#no matter if I agree with the opinion or not

[vaintarquin]

Also have you read the discworld. MANY of his books contain extremely racist depictions of Asian cultures and people.

I haven't read the whole series but it also reads like there are no people of color. Even the History monks, who are based on racism surrounding Tibetan Buddhist Monks, read like white people in yellow face doing their best Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Terry Pratchett is also problematic. He's dead though so he doesn't make any money off of you interacting with his work. His daughter Rihanna (pronounced Rye Anna idk why) Pratchett is in charge of his estate and does make money off of it. As she is a private person who has not to my knowledge outwardly stated her racial biases we cannot be sure that she does not agree with the sentiments contained within her father's works.

Everyone you know and everyone you love has not only done bad things they have bad views they have bad opinions. Not just celebrities your parents your partner your children. Everyone you love everyone you know.

What's important is that we move on we try our best to learn from our mistakes from our bad actions and opinions and that we grow as people trying to fix the damage that we've done and trying to actively Ensure that we do not repeat the damage.

"do the best you can until you know better. When you know better do better." Maya Angelou

"try again fail again fail better" Samuel Beckett

"what matters is that we try to be better today than we were yesterday." Make Schur

one of the most frustrating things about the neil gaiman situation (and others like it) is people who were fans immediately moving to a different person to idolise ('well, at least we still have x author' or 'please tell me y author is still a good person') and in this situation specifically, 'terry pratchett would be furious'. no!!! you do not know!!!you have no idea whether terry pratchett or any author you like was/is a predator! you cannot take a situation in which a man's public persona as a feminist and supporter of women allowed him to prey on vulnerable women without suspicion and then look at all the other men who portray themselves as good people and say 'well, these ones are still okay though.' just stop idolising celebrities!!!!!!!

[lisdens]

CAITVI & honesty

so we know a major factor for caitvi's breakup in episode 3 happens to be the lack of honesty between caitlyn and vi. let's talk about it for a minute while also using this opportunity to answer the big question:

would caitlyn eventually tell vi about jinx being alive?

during act one both caitlyn and vi make promises they can't keep, wether it's out of love, fear, or sense of responsibility, and this severely damages their dynamic.

why? because caitlyn and vi's entire relationship was built on honesty. being honest (as vi says during her conversation with ambessa) is one of the pilars for trust, and if they can't trust each other, their dynamic no longer works.

when vi opens up about her fear of caitlyn changing (becoming a 'monster' in her eyes), she's so deep in denial that she fails to realize the fact that caitlyn has already changed.

caitlyn believes her mother's death was a direct consequence of her inaction; she held her shot because of her love for vi, and consequently vi's love for jinx.

she can't let go of jinx, not yet. but if she doesn't keep vi close, she fears vi will go back to her sister so her response to vi's plead is 'i won't', which could mean:

- 'i promise i won't change'

or

- 'i won't promise that'

she's not being honest, ergo, she's breaking vi's trust.

now with vi, we know she believes herself responsible for jinx's crimes (as she says in episode one: 'i created the monster'), so she agrees to hunt her down with caitlyn in attempt to repay the city for her sister's mistakes.

the thing is, vi can't kill jinx. no matter how guilty she may feel, jinx is still her little sister and vi, under no circumstances, would harm her family. she loves jinx, but her internal guilt makes her agree to hunt her down to kill her.

she's promising caitlyn something she knows she can't do, ergo, she's breaking caitlyn's trust.

fast forward few months later caitlyn's conversation with singed ('why does anyone commit acts others deem unspeakable? for love') and vi's reunion with vander's new form (consequently making vi accept the fact that people can and will change, and that is okay) create a better environment for caitlyn and vi to revisit their relationship.

our pookies are ready to meet up again.

but--BUT--the conditions have changed; vi's family comes first, and if caitlyn wants to have her back, she has to accept her terms. vi agreed to caitlyn's way of approaching things during act one, now it's her turn to call the shots.

just like when they first met, it's caitlyn who has to earn vi's trust. why? because vi deserves it.

and how does she earn that trust back?

there's two things (the first being obvious one, the other being more subtle, in my opinion) caitlyn does:

we, as the audience, know that by the time their argument takes place vi has already forgiven caitlyn (she even calls her cait again), but we still have the elephant in the room: can caitlyn let go of jinx?

caitlyn's love for vi is bigger than her obsession for revenge, so yes, she can.

that is the first point.

there's lots of analysis on that one so i have no interest in talking further about it. instead, i want to focus on the second one, which will also answer our original enquiry.

vi knows all the crimes caitlyn has committed, it's public knowledge and there are literal banners with her face hanged all around zaun.

(i'd also like to point out ambessa's incredible strategy to make caitlyn the face of the government while still being the one doing most of the action; the moment she no longer needed caitlyn, she could've easily discarded her without facing any consequence herself. really smart woman, one of my favorite characters.)

caitlyn knows vi knows, but it's important that vi knows every little detail about what caitlyn's been doing during their time apart. why? because caitlyn genuinely wants to earn her trust back, and she can't do that if she's not being a hundred percent honest.

she cleared the way for jinx to escape with the knowledge that she may not see vi ever again (and she's fine with that) but the moment vi starts kissing her, she stops her to confess the one thing vi's unaware about.

and we see how nervous she feels when telling her about maddie, caitlyn repeatedly fails to hold vi's gaze because of it. but she tells her because she wants to be honest. and if vi decides to stop things, then so be it.

their dynamic doesn't work when there's secrets between them; if caitlyn wants vi back, she has to make sure it's without any barriers, otherwise they'll hurt each other again.

and what is vi's response to it?

vi has kept a firm grip on the past since she came out of prison, always clinging to the things that no longer exist and can't be changed. can she change the fact that caitlyn was seeing someone?

no, but she's learning to come to terms with the fact that things happen and sometimes she doesn't have control over them, and that's not her fault.

so yes, she doesn't fucking care.

to answer the big, final question; yes, caitlyn will, at some point and having enough proof of it, tell vi about jinx.

caitlyn and vi have learned from past mistakes and rebuilding their relationship will take effort, but honesty--trust--is the first step in the right direction.

[guidaozongshi]

No one can convince me Sasuke constantly asking Naruto why he cared wasn't him searching for a confession. There's a reason why there was a pause before we said friend. It's a popular literary device to indicate uncertainty. People are acting dense on purpose.

In most Shounen or JP media, friendships can be very deep yet straightforward. It is very rare ever to find characters in a platonic relationship who question whether the term 'friends' accurately defines their bond.

Even before Sasuke himself puts forward the question, many characters question Naruto about his fixation on Sasuke , it is obvious that the relationship between them does not fit the norms or definition of friendship even in the setting itself.

I remember seeing this from Japanese users on a 2channel thread, on Naruto's homosexuality. Even though a lot of the users' responses have an underlying homophobia to it, they do acknowledge the obvious.

>The way Naruto and Sasuke are portrayed is not normal no matter how you look at it. But I guess that's just the way it is.

But what I don't understand about Kishimoto is that not all of Naruto's relationships are like that. He can also portray warm and good friendships like Shikamaru and Chouji, Sakura and Ino, Kakashi and Gai etc.

Also, in the manga itself there are a lot of comments like " what on earth are they doing ?" Which makes me think that the author is able to look at things from an objective point of view

They agree that not only Naruto-Sasuke's relationship doesn't fit into the norms of friendship/brotherhood like other characters but that Kishimoto deliberately made it such.

In the Western fanbase, in recent years, even the dudebros are now starting to admit how gay the relationship was, but there are still a lot of people who insist that people cannot conceive of a deep friendship between men and that fujoshis are sullying their relationship. But Naruto and Sasuke's relationship being abnormal is pretty much an accepted opinion in Japan even though it's not discussed as much, it's an open secret.

> I'm wondering why it's so popular overseas, when the love between the men is so intense.

I guess most people got into it initially because of the ninja element.

It has been my favorite anime for many years and it still has support from young people in many countries.

The relationship between these two is too heavy that it is often made fun of, but I can't mention it publicly

I'm wondering if there's people out there who have had similar feelings, although not to this extent.

"why it's so popular overseas, when the love between the men is so intense"

Oh brother. Because they ignore it altogether to focus on one of the worst aspects of the series: ridiculous power creeps and make everything about power scaling.

So yeah, the text quite literally tells us that Naruto and Sasuke's relationship defies the conventions of friendship. By the end, even Naruto drops the label of brothers to describe the relationship even if he had once used it to describe their bond. Naruto then only describes his own feelings but doesn't categorise it and only then Sasuke is satisfied.

[4me2knowandyou2wonder]

Just some MelVik "early days dynamic" brain worms. I had fun writing a scene. no real shipping here actully, just the good ol mel and viktor dynamics we should have gotten 800~ words, writen at like 2am, not reread at all before posting.

----

Viktor’s left leg has fallen asleep. For a while now he had been aware of the slow tingling crawling down his nerves, but he’d finally gotten into a position that let his right leg stop throbbing and found he was unwilling to keep looking for a way to sit that appeased both limbs. It is for this reason that when the lab door loudly swings open Viktor makes no attempt to rise. There is no doubt in his mind that that could only end with him on the floor. He does not know who entered the laboratory, certainly not Jayce—he had left an hour ago, but no matter how open he was to the intruder being a stranger, he was still unprepared for councilor Medarda herself, to sit down on top of his notes. 

“As concentrated on progress as ever I see,” she lulled, dragging the page he’d been staring at from his fingers. 

Once over his initial shock, Viktor snatched the paper back with force and glared at the councilor with flames in his eyes. “What are you doing here?”

The counselor at least had the wherewithal to look a little embarrassed after that. “Well, honestly, I am here seeking counsel.” 

“Jayce left two hours ago.”

“I know. I came for you.”

Viktor could keep the indignation from his voice. “Me?”

Councilor Medarda finally removed her butt from Viktor’s desk in favor of pacing about the room. Viktor reluctantly unfolded himself to watch her movements. His legs had very differing opinions about this action. 

“I’m trying to undo an outdated law, but the council is not in my favor.” Viktor wanted to interject with a comment about that but the councilor offered no pause. “For years doctors who are licensed in Piltover have been barred from practicing medicine in the undercity.” 

He was well aware. Viktor focused on her with more interest. Why would she care about doctors being allowed in Zaun? 

“I thought it was an obvious law to over turn.” Her pacing had gotten faster now. “Why are we controlling the movements of our citizens? Wanting to help others across the bridge doesn’t make anyone less capable of medicine! Its—”

“It is because they want the resource for themself,” Viktor interrupted, “and, well, they do not want their doctors to be put in danger.” 

The counselor’s pacing stopped. “You agree with them!” 

Viktor frowned. He wasn’t sure how much he was willing to say. He said it anyway. “Miss Medarda, I have watched friends and family alike die from preventable diseases. Die, just because the available doctors are too scared to work with them. If you are from Zaun, it does not matter if you make it all the way to Piltover. It does not matter if you have the money. This very law scares doctors enough that they will turn me away.” Even while curled over in a rickety wooden chair, his gaze was enough to level her. “Of course I do not agree with the council.” 

“Viktor—”

He let out a sigh and leaded back in his chair. “I simply… understand their flawed minds.” 

“I want to change it.” 

“A noble thought.” He didn’t try to hide his skepticism.

The counselor is suddenly much closer to him. “I was a single vote away from reversing it.” There is a conviction in her voice that intrigues Viktor. “Hoskel is malleable. But he’s scared of change.” 

She pauses long enough Viktor thinks she might be waiting for him to speak. “I-”

“Can you hide a calming agent in a kid’s fidget puzzle?”

There is fire in her eyes. A rueful smile plays over Viktor’s face. “Miss Medarda…” he drawls. “Are you here to ask me to help you drug your fellow counselor, so that you can pass a law?”

The counselor doesn’t recoil. She doesn’t even blink. Unwavering determination. Viktor is faced with a choice. He doesn't like the thought of being used, but a reversal of this jurisdiction could mean everything for hundreds of Zaunite citizens. One trinket is all it would take for him and the counselor to change the dynamics of the whole population.

Viktor wins the staring contest. Counselor Medarda sighs and lets her shoulders fall. “I’m sorry for bothering you. Goodnight, Viktor.” 

“Goodnight, counselor.” 

He lets her touch the brass handle before calling out. “Are you not going to tell me when the next council meeting is?” 

Counselor Madarda’s head whips around. She is met with the widest, most cunning grin she’s ever seen on Viktor. Her next few breaths come out a bit like she might be laughing, but Viktor cannot be sure. 

“It’s- It's tomorrow evening.”

Viktor pushes his bottom lip up and nods his knocks to the side. “I’ll see you in the morning then.”

He picks up his pencil from the desk and turns away. He does not look up again until a closed door muffles the counselor’s footsteps. Perhaps Viktor should play Powerful more often, he concedes, that was fun.

[darcytaylor]

Navigating the Fine Line Between Curiosity and Respect

The Fine Line Between Speculation and Respect

Fandoms can be a space to connect with others, celebrate creativity, and share our love for art and stories that bring us joy. But sometimes, the line between healthy curiosity and invasive speculation can blur. I want to start by reflecting on my own behaviour.

My Own Reflection

I’m not innocent in all of this. There have been times I’ve written long, drawn-out paragraphs about people I don’t know, trying to be respectful, but I’m sure I’ve added unnecessary dialogue to conversations I probably shouldn’t have.

That’s something I’m working on. I’ve been trying to step back, take more care in what I post, and remind myself that I am in control of what I put out into the world. Speculation doesn’t always land the way we intend it to, and even when we try to be respectful, it can still cross a line.

I know not everyone will agree on what constitutes respectful speculation - opinions differ, and that’s fine. But some boundaries should be common knowledge (even though I recognize that common knowledge isn’t always common). If I can continue writing posts like this, maybe it will encourage at least one person to reflect on their own posts and responses in the future.

Speculation Isn’t Fact

Curiosity is natural in fandoms, but it’s important to remember that curiosity doesn’t always lead to truth. When we analyze photos, interviews, or social media activity, it’s easy to assume we’re uncovering a deeper meaning, but that’s rarely the case.

What It Is: Analyzing photos, interviews, or social media activity can be fun, but it doesn’t make us experts on someone’s life. Public moments are often curated, and their meaning isn’t always what we think.

Why It Matters: Treating speculation as fact can lead to invasive behaviours, create unnecessary drama, and harm the people we admire.

Takeaway: Enjoy the public content shared by celebrities, but avoid building entire narratives around it.

The Problem with "Receipts"

In fandoms, there’s often a desire to “prove” our theories using screenshots, likes, or comments. But piecing together public content doesn’t always reveal the full story and can sometimes cross the line into invasiveness.

What Happens: Fans often compile "evidence" to support their theories, from social media likes to reflections in random items.

The Issue: Public materials are incomplete, curated, and often out of context. Trying to prove something this way can easily veer into invasion of privacy.

How to Adjust: Accept that some things will remain unknown. It’s okay not to have all the answers about someone else’s life.

Boundaries and Real People

It’s easy to get swept up in fandoms and forget that celebrities are real people with boundaries. Treating their lives like puzzles to solve doesn’t just invade their privacy - it can also create toxic dynamics within fandom spaces.

The Overstep: Fans sometimes project narratives onto celebrities or treat their lives like puzzles to solve.

The Consequence: This can lead to toxic dynamics, such as unwarranted scrutiny, divisive debates, or harmful rumours.

The Reminder: These are real people with boundaries and private lives. Treating them with respect means stepping back when curiosity turns invasive.

Bodies Are Not Public Property

One of the most harmful and invasive behaviours in fandoms is speculation about someone’s body. Whether it’s assuming a pregnancy, commenting on weight, or analyzing clothing choices, this kind of speculation reduces people to their appearances.

The way someone looks or dresses is not an invitation for speculation. People have all types of bodies, and changes happen for countless reasons, none of which are anyone else’s business.

Assuming someone is pregnant based on their appearance is fucked up. Pregnancy is a private matter, and speculating about it adds unnecessary pressure and perpetuates harmful norms about how people “should” look.

Using vague terms instead of “pregnancy” doesn’t make speculation any less harmful either. It’s still invasive and entirely inappropriate.

The Problem: Speculating about someone’s body - whether it’s about pregnancy, weight, or clothing choices - is invasive, harmful and fucked up.

Why It’s Harmful: Comments like "She looks pregnant" reduce someone’s identity to their appearance and perpetuates harmful norms.

A Better Approach: Celebrate people for their achievements, not how they look. If someone wants to share personal details, let them do so on their own terms.

Happiness Isn’t Always Visible

It’s easy to interpret a smile in a photo or a laugh in a video as proof of happiness, but those moments are just snapshots. They don’t reveal the full story of someone’s life or emotional state.

The Oversight: Saying, "They look so happy" based on a photo or video assumes we know someone’s emotional state.

The Reality: A smile or a laugh is a snapshot of a moment, not a window into someone’s whole life. People can smile through pain or appear joyful in curated content.

What to Do Instead: Appreciate the joy you see, but don’t let it become proof of anything beyond that moment.

A Reflection on Recent Drama

Lately, this fandom has been filled with so much drama. People are fighting back and forth, belittling others, and trying to prove they’re right while others are wrong. There’s a constant digging into information - into things that probably should just be left alone. It’s become mean, disrespectful, and far removed from the joy that brought us all here in the first place.

It’s not a battleground for personal attacks, invasiveness, or trying to “win” arguments. It’s a space for celebrating the art and the stories that bring us together.

A Call for Respect

At its best, fandoms are a space for joy, creativity, and connection. It’s a way to celebrate the art and people we admire.

Let’s focus on what’s been shared with us and appreciate it for what it is, rather than trying to project meaning onto things that aren’t there. We can engage, speculate, and discuss respectfully without crossing into harmful or invasive territory.

Fandom spaces can - and should - be fun, kind, and thoughtful. Let’s make them that way - for the fans and the people we admire. ❤️

[kotegiris]

[Event Story] 3rd Anniversary -Mark of Glory-

Events Referenced: Dinner on the Border, Rose Valentine, 1st Anniversary -Butler’s Prayers-, Xmas Circus of Black Cats, 2nd Anniversary -Tarot of Destiny-

all ✧ next chapter

Chapter 1: To Whom Should the Reward Go To?

-One day in December-

Finlay: Thank you for gathering here, fellow nobles. Let us begin the meeting.

Finlay: In accordance with our yearly tradition… The Grovanner family will bestow a reward to persons and organizations who have done remarkable work.

Finlay: First let us decide on suitable candidates. I’d like to ask the selection committee for their honest opinions.

Finlay: Well then, without any delays… I’d like to personally suggest two candidates for this year.

Finlay: First is Golda from the town of Eldolas. His contributions in building our relationship with the Eastern Nobles Alliance were significant.

Finlay: And Lonestar from Rosetown. This year too he’s earned an enormous amount of money for the Grovanner family.

Finlay: I’d like to grant the reward to these two, but… I’d also like to hear the opinions of the committee.

Nobles: I see… As expected, this year it’s these two families.

Nobles: I agree with your selection, Finlay-sama.

Finlay: Hm… Are there any objections?

Finlay: Then in one month, we shall summon them and grant them the reward.

Finlay: …Now then. There’s an issue with one other candidate.

Finlay: They were also rejected at last year’s meeting, but… We must take them into consideration again.

Finlay: Whether or not to grant the reward to the Devil Butlers…

Chatter, chatter…

Finlay: I understand your objections. …However, I cannot disregard the voices endorsing them.

Finlay: If I objectively look at their contributions up until now… I have to admit that they have contributed enough to be worthy of the reward.

Nobles: …Finlay-sama. With all due respect, but…

Nobles: For residents of the Central Lands, the reward granted by the Grovanner family is… It’s a very prestigious award. 

Nobles: To bestow it unto the Devil Butlers is unprecedented.

Finlay: I am aware. I also understand that there are many nobles who have unfavorable views of the Devil Butlers.

Finlay: However… As the head of the Grovanner family, it is my responsibility to be impartial.

Finlay: In the event that objective evidence has been presented… Regardless of the precedent, I will have no choice but to grant them the reward.

Finlay: I’d like for everyone here to understand that.

Nobles: Yes… …However…

Finlay: Well… I’m only speaking of a hypothetical where “objective evidence has been presented.”

Finlay: That is to say… If there’s no objective evidence, then there’s no reason to grant them the reward.

Finlay: …Record this too in the records of this proceeding. The opposing nobles should be satisfied with this.

Nobles: …! Yes…It will be done, Finlay-sama.

Nobles: We are grateful for your thoughtfulness. After all, we cannot grant the reward to the Devil Butlers.

Finlay: ……Setting this aside, we will continue discussing this matter at the next meeting.

Finlay: Today’s meeting is adjourned. Thank you for your work today, everyone.

Nobles: Yes…! Please excuse us, Finlay-sama.

Finlay: ………………

Finlay: (Good grief. What a roundabout way, if I do say so myself, but…)

Finlay: (I have to remove all the obstacles… There’s no other way to grant a fair reward to the Devil Butlers…)

【Devil’s Palace - Church】

Dong… dong…

Berrien: Now then… That concludes the ritual for today.

Berrien: Aruji-sama, thank you for joining us in our mourning ritual this year too.

> Of course. It’s an important ritual.

Berrien: Yes. And with each passing year, the amount of butlers joining us has also been growing.

Berrien: Bellen, Shiro-san. Thank you for praying with us.

Shiro: ……I have no need for your thanks. It’s only natural to mourn for the dead.

Shiro: Those resting here are the same as us… It’s the souls of the Devil Butlers.

Bellen: Shiro’s right. At any rate, to think so many Devil Butlers have died up until now…

Bellen: But Berrien. In the last few years there haven’t been any more casualties, right?

Berrien: Yes. Not a single one since Aruji-sama came.

Bellen: Wow… Nice job, Aruji-sama.

> It’s thanks to everyone.

Berrien: Fufu… Then that’s all for today. Let's head back to the mansion.

Berrien: Tomorrow we’ll be offering our prayers at a different church. Including this one, there are four churches in total…

Berrien: We have to sort personal mementos, clean the premises… And we have to prepare for Christmas too. December is always busier than usual.

Bellen: But stil,l since this year we don’t have to help with the nobles’ parties… Won’t we be able to relax a little?

Berrien: That’s right.

Bellen: Hm, there’s so much to do… Last year must have been even busier, right?

Berrien: Last year we also took on requests. In December we put on a circus performance, and at the end of the year we guarded Elvira-sama too…

Berrien: …It’d be nice if we had some time to relax with Aruji-sama this year.

Bellen: Haha… Saying that will only make a request come.

> (I hope he didn’t raise any flags…)

Step, step, step…

Muu: Ah, Aruji-sama! Everyone else is here too.

> Muu, what’s up?

Muu: We’ve just received a letter from Finlay-sama.

Muu: “I have something to talk about, so please come to the Grovanner family’s main residence”...

Berrien: Wha… From the Grovanner family……?

Bellen: D-Don’t tell me…………

> (I knew this would happen…)

Shiro: ………………

Shiro: I refuse. Tell him we won’t go.

Muu: WHAAT!? I-Is it alright to refuse…?

Bellen: …We probably don’t have a choice, right, Berrien?

Berrien: Yes… Anyways, let’s hear what he has to tell us.

Berrien: I apologize for the inconvenience, but… Aruji-sama, could you come with us?

> Yeah, I’ll go.

Finlay: ………………

Finlay: There’s no need to look so uneasy, Lord of the Devil Butlers.

> I’m not uneasy…

Finlay: Is that so? “What kind of troublesome request is he going to make us do this time?” is written all over your face, though.

> Of course not. > (I’ve been exposed…)

Lucas: Moving on, Finlay-sama… What business do you have with us?

Finlay: Yes. For you, this is not by any means bad news.

Finlay: Every year there is a tradition of bestowing a reward to people who have made great contributions… I’d like to reward the Devil Butlers this year.

> Reward…?

Finlay: Yes. Think of it as an honorary award that the Grovanner family gives out once a year.

Berrien: However… Hasn’t the selection committee rejected us many times up until now?

Finlay: Yes. The nobles find it unbearable to bestow such a prestigious award to the Devil Butlers.

Finlay: Having said that, I have no intentions of endorsing the status quo. During my reign I’d like to make a society that emphasizes fairness.

Berrien: Finlay-sama, we greatly appreciate your consideration, but…

Berrien: We have no desire for prestige. We are only doing what is natural to assist humanity.

Finlay: Fufu… I thought you’d say that.

Finlay: But this is not only for your sake. It’s also to slowly reduce the nobility’s idiotic sense of superiority.

Finlay: Think of the reward as a small step towards this goal. For that goal, I’d like your full cooperation.

Berrien: …Understood. If that’s how it is, then we will gratefully receive it.

Lucas: On that note… What exactly does our “cooperation” entail…?

Finlay: Hm. It was decided that the Devil Butlers can receive the reward if there is “objective evidence.”

Finlay: Therefore, I’d like for you… To gather that evidence before the next meeting.

[shadamyheadcanons]

Thoughts on Shadouge? I used to ship it casually years ago just because I was looking at possibilities of a love interest for Shadow which I didn't consider for a long time, but it quickly lost its appeal for me. I know you said you don't think it works which I agree with and I'm curious about your reasoning.

Explanation under the cut. There’s nothing too negative, but I always feel bad when these wind up in tags and searches for the ship name.

To start, I will say that it doesn’t feel “wrong” to me like most Shadow ships do. I get where shadouge fans are coming from, and I’ve never met a shadouge shipper who was pushy or unpleasant about it. That’s rare in fandoms. I like how low-key they are. :)

As for the ship itself, I don’t buy it because they’re just so solidly best friends. I’ve never seen anything that I’d call romantic between them.

For Shadow, I see two important (living) women in his life right now:

One is a consistent, reliable rock who’s always going to support him and back him up because of who he is.

The other is a light, a beacon who guides him and inspires him to be the best version of himself he can be.

To me, one of those looks like a best friend, and the other looks like a love interest. He needs both, but in my opinion, it’s clear which one’s which. He’s level-headed around Rouge, and while he probably trusts her more than anyone, he looks at her the same way he looks at everyone else. Heck, he looks at her the same way he looks at Omega. I can’t imagine Rouge successfully convincing him to dress up for a murder mystery birthday party or getting him to go to a silly pop concert the way a certain pink hedgehog can, nor can I see her trying to in the first place; Amy’s the only one who can pull him out of his comfort zone like that. The most Rouge does is convince him to go to Sonic’s birthday party, and even then, she has to bribe him. Rouge’s flirtation just bounces off of Shadow, too. He doesn’t have a weak point for her. Looking at Shadow’s behavior, I think he has a soft spot for cute girls, and Rouge isn’t cute.

As for Rouge herself, she’ll support Shadow to hell and back, but we know what love looks like in her eyes. I’m not getting out of bed until she looks at someone else like this:

Rouge and Shadow are too similar in a particular way. They’re both Machiavellian, willing to go to questionable lengths to get the job done. The same goes for Omega. It’s what makes them such a good team, but a good teammate isn’t the same as a love interest. Knuckles won her over by doing the right thing and saving her life even though he had every reason not to.

I actually have some headcanons about Rouge’s past that feed into this concept. I believe Rouge grew up poor and didn’t have too many people she could trust. She had to steal for her own survival, and she learned to cling to whatever wealth she could find. She keeps a lot of secrets to this day because it’s safer. She learned the hard way that no one can hurt her if she won’t let them in.

In time, Rouge met one guy who was on her wavelength who she knew she could trust, and she met another who swept her off her feet, whose altruism upended her pessimistic outlook of how people are.

One of those looks like a best friend, and the other looks like a love interest. She needs both, but it’s clear to me which one’s which.

And of course there’s the matter of commitment. Rouge can’t stay grounded, so to speak, in the kind of stable relationship that would do Shadow a world of good. She’d rather flit around and tease everyone in sight, delighting in all the blushes she can bring out; in her own way, she likes cuteness, too. Amy, meanwhile, prefers to cling to one person, sharing the same steady devotion Shadow could provide in turn. She’s sunshine incarnate. He needs that.

Thanks for the ask!

[thereallyreallylatebird]

Something something... Finetimers not being able to properly walk without being told where to go as a critique on how many people don't form proper and informed opinions on their own and only parrot what they're told by influential political and social leaders

[lyculuscaelus]

So lately I’ve been seeing a lot of posts asking people to stop trying to make Odysseus look nice in their works cuz he’s a “messed-up person in the mythology”. Your opinion is valid however I have but one thing to point out:

You want to know who started all this? Who started to “make Odysseus look nice” in the first place?

It’s Homer. It’s nobody else but Homer himself.

A non-Homeric Odysseus would try to murder people out of his own interests. He’d murder Palamedes without remorse (and we’d be cheering over this but it’s a murder after all), he’d attempt to murder Diomedes just to get the Palladium himself, he’d volunteer to kill Astyanax…meanwhile you wouldn’t find any mention of either Palamedes or Nauplius in Homer’s poems, neither did he mention anything abt the Palladium heist (and Diomedes necessity did not happen until Conon’s version), the death of Astyanax, the distribution of war prizes, etc. And all the details in the Odyssey seemed to deny the existence of Nauplius’s vengeance at all, so Odysseus would not take any of the blame.

A non-Homeric Odysseus would be depicted as “cruel, treacherous”, meanwhile in book 10 of the Iliad Odysseus was not mentioned to have killed anyone during the marauding, neither did he promise Dolan anything at all. The negative interpretations are denied by these details subtly put by Homer.

A non-Homeric Odysseus would be widely known as a “coward” for only shooting arrows from afar. But Homer gave him a spear and had him absolutely slaying in both the Iliad and the Odyssey. That part of Ajax’s speech was invalid already.

Most importantly—a non-Homeric Odysseus would be having kids everywhere else, and the loyalty to his own wife as seen in the Odyssey is no where to be found. Meanwhile his lineage was a single-son line made by Zeus in the Odyssey, and his love for Penelope was one of his main drives, especially seen in book 5 of the Odyssey. He loved his family as a loving parent—something you don’t get to see in most of the non-Homeric writings—for most of the time they followed a different tradition indeed, in which Odysseus wasn’t half as nice as in the Odyssey.

TL;DR: in case you haven’t noticed, the characterization of the Homeric Odysseus was quite different from a non-Homeric version of Odysseus. It’s not that Homer didn’t know of the existence of other versions—he knew them too well, which is why in his version of the story, you don’t get to see any mention of them.

[septembersung]

In real life, the traddest men I know: change diapers; do chores; are present and playful with their kids; take good care of their wives; work 50+ hours a week to provide for their families; literally never think about the 1950s.

[hongjoongspoetry]

The writing community is more than just a one-way exchange, where an author posts their work and a reader simply consumes it. It's important for readers to engage by reblogging, sharing or offering feedback. It's not the number of notes that keeps a writer inspired and motivated, but the feedback they receive. What are we supposed to do with a certain number of notes if no one shares their thoughts on our work? Don't be afraid or shy to voice your opinions. Every writer wants to know how their work resonates with you, and just liking a post doesn't communicate that. A simple "I liked this" or "This was good" can go so much further than you might realize.

I have nothing else to add other than that I agree with everything Yumi's stated above. Most of these statements are things I've discussed with some of my mutuals before, but no one has really dared to speak up about it considering we all have small accounts and don't know how it would resonate with others.

What I want to say is with everything is, thank you Yumi for bringing light to the matter and for speaking about stuff some of us haven't dared to, big kudos to you 🩷

to a dying? atinyblr

i don't usually speak about these things, but a lot of blogs (amazing writers) are leaving this platform or taking time off bc of lack of engagement which serves as a big demotivating factor. especially and specifically in this atiny fandom, some things have come to my attention and i just want all readers and writers to take a look at this post and refresh some reading and writing etiquettes, as well as revive the essence of being a part of this fandom.

feedback:

i understand that there are a lot of silent readers on here, but since tumblr is dying and our fandom is not very huge, the least you can do to show the writers some support is like the post. 

which brings me to the point that the like function didn't even exist in the past. this site still runs on reblogs. as readers, to show your favourite writers some semblance of support, you should be reblogging with tags. a simple ‘#ateez x reader’ or ‘#ateez fics’ is enough. it's literally not asking for much– reblogs are the only way writers can get reach.

if you cannot do that bc of your blog's aesthetic or whatever, side blogs exist. if you still cannot do that, a simple anon ask appreciating the writer sometimes saves them.

also, what has happened to the quality of reblogs? readers consume years of writers’ work and efforts in mere hours and don’t even leave any feedback? art in general in all forms is very underappreciated and with all sorts of problems like plagiarism, ai writing and everything, true art and writing is dying and needs to be appreciated now more than ever. we’re literally the last generation witnessing ai take over in all fields of arts. appreciate content creators before it’s too late, don’t be a content glutton!

updates and requests:

asking writers for updates when they specifically mention that they would prefer posting at their pace is wrong for so many reasons– we all have a real life. you, the reader, do too. just like you don't always have time to read, writers don't always have time to write. do you ever see the writers asking their readers 'why have you not read my latest chapter?' 

most of the times, writers mention in their bio/faq post or elsewhere that they do mind being asked about updates. respect your writers, please, and do a little scroll before you send such demanding asks (also, sugarcoating when asking for updates does not make it any better!)

if you are only asking about updates, it demotivates a lot of writers bc these same people will disappear when it is time for feedback. writing is a form of art. we can write, artists can paint, musicians can compose music, but all of it has no meaning unless it is shared with an audience and appreciated. readers are just as important as the writers but there is no way of knowing fics are valued unless feedback is given.

the same goes for requests. you can only send a request when the requests are open, which is usually mentioned in the writer’s bio/faq post. it’s literally not that hard to check if requests are open and it’s basic decency to not send a request when the writers specifically mention that requests are closed. when sending a request, please be courteous. a ‘please’ or ‘thank you’ are examples of being courteous when sending requests.

the fanfics in atinyblr:

i understand that you can read whatever you like, but why is it that in the atiny fandom, fics that do not contain smut hardly ever get attention? as a writer, i enjoy writing and reading smut, and while i am not specifically a smut blog, i have noticed how fics containing smut get far more reach than fics that do not contain smut– not just in my case, but other amazing writers as well. 

there are such amazing fictions in this fandom. all fics are crafted with dedication and care, yet stories without smut often get sidelined. writers are not able to express themselves in their writing freely anymore and they simply conform to a genre they know readers will consume, as they are forced to consider adding smut to their stories so they can get more reach in this fandom. i have heard accounts from a lot of writers who were inclined to add smut to an otherwise smut-free fic just for reach.

this is by no means hate to the smut writers. i am also not placing blame on them. smut drabbles have always been in this fandom, and there are amazing smut writers out there, doing their thing. it is the readers here who are failing the writers. readers are quick to talk about the lack of ‘good fics’ or ‘plot’ yet will not even bother searching for these works. there used to be a good balance and appreciation for all genres alike.

i know that smut is what's hot and trendy these days, and drabbles in general, no matter the genre, are easier to read when you want to take a short break. but there is such a lack of longfics in this fandom, especially as of lately, and as someone who has personally witnessed the ratio of longfics decrease exponentially, i felt the need to point this out. appreciate all writers! appreciate all genres! longfic writers need as much validation and encouragement as drabble writers, and vice versa! don't be too harsh on longfic writers for not pumping out fics at the same speed as shortfic writers.

and on that note, smut drabble writers experience a lack of quality feedback despite the high engagement, so readers, please don't hesitate to point out exactly what you liked about a fic, even if it's a short drabble! be kind to those writers, give them time to write and be kind when sending requests! they may post more often but they, too, have a life.

tags:

this is specifically for the people who will post a very normal picture of a member, no caption, but tag it something like #ateez smut, #ateez hard hours, #ateez x reader. and for the people who tag their asks with irrelevant tags– literally learn to tag your post properly, and stop crowding the wrong tags. you're just proving the point that if you don't tag a post with the smut tag or something similar, it won't get reach. if you've posted with a caption, that makes sense (though it still doesn't warrant some of the tags being used there).

as for writers, also learn to use your tags appropriately. fics that do not contain smut should not be tagged with smut related tags. believe in yourself. i get that there is the problem of reach but do not overcrowd tags with irrelevant material.

disclaimer:

this is by no means about me. if i cared about the notes, or lack thereof, i would have stopped writing a while ago. while it is challenging to be a writer here, especially as of lately, i still enjoy posting whatever i write no matter the genre or the word count. but it's a bit disappointing that my planned out fics get much less attention than a simple smut headcanons post that i wrote in the heat of the moment with my friend in literally a few hours as a joke (which has reached almost 10k notes btw in a span of 2 years). sure, it has exposed my blog to new readers but that's about it.

this post is for all the amazing writers who have left, are thinking of leaving, or are struggling to voice these problems because they are afraid of being marked as 'problematic' or a 'hater' or something worse. i am not afraid to voice my opinion on here, and if you think that i am wrong, feel free to interact with this post and correct me because i am not claiming that i am right about this.

these are just the observations i have made as someone who has been actively writing on this platform for about 4 years now, and since i have a decent number of followers, i hope this post gets more reach. do not be afraid to reblog this if you agree, and even if you do not, reblog this so someone else gets educated. i may have missed some points so feel free to add if you want too.

[kavalyera]

if u cant handle a simple disagreement then ur immature

[bleue-flora]

i need ur opinion on angel cdream

I’ve literally had this for weeks and this is still all I got…

[beneathsilverstars]

if i failed to protect my kid during the apocalypse and they almost died wandering on their own but got rescued by a team of four competent, battle-experienced adults who cared about them very much and made them feel less scared and useless but refused to let them fight, i think that would be a pretty decent outcome and i'd be pretty okay with it. sure i could dream up a better situation but there's a hell of a lot of worse ones too.

[kalkaros]

@maxdibert I love your posts and your contributions to the snape fandom, and maybe I'm out of pocket for saying this but you might be taking this a bit too far. It's not an insult to snape fans or anyone if someone simply doesn't like him, isn't interested in him or dislikes him. It's not an insult to the snape fandom or anyone of people enjoy fiction and fandom in a different way than you.

I personally like my things canon-compliant and am annoyed sometimes when fandoms over concentrate on fanon, like in HP fandom for example, but that doesn't mean that fanon is somehow worse or the people who enjoy fanon more are somehow inferior. Of course the behaviours that can be linked with those preferences can be negative or even despicable, but honestly, that's not exclusive to any specific fandom or a way of interacting with them. Saying that only creates polarization and inflames the relations between the factions further.

I also disagree with using the "this person is bad, therefore you shouldn't like them" argument you are using here for characters like Barty and Wormtail. It's the same argument people often use against Snape. It doesn't really matter if Snape or Wormtail or whoever is actually "bad" or not in anyones opinion - people are allowed to like or dislike characters for any reason and even if they are morally dubious or straight up "bad people".

I do get that hypocrisy and bad arguments are annoying. When someone completely mischaracterizes the character and then proceeds to criticize them based on their own mischaracterization - or try defend a character for those reasons, and so forward. And I understand the frustration when people tag negative opinions or possibly controversial takes to the main tag. But in the end, being agressive or demeaning will never change anyones mind, it will just make you more bitter (or at least that happens to me). And I don't think the OP here even did that, they just explained why they like and dislike these characters which is an opinion they are entitled to.

Once again, I appreciate your opinions, Max and agree with the wide majority of them. I appreciate your knowledge and experience that you incorporate into them. I'm not saying no one ever makes shitty arguments against Snape and for Marauders - I know just as well as you how much this happens and how frustrating it gets.

Please, don't take this as an attack towards you, because I don't mean it as such, not in the least. I hope you continue your awesome contributions to our fandom, and take the breaks you need if it gets too grating <3

"how can you like barty and evan but not snape?" "how can you like peter but not snape?" silly rosekiller and wormtail visions came to me in my sleep, and i simply didn't have such visions of snape. will update if i see him as a boykisser in my dreams and it alters the way i see him :)

[thelilylav]

I’ve gotta admit as much as I know Darabella is a flawed ship (and some of the ppl who are anti for it have legit criticisms I love y’all for pointing it out cause it frustrates the hell out of me too trust) they’ll always just kind of be it for me.

Because as much as it was an “I can fix him” trope, as much as Rosabella could be selfish and Daring’s flaws got cranked up to 1000, she was also the first person to look at him after his destiny, the thing he dedicated his life to, failed, when people were questioning him as a prince and putting pressure on his and Apple’s relationship and tell him that, like, maybe it would be alright? Maybe this wasn’t his destiny, and maybe that was okay.

And the part that really gets me? She’s the first person after this happens to tell him that it doesn’t matter what’s on the outside, which as much as you can like other Daring ships or him whatever he desperately needed to hear. Not even cause he was selfish, that’s not what I’m saying, but bc he placed his whole identity on this image that people concocted for him based on him appearing the perfect prince. He was handsome, he was talented, and he was handsome! So who cares about him as a person?

Idk man. You spend four seasons (I watch the specials on Netflix so that’s why four idk if it’s three to some ppl or whatever tho) watching him be praised for his looks, watching girls fawn over him, and of course he enjoys it so nobody really questions how much he enjoys it. And then you get this girl, this girl who owes him nothing, this girl who (contrary to popular belief apparently) has a life of her own and people she cares about outside of him, and she’s nice to him. And she’s the first person after everything happens to just be nice to him, for the sake of being nice. Something about that will always hit different for me