#in fact we get the opposite of that. we get a worse version of that. which makes me not care about them at all

[chromaticroses]

self care is blocking v3 haters ☺️🙏

[wilcze-kudly]

Something I've always loved about atla is how it handled scars, particularly Zuko's facial scar and Aang's lightning scar.

I've probably spoken before about how, as a burn victim with a ton of skin grafts on my legs, torso and hand, Zuko really was the first character "like me" that I saw on TV. It was, as you can guess, quite a momentous moment for kid me. Which is probably why I'm so disheartened on the live action show shrinking and toning down Zuko's scar significantly.

Too often scars, especially burn scars are seen as gore or body horror and too graphic to be seen on TV that isn't horror or related genres. And often scars, especially facial scars are reserved purely for villains and are used as a signifier for 'evil'. A trope that you'll find is still alive and kicking even today even in big franchises.

And while Zuko does reinforce this trope to some extent, I think it was subverted enough for it to have irs own merit. Atla also steers away from the scars=evil narrative, by having a lot of "good" characters have scars too like Bato and Song. This helps destigmatise scars as a whole, making Zuko's 'scarred villany' seem like a more individual case.

In Atla, scars are more the trademark of victims rather than villains and this rings true for Zuko too.

Zuko is a victim of the Fire Nation in the sense that the Fire Nation's values of war, strength and honour facilitated Ozai's abuse of him, particularly the scarring.

Zuko's scarring does follow a very established trope of a son being scarred by a father, which is surprisingly prevalent, especially with burn victims. Seriously I collect these men like pokemon. This tropiness isn't a bad thing, since I think it leads to us very quickly sympathising with him. I certainly did, since his experience mirrors my own.

The scene of Zuko's scarring is also particularly special, due to it being rather unique, because it isn't quick or an action scene, nor is it shown as an overly gory horror scene, despite it being, well, horrific.

It's... tasteful. Or at least, as tasteful as the scene of a child getting scarred by their father can be, I suppose. It doesn't linger on the violence, but also doesn't sugarcoat it. The scene of Zuko's scarring, and the events leading up to it also give us a good exposition to his better qualities, like his compassion, and a good explanation for why these qualities stay buried.

I can understand why some people in the fandom believe that Zuko's scar symbolises his 'worse side', but I actually believe its the opposite. Very often, when a character has a 'split down the middle' type of scar, their scarred side represents their worse half, like with Two Face from DC.

Because Zuko's scar doesn't symbolise his allegiance to the Fire Nation, it symbolises the fact that he failed to live up to the Fire Nation's standards. It's a physical reminder of the time Zuko actively defied the Fire Nation's standards and mindset.

We get a lot of nods to Zuko's scar aymbolising disgrace and failure to uphold ehat the Fire Nation expected of him. It's literally a physical blemish upon his 'honour'.

This is especially noticeable when Zuko's appearance is contrasted with Ozai, who exists as sort of the human stand in for the Fire Nation's imperialism. For most of the show, we are not shown any of Ozai's features, his face being obscured by shadow or out of frame.

We finally see Ozai's face, it's when Zuko is seeing hik for the first time in years. And Ozai looks so similar to Zuko. An unblemished, perfect, complete Zuko, so to speak. In Zuko's fever dream, where we see an unscarred Fire Lord version of Zuko, he looks exactly how I imagine a younger Ozai would look. I also love that Zuko's adult design seems to lean into this similarity.

Furthermore, Zuko's scar is used time and time again as a way he connects with victims of the Fire Nation. People who don't know him, like Song and Jet, assume him to be another victim of the Fire Nation, citing his scar as the reason why. Which is half true, Zuko is a victim of the Fire Nation, just not in the way they think.

Jet: I think Lee would make a good Freedom Fighter. He's just trying to find his way in the world, like us. Smellerbee: You don't know anything about him, Jet. Jet: I know he didn't get that scar from a waterbender.

One person who doesn't connect to Zuko over his burn scar is Katara. I love the scene of Katara and Zuko in the crystal catacombs. It's a profound scene and one that always makes me a bit emotional, especially in the wider context of atla, a subject I've touched on in this post.

However, the handling of Zuko's scar in this scene is especially dear to my heart. I strongly remember that, when Katara offered to heal Zuko's scar, I actually got scared and upset. I was terrified of Zuko's scar being erased, of the connection I felt to him snuffed out and one of the best parts of his characterisation being erased.

But that's not what happened, and the scene is amazing on that front and all others.

We learn that Katara asscociates Zuko's face with the Fire Nation, which makes sense, since he's been kinda clingy for the entire 1st season. Katara denies it having to do with anything with Zuko's scar.

Katara: It's just that for so long now, whenever I would imagine the face of the enemy, it was your face. Zuko: My face? I see. [He touches his scar.] Katara: No, no, that's-that's not what I mean.

The Katara lover in me believes her. As a a member of the Sothern Water Tribe, she probably has seen many burn victims. And her pursuing healing would also probably lead her down the route of normalising and understanding burn scars.

However, I would not be surprised or disconcerted if the scar did have something with Katara perceiving him as a villain. After all, to a lot of people, scars and "ugliness" denote moral ugliness. The very obvious fire asscociation probably doesn't help someone traumatised by the Fire Nation too. It is a sad fact of life that even those who know better subconsciously react to people with scars and other "deformities" with disgust and distrust.

We also see Zuko explicitly give us the rundown of his previously unspoken struggle with feeling like his scar is defining him as a person.

Zuko: It's okay. I used to think this scar marked me. The mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, I've realized I'm free to determine my own destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark.

This is something I can relate to as someone with prominent scarring and I'm sure we all sometimes feel defined by things outside of our control. Sometimes It's hard to seperate your identity from your appearance. And it's even harder to seperate yourself from events that influenced you so harshly.

As I previously highlighted, Zuko's scar relates strongly to his failure to adhere to the Fire Nation's ideals and conventions, his failure to be the perfect prince of the nation. And while to us, that is a good thing, to Zuko, at least at first, that is a very, very bad thing.

To Zuko, the scar is a symbol of his flaws, and a just, if not harsh punishment for his percieved transgression. He sees it as a brand, denoting his mistake and shame. He sees it as the physical manifestation of what his banishment and scorn from Ozai means.

It's only when he begins growing as a person away from the Fire Nation's influnece, that he starts to realise that the scar is just a scar. It holds no power over him. And while he relapses for a moment, "demystifying" his scar allows him to do the same to the event of his scarring. It allows him to look back at that moment and not see righteous discipline, but rather see it for what it was and go "hey wait a minute that was actually fucked up.". Which allows him to look at The Fire Nation's conquest of the world and go "hey this is also fucked up.", when the lessons he's learnt in the Earth kingdom finally click.

I believe this is why we see Zuko almost purely from the side of his scar in the scene where he confronts Ozai, especially when it's contrasted with Ozai's unscarred eyes.

Zuko's scar, like many scars in fiction, symbolises imperfection. But rather than an "objective" imperfection, as most fictional scars do, Zuko's scar symbolises his imperfection through the skewed and biased eyes of the Fire Nation. It's a nice subversion of the trope that usually encourages us to equate beauty with goodness and ugliness with evil.

Side note, I know I've been using the terms "ugly" and "ugliness" to talk about scars. I just wanted to note that I don't think scars automatically mean someone isn't attractive/scarred people are ugly. But in a lot of media, scars are seen as gross and ugly, which is why I've been using these terms.

I like that Zuko defies this trope by being drawn as very attractive with his scar, and even being seen as desireable in canon.

Even though it does loop back to the 'attractive=good' symbolism, I don't think it totally invalidates the story Zuko's scar is telling. Plus it WAS an ego boost to child year old me who thought no one whould ever love me bcs I looked like a burnt chicken nugget. So I'll let it slide.

I love Zuko's scar, and I love how it seamlessly fit into the story, while also subverting tropes and invalidating stigmas towards scarred people. It's probably one of my favourite, if not very personal aspects of the character.

I do however, also want to analyse and go over Aang's scar from Azula's lightning and I plan to go over it at a later date, since this post is getting a bit long and overwhelming.

Toodles!

[amethxxt]

i'm ranting about descendants again and this is a long one

Alright, I talked a little bit about this on twitter literally yesterday (https://x.com/amethxxt/status/1798768561613361458) but I wanted to do it here too, so here we are!!

I think everyone has seen these pictures by now. It's from Descendants new book "The World of Auradon: Royals & Villains".

Now, at first, I got really excited (in a way, I still am) because it'll probably give me more material to use in my fics. Also, Uma looks absolutely stunning, so I immediately began reading her page and... Well, it's not the nicest things, right?

Like I said on twitter, I can't be the only one who sees the majorly different ways they talk about Uma and Mal.

With Mal, they start saying she's a "confident natural leader", and like- no, she's not, far from it.

I think the best version we got from Mal was on D1. She was such a good character and that's when I think the writers succeded the most with her - I believe it was hard to find someone who actively disliked or simply hated her.

When D2 came out, things went slightly downhill. Mal's inner conflict of not being the picture perfect Lady of the Court and feeling that the odd one out because she wasn't doing well in Auradon when compared to her friends is very realistic.

The pressure that she was feeling to be perfect and all the new things that came with being the King's girlfriend makes you understand why she was so anxious and wanted to leave. Now, I think we should all understand that this makes Mal a very insecure person.

She's insecure, she's flawed and runs away the first chance she gets because everything becomes too much. And if they wrote her like that, how is she a confident natural leader?

When the Core Four and Ben go after her, it's when things begin to change. Mal has a few moments in this movie: running away and leaving just a note to her best friend, claiming Dizzy was going to be fine when Evie felt sorry about leaving a child in the abusive place they all grew up in, betraying Uma's trust. Yeah.

I'm gonna make it very clear that I really like Mal as a character. I criticize her a lot because the writers started putting her in a pedestal, overpowering her and trying to erase anything that could be seen as bad.

Why would they have Mal apologize for using a love spell on Ben when they make such a cute couple and would be endgame anyways?

It gets worse in D3. I remember watching them announce that Hades was Mal's father and being like "No fucking way" because you want this girl to be not only half-fairy but a half-god?? Was this the only way to have his ember in the story?

Well, I think we got used to that plot after a while, but then - Oh, Mal's also Lady of the Court, she'll be a part of the decisions that concern the Isle of the Lost and a voice for the other VKs.

Yes, Mal is "a confident natural leader" who turns her back on her people and comes up to the idea of closing the Barrier for good to protect Auradon citizens.

Why do they refuse to bring up the fact that it was her idea?? Nevermind the fact that her and Ben weren't married yet, she was not the Queen and had absolutely no power to make that decision. They make Ben so useless, a King with no voice because he's not the main character, right?

So she makes a decision that's not up to her and proceeds to lie to all of her friends, makes empty promisses to both Celia and Uma, and when shit hits the fan, nothing happens.

Having Evie confront her about it is one of my favorite scenes, but what are the consequences? I understand that it was the final movie, but it's so rushed that makes everyone else feel out of character.

Mal and Evie can be the best of friends, but you can't tell me Mal would be like "I was wrong, I have to be a voice for everyone and I shouldn't have lied" and Evie would be just "Ok, perf".

And what about the opposite? When Mal betrays Uma for probably the third time, Uma has no trouble forgiving her? Of course they don't mention what happens in the books, they don't mention Mal trying to hurt Evie (or even get her killed lol) and they don't mention the "shrimpy" incident with Uma.

They don't talk about Mal's wrong doings the same way they talk about Uma.

Uma, according to the new book, is a "confident and resourceful VK with a major mean streak". Sorry, Uma has a mean streak? I don't think so. What Disney and Descendants keep doing is use the definition of a villain for a character who's an antagonist.

Villains have malicious intentions, they are evil. You're gonna tell me the girl who simply wants for all the children to get off the Isle, a place they were forced to live in along with murderers and other criminals, some of those who happened to be their parents, all while surviving off of the garbage that came from Auradon, is the evil one?

That is not to say Uma doesn't make mistakes or does bad things. Mal and Uma have the common point of using a love spell on Ben, which is awful and should be acknowledged as that, but they only do it in Uma's case.

"When Mal and her friends successfully freed Ben, Uma took it one step further by putting Ben under a magic love spell" x "She [Mal] used spells to mess with other students, to convince Ben that he loved her, and to change herself in order to fit in as Ben's girlfriend. But once she realized she needed to ditch the spell book and learn to survive without magic, she was able to become the queen she was always meant to be"

Those... are not the same to me. They detail every thing Uma does during D2, making it clear that using a love spell was worse than the previous actions of kidnapping him, but with Mal it almost feels like they excuse her actions because, eventually, she learned that magic wasn't the way to become who she was meant to be.

Also, what do you mean Mal felt guilty about the other VKs who were left behind? Mal didn't even look sad when her and Evie were leaving Dizzy behind! Evie was the one to come up with the idea to bring more children to Auradon, and when that magically turned into the VK Day (my arch-nemesis plotline along with Merlin Academy), she didn't look worried at all that it would them so long to free all the kids if they were going to pick 4 each time.

And again, her idea to close the Barrier for good (with no way in or out) would mean that eventually, everyone left in the Isle would die. I know it's Disney, and they would never make that happen, but if you're not going in to even leave your trash there (aka their food source), yeah, they're all dying.

Now, with Uma, they point out how she wanted to escape and get revenge on Mal, but like...... not really? Of course she mentions in D2 how she wants Mal's new turf and tries to make a deal with her to leave with her crew, but when she's actually free and we get into D3, it's been months (I think) and while Auradon's scared she's going to do something, we find out Uma spent all that time looking for a hole in the Barrier to get the kids out.

When she makes another deal to help Mal, all she asks for is the guarantee that every kid who wants to leave the Isle is able to do so. Who breaks that promise? The "villain" with the major mean streak or the confident natural leader?

I'm not saying that Mal is real villain, because she's really not. But she's far from how they describe her and if you're gonna tell me she's a natural leader, I better not see her bringing down the Barrier, letting both the kids and villains out, and acting like it's the right thing to do.

VK Day wasn't the answer to free the innocents, but bringing down the Barrier isn't it either! Mal doesn't "help convice Auradon citizens to accept all VKs into Auradon Prep" she just decides to do that lol

And again, that decision is not up to her, she had no legal right to do it. She was just Lady of the Court and nothing else.

Like I said on twitter, Disney and Descendants like Uma because she's a fan favorite, she was one since they announced her as a character. But they insist on the idea that Auradon changed her for the better, as if she was never someone who fought for what was right. She's not perfect either, but they can't write about her in a way that makes her look better than Mal.

How did Mal stop her at the end of D2? Mal didn't do anything, they were fighting, Ben made a speech, Uma turned around and left. That was it.

How did Auradon transform her? Of course they are implying that because of Rise of Red and her becoming the new principal, and even though this plot still kinda confuses me, it still seems like all the wants is for Auradon to be a fair place that doesn't discriminate against anyone.

I now this is getting too long, but I really like ranting about descendants. It's my comfort franchise but there's so many things wrong with it lol

And I also know I'm probably looking too deep into it, but I don't think I'm the only one who sees the ways Disney has always treated Uma and Mal differently.

I want to get this book and see if there's anything else about them. I really wished Disney and Descendants treated Uma better, though.

[ponderingmoonlight]

Chapter 3: Window of Opportunity

Pairing: Gojo x fem! reader

Warnings: language, Gojo being well Gojo, domestic violence, thank y'all for sharing your experience with me, it helped me so much understanding childhood trauma and made me transform it into this fic <3

Synopsis: Being the daughter of the Zenin clan made it your mission to defeat him. Him, Satoru Gojo, the honored one. Him, who makes your life a living hell. Him, who begins to get so much more than your curse...

Genre: Enemies to Lovers, Romance, Hurt to Comfort

<- Previous Chapter l Next Chapter ->

„Oh, did you say something? I can’t understand you when you’re crying like a baby”, you purr as the eyes of the man who writhes in front of you like a little worm fill with tears of sheer fear.

Your grin grows wider and wider, satisfaction filling you to the brim. Maybe that mission isn’t so bad after all when you’re finally able to use your special abilities again.

While you are a skilled combat fighter, the director strictly forbids you to use Phobia Projection against another member of Jujutsu High since your former classmate almost hung himself because of it. You roll your eyes out of instinct.

As if it was his fault that his mind is so damn weak.

“I know he tried to kill us a few seconds ago. But don’t you think you’re going a little too harsh on him, (y/n)?”, Geto questions while manspreading the whole couch and eying you up and down.

“I’m not harsh on him. He’s seeing his own fears, I have nothing to do with that”, you defend yourself with a casual shoulder shrug.

How is it your fault that this guy acts like a baby? You let yourself sink next to Geto, watch from afar how the little bug continues to cry out in agony.

Unfortunately, your powers don’t allow you an insight into what your opponents go through. Is his worst fear a spider, a monster, or even worse…a human? Too bad there’s no way to find out since they never tell you afterwards. Maybe you’ll be able to torture it out of him. With a little bit of cutting and a whole lot of punching-

“P-please, make it stop!”, he yells out over and over.

The violent ringing of Geto’s phone rips you out of your chuckling and more than entertaining thoughts with an annoyed groan. Urgh, who the hell is interrupting that wonderful moment?

“Did you beat him already? I hope the dirty Zenin brat wasn’t in the way.”

You don’t have to look at the screen to know who’s calling, pulse rising to the rooftop. It’s him, the white-haired douchebag. Much to your liking, Geto decided it would be best if you accompany him instead of Gojo. But even if you’re not forced to be next to him physically right now, you’re still doing this mission together. Which means that he’s always there – like herpes.

“Spare your stinky breath. We were done before you decided to-“

“HELP ME! SOMEONE HELP ME!”

“Can you shut the fuck up? I’m having a serious call with a douchebag right now”, you bark at the man rolling on the floor.

“You’re an evil witch”, Gojo comments dryly on the other side of the phone.

“Evil, huh? Well, at least I’m not as dumb as-“

“Can you two just stop? We have him here as well as the vessel. I’ll send you the location. Don’t cause trouble.”

“Tell that this little-“

Oh right, the plasma vessel. You eye the girl lying opposite of you up and down, her dark hair falling into her closed eyes like a curtain. Must be rough, knowing your only reason walking on this planet is the stinging fact that a part of you will get killed within the next years.

How is she different from you, though?

You, with your family pressuring you into pouring your heart and soul into training, who never accepted you despite your heart work. You, who lost a part of herself in the process of forcing the best version of (y/n) onto you. You, who slowly but surely turned into a frightening resemblance of her family’s shadow, crossing a path she never imagined she’d land on as a kid. You sacrificed your smile, your dignity, your heart for the mission to become better than Gojo Satoru.

Aren’t you just like her?

“Hey, are you good?”

The sheer feeling of Geto’s warm hand resting against your shoulder rips you out of your daydreaming immediately.

“I’m not that Gojo weakling. You don’t need to watch over me”, you reply dryly, gifting him with the deadliest side-eye you have in store.

Well, maybe not the deadliest. That gaze is reserved for Naoya and Gojo only.

“Is there a reason apart from Satoru being a member of the Gojo clan why you hate him? I never understood what’s the deal between both of you.

You can’t help but tilt your head to the side, mind going blank for a second. Now that you think of it…Is there really a reason apart from the fact that your family taught you to hate him for your huge dislike? When you two first saw each other that one evening, he was nothing but a nice boy your age through your innocent eyes. A boy with a quite charming smile, who always had a cheeky reply in store. A boy with a strict family himself. Yes, you actually had a lot in common. And to some point, you began to like him in the few minutes you talked to each other.

Until you came back home and realized who exactly you were talking to.

“You did what?”, your father hissed through gritted teeth. 

Another ruthless slap. Blood spilled to the ground, discoloured everything around you crimson. Eyes widen and teary, lips trembling when his flat palm crushed into your face again.

Over and over.

Again and again.

Until you weren’t able to feel your face anymore, eyes so swollen that your vision faded.

“Let me remind you of wrong little thing.”

He grabbed you by the hair Gojo complimented just a few minutes ago roughly and yanked you into the air.

“You are nothing, the biggest disappointment in my whole life. If it was for me, you’d be dead already. But because of your other lousy family members, you get the chance to surpass that Gojo brat. And you?”

Another slap, your feet tangled in the air like a wind chime.

“You actually befriend him. You disgust me, (y/n). And you always will. You’ll never bring honor to your family.”

“He’s himself, that’s enough”, you press out.

“What do we have here, dreaming about me, (y/n)?”

Speaking of the devil. Before you’re even able to accept his existence in the same room, he stands in front of you and grins you down.

That fucker, the reason for your suffering, for the fact that your family doesn’t accept you…

Your hand reacts faster than the rest of your body. A ruthless slap sends Satoru Gojo straight back to reality, echoes through the room without mercy. Your palm begins to burn like hell while your uneven breath hangs in the thick air between both of you.

“What was that, huh?”

He roams closer, his redden skin showing your act of violence way too clearly.

“Who the hell do you think you are, little bitch?”

Your throat begins to tighten uncomfortably, the veins in your arms throbbing in an all too familiar way.

Hatred. You feel nothing but hatred.

“You’d deserve even more than that, asshole”, you bite back.

He’s so close that you’re able to sense the heat radiating from his body and how his breath wanders over your face. You feel like burning alive, so unusual aroused that it’s hard to keep a straight face. Did he always look at you with his lips slightly parted, his eyes glowing like they normally do in serious fights? You are trapped between both of his arms, roasted by his heat, defeated by the way he looks down at you without saying another word.

What is that? And most importantly, do you want it to stop?

You can’t decide for yourself. In the split of a second you find yourself surrounded by broken glass, free fall down from the 15th floor.

Fuck, who’s responsible for this? Did Gojo go this far, would he actually throw you out of a skyscraper just to get rid of you? He might be the biggest asshole walking on this planet, but he’d never do something so damn basic. No, it has to be someone who is chasing after the star plasma vessel, someone who kept an eye on you this entire time.

Well, who’s responsible for this mess isn’t your biggest problem. At the moment, you are on your rapid way to crash into the ground, your guts feeling as if they’ll spill out of your mouth any given minute. And even though you’re able to inhibit the impact, this will still hurt like hell.

Do you have another way out of here, though? Getting hurt is better than crying for anyone’s help, after all. You close your eyes, embrace yourself for multiple broken bones and a wave of pain as soon as you hit the ground.

But it never happens.

“Aren’t so brave anymore, huh? If you only had told me that I would have to throw you out of a sky-high window to get you to shut up, brat.”

Just to let y'all know, I'm still over here giggling like an idiot over the title of that chapter hehehehe

Tags: @whereismysane @risuola @colouringfrogssittinginleaves @livmarauder @sapphireandange

@madaqueue @chilichopsticks @sugurulefttesticle @boba-is-a-soup @jennapancake

@kentocalls @mrshlf @byakuya61085 @polarbvnny @rzcnlb

@m0k0k0

[vaguely-concerned]

I wanted to write out a more condensed version of the Garashir thoughts I accumulated through my read of a stitch in time, because it really is driving me slightly nuts. so here we go!

I think my basic takeaway is something like: if you look at what's actually on the page as dialogue and not just the story garak tells himself internally of what has happened between them (which is basically 'I've fucked up somehow and I don't know how or why but something's broken here and I messed it up; I have nothing left of interest to offer him', pretty clearly going over it in his head like he would trying to figure out what he did wrong when tain locked him in a closet as a child), you kind of get the feeling that julian doesn't know what to do with the way garak flinches away from him whenever he tries to get closer or offer help. (which like. not for nothing but that's actually the dynamic between garak and mila too, but with garak's role switched to the mostly-resigned seeker of contact rather than the flincher-away. we all know garak’s daddy issues but I think the mommy issues at work are doing some gulf stream shit under the surface as well lol.) so julian starts hesitating in seeking out contact in the first place, nevermind asking him for anything more when garak's also clearly falling apart mentally and seems unreachable in the first place. and Julian also doesn't want to mess this up and make something already fraught and painful even worse; he still wants to help! he always wants to help, that’s just who he is, he keeps trying through the whole book. and when garak mostly-gently but reflexively and firmly rebuffs him each time he tries… after a while it seems like he doesn't think he's welcome, or that he's imposing and garak doesn't really want him there — that he's just humoring him or something when he does let him in, just like garak was so afraid palandine was doing with him in the beginning. it’s only in the final scene between them that garak invites him in and asks for help on his own initiative. 

“I’m pleased you stopped by”/”No, you’re not,” he said quietly. ‘I really won’t take up any more of your time’. “You see, this is so difficult, Garak. I know what a private person you are, and how you detest people meddling in your affairs….”. “Your holosuite program. The one that allows me to visit the traumas of my childhood.”/“I hesitate to suggest this, remembering how you reacted the last time … but, yes, I feel it could make a difference,” the Doctor gamely admitted. (Julian I love you so much. Eternal optimist hours. Keep it up it’s going to get you spectacularly laid if you just get on that shuttle to Cardassia.) All these moments do not read to me as someone who has no interest in continuing or deepening this relationship (maybe the opposite, in fact), it gives me more the sense of someone who feels he keeps putting his foot in his mouth and making the damage worse no matter what he tries, and not knowing what else to do but to back off to save them both more pain. (he also needs help and support, but he’s not going to go ask it of someone who’s clearly in no position to give it (on account of visibly falling apart even more than usual). And also because the good doctor is such a hypocrite lol ‘of course you’re worth asking for and receiving help!! I’m just fine tho don’t worry about me *light is slowly dying in his eyes behind the smile as the seasons go on*’. Stiff upper lip to the point of psychological breakdown-off (cross-cultural, competitive))  

and the most painful thing to me is that after their disastrous tea party in garak’s shop, at the very least, garak clearly realizes he's hurting julian by keeping him out (But as to the question of which group suffers the most…), and he desperately wants to stop hurting him but he just doesn't know how!!! he's never learned how to close the distance! he's been locked completely into himself by the way tain shaped him and doesn't know how to get out of the closet so to speak yet! ('...am I not. *supposed* to pretend to be functional and have no needs. is that not like. my entire job interpersonally. I am confused.') it’s something Tolan already observes in him and grieves over when he comes home from Bamarren, and the years since have uh not helped with that particular problem lol. for all he longs for it, intimacy is like a hot stove to him; he can’t help but reach out, and he can’t help but flinch away when he actually comes into contact with it. almost the worst part is that I think Julian can tell some of that too and sort of understands it/doesn't hold it against him, and it just makes it even sadder, somehow. they both move so carefully around each other through this, because even in the middle of all that they really do try to be kind to each other the best they know how and it fucks me up so bad. which makes it even crazier and more touching that all of asit is basically garak processing his shit until he can get to the last line honestly — 'You're always welcome, Doctor'. he pulled a full lizardly mr darcy in the post-apocalypse here, he got around to starting to fix himself at least partly to be in a place where he could be able to meet Julian in the ways he needs if he wants that from him. And that drives me utterly insane thanks for asking!!! WILD BOOK COMPLETELY UNHINGED 300+ PAGE DECLARATION OF LOVE AND INTIMACY WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL

(this post started life as a tag ramble under @spocks-kaathyra‘s wonderful post about Julian’s side of it over here, but — as I’m sure you'll be astonished to learn at this point — I found I somehow had even more things to say, my neurons boileth over perpetually and it seems I just have to live with that)

[nectardaddy]

Serendipity | Kita Shinsuke | '88 Ford Spinoff Series

one | cherry filling

masterlist

She found someone to get her flowers, even when she didn't have a vase.

notes: use of the pet name "honey," this is for you @zumicho <3, I looked up a recipe for cherry pie for this, I've been working on this for a hot minute so I hope you love it as much as I do, might be slightly ooc he's a little sassy towards the end, let's say this is like 2/3 years after '88 Ford

The woman sat on the counter of the quaint kitchen, with socked feet and comfy clothes, gently kicking her legs as they hung down. Flour scattered amongst the counter next to her, wholeheartedly knowing she was in the way and refusing to move regardless. Various ingredients littered the counter top on the opposite side of her, every so often handing them over when they were requested.

The kitchen was clean, besides the counter, and homey. Wooden cabinets and a window just above the sink; the pane open to let a gentle breeze in, and a rickety screen moving with every gust. There was an island in the middle of the kitchen; small dish filled with various trinkets, keys, and coins - a catch all to anyone who walked in - sitting in the middle. Beside it, daisies in a light blue pitcher, formally used for tea, because no one could find a vase for the pretty flowers.

A silly smile on her lips as her eyes tracked the man, the handsome man with pretty brown eyes. Watching as pale fingers went to work on dough, not knowing a clue of what he was doing but 'helping' nonetheless. Her version of help was staring at him while he did everything. But the man never minded, he secretly hoped she would never try her hand at cooking anything ever again - an admission that he would take to his grave.

Her fingers were stained with cherry juice, as the only help she gave, or rather allowed to give, was pitting them much earlier before; washing her hands but still marked with dark purple on her finger tips. Kita the kind, but sly, man he was asked for her assistance in hopes that she wouldn't want to help him further once they were done - he thanked the stars it worked. Pitted cherries now sitting in a bowl, rather conveniently, placed in her lap. His eyes caught her own, giving her a soft smile upon seeing her hand dipped into the bowl.

"I don't think we'll have any left if you keep eatin' them, honey." He let out a chuckle, watching as she shrugged and placed the fruit in her mouth anyways.

"Oh no, god forbid we have to do this again. I don't think I could last another second watchin' my fine ass boyfriend make pie." A crudeness in her compliment that made a soft crimson creep to his cheeks. While he wasn't a stranger to her boorishness, he'd certainly heard far worse from her, he would never get used to it no matter how hard he tried. "Aw, you're turning red, Shin," she laughed.

"I think you do it on purpose now." She took another cherry within her fingers, lifting it to her lips with a cheeky smile.

"After all these years you finally catch on?" Asking rhetorically before eating it. After, she reached out a hand to touch his cheek. A warmth that radiated against her cold fingers when she did, holding it gently as he leaned into her touch. "Can't believe you remembered I like cherry pie."

"Of course I remembered." She chuckled at his response, rubbing her thumb alongside his cheekbone before returning her hand to the bowl. Smiling over the fact she had smeared cherry juice on him, seemingly without him catching on - he did.

He returned the smile, and shifted his focus to the conversation at hand; he would bring up the cherry juice later. "I remember a lot of stuff about you."

"Yeah? Like what? 'Better not be embarrassing."

"I remember you say you can hold your liquor but make me carry you when you drink too much."

"Told you it better not be embarrassing," she rolled her eyes. "And that was one time."

"Three times," he corrected with a chuckle, earning a groan from her. "I remember your favorite color's orange because it reminds you of the sunset. You like to sing those country songs about killin’ your husband, which scares the life outta’ me by the way. You love when it rains because it reminds you of us, especially at night because it helps you sleep. You say you don't like gettin' flowers but you really do." He turned his eyes to the pitcher on the counter before looking back at her, "and you prefer daisies."

"Shin-" but he continued on.

"And your favorite pie is actually pumpkin, but I don't think I have the heart to make that in the middle of the summer."

A pause. Her hands now rested on the outside of the bowl, holding onto it for dear life as she stared at him. Allowing her features to fall to those of content, of adoration - utter devotion. Normally the woman was quick with replies, too witty for her own good with comebacks; recalling insults and remarks with a razor sharp tongue. But with him, she was often at a lack of words; speechless more times over than she could count on her hands. He was perfect - every definition of the word; questioning how she even managed to have a man such as he in the first place.

She just thought it was out right luck. Sheer dumb, frankly insane, luck. A blip in the cosmos, because there was no possible way there would ever be an outcome in any universe where Kita Shinsuke would be in love with her.

She was wrong. Unfathomably wrong.

Kita Shinsuke would love her in every universe and then some. He couldn't imagine his life without her in it, so wrapped around her finger in every lifetime there was simply no escaping - he didn't want to. He couldn't, he wouldn't. She felt like home. A loud, chaotic, never quiet, loving, caring home. She was the home he never wanted to leave.

"And I know you wiped cherry juice on me thinkin' you could get away with it." A statement that made her blink, processing what he said that contrasted everything else. His tone laced with a whimsy that made her smirk in return, mischievous and playful.

"Looks good on you though," she teased. Pie long forgotten about as he took a step over to her and leaned against the counter next to her. Elbows just off the faux marble as he propped himself up by his arms; he looked over at her with a sly smile and hummed.

"I think it'd look better on you, honey. You look good in anything." A glint in dark brown eyes as he took the bowl of cherries from her lap and placed it on the counter next to her.

"Don't you fuckin' dare, Shinsuke." She offered a warning, surpringly, as her eyes narrowed at him. But a silly smile never leaving her lips, even after using his full name. She knew the man all too well, and eyed him as he leaned a bit closer to her. She let her hands drop to the edge of the counter, ready to push herself off - to run if he dared put cherry juice on her.

But he didn't. Not exactly.

Instead, his hands rose to hold her face, caring but quick, he knew she would turn tail if she caught on. His hands were still covered in flour, the powder sticking to his fingers like glue, that now pressed into her cheeks. Her eyes widened and she locked eyes with him before he leaned in to kiss her.

She let out a groan into the kiss before pulling away, "Kita!" A sass in her tone that mixed with a drawl, a sound he was far too accustomed to hearing. But all he did was laugh, even as she used his family name, a rare occurrence but humorous all the same.

"I never said I wouldn't put flour on you though, ma'am." He matched the energy of her sass, taking her aback only for a moment before she let out a huff. Placing her hands on his own, grabbing them and pulling them away from her face. Holding them within her own as she shot him a look. A look he, frankly, couldn't take seriously as he couldn't help but chuckle at the white flour on her face in the situation.

"You're terrible," she grumbled. "I think you gotta' death wish."

"So terrible I'm making you cherry pie?" A rhetorical question asked with a grin, one that made her roll her eyes but smile regardless. His hands were warm within her cold ones, grainy as they were covered in flour, and calloused from years of working on the farm. A feeling that she became accustomed to and associated with the serene feeling of quiet, soft love.

"Absolutely cruel," she hammered the point with a chuckle. She let one of her hands free from his to wipe at her face, realizing there was far more than she thought - she sighed. "You're awfully lucky I love you, y'know?"

"Oh, I know," he agreed. "I think you would've killed me already if you didn't." He remained in front of her a moment longer, looking over the features of her face in content. Features that were haphazardly wiped, so flour still remained. It was these moments that stuck with him more than anything else; the small, possibly insignificant, ones that made his heart skip in his chest. She was beautiful. Even as flour dawned her face, even with dark purple staining her fingers from cherries, even in comfy clothes that flour started to flutter down onto. To him, she was ethereal every second of every day. "I love you."

"I love you too," she smiled. "Now, please, finish my damn pie instead of puttin' flour on me."

"Yes, ma'am."

taglist under cut (open , SEND AN ASK)

@wyrcan @chizunata @seroh @chemiru @zumicho

@h3xi2g0n3 @localgaytrainwreck @mollyrolls @causenessus @diorzs

@rory-cakes @phoenix-eclipses @pattys-got-cakes @girlkissersco

@jaynawayna @aliensstolemyheart @le000xxgrd @cherrypieyourface @theycallmenanamisgirl

@softpia @bokutoko @guitarstringed-scars @honeekyuu

[casualpeanutcollection]

I don’t know if anyone said this before but I love how everything in FE is designed and written to be contrastive.

his design’s main colors is literally blue (cyan) and red, the colors that are generally accepted to be opposite colors.

He is so paranoid that he pushes people away yet desperately doesn’t want to be alone.

He’s also multiply times mentioned to be exhausted yet it’s clear as a day that he overworks himself to the point of recurring fainting. Not only that he kills creating illusion of justification for his actions and yet is still heavily affected by his choice AND he lies to himself about the fact that monsters he killed were not real because they were copies when he can be also counted as a copy (get it? he’s also alternate version).

He’s creating through destroying!

The fact that all this is happening because he thinks the ends justifies the means yet in the end he will destroy himself to the point where there will be nothing left of him by the end, he’s literally becoming the type of person he hated the most and it creates so much conflicts inside his mind and we can see him slowly falling into that rabbit hole

Mf thought it was good coping mechanism when in reality it made him ever worse ☠️

It drives me crazy how easily would everything be avoided if he just ENDED UP IN BETTER ENVIRONMENT

[powluna]

Hello, I absolutely adore the clothing you make for children, infants, toddlers, they are so cute!

However, I am aware of the fact that you do post your CC on Curseforge in addition to your own website and Patreon and given that the company that owns Curseforge, is them is an Israeli company that did a crowdfunding campaign for the IDF which supports the ongoing genocide against Palestinians, I want to ask if you could remove your downloads from Curseforge entirely. I hope this doesn't come off as demanding or aggressive in any way, but by divesting from Curseforge, we also divest from Israel's economy completely and perhaps it seems small in comparison, but it would be a small way to show support for Palestine. Thank you for listening, and again, I hope I don't come off as impolite in any way.

Hello to anon and everyone who might have been waiting for a response from me. I want to thank you for treating me with respect and that I have not (yet) received any threatening messages or similar. It is very difficult for me to write the following message in my native language, let alone post a translated version of it. Everything I write here comes from the heart and merely describes my personal situation.

First of all, I want to express that I, personally, and my internet persona "PowLuna" in no way stand for oppression, violence, exclusion, or worse. The situation has certainly not passed me by—quite the opposite. The discourse on the topic has caused me to engage deeply with the subject, keep myself regularly updated, and talk a lot about it in my personal environment, educating others. Due to experiences I had as a teenager, I no longer express my opinions regarding a lot of topics on the internet. However, I must do so now because it is very important to me and it currently affects my daily life significantly in terms of depression and existential fears.

I want to express my sorrow for all the suffering that people in Gaza and all Palastinians endure daily. The things one encounters on the internet are cruel and heartbreaking, and denying that something terrible is happening there is wrong. I feel the same about all atrocities happening anywhere in the world, whether far away or in my neighborhood. I hope every day for peace throughout the world. A utopian wish, I know.

Now to what might be controversial: I will not participate in the boycott against CurseForge. At least not as far as requested. I no longer actively promote the links for it; that was a kind of compromise I could make. You can judge me for this or not. But let me first describe my situation. I believe that pressuring individual small creators is not the right way in this situation, as you can never guess who is behind the internet personas and what stories they carry with them.

I come from a family that has always lived in poverty. After finishing school and completing an apprenticeship, I thought about studying so that I could do more with my potential. I moved away for my studies and had to stand completely on my own feet. I had saved a little money. For the rest of the support and because a part-time job would have hindered my ability to perform well, I applied for financial aid from the state. This is possible here in Germany. I can keep half of the money, and the other half I have to pay back after my studies. All well and good. While studying, I found a great interest in creating custom content and sharing it with others. I taught myself more and more skills and gradually shared them with others because I really enjoy to help people.

In 2022, I decided to make money with what I do. So, I had to register a business. That's mandatory here. I started with Patreon, where I gathered some subscribers who believed in my potential from the start, for which I am very grateful. I always appeal to the good in people, worked "hard," uploaded more and more stuff to convince people, and get more voluntary subscribers. This didn’t work out as expected. So, I switched to an early access model, which actually brought more subscribers, but I wasn't really happy with it, so I moved away from it a few months later. I lost more and more subs over time, while still giving the same effort as before.

Shortly after, I was invited to the CurseForge project, to which I confidently agreed because I already knew CurseForge and saw a lot of potential for the Sims area. I also find the platform really good and many changes I wished for were implemented. And yes, CurseForge has given me a steady income since then, sometimes more, sometimes less, but still far from what I made with voluntary subscribers on Patreon. I felt really proud because I suddenly earned good money with something I am passionate about. And I did it all by myself!

But this income brought new obligations: I have to pay taxes. Additionally, I no longer receive financial support from the state and won't be able to get it again.

The whole discourse has shown me that self-employment always carries a risk when you rely on a platform, so I switched back to the Patreon early access model for more security. However, I still can't live off that alone. Therefore, I continue to host my creations on CurseForge. Considering their statement from a few months ago and because I believe in the good in people, I don't see a problem with it. Of course, the economic aspect plays a role, but I am also not "clean" when I pay my taxes here in Germany, which are then used for the same purpose.

To demand that I delete all my stuff means taking away my livelihood and existence. I don't think that's fair. And yes, I know this is privileged, and my fears are not comparable to the fears of people in Gaza. Never.

All this does not mean that I am indifferent. As I said, I talk to other people about the topic, I inform myself, and as soon as I am able and have saved some money, I want to support the children in the region with donations. This has always been my approach to conflicts and crises around the world.

It is important to keep talking about the topic so that hopefully, one day, it will reach the people who can put an end to the horror.

Thank you for reading. If anything is unclear, please feel free to ask.

PowLuna

[cluescorner]

Tim Drake has a weird fucking function

The thing about Tim that I find unique is that his life became SO MUCH WORSE after joining the heroing thing. Everybody else had a mid-to-shit life before becoming a hero/living with Bruce and mostly everybody (except Jason who LITERALLY DIED) had their life improved by being a hero/being Bruce's kid (or at least it is typically portrayed as such.

Tim had the exact opposite trajectory. His life wasn't perfect before he became Robin, but like...multi-millionaire/billionaire (canon is unclear, but he's within Gotham's upper-strata) kid with both natural intelligence + charisma and a bright future ahead of him and parents who were emotionally neglectful but nothing really beyond that (which is also a form of trauma, but all of the info we have indicates that the Drakes were no Arthur Brown or David Cain) and he still had other people he could rely on outside of them. He went to boarding school, which could be something horrible OR something amazing depending on your own thoughts/experiences. I grew up having a commute where we'd drive past a really pretty and rich af boarding school that literally everybody in our area DREAMED of going to, so to me the idea of going to boarding school sounds incredible but mileage may vary. Tim seems like the type of kid who would thrive in that though. Based on what we know in canon atm, his pre-robin life was fucking amazing.

And then he starts being the sidekick and working towards becoming Robin. His parents immediately get kidnapped and poison themselves through drinking tainted water; his mom dies and his dad is in a coma. This is not the fault of Robin, but Tim himself muses about the idea that Robin and dead parents are linked: to become Robin completely, you must lose your parents. And with how fate/destiny/canon events can operate in comics universes, maybe he isn't that far off. Once his dad wakes up, their relationship becomes strained as the man grieves the loss of his wife and realizes that his son has been doing vigilantism as a hobby. It is unclear exactly how good of a parent Jack was before the incident, but the results of Tim's involvement with the Robin mantle has definitely made things worse between father and son. Jack will also die within quick succession of 2 of Tim's best friends, his girlfriend, and his other father. He will also effectively lose like 1/2 his loved ones in the fallout of all of that mess including: his older brother, his other friends (both civilian and superhero), and the stepmother with whom he shared what I would argue is his best parent-child relationship (Dana also may have died, but it's left unclear). He has stopped pursuing higher education (the moment he even applied for college he 'died', and it seems he hasn't made another attempt since) and if he wasn’t a major focus of the media before he sure is now. He tries to quit briefly (in fact he initially was planning on quitting once someone more suited came along) and cannot bring himself to do so. Even when he does manage to get away for a while, his superhero life impacts the pre-robin life he is trying to go back to. Leaving is an impossibility, this is all there is for him now. He also isn’t allowed to make mistakes anymore, not when lives hang in the balance. The one who enforces that impossible standard the most (besides Bruce depending on who's writing) is himself. He’s got TRAUMA now and people want to hurt him constantly. He is constantly questioning his own sanity and morality and place in the world. He almost dies like every month. Tim grows colder and less grounded, he is becoming both a better and a worse version of himself at the same time. He’s saving lives in the same few issues as he’s setting up a Saw movie plot for the man who killed his father. He is haunted by the ghosts of his past and the looming figure of his future. His life becomes SO MUCH FUCKING WORSE after he becomes Robin. Some of it is the fault of others, some is the fault of circumstance, and some of it is due to his own actions. But basically all of Tim's worst traumas and life-changing moments are either tied to or caused by Robin. Dick's parents would still be dead, Jason would still be living on the streets, Stephanie would still have Arthur Brown for a father and a lot of other things that deserve their own posts/IDK if they've been retconned, and Damian would still have been raised in the eco-cult where death is a constant. Those are life circumstances that occur without the involvement of Robin, the only one who even needs Bruce involved at all in their series of events is Damian. But Tim? All of what is considered his 'worst' moments occur after he assumes the role.

This idea is what I find the coolest and most fascinating about Tim as a character. Being a hero is usually portrayed as either an outright awesome thing or a righteous duty that one must fulfill or (maybe in a grimmer and/or more grounded story) a sacrifice to your interpersonal relationships/mental health that is made for the greater good. For Tim, being a superhero actively ruined his life (both because of the general circumstances surrounding being a kid vigilante and the choices he made as part of that role). It's never portrayed that way in canon because we need to come out of issues going 'wow being a superhero is so cool! I'm gonna buy the next issue!', but when you just look at Tim's life literally everything really bad that we know of occurred after he became Robin.

[sequinsmile-x]

Stained Glass Windows - Chapter Eighty

Life was complicated, but they wouldn't have it any other way.

-x-

Hi besties <3

Today is the two year anniversary of the first chapter of SGW being posted!! Which is crazy, and wild and everything in between - and I can't believe that you are all still enjoying and reading this fic!

Thank you for your continued love for this version of them as we start the final 1/5 of this fic <3

As always, let me know what you think <3

-x-

Words: 2.3k

A full list of warnings for the fic can be found on the Series Master List.

Read over on Ao3, or below the cut

Emily groans as she tries to get comfortable in a hard plastic chair, one hand on her bump as she tries to resettle. She catches the eye of the woman sitting opposite her in the waiting room and they exchange a knowing look as she does the same thing. She couldn’t believe she was 20 weeks along, that she was halfway through her pregnancy. Time felt like it was slipping through her fingers like sand, catching only briefly on her skin before she lost it forever. 

It made her ache when she looked at Lily sometimes, something she was sure was made worse by her pregnancy hormones. It felt like just yesterday that she was a tiny little thing in Aaron’s arms as he handed her to Emily to hold for the first time, his smile soft and voice shaking as he told her they had a little girl. Aaron always had to remind Emily that Lily was still only 18 months old, his smile just as soft as the first time she held their baby girl as he assured her that even though she could walk and talk now, she was still very much her baby. She knew it would go just as quickly with this baby too. That in a year's time she’d be looking at his or her sweet face and wondering where the time had gone, her focus on features she couldn’t quite picture yet that she’d commit to memory the second she could. 

There were times when she struggled to believe that this really was her life, that it wasn’t just some dream. That she’d fallen in love with Aaron and they’d made it work, that their love for each other had created the family they now had - broken pieces of her life and his merging together to make something beautiful. She couldn’t imagine her life without him, Jack, Lily and the baby rolling in her belly, and she never wanted to picture a world without them. If this was a dream, it was certainly one she never wanted to wake up from.

Her phone vibrates in her pocket and she smiles as she pulls it out, Aaron’s name and contact photo - a picture of him with Lily on one hip and Jack on the other - flashing up at her. 

“Hi,” she says as she answers, the bustling sound of the precinct he was in giving away the fact he was calling her from work, “Is everything okay?” 

“Everything’s fine,” he assures her, his voice low as he tries to give them some privacy, “I wanted to make sure that you made it to your appointment.”

She nods even though he can’t see her, and rests her hand on her bump, “Pickle and I are here in the most uncomfortable chair in the world,” she says, smiling when he chuckles, her dislike of the chairs at her doctor’s office well-known, “Doctor Gibson is at a delivery though so her fellow is doing the scan.” 

“I’m so sorry I can’t be there sweetheart,” he says, and she can hear the guilt in his voice, can picture the way his shoulders would be tight as he curled in on himself in what he would consider his failure as a husband and father. It was a hangover from his marriage with Haley. He’d come into their relationship having learnt from his mistakes with Haley, but he was hard on himself sometimes and saw anything like this as the very thing that could start them down a rocky path he’d stumbled down before. 

“You have work,” she says, smiling softly, “I don’t think the innocent people of Philadelphia would appreciate you not doing your job just so you can go to your wife’s 20 week scan,” she says, her attempt at humour falling flat when he hums, “It’s the only appointment you’ve ever missed Aaron. I’ll call and tell you all about it later when Pickle has passed everything with flying colours.” 

“Emily Hotchner?”

She looks up and smiles at the nurse who’d called for her and stands up, her phone tucked between her ear and shoulder as she gathers her things, “They’ve just called me through, honey. I’ll speak to you later, okay?” 

“Okay. I love you.” 

“I love you too. We all do.”  

She hangs up and follows the nurse through to the examination room, and is greeted by a doctor who looks younger than Spencer, enthusiasm shining in her eyes as she stands up to shake Emily’s hand.

“Hi Mrs Hotchner, I’m Doctor Jackson, Doctor Gibson’s fellow. She said to pass on her apologies that she couldn’t be here today.”

“That’s okay,” she says, placing her purse down on the seat Aaron would usually sit in, “And please, call me Emily. You’re going to spend the best part of an hour examining me and the baby,” she smiles as she gets onto the bed. She feels a spark of anxiety as she lays down and she instinctively reaches for Aaron’s hand before she remembers that he isn’t here. She clenches her hands into fists as she blows out a slow breath, her smile shaking a little as she looks back over at Doctor Jackson, “We may as well be on first name terms.”

“In that case, I think you should call me Louise,” she says, “Are we waiting on anyone, or-”

“My husband is away for work,” Emily replies, tugging her shirt up over her bump and tucking it under her bra, “So I’ve promised him a lot of pictures.” 

Louise smiles and nods, reaching for the gel to squeeze some onto Emily’s belly, “We can definitely arrange that.” 

Her anxiety starts to ease with each passing minute, her eyes fixed on her baby on the screen as Louise tells her that everything looks good. She smiles as she feels the baby shift and watches the movement on the screen, tiny fists and little legs kicking about as Louise finishes the scan. 

“Everything looks really good,” Louise says as she hands Emily a paper towel to wipe the gel from her belly, “She’s measuring exactly how she should be, and I have no concerns.”

Emily smiles, huffing out a breath of relief, “Thank you, thats…” She drifts off, her eyebrows furrowing as she pulls her shirt back over her belly, “Did you say she?” 

Louise’s eyes go wide, a reaction Emily would have caught regardless of her experience as a profiler, and she slaps her hand over her mouth, “Oh, Mrs Hotchner. It was in your file that you didn’t want to know. I’m so sorry, I-”

“It’s a girl?” Emily asks, her hand on her bump, her thumb tracing back and forth over where she can feel the baby, her daughter, moving, “I’m having another girl.” 

“Yes, you’re having a girl,” Louise says, “I’m so sorry.” 

“No thats…” she shakes her head, blowing out a slow breath as she wipes a tear from her cheek. She’d wanted it to be a surprise, but now she knew she couldn’t imagine not knowing, the image in her mind of her baby, her little girl, already clearer than it had been just a few minutes ago, “That’s amazing,” she chokes on a laugh, “I’m having another girl.”

___

She keeps the news to herself when she calls Aaron to tell him about the scan, her smile wide and her teeth digging into the inside of her cheek as she tells him that their baby looks perfect. She wants to see his face when she tells him they are having another girl, to share that experience with him in person. 

It’s a long couple of days. She finds herself almost slipping up a couple of times, catching herself before she accidentally reveals they are having a daughter over the phone, so she’s even happier than usual when he texts to say he’ll be home in a few hours. She’s pacing back and forth with Lily in her arms, the toddler half-asleep, her eyes drifting closed as she fights sleep, when Emily hears the car pull up onto their driveway, and she kisses the side of Lily’s head.

“Daddy’s home, sweet girl,” she says, and she heads for the front door and smiles when he walks in, “Hi.”

“There are my girls,” he says, dropping his go-bag to the floor and stepping towards them, smiling at the sight of Lily perched on top of Emily’s bump, matching sleepy looks in their eyes. He kisses Emily and then Lily’s head, “Hi.” 

“Dada!” Lily exclaims tiredly, yawning as she reaches out for him. Emily passes her over, her fingers skimming over her husband’s as he holds their daughter against his chest. 

“We were just about to do bedtime,” Emily says, her hand over his on Lily’s back, “Since you’re here, do you want to do it? I’ll make us some hot chocolate.” 

“I’ll be back down in a few minutes,” Aaron says, and he kisses Emily’s cheek before stepping past her, his lips against Lily’s forehead as she continues to pretend she isn’t tired, “Let’s get you to bed Lily-Pad.” 

Emily watches them go and smiles when she feels the baby kick. She laughs as she presses her hand against her bump and walks to the kitchen, “It’s time to tell Daddy all about you, sweet girl.” 

She’s just finishing dropping marshmallows into the hot chocolates when Aaron wraps his arms around her, his lips against her neck and his hands on her bump, “Despite acting like she wasn’t tired she fell asleep the moment I started reading to her.”

Emily hums and places her hand over his, linking their fingers together over the baby shifting under her skin, “She missed her Daddy,” she turns in his arms and kisses him, “I did too.” 

“I missed you,” he kisses her before he picks up the hot chocolates and they walk into the living room. He smiles when he realises the lights on the Christmas tree are already on, and he turns to his wife, “Were you and Lily in here looking at the lights?” 

She presses her lips together and nods as she sits down on the couch, “We were. She loves them.” 

“Just like her mom,” Aaron says as he settles next to her, one arm looping around her shoulders whilst he places his other hand on her bump, “And next Christmas we’ll have another baby for you to pass your love of the holidays on to.” 

She hums and rests her head on his shoulder, love simmering under her skin in a way that was prone to making her cry these days, “I can’t wait.” 

“Me neither,” he says, kissing her temple, “I’m glad your appointment went well and everything looks good,” he says, rubbing his thumb back and forth over her sweater, “I’m sorry I wasn’t there.” 

She pulls back to look at him and cups his cheek, dragging him in for a kiss so she doesn’t just blurt out that they are having a little girl quite yet, “It’s okay, honey,” she says, stamping a kiss against his lips again, “I know you would have been there if work hadn’t got in the way.” 

“The doctor said everything looked good?” He asks and she nods, running her thumb back and forth over his jaw. 

“Everything looks perfect,” she says and she blows out a breath, her heart hammering so hard in her chest she’s surprised he can’t hear it, “She also told me something else…accidentally,” she says, biting her lower lip as she sucks in a breath, “She told me what we’re having.” 

His eyes go wide, “She did?”

She nods, her eyes already shining with tears she knew she was seconds away from shedding, “Yeah, she was really apologetic…but I couldn’t bring myself to care,” she strokes his cheek again, feels the wonder and happiness in his dimple as she presses her thumb into it, “Do you want to know?” 

“Of course, I want to know,” he says, not even having to think about it, the speed at which he answers drawing a laugh out of both of them. 

“Good,” she replies, chuckling, the sound wet as it catches in her throat, “Because I would have struggled to keep it a secret from you for another 20 weeks,” she presses her lips together and blows out a shaky breath, and she wonders if this was how he felt when he told her that they’d had a girl when he handed her Lily for the first time, “We’re having a girl.” 

He gasps, the sound catching on his ribs as his eyes go wide, “We’re having a girl?” 

She nods, sniffing as tears spill down onto her cheeks, “Yeah. We’re having another little girl.”

He drags her into a hug, his arms tight around her as he kisses her wherever he can reach. His lips catch her temple, then her forehead, then her nose. Drawing a laugh out of her with his relentless love for her. 

“I love you so much, sweetheart,” he says, his words muffled against her lips, and she captures his chin as she laughs, kissing him softly before she pulls back. 

“I love you too,” she replies, kissing him again, “So much.” 

He rests his forehead against hers, “Do you want to tell anyone else?”

She’d thought about it ever since she’d found out and she shakes her head, “We so rarely have anything just for the two of us. It would be nice to have this be something just is just for us until she gets here.” 

He nods and kisses her again before he wraps his arms around her, holding her close and burying his nose in her hair, “Whatever you want, sweetheart,” he kisses her forehead, “Whatever you want.” 

[rovingotter]

Expanding on my thoughts from this post:  https://www.tumblr.com/rovingotter/763436728814075904/heavy-spoilers-for-joker-folie-%C3%A0-deux-beneath-the?source=share

More spoilers for Joker: Folie à Deux beneath the cut.

The original Joker left it sort of ambiguous as to whether Arthur becoming the Joker was a good or a bad thing.  I mean, obviously it was bad for the people he killed and the people affected by the in-movie violence he inspired, but there was some indication that this was actually a positive thing for Arthur’s mental health.  He started the movie miserable and powerless and ended it smiling and surrounded by admirers.  In the final scene, he seemed at peace with his new self, even if he was behind bars.

Folie quickly dismantles the idea that this represented a positive shift for Arthur.  In fact it’s one of the first things the movie does.

The opening cartoon shows Arthur’s shadow coming to life, committing crimes in his name and then Arthur being blamed and beaten up as a result.  When we see Arthur himself, he’s regressed back into his meek, quiet persona.  He is, if anything, in worse shape than he was at the beginning of the first movie.  He’s lost many of his endearing quirks, like his offbeat sense of humor.  It’s hard to imagine this Arthur playing peek-a-boo with a random baby on the bus.  He seems almost robotic.  And this isn’t surprising, considering he’s spent two years being abused in the hellhole that is Arkham.

Some viewers were disappointed with this character regression, but it seems kind of inevitable.  Like, he’s in a place where he’s locked in a room most of the time and is not even allowed to shave himself.  He’s completely at the mercy of his handlers, and when he misbehaves he gets thrown into solitary confinement.  He’s heavily medicated, on top of that.  Of course being the Joker is not sustainable in this environment.  It’s a reality check:  the catharsis was temporary.  Now he’s just trapped in hell, utterly alone.

(Though, still, they give us a moment where a fellow inmate asks for a kiss from Joker and Arthur just gently, nonchalantly kisses him on the lips.  Kinda surprised no one else has talked about that?)

Enter Lee.  From the beginning there are signs that she’s probably going to be a bad influence on him, but of course he latches onto her when she shows interest because for one thing she may very well be the first person to ever show romantic interest in him (Folie pretty much confirms many viewers’ headcanons that Arthur is a virgin who’s never had a romantic relationship) and for another, she’s a small ray of sunshine in a very dark place.  But of course she’s specifically obsessed with the version of him from the TV movie…which is one of the many elements that makes this movie feel like meta commentary, because even though it’s probably not identical to the Joker that exists in our world, it’s a movie called Joker, about this Joker, which has inspired an obsessed fan who thinks it’s pretty cool that he killed those assholes and hopes that he’ll engage in more mayhem.

The movie also introduces Arthur’s lawyer, who from the beginning is pulling him in the opposite direction.  She’s trying to get him actual medical help and reintegrate him into society, but first they have to convince the jury that it was the Joker personality, not Arthur, who did that stuff.  Does she really believe that Arthur has DID?  Who knows?  But she’s working within an imperfect system, she knows that he is genuinely ill and wasn’t fully responsible for his actions, and she also recognizes that this is his best chance for avoiding the electric chair, so she tries to coach him on the right things to say to the press and the jury.  Which Arthur is clearly not comfortable with, because it involves lying, presenting himself as weak and helpless, and also cooperating with a system that’s been fucking him over his entire life.

Soon enough, Lee is telling him to stop taking his meds, she’s setting stuff on fire and encouraging him to get into trouble, she’s bribing the guards so she can sneak into solitary confinement and fuck him, she’s telling him to wear his clown makeup to the trial and to fire his lawyer.  Arthur’s lawyer, meanwhile, is like, “Listen I know she’s cute and all but this bitch is insane and you need to stop listening to her” and Arthur is like, “BUT DADDY, I LOVE HER.”  Even after he finds out that Lee basically lied about her entire sad backstory in order to manipulate him, HE DOESN’T CARE.  Because she makes him feel good.  She’s the only person who makes him feel good. Even if she's probably going to get him killed.

Which—again, I think is a really interesting central dilemma for a movie!  People say stuff like “nothing happens in this” but this is a shit ton of material to work with.

So I guess the question is, how did it go so wrong?  Obviously, this movie did not work for most people. The reviews are abysmal. While there were aspects I liked, I left the theater feeling like I’d just been kicked repeatedly in the balls and the soul by a cackling Todd Phillips marionette. And not in a good way, in a “fuck you, I already have your money” kind of way.  Is it just the ending?  I mean, that’s definitely part of it. 

I guess it’s the overriding sense that this movie is not pro-Joker but also not pro-Arthur.  He makes the choice to be true to himself—and himself is Arthur—and then the movie viciously punishes him for that, even though it’s set this up as the right choice.  Is the movie pro-anything?  Is the message just “fuck everyone”?

I know people made the same complaints about the first movie—that it was nihilistic, that it didn’t have a message—but to me the first movie was a pretty straightforward exploration of how violence creates more violence.  I did not think Joker was pro-Joker or pro vigilante murder, but the first movie did paint Arthur as a sympathetic figure who had snapped under pressure and made the wrong choices, and yet now, here—in Folie—he makes the final choice to reject his violent persona and reclaim his humanity, or at least take the first step towards that, even knowing it will probably cost him the love of the only person who cares about him.

And what happens as a result?  More violence.  Buildings explode, Lee abandons him, Arthur gets stabbed, the end.

Violence creates violence, and nonviolence also creates violence. Apparently.

In the end it just felt like the movie was delighting in its own sadism toward a character who'd already suffered tremendously, and not for any real purpose. I don't know what happened behind the scenes here. Artistically, I can still respect the chances this movie took. But I also fully understand the anger and frustration with it.

[mrsoftthoughts]

Usually When i say that i like Solangelo, i mean what they could have been, instead of what we end up getting

I really don't like TsatS (i don't hate it, i just don't like it, in fact i wouldn't mind this existing if wasn't canon)

And during Toa i have a bittersweet taste in a lot of the scenes were they appear ( especially the first because i feel Nico a bit ooc here) and feels a little rushed

But I love both Will and Nico as their individual characters, and despite the bad execution of their relationship I'm happy everytime that i remember that they are a couple, because they deserve to be happy and knowing that they can do that together it's pure joy for me

I like the couple or friends that can help each other or at least tried to do it

I love see how both are fuked up and have not the most healthy cope mechanisms in so opposite but sometimes similar ways, but can try to help each other or be side by side while they learn how to be better for themselves

I love the couple that due to not have been in immediate mortal danger while they were knowing each other can choose to show a vulnerable side whe they are ready, instead of being forced to do it, and that would take a while ofc, but the bricks of trust need to be placed carefully in order of the wall don't fall in the future, but most important they-can-choose

The boy that was outted by the god of Romantic love himself in front of someone that he didn't trust at the time, and the boy that after see the bridge were his brother was being destroyed and immediately was pulled out to accomplish his dutty as a healer ,without a chance to go and look for his brother. Now they can have the chance to chose what to do and what to show and when, without pressure.

The couple that maybe would have communication problems at the start, because both are bad asking for help and are even worse for believe that someone apart from their family ( the ones that least want to bother ) would grant it, that maybe could pass a hard time for that, but they have two options; or they drop the things there, or grow up out of this together because no couple is perfect at the start and learn things how it's required may be hard but it's worth it

The couple that may need to reassure the other that it's not for convenience or Charity that they are together but because they love each other and despite all the bad toughs that say that those words are just a gentle lie, deep in them knows thats the true

But i also love the fact that they can be one of the most "normal" couples around, just teenagers in love being teenagers in love

I love the cringing teenagers with a crush on each other that aren't in immediate danger to die like other couples in the series, just silly puberts that probably had made a storm in a glass of water trying to be perfect due to the nerves while talking to each other, that maybe sometimes were catch up looking for a little too long the other because both find the other beautiful, or that maybe like a lot of teenagers had Catch up themselves thinking things that make them feel embarrassed because hormones

The teenagers in love that maybe had nights of not sleeping in order to organize their thoughts talking with their siblings or friends about it or just because they where daydreaming about each other, that probably were on the cloud nine the first week after they started dating

The sarcastic and little a bickering teenagers that love each other deeply and often joke bettwen them

The idea of Will flirting in jokes with Nico but don't dare to go serious because he's so oblivious to not notice that Nico has been courting him the last weeks

That would have to deal with their parents comments, not because they don't like the relationship, but because they got the version of 100% approval and are embarrassed about Hades Apollo or Naomi always asking about their boyfriend

[hero-israel]

Can i just say I am so sick and tired of people claiming genocide. I mean with saying Israel is committing genocide on Palestinians right now. Every time I see it I want to scream. This is one of the numerous reasons why the pro palestine movement sucks. They can't just say something is bad, focus on real grievances. Instead they have to exaggerate and claim everything is the worst possible version. They can't just say "palestinian civilians are suffering," or even "excessive civilian deaths." No. they have to claim genocide.

it’s disgusting. they are appropriating terms and watering them down in the process. genocide is a very real horrific problem that is ACTUALLY happening to people right now... and they have to claim that term for their situation because why? to paint israel/israelis as the ultimate evil? to claim this issue is the worst ever and insist everyone else drop everything and only care about this? to add more emphasis on their lies and propaganda of israel being a colonial empire practicing apartheid? intentional flipping because they know Jews have been victim to genocide (we see this more explicitly when they compare Israel in this war to nazis)?

Maybe part of it is that if israel is responsible for genocide, then there’s no need to acknowledge how HAMAS and their actions play a significant role in palestinian suffering? (It can't be that hamas steals aid for civilians, no it must be 100% israel’s fault and only theirs! Also joe Biden I guess! /sarcasm)

No matter what, it’s a cynical ploy and absolutely disgusting.

In some ways it reminds me of how people online have taken terms like “trigger,” “gaslight,” and more, and completely twisted and watered down their meaning, turned it all into a joke ... except obviously much worse, here.

what really grinds me up is seeing how many people are buying into this. especially gen z. I am so done with my generation honestly. im ashamed to be associated with these people. part of me doesn't get it. im not jewish. and i try my best not to be antisemitic, educate myself. it does take work, but also it’s NOT THAT HARD to just NOT post completely unverified stuff, NOT absorb your news from social media, NOT give accusations of genocide without doing any research, bothering to learn about historical context, actually understanding what experts say and explanations why it is not genocide? And most of all actually LISTEN to jewish people when they talk about their own history and heritage?

Im not saying this to say im so great, in fact it's the opposite: what im doing is nothing special and amazing. it's really BASIC. yet SO MANY PEOPLE fail this??? what the fuck????

I understand people cannot educate themselves on literally very single topic. But then if they are ignorant, then they should just SHUT UP and not weigh on something they didn't take the work to understand. That is not hard!!!! NOT casually throwing around accusations of genocide should be the bare minimum and yet here we are.

All of the above. I am sorry you are dealing with this from so many among your cohort, and deeply appreciate your commitment as a non-Jew to resisting the new Christ-killer / stab-in-the-back mythology. It will continue to be difficult. For decades - for CENTURIES - all the wealthiest and most educated people in societies worldwide "knew" the Jews were guilty of these terrible things.

Derek Chauvin was convicted of the second- and third-degree murder of George Floyd. There were people at that time who were upset he hadn't been nailed for first-degree murder - he was obviously guilty! Look what a horrible thing he did! Get him for everything! But there actually really are different standards of evidence for different crimes and if prosecutors had tried to go for that one they would have lost.

I don't doubt for an instant that the IDF has committed multiple war crimes during this entirely preventable, entirely pointless cataclysm. But people are racing past the crimes that are clearly visible and could be supported by evidence because they want - need - HOPE for the very worst one to be true. It is a moral obscenity. And you can tell how much they are enjoying themselves, how fine it feels to be able to invoke genocide against Jews and Uno-reverse that nagging Holocaust card, by how quickly they revert to petty Internet slang to silence counter-arguments: "lol WELL ACTUALLLYYY, so you're JUST ASKING QUESTIONS rite, nice SEALIONING." It is meant to be an inherently, automatically truthful claim, one that the Jew has no right to deny.

The Disputations of our time.

And as we did in the past... we must answer, because not-answering will not help.

[om2006]

Greetings, Greek mythology community I decided to wake up and choose violence today, OK here we go, HADES AND PERSEPHONE ARE NOT COUPLE GOALS this is not a there are tons of different versions of the myth or you can interpret however you want situation the story of Hades and persephone is explicitly told in the Hommeric hymn to Demeter which clearly states that it was a kidnapping that was approved by Zeus persephone's father, she had no choice in the matter and she doesn't go to the underworld willingly , the oldest source that claims that she does is from a novel written in the 40's by a woman who wanted to make Greek mythology more accessible for young girls like her daughter, never once was it stated in the original myth that persephone loved Hades or her time in the underworld, quite the opposite actually she was sad and she was missing her mother, let's talk about said mother by the way why do you people keep demonizing Demeter? Where did the "she is an overbearing and mean helicopter parent" trope come from? Persephone loved her mother, the story isn't about her relationship with Hades it's about A GRIEVING MOTHER'S search for her daughter, she doesn't freeze the world out of anger or cruelty the world starts dying because she is too sad about the fact that her daughter was taken from her to do her goddess duties, now let's talk about the real world and historical reasons why shipping these two just leaves a bad taste in my mouth, remember in the beginning when I said the kidnapping was approved by Zeus? Well for some reason that immediately absolves Hades of all the blame according to most people but that's not what I wanna talk about, I want to talk about how that's representive of the real world themes that the myth wanted to implement, that nor the bride nor her mother should have a say in who she gets to marry it's only the father Zeus's wish who decided that Hades is a fitting husband without even telling persephone and Demeter that should be fullfiled and the story wants us to support that opinion, when Demeter asks Helios where her daughter is, he tells her but he also basically says "but that's ok because Hades is like super rich and powerful and that's all that matters what should a young woman want other than that? You should be happy that your daughter was taken from you by him" when persephone is leaving the underworld Hades basically repeats that statement and that with him she is going to be super happy and a queen among the dead and in later stories in the mythology we see that she indeed seems to have embraced the scary death queen persona and everyone now is like, "see, it started messy but they love each other and persephone loves the underworld now" and while part of persephone embracing the underworld is related to the fact that she is a much older goddess than Hades who was associated with the underworld before hellenistic culture, in the context of the culture and what the story wants to teach, it's that young brides should always accept whatever home and husband their father chooses for them, it doesn't matter that she was brought to that home against her will, it doesn't matter that she was clearly miserable at first, she will eventually love them. "but Hades genuinely loves persephone and never cheated on her" good for him, he is doing the bare minimum, still kidnapped his wife, just because the rest of the pantheon is worse doesn't make this ok also the fact that he doesn't go out and cheat on her or mess with mortal women is totally not because the Greeks feared writing about underworld gods because they believed it attracts death faster it's because Hades is really just a nice and sweet guy, give me a break

[lolasturniolo]

Only you can help my mess (pt.2)

Warning: family issues, crying, S/H mentioned, attempting mentioned, wall punching i guess?, yelling, slow asf burn

————

Y/n Pov

Everything was a blur after I pulled into the driveway. I just remember breaking down in matts arms, he was always there for me since day 1. God he was amazing I didn’t deserve him at all but her I was in his arms, crying.

I heard nicks voice say something but it was muffled all I could hear was my dad yelling. Dad. The thought made me sob even more it was horrible. Why was my family like this yelling, arguing, punching why me.

None of that matters now I’m with Matt, safe in his arms nothing more. He takes me his room and we lay there on his bed for around 10 minutes and I start to calm down.

“You wanna talk about it”

Matt says looking down at me.

I just shake my head no, and he nods in a response. God he knew what to do he ran his hand up my back, played with my hair at was all just right. He’s perfect.

Matts Pov

After a while Y/n fell asleep in my bed, I felt so dad for her and the fact I knew it was her only option made me feel worse.

I slowly get up trying not to wake her and I walk to the kitchen to see my bothers talking.

“She okay?”

Nick asks looking up from the dinner table.

“Yea yea she fell asleep”

I reply while looking in the fridge and grabbing a root beer.

“So how long she gonna be here?”

Chris asks.

“I don’t know, a while I guess”

I reply sitting down.

“Well why is she here? Not that I don’t like her you know but she was pretty upset when she came in.”

Chris said taking a sip of his cherry Pepsi.

“Same reason as always I guess”

Nick replies. I nod.

————

Around 1hour later Y/n comes out of my room, eyes puffy from crying, hair all messy and what not. She had a hoodie on but not the same one she came in with it was mine I didn’t mind off course. I mean honestly it was quite cute.

“How are you feeling?”

“honestly I’ve felt better”

She replies

“Nick and Chris walked up to the store do you want anything? I’m pretty sure there still there”

“Umm maybe some chocolate ice cream”

She says leaning against that counter.

“Basic bitch”

I mumble jokingly.

“Fuck you”

She says hitting my chest laughing.

I laughed and pick up my phone to text Nick.

————

Nick

Matt: yo Y/n is awake could you grab her some chocolate ice cream?

Nick: yea no worries be home in 15

————

I put my phone down seeing Y/n grab a Pepsi and sit opposite me.

“Nick and Chris should be home in 15”

I say

“Thanks matty”

She says practically downing the Pepsi, god she was like a female version of Chris at this point.

————

Y/n has been staying here for a few days now, sleeping in my room and using my bathroom, I didn’t mind it at all but I just HATED how clingy she was being. Yes we have been friends for awhile now but she has never been THIS clingy to me it’s so annoying.

It was around 2am and Y/n had fallen dead asleep, finally. So with that I get up and go to Chris’s room.

Knock, Knock, Knock

“Come in!”

Chris yells.

I walk in seeing him laying in his bed watching tv.

“Yo can I talk to you?”

I say walking in his room but not fully closing the door.

“Ye what’s up?”

Chris says sitting up slightly and allowing me to sit down on the bed.

Y/n’s pov

I woke up in matts bed but no matt. I look around the room his door was open so I decided to go find him. I walk to the kitchen, not there. Bathroom not there. There the two spots he is always in other than his bedroom what the fuck?

Maybe Chris will know. So with that I walk down the stairs to Chris room his door slightly open and I can hear voices Matt voice.

“God bro she is so annoying, she is always THERE. Like I get her and her family are struggling and all but god I can’t breathe. I have always put it aside but I can’t do it anymore.”

When I heard this my heart dropped. Was that really what he thought? Was he even talking about me? Don’t be stupid of course he was who else would he be talking about?

My mind rushed with so many thoughts, should I go in? Should I leave? Or go back to his room and pretend like none of it happened?

I run up the stairs as quickly and quietly as I can and just go back to his room and lay on his bed waiting for him to come back. I’m the mean time I just thought what i could do or say to him.

————

Sorry i haven’t posted in a while but yea just a few things been going on

Xoxo Frankie

[splatsvilles-fashionista]

Splatoon 3 Version 6.1 Patch Notes Breakdown

That time of the month again! Let's take a quick look at these together, and that part is actually important, because people have cross-referenced the Japanese and English patch notes and confirmed that there are several mistranslations in the latter, so stick with me as we roll through these!

This patch is heavily focused on balance changes, and outside of those, the only thing that isn't a bugfix is of course the Mincemeat Metalworks renovation. With that out of the way, let's look at the Main Weapon changes:

N-Zap gets two more damage, which makes it combo better with other sources of damage like the splash damage from the '85's Suction Bomb. There seems to always be a completely unnecessary Shooter buff in every patch nowadays, and this is the one this time, but it's at least balanced out by the fact that this weapon is also getting nerfed further down the notes, but we'll get there.

Dynamo Roller will now deal lethal damage in a wider spread than it did previously. Splat Roller got this buff a while ago and it was pretty good for it, so this is a definitive W for Dynamo mains everywhere.

Flingza Roller gets the exact same buff, plus a buff that cuts 5 white ink frames off its' vertical flick. Some nice quality of life for sure.

Inkbrush now moves faster, cheaper. Three percent doesn't sound like a lot, but I promise you that even such a small change is going to throw your aim off quite a bit, so get ready to get circles run around you in Clam Blitz even more than you already do.

The Brella gets 13% better ink efficiency off its shots, and that's quite a lot! Brella likes to play the long game and draw out fights, and most builds for it run a lot of Ink Saver Main as a result, so this should give it some more ability flexibility.

Undercover Brella can now... do full jumps while firing? I don't think this is a very impactful change, but it is neat, and I think if used properly could be a way to get more mileage out of your shield and avoid damage.

This is a mistranslation!

The first change is actually the complete opposite of what it says in the patch notes. They did not reduce Squeezer's ink consumption when tap-firing, but increase it, making the cost tap-shots 9% more. It'll also paint slightly worse when holding down the firing button, and considering how this weapon has been utterly dominant at all levels of play both of these changes are fair.

Ballpoint gets a small accuracy decrease in long-range mode, which frankly seems a bit uncalled for, because this weapon hasn't been on top of the metagame for a long time. At least it's also kind of a paint buff?

And finally for Main Weapon changes, Stamper gets its charge slash paint cut by 10%. Compared to the changes this weapon has been getting in the past it's a bit of a slap on the wrist, but it does in fairness paint really well, and Neo Splatana Stamper does put out a lot of Crab Tanks, so this isn't an unjust change.

After that comes two Special changes, and these are very interesting:

Wave Breaker will now immediately locate enemies upon being placed for a short while. They don't specify the range or time of the effect, but I have to imagine it'll be within the same area of effect as the Wave Breaker's Waves. Giving it an immediate effect is really cool to me, it makes me think of Splatoon 1's Echolocator, which Wave Breaker already kind of felt like a rework of to begin with.

THIS IS A MISTRANSLATION TOO AND IT'S EVEN WORSE THAN THE LAST ONE

Again, this change is the complete opposite, reading the text you'd think this was a nerf to Ink Storm, but it's actually a buff, because it makes you heal faster in Kid Form when inside your own team's Ink Storms. This is essentially completely unprecedented, as we've never had anything that messes with the health regeneration system like this before, and I'm very curious to see how it shakes out.

And finally we have the Points-For-Special changes:

Neo Sploosh, Forge Pro, Luna, Bamboozler, and Zink Mini all get their Points-For-Special cut by 10 (a change Forge has been begging for since it released, seriously starting it at 210p was completely unreasonable) while Slattershot, N-Zap '85 (here's that nerf I mentioned at the very top of the list), Tri-Slosher nouveau, and Heavy Edit Splatling get another 10p added to their Special charge.

Overall I think this is a pretty good patch that has some really interesting ideas in it, but there is also a very notable omission. They went after all of the most popular Tacticooler weapons, and increased their Special charge, except for Snipewriter 5H. Snipewriter has been skyrocketing in popularity in competitive player for its' ability to serve as paint support, long-range damage, and Tacticooler spammer, all at once, and it got completely overlooked here. I suspect that nanowrimo is coming early in the world of competitive Splatoon 3, because everyone is getting their pencils ready.