#its not necessarily a sense of humor thing but

[thecherrygod]

i love meeting weirdos and freaks on my phone bc i feel i cant be like that with people i meet irl. i have a friend and sometimes we send eachother shit and hes like "this is weird/fucked up/dark humor" kinda thing and like... for the first two its never like that but like whatever we dont know eachother enough to know the limits, and the dark humor isnt exactly funny imo.

idk how to tell this guy, that ive met in class, that im just a kinda horny dumbass and that my sense of humor relates to that. like babygirl id send you that blowjob ninja post i rbed not too long ago but yet again whats the fucking limit

[bwat5-blog]

Pivotal moments for Caitlyn Kirraman

**Spoilers for all of Arcane**

Much Like Vi I wanted to do a run-down of the moments for Caitlyn's character I see as showing us who she is/having the biggest impact for her character. As always I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read these as well all celebrate these amazing characters and story. I feel Caitlyn's arc was massively under-appreciated in season 2 by the fandom and hope this lends itself to backing that up.

*Side Note- I'm doing these in order in her life not necessarily how we see them in the show*

Helping Jayce:

We are not granted a lot of time with young Caitlyn when compared to say, Vi or Jinx, which makes sense of course given the focus of the story. However, what we are given perfectly demonstrate the bedrock of who we come to know. She is shown as bright and curious and eager, helping him carry supplies to the lab. She is also shown even at a young age standing up for Jayce to her parents, sitting out in the rain to speak with him, and as shown above, identifying herself as a misfit. Now on the surface its easy to say she falls into the "rich kid who doesn't belong" trope. But as we come to know her she is truly so much more than that.

Who Do You Shoot For?:

Building on Caitlyn's compassion and defiance in the face of the system she is born into, we have her shooting competition with Grayson. First of all we just get a glimpse into the tough, skilled marksman she will become. But going deeper, we have her interaction with Grayson at the party. Once again she demonstrates that ever-so-polite defiance, humorously confronting the sheriff of Piltover for letting her win. But its their conversation after that's important. The sheriff tells her being skilled with her rife means protecting people, and Caitlyn must decide who she is shooting for. I would liken this to Vi's lessons with Vander. Because while we see Caitlyn go through so much pain and darkness, ultimately when she finds her way back who is she? A leader will go toe-to-toe with anyone for those she wants to protect. For those she shoots for.

The Airship incident:

This our first real moment with Caitlyn as a character and it tells us several important things about her. Leading up to it, we learn her parents disapprove of her being an enforcer, and manipulated her posting to keep her close by for which she is resentful. This is not surprising, as we come to learn her genuine drive to help and make a difference. She goes to investigate the airship alone. We see her detective's mind at work for the first time, playing out the incident. We then see her interaction with a massive, tattooed undercity criminal who is wounded. She is kind, gentle and respectful despite her role as an enforcer. Furthermore, when Marcus confronts her, he says she's interfering AGAIN. Caitlyn may be naïve and sheltered when we meet her, but she is not PLAYING at being an enforcer. She wants to help, and is actively trying to figure out what's going on in the undercity, apparently long before she even meets Vi.

The Hexgem theft:

This marks Caitlyn's first interaction with Jinx, which could not be more important to her Arc. Her very first impression of the woman she could never have known would impact her life so greatly, is a manic terrorist who lights a building on fire and fakes that a child is trapped inside before setting off bombs that kill multiple of Caitlyn's peers. Also of note, although not unexpected with what we have seen from her so far is that she rushes in to help and is the first one to notice the danger despite being a rookie enforcer.

Meeting Vi:

Meeting and freeing Vi is Caitlyn first step into the wider world around her and has immeasurable impact on her character. Her love story with Vi aside (I love it to, its just I could write pages on them alone and I am trying to cover all of her arc in this post haha) we also see her head strong, determined nature in this moment. Remember, she has already been reprimanded for unauthorized investigations into Silco and the undercity. We have been told she has a history of this. When Jayce goes to see her after the explosion she is still investigating, and now she fakes Jayce's authorization to free a woman she doesn't know in order to chase her lead. SHE. WILL. NOT. QUIT. Sound like she may be a good fit for a certain head strong boxer who lacks patience but is always honest? Anyway, the other thing we see here that is a small moment and not unexpected given what we have seen from her, is her disgust and discomfort over how the prison has treated Vi.

Saving Vi Part 1:

Vi is almost certainly about to be killed when Caitlyn intervenes. She accurately strikes Sevika multiple times with her rifle and is controlled and calm. At a first glance her accuracy and skill are plenty commendable. She hits the same spot with accuracy, lands with clear athleticism to join Vi, is calm, collected, confidant and restrained enough not to Kill Sevika. As soon as the threat is passed she tends to her wounded ally. Now here's the thing. I didn't do a bullet point for it, but consider Caitlyn's behavior following Vi down into the lanes. Part of it is of course that it was unfamiliar and shocking when vi took off, and Caitlyn just wasn't used to that sort of thing. But she was kind of adorably clumsy and unsure. She never really moves with confidence and strength, until of course she pulls our a rifle and starts blasting a woman who just stabbed her new friend with pint point accuracy three times. The moment someone's life is at risk Caitlyn shows us this entirely new side of herself. Perhaps the side of her that will someday lead the front lines in the battle of Piltover?

Saving Vi part two:

n Caitlyn's continuing efforts to save Vi we delve deeper into what we have already seen from her. At the very basic level, she barely knows Vi. Yes of course we are seeing the beginnings of their feelings for each-other. But that aside she is a young woman in her early twenties. She has followed this woman she barely knows into this very dangerous place, saved her from being killed, followed her even deeper while caring for her, and now she follows a shimmer mutated Huck to the "Doctor" to save Vi. I went to Netflix and counted while writing this. It takes no more than ten seconds for her to surrender her prized rifle that is likely custom made for her and she clearly loves, all to save Vi's life. She then hugs the grotesquely mutated Huck out of gratitude after being kind to him, and showing him respect for his help. She does not shy away, is not disgusted. And in fact she lunges for the hug. This ties to her conversation with Vi during this ordeal before she gives up her rifle. In which she is speaking on her belief that Zaunites and Topsiders are all just people. She does not see them as different.

The Firelights:

To me this is a massively important point for Caitlyn for a few reasons.

Caitlyn & Vi: They start off bickering. Blaming each other for what they have played close to the vest. But as soon as Vi is taken away what does Caitlyn do? She is concerned and afraid for her. And when she sees Ekko she demands Vi be released and offers herself instead.

in General: She speaks to her desire to see an end to the killing. Its clear she hasn't known how bad things actually are with the enforcers and the undercity, and is understandably resistant at first. But after only a few moments, she acknowledges Ekko would be within his rights to keep the gemstone but "The Cycle of Violence Will Never Stop" (sound familiar?). She quickly agrees to let Ekko be the one to give the stone to the council, still believing in peace and trying to play a part in making it happen.

**Side note: I didn't do a whole point on it because it's really about Vi and Jinx. But we need to make note that before this Caitlyn has her second interaction with Jinx in which Jinx shows herself to be paranoid, unstable and violent**

The Bridge:

The attack on the bridge is immensely impactful on Caitlyn's character and what I like to think of as the true beginning of Caitlyn's destabilization, leading to her descent into the dark. Thus far, we have watched this extraordinary young woman weather some truly insane events when you consider the life she has lead until now. Even still, she has remained poised, brave, respectful and open. Of course she has heard talk about brutality of her people toward the undercity. She has admitted it was wrong and wants to see things made right. But that is very different than the highest member of her organization shooting her new friend in the chest and getting ready to kill her. Its a sudden and violent in-the-moment thrusting of reality upon her that she has no choice but to believe. Furthermore, we mark her next interaction with Jinx, who has now almost killed her a third time, as well as almost killing Vi and they believe having killed Ekko and who knows how many enforcers.

Testifying To The Council:

So I know I am repeating myself some here. But that is intentional. The show is driving home for us that Caitlyn is truly a good person. Everything she has been through up until now with Vi is intense, scary, and destabilizing. She and Vi have very real feelings for each other and we end this section with very sad moment in which it seems hopeless for them. But its leading up to that I want to discuss. Caitlyn stands before the council of Piltover. The richest and most powerful people in her immediate world. With her mother on the council it feels reasonable to assume she knows these people. They probably have watched her grow up. And yet in her early twenties after earning the knowledge the hard way what does she do? She stands before them and calls them out for their failures. Including herself in that. She takes a stand against the neglect by Piltover that made the people of the undercity vulnerable to dangerous criminals. She commends Vi for putting herself at risk in helping Caitlyn, and never throws Vi under the bus as Jinx's older sister. And when Vi gets upset and leaves Caitlyn tries to get her to stay still insisting their must be a way.

Abduction From Home/Dinner Party:

In her next interaction with Jinx, Caitlyn is taken from the safety of her own home, and held hostage until Jinx initiates her dinner party with Vi. The events of the dinner party set the stage for the next chapter of the story dramatically affecting every character we meet, and Caitlyn is no exception. As this is the end of season 1, a brief refresher of who we have come to know up until this point is in order:

Clever, bright and loyal young girl who will defy convention to stand up for those she loves

Tenacious and dedicated teenage girl who doesn't want to earn her victories and is pondering things like who she is shooting for

Dedicated rookie enforcer who will not be deterred from investigating wrong doing and corruption no matter the cost

Open minded and trusting young woman in her early twenties who saves someone she barely knows life, even at the cost of her prized weapon and her own safety multiple times

Displays her desire to see peace with the undercity multiple times and verbally equates the undercity and topsiders in terms of humanity going against the classist behavior of characters like Marcus for example.

Treats Vi with tenderness, loyalty and trust even before they really get to know each-other.

Now. The reason I ran that down again is because THAT young woman in her early twenties is the person you see in the GIF above you. Jinx has now tried to kill her repeatedly. Killed her fellow enforcers. Tried to kill the woman she is having feelings for, even though that woman is her sister. Has abducted her from her bathroom naked, and now has her here. She looks utterly and completely terrified and I don't blame her. And to top it all off, after hesitating to take a shot at Jinx due to her feelings for Vi, Caitlyn is knocked out violently and THEN HAS TO WATCH JINX KILL HER MOTHER.

RETURN TO PILTOVER:

Caitlyn and Vi return to the upper city in the wake of immense tragedy and we see Caitlyn trying to hold it all together. Her whole world has gone black & White except for Violet(s). She is trying so hard to keep it together but already we can see the cracks forming. Even with all that has happened she maintains her testimony of Jinx being the only issue which is instrumental in preventing more violent Piltover retaliation. But we must also recognize her (totally understandable just jarring) desire to end Jinx's laugh forever, Mel's comments to Jayce regarding Caitlyn hiding it well but being in "So Much Pain", and Caitlyn asking Vi to put on the uniform of an Enforcer, when she knows Vi's history. Caitlyn is suffering and trying to hard to hold things together.

The Memorial Attack:

Caitlyn is drowning in grief. Her relationship with Vi is tenuous. She is expected to rise to meet her mothers role in city. She is holding on for dear life to her ideals and perceptions of reality that have shaped her as a person. Now the attack on the memorial is incredible as a fan for many reasons. But for Caitlyn we need to keep two things in mind as we move forward that at extremely impactful in understanding her:

There is no reason to think she and the others would not assume that Jinx had ordered this attack, or at the very least assisted in some way. The last they saw of Vi's sister she had just struck at the very heart of Piltover's government and its entirely reasonable to assume this attack is an extension of that. So I think its fair to say we can consider this Caitlyn's next interaction with Jinx even if its all mental.

Up until now, Caitlyn has never used any broad-stroke negativity toward the people of the undercity. She has addressed individuals, or perhaps a specific group of people in the undercity such as Silco's goons. But never called them Trenchers, Sump rats or any of that other stuff. Here in her rage, we see her refer to the people who attacked as Animals. Now in the moment, its entirely reasonable when pertaining to the attackers. But it is a noticable shift in her that tells us she is already (quite understandably) being swallowed by what happened.

The Strike Team:

Caitlyn leading the strike team into Zaun and utilizing the grey has been the source of much controversy. Its a clear escalation in her willingness to do violence against the undercity but when you consider everything we have talked about its hardly a shock. However, this show does a good job of letting us know Caitlyn is not totally lost to her pain. All we have to do is think critically:

While the use of the grey is extremely dark and absolutely morally questionable, the fandom's decision to portray it as mustard gas/sarin/pick your lethal poison is nonsense. We have seen multiple characters exposed to it multiple times and live. Its debilitating in the moment and uncomfortable and I'm sure is unhealthy over long exposure. Its tear gas.

Caitlyn's small targeted force is the alternative to full-scale invasion with hex tech armed enforcers. As I have said in various posts, by this point in the story Piltover retaliating is not an if. its a when and how bad. Caitlyns plan is the only reason an army of Enforcers does not march into the undercity at this point.

All that to say this. While she is clearly heading down a dark path, excising the hyperbole of the fan-base determined to demonize her and taking into account the whole of the circumstances surrounding this part of the story we are shown Caitlyn is still in there. But she is losing the fight with her inner-demons.

The Kiss:

We all cheered here. I did. You know you did. But I think we all knew the heartbreaking truth here as well. It was far too late for her to keep her promise to Vi. And in truth, it wasn't a fair thing for Vi to ask (BEFORE YOU COME FOR ME- Vi is my favorite character, and I have written extensively in her defense against the absolutely inane criticisms people have been levelling at her character). It's not Vi's fault, she has lost everyone she loves and is terrified watching the last person she has left be warped by the darkness in their lives. But when you consider the totality of paradigm-shifting suffering Caitlyn has endured since meeting Vi, I don't know how anyone couldn't change.

I have seen people say that Caitlyn was wrong to promise Vi. Wrong to kiss her in this moment. Those people are holding these characters to unreasonable standards in the extreme. We are seeing Caitlyn trying for the woman she loves. She sees the vulnerability and fear in Vi, the woman she loves so much, who she has been through so much with (and who has donned the Enforcer uniform for her) and of course she has a surge of love and a desire to comfort Vi. The love and tenderness is undeniable. But when you take in the context of the situation, It feels like we are waiting for the floor to fall out from under us. AND BOY DOES IT.

The Battle/The Break up/The Rise of the Commander:

I group these together because really its the transition of Caitlyn as we know her into "The Commander". This whole section is in a word, heartbreaking. We see Caitlyn fighting tooth and nail against Sevika, she likely saves Vi's life as it seems like Isha's gun was going to go off (whether the child meant it to or not), and Vi stops Caitlyn from taking the shot. Leading to Caitlyn lashing out in the worst way, telling Vi she is no different than the woman who killed Caitlyn's mother (AKA the version of Vi's sister Caitlyn knows Vi carries immense guilt over) and ending her status as the only enforcer never to abuse Vi, leaving her holding her stomach and crying on the floor while Caitlyn abandons her. We then see Caitlyn chosen as the commander, taking her place by Ambessa's side, becoming someone who would betray everything she used to stand for .

Its easy to look at this, and feel anger at Caitlyn. Especially as someone who has always connected with Vi's character and as someone who really loves their love story it leaves you feeling violated. But that's the thing, it should. We are not watching Caitlyn choose power out of a desire to destroy her enemies or because she thinks she deserves it. We are watching the tragic culmination of this brave, compassionate, brilliant and tenacious young woman being swallowed by the darkness. What's the line from Hamilton? "There are moments when your in so deep, it feels easier to just swim down". She has lost her mother, her sense of safety, her belief in the system of law and order she has lived her whole life by, and now the woman she loves. And in swoops Ambessa, a warlord. A woman renowned for her cleverness and manipulation. She takes this vulnerable, grieving, isolated and angry young woman and tells her she will get her justice. Caitlyn never had a chance.

**A small pause to discuss grief and peoples absolutely insane take on Caitlyn's handling of hers**

I am going to take a second here before we move on because due to the rushed pacing of season 2 Caitlyn doesn't get the detail she should have after this point, and because the discussion of her loss and grief is essential in understanding how this all happened. This is one of those things I have written about before but peoples dogmatic opposition to media literacy continues so here we go! "Ku Klux Kirraman!", "Oh the people of the undercity live in constant pain and death but Caitlyn loses a single family member and starts gassing kids?!"

To put it simply my friends. Grief is not a contest. Yes, of course the people growing up in the undercity have a much better understanding of death and grief than Caitlyn. up until the events of this story, she has lived a life of peace, and privilege, and comfort . And that's not a bad thing. ideally all children would know such a life if we could work our will upon the world right? But what it means for her is that when she does experience that loss, to say nothing of it being at the hands of a woman who has tried to kill her repeatedly, tried to kill the woman she loves, killed her peers, and abducted her naked from her own bathroom, Caitlyn's entire world is shifted. I have mentioned multiple times during this whole thing. She is only in her early twenties. That is so young.. so fucking young to have your world shift SO VIOLENTLY in such a short time. And in the standard incredible fashion of this show, they have addressed this concept already. Remember this?

Vi is angry at Jayce for bowing out due to the under city child's death. And for her, for the way she grew up she is totally justified in feeling that way. She grew up surrounded by death. But its just too much for Jayce.

I sincerely hope all of you reading this never have to cope with the loss of a loved one but we all know that's not reality. So if you are one of the people demonizing Caitlyn for what happens here because Zaunites have it worse I'll ask you this. The last time you lost someone, did you chastise yourself because someone somewhere has it worse? No. Because that's unreasonable, illogical, and would be a cruel standard to hold yourself to. Grief is achingly, agonizingly personal to each of us. And while it does not justify Caitlyn's actions, you are simply blind folding yourself to the humanity of this character by ignoring it

Months as the Commander:

As I said unfortunately we don't get to see a lot of Caitlyn "as the commander" but we do learn some things. There are check-points in Zaun, they are imprisoning people, and under the oppressions she has allowed to flourish the Noxians are able to do things like violently arrest people for having a non-violent rally in the Undercity itself. THINGS ARE NOT GREAT. But there some things of note I want to discuss in understanding Caitlyn's state of mind during this time:

The top GIF is not long enough but watching the scene you can see how distant Caitlyn is, how cold. She is not a "happy-go-lucky" facist gleefully imposing her will. We are actively watching someone in so much pain and so buried by her mistakes she doesn't know how to find her way out.

2. All is not lost however. She discusses her issues with the Noxians behavior, she openly questions Ambessa, she has forbidden the use of the cells where she found the love of her life, and despite her mentor's glee over the opportunity to utilize Singed and his knowledge. Caitlyn knows him for what he is, a monster.

Reunited With Vi:

The pacing just takes off at a dead sprint once Vi and Caitlyn find each other so I will touch briefly on the various points I want to for this section. I will say this, I know we all have feelings on how they handled Vi and Caitlyn's reconciliation. I am of the opinion that it was justified by what they showed us completely, but it was still rushed. Like they got the right answer on the math question but only shared the basics of every step to solving it if that makes sense.

Saving Vander

Vi and Caitlyn have this first interaction after so long and its so clear they have both changed so much. But what matters is this. Even after everything Caitlyn has done, Vi trusts her with the truth (Because Vi refuses to give up on those she loves), and Caitlyn immediately is on board. This happens so quickly and we only see them discuss it a little, but we need to think about what this means. Caitlyn finds out the "Weapon" is Vi's dad, and she is ready to turn on Ambessa, the enforcers with her, and the whole system. All for the woman she loves

2. The Battle of the Commune:

So I couldn't find a good GIF for it but even before this moment while Caitlyn is angry when she sees Jinx she doesn't make a move toward her. Then we hit this moment here. If you flash back to the battle that ended in Caitlyn breaking Vi's heart, Caitlyn wanted to take a shot that very likely could have killed a child if it meant hurting jinx. Now Jinx is running with her back to Caitlyn and ALL she cares about is getting to Vi

3. Taking Accountability:

We find out in this confrontation that although Jinx is in jail, it is because she surrendered. Not because Caitlyn ordered it. We also have a few key examples of Caitlyn owning what she has done:

"I KNOW!"- when confronted by Vi over letting Ambessa poison her heart

"We can't erase our mistakes"- She doesn't say "Jinx" can't take back her mistakes. She says "We" and "Our". She is clearly remorseful.

This rolls directly into her conversation with Jinx in which we see even more that Caitlyn knows what she has done:

"No good deed can erase OUR crimes"- Once again holding herself to the same standard as the woman who killed her mother. Holding herself accountable

"I've hated myself"- This could literally not be more clear

*On Cait and Jinx*: I've touched on this before but the parallels between these two are phenomenal. Broken, vulnerable, isolated grieving young women taken in by older, cleverer mentors with their own agendas but who care about them directing their pain for their own purposes. They then both have to learn to end the cycle, or the killing will never stop. Damn this show is so good.

Freeing Jinx:

Caitlyn made a lot of mistakes. That's not a secret. There were reasons as I and many and others have explained. But in this moment, she has intentionally paved the way for the woman she loves, to free her little sister from Jail. This comes after Cait admitting she doesn't want to hate Jinx any more. The cycle has to end. And Caitlyn admitting she has made mistakes, she has hated herself, she has lost herself to the darkness she now knows she has inside as well. And on top of that, she is here showing Vi that Vi is not alone, that Vi is loved, and that she knows Vi so well she knew what she would do and tried to help. its beautiful, its heartwarming, and after watching who Caitlyn was be shattered into pieces, we are now seeing her re-forged, stronger and more beautiful.

Commander Indeed:

Here we have Caitlyn becoming the commander she should have been. I believe I saw a post that one of the voice actors of the show suggested Caitlyn did nothing during the final battle and got her happy ending. Lets recap shall we:

Leads her troops from the front

Tries to take out Ambessa early and spare bloodshed

We have the bad-ass scene of her fighting with the mask taking out multiple soldiers

Even with a rifle at the back of her head she disables Maddie and tries to take out Ambessa

With a knife in her side and exhausted and scared she challenges A WARLORD OF NOXUS to a fight. "Shut Up and Fight!"

Sacrifices her own eye to take Ambessa out of the fight.

This is all pretty clear cut but I mean god damn. Her character evolution is absolutely staggering.

The End:

Caitlyn ends her story (for now anyway.. looking at your Riot) with the woman she loves. She has surrendered her spot on the Council to Sevika officially granting the undercity a place at the table. And we see her pondering the hex-gate ventilation system, perhaps giving us some hope that Jinx will return as well. I totally understand there are things people wanted to see with Caitlyn that we didn't get to see. But all we can control is what we were given. And when you look at the story of Caitlyn Kiramman, Born in wealth and privilege but with dreams of helping people, to being swallowed by grief, to finding common ground with the woman who took her mother from her, to rising as a leader who doesn't ask her people to fight when she won't and who willingly sacrifices herself for those who look follow her, I'd say she has one hell of an arc. I hope I did her some justice. This actually ended up being longer than i planned but man the more I think about her the more in-depth her story gets. I appreciate all of you.

[sitp-recs]

top 10 drarry fics by the sheer force of the feels they gave you? not necessarily good feels! things you remember primarily because they hit hard in some way.

obviously, i'd also love to hear exactly how/why they hit hard if you're up for sharing that!

Oh that’s such a wonderful ask, thank you! I’m sorry for the late reply, the 10 fics came easily bc whenever I see those titles I get immediately transported back to where I was and what I felt reading them for the first time. But putting into words what exactly makes them heartkick-y for me was a bit more challengeging. It’s usually a “when you feel it you know it” kind of thing (and quite literally too, as sometimes it manifests as an actual physical reaction!) but more often than not the fic just clicks for me and there’s no rationale behind it. As Clarice Lispector said: “I suppose that understanding myself is not a question of intelligence but of feeling. It either touches you, or it doesn't."

Anyhoo, I tried my best to keep this short and sweet but since I’ve written individual recs for almost all these fics, I thought I’d include them too :) thanks again, this was super fun! And I’d love to read about your picks as well 👀

An Emerald In The Sky by corvuscrowned | my rec

it doesn’t get more romantic than star-crossed lovers doomed by time travel!!!! (see also: my thoughts on The Eighth Tale by lettered). this is my brand of melancholy, something about the constant yearning, the beauty of stolen moments in liminal space, the unfairness of it all… ugh

Far From the Tree by aideomai | my rec

fft has altered my brain chemistry and ruined me forever with its tender devastation, I had such a visceral reaction to it - to the point of feeling dizzy and feverish. a simple time travel concept (this is my kryptonite istg) but the epic storytelling! the gratification! the bittersweet ending! rereading it would kill me but what a way to go

Forgive Those Who Trespass by Lomonaaeren

easily one of the most haunting and terrifying fics I’ve ever read, one jumpscare after the other but so creative and well-written I was too busy collecting my jaw from the floor to talk myself out of it lol

Little Compton Street by writcraft | my rec

as a queer woman, this one feels extremely personal and is very dear to my heart. I’ll never forget the emotions I felt learning about queer history and finding a sense of peace and belonging. lcs feels like coming home 🏳️‍🌈

Little Red Courgette by blamebrampton

this was my first bb fic and their sense of humor just blew my mind. I was so impressed by the smooth world building, by their wit and clever political commentary. I just couldn’t stop laughing. the dialogue is so good it makes me wanna weep, I can’t explain how much joy and comfort this fic gave me

Merlin Works in Mysterious Ways by lordhellebore

full disclosure: my reading experience was shaped by the fact that I didn’t realize the tagged disability would be major and permanent 🤡 by the time I noticed I was so emotionally invested I couldn’t stop. one of the most painful reads I’ve ever endured, worth it tho

Running on Air by eleventy7 | my rec

introspective fics are my jam and this one was just what I needed while working through some shit at a turning point in my life. so I guess it was more about finding the right fic at the right time, and I’m hit by mixed feelings of catharsis and nostalgia every time I revisit roa.

Still Life (orphaned) | my rec

my definition of a perfect shortfic. gorgeous prose, flawless execution, the “nothing is happening but everything is changing” vibes I live for, one of the best Harry pov I’ve ever read and an ending that always makes me gasp in awe. few authors can write complex emotions so effortlessly as seefin, absolute masterclass

Super Rich Kids by trishjames | my rec

criminally underrated, this story broke my heart but also gave me such a THRILL. I usually avoid substance abuse in fic but something about Draco’s spiral journey felt so raw it kept me at the edge of my seat. devastating but also a surprisingly funny and exciting thriller. the range!!!

The Long Fall by tackytiger | my rec

as someone who’s never been into kid fic and family dynamics, this was a punch on the solar plexus and rearranged my whole view about this trope. I was deeply moved by Harry’s longing for a family of his own and despite not having or wanting kids, this still felt really cathartic and changed me in a way I can’t quite explain.

[meowzfordayz]

NSFW Alphabet — Shinazugawa Sanemi

Author’s Note: technically didn’t finish this, but enjoy nonetheless. 😅 As w/ all headcanons, these are simply my opinions in this exact moment of writing, and are subject to change depending on the context/my mood! 😉

NSFW Alphabet — Shinazugawa Sanemi

Shinazugawa Sanemi x Reader

Word Count: ~1,100

CW: 18+NSFW, explicit language, Fem!Reader, spit

MILESTONE 20.0

~faqs~

Aftercare? what they’re like after sex

Sanemi is sooo stern about aftercare, to the extent that sometimes aftercare feels not so caring. 😆 #soft dom vibes It doesn’t matter how exhausted you are; he’s coaxing you into a bath (or shower 🚿 ), watching you eat a full meal (full meal = at least one glass of water and a lil snick snack 😋), and making you brush your teeth. He’ll absolutely carry you from one location to the next, tenderly wash and pat dry your body, spoon feed you if you pout hard enough, and massage you to sleep 😴, but he’s not letting you pass out smelling of sex. 😒 “Dehydration is serious, my love, and I know you came at least once.” <— You definitely came more than once. 😌

Dirty Talk?

Sanemi’s generally quiet during sex—he’d rather listen to your pretty sounds than himself talking—but sometimes the most lewd things slip out from his mind to your ears. “Fuck yes baby, you like spreading your asscheeks while I fuck you, hm? Makes you feel extra exposed? Greedy? Bet you can feel how wet you are, what a mess you’re making.” He actually prefers when you talk to him, but not necessarily about sex. “What do we need to buy at the grocery store?” he asks nonchalantly, fixated on the sight of his cock inching its way into your pussy, slipping out and then farther in, becoming shinier and stickier with slick as his thrusts move deeper into your heat. “Seri-ously?” you huff, fingernails digging into his arms, unable to catch his gaze as he continues staring at his cock, “We n-need, we need eggs, milk, b-bread-” “I’m sure you’d like to be bread,” Sanemi interjects, voice tight with restraint, “Shit you’re so fucking gorgeous.” “You did not just-” “Shh darling, surely we need more than eggs, milk, and bread?”

Goofy? their sense of humor

Sanemi doesn’t like to be silly during sex, but it tends to just kinda happen anyway. 😅 Pinning you against the wall, one warm hand wrapped loosely around your neck, a muscular thigh nudging its way between your trembling legs? “Uh, Nemi,” you squeak, breath hitching as he nips at your collarbone, “I think I hit my tailbone-” “Seriously?” he grumbles into your skin, other arm slinking around your back to provide extra padding between your back and the wall. “Yes seriously,” you whine, eyes squeezing shut as he licks a hot path from the hollow of your throat up to the tip of your chin. “Shaddup,” he mutters, nose scrunching, “Gonna make me laugh.” “So my pain is funny to you?!” Groaning, he cracks a smile, exasperation expression meeting your petulant one as he shakes his head, “‘Course not, but I thought you liked when I shoved you into walls ‘nd stuff.” “Well yeah, but not when it hurts!” “Relax darling,” he purrs, sucking lightly on your cheek, grinning when you pout, “I’ve got you.” 😒😌😏

Hair? pubes maintenance

Unsurprisingly tidy. Sanemi has a weekly shave + trim schedule (for both his face and pubes). He’ll occasionally skip a week if you insist (sometimes a lil scruff is endearing ☺️), but he feels better knowing things are neat and maintained (for you and himself). Plus, since his hair’s so light, you might think there’s not a lot going on, but it actually grows quite fast 😅, and Sanemi absolutely notices when he starts shedding everywhere (even if you don’t).

No? turn offs

Sanemi would be hard pressed to be physically rough with you, but he’d also be hard pressed to disappoint you. He is capable and willing to explore more dangerous kinks—he doesn’t half ass anything—but best believe you’ll be negotiating and scripting scenes for days before he’s actually comfortable playing. “You really want me to spit on you?” he asks again, voice round with obvious concern, “If you don’t like it, then I can’t exactly take it back.” Your cheeks warm at his tone, eyes gentle as you meet his hesitant gaze, “We can always keep a cloth on standby. If I don’t like it, then you can simply wipe it off.” “That doesn’t address the potential psychological damage.” “Nemi, for me this is like… trying a new vegetable. There’s risk, sure. I might forever remember how much I hate zucchini, and how much it sucked to find that out. But I tried, and that’s what matters most to me.” “Your safety matters most to me,” he retorts, reaching across the dining table for your hand. Your fingers intertwine. You squeeze reassuringly. He cracks a faint smile, sighing lowly as he finally acquiesces, “Fine.” Grinning brightly, you lean in, cleavage visible as your breasts press into the tabletop, whispering conspiratorially, “Besides, I thought you liked claiming me as your slut? This is just another way to do so.” Eyes widening, Sanemi coughs loudly, face quickly reddening, unable to resist glancing at your tits as he mutters roughly, “I mean, yeah. I do. Of course I do.”

Toys?

Sanemi loves the idea of toys, but they’re So fucking expensive, the hell?!, so you don’t (co)own too many. That being said, he’s game to utilize whatever toys you had prior to meeting him. 😎 Rest assured he’ll pull out the vibrator (always fully charged 😉) when his hands get tired (this man became ambidextrous for the sole purpose of being able to personally pleasure you for double the amount of time 🤯), his pace barely faltering as he toggles through the settings to find your favorite, thick cock twitching in your cunt when a warm gush of slick makes his movements even smoother. “Hm, is my cock not enough for you?” he murmurs teasingly, holding the vibrator steady and unforgiving against the hood of your clit, fucking the breath from your lungs with a satisfied smirk. You manage a loud whine in response, legs trembling while your back arches, hips greedily chasing the overwhelming sensation of your looming orgasm. “So beautiful,” Sanemi rasps, drinking in the sight of your scrunched face, your little gasps accompanying each of his punctuated thrusts, “So. Fucking. Gorgeous.”

[howtofightwrite]

Now you got me thinking...I've been thinking about writing a fic where the (in-universe) desensitization of violence for the main characters is a running theme. My main issue, however, is managing the violence within said narrative because, as you've said before, violence has diminishing returns. While I don't want it to be a gorefest from start to finish, I do want part of the horror to be having to engage in it, no matter what steps are taken to avoid it. If I'm not careful, I could end up with a weaker story for all the violence in it. What could I do to maintain this theme without it losing its impact due to these diminishing returns?

So, there's two different things going on here, and ironically, it's the same term, and mostly the same process.

When I'm talking about your audience becoming desensitized to violence, it's more that they become acclimated to the degree of violence you're comfortable with exposing them to. Again, “diminishing returns,” because as you expose them to more violence, they become more acclimated to that violence, and the shock value will subside. Similarly, the ability to build tension on the threat of violence occurring falls off when you're willing to engage in violence, but that doesn't mean you can't build tension, just that you need to be a little more careful about establishing those stakes.

Also, when most people write violence, they tend to establish implicit boundaries. It may be that only certain characters engage in violence. It may that certain areas are exempted from violence. At very mechanical abstraction, with some writers, you can tell when they've introduced a location that is exempt from violence. Even if you're getting into diminishing returns, violating these kinds of boundaries can keep the violence fresher than you'd expect. The formula of slasher films put a lot of effort into maintaining shock value by creating misleading boundaries that you'll pick up on and then violating them in new and novel ways.

Outside of some genuinely stomach churning violence, you're not likely to permanently move the needle for your readers. You're not actually desensitizing them to violence; just your willingness to depict violence.

I feel like I need to make a clarification: Too much violence doesn't mean the story will be bad. Normally, I offer advice with the assumption that you'll want to manage and maintain as much shock value as you can from your violence. However, that's not the only valid approach. That said, too much violence can cause your readers to disconnect from the work, so that is a legitimate consideration. Also, this doesn't mean the story loses impact. Unless the violence is the story, which is a somewhat weird edge case, violence won't necessarily reduce the impact of the story as a whole.

The example of slasher films, earlier, really does illustrate what I mean when I'm saying that lots of violence (even gratuitous violence) isn't going to necessarily mean that a story will be bad. (Though, this could spiral into a much deeper argument about the artistic merits of that genre.) To some extent, your choice of genre already starts to prepare the audience for a more violent experience. You're preemptively trading shock value for a higher baseline.

The second thing is your character being desensitized to violence. While there is something to be said for getting your audience into your character's head space to the point that they accept it as their own, doing that with desensitization to violence is extraordinarily difficult. (And, really, it's a tricky route to go in general. In most cases, the audience will simply assign whatever dissatisfaction they have onto you or the work, rather than realizing you were being clever.)

So, how do you show someone is desensitized to violence, without trying to simultaneously traumatize your audience? You show the consequences of that desensitization. This can show up in a character's sense of humor, their overall outlook. They may be more clinical about violence, more casual about its consequences (at least, superficially.) They might have an incredibly dark sense of humor, which might not come up most of the time.

In a larger context, a character who has been desensitized to violence may come across as basically normal, outside of a narrow band where certain concepts don't bother them. This is especially true with a specific brand of military humor, where violence has been rendered mundane for the individual, and the people they interact with on a regular basis.

Now, audience desensitization to violence can create a very weird situation. Where an absence of violence is more unsettling. Not because they're worried about what could happen, but because they're waiting for it all hell to break loose. It's one thing to simply call it, “tension,” but it is a very distinct kind of anxiety you can invoke, if you're careful. In the opening of a story, when the genre is clearly established, I've seen this compared to the ratchets on a roller coaster's first ascent. Everyone knows what they're here for, everyone's here for the ride, click, click... and then the lights go out, and the screaming starts.

I'm trying to make it sound easy, but violence is one of the more challenging things to write. That doesn't mean it's impossible, and you don't need to sit down and carefully sketch out every detail before you get going. The biggest thing to be careful of are that you don't want to overuse it, but you have a lot of flexibility to tell the story you want with the amount of violence you need to communicate that story.

Though, it might take a few tries until you get a tone you're happy with.

-Starke

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[alovelywaytospendanevening]

Sassoon and Graves in 1920.

When Robert Graves walked into C Company mess on 28 November 1915 on some errand, he noticed an unexpected book on the table. It was a copy of Post Liminium, a collection of essays by the late nineteenth-century poet Lionel Johnson. The army was not noted for its Lionel Johnson readers; a 'military text-book or a rubbish novel' were more the order of the day. Graves took a discreet look at the name on the flyleaf. A glance round the mess was enough to indicate 'Siegfried Sassoon': the tall, lanky, shy subaltern. Graves, also tall but anything but shy, quickly struck up a conversation. Both being off duty, the two were soon walking into Béthune for cream buns, busy talking poetry. Sassoon and Graves had a good deal in common. Both were conventionally unconventional public school products, trying to turn themselves into competent army officers and into the kind of poets Eddie Marsh would publish in his Georgian Poetry anthologies. Both, anxious about being insufficiently manly, had cultivated a tougher, sportier side: Sassoon through fox-hunting and cricket; Graves through boxing — he had been the school middleweight champion. Both were lonely and in love (Sassoon with David 'Tommy' Thomas, Graves with George 'Peter' Johnstone). Both were almost certainly still virgins. The friendship necessarily developed in fits and starts, and owed some of its intensity to that. Long conversations, the uninterrupted exchange of poems and confessions, were a rare luxury. Graves gave Marsh a humorous but probably not very misleading account of their difficulty 'in talking about poetry and that sort of thing': 'If I go into his mess and he wants to show me some set of verses, he says: "Afternoon Graves, have a drink… by the way, I want you to see my latest recipe for rum punch."' He also made it pretty clear to Marsh that it was not just poetry they had to be careful about discussing openly: 'I don't know what the CO would say if he heard us discussing the sort of things we do… His saying is that "there should be only one subject for conversation among subalterns off parade." I leave you to guess it.' There was obviously a secret thrill in these surreptitious exchanges, a sense that Graves and Sassoon were like two naughty schoolboys, hoodwinking their peers and those in authority.

— Harry Ricketts, Strange Meetings: The Poets of the Great War (2010)

[merbear25]

Hello!!! I saw the “what kind of women Mihawk would like” and I was wondering what Killer and Kids type would be! If that’s okay! I hope you’re having a good day/night!✨

Hey there! I’m glad that it sparked some curiosity about Kid's and Killer's type. They really need so much more content, so I’m more than happy to write this for you! I decided to make the reader gn, so hopefully you don’t mind. I hope you enjoy it and have a lovely day/night too. 💜💜

Original ask

CW: SFW, gn!reader, fluff, headcanons

Their type (Killer, Kid)

Killer

He’s fairly level-headed, and although he’s used to being around more radical individuals, he may want just a bit of a break when it comes to his partner.

That doesn’t mean his partner has to be just as calm or calmer; they could be a bit wild at times. In fact, I don’t think he’d necessarily mind that. As long as you aren’t constantly getting yourself into trouble, he wouldn’t mind you being a bit more energetic.

I could see him with someone who is more open about how they feel and what they are thinking. He’s a good listener and observant, so he’d be able to pick up on the little things.

With this considered, he’d appreciate a partner who shows him the same courtesy. Someone who is willing to listen and is patient would go a long way with him.

I could see him wanting to be affectionate and to be with someone who enjoys cuddling and hugs.

He’d probably be drawn to someone who holds some contrast. For example, they look rather sweet but are interested in horror or they dress alternatively but have a room filled with stuffed animals/loves cute things.

I have this image in my head of him gifting you with flowers on a whim. Not expecting anything in return other than your smile and affection.

A level of maturity would go a long way. Being able to conduct yourself with at least some grace when caught in an argument, not resorting to below the belt actions, would help you earn his respect.

I believe he would enjoy having a partner with a sense of humor, just be sure not to point out his laugh; he’s a bit self-conscious about it, afterall.

Going off the assumption that he’s physically stronger than you, he wouldn’t expect you to fight any battles for him. That being said, having a partner who sticks up for him would be heart-warming.

Kid

Being one to anger quickly, you may think that having a s/o who was his total opposite would offer more stability, more balance. However, I think that’s only true to an extent.

Although it would do him well to have them be just a bit more level-headed, he would do well with someone who was fiery—a fighting spirit, one that wouldn’t back down easily.

I feel like he would value inner / mental strength a lot, probably even more so than physical.

Taking that into consideration, a s/o who has a quick tongue and is bold enough to confront him if his temper gets the best of him, would not only catch him off guard, but would leave him wondering who they really were. 

With his interest piqued, he’d enjoy pushing each other’s buttons, which means that the potential partner in question must be able to hold their own. 

Tease him back! Sure, he’s going to blush and get flustered, maybe ever scold them a bit but the banter is something that would certainly work its way through to his heart.

I imagine there being a bit of an argument between the two of them, and when enough time passes and both have cooled off, they both curl up next to each other. Perhaps there are no sorrys exchanged, but it’s done through physical touch.

Considering how out of tune he is with his emotional side, he might not do well with a partner who’s very open about discussing such things; I could see him stonewalling in that case, which wouldn’t be good for either person.

Someone who could show their feelings more so through actions would probably be ideal for him. That being said, he’s not particularly affectionate either.

In terms of how he would show he cares, I would say his love language would be acts of service. To him, actions spoke louder than words ever could, so if his partner understands that, there would be less problems in the future.

I believe ingenuity would impress him. Thinking outside of the box was a valuable skill, one which he could admire.

[princessjojo-x]

Scorpio Mars

💝 he has this risqué factor abt him, which feels like you shouldn’t deal with him, yet for some reason, you’re still drawn to the idea. he’s just naturally sexy & seductive so he tends to have a player/promiscuous image projected onto him.

💝he tends to talk abt his pee-pee in high praise, especially when he’s romancing a woman. ensure to never shame him for his sexuality bc sex is a significant part of his life. he has the highest sex drive & his nether regions are extremely sensitive. he want to have sex on the first meet & he’s always willing to take intimate risks. he’ll literally fuck anyone, including someone he hates!

💝 those with domicile mars overpromise & underdeliver whilst those with debilitated mars underpromise & overdeliver.

💝 this placement is definitely overrated for its sexual performance. it’s his energy & anticipation that makes him exciting & alluring. once he gets to the deed, he’s completely driven by his lust & desire, which makes his performance animalistic & reckless. he tends to go straight to the crotch area with little foreplay or stimulation, which can feel quite predatory & domineering. it’s like sleeping with a very horny person who’s having sex for the first time in their lives.

💝 sleeping with him is like listening to a good song & waiting for the beat to drop but it never does. this is why scorpio energy can be so intoxicating, it always leaves you on the verge of full satisfaction, meaning you keep going back for more. ultimately, the best mars sign in bed depends on individual compatibility & preference.

also, he’s just not as freaky as you’d expect & there’s something abt him that’s a bit closed off.

💝 he’s intense in both daily life & the bedroom. martian sex doesn’t care abt the other persons well-being, it's just a way to inflict power & conquer someone. however, scorpio mars is more dominant than aries mars. aries man is there to win, scorpio mars is there to possess. scorpio rules over: trauma, conquest, dominance. these themes tend to seep into his sex life & he typically equate sex with control. he’s in charge & calls the shots, with his partner playing the role of a obliging slave.

💝 his pluto & mars influence shapes him into an intense man. however, he excels at retaining a poker face, even when he’s boiling inside. he keeps his fierce emotions bottled up & releases them in harsh outbursts. he conceals his mars energy until he needs to use it. if he’s provoked enough he wont hesitate to respond very intensely, maliciously & emotionally. when he’s triggered he can be very cut throat with his words, which causes others to distance themselves from him. he may struggle keeping friends & partners due to how unpredictable & vindictive he can be. although his anger is explosive & startling, he realises how destructive it can be & with age learns to tame it. he can be very cold in regards to success, rxships, feuds & so on. he has a tendency of: going to extreme lengths to get his avenges, ghosting lovers with no remorse & throwing people under the bus to get what he wants.

💝 he’s extremely sadistic (he gets off on reactions of others). he knows exactly what strings to pull to trigger & affect you. his super power is catching you off guard & poking at you psychologically. at best, he’ll use that power in a teasing & humorous way. at worst, he’ll use that power in a toxic & cruel way.

💝 he hates not knowing what's happening around him. this isn’t necessarily bc he’s suspicious & paranoid but bc he’s controlling asf. however, you wouldn’t suspect this as he comes across as very chill & care free. he won't bluntly violate your privacy but will still find ways to always know what you're up to, keep tabs on you & remember random things abt you, even when he knows for sure that you’re trustworthy & you’re doing nothing wrong.

💝 he has a strong sense of self-preservation which causes him to be overly secretive. he never reveals his true intentions & feelings. his private nature means his battles go completely unseen by anybody else. his enemies are his history, trauma, betrayals & victimisations. therefore, the best way to trigger him is to bring up his past wrongs & mistakes.

💝 he has immense psychological strength & he can use his mind to manage pain. he may even posses the ability to enter a trance-state or cocoon during states of agony or perseverance (such as run that extra kilometre).

💝 he feels the most angry when he’s embarrassed. he gets embarrassed by being lied to by others or himself being caught in a lie himself.

💝 he’s a lot more cunning & manipulative than he lets on.

💝 he’s rarely neutral abt anything, he’s strongly opinionated & either loves something or hates it.

💝 he doesn’t kiss & tell which makes him a worthy sneaky link.

Turn On’s & Off’s:

💝 he’s not pleased by the typical sweet nothings (words of affection, gentle caresses) & an intimate rxship too peaceful bores him. he’s turned on by mystery, passion, intensity, vulnerability, trust & anything that’s hard to understand. in the shadows & spaces where others might shy away, he is ever hungering for an intensity that matches his own. he likes revealing each others deepest secrets, desires & fears. he enjoys breaking sexual taboos & a hint of danger (love-hate rxships, age gaps, etc).

💝 he’s easily aroused by perceived anticipation & stimulation (a moment turning into something more). if you intrigue him enough & give him the impression that the moment could turn into something more & that something sexual could occur (via glances & movements) you’ve got him. for him, s3x is all abt control & how many ways either of you can lose said control. he likes a shared glance that holds an intense promise (eye contact). he likes the thrill of a teasing game that involves mutual seduction & mind games, which make the heart race faster (blindfolding).

💝 he likes talking abt s3x, sexual attention from others, seducing others & being around physically attractive people as he loves s3xy environments.

💝 he’s turned on by the concept of ownership. he enjoys getting marked by/marking his partner (bruises & love bites).

💝 he has the highest pain tolerance so enjoys aggression from his partner (bitten/scratched).

💝 he likes doing the deed in the dark, physically ripping his partners clothes off, laying down with his head close to his partners genitals, body hair, body odour, latex, leather, sex toys, begging, jealousy, teasing, tickling, torture, bdsm & prolonged sex.

💝 he likes a challenge & proving himself so ensure to let him chase.

💝 he likes being held really close during s3x & water mars in general love positions where they can see their partners face

💝 he craves a deep emotional bond & being utterly lost in his partner. he wants someone who will understand/appreciate his protective nature & sensitive side

💝 he’s attracted to blonde, innocent women with big boobs

[qoldenskies]

I will say that for Donnie’s characterization, I think it comes from a place of not knowing how to identify the line between his autism and his personality, and a difficulty with portraying the balance between those things influencing each other.

“Donnie is autistic, but this isn’t all he is” and “Donnie’s autism influences the way he views the world, and thus influences his character” aren’t mutually exclusive. In the case of flattening his character into the apathetic, flat “bad boy” persona, I think this one is actually from a bit of ableism—albeit unintentional.

Donnie is low empathy; this is something that is related to his autism. However, despite this being TRUE, he’s not LIMITED to this. Donnie is low empathy, but Donnie’s personality is someone who is deeply loyal to his loved ones, someone who loves to show his affection through his work (and the intertwining of his special interest and how he shows affection to his family is another example of this intersection!!). By assigning all of his actions to just a quirk of personality, you’ve left yourself with contradictory pieces of character—and some parts of it that are just easier to leave out entirely.

And on the other side, Donnie being rude and sarcastic isn’t necessarily because of his low empathy, either. Because Leo is also these things—and it’s… his personality. Donnie is rude and sarcastic because it’s a bit, and it’s funny, and he plays the straight man in his family dynamic. He loves playing around with his family as much as they like messing with him! By doing this, we’ve gone the other extreme of assigning all his traits to his autism, and leaving out the potential of him being a person with his own sense of humor and personality.

TLDR; it’s hard to dive into the intricacies of characters, especially ones who have disabilities. You have to balance the extent of the influence the disability has on the personality of the character. A lot of times it’s easier to flatten someone into one end or the other, and that’s partly why we have an Emotionless Donnie pandemic.

^^^^^^ yeah i agree with this as well!! i mostly hesitate to accuse it of being ableism because i dont want to accuse a lot of well-intentioned people, especially those who are neurodivergent because fandom is a very nd-heavy space, of doing something like that, i just think its a folly of getting caught into fandom archetypes and then either staying there or overcorrecting in a way that is similarly exhausting, implicit bias is just a difficult thing to understand and call out in yourself even if youre the afflicted group youre applying this behavior to, and i really dont want to just be hostile to people who mean well

but GOD it pisses me off more than it probably should. the weird donnie sidelining in the fandom has actually destroyed a lot of my enjoyment of leo to an extent im a little embarrassed to admit, i cannot IMAGINE how raph and mikey stans must feel

[journalofanoldsoul]

Signature Love Language (Mars Edition)

The Mars sign in a person's birth chart represents their style of asserting themselves, pursuing their desires, and taking action. The Mars sign can also give insight into their approach to romantic relationships and their love language. Here's a breakdown of the signature love language of each Mars sign:

Mars in Aries: Mars is in its rulership in Aries (modern astrology), so those with Mars in Aries value independence and taking initiative in their relationships. They express their love through bold gestures and an assertive, passionate approach to romance.

Mars in Taurus: Those with Mars in Taurus value sensuality and comfort in their relationships. They express their love through physical touch, pampering their partner, and creating a cozy, intimate environment.

Mars in Gemini: Those with Mars in Gemini value communication and intellectual stimulation in their relationships. They express their love through playful banter, sharing ideas, and mentally engaging with their partner.

Mars in Cancer: Those with Mars in Cancer value emotional connection and nurturing in their relationships. They express their love through caring gestures, cooking for their partner, and creating a warm, supportive home environment.

Mars in Leo: Those with Mars in Leo value attention and admiration in their relationships. They express their love through grand romantic gestures, public displays of affection, and showering their partner with compliments and gifts.

Mars in Virgo: Those with Mars in Virgo value practicality and organization in their relationships. They express their love through acts of service, helping their partner with tasks, and keeping their shared space tidy and efficient.

Mars in Libra: Those with Mars in Libra value harmony and balance in their relationships. They express their love through working to create a fair and equal partnership, being attentive to their partner's needs, and creating a beautiful, aesthetically pleasing environment.

Mars in Scorpio: Mars is in its rulership in Scorpio (old astrology), so those with Mars in Scorpio value intense emotional connection and passion in their relationships. They express their love through deep intimacy, shared vulnerability, and exploring the depths of sexuality with their partner.

Mars in Sagittarius: Those with Mars in Sagittarius value adventure and exploration in their relationships. They express their love through traveling, trying new things together, and sharing a sense of humor and playfulness.

Mars in Capricorn: Mars is in its exaltation in Capricorn, so those with Mars in Capricorn value long-term commitment and stability in their relationships. They express their love through working hard to build a solid foundation for their partnership, setting goals together, and taking a responsible, mature approach to romance.

Mars in Aquarius: Those with Mars in Aquarius value independence and individuality in their relationships. They express their love through supporting their partner's unique interests, exploring new ideas and perspectives together, and creating a non-traditional partnership.

Mars in Pisces: Those with Mars in Pisces value emotional connection and spirituality in their relationships. They express their love through empathy, emotional support, and a deep, soulful connection with their partner.

It's important to note that these are generalizations based on the placement of Mars in a person's natal chart, and individuals may express their love in a variety of ways that may not necessarily align with their Mars sign. Additionally, other factors in the chart, such as the Venus sign and aspects to Mars, can also influence a person's love language.

Stay tune for astro posts...

xoxo

J.

[malsperanza]

MXTX the unreliable narrator vs. her unreliable protagonists

One of the things MXTX does so well is to blur the line between narrator and internal monologue. Scum Villain is almost entirely written from SQQ's POV, and we know that he is a classic unreliable protagonist. But it's not 100% true that SVSSS is entirely from SQQ's POV. There are several places where the book goes head-hopping and we get other people's internal monologues. Since this isn't signaled or called out in any way, it leaves the reader without real clarity about what is narrator and what is POV. One example comes quite early on, when the young LBH fights a series of duels with the demons during their invasion of Cang Qiong Mountain. We briefly get the POV of his combatants. This may just be a sign of MXTX's imperfect command of her form (she wrote the book when she was in high school ffs), or it may be deliberate.

Either way, this squishiness means that the reader can't be sure that there is no omniscient narrator who is suppressing or providing info that SQQ might not have. In addition, we have the System's interference in the novel, which is not exactly omniscient narrator, and not POV character either. And then there's SQQ's own tendency to lie to himself. He is unreliable not only because he neglects to mention certain things, but also because he is so un-self-aware that he doesn't know some things even from inside his own POV.

[Later, in Heaven Official's Blessing, MXTX wields the tools of narrator omniscience and narrator omission much more smoothly. We get a narrator who seems to be confidently omniscient and honest. Yet we can see - only on reread - how much salient info is omitted at crucial points. Exactly what happened in the past. Exactly why Xie Lian ascended. Exactly who Hua Cheng is. And then we have the unreliable Xie Lian, in whose POV most of the book is given. XL isn't unreliable because he lies (he doesn't lie); nor because he's ignorant or unself-aware (he is neither); but because he prefers not to tell anyone - including us - more than he needs to. He's very private, and he plays his cards close to his chest. He has a wicked sense of humor, but enjoys himself entirely in private and alone.]

So in SVSSS the line isn't necessarily a clear one. Further, the confusion on the part of the reader may not be a mistake or misreading - it may be provoked deliberately by MXTX. That's because in the greater scheme of the book, MXTX is intentionally putting us in the same role with respect to SVSSS that SQQ has with respect to Proud Immortal Demon Way. That is: we have our preferences about the protagonists and antagonists and our opinions about the quality of the writing, the inclusion of episodes for reasons not required by the plot (starting with the introduction of the System as a character in the book, separate from The Narrator, and separate again from MXTX).

That said, some readers do misread or interpret in ways that the text doesn't really support. But they're allowed to do that because the book is so deliberately confusing, and because the theme of the book is Fandom and its quixotic relationship with the Text.

It's an incredibly layered and complicated setup.

One thing I've noticed about MXTX readers (and maybe Danmei readers in general) is that they fall in love with the version of the book they like and want, and then tend to read through that lens. This may mean taking info as "fact" when it's really just the opinion of the POV character, and not reliable.

Which of course is Shen Yuan's problem with respect to PIDW in the first place. MXTX is amazingly savvy about her readers and not shy about parodying us too.

EDIT: I realize that I need to credit @gaywatch 's reading streams on YT of MXTX books for the starting points for my various meta thoughts. So much insight stuck in the middle of hilarious and delightful deconstructed and subverted versions of audiobooks. https://www.youtube.com/@Gaywatch

[oiblackestsheep]

what, in your opinion, are an intp’s needs in a relationship? (coming from an infj.) love your blog, you’ve got some amazing insights 🫶

Aww, thanks INFJ anon. 🫶 I try my best to have interesting insights that bring something fresh to the table!

INTP's Needs in a Relationship

I've been in the same relationship for 8.5 years (and we actually MET ON TUMBLR BECAUSE OF THIS BLOG WHICH IS SO FUNNY AND NERDY), all of this to say, I've had a lot of time to think about my relationship needs even from the MBTI perspective as an INTP, because that was how my ENFJ and I kinda started out getting to know, like, what we each needed from each other, so, here we go!

Disclaimer: This is assuming that the INTP is already getting everything that everyone needs in a basic healthy relationship like, you know, feeling emotionally safe and being treated with respect, etc..

Intellectual stimulation: INTPs generally love understanding new things and how they work, so ideally their partner can share that interest with them in some way! They can be pretty curious people, so joining them in their quest for uncovering the "how" and "why" of everything will make them feel understood, themselves, and closer to you in the process!

Clear explanations of your feelings: Because INTPs have inferior Fe, they tend to have a habit of intellectualizing their own emotions when they talk about them, which can cause complications with understanding other people's emotions, too. Finding a way to be patient and know that even healthy INTPs might still struggle with connecting with other people's emotions (especially at first in a relationship) isn't necessarily because they don't want to, but more that it doesn't always come naturally, so they don't always know how to. If they're a healthy person, they will want to understand, just try not to take it personally while they are practicing/learning!

Alone time: This one should be pretty straight-forward lmao. They're introverted, so they like to recharge doing solo-activities, and they're intuitives, so they have their own little theoretical world full of bizarre ideas to entertain themselves with that might not always be easy to follow at first. I find that introverts in general (maybe the INxx types even moreso) like to engage in parallel play where their partner also does something quietly nearby, but still a separate activity. As an INFJ, yourself, I'm sure you can relate in your own way, so it's likely easy to give them what they need!

Humor them/hear them out: This might sound a little vague, and I guess in some ways it is, but this is mostly about their auxiliary Ne. ENTPs and ENFPs get most of the attention when it comes to high Ne, but INTPs (and INFPs, too!) place a lot of importance on it, too, which can often manifest itself in conversations like "what if __", "imagine if __", etc.. To put it bluntly, it might seem a bit... directionless, and that's because sometimes it kind of is! It's just about thinking of random possibilities that are non-serious and funny in the moment, and don't really go anywhere else outside of the current discussion or hold any larger, overarching significance. Sometimes it's less about the actual topic itself, and more about having some random fun and "playing along" that makes a world of a difference to a playful INTP (or high Ne user in general). This point got away from me a little bit which I think, in a way, is the perfect exemplification of what I was trying to say in the first place, lmao. Hope that makes sense! If your INTP ever sounds like whatever the hell I just said, just try not to disengage right away, because they probably have a point that they are struggling to reach. Put that dom Ni to work and summarize it for them, I know you can do it from experience with my own ENFJ lmao.

Anyway, uhhhhh: Every single point on this list has gotten progressively longer because my Ne loves extrapolating (and I love Ne, but sometimes its gotta CHILL you know?), so I'm gonna end it here before it gets WILDLY OUT OF CONTROL.

This was a fun question, anon!: Thanks again for reaching out, and basically giving me full range to just write multiple paragraphs about myself and my relationship!

[celestialtarot11]

could you talk about gemini venus in the 12th?

gem venus always gets a bad rep & i am someone who is devoted in love 😅

Gemini venus 12h—

—May have questioned whether relationships were for them. They felt excluded, unloved, unseen, and silenced. They also felt their love life could have been nonexistent, or rather filled with non committed relationships.

—They approach relationships with a sense of curiosity and interest. They are open minded individuals, who understand the gravity of a long term relationship.

—Rather be alone than to feel lonely in relationships. As these natives embrace solitude and peace, they realize the stress of crash and burn relationships aren’t their friend. They are not necessarily closed off, but they won’t compromise themselves to stay in unhealthy relationships.

—Needs an open, communicative partner to talk to. They love openly and deeply, and their words have the ability to penetrate deep into peoples subconscious. I believe some people become afraid of what power this native holds—it’s as if their words strike deeply. Even if it isn’t harsh, rude, or abrupt. There cadence carries so far.

—People may run from this native because this native can see deeply. And they can analyze themselves and others to a point of stripping them bare psychologically. It isn’t a horrible thing, they’ve had to do this to understand themselves. They’ve had to see themselves psychologically bare firsthand.

—Therefore they need a partner who will embrace these deep conversations, moments and experiences. Someone who will open up, and not shut down.

—Spirituality follows their relationships somehow. They may find themselves synchronizing with others, receiving dreams and messages. Their intuition is strong when acknowledged, but if they ignore it, it becomes dampened. Their intuition is their saving grace in relationships.

—Their intuition is their compass. It will tell them who they can settle with and who they can’t. They may have had moments where they doubted their intuition severely and now they embrace it. They will never forget the mistake of doubting themselves.

—If well aspected the native can experience “get out of jail free” moment. Venus does well usually in the 12h, but if negatively aspected it can cause issues regarding mental health, hospitalization, and issues with prison life.

—High sexual energy. Not in the way you think, more so these natives carry a healing energy sexually. An energy of liberation and intrigue, it helps create a safe place of comfort. It induces a playful energy, and it feels receptive. It’s subtle, yet travels powerfully and deep. It permeates through barriers. Comes off as subtle charm, wit, humor.

—May prefer dates in a dimly lit place, where it’s soothing. Nature where its open and quiet, so they can ground themselves. These natives need calm. Their mind may work fast and hard, so they need environments conducive to bringing in calm.

—Dreamers. They love to dream and concoct scenarios where they feel loved. They want to experience a beautiful connection as what they see. Amazing at manifesting in general due to their attractive, receptive energy.

—Can be tempted into staying in unhealthy relationships. Self sabotage repeatedly comes up, and partners who enable this behavior can hurt the native more. The native can do well with self analyzation and detaching themselves from further harm.

—They have a young, youthful vibe to them in relationships. They love a good banter, playful jokes, and thrive on communication.

—A lovely inner child, vibrant and curious. Adventurous. It helps others feel naturally at ease.

—Might enjoy writing song lyrics, poetry, or writing in general. It’s a way in which they express themselves, finding ordinary conversation to sometimes lack.

—Spends a lot of time alone. They protect their peace, energy. They may have protected their peace a little too hard and have no hot people lined up in their roster (jk love yall)

[donnerpartyofone]

This has been a really hard one to talk about. I'm always very ambivalent about mourning celebrities. I try to remember that I don't know these people, that what is really mourned by most of us is the person's ongoing work, which in the best cases has helped us understand ourselves and the world in which we live. Unavoidably, though, you can start to develop the sense that you know these people personally, which isn't true or even appropriate necessarily, I mean you have no idea whether you would even like someone you've only seen on a screen or received an autograph from; but at the same time, I don't know if you can really force yourself not to feel like the deceased celebrity is a dear friend you will never get to talk to again (the last time I tried and failed was the passing of Lux Interior). Maybe this is more forgivable, and also more inevitable, if you feel like you grew up with the person.

Of course this is all about ME now, but my mother (who also died from cancer) was an extremely hip, brilliant, funny individual who for whatever reason refused to form a relationship with me. This was pretty strange, because we liked a lot of the same things--B movies, old comics, all types of camp and kitsch--but when I liked those things, it was in poor taste and punishable by exile, whereas when she liked those things, it was evidence of her cultural genius. Before I make anybody too mad I should say that I'm being a little bit unfairly reductive just so I can get to the point, which is that one of the few things we could share was Pee-Wee's Playhouse. I didn't know anything about the show's more adult origins or the fact that Paul Reubens was sort of a performance artist, but I didn't have to. Pee-Wee's Playhouse was a feast for any child's senses: stylish, hilarious, and on some subliminal level, really sophisticated. I was clued into some of what was going on just because I watched it with my mom, who always laughed at Pee-Wee's winks and nudges to the hep parents in the audience. The show might have been my first encounter with the kind of anthropological humor favored by people like David Byrne and Laurie Anderson, artists who engage subversively with cliches, stereotypes, and other memetic parts of popular culture. In Pee-Wee's Playhouse, with its sharp, edgy cast and crew, kids like me were getting into fine art without even knowing it--which is possibly the best way to learn about art anyway.

In fact, on the other side of our house, I became obsessed with Gary Panter's incredible punk opus Jimbo In Paradise, a Dantesque comic book about an innocent young guy living in a dystopian future, where he is occasionally joined by guest stars such as Nancy and Hedorah. I was about 7 when I started reading Jimbo over and over again even though I could barely understand it, and I had no idea that Gary had pretty much designed Pee-Wee's Playhouse. I'm speaking about him so familiarly because I got to know him a little bit as a grownup. I remember Gary talking about how private Paul Reubens could be. He used to do this thing where he would accept a dinner invitation from anybody who asked, as sort of a stunt, but he had to stop doing it because people became so intrusive and entitled with him. Gary said that they'd be walking around in New York and when they saw an obvious Pee-Wee fan gearing up for an offensive, Paul Reubens would sort of transform into this totally different person, putting out an aura that let you know not to fuck with him. It's crazy-making to think that someone who was so protective of the boundary between his private and public selves had to suffer that ridiculous arrest, but it's heartening that most of society eventually grew the fuck up and forgot about it. It's also helpful to remember when he turned up later on the MTV Music Video Awards and started off by asking the audience, "HEARD ANY GOOD JOKES LATELY??"

I'm glad we got one more Pee-Wee special in the past several years, but I always wished that we would see Paul Reubens in more movies. He was such a cool actor, funny, convincing, and naturally charismatic. While people are cycling through their favorite roles of his, I want to point out that he had a great role on a recent HBO miniseries called Mosaic, an intense, engrossing crime drama that I definitely recommend if you have access. Maybe I'll rewatch it, too. In closing, here's a great story that I grabbed from Facebook that should warm everybody's heart, along with the heartbreaking statement (inappropriately cropped by Instagram of course) released upon the death of the very private Pee-Wee Herman. It makes you wish you could thank him in person, for everything. The best we can do is just remember him.

[b4b3tte]

꒰ ⊹ ˚ Summary —some detailed head-canons of dating Kano!!

Pairing — Kano!MK11 x GN!Reader

Includes of — Dating, Relationships, Affection, communication and all that jazz

Babettes note — GIRL BYE dude the whole MK game has had a chokehold on me so I’ve been obsessed with the lore & the characters so I’d figured I’d write something for one of my favorites!! Sorry if some of these things seem inaccurate I’m still learning about the lore so BARE WITH ME😭 anyways enjoy! Besitos💋!

Dating Kano is a rollercoaster no doubt, and you as a person have to be a rollercoaster if you are interested in him romantically so His unpredictable and often mischievous personality keeps you on your toes and maybe either make you happy with his decisions or absolutely pissed, but it's also what makes your relationship exciting. You've learned to adapt to his quirks, and it's taught you to be flexible and patient.

Kano's sarcastic and twisted sense of humor often leads to playful banter between you two. You share a unique connection where you can exchange snarky comments, even in the most dire situations. Your relationship is built on a foundation of teasing and laughter, a coping mechanism in the chaos of the Mortal Kombat world.

Despite his rough exterior, Kano is fiercely protective of you. Not necessarily in the way he will lock you up and keep you away from others but he definitely has the average jealous and possessive type issues, He might not admit it openly, but he'll go to great lengths to ensure your safety and make sure your only his. It's not uncommon for him to step in when you're facing danger, and his actions speak louder than his words.

Kano might be an asshole or seem heartless but he isn’t entirely cold, for him to even take you into consideration for a romantic relationship genuinely takes a-lot, so You're one of the few people if not only one who gets to see Kano's vulnerable side or see him acting like “ a pussy “ is what he calls but at the end you and him know you’ll won’t judge. It takes probably awhile but at the end He confides in you and trusts you with his secrets and things he has done that he isn’t too fond of, creating a process of making a deep connection between you two.

Your love story is far from conventional. Kano's connections to the Black Dragon and the chaos of the Mortal Kombat world make for a unique, twisted romance. The unpredictability of your life together has its own kind of allure, and you've embraced it with open arms. But Since you two have different “ jobs “ and come from different backgrounds, having the rumor going around that Kano is dating someone will be a shocker and matter of fact controversial and not safe especially knowing that you can be used against him within the whole MK war to gain information, or simply have him join the good side

You've learned to balance your relationship with Kano with your own principles and sense of right and wrong. It's a constant struggle, but your love for him keeps you going. You're often torn between your loyalty to the forces of good and your affection for a man deeply entrenched in the world of crime and chaos. If you are or were on the good side for the beginning and slowly started developing feelings you definitely had a break down on everything you believed on and what was right and wrong, it took Kano to convince you it’d be okay, but it sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than you since he was in the similar situation

When you're with Kano, even simple dates turn into adventures. Whether it's a night at the underground fight club or a spontaneous getaway to some far-off, exotic location, you're always in for a wild ride. Your relationship is anything but ordinary, but hey who said what was a bad thing!

There are times when Kano's teasing and selfishness hurt you. He has a way of pushing your buttons, and you've developed a thick skin as a result. Him being a tease and finding a joke out of everything sometimes he unintentionally treats you like a child and likes to think you need him usually because it’s an ego boost and or he likes your reaction and frustration But you can also give as good as you get, and your dynamic is one of mutual understanding and resilience.

To keep your romance hidden from prying eyes, you and Kano have developed an intricate system of secret codes and signals. It's not only a practical way to communicate discreetly but also a fun and bonding aspect of your relationship.

( here is if you are involved with the mk war)

While you may be on opposite sides of the conflict, you occasionally find ways to collaborate on missions or objectives. These joint adventures are exhilarating and serve as a testament to your unique partnership. Sometimes when you encounter each other on a mission you have to use signals or any secret communication when you're working together to draw the least attention but when you guys are alone during a mission you guys usually share a quick kiss or make out session of 5 minutes before some one comes looking for you or for him there is just a surprising synergy that keeps your connection alive during work

despite the whole dating thing it’s like flirting is his love language, even infront of others he will always refer you as “ Baby “ , “ Sweetheart “ , Sugar “ , “ Peach “ and “ babe “ and no one really pays any focus on it because that’s just how Kano naturally is, speaking of affection, he definitely is more on the sexual side like groping, ass grabbing, intense kissing, hands on waist and hips, it’s usually rare to have a soft and cuddly moment with him

You and Kano have become skilled at resolving conflicts. Your disagreements may be passionate, but they're never detrimental to your relationship. You've learned the art of compromise and finding common ground, even when your loyalties pull you in different directions.

You both secretly share aspirations for a peaceful future. It might seem like an impossible dream given your circumstances, but you cling to the hope that one day you'll find a way to be together openly without fear of reprisal. These dreams are the driving force that keeps you both going.

In the most unexpected moments, you and Kano steal kisses, hidden from prying eyes. These fleeting, affectionate moments remind you of the love that binds you and offer a sense of normalcy in an otherwise tumultuous relationship.

You've come to realize that you can influence Kano in subtle ways. Through your actions and your own moral compass, you've introduced him to acts of kindness and empathy. You've shown him that there's more to life than just crime and chaos. Sometimes you like to believe These teachable moments may transform him over time.

Both of you have managed to maintain friendships with individuals from opposite factions. While these friends may not be aware of your relationship, they serve as connections to the other side of the Mortal Kombat conflict. These connections help you navigate the complex world you live in.

Your relationship with Kano is a complex, multifaceted journey filled with passion, secrecy, and hope. It's an unconventional story that defies the odds and tests the limits of your commitment to each other.

Deep down, you believe in Kano's capacity for change. You hope that your love can inspire him to make better choices and leave his life of crime behind. You're a source of hope and optimism in his life, a guiding light in the darkness he's often surrounded by.

Thanks for reading!! Feedback and requests are very much appreciated!! ❤️

[ceilingfan5]

Time loop rules, tools, and considerations

What makes a time loop tick? What makes a time loop a prison? What makes a time loop a mystery that can be solved? 

Does this puzzle inherently have a solution? Is there an element of doom, or optimism? 

What is the time frame, time limit, time constraint, time allowance? 

Is there always an end? What will trigger that conclusion? 

How do we escape the time loop? 

Is it possible to escape the time loop unscathed? 

How powerful is the risk? What are the hard limits?

What changes things? What changes things with any sense of permanence?

Change + resistance + passion + logic are needed. 

Passion in the form of love will make a difference, but not alone. 

Alone we will not escape the time loop.  

Objecting to social rule vs following the rules to the letter–"the rules" are not the rules as written, or necessarily vice versa.

Acting force + passive rules + change + motive– what is gained and what is lost? 

Alone you will not escape the time loop.

Others have skills we cannot see. Others have loves and tragedies we cannot see.

Time passes. But it also loops. How? Why? Nothing is without cost. Being stuck changes things. There is a price. Forces are mysterious but not without the potential to be understood…and misunderstood.

The familiar is not reliable.

The familiar is comforting but not progressive.

Comfort is unreliable, even untrustworthy. This does not mean it is without power or safety. 

That which is accepted as understood should be challenged.

Outside observers can see shortcuts we cannot. Shortcuts are not always safe or helpful, but should be accounted for. 

Accepting things as written or stated does not necessarily progress things.

Some things cannot be changed.

Some things cannot be changed easily. 

People will participate in things even if they are not directly “Motivated” to. Internal motivations are more complicated than they seem. External motivators are powerful but not reliable. Fun is not a write-off.  Neither is tragedy or impatience.

Habit is powerful. 

Accepting things as they are and following the rules is habit.  

Habit should be questioned especially when it does not serve us.

Loneliness is a habit.

Alone we will not escape the time loop. 

What if something changed the game? 

How powerfully can something change the game?

We are all cast in roles. By whom, by what? To what end? What can we affect from our position? How can we see our role without observing from the outside?

What do we see vs not see?

What corruption has occured? 

Who is watching? Why? To what extent? What must be obscured to preserve the audience? 

What weighs on our challengers whether seen or unseen? 

Clues must be gathered–active participants will escape the time loop. Passive participants ARE the timeloop. 

Alone we will not escape the time loop. 

Changing things is not without cost.

Humor is not without effect.

That which imprisons us is not necessarily unfamiliar.

Capitalism is a time loop. Work is a time loop. Struggle is a time loop. Time without passion and the means to apply it is a time loop. We must be the arbiters of our own time and make a difference to see that things have progressed.

Change is not without cost. Cost is not inherently negative. 

Change is not without an element of gamble, risk.

But risk without any potential of change is wasteful. 

Control is an illusion; how we manifest control should be weighed against how it affects others and ourselves. 

The comedy of our predicament is not known or unknown but rather measured out to achieve the desired effect. 

Even our most uncomfortable moments are dealt by and with powers beyond our own. 

The framing is invisible, and must be considered. 

We are never unobserved. 

We are part of something larger with or without our consent and participation. We can make a difference or not make a difference. Our choices are powerful. How are they used?

Why?

The status quo preserves itself. Its temptation is powerful. The familiar is comforting but not progressive. We must move forward.

Alone, we will not escape the time loop.