#in regards to myself and what I could bring to my space too

[rosenbraut]

What people don’t realise about sharing something on the internet is that in most cases, if you teach something, you can never authentically be that something. A man making “how to be an alpha man” or a woman making “how to be an it girl” videos won’t ever be alphas or it girls, because alphas or it girls wouldn’t make those type of videos. Effortlessness can’t be taught. The only way to do such a thing would be in a Cortegiano way. Learn by observing. Teach by living.

[world-of-aus]

The Arrangement - Chapter 3

Pairing: Mobboss!Bucky x Reader

Chapter Warnings: Angsty Dialogue. Longing????

Author's Note: Chapter 3 is finally here, I apologize for the delay, but I wanted to make this as good as I could for all of you. Also the vows used are my personal favorite and I think they fit the story well. I hope you enjoy, thank you, and happy readings!

You’re looking over the latest shipment, fingers dancing down the list of numbers, eyes scanning over the page from left to right. 

“You know, I heard most brides should be relaxing before their big day, having a night out on the town with their friends. Why am I not surprised you’re still here sweetheart?"

Your fingers still, eyes flitting up to see you father at the open door of your office, you offer a warm smile, “m'about done, just doing a final check before the weekend, wanted to make sure our numbers were right come Monday when we merge with the Barnes, didn't want a single hair out of place. And I'll have you know that Becca and I had a girls night yesterday by the way, we plan on catching a late dinner tonight as well so consider that my night out on the town.” 

Your father chuckles stepping into your space, your eyes flit back to the sheet as he draws closer, his presence looming at your side as he watches you. He waits till you’ve skimmed the last of the page, till you’re relaxed back against the office chair eyes on him before he speaks. 

“How are you doing my girl,” he murmurs reaching out to stroke your head, “I’ve been worried about you since your mom called you home and delivered the news.” 

“I don’t know how to feel dad,” you answer honestly, “should I feel happy, sad, angry, regret?” 

“Regret?” he questions. 

“This isn’t the way this was supposed to go,” you say. “I planned a wedding for tomorrow that isn’t mine, everything up to the last detail is hers, it's not mine and now I’m expected to step up – to step in for my family. Do you know what that’s going to feel like? To look like? Stepping in to a wedding that screams ‘This isn’t yours’, a wedding that you didn't invision." What if she comes back dad, what if she comes to her senses and decides she wants him back? What then? Are you going to discard up the contract like you did that night? Discard my feelings as if they meant less than hers?” 

Your father looks stricken by your words, “but we thought it’s what you wanted sweetheart, you didn’t fight us on it, you willingly let him sign so we assumed it's what you wanted too."

You scoff with a shake of your head, maybe you’d settle on feeling anger. “Of course I made it seem like it's something I wanted. Forgive me for not wanting to put myself through a one-sided marriage. He fell for her dad the first night he laid eyes on her and he was locked in, he loves her, he chose her. So of course I let him go despite my breaking heart. I refused to be the cause of someone’s unhappiness, to be the cause of my own unhappiness because I deserve someone who will love me back, who would choose me and he wasn’t going to chose me.” 

‘I can’t do this to her.’ 

But he could do it to you. 

“Sweetheart I’m -” 

You bring a hand up, “Please don’t dad, I’ve agreed to this because I know what it meant to our family, and I’ll play my role just as you asked but please don't ask more of me, there's only so much that I can give, and I think I've given enough."

Your fathers struck by your words, and he can only watch as you stand from the seat gathering your things. It’s only once you’ve reached the door of the office you turn to regard him, “I’ll see you tomorrow dad.” He wants to call you back,  to get on his knees and beg for your forgiveness because how could he have not seen it. Seen what that night did to you, he should have done more for you, fought it, but all he could think of that night was the merger, the safety it would bring both families. He thought of everyone’s happiness but your own that night. They all did. 

“You know my offer still stands to be your getaway driver for tomorrow right?” 

Despite the tears blurring your eyes you still manage to snort out your laughter, “Your brother would have us tracked down in minutes Bec’s there’s no where you could go that he wouldn’t find you, he has plenty of people that owe him favors just ready to cash in. Also don't get me started on the hell my father would reign, I don't take his position till after I marry."

“It was a worth a try,” she grumbles stabbing a noodle, “I just hate to see you hurting y/n, this isn’t how the night before your big day should be going, you should be happy – those tears shouldn’t be sad ones.” 

You smile sadly at the noodles in the takeout box before looking over the coffee table at your best friend, “but this isn’t my big day Bec's, I'm doing this for our families." Rebecca abandons her noodles all but crawling over the wooden coffee table to get to you, her arms crushing you in a welcomed embrace. “Tomorrow is for you y/n, I know none of it feels like it is, but its for you, I promise it is.” 

Your fingers curl around your friend as more tears slip from your eyes, god how you wish that were the truth. You would give yourself tonight to cry, to be hurt, to feel angry, but tomorrow, tomorrow it would all be different - you'd learn to mask it. You would no longer cry, no longer allow this pain to consume you, you were going to fight for your happiness - real happiness, and ensure you got every bit of it you deserved. 

Bucky remembered the nights the two of you would be out in the backyard of the Barnes residence, a soft blanket laid out beneath the two of you, the stars coating the night sky as you two drew up the image of the ‘perfect wedding’ a wedding between the two of you that was written in the stars. Looking around the chapel now he doesn’t see a single speck of you in the details. Though why would he, this wedding wasn’t yours despite all the effort you had gone to make sure it was perfect and it really wasn’t his – was it?  

He still recalls the day your sister eagerly announced their engagement to both families, he had imagined this being one of the most exciting moments in his life but where was that sought after feeling? He had found no excitement when she mentioned that you and her would be going dress shopping for the first time since the engagement dropped, no eagerness in wondering what she would look like in her chosen all white dress. If anything he felt like he had been outsider to most of it, the cake testing, the linen choosing, the food tasting, and at the time he couldn't quite understand why. Where had that rush he felt with you in his backyard gone? This was his wedding, he should feel happy, so why didn't he, what was missing?

Bucky thought he might be devastated when his mother rang him to tell him about your sister not being able to go through with the wedding. He thought he might have been crushed when he received her text: Please forgive me. I love you, but I can't do this. He thought he might feel hurt when his number was blocked shortly after, but he felt nothing.

Now though as he stands at the head of the chapel, Steve and Sam at his side a feeling Bucky can’t place his finger on crushes his chest as he looks over the families lining the pews of the church. There are quiet whispers filtering through the air, and Bucky thinks that's what may be causing the feeling. Or maybe it was the fact that you still hadn’t entered through the closed doors of the chapel.  

Had you unlike your sister gotten actual cold feet, or maybe you finally decide to do something for you, something that wasn't at the benefit of your family.

Steve leans in from where he’s stood at his side, “would you like me to go check on them pal?” Bucky’s lip's part on an answer but the doors to the chapel are pushing in, his sister albeit a little disheveled makes her way down the aisle, quiet apologies on her lips as she takes her spot on your side.

He looks at her in question, "we hit a bump in the road," she mouths, "she's coming."

Bucky wants to question her further, but then the piano is being queued, the doors swinging open and just there at the entrance you stand with your father, your arms entwined together.

He forgets how to breathe.

Bucky watches your father guide the two of you down the aisle, both family's stood on their feet. The feeling that weighed him down earlier is now replaced with something new as your father closes the distance. You're dressed in a silk white dress, a delicate veil placed in your hair, a simple piece yet on you it looked incredibly stunning, so this was the bump in the road.

He meets you and your father, your hand being placed in his, "take care of my girl son." Bucky looks at your father, his hand squeezing yours, "I give you my word sir." your father nods placing a kiss to your cheek before taking his spot by your mother.

It's just you and Bucky for a moment as he leads you up to the officiant, "I'm sorry for being late," you whisper, "I -" He turns to you then as you stop before the officiant, his other hand taking yours, "there's nothing to be sorry for I understand, you're here now, you look beautiful sweetheart."

He's left you speechless, but there's no room for words as the officiant begins the ceremony.

Bucky can't take his eyes off you, not even as he repeats the vows he's supposed to, his eyes only ever part from yours when he goes to present you with the ring Steve passes him, and even then they're on yours shortly after as he makes his promise to you. He cant quite describe the feeling that passes over him when you take the ring from Becca eyes locked on his as you make your vows to him sealing it with the ring over his finger.

Why did he ever let you go?

"James Barnes and Y/F/N Y/L/N, having proclaimed your love and commitment to one another in the eyes of these loved ones, and with the power vested in me by the Universal Life Church and the state of New York, I am so happy to pronounce you husband and wife." The officiant turns his attention to Bucky then, "You may kiss your bride."

You and Bucky had only ever kissed one other time, and it was a moment like this one that he knew he would never forget.

He's on his side looking down at you, taking in the beauty of your features as your eyes dance across the starry sky. "I'd want to write my own vow's," he proclaims, "it would feel more personal, more us."

He loves when your eyes find his, there's a brightness in your eyes at his proclamation, "I'd love that too B, care to share with me a bit of what you'd say?"

He know's you're teasing but in that moment he doesn't care, he thinks he may be able to tell you tonight, to show you just how much he cares, how much he loves you. "I vow to fiercely love you in all your forms now and forever," he breathes grinning at the soft surprise that skirts over your features. "I promise to never forget that this is a once-in-a-lifetime love. And to always know in the deepest part of my soul that no matter what challenges might carry us apart, we will always find our way back to each other."

He thinks you might have been the first to move, your hand finding the back of his head, the other the side of his face as you caressed his cheek, he knows there's love in your eyes as you pull him a little closer, the whispered words, 'you may now kiss the bride' ghosting over his lips just before they met yours.

He's certain he's the one that's moved first this time, one hand finding your waist, the other your cheek as he pulls you closer. He can see the fear, the worry there in your eyes, and he caresses your skin in hopes of easing that worry as he closes the distance between the two of you.

And just before his lips slot over yours Bucky vows then to mend the promises he had broken.

The Arrangement Taglist:

If you'd like to be added or removed please let me know, Many Thanks <3

@learisa @greatenthusiasttidalwave @barnesxstan @calwitch @h0nestly-though @wintrsoldrluvr @esposadomd @roofwitty779 @pattiemac1 @sebastians-love @scott-loki-barnes @mrsnikstan @metanoiablxxm @lostyx @missvelvetsstuff @casa-boiardi @shoutingcardinal @tiedyedghoulette @littleeuphoriaelf @polireader @armystay89 @cjand10 @railmesebstan @agardenflower25 @brckenmemories @mcira @loki-laufeyson68 @edelweissbarnes @unaxv @ghalouha @wasalreadyhere @broadwaybabe18 @mavs101 @stormy-stardust @shadowrose13-blog1 @laha1na

[luvfy0dor]

"You Are In Love!!" - BSD x GN!Reader ੈ✩‧₊˚

╰┈➤ Fyodor Dostoevsky, Chuuya Nakahara ♡

Warnings; none pure fluff and sweetness

Description; Drabbles (I actively attempted to make these shorter than the timeless ones but I clearly have a yapping issue) of Chuuya and Fyodor based off of You Are in Love by Taylor Swift in honor of 1989 (Taylor's Version) today. This one had a lot of cute little prompts for small scenarios so I thought I'd take the opportunity.

A/n; yawning is contagious you guys I proved it because I wrote about yawning and then I yawned, also I have so many 1989 TV thoughts now so im gonna write them while writing asks at the same time, so im sorry for those of you guys who dont like Taylor, that's totally valid. Hmu w/ music themed requests if you wanna see a different song.

Fyodor Dostoevsky ੈ♡

“Coffee at midnight”

You sat on your boyfriends lap, facing him while he typed away, working on God knows what. You didn't ask what it was at that very moment, too sleepy care. You breathed in his scent, your arms tightly hugged around his torso. Any time he took a break from typing, his left hand immediately went to stroke your back, his lips moving and ghosts of whispers slip out from between them as he read over the text. You nuzzled into his neck, pressing sweet, chaste kisses to his pale skin every now and again.

You were playing with his hair softly when you could hear him yawn. "My dear, do you mind getting up? I'm going to make some coffee for myself." He murmurs, his head turned a bit in your direction. You nod and get off of his lap, standing up and rubbing your eyes a bit. "Yeah, sure, but coffee? It's midnight.." now you were yawning. He nods, standing up and heading straight for the kitchen. You trail behind him, drowsily following along. Luckily, the lights of your kitchen were dimmed rather than being at full brightness. He stood against the counter, starting the coffee machine and grabbing a mug for himself while the drink started to brew.

"Do you want some too?" He asks, noticing your stare before you yourself even could. You shook your head, holding your upper arms for the warmth that Fyodors body had previously been providing to you. You yawned again, making him smile ever so slightly in amusement. You leaned against the counter with your eyes closed, almost starting to nod off. The two minutes it took to make the coffee passed within the blink of an eye, you being woken from your sleepy and dazed state by Fyodors thumb caressing your cheekbone.

"Moya Lyubov, you don't have to stay up with me. I appreciate it, but if you're tired you should sleep." He softly murmurs while looking into your eyes. "No, no, it's fine, don't worry." You say, standing straight up and walking with him back to his little work space. He sat right back down on the chair, opening his arms for you to crawl right back onto him. He sipped on his coffee, and the aroma made you regret your decision to reject a cup for yourself. You moved your head to rest on his shoulder sideways instead of upright so you could get a better look at him while he drank from the ceramic mug.

He glanced at you while he did so, sighing into the glass and handing it to you without even needing to hear anything from your mouth; he just knew you that well. Perhaps it was your predictably, or maybe it was his attentive habits regarding your body language and every expression. You took the mug, bringing it to your lips and drinking a small amount, making sure that you didn't chug it and leave nothing for him. You handed him back the glass, wiping your top lip off before you pressed a kiss to his cheek, making him smile a bit.

"So much for not wanting any, hm?" He teases quietly, leaning his head against yours. You just roll your eyes at him. "Well I changed my mind a little." You mumbled, your hands rubbing up and down his sides gently. Your eyelids felt as if they had weights attached to them as it became harder to keep yourself awake. Fyodor had taken notice of this numerous times, before getting coffee, while getting coffee, and even after you had taken a sip. If the caffeine had any effect on you it clearly was not immediate.

"That's alright, I don't mind sharing it with you." He says quietly. You hum in response as a thank you while you drifted off into a calming sleep. Fyodor noticed you fully knocked out after about a minute or two. He smiled and kissed the side of your head, whispering to you. "Goodnight, my love, sleep well."

Chuuya Nakahara ੈ♡

“You kiss on sidewalks”

You looked up at the stars in the night sky while you walked down the streets of Yokohama with Chuuya. Late night walks were never something you found enjoyment in before Chuuyas presence in your life. Not only did Chuuyas ability and profession absolutely make you feel safer, but he was someone to talk to while you walked. It wasn't silent, but filled with conversation about your day, passions, etc.

His hand was holding yours while he listened to you rambled on about a book you had started reading, explaining the plot to him. Chuuya wasn't an absent listener, he didn't just nod and "ohhh" every now and again, he actually asked questions about it and commented on the actions of characters and what not. Chuuya didn't ramble much, but when he did you offered the same undivided attention. You loved watching his eyes light up whenever he talked about something that excited him; he specifically got riled up about his missions, explaining what he did with as much detail as he was allowed to.

And that's what was happening. You walked along the path, holding your boyfriends hand while he told you about how he acquired a new small cut on his cheek. You asked him about it and he got so worked up, it was almost funny. The amount of slandering he put on the name of some random guy he had to fight was a little much, but it was his opponent and enemy, so you didn't comment on it. His other hand was moving around very quickly while he passionately told you about the encounter, annunciating every word and speaking clearly.

"He was so annoying. Obviously I dealt with him real fast, but now I've got this cut on my face." He says while rolling his eyes. You snicker a little. "Oh yeah, I totally get that. He sounds like he sucks, but I think the scar is kinda hot, to be honest." You laugh, standing in front of him and brushing his bangs out of his eyes. He scoffs and places his hands on your arms. "Ofcourse you do, doll, you're...well, you're you." He says, rubbing your shoulders a bit.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Your eyebrows were furrowed as you stare him down. "I know you like the back of my hand, I knew you'd find somethin' like that attractive. It's like, your thing." He says, the street light you stood under casting a yellow glow overtop the two of you. The shadows that projected onto his skin because of the angle hid the blush on his face relatively well. "I pay attention to you, ya know.." he murmurs, making you grin and gently cup his face.

"Oh I know you pay attention to me; everytime you bring up some random small detail about me it makes my heart flutter." You say, looking down at his lips through the black veil of darkness on his face. "I'm glad I can make ya swoon, darlin'.." he mutters, both of you leaning into each other, your hands interlocked and giving each other soft squeezes as your lips gently collided with one another. You pulled away after a couple seconds, but you felt yourself pulled right back in as the two of you softly giggled with one another, his gloved hand pressed against the back of your neck.

Your lips moved against his, soft hums of approval coming from his throat. When you did finally part, the both of you looked into the other's eyes for a second before breaking the stare and grinning. "I love you a whole lot, y'know?" He says, sliding his arm around your waist. You did the same and nodded. "I know, I know. I love you a whole lot, too." You say, kissing his cheek while the two of you walk home to retreat for the night.

A/n; I have a couple of things to say; 1- this is not a theme switch, it's only blue and white for 1989 TV, 2- I know these aren't the most obviously related to the song, but I felt inspired. 3- I was gonna do more characters for this but I don't wanna in this moment, would y'all wanna see that?

[txttletale]

Overly long disclaimer incoming: This is not anon hate. This is not an argument. This is not accusation. This is not agreement with anyone directly involved. Any feelings of hostility that may be gleaned from this ask are most likely because I struggle with maintaining a professional tone. Because this is not intended to be read as hostile.

This is solely intended as a statement of facts regarding who said what, mixed with light speculation on their intent. It is being sent because I feel that misinterpretation has occurred, and I firmly believe that one should always be as informed as possible on situations they are directly involved in. I hope this ask can make a positive difference.

Okay. Disclaimer over. Sorry it was so long.

I do not think roadhogsbigbelly accused you of being a pedophile yourself, and I don’t believe it was because of your stardew valley take.

I have seen several of his posts on this matter, and it seems he doesn’t like stardew valley (found it boring), his beef with your take was frankly minor and inconsequential, and it was intended to be separate from the larger critique he had of you. He made a few posts saying rather explicitly that they were separate issues, and I believe his initial post was a vagueblog that, on accident, conflated the two issues.

As for the main issue: if i recall correctly, you had reblogged a kink-positive post that turned out to have been made by an open zoophile (and also pedophile?). The zoophile in question is a clear danger to others, as they have a community of pedophiles and zoophiles that welcomes so-called “pro-contact” people.

This was where his accusations originated from, and this was what he focused on. He is concerned about how dangerous people like that are able to infiltrate into kink-positive spaces (is “infiltrate” the right word? I don’t know). His harshest critique of you seems to have been that you did not interrogate the intent of the person when you reblogged, and even that seems to have been mostly expressed in order to turn this into a learning moment for others. I don’t have precise wording (curse you tumblr mobile, for not letting me factcheck myself), but i believe he shared the sentiment that we all could stand to be a little more discerning?

- and I know he knows you have already responded to that criticism. For those unaware: txtlletale’s response was that she cannot be expected to vet the OP of every post on her dash, and that this criticism is thus unreasonable. His response to that response? … I forget, sorry. But I don’t think what you said was unreasonable. Again, my intent is to clear misunderstandings.

The point here is that, I don’t believe “accidentally reblogged a pedophile” and “is a pedophile” are the same statements, and roadhogsbigbelly had made the former statement. In short… I don’t think he was pedojacketing you. Whether he had unfairly judged you, and done so out of a transmisogynistic bias is, of course, a different question entirely. And if anyone else used his words to directly accuse you of pedophilia? Well, fuck em. Assholes.

I hope this makes sense. This ask is anonymous because I do not wish to become the focus of this issue. I am solely presenting information as I understand it. Feel free to fact check for yourself.

I think your anger is valid. These situations are infuriating, as is the culture of distrust that they bring. People on social media are, in general, far too swift to condemnation. You see it all the time, with pedojacketing, with qanon, with countless petty internet arguments. I try my best to reverse this tendency, at least with my own behavior. I don’t think you are a careless person, nor someone with a pattern of spurious accusations against people. I know you’re an intelligent and discerning blogger, which is why I trust you enough to send this ask. I hope I can have a positive impact.

have a good day, and take care of yourself.

(Considering sending an ask about this to him as well, so if you see a weird anon on his blog talking about misinformation hi its me)

i just don't agree with you--like, i don't say this aggressively either but this is just not an honest description of what he said. he called me, verbatim: "a tumblr user who markets incest and loliporn as an inherent part of queer sexuality". nothing in the screenshot mentioned "loliporn" -- nothing i have ever posted about in my fucking live mentions "loliporn" -- and for that matter, obviously, in none of my posts have i ever said that any kink, 'problematic' or not, is 'an inherent part of queer sexuality', and most fucking evilly of all, i don't 'market' these kinks.

like, think for two seconds about the implication of saying i, a trans woman, am "marketing loliporn". i think that goes beyond criticizing that i didn't vet my reblogs (which would obviously be insane in and of itself but i agree would not be pedojacketing). it's literal grooming/social contagion rhetoric. and again i can't emphasize enough he "just assumed" that "loliporn" was involved, despite it having no connection to anything i have ever posted! that + in his absolutely laughable double-down he says "99% of the people who make these sorts of posts are actual fucking pedophiles" as well as "pedophiles are agreeing with you! that’s not great!" which.

like wow that's crazy hey if 99% of people who make "those posts" (about "not being mean to sex freaks", or as i would phrase it, "criticizing the double standard leveraged to initiate mass sexual harassment campaigns against queer people but especially trans people for what they do privately and consensually with other adults" are "actual fucking pedophiles", what is that implying about me? can sherlock holmes get on this case with me?

idk i don't appreciate being told that "he never said 4" when he sure as hell was repeating "2+2" over and over again. & if his critique was 'intended to be separate' then why would he bring it up at all in his original post, multiple times, to clearly imply he doesn't think i should have 'takes' or 'opinions' on anything? regardless of what he did and didn't say about me i think it is pretty fucking clear that this:

is not 'seperate or unrelated'. i think it is really really difficult and requires totally unearned levels of good faith to read this as anything other than explicitly confirming that the point of this post is to use transmisogynistic rhetoric as a cudgel to shut up me up.

you can believe what you like but i know what i read and what was said about me and i will not be lied to.

[onlycosmere]

REGARDING AUDIBLE

Brandon Sanderson: Hey, all. Brandon here, with what I consider to be some pretty exciting news. Many of you may remember when I wrote last year about my worries regarding audiobook royalties (particularly for independent authors). You can read it HERE, but some of the main bullet points are as follows:

I seriously worried about the opacity of reporting to authors about audio sales. We didn’t know what a sale meant, how much of an Audible credit was given to authors when a book sold via one, and how royalties were being accounted.

I felt that the industry was taking advantage of authors because of their lack of powerful corporate interests to advocate for them. While video game creators and musicians get 70–80% (88%, in fact, on two major platforms) of a sale of their products in a digital platform, Audible was paying as low as 25%–with the high end being instead 40%.

I felt I could have gotten a better deal for myself, but the entire state of this industry was seriously concerning to me. So, I made the difficult decision NOT to release the four Secret Projects on Audible, costing me a large number of sales, to instead try to bolster healthy competition in the space, highlighting some of the smaller Audible competitors.

I hoped this wake-up call would prompt change. I didn’t refuse to put my books on Audible out of retribution or to declare war; I did it because I wanted to shine as powerful a light as I knew how on a system that highly favored the audio distributors over the authors. I was convinced that the people at Audible really did love books and writers, and that with the right stand taken, I could encourage them toward positive change.

I’m happy to say that this stand has borne some fruit. I’ve spent this last year in contact with Audible and other audio distributors, and have pushed carefully–but forcefully–for them to step up. A few weeks ago, three key officers high in Audible’s structure flew to Dragonsteel offices and presented for us a new royalty structure they intend to offer to independent writers and smaller publishers.

This new structure doesn’t give everything I’ve wanted, and there is still work to do, but it is encouraging. They showed me new minimum royalty rates for authors–and they are, as per my suggestions, improved over the previous ones. Moreover, this structure will move to a system like I have requested: a system that pays more predictably on each credit spent, and that is more transparent for authors. Audible will be paying royalties monthly, instead of quarterly, and will provide a spreadsheet that better shows how they split up the money received with their authors.

This part looked really good to me, as I understand their decisions. I tried poking holes in the system, looking for ways it could be exploited, and found each issue I raised had already been considered. This doesn’t mean it’s going to be perfect, and people smarter than me might still find problems that I didn’t. However, I think everyone is going to agree the new system IS better. We will better be able to track, for example, how Audible is dividing money between books purchased with a credit and books listened to as part of their Audible Plus program.

It’s all very technical, but I have to say I’m impressed with the effort they have made. The people there listened to my complaints, and have tried to improve. I’m not at liberty to explain in its entirety their new structure right now, as they’re still tweaking it, but they did say I could announce its existence–and that I could promise new, improved royalties are on the horizon.

Now, before we go too far, I do anticipate a few continuing issues with the final product. I want to manage expectations by talking about those below.

What I’ve seen doesn’t yet bring us to the 70% royalty I think is fair, and which other, similar industries get.

Audible continues to reserve the best royalties for those authors who are exclusive to their platform, which I consider bad for consumers, as it stifles competition. In the new structure, both exclusive and non-exclusive authors will see an increase, but the gap is staying about the same.

Authors continue to have very little (basically no) control over pricing. Whatever the “cover price” of books is largely doesn’t matter–books actually sell for the price of a credit in an Audible subscription. Authors can never raise prices alongside inflation. An Audible credit costs the same as it did almost two decades ago–with no incentive for Audible to raise it, lest it lose customers to other services willing to loss-lead to draw customers over.

These are things I’d love to see change. However, this deal IS a step forward, and IS an attempt to meet me partway. Indeed, even incremental changes can mean a lot. When I was new in this business, my agent spent months arguing for a two-percent change in one of my print royalties–because every little bit helps. These improvements are going to be larger than two-percent increases.

Because of this, I will be bringing the Secret Projects to Audible very soon. I consider Audible to again be a positive force for the industry, and I have decided to shake hands with them. Audible has promised to release their new royalty system for all authors sometime in 2024, though I should be testing it in the next month or so.

And…if you’ll allow me a moment, I’d like to say that this feels good. It isn’t what I wanted, but I’d begun to think that nothing would ever change–that even my voice, loud though it can be, wouldn’t be enough. Yet change IS possible.

I know that there are plenty of people out there who are tired of hearing about me and my works (I’m sorry–I do have quite the group of evangelists, and we can be an enthusiastic lot). However, for better or for worse, I am one of the bestselling authors in the world. Historically, one of the best ways to change things in my industry is for authors like myself to force it to happen.

Feeling this responsibility, when I was first talking to Audible about these issues in 2022, I made it very clear that I wasn’t just seeking some quiet deal that gave me an individual advantage. I wanted to see positive change for all authors. And while I don’t think I can take sole credit, I do feel like my efforts this year have had a significantly positive effect. Soon every independent author who publishes on Audible (and maybe, eventually, traditionally published authors with the huge publishers–depending on what New York decides) will be getting a larger cut of the profit, with more transparency about how that cut is allocated.

So, for those who have been waiting until Audible had the Secret Projects, you’ll get your chance soon. I hope you’ll support them, and support Audible for their decisions. And thank you to all of you who shared the news about my problems with the audio industry last year; I believe that pressure really did help. This is a victory for all of us, because happier authors able to make a better living (particularly those authors who are struggling in the midlist trenches) make for a more vibrant world for everyone.

[blueiones]

Advantage. Yandere × GN! Reader PT. 1

-> letter from valentine: i haven't posted in a year haha, anyways this will be split into 2 parts, maybe 3 if i feel like adding more. dude still don't have a name so feel free commenting one or something (ó﹏ò｡) not sure when the next part will be so no promises it'll be soon since school year is starting and i'll be busy :> until next time <3 tis very short idk how people are able to write so much (ᵕ—ᴗ—)

He steered clear away from you, who was the popular kid. You did well in class and were absolutely gorgeous (he couldn't deny that).

Everyone knew you. They'd greet you in the halls with a smile or a shy wave. You were perfect, it was as if the world revolved around you. He heard stories about you, how you always tried to help anyone in class.

“Y/n? Oh yeahhh, the one from my English Class. Yeah they're cool as hell, they helped me the one time I didn't attend class.”

“They're in my P.E. class! I don't know how they do it but they totally rock that uniform, especially the ass— uh you won't tell them I said that right?”

“Great student. Always passes work on time, they're always doing some type of extra curricular so I don't know how they manage that. A role model indeed, they'll succeed in life— no matter what path they choose.”

He was jealous, how can you do it so easily? Him? He was just there. He wasn't bullied, he had acquaintances and people he talked to regarding school work but it was just that. It stopped at that. He sometimes thinks the only reason he wasn't bullied was because his family is well-off, even if he was the third son— who was forgotten more often than not his family wouldn't want anyone to think they were a push over.

People only ever talked to him because they needed something, because they wanted to use him for the English project they forgot to do or ask him to be their partner in an assignment so he can do all the work load. His appearance didn't make it any better, he wasn't conventionally attractive, he looked like he was in constant pain with his furrowed brows and had terrible eye bags hidden away with his specs.

So when he was invited to a party hosted by his batch he immediately accepted wanting to change. He promised to himself before going inside the door, he was going to meet people, have fun and get shit faced.

Spoiler. It didn't go as he planned.

An hour into the party he was hugging the toilet seat on the second floor of the huge mansion. Okay, Maybe he got too excited and was peer pressured into a drinking contest but at least he was included, right? That was important, to be part of them, to be like them.

He embarrassingly screeched so loud when a hand gently tapped him on the shoulder. He whipped his head to see you holding bottled water with a sheepish smile.

“Hey uhm, sorry about my friend, he just got excited since you like rarely join these types of things. I uh- saw you running up the stairs so I brought you water, so you can flush all the toxins from your system.” You explained, holding the bottle towards him.

“Oh.” He dumbly said, he reached the water and slightly brushed your hand in doing so. It was only for a moment but he felt the thick callousness of your hands. “Thanks.”

“If you don't mind… I can bring you to your place? I'm not a drinker myself, so I'm sober and can totally bring you home if you don't wanna stay here anymore.” You offered.

Not a party person? He expected the opposite to be honest. He thought about it before agreeing. He definitely did not want to stay any longer, he could feel the headache bouncing inside his head.

“Sure.”

-

Your car looked a little old but smelled and looked clean, he knew a handful of college students who kept their space tidy. There wasn't any type of air freshener which he was glad about, he hated those especially the citrus scents it would've added to his growing migraine. He pushed his head back onto the plush car seat, it smelled like you. Clean.

“You have arrived at your destination.”

“Woah, this place is nice.” You said looking out the window in awe, “Wanna live somewhere this nice in the future, comfortably.” You said to him with a toothy grin.

He looked toward your smiling face with a surprised look, you enjoy things as simple as this? The place wasn't cheap but at the end of the day it wouldn't leave a dent in his bank account alone. “Yea it is nice, thanks for the ride by the way.” He replied sparingly, but nevertheless you still beamed at him.

He walked out of the car and was about to head inside the building when he heard your voice call out. He looked behind in surprise, did you need something else from him?

You jogged closer to him before handing out your phone, “If you don't mind, can I have your number?” You asked shyly at him.

Huh. That was it? Just his number? He looked skeptically before typing it in, he hopes he won't regret it in the future.

-

He dried his hair with a towel, by now he hoped that all the alcohol was flushed out. He still had a headache and felt like it wasn't gonna subside.

Ding!

He glanced at his phone from the table and saw messages pop-out.

UNKNOWN.

> hey!! this is y/n btwww, i don't know if you slept right away kind of hoping you didn't before i got to tell you to take an advil :>> it'll help you feel better in the morning

> i remember the first (and last) hangover i got, wasn't very fun especially since i had class in morning :ppa anywy i think typing too much lololol

> i think i'm*** :[

> goodnight!! ٩(^ᗜ^ )و ´-

He didn't think of that, so he found the pill in his drawer and drank to down it and plopped in his bed. He just hoped you're right.

You were, he woke up in the morning feeling better than he expected. He found his phone and went to his messages.

UNKNOWN

UNKNOW|

UNKN|

__________

Y/N.

> goodnight!! :3

seen, 11:43 PM.

(just now)

< Thank you.

to be continued...!

[sgiandubh]

Machiavelli took a day off

... when the Telegraph article was written in great haste, by someone blatantly given a last minute task, who had no fucking idea to whom she was talking and what exactly meant the PR vetted or even prompted questions.

Instead of a line-by-line analysis, we'll take things differently, on this page, using the '5 W rule of journalism' (or even non-fiction writing, in general, if you ask me):

Who? SRH, EP of the OL series and one of the two male leads of the TCND series, which will be shortly broadcast by Channel 4, in the UK and IE only (and Movistar in ES). The rest of the world is not concerned.

What? A promotional article, focused on the actor's personality, CV and projects.

When? At a particular moment in time, just after the SAG-AFTRA strike and before shooting OL's eighth and last season.

Where? Crucial to place it in LHR (to imply he is 'just visiting') and God forbid it would be in GLA, which (for some curious reasons) seems to be off-limits.

Why? An actor with solid credentials hopes to keep agents and employers interested, after above OL project is done, which is rather sooner than later. Also addressing (as per the actor's PR agent specific requirements) three particular issues: the Palestine letter, the Bond project and his 'private life'.

Onwards to the three issues at stake, which probably prompted the article. In chronological order, this time. And no, I am not going to address the Scottish independence mention, because this is a sincere, well-known position of his and this page never bitches about people's convictions - also because I educated myself on it and I agree with S.

Palestine:

It was important, for obvious reasons, to push damage control a tad further. Also, strictly from a hypothetical POV, I would be very curious to read your compare and discuss thoughts with regard to this particular post on this page:

A sort of answer came in the Telegraph paper, too. Not only to me (I am less than nobody), but to all the people (of which we were many) who thought he should not get involved in this type of debate:

This is not the first time he uses this specific talking point. Last time known to me was on the day the Queen died, on X (I looked for that post, but can't find it, because I am just a filthy lurker, like that: but it is there).

The really interesting question, therefore, is: does he/somebody monitor what is being said on Tumblr? The answer is, I think, yes, and it shows. Will it stop me talking in here? Nope, as I trust my discerning abilities, for the moment. Other than that, his damage control op does not bring anything new to the table.

Bond:

What can I say, Sir? While there's life, there's apparently hope. But that doesn't translate well, given the context of your interview. That spells desperate and it's not a great picture. Also, let us keep a pious moment of silence in fond memory of a 25 year old who had a dream and the dream went to Daniel Craig (who I detested as Bond, because every girl has her Bond and mine is Pierce Brosnan, amen).

I know people still speculate about it. I have very high reservations and I cannot, for the life of me, seriously consider even thinking about the possibility. He could do it with flying colors, no doubt. Does he stand a chance? I prefer to have zero expectations on it and be floored if it happens. If he naively still yearns/pushes for it, this interview could very well be as abysmal as C's VF tantrum.

'Private life':

Ugh. Slippery when wet. I have already touched the subject in a reactive re-blog of @samheughanswife's post about it and I will not get back to what I said even without reading the article.

Some more extraordinary wording, in here: 'there might even be space for a personal life' - begs the question 'when?' In general? (in general, all men are created equal, too - it's practice that kills the theory) Now? (it is my staunch belief the answer is yes). After OL? (then and now and after Hiroshima, too). Can you program these things? (nope, stars simply aligned) Heh. Enough said. Also, 'might' spells cheap insinuation to me. But that's just me, a blonde voice in the audience.

Now, onwards to the daughter thing. I believe this specifically addresses the cheap, abundant clickbait content on You Tube, hence the vague 'online' reference (not Tumblr, not fans, not blogs - he is not C, he kept it clean). Such as this very recent one (last 'clip' on the topic was five days ago):

The two I chose to share here, which are very conspicuous FAKES, are originating from the same 'source', an account that seems obsessed with S&C and has no problem changing its narrative three times a week, if needed. My opinion? PR induced shite, to prod numbers/interest and see what sticks.

No newborn daughter? I hear no lies.

As for OL leaving 'no time for relationships', ahem. *urv will be thrilled to read that, I bet the farm. As will Flukenzie Floozy, at least her - damn, she was persistent! Also, hello, back to 2014-2016 playbook, aren't we?

No new relationships? Whatever for, when IYKYK? I hear no lies.

'I want a cat' ('because she's great', says my shipper brain on autopilot), 'but I am too scared even for that'. Humph. A very poor lie. But admitting you wanted and got a Ca(i)t scares the bejesus out of you, since 2016. I hear no lies. Yes, I am being tongue in cheek and damn the consequences.

Morality of it?

The easiest solution is never to take personal questions in interviews or panels. Why These Two still do it completely mystifies me.

[somewhereinneptune]

ASTROLOGY OBSERVATIONS

Heeey! It's been agesss and I haven't done something in a while. I thought it's about time I give astrology observations a try since I've been into astrology for years yet I never posted about it or about what I've gathered so there goes!

Disclaimer: these are simply personal observations.They're things I observed around me from people and their charts to things regarding my own charts and self that I've analyzed so it may not resonate. With that put aside, hope you enjoy!

🎐If someone's sun falls in your 4th house, this can cause a lot of triggers since the 4th house is the house of roots, childhood and family so wounds in regards to these themes could resurface. These people might feel close like family too or like home, yet trigger many suppressed issues within . Ex : My mom and I have our sun signs in each other's 4th house and we have this up and down relationship where we sometimes feel so close and like we understand each other deeply, yet we get triggered by each other through the simplest of interactions and disagreements

🎐Neptune in 7th natal or transit as well as in the solar return chart can bring out themes such as rose -colored glasses in relationships and close connections, lacking boundaries or having a hard time understanding the concept of boundaries. Neptune in 5th might deal with similar themes too but with emphasis on Romantic connections

🎐 I'll need to clarify with more people but there's something about Scorpio risings and being left handed 😐 I'm a Scorpio rising and left handed myself as well as my dad and two more people and I don't know the connection behind it yet

🎐Chiron in 12th and the blur over pain : D this might manifest into the individual feeling triggered by things without being able to sense the root of the reason and it's because the 12th house blurs everything from the conscious eye . Its like this metaphorical apparition that keeps following you without making itself clear. Another reason could be that the trauma comes not from this lifetime but a past one. Many deep wounds I had to heal from in my healing journey turned out to root from previous life times

🎐 If someone's natal Saturn is at 0 , it either means they have reset karma by breaking a major karmic cycle in their recent past life or that this is their first incarnation on earth

🎐Another clue in my opinion for if this is someone's first or one of the first incarnations on earth is if their chart has an emphasis on the deeper and spiritual aspect . Ex : North Node in Ninth, Sagittarius placements and degrees, Saturn in Ninth, Sun at 0° degree, Saturn at 0° and the reason for that is that it signifies a soul that is just starting to learn and experience their way through life

On the contrary, Sun and Saturn at 29° might signify the ending of a long karmic cycle as well as maturity and having gone through several trials and lessons in life / past lives

🎐 One of the themes of Chiron in Scorpio can be fear of lies and dishonesty, fear of being manipulated and of hidden truth since Scorpio rules mystery and the hidden, and as Chiron rules wounds and trauma, the native usually does go through themes of lies and manipulation in their life

🎐 I've read before that having an empty house can mean you've mastered this house and that you can access it easily, yet I've noticed its usually the house or themes we tend to overlook, be unaware of or even bury or take for granted due to the focus being solely on the houses with the most placements and aspects

🎐Leo MC and Aquarius IC and the paradox between desiring to be seen and out there and getting triggered when you're under the spot light or seen in any way. The contrast between desiring attention as well as social groups vs needing so much space and alone time or to 'hide'

🎐Saturn in Aquarius natal could make someone prone to people - pleasing tendencies; since their karmic lesson is to learn to exist unapologetically and daringly in the world, the native would be prone to fear of existing authentically first or having a presence which would lead to trying to fit in with what the crowd wants to see regardless of whether it feels good to them or not

🎐personally, for those into spirituality : An indication of a spiritual awakening in a solar return chart could indicate Pisces and\ or Scorpio rising, Chiron in first, Pluto in 7th or 11th, as well as placements in the 8th and 12th like sun and north node in 12th or Uranus in 8th

🎐 to add to the previous note, sun in 8th transit and solar return is such an ego death placement. You're forced to face shadow aspects within you that you might have resisted or turned a blind eye to for some time

[wispscribbles]

hi i just discovered your beautiful art so i obviously needed to scroll down your whole blog to catch up on everything you posted haha

i just wanted to say that i got way too emotional after reading that post of yours regarding mw3 and your mental health… on one hand i’m so sorry that you felt that way, but on the other i feel it with my whole heart

ghoap content especially for me helped me these past few months with my mental health in ways i would never have expected, it was my solace and inspiration, i started working out too and got back into drawing, got a lot better at it as well!

but unfortunately i get way too fixated on fictional stuff and there comes a time that my brain switches up and connects the things i liked and comforted me with things that make me extremely uncomfortable and stressed out, especially if i fall down a fandom rabbit hole that i would never have searched up, beacuse i know myself, i know my limits and triggers but i feel like i’m not a part of the fandom if i don’t like and interact with every single headcanon, art and ship

these past days i was really down because of that, and the things i read (why did i do that???) and now when i think of ghoap i think of that stuff and im scared that i alienated myself from the one thing that made me happy

but discovering your art and with that your post reminded me that im not alone in these feelings, even if it’s not the same exactly, and i wanted to thank you, for sharing your thoughts that time i guess haha <33

((sorry for rambling))

Long reply under 'keep reading' !! CW: talk of triggers and MCD

Always feel free to ramble my way!!! How nice you could find some comfort in my art and ghoap stuff. Especially in my mw3 post. I've been considering deleting it a few times, but hearing it maybe helped to read in some way makes me happy I left it up.

I get where you're coming from - I very much use these fictional characters as a safe space, but ppl view them very differently. There's room for it all, "don't like, don't interact" is very much a policy I agree with. It's important to mute words and be aware of your own triggers as you browse stuff in this fandom, because there's such a wide variety of stuff out there. You do NOT have to interact and agree with every thought people have on this ship, that's impossible and super stressful. There's plenty of stuff and headcanons I don't vibe with. There are no 'requirements' that you have to meet in order to enjoy fiction.

It's part of why I enjoy ghoap - that their dynamic resonates and has sparked so much creativity and outlets for so many - but it also means there's gonna be a lot of stuff u don't necessarily agree with or feel comfortable with. For example, a lot of folks use the MCD in mw3 as a way to explore grief, which I think is really cool, but on a bad day that could potentially get my brain in a bad headspace, so I only check out that art and those fics when I feel okay. There's also a bunch of stuff I'd never want to interact with, and that’s fine !!

I'm personally quite vanilla and a sucker for exploring the softer, more domestic aspects of these characters. It's what brings me joy. I know there are parts of this fandom who don’t vibe with what I make at all, and would call it untrue to the characters. Some creators enjoy exploring the more violent or toxic sides to the source material. That's just how it is, we all need different things from fiction. As long as we're capable of chilling in our respective sandboxes, then all's good.

But if you're like me, and enjoy the softer things, then definitely be aware and careful while exploring this ship and fandom. I've seen takes on these characters that are so far removed from how I view them, that they're basically the complete opposite, and it can leave a very bad taste, especially if you're the type to hinge your safe space on fiction.

Just... be mindful of yourself and your potential triggers, be respectful and don't interact with things that make you uncomfortable to the point of feeling unsafe. Shape your own online experience to your best ability.

Hope you're doing okay and still find joy in ghoap <3

[peachysunrize]

Now the green fandom loathes Alicent and especially Aemond. But they always defended Aegon's character and called every bad or stupid thing he'd done as a bad writing and writers' bias. I'm not saying this wasn't sometimes true, but still. Why not apply the same criteria to Aemond? I guess I can't even consider myself to be a green anymore since I like the characters - Aemond and Alicent (even though I hate some of the writing decisions regarding their arcs) they now hate with fervor and there is no safe space for me lol. Not to mention that those are the same characters that brought me to the green side. What's your opinion on this?

Finally someone with common sense finally!!

Before I write my answer, please for the love of god don’t read this if you hate Aemond or are a mad aegon wife. I’m not looking for any drama, this is my opinion and many will not agree so simply don’t read if you don’t like Aemond. I’m an aemond apologist so. Answer under the cut

Aemond is the only villain in this story that is a villain. A real villain who is ambitious and cunning and smart. He has a righteous god complex and knows what he wants.

I agree that him betraying his brother was a bad writing decision, but with the scene we got, it truly made me wonder did he mean it? Yes, yes he did, but not in a sense I’m going to KFC my brother, no, he just didn’t care Aegon was tangled with Meleys.

He didn’t give a fuck just as Aegon didn’t give a fuck about him all his life. He’s a twat, the pink dread, his 13 birthday, the brothel etc.

My problem is that people whitewashed Aegon’s misdeeds. They bluntly ignored the very obvious rape allegations against him. He is a rapist, as much as the show tries to show him as this beautiful and amazing human being he’s still a rapist. I love Aegon and what Aemond did made me cry for him but that doesn’t mean he’s not a bad person.

He is tragic. They both are. Complex characters ruined by Condal & co.

But now, suddenly Aemond is the worst person in the fandom because he is at war and betrayed his brother. Suddenly Aegon wives are sending hate towards Aemond’s appearances, calling him ugly, bodyshaming him again, going on and on about him.

We could have gotten this amazing sibling rivalry but they just made it into something that made this fandom less enjoyable than it already was

ABOUT ALICENT OH MY GOSH

Again I agree that she had no right to verbally abuse Aegon, the son she had to endure marital rape to bring to this world. It was such a dumb writing decision, now not only she is a bad mother but she’s an abuser too.

There is a very obvious misogynistic way of writing Alicent in the show by men who have only heard about misogyny through other tv shows and Andrew Tate instagram edits.

Alicent put Aegon on the throne to save her children’s lives!!!!!! And now she is this dumb stupid woman who can’t even bring herself to like her children.

I hate hate this season’s writing. So many plot holes, so misogynistic, so dumb. That’s why I can never hate these characters, even how bad they’re butchering them.

[acourtofthought]

"Elain would make a terrible High Lady"

"I've seen Rhysand do such ... horrible things, seen him play the dark prince over and over."

"I am here to help you fight against Hybern." "Bullshit," Cassian muttered.

"You'd be all too happy for war, considering how well you made out in the last one." "No one says war can't be lucrative," Helion countered.

I waited for it - for the blow that would surely doom us. We were thieves who had deceived him, we had come to his house in peace and stolen from him, had ripped into their minds to ensure our success.

One moment, Azriel was seated. The next, he'd blasted through Eris's shield with a flare of blue light and tackled him backward, wood shattering beneath them. / "Call of your overgrown bat," Beron ordered Rhys. Rhys was enjoying it, bargainw ith Eris or no - could have ended it seconds ago.

"You're a coward," I breathed to the High Lord of Autumn. Beron just said, "The same could be claimed of you." My stomach churned. "I don't need to explain myself to you." "No, but perhaps to that girl's family - but they're dead, too, aren't they? Butchered and burned to death in their own beds.

There was still much work to be done, trust to build.

The High Lords quarreled the most about the possibility of a new wall. And with every word of it, just as Helion said, that temporary allegiance frayed and snapped.

"We need the humans in other territories to trust us, if we can ever hope to achieve lasting peace." "Then perhaps Jurian and Vassa should deal with them."

"The Illyrians are pieces of shit," he said too quietly. I opened my mouth and shut it. / "They're hypocrites." "And what would you have me do, then? Disband the largest army in Prythian?" Azriel didn't answer.

"Your mate should have known better than to kick a downed male." "I can't say I'm particularly sorry that he did." "You will need Tamlin as an ally before the dust has settled. Tread carefully." I didn't want to think about it, consider it, today. Any day. "My business with him is done." "Yours might be, but Rhys's isn't. And you'd do well to remind your mate of that fact."

And though he roams these lands, he does not see or care for the neglect he passes, the lawlessness, the vulnerability.

I find the "Elain would make a terrible High Lady" arguments odd. The above is just a small list of what the leadership in Prythian looks like and the actions of those that report directly to a High Lord (who should be able to expect certain behaviors from his inner circle in important meetings or in regards to an entire group of their people). I'm not even trying to suggest that anyone is a bad High Lord, clearly Rhys and his ICs actions are meant to read as amusing and entertaining or warranted. And I think in certain situations there's only choosing between the lesser of two evils.

But it's evident that no one is perfect, that even the current High Lords are capable of mistakes and drama. And with so many strong personalities currently in charge, there is space for someone who approaches things in a different manner.

She had come alive here, and her joy was infectious. There wasn’t a servant or gardener who didn’t smile at her, and even the brusque head cook found excuses to bring her plates of cookies and tarts at various points in the day.

She had looked at that cottage with hope. I had looked at it with nothing but hatred. And I knew which one of us had been stronger.

She was generous, loving, and kind.

Elain had taken charge of planning

Elain, to my surprise, had a horse, a satchel of food, and supplies ready when I hurried down the stairs.

She put a hand on Nesta's knee. "Feyre gave and gave - for years. Let us now help her. Help ... others."

A lady - that's what Elain would become. What she was risking for this. (Lady?!? As in High Lady?! Possible foreshadowing???)

"I'll do it," Elain said, taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders. She didn't wait for either of us before she strode out, graceful as a doe.

My sister Elain can convince anyone to do anything with a few smiles.

Elain sat a little higher as she said to Cassian, "And as for Feyre's hunting during those years, it was not Nesta's neglect alone that is to blame. We were scared, and had received no training, and everything had been taken, and we failed her. Both of us."

Nesta went on, utterly unimpressed by any of us, "I assume you'll want to stay the night." I said, "If it's not too much trouble, then yes. We'll leave after breakfast tomorrow." Nesta didn't smile, but Elain beamed.

But Elain's cry - a warning. A warning to - . To my right, now exposed, Tamlin ran for me. To grab me at last.

Then Elain said quietly, "We could move them to Graysen's estate." "His father has high walls - made of thick stone. With space for plenty of people and supplies." "There are escape tunnels," Elain whispered. "Perhaps it is better than nothing." A glance between the Illyrians. "We can set up a guard - " Cassian began. "No," Elain interrupted, her voice louder than I'd heard it in months. "They...Graysen and his father..." Cassian's jaw tightened. "Then we cloak -" "They have hounds. Bred and trained to hunt you. Detect you." / Elain considered. "I can speak to him." "No," I said - at the same moment Nesta did. But Elain cut us of. "If - if you, and they" - a glance at Rhys, my friends - "come with me, your Fae scents might distract the dogs." "Glamour me," Elain said - to Rhys. "Make me look human. Just long enough to convince him to open his gates to those seeking sanctuary. Perhaps even let you set those wards around the estate." "This could end very badly, Elain." "It's already ended badly. Now it's just a matter of deciding how we meet the consequences." "Wisely said," Mor offered, smiling softly at Elain.

Then she was gone - shoulders a little squarer.

Elain offered a half smile. "I suppose that war makes wanting things like that unimportant."

Elain stepped out of a shadow behind him, and rammed Truth-Teller to the hilt through the back of the king's neck as she snarled in his ear, "Don't you touch my sister."

Elain swept in, apron gone and hair re-braided. "Please don't wait on my account," she said, taking the seat at the head of the table.

"It's their tradition though," Elain countered, her face still flushed with the cold. "One that they fought and died to protect in the war. Perhaps that's the better way to think of it, rather than feeling guilty. To remember that this day means something to them. All of them, regardless of who has more, who has less, and in celebrating the traditions, even through the presents, we honor those who fought for it's very existence, for the peace this city now has." For a moment I just stared at my sister, the wisdom she'd spoken. Not a whisper of those oracular abilities. Just clear eyes and an open expression.

"I asked Nuala to do it in that order," Elain said as the others gathered round. "Because you're the foundation, the one who lifts us. You always have been.

Elain, mourn as she might for the life she would have had with Graysen, had found a place, a role here. Tending to the gardens of Feyre's veritable palace on the river, helping other residents of Velaris restore their own destroyed gardens.

She had purpose, and joy, and friends. But those things had always come easily to her sister. Had always made Elain special.

When Rhys spoke like that, it was more of a command than a question. Elain waved a hand in dismissal.

"Using me."

"Elain showed some teeth."

"Don't forget that gardening often results in something pretty, but it involves getting one's hands dirty along the way".

And he knew the cruelty of the Hewn City troubled her. But she hadn't hesitated to come. When Feyre had offered to let her remain home, Elain had squared her shoulders and declared that she was part of this court - and would do whatever was needed.

Nesta was wrong, Cassian realized, to think Elain as loyal and loving as a dog. Elain saw every single thing Nesta had done, and understood why.

Let's recap. Elain owns up to her mistakes, gives credit where credit is due, is wise, observant, easily makes friends, can convince anyone to do anything with a few smiles, is willing to help out a people she only just became one of (and grew up fearing), brave when the situation calls for it, takes charge and pushes back on topics she thinks are important and is now offering herself up to dangerous situations. I also think it's important to note her diplomatic nature. Whereas Feyre and Nesta spent their childhood at one another's throats and hating their father, Elain managed a decent relationship to all three. No, she's not in a place to rule an entire court all on her own but neither was Feyre, that's why she had a partner by her side to help her learn (as Elain would too, these are romance books after all).

Prythian doesn't need another ruler who is willing to burn relationships in order to achieve a specific end result. No shade to Rhys, he's extremely self sacrificing and someone needs to fill the role that he does.

But we don't need another Rhys and Feyre, another Beron, another Tamlin, or even Tarquin (who while being a good male, doesn't really seem to go out of his way to interact with other courts). It needs a set of rulers who are better at negotiating peace between not only the courts but the human lands and those on the continent.

We know Lucien is set up to be a High Lord at some point (though something would need to happen to Helion for him to begin ruling in Day) and Elain is his mate. We know Tamlin is not currently any sort of leader to Spring so that means there could be a vacancy there. I doubt SJM told us that Elain's scent was a "promise of Spring" and that "the Spring Court had been made for someone like Elain" for absolutely no reason.

Of the possible future pairings, who would make more sense ruling the Fae in either Spring or Day?

Vassa and Lucien? Vassa who is a human Queen and has shown absolutely no interest in the needs of the fae after the war?

Az and Gwyn? Neither Gwyn or Az have been given hints that they'd be leaders of a court nor do they currently have anything to do with Day Court or Spring. Yes, Gwyn has Spring heritage through her grandmother but she doesn't have a connection to the political system there, nor does Az. Not like Lucien.

I think there is a huge amount of evidence showing why Elain would make an excellent leader and that's not even accounting for the fact that mates are equals. Even if in some weird twist she and Lucien don't end up together, it doesn't change that fact.

Mates are reflections of one another.

Rhys was the most powerful High Lord in Prythian's history, Feyre became his High Lady with the power of all 7 High Lords, both having a darkness to them.

Cassian is one of the strongest Illyrian's and the general of the Illyrians. Nesta had the power of death and is set to be the general of the Valkyries.

Lucien is a High Lords heir, showing the markers of such (knocking Cassian from his rage with a single word) AND has strong fire powers through his mothers line. Through Lucien we learned that High Lords are a different breed and through the Suriel we learned that they are not merely powerful, they are Power.

Elain as his mate would need to be a match to Lucien's power and even if she were not a High Lady chosen by the magic, there is little chance Lucien would not make her his High Lady as Rhys made Feyre his, meaning she would be a ruler by his side.

Diminishing all that we know of Elain and what we know of mates, claiming she'd be a horrible ruler though SJM mated her to a future High Lord, it's fandom pettiness born of hatred for her character.

[hoshinoyozora]

Happiness for the Second Born

🖤 Pairing: Yandere! Leona Kingscholar x Female! Reader

💛 Word Count: 1,8k+

❤ Warnings: -

[Edited]

Do not re-upload my writing to another website or use it without my permission. Also, don’t ask for a sequel unless I like the story enough to write one. Please reblog so other people can see my stories!

“Oi, Herbivore. Let’s go to my kingdom later.”

If this was Kalim or, hell, Malleus, who invited you like this, you’d quickly and happily accept it. The holiday was approaching fast, and you’d been wondering whether you’d spend it in the dorm or go somewhere else. But this inviter wasn’t known for his friendliness, so it took a while for you to regain your wits.

“... For what?”

“Duh. For holiday, of course.” he intoned, rolling his eyes. “What? You wanna stay in that rackety dorm instead?”

“N-no, of course I want to go. I’d love to!”

While it came as a surprise, it was still a pleasant one. After all, when else would you go to a fantastical beastly kingdom, invited by the said prince? And for free too?

As expected, Leona didn’t bring many belongings with him. Though, he did offer to bring some of yours; an offer that you gladly accepted. He wasn’t very pleased with Grim’s presence, saying that he was ‘too noisy’ to be around. Grim defended himself, but luckily, Leona immediately resigned to indifferent silence before a pointless argument could blow up and ruin the holiday before it even began. He didn’t talk much, and you were content with admiring the new, sandy environment around you. It certainly reminded you of Scarabia, but less festive and a quieter host.

“Leona, you’re finally home! I thought for sure you’d stay back in your dorm instead.” a tall lion beast man greeted you in the foyer. He carried a more open and more mature aura, and you quickly deduced that he was Farena, the king of Sunset Savanna. You were unsure of how to regard him, seeing that every culture show respect for their leaders differently. But when Farena spared a curious glance at you, you bowed somewhat clumsily. “Oh, is this your girlfriend and her familiar, Leona? Look at how beautiful she is! I’m Farena, Leona’s older brother.”

You ignored Grim’s protest from your shoulder and tittered, peering at Leona quizzically. Surely he’d meant to say ‘girlfriend’ with a space between ‘girl’ and ‘friend’, right?

“I’m [Name] and thank you for the compliment.”

Farena chuckled. “Yes, yes, I heard a lot about you from him.”

“Oh, is that so?”

If you were allowed to be expressive in front of royalty, you’d certainly be stunned to silence.

“Yeah! He talked quite a bit about you in his letters, saying that you’re ‘one of the least annoying people around’ and that he’d like to–”

“Ugh, just shut up already.” Leona grumbled, and you weren’t sure if you appreciated the interruption or not. What if it was important? And did you really want to know about the continuation? “We’ve been standing here for far too long. You’re gonna give our kingdom a bad rep to our guest by making them wait, you know?”

“O-oh, you’re right. Sorry, sorry. Guess I’m a bit too excited to see your future–”

“Brother.”

“Right.” Farena chuckled, turning towards the direction of endless hallways ahead of you. “Your room is beside Leona’s, [Name]. I’m going to handle some matters briefly. We will talk more over lunch, and you can meet my wife later. ”

Grim cheered while you bowed again.

“Y-yes, thank you for your hospitality, Your Majesty.”

“Nonsense. It’s the least I could do to receive such an…” He glanced at Leona, and you thought you saw his green eyes glow dangerously for a split second. “important guest. I shall excuse myself now.”

“Good grief…” Leona muttered once Farena had disappeared around the corner. “Didn’t know it’d be this annoying. Come on, I’m dying to get some sleep.”

You watched his broad back warily as you followed him through dizzying turns. Should you ask him for clarification? Or should you stay quiet instead? Leona always looked grumpy, especially today, and you didn’t know if it’d be wise of you to question him.

“Ugh, I can’t wait until lunch. I hope there’ll be tuna in there… or meat!”

You glanced at Grim and decided that you’d drop him in your room first before you talked to Leona. You might worsen his mood by prodding him for something he wanted to forget, but at least, there wouldn’t be any eavesdroppers.

“Leona, what did your brother mean by ‘girlfriend’?”

Like a lazy cat, the beast-man lounged on his bed. You noted that it was much tidier than the one in Savanaclaw, if not holding some kind of ‘crispness’ resulting from the lack of use.

Leona clucked and turned away until his back faced you.

“Forget about it. That guy’s always talking nonsense.”

“But he said from the letters–”

“It was just his attempts at being friendly.” he retorted. “Royalty is adept at socializing. That’s the one thing drilled to us since childhood.”

“Oh, I see…”

He was deflecting, you knew, but there was a lingering hesitation to unveil the truth. What if it was too bitter for you to hear? To swallow? What would happen then? You considered your relationship with him as a casual friend at best, despite him occasionally paying for your lunch and often forcing you to be his pillow. It didn’t have enough depth and vulnerability to progress any further. He never asked a single philosophical question or a personal one aside from those rare times when he shared his cynical view of the world; a stark contrast to Malleus and his contemplative nature.

He was just that; a quiet, lazy genius who had no particularly good opinion of anyone or anything.

Except you, apparently.

But how would you know? What if it was fake, like he said? Then again, why would he invite you if you were ‘annoying’ to be around? Despite his complacency, Leona was rather vocal about his dislikes, and that included people. He wouldn’t pretend to be friendly just to extend an invitation, unlike Azul or Jade.

So, what if what Farena said was true? What if Leona was the liar? Should you be flattered that he thought rather highly of you, and thus, considered you as his ‘girlfriend’? Befriending a dorm leader, and a prince at that, already shielded you from some bullies. If you dated him–

You shook your head. No, you didn’t like him that way. And there was no time for romance when going home was your top priority.

Much too soon the lunch commenced. Farena sat at the head of the table, looking all amiable as always. There was a tiny voice within you that criticized Leona’s dislike for him when he was the kind of brother everyone would like to have, but you silenced it with a shy smile. His wife, a sturdy woman with similar friendliness, sat on his left while Leona sat on the right. Cheka, his energetic nephew, sat across you near his mother.

“Aunty [Name], is it true that you’re going to marry Uncle?”

You choked on your food, and you hurriedly clasped a hand over your mouth to avoid discourtesy.

“Ah, yes. I heard that Leona’s dating you.” The Queen piped in, beaming proudly. “We’re really happy to hear that.”

You downed a glass of water and shot a panicked glance at Leona, who munched on a forkful of meat beside you calmly.

Liar.

He truly was the liar. There were no ‘attempts at being friendly’, and just because Farena acted like that, didn’t mean he was lying.

And you were trapped.

“Eh, [Name]. You didn’t tell me that you’re dating him!” Grim squeaked scandalously, halting his ravenous bite at the fish. “You’re my henchman, so you should’ve told me! I could’ve gotten an unlimited amount of tuna from him, ya know!”

Too much.

This was all too much.

Farena chuckled, “Maybe she wanted it to be a surprise for you.”

You wanted to leave. Could you leave now?

“You’re always welcomed to visit, you know?” The Queen said. “And I understand the appeal of meat, so feel free to ask for more fish.”

You wished you could be as brazen as Leona. Maybe you’d be on your bed right now, lamenting the never-ending misfortunes in your life.

“Yeay, I can’t wait to have a new friend!” Cheka cheered.

Something grabbed your clenched hand on the table.

“She doesn’t feel too good. I’m gonna escort her to the bathroom.”

It was Leona’s hand.

“Oh, of course.” The Queen said apologetically. “Pardon us for not noticing.”

You shook your head, resisting the urge to vomit and make a bigger embarrassment of yourself.

“It’s fine…”

Leona dragged you to the nearest bathroom, with walls that were hopefully thicker enough to prevent any eavesdropper. There, you hunched over the toilet bowl and puked your whole stomach. He was silent as he flushed the toilet and handed you a tissue paper after you washed your mouth.

“You…” you panted. “Why did you lie to me?! To them?! Claiming that we’re dating… Do you know just how big of a misunderstanding it is?!”

“What if it’s not a misunderstanding?”

“What…?”

“What? Do you think I just pay for someone else’s lunch for no reason? Or invite someone to my home? Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not that nice.”

You stared at him with the same level of incredulity.

“You could’ve confessed to me.”

“And would you accept it?”

You fell silent.

Leona scoffed.

“That’s what I thought.”

“But still, this is–!”

“What? Unfair? Too bad. The world’s always been that way.”

“You can’t just project your insecurity onto me...!”

You lunged to punch him, but Leona, with his damnably quick reflexes, captured your wrists. He pulled you closer to him until your faces were centimeters apart and pressed your hands against his chest.

“For years, everything that I’ve ever wanted has been stolen from me. And now, I want you. So don’t even think about rejecting me, because I don’t take rejection lightly.” he hissed, then smirked. “Well, unless you want to disappoint the Royal Family and risk a punishment. Ain’t nobody’s gonna help a criminal. You’d be lucky if you can even escape from here.”

He was trying to scare you, and sadly, he was right. You were powerless in every sense of the word; a feeling that you hadn’t really experienced since you landed in this magical world.

And now, you felt it again. This time, at the hands of your senior rather than some unexplainable phenomenon.

Your eyes began to sting, while your lips began to tremble. Leona’s smirk disappeared at the signs of your upcoming sadness.

“You can cry later. For now, fix yourself.” he intoned, handing you another tissue paper. As usual, you had no choice but to obey. First to Crowley, and now to him. “Come on, my family’s waiting for you.”

And, once again, you had no choice but to accept that outstretched hand in front of you.

[aqua-dan]

What are your thoughts on preboot Garth vs reboot Garth? You seem to be one of the only people who like reboot Garth. What is appealiong about him?

Well, "like" might be a strong word.

It's really no surprise that I'm saying this, but Reboot Garth has NOTHING on Preboot Garth. Let's not kid ourselves and pretend that Preboot Garth isn't superior in literally every conceivable way.

Preboot Garth is such an incredible character. He is kind, gentle, smart, and powerful. He is emotionally impactful and occupies a space that is so specifically Him that no other character could fill it. He is so compelling, so relatable, and frankly he's downright adorable too! When I have been at some of my lowest points in life, he's been a character that I've grown up alongside and used as an example of emotional strength to help me stand back up and carry on despite the anxiety and sadness and pressure. Truly, he is one of my comfort characters of all time. His story and the things he can do are also extremely interesting!

Physically strong ✔️

Control over water ✔️

Magic ✔️

Eye blasts ✔️

Diplomacy ✔️

Like 50 other things that he forgot to mention that he can do, but totally can ✔️

So you may be wondering then, why I still like Reboot Garth who is… hardly at all like what I just described. And my answer to that is: I don't know.

You would certainly be right to say that for the most part*, Rebirth Garth is nothing like his pre-n52 counterpart. (*World's Finest: Teen Titans was the closest we've gotten. It was kind of nice in regards to Garth, with the exception of a few gripes I have here and there.) And you'd be right to be upset about it. I know I am. Quite often, to be honest.

But for some reason I just can't bring myself to fully condemn Rebirth Garth. At the end of the day, I'm in fandom to have fun, you know? And if I spend all my time hating something that's out of my control… well what good does that do me? At this point, I feel like I've resigned myself to the knowledge that I simply will not be getting what I want in regards to Garth, and so I've turned to becoming a bemused spectator at the things happening in current comics. I can still become excited about it when I DO manage to find a bit that I like. There was a post a while back that went something like,

"N52 and Rebirth suck except the parts that I like. And those bits I'll toss into a blender, puree, and mix in with preboot canon."

Yeah, that. Basically, when it comes to Reboot Garth, (in my own head) I ignore the reboot and then blend up the little bits I enjoy to create the utopian world of Canon+. And from my little imaginary perch, I can choose to still enjoy this character who has taken my blorbo's name, but sadly isn't really him.

With how changeable comics are as a medium though, I do also believe that there will be a writer someday who is willing to do the legwork necessary to bring Garth back around to being the blorbo I once knew. Some currently canon things will definitely have to be tossed out, but hey, that's the nature of comics!

That said tho, I think another one of the things that prevents me from disliking him is (surprisingly) the design. It's a controversial take amongst Garth fans for sure, but I honestly like it for the most part. There are a few things I'd tweak to make him look like more of an extension of Preboot Garth (CURLY HAIR, PLEASE), but there are a lot of elements that I just so happen to find aesthetically appealing and thus don't really mind. That isn't to say that Garth didn't already look fucking incredible, because he ABSOLUTELY did. I'm just not that bothered, I guess haha!

[mikuni14]

Dead Friend Forever - Ep 9

(I wanted to eat a cake when the episode started and I ended up sitting through the entire first scene holding it in front of my open mouth like a 🤡, it was so embarrassing when I caught myself doing it. Yep, DFF everybody! I was so invested that I couldn't watch and chew at the same time)

This is the 9th episode of this series that I rated 🔟, this series is really something else. There are still 3 episodes left, the series is devoting more and more time to what is happening in the present time and I'm starting to worry whether... 3 episodes is too much? Won't the endings get dragged? Will it stick the landing? My anxiety is 📈.

I love how this series is run, how natural it flows, how it jumps smoothly in "time and space" without being chaotic and incomprehensible. The narration, editing, pacing are 10/10. (But unlike the plot, my thoughts are very chaotic, as seen below lol)

It's amazing how everything that happens can be described as the butterfly effect. How Top's stupid smashing of the camera set off a chain of events that ended in the destruction of the entire family and a heartbreaking tragedy. I like how sharply focused Tan is (I'll just call him Tan, I'm lazy), how he's fully willing to sacrifice EVERYTHING, how he makes sure that Phee doesn't desecrate Non's memory with a new relationship.. It seems to me that Tan doesn't tell Phee everything because 1) someone stretched the wire that killed Deng 🤔 2) he doesn't seem particularly concerned about Por being dead 🙂

I like how in Phee's relationship with Jin, Tan makes Phee feel guilty, treating him as Non's boyfriend and how Phee does it to himself too. I once heard someone say in regards to romantic relationships, that it is impossible for new feelings to be born without the death of old ones. And this is another thing I love about DFF: they show the complexity of human feelings, including something as complicated as the fading of an old love and the emergence of a new one, the feeling of guilt associated with it, the feeling of having to hold on to the flame of memory and feelings towards the old love that has not ended normally, that could have been hurt, that could have been a victim, so these feelings are somehow "obligatory" for that old love, plus a sense of guilt and agony, because there is a probability that the new love could have once hurt the old love…

We can also say that the series explained why it all took 3 years. As predicted, it turns out that they couldn't get anything out of the boys, who usually just cut off their conversations and left. Then they all finished school, Phee and Tan had no results (because they're also, only boys, Tan couldn't do anything on his own, and Phee, well, he was distracted) and they simply went away to their studies, maybe different universities and the catalysts that accelerated the events now were: 1) the traumatic death of Tan's parents, which left him with nothing to lose, he probably also went a little crazy 2) Jin leaving the country 3) a unique opportunity of gathering everyone in one place

What I also really like is the realistic approach to the tiring, old trope that lying to loved ones "for their good" or for some "secret mission" that is supposed to bring happiness to everyone actually ends badly - unlike some series I have watched recently 🙄 DFF approached it realistically and clearly showed that people lied to by their loved ones, suffer a lot and feel betrayed to the point of not wanting to continue contact with someone who "wanted only good for them."

Questions: Photo of Non and Keng - they are in the clothes from their kidnapping, so the photo must have been taken then and only now given to the press/corrupt police to mislead, or it is photoshopped. Anyway, these are not new photos, and Keng looks safe and sound, the photo is taken from the back and he doesn't look like someone after a car accident. How did Tan get into school? After all, a student has some papers from the previous school, no one suddenly appears at a school and starts going there??? The series shows Tan under the influence of his psychedelic drug, with him having blurry visions and acting obviously drugged. However, when they are in the house and also under the influence of drugs, they act quite normal and only have clear visions, and surprisingly everyone has similar visions (except Jin, who also sees Keng). But apart from that, no psychedelia, strange colors or blurred image. And why would White also have a vision of the masked killer?

Finally, two comments: The sex scene - my jaw dropped, I didn't expect it, I didn't expect them to go all the way. This scene (as well as the entire series so far) shows how incredibly compatible and harmonious Phee and Jin are. (Now there are no more excuses that a decent sex scene can't be done in other BL series lol) I'm vibrating seeing how Tan is happy with what's happening even with Por's death. This is real, pure hatred, I hope they won't fuck it up and Tan won't "convert to goodness, love and brotherhood" and become "good" and "forgiving" and "a better person than them". I like how the show shows action and reaction and sticks to it. The entire logical progression of events is shown, from that stupid camera through Non's fall, the tragic deaths of Non and Tan's parents, ending with Tan standing with a smile over the chaos unfolding before his eyes. And yes. Including the fatalities. I'm vibrating.

My favorite moment, no surprise 😍

Forgive the quality of the photo, but Ta has such a great body, muscular, but in a natural, casual style 😍

[ca-suffit]

I hate having to say this because I know the importance of what you and everyone else is doing here but sometimes I wonder if always talking about races and defending Louis/Jacob on this aspects isn't doing him a disservice?

Let me explain,sometimes myself included when I find a group of fans so annoying that I end up hating their favs and I know that they find us annoying because we bring what they are refusing to see.

For example yesterday an artist has draw louis 4-5 tones much darker than his real complexion (mind you they had Armand complexion lighter than he is ,so they can do it) rightly a group of fans came upon him demanding accountability, everyone quoting etc...

Then I read another ''artist'' say,that's why she never does fan arts with Louis and I'm wondering how many think that way and that's probably why he is the lead with the least fan arts (non ship fan arts)

*English is not my native language*

hi and thank u for asking this! if u need clarification on anything I answer here bcuz of a language barrier just lmk in my inbox again, it's no problem.

also let me say first that anyone can give feedback on this. I'm not any authority on anything and I'm an anon account. I talk about topics objectively. It's always helpful to have insight from others who feel comfortable sharing more identifying racial info on themselves and giving opinions on this stuff.

ok so to the actual question

"Then I read another ''artist'' say,that's why she never does fan arts with Louis and I'm wondering how many think that way and that's probably why he is the lead with the least fan arts (non ship fan arts)"

the short answer to all of this is that....it's all an excuse.

how many artists of color draw white ppl every day and yet we never hear about a "struggle" from that side? there is one just the same but if ppl were louder about it, nobody would take it seriously. whiteness is "the norm." ppl would laugh anyone out of the room asking how it could be "hard" to depict a white person??

well. it's literally the same for anyone else. there is no excuse to be unable to do something like this. if an artist is unfamiliar with something then they practice to get better at it. I've known plenty of white artists who can draw ppl across racial identities and don't get feedback like this bcuz they work on improving and *listen* when these conversations come up with other artists. saying u can't draw a black man bcuz the "woke mob" might come for u is doubling down on being racist. not only are u saying it's not worth even *trying* to do the art, ur also saying all criticism makes u the victim and that's the most important part of all. "these conversations don't matter bcuz they make me feel bad and that's wrong :(" that's a typical white response to literally *anything* regarding race. that's a lot of why we're still here talking about this in every space. it's not only specific to white ppl either but usually that's the largest group saying stuff like this. white ppl don't have to think about race, so these convos easily get killed in even the most progressive spaces. a lot of times it makes white ppl feel racist to notice race at all and there's usually gonna be some person of color around to back up that "logic" and say it's "right." that's all it takes to shut it all down. that's a lot of what this fandom keeps doing too.

the only way to make progress is to normalize things more. ppl don't know how to draw different facial features, hair textures, skin tones? start practicing. look at art from black artists who draw black ppl and study how that looks. examine ur own antiblackness. learn about colorism. study the racist history of depicting black ppl in art so u don't accidentally recreate that unconsciously. know what the antiblack stereotypes are. the show literally gave us both in 2x7, ppl can even just go study *that.* a lot of ppl don't even know that is there, as blatant as it is.

this is why I said thank u for asking this bcuz it's an important thing to talk about. white fandom (a mindset, not a skin color) will use stuff like this to perpetuate the idea that talking about race *does* cause harm. it doesn't. it never will. it's the only way to make any progress. centering the feelings of an artist who doesn't want to bother drawing louis bcuz drawing black ppl is too hard / anxiety inducing is just straight up racism. idk specifically who this artist is or anything but this is stuff u see and then u stop supporting that artist. u don't coddle them about this either. it's a stupid, harmful thing to say. find artists who don't make those excuses and who can handle having these conversations, support them instead.

ppl should also always be looking for black artists in this fandom to support in the first place. none of the popular artists here are black and that's done intentionally by the fandom. everyone should feel bad about that tbh.

[xoxoladyaz]

Ultraworld

A/N: This is a concept that I've been tossing around in my head for a while, and when I saw the Day 5 "Reunion" prompt for @steddie-week the sequence below just flew into my mind. Think a mash-up of Westworld and Ready Player One and that's what this fic could potentially turn into. This is definitely just a preview of things to come (in the future when I don't have so many WIPs that eat up all of my brain space and agony lol), but I'd love any and all comments and feedback!

TW: Swearing

Regina Kelley, MSNBC: As I’m sure you’re well aware, Doctor Brenner, there’s been a lot of controversy in the media ever since the announcement of ‘Ultraworld.’ What do you say to the people – and international entities – who believe this project is nothing more than an aggressive overextension of American oversight in the global arena?

Dr. Martin Brenner, NINA Industries: Firstly, any individual who believes that ‘Ultraworld’ is solely an American enterprise is mistaken. And as for those ‘international entities’ you mentioned, any outrage is a mere consequence of realizing their own unimportance in the face of such a monumental project. The reality, Miss Kelly, is that humanity has been racing towards a singular moment of harmony between the magickal and the technological since the industrial revolution. NINA Industries is merely the steward, the guiding hand to lead humanity forward. Those educated beyond the sycophantic hysteria of the internet know that ‘Ultraworld’ could not have been created, nor could it be released, without the express approval and support of each country across the globe. We pride ourselves on our equitable global access, by which we have been able to work across borders, government, and religion to bring a unity the world has never before seen.

And it due to that global access that I can assure the general public that ‘Ultraworld’ is not a tool of American oversight. To say it in basic terms, ‘Ultraworld’ serves two purposes: to provide an immersive, alternative-existential experience for all players who long to live in a simpler, more peaceful time; and in exchange, to serve as active training for the first generation of Infused Artificial Intelligence.

Regina Kelley, MSNBC: Yes, speaking of that, since the announcement there has been an almost constant barrage of misinformation and concern regarding the imminent arrival of these Infused Artificial Intelligences. Many are calling for the project’s cancellation out of fear either of the A.I. itself, or out of concern for the Preternatural community’s response.

Dr. Martin Brenner, NINA Industries: Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news for those concerned, but artificial intelligence is already among us. As such, it was only a matter of time until something similar to our Infuseds were created, and I think everyone can agree that it is in all of our best interest to have a unified, singular force driving progress forward. And for those concerned about the Preternatural community’s response, it is for this reason that we created the Infuseds in the first place. While we may be in a moment of relative peace with our very distant brethren, history shows us that these pockets of peace do not pass long, and as we have grown and evolved so have they. The Infuseds are not a declaration of war, but they are a declaration of protection – and, perhaps, an encouragement to the Preternaturals to keep their end of our current bargain. 

Regina Kelley, MSNBC: Well, for all its critics, ‘Ultraworld’ has already garnered an incredibly vocal and passionate global fanbase. Do you have any final things to say to your fans about ‘Ultraworld’ ahead of its release? 

Dr. Martin Brenner, NINA Industries: I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I gave too much away, but I will say that I saw the final renderings for each city today and, well, it’s like nothing that has ever been seen before. If I may be so bold, it is truly the most remarkable thing I think NINA Industries has ever created, second perhaps only to the IAIs themselves.

Regina Kelley, MSNBC: Remarkable is certainly an understatement, Doctor. And with twenty-one distinct roll-outs occurring tomorrow simultaneously across the globe, it seems ‘Ultraworld’ is ready to take our world by storm.

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M. Bauman: The fact that Brenner didn’t dig his own fucking grave with that interview speaks volumes about just how brainwashed the American people are. An “alternative-existential experience?” Is that what we’re calling the total subjugation of civilization to the elites? Studies have shown that this ‘experience’ is almost ten times more addictive than the social media we already have! Sooner or later, every part of our waking lives is going to take place in ‘Ultraworld,’ and that’s not even mentioning the new sleep-cycles they’ve just pushed out, or the fucking neural chip that allows for total immersion twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty-five days a fucking year. And while everyone in this country and across the fucking globe is distracted by the ‘ooooh, pretty, shiny,’ the global elites are going to take everything left for themselves. Oh, and let’s not forget the fucking shitshow that these IAIs are going to cause – 

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92 hours since last Immersion

Steve.

He pulls his covers over his head, and it brings back memories of being a small child in that lonely house, terrified of every scratch against his window, of every creak on the empty stair, of every breath and snarl of wild creatures traipsing through the yard beneath him.

He tucks the blanket underneath his head, now fully submerged beneath the duvet that was now permanently lopsided and wrinkled since he rarely made his bed. He rarely had time to make his bed these days, not with how early he and Robin – 

It’s not real. It’s not real. Hawkins isn’t real, he chants to himself, over and over and over again, hoping somehow that if he just says it enough times it will all disappear, that Ultraworld will never have happened, that everything and everyone will go back to the way it was and he’ll have a life again, everyone will have a genuinely real life -

Oh, Stevie, His voice sings.

He grips his duvet tighter and shut his eyes because maybe, maybe if He thinks Steve is asleep, he’ll stop fucking hearing His voice, and he shouldn’t even be hearing His voice right now anyways because his computer is off, his Immersion Glasses are off, he’s been disconnected for almost a full week and He isn’t even real - 

Steeeeeevvveeeeeeeeeeee.

But it doesn’t matter how tightly he holds himself underneath his worn sheets, because nothing can change the fact that it doesn’t fucking matter how much space Steve puts between himself and his computer, between himself and his Immersion Glasses, between himself and this fucking apartment in this fucking city with all these fucking fully-immersed people – there’s no getting away from Kas. 

C’mon, sweetheart. Daddy’s missed you.

It’s time for you to come home, Stevie.

(Not for Steve.)