#if not for themselves definitely for the other

[croquetkills]

˚ ༘ ೀ⋆｡˚ 𝑴𝑶𝑶𝑵 𝐎𝐁𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

౨ৎ ⸝⸝ Aries﹕Healthy aries moons can be playful, determined, and will firmly stand up for themselves and others if the situation calls. Unhealthy aries moons usually exhibit the same traits, just far more intensely. No matter the state, they don't feel negative emotions for very long, nor do they tend to hold grudges. They'll forgive, though they won't forget. Will crash out over losing a video game and get up and shrug it off as if nothing happened LMAO. ౨ৎ ⸝⸝ Cancer﹕I'm awaiting the day I get to meet a healthy cancer moon, you guys sound like the sweetest people. The same cannot be said for your unhealthy counterparts... either emotionally manipulative and attention thirsty or borderline doormats. Solitude isn't to be feared, struggling cancer moons. Other people's love won't fix you, you NEEEEED to love yourself. ౨ৎ ⸝⸝ Virgo﹕Healthy virgo moons can be super attentive and helpful, you won't even need to ask for help, they'll just know lol. Unhealthy virgo moons can be unnecessarily hypocritical. Will judge you over the most minuscule detail but then go and do something genuinely bad as if it's nothing. ౨ৎ ⸝⸝ Scorpio﹕Absolutely hilarious, but also horrendously concerning. They will joke about an insanely traumatic thing that happened to them as a kid as if it's nothing. You guys definitely need a stable emotional outlet, whether it be art, counselling, and so on. ౨ৎ ⸝⸝ Sagittarius﹕Freedom is so important for sag moons. Restricting them is cruel; adventure is a part of them. This is oddly specific, but they look so at home in nature, especially forests and fields, presumably because of how elated being in those spaces makes them feel. If you need someone to help get you out of your comfort zone, find a sag moon. ౨ৎ ⸝⸝ Capricorn﹕Having a cap moon sounds like a nightmare. You guys need to open up to others more; you can't carry the weight of the world on your shoulders and expect to be able to carry the emotional burden of doing so alongside it. Please remember that your emotions are not a weakness, and expressing them doesn't make you any less capable and hard-working; you are just as human as the rest of us. ily guys please allow yourself the grace you allow others.

[worrywrite]

Look.

I don't necessarily think anyone here is wrong. I don't think JKR started out with the intent to do harm.

But I do think the bigotry was always there. Maybe no with malice at first, but the seeds of everything good and bad were planted. And the water went where it went.

I say this because I too grew up with those books. I know the social mythology told around them and how JKR gradually morphed into something horrible. But I hold the axiom to this that "power does not corrupt, instead power reveals." When you give someone the power to do whatever they want, they will do what they always wanted to do.

And when JKR was given the power to do whatever she wanted, she became an oppressive force that reinforced her own biases instead of examining them carefully and considering the well-being of others. What she is above all else, imo, is selfish. The only things that matter to her are her values, her "safety", her voice, her freedom, and her money. And if anything gets in the way of what she considers hers she squashes it. She resists change because she values who she is and always has been. She attempts to enforce her own values in the public because they're hers and she must be right about things. This selfishness has always been there. It has been present in the way she writes, the way she plans out the narrative, the way she has always reacted to fans and critical alike, and the way she has always doubled down on everything she has ever said.

Was she a villain when she went into writing? Not really. But she was still extremely self-absorbed and already primed to become what she is. And what she is now is basically just evil by definition. I think it's wise to re-examine what people do during a rise to power as the contexts of that rise change when they acquire real power and reveal themselves to be disgruntled and wicked. Whether we see shadows moving when they aren't or not, we should all see that becoming what she is now isn't something that happened to her. She was not a passive participant in her descent into bigotry and crypto-fascism, she wasn't just guided there, she was ready to take those steps and then she took them. And it isn't someone else's fault that she never stopped to think that maybe it was a bad idea, she didn't care to rethink her choices.

ok im going to #seriouspost for a second here. I don't think Harry Potter is a manifesto. I think it was a flawed passion project that millennials latched onto because of the fantasy of sticking it to their mean teachers and arbitrarily categorizing themselves (hogwarts houses; it's the thinking millennial's astrology). I think the fact that the series got popular when and how it did was very much a product of its time.

I don't think Harry Potter is the biggest symbol of JKR's bigotry. I think the most flagrant sign of that was how she responded to critics. I watched her become radicalized in real time. I watched how she doubled down on her racism when she was called out for the ways she promoted her tragically mid fantastic beasts movies. I watched her chase marginalized teenagers with a double digit follower count off of twitter for daring to criticize her thought process, and no one with any kind of power standing against her because she was the one who was paying them. This isn't to say Harry Potter is without flaws. This is to say she really didn't give a shit about that. Getting rich and powerful is a hell of a drug, and she had enough sycophants that she had no reason to care about what her critics were saying.

She was convinced that she was a martyr; a voice for the unheard; a leader for the ages, so of course her detractors were the bad guys. And I think we should take this to heart. We should see this as an example of how easy it is to get radicalized; if you think of yourself as a paragon of virtue, you are going to think that whatever you see as good and right is an objective fact. Most people don't know this, but the majority of terfs start out as trans allies. You are not immune to propaganda! You are not immune to falling into dangerous ideologies!!!

This is why the most important thing you can do as an activist is to listen. Do NOT think you're above being wrong; do NOT develop a god complex; do NOT form an identity out of being right all the time. Involve yourselves in the groups you claim to speak for. Listen to trans women; share resources that help trans women; familiarize yourself with the diversity of experiences that trans people have and the struggles they face.

No, none of you are as bad as JKR because you don't have her money or her power. You will likely never have the capacity for harm she does. But check yourselves. Do not affirm yourselves into thinking you always have the moral high ground. Watch yourselves; humble yourselves; check yourselves for signs of cult behavior and internalized prejudice. You are always learning. You will always be learning. Do not allow yourselves to get a power trip from brushing off marginalized voices.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - Meaty Post Since It's All You're Getting for a Bit

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

*** This blog will be on mini hiatus for most of May 2025. Not dead just busy. You'll be fine without me. Don't burn down this hellsite anymore than normal while I'm away.

April 2025 Week 4

Ongoing Series - Thai

My Stubborn (Sun iQIYI) ep 1-2 of 10 - Mflow's latest high heat office romance involves best friend's younger brother, boss meets intern, bit of a love triangle, GL crumbs, and few other tropes.

It's... raunchy.  And it's giving me Deep Night vibrations. So to speak. Similarly cringe but still fun to have on our screen. I don't mind a "teach me daddy" trope. The leads are serving up BossNoeul in LITA and the other pairs seem decent too. It’s messy gay but it’s low stakes high melodrama soap opera messy gay so I guess I'm okay with that style. Shall we call this "sloppy gay"?

I'm not mad about it.  

The BangkokBoy (Thai Sat Gaga) ep 1 of 12 - Action, crime, and revenge meets gangs, street fights, mafia, and more. Oh my. Intriguing premise. Not a bad beginning in terms of acting and family strife set-up. The terrible dubbing is sending me. The terrible fight scenes are sending me even further. They better give us some BL within the next two episodes or I don’t know if I can take this level try-hard.

Sweet Tooth Good Dentist (Fri iQIYI) ep 5 of 12 - I am so happy to have Jimmy back on my screen. I can’t even tell you. No additional thoughts, only Jimmy in glasses.

Top Form (Thurs WeTV) ep 6 of 10 - this time I reminded myself going in that this is based on Japanese IP. But I still couldn't take it. I fast-forwarded through most of this ep. I knew it was coming but I still couldn’t stomach it.

Akin better get everything tested. And some counseling.

Boys in Love (Sun iQIYI ) ep 1-2 of 12 - Our only true high school BL from GMMTV this year and it's fresh faces for the youths and old favs for the teachers. I want to like this (and be surprised by it) as much as My School President in 2023 but so far that is definitely not the case. I do love the teachers (shocker) and I like the sides but I’m not sold on the main couple. With a kiss already in ep 2 the pacing is off. If this were Japan I would 't be worried, but this is GMMTV messing with the formula and that could be rough for all of us.

Side note... how does Papong look so daddy in Not Me and do damn ingenue here? Best chameleon in GMMTV's stable? I think so. 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Heesu in Class 2 (Korea Fri Viki) eps 9-10 end - omg they are ridiculously cute dancing round each other. Please just kiss! Bah, this did take too long to resolve. I was worried about that.

The people (aka me) want more BL in our BL! Rah rah rah.

I also wanted more Heesu advising others and less of the hets hetting about the place. Sad we got not kiss but also no time to develop it.

Conclusion

What started out with a great core concept (KBL version of Sex Education) rather lost its way getting mired in the slowest of slow burns which effectively turned the BL storyline into a sub plot for multiple het dramas should have just added flavor. The acting was sweet all round, and sincere, and the lead character of Heesu very engaging. There was even some chemistry with his love interest, rare from Korea. The extra length (so rare in KBL) turned out to be just enough for them to hang themselves with. Should we be shocked that Korea didn't have enough faith in the queer romance thread? No, but I had hoped for better. This was almost great but missed the mark by simply not being gay enough. 7/10 

I will add the handling of the coming out sequence was... deft.

I think I need to go rewatch Light On Me.

Business as Usual (Korea Thurs Viki) Ep 4 of 6 - Gah this is so sad. They like each other so much and made such stupid mistakes! i guess Jin Hwan won't let it stick? Honestly I'm kinda glad this is a short one.

Something Is Not Right (Korea Weds Viki) ep 2 of 8 - The library scene made me laugh.  Every single on of them is such a drama queen. It's awfully angsty but i like it. 

Fight for You (Taiwan Fri Gaga) ep 6 of 12 - Oh this is getting kinda good. That fantasy was lovely. The rest of the story is rough. But the chemistry is great.

Exclusive Love (Taiwan Fri Gaga) ep 12 end - Pretty much just a wrap up episode with lots of sex and a double wedding (never a good idea). But all of it was very pretty. 

Summary 

Taiwan gave us this weird premise of funeral home + mafia + secrets, yet somehow no excitement or real tension because they then slapped it with a pathetic excuse for a plot. Everybody in it was pretty, but the chemistry really wasn’t what I’ve grown to expect from Taiwan. The suits were nice, i guess? Ultimately, given the initial concept, this is remarkably forgettable. 6/10 

It's airing but......

Sashes and Hearts (Pinoy YT) 13 eps - Philippines is doing Drop Dead Gorgeous only all gay boys queening their asses off. Doesn't interest me, not sure if it's BL.

Last Meal Universe (Thai ????) 8 eps - An alien who has come to destroy earth instead falls in love with Thai food and then the Thai boy who cooks it - realistic, actually. I got a link to watch but it still wouldn't work for me, so I guess I'm waiting to see what happens.

Lost in the Woods (Weds Gaga) 7 eps - Not my thing, dropped at ep 2.

Secret Ghost (Thai Sat Viu) ?? eps - The trailer dropped and it looks so bad.

My Golden Blood (Weds iQIYI) 12 eps - dropped at ep 5. Recent thought process as follows: Oh, I think I would have loved this if it were OffGun.

What a thing for me to think.

Still, I'm not wrong.

The Rewatch BLigade!

Jazz for 2. I wasn't sure about this when it aired and I'm still not sure about it. I think I like it. But how much do I like it?

Cherry Magic Thailand. Still very enjoyable but there are more slow and lagging episodes than I remember. Lots of fast forwarding through the slow bits. But TayNew still deliver like only they can. Now I kinda wanna do a Deep Blue Kiss rewatch.

Wandee Goodday. I fast forwarded through everything that wasn't YakDee on screen together. Solid choice. I love them so much, and I suspect they might be the healthiest sexual relationship we have ever seen depicted in a BL. (On Viki these days)

Unintentional Love Story. Yeah a regular rewatch for me. I put it on to check something, and then just ended up running through the whole series. Will I ever recover from Gongchan's eyes? Not in this lifetime.

Your Sky. Yeah I finished the 3 ep special and then immediately rewatched the whole darn show. This is my 3rd or 4th time. I love it, totally my type of so bad it's good, so sweet it hurts, BL pulp. I don't ask for much from my BL. This show gave me exactly that much and no more.

Mr X & I - Us Against The World. One of those obscure shorts I love, this one from China pre 2016 crack down. Yep. Still love.

I'll be doing a ton of rewatching over the next month because of all my travel. Wish me luck!

Next Week Looks Like This:

Coming in May

5/2 Pit Babe The Series 2 (Thai Fri iQIYI) 13 eps - More conspiracy and struggles and past coming out to play but even less omegaverse.

5/3 The Next Prince (Thai Sat iQIYI) 14 eps - Hotly anticipated 3 yr production featuring ZeeNewNu in a fantasy/historical set in a palace where Zee plays a knight and Nu a prince fighting for his right it inherit. Plus Jimmy with a new partner. Should be pretty and hot if nothing else.

5/16 Knockout (Thai Fri WeTV ) 12 eps - A low quality less fun/funny version of Wandee Goodday?

5/19 I Promise I Will Come Back (Thai Mon WeTV) 10 eps - A Thai Taiwanese colab. Stars two Thai actors and Taiwanese identical twins from H3. However the lead and co-producer Tontae is actually a very good actor, so this could be good unless it's oen of those mostly intended to be a tourism advert for the Thai countryside. We shall see!

5/16 My Sweetheart Jom (Thai Fri YouTube) 12 eps - I admit I wasn't sold on this one from the trailer but Saint is back and I'm disposed to be intrigued by the kind of script that would pull hm in. But it is certainly not my kind of script.

May? Season of Love in Shimane AKA Ai no Kisetsu: The Season of Love (Thai) - Sequel to Kiseki Chapter 2 which I intensely disliked, must we?

May ? Sweetheart Service (Korea Gaga) - Strongberry is back with a fake dating trope?! After being pressured by his family to get married, Min U proposes to Yu Ha to pretend to be his fiancé. As they spend time together, feelings begin to develop between them.

2025 Line Up

BL Announced for 2025 - PART 1

BL Announced for 2025 - PART 2

20 BLs Announced for 2025 That I'm Really Excited About

GMMTV 2025 Line Up - My Totally Biased and Wildly Flawed Feels

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENT

Lap sit kiss teaching sesh with this boy you kinda hate who is now also kinda your boss... sure, why not?

(last week)

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs

[stellar-solar-flare]

I am seeing a lot of posts that have to do with 'I want to read things other than smut'. This is definitely not a call-out post because the sentiment is something I certainly understand (as someone whose #1 fic preference - if I had to read only one thing for the rest of my days - is long, plot-heavy multi-parter fics with romance and slow burn, and eventual smut).

But I wanted to point out two things:

1: Smut gets notes, both because people seek it, and because smut writers stick together and interact with each other's fics. If you want to see more non-smut, interact with fics that contain the elements you like. If you want silly, whimsical fics, read, comment, share, and write those. If you want tooth-rotting fluff, seek it out and interact with them and make your own!

2: Even as I will always hold that a writer should always first write for themselves because the story brings them joy, it can get very lonely if you're writing a longfic and it's crickets out there until it is finished. If you want there to be long, multi-parter fics, you need to read and interact with WIPs. It takes time to do setup and establish characterization in a long fic, and it is also hard work (I am by no means implying that writing smut isn't hard work). It is the constant fear that the next chapter will make everyone dislike the fic, or that I'm not doing a good enough job with pacing/character/and so on. So there needs to be some sort of incentive to share the story in a finalized form and accept that vulnerability that maybe no one cares, or worse, maybe I actively drive away the people who do care because their expectations weren't met.

It is so important to remember that YOU (and us all) have the power to be the change you want to see in fandom and create your own lovely corner of exactly what you want. You do this by participating via comments and sharing fics, so the author knows someone wants to read this, and creating your own fics. In the end, fandom is a community. Fandom is us.

[akanemnon]

From the looks of this latest TwinRunes chapter, I got a feeling that the message it will provide is to learn to set aside differences for the good of the people you love or a common objetive, because if Toriel and Asgore keep "bickering" with each other (more on Toriel's case), Kris definitely isn't going to see the end of it.

Not hoping for a magical solution of "they set aside their differences and are getting married again!", but more of a Toriel stops, at least to some degree, being so bitter to Asgore and Asgore learns how to move on and respect Toriel's choice to not get back to him, not only for Kris, but for themselves as well.

Either way, I'm still really enthusiastic to see what you've been cooking! Love your series and I hope you keep loving your creations as well!!! And sorry if this isn't much of an ask, more so of an observation.

The thing with the dynamic between Toriel and Asgore in Deltarune is that they both unknowingly are having this conflict at the expense of Kris.

In Chapter 1, Asgore used Kris to get close to Toriel again by making them deliver flowers to her. Judging from the floral scent of their trash can, Asgore bombarding Toriel with flowers is happening quite frequently.

Toriel is not hiding her displeasure over this fact. Which I absolutely DO understand. But doing it in front of your kid who is caught in the crossfire is not exactly the best course of action. I can only imagine how Kris must feel.

Them getting back together is not something I see happening, and I think it's better that way. They clearly don't work as a couple. But what they can do is pull themselves together for the sake of their child.

I'll be very real with you here. I'm not a child of divorce, so I wouldn't know what it's like. But what I am is an auncle of a child of divorce. A lot of early Twin Runes is actually inspired by the charming chaos that kid excuded. Even if the situation between their parents is not the greatest, they're still doing the best for their kid. And that's what I'm trying to capture.

[bdbdbdbdmn]

why is it that just trans men are specifically not allowed to headcanon just "masculine" female characters as also being trans men? or do you have a whole list of off-limits headcanons that you've deemed Bad and insist that people not engage with?

also, it's not trans men's fault (or my fault) that you've not seen trans men hc fem women characters as being trans men. (they also aren't obligated to see themselves in fem female charaters to "even it out" just because you think that headcanons have moral weight.) i've seen it plenty of times and they were just as good as any other trans hc. also, just so it's clear, the most popular trans male hcs by far are of CIS MALE characters, not masc cis females. i see female characters get headcanoned as trans men so rarely that i was in shock to find out that it's now a tiktok trend to bash them and the boys and men who come up with them.

and "women can't have anything" my ass, what little representation you do have is still worlds larger and better than trans male representation, and headcanons Can't Take Something From You. they're in the heads of strangers. i can tell by your words and username that your problem is not with the fact that they are headcanoning, but with the fact that they're trans men. you still don't support hcs that weren't specifically approved by you, but it's clearly not the priority. this is a situation where it is the trans men who "can't have anything." it wouldn't make sense your way, otherwise there'd be no abundance of female characters to hc as trans men.

also, have you ever even headcanoned before? trans men aren't out there in search of every vaguely mannish female character to turn them into trans men and convince the world that they simply couldn't be women, they're literally just some fuckin guys watching tv and maybe making drawings. it's the least harmful thing the internet has ever demonized in the entirety of its existence. they "feel the need" to have fun. they "feel the need" to like characters because they're human and that's just the way people are. if it's because it's a masc girl character instead of despite it, it still doesn't matter because it's 1: not real, and 2: not about you! it's about them and their own ideas in, again, their HEADS, based on themselves and their brain. if a guy relates to a girl, or if he used to relate to the girl, or even if he just thinks they're neat, it's fine to headcanon them as guys. cis or trans. that's why cis women aren't "taking" anything from cis men when they hc guys as girls. it's why disabled people aren't stealing from the abled when they go "what if my favorite guy was deaf" "what if this character was autistic" "i'm gonna draw mickey mouse in a wheelchair" is this stealing to you? are abled people affected by reverse ableism now because of internet hcs?

"if you want a character to be trans so bad then why don't you come up with your own one" THEY DO! OH MY GOD THEY DO AND THEY WERE GETTING CYBERBULLIED FOR IT WAY BEFORE IT WAS A TREND TO GO AFTER THEM FOR THIS SPECIFIC RARE TYPE OF HC. and i'd argue that someone's hc is a new character that they made for their au. all of art is derivative, including the characters they headcanon. either way, it's ridiculous to insinuate that a trans man making a story about trans men would be equivalate to the experience of "what if this character i already love was just a bit more like me?" firstly, they're entirely different skillsets with different rewards. not to mention that an independent artist, especially a trans one, would never be able to amass a fandom the size of a large company's franchise. definitely not all trans men who have ever been in fandom. part of the fun of hcs is that you can talk about it and other people who also like the character and the hc can go "oh wow neat" and then maybe you can be friends about it real quick right now instead of working for years and years to become a writer and director with a successful all trans cast playing all trans characters. plus it's something that just happens to you. either you see the vision or you don't. something sparks joy or it doesn't. not everything has to be an ideologically motivated calculated move, sometimes it's just harmless art for fun that has no impact on you or anyone else besides the joy and satisfaction of being inspired to create something because of a really good piece of media. not to mention that things like hcs make media have more meaning. it seems that you wouldn't get it, but you really can get more out of a book or show if you take time to think about what it means to you and connect it with the experiences in your life

your fundamental misunderstanding of the purpose of imagination and fandom saddens me. there's so much more fun to be had than what you're experiencing right now. you are Squidward and me and trans men are SpongeBob and Patrick playing in a box having the time of our lives.

also i'm sorry that i'm typing long yelling at you and that this is disorganized, i'm a bit drunk. i'll still agree with everything i said in the morning, i'll just wish it was more professional. please try hcing characters as being transphobic, it will help you cope with the stressful feelings of not liking trans hcs or people. also i wrote the "your real problem is with the fact that they're trans men, not that they're hcing" part to be at the end but then went off on a tangent defending the concept of hcs anyways, which is still good, but i feel it covers up the fact that you clearly see trans men as inherently misogynistic and sexist, so i'm gonna bring it up again and put it here at the bottom so you can see it. i know it's inherently misogynistic, sexist, etc. to be against trans men or any form of transness, so neither of us will get anywhere with each other. i am now going to seek out characters to hit with the transgenderification beam, behold as it affects your life in no way shape or form. i just did it just right now, could you tell? haha tricked you, i didn't think of anyone! or did i?🤔 im sorry i don't know why i'm being so rude tonight. i mean all of it and im not excusing it (because i don't believe i've done anything wrong, but if i did i already have buckets of logically valid reasons that excuse my rudeness ready to go for This Exact Situation, but I'll spare you the reading), but to my followers i promise to only be like this sometimes

I can't believe I gotta be saying this shit but. a trans guy headcanoning a masculine or strong female character as also being a trans guy doesn't take anything from cis women just so it's clear. first of all, it's a headcanon. in his HEAD. about a fake not real character. an angel has never had their wings "violently ripped off and thrown into a shredder" because of a headcanon, especially not for trans headcanons. it's not misogynistic for trans men to find common ground with girl characters, especially likable, cool, masculine ones who struggle against sexism. they know women can be strong too. they know that girls can like boy things. why are you assuming that everything they do is a betrayal and sexist? why do you think they skipped believing cis men and cis women are equal and went straight to transitioning? you have to not be sexist for the entire concept to work

[adderundergrowth]

I just read an interesting post about someone who specifically practices witch-flight. I've been doing something similar if not identical in nature for years, but tbh reading other people slap warnings about losing pieces of yourself, getting lost, or needing some protective charm on your person before heading into the Otherworld has me probably looking like the most reckless witch ever. I mean, I have a "waystation" that I return to, and I use it at the end not only as a return point, but to check myself for hangers-on, re-ward, or cleanse before fully coming back. My protection otherwise is the presence of my familiar and rarely anything else. If I'm feeling anxious every once in a while, I throw some oil blends with protective qualities into the bath I'm likely floating in.

I suppose my question is: what do others mean by the specific dangers of witch-flight/hedgeriding/etc when they say things like "getting lost" or "getting hurt?" I definitely get the notion of things following you or clinging to you if you're not careful, but is the worry about metaphysical pieces of ourselves that won't return with us? Warnings about leaving the body itself unattended without protection implies some vague threat there as well. What are the visible signs post-flight--the symptoms, if you will--that even tell us something has happened? (The post I was reading mentioned something like lethargy and wooziness if they didn't wait and check for all the pieces of themselves to regroup before returning.) If you screw up, how do you do damage control or restore yourself?

I have my ideas of the answers just from my own experience and some informed guesses, but I've never directly asked, especially given the gravity sometimes heaped upon the potential dangers. I'm curious what others have in their own heads.

[p-taryn-dactyl]

I saw you're open to requests and I had request! 

What about Agatha and Reader being a couple for some time and Agatha is ready to say I love you so she is looking for the best moment but she is nervous because they are big words. In other words, Agatha is acting strange and that worries Reader.

Inspired by this phrase: No no, we aren’t breaking up!  You didn’t let me finish.  I’m gay for YOU. (And I’m queer for math!)

a/n: hi! thank you so much for this request, i think it's so fun! i definitely think Agatha would be the type of person to not be able to fully verbally articulate her feelings which would lead to beautifully angsty misunderstandings. i hope you enjoy this! i might've gone off track but i wrote this while listening to sad songs, something i probably shouldn't do :/ word count: 1.1k warning(s): misunderstandings; hurt-comfort; (light) angst with a happy ending; agatha doesn't know how to say 'i love you', r fears the worst; slight pov shifting my bad

give you love

You could feel Agatha’s eyes on you as you swayed around her kitchen, preparing dinner for the two of you to share while you watched a movie. Turning your head so you could catch her eyes, you felt a pang of disappointment as she quickly looked away, pretending to be really into the magazine in her hands, one that was upside down. Sighing, you went back to preparing dinner, allowing yourself to focus on the delicious smells coming from the vegetables sauteed in butter and garlic. She had been acting strange for a while now, her eyes holding a weight to them that scared you. She acted nervous while the two of you spoke, something that was a rarity now, visibly thinking over every word that left her lips. You had been through this before in previous relationships, they had slowly distanced themselves from you, watching you from the sidelines, wondering if they were making a mistake. You were almost certain Agatha was thinking about breaking up with you, something that cracked a large hole in your heart, but she didn’t know how. Taking a deep breath, you forced the thoughts from your mind, telling yourself you were overthinking again.

But Agatha hadn’t spoken to you at all today, save for the short answers she gave when you asked her how her day had been. The distance was getting too hard to ignore but you were determined to. 

You plated up the food, skillfully balancing the plates on your arms. Playfully, you moved almost like you were dancing until you were in front of your girlfriend, holding out her plate like it was an offering. 

“Your dinner, my lady.” 

You wore a playful smile that wasn’t reciprocated. Instead, Agatha looked up from her upside down magazine like she had been caught robbing a bank, giving you a small quirk of her lips before throwing the magazine to the side to grab the plate. You visibly deflated, something not lost on Agatha. Alarm flashed through her eyes, something you missed as you basically collapsed on the other end of the couch, legs tucked under you protectively as you stabbed at your plate. Agatha watched as you took a deep breath, your face scrunched together like you were holding back tears. She opened her mouth to speak, something she had been tragically failing at, but before she could, she watched you school your features, forcing a smile on your face as you looked up. 

“So what do you want to watch?” You asked, not able to meet Agatha’s eyes, not wanting to see the detachment you convinced yourself was there. Instead, you looked over her head, at the clock hanging on the wall behind her, the ticking almost mocking you, telling you this relationship was out of time. Agatha blinked, internally scolding herself for her actions. Why couldn’t she just say what she wanted? Was she scared of your potential rejection? Did she purposefully push you away because she didn’t feel lovable? The question jolted her into action, placing her plate of truly delicious smelling food on the coffee table in front of the couch. In her fear of being unlovable, she made you feel unloved. She could see it in the way you curled up on the couch, not wanting to take up space, not wanting to give Agatha another reason to ignore you. 

“Y/N,” she started gently, as if approaching a lion in a cage, “We need to talk.” 

Your eyes snapped to meet hers, tears welling up after weeks of being held back, shocking your girlfriend. You grasped your plate like a lifeline, body trembling slightly. Agatha leaned forward slightly, hand twitching with the want to hold you. Something she didn’t know would be received. 

“Shit,” you whispered, your words still clear to Agatha’s ears, her face now furrowed as her eyes examined you, “You really are breaking up with me.” 

Your words were like a gun at a horse race, causing Agatha to shoot forward, moving your plate to the table, and her knees practically straddling yours as her hands cupped your face. 

“No, no, baby I’m not, no I’m not.” Her voice was desperate as she spoke, her words trying to make the tears spilling down your cheeks go away. Confusion replaced some of the fear and sadness radiating in your eyes. Blinking, you shifted so you were on the end of the couch, your legs no longer touching Agatha’s, her hands still cradling your face as she refused to move. 

“Then what has the last few weeks been? You don’t talk to me and when you do, it’s like you’re calculating every word, like you don’t want to be there! Did I do something?” Your voice never rose but your words got shakier as you continued, your frustrations spilling out. Agatha’s hands got tighter on your face, not painfully but just enough for you to once again look into her eyes. She shook her head almost frantically, scoffing in anger towards herself. 

“Y/N, I have been so stupid. So, so, so stupid. I just-,” she sighed, shifting closer to you, your legs once again touching. You didn’t pull away, “I didn’t know how to say it. I’ve never been good at this sort of thing, verbally speaking. I’m much better at actions.” 

She winked at you but you just glared, determination, but also hope, sparking in your eyes. 

“Not the time for flirting, Harkness,” Agatha winced at the use of her last name, “You didn’t know how to say what?” 

You felt something blossom in your chest as Agatha pursed her lips and looked away, sighing. She closed her eyes and sighed before looking back at you, her thumbs caressing your cheeks. 

“I didn’t know how to tell you I love you.”

The air was sucked out of your lungs as you gapped at your girlfriend, whatever was blossoming in your chest bursting. Agatha’s own eyes widened and she bit her lip in fear as you remained silent. 

“See, this is-” She never got to finish her sentence as you launched yourself at Agatha, pushing her down against the couch as your lips captured hers. She returned the kiss as surprise flooded through her system, her arms now wrapped around you, hands holding onto your hips. You laughed tearfully in between kisses, giggling as Agatha kept chasing and capturing your lips. 

“Agatha Harkness, you are an idiot,” you said with no malice in your tone as you leaned away from the kiss. Agatha’s eyes lit up before she shifted, allowing you to comfortably lay on top of her, arms caging in her head. Leaning back down, you kissed her once again, this time slow and meaningful. By the time it was over, you were breathless. You pressed your forehead against Agatha’s, brushing your nose against hers before you sat backwards, now sitting lightly on Agatha’s hips. You placed your hand over where her heart was and she covered it with her own hand, grasping yours tightly. 

“I love you too, Agatha. So much.”

a/n: idk how i feel about the ending but please tell me you liked this, if you didn't keep that to yourself im fragile

[ariestrxsh]

sub!pizzaboy!chris nsfw alphabet

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

Aftercare isn't a requirement, but Chris loves having his back rubbed, his hair played with, and a little cuddle session after sex. Bonus points if you shower him in compliments about how well he did.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Chris has a big dick, and he knows it! It's definitely his favorite asset. On you, he loves your breasts and thighs.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Chris loves cumming in your mouth more than anything. He especially loves it when you stick your tongue out while he finishes.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Chris loves having sex on the clock!

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

Chris is very experienced and good at what he does - a certified slut.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

Chris loves when you ride him. He loves watching your breasts bounce, and he loves how easy it is for you to put your hands around his throat and kiss his neck while you're in this position.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

Chris takes his pleasure and your pleasure very seriously and is usually concentrated in the moment, but he loves the giggly and awkward moments, too.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Chris leaves his hair mostly natural but occasionally trims. On you, he prefers when you haven't shaven in a few weeks.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

Chris is a total service sub during sex and gets turned on by being overpowered. He's always willing to offer himself up to be used by you for your own pleasure. Eye contact and dirty talk during sex are a must for him. He loves it when the two of you are completely present in the moment, giving each other your full and undivided attention.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

Chris loves getting high and jerking off. He loves doing it in risky settings where he knows he could get caught. The thrill alone gets him off.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Chris has a raging praise kink, and he melts when you call him a "good boy." He's always down to be tied up, cuffed, choked, bitten, and anything that restricts his movement, his breathing, and causes him a little pain.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Chris' favorite kind of sex is risky sex, whether it's in a car, on the job, at work, etc.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Chris is motivated by praise, money, and neck kisses. He also loves seeing your face and hearing you moan while he's making you feel good.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Chris would never dom you. Not only does he think he would be bad at it, but he's just not interested in being a dom, and he'd never make the first move.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Chris is incredible at giving head, and he does it enthusiastically. He loves getting head just as much as he loves giving it.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Chris likes whatever you like, and he likes it when you're in charge and set the pace.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

Chris loves a quickie. He can get it up in seconds and can finish in just a few minutes as long as you finish first.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Chris loves an adrenaline rush. He's always down to experiment and try new things.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Chris can go for several rounds, and he'll last until you grant him permission to cum.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

Chris doesn't own any toys, but he loves it when you get out your bullet vibrator and tease his tip with it while you talk dirty to him.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Chris loves to tease, and he loves being teased (despite how hard he begs).

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

Depending on the sex, he might softly whimper in your ear, or he might call out your name and moan loudly. Either way, he loves being vocal during sex.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Chris' weakness is dominant, flirty, confident women who are usually a little older than he is or are in positions of power. Bonus points if they're in touch with their maternal side.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Chris is big, and despite how humble he tries to be about it, he knows it.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Chris has a really high sex drive. Sometimes finishing just once isn't enough.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Chris falls asleep pretty quickly after sex, but he usually needs a joint after sex and before asleep as well.

[kuromori4]

I know this comic was very much about Marc and Nath and I very much don't want to take that away from them, but I definitely see the parallels between Rain-Piercer & Sun-heart and Ladybug & Chat Noir.

Maybe it's obvious, but I enjoy analyzing it!

Sun-Heart clearly parallels Adrien/Chat. Blonde/golden hair, the whole 'Sunshine' aspect? AdriChat's bright and sunny disposition?

Then we have Rain-Piercer. Dark hair, more concerned about the consequences of them revealing? And the reference to all of the rain symbolism between Adrienette/LadyNoir?

Lets' break it down:

So this could be taken one of 2 ways:

1) This might be referring to the final battle with Monarch. It's showing us that this could have happened between then and now, That LB and CN discussed revealing after Monarch was defeated. Though since we know they didn't reveal, I'd say it's more likely it's a potential hint to the future--

2) Lila/New Butterfly is the "Deep Darkness" (Though it could also refer to the council stuff) And this is foreshadowing what could happen once they defeat her.

Now they realize that if they reveal, they would have to give everything up. Stop being LB and CN? Maybe even never see each other again if their only connection remains their time as heroes.

Chat is ready to reveal but Ladybug warns him the consequences of revealing their identities.

If Chat Noir reveals himself to Ladybug, then he won't be allowed to be Chat Noir any more.

I'm guessing the Great-Rain is referencing the Celestial Guardian, or maybe the order of the Guardians or something. Maybe even Ladybug herself, as she's the current Guardian. Considering her parallel's name here is Rain-Piercer and the authority in this story is 'the Great Rain' it could very well be that they mean 'Ladybug' and 'Ladybug as Guardian'.

And the sacred armor is obviously the Miraculous.

But Chat is ready to reveal. He's waited so long. He wants this. Like it says, He'd rather lose his powers than his partner, who's always been by his side.

Now we have Ladybug, convinced by Chat that she wants this too. She decides to go through with it. Renounce her burden (With a passion!)

Interestingly enough, this time it says 'powers of the Great-Sun...' which... they just said it was the Great-Rain, so I'm wondering if this is a mistake, or intentional? I'd have to really listen to the french to pick out exactly what's said. Maybe 'Great-Sun' is intentional and means something. I'll come back to this if I figure it out!

And then of course, we get the happy ending and the much-awaited reveal and kiss! So Chat Noir and Ladybug reveal, and they have their beautiful moment!

But.

This is the re-written version.

In their original draft, they both gave up their powers to be together. Nathaniel thought it was unfair that they should lose everything and not have their happy ending.

This is something fans have been discussing for ages. And there's the whole possibility of Ladybug losing her memories if she renounces her Guardianship, which has also been hinted at in this season already.

So Nathaniel changed the ending to ensure they got to keep their powers and have their happy ending.

So is Nathaniel a parallel to the writers themselves? Changing the lore to ensure that Ladybug and Chat Noir can continue their journey even after an identity reveal?

So then this leaves the question of which version we're going to get by the end? Is this their way of showing us that they can continue the show for 12 seasons AND still give us the big reveal?

I mean, how do you continue a show like this for so many seasons and keep the fandom on the line for that long with no reveal? This could be their way of introducing the idea that the story CAN continue post-reveal!

That's just my thoughts on the matter anyway! I hope you enjoyed my breakdown!

[secretgardensinmymindd13]

thinking about how buck and eddie’s love story is so beautiful exactly because they were written as friends first throughout the show

just to count all the small and grand gestures they did for each other, from the very beginning -

and they did it not because of some physical attraction, but because they just devoted themselves to each other platonically

because they didn’t have the instruments to recognize their romantic and sexual feelings for each other (like eddie repressing every single emotion known to mankind and therefore not being able to recognize his feelings most of the time, and buck keeping these thoughts somewhere very deep in his mind as irrelevant), they kind of had no physical spark that would motivate their actions. so they literally fell in love with each other’s souls

this is the definition of unconditional love

i think that’s my problem with bucktommy - because they really can’t compare to what buck and eddie have, what they built

like, i really don’t get bt shippers, ‘cause when i have buddie’s relationship right in front of my eyes, i can’t take bt seriously. they pale in comparison

and that’s not to diminish the relationships built on obvious romantic and physical attraction, like bathena and henren (madney probably counts as friends-to-lovers) - these couples are beautiful and amazing in their own way, and i consider them soulmates too

but i guess something about the best-friends-to-lovers trope will always scratch my brain, especially when it’s between two characters who believe - or genuinely don’t know - that they can have each other in a romantic way

it’s just such a raw and pure kind of love. and the longer these characters think they’re just friends, the more foundation for an otherworldly love they build with each brick of their platonic fondness and dedication

i really think that if the writers made shannon eddie’s endgame, and had them forgive each other and create a beautiful relationship like all the other couples on the show, i would’ve liked them. i think the actors had chemistry and looked good together, plus the characters already had deep history

and if they gave buck an actually interesting and fitting partner, i’d probably like them too

but then again, i’m so glad they didn’t - because eddie and buck’s characters are so perfect for each other in so many ways, i really can’t imagine them with anyone else but each other

there’s too much stuff between them, and the chemistry between the actors definitely plays a huge role too

when you have something so great in your hands, you don’t fumble it. (this is a message to the writers, because buck and eddie have been fighting the narrative for their love since day one)

and that’s also not to say romantic love is somehow superior to platonic love. as someone who cherishes her friendships even more than her romantic life at times, that’s definitely not the point i’m trying to make

but it’s just that, first of all, it’s what makes sense for these characters. and second of all, we as a society really need such a beautiful queer friends-to-lovers slow burn. i swear it will make history and lay the foundation for more layered and deep queer representation in the future

so, yeah, buddie being best friends who slowly fell in love with each other is my favorite thing about them

it’s the “i don’t have to want to sleep with everyone i have feelings for” part of it all

but they do want to sleep with each other, obviously, so i think they deserve it

just let’s go. let’s fucking go. let them kiss already

[onemashedbraincell]

🦴 - Is anyone in your system dating? If so, who is the strangest pair?

Yep! Only two as far as we’re aware, but they’re not exactly strange, especially since they were kind of in a situation ship in source.

💀 - Is there a particular source you have a lot of fictives from?

Oh, definitely. I stare at Slay the Princess in horror.

🪦 - Who has the strangest habits?

Well, we have one person, but I don’t think they’d like to share it so I’ll just go for the next weirdest one. Collecting insect corpses and random rocks.

⚰️ - Do you have any nonverbal headmates?

Yep! Involuntary and voluntarily!

🕷 - Who is the worst at masking?

The British one. Or the littles, but they mostly stay inside anyway so it’s not too big of a deal.

🕸 - How did your headmates get their names?

Depends on the alter, some find a name that feels right, some do extensive research to find something that matches them perfectly, some use a random name generator, some just come prepackaged.

☠️ - Do you have any headmates with colored hair,piercings, or tattoos?

Hm, off the top of my head, maybe two or three- but there’s probably more that I can’t think of.

🔪 - How consistent are you with logging switches?

Ooh, we’re really bad at this. We try our best, but when you can’t remember things and not all of your members are even aware you have simply plural, it gets a little tough.

🧿 - Is there anyone who spends most of their time in front complaining?

Uhh, yep. We have a few emotion holders who do that- also some persecutors, littles, it varies. Nobody in specific.

🎃 - Is there anything specific you do to help introjects feel more comfortable?

Allowing them to state clear boundaries, get things that are comforting to them that are from source, or allowing them to branch out if they prefer not to identify as their source! Whatever they need, for the most part.

👻 - How did you discover your plurality/systemhood?

We frankly do not remember very well, but one day they just. Appeared. We passed them off as imaginary friends. We were not imaginary friends.

🩸 - Is there anyone who absolutely hates their source?

No one who absolutely despises it, but there are definitely a few who don’t like to be associated with their source.

🦇 - Are there any songs that you associate with systemhood/plurality or your system as a whole?

Not really!

🐈‍⬛- Is there anyone who identifies as otherkin/therian?

Yep! We have a few guys in there, love those guys. They embrace themselves and don’t give a shit about what others think! They’re really great and sweet.

🔮 - How does your system determine who handles certain tasks/responsibilities?

it sort of plays out naturally- or higher ups decide, well, something like that. I’m not certain if there’s like anything specifically but generally they show up just knowing? Or they just end up settling into the role.

🧟‍♂️ - Who is the most outwardly intimating? Are they viewed the same way within the system?

Outwardly intimidating… probably nicole because of just how confident and blunt they are? they’re less intimidating insys but, yeah, still not the easiest to talk to.

🕯- Do your system's littles use "Baby Talk"?

It depends on the little. For the most part, no. Especially during text- any quirks are mainly voice-related when internally speaking, and those are unintentional and not too obvious.

⛓️ - Funniest quote out of context

“bros magical girl energy confuses me” - some guy in our head

⬛ - Is there anyone who has a unique/ non-traditional role?

Plenty, plenty. But you know, alters are unique to your experiences. But I suppose compared to the typical archetypes and such, definitely, yes.

🪳 - How do you visualize your headmates? (Drawing them,picrew,etc)

Typically through picrews, for Introjects fanart. Some guys want to draw, but it’s not typical.

System Ask Game #3

🦴 - Is anyone in your system dating? If so, who is the strangest pair?

💀 - Is there a particular source you have a lot of fictives from?

🪦 - Who has the strangest habits?

⚰️ - Do you have any nonverbal headmates?

🕷 - Who is the worst at masking?

🕸 - How did your headmates get their names?

☠️ - Do you have any headmates with colored hair,piercings, or tattoos?

🔪 - How consistent are you with logging switches?

🧿 - Is there anyone who spends most of their time in front complaining?

🎃 - Is there anything specific you do to help introjects feel more comfortable?

👻 - How did you discover your plurality/systemhood?

🩸 - Is there anyone who absolutely hates their source?

🦇 - Are there any songs that you associate with systemhood/plurality or your system as a whole?

🐈‍⬛- Is there anyone who identifies as otherkin/therian?

🔮 - How does your system determine who handles certain tasks/responsibilities?

🧟‍♂️ - Who is the most outwardly intimating? Are they viewed the same way within the system?

🕯- Do your system's littles use "Baby Talk"?

⛓️ - Funniest quote out of context

⬛ - Is there anyone who has a unique/ non-traditional role?

🪳 - How do you visualize your headmates? (Drawing them,picrew,etc)

[purplemoonfox]

On and in defense of Commander Fox and the Corries, and why I think they were set up to fail

Summary at the bottom because I like to go on.

Things we know for sure about clones and Fox and the Corries in the strictest canon sense (which ain't a lot):

1. They are stationed on Coruscant.

That is definitional, now remember what Coruscant is.

2. They have no Jedi in charge of the Guard, they report directly to Palpatine.

Although I adore the fanon that Quinlan Vos is their Jedi, it’s not canon.

3. Clones love their brothers dearly.

That is almost without exception, even the clones we see acting against the Republic (hi Slick) at least believe they were acting in their brother’s interests.

4. They seem to accrue extra responsibilities as the war goes on, up to the point of being the ones we see Palpatine with in ROTS.

Even if they don’t, the idea of a law enforcement/military unit answerable only to Palpatine is a shit idea. There’s reasons people worry about accountability in real life, and sneaky little shits who act all nice and innocent at first but eventually show their true colors once they have power in the bag is one of them.

These are all very obvious.

In very short terms, it's very likely Palpatine uses the Coruscant Guard to sow public dissatisfaction.

And all those that hate Fox fall for it by proxy, because I think you're essentially seeing of him (and the Guard, and by extension the clones) what Palpatine wants the public to see and think of clones.

The Coruscant Guard are probably the most consistently accessible and visible of the clones in the galaxy to its biggest cultural and political hub. Most of the time the 501st or 212th or any other seems to drop in, fights a battle, and apparently fucks off afterwards? Obviously, planets like Ryloth have a stronger personal connection--some GAR contingent seem to have been there practically the whole damn war and Howzer was obviously very familiar with the Syndullas, and they with him (and look how personable Howzer is, and how quickly and somehow easily he extricates himself from the rationale clones held about their orders; maybe it makes sense to think of it like how leaving your little hometown where everybody thinks the same affects a person)--but otherwise I feel like the clones, to the rest of the galaxy, are (expensive) theoretical constructs.

The vast majority of the public aren't likely to have any personal experience with a clone, let alone a develop personal rapport with one, unless they happen to go to specific places like 79s where they can be found, and that still doesn't necessarily lend itself to extended relationships since most of the clone patrons would only be on Coruscant temporarily. Some fics portray clones as being refused entrance to establishments (especially later in the war when people were protesting clones themselves) or restricted in where they can go (like grocery stores, etc.). I think that's plausible, even realistic--but it doesn't seem to be a focus of canon aside from showing some protests so I'll let it alone.

What we know of that IS canon is that clones aren't allowed to even think about having families or doing anything with their lives besides being soldiers (even though all of them have thought about it, even just secretly; I'd wager that all of them have secret dreams they don't share); it's against regulations as we see with Cut Lawquane in season one of TCW. So to effect this, clones are probably actively or passively discouraged from forming close friendly relationships with anyone who isn't a clone and who they have no reason to be speaking with—aka most people besides Jedi (and if the fanon can be believed, if decommissioning/euthanization is a concern, they would have the motivation to avoid even the perception of such a relationship). Obviously there are going to be exceptions, but you can scrutinize a stable population a lot better than an itinerant one.

The point is, if your only tangible frame of reference is a rigid hall monitor that doesn't demonstrate much of a personality (even though clones have real, complex personal lives beneath that surface) and is behind a faceless mask--and we see so little of the Guard that what exists of their personalities is, let's be real, nearly all fanon--then you never really have a chance to acquire a sense of their humanity, and a strict enforcement of regulations tends to breed resentment in a population for whom strict adherence to regulations isn’t normalized. There will be cultural differences in play.

This is not the clones' fault, they neither asked to be created nor put into this position, they’re only doing what they’ve been asked to do, but it plays directly into Palpatine's goals.

Moving on.

Sure, the Guard answers to Palpatine in the chain of command, and we see them actively serving him in ROTS, but Palpatine definitely isn't doing shit for fuck for the Guard's administration in a daily sense, so Fox basically runs that whole bitch by himself in every practical sense--a clone, with no rights of his own, considered property, in a situation increasingly hostile to him and his.

Now let's think about the clones we see: as far as we can tell, clones' social lives are largely insular. They mostly see and talk to each other, and that's not necessarily by nefarious design (as discussed above), that's just what happens (military people tend to hang out with other military people, that’s just how it is; you’ll spend most of your day around other military people, most likely stationed in a place you’re not so familiar with that it’s easy to do anything else). Remember: we as viewers get access and insight that people in-universe don't.

And, significantly:

The Corries do not have a Jedi. The Jedi see value in their lives beyond their merely being expendable, faceless, and unthinkingly obedient droids wearing flesh, this point was made multiple times--and the Jedi are able to walk the line between orders and the bigger picture, which rubs off on the men they lead. Go watch Nala Se’s (bitch can catch these hands) comments about the Jedi’s influence on the clones when she’s speaking to Dooku.

I can see leaving the Corries without a Jedi being another saccharine, oh-so-magnanimous moment from Palpatine (he has so many of these) in the vein of expressing confidence in the clones' capability and in being very undemanding of the Jedi, in order to “free up” Jedi (whom he so totally trusts) to fight the war…but in effect leaving the Guard without anyone familiar with Coruscant and equipped to play referee with the environment and peoples they're bound to serve, and with no one batting in their corner or showing them any other way to exist and think.

On a side note:

Fox is an interesting clone commander anyway, not least because he doesn't have a Jedi to bounce off of. In a sense, whether or not Fox had his chip activated, we’re probably seeing how a clone commander was originally going to behave on their own initiative: see problem, address problem, think no more deeply than that. The Kaminoans did not want creative thinking in the clones. The clones were trained to fight the enemy they’re pointed at with singleminded intent, it stands to reason that that straightforward directness would transfer to other instances which might have been more kindly served by a different mindset. Their mindset isn’t even like a real life military where you’re still obligated to think about the nature of what you’re ordered to do—just following orders hasn’t been a valid defense since 1945.

TBH I've got a lot to say about fandom, the fetishization of actual violence through the lionization of fictional violence (although I don't think that fictional violence breeds actual violence; rather, I think people who were already interested in it go looking for things they think reflect their beliefs), and why we even have war crimes as a concept (and the absolute ignorance perpetrated by an increasingly illiterate populace), but...

I digress.

You cannot claim to have sympathy for clones without acknowledging their humanity and that includes for the ones who didn’t have the chance to grow beyond the limitations built around them. It was awful that Fox killed Fives, but it’s a tragedy like so much else in this franchise, not proof that Fox is awful. Part of the horror of what we see everyone go through in clone wars is how many times Palpatine’s plans almost derail but it never happens.

If your complaint is that Fox didn’t think any more deeply than what was right in front of him in the moment, remember that that’s exactly what’s been expected of Fox and all other clones: obey orders, and it’s not their role to determine what those orders are. Abstractions are for those who are not expendable, made to die. Orders are orders, and good soldiers do what again? He quite literally all but says “my opinion doesn’t matter” when he tells Ahsoka that he doesn’t blame her for (apparently) killing Letta, but she’s under arrest anyway.

Fox is put in a position of having to wield authority in a very different way than any other clone commander, has no direct support from or evident collaboration with the one group of people who generally see clones as living beings worthy of compassion, and deals with the public while having been trained to lead a war campaign. His is a war of attrition, not dropping in on a planet and fighting a battle, and he’s responsible specifically to Palpatine, who is literally the big bad. Fanon tends to think that Palpatine either activated his chip early or tortured him; honestly either one tracks, it's Palpatine after all--and in two major instances, we don't see what Palpatine says, to Fives or to Fox--but the fucker is a masterful manipulator so anything and everything is still on the table.

But in the midst of all this, because clones aren’t unthinking or unfeeling, and the dissonance is tragic but not absent:

Clones do give a shit about their brothers. Fox is no exception; he's audibly upset when he asserts that Ahsoka killed three troopers. And the immediate order to shoot to kill is pragmatic--he only issues it after he believes she was willing to kill clones to escape. That’s a fair order; if she’s willing to kill clones as he believes she did, then his men should at least be able to defend themselves as well as they can. See issue, address issue.

I mean. Shit, he doesn’t stick around after he shot Fives; we see his face once and that is not a triumphant posture. If he wanted to gloat or be an asshole about it he had the chance. Rex probably would've gone for the throat, but he had the chance.

The way he dies also suggests this. He could have thrown somebody else under the bus--called the men who fired on Vader defective, shifted blame somewhere else, somehow. He did not. There was one thing Fox ever had control over in his life, and that was how much he let anyone else take the fall. Hell, his answer wasn't even that bad, but Anakin (who is on my permanent shit list for not putting two and two together from the Sifo-Dyas reveal and what Fives told him earlier) probably did have it out for him, because Vader is an asshole. He's a Sith, it comes with the territory.

So, to summarize:

Clones are trained from decanting to do as they're told regardless of their personal feelings, and Fox in nearly so many words states that he acts regardless of his personal feelings. He is not likely to be in a position where he's shown a different way to behave, or interact with anyone that does anything but reinforce that expectation.

(Side note, I feel like Palpatine would have a great time tormenting Fox by sending him off to do shit he personally disagrees with but is technically correct according to the letter of the law..................)

Fox essentially is on his own in an environment unlike what most clone commanders deal with that he probably wasn't trained to understand much of (cultural understanding is important); it's rather likely the Guard hews very close to their training because of that. They'll stick to what's familiar and what's expected of them as they understand it. That is a very normal human response.

Leaving the Corries without a Jedi means that, as well as lacking anyone who sees them as individuals worth more the money it cost to make them and who treats them as such, they lack a go-between and likely familiarity with the population they're policing but are subordinate to, legally speaking, as clones are seen as government property, not people. This is going to breed resentment; somebody is going to bitch that no clone has the right to do bla bla bla.

The vast majority of the galaxy is going to take cues from Coruscant whether they like admitting it or not. If Coruscant has a bad impression of clones, then the vast majority of the galaxy—for whom the clones are (expensive) theoretical constructs—will have a bad impression of clones. Clones may not be in a position to pursue close relationships with someone not in their near orbit, and may be likely to actually avoid them because of regulations.

The vast majority of the galaxy would likely see them as unthinking, rigid hall monitors (whereas non-clone troopers, stormtroopers, think for ourselves and we wouldn’t act that way..........).

Which all gives Palpatine an excuse to give in soooo magnanimously to the public's demands to stop using clones as troops.

[shalfeis]

I really like your hsr character as a cat can you do the other way around?

Like reader as their cat 👀?

cat!reader x astral express

possible ooc

The Astral Express often travels to a variety of places and planets, and it's no secret that the crew finds interesting curiosities, things, and so on from time to time. Or the residents themselves bring unusual items as a thank you.

Actually, this time you and the other crew members helped one merchant, and he showered you with thanks and gave you a whole box of various cool things.

Some were very ordinary and nondescript, others were a little more interesting. But what caught your attention the most was an amulet with a blue gemstone. Surprisingly, it perfectly matched your image, as if it was originally made especially for you.

You calmly walked with him all day and at some point began to feel strange. The last thing you remember is going to your room. You woke up on the floor, fumbling with your paws and meowing, instead of talking normally.

What happened next?

March 7 was the first to discover that you were missing. Although, like, she was just walking towards you, as you had agreed to spend the night, and found you. At first she didn't understand where the cat was coming from on board the train, but from your desperate attempts to explain and reactions, she guessed what was what.

She thinks you're charming. She didn't stop chirping about how cute you were and took a whole bunch of photos non-stop. You're afraid that the camera might run out of memory. And when she heard you meowing and purring softly from her caresses, that's it, March grabbed the blow. It's too charming.

Caelus didn't help either. He flew into March's room, saying something about trash and a recently released game along the way, and fell silent when he saw you. After a moment of hesitation, he joined March. Caelus wouldn't be Caelus if he didn't tease you and act like you're really a cat instead of a human in a cat's body.

Of course, it was fun with these two, but this situation started to bother you. I would like to get my original body back. But you couldn't not take advantage of your situation. So while March and Caelus were distracted by an argument about some nonsense, you slipped through the door and headed for the only sane person on the express.

To whom? That's right, to Dan Heng. Since Himeko and Welt were away because they were away on business, you could only count on him.

You prayed to find him in the archive, and fortunately, the eons heard you. He was sorting through the data when you snuck into his room. You gently touched his hand, and he was surprised to find a cat in his room.

- Hmm? Hmm, I don't remember that we took animals on an express train - Dany picked you up and began to examine you.

It didn't take him long to put two and two together and realize that you were in front of him.

Before he could come up with a plan of action, Caelus and March 7 came to him with a very guilty look, crying that they had lost you. However, they quickly calmed down when they saw you in Dan Heng's arms.

- Y/n, that's not fair! We almost had a heart attack! - Caelus looked offended and relieved at the same time.

- Exactly! You need to warn us before you go anywhere in this state! - March was indignant, although she gradually calmed down that you were okay.

You, as is typical of a cat, turned away from them, wagging your tail. I also made myself more comfortable at Dan Heng's. The three of you started a playful altercation, which caused the archivist to smile slightly. He was definitely enjoying this situation.

After calming down, they began to discuss what to do. Having made the most reasonable decision, Dan Heng contacted that merchant and began to ask about this amulet. As it turned out, he did not think that there was still energy in the amulet, so he gave it as a gift. Fortunately, the amulet's effect doesn't last longer than a day, so all you have to do is wait.

Although, sitting back and doing nothing is too boring, isn't it? That's what you thought, and you decided to have a pajama party in Dan Heng's room (not that he was against it). After a few hours, you were completely exhausted and fell asleep.

Upon returning to the train, Himeko and Welt found the four of you sleeping with your arms around each other. They giggled and decided not to wake you up, quietly going to another place to discuss a recent trip.

a/n: I thought it would be a bit boring to write as reader is a cat of the characters, as I did before, only the other way around, so this came out.

[marsprincess889]

A little treat 💕 (some observations and information about Bharani as both the Sun and the Moon enter this nakshstra)

If you feel more serious and heavy now than during the last weeks, do not take it personally.

Name : "The Star of Bearing"

Yoni animal: Male Elephant 🐘(yoni consort_ Revati)

Symbols: the Yoni (female sexual organ), the boat, a cave (as reminiscent of the Yoni).

Planetary ruler: Venus ♀️

Sign: Aries🐏 🔥♈♂️(active Mars, Fire element)

Ruling deity: Yama_ God of death and dharma

Caste_ Outcast (Mleccha)

Nature_ Fierce (Ugra)

Element_ Earth

Gunas: Rajas- Rajas- Tamas

Purpose: Artha (material acquisition)

The themes of Bharani connect humans to the origins of their very existence. And as much philosophy and existential contemplation is embedded in Bharani natives, it's still very much a material nakshatra, grounding the essence/spark that was initiated through movement in Ashwini, making its potential and vision possible and real. It's in Aries_ the first sign, it deals with birth and self-definition, putting the soul into the body, the substance (masculine) into the form (feminine), and it rules over the authority of the feminine as she goes through her ebbs and flows and birthes life, as she absorbs and gives, as she commands the natural heirarchy just as the masculine forces find themselves helpless through all of it.

What do you want most in life? What do you think you came to live for? How do you achieve it? Can you achieve it? Does something else dictate your actions? Can you fight that something? Should you bow down to that something?

How do you get your way and live the life that you came to live? The theme here is pure, unbridled force and passion that meets fate, struggles against it and finds a way to achieve its desire, or not. Venus here is both the force of movement(masculine) and the force of restraint (feminine) as they fight and clash and come together and then birth life. Ultimately, as the masculine movement that was free in Ashwini meets the desire (Venus and Bharani), it also meets fear and with it the reverance for fate, for whatever higher power it recognizes, which is love_ what humans have no control over, and their lover.

I have to say though that Ashwini, in many ways, is similar to Bharani (both are Aries nakshatras, their dynamic is often more friendly or neutral than romantic) and is not the opposite force that meets it cosmically. That force is Revati, which is the individuated being, finally achieving true freedom and wealth, both free from and willingly immersed in Bharani's programming. While Bharani enforces or struggles with limitations, Revati gently guides themselves snd others through them, making the journey enjoyable. The questions that concern Bharani concern Revati too (same with all yoni consorts, they all deal with the same things and balance each other out with their energies): what is, in the end, the nature of life? That question contains all the other questions that these two nakshatras deal with. Bharani is heavy, intense, fierce, serious, with undertones of tragedy and the stubborn, fiery willpower. Revati is light, gentle, humorous and wise, with undertones of watery melancholy beneath its effortless nirvana and euphoria. People say that tragedy and comedy are really one and the same, it's the perspective that is altered with time that dictates how we percieve anything, (along with inherent characteristics or other forces out of our control. Saturn is time, it's debilitayed in Bharani, the Saturnian nakshatra of Yama. It's birth nakshatra is Revati).

The themes of Bharani are hidden but obvious. They are eternal and immortal (as Bharani is the end and the beginning) but secretive and ever-changing just the enduring power of the feminine changes to adapt and keep the infinity going. It's very symbolically charged and sometimes literal in an ironic and spiritual way once you dive into it.

My other published posts about Bharani as of April 28 2025:

Overview/analysis

Bharani as goddesses (connection to mythology)

Difference between three Venus nakshatra women

"The Northman" (2022)_ analysis with nakshatras (one of them is Bharani. I did not know it at the time of writing it but Anya Taylor Joy, who plays a major role there, has Bharani ascendant based on her C rated birth time, meaning that there's a chance it's incorrect)

Venus suffers when it compromises

Bharani's feminine beauty

Bharani playlist

You can also find Bharani in my astrology observations and other posts that include various/all the nakshatras.

[project-lumen]

PROJECT LUMEN ANNOUNCES….

APPLICATION ROUND 2’S OPENING! 

As you have all been waiting for, today (as of this post), is the 30th of april! We have our application round open from now until the 20th of May, so make sure you apply before then! We wish you all the best luck on your applications!

We are delighted to present to you:

The background and UI artist application form:

(More info about the role of Background Artists is here, and info about the role of UI Artists is here)

The Writer application form:

(more information about the Writer role is here)

Common questions (and their answers):

How many applicants will you be taking? 

Background artist - 6-8, but flexible in that it depends on how many applications we have.

Script writers - 6-8, also flexible like background artists.

UI artists - 1-2. 

Will there also be applications for character artists/programmers/voice actors/item-prop artist? 

Nope! 

Character artists - As of now, we have character artists for each of the Lifers. However, if one of the artists drops out, we will most likely re-open a smaller application for them. But it seems unlikely.

Programmers - We already have programming covered at this point in the project.

Voice actors - We will also not be taking any Voice Actors, as that would be way too much trouble for multiple reasons. 

Item/prop artists - We are still early in development, and so we are not exactly sure what objects/items we would include. While the answer to needing item artists is most definitely a rotund yes, it might be a little while before opening applications for them, so, you might want to stick around for when that time comes.

What is required in the Background Artist portfolio? 

We require 3-5 pieces of art, but are pretty flexible if you have more you think we need to see. The pieces themselves preferably contain works that show your skills in composition, detail, and colour. Not all of the pieces need to be backgrounds, some may be character art or something else, but they still all need to show your skill to the best of your ability. You also do not only have to have mcyt art in your portfolio.

What needs to be in the writer’s portfolio?

For Writers, while we do need to see a few of your pieces as well as a link to your ao3, we mostly need your willingness to collaborate with other Writers! What we will be looking for in your works isn’t skill in prose, but characterisation and dialogue. Maybe a tiny bit of scene handling.

Can we have examples of the style UI is going to be in, and what we need for the portfolio?

You can see examples of the pixel art style here.

We'd like to see UI artists are capable of doing pixel art, knowing the principles, and having a good grasp on the style (aka: keeping shapes readable and knowing how to shade). When submitting examples, we'd like to see pieces you are proud of and you believe capture your pixel expertise best, whether they be full illustrations or smaller sprites, anything goes! Also be sure to include pixel animation examples!

You also do NOT need coding experience, you will not be doing that side of UI.

If you have any queries in the application process that we have not already answered send us an ask! There are more already answered questions that you can check under #projectlumenasks !