#i never know who has done this so feel free to do it folks
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shroudkeeper ยท 1 year ago
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Lady Kikyo Takahashi - 14 associations
(1) Animal: The Turkey Vulture. Cultures linked them with death because they eat carrion/would gather in the sky when remains were found signaling something had died. However, they actually perform a great service cleaning up bodies that could spread disease. They are a cleansing breeze sweeping up after death.
(2) Color: Red - In the cultures she identifies with, red is said to keep away evil/vile spirits, it represents strength and protection. It is also auspicious, symbolizing happiness and good fortune.
(3) Song:
I usually have non-lyrics for her purposely, because she can not speak, so I tend to lean on traditional Chinese and Japanese songs that can invoke a feeling. One that I always send others is a playlist called "You're a Heartbroken Empress" - though there are just a few handful that do have lyrics that would be suitable for Kikyo depending on circumstances! Rebirth: Warning - Incubus / 3 Libras - APC Love song: The Garden of Everything - Maaya Sakamoto / Steve Conte - every line is perfect for her: " Every touch, a temptation, and for every sense, a sensation.. " I have a few more but let's move along!
(4) Number: 3 - It represents the three stages: birth, death, and rebirth.
(5) Day or Night: Evening, she blooms under the tapestry of darkness.
(6) Plant: Hinganbana (flower) - The death bloom, known also as the corpse flower, when the season of summer shifts to fall, the flower rises from its dormancy.
(7) Smell: Frangipani ( plumeria ) a soft scent, though is associated with ghosts.
(8) Gemstone: Black Tourmaline, representing spiritual strength, remembrance and protection.
(9) Season: Autumn. When the splendor of life comes to fade, and we are greeted with the warmth of colors amid the cool chill of what is yet to come.
(10) Place: Othard. A land marred by the atrocities of war and loss, but where her fondest of memories yet are planted in its foundation.
(11) Food: Anything related with savory fish, cold noodle dishes, cute shaped foods that are vibrant with color. Traditional meals. ๐Ÿฃ๐Ÿ˜
(12) Astrological Sign: Though she is not Eorzean, I would choose Nald'thal in this case due to her adoptive family dealing with commerce and a different sort of underworld, while she herself deals in death.
(13) Element(s): Ironically, water ( if you know her lore, you'd know why ) for its pliancy, its gentle nature and cleansing qualities. It also represents death and rebirth, surprise!
(14) Drink: Matcha. Due to the elegant art that comes with the tea ceremony which involves in making and serving it. ๐Ÿต
tagged by the loveliest, thank you so very much. Decided to do this for Kikyo instead since Rivienne is a bit on the retired end: @alannah-corvaine | @chadhunkler | @allyennah tagging: @hallowed-ffxiv | @evuniel | @page-63 | @sealrock | @tsupertsundere and you! Whomever wants to do it, please feel free to tag me!
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navree ยท 4 months ago
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Incorrect, the fact that Biden has dropped out and a candidate with history of supporting medicare for all and being more receptive to a ceasefire in the I/P conflict has made me go from "I cannot morally support the Democratic nominee" to "I am voting for the Democratic nominee despite the fact she isn't perfect in every respect." I'm really happy this played out. The Dems for the most part abandoned the old Obama platform and it feels like its possible an actual progressive agenda could come to pass in my lifetime.
Kamala 2024!
If you weren't going to vote Democratic in this election before Biden dropped out you're a dorkass loser who does not care about any of the issues you're yammering about here and also a fundamentally bad person, and I hope you get run over by a bus.
But you got one thing right in all of this gibberish, Kamala 2024.
#personal#answered#anonymous#i mean let's be clear here no president is gonna attempt to be progressive ever again within my lifetime#because joe biden tried to do like 25% of that and got ZERO fucking credit#he did so much on healthcare on reform on loans on so many social issues and for all his litany of failings on i/p#he has been distinctly harsher on netanyahu than a good chunk of dems and certainly the entire republican party#for the first time since i was four we are not involved in any wars as americans and that is thanks to joe biden#but the thing is that he gets no credit for any of it!#him pulling out of afghanistan caused his approvals to tank in a way that never recovered#and leftists gave him FUCK ALL for it#they gave him nothing they just continued whining that even tho he cancelled a bajillion in student loans#he didn't actually cancel a QUADRILLION dollars so both parties are the same and voting is the most arduous task known to man#no democrat who is running is going to forget that catering to leftist/progressive policies gets them zero leeway with those supporters#that it not only tanks numbers but you still get constant haranguing about it anyway#so they're not gonna do it#we are gonna get fuckall for at least a good fifty years#and anything we get will be utterly in SPITE of people like you anon it will happen in spite of everything you've done#mostly because of people like me and mine who understand that voting is the bare minimum#and that for the democratic process to work the way you want it to you need to participate and not pitch a fucking fit#like a four year old who was told they can't go to disney this weekend#like i know you ratfuckers are happy this played out because this is all a game to you and you don't actually care#but that's why i've got zero faith in you people and why i'm glad it's my kind of folks#actual die hard democrats who have always been hardliners for supporting democrats in every possible election#who are picking up the slack and donating to harris and supporting her agenda#which is the exact same as biden's because she's his vice president and they share they same platform#because that's what they were both running on! twice!#anyway fuck you please feel free to find a necktie and test how tall your doorframe is
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drchucktingle ยท 11 months ago
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THE TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION TELLS CHUCK TINGLE TO STAY HOME BUT WE PROVE LOVE ANYWAY
just when you buckaroos thought 2024 would be a break from book drama, here comes chuck tingle in the mix. recently i was asked to be a featured speaker at the TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION annual conference. a few days ago they rescinded my invitation. here is what happened.
(EDITED TO ADD THIS LINK. if you have a hard time reading this on way of tumblr you can also read for free on chucks patreon)
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i would like to start off by saying it is not my intent to start a fight, and all those reading this should know that the actions of a few misguided folks do not speak for the whole TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION. i am sure there are many involved who will be very upset to learn what others at TLA have done in their name. there are many individuals here, so please do not paint them all as villains in your mind. besides, chuck loves the dang library everyone knows that.
the point of writing this is not to vilify. i am writing this is because MOMENTS OF DARKNESS are the best places to SHINE A LIGHT AND PROVE LOVE IS REAL. this is a perfect time for learning and growing and for us talk on some very important things that queer buckaroos and neurodivergent buckaroos face every day. this is an unfortunate moment that WE can turn around and use to prove love is real.
i am also writing this to understand some of my own personal feelings on the matter. for something that seems very simple on the surface, the trot is complex, and i am still working out my emotions on the whole dang thing. i am learning in this way.
PART ONE: BAG OF LOVE
a few months ago chuck was asked to be a featured speaker at the 2024 TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE. i have been asked to do things like the before and it is ALWAYS a fun time to meet bookseller and librarian buds. trotting around face to face and talking about my story of conquering chronic pain and overcoming my mental hurdles is VERY IMPORTANT to me. i say YES to these things whenever i can. (here i am with authors at CALIFORNIA INDEPENDENT BOOKSELLERS ALLIANCE conference. they are a WONDERFUL group and they proved love with their OWN invitation to chuck. this was such a moving event with so many amazing authors and stories. got very teared up during this photo)
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ANYWAY BUCKAROOS i get the TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION invite and say 'YES BUD LETS TROT'. we are then confirmed.
months pass. a few weeks ago i get a call from my manager and agent and publisher saying โ€˜the TLA have rescinded their invitation.โ€™
turns out some things had been going on behind the scenes
at some point the TLA asked chucks INCREDIBLE HEROIC BAD ASS PUBLISHER if chuck would be okay with not wearing the mask, to which tor/nightfire/macmillan said โ€˜what the heck are you talking about of course chuck is going to wear his mask. this is how chuck presents himselfโ€™ (NOT EXACT QUOTE)
as you all know, my pink bag way is a VERY IMPORTANT SPACE. as an autistic buckaroo it is a boundary that allows me to express myself freely and relieve my chronic pain from neurotypically masking all day. i have talked about this for years, and it is why i consider my private identity a SACRED THING. it is literally a health issue.
fortunately THE PINK BAG is never really a problem when making appearances. i have spent years going on television shows, doing interviews, speaking at other conferences and conventions, hosting book events on tour, and even MEETING WITH LAWYERS in my pink face covering. it is always respected and that is very validating to my way.
when arriving anywhere i always take precautions. i always warn buckaroos ahead of time that there is a masked man coming. i always have someone go in ahead of me JUST IN CASE. again, there has never been an issue. at a big conference where i am a special guest there is ESPECIALLY not an issue because my face and bio are printed IN THE DANG PROGRAM
SOME FUN TIMES AT BIG EVENTS BELOW:
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CHUCK ON TV SHOW NAME OF 'AT MIDNIGHT' BACK BEFORE I WROTE LOVE IS REAL ON MY HEAD:
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well, there has never been an issue.... UNTIL NOW.
PART TWO: RESCINDED
a few days ago TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION suddenly messaged my publishers and said that chuck tingle is no longer invited. my invitation was rescinded. the reason given was that people could possibly be uncomfortable with my mask
right out of the gate i would like to say this: it is absolutely the right of the texas library association to disinvite someone from their conference. it is their event, after all, and they can ban anyone they would like, for any reason.
of course, that doesnt mean other folks HEARING THIS NEWS wont have their own opinions the TLA choices. if the TLA disinvites someone, their reasoning for doing this can be discussed and analyzed. whether or not they follow their own guidelines can be questioned, and certainly their kindness and tact can be considered
there are a few BIG POINTS to make regarding this choice from the TLA
first and foremost, i just gotta say buckaroos, it is incredibly rude to invite someone to be a guest speaker at your event, have them confirm and mark off their calendar and turn down other offers, then rescind their invitation. this is maybe the simplest of the points, but it is an important one.
second, (DEEP BREATH HERE WE GO BUCKAROOS) i personally do not think of my autism as a disability very often, but i also KNOW that despite these feelings it ABSOLUTELY IS. autism is important to be listed as a recognized disability because of the help some autistic buckaroos need regarding government programs and things like that. ALSO just because my neurodivergence has helped me in some ways (hyperfocus and a unique artistic sensibility for example). i personally need to step back and remember my battle with stress and chronic pain from having to neurotypically mask all the time. for as much as i love being autistic it has made some things very difficult.
in other words, i am perfectly capable of speaking and interacting with folks without this pink bag on my head BUT WHEN I AM IN THE CHUCK TINGLE SPACE I REQUIRE IT. i can ONLY use this space while covering my face. is not a want. it is a need. holding this boundary is more important than i can ever say. i will not, and can not, let these spaces cross.
TLA not letting an autistic author wear the face cover theyve set up to express their neurodivergence in a safe, healthy way is--for lack of a better term--NOT A GOOD LOOK.
i cannot fathom them disinviting another author for using a disability aid. i cannot fathom them saying that a buckaroo who hears better with a hearing device cannot use it during their panel because it would make others 'uncomfortable'.
but here we are.
PART THREE: WHAT DOES A BUCKAROO GOTTA DO TO GET BANNED AROUND HERE?
this is the TLAs official stance on disability issues according to their website:
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when poking around on the TLA website i noticed a few other things. i noticed a previous guest speaker wearing a niqab, and i was left wondering if the religious significance is what make that okay but chuck tingle banned. that made sense until i looked deeper and saw mascot buckaroos dressed up on the exhibition floor, and saw some kind of spiderbud in a costume contest. nobody around them seemed to be all that scared. their invitations REMAINED INTACT.
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it should be mentioned here that AT ONE POINT during the discussions an email was sent from TLA saying chuck is allowed to come and wear his mask in the exhibition halls and smaller panels, just not at any of the big PAID PANELS i was once supposed to participate on. this was a confusing offer, but their explanation was that people who paid for something should have the option to not see chucks 'scary neurodivergence aid'. i tried to wrap my head around WHY they would make a distinction. maybe the exchange of money (rather than time) causes some kind of philosophical adjustment that i just cant grasp?
i wonder, would the author who wears a niqab ALSO be banned from the paid panels? i hope not
my answers trotted up short until i investigated deeper and found this quick moment from one of the TLA help videos. while some events DO require additional buckaroo cash, it actually appears that THE ENTIRE CONFERENCE IS TICKETED AND COSTS MONEY.
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at this point i realized there is clearly no actual official policy about not covering your face (other than one from a few years ago saying that you HAVE to cover your face), and the addition of 'money' is a red herring. these excuses make no sense
PART FOUR: CLOSE THOSE GATES
it appears that my neurodivergence is 'scary' enough to get me uninvited, REGARDLESS what their disability and mask policies may say
BUT WHY? why is chucks preferred physical presentation valued SO little by the TLA that a THEORETICAL complaint is worth more? is my neurodivergent expression so awful? is my own safety as a queer activist such an afterthought?
is a pink bag with the words 'love is real' scrawled across the front REALLY going to frighten someone when the posters and pamphlets on the way into in panel would have a photo of my masked face saying THIS IS LITERALLY WHO IS ABOUT TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU.
if THAT accommodation is too much, would it really be so difficult to have someone trot out beforehand and make an announcement? to say 'there is someone on this upcoming panel who needs a mask to express this part of himself, if this makes you uncomfortable then this panel might not be for you'.
and really, i have to heckin ask, is this physical expression of my raw inner truth really so hideous and frightening that fear of making someone uncomfortable is a REAL problem?
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(a terrifying display of autism. apparently)
i cannot imagine what kind of precautions they need to take before a stage play featuring costumes and masks.
you MIGHT think chucks queerness and left leaning politics could be the issue with this organization, but they have had drag queens as past speakers (also featuring some GLORIOUS makeup and hair that covers almost all of their faces. VERY CURIOUS). regardless, the TLA do not seem like a conservative bunch.
if you are bisexual or an autistic person who is good at 'passing' you probably already know where this is headed, your dang spiderbuckaroo senses are tingling at FULL ALERT. i will say i do not KNOW the real reason why i was uninvited, and i do not have enough information to make any concrete statement of the real answer. there is only evidence that masks have been fine at TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION events in the past, but not much else to go on.
so the FACTS part of our discussion ends there, but i think it opens us up to talk about some very important feelings that bisexual and autistic buckaroos know well.
THIS is where we take a unfortunate, hurtful moment and turn it into a discussion. this is where we prove love is real.
as someone who is constantly doubted and put through purity tests because of my unique way, we are pushing up against a subject i know well. thats right buckaroos: we are talking GATEKEEPING
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AGAIN, i do not know if this is the answer, but someone in my position might be VERY STRONGLY INCLINED TO THINK that a few well-meaning left leaning buckaroos think i am a joke and that this is a character, and that there is something problematic about my work because i am not really a real person.
any upstanding left leaning organization would OF COURSE allow a mask for a neurodivergent buckaroo with an unusual visual presentation, an autistic buckaroo who conquered his chronic pain ONLY by creating this important space... but what about a FAKE autistic buckaroo?
any upstanding left leaning organization would OF COURSE allow a mask for a queer LGBTQ activist standing up for gay and trans rights against a torrent of scoundrels hunting for his legal identity. its a matter of safety... but what about a FAKE queer activist?
let me be very clear for the 100th time: i am a real person. this is not a joke. i am not playing a character. i am really autistic and bisexual. tinglers are sincere and they are not โ€˜so bad theyre goodโ€™. they are just good. camp damascus is not โ€˜my first serious bookโ€™ because my queer erotica is serious. my art is important and real.
when people tell me to unmask they often do not know WHY they want it, and of course one very good reason is innocent curiosity. but there are SOME cases where i start to get THAT feeling--that tingle all of us โ€˜passingโ€™ buckaroos get when we can sense the real intent behind the poking and prodding. that is the feeling of stumbling into a gatekeepers crosshairs.
if i was to take off my pink bag, what about my face would you analyze to tell if i was REALLY queer. my eye color? my ear shape? if you learned my legal name, would you see if it sounded autistic? is my voice neurodivergent enough?
or is all of that utterly absurd? i am curious what the TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION thinks.
PART FIVE: GENDERED
this will be the shortest of parts, but it has to be said. i have a very complex relationship with gender, as written about at length here and here. i understand these things can be difficult to parse for some, but i ask that you trust me when i say that the ONLY reason i have been able to talk about my gender and sexuality and learn these things about myself is because of this pink bag. this outward appearance is a direct expression and reflection of my gender journey.
if the texas library association does not care about my appearance as an expression of my autism, then i cant imagine them giving a dang about it as an expression of my gender and queerness. that being said, it is personally very important to me and i think it should be mentioned
PART SIX: SO YOU WANT TO REMOVE AN AUTISTIC QUEER AUTHOR FROM YOUR EVENT BECAUSE PEOPLE MIGHT FIND THEIR DIFFERENCES SCARY
there is a question to be asked here: how could the TLA have done this correctly?
i have one very big piece of advice i would like to shout from the rooftops. please, for the love of sweet barbara, DO ENOUGH RESEARCH to know if this appearance will be a problem and, IF SO, dont extend an invitation in the first place. unique buckaroos with different presentations are constantly left in this place of limbo because we are bombarded with careless actions like those of the TLA. before you consider extending a branch to an artist who might need more accommodations than usual, think to yourself 'CAN WE MAKE THESE ACCOMMODATIONS?'
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putting all of this on the shoulders of a single 'buckaroo with a difference' is exhausting. as the TLA has shown, we currently live on a timeline where a buckaroo like myself never really knows if an invite is SOLID without doing a deep dive history lesson on how often a group discriminates and against who.
i did not want to spend my whole family holiday worrying whether or not i should say something publicly or just lie down and shut my dang mouth. i had to consider HOW i should say it. i had to worry whether or not its worth standing up for myself in the face of the largest state library association in the country. i think buckaroos with differences are with me when i say: WE ARE SICK OF HAVING TO DO THIS WORK TO COVER FOR THE POOR BEHAVIOR OF LARGE ORGANIZATIONS WHO TREAT US BADLY
another option would just be to use kindness and common sense and happily accommodate artists with unique presentations to your conventions
PART SEVEN: LOVE IS STILL REAL
i would like to close by saying THANK YOU to my publisher nightfire and editor kelly for standing up for me. they immediately stood firm and had my back. they are the real dang deal. THANK YOU to my management and agent buds dongwon and gino for trotting along beside me. THANK YOU to the folks at the texas library association who initially invited chuck with goodness in their heart and then likely got bowled over by someone else, and maybe even got knocked to the side by a big closing gate.
i hope there are librarians in texas who are still interested in carrying BURY YOUR GAYS when it comes out (which is ironically about someone who creates a space through art to express their queerness where they cant otherwise). libraries prove love is real and what they do IS SO IMPORTANT. it was SO IMPORTANT TO ME as a young buckaroo and i cannot thank you enough. i am not sure if me writing all of this will hurt my sales in some way, but this opportunity to speak about the reality of disability awareness and queer gatekeeping is too important to stay silent. (if you have not already preordered BURY YOUR GAYS then give it a preorder to make up for some texas library losses i guess.)
which leads me to my final thank you. THANK YOU to the buckaroos reading this. yes YOU. i am in the position to stand up and speak my mind against scoundrel forces ONLY because i have the might of you buckaroos by my side. the buckaroo trot is ALL OF OUR TROT and we are ALL HERE TO PROVE LOVE. i cannot tell you how much i appreciate the way you have created a space for me to express these important parts of myself. you have seen this pink mask over my face and saying YES, I ACCEPT YOU, you have literally saved my life. for that i am so thankful.
if you are UPSET by what youve read here, then turn it into something positive. you can support autistic creators, or make a donation to the AUTISTIC SELF ADVOCACY NETWORK
and besides WHO IS REALLY MISSING OUT? this is what it looks like when you invite the worlds greatest author chuck tingle to your event and treat their identity as valid. WE HAVE A DANG GOOD TIME
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KEEP TROTTING INTO THE FUTURE. KEEP KICKING DOWN GATES WHEREVER THEY MAY BE. KEEP PROVING LOVE IS REAL AND PROVING IT TOGETHER. lets go buckaroos - chuck
UPDATE AN HOUR AFTER POSTING:
true buckaroo TJ KLUNE was set to be another author on panel chuck was removed from and has informed me he has now chosen to decline his invitation in support and solidarity with chuck. i am so deeply moved by this. thank you from bottom of heart buckaroo
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to be very clear TJ has a huge platform and DOES NOT NEED TO DO THIS. these conferences are great for book sales and he is taking a hit out of pure solidarity. this is queer buckaroos standing up for eachother. i am floored by this kindness and love
please consider checking out his books if they are not already covering your dang bookshelf. chuck blurbed IN THE LIVES OF PUPPETS and i was blown away i heckin loved it
MOST RECENT UPDATE:
here is more
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nostalgicmiscellaneous ยท 6 months ago
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I was reflecting on Violet's talk about Colin's sensitive nature and made me think that truly he's a bit of a loner in their home, isn't him? It's like he is the one that needs to keep on trying and when he does something for himself, he's questioned, belittled or ignored. When Colin was thinking that he should marry and forge his own way, to be taken serious, he told Violet exactly that, Anthony shut him down by simply saying he should have taken him to brothels... and there you go, folks, where Colin's example of how a single man should behave comes from. He thought courting a girl everyone wanted was him being taken serious but the brother he admires, told him that, and made he believe that's what a man of their position should behave at his age. So Maybe if he does, if he acts like them, he's going to find his own path & find his own happiness, he thinks. When Colin travels, he keeps writing home, wanting to communicate with his family and loved to hear back from them, and also because he really loves to write - and is good at it -, but they rarely if ever ( some) do. And that's why he was always happy that Pen did, as he was mostly ignored and even mocked for that, they were being quite dismissive of him. We know how he also doesn't truly feel like he belongs and that's one of the reasons he went away, run away. Sure, he loves to travel but we know it's also to free himself of the whole 'Colin Bridgerton' he thinks he should be. When Colin tries to make something, do business of his own, but is something out of his depth as he was never prepared for it - Anthony was the heir to the title and older, likely was taught by his father some things already and maybe Colin and Benedict would too but had no time and Anthony never guided him that way, it seems - he was screamed at and, once again, thought he had truly no purpose. Losing his father way younger than Anthony was a huge trauma too. As much as Violet is a good mother, in that context, losing his father put him without a fundamental support and counsel a young men would need at that time, specially on his late teens and young men years. Still, he's very sweet, a soft guy who worries about his family, just look at every situation that he truly is there wanting to support, a romantic and quite naive in the matters of emotions. A kind guy who always wants to make others happy and defend people when he thinks they are being taken advantage of, were wronged or need his help just to feel happy. And yet the only person that actually has always ever done that for him, in every aspects - attention, protection, love, interest and engaging on his life -, is Pen, his kindred spirit.
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sytoran ยท 1 year ago
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๐€ ๐๐‹๐Ž๐Ž๐ƒ๐˜ ๐‹๐ˆ๐„ | ๐ ๐จ๐๐๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ!๐ง๐š๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ญ.๐Ÿ
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the aftermath of your mindblowingly hot sex with the goddess of lust, natasha romanoff. as it turns out, no one escapes the consequences of their actions.
pairing: goddess!natasha x dom!fem!reader (G!P)
note: once again, howdy, folks! this is the even longer-awaited part 2 to the goddess!nat fic! i am terribly sorry for the wait, hopefully this long chapter will satisfy your needs :)
word count: 3.0k
series m.list | main m.list | join the taglist | AO3
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Previously...
You, a regular law-abiding citizen, saved the gods by accident. The Goddess of Lust, Natasha, granted you one wish as a repayment. You could've had just about anything, but turns out all you need is right in front of you.
Spoiler: It ends up in mindblowingly hot sex with a certain Goddess.
Now, two months later...
"Babyโ€ฆ" Nataha sighs, her eyelids fluttering close as you move under her sheets.ย 
Or, more specifically, as your tongue moves in her cunt.
There's just something about giving the Goddess of Lust the best head of a lifetime that does it for you. Maybe it's her stupidly sexy moans, or the way she twisted her delicate hands into your hair, or maybe just how sweet she tasted.
Or, maybe, it's the knowledge that you're the only one who can ever make her feel like this.
"Please, oh, fuck," Natasha whines, as you move your tongue in tight little circles against her sweet spot. Not quick enough to make her cum, slow enough to make her feel.
"Oh," she whimpers, hearing the lewd sounds of you eating out her soaked pussy on a Saturday morning. You shift under the blankets, breathing hard as it gets warm.
Worshiping the Goddess as you rightfully should was perhaps your favourite pastime, driving her wild with your fingers and your tongue and your cock.
Which is exactly what you felt throbbing in your pants when a hushed whimper of 'Daddy' falls from Natasha's sweet mouth. Your head spins at the title, just like the first time she had ever called you that.
It was half by accident, really.
On a private rented beach in Malibu, with miles and miles of space and no one else, there you laid under the shade of a palm tree, thrusting into the Goddess with a youthful vigor.
"Oh, you feel so good," Natasha cries, scratching her long nails down your bare back. She shakes with each of your thrusts, melting into your touch like your forgotten ice cream in the Malibu sun.
"Do I?" You tease dangerously, both of your orgasms dangling close to occurrence. "Mhm- Oh, yeah," Natasha responds with a lewd moan, moving her hand down to play with her clit.
That's all the extra simulation the Goddess needs before she's tumbling over the edge, clutching onto you as pound into her cunt.
"Oh, I- Oh, please, daddy!" Natasha shrieks when you harshly pinch her nipple with your free hand. It does wonders for her pleasure.
But as soon as those words fall from the Goddess' lips, she retracts like she's been scorned. You halt your movements.
"Did you just call me daddy?" You ask with a raised eyebrow, as Natasha looks away flusteredly.
"...No."
"Darling."
"No! I mean, well yes, but I didn't mean to!" She tries to move under your grasp, her cheeks turning an incarnadine pink.
You take her wrists and pin them above her head with one hand, and use the other to still her moving hips. The Goddess pouts at you, but you know better than to give in.
"Has the Goddess of Lust never called anyone 'daddy'?" You ask seriously, trying to make sense of her seemingly unorthodox shame.
"It's complicated." Natasha states, squirmimg under your inspective look. She trails her hands down to your cock again, but you deny her of that pleasure. "We're not done here, sweetheart."
"Fine," Natasha grumbles. "That's the first time I've ever called it out, like, in the heat of the moment. I'm always the one doing the seduction and the flirting, so I call my partner that if I think they'd be into it. It's never beenโ€ฆ spontaneous, I guess."
"Oh," you say softly, tracing her rib with a ginger finger. "I think I quite like it."
"You do?"
"Mhm."
"Okay, daddy."
"Shut up, sweetheart."
"Make me."
What pulls you out of that blissful reverie is Natasha's whine. You're not in Malibu anymore, you're under Natasha's sheets.ย 
Even then, you've never felt more fulfilled with this glorious woman by your side.
"Why'd you stop?" Natasha asks, pulling the blanket away so she can see you.
You shake your head, pressing a kiss onto her inner thigh. "Thinking."
"About?"
"You."
"Oh," the Goddess replies, evidently flustered.ย 
"What were you thinking of?" she then says, flirtatiously. She adds on the charm of batted eyelashes, prepared for whatever you might do to her body.
What Natasha wasn't prepared for, however, was the tenderness in which you regarded her with, a serene smile and a warm glow on your face.
"What is it?" Natasha says, laughing awkwardly as you litter kisses all over her stomach. You're glowing, sickly-sweet and dumbstruck.
"I love you," you whisper. "I love you, Natasha Romanoff. I love you not because you are the Goddess of Lust but because you have the most brilliant heart I've ever had the chance to feel. I love you for everything that you are, everything that you're not. I love you for your bed hair, and your goofy jokes, and your brilliant green eyes I could melt into a thousand times. I love you boundlessly, across the worlds that divide us. And you don't have to say it back, but just know-"
You take in a deep breath, not realizing that you've spoken so much with quavering breaths like you'd die if you didn't profess your love. Like you'd die if you didn't bare your heart to Natasha. You gulp for air, stroke her face. "Just know I love you. So much. So, so, so much."
Oh.
There's silence, afterwards, like the world has stumbled on its axis and the stars have collided.ย 
Natasha looks at you with an indescribable feeling, like her heart wants to burst out of their seams. It's only when you gently stroke her face that Natasha realizes there are tears on her face.ย 
Why's she crying? Why do you cradle her in your arms with such a ginger tenderness? What did she ever do to deserve this kind of love?
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pushed it," you mumble, almost ashamed. You press another kiss on her bare stomach as an apology. "I'm-"
"No, I- Fuck, I love you too." The Goddess voices hoarsely, her shaky tone a far cry from what should be expected of a regal Goddess. "I love you too," she says again, with more confidence, almost as if it would make the words even truer.
That stupid smile is back on your face again, even wider than before. Your cheeks hurt and Natasha's heart melts.ย 
"You love me?" you ask earnestly, and there's such an innocence and genuineness to your question that Natasha almost cries again.
The impact of 'I love you' sinks in. Natasha feels.
She's never felt like this before. She's never loved like this before.
Finally, in the sacred silence, Natasha whispers. Scared to ruin the moment. Scared to tarnish what could be.
"To every universe and back," the Goddess answers, and your world starts orbiting again.
โ€”
Ever since that fateful day of your love confession, the two of you were inseparable. You would look at Natasha with such wonder in your eyes, wonder what you ever did to deserve this, but the Goddess would look at you the same way, and you knew everything would be fine.
She would take you to any universe you liked, across any dimension. From earth-bound lands to intergalactic islands to space. It was as vast as her love for you.
But, you were riding that high with no heed for the consequences of your actions.ย 
You were foolish enough to stay with Natasha, dumb enough to drown out the warning signs, blindsided by the prospect of loving a Goddess.
You should've known, from the start, that you and Natasha were a race against time.
You should've known that it would end up in flames for you.
You should've known better.
โ€”
Since the very day she was born the Goddess of Lust, Natasha had her life laid in front of her.
To exploit that thrall she was given, to seduce men and the occasional woman, to live above and beyond because she was a Goddess.
That had been her life for over decades, sitting comfortably at the top of the chain on a gold throne; Toying with hearts like it was a daytime hobby, then shattering them like glass.ย 
She slept around for the hell of it, just because she could. Just because she was the Goddess of Lust.
Then came along a stupidly charming attorney with a coffee stain on her suit and the most unusual request.
Just like that, her world stopped revolving around what she was supposed to do, and it started orbiting around you.
And, you, were definitely not what Natasha was supposed to do.
Despite how incredible you were in bed. Despite the plethora of orgasms you had brought her to. Despite how she felt her walls to her heart tumbling down around you.
When the two of you shared that passionate confession of love in bed on that fateful Saturday morning, the Goddess knew she was done for.
Which is exactly why she's currently under the scrutiny of Supreme Headquarters: Intervention of Extraterrestrial Liabilities Directorate, aka SHIELD, aka she's completely and utterly fucked.
SHIELD was essentially the Gods and Goddeses' version of a monarchy, that was infamous for its cruel ruling and cutthroat decisions.
"You're a smart girl, Natasha, and never would I have expected something so childishly foolish to fall from your lips."
The Goddess stood in defiance. Despite all her power and her status, she seemed so small in the wide hall, paling in comparison to the mighty Gods that surrounded her.
That previous statement had been made by none other than Wanda, the Goddess of Magic. The woman was a stature of power and composure in her throne, hand poised under her chin like it was a medieval painting.
"I'm not a girl," Natasha snapped at the Goddess, fire behind her eyes. "And I'm very capable of making my own decisions, despite how foolish they may seem in your condescending point of view."
The Goddess of Magic was irritatingly unfazed by Natasha's outburst, flicking that poised hand and in a dismissive wave. God, Natasha wanted to crush that stupid hand.
"Steve, talk some sense into her. I can't bear to hear any more of her senseless arguments." Wanda said offhandedly, looking over to the God of Justice for support.
Natasha wants to retort that she isn't just spewing senseless arguments, but a warning look from the God of Justice shut her up. Of everyone in SHIELD, he was the most likely to give her a fair hearing. Hence his name.
"Natasha, we're not saying that you're incapable of making your own decisions." The blonde man reassures, pressing his hands together in contemplation. Natasha breathes harder than she should be doing.
"We're saying that what you're doing isn't the best," Steve continues, and Natasha is grateful that the eyes are not on her anymore. The God of Justice had a presence that simply demanded respect, an impeccable aura that no one would dare deflect.
"Sleeping with someone not godly is one thing, but entering a romantic relationship with a mortal, a human being, is simplyโ€ฆ"
"Unacceptable."
Natasha intakes a short gush of air harshly at the interruption. It's Thor, God of Thunder. For a God who had lived centuries, he was painfully traditional. Narrow-minded, even.
Thor's loud, booming voice carried throughout the hall, from his electric-blue throne at the far corner. Mjolnir, his trusty hammer, was held in his big hands with a firm grasp. Natasha forced herself not to feel threatened.
Thor continued, firm and hard and oh so unforgiving. "Do you want to end up like my brother, Goddess Natasha?"ย 
At that, the entire hall was silenced. The only thing Natasha could hear was her own sporadic breathing.
Everyone, undoubtedly, knew the story of Thor's brother.
Loki, the God of Mischief. The fallen angel, some said. The devil's incarnate, others whispered.
He had used his power for wrong, abused his status to commit the darkest things imaginable. It wasn't before he was banished from the land of Gods, never to be seen again.
Some say he's still clawing his way out of hell. Some say he's destined for a lifetime of hurt.
"Don't you fucking dare compare me to him, Thor," Natasha growls, and the larger blonde man even seems taken aback by the ferocity behind Natasha's words.
"I- I think what Thor is trying to say," Bruce frantically cuts in, in an attempt to mediate the situation.ย 
The God of Science was a bespectacled man with quirky mannerisms, ever the peacemaker. Logic, to him, was most important of all.
"Is that you, Nat, are a Goddess," Bruce continues. "An all-powerful being that transcends the laws of space and time. You have been blessed with such power, such strength, unfathomable to lesser beings. And Y/N L/N, this earth-bound creature who lives and breathes on the very ground we carved, couldn't possibly be who you want to run off with. I mean, we- you, you're so much more than that."
"You're going to love her, Nat? Give her your heart? You, an immortal being? She's going to die some day, inevitably, and then what will be left of you? A broken, desolate mess, grieving for the rest of eternity?"
Natasha swallows harshly. She wanted to despise Bruce, hate his reasonings and refute his logic โ€“ but she couldn't, could she? He was right. Bruce was right.
But there was a part in her heart that screamed, yelled, kicked - she couldn't give you up, now. Not when she'd finally found what she's been searching for. Not when she can feel again.
Not when she's found the love of her goddamned life.
"I'm on Nat's side," Tony says, mouth full of a pink-frosted donut, slicing through the tensed silence. He spews crumbs as he talks, but Natasha doesn't think she's ever been more grateful for the man.ย 
Tony was the God of Heroes. Brilliant but brash, proud yet arrogant, charismatic and eccentric. He was a God no one could explain in few words, and for that Natasha was immensely grateful he understood.
"True love cannot be broken," Tony says, folding his arms. "It transcends all else, goes beyond our social status and our physical capabilities and who we are as individuals. If Nat has truly found it, then who are we to judge? It shouldn't be criticized, it should be celebrated!"
Natasha locks eyes with Tony, in silent thanks. The two of them may butt heads at times due to their self-righteous natures, but in the end they were always there for each other.
However, the rest of the Gods didn't seem to quite agree. There was quiet murmuring amongst themselves until Steve began speaking again.
"Let's settle this with a vote. If majority wins, Natasha will be able to continue her pursuit of a romantic relationship with the human and mortal Y/N L/N. If not, Natasha will be forced to cut off all ties with said mortal and they are to never see each other again."
The Goddess of Lust felt her heart clench. Of course Steve would choose the fairest way to determine Natashaโ€™s fate. Of course this would result in a losing battle for her, based on the prior reactions.ย 
โ€œAll those in favour of the disallowance of Natasha Romanoffโ€™s and Y/N L/Nโ€™s romantic, physical or any other relations, please raise your hand.โ€ย 
Thoughts of you swam in Natashaโ€™s mind, of you smiling while kissing her hand, stroking her hair while she fell asleep, trailing kisses up her spine on sinful nights.
Thorโ€™s hand went up first.ย 
โ€œI love you boundlessly, across the worlds that divide us.โ€ That was what you had said that Saturday morning, with a serene smile, so gentle it caressed Natashaโ€™s heart. She remembers the warm glow of the sun, the temptations of paradise, the falsehood of the promised land.
Wanda follows suit.
How could Natasha have let it all succumb to this? Why had she let herself grow so soft and malleable around you? The walls around her heart she had spent so long constructing was so easily taken down by you. You, who wormed your way in and made a nest in the center of her universe.
The next hand that goes up is Bruceโ€™s, albeit with an uneasy look from the man, like he didnโ€™t want to be there anymore.
Maybe she shouldnโ€™t have dived headfirst into love with you, professing her feelings so vulnerably. She was the Goddess of Lust, not Romance or any of that bullshit. A long-lasting relationship had been a childish fantasy, much less for someone who was meant to constantly seduce.
Like a final seal of her demise, Steveโ€™s hand goes up, and only then does Natasha realize the tears that have fallen from the corners of her eyes.
There is a deafening silence that follows the grounding decision, and even Tony doesnโ€™t look so aloof anymore. Heโ€™s the only one at the table who didnโ€™t raise his hand.ย 
Natasha swallows harshly, in an attempt to calm the building pressure within her.
She swallows again, willing the tears in her eyes to go away - no way in hell would she openly cry in front of the Gods who put her in this situation.
This time, she wishes the ground would swallow her up instead, to whisk her away from this nightmare of a reality and wake up beside you once more.
โ€œYou have until sunset to settle things,โ€ Steve says, a painful lack of emotion in his eyes. โ€œIf you donโ€™t coincide by the rules, you know what consequences you will have to face.โ€
For the first time in an eternity, ever since unknown creatures roamed the multiverse and there was no difference between dark and light, the Goddess felt helpless.ย 
Even then, there was only one thing on her mind.
How the fuck was she going to tell you that โ€˜To every universe and backโ€™ had been a bloody lie?
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taglist: @natashamaximoff69 @ohsugar-honey-iced-tea @fayhar @bibliophilicbi @screechcat @rowanyaboats @nahnahnahwhat @the-night-owl-blr @nemowevoli @wannabe-fic-reader @natsxwife @wandsmxmff @enanna-h @jemilyswhor3 @manyfandomsfanvergent @jlsammy23 @spongebobs-tie1 @kiyozoe6778 @lovebelt05 @girllcver @godsfavouritelesbiann @natashaswife4125 @ezay @forthelesbians @wlwfanfictionss @forthelesbians @cowxpoke @supaheroine @saqua14 @olsensnpm @33_mrvl @gay4ols3n @knellyc30 @eatkobi @stitch26gp @cqllarbqne @lovelyy-moonlight @diannaswhore @wandaromanoff69 @shuriri4life @inluvwithfictionalwomen @Cooldogs02 @jedi-athen-orion @alyciaddict @blackqueensforeva @lovelyy-moonlight @gingerninja1993 @yourfavdummy @iliketigolbitties @scarlttolsn @blackbirdv98 @mxxnligxt @riomiyawakisstuff @alex4424 @0DeadandCold0 @mr.romanoff @mandy-asimp @idontwannabehereatm @daenerys713 @xxsekhmet @marvel_simp @maowlxslay @lizbugwanda @peggycarter3 @flositaa @dooblekhay @aliherrerasz @theo-021 @hopelesslyfalleninlove @secretbackrooms @natasha10273 @justyourwritter69 @theo-221b @wandaromanoff69 @eatkobi @lovelyy-moonlight @morganismspam23 @unexpected-character @rdfgfv
ok iโ€™m literally so tired while posting this โ€˜cos i just got out of a seven-hour flight like yesterday, but i reallyyy wanted to post this because i havenโ€™t posted anything in so long. anyways I HOPE YOU LIKE THE LORE and just a recap for everyone before part 3:ย 
anyways itโ€™s all set up for more angst and hardcore smut (yes i promise that is in part 3)
natasha - goddess of lust
carol - goddess of galaxies
wanda - goddess of magic
steve - god of justice
thor - god of thunder
bruce - god of science
tony - god of heroes
y/n - basic bitch
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loveinhawkins ยท 2 years ago
Text
When Lucas Sinclair starts to apologise for missing The Cult of Vecna, Eddie initially thinks that heโ€™s hearing things.
Well, actually, the first thing he thinks is something along the lines of โ€˜what the fuck are you talking about?โ€™
It takes him almost a solid thirty seconds to even vaguely remember his campaign; the last day of school before Spring Break feels dreamlike, as if it happened to someone else, as if he just watched everything through a fogged-up window.
โ€œJesus, Sinclair. Iโ€™ve got an ongoing list of folks who owe me an apology since, like, sixth grade, and trust me, your nameโ€™s not on there. Can pretty confidently say it never will, okay?โ€
Eddie sees Steve tilt his head ever so slightly from where heโ€™s walking just ahead of them, like heโ€™s listening in. Spots his faint nod of approval.
Eddie canโ€™t decide if he resents it or finds it endearingโ€”kind of gets the ridiculous feeling that Steveโ€™s vetting him on behalf of the kids.
โ€œOkay,โ€ Lucas says, and heโ€™s smiling, but thereโ€™s a sort of sombreness to it, too. โ€œStill, I shouldโ€™veโ€”โ€
โ€œHey, hindsightโ€™s twenty-twenty,โ€ Eddie says, firmly cutting off whatever self-critical bullshit he was about to hear. He knocks his shoulder against Lucasโ€™s, adds a dry, โ€œLike, I wouldโ€™ve been a dick about it no matter what.โ€
Lucas laughs, but itโ€™s muted. Then he takes a deep breath, and Eddie suddenly realises that he mustโ€™ve been using the apology to get himself started, to work himself up to what he really wanted to say.
โ€œIโ€™mโ€ฆ Iโ€™m sorry aboutโ€ฆ about Jason andโ€ฆ I thought Iโ€™d thrown them all off the trail, butโ€”โ€
โ€œOh, donโ€™tโ€”donโ€™t worry about it, man,โ€ Eddie says faintly.
Thereโ€™s a flash of Jason in his mindโ€™s eye, the savage twist of his lip as he ran into the lake; he thinks of Lucas lying to his face, the danger of him being found out, and feels sick.
โ€œSeriously, you couldโ€™ve told themโ€ฆ yโ€™know. Wouldnโ€™t have held it against you.โ€
Eddie doesnโ€™t mention that him getting caught still feels inevitable, like heโ€™s just waiting for the walls to close in.
But right now, at least, he can breathe a little easier. The shire might be burning, but thereโ€™s people leading him through it. Heโ€™s not alone.
Lucas looks appalled. โ€œWhat? No, I couldnโ€™tโ€”I couldnโ€™t do that to you.โ€
Itโ€™s said with such conviction that Eddie has to fight through a sudden tightness in his throatโ€”doesnโ€™t really know what to do in the face of such undeserved loyalty.
He settles on saying, โ€œSo, how was the game?โ€ which is embarrassingly inadequate, but a genuine question nevertheless; the past fewโ€ฆ Jesus, however long itโ€™s been, heโ€™s been in permanent need of a distraction.
Steve slows his walking paceโ€”to anyone else it mightโ€™ve seemed subtle, but Eddieโ€™s used to noticing such things. He somehow gets the feeling that Steve is no longer scrutinising him, not exactly; his postureโ€™s relaxed and open, his forehead free of frown lines.
Itโ€™s more like heโ€™s simply curious about Eddieโ€™s behaviour. The way his eyes drift over, then down to the forest floor, then back again silently seems to say what are you thinking?
Or maybe Eddieโ€™s projecting because he asks the very same question whenever a muscle jumps in Steveโ€™s jaw.
โ€œOh, umโ€ฆโ€ Lucas says hesitantly. โ€œI was on the bench for most of it, soโ€”โ€
โ€œQuit being modest.โ€ The quiet whir of a tape being rewound; Max Mayfield comes up to Lucasโ€™s side. โ€œHe made the winning shot,โ€ she tells Eddie pointedly. โ€œIt was a buzzer-beater.โ€
โ€œOh, holy shit. Well done, dude.โ€
From the way Lucas is staring at Max with wide eyes, itโ€™s obvious that heโ€™s barely registered what Eddieโ€™s said.
โ€œHow do you know that?โ€ he asks. โ€œYouโ€ฆ you werenโ€™t at the game.โ€
โ€œI, uh.โ€ Max looks down for a moment, fiddling with the headphones around her neck. โ€œI listened to it on the radio.โ€
Lucas smiles so brightly. Thereโ€™s an earnestness to him; Eddie spotted it a mile away, ever since that first day back at school, when all the new freshmen were anxiously lining up to get lunch.
Max softensโ€”her arms are still folded, but she drifts a little closer to Lucas as they walk, all studied casualness.
(Oh, Eddieโ€™s been there before: forced to run track in middle school Phys Ed, and the only saving grace was โ€˜just so happeningโ€™ to run at the same pace as any boy whoโ€™d smile at him.)
Eddie catches Steveโ€™s eye, and this time Steve gives him a very deliberate expression, nodding fondly at Max and Lucas.
Look at them, heโ€™s saying with his eyes, as if he and Eddie are on the same team, as if Eddie at all deserves to be let in on whatever shared history Steve has with these kids.
Eddie kicks at a stray twig. Youโ€™re not going to get a lump in your throat about this, damn it, donโ€™t be stupid.
โ€œSโ€™gonna be historic, Sinclair,โ€ he says. โ€œLast time the Tigers won a championship was, uh, lemme thinkโ€ฆ twenty-two years ago.โ€
Lucas stops in his tracks.
โ€œI know that,โ€ he says, eyes shrewd, โ€œbut why do you know?โ€
Eddie raises his hands with a grin, it wasnโ€™t me, officer. โ€œWhat, I canโ€™t repeat a few years without retaining a little school knowledge?โ€
โ€œOh,โ€ Lucas says, and itโ€™s like Eddie can see him mentally replaying every cafeteria speech. He grins back. โ€œSo youโ€™re a hypocrite.โ€
โ€œMaybe,โ€ Eddie says. He glances further afield, where Dustin is animatedly explaining something to Robin and Nancy. โ€œI know youโ€™re not gonna give me shit for it, though.โ€
โ€œHuh, guess you donโ€™t really know me,โ€ Lucas says, and Max snorts.
Eddie smirks. โ€œAnd itโ€™s, like, doubly historic since the last person to score a buzzer-beater wasโ€”โ€
He cuts himself off, because Steve abruptly turns to him, like theyโ€™re in alliance, and draws a hand sharply across his neck.
But Lucas is already hooked. โ€œWhat? Who was it?โ€
Eddie gives Steve a helpless shrug. Sorry, man.
โ€œIโ€™m looking right at him,โ€ he says.
Lucas rounds on Steve. โ€œWhy didnโ€™t you say anything?โ€
โ€œBecause,โ€ Steve says, flustered, โ€œthat was your thing, Lucas, I didnโ€™t wanna be allโ€ฆโ€
He trails off with a vague hand gesture, and Eddie thinks he somehow gets what he meansโ€”smiles at the thoughtfulness of it.
โ€œThat makes, like, no sense,โ€ Lucas says vehemently. His eyes practically have stars in them. โ€œDamn it, we shoulda got a photo.โ€
Steve laughs in surprise. โ€œAll right, noted.โ€
โ€œI mean, Wheeler works for the school paper, right?โ€ Eddie says. โ€œTheyโ€™ve probably got old issues. Hey, Sinclair, you could have, yโ€™know, side-by-side photos. Yours and thenโ€ฆโ€ He waves a hand at Steve. โ€œAncient history.โ€
Steve rolls his eyes. โ€œAncient, sure.โ€
โ€œOh, Lucas,โ€ Max says, batting her eyes excessively, โ€œIโ€™d frame a picture of you. Pray to it every night.โ€
Lucas blushes. โ€œShut up,โ€ he says, elbowing her gently; Eddie thinks that itโ€™s the first time heโ€™s heard Max Mayfield laugh.
Steveโ€™s watching over them again, and his eyes go pensive when Lucas mumbles something like, โ€œI wouldnโ€™t mind a frame.โ€
The expression Steve has is something Eddieโ€™s only seen once before, and it was on Wayneโ€™s face. Eddie had privately dubbed it the โ€˜found something for your birthdayโ€™ look when heโ€™d noticed it: him and Wayne on a road trip, Eddie not so secretly mooning over the secondhand acoustic guitar in the shop window.
โ€œYour picture should be bigger, Sinclair,โ€ Steve says, sounding both teasing and sincere. โ€œMy shot didnโ€™t win a Championship Game.โ€ In an undertone, he adds, โ€œAs Brenda so helpfully reminded me.โ€
Oh, Eddieโ€™s not letting that go.
โ€œDo mine ears deceive me? Did you take a date to a high school basketball game?โ€ Eddie cackles. โ€œYou sure know how to woo โ€˜em, Harrington.โ€
โ€œHey,โ€ Steve says defensively, โ€œshe could only make that day. Told her I had non-negotiable plans: it was either the game or it was a bust.โ€
Huh, Eddie thinks, thatโ€™s actuallyโ€ฆ really sweet.
Lucas looks torn between being embarrassed or touched. โ€œYou didnโ€™t need to do that, Steve.โ€
โ€œSure I did. Cโ€™mon, you thought I was gonna go to every match and then miss the Championship?โ€ Steveโ€™s eyebrows furrow. โ€œWhere was Erica, anyway?โ€
โ€ฆ Ah.
โ€œMea culpa,โ€ Eddie says. โ€œShe was, uh, at Hellfire.โ€
Lucas scoffs. โ€œItโ€™s fine,โ€ he says. โ€œLast time she was at a game, she kept shouting that she loved my tactics.โ€ He looks out into the middle distance. โ€œI was on the bench the whole time.โ€
Steve chuckles. โ€œYeah, I missed her being there.โ€ Heโ€™s sporting a smile thatโ€™s somehow the perfect balance of fond and mischievous; it, quite frankly, has no business looking as attractive as it does. โ€œWe had, um, alternative commentary for every game. That kid should have a radio show.โ€ He comes closer, adds in another aside, โ€œWouldโ€™ve made the date more bearable if she was there.โ€
Eddie stifles a laugh, has a moment of respectful silence for Brenda.
Max and Lucas cut in front, keep walking until theyโ€™re almost out of earshot; Eddie hears Lucas faintly say something that sounds like, โ€œWas I totally tubular?โ€, soon drowned out by Maxโ€™s laughter.
Thereโ€™s a short silence.
โ€œThanks, Eddie,โ€ Steve says suddenly.
Eddie blinks at him, quickly turns his genuine confusion into a bit. โ€œWhat for, Harrington? My devastating wit? Devilish good looks?โ€
Steve shakes his head. He smiles for a moment, in on the joke, but then he looks over at Lucas and Max again, andโ€ฆ there.
A muscle jumps in his jaw.
โ€œItโ€™s justโ€ฆ theyโ€™ve got a lot to carry, yโ€™know? Soโ€ฆโ€ He shrugs. โ€œThanks.โ€
Itโ€™s said so quietly, so without fanfare.
Eddieโ€™s hit with the realisation between one footstep and the next: that heโ€™s earned Steve Harringtonโ€™s trust.
It feelsโ€ฆ weighty.
But Eddie doesnโ€™t mind it; he doesnโ€™t think itโ€™s going to crush his ribs. If anything it feels like theyโ€™re sharing a load.
โ€œDonโ€™t gotta thank me for that, Harrington.โ€
Steve smiles, pushing back his hair; Eddieโ€™s brought back to the moment he did the very same on the basketball court, just as the ball sunk through the net, and Eddie decided fuck it, wholeheartedly embracing his hypocrisy as he jumped up and down with the band kids.
I cheered so goddamn loud for you, Eddie thinks.
He doesnโ€™t say it.
But he keeps walking next to Steve. Feels a little young, a little bit like heโ€™s running trackโ€”checking his pace just so he could see a boy smile at him.
3K notes ยท View notes
blackenedsnow ยท 2 months ago
Note
Heyy, if youโ€™re comfortable doing so could I please get some Beetlejuice x fem!reader whoโ€™s a single mom? Just pretty much him being soft and comforting letting her know sheโ€™s doing a good job etc? Thank you in advance ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’• can be a proper fic or headcanons Iโ€™ll let you decide xx
beyond it
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WARNING: References to the stress of single motherhood
PAIRING: Beetlejuice x Single Mother! Reader
NOTE: I absolutely loved writing this!! I hope you enjoy this, and thank you so much for the request ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’•
SUMMARY: Beetlejuice surprises you by being a source of comfort, helping you see that youโ€™re doing better than you give yourself credit for.
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It was lateโ€”too late for you to still be up. But as a single mom, you didnโ€™t have the luxury of falling into bed as soon as the day ended. No, there were dishes to clean, laundry to fold, and tomorrow to worry about. And of course, your child had woken up twice already, needing reassurance from a nightmare.
You were running on fumes, slumped on the couch, your face buried in your hands. It felt like all you ever did was work. Just when you thought you could finally close your eyes and sleep, your thoughts picked up againโ€”worrying about what needed to be done tomorrow, whether you were doing enough, whether your child was okay.
โ€œHey, dollface, rough night?โ€
This fucking guy.
That voiceโ€”raspy, familiarโ€”cut through the fog of exhaustion like nails on a chalkboard. Beetlejuice. You didnโ€™t bother looking up. He was probably lounging in his usual spot, perched on the armrest of your couch with a stupid grin plastered on his face.
"Go away, BJ," you muttered half-heartedly. "Not tonight."
The ghoul groaned dramatically. "Aw, come on! And here I thought we were past the whole 'piss off, Beej' stage of our relationship." You felt a cold presence next to you, then his handโ€”decaying yet surprisingly gentleโ€”lightly brushed your shoulder. "I mean, after all the times Iโ€™ve stuck around, donโ€™t I get any appreciation?"
You exhaled sharply, finally lifting your head. "Appreciation? For what, exactly?"
"For being a goddamn delight, babes!" Beetlejuice beamed, leaning back against the couch and spreading his arms wide. "For hanging around when no one else does. Gotta say, not a lot of folks could handle a single mom with your level of stress."
You rolled your eyes, but you couldn't hide the tiny smile tugging at your lips. "If by 'hanging around,' you mean constantly being a nuisance, then yeah, sure."
Beetlejuice chuckled, his voice rough yet oddly soothing. His eyes, usually wild and manic, softened just a bit as they focused on you. โ€œAh, you love it. Donโ€™t lie, babe.โ€
You shook your head, sinking deeper into the couch. "Iโ€™m justโ€ฆ tired, Beej. I'm really tired."
For once, he didnโ€™t launch into another sarcastic quip. Instead, Beetlejuice shifted closer, his body language relaxed but attentive. โ€œYeah, I know. I can see it. Youโ€™ve been runnin' yourself ragged for, what, weeks? Months?โ€
Your eyes welled up, but you quickly blinked the tears away. โ€œI justโ€ฆ I feel like Iโ€™m not doing enough. Thereโ€™s always something Iโ€™m missing, something I should be doing better.โ€
Beetlejuiceโ€™s hand rested fully on your shoulder now, his touch surprisingly solid. "Oh, come on, you're killing it out here, babe. You think your kidโ€™s got it bad? They've got you. And lemme tell ya, youโ€™re doing a hell of a job. Better than most."
You glanced over at him, surprised by his sincerity. "Really? You think so?"
โ€œAre you kidding? Babe, I see it. I see you juggling work, taking care of the kid, making sure they're happy. And yeah, itโ€™s messy and chaotic, but guess what? They're fine. They're happy, โ€˜cause youโ€™re busting your ass for 'em.โ€ He leaned in a little closer, his expression for once free of mischief. โ€œYouโ€™re doin' more than enough."
His words hit you hard, in a way you hadnโ€™t expected. You didnโ€™t know why, but hearing it from Beetlejuiceโ€”someone who you never thought would care about anythingโ€”meant something. It eased the tight knot that had been sitting in your chest all day.
โ€œI just donโ€™t want to mess them up,โ€ you whispered, your voice trembling slightly. โ€œThey deserve better thanโ€ฆ than this.โ€
"Whoa, whoa, slow down there, sweetheart." Beetlejuiceโ€™s voice softened. He slipped his arm around your shoulders, pulling you in close. โ€œThey've got you, and thatโ€™s more than enough. Youโ€™re not perfectโ€”who the hell is?โ€”but you're trying. And that's what matters. Trust me, when they grow up, they're gonna see that.โ€
You allowed yourself to lean into him, resting your head against his chest. His suit smelled like a mix of dirt and decay, but there was something oddly comforting about the way he held you, like he was actually trying to be there for you, to support you in his own weird way.
โ€œHey, tell you what,โ€ he said, his voice low. โ€œNext time you feel like crap, Iโ€™ll stick around. Weโ€™ll cause some shit together, huh? Might help take the edge off.โ€
You chuckled softly, wiping at your eyes. โ€œYeah, maybe.โ€
Beetlejuice grinned, but it wasnโ€™t the mischievous, cocky smirk you were used to. It was softer, almost tender. โ€œYouโ€™re doin' good, doll. Donโ€™t let anyoneโ€”including yourselfโ€”tell you otherwise.โ€
You looked up at him, and for the first time since heโ€™d shown up in your life, you realized how much you appreciated him. Not just as the obnoxious ghost who wouldnโ€™t leave you the fuck alone, but as someone whoโ€”despite his crude humor and questionable ethicsโ€”actually cared. Maybe not in the typical way, but in a way that mattered.
"Thanks, Beej," you whispered, closing your eyes as you let the exhaustion finally catch up to you. "I mean it."
Beetlejuice stayed quiet for a moment, just holding you close. "Anytime, babe. Anytime."
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copperbadge ยท 1 year ago
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As someone who's very conscious of individual fundraising, between my job and my work with Radio Free Monday, I'm seeing an uptick lately in something that I want to talk about. But it's sensitive, so I'm asking you all to read this in the spirit of help, and understand that any negative tone you take away from this is not my intention.
We live in communities: neighborhood, friends groups, workplaces, fandoms. Part of the point of community is that we help others in that community. But there's an aversion to the idea of non-reciprocal aid, of accepting financial help that won't be repaid. And on the one hand I understand; nobody wants to be perceived as a freeloader. But I don't think we can move past the idea of transactive relationships, an ultimately capitalist idea of how we relate to others, until we stop stigmatizing it, even when we're the beneficiaries of it.
I see a lot of "normally I would never ask for help" and "I hate to ask for money" and "I'd rather die than accept charity but" and I'm sure that's true. But...you don't need to say it.
If someone is inclined to give, it doesn't matter. If someone isn't inclined to give, it doesn't help. Charitable giving on the individual level is not a sales situation. There is no magic combination of words that will induce someone to give if they weren't going to. And the more we protest that normally we wouldn't accept, the more we loudly imply that there is shame in asking, the longer it will take us to achieve a compassionate and supportive society.
And also, frankly, you're making other people feel like shit for asking too. Which I know is not something anyone wants.
If you need to ask for money that sucks and I'm sorry. I've been there and it's a real bind to be in. But I also know that in those situations energy is short, and this is one less thing to expend energy on -- instead of protesting your aversion to asking, put that energy into doing one thing to make it easier for folks to give -- make your payment app username a hyperlink or a QR code, or make a carrd with your giving options and link that.
Instead of "I would never ask for money normally" say "I know there are many kind people out there who will see this." Instead of "I hate to make this post" say "You all understand how difficult life can get." The nonprofit world has done a lot of studying of what makes people give, and positivity is a huge aspect of it. Opening with a negative, particularly a negative that people see constantly in other solicitations, is more likely to hurt your chances than to help.
Don't follow a script that continues to debase and abuse you. Mainly because it's not actually helping; there's no upside to prostrating yourself before an imaginary combative donor. Talk to the people who are actually likely to give, who recognize themselves in your words when you talk about kindness and compassion and who don't need you to shame yourself in order to be worthy of support. This is not to scold or shame anyone further, but to offer an alternative that is kinder to you and more helpful to the people who want to help.
Do yourselves and your fellow sufferers the kindness of dignity; lord knows you've had enough unkindness already.
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youaintnothinbuta ยท 5 months ago
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Hello sorry to bother you if youโ€™re not taking request feel free to ignite this but I love your writing and I was wondering if you could do a smut fic with Austin butler x fem gf reader who has to film a sex scene with another guy and Austin had to watch it so he gets upset and shows the reader how itโ€™s done?
Iโ€™m so sorry this took SO long </333333
โ€œI need to mark what's mine.โ€
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Summary: Youโ€™re also an actor, and Austin gets jealous watching you film a sex scene with someone else
Pairing: Austin Butler x fem!reader
Word count: 2k
Warnings: SMUT, mature themes, coarse language, unprotected sex, jealous!austin, oral (f receiving)
โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”
โ€œAus, are you sure you donโ€™t wanna go wait in my trailer?โ€ You asked, knowing Austin was already agitated.
โ€œYeah,โ€ he grumbled, โ€œknowing youโ€™re being dry humped while Iโ€™m blindly sat a hundred feet away is worse.โ€ he said, his eyes fixed on your co-star standing across the room, who was talking to your director.
You sighed and rubbed his arm, trying to reassure him, โ€œAustin, donโ€™t say that. He wonโ€™t even be touching me. Youโ€™ve done this before too, you know this.โ€
He just shook his head and crossed his arms, his jaw clenched in tension. Finally sighing, he leaned in and kissed the top of your head.
The director, ready to shoot, called out, โ€œAlright, let's get moving! Places, everyone!โ€
You took a deep breath and kissed him on the cheek, finding your place on set. Austin leant his back against the wall, arms folded over his chest. As action was called, you began acting.
Your partner had to slip off your bra, something Austin was not at all pleased with. His gaze didnโ€™t leave you for even a second, a scowl he wasnโ€™t even trying to hide plastered on his face. He watched on as you and your co-star ran through the rehearsed scene. He knew it was fake, it didnโ€™t look real, it never does until post production. That didnโ€™t matter to Austin though. It wasnโ€™t about whether the sex was real or not. It was about the fact that, real or not, his hands still gripped your skin, his lips still kissed yours, and your neck, and his body still was that close to yours. And those little gasps you were letting slip were doing two very conflicting things in his mind.
As the scene came to an end, the director called out, โ€œCut! That's a wrap, thank you folks!โ€ and wardrobe promptly helped you get a dressing gown over you.
The tension in Austin's body seemed to dissipate slightly, and he pushed off from the wall, his eyes never leaving yours. Before you could even take a step towards him, he was already striding towards you, his long legs eating up the distance between you.
โ€œAus, hey, it's okay,โ€ you said, your hands finding his.
But he just shook his head, his eyes blazing with a mix of frustration and possessiveness. โ€œLet's go,โ€ he growled, grabbing your hand and practically dragging you towards your trailer. You laughed and stumbled after him, trying to keep up with his long strides.
โ€œAustin, slow down!โ€ You protested, trying to keep yourself covered in only your robe, but he just kept going, his grip on your hand like a vice. Finally, you reached your trailer, and he yanked open the door, pulling you inside. The door slammed shut, and he spun you around, his eyes burning holes into anything he looked at.
โ€œYou have no idea how hard it is for me to watch you with him,โ€ he said, his voice low and husky. โ€œI know itโ€™s not real, but I hate it.โ€
You reached up and cupped his face, trying to soothe him. โ€œI'm yours, Austin. Only yours. That's just a scene, it doesn't mean anything.โ€
But he just shook his head, his eyes flashing at you blindingly. โ€œI need toโ€ฆโ€ he spoke, never finishing his sentence, yet claiming you with possession.
He swallowed audibly, then wrapped his arms around you, pressing you up against his body, and kissed you, his tongue sliding along yours in an unforgiving fashion. His body shook against yours, his need for you almost painful to see. His hands slipped down your back, digging into your hips as he pulled you against him. You ran your hands down his chest and stomach, making him suck in a sharp breath. He swore under his breath, shaking his head.
โ€œAre you okay?โ€
He pulled back and growled at you, โ€œI need to mark what's mine.โ€
He lifted you up, pressing you against the wall beside the door, then grabbed your wrist, pinning it above your head. His lips found your throat, and he sucked hard, sinking his teeth in.
You cried out, surprised by his dominance, but his other arm was quick to slide under your thigh, holding you against him, letting you feel his need for you. His lips moved down your neck, nipping and kissing as they went, you let out a moan when he reached your tits. He chuckled, running his teeth over one nipple, then the other. You squirmed in his hold, arching your back, wanting more, wanting everything. He chuckled again, nipped at your side, moving lower, and lower.
You watched has his body creeped closer to the ground, resting gently on his knees, taking his time. His right hand untied your robe, parting it, his lips hit your hip bone, you shuddered, letting out a groan. His fingers found the waistband of your underwear, pulling them to your ankles. You stepped out of them, gladly, looking down at him on his knees in front of you. He ran a thumb over the wet patch of your panties as he held them.
You watched his face as he did it, and he smirked up at you, licking his lips. "Sweet, so sweet," he growled, slipping his fingers between your legs. Not high enough to be touching your pussy, but high enough for you to wince at how close he was. He massaged the skin of your inner thighs gently. He encouraged you to lift your leg. You complied, slipping your foot out of your flip flop, he guided it to rest on his shoulder, leaving you spread wide open in front of him. He groaned at the sight, closing his eyes for a moment before looking up at you, his eyes darkening, his pupils swallowing his irises.
You bit your lip, your heart racing, your core tightening at the sight of him in front of you. He placed a wet kiss to your thigh, then dipped his tongue inside you. You let out a loud moan of relief, your fingers finding his hair to grip. Your head fell back, you gasped at the sensation. Austin licked you leisurely, his tongue dipping inside, then back out, then swirling around your folds, lapping at the juices there.
His thumb gently lifted the hood of your clit, exposing it, and began to circle it slowly. A bolt of electricity shot through you, and you shuddered in his hold, his name falling from your mouth.
He hummed against you, the vibrations of his deep voice playing on your sensitive nerves. He pushed two fingers inside you, curling them inside, and circled your clit with his tongue again. Your hands, still gripping his hair, pulled his head back and forth, fucking yourself with his face, wanting more, needing more. Earning a chuckle from him, he pulled your ankle further over his shoulder, getting your core even closer to him.
He began to lick harder, faster, eating you like a man starved of your taste. He sucked on your clit, and you cried out, heading in the direction of orgasm. Every spare breath of air he could get, he dedicated to moaning for you, letting you, and anyone else within earshot, know how much he loved eating your pussy. The sound of his voice, his whimpers and moans, and the wetness of your juices against his face was doing its job perfectly. The tell-tale string of whines that he knew all too well fell from your lips, the ones that signaled the beginning of your orgasm.
โ€œGod, Austin,โ€ you squeezed your legs around his head, your entire body clenching as if it was trying to hold him in place. He kept licking and sucking until you were crying out, clawing at his head as he continued to pleasure you. A desperate chorus of screams and cries came from your voice as you lost your composure all over him. He didn't change a thing, not wanting to interrupt your climax. He drank every drop of your come, savoring each spasm until you were finished.
He slowly pulled his head away from you, his chin and lips, even his nose glistening with your slick. His cheeks flushed, he smiled as he took a few deep breaths.
โ€œFucking delicious,โ€ he said, standing, wiping off his chin with his sleeve. He reached to the shoulders of your robe, pushing them away, watching it fall off of you, leaving your body bare in front of him. He felt his cock press against his jeans.
Your hands soon found his bulge, rubbing against the hard length there, sending his mind spinning. He groaned at the feeling. He didn't blink once as you unzipped his pants and let his cock spring from his underwear, kissing his tip, stroking him, teasing him. He groaned again. โ€œAll yoursโ€ you whispered, letting his cock part your pussy lips, gliding between them.
He slid inside of you, and you felt your walls begin to tighten. He had barely entered you before you cried out, gripping him tighter, holding onto him. You did as best as you could to bounce up and down on him, but it didn't work too well when you were standing up like this, his height made it difficult. He picked you up, you wrapped your legs tightly around his waist. He stepped out of the pool of denim at his feet and began to thrust in and out of you. You locked your ankles together behind his back, using his shoulders to push yourself higher, driving him deeper. He began to pound into you, his hips making yours ache as he repeatedly smacked into them. You pressed your lips to his neck and jaw, leaving a trail of kisses everywhere you went. His grip on you tightened as you took his earlobe between your teeth, an action that always drove him wild.
โ€œGonna come again for me, baby?โ€ he growled, his voice low, dirty, and very fucking sexy. โ€œY-Yes.โ€ You panted. He squeezed your ass hard, plunging himself back inside of you.
โ€œThen you better let me hear it.โ€
โ€œ Oh, fuck, Austin,โ€ you cried, feeling his thrusts get sloppier, each one taking more effort from him. โ€œCome inside of me, Aus, please.โ€ You continued. โ€œGood, good girl.โ€ He praised you, his thrusts not relenting. โ€œCome with me,โ€ he huffed, his balls drawing up tight. โ€œMhm,โ€ you cried, trying to hang onto your orgasm.
You felt him coming first, the way he shuddered, pulsating inside of you. He pumped several times, his body locking in place, and he groaned loudly, spilling his cum into you, his arm trembling as he held you up. You too, writhed around, your orgasm further coating his cock with wetness.
He shook violently, but didn't let you go. He kissed you again and again, nibbling on your lip, your neck, and your chin. You laid your head on his shoulder, both of you panting, exhausted, and utterly content.
He lowered you to the floor, his eyes never leaving you.
โ€œMy girl,โ€ he muttered, gently placing you back on your feet. โ€œOnly yours, Austin.โ€ You affirmed. He picked up your robe off the ground. He grimaced in amusement, watching his own cum pour from your pussy, pooling between your feet. He held your robe behind you, letting you slip your arms in and get covered and comfortable. After redressing himself too, he found a towel to wipe you and the floor clean with.
He tossed the used towel in the corner of the room where he had found it. โ€œI love you.โ€ You spoke. โ€œI love you too, my darling.โ€ He pulled you into his chest, kissing the top of your head. โ€œYou should get jealous more often.โ€ You teased.
โ€œJealous?โ€ He feigned innocence. You shoved him gently in the chest, trying to conceal your smile. He picked you up once again, holding you close to him for a cuddle.
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solurae ยท 1 year ago
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four eyes (more to love underneath the frames) โ€” PT.1
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HELLO!!! okok the prologue received some good reception so i will!!! be continuing the series :3c THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE NICE COMMENTS AND REBLOGS AND OHHHH MY GOD THE MOTHER OF NERD!MIGUEL @nymphomatique REBLOGGED MY PROLOGUE (i could die happy) ty for the food and the inspiration to start this series!!!
iโ€™m still the process of setting up my tumblr because my ass made this my secondary blog (but idek if that changes anythingโ€ฆ i donโ€™t think) OH AND YES THERE IS NOW A TAG FOR THE SERIES! ALSO PLSPLSPLS DONโ€™T BE AFRAID TO SEND THROUGH ASKS FOR DRABBLES OR REQUESTS OR ANYTHING REALLY!!! iโ€™m more than happy to feed us both hehe
tw/cw: mmmm not any i can think of (FIXING ANY GRAMMATICAL ERRORS AFTER POSTING BECAUSE Iโ€™M COOL)
PROLOGUE?! < <
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โ€œsorry students, the projector is currently out of order so iโ€™d like for all of you to just go through the powerpoint on your own. feel free to come up and ask questions.โ€ the professor sighs as he closes his laptop and settles down onto his desk, the chatter of other students and laptop keyboards create the perfect white noise for your 8AM lecture.
you werenโ€™t really that keen on studying this period anyway so youโ€™ll just get it done later but god he looked so much better up close. why did miguel have to be so fucking dorky and hot and cool all at fucking once? it bothered you that miguel has never spoken to you. ever. but with that in mind, no one would ever think of the effect this nerd had on you, not even the nerd himself.
โ€œoi mate, mandem depending on you to pass this class.โ€ you shake your head after youโ€™re slightly shoved to the side of your desk by none other than your best friend bad influence. hobie, hobie, hobieโ€ฆ you groan as you look his way, legs propped up on the desk as if heโ€™s completely unaware that heโ€™s in an lecture hall. next to him is peter, trying to shove hobieโ€™s legs off the table for fear of accidentally hitting miguel who was seated right infront of you.
peter and hobie were the angel and devil on your shoulder that manifested into your closest friends. it was so hard to make friends (partially because you werenโ€™t interested in anyone aside from miguel) and that everyone in your class were already in tight knit friend groups, and it was clear they all wanted to keep it that way with the silent treatment and one-sided conversations. but that didnโ€™t matter. what did matter was that neither of them were taking this class seriously.
hobie - for god knows what reason - just took the class for fun. well, hobie took it out of spite. he said and you quote, โ€œit is my take on deconstructing the stereotypes and preconceptions of particular social groups alongside us punks that dictate that we lack the desire and strive for academic featsโ€. and you know what? for someone who likes to laze around and count the panels of wood used on the ceiling for half the lecture, his high grades put his narrow-minded folks to shame. oh and peter? although he couldnโ€™t afford to skip his classes, he did anyway. mary jane, MJ - the mother to his children, as he calls her - is in the humanities elective they both share. and peter might as well skip that class instead of looking at MJ as if she invented humanities. you donโ€™t know how watching you and hobie bicker was a better investment of peterโ€™s time but no one was complaining. someone had to remind the both of you of operation miguel mutation, or in other words, get his gaze out of his books and onto your face.
โ€œso much for wanting to prove the world wrong when youโ€™re relying on someone else to do it for youโ€, you scoffed at hobie, pretending to brush dust off your shoulders. he chuckled, โ€œi just wanted to know how it feels to be those good for nothing, narcissistic capitalists, is allโ€. you shoved him so hard it rattled your seats and you didnโ€™t even realise you accidentally kicked miguelโ€™s seat until his cold hard gaze towards you even made hobie look like an art piece in the middle of rendering.
โ€œcan i help you?โ€, fuuuuuuck off. he sounds so fucking hot. insanely hot.
his large pitch black frames could never obstruct how chiseled miguel was, he had angular features such as his nose, his jawline and even his cupidโ€™s bow. but these features were softened with warm red eyes and wisps of his hair coming down to frame his forehead. oโ€™haraโ€™s face overall was slightly scrunched, his hand gripped onto the fold away desk while he faced you, his casual attire in sweats could barely hide his build. his mouth was slightly open, the very tip of his fangs making themselves known. he was definitely a specimen, a gorgeous specimen for lack of better word. you didnโ€™t even realise you were staring at miguel until he raised his eyebrow and glanced over at hobie, then over to peter who was just happily content watching your unplanned, unconventional first meeting.
โ€œoh. um, no?โ€, you were still confused why miguel (the man youโ€™ve been trying to get the attention of ever since the first inkling of a feeling), suddenly turned around and spoke to youโ€”
โ€œexcuse me, may i ask that you donโ€™t disrupt your peers during class? iโ€™m watching you too, brown.โ€ if your teacher scolding you like a wack ass boy in year 9 wasnโ€™t enough to make you embarrassed, your quick descent into realising that you quite literally pushed yourself - pushed miguel, rather - to make the first move. in the worst fucking way possible. you ducked your head a bit in an attempt to avoid the gazes of your classmates only to find your shoe jammed between the gap next to miguelโ€™s seat, missing his elbow by a mere few centimetres.
youโ€™ve got to be fucking kidding me.
so much for devising a plan to properly introduce yourself by actually trying in class by answering the lecturers questions, to the point miguel canโ€™t help but wonder that there is in fact competition. aware of his competitive nature, miguel would try to get ahead of you or widen that gap but then realise he was all wrong from the moment youโ€™d tap his shoulder for a question you pretend to not understand, to look as if youโ€™re struggling so much miguel can ignore his own studies for a little while to help you. men are stupid after all. miguel doesnโ€™t apply here but being an outcast adjacent of the entire university has its benefits, in a way where it benefits your elaborate plan from stroking miguelโ€™s ego by helping you, to ever so slightly become more and more interested in you. once you slowly ease into getting out of pretending to be an academic victim and miguel finds the joy in being academically challenged by the one girl who braved the odds and approach the mysterious mutant, heโ€™d ask to you to meet at the cafeteria or the library. it didnโ€™t matter. you would then, finally then, be in miguelโ€™s line of sight.
โ€œif this is your way of trying to get into my pants, iโ€™m not interested.โ€
papers were stuffed into bags and the squeaking of chairs reverberated the lecture theatre. people were making their way to their next class while peter, hobie and yourself shared looks of disbelief, disgust, along with hobieโ€™s infamous expression that scream the words i fucking told you so.
what the fuck? what the actual fuck was that?
oโ€™hara didnโ€™t miss a beat and swivelled around to start packing his belongings, completely unaware of how his response alone completely changed and destroyed all prior preconceptions about this man - or boy as you would now call him - turns out being smart never stopped anyone from being dickhead.
you felt like you just failed a quiz you didnโ€™t know that was happening, despite being prepared to ace it.
it wasnโ€™t like you to fail, however. especially not to him.
[ ๐Ÿฉท โ€” TAGS! @angelicful @lilipads @zaunsin @m4dyy @okkotszn @rhythmloid @cosmicbarstardust @thespaceinbetweennothing @cu1tvenus @huniedeux @oharasfilipinawife @ilovemuppets @loonalockley ] feel free to comment if youโ€™d like to be added to the taglist!
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inbarfink ยท 1 year ago
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So the AA Fandom has no shortage of jokes about how our favorite Anime Laywers generally prioritize stuff like the Power of Friendship above more mundane concerns like 'getting paid for doing their job' but...seriously now, how often do they actually get paid for lawyering?
Well, welcome to...
The Big Overview of WAA Lawyers and Actually Getting Paid!!
The vast majority of AA Cases do not discuss payments for legal services explictly, so I will be Ranking how probable I feel it is the Lawyers got Paid. With a 0 standing for 'explictly and unambigiously did not get paid' and 1 standing for 'explictly and unambigiously did get paid'
The First Turnabout
That's an easy one, it is actually explicitly mentioned that no, Larry did not pay Phoenix for his services as a Lawyer.
And so, my first trial came to a close. Larry slapped me on the back and said, "Gee, Nick, it's good to have friends!" But I'm pretty sure he's not going to pay us. Unless you count the clock he gave Mia.
Which is brought up again months later during 'Turnabout Goodbyes'
Butz: Whoaโ€ฆ Nick. S-so, is that why you helped me out for free? Phoenix: Uhโ€ฆ yes. I helped you because I believed in you. (Except I don't remember saying I'd do it for freeโ€ฆ)
So Phoenix expected and wanted to get paid, but heโ€™s just, like, not assertive enough to get his money off Larry. And thus a long legacy of Not Getting Money was born!
Probability of Getting Paid: 0
Turnabout Sisters
Okay, so the subject of money does not come up directly in โ€˜Turnabout Sistersโ€™ but likeโ€ฆ Maya does not seem to have a lot of liquid funds on her at this point. For most of the games she generally relays on Phoenix to pay for things for her. At best right now she is semi-dependent on Morgan for cash - and considering her motivations, she probably came out with some excuse like โ€˜oooh Mystic Maya must prove her independence in such a dire situation or something, the whole Fey Family is broke we canโ€™t afford to give you any more money I feel so bad oooohโ€™.
So I think if Phoenix got paid for defending her that was mostly a token symbolic gesture of gratitude more than actually anything thatโ€™ll help him pay the rent. And obviously Phoenix wouldnโ€™t gain anything if he paid himself for that second trial of the case lol
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.1
Turnabout Samurai
Okay, so this is the first case where I think it is more likely than not Phoenix Actually Got Paid. Thereโ€™s nothing textual, but I think with the implications of Phoenix starting the case fretting overย how to pay the rent:
Phoenix: A month has passed since my trial. Mia's murder was the talk of the town for some timeโ€ฆ But no one paid any attention to the Wright & Co. Law Officesโ€ฆ How am I going to pay the rent this month? Maya: It'll be okay. I'm sure some big client is just around the corner! Phoenix: Hmph.
And THEN his new Client is Will Powers who is:
a fairly sucessful actor whose life and career seems to be unglamorous but financially stable.
the first cilent Phoenix has who isn't a friend, a relative-of-a-friend or Literally Himself
generally just a really nice and wholesome guy.
It seems pretty likely to me that Phoenix and Maya got paid for this one!
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.8
Turnabout Goodbyes
OKAY so, I've seen folks say that Phoenix would've probably done this for free cause he sees this whole thing as repaying a debt for Being Nice to Him in Fourth Grade because as we all know, Phoenix is a Certified Ridiculous Human Being.
Phoenix: This is my chance to finally pay you back. Maya: Pay him backโ€ฆ? Edgeworth: Pay me back? For what? I don't remember ever doing anything for you. Phoenix: Never mindโ€ฆ I guess you don't really need to know.
Buuuuut... Larry at the time was also part of that Class Trial Bestie Pact and Phoenix did expect him to pay I mean Larry is not the Love of His Life but still.
And more important, this case ALSO established that Miles has a problem expressing gratitude and overcompensate using financial gifts.
Phoenix: Thank you. Oh, wait! Ummโ€ฆ I was wondering, how much is bail going to be? Gumshoe: Don't worry about that. Mr. Edgeworth is posting the whole amount. Phoenix: What? Edgeworthโ€ฆ? Gumshoe: Didn't I tell you? He's grateful to her for what she did. Alright, pal. Well don't forget to go pick her up, okay? Phoenix: (Hmmโ€ฆ Maybe I can get Edgeworth to pay this month's rent, tooโ€ฆ)
So I feel, like, regardless of what Phoenix wanted - at the end of this trial - Miles IS going to make sure he is GETTING PAID. Dude was probably shoving checks into his mailbox like a full month after the trial concluded.
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.9
Rise from the Ashes
So... the person who initially hires Phoenix to the case is Ema Skye, a 16 year old girl whose main funds are her allowance. And Phoenix was kinda willfully ignoring his financial situation at the start and only took this case for sentimental reasons. (just more evidence that Miles was STILL sending him payments for 'Goodbyes' lol)
It's been two months since Maya left the officeโ€ฆ Two months without a single trial. I've had offersโ€ฆ But none I took. That isโ€ฆ until the day that girl showed up.
However he does get 'formally requested' by her probably-well-off-considering-prosecutors-in-this-series older sister shortly thereafter.
Lana: โ€ฆ Mr. Wright? Phoenix: Y-yes? Lana: I believe our discussion here is ended. The restโ€ฆ I leave to you. Phoenix: โ€ฆ! Umโ€ฆ you mean, you're requesting my services as your defense? Lana: Don't lose any sleep over it. Your client has confessed, after all. The case is over. Phoenix: Rightโ€ฆ I'll do what I can to get to the bottom of this. Lana: โ€ฆ
And after a very long and harrowing journey of being in-conflict with his own client, Lana did end up being very grateful for what he did. And again, this case espacially emphasizes that 'prosecutors make the big bucks' - so she had both the means and will to pay him.
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.6
The Lost Turnabout
Alrighty, so, Maggey is generally a nice girl and also a fangirl of Phoenix Wright and that gives her an incentive to support him financially...
Actually, I really love to watch court proceedings, and I always root for you to win! When I'm off duty, I like to come here andโ€ฆ
But with how unlucky she is, that might imply that she could have Money Troubles. Although on the other hand she at least has a stable job at the moment... But on the other OTHER hand she does mention how all the other lawyers 'laughed her off'
Just when I thought all hope was lost; when all the other lawyers had laughed me offโ€ฆ "Leave it to me!" you said! You! The one and only Phoenix Wright came to save the day! And just like that, I was moved to tears, sir! I'll never forget what you're doing for me, EVER!
Which usually I wouldn't note as a financial thing. Usually when an AA Defendant is like 'oooh I have no one else to turn too, all the other lawyers turned me down......" this is because the case is considered too impossible to win or Unbearably Wacky (or some sort of conspiracy like with Maya in 'Sisters'). But, like, this is a Tutorial Case. Phoenix won that one with Fucking Amnesia. The 'impossibility' of the case was not the issue, so, yeah, it might legitimately be the money?
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.4
Reunion, and Turnabout
It's Maya Murder Trial Time Again! Pretty much the same as before with the two added factors being:
Maya is now officially employed in the Wright & Co. Law Offices during the duration of the trial.
AFTER the Trial, when Morgan is like, in jail - Maya might have a bit more acess to her family funds. Although they are established to Not Be Doing Well Financially in general....
A piece of cloth with a ton of finely-written characters jammed onto it. Probably esoteric knowledge only mediums should know. โ€ฆHmm, let's seeโ€ฆ Here's one in Englishโ€ฆ It saysโ€ฆ "100 Ways to Save Money". โ€ฆ Being a medium sounds like a rough way of lifeโ€ฆ
I think all in all these kinda even out to the same Chances of Getting Paid at last time??
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.1
Turnabout Big Top
So if you ever start discussing how pointless the AA 'middle cases' are - just remember this one crucial detail; they are the most reliable way Phoenix Wright gets food on his plate! We once again have a stranger (that Phoenix won't feel obligated to defend for free) that is very explictly Fabulously Wealthy.
He's not as nicey-nice as Will Powers is but I feel like paying Phoenix's legal fees is not something Max will bet an eye at.
Phoenix: It's a table for guestsโ€ฆ There are some papers scattered on top. Maya: Ah! Look at this! Max's salary is written on this piece of paper. YIKES! Phoenix: W-What is it? Maya: I didn't know a magicianโ€ฆ This salary is incredible! Phoenix: (She looks like she's about ready to pass out from shockโ€ฆ) How much is it!? How much is it!? T-T-THAT MUCH!? Maya: Incredible, huh? Phoenix: You can say that again.
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.7
Farewell, My Turnabout
Okay so this is the Big One. This oneโ€™s a really complicated one to determine.
Letโ€™s just get the first thing out of the way, the fact that Phoenix โ€œโ€lostโ€โ€ the case does not matter one way or another. Criminal Defense Lawyers, as a general rule, do not work on aย Contingency Fee Basis. That means they are paid regardless of the result of the trial. So if this was a normal trial, Phoenix would probably be paid.
But this was not a normal trial, was it?
Phoenix was FORCED to work as a Defense Attorney due to a KIDNAPPER. And, like, my first instinct is โ€˜if you are already forcing someone to work via criminal means, why the hell would you also pay them??โ€™ย 
Buuuuutโ€ฆ.. This is MY instinct, not the instinct of goddam Shelly De Killer.ย 
Since Shellyโ€™s whole thing is being the Honorable Assassin, and he has some level of respect towards Phoenix as like a Fellow Professional. I can see him thinking maybe wanting Phoenix to get paid for the work he is Coercing Him To Do Under Threat of Murdering His Best Friend for the sake of Honor.ย 
But also also, Phoenixโ€™s terms are not officially with De Killer, itโ€™s with This Asshole!
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And Matt Engarde is absolutely the kind of guy to casually take advantage of Phoenixโ€™s frantic โ€˜please please just let me be your lawyer or my Friend is gonna Die!โ€™ thing where, like, obviously getting paid is NOT gonna cross through Phoenixโ€™s head atm in order to not pay/severely underpay the guy even though he can obviously afford it.
All in all, things are not looking good for this caseโ€™s probability, which is a shame considering how it ends.
Powers: Um, anywayโ€ฆ So, who's paying for this lovely dinner party? Maya: As if you need to ask! Everyone say, "Thank you" to Nick! Phoenix: Huh? Gumshoe: Ah, yeahโ€ฆ I'm kinda at the point where I can't even buy instant noodles, pal. So I kinda already put your name on the bill.
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.3
Turnabout Memories
First time covering a Lawyer thatโ€™s not Phoenix!
Now, Miaโ€™s client in this case is a college student who probably doesn't have tons of personal funds, and considering her own motivations for taking on the case she probably wouldโ€™ve done it for free butโ€ฆ
At the time she was employed at the Grossberg Law Offices, and Phoenix hired just the office in general and then Mia took over the case just last night.
Grossberg: Still, you surprised meโ€ฆ What, with your earnest request last nightโ€ฆ "Let me handle this case!" you suddenly said. And quite forcefully, too! Mia: I just found out yesterday. About the case, I mean.
So... really this is just the Vibes I get from the Grossberg Law Offices, being generally the more professional and by-the-book law offices compared to the utter chaotic energy of Wright and Co, that makes me assume that they usually reliably charge their clients and pay their lawyers.
Thereโ€™s some evidence further down the line (which weโ€™ll get to soon) that some of their lawyers do some pro-bono work - but I dunno if Phoenixโ€™s case was extreme enough to necessitate that (I mean he might be a broke college student but his family would probably help him with the legal funds although that assumes they even exist) . So my assumption is that Mia probably did get paid. Probably?
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.75
The Stolen Turnabout
So, Ron DeLite used to really financially struggle to keep up with his wifeโ€™s shopaholic habits - but that seems to have stabilized ever since his โ€˜benefactorโ€™ showed up. So Iโ€™d assume he still has some funds left to pay his lawyer. I mean I guess it wonโ€™t be totally implausible if Desiree did manage to blow through them allโ€ฆ. Or maybe being a a high-spending shopaholic means that sheโ€™d want to pay extravagantly for her lawyer as well?
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.7
Recipe for Turnabout
Itโ€™s Maggey again! And now sheโ€™s:
Closer to a friend, or at least a friend-of-friend. Rather than Just Another Client.
Is probably in a more dire financial state than before, on account of being unemployed and also in jail for the last two months.
Also being a waitress isnโ€™t that prestigious a job anywaysย 
And if anyone is gonna help her cover her legal fees it could only be Gumshoe whichโ€ฆ does not bode well to anyone involved!
Pissed at Phoenix cause it took her some time to realize that no, that guy who got her found guilty two months ago is not him
So basically everything that changed since her last trial makes it less likely that Phoenix charged for his legal services.ย I'm sure she'd try her best by the end, but Phoenix might just wave it off to save everyone a headache.
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.3
Turnabout Beginnings
So first things first I want to reiterate that Criminal Defense Attorneys generally get paid regardless of if they โ€˜winโ€™ and while I couldnโ€™t find any concrete statements about the matter - I believe they get paid even if their clients die mid-trial??? I mean, the legal fees just get added to their posthumous debts? So the lawyer would hypothetically be able to claim their due payment from the deceasedโ€™s remaining funds and possessions. If they wanted to, that isโ€ฆ
Cause, well, this is why I said the Grossberg Law Offices might do some pro-bono cases. Terry Fawles was, like, a part-time tutor who has been incarcerated for the last five years. If he has any family or friends outside that could help him with his legal fees, he never mentions them.ย 
So Iโ€™m really not sure if he bought Mia services or if she volunteered to do this pro-bono after hearing he had no options for legal representations out of concern for, like, prisoners rights.ย 
And even if he was supposed to pay Mia for her service, after the grim ending of the case - Iโ€™m not sure if she wouldโ€™ve even tried to pursue getting her legal fees from Fawlesโ€™ posthumously/from his next of kin. From how deeply traumatized she was by that trial, I think that wouldโ€™ve only made her feel worse about the whole situation.ย 
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.05
Bridge to the Turnabout
Iris is a nun from a small temple that is mentioned to not-be-doing-so-hot (cause itโ€™s tied with the Kurain Channeling Technique and itโ€™s been on a downturn since DL-6), but she does have at least enough personal funds to have her own cell-phone and occasionally go into town. So itโ€™s not a lot, but I think itโ€™s enough to get Phoenix at least a a symbolic token-of-gratitude payment.
Also, it might be possible Phoenix will wave off the fees due to the Personal Connection to the case. You know, he was doing this primarily to Uncover the Truth and get some personal closure for the Dahlia mess.... Or maybe not, cause he did still get paid (or tried to get paid, or forced to get paid) to save his two Fourth-Grade-Life-Debt Childhood Best Friends in court?
(And I do mean just Phoenix, Miles probably would never charge for his services as โ€˜acting defense attorneyโ€™, we donโ€™t need that farce to get any farcier)
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.3
Turnabout Trump
Now this is a complicated one, let us list the factors here one-by-one:
1. As per Apolloโ€™s comment in the next episode, the Gavin Law Offices probably operated strictly quid pro quo.
(Good-bye, quid pro quo. Hello pro bono. sigh)
2. Phoenix is supposedly friends with the boss of the Agency. And in reality, Kritoph Gavin has a very VERY vested interest in making sure the trial goes According to Plan. Incentivising him to at least give Phoenix a discount.
3. Phoenix is also not doing that great financially right now.ย 
4. Oh right, that entire law agency disbanded once the boss got arrested at the end of the trial!
โ€ฆSpeaking of which, I may be out of a job. I work for Gavin Law Offices, after all. (I still can't believe I just saw Mr. Gavin get led away in handcuffsโ€ฆ)
I think it is most likely that Phoenix got some sort of โ€œโ€Friendโ€โ€ Discount from Kristoph. But I really donโ€™t know what happens if an entire law firm gets disbanded right after the trial cause the owner got arrested as a result of it. It probably depends on whether Phoenix was in agreement with the Gavin Law Offices who then assigned Apollo on the case or if Phoenix had an agreement with Apollo directly.
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.5
Turnabout Corner
Oh hey, look! Another rare case of an Ace Attorney that actually discusses the issue of money directly!
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Well, I mean we know how much Apollo got paid for solving the case of Phoenixโ€™s accident and Trucyโ€™s panties (nothing) and for solving Eldoonโ€™s Noodle Cart Theft (a free bowl of ramen). We donโ€™t see them directly discuss the subject of payment regarding Apolloโ€™s Actual Jobโ€ฆ
Apollo: Your requestโ€ฆ let me guess, something's been stolen? Alita: Um, your flyerโ€ฆ It says "now defending" so I thoughtโ€ฆ Apollo: Whaaaat!? You mean, you mean you want me to defend you? Me? Trucy: Maybe you can tell us what happened? Were you hit by a car? Did someone steal your stand? Or your panties? Alita: No! Noโ€ฆ I'm not the client, actually. The client would be myโ€ฆ well, my fiancรฉ, I suppose you'd call him. Apollo: Fiancรฉโ€ฆ? What happened to him, then? Alita: He was arrested this morning. The chargeโ€ฆ was murder.
But as he was complaining before about not only being pigeonholed as some sort of a detective, but also not getting paid for anythingโ€ฆ
Umโ€ฆ I was wondering when I get paid? We solved the case of your accident, and um, found a missing article of clothing.
And then getting this job and being so happy about it...
Trucy: Polly! You look as happy as a clam in its shell. Apollo: For a lawyer this is it, the place where the battle begins!
Implies that Heโ€™s Getting Paid - just as much as with Phoenixโ€™s rent stuff in โ€˜Turnabout Samuraiโ€™ if not more.ย 
Also, I donโ€™t think the fact that the person who hired him wanted him to fail and is now going to prison is a factor here.
As I already mentioned, Defense Attorneys get paid regardless of the outcome of a trial and logically that would apply both when they lose and when they win. Plus, I am pretty sure Alita filed her request officially through Wockyโ€™s name or the Kitaki family in general and they were obviously very grateful for what Apollo did, and they had both the wins and wills to pay him.
So letโ€™s give a big round of applause for Apollo Justice, the WAA Lawyer most likely to get paid!
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.99
Turnabout Serenade
These kind of showbiz-focused Middle Cases are generally pretty good for Getting Paid Probabilities, but this case is a bit more complicated.
Cause the plot of this case hinges on Machi being so desperate for money that he was willing to risk death via cocoon smuggling,
Situationโ€ฆ I cannot explain. But money. I needed. Very much money.
That doesnโ€™t necessarily mean he was unable to afford a lawyer - without details of why exactly he needed that Sweet, Sweet Cocoon Money we canโ€™t be sure.ย  But itโ€™s plausible that hiring Apollo was not out of his price range but he was desperate for something far more expensive.ย 
Considering his young age andโ€ฆ you know, until the final day of the trial he pretended to not understand a word of English, itโ€™s also possible hiring Apollo was a matter handled by Lamirior and/or the duoโ€™s agency. Both of which will probably feel committed to Actually Paying, each from their own angle.ย 
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.7
Turnabout Succession
Now, HEREโ€™S a complicated one!ย 
Going generally over the usual stuff, Vera is a pretty nice person and sheโ€™s clearly gratefulย for what Apollo and Trucy did for her. And while the Misham Family was driven into forgeries by financial desperation, at the present-time they seem stable enough that Vera could at least afford the rates of the WAA. If this was just another case, itโ€™ll get like a solid 0.7 at minimum. Pretty typical stuff by now.
But this isnโ€™t just one more ordinary case. This a weird sort of โ€˜Test Trialโ€™ for the Jurist System with every factor - including the Defendant and the Attorney - arranged by Phoenixโ€™s weird little committee.
Well, for one, I'll be chair of the Jurist System Simulated Court Committee. The chair constructs the ideal situationโ€ฆ choosing the case, the jurist candidatesโ€ฆ โ€ฆeven the judge and the courtroom.
Apollo: Soโ€ฆ what kind of case is the trial simulation about? Phoenix: Well, since it is the first run through of a new system, I wanted something simple. Trucy: Good thinking! No sense wearing yourself out on something too serious! Phoenix: True. The case is a murder. Apollo: That's not simple at all!! Trucy: By "simple", did you mean that the defendant isโ€ฆ Phoenix: โ€ฆGuilty. Yes. Most likely. โ€ฆSo, good luck, Apollo. Apollo: Umโ€ฆ with what? Phoenix: With the trial tomorrow. You're defending, of course. Recall that I said it had something to do with you.
So I guess the question here, did Phoenix basically make Vera officially hire Apollo? Did the committee hire Apollo and theyโ€™re the one paying him? Is this another case of Phoenix trolling Apollo into doing Free Volunteer Work for him?
Honestly I wouldnโ€™t put that past the AA4 version of Phoenix..............but also if he did that I doubt he wouldโ€™ve missed a chance to crack a joke at Apolloโ€™s expense about that.ย 
...You know, I started this thread of thought with the thought Iโ€™m arguing for a lower Getting Paid score for this case but I think I just talked myself into increasing the probability.
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.8
Also bonus round: THE TRIAL OF SHADI ENIGMAR!
Zero fucking chances Phoenix got paid on this one. HIS CLIENT DISAPPEARED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COURT PROCEEDING! And even if Phoenix gets paid before a trial is concluded (unlikely, since he didnโ€™t know Larry wasnโ€™t paying him until after the case was closed), he was his attorney for like half-a-day before he disappeared so wouldnโ€™t have much of a chance either way.ย  And considering Zakโ€™s character (and how he also tried to sabotage Phoenixโ€™s current Poker-based career seven years after that), I doubt he put that much thought into Phoenix and his financial considerations to give him a down payment in case he had to to do his disappearnce act or whatever. The only thing Zak left Phoenix with when he left was his goddam abandoned child and ONE LESS BADGE!
So I think this case deserves a very special score!
Probability of Getting Paid: -1
Turnabout Countdown
Itโ€™s time for Athenaโ€™s first case! Or second case, depending on how you look at it.
Now, one of the major ways that Dual Destinies is gonna shake this Deep Serious Analysis up is that before we had, like, one Active Full-Time Lawyer at any time (maybe with a backup lawyer for Flashback Cases), and we now have Three Different Lawyers actively working together on the same cases. My main concern is primarily not which WAA Lawyers get paid for these cases, but IF any of them got paid at all. Still, shenanigans of cases changing hands officially and unofficially are gonna play a factor in my analysis as well.
And itโ€™s here right from the start! We once again have a Lawyer defending their bestest friend in the whole world, and while some peopleโ€™s instincts might suggest that means that Defense was for free, wellโ€ฆ First things first, we already established Precedence for that back in the first trial of the first game with Larry (not for Lawyers getting paid by their friends, but at least expecting payment) and Juniperโ€™s family is probably doing Just Fine considering she attends this super-fancy-pant prestigious Lawyer High School - so she would want to financially support Athena I would think.
And ALSO, Juniper technically didnโ€™t hire Athena, Apollo was the one supposed to defend Junie in court at first. And although Juniper isโ€ฆ growing closer to Apollo at this point in canon, I don't think it's quite the โ€˜defend me in court for Freeโ€™ point of their relationship, compared to where Juniper and Athena are at. So this is just, like, one extra point to the Final Score!
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.7
The Monstrous Turnabout
So in this episode, we actually have two different jobs we need to make sure if Apollo actually got paid for. We have the actual criminal defense case, and we also have Babysitting Trucy.
Trucy: Oh, we'd better hurry. Doesn't look Daddy's going to make it, so let's get going. Apollo: Huh? Where are we going? What about the job he mentioned? Trucy: This IS the job, Polly! You're supposed to keep me company today! Now, come on! Apollo: Another day of not being a lawyer. Should've seen this coming. Trucy: Well, this is the "Wright ANYTHING Agency," y'know. And there's no law-related work at the moment, soโ€ฆ Apollo: (Tell me again why I chose to "work" here?) Where is Mr. Wright, anyway?
That being said, Phoenix might still be a bit of a troll but the WAA is doing a lot better financially now that Trucy has those Sweet Gramarye rights and heโ€™s not quite as mean to Apollo as he was back in Hobomode. So I get a feeling that even with this little runaround, Apollo is probably at least getting paid for chaperoning Trucy around?? Probably?
The actual case is actually a lot more clear cut. It is directly mentioned that Damian Tenma could probably afford lawyers much more prestigious than the WAA, itโ€™s just a matter of the WAA being the only ones crazy enough to take on this โ€˜doomedโ€™ case.ย 
Trucy: Apollo! Maybe this is your chance. Apollo: Chance for what? Trucy: To do the right thing and defend Jinxie's dad in court! Apollo: Who, me? Wouldn't a man like Mayor Tenma have access to more experienced lawyers? Jinxie: Ummโ€ฆ You wanna know what the detectives said? They doubted there was a lawyer who could get a not-guilty verdict in this one.
And with Mayor Tenmaโ€™s personality being based around being almost overly-generous and gratefulโ€ฆ
Tenma: Howโ€ฆ incrediblyโ€ฆ RUDE! Apollo: Umm, sorry. Did I do something to offend you? Tenma: A visitor when all others shun me like a common criminal! And here I am with nothing to offer! I am the epitome of rude! Apollo: (โ€ฆโ€ฆโ€ฆWait, so he wasn't mad at me?)
I feel like it is almost a certainty that Apollo and Athena did get paid for this case!ย 
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.85
Turnabout Academy
Okay so, itโ€™s Junie again! Or Junie for the first time depending on how you look at it!
So all of the points I already brought up about Juniper from โ€˜Countdownโ€™ still apply (save for the stuff about Apollo, of course) but ALSO this is right when Athena and Juniper reunited and their whole emotional arc in this case is about Athena feeling Juniper is being Uncharacteristically Cold and Distant towards her. So defending her on a Friend Discount would be a bit strange at this point. Maybe I can see Athena trying to insist sheโ€™d do it for free but Juniper refused?
Although I think that IS a bit weird that they had this big whole scene with Professor ScaryStatue taking over Juniperโ€™s case and the issue of payment doesnโ€™t even come up in passing. I mean, yes obviously, the issues of Trust and Truth and Aristotle Means being Sus as Fuck are the important things in this narrative but Iโ€™m suprised thereโ€™s not even a mention in passing. Like Means accusing Athena and Apollo of wanting this case back for the Money but they refute him???
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.8
The Cosmic Turnabout
Okay, look, I know I keep bringing up the Larry Precedence but it really IS quite relevant. If Actual Overly-Sentimental Human Disaster Phoenix Wright tried to charge a rate for his childhood best friend who was drifting through life doing weird odd jobs at that time. - Then Apollo, who is generally more practical minded, is probably going to charge a rate for his older acquaintance with the stable Astronaut Job. And while Solomon is a bit of a Space Larry, I donโ€™t think heโ€™d try and avoid the payment in quite the same way. Probably.
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.7
Turnabout for Tomorrow
This trial has Phoenix defending one of his own employees in a trial forced on by a hostage situation. I feel silly even extending this paragraph any longer.ย 
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.01
Turnabout Reclaimed
First things first, yes, an Orca cannot pay for an attorney - but I assume that the person who hired Phoenix is officially Sasha Buckler. Who IS a human being with her own funds capable of hiring a lawyer. Especially as we know that other lawyers turned her down specifically because her case is ridiculous (and not for financial reasons).ย 
Phoenix: What's the real reason you picked me, Sasha? Buckler: โ€ฆWell, to be honest, I asked a whole slew of lawyers, but they all refused. They said stuff like, "There's no merit to taking your case," or "I'm not sure I can help." They're all as cruel as sharks, with hearts punier than whitebait!
She does mention doing a performance as thanks at the ending of the trial but thatโ€™s probably no replacement for Actual Money.
But I think most notable for our analysis about this case, is not actually any of the Orca stuff - itโ€™s this exchange right here.
Blackquill: Today, the orca. Tomorrow, Sasha Buckler. You intend to save them both? Hmph. You say you "believe" in your clients, but isn't money really your true motivation? Why not admit you're only doing this for your own benefit? I could understand that much more readily than your empty, righteous talk. Athena: Our own benefit?! That's not why we're doing it! Phoenix: Now, Athena. Try not to let him get to you.
Yet another rare case of the game Acknowledging Lawyers Are Paid As a General Rule! And notably, when Phoenix and Athena deny it, they donโ€™t deny the fact that they are getting paid - just that itโ€™s not why theyโ€™re doing this. This is not exactly an explicit confirmation of Getting Paid to get the score up to a full 1, but itโ€™s probably as close as weโ€™re gonna get.ย 
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.95
The Foreign Turnabout
Okay, so Phoenix basically just bursted into the Courtroom and bluffed his way onto the empty defense bench despite the protests of his own so-called Client. Said client also only started unlearning his Defense-Attorney-Hate during that same trial. And is ALSO a tiny little child who has to work part time as a tour-guide to make endโ€™s meet. I highly doubt Phoenix asked for anything more than, like, a very token rate or maybe a discount on his next tour.ย 
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.1
The Magical Turnabout
Considering how this case has a WAA Lawyer defending the actual CEO of the WAA, I highly doubt the WAA got any money from it. But maybe Trucy could give him some of her personal funds as a token of gratitude?
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.2
The Rite of Turnabout
Itโ€™s MAYA TIME again! And while some consideration has to go to her bond with Phoenix or the possibility of some sort of Frequent Accused card the WAA issued for her - the fact that she is not currently a Coworker at the law office and has been an Actual Independent Adult for quite some time now means it is actually a lot more likely sheโ€™s able to pay Phoenix now than in any case in the Original Trilogy!
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.5
Turnabout Storyteller
This oneโ€™s a pretty average case. The Defendant is not a total stranger, but he is more of a friend-of-a-friend (and Simon was originally planning to get Apollo or Phoenix into the courtroom so the connection was even more distant when he contacted the WAA). He seems to be doing alright financially with his own noodle business, and heโ€™s a pretty alright kinda guy. The only possible concern is that heโ€™s too totally slushed to remember heโ€™s supposed to pay his attorney. But then again, Simon might be โ€˜officiallyโ€™ the one who hired the lawyer for the case.
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.6
Turnabout Revolution
Itโ€™s time for the THREE CASES IN ONE SPECIAL!! Because we donโ€™t just need to consider Dhurkeโ€™s trial, I think itโ€™s only appropriate that we take into account both Apollo and Phoenixโ€™s side of the civil case. They are both WAA Lawyers, after all.
On Apolloโ€™s side, he is defending Datz Are'bal, an escaped prisoner/wanted revolutionary criminal in his own country hiding away in an abandoned building and making homemade lizard skewers for food- but Datz did apparently enter Japanifornia legally via legitimate means.
Apollo: What are the charges this time? Datz: Unauthorized entry, or something like that. They think I'm an illegal alien! And I can't prove otherwise โ€˜cause I lost my passport! Trucy: Is there any way they'd let you go? Datz: Not without my passportโ€ฆ If only I had it! Dhurke, AJ! You gotta find my passport! Apollo: โ€ฆAll right, we'll find it. (One more thing to add to our to-do list. Now, where might Datz's passport be?)
So he presumably has some sort of funds to pay Apollo for his legal services, at least a little bit.ย 
And with him being Dhurkeโ€™s best friend and knowing that he also struggled financially to make endโ€™s meet as a defense attorney at first - I would like to think thatโ€™ll incentivise him to support Apollo financially if he can?
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.7
Meanwhile on Phoenixโ€™s side, while Phoenix uses the word โ€˜hireโ€™ when talking about working for Atishon. Phoenix was once again coerced via kidnapping into the position of attorney.ย 
And THIS time, there is no Assassin with a Code of Honor who might consider paying Phoenix a fair rate. Both Atishon and his โ€˜benefactorโ€™ are sleazeballs who would not pay Phoenix a dime if they can get away with it. Plus, with this being a civil case, there might actually be a Contingency Basis going on when Phoenix basically quit and then they lose.
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.001
And finally, the grand event of this case - the Trial of Dhurke!ย 
Soโ€ฆ Can a summoned undead spirit pay for an attorney? I suppose itโ€™s probably easier in Khura'in than in other places. And itโ€™ll mostly work the same as if the client died before the case finished, right? Itโ€™ll be considered a debt to be carried by their next of kin. Who in this case will be Nahyutaโ€ฆ but also maybe Apollo? Still, considering all of Dhurkeโ€™s living family ranges between โ€˜wealthy and well-respectedโ€™ and โ€˜Literal Royaltyโ€™ - Iโ€™m going to assume theyโ€™d be more than happy then to pay their Weird Brother for his help.ย 
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.75
Turnabout Time Traveler
And here we are! The last case, and a relatively straightforward one at that - at least compared to the last one lol!
Ellen herself does not have many funds as a housemaid, it seems - but since she literally just married one of the richest inventors in the world, I assume her husband is gonna cover the legal fees. The WAA Legal Team and Also Edgeworth and Ema also got an invite to the Wedding but I assume this is not instead of actual payment?
That is, of course, unless itโ€™s technically Larry who hired Phoenix actually.
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Then heโ€™s never getting the goddam money he deserves for his labor.
Probability of Getting Paid: 0.7
Average Probability Score for All Cases (not counting the Zak Bonus Round): 0.51721875
So what have we learned today? I think that while the WAAโ€™s reputation for basically giving away legal services for free is not entirely unearned, it is perhaps somewhat exaggerated. While thereโ€™s certainly a lot of Shennanigans and their rates are probably not high (especially not for people they know), they still get paid for a decent amount of high-profile cases.ย I mean, this Getting Paid Probability Score is over the 50% mark at least....
Andโ€ฆ the odd thing is that the First Turnabout really is the only time the subject of the lawyer getting paid is really brought up directly. I get that it might, yโ€™know, ruin the Drama if we acknowledge that our Brave Heroes are getting paid to save people from being convicted of a crime they didnโ€™t commit - or on the other hand of the equation, that they should get paid cause They Need Money to Live. But stillโ€ฆ
Is the fact that the only time payment is brought up directly is when Larry isnโ€™t paying Phoenix a bad sign for the general financial situation of our Anime Lawyers? Or is it actually a good sign? Like, that they only mention Larry not paying implying that every time it is not mentioned that means the client did pay them?
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dootznbootz ยท 1 year ago
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Odysseus was afraid the entire year on Aeaea in the Odyssey.
Content warnings: Rape, Sexual Coercion, Sexual assault, Sex Work, power dynamics, this will also be long as fuck as I talk too much. This is NOT a "Circe the Goddess Hate Post". I call her out but that's it. I tried to keep this neutral but still making a point (Let me know if I gotta put more)
Lots of lovely folks on here have written great essays on what Calypso did to Odysseus as it's soooo blatantly obvious there. It literally states how he cried every day and how he flinched from Calypso, very straightforward on how he was explicitly raped.
But I've noticed that a lot of people are always iffy about Circe's situation (understandably so, it's not so in your face.) She's usually always mentioned in the "Odysseus never cheated! He was raped!" posts but then the evidence is only ever given against Calypso, and then mentioning how you can't say no or disobey the orders of an immortal and how it was in exchange for freeing his men.
WHICH IS ALL CORRECT!!! But!!!
There ARE immortal/mortal couples who genuinely love each other. Dionysus and Ariadne, and Eros and Psyche are examples. Apollo and Hyacinthus. Psyche indeed becomes immortal eventually and in some versions, both Hyacinthus and Ariadne do too. But even while mortal themselves, their immortal lovers still remained respectful and loving towards them and definitely doted on them. There are definitely power dynamics at play here but there's some nuance.
Odysseus and Circe's relationship, however, is very different. We all know he slept with her at the very least once. And that was in exchange for his men being returned to humans. That was the only time it was explicitly stated. With Calypso, it tells you every night he was enchanted and slept beside her. It was the narrator speaking but Odysseus is the narrator now and it's his story. If you think he lied, this probably won't change your mind anyway.
But even if it was a one-time thing, (which isn't the only interpretation and I will have points that talk about others) then why did he stay a year? What was he doing?
I'm doing a deep dive into the year he spent on Aeaea based on evidence in Book 10 and then the beginning of Book 12. Step by step, and honestly I'm writing this for Tumblr, not as a thesis so I will be a bit more casual but still using sources. To me, it's very obvious that he was uncomfortable throughout the text simply based on the language that is used. But it's very subtle and not an outright statement of "He's been crying every day."
BTW, just so we're clear, this is not a "Circe is the root of all evil, etc." type of post.
This isn't meant to villainize her. She's an immortal being and in mythology that changes things. Everybody is morally gray. I genuinely think if we were to ask her feelings on it, she'd probably be like "Oh, yeah! Turned his men into pigs! Strange little man he was." I don't think she gave a flying fuck.
I just simply get pissed tf off when people think Odysseus was fine. It honestly disturbs me how often I'll go on other websites YouTube and see everyone call him a whore and a womanizer. It's sexism at its finest because 1.) "MaN AlwAyS wAnTs sEx" and 2.) women can't rape/coerce. THIS IS SIMPLY TO LOOK INTO HIS FEELINGS ABOUT IT.
This is also only for Homer's Odyssey, using different translations. If you want to discuss this, (I'd be happy to! Just be nice!) DON'T BRING UP ANY OTHER WORKS.
With all that out of the way, come yell with me ๐Ÿค—
I've read multiple translations, as I know there's going to be bias depending on who's translating. And having done so, each one has basically the same situations described the same so that's nice for consistency. Also, there are some parts in the story that are vague and that we'll never have answers to.
Odysseus first simply sees the smoke from her chimney and then sends his men in, after drawing lots Eurylochus leads half of the men to check out the house. I mentioned here vaguely how the 2 immortals he sleeps with are both introduced while singing and weaving, which could be seen as an enchantment (which to me is most likely. They both possess magic and are goddesses). So I'm just gonna move past that. Just take a peek and come back or just know that enchantment was likely.
Next, I'll see people often joke on Tumblr about how
"Odysseus says that Polites is his best friend yet only mentions him once!"
I think Odysseus mentions his best friend, the one to jubilantly go in first, to show WHY he would go through with this. How much these comrades mean to him. That's his best friend, and there are approximately 20 others who are now pigs as well. Could you knowingly leave one of your best friends to live a life like that knowing you could've done something?
[...]Circeโ€”and deep inside they heard her singing, lifting her spellbinding voice as she glided back and forth at her great immortal loom, her enchanting web a shimmering glory only goddesses can weave. Polites, captain of armies, took command, the closest, most devoted man I had: โ€˜Friends, thereโ€™s someone inside, plying a great loom, and how she singsโ€”enthralling! The whole house is echoing to her song. Goddess or womanโ€”letโ€™s call out to her now!โ€™ So he urged and the men called out and hailed her. She opened her gleaming doors at once and stepped forth, inviting them all in, and in they went, all innocence.
(Fagles, Book 10)
In the Odyssey, it's never mentioned why she turns people into animals. I think they were turned into pigs because, throughout the Iliad and Odyssey, Odysseus is often associated with boars. His men are associated with him, therefore: ๐Ÿ– Piggy. From what we know, the lads were just eating her food. With how much Xenia and hospitality are a large part of the story, they probably thought they were safe. They were GUESTS. This is especially welcome after the Cyclops and the Laestrygonians. And it literally says "All innocence". They were simply naive.
Then Eurylochus runs back, so terrified that he couldn't speak at first. He then begs Odysseus to just leave the men behind. Odysseus has shown that he does TRY to save his men when it is truly not reckless to do so.
But I shot back, โ€˜Eurylochus, stay right here, eating, drinking, safe by the black ship. I must be off. Necessity drives me on.โ€™
(Fagles, Book 10)
Then the famous warning from Hermes. I've seen folks bring this up when talking about this. YES, he is literally commanded by Hermes to not refuse her if he wants his men back in basically every translation. It sounds like Circe was warned as well. When? We don't know, but it sounds like Hermes didn't pick "sides" here.
Strange that he was still like, "Sleep with each other" to both, because he could've been like, "Circe, there's this guy named Odysseus. When he comes to this island, change his men back." But who knows, maybe it was Circe's idea from the beginning and Hermes went along with it. Just food for thought.
Now hereโ€™s your plan of action, step by step. The moment Circe strikes with her long thin wand, you draw your sharp sword sheathed at your hip and rush her fast as if to run her through! Sheโ€™ll cower in fear and coax you to her bedโ€” but donโ€™t refuse the goddessโ€™ bed, not then, not if sheโ€™s to release your friends and treat you well yourself. But have her swear the binding oath of the blessed gods sheโ€™ll never plot some new intrigue to harm you, once you lie there nakedโ€” never unman you, strip away your courage!โ€™
(Fagles, Book 10)
But that doesn't explain why he was there for a year afterward! Nor if he himself was okay with it, which is what I'm trying to delve into as he wasn't.
Also the knife thing? She's still immortal. It was meant to startle her. Her dad is Helios. Odysseus would've been toast, literally.
Also note this exchange wasn't a "Yippee! Hermes says I'm going to get laid!".
...just approaching the halls of Circe, my heart a heaving storm at every step, paused at her doors, the nymph with lovely braidsโ€” I stood and shouted to her there. She heard my voice, she opened the gleaming doors at once and stepped forth, inviting me in, and in I went, all anguish now โ€ฆ
(Fagles, Book 10)
Another translation by Ian Johnston, (they all say the same thing essentially but trying to make a point.)
I continued on to Circeโ€™s home. As I moved on, my heart was turning over many gloomy thoughts. After I had walked up to the gatewayย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  of fair-haired Circeโ€™s house, I just stood there and gave a shout. The goddess heard my voice.ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย  ย ย ย  She came out at once, opened her bright doors, and invited me inside. I entered, heart full of misgivings.
HE๐Ÿ‘WAS๐Ÿ‘SCARED! The tone is solemn and suspenseful. He was just told that without Hermes' help with the root, he wouldn't be able to survive and bring back his men. Circe was dangerous.
He made her swear not to harm him.
Straightaway she began to swear the oath that I requiredโ€”never, sheโ€™d never do me harmโ€”and when sheโ€™d finished, then, at last, I mounted Circeโ€™s gorgeous bed โ€ฆ
(Fagles, Book 10)
Please note that she NEVER promised that to his men. His comrades did NOT have moli in their systems. He had no way of truly ensuring their safety in any way from Circe.
He then refuses to eat or speak, literally "lost in grim forebodings". If he "just got laid", then why isn't he happy? Not many men can say that a goddess CHOSE to have sex with them. He did it to get his men turned back. It was an exchange. I don't think Circe is "Evil" so maybe it slipped her mind. Or yes, she could've thought, "Hey, I got what I wanted. He's handsome enough. Homer never shuts up about how hot this guy is He hasn't brought up the pigs yet. I'll just let this play out. Maybe HE forgot. I don't have to do anything." We don't know. But Odysseus probably felt like he got deceived.
"Hey, I did my part of the deal. I slept with you. Now do yours."
She pressed me to eat. I had no taste for food. I just sat there, mind wandering, far away โ€ฆ lost in grim forebodings. As soon as Circe saw me, huddled, not touching my food, immersed in sorrow, she sidled near with a coaxing, winged word: โ€˜Odysseus, why just sit there, struck dumb, eating your heart out, not touching food or drink? Suspect me of still more treachery? Nothing to fear. Havenโ€™t I just sworn my solemn, binding oath?โ€™
So she asked, but I protested, โ€˜Circeโ€” how could any man in his right mind endure the taste of food and drink before heโ€™d freed his comrades-in-arms and looked them in the eyes? If you, you really want me to eat and drink, set them free, all my beloved comradesโ€” let me feast my eyes.โ€™ So I demanded.
(Fagles, Book 10)
He doesn't trust her despite what she had told him that he should when they sleep together. He has figured out that while she will not hurt him, his men were not a part of that oath, the men he was trying to protect in the first place.
She is then moved by how they rejoice when they see one another again. While turning people into animals for funsies isn't cool and coercion is fucked up, I think she comes to see this group as not quite friends but I think she did find them entertaining in a way.
This is very strange but I've seen some folks say that since Odysseus was pissed at Eurylochus for still not believing him about Circe is proof that "Oh he was trying to defend her!". Which??? Uh, Eurylochus was literally questioning his leadership as a whole. Calling him reckless and shit. He is captain and he's the King, he can't let that shit slide. The text literally says "Mutinous". Also if I had to sleep with someone I did not want to especially if it was to save my friends and I got called names afterward I'd get fucking pissed too.
Only Eurylochus tried to hold my shipmates back, his mutinous outburst aimed at one and all: โ€˜Poor fools, where are we running now? Why are we tempting fate?โ€” why stumble blindly down to Circeโ€™s halls? Sheโ€™ll turn us all into pigs or wolves or lions made to guard that palace of hersโ€”by force, I tell youโ€” just as the Cyclops trapped our comrades in his lair with hotheaded Odysseus right beside them allโ€” thanks to this manโ€™s rashness they died too!
They stay a year. Again it's never stated that Odysseus slept with her that whole time. You could interpret that. (Honestly, I feel Circe would get bored with him? She's a goddess, she's got more important matters than mortal men. And she definitely doesn't love him.)
His men DO have to bring it up that "Odysseus has forgotten his native land." Maybe they thought they could sneak out without her knowing??? I am fucking REACHING but hold on as Telemachus did because he knew Nestor would well, be Nestor and try to coax him with "Have a meal with us! Let me tell you about how badass I used to be in my youth." But to sneak away from a goddess? Without her permission? That won't end too well. Aeolus in the beginning kicked out Odysseus when he tried to ask for another bag of wind. If she didn't want him around, she could literally boot him out. While she didn't force him to stay like Calypso did, she didn't "release" him either.
We don't know if they've been asking for a long time. Odysseus does say to Circe that they have been begging him nonstop, but he could also be saying that to try and convince her. He's good at persuasion. I think while he knew he could rely on her for food, shelter, and good advice, he still didn't feel...SAFE with her. I think he was possibly avoiding her personally.
I think HOW he asks her to leave is important to know as well.
...but I went up to that luxurious bed of Circeโ€™s, hugged her by the knees and the goddess heard my winging supplication: โ€˜Circe, now make good a promise you gave me onceโ€” itโ€™s time to help me home. My heart longs to be home, my comradesโ€™ hearts as well. They wear me down, pleading with me whenever youโ€™re away.โ€™
(Fagles, Book 10)
Throughout all of Homer's works, the characters grasp another's knees when they are desperate and are literally at the other person's mercy. Priam did when begging Achilles for Hector's body back. The man who literally killed his son and was defiling his body by dragging it around. Leodes grabs Odysseus' knees to beg for his life before Ody kills him. If he saw her as a friend, and not a captor, WHY DID HE FEEL THE NEED TO BEG IN ORDER TO LEAVE?! No one, who is in a healthy relationship, has to BEG for permission to leave. Or to "Break up", if you interpret them as still sleeping together.
And even Circe acknowledges that he is there against his will!
โ€˜Royal son of Laertes, Odysseus, old campaigner, stay on no more in my house against your will.
(Fagles, Book 10)
[...]Odysseus, man of many resources, scion of Zeus, son of Laertes, donโ€™t stay here a moment longer against your will
(A.S. Kline, Book 10)
This is probably another reach that you can ignore but the whole "they wear me down", could be trying to appease her. "Look, you're REALLY cool, it's actually my crew that wants to leave hahahah please don't kill them"
I mentioned before how Telemachus snuck away from Nestor but that was simply out of necessity because he needed to go home now. Not rest for the night. NOW. Nestor is just everyone's grandpa. Menelaus kind of talked more but Telemachus is very straight up in "Please I have to go now" and Menelaus immediately got things ready for him. He never has to beg and clasp his knees. Telemachus was never afraid. Menelaus is a fun uncle and Helen is your cool auntie.
Back to Circe! She tells him instructions for the underworld, they were in her bedroom. But that might've been the only way to speak with her. As even Penelope is usually away from the suitors when they are in her halls, Circe may have done the same. The text never states she played hostess physically. If she was hosting in the halls during the day, why did Odysseus wait until night to talk to her? He could've just asked her while she was on her throne in front of everyone. (He did so with the Phaeacians)
Or maybe he went alone because she only swore an oath to not harm him and so he didn't want his men near if she decided she didn't want to let them go. I could be missing something here so feel free to say something. Idk if this was a pride thing on how "I don't want others to see me beg".
She has info he needs in order to go home as well. She tells him to go to the Underworld.
She gave him new fine clothes and put on pretty clothes herself but that doesn't mean they had sex. Nausicaa gave him nice clothes as well but he never slept with her.
Then he leaves. Immediately. Not even doing a headcount as he didn't realize one of his men had died. (That was negligence on his part but he wanted out) He booked it, to the UNDERWORLD BY THE WAY. Circe even had to sneak the animals he needed for the sacrifice. Odysseus even basically said "She's a goddess. She can do things mortals can't" at the end of the book. And it almost feels...Numb? Solemn? Neutral? Gives a "It is what it is" vibe.
But Circe got to the dark hull before us, tethered a ram and black ewe close byโ€” slipping past unseen. Who can glimpse a god who wants to be invisible gliding here and there?
(Fagles, Book 10)
Sheโ€™d slipped past us with ease, for who can see a god move back and forth, if she has no desire to be observed?
(Johnston, Book 10)
She's a goddess. She has magic. She can do whatever the fuck she wants.
NOW ON TO BOOK 12!!! That was long! GET A SNACK AND WATER! LUCKILY THIS'LL BE SHORTER!
In Book 11, Odysseus swears, upon all his loved ones in Ithaca, to Elpenor that he'd give him a proper burial as he's been "unwept, unburied". So in Book 12, he sails back to Aeaea to fulfill his promise.
But you know what's funny to me?
He didn't tell Circe he was there.
He didn't even go to greet Circe himself. He sent his men to go get Elpenor's body.
The biggest clue that he didn't love/trust her is that if she was his "Affair partner" then why not go see her for "one last night together"?
SHE came out herself and pulled him aside to know what happened and then gave more advice.
I dispatched some men to Circeโ€™s halls to bring the dead Elpenorโ€™s body. [...]
Nor did our coming back from Death escape Circeโ€” she hurried toward us, decked in rich regalia, handmaids following close with trays of bread and meats galore and glinting ruddy wine. [...]
But Circe, taking me by the hand, drew me away from all my shipmates there and sat me down and lying beside me probed me for details
(Fagles, Book 12)
In every translation, it talks about how he sits, and she lounges/lies down. That's not sex ๐Ÿ™ƒ In some translations, it even says he tried to be with his shipmates but she pulled him away!
So we lay down and slept beside our shipโ€™s stern cables. But Circe took me by the hand and led me away, some distance from the crew. She made me sit, while she stretched out beside me on the ground.ย 
(Johnston, Book 12)
Then, she gives advice about the sirens, Charybdis, Scylla, and her father's Cattle. He tries to ask if he could save all his men. She scolds him for even thinking he could try. He again books it out of there.
I think we all know it wasn't "love". But I think a lot of people think Odysseus was willing and happy with whatever this was. "Friends with Benefits", if you will. I guess you could see it that way but I will say that makes me feel itchy with the whole power dynamic and fear. I don't think folks who have that arrangement have to beg on their knees to ask if they can leave though.
I mean the entirety of Book 10 gives me the vibes of "Laughing uncomfortably because you don't want to upset the other person". To just grin and bear it.
A lot of this was just putting the text here and picking it apart step by step. What you do with this is up to you. It's rambling while banging pots and pans together.
Maybe you see him as drugged the entire year and still sleeping together, as the moli "wore off". Even then, just because her magic can't affect him, there are plenty of natural concoctions that can be created that can affect mortals.
Maybe you see the entire year as sex work in exchange for shelter and food.
Maybe he was just alongside his men the whole time under her roof and was avoiding her after the exchange. After he got asked by his men to finally leave, he would start to walk up to that room only to freeze and turn around, thinking "One more day won't hurt. Should wait until I know she's in a sympathetic mood".
I beg of you, however, PLEASE understand that there was fear and coercion throughout his entirety on Aeaea. He wasn't staying to get laid. While there is so much going on and too many things that are left vague to really know exactly what happened, it is consistent that he was scared/numb. Lots of people go through with things they don't really want to do just to appease others. There are plenty of situations of sexual trauma where one person goes through something and the other has no idea the other person isn't okay. ESPECIALLY WHEN SOMEONE CAN HARM THE PEOPLE YOU CARE ABOUT AT ANY MOMENT!
Sexual trauma is a very complicated thing and while he was scared, he definitely wasn't as traumatized by her as he was by Calypso. Calypso was a torturous hell while Circe was a year of walking on eggshells. Not comparable but I still think it should be acknowledged. It's wild because I read the Odyssey and kept thinking "Y'all are calling the sex slave a cheater? The guy who slept with a goddess to get his men back? The ultimate simp apparently doesn't love his wife??"
Things I'm adding that shouldn't affect the argument as it is not in the Odyssey but I want to mention as it's a "fun fact": Odysseus' dad was an Argonaut. Laertes probably met Circe as well, (or knew of her) with the whole purifying thing and maybe Odysseus heard his dad tell stories of her. Later myths also have Circe with the habit of turning her crushes (or their lovers) into something with Scylla and Picus.
In conclusion, Yeah, he was afraid of her. At least to an extent. And don't pull the whole "Ancient men didn't get raped". Male victims exist and deserve compassion for what was done to them and women are capable of sexual abuse. If you think otherwise, you are not a true feminist and Fuck you. I said in the beginning this'll be casual and I don't wanna write a fancy ending. You can still think Circe is neat but you have to know that this was fucked up.
If you think a lot of this is bullshit or wanna give more context or wish to yell with me but still know he wasn't alright on Aeaea, cool. If you want to point out mistakes or something I should keep in mind with interpretations then feel free to say so but give text evidence. If you try and bring up the Telegony and/or Madeline Miller's Circe, fuck clean off. This is Homer. If you call Odysseus a whore and not the malewife he canonically is I'll start biting. ๐Ÿ˜ค
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lunememes ยท 4 months ago
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๐ŸŒ™ * โ€• ๐…๐€๐‹๐‹๐Ž๐”๐“ ( a collection of sentence starters from season one of amazon's fallout show. feel free to adjust the wording and pronouns as needed! do not add to the list. )
โ›ย  and in that respect, he could be a cannibal or just like, crammed full of tumours. โœ โ›ย  flesh is weak but steel endures. โœ โ›ย  unless you know what to find and preserve, you're more useful as a corpse. โœ โ›ย  how do we know they're not feral? โœ โ›ย  well what makes you think i give a good goddamn about that? โœ โ›ย  well what the fuck would you know 'bout where i'm from? โœ โ›ย  but for me, well, i do this shit for the love of the game. โœ โ›ย  you come from a place of rules, of laws. this place is indifferent to all of that. โœ โ›ย  question is, will you still want the same things when you have become a different animal altogether? โœ โ›ย  you earn the suit through acts of bravery. this is an act of bravery. โœ โ›ย  and i'm telling you you're gonna go through a whole lot worse if you stay 'round here. trust me. โœ โ›ย  clean hair. nice teeth. and all ten fingers. must be nice. โœ โ›ย  the vaults were nothing more than a hole in the ground for rich folks to hide in while the rest of the world burned. โœ โ›ย  you know your kind ain't welcome here. โœ โ›ย  you gotta be fucking kidding me. โœ โ›ย  you'll be lucky if you can make it to fucking breakfast. โœ โ›ย  i'm sorry for yellin', been shot in the leg. โœ โ›ย  do you have anyone else you can trust in this town? โœ โ›ย  do i really have to kill him? โœ โ›ย  well, if you like the taste of lavender, why not just drink a bottle of perfume? โœ โ›ย  that's the worst thing i've ever put in my mouth. that's horrible. โœ โ›ย  do unto others as you would have done unto you. โœ โ›ย  thou shalt get sidetracked by bullshit every goddamn time. โœ โ›ย  water water everywhere, and not a drop to drink. โœ โ›ย  where do you think you're going? you ain't going nowhere. โœ โ›ย  there you are, you little killer. โœ โ›ย  no! what a disgusting idea. i'm simply going to harvest your organs. โœ โ›ย  i may end up looking like you, but i'll never be like you. โœ โ›ย  i really wanna believe you but practically every person i've met up here has tried to kill me. โœ โ›ย  listen, hey. you don't get this medicine, you're gonna pass out, okay? and if you lose consciousness, we're both gonna die. โœ โ›ย  i've seen these in old engineering manuals but never in real life. โœ โ›ย  now, seeing as everyone on earth seems to be after that thing, i'm guessing that's what you're looking for too? โœ โ›ย  and you could've killed me when i collapsed back there and you didn't. โœ โ›ย  i get that trust doesn't come easily up here. but you can trust me. โœ โ›ย  i hate it up here. โœ โ›ย  the things i'm willing to do for you never cease to amaze me. โœ โ›ย  hey, hey, hey. come here. i'm sorry. i know you always try to do the right thing. that's what i love about you. โœ โ›ย  trust doesn't come easily to those of us with a guilty conscience. โœ โ›ย  in my experience, the apple tends not to fall too far from the tree. is that true in your case? โœ โ›ย  these people are hiding something from us, and i'm gonna prove it to you, okay? โœ โ›ย  there's always some new little faction, ain't there? brand new team of believers with their own dumbass ideas about how they gonna save the world. โœ โ›ย  so what d'you think [name]? am i really walking out of here today, or are you gonna try and draw on me for what i did? โœ โ›ย  a good bad guy doesn't see themselves as the bad guy. โœ โ›ย  and yet power is taken, not given. a lesson you seem to have learned. โœ โ›ย  war never changes. โœ โ›ย  you look out at this wasteland, looks like chaos. but there's always somebody behind the wheel. and that's who i wanna talk to. โœ โ›ย  maybe you can stop them. maybe you can't. maybe all you can do is try. โœ
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petratherrock ยท 4 months ago
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Taryn is the kind of character you love to hate because she's Selfish capital S. Jude is someone you'd like to root for despite having killed people because they're for the Good Reasons. She also has pretty bad thoughts about almost everyonee but that's Okay ๐Ÿ†— because it's backed by her good intention.
Do I like Taryn? Not really. Do I hate her? Nah. She's just a girl trying to survive the way she knows how to. Does that mean she's never betrayed her loved ones? No. It happened when she tried to get what she wanted.
Jude adapts by pissing off the Folks and showing them she belongs there using ways that gives them no choice but agree they gotta agree with her
Taryn adapts by being like those chameleons, she analyzes people just the same as Jude does and she grabs whatever opportunity she can get to get what she wants, exactly like Jude.
The biggest difference is Taryn does it for a boy, which if you replace the boy with a placeholder 'objective' just the way Jude does with 'power to feel like she belongs in Faerie', you get something of uhhh == they're both trying to survive the way they're comfortable with
Does it Piss some people off the way Jude got she wanted? Yh. Who? Cardan, Madoc, Oriana, Randalin, Orlagh, Nicasia, Balekin, etc etc etc. They were betrayed, regardless whether they deserved it or not. They're just tricks to get the upper hand in Jude getting her objectives.
Does it Piss people off too with how Taryn got she want? Yh. Who? Jude and Cardan and eventually Locke. They were betrayed, regardless whether they deserved it or not. They're just tricks to get the upper hand in Taryn getting her objectives, too.
They both played dirty at some points. Another difference is Jude's objectives are power and her free will, which instantly places her in a nobler light, while Taryn's is wanting to belong to the Folk and adapting by not pissing them off, getting her boy, and occasionally backing up Madoc, which instantly puts her in the bad light
Jude's betrayals are viewed in a better light because they don't *all* feel personal, which if you read the books, yknow the politics of Faerie is as much personal as it can get for Jude. She lives for it.
Taryn's betrayals are viewed in a dimmer light because they're for her personal reasons. And long story short, they're the betrayal against our main character, Jude
Consequentially my conclusion is, I don't think Taryn would've been hated as much as she does if she's the main character. I bet people be like, she was just trying to survive! It sucked! But that's the way she knew how to! Yes she betrayed people! But it was bound to happen! She's flawed! We love a flawed queen!
In the same practical vein, Kaz Brekker is a con-man. And we root for him because he's the main character. He's done some pretty shady stuff, they're not all wholesome Inej-hearteyes coded, but because he's the main character, we excuse them and maybe we say, hey he's a flawed character, he's a gray character. We don't want a black and white goody two shoes now, Kaz Brekker embodies someone broken and morally gray who clawed his way out of the Barrel in any which way he can
Listen, i think, i think.....what I'm trying to say is, Taryn is a also a morally gray character. She loves her sisters and Oak, but will she stop that from getting what she wants even if the methods are bad? No.
On a tangent, As a sister of a sister and we're close, but we're not the loving Jo and Beth kind, but leaning more to Jo and Amy,.I've often wondered how this person who's my blood can be so endearing and important to me while at the same time makes me want to bust a vein, and I'm sure I've been in the same line of thoughts in my sisters' minds too
Because humans are multidimensional and we're stupidly prone to wanting what we want no matter what, sometimes going against what the other person, our siblings good opinions of ours
So yh, food for thoughts
Edit: because this bears saying for some reasons, i should've added that i dc abt what you think I'm not looking for a discussion this series is almost a decade old and I'm just tired seeing Taryn hate only because she chose the more discreet path to reach her personal goals, was it annoying? Yes, but she deserved as much thought out discourse as Jude because hey being morally gray doesn't mean being on the right side of the story. It's really not.
Just because you like Jude and her intentions and she's killed people and she's the mc doesn't make her morally gray.
Taryn is.
Bye. I don't need your opinion.
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witchthewriter ยท 1 year ago
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๐‘จ๐’”๐’•๐’“๐’๐’๐’๐’ˆ๐’š ๐‘ณ๐’†๐’”๐’”๐’๐’๐’”!
So, Iโ€™ve decided to create indepth posts about astrology; the signs/placements, planets, and houses. I have a short overview here. Everyone has a whole birth chart, here's a free site that I use and trust (don't go on co-astrology it's full of stereotypes and misinformation.)
Find the first lesson here.ย 
Second Lesson: ๐Œ๐Ž๐Ž๐ ๐’๐ˆ๐†๐๐’ย ๐ŸŒ™
Your Moon sign represents the deepest, most inner side of ourselves. Itโ€™s our inner world and it is very uncommon to see that side of someone. Thatโ€™s why as a child you may show those traits more than when youโ€™re an adult - as you age, you can hide that side of yourself.ย 
Our Moon aspect is how we show comfort, how we display emotions and who we are when we are alone. It's our instincts, how we react to situations, our sense of security. The Moon is linked to the mother and child, it represents our inner mother and our inner child.
ย  So, unlike the signs in their Sun placement - they are a bit different in your Moon sign.ย 
Moon in Fire signs: Attention, adventures, a partner or friends who care as much as you do
Moon in Earth signs: Work, routine, stability
Moon in Air signs: Intellectual stimulation, new things, social interaction
Moon in Water signs: Alone time, caretaking
๐€๐ซ๐ข๐ž๐ฌ | ๐‘‡๐˜ฉ๐‘’ ๐‘…๐‘Ž๐‘š
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With an Aries Moon, this means that the planet, Mars, rules your inner self. It means youโ€™re direct, quick to action, impulsive, and bold.ย You may tend to be impatient. Nothing is done quick enough. They make for fiercely protective parents and impassioned activists.ย 
Gets bored easilyย 
Emotional issues take precedence
Take things very personally, and they deal with problems by facing them right away
Moon in Aries folk experience difficult childhoods
Never have to ask them how they feel - theyโ€™ll let you know clearly and sometimes ... eractically.ย 
The difference between an Aries Sun and an Aries Moon is thatย Moon in Aries will rebel just for the sake of it. Theyโ€™re a lot more active and have a desire to have new experiences. An Aries Sun is much more restrained in their expressions and emotions.ย 
๐“๐š๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฌ | ๐‘‡๐˜ฉ๐‘’ ๐ต๐‘ข๐‘™๐‘™
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With a Taurus Moon,ย they feel with their senses and are pretty much rooted in their ways.ย Those with this moon placement typically have a stereotypical homemaker kind of mother figure. It should be noted that Taurus Moonโ€™s are usually not the gambling type, they prefer to protect themselves and their finances by being overly cautious.ย 
Generally very romantic
Once they have made a commitment, theyโ€™re persevering
They make great teachers
Often the mediators of a group
The difference between a Taurus Sun and a Taurus Moon is that thereโ€™s a soft, graceful, and refined quality to the Taurus Moon that isn't seen in the Taurus Sun, who embodies the archetype of the Bull much more readily.ย 
๐†๐ž๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ข | ๐‘‡๐˜ฉ๐‘’ ๐‘‡๐‘ค๐‘–๐‘›๐‘ 
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With a Gemini Moon, a person is witty, open-minded and highly imaginative.ย Generally, they have a million and one projects going. With a finger in every pie, they have a desire to keep on creating; since they have so many ideas.ย The mother in the lives of those with a Gemini moon is usually childlike or stunted in some way that makes her more of an older sister than a traditional mother.
Nervousness and worry are common traitsย 
In their families, Lunar Geminis often take on the role of organizing get-togethers
They are at their best when they have plenty of things to do beyond routine
This placement almost always have a way with words
The difference between a Gemini Sun and a Gemini Moon is that the Sun is more sociable, and has a want to be around others. While the latter (just as intellectual) cares about what is underneath.ย 
๐‚๐š๐ง๐œ๐ž๐ซ | ๐‘‡๐˜ฉ๐‘’ ๐ถ๐‘Ÿ๐‘Ž๐‘
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With a Cancer Moon, they seek out security and familiarity in all they do. This aspect remembers a lot; like walking libraries. Not ones for small talk, or in other words,ย โ€˜surface-level interactionsโ€™, this placement prefer deeper connections and therefore the company of only their inner circle.ย 
Moon in Cancer suggests a mother or maternal figure that experienced extreme and ever-changing emotions. The moon in Cancer child learned early to adapt to these shifting emotional energies and developed the desire to make it better through their own efforts.ย 
The Moon is โ€œat homeโ€ in the sign of Cancer, as the Moon is the natural ruler of the sign.
Nostalgic; they over idealize the past
They feel valuable when they are able to assist
The difference between a Cancer Sun and a Cancer Moon is that the Cancer energy is shown more readily in Cancer Moonsโ€™. This is due to the planet being in the sign that it rules. A person will have exaggerated traits of nurturing, caring, intuitive etc.ย 
๐‹๐ž๐จ | ๐‘‡๐˜ฉ๐‘’ ๐ฟ๐‘–๐‘œ๐‘›
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With a Leo Moon, they have a natural charisma without the need of being loud.ย They feel most at home in the company of greatness and finery. The mother figure for those with natal moon in Leo is a kind of grande dame who either failed to give her striving children the attention they needed or was overbearing and a bit of a โ€œDance Mom,โ€ pushing them towards success in the hopes the shine of it would lend them some spotlight.
Although they are romantic, giving and kind, thereโ€™s a bit of an โ€œall press is good pressโ€ mentality to those with this moon
Sometimes they just need some encouragement
Very proud, and they are rarely happy to follow orders
The difference between a Leo Sun and a Leo Moon is that the Sun placement is much more outgoing, flamboyant and in need of the spotlight. Another way of looking at it is that the male lion is the Leo Sun and the female lion is the Leo Moon.ย 
๐•๐ข๐ซ๐ ๐จ | ๐‘‡๐˜ฉ๐‘’ ๐‘€๐‘Ž๐‘–๐‘‘๐‘’๐‘›
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With a Virgo Moon, they feel most content when theyโ€™ve straightened out all the details of everyday life.ย Their key trait is being a worrier, normally striving for order, cleanliness, service to others and efficiency.ย The maternal figure was likely traditional with a scoured kitchen floor and the pervasive energy of wanting more from her children than they were able to deliver.
Virgo curiosity shows up big time with this position of the Moon
Plagued by perfection
Feelings get in the way of work, so they would prefer to repress them
The difference between a Virgo Sun and a Virgo Moon is that the Virgo Sun wants to be the stereotypical Virgo but fails to meet them. While a Virgo Moon cannot do anything but those stereotypes (or traits, if you prefer that term). Hence,ย the sun sign strives to exhibit its qualities, it often falls short. The moon, on the other hand, can't help but exhibit the full force of its sign.
๐‹๐ข๐›๐ซ๐š | ๐‘‡๐˜ฉ๐‘’ ๐‘†๐‘๐‘Ž๐‘™๐‘’๐‘ 
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With a Libra Moon, youโ€™re very alluring and attractive. Youโ€™re quite flirtacious, and feel the most safe when youโ€™re wanted. Although, you can be highly flexible, youโ€™re also very indecisive. Thereโ€™s this belief that Libra Moons have thatย what is good must be beautiful and what is beautiful must be good
They feel safe and secure when they are in a partnership
Big people-pleasersย 
Strive for validation
Gracious? Yes. Direct? Never.
The difference between a Libra Sun and a Libra Moon is that Libra Suns have the desire for big social groups, while Libra Moons are more interested in focusing on one romantic relationship. Another big difference is that Libra Moons have an innate need for fairness and charm more so than the Suns, but they rarely display it.ย 
๐’๐œ๐จ๐ซ๐ฉ๐ข๐จ | ๐‘‡๐˜ฉ๐‘’ ๐‘†๐‘๐‘œ๐‘Ÿ๐‘๐‘–๐‘œ๐‘›
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With a Scorpio Moon, you areย love someone who will challenge you so that you may understand yourself better. In other words, you like when those that are trustworthy come to you with honesty. Hence, Scorpio Moons seek out emotional intensity.ย 
The maternal figure for those with this placement was likely an unwilling mother who suffered her own heavy losses and serious sorrows. Though she may have cared for her child, the child sensed and internalized being somehow unwanted.
Have a strong fear of betrayal
They are unlikely to forget a kindness or forgive an insult
Scorpio Moons want all or nothing
The difference between a Scorpio Sun and a Scorpio Moon is that while the former wants to come across as powerful, the latter needs to know they are.ย  As well as this, Scorpio Moons are more guarded in their self-expression than the Scorpio Sun. So, people arenโ€™t usually aware that Scorpio Moons desire such power.ย 
๐’๐š๐ ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐š๐ซ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฌ | ๐‘‡๐˜ฉ๐‘’ ๐ด๐‘Ÿ๐‘๐˜ฉ๐‘’๐‘Ÿ
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With a Sagittarius Moon, you have an inner restlessness and a grand desire for independence. This aspect wants to discover the boundaries between the known and the undiscovered.ย 
The mother for this moon was likely a lifelong learner who sought enlightenment in spite of โ€” and because of โ€” trying life conditions. So important was self-discovery to this momma that she may have been somewhat absent mentally or physically.
They have a need for personal freedom and space
Natural storytellers
Thereโ€™s a bit of a teacher in this placement, and definitely a helpful spirit
No matter the incident, trauma or horrific event, Sag Moons seek the silver lining
The difference between a Sagittarius Sun and a Sagittarius Moon is that Sag Sunโ€™s are intoย philosophizing about the meanings of life, while Sag Moons want to go out and experience the meaning of life. They want to find out for themselves, rather than read and talk about it.ย 
๐‚๐š๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐œ๐จ๐ซ๐ง | ๐‘‡๐˜ฉ๐‘’ ๐‘†๐‘’๐‘Ž๐‘”๐‘œ๐‘Ž๐‘ก
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With a Capricorn Moon, this aspect is often seen as unfeeling, however, they have big emotions just like every other sign. But they hate letting people see that side of themselves.ย Not much for taking risks in life, Lunar Capricorns look for safety and security in most everything they do. They desire to build something of enduring value.
The mother in the lives of those with natal moon in Capricorn was a bit of a perfectionist with little patience for the learning through failure modality of children. As a result, people with this placement develop adult sensibilities and self-discipline very early on.
Being useful and productive are basic needs for Cap Moons
They have a hard time asking for help or human tenderness as they were raised not to expect it
Need to feel worthwhile in the real world
The difference between a Capricorn Sun and a Capricorn Moon is that even though they both strive for prominence, Cap Suns arenโ€™t shy about showing it. Theyโ€™re open and forthcoming. Comparatively, Cap Moons are more guarded and cautious in their expressions.ย 
๐€๐ช๐ฎ๐š๐ซ๐ข๐ฎ๐ฌ | ๐‘‡๐˜ฉ๐‘’ ๐‘Š๐‘Ž๐‘ก๐‘’๐‘Ÿ-๐ต๐‘’๐‘Ž๐‘Ÿ๐‘’๐‘Ÿ
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With an Aquarius Moon, they tend to make brilliant friends, allies and activists. They make a point of never leaving anyone out, and will fight for the rights of others. They crusade for equality.ย This aspect is the domain of oddballs and anarchists.
The mother figure related to this lunar placement was a combination of erratic flakiness and progressive thinking. She likely fared better with teenagers she could talk to rather then-toddlers she was responsible for.
They are lifetime students of human nature
Unpredictable yet charmingย 
They are intellectuals who want to dismantle harmful or limiting social structures
The difference between an Aquarius Sun and an Aquarius Moon is most obvious when theyโ€™re confronted with an emotional person;ย Aquarius Moons tend to shun the emotion and avoids it at all costs.ย Aqua Moons will provide a wise solution, while Aqua Suns are still awkward with emotional people - they are more likely to relate emotionally. Show empathy and/or sympathy.ย 
๐๐ข๐ฌ๐œ๐ž๐ฌ | ๐‘‡๐˜ฉ๐‘’ ๐น๐‘–๐‘ ๐˜ฉ
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With a Pisces Moon, they are often seen asย โ€˜dreamyโ€™ or ...ย โ€˜spaced out,โ€™ however, they are much mre intune with the world around them then people realise. People often perceive this aspect to be weak, though they donโ€™t undertand that it is acceptance, rather than weakness.ย 
The mother for those with this moon was one of two extreme archetypes: either a martyr/saint who did all for all, or a wounded bird that required a certain degree of caretaking from her own children.
They desire to nurture and to be nurturedย 
Pisces Moons put themselves in the role of rescuer
They can easily feel the emotions and trauma of others
The difference between a Pisces Sun and a Pisces Moon is that the latter doesnโ€™t wear their stereotypes like Pisces Suns do. Pisces Moons are less obvious, yet itโ€™s deeper and more powerful.ย 
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tirfpikachu ยท 2 months ago
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sometimes i feel like, in certain cases, "detrans woman" and "nonbinary woman" ain't too different. and could even be used simultaneously by the same person without much issue. after all, isn't processing internalized misogyny and escaping the gender roles box for womanhood also a way someone can at the same time not feel like a binary man, not feel like a binary woman, but not feel like a not-woman either? after unlearning all the bullshit male society taught us, it can be destabilizing and create distance between us and other women. we might no longer feel like a normie woman. we've been awakened. we're no longer a gender roled woman, rolled up in everything she was taught she needed to be or she would fail at womanhood. we're an unfailible woman, we can't get a bad grade in womanhood bc we don't care about gender grades. we know it's all bullshit. we took back the power patriarchal society had over us. in that sense, we're not willingly binary anymore. and i think, over time, it's only going to get harder and harder to find women who are happily into the gender roles, the gender box assigned to them.
people fucking hate that, ofc. especially male people, and doubly so cis/bio men. they hate that we're awakened women. they hate that we found feminism and sisterhood and go detrans or use nonbinary in addition to woman, bc we reconnect with our body type and our upbringing. and by they, i mean both sides btw. the patriarchy hates that we found our power, of course. non-feminists scoff at us.
and... mainstream trans activists hate that our journey got us here, and hate how we make dysphoria seem curable in unmedical ways and transness more complex than they like to think. we complicate things. they hate that they found power in changing themselves (whatever makes them feel at peace ofc), while we tried to as well, but in the process we found our power was within us all along. we found that just being neutrally sexed animals, just female humans, female animals, girls the way that one calls a cat a sweet girl, cat first girl second, human first girl second... our bodies, our gender category, don't define us. anymore, anyways. anyone who defines us by our womanhood is a bigot, and we scrubbed our brains free of all the shit patriarchal brainwashing left in us. and for us, personally, it was enough to free us. that's not the case for anymore. some folks need more than that. some folks need to modify themselves beyond recognition to feel at peace with themselves. but i do hope they know that deep down, they were always good beings all along. i hope they know that gender is bullshit and sex says nothing about anyone's worth, personality, goals, interests, etc. it says fuckall about any of that. i don't care if i get a male or female rabbit. a rabbit is a rabbit. if i feel affection for a new pet, our connection is what matters [*]. i would never assign someone gender roles based on their sex. but it's sadly done way too often by parents and male society. if you're trans, temporarily or forever, you gotta clean up all your internalized misogyny and sexism/gncphobia. find kinship with other female people, or male gnc people if you're male. just check off some boxes. clean everything up. deep-clean your mind and your heart first.
[*] insert tras here being like, "why can't you be like that about dating? you dirty close-minded terfy homo dyke? why can't you love beyond genitals? beyond just bodies?" and these days i laugh and laugh and laugh at that shit because wow they have zero clue!! they don't know the sense of peace at having my female/afab body against another female/afab body, at knowing we were born the same, at knowing we went thru the same growing up, at knowing we understand eachother so, so deeply without saying a word bc she is what i am, she is where i have been, and i have suffered as she has suffered, and we are a love born of the connection all female beings share, the connection of bio dick havers treating us as prey. not knowing we're more powerful than they could ever dream of. do bodies like ours not hold the godly powers of creation itself? are we not gods in the literal sense, born creators, who get to choose if a new life should be made? do we not hold the future in the palm of our hand? to the dismay of penised beings? and do me and my beloved not love eachother only the way two gods could love one another, knowing the struggle, knowing the power? is the patriarchy not fighting tooth and nail to control us, wrestle us into submission before their phallic altar? do they not know it's impossible, for everything in us would dry up at the sight? do they not know that we can rely on sisterhood to get us through fucking anything? do they not know we masculinized ourselves and found ourselves happily female anyway? do they not know that i'd love her with a beard and five eyes, but if she was reborn male we would not be the same people to begin with (tho ofc i like to think the bodyswapped versions of us would have a love story too, we would not be us anymore, not this timeline's love story, she would be a different version of her and i would miss our og love)? because what is anyone without memories, and aren't childhood memories, puberty memories, some of the experiences most affected by one's body type (under the patriarchy), some of the most developmentally significant memories of all? is female just genitalia and estrogen puberty to tras, to "hearts not parts" type folks?
is female just a meat suit and not also the life experiences linked to it, our upbringing, a rich female culture one is born into? trans women might be immigrants into this female culture if they pass post-transition, they might get the exact body, but they just don't know the culture the way born into it do. any transfem will admit being transfem is hard, it's hard to merge into female culture when they self-admittedly don't know much about it. anyone not having been born into this culture, not being fluent the way only a native resident of femaleness can be, will show signs of it even if it's been 50+ years. you can't just wipe someone's upbringing clean, your past always leaves traces, and a transfem wouldn't be able to bond with other female4female lesbians on basic female upbringing things... when those are the things that make being into other female ppl so attractive for many of us! we just get eachother. we understand without even saying anything. we understand female body issues. there's a warm sense of peace emanating from that knowledge in my heart, knowing me and my girlfriend were born the same. we went through so many of the same things, all the good and the bad sides of growing up female. and i find that attractive as hell, and it brings me immense joy in life. there's so many inside jokes a transfem just wouldn't get the way my gf can. and i unfortunately need to add, since people get defensive, that this isn't shaming the transfem for not having those experiences. i hope the transfem will come to terms with not being female too. she can be a woman in society, but she's not born this way, she's an immigrant into womanhood, and that's okay. she still needs to let lesbians who are only into people raised female enjoy our unique sexuality that she just can't understand. i can't understand the transfem4transfem experience either. so what? isn't lgbt or 2slgbtqia+ or whatever culture all about inclusion and diversity in sexuality and gender expression? what about those who are girls the way animals are girls? we hate gender roles but we're personally definining cis womanhood as being female animals, female humans? what's so twisted about that? what about female4female lesbians? transmasc4transmasc can exist, why not us? why make everything so stupidly complicated for no reason? why shame us for how we were born, for being into others like ourselves?
i pity them, honestly. watch them bring girldick and male upbringing experiences to female4female lesbians, watch as we'll all dry up like the dying succulents on our windowsills and sip drinks laughing at the naked male bodies before us because they're so unsexual to us homodykes. watch as we raise eyebrows at the male's lack of misogyny in her upbringing, her lack of expertise on female culture, and just... everything that's so fundamentally unappealing to us. we can be friends. we can be allies. thankfully though, sex and marriage isn't activism. you can't play woke in the sheets. if you do, that's honestly sad. love isn't political. heteros made it political, but love is just love. and the love between two female people is normal. boring at times, even. we're normies. and if mainstream tras can't see that, well, maybe they have issues to work through in therapy. idk.
if two dysphoric ppl working through really hard shit end up feeling at peace with being female animals, female humans, and loving one another, if that's threatening, if that's bigoted, if that's twisted, well...
we detrans chicks and homodykes will find our own place to hangout. and we'll be nice to your faces, of course, but behind doors we're having a blast with others like ourselves. people like us have done this for as long as humanity has been alive, anyways. we always go underground and make it work anyhow. radblr is proof of that. idc if i have to go door to door checking if any homodyke is there, or if i have to comb thru tra spaces to find cool detrans folks, i will find others like me. that's what the marginalized have always done.
we're like lizards. we'll just find a cooler rock to party under๐ŸฆŽโœŒ๏ธ
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