarly cut Colson had inflicted upon himself while trying to unclog Em’s garbage disposal, against his insistence that he would call his guy to come fix it. Colson had, of course, used a knife for his ill-fated attempt. He simply can’t resist an opportunity to possibly do something (anything) that Em couldn’t do much better himself. It’s not the first time he’s accidentally gotten hurt as a result. 

“Well, I was a fanboy, remember? For, like, most of my life? I was kinda in love with you when I was a kid.” 

Ha, Colson thinks, self-reproachfully, coward. 

Em finishes with the bandage, and sort of strokes a thumb over it for a second, before he releases Colson’s hand and says, quietly, “Glad you grew out of it.” 

What does that mean, Colson desperately wishes he could scream at him, I want to know everything you’re thinking and feeling. I want to be inside you.

“Maybe I didn’t,” Colson says, adrenaline setting his body alight. 

Em gives him a look like he’s sizing him up. “You did,” he says definitively, after a beat, “‘cause that version of me don’t exist no more.” 

“What if I like this version of you better,” Colson mumbles, his heart caught in his throat.

Something flickers in Em’s eyes that Colson is too keyed-up to interpret.

“Why would you?” Em asks, looking like he genuinely doesn’t understand. “Most people - excluding friends and family - clearly miss that other guy.” 

“Are we not friends?” The answer to this question is so important to Colson that he really doesn’t know what he’d do if Em said no, of course they’re not friends, and is Colson stupid or something? He’d probably straight-up die.

Em’s mouth twitches like it does when he’s trying his best not to smile.

Thank god.

“Sure we’re friends,” Em says, “but you don’t know me like that.” 

“Let’s fix that, then,” Colson says, as confidently as if his pounding heart isn’t choking him as he speaks. 

Em narrows his eyes at him. “I don’t get you. Why’re you tryin’ so hard?” 

For a horrifying, fraught second, Colson thinks he’s about to fucking cry. And then Em adds, “I’m old news. And my life is definitely boring, compared to yours. There ain’t much for you to gain.” 

“Besides the magic of your company, you mean?” 

Colson has no clue where his brain is pulling these bold quips from, considering it feels like a pile of formless sludge up there. 

Em actually laughs, then hides his mouth behind his palm, amusement shining through in his voice when he says, “Magic, huh?” 

Colson grins uncontrollably. “Hell yeah, dude. You teach me something new every time we talk; it’s fuckin’... incredible. And you’re so fucking funny? It’s crazy how many people don’t know that. But at the same time, I’m kinda happy about it, ‘cause, like, I feel like I wanna keep you all to myself sometimes.”

Oops. Too far. 

Em is making this expression that Colson can only describe as constipated, and he’s just about to open his mouth to frantically backpedal, when Em says, “You’re pretty funny yourself.” 

“Yeah?” Colson tries not to sound too starved for validation, he really does. 

“Yeah. You got jokes.” Em pauses, then adds, “You’re weirdly easy to talk to, you know that? One of these days, I’m gonna spill some deep dark secret to you without thinkin’ twice, and you’ll go to the tabloids with it after you dump my ass, and I’ll feel like the world’s biggest idiot.” 

“Oh,” Colson says dumbly, struggling to process everything Em just said.

Dump my ass. Odd choice of words, right? And also, what deep dark secret? 

“You really think I’m easy to talk to?” Colson finally registers the compliment in the midst of his internal hemming and hawing, and it makes his ears grow hot and his face prickle. 

“Too easy,” Em confirms. “I dunno where the time goes, when we’re together.” 

Together, Colson thinks, digging his fingernails into the skin of his own palms to tether himself to earth. It’s such a loaded word.

He’s just being nice. Don’t read so much into it. 

“I feel that too,” Colson says breathlessly, “I never wanna leave.” 

Em changes the subject so deftly that it takes Colson like a full minute to catch up, but there’s so much going on in his head that he would have been totally lost regardless. 

[fandomsnstuff]

Angus figures everything out and fucks up Lucretia’s whole Thing AU

Lucretia hires angus, innoculates him, and is like this is the deal with those missing people cases you were investigating

Angus says oh okay! This totally and completely satiases my curiosity :)

Internally angus says this is sus as hell

So he does what he does best, he snoops

So angus is snooping and somehow, cause he's a little crime boy who can sneak around real good, he finds the starblaster

He's like what the fuck is this

He gets in, and it's.....odd. he doesnt linger in any one room too long, he just kind of pokes his head into the bedrooms and moves on (he figures he shouldnt stay here too long, lest he get caught)

But the most peculiar thing is how lived in this place looks. There's mismatched furniture with throw pillows and blankets in the common area, a chore chart on the fridge, the bedrooms are all cluttered with knick knacks and clothes, beds unmade, theres a lab with papers scattered around tables and taped to the wall

But one room catches his attention

It's... fairly simple, and emptier than the others. Bookshelf with some books missing, a bare desk, but what catches his attention is the pile of red on the bed

He goes to investigate and finds robes and jackets, all with an odd patch and names embroidered on them

He finds, in this order:

A robe with "lucretia" embroidered on it

A jacket and robe, together as if someone had been wearing them at the same time, with "lup" and "taako"

A jacket with "davenport"

A robe with "merle"

A jacket with "magnus"

(there’s no barry robe cause he fell off the ship with it, these are the robes/jackets lucretia took off of the crew members as she sent them off to their new lives)

Now. This is after crystal kingdom and angus was at the candlenights party. He knows the director's name is lucretia

He knows who Davenport is

He knows who taako, magnus, and merle are

This is pre-LUP incident, so he doesnt know who lup is

Angus, appropriately freaked out, puts them all back and BOLTS

Angus vacates the premises

Runs back to his room

He tries to figure out what this all means, but his thoughts dodge around the obvious conclusion that's right in front of him

Hes too nervous to go back, it's not until the L U P incident that he decides okay. I have to go back

So he goes back. He goes into the room labeled Captain's Quarters (although "captain" has been scratched out and changed to "cap'nport". Angus doesnt think too hard about what that means)

In the desk he finds some folders with the same weird logo as the robes and jackets. He doesnt look in them. Not yet. He can do that back in his room. He cant spend too much time here.

Then he goes to the lab. He doesnt know what hes looking for, but he grabs ones that seem important. A notebook or two. Some papers clipped together. He just grabs and shoves them into his bag and he fuckin bolts again

he looks at what he grabbed and some of it he can read, some of it he can't

They lived in that ship. They were going on a mission for something. They made the grand relics to stop something. Theres a lot of notes on the planes.

Angus recognizes the way some stuff is redacted, and he kind of figures out that there must be another voidfish. And if the directors name was on one of those robes, maybe she has it.

Refuge mission comes and goes

Angus, cause he's so fucking good, is able to sneak back into lucretias personal quarters and finds junior. He fills a water bottle with the ichor and gets the fuck outta there

He gets back to his room, innoculates himself and is like AAAAAAAAAA

Cause he can finally put it all together properly

And he basically pieces together the whole hunger situation himself with the notes he grabbed

The stuff he grabbed from davenports room was the crew's like profiles or whatever from when they got hired on to the mission so angus now knows who lup is

So angus is like oh i GOTTA fix this

So he heads down to the reclaimers dorm with his bottle of ichor

Angus: i need you to drink this Merle: what is it? Angus: voidfish ichor Taako: *laughs* hate to break it to you kid, we already drank the voidfish juice. Angus: just- please? Magnus: yeah alright

So magnus drinks it. His breath catches and he kinda goes weak and he's shaking and he drops to his knees. After a minute or two (or more) he looks up at angus. "Holy shit," he says. He grabs the bottle from where he dropped it and holds it out to taako and merle. "Drink it." He says.

"Yeah alright," merle says. Same deal as with magnus.

Once merle collects himself, they both turn to taako.

"Yeah, alright. Sure. Let's get taako in on this weird party," he says, taking the bottle and drinking

This time, magnus is ready and he catches taako when his knees give out

"Im gonna fucking kill her," taako mumbles into magnus' shoulder, his knuckles white as he grips his shirt.

"You're not gonna kill her."

"Im gonna fucking hit her so HARD, i swear to god."

Taako keeps his face in magnus' shoulder, but magnus and merle watch as angus crosses the room to where taako had left the umbrastaff, and he walks back over to magnus and taako on the floor

"Sir?" Taako looks up at angus. Angus holds the umbrella out, "i think i know where your sister is."

(Lup, meanwhile, in the staff: HEEEEELLLLL YYYYYEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH)

It takes taako a second, but he realizes what angus is saying and scrambles out of magnus' hold and to his feet. He takes the umbrella and lifts it, about to snap it when angus says, "wait!"

Taako glares at him. "Ive waited ten years, kid. Make it snappy." "Madame director had a holy symbol in her office. I think it would ward against your sister, if shes a lich." "Uuugggggghhhhhhhhh LUCRETIAAAAAA"

The four of them go down planetside under the guise of a magic lesson and not wanting to burn any more "cryptic messages" into the walls

Taako snaps that fuckin umbrella as soon as his feet hit solid ground

Lup's back!

Lup does some magic shit to summon barry, so barold shows up, happy reunion, and then a Discussion on what to do re: davenport not being innoculated and re: lucretia

Their plan boils down to this: thb and angus will go back to the moon and act as if this never happened. As far as lucretia knows, thb are still under junior's influence

As soon as they can get davenport alone without rousing any suspicion, they bring him to their room and innoculate him. Once he's got his memories back, he'll be powerful enough to a) get his bracer off/disable the tracking spell in it and b) get off the base undetected

Davenport will definitely not want to go back to playing butler, so he'll sneak off the base and hang out with lup and barry until lucretia sends the boys to wonderland

When the boys get sent to wonderland, theyll meet up, get the bell all together, and THEN confront lucretia, cause at that point theyll have the whole light, and they'll have Options

So they do just that. They go back and innoculate davenport a few days later, a week at most

A panic ensues once everyone realizes davenport is missing

AND the tracking in his bracer is turning up nothing

Lucretia's blood pressure has never been higher

But everything goes as business per usual

Lucretia, oddly enough, suspects nothing re: the boys ‘cause surely they wouldve confronted her if they remembered

The boys get sent down to wonderland. They meet up with blupjeans and dav at the entrance. With the six of them with all their memories and full access to their skills they take edward and lydia down in like 30 minutes. Tops.

So edward and lydia get their asses thoroughly handed to them by the six of them

(Davenport has the time of his LIFE)

They head back to the lich cave, barry gets in his new body and gets innoculated (the boys brought some ichor with them for him)

Lup possesses barry, then barry-with-lup and dav get in the pocket spa and back up to the moon they go

Lucretia is in her office when avi comes knocking "Uh... director? The boys are coming back." "Already?" "Yeah." "Are you sure it's them?" "Yep."

Lucretia is.... stunned. It's been... an hour and a half. Two, maybe. She has full faith in the boys but they took down wonderland in two hours?????

Not even two hours

She goes to meet them, highly suspicious

But they arrive and, sure enough, it's them. No magic. No tricks. It's them, for sure.

taako has the bell and hes just holding it casually from the top as if it isnt one of the most powerful magic items in existence. And she can tell he isnt thralled, that's just how hes decided to transport it.

Lucretia: ive got to admit, you boys took care of that...much faster than i expected Magnus: ah, it was no big Merle: piece of cake! Taako: yeah, luce, shit was easy. Dunno what you were talkin' about earlier.

And lucretia just freezes. Luce. Thats what taako called her. It’s what they all called her, really, but it’s the nickname Taako took 4 whole cycles to give to her, officially cracking the door of friendship open to her. And she looks him in the eyes and she knows that he knows. And she looks at merle and magnus and she can tell they know, too.

And taako gives her a venomous smile, all teeth, and says, "why dont we go have a little chat, madame director" and she flinches at the way he spits out her title

She doesnt know what to do but nod and turn to leave. As she turns, there's angus, looking up at her with a determined set to his brow, and she knows he knows too

They head back to her office, and taako pulls the pocket spa out, and before lucretia can ask him what hes doing, out walks barry and davenport. And barrys eyes have got that red glow about them, so she knows lup's here too.

"Take down the lich ward, lucretia," barry says.

She does, and now there's a firey, red robed lich among them.

Now this is where things get a little iffy for how they work out but here's what i got

They have a similar confrontation as canon where theyre bickering about staying or going, shield or no shield, and im thinking this is where taako has his "there's a third option" realization

And, because they did extreme wonderland speedrun, and they didnt take a whole extra day to travel to the lich cave and just used fuckin magic to get there, theyre a whole day ahead of where they were in canon

The hunger is close enough at this point tho that they can enact the plan like. Now.

But magnus insists on returning Fisher's baby to them first

As magnus takes junior, lucretia works on getting the base secured and getting the bureau members ready for if the hunger touches down before they can cut it off

Magnus goes down to fisher with the baby, he takes his axe and swings, breaking the tank open

Johann, still alive and now soaking wet, is like dude wtf

Magnus returns the baby and out goes the story and song

Now johann is REALLY like DUDE WTF

Magnus is like im off to save the universe. Peace.

So since theyre a whole day ahead of the hunger, all seven of them go up in the ship

And then they fight and they win and they cut the hunger off and it's rad

The end