#people are people and everyone deserves support

[phospheos]

Straight from False’s supporter discord! For everyone’s knowledge.

Keep in mind to not speculate! These are real people who deserve their privacy and Doc has stated that they’ll share information, but right now that’s not possible. Be polite and respectful!

[rindreamery]

two hands on me.

you had agreed to keep your relationship with itoshi rin a secret. but after an important win, he decides he doesn't want to keep you a secret any longer.

f1!itoshi rin x reader - fluff, angst if you squint - w.c. 1.6k

it’s late, but the roar of the crowd is lively and deafening around you. it's echoing in your ears.

you stand there in the midst of it, hands clasped together, behind the divider that separates you from the track. but you’re ignoring the noise as you focus on itoshi rin, the man of the hour. there’s tears of overwhelming joy and pride brimming in your eyes, and your heart is racing with excitement from the buzz of watching such a victory.

he’s just finished the race; he’s barely stepping out of his race car before he’s being bombarded by the people around him. you’re not surprised by this. this victory, it’s big. so big. one of the most important in his career, and the entire world is watching him, cheering for him. there’s people who have traveled from all over the world, just to be able to watch him. their phones are pointed at him, immortalizing this moment, and other people are fighting for a sliver of his time.

he deserves every second of this.

you’d been a witness to his hard work; you were there every step of the way. from the long training periods, to the excruciating workout regiment he had to endure to make sure his body was ready for this circuit, and the long hours spent doubting if he could really do it all. you (and him) know better than anyone else that he was meant to win.

you want him to shine. 

but the selfish part of you wants him to know that you’re also watching him, that you’re cheering for him too. that part of you that wants to run onto the track and join him, to hold his face in your hands and tell him how absolutely proud you are. to keep all his attention to yourself, to kiss him until neither of you can breathe. but you stay in your spot— you know you can’t.

all you can do is watch from afar.

your relationship is a secret, after all. a mutual, and carefully hidden truth between the two of you. it was agreed on, after a deep conversation, that it was probably within your best interest to keep it that way. he didn’t want you to get bombarded by his fans. he knew better than anyone else how it felt like to have random people poke their noses into his business, and he didn't want that for you. and you didn’t want to put a damper on his career, knowing that it could ultimately result in the loss of support for him. this is for the best, so you stay hidden.

(but, you’d be lying if you said it didn’t suck to not be able to publicly support him the way he deserves.)

it’s a given that you’re not expecting him to look your way— not here, not now. not when he’s basking in the glory of his victory in a crowd of thousands. his crew was crowding him, equally as thrilled as the audience, and paparazzis were swarming around with flashing cameras all asking for his attention.

right now, you weren’t itoshi rin’s girlfriend. you were just another fan in the crowd, standing there, heart filled with pride and joy.

you’re just about ready to leave, uninterested in going onto the track to watch the podium celebrations, ready to escape the crowd and go back to your shared home. you’ve set your mind on the fact that you’re content on congratulating him when he gets back, surprising him with his favorite meal.

but you don’t get far before the crowd erupts again, and this time, everyone’s pushing past one another to get into your section. you don’t even think about it. you just act on instinct, stepping closer to the barrier once again, curiosity getting the best of you.

and then you see him.

he’s breaking free from the chaos, his eyes scanning the crowd with an urgency you’ve never seen before. and there, in the middle of it all, his eyes land on you. your gazes connect, and your breath gets stuck in your throat. he stumbles for a second, momentarily shoved back by the crowd. and then, the next second— there’s no hesitation in his movements as he pushes past the people, ignoring the gasps of offense.

alarms go off in your head; he’s jogging straight towards you.

he still hasn’t stripped himself of his driving kit, not caring enough about that in that moment. he’s still wearing his helmet, face covered and unreadable, and his hands are still wrapped in his gloves.

but then he’s ripping his gloves off, haphazardly throwing them on the ground behind him as he makes a beeline for you. he’s undoing the clasp of his helmet with clumsy hands, and he doesn’t bother to push it fully off, awkwardly laying on top of his head. once his face is no longer blocked by the tinted plastic, you see that his eyes are staring straight at you. there’s a look of set determination on his face, and you can’t deny the feeling of nervousness that washes over you.

for once, it feels like you don't know what he's thinking of doing.

and then rin’s standing in front of you within seconds, and his breath is ragged and uneven from the jog. but he doesn’t wait to catch his breath. not when all he can think of this one thing: his second win of the night. he doesn’t wait for a word from you— no, he doesn’t have the patience. he doesn’t ask for permission. he’s jumping over the barrier, and his hands are gripping at your hips in a heartbeat, pulling you to him.

"tell me," he’s giving you an out before he does something he can’t take back. “tell me if you don’t want me, this, right now.”

you’re not sure what he means, but you answer anyway. “i want this.”

then everything becomes a blur; it all happens so fast. your mind is still reeling from the shock. from how rin’s acting. and you’re overwhelmed by thoughts of the cameras, now all pointed towards you, and rin standing right in front of you. real, and very much not a hallucination. you’re barely able to register anything before one of his hands is traveling up, pushing at the back of your head to pull you into a kiss.

you freeze, unsure of what to do.

you can't help but make a noise of surprise when you make contact with him. it’s soft at first. his lips are moving with yours in a shallow, but hungry, kiss. as if the words he couldn't say were being poured into it, into you. and then his hand is traveling to the nape of your neck, pressing gently against it, and he’s tilting his head to deepen the kiss.

one of your hands instinctively fly up to cradle his jaw, palm cupping his cheeks, gently. the other hand clings onto the collar of his tracksuit, knuckles turning white from your grip.

his hold on you is firm, grounding you, constantly pulling and clutching at you to keep you close to his body. you can feel the desperation, the way his lips stay locked on yours even as you both run out of breath. even when your mind starts to grow fuzzy, and your brain starts to signal for air. as if, in his mind, you would run away from this.

but you don’t. you would never.

in that moment, the world falls into silence around you. the noise from the crowd fades into the background, and it's just you and him. no cameras, no flashing lights. even the plastic of his helmet, digging into the skin of your head, doesn’t bother you. you know nothing but the feeling of his lips against yours, his two hands on you, and the way his heart is beating in sync with yours.

“rin–” you gasp, lungs burning from the lack of oxygen. you're coming to your senses, and your palms are weakly pushing at his chest to pull away from him momentarily. but his hands keep you in place, not wanting to let go. “hold on— i thought we were keeping this a secret? so many people are watching us right now.”

you hate this feeling of being pulled back into the present. the fact that you can feel the overbearing presence of the cameras, and how you can practically feel the stares burning holes into the back of your head. but he’s quick to pull your attention back on him, one hand squeezing at your hip reassuringly, the other tilting your chin to face him. his face softens at your words, almost looking guilty, and his eyes filled with tenderness and vulnerability.

focus on me, you can almost hear him say. it's just me.

you're looking at him expectantly, and he can see the worry in your eyes. this is sudden, he's aware, and he knows you both made an agreement. but rin’s never cared much for the approval of the media— he'd only ever cared about you. it’s his, and your, life and no one else’s business.

he'd made up his mind already. he's willing to fight anyone who insults you, and he doesn't care if he loses the support of some fans. (he knows he'll gain more anyway.) he wants to show everyone who’s been truly supporting him.

his number one fan. the one who's behind all his successes.

rin doesn’t want to hide you any longer— he doesn’t want you to hide any longer. he wants the world to know what’s his.

“i don’t care if they're watching,” he breathes against your lips, forehead resting against yours. your breaths are still shallow, chests heaving against each others, but he’s leaning in again for another. “i want to show off my biggest win.”

and his lips are on yours once again.

note. watched that one f1 wag edit of nicole scherzinger and the helmet kiss, and i had to write about this IMMEDIATELY. just with a twist cuz i didn't know how to make a helmet kiss romantic LMAO

© rindreamery, 2024

[the-ladyguinevere]

I want everyone to think about this in specific. Think about the worst person you can imagine. Now think of a hypothetical person who is worse. Even worse than that. Think about the worst crimes against humanity you can. Serial SAers, murderers, bigots, even the people trying to take away our rights, the politicians calling for the worst treatment of minorities you can imagine....

Those are all human beings. Yeah, I think the world would be better if every billionaire and every conservative dropped dead or whatever, but you HAVE to understand that Elon Musk or whatever serial killer came to your mind still deserves access to shelter, food, medical care, education, etc.

Even if they can't be amongst the general population for some reason. Even if they have violent tendencies. There is not a point where we decide that suffering is okay.

Even if you believe in the death penalty (you shouldn't: consider how you would want that organized and administrated. What human or machine would you actually accept making that decision? If there isn't one in existence right now, you don't support the death penalty)....

But even if you *did* support it, all of those people still deserve those things while alive.

If there is a way to deprive anyone of those things, there is no unabusable system that doesn't incentivize people to de-person people they don't like.

Every person deserves access to food, shelter, medical care, etc. Every. Single. One.

I think <Not Naming Names For Legal Reasons> should fucking perish via <not specifying for legal reasons>, but I also can see the doors that intentionally allowing suffering could -- and has! -- open(ed).

Every. Single. One.

i think a lot of liberals need to confront the fact that they don’t actually believe everyone should have basic human rights. a homeless person could call me every slur under the sun and i would still want them to have housing, food, etc. the belief that everyone is entitled to basic human rights should not hinge on whether you “like” someone or not. at that point the entire ideology crumbles.

[outrunningthedark]

or maybe Lou was just a bad coworker. He filmed cameos, didn't interact with the cast, gave self-centered interviews praising himself and putting down the plot points, leaked spoilers, etc.

If cameos are such a problem, why didn't anyone raise a fuss when Jennifer filmed one supporting Buddie because the fan wanted her opinion? Or when someone just asked a CHILD his thoughts on the very same ship? Riiiight. Cameos are only a problem when someone makes them about a non-Buddie ship. If he was answering questions about Tommy helping Buck realize he's in love with Eddie, y'all would be putting money in his bank account for ALL his headcanons. Please. "Didn't interact with the cast." It's literally in print that Kenny has stayed friends with him through the years and Oliver decided to let everyone know he and Ryan get along well. The rest of the cast has never been the topic of discussion here. It's always been the guy who can't even say his costars didn't deserve to be harassed. (And this is not about Lou alone. It's about everyone who came before him because of what Oliver said.) "Putting down the plot points"? You mean disagreeing with someone's choices? The same way Peter didn't understand why Bobby was showing up at the firehouse in the finale last season, but just went with it? Or when Aisha said season 5 didn't feel right with all the missing/moving pieces? Or Ryan having to advocate for more scenes of Eddie with people who are not Buck? Or Jennifer saying in a podcast that she needed more excitement in Maddie's story lines because she's been happy for too long and happy is boring? (That one was on video, btw.) And leaking spoilers? Jennifer Love Hewitt filmed a fucking story with Maddie's engagement ring on before the episode was gonna air. She also posted that part of 7x04 that confirmed the basketball scene??? But that was okay, right??? Because she's not Lou??? Oh, wow, look at that. All you did was put your double standards on display!

[jackwhiteprophetic]

In the hospital the team are watching Maddie reunited with Chim and Jee. Buck has been supportive of Eddie leaving over the past few weeks and everyone around him has been anticipating the breaking point. Eddie gets a text on his phone and is like fuck I gotta go. Buck sees somehow (location tracking idk) that he's on his way to the airport and he's like I can't believe he didn't say goodbye, but he refuses to like actually express Buck levels of emotion and Bobby finally snaps and gives him this whole speech about how you have to hold onto the people you love and let yourself be afraid to lose them but chase after them every single day because you deserve to fight for your family.

And Buck SPEEDS to the airport where he finds Eddie (it's shot like a Buckabby 1x10 parallel) and is like you're not going anywhere alone and says that he's gonna fight for their family just like Eddie said he would when he put him in his will, and he refuses to let the people he loves go again and Eddie stops him and just smiles and is like good because I'm not going, and we turn and see Chris leaving his gate (because he decided he's ready to come home- Eddie making plans to leave LA made Chris realise he always intended on coming back), and then later that night when Chris is in bed, Buck and Eddie are on the couch and Eddie is like "finish what you were saying before" and Buck is like "what do you mean" and Eddie says "we always stop before the 'I love you'".

[loveandleases]

Tormenting Chris and Jade submission for balance: I forgot to ask how they'd react to the poly route with Kara X Isaac. Chris's desire to love and support Kara in direct opposition to their desire to judge any dynamic with Isaac--

Love having some balance. (Called for a scenario so rest will be under the cut!)

Chris taps along their phone, their finger hovering just above the screen, caught between pressing and not pressing, between action and restraint. One name. One person their mind refuses to release. They can still see your face clearly; hear the way their name sounds when it leaves your lips. Their expression is taut, posture rigid as they scan the apartment around them—pristine, perfect, just like their life used to be. Until you came into it.

A scoff escapes their lips as they run a hand through their icy-blonde hair. How typical, they think, people stirring up trouble, thinking Chris cares what you do.... How did they even know? Is it in their face? In the way their thoughts creep in, reminding them of what was lost—or what, no, who, they tossed aside?

Jade’s voice rings in Chris’s ears, the memory of her words sharp and biting: “MC was always so hard to please, always unsatisfied despite everything our parents had given them. Since they couldn’t have you, they settled for Kara. Isaac was just the cherry on top—a person with a jaded past that they could take pity on. Along for the ride, because everyone knows the rumors about Isaac. Never staying with someone for too long unless they get bored.”

Their jaw tenses as their eyes linger on the photo laid out on the coffee table—your smile, a smile they hadn't seen in so long. You give it so freely, so easily. To Isaac and Kara of all people. One on either side of you, Kara’s lips close to your ear, whispering something while Isaac’s hand rests casually on your knee. Isaac was never good enough to be friends with Kara, not after everything Chris learned. They deserve to be with you even less. The number of times they’ve seen their hand roam on people’s bodies…they shouldn’t be touching you so freely. So openly. Where people can see, where Chris can see.

The photo cuts deeper than Chris anticipated, and before they can stop themselves, their fingers are already dialing Kara’s number. Their leg begins to shake with annoyance, the phone ringing louder than their pulse. Kara always picked up quickly—never more than three rings. So why isn’t she now? Was there always something there? Was there something going on behind the scenes?

Were the two of you… no, Kara wouldn’t do that to me. You wouldn’t do that to me.

Kara finally answers, her voice groggy with sleep. “Hello?”

Chris freezes. It’s four in the morning. They’d spent the whole night obsessing, thinking about the three of you—disgusting.

Chris opens their mouth to speak, but the sound of Isaac’s groan and your voice cuts through the silence. “Who is it?”

The question makes their blood run cold. You’re both there? Why are you with her?

“Chris?” Kara’s voice breaks through their thoughts, sharp and concerned.

“Tell me this is a joke.” Chris’ voice cracks, disbelief flooding their words. They force out a thin, bitter laugh. “This is a joke, isn’t it, Kara?”

“Chris, how di—”

“Let me talk to them.”

“Wh—who?”

“Let me talk to my fiancé.”

The line grows quiet, and Chris can’t help but imagine the look that passes over the three of you.

“Former fiancé,” Isaac adds, a cool edge to his voice, as Kara reluctantly hands you the phone.

“Why are you with them?” Chris’s voice is quieter now, rawer, the reality of it all begins to settle in.

“I don’t think that’s any of your business.”

Another scoff. Chris’s anger surges, bubbling up and threatening to spill over. “Of course it’s my business. You’re my f—” They stop themselves, letting the word die on their tongue.

A heavy sigh escapes them as they lean back against the couch. “You’re my ex-fiancé. Do you realize how this looks? Fucking my little sister and her friend. After everything, this is how you repay me?”

“This has nothing to do with you. Who I’m with is none of your concern, Chris. Kara might be your sister, but you don’t own her, or me, for that matter.” Your words are sharp, almost like a smack to the face.

Chris’s fingers twitch, plucking at the photo until the three of you are separated—tearing you apart. “And Isaac, what? You just had to bring the trash with you, Kara? It’s not bad enough you’re sharing a bed with my ex, but now you’ve got your friend, too?” Isaac was never good enough to be friends with Kara. Especially once Chris had their background looked into. No, they don’t deserve Kara and they deserve you even less.

“Stop it, Chris.”

Despite the tightness in her chest, the guilt she carries, Kara can’t bring herself to yell. Not yet. “Don’t talk about them, about us, like you know what’s going on. You don’t know anything about it. We’re happy. I’m happy.” Her voice cracks, and for a moment Chris feels a feeling in their gut. One they’re afraid to give a name, because why should Chris Clarke feel guilty? “Isn’t that enough?”

It should be. Chris knows that deep down, under all the anger, the pain, and the jealousy, they should be happy for Kara. She found people who love her. But that gnawing feeling inside them won’t let go. The more they try to bury it, the more it consumes them. They can’t shake the feeling that you’re slipping further away—both of you.

For a long moment, they just sit there, lost in their thoughts. Kara hangs up the phone, but it doesn't stop the storm inside them from raging. Their words tumble out, raw and desperate. “You deserve better than that. Better than them. Aren’t I enough?” They know who the questions are for, and the thought alone sickens them.

[consistantly-changing]

[Image descriptions in order: a twitter thread by

@AlexandraErin "Alexandra Erin" which says "The Shirley Exception is a bit of mental sleight of hand that allows people to support a policy they profess to disagree with. It's called the Shirley Exception because... well, I mean, *surely* there must be exceptions, right?

"Let's imagine that in response to suspicions about overbroad use of service animal rules, a city somewhere decides to just swing the pendulum 100% in the other direction. Restaurants, public accommodations, etc., no longer have to recognize any service animals.

"And in the aftermath of the change, existing rules about where animals may and may not go apply full force.]

["A lot of people would back the change because Obviously Some People Take Advantage. (Positing that someone, somewhere is taking advantage is a great way to get the masses on your side in our politics, sadly.)

"Now if you point out the existence of a blind person or an epileptic person who has a service dog for everyday navigation of life or for life-saving purposes, the Good People who just don't want anyone to take advantage will tell you:

"No one's talking about legitimate cases."

"And if you point out that the rule that they're backing would affect what they call "legitimate cases", the response will be:

"But surely there will be an exception."]

["If you back up an anti-abortion activist to the point where they actually have to grapple with a case where the parent would 100% die delivering a 100% non- viable fetus, you'll get the same answers:

"No one is talking about those cases." and "But surely there will be exceptions."

"All of those studies of people in Trump Country USA who were shocked, shocked, that the kind man next door who is a good father and a great neighbor and a real part of the community was dragged away by ICE?

They all thought that surely he'd be an exception.]

["If you point out that the laws/policies they're talking about *don't* offer such exceptions and in some cases explicitly forbid them, if you say "So let's put those exceptions in writing."... well, then you're back to Surely People Will Take Advantage.

"See, the people who are sure that Surely There Will Be Exceptions are very comfortable with the idea of justice being decided on a case-by-case basis. They've always had teachers, bosses, bureaucrats, even traffic cops giving them some slack for reasons of compassion and logic.]

["I mean, if Officer Smalltown von Cul-De- Sac could give them a warning when they were caught with recreational amounts of pot as kids because it was harmless and they Had Futures, then Surely there must be similar exceptions for everyone?

"That post about "I never thought the leopards would eat my face, sobbed woman who voted for Face-Eating Leopards Party" is very true, and it goes farther than personal immunity to a very generalized and broad Just World Fallacy.

"Surely, they think, surely the leopards will know to only eat the *right* faces, the faces that need eating, and leave alone all the faces that don't deserve that.]

["But if we try to lay out rules to protect faces from being eaten by leopards, people will take advantage. Best to keep it simple and count on decency and reason to rule the day.

"So moderate conservatives, what we might call "everyday conservatives", the ones who don't wear MAGA hats or tea party costumes and think that Mr. Trump fella should maybe stay off of Twitter, they will vote for candidates and policies that they don't actually agree with...

"...because in their mind the exact law being prescribed is just a tool in the chest, an option on the table, which they expect to be wielded fairly and judiciously. Surely no one would do anything so unreasonable as actually enforcing it as written! Not when that would be bad!]

["And then they are confused, shocked, and even insulted when people hold them accountable for their support of the monstrous policy.

"I didn't vote for leopards to eat *your* face! I just thought we needed some face-eating leopards generally. Surely you can't blame me for that!"

"The old "Defense of Marriage" laws are another textbook example of this.

Many of them included language that expressly forbade giving similar benefits (like hospital visitation) to same-sex relationships.]

["Yet the people who voted for them, in many cases, wanted it to be known that No One Is Talking About Stopping You From Visiting Your Loved One In The Hospital. And Surely There Will Be An Exception.

"The Shirley Exception is how people who are only mundanely monstrous, moderately monstrous, wind up supporting policies that are completely monstrous.

And when they do, they always want credit for their good intentions towards those they see as deserving, not the outcomes.]

["I'm describing a phenomenon here and I don't have a solution to its existence. While convincing people that laws that don't specify exceptions functionally *don't have them* might work sometimes on (ironically) a case-by-case basis, what is really needed is a broader shift.

"People need to get used to thinking about the harm policies will do as a real part of the policy, not a hypothetical that Reasonable People of Good Will Can Surely Work Around.

"Maybe the tack of saying, "If it was your life on the line, wouldn't you want that to be in writing?" would work. I don't know. Like I said, I don't have a solution here. This is just a thing that happens."]

The Shirley Exception

[vigilskeep]

Do we know enough about how Crow succession and talonship works to believe it would be possible for Viago to take the seat of first talon either through some sort of non-violent coup in the absence of an heir to house Dellamorte or through marrying his kid (rook) off to Lucanis? Asking because I really don't know and would love to write something in that direction...and you seem a crow enthusiast...also love your blog

THEORETICALLY. yes.

we haven’t seen the talons shift directly, but they do shift, with regularity. house arainai was first talon in living memory and then fell slowly downwards to their current point where they’re struggling in and out of eight talon like a drowning man who keeps finding his way to air for just enough breath

the eight talons system, if you’ll allow me the tangent, is a really fascinating choice of fantasy hierarchy because it is such a clear hierarchy. among a bunch of ambitious killers whose prime goal is notoriety. you can only hold each position here if everyone below you is too afraid to do anything about it. what an anxiety trip it must be to decide whether to push someone down just one rung or to try to destroy them entirely; do you want to leave your rival with more opportunity or more motivation? but crow power is also all about theatre, all about perception—you are first or fifth or seventh talon primarily because everyone agrees that you are—so making a failed gambit for a higher talon has got to be incredibly damaging. which is a risky setup. it discourages attempts, but when someone does make an attempt, they will not be fucking around

anyway ignore all that we’re talking about soft takeovers today. okay so house dellamorte has a dying core family, theoretically. we’re making the assumption that no surviving young children from any branch of the family are mentioned because none exist. we have two heirs, neither very acceptable (my apologies to caterina’s delusions), both men in their 30s with (again, assumed) no children, and neither making much progress in that regard. (arguably dependent on player choice when it comes to lucanis, but since he can fall in love with and express his undying devotion to any kind of rook, we can at least say he’s not making that much effort.) within a generation the core family may die out. but that is a LONG TIME to wait. you still have to deal with the current ones, they’re pretty robust

lucanis is the current first talon as of the end of veilguard. can he be convinced to give this up and hand first talon over to someone better suited? i do believe it. mostly because i need to believe, for my mental health, that we can get him out of there. but he also now has a fairly bulky support system full of people who love him and will notice how bad this is going to be and convince him he deserves things like a life he doesn’t hate

as always your main problem is caterina. caterina is not going to allow a takeover, soft or otherwise, while she is still alive. caterina didn’t give up first talon when they murdered her children. there’s probably an emotional plot in here where she can be made to accept what she’s done to her family, far too late, but with time left to save just one by letting him go. on the other hand, i’ve also been experimenting with plots in my mind where she tries to quietly get rid of viago or romanced rook for having too much influence, with the added benefit on hopefully being able to steel & refocus lucanis on defending the house against whoever she frames. or plots where she blames lucanis trying to leave and not being the boy she remembers on his, you know, demonic possession, and attempts to forcibly remove or destroy spite. so. there’s potential ups and downs, here.

i don’t know how helpful rook de riva/lucanis is. most of your problem here is that everything that sets this ending up by giving the de rivas more power, and by giving any rook more power over lucanis, is something that in my mind would crank caterina’s wariness all the way up. house de riva surely has to move up from fifth already after the events of the game and look more like a contender, and i don’t think even caterina’s delusions about lucanis’ suitability for first talon could make her blind to the effect rook can obviously have. i definitely think she would delay on a marriage and have the power to do that

i think it’s worth saying that rook de riva at any point bringing up to lucanis the idea of handing things over to viago would be a hell of a conversation. i know lucanis never remotely suspects rook of any agenda and trusts them completely, and i know i agree with rook here, but you’ve GOT to see how “i love you and having power is bad for you and what you should do is hand it all over to my talon” sounds. i truly could not blame him for a bit of doubt here especially if caterina was around to suggest it

sorry this is a completely messy and disconnected response. i don’t even know if i had a point. you might have to wait for caterina to actually die? is that my point? i can see rook de riva/lucanis being helpful to ease a transition of power to house de riva then. i also think it’s worth pointing out that teia might be the better contender for all this out of the two lovebirds. what quietly makes teia probably the most dangerous talon in the crows, if she ever chose to be, is that everyone likes her. i’m not joking or trying to handwave crow politics, it’s a form of soft power and the result of her cultivated skill that nobody ever suspects teia of anything. even caterina treats her gently, and literally a talon who tried to murder all the others in tevinter nights was delaying murdering her because she was his favourite. if anyone can handle a gentler transition like what we’re talking about, maybe it’s more likely to be teia

[dearmyloveleys]

;-; i just wanted to say ty for all your posts in the fof tag. now i'm thinking about ying lei and his yeye ying zhao... and now there is no one left to guard the mountain, but ying lei died in the same way as ying zhao, saving people he cares about

Don’t mention it! I blorb too much about things I really like it embarrasses me at times. I’m just glad you like my takes!! Anyway:

😭😭😭😭 this drama exists to hurt us,, I think more than dying for people he cares about (because nearly everyone who died did that), Ying Lei's characterisation and death provides a unique but tragic pov within the main cast

Ying Lei my poor Ying Lei. We don’t really talk too much about him don’t we. So let’s just talk all about him. CHARACTER ANALYSIS TIME YAY

Ying Lei is unadulterated sunshine and has a good heart. Morally, he is on the same page as the rest of the team. Yet, it absolutely breaks my heart that his fate is to be an outsider within the thematic concern of choice in FoF and resultingly, in the narrative.

His place in the overarching thematic concerns of FoF is unclear when we first meet him - he is simply a wandering half mountain god half demon with a bright disposition. But as with many characters in FoF, their appearances aren't just for naught. Ying Lei's representative theme - the freedom of choice and the ability to choose one's identity - finally shows itself in one of the most beautifully written (am biased) episodes of the series, Episode 17, which is all about choice.

In this episode, Ying Lei vents his displeasure of the Wilderness towards grandpa Ying Zhao

"I hate this place. I hate the Wilderness. It's so bleak and desolate. (…) If I have to stay here forever, I'd rather die. (…) I like the mortal world. I like everything that is vibrant and lively."

To which grandpa Ying Zhao gives him his blessing to head to the Mortal Realm,

"…as your grandfather, I respect your decision. You can be a Mountain God or an ordinary person."

His next sentence cements the plight of many demons (and humans) we encounter in the story,

"For many demons in the Wilderness, their lifelong dream is just three simple words… Have a choice."

These three words all the more juxtaposes Ying Lei's freedom to choose his identity, against every other character who faces this fate of not having a choice.

The Lie Demon, unable to say her true feelings until her moment of death, and Fei, who shares similar sentiments as Ying Lei about the mortal world,

"I'm a beast of calamity, I don't deserve to live in the mortal world. But I really like the bright lights, the liveliness and happiness, and the prosperity here." (Ep 13)

And Zhao Yuanzhou, where even in the same Episode 17, echoes Ying Lei's words,

"If this world gave me life to be manipulated by malicious energy, then I'd rather die."

Same words, but a different way out. Or there isn't one at all.

Ying Lei is the only one whose fate hasn't been carved out in stone for him. Even after Ying Zhao's death, he is still able to leave Kunlun Mountain and rejoin the team because he has the support of other Mountain Gods watching over the temple. He is by no means a pampered and spoiled person but he swims in a wealth of freedom. His bubbly, charming and affectionate personality is a physical manifestation of his unburdened self, unbeholden to any ending, except for the one that he wants.

And yet, he chooses a life with the group of people who never have had the option to choose what and who they want to be. Wen Xiao, the Baize Goddess; Zhao Yuanzhao, the vessel of malicious energy; Bai Jiu, determined to bring his mother back; Pei Sijing, the forced breadwinner of her family's martial heritage. To show his determination to be with this group, he never again dons the mature get-up (full sleeved robes and long hair) - his representation of maturing and accepting his responsibility as a Mountain God - after returning back to the Mortal Realm. Rather, he dons the get-up he first roamed the Mortal Realm with (or similar), metaphorically putting aside all that celestial burden in exchange for the friends that he desires. Just who in the group can as easily shed their very roots and history? His precious freedom to choose ironically makes him the outsider in a group whose only wishes are to be able to choose.

He gets along with the team, but no matter how many times he ties the knot of fate around them, these people were never his fate to begin with. Fate found the rest of them and demanded they be bound. Ying Lei wrestles that rope of fate, trying to get in, albeit with rejection. The narrative demonstrates this:

The team was initially formed without him, and he joined later them of his own accord - his own choice - while the others literally were forced to sign a death contract to be together. In the later episodes, his affection for Bai Jiu is often overshadowed by Bai Jiu's respect for Zhuo Yichen. He also continually tries to get both Bai Jiu and Zhuo Yichen's approval - head pats, anyone? Zhao Yuanzhou doesn't trust him to look after the dragon scale. In their conversation with Bing Yi, their team count is five, instead of six. His closest companions within the team are each other's confidants.

Even at his very end, the narrative still denies him a fate with them. He dies for Bai Jiu who is the only person he loves wholly, and fades away before Bai Jiu wakes from his coma. Neither gets to say goodbye. Bai Jiu who genuinely mourns his death, dies for Yichen. In a story where the cyclical nature of fate runs deep, there is no thread of fate that leads back to him. There is no resolution or reciprocation for Ying Lei's soul and sacrifice. Every thread is cut and never retied, no matter how he tries. Siheng has Sijing left to remember him. Yichen keeps Baijiu close to his heart. Wen Xiao and Yichen wait for Zhao Yuanzhou to return. But no one truly reminisces Ying Lei. The only people to do that are dead.

Ying Lei's tragedy lies in his freedom to choose. In a world where most fate is predetermined and choice is a scarcity, his death is all the more painful as every act is a conscious choice toward an unknown end. He carries a burden after all - the burden of writing his own story. And he braved each step with that brilliant smile of his.

我爱这个世界更多 又如何 So what if I love this world even more? 越平凡越长久 The more ordinary it is, the longer it lasts 月亮跟���我点头 The moon nods along with me 简简单单入梦的人最温柔 Those who step into dreams simply are the gentlest 分不清眼泪和酒 真让人挠头 This inability to distinguish between tears and wine, really makes one scratch their head 月亮和小狗默默跟我走 The moon and a puppy walk with me in silence 岁月从不停留 Time never stops once 少年也不回头 This youth also never turns back 他把故乡和爱留在身后 He leaves behind both his hometown and love

- 英雄不磊落 (Heroes Are Not Upright) | Ying Lei's Theme

[mariacallous]

After this McBride situation, I never want to hear another leftist say, "We're better than Le Cringe Libs because we believe everyone should have basic human rights, not just people we like 😇" If they truly believed that, they'd put their money where their mouth is and put the transphobes on blast instead of waffling and handwringing because McBride isn't The Perfect Victim, but I guess practicing what you preach is just too hard.

Plus she’s allegedly a Zionist, and therefore deserving of no support or rights or anything. Because human rights.

[beeryhigh]

All watermelons are like this - blood thirst drama queens who start crying like babies when punishment for their crimes reaches them. You never cried a tear for the Israeli hostages (and there were young children among them, too, but you didn't give a shit), yet now the whole world is supposed to pity you, poor little 30yo palestinian rapist baby, you're just a child... someone's child. I feel zero empathy for you. And i know, because you have prooved it yourselves, that if Israel doesn't finish Gaza off right now, there will be another attack like that on the 7th of October. It's your fault you didn't want to live in peace. I feel zero empathy for you, and the beggars who write their sob stories and beg money for what they say to be their families (i bet this money actually goes to hamas) only make me laugh, because i don't believe a word they write. They don't have other feelings than hatred, the desire to destroy, rape, torture and kill. What Israel does is not only self-defence, it's a fight against the evil that's dangerous to everyone. Long gone is the feeling that "not all palestinians are bad", because you have PROOVED THIS STATEMENT AS FALSE.

Where are the palestinians who stand up against hamas? Where are those who don't support the taking of hostages? It may be too much to ask from people in Gaza itself, but there are palestinians abroad, and all of them were cheering at the terrorist attack. Even Hadid sisters, who, until then, looked civilized and liberal.

It turned out that hatred and blood thirstiness is a natural trait for all palestinians. This is why helping them and screaming "stop the genocide" is... suicidal for anyone, muslim or not.

I am really glad that terrorist supporting idiots are starting to get the backlash they deserve.

[fairyminnie444]

ִׄ˚ • 𖥔 ࣪˖ ⭑ ₊ ⭒ *ೃ༄

EIYPO explained for you to understand and absorb

ִׄ˚ • 𖥔 ࣪˖ ⭑ ₊ ⭒ *ೃ༄

context to introduce better: how to deal with people who don't believe in LAO and think we are inventing something and are delusional?

Within the concept of “Everyone is You Pushed Out” (EIYPO), the people around you are reflections of your beliefs, thoughts and internal states. This means that their behavior and opinions towards you are aligned with what you believe or feel, consciously or unconsciously, about yourself or them.

What do these people represent?

1. Internal beliefs about acceptance and validation

• If you attract people who do not believe in you, this may be a reflection of insecurity or internal doubt, such as:

• “Am I being delusional?”

• “I need people to approve or understand what I am doing.”

• The universe is showing you this lack of confidence so that you can recognize it and correct it internally.

2. Testing your faith and self-confidence

• They may appear as a “test” to see if you truly trust in your power of manifestation or if you will be influenced by external doubt.

• This is an opportunity for you to reaffirm your certainty.

3. Mirrors of your beliefs about them

• ​​You may already expect other people to doubt or criticize you, and that’s what ends up manifesting.

• When you change your perception of them, they can change too.

How can you use this to your advantage in EIYPO?

1. Revisit your internal beliefs

• Ask yourself:

• “Do I really believe in what I’m doing?”

• “Do I need others to believe in me for this to work?”

• Work on your self-confidence and the certainty that you are the creator of your reality.

2. Redefine the people around you

• Imagine that these same people are supporting you, saying things like:

• “I admire how you believe in your dreams.”

• “You are so inspiring.”

• Practice visualizing these interactions until they become natural to you.

3. Depersonalize criticism

• Understand that they are not “against you” – they are reflecting what you project. When you change internally, their behavior changes too. 4. Affirmations to Reframe These Situations

• “The people around me always support and believe in me.”

• “I choose to see others as positive reflections of my empowering beliefs.”

• “The world reflects support, confidence, and encouragement to me.”

The key to EIYPO:

You are the center point of your reality. When you align with confidence and inner certainty, the people around you will also begin to reflect this supportive and positive energy. If they don’t change immediately, it doesn’t matter – the important thing is that you maintain your inner state of being, because 3D always follows what is inside you.

another bonus context: how to deal with bad, bizarre and unnecessary people in any situation? (there's always one)

When people around you do bad or bizarre things, in the context of “Everyone is You Pushed Out” (EIYPO), these experiences are still reflections of something inside you. This does not mean that you are “guilty” or deserve it, but rather that there is an opportunity to look internally and adjust your beliefs, feelings or perceptions that may be creating this reflection.

Why do these people appear?

1. Subconscious beliefs about the world or others

• You may have the belief that people are malicious, envious or unpredictable. These beliefs may be reflections of past experiences, traumas or unresolved fears.

2. Tests from the universe to reaffirm your internal state

• When you are trying to change your state or manifest something big, the universe may present situations that seem challenging. They arise to test whether you will stay true to your desired state or if you will react to the 3D. 3. Projections of repressed internal emotions

• Sometimes, extreme behaviors in others reflect frustrations, angers, or fears that you have inside but are not recognizing.

4. Unconscious focus on the negative

• When you pay too much attention to bad or bizarre behaviors, you may be amplifying these situations without realizing it. What you resist tends to persist.

How to deal with this in the context of EIYPO?

1. Observe without judgment

• Before reacting, ask yourself: “What is this trying to show me about my internal beliefs?”

• This does not mean justifying bad behaviors, but rather using them as a mirror for growth.

2. Reinforce your desired reality

• Use affirmations such as:

• “The people around me are kind and respectful.”

• “I attract only positive and harmonious experiences.”

• Whenever someone acts negatively, visualize that person being loving or neutral, even if it seems difficult.

• 3. Redefine how you see these people

• Instead of labeling them as bad or weird, try thinking:

• “This person is acting this way because of something inside them, and it doesn’t affect me.”

• “I choose to see this person as someone who can change and be better.”

• This helps dissolve the emotional impact they have on you.

4. Shift your focus to what you want to experience

• The more attention you give to bad behaviors, the more power you give them. Redirect your energy to visualizing positive, harmonious interactions.

5. Set boundaries if necessary

• Manifestation doesn’t mean passively accepting everything. If someone is overstepping boundaries or hurting you, you have the right to walk away or protect your energy while you work on your inner beliefs.

What can these situations teach you?

• Self-confidence: You have the power to change any situation by changing your internal state.

• Emotional detachment: Not allowing yourself to be controlled by external actions is a great sign of inner strength.

• Belief refinement: They help you identify areas where you can still grow or adjust your focus.

Remember: in EIYPO, these people are not “against you,” they are reflecting something back to you. When you change your perception and beliefs, even the most difficult people can change – or simply disappear from your reality.

Sorry if it was repetitive, I hope this answer all your questions about EIYPO once and for all and that you can use it in the best way to improve your journey. ✨

with love, Minnie.

[enbypotat53]

I don't want to drag this situation through the mud so this'll be my only post on this topic, but. God.

I haven't interacted with the Hermitcraft fandom since.. maybe 3/4 of the way through S9 due to burnout, but it has been a MASSIVE part of my life for the good part of nearly 7 years. Iskall was one of my favourite Hermits, and it's frankly disgusting and disappointing to hear about what he did. My support 100% goes to Kass, Mef, and to other people affected. It's genuinely commendable how the Hermits dealt with this situation - they gave it the respect and gravity it deserves; they were transparent with us whilst still maintaining privacy for the victims, and for the most part, the fanbase has been mature about it too.

I do want to re-emphasize, however:

Do not badger or harass the Hermits or other victims for more information. Do not overwhelm them by asking their side of the story. They have been through enough already. One shitty person's actions does not warrant you to harass others, nor does it entitle you to more information. Be patient and do not speculate any further as it muddies the information we've already been given. The Hermits will say their piece when they are ready to do so. There may not ever be a time where they feel ready, and that's okay. It's a difficult situation for everyone - don't make it harder than it already is.

I also want to say DO NOT HARASS STRESS OVER THIS. We don't know why she resigned, and False has told us she was uninvolved in the drama. As far as we know, she left for mental health reasons - she and Iskall were close, how would you feel if someone you knew turned out to have done horrible things without you knowing? Leave her alone for now, please. Focus your energy on supporting those affected rather than going on a witch hunt for more info. It will come with due time. Have patience.

[oddsandends-dirt-to-dust]

ppl saying the caitvi sex scene was rushed, came out of nowhere, and can’t understand why Vi went straight to fucking cait after what just happened with jinx is odd to me.

Vi blames herself for the problems in her life consistently, and violently. she hates herself for how things have turned out.

when cait walks into the cell, Vi is blaming herself out loud for “making mistakes and loosing everyone”. when cait tells Vi that she let her steal the keys to jinx’s cell on purpose, it’s straight up confirmation that what Vi thinks to be true, is wrong.

she hasn’t lost everyone, cait hasn’t changed beyond repair. It started in ep 6, when cait betrayed ambessa to help Vi and her family. then this moment in ep 8 showed Vi that cait loves and trusts her enough to finally put aside her hatred for jinx, and support Vi in whatever choices she makes.

idk how long the time skip was but judging by Vi’s hair it was probably somewhere between 6 months and a year. imagine thinking of the girl you love everyday, thinking she was lost to anger and hatred, and then seeing her again and slowly realising she isn’t gone.

Vi is a physical person, we see that all throughout the show. Whether she’s punching people or walls, throwing things, screaming, she lets her emotions out through physical motion. in emotional moments with cait, she’s always touching her. when she pushes her up against the wall in the brothel, when she’s stroking her face or her hands during intimate conversations.

so Vi responded to the confirmation and the surge of emotions it caused with kissing cait, and then doing the most physically intimate thing possible with her. cait showed Vi she was willing to fight for her, and Vi dropped straight to her knees for cait. because that’s the kind of person Vi is.

they weren’t fucking they were making LOVE 💔

sure it’s not exactly healthy behaviour, but it’s not out of character for Vi to act that way. look at how she acted with jinx in that very cell 5 minutes earlier. when she realised her sister wasn’t gone, she stopped “hating” her, instantly jumping right back into the older sister role.

and i don’t think Vi forgave it all right there, the last scene shows her and cait clearly still have some issues - Vi calling herself the dirt under caits nails is a clear indicator of how cait made Vi feel with her actions.

but the sex scene is totally in character for Vi, i don’t think it was bad writing, it’s just tragic.

i do agree, in the cell is crazy, Vi deserves better, she always has. but they’re in the middle of a war, and it was an emotionally charged scene. they’re not gonna pause and go all the way up to a bedroom to fuck when troops are on their way to kill everyone.

so i don’t think it was rushed, or out of nowhere. Vi deserves better, i’m not defending cait, but i feel like some ppl don’t get it 💔

[ddodol]

hope everyone's doing well <3 it took me some time to come to this conclusion, and trust me when i say that i've thought about this a lot.

this past month has been a downward spiral ngl and i believe people are rightfully mad, although some are directing their anger towards people that don't deserve it. i want to fight for what i believe is a blatant mistreatment but i feel like my love for the group has gotten to a point where i only feel hurt and disappointment, and that's the last thing i want to experience as a fan. i would also like to move on, but accepting this new chapter is going to be difficult for me as well.

i still maintain the fact that i love all members equally, may it be the current or former member(s). i want to be stubborn and continue writing for all seven but i'm afraid it'll only add to my heartbreak. if i were to trust what i understood from anton's speech, albeit heavily censored, i want to respect their decision to move forward. if i didn't take his words at face value, i'd be no different from the people that refused to hear out the members' decision or even wonbin's letter.

like i said before, i will be waiting for the day when i can freely laugh and enjoy riize with only six members. i can only support them from afar for now, but know that i still love the boys with all my heart :((

(re: plans for this blog + some announcements, read if you'd like)

on that note, since i am an nsfw blog (and i know this is kinda inappropriate to add at the end so i put it under the cut), i will still be writing the remaining two weeks for last month's kinktober because i want to see it through, along with one fluff headcanon. it will also be the last two fics i will write for seunghan until i decide to write for him again whether it's as a solo act or him being back in riize, who knows. after all of that, do expect me to be inactive on this blog for a while. i might focus on writing for eunseok and maybe other members whenever i have one ready, but for now, i think i will be branching out to other groups or my other biases.

i don't want to link my other writing blog yet because there's nothing there but if you see me around, you'll know it (i hope). and if you do recognize me, come say hi <3

[fleshengine]

I'm experiencing a weird level of cognitive dissonance rn because I'm a couple weeks into a depressive spiral and people keep being nice to me and I think I don't deserve it and yet.

I just had a meeting with my media writing prof and after learning that it'd probably be the last time I see him this year (our class just doesn't meet the last few weeks), I asked if I could hug him and when he hugged me back he repeated "you're a good person" a few times as he patted my back. I'm really behind in the work for his class, but he said forget it and just work on the final project and he'll pass me. He listened to my problems in my other classes and seems to genuinely care. I don't understand it.

Again and again and again I am shown kindness that I swear I do not deserve. Why? Why can't everyone just hate me? It would be so much easier if I was given up on! I could go home and rot in my room and kill myself in five years when I hit 26 and achieve nothing with my life. But nooooo I'm likeable and people care about me so time and time again they see me stumble and lend me a hand that I sully with a touch. I cannot compare. I cannot balance on their shoulders. The rope ladder they throw down chafes my hands and they reach down and tell me one more rung!

In a just world I wouldn't receive this support. Then again, in a just world the things that made me this way wouldn't have happened and I wouldn't need this support. The world is unfair and I am forced to accept the advantage over and over.