#maybe though like... a little more accurately

[radioactive-earthshine]

Hello new Superman fans! Welcome to the fandom. We're SO glad you decided to show up, even if maybe your stay here is brief. Stay as long, or a little as you want to.

My name's Orla, I've been in the comics fandom for over twenty years, and I have been a comic reader for over thirty.

I'm here as your friendly guide to all things Superman from the comics perspective!

First off, I want to convey that the fantastic movie you just saw is referred to as an "elseworlds" story.

This means it is a story that takes place in a totally different universe from the comics, and it has no relevancy to the main comics at all!

Elseworlds are a lot of fun as they give creators an opportunity to explore comic characters, new teams, and even comic events, in a world that doesn't have decades or lore attached! Think of it as official fanfiction.

As a result, character origins, motivations, appearances, ages, team combinations, moral alignments, and even personalities might be drastically different from the comics, the source material.

Please do not think this movie is a full spectrum representation of the depth of comics.

But Superman has always been woke, that part is 100% accurate.

While you're puttering through tags here on Tumblr you might have come across a few things that I'd like to address with the truth.

Because in the Superman fandom, we care about the truth, that was one of the most poignant themes of the movie - getting the truth out there.

Unfortunately, the fandom is full of a lot lies and misunderstandings, or partial truths. So without wasting any more time let me deconstruct a few things.

Long post below.

1.) Kon El/Conner Kent

Fandom: "This is a Clex baby that Clark abandoned for his parents to raise and owes Lex child support, and his name is sometimes spelled Connor or Konner or Kon El Kent." The above is partial truth, but the only statement that is true is that he shares 50% of Clark's DNA and 50% of Lex's, making him on technicality a child of them both, but the comics use the word clone. This is not the first origin of Kon, in fact for the first 10 years of his comic lifespan he was a human cloned from a man named Paul Westfield, and his genes was altered to just look like Superman and he had meta abilities in the form of TTK. He was not a clone of Clark to start. Geoff Johns in 2003 retconned this origin to make him instead a Clex clone, and then launched off a hurtful eugenics narrative where Kon was written to believe there was a risk of him being evil because one of his genetic donors was evil (which didn't make sense because Paul was evil himself). Just coming from watching the film, I want you to remember what Pa told Clark - it's not up for parents to decide who their children are, that's up for the person to decide. Genetics do not dictate morality. And this is why this retcon put a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths. This is not to say you cannot enjoy it and find it compelling, and it can be compelling, but please understand what this retcon is - a retcon. Clark never abandoned Kon ever in the comics. He never was "weird about having his DNA stolen". He never held him being a clone against him. He never purged him when he found out he was half Lex (Batman was the one that made a fuss about it but people don't want to talk about that, I'll explain more below). There is no child support. That's not even how child support works. Neither Clark or Lex raised him and Kon doesn't formally see either as a father. Lex isn't even on his radar as "family". Clark is family however and he is sort of caught in this nebulous space between an older brother and a parental figure but in all honesty, it's a nonnuclear role. Kon's name is Kon El or Conner Kent. He is like an immigrant who has a birth/family name, and a given name. His given name is Conner Kent, his birth/family name (even though he did not have it when he was born) is Kon El. They do not combine, yes a lot of people do this, they are wrong. Please spell them correctly. Kon meaning "abomination" was a thing in main comics only briefly, and it is now no longer canon.

Originally, it had no meaning when Clark gave it to Kon. Clark did not knowingly name him abomination. This is false. Kon is not dating Tim Drake, that is not canon, and he really doesn't care who Tim is dating right now. Sorry.

2.) Lex Luthor is a good dad to Kon.

No, he isn't. I cannot even begin to explain how little care he has for that boy. He does not care for him in the slightest and only ever thought of him as a tool and a weapon to serve him.

3.) Clark is a BAD DAD to Kon.

No, he isn't. I cannot even begin to explain how much care he has for that boy. He trusted him so much, he trusted him with the people he loved most and feared for the most: his parents. He is not without faults, and a lot of them have more Doylest than Watsonians explanations for why he failed Kon in various things, but in general he loves Kon tremendously.

4.) Batman anything

Look. The Batman and BatFAM fandom is a huge monolith and a lot of the fans (not all) can be very weird, aggressive and outright vile to other characters without knowing that they are being unwelcoming to the greater fandom. That being said... Metas are allowed in Gotham, Batman has ZERO power to stop them from entering, and many (like many of his own rogues) live there. Alan Scott, the first Green Lantern, lives there. Dinah Lance, the Black Canary lived there. Ragman lived there. Duke Thomas, one of Batman's bat-brood lives there. Metas are allowed in Gotham. For some reason, many in the Batfam fandom, have decided that this trope is hilarious and fail to see the parallels of this and fascism, oligarchy, xenophobia, and in current events, ICE operations... Anyway this is not a thing that is canon, it was only canon in an elseworld's comic starring Barbara Gordon. Batman might not want other people in his city from time to time, and he claims to want to work alone, but he can eat shit and live, and he does. The comics call him out on this all the time. The Batfam are very frequently glazed in fandom at the expense of other characters by people in some pretty uncomfortable and sometimes vile ways. Example: the Green Lanterns are often painted as stupid or weak to prop up a Bat-character as better than them. Or a Super character is depicted as stupid an incapable of solving a mystery when Clark is an investigative journalist and has solved many mysteries on his own before. Or, in Young Justice circles, Bart Allen (a speedster character from The Flash) is an infantile child who needs his eyes covered in front of people kissing when he is the most punk of any of his team. My point here is, if you are NEW to the fandom and you see a lot of bat posts that use other characters to prop said bat-characters or their ships, have some extreme suspicion about how far removed this is from anything in reality and embrace it as CRACK FANFIC. Because that's what it is. If you ARE interested in the Batfam they are a compelling group of characters with a lot of depth and nuance, it is just a shame that much of the fandom space, fanon, has flanderized many of them down to basic tropes and their depth has been lost in many areas. If you like this, that's fine! It's your life, but please remember that there is more out there.........

5.) The comics are so confusing and contradict each other all the time and have rebooted so many times, every other year, there is no canon and no point in reading them.

This is a partial truth but there is nuance. The comics due to their nature have many writers taking on a character and when you have so many hands on one person, personality sometimes shifts and material is lost/forgotten/written over. But I promise you - you read enough comics you start to understand that barring something really unhinged, personality is consistent. There IS a canon. The comics do not reboot every other year, there have only been 3 major ones and once you know the DATES of these it's really simple. Comics really can be simple and many characters just start at #1 for reading. There are hundreds of fans that will gladly point you in any direction and will enthusiastically share their reading lists with you if you ask for help. We're desperate for comic readers and connections and love new fans. We are twirling our hair and kicking our feet when you ask for a reading list. Reading them is like reading a book, it's reading, it makes you think, it is good for you.

And finally

6.) Lois Lane doesn't do anything in the comics other than be a damsel.

Please. The movie you just watched provided you with one of the most breath taking takes of Lois I have seen. Lois Lane is a superhero in the comics where her curiosity, bravery, and passion for ending fascism is paramount to her character. She loves journalism and has a deep love and respect for the field and she is very, very good at it.

This is all for now I have for you. If you are curious about anything else regarding comics or source material, please reach out to me and I will love to help explain some things.

Note: this is not me saying fanworks with the above themes or tropes are bad or shouldn't exist, those are fanfiction where there are no rules, BUT, a lot of these themes have been confused for facts where new fans genuinely believe the above are real things that happened in the comics and are accurate depictions of characters and themes. I am here to sort out what is fanfic, and what is fact. Because we live in a world where respect for the truth, any truth big or small, is dwindling and that is a tool of fascism.

[bewitched-hours]

Here me out: Seraphim! Reader x Shedletsky

Pre Forsaking;

Sooo back in the days of Telamon, he somehow managed to awaken the literal incarnation of the swords' consciousness, this literal biblically Accurate divine being that probably doesn't even belong in Roblox. And you're tall, not like oh Roblox God tall NO! I mean you make Telamon look like a kid in your presence( which isn't even how tall you can be since you need to fit into this realm right) I can't lie Telamon was down BADDD if you catch my drift( but considering your a being of divinity you can't really have thoughts of lust or anything like that). So for awhile it was You and the little chick( Telamon)that follows you around. Till( after much persuasion and insisting from him) you managed to fit yourself into a Robloxian form( you'd still be a harpy and your still unnaturally tall but at least now you can touch and feel the world around you)

Post Forsaking:

It's been ages since you've seen Telamon, not even any of his colleagues have been seen and you've been getting anxious about it. Not even 1x4 was around. Then somehow you got teleported to Forsaken, the spectre just thought you were another playing piece in this game but it eventually realised it bit off more than it can chew. You were pretty much stuck as a mesh between your Robloxian and seraphim form since the relative new realm isn't very stable, So spectre just left you be, hoping that you'd pass and leave them to enjoy their games. So you just watched, till Shedletsky, while out on a walk bumped into you. It took a hot second before either of you recognised eachother. You eventually came to meet( by that I mean Shedletsky dragged you to the survivors cabin) the rest of the survivors. You probably scared the shit out of them first. ( Your quite literally a mass of eyes, halos and wings attached to a vaguely Robloxian form) But with Shedletsky Clinging onto you like a lovesick man seeing his wife again after ages. They just accepted it. Now how to get them out safely without starting problems with another higher being. That'll take awhile

- Yapper Anon strikes again >:)

YAPPER ANON YOU ALREADY HAVE MY KIDNEY AND NOW YOU SHALL TAKE MY SPLEEN- God I love LOVE this idea! I have such a vivid image in my mind that I can't get rid of now and I feel like a child at a birthday party ohohohoh~

Reader gets They/Them~

Pre-Forsaken

Your awakening was a messed up blur, even in your divine mind...

The first time your form emerged from the Ghostwalker... You were like a god of gods...

And the one to awaken you? Telamon himself.

He was quite impressed by your form, maybe even a bit too impressed...

But your divinity held no room for matters that he thought of. Any affection you could give was moreso like you saw him as a child.

Which he was, if you looked at your size difference. He was so much smaller than you, it was pretty adorable.

But Telamon was much more enamored with you than you would ever bother recognizing him for.

Although you still treasured what he brought you for gifts, you were still a little surprised at his determination in helping you despite your morals being perhaps a little... Off.

He was a god who did as he pleased, no matter the price. He just so happened to look up at you with absolute adoration and perhaps sin in his eyes.

But you were a being of pure divinity, refusing to even give a thought about sin or acknowledge it. You still saw him as someone worthy of your presence though, because he held the sword that practically birthed you.

You were still stuck to it, mind you. It was just that for now, it was hidden in the graveyard where you could watch over Telamon's mansion in bliss. Not like many would dare to try their luck against a being like you. Bigger than any living being, stronger than buildings and machinery itself and with no needs of your own.

You could probably just sit idly without doing anything and the seasons would change thrice before you knew it. You didn't have an actual physical body after all but you still enjoyed the kind souls that stopped in their paths to keep you company even if their mere lifespans couldn't compare to even a fraction of your own...

Could you even die? Probably not.

I mean, many have tried to fight you but it would barely even feel like the touch of a feather against your divine form.

Still, Telamon grew restless over time...

"Please, [Reader]!" Telamon came begging for what must've been the 347865th time now. Yeah, you kept track...

"I promise it's not that bad! Even just for a day!" Seriously? He wanted you to take on a Robloxian form so badly...?

Oh well... It was clear he would never stop...

With a sigh, you eventually relented. "Very well... I suppose our blade will just be on our person at all times..." You spoke calmly, almost as if you had done this before. But you hadn't.

And Telamon was over the moon. "You won't regret it, I promise!" He kept saying in different ways as your form began to shrink and twist into something more akin to that of the average person...

... Except for the Harpy-esque features like the wings on your back and behind your ears, claws on both your feet and hands that gently felt the world around you and- Tail feathers??

You were still unnaturally tall, mind you. Tall enough to match Telamon himself in size which he seemed all the more proud of when his own wings puffed up in pride.

You couldn't say you disliked it per say... But it was overwhelming to suddenly be able to feel...

The earth was beneath your feet, the wind blew softly against your hands and face as the Ghostwalker hung against your back...

And you could think freely now...

Post-Forsaken

Well isn't this just peachy...

First Telamon disappeared and then you couldn't find any of his colleagues back at HQ? Then even 1x4 disappeared...

It was the first time you felt anxious... An emotion you would've never gotten if you had stayed true to divinity.

But here you were, roaming the Mansion and HQ Periodically for any sign of familiarity and praying as you held onto the Ghostwalker that all of this was just a nightmare and you had fallen asleep for a couple of ages or a bad prank...

But your worry was shortlived...

For when you had suddenly found yourself in this new realm, your body was a little messed up...

Your form looked even less Robloxian than before. Eyes and wings popping out of your form like a corruption of purity and that wasn't even touching on the two halos covering your head like your face was meant to be hidden... Only your mouth really showed there...

It didn't take long to figure out who the Spectre was. A being as powerful as yourself...

It would intrigue you if it wasn't for the fact you now knew it was the cause of your friends disappearing. But it was willing to let you be if you allowed them their fun with you simply becoming a spectator.

It wasn't too bad, though you were annoyed with who the Spectre chose as killers.

Call it what you wanted but you came to see life as more than you used to when you've gained a Robloxian form.

A child chasing his own father around in a twisted game of tag..? Someone's husband who cannot even remember his own name...?

1x...

But you had to let it go on... Wondering what the Spectre had done to them and wondering where Telamon really was... You hadn't seen him at all but the Spectre claimed they had taken him too. They just refused to give you any other details.

During rounds, you were usually hidden within a tree or building to watch the survivors work together. Their strategies were commendable, you had to admit.

Each of them playing a part with their abilities and roles and leaving you with the longing for what once was.

The days and nights of Telamon teaching you to live instead of just be. Letting your new body truly unwind through the company of him and his colleagues that you've grown to see as friends along the way and enjoying life for more than what you were made to be...

It sounded cliché but it was your honest feelings on the matter. You've grown soft and you weren't even afraid to admit it.

The might of the Ghostwalker was still with you though. A might that had killed many who dared to touch it with their impure hands... Unworthy of the responsibilities unless they're able to purify themselves in a realm of your making.

But as you pondered everything and nothing at all, you felt a gentle bump against your back and turned around to see Shedletsky had been walking backwards and just bumped into you.

Into the Ghostwalker...

You took hasty steps to back away from him, clutching your sword like a lifeline as you wondered how he was still standing.

He couldn't be pure... Only three people have ever been declared pure by you and those were Builderman, Brighteyes and... Telamon...

"Sorry there, wasn't watching my ste-" Shed was awkwardly chuckling and turning to face you when he saw the Ghostwalker and your appearance.

The silence was deafening but you had both seemed to put two and two together by the time you eased up and he excitedly dashed to hug you.

"[Reader]! I can't believe it! When did you get this new form?!" He asked cheerfully, setting any worries you might have had to rest as your wings slowly settled down around him. A low rumbling began to escape your body that seemed to soothe the admin and even though you had no idea where that rumbling came from, you figured it was harmless in the comfort of your old friend.

You began explaining to him the surge of a new and uncomfortable emotion when you couldn't find him anywhere which he chuckled a little at but with his face finally fully visible, you could see the blush on his cheeks as he pulled away but held onto one of your hands to lead you back to the Survivor Cabins.

To say the other survivors were shocked and nervous was an understatement but seeing how Shedletsky clung to you as you explained that you mean no harm and will do whatever you can to help them as much as you can, they decided to open you with semi-open arms.

Not like you could blame them with how beastly you looked.

But Shedletsky and Builderman were happy to have you with them, even if you were stuck as a mere spectator during rounds. Shedletsky took your watchful eyes as motivation, always watching for you to pop up so he can do one thing or another to hopefully impress you in typical chicken fashion.

It was cute, you couldn't lie. Especially when he began building a habit out of dragging you to his cabin since you didn't have your own.

It was usually just to build a next on his bed and cuddle, bringing out that strange rumbling again as you gently combed through his hair using your clawed hands.

Normal people would be awkward and uncomfortable with so many eyes like yours staring directly at them but Shed knew there was no threat in it.

Your eyes held a quiet but affectionate side for only him to view. You may not fully understand that side of you but he was willing to be patient. At least you allowed him to show his affections openly without any resistance on your part.

Preening each other's wings? Your plentiful eyes simply watched in amusement and he could swear some of those eyes had heart-shaped irises which made him all the more giddy.

Cuddling to sleep? You'll allow yourself to drift off and your mind returns to your own realm where you sometimes drag him into as well to show him more about what he had created with the Ghostwalker.

Stealing kisses? You don't even flinch and let him savour your affections to his delight whenever and wherever.

But you had yet to give him and his teammates the ultimate gift.

The gift of freedom from an entity you aren't sure about for once...

Chat can you tell I like the weirder ones-

Anything you'd like to request/ask? Check out my pinned post first and I'll be happy to write up whatever you want!

[rafeslvbug]

Hi love!!! If you want to, how abt singer x rafe in the beginning of their relationship after she rejects him again and then collabs with another artist that makes rafe jealous but he says he won't give up on her??? Thanks!!!

(note: i changed it? i think, so it’s after they’ve broken up)

LOVE ME HARDER

the stage lights were dimmed, electric humming as you sang alongside the weeknd, performing in front of an audience with famous faces across the globe. you focused on the sound of your voice, your notes, the lyrics. not the man sitting on the table to the left. number 18. watching you with a fierce intensity.

not rafe.

“so what would i do if i can’t figure it out?”

“you gotta try, try, try again,” you sing afterwards, eyes darting anywhere but him. trying not to give him a reason to believe in the two of you again. but the camera kept panning to him, you saw his face on the screen on behind you, as if you didn’t already see it when you blinked.

“so what would i do if i can’t figure it out?”

“i’m gonna leave, leave, leave again.” this time you can’t help it. the way your eyes find his through the chorus, and he visibly flinches. it’s not a song about him, but in this moment it seems like it might be.

…

you shake hands absentmindedly, thank people as you pass them by for their kind words.

“we loved your performance!”

“you were amazing.”

“some performance out there, huh?” you freeze. adjust the strap of your dress. ten minutes since the end of your performance, since you’d changed and he’d tracked you down this fast. already waiting. “that doesn’t sound so nice..” you muse, turning around to face rafe. he’s leaning against the wall, fitted suit ironed perfectly, champagne glass in his hand. “no?” he pushes off. “it was good..felt a little targeted though.”

“well it wasn’t. it was just a song rafe,” you reply curtly. but it was. you know it was. unintentionally, but you still looked at him through it. “pretty accurate song.”

“i didn’t write it.”

“no but you sang it, you chose it.”

“so?”

rafe sighs, pinches the bridge of his nose. “what are we doing? me an’ you?”

“nothing. we’re broken up.” your eyes cstch glimpses of those around you, celebrities too engaged in conversation to notice you. thank god.

“but why?”

“you know why!” you snap, voice still hushed. “you accused me of cheating– more than once, and we never see eye to eye–“

“we could have fixed that,” he grits out.

“right well it’s not going to be done here,” you scoff. “so maybe just go, rafe, find someone else to talk to.”

“no. you said it yourself, i’ve gotta try harder? love you harder? fine.” he spits your words back out at you, the ones you sang while unable to look away from him. how you wished you had looked away.

“i said the song wasn’t for you,” you argue, though it’s a lie. it’s all a lie when it comes to him.

“bullshit. it was. but i’ll leave you to it anyways, just know that we’re not done.” and he’s gone. and you’re stuck standing there. accepting a glass of champagne, acting like he hasn’t just shaken you.

[cosmowgyral]

With You through every Season ~

(5th Anniversary Story Event - Me and You, Always)

▪︎ Gilbert von Obsidian

this is a fan translation so please don't expect it to be 100% accurate. creative liberties have been taken. all content belongs to cybird. reblogs are appreciated but do not repost. hope you enjoy!

~epilogue

--flashback--

It was one winter—colder than any in recent years.

Albert: Gil, think you can drink this?

Gilbert: This... is alcohol?

Albert: Who knows.

Gilbert: I’m a kid, you know.

Albert: I’m still a kid too.

Gilbert: Then we really shouldn’t, right?

Albert: You’re a good boy, Gil.

Gilbert: Why did you bring alcohol?

Albert: Don’t you know? In our country, there’s a tradition of drinking celebratory alcohol on New Year’s.

Gilbert: Huh, is it New Year’s today?

Albert: Nope, that was days ago.

Albert: You’ve been burning up with fever for a while, so I guess it hasn’t sunk in.

Albert: How’s your body holding up?

Gilbert: I’m okay… So it’s already a new year, huh?

Albert: I was really looking forward to welcoming the new year with you, you know.

Gilbert: …Albert, you’re always like this

Gilbert: You don’t have to care so much about me.

Albert: But I want to enjoy the seasons with you, Gil.

Gilbert: In Obsidian, the seasons barely even exist, right?

Gilbert: And yet… you showed me flowers in spring, taught me how to stargaze in summer…

Gilbert: In autumn, you brought all kinds of delicious food… and now in winter, you brought me this celebratory drink.

Gilbert: You don’t have to go out of your way just because I stay shut up in this room.

Albert: I’m doing it because I want to.

Albert: When the seasons pass, it makes you feel the flow of time, right?

Albert: You’re growing, little by little… I want you to feel like you’re really alive.

Gilbert: ….

Albert: By the way, what I brought today isn’t actually alcohol—it’s just juice.

Albert: The real celebratory drink can wait until we’re adults.

Gilbert: …Yeah, you’re right

Gilbert: Once I’m grown up, I’ll be able to drink too… and probably go outside a lot more.

Albert: Yeah. You’ll definitely get better, and you’ll be running around out there in no time.

Albert: When that time comes, take in the seasons with your whole body. Until then, I’ll keep bringing them to you.

Albert: You need to live, Gil.

Gilbert: Yeah!

--flashback ends--

There used to be seasons.

But corruption and deceit scraped away my human senses—

Even when I was finally able to go outside, my body no longer registered the shifts in temperature.

Or perhaps… the beast in me forced myself not to feel them.

Like a birthday, it became a memory I didn’t want anyone to tarnish.

I sealed it away carefully, so it could never be touched again—

At least, that's what I thought.

Emma: Gil... are you alright?

Gilbert: …nn..

Emma’s voice scatters the fragments of the past.

(Huh… was I… asleep?)

We came to the ballroom to watch the first sunrise of the new year.

But by the time I realize it, the sun is already high in the sky, shining down on us.

Emma: I’m glad. You’re awake.

Gilbert: …No, I’m not.

The moment I notice I’m lying in Emma’s lap, I give up on sitting up and bury my face against her stomach instead.

(Ah, right… I got sleepy because of the alcohol.)

(I thought I’d picked something as mild as possible, but… maybe I should’ve just swapped it for juice.)

Back in the old Obsidian, drinking celebratory alcohol was basically suicide for me.

But now, there’s not a single trace of an assassin's presence.

Emma: Roderic prepared some water for you. Would you like it?

Gilbert: ……I’ll take it.

(It’s not like the alcohol’s still affecting me that much, though.)

As I tilted my head back to take the glass, it was snatched away at the last moment.

Then, for some reason, Emma started drinking the water herself—

A wave of déjà vu hit me.

(Ahh, even my little rabbit’s turned into a bad girl now.)

A shadow fell across my face, and her lips gently met mine.

When I obediently opened my mouth, cool water trickled down my throat.

(Though, maybe she’s forgetting I’m the real villain here.)

Just as she began to pull away, looking satisfied, I slipped a hand behind her head

I explored her mouth with my tongue, determined to steal every last drop.

The heat from our tangled tongues felt stronger than any heater, like it alone could blow away the chill of winter.

Emma: Haa... that was too much...

Gilbert: You’re the one who started it.

She looked away as our lips parted, still connected by a thin thread of saliva.

Her ears, even redder than when she drank, tickled the heart of the villain in me.

Gilbert: I don’t think I’ve had enough water yet.

Emma: The glass is right here.

Gilbert: But you’re the one who started it.

Emma: ...I can’t do this anymore.

Gilbert: Why not?

When I sat up, Emma, now kneeling, pulled my head into her arms.

Pressed against my ear was the rapid thudding of her heartbeat.

Emma: Do you understand now?

Gilbert: Nope, I didn’t get anything.

Emma: Huh?

Gilbert: One more time.

Emma: ...That's right, I forgot. You're a bad man, Gil.

Gilbert: Ahaha, finally realized it?

(...Thanks to you, I remembered the seasons.)

(The seasons are a symbol that life goes on—a sign that I’m alive.)

(So long as you’re here, I guess that means I’ll keep on living too.)

Emma took in another mouthful of water and, looking shy, pressed her lips to mine again.

It was the moment another seasonal tradition was added to our story.

[Chapter 4] [Masterlist]

[steelxwounds]

delaney let out a quiet, warm huff at that — something between a laugh and an exhale, something real — when nia told her flat-out that she looked like shit. no apology, no cushion. just truth. “thank you,” she muttered, dry as desert sand, eyes narrowing like the words might’ve stung if they weren’t so accurate. “honestly, would’ve been more insulting if you said i looked fine.” she reached for her glass again, curling her fingers around it like it grounded her. “sparkly, pink, and fruity,” she repeated, an eyebrow lifting. “sounds like hell.” a pause, then: “or… maybe that one version of heaven you only find when everything else tastes like ash.” delaney tilted her head slightly, letting the slow burn of the bar soak into her bones again. whisper & poison always felt like it existed out of time — too dim, too slow, too honest — a place you ended up when you were too wrung out to lie to yourself anymore. her mouth pulled into a quiet smirk when nia mentioned the cookies. “sixty?” she echoed, eyes glinting with something like amusement and admiration twisted together. “okay, yeah. that’s… that’s a little unhinged.” but there wasn’t judgment in her voice. none at all. just understanding, and maybe — maybe — a little appreciation for someone who coped in a way that didn’t taste like regret in the morning. “i used to run,” she said after a beat, voice a little quieter now. “put my headphones in and just... go. four, five miles. didn’t matter where. just wanted the burn. the ache.” she tapped the edge of her glass once with her finger, a faint rhythm she didn’t seem to notice. “then i tore my acl in med school. got benched for a whole semester. now i drink flatlines and sit with ghosts.” there wasn’t bitterness in the way she said it — just fact. the kind of honesty you only shared with someone who already carried some of the same weight. delaney turned her head toward nia, studying her again — the tilt of her smile, the wear in her shoulders, the way she sat like the shift had never really ended. “i get it,” she said simply. “you lose a kid, and it never just… goes away. it lingers. gets under your skin. you try to wash it off, sweat it out, bake it into cookies. but it’s still there. they’re still there.” a pause. her fingers wrapped tighter around the glass. “and maybe they should be.” she didn’t say anything for a long moment after that — just sat with it. with her. with the ache. then finally, her tone shifted — lighter, drier, a glimmer of her usual edge returning. “next time you bake through it, though?” she added, cutting a glance sideways. “maybe save me a cookie. balance out the flatline.” and there it was again — that soft, reluctant flicker of connection in the dark. not healing, exactly. but something close. something like staying human.

there’s   a   smile   that   forms   on   her   face   ⸺   but   it’s   not   the   bright   and   happy   one   she’s   always   known   for   around   her   interns   or   patients   ;   it’s   tired,   a   little   lopsided,   it’s   the   one   that   is   always   seen   in   the   staff   room   in   between   residents.   “   you   look   like   shit,   ”   she   adds   without   a   hesitation,   only   to   soften   it   with   a   shrug   before   she   takes   another   sip   of   her   drink.   “   flatline   just   sounds   on   point.   i   had   something   new   the   other   day,   it   was   pink,   sparkly   and   fruity   and   i   swear   for   a   second   it   felt   like   i’m   at   a   five   year   old’s   tea   party,   ”   she   lets   her   words   hang   for   a   second   before   she   lets   out   a   quiet   laugh,   head   slightly   tilting   to   the   side.   “   i   bake.   like   ⸺   i   bake.   last   time   i   made   60   cookies   after   losing   a   peds   case.   i   think   my   roommate   thought   i’m   going   crazy,   ”   her   lips   are   now   pressed   together   ;   every   lost   case   gets   to   her   the   same,   it’s   not   something   you   just   get   used   to.   “   what’s   yours   ?   or   is   that   it,   just   drowning   it   in   flatline   ?   ”

[bee-in-a-box]

anywaysies I got my monkees paperbacks in themailand I really wasn'tsure what to expect and it's GOT COMICS!! I love thisart style its so cute

[shripscapi]

Queen Cersei Lannister

absolutely never would have anticipated how many times i’d end up drawing cersei when I first started asoiaf but over time she has cemented herself as one of my favorite characters…

i’m forever revisiting my own designs, so here’s a second attempt at Cersei’s ruby mourning dress and a first attempt at her in her hunting greens when she goes to meet with Ned. I think hunting greens implies menswear, but I’m not certain and I could be misinterpreting…? either way I think it is more reasonable for trying to be stealthy so that’s the route I took…

[lyxchen]

Squid Game season 3 spoilers

People are really like "Squid Game did this bad, them portraying this thing how they did in the show means the writer is bigoted" when that's literally on purpose??? Hwang Dong-hyuk isn't "misogynistic and you can see it in his writing", he writes characters in a world that is misogynistic. Sang-woo didn't say that he doesn't want women in his team because Hwang Dong-hyuk hates women. He said that because Sang-woo grew up in a misogynistic world and adopted those worldviews. That's also proven because all of Squid Game's female characters are strong characters with determination and motivations and a personality that doesn't fall into the useless woman that needs to be saved trope. In fact. Jun-hee specifically doesn't want to be saved at all! Myung-gi tries to team up with her and help her so many times and most of those times she rejects him. How is that misogynistic writing? You can't tell me the woman who killed her abuser or the woman who fled a very controlling country to save herself and her brother or the trans woman who is so strong and competent or the religious woman who is able to easily build a following is misogynistic writing. They die sooner than a lot of the men because a lot of the Men in this show don't care about women. That's not misogynistic writing, that is writing that correctly portrays the misogyny of our everyday world. If you can't differentiate between the two then I don't know either

Also because some people say female characters or specifically Jun-hee are just plot devices: Every character in a story is a plot device. Every character serves a purpose for the story, that's actually really important for a story because why else would a character be there if they are completely useless to the story? The thing is though that a character that is a plot device turns into a character that is an actual person when you give them a personality and characteristics outside of their purpose for the plot. And every character in Squid Game has that!!

(That is also what I mean when I say that Squid Game portrays a realistic world)

[lokh]

what do you think toshiro's version of laios would've been like if he was still with the group during the shapeshifter shenanigans

there have been a few speculations in the tag and among the fans and they are all very good SO i am going to take this opportunity to insert a bit of my shipping bias as i like in my interpretation LMAO agdsfgdfgv

i noted that in actuality shuro seems to have a very good grasp on laios' character??? this is most obvious in the manga later on but even seeing how he criticises laios in their fight... iirc nothing he says is actually untrue or wildly exaggerated, and while he does express frustration over something he feels like laios Should have control over (noticing his cues), he is also aware that laios isnt being malicious and that hes Just Like That. what i mean to say is that while i think his version of laios may seem more pushy and in-your-face, i dont think it will be overwhelmingly so. if its post-fight, i think the idea of laios (and marcille) being willing to do anything to get falin back made a big impression on him, as well as the idea that they need to eat and rest in order to succeed in their goals, so those aspects would be prominent in his version. he seems pretty observant, so i think for the most part the physical traits would line up, but i think there would be specific things that stand out to him that would appear strangely striking on his version of laios (like. idk something about his eye colour or the subtle contrast of his armour and chainmail. he seems to have a weird sense of aesthetics if extras are anything to go by lmao). if hed actually been paying attention all those times laios had gone on about what the hell ever, then it might be even MORE hard to tell apart his version since he would also have a good grasp on what laios should know. so either his version of laios is pretty difficult to pick out, OR despite the character being accurate his appearance is too. stylised lmao (exaggerated features or something) OR!! they just get him to pull out his monster gourmet guide thing and are able to tell from there. iirc everyone was surprised at its appearance so its possible toshiro had also never seen it before

IN MY IMAGINARY SHIPPING SCENARIO............ lets say that his laios isnt able to be picked out immediately and that the monster guide thing also doesnt immediately occur to anyone. what the real laios Specifically notices is how close this other laios keeps getting to shuro. and hes like. ??? why is he getting so close to him, theres no way i get that close to him??? but no one else seems to be picking up on it as weird, so hes having a small crisis like do i REALLY get that close to him???? and now that hes on the outside he notices shuro subtly leaning away and he feels both a wave of shame and..... protectiveness??? (JEALOUSY??????) and he immediately steps in and grabs him like Hey!!! cant you see hes uncomfortable???? weve been through this already!!! and like. ok i cant believe im doing this again but i need to separate this into different endings

a) the whump route: i dont think shuro ever envisioned Actually Telling laios about his frustrations outside of being basically cornered into it. has he ever spoken up against what was expected of him?? has he ever been confrontational???? i think part of what held him back from expressing his frustrations, along with the cultural norms, could be fear of what the reaction would be. if he had done the same in any other aspect of his life (his family, his inheritance), i think he would expect disappointment, disapproval, more proof that he doesnt add up to expectation. to be honest i dont think he Truly believes that laios is the type of person to react like this. but it was strong enough to prevent him from acting and i think would be projected onto his image of laios. maybe fake!laios says something dismissive like Well if it really bothered him hed say something right? what, he cant even stand up for himself? cmon, shuro, prove that you cant handle it just like everything else. and thats pretty much the fastest giveaway that it isnt really laios. of course this would be a HUGE tonal departure from what the actual episode/chapter was, so:

b) the dumbass route: both laioses break into fisticuffs, and, yes.... barking. and so they speedrun the entire encounter as the shapeshifters true form appears and, after laios points out that thinking too hard about others versions of you can tear apart groups and peace of mind, they pointedly do not speak of it again. they think about it though. a LOT

c) the normal route: both laioses argue normal like and the group ends up being able to tell them apart because the fake laios goes on a little too long about how theyre all here for falin and everyones like ok its not like he DOESNT love his sister but.......... the rest of the scenario probably goes like canon, though then i would want to see what everyone Else thought of shuro

[serpentface]

Do you conlang? I was wondering if you had naming languages (or possibly even more developed ones) for pulling the words you use. I tried to search your blog but didn't find anything, wouldn't be surprised if the feature is just busted tho. Your worldbuilding is wonderful and I particularly enjoy the anthropological and linguistic elements.

Ok the thing is I had kind of decided I was not going to do any conlanging because I don't feel like I'm equipped to do a good job of it, like was fully like "I'm just going to do JUST enough that it doesn't fail an immediate sniff test and is more thoughtful than just keysmashing and putting in vowels". And then have kinda been conlanging anyway (though not to a very deep and serious extent. I maybe have like....an above average comprehension of how language construction works via willingness to research, but that's not saying much, also I can never remember the meanings of most linguistic terms like 'frictives' or etc off the top of my head. I'm just kinda raw dogging it with a vague conceptualization of what these things mean)

I do at least have a naming language for Wardi (and more basic rules for other established languages) but the rudimentary forms of it were devised with methods much shakier and less linguistically viable than even the most basic naming language schemes, and I only went back over it LONG after I had already made a bunch of words so there's some inconsistencies with consonant presence and usage. (This can at least be justified because it IS a language that would have a lot of loanwords and would be heavily influenced by other language groups- Burri being by far the most significant, Highland-Finnic and Yuroma-Lowlands also being large contributors)

The 'method' I used was:

-Skip basic construction elements and fully move into devising necessary name words, with at least a Vibe of what consonants are going to be common and how pronunciation works -Identify some roots out of the established words and their meanings. Establish an ongoing glossary of known roots/words. -Construct new words based in root words, or as obvious extensions/variants of established words. -Get really involved in how the literal meanings of some words might not translate properly to english, mostly use this to produce a glossary of in-universe slang. -Realize that I probably should have at least some very basic internal consistency at this point. -Google search tutorials on writing a naming language. -Reverse engineer a naming language out of established words, and ascribe all remaining inconsistencies to being loanwords or just the mysteries of life or whatever.

I do at least have some strongly established pronunciation rules and a sense of broad regional dialect/accents.

-'ai' words are almost always pronounced with a long 'aye' sound.

-There is no 'Z' or 'X' sound, a Wardi speaker pronouncing 'zebra' would go for 'tsee-brah', and would attempt 'xylophone' as 'ssye-lohp-hon'

-'V' sounds are nearly absent and occur only in loanwords, and tend to be pronounced with a 'W' sound. 'Virsum' is a Highland word (pronounced 'veer-soom') denoting ancestry, a Wardi speaker would go 'weer-sum'.

-'Ch' spellings almost always imply a soft 'chuh' sound when appearing after an E, I, or O (pelatoche= pel-ah-toh-chey), but a hard 'kh' sound after an A or U (odomache= oh-doh-mah-khe). When at the start of a word, it's usually a soft 'ch' unless followed by an 'i' sound (chin (dog) is pronounced with a hard K 'khiin', cholem (salt) is pronounced with a soft Ch 'cho-lehm')

-Western Wardin has strong Burri cultural and linguistic influence, and a distinct accent- one of the most pronounced differences is use of the ñ sound in 'nn' words. The western city of Ephennos is pronounced 'ey-fey-nyos' by most residents, the southeastern city of Erubinnos is pronounced 'eh-roo-been-nos' by most residents. Palo's surname 'Apolynnon' is pronounced 'A-puh-lee-nyon' in the Burri and western Wardi dialects (which is the 'proper' pronunciation, given that it's a Kos name), but will generally be spoken as 'Ah-poh-leen-non' in the south and east.

-R's are rolled in Highland-Finnic words. Rolling R's is common in far northern rural Wardi dialects but no others. Most urban Wardi speakers consider rolling R's sort of a hick thing, and often think it sounds stupid or at least uneducated. (Brakul's name should be pronounced with a brief rolled 'r', short 'ah' and long 'uul', but is generally being pronounced by his south-southeastern compatriots with a long unrolled 'Brah' sound).

Anyway not really a sturdy construction that will hold up to the scrutiny of someone well equipped for linguistics but not pure bullshit either.

[kiisaka]

[buysomecheese]

I hate kpop because what do you mean this man is six feet tall, dances for a living, is strong as fuck, and weighs the same as me, a 5’6 (generous) man who is not in the gym consistently and is very average sized

[silversinfinity]

Behold, my most depraved purchase

I don't actually intend to... well, use it because it's definitely intended to be a prop. Either that, or I'm just finding out that handkerchiefs are not soft and silky like everyone says they are LOL.

Soooo yeah. It'll just be a nice touch to my cosplay I suppose. But it will be a nice touch that will make me feel sexy and that's all that matters baby!! 🤩

[invinciblerodent]

and another very small, very minor entry on the list of Things I'm Getting Just a Tiny Little Bit Miffy About Seeing Repeated (Not Angry Just Ever So Slightly Annoyed)TM:

dnd elves do, in fact, mature at the same rate humans do. they're not "like children" or "not considered full adults" until they hit 100- not to anyone other than other, older elves.

like I get where the thought comes from, I fully understand it, I've read many of the source materials myself, I've read Mordenkainen's and see where the misunderstanding comes from, but... to a human, or a tiefling, or anyone else shorter-lived than an elf, a 50-, 60-, 90-year-old elf is just like a 50-, 60-, 90-year-old of their own race would be. they just look much younger than their age, and act in accordance with their personality, which is.... much less tied to someone's age than many may think. (I mean, have you never met a 50-year-old who seems just staggeringly immature? a 20-year-old who is wiser than their years would allow? have you never been to a retail establishment???????)

it's only the other elves who view a younger one as emotionally immature, and that's mainly because they have yet to bury their first generation of friends and loved ones: something a shorter-lived person only has to do once, while elves may very well go through several cycles of that in one lifetime. They have also not yet had their Drawing of the Veil, when they stop being able to access primal memories, memories of their soul's previous lives, but it's mainly the "all my once-powerful and vibrant friends are now frail and dying from old age, and yet here I remain, as young, strong, and beautiful as the day they met me, untouched by the inexorable crawl of time, what is mortality, what is death" thing.

if the people of Faerun in general thought of a 40-year-old elf as immature, as if they were a child, Astarion would have just patently not been an appointed civil administrator and judicial officer (which is what a magistrate is) 200 years ago. like he could have of course been lying when he said that that's what he was, but taking it as the once-truth, nobody would have let someone they see as a child fill such a position of responsibility. It was, however, a perfectly mundane thing for a learned adult man, such as he was, to do. (what he may or may not have done with the power he allegedly had, the kind of person he was, and whether letting him have power was the right move overall, is pretty much completely irrelevant at this juncture. corrupt officials exist regardless of age, just look at the judicial system of any country today.)

an older elf like Halsin, their maturity is not just on a different level, it's measured by a different metric than that of a shorter-lived character.

it's hard to accurately roleplay or grasp something like this with our human minds, none of us have ever spoken to a 300-year-old after all, but.... a 100-year-old elf is not a "young adult", unless you're an elf yourself. If you're a human, they're just... an adult.

[poisonedpowder]

Difficult Person Test

You are a very difficult person to get along with (72.86%).

Tagged by: @gntlets

Tagging: Anyone that sees this and wants to do it (come on, I know you want to-)

[impzone]

if tumblr goes down you can find me on (looks at smudged writing on wrist) signal stories