#i want to stand up against injustice
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my mother, one of the smartest people I have ever met, genuinely believes hamas wants to kill all jews. what do I even do anymore.
#at best she thinks I’m uneducated at worst she thinks I’m okay with my own people becoming extinct. god#to my fellow anti-zionist jews: I love you I love you I love you. i know it’s hard#I’m so so sorry you are also losing loved ones#god I wish standing up for what I believe in didn’t feel so fucking awful#mine#mom you GAVE ME my judaism I’m literally matrilineal#so many of my friends think I’m a monster now#i wish I was better at arguing. i always cry#lmao aren’t Jews supposed to be good at arguing?? @ my genetics what happened#but im staying here anyway. im staying where I stand#i want to stand up against injustice#that’s something inherent to judaism I think.#ironic that doing that makes other people view me as a traitor to my people#I just know that someday these ppl are gonna realize what’s happened#and how our religion has been *used*#and one day they’ll understand why I tried so hard to help them#but for now all I can do is sit with the fact#that many people I love think I’m a monster. :/
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as the latest strike for palestine (the 18th-25th) begins today, i want to make a note for any new followers or pjo fans in general since the release of the pjo show and gathering discussion of it—never forget this series is a commentary on the way the old sacrifice the young. never forget disability and a struggling mother-son relationship are at the heart of the books. never forget this story tells us the solution to suffering is not a return to the ‘golden age’ that never was but to press forward by holding authority accountable—by changing the system, not becoming the oppressor ourselves. never forget the media you read, watch, and listen to, no matter how fantastical, are reflections of our real world—they have always been political. if you gleefully engage and emphasize with the suffering of fictional people but turn your back on real people, real injustice, all that enjoyment might as well be burned to ash because you have become the very thing every story like this that you hold dear tried to warn you against.
#this is not just pjo of course but atla star wars the hunger games#the list goes on#if you put your head in the sand you are a coward and the characters you love would despise if not hate you#it is also important to note rick riordan himself has been pretty neutral on genocide#and we can debate on if that’s because he’s working with disney+ to produce his series or not#at the end of the day it doesn’t matter#overall there are plenty of things i don’t like about richard#nor has some of his problematic politics avoided being put into his books before#but regardless of the man himself in 2024 the original pjo series?#those characters?#whether he meant to or not rick riordan wrote a story that encourages readers to take a stand against injustice INCLUDING genocide#i will not put this in the tag for the strike or the movement i don’t want to bog it up with pjo#however.#percy jackson#pjo#pjo show crit#percy jackson and the olympians#pjo tv show#percy jackson tv show#annabeth chase#pjo show#heroes of olympus#riordan-verse#rrverse#riordan verse#ris raves
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just saw megalopolis and all i have to say: shia labeouf oscar when
#he was MADE for that role#he smashed it absolutely crushed it ate everyone up hands down#was that the worst movie i’ve ever seen? by far yes#but get that man an oscar#and hell give grace vanderwaal an oscar for soundtrack. her and her ukelele cannot be stopped#aubrey plaza no oscar just a handshake#adam driver a look of pity#everyone else…. tried their best#and of course for francis ford coppola: arrest him for crimes against my Eyeballs & for dedicating that monstrosity to his wife#like ok. do you hate your wife francis.#also .” we’ll name the baby either Sunny Hope OR Francis” is insane . why are those the two options#also WHAT!! the fuck!!!! was that in general!!#francis has not mastered the art of subtlety … no indeed#in case u didn’t know the bad guy was the bad guy he did have him stand on a tree trunk carved into a swastika👍🏼#and if u wanted to know what party the mob represents dw he had them wear red baseball caps and hold up signs that say#make new rome great again#and if someone has a nightmare he’ll be sure to have them wake up and describe the nightmare we also just saw#and if it was unclear what was meant by the statue of lady justice toppling over never fear!!#mr coppola will smoothly have a character narrate what has transpired : “there’s injustice everywhere …”#and yet despite all this!! i still have no idea what this movie was trying to say. much to think about and also nothing to think about#francis ford coppola#megalopolis#my post
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Nameless Part Nine - Alien Page 3/8
Our house, in the middle of the street.
Note: text in angle brackets is speech in Utapaun language.
🡨 Previous Next 🡪
Part I Navigation: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 Part II Navigation: 1 / 2 / 3 Part III Navigation: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 Part IV Navigation: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 Part V Navigation: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 Part VI Navigation: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 Part VII Navigation: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 Part VIII Navigation: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 Part IX Navigation: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8
#nameless comic#from the kid's POV this is a grand stand against Injustice (TM)#from the driver's POV it's a gnat smacking against the screen of the walker#reva sevander#at-dp#stormtrooper#pau'an#jen june#at-dp driver#utapau#star wars walker#PS I vaguely remember thinking the at-dp drivers were cool in Rebels#I think one of them put up a good fight against Kanan or Zeb or something like that#PPS the littlest pau'an oc needs a name because there'll be a few scenes using the kid as a scene prop#but I'll get to that#PPPS I had a nightmare last night that I made people upset by spamming the series tags on tumblr#and I cannot for the life of me recall if tagging this comic shit with kenobi series or SWR is in bad taste or okay???#I use it primarily as a kind of character folder#if I say want to look up everything I made connected to x part of star wars
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ik I'm the edgy suicide mutual but i really do love bsd's themes even if i don't quite follow its ideas in my own life. i think the story uses them in a very lovely way and does give them focus and they underline every element of the story even if not in immediately obvious ways and i think that's what's important
#back in november when i was like a month into bsd i started writing an essay abt this exact theme of reasons to live#idk man. ig it kinda touched me. enough to start moving things in my life at least#(never gonna admit it again so cherish that one lol)#not only do i think it's a good story but it's also an important one. exactly for those reasons i think#yknow like how ppl say hq hypes you to work hard for your goals and p5 makes you want to stand up against injustice?#maybe this is part of what asagiri meant when he said bsd is for ppl who aren't good at living. maybe it can inspire them (...us)#to find some other thing in life to strive for. to find a meaning. even if it's in stories#idk maybe I'm speaking nonsense rn hehe I'm very emotional rn for some reason and special interest brain is working overtime
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(this is petty and unreasonable of me but also it’s real feelings so whatever) gosh I just love the cycle of antisemitic thing happens ➡️ all my goy friends put one (1) thing on their Instagram story about and don’t mention it ever again or ask me if I’m okay ➡️ the post they shared is from some Zionist org that thinks Palestinians don’t have the right to organize and advocate for themselves and call out Israel etc etc or whatever ➡️ I get angry but don’t say anything because I’m always the angry anti-Zionist and also the angry Jew and I don’t want them to feel like they’re never going to be good enough for me ➡️ repeat
#mercy.txt#it’s like I don’t know how to approach anyone about this#I’m too nice and they don’t listen or take it seriously#or I’m too mean (translation: I’m firm and honest) and it feels like they resent me for scolding them#meanwhile I see all these mediocre takes about Zionism every day and it annoys me#as Jews we do not get to absolve ourselves from our involvement with Zionism just because it’s uncomfortable#like. it’s not up to you to finish the job but neither are you free to withdraw from it. you get what I mean?#this isn’t fully our mess but that doesn’t mean we get to ignore it & never talk about it#I know so many Jews who say they agree with me but won’t actually stand up and say that Loudly.#I know that conflating Judaism with Zionism is a massive problem but it’s like this:#Judaism ≠ Zionism but as Jews we’re still obligated to call out injustice when we see it#especially when it’s happening in a place that’s meaningful to us & being done by other Jews#like לא תעמוד על דם רעיך#yes it’s inappropriate for people to bring up Israel the second we try to have a conversation about antisemitism#but the solution isn’t to say that we should never have to acknowledge Israel#(all while passively and quietly supporting Israel by not saying anything)#my main takeaway is that you can stand up against antisemitism and Zionism & it’s irresponsible not to#like it doesn’t even have to be an online thing I just want to see other Jews agreeing with me openly#I’ve had a grand total of one (1) Jew stand up with me in a meaningful way#and that was just a conversation outside of synagogue on Rosh Hashanah! it wasn’t hard!#anyways I’ll shut up now
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MARRY THE TRAITOR ; gojo satoru
⟡ the day you met your demise is the same day you met gojo satoru, your betrothed from a world so different from yours—a cruel prince who is undoubtedly in love with someone else. as the stakes rise and you race against the clock to beat your brutal fate, can you make the ultimate choice between your heart or your happily ever after?
includes: mentions of food, mentions of murder, talks of death, allergic reactions, mentions of giving birth, mentions of injuries, mentions of assault, sick!reader, reader is in cerena's body, isekai-ed reader, arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, unrequited love, slow burn, yandere!gojo, prince!gojo
⟡ masterlist
ACT 1, SCENE 4: THE THRONE ROOM
Satoru’s fingers were icy cold, burning into your skin.
He didn't utter a single word when you jerked your head back, the furious glint in your eye looking so pathetic that he almost dared to pity you.
You hang your head forward, crying softly, unaware of anything but the rushing scenery that fades from foliage to stone walls. Once inside the castle’s fortress, Satoru cuts through your bindings, dismounting from his horse and extending a hand to give you assistance.
But, stubborn as you are, you slip off the horse and land on your shaky feet, ignoring his outstretched hand and walk ahead, your head held high and glare unyielding.
Satoru catches up to you easily, and you can hear the frustration in his voice when he utters, “We need to see my Father.”
You falter.
Of course. After the stunt you pulled, it was only natural that the King himself wanted some answers.
Nodding, you clasped your wasp-bitten hands together, trying to smooth your skirt which bore tatters from your tumble with Satoru on the snowy ground, and the hellish chase you endured through the prickly forest foliage.
He led you towards the throne room, pushing open the heavy duty double doors for you.
Immediately, the courtroom fell into a hush; nobles who were conversing amongst themselves stopped to appraise you with horrified looks. The guards gaped at your state of being, and even the court jester ceased his juggling antics, the plastic balls in midair plummeting to the floor with dull thuds.
The second he clasped his gaze onto you, King Satoshi stood up, a look of horror inscribed upon his features as he took in your wounded hands, the tears on your dresses and across your face.
“Cerena.”
Satoru moved to stand in front of you, bowing deeply to his father. “Princess Cerena has been rescued and retrieved. She was found in the middle of the Northern Forest, Your Majesty.”
Perturbed by this discovery, Satoshi moves from the dais, approaching you with caution. You dropped your gaze, unable to look him in the eye.
“What happened to her?” He demanded, as if dealing with an errant child. He turned to Satoru who shot him a grimace. “I thought I told you not to hurt her? Why does she look bedraggled… like she was hunted down?”
Striking up his loathsome glare, Satoru slid his frigid blue gaze to you and spoke the truth.
“Princess Cerena assaulted me, Father. She climbed up a tree and hacked through a wasp nest to drop it at my feet where I was stung. Then, she tried to run away and cause a scene. I had to do what needed to be done.”
Satoshi’s brows shot up into his white hair, his horrified expression clamoring for your attention in your periphery.
“Gods above, Cerena—you tried to assault the Prince?”
The nobles around you gasped, their hands fluttering to their gaping mouths; hiding their shocked expressions behind colorful fan plumes.
He turned back to you, anger thundering in his teal eyes.
“Child, what do you have to say for yourself? You have caused a grievous error to my son and you need to be punished duly. It is high treason for anyone to lay a hand on the Prince of Northern Haleway.”
The injustice and horror of it all coalesced inside of you, and you felt faint from the numerous eyes around. Their accusations grated your ears, sounding like demonic whispers which made you faint with alarm, the corners of the room growing fuzzier as your knees were close to buckling.
“I only ran away because Satoru was conspiring with his lover to end my life!”
Whatever the court thought you would say, it was never this.
Frenzied murmurs run amuck in the courtroom, like fire catching on dry leaves, crackling around you like a roof about to topple down. King Satoshi’s face paled, and beside you, standing stiff as a rock, your fiancé gritted his teeth.
“That is absurd,” Gojo rushed to defend himself, sparing you a pertinent glare. “I do not have a lover and I have never conspired with said woman to bring any harm to the Princess’ life. Her accusations are those of a mad woman, Father.”
You flinched and slapped a hand to your mouth, the shakes in your body growing harder to ignore.
“Liar! You conspired to end my life! Why do you think I would run if not for such a treasonous act?”
Peeling your lachrymose eyes to the King, you hiccuped, “Please, Your Majesty. Speak to the maid named Miri and she will validate what I have to say.”
It was a slim prayer, that of a desperate woman, but you had to try. You had to shine reason into the King’s eyes that his heir was a cruel, calculating and cold man who unfairly wanted to end your life.
Satoshi pursed his lips, looking between his son and his fiancée who can barely stand without her knees shaking.
In the passing tenseness where no words were spoken, the lightheadedness suddenly stole your breath away and your legs buckled. You would have collapsed to the floor if it weren’t for Satoru’s quick reflexes in catching you, holding you upright as he shot you a seething glare.
“For goodness sake, woman. Stand up straight. You are embarrassing yourself.”
But, you cannot hear his condescension or his warning. Your heart was palpitating rapidly, almost like it wanted to claw out of your chest. The room started to spin, and you realized in a frenzy that you couldn’t breathe properly without feeling like your throat was closing in.
Desperation washed over you and you tried to speak, to tell them something was gravely wrong.
A flicker of concern flitted across Satoru’s expression and he tried to hold you upright, but your body would not cooperate.
Losing all bearings and control of your composure, you crumpled right in his arms, as high-pitched screams echoing in the courtroom.
“... guards!”
“... infirmary… hurry!”
Satoru lifted you up into his arms, the sheen of his pure white hair shining under the fleeting lights of the passing sconces. Weakly, you tried to call out his name, but he shushed you, his voice dipping in and out of your consciousness.
“... save your strength… determine what's the issue…”
A hard bed met your back and hands were all over you, expertly probing, pressing and checking your vital signs.
The physician, an elderly man with wiry salt and pepper curls, pursed his lips, shifting his gaze to the King and the prince waiting anxiously by the sidelines for your diagnosis.
“Your Majesty. Your Highness. It appears the princess is suffering from an allergy attack. I have the right combination of herbs to aid her, though she might need to be sedated for the time being.”
Satoru bristled at the physician's words.
“Sedated? Why? She was merely stung…”
He trailed off, the unease in his tone catching the older man's attention.
“Stung, you say, Your Highness? What was she stung by?” As he spoke, he gestured to his assistants to prepare the herbal remedy, applying warm compresses onto the sore portions of your swollen hands.
Satoru felt his father's eyes boring into the side of his head and replied uneasily:
“She was stung by wasps.”
The physician scrutinized him, noticing the same reddened lesions all over his face and neck which were identical to the ones on your hands.
Satoru glanced at your unconscious form, guilt glimmering in his cerulean eyes when he took in your ashy pallor and your chest rising and falling with ragged breaths.
“She got attacked while trying to escape from me.”
The physician’s expression turned grave, though he does not openly rebuke the young prince. Rather, he turned his full attention to the afflicted princess and made it his mission for tonight to cleanse her body free of the wasps’ poison.
“My men will be working tirelessly to resuscitate the Princess’ health, Your Majesty, Your Highness. We shall provide you with a report once it is done.”
There was nothing Satoru could do but let himself be led out of the infirmary, the curtains drawn around your feverish and malaised figure to keep your body away from prying eyes.
However, the idea of a whole group of men taking their turns to rub down your body with salve and paste made his stomach churned, and he quickly snapped his fingers to catch a young maid’s attention.
She straightened, rushing forward and bowing immediately.
“Stay with the Princess until the cleansing process is over and report to me instantly once it is done, do you understand?”
Bowing again, the brunette scurried towards the drawn curtains and parted it, letting herself into the circle to keep watch over the unconscious Princess.
A large palm squeezed his shoulder and Satoru turned to find his father’s solemn reflection echoed upon his countenance.
“Whatever happens to Cerena tonight, we must prepare for the worse, son.”
Satoshi moved them out of earshot, leaning forward to depart his grave strategy.
“If she should pass on, we would need to secure your engagement with another princess.” Satoru did not expect his father to bring up such an outrageous suggestion at such a delicate time. The abhorrence deepened the lines of shock on his handsome face and he took a step back.
“No—”
Frustrated by his son’s refusal, Satoshi growled. “Satoru, this is what is best for Northern Haleway—”
“Father. With all due respect, you severely underestimate Cerena’s will to live,” Satoru darted his gaze to the cordoned area of the infirmary, failing to hide the shake in his clenched fists. “She will live and she will make it out alive. I swear upon my own words, I will look after her and nurse her back to health. You do not need to make such a rash decision so soon.”
Struck mute by his son’s passionate insistence, Satoshi pursed his lips.
Eventually, after a few moments of staring down his only heir, the King relented, exhaling an exhausted sigh.
“Alright. I shall put aside the immediate plan for now,” he added gruffly, “Let us hope she makes a speedy recovery.”
Satoru nodded silently and left his father’s side, moving to lean against the threshold of the infirmary. With his strong arms folded across his chest, his gaze remained fixed on the drawn curtains that concealed his betrothed from the world.
The distinguished figure of his son, accentuated by the dark embroidered jacket and matching riding pants that highlighted the stark contrast of his pure white hair, stirred a bittersweet longing in Satoshi. It brought back memories of his own burdensome youth—the long nights spent in that very position, waiting for his Queen to deliver him an heir.
With a quiet sigh, he turned away from the infirmary, pausing to give his son one last, curious glance.
This is strange, indeed. I thought Satoru despised Princess Cerena…?
MTT fun fact: swan hunting is a popular sport in Northern Haleway
dawn says: king dadjo is sus,,,,,,
!! reblogs and feedback and asks about this series are so beloved and appreciated and will motivate me to update and write faster <3
©️ all rights reserve to lalunanymph. do not copy elements of my story, repost or claim as your own.
#🦢 writes#gojo satoru x y/n#gojo satoru x you#gojo satoru x reader#gojo satoru#isekai#yandere gojo#gojo angst#gojo x reader#gojo x you#satoru x reader#satoru x you#jjk x reader#jjk gojo#jujutsu kaisen x reader#yandere jujutsu kaisen#jujutsu kaisen angst#royalty au#arranged marriage#jujutsu kaisen#series: marry the traitor
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serving up suds!
parings: patrick zweig x fem!reader / art donaldson x tashi duncan
word count: 3.9k
summary: you and the rest of the girls on the tennis team need to figure out a way to earn money for new uniforms. your boyfriend suggests the best idea.
contains: SMUT 18+ with lots of cute boyfriend patrick plot, fluff, only contains art and tashi as side characters (sorry), suggestive language between art and tashi, oral (m receiving), inaccurate numbers probs, if you think anything else should be added, please let me know!
note: wrote this simply because i love and miss pookie patrick zweig so enjoy… i planned to post i choose you but wanted to post this instead! also, not edited – will be doing so shortly.
You stood in front of Coach Williams, arms crossed and brow furrowed, your frustration barely masked. “We don’t even have proper uniforms,” you said, voice tight. “They just told us to wear red tank tops and the shortest white shorts we could find. It’s ridiculous. No one takes us seriously.”
It had been a minor irritation at first, something you could almost shrug off as a small injustice. But when you found out that the boys' team, including your boyfriend Patrick, had crisp, matching uniforms—with collars and the school logo stitched on the chest—your irritation curdled into anger. They looked like a team. They looked respectable. And you? You and the other five girls on the team looked like a mismatched afterthought.
A few of you had approached Coach Williams, hoping she’d understand, hoping she’d do something. You told her how embarrassing it was to stand on the court, mismatched and disheveled, while the boys walked by in their pristine gear. She’d just sighed and said the school didn’t have the funds. “Those boys raised the money themselves,” she added, almost proud. “If you girls want uniforms that badly, you’ll have to do the same.”
You groaned. Right, like it was that simple. You had done the math in your head—the cost would be at least a thousand dollars to get anything decent, something that would make you all look polished and cohesive. You wanted sharp collars, the school name embroidered in neat white stitching over your hearts, maybe even matching skirts. But there were only six of you, and $200 each was a lot to ask from college girls already juggling tuition, textbooks, meals, and a list of other expenses that never seemed to end.
The thought gnawed at you for days, and finally, you did something you never would’ve considered before. You went to Patrick. The two of you were sprawled out on the campus quad, the grass prickling your skin, the sun warm on your back. Patrick was fiddling with a Rubik's Cube he’d picked up from god knows where, twisting it clumsily, his focus entirely absorbed. You were trying to study, your math textbook open in front of you, but the thought of those damn uniforms kept distracting you. You sighed, louder than usual, trying to get his attention. He didn’t look up.
Another sigh, this one practically a groan. Patrick smirked, eyes still fixed on the colored squares in his hands. “Something on your mind?” he asked, voice teasing, as if he was enjoying your distress.
“Actually, yeah,” you said, sitting up and crossing your legs. “The girls’ tennis team needs uniforms.” He finally glanced up, confusion flickering in his eyes. “And I was wondering…” you trailed off, giving him a mischievous grin before reaching out to tickle his side. He jerked away, laughing, and caught your wrist. “...if you could, you know, maybe donate a little to help out.”
“You’re cute,” he said, kissing your cheek. “But I’m broke. Spent my allowance for the month already.”
Your head slumped against his chest, and you whined, letting the sound drag out, like a child who didn’t want to go to bed. “C’mon, Patrick. We need this.”
He chuckled, but you could sense his patience thinning. “Why don’t you do a fundraiser or something?” he suggested. “I don’t know, a bake sale?”
It was a simple idea, but it sparked something. You sat up straight, eyes bright with sudden inspiration. “A car wash!” you said, the words tumbling out in a rush. “We could do a car wash! Who wouldn’t want to donate to a group of girls in bikinis?”
Patrick’s smile faded. “Wait, I meant like selling cookies or something, not—”
But you were already on your feet, packing your things, a plan forming in your mind. Oh you’ll be selling cookies all right. “Thanks, babe! I’ll call you later,” you said, barely looking back as you headed off to find the other girls.
Patrick’s voice trailed after you, a mix of amusement and resignation. “Great. This is going to end well, I’m sure.” But you didn’t care. For the first time in days, you felt a thrill of hope. If it took a little shamelessness to raise the money, so be it. At least the girls’ team would finally have the chance to be seen.
You stood outside Art Donaldson’s dorm room, tapping your foot impatiently, half-wishing you didn’t have to do this. You were almost certain Tashi was hooking up with him. Everyone on the courts could sense the weird tension between them, the way they eyed each other during practice. It wasn’t admiration for his technique, that was for sure. Art was talented, sure, but he played like a baby deer—deft, but awkwardly loose, stumbling into his own brilliance.
Your knuckles rapped softly against the door, and when it finally creaked open, you caught sight of Art’s glassy eyes and his half-buttoned shirt. You had to stifle a laugh. He looked like he’d just rolled out of bed, and not because he was taking a nap. “Uh, is Tashi around?” you asked, already guessing the answer. Art glanced over his shoulder, almost as if he was checking to see if she was still there.
“Yeah, but she’s busy,” he said, with a casual shrug that didn’t quite hide his irritation.
“I’m sure,” you replied, tilting your head with a knowing grin. You leaned past him, raising your voice. “Tashi, come out here! I’ve got an idea!” Art winced, his expression morphing into a tight-lipped smile, the kind you give when someone’s overstaying their welcome. “She’ll be out in a minute,” he muttered, stepping back to let you linger in the doorway.
You could hear the faint sounds of shuffling before Tashi appeared, her hair tousled and her expression caught somewhere between glee and annoyance. “What are you doing here?” she asked, eyes narrowing.
“Patrick gave me the best idea,” you said, ignoring the way she rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. She didn’t even try to hide her skepticism—those words didn’t belong in the same sentence, and she knew it.
“No, really,” you insisted, giving her a playful shove. “We should do a fundraiser!”
Tashi’s face softened slightly, but her arms remained crossed, a single brow arching. “A fundraiser?”
“Yes! Think about it—tight bikinis, soapy cars, a bunch of frat boys with too much cash to spare. We’d make bank!” You bounced on your toes, grinning—your excitement spilling out uncontrollably.
She scoffed, but you caught the flicker of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Maybe she was amused, or maybe it was just the sheer absurdity of the situation. “I’m not selling my body to a bunch of frat boys,” she said, shaking her head firmly.
“You’re literally in there with Art Donaldson,” you shot back, your shoulders slumping with exasperation.
Tashi’s eyes narrowed, and she folded her arms, leaning against the doorframe. “So, what’s that supposed to mean?”
You let out an awkward laugh, waving your hands. “Oh, nothing. Just making an observation.” You could see her jaw tense, but you pressed on, undeterred. “Anyway, I’m telling the other girls. We’re doing this, with or without you.” You winked, trying to keep things light, but Tashi’s expression was unreadable as she watched you turn and leave.
A week later, you found yourself in your dorm room, sorting through an array of colorful bikini tops. The whole plan felt like a gamble, but you were determined to make it work. You wanted it to be fun, at least, if you were going to be out there scrubbing cars for spare change. Patrick was sprawled on the edge of your bed, watching with a bemused expression. “You’re seriously going through with this?” he asked, one eyebrow raised.
“You suggested it!” you argued, as you adjusted the lettering on a handmade sign with your glitter gel pens.
“I suggested you bake cookies and sell them on campus,” he corrected, waving his hand as if to swat away the absurdity of your plan. “This is not what I meant.”
“We’re just washing cars,” you said, shaking your head as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “And besides, it’s for a good cause.” You added a few more swirls and hearts to the sign, mockingly repeating his earlier words in a high-pitched voice before tossing a pink towel at him.
Patrick caught the towel and laughed, shaking his head. “You’re something else.”
Grabbing your keys and the finished signs, you turned to him, flashing a grin. “Walk me over there,” you said, already halfway out the door.
He groaned, dragging himself to his feet. “I better get a free car wash out of this,” he muttered, but there was a hint of a smile on his lips. The two of you headed down the hall, and as you passed by, you could almost imagine the scene—the sun beating down, water glistening, and a line of cars full of guys willing to fork over their cash just to see a group of girls make a splash. Maybe it was shameless, but you were desperate, and desperate times called for bold, glittery, bikini-clad measures.
The sun was barely up, but the day was already heating up as you and a few of the girls set up the buckets of sudsy water, sponges bobbing in the foam, and wrangled with the nearest hose. Patrick stood nearby, scanning the growing crowd like a bouncer at a club, his eyes narrowing at any guy who dared stare a little too long when you bent over to dip your sponge. He was protective like that, and maybe just a bit possessive, but you couldn’t deny it felt good having someone in your corner, even if he looked ready to body check anyone who ogled you.
You were just about to yell something smart at him when Tashi strolled up, the sound of her flip-flops soft on the concrete, and every head turned as she made her entrance. She was all long, tanned legs, glistening in the sunlight, a tiny bikini peeking out from under her daisy dukes, and she moved with a sort of effortless grace that made you want to both envy and applaud her. You let out a sharp whistle, catcalling her as she approached, unable to resist. She rolled her eyes.
“Careful, those eyes are gonna get stuck back there one day,” you said with a small smile on your lips, and you could tell she was enjoying the attention.
“You look so hot!” you squealed, bouncing on your toes. Tashi flicked her hair over her shoulder, pretending to be exasperated, but she knew she was killing it, and so did everyone else.
Hours passed, the sun climbing higher, scorching the asphalt, and the music thumped from the speakers you’d set up, loud enough to echo down the block. You and the girls took turns yelling at passersby, daring them to get their cars washed, and you couldn’t believe how fast the line grew. It felt like every guy within a five mile radius had suddenly remembered he needed a wash, and they queued up, engines idling, windows down, some leaning out just to get a better look.
Your bodies were practically spilling out of your clothes, skin glistening, slick with soap and sweat. You pressed up against car windows, sponges swirling over the glass, your laughter and chatter floating above the music. “Thank you!” you sang out, flashing bright smiles as you took crumpled bills from hands reaching out of car windows, a parade of faces you didn’t even recognize. You skipped over to where Patrick was standing, collecting the money, and tossed the latest stack of bills into the box he was holding.
The pink, glittery box which you wrote ‘Stick something in me!’ on. It was heavier than you’d expected; you were actually making bank.
Before you could turn back to the cars, Patrick caught your wrist and pulled you close, his hand warm and firm. He cupped your cheeks between his fingers, smushing them slightly, and before you could even register the movement, he kissed you hard, right there in front of everyone. It wasn’t gentle, wasn’t soft. It was a claim, a brand, like he was marking his territory for all to see.
“You’re mine,” he said, his voice low, but loud enough for everyone nearby to hear, a hint of a challenge in his eyes. He wanted to remind you.
You blushed, caught off guard, but then a grin spread across your face. “I’m yours,” you repeated, just as firmly, before pulling him down and planting another kiss on his lips, making sure the message was clear. As you pulled back, you saw a few guys in line avert their eyes, and you laughed to yourself, a mix of pride and relief swelling in your chest. You had Patrick, you had the girls, and if things kept going this well, you’d have those uniforms too.
"Six-fifty… seven-fifty," Patrick counted, his voice low and steady, as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in soft pinks and purples. You were sprawled out across the lawn, grass tickling your bare arms, and you watched him with a warm, tired smile, the kind of smile you give when everything feels just right for once. It had been a long, sweaty day, but now the breeze was gentle, like a cool kiss against your skin, and you felt almost weightless. Your body thrumming with a sense of accomplishment.
“Okay, that’s great!” you said, grabbing his arm, a burst of giddy excitement surging through you. Around you, the girls broke into their own cheers, hugging and high-fiving each other, still buzzing from the success of the day.
“And $100 from me,” Patrick said, pulling out a crisp bill from his wallet and tossing it into the box with a casual flick. The girls swarmed him, shaking his shoulders and showering him with thank-yous, calling him sweet, generous, the best. Even Tashi, who’d been leaning coolly against Art, broke into a grin, and she nudged him with her elbow. Art, who’d been half-pretending not to care, rolled his eyes but couldn’t resist. With a reluctant sigh, he parted with another $100, mumbling under his breath as he handed it over.
“Fine,” he said, almost as if the word hurt, but he was grinning a little, too, when the girls shrieked and patted his back. Rich people, you thought, shaking your head with a smirk. They always made it seem like giving was a struggle when it barely scratched the surface of their wallets.
You took a breath, pushing yourself up to your feet and looking at the small circle of girls around you, their faces flushed and glowing under the dimming sky. "I just want to say… thank you," you started, your voice slightly hoarse from yelling all day but still earnest. "I know this wasn’t exactly easy, but we did it. And I’m really proud." You reached into your own wallet, pulling out a $50 bill, twirling it between your fingers, and held it up like a trophy. “Here’s to us. And new uniforms!”
The girls erupted, their cheers echoing across the lawn, loud and jubilant, as if they’d just won a championship. For a moment, it felt like they had. The line between a football team scoring a last minute touchdown and a group of college girls hustling for their dignity had blurred, and you all basked in the glow of it, even as the day faded into night.
Later, you stumbled back to your dorm, too exhausted to think but too exhilarated to sleep. You flopped down on your bed, sinking into the mattress, letting out a long, satisfied sigh. You barely had time to close your eyes before Patrick followed, landing on top of you with a playful thud, his chin digging uncomfortably into your stomach.
“Ow,” you laughed, swatting at his head as he tried to adjust, mumbling an absent apology. He shifted, then propped himself up, and you cradled his face in your hands, tilting it up so you could look into his eyes. They were the soft blue of summer berries, glinting with mischief and tenderness, and you felt a sudden rush of affection that made your chest ache a little.
“I have the best boyfriend in the world,” you said, the words coming out soft, almost like a secret you were finally ready to admit. Patrick’s cheeks flushed a faint pink, something he did so rarely it was almost a treat to see. He gave you a shy, crooked smile, and you could tell he was savoring the moment, letting it hang in the air between you.
Then he leaned in, pressing his lips to yours, slow and careful, his mouth tasting faintly of your pomegranate chapstick. It was gentle at first, then firmer, like he was memorizing every bit of sweetness. When he pulled back, his eyes were still half-lidded, and his lips curved into a teasing smile.
“So, what’s the reward for being the best boyfriend?” he murmured, his gaze flicking over your face, taking in every detail as if he hadn’t already committed them to memory. His eyelashes fluttered, casting a silhouette across his cheeks, and you felt a shiver of warmth spread through you.
His reward for enduring the humid, sticky air all day, the sun beating down relentlessly on his already sunkissed skin, was right here, pressed against him. He had been patient, sitting there with the box of crumpled bills, sweat glistening on his forehead, eyes darting protectively every time someone lingered a little too long on you. He deserved something for putting up with the heat, the endless chatter, and the occasional, awkward guy who looked like he wanted to challenge him just for standing there. And this was it. You, warm and pliant under his hands, your fingers tangled in his hair, lips brushing his, teasing, like you were savoring every second as much as he was.
You raised an eyebrow, tilting your head in mock contemplation. “Hmm, I guess I’ll have to think of something…” you said, running your fingers through his hair, pulling him closer until your noses touched. “Maybe a little more of this,” you whispered, your lips brushing his as you spoke, letting the promise linger in the space.
You rolled over, his back sinking into the worn mattress. You let your lips graze his jaw, then drifted down to his neck. He shifted under your touch, laughter mingling with a nervous squirm as your breath tickled his skin. “You’re so good to me,” you murmured, pressing a kiss to his earlobe. “So supportive,” another kiss at his temple. “And so, so handsome.” A faint smile broke across his face, eyes closed, lost in the moment.
You let your fingers glide over the cool, metallic buttons of his shorts, tracing each engraved design as if it were spelling out something only you knew. You helped him pull them off, giggling as you threw them across the room. Your hand dipped into the dark mouth of his boxers, rummaging past his trimmed bush of curls, until your fingers closed around the smooth, familiar shape.
His hard cock slid out, catching the light above, precum gleaming, almost tauntingly. You held it up to your mouth, breathing in the faint trace of scent that lingered, delicate but intoxicating.
You stared at it for a moment, feeling a slow, subtle warmth unfurl in your chest. It was a tiny, almost imperceptible smile that tugged at your lips, like the beginning of a secret, and you could feel the tension building under your skin, pooling low in your stomach. Something about holding it in your hand made you feel powerful, like you were in control.
The head was your favorite color—deep, cherry red and glistening like a polished gem when you pulled back his foreskin slowly. You slid it between your lips, supple and sweet. Your tongue circled over his tip, feeling the tiny slit. His sap dissolving against your taste buds. You closed your eyes, savoring the taste.
His arousal melted on your tongue, sweet and syrupy. A thin string of saliva stretched between your lips and the tip when you pulled it away, snapping when you moved it too far. It was deliciously wrong, like sneaking a piece of forbidden fruit.
"You’re so sweet," you murmured, almost to yourself, but loud enough for Patrick to hear. He glanced up, his expression lustful and high.
“Wanna taste it?” you asked, slightly lolling your head to the side. The way you said it was innocent, almost playful, but there was a glint in your eyes, a subtle edge to the offer. You leaned up to him, grazing your tongue over his lips. He moaned at the contact. You grabbed his jaw, letting the glob mixed of your saliva and himself fall onto the heart of his tongue. He groaned, letting it slide down his throat. “I love you.” he whimpered, sloppily inhaling your lips.
You furrowed your brows, mocking the desperate look in his eyes. You watched him, a slow smile curling on your lips. You hadn’t realized how much you’d loved being in control. It reminded you that, for once, you weren’t following the rules, and that felt more delicious than anything you’d tasted in a long, long time.
You pumped your hand up and down his shaft, practically begging him to release all over your pretty face. “You wanna come for me?” you asked with a sweet, honey tone. “I’m so close,” he panted, fingers tangling between your strands of hair. “Fu– please,” he cried, mouth gaping open while hips desperately bucked toward you.
Taking him in your mouth again, you slapped his stiff cock against your tongue, the familiar sensation flooding your mouth as saliva pooled in your cheeks. His fluids mixed with spit, oozing down your lips and pooling on your chin. It felt disgusting, the wetness creeping along your skin, but deep down, every drop was a small victory for making him feel good.
With each stroke, you watched the fizzy mixture drip, the mess clinging to your hand and wrist as you pumped vigorously. You squeezed him in your palms, watching him sputter. Come painting across your face. You bit your lip, trying to steady your hand, hoping you milked him empty. His slit deflating a little more with every squeeze. You could see the droplets peeking through, mocking you.
He threw his head back, catching his breath. “Feel good?” you teased, sucking your fingers. You slid your body up his, his bare cock still hard, brushing against the skin of your thigh. His body jolting at the touch.
"Thank you for your help today, baby," you murmured, letting your lips brush gently against the tip of his nose, a soft, affectionate kiss.
“Anytime,” he said, a playful glint in his eyes. “And don’t hesitate to bring me any other problems you’ve got,” he added, only half-joking, clearly savoring the reward you’d just given him. “I’m always glad to help.”
You laughed, the sound light and warm, as you slipped off the bed. “I’ll keep that in mind,” you teased, padding across the room toward the bathroom to shower. You glanced back at him once more, a smile still tugging at the corners of your mouth, “You coming?” you ask, disappearing into the bathroom.
He slid off the bed in a hurried, awkward motion, the springs letting out a sharp, staccato creak that echoed through the room. His feet barely touched the floor before he was shuffling off, making his way into the bathroom behind you.
#challengers#patrick zweig#patrick zweig x reader#challengers fanfic#patrick zweig smut#tashi duncan#tashi duncan x reader
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Right where we belong
Minatozaki Sana x Reader
Synopsis: Sana’s affectionate nature shines as she surprises her girlfriend after just a day apart, playfully insisting it’s been far too long. In this cozy, love-filled evening, Sana’s clinginess becomes the sweetest reminder that being together is exactly where they both belong.
Warnings: not proofread , nothing else (I think) , PUREE FLUFF
The sun was starting to set, casting a warm orange glow over your apartment, when you heard a familiar knock at the door. Before you could even stand up, the door swung open, and there she was Sana, beaming as if she hadn’t just seen you yesterday. Her smile seemed to fill the entire room.
“Sana!” you said, half surprised, half thrilled. She immediately bounded over to you, wrapping her arms around you before you even had a chance to speak.
“I missed you so much!” she exclaimed, her voice muffled as she buried her face in your shoulder.
“Sana, you just saw me yesterday,” you laughed, but you couldn’t help hugging her back. There was something about the way she clung to you that made your heart skip a beat every time.
“But that was so long ago!” She pulled back, pouting playfully. “Do you know how many hours I had to spend without you?” She started counting on her fingers as if it were some huge injustice.
You chuckled, brushing a strand of her hair back. “You’re so dramatic, you know that?”
She huffed, but you could tell she was only half serious. “I just love being around you. Is that a crime?” She tilted her head, her eyes twinkling with mischief as she leaned in closer.
“Not at all,” you whispered, feeling your cheeks heat up.
Sana grinned, obviously pleased with herself. She slipped her arms around your waist, leaning her forehead against yours. “Good. Because I’m not planning on letting you go anytime soon.”
You tried to move, but she held you tighter, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. “Nope! You’re staying right here with me,” she teased, making you laugh.
Sana giggled, her cheeks flushed from laughing as she started peppering little kisses all over your face, one after the other, until you were both a mess of laughter and tangled in each other’s arms.
When you finally caught your breath, she looked up at you, her eyes soft and full of affection. “I know I can be clingy sometimes,” she murmured, “but it’s only because I love you so much. Being with you is my favorite thing in the world.”
Your heart melted at her words. “I wouldn’t want it any other way,” you whispered, pulling her close again.
And there, wrapped up in each other, you knew that this was exactly where you both belonged.
#femalereader#female reader#twice x reader#twice imagines#kpop x reader#twice fluff#kpop imagines#wlw sfw#wlw#twice sana#sana x reader#twice sana x reader#minatozaki sana x reader#minatozaki sana#sana fluff#twice scenarios
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heyy :)) would you maybe write something for remus with a reader that sometimes goes nonverbal?? i would really appreciate it, no pressure tho<33
Hi! I had to read up on this a bit, so I apologize for any inaccuracies. Thanks for requesting lovely!
cw: reader gets overstimulated
Remus Lupin x fem!reader ♡ 767 words
Shamefully, Remus doesn’t notice until you’re asked a question. Sirius has been on a rant about the injustice of him being expected to work while there’s a concert he wants to go to next week (he’s used up all his personal days, and his manager has finally caught on to his strategy of pretending to have diarrhea anytime he wants out of a shift) for the past twenty minutes, and James, sweetheart that he is, has tried to bring you into the conversation by asking if you’ve been to any shows you liked.
Remus looks to you for your answer, thinking you might say something about the small concert in the park he’d taken you to before you’d started dating (or started dating officially, that is. Remus had been flirting with you for weeks before you caught on), but you only smile with one side of your mouth and nod. James takes it for shyness and moves on.
Remus feels for your hand under the table, intertwining your fingers with his as he ducks towards your ear. “You alright, dove?”
You nod again, neglecting to talk as you rest the side of your head against his shoulder. Remus sweeps his thumb across the back of your hand pensively. You usually don’t have much trouble with his friends, but they are particularly loud tonight. All overeager, talking over each other and making noisy, boisterous sounds whenever one of them makes a joke or a baiting remark. The tables around you aren’t much tamer, everyone in the restaurant almost needing to shout to be heard. He supposes he should have guessed earlier that it could be overwhelming for you.
“Do you want to go?” he murmurs.
You tilt your head back to look at him, your eyes searching. Uncertain.
“I’m ready to leave if you are,” Remus amends. Then you rub your lips together, nodding. “Yeah? Let’s go, lovely girl.”
He stands, moving so you can slip out of the booth. Your table wails and jeers about you leaving so early, and Remus sets a hand on your back as he fields the complaints, leading you away. He’s not entirely ungrateful for the refreshing quiet as you step outside, either.
Your eyes are on him as you walk to the car. Remus raises an eyebrow at you.
“Do you have your pad with you?”
You look hesitant, but nod.
“Is there something you want to tell me?”
You frown, digging the small notepad out of your back pocket. Remus passes you a pen. He unlocks his car and opens the door for you, going around to his own seat while you scribble on the page. Once he starts the engine to get the heat going, you nudge the notepad against his leg.
He takes it, reading silently. Are you upset I made us leave? We can go back if you want.
He suspects his incredulity shows on his face before he schools his expression into gentleness, looking up at you. “Of course I’m not upset,” he says, making sure to hold your gaze when you shy a bit, self-conscious. “I was ready to leave too, but besides that I wouldn’t want to stay if you weren’t having a good time. It’s never a bother.” He sets the notepad back in your lap, taking your hand in his. “Understand?”
You nod, and the bashful little smile you give him makes Remus’ heart feel too big for his chest.
“Good.” He imbues his voice with exaggerated sternness, rewarded when your cheek dimples. “Glad we’re clear on that. Is there anything else you need? You hardly touched your dinner, do you wanna get something before we go home?”
You stick your tongue in your cheek. Remus recognizes the hesitance and releases your hand, pushing the pen back into it.
“Write it down, sweetheart.”
You sigh as though defeated. Your eyes squint a bit as you write, stopping for a second before finishing and passing the notepad back.
Can we drive through somewhere? I don’t want to have to talk to anyone.
“Yeah, easy.” Remus slides it back to you, shifting the car into reverse and backing out of his parking spot. “Do you feel like a milkshake? We could go by the place just down our street, or whatever you—” You nod eagerly, and he smiles. “Yeah? Alright, just write down your order, okay? I’ll read it out when we get there.” You laugh your ass off when Remus unthinkingly reads your whole order aloud to the drive-thru worker, including the note at the end that says Thanks handsome, love you.
#remus lupin#remus lupin x reader#remus lupin x fem!reader#remus lupin x y/n#remus lupin x you#remus lupin x self insert#remus lupin fanfiction#remus lupin fanfic#remus lupin fic#remus lupin fluff#remus lupin hurt/comfort#remus lupin imagine#remus lupin scenario#remus lupin drabble#remus lupin blurb#remus lupin oneshot#remus lupin one shot#marauders#the marauders#marauders era#marauders fanfiction#marauders fandom#hp marauders#marauders x reader
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disregard
Yandere Neuvillette x reader
Mentions of torture and blackmailing
Implied nsfw, not explicit
I hate you.
I wish you died.
These are the words you swallow up everyday as you wake up and see him looking gently at you.
You ignored him and his damned lovesick gaze in favor of the more important task to do: to get out of bed.
Despite the impression he gave as a respectable gentleman, he was never restrained during his nightly routine with you, always leaving you bruised and tired and legs too weak to stand properly. After all, a dragon will remain a beast, an animal, no matter what kind of titles as he accumulated in living among humans, pretending among humans.
The Iudex, a beloved Chief Justice of the Fountaine, a symbol of Fairness.
Under his watch, no instances that might go against the ideal of the country is allowed.
But even before you personally knew him in this way, you could not understand the trust people had on him.
If he truly valued justice, will he allow the trials to be used as entertainment for the public as if it was some kind of theatrics?
Would your best friend's father be wrong accused and meet untimely death?
Would the true culprits behind your father's death be running amock while your best friend is trying the most that she could to prove her father's innocence?
No, they wouldn't.... if Neuvillette truly valued justice and tried to find the truth behind the incident like the blonde traveler who finally uncovered the real culprits of the incident.
You hated Neuvillette for pretending something he most certainly wasn't, a human with humanly emotions.
So, you were never a fan of his.
However, back then, you weren't fully aware of how much of injustice he was willing to commit to secure his lover treasure.
As you pull back the bed sheets and tried to get up, he offered to help you, like a lover facade he is dead set on continuing.
But you ignored him, and got up on your own wobbling and shaky.
Your body was littered by his artworks of kiss marks, bite marks and hand prints. But he admire them on you as if you are the goddess of beauty herself.
"Good morning, my love."
He said his voice sweet and sugary unlike the tone he made when declaring your lover guilty for a murder you were sure he never committed.
In exchange for securing your boyfriend a safe and peaceful life in meropide fortress, you had to jump into the jaws of the awaiting beast. (So, the rumors that the Index was good friends with the Duke were true. Or at least, they were close enough to be partners in crime in making your life miserable.)
You again ignored his voice and put on your dress to cover up your body from his disgusting gaze and walked into the bathroom.
You wonder if your best friend is still trying to find you. The poor girl has just lose her two most trusted subordinates. You want nothing more than to run to her and hug her tight to say that you are okay, you are fine, you are not going to leave her.
You felt arms around your waist, hugging you from behind. The person, predictably, was none other than your husband.
You pushed away his hand and continued washing your face.
In the mirror, you could see Neuvillette looking at your reflection with puppy eyes begging for an ounce of affection.
Oh, just how much you want to poke out those eyes with a knife.
But you refrained from actually doing it because
1. He is the Hydro Sovereign whose strength rival that of Archons so your attack would probably be ineffective.
2. If you so much as point anything sharp in his general direction, your boyfriend has to face the tortures that would make grown adults to faint just by hearing it.
(You once tried to attack Neuvillette using the power of your Anemo Vision but not only did it not work, the Duke made you watch your boyfriend being tortured in front of you.)
After freshing yourself up, you ate the breakfast as silently as the morning before.
If there was one good thing about Neuvillette, he has to go out for the whole day.
So, if only you endured the most agitating breakfast of him staring at you as you eat, you will have the monster out of the house.
"I will be going out. I will try to be home as soon as I can."
You opted out his voice and laid back down on your bed and pull up covers to get some sleep to compensate for the loss of it last night.
You heard him going out of the room to go to the court for whatever trials awaiting him.
It rains in Fountaine today, too.
#yandere neuvillette#yandere neuvillette x reader#yandere genshin impact#yandere neuvillette x you#wriothesley is crazy in this fic#me and my insatiable urge to hate my favorite characters
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so, it finally happened. writers of the hotd finally destroyed everything good about it, any potential it once had, all for some kind of... agenda?
they were destroying greens slowly during the whole season two. aemond, being hateful and vengeful, but not towards ones, who deserve it (the blacks), no - to aegon, his brother, his king. aemond not having any interaction with alys rivers, instead of it the whole season and a potentially large part of their relationship was given to daemon - prophecies, visions, support in war, romantic implications. helaena, whose scene of great loss was cut, happened because of incompetence of writers royal guards (absolutely impossible for a setting), somehow her mother's affair (which is also impossible, since there's know way criston could be the only and personal protectpr of helaena and kids), and she was robbed of her burden (choice between sons) and her grieve (she is already unhappy most of the time, not cheerful, not beloved, and her loss doesn't haunt the narrative the way it should - the way it traumatized the whole family daeron who). aegon crippled not in battle and with glory, but by betrayal of his own brother (supposed to be his supporter), also deprived of his rightful grieve and anger, and even his dragon - the most beautiful, the most loyal, sunfyre, so important for the original story and our understanding, how strong and unbreakable this bond can be - erased to one scene. alicent - oh, my sweet alicent, i will remember the one, who could've been - the one we lose completely. alicent, who always loves and protected the monstrosity and beauty and destiny of motherhood and queenhood, what have they done to you? alicent, who stands in front of dragon, to protect aegon (at least try to protect him), alicent, who cuts her husband's beloved daughter and heir to the throne because all of the injustice done to aemond, alicent, who loves, loves, loves, her sweet daughter helaena (even in first part of season two she says - but what have they done to my daughter?). alicent, the actual queen, alicent, beloved by the smallfolk, alicent, respected by the council, alicent, loyal to her family to the core. where did you go, my beloved?
And to the worst part - all of this was done for one purpose - to remind us once again about this targaryen supremacy. that they are chosen ones, that they are supposed to save everyone, that they are gods, not men, and they will not be punished by the story, instead - they will be victimised, they will be martyred, they will be rewarded for cruelty. The blacks have only two options in season two - they are either absurdly boring (cause they can't have any flaws, and supposed to be heroic - that's why it safer to make them blank and dull), or they are chosen, special, destined - to rule westeros, to ride dragons, to get whatever they want. this, of course, are qualities of the right kind of targaryens - the blacks, the connected with daenerys ones, not the whole family, obviously. This is the reason, why rhaenyra has nothing to do with the death of a child, somehow goes to the king's Landing and tries negotiations with alicent, breaks up with not-so-perfect daemon, tames bronze fury just because she can, and acting incredibly passive most of the season. This is the reason, why we don't have nettles - girl of color, of unknown birth, younger and more beautiful, who tames the dragon using only her wits, survives the story, surpasses the tragedy. of course we don't have you, dear nettles - you are a mirror, where targaryen, mostly daemon and rhaenyra, were supposed to see their flaws.
I remind you, that hotd is supposed to be an interpretation of a very specific story. One where dragons dance and house targaryen falls. One where smallfolk kills the dragons, where dragons are monsters, destroying cities, and targaryens are false gods and precarious rulers. The cursed war - kin against kin. The narrative, where everyone is dead long before the beginning, everyone is doomed. It's not supposed to praise house targaryen, on the contrary - it says 'look, what they've done, look, what they do', 'look, how treacherous, flawed, hypocritical, unnatural, brutal, unreliable they ALL are, even to each other', and what is most important - 'look, they can be killed, look, they can fall, look the dragons and their riders bleed, and we can destroy them'.
and all of this potential, all of this greekish kind of tragedy, lost... and i have no idea, what for.
#house of the dragon#anti hotd#hotd meta#hotd season 2#alicent hightower#aegon ii targaryen#aemond targaryen#helaena targaryen#the greens#the blacks#nettles#hotd spoilers#anti ryan condal
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𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐒 (𝟏𝟑𝟔𝟏𝟗𝟗) 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
𝐈. 𝐃𝐄𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐒
asteroid eris is named after the greek goddess of discord and strife. eris is known to be a troublemaker and is often credited with starting and sustaining the trojan war. although eris is often associated with creating problems for people, liana miate asserts that hesiod (an ancient greek poet) splits eris into two: a younger version who aligns with sowing discord for no reason and an older version who intends to bring about competition and push people to go beyond their set limits.
in astrology, eris follows her mythological roots and represents areas of life where we can encounter disruptions, major losses, and chaos. eris can also tell of where we face injustices and where we need to learn to stand up for ourselves.
asteroid eris mainly makes itself known as it moves and creates transiting aspects, but for this post i will be focusing on how it functions in one’s birth chart. (if you do want me to analyze how it may work as it makes aspects to planets and other object - let me know).
𝐈𝐈. 𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐍𝐒
asteroid eris has an orbital period of about 560 years, so it moves through the signs really slowly. this asteroid has been in the sign of aries since the mid-1920s and won’t be in taurus until 2048 where it will stay until around 2146. with this in mind, i will only explain the way the signs aries and taurus will influence the way asteroid eris can function.
𝗔𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦
eris in aries could be tumultuous. there could be more of an emphasis on literal war and combat which makes sense in my opinion given the world wars were in and around the time period of this asteroid being in aries. i also see eris in aries being more likely to fight back against the chaos the asteroid can bring; if older eris wants people to learn to stand up for themselves, then aries is the perfect sign for that to occur. again, we can look back in history to see revolutions like the civil rights movement, the vietnam war protests, the breaking up of the british empire and more occur while this asteroid was in aries. of course, these things happen all throughout history, but i want to specify how often this seems to happen while in the specific period of eris in aries. asteroid eris in aries seems to function as dealing with catastrophes head-on with the idea of pushing through the tough times instead of succumbing to them. while discord may hit hard; the collective will rise back with more strength than what was had before.
𝗧𝗔𝗨𝗥𝗨𝗦
eris in taurus could bring about a sort of predictable chaos. build ups to conflict may be obvious, but when it occurs it could destroy people’s comfortability and especially bring havoc to finances. conflicts could last for long periods of time, and people overall could fall into a “woe is me” attitude when it comes to figuring out how to move past catastrophes; instead of figuring out how to advocate for one’s self or the collective when facing injustices - those born under eris in taurus could try to wait things out. the idea of fighting back or advocating for oneself could take a while to be viable, but once it becomes an option i could see people putting up a hard fight. asteroid eris in taurus could be reluctant to face conflict head on, but once decided to it will be obstinate on its course. i’m reminded of the phrase “when an unstoppable force hits an immovable object”.
𝐈𝐈𝐈. 𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄𝐒
𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦��
you could go through drastic physical changes. if you were to get into plastic surgery, fillers, botox, etc. it may not bode well for you; your body could react negatively to the treatments and/or you may not look as well as you wanted to. you could also struggle with your identity or feeling like you don't truly know yourself or what you want to do in life. you could go through "phases" or looking and/or dressing a certain way. you could feel as if no one understands you, or as if the way you view yourself is vastly different from how others see and understand you. people may not be able to come to a consensus about who they think you are as a person. it could take you a while to find out "who you are", and your body may change often throughout your life. those with eris in the first house probably need to come to terms with the way they look instead of trying to constantly change their appearance, and they also likely need to learn how to settle down with one way of living or learn to embrace that vastness of who they want to be instead of trying to put themselves into a box.
𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗗
money and other financial successes could easily come and go out of your life. you may be the type of person who loses things more easily than the average person, and you may find it hard to retain money and possessions. during tense transits, you could have items repossessed or even stolen from you. your routines could be hard to maintain, or you could find random incidents keep you from being able to have one. it could be easy for you to break bad habits (but again, could be hard for you to maintain good ones). you could find yourself struggling to keep jobs or find that you're drawn to jobs where every day is different and unpredictable. you may need to learn how to stay on top of what it is you want and need to do (ie. writing down a schedule, having someone hold you accountable, etc.). you may need to learn how to say no to yourself when it comes to spending money and work on having a savings account you can't touch at all. it may be better for you to make large purchases with cash instead of setting up payments, so you can keep possessions long-term.
𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗥𝗗
you could find yourself being ghosted often and/or you could have trouble maintaining contact with others. you could be "horrible with communication" or even technology to an extent. you could find that people misunderstand you or they think you're more harsh in your words than you intend to be. you could also have a tumultuous relationship with your siblings - maybe you've always found it hard to connect with them, or you go long periods of time without talking. your early education may have been interrupted in some way (having to move away, change schools, etc.). you could also have issues with transportation more often than others like your car breaking down randomly or always being late to events due to unreliability. learning how to advocate for yourself will be a major key to dealing with this eris placement. there's a need to learn how to "speak up" and deal with confrontation without running away and also without arguing. you may find it better to try leaving early to account for possible transportation issues. there's a need to learn to set boundaries with your siblings also in order to maintain the connection.
𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗧𝗛
you could have an unstable home life. maybe you had (or you do) change living situations often, or your relationship with your family might not be the best. your childhood might’ve been fractured as a result of family issues. people, areas, or things you find comfort in may seem like they always get “ruined” at some point (ie. if you have a comfort show it gets canceled or the writing starts going downhill, a celebrity you like ends up being very problematic, etc.). you may feel as if you have no control over your emotions, or whenever you try to control your emotions you end up breaking down anyways. you may even find it hard to trust your instincts. you may also find it hard to create and maintain relationships with women - especially your mother. you may need to learn how to come to terms with the fact your childhood wasn’t as good as you wanted (or as good as it should’ve been); you might even have to realize you need to put yourself and your needs above your family due to their issues. you may need to learn to step back when it comes to parasocial relationships; figuring out it’s okay to find comfort in things or people, but not putting them on a pedestal anymore.
𝗙𝗜𝗙𝗧𝗛
eris in the fifth house is also a contender for having an unstable childhood. maybe you weren’t allowed to behave like a child, or your childhood abruptly ended due to unforeseen circumstances. when engaging in creative avenues, you may encounter blocks often - in terms of imagination, originality, or physical blocks. you might even find that the art you create gets messed up in some way (ie. you delete a song or a section of a song you were making, you mix the wrong paints together, etc.). you may spontaneously lose interest in hobbies, or you’re prevented from being able to do them (ie. it rains on a day you planned to golf, you run out of yarn when you were planning to knit, etc.). with this placement, it may also seem like your romantic life is never going anywhere; this is another house that may see people ghosting them, or when you go out on dates they could be horrendous. you may need to learn how to create things out of your messes when it comes to creative endeavors; there’s a need to learn how to “roll with the punches” so to speak. you may find it best to engage in multiple hobbies instead of just one or finding a way to have someone hold you accountable for the creative work you want to create. there’s a need to allow yourself to go back to being the child you never got to be at some points.
𝗦𝗜𝗫𝗧𝗛
you may be the type of person who always has health issues or some sort of injury. when you try to create good health habits you may find it hard to stay on track, and there may even be instances where you unintentionally break your habits (ie. you’re counting calories and want to stay under a certain amount but by day three you’ve forgotten you were dieting this way, you’re forced to work overtime one night and it just happens to be one of the days you’ve set aside for weight training, etc.). you may lose items easily, and when you try to help others you may have a way of making things worse (ie. you tried to help someone cook, but you burned part of the meal). you may need to advocate for and pay attention to your health and your body more than the average person. similar to other placements, having other people hold you accountable may be helpful for you to maintain habits you want to implement. you may find it best to keep items in the same place each time you don’t have them in your hand, so you don’t lose things as often. when helping others, try to have someone check your work to be sure you’re providing aid the right way.
𝗦𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗛
you could find yourself entering toxic relationships often or at least relationships that often never go anywhere. you might find yourself being ghosted by people for seemingly no reason or drama arising out of relationships you have from out of nowhere. contracts you write up or engage in could fall apart easily (ie. you receive a job offer, but it’s randomly rescinded for no reason; you have everything in order to move to a new apartment, but you get rejected out of nowhere), or they could cause more headaches than they’re worth. you might find people often don’t give enough in their relationships with you - like you’re the one running the show, making all the plans to be together, spending all the money, and they’re only along for the ride, or they only focus on what they can gain from you. you may need to learn how to have respect for yourself when it comes to relationships of all kinds. learning to not set yourself on fire in order to keep someone else from being cold, demanding equality in partnerships, etc. with this placement in aries i could even see a need to step back from relationships in some way - to allow or force others to pull their weight instead of making everything happen on your own. there’s a need to learn how to advocate for yourself and your needs in partnerships and contracts.
𝗘𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗛
you could feel as if you’re always going through some sort of transformation - almost as if your life itself or life circumstances are always unstable. when you try to share with others you could find your kindness is not appreciated, so you may feel reluctant to give people money or take money from others for seemingly no reason. whenever you try to create deep connections with people it could feel like things never work out or always fall through (ie. you want to have a business partner, but the person backs out at the last minute, you need someone to cosign on a loan for you, but no one is willing). also, with this placement you may feel as if people leave randomly; this could range from being ghosted, them not putting in effort to maintain a relationship with you, conversations going stale to literal death taking people away from you without warning. additionally, your long term assets may be unstable. there could be a need to learn how to let go of things and people once they’ve served their purpose in your life; some people are meant to be present for only moments or periods of time in your life as opposed to throughout the whole journey. there’s also a need to stay on top of contracts and long-term investments; you could find that lower risk investments work best for you. there’s also a need to learn how to share yourself with others and allow others to do the same with you even through times where you may have been betrayed - learning from your mistakes is important in this area.
𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗛
this is another placement that could encounter issues with transportation since the ninth house deals with travel. going further though, you could often experience disruptions when going on trips or vacations (ie. forgetting your passport, wallet, or other important item; flights being canceled or delayed for no reason, having “bad” experiences when you visit other areas). this could also be an indicator of struggling in areas of higher academia; this could be in regards to the material feeling overwhelming to learn or things always going wrong during the school year (ie. experiencing life changing events that make it hard for you to attend class, having to drop classes or finding it hard to create a schedule that works, etc.). connections to religion could also be unstable; you could feel uncomfortable with the idea of religion because of issues with religious institutions. you may find that people often try to suppress your culture or way of living, or you could find it hard to connect with your culture because people push you away from it in some way. there’s a need to be proactive when it comes to the way you travel – opting to leave too early instead of even on time, checking your luggage twice and three times over, etc. you may need to advocate for yourself more when interacting with higher institutions like college or religious places, and there’s also a need to be proud of your culture and views despite people’s attempts to erase them.
𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗛
when it comes to receiving recognition for your achievements you could find that you’re often looked over. your career path may be hard for you to narrow down, or you could find you’re let go from jobs without warning when everything seems to be fine from your point of view. you may jump from job to job or be promoted and demoted to certain positions for no reason. you could encounter extreme highs and lows when it comes to your reputation; it might even be possible that your reputation is not consistent amongst people, and it could be hard for you to control it. when you’re in positions of power you may find that people often undermine you or refuse to take you seriously - especially men. on that note, you may find it hard to create and maintain relationships with men (especially your father). you could find people always find a way to criticize you or tell you all the work you do is wrong no matter what you do. there’s a need to possibly embrace whatever reputation people assign to you instead of trying to control the narrative or change who you are to appease everyone. there is also a need to demand recognition and praise when you know you deserve it - possibly even walking away from job opportunities when you know you’re being lowballed. there’s a need to maintain your sense of self trusting that the truth of who you are will guide you towards those who will appreciate you.
𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗛
it could be hard for you to maintain friendships and connections with the collective and other groups in general. you could find yourself being iced out or being the “odd one out” when you try to fit in. technology may fail on your frequently, or you may feel like it doesn’t like you (ie. you find it hard to connect to wifi, you always have phone or computer issues, etc.). you may feel as if (or told) that you’re not as helpful as you think you are when it comes to collective situations (ie. group projects). you could find your ideas and dreams for the future often don’t work out, or you find them hard to maintain. there’s partially a need to embrace your individuality - to come to terms with the fact that you will eventually find a group that aligns with you and won’t push you out or make you feel othered. there’s a need to keep putting yourself out there even when you feel like it never works out. there’s also a need to maintain hope – for the future, for connecting with others, and when it comes to interacting with technology.
𝗧𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗙𝗧𝗛
this is another placement that would indicate feeling as if you’re always going through some sort of transformation or ending in life. you could feel as if your spiritual life is in constant chaos (ie. having times where you’re clear on what your journey is and then suddenly feeling like you have no clue what you’re doing; being able to communicate with your guides clearly and then suddenly hearing radio silence, etc.). you could feel as if you don’t “truly” or “intimately” know yourself. you could find that your subconscious activates at random times and could cause trouble when you least expect it. you could feel as if your fate changes quickly going from having great luck to none at all. when it’s time to end certain cycles in your life you may find it hard to let go, or you may feel as if things end abruptly leaving little space for you to accept these endings. there’s a need to learn to be okay with abrupt endings or the idea of never receiving closure – finding a way to maintain peace even if this doesn’t happen. there’s also a need to take fate into your own hands instead of always being passive (or learning to be passive when it’s necessary). there’s a need to be open to ambiguity as opposed to running away from it.
#sunkissedchld#astrology#astroblr#asteroids#asteroid: eris#eris in aries#eris is taurus#aries eris#taurus eris#eris first house#eris second house#eris third house#eris fourth house#eris fifth house#eris sixth house#eris seventh house#eris eighth house#eris ninth house#eris tenth house#eris eleventh house#eris twelfth house#asteroid eris
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Be awake!
(A short story about common sense and civil courage.)
Young law students are gathered in a lecture room of their university.
Ready to learn their first lesson - and it's gonna be a true life lesson.
The professor enters and takes a look around.
"You there, second desk. Blue jacket. What is your name?" he asks a student.
"My name is Alexis."
"Please leave my lecture room. I don't want to see you at one of my lectures ever again."
Everyone is quiet.
The student is irritated.
"I don't understand."
"I am not going to ask a second time. Thank you."
The student packs her things, gets up silently and leaves the hall.
The other students are speechless too.
Quite shaken not to say shocked.
They stare at the professor who looks at them attentively.
"Why are there laws?" he asks the group.
Still, nobody dares to speak.
Everyone looks at the others.
"What are laws for?" the professor asks again.
"Social order." someone says hesitantly.
"To protect a person's personal rights." Another student says.
A third replies.
"So that you can rely on the state."
The professor is not satisfied.
"Justice!" calls out a student.
The professor gives her a warm, encouraging smile.
"Thank you very much. Did I behave unfairly towards your classmate earlier?"
Everyone nods.
"Indeed I did. Why didn't anyone protest?
Why didn't any of you try to stop me?
Why didn't you want to prevent this injustice?" he asks.
Silence.
"What you just learned you wouldn't have understood in 1,000 hours of lectures if you hadn't lived it.
You didn't say anything just because you weren't affected yourself.
This attitude speaks against you and against life. You think as long as it doesn't concern you, it's none of your business.
I'm telling you, if you don't say anything today and don't bring about justice, then one day you too will experience injustice and no one will stand before you.
Justice lives through us all.
We have to fight for it. In life and at work, we often live next to each other instead of with each other.
We console ourselves that the problems of others are none of our business.
We go home and are glad that we were spared. But it's also about standing up for others.
Every day an injustice happens in business, in sports or on the tram.
Relying on someone to sort it out is not enough. It is our duty to be there for others.
Speaking for others when they cannot.
I am here to teach you the power of your voice.
I want you to learn criticial thinking
to empower you to stand up for what is right even if it means going against what everyone else is doing.
Let's begin."
Based upon a post by Joerg Storm and a short film by Chiara Gizzi.
#thought or the day#thought of today#joerg storm#chiara gizzi#in the light of certain events#lessons#life lessons#common sense#civil courage#civic duty#justice#injustice#law#law and order#social order#rights#civil rights#equality#fairness#unfairness#duties#business#mind your business#not my business#look and see#watch out#be awake#what if#wokeness
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Three Books, Two Characters, One Story
An essay on Zuko and Katara's characters and character arcs
——————
Zuko and Katara, fire and water, red and blue, one rises with the sun, the other rises with the moon. And yet, they are similar, tied together and grew closer than they could have imagined. In this essay I will discuss Zuko and Katara's characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender. I intend to touch on their shared traits and backgrounds, on their development and on their points of convergence in their over overarching story. Now, without further ado, let's begin.
——————
The Common Ground
Zuko and Katara share their core traits and core events in their respective lives. Firstly, their loss of their mothers. Zuko lost his mother, Ursa; and Katara lost her mother, Kya. But if you ask me, it goes deeper than that. For Zuko, the loss was a loss of shelter from the cruelty of his father and the bliss of being a child. In Zuko Alone, we see how Ursa took care of Zuko, played with him, and gave him a proper childhood.
With that gone, he remained almost completely unprotected. But more importantly, he lost his childhood. (It is true that he still had Iroh, but Iroh can help to an extent. He can’t be at the dinner table when Ozai tells Zuko he was lucky to be born).
Similarly, when Katara’s mother died, something in her internalized it. As Sokka says in The Runaway:
We see Katara help fill the void many times in A:TLA. Namely in The Desert, where she takes care of the Gaang in ways ranging from giving her bending water to endangering herself to pull A\ang out of the Avatar State. Katara doesn’t like to be viewed as someone who lost her childhood, as her reaction to Sokka’s speech was to join Toph and go scamming. However, Kya’s death is an integral part of who she became. She wants to cling to her childhood, and she partly succeeds,but that speech was made for a reason. A part of it was gone with Kya.
Another parallel between their similar grief is sacrifice. Zuko’s mother left to save his life from Fire Lord Azulon’s ruthless order. Katara’s mother died when pretending to be the last waterbender of the South Pole when a Fire Nation raid came looking for her. Both of their mothers left because they protected them, saving their lives from the cruelty of the Fire Nation. In these parallel narratives, the themes of sacrifice against them are intertwined.
But beyond their grief, I believe that at their center, they are very similar. Zuko and Katara are filled with righteous anger and empathy even towards strangers. Although clearly everyone in the Gaang is a good person, doing their part in ending the war, it’s not a defining trait as it is for Zuko and Katara. In The Painted Lady, Katara insists on helping a Fire Nation village while Sokka pressures that they’ll leave to make it to the invasion, while Toph and A\ang remain natural. Her compassion clashes with the Gaang. When Sokka scolds her for being impulsive with her attempts to aid the village, Katara angrily responds with this:
Similarly, the thing that kicked off Zuko’s arc was this righteous anger. In The Storm, we learn that Zuko’s scar came from him standing up to a general who suggested sacrificing a division of rookies for an operation.
You can't sacrifice an entire division like that! Those soldiers love and defend our nation! How can you betray them?
It is their shared compassion and anger at the injustices around them that makes them and the way they interact with the world so similar. Iroh described Zuko as “an idealist with a pure heart with unquestionable honor”. How well does this describe Katara?
Moreover, it is not only their anger. They are both incredibly strong willed with how they act on their anger. In The Waterbending Master, when Katara found out master Pakku won’t teach her because she’s a girl, she didn’t give up. She challenged him, a master, to a fight to prove that she can do everything a boy can do. And Zuko’s strong will is almost over talked about. When A\ang escaped his ship, he jumped on his airbender staff. In Zuko Alone, Ursa said to him “That’s who you are, Zuko. Someone who keeps fighting even though it’s hard”.
To sum up, Zuko and Katara’s foundational events and personality traits are parallels to one another. They both lost their mother when they sacrificed themselves for them, and it marked the end of an era for them. They are both driven by compassion and righteous anger and have a strong willed personality. They are guided by their morals first and foremost. They are parallels to one another.
The Development
Zuko and Katara’s character arcs serve as parallels to each other, and bring them closer together. Zuko’s redemption arc is, to put it simply, about unlearning Fire Nation propaganda and coming to realize the horror his country inflicted on the world. In book 2 Zuko sees the harm they caused first hand, and in The Day of Black Sun he fully rejects the Fire Nation.
Zuko: Growing up, we were taught that the Fire Nation was the greatest civilization in history. And somehow, the War was our way of sharing our greatness with the rest of the world. What an amazing lie that was.
He rejects the lie that the Fire Nation is somehow helping the world - that it’s inherently good. His arc was about unlearning Fire Nation supremacy.
Katara’s arc is not as easy to pin down, but it’s nevertheless there. Her arc is about idealism, hope and a change in perspective. Katara started her journey as an idealist, the literal voice of hope in the opening, and with a black and white view of the world - the Fire Nation is evil, and everyone else is good. Throughout the show, Katara encounters both good people from the Fire Nation, and bad people from around the world of Avatar, such as Long Feng, Jet and Hama. In The Puppetmaster in particular she learns that waterbending can be just as destructive as firebending, if not more so. Her arc is about unlearning naivety and Fire Nation inferiority.
The symmetry comes from them learning to lean on the other’s view across the seasons. In book 1, they are rigid in their view. Zuko is still working a full time job tracking the Avatar, while Katara still clings to her black and white view of the world, such as when she had a conversation with a Firebender who told her firebending is inherently destructive. In book 2, Zuko becomes a fugitive and sees the Fire Nation’s horrors for himself, while Katara sees that the one safe haven from the Fire Nation can be evil too. In book 3, Zuko goes back to the Fire Nation to see that it’s not what he’d imagined at all, while Katara goes to the Fire Nation to find people just like her.
Not only are their arcs symmetrical, but they are what allows their bond to flourish. Katara can only forgive Zuko after she’d let go of her ideals, and Zuko can only seek to redeem himself in her eyes after he’d let go of his idealization of the Fire Nation. Their bond is a true testament to their arcs.
The Encounters
Zuko and Katara’s relationship carries a lot of narrative weight. Their journeys are intertwined on many occasions. For Katara, it’s significant that after Katara masters waterbending, it is Zuko whom she has to defend herself to. It’s significant that she sees humanity in Zuko, despite him being the face of the Fire Nation. It’s meaningful that she goes to find her mother’s killer with Zuko, and even bloodbends before him. And finally, it’s meaningful that she spends the 4 part finale with him.
For Zuko, it’s significant that when he truly connects with someone other than his uncle, it’s with Katara. It’s significant that he learns through Katara that revenge doesn’t always help. It’s significant that Katara is the last member he has to earn forgiveness from. And it’s meaningful that jumping in front of a lightning bolt to save Katara is his last act of redemption.
While Sokka and Zuko for instance never interact in book 1 besides some one liners, Katara and Zuko had a subplot around Katara’s necklace. Although their stories do diverge, such as most of book 2, they always return to spend the season’s finales together. They don’t drive each other’s characters forward as much as they represent milestones in each other’s stories. You cannot remove their scenes together and have the rest of the show make sense.
——————
In conclusion, Zuko and Katara’s characters follow a story of mutual suffering, personal development, and deep friendship. They have a common experience of sacrifice, sorrow, and unflinching compassion. These experiences have narrative weight because they act as development, redemption, and forgiveness catalysts, creating a connection that ultimately serves as a reminder of how far they’ve come.
#zutara#zutara meta#zuko x katara#katara x zuko#katara#zuko#anti anti zutara#pro zutara#zutara analysis#zutara evidence#zutara forever#zutara nation#zutara should have been canon#zutara was robbed#zutara supremacy#zutarian
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I keep going to the river to pray
Written for the March pop-up challenge of the @steddieholidaydrabbles
Prompt: spring
Rated: M
Tags: Italian Steve Harrington; naiad Eddie Munson; past lives
CW: child molestation (not from MC); nudity; fade to black sex
Notes: Moooom, hype is turning the blorbos into water creatures again!
Steve is five years old and the water whispers to him.
“Steven, come back inside,” Mom scolds and yanks sharply on his hand. “Nonna told you the woods are off limits. The water is too dangerous. Heavens, I can't leave you alone for two seconds, can I?”
Steve wants to cry. To thrash and kick and scream at the injustice of it all.
Because she is leaving him alone. All alone in this strange country where there's nothing fun to do and where nobody speaks his language, for an entire summer. How's he even supposed to listen to Nonna when he doesn’t understand her half the time?
The only place where he finds comfort is the spring. The little pond with its crystal waters surrounded by crumpled pillars. He doesn’t know why, just knows there's something here that calls to him.
Mom doesn't understand, and Steve is too small to fight as she drags him away. Something splashes behind them, like a large stone sinking underwater, but by the time he turns, all he can see is ripples on the surface.
He doesn’t know why he says it, because there's nobody here. Nobody he can see. It feels like the right thing to do, though.
“Don't worry,” he whispers to the water. “I'll be back, promise.”
The water whispers back.
*
Steve is thirteen and a man follows him into the woods. He's been lurking in corners and doorways in the village all day, smiling, staring, speaking saccharine words in broken English.
Pretty boy, sweet boy, come here.
By the time Steve notices he's trailing behind him on the lonely road in the fading daylight, it's too late to cry for help. He ducks into the shelter of the trees without thinking, not looking back when he hears the man give chase. Darkness is falling around him, but he doesn’t need to see.
All he needs to do is follow the pull.
The spring reflects the moon and stars, silver waves bouncing off the trees and pillars.
“Help me,” Steve whispers, just as a hand grabs his wrist and spins him around.
The man's face is a mask of primal hunger. His eyes glint, dark and unblinking-
-and then they catch on something behind Steve's back and bulge. All the color drains from his face. He stumbles back, releasing Steve’s wrist, muttering a word in Italian that he doesn’t understand. Then, he turns and runs.
Steve stares after him, heartbeat roaring in his ears. By the time he remembers to look behind him, there's nobody there. The spring lies silent in the starlight, but the water isn't smooth anymore. A circle of ripples is spreading, not far from where he's standing, waves lapping against the shore. Steve imagines he sees something slipping out of sight in the water, like dark tendrils of seaweed. Then he blinks and it's gone.
Steve smiles.
“Thank you,” he murmurs softly.
*
The water murmurs back.
Steve is eighteen and everything is bullshit. He perches on a fallen pillar, toes dangling in the water, watching the sunset behind the trees, and feels sorry for himself.
He can't protect his heart from being broken, can't get into college, can't even get his parents to love him. They probably believe they're punishing him by sending him back here, he thinks with a laugh. Idiots. They know nothing about him, nothing about the pull he feels towards this place. He's been feeling it more and more lately, even with an entire ocean between them.
“Have you finally come to stay, sweetling?”
Steve doesn’t startle. Simply blinks back from his thoughts and lowers his gaze, like it's always been the two of them out here. Maybe that’s true.
“You're not scared,” the boy from the spring observes. His head is poking out of the water between Steve’s legs, long dark hair brushing his ankles. He's naked under the water, skin pale and smooth as marble. “Do you not fear me?”
“Why would I? You've never given me reason to.”
The language that slips from his lips is strange. Not English. Something closer to the butchered Italian he's picked up over the years. He frowns, briefly, but the boy's lips - pink and full and glistening with tiny droplets - curl into a smile and he forgets to wonder about it.
“Clever child.” Long fingers curl around Steve's calves, sliding up his legs. “I'd never harm what's mine.”
The fingers slip under the hem of Steve's shorts, gracing his inner thigh, and he gasps.
“Yours?”
The boy hums, pulling himself from the water a little, so that his shoulders emerge. His hair is a dark, tangled halo around his pretty face. It tickles Steve’s skin as the boy noses along the inside of his knee.
“Yes, mine. You feel it, do you not? The pull.”
Steve nods breathlessly and the boy smiles against the soft flesh of his thigh.
“Of course you do, sweetling. It has been forever since I met someone as responsive, but you? You remember, don't you?”
Steve pauses. Is that what pulls him here? Memories of a time he shouldn’t recall? Of a place far more splendid than the crumbling ruins around them, a place filled with song and laughter and the strange but familiar language that keeps tumbling from his mouth?
The boy - the god - watches the shift in his face and smiles. Nimble hands settle on his hips, pulling him closer, and Steve slings his arms around slender shoulders as the pillar slips out from under him.
His god's eyes are bright as he walks them to the middle of the pond.
“It has been so long, sweetling, and I hunger for worship. Will you give yourself to me again?”
“I do not need to,” Steve smiles as he is slowly lowered into the cool waters. “You've always had me.”
His god smiles and pulls him in, and Steve sighs against those beautiful lips.
The water welcomes him home.
In Roman mythology, naiads (better known under the name of their Greek counterparts, nymphs) are nature spirits most commonly associated with water, guarding rivers, springs and the like. Some were worshipped as local deities, with shrines built in their honor.
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