#it is very Not Alone verse coded

[mariatesstruther]

For the WIP game:

You've got me intrigued with the "maria and ellie" fic. Do you have a snippet? Is it canon compliant or an AU?

Also, I don't see the Christmas fic?!?!?! Maybe because you don't consider it a WIP yet because I know you've been sick.

I hope you're feeling better 💜

hello ameera 🥰🥰🥰 tysm, i am feeling better 🫶🏾

im glad you’re intrigued with this one! i was actually just working on this! i do have a draft, although very unedited because i’m terrible and don’t autocapitalize when i’m drafting, so be warned. it is a show/canon-compliant fic (haven’t decided if it’s a one-off or maybe the start to a whole mariaellie thing) in which ellie and maria have a meaningful one-on-one sometime shortly after ellie and joel get back, right after the end of tlou 1. i just really wanted a fic centered around the beginnings of the relationship between these two, especially addressing their conversation about joel from 1x06, because ive rewatching tlou2 gameplay and got struck by how close they seemed pre-joel’s death. i think plot-wise, it could also be an interesting start to a story about ellie finding her place in jackson under a mentorship program maria is piloting to help newcomers get acclimated to jackson. in this au, i’d imagine maria would want to mentor ellie, but ellie would need some serious convincing. here’s some snippets, i hope the it’s not too rough!

joel sending ellie to talk to maria:

“youre just too pussy to go over there and talk to her yourself,” ellie grumps, huffing down onto the couch to start pulling on her converse.

“that may be true,” joel says dryly. he doesnt look up from his stupid fucking carpentry book as he continues, “but i’m sending you anyway. have fun.”

“yeah, yeah, asshole. fuck you.”

“and try to watch your language.”

“oh, my bad! screw you! how’s that?”

-

maria talking to ellie:

“tommy told me yall had a hard time out there,” maria tries, attempting and failing at subtlety. it was always easier to her, both naturally and due to her career, to be more direct—but direct with ellie doesn’t always go well, in her experience. so she tries something different. “and that maybe you didn’t have the best time in school before, so. i get it.”

“yeah, well,” ellie snarks, and maria knows already that subtly isn’t the way to go with her, either. “tommy’s an asshole, and he has a big fucking mouth. you guys should find better shit to do than gossip about me and joel.”

jesus, this kid, maria thinks. the tone of her voice, honestly, is hilarious. despite herself maria barks out a laugh. “i have a feeling, ellie, that maybe you and i have the wrong impression of each other.”

“you mean you have the wrong impression of joel.”

“maybe,” maria says, which she can tell is more than ellie was expecting. “i admit, i have a lot of unresolved… feelings, i can say, about joel. i’m working on them. i’d prefer if we could focus this conversation on you and me.”

ellie seems uncomfortable at the prospect, shifting in her chair and fiddling with her long sleeves in her lap. “there isn’t really a you and me to think about.”

“there can be, if you’d like,”

“not if there’s shit between you and joel,”

“how i feel about joel has no bearings on how i’m going to treat you, ellie, and he knows that.”

“but it should. it has to. he’s my—“ ellie stops herself suddenly, cheeks going red and jaw locking in familiar tween-aged embarrassment. “he’s mine.”

“he is. and tommy’s mine.” maria decides to respond in the same way, putting things into ellie’s terms instead of her own, as juvenile as those terms sound to her ears. she’s realizing now, frankly, that this girl is quite the master at leading conversations, whether she realizes it or not. maria can’t help but wonder if it’s something she got from joel. “but they’re also each other’s, whether we like it or not. can we both agree on that?”

“i guess.”

“then it seems to stand to reason that we’ll be quite present in one another’s lives, right? whether we like it or not?”

ellie doesn’t seem to respond too well to the rhetorical questions, immediately bristling at maria’s leading on. “don’t fucking patronize me.”

“i’m not trying to, ellie. i’m trying to propose a proposition to you.”

-

thats’s what i’m giving for now! and i do have the xmas fic on my wip list, i just don’t have much drafted to post, at this point. it’s been hard to do anything this week on account of being sick, but i’m feeling better and writing more this week! hopefully i’ll have something soon, but i’m going to knock out the few wips i have on ao3 first.

@bumblepony ur ask is coming next bae i totally forgot i had one more thing to add to my catching fire au before i move to mockingjay!

[regicidal-defenestration]

I hope there's another TSV code but this time they hash it with SHA-1. I hope they use steganography to put the code inside an image. They use the Enigma machine to encrypt it but don't tell us the initial settings

[randomshyperson]

Lacy - Werewolf!Reader x Wanda Maximoff - Kinktober #07

Summary: This Halloween, Wanda receives a surprise visit from her favorite werewolf. The problem is that it's very difficult to keep a crush hidden during mating season.

Warnings: (+18), mutual pining, semi-public, very vague allusions to omega verse, beefy!reader, power!bottom wanda, a bit rough but they are actually sweet to each other, some praising and dirty talk. | Words: 3.144k

A/N-> First, I know nothing about werewolves. It was never my thing growing up (I’m a witch type of person I suppose) but I know about omegaverse stuff and since it’s wolf-based I tried some references from that lore. Also, I was totally thinking about Wednesday's show (and Wenclair ship tbh) when writing the school but you all be free to image whatever you wish. Also, the name is from Olivia Rodrigo’s song, ‘cause it’s such a friends-to-lovers/mutual pining coded lyrics. Good reading folks! 

General Masterlist | Kinktober Collection | AO3 | Wattpad

-&-

The mating season was always the most tiring part of the year.

Even as a child, her days were marked by hard work and running errands - her mother was always very busy with orders, and somehow, the twins were obliged to finish the tasks in record time, so as not to delay the calendars and keep Natalya busy when her customers needed her.

As the largest and most respected apothecary in the country, Natalya Maximoff was also one of the biggest dealers in magical items - and this also included natural suppressants. Her customers wrote to her from all over the world, many famous packs like the Romanoffs or the Howletts only bought her products, and the witch was always very busy at this time of year.

So when their mother told them that she would leave the Maximoff Magical Articles Boutique in their care for two whole days, while she delivered packages around the world, none of them were surprised, as this had been done dozens of times before.

Wanda's indignation stemmed from the fact that her twin brother, as soon as there were no more magical remnants of the portal his mother had conjured to travel through, put on a jacket and told her he was leaving.

"But you can't leave me alone!" Wanda hurried away from the counter. Pietro chuckled, adjusting his hat on his silver hair. Since he had turned 18 last month, he had grown a good few centimeters, and even with her best serious expression, Wanda, who hadn't grown much since she was 15, no longer succeeded in frightening him. That, and well, like his father, Pietro had a bastard heritage of lycanthropy, and with his new skills, he had also gained extreme confidence.

"What, you gonna tell me you're scared of some little wolves?" He sneered, his fangs protruding from his smile. Wanda huffed angrily, her cheeks slightly red. "Don't be silly, Wanda. You're a witch. Nobody's is crazy enough to mess with you."

He tries to pat her on the shoulder, but Wanda pushes a finger against his chest. "I'm not afraid of any wolves, you selfish idiot! Mom says the store is our responsibility. And you're sneaking off to do who knows what! I don't want to spend all night looking after this place on my own. Apart from the season, it's Halloween, and kids go apeshit and-"

"Jesus, Wanda, I'll make it up to you!" He cuts in, already pulling away and ignoring the other girl's protests. "I've got to go, I'm taking Crystal to the movies, then we'll settle up!

"Pietro!" But the call was ignored and the store door was slammed in her face.

Wanda huffed to herself. She could survive a Halloween night, but her brother would owe her a lot if he didn't want to be snitched on. She returned to the counter, texting him another dozen curses before texting to her mother that everything was under control.

And lucky for her, that's how the evening actually went. 

Most of the few customers who showed up were locals, a few sorcerers in need of ingredients, and even a traveling vampire who needed to replenish some reserves for a long trip. Some children also asked for candy, and tired of getting up so often, Wanda decided to leave the jars outside.

It was almost at the end of her shift, when she was ready to close the shop, that a delicious smell wafted into the room. Wanda, who was distracted by the holiday lessons that the institute where she studied always offered when there were short vacations or not, was snapped out of her concentration by the fascinating smell. She looked up just as a figure stumbled into the store, covered by a school uniform hood.

She didn't need you to remove the cap to recognize you, and yet, when your face became visible, Wanda felt her heart unlearn how to beat properly. 

"Good evening?" You looked between the shelves, approaching the cashier, only to hesitate as soon as you saw Wanda. "Oh, h-hi. Uh, is Madame Maximoff around?"

You looked uneasy, adjusting your hair and fiddling with your fingers. Your flushed face must have been due to the walk from the Institute to the store. 

Wanda shook her head as she replied: "She had some orders to place. How can I help you?"

The color of your face deepened, and you couldn't look her in the eye for more than two seconds. "Hmm, I kind of need... suppressants." And it was the turn of Wanda's face to heat up. You continued talking anxiously. "I thought I still had some, but my reservation ran out, and since I'm in the dorm, I wouldn't want to... well, would you have any left? I know it's very short notice but I really need it."

Wanda nodded quickly, equally at a loss for words. You see, if you were any other of her werewolf colleagues, the situation might even be comical. She wasn't like Pietro and didn't make friends very easily, but she shared the same taunting nature. One horny wolf in the store and Wanda would have jokes for the rest of the year. But it was you, her longtime secret crush, emanating a very pleasant scent and in need of something so intimate that Wanda could barely control her own thoughts about what other ways she could help you if there were no other suppressors in the store.

"My mom usually sells everything before the season starts, but I can look in the warehouse to see if we have any leftovers. I'll be right back." She says, smiling softly at your anxious figure.

Wanda has never seen you in heat before; the mating seasons for new wolves begin at the end of puberty, between the ages of sixteen and eighteen, and the vast majority of her werewolf classmates at the Institute return to their packs at this time of year, already matched with their partners in the traditions of the lycanthrope. Wanda only knows about the rituals from her father's family, because each clan, from the Vampires to the witches, is very private about it all. Witches like her mother, who specialize in all kinds of products, are the exceptions.

Wanda tries the storeroom next to the counter, but after a few boxes, she snorts in frustration. Her mother really did sell everything, and she almost reprimanded you for not planning properly. For older, mismatched wolves, being without suppressors could be really dangerous. For you, a new werewolf, it would only be quite painful. It was easier for her to feel sorry. 

And while she tried the last few shelves at the back of the storeroom, you grew even more restless outside. Wanda had no idea how intoxicating the essence of a witch, especially a witch one cared about, was. If you hadn't been so desperate, you would have given up going into the store as soon as you could smell her from around the corner, but then again, your brain wasn't working very rationally right now.

And there was also a scarf on the counter, Wanda's most characteristic item since she had received it as a gift so many years ago. Many of the times you've noticed her, she's worn the item around her neck and it made sense that her scent was so strong in the room, even though she was upstairs.

Your limbs moved by instinct, you didn't have to think much, just let yourself be guided by the urge to exhale that distinctive smell more deeply. 

Your face was pressed against the scarf when Wanda reappeared, and her confused giggle made you jump away mortified.

"Are you all right there?" She ventured, receiving a very quick and embarrassed nod. Wanda chuckled again in amazement, and without caring much about your current condition, she approached. "I looked upstairs, but my mother sold everything, sorry. There's something else you might like to try, maybe a calming potion so you can sleep while... well, this happens to you."

You quickly agree, still embarrassed at being caught. Wanda doesn't mind, if anything, she always found it very entertaining how different you were from the other werewolves she knew; loud and confident to the point of being idiotic. Pietro was a prime example. And if it wasn't for your distinctive stature, she could easily have assumed from your shy and careful personality that you were just an ordinary human, perhaps a mermaid from the way you seemed to bewitch Wanda's attention all to yourself.

"I'm sorry." You mutter suddenly, while she is searching for a sleeping potion on the shelf under the counter. Wanda turns her face up in confusion, but you're looking away. "From the scarf, I know it's... weird. But my body seems to be acting on its own. Just forget about it when we get back to school, okay? I'll be normal when it's over."

"Don't worry, I don't mind." She assured meekly, before finally finding some bottles that could help you and taking them back to the counter. She bit her lip at the way you were panting, and the way your trembling fingers pulled some notes and coins out of your pocket. "You can take these two vials today, and this one in the morning if you're still..."

"Horny'?" You joke, and take Wanda by surprise, but she manages to return the short laugh. Your hands push out the money and she turns away to pack the vials into a small bag. "So, one now and two tomorrow."

Wanda quickly denies it. "No, darling, two now and one tomorrow. Are you... are you sure you're all right? You're sweating-"

"Just give me a minute." You interrupt her with a gasp, the sudden wave of heat catching you completely off guard. The room starts to spin, and for a whole moment, all you can feel is your own arousal and the way you want to touch the witch in front of you. Your body gives way, and your hands force down on the counter, disastrously strong enough for the wood to crack. Wanda jumps in fright, worried, but you grunt quietly. "Shit, I'm really sorry-"

She hurries around the counter, and her soft hands make you jump away. "Hey, it's okay, I just want to help you stand up."

But you gasp in despair, wrenching your body away from her. "Don't touch me, Wanda, for God's sake." You grunt, and if you hadn't sounded so affected, Wanda would have taken offense. Instead, she stands ready to catch you if you lose your balance again, and that's exactly what happens. This time, your weight falls forward, and Wanda's body serves as a barrage. 

Your wolfish weight is almost too much for her, and it doesn't help that your face is buried against her collarbone, and your arms embrace her clumsily. "Hm, so soft." She hears you sigh, as she struggles to drag you over to the reading area of the store's bookshelves, where there's a sofa to put you on. When you fall into the cushions, you look up with dreamy eyes and an easy smile playing on your lips. Wanda gasps softly from exhaustion. 

"Wait here a moment, okay? You feel like you're burning up with a fever. I'll get you some water." She explains, but it doesn't seem like you're listening very much, disconcerting her with the way you're looking at you so discourteously, your pupils dilating. Wanda adjusts a strand of hair, self-conscious under your gaze. "I'll be right back."

She practically runs out of there, and alone, realizing her own hands are trembling as she remembers the sensation of having your body against hers. She shakes her head to push the thought away, you were clearly in a vulnerable moment right now, and Wanda doesn't think she'll survive the shame of being rejected once the heat wears off.

When Wanda returns with the water, she almost drops the glass on the floor. You haven't moved, but you've changed position, limp against the sofa, evidently rubbing yourself down the item as you whimper. 

"Oh, detka, let me help you." Wanda abandons the glass on a shelf, and rushes to your side, kneeling beside the sofa. You gasp in embarrassment, trying to escape her gaze, but Wanda's hands grab your warm face. "Let's go upstairs. I'll make it better." She whispers the invitation, but the thought alone is enough for you to grunt in affection and pull her face towards you. 

It's a hungry kiss, and the position doesn't help. Wanda has to grab your shoulders to keep from falling to the floor and ends up breaking into a giggle when a moment later it's you who's throwing yourself at her, desperately kissing her as if she's going to disappear. 

The lightness disappears quickly. She feels very hot and bothered, especially when your tongue slips into hers as if you already knew exactly how to kiss her, and your hands touch her entire body with determination. Her plea for you to slow down turns into a moan when your knee pushes between her legs.

It's almost primitive the way you seem willing to have her right there on the floor, angrily trying to pull her clothes off while your moans mingle. Wanda's face burns and she struggles to match the kiss, losing that battle all too easily when your palms begin to stimulate her nipples. 

She can feel the wetness begin to bother her through the fabric of her panties, and perhaps, you can smell it too, because you grow more impatient, and begin to murmur disconnected compliments into her skin, your hands reaching down to unzip her pants. Wanda chokes between moans, practically whimpering when your fingers find her so ready. 

You enter her, all at once, without a second thought. You suck on her tongue as she squeezes your fingerprints and soaks your hand. It's dirty and rough, and Wanda couldn't hold back even if she tried. Yet the store door opens, and she has to bite down hard on your shoulder to muffle her own noises.

Whoever the customer is, asking if there's anyone there or if the store is open, Wanda makes sure they don't see her. Her eyes are scarlet, and it's never been harder to do a concealment spell than it is now, with your fingers thrusting inside her as if the world around you hardly mattered. Finally, the customer leaves and her magic plays its part in locking the door before Wanda digs her nails into your back and comes against your fingers.

It's not enough - Nothing seems to be. You continue your movements inside her until Wanda is spasming again, begging for a pause. Your hungry mouth finds its way into her most intimate place then, just to tear more pleasure out of her. She loses count of how many times she comes, on your fingers and tongue, until the whole store smells of sex.

Fuck, she has to move you before Pietro comes back.

It's only when you let her breathe, retreating like a wounded wolf, that Wanda notices the puddle of moisture on your pants. You came at the mere act of watching and touching her. 

"Hey, are you okay, sweetheart?" She coos gently, propping herself up on one elbow now that you're lying on your back, one arm over your face. Your clothes are as torn as theirs, but there are many more marks on her body than on yours. 

You sniffle quietly, and Wanda looks at you with concern. "Why didn't you stop me?" you ask upset, and Wanda stares in shock for a moment. Then, swallowing dryly, she works up the courage:

"You didn't want this?"

But your reaction is to laugh incredulously. "Of course, I wanted it, Wanda! But I'm talking about you. Why didn't you stop me? You're a witch, you could have knocked me down, look at you! You're all purple, and I... God, I can't believe I... hurt you." 

She climbs into your lap before you can despair, ignoring your soft protest and grabbing your crying face. "I haven't stopped you because I've wanted you to since we met." She assures you determinedly, caressing your cheeks. "I'm in love with you, you idiot."

Sniffling softly, you raise hopeful eyes. "Really?"

Wanda smiles, her weight against your chest. "Really." She assures you. "And don't worry about the marks, I... like it rough."

You groan in embarrassment, looking away and amusing her. There's a moment's pause, and then finally: "I like you too."

Wanda bites back a smile. "I got that impression, you know? When you were all whiny on me." 

Your laugh is sincere and shy, and Wanda kisses you as your hands grip her thighs. But before she can deepen it the way she'd like, you break again.

"Thanks for helping with the heat... but I'll take you on a date after this. I promise."

She pulls on your bottom lip with a provocative bite. "I'll charge." She assures you in a naughty whisper, and you sigh contentedly as she presses your hips together. Smooth movements, and you're already seeing stars again. 

Your breathing becomes shorter, and Wanda traces her fingers along your jaw, while her other hand moves down. "I bet you're all warm and tight."

You sigh, closing your eyes and nodding in agreement. Wanda kisses you leisurely, also taking time to slide her fingers into your pants and assess the effects of everything so far. She's not surprised by the immense wetness, but the sensation of sinking into you is overwhelming. She can feel ready for another when she starts to stimulate you and watches you squirm beneath her.

"So good... don't stop..." You moan helplessly, and the grip on her thighs is almost strong enough to hurt. Wanda makes a mental note of how to make you lose control of your strength, before curling her fingers inside you and being rewarded with the sweetest sounds in the world. "W-Wanda!"

She decides she likes it very, very much when you whimper her name like that. She continues her motions a few more times until you come hard on her fingers. Wanda thrusts a few times, before removing them and bringing them to her mouth, sucking them clean while you try to catch a breath. 

Your murmurs are labored, and Wanda kisses your cheek a few times. "Come on upstairs, sweet baby, I'll take care of you." She tries to get up, but your hands steady her on your lap.

It's almost ridiculous how easily you lift the two of you, and Wanda has to hold onto your shoulders, chuckling softly at your uncertain stumbles on the way upstairs. 

She'll have time to look after the store when you fall asleep. Right now, she's more focused on kissing you again.

[brykp]

THEORY: Lucifer Morningstar in Hazbin Hotel... Might Actually Be a Star

I was thinking of what Sera said to Charlie when she was first welcomed into Heaven... "Greetings, Daughter of the Morningstar"... or, did she enunciate morning-star? This is a real thing in the world that exists for us people on earth, in fact you can walk outside and see it very early every morning --- it is the last star shining in the sky. Tangent oncoming, but it gets back to the main point ----- Lucifer means "light-bearer", or, "light-bringer", because it calls forth the rising sun. In symbology, this has been interpreted as a man holding a torch. In Hazbin Hotel, we not only see Lucifer literally can produce fire from his hand, but this has been passed down to his daughter as well. They're light-bearers --- literally. Also, that is precisely what stars do... they produce light! Now let me advance to next bulletpoint of this post... Vivienne Medrano ALREADY used a "living" object, that can terraform into a more active form, in this web show. And that is none other than Kiki, the literal key to the hotel. She turns into a cat-semblant body.

On the same note, Vivienne Medrano is no stranger to humanoids or beings naturally being another thing. This was a primary feature of her extinct webcomic, Zoophobia, where every animal naturally has a humanesque form they can convert to whenever necessary. For example, Jackie is a great macaw (this isn't the parrot's true appearance, this is a format she takes alternatively):

Now, I know Lucifer is snake-coded, but I couldn't help but acknowledge how well-versed Vivienne Medrano seems to be in demonology and religion, to an extent, based on some videos from YouTuber cartoon analysis channels. And (I'm going to repeat, excuse my drawling), it is a common fact that the morning star.... in the sky... can be seen every morning. Hence, Sera uttered; "Greetings, daughter of the morning star". So, here's the next bulletpoint --- the acknowledgment of celestial bodies as sources of worship (astrology) is a key point in this universe. Stolas, a major character in the same world, studies and is a sort of regulator of the celestial bodies.

That's his whole schtick. Plus, he is royalty in Hell, so astrology is probably a no-shit presence of fact among the general population in Hell. On the the next bulletpoint: YouTube theorists and fans of both these web shows in general have expressed how they think Hazbin Hotel + Helluva Boss take place somewhere in 'outer space'. From the Pride Ring alone, we can see other celestial bodies IN the sky, like Heaven and a weird moon with a copy of Pride Ring's Pentagram on it. While I don't think the Hellaverse is in outer space exactly, I really think it's code for 'the heavenly realms'. Now on to the next and probably most important fact... now, what might the Pride Ring be? What does its parameter resemble? (Btw, follow this person on Tumblr and X, they are a great Lucy fan artist):

Not to mention the pentagram (which is also, coincidentally, and non-coincidentally a star-shape) floating right above it. What is a meteorite? A falling star. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What is my final say on this? I might say Lucifer is... well, a fallen star. He may or may not be a literal star in the show, but this is a huge probability in the Hellaverse considering it IS Vivienne Medrano's brainchild. This is my headcannon now... that because these are the heavenly realms, the most powerful beings/ characters can and do exist likely in alternate/ first forms in the same existential plane. Charlie is half human and half angel... or further, half star. Also, this means Lilith fucked a star. (And Eve too, oop.)

[v0idund3rth3v3il]

https://www.reddit.com/r/progressive_islam/s/1401QvzC6v

These are not my words, please use the link if you want to see the author.

Explanation to verse 7:81 or the "Anti-gay" verse.

People often bring up verse 7:81 with out any context to show why the Quran forbids gay people and thinks that gay sex is haram, I'm here to give the full context and show why their wrong.

For those who don't know, verse 7:81 say's something like "Indeed, you approach men with desire, instead of women. Rather, you are a transgressing people." Which sounds bad alone until you actually take into full context what it means.

The verse is talking about the village of Lot who were actively RAPING men, not just having sex with them (a major problem in the world back then as both the Romans and Greeks were known to rape other males). As in their lust had become so overwhelming that women weren't enough anymore, they had to attack visitors (a big no no in Islamic culture) and rape them even though they where guys. The people of Lot where so depraved that they literally tried to rape angels before being wiped out so it's a warning against the depravity of rape instead of homosexuality in general as no where in the Quran, unlike the bible, does it say anything against gay sex.

The verse literally right before it say's something like (plenty of translations but roughly) "How do you commit such a horrible that NO ONE/THING BEFORE YOU HAVE COMMITTED". This can't mean homosexuality as we know homosexuality in animals does exist and homosexuality was very well known to just about every person on the planet as shocker, gay people have always existed. Historically speaking, the Code of Hammurabi , which ordered society in most of the Tigris-Euphrates Valley for more than a thousand years, has nothing to say about homosexuality. The laws of Eshunna and Egypt are also silent on the subject with us knowing that there were ancient Egyptian gay couples including a Pharaoh who was more then likely bi. The Hittites forbade father-son relations, but that was part of a general rule against incest. The Assyrians thought it shameful for a man to repeatedly offer himself to other men, and also prohibited men from raping males of the same social class, but all other male-male sexual relations were ignored. These are all states that were around centuries before Sodom and Gomorrah were apparently destroyed destroyed. The much more rational explanation would be they made an entire society based on rape of men and other "abominations" to a point where they would kick people out for wanting to stay "pure" (line 7:82), something that no group of people before them have done.

Now people will often say "if it's bad raping man then it's ok if we rape woman right?" well no. This is because when you take it with the previous verse and the verse after it, it's clear that these people wanted the pleasure of doing something that no other group of people had ever done which was the mass rape/normalization of rape of men. It's absolutely horrible but the rape of women was a lot more normalized back than and so wouldn't fit with the previous line of them doing something that no group of people/creatures had ever done before. That also explains why they didn't except Lot's daughter (which could be interpreted as him trying to save them because the angels didn't take to kindly to wanting to be raped) as they got their rocks off by doing what no other people had ever done which was to mass rape men, not women which again, is also disgusting but a lot more normal back then.

To go more into Islamic history courtesy of u/cold-blue, The grand mufti of the Abbasid caliphate in the mid-9th century, Yahya ibn Aktham, was a known homosexual, and viewed a few verses through the gender/sexuality lens.

One of them was the verse where Allah says He prepares males for some, females for others, and mixes the males and females. I’ve read that ibn Aktham once said that this verse confused people because it alludes to sexual preferences. He also said that the heavenly cupbearers mentioned in the Quran are sexual rewards like the houris. (Whether or not homosexuality is allowed in Jannah was debated, and some came to the conclusion that it is, and the only reason it isn’t in this life is because the rectum is dirty.)

The Ottoman empire, the last caliphate of the Muslim world, not only didn't care about gay people (unlike the Europeans) but actually had art depicting it.

Another is al-Razi. While he didn’t outright say that homosexuality is allowed, he allowed gay couples to be together sexually so long as they didn’t have anal sex. He was concerned with homosexual men committing suicide over their innate feelings and said that if there is risk of that, and the man cannot change himself from homosexual to heterosexual/survive in an opposite-sex marriage, he may be with his beloved (a man) so long as he does not transgress the limits (in his opinion, anal sex).

One of the transmitters of the Quranic variants we have today (of which Warsh and Hafs are two) was a man named al-Kisa’i, who was also a known homosexual. So one of the seven qira’ats came from a gay man.

There was another man ALSO named al-Kisa’i, who was a historian in 1100 CE, and he said in his Stories of the Prophets (Qiṣaṣ al-'Anbiyā') that the people of Lut were specifically MEN WITH WIVES who raped other men, not homosexual men, lining up with what we know historically.

And speaking even more so on the physical element, the male "gspot" is actual in the anus which even if you find gross, is a design of Allah and not a flaw. Why would he do that if homosexuality is a sin?

The reason homosexuality is so hated in the Islamic world is none other then the heretical Salafi and Wahhabi movements (actually considered heretics for most of the time they were around including their top scholars, not my opinion, and the only reason their not now is because of British) and because of Europeans as homosexual relationships were generally tolerated in pre-modern Islamic societies, and historical records suggest that these laws were invoked infrequently, mainly in cases of rape or other "exceptionally blatant infringement on public morals". Public attitudes toward homosexuality in the Muslim world underwent a marked negative change starting from the 19th century through the gradual spread of Islamic fundamentalist movements such as Salafism and Wahhabism, and the influence of the sexual notions and restrictive norms prevalent in Europe at the time: a number of Muslim-majority countries have retained criminal penalties for homosexual acts enacted under European colonial rule.

People often only bring up verse 7:81 and don't bring the verses directly previous or after it nor does it take into consideration the histography of their actions and the verse. It would be like me saying a book said "...kill all black people." but not elaborating and saying that the line previous to is says "These people were so horrible that they would regularly chant..." and the line after it is "I can't believe they would say/do something so disgusting." with the entire context of the book being that they would kick out anyone who didn't want to kill all black people. They only say's that the book said to kill all black people. It's very disingenuous to say the least.

To further prove my point, the word "sodomite" is often used to mean the rape of another person through the ass, not consensual sex between the two. If you google "sodomized" than you'll see rapists, not a loving consensual couple. Even the Arabic words for "sodomite" and a gay person is different as sodomite is literally translated into "lut" well a gay person is translated into "shakhs mithliu aljins".

To get more philosophical about it, sex is not some fetish which just develops in people, it is the most primal human desire that a person can have. So why would Allah make a group (there's homosexual animals as well) a certain way and then say not to follow the most basic desire they'll ever have right after wanting food and water but then say the rest of that group can follow that desire after they get married? People can control their desires until marriage as the Quran makes clear, they don't just never have sex. So why would it be any different for a gay couple? This is like saying that sex with it self is haram.

Finally, people often forget the fact that Allah is an all loving and all knowing being so why would he make certain people that he hates or want's other people to hate aka be "phobic" of when in the Quran it's made clear that we should be loving and affectionate? Now even if after all of this people still believe homosexuality is haram, Allah is said multiple time to be all loving, all understanding and all forgiving so as long they are good people and don't commit a truly horrible sin (shirk aka worship of other false gods, rape, murder, hurting others, you know, the classics) Allah will inevitably forgive them for giving into their most basic human desire especially if it's with a loving partner with in a marriage so why would anyone else have a problem with them?

I'm not gonna add a tl;dr because I worked waaay to hard on this for it be condensed into a few sentences and I really want people to read it and fully understand where it's coming from.

[klaineccfanficlibrary]

do you have any fics where Kurt and Blaine meet at like a highschool or college party and then go from there

Hi - I had fun putting this list together, seems I've read a lot of great party fics. Hope they are what you are looking for. (happy to have more recommendations!) ~Jen

NYADA Hallowe'en party by @snarkyhag

Klainetober 2024 prompt: Kurt and Blaine are at NYADA costume party.

Are they meeting for the first time? Is someone having a really good or really bad night? Are they wearing a couple's costume? Does a real live ghost show up?

~~~~~

Running Interference by @rockitmans

Kurt and Blaine don't want to get set up on a blind date. But when their friends get involved, what they want doesn't really matter.

~~~~~

Gorgeous by @thelegendofjenna

Kurt meets a very drunk Blaine at a college party, and they end up back in Kurt's apartment.

~~~~~

Happenstance by @thatgleekychick

When Kurt's ex-boyfriend shows up at a party to show off the person he left him for, Kurt is certain the universe is out to get him. But then he sees a cute guy standing across the room by himself, munching on a plate of pretzels, and gets an idea. AU.

~~~~~

If the Fates Allow by dahlstrom Part 1 of the Holidays' Verse

Blaine tried not to dwell on the handsome stranger he’d met — and kissed, oh god, it had been so nice — a few days earlier. Sure, he’d had beautiful eyes and a melodious voice and his hands had been really soft, but he was gone, and that was that. There were eight million people in New York City, and Blaine didn’t even know the guy’s name, let alone how to find him.

(Part 2: I Couldn't Crack the Love Code, Dear )

~~~~~

The Party Favor by @caramelcoffeeaddict Coffeeaddict80

After Blaine’s brother ditches him at a party where he doesn’t know anyone, he’s approached by Kurt who has a big favor to ask.

~~~~~

Party Gone Wrong (yet so right) by @caramelcoffeeaddict Coffeeaddict80

The party that Sebastian dragged Blaine to was awful, but the cute boy he met there wasn’t

~~~~~

Pour le Plaisir by @hazelandglasz

Anonymous asked: omg "We hooked up randomly at a party once and it turns out you’re friends with my brother AU" would be hilarious for klaine :')

~~~~~

Bang Bang by @afterthenovels

Kurt has a very loud birthday party. Blaine is the police officer who gets the noise complaint. It doesn’t go so well, until it does.

~~~~

Clinging to this hating game by notarelationship (just practising)

Based on this prompt from the Klaine-prompt-a-fic blog on tumblr:

Kurt and Blaine couldn't stand each other in high school, maybe one was a jock/cheerleader and the other a nerd/glee clubber. Or they were bitter rivals for competition solos if they were both in glee club. Now they both live in NY and their friends set them up on a blind date, not knowing they went to the same high school.

~~~~~

Let me be the one by @annepi-blog

“Oh no, Mercedes. No way.” Mercedes wants Kurt to go to a 90s and 2000s college party with her. He is persuaded by the argument that he can plan an exciting outfit. At the party, he meets his crush, who has also made an exciting fashion decision.

Inspired by the outfit Darren Criss was wearing at Jumperwall 90's - 00's Concert in February 2023.

~~~~~

Did we meet before? by @little-escapist

Written for a prompt by mynonah on tumblr, the prompt is the title.

~~~~~

Underneath it all by @heartsmadeofbooks

Blaine first meets the mysterious Kurt Hummel at his brother's engagement party, and he's immediately struck by the quiet, handsome stranger. He doesn't expect their paths to cross again, but when life gives an unexpected turn, Kurt might be the only one with the power to help him save everything he cares about.

~~~~~

Zip tease By izwordsoup @special-bc-ur-part-of-it

A college party where everyone is a little drunker than they should be, an open fly, and a dare.

~~~~~

Trick or Treatby grlnxtdr29

Kurt Hummel HATES Halloween, for good reason. But he allows Brittany to talk him into going to a Halloween Party with New Directions and The Cheerios. After the jocks play a cruel trick on him, he drives off in tears, and nearly runs over a mysterious boy in the road. Is this another Trick?

~~~~~ Raspberries and Crème by @quizasvivamos

Kurt and Blaine have never met. But they both want the D. Everything that can go wrong in smut all wrapped up in a one shot.

[niqhtlord01]

Humans are weird: Civil Unrest

( Please come see me on my new patreon and support me for early access to stories and personal story requests :D https://www.patreon.com/NiqhtLord Every bit helps)

History books often talk about important events through the eyes of those with hindsight. Written in ways that make readers question how the people who actually lived through the events themselves ask how they could not have seen it coming from a mile away.

Yet for those who lived through such trying times the sequence of events were never so neat and orderly as “Point A” and “Point B”. They came on like a silent wave that could not be heard until it crashed against the foundation of society and tore everything it struck down into the dirt.

One such point of history was the day the Pentarki people experienced their first case of civil unrest.

For context in Pentarki society when a judicial ruling is handed down it could not be altered. There were no challenges, no reviews of inquiry, or appeal process to a higher form of political body for a different ruling. The end result was set in stone and there would be no argument. While strange to other space traveling societies who had several checks and balances for Pentarki it made complete sense.

To obtain a position in the judicial branches of society a Pentarki needed to be highly intelligent, well versed in social laws and history, and have some aspect of a moral code. It was through these foundation blocks that a near incorruptible governing body was created to hand out rulings for criminal cases.

The Pentarki had spent generations under this type of organization and whole heartedly believed that the process was secure; never questioning a ruling or lashing out in outrage.

That was until the day humans began migrating to their world.

Being one of the most adaptable species in the known universe, humans had a knack for setting up shop on just about any planet they came into contact with. On the Pentarki homeworld they found that despite the lethal levels of gases encircling the planet it was on average warmer than any other planet resulting in a steady stream of humans in search of said warmth.

Humans in contrast to Pentarki’s had a very different perspective of organized governing. They believed that laws and people could make mistakes and if needed, could be altered to reflect the current nature of the times. This alone was enough to ensure the Pentarki avoided dealings with humans as much as possible; at least until the “Night of ten thousand Fists.”

In a standard ruling, the governing body decided in the case of a little Pentarki child getting injured by a Pentarki enforcement officer that the officer was not at fault. Situations like this were rare but not unheard of and the enforcement officers were almost never marked for fault. While the Pentarki people had expected as much, they had not taken into account the overly passionate nature of the new human citizens who had moved to the planet.

Within hours of the ruling there were large scale protests in the streets, primarily composed of humans. They held signs and chanted dissenting slogans against the governing body that made the ruling. Enforcement officers were dispatched to try and contain the protests, but their presence only seemed to further enflamed the protestor’s anger. Pentarki enforcement officers were not trained for this type of civil disturbance as protests were all but unheard of in their culture. In an attempt to disperse the crowd the officers attempted to arrest the ringleaders who were using megaphones to rile the crowds. This backfired as the humans became further violent and began attacking the enforcers. They swarmed them from all sides and the officers were quickly consumed by a tide of human bodies.

From there things devolved rapidly as the protests turned into full blown riots. Any symbol of authority was defaced or destroyed while enforcing officers were targeted on site. Store fronts were destroyed, monuments defaced, and public destruction in general skyrocketed as several cities became consumed by anarchy. It took a full fifteen hours before order was finally restored and only then as a once in a lifetime reversal of the ruling was issued.

This action shook the Pentarki society to its core. Through open violence a ruling had been changed for the first time in their people’s history. There was open resentment towards the humans who many viewed as shoehorning their own beliefs into society, but there was also a newfound sense of disappointment of the ruling body as they were now seen as not as stalwart as they once were.

From that moment onwards many worlds were far more hesitant with allowing humans to settle on them in great numbers.

[omegalomania]

What are some of your favorite aro-/ace-coded fob lyrics?

oh fuck yes a little bowl of seeds just for me

boycott love from disloyal order of water buffaloes is a personal favorite of mine. its a lyric i really really want tattooed at some point. that's not the only lyric i latch onto from an aro perspective but it's probably the biggest one

basically the entirety of it's hard to say "i do" when i don't but a special mention goes to you are appealing to emotions that i simply do not have as well as the only ring i want buried with me are the ones around my eyes

it's true romance is dead / i shot it in the chest and in the head from the music or the misery is also a favorite of mine, also just that whole song in general

i thought i loved you but it was just how you looked in the light in hum hallelujah resonates with a lot of queer folks i've found, and it's no different for me

same goes for it's a strange way of saying that i know i'm supposed to love you from g.i.n.a.s.f.s.

i'm outside the door, invite me in / so we can go back and play pretend from alone together brings me back to when i was trying to perform heteronormativity/amatonormativity even if it was making me miserable

i also hold to a very similar vibe with she said "i love you 'till i don't" / i am just playing house, no idea what i'm doing now from sunshine riptide and also most of burna boy's verse, frankly. i fell in love but i didn't fall down and feel like i'm bulletproof, baby in particular

american beauty/american psycho, particularly the first verse. i think i fell in love again / maybe i just took too much cough medicine

golden is a big one for queer folks in general i've found. the chorus especially hits hard from an aro and/or ace reading. and i saw god cry in the reflection of my enemies / and all the lovers with no time for me

i've got a dark alley and a bad idea that says you should shut your mouth is a heavy song no matter how you slice it. but that chorus gets to me in particular: we can fake it for the airwaves / force our smiles, baby, half-dead / from comparing myself to everyone else around me

the kids aren't alright reads to me as one big anthem for platonic love above anything romantic, which resonates super hard with me. the second verse has a lot of good lines that i latch onto from an aroace lens too. your love is anemic and i can't believe / that you couldn't see it coming from me

pretty much the whole chorus of HOLD ME TIGHT OR DON'T does it for me, and those verses have got some good aroallo vibes too! i never really feel a thing... confidants but never friends...

the whole of fake out is a gimme. that chorus rings real true. starts with love is in the air, i just gotta find a window to break out and finishing with but it was all a fake-out

i've got all this ringing in my ears and none on my fingers is one that has another highly applicable title but the whole refrain of the truth hurts worse / than anything i could bring myself to do to you paired with the one-two punch of that second verse REALLY gets under my skin

and of course, the culminating one: you are what you love, not who loves you from save rock and roll. obviously there are a LOT of ways to read that line

there are a couple other songs i latch onto - wilson (expensive mistakes); a little less "sixteen candles", a little more "touch me"; the (after) life of the party to name a few - but the ones listed above are the big lyrics that resonate with me on a personal level

just in general i have a shitton of fob over on my aro playlist (which doubles as a general aroace/queer playlist but has a lot of emphasis on aromanticism) in case i forgot to mention anything but like i said those are the big ones

[bobbinfire]

Transformers One - Animation Student Analysis

(Aka why TFHypeGuy is right and you need to make this a #TFWeekend)

Disclaimer: This is a Review by an animation student based on the first viewing alone. I will not be giving the same quality of analysis of a film like a seasoned animation professional. However, I still have tons of knowledge by the years I have spent personally studying animated films and the new information learned through my academics. If you are still here, with that out of the way let’s begin.

(As requested by @serotoninisheldinkiwis)

((Spoilers below- quick non spoiler version here))

Transformers one is the peak example of what a brand such as the transformers franchise could accomplish when fans and talented artists work together to make a piece of art. The phrase of “could accomplish” is even over written as they “have accomplished” this. Both seasoned and newly furnished transformers fans seem to concur this as a fact.

All animation fans (you could even get the same from any of my fellow animation classmates) agree the Spider-Man Into/Across the Spider-verse movies are the best amongst the vast pool of the animated film medium. Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (2022) was my favorite animated film, for both story and animation. But when compared to the artistry that is the Spider-verse, I knew that it still couldn’t compare in terms of mastery. No matter how much a film has your love, you are more likely than not to agree with the concept that Spider-verse saga is the best. And I used to agree. That was until the night of Friday September 20, when Transformers One single handily took the scepter of victory and waved it high for the awaiting crowds to see. The controversy I may get from this will probably be immense, but the statement I am willing to scream from the rooftops is that Transformers One has officially surpassed Spider-Verse movies as the top animated film. 

But what actually makes an animated film the “best” when compared to the variety of competitors flooding the market on a bi-monthly basis? What makes this film so better when it could be just the current hyper fixation coded bias of a long time transformers kid who just got handed a shiny new toy to play with and will eventually forget about once the next film releases. Well my friends…and random people of the internet, here is an analysis made by an animation student (me *cough *cough) that breaks down the answer to that question. 

Animation

As with any quality animated film, the animation itself will make or break a film as it is the core part of the film. Transformers One’s animation was handled by the company Industrial Lights and Magic. While not a large competitor in terms of feature film animation, they have produced films that have pushed past known boundaries of both animation and story as seen in their few animated feature films: Rango (2011), Strange Magic (2015), and Ultraman Rising (2024). Their work in the industry is primarily known in reference to their special effects work with Jurassic Park (1993) and Star Wars (1977). ILM’s animation in Transformers One manages to bring to life a world many have tried to do before, but not as elegantly or dare I say brilliant as this. The animation itself seems to stay on a constant frame rate, the beauty of special movements or actions being more defined by hard cuts or continuously moving shots. Each movement has purpose even ones that seem more throw away because it adds to the personality of the characters/environment. Specialty/new techniques are not as important for this film, which is perfectly okay considering they managed to hit each one of the 12 principles of animation when it counted most. An animation coming from a special effects studio in general is very good because they tend to pay major attention to any animation related to special effects, even if it’s just for a cartoon. Details can range from giant Quintesson ship slowly descending to the tiny sparks cause from a hit to a metal face. The animation in general is smooth as well as robotic only when it needs to be.

Environments

There have been a variety of environments in both animated and live action films that have help suck the audience into the story. When an animated pulls it off successfully it is even more noteworthy worthy. However, one must note the limited use of environments when it comes to how much we see past the establishing shots. Most times the best of environmental shots are primarily used to help set up a location or scene, then the rest of that is limited to a small corner (more often than not for budgetary reasons). Transformers One leans into the almost constant use of environments, not only for location, but for story as well. There is a variety of scenes that are carried through meticulously crafted sets and allow for you to not only finally get to know the world of Cybertron, but we travel through the environments almost fully as we progress the story alongside the characters. Minor details play a large role in the environment. Between the polished textures, the detailed individual blades of alien vegetation, the different background characters, and the hidden easter eggs within the framework of the designs themselves allow for a new thing for you eyes to feast upon with each viewing.

Textures

The use of textures in both environment and character design is on another level when compared to other 3D animated films. Speaking from experience the process of applying basic textures to a 3D model already requires hours of hard work, dedication, and patience that you will be very low on by the end of the whole ordeal. So when you analyze the detail and complexity of the work the team at ILM brought to the table it is truly extraordinary, even more so when you realize the time it would take to fight the UV layout and unwrap the mesh of a complicated figure like a cybertronian, especially one that has to transform. If you are confused on my alien language look up basic uv layout and texturing tutorial for maya on YouTube and generate a heart attack for yourself. Good luck sleeping tonight. Transformers one works itself down to the individual grains in the sand, the cracks in the ground, the glitter speckled plating on Elita-One’s head; even the length and deepness of scratches in armor can be measured. The effort put forth creates an effect of feeling you can touch the textures just by looking at them. Of course textures can only go so far without the correct use of the next subject. 

Lighting

When used to its fullest extent lighting not only lights the cast and their environment but it helps extend storytelling capabilities. Things such as mood, emotions, atmosphere, movement and location are brought out through simple artificial particles. The darkness of the mines contrast with the bright fantasy lighting of Iacon, which in its own way contrast the calm natural lighting of the surface. The carefully crafted textures of a surface could not be fully realized without the full use of directed light bouncing off it. During the final sequence of fights the change of D-16 to Megatron is not only conveyed through the change in the lighted color of his eyes but the waves of light flowing from them as he battles his way through opponents. The trail of light allows our eyes to not only follow Megaton’s movements but his descent into his dark path, with his blood red rage clouding his vision and being all that he can see.

And finally the most important point to cover with any animated film besides animation:

Story

Recently Dreamworks employee Rick  Rickdel gave a lecture on my campus. Out of all he talked about one of my major takeaways was when he said: “a story only connects with the felt needs of your audience”. Transformers fans have been wanting a movie like Transformers One for a long time. Even the smallest fans wanted to know what happens between Optimus and Megatron. And that’s the true beauty of this movie. We already know basically what happened between them, we know the overall story. Going into the theater we already knew how it was going to officially end and based on the lore we knew how it was going to start even. So the most important thing for Transformers One was how they connected the two and carried out the main part of the story. And what they did not only managed to meet expectations, but surprised us multiple points along the way. Voice actors poured their souls into these characters, leaving behind their celebrity personalities and bringing the characters to life. Each character themselves that had a relatively good chunk of screen time had a role in the story and were not just throw away side characters. With each one it’s set up for an almost domino like effect for the plot. Bee is not just a goofy side character, he assists in the journey, helps them get to new locations, and even provides relief from the typical dark undertones. Darkwing is a side character that ends through one quick mean spirited action kicks off the rising action at break neck speed. The quintessions show briefly, but provide enough of a threat without overstepping the plot’s boundaries that it is okay they are not there for long, but there may be a chance they can come again. Sentinel is at first glance a stereotypical egocentric villain, but take away his power and status and he will crumble in your hands (quite literally). He is not designed to be redeemable, but he is also not evil just for the sake of being evil. He has goals, he has factors that push him to evil things, but he very clearly has gone far enough that he no longer cares. His overall actions that are not super specifically targeted end up affecting what were originally minor threats to the point it results in his demise. And because of how his character was designed we rejoice even if actual justice wasn’t delivered. For a film have good storytelling it needs to have two factors: the story (the lore and information the audience receives in order to understand the film’s world) and plot (the events that play out in the films timeframe). The movie uses both of these to their proper extent allowing people like my friend was never watched any Transformers media before to watch it with understanding and enjoy it. It plays out what we expect of transformers media while taking on its own persona. What I find most enjoyable about the movies plot is the fact it is similar to a slow burn romance, but in reverse. We take this strongly built brotherly bond that can be shaken, yet once the match gets struck we can do nothing but watch as all these ties melt to heartache before our very eyes. And the audience’s vision eats it up without blinking once. We watch as D-16 goes to catch Orion, only to slowly realize he can’t undo what he’s done to the point of of diluting his mind to making it Orion’s’ on fault. We watch orions spark break through the emotions in his eyes as he begs D-16 not to…but it’s not about not dropping him, it’s about not becoming what he has watched him slowly come into to the point a flip is switch and D-16 is gone. @sephirose explained the summary of this movie best:

“D-16 reached out and caught Orion.

Megatron dropped him.

Orion Pax held onto D-16.

Optimus Prime let him go.”

Even the soundtrack tells a story. “The Fall” it only plays an emotional heartstrings of former Transformers Prime fans, but encapsulates “the actual physical fall of Orion and the metaphorical one of D-16 as he kills Sentinel” (@firebunnylover). Even if the end of the film is just a quick hit of Megatron being banished and forming the Deceptioncons while Orion ascends and becomes robot Jesus, it is what we were expecting. 

And that is the culmination of these factors. It manages to astound and amaze, but in the end it was a Transformers movie meant to be satisfactory. It is satisfying to the transformers soul, and in turn we should do our part like TFOneGuy says and give it the appreciation it deserves.

Anyways, sorry this took so long (I say to the single person who asked for this) to get out but in order to be able to give an in-depth animation student analysis I have to do well in my animation classes.

[flowersforzoe11]

Alex Rider tv series S1E5 Reviews

spoilers and thoughts below :)

okay!! Kyra is very cool all of a sudden !! can't wait for her and Alex to team up (plus it's nice albeit weird that he's not so alone in the tv-verse)

yassen gregorovich the man you are

god i love Alex's ingeniuty (the graphite on the keypad). very book series-coded

OKAY THE HITLER BIRTH YEAR PULL WAS INSANE ALEX ILY (also Kyra saying "make sense faster" was so perfect. exactly what Alex needs to hear every day of his life)

i will say the biggest strength of the show vs the books is that you get to see into what other characters are doing (like Yassen or the MI6 hacking scene). very much enjoying all of the plots running together

the kyra/alex hacking scene is so good??? no notes

also i love how smart everyone is. James blasting the music was perfect and it's nice Alex's buddies here are all competent (poor book Alex was the only one operating with any brain cells in 75% of his interactions)

i will say it forever, yassen is perfection. as away-from-the-book as it is, i love his presence in the tv show sm

STOP YASSEN SEEING ALEX IN THE FLESH FOR THE FIRST TIME IS CRAZY!! LIKE IMAGINE SEEING THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE REINCARNATED AS A 14 YEAR BOY IN YOUR PLACE OF WORK (also, "another time, maybe" was awesome). and him turning back omggggg i loved every bit of this scene to pieces

if Alan Blunt has no haters then i am dead BUT him reading Parker Roscoe like a book was actually so good

"Michael Roscoe would never quote Hitler" i'm dead

okay things are getting really real omfg. there are so many things that i *hope* they do in the rest of the season but i will keep them to myself until the inevitably happen/don't happen

finishing thoughts: i think it's a good thing i haven't read anything before Never Say Die since like 2019(that being 5 years ago is crazy. anyway). even though i've read every book at least three times (and let's be honest, i've probably read Snakehead and Scopia 10 times a piece), having a fuzzy memory on the events of Point Blank helps me not focus too hard on the differences between book and show which increases my enjoyment for sure <3

[arialice]

Hey malevolent fans, let me tell you of the most malevolent coded album, Counterfeit Arcade by Shayfer James.

So many of the songs either in lyrics or vibes remind me so much of this show, so in a few words I'm going to attempt to explain my thought process about each song (be prepared, it's long)

Weight of the World - I don't have much to say about the lyrics. They kind of fit.

"That's just the weight of the world/We do what we must to stay alive/That's just the weight of the world/And we'll all be the weak and the weary sometime"

The instrumentals, tune and vibes is what really makes this song shine for me. Piano (obviously), the general deranged vibes and so on.

For the Departed - reminds me so much of part 20, thought I can't personally decide who's 'singing' the song. It lowkey works from both John's and Arthur's perspective.

"Save yourself/I am far beyond repair/They will bury me alive/But I'm not inclined to care"

More inclined to think Arthur because of the lines:

"Now I must finish what I started, oh-oh/I'll write a symphony for the departed/And I have no time for second chances/So I survive on bourbon, blood, and backward glances, oh"

"And so, the scene begins/Your cries become the wind/A desperate plea best left unheard/Then my contrived goodbye/A poet's pantomime/A drunken jester's final words"

Where we belong - this song. It's literally malevolent in a song. This is the most literal one. I would quote the entire song if I could, but here's some key lines:

"I know we're far beyond the point of no return/Let's say we light a fire and be the first to burn"

"Do you recall the day when we went wrong?/Time is flying/Ease your weary mind, we'll be alone"

"There's a freight train coming, barreling around the bend/There's a red light flashing, oh, ladies and gentlemen, this is the end/I do believe that we've a lesson left to learn/So take your seats, your salutations, and your turn"

"And on the way to our salvation, we'll be making plans/To overthrow the king and pick apart the promised lands"

L.V.S (Your Lady Waits) - makes me think about Oscar, specifically BlindFaith. Very much "you are my reason" vibes. I think it's the overall softness of the song, the emotion in it is so palpable.

"Oh, the mountains bow before ya/Oh, the clouds are open wide"

"Oh, and we, my friend/Will meet again"

"Upon this Autumn morn/Your laughter lingers on"

Villainous thing - This song is so, so, so obnoxiously Kayne to me, as in it feels like a song thats meant to be sung by him. The kinda cheery tune mixed with the lyrics sell it for me.

"Welcome, won't you come inside?/Oh I fear the passing year did not deserve you"

"Soaked and shivered from the rain/You have always been a delicate disaster" - singing about Arthur

"Waste no worry for the world/Let it be a tragedy of love and glory/While they wait by gates of pearl/We'll be building palaces in purgatory" - makes me think of him pitching the the deal with John in like a reverse psychology way. "Oh I'm sure Arthur is fine you can keep building your empire here in the Dark World, king."

Battle Cry - Works in general considering the 'monster of the week' trope this podcast sometimes falls into.

"Hear my battle cry, hear that mighty sound/They've come before and many more will try to strike me down/Hear my battle cry, hear that mighty roar"

The second verse is what really stands out to me though.

"I met a stranger on my way to here from God knows where/He won my lover in a dirty game of solitaire/He stole my crown and placed it crookedly upon his head/He turned around, I took him down and this is what I said" - again, thinking about part 20 (can you tell its my favorite?) The 'stranger' is The King/Hastur/Yellow/Whatever. 'But he's not a stranger?' He kind of is. After Arthur and John are together for so long, even the King admits that he doesn't know why his other half would pick Arthur. John himself had been making small steps at redemption, and just those baby steps made him pretty duffrebt from the King.

"You'll sacrifice the truth to justify your sins/But I don't need an excuse to let the darkness in" - again Arthur and the King. The King does 'bad' shit simply because he wants, yet when Arthur does something moraly 'bad', he has to justify it to himself.

Peace - Very part 31, aka Arthur's Scratch induced nightmare.

"I'd rather live alone than live a lie/I will never deserve peace" - the confessions we get from Arthur about how he felt about Bella

"I spoke to the ghost on my way to asleep/But the boards in the floor called my footsteps a thief" -reminds me of the argument with James. My line of reasoning is that James is the 'boards', and he's calling him a thief because he 'stole' Bella's life by stepping into it, marrying her when he didnt love her, if that makes sense.

"I will never deserve peace/I will never deserve peace/I will never deserve peace" - general self deprication

Diggin' Up Hatchets - makes me think of Larson or in general season 3. A little bit cult-y. It's mostly tune and vibes but the lyrics kind of work

"We're diggin’ up hatchets today/And sharpening the blades/In case, a stitch of hope remains/In this hell that we've raised"

"Hey! We're witnessing the waking of the dead/We’re ripping all the wires from our heads"

"We're burying mercy and grace/In unmarked shallow graves"

"There’s a plan for us lunatics and liars/We have faulty gears and wires/They can't save us, but they’ll do the best they can"

Under the Willow - John theme song in my mind, can't convince me otherwise. Song about discovering one's self and purpose.

"Mother, mother, I think I found my soul/While I was hiding under the willow"

"I've been the portrait of despair/Despite this hat and badge I wear/I've been a captive and a coward" - 'hat and badge' in this case is the crown and robe of the king

"I met a wise man under the willow/Lover, lover, look for me no more/I've been right here under the willow" - Arthur, obviously

"I've been a bastard and a fool/Rewritten nearly every rule/But I believe I'm worth redemption" - the redemption line alone is perfect.

Godspeed - the Jarthur divorce song. Arguing with someone but knowing that in the end you'll find each other again.

"There’s many ways to hide a heart that bleeds/But I prefer the ease of rolling up my sleeves" - might be imagining bit I sweat once John told Arthur that he wears his heart on his sleeve, if not I apologize.

"You’ve got some nerve to be coming/around with that card up your sleeve/And those thorns in your crown" - I think 'card up your sleeve refers to a plan, a secret, which John had many of

"Funny how the night is not as long,/when you depend upon/The dark before the dawn" - John deceiving Arthur many a times. Works well with the repeating line "I used to be someone that you could belive", Arthur starts ignoring and going against John (see, the entire thing with Oscar)

"Good luck, godspeed, I know I’ll see you again/I’ll always call you a friend indeed" - They always get over it and play nice again, until the next argument of course.

Have a Seat Misery - Coda and Intermezzo vibes. Short and sweet. Reads like a conversation between Kayne and Arthur.

"Have a seat, misery/Lord how I’ve missed you/Don’t go crying to me/That I kept you away for too long/Just put your feet up, friend/cause I read all your postcards/And in a way, I am happy to say/That you’ve never been gone"

"Let me light that for you/Seems your hand’s a bit shaky/We’ve got damage to do/And I know you’ll need smoke in your chest/So have a seat, misery/And don't ever mistake me/Of all of my friends, you know/You are the one I like best"

Conclusion/TLDR: Counterfeit Arcade by Shayfer James is, to me, THE malevolent album. Are some of these conclusions a stretch? Probably considering some of the lyrics I didn't present do actually go against the messages of the show, but I had fun writing this and the good(things matching up really well) outweighed the bad(some contradictions). Also go listen to the album or just Shayfer James in general

[lemonhemlock]

What do you think about how Helena doesn’t do anything for the team she’s on in both the book and the show? It seems like the rest of the characters have the responsibility and does something to benefit the side they’re on

yeah, it's not great. they had the chance to do something really interesting with helaena and expand (at least a little) on her book version, but she somehow ended up with even less than in FB. in the books, at the very least, she was present during some political talks and she expressed a desire for restraint in the face of bloodshed that aegon heeded (alongside her mother, true, she wasn't the only voice advocating for that). but what does show!helaena do? she sits in rooms all day and embroiders. they really are so averse to giving her an activity, any activity for that matter.

rhaena, for example, is currently perhaps the least developed of the tb children, but we know how she longs for a dragon to either hatch or to claim. she goes to the vale. she has at least the sliver of an objective: keeping jeyne arryn as an ally. meanwhile helaena is not even recognised as a dragonrider, even though she also claimed dreamfyre when she was nigh a child. dreamfyre is never even referred to as helaena's dragon, let alone visually depicted next to her. thank god we have a scene with dreamfyre and aemond, though! and this was such an easy thing to do, they could have made her a horse girl (dragon girl) and had her at the dragonpit tending to all the stray, riderless dragons.

i have always said that they could have leaned into that little tidbit about her being beloved by the smallfolk and showed her getting involved in charity works or sponsoring events or infrastructure projects, something that would work towards her maintaining a good image in the city. it's not like these are things autistic-coded people are incapable of doing!

it's so frustrating bc they gave her the gift of prophecy only for it to have no bite and no stakes. she utters vague, weird metaphors to her interlocutors and they look spooked or confused for a couple of moments. cassandra motif, yes, but what are they actually doing with this trope other than the most basic, descriptive, straightforward depiction of it? i understand that ewan has hinted that aemond will investigate (?) this gift of hers, but will this end up being just another instance in which helaena's arc is subsumed by someone else's?

when does she do anything for herself? when is she an initiator of anything? they turned her into this passive observer that exists so that alicent could feel bad about her life choices, aegon could act awkwards towards and aemond could covet. what's her opinion about the war? about rhaenyra? about becoming queen? it's so infantilizing. it's like their image of an autistic person is someone who sits alone in a room all day and waits for things to happen to them.

in a way it is weird because it's not like she lacks character traits, she just doesn't do anything with them

not even getting into the b&c debacle and how little impact the most traumatizing concept in asoiaf-verse ended up having on her. but, you know what? even so, with this decision to minimize this torturous event, what exactly is the pay-off here? why are they still writing her in such a static way? her arc is going nowhere, because she never seemed to have one in the first place.

[jokeroutsubs]

Bojan on the cover of Astro Suzy, special summer edition of Suzy Magazine, focusing on astrology and spirituality. Scans and ENG Translation by: @kurooscoffee Cover Title:

Bojan Cvjetičanin: "We have a duty to change things for the better"

Article title:

We are driven by our love of life

WITH JOKER OUT, WE HAVE WITNESSED A MENTAL LEAP AND A SOCIAL PHENOMENON THAT WE HAVE LONGED FOR. THE BOYS GIVE HOPE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE CONNECTING INTO A STRONG COMMUNITY THAT CARES ABOUT THE FUTURE, EVEN THOUGH PREVIOUS GENERATIONS HAVE LEFT THEM IN RUINS. IN A FLOOD OF STARLETS AND ARTIFICIALLY CREATED ONLINE INFLUENCERS, WE GOT ROLE MODELS WHO DON'T OFFER DISCOUNT CODES, BUT IMPORTANT MUSICAL MESSAGES ABOUT VALUES. IN THE MIDDLE OF A SLOVENIAN AND EUROPEAN TOUR, THE LEAD SINGER AND VISUAL OF THE BAND SHARED WITH US WHAT HE'S THINKING ABOUT, WHAT CAUSES HE'S STANDING BEHIND, AND WHY IT'S BENEFICIAL TO DEEPEN YOUR SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE. What are you thinking about as representatives of the new wave, the new generation? What is your attitude towards the dynamics in society, climate change, pervasive social networks, in short, everything that weighs on modern man? On the one hand, we ourselves are involved in all the processes that actively and continuously prolong the problems you are talking about. On the other hand, we are deeply aware of them and we are afraid of what is coming. It seems to me that in our generation the desire for change is very strong. There is a universal language of youth that has come together on the basis of feeling obliged and able to change things for the better. The song New Wave is about just that. We are ready to celebrate this common strength because we are encouraged by the idea that we are not alone. At the same time, we know that we are compelled to do something because someone before us has seriously 'fucked up'.

In your hit song 'Novi Val' (New Wave), already the very first verse has you wonder where to go from here. Do you know the answer?

If we want to do anything other than burn the horizon, the only way is towards community, away from egocentrism, with an onlook towards common good.

Let's stick to the anthem of the generation of love, as you named your peers and loyal supporters. The phrase 'We were born yesterday and everything is already our fault' is powerful and worrying. You have been given a pitiful lagecy by your ancestors. How do you defend yourself from taking a role of a victim and instead get actively involved in creating a brighter future?

Great question! It would be hard to change anything for the better if we put on the victim's cloak. The fact that in recent years it has become clear that there is a rebellion by people who have had enough is already a cause for optimism. When you put yourself in the role of the one who carries a scepter as a synonym of the leader of change, you move away from being a victim. And each one of us in this community carries it. In reality, we are taking the position that society is currently a victim and it is our task to defend it.

How?

We all contribute in our own way. The role of musicians is to connect people with positive messages. So by constantly reminding people about friendship, love and other social components that can be tapped into through music. In Slovenia, we have a lot of organisations that are trying to change the situation for the better in many different ways. It does not require much to at least educate oneself about what these organisations are doing. I have the feeling that many people would like to get involved and help. At the end of grammar school and at college, we were encouraged to find out about collective organisations. It was clear to them that many people would want to join of their own initiative once they knew what they stood for. I know many former classmates who are very active members and supporters of various movements. Even if we minimise our own negative energy on social networks, it is a big step towards a good state of society, and of mind.

(picture 1: Family Cvjetićanin knows how to stick together)

You seem to care about a world that is increasingly drowning in chaos. You have become idols, not only of young people, but also of their parents. Is this a burden of responsibility or does it encourage you do even more activism?

It's a great feeling when the little ones take you for an idol. As a teenager, it was also inspiring to be surrounded by the music of Big Foot Mama and Siddharta. It gave me a message in a language that I could not compare with anything else. But our creativity does not depend on what people think of us or how they perceive us. But it is a great honour to know that you are one of those who encourage someone. Many people are listening, but not hearing. Joker Out is made up of five individuals who, in real life, when the cameras and the spotlights are off, are just normal guys. We went through all the processes of growing up on the streets, socialising and playing. We went through the process of going to school, and we were not problematic adolescents. Even today, our most extreme departure from an ideal is what 99% of young people do. To party sometimes. We are not outlaws by nature.

Your work is a beacon of light, a source of hope and strength. Many have done it before you, especially the Beatles. A lot has changed since their era, much of it unfortunately for the worse. How do you keep optimistic? Why is it worth the effort?

Every musician in history who has sung about ending war and living for love has failed miserably. I believe that at least those people who follow the messenger are convinced of peace and love. If every musician encourages someone to to do so, it's a hefty amount of opponents of hate. We are driven forward by love for life.

Writing texts is a responsible job, and you are baring your soul at the same time. Where is the line, to what lengths are you willing to go to protect the most vulnerable part of yourself?

I have never consciously inhibited the process of looking inside myself. But I feel that with age and experience I understand more and more what can lead me to a deeper state of mind. In the beginning I didn't dare to dig into myself. Today I have no problem in fully exposing my feelings, because they are, after all, states that happen of their own accord - and it is impossible to force them

(picture 2: The boys of Joker Out became even closer)

No Slovenian artist has enjoyed such a fierce international success as Joker Out. Concerts in iconic European clubs are literally sold out in hours, even minutes. How do you accept fame? Is it a blessing or is there also a bit of fear?

There are certainly Slovenian musicians with international experience. Maybe not at our age, but that doesn't take away from their importance. We have achieved a very nice success here in terms of listeners, we have honed our skills and we have grown with the band as a collective. We have grasped who and what we are as a whole. We are a group of people who make music purely because we really enjoy it. Whatever feelings our music-making evokes, it all comes from us in the most sincere way, Fortunately, our music is liked by a larger crowd and we have managed to transmit our unforced joy, happiness, joy across national borders. There is no better catalyst for such a breakthrough than Eurovision, we chose the moment to participate wisely. It paid off as a successful project, because for a good band it doesn't matter which part of the world it comes from. It's important to be heard - and we were heard by a lot of people. The only thing that has changed so far is that the bonds between us have strengthened. Suddenly we have been forced to talk about emotions and experiences that we did not have before. There has been a lot of filtering of unfamiliar feelings. The desire to create increased a thousandfold for all five of us.

Are you aware of the role that the public attributes to you, to act as a beacon of light in a crowd of frustrated, bitter people?

No. I would hardly say that I can understand that. Every time I hear something like that, it strikes me that it is saying too much. I really cannot think of myself in such a strong context.

You are giving yourself away. You are constantly on the road, interviews, concerts, promotional tours. It's exhausting. How do you recover? What calms you down, fills you with grace?

It's true that we give a lot of ourselves. But we get so much more in return. Nothing calms me more than coming home and being close to my family. And of course the company of Kris, Jan, Jure and Nace. The people we were with friends before this euphoria, have stayed with us, this team surround us with a lot of love.

(picture 3: He's noticing, that young people are connecting into a strong community that cares about the future)

As a front-man and lyricist, you are even more exposed. You've crossed the magical 200 thousand followers on Instagram, which is a mega number, but also a mega stressful situation. Most young people who find themselves in such a situation turn to intoxicating substances. Can you consciously stop and say that you need time for yourself?

The only thing that made me a bit anxious was the sudden exposure to such a large audience'on social media. This brings with it unimaginable dimensions of human imagination, including malice. Imaginary stories emerge in which people literally compete to see who can come up with something more bizarre. This stress got to me at the beginning, because I felt that I had to defend myself in front of the public. In the end, I realised that I didn't need to convince anyone and that it was enough to know the truth. With the help of colleagues who have similar experiences, I have calmed down. As for the substances, I have a natural protection against those, because I am an incorrigible hypochonder. I dare not take an aspirin unless it is really urgent. Above all, I know when to stop.

You come from a close-knit, loving family. That is certainly a solid foundation on which to build your personality. What is their view of everything that happens to you?

They are very proud! Of all my achievements and of me for being able to pull off a music career combined with the academic milestone of graduating. My parents and my grandmother are definitely my biggest supporters. They accompany me on my journey with warnings, but they are more about eating regularly, to not get a stomach ache, to consume enough water and to get enough sleep. I have been chronically lacking the latter in the last few weeks.

What is your relationship to astrology, esotericism, in short, something that is intangible but can be felt?

Superstition is the one I use the most. For Eurovision I had a special pair of underpants and I was haunted by the feeling that if I didn't wear them, everything would go to hell. Jan's mum gave me a lace clover, which I didn't dare leave in Ljubljana. I asked the stylist to sew it on my outfit as a precaution. I got a clay horseshoe from a little girl, and it went with me to Liverpool. It will seem strange to some, but I believe in energies and ghosts.

How do you strengthen your spiritual side?

Not very well. I wish I had managed to acquire more spiritual knowledge in the last year. For example, basic meditation techniques and the laws of yoga, because I am definitely not physically active enough. The feeling of being 90 years old eats up most of my spirit. My back hurts all the time. The best thing I do for inner growth is to read books. Not enough, but I'm going to get better. A little less phone scrolling and more self-reflection, that'll do the job! Author: Tomaž Mihelič, PHOTO: VITA OREHEK

Scans and translation by: @kurooscoffee (jokeroutsubs) DO NOT REPOST!

[vorenado-m]

happy disability pride month! please consider helping me take back my life as a disabled person!

the TL;DR is that for the last 3 months i have had an absolutely soul-sucking miserable minimum wage retail job that, due to the way scheduling works (and the app being broken as fuck) has prevented me from having access to literally any of the life-saving mental health/medical care i need as a disabled person.

my disability is best managed through a combination of medication, therapy, and casework-- not a single one of which i have had since march! :) contextually, up until i got this job, i took three daily medications and had casework once a week and therapy once or sometimes twice a week. these services are offered at an affordable cost to me through a local organization that is threatening to close my case due to lack of participation.

ill make another, more detailed post later with some of the services i can offer for money (i draw! i code! i write!) but until then here is a code you can scan if you have a few dollars to spare:

there are more details beneath the cut (idk about you guys but im kinda nosy so i wrote some more stuff in case anyone else is also nosy) but thats the gist of it. you can also always ask for details. i dont have a therapist right now so it might feel good to say things.

my plan is as follows: i would like to take the month of july more or less "off" from work to get my affairs in order, starting with scheduling appointments for therapy and casework and getting back on my meds. i am actively looking for a job, but i would like the ability to be somewhat picky instead of applying everywhere i think might have me for the sake of having money coming in to pay rent.

for the last two years i have made less than $800/mo and i can survive on roughly $600-$650 a month. my july rent ($550) is paid and my august rent (at least $500) is most likely also squared away, through a combination of some cash i was hoarding, a previous donation, my last expected paychecks from my current job, and my brother generously offering to cover whatever is left over. the extra $100ish is for roughly a months supply of the food that is part of my daily routine that i get cranky without (i have tea every morning, for instance.)

i have a fantastic roommate who is not struggling as much financially who will do everything in her power to make sure i have access to staple foods (rice, eggs, etc) so i really just need to buy the things only i consume (kimchi, milk, etc.) there is a food bank i go to, so i am not worried about food, but i can only go to it once per month. we have a barter system where i trade her the things i dont want from the food bank and she buys me things i will eat; alternatively, i sometimes give her things i get from the food bank (eg meat) that she turns into meals for both of us.

i live independently/"alone" with roommates and do not have support from my family pretty much at all. they have never been particularly useful for emotional support and have openly denied me financial support since i was a teenager. moving in with them/getting help from them/talking to them is not an option.

i have emailed my caseworker at the mental health organization i work with as well as my caseworker with the disability vocational program i work with to help me find a new job that is "back of house" and requires less customer interaction. i did this over the weekend, so i expect to hear back from them sometime this week. in the meantime, i am searching for jobs on my own in places like indeed, jobhat, careerbuilder, etc. as well as checking company websites of places like chain grocery stores to see what is available in my area.

my job pool is a bit limited due to the fact that i cannot drive (due to both my disability and the medication im supposed to be taking for it) but i am very well-versed at taking the bus, which is free. getting to and from work is not a concern for me; it is being able to do the job without being driven to the edge of a mental breakdown that is the problem.

the disability vocational program is my ticket out of poverty! last month i had a follow-up evaluation (i had to call out of work for it, but frankly i was at the end of my rope then too) where they approved my career goals as a web developer and we are in the process of deciding what my next steps are! the program will likely (depending on what route i take) help pay for vocational training, too, but i obviously have to pay rent while in training. which i think i can do if i have a job that doesnt make me want to die.

i have some other things that make my life a bit harder (im mixed race, i am nonbinary + gay, etc) but i would say those things dont really impact my ability to get a job as much as the disability does LOL which is why i did not feature them prominently in this post. like, the reason i cant get a job isnt because people dont want to hire me because i have blue hair and pronouns, its because im obviously disabled.

if you have any other questions, no matter how intrusive you think they might be, feel free to send a DM or an ask, and i will try to answer.

[jedinerd27]

The Devil-Spider Is in the Code Part 1/?

Miguel O’Hara X Fem! Spidey! Reader

Summary:

You are the one and only Arachne, the newest hero of Hell's kitchen. Well, in you're dimension anyway.

In your Free time, you're a hacker, trying to bring down companies like Alchemax, Oscorp, and Stark Industries. Exposing them of corruption and their inhumane experiments.

You've recently have been recruited to the Spider-Society. Now surrounded by echos of your dead brother and other unique faces, You are gaining new tricks every day.

Yet, the only annoyance is Miguel O'Hara. The grumpy man doesn't seem to like you, and you have no idea as to why. You're doing your best to catch Anomalies and protect the Multi-Verse. So what if there are no Variants of yourself?

Multiple parts

Word Count:2,151

Cross posted on my AO3

Comment if you want to be Added to Taglist

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 Alright. Let’s get this out of the way.

Inter-dimensional Travel was something you’re older brother had theorized. He would explain it to you in long drawn-out personal lectures. Too bad you never understood it and would play Minecraft on your Phone when he would start, never noticing how your eyes would become glassy, staring at your screen.

He was the science geek. He spoke out against Alchemax and Oscorp so many times. Leading him to be flagged and blocked from multiple positions at other smaller companies. All he was doing was advocating for more humane experiments, no careless dumping of hazardous waste, and the black market deals the companies were making.

He was the true hero.             You were just his gal in the chair, his personal hacker. Getting him the information he needed to give to lawyers and news outlets. Showing the world what corrupt experiments were going on. Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson became the biggest legal defense you and Peter had. It was just a bonus that Matt taught you both how to defend yourselves, and was the legal Guardian after Aunt May and Uncle Ben’s death.

That was the case until the accident. Oscorp released a small little critter into your shared apartment one night. Hoping the little spider would spin its little web down onto your brother, poisoning him with the genetically modified venom.

The Spider bit you instead. And the enhanced venom? Sure it gave you a seizure, and you were driven to the hospital as your brother panicked. But it didn’t kill you.

That’s when the head of Oscorp decided a hitman was the solution.

It happened a few days after your release from the hospital The only family you had left. Taken from the world by the very people he spoke out against.

The rain started the same time your tears hit the ground.

“Peter, please, don’t sleep” You cry out clutching him to you. Thunder clapping all around you as the gunman runs down the alley. You think you heard Foggy yelling after Matt, before calling 911. “Please, Pete. Don’t Die! Don’t die!”

Matt’s footfalls as he ran down the alley, perusing the man.

“It’s okay bug, It’s going to be fine lil’bug” He mumbled out with a smile. And then he shut his eyes.

The cry you let you shattered you. A dark abyss opened up inside of you, fury inside you was born.

 As Foggy tried to pull you away from his body, and the Red and blue flashing lights approached, you saw nothing but red down the alley. When Matt returned with bloody knuckles and a black eye. The cops didn’t question him.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You took on your brother’s unfinished work, but with the addition of your new found powers. Anger fueled you for a long time, until you came to the realization, your brother was never angry with the world, He was disappointed. He wanted it to be a better place. Safer.

You had to continue fighting for what he wanted. You had to become his legacy.

No matter how hard you got hit, you hit harder. If you were going to go down, you weren’t going alone. You are not going to stop, not until Ospcorp, Alchemax, Stark industries, and others are held responsible.

Thank God that Matt continued to take care of you. He helped you grow into the powers.  

One Day your ginger Guardian took you up to the apartment building rooftop.

“Why do I need this on?” You pointed to the blindfold he had put on you. Technically it was your winter scarf, but it was tied around your head.

“For this!” Matt said somewhere on the rooftop.

KAWCHUNK!!

Pins and needles ran up you back and you ducked.

THWACK! The sound of rubber hitting brick rang out. A tennis ball hits the Roof entrance in front of you.

“What the hell Matt?”

            KAWCHUNK!! KAWCHUNK!!

            TH same sensation ran up you on your left, and then your right, taking a step back you miss the next KAWCHUNK!! That was in front of you.

            A tennis ball thwacks you in the stomach.

            “FUCK!”

            “Kid, you’ve got this sense,” Mat speaks as another Tennis ball is fired Causing you to bend your back, falling to your knees in a quick motion. “And I’m testing it out.”

            The prickles form in the back of your head. Sliding to the Right, a woosh of the tennis ball goes whirling past.

            “SO you thought getting hitting me with Tennis balls is okay?”

            “You’re dodging most of them” One hits you in the rib. “That doesn’t sound good.”

            “How are you doing this?”

            “The same way you’re dodging the chew toys”

            There is a click of a button. The whirling of 5 machines catches your ear, You’re whole body gets that sensation. You leap up as all of them fire. All five tennis balls hit each other in unison.

            “I taught you how to throw a punch, the least I can do is make sure you know how to dodge.” He smirks but you only look at the Red lensed glasses. The same shade that was on his knuckles that rainy night

            He Gave you batons and old pieces of armor. Vanbraces and shoulder pads, Greaves that went over the combat boots you always wore.

            He offered a helmet as well.

            “That’s never going to fit me.”

            “Would you prefer a bike helmet?”

             “I’d prefer it if I can make my own adjustments and touches.”

In the end, a red hoodie covered in various light armor bits and pocket pouches. You took your inspiration of the spider and your old sewing machine and ran with it.

            Blue LED Wires were sewn into the hood under black thread. The vanbraces got integrated with tech. Project a holographic Computer, stolen from Alchemax, easy for you to hack things without needing a physical computer. You had rewritten the software and the code, making it unique and unable to be tracked.

            “What are you going to call yourself?” Matt asks, fingers tracing over the hoodie, your handy work made a small smile appear on his face. This was him beaming with Pride.

            “Arachne” You didn’t even think about it. “I will be Arachne.”

              --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Then you met the others. The Spider society.

Well, not all of them at first.

You just got out of college, graduating top of your Computer Engineer and Computer Science class. No job yet though Especially after it was revealed that you were the sister of the Annoyance that was once Peter Parker.

You going to blackmail us?

Thanks, but no thanks, we don’t need out dirty laundry to be aired out

Bastards.

Sure, they were right though. You were going to leak all their secrets out. Their software was used to spy on people in their homes, breaking their contract that had mentioned they would not do that. It helped that your guardian made sure you also got a minor in pre-law.

For the past 7 years, you were the one and only Arachne. The Crime Fighting vigilante, new to the scene, but taking over when Matt finally agreed it was time to hang up his horns.

The patrol was pretty quite that night, until that glitching Lizard started rampaging down the street.

“what the?” This definitely was not Dr. Cadence Conners. “Hey, Lizard Fella, DROP THE TRASHCAN!”

Landing on a light post, above the scaly humanoid, he stared up at you.

“Glowy Spidey?” His eyes slitted, as his long tongue licked his snout.

“Uh… kinda. Listen buddy why don’t-“

He threw the trash can at you. Causing you to let go of the lamppost.

“Okay, want to play dirty, let us play dirty.” Landing on the street, lucky no civilians around, you pulled out your batons and clicked the safety button. Electricity sprang alive to the metal and you charged.

Claws swiped left and light. Dodging and weaving, you manage to land a blow in the center of his chest.

ZAAP! And down he went. With a loud THUD and the whole ground around you shook.

“All in the days work” You chucked before you pulled out a hologram to call the authorities. That was until… he glitched. Green turning to purple, shapes surrounding him. Then he was back to normal. “The hell is going on in hell’s kitchen?”

“Oh, that’s where we are. I knew I was right, Ghostie!” A voice called from above you… and your froze.

No, no. It can’t be. That can’t be, but it sounds exactly like-

“Peter?” Your do a 180, staring up at the other lamp post.

There was a man squatting on top of another lamppost, just like how you do. The proper pouncing stance.

He stood in a skin-tight suit, the webbing of the suit was close to yours, and the same shade of red, with a pink bath robe on top with.. a baby Bjorn?

A slender woman was holding on to the post of it, leaning forward. Also in a skin tight suit. White with pink and black accents. Converse shoes on. Her hood was similar to yours, without the glowing blue LED.

“Uh, I take it you know me.. I mean my voice?” He swings down with a.. web-shooter. What?

He pulls of his mask and.

“I buried you.” Comes tumbling out. You pull him in for a bear hug. “How? How are you alive? And… why do you look so much older?”

He did, more wrinkles, and streaks of fading brown hair. He was… off. He wasn’t the same Peter.

“Oh… here’s the thing.” His face drops. And he pulls away. “I’m not your Peter. I’m from another Dimension. I’m a variant of…what was your peter to you?”

The woman swing down next to him, and delightful glee echos out. A baby was clutching not her shoulders. A toddler.

“Woah, hey mayday why don’t” Peter was cut off as the baby swung over and promptly sat herself down into the bjorn.

The woman took her mask off and…

“Gwen?”

“Oh, she knows both of us..” Peter sighed.

“When did you get an eyebrow piercing!” Your brother’s best friend from high school left town shortly after the funeral. She.. she looked younger. And her hair was slightly pink. “Wait… another dimension? No.. but..” As you fumble over the right words. They stare at you.

“You” pointing to Peter. “You’re not my brother.”

“Brother?” They both asked as the child giggled out and the swung over to you. Mayday.

“Mayday? After Aunt May?” Your eyes widen. This can’t be real. Your brother was dead, you didn’t have Gwen’s contact info, and you knew she would never get an eyebrow piercing. Hell, a second lobe was a BIG if for her. “Different dimensions? Is this… is this about this multiverse theory?”

            “It is Kid. “

“You… My brother talked about it a lot. He was into theoretical science, physics. He wanted to do that.”

“I’m sorry you lost him” Gwen speaks.

Staring down at the little girl in your arms, your eyes start to water.

Her joyful face drops and then she puts her tiny arms around your neck. A gentle squeeze.

Your brother deserved this life to have a kid, but never got it. Why not? This Peter got it.

“Why are you here.” You say as you gently hug the girl closer.

“For lizard over there.”

“A different version of Cadence Connors?”

“Yep.” Peter said. “We’re a part of a group of other People like us.”

“Spiders” Gwen simply explained taking a closer step. “But you’re gear…”

“I’m Arachne.” Extending a hand she shook it. “Daredevil taught me. He just retired.”

“Matt Murdock?” Peter’s Raises an eyebrow. Familiarity Rang aloud.

“Wait, Murderdock?” Gwen is taken aback at that. Fear raising her voice

“Wait, what? No, Matt doesn’t Kill. I don’t kill” You let go as the girl swings up to the lamppost above. “Sure, we hurt… and sometimes it’s a hospital visit for the other, but we don’t kill.”

“Woah, calm down the broth fo you” Better extend his hands as he tried to catch his daughter. ‘This is just another example of how the multiverse works.”

“And this multiverse has holes in it? Letting random rouges just fall through.”

“Essentially yes, and we” pointing to him and Gwen as Mayday was hanging of his bicep. “Are a part of a group that helps the ones that fall through back to their reality. Unfortunately, they don’t come willingly.”

You stare down at the Lizard.

“How many do you have? Currently, in this group?”

“Uh, twenty. Why?”

“How many multiverses are there?”

“Uh well one. If you mean dimensions… billions. Maybe Infinite.”

A smirk crosses your lips as you clicked your batons. Folding into one another they became the size of two pens. Putting the back in a pouch you smile up at the three newcomers.

“Need an extra Spider?”

[imgoingtofreakoutnow]

Radovid and Jaskier - "Extraordinary Things" scene analysis

I literally cannot stop thinking about all the Jaskier and Radovid's scene, but especially their second scene in 3x02 (so SPOILERS for everyone who hasn't seen it yet)

First of all the song... oh, THE SONG! I've seen many interpretations of the song, but I do think that it's not about Geralt and it is more directed to Radovid than what we might think at first.

Keep your words on ice Your gaze lights the fire

After the looks that they've exchanged so far, especially when it comes to Radovid, looking at Jaskier so intensely, I can't help but think Jask's at least a bit talking about him in that second verse.

The first verse on the other hand has an obvious connection to the following ones:

Why waste our words when lips were made for extraordinary things?

Once again, I do believe this is another verse directed to Radovid. Jaskier is very perceptive when it comes to people and I do believe he has noticed Radovid fascination with him, so I feel there's a small, small chance this was also a way to tease Radovid. Plus, when he sings this Jaskier looks directly at Radovid.

They say keep on playing nice But I have no desire [...] It's not a want, it's a need It is paying no heed To what others say to sing

These verses are, in my humble opinion, once again talking directly to Radovid, especially the first two, during which the camera focuses on the prince himself.

The following ones can also work for Radovid, if we consider the "singing" as a metaphor for what people tell him to do, but maybe I am reading too much into this... but media exists to be analyzed, right? So, moving on.

The greatest songs are made up Of unspoken words of love Of them, I’ve had enough

Obviously, this part does reference Geralt and the songs Jaskier wrote for him in the past, confirming that Jaskier has loved him, but that has now moved on.

Also, when he sings the first two verses, the camera actually focuses on Radovid’s reaction (who’s having either a gay panic attack or realizing that the bard was definitely in love with the witcher).

With you, I have enough

This verse is actually nothing special BUT when he says that, at the very end of the scene, you can barely see it but Jaskier, who was looking down while singing the previous verse, raises his gaze to meet (guess what?) Radovid’s eyes!

And I LOVE Radovid’s reaction to the following verse!

With you, I am enough

I feel like this could be either read as Jaskier saying that to Radovid but also as Radovid saying that to Jaskier, especially if you look closely at the prince’s reaction, who first looks away, then gulps down, and then meets again Jaskier’s gaze.

To conclude it all, we get that beautifully haunted and shaky I am enough, which I do think is entirely Jaskier just saying that to himself.

We all know he was treated like fucking shit in the past, especially last season, and it’s already a delight seeing the other characters treating him with the kindness he deserves; but I also think he’s still trying to come to terms to the fact that he’s just a human in the found family he’s found himself in. He has no magic, no super-abilities he could use to defend those he loves, and he wasn’t always treated nicely, as already mentioned. It’s obvious to think that deep down, he doesn’t feel enough. 

And by singing it in the way that he does, while looking at Radovid the way that he looks at him, Jaskier reveals a part of himself to him and him alone. And the small smile he has at the end seems like it’s almost saying: “Well, this is me” and I JUST LOVE IT ALL!

Plus, the way his bard facade immediately jumps back in when he ‘remembers’ about the other people in the room? Dammit, I adore Joey Batey’s acting choices!!!

(I won't talk about the rest of the song but that's also so heavily Radovid coded! Like: "Drop the sweet disguise"????)

Then he walks away (also, it’s pretty funny how the people in the room all try to touch him, as he’s some kind of Jesus) and, even though he glances at everyone in the room, you can tell that the way he looks at Radovid is different. He lingers on him as he walks by and even while the camera pans away from Jaskier to the prince.

We don’t see Radovid immediately after that, it takes a couple seconds before his face is revealed to us and OH BOI! That guy is SHOOK! He can’t even find the words to speak, even though I think part of it can be blamed on Jaskier, who (in the smuggest and sluttiest way possible) sits down and puts his shoes on the table. And I totally understand Radovid because yeah… Jaskier is HOT, no denying that.

But it’s also interesting to look at Jaskier because there isn’t just smugness in his eyes. There’s still attentiveness in them as he studies Radovid and I think that’s what I love most about the interactions of episode 1 and 2. They’re never just talking, they’re always dissecting everything the other does or says, especially Jaskier but this can also be seen in Radovid at times (like in the carriage at the end of episode 1).

Now we come to the scene that pushed me to do this long and useless analysis (and thanks to @i-seeaspaceshipinthe-sky for the gifs):

So, just before this scene, Radovid has stood up with no problems and walked over to Jaskier without faltering. But suddenly, now that he’s speechless, his stance falters. And it’s obviously to confirm the fact that he is drunk. However, Jaskier sees right through it.

The look on Radovid’s face when Jaskier says: “I would, except you’re not drunk”? The way he meets Jaskier’s gaze, his complete attention on him, while also still keeping a stance that could still be considered a drunken one (not entirely upright and slightly slumped)? *chef’s kiss*

Jaskier’s smile is not as smug as one would expect. It's almost soft while he's explaining to Radovid how he could tell he was not actually drunk. Jaskier is entertained; he's having fun revealing Radovid's lie. He's enjoying putting him on the spot because, even though he's the prince, Jaskier has the upper hand in their conversation right now (which he will also reveal to the other in a few moments).

And Radovid's not pissed. He lowers his head, as if he had been caught red-handed, with a smile. He doesn’t think much of it because he thinks Jaskier’s playing the same game he is, he thinks Jaskier’s flirting, so what if he understood that Radovid fancies him?

However, as soon as Jaskier starts talking about ‘seedy taverns’ and ‘great lessons’, his smile disappears. At first he is obviously just confused as to what those things have to do with – what he still thinks is – their flirtation.

That's also when Jaskier's smile disappears. His soft expression changes and becomes cold, in a way business-like. He was playing a moment before with a prince yet inexperienced (or that seems to be so) in the art of lying, but now he's actually showing the upper hand that experience gives him. He’s showing Radovid that he can actually read him and that he cannot lie to him. The happy facade is gone and now he's more determined than ever to have what he came for.

Again, Radovid’s reaction to that is perfect. When Jaskier stands up and walks towards him, talking about the ‘viper’s den’ he’s in, Radovid’s facade also changes pretty drastically. You can tell that’s not what he was thinking would happen. He now stands upright, raising his chin up, and he looks pretty pissed off (especially when he meets Jaskier’s gaze again).

Jaskier seems unfazed by this, keeping his head also high and asking for confirmation regarding the Rience’s ordeal he went there in the first place. And did his eyes fall to Radovid’s lips? Who knows!

Back to Radovid, the anger has left him. I mean, you can tell he’s still not entirely joyous but it’s not either about to kill the bard. He actually seems more fascinated than ever, especially when he speaks again (avoiding the Rience subject a second time).

After “Now I understand”, Jaskier smiles. It’s more a condescending smile than anything else though. He’s indulging Radovid, hoping to in the end get what he wants. However there’s still a glint of curiosity in his eyes.

And then Radovid answers (and again, love that before actually answering he hesitates), and as he does, as he says “[...] not who they pretend to be”, he looks Jaskier up and down, possibly subtly hinting at the fact that he sees who he pretends to be.

Following that, when his eyes go back to Jaskier’s, his expression is quite… sincere. Not weak but defenseless, as if he’s trying to show the bard that he means what he’s saying.

And Jaskier gets that, because you can see the little smile he tries to push down while lowering Radovid’s gaze since he stood up, which is just. so. ADORABLE!

When Jaskier asks: “And the rest?”, he’s not indulging Radovid anymore. He just wants to know, perhaps wanting to see what else this prince can actually see of him. And even though Radovid can’t tell yet what the rest actually is, the fact that he’s “determined to figure it out” means so much. It means he wants to stick around, something that it’s not a normal part of Jaskier’s life. He tends to be the one who sticks around, even when people don’t exactly want him around (ie. Geralt in S1), or the one people go to and only when they need help (ie. Geralt in S2). The other way around it’s new to him, but as we see, he can’t help but smile at the idea, a smile that once again tries to stop, because he still hasn’t entirely figured out who the prince is and wants.

Then Radovid finally gives him what he came for, bowing slightly his head as he assures him he will do what he can to find Rience, and the soft thank you that leaves Jaskier’s lips, followed by another one of those half-smiles. He really seems unable to stop smiling around Radovid, uh?

AND THEN, AS THE CHERRY ON TOP, RADOVID ASKS HIM (after obviously hesitating) ASKS HIM “DOES THE WITCHER KNOW HOW LUCKY HE IS TO HAVE YOU”??? SIR??? YOUR GRACE??? WHATEVER YOUR TITLE IS??? DO YOU WANT TO KILL THE BARD???

I love, love, love how this actually shows that Radovid was listening to the song (which was obviously talking about Geralt, as I said before) but not only that! He’s also saying that is not only enough, but he’s someone that a FUCKING witcher should be LUCKY to have around! And he means it, every word!

AND THAT’S WHEN JASKIER FINALLY SMILES??? SOMEBODY SEDATE ME!!!!

So anyway, that's pretty much it! Hope you enjoyed this unhinged analysis (which might have a second part? perhaps?)