#it's just. it's the betrayal of it all and the hurt an the pain and the fear that you won't be able to end the cycle

[milkoomi]

⋆˚࿔ a new canvas means a new you 𝜗𝜚˚⋆

a mini series on the art of becoming a better you

inspired by this podcast i watched recently !!

chapter one — THE ART OF LETTING GO

letting go is one of the strongest and bravest things we can do for ourselves. whether it be letting go of toxic relationships, bad habits, or simply just things that no longer serve you, being able to do something like that will help us grow stronger and create a better life for ourselves. i’m sure there’s so many things, or even people, that have been weighing you down or hindering your own progress, so take that first step and let. them. go.

ᥫ᭡. things/people to let go of

bad friends/partners

toxic relationships, whether romantic or platonic, are extremely hard to free yourself from, but you have to put yourself first. you are always your number one priority. if you believe in “treat others how you want to be treated”, then you should believe in making sure others are treating you the way you want to be treated. you can always give and give to the people in your life, but relationships are a two-way street, babe. you can’t give your all when the person or people you’re giving too isn’t giving anything in return! don’t continue to expend any more of your energy on those who won’t even consider trying to give you even an ounce of energy back. it’s not worth it.

when you’re in a toxic relationship, you start to realize how poorly you’re being treated, but because you want to try and fix the relationship or mend it somehow, you stay. and staying is one of the worst things you can do for yourself. while you try and try to fix something that you aren’t even responsible for fixing, you just keep hurting yourself over and over; making yourself even more miserable in the relationship. and you don’t deserve that! you don’t deserve to be treated poorly time and time again, you never deserved that kind of treatment to begin with!

let them go. leave. free yourself from the constant heartbreak, betrayal, and pain. you’ll lose yourself if you stay, and i know that you’re trying to find a better version of yourself, so if you stay you’ll never find that person. you’ll keep getting lost and you’ll keep getting further and further away from your own happiness that you do deserve.

“but how do i leave?”

if we’re talking toxic friends: distance yourself. put distance between you and them until you’re too far away for them to reach. keep conversations short, keep responses to a minimum until you eventually have gone so far that they can’t find you anymore.

or simply: cut them off, immediately. block them on everything. instagram, twitter, tiktok— all social media. block their number. block them out of your life for good. they don’t deserve to see you, to hear from you, to have the chance to try and speak to you; they do not deserve you.

if we’re talking romantic relationships: send them a message. whether it’s a letter you send to their house or even through a text, send them a message. if you do it through text, do not feel any remorse for doing so. there’s this whole idea of “if you break up with them over text, you’re a coward”, and in most cases i can see that to be true, but if you’re in a relationship where your partner does not value you, respect you, or even love you the way you’re meant to be loved then they don’t even deserve the courtesy of an in-person break up.

sometimes we’re put in situations where even sending a message may seem impossible because our partner has taken too much control over us. when this kind of situation happens, we have to put our foot down. if you feel like you have no control, even over yourself, you need to leave. you have to do whatever it takes to leave because you should never, and i mean never, be put in any kind of situation or relationship where you feel like you have no control over yourself. you should never stay in a relationship that makes you feel trapped or that makes you feel scared to leave. you are allowed to leave no matter what anyone says.

additional note: if you are ever put in a situation where you feel unsafe in a relationship, please reach out for help. whether it be your family, a friend, or even an authoritative figure, please reach out for help. you do not deserve to ever feel unsafe by someone who’s supposed to love you.

negative self-talk

most times we are our own worst enemy. there have so many time where i’ve put myself down with extremely hurtful words— words i would never say to someone i loved. if i wouldn’t say those awful things to someone i cared about, why should i say them to myself? we need to let go of talking down on ourselves. the more we put ourselves down with hurtful words, the more we let our insecurities take over and eventually consume us.

we have to be kind to ourselves. at the end of each day, we only ever have ourselves. you need to always have your own back! talk to yourself like you would to someone you love! talk to yourself with love.

negative self-talk gives more energy to those who try to hurt us. the more energy we put into hurting ourselves, even more energy will put into those who feel like they have power over us. do you really want someone who puts you down feel like they have so much more power over you? no, right? then, please, use that energy to bring more confidence and power into yourself. the only person who should have power over you, is you. use your own power to bring yourself up, not bring yourself down.

“but it seems too hard, where do i start?”

applaud yourself for making achievements no matter how big or small! did you make your bed today? then congratulate yourself! did you get a promotion or raise at your job? then tell yourself how proud you are! it doesn’t matter what the achievement is, if you accomplished it then you deserve more than a pat on the back from yourself. always take pride in your work, always treat small wins as the biggest win of the day, always tell yourself that you are so proud of who you are becoming and what you’ve accomplished.

compliment your appearance, makeup, or outfit! maybe your skin’s been improving, so you should look in the mirror and say “hey, you have really beautiful skin!” or maybe you snapped a pic of the makeup look you just did, then you should say “wow, i’m really talented at doing my makeup! it turned out great!” or maybe you put together an outfit for your day, then you should say, “i made a really great choice in my clothes today! this looks so nice!”

treat yourself with kindness, care, respect, and love. you need to uplift yourself to feel like your best self! literally, just talk to yourself. look in the mirror and have a sweet conversation with yourself and just admire who you see in the reflection.

sometimes we have to fake it til we make it, and honestly? it works! even if you start out and you feel like you’re lying to yourself, still do it. do it until it finally starts to feel real and then keep doing it from that point forward.

feeling embarrassed

we live in a day and age where everything that anyone does is labeled as “cringe”, and it’s exhausting. now, people feel like they can’t be who they are without feeling like they’re being “cringe” or without feeling embarrassed for being themselves or taking part in things they enjoy.

you should never feel embarrassed for being who you want to be or for enjoying things that genuinely make you happy. let go of feeling embarrassed! you are allowed to have fun and be happy being yourself. don’t ever let anyone make you feel like you can’t.

i always like to think, “well, if someone thinks i’m ‘cringe’ then they must not know how to have fun with their own life!” because that’s more than likely the truth! people will feel threatened by those who exude confidence in what they enjoy and who they are and those people will do anything to project their own insecurities onto others. it’s never anything you’re doing that’s wrong. what’s wrong is the fact that some people just can’t stand seeing others thrive. let yourself be someone that those haters can’t stand to see thrive.

i’ve said this before, and i’ll say it again, be unapologetically yourself.

ᥫ᭡. how to let go

letting go just means detaching yourself from the things/people that have held you down. it means to simply stop caring. i know i said “simply”, but of course it isn’t all that simple. this is something you have to work towards!

emotional detachment.

when you bring yourself the inability to attach your emotions to something or someone, you practice emotional detachment.

now, in some cases, emotional detachment may not be a good thing, but when you’re practicing or in the process of letting go it’s best to emotionally detach yourself from that thing or person.

acknowledge and reflect on your emotions! what do these things or people that you want to let go of make you feel? sadness? anger? frustration? grab a journal and write down all that you’re feeling. acknowledging and being aware that there are things/people who are making you feel a negative emotion is a great first step to emotional detachment. you’re being made aware of your feelings, thoughts, and emotions that are a result of the things/people you want to let go of— and that’s a good thing! it allows you to see how you’re still attached and helps you think “well, i don’t want to feel this way anymore” and will begin the next thought process of how you will start letting go of those particular feelings.

set boundaries! now that you’re aware of how these things/people make you feel, you can start setting boundaries for yourself. with people, like i mentioned earlier, you can create distance or even block them. of course, you can always try to set a boundary with that person, but remember: if they cross your boundary and continue to cross it, let them go. you put these boundaries in place and whoever it is that you are setting boundaries with needs to respect them just as they would want you to respect any of theirs. when it comes to setting personal boundaries for things like the ones i mentioned above, it’s the same idea of cutting off what makes you act on that negative self-talk or gives you that feeling of embarrassment. blocking hateful people on social media, unfollowing accounts that don’t make you feel good about yourself, and/or taking a break from social media and making more time for yourself in the real world.

focus on self care & yourself! after you’ve set some boundaries, whether it was with yourself or with others, start putting in more time focused on you. focus on things and people that genuinely make you happy, consume content that makes you feel good whether in general or makes you feel good about yourself, and practice self care! as i said in the beginning, you are always your number one priority. your happiness, your peace, and you overall should always come first in your own life.

ᥫ᭡. final notes

this is “the art of letting go” and art is always something you have to practice so that you get better at it! take your time and be patient with yourself. letting go isn’t an uphill battle, there’s going to a lot of ups and downs and feelings of uncertainty or even anxiety and fear, but i know you can do it! i know there isn’t a single thing that you can’t accomplish for yourself! you are capable of change and you are more than capable of becoming a a better version of yourself for yourself.

with lots of love, juno ���

[celuere]

when our hearts break

interlude for Tangled Hearts

pairing: arlecchino x fem!harbinger reader

cw: arle pov time chat, massive hurt with 0 comfort, yearning lesbians, roughs sex, strap-on, pathetic arle, she is very bad with feelings your honor, maybe a lil ooc 

everybody go thank della for inspiring me to write this totally not heartbreaking piece! this is also just a short interlude chapter ncjdwkbnfkjnvnvrj

“lady arlecchino, your skills on the dancefloor are truly remarkable…“

“is that so…? you flatter me, lady isabella…“, snaking one hand around the woman‘s hips, the harbinger led todays target over the dancefloor as if it were her last. the only reason why the knave bothered to even be near another woman on one of the fatui gatherings was simple. intel. lady isabella was none other than the little sister of one of nod-krai‘s most influential men. and she needed those informations. badly.

the bitter looks you threw into her direction almost every few minutes did not help masking the bitter taste on her tongue. the taste of betrayal. you did not talk ever since your… „break up“ three weeks ago. if you could call it that.

she will never forget how the light left your eyes on that very day.

she will never forget how the children‘s shoulders sagged in disappointment at the information of your sudden dismissal. and she never hated herself more for it.

oh, and don‘t forget the looks of disapproval she has to endure from tartaglia.

„i… was wondering…“, placing a hand into arlecchino‘s neck, isabella slowly leaned in, lips nearly away from touching.

„what has been on your mind, doll?“, calling anybody else by that name who wasn’t you felt like dagger being rammed right into her spine.

„my hotel is just down the street…“, crimson x‘s following isa‘s finger running down her chest as her mind grew quiet.

that was actually not part of her plan at all. but given her situation… blowing off some steam…

her eyes found yours for the last time this evening, eyes wide as if you heard every single bit of their conversation. 

„what is your room number.“

a shiver was sent down the knaves back at the nails dragging over her skin. the naked woman underneath her moaning with each drive of her hips into her. my god, you were taking her so well with your leg thrown over her shoulder, one plea after the other spilling from your lips as she made sure the tip of the dildo was kissing your cervic with each thrust of her hips against yours.arlecchino‘s moved instinctively to your thigh to rub over the scar that graced this part of your body from an injury when you were still just teenagers under „mother‘s“ care.

you loved it when she cherished your scarred body, taking her time time to kiss and caress each one of them.

„[name]… fuck…“, you were taking her so well, moaning right into her mouth as your lips clashed together.

but the skin where your scar was supposed to be was as smooth as silk.

„hah… b-but my name is isa-“, those pair of teary eyes also didn‘t belong to you.

her arousal vanished as quickly as it came at the cold realization of the reality she found herself back in as she angled her hips for the tip of the strap to hit the woman’s sweet spot and shut her up for good.

„you must have misheard me.“, the taste of her still lingered on arlecchino’s tongue and she hated it. she hated how it wasn’t you she was currently fucking. it wasn‘t you was moaning her name on repeat. but she needed to somehow relieve herself. as long as she could somehow delude herself that she was indeed having sex with you, the world was alright. 

arlecchino pulled out of the lady underneath her, drawing a pained whine from her as she flipped her over onto all fours. she couldn‘t stand to look at this strange face any longer. she ignored the missing beauty mark scar on her back. ignored how high pitched her voice was compared to you. a problem that quickly resolved as arle scolded her to tone it down. despite how hot her blood was running, the knave felt as cold as ice. at least she didn‘t complain about her fast pace.

soft, calm breaths filled the room behind the harbinger as she was sat on the edge of the bed, her bottom lazily covered by the blanket a she stared daggers into the wall.

a gaping hole in her chest where her heart was supposed to be.

never wanted she someone to slap some sense back into her so badly. at least she got the intel she needed from isabella, gotta think positive or something like that. celestia held her for a fool for good.

you might hate her.

but she will always hate herself more.

[ktyekmrf30]

With GMMTV series I always have a clear distinction. When it's a adaptation of a popular novel, I'm quite aware while watching that the script was completely rewritten by the different team, and in most cases it was for the better (it took a lot of effort to make on screen a green flag characters for My School President and Star in My Mind characters and I really mean it, I hope all the scriptwriters got a bonus for how much effort they put into making the couples' relationships in these series healthy - unlike the novel). So yes, I quite clearly separate the characters from the series from those written in the novel. For my sanity and faith in my favorite characters. They're are two completely different people for me.

But there are series where they wrote the script and the novel appeared as an addition and based on the script and team's notes (NLMG, Kidnap, ThamePo). In this case, I perceive the novel as an addition to what the director does not have time to tell about on the screen due to reasons. So this is just something canon about characters for me but unseen in the series.

And with ThamePo? Oh God, my heart cries for Po.

source

I assumed from the first few episodes that he was in a toxic relationship, but I didn't realize how abusive it was. And how much it destroyed Po as a person and now I feel like I looked at him with new eyes.

What hurts even more now is how much Po hasn't lost faith in people and how much his bright naive soul wants to help Thame reunite the group, even if it means he might end up getting hurt again, especially after such a big betrayal from his ex. And that scene where Po remembers Jun's words about how Thame would forget about him once the group reunites? Now it hits me in a completely different way because at that exactly moment Po in his mind was trying to deny the fact that he had met someone like Earn again. Because he had faith in Thame. May sound stupid, but it's just so inherent in his character. And because he and Thame aren't that close at this moment, it wasn't the pain for him, no. It was disappointment. And not so much in Thame but in people in general. I understand him, I experienced it once too.

And that's why the moment when Po decides to enter into a relationship with Thame will be so precious to him. Not only because he decided to start relationship with an idol knowing that it would be hidden and it would be a secret relationship again (like with ex). For him it was also a matter of trust, fear of the situation repeating itself, the question of what he is worth and what he has achieved as an independent human being and how he cannot lose this with new relationship again. Because it will destroys him.

And I can't even begin to write how angry I am about everything involving Earn now. I hate people like him. Uncle Joei and Baifern's words about him make so much sense now after knowing all of this, and yes, that asshole at least needs to go bankrupt in the finale. It's not enough for me to think that Thame is going to punch Earn in the face one day, to protect Po I need a gun.

[shybluebirdninja]

GHOST: PART 1

Summary: Logan seeks solitude in the mountains, haunted by his thoughts of Jean and their future, but a sudden scent drags him back to memories he thought he'd buried — you .

Pairing             : Logan Howlett x Ex-Gf!Reader Genre              : Infidelity, Angst, Fluff, Smut

The cabin door creaks as Logan steps inside, his senses already tingling. There’s a smell in the air — faint but unmistakable. It’s not the scent of sweat from a hard day’s work or the typical tang of metal from a mission gone bad. This is something else, something primal. Jean. And Scott.

He isn’t sure what’s worse: the nagging feeling in his gut, or the fact that it’s not even the first time he’s been right about it. He grits his teeth, his claws itching to come out, but he holds back. Logan’s been patient with Jean. More patient than he’s ever been with anyone. He tries to be what she needs, what she says she wants. But it’s never enough.

Pushing open the door to the back room, he freezes. The sight hits him like a sucker punch to the gut. Jean. On her knees. And Scott Summers, her former flame, standing in front of her, shirtless, hands gripping the back of her head.

For a moment, Logan just stands there, eyes burning, a rage bubbling deep inside him. It’s a slow, creeping anger, the kind that doesn’t explode all at once but simmers, threatening to boil over at any second. His breath is heavy, fists clenched so tight his knuckles turn white.

“Jean,” he growls, his voice low, rough like gravel.

She startles, her eyes wide with shock and guilt as she jerks away from Scott, who fumbles to pull his pants back up. The silence that follows is thick enough to cut with a knife.

“Logan, I—” Jean begins, but Logan cuts her off.

“Save it,” he snaps, stepping into the room, his boots thudding against the floor, each step full of menace. He looks at Scott, his lip curling in disgust. “How many times, Jean? How many times have I given you a fuckin' chance? And this is what I get?”

Jean stands, trying to straighten herself out, but the damage is done. There’s no fixing what he just saw. Logan’s eyes are locked onto her, but it’s not love or concern in his gaze this time — it’s pure, raw betrayal.

“I… I didn’t mean for this to happen,” Jean mutters, her voice trembling. Her eyes dart between him and Scott, searching for something to say, but there’s nothing. Nothing that’ll fix this.

“Didn’t mean for this to happen?” Logan’s laugh is dark, bitter. “Bullshit. You think this is a fuckin' accident? You’ve been playin’ me, Jean. Playin’ me like a damn fool, and I’ve been letting you.”

Scott, ever the Boy Scout, tries to step in. “Logan, it’s not—”

“Shut the fuck up, Summers,” Logan barks, turning his glare on him. “You don’t get to talk. You… both of you… you’ve been doin’ this behind my back, huh? All this time, and I’m supposed to be okay with it?” He shakes his head, the anger simmering just beneath the surface. His claws are so close to unsheathing, but he forces himself to hold back.

Jean takes a shaky step forward. “Logan, I never meant to hurt you—”

“Then why the hell did you do it?” Logan’s voice is raw now, a mix of pain and fury. “I’ve been patient, Jean. More than patient. I’ve put up with all your shit, tried to be what you wanted, but no matter what I do, it’s never enough. Is it? Always gotta be Scott fuckin’ Summers.”

“I’m sorry…” Her voice is barely a whisper.

“Sorry? You’re sorry?” Logan’s jaw tightens, his voice rising. “This ain't the first time, Jean. You think I haven’t noticed? You think I’m blind?” He gestures between her and Scott, his chest heaving with barely-contained rage. “How long, huh? How long have you been sneaking around like this?”

Jean’s silence says more than words ever could. She looks at the ground, unable to meet his gaze, and that’s all the confirmation Logan needs.

“Fuck,” he mutters under his breath, running a hand through his hair. He takes a deep breath, trying to control the anger swirling inside him, but it’s no use. The room feels like it’s closing in on him, the betrayal cutting deeper than any wound ever could.

He points a finger at Jean, his voice cold. “You think you’re in love with him? Or are you just too damn scared to be with someone who ain’t a goddamn poster boy for the X-Men?”

Jean’s eyes fill with tears, but Logan doesn’t care. Not anymore.

“It’s not like that, Logan,” she whispers, her voice shaky.

“What’s it like then, Jean? Tell me. Explain it. Make it make sense, ‘cause I sure as hell don’t get it.” He’s breathing hard, trying to keep himself together, but the cracks are starting to show. “I’ve done everything I could to make this work. I’ve been loyal to you, put my ass on the line time and time again. And this is how you repay me?”

Jean steps closer, reaching out as if to touch him, but Logan recoils like she’s venomous. “Don’t,” he warns, his voice sharp. “Don’t even try.”

Scott stands there, looking like he wants to disappear, but Logan’s too focused on Jean to care about him right now.

“Every time I turn my back, it’s him, huh?” Logan shakes his head in disbelief. “I shoulda known better. You and Summers… you’ve always had somethin’ going on.”

“It’s not like that,” Jean tries again, her voice breaking.

“Bullshit,” Logan growls, stepping back, his eyes hard. “I’m done. You can have him, Jean. Go back to your golden boy.” He throws one last glare at Scott. “Hope you’re happy, Summers. You can have her.”

Logan storms out, slamming the door behind him so hard the whole cabin rattles. His chest feels tight, the weight of betrayal pressing down on him, but he doesn’t let it show. He’s Wolverine, after all. He’s used to pain. Used to getting hurt.

But this time, it’s different. This time, it cuts too deep.

[starlsssankt]

There is no expression showing on Aleksander's stoic face, dark eyes piercing at Nikolai and if one didn't know how to catch the brief flickers, they'd miss those little things that hinted at the cracks, the parts of the mask that--no matter how many lifetimes he'd lived, no matter how many names he'd donned--still seemed to fracture.

He says nothing at first in response to Nikolai's comment, that poke at the past. Oh a part of Aleksander wants to dig into it, to tear those wounds open over and over, make them bleed all over again. To reopen what had never truly healed, never truly scarred. To bring it all rushing back to the surface, because it still simmers right there; they both know it, Aleksander is sure of it.

Nikolai had accused Aleksander of wanting to hurt them, of wanting to cause them pain, and he had no reason to (truly) deny it. Even if he wouldn't verbally admit to such, of course, Aleksander had known there had been a thread there, from the very beginning; that thread of wanting to make the world experience that betrayal, that pain, that grief--

Whatever it was. Vengeance, perhaps. He hadn't cared what they called it because as far as the histories were concerned, he'd always be the monster.

❝ Oh I've forgotten none of it, ❞ he murmured, finally breaking that heavy silence even if Aleksander's lips barely move when he speaks. Eyes so dark as they remain piercing Nikolai, his shoulders shrug as if this entire conversation doesn't carry the weight that it does. The history that it does.

The chasm that exists between them--of a past and so many what could haves that fill the bottom of it--

❝ But tell me this. Did you ever figure it out? The truth of who you really are. Do any of them know the entirety of the real Nikolai--or just that mask you present to them, even now? ❞

Because if they knew the truth of you, you'd be as much the monster as I.

HE CAN feel it - the way they both want to hurt the other . they've given up on making the other see , so they'll settle on making the other REGRET instead .

the sound that comes from nikolai is far too derisive to be called a laugh . a hero , aleksander says . to an extent ? maybe . but flawless ? UNCORRUPTED ? the demon in his chest stirs restlessly , just like he's sure aleksander meant it to .

there's the slightest of quirks on nikolai's lips at aleksander's particular choice of words but there's little actual amusement in the expression .

❝ hm . i suppose it has , ❞ he murmurs quietly . ❝ but isn't that what you think ravka has always needed ? ❞ he turns quarter way , head facing the other man . ❝ maybe i'm not the sparkling second - son - turned -brave - king they all think i am . but then - - - i never was , was i ? surely you haven't forgotten . ❞ it's the closest he'll come to actually bringing it up , this beast of a past between them .

[transmechanicus]

Really fucked up that two ppl can care about each other and make their best efforts to communicate and still end up hurting each other so badly they cannot stand to be in the same room.

[iniziare]

Following my usual daily ventures on X and Tumblr, I realized that there's two things that I wanted to address/bring up. So, as per usual: spoilers. /echo, echo.

— The Fade prison is still failing. It needed replacement (which is referenced on several occasions, but a big one is during the memory with Mythal that expands on the DAI scene), and nothing in current lore tells me that this has changed in any way: it's still failing. Nothing I can find says that it now being bound to Solas, who is decently weaker than Elgar'nan, magically 'resolves' that issue. Therefore, his 'atonement' doesn't automatically equate to an 'eternal imprisonment', even if Lavellan's choice of words for going with him include 'forever', for she simply doesn't know what she's walking into or for how long, and instead enforces this tether to him from the deepest form of trust one one else could ever find (heartbreak.mp3). The atonement lasts as long as Rook decides as they hold the dagger, or until the Veil falls on its own. But that touches on another topic briefly: if you want to 'punish' Solas the most, or longest— though this ending is 'kindest' (not quite), it is the one that keeps him in the prison the longest. The dagger trick (this warrants a post on its own, and it's the only one I have writing beef with, character 'bias' aside), or the worst ending(s) all send the lyrium dagger with him, which, has you wonder if he's then simply given the opportunity to slice into the Veil, and slip out. Does the prison need a host, if said host holds the lyrium dagger? And even if he couldn't what could he do from inside after 'Pride' has been taunted, and 'punished' (in Rook's, and the audience's eyes), since again, he is in possession of his dagger? There is no atonement here, only resentment from a spirit that is now even closer to finding its fully perverted nature of a Pride demon. So I think if speaking morally across the board, which option is really 'for the greater good of Thedas', instead of personal resentment (though understandable)? But in that, I like that we're repeatedly told that we don't know, and we're making it up as we go. Out of all protagonists, Rook's personal journey of mental development is the most intriguing to me, and arguably (in my opinion), is the most 'human' in the sense that I think they give us the most relatable options of choice, understandable/relatable resentment being one of them. But anyway, I digress: if the atonement ending isn't chosen, then I definitely think the story isn't quite concluded, even though I don't believe that it ever really is.

— Blood magic. No, Solas has no loathing for the nature of blood magic at its essence. He stated so very clearly back in DAI during a conversation with the Inquisitor in Haven, and the bit of the conversation that pertains to my point goes as follows: 'Magic is magic, just as water is water, but it can be used in different ways. (...) Dalish magic is more practical, not needing Chantry approval, although they still frown on blood magic. Superstition.' And when you ask him to elaborate, 'You said censure against blood magic was a superstition...' He adds: 'Most modern cultures forbid blood magic. Publicly, even Tevinter disapproves of it. But as I said, magic is magic. It matters only in how it is used.' And yes, I can already hear it, I know exactly what point will be brought up (lucky me, I found a video that touches on this exact topic that showcases both scenes): and I want to say firmly that no, this is not a retcon, nor is it Solas changing his mind, nor is this a total and utter lie (he rarely, rarely lies that fully, and clearly). He simply states that he abhors the use of it, as in— he, himself, despises using it; which is why he so firmly says no to Cole, when the notion is brought up in DAI. Now yes, he did employ the use of blood magic in relation to Rook (the extents, I need to do research on, as it's obvious that Solas absolutely winged that part of this 'plan', but all of it is also a bit flimsily written due to, for starters, the details that Varric shares being incredibly personal at times, but I digress), and I see so many on X and whatnot complain of how this means that 'Solas changed his mind', no— what it intends to show you, is the ferocity with which he believes that he, and only he, is able to fix what he broke. The game intends to show you that over, and over again, and it is to prove just how far a spirit can be pushed from where it started. And no, stop approaching Solas as if he is your regular elf next door, or anything but exactly what he is: a spirit. Trying to sway a spirit from its nature is incredibly difficult (we'll go into Mythal, and the nature of his care, and devotion to her that started the journey of his spirit's perversion, another day), and that is literally the explanation behind what people are calling an 'inconsistency'. It's called desperation, but more so, the strength of a belief, or more specifically, how far something that is akin to being... the 'personification' of a belief can go in, well, its own belief. I think Solas has proven that one can go very far. The perversion of spirits, and the reality of what demons then truly are, is a tragedy that Dragon Age has been trying to prove to us for years. It doesn't take away the wrongs that they can do once they get twisted, but it's tragic, because spirits are benevolent; serene, and peaceful at their core. And it's kind of heartbreaking to know that something so purely good, can be pulled from that nature.

[twpsyn-who]

Excuse you, where is my "Stiles and Isaac has been secretly dating for a year before Scott got bitten" fanfiction? You know, the one were their relationship got challenged when Stiles began lying to Isaac and finding excused to not meet up, all to help his best friend and co. with everything going on? In which Isaac gets into a big fight with Stiles before he gets turned, which makes things ten times worse when Isaac finds out his boyfriend knew about the supernatural and have been lying all this time? You know what I'm talking about.

[my-current-obsession]

I VERY rarely do this kind of thing but I have to rant a little about this hp drarry fic. Mostly because I have a lot of thoughts and feelings about it, but said thoughts and feelings are very mixed so I couldn't bring myself to leave a comment since I don't want to come off as hating/critiquing, but I have to vent about it SOMEWHERE.

I really enjoyed it in the beginning, and I want to say I ultimately still like it. But I WANT to love it and just can't, because it frustrates me. Literally every person in this fic, including all of Draco's friends and even his mother, is on Harry's side of the situation. And that just isn't right.

I understand that "everyone" can see that Harry is in love with Draco and wants to be with him, which is why they keep trying to steer Draco towards him, but personally I think the conflict and onus to fix things is very much on the wrong person.

I don't care how obvious Harry supposedly is. There is a difference between being obvious and being explicitly clear. It should not be up to Draco to magically REALIZE Harry has feelings for him, it should be on Harry to clearly, explicitly tell him. If Harry wants to be with him so badly he needs to put his feelings into words instead of just implying things.

Because OF COURSE Draco wouldn't realize how Harry felt when he was so explicitly rejected before. Why the hell is it on the person who was hurt - possibly even heartbroken - to figure out that the guy RESPONSIBLE for that hurt actually DOES like him now so they can be together?

The entire conflict of this story comes down to Harry's inability to clearly confess his feelings and Draco's inability to understand them WITHOUT said clear confession. And that sucks because the rest of the plot and the character writing is SO fun and engaging, but I feel personally wronged by this conflict and the fact that literally everyone keeps trying to push Draco at Harry instead of seeing his viewpoint and going either "well, Potter screwed up and has missed his chance now" or just freaking confronting Harry and making it clear that he NEEDS to confess or Draco will never understand because he was so badly burned by him before that he's completely blind and/or willfully ignorant to the idea of Harry ever loving him, and no amount of just flirting will break through to him.

To be clear, I'm not inherently against fics where the conflict is just that the pining idiots won't admit their feelings. My frustration here is that Harry is BLATANTLY pining and making moves so clearly he wants to make something happen with Draco yet STILL doesn't do the obvious thing of just confessing. It's one thing to withhold your feelings if you DON'T want the other person to know or your relationship to change. But Harry DOES, which makes him sitting on his confession and getting hurt every time Draco doesn't notice his dangled hints upsetting.

Basically, one or both parties having a chronic case of Cannot Spit it Out is fine, but here, where one party is clearly pursuing the other but the other is oblivious? In general that's fine too but this fic has a REASON Draco is oblivious. I feel like it makes perfect sense NOT to expect/want anything romantic from someone who rejected you before, so since Harry made that bed now he has to lie in it.

Maybe it's a stretch, but this to me feels lowkey like victim blaming. It's clear that Draco liked Harry in the past and was incredibly hurt by the fallout of their one-night-stand, yet rather than sympathizing with him or trying to make the relationship happen on Harry's end, everyone in his life is just telling him to trust Harry now and that he won't be rejected. Which then led to him opening up just a little bit before a misunderstanding happened that led to him getting hurt and feeling rejected AGAIN.

I really do want to love this fic, but as someone who has BEEN hurt and rejected, I just don't understand how everyone in Draco's life can side with Harry. I don't understand why it's up to Draco to realize Harry loves him without being told, instead of up to Harry to verbally convey that.

[regulusrules]

AU merlin fic idea that after dotd, merlin saves arthur and he is alive and okay. HOWEVER, arthur is so broken from the lifetime of lies and could no longer trust any of those around him and refuses to accept merlin's "betrayal". this taints their relationship so much that merlin would be so brokenhearted and would lose faith in everything he wished they could have had. at the same time, arthur's knights would begin to tell merlin how undeserving he is of this treatment, how bitter the king has turned, and how this is subsequently ruining camelot. they begin to formulate a plan to kill arthur, and merlin is so heartbroken and in despair from the idea of having to live the entirety of his life with his arthur hating him, so without thinking he goes with them and is the last to stab arthur in the heart (bc mhiry has this impact on me) and at that point arthur would just look at him with such shock and grief and lost love that all he would be able to say is,

“Et tu, Merlin?”

and falls in merlin's arms

[leecherish]

.

[myatlantispoets]

the originals/mikaelsons really said "our family bond is a curse it is our biggest strength our parents didn't make us monsters we did it to ourselves we don't have to repeat our parents' mistakes we can break the pattern we're broken and damaged beyond repair loving any of us is a death sentence you've broken my trust more times than i can count i'll be by your side always and forever

[lightspren]

pretty sure that I, by completely fucking devil sponsored coincidence, got Actually Sick right when I got a covid shot (or else was lowkey sick and the shot made it Highkey)

cause yeah my asthma has been acting up for a week so something could’ve been hiding out. And the tiredness, chill, and pain when touched are all to be expected for me from the vaccine. But I’m pretty sure a covid vaccine should not give me a congested nose and sinus drainage (which in turn is causing a sore throat).

so that’s nifty!

[angorwhosebabyisthis]

realized ricky is not only canonically polyam, but rep for polyam survivors who are abused for being poly, and i am having a lot of feelings about that which i plan to write up a post about but also wow in hindsight it put some shit from an abusive ex-friend into perspective.

[quietwingsinthesky]

laying on the floor thinking about franziska & miles….

[its-tea-time-darling]

i cANNOT stop thinking about thomesa, esp. bookverse