#i will not compromise and i am so very particular about my things and i cannot imagine anyone else particular in the same way i am

[cryolyst]

~

[redstarwriting]

protected

hobie brown x o’hara!reader

request?: yes

request: “I know you’re probably busy 🙏🏽 but can I request a hobie x reader Where reader is miguels kid but from another universe and we were known as “dangerous” to the multiverse and miguel had to watch over us and we find out while hanging out with hobie and hobie has to comfort us as we try to process the fact that Miguel wasn’t our real dad and just someone keeping the mutliverse safe?

I really hope this makes sense i just don’t know how to make is make sense uk? 😭 💀”

requested by: @millerworld​

word count: 1.7k

genre: angst with some fluff

Warnings: language, mentions of childbirth death, big feelings of betrayal, probably horrible spanish, honestly a lot of angst

A/N: apologies for the wait for this one! i love writing angst though so i was rubbing my hands together like an evil lil bitch writing this. i apologize if the spanish is wrong/not how it would actually be said/worded. been a minute since i took a spanish course, so i am a little rusty. please enjoy, and thank you so much for requesting, love! :)

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Ever since you remembered your dad, Miguel O’Hara, was there. Of course, there are certain moments of your childhood you don’t remember, as every child has, but your earliest memory is your dad picking you up and soothing you as you cried at two years old. And ever since then, he was always there. Your friends at school would always say you were so lucky that you had a dad that was so devoted to you, and you agreed. To an extent. See, he was very particular about what he allowed you to do. It wasn’t in a negative way, necessarily, he was just protective. His favorite saying and your least favorite saying in your house was ‘I just want what’s best for you, cariño.’

It resulted in you staying home from school events, friend events, and generally any type of event where your safety could have been compromised. It caused you to be a bit of a loner, always hearing about the parties, the gossip, all of it instead of actually experiencing it for yourself.

Of course, it annoyed you.

It still does.

He’s loosened up a bit eventually, though, allowing you to go to work with him. Which also meant you got to meet many spiders. Quite a few of the spider-people quickly became your closest friends, as it was simpler and easier for your dad to keep tabs on you in Spider Society. Much to his chagrin, you quickly became best friends with Hobie Brown. The two of you were around the same age, and since you were annoyed at your dad and in your rebellious era, you got along swimmingly. A little too swimmingly, actually, which Miguel purposefully chose to ignore for the most part. Until he saw Hobie sucking his little one’s face off. Regardless, Hobie was always quick to validate all your conflicted, annoyed, and even positive feelings about your father. He even helped you come out of your shell and rebel against Miguel occasionally.

Miguel didn’t like this very much, but he also knew that Hobie was still a good influence on you. No matter how many times both of you tried to convince him that he wasn’t. But sometimes, Hobie would talk you into doing things that he very much disliked. Hated, even. And this time was one of those times. While he was out, containing a particularly difficult anomaly, Hobie convinced you to search through Miguel’s personal files on his supercomputer because he bet if your birth certificate would be anywhere, it would be there. When you found a folder with your name, you expected to open it to see some family pictures, hoping for your birth certificate with the name of your mom. Your dad never really talked about your mom, just that she passed away during childbirth. You stopped asking because every time you did, he would get very quiet and a guilty look would appear on his face. But you’d be lying if you said you weren’t curious. So you went into this endeavor excited to see what you might find out. Unfortunately, that excitement didn’t last for very long. See when you opened your file expecting these mundane things, that wasn’t what you were met with.

In fact, that was nowhere near what you found.

You found detailed notes all about you.

“What the hell,” you mumble, scrolling through the various pictures of you as an infant, with two adult strangers. Hobie said nothing, looking at all the pictures and skimming the important parts of all the files you were pulling up with a frown on his face. You stop on a specific picture of a woman holding you in a hospital bed. She was smiling.

And she was very much alive.

Tears immediately start to well up in your eyes as Hobie gently pulls your hands away from the computer. “Think that’s enough a’ that, love,” he says softly. You yank your arms away from him. “No.” You scroll to the next photo, seeing a man you’ve never met before holding you in the same hospital room, with the same strange woman right next to him. The next time you scroll, it’s a detailed account from Miguel about who you are. Notes from your dad declaring you a ‘danger’ and that you ‘must be contained somehow.’ Talk of your biological parents, their names, and how you had to be separated from them before ‘irreversible damage was done to the multiverse.’

You stare at the screen, and Hobie pulls your hands away again, successfully this time. He steps between you and the screens, blocking your view and slowly walking you backward and away from the files. You’re too shocked to say anything, the only thing you can do is quietly cry. Hobie opens his mouth to say something when Miguel’s voice rings out. “What do the two of you think you’re doing?”

The two of you turn your heads toward Miguel, and his annoyed frown turns to one of concern as soon as he sees the look on your face. “¿Qué tienes, mi corazón?” Miguel asks, his voice much softer as he approaches you. Hobie moves, positioning himself between you and your ‘father,’ and scoffs. “Think you got some explainin’ to do ‘ere, mate,” Hobie says, and Miguel looks at him confused. Then he sees what’s on the screen. A look of horrified realization spreads across his face, and he looks at you. “(Y/n), cariño, I can explain.”

“Don’t call me that,” your voice, albeit shaky, finally comes back to you. Hobie turns his attention to you, squeezing the hand you’ve been holding onto for dear life ever since he pulled you away from the computer. “(Y/n)—”

“Who am I? Who are you to me?”

“…Please, let me—”

“WHO ARE THOSE PEOPLE?!” you shout, desperately yearning for your dad to say they weren’t what was said in his reports. But all he does is frown. “They’re… they are your biological parents,” he confesses, and you make a choked noise. Hobie subtly begins turning his watch to his universe, ready to make an escape from your dad at any point. “If you just let me explain—”

“I’m a threat to the multiverse?” you choke out through your tears, “What the fuck does that mean, papá?! If I can even call you that.” Miguel’s jaw clenches. “Don’t forget who raised you.”

“How could I?! How could you?! Is this why you never let me do anything?! Too worried your querido bebecito would destroy the fucking multiverse?!”

“(Y/n). I did it to protect everyone.”

“What about me?! Did you ever plan on telling me?! How is separating me from my family protecting me?!” Hobie places an arm around your shoulder, pulling you closer and keeping you shielded by him as Miguel tries to step closer to you. Miguel glares at him, and Hobie glares back. Miguel holds out his hand in a surrendering way. “It was to protect you just as much, if not more, as it was to protect everyone else. If you would just listen—“

“No. No, I’m done listening to you.”

“Cariño—”

“I am not tú cariño. I am not tú corazoón. You are not mi papá,” you say, venom behind your words. You can practically see Miguel’s heart shatter into tiny little pieces.

That was the worst thing you could have ever said to him.

Before he can say anything else, Hobie opens the portal, pulling you through and closing it almost immediately. You find yourself in the familiar atmosphere of his flat. “C’mere, love,” he mumbles, pulling you into his arms. You grip his shirt, sobbing into his chest as he rocks you back and forth, softly shushing you occasionally and rubbing your back. After what feels like hours, but was really maybe a minute, he swiftly picks you up, carrying you bridal style to his bed as you continue to cry into his shirt. He sits down, placing a soft kiss to the top of your head and rubbing up and down your arm. He can’t help but feel guilty for this. If he didn’t convince you to look at the computer…

“Don’t blame yourself, Hobie… please,” you whimper, and he sighs. “Love, you needa stop bein’ so good at knowin’ what i’m thinkin’,” he mumbles, and you look up at him with a soft smile. “Can’t help it. Even your thoughts are loud,” you say, and he snorts. “Chuffed to see the cryin’ made ya feel better,” he says and you shake your head. “I still feel like shit, Hobie,” you whisper, and he frowns. He gently wipes some tears away from your cheeks. “Reckon all ‘at cryin’ has you knackered?” he mumbles, and you nod softly. He lays backwards, maneuvering the two of you to be laying down. The two of you face each other, one of his hands cradling the side of your face while the other soothingly rubs up and down your side. You grip onto his shirt, and he places a soft peck on your nose. “‘m sorry, love,” he says, and you sniffle. “I already told you it isn’t your fault.”

“‘Kay, still feel like it was,” he says, and you sigh. “That’s not important right now,” he mumbles, gently pulling you closer. “What’s important is that I make you feel better.” You look at him, your eyes are still glossy from tears. “Never met someone who looked so stunnin’ when they cry,” he says, gently stroking your cheek. You smile softly, and he does too. “There’s my favorite smile,” he whispers before softly placing his lips on yours. It’s only for a second, but it makes all the pain go away. And you’re grateful for that. Even if it is just for a second. “Get some sleep, love.” He kisses your forehead, tangling his legs with yours and pulling your head into his chest. You relax into him. He was right. The crying was exhausting. Before you know it, you’re asleep as Hobie gently traces shapes into your skin, whispering anything and everything he loves about you to you so softly that if you weren’t really listening, you wouldn’t hear any of it. No one makes you feel protected quite like Hobie does.

And even if it’s just for a moment, thanks to Hobie, you feel like everything will be okay.

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[specialagentartemis]

Aro- and Ace-Spectrum Murderbot Diaries headcanons

For the beginning of Aromantic Awareness Week, I thought I’d write out some of my a-spec headcanons for TMBD characters!

—

Murderbot: its opinions on romance and sex range from “I didn’t give a shit about [it]” to “No!” to “No, no thank you, no. No.” This one’s not a headcanon these are all direct quotes haha.

ART: Because of its limited socialization and its only very recent introduction to deeply feeling the things depicted when watching media, I have a hard time imagining ART conceptualizing romance as something it would want or has any reason to want. Its articulation of closeness, commitment, devotion, and duty is crew. I think upon meeting Murderbot, it kind of got friendship for the first time. But Murderbot is also very much part of crew now as well. I don’t see it feeling the need to add romance to that emotional-relationship framework. It’s adventurous with experiences, though, especially with things it might consider gaps in its knowledge; it may be willing to try certain types of intimacy, experience, or sensation out of curiosity.

Three: Still very new to the freedom to name and articulate its feelings and desires, let alone take initiative to act on them when they involve other people. It had a weird and unique kind of closeness with its squadmates: you’re the only one I can trust. We can’t ever trust each other. You understand me. We aren’t allowed to talk about it. Our communications are closely monitored and limited. We know what the limits are and how to express ourselves within them. I care about you. I want you to be safe. Three wouldn’t call it romance but wouldn’t know what to call it at all besides squadmates. If Three identified as anything it would be quoiromantic, quoisexual, quoi-everything: how can it fit its experiences into a framework of sexuality and romanticism.

Ratthi: Aromantic allosexual with a strong belief in relationship anarchy. Takes the viewpoint of, every one of his relationships is different because every person is different! Hierarchizing them or categorizing them is kind of beside the point! Every relationship, family or friend or colleague or coauthor or person he knows from board game night or sexual partner, is something special. Though the most important people in his life include his best friends Arada and Overse, and they consider each other family.

Gurathin: Aromantic asexual. Limited social energy. Spends a lot of time quiet and alone and likes it that way. A few strong friendships, a few work friends, a few scientific colleagues, a cat.

Pin-Lee: Gray-aroace. Romance, dating, or sex is not a particular priority she wants to spend time pursuing, and she gets an uncomfortable stomach-churning feeling if she feels like she’s being expected to tie herself down to a relationship too fast. There’s a lot about her work and her goals and her life she’s not willing to compromise on. If her friendship with Bharadwaj or Mensah became something more squishy and boundary-blending, she wouldn’t be opposed, but she won’t actively pursue it either.

Arada: Demisexual lesbian. Ideal family household is her wife and her best friend.

Volescu: Aromantic heterosexual. The aro allo het man that tumblr warned you about~ Devoted father and husband. Comes from a culture where marriage and romantic desire are a venn diagram of optional overlap more so than a necessary expectation. (This dovetails with my Divarti political refugee backstory headcanon because as you may have noticed I am going full My City Now at this point)

[narcissistcookbook]

Hi! I am little nervous, I have never approached anyone quite like this. First of all, I love your songs, they have made me happy and moved to tears many a time. You strike me as a person who has something to say. Although there is something I have been wondering... I have not seen you post anything about the genocide in Gaza. I know it's in no way your responsibility to give your opinion on anything you don’t want to but I guess personally, I'm a little confused. I feel like your music doesn’t shy away from politics so I am wondering if there is any specific reason you have not posted/said (to my knowledge) anything about Palestine? Thank you for taking your time to read this. You can respond in any way you want to and if you don’t want to, I hope I at least made you think for bit. ^^ Thank you for your music and thank you for existing<3

short answer: I believe there are forces within Israel's government and the more militant populace who would happily commit a full-on genocide if given the chance. I believe they're a minority.

I believe the events on October 7th radicalised a lot of previously moderate Israelis whose private stance is now that it's not a nice business going scorched earth on Palestine, but if they just hand-wring for long enough then the 'problem' of Palestine will be solved by Netanyahu and his government. They believe they can then absolve themselves of blame for the atrocities by voting him out and claim they were never in favour of his approach while still benefitting from the end of a near-century old compromise to their preferred scenario - which is an ethnostate. I believe most of these people might not even be aware on a conscious level that this is what they want.

I believe Hamas is using human shields by holing up in or near dense population centres, and I believe that the solution to that tactic shouldn't be killing civilians and saying they got in the way of your bombs.

I believe that Hamas probably were/are setting up within or near some hospitals, I haven't seen any convincing arguments as to why they wouldn't do that - I believe the response shouldn't be to destroy the hospital.

I believe there is no effective and ethical means of fighting Hamas with military force. It can be done effectively but unethically or ethically but ineffectively. I believe the majority of the Israeli government / professional military cares very little for doing it ethically.

I believe Israel as a state is an inherently colonial enterprise - which puts it on roughly equal footing with its closest allies.

I believe I am thoroughly capable of falling for misinformation about everything I just stated, which is part of why I've been reluctant to talk about this.

I believe it's odd to expect me and other entertainers to talk publicly about Israel/Palestine with any degree of authority. The reason for this being that if I say one thing wrong or get one statistic out of place, it invalidates my entire argument in the eyes of the very people I would be trying to convince and risks invalidating others' arguments if I make a particular mess out of it.

I believe it is performative for most entertainers to talk about this publicly - not in the sense that I or they are being insincere, but that there is an expectation for us to invoke certain left-wing shibboleths to signal that we're part of that ingroup, and reluctance to join in is taken as evidence that we're part of the outgroup.

But here we are. Those are all my beliefs on the topic.

[if-seal]

Hi if seal!!! (throws you a fish) I was wondering if you had any insight as to decisions regarding multiple POVs. I’ve seen some games integrate an RO/outsider POV as its own chapter/interlude, while for some it’s kept exclusively to side/bonus content. And of course, some don’t include it at all! What are the benefits/drawbacks of each approach? How do you decide what’s best for your story? Thanks!

Greetings, thank you very much indeed for the fish!

I confess this question gave me some pause for thought: I am not honestly sure how to know which perspective might suit what type of story! Perhaps a game which relies heavily on mystery might not suit them so well...?

My second confession is that I am not a seal who is particularly fond of in-game perspective shifts, but I am very aware that there are many who are fond of them, so I shall share what I've heard from them:

It can be a thrill to see directly what another character (usually romanceable) thinks about the PC, especially if the character is not very open about such things in the game

It can be interesting to see the PC's behaviour through another person's eyes, especially if the PC's narrative voice is particularly unreliable

It can be fun to have an insight into another character's perspective on events in the game, or into their background

It can give space to scenes in which the PC does not appear at all, therefore adding flexibility to a perspective which is often contained to the PC themselves

It can give breathing room between events devoted to the PC's perspective

It gives more for those who are excited about particular NPCs

I believe all of these advantages apply perfectly well to side stories or bonus material, if the author and players enjoy making and reading it - although I would caution spending too long on them if it causes distraction or drains your energy from your main project.

It is not wholly to my taste for them to be included in the game themselves for the following reasons:

If applicable, it can feel strange to suddenly control a character with whom your PC would usually interact

It can throw off a game's pacing and feel intrusive

It can put a dent in the immersion of a PC's perspective; unlike a book with many multiple perspectives, it is not usually an ensemble cast, and is more often majority-PC and occasional short NPC diversions, which takes away from time with the PC

If a formerly unknown emotion or action is illuminated in the perspective-shift, it can reduce the impact when it's discovered/encountered by the PC because the player already knows what's going on in the NPC's mind

More is not always better

With all of the above in mind, it's very much an individual author's choice! I do not believe it is necessary; I know many people are very excited to have more time with the characters they adore. Some authors include them in the game with options to skip them, which is likely a good compromise to account for those who love them and those who do not.

So it all depends what you want to spend your time on! If writing perspective shifts energises you, it is well worth doing. If it doesn't, that's your answer.

As ever I would love to hear other people's thoughts on this so please do share - do you like or dislike perspective changes, or have preferences about how they're handled if they occur in-game?

[docholligay]

Your thoughts on the situation of the healthcare CEO that was gun down on Wednesday?

I think every predictable take I might have, I've seen a bunch of. So, I mean, what is there to add to that particular conversation? People familiar with me are pretty familiar with my thoughts, so, I mean if you were looking to hear me pop off about the predictability or this particular event, or revel in vigilante justice...everyone else has done it for me. I might have said those things! But i sat on this, and now everyone else has said them.

So I'll say the one thing I HAVEN'T seen anyone else say. I give this the "Most likely to be read in bad faith" post yearbook award. Something I've been thinking about.

I think it's easy to swim into the ocean and eventually not realize you are so far out you can't swim back. You're gonna drown out there. I wonder how many people that happens to.

This isn't me being sympathetic to the guy--I am not--but I wonder how many of us have been in what we would desperately tell ourselves is a much lower position that is not in any way actually contributing to the misery of the world, and how far could we climb while telling ourselves that? When do the excuses have to stop?

I don't have an answer for this, actually, fuck, i worked for the legal department of a stagecoach bank, but tell you what I didn't sleep very well at night. But, I've been turning it over in my head. When do you become the sort of person who people are okay with being dead? This is across the aisle. If there were a horrible car accident, and someone was killed who worked for the foreclosures department of a bank, would you say something like, "ooooh too bad, vulture." What about someone who wrote the program that streamlined healthcare denials, are they only a programmer? Or are they complicit in evil, too? When are we allowed to live a compromised moral life, and when are we not?

For example, I would light up whoever the informant was. I hope they get doxxed, I hope their life is miserable, I hope that they are badgered so thoroughly that they fuckin choke on it. But I'm sure there's someone out there saying, "Hm, actually, a McDonald's employee probably needs the money for her disabled ADHD child who is living in a cardboard box, intersectionally, and there is no ethical consumption under capitalism, so we can do whatever, actually." If an argument for that can be made, when are we, as human beings, allowed to be bought? When do the scales tip?

I don't have an answer for this. I have compromised my ethics for money. But it does have me wondering, how much line do we give someone before saying, "No. You are evil, now." And is it only when I imagine them to be more prosperous than I am? I don't know. I wish it was clearer to me. I worry I might make moral compromises that make another version of me fine with my death. I, I mean we do, all of us, make plenty of excuses for my behavior that is selfish or otherwise less than stellar.

I'm so happy this dude got gunned down in the middle of Manhattan and WHEN is that moment? WHEN have they gone so far from shore that I no longer see them as a person in the haze? The gears of the system grind to a halt without people willing to service it, so when does blame start and stop? I don't know! I don't know!

I mean, leave it to me to make a moral quandary out of something everyone loves! Leave it to me to be unable to enjoy my own delight in this! But. It's me, what are you gonna do? I do know that I had a short stint at a job I was fucking great at, paid well, and had to drop because I realized fundamentally I was a bad person. For me the line was extremely fucking clear. Crystal. I'm great at rhetoric and emotional appeal, and I'll leave the rest to your imagination because I'm still not proud of it. But what if the bright line had not appeared to me? What if all I would have seen is my financial comfort? I don't know.

On a completely different note, you know what, this is fucking praxis. I think people doing evil should be afraid. Do y'all remember that part of the reason ACA passed is PEOPLE WERE GETTING YELLED AT IN RESTAURANTS? They couldn't go anywhere! Bring up this energy. I am keeping a keen fucking eye out for my reps, and believe that I am more than happy to make a scene. What happens, I get arrested for being a public nuisance? oh no, oh woe. Most likely scenario is a get bounced from wherever I am. Whatever.

I think everyone involved will consider their lives a lot more carefully if they can't go out in public without worrying about getting shot or yelled at. I love the wanted posters. There are a fucking lot of us. We need to get up off our fucking duffs and remember that we are this fucking country. I don't care that they have the government, I am not going to comply in advance. We're gonna have to face the BIG SCARIES and start harassing people. Pick up the phone. Yell in a grocery store. Fuck, most of you live in such big places no one will ever know, I actually run the risk of pissing off my community and being on the outs.

So yeah, my thoughts are, "It's good for them to be scared, and good for us to rememebr that we can make them scared" as a small thought, but, "This dude grew up in Iowa as the son of a grain elevator worker. When was the moment he became evil, and did he recognize it? Would I ever recognize it in myself?" as my big personally terrifying thought.

[cavedraconem]

Local Maximums

A while back I read an opinion piece my a woman who was upset about the state of grocery shopping these days. I can't really disagree with the basic premise that food in NZ is too expensive and this causes a lot of trouble for people who are living paycheck to paycheck. And shopping at the supermarket can be pretty stressful for a variety of reasons!

BUT, when the writer started to describe her shopping process... it was a massive odyssey. Of a Saturday she was dragging herself and her kids through multiple different shops - a Pak n Save, a Countdown, a fruit & veggie shop, maybe even a butcher as well - looking for the cheapest everything to stretch her budget, the particular whatever her husband wanted, the brand of snacks that her autistic child would eat. Of course she was sitting in traffic and fighting for parking and struggling with the kids and navigating trolleys at every single one of these locations. It sounded incredibly stressful! And she was incredibly stressed about it by the time she got home (and so were the kids).

"Surely just buying food shouldn't be this difficult?" she cried. And, well... no, I don't think it should be. Obviously I don't know every detail of this woman's life and I probably have extreme DINK privilege, but the ordeal she tried to pose as relatable seemed to me largely self-inflicted. Some of these issues seem trivially solvable: if you know your kid will only eat one type of snack, why wouldn't you just buy ten boxes at once? Can you plan ahead and click & collect any of these shops so you don't have to drag the kids around the supermarket itself? Can you pop out by yourself on a quiet evening?

And then we get into some more speculative cost-benefit questions that will depend on the exact details. Are the vegetables from the fruit & veggie shop cheaper enough to make up for the petrol you spend driving there? (Petrol is also expensive in my beautiful country.) What value do you really place on your time and stress? Is the money saved or the special thing for your husband really, genuinely worth the effort? If you are doing all of this work to save money, could you instead work a bit more to earn more money instead? Add a couple of extra hours a week onto your contract so you can afford to shop at a nicer supermarket or get groceries delivered, and save that much time or more on the weekend, plus less screaming from your children.

(By the way, I got that last idea from an old flatmate of mine. His philosophy was that it was better for him to work an extra hour every night and get takeaways for dinner than to spend that hour cooking something cheaper but not very good. I would have been more convinced by this [and his related opinions about division of labour] if he hadn't been allowing his PhD student girlfriend to cook him literally three meals a day.)

Anyway, this writer spectacularly failed to make her problems relatable to me, but there probably is something to be learned here. It's about how easy it is to reach a local maximum in your life: where you look at what you're doing and think, this is the best way I could possibly be doing it. But you're wrong! Maybe you've optimised your routine along one axis (e.g. cost) but totally neglected other axes (e.g. time/stress). You're making tradeoffs that you don't realise you're making. Things that you think are non-negotiable might actually be pretty easy to compromise on. It can take an outside perspective and a bit of convincing or experimentation to even realise that other possibilities exist, and maybe some of them are even better than what you're doing now.

So, in the end it's a good reminder to me to question my routines and ask whether I've trapped myself in any local maximums. What is stressing me out now that could be easier? Does everyone else have so much trouble with this? What opportunities am I missing? Surely it shouldn't be this difficult?

[letgomaggie]

All my bridgerton thoughts, compressed:

1. The true love story is definitely Penelope and Eloise. No matter how hard they try, they cannot pivot away from the fact that friendship is the heart of this season. Be it between Penelope and Eloise, or Eloise and Cressida, or Penelope and Colin: it is that which drives this particular season.

2. To add to the above point: Colin may be Penelope's love interest, but it is Eloise who understands her. Eloise asks if Penelope seems despondent or sad - not just a simple is she okay but instead here are things she could be, which one is it? She knows her friend, no matter what. And Colin, for all that he is, does not find it all too startling that Penelope is suddenly looking for marriage. Eloise does. If Colin's eyes follow Pen across the ballroom, so do Eloise's.

3. Eloise has someone to talk to about the effect her friendship breakup is taking on her. Penelope has no one. I find Nicola to be an increasingly fantastic actor because she holds this tension so very well throughout the whole of Part 1. When Eloise comes to visit her, you see why she asked Colin what Penelope was feeling. Because Penelope is feeling that, has been feeling that ever since. Its so raw and on her face for the world to see but only one person ever looked and understood and read her like a book.

4. The two fingers while fixing her dress? Gag me god gag me

5. I have not seen the point of the Mondrich plot until this season which is where they are really using it to root the show to reality. There are conversations to be had that the society simply does not want to and Mondriches are the embodiment of it. Constantly knocking at society's door and making themselves be heard and fighting for a seat at the table but unwilling to compromise on what feels good and right. It's subtle and ita frustrating and I like that it's getting to people. You're going to get annoyed enough that the looking glass metaphor will play out in real life for you.

6. I see how unhinged Colin is being about Penelope and while I love that for her, I also get how fucked up her situation is rn. She does need stability. She has found her purpose. And I want her to be selfish in protecting that bit of herself. Instead of what she has been doing. She tried with Debling and yes, it was vexing to see how she ran after him but. I get it too? It's not always roses and camomiles. Cressida is the foil to this same narrative. The Bridgertons are foolishly romantic but that is just them. The show is through their lens but we can take a step back and see it for it is as well. I found Debling to be perfect and his reasons for ending everything were as well. If a little crassly done. Colin proposing to Penelope and falling headfirst in love just as she starts looking out for herself? My heart still needs to be sold on this idea, no matter how hot and sexy everything is.

7. The hair grab oh. Colin Bridgerton you slut. You whore. Colin Bridgerton would like to be pegged I promise. These two will actually be the couple who try out shit in the bedroom out of intrigue and discover a hidden kink. Colin finding the answer to his pent up ruminations when Penelope drags her hand tenderly through his hair vs Penelope close to tears because it is a dream come true and how many times has she imagined this and now its happening and its all that and more? Fucking yes

8. The diaries intrigue me. I shit you not I started this season with the firm belief that Colin had in fact NOT travelled lasts season because he was being all quiet about it. End of Ep 1 and I am now convinced he only really wants to talk if people listen and the only one who ever listened was Pen and if she's not there to hear him what is the point of speaking? He functions on 0 braincells because like. He has all the facts he's just not looking at them.

9. Someone talked of how they want to know more about Colin because he's been coming off as 2D and I agree. This is being told more from Penelope's view than Colin's and that is skewing the narrative a bit. I need more than 'pirate fashion-current rake-newly minted fuckboy' from him.

10. I like the yellow bedsheet.

11. The opening with the pining looks from Pen towards Eloise really set the mood and I'm so glad for it. For that matter I feel like Colin's apology for the comment last season was rushed and half hearted and I understand the hot and heavy vibes but they are friends first and that is the heart of the season and so much, so fucking much is left unresolved and I need them to have a couple of heated conversations PLEASE. express emotions fr!!! Beyond breathing hard!!

[leomonae]

ok my season 3 wheel of time finale thoughts (as someone who read and loved the books like... 2 decades back, and has a very patchy memory of them), now that i have my NO WHAT NO out of the way:

seriously though, NO WHAT NO, beheading is a very hard thing to come back from omg D:

still get to hold out hope for the failbard disaster man next season though i'm very pleased about that one! and asmodean does seem like the logical choice for the last, given the usual type of man the people who watch this show tend to latch onto.

bye sammael good riddance nobody liked you!

moiraine is looking very alive and (relatively) well for it being the aftermath of a fight with lanfear in the desert for her

is there any particular reason besides Drama that we're being so inconsistent with the relative power levels of both people and their fighting methods? ie why precisely was lanfear struggling to much to handle a single man armed with a sword to the point that he got a hit in on her at all, regardless of how distracted she may have been at the time by the channeler with the sa'angreal nearby lol

that little thank you speech rand gave moiraine in the run-up to the aiel conference was very touching this is probably the first i've genuinely liked rand

liandrin you disappoint me :(

mat's spear noooo he needs his spear guys! also his memories and various other people's memories that too, though i'm curious to see where they're going with this now. very happy and relieved the finn did not get cut tho!

huh nynaeve broke her block; good job bb! :) although i'm curious about the implications of that choice re her interactions with moghedien going forward, a large part of why nynaeve was willing to compromise her principles that much at all was because she couldn't reliably channel otherwise wasn't it? i'm concerned for the effects on her character development going forward

imma be honest as soon as verin said that eight reds had taken off i figured out immediately that the point was to get sitters in siuan's bloc out of the hall and yeah sure i had the benefit of knowing the coup was coming but i still feel like the amyrlin seat should have been savvy enough to go "maybe i should send out people to stop this who aren't the ones i need to counter attempts to steal democracy in the hall" XD

man i still can't get over siuan. my partner came to check i was ok after i yelled that NO mid-episode

can we please start lighting things well enough to let people make out what is going on in indoor scenes guys, i am begging you here. i closed all my curtains and turned off the lights and still couldn't see a damn thing sometimes ffs

felt like it would've worked better to have the clan chiefs declaring rand as car'a'carn before he did the big rainstorm, to make it more clear that it was in response to him knowing the truth about their past (and thus implicitly saying "yeah this dude's been through rhuidean it's couladin who hasn't" to everyone there)

...i'm so sick of lesbian couples never making it out the other side of things i watch a) alive, b) happy, and c) together.

and before anyone starts, it's not even about any individual instance of this even, i'll even acknowledge that in some cases it's fitting and works for the story being told, it's that it keeps happening all the fucking time, everywhere, why is this still so damn prevalent

[spaceorphan18]

Going through my likes and clearing some stuff out, I came to this post and there are a couple of replies I never got to ::

@exquisitetragicthing asked : Can I ask about this: “I do think Klaine was always where he wanted to go (because the actors (mostly Chris) did complain.” Can you elaborate please, what did Chris complain about? Thank youuu xxx @bossymarmalade : I am also intrigued by this comment and would loooove to hear elaboration when you have the time/motivation please!!

Okay, so I would have to go digging through a lot of old stuff for receipts for this, but they are there (mostly around Season 3-5 interviews).

When Kurt and Blaine broke up both Chris and Darren (but more so Chris) said they welcomed the change. Chris in particular said he was growing tired of the Klaine dynamic -- in that all they seemed to do was say 'i love you' to each other.

Chris has always (seemed) to be a fan of a couple of things -- a) Kurt being an individual and having his own story lines outside of the Klaine dynamic and b) a fan of drama because it's more interesting for him to play.

There's a lot of evidence for point A. Chris had, first of all, gone to the writers before (most specifically the S2's Prom episode where he did have some of the dialogue between Kurt and Blaine changed) when he had issues with the story. He had also said in a ton of interviews that he always wanted Kurt to be a character who stood on his own, and who wasn't just one part of a half.

Also through interviews, and contextualizing with everything Chris has done - including Chris's own writing (see: TLOS book 3) and his own personal choices, it's just a Chris thing that he never wants to compromise who he is as an individual for being one half of something.

Anyway, more specifically to your question -- around the time the engagement stuff was happening, there were rumors (and this stuff was always friend of a person who lives in LA who knows someone on set kinda thing) that both Chris and Darren didn't want the engagement to happen. And not out of spite for Klaine or anything at all -- but for the very real thought that -- Kurt and Blaine were still kids, and jumping into marriage at that age, and telling a story that literally has been told with every teen drama does seem kind of eye-rolling.

There were also a few interviews at the time where Chris would often be coy about it - and mention that Kurt needed to explore all his options (though after Cory's death Chris kind of stopped talking all together, tbh). But I remember there was a BTS video that even Darren was throwing shade about being engaged so young.

I was never of the opinion that Chris hated Klaine. I think Chris hated what fame brough, the scrutiny of his personal life, the thrust upon him link to Darren, and the fact that he felt like the Klaine narrative sometimes ate up Kurt's individual story. and I do think he would complain about that to the writers/producers/whomever.

That all said, I am glad that Chris didn't get his way half the time. Not just for Klaine's sake but Chris had some… odd ideas about what he thought he'd have like to have done. One in particular was having Burt just be a terrible person and Burt and Kurt would be dramatic at each other all the time. Like - Chris, I get you want more to do as an actor, but that wasn't the right idea for the story.

idk if that elaborates and answers the question but yeah...

[jawnscoffee]

Sherlock's Wedding Speech

ok so this is a very random onehsot i've head in my head for AGES and it rained today and that means: perfect day to stay inside and write :D

the title says everything (even though i have NO idea if sherlock would actually say sth like this but i just love his best man speech way too much). hope you like it!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ladies and gentlemen, family, friends, and...uhm... others. 

When I stood here for the first time, I was babbling something about telegrams that John received, which, in case you forgot, are still not actually telegrams; we just call them telegrams. I still haven't figured out why, by the way. I guess I'll just have to be content with the fact that it's a wedding tradition.  

When I stood here for the first time, I thought telegrams were stupid because I didn't know what it was like to receive telegrams myself. I didn't understand why people would congratulate you on something like a wedding or on finding somebody you want to spend the rest of your life with. I thought it was stupid since a wedding is nobody else's business anyway, and after all, it is very rare that you actually do end up spending the rest of your life with the particular person you married that day.  I didn't understand because I didn't know back then what it felt like to have found someone you knew you would love for the rest of your life and even longer still, no matter what. I didn't understand because I didn't know what it felt like to be loved by this particular person just as much in return. 

When John Watson asked me to marry him, I suddenly did.  

John Watson. My friend, John Watson. My...love. 

When John first broached the subject of getting married, I was confused—even more so when he asked me to be his best man.  I confess that at first, once again, I didn't realise he was asking me. It took me a little longer to understand what he was saying than when he asked me to be his best man and why he, all of a sudden, knelt down in front of me. I couldn't express just a scrap of emotion, which, understandably, unsettled John a bit.  Looking back at it, I think the reason why I couldn't do it was because, just as I didn't expect to be anybody's best man or best friend, I didn't expect anybody to ever kneel down for me. Or, well, propose to me, as I later understood.  

For a very long time, I thought that a wedding was nothing short of a celebration of all that is false, specious, irrational, and sentimental in this ailing and morally compromised world. I considered a wedding to be nothing but honouring the death watch beetle that is the doom of our society and, in time, one feels certain, our entire species. I, unfortunately, stated both of these fairly openly, if anyone has trouble remembering.  

When John knelt down in front of me and asked me to be his husband, though, this mindset died just like my false belief about telegrams, and I finally started to understand. 

John Watson right here is not only my helpmate during my adventures, which I consider to have been ours for a long time, actually. John Watson is not only the bravest, kindest, and wisest human being I have ever had the good fortune of knowing, even though this is, by any means, the case. 

This man, whom I am lucky enough to call my husband from now on, is far more than that.  

John Watson is the person I have never even imagined meeting, since it takes a good bit of luck to meet your special someone. But I did have this luck. Because John Watson is my special someone.

He is the person I will love for the rest of my life and even longer, and he has saved me from so many misfortunes I'm unable to put into words.

He is not only my best friend and the one whom I love most in this world, but also the one who showed me what it's like to be loved in return. He showed me that receiving felicitating telegrams is actually not a stupid thing at all, because sometimes even I cannot believe how lucky I am to have found my very own kind of forever.

He showed me that weddings are not a death watch beetle that is the doom of our society, but rather a promise that I am more than willing to make.  

This time, I cannot congratulate you on your choice of companion, John. I'm still an utterly ridiculous man, redeemed only by the warmth and constancy of your friendship and...love. But, nevertheless, I will happily thank everyone who congratulates me. 

When I say I love this man and will love him until all eternity, it is the truest promise of which I'm capable.

I won't say that I love John more than anybody has ever loved anyone before, since you cannot and should not compare one love to another. However, when I say I love this man, I mean that I love him more than anyone will ever love him and has ever loved him before, and that I have a lifetime ahead to prove that.  

With the bright rings on our ring fingers, I've made an even brighter promise I will never forget to try to fulfil. 

John, when you knelt down, you made me, and this is something I can say for certain, the happiest man on earth.  I wish I could describe it more in detail, but I simply love you more than words can say.  

With the rings on our fingers, you stole the very last piece of my heart, and I'm not afraid to call myself a heartless man any more. 

I don't need legal papers to say that I'm yours and you're mine, because I already am and will always be yours. But if this is the way to celebrate the luck I've got, I'll be more than happy to raise my glass to the man who is not only my love but also my husband from this day on.  

I love you, John Watson, more than everything I've ever loved before. Thank you for making me the happiest I've ever been.    

tagging: @topsyturvy-turtely @a-victorian-girl @lisbeth-kk @peanitbear @just-a-fixed-point-in-time @dw91165 @writingloud @7-percent @blogstandbygoy @johnlockifconvenient @kat987 @mary-johnlocked @meohmycroft @consultingtribble @paulineholmes02 @jameshavinganxiety @lastsociopaths @catlock-holmes @jobooksncoffee (hope that's okay! tbh still don't get when and what people you're supposed to tag...)

[nimuetheseawitch]

Hello Nimue 🤗

Def giving you 🔥 for the spy who loves me one!! :D

Ahhhh! Thanks for asking about this! I love 007 Jake and Q Bradley. This is the Bradley POV of the 007 Jake stories so far. I'm still figuring out how much of the backstory that's in my brain will end up in this fic, but where the previous fic was very limited and specifically focused on Jake kinda taking Bradley's warning to bring back all the tech in one piece as a challenge, this one is planned to be more of Bradley's thoughts as he falls in love with this impossible man. He knows it's a bad idea and does it anyway, then tries to protect himself and fails miserably. This also fleshes out a little bit more of the idea this whole thing came from, which was that Q just keeps hiding more and more trackers on Jake and Jake finds them all and disables them (is it gay to always want to know where one very hot field agent is at all times?).

Some things in no particular order that may or may not make it into the fic:

Bradley has a military background like the original Q (who was Army while Bond was Navy) which was his compromise for not going straight into a fast track to become a field agent. I'm thinking he ended up special forces on comms and it goes from there (I am definitely thinking about Loaded March, an excellent Merlin au @halestrom hooked me on and absolutely one of my only sources for how British special forces works).

He's generally pretty familiar with plenty of the Q division folks and some of the agents because his dad and Mav and Ice were all associated with MI6. Jake just doesn't hang around much because he'd rather be in the field and had never noticed Bradley until he became the quartermaster.

I have feelings about Halo/Phoenix but have no reason really to add more Halo in there other than I like Halo as Moneypenny (more the almost field agent Moneypenny from the most recent Bond films) and want her there. And everything should always have more femslash.

Anyway, I love this silly au and I want to note that practically every scene from the previous fic is something that can be found in the actual Bond films. They're ridiculous, and I love them, and there's so much to work with.

[wfagamerants]

This is a funny thing to discuss. I am obviously not saying we need a new one ASAP, with Jamboree still being so fresh and in fact, I still play it a lot.

What got me interested in writing about this is the Switch 2. With new Nintendo hardware on the horizon, it’s inevitable Mario Party will make the jump there and given the series’ more frequent release schedule, that could happen as early as 2026. 

Thinking about what the new system could mean for MP just gives me a desire to talk a bit more about one of my favorite game series. My affection for Jamboree has not gone down at all since launch, but I did notice some things I feel could be addressed in a future title.

In particular I prepared 10 personal points I think would be pretty darn neat to see addressed in a new game. These aren’t ordered in any way, just general talking points

Fewer, but more focused modes

This is moreso the culmination of several points I’ll get to talking about, but they can also be summed up under this umbrella.

Jamboree has a lot of modes and that’s not an issue by itself. I actually consider it NDCube’s most successful attempt at a variety pack type approach and even the Hudson era games had bonus modes.

Thing is, 4 months later it’s easy to tell I barely touch the Motion Islands much at all, with Party Mode, Koopathlon and Kaboom Squad as the default trio I keep going back to and Party Planner Trek as the charming single player campaign.

This isn’t to say the other modes are bad, even Paratroopa Flight School to me is inoffensive at worst, but for future games I’d be more than cool with focusing the resources on adding even more to the very replayable modes.

Ditch Motion Controls

I don’t mind motion controls and will say they work very well in this game. At the same time, they do feel tacked on, like something they felt they had to keep because Super had it. 

While I do enjoy Toad’s Item Factory and find Rhythm Kitchen to be a cute, if lacking in Sound Stage’s competitive aspect, follow-up to said mode, I find both to lack in replay value. Paratroopa’s Flight School even more so.  That mode really is just a big gimmick that has its appeal, but once the novelty wears off it just doesn’t have much to make you return to it, even with three modes on offer.

Where I start to have more issues with it is Party Mode. Motion Controls are merely an option, but playing without them does lock several mini-games away from play. This hurts because while Jamboree *does* have the most minigames in the series, they are many different types. 

34 of the 112 minigames are not present in Party mode and on top of that, between 5 Duel, Item and Boss minigames each and 10 Showdown minigames on top, that’s another 25 minigames that aren’t part of the regular Free for All, 2v2 and 1v3 rotation. Take out motion minigames from those categories and that’s another 12 minigames off that list, leaving 41 minigames as part of that rotation, which feels quite compromised.

I got used to the single joy con to access all the games, but this isn’t really a situation that should exist. Either go all in on that control scheme, abandon it or offer a button control alternative for Pro Controller players.

Even more customization

Superstars introduced a really cool thing by letting you choose what kind of Bonus Stars you want. Jamboree would add an entirely separate, additional ruleset, as well as the ability to vote for minigames, replacing the roulette. All those are great additions, but what started as a cautious toe tip can easily be turned into a cannonball.

In particular the return of old options such as 50 Turn games or being able to make every character a CPU. They are niche options, but there is a place for all of them. Additionally, the custom minigame pack from MP4, letting you choose what minigames can appear, that’s a no brainer that I am sincerely shocked is only in one game.

Besides that there is a lot they can do. A custom bonus star option where you choose a set of three from all available ones. A toggle to turn Hidden Blocks on and off. A similar toggle for Jamboree Buddies. Really, the sky's the limit.

Mario Party becoming more customizable just offers a lot of room to spice up the game, while also not leaving those who prefer the default way of doing things out, since they are merely options.

Minigame Modes like in the older titles

The minigame modes on offer in Jamboree are…passable. It gets the basics of the job done, but it’s hard to deny that they are very samey. They basically all just amount to win the most minigames or get the most points.

I miss modes like Decathlon, where it was about the speed you complete minigames in or Rocket Rascals, where you win minigames to gradually build a path to the rocket in the middle. Heck, even non-Party Mode minigames can offer potential for such an extra mode, as Bowser Challenge in 10 showed.

Modes like that offer their own rules and gimmicks, which give more of an incentive to replay the minigames outside the board context and are extremely fun on their own. What we have now is passable, but nothing beyond the bare minimum and lacking in long-term appeal.

Returning GameCube and onwards boards

I am a big fan of Mario Party going the Mario Kart route, with returning boards, on top of the new stuff. It’s a very valid way to boost the board count and thanks to the inherent mechanical differences of each game, they feel very fresh anyways.

The purely N64 focus though is something I can do without. The later games to me had a lot of the most interesting boards and frankly, it just feels like N64 bias to appeal to nostalgia. It didn’t land for me in Superstars and I am still not a fan, even as someone who started with 2, played all the games in order from there and got MP1 via a lucky flea market find between 4 and 5.

Even with that N64 focus, it also stands out how much 3 gets shafted and I’d gladly see that changed too. Both 1 and especially 2 have great boards I’d happily put on a favorites list, but 1 is the flawed first attempt and 2 is what truly got the basics down. 3 onwards is where the series could expand and do more elaborate and unique things with the boards, thanks to 1 and 2 providing the foundation and that’s why I would rather see more 3 onwards stuff come back.

More 6-8 and DS-type star gimmicks.

MP6 marked a turning point for the series that I always really enjoyed. On top of traditionally styled boards, there were also boards with completely new star gimmicks. 

Sometimes everyone already starts with stars and it’s all about stealing from each other.

Other times you try to reach the end of the board to get the star and then go back to the beginning to start the process over.

Yet again other times you brave a mansion, trying to figure out the randomly set up paths, to find the room the star is in.

And the list goes on.

Mechanics like that always felt like a natural extension of the MP gameplay and it goes a long way making each board even more distinct from the rest. Roll em’ Raceway already feels a lot like these kinds of boards, but I’d like to see them take it further again.

Bring back Bowser Party

I am a vocal MP10 enjoyer and I’ll say this: Bowser Party would make for a great returning side-mode.

In hindsight it very much feels like the precursor to Kaboom Squad and Coinathlon/Koopathlon and it’s not like boards created for side modes are anything new. Making it more explicitly a side-mode also makes the same kind of content amount that the OG Bowser Party had (three boards, ten minigames) more reasonable than if it was promoted as the main point of the game.

More than anything, I just think it’s a really fun mode and my preferred kind of playable Bowser.

Relatedly:

Bowser

I want the series to make up its mind about Bowser.

I firmly think it’s okay for him to not be playable in MP. The role he plays is just too irreplaceable and Kamek in Super really showed how lame attempts to replace him can be.

Jamboree does go for a compromise by introducing Imposter Bowser and I am fine with that, but even then they lock Bowser out of the Bowser centric bonus modes, Koopathlon and Kaboom Squad.

In general the fact we got two Bowsers running around is further proof how important Bowser playing his usual role is to this series and nobody does it better than him. He has the imposing appearance, the humorous, yet villainous personality, the dangerous hide-outs and minions for minigames and boards.

Sticking with the Imposter Bowser solution would be perfectly fine by me, I just want them to commit to it, if they do so and not lock Bowser arbitrarily out of some modes anyways.

Keep the roster big

It’s hard to say where the series will go in that area, but simply put, I want the character roster to stay in this kind of size area. Be a Super and Jamboree, not a Superstars.

Yeah, characters don’t affect the gameplay, in terms of who you play as, but I am also tired of pretending these games don’t sell more than ever before and by a significant amount at that.

There is a reason Pauline got an entire trailer dedicated to just announcing her. They knew people wanted her, people like having these characters on the roster, there is no reason to cheap out on that.

It’s flavor, but flavor matters a great deal, it’s why people will still pick their favorite character, instead of saying ‘’I don’t care, it won’t affect the gameplay’’. Nobody actually thinks like that and after Superstars and Strikers Battle League, I am done trying to find understanding for bad rosters.

And on behalf of my friend Mod Mamono: Keep Montgomery Mole.

He funny.

Take it easier with Lucky Spaces

Lucky Spaces are a contentious mechanic and I am of two mindsets about it.

On one hand I don’t inherently mind them, particularly in Jamboree, which has enough ways to spend or lose coins that the bonuses that come from these spaces feel like a deliberate part of the game’s economy.

At the same time there really are a lot of them and I feel they should be something more special than essentially a second flavor of Blue Space, that sometimes feels similarly common.

Thinking about it though, making them more uncommon could cause different problems, by giving those that manage to land on them too much of an advantage.

Hard to say what could be done, spaces this powerful do mean playing with fire when adjusting things, but I do feel SOME kind of tweaking would be good.

Those are my main sticking points.

I adore Jamboree. While I spend a lot of this post pointing out things I feel could be done differently, I would still happily call it my third favorite MP.

Frankly, it’s so good I would gladly wait a year or two longer than usual for the next one. I am just a big MP fanboy, so the inevitable prospect of a new one, with new hardware on the horizon, makes me muse what could be, since the future of the series is an exciting one.

[conditioned-to-obey]

Do you have advice when it comes to dating and finding your ideal partner (that including sex life as well)?

The older I get the harder it feels like to find someone that gets you on all levels AND also aligns with your sexual desires.. or is that also a compromise thing: you doing stuff to please your partner and vice versa, even if that particular thing isn’t much of a turn on for you usually?

For all intents and purposes, when I found most of my pets I wasn't looking for anyone. I would have previously said that a partner who understands me on all levels and aligns with my sexual desires completely wouldnt have been realistic. However I've been proven wrong of that quite a few times by my pets.

It is completely possible to find someone who understands you wholly and also aligns with you sexually. Some perhaps more than others. There is some compromise, but that just depends on how much you value having both or one or the other. However, I would suggest not settling. Sexual chemistry and sex (for those who have it and want it) is a very important part of a relationship. Do not decide to neglect it just because someone is exemplary in other aspects. They can be a friend for life, instead of a short fling. Not everyone is going to align perfectly, even if we find we care about them very much.

I would say there's nothing wrong with doing something to please a partner even if you don't particularly enjoy something. However I have found that doing so can take a toll and feel incredibly disheartening and ingeniune. People want to enjoy things with their partners. Engaging in activity just to find after it was a one sided expirence can be jarring and create a rift. A sense of distrust or unease. You want a partner to be open and honest with you about their feelings and that doesn't feel in line with that. Don't settle, there are plenty of other people who are just as into that one thing as you are. It can also be felt viscerally when a partner is doing something they don't particularly enjoy but are doing anyway. Ever complained about a sore spot and asked for a massage only to receive a massage very lackluster effort to your polite request? It feels just like that. Mechanical and empty and the other person seemingly always gets restless or tired rather quicker than it can even start.

Logically, those who understand you completely and make an effort to understand you better are most likely going to be the people who you'll find you're most compatible with. Just something to think about.

In my case I found several people whom I am extremely compatible with by just being open and honest about needs, if they are able to and willing to meet those needs. And vice versa. Those who want to show up will. Notice if their actions match with their words. Learn to recognize love bombing and shelving.

Have low risk, but uncomfortable conversations, that'll weed some out almost instantly.

[wisteriaiswriting]

Hi!!! Thanks for doing this exchange with me, I’m so excited to write for you!! ❤️

Personality: My personality is a bit hard to get a read on. I’ve been told that I am a lot of contradictory things: stoic but also expressive, creative but stunted, etc. In general, my biggest traits are that I am blunt and humorous. I tend to say and do as I please, and although it is rarely to the detriment of someone else, I can be very apathetic and uncaring towards people I dislike. I tend to put others’ needs above my own, sometimes knowingly as a form of self punishment. I'll talk for hours about my interests and passions, and I'm always up for a challenge, but I value being conscientious of other people and never dominating a conversation. I also have a very strong moral compass, and I refuse to compromise on it. I try to be kind above all else, especially to those who seem to be in a rough place, as I haven’t always been treated kindly, and I want others to feel loved. Despite that, I can dislike someone immensely for even the smallest mistakes, and I hold on to grudges for a very long time. It’s very easy to notice when I don’t like someone.

I have a bad habit of being nosy; I have to know all the gossip and if I’m interested in something I tend to find out all of the information I can about it. In a similar vein, I’m really bad at keeping secrets, as I often forget they’re supposed to be secrets at all. I’m hedonistic, and I tend to overindulge in my loves and passions due to my lack of self control to the point that it often causes me harm. I’m known for giving great advice and being a good shoulder to cry on, but I don’t let others take advantage of that. I do well in emergency situations, especially when leadership is needed, but I also tend to crumble under mounting stress, and lash out when upset.

Overall I'm determined, creative, and compassionate, but also stubborn, judgmental, and fearful.

Likes: I love horror media and anything deemed unsettling, since things that make me uncomfortable fascinate me. I love animals (especially tarantulas and spiders) and nature, and I spend a lot of time drawing and painting the world around me and taking walks on sunny days. On that note, I’m an explorer, and I tend to get into spaces I shouldn’t be if only because my curiosity got the better of me.

I enjoy composing, playing (guitar, piano, and any other instrument I can get my hands on), and listening to music, especially instrumentals, rock, and pop. I also play video games, especially RPGs and FPS games. Although I don’t like athletics and sports that much, climbing, running, and adventuring is always fun for me, especially with friends.

Appearence: I have a somewhat contradictory set of clothing aesthetics. I love grunge and band t shirts and ripped pants, but I also love cargo shorts and tacky video game t-shirts and cutest sweaters with vibrant colored nails. I’d like to think that I like a little of everything, and that I wear whatever makes me happy whenever I want to.

I have INCREDIBLY thick glasses since I’m legally blind. I tend to go for comfort over fashion, although some days when I’m feeling really good I’ll wear something more extravagant. I’ve got lots of body marks, four piercings, and one tattoo.

Dislikes: Inconsiderate people, especially when they’re not aware of how they’re inconveniencing others. People who can’t enjoy silence and talk to fill it tend to get on my nerves as well. I also dislike those who are arrogant and cruel, and I have a particular distaste for seafood and being touched, although I am definitely a tactile person towards others.

What I look for in a partner: Someone who is kind and understanding of my flaws, and especially someone with a good sense of humor. I feel like I don’t truly connect with people until we laugh about something together. I value honesty and communication as well, so someone who isn’t willing or can’t be open and vulnerable with me is a no go.

As pessimistic as I am, I also believe in doing good and making other people’s days a little bit brighter if possible, so I couldn’t be around a cynic or someone intentionally cruel. I love giving gifts and providing words of affirmation, and I love receiving both as well.

Fun Facts:

I like to read medical textbooks, and I find visiting cadaver labs and watching medical procedures thrilling.

On that note, I love hospitals. I’ve been in and out a lot recently and I always feel at peace when I’m there, and endlessly curious about everyone and everything that’s going on.

Despite not being at all athletic, I am a very flexible person due to hypermobility in most of my joints, and so I tend to be restless and sit in very odd, almost contortionist-like, positions.

I have a very good internal clock, and have consistently been able to guess the time of day within 10 minutes.

My favorite movies are Late Night with the Devil, Doctor Strange, and Hereditary.

My favorite stories are Flowers for Algernon, Borrasca, and the BONE comic books.

Thanks again, and have a beautiful day ❤️

I match you with...

I tried to do the same style you did for mine, so hope you like it!

Pyro!!

Pre-relationship:

When Pyro finds out how flexible you are, they’ll want to see you in action. (And Medic with how you sit sometimes.) Plenty of times you can see them trying to copy you and likely failing.

They end up loving how blunt you are and how you don’t baby them, leading to them warming up to you real quick.

They try their hardest to remember everything about your interests and passions.

Even if you’re bad with secrets, don't worry about it with Pyro. They won't tell a soul, not even Engineer.

Confession:

It can take them a while to notice their feelings, having built slowly over time before it eventually hits them all at once.

Turns out that they weren’t that confident about you liking them back, so they went to Engineer. Who encourages them to confess, which happens later that day.

Their first idea was a drawing, but changed to writing a letter explaining how they feel. (It isn't the easiest to read but you get there and accept it.)

Relationship:

Loves listening to you read your books, although they might not be actually listening to anything you’re saying. (They love your voice btw)

They’re probably the best one with your love languages, they adore getting and giving you gifts and words of affirmation.

Your relationship doesn't change really after the confession.

Points!!

Pyro - 18

Scout - 16

Saxton Hale - 14

Soldier - 12

Heavy - 12

Engineer - 11

Sniper - 11

Spy - 11

Demo - 9

Administrator - 9

Medic - 8

Miss Pauling - 8

[dusty-daydreams]

Hi Hate Anon!

I didn’t post your ask, because I’m not interested in giving you direct space on my tumblr.

However I did want to say a few things.

First of all, I don’t think that Colin is unsexy, I just don’t think they needed to make him a rake to make him sexy.

In fact, I kind of hate the Rake x Virgin romance trope.

I don’t know if you actually read my posts because the anon ask didn’t make it seem like you did, but if you read my posts and my one and only Bridgerton fic you would know that my particular soap box about this silly show is the way it mishandles sex education.

Personally, I hate the Rake x Virgin trope because of all the ways that it can lead to sexual assault. A person’s first and usually only sexual partner should NOT be the one teaching that person about sex. There is just too much danger there.

Plus - and I know this is me very foolishly complaining about historical inaccuracies in the historical inaccuracy show - but I really don’t understand where the show got the idea that all men of high society were Rakes.

The Prince Regent in this time period was a rake and the public kind of despised him.

The Rake is a figure that is traditionally a villain - a character that cares more about his own sexual pleasure than the social and physical safety of the women he seduces.

It is wild to me that the show seems to think that the only way you can make a leading man sexy is by showing him to be a Rake.

Realistically Colin shouldn’t be feeling social pressure to carelessly sleep around.

Like aside from anything else all the older Bridgerton Boys should, if the show was historically accurate, have syphillis.

Finally, if you had read my fic you would have come across my recreation of the Anthony & Colin “I should have taken you to brothels” scene, and in my version Colin calls Anthony out for being misogynistic.

In other words, I hate the fact they took my respectful king and turned him into a man that would compromise the woman he loves.

And before the book lovers come for me about disparaging the carriage scene. I don’t care. I haven’t read the books. I will not read the books (especially with the amount of sexual assault that is framed as sexy and romantic in those books). I do not care about the books.

I am taking the show on its own terms and the show has proven to be lazy and paint by numbers to the extent that they couldn’t imagine the audience finding a respectful king romantic and sexy so made him a rake. (I know he doesn’t want to be a rake in the show, again I do not care I am not talking about the story in universe I am talking about what likely happened on a production level)