#obviously you misunderstood the question

[lillybean730]

people who dont ask 1000 clarifying questions to make absolutely sure they arent misinterpreting instructions confuse and irritate me

[sunderwight]

Thinking about SV demons potentially having a cultural thing where it's gauche to tell someone directly that you love them, but acceptable to tell everyone else that you do, with the idea being that you're supposed to deduce some of the state of the other's regard for you when the information is delivered by a third party.

In a lot of stories/legends/myths/etc in the relevant demon cultures, this social standard is sometimes used to sow disinformation and stir up drama, sometimes emphasizing the importance of verifying your info through multiple sources and figuring out who is unbiased. Like there's a legend of some incident where a bride finds out from her sister that the groom has never spoken of her love for her even once, and in a fit of despair she kills him, only for it to turn out that the sister was lying out of jealousy and etc etc.

Or parents trying to arrange a match lie and tell their only son that his betrothed has been assuring everyone else that she loves him, but then she ditches him on the wedding night to run off with her actual lover because it turns out that she wasn't interested after all, humiliating the entire clan.

Anyway. Luo Binghe learns of this tradition and while he thinks the "tell absolutely everyone that you love your spouse" bit is rad, he immediately disregards the "don't directly tell your spouse" part. Mobei Jun at one point attempts to explain to him that he's being extremely cringe, and Luo Binghe is just like, no you don't get it, if he doesn't hear it from me he will never believe it. It will not penetrate.

So at first MBJ is like, wow Consort Shen is thick I guess, but then a day later he's in the middle of going over some of his correspondence and Shang Qinghua is explaining some cultural miscommunication or other and the light goes on.

What if Consort Shen isn't thick?

What if this is a human thing?

But he can't just tell Shang Qinghua to his face that he loves him, especially if he's misunderstood. He has to figure it out indirectly before he knows if he needs to work up the nerve to do go that far. So he decides to talk around it instead, and asks Shang Qinghua if Consort Shen is thick about matters of love.

Shang Qinghua's not expecting this change of topics but like, obviously the answer to that question is an emphatic yes, so what happened my king did he straight-zone another lovelorn admirer?

Mobei Jun internally wipes some sweat off of his brow at this answer.

Thank fuck, looks like he won't have to do anything as humiliating as straightforwardly confess his feelings after all!

[teaboot]

just saw your new photo where most of your face is blurred but let it be known i have been under the impression you were Black this whole time. i swear to god i saw a post of you mentioning you were Black and it stuck with me cause your old pfp was a white girl or something and i didnt really get it but i obviously wasnt gonna question it. sorry if this is obnoxiously weird im working through this minor whiplash atm. have a good night whiteboy

😭😭😭

Oh my god. No I think I know what post you may have misread-

One time one of my ex-fathers made a racist comment and I called him out for it, to which he responded “Wow, I didn’t know you were Black”, which pissed me off, and I told HIM “I’m not Black, but I have Black friends, and I’d be a pretty shit friend if I let people get away with that crap behind their backs”.

This turned into a big argument where he accused me of “inventing things to be offended by” and saying that the problem with Liberals was that we were all looking to be offended by things that had nothing to do with us.

THAT pissed me off too, because in my opinion, it’s not about being offended, it’s about putting your money where your mouth is- if you care about someone, you don’t sit there and laugh along when someone is talking shit behind their back. And as a white person, we run into a LOT of other white people who talk shit about other races because they think you’re on their side and won’t call ‘em out.

Agdtggtyfgg sorry that was a tangent, I pissed myself off again

ANYWAYS I made a post talking about that, so I wouldn’t be surprise if you skimmed it at some point and misunderstood, because a few others apparently did the same and sent me hate mail calling me the N word.

But yeah I’m white. One quarter native if we’re being pedantic but I don’t know that side of the family or any of the culture so idk I’m kinda just white out here

[esyra]

Killing 1300+ Jews in barbaric ways does not make you the good guys. Israel retaliating is Hamas’ fault. Hamas surrendering would mean peace. Israel surrendering would have more dead Jews. But i guess that’s the end goal.

No, we're always the barbaric terrorists. Israel is the good guy for killing 9,000+ Gazans the past 25 days, and trapping 1,000+ under the rubble which will definitely turn out dead if they ever get the proper equipment to lift it off them. Israel is the good guy for killing Shireen Abu Akleh. Israel is the good guy for killing Ahmed Erekat. Israel is the good guy for killing Nadim Nuwarah and Mohammed Salameh. Israel is the good guy for opening fire on 2,400 protesters and killing 52. Israel is the good guy for holding over 1,000 Palestinians as "administrative detainees," meaning they are held indefinitely without charges.

In fact, Israel has been the good guy ever since they got the British to help them colonize Palestine and get rid of the Arabs, as they admitted to wanting it themselves. After all, as Winston Churchill said himself, the colonization of Palestine was righteous because as the Red Indians of America, and the black people of Australia, "a stronger race, a higher grade race, or, at any rate, a more worldly-wise race, to put it that way, has come in and taken their place."

Palestinians, be it on Gaza or the West Bank, can never retaliate or defend themselves. We're to either die and be violated quietly or we are terrorists which will be gleefully eradicated with the help of every colony-based State in the world. Otherwise, we'll disturb the comfortable privilege your racism and religious intolerance ensures.

When Hamas didn't existed the occupation began and the British violently suppressed anyone who opposed. When Hamas didn't exist the Nakba happened. When Hamas didn't exist the Deir Yassin massacre happened. But, you know, that one's fine because it happened after Israel had made Palestine agree to a peace pact, and they would never act unfairly so the brutal murder of over 100 Palestinians is obviously being misunderstood. Hamas doesn't operate in the West Bank, but they're still expelled from their homes, brutalized and murdered. Since October 7, West Bank had 115 killed, more than 2,000 injured and nearly 1,000 others forcibly displaced from their homes because of violence and intimidation by Israeli forces and settlers. They'll bomb mosques with exit points created to save people from settlers' violence, then claim they were used for terrorism. Proof? They don't need it. They'll bomb first then ask questions later.

Do people who blindly defend Israel do anything other than victimize yourselves? Do you even read any actual Israeli news that said the IDF "shell[ed] houses on their occupants," because they're too incompetent to do anything other than bombing everything? Do you ever wonder why the people Israel swears were burned and beheaded always came from reports from houses absolutely destroyed by what could only be shelling? Do you ever hear testimonies from survivors of the massacre saying IDF shoot at their own civilians? Do you ever read about past al-Qassam attacks and noticed they've never had mass casualties because IDF never responded like this? Do you even know what al-Qassam is or do you live to regurgitate whatever you're fed and being spoon-fed your information?

If Hamas' militia surrenders, Gaza will be wiped out and Gazans — those who are not murdered — will be exiled into Egypt's Sinai. That's the end goal since 1948, and that's what you're defending. But who cares? Arab blood is cheaper and racism is always fashionable.

[marvelstoriesepic]

Notice Me

Pairing: Highschool!Bucky x Highschool!Reader

Summary: After feeling overlooked for so long, you finally get asked out but no one other than Bucky Barnes.

Word Count: ~1k

Warnings: self-esteem issues; insecurity; sweet Bucky

Author’s Note: I'm sorry it this seems slightly rushed. But thank you for the request, my dear!! I hope you’ll enjoy ♡

2k Drabble Challenge Masterlist | Masterlist

They don’t really look at you.

They glance, sometimes. Pass by. Ask for notes or lab slides, ask if you’ve started the assignment, or if you can just, maybe, double-check their citations.

They are kind, most of them. You don’t mind. You’re good at slipping into corners. Good at folding yourself small. Quiet is easier than being misunderstood.

You exist like background music. Always there. Never quite heard.

So you never notice him noticing you. Not at first.

You know his name is Bucky. You know too, that he usually sits in the back and he listens. There is something about the way he watches the board, the professor, the world, as if he’s been absent from it and only just returned. His hands are always tense. He smiles as if he’s afraid it will hurt. But he’s kind. Surprisingly kind.

One time you dropped your pen in the aisle and he bent down to get it before you even noticed it was gone. He didn’t say anything when he handed it to you, just this soft half-nod and a look you couldn’t quite make out.

You never think about why he is always early to class.

You never think about why he always sits close enough to hear you speak when you rarely do.

You learn that his real name is James.

James Buchanan Barnes. He says it one day during a project when the professor’s taking attendance, and someone makes a joke about it being a mouthful.

You don’t laugh.

You like the way he says it. As if he’s reclaiming it from something.

He glances at you when he says it. You don’t know what that means.

You write his name down in your notebook and immediately scribble it out. You hope no one saw. Especially not him.

You catch him watching you three times before you start counting.

Once, when you were half-asleep during a film analysis.

Once, when you answered a question the professor had barely finished asking.

Once, in the hallway, while you were struggling with your scarf and your hands wouldn’t listen to your brain, and he stepped forward as if he was going to help and then didn’t.

He smiled instead. A small one.

You smiled back.

You think about that smile too much. More than you mean to.

It’s raining the day he asks.

The world smells like wet pavement and leaves. Everything is a little too loud, too soft, too much.

You’re clutching your bag to your chest, hurrying off. You think you hear your name but it’s hard to tell with the thunder.

But then your name comes again.

You turn.

To Bucky.

He looks as if he didn’t plan this, which means he probably did. He’s wearing a coat with the collar turned up, hair a little damp, hands in his pockets as if he doesn’t trust them to stay calm.

He says your name again, formulates it as a question, as if he’s checking if you’ll run.

You don’t.

“Hey,” he says. “Sorry- this is probably not- just, uh, I’ve been meaning to ask you- do you want to- go get coffee? Or tea? Or something?” A pause. “With me.”

You blink at him, a droplet of rain falling from your lashes.

You think you forgot your heartbeat somewhere on the walk here. It finds you again. Loud.

“I mean-” he rubs the back of his neck, and you see something strange in his eyes. Nerves. Hope. Fear. “Only if you want to. Obviously.”

God, you think of every time you told yourself no one noticed. Every time you melted into the background like wallpaper, like breath, like shadow.

And now he’s standing in front of you in the rain, looking at you as though you’re the only thing in color.

“I’d like that,” you answer, voice small but sincere.

His shoulders drop in relief. He beams.

And later, over coffee, you learn that he’s been wanting to ask you for weeks. Months, maybe. That he almost said something when you helped him format his paper. That he actually knew how to do it on his own. That he almost chickened out again this morning.

And it made you feel seen. Uncomfortably, carefully, exquisitely seen.

[nicka-nell]

hq toxic traits? 👀👀

Hi! Lets do some short toxic traits then :))

Their toxic traits

Pairing: Osamu x, Atsumu x, Suna x, Kita x, Kuroo x, Ushijima x, Semi x, Shirabu x, Sakusa x, Oikawa x, Iwaizumi x, Bokuto x, Akaashi x, Sawamura x, Sugawara x, Azumane x, Kageyama x, Hinata x, Tsukishima x, Yamaguchi x reader

Warning: toxic traits obviously

MIYA OSAMU

Osamu is stubborn as hell.

He would rather sulk in the corner and give you the silent treatment than give in. 

He holds onto his grudge for a long time and would never apologize on his own initiative. 

In the end, you’re always the one who gives in and approaches him. But what’s the saying again? The wiser gives in…

MIYA ATSUMU

Atsumu often lies. Whether he does it willingly or subconsciously, he probably doesn’t even know. 

He forgot to hang the laundry outside? He couldn’t do it because it was raining so hard. Obviously a lie. 

If you confront him with his lies, he quickly slips into the victim's role and acts as if he is the poor victim and is always misunderstood by others. 

SUNA RINTAROU

Suna is good at manipulation. Especially when it comes to getting around things he doesn’t like. 

Whether it’s cleaning the apartment or meeting your friend that he doesn’t like, Suna always finds a way to wrap up his words so that you end up doing the housework or doing something alone with your, for him annoying, friend. 

Sometimes he wraps things up so well that he almost lets you fall into a guilt trap and makes you feel bad for a second.

KITA SHINSUKE

Kita is a bit of a perfectionist and absolutist. 

You’re organizing a housewarming party at your home and invite your friends? Of course, but not before Kita has checked twenty times whether everything is really clean, whether the food is prepared properly and whether there are enough slippers for everyone. 

Is one rose in your bouquet already hanging its head and wilted? If so, he removes it from the vase first so that everything is perfect. 

Discussions are sometimes very difficult. Depending on what the two of you are discussing, he closes himself off at a certain point and no longer allows other arguments or opinions. 

KUROO TETSUROU

He’s an absolute workaholic.

Kuroo enjoys his work. It also involves a lot of responsibility. That’s why he often works overtime. 

You’re on vacation and just want to relax on the beach together? But not without Kuroo’s business phone. 

Would he cancel his vacation if things were stressful at work and his team couldn’t manage without him? Yes. 

USHIJIMA WAKATOSHI

Ushijima is not empathetic at all.

You feel bad because your colleague is mean to you and you want to vent to Ushijima? Just want to be hugged? No. “Talk to your boss” is the answer you get with a nod, immediately followed by the question of whether you’ve already finished the grocery list.  

Ushijima is also not flexible. You want to go to the cinema spontaneously? Then you’d better book it a week in advance so that you can fit it into your weekly schedule. Because Ushijima is a routine guy. Get up in the morning, get ready, go jogging, have breakfast, take a shower, say goodbye to you, go to training, come home, have lunch, go to his agency or attend appointments made by his agency, come home in the evening, greet you, have dinner and then spend time with you before getting ready for bed. 

SEMI EITA

Semi is a natural flirt, even if he does it subconsciously. 

Through his band, he often has gigs and when his fans talk to him, he quickly slips into light flirting. 

Nice compliments like “Oh you are really very pretty”, “With such pretty fans I have to be careful that I don’t start stuttering on stage” are a standard or light touches like touching the shoulders of his fans, patting them on the head and so on. 

However, he would never hook up with a fan ever. He would always remain loyal to you. 

SHIRABU KENJIROU

Shirabu is really stingy. 

You want to go out for dinner with him? Then only if you split the bill and each pay for what you have eaten and drunk. Tipping? No, he wouldn’t tip the waiter but always gives the money correctly.

Shirabu also tends to come across as arrogant and overbearing in some situations. 

Probably one reason why your friends didn’t like him at first. 

Kiyoomi Sakusa

Sakusa is incredibly bad at replying. If you write him a message, he either replies days later or not at all. Not because he doesn’t want to answer you, but because he simply forgets and you’re usually together in the evenings anyway, unless he’s abroad. 

But if you don’t get back to him after three hours, he gets restless and sometimes even angry because he’s worried. 

Besides, Sakusa is someone who likes to use silent-treatment when you’ve had a fight. You had an argument about a party you were at with friends? Be prepared for Sakusa to ignore you until you apologize to him, even though you haven’t done anything wrong. 

OIKAWA TOORU

Like Semi, Oikawa is also a natural flirt. He really enjoys it when girls crowd around him and give him compliments and gifts. 

Does he compliment them? Definitely. He loves the way the girls blush, giggle and look up at him in embarrassment. Would he try to get into their pants? Absolutely not. He also remains loyal. 

But Oikawa is an absolute attention slut. He loves to be the center of everything. When he’s not, he gets whiny and does everything he can to get back in the spotlight. 

IWAIZUMI HAJIME

Iwaizumi’s heart rate quickly rises as he sometimes has anger issues. 

Would he get violent with you? No, absolutely not. 

But sometimes he raises his voice from one moment to the next and you shrink back so fearfully that you are afraid his hand will slip out. 

However, Iwaizumi usually notices this immediately and apologizes straight away, then lowers his voice again very quickly and gives you a gentle hug. 

BOKUTO KOUTAROU

Bokuto is always too quick to take everything to heart. Even normal things like, “Koutarou, I’m not in the mood to go out to dinner with you today. I have a headache.” He often takes this to imply that you don’t want to spend time with him and don’t love him as much as you used to. 

Sometimes it’s really exhausting to keep up his good mood. 

Bokuto is also lazy when it comes to housework. Is the toilet paper is empty? Never mind, the roll won’t be refilled. If he then sits down on the toilet again and realizes that the roll is still empty, he would rather take a towel, dab himself dry and throw the towel in the laundry basket than refill the toilet roll. 

AKAASHI KEIJI

Akaashi tries to avoid conflicts as much as possible. 

If you have an argument with friends, then you can assume that Akaashi is not joining you to find a solution to your disagreements, but has probably just remembered that it is important to dust the houseplants right now, at this very moment. Leaf by leaf. 

An argument between you two? It doesn’t actually happen very often, as Akaashi would rather give in directly than let a discussion arise. 

SAWAMURA DAICHI

Oh, he’s a little people pleaser. 

He often seems strict, and everyone actually has respect for him. But Sawamura often can’t say no. 

You wanted to spend an evening together, just the two of you again after a long time? Yes... well, no, that’s not happening. Azumane asked if he could spend the night with you because he had a quarrel with his girlfriend. 

Sugawara asks if Sawamura can come to school and give a lecture about crime, since he has some trouble students, even though you actually have a day off today, just like Sawamura? Well, now you’re probably the only one who still has a day off and is waiting outside the elementary school for Sawamura to come out again. 

SUGAWARA KOUSHI

Sugawara doesn’t admit it, but he is very jealous. Sometimes even of his friends if they get a little too close to you. 

He often questions whether he is really good enough for you and always talks himself down instead of just talking to you. 

Sugawara is also often stuck in the past. He thinks about all the good times from the past and often forgets to live in the present or think about the future. 

AZUMANE ASAHI

Azumane is often negative and has fears and worries about the future.

Even if a moment is beautiful, such as a friend’s wedding, Azumane is sad. His only question is whether you will reach this point at some point or whether the future has other plans for you. 

In general, you can listen to his worries about the future at least once a month. Most of the time, however, his worries are completely unjustified. 

KAGEYAMA TOBIO 

Kageyama is selfish. 

He always thinks of himself first and then of others. Not that it’s bad to think, but with Kageyama it’s sometimes very extreme. 

For example, he makes sure he always has enough protein and enough to eat, so anything left over you can have. He never thinks badly of it, but he needs a well-trained body for his job. 

HINATA SHOUYOU

Hinata is always very competitive. Sometimes a little too much. 

Which of you is first at the front door? Mostly Hinata, and he’s usually happy. And that’s really not a bad thing. 

But once, after a very intimate moment of affection, he was lying next to you, both of you out of breath, and instead of saying something like “I love you”, he just said “ha, if you were pregnant, that would be another victory for me and a defeat for Kageyama, because we’d be the first to become parents”. You wish you could have kicked him off the bed. 

TSUKISHIMA KEI

Tsukishima is often pessimistic. He always sees the negative first before reality convinces him otherwise. Because often things aren’t as bad as he always claims at first. 

Besides, Tsukishima is a tease! He loves to bother you. For him, it’s all playful and never really serious. 

It’s probably his way of showing you that he loves you, but he often crosses the line and doesn’t realize that he’s hurting you sometimes. 

YAMAGUCHI TADASHI

Yamaguchi always talks himself down. He can never understand why other people like him for his character. 

That’s why you often have to talk to Yamaguchi when you come back from events. 

The couple next to you at the table in the restaurant had a much more expensive meal, much more expensive drinks, and Yamaguchi could only invite you to a simple menu. Again, he talks himself down, that he doesn’t deserve you, that you would have a better life with another man by your side. Only when you talk to him for several minutes, kissing and smiling at him, does he regain some self-confidence. 

[bradleysass]

Match - @into-the-jeggyverse - wc: 530

James is beaming when Regulus walks into their apartment, phone in hand, eyes glinting with a mix of excitement and barely restrained laughter.

"We're a match made in heaven," James declares, grinning from ear to ear.

Regulus raises an eyebrow, pausing to toe off his shoes. "What did you do?"

James plops onto the couch, patting the cushion next to him in invitation. "Took a quiz."

Regulus sighs but crosses the room anyway, sinking into the seat beside James. "A quiz."

"A relationship compatibility quiz!"

"Oh, Merlin."

James turns his phone toward Regulus, showing a brightly colored webpage with the bold, mocking headline: Your Compatibility Score: 38%—Not Doomed, But Not Great!

Regulus blinks at the screen, then at James. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, and apparently we're not. Or at least, we shouldn’t be." James wiggles his eyebrows. "According to BuzzQuizly, we’re a disaster."

Regulus snorts. "Did you answer the questions properly, or did you choose the most chaotic option each time?"

James gasps, placing a hand on his chest as if wounded. "I answered them honestly!"

"James."

"Okay, mostly honestly. But when it asked, 'Do you prefer deep, meaningful conversations or lighthearted banter?' I put banter because obviously, we banter."

Regulus shakes his head. "James, we literally stay up at night discussing philosophy and the meaning of existence."

"Yes, but we do it while bantering. That should count as both!"

Regulus rubs his temples. "What else?"

James scrolls. "Oh! This one's good. 'Do you believe in soulmates?' I put yes, because duh. And then it asked, 'Do you think your partner is your soulmate?' and I also put yes! So, points for me."

Regulus hums. "And yet, 38%."

"I know! Rude, right?"

Regulus takes the phone, scrolling through the results. "James, you said we have completely opposite interests."

"We do—I like Quidditch, you like reading about dead philosophers."

Regulus stares at him. "James, you read more than I do. Half of our furniture is bookshelves, and most of them are yours."

James hesitates. "Okay, but—"

"And you love my existential ramblings."

"I do, but—"

"And we both like the same music, the same films, the same—"

"Alright, alright! Maybe I misunderstood the question." James crosses his arms. "I just thought they meant, like, core interests."

Regulus scrolls again, then exhales sharply. "James."

James winces. "...Yes?"

Regulus tilts the screen toward him, revealing the question: How do you and your partner resolve conflicts? James' answer: We don’t. We battle to the death.

James coughs. "That was a joke."

Regulus gives him a long, unimpressed look. "You know how algorithms work, right?"

"Loosely."

Regulus rolls his eyes, tossing the phone onto the coffee table before shifting to straddle James' lap, fingers threading through his hair. "You are, without a doubt, an idiot."

James beams. "But I'm your idiot."

Regulus sighs but doesn’t bother hiding the small smile tugging at his lips. "38%," he muses, tilting his head. "Should we break up?"

James gasps dramatically, hands flying to Regulus’ waist. "You wound me."

Regulus leans in, brushing his lips against James’. "Mm. Maybe you can redeem yourself."

James grins against his mouth. "I knew we were a match made in heaven."

[maiyz]

partners

summary: 2 miscommunications result in relationship… college au and not proof read

pairing: megumi x fem!reader

main masterlist

megumi was always the type to never talk about his personal life. when the professor paired him with you for a class project, he didnt think anything off it. however, when he said “were partners” to you, he wouldnt have expected this.

you misunderstood.

thats not all.

when megumi said “partners” you thought he had meant something more, something romantic. it didnt help that he had been acting more relaxed around you, so you had thought you just missed the memo. mainly because megumi would never talk to you about his feeling.

you started being more affectionate by calling him “baby” or “babe” in conversation, lesning on him more in study sessions, you remember his coffee order—not that its hard to forget. a black coffee.

megumi was confused but didnt want to make it awkward, so he kept his thoughts to himself. after all, you were just being friendly, right?

…

you and nobara went to the cafe near campus after classes one day, talking about everything. until you said, “me and megs are dating you know,”

nobara didnt miss a beat. just smiled and nodded, taking a sip of her overpriced frappe. “oh, nice. didnt know you two were official now.”

“yeah, we didnt want to make a big deal out of it.” you replied.

in reality, you didnt know, and megumi doesnt make a big deal out of anything.

nobara, remembering all the times you were lovey dovey with megumi in front of her, didnt question you at all, she was happy to accept it. you and megumi were dating.

later that week, nobara couldnt resist but bringing it up to megumi. she strolled up to his usual table in the student lounge, where he was on his phone like always.

“so, wanna go on a double date now?”

megumi looked up, confused. “i dont want to third wheel with you and maki.”

“you wouldnt be third wheeling anymore though, right?”

“wait what?”

“yeah, yn already told me, you dont have to hide it.”

“what did she say?” megumi asked.

“that… you two are dating? she said you had been dating for a while?”

“no, thats not-“ he was cut off by nobara.

“listen. just say you dont wanna go, you dont have to hide your relationship from me yaknow? like i said, yn told me. talk to yn about if you dont feel comfortable about going, if not… then be at *random sushi place* by 8!”

nobara walks off, not being interested into talking with megumi anymore.

megumi didnt even know how to process it all. he had no idea how to clear up the misunderstanding, and now nobara was convinced that you two were dating. he just hoped you werent too serious about it.

megumi just stared at the spot where nobara had stood. since nobara seemed so confident about it all, maybe they were and he just missed the signs?

megumi got ready for the double date group hang out.

it was 7:00 pm. nobara had insisted over text that he dress “decently” for this, so now he was standing here, debating whether his usual black hoodie was too casual.

he didn’t even know why he was putting so much thought into this. it was just nobara, maki, and-

his eyes flicked to his phone. you had texted him earlier, something short and sweet—although anything from you is sweet.

are you gonna come megs???

it shouldnt have made his stomach flip, but it did.

he sighed, ruffling his hair.

yea sure

“this is just a normal hangout,” “just dinner.” he thought to himself.

still, he switched the hoodie for a plain black sweater, something a little neater.

when megumi arrived at the restaurant, nobara and maki were already seated. you were beside nobara, chatting happily, completely at ease.

when you spotted him, your eyes lit up.

“megu! you made it” you said, scooting over slightly, making space for him next to you.

megumi hesitated before sitting down. something about the way you said his name made his face warm, its obviously just the temperature in the restaurant though.

(its not.)

nobara smiled. “look at him, actually on time.”

“barely,” maki added, sipping her sake.

megumi rolled his eyes but didnt argue.

he glanced at you, noting how close you were sitting. maybe it was just his imagination, but you seemed comfortable. very comfortable.

“so,” nobara started, resting her chin on her hand, “hows dating life treating you two?”

“its great!” you said before megumi could speak, smiling at them before turning to megumi, eyes full of warmth. “right, megs?”

megumi mumbled an agreement before trying to hide his red face in his hand.

nobara nodded approvingly. “figured. you guys always looked like a couple anyway.”

maki smirked. “yeah, megumis the quiet type, but we all knew you would end up together.”

he looked between them, waiting for some sign that this was a joke, but they were all so casual about it.

they actually think you two were dating.

he was going to ask you “are we actually dating?”

but then you reached for his hand under the table, lacing your fingers through his without hesitation.

his heart nearly stopped.

“hes just shy,” you said, squeezing his hand gently.

nobara grinned. “yeah, yeah. hes lucky youre patient.”

everyones entree arrived swiftly after that.

you squeezed his hand again, looking up at him like he was the best thing in the world, something in him settled.

yeah. you were his partner, you had been all along.

he just hadnt noticed

i wrote most of this in class then wrote the other half like 9 hours later… so it might not make any sense lolol

[anistarrose]

If you were an a-spec exclusionist (or even "neutral") in the 2010s on Tumblr, if you remember laughing at "cringe aces," and have since come around to realize "hey that was kinda shitty, obviously aces and aros are queer," then you've obviously taken a huge step forward. But if you haven't actually evaluated what subtler forms of aphobia look like, and unlearned those too, then you absolutely need to do that, or else internalized biases will persist in this community that make a-specs feel unsafe.

The most rampant and insidious type of aphobia on Tumblr in the past few years hasn't been about explicitly saying you hate/want to exclude asexuals. Aphobes themselves say they've moved on from "discourse blogs," now preferring to make superficially "normal" posts with subtle aphobic dogwhistles, and people who don't consider themselves "exclusionists" still pass those dogwhistle posts around! And sometimes, "subtle" is giving the aphobes way too much credit, because a-spec terminology and microlabels are still constantly mocked, and used as punchlines.

Below, I've linked a variety of posts about what aphobia looks like, what commonly misunderstood/mocked a-spec terminology really means, and how a-spec people differ from common stereotypes and misconceptions. I don't expect everyone to read every one of these posts. There are some long ones. But I know Tumblr would be a significantly less hostile experience for a-spec people if everyone unlearning aphobia looked at, and reflected critically about, at least a few.

Subtle Aphobia; A-Specs and Sex Positivity

[Plain text: "Subtle Aphobia, Aces and Sex Positivity."]

Sex Repulsion Vs. Sex Negativity - Know the Difference

“Anti-Sex” and the Real Sexual Politics of the Right (Spoiler alert: religious purity culture is not "anti-sex." Rather, it's actually opposed to sexual autonomy.)

Acephobia and Ableism, Queer Social Spaces "Discourse"

Common Modern Aphobia, Critical Thinking Questions About "Cringe" Ace Posts on the Dashboard

"Virgin" as an insult just perpetuates sex negativity

Tumblr polls as harassment bait

Hey, What Do Those Terms We Mocked Actually Mean?

[PT: "Hey, What Do Those Terms We Mocked Actually Mean?"]

Origin, Use, and Etymology of "Allosexual"

Why "Queerplatonic" Doesn't Have a Set Definition, and Why That Matters (from the actual people who coined it!)

"Queerplatonic is to relationships what nonbinary is to gender"

"Amatonormativity" as Defined by Dr. Elizabeth Brake

Amatonormativity Affects More Than Just Aces and Aros

On mocking people's labels — "I want to limit your ability to communicate"

Masterpost of A-Spec Readings

Aromantic Allosexuals (Yes, Including Men)

[PT: "Aromantic Allosexuals (Yes, Including Men)"]

"Aroallos are often treated as inherently "more sexual" than other allosexuals. Here's why that assumption happens, and why it's bullshit."

Romantic Attraction Is Not Required To Respect Women

You can't support aroallos without unlearning sex negativity

Further Readings on Aphobia

[PT: "Further Readings on Aphobia"]

The problems with "Asterisk Acceptance"

"Aces are Valid" doesn't cut it

Compulsory Sexuality Is An Issue For Everyone

When sex-positivity in fandom swerves into compulsory sexuality and othering aces. (This is the only "fandom"-adjacent post I'm linking, but doing so because 1. I know the demographics of this site, and 2. this post is so well-put that its point is generalizable to non-fandom topics too.)

Aphobia Was Bad, It Was Bigotry, It Was Part of the TERF Pipeline

Bi person discusses parallels between aphobia and other queerphobia

Bi and trans person discusses parallels between aphobia and other queerphobia

Asexual Women of Color Navigating White Patriarchy

"Trauma is not a factor by which queerness should be measured" - excerpt from Refusing Compulsory Sexuality, and related discussion

Arophobia: "You say you accept aromanticism, but..."

A-Spec Experiences Growing Up in Purity Culture Religions

"The World is Not Made For Single People"

Asexual Theory Masterpost

[shadowmor]

Mc is not fluent in Japanese part 2

Idea/summary: The Mc/Reader is foreign and knows just enough Japanese to express basics ideas (almost A2 level).

Part 1

-> Hotarubi & Sinostra house

✋️Obviously, this is not canon. Just a scenario idea

Kusanagi Haku

He already had some doubts about you being from outside Japan before interacting, but he quickly confirmed it.

"No, I'm not taking you to a clinic. Yes, to Darkwick, do you know it?"

But instead of seeing you searching on a search engine, he noticed that you typed the institution's name (incorrectly) into an online dictionary. Oh.

"No, Darkwick is an academy."

"Ah."

Before saying goodbye when you were taken to talk to the teachers, he briefly asked what your native language was. – You only understood the reason behind the question when he greeted you in your native language the first time you entered the Hotarubi house.

He studied some greetings (lazily) in case he saw you. If being cursed was already horrible, imagine not being able to express yourself the way you want?

Even if it wasn't much, Haku thought that by learning your language, you would feel less lonely and scared.

Besides, he noticed that his pick-up lines go in one of your ears and out the other since you don’t seem to understand unless it's in a literal sense.

"..."

"..."

"You didn't get it, did you?"

"I just didn’t understand the comparison between me and spring."

"Of course..."

Don’t be surprised if he throws a pick-up line at you in your native language —somehow, he sounds quite fluent in that aspect. (Maybe the color change on your cheeks and ears when you hear it is part of his motivation to practice more.)

Overall, Haku is a great teacher. Extremely patient with your mistakes and playfully teasing in a way that doesn’t make you feel mocked.

Oh? Speaking to me in such a casual tone... are you implying that we are actually closer than I imagined?"

Haku hates working more than necessary, let alone studying. But well, he won’t say no to a study date with you.

That is, until he realizes that you two weren’t the only ones in this study session. He looked at you strangely as you brought the Frostheim newbies.

"Maybe I misunderstood, MC. Wasn’t it just the two of us?"

"Is there a problem?"

"No, not really." It was.

He also learned to say your name correctly on the first try, just like Tohma.

Haku seems to know a mix of languages, from the most well-known to those he selected out of personal interest (yours made it onto the list).

Subaru Kagami

Although I sometimes doubt that Subaru's external personality is completely genuine, I'll write assuming it is.

At first, he didn’t realize you were a foreigner. Like Alan, he vaguely thought you just weren’t good with words. – For a moment, he felt identified.

But doubts arose when you two started communicating directly. A few pronunciation mistakes here and there, confusing text messages, and the fact that Haku always greeted you in another language made him suspect.

"Hm."

"What’s wrong, Subaru?"

"If I'm wrong, please don't take it personally, maybe I misunderstood. MC, are you from another country?"

"Yes"

Subaru quickly joined the study group, even though he firmly stated that he wouldn’t be very helpful, but demonstrated the complete opposite.

He is a great teacher, simple and direct in explaining grammatical sentence structures or the meaning behind some kanji simbols.

Studying with him is always nice because, in the end, fresh tea and some cookies are ready for your break.

He rarely corrects you outside of study hours, and when he does, he always seems reluctant or annoyed with himself.

If he’s with you and someone misunderstands you, he’ll try to clarify the situation.

Subaru already wanted to study your language to get closer to you and make you feel more comfortable, but what really pushed him was hearing you murmur in your native tongue —he found the intonation so beautiful.

Certainly, it would be a shame if you couldn’t speak in such an expressive way.

Like Alan (again), he prefers learning directly, but to avoid being a bother, he also studies through other resources. – Haku brought some textbooks he found in the library.

He only mispronounced your name twice.

Zenji Kotodama

The best of the best 🙌

He thought it was just a peculiar way of your speaking, but he admires that you went to another country despite not being fluent.

Although his songs may seem a bit confusing, they actually help you correct your pronunciation because he enunciates each syllable slowly.

He sometimes follows you around the academy to keep you away from trouble caused by your lack of comprehension.

"No, no, no, gal! This young man understood something else! Repeat after me so he doesn’t get confused."

He asked you to sing in your native language—he found it nice and tried to imitate it. (It sounded more like phonetic gibberish.)

Now you've been admitted to work with Haku in managing Zenji’s posts!

Congratulations, you're now responsible for adding subtitles to his video-songs in your language. The more people who understand and appreciate the meaning of his words, the better the world will be, right? He needs to touch more hearts.

Zenji is better at explaining the meanings of symbols than strict grammar, but he's still good.

"Oh, my dear. It’s not this, it’s this here. Write it again."

He pronounces your name in an overly dramatic way

He doesn’t mind if you speak to him casually (even if it’s by mistake).

When he accompanies you to the library, you just need to point at a symbol, and he will express what it means. (Maybe his metaphors confuse you, but he will try to be clearer if he notices your confusion.)

---------------------‐----------------------------------------------

Taiga Hoshibami

You almost got grazed by a bullet when you spoke informally to him upon entering the casino for the first time.

Interacting with Taiga is a bit unsettling —one moment, he's laughing at your funny way of speaking, and the next, he’s pressing a gun to your forehead, ordering you to speak properly.

He doesn’t correct you; he genuinely enjoys watching you mess up. Sometimes, he pretends not to understand just to see you desperately trying to replace the word you used.

You might end up being subconsciously registered in his mind as the girl who speaks funny. (Not a good thing. If your Japanese improves, he might pull out his gun again in your next conversation. Better be known as the kitten.)

He might start pointing at objects, waiting (forcing) you to say their names with your flawed pronunciation.

No, he still doesn’t remember your name. If he already struggles to remember the honor student’s title, imagine a foreign name.

Like Subaru, he heard you murmuring in your native language and immediately asked you to speak like that while using your thighs as a pillow. But don’t try saying anything funny—Taiga is extremely sharp to know when someone is making fun of him.

If someone mocks the way you speak while he's around and still remembers who you are, someone’s going to need medical attention. It should only be funny for him.

Taiga seems to know other languages; he might know yours, but I highly doubt he’ll speak it with you—unless he has a real reason to threaten you.

Romeo Lucci

The audacity you have to speak to him so casually using his first name.

Romeo likely knows other languages, being a noble businessman that he is.

He knew you were foreign at first glance and pronounces your name correctly after hearing it once.

You were truly an annoying thing—not just because of your writing mistakes in the reports, but also because even after he explained abbreviations, you still seemed confuse.

"You are such a WOE!!"

"..." Just from your expression, he knew you didn’t understand.

"Waste Of Effort!!"

Yet, there was that same blank look—how the hell did you not get it, even when he patiently explained?

If he knows your language, he might make a slight effort to communicate about necessary matters using it — like Kaito’s routine or about a mission

His corrections always come through frustrated sighs or yelling.

Yet, he somehow always returns your reports corrected, helping you understand what symbols you got wrong.

Ritsu Shinjo

He possibly knows other idioms —a lawyer must be aware of their client’s needs in any circumstance! How would he defend someone without understanding what they’re saying?

He still has your audio response to his question about you being a foreigner (why).

If he has time, he will join your study group. However, he already corrects you in any communication you two have.

Ritsu corrects you directly, pointing out the mistake and the solution. He doesn’t really care about how he’s explaining things or whether you feel embarrassed—similar to Jin in that aspect. Why are you embarrassed? He’s helping you.

As his business partner, your communication must be clear, objective, and efficient.

So, if he doesn’t know your language, he will find ways to learn it. You found it amusing that, just because you’re his associate, he spends nights studying your language. (And he doesn’t understand why that surprised you.)

Despite his "lawyer-like" demeanor, Ritsu is very helpful. He gathers books for you, ranging from basic to advanced Japanese.

He mispronounced your name a few times (maybe three in total).

.

.

.

Sorry, maybe i did wrote too much. Please forgive me for any grammar mistakes TT

[hibou088]

On having a savior complex

What follows is based on this video.

There are truths we do not want to see. Not because they are too complex, but because they are too honest. The very few "real" feminists (Celibate, WGTOW, Blackpilled, etc.) hope that women will wake up, that women have to realize their position in the world. But while you are doing that, you are suffering. But this pain isn't the fault of their malice; it is caused by your own refusal to accept their refusal to see. That is the trap. You think you are helping women as a whole by wanting to help them when in reality, you are simply hoping for their awakening to validate your own. You suffer because you still believe that your freedom is dependent on theirs, that women are all interconnected...

As long as you need women to see what you see, you are still attached to their validation. You see clearly and you do not understand why the majority of women prefer quiet submission. But the real question is this : why does it cause you so much pain ? Why do you even care in the first place ? You care because you are experiencing a form of reversed attachment : you are waiting for women to validate your awareness. You want them to finally acknowledge the obviousness of what you see. But what you need to understand is that their awakening is not in your hands. The more you insist, the more they resist because you become a threat to their illusory and flawed perception of the world. The more you try to save them, the more you become the aggressor in their eyes.

You are not there to save the world, you are there to save yourself. Don't try to make women understand, try to stand tall, without spectators. The problem lies in your own intolerance of being misunderstood. The real question is not : why don't they see ? The real question is : why do you keep trying ? Those who see clearly become suspect. Those who do not want to see never attack head-on; they accuse your morality, your assumptions, your ethics, your ego... They tell you that you are controlling, that you are arrogant... It is why women accuse you of being prude, of being a lesbian, of wanting to destroy their heterosexual relationship, of trying to divide women and blah blah blah...

It is no longer the content of your words that is criticized, but your own legitimacy in speaking them. And those who lack the courage to think independently will elevate their weakness to nobility. And for their stance to remain noble, they must sanctify their inertia, victimization, their powerlessness, and condemn anything that resembles discernment or rational thinking. Because it forces them to face themselves, and they can't stand it. So they MUST always resort to "But we have been brainwashed for thousands of years" or "But sex is natural and you cannot deny women sexual gratification, it is not realistic ! I deserve sexual fulfillment !" or "OP is probably an undercover lesbian who wants to turn women gay!" or "You probably are frustrated because no man wants you !" They ask us to remain silent so as not to shatter their collective illusion. Their wounded ego has become the only truth.

That is the reason why even "blackpill feminism" is stupid IMO. Not the ones embodying it obviously, but the philosophy itself. You already know the truth, why would you get pissed at somebody not agreeing with you ? Why are you still frustrated when women do not want to change their worldview ? Why are you engaging in petty drama online ? Trying to convince anybody is stupid, especially when History proves us that women like being the underdogs. They love being in an inferior position, as long as a man is by their side.

The best example I have in mind is Madeleine Pelletier.

She was one of the first women to openly advocate radical ideas on equality and the emancipation of women through work and education. At the end of her life, her writings and career revealed a certain disenchantment and bitter insight into the condition of women and the relative failure of her struggles. She ultimately harshly criticized women, whom she deemed too submissive, too passive, and not sufficiently committed to their own liberation.

She lamented their lack of solidarity and their tendency to conform to traditional roles (still true now more than ever). Most women desperately want to become a man's property. Being placed under a conservatorship having a man doing all the thinking and hard work for them is the average woman's ultimate goal.

Madeleine felt abandoned by her former political and feminist allies (Duh 🙄) which reinforced her bitterness. But despite everything, she never renounced her ideas.

The truth is that the ONLY way to claim your freedom is to renounce validation by those who have chosen conformity and victimization. Your lucidity is not proven by convincing others; it is asserted by embodying it, without the need for approval and by having the courage to face rejection and incomprehension. Stop trying to save or convince anybody. Choose freedom and detachment. Choose Peace.

[certifiedsexed]

Regarding your answer to the ask about not being physically attracted to fat people, I'm a little confused: You say that "judging your attraction to people based on how they're oppressed and not even what they look like or their aesthetic, ect." is fatphobic. But isn't having a fat body a physical part of "what they look like"? If I, personally, don't find large bellies, fat folds, breasts of a certain size, etc., sexually attractive, is that fatphobia that I need to work on?

Maybe I've misunderstood what the term "fat" means in this context?

Good question! [This is about this ask, for anyone wondering!]

Being fat does have to do with your appearance, as does skin color [which intersects heavily with race, obviously].

But the way fatness manifests differs from person to person and fat people can have very diverse appearances! It's like if you said, "I'm not attracted to physically disabled people".

Obviously, being physically disabled can affect your appearance! But if you're unattracted to people specifically because of their disabled traits, that's not just a neutral preference.

The world tells you disability [and fatness] is unattractive, is gross, is undesirable and for you to go, "Yeah, that's my preference" isn't just a neutral observation, it's learned behavior.

Same with fatness! You're describing being unattracted to fatness itself, not even "there are some fat people I'm not attracted to" (which is understandable), but "fatness itself is unattractive to me", which isn't okay.

It's an idea pushed by society and popular media all around the world. I'd definitely say it's fatphobia you need to work on! I've had similar issues and sometimes it's just a knee-jerk response we've learned (that we're not supposed to be attracted to these traits!) and sometimes, it's deeper seated than that but either way, I'd definitely look further into it.

Fat people, just like disabled people, just like POC, just like trans people, are just as diverse a group as any other-To write them off and just accept "Oh, I'm not attracted to these people because of [traits they are literally oppressed for and are known as universally "undesirable traits" in popular media]" isn't okay.

Like, who is and isn't considered "desirable" (or attractive) is still a very biased thing. We have to be willing to question our desires sometimes, especially when they seem to be propped up by bigoted ideals! It may be uncomfortable but it's very much worth it to examine who you view as desirable and why.

I hope this is helpful. I think this is a very good question and feel free to ask more if this doesn't make sense.

[ifyouarediablo]

CRUEL OR MISUNDERSTOOD?(spoiler alert: its BOTH???)

carla: the embodiment of machiavellianism

carla as a character isn't misunderstood, but his reasons behind being “cruel” are misinterpreted. (note: there's a difference trust me)

carla wasn’t raised to be a man, he was “raised” to be a ruler. within carla's first few scenes we see he gets DOWN TO BUSINESS.

hes a founder, so he doesn't have the same exact craving that the vampires do BUT. while yui's blood is "special" it doesn't change the fact that a lot of the times in which carla sucked her blood it was for shits and giggles (to instill fear). his goal was to continue the founder bloodline, and yui was an important tool in the plan.

endzeit (aka the disease that only affects founders and killed off his entire bloodline aside from him and his brother haha..) creates a desperation within him, but one he refuses to acknowledge outwardly. while he does say he doesn’t care how yui sees/perceives him, that obviously changes later on since he distances himself and refuses help. it was his curiosity regarding humans which led him to warm up to yui. he didn’t have much outside interaction at all, so reading gave him a lot of insight. all in all, he doesn’t want to be perceived as anything but the image he set for himself.

i dont think hes the type to be ashamed at all, though. he already accepted his fate, so like i said, he just wants to keep the image he set for himself.

(note: unfortunately it’s hard to make a solid point about endzeit bc rejet switched up sooo hard after DF and endzeit continued to affect carla even in lost eden…)

the validation he sought from his father when he was younger led him to be faced with an eventual "betrayal". he showed his father the magic he’d started developing (something which he believed would help him earn his father’s approval), but his father didn't praise him, though. he actually feared carla's strength.

(what does a machiavellian do when faced with a perceived threat? eliminate it.)

carla’s cruelty is not born from just sadistic pleasure but rather from an ideology rooted in survival and supremacy of the first bloods.

each of carla’s endings is a different answer to the question of what matters more: power or “humanity”.

(note: i especially love yui in this route because she indirectly challenges carla’s belief that vulnerability equals weakness.)

in his brute ending, he fully embraces ruthless ideals, giving in to the idea that emotions are weaknesses.

in his manservant ending, his downfall was set by his inability to act on his emotions until it was too late.

in his vampire ending, he finally acknowledges his feelings and allows himself to change.

--end

hi my precious freakalicious gangsters,, thank you for reading!!! let me know what you think,, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT!!!! carla is another one of my favorites,, i happen to think he's also very interesting.

[yandere-sins]

Monstober - Day 1: Chimera

I had a daydream similar to this for a while and since I recently watched "Damsel" I thought human sacrifice was the way to go for day one of my challenge (Words you can only say on the internet, not in real life--) ♥ Enjoy!

Prompt: Chimera | Mixed // Misunderstood // Insanity Warnings: (Monster!)Yandere, Fem!Reader, Stabbing, Blood Mention, Dying Mention (no character death), Human sacrifice, Mention and Description of Monster (obviously), Long Post

"No... no, no, please no!"

"It is necessary for our future. For the kingdom."

There was reluctance in his voice; his eyes that he kept forward were fogged with inexplicable horror, his hand trembling around your wrist. But his grip didn't loosen, no matter how much you shook, tore, pulled—he didn't give you a chance to escape the fate he had sealed for you.

"Father..." you sobbed, stumbling over your own feet, your heels dragging the carpet with them as you planted them firmly into the fabric ground. You wanted to believe in the pain you had seen in his eyes when the clerics told your father what to do. Tried to believe he didn't mean to do this cruel thing to his one and only daughter, the last family he had. But you also remembered how his face hardened after the initial shock, how he made peace with this decision that he claimed was unavoidable, no matter how much it pained him.

"There will be no one left! If you continue like this, you'll be all alone!" you cried, the guards lowering their heads shamefully as you two passed them in the hallway in an unfit manner for royals. They wouldn't even lift a finger to save you or stand in the king's way to do their duty towards the princess they had protected all their life. You knew each of their names, the helms they were ordered to wear to hide their shame, not sparing them from being recognized.

"Brother is gone, Mother is gone! You'll have no one! There must be another way! There must be something we can do against this monster!"

No one would meet your gaze as you pleaded for your life.

Your fate was sealed.

Crying even harder, you collapsed to the ground, being pulled forward only by your father, whose eyes drooped heavy with tears. The years had worn him down, and the rising of an ancient creature had been the last thing his poor heart could take. Before you wasn't the king you once knew, the father you adored. It was but a poor, old man who had lost everything to one misery after the other.

And yet, he didn't waver, didn't stop. He turned around only to pick you up from the ground, setting you back on your feet, giving your pain no ounce of attention before continuing to drag you to the monster's cave. Down, down below the castle, until you were both drowning in the darkness and your sorrow. It was hard to hate your father, hard to hate the people that once loved you, when all they knew now was fear of a force no one had ever witnessed but the clerics had deemed to be the wrath of the gods.

"It's your duty," your father choked forth, a third down the endless staircase where it was as dark and suffocating as you imagined death would be.

"And who will you sacrifice next? Another noble? Another child? When will it end, Father?"

Coming to a standstill on the stairs, you heard your father gulp. It was the only moment of respite he granted you, and you should have used it to break free and run away. He was old, and you were not; he might have let you go, seeing as you were the last of his family left. But you didn't. Both of you were duty-bound, even if that meant killing you. You knew the answer to your own question, unable to bear the truth and the misery your escape would cause upon the kingdom you loved almost as much as your father did.

"When the monster is satisfied," he replied sorrowfully, unable to give you the exact amount of sacrifices it would need. No more words needed to be spoken, and as you two descended the staircase, his hand slipped from your wrist, but your legs didn't stop.

Truthfully, your knees were nearly collapsing from fear, and your instincts screamed at you to flee. But when you embraced the country as the future ruler after the disappearance of your brother and your mother, you swore to protect it. You swore to be who they needed, and what they needed was this. A sacrifice.

You had to catch yourself a few times on the stone walls that encased you on your descent. A few times you considered abandoning everything. But what would happen to your people? What would happen to everyone you held dear, who believed in you all your life and supported you unconditionally?

The betrayal of your own father, willing to sacrifice you, was worse than any assassination attempt and hurt more than the wounds of loss inflicted on you by the very same man who promised you to do everything to unite your family again. But you weren't that stupid, never believed a word when he told you they ran away, abandoned you two. As you walked down these stairs, it became abundantly clear that he had lied. That everyone had lied. The more you thought about it, the more it was obvious what happened.

You were not the first in this long line of sacrifices.

But when the soldiers announced the beast was ravaging the villages again, the people demanded a solution, and the clerics swore that only a noble sacrifice could satisfy the beast's hunger. Another one. And now, another one. What was your father supposed to do? How could he refuse? How could you?

Two lamps welcomed you in front of the sturdy doors, the only way to keep the monster out. The stale air choked you as you stood before them. They showcased an impressive number of ancient runes carved into them for protection. The handles were clean, and the runes seemed to have been re-carved recently. You began to shake uncontrollably at its sight, your mind unable to comprehend it was going to die but knowing that these stone doors were all that separated you from your fate.

Only now did you hear your father's sobs and watched him come undone as you two stood in front of the entrance to the cave that housed this terrible creature for centuries. Without thinking, you reached out your hand, wanting to rub his back, perhaps find comfort for yourself in the touch. But at the last second, you withdrew, the betrayal too tremendous, and this gesture not changing anything besides making it harder to let go.

He pushed onwards as if driven by an invisible force. Your heart couldn't understand the dissonance between his actions, the crying yet complying. But your head did. And as much as fear was gripping you, as much as you wanted to flee, you followed him warily, driven by the same force whilst harboring the same tears in your eyes. You were both mourning the now, past, and future. The pain was almost too much to bear.

With all his strength—which seemed like none in this haggard, old body of his—your father grabbed the handle of one of the stone doors, the grating sound of it shaking you to the core as he pushed it open just a gap. He couldn't and wouldn't open it further, not risking more than he already did by offering your life in exchange for peace.

"Go," he ordered, sounding tired of life, as if it was his turn to go. "Go, I'll bear witness."

You noticed the chair by the lamp, the wood new and the cushions still whole. How many hours, how many days, had your father sat here, listening to the monster? Making sure the door was locked after sacrificing his family one by one? Witnessed the horror, the screams?

Something inside of you told you he sat there for many days and would sit for many more, as was his duty as the king who sacrificed his people. You couldn't place his pain above yours but knew you couldn't run either. Was this how your brother and mother felt as well? Did they want to leave but couldn't, despite feeling so, so hurt and betrayed? Your father did it for the greater good, but did he have to be so heartless about it?

You stood before the gap, only darkness awaiting you, suddenly frozen when you felt his hand at the small of your back, still warm, still caring. For a moment, he was your father. For a moment, you wanted to believe he acted in your best interest, not the kingdom's. For a moment, you still loved him more than anyone else.

"Forgive me," your father whispered, and you dared to look back over your shoulder when you felt the sudden pang of pain in your side, the betrayal so loud it overtook all your senses with the sound of your body being sliced open.

With a knife in your side, you were pushed forward, gasping and sputtering as the pain zapped through your veins. More tears welled up in your eyes as you collapsed to the ground, feeling the rumble of the door being shut behind you. This time, you did look back, but all you could see was the red light of the torches through your tears before you were plunged into darkness, the grating of the stone doors echoing from all around you.

So much anger, so much frustration welled up in these last moments of your life. The betrayal made you scream, but as the sound left your throat, you realized the strength you had gained from the pain. Although unsteady and frantic, you got to your feet, your hand catching onto the wall to your right, guiding you through the entrance. You were driven by nothing but betrayal and anger, even as the pain weaved its way through your body, making every step harder to endure.

Logically, you knew it was mercy. That the intention had been for you to die before the monster could get to you. A monster no one had ever seen, ever survived to tell the tale of. And although it was the only explanation for all the misery your country had to endure, if you ever wanted to forgive your father and die honorably, you had to see it for yourself, witness its existence before your death. You grabbed the knife, but you realized it hurt too much at the first miserable tug. That you couldn't possibly get it out. Even though you had nudged it a little, you decided to leave it there, allow it to give you some time.

Finding light at the end of the tunnel was a surprise you didn't expect. Stepping out into a cave without a roof, showcasing the gray sky, and bathing you in a light drizzle was not the scenery you expected to die in. There was no way out but through the hole in the ceiling, yet you didn't remember where this place could possibly be in the kingdom, just that it was impossible to escape. How could anything survive here, with walls too smooth to climb out and just a carved-out pit to hide from the weather?

You noticed there was hay in the pit, still dry, but not much else except for dirt and stone all around you. You expected bones and clumps of flesh, gore, and vile. The hallway you had come from was shrouded in darkness, but there was no going back, that much you knew. You took another step forward, into the light, and immediately, you were hit with dizziness, your body falling forward, but you caught your balance just in time. Seeing your own blood dripping onto the wet floor, robbed you of the last bits of strength you had gathered, and ultimately, you sunk to the dirty floor, hitting it on your side.

So this is it, you thought as you lay there, realizing there never had been a monster. No monster could have escaped from this inescapable place and caused havoc. It was simply a place to get rid of people in the name of sacrifice. All this time, part of you had defended your father in your mind, but you had been wrong in the end. And it had led to your doom, your death so unfitting of you. Had you not been a good princess? Had you not offered help and support wherever you could, gotten your hands dirty for those in need, and lived humbly while being kind? Was that the reason they had to get rid of you? Because you just had not been the kind of person they wanted to give the throne to, not as ruthless and stern as your father?

The ground shook around you, but you were too tired to flinch, to even react. It was strange; the continuous pattern of rain had been interrupted as the day seemed to darken above you. You tried to twist your head, focus your gaze, and make out what happened, but it was hard to understand what you were seeing.

"So what would you do if you could do it all over again?" a voice asked. It made you wary, even if you barely had the strength left to care. Deep and gravely, you felt the ground shake under your barely conscious mind. Was it a man? A woman? Were they talking to you? Where did they come from?

"Wouldn't you hunt them down, kill them for what they did to you, destroy every bit of the land they cherished over you?"

Someone—something—completely blocked out the light shining down from above. A shadow so dark it turned day into night. The rain stopped completely just as your breathing began to be labored, shallow. You tried to focus, tried to make it out. The shapes of the body made no sense. Round, triangle, rectangles. A face, wings, paws. It smelled wet and rotten next to the stinging metallic of your own blood. Foul, yet sweet. The body reminded you of a beast, but when its face drew closer, it was that of an angel whose expression was not right yet so familiar in its pain.

Oh, god, you thought. It's real. The monster is real.

"Wouldn't you return their gestures? Take the same things away from them that they have from you? Their food, their freedom, their family? Tell me, little princess, would you not destroy the very things they worked so hard for, build on top of the corpses of those you love?"

It leaned down a little more, and you couldn't help but hitch a breath. Razor-sharp teeth and slitted eyes, their glow so harsh with all the darkness around you. You felt the breath of the creature wave over your throat—it was this close. Close enough to bite, crunch, and break through your pitiful bones. And yet, despite the venom it spewed, you heard only the miserable truth of those who were wronged. This thing, whatever it was, in all its gruesome, beautiful features, was the same as you were. Mourning the same things, raging for the same reasons.

But as you used the last bits of your strength to think about it, you realized you couldn't agree. You were angry and betrayed, but whatever this creature was, so strange, so different, it was real. You had not been lied to. And it must be deadly, just by the looks of its teeth and claws, so naturally, people would fear it. Naturally, they'd do what they could to get rid of it. How could you blame them for being afraid when you, most of all, knew how terrifying it was?

"Maybe..." you croaked, forcing the word from your throat. "Maybe I'd try to change things next time. No more betrayal. No more sacrifice. Peace. Understanding."

Your father would have called you his sweet, gentle daughter had he heard you. But you were dying, so why should you care if your answer was a bit naive? You didn't want anyone to go through what you had to go through; feel what you felt. Not even the monster. And who knew? Maybe it was no monster at all, just because it looked different.

"Hmm?" the voice coaxed, withdrawing in movements that were too sharp for its human parts, its manners so bird-like and not just because of the wings that fluttered and puffed expectantly. You realized it wasn't just one thing as you heard claws scraping impatiently over the ground. Huge paws settled on either side of your body as the creature hovered above you. It could crush you with the immense size of its body, but you couldn't help but reach out, feeling the soft fur of its leg against your fingertips.

"Because next time, I'd not be helpless. I'd not fear you more than I fear my father. Next time, surely... I'd try to do better..."

"Hmm? Hmmm?" The creature kept coaxing more from you, not realizing that you lost conscience by the fading of your voice.

"Interesting," it chittered after a moment of silence. Ears perked to hear your heart slowing while your hand fell off its paw. Its own hand reached out, the round of its claws brushing up your palm until it could intertwine your fingers, your hand barely big enough to meet the requirements to be held by theirs.

It sniffed the air, the smell of blood pungent.

"Interesting," it repeated, chuckling as it grabbed you by the arm, its free hand dedicating two oversized fingers to grab the knife. It wasted no time lifting you high into the air at its eye level before pulling the knife out of you and discarding it over its human shoulder.

"I'll hear what you have to say, little princess. Wish to learn if you could be different from all of us. But first, you must heal. Must stop the bleeding. Humans are so fragile."

It tutted as it carried you over to its resting space, and your body jerked as the blood gushed from the stab wound. It truly seemed to be the end for your bloodline as you were laid safely between the monster's paws, settled to be either tended to or eaten. But at least you wouldn't have to witness it.

You'd not die a monster like everyone else.

»»———————— ♡ ————————««   

"Is it done?"

Despite your senses only partially having returned, you recognized the voice that woke you from slumber. It was the same exhausted, whiney voice that had fooled you into obeying. Your father. The king.

You felt like you were still dying, wetness spreading over your back as pressure rubbed it all over your skin. It almost felt like a massage, but it was nowhere as relaxing, not with your body still in a state of deadly distress. Even if you weren't dying, it sure felt like it all over again.

"It sure is, my king. You finally managed to satisfy me with your puny sacrifices. This one is much better than the last."

This time, the voice was much closer, so cut-throat close, in fact, it raised goosebumps on your skin. The "massage" stopped, and you heaved a breath, but your body barely moved. The sarcasm in the voice, however, didn't go unnoticed. You were witnessing a conversation, much more than participating, but undoubtedly, the topic was you.

"By the gods... don't tell me you plan to--"

"Eat her?"

You remembered now. It was the voice of the monster. Memories flooded back to the forefront of your thoughts, memories of the questions it asked, memories of what it looked like. It hurt to think about it. The fear that returned made it all the more painful.

"No, I will not eat her," it laughed gently as if it was careful not to wake you. "I only eat the corrupted. Minds like yours that would sacrifice his whole family. Minds like mine that want only what is equal to me. You wouldn't understand. You are just human."

"I don't understand, you made me do this! I only did what you forced me to! You wouldn't stop killing even when I begged you to! It was you who forced me to sacrifice my family!"

A shiver went through the creature. You felt it all around you, making you realize it was all around you. Slowly, you managed to open your eyes. The thought of why am I not dead crossed you as you laid still, barely able to see through the gaps between your lids. All you witnessed was the soft light barely grazing you, the shadow of the king interrupting it even though you could barely see over the massive paw that secured you in place.

"Do not blame me for your doings, human. Have you forgotten what those gods of yours did to me? What your ancestors begged them to do to me? I am only giving back to those who wronged me, and you are to appease me if you wish to live. I made you this; a man, a king. I can take it from you as I please."

Arms snaked around you, human in shape but too long, wrapping around your body in ways you had never been hugged before. Lifting you, cradling you, a fully-grown adult, like a child. Your eyes fell close again as you were nestled against soft fur, with a sturdy body beneath, but the hold on you was so gentle that it made you want to fall asleep again.

"But you are lucky, for I am finally appeased by this little one," the creature purred, and you breathed a barely noticeable sigh of relief. You did it. Your sacrifice had not been in vain.

"It will satisfy me for a while, as did you when you were but a wee little farmer's boy. Still innocent, still hopeful, and wishing for change. She will have to claw her way out of here, and I will feed on her despair, her corruption. And once she is ready, I will send her to you so she may end your pitiful existence. Only then will you be ripe for eating, and she will continue humoring me as is the destiny of the strong-willed. I am eager to see how she will struggle after your passing, how she will break. I hope she will fare better than you, who became but a boring toy the moment I gave him the freedom to act in my name. You were not nearly the tyrant I made you to be."

"Please," you heard your father whimper, and it wasn't long before sobs echoed through the cave. "She's my daughter. She doesn't deserve this. All this pain and suffering to amuse you..."

"Neither did I."

You felt the brush of a hand against your cheek as if to wipe away tears that you hadn't cried. Even when you remembered the claws, the touch was careful, adding no more hurt.

"Now leave," the creature ordered, and the hand fell from you as you were laid down again. "She is no longer yours. And she might just have become my favorite toy ever since this existence came to be. But she needs to heal, and she is so close to waking up from your nagging. If you wish to settle your affairs, now is the time. Before I have broken my toy enough to send her after you, King."

The sobs grew louder for a few moments before they turned into sniffling. Steps crunched over the ground, but they suddenly halted. "I hope this time, your sacrifice kills you, you vile thing. You are no human anymore, but you are too clever for a beast. Like a corpse, refusing to die."

"Oh," the monster chuckled, but the laughter grew louder, and it seemed the creature was unable to hold it back. "Look at you, almost like you once were! It's a pity you are so old and worn. But contrary to you, my game won't die, and more will suffer before your wish will come true!"

You barely heard the steps disappearing back into the castle over the creature's laughter, but it soon stilled as the heavy stone doors closed shut, leaving you behind once more. Your heart ached. It was too much to bear, but you grew uncomfortably rigid in the creature's hold, its breath grazing your skin.

"You're awake, you should have told him what you feel. Are you mad now, little girl? Scared? Angry? Don't worry, you'll get to tell him all that is bothering you soon. We'll have so much fun devising your downfall. You'll be the most corrupt ruler of them all. I know it."

"W-" your voice failed as you tried to speak, and the creature chittered at your weakness.

"Why? It's lonely. So lonely to be cursed. But not when more people are suffering. You think you can make a change, but you are wrong. It's my destiny to be cursed, and now it is yours, too. As was it the curse of the king before you, the queen before him. I break them, reshape them, and when their time comes that they forget about me, I curse them with the same loneliness. The circle will be endless, but it will be fulfilled nonetheless."

Skin smushed against yours, a cheek pressed against your cheek, forehead, and face. Like a parent to a child, affectionate, sweet. Different from the truths the monster was revealing. Finally, you managed to open your eyes and stared into the strange face as an unsettling grin split its features.

It was even less human than you thought it to be, its face like what a human bird would look like—sharp eyes, aquiline nose. Feathers are sprouting instead of hair, framing its face and all over its arms. The sharp horns of a goat broke through its feathery fur on top of its head, and its torso changed into that of a lion, four more paws added to its limbs, with its scaled tail snaked around one of the hindlegs. Wings rested leisurely over its animal body, flinching occasionally as it watched you with more interest than anyone had ever before. It was beyond comparison; there was nothing you could describe without sounding like you had gone absolutely insane. So many things mixed into one body, it was a wonder it could even live. A mad experiment.

Death incarnated.

"So, fight me, little princess. Make me forget this loneliness for as long as possible, so I may not resort to what I do when I get lonely—ravage, take, eat. Challenge me, escape me, try to kill me, so I can do what I do best to you, corrupt and fill you with the despair of realizing you are nothing compared to me. That you will always have to live in fear. That you are always mine."

You gulped, your throat slowly coating with saliva again, smoothing your poor vocal cords, returning the ability to speak again.

"I refuse," you croaked. "I'll never be the monster you want me to be."

"Mhm," it hummed, but it was a sound of pleasure. "Just like that, little princess.

"I knew you'd not disappoint me."

[mochinek0]

Drama-Bomb: Part 3

Marinette could feel the tension in the dining hall, as soon as she entered. A man, very similar to Damian, was at the head of the table. On his left was his mother and on the right were three gentleman; obviously his brothers from the way he described them. She could feel everyone's gaze on her immediately.

'Why did he decide now of all times to tell them about us?'

"So, how did you two meet?" Dick asked, immediately after Marinette had sat down.

"Dick!" growled Bruce.

"What we're all curious?" he defended himself, "Shouldn't we ask?"

"I see you gave them nothing." Marinette turned towards Damian.

"Was I suppose to?" he questioned, "I seem to recall a similar situation. Waterboarding would have been a better experience.

Mari giggled, "Maman was not that bad, not this quick, either. "

"Your father's size, at the very least, would have been enough." Damian recalled.

"I told you he looked big, but was a teddy bear." she smiled.

"Father is big." Damian stated, "You're father rivals Bane."

"Teddy Bear." Mari sang back.

Damian sighed. He knew he wasn't going to win this argument. He looked up to see his family was already examining their body language and mannerisms.

The Waynes remained silent. Damian and his girlfriend seemed close. She was teasing Damian and he wasn't getting upset. Apparently, he was secure enough to meet her parents. How long ago, they had no idea.

She turned towards Dick, "We met at university."

"How long have you been dating?" Tim asked next, "Apparently, Damian mentioned years? I was asleep when he told us."

"Two, almost three." she answered, calmly.

The Waynes sat there in shock. They knew Damian wasn't one to joke, but how had they not noticed him in a relationship for that long. How had he snuck out and left on dates?

'Have we gotten sloppy?'

Damian leaned closer to her, "They like to pry into every detail. They feel offended I was able to keep you a secret for so long."

Mari just giggled.

"What made you ask him out?" Jason questioned.

Marinette sighed, "Seems you've misunderstood. Damain asked me out."

She noticed that seemed to have caught them all off guard, even his mother.

Offended, Damian huffed, "I have eyes; thank you."

"Uh, De-Damian…same question." Jason spoke.

"Her creativity and intelligence." He announced.

"Huh?" Dick replied.

"We have business classes together." the youngest explained, "She has a unique way of looking at problems and strategizing her work."

"Why did you say yes?" Tim asked, quickly.

Damian's girlfriend smiled, "I like how honest he is."

"I mean," Jason shrugged, "that's one way to say 'offend people'."

"More like he is blunt with his words." Mari replied, "He doesn't mix his words or hide behind lies. It's not something everyone likes. People like to hear what they want, not what they need."

That wasn't the answer they had been expecting.

Talia sipped on her wine, "You know, Dear, you could do so much better."

"Mother!" Damian growled out.

Marinette remained silent and looked down at her plate.

'I guess everyone else thinks the same. They're all so quiet. His dad has just been looking at me and hasn't even asked me a question.'

"Silence, Damian." Talia remarked, "I was talking to Marinette."

'What?'

Marinette looked up towards Talia. She could see Jason cackling out of the corner of her eyes. She quickly looked at her boyfriend and surprisingly, he looked offended.

"My Dear," his mother continued, "if I have learned anything, is that these Wayne Boys, adopted or not, have the emotional compatibility of a gold fish. Something is always making them late for a date or they have to reschedule, last moment. Holidays like Valentine's Day or Anniversaries are not a priority for them; it's just another day to forget."

Marinette could see Bruce's face turning red and him attempting to shrink into the background. She couldn't help the snort and started laughing.

"Habibiti?" Damian asked, concerned.

"Relax, Damian." Mari smiled, "I'm sure your mother is just watching out for you. You mentioned your parents don't live together so she's sharing her experience. They do have a lot of questions; I believe my parents interrogated you as well."

Damian leaned against the back of his chair, "Tch."

They watched in amazement as Damian's girlfriend seemed to have some sort of command over him. He didn't talk back or complain. Talia watched as the boy she had raised fall in line with his lover. The feeling eased Bruce a tiny bit about the whole dinner.

"If our relationship were to continue, in the future, I'll sign whatever prenup you want me to, as long as my lawyer looks it over first." Marinette explained, trying to ease the tension in the room.

"Huh?" spoke a confused Tim.

"Well," Mari began, "Damian isn't as……extroverted as Mr. Wayne, but a woman does need her own reassurance."

"Such as?" Bruce asked, not sure if he liked what the answer was going to be.

"Damian keeps the Wayne fortune and I keep the money I make from my own business. I'll even keep my maiden name, if that's your desire." she stated, "Many woman want money, power or fame. Others…..revenge."

"And you?" Jason prodded.

"Let's just say if Damian were to follow in his father's….playboy theatrics," she smiled, "he would spend the rest of his life in regret and searching for someone who would never be found again."

Bruce cleared his throat.

'No wonder Damian told me not to use the 'Brucie' persona. She was definitely not a fan.'

"I don’t know." Dick chimed in, "He has the money and the power….the resources."

Marinette opened her mouth, but Damian shouted, "Enough!"

He turned to her and kept his gaze on his girlfriend, "Instantly?" he questioned.

Marinette glared at him, "Damian, you would be lucky if that's all I do. Adrien knows damn well how I get when I'm angry. I can and will leave you in a pile of ash, should you turn into my enemy. If you touch one of the few people I despise, beyond reason, I'll leave half your body on your mother's doorstep and the other, here, on the manor steps."

The room fell silent, with a bated breath for Damian's reaction.

"Understood, Habibiti." he replied.

"What if it's for a business meeting?" Dick quickly questioned.

He quickly found himself on the other end of Marinette's glare. He found he didn't like it and understood why Damian had caved. It was worse than Bruce's silence and Alfred's disappointment stance.

"Damian knows how to speak up for himself and say no. He doesn't like unknown people in his personal space and I respect his boundaries." Mari declared, "The fact that you have to ask me, tell me you still haven't learned this and you don't know your brother at all. The only thing that will happen is he will harbor resentment towards you."

"And if Damian chooses to come live with me?" Talia asked, shifting the focus.

"Fashion is universal." Mari smiled, "I can buy materials and sell from anywhere. I've had my own clients since I was thirteen."

Plagg zipped out from his hiding place, "Give me cheese, already! I'm tired of the back and forth when they all know."

"Plagg!" Damian hissed.

He turned to see his holder's family looking confused and frozen.

"Oh, they didn't know." he guessed.

"No they didn't!" Damian growled, reaching for him, "You're not getting your cheese now!"

"No!" Plagg cried, and quickly flew at Damian's face.

He latched on and whined, "It's your fault! You didn't feed me!"

"You didn't feed him!" Marinette asked, glaring at him.

The family watched the back and forth argument, trying to grasp what was going on. It was like Damian was being scolded for not feeding a child; no, not just a child, their child.

"I fed him!" Damian argued back.

Marinette gave him a pointed look.

"He fed me 'string cheese'!" Plagg cried out, "It didn't even taste like cheese. It was peelable! Bug, your husband is a menace to society!"

Marinette sighed, "That’s' why he's your holder."

'Wait! Damian's married!'

'Since when did he get a floating cat?'

'What is that thing?'

'How does she know what it is and why is Damian taking care of it?'

'If Demon Brat being a menace is a good thing. That thing isn't so good.'

Talia smiled, raising her glass, "Seems I underestimated you."

"Yes, you did." Marinette spoke, keeping her eyes on Talia.

The last thing she expected was for Damian's mother to say was, "Welcome to the family."

"Wait!" shouted Jason, "What?"

Marinette sighed, "Come out, Tikki. Might as well, since Plagg's stomach got him in trouble again."

The Batfam watched as a giant ladybug flew from out of nowhere and yanked on the floating cat's eat, chastising him.

"What are they?" Time questioned.

"Kwamis." Talia spoke, "Or Gods, to be precise."

Marinette glanced at Damian's mother. Talia held up her hands in surrender, briefly.

"Seems my son is much more tact when it comes to this relationships." she declared, with a smile "To think you hid a marriage from both of us."

Bruce tensed. He had forgotten the flying cat had called him that.

'He hadn't known Damian was dating. He didn't know he had gotten married. What else didn't he know about his son?'

Bruce looked over at his son and noticed his ear tips had turned red.

"Uh, that's Plagg's nickname for him." Marinette spoke, clearly embarrassed, "We're not….actually married."

Bruce relaxed more into his seat.

"We should-" he began.

Mari declared, "They won't be picked up on any recording devices, visually or audio."

"Alfred!" Jason shouted, "Bring out the hard liquor."

Bruce just nodded. He hadn't expected anything that had happened this week. His son was dating someone with access to Gods. Talia was sitting at the dinner table like she had always lived there. The girlfriend obviously knew who they all were and about his son's questionable past. A drink sound like a good idea.

[nukacourier]

genuine question, what do you mean by babying danse?

I like him quite a lot and seen a considerable amount of content, but I might've just not noticed?? what you're talking about specifically

What I mean is people basically pulling the "he's my baby boy he'd never do anything wrong" shit. And the way people talk about him (calling him a "himbo", and as said "baby boy", saying he's just a sad guy who's misunderstood, etc) reads deeply as infantilization especially considering. As said. He's a grown man who literally upholds fascist ideals and only left the Brotherhood because he'd literally die otherwise

I'm not saying people aren't allowed to explore a softer side of him or theorize how a redemption arc for him would go. But the way I often see him (mis)characterized as being a stupid, gentle, "doesn't know what he's doing is wrong :(" type of guy REEKS of "autistic people are basically like children and don't know if they're doing something bad", especially since I've seen people on multiple platforms claim him and Maxon are "son and father figure" despite him being older than Maxon, just because he's subservient to him and they're vaguely friends

(But since fans read him as autistic OBVIOUSLY that means Maxon is like a caretaker for this poor misguided soul and not literally his boss and commander /sarcasm)

Like. If you haven't seen this stuff, good for you. But basically every time I've seen a post about him that isn't tearing into him for being a BOS member is basically like what I mentioned in one degree or another. If you actually look at the way people talk about him, it becomes obvious

Plus, you notice this when it's not just one character this happens to. I've seen it happen with Arcade (thankfully that's died down in recent years), Preston, and currently Maximus from the show. Just an endless cycle of people denying autonomy from characters who are read as awkward and/or autistic

(I'm sure other people would have more examples on hand. So if you do, feel free to reblog this and add them)