#i think this show would be much improved by them having a more complicated relationship

[winepresswrath]

i'm obsessed with the mean princess now. she's awful but the direct contrast between IU's sincerity and innocence and her calculated attempts at manipulation have enthralled me.

[nextstop-fixationstation]

OK analysis time! Matt said that Marcy's affection towards Sasha was more surface level than Anne's, which was described as "complicated." People might assume that this means that Marcy's affection for Sasha wasn't deep, or that their relationship wasn't.

If we're being honest here they weren't presented as having depth to their relationship so much as having acts and services. They're on the level with each other and can interpret each other's needs for a plan but they are lacking somehow when it comes to each other's emotional needs. This is something Darcy touches upon when they say they might not have ever been friends at all, and might be a core conflict between Sasha and Marcy. It's also a good example of why Anne is the actual Heart of their friendship. She connects and makes their dynamic deeper. While Marcy is desperate to keep people together and hates being alone, she admits she lacks a core understanding of emotional intelligence and this is something she admires in Anne. Marcy treats herself as a tool and mostly makes friends by doing things for them and complimenting them. She's kind of the perfect POV character for a journal that gives lore specifically because she's very attentive to things like strengths and weaknesses and team synergy, but isn't necessarily attuned to emotional intelligence. She kind of blocks herself off from feeling certain things too keenly or doubting herself, and masks it using this peppy overachiever persona.

Maybe if Marcy were more emotionally self aware, she would have been even more openly hurt by how dismissive Sasha is of her interests (even though Sasha clearly does like nerdy things), or she would have noticed that her friends don't really care for RP (etc). But in the series what we see is a Marcy so afraid of being left alone that she'll hide every emotion and every hurt aside from what she thinks will make people stay - she delivers compliments, improves infrastructure, says all the right things to earn trust. She's a great twist antagonist! Admitting that her friends don't or can't reciprocate her interests or desires is important to her arc, because it serves as a lesson to her that friendship is more than just doing things together or doing things for each other. Marcy and the others aren't just tools in schemes and plans.

We hear from Anna that Sasha has difficulty knowing when to bring other people to the table, so for someone like Marcy who thinks that she needs to earn everything through acts/upgrades, it makes sense that their relationship remained very surface level. Neither of them pushes the other to see things differently, while Anne does. Anne can acknowledge where people hurt and hurt her, and can acknowledge that this doesn't mean they aren't friends or significant to each other. Anne notes the complexity! It's why she's so compelling.

So, Marcy acknowledging how hurt she is that her friends don't want to do what she wants is significant because she also says, "I believe in you." Love goes beyond the stuff we do for each other. There's a bit of faith, too. What she did isn't right either. Being hurt isn't an excuse.

Darcy isn't just "evil Marcy," the Core is also every temptation for Marcy. Escapism, distraction, perfect friends who go on quests with her whenever she wants. There's a darkness to this kind of insecure attachment that Darcy reveals. Fear of inadequacy and irrelevance. Fear of loss. Fear of change. Fear of what is deeper than skin deep. Maybe my friends will forget me if I move. Maybe I'm just their nerd, just like Sasha's just cool. So their relationship isn't surface level to us, because this nuance is communicated to us through the subtleties of the show's execution. It's a really well acted, well boarded, well written show with fantastic music! It's really amazing!

Sasharcy IS very complicated! But it's complicated because they never dig deeper with each other until it's too late. It's also why it's significant that Sasha is the one to ask, "Can we save this friendship?"

Why is friendship with Marcy so easy? Is it because they got along and there's mutuality here, or is it because they didn't let themselves get any deeper than what was easy? It's so easy for them to just be the controller and the executor.

Forgiveness is hard. Forgiveness takes time. It takes a lot of thought, discussion, and work. Friendship in the long term, deep enough to mean something and hurt when it's gone, is similar. It's not just sentimentality and acts of appeasement.

aaaaand that's what i think matt meant when he was like "marcy's affection for sasha was kind of surface level"! I will admit I was like noooo Matt noooo don't say it was surface level whyyyy but like i had time to think abt it so i'm fine now lol lmk ur thoughts💙

smth i didn't add to my original tweet thread is that i DO find it interesting that marcy appears to specifically empathize with the experience of lonely people who grow up a certain way or doing things a certain way to protect themselves from loneliness. she seems to have an intuitive understanding of people fitting into groups via niches, but is drawn to people who already seem like outcasts as opposed to being able to identify it when someone is surrounded by people they seem to easily connect with. Marcy has this fundamentally insecure and lonely viewpoint that makes her very interesting to read and analyze, and I suspect it also contributes to her popularity. I mean, clearly *I* love her

[lightlycareless]

Do you think Naoya and his brothers feel a slight resentment in the change of Naobito’s behavior towards Naohime when compared to raising them? While Naobito is certainly not Grandpa of the Year, I’m sure his behavior is a significant improvement to how he raised his own. So I’m curious if they’d hold some anger towards him or Naohime(I doubt Naoya would but I think he’s feelings might be complicated) since it shows Naobito had the capability to be better but wasn’t? Or do they think that Naohime is just a Naobito whisperer Lol

Now isn’t this an interesting ask? This is a can of worms I feared opening because it might put some of Naoya’s relatives in a bad light but hey, that’s just how some families work haha.

Anyways, I won’t say much here, everything will be either on the actual post or afterwards :> I hope you enjoy my analysis of the situation!!

Warnings: none. Difficult family dynamics.

I would love to say that all of the Nao-siblings are responsible, mature adults when it comes to their feelings but let's be real, when Naohime comes along that’s when the real issues with their nephews begin.

Sure, they always considered them to be quite spoiled from Naoya’s willingness to give them whatever they want, followed by having an actual mother that cares for them, to finally, how they don’t seem to go through the same suffering they did when growing up around people like the Zen’in. (You defend them, Naoya is somewhat softer when training them, etc)

They don’t like the whole dynamic around your family…

BUT Naohime just takes it to a whole ‘nother level. At the intervention of Naobito, they finally realize that what they felt upon seeing your family… might’ve been akin to jealousy. It’s just that Naoya gets to experience that as well this time around.

However, the worst part of it is that nobody really expresses their sentiments, so they kind of just continue to grow bottled up inside them—and you don’t blame them. It’s the first time they get to see Naobito being… well, an actual human being and not the monster they grew up to fear and avoid, so they just don’t know how to process it.

Naofumi kind of gives you hints about their current turmoil, or at least that what affects those present at the estate—I dare say Naosuke and Naohito couldn’t care less about this because they’ve moved on, really. They’re rarely home anyways. And truth to be told, when they’re told about Naobito’s and Naohime’s relationship, they don’t really believe it— but outside of that, he’s used to never being up to anyone’s expectations so there’s no difference now :’(.

Naohiko is very vocal about it too, always complaining about how the old man “now has a heart” and how “ridiculous he looks” acting like that. He blames it to old age, that he’s growing senile, or he’s finally lost it, but…. Well, he won’t do anything outside that. Like Naofumi, he’s accustomed to never being to anyone’s expectations. Dare say, he probably has children too at this point, so he can’t bother himself to care about other kids that aren’t his.

Naoaki and Naoya though… they take it the worst.

Naoya is conflicted in the sense that he’s happy that finally one of his kids appear to be of his father’s approval (he’ll never admit it, but he’s unfortunately cursed to always seek his approval, one way or the other.) it’s just that… he never expected to see that kind of behavior coming from him. For the longest time, he believed it was too ingrained in Naobito’s DNA to be evil… alongside the eternal questioning of “what does Naohime have that I don’t to earn that kind of treatment?”

He eventually overcomes this when Naohime reassures him of being the best father ever (it’s a type of “Father adores Naohime, but Naohime adores me, so take that!!), because to him being a good father is much more important than being a good son (at least to someone like Naobito.) and besides, to compare himself to Naobito is… his worst nightmare haha. But all possible thanks to your and the kid’s support ♥️.

Naoaki… yeah, he’s the worst. He effectively hates Naohime, unjustifiably, but he couldn’t hate Naobito more so he has to take it out somehow, you know?

Now, he won’t do anything outrageous, but… he’ll try to diminish her achievements, make her feel guilty about what she does or doesn’t do, and most importantly, project his own insecurities onto her, like comparing her to her siblings. Naoaki genuinely believes she doesn’t deserve all that she gets, thinks that he's worked harder and such. Kind of a “I spent my whole life training to try to appease my father, and this kid is just born and suddenly she’s all he’s ever wanted?”

But by that point Naoya is the leader of the clan so if anything happens he’ll make sure to take the necessary measures to protect his family, though I think that Naoaki would rather live anywhere else than be under the control of his brother. So, kind of like Naosuke and Naohito.

Naohime is quite a spoiled kid, but nonetheless, she’s equally loved by you and Naoya, and Naobito, it seems haha. You really did come to change the Zen’in estate for good 😭😂.

TLDR: Naoya is a bit conflicted but eventually surpasses this situation because he loves Naohime too much to let such petty things bother him. (It took YEARS to get this mature version of Naoya OOF worth it) Naoaki already disliked everything that had to do with you and Naoya so now this is just— great lol. He’ll avoid Naohime most of the time… unless Naobito inspires her to mock him 💀

There you have it :> what I believe their thoughts would be regarding Naohime’s odd relationship with Naobito. They for sure think she’s some kind of Naobito-whisperer lol and those bold enough might use that to their advantage (like get favors and such, very bad influences indeed) but I also believe it doesn’t really matter since I envision that by the time she’s around Naoya is effectively clan leader. It’s a miracle that Naobito is still around by that point lol.

I hope you enjoyed my short analysis, and you don’t know how happy it makes me to read that y’all are interested in my other characters 😭!!!! It’s the highest compliment I could get, so thank you so much for sending in this ask 🥺♥️

Take care and hope to see you soon!!

[artemisiavulgaris1114]

I normally don't do discourse but, I've seen some floating around and I maybe have some relevant perspectives so here's my opinion on a thing:

so I am a hella subtext girlie. ships are always painful as fuck for me (in the good way) because give me breadcrumbs and I'm HOOKED I wanna eat that whole loaf crumb by crumb!! no ez mode. that's boring. I love a nice slow burn, I'll happily gnaw my way through 50 chapters of complicated setup and character development before they even meet (and like lol maybe this is actually the problem). And I love Lucanis's romance and I'm happy with his story, the writing and the way it progressed for the most part. I'm demi so I got it and that's all I'm gonna say on that point til a bit further down.

I STILL think that the way it was handled doesn't work well with the pacing of the game, and I don't think that's down to the writing, I think it's mostly the way the game story progression was designed. I think this is true to some degree for all the romances because there's no interactivity outside of quest cutscenes and the ambient dialogue that happens right after the commitment scene. But especially for Lucanis because to me their romance is in the little details, the every day interactions as their relationship slowly deepens. That's obviously done really well in the cutscenes we get, but feels like it makes less sense in the scope of the whole story because there are a whole bunch of in-between pieces missing.

If you're going to finish everything there is to do by the end of the game, a huge chunk of the time that you spend doing quests is completely devoid of any reference to your romance. I feel like especially for Lucanis and Rook more ambient dialogue between them would have made it feel more natural and substantial, especially especially if they are both Crows. For example, the way it's handled between Taash and Harding/Lucanis and Neve feels much smoother and the development is more overt. I think being that those happen more toward the end of the game, there feels like more of a natural character development-relationship development progression as you go through their individual quests.

Like, 2-3 lines of additional unique dialogue peppered throughout the lead-up to endgame after the romance is locked in with Lucanis would have vastly improved it and helped bridge the gap, I feel. And I'm not necessarily talking about romantic interactions, just some unique dialogue to show how well they've come to know each other, how Rook understands his mind and that it helps them build trust, any sort of communication to illustrate the subtler ways they're building their bond. It's clear from Lucanis's journal that they're intended to be spending a decent chunk of their off-time together--so why is there little to no evidence of it in game other than the initial reference? There's no reactivity from Teia and Viago, which made me sad because theirs is the reaction I'd want to see the most. I've gotten lines from Neve and Taash about the romance after it's locked in, and the convo with Emmrich about gifts, but that's it as far as other companions go. Maybe there's stuff I'm missing? Maybe this is something lacking in all the romances.

And honestly as a demi person the final romance scene kinda came out of left field for me. considering it felt like not much communication had been happening leading up to it (minus the pre-endgame convo, which I'm also gonna mini-argue should be more explicit with the emotions involved from Rook's end, like the spanish translation) and understandably a lot has been going on. but I wasn't really expecting it to escalate the way it did with so little dialogue, I'm fine with it but this is one of those cases where I prefer less subtext and more text before something like that happens, actually.

I did a replay where I saved Lucanis's quests until last and that honestly felt a lot better, so maybe the pacing's just a me problem idk. I'm gonna chalk a lot of this stuff up to cut content? and maybe like, the fact that they didn't want to get too specific with Rook's ambient dialogue since they're meant to be player-driven. Going back to the companion romance comparison, it's a lot easier to write dialogue between two characters who are more specifically defined.

Anyway blah blah that's it. i'm nitpicking because overall I'm happy, so anything i feel doesn't work or is lacking is gonna be a gripe, and you can be happy and still have valid criticisms. I enjoyed the game and the writing and the characters quite a lot, and I honestly wasn't expecting to, so yay! Time to gnaw on that subtext and see what kinda creative juice comes out~

[yanderes-galore]

Hello! Do you mind doing some general HC's for Kusakabe, from JJK? Thank you ^^

I'm going to be honest, I have no clue what to write for him, but I will try my best to make something for the Kusakabe fans. He doesn't have much on him :(

Yandere! Kusakabe Concept

Pairing: Platonic/Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Overprotective behavior, Manipulation, Slight stalking, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Dubious companionship/relationship.

Kusakabe is a character I don't have much to work with.

He shows up for like three arcs and even his wiki doesn't say too much.

He's a Grade 1 Sorcerer, one of the strongest, even without an innate technique.

He knows his weaknesses which makes him come off as a coward.

He's tactical and smart, he's good with a sword, and while he isn't the strongest physically...

Kusakabe still packs quite a punch when it comes to his abilities.

While he typically stays out of danger, he has moments where he'll step in to save his comrades.

Besides that, that's all I really have to work with.

For the most part I can see him being almost like a mentor with his obsession?

He's capable of being a leader but I wouldn't really call him all that intense.

His obsession could be a student of his (platonic), or a fellow classmate.

He knows a lot about the Jujutsu world and would definitely be telling his obsession little lessons here and there.

He's a subtle yandere since I think he mostly keeps his desires under control.

He feels he has to, while he does worry for your safety, he knows he needs control.

He's smart with how he deals with his feelings.

He knows they can be problematic so he'd keep them in check.

He's a person who cares for the safety of others, even if he tends to be fearful.

For you he can temporarily ignore his fears just to make sure you're okay.

Studying trouble? He can help you out.

Need help training? He'll see what he can do.

He's helpful but not smothering like other yanderes.

He's kind, protective, but never overly violent.

His main goal is to keep you in an environment where you can grow, improve, and stay safe.

He doesn't typically sacrifice himself, the only time he'd do such a thing is if his obsession was going to be in danger.

Let's be honest, based on his fight later on in the manga, he can definitely take down strong curses.

He just tends to stay away from it, wanting to keep himself safe.

Yet if he had to pick between you and him for getting hurt... sure, he'll bleed for you.

If you were ever hurt, he'd be quick to make sure you're treated.

He's no healer but he sees himself as responsible for you.

To cover some more basic yandere behavior...

Yes, he'd harm curses for you, but I doubt he'd harm a human.

When it comes to humans, he'd try to talk things down or pull you away.

Since I feel he'd be like a mentor, he'd probably make the excuse that you have to study or train.

In reality, he just feels more comfortable when he's looking after you.

He likes the quiet between you, he doesn't need to worry about anything else other than you and him.

Would he kidnap? Well... It's complicated?

I can't really see Kusakabe kidnapping his obsession for any reason other than fearing for them.

He cares for their safety but not enough to just... take them unless motivated.

He might put you under his care if you're hurt.

In fact, I can probably see him trying to talk his obsession out of being a sorcerer.

He himself focuses on self preservation... He may feel his obsession should do that too.

After all, he wouldn't have to keep changing your bandages if you just... stayed out of battle.

So while he may try to convince you to stop being a sorcerer, he won't force it unless he could actually lose you.

It's not quite kidnapping... but it's definitely a way he takes some freedoms from you.

He's scared to lose you, y'know?

Does he get jealous? Not really.

He's rather controlled, if he is jealous, he hides it strangely well.

He's a protective yandere more than a possessive yandere.

There's times he's controlling but it's usually to steer you away from trouble.

His heart is in the right place, but it's debatable on if his feelings are justified.

After all, you deserve to have the freedom to become a sorcerer.

Kusakabe will let it happen for the most part.

Although... If you were to ever get hurt, hurt to the point of near death...

Kusakabe may just have to break his rule about kidnapping you.

Even then, it's more like convincing you to stay at his home for a little while.

He'd give you whatever you needed, he'd ;earn to tend to your wounds...

Then soon, well, maybe he'd just convince you it's safer here?

He understands you might disagree... But you're so reckless...

Isn't it better here?

In terms of affection, I don't know if he's that affectionate?

Maybe he's like... a cuddle guy with a movie if his obsession is romantic?

But platonically he's mostly just a mentor.

He'd give you a comfortable bed with good food.

He'd give you just about anything as long as you quit and allow him to take care of you.

Well you disagree? Probably.

But Kusakabe will try to stand firm on this.

He wants you to not be reckless and put yourself in danger.

So until you can prove that you'll improve, or until Sukuna is defeated...

You'll be staying with him.

[nesiacha]

Given that you are more knowledgeable than me in these matters, how problematic adopting a child during the Napoleonic Era was? And let's say, a child was born from a secret affair, what would have happened if it was discovered? What kind of issues the wife and the child would have encountered? Lastly, how hard would have been for the real biological father to adopt their child, after the death of the supposed father?

Feel free to contradict me if I say anything nonsensical; once again, I’m not infallible.

The short answer: I have no idea about adoption. During napoleonic era if the wife were caught in flagrante delicto with an adulterous child, the husband could, in addition to requesting a divorce, have the wife imprisoned, and it’s possible that the court would grant the husband’s request since adultery for a women is punishable by a prison sentence while the husband will only be entitled to a fine . (This is why I think that Jacques-Marie Botot, despite becoming bitter towards Sophie, the widow Momoro, according to some sources, because he fell from disgrace during napoleonic era, still had enough decency to let her go with her lover and not cause her trouble. The fact that she had a child by her lover and was not pursued by the police might be why Botot never mentioned in his records that he had divorced his wife, among other things but like I said before it was not the villain Sophie or the villain Jacques-Marie, I think the wrongs were shared). The child would have lost much of their inheritance.

Well, the third response is very complicated, as you’ll see in the long answer I’m about to give. But yes, the father can acknowledge his child, although there are several obstacles and issues with that, even though he will have certain prerogatives.

By the way, for some courts under Bonaparte, there was an estimation that children from adulterous relationships were considered "monstrosities in the social order" and a "real calamity for morals," according to the terms of the tribune Lahary. This shows how much this weighed on their shoulders.

Warning: I will discuss the rights of natural children during the Revolution before addressing Bonaparte

Napoleon once said, "Society has no interest in recognizing bastards," and he ordered this in the Civil Code. During the Revolution, some revolutionaries fought to ensure equality between illegitimate and legitimate children. Speaking of Prieur (since this is the origin of the question😊 due to my comment about his goddaughter/daughter in your excellent post ), an interesting point about the city of Dijon is that some of cahiers de doléances, such as those from the Third Estate of Dijon, expressed the desire to improve the conditions (of natural children) so that they would be useful to the state. Others, like those from certain communities of Aix, demanded that they be granted civil and political existence. These demands were realized early in the Revolution: the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen abolished "bastardy," and the law of 12 Brumaire, Year II (1793), granted natural children the same inheritance rights as legitimate children.

On June 4, 1793, Cambacérès, on behalf of the Committee of Legislation, presented a draft decree aimed at granting rights to natural children. In his speech to the Convention, he emphasized the importance of restoring equality that had been destroyed by the old law, asserting that the Convention must "restore the rights to natural children that had been so unjustly taken from them." However, it should be noted that not all revolutionaries agreed on granting rights to natural children.

Cambacérès' draft decree was part of a political will to grant all citizens, including children, their civil rights, regardless of age, gender, or status. This marked a significant step forward, as it recognized rights for children, beings naturally dependent on adults, thus realizing the revolutionary principle that "all men are born free and equal in rights." This initiative fulfilled the promise of 1789.

The question of inheritance rights for natural children was first raised on September 20, 1792, by Léonard Robin, who proposed that they inherit from their parents, though not on equal footing with legitimate children. This debate, centered on inheritance, concerned not only the rights of natural children but also those of their mother and the restrictions imposed by the presumed father.

However, the initial decree by the Committee of Legislation did not go as far. It granted natural children inheritance rights from their father, but with restrictions: if legitimate children existed, they should not be disadvantaged. In 1793, a proposal was made to eliminate the term "bastard," a term seen as insulting, replacing it with "natural child."

Léonard Robin's proposal, on the other hand, went further by granting mothers the exclusive right to designate a father for their child, believing that women were the only ones who could judge paternity. This position sought to protect mothers from the abuses of men trying to claim the inheritance of a child born out of wedlock, particularly those trying to claim a significant inheritance.

However, in August 1793, Cambacérès' new draft rejected the possibility of paternity investigations. This draft prioritized the rights of the father, allowing him to choose whether or not to recognize his natural child, without the mother being able to force recognition. This was based on the idea that paternal recognition should be the free will of the man, not an obligation imposed by the law.

The reasons for this restriction were mainly economic: once natural children had the same rights as legitimate ones, recognition of paternity had significant consequences, especially regarding inheritance and family name. As a result, fathers now had the right to choose whether or not to recognize a child and include them in their family, while mothers remained solely responsible for the child.

Berlier, a member of the Committee of Legislation, justified this position by stating that the mother alone was responsible for the situation of her natural child, as she had not secured a "paternal status" beforehand, meaning a marriage contract. Although Berlier was sympathetic to the suffering of natural children and their mothers under the Ancien Régime, he believed that paternity recognition should remain a father's right to prevent abuses and fraud. He also highlighted the practical and economic consequences of recognition: once a natural child was recognized, they were entitled to a share of the inheritance, which represented a significant "cost" to the father. (This once again shows the limits of revolutionary ideas, and I say this without bashing).

As an example, historian Suzanne Desan, after studying the decisions of the Committee of Legislation and the Court of Cassation between 1794 and 1804, shows that the few natural children whose cases were examined by the authorities were systematically deprived of their rights. Provincial courts strictly applied the law of 12 Brumaire, making it very difficult to recognize paternity. For instance, a 40-year-old woman, Marie-Catherine Dampville, tried to prove her paternity with her deceased father by producing a baptismal certificate and witnesses, but these were deemed insufficient. The law now required more rigorous written proof, such as a marriage promise or demonstration of "continuous care," which she could not provide.

Now let’s return to the subject of Bonaparte, the Civil Code, and the rights of natural children.

Aside from the phrase he said about natural children (it is worth noting that he used the term "bastards," a word considered insulting by the revolutionaries who tried to erase it by using the term "natural children"), here is what Bonaparte said: "As soon as there is a possibility that the child might be the husband's, the legislator must turn a blind eye." But he also says, "There must be a fixed rule to remove all doubts," Napoleon Bonaparte continues. "It is said that this is against morality. No; because if the absolute principle were not adopted, the woman would say to her husband: 'Why do you want to limit my freedom? If you suspect my virtue, you can prove that the child is not yours.' This must not be tolerated. The husband must have absolute power and the right to tell his wife: 'Madam, you will not go out, you will not go to the theater, you will not see such and such a person; because the children you bear will be mine.'"

Now, the legal articles: "A child conceived during the marriage has the husband as its father. The law does not accept exceptions to this paternity, neither the wife’s adultery nor the husband's natural or accidental impotence." The Civil Code, through principles like the wife’s obedience and her obligation to follow her husband, as well as harsher penalties for female adultery, tends to limit women's rights. Paternity presumption and the prohibition of questioning paternity are in effect.

The evolution of paternal rights in France, particularly through the laws of Year II and the 1804 Civil Code, highlights that these laws, which were supposed to offer more rights to natural children, actually reinforced the rights of fathers to the detriment of unmarried mothers and their children. Historians have identified a conflict between equality among children, regardless of their origin, and the father's liberty, with the father generally holding dominion.

Despite these inequalities, the laws of Year II are sometimes considered a precursor to modern fatherhood, emphasizing paternal will rather than biological reality. The 1804 Civil Code, with its presumption of paternity, perpetuated this logic, allowing the father to assert his paternity regardless of biological truth. This legislation, while emphasizing the appearance of a legal union, also strengthened the surveillance of women by their husbands, particularly to prevent non-biological children from being attributed to a father.

Natural children, born out of wedlock, do not have the same inheritance rights as legitimate children and are excluded from their parents' inheritance unless they are legally recognized. The legislation emphasizes social stability and the preservation of public order through the family, which is seen as a foundational pillar of society. The Civil Code reinforces the authority of the father within the family, aiming to restore the order disturbed by the excesses of the Revolution.

In summary: The legitimization of natural children through the marriage of their parents is allowed, which enables them to acquire the same rights as legitimate children. However, this legitimization assumes that the parents intended to marry at the time of the child’s birth, which is seen as a means to preserve moral and social order. In contrast, children born of adultery or incest are excluded from any form of legitimization and cannot benefit from family-related rights, as their situation is judged to be too contrary to social order.

In short, the 1804 legislation, while granting some possibilities for reintegration for natural children, primarily seeks to maintain social stability and paternal authority, emphasizing the clear distinction between legitimate and natural children.

Although legitimate children, born within marriage, benefit from full inheritance rights, natural children cannot claim total equality. Their share of inheritance depends on several factors, including the presence of legitimate children or ascendants, and is generally less than that of legitimate children. The 1804 legislation provided specific rules for natural children: in the presence of legitimate children, their share of the inheritance is reduced to one-third of what they would have received if they were legitimate. If the parents have no legitimate descendants or ascendants, their share is larger, up to half of the estate. Some proposals from appellate courts, such as from the Tribunals of Grenoble or Brussels, suggested increasing this share in certain cases, especially if the natural child was the sole heir or if the parents had no legitimate children.

Overall, the 1804 Civil Code recognizes a right to inheritance for natural children, but this right is limited compared to that of legitimate children. This solution aimed to strike a balance between fairness for natural children and the preservation of social order, which favored legitimate families.

Some courts contested a provision of the 1804 Civil Code that limited the inheritance share of natural children, even when they had already received a significant portion of their parents' estate during their lifetime. The Lyon and Bourges Tribunals considered this restriction unjust, as it added an additional inequality to natural children, already deprived of the benefits of legitimacy. Moreover, the legislation prevented parents from making donations or wills in favor of their natural children without reducing their inheritance share, which was also deemed unfair. Some courts called for the advance payment of succession liquidation costs by the heir, so as not to penalize natural children, who were often in precarious situations.

Some lawmakers in 1804 addressed the issue of children born of adultery and incest. Although considered a "monstrosity" and a "calamity for morals" by some, lawmakers felt that these children should not be left in poverty. Figures like Chabot de l'Allier and Siméon insisted that, despite their disapproved birth, these children remained human and deserved pity and support. However, the framers of the 1804 Code did not recognize the rights of adulterine or incestuous children on par with legitimate natural children. They were granted "aliments" (support), but these were strictly regulated and proportional to the parents’ income and the number of legitimate children. Society was required to provide them with support to enable them to lead a useful life, but recognition of their right to a fair share of inheritance was excluded, except in cases of donations or wills that respected the hereditary reserve.

Portalis also stated about natural children, "They belong to no family, but to the State." He also said, "When children, whether natural or legitimate, reach adulthood, they become arbiters of their own destiny; their will suffices." Legislators acknowledged that both children born within marriage and natural children, as long as they had not reached adulthood, deserved protection, particularly in terms of marriage. Parental consent was deemed essential, not only for the public interest but also for the child's welfare, as marriage was seen as a fundamental institution for social and family order. However, natural children, being deprived of legitimate recognition, were considered differently. Some, like Defermon, believed that natural children should be free to dispose of their rights, particularly regarding marriage. However, others, such as Tronchet and Boulay, felt that these children, lacking stable family support, required special protection, especially in contractual matters and marriage. Thus, parental consent was required for minor natural children, and in the event of the parents’ death, a guardian had to be appointed, preventing marriage before the age of 21 without such authorization.

Recognition of paternity was still in place. The father who recognized his natural child had rights over the child's education and, in particular, the right of correction: "The examples of parents, their exhortations, are not always sufficient means to keep certain children, who may have developed vices or bad inclinations, in line with duty: public authority then joins the paternal magistracy, but with precautions compatible with the family’s interest." This is why natural children could not be excluded from measures aimed at overseeing their education and behavior. In particular, the father, whether legitimate or natural, had disciplinary power over his child, including in cases of delinquency. Thus, just as with legitimate children, natural children under the age of 16 could be arrested at the father’s request, by order of the district court president, and imprisoned for up to one month. For children aged 16 to adulthood, detention could be extended to six months, depending on the severity of the situation. This measure aimed to strengthen parental authority and maintain social order, giving fathers the power to control their children's behavior, even when those children were born out of wedlock.

However, don't forget one thing: if the father recognizes his adulterine child from a married couple, the child loses much of their inheritance. Furthermore, as we can see in the post, they are sometimes treated with various insults. So, it’s possible that some fathers may decide to care for them but not recognize them to avoid further problems.

Sources:

Mathilde Larrère

Josée Bloquet

The Civil Code

[astroyongie]

Astroyongie Podcast S01 E01

Note: This is the sum up resume of the Podcast held on my discord channel voice channel. Another episode will open next week.

All notes were made by the talented @killuachii <3

Censured Version

Connection between Seonghwa, Hongjoong and Chungha?

→ Hongjoong-Chungha: some type of connection, some type of relationship, not romantic but are

close, share friends together, at the moment close friends one might have crush on other

→ Seonghwa-Chungha: not very good relationship, Chungha pick me perception, might not like her very much, energy feels off, Seonghwa tends to not like female friends of the members, possessive?

On going problem between txt and one female managers/supervisor. What’s the situation?

→ two members who had complications: Beomgyu, Taehyun,

Beomgyu: issue happened a few years ago, had rumors/scandals, a time where everyone thought he would leave, behind the scenes: had a very unhealthy way to cope with relationships, slept around a lot which managers had to step in, felt very overwhelmed with the music industry, fame, tours, coping: unhealthy relationships, that stayed, one sponsor left so they had to find another one, Beomgyu doesn’t like how company treats him, how group/life/paycheck is handled, is very frustrated, has to wear a mask and can never express himself, troubles with one female and one male manager, everytime he wants to do something for himself they restrict him, member could be caught in the middle

Taehyun: has some clashes, is very reserved, thinks in a certain way, company tells him what to do and so fights happen between him and the manager

Enhypen currently preparing for comeback: what are the thoughts on the comeback?

→ Jungwon: he is happy with the comeback, exactly what he expected, isn’t very stressed, no anxiety, expects that this comeback will get them further than before

Heeseung: just like Jungwon, he also thinks that other members improved their skills a lot, is very content with everything, expect him to have a lot of attention for this comeback

Jay: very tired, a lot of chaotic and heavy energy, he feels like he isn’t ready yet/ not as good as the other members, touching his mental healthy, he likes it but still is unsatisfied with his lines, screentime, etc., a little insecure about the comeback

Jake: super confident/happy, he will slay the boots house down, he is confident with everything he has done for this comeback

Sunghoon: fragile, nothing to do with comeback, his body a little fragile (injury?), pain in the hips, tired, unsure about his movements, how he will perform, afraid he will not exceed expectations of fans

Sunoo: isn’t very happy with the comeback, thinks he is a filler member, thinks company gives more to the other members than to him, not very excited for the comeback, fights in the background, had issues with his sponsors, stayed a long time without and company didn’t support him to get another sponsor, felt left out

Niki: also in a good mood, expected to show a new version of himself, wants to show his fans that he has worked on himself aesthetically wise, is very confident, expecting to reach a new goal, win new awards and get more recognition

how does stray kids feel about joining Lollapalooza?

→ one member (probably Hyunjin) feels very confident about the performance, wants to show people what he can do, very excited, Minho is also very excited, has no fears. Chan not very excited, probably very tired due to the going from place to place, wants more in Korea, doesn’t want to go to socialize with other idols/performers at the moment one of the members (unclear) going through harsh period, many schedules seem overwhelming, is very tired but in overall very excited

Enhypen has a world tour, thai fans angry at company, in Thailand big event coming up but

Enhypen are not coming to Thailand. Reason why they don’t?

→ connected to the money they would receive (opinion without cards), behind the scenes: for two

reasons: one of the people in the company isn’t doing their job right, made group loose money, while other countries offered more money for them to come one of members sponsors, probably worked some strings to go to another country

what was the reason for bullying and who were the perpetrators/victims?

→ happened in the beginning when they were in iland, victims: A and B perpetrators: X, Y and W, things are better now, members are better, physical/verbal fights, staff would also joke about it, Y was mastermind behind it, W easy to influence when it comes to the people present, when he is with bad people he acts like them, when he is with good people he adapts their way of thinking, C wasn’t doing anything against it but made jokes, main A but B because he protected him and therefore became the next victim, a lot of jealousy + were young boys, X felt guilty later

Does xh’s Gaon have a girlfriend

→ no

can i ask about txt Hueningkai social group? if he has people that will support him in need?

→ he has but they are not physically in his life, people he isn’t with him everyday, groupchat, probably online friends

How is keita pookie doing?

→ is doing fine and good, very focused on finances, investing in himself, wants moneyyy

Who was jake's EX idol girlfriend

→ [Censored]

I wanna ask about Wonwoo Seventeen. Is he still in relationship with his idol girlfriend now after he faced some problems with her recently?

→ still with his gf, have been together for more than 3 years, they will end up marrying probably

Jay and love

→ high standards, easily bored, has honeymoon phase but then looses interest, when relationship gets serious he freaks out, has been with a lot of people, mommy issues

Biggest ego in kpop

→ Jungkook, type to get annoyed when people talk to him, Baekhyun he is type too roll his eyes when people talk to him, a lot of younger idols with big egos

Which group is almost the same on camera and off camera ??

→ too complicated to answer, all groups have their image

Does Yeonjun has mommy issues?

→ doesn’t think he has mommy issues

Who is the idol that you think has beef with the most people?

Wooyoung and Seonghwa from ateez

Is there any idol that you think would be amazing to have as friends? because of their energy or something else

→ Chanyeol, he is always chill, doesn’t push introverts, on the contrary: johnny: doesn’t understand mind of introverts

Was there ever an incident where you do readings for idol and then realize holy shit this bitches gay.

→ yes, [Group censored]

How's Felix love situation rn?

→ very complicated, doesn’t understand his own feelings, very fragile mind, has this one *individual*, gives him unconditional love, he needs it a lot, finds comfort in it, *individual* will lways stay with him despite the toxicity

Continuing the gay theme, have you ever encounter an in-group relationship?

→ [Censored]

all txt members are straight

You've said before that Felix and that dumbass might be soul mates

→ have karmic relationship, might be the reason that their relationship is very complicated

I’ve heard jaemin gf was someone from the company and I've herd there on the verge of breakup

→ complicated, hasn’t done reading on him in a long time, had a longtime relationship with someone of [Group censored], no news if they are still together, doesn’t have insights if he is with someone of the company

Who is Hueningkai idol gf?

→ [Censored]

Will you ever do readings on smaller groups like xh, cravity, etc?

→ currently only JO1

What's happening in han jisung skz love life?

→ ever since he broke up with *individual*, things have been a mess, currently single

Yunho situationship

→ dating life chaos, was dating an idol that wasn’t in Korea but then started flirting with a younger idol, not ongoing, motives: thinks with dick (lmao)

Protecting younger idols?

→ sponsors are not all bad and are professionals for the money, but also some that are perverted, there are no specific things that protect them

What about Wonyoungs sponsor?

→ a powerful man, has an unhealthy obsession with her, is very strict with her image, her weight, etc.

Rei confessed feelings to older member member?

→ was [Name and group censored], but never physical or romantic they just went eating or something crispy and hot tea: *member* also tried to talk to *individual* and tried to snatch him despite Rei’s feelings for that person

Is Seok Matthew dating rn?

→ not dating, his heart is broken, not seeking any relationships and is healing his heart

Which idols would be survivors if a zombie apocalypse happened (Group: Skz)

→ Hyunjin, Felix, Han, Changbin and Jeongin would die, Minho would turn into a Zombie so he can bite Chan’s ass

Sunghoon gf

→ [Censored]

[thequietkid-moonie]

HIIIIIIII, can I request tbhk characters x gyaru S/O who get made fun of for their fashion taste?

Lots of love<33

Gyaru S/O is constantly made fun of

[ HEADCANONS ] [ Tsukasa, Yako ]

[ Toilet Bound Hanako-kun / Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun ]

× Gyaru is a japanese fashion style, it a little complicated to explain so i recomend to search about it

I have to admit that i have mixed feelings for the gyaru fashion style, there are some outfit that i think are reaaaaally cool but there are others that i find weird, haha but anyways, this was quite interesting to write! hope you like it!

Tsukasa Yugi

Tsukasa can be quite violent but that doesn't mean that he doesn't love you, because when he does fall in love he is really serious about that love and has no problem with expressing how much he loves you with everything he has and with whoever is in front of him (as if it wasn't obvious with how clingy he is)

Tsukasa tends to do as he please and what he wants so he doesn't really has filters when speaking, he will tell you from the start that he find your fashion style weird, but he mean it in the best way posible, no matter how much he insist on saying that is weird he also find it fascinating and pretty funny!

Tsukasa is quite mesmerized by your style and with each day that pass it just become part of his day greeting you at the first hour of the day (or when you came to school depending on that if you are human or supernatural) and taking a moment to apreciate your outfit, always giving you a compliments along with a big hug (most of the time he repeat the same compliment but his big wide smile shows that he is being sincere)

He totally loves your style, he find it quite funny and actually love playing with it a lot, is not rare for you to have him clinging onto you while playing with your clothes and accesories (with time he just learn to don't be too harsh or even try to steal it so you don't have to be without your precious clothes or accesories)

In all honestly, Tsukasa just loves you so much that he loves talking about you with Sakura and shows you off at every chance he has, and your beautiful fashion style only gives him more reasons to show you off, insisting that you have to show your amazing outfit to everyone in the broadcasting club whenever you are wearing something that he finds specially cute or mesmerizing

Tsukasa is so in love and even proud of you and your relationship that it will be a surprise when he find out that there are some people that tend to make fun of you because of your fashion style, and this isn't a pleasant surprise, he is mad at whoever dares to say something bad about his precious partner and he will make sure they don't say something like that about you ever again (there is no way he will let them go away with making fun of you and the more hurt you are the more harsh he will be with them)

Yako

Once Yako falls in love she does it really hard, it take her a while but once you get right to her heart it is going to be quite obvious how much she cares for you and likes you (mainly for the obvious soft spot she has for you)

Yako can be a little blinded by her love for you, finding all about you quite interesting and mesmerizing (specially if you are a human), so you having a gyaru fashion style is something that she will love and hate

It makes you happy and she feels intriged by it, by how much accesories and colors you use, she will give some criticism coment about your fashion style, mainly in hopes to help you improve it and make you look even more beautiful (mainly when she thinks is too much or that it doesn't suit), but also you can heard quite a lot of compliments about your style

Yako won't really be too willing to try an outfit with your style because she has her own style, however it isn't imposible and she would be willing to try a not too exaggerated or extravagant outfit (just let her make it), still she is more than willing to use a single garment or accesory if you ask her, something that matched her own outfit (although, if you gift her an accesory is more probably that she doesn't use it often because she prefer to keep it somewhere safe as her little treasure, but don't point it out or she will get defensive over the fact)

Over all, Yako likes quite a lot your style and is really supportive over it, besides, if it makes you happy then she doesn't see why not just be yourself, thats why she doesn't tolerate other people talking bad about you or your style, most of the time she doesn't do more than scolding (more like insulting) whoever had say something bad about you and tell you to don't listen those idiots

But getting to know that you are being made fun of because of your style make her furious, no one should made fun of you just because you are just being you, she is going to be back and forth from angrily rant about how mad she is with those idiots and trying to comfort you, she is quite protective over you but reminds as calm as she can because she doesn't want to cause problems, however if the bullies came to physicaly atack you or say something that really have hurt you then she will take the matter into her hands, it doesn't matter if is a supernatural or a human she will teach them a lesson (even if she have lose part of her power already that doesn't mean she isn't still powerful, and she will make those idiots regret even just thinking bad about you)

[1000dactyls]

I wanna know if you have any thoughts on Valka and Sroicks parenting and how that affects hiccup? Because I'm loving so much of your content rn, especially your drawings!! But when I see stuff like Tgirl Hiccup while I think they would be supportive, I don't think they would be ... the best because their not really the best. Like ofc they tried even Val when she came back, but it doesn't and won't ever make up for everything else it's so complicated, and nuisanced would love to hear your thoughts!!

Im going to break this post into addressing stoick and valka separately because valka is such a non-entity in hiccup and stoick’s familial life. valka’s section will be underneath the ‘read more’

But I definitely agree! Unfortunately for Hiccup (and also not to project ijbol), it’s so hard because stoick’s best isn’t enough. Oh, stoick tries! He tries so hard — between the movies and the shows, he so clearly cares for his son. But he can never be just Hiccup’s dad; Stoick is the Chief of Berk before he’s Hiccup’s father, and both he and Hiccup know that. Hiccup grows up self sufficient and is used to a lonely home. The kind of free reign that he gets (and the resulting knee-jerk reaction he has to any kind of responsibility after 15 years of said free reign) doesn’t make for great conditions to cultivate a healthy, loving, traditional parental relationship

Still — i think stoick is more supportive than we give him credit for, at least going off the RoB/DoB characterizations. (Again, I haven’t finished watching RTTE, so Im not gonna speak for anything there.) When Hiccup makes moves for more freedom and responsibility, even as early as s01e01 “How to Start a Dragon Academy”, Stoick works with Hiccup to grant him that freedom. He makes attempts to connect to his son, albeit misguided and inevitably circling back to his own interests/role as the chief of Berk and not just Hiccup’s dad. For example, s01e07 “How to Pick your Dragon” shows Stoick ending up listening to Hiccup about getting a dragon, even though he mostly gets a dragon because it further suits his interests as a chief, which he realizes on the flight Toothless and Hiccup take him on. Which also leads to the core conflict of the episode! Because Stoick’s attempts to understand Hiccup are ultimately rooted in his own narrow perception of the world, that there is a Right way and Wrong way to do things, and Hiccup’s way is most definitely not the right way.

But Stoick listens. Over time, he picks up the signs when his child is frustrated and genuinely asks how he can help (s02e15 “A Tale of Two Dragons” 3 options talk). And after the events of the first movie, Stoick makes more attempts to involve Hiccup in his going-ons, such as the portrait of the chief’s family or contacting Johann to find a beloved childhood plushie. So i think stoick tries, and his best isn’t enough, so thank god hiccup isn’t dependent on only stoick and the both of them know this. And just because the both of them know this doesn’t mean that stoick doesn’t try to improve their relationship at all. In the end, he’s just really set in his own ways and his own traditions.

So in a world where Hiccup is trans, I do think Stoick is supportive no matter what direction Hiccup ends up going. Is he confused? Yes, always, because there isn’t a very established tradition even if Berk does have a history of trans folk. I think stoick has to try really really hard, and he messes up a lot in the beginning. Like, you know when your parents are trans affirming in a really weird and even insulting way? That happens a lot for Hiccup and Stoick. But they work together and Stoick works to try and get on Hiccup’s level, whether that means sending terror-mail to Johann to inquire about trans literature or gender-affirming clothes or dialing Gothi to move Hiccup’s t/e prescription to the front of the line.

……..argh, Valka.

Of course Valka tried when she came back, but the conscious decision to stay away for twenty years and miss some of the most important milestones in your child’s life says a lot, and I think Hiccup also knows that. Especially because of how similar they are, even though Valka would immediately accept and adore and absolutely love Hiccup and all his Hiccup-ness right off the bat… I think he’s aware of how different and better his life could’ve been with Valka’s understanding presence. In the end, one parent stayed and tried their best. And one didn’t really try at all, not until they reconnected again.

And like! I dont think Valka and Hiccup would ever be as close as Stoick and Hiccup were. Like it is one thing to idolize your parent in absentia and build up this idealistic wholesome perfect image of who they are, getting your characterization from their partner who never got over them even after 20 years. And it is another thing to meet that parent and realize… wow! They also don’t measure up to what I needed them to be as a child.

And so for all of Valka’s understanding, for all of the easiness it is for Valka to understand Hiccup, especially in a world where Hiccup is trans — it’s not Valka who had to deal with the bureaucracy of Hiccup’s gender change, nor aided in the social transition for people Hiccup has spent his entire life with. It’s not Valka who asked uncertain, blunt and somewhat invasive questions about Hiccup’s new identity, or found weird and strange ways to support it. It’s not Valka who would’ve gotten an entirely new wardrobe commissioned or talked to Gothi about medical transition.

Like, I think Valka tries, and it’s easy for her to understand the idea and support Hiccup. But i dont think she’d ever be Hiccup’s first choice when it comes to questions about who s/he is, not when there are people who stayed and tried much harder than her, and know far more about Hiccup than she ever did and maybe will.

[skitskatdacat63]

Prince Jenson of Somerset

+ process & lore

Yayyyyy omg finally have drawn portraits of the four main characters!!!! I'll show the process of Jenson's first and then them all four together. Though it's a shame the Seb/Fernando ones are older, I think it's hopefully obvious how much I've improved since November?

Look at him in all his handsome, princely glory 🥹 It's funny, I'm always happy with the second sketch and initial lineart, and then I start coloring it and I absolutely hate it, and it takes a significant amount of time into the painting for me to like it again. And then I reach a certain point and I'm in love with it again. Ugh though I gotta say, I love drawing the curls, it's just so 18th century, but at the same point, man I always will love my original lineart for the hair the best ah. Also yes I absolutely had to give him a big ass hat with feathers, he really is that kinda guy to me. I originally drew a bicorne and then realized that those don't really exist until basically almost a century later oops, so tricorne it is!!

Okay now omg look at them all together 🥹

Haha wow I have improved a lot! Just like the Seb/Fernando ones, Mark and Jense's were meant to be put together. I think there's a lot of inherent characterization in their poses that highlight the difference between them. Mark is looking up, very wistful, looking up to greater people, greater things. Jenson's head is tilted down, almost looking at the viewer, he is very satisfied with his role and revels in it, he's here to slay!

Okay, yes, lore, characterization, sorry that it is so far down on the post!!

Jense would probably be the fan favorite if this AU was an actual book or show or something. He's the guy you randomly find while browsing Wikipedia and you're like, woah this guy is so cool??? Unlike Sebmarknando, he doesn't really have the same level of angst, he's kinda just chilling. He's a bit harder to write a lore post about, because he's basically that character who is always magically around the corner, ready to witness some crazy thing and just breeze past it.

He is less linked to Seb than people like Mark and Fernando, because he's basically just his personal minister of transportation(read: horse fucker), so he avoids a lot of the relationship complications and drama, but that isn't to say he's completely uninvolved. He really likes Seb, and loves to hang around with him and serve him, but he's not as beholden to him. He's who everyone goes to air their grievances or to get away from the others, and he's very happy with this role. He's generally willing to play any side in an argument, but does tend to have a pretty big soft spot for Seb overall(Seb also gives him cuteness aggression, and he wants to bite him. Especially when Seb puffs himself up and acts super bratty when he gets offended at not being seen as a proper ruler.)

He's royalty from other kingdom, but pledged his loyalty to Seb's kingdom when he was quite young and has served him(his father first) ever since. He started off somewhat low in the military, rose to a pretty high rank, was a renowed war hero, and then ended up retiring pretty early to tend to Seb's horses. That's an oversimplification, but yeah. He liked the military life, was very good at it, but decided he had done enough, and wanted to be involved in more direct service, albeit more laid back. As I mentioned in Mark's post, Mark *really* doesn't understand his choice to do this, because if Mark had been in Jense's position, he can't ever imagine being able to let all that go and living the quiet life.

He is the palace whore, everyone has been with him honestly. It'll be like, some man walks into his bedroom, only to see Jenson in bed with his wife, but instead of being angry, he's like "wow you couldn't even wait for me??" He's just very carefree, and happy to just slut around and tend to Seb's horses.

I think he definitely still advises Seb, and would go to battle if truly need be, but generally seems to be living in a different world than the weird psychosexual homoerotic political drama that the others seem to be living in. But as I said, it's not like he doesn't contribute to it! He loves to goad Fernando, and constantly plays devil's advocate in "debates" between Fernando and Seb. He's also obviously the one that keep "accidentally" locking them in rooms and forgetting where the key is.

Sorry if this isn't very explanatory, I hope it gives a general idea to the type of character he is???? As always, let me know if you have any questions! I kinda struggled on what to write here because I'm finishing this at almost 8 am 😭 so I'm not sure if it's great or not. But basically you need to know: horse fucker who is generally breezy and carefree but also can be a bit of a menace to society every once in a while.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for accepting money/gifts from my mom?

(🦭🐟 to help find later)

Ok bear with me here because this is a serious question w/ some context even though the question doesn't seem bad.

My (19NB) mom (54F) is not a very good parent. Things were not great when I was a kid, to say the least. It's complicated to get into so I'm gonna glaze over most of it and say I plan to go low/no contact when I'm older and can afford to support myself on my own. For now I'm amicable since I need help while getting through college. This has been my plan for a WHILE but I've started to feel a little guilty?

My biggest issue with my mom is the way that she treats/treated my siblings. Sometimes she gets on my nerves but I know I have the privilege of being the youngest (and the favorite) therefore my parents don't pull the same kind of bullshit with me. For example one of my siblings had family therapy with her, and she would frequently not show up and leave them to do the exercises with the other families in the group session that they didn't know. She also complained about their suicide attempt. She talks down to my oldest sister because she couldn't pursue the medical career my parents wanted because she couldn't deal with the cadavers, and since she spent her whole education trying to reach their standards she's been lost trying to figure out what she wants for herself, and my parents keep harping on her for not having a career plan and being "useless". This is only the tip of the iceberg, and it's plenty enough for me to feel justified in my decision to eventually go no contact. I am not asking if AITA for cutting her off, that is not where the guilt is.

It's always been the case that instead of directly saying she was wrong my mom would spend a lot of money on us and buy gifts (usually stuff she likes and not what we like, but I figured out I could leverage her guilt to buy specific things bc free stuff ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ even if I don't forgive her). I think this is because she didn't have much money growing up so now she's a shopaholic now that she has the money to do so (both my parents are in the medical field so they are far from poor. abt upper middle class). She also keeps defending our uncle despite us bringing up how he's creepy and pervy and makes us uncomfortable, and she has some... interesting political takes (like defending the price of insulin being so high???)

My mom I think has been trying to be better but she still never apologizes for any of her actions and is guilt trippy by saying stuff abt how we all think shes a bad mom that caused all her kids to be depressed and suicidal. So its not enough of an improvement for me to forgive her, but I do notice that she walks away from situations sometimes rather than blow her fuse, and she's more tolerant of my ADHD and queerness than she used to be. And she's been trying to be more supportive of me and my decision to pursue an art career. I do believe that people can get better and change themselves, I just think in the case of my mom it's too little too late (and she hasn't improved her relationship with my siblings as much). I've also been polite and friendly since I'm still living with her.

So like, this combined with me accepting her gifts makes me think I'm leading her on? Like she thinks that she's salvaging a relationship with one of her kids and that I'll stay. And I feel a little bad about that. Like if it was JUST the gifts I would feel no guilt bc if she thinks she can bribe her way into our good graces without changing her behavior than shes gonna be down money and still have no kids. But shes trying to improve, albeit slowly and not when we needed her, but better nonetheless. So it feels less "this is the least she could do given the trauma" and more "i feel like i'm taking advantage of her".

One of my siblings refuses to accept her money on principle (they've already moved out) and it makes me think I should probably do the same, but also i dont know if I can since I don't have a job yet and I'm still in school, so maybe just refuse the gifts thing? But neither of my siblings seem to have an issue with my relationship with her, so maybe I shouldn't feel bad? She's treating me better so I feel I have less justification for using her wealth for my own benefit, even if I still don't forgive her for how she treated my siblings.

Basically, AITA for still accepting guilt money/gifts from my shitty mom despite planning on cutting her off later on?

What are these acronyms?

[erinelliotc]

What do you like about Eddy? Do you really think him and Double D will work out?

I think Eddy is the most interesting, deep, complex and well-written character on the show. It seems contradictory to say this, but even though Double D is my favorite character, I think Eddy is the best character. He's full of content for psychological analyses, something I'm passionate about doing because I love psychology and writing, I love analyzing human behavior, so complicated characters like Eddy are perfect to me in that sense (just as I am fascinated by Jinx from Arcane). I have so much to say about Eddy, I feel like every day I think of something new about his character, and I find this so exciting!

My analyses of each Ed will only be done in the future after I rewatch the show another two or three times, so I won't write here everything I have to say about Eddy. But you can find some of my EEnE analyses by scrolling through the posts in this tag. I talk about him in some of them.

But about Eddy and Double D... EddEddy is my OTP, you know? I've already talked a lot about them, and of course I'm going to talk much more in the future too. You can read a little about what I think of their relationship here.

In "short":

Eddy's backstory and his character development fascinate me. Characters who are emotionally broken to the point of developing a problematic personality fascinate me. Characters with mental disorders or traits of mental disorders fascinate me (I personally see him as ADHD with borderline and narcissistic traits, and perhaps a bit of histrionic traits too). I love analyzing and understanding what led them to that point, what made them so difficult to deal with, what hurt them so much that they developed an emotional armor and/or that makes them act like selfish jerks. The way Eddy's brain works fascinates me, his behavior, his defense mechanisms, everything. And to me the best part is seeing the little moments where the show shows us how he actually has a terrible self-image deep down and is not as confident and secure as he tries to show himself to be. I love seeing a character who isn't just a jerk, but someone who acts like a jerk because of things that happened that he tries to hide or that he doesn't even understand or realize happened (Eddy's reality denial defense mechanism is very strong, so I think a lot of the things related to his brother he genuinely didn't realize were problematic and had hurt him because his brain denied them to protect him. And it's common for our brain to block memories as a way of protecting us from the truth because it thinks we'll not have the emotional structure to deal with it, and I believe it may have happened to him), someone who is deeply hurt and does everything he can to hide it, someone who doesn't want to be emotionally vulnerable and tries to act like the most confident person in the world... Characters like this are the most interesting to me. And besides, I find Eddy extremely funny and annoying in an adorable way. I love his chaotic behavior, his voice and the way he talks (God bless Tony Sampson)

He and Edd were made for each other. Would they kill each other if Ed wasn't around? Absolutely. But their relationship is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen and the combination of their personalities is what makes them grow and have their character development. They mature and improve because of the influence they have on each other. Their personalities complement each other perfectly because one is good where the other has to improve. And the love and affection they have for each other is visible and makes me emotional

[midnight-blue-goth]

Do you think Gwen was the better girlfriend for Duncan than Courtney?

Oops, sorry for late answer. But here it is! Remember, this is my opinion.

-

This is a tough question because it really depends on how we define "better." Both Gwen and Courtney have their own unique ways of expressing love, and it’s important to acknowledge that all three—Duncan, Gwen, and Courtney—have been hurt in different ways, whether physically or emotionally, during their relationships. I wouldn’t say one is definitively better than the other, but they express love in vastly different ways.

Courtney’s Love for Duncan: Courtney's love seemed rooted in wanting to “improve” Duncan. Her idea of love appears to be: “I can help you become a better version of yourself.” This mindset is evident in her behavior—especially in All-Stars, where she acknowledges she has a “type,” which are people she believes need “fixing.” I don’t think Courtney saw her behavior as controlling or out of line; it likely stems from how she was raised, though we don’t have much background on her family life to know for sure.

Rejecting her attempts to “fix” someone would hurt her deeply because, for Courtney, that rejection likely translates to a lack of trust or love. This could explain why, despite everything that happened between them (like the TDA contract fiasco), she repeated her pattern of making lists to change Duncan. To her, this may be a valid expression of love. I sometimes wonder if, subconsciously, she seeks out people who need the most "fixing" because it boosts her pride when she can claim she’s “saved” or improved them. It’s like she views fixing someone as a trophy, a badge of honor she can show off.

One big challenge for Courtney is that she tends to put her pride and reputation above everything else, including relationships. While that might work for her personally, it does have consequences—like a lack of close friendships or support when things go wrong. Did she end up with any friendship at the end of the show? Whether she’s aware of how her actions come across is up for debate, as we mostly see her in competitive situations, not everyday life.

I wish we could see her outside of any romantic relationship because she doesn’t need one right now. Especially not with someone like Duncan, who, no matter the situation, seems to pull her down.

 I truly believe she’s better off alone, focusing on building meaningful friendships and growing as an individual. But unfortunately, it feels like we’ve missed that chance.

Gwen’s Love for Duncan: Gwen’s relationship with Duncan feels a little less complicated, but not without its challenges. I don’t think Gwen was necessarily a “better” girlfriend than Courtney—she just loved differently. 

After being cast on the Villainous team, she became hyper-aware of how she was being perceived. That shift likely triggered her need to be seen as “good,” which might explain why she distanced herself from Duncan. By that point, their relationship represented the very thing she wanted to avoid—being perceived as bad.

While I don’t fault Gwen for stepping back, I do think it would’ve been better if she and Duncan had some kind of closure or a more meaningful conversation about their relationship. It felt like a loose end, considering how much she fought for that relationship in the previous season. 

I guess that's something left for fanfiction, lol.

But more importantly:

Duncan’s Role: Ultimately, being Duncan’s girlfriend is highly circumstantial. His mood, his level of emotional investment, and the loyalty of the other person all play a huge role. We know he values loyalty (even though there’s some irony there, given his actions in TDWT). He also craves freedom and doesn’t want to feel restrained. A partner who can meet him with the same level of affection and loyalty without trying to “control” him seems to be key for him. If he feels any of these needs are neglected, he would dip out of the relationship—no questions asked.

But that’s not all:

I’ve got a pretty dark theory about why Duncan seems drawn to difficult, even physically violent, romantic relationships. It’s not just about Courtney, either. Remember when he was literally wrestling an alligator and said, “I’ve had tougher girlfriends than him, and uglier.” That line hints at him being used to dating people with aggressive or combative behavior.

My theory is that Duncan is unconsciously seeking out girlfriends who remind him of his father—especially the controlling aspects of their relationship. His dad being a cop probably meant Duncan grew up with a strict, authoritative figure constantly trying to control or “fix” him. In this sense, Duncan’s relationships could be a way for him to relive or rebel against that dynamic. It’s almost as if he’s continuing the fight he had with his father but through his romantic partners, engaging in a kind of resistance that mirrors his rebellion.

Gwen as an Exception:

Gwen doesn’t fit into the violent, combative dynamic that Duncan seems to be drawn to, and this is where my theory takes a different turn. With Gwen, Duncan may have found something new—someone who wasn’t trying to control him but also wasn’t afraid to accept him as he was. Their relationship feels more introspective than confrontational, very different from the clashes he had with Courtney. Instead, it’s centered on emotional vulnerability.

This might be why some people found their relationship “boring”—it wasn’t meant to be an explosive drama. Instead, it quietly opened up the softer, more vulnerable sides of both of them, and I can’t emphasize this enough: We are not meant to see them. Us watching them feels like an invasion of privacy (which is, again, ironic given how their romance started)

This sense of privacy also explains their disdain for Sierra, despite her being supportive of their relationship. For Gwen and Duncan, their relationship was personal, their own business, and they hated the idea of someone else prying into it.

If given more time, their relationship could have revealed a different side of Duncan. It would’ve been fascinating to see him lower his defenses even more, showing how a relationship built on mutual understanding could shape his character. We had a little bit in TDAS, Episode 3. Saving her from the leech, without any reservation. 

We’d already seen the endless downward spiral of his conflict-based romances over two seasons. This one had the potential to break that cycle, offering something deeper and more meaningful for both of them.

–

Uhm.. conclusion? I’d say: Miscommunication and trauma response, all around. See you in AO3 🤙

[tnbc-thoughtsandheadcanons]

How do you think Jack reacted to When he found out Sally was treaded by the Dr we saw how he reacted to when oogie boogie hurt her I can’t imagine how he will feel when she was mistreated by a dear friend of his. If I was on his Jack list I’d get out of town.

I don't really have a simple answer for this on the account that Jack and the Doctor seem to be good friends, and he reaches out to him for help with his experiments in the movie. Fink sounds really happy when he sees Jack at this door, and he sounds equally as pleased when the Doctor shows up for his Christmas assignment. They have something in common and clearly get along.

So having Sally come up between them would...complicate things, I think.

I know in the recent books Jack is outraged with Finkelstein, and in LLTPQ he sentences Fink to community service for a long time. But I can't see Jack just throwing their friendship away instantly. I think he would try to talk some sense into the Doctor with giving Sally some more freedom, he undoubtedly looks up to Jack and vice versa, so maybe appealing to him would work?

In the end, Jack would be on Sally's side and if the worst came, would keep the Doctor out of the picture if he refused to apologize and make amends. But I like to think the latter happens - Fink making it up to Sally and treating Jewel much better than he did with her, and getting to still have a good relationship with his son-and-law and grandkids since he's working on improving himself. If Jack sees an effort being made, I can see him willing to overlook the past so long as Sally wants to, and aiming to help the Doctor become a better person rather than shunning him.

[seraphicescape]

bringing pucca into modern times

pucca is probably one of the most irrational, chaotic cartoons I've ever seen, but it's pretty charming and entertaining compared 2 it's last season. i wz soo devastated when they took it off Netflix but i guess something about pucca may normalize se×ual harassment... i actually didnt want 2 believe this at first but it seems a majority of fans seem to think it :-(. i did read about this post on reddit thinking of bringing pucca into modern times by changing it's concept, but me, personally, it might be a problem...

in the e-cards/flash animations, pucca and garu appeared to be adults (I sure hope so considering pucca was basically nakey in this series.) source:

so the flash cards made them actually seem like a clingy girlfriend x shy boyfriend kind of dynamic. but when they produced the Jetix series, they decided to change that dynamic to obsessed girl x guy whose low-key scared of her for a comedic twist. (thus came the concept funny love) but their relationship was GOD AWFUL in this series. I would always get so disappointed when pucca would go too far with her "love" and feel so upset whenever I saw garu with an angry face filled with hatred everytime he saw pucca. But I think something that probably drove viewers in, having this concept, was having them think about garu and puccas complicated relationship. e.g "Does he like her back or not?" "Are they together or not?" and because of garus vow of silence (although not necessarily a problem) we'll struggle to determine his intentions. (does his red face mean he's blushing, angry, or embarrassed/in need of breath??)

because of this new concept/dynamic its most likely what made pucca popular in the first place. Which is why it may be a problem if we change the concept now (?) the reddit post proposed that pucca could be darker if the concept were to be kept, which could be fine, but it had such charm as a kids cartoon. however the dynamic shouldnt be on a kids cartoon either because it may change childrens mindsets into normalizing this problematic behavior. The third season was a good improvement on this topic, pucca seemed to be more aware of garus boundaries and garu is not as repulsed by pucca compared to the Jetix series. but the show had less charm than the Jetix one, only being accompanied by toilet humour and cute moments of pucca and garus relationship, while the Jetix one was a bit more expressive and fluid. Pucca (the show) has pretty unreliable writers.

but I think there are a number of concepts for pucca and garu to have a healthy(?) relationship while still having the comedic schtick. I've heard some people say garu and pucca are a couple in the series, and garu simply distances himself from her so his enemies don't target her. this concept would be cute if garu just simply.... returned his kisses 😭 like a cute >_< peck on the lips and then hes like "bye I'm off to kill ppl (for justice)!!!" this would confirm they're in a relationship and the concept could go on smoothly. That, or pucca and garu having a competitive romantic relationship. the chase would happen as usual, but it could be like a kind of who kisses who first dynamic. that would be adorbs... but besides that, everyone could come up with much more creative dynamics for pucca to be brought into modern times. would anyone care to tell me about their ideas?

[eco-lite]

Wow so volume 9 was a lot to take in! Here are my unedited thoughts:

* So that pre-prologue was already A LotTM… All of Richard’s loved ones leaving him certainly explains why he was so hesitant to let Seigi get close to him in the beginning. I still have so many questions about what happened with Deborah and Vince, but it seems like we may get some answers in this volume.

“Prologue”

* Proof that everybody in Seigi’s life reads his blog. Very sweet but embarrassing. 😅

“The First Country: Japan”

* Jiro… 😢 Why even introduce this dog if he’s just going to stay with the neighbors? I hope he’ll be okay.

* I’m so happy Seigi has such supportive parents, and that Hiromi is doing better now. I hope their relationship continues to improve.

* Those girls with the matching suitcases were sweet, I wish Seigi had gone to hang out with them. This outting with his college friends seems like my nightmare.

* It’s easy for me to forget about the situation with Seigi’s biological father since I haven’t read volume 6 in a while, but its clearly still a constant fear of Seigi’s that his father will find him again. It’s hard to pretend everything’s okay to your friends when you have a constant worry they don’t know about.

* Not Seigi’s friends thinking Richard is his sugar daddy… To be fair, Seigi is really bad at describing their relationship. But that’s because he doesn’t understand it himself.

* Wtf is wrong with this Idzuka asshole?

* It’s really interesting that Seigi thinks of himself as having a Japanese-speaking version and an English-speaking version of himself, and that these versions would react to things differently in each language. It speaks to how language is a reflection of cultural values. Like how Seigi says he would be more “forceful and aggressive” in an English conversation than a Japanese one since English-speaking cultures typically don’t value politeness and decorum as much as Japanese culture does.

* All of these guys suck, why did they even invite Seigi out? Did they need to put someone down that badly? Get a fucking life.

* Nakata-san is such a nice man. I’m really getting emotional about what a supportive father figure he is to Seigi. I love this interaction: “‘I know it’s been tough for you, but, Seigi, know that I’m always on your side. I’ll support you no matter what you want to do.’ ‘I think you’re being a little too nice to me.’ ‘No, you deserve it. You’re a good, hardworking kid. Too hardworking. You got that from your mom. You deserve an old man spoiling you once in a while.’ ‘You don’t need to treat me like I’m a baby, “old man.”’ ‘You keep rubbing it in, you’ll make me mad.’ ‘Oh, shut up’” (48).

* “When I was with [Nakata-san], I felt like I could talk about anything. Even the things I felt too insecure about to show Richard” (50). Everybody needs a person like this in their life. I’m so happy for Seigi that he does. And him crying in the bathroom because he finally has a happy family life. 🥲🥲🥲

* He prefers the colors of the padparadscha dheukdkaldjdm

* Anddd now Vincent’s in the picture. Here we go!

“The Second Country: Hong Kong +”

* So Seigi is dealing with PTSD on top of everything else now. Cool cool.

* Not Vince fighting invisible opponents in the park. Somehow that seems in character.

* I truly thought Marian was trying to tell Seigi that Vince left her with a baby. Somehow an organ transplant makes less sense to me. Where is this going?

* Wow so that was a lot! Not at all what I was expecting to hear about Vince and Marian’s past. Marian is such a strong person. And Vince is definitely a complicated person. It totally makes sense that an ambitious person would become bitter if they were constantly comparing themself to Richard, but I’m not fully convinced that’s the reason for all of Vince’s behavior towards Richard and Seigi. It’s clearly more complex than that. Not to meantion getting tangled up with Jeffrey. Yikes. Nothing left to do but hear the rest of the story from Vince’s own mouth.

* Wow, Seigi is taking on some of Richard’s Sherlock Holmsian qualities. Nice deduction skills, and thanks for the lesson on corals.

* That was a lot of time spent with Vince, but I still don’t feel like I know anything more about him. Obviously he cares for Marian and obviously he cared (and still cares for) Richard. But in what way? It seems safe to infer that Vince wanted to be someone Richard could rely on for support, but Richard didn’t want that from him, and never opened himself up like he’s done for Seigi. I’m really curious what Richard would say if Seigi ever asked him why he hired him. I know what I think, but would Richard tell Seigi the truth in that situation?

* MONICAAAA

* Ah, I missed Saul, but he’s being as cripticly honest as ever. Not sure how it’s possible for those traits to coexist, but they do in him.

* Seigi, do not compare Richard to religion omg! Can you imagine what he would say if he was here and you said that out loud? Wild.

* “‘Life itself is a tragedy for the greater portion of the world, which lives in want and warfare. In that sorrow, every person needs a reason to live. Chief among them is anger, and I, too, lived off the fury I felt toward God. And then sometimes, religion can brand this suffering as sin—a crime of the divine, so to speak. For where there is crime, there is punishment. This gives us our reason for anger, which is a marvelously rational method of being saved’” (158). Wow, um yeah, I think you hit the nail on the head here Saul. Certain religious people are some of the angriest people I’ve seen. Religion is used as a weapon in so many scenarios. Interesting that Saul says he lived off of fury at God, though. I feel like it’s usually people being fueled with fury at others they believe God thinks are bad.

* I didn’t expect to get so deep into a discussion of religion in a Jeweler Richard novel, but this is really interesting. I wonder what Richard’s past with religion is like. Was his family in England religious when he was growing up? Even if you didn’t grow up religious, you can still have religious trauma though lol. I’d love to hear Richard’s specific reason for instilling his anti-discrimination policy.

* I think I’m a believer in Saul’s religion of beauty. Seigi thinks: “Maybe Saul’s faith in beauty was like never giving up hope for the world” (164). I think mine is like that too.

* Seigi, honey, please go to therapy…

* TANIMOTOOOOOO 💜💜💜

* Ahh, I adore Tanimoto so much. I’m so happy she’s doing well as a junior high science teacher. That fits her so well. And I’m so proud of her for standing up for herself and saying she doesn’t plan on getting married, and being such a good example for any queer students she might have. Wow, I’m so emotional about this. “‘This is the first time I’ve ever considered that I could help people just by being who I am’” (179). You can, Tanimoto. You really, really can.

* I’m truly so proud of both Seigi and Tanimoto’s emotional maturity, and I’m so happy they can be friends like this. This entire scene with Tanimoto made me want to squeeze them both in a giant hug.

“The Third Country: Sri Lanka”

* You can tell his night and day driving voices apart?? Seigi, this has gone too far. 😂

* Richard gets very dramatic when he’s tired lol.

* “‘I get to decide who my role models are, so you don’t have to tell me anything. I won’t copy the parts where you try too hard or care too much, but the rest? Yes, I’ll model myself after you.’ ‘You needn’t copy me. You try far too hard and care far too much on your own.’ ‘Good, we agree’” (198). Abridged, but this whole interaction is gold.

* Richard hugging Jiro so tight because he’s stressed and just wants some comfort. 🥹🥹🥹 Baby. I can totally picture the way Jiro is looking up at Seigi though, like “help, please make this man let go of me.” 😂

* Page 199-200 is everything to me.

* “His smile was as beautiful as ever. If all it took to make him smile like this for me was to peel a few pieces of fruit and make pudding, I’d chase after him all across the globe to make that possible” (202). ☺️

* I hope we get to meet Deborah in the next volume. I need to hear her story straight from her.

* “‘I feel positively rotten and would very much like your help’” (208). RICHARD! This is a huge step for you! I’m so proud! No more pretenses. Seigi is here for him, and it seems like Richard can finally accept that. (But only after a good meal, of course.)

* I got so scared that Richard was a secret smoker, but no, we’re going to drink ginger beer out of a hookah?! What a mad man, I love it.

* Richard’s school staff started hitting on him?! I’m not surprised but I will fucking fight them. Piece of shit! 🤬

* Seigi’s not the only one crying at his vision of a future where he runs the Ginza shop alone and has to welcome Richard’s wife and kids when they visit. Holy shit.

* I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED IF YOU’D NOTICED EARLIER??? SIR???????????

* Page 222-227 had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. That scene was way too good to be true. But I also felt like I was going to throw up the whole time because I’m so hungry and shaking from eMOTIONS.

* OMG. IT’S HAPPENING.

* “‘I’ve heard cute stories of the trouble Japanese students sometimes find themselves in when they study abroad in England and don’t realize they’ve begun dating someone’” (230). Richard, don’t do this to Seigi! Don’t do this to me!

* “I produced a squeaking sound from the back of my throat” (231) fucking SAME!

* You’ve got to be kidding me. Richard, if you’re saying this was all a joke to save you’re feelings from being hurt, I totally get it but I swear to god. Please have more faith in Seigi than that. The tension in that scene built and built until there were flames blazing all around me and suddenly somebody threw a bucket of water on them…

* Okayyyy so that’s not necessarily how I wanted things to turn out by the end of this volume, but it’s not like they’re in a bad place. They’ll continue to love each other as they have been. And now on to the Octavia drama!

I’m so looking forward to volume 10 after that. I’ve heard it’s pretty special. Ugh, how can I wait until March??