#insideous racism i expect going through this series

[dreadfuldevotee]

I want to put together a IWTV reading list outside of the books, but ik that if I begin that list with The Delectable Negro and Orientalism white people will run for hills screaming

[words-writ-in-starlight]

Hello, I came across your Kencyrath rec post and I am tentatively intruiged. That said I wanted to ask about a trigger before I dive in. Suicide is pretty strong trigger for me. I can handle it if it's mentioned, but detailed descriptions of the act or a lot of time spent in a suicidal character's head/thoughts dealing with suicidal ideation would not be. Is this an issue in the Chronicles of Kencyrath, and if it is, do you have a different recommendation?

Okay SO.

The Kencyrath exist in a honor/shame society, in which going against the code of honor (lying, breaking your word, etc) is considered a sin that can only be forgiven through an honorable death. Sometimes this takes the form of going into battle without the intention to come back, generally without armor, but it also takes the form of ritualized suicide with a specific kind of knife. I would call it a very specific kind of suicidal ideation, in which it doesn’t come so much from a depressive headspace as it does from a kind of rigidly religious one. There isn’t a ton of time spent in the heads of characters actively pursuing ritual suicide, nor what I would call traditional depressive suicidality, but it IS a very present element of the society, including people freely making choices with the understanding that they will be expected to take their own life afterward, or people being forced to take their own life as an alternative to being dishonored. Think samurai rules or Imperial Chinese rules and you’ll be in the right ballpark. Ultimately I can’t know the inside of your brain, but if onscreen suicide discussion or aftermath is a concern, I might table this series until you feel more ready for it.

In terms of alternative recommendations, buckle up, I have a list based on what part of the Kencyrath pitch you were into. These recommendations are made with the assumption that all the OTHER content warnings for the Kencyrath are not a problem, but I’ll note any really major ones and include a broad rating according to AO3 rules. Anything with an asterisk by it heavily features the big Chivalric Devotion vibes of the main Kencyrath dynamics. I read a lot of that.

Sprawling politics:

The Unbroken* (drafted soldier impresses daughter of the empress, they try to stop a war, full of double-crossing schemes and gallant ladies, cw colonialism, M for violence, sex, and extremely real colonialism)

The Captive Prince* (dethroned prince is sold into slavery under his mortal enemy, definitional enemies-to-lovers content, cw sexual assault, E for a very sexually relaxed culture in a bad way)

A Taste of Gold and Iron* (unambitious prince gets tangled up in a currency fraud scheme and gets a shiny new bodyguard, E for a very sexually relaxed culture in a good way)

October Daye series (starts out classic urban fantasy, rapidly becomes Blood Magic and Politics The Series, for those committed to a long series, T for violence)

Pulp fantasy adventure vibes:

Hero and the Crown/The Blue Sword* (classic sword and sorcery fantasy, for DnD lovers and people who read Horse Girl Books as kids, General Audiences)

Silver Under Nightfall* (vampire couple teams up with vampire hunter to cure a magical plague, the polyamorous murder romance you need in your life, cw coercive assault and body horror, E for gore and numerous threesomes)

Heaven Official’s Blessing***** (translated Chinese novel, very old fallen god returns to Heaven and Does His Best, for those committed to a LONG book, currently on volume 8, T for violence)

Witch King (body hopping demon tries to solve his own murder with his found family in tow, perfect standalone book, T for violence)

Spicy magic systems:

The City We Became/The World We Made (sentient cities and extra dimensional invaders, for everyone who read a lot of Avengers In NYC fic back in 2012, cw racism and survival sex work, M for sex)

Gideon the Ninth/The Locked Tomb series***** (everyone knows about this series, it’s the one with the lesbian space necromancers, cw for just the craziest flavors of abuse, M for violence and cannibalism I guess, also fits the below category)

The Gilded Ones* (what if all the misogynists who said women were demons were absolutely correct, and it was fucking rad, cw for SO much sexism and also religious indoctrination, T for violence)

A Soul to Keep* et al (okay oKAY LOOK THIS IS MONSTERFUCKER CONTENT BUT I RECOMMEND IT, local cursed woman gets forced to marry a demon, they argue a lot and the sex scenes are REAL bizarre, cw kidnapping and the second book deals with a character coming out of a severe depression, HARD E for monsterfucking, obviously)

Interpersonal relationships that are just SO fucked up:

A Dowry of Blood (a letter from Dracula’s first wife to the man himself, cw domestic abuse, M for adult themes and sex)

Remnants of Filth/Yuwu* (translated Chinese novel, loyal general becomes the jailer for his traitorous ex-lover, cw slavery and discussion of sexual assault, E for sex)

The Salt Grows Heavy (homicidal Little Mermaid and plague doctor wander through an apocalypse together, actually read everything Cassandra Khaw has ever touched, the absolute pinnacle of horror, cw all her stuff for really creative violence and body horror, M for violence and gore)

Anyway if you have any other book recommendation questions and/or you read any of these and enjoy them, hit me up, recommending books to people is genuinely one of my great joys in life.

[girlfriendsofthegalaxy]

tuesday again 1/30/2024

a good 60% of my brain is screaming in unemployment terror at all times so these will be somewhat abbreviated until that situation resolves itself

listening

sleeping on the ceiling by friday pilots club. this is a song by a five-piece alt-rock band from chicago that could EASILY open for mid-aughts fall out boy. i would like to think it is from the point of view of a freshly-turned vampire. listen this slot isn't about the best song i heard this week it's about the one that got stuck in my head the most

Hey, I swear I'm okay Honey, I been sleepin' on the ceiling all day Yes way, like hey I swear I feel great Looky, looky, love the feeling of being okay Yes way

spotify.

reading

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and the Amulet of Power by Mike Resnick. it was in a dollar book bin and i got it as a joke gift for a friend. mike resnick is a remarkably prolific writer who's done a lot of tie-ins. i don't have anything particularly notable to say about his star wars books but they are a sort of minimum viable product? they feel star warsy and don't annoy me on every page.

this book was published in 2003 and treats the people of the Nile delta and their beliefs with all the delicacy you might expect from a 2003 video game tie in novel. i do think the twist is being telegraphed way too hard. perhaps i should say instead of sending a telegram mr resnick has simply set the telegraph office ablaze as a signal fire. the titular triangle-pointed woman herself ms croft is VERY insistent she's just as good as the boys. this is pretty on par for my experience of 2003 empowering womens' feminism AND my experience in a male-dominated field so i can't really ding it too hard? aside from the racism, in the notably racism-free fields of archaeology and video games and archaeology video games, this book is aging a little strangely overall. i do not know if i will finish it before i mail it out to my friend, but despite its sins it is a very fast read.

watching

watched the four dungeon meshi episodes. it's cute! ProzD was an unexpected delight! it made me want to make something fancy for dinner but alas i still have to go food shopping!

some posts on my dash were talking about how the episode with the mollusks inside the living armor really got them hooked and i have to agree. i also saw the full potential of the show's speculative biology unspooling before me. i don't know if i currently have the brainwidth for the manga but it is going on my reading list for after i finish berserk. which is kind of like saying i'm going to watch chopped after i finish up hannibal

playing

forgot i had an original gen switch, given to me through a complex series in a complex series of friend barters back in uhhhh late '21? early '22? i got through 3/4 of the divine beasts the first time around and then could not crack the camel. it was well past time to create a new switch profile so i could start a new game without losing the old one.

omg twinnsssssssss

i did forget how goddamn big the map is. i have just now unlocked the camera and the memory quests, i have not really. done much more than basic tutorial and beginning of game stuff.

making

anxiously junebugging between a whole bunch of shit. finally figured out the correct charger/extension cord setup for my bedroom. replaced all the fluorescent lightbulbs and took them to be recycled. fixed the hall door enough so it latches closed and an irritated cat can't claw it open. tidied up the balcony and patio and repotted the surviving houseplants.

in textile news, started this cross stitch. this is a Bless This Wretched Hive of Scum and Villainy Star Wars themed sampler, i have made two as gifts and had to throw out a mostly-completed one i made for me bc of the moths. but i now know exactly where this will go in this apartment and i already have the frame and i bought all the floss pre-being fired, so might as well? the real bitch of the situation here is backstitching the buildings. it's so start and stop. it's so much tan. i talked about this on the weekly siblingchat facetime and now my brother has requested one lmao. that's his christmas gift settled. i suppose.

i had somehow forgotten how loadbearing textile crimes are for me. i haven't done much of anything since the moth debacle, and that was almost two years ago. last night i found some suspicious holes in a camisole and i'm really really hoping it's just cat claws and not moths or carpet beetles or any other fun things that eat clothes.

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

Scobie's chapter on race in Endgame made me see that he does genuinely care about the firm needing to look like the people it serves and he isn't only doing it for the headlines or because he's in Meghan's pocket - and if that makes me a sucker, so be it.

I too see the world across the spectrum - black and white thinking is a monstrous problem in our world right now. I do think OS has a piece of humanity in him. However, I don't think he is driven by any kind of humanity or conviction. I think he is just as much a narcissist as his partners are. I don't think they are friends. I don't think any of them know how to be or to have a friend. I think they each help the other fulfill their narcissistic fantasies. I don't think OS really gives a ff about racism. Look what he's done to himself. He just wants to be important. He wants to take down W because W saw right through him and wouldn't give him the time of day. He wants to be Valentine Low (or whoever the journalists are who really do have the inside story).

The problem with anything OS writes or does is that he puts himself out there as a true, serious, Columbia-educated journalist who goes to war zones to get the true story. He hides behind that facade. So he is dangerous. Nothing he writes, even if it is true, can be taken seriously.

As for Charles, I've been watching him since he was a young man. He has ALWAYS been arrogant, sad, spoiled, neglected by his parents, weasly, self-involved to the extreme, soft, petulant, entitled, and spineless. Nothing he does surprises me in the least. Well, if he actually did something other than promote himself and his wife/mistress, I'd be shocked. Because he never has in the 50 years I've been watching him.

You also make good points about Scobie.

I disagree slightly with thinking he doesn't give a single f about racism. I think he does care, even if it's only in the context of being something he can needle the royal family with for attention. It may be disengenuous but in order to even care to needle the royal family over it, he has to care about himself, personally, in even the tiniest way.

And you're absolutely right. Scobie presents himself like an Anderson Cooper / Bob Woodruff in-the-trenches kind of a reporter. I was always bothered by how seriously he took himself but now that you've named it, that's exactly what it is.

I didn't actually know a whole lot about Charles before I read Sally's book. (And to be honest, I only picked up Sally's book in the first place because she was speaking in a lecture series near me about the book and you needed to have read the book to go to the lecture.) I knew the Diana version of Charles and what Sally's book opened my eyes to was how difficult it was for him to be "stuck" behind a lot of people even though he was #1 in the lineup. So I have some sympathy for that but it's offset by how spoiled he was by being #1 and his expectation that the world should revolve around him. Likewise, I have sympathy for him being bullied at school and having a hard time at Gordonstoun, but that's offset by my disgust that he tolerated a toxic workplace by giving Michael Fawcett (who was a bully) a pass.

[tragicfrabricofdreaming]

Dark Hearts .2

Summary: Cori Douglas has lived a somewhat quiet life in mystic falls. Despite a few slip ups, she has managed to fly under the radar with her best friends. That is, until her junior year when two new mysterious men roll into town and shake everyone up, including her best friend Elena. What will Cori find out about these mysterious men and about herself? Mostly follows the storyline of tvd show but may take some creative liberties.

“She swore vengeance on all men with dark hearts.”

― Lisa Papademetriou, Siren's Storm

Series Masterlist

“Thanks for being my date,” Bonnie says to Cori as they wait in line to get into Lockwood’s mansion for the founder's party. Elena and Stefan were going together and Caroline was bringing Damon as her date (gross) so Cori and Bonnie decided to show up together so that they could have fun on their own, probably making fun of people from the corner, their favorite activity. 

“Are you kidding me?” Cori loops her arm through Bonnie’s, “I should be thanking you, this is much better than having to come with my dad.”  Almost the whole town was out at the Lockwood’s house, dressed in their Sunday best and ready to one-up each other with their family heirlooms. While the Douglas’ were a part of the founding families and Cori’s dad Hayden was a part of the town council, Cori could honestly care less about all the hullabaloo that surrounded the town’s history. To be honest it was just riddled in racism and they shouldn’t be celebrating it anyway. 

“Free champagne, prime people-watching real estate, what more could two nosy girls ask for?” Bonnie nudges her playfully and the girls laugh. Once inside the house, Cori loses track of Bonnie after she slips away to sneak a drink. Pouting to herself, she decides to stroll over to all of the artifacts that the families had put on display, stopping in front of the one labeled for her family. She had seen all of the items before but she hadn’t expected to see one in particular because she thought her sister was off at college wearing it around her neck. 

Cori’s fingers touch the glass case softly, tracing the outline of the necklace through the barrier. Her dad had given the necklace to Grace on her eighteenth birthday but Cori had always admired it since she was a little girl. It was beautiful–a gold pendant on a gold chain with a silhouette of a mermaid embossed on it. Another shorter chain dangled from the pendant with a small, iridescent pearl at the end. It had belonged to one of her ancestors, she could never remember which one, but Cori was utterly obsessed with it. Her dad must have asked Grace to send it back home so he could put it on display with some of the other items. 

There was a journal from one of her female ancestors she couldn’t remember the name of, a small scrap from the sail of the ship they had traveled over on, and a medium-length, golden trident with stones of sea glass decorating the handle. Cori rolls her eyes slightly as she brings her champagne glass to her lips, the thing had always looked like it was bought at a Halloween store but apparently, it was very old and valuable. Whatever. 

“Ah, the Douglas’,” Cori choked on her champagne mid-sip as Damon appeared beside her, “Your family looked to be very…little mermaid-esque.” He frowns at the items. 

Cori recovers from her small spit take and wipes the remnants of champagne from her chin, “I need to get you a bell. Like a cat. So I can hear you coming.” She was still very weary of Damon Salvatore but Caroline had gone off on Cori a bit, telling her she just needed to give him a chance and get to know him just like she had with Stefan. So, Cori agreed to be civil and not threaten him with sharp objects but she was still keeping an eye on him. 

“Good to see you too, Cordelia,” he smirks, taking a sip of his bourbon, “I must confess, your family history has always intrigued me the most out of all of these other snobs.” he gestures to the other displays around them. Cori sighs, turning to face him. He cleaned up nicely but no amount of hair gel and dress shirts would take away the smug air around him.

“There’s not that much to them.” She admits, “They came here from a very small island off the coast of Ireland,” she explains, “They were very superstitious about sea creatures and stuff so the journey was difficult for them, but they made it and there isn’t much else after that.” Cori shrugs, taking another sip of her champagne and her eyes move to the necklace in the display again. 

Damon examines the side of her face, seeing the longing in her eyes as she looks at the piece of jewelry, “I won’t tell anyone if you want to snatch it.” Her eyes snap to his and she looks guilty like he just caught her with her hand in the cookie jar before dinner. “It would go great with your outfit.” He gestures to her light blue dress. 

Cori chuckles nervously and blushes while she shakes her head, “No, it’s not mine.” she says. 

“It belongs to your family, though.” 

“Well, yes,” she nods, twirling a lock of her hair around her finger anxiously, “but it’s technically my sister’s now, my dad gave it to her before she left for college. I think she’s just letting them borrow it for the display.” A small smile graced her lips and maybe it was the champagne bubbles going straight to her head, or the number of people crammed into the room making her feel lightheaded, but regardless of why she does it she just keeps talking to Damon, “When I was little, I used to sneak into my dad’s office after everyone was asleep,” her voice lowers to a whisper as if she was still a little girl trying not to get caught out of bed. Damon finds himself leaning in, “and I’d take the key he hid under his keyboard–” 

“Terrible hiding place.” 

“I know, right?” Cori laughs, “But, I’d take that key and unlock the top drawer of his desk and take the necklace out and just hold it in my hand–I couldn’t figure out the clasp on my own–but it was like I was so restless–like I couldn’t sleep until I just looked at it and held it in my hands for a while. To remember what it looked like, what it felt like.” The palm of her hand rests against the glass case, right above the necklace, “It was…grounding, almost.” 

Damon could picture it in his mind, or maybe he had snuck into her mind without realizing it. A young Cordelia, standing at her dad’s desk holding the necklace in her tiny palm, admiring the jewelry. He can see Cordelia the age she is now, watching her sister open a present on her birthday, and can see the sadness in Cori’s eyes as she realizes the necklace now belongs to her older sister and is forever out of her reach. “And I sound insane,” Cordelia says, finishing off her glass of champagne, “it’s just an old piece of jewelry.”

“It means something to you, though,” Damon speaks up. Cori looks at him, her eyebrows scrunched together at his tone, “and maybe it isn’t entirely about the necklace.” He shrugs, “Maybe it has more to do with your sister, how you feel about her.” 

“I love my sister.” 

“I didn’t say you didn’t,” he recovers quickly, “I just mean…” Damon’s eyes scan the room, landing on Stefan and Elena on the dance floor. Cori follows his gaze and her frown deepens, “Maybe it’s more about how she makes you feel. Like she’ll always be first, get everything you want even if you wanted it first.” They stare at each other for a second. Cori knows he hit the nail on the head, and Damon knows it too, but neither of them will move to speak that it was true. 

“There you are, sweetie,” Their stare is broken by Cori’s father appearing at her side, placing his hand on her arm and pressing a kiss to the crown of her head, “I was beginning to think you skipped out on the evening.” 

“Of course not, Dad,” Cori blushes, gritting her teeth slightly. She quickly places the empty champagne glass on a nearby table and clears her throat. Her father and Damon are eyeing each other carefully, “Uh, dad, this is Damon Salvatore, Caroline’s boyfriend.” She gestures to Damon and then to her father, “Damon, this is my dad, Hayden Douglas.” 

“Ah, Damon,” Hayden and the older Salvatore shake hands firmly, “Cordelia has told me all about you.” His daughter’s eyes widen immediately and Damon smirks, glancing at her. 

“All terrible things, I hope.” 

Hayden laughs, “Well, she has always had an… imaginative vocabulary.” 

“Alright!” Cori chuckles, clapping her hands together, “You guys get acquainted with each other, I’m gonna go find Bonnie.” 

After walking around what felt like the entire party, Cori finally finds Bonnie standing just outside of the dining room, “My date!” She gasps in relief as she stands beside Bonnie, “I just had my first conversation with Damon without threatening him, so I think I’ve had enough abnormal experiences for the week.” 

Bonnie chuckles lightly, opening her mouth to respond when something distracts them both, “Look around,” Carol Lockwood is in a heated conversation with one of the event workers, “What’s missing?” The worker looks around the room, looking confused and scared, “The flames, the candles. Why aren’t they lit?” There were an alarming amount of candles in the dining room that were unlit but there didn’t seem to be a reason to yell about it, “There’s matches in the kitchen.” 

The worker scurries off to the kitchen, looking traumatized and Mrs. Lockwood leaves the room in a huff, “Bitch.” Bonnie mutters. Cori scoffs in agreement. Instead of turning and leaving the room, Bonnie stays for a moment, staring intently at a closeby candle. Cori watches her with a confused look but doesn’t say anything because it doesn’t exactly last long. When nothing happens after a moment, Bonnie sighs and grabs Cori’s elbow, “Come on,” she turns to leave the room but Cori stops her, gasping in shock. 

“Bonnie, look,” her friend turns back around and sees what Cori is so amazed by. As if by magic, every single candle in the room is lit, seemingly like they had been for hours. Cori laughs in amazement, looking at Bonnie, “You did that!” she exclaims, “Bonnie, you’re a witch I–” 

“Shh, you can’t tell anyone.” Bonnie urges her friend, grabbing her hands as they face each other. 

“But, I believe you now! I’m so sorry I doubted you before but this is insane, Bon, I mean–” 

“I know, but I need to talk to my grams first, I don’t really know what this all means, and I…I wanna know more before I go telling people, even Elena.” Bonnie is pleading with Cori, squeezing her hands gently. 

Cori looks at the candles Bonnie just lit with her mind and then back to her magical friend, nodding slowly, “Okay, your secret is safe with me.” She promises, “I won’t tell.” 

“Thank you,” Bonnie smiles. They look at each other for a minute, the moment remaining serious until Bonnie’s face breaks out into a full grin, “I’m magic!” She squeals. 

“You’re magic!” Cori squeals back and they start jumping up and down with their hands clasped, giggling with each other like they had over such smaller events in the past. 

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

Hayden was thankful that his daughter had left him alone with Damon all on her own so he didn’t have to corner him at another time. “Cordelia and I were just admiring your family’s collection–” 

“You need to stay away from her.” Hayden cuts Damon off in a low voice. They stare each other down, looking incredibly out of place among the mingling crowd but no one seems to take the time to notice. 

“Oh,” Damon smirks in amusement, “Papa Bear roars.” He doesn’t seem phased by Hayden’s threatening glare. “Don’t worry, pal,” he claps him on the shoulder, “your precious little girl isn’t my type.” 

Hayden shrugs off his grasp, his jaw clenching, “I don’t care. Regardless of what you tell everyone else, you obviously have some weird interest in speaking to her and that needs to stop.” The music stops briefly before the next song plays so Hayden steps closer to Damon, his voice lowering but not losing any of its sting, “You roll into town, and before your car’s engine is cold you’re meddling in the lives of your little brother’s friends. It’s weird and I know your intentions can’t be good so you need to leave my daughter out of it.” 

“Is this supposed to scare me?” Damon motions between the two of them. He could rip this guy's throat out in two seconds and not feel an ounce of guilt about it. Maybe later he would, there were too many witnesses right now. 

“She’s been through a lot, she isn’t exactly stable right now.” Hayden’s gaze shifts to the other side of the room where Cori had just re-entered. Damon follows his gaze and watches as Cori whispers something to Bonnie excitedly. Her cheeks were flushed, probably with the champagne she had been drinking, and she was gesturing with her hands wildly as she talked to her friend, “Cordelia is…fragile. She’s barely getting back on track after an incident at the end of last school year and one wrong move from you–” Damon draws his gaze away from the girl and back to her father, “she might not come back so easily.”

Damon scoffs, “What do you think I’m going to do to her?” 

“I don’t care. I know guys like you–” 

“No one is like me.” 

“Whatever agenda you have going on, I don’t care. But Cordelia cannot be a part of it.” Hayden growls. 

Damon considers this a threat and he isn’t exactly taking this human man as someone who could cause him harm, but he did think he could be of use to him, “I’ll tell you what, Hayden,” Damon starts, “I’ll leave your daughter alone if you can get me into the next town council meeting.” 

Hayden considers him for a moment. Yes, the patriarch of the Douglas family was a part of the Town Council but he didn’t see why this twenty-something who just rolled into town would have any interest. “Okay,” he decides, “I’ll talk to the council and get you in.”

Damon smirks, “Deal?” He holds his hand out for Hayden to shake and, after a moment of hesitation, Hayden grips his hand and seals the deal. 

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

Cori sighs at her reflection in the mirror. This was the worst group costume you have ever come up with, Caroline, she thinks to herself as she adjusts the straps of her large, circular costume piece. Caroline has insisted on her, Bonnie, and Elena dressing up as witches and Cori could be the cauldron. Why they couldn’t just all be witches or be the Cheetah Girls or something, Cori had no idea. Bonnie was also not a huge fan of the idea considering it felt a little too on the nose of her recent experiences but since Damon had supposedly left town and subsequently ended Caroline’s short-lived relationship with him, they were obligated as her friends to make her happy. 

Although, contact with Elena had been scarce as of late so there were questions about whether she would even be at the party at the school tonight. Either way, Cori was stuck with this fabric, a makeshift cauldron that hung around her midsection as her costume. She had gone with a black dress to wear underneath it and her hat had green plastic balls glued to the top of it to appear as bubbles. Sometimes she wondered if Caroline just liked making a fool of her. 

As she struggles to slip into her black boots around the obstacle of her costume, her dad steps into her room and lets out a laugh, causing Cori to glare at him, “Toil and trouble,” Hayden says, the laugh still evident behind his voice. 

“Very funny,” she mumbles, finally managing to get her shoes on, “I’m sure that won’t be the last time I hear that tonight.” 

“The things Caroline can talk you into,” he shakes his head, leaning against her doorframe while he watches her collect her things and slide them into the pockets that are inside the cauldron costume. “You heading out?” 

“Yeah, Bonnie is picking me up.” She tells her dad, looking in the mirror while she adjusts her hat. 

There’s a beat of silence as Hayden considers his daughter. He thinks back to the conversation he had with Damon Salvatore at the party the other night, and how he had been going on and on about how fragile Cordelia was. While he knew it was true, he couldn’t help but feel like he was being a little too overprotective of her as he watched her get ready to go out with her friends. Right now, in this moment, she was just a normal 18-year-old girl, and that’s how he wanted her to be. He just hoped she could remain this way forever, “Be careful out there tonight.” He says softly. 

Cori looks at him over her shoulder and flashes him a grin, “Of course, I always am.” And he knew that was true. She was responsible and cautious and never missed curfew…she was nothing like her older sister who was responsible for the graying hair on Hayden’s head. She was good and he needed to reward her for that. 

There’s a car horn honked outside, snapping Hayden out of his observations of his daughter. “That’s Bonnie,” she says, taking one last look in the mirror before turning toward her dad, “how do I look?” She asks. 

Hayden smiles at her, “Cutest Cauldron I’ve ever seen.” 

Cori rolls her eyes but grins at her dad as she makes her way out of the room, “Thank you,” she presses a kiss to his cheek, “I’ll see you later, save me some candy!” She calls over her shoulder as she heads downstairs. 

“Be home by midnight, if you’re going to be late, call me!” He calls after, listening as she opens the front door. 

“You got it!” The front door closes behind her and the house falls silent around Hayden. There was a lot he needed to tell his youngest daughter, and he would have to do it soon. He just wanted her to remain a normal teenage girl for a little while longer. 

////

Three Lockwood special ciders later, Cori is wandering through the high school hallways looking for her friends. She had departed from them to go to the bathroom but couldn’t seem to remember where she had left them. She reaches into her cauldron and pulls out her phone, looking down at it as she walks. Just as she’s sending a text to Bonnie asking where she is, she collides with someone right in front of her and gasps. “I’m so sorry–” she stops short, looking up at the pillar of a human she had just crashed into to find Damon Salvatore. Filled with shock and confusion, the only question that she can manage to ask is, “I thought you left town?” 

Damon scoffs, looking down at her, “Hello to you, too,” he says sarcastically, causing her to roll her eyes, “My brother loves to spread rumors about me.” He adjusts his leather jacket, looking her up and down, “What the hell are you supposed to be?” He asks. 

Cori blushes and looks down at herself, slumping in defeat, “I’m a…cauldron.” She says slowly, looking back up at him, “It makes more sense when I’m with Bonnie and Caroline, they’re witches and I’m…their cauldron. Elena was supposed to be a witch too but I think she came as something else.” She’s rambling now so to cut herself off she takes another drink from her cup. 

“How’d you draw the short straw?” Damon asks her. 

Cori shakes her head as she swallows her drink, “Caroline drew it for me.” Damon lets out a small ‘Ahh’ as if he totally understands now, “But I don’t mind,” she says quickly, “people tend to laugh at me behind my back anyway so I might as well give them a reason to do it to my face.” Something about running into Damon made her just spill everything. Or maybe that was just the cider talking. 

“How do you know people are laughing at you?” She leans against a row of lockers against a nearby wall and Damon stands in front of her, tilting his head as he observes her. 

“Caroline told you about my little incident last year?” He nods, remembering that dinner at Elena’s when Caroline mentioned the time she choked at the state finals for the swim team. “The whole school knows about it, and they know that it happened when I was younger, too, that’s why I got held back a year and am an 18-year-old junior.” She takes another drink from her cup, “They all think I’m crazy.” She stares at the floor in front of her, thinking back to how it felt in middle school. The first time she had one of her episodes in the pool and had spent the next two months in a psychiatric hospital in practically a catatonic state before she was able to return to school. Because of this, she was forced to stay back a grade. That was when she met Elena, Caroline, and Bonnie. She hadn’t been in their grade until that point and while everyone else at school whispered about her reputation, those three didn’t care. They accepted her as she was. 

“Maybe you are.” Is Damon’s response. Not the typical response she got when she opened up to people about this but it made her laugh. 

“Probably.” She says simply. And she meant it. There was no guarantee that at any moment she wouldn’t snap and start hallucinating in front of her eyes. There was nothing that triggered it, she could be in the pool the majority of the time and feel completely normal and there were years between the two big incidents that had occurred so there was really no pattern to it.  

Damon quickly changes the subject, “I think this is the longest conversation we’ve had without you threatening me.” He remarks. 

Cori snorts, quickly covering her mouth with her hand at the awful sound, “Well, Tyler’s cider is very strong and I’ve had three of these,” she holds up her cup, “You caught me at a good time. Plus, you’re leaving Caroline alone.” 

He smirks, taking half a step closer to her, “Don’t get too excited, I might just get attached to another one of Elena’s friends.” There’s a look in his eyes that sends a wave of warmth through Cori’s body. She blames it on the cider. 

Rolling her eyes, she pushes off of the wall, “I’m too drunk to threaten you in a witty way right now, call back later.”  She turns away from him and starts down the hallway to continue her search for her friends. 

“See you around, Cordelia.”  She doesn’t turn back around at the farewell, simply waves at him over her shoulder.

[grandhotelabyss]

Thoughts on NrX? Do you agree that they basically reverse enginered marxism, but are too emberasssed to admit it do to their surface level dislike and signaling to anti-comunists?

NRx is Marxist in narrative structure but with a different protagonist: the owner rather than the worker. But since the actual protagonist of Marxism turns out to be the intellectual-bureaucrat rather than the worker, I don't see as big of an ethical difference as you might expect. NRx, too, might end up having a secret protagonist. I should quote the peroration of Reality Spammer's essay cited in my last response:

Nick Land at this point must certainly have earned the title of the most important philosopher of the past half-century. Everyone now is thinking in relation to accelerationism. In the context of the growth of acceleration, neoreaction, the dissident right, is Elon like the Stalin to Nick Land’s Marx? Elon of course almost certainly does not know who Land is. But they share the same triad of objects of zeal — a sense that the industrial process must intensify in an uninterrupted way, racism, and a joy in spreading irreverence as far as possible. Racism, this all-too-human passion as old as man, becomes the weapon to dismantle the human plane, by accelerating its internal differences until it breaks. The emergence of this pure demonic theater of simulacra where the formality of a public sphere once lingered is its shattering into entropic fragments as it splits apart, a spiral into radio static and catatonic schizophrenia.

On this account, NRx uses race the way Marxism uses class: to start "a war inside society" (per Boris Groys) that they hope to win. I'm not entirely sure this is how it's going to work, though, even as NRx seems more and more poised to get its way with the rise of a figure like Milei and the potential or even likely return of Trump amid the atmosphere of Elon's X. Is the left really so terminally depressed, so self-immolationist, that it now understands "irreverence" and "racism" as inextricably synonymous? Did Bakhtin laugh in vain?

The peroration of Land's own epochal "Dark Enlightenment" manifesto derives its indeed right-Marxist vision of our immanent self-transcendence via self-conscious speciation from a series of novels by Octavia Butler that I admittedly haven't read. (I browsed through them. I like Butler—Kindred and "Bloodchild" in particular, and I did find those two texts sort of reactionary—but the Xenogenesis books Land cites seemed a little pulpier than I wanted to deal with. I suspect such subject matter might require a prose style akin to Bradbury's, Delany's, or Ballard's, more visionary and iridescent. Dick and Herbert, whom I also admire among science fictionists, have the same plain-prose problem.)[*]

Is the famously racist NRx then an Afrofuturism, given that I claimed 10 years ago that it was also a queer theory? (Consider also the gender accelerationist blackpaper, which renders NRx a trans theory.) Why assume that dismantling the "human plane" must lead by logic to racism? Maybe it will lead to the disarticulation of race, as surely as it's led to the disarticulation of gender. (When I was in grad school, everybody blamed humanism for creating racism!)

This isn't an endorsement of NRx, and I don't dispute the personal racism of some of the people involved, but I'm not persuaded by the equation between tech accelerationism and white supremacism. There's as much reason to think it could go the other way. Here the specifically racist libertarians mirror the Afropessimists as well as the Marxists. But it's not necessarily how the resolutely optimistic Frederick Douglass, for example, would have thought about it when he saw technological development as part and parcel of individual equality: the camera disclosing the soul in every skin.

(I know my critics think I am too cavalier on the subject of race. I just think it's going to disappear. I don't think it stands a chance. Reality Spammer says, "There is a sense in which 'everyone is racist' is simply an analytic a priori." And there's a sense in which it's not. NRx's biological racism won't work, not only because race is a construct, but because biology is too. Science waits upon art and magic; leave Steve Sailer to his golf course. From Melville's repeated image of the oceangoing vessel as Anacharsis Cloots delegation of universal humanity to Morrison's concluding vision of the Black Madonna onshore awaiting such ships of holy fools to dock in Paradise, this is an American prophecy.)

Reality Spammer is right, I suppose, about the vulgarity of Ye, Elon, etc., but, leaving aside the eloquence of the vulgar (as if "beautiful big titty butt-naked women" played no role at the root of the human imagination), there is a world elsewhere, even in right-wing world. The queer-femme wing of the new right is reading Gone with the Wind, sure—I've never read it myself—but they're also promoting Pamela, the first novel to sentimentalize, aestheticize, and universalize bourgeois hegemony, and so the secular type and pattern of all future individual liberation narratives, not excluding Douglass's. This is something like what I had in mind 10 years ago when I said we'd know if there was anything to neoreaction if it went from black to pink, aesthetically speaking, from Gothic to sentimental, from Lovecraft to Joyce. Another recent favorite of this group, Poor Things, a socialist novel written by a Scottish nationalist, was converted for the atopic-utopic purposes of global cinema into a post-woke porno-libertarian fable. It ends in the multiracial queer paradise of a walled garden, secured in part with the earnings of sex work to refuel the professionalization of a new cadre of techno-experts symbolized by Bella's journey from one type of working girl to another.

The "human" is not a self-evident category, even if I'd prefer to travel under its banner myself. The neoreactionaries, like their soixante-huitard precursors, were only anti-humanists insofar as the human was a Hegelian synonym for the state (and antonym therefore both of the individual and of empire, a word Blake, Shelley, and Whitman used without negative connotation to signify a post-national world-polity). What the human might become in an age of accelerated techno-capital is unclear—if such acceleration even works; if we don't regress all the way back to the forest, the desert, and the cave in the conflagration of the rules-based international order, victims at last of Enlightenment's dialectic—but why should we forfeit our species's name at the very hour of the potential triumph of our species-being as the aesthetic angel-animal who is both subject and object of its own thought? As the first review of my latest novel tells us, "the 21st century isn’t likely to become any less weird."

"There are no sides," the defeated white witch admonishes her successor of imperial realpolitik at the end of Dune Part Two. (How's that for a reversal of the moralistic speech concluding The Two Towers? Herbert's Cold War realism portends no less of a Republican victory than did the reanimation of Tolkien's World War II moralism two decades ago, but how different are today's Republicans?) I am personally ready for anything. Or at least I'm trying to put on a brave face. I have read Arendt and Adorno, not to mention Ruskin and Thoreau, and have every single fear about these developments everybody else does. Still, NRx might turn out to be a humanism after all, and therefore neither especially new nor meaningfully reactionary.

We see, now, events forced on which seem to retard or retrograde the civility of ages. But the world-spirit is a good swimmer, and storms and waves cannot drown him. He snaps his finger at laws: and so, throughout history, heaven seems to affect low and poor means. Through the years and the centuries, through evil agents, through toys and atoms, a great and beneficent tendency irresistibly streams.

____________________

[*] In Land's Compact articles on the English canon, he was so magnanimous as to promote Butler, alongside some nameless "Jews and Scots," into a DEI English "para-canon." Seeking to establish the paradox of a people-who-are-not-a-people, the maritime liberalism-imperialism of an "out-breeder culture," he identifies the central revolutionary dialectic within English literature, which can be described ethnically as Anglo vs. Norman, politically as left vs. right, religiously as Nonconformist vs. Anglo-Catholic, or aesthetically as Romantic vs. Classical, with the latter side relegated always to the role of ineffectual (indeed sabotaged) brake on history's runaway train. As I hinted in my most recent Invisible College lecture, you can use even Jane Austen to stage a global revolution. To this revolution are we "Jews and Scots" summoned, those of us who have spiritually interbred with this literature which was not the literature of our forefathers—my forefathers had no literature, you see, and so I had no choice—whether we are the Pole Conrad, the Dutch-American Melville, the African-American Butler, or the Italian-American Pistelli.

[jones-friend]

So recently I took it upon myself to watch through all the Fantastic Beasts series. Why? Because after the subpar release of Secrets of Dumbledoor all plans to continue making Fantastic Beasts movies have been axed. The series pulled a Divergent and got cancelled before it finished its series. It is also far past the initial wave of hype of its release, and with all the movies being on HBOMax I did not pay money to see these outside the subscription fee I already pay.

And oh goodness, goodness this is not the viewing experience I expected.

So the first movie is the one that acts the most like a movie. There’s characters with motivations and their actions drive the plot forward. I’m fairly certain JKR did not research 1920′s New York but she never makes the history relevant. So you win some you lose some. The premise is Newt Scamander is a wizard conservationist and his beasts get loose in New York, and they have to gather them back up. Unlike the rest of the movies in this series there are scenes I did like here, for example one winged snake grows to fill its habitat and they have to trick it into going inside a teapot to shrink it back down. It’s delightful.

The actors also bring a lot to what would be some flat characters. Eddie Redmayne specifically plays a Newt Scamander on the autistic spectrum without the movie making a big deal out of it, which makes me think this was a choice by the actor and not the writer. The characters have a wonderful charisma and all the actors are having a great time, its very easy to see why there’s so much fanfiction on this series bc of how underutilized everything is.

There’s a number of missteps, and the movie in my brain is better than the real one bc there’s a number of one off lines they could give to help fix things. And part of the problem I have with JKR’s world is that spells are just kind of nonsense. Newt fixes an entire apartment complex by waving his wand. A lot of her racism is still VERY present here as well, and the UK wizards taking pot shots at the US wizards for being unable to marry muggles is. A choice.

The second movie is where the problems begin. As Dumbledoor gets involved he becomes the main character over Newt. The second and third movies do not have to do with magical creature conservation, the creatures become MacGuffins (the item everyone wants) rather than what the movie interacts with. When we do get a scene interacting with Fantastic Beasts its a surprise, a breath of fresh air. Her terrible wizard politics come back and now Wizard Hitler wants to stop world war II, so its up to our wizarding pals to put an end to his evil deeds. It isn’t good.

But the third movie was something special. Out of all these the first can be a fun movie on its own, the second is Not Great, but the third movie is so unique. I have never had a moviegoing experience where the entire movie fell out of my brain immediately after the credits rolled. The issue is none of the scenes have connective tissue and the movie doesn’t set up or pay off enough elements, so this movie is extremely hard to recall in the correct order of scenes. It was like the men in black neurolized me immediately after the movie was over. So I’ll do my best to recall the plot here:

Newt helps a magical creature called a Qilin give birth. He’s attacked by Evil Wizards and is knocked out, one of his creatures flying him back home. Apparently the Qilin is an important creature to the wizarding world bc it bows to pure of heart wizards and decides wizard president. So it was giving birth 100% alone in the wild unprotected as evil wizards descended on it. Wizard Hitler steals the baby Qilin to make it choose him as wizard president. He also kills it bc its blood lets him see the future inaccurately. Bc of this Dumbledoor assembles wizard avengers and tells them the only way we can combat this is to not have a plan. An hour and a half of not having a plan passes. Wizard Hitler has zombie’d the baby qilin and will use it to become wizard president, but the other high profile expert wizards can’t tell he reanimated it like a puppet. There is a series of action scenes in the same physical set and then the zombie qilin bows to Wizard Hitler, but the good guys bring the secret twin qilin to the ceremony and tell it your undead sister can’t hear you. Then the blood pact necklace that kept Dumbledoor and Wizard Hitler from fighting decides to break and there’s a short fight scene. Then the movie stops.

I’m not trying to exaggerate, make hyperbole, it’s really interesting how unconnected all of this mess is. I wouldn’t recommend watching through the Fantastic Beasts movies as bad movies. I would say the first has good moments and isn’t a wholly bad movie, but that third one. There’s something really special about the third one. Its the only one to have the decency to leave nothing behind after it concludes.

[chuplayswithfire]

Thank you for sharing your perspective on this! I don't think this is quite the attitude that I've been seeing - the attitude I've been seeing is more a sense of unease and feeling like it's gone too far that sexual violence has been addressed and proposed at all within OFMD, as though the concept were too dark in and of itself. It's definitely possible that those people were thinking akin to you and not able to verbalize it however; I don't know their lives.

Personally, however, I have always found that sentiment - the sentiment that mentioning or hinting at sexual violence would be going too far, would be too dark, would be too anything, as both frustrating and just fascinating, because even prior to this season, I would occasionally see mention of how obviously our Ed is not a rapist, like historical Blackbeard, because that would be too much, but Stede Bonnet of our show is still a slave owner, just like historical Stede Bonnet, because, that's just being accurate, and that's just how it is. As though one source of trauma - sexual violence - is simply much, much worse than the other - racism and the horrors of the slave trade - and we should all simply understand that; that attitude is why I made my original post, because the comments I've seen reminded me of that.

Now! With that said - I really do appreciate hearing your perspective, because it's very different from my own read on the scenes addressing Lucius' trauma. To me, the situations that Lucius is describing are visceral and horrible experiences, that have clearly been eating him up inside as he tries to deny and repress them, and the humor isn't that these things happened to him, but that Stede offered to be a listening ear, and then quickly found himself totally overwhelmed and unable to cope. Comedy is of course, up to interpretation and personal, but to me the reason the scene is funny is because Stede approaches with his usual earnestness and frankly unearned but wildly endearing confidence, and says that he's not afraid, and Lucius can hit him with it - but then he is obviously, immediately, and totally in over his head and unprepared and has to back off, but Lucius is still in what can only be called trauma dump mode, because as he warned Stede, he didn't know what would come out once he started talking about it.

To me, this wasn't asking us to laugh at Lucius, but it was asking us to laugh a fair bit at Stede, and I think it makes sense - Stede is Mr. Talk It Through As A Crew, but he's also kind of infamously bad at that, and has had to spend the whole series slowly working his way to being able to do it. Even in episode 1, after all his revelations, even in letters he doesn't think Ed is receiving, he's still covering things up and projecting a positive spin on things without being emotionally honest until he hits a rock bottom. I've been where Lucius was - and I've been where Stede was - and so, speaking of my own interpretation of the scene and it's following scene where Lucius talks about talking about things with Pete, the comedy was a bit of dark comedy about yep got in over your head buddy didn't you, didn't believe it when I said it was gonna be fucked up huh?

But it's fair if that didn't land with someone. I can see why, someone else in that position, might find it too close to home to see any humor in it at all. I think that with Pete, the message wasn't that you can only give someone a sanitized version of your trauma, but a reminder that dumping your trauma on someone can be pretty traumatic in and of itself, and the process of sharing trauma isn't just about dropping all the worst things that have happened to you on someone and expecting them to be totally calm and okay, but the process of talking with someone working through your feelings and letting them work through theirs. Lucius went through some really dark shit, and Pete didn't say, don't tell me the rest, apparently - he just needed a break from some of it, to get eased in, and be able to help and not just be overwhelmed with horror.

I do think they're going to continue with Lucius' trauma and his healing - but I agree, if this is where they end the plotline, it would be pretty fucked. I don't think it's worse than where they left any of the racism jokes or plotlines - those often ended with the attacking party being physically punished, but without any emotional consolation or recovery for the attacked party being shown.

I didn't think the show was asking us to be Nigel, or to laugh at Lucius - I felt it was asking us to laugh at Stede, and in some ways, to laugh at the dark humor of being asked about your trauma, only to have the person asking obviously and instantly regret it.

ngl i have always found it fascinating where people draw the line with violence. i've seen multiple people now object to the implied sexual violence of the 'human puppet' game Lucius talks about, because sexual violence is somehow uniquely dark and taboo... but the show has always dealt in comedy related to violence, even violence targeted at specific groups - antiblack slurs, references to the genocide of indigenous communities, and the presence of racism in general, and often mixed in with the comedy. those topics are just as serious as sexual violence, and just as dark. why wouldn't the show be willing to delve into the one, if they're willing to go to the others?

[ukiyokki]

mars reads too much dreamnotfound fanfiction for their own good

a dreamnotfound fanfic recommendation list by your resident dumbass (me)

this took way to fucking long... i’m tired

below is a (very extensive) list dedicated to all my favorite dnf fics, ranging from quick one shots to 100k+ word monstrosities that devour the storage on my computer, forever incomplete masterpieces to ongoing works of art, you get the idea. i provided links for each fic/series for your reading pleasure. there will be no smutty/nsfw fics on this list, that’s just not my vibe lmao. this list goes in no particular order, and i’ll update it from time to time when i feel like it. now, without further ado, let us begin.

Heat Waves (complete) by tbhyourelame

(wtf else did you expect, looking at a dnf rec list?) amazingly well written, and while it’s not my favorite dnf fic it’s damn near close. in the midst of a brutal heatwave, a suffering dream comes to terms with the fact that he is desperately in love with his best friend. everything i could say about this fic has already been said by nearly everyone who’s read it, so if you haven’t yet caved into the hype, just go for it. you won’t be disappointed.

Gonna be around (completed) by georgescatcafe

(mc irl) my favorite dnf oneshot to date. just read it, i don’t wanna spoil for you :)

Inferno in the Sky (ongoing)by zairielon

(star wars au) an ongoing star wars au currently clocking in at almost 200k words. need I say more? everything about it absolutely slaps, each chapter is amazingly written, and it’s just good. also, can we just appreciate dream and tubbos dynamic in here? 10/10, amazing, must protecc. oh right, a summary: george, an exiled padawan turned engineer, must return to the jedi temple after attacks on it from an unknown assailant threaten the safety of himself and the other jedi.

Like Magic (ongoing) by KangarooKen, NotGra55 (Gra55)

(harry potter au) the unofficial official dnf harry potter au. we watch the young unlikely wizard pair grow up together throughout their years at hogwarts as they battle good old fashioned wizard racism. beautifully written, incredibly fun and suspenseful, and just an overall blast and a half.

GeorgeNotFound, Son of Poseidon, and the League of Minor Gods (ongoing) by Clichewho_69, Cygnvs, Trash_Kinggg

(percy jackson au) percy jackson au? check. “road trip” (technically quest but u get what i mean)? check. enemies to friends to lovers? check. this fic follows the plot of the lightning theif (albeit loosely), but everything is explained enough where you don’t have to read percy jackson to understand what’s going on. basically after moving to the usa, george gets taken to camp halfblood where he learns that a) gods exist. b) he’s the son of poseidon and c) he needs to prove that he didn’t steal zeus’s master bolt.

Protected (completed) by aenqua

(royalty/camelot au) my favorite piece of dnf media of all time. dubbed the official dnf camelot au, where dream is the heir to the throne and george is a servants son with a secret that couldp get him killed. these childhood friends grow up together and learn trust, love, and acceptance. (that summary did not justice to the masterpiece that is this fic) here’s the directors cut

The Hunter (completed) by HederEgo

(mc irl) a choose your own adventure fic with 13 different endings, where dream the hunter must kill george and stop him from beater the ender dragon. enough said.

The official dream team cowboy AU (series)(ongoing) by antsu_in_my_pantsu

(cowboy au) cowboys and outlaws horses and shit. and the big gay. it’s a cowboy au, what else did you expect? fucking yee haw (all seriousness this is a great read, i loved it so so so so much and i can’t wait for the final chapter to release).

This is a Drista moment, let's just accept it (completed) by Qekyo

dnf fic from drista pov. considering its unique perspective, it’s perfectly done. beautifully showcases a sibling relationship through drista and her memories/moments with dream, and it just works, y’a know? also drista supremacy.

Dear Dream (completed) by Qekyo

(wwii au) i don’t cry when watching/reading anything sad. translation: i’m a heartless bitch. however, this fic is the only exception. it caused me to cry so hard my mom walked in my room and asked if i was ok. ‘nuff said.

TECHNOlogical Wingman (completed) by Closeted_Bookworm

techno is the autocorrect ai on dreams phone, and he gains sentience. interesting concept, and the author fucking nailed it. great fic.

It Was Only a Fic (ongoing) by imagineitdear

dream starts reading a dnf fanfic (we’ve all been there buddy).

Teacher’s Pet (ongoing) by niyuha

(teacher au) in which dream is a high school english teacher and george is the new comp sci teacher in room 297.

Saltwater Secrets (ongoing) by earlgay_milktea

(mermaid/high school au) a great example of the shear amount of variety in fics this fandom has to offer. when i started reading dnf fics i would have never thought i’d find one about a mermaid george hopelessly crushing on his human friend, who happens to be his schools star swimmer. yet here i am, and i am far from disappointed.

Smash My Heart (incomplete) by dontrollthedice

george and sapnap are commentators for duper smash brothers tournaments, and george develops a crush on an up and coming smash streamer named dream.

roleplaying in the dark is harder than it seems (completed) by Alienu

laser tag. 10/10

solar system (completed) by quartzfia

(mc irl) george vists dream in pandora’s vault.

Ramblings of a Lunatic (completed) by jungkooksfic

ahh communicating through a notebook left on a shelf in a bookstore- what a perfect way to start a relationship.

Paint me like your French Girls (It's Charcoal, Actually) (completed) by Turtle_ier

(artist au) george is an art student, and dream is a model.

00:00:00 (completed) by isleofdreams

(soulmate au) 00:00:00 is the moment you meet your soulmate, as indicated but the clock ticking down on your wrist until the moment you meet. i’m not a fan of soulmate aus; this fic is the exception.

Blue Skies Smilin' At Me (completed) by kivy

(artist au) i don’t usually cry while reading stuff, but this brought me damn near close. george is a painting conservator and chats it is with the ghost of the artist if the painting he is working on. they fall in a love.

Current Location (incomplete) by hendollana

(influencer au) george simps for a hot american instagram model. who knew he’d actually follow back?

The Withering (series) (series ongoing, 1 work completed) by App1e_Juice

(mc irl) lore and world building and fight scenes and everything i crave. what’s not to love? something starts making the plants and crops around dreams village wither, and must team up with new friends to find the cause of the mysterious disease plaguing the land.

Minecraft, But You Can't Leave (complete) by facadecake

(mc irl) dream and george are sucked into their own private minecraft world together and must beat the game to escape.

Free The Game, Beat the End (incomplete) by goatgoatwasfound

(mc irl) a glitch in minecraft causes thousands of players from around the world to be trapped inside minecraft, with only one way of escape- beating the ender dragon. first dnf fic i ever read, and it’s still 10/10 for me.

Why don't you come a little closer? (completed) by lifeofandoms

george gets stood up by a date, and Dream pretends he’s the date to save george from the embarrassment. simply adorable.

lightning bug (completed) by saintachesP

(band au) while on tour, dream realizes his feeling for george.

Hold me closer (completed) by Treesofmyheart

(mc irl/dsmp) i just,, really like this trope.

Dizzy on caffeine (completed) by GleamingGreenGoggles

(coffee shop au) best dnf coffeeshop au i’ve read. periodt.

living a life of crime isn’t always easy (series) (completed) by itisjosh

(mafia/assassin au) stockholm syndrome except it’s not weird.

Inhibitions Make Interesting Situations (completed) by Ship_On_The_Sea

i pissed myself laughing. it’s just a dream and george being hilariously dense, flustered idiots. serotonin central.

thy eternal summer shall not fade (completed) by gracequills

(high school au) that moment when you recite shakespeare to your crush in your ap lit class instead of confessing (hate it when that happens).

All is Fair in love and Football (ongoing) by graciegirl2001

(college au) #1 favorite college au. in which george is a cheerleader, and dream is the football teams rising star player. this one gets extra points because of the amazing karlnap moments sprinkled throughout. *chefs kisses air*

online love (completed) by andbutso

(high school au) online classes go zoooooooom

Can’t help falling (completed) by isleofdreams

dream re-learns the guitar to sing to george on his birthday. beautiful. fluffy. amazing

dance in the rain and my arms (completed) by lazy_kitkat

george is a rain god, and dream is a wind god

Weather Boy (completed) by DaintyDiizzle

wouldn't you like to know, weather boy? (where dream can control the rain)

The color orange (completed) by anon

(mc irl) dream describes the colors of a sunset

Family Mode (completed)by Strawberry_flavoured_tears

they’re dads :,)

Breathing Room (incomplete) by papercranes

(band an) an amazing band au. the mad lad author wrote original songs for each chapter. above and beyond, mad props :). unfortunately, it’s incomplete

Piece of Clay (completed) by carbonbrine

(artist au) george is a sculptor and his sculpture comes to life- but oh no he’s hot.

Try (completed) by Not4typicalwriter

(royalty au) george must choose a suitor, but none of them are up to dream, his head knights, standards. or dream is hella jelly. also protective dream is perfect

When the Roses Bloom (completed) by HederEgo

(royalty au) close second for my favorite fic. go to royalty au for a quick serotonin bost. it’s all fluff and flowers and crushes, and i love it. criminally underrated.

Heavenstruck (ongoing) by dontrollthedice

george is dreams guardian angel, and dream want to find out more about him and his past life. bittersweet :,)

Bang and Burn (completed) by App1e_Juice

(spy au) george accidentally falls for target number 1 on sapnap’s secret agency’s hit list. this ones great, i love me a spy au :)

Can I get a uhh… (completed) by lemonskies

dream keeps pulling up to the drive through mcdonald’s that george works at drunk.

Pretty Stranger (completed) by anon

when looking for dream in the terminal, george sees a cute guy and decides to flirt.

Take my Hand (completed) by latinbias

(royalty au) another royalty au? poggers. surprise twists? double poggers. love this a lot.

seconds, minutes, hours, lifetimes (complete) by meridies

ROAD TRIP ROAD TRIP ROAD TRIP ROAD TRIP *inhales to compose herself* roadtrip au. unrequited love, ignored feelings, longing, pining, you know the drill. absolutely love this one, its the best roadtrip au i have ever read, in any fandom. (maybe cause i identify with it a little too much, but thats not important. whats important is that you read this fic. right now. im waiting).

Message redacted (complete) by justyouraverageloser

(text fic) dream asks for a girls number and realises hes been given the wrong number. however, an unexpected relationship starts to form between him and the stranger on the other end of the line.

the waves (completed) by anon

(mc irl) this fic was written by the same anon who wrote the color orange, which is up there on my fav dnf oneshot list. dream and george know they have a higher purpose. they don’t know where they came from, or why they are seemingly the only humans in the world, or how they feel about eachother, or even where the skeletons come from, but they are sure of one thing: they have to beat a dragon.

The Dream Doll (completed) by PeppDream (Pep_Pizza)

(voodoo i guess) i’m a real big fan of fics with really out there or unique concepts, so naturally this one makes the cut! i really liked it, it’s really sweet and made me think a lot about what matters to me in the world. george finds a strange doll in an antique shop, and would really like to just stuff it in a drawer and forget about it. sadly (?), the doll has other plans.

last updated February 6th, 2021

[vkelleyart]

Hi! I just wanted to let you know your work is hanging on my wall!

also! wanted to ask how your reading list is going? have you gotten to more of TJ's books (The Extraordinaries? or Tales From Verania?) or another one I recommended All Kinds of Other by James Sie. OH! I hope you get to read The Raven Cycle or Half Bad series before they make them into TV shows (because I know you don't like to do art of books that have movies/shows) any ways! love seeing all you're up to looking forward to seeing what you do next (oh! you ever get to see Skam and/or Druck?) I love watching you find a new cool book and you're original work is amazing!

Batboy!! Oh, how lovely! I'm so honored. 🥰 Thanks so much for sharing this picture!

As for the reading list, it's going better than expected! I did finish the first in the Tales From Verania series recently, which I loved (among the things I gave TJ was a quickie sketch of Gary, the gayest unicorn I've ever drawn, LOL) and am hoping to start Extraordinaries soon. Right now I'm in self-editing boot camp, so much of my reading has been instructional, BUT, I have finished some fun reads lately and can recommend a few back to you! The theme appears to be Asian/Asian American:

A Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki: A trans girl named Katrina Wen runs away from home with nothing but her violin, only to meet up with Shizuka Satomi, world renown violin teacher and collector of souls. As a violinist myself, this book made me SO HAPPY. There is also a very funky donut shop of interest and a queer romance plot line. Highly recommend. (TW: abuse, sex work, rape, depictions of racism)

Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta: This is the first in a... series? Duology? I can't remember. But it it's basically Hunger Games meets "Pacific Rim" with some very intense action between Godolia's mechanical "Gods" and the Gearbreakers who take them down. Of note is the sapphic romance between the two main characters, Eris Shindanai, the leader of the gearbreakers, and Sona Steelcrest, a Valkyrie pilot for Godolia hell bent on taking them down from the inside. Art for this one is coming. :) (TW: violence, death, blood, genocide...)

The Watchmaker of Filagree Street by Natasha Pulley: This one was a dense read, but beyond a certain point, the book reveals its genius to you. Set in the 1880s, Thaniel Steepleton must investigate a lonely Japanese immigrant, Keita Mori, after a pocket watch Mori has made basically saves Thaniel from a bomb blast. I can't say more without being spoilery, but it's queer and Victorian and very cerebral. I'm hoping to draw a bit from this one as well! (Thanks again for recommending it, @singerofsimplesongs!) (TW: Victorian attitudes, mysogyny, violence, blood)

So yeah, slowly but surely, I'm getting through the TBR list! I haven't watched Skam or Druck yet, I'm afraid, because December has been incredibly intense so far, but hopefully I can do some binging over the holidays!

Thanks again for all your excellent recommendations. Looking forward to getting through more of them! ❤️

[fanficsandfluff]

That Damned Laugh

To the anon who informed me of Rainbow Rowell's RACISM, i am writing this for my love of the characters, not the author's writing skill or fame. fuck her. i am still very much aware of what she wrote about and how she portrayed a character, but i cannot stop this inspiration when it comes to me. (wait to be clear to everyone reading this who hadn't seen the anons and my discussion, carry on wasnt the accused racist book. that was something else.)

If you, anon, end up seeing this and maybe don't like what I'm doing or whatnot, I'd love to hear from you again.

For those of you who maybe do practice Death of the Author, I hope you enjoy!

Fandom: Carry On

Characters: Simon Snow, Baz Pitch

Words: 1,905

~~~~~

BAZ

Simon Snow does not laugh, full stop.

(Well, to be fair I'm not a cackler much myself, but I do at least guffaw from time to time.)

Snow spent so much of his youth being weighed down by the 'Chosen One' moniker and being tormented by yours truly. Still, I know of that little list he kept of things he liked about Watford and all its experiences and people. It seemed he did take joy in most of it all. After all, I'm sure he had fun at Bunce's house on many an occasion.

But just being around him and in this way for a while now, you start to notice. He's seen me laugh. A few times, in fact. And hard. I'm not very proud of it; what that man can do to me and make me do. He doesn't like when I cover my hand over my smile. It's habit, though, I've reminded him countless times. The fangs and all. We're working on it.

But Simon may just smile or huff. I've giggled with him on our particularly soft nights or togethertimes.

All this to say... I've found a new hobby/goal/obsession recently.

Make Simon Snow laugh.

My cheekiness all these years has kept my humor to cruel, lowbrow tones. Maybe it makes me less funny, I don't know. But once or twice I'd nail a comeback or snarky one-liner (of course with a bit of flirt thrown in) and Snow will giggle and shake his head. But that's all I've achieved! A small, pandering, boring -- though still admirably adorable -- (Damn that Snow) giggle.

I've moved on to physical humor. I tried throwing myself dramatically over him when he's in bed, but he just seems to think it's all part of my Pitch flair.

Today I made a minor breakthrough.

I was in the kitchen trying to mix myself a smoothie. Bunce has been gushing about a smoothie craze for weeks now, so I finally figured why not. The damn lid wasn't on tight enough. Not-yet-smooth smoothie shot everywhere. There was a pause as it happened, my one hand on the Liquify button, my other resting nonchalantly atop the lid that didn't do any lidding, dammit.

Snow looked up at me from his seat by the kitchen counter, eyes drawn from his phone. A beat. He barked out a laugh. A much louder one than I think I'd ever heard him make.

"Put a sock in it, Snow," I growled, to keep with my facade, though inside I was jittery with glee. I wanted to hear more.

Snow convinced me to binge a new show. Crime Minds. Something like that. No, criminal. It's Criminal Minds.

You wouldn't expect this to be a series fit enough for a cuddle, but Snow and I are an unexpected couple. So it works.

A few dumb jokes are littered throughout the show, in between corpses and the same police station set being reorganized and shot from different angles every episode. One such joke was so inconspicuous and so nothing that I cannot even recall it now. But both Snow and I chuckled at it. Then Snow made an additional comment to it, making me laugh. And soon we were both giggling together like schoolboys, like we had early on when we were maybe still a bit bashful with each other.

He shoved his face into my ribs and snorted when I whispered the new inside joke much later on in the episode. I was also grinning like a madman, but the soft tickle his action gave me didn't exactly---

Oh.

In bed. Perfect. Lovers fool around all the time in bed. Not fool around as in sex--well, no, of course sex, but I mean they also play around-- never mind.

SIMON

Baz has been acting off lately. I can't quite put my finger on what it is. He seems distracted. More like how I act. I'm always thinking of something else, not able to stay focused on one thing for long. He's like that, but trying to act like he isn't.

We're doing something odd today. We're in bed at sunset. It's hardly sunset, as a matter of fact. The sun isn't seeping orange and red into the flat yet. Penelope took us out on a hike today. It tuckered the both of us out. Baz drained a buck when we got home.

I'm laying perpendicular to Baz (or is it parallel? composite? I could never remember mathematics), my legs resting over his stomach. He's reading and I'm playing a puzzle app on my phone.

BAZ

Now's the time, Baz. Just do it, don't think.

His socked feet are right in front of me. There's only been a handful of times we've sat in this position, half of them being my lower half resting on Simon's sturdier upper half. It's now or never.

I stare at his feet for too long, zoning out and forgetting that I was left staring at them, so it definitely looked like I have a fetish for feet. Which I don't. Focus, Basilton.

I take a finger-- no, two fingers. I scratch quickly at his heel. His leg jerks, foot being pulled back.

"What?" he asks me, as if I hadn't been plotting this for weeks. As if I just did it to get his attention.

"Something on the bottom of your sock, love."

Simon went right back to his head hanging upside down off the side of the bed, phone held out in front of his eyes.

Well, that proved one thing. He's ticklish.

He places his ankles right back where they originally were, crossed, atop my stomach. I try again, this time on his arch. I apply more pressure.

"Bahaz!" Simon shakes his foot out, "Is that how you start a foot massage?"

"Would you like a foot massage?"

"No. Not if it's going to tickle like that."

My cheeks heat up. Damn that buck. I'm rosier than I usually am.

"You're ticklish?" I ask, coolly. I barely stuttered.

"I wouldn't try it," he's back to looking at his phone again, "Penny did once and I nearly broke her elbow or something. She wouldn't stop talking about it for days."

"So you're very ticklish, then."

"Don't," this is the first time Snow seems to tense up.

There's a moment of quiet between us. A tense quiet. I lunge for his ankles and he shoots up into a sitting position. I scratch at his arch with four fingers now and he screams.

"Baz!" Simon whines a bit and he somehow yanks his legs free, not without losing one of his socks in my grip.

SIMON

He's grinning at me. No. Sneering.

I still hate when he does that. Reminds me of back when I wanted to throttle him. Sometimes I still do.

"Baz," I warn. His whole posture changes into a predator's, like he's the lion and I'm his fresh zebra. The new stance sends a shiver down my spine, with his shoulders hunched and all, ready to pounce.

"Baz... Baz, Baz, Baz..." I say over and over again because he's smiling at me, and then I start to smile, too, "Bahaz!" I try once more, but his name is all that's coming out, and now I'm giggling. I'm nervous. He did this to me.

BAZ

He's already giggling and I haven't even laid a hand on him.

"Yes, Snow?" I respond to his many calls of my name before I lurch forward, sending my whole body crashing on top of his and trying to pin him. I dig my fingers into his sides and don't stop for as long as I can maintain contact through his squirming.

"Gehehet off!" he's already crumbling, words being broken up with short laughs.

I slide my fingertips to his stomach and scratch there; Snow bucks. It gets even better when my cold fingers make contact with his warm skin beneath the shirt he's wearing. He yelps like I've never heard him yelp (like he's burnt his finger, but he's also 11-years-old again), and he dissolves into loud, beautiful laughter.

"St-Stohohop! Baz! I'm going to end you!"

"Isn't that how we always said it would end? Snuffing each other out? I'm perfectly happy that it's now going to end in my favor. You should've told me you were this easy to defeat earlier on, Snow."

"Shut up!" he cackles, legs kicking wildly behind me, as my body is thrown over his torso. Now I have both my hands buried into his sides, squeezing and squeezing. I get curious, my cheeks still burning with blood, and I lean down to his neck and... (no, I don't bite) I start nibbling. Snow loses it.

His whole face scrunches up, as I watch when I pull my head back. His smile is huge and bright. And the laughs bubble up from his stomach, releasing softer into the air like he sucked a little of the joy from it before releasing to keep for himself.

"Dohon't do that!"

"I thought you love my kisses."

"Not tha-HAAT!"

He shrieks again, hands too slow to stop my face from moving in. I nibble and even lick a few times, careful not to touch him with my fangs.

Did I mention that my hands are still tickling at his sides and ribs while I'm nibbling? Oh yes, I've waited so long for this sound. I wasn't going to make it come out lightly.

I blow a raspberry and that's when Snow's laughter catches and turns all hiccuppy. The noises are infecting me, starting to make me giggle. I shift, and my face now descends towards his stomach, which is bared after I rucked the shirt up.

SIMON

"TYRANNUS BASILTON G-GRIMM FUCKING PITCH-- OR WHATEVER YOUR LONG STUPID ARSEHOLE NAME IS--"

He's laughing at me. I keep laughing even without him tickling me.

"I swehehear I'm going to fucking kill you and your whole family if you do that dohown thehere--" I'm hiccuping. Crowley, how embarrassing.

BAZ

He's got me. I can hardly breathe from laughter. I keel over into him or he into me, but soon we're a laughing pile together on top of the mussed up sheets on the bed.

I make a loud snort and that reels us both back in again, laughing til we're red in the face and til my cheeks hurt.

Simon is giggling away, taking deep breaths to try and calm himself, but he just keeps on giggling. I'm able to sit up a little more and Snow's head is in my lap. He's beaming and looking up at me through squinted, teary eyes.

"That was fun," I say, and I don't think it's the brightest or smartest thing to say. But I say it.

"I love you," Snow's smile is still wide, like he's drunk from it. There's a moment where I feel like I've died again, color drained from me.

It doesn't seem to bother him, that he's said that. For the first time. I run my fingers through his reddish curls once, letting them tangle in the locks towards the back of his head. I hunch myself down so I can kiss him.

"I've wanted to hear that for so long," I whisper.

"That I love you? You haven't figured it out by now?"

"No, you idiot," I say with nothing but fondness, brushing my nose along Simon's jaw, "Your laugh."

[gameofdrarry]

Wizards Hearts Smut Recs: First Time

Wizards Hearts was a four-month-long Drarry reading fest. Players were given a playing deck of 52 tropes, and were asked to find 52 different fics to read and comment on to fill their decks. To prevent the same few fics from being read, fics were restricted to only being used for the game three times before being considered ineligible for further points. The tropes and submissions list can be found here. Players could opt in to an additional suit of 13 cards, all themed around various popular smut tropes.

Check out the masterlist of fics for this trope below the cut!

📜 Another Heart Whispers Back by slytherco Rated:  Explicit Words:  53,693 Tags:  Friends to Lovers, Auror Harry Potter, Potioneer Draco Malfoy, Pining Draco Malfoy, Oblivious Harry Potter, Virgin Harry Potter, Unrequited But Not Actually Unrequited Love, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Casual Intimacy, Humor, Comedy, Blind Date, First Dates, Bets & Wagers, Meddling, Love Confessions, Idiots in Love, Making Out, First Time, First Time Blow Jobs, Rimming, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Post-Coital Cudding, Shower Sex, Tattooed Harry Potter, Magical Tattoos, Taste of Smut 2020 Summary:  At twenty-five, Harry Potter is still a virgin and sorely lacking in options to change that state anytime soon. To help him find a plus one for Ron and Hermione’s wedding, and maybe kill two birds with one stone, Harry’s friends set him up on a series of blind dates. The only problem is, there’s something not quite right with each of their candidates. “Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song. At the touch of a lover, everyone becomes a poet.” ― Plato In which Harry learns that some things are worth waiting for, that looking and seeing are two very different things, and that his heart’s song has been heard a long time ago. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 The Heart's Honest Truth by bixgirl1 & carpemermaid Rated:  Explicit Words:  16,020 Tags:  Hogwarts Eighth Year, Awkward First Times, Truth Spells, Alternating POV, Magical Accidents, Getting Together, Magical Theory, 2017 Draco's Merry-Making Mini Fest See work for more tags Summary:  "Don't you think I would have gone to Pomfrey if I thought she could help me?" "Then what can I do?" "I nee--" Malfoy broke off with a soft grunt and a pained expression. He took a shaky breath and tried again, his voice wobbling. "Will you touch me, Potter?" Draco is cursed to speak in questions. Well...Spelled, thanks to the stupidly improper archival practices of the fourth century. Harry Potter is there to save the day, but Draco isn't going to give in to his help so easily. Fortunately, the method of saving might be more satisfactory than Draco expected this time. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 When All Your Dreams Come True by Drarrelie Rated:  Explicit Words:  9448 Tags: Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Hogwarts Eighth Year, PWP, Porn with Feelings, Threesome - M/M/M, dubcon, Mistaken Identity, Pining, secret crushes, Plot Twist, virgins, Birthday, Draco Malfoy's Birthday, Birthday Presents, POV Draco Malfoy, Birthday Sex, Birthday Smut, Sexual Fantasy, First Time, First Time Bottoming, First Time Topping, Don't copy to another site, Fanart Welcome, Podfic Welcome Summary:  Six weeks ago, Draco gave his friend-with-benefits a most unexpected and precious gift for his birthday. It's only fair Blaise should reciprocate if given the chance, right? ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Take a trip into my garden by Andithiel Rated:  Explicit Words:  5974 Tags: Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Porn with Feelings, Established Relationship, Smut, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, First Time Bottoming, Draco in lingerie, Bisexual Harry Potter, Rimming, Anal Sex, Really there might be too much feeling for it to count as pwp, As usual when I write, Enthusiastic Consent Summary:  Harry has only been dating Draco for about two months, but he’s already obsessed with the git. And he knows that today, Draco has something special planned, something that includes him being dressed in skimpy lingerie. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Inside Your Mind by lazywonderland Rated:  Explicit Words:  36376 Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Top Harry, Bottom Draco, Harry Potter POV, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Bullying, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, FlirtingVirgin Draco Malfoy, Loss of Virginity, First Time, Anal Sex Anal Fingering, Smut, Angst, Overstimulation, Submissive Draco, Rimming, Multiple Orgasms, Protective Goyle, very very minor d/s elements, revolving mostly around subspace, Dominant Harry, Forced Orgasm, and lavender's alive bc i said so Summary:  Goyle's taken it upon himself to act as Malfoy's personal, one-man guard and Harry can't help but feel like it's only making the bullying worse. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 By Your Hands  by GiRa Rated:  Explicit Words:  7625 Tags: Smut, Fluff and Smut, First Time, Virgin Draco Malfoy, Established Relationship, Bottom Draco Malfoy, Top Harry Potter Summary:  After being together for months, Draco wants to try going a step further with Harry. The only problem is that he actually has no idea what he's doing - but thankfully Harry is more than happy to guide him through it. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Sexplanations (Of the Horrible Sort)  by bixgirl1 Rated:  Explicit Words:  7048 Tags: Hogwarts Eighth Year, Secret Sex, Secret Relationship, Humor, Snark, Confused Relationships, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Dirty Talk, sex injuries, Semi-Public Sex, Embarrassing Situations, Bottom Draco Summary:  Harry's willing to put up with a certain amount of injury, as long as he and Malfoy can keep doing... whatever it is they're doing. Maybe. Mostly. Especially if there might be more to it than sex. Based on a tumblr headcanon. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 The Gentlewizard Club by Sophie_French Rated:  Explicit Words:  28129 Tags: Pining, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Sharing a Bed, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, First Time, Humor, Explicit Sexual Content Summary:  Draco wants what Draco wants. And if he has to snuggle up to Harry to get it, well, surely, Draco can handle that. Problem is, not sure Harry can. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 You Set My Soul Alight by parkkate Rated:  Explicit Words:  54075 Tags: Post-War, Auror Partners, Case Fic, Enemies to Lovers, Mystery, Adventure, Romance, Pining, Getting Together, Sharing a Bed, Banter, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Loss of Virginity, First Time, Mildly Dubious Consent, Consent Issues, Secrets, Misunderstandings, Miscommunication, Sleep talking, Frottage, Rimming, Face-Sitting, Intergluteal Sex, Anal Sex, Switching, Blow Jobs, Fluff, Angst, references to suicidal thoughts, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, References to Depression, Mental Health Issues, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Minor Character Death, Arguing, Reconciliation, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Angst with a Happy Ending Summary:  Students are going missing at Hogwarts, but that's not the only mystery Draco is determined to solve. Something’s going on with Potter. He can deny it all he wants. Draco is going to find out what it is. Unfortunately, trying to get to the bottom of it has some unexpected consequences and if Draco isn’t careful, he’s going to jeopardise their mission. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Sincere Gratitude from the (Heart) Hand by _Melodic_ (Sae) Rated:  Explicit Words:  1325 Tags: Hand Jobs, Anal Fingering, Anal Play, First Time, POV Harry, Smut, Humor, Shameless Smut, Porn With Plot, Prostate Massage, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Hogwarts Era, Students, Pining, Sexual Tension, Sexual Content, Sexual Inexperience, Virgin Harry, Oblivious Ron, Awesome Hermione Granger, Seduction, Sneaking Around, Classroom Sex Summary:  Two weeks later and Malfoy has yet to repay his debt to Harry. Does Harry even want him to? Oh Merlin, yes he does! ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 You Are Safe (I Know) by hephaestiions Rated:  Explicit Words:  42568 Tags: Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Post-Second War with Voldemort, Hand Jobs, Voyeurism, Exile, Racism, Person of Color Harry Potter, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Past Abuse, Minor Character Death, Blood, Azkaban, Drinking, Implied/Referenced Underage Drinking, Hyperventilation, Dissociation, H/D Erised 2020 Summary:  Draco Malfoy is sentenced to one year of exile following his participation in the Second Wizarding War. Harry Potter tags along. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 The Spoiling of Sex From Enthusiastic Ignorance by Cibee (Cibeeeee) Rated:  Explicit Words:  6087 Tags: Humor, Fluff, Mutual Piningm Friends to Lovers, Misunderstandings, First Kiss, Making Out, Loss of Virginity, Awkward First Times, Eventual Enthusiastic Fucking, Vulgar Language, Rimming, Blow Jobs, Premature Ejaculation, Post-Hogwarts, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, POV Draco Malfoy, Virgin Draco Malfoy, Flustered Harry Potter, Switch Draco Malfoy, Switch Harry Potter, Thirsty Draco Malfoy, Quidditch Player Harry Potter, Minor Pansy Parkinson/Ginny Weasley, H/D Sex Fair 2020 Summary:  Draco is going to lose his virginity, so help him god, and he's going to lose it to one Harry Potter. Why? Because of his big cock, his status as The Top Five Quidditch Players in England, and Witch Weekly's Most-Eligible Bachelor for eight years straight. At least that's what he tells himself. Too bad first times rarely go as one plans, and now Harry is looking miserable and Draco doesn’t understand why. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Lost Boys by Dahlia_Rose_83 Rated:  Explicit Words:  32278 Tags: Hogwarts Eighth Year, Party Games, Secret Relationship, Falling In Love, First Time, Smut, Clueless Harry, Insecure Draco, Helpful Luna, Oral Sex, Anal Sex,Top Draco Malfoy, Bottom Harry Potter Summary:  On his way to meet Voldemort in the forbidden forest, Harry ran into Draco, who kissed him. Now they're both back at Hogwarts for their eighth year and he doesn't really know how to act towards the blond. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Wings on Fire by CapricornBookworm Rated:  Explicit Words:  1938 Tags: Coming Out, Enemies to Lovers, Banter, Clubbing, Dancing, Semi-Public Sex, Kissing, Grinding, Blow Jobs, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Rimming, Bottom Harry Potter, Top Draco Malfoy, Morning After, Virgin Harry Potter, First Time, Wizarding Media, Idiots in Love Summary:  Harry was sick of being everyone’s angel, the 'golden boy,' the Chosen One. And if he was going to go out of favor, he was going to go out flaming. ❤️ Read on AO3

[aknosde]

I started with analysis of the Percy Jackson books and now I’m here analyzing the Percy Jackson fandom. The reason I feel like the fandom/certain people and groups in the fandom got attached to to jokes and head cannons like “not my type” or “Sally getting mad at Percy after HOO for getting a tattoo because it shows he’s grown up” and things like that is because there wasn’t the same acknowledgment of the actual events that led up to those things. Those jokes remain to be in poor taste, but the events that led up to those things were seriously messed up, and it’s likely that people wanted to not think about it. 

The “not my type” jokes are not funny for many reasons, and have a basis in the deep homophobia of the 1930s/40s and today, and Nico’s drastic amounts of internalized homophobia and other trauma. I must say, the way that Rick dumps trauma onto Nico doesn’t add to or make his character any more interesting, but when you add that with Percy’s own queer subtext as well as his self esteem issues (the first series was about him gaining confidence for BoM, then for some reason Rick bumped him up to arrogant in MoA, and tore him down after Tartarus) it should be clear that he is not confused by Nico not finding him attractive, but at Nico liking him as a person in the first place. And in regards to the Sally head cannon, I can see it as a comfort after watching a character going through so many more traumatic experiences, like going back to a sense of normalcy. Ultimately, though, Sally was never about keeping Percy from growing up, she was about letting him grow naturally, and she did her best, but he was still forced to mature fast, both by his experiences being abused by his stepfather/peers/school system/systematic racism and the pressure of the first great prophecy. 

Jokes like these simplify the riordanverse characters so much that their cores are lost. They are crude and infantilizing and make me deeply uncomfortable. But in Heroes of Olympus, when Rick took more characters and more trauma and less time, restraining a story for a younger audience instead of letting it grow with his readers like the first series, there is only so much to expect. When he treats his own characters like jokes, has them put each other down for a laugh and doesn’t explore the emotions behind those actions, you will doubtlessly find people who do not want to dig deeper than what is quick and easy to process. And often those people, for at least a short while, will be cranking out jokes and the like that prolong harmful messages both inside and out of fandom. 

[metanoiamorii]

❛One day, the Imperium shall fade and crumble, but their names shall always be remembered in the hearts of all who yearn for freedom.❜

♧ Title: Mercy No More [MNO]

♧ Status: Drafting & Brainstorming

♧ Point of View: Third Person, most likely past tense, multiple

♧ Genre: Fantasy, Drama, Action, a dabble of darker elements

♧ Warnings: War, death, slavery, racism, classism, gore, colonialism, the use of religious beliefs to commit atrocities, violence, nudity, forced relationships, forced violence; and I'm sure more will come onto it as time progresses.

♧ Featuring: Diverse LGBTQ+ characters, complex and complicated characters, morally grey characters, complex world building, plenty of symbolism, fantasy religions, character redemption arcs, character corruption arcs; and I'm positive more will come on as it progresses.

♧ Setting: Primarily it will take place in an Ancient Roman inspired setting. With mention and traveling to the places inspired by: Gaul, Ancient Egypt, the Library of Alexandria, Mesopotamia, Ilyria, the Persian Empire, Carthage, and various more.

♧ Tease: Upon our backs, their mighty kingdom has been built— with our hands, we built this kingdom! At the expense of our blood and our lives, their kingdom was created! And I say to you now: no more! No more lives given to their fucking kingdom! No more blood given to them! No more will we suffer at their hands!

♧ Synopsis:

In the far southwestern seas of Viogia, the Luc'rivinus Imperium has grown in might and influence over the years. It dominates the world as a powerhouse that no other country is able to rival: in army, influence, ancient rooms, and blood-soaked histories.

When the campaign to take over Agriste comes into play, the Lucrians never would expect this would throw their society into a downwards spiral and lead to their potential end.

After the enslavement and escape of Liulfr of Clan Caintigern, they have roused all of the Agristic people into open arms and hostility of the Lucrians. By far yet, it would prove the most difficult campaign yet. Even then, the Lucrians push. They push their luck. While no Liulfr to rouse the whole of Agriste, taken slave and captivating society, the slave to become Tiraste rouses a slave rebellion to shake the foundation of the Imperium from the inside, while still from outside they find their campaigns.

Through these actions and Perseverance for justice, this army of ex-slave challenge history and expectations.

♧ Excerpt:

It took several moments before the slave spoke. A hand raising to wipe the blood from his face. "I have done this thing because it is just. Blood demands blood."

When the others nodded, the slave only lowered the sword back to his side; stepping forward to pick up the one he had discarded. "We have lived and lost, at the whims of our masters for too long. I would not have it so. I would not see the passing of a brother for the purpose of sport. I would not see another heart ripped from our beating chest, or breath forfeit for no cause."

"I know not all of you wished this. Yet it is done. It is done. Your lives are your own!" With a breath, exhaled, he finally turned to face the others. That wild wolf grin to find his face, eyes to take that verdant glow. "... Forge your own path or join with me, and together we shall see the Imperium tremble!"

♧ Characters: As this is a series I'm expecting to span over six, possibly seven books, I'm only going to list the ones I know who are the most major characters. As I will be doing them a bit different than my other ones.

━━━━━━━━━━

♧ Elgaslir: Trik'Rjrkite; The Breaker of Chains

Slave Deity • He/They • Homosexual • Demiromantic • Patron of Kyrian

♧ Dar'nen: Aktoyron; The Great Wolf

Elvhen Deity • He/Him • Gynesexual • Demiromantic • Patron of Tiraste

♧ Cariña: Elsu'amabilxika; The Dreamweaver

Nature Deity • She/Her • Pansexual • Demiromantic • Patron of Diantha

♧ Jhaeros: Agisar; The Great Protector

Elvhen Deity • He/Him • Hetero-Flexible • Demiromantic • Patron of Ek'ran

♧Tryst: Tyronjis; The Black Lord

Human Deity • He/Him • Bisexual • Aromantic • Patron of the Imperium

━━━━━━━━━━

♧The Dreamer: Diantha; The Black Wolf

Wood Elf • Vespanian • Intersex • Genderfluid • He/She • Pansexual • Grey-Aromantic • Ex-Body Slave • One of the figureheads of the rebellion

♧ The Soldier: Ek'rán; The Brown Wolf

Sky Elf • Agristic • Intersex • Demiboy • He/They • Asexual • Aromantic • Ex-Gladiator • One of the figureheads of the rebellion 

♧ The Speaker: Kyrian; The Red Wolf

Spirit Elf • Júrcan • Intersex • Agender • They/He • Asexual • Aromantic • Ex-Body Slave • Cousin of Astraea • One of the figureheads of the rebellion

♧ The Saviour: Astraea; The Golden Wolf

Demigod • Júrcan • Intersex • Genderfluid • He/She • Demi-Homosexual • Demi-Homoromantic • Ex-Body Slave • Cousin of Kyrian • Half sibling of Cyk'ste • One of the figureheads of the rebellion

♧ The Rebel King: Tiraste; The White Wolf

Sun Elf • Agristic • Intersex • Agender • He/They • Pansexual • Demiromantic • Ez-Gladiator • One of the figureheads of the rebellion

♧ The Healer: Cyk'ste

Intersex • Genderfluid • They/He • Asexual • Aromantic

Demigod • Appears Athylian • Intersex • Agender • They/He • Asexual • Aromantic • Joined only due to Astraea • Half sibling of Astraea • The major physician of the rebellion and a trusted advisor

♧ The Seaside Terror: Vul'kyrinus

Minx • Gerussi • Intersex • Queer • He/Him • Pansexual • Aromantic • Pirate • An avid supporter

♧ The Soul-Link: Lythier

Spirit Elf • Lydstian • Intersex • Agender • They/Them • Asexual • Aromantic • A former slave of the Citadel of Taiblyus • A trusted advisor to the Five

♧ The Doctore: Askari

Goliath • Rycamish • Amab • Agender • He/Him • Bisexual • Biromantic • Ex-Gladiator • The former Doctore of the Vettius Household

♧ The Rival: Riaglis

Shifter • Rycamish • Male • He/Him • Bisexual • Demiromantic • Ex-Gladiator • A viewed rival of Tiraste • A trusted advisor • The bodyguard of Astraea

━━━━━━━━━━

♧ The Imperator: Loukios Sistko Martialis Tok'lani Valerianus; The Red Serpent

Half Sun Elf • Lucrian-Agristic • Intersex • Agender • He/They • Closeted Homosexual • Aromantic • Consul • The embodiment of War

♧ The Slave Queen: Clementia Edesia Coralee Achlys Eleutheria; The Green Serpent

Witch • Lucrian • Afab • Agender • She/They • Homo-Flexible • Aromantic • Magister • The adopted daughter of Sabine • The embodiment of Pestilence

♧ The God of Politics: Lucretia Livius Phoenicis Ferrea Sabine Regnare; The Black Serpent

Witch • Lucrian • Amab • Queer • He/She • Pansexual • Aromantic • Magister • The adopted parent of Clementia • The foster parent of Tok'lani • The embodiment of Ruin

♧ The God's Chosen: Severi Agrona Brennius Blaire Blandine; The Pale Serpent

Human • Lucrian • Transmasc • Agender • They/He • Asexual • Aromantic • Magister • The favoured of The Black Lord • The Embodiment of Death

♧ The Heir: Augustus Laskaris Aurelius Stylianos; The Golden Serpent

Demigod • Intersex • Lucrian • Queer • He/Him • Questioning • Magister • The son of the Black Lord

♧ The Dog: Severi Agrona Helios; The Tapian Serpent

Half Sun Elf • Intersex • Genderfluid • He/They • Pansexual • Demiromantic • Freed slave • A trusted associate of both Blaire and Tok'lani

♧ The Child Magister: Vavianus Thracius

Human • Male • He/Him • He is a child and therefore there is no such talk in this house of romance • Magister

♧ The Silver-Tongued: Ios Erebos

Changeling • Intersex • Nonbinary • They/Them • Asexual • Aromantic • Praetor • The right-hand of Tok'lani

♧ The Advocate: Severi Agrona Atticus Órlanus Alys

Human • Amab • Genderfluid • He/She • Homosexual • Homo-Demiromantic • Magister • The foster child of Blaire • One of the only public advocate to end slavery

━━━━━━━━━━

If you would like to be added to the taglist, feel free to drop a message, send in an ask, or remark it in the tags!

Taglist:

[tiakennedy-beecher]

Art and Design Contexts and Research

1. Fine Art, Film and Cinema

Fine Art:

Elizabeth Catlett, Target, 1970

In 1915, Elizabeth Catlett (the granddaughter of freed enslaved people) was born in Washington, D.C. and unflinchingly depicted the violent reality of racial injustice throughout her career. Catlett’s decision to focus on her ethnic identity, and its association with slavery and class struggles, was bold and unconventional in the 1930s and 1940s when African Americans were expected “to assimilate themselves into a more Eurocentric ethic,”. She confronted the most disturbing injustices against African Americans, including lynchings and beatings, as she was confident that art could foster social change. She also portrayed civil rights leaders — Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Angela Davis and Malcolm X — as well as the courage and resilience of everyday African-Americans, particularly women. She “always wanted my (her) art to service my (Black) people — to reflect us, to relate to us, to stimulate us, to make us aware of our potential,”. She believed that “We have to create an art for liberation and for life.” Target and Black Unity (1968), a raised fist carved in mahogany, are two of the most iconic and lasting artworks in the continuing movement for civil rights.

The signifier is the cross hairs of a rifle sight framing the head of an African-American (Black) man mounted on a block of wood. It was created in response to the fatal shooting of two Black Panthers, Fred Hampton and Mark Clark, by Chicago police officers. The signified is to highlight the fact that research shows that young Black men are far more likely to be killed by police than other Americans. It also dates back to the Civil War era when rifle scopes entered into widespread use or to the present day where more up to date weapons are used as well as choke holds and physical restraints. I have discovered that artwork can have an ever lasting impact on the world as it can still be very much relevant years to come. The research has helped me discover the potential in possibly creating a symbol or action that can be used in/to identify a protest in identifying opportunities for progressing with the project. Film:

Martha Rosler, Semiotics of the Kitchen, 1975

Martha Rosler’s video is a grainy six minutes that spits in the face of America’s gendered social hierarchy. In a kind of parody (or perhaps anightmarish version) of Julia Child’s cooking shows in the 1960s, Rosler stands in a kitchen, wearing an apron and walks through the alphabet, assigning letters to various objects found there (“A” for “apron,” “B” for “bowl,” “C” for “chopper”) as she holds these objects up to the camera with an eerie lack of expression and emotion. Her movements become increasingly contrived and violent as the video continues on. By the time she gets to “fork,” she’s stabbing at the table aggressively with the utensil. When she arrives at the letter “R,” for “rolling pin,” she thrusts the object at the camera. By the end of the alphabet, she’s brandishing other kitchen tools like weapons, stabbing the air. The video ends with the artist offering an exhausted shrug, an ambiguous gesture that feels less like a resignation of fate and more a way of asking, “What is wrong with us?”.

The signifier is a woman wearing an apron reciting the alphabet while demonstrating objects in the kitchen that correspond with the start of each letter. The signified is to highlight America’s gendered social hierarchy. It also demonstrates women’s frustration with society’s expectation of them being housewives therefore they feel that they are unable to dream big due to being trapped in a cage. I have discovered that artwork can have an ever lasting impact on the world as it can still be very much relevant years to come. The research has helped me discover the potential in possibly creating a symbol or action that can be used in/to identify a protest in identifying opportunities for progressing with the project.

Cinema:

Ava DuVernay, When They See Us, 2019

When They See Us is based on a true story that gripped the United States of America, it chronicles the notorious case of five teenagers of colour, labeled the Central Park Five, who were convicted of a rape they did not commit. The four part limited series will focus on the five teenagers from Harlem (Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise). In the spring of 1989, when the teenagers were first questioned about the incident, the series will span 25 years, highlighting their exoneration in 2002 and the settlement reached with the city of New York in 2014. When They See Us was created by Ava DuVernay, who also co-wrote and directed the four parts. Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King from Participant Media, Oprah Winfrey from Harpo Films, Jane Rosenthal and Berry Welsh from Tribeca Productions executive produce the limited series alongside DuVernay through her banner, Forward Movement. In addition to DuVernay, Attica Locke, Robin Swicord, and Michael Starrburry also serve as writers on the limited series.

The signifier is five teenagers of colour from Harlem, New York sitting in a holding room after being illegally questioned/beaten by NYC police. The signified is to highlight the fact that research shows that Black men are 3.5 more times likely to be falsely accused of a sexual assault crime they did not commit than their white counterparts. It shows how their conviction effected their lives before and after they were exonerated. It also shows how they were all pinned against each other, from the very beginning, just for the sake of convicting someone due to the cases huge media coverage gaining it public attention.

I have discovered that cinema can have an ever lasting impact on an individual as I, myself, and I’m sure many others can relate will remember scenes from this movies years to come and forever carry that anger and heartache for the victims (Antron, Kevin, Yusef, Raymond and Korey). The research has helped me discover the potential in possibly using real life stories of activism (preferably issues that physically or mentally affect us such as domestic abuse, racial injustice or mental health) to create a greater impact and deeper personal connection in result making an everlasting impact on the individual viewing in identifying opportunities for progressing with the project.

2. Graphic Communications, Advertising and Semiotics

Graphic Communications:

Hank Willis Thomas, All Power to All People, 2017

Hank Willis Thomas’s “All Power to All People” is an eight-foot-tall Afro pick with a Black Power fist raised to the sky as its handle. It is a response to America’s long history of erecting monuments to racist white men. It was first installed in Philadelphia’s Thomas Paine Plaza, not far from a statue of Frank Rizzo, the city’s former mayor and police commissioner. Starting in 1967, Rizzo presided over a police department that was known across the country for its unhinged racial violence, and when he was elected mayor in 1972, he only helped perpetuate and cover up this violence. The Philadelphia Inquirer cited a grim statistic that “police shot civilians at a rate of one per week between 1970 and 1978,” roughly the period in which Rizzo was running the city. Thomas’s statue was a remarkable rejoinder. Though it was only on view in the plaza for about two months, it has since become a kind of roving monument to equality. Versions of the sculpture have been shown at places ranging from Burning Man to the Washington, D.C., headquarters of the Human Rights Campaign. Meanwhile, after protests over police brutality against Black Americans erupted across the country this summer, Rizzo’s statue was vandalized and, finally, taken down.

The signifier is an eight-foot-tall Afro pick with a Black Power fist raised to the sky as its handle and a peace sign featuring in the middle. The Black Panthers used the slogan "All Power to the People" to protest centuries of racial injustice against Black people in America. The Black Power fist is associated to the Black Power movement that began in 1960. It was a social movement motivated by a desire for safety and self-sufficiency that was not available inside redlined African American neighbourhoods. The signified is to highlight America’s long history of erecting monuments to racist white men. It also shows that white racist men are glorified and rewarded for their racism with a monument. This further adds fuel to the fire as it further adds to the on going disrespect and injustice of Black people.

I have discovered that historical objects (usually frowned upon or used to shame others) relating to ethic groups can be used to celebrate and moralise. The research has helped me discover the potential in using items that cultures were originally shamed for and then culturally appropriated by other races as a way to reclaim them as their own in identifying opportunities for progressing with the project.

Guerrilla Girls, Do Women Have To Be Naked To Get Into the Met. Museum?, 1989

Guerrilla Girls are an anonymous group of feminist. They are female artists devoted to fighting sexism and racism within the art world. In 1985, the group formed in New York City with the mission of bringing gender and racial inequality into focus within the greater arts community. The group employs culture jamming in the form of posters, books, billboards, and public appearances to expose discrimination and corruption. Members wear gorilla masks and use pseudonyms that refer to deceased female artists to remain anonymous. Their identities are concealed because issues matter more than individual identities, "Mainly, we wanted the focus to be on the issues, not on our personalities or our own work."

The signifier is a nude portrait of a women (in black and white) laying on a purple silk sheet while holding it and wearing a gorilla mask. The purple silk sheet appears as a sex toy on first inspect, on second inspect it appears as a feather duster due to the dark shadows and shape on the sheet creating the effect of bristles but once you take a closer inspection it is clear that the sheet has been made to look this way to truck the mind. Both these items, the sex toy and feather duster, are meant to degrade women and place a stigma around these objects. They are made to shame/put women (down) purely based on the decision they make. The signified is to highlight the fact that less than 5% of the artists in the Modern Art Sections are women but 85% of the nude portraits are female.

I have discovered that objects can be used to deceive the viewer into believing something completely different to what is presented in front of them (intentionally) in other words this would be seen as an illusion of some sort. The research has helped me discover the potential in intentionally deceiving viewers in identifying opportunities for progressing with the project.

Advertising:

Act Up (campaign poster), Silence = Death, 1987

In the early years of the AIDS epidemic, the US government and mainstream media infamously ignored the crisis. By the time President Reagan finally uttered the word “AIDS” in 1985, 12,000 Americans had already died. That same year, six men in New York City (Avram Finkelstein, Brian Howard, Oliver Johnston, Charles Kreloff, Chris Lione and Jorge Socarrás) began meeting to privately share their experiences of AIDS-related loss in the absence of public discourse. They were inspired to create something tangible that could spread awareness, they swiftly settled on a poster. They decided that it should have have little (if any) text. Frankielien belied that  “Sentences barely do (work). You need sound bites, catchphrases, crafted in plain language. The poster is exactly that, a sound bite, and vernacular to the core. The poster perfectly suits the American ear. It has a power. If you’ve ever stopped in front of one or turned your head for a second look, that power was at work.” The result of their collaboration was a hot pink triangle (an inverted version of the symbol Nazis used to label gay men) emblazoned on a black background above the slogan “Silence = Death”. It debuted in 1987. The six friends hired wheat-pasters to cover the East Village, West Village, Times Square, Chelsea and the Upper West Side (neighbourhoods chosen to reach both queer audiences and the media) overnight, and the city woke up to what became the most enduring icon of H.I.V./AIDS-related activism. Later that year, on April 15, members of the newly formed activist group AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (Act Up) stormed the city’s General Post Office carrying copies of the sign, solidifying its ongoing centrality to their cause.

The signifier is a black and white poster reading “SILENCE = DEATH” with a hot pink triangle in the centre of the page. The pink triangle draws the viewer in creating a central focus is to highlight the fact that the AIDS epidemic/crisis was infamously ignored by the US government and mainstream media resulting in 12,000 Americans dying before the issue was publicly addressed by the current President (Ronald Reagan) using the word “AIDS” to create a clear and direct message.

I have discovered that using little to any words and a play on historical icons previously used to dehumanise others can create a powerful effect on the viewer causing them to have another look and really focus on the subject matter. The research has helped me discover the potential in reclaiming objects that are used to oppress others and use short snappy catchphrases to grab the attention of others in identifying opportunities for progressing with the project.

Semiotics:

Dread Scott, A Man Was Lynched by Police Yesterday, 2015

From 1920 until 1938, the N.A.A.C.P. would mark lynchings by flying a stark black and white flag reading “A Man Was Lynched Yesterday” from its New York headquarters on Fifth Avenue. The was done to confront the residents of a northern city with the horrifying regularity of these murders. In 1938, the N.A.A.C.P. ceased flying the flag after the organisation’s landlord threatened eviction. In 2015, Dread Scott felt that the banner was just as grimly necessary in the present day United States of America as it had been nearly a century earlier. He produced his own version of the flag, updating the text to read “A Man Was Lynched by Police Yesterday” in response to the fatal shooting of Walter Scott by a South Carolina police officer. “During the Jim Crow era, Black people were terrorized by lynching…It was a threat that hung over all Black people who knew that for any reason or no reason whatsoever you could be killed and the killers would never be brought to justice,” said Scott. “Now the police are playing the same role of terror that lynch mobs did at the turn of the century.”. The piece became a source of national controversy when it remained on view above the street after a deadly sniper attack on police officers in Dallas, Texas, sparking a wave of threats to the of Jack Shainman Gallery from people who felt that the work encouraged violence against police. The gallery removed the flag and displayed it indoors following pressure from the building owner.

The signifier is a black and white flag reading “A MAN WAS LYNCHED BY POLICE YESTERDAY” hanging from a flag pole. The way in which the piece has been displayed shows a stark resemblance to the topic of discussion on the banner/flag. This is due to the fact that there is a clear link to the action/movement of what would happen to the victim when these acts of hate crime would be carried out. Furthermore, the use of black and white colours symbolise the two races affected not only that but it creates a stark contrast therefore grabbing the attention of others. The signified is to highlight the fact that “A Man Was Lynched by Police Yesterday” (something that has been and still is a common occurrence in America). It also highlights the horrific acts of hate crime and racism that is directed at/towards Black people on a regular basis throughout the world (but more commonly with the USA). These acts of hate crime have been around for centuries however they have changed in the way they are carried out and by whom they are carried out by. Despite this, one thing has remained the same…no punishment is never given. 

I have discovered that subtle visual links to the subject matter create a powerful impact. The research has helped me discover the potential in simplistic art pieces in identifying opportunities for progressing with the project.

3. Fashion Design, Photography and Promotion

Fashion Design:

Public School, Make America New York, 2017

Public School creative directors’, Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne, athleisure-focused show featured sweatshirts with the phrase, "We Need Leaders" on the back. Many of the models wore red baseball caps that parodied Donald Trump's campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again" insisting instead that we "Make America New York”. During the finale, the song "This Land Is Your Land" played in the background.

The signifier is a red baseball reading "Make America New York." in white font that has been unpicked creating a distressed look. This imitates the (destructive) style of presidency Donald Trump took on. The signified is to highlight the fact that Donald Trump did not follow the formal style of presidency previous President in America usually follow. It also shows how Donald Trump was unable to lead the country due to the lack of his leadership skills and only ever appeasing to his base in result leaving many Americans unheard.

I have discovered that subtle visual links to well known controversial political figures creates a powerful impact. The research has helped me discover the potential in parody art pieces in identifying opportunities for progressing with the project.

Photography:

Suzie Blake, Blood Mountain, 2019

Suzie Blake created a sculptural installation featuring a 3-meter high mound of red clothing and apparel. In the 3000 kilogram pile are T-shirts displayed slogans like “Girl Power” and “The Future Is Female” which peak out from the crimson clothing. It is displayed like a giant pile of landfill. The clothing is all in the hue of that liquid which runs through our veins and tarnishes our hands when we remain silent on serious issues. Blake created the work in the form of a mountain as it is considered the archetype of ascent and power  ( the bridge between heaven and earth). Her goal was to reimagine this archetype in the form of greed and waste. “Blood Mountain” asks, what is the environmental cost of bloated man-made structures? And what is the role of feminism within such structures? Also, whose empowerment does the current iteration of the feminist movement serve? And since when did we think it was acceptable for brands to piggyback on our movement?

The signifier is a sculptural installation featuring a 3-meter high mound of red clothing and apparel. The signified is to highlight the fact that the fast fashion industry is the second biggest polluter after oil. It also brings attention to the fat that most garment workers are women, or sometimes girls  (around 85%) who get paid on average $3 a day. It also raises a set of questions in the viewer’s head such as “What is the environmental cost of man-made structures?”, “What is the role of feminism within such structures?”, “Also, whose empowerment does the current iteration of the feminist movement serve?” and “And since when did we think it was acceptable for brands to piggyback on our movement?”.

I have discovered that pairing well known objects (that are associated with a topic) and subtle objects that imply the effect the topic has on humans creates a powerful and clear message while opening viewers’ eyes to situations that were overshadowed. The research has helped me discover the potential in direct but subtle art pieces in identifying opportunities for progressing with the project. Promotion:

Vivienne Westwood, Homo Loquax A/W 19 LFW, 2019

Vivienne Westwood is renowned for seamlessly amalgamating fashion and activism, having used her platform over the years to protest a whole range of issues, from fracking to austerity. Westwood had models wear clothes with slogans berating politicians while protests about the environmental impact of London Fashion Week took place. She sent models down the catwalk wearing aprons and tabards with anti-consumerist and climate change slogans.The show happened at the same time as environmental action group Extinction Rebellion organised protests at several of London Fashion Week venue's to highlight the throwaway nature of the fashion industry. Models also held microphones and spoke to the audience in a theatrical display, urging one another to buy less and pontificating on the consequences of consumerism. A model paused on the runway to say that Brexit was a crime, while another took a jibe at American foreign policy. The clothes themselves were as avant-garde as one would expect of a Vivienne Westwood collection.

The signifier is a collection of clothes featuring slogans berating politicians. The collection also featured a set of playing cards that illustrate a plan to save the world from climate change. The signified is to promote the dangers of climate change, Brexit and capitalism. It also shows that fashion is all about styling: buy less, choose well, make it last.

I have discovered that using a global stage to speak out on issues that affect the world as a whole can deliver a strong and direct message. The research has helped me discover the potential in using fashion as a political message/statement in identifying opportunities for progressing with the project.

[whumpqin]

Quinn - Chapter 1 (This Wasn’t the Plan)

Hello all! It’s been a while since I’ve posted some of my own writing. I’ve decided to make a side story to Elisha, which is what this is! I hope yall are interested in some Quinn whump >:3c

Taglist: (considering this is a similar but also different series, I’m tagging Elisha’s people, but feel free to want to be removed from this taglist! I will make sure to make the difference.) @faewhump​ @galaxywhump​ @castielamigos-whump-side-blog​ @insanitywishes​ @burtlederp​ @whumpasaurus101​ @simplygrimly​ (ask if you want tagged!)

CW: nonhuman whumpee, creepy whumper, muzzles, forced muzzling, fantasy racism, kidnapping, smoking, guns, briefly mentioned assassination attempt, manhandled, getting patted down, gut punching, drugging, needles

Word Count: 2,799

It’s a dull ringing that rouses him from his sleep - an annoying tone that he’d sworn to fix and still hasn’t gotten around to.

Quinn groans at the rude awakening, and rolls his head over to see why it was going off by planting his hand on his phone and dragging it closer. It reads unknown against a background of black. Despite the annoyance that makes his tail curl lazily in his bed, he still swipes his finger across the bottom to answer it, bringing it up to his ear.

“Hello?”

The other side of the line is quiet for a moment, before a gruff voice, a little lower than Quinn expects, speaks. “This number was provided in relation to contacting a ‘Quinn Devereux’. Is this who I’m speaking to?”

“This is he,” Quinn says, sliding his blankets off of him, confusion lighting his voice.

“I am calling on behalf of my employer, Mr. Delaney, who has arrived at the meeting place. Except, it does not appear that you are there. I do hope you plan to be on schedule, yes?”

Ah, hell.

Quinn sits up in the bed quickly as alarm saps all the weight from his body. “Uh, of course not! ‘Pologies, I was plannin’ on makin’ it a uh…” he pauses to bring his phone down and note the time, which is about ten ‘til nine. Shit, shit shit- “a little earlier than this. Same place, right? That old abandoned house?”

“Yes. Don’t be late, Quinn. We wouldn’t want this deal going south, now would we?”

“‘Course! I mean, I-'' The phone makes a beeping noise to indicate that the other side hung up, stopping Quinn in his tracks. He looks down at it to be sure, before heaving a large sigh. It’s going to be one of those days it seems.

He needs to work fast. Firstly Quinn rifles through his apartment for nice-ish looking clothes, and though he’s never bought a suit and swears that he’s not going to no matter how much his Ma tells him to, he finds one of the newer button-up shirts that he bought recently. He scans its surface in case it magically had gathered stains on it while sitting in his dresser drawer in exile, but considering he only wore it once for a job interview he figures it’ll do the trick. He slips it on and finds some day old jeans that don’t smell too awful before he takes a look at himself in the mirror.

He’s a little worse for wear, but at a quick glance it’s only those faint dark circles underneath his eyes that catches his attention the most. Quinn combs through his black hair with his fingers, flattening it to look more presentable while also unhooking strands that wrap around his antlers and the bright orange tag against his ear. He pauses there, looking himself up and down.

Bedraggled and half awake, in clothes that are only somewhat clean. Going to a shady place to make a shady deal on behalf of people he barely knows.

“You can do this,” he quietly tells his reflection as he leans against the sink. “Get in, get out, get paid. Get in, get out, get paid.”

He repeats the phrase a few more times, committing it to memory on his way out. He picks up the handwritten letter he’d left on the small table at the front door and stuffs it into his front pocket. Then Quinn grabs onto his muzzle, slipping the buckles around his antlers to fasten it loosely against his face.

As he walks out of his apartment and onto the street, he makes the mistake of checking his phone one he’s properly in the morning light. It reads five minutes before his meeting, and he still has a ways to walk yet. Quinn lets out an exasperated sigh, eyes falling upwards to the adjacent apartment complex. It’s there he notes some curtains quickly shutter closed. His eyes narrow.

There’s someone watching you. Real strange fellow, he remembers the considerate old lady from down the hall telling him.

Tell me something I don’t know, he had responded. Quinn wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out it was just his employer keeping a good and proper eye on information.

To make up for time, he runs. Quinn dips into the alleyways to escape the busy streets of the morning, taking a few turns that he’s become familiar with while walking through the streets. A couple turns here and there, and he exits out onto another main street very close to his destination. He counts himself lucky he remembers the address at all. It would have been embarrassing as hell to have to ask the guy on the phone where he was supposed to have this meeting in the first place.

Quinn jogs up to the specific house, noting the old “for sale” sign that doesn’t even have a number on it anymore. It’s a huge place, once a mansion that was abandoned a long time ago because of bad press or something. He’s never looked at it before; even looking as ruined as it is by time, the place is still out of his price range.

He knocks on the door politely, taking the small pause to smooth out his clothes in a last ditch effort to not look like he had just gotten up a little bit ago, and waits patiently. The door creaks open with several years’ old whine that makes him wince, squinting one eye while he notices a human, dressed in dark clothing with short brown hair and amber eyes, staring back at him. Due to the muzzle making him unable to speak, Quinn offers a small wave before hovering his pinkie over his mouth and thumb over his ear, then pointing to the man. The human offers no reaction, but merely steps to the side. He takes the cue and steps inside the house.

It’s not as majestic as he once thought it might be. It hasn’t been taken care of in ages; the wallpaper is peeling off of the walls and there are holes in the floor, and the more Quinn steps through the house and hears it creak in response to him the more he wonders if the whole thing is going to cave in on him. It’s practically a deathtrap at this point.

He tries to make his reservations known to the human with a pause, knitting his brows in an uncomfortable position as he shoots a glance back at him, but he doesn't get the message.

The human opens up an old door for him that Quinn peeks around. There’s another human sitting in a chair in the middle of the living room, his legs crossed as he reclines into his seat. There’s a cigarette in one hand trailing smoke into the air, filling the room with its scent. His dirty blonde hair was perfectly styled like his fancy suit, and the only thing that didn’t look put together was the rough stubble against his chin.

The man who greeted Quinn closes the door behind both of them and steps around, joining another man with different hair behind the reclining human’s chair. The human in the chair - the boss he’s supposed to speak to, he supposes, flicks out his left wrist to check his watch almost casually. Then, he looks to Quinn with that icy blue stare of his.

“Right on time, it seems,” he says. Quinn tries not to let the dual feelings of discomfort and relief wash over his face too plainly. The man motions to a table he hadn’t seen yet. “Please, take off that muzzle. We can’t talk business if, well, you can’t talk, now can we?”

At his behest, Quinn slides his fingers up to the buckles against his head to loosen them and pull the muzzle off of his face. As it’s drawn away he takes a moment to work his jaws, careful not to bare his teeth too much in the presence of other humans, just in case. Then he places the muzzle on the table.

“Thanks for that. Are you uh, Mr. Delaney?” Quinn asks.

“Yes. I believe you have a message for me?” Delaney sits up in his chair and takes a long drag of his cigarette.

“Uh, yes, I do, I-” As Quinn reaches into his pocket to pull out the letter he’d been given, both of the humans to Delaney’s left and right immediately pull out guns and aim them directly at him. His chest goes cold. “Whoa, whoa, I’m just pullin’ out a letter!”

Delaney brays out a chuckle, puffing out smoke like some sort of dragon. “You’ll have to forgive these two. A bit jumpy after the last attempt, especially with lone messengers like you. Can never be too careful. You understand, right?” His eyes are squinted from his friendly smile, but there’s an emptiness in them that makes Quinn uncomfortable. Moreso when he waves his free hand towards Quinn and tells the guards to, “search him.”

The two bodyguards step forward without putting their guns away. Quinn swallows and stays perfectly still just like his Pa always told him to, allowing the two to move his arms about and go through his pockets. It’s a bit awkwardly invasive with two sets of hands patting him down like they are, but he’d rather have his personal space invaded than, well, the other outcome. The guards dig into all of his pockets, pulling up his wallet and the letter that had come from Quinn’s employer.

The human who found the letter gives Quinn a side eye that makes him draw a blank in terms of words, before opening the letter himself. He draws out the paper that was carefully handwritten and placed, unfolding it like it was a bomb of some sort.

Quinn was watching him like a hawk, so much so that he didn’t notice the other human had stepped away and given his wallet to Delaney.

“So, Quinn, it seems. You’ll have to forgive me for not remembering, it’s hard to remember everyone’s name nowadays. What brings you to this type of work, huh?” Delaney went on, rifling through Quinn’s wallet with curiosity.

“Um, I-I needed the money,” he mutters, watching the bodyguards hand the letter off to Delaney. “For the record, my employer thought it’d look wrong to bring more people besides, well, me. Wants to be cordial an’ all.” It’s not really his message, but he can’t help but feel a bubbling nervous feeling in his stomach as Delaney reads the letter.

“You mean he doesn’t want to lose any more men, so he figured I’d take mercy on just the messenger,” Delaney cooly corrects.

“Well I’m not sure what my employer’d think, but I’d for sure want the messenger t’ be spared,” Quinn says in the attempt at a joke.

When no one in the room laughs, he curls his tail around his ankle.

Delaney huffs a small bit of laughter as he reaches the end of the letter, beginning to slowly rip it up into little pieces and shoving it into his nice suit. “Quinn, do you know what happens when you give someone an inch?”

“They take a mile?” He swallows as the human stands up from his chair and adjusts his cufflinks.

“Yes, good, at least you’re not totally brain dead like some I’ve seen. I’m not about to relent and give that man a fraction of space like he’s requesting. You of all people should know that this is my territory, right? Where I do my business?”

“Right, but-” His breath hitches when the guard next to him grabs onto his shoulders and holds him before he can step forward. “This agreement is so they won’t encroach, is all. Wouldn’t it’d be better to not have any more territory disputes?”

Delaney regards him for a moment, having to tilt his head upwards just slightly due to Quinn’s height. Then he smiles a bit more widely. “I don’t think we’ll be making a deal today. But… I think we’ll take care of it from here. When are you meeting with your employer again?”

“As, as soon as I can.” Quinn’s eyes frantically look around for an exit as the other bodyguard closes in. He needs to get out of here. Now. “I’ll uh, leave you to it then, I guess. Sorry we couldn’t come to some sorta agreement-”

“Let me at least escort you out. My treat,” Delaney offers with an extended hand towards the door.

“Um, I ‘preciate the offer, but, I actually have a uh, a few things to tend to after this, so-”

The bodyguard holding him delivers a solid blow to his middle, knocking the air out of him in one fell swoop. Quinn doubles over, held up only by the strong hands gripping onto his shirt now, gasping to fill his lungs quickly.

“Perhaps I wasn’t very clear. I wasn’t asking, Quinn.” Delaney tilts his head to the side to catch his eye. “I’m not about to let you blab about everything you saw here just yet. Need a few things in order, you know? I just need to know if you’re coming with me willingly, or if my men need to get involved.”

“Hold… hold on a minute now,” he says quickly and yet still breathless as the panic wells in his chest instead of the oxygen he desperately needed. “I’m, I’m just a messenger, I’m not- what-what are you doing?”

Delaney had sighed and looked to his other body guard while Quinn was talking. He points over to the muzzle lying on the table and flicks his hand. “Muzzle him. I don’t have time to deal with his blabbering.”

Quinn’s arms are wrestled behind him before he can realize. The bodyguard is stronger than he thought, and he holds him still long enough for the other one to draw close enough, muzzle in hand. He struggles, lifting his head out of their reach and kicking his legs out to delay the inevitable. One of them grabs his antlers, jerking his head downwards for long enough that they can wrap the buckles around his face. They’re affixed tightly against his face, muffling most of the panicked cries erupting from his throat beyond whines.

“Enough of that whining,” he hears from Delaney as a firm command. He glances over with terrified eyes to see him pull a phone out of his pocket. “I have to make a call. Oh, you two, make sure to get him comfortable in the trunk, will you?”

The two humans nod, and drag him out of the room. Quinn screams as best he can through his nose, kicking his legs and struggling to get away from them as best he can. One of them spits out a curse, unhooking the gun from their side.

“Shut the fuck up,” he hisses. “I’m not dealing with a spitfire devil today. I’ll just shoot you and get it over with. You want that?” Quinn breathes hard and shakes his head frantically. “Then fucking act like it.”

They pull him out of the house with little issue after that. Quinn’s tail coils, tightening painfully against his ankle as it worries at the fabric and skin, as they approach a dark car with tinted windows. One of the bodyguards walks to the other side and pulls out a few items from the front seat, and Quinn can hear the clinking of chain along with it.

He’s suddenly thrust forward, and his face impacts against the side of the car. His bright eyes go wide, searching frantically for what’s happening, and then he feels metal tightly wrap around both of his wrists. Then he is taken from the side of the car to its back, as one of the bodyguards opens up the trunk. Quinn jerks against the cuffs holding his hands together, frustrated and scared tears pricking at the corners of his eyes.

This can’t be happening, he thinks, looking at the interior of the trunk. His antlers are roughly grabbed again, dragging his head to the side. He can’t help but roll the thought around in his head, how this wasn’t supposed to be how it went, as something sharp sticks into the side of his neck. Quinn squirms, a muted whine slipping from his nose as a wave of dizziness hits him and his legs nearly buckle. The guards take the opportunity and throw him into the back of the trunk, and as Quinn lands with a harsh thud his vision blurs from the force of the impact.

“Get comfortable,” the one who cursed at him before remarks. “You’re gonna be with us for a while, I think.”