#not just the men but the women and the children too

[bravo666]

insecurity

price x reader

you don’t really get why he picked you.

it’s not really his fault that you’re confused. when you manage to ask why you—letting insecurity fizzle up and rise like ginger beer in your stomach—john tells you all the right things, the things that you would expect: you’re beautiful, a sight for sore eyes, his one and only. “oh, sweetheart,” he says, and his soft brow furrows with something that brushes close to pity, his only wish for you to see what he sees in you. you look into those blue eyes and try to catch the curve of your own reflection.

it’s good. really, it is. his murmured praise and whiskered kisses make that insecurity die down and grow flat for a time. john loves you. you hold fast to that.

but, sometimes, you just can’t make sense of it.

something else that isn’t his fault: john’s a certain kind of man. a man’s man, one might say. being a military captain has that effect, though you can almost imagine a newborn john price coming out of the womb gruff, bristled, and with bad knees. he’s the type of man who has opinions on alcohol and cares a lot about how his favorite football club fares this season. his ideal future involves a dog, a yard, and a run of children, and he’s not shy about it.

you’ve known men like that before. moreover, you’ve known their wives—and it always is their wives, not partners or anything as newfangled as that. they’re not all the same—nice women, rude women, pretty or plain—but there are certain qualities that they all share. housewives in spirit, chins raised. pampered. manicured. best in show. knows when to nod and smile and give her man a knowing look. the missus.

it’s safe to say that you don’t quite feel like you measure up to the mold. you have edges, hard and frayed, that don’t fit into the soft mold of the person you feel that john wants. it’s just not very you. your anger, your anxiety, your hard-headedness, your tears: none of these feel like something cute—so why does he coo over you like it is? it’s not even that john wants something else; from the warm spot you occupy by his side, you can see the way the road maps out before him in his eyes, contextless and spit-shined.

(dinner burns in the oven. he says it’s okay, that you’ll get it right next time. these things happen. don’t get upset, sweetheart, i’m not mad while he holds you round the middle.)

you labor over these thoughts, rolling them between your hands with the biscuit dough you knead out. the question remains: why, exactly, did john price pick you to lay his head down besides when the world is teeming with more eligible candidates?

an answer comes when you meet his team for the first time. they arrive for dinner after john and them have been off on a short deployment—you promised john a roast when he got back because a little extra motivation for him to come home in one piece can’t hurt, and one of them must have overheard it turned into them inviting themselves over—and soon you’re putting faces to names that have lived only in john’s all-too-brief stories. you greet them all as they arrive at the door to john and your’s home: handsome kyle and boisterous johnny and quiet, intense simon. normal men, you think—well, barring the balaclava simon won’t take off, but at least you were forewarned about that. normal soldiers.

but then the five of you sit down to eat, and—well, it’s still normal. except it isn’t. It’s impossible to explain, and you’re sure that if you tried to talk to john about it, he’d laugh a little and say i don’t know what you mean, lovie, but you’re quietly sure you see something in the way they all lean their shoulders to your john. a deferential quality, even subconsciously, one that stretches beyond what you think is typical for a commanding officer to hold with his subordinates. it’s in the way simon pauses and flicks his eyes to john, waiting for a tiny nod before he rolls the bottom half of the balaclava up to eat, or how kyle sits on john’s right and keeps passing him the food first, or even the way johnny straightens his spine a little when john nods at something the lad said mid-story, the sergeant all puffed up with pride.

and when the boys break the scotch out near the end of the night and the lips get looser, it’s not hard to guess why.

“price picked me. i felt like my hands were tied in my old life, and he gave me a new one.”

“‘e’s a good captain. not many other men can see past all the shite and cut to the ‘eart of what matters.”

“aye, the captain? ah’m wi’ him all the wey, the surly bas’. made me the soldier ah am today.”

you sip your own glass and the room feels just a little bit smaller as the boys banter on. they owe him their lives, they say, before segueing into hey remember whens and ribbing laughter. your boyfriend catches your eye across the table, your place among his boys, with a smile.

he’s a man’s man. good with his hands. you should have realized that he had a knack for fixer uppers.

(after dinner, he slides an arm around your waist and presses a kiss to your hair. “thank you for dinner, love,” he says, and when you’re pulled into his chest like this, the rumble of his voice tucks itself away into your bones.

“of course,” you say, and then, “john?”

“yes, lovie?”

“why… why did the boys invite themselves over?

he chuckles like you’ve told a joke, and you’re half expecting him to say silly rabbit. but instead, he just leans back and grants himself enough access to smooth down the back of your shirt and gently re-tightens the strings of your apron, his favorite of the ones that he’s gotten you.

“well, love,” john hums, “what can i say? they all just wanted to meet the missus.”)

[firawren]

He's shit by that time period's standards too. In fact, it could be argued that expectations for fathers were higher then, because women had so little power and independence. Many of his failings then wouldn't be as serious nowadays.

Fathers were expected to provide for their children's financial security, even more so than they are today. He was expected to save money for his daughters. He had plenty of money to do so. He was rich. He didn't save a single cent.

Fathers were expected to love and respect their wives and children. That's not a modern concept. He openly mocks and insults them in front of them. He lets them make fools of themself in public (which poor Jane pays the price for) either because he thinks it's funny or is too lazy to give a shit about them being respected. He provides none of them with attention or affection other than occasionally Elizabeth, his favorite, a preference that he makes very plain to the rest of his kids.

Fathers were expected to keep their children safe. That's not a modern concept. In fact, fathers back then were expected to provide even more supervision over their daughters than they do today! Not necessarily directly, but to ensure they're being watched over by someone trustworthy. Even Mr. Bennet acknowledges he fucked up with this with Lydia.

Fathers were expected to help their daughters find good husbands. This was more in the mother's camp, but as the person controlling the purse strings of the family, he was responsible for ensuring his girls had the resources needed to meet, spend time with, and attract suitable men. He makes zero effort on this, a fact his wife (who is also shit in her own ways) bemoans repeatedly.

Mr. Bennet utterly failed his daughters in just about every way possible, by both the standards of his time and our own.

Mr. Bennet: Sure, I haven't taken care of my daughters' financial security, but have I at least taken care of their education? No. But have I taken care of their emotional needs? Also no. But have I been a good protector and supervisor? I'm afraid not. However, have I been a good example for my children of being a kind and respectful spouse, parent, and all around human being? No again. But through it all, have I nailed being funny? Yes. And isn't that the most important role of a father after all?

[lesbianchemicalplant]

generally extremely wary of any kind of imperative to fuck/date/marry/family-make endogamously no matter how “Progressively” phrased. whatever special pleading, what it overwhelmingly means is social policing, coercion, and physical violence toward people who step out, especially women and gender underclasses and subalterns in general (e.g. the gays, trans women impelled to marry and have kids), to keep them within the fold of their (gendered) duty to the family/community/nation, or punish them as an example to keep everyone else in line

the kinds of appeals made can take incredibly tortured forms. in my own context for example, I've seen complaints and derision toward jewish men (cishet men!) who intermarry, on the nominal basis of “it's so sad seeing jewish men marry out because they don't respect jewish women, they see jewish women as lower-value. why don't we love our women? :(”

and of course anyone familiar knows the actual context there is racist—primarily Zionist, though I have seen anti-zionist jews do this too, in service of keeping insular communities insular and tightly-regulated—“Silent Holocaust” panic over being Replaced or Diluted through intermarriage

but the same logic is recognizable and tbh common by chauvinists from widely disparate contexts. “what, don't you care about our oppression, don't you want us to value our own? what about our self-respect? why don't we love ourselves? I'm just really worried for those of us who intermarry, they're going to be mistreated, especially the women and/or children. we're just looking out for what's actually good for them, even if they won't do it themselves. and if we don't, it reflects poorly on us....”

[pbandjeveryday]

I’m rewatching Mandalorian and wow I love how this show de-villified the Tusken raiders/sand people.

They’re still portrayed as a brutal group, and their attacks and killings aren’t ignored, but The Mandalorian gives them layers that were never shown in the movies. We get to see them conduct trade, protect each other, and struggle with the more dangerous aspects of the desert. They have a rich history. They have their own sign language. They have pet dogs. And suddenly they seem like people instead of monsters.

It’s a great reminder that just because you can’t see someone’s face, doesn’t mean they don’t have one. Which I guess is fitting for a show with a main character whose face is always hidden.

[qu4kerider]

“I hate them.”

ARCANE S02E01 & STAR WARS: EPISODE II - ATTACK OF THE CLONES

[atypical-artisan]

Heartbreaking News:

Someone who's art you think/thought was neat hates you cause you enjoy a ship.

[pbpsbff]

crazy how “genocide is bad” is a controversial take to some ppl these days

[expectantdaddies]

In an unexpected twist of fate, Harris, a twice-divorced Scottish father of two, found himself paired with Santiago, a flamboyant and openly gay Colombian, to create an advertising campaign targeting families. At first glance, these two men seemed like an unlikely duo - the alpha male stereotype versus the proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. However, as they delved into their project together, a hidden depth began to emerge.

Harris, with his gruff exterior and reputation for being a chauvinist, was known for his arrogance and disregard for others' feelings. His ex-wives often complained about his male-centric attitude and lack of respect for women. Yet beneath this tough facade lay a man who truly adored his children above all else. Despite the challenges in his personal life, Harris's priority has always been being there for his kids.

Santiago, on the other hand, was a vibrant soul who celebrated both his blood family and chosen family with equal fervor. He made it a point to have dinner with them every month without fail. As they worked together on their campaign, Santiago pushed for inclusion of unconventional families – an idea that Harris reluctantly agreed to after seeing how passionate the Colombian man was about representing diversity.

As unlikely as it seemed at first glance, these two men managed to create an award-winning campaign that pleased both family advocacy groups and LGBT organizations alike. Their success was marked by celebration – too much champagne led them both waking up in bed together with fuzzy memories of what had happened during their drunken night out.

Awkwardly avoiding any discussion about that unexpected event proved difficult when Santiago soon discovered he was pregnant. A paternity test confirmed Harris as the father, though it came almost as an afterthought; they already knew in their hearts who was responsible given Santiago's busy schedule leading up to their shared triumph at work. Without hesitation, Harris stepped up and took responsibility for his unborn child.

As they navigated through various parenting arrangements and preparations for baby's arrival, an undeniable connection grew between them – one that neither wanted to admit openly just yet.

To everyone around them though - from colleagues at their advertising agency to close friends who had witnessed these two opposites attracting each other – it was clear there were more than just convenient reasons behind their decision to move in together when the baby arrived.

There’s already a bet going on at the advertising agency when Harris and Santiago would finally confess they've fallen for one another. The only question is whether they'll make everyone wait until after welcoming their bundle of joy into this world or if love will win out before then!

Happy Valentines Day!

If you like my work, Buy Me a Coffee.

Harris and Santiago.

Happy Valentines Day!

If you like my work, Buy Me a Coffee.

[banished-away]

feeling slightly vindicated watching an RAS interview bc keep getting this feeling from the drizzt books that theyre very italian-american (as in, i see a lot of things i recognize from italian culture in it, but influenced and changed by american culture) and he said that he based off the culture of menzo partly on his hometown and then the sopranos/godfather which confirmed it to me

also he pronounces menzoberranzan the way i used to before someone else corrected me JKNDSKJFKDS

[elleniemae]

This is literally so messy I was just doodling and scribbling and having fun but I don’t think it looks too bad lol. It took like 45 minutes it’s in no way a masterpiece, be nice to me XD

Okay bye happy May 4th!

[varian212]

I came across your comment by accident, honestly. Over time, I’ve made it a habit not to follow too closely what’s being said online about the books I love; I know I’ll find opinions that will make me write way too much.

But that was my mistake, for checking the A Little Life tag. Foolish me, hoping someone had made some fan art or an interesting post. Instead, I stumbled upon what you wrote.

The following lines are not just for you but for everyone who shares your perspective. So take a seat, and don’t hesitate to respond with the same level of engagement that I’ve put into this.

I think you’re so absurd in your post, it’s almost worrying.

A Little Life is not just a book about homosexuals, Jude is not just a homosexual, and the story is not just about sexuality. It’s a book about people’s lives, with both good and bad stuff happening. And don't come here an say that there weren't any good moments, that'll only show me how your brain is fixed on one thing (hating the book) and it's blinded by everything else.

And welcome to Earth, where Hanya doesn’t need to make gay men suffer, that already happens. I invite you in Rusia for a weekend,do you know what would happen to you if,as a man,you'll walk on the streets wearing girly clothes or makeup? And I don't mean you'll get cat called; that's literally the best case scenario.

But your post only shows how privileged you are, how protected you are from what happens in this world. Turn on the TV, read articles, watch the news – do you think Hanya invented these kinds of monsters, these kinds of traumas? I assure you, no, she just wrote about them.

And what a strange thing, to bring up sexuality so much. Especially when a good part of Jude’s traumas happened when he was a child, then a teenager.

But your first concern is not "What the hell, how can she write about this kind of stuff happening to a child?" but "What the hell, this author has a fetish for gay people." As if, for you, it’s more important that Jude is gay than that he is human .

There are so many books like this but where the main characters are women and no one says anything. Guess we are already used to know about them getting raped,assaulted, beaten. Turns out it can happen to everybody.

Your empathy for gay people seems superficial, like the kind that’s only displayed on social media; never vocal in real life.

And you know what's even worse? Your audacity.

Let me tell you a little story : By chance, I am a volunteer for an organization called Save the Children.

Last week, a little girl was brought in, and I had to take care of her. Do you know what the problem was? Two soldiers entered her family house, destroyed everything, and raped her mother in front of her and her two younger brothers.

After her mother lost consciousness, they did the same to the little girl. And they did it so violently that she lost the ability to walk for the rest of her life. A few punches to the left side of her skull resulted in damage to the motor cortex, combined with strangulation, which led to hypoxic brain injuries. That’s all it takes.

I’m not saying this to shock you—I just want you to know that this is just one child out of millions of similar cases. Real life children,real life people.

Will anyone speak up about this? Probably not. Will the military court do anything about those soldiers? In the worst case, they’ll give them a few days off, and then they’ll go right back to doing the same thing.

Again, Hanya Yanagihara (cuz yeah,if you leave a hate comment,have the decency to write her name correctly) didn't invent shit. Those evil people are literally alive and well among us.

Now imagine I go to this child, look at her, and say, "You've been abused too much. What you've been through sounds dreamlike. It sounds like trauma porn, if I’m being honest."

Please read this paragraph again.

Do you see how it sounds? Do you realize how ignorant you are about everything that’s happening? How much comfort you have in your life?

Do you care so much about a woman who wrote about gay people? Why don’t I see you being just as vocal about men who have written about lesbians, white people writing about black people, healthy people writing about those with disabilities?

Why aren’t you just as disturbed by criminals writing about being victims?

Those things happen in real life too,and yet you are more concerned about a book.

Maybe this post will be read up to this point, and maybe it will wake up some of you privileged, upper-class white people commenting on your iPhone 16 Pro Max.

We don’t choose how we are born or what education we can afford up to a certain age, but at some point, it becomes our responsibility to educate ourselves.

Do you know what I do when I hate a book, an idea, or a movie? I learn absolutely everything about it. I get my information from five different sources to make sure it's reliable. I try to reason, to find opinions that contradict mine, as well as those that agree with me. In short, I become so familiar with every detail of what I'm trying to criticize that my arguments are as valid and verifiable as possible. That's what I call effort worth noticing.

If you're gonna be a heater at least pretend to be a smart one.

i could never read a little life, cus its a reminder that just like bi men in gay porn, women are infesting the whole niche of writing about gay male main characters and overrunning actual gay male writer who would love to write about actual gay male character and they also always use those gay male characters to punch down or project their own self. A little life is literally just a het woman writing about a gay man and putting him thru everything to the point it becomes just torture porn and for some even unbelievable to the point of being dreamlike. That writer (hana yanagihari) literally only writes about gay men who were raped in their childhood and suffered their whole life after, she literally wrote the same shit 3 times!!! 3!!!!! She is obsessed with having gay men suffer.

This is always a dead giveaway to me that someone doesn’t conceptualize gay men as actual people so their writing exposes them by showing how they use gay men as archetypes or plot devices to send a message or push an idea which sends me back to the heyes code cus thats their unknown undercover bible.

Like at its core there is no empathy towards gay men.

[oakdrawss]

People need to get weirder about dwarves

[frereamour]

see I don't think the first transmasc absent father post is nearly as funny as the first trans woman abortion and it annoys me to see people in the notes of the abortion post saying it is 🙄

[ssreeder]

“He didn't want to think about the ramifications of the Fire Nation successfully flying one of those war-balloons over the Lower Ring… The only protection available for those poor people would fall squarely on the shoulders of those new recruits, and they would have to be ready to carry that responsibility. This situation was already a mess and they were still in the planning stages.”

Can’t believe I ignored this last chapter. Good thing Zuko isn’t in one of these meetings or there’d be a fight. Interested to see if this is a redemption for Iroh though to think of the little people or if everyone is just completely fine with the lower ring being burnt to a crisp. Bato clearly has his mind on other things so someone else needs to step up. Jeez

Bato isn’t the only one concerned about this, Suki is also pretty fired up about it in the next chapter… the tension of the upcoming battle gets heavier as we go along.

Unfortunately, there really isn’t much they CAN do to keep the Lower Ring from experiencing casualties…. but how many citizens survive & how bad the destruction is will depend on how many resources they send down there and what their plan of action will be to save lives. (If they even care about saving those lives… many of them being refugees and ‘lower class citizens’)

I am also curious to see if Iroh shows any interest in trying to help the citizens in Lower Ring or if he keeps his focus strictly on keeping the forces from reaching the Upper Ring (where his precious Zuko is)… chaos in the Lower Ring can keep troops from advancing, and there is limited space to flee depending on how Azula advances upon the city… idk. I can’t see it going well, and even Iroh, as powerful as he is doesn’t hold much authority over what the generals do with BSS… He is a tentatively welcomed guest after all. Haha.

we’ll see I guess!! Haha thanks for the ask!!

[mithliya]

no one will ever convince me that divorce is bad after i saw how happy my mom was after her divorce. She has new hobbies, goes to metal concerts, is so much happier. All the men yelling that divorce is bad because their parents got divorced when they were 13 anf they got depressed from it. well. Have you tried growing up. You werent a toddler when ur parents split cmon. Your mother is a person too and she shouldnt have to give up her entire life for you

my parents got divorced several years ago while i was doing my bachelor's and tbh id rather they are divorced rather than forced to remain together for the hell of it. id rather the divorce rate is 100% than one woman being forced to stay in a marriage shes unhappy in

[autie-j]

Me after the rush at work