#just as capable of flaws and fucking up and making mistakes

[obsidianstrawberrymilk]

You know what, I wanna see Diego do something awful S4. Boardroom massacre, betraying-siblings and -causing-the-apocalypse, consistently manipulating those around you to the point of making an actual cult and abusing your abilities over your sibling to effectively cut them off from everyone else despite their repeated desire to actually let the rest of your family know they exist, levels of awful. I wanna see, like with Allison, how fast the fandom turns on him - because everyone was fine with Allison until she dared to be something more than virtuous, supportive towards your white favs - and then the second she did something on the same scale of fucked up as Viktor, Five, and Klaus, she was the Devil, irredeemable.

And you can give any justifications you want, but that’s what happened - Viktor, Luther and Klaus abuse their powers to take advantage of other people physically or otherwise (Viktor nearly killing his whole family and lowly sucking the life out of them in the S1 finale while forcing them to relinquish control over their bodies and enjoying it; Luther manipulating Vik’s trust in him to lock him up in a very traumatizing place for him against everyone else’s wishes; Klaus using everyone in his fucking cult and then leaving them to rot with the heavy implication he also used them for sex and also how he treated Ben; for that matter, Ben using Klaus’s body to try and have sex with Jill) and they’re still the fandom saints (sans Luther bc he’s not a skinny little white boy) - but Allison dares to (for an arguably more valid reason) and she’s got people calling her an irredeemable bitch, accusing her of being as bad as Reginald, and everything in between.

So yeah, I wanna see Diego do something bad. And I wonder how fast white fandom will turn on him the second he’s not just the ‘lovable himbo protector’ to be used as a prop for their white favs.

[ladybracknellssherry]

I see so many posts since the dam broke about NG in which people are lamenting how horrible celebrities and people in power are and asking where we went wrong as a society to let this happen.

The fucked up thing though is that humans have always behaved like this. We just have the internet now.

And please don’t mistake this for resignation or apathy or anything other than disgust.

But I just keep coming back to the point that human beings are capable of truly terrifying, horrible things.

So I feel like we’ve got to remember that most people don’t do terrible things. But we’re all capable of them.

And I don’t fault anyone for being devastated to learn that someone they respected did indeed to terrible things. It would feel wild to call someone foolish or stupid or naïve because their first instinct was to believe that someone is decent. They’re not anything like that other than someone who was lied to.

I actually do think as a society we are in fact getting better about calls for justice in situations like this.

But people who behave like NG…people who do these things…their personalities are a cancer. And we can do what we can to try to prevent things like this from happening. But I don’t think we can stop it all from happening. It’s never going to disappear completely.

But we can continue to listen to victims. And we can continue to be vocal about demanding justice and accountability.

The court of public opinion and the legal system both fail terribly at times, especially in situations like this. Another flaw of human nature, I think.

The “I’ll wait for the legal system to decide” argument isn’t really helpful here. Because SA allegations / abuse are some of the hardest things to prove in a court of law. And there have been legitimate actual cases in which victims have come forward with allegations, there was no evidence to be found/the evidence wasn’t “good enough” and these victims were instead actually CHARGED with filing false reports. So putting all of the onus or faith in the law here just… again… isn’t helpful.

Sometimes the justice can be best served by demanding consequences that aren’t legal punishments. There are petitions to remove NG from his positions as a writer/showrunner in these shows we love.

Sometimes just making sure the word is spread is the push to topple the dominos.

As others have said and continue to say, you can do both terrible and great things. And they don’t cancel each other out. Doing great things doesn’t make the terrible ones any less terrible. Doing terrible things doesn’t make the great things any less great. Two truths can exist at once.

Sure, we can argue that continuing to consume NG’s work is continuing to put money in his pocket. Yeah. But once again, as far as my random internet user opinion.

I experienced some very similar things to what his victims said they experienced in these interviews. And they wrecked my life in no uncertain terms. I’ll never “come back from that” because we don’t. We just keep going forward having to carry that. It doesn’t go away.

But my abusers took so much from me. And the good things I got out of those relationships are made so much more important because of how much suffering they cost.

Sidebar, but that’s something that I see people using in their arguments for why the “abuse” allegations weren’t real or “that bad.” Because the victims went back. Or they continued to stay. Or continued to pursue. Listen. When you go through all of THAT, it is so common to scramble to keep what you perceive are the “good things” you get out of that dynamic/relationship. Or you convince yourself that it’s not as bad as all that. Because, god. “I went through all of that and they STILL LEFT.” “I gave them (they took) all of THAT and I still wasn’t good enough for them.” It’s this survival element where we have to convince ourselves all of that suffering we went through was WORTH IT. Or, the gaslighting gets imbedded and we believe it must have been our fault. “Yes, they treated me badly, but I must have done something to deserve it. They told me it was my fault. Everyone else loves them. I did something wrong.” Yeah. NO.

So if you can separate yourself from that abuser - get far enough away to have the clarity and perspective to finally say “no, that was fucking real what happened. That was abuse. They’re an abuser.” I say, anything “good” you got out of that - take it and fucking run.

NG is a predator at best. And we are all suffering for it. But we got our books and our shows and we found each other in these fandoms. I say take these good things and run. You didn’t cause this. Don’t let him take any more joy from you or anyone else.

[sweetiecutie]

Ok ok listen-

teacher!valeria x student!reader🫶🫶

(I imagen her and us having "study sessions" she calls us in her classroom to talk about our grades or she calls us in her classroom so she can "help" us with something that we didnt understand 😻😻and could reader be a fem?. if u dont want to do this is ok!!🫶❤️)

Pairing: Valeria Garza x fem! Reader

Warnings: NSFW, smut, university AU!, professor/student trope, age gap implied

A/n: this is literally so sexy, I’m about to cream my fucking pants😩

Okay, so this is a university au, in which Valeria is one of the professors. I have a feeling that she would be teaching something hard and complicated - let’s say math.

Professor Garza is very strict. She’s one of the people who value discipline and order over anything else, punishing everyone who dares disturbing it. Valeria wouldn’t think twice before giving out detentions and extra work for behavior she deems unacceptable within auditorium. Chatting during her lectures? - detention. Forgetting to do homework she gave? - detention and double the amount of exercises you had to be handed over to her due to 3 pm the next day.

Many students fear Miss Garza, many hate her, many like her; but every single one has some sort of respect for her cold and stoic demeanor. Valeria is strict and demanding , but she’s also one of the bestest - many students wish to be teached by her.

And even if it seems nearly impossible, Valeria does have favorites. Very few - 3-4 students in whole university, but boy are they privileged.

Valeria values conformity over anything else. She prefers students that are polite and well-behaved, never causing any commotion or fuss. And you happened to be just that - miss goody two shoes, one of the bestest in your year, never once failing ho hand in whatever assignment Valeria gave you, no matter how complicated or cumbersome the work was.

Garza quickly caught onto your skills, and by the end of first year she already valued you over the rest of your group. Not only the brilliance of your mind, which was capable of so many amazing thing, drew her in; you’re quite a sight for sore eye as well - clothes always neat and ironed, hair framing your pretty face perfectly no matter what, light makeup only highlighting your natural beauty. Valeria couldn’t help her eyes lingering on your soft thighs whenever you decided on wearing a skirt or a dress to uni, flooding her head with images of these exact thighs spread wide before her.

It was quite a challenge for Valeria to find any mistakes in your works. You were a smart little girl, she had no doubts about it at that point. But every time, with extreme effort, professor Garza managed to find all the little flaws in your works. They did seem ridiculous tho, something other math professors wouldn’t even deem as a mistake. So first time this happened you came up to the older woman, asking about your strangely low grade; and Valeria, voice softer with feigned sympathy, patiently explained why she had to grade you so lowly. “I hope you do better next time, hm?” She’d say with a small smile, dismissing you from her classroom. Oh how the sight of your pouting lips and teary eyes got her off

As semester drew nearer to its end your works didn’t seem to improve even a slightest bit. At this point you were convinced that it was something personal - that professor Garza simply disliked you (oh if only you knew). So it was a surprise when Valeria called out for you to stay behind as everyone was leaving after the end of her lecture. You obediently descended the stairs of high auditorium, coming to her desk, standing there patiently as all the students left.

Once alone in the room, Valeria turned to face you, one hip leaning onto the edge of her working desk. Her dark eyes gazed at you from above thin lenses of her reading glasses, arms crossed over her chest making her tits perk up teasingly from within two unmade buttons of her white blouse.

“Y/n, I wanted to talk to you about your grades” she said, her voice sounding a bit softer than usual - voice she used on you only. Your body tensed slightly at her words, your fingers gripping your books more tightly as you looked at her tentatively.

“I made a small research on your academic performance and it seems that you only struggle with my subject. Is there any particular reason to this?” She asked, concern lacing her words.

You bit your tongue, fighting back bitter words of indignation - it was Valeria’s fault only that your grades in math were so low. But you kept silent, gazing dully onto the floor under your feet. Professor Garza heaved a heavy sigh, her heart thrumming loudly within her chest at what she was about to do.

“Y/n, you’re a very smart girl, and I don’t want you to ruin your record because of arithmetics. I can give you some extra credit” she said calmly, your ears perking up at her words.

You looked up at the older woman, obviously surprised - Valeria never gave extra credit, no matter the circumstances. You blinked rapidly a few times - you won’t lose such an opportunity, you’d be a fool if you did.

“Sure, I’d be very grateful!” You said quickly, looking at Valeria with wide eager eyes.

She only smiled at your words, nodding for you to come closer. As you did, she took your books and notes out of your hands, placing them on the faraway side of her desk. “You won’t need these”

As you were going to ask what she meant her warm hand clasped around the back of your neck, slamming you against her desk. With a small squeak you were bent over the table, your cheek squished against some papers scattered on top of it. You felt Valeria’s hot chest pressing against your back, her free hand glided up and down the side of your hip as she whispered into your ear “Now I need you to be a good little girl and spread your legs wider”

And you did. Arousal pooled in the pit of your stomach, making your knees go weak as Valeria’s hand slipped in between your soft thighs - just like she always dreamed of, massaging your soft pussy through thin material of your panties.

Soon enough these same panties were shoved into your mouth to muffle all desperate cries tearing through your chest as to not disturb other professors in nearby auditoriums; three of Valeria’s long fingers fucked in and out of your drooling pussy with loud squelching sounds, her fingertips grazing that one spot deep within you, making your eyes roll and toes curl.

You exited professor Garza’s auditorium on trembling legs, your makeup and hair unnaturally messy, eyes unfocused and bleary but - most importantly - with impeccable record on arithmetics.

But to keep your math performance this way, you had to visit professor Garza some more for extracurricular activities <3

Likes, reblogs and comments are highly appreciated! Writers live off feedback, give us some love<3

[maibeenot]

Last one about TUA season 4, for now.

(I talked about this in the tags of one of my RBs before but I wanted to elaborate)

I don't like how they keep trying to make Five a badass.

I find it especially frustrating as doing this constantly, bogs down any form of character development we could've had from Five.

For whatever reason, the writers seem to be allergic to acknowledging Five's biggest character flaw, his arrogance. Five always has to be right. He always has to be capable of everything and never needs any help. Despite the fact that Diego also has a very similar flaw (and is punished for it consistently), Five's seems to go completely untouched.

(A part of me thinks that the reason why they punish Diego so much more is because he comes off as the hot-headed impulsive one. While that's true, it certainly doesn't negate Five's ability to make mistakes or be incompetent)

Instead, they keep trying to invent a new flaw for Five in that; he is obsessed with the apocalypse. In reality, he's not obsessed with the apocalypse. He's obsessed with keeping his family safe. It just so happens that their most immediate threat (in his eyes) tends to be the apocalypse. (I really don't understand what they're trying to get at with this, especially considering the fact that he already has an extremely apparent flaw)

While this isn't an issue I take with season 4 specifically, it has definitely amplified this issue like crazy. Five's arrogance is vaguely addressed by his siblings in season 1, but it never seems to get him in trouble? Or at least he doesn't seem to have learned from it (except for the time-travelling thing from when he was 13, and when he bled out also in season 1)

Season 1 (and 2) handled it the best out of the four. Five never seems to ask for or accept help unless backed into a corner (telling Viktor about the apocalypse, asking Klaus to help him get the prosthetic eye). Or if he is literally incoherent or unconscious (him passing out from blood loss, him being drunk and telling Diego and Luther about what's happening).

And outside of that, Five's arrogance still had brutal consequences within this season (him not noticing Viktor's declining mental state because he was so sure about the apocalypse (but this was partially because this man tunnel-visions like crazy)).

(there are probably more instances of this with s1 & 2, i just can't think of them off the top of my head so tag them if you'd like)

Season 4 is extra mean with this. From the 'Five getting to work for the CIA at 19' to 'Five randomly figuring out what's causing the end of the world with a bunch of other Five's' while he was off moping.

And when he does make mistakes, it's not because he's actually not capable of everything and anything.

Noooo, Ben really really sneakily stole the marigold and spiked the sake. Five couldn't have possibly noticed. (and none of the other siblings for that matter)

Noooo, it's because Luther is actually super smart in figuring out that Five's boss is a Keeper (no shade to Luther btw, I like him. They just don't treat this moment as Five being a complete dumbass).

Oh no! Five (and Lila) can't figure out a way back from the metro! Never mind, another Five managed it.

Five being a homewrecker? That's him being an asshole, not incompetent so it doesn't count (lighthearted).

Five's arrogance one of his defining flaws, yet it's not really challenged. The fact that he gets away with a lot of bullshit is simply because he can! When he doesn't face failure, he doesn't find growth. He doesn't learn to stop being self-destructive just because he thinks he can do anything. He doesn't learn to reach out.

This stunt in growth is obviously not only present in Five but also everyone else. I just find his to be particularly grating since he's my favorite.

Feel free to add your thoughts to this, not just about Five's fucked up character growth but everyone else's too!

(I'll make long a ass post/video essay going into detail about all of them one of these days)

I'd love to read them :)

[formulawolff]

ii. eighteen minutes - t.w.

pairing: reserve fem driver!reader x toto wolff

word count: 2.5k

warnings: morally gray individuals, slow burn, sexual content (intercourse), allusions to sexual content, cursing, marijuana use, references to alcohol use, lots of power imbalance, questionable boss x employee dynamics, light toxicity, slight controlling tendencies from toto

a/n: here’s the second chapter of my new baby. i really like the direction of this fic & i hope y’all do too. also, i really wanna clarify and say that the reader, toto, and max are NOT supposed to be good people. they are supposed to be written as people who have flaws + make mistakes. i hope y’all enjoy! <3

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆:

“look at you! come on now, do a little spin for me.”

sucking in a breath, you swivel on your heel, turning in a tight circle. lewis nods in approval, his tongue swiping along his lower lip.

“who knew a fire suit could look so good on someone? if you’re not careful, you may have quite a few drivers in your dms later. me included!”

“stop,” you hiss through gritted teeth, “it’s a little tighter than i would like in some areas.”

lewis’ lips purse, the british driver eyeing every inch of the suit, “that’s not necessarily a bad thing–”

“could you stop harassing our sweet girl?” 

george strolls through the entrance of the garage, arms folding over his chest. lewis rolls his eyes, mouth forming a pout as george plucks a strand of hair from your right rib-cage, “how come you get to be that close?”

“because i don’t sexualize her every five seconds,” george mutters, shaking his head, “how are you feeling? nervous?”

“nervous?” a dry laugh erupts from the base of your throat, “i’m clenching my cheeks right now. i’m afraid i’m going to shit myself.”

“it’ll pass,” george shrugs, “soon the adrenaline will kick in and you’ll be fine. don’t stress yourself out too much. it’s only qualifying.”

“it’s only my first qualifying in formula one,” you counter, wiping your slick palms on your suit, “it’s only my debut as one of the few female drivers in a male-dominated sport. it’s only the first time the other teams will get to watch me drive and–”

“you just want to look good for red bull,” lewis waves a hand, “don’t act all coy over there. we’ve seen your interviews. we know you have an interest in joining the dark side.”

“the dark side?” you arch a brow, “what does that mean?”

“you’d be under the helm of christian horner if you went over to red bull,” george exhales, his hands settling on his hips, “that’s a no-no in the mercedes handbook. so, we refer to it as the dark side.”

“oh,” a slight wave of shame blazes within you as you sense the subtle scrutiny radiating off the british drivers as they pick you apart, anticipating your response, “i just wanted to showcase my capabilities, that’s all.”

“there’s no harm in that,” lewis whistles, “after all, a lot of seats are up for grabs. several long-term contracts for drivers are going to be up after the season. 2025 is going to be one interesting year. that’s for sure.”

“indeed,” george nods, “not a lot will change around here though. i’ll be sticking around. so will lewis.”

at george’s statement, you notice the way lewis tenses up, almost freezing in place. yet, he loosens up the moment another individual enters the paddock, the driver bearing a meek smile.

“howdy, toto!”

“guten morgen,” the team principal is almost cold, showing no emotion as he approaches the three of you, “i assume the two of you briefed our little hase on our strategy for qualifying this weekend?”

“yep,” lewis dips his head, “she’s chomping at the bit to get a hot lap in!”

“ah!” the team principal’s head turns in your direction, a smug smirk now apparent, “is that so?”

fuck you, lewis hamilton. fuck you big time. 

“yup!” you swallow thickly, shifting in place, “i’m ready!”

in reality, there was nothing more than you wanted in that moment to be in max’s arms, snuggling against his chest as his hands roamed, rubbing gentle circles into your back. 

as much as you shunned those feelings that bubbled to the surface whenever he was near, there was one thing that you could not deny. 

he knew how to make you feel safe. 

and god did you wish he was at your side, your fingers intertwined together. even the sound of his voice was enough to soothe your nerves.

if only he was here right now.

if only.

due to the nature of formula one’s guidelines, in order to replace george, you would have to participate in at least one of the practice sessions on the track. which, since qualifying was considered a practice session, you would be given the okay to compete. however, there was the more petrifying aspect of it all.

qualifying determined the grid.  

if you did not perform, then mercedes would be at the bottom of the grid, fighting their way to the top in order to earn points. if you did not manage to snag a position in the top ten, then you would not earn any points. 

and no team wanted zero points. 

especially at the beginning of the season where a high-caliber team like mercedes wanted to make a statement. 

so, it was up to you to set that tone. 

to prove that you were not only a worthy competitor, but also that you were capable of earning points. 

talk about a pivotal point in your formula one career.

a point which would hopefully last more than eighteen minutes. 

hopefully.

“all right,” toto clears his throat, placing a hand on your shoulder, “come with me. we’re going to go on over to the car. i’m going to have you meet with bono, marcus, and james. they are going to give you a little insight about the new upgrades to the car, along with some adjustments we’ve made since sakhir.”

“sounds good,” letting out a shaky breath, you follow the team principal’s lead, dipping your head to fellow members of the crew as they wave, circling around you like vultures. they appear eager, poised to pounce at any given moment. with every passing second, the tension in the air thickened, a buzz beginning to grow among the garage. 

of course, they were talking about you. 

this was the first time you were going to be behind the wheel of their car. the car that they had worked tirelessly on over the course of weeks, if not months. the car they had poured all of their passion, their energy, and their resources into. the car that required numerous donations and sponsorships to build, craft, and perfect. 

a car that was worth millions. 

and it was up to you to ensure that the car came out unscathed, without a single scratch or dent.

some pressure that was.

and god, was it starting to weigh on your shoulders.

“before you speak to the team, i need to tell you something.”

you pause, cocking your head, “yes?”

toto leans forward, his mouth hovering merely millimeters by your ear. 

“don’t fuck this up, hase. the moment you get behind the wheel of that car you are going to do one of two things for me. one, you manage to qualify in the top ten for tomorrow. or two, you crumble under the pressure and crash the car.

if you crash the car, you’re fucking done. you will never step foot inside brackley ever again. i will release you from your contact the very moment you make it back to the paddock. so don’t fuck this up, yeah? i’m sure you don’t want to lose your cushy little lifestyle in the reserves.”

a shiver courses down your spine, fear bubbling up in the pit of your stomach as he towers over you, wearing a sickeningly smug grin. however, that terror only lasts a second, dissipating as retaliation takes over. it’s fiery and hot, your jaw clenching as your fists form tightly wound balls. 

“fuck you,” you manage to spit out, “fuck you, toto wolff.”

“that’s exactly what i wanted to hear,” he coos, breath hot as it fans against your ear, “good girl.”

“fuck you,” you sneer, “if you utter so much another word to me, i’m crashing the fucking car.”

toto wolff couldn’t help but let the satisfaction course through his veins as you glower, folding your arms tightly against your chest as you make your way over to the huddle of engineers and crew. you were almost stomping, your steps a little louder than usual. 

he had you right where he wanted you.

tensed up, fury filling you to the brim. your brows pinched together with dismay, a frown etched across your features. the toes of your shoe tapping away against the floor, itching to feel the wheel beneath your fingertips. impatient as ever, the fear of loss mixed with the desire to win creating a dangerous yet lethal mix. 

a loaded gun, merely seconds away from firing. 

to toto, this was necessary. 

this was the only way he was going to make you a champion. 

you see, toto wolff made no mistakes.

he was a calculated individual, carefully plotting and carrying out every single move when it came to the decisions made by the team. no detail, no matter how miniscule or trivial was finalized without his permission. no contract was signed without his presence. no calls were made without his knowledge. 

so, the decision to replace george with the reserve driver for the first grand prix was not a decision that was made lightly.

in his eleven years at mercedes, the team principal had witnessed it all. with eight constructors’ championships, seven driver’s championships, and a stake in the team, toto was a dominant force in the world of formula one. he had seen his fair share of controversies, faced backlash from the media, and harbored his secrets. 

although he thought he had seen just about everything there was to see in formula one, that all changed the moment he saw your face. 

that was the exact moment in which toto wolff’s entire world came to a screeching halt. 

that was the moment in which he knew he had to have you. 

he knew he needed you at mercedes. 

no matter the cost. no matter the stakes. no matter the risk.

he had lewis hamilton to thank for that. 

it all happened one race weekend in zandvoort. toto could recall the memory perfectly, down to the exact minute. he could remember the way lewis was toting you around, your arm entwined with his. it was in the garage, as lewis was giving you a tour, showing you around a little bit, introducing you to a few prominent members of the team. 

at first glance, toto was under the impression you were just another fuck for the british driver, another innocent girl that fell victim to the bachelor’s charming ways.

that all changed when lewis introduced you as the prodigy of prema racing, the one who shattered records and obliterated barriers.

the next world champion pf formula two. that was, if you played your cards right.

the next face of the mercedes team, if toto played his cards right. 

as fate would have it, you did earn that title. 

in turn, that achievement ended up changing the trajectory of your life. it opened up numerous doors, more than you ever thought were possible. brands reached out to you through social media, inquiring about sponsorships. fans praised you across social media, stating that you were a trailblazer for the world of motorsports. 

most importantly, it opened the door to formula one. 

you had toto wolff to thank for that. 

with the help of lewis, he was the one who got the ball rolling on your contract. he was the one who took a chance on the hot-headed, bratty driver. he was the one who called you, inquiring if you wanted to sign a two-year deal with mercedes. you would be in the reserves, but you would be on the team, nonetheless. 

although you were not the first or second driver sitting in a seat, toto was well aware of the potential brewing within you. 

which, was partially the reason why you were competing today. 

he wouldn’t have made the call if he did not believe in you. 

as you slip into the car, he lingers at the helm of the control panel, sliding on a pair of headphones. 

“one, two, radio check. hase, can you hear me?”

your voice, so sweet and delicate, floods his ears, “i can hear you, toto.”

“good, good,” he tuts, “okay team, let’s have a good qualifying, yeah?”

as the remainder of the crew finish the check, the team principal’s gaze fixates on the reserve driver. her helmet was a little too big, but he could make out her lashes as they fluttered, her head bobbing along as the team buzzed about, ensuring that everything was in perfect order. 

a member of the crew flashes toto a thumbs up, signaling that it was time.

“all right hase,” with every fiber in his being, the team principal fights a grin as you mimic the wave of a princess, a gloved hand rotating back and forth as the car lurches out of the garage.

“es ist zeit zu gehen.”

the second you sailed on to that track,, your foot pressing on the gas, any doubt or fear dissolved, replaced by nothing but pure, electrifying adrenaline. 

“all right ms. reserves,” marcus’ voice seeps into your right ear, “let’s see what you can do.”

when it came to qualifying, all it took was one lap. 

one singular lap to prove yourself. 

and by god, that’s what you were going to do. 

you were going to prove yourself that you were more than just a body in the reserves. you were going to prove to the world of formula one that you were dominant on the track, just as you were in formula two. you were a world champion. 

the only woman in your sport to ever accomplish that magnificent of a feat. 

one of a kind.

the longer you were on the track, the more you realized how your body longed to be behind the wheel. the bells and whistles of the car came easily to you, really. natural, even. just as you had practiced in the simulator. 

your reflexes were sharp, on point with every turn of the chicane. your feet rotated back and forth between the gas and brake with ease, almost as if they had a mind of their own, like they knew this circuit by heart. 

before you knew it, you were sailing back toward the pits, to the mercedes garage. the chatter of the radio was almost like white noise to you, as you had paid no mind to the voices that filtered in and out of your helmet. part of you felt a sense of guilt for not listening to the engineers or crew. although, at the end of the day, you were the one driving the damn car.

coming to a halt at the garage, you pit, flipping the visor up. members of the crew swarm your car. yet, the only one you really make out is toto. with his broad stature and powerful aura, he was truly hard to miss. 

the team principal leans over, one hand resting against the halo of the car. 

the other taps your helmet, the corners of his lips tugging into a broad smile. 

for the first time, you make note of his dimples. how they soften his chiseled features. 

and for the first time, you can’t help but notice how gorgeous toto wolff is when he smiles. 

“congratulations, hase,” a chuckle rumbles in his chest, his hand lingering on your helmet. 

“with the fastest lap on the track, you’ve made it to the second session of qualifying.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆:

taglist: @sweetjellyfishland @ts1m1kas @bxuzi @racecardilfs @bblouifford @justacornerofmybrain @irishmanwhore @noooway555 @sleutherclaw @okdokeygryssel63 @jeannealicette @marknolee @allyisalright-blog

[amymbona]

SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UUUUUPP!!!

FOR ONCE STOP MAKING TASHI THE VILLAIN! Stop making Tashi look like the bad guy because you didn't get your gay ending! Stop making Tashi look like the bad guy because Art is depressed! Stop making Tashi look like the bad guy because Patrick is horny!

Instead of hating on her, I'm begging you, watch the movie again and try to pay attention to her character. I'm not saying she is a flawless angel - no - she has done many questionable and not always approved things, but so have Art and Patrick!

It's important to understand Tashi's full story and the actions which shaped her into the person she is. Some of you people seem to forget that she lost her biggest passion, that something that she loved deeply was taken away from her. Within a single moment, Tashi lost her career, lost her strength and all her desires. She became no one to herself, a failure and a completely miserable person.

Her behaviour is natural, and it's determined by everything she has gone through. It's very obvious she went through a rough time of depression and had to cope wirh the loss somehow. She's also just a human, and humans make mistakes.

Tashi loved both Art AND Patrick - and we can notice that very clearly in multiple scenes and if we think about it really deeply, and when she has married one, she couldn't just forget about the other. It's natural that she jumped towards the opportunity of spending some time with Patrick, even just one night (in 2011). Later on, she sleeps with Patrick again because she still loves him, but that doesn't deny that she loved Art and Lily too.

She's spent 8 years married to Art, every day of those eight years and I doubt she would have cheated on him with anyone else than Patrick. Let's not forget that Art is a flawed human too. He earned by Tashi as a result of his obsession and manipulation, which is a long way from love that they eventually found.

If Tashi didn't love Art, she would have abandoned him the moment she started seeing him on top of his career, because he had something she could never have again - tennis. But Tashi never left. She stayed and supported Art throughout the whole process, in her own way.

Stop praising Art for having a fat ass and looking up at his wife. He chose the life he's living, he chose to marry Tashi, have a family with her and pursue his tennis career with all the consequences. Yes, Art is depressed and miserable and he's probably not too happy with his life, but he's also an adult fully capable of making decisions. Just because he's submissive, loyal and dedicated, doesn't mean he deserves to be babied and told that he's too good for Tashi.

I don't always like to bring this topic into the discussion, but it's clear that some of you are pure misogynists, hating on the female protagonist because she got to fuck your favs and because she has a life. Tashi Duncan is somebody, she is a strong female lead with even stronger emotions, and if you really wanna understand her, you can't just watch - you need to think as well.

[gravityfallsrenaissance]

I rewatched Gravity Falls with my sister and holy crap being an adult and watching everything Stan goes through is insane.

I’ve been working through some stuff in therapy and like, this man has made some mistakes but definitely did not deserve what the narrative did to him.

Screws up his brothers machine on accident? Homeless at 17 and doesn’t speak to his twin for 10 years. Sees his brother again when they’re both at the end of their respective ropes and in their worst places mentally? Gets in a fight that lands his brother trapped for 30 years while he takes his death and tries to open the technical monstrosity his brother built when this man hasn’t even finished high school. Gets his brother back after 30 years? Doesn’t get a scrap of acknowledgement and is told to move out and leave him alone. Has spent 40 years trying to fix and atone for his mistakes? Not even a thank you and gets emotional about it such that the spell against Bill doesn’t work.

What’s left? Oh I don’t know, how about losing all of your memories and sense of self, letting the narrative boil you down to nothing more than a mistake and the only way you’re capable of rectifying it is by ceasing to be yourself, as literally as possible.

Like, I’m sorry, but if Ford really was so unreceptive to actually talking/working through things, I think Stan had more than atoned for his mistakes. I don’t think he was a fuck up or that his takeaway from everything should be that he wasn’t worth it. That his sacrifice was what he owed the world for everything he did.

Because he didn’t do any of it alone.

And boo fucking hoo that Ford had to shoot his brother. If their places had been reversed I doubt Stan could have done the same.

I’m sorry, you trusted an inter dimensional demon, kept secrets because you were too prideful to ask for help or admit to your failings, and again too prideful to say thank you to your younger brother who spent 3 decades doing everything he could to get you back? Stop throwing such a tantrum and get off your high horse.

Sure Stan made mistakes, but Ford never seemed to learn from his.

Rewatching it I was actually angry at the ending, at the idea that when Stan is facing Bill he’s not even upset at the hand he’s been dealt. At the unfairness of it.

Because it was unfair.

And if I had a single gripe with the series at all I would wish for maybe one extra episode after Stan losing his memories and before getting them back. Just one single episode of Ford admitting how he hurt his brother, the role he played in the apocalypse, just 20 minutes of him coming to terms with his own flaws.

Because we as the audience know Ford isn’t perfect, but I need him to acknowledge that too.

There is so much fanfiction where Stan’s life is horribly lonely or traumatic in ways the show can’t cover or makes light of and I get it but also it’s clear other people relate to Stan feeling like all he’s done is make mistakes and that he deserves what he’s gone through and that is so NOT the case.

And I wish the official narrative would acknowledge that too.

[mal3vol3nt]

it is crazyyyy seeing ppl go all the way back to ITSV and trying to find things to hate about gwen even then.

like in atsv, she is a realistic portrayal of a traumatized teenage girl who doesn’t know what to do with everything that’s happened to her and therefore ends up leaning on and trusting the wrong people. she made mistakes and was more human, but y’all didn’t like that. people HATED her for her mistakes and went out of their way to portray her as some sinister person while simultaneously simping for and loving up on male characters who’ve made similar if not worse mistakes.

in itsv, she comes off as a badass who rarely slips up. this is mainly because we’re seeing her from miles’ point of view and he very obviously has a crush on her so…. like duh. point is, in that movie gwen is an extremely capable superhero who is pretty and a lil traumatized but it doesn’t interfere with what she’s able to accomplish in itsv. she doesn’t make many mistakes in terms of her abilities or her relationship with miles because throughout the movie she’s slowly opening up to the idea of allowing herself to get close to people. therefore, she doesn’t yet have a friendship with him since her arc consists of her cold exterior melting away so she can let him in as a friend.

by atsv logic, itsv-gwen is the far superior and should- be-likeable version for some people since she’s a female character who is badass and doesn’t seriously fuck up or have any perceivable flaws (beyond the flatness that inherently comes with). but nooooo. y’all still hate her from that movie too so like… she just can’t win. you don’t like her when she’s an idealized version of herself and you don’t like her when she’s a realistic version of herself. it’s crazy seeing people pick her apart in itsv when most of the time her actions, like every other character’s, were based entirely on the very intense situation of the damn collider. to pick her apart specifically for her treatment of miles (which i don’t even think was cruel or coming from a place of illogical underestimation considering lives were on the line and miles was a very, very fresh-off-the-bite spider) and not the other characters is insaneeeee.

like to use her actions in itsv, which i would argue were logical in the context of the movie’s plot and situation, against her to further prove that she as a person is undeserving of miles in either a platonic or romantic way reeks with a lil something…. something that starts with an m and ends with a y. idk tho it’s on the tip of my tongue…

anywhore i just wanted to rant. not arguing or debating with anyone cus i don’t got the energy.

[inspector-montoya-fox]

It's always really difficult to choose between An Opera of Fear and A Cold Alliance for my favourite Sly 3 episode, but it's safe to say that Flight of Fancy is easily the most nostalgic. Not because it's rooted in my childhood memories (it is) but in the sense that it shares elements with episodes from Sly 2 during a game which presents the gang at the peak of their career. Let's discuss

I think we can all agree that the series very effectively presents the gang's development, not only as individual characters, but also as a team of thieves. Sly 1 shows the gang as teens during their first set of adventures which sprout from Sly's desire for vengeance. They make many mistakes, they don't really have planned heists or jobs - Sly just casually goes into every level breaking shit and then faces off the big baddie - and they surpass their own expectations of themselves to defeat Clockwerk in the end. Then, Sly 2 covers a crucial point in the gang's career. It felt as if up until this point they hadn't truly fucked up so they went into it being very cocky, especially Sly. And when they got their asses handed to them by Neyla, getting separated tested their individual and collective limits.

In Sly 3, the gang has evolved to master thieves, capable enough to feel comfortable recruiting and as such mentoring strangers and also worthy enough to inherit an entire lineage's stolen loot. This is also shown in the missions, which up in scale and spectacle. It's no longer just "follow this villain" or "pickpocket this person". It's a combination of missions we grew accustomed to during Sly 2 like "follow Octavio and do recon under time pressure", or something completely new. Right off the bat, for example, we send a ferris wheel rolling across Venice squashing guards in its way, like this is just a mission not Thunderbeak or something. Every Sly 3 mission evolves explosions, high-tech and the eventual mini boss-fight.

So it's then a bit surprising to see the gang reverting to their sneakier, more subtle ways during Flight of Fancy. That's not to say we don't have explosions and thrill in the episode (the dogfights, Muggshot vs Carmelita, wolf-riding, shooting literal fucking windmills into blimps), but the way they choose to sabotage the competition due to how delicate its internal politics are creates some nostalgia. Paddling around the sewers in a blow-up rowboat and breaking into the pilots' rooms is very Sly 2. It felt like something 18 year old Sly would do. Also, scaling the Baron's castle harks back to Sly 1's platforming and is reminiscent of how small Sly would seem when approaching a villain's daunting lair.

The design choices for the Netherlands seem primitive too, enhanced by the fact that we're in the countryside. I feel like there's that Sly 1 and 2 rule of thumb at play here, where Sucker Punch chose the aesthetic or genre first and then chose the location. For example, they wanted a spooky level in Sly 2 so they chose Prague which would accommodate the genre through its architecture and gothic character. That allowed them to exaggerate a lot in terms of level design. And it's the same for Flight of Fancy, where we have a spooky castle on top of a very cartoony hill and you can hide under haystacks. Oppositely, the rest of the game's levels seem to have departed from the previous entries' design principle (except Kaine Island, which is fully fictional). It feels as if SP chose Venice and wanted to play up how European it is, or the wilderness of the Australian outback but without any radical stylistic choices. The genres are explored through the narrative, not through design.

Lastly, let's close off with some Thieves in Time slander because it wouldn't be a signature me tumblr essay without it. If we really use the entirety of our brain power and manage to look past all of the game's bullshit, one additional flaw would be how it doesn't consider the gang's development when telling its story. I'm not saying that in the series' fourth game the gang should have been infallible or indestructible due to achieving master thief status in Sly 3, but here the mistakes they make feel so unnecessarily stupid and like shit they wouldn't have done even in Sly 1. Falling for Penelope's schtick twice; Sly letting his guard down during the Le Paradox boss fight after the Contessa; whatever the fuck went down in Arabia... yea.

[crumbledcastle28]

Two Birds with One Stone

Pairing: miguel x fem!reader (she/her; afab)

Summary: Miguel is of the opinion that revenge is best served cold.

Warnings: blood! violent miguel, swearing, cocky miguel, probably incorrect science, some biblical references, descriptions of dead bodies, HEA. Technically a part two to Come Hell or High Water, but can be read on its own.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who read part one, especially @vanilla-sweets @blueberry-thrawn @freehentai. You guys rock.

Word Count: 1.3k Type: blurb

Miguel O'Hara never knew how easy it would be rely on the omnipresent arrogance of a narcissistic Doc Oc variant. It was shocking, really, how little the Doctor believed himself capable of making a mistake. One could argue that it was his downfall, his Achilles heel, his fatal flaw.

Miguel was beginning to learn that everyone had one of those, his being the woman the Doctor still had in his titanium clutches, and that was okay. Because if there was one thing Miguel was nauseatingly good at, it was at finding people's faults.

Funny enough, he had found the way to get you back purely unwittingly.

He had been staring at his orchestra of beaming yellow monitors in the early hours of the morning and fell into the insatiably seductive trap of merely "resting his eyes."

"Just for a minute," he whispered, voice dripping in aching exhaustion, and dropped his head right onto the keyboard.

After a moment, he was woken by a piercing ringing in his ears. He figured it was a rogue anomaly alarm, causing him to bring his tender neck up and his swollen eyes scanning his screens once more. It took a few seconds for Miguel to process what he was looking at.

A tiny, flashing, lime green light blinking right at the center of the Spider-Verse, its diagnostic reading "Anomaly Found, Canon At Risk."

He shook his head, readying himself for disappointment. There was no way the Doctor would just...reveal himself, right? Unless it was a trap? Or some kind of scheme?

Or maybe, just maybe, the Doctor had made a mistake.

Miguel clicked on the diagnostic, reading further into the fine print. His eyes squinted as he read, one word from the comprehensive paragraph burning into his beaten frontal lobe.

Being currently dozing.

He rubbed his eyes, reading the words again, and again, and again.

The Doctor had fucking fallen asleep, effectively de-powering his tracking repellant installed in the chip of his brainstem. Without his conscious mind keeping the arms powered, therefore not keeping the inhibitor powered, his restrictions on his location were terminated.

Therefore, the restrictions on your location were terminated.

Miguel felt coolness drape itself over his body, a twitching sensation begin in his left eye, and an itching, tiny, yet incandescent glow begin to bloom across his chest and down his thighs.

The familiar, almost homey, grounding feeling of calculation and strategizing washed over him like a baptism. Renewing him from the wallowing man he had been, to the righteous one he was.

He knew how to be quick. He knew how to be efficient. He knew that getting you out was the main priority, while defeating the Doctor was secondary.

But Miguel had never been talented at only using his head.

A chilling, feline smile etched its way onto his face, his fangs dipping slightly over his bottom lip. His triceps flexed, his eyes narrowed, and his determination dropped like a stone in his stomach, sending ripples through the rest of his muscles.

Why not kill two birds with one stone?

"In the name of efficiency, of course," he mumbled, and powered up his gizmo.

~*~

Miguel O'Hara realized two things at once.

Firstly, Miguel didn't realize what he had done. The scope of it, the brevity, the fucking gore of it. Not until he stood still, the Doctor's mutilated corpse in front of him, metallic arms ripped from his body, clutched in Miguel's hands, dripping ooze and blood and bone.

Miguel didn't realize what he had done until that moment, and consecutively, how little he cared.

He hadn't hesitated. Not when the Doctor begged for mercy, just as Miguel had done. Not when the light began to slowly fade from the Doctor's eyes as his back became shredded, his spine shattered, and his brain ripped in half. Not when blood so red it was almost wine colored began dripping from Miguel's claws, effectively soaking the skin of his abdomen and upper thighs. No, Miguel hadn't hesitated.

And he didn't fucking care.

"Y/N," he yelled, throwing the dismembered pieces onto the metallic floor. He was in a warehouse of some kind, likely of the Doctor's own design. It was cold, grey, and composed of only panels and panels of sound-proof metal. No one could hear what was happening from the outside, and no one inside could hear what was happening outside.

His skin crawled and his jaw clenched at the thought.

He yelled your name once, twice, three more times. His fangs protruding from how wide he was opening his mouth, his deep bloodlust-filled voice regurgitating across the walls in an echo with a thrilling crescendo. He began to panic, his chest puffing at the thought that the Doctor had taken you somewhere else. That he sacrificed himself on purpose to send Miguel on an endless goose chase that ended with his own eventual death.

Because he would never stop searching. Never. You were worth spending the rest of his life a shepherd, looking for his one lost sheep.

He opened his mouth and strained his vocal chords one final time, and just as he was about to scream your name in a way that made every emotion he was feeling completely transparent to you, he heard a clanging from beneath his feet, and the muffled sound of his name.

His eyes locked on the bolts surrounding the small square he was standing on, as well as a small vent near his left foot, and realization washed over him.

It took him less than fifteen seconds to pry the hatch open, and pull you out.

His brain became muffled at the sight of you again - eyes he had gotten to know the color of so well, mouth with lips he could never seem to wipe away the feeling of, neck and jawline he had been desperate to trace one last time. Your features had always been striking to him, and with the blood and grime from the last few days strewn across them, he somehow found them even more so.

He only took a few seconds to admire you before practically tearing your suit in half, inspecting your wounds.

"Miguel," you said, you voice noticeably groggier from multiple days without use, "he let me bandage and clean them. I'm fine."

Miguel ran his fingers over your middle, inspecting your craftsmanship, pressing down on the bandages to ensure any bleeding or oozing had long since passed. He felt your soft fingers grasp underneath his chin, bringing his head up. You didn't hesitate to press his equally dirty forehead to yours, closing your eyes, breathing him in.

"I'm fine," you repeated, and Miguel exhaled shakily.

He let himself bask in the moment, forgetting the pain and carnage of the past, and the uncertainty of the future. Here he was, here and now, with his woman.

He hadn't failed you.

You brushed his hair from his face before pressing a quick kiss to his chiseled cheekbone. You then attempted to stand up before halting halfway, your face grimacing at the strain of the motion against your torn muscles.

He rotated your worn body into his arms, picking you up as a husband would his bride, and holding you close. He walked you from the warehouse, leaving the Doctor's body to wither and rot.

He grinned down at you. "How did you get him to fall asleep?"

You snorted, eyes closing against his swol chest. "You said I could experiment with my suit whenever I wanted. I took advantage of the opportunity," you said with a yawn.

Miguel's eyebrows furrowed when he caught the cocktail of scents in the air - carly sage, fresh roses, and a hint of lavender oil. You must have installed a ventilation of it as a fail-safe, the vent in your dungeon the perfect vessel to permeate it around the room.

He couldn't help but grin. "You truly scare me sometimes."

You looked up at Miguel one last time before succumbing to the exhaustion of your wounds. "You've never scared me."

He had never heard anything sweeter.

Tag list:

@leahkenobi @buckysblondie @tayleighuh

[shv2]

Long post, any commentary welcome

Okay confession time: I disliked Wander for years and now I'm realising that the only problem I have with him is that he is not called out on his bullshit/mistakes when it's really important.

I just feel like he is only shown as being in the wrong about small things. "He wants to help too much, even if people don't want it! He ignores his health to help others!"

But these are laughably small. Remindes me of when a person makes a character but they don't want to gives them any actual flaws so it's just "They are too kind/smart/etc".

Main problem (for me) is that Wander actually has big, intresting flaws with his character. But they are not explored. I cannot treat the episode about him trying to help people that are fine when. Everything else. I'm going to give 2 main examples that give me the most discomfort. You can skip if you understand.

1. Constant invasion of boundaries, to the point where "when he is a villain he deserves it" doesn't personally work for me. The entire fremergency episode.. Also the one where he and hater sang on stage. Why is he so weird about unconsious/not fully there Hater. He immediately makes him do/say things (in public or even on camera) that he would not say usually. Imagine someone you know is drunk so you take them in a public place to act like you are close while your buddy is filming that. I get Hater is a villain but damn... I'm not asking for a big callout or anything, can we at least not do the "it's so sad that he has to return :(" thing in the end.. Wander overstepping everyone's boundaries is so consistent it's a character trait, but it's mostly played for laughs/ignored/endorsed. It's not only villains... I remember this one animatic (scrapped/after credit scene, don't remember) where he pets Sylvia and his hand goes down to her tail so she has to physically stop him. Also a lot of other minor stuff, but.. I feel like this is more glaring than "oh he's just too sweet and kind".

2. The entire dominator.. Thing. Wander sees a trolley problem with the entire galaxy vs dominator (+hater stops being a villain), and decides he wants to save everyone. No matter how right you think he was, he did not achieve what he wanted. Dominator did not change. Hater did, but not complitely. But innocent people died. We can't just ignore that Hater has the power to stop Dominator, and one of the main reasons he didn't was because Wander was helping him out with Dominator. Look at Hater's face when Dominator laughs at his confession. He's not even surprised. He would 100% give up sooner if Wander wasn't hyping him up so much. Wander actually made sure that the only person capable of defeating Dominator was peaceful towards her for as long as he could. How many people lost their homes/died while him and Hater were busy with their crap? Again, I know this is a children's show. And yes, Wander is presented as being wrong, but un a really weird way. It's more about Dominator than her victims. It's more "Not everyone wants to change/be your friend/some people are just enemies" etc. The show shows (haha) that Wander was wrong, but the consequences are not in the picture. There are 2 elements to what happened: "Wander made the wrong call and many wrong decisions, AND many people died/lost their homes because of his decisions". The show only talks about the first part. It almost makes it look like if Dominator actually agreed to become friends, everything else would become okay.

Every time I rewatched the show I was thinking "Oh, yeah, this guy let countless people die because he wanted to solve the situation 100% ethically and gets away with it. Oh, he is very touchy without consent. Oh, he doesn't listen to his best friend and almost gets her killed. Oh, oh. Fuck this guy".

Now I think that it would be fine if it was adressed. There is no need to reduce/ignore his mistakes. Half of the main cast are villains (I personally consider (Wander, Sylvia, Hater and Peepers the main 4, people still love them. I love them! Not only that, we have Brad Starlight that satirises traditional heroes. Why doesn't the show apply at least some critical thinking towards Wander? Also, Sylvia is a hero too! She was a bounty hunter, she has anger management problems (where she is implied to hurt people in the way that a family friendly show can show (ep about the race)), she often "learns her lesson" if Wander is right.

Another thing.

Episodes where Wander is wrong are weirdly disconnected from the rest of the show in my opinion. At least it feels like it. It feels like tonal whiplash. One episode, Wander does something wrong - it's fine/haha funny. Other episode, Wander is W R O N G and needs to learn his lesson, also everything is extremely more on the nose. Try watching "The Fremergency Fronfract" right after "The Helper". Throughout 8 years I saw several people that had an opinion that these episodes felt really out of character for Wander, and I can understand where they are coming from. In my opinion, it's not Wander as a character, it's the lens through which we see him. Swapping from uncritical acceptance to critique feels unnatural to me.

Thinking of alternative scenarios/fanfiction makes me like Wander so much more. I think I can actually appreciate the guy so much more now. Everything I wrote was prompted by RWBY (+rewritten), because main team has the same problems Wander has times 1000.

I do hope that in season 3 they planned to explore Wander more (I remember seeing some tweets about it being the case), but I think that there is no way to adress this in season 3 without making it disconnect in many ways in some way from season 1 and 2.

[khaire-traveler]

I think people demonize anger a lot within the pagan and polytheist communities. I've noticed so many people be terrified that they've angered or upset their gods, and while there is obviously an underlying reason for that fear (usually trauma or anxiety), it definitely isn't a necessary fear to have.

Gods get angry. They can feel rage that burns so hot it scorches the lands below them. They don't approve of everything we do because, you know what, sometimes our actions, as humans, are just unacceptable. Sometimes we fuck up and have to be reminded the our actions impact other people's emotional states, and that includes the gods.

But just because gods get angry, upset, or disappointed with us doesn't mean they're going to leave us or they'll hate us or this or that. It doesn't mean they don't recognize that we are flawed and make mistakes. It doesn't mean they won't forgive us of our actions.

Of course, I believe that gods are capable of hating people. I believe there are some humans that are so despicable, so vile, that the gods themselves shun and scorn their very existence, but I'd like to think (and this is just my opinion) that isn't very common and that the gods are more forgiving and understanding than people give them credit for. I think there is a lot of fear-mongering that the gods will punish or hurt us because we've made a mistake or something along those lines, but in reality, they are much more lenient and forgiving, although they'll still get angry, upset, or disappointed.

It's ok for a god to be upset with you. They're not going to boil your toes or turn your fingers into snakes or something. Like, it's ok to be a flawed human; that's what human existence is. The gods know that, but we can still piss them off sometimes. We can still disappoint or upset them. And it's ok for us to still be loved by them afterwards. Both truths can exist at once; they can be angry as all hell at you and still love you. They can be disappointed in something you've done and still want the best for you. They can be upset at your actions and still care deeply for you.

It's up to you how you react to their anger, their upset, and their disappointment. Either way, you'll come out of the situation ok. Conflicts are normal in every relationship, including deity relationships.

[gleefullypolin]

Stacy's Tipsy Musings: Battle of the Stans Round 1 Penelope

I'm baaaaaackkkk!

I've been silent for a while but I'm drinking Malibu and Watermelon Redbull tonight and thinking about all the things that have been hitting my dashboard lately and making me go....URRRGHHHHH!!!

This time it's the battle of the STANS!!!! Yes you heard me, it's when one side of the ship screams louder than the other about a certain opinion. Well I wanted to tear those opinions up one by one and see what a Polin Stan thought about it.

Disclaimer: This is all in good fun, I'm not trying to start a real fight here! These are just personal opinions that I feel come from one side and should really be looked at from the middle more. Peace love and shipping!

Sooo without further ado...Round 1...Lets start with Penelope Stans.

Penelope Stans Round 1:

I need a hero VS I can take care of myself!

One of the biggest things I have read from stans when it comes to Pen is that Penelope can take care of herself and didn’t need anyone, especially Colin to dare try and take care of her.

During the fight on the street by the modiste, Penelope herself says “I can take care of myself” and she tells Colin multiple times that she doesn’t need him to save her. And thus, everyone bends themselves into a pretzel to back her up and say, “Colin, back the fuck off and stop getting in her way, she didn’t need you to do anything.”

But let us be honest, this is a 19-year-old girl who is making multiple mistakes on her own and could honestly use a little help but is also very stubborn to ask for it from anyone. No disrespect to Pen, she was a capable girl for her age, but she was also not perfect and did need some help. She also self-admitted that she needed to do better! Gee, if only she had the courage to ask, she might have gotten help with that.

Did she need a hero to swoop in and save her? No, she did not. Colin famously had a savior complex and wanted to come in and do it for her, and obviously his method failed spectacularly. Let’s be so for real, what Colin did to Pen with his “it is not up to you” line, was the same thing that was done to him back in S1 with the Marina situation when he so angrily exclaimed, “I’m so very glad this has all been settled on my behalf.” Yes, my dude, you should have remembered how that felt.

Colin no more needed to take over the situation than Pen needed to handle it on her own. Thus, the entire conversation is flawed.

Polin Fan Knockout Punch: Pen and Colin would have been better served rolling up their sleeves and putting their heads together for a solution. Pen is a strong woman but was still a woman in the Regency era. Having Colin assist her, not lead her, was what she asked for in the scene in the study.

The show itself came to this conclusion when she asked him to stand by her. They do not need to be divided or have one rule over the other. They simply need to support each other.

Insisting that Penelope had everything under control fails to look at how quickly things were spiraling out of control for her and how she simply needed others to help back her up. Wanting her to do it alone undermines the entire arc of Penelope. She had been alone in this her entire life and now, finally, she no longer needs to be, she has Colin beside her to help. That is a beautiful arc and wishing her to still stand alone while Colin props her up, is simply flawed.

[babacontainsmultitudes]

Okay, I have these stupid long essays in my head comparing the S2 dads with the S1 dads

Full of specific evidence and explanations and all that... What I *don’t* have is the time to write those up without destroying myself. 

So instead, what I have for you here are some point-form notes full of my hot takes, predictions and senseless switching between second and third tense!

Will these make sense to anyone? Fuck I hope so, but honestly who can say. Nevertheless, I need to get these thoughts out of my head so that I can move on to other stuff. Bulk of the post below the cut, cause it’s long, but here’s a little peek at the structure/mappings:

Sparrow = Glenn

Grant = Henry

Terry Jr. = Darryl

Nicky = Ron

Got that? Okay then, let’s get into it!

Sparrow and Glenn

It’s obvious that you love your son to death, but he wants so badly to hear that you’re proud of him and you are so, so bad at offering that

“Loss of fatherhood status” as a looming threat thank you Jodie and Lark

Probably the most controversial/polarizing/scrutinized dads of their seasons?

The pen is mightier than the sword but if that doesn’t work, yeah, they will kill you

Actually the friendliest with the kids that aren’t their own/the most willing to take them seriously (no really!!!)

I think this is likely gonna be viewed as a hot take for Sparrow but… These two trust their kids and believe in their ability to make their own decisions the most!

This is partially reflected in their lax parenting styles. And yet…

Quite willing/able to step in and be protective/draw a line when required

Greatest tendency to think of things with respect to the long-term (and “play the long game” more generally), also reflected in their parenting.

Somehow resilient to the point that it’s a flaw

Something something sneaky bastards that hold their cards very close

Overall, perhaps most heavily in contrast with Henry and Grant

If Sparrow really is Glenn: It’s gonna get better, I think, but first it’s gonna get much worse. Fate will force you to finally acknowledge your trauma, and in the meantime… You’re gonna carry that weight.

Grant and Henry

The pride, love, and acceptance you have for your son(s) is endless, and we love you for that

But you’ve failed to prepare them for the real world, and they will suffer as a result

As far as you’re concerned they can be whoever they want to be… As long as they don’t end up like you!

Very keen on not making the same mistakes as their fathers

Reactive, impulsive… But means well!

Really, such big hearts… And so much self-hate

Just constantly going through it, really

The thought of your kid hating you is a deeply terrifying one, and unfortunately fate seems to have it out for you

When push comes to shove, they struggle to have faith in their sons, and tend to baby them

Tendency to second guess and overthink, but this makes them flexible, and capable of self-reflection

Probably put the most conscious effort into being a good parent and adapting to their sons’ needs

As established, polar opposite of Sparrow and Glenn

If Grant really is Henry: oh god oh fuck ohhhh god oh fuuuuck You’ll try so very hard to make sure your son still loves you but… Will you ever learn to love yourself?

Terry Jr. and Darryl

You both try really hard to give your kid the dad that you had, who you loved dearly

But… They don’t need *your* dad

Absolutely overflowing with unconditional love

Struggle to give their kids space, and a bit oblivious to this fact

(Related) They try quite hard to be there for their kid it’s just… Never quite in the way that their kid wants/needs

“Tough love” is near impossible for them

Seriously they’re such pushovers for their kids lol

Particularly protective

Probably the most well-rounded and emotionally stable, overall

Highest level of contrast with Nicky and Ron

If Terry Jr really is Darryl: The good news is, your kid actually really doesn’t hate you at all. The bad news is, it’s still gonna take you a while to figure out how to get through to them. But… You can do it!!!

Nicky and Ron

Yes, seriously, there’s something here I swear

It’s not that you don’t want to be present in your kid’s life you just… Don’t know how.

Seriously, for all intents and purposes you might as well have met your kid yesterday

And your relationship with your dad(s) is… Particularly confusing and complicated and ultimately marked by absence so… It’s not like you really have much to go off of!

Their kids? Well on the surface they couldn’t be bothered to care about having a new parental figure in their lives but… Is that even remotely true?

It’s not a question of being a perfect dad or getting it right on the first try, it’s a question of whether or not you’re willing to put in the effort and show that you actually give a shit beyond the bare minimum.

Contrast with Terry and Darryl

If Nicky really is Ron: He’ll step up!!! He’ll figure it out and find his way into his son’s life one way or another and… Probably be the best off by the end of the season tbh.

Okay that’s it that’s it thank you for entertaining my thoughts on this dear reader now I’m off to sleep!

[dragynkeep]

I genuinely could have excused the whole lying to Ironwood cheap subplot if the show had done two things;

1 - Replaced those scenes in which RWB sip tea at the manor feeling sorry for themselves with the scenes where the two of them (not all three because I admit that someone physically capable has to protect Nora and the others who for whatever reason didn't evacuate to the underground IIRC) with scenes in which they either join the Atlesian army and actually fight Salem and the grimm or went to Mantle to kill the grimm there, or they split forces to help both. This at least would've shown that the heroes' actions match their words. "This is my home. And I'm not giving it up without a fight", my ass.

2 - In the Ever After they continued to elaborate on the heroes' despair and have them think that it's their actions that led to so many deaths and destruction. And the narrative wouldn't brush off Ruby's doubts and regrets as a flaw like "If you as much as presume that we didn't do everything less than perfect then there must be something wrong with you, don't listen to that demon on your shoulder whispering that evil shit to you"

It may not have been enouch to "save" the show from the clownery it proudly presents as a mOrAlY gRaY cONfLicT, but at least there would've been a good theme about how sometimes even with one's utmost benevolent intentions, they can still end up making horrible mistakes, good intentions don't necessarily make you a good person. And the characters wouldn't have been such blatant hypocrites lmao. I mean that manor scene proves that these characters have no idea who they are and what they've gotten into.

It's so annoying because these are simple ways to not make me wanna pull my own teeth out whenever the show tries to do anything interesting with the plot. The whole lying to Ironwood plotline could've been good, and in V7 it WAS good because it was setting everything up for Ruby to realise that, like Ozpin, it's hard to know when to trust when you've been betrayed and hurt before.

But the show doesn't want Ruby to be wrong. Every time it's brought up that she, and Team RWBY as a whole, fucked up, they just hide behind sad eyes and that they tried so that's all that matters. When no, just because you had good intentions doesn't mean you're washed of the consequences of those actions you made.

And while Ruby was slightly saved in V9 with how she was actually reacting to everything she did, WBY are just horrible people and horrible characters.

Who cares about the people that died in our plan, or the lives displaced or the impoverished kingdom forced to clean up our mistakes? We did our best so that's that, and anyone who still calls us out is like the comically evil Ironwood who wanted to bomb the poor.

No wonder the FNDM has a poor comprehension of grey morality and actual good writing if this is the show they stan so hard.

[themagnusbane]

I swear, in all these Only Friends discourse that has been raging since the finale dropped on Saturday, I wonder if anyone actually took a second to be like: this story is being told through the eyes of 20-21 year old college students. They are the mouthpiece through which this story is being narrated. Is it possible therefore that their age, their lack of experience, their slightly sheltered lives, might play a role in how they navigate their friendships, the world at large and how they react?

Like @jojotichakorn has started several times, and I agree a 100%; this story isn’t a morality lesson. Nobody is saying casual sex bad. You are evil if you’re non-monogamous. Blah blah blah. As a graysexual polyam person who just uses the term queer cuz it’s easier than me having a 30 mins convo with a stranger about my orientation and how everything intersects for me, this show was everything. Cuz PEOPLE ARE MESSY! People are messy and judgemental and annoying. Just because they’re queer doesn’t mean they WON’T be messy. I was especially a fucking shithead at 21. Hell, I was a virgin until I turned 22 (not quite as sanctimonious as Mew, thank SPIRIT!!). Who I am now at 33 is vastly different from who I was over a decade ago. I moved out at 22. Been living on my own for that time. The person I am today is a product of all I have seen and experienced. I lost the black and white lens through which I viewed the world, in that period of time.

And you know what? I do feel that these kids (cuz they are kids to me. I haven’t sat in a university class in almost 13 years 🤷🏾‍♀️), will grow, and learn and evolve. Boston I think will do fantastically well in New York. He will continue to come into his own. Will figure out what kind of relationships work best for him (both in regards to his friendships and his sexual and romantic—if he wants any—relationships), and he will thrive.

Mew will eventually get that stick out of his arse and get off his high horse. He will realize that people are messy, imperfect, and make mistakes, and that he too is flawed. And that is okay. That he doesn’t need to be burdened to replicate the perfect home life he had with his mothers. That hell, just because he fancies himself better than others, doesn’t mean that he isn’t as capable of the depraved things the human mind can conjure up 🤷🏾‍♀️.

Ray will probably battle with his addiction all his life. Will realize that battling addiction is a life-long process. Will lean on the support he has. Will probably learn to forgive his mum, and come to terms with her frailty as a human being, and what that meant with regards her suicide. He will also probably let himself admit that as much as he loved her, and wanted her to hold him and love him, he is justifiably angry at her that she did neither of those things, and then left him. He will probably confront his dad about the role he played, and didn’t play in all of this. He might decide to break up with Sand later. And they will still be good friends. Or Sand might be that ex he hasn’t spoken to in years, yet he still thinks of and smiles when he hears I Wanna Be Yours.

Same goes for Sand, and Top and Nick as well.

And who knows, at some point Cheum might realize that she can be quite the shitty friend. That she’s been a shitty friend. She might reach out to her now former friends, and honestly sincerely apologize. Or not. That’s another thing. Some people take forever to grow. And some don’t learn a lick from their experiences. And when time has passed and they looked back at all their burned bridges and try to reconnect, they are left with hands fluttering in the wind, and everyone they love out of reach 🤷🏾‍♀️.

But yeah. I don’t know about y’all. Maybe you were well adjusted uni students who were always right and knew the right words to say, and didn’t fuck up every other Saturday, and whose lives were peachy. But I was a dumbass, making dumbass choices, being a sanctimonious dumbass, and being an absolute menace. And that was how I watched the show. Knowing that this is a story of these kids, told to us by THESE kids. P’Jojo was just the conduit for their story. But it is ultimately THEIRS. I just watched it for them. Not for any moral lessons (this isn’t a parable or a fable. And I say this as someone who has been fascinated by mythology since I was 7), but to be entertained by the lives of these messy kids, crash-figuring their way to adulthood, and thanking the universe that my early 20s are way behind me, cuz fucking hell. That era of my life was some shit-show!