#okay back to work now lol

[retroautomaton]

🧯

[mobius-m-mobius]

Mobius + being the only one to notice

[super-nova5045]

sylvia plath, todd anderson and virginia woolf (aka ACTUAL tortured poets) watching taylor “im breaking up with my boyfriend for his intense depression and blaming it on him, im dating a racist who enjoys watching woc being brutalized and harasses young woc artists, i sent my fans out on a hate train to attack a young woc actress for a line she had to say as part of her job to show how mentally ill her character was, im dating a maga supporter, i refuse to say anything about a current genocide despite being the most influential person in the world right now, i am a billionaire, i fly 13 minute flights and have the highest carbon emission of any celebrity, i am a known white feminist who only speaks about issues when it affects me and has constantly let my fans get away with extreme racism and even encouraged it by associating myself with known racists” swift call herself a tortured poet (her writing sounds like a bunch of thesaurus words slapped over gabba hanna and rupi kaur-esque poetry that was created purely as a trinket for an edgy pinterest board)

[somegrumpynerd]

Did a little doodle of the twins on my lunchbreak, Nightmare is reading the story out for Dream c:

[cyberendlessdragon]

old mizakai armor designs.

[cupidgnome]

university's getting real for Madison and she's stressed about her degree so why not joining the secret society for help? + studying at the Britechester's Library + Brent calms her down with lovely forehead kisses 💕

[shaadowmilkcookie]

he

[dazais-guardian-angel]

With today's entry, I was rather surprised and confused that Johnathan seemed to turn around so quickly from the absolute pit of despair he was in yesterday, having newfound determination and energy when he's seemingly been completely hopeless and inactive for weeks now (and for good reason). Not that I ever thought he'd completely given up, but there's definitely been a slow decline in how descriptive his journal entries have been to reflect his declining mental state (more robotic, less of his actual feelings about things), and today was a sharp contrast; it feels more like the early entries again. I thought, well, his mind is probably just so cracked at this point that he's looped all the way back around to being bold and energetic again, because by now he's desperate enough to throw caution to the wind: he either succeeds doing something extremely reckless to escape, or he fails and meets his end in a far better way than if he just waits for his fate by Dracula's hands.

...But having thought about it and reading other posts, I realized (probably stupidly obvious as it is) that his sudden change in mood probably has to do with what happened to the baby. Despite how scared he's been all this time, yesterday he didn't hesitate for a single second to try to save the baby once he realized from the previous incident what was happening, not thinking about his own life at all. And then he despaired when he couldn't save the child, the first time he's mentioned crying in the book at all, and then he had to witness the mother blaming him for her baby's death, and being killed herself for trying to rescue it. Now, the day after that horrific and heartbreaking failure, he's suddenly more determined than he's been in ages to escape. Maybe that was a turning point for Johnathan, and lit a fire under him... maybe he's clinging to the need to escape not just for himself and the people he loves anymore, but for the vain hope that he can put a stop to Dracula's schemes somehow once he gets out, because he doesn't want to let any more children die :' )

[kitkatsgalore]

you have my soul, you have my heart ♡

[merlins-strawberriesandroses]

TO be honest. I don’t understand what it means when people say Merlin was Arthur’s bane. Mayhaps I misunderstand but. Arthur was a bit of an assassination magnet (not to mention all those magical creatures and bandits... so many bandits), and Merlin actively prevented Arthur's death for years, which would have occured without him anway in the very first episode. I can see why one might argue that Merlin was just delaying the inevitable, or that he didn't succeed in keeping Arthur safe until Arthur could enact the golden age, but certainly I don’t see how he could have been Arthur’s bane.

Also, it’s implied in the last episode that the golden age does occur, but under Guinevere. Which makes sense as she knew Merlin was the sorcerer and that she was pleased about it (and I recall it was confirmed in interviews), so I also don’t follow the twin train of thought that Merlin was his own bane or even Camelot’s. Camelot was already bane-d(?) under Uther. But partly because of Merlin's steady friendship, Arthur matured into a king who was kinder than his father. He also actively sought magic's aid on multiple occasions, so he knew magic had potential for good (like healing his queen) without Merlin needing to tell him about his magic.

I don't think it's fair to say Camelot's laws on magic remaining relatively static was because no one close to Arthur came out as having magic. There was still much risk in that, and for Merlin a lot at stake, not just his life. A law change was still possible (and almost seemed to be set up that way) without Arthur needing someone he was personally close to having to do the work to humanize it for him (in the sense that the episodes with the druids, the druid boy with Elyan, and the dolma seemed like they were pointing to a law change because Arthur sees the diversity of magic and those who have it).

At worst Merlin’s efforts didn’t change the status quo, but we do have things indicating that they did. And Merlin was not single-mindedly serving Arthur at the expense of everyone else. He saved Camelot as a whole multiple times. He was also very willing to stick out his neck for many others even during the height of his anxiety and agitation in season 5. (Also only being slightly silly when I say this, but he was also THE wingman for Arthur when he was getting with Gwen, so in a way Merlin’s help led to their courting being a success and thus contributed to her being in a great position to change the laws. so personally I give points to Merlin for that). Most of the decisions centering Arthur's safety seemed to stem from the fear that Albion would crumble before it began if Arthur were to die, so he tried his best to prevent that from happening in any way he knew. (Like, when Arthur is dying, Merlin asks "So I failed?" regarding the whole golden age thing, which I think is telling that the prophesy and his role in it was still VERY much at the forefront of Merlin's mind).

And this is a digression but I know people think Merlin should have done more for Camelot, or for folks with magic (like, as a revolutionary or something akin), which I understand but no one reached out to network with him really? It'd require resources, people (always confused why there weren't a whole bunch more folks offering Merlin material/intellectual/emotional support if they thought he should be the one to bring about the golden age. all he was told was that the forseen way it actually happens succesfully is through Arthur), time (I doubt it’d have been much of a ‘quicker’ way necessarily), and incredible planning + foresight if it's meant to be something that works out effectively + long-term. Okay I think I've digressed enough now. This is a whole seperate thought that I don't think I'm gonna do any justice here lol, and I'm already rambling, so I'll stop now :,)

But anyway, in terms of being his own or Arthur’s bane, we know Arthur will return, and we don’t know how Merlin spent his years. His magic can play with time and maybe he learns how to control that, or he could have entered a stasis like in various legends, etc etc etc. And I mean it is tragic on many levels, and it’s sad we didn’t see Arthur’s arc completed, and that Merlin sacrificed so much for a goal that didn't get much acknowledgment by the show at the end, but still. I don’t think Merlin was Arthur’s bane, or Camelot’s, or his own.

[pollyna]

The night Bradley wakes up to find his parents sleeping on the ground around his bed is the night he gets annoyed because "nobody told me we were doing a sleepover!" So he takes his too-big-of-a-soft-plush, that's goose-shaped, and goes straight to cuddle with his dads. But Uncle Slider is there too, and Uncle Slider is the best person to cuddle when his parents aren't around, and he looks a little lonely. So he pats his dad's blond head and makes space for himself and Goosey between his uncle's arms. He's comfier than his bed, and Bradley doesn't have a single nightmare all night.

[lilyrizzy]

here comes the money badger in the visa cash money bitches app wonga cha-ching racing bull

[blade-that-was-broken]

“Branch?”

John’s voice was soft and patient, almost a little hesitant like he was talking to a scared animal. Branch wasn’t sure if he should be offended or appreciate the quiet. He just stared ahead with a deepening frown, his oldest brother - wow, Bruce wasn’t his oldest brother - looking at him with all the calm in the world. He wasn’t bothered.

“You’re going to have to step of the brake if you want to go anywhere,” John continued, mildly amused.

He was sitting in the passenger seat of their grandma’s vehicle. There was no one else around. Branch was sixteen and was barely in the class to learn how to drive. His grandmother couldn’t drive very well, much less teach someone like Branch but then his oldest brother who he practically didn’t even know existed just showed up one day. Next thing Branch knew, said oldest brother offered to try start with him. To try and start teaching him a few of the basics. Their grandma jumped at the chance. Part of it was to give him a step up in learning how to drive. Part of it was probably because Branch didn’t have any friends or interact with anyone. So there Branch was, gripping the wheel with almost white knuckles and putting half his weight into the foot on the brake.

“I know.”

“Why are you so nervous?”

“I’m trying to control thousands of pounds of metal,” Branch muttered like it was obvious. Which it was. Cars were dangerous and he wasn’t looking forward to having to drive them. “I could hurt someone.”

He could see John’s soft smile in the corner of his eye. If nothing else, this was amusing to him but Branch didn’t seem to see it in a condescending way which was strange. “Buddy, we’re in an empty parking lot.”

“I know.”

“Do you want to go home?”

“No.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

Branch paused, chewing on the inside of his cheek. “Do you think I can?”

He didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

“You sound so sure.”

That was kind of incredible. Branch and John barely knew each other and he had been so quick to have this kind of faith in him. He believed it too. There was something about the way he spoke about most things, with a confidence and assurance lost on Branch, that made the younger simply believe him.

“It someone like me can learn how to drive a tank, then you - who is leagues smarter than me or anyone I know - can drive this dinky little car. I promise.”

[killemwithkawaii]

K.E.W.K.: *Walks back into the blog 8 months later with a mug of cold coffee and even bigger eye bags* Self-Care~ 👑✨

[hydroj1nn]

hello i come with wips and a question!!

(for all except killer, they're gonna look very very different when finished, trust the process 💀 )

[tragicotps]

Canon Asriel x Marisa as Philip Pullman wrote them