#it sucks to have to come to terms with the fact

[goopgirlie813]

Welp, shit sucks. But we gotta get to work. Lets make the best of a shit situation.

Assuming that voting still matters in two years, we all gotta show up to the midterms. If we can flip congress then, we can reduce republican influence in the second half of the term. Even more than that though, we need to both persuade would be republicans to switch sides and persuade "I wont vote" people to get off their asses. We got two years, start strategizing.

First and foremost be watching the current government like a hawk. Talk about EVERYTHING they do and save all legislation decisions they make on a spreadsheet. Predict what will result, good or bad, and check in later. Make sure that EVERY bad thing they do is brought to attention so that people know exactly what our problem with them is. Make sure that if someone asks why you hate them you have an answer locked and loaded with references to back it up. All their faults need to be on full display.

Second, be pragmatic. Check your own biases. Learn to fact check. Make sure you know your shit on topic you care about.

Queers? Make sure you know your history and the reasons why different parts of the community ask for different things. Why is transition access important? Why are marriage rights important? What role do kink and sexual liberty play in the fight for queer rights? Learn about it. Talk about it.

Feminists? Read up on feminist history. How women's rights have progressed and why they were fought for.

Participate LOUDLY in every history month and visibility day. Make it very very clear why these issues are important.

And most importantly, remember that the goal is to grow support for progressive causes and erode the foundations of far-right fear rhetoric. You do not and cannot achieve that by name calling, insulting, mocking, relying on emotional appeals, demanding perfection over progress, or any number of other behaviors common in progressive spaces. We need to get our shit together. We need to be pragmatic. We need to learn to keep our cool and be realistic. We need to act mature and know what the fuck we're talking about. Not... whatever the hell has been going on up until now.

Shits gonna suck, but if we can support each other to the other through it lets make sure we come out the other end in one piece and with our shit together

Good luck

I love y'all <3

[amazinglyashy]

Hi! I was wondering if I could request a prompt where the reader is out at night with the LIs, wearing a pretty outfit, a man just approaches her and rudely asks “how much for a bj?” How would they react/protect her from such a creep?

(Sorry, for my English, I hope it made sense haha🤞🏼)

Very Minor N/SFW Warning!! This one really made me laugh because this has happened to me before, and the situation mostly pans out with my own partner having to yank me away to avoid having to post bail on me later in the evening. Remember to leash your dogs kids! Thank you for the request!! <3

LaDS men when you get catcalled/propositioned on the street

Xavier -

He's apologizing profusely to you because the ensuing bloodspray from how hard he punched the guy in the nose got on your dress and he genuinely feels awful about it.

There is not much to it, besides he acted embarrassingly quickly, to the point you wonder to yourself if he's just been silently waiting for this moment to come.

He's used to going out with you for drinks or evening dates- it's one of the more common ways for the two of you to hang out aside from spending the evening in one of your apartments with the other. Juggling work and clocking out with social activities would also mean walking late at night, to go to a movie or even on a snack run.

So needless to say, he has in fact, been mentally preparing himself for something like this to happen.

He can't help it.

He doesn't ever want to see you disrespected- he doesn't care the context. Work, family, friends-

And now, what, a stranger asking you for sexual favors?

You wait calmly with him while he speaks to the officers about what happened, trying to contain your giggles at how sheepishly he looks at the ground, his face still painted with the most adorable anger.

Zayne -

Quickly, he's pushed you behind himself and holding eye contact with the guy. It doesn't matter if he's drunk, or perfectly sober, Zayne won't excuse someone saying such a ridiculous thing to you.

He has his usual air of politeness and manners, but the bite in his voice is more than apparent, even to someone who doesn't know him. Dressed as nicely as he is with the air he carries around him, it's a weird experience for those who don't know how protective Zayne can get.

He will tell the man to give you an apology and back off, or there will be consequences.

You know what those consequences are, and despite feeling smug about how protective Zayne is, you're trying to grab his arm and stop him, to no avail.

If the creep tries to reach for you, Zayne will back up into you to force you back gently, and the man will quickly realize that he can't reach forward anymore-

Even as Zayne walks away with you, the ice is still creeping up the man's body. Slow enough, but still moving.

Hopefully an OTTO calls for help in time. Hypothermia at night would suck.

Rafayel -

He's immediately between you and the guy, hand long since dropped your own as he crosses his arms and stares the guy down.

If you hadn't known him so long, you would expect him to fire off a tirade of insults and comments at the guy- but you know Rafayel. You know him well.

He tells the guy to back off, in the most simple of terms as he glare is enough to set the man alight- and Rafayel's evol does just that when the guy doesn't seem to back down- lighting up the shoulders of his clothing and causing him to flay around screaming, as Rafayel pulls you to keep walking.

The amount of tasteful compliments on your attire rise, and you know he's doing it to keep you from internalizing the earlier interaction and stop dressing how you want.

He doesn't need some random freak to keep you from expressing yourself how you want to. Of course, he'll always find you attractive, and the little outfit you're wearing is doing numbers to him, but that's not his focus here at all.

He wants you to feel comfortable, confident-

And he'll do everything in his power to make sure you always do.

Sylus -

I am not entirely sure the man who's asking you has finished his sentence before he's slammed once against a nearby building and then released.

Sylus makes no motion to indicate that it was his doing, continuing to walk along with you to wherever the two of you had been going in the first place-

But you knew.

You had seen his stupid red mist envelope him.

For a second, you'd been scared that he was going to kill the guy- and while you knew someone who was comfortable saying such a thing to someone needed to be put in their place, 'murder' was not at all the same as 'putting someone in their place'.

No, he was just slightly- sort of- broken.

Just a bit.

Sylus won't react much, he may give a passing comment about the man, but otherwise, he's back to complimenting you or conversing with you about whatever subject you two had been discussing prior to the creep showing up.

"Sorry, sweetie. I know you don't like bugs. I tried to handle it as... efficiently, as possible."

[leah2eroes]

ok full transparency its gonna be a little while until im ready to start posting fresh nsfw content. this has nothing to do with staff coming after me; they can suck it. its more that i just need some time to ruminate on like. my options here

im like jobless and teetering on the edge of homelessness so ive been trying to cultivate a big enough following to do more sex work content, as a means of survival. but i guess even that is a sickening balancing act of exposure. cant get too big cuz youll get termed. cant stay too small or youll have no audience

anyway whatever. commission work opening soon i hope. and ill make a drive link to as much of my older content as i can salvage. i love you all <3

it feels cheap to plug my ko-fi while theres attention on me right now? but i do in fact need to eat soooo

[feargender]

I think this perspective is mainly informed by living for the majority of my life in red states, where the touch of a democratic federal government was rarely ever felt, but here’s a tip:

We all need to stop relying on presidents to save us. I’m not saying don’t vote, I voted! I vote in every election, not just the presidential election. But look at it this way. Migrants were still being detained in border prisons along the Mexico-US border under Biden. Obama saw us through war in the Middle East. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade under Biden. States have continued to restrict eligibility for Medicaid and other welfare programs. Many southern states have become essentially inhospitable to trans life. The wheel of fascism doesn’t stop turning just because someone wearing a blue tie is sitting at a fancy desk. I am not talking about whether or not it will be “worse” or “better”, whether the wheel turns slowly or quickly. I am talking about the fact that the United States government is inherently a destructive and oppressive system, and no one person can change that.

The communities we form to defend ourselves and each other from a fascist state cannot be based off of or beholden to who is in the Oval Office. Go to that pro-Palestine event, volunteer your time with local grassroots organizations that matter to you, show up to that school district meeting where they talk about transgender students. When the cops show up at your house, Kamala won’t help you. The neighbor who comes over in her pajamas and robe to back you up will. When you can’t afford your medications, and you’re ineligible for your state’s Medicaid, there is not a democratic president in that moment who will fix this for you. Maybe it’s on their docket, but for right now, you’re broke and need those meds. You’re better off knowing what phone number you need to call to have a public health worker scrounge up some vouchers and coupons for you.

If the public transportation system in your city sucks, go find out who is in charge of that and bother them about it. If you are worried about over policing in your community, find a local abolition group and see what they want to do about it. If there isn’t one, find another leftist organization and stir up interest. If you’re seeing a lot of homeless people on your way to work, find out what’s wrong with the shelters and if there’s anyone you can support who is trying to fix it.

I feel like a lot of people associate the term “mutual aid” with cashapp links. Or they think that hating the current political system is all you need to be a leftist. If you don’t connect with your community, online or in person, through one form of political action or many, you will never see the revolution you’re waiting for. You’ll never know that change, good or bad, is happening all around you if you only count it when it happens due to a new presidential administration. It’s ok to fret! I’m worried!! I’m worried about the presidency and Congress and the Supreme Court. But realistically, there’s not a ton most individuals can do about that. I cannot make my vote count toward the presidency from within my red state. But I can improve my local community by knowing what the propositions at the bottom of my ballot mean.

[lovelystarkersworld]

summary: Peter has the hots for his aunts boyfriend, little does he know the man feels the same way

warnings: not smut but mature! has finger sucking and cheating! if you see any mistakes, no you don't

word count: 3.1k

𖦹ْ ꓸ 𖥦 ✧ ˚ ࿔ · ִֶָ.՞ ˗ˏˋ༻ʚ♡︎ɞ༺ˎˊ˗ ִֶָ. · ࿔ ˚ ✧ 𖥦 ꓸ 𖦹ْ

Peter met Mays new boyfriend over dinner one day and was completely struck because he did not expect her new man to be the Tony Stark, one of the finest men that he's ever laid eyes upon. He would hate himself for thinking about how attractive the man was but he couldn't help it, Tony had been his celebrity crush for years at this point. But nonetheless, he pushed it to the deepest part of him brain because the guilt would eat him up otherwise. The entire dinner he's fighting the urge to check him out and making sure to keep his tongue in check, not wanting to slip up and comment on how attractive he was. He would let his eyes trail over his biceips hungrily, not aware of the fact that Tony could feel his eyes on him but just wasn't saying anything out of respect.

By the end of the night, Peter knew he was completely screwed. Not only was the man incredibly hot but he was also so nice to him and May. He wanted to jump the man's bones and treat him right. That thought alone made Peter want to crawl up in a hole, how could he have developed a crush on the man that had made May so happy these past couple of months? He felt almost traitorous for having such large feelings over him. Peter made sure to make his interactions short and sweet, not risking anything. Even as he bid the man goodbye, he stood a good feet away and gave the man a wave.

That night, he stared up at the ceiling in turmoil. This was bad. Very very very bad. All he could think about as he tried to sleep was how good Tony looked with a band t-shirt that squeezed his muscles and outlined his torso. Thinking of how nice it would feel to trail his hands up the shirt and feel the warm skin against his own. To have the man sitting on the couch and straddle those delicious looking thighs. To kiss him messy and hot until they were both gasping and moaning into each others mouths. He could imagine himself grinding against the older man, hard cocks pressing against their zippers almost painfully. Peter would get so frustrated with these thoughts and he would grow so hard he couldn't ignore the problem for long.

The first time he touches himself to the thought of Tony, it was after the man had decided to take both of them out to a fancy restaurant for dinner. Peter didn't have many fancy clothes so he wore an old tuxedo he had bought for high school prom but the older man wore a beautifully well fitted Tom Ford suit that sat on the man's body perfectly. It accentuated the meat on his bones, his thighs and ass being cupped by the tight clothing. But what really did it for him was how the sleeves of the suit were rolled up to his elbows. Peter had watched as Tony held out a hand to help May out of the car, eyes soley focusing on the veins of the man's hands and the way his arm flexed.

A month in and the poor boy was suffering. He couldn't exist around Tony without getting unreasonably horny and having to dismiss himself early so he could take care of his growing problem. Thankfully the guilt was no longer eating him up inside, he was coming to terms with the fact that he couldn't control his feelings no matter how hard he tried. He could even stand being in the same room alone with Tony now! Which was a major success in the boys mind.

Peter sighed heavily as he got dressed for the night. Usually he didn't care too much about what he wore but Tony was coming over tonight and no matter how much he wanted to say he didn't care about how he looked around him, he did. He cared very deeply how he looked around Tony. Though he didn't make it obvious how much he cared, only dressing in a tighter than necessary black t-shirt and jeans. Something presentable but wouldn't draw attention to his outfit. Well any attention that he didn't want, a part of him wanted Tony to notice him and how nice his figure was. Sure he felt slightly guilty for his thoughts but he was also a horny eighteen year old, the idea of the older man pinning him to the nearest wall and taking him was growing into a need. It was dangerous how much his mind convinced him he needed to be fucked by Tony. He needed to feel Tony's body weight on top of him, to feel of warm hands trailing over his body.

He heard a knock at the front door and the familiar sound of his aunts voice greeting the man that haunted his wet dreams. Peter stood in front of his full length mirror and ran his hands through his fluffy curls a few times. He adjusted his shirt, cringing at how nervous he was over something as simple as saying hi. Peter heads to the living room and gives the older man a small smile, "Hi Tony." He spoke, not aware of how much his voice seemed to sweeten as he spoke to the older man.

Tony was speaking to May when he heard footsteps walk into the room and that adorable voice greeting him. He turned around and smiled over at Peter, "Hi Pete!" He says, more than happy to see the cute boy again. Now, Tony had never thought he was a good man. He had a nasty reputation from the work his company used to do and not to mention the long list of leaked videos his publicist had to clear off the internet and he'd ghosted one too many hook ups but never once did he think he would only be dating someone because of who their nephew was.

Okay don't get him wrong, he didn't start dating her with that intention! He genuinely found her incredibly beautiful and entertaining but once his eyes fell on the younger boy, he knew he was screwed. Peter had the sweetest doe eyes, the prettiest pink lips he imagined kissing more times than he'd like to admit, with brown curls tousled on top of his head. Tony wanted nothing more than to run his fingers through it and tug on it as the boy went down on him--another thought that plagued his mind at night.

Peter followed his aunt and Tony into the kitchen, more excited to be able to secretly check out the older man than he was to eat the meatloaf May had made. Thankfully she had gotten better at cooking so they didn't have to wash it down with soda, they could actually semi enjoy their meal. Whenever Peter spoke, it was directly to Tony and it wasn't intentional. He just couldn't help but want to hear the man's voice more often so he tried to engage in conversation when he could.

His eyes scanned over the man's large muscles, imagining how they would flex and tense as he held himself up above him. Like usual he could feel his dick stirring in his pants. Due to teenage hormones, a simple nasty thought would plague his mind and suddenly it was impossible to erase. It would become the only thing he could think about and his mind would spiral from there, moving to the thought of the man's thick fingers wrapped around his neck or spanking his ass raw.

Peter and Tony tried to help May clean up the kitchen but they were quickly rushed out, she was always picky with how things were cleaned so she much rather preferred to do it alone. As they walked into the living room, Peter realized they were going to be alone and he inhaled a small breath--he could do this. Peter couldn't help as his eyes trailed down to look at the older man's tight butt as he walked in front of him into the living room.

Peter should excuse himself soon. He was already getting hard in his pants and he knew it would get dangerous if he stayed out here for much longer, not knowing what his horny mind would do if they were alone for long. He should say goodbye right now and let the man wait for May alone but the devil on his shoulder urged him to sit down on the couch and finally get some one and one time with him. He's moving forward and sitting down quickly after that thought, "I can see why May likes you so much." He saying before he could think.

Tony turned to look at Peter with raised brows. He sat down next to the other, a respectable space between the two. He knew he shouldn't indulge whatever that was but a little flirting couldn't hurt right? He's seen the boys looks before and he's not stupid, he could tell what was running through that young mind of his. Plus if Peter responded negatively, he'd just play it off as a joke. He was Tony Stark, he was known for his flirtatious personality. Like he's said before, he never said he was a good man. He accepted that the first night he rubbed one out to the boy when he was showering.

"Oh?" He smirked and leaned back into the couch, "What's to like about me, Pete?"

Peters face was flushed a light pink as the realization of his words truly set in and it only darkened when Tony flirted with him. Oh god, he shouldn't be doing this. May would be hurt if she ever found out, "Well you're funny for starters." He's answering, eyes glancing towards the where the kitchen sat. The sink was out of sight so they had some privacy so Peter scooted just a bit closer, "You're smart and hansome." He trails on.

Tony laughed softly and tilted his head to the side a bit, "Don't stroke my ego too much now." He joked lightly, "Handsome, huh?" He hums and unknowingly leans in closer to the boy. The tension was beginning to grow thick between the two as they looked each other in eye throughout the conversation.

Peter smiled and nodded, too horny to think about May now. The only thing on his mind was prying information or a conversation he could use to help him cum later, "Very handsome." He says earnestly as he continues to scoot closer and closer until they were only a few centimeters apart, "Especially when you dress up in a suit."

Tony inhaled a soft breath as Peter met his energy, he wasn't expecting him to if he was completely honest. He thought Peter would be more shy with any type of flirting but clearly he was wrong as the boy was initiating moves on his own. Not that he thought Peter was this awkward, shy boy. No, he was more nerdy than anything else but he was just surprised at how easy Peter seemed to flirt back with him.

"Well, I can say you look just as good when you wear one." He said honestly, "That night we went out for dinner, you looked incredibly delicious in your suit." Tony whispered lowly, his breath fanning over the younger boys lips as he waited for his words to process in the others mind. It was noticeable when he did, the flush on his cheeks flooding down to his neck.

Peter let out a giggle and tilted his head to the side, "You liked how I looked?" He asked like a school girl with a crush, "Glad to know you were looking when I tried so hard." Peter admitted

They were so close, he could just reach out and touch him. Tony spared a glance behind him to the kitchen to ensure May was still out of sight before giving into his wants and reaching out to cup the boys cheek, "I pay attention to a lot of things you do." He whispers lowly, "Like how you love to watch my arms as we eat." Tony let out a laugh at the boys widening eyes, "Yeah I noticed your looks. You're not subtle as you think. Oh-no don't worry," he says as he notices the boy shying away, "I'm not mad that a cute boy like you checks me out."

He lets his finger move down to gently trail over the boys bottom lip, watching as the boy let him tug it down slowly before letting it bounce back up into place. Peter looked up at Tony with his brown eyes and decided to bite the bait, taking the man's thumb into his mouth and sucking on it softly.

Tony inhaled a sharp breath at the view of Peter taking his thumb into his mouth. He let him suckle on it a couple times before moving his hand to instead slip in his pointer and index finger, watching intently as Peter began to bob his head up and down. He sucked on the fingers earnestly, pretending it was the older man's cock in his mouth. He even swirled his tongue around them, truly getting into the moment as his filthy thoughts were finally answered.

Peter couldn't believe what was happening, his dick throbbing hard in his pants as he sucked on the older man's fingers. He couldn't help the small moan that slipped past his lips as he felt the tips of them reach further back, thankfully not deep enough to make him gag which would defintely pull the attention of his aunt. Peter reached a hand down to squeeze his crotch, whimpering lowly at the feeling.

Tony could feel his own cock beginning to stir in his pants at the stimulation to the pads of his fingers. He watched as drool began to pool at the sides of the boys mouth and had to physically hold himself back from pinning Peter down to the couch and fucking him right then and there. The knowledge that his girlfriend, this boys aunt, was so close yet so far only sent a thrill throughout his body. It made the entire situation that much hotter.

The sounds of saliva squelching and Peters soft moans were the only noise surrounding the living room until Tony spoke up, "You look absolutely beautiful with your mouth full." He whispered to the boy, careful to keep his voice low so they wouldn't get caught. He felt a moan viberate around his fingers and God did he wish it was his dick that was stuffing his mouth.

Tony pulled out the fingers slowly, eyes never leaving his pink lips. He can't help it anymore, he leans forward and pressed his lips against Peters hungerly. He moaned out softly at the taste of the boy, hands moving up to cup his face and pull him in impossibly closer to the kiss. The kiss was hot and messy, lips moving against each others in need. He only pulled away when his lungs were burning in need of oxygen.

Tony panted softly and looked Peter in the eye, "You have no idea how long I've been wanting to do that for." Tony said honestly between breathes. His thumbs began to stroke the others cheekbones softly as he awaited the others response.

Peters face was flushed bright pink after the kiss and his words. He couldn't help the giggle that slipped his lips again, "That makes two of us." He says with a big grin on his face. Peter glanced down at the older man's lips and bit down on his own, debating leaning forward and pressing another one to his lips. He turned his head to check the corner again and when it was clear he turned back to Tony and pressed their lips together in a passionate kiss. He didn't try to hold back his eagerness, almost crawling into the others lap.

Tony's hands found the boys hips and pulled him in close until he was straddling the older man's lap. They shouldn't be this risky, May was just a room over and could walk in at any moment but neither of them could find it in them to care. Tony let his hands slide down to palm the boys plump ass, squeezing it between his fingers roughly.

Peter moaned into the man's mouth at the feeling of him rolling and playing with his ass. He let his hips rolls forward in need of friction to himself or he would go crazy. He opened his mouth more, inviting Tony's tongue into it which the older man happily complied. They kissed wetly, the noise too loud for comfort considering how easily they could get in trouble. Tony swallowed down every noise the boy had to offer him, storing each one to help him later. He helped guide the boys hips back and forth, grinding him up against his abdomen to draw out more sweet moans.

"You boys got oddly quite." The familiar voice rang through the house followed by the sound of footsteps. Peter jumped back and out of the older man's lap at the woman's words, now standing a suspicious amount of feet away from Tony. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and flattened his shirt nervously as May stepped into the room.

Tony sat on the couch and cleared his throat before chuckling nonchalantly, "Oh, Peter was having me read a paper he wrote for class. Isn't that right?" His head turned to the boy and looked at him.

Peter blinked a couple times, "Oh-uh-yeah!" He pulled his phone out from his front pocket and made a show of waving it around, "He was just-reading a paper-yup." He laughed and shoved the phone back into his pocket, "Well it was nice seeing you, imma head up to do some homework." He used his thumb to point back towards his room.

May nodded slowly, "Okay, don't stay up too late." She calls out as the boy hurried down the hall. She laughed and turned to Tony with a smile, "That was weird."

Tony laughed and nodded in agreement, "Maybe he's just not feeling well." He shrugged. He was putting on a good show though guilt sat in his chest. May didn't deserve this, she was such a kind person. He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her lips and that's when he knew how truly fucked up he was. As they kissed the only thought in his mind was how much better this would be if she was Peter, the boys lips felt so much better against his own.

It wouldn't hurt to keep this going for just a little bit right?

[antianakin]

You are ABSOLUTELY not alone in that sentiment! At the very least you've got me, too! It definitely makes the most sense for the clones to look around as they are learning what it means to even BE a person and tend to lean towards the only person willing to speak to them and guide them and answer their questions (and there isn't a single Mandalorian who would ever do the same). I'm going to put the rest of this under a cut since it's getting long.

I've read plenty of posts about what attachment actually means in Star Wars (I've made a few myself, or at least addressed it in plenty of posts about the Jedi over the years), and I totally agree that the clones do also seem to hold similar values to the Jedi in terms of attachment, even if it comes from a very different (and arguably somewhat less healthy) place. It's not even really that they move on quickly, because part of the reason that seems to happen is more a matter of how the TV show is structured (TCW does not allow for anything to have any long-term impact on any of the characters, major events aren't discussed again once the episode/arc ends). For me, it's more seen in how clear-headed they seem to be about their situation, how aware they are of how much their situation sucks but they also recognize that if they DON'T fight, then they'll still suffer the consequences and helping protect innocent people is still the right thing to do. This is basically exactly what Rex tells Cut during that episode The Deserter. He also says something similar to Ahsoka in season 7 about how complicated the clones' relationship is to the war since they wouldn't exist without it, but none of them LIKE it, either. That recognition that they can't change the universe to suit them but that it doesn't mean they can't do ANYTHING is very Jedi-like to me.

I do think that the clones probably have a very different relationship with death than many other species simply because they'd have been raised to expect that they'd all die young and once the war starts, so many of them DO die that it would likely impact how they approach relationships. They don't seem to steer clear of relationships ENTIRELY (or at least, Cody and Rex don't seem to do so), despite how likely it is that those relationships might not last very long. It clearly does impact them when people they care about die, since Cody and Rex have that conversation in season 7's Bad Batch arc about all the people they've lost and how hard it is to be the one that survives in a war. It DOES impact them to see their own killed, it has a long-term effect on them as the war drags on, but Rex himself has said that his beliefs mean that he can't just walk away from the war, either. The only way his loved ones and his people stop dying is to do everything in his power to END the war. And that, again, is an extremely Jedi-like approach to this kind of situation and to the war itself. It's entirely possible that the Jedi helped them be able to reach this conclusion, that their guidance and openness about their OWN values and philosophies could've helped Rex learn what HIS values are. We do see Anakin helping guide Rex in an emotional moment during the same Bad Batch arc in season 7 of TCW, although I'd be willing to bet that Rex probably benefited more from Obi-Wan's guidance than Anakin's in the early days.

Obviously there is the fact that the clones seem to practice non-attachment in part because they've had no choice in entering this war and they'd likely go insane if they didn't learn how to let go to some degree, so the circumstances that led to the clones doing this isn't ideal, but that doesn't mean that the connection between their values and the Jedi's values isn't there and wouldn't help make that bond even deeper.

With the "found family/adopted family" thing for Mandos, my experience of it in the higher canon seems to indicate that it still follows VERY nuclear family guidelines (one Mando adopts their specific foundling and now they are considered parent and child, much like with Din Djarin and Grogu). This isn't really something the clones can emulate very well. There obviously are different generations of clones, but they aren't the ones choosing to produce more clones, and they likely aren't encouraged to create familial bonds with each other that way. We do also see older clones helping take care of younger ones sometimes (99 obviously has some sort of relationship with the Domino squad, there's a red-uniform clone leading a group of younglings to safety on Kamino once, and an older clone taking care of the group of younglings brought to see Mace and Anakin's ship), but even 99 tends to think of himself as a "brother" to the other clones, no matter how much older he might actually be. He is NOT their father nor do any of them really seem to see him as one.

And this, to me, might also be another way the clones and the JEDI can connect. The Jedi also don't really emulate nuclear family bonds. Jedi appear to be raised in groups when they're very young and are raised by several different adult Jedi. Then at some point when they reach teenagerhood, they presumably get chosen by a Master and become a Padawan. A lot of people see Master/Padawan relationships as very close to parent/child, but as we see with several of our canon Master/Padawan pairs, it's not always quite that clear. Anakin refers to Obi-Wan as "like a father" to him, but Obi-Wan calls Anakin his "brother" later. It's possible the relationship developed from one to the other over time, it's also possible that the two of them simply see their relationship differently. They're only 14 years apart, so it's not QUITE enough of an age difference to be obviously parent/child, but it's much larger than most sibling relationships. And also of course Anakin has already HAD a parent in his life that he still remembers as his parent (and he had the beginnings of a more parental relationship with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan was Qui-Gon's student, which muddies the waters even more). And there's Ahsoka and Anakin who are only 6 years apart or so and thus WAY too close in age to ever really be in a parent/child dynamic and they tend to be written with a more sibling-like relationship in mind (and I believe Ahsoka refers to him as her older brother to Trace in season 7). There's a comic where Obi-Wan is asked if Anakin is his son and Obi-Wan's response is "He's my Padawan," indicating that it is a DIFFERENT relationship to a typical parent/child relationship. It is something wholly unique.

And that's kind-of how I tend to see clone relationships with each other, too. They call each other brothers ("same heart, same blood" as Fives says), but it does seem to encompass something closer to "brothers in arms" than a more literal definition. But of course, they ARE clones and they DO share the same genetics for the most part, and that clearly does impact their relationships with each other, too. Their relationships with each other MIGHT have some familial aspects to them, but they also might end up feeling pretty distant since there are millions of them and they obviously don't all know everybody. Maybe some of them feel closer to other clones than anybody else, maybe some of them try to create more distance so as to better express their individuality. It's never going to fit into your basic nuclear family formulas. Maybe sometimes it gets close, maybe some of those labels can feel appropriate enough, but they'd also be something entirely and wholly unique to them, DIFFERENT from the way anyone else understands those same labels.

I like taking those "artificial" elements to the clones that could be viewed as similar to the Mandos and making them super unimportant to the clones. Specifically the armor, because the Mandos are basically defined by it. I love making headcanons that the clones barely care about their armor. They would never swap armor as a declaration of affection (romantic or otherwise). Their armor isn't SHIT, but it does get damaged and lost, so it seems a little silly to use it that way. They can't get attached to their armor any more than they can get attached to anything else. It's a practical thing to them, not a sentimental one. It also isn't something passed down through hundreds of years and multiple generations of their family the way it is for the Mandalorians. It was likely made new just a few years ago at most and they're likely the first one to ever use it and the chances that anyone would end up using THEIR armor after they died seem pretty minimal. The armor is also representative of the war they all feel such complicated things about and I like thinking that, in a happy fix-it AU, VERY VERY FEW OF THEM would keep it and plenty of them would actually destroy the armor as a symbol of their freedom.

And like with the language, there's never any indication they know it or care about speaking it, but we DO see a couple of them asking Obi-Wan about a TWI'LEK word once. We know they travel a lot and probably do have some level of interaction with locals sometime, so maybe instead of using Mando'a words, they start picking up fun words from other languages around the galaxy. Maybe they end up using a mishmash of different words from different languages and each battalion ends up with their own "dialect" almost depending on the words they learned from their various missions. They obviously are trained enough not to use them in formal situations, but it's something that comes out in their downtime maybe.

I love both the ideas about clone food, either that they have the worst creations known to man that only they could enjoy OR that they intentionally always make the blandest food possible because it's what they're used to and it's almost like comfort food to them.

One of my clone food headcanons was that the clones actually really lean towards FUSION food options. For the Jedi, we know that they obviously have a culture full of different species, but their food options might end up just full of different options of dishes from the cultures in the Order. It's not a FUSION of cultures so much as it is just a lot of variety. But the clones don't have access to all of the ingredients or equipment to manage that, so they have to make do what little they DO get. Much like with the language, I also like to think that they sometimes are able to pick up a few random food items from the places they visit and then try to figure out how to incorporate them into dishes with whatever else they've got. They're likely not trying to replicate an entire dish they've had (if they've even had the opportunity to try a whole dish), but just trying to figure out how to cook maybe one specific fruit they found or seeing if this thing that looks like a nut might make for a good garnish of sorts. And some of them could end up coming out really bad because they don't always know what they're doing, but they slowly start to learn and some of the food they create is actually REALLY GOOD, it's just... not from any one specific culture because they had to combine like flour from Ryloth and some fruit from Rodia and some of their own protein rations to try to create it. It's different, it's not BAD, but it could range from best thing you've ever eaten even though you couldn't explain what it tasted like if your life depended on it... all the way to just being a straight up acquired taste kind of dish.

And that's what clone cuisine ends up being known for because they refuse to be relegated to only one kind of food, they want to try EVERYTHING and see how it works but they have to make do with the ingredients and knowledge that they have. And in happy fix-it AUs, they would just continue to do that even after they DO have access to tons of ingredients and equipment and recipes. They COULD replicate specific dishes if they wanted, and maybe to do that sometimes too, but they also just love experimenting with different ingredients and flavors and seeing what happens.

I've decided that Rex is the one who paints Kanan's eye mask with his bird of prey design.

Kanan's feeling pretty low still just after Malachor, he's still distancing himself from everybody, and Rex decides to go try to talk to him at one point and the first thing he comes up with to say is to point out that his new mask is pretty plain. It's awkward, he regrets it immediately, but then Kanan says that it gets the job done and Rex is abruptly reminded of himself so so long ago back at the beginning of the war.

He sits Kanan down and tells him a story about how, at the beginning of the war, only a few of the clones had paint on their armor, to designate things like rank and battalion in order to make it easier for officers to find them in the middle of a busy battlefield. The paint was practical and it was limited to a very select few. But the Jedi almost immediately started trying to encourage the clones to utilize the paint less sparingly, suggesting that maybe everybody could wear at least a LITTLE paint and use more individualized designs so that it was still easy to tell the commanders and captains apart from the others when needed.

Some of the clones had taken to it with gusto, but others had been more hesitant, and Rex remembers having been one of them. He remembers telling Obi-Wan that there was no real REASON to paint everyone's armor and especially not to come up with personal designs. The armor was practical and it served its purpose with or without the paint and special designs. But the Jedi had insisted on at least TRYING to come up with his own design and if he didn't like it, he could always take it off, so Rex had given in and chosen something to paint on the armor. And, somehow, it felt a little lighter the next time he put it on. It didn't erase the horrors of war or the pain of loss or anything like that, but it helped.

He tells Kanan that the mask right now is just a reminder of the pain of the injury and whatever other feelings he's still got all caught up in the Malachor mission (guilt over what happened with Ezra, grief over Ahsoka's loss). But if he puts his own design on it, it might turn the mask into something other than a constant reminder of something bad. Instead, it's a reminder of who he is, the combination of the person he once was and who he's become. He is more than just his injury or this mission and he can use the mask to declare that if he wants to.

Kanan says he never realized Rex and the other clones had cared so deeply about their armor and Rex says that the armor itself was meaningless. It's better than what's being handed out to stormtroopers, but not but a LOT. It was the design on it that had meant something and, more than that, it was what the design REPRESENTED: having a choice about how you were perceived by others.

Kanan asks why Rex had chosen his particular designs, the bird of prey eyes on his helmet in particular. Rex explains that he chose it because he liked birds and thought it looked cool, but he's kept the helmet for as long as he has because it's come to mean something ELSE now. It's not just a cool-looking design, it's a reminder of a better time in his life. It's a reminder of when he'd been a part of something greater than himself, with the other clones and the Jedi. It's a reminder of a time when he'd had hope that he and his people could one day come out the other side of this war towards a brighter future.

Kanan looks at the mask he'd grabbed from storage somewhere or something just to keep light from hurting his eyes as they recovered and to cover up the injury from other people's stares (even if he couldn't see them staring), then hands it to Rex and asks if Rex minds sharing that symbol because he'd like a reminder of that, too. Rex remembers the 332nd and their helmets that they'd painted to look like their chosen Jedi, almost blindly giving away their individuality in favor of that loyalty that had been stripped from them anyway. And then he looks at Kanan, choosing to make himself look LIKE REX, someone who had shared his face with millions once, because he wants to honor both the connections he'd lost as well as this new connection the two of them have built together now. And Rex says he'd be happy to share.

[the-jesus-pill]

You’ve got to forgive yourself for being traumatized and needing to learn how to function again. 

Recovery isn’t always nightmares and depression, it’s forgetting to eat, being scared of what others might see as completely normal things, it’s getting random panic attacks, not knowing how to take care of yourself, not knowing how to live like an adult, even if you’re twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, of feeling like you’re failing to function in a world where everyone seems to have their shit together. 

If you need help, ask for it. Go to forums and ask for advice. Take advantage of community resources. Buy pre-sliced veggies and fruits, eat instant meals if you can’t cook for yourself today. Hire someone. Ask a neighbor for a favor. Buy any item you think might make life easier, even if you feel like you aren’t ‘disabled’ enough to have it. 

Some of the depression posts (ie open your windows, take a shower, go outside, call a friend) are really helpful but they’re not always enough. I’ve found advice for spoonies, people with chronic pain or other disabilities have the best tips because they know what it’s like to be bedridden, out of energy, stuck in a brain fog. 

You may never return back to the energy you had when you were younger and you might always need to use crutches to help you through life. It’s the same with medication. 

Trauma is a real thing that happens to you, it physically alters your brain and it’s alright to have lasting scars. 

You’re not broken, your life is not over and you can still be happy. 

It’s not your fault.

[rox-of-iu]

no thought only MQF in brain* (*even more than usual yeah.....)

ok lads listen up. i love allllll Mu Qingfang designs ok? all the interpretations are cool and valid and dear ok BUT. whenever I personally try to draw MQF without a 'stache he just looks to me like a first-year med student ok hjdfhkfd

but anyway. when i was scrolling around and being completely normal about MQF i saw a lot of ppl say stuff like 'this is my 'mqf is actually pretty' agenda' and its alwaysss about peeled mqf SO I HAVE A POINT TO PROVE OK. mqf with a moustache can be also a prettyboy ok?? i can prove it 😭😭

so here are my qingfangs where i turned up the babygirl vibes to absolute max as i could hsdfjkhdskfh 💜

[ermuellert]

hard to come up with funny lil coping posts when all i can think about is how bayern has had so many seasons to prep for the impending transitional period where we have to reconstruct following the departures of a lot of our key core players and here we are at the end of thomas's second to last season and we are probably in the worst position we could be in ! great.

[opens-up-4-nobody]

...

[bunnyboy-juice]

blah blah blah blah blah

[naes-dairy]

I guess the root of my problem is that I feel really out of place everywhere.

[parelmoer]

.

[toxicshipsincorporated]

I feel like people are equating neonazis trying to co-opt a movement that was started by a group of people who have been driven from their homeland by the acts of a violent colonial state as a way to 1) delegitamize the movement because it benefits and validates white supremacy and white supremacist ideology that says all non-whites are at their core evil violent animals but also 2) appeal to the anti-semetism that is baked into a lot of Western peoples' core beliefs and reality is the same as white supermacist groups endorsing someone like Donald Trump.

You might say, oh well that is the same! And I would say, you have no spine and have zero desire to actually fight for a better future and are instead interested only in crown yourself and your own group as the most moral and best team on the playing field.

We should 100% take steps to protect young folks (and frankly old folks) entering into the activist scene from falling into white supremacy and anti-semetism. A lot of people (in particular Western and white ppl) need to be vigilant as they join the cause for Palestinian liberation and freedom to keep in check the anti-semetism AND islamophobia that has been taught to them practically since birth.

But for me, to say that neonazis and white supremacists would seek to scout in pro-palestinian movements BECAUSE being pro-palestinian makes you anti-semetic is islamophobic and I'll even go so far as to say anti-black because of the strong connection that Black American civil rights activists have to Islam and to Palestine.

[verytendou]

Looks up wikihow for what to do when you realize your office has 5x the amount of budget of every other executive office combined

[chadsuke]

Books Read in 2023:

Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don't Know You Have by Tatiana Schlossberg (2019)

Fully Automated Luxury Communism: A Manifesto by Aaron Bastani (2018)

You Suck, Sir by Paul Bae (2014)

Utopia For Realists: How We Can Build the Ideal World by Rutger Bregman (2014)

Revolutionary Petunias by Alice Walker (1973)

Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier (1999)

Twelve by Twelve: A One-Room Cabin Off the Grid & Beyond the American Dream by William Powers (2010)

Windfall: The Booming Business of Global Farming by McKenzie Funk (2014)

The Environmentalist's Dilemma: Promise and Peril in an Age of Climate Crisis by Arno Kopecky (2021)

[ID: Covers of aforementioned books. End ID.]