#she’s going to prioritize me and her cousin’s not going to have a good time

[mymelodyisme]

👉🏽👈🏽

[jilyandbambi]

Can I just...make an embarrassing plea for nuance for a second?

As a Daniel Molloy enjoyer who's thought a lot about his relationship with his family, and his daughters, in particular, based on the few throwaway lines we've gotten, fandom jumped on the Daniel Is a Deadbeat Dad Whose Kids Hate Him train a little too readily, in my opinion. Especially since we have so few details to go off of when it comes to Daniel's life.

Look, there's obviously strong textual hints that Daniel made some pretty big mistakes in his family life, let his wives and daughters down in major ways. Maybe he was a bad father from the moment his kids were born and they have no good memories with him and now they can't wait for him to kick the bucket so they can inherit whatever's left of his estate... But also, maybe not!

There's a lot of nuance to relationships with imperfect parents that I think fandom overlooks. I'll elaborate using some of my own family's dysfunction as examples:

I have a cousin who was a Daddy's girl like me, who had a father who doted on her when she was little. But when she was in elementary school, he had a nervous breakdown after being attacked, and they lost contact while he was in and out of institutions. Now that she's an adult and he's doing better, they're trying to reconnect without much success. My cousin loves her dad very much, but he's a stranger to her, which, coupled with residual feelings of abandonment, makes it hard for her to reach out. That said, she still wants a relationship with him and looks back fondly on her childhood with him.

I have a great-aunt that I'm close to who would, off-and-on, go through extended periods of not talking to her father, my great-grandfather because he was old, sickly, losing his memory and blind in one eye, and yet as a "retired" contractor would still paint and remodel the rooms of his house, and the fact that he didn't take his health seriously stressed my aunt out to the point of seriously impacting her own mental and physical health. She loved her father dearly, but had to prioritize her own health when he proved to be unconcerned with his.

So, let's imagine for a sec that there's some gray area to play around in here.

What if Daniel was in denial in the first few years of his Parkinson's diagnosis and was still taking dangerous assignments like nothing was wrong and his daughters had to stop checking in for the sake of their sanity, which had been crumbling under the strain of sitting up at night panicking over their terminally ill father jetting off to the MENA to interview Kurdish militias for a documentary on ISIS?

What if Daniel was a doting father at first who made it to birthdays and recitals and holidays, etc. but after the girls' mom picked them up from their dad's and found used needles strewn about the coffee table one too many times, his visitation was restricted, and the relationship fell apart in the years after?

What if Daniel was a workaholic that no-showed at Christmas, birthdays, and parent-teacher conferences, but who came the fuck through when it was time to sell Girl Scout cookies (and any other school fundraiser), pulled out all the stops when either of the kids had a school project that required tons of research (in the days before Internet, mind you), and was fully down to stalk their high school/college boyfriends with them to see if they were cheating?

What if Daniel was a workaholic who sometimes freebased coke on weekends he had the girls and forgot to pick them up from school and missed every birthday party, but also would bring the girls to work with him all the time and when he did, they'd see their old artwork pinned to the walls of his office and his colleagues would congratulate one on the regional Spelling Bee one of them came first place in and the other on getting her blue belt in karate. Yeah, Daniel wasn't there for any of those but the fact that he cared enough to brag about it at work...yeah. What if Daniel let them skip school on days when middle/high school was just Too Much, and they'd go to Coney Island and ride The Cyclone til they forgot about Jennifer inviting everyone else on the swim team to her party.

Here's another thing: while yes, Daniel puts a premium on truth and honesty and has a blunt, pull no punches manner of speaking--old people are fucking DRAMATIC. Daniel's daughters are adults with busy lives of their own. Meanwhile, he's stuck at home bored out of his mind in retirement. What if his relationship with them is fine (all things considered) but they take a week to respond to his texts because hello? busy. Do any of you have grandparents who are retired? The other day I was informed that I'm "bad at texting" because it took me a few hours to reply to a message asking me if I watch The Diplomat. What if "My daughters won't even talk to me!" is just Daniel being miffed that neither of the girls had responded to his text in their Groupchat asking if they'd had a chance to check out his Masterclass yet?

Look, all this is to say, dysfunctional parent-child relationships are of course, messy and painful, especially if the parent was less-than-stellar during the child's formative years--but that doesn't mean that that's all there is. Oftentimes, there's a lot of good mixed in with the bad; and there's almost always a lot of love and a mutual desire to mend things in the time you have left. Every relationship on IWTV has its highs and lows, both joyful and devastating moments and memories. There's no reason the same can't apply to the relatively blank slate of Daniel Molloy and his daughters' relationship

[jadeyarts]

Hi there :3 I'm just here to say that I really REALLY love your design for Delight and I think that she's my favorite cupiddissimo child :D I think that she's really adorable and that would be great if she was a canon character 💖 I really wanna hear more about her :3

(and also I can't stop thinking about her singing to Irep "out for love" from Hazbin Hotel idk I just think that this song really fits her)

and I'd love to hear about her relationship with others like Peri, Irep, Goldie, Sammy e.t.c.

Ok that's all have a good day :3 ☀️ 💖

aww thank you so much! it means a lot to me you like Delight (link for newcomers) so much!!! i'd love to tell you more about her since you asked so niceys!

Delight is loosely inspired by and based on the daughter of Cupid and Psyche in Roman mythology - Voluptas, goddess of pleasure. delight is derived from an english translation of voluptas - so while she isn't literally the goddess Voluptas, she's based around the concept of Voluptas. she can be sweet and personable, but also oblivious and selfish - her defining characteristic is that she's a party animal who prioritizes her idea of fun. as a baby this manifests as being hyper all of the time and constantly wanting attention and play time. but as an adult this manifests in being... Girls Just Wanna Have Fun coded. Pinkie Pie in a blender with Kesha, maybe a dash of Mabel Pines coded. I Just Wanna Party All The Time coded, even.

I honestly never really thought of a potential dynamic for her and the spellementary kids because I was originally planning on having her be a decade younger, so she wouldn't have really known most of them. I did eventually decide that she'd be closer in age, but she'd still be younger by a few years though - so Poof and Foop would be like 4 or 5 when she's born, and it impacts the dynamic she has with them all.

one things for certain - she's basically Poof's annoying little cousin. they're probably* not biologically related, I do think they do basically see each other as family. (*i have a crack theory about cupid and wanda being cousins but i haven't been actively incorporating it into my work so it doesn't count) she was kind of overbearing and overly nosy and in his business so she annoys him sometimes, but he does ultimately care about her - this barely changes once they're adults. at least she grew out of being blunt and uncompromising about it!

Foop would think she's annoying and invasive, and snarks about whatever nonsense she's up to. but he doesn't have to deal with her usually, so he can tolerate her to some degree.

in ANW's continuity, I think their relationship gets more adversarial. he's even more annoyed by her, and she might actively go out of her way to piss him off in passive aggressive but seemingly playful ways.

but in my specific post-canon I think she might have grown on him a bit as she gets less... annoying. but not by much if you ask him.

[demonhuntingcaterpillar]

When Cursed Child was released there was uproar about the difference between Harry and Draco as fathers. Fans were upset that Draco Malfoy was such a calm, understanding father while Harry was a bit of a hot head. It was hard to grasp the distinct difference between the two characters as fathers. I’ll just resolve this whole issue with one word: Narcissa.

The biggest difference between Harry and Draco’s childhood is a mother’s love. Harry did not know what it was like to be parented or loved until he was 4 ft tall. Whereas Draco had grown up with a loving mother who cared for him while he was ill and tucked him in bed each night. Draco being such a good father to Scorpius makes sense because he had two polar opposites as parents. There was Lucius, who loves fiercely but his love is entirely conditional. And while I believe Lucius loved Narcissa more than life itself, he put his Death Eater duties and his thirst for power over his love for his son.

Narcissa was a different story entirely. Even though she married into the cause, she never took the dark mark. I believe this was because she saw what it required of Bellatrix, Regulus, and Lucius. She did not want to have to choose between Voldemort and Draco, because she knew she would always choose Draco. When Draco came of age, Lucius wanted to send Draco to Durmstrang. Even though Narcissa came from a world of pure bloods, she decided they would send Draco to Hogwarts. Prioritizing Draco’s safety over blood purity. This tells us she will choose Draco over Death Eater values. I believe losing her sisters and Regulus made Narcissa hyper aware of possible dangers and ever protective of her son. During his first year, we know it was hard on Narcissa to be away from Draco because she sent him sweets and letters daily. She is consistently protective of him, especially when Lucius must go to Azbakan. She bears her teeth and throws Sirius’s death in Harry’s face. Again, choosing Draco over anyone else, including her dead cousin Sirius. When Voldemort decides to make Draco take the mark as a punishment for Lucius’s mistakes, Narcissa sees his actions for what they are. She risks her life, along with her sister’s, in order to ask Severus to make the unbreakable vow. Narcissa gives Draco her wand during the war to be able to protect himself after Harry takes Draco’s. This leaves her and Lucius completely defenseless while Voldemort is LIVING IN THEIR HOUSE. They are in the midst of a war and Narcissa goes wandless for Draco. And finally, when Harry gives his life in the Forbidden Forest, Narcissa makes her biggest bad bitch mama bear move yet. She uses occlumency and lies to possibly the most powerful Legilimens ever, Lord Voldemort. She knows Draco is at Hogwarts, she knows he is more important to her than life itself. So when faced with this choice for maybe the billionth time in this woman’s life - Voldemort or Draco - she chooses Draco. Something her husband never had the balls to do.

So don’t come for me telling me Draco couldn’t have been a better parent than Harry. Don’t come for me telling me how terrible his father was and how there is no way a prat like Draco Malfoy could be understanding, forgiving, and loving. He knew what it was like to grow up with people hating/fearing him because of his father. He grew up knowing what it was like to be in the shadow of grand expectations, and what it was like to fail them. He grew up knowing the love of a mother’s touch and feeling Narcissa’s unconditional love. Draco Malfoy is an amazing father because Narcissa was an amazing mother. She put her love for Draco before blood status, before her husband, before life itself… which is exactly why Draco prioritized Scorpius’s happiness above everything else.

There’s a reason fanfic writers do everything but portray Narcissa as the Virgin Mary!!! She was just as good of a mother as Molly Weasley and Lily Potter. She was just as strong and brave and protective as Minerva McGonagall.

Sweet, loving Daddy Draco is canon and I will die on this hill.

[thegildedblogger]

What I like the most about Fire and Blood’s version of House of the dragon is that the Targaryens feel like a real family and that makes the subsequent war and end so much more poetic and realistic.

like sure my weird inept dad would totally go for the younger girl who entraps him, my uncle hates his marriage but he is also the problem but at least he pays attention to me when my mom passed and my dad is busy with work, this love/hate relationship with the younger siblings (Rhaenyra loves he idea of them because they resembled her but she can’t never fully love them because of what they represent), Healena having this dynamic between her full blood siblings and Rhaenyra is amazing, it truly feels like throughout they struggle with separating their bond as sisters even their dragons’ end could be poetic, the “cousins” fighting and how many times that truly happens in real life but at a much lower scale ofc, Alicent being in her early 20’s and having to fake like Rhaenyra and prioritizing her children for the inheritance, Viserys being aware of everything but completely numb and inactive to everything (I mean do we have a better example of medieval incompetence?).

I’ve been reading other peoples’ criticism and to me they miss the point on why HotD is not good. Is not because they failed the Greens or the Blacks.

Is because they didn’t even give them a chance to fight, they feel like lonesome characters existing in the world that GOT set up. Sometimes they don’t even feel like people.

During the first season I read so many theories about how Alicent, Rhaenyra and even Helaena are going crazy and No, it turns out they’re fine completely aware of what’s going on but they’re going in circles like their males counterparts because the script is not going anywhere and the dialogue is repetitive.

[knjbrin]

Introduce your ocs to me, im new :3

Oh HIIIII omg Let me start okay so These are all Ocs for my Comic Broken Bottlez;

*This is Willow they go by She/They Pronouns and is the main character and lead singer and guitarist of the band

Her interests consist of reading Books on The history of rock music and Practicing guitar. She takes writing music and keeping the band together very seriously. When she’s not doing any of that she’s Exercising or working part time at Vera’s Bar.

*Then there’s Keeoni She’s 24 and goes by She/Her pronouns and is the second main character. She’s a Journalist for a Magazine that features Rock bands and all things Alternative.

A social Butterfly Keeoni loves to be on the scene whenever there’s a concert, a party, or an event that needs her she’ll be there.

Her interests consist of Learning about bands and the history of Alternative music because her father used to be the lead singer of a Famous band. When she’s not doing that she’s Volunteering at Libraries reading to children or tutoring students. She loves Fashion and Wants to start a blog about Fashion trends in the scene. She’s new to town and Finds herself Getting much more personal with Lead singer of Broken Bottlez

*Then there’s Elizabelle who’s sort of the main Antagonist of the comic. She’s 25 and goes by She/Her pronouns and is an Ex member of Broken Bottlez along with Being Willows Ex.

An Upcoming Model and Fashion Influencer Elizabelle is A Social Butterfly she thrives in the Social Scene and will do anything to Stay in it.

Her interests consist of Shopping, Blogging, and Socializing with People of her Social Status and going to Parties to mingle with the VIP there. Outside of that Eliza struggles with her self image of being Apart of a society that looks at her like another Bimbo Woman who just wants to be Famous.

*Then there’s Vera The best friend of Willow and sort of the older sister of the bandShes 25 and goes by She/Her pronouns and takes on more of a Manager role for the band By finding gigs, writing songs, managing tours and interviews etc.

She owns a Goth Bar and Considers herself an Ambivert. Blunt and Straightforward when it comes to the greater good of her friends and the band she’s taken on a Sisterly role to Willow, Ash, and Karissa.

Her interests consist of supporting her community and giving her people a space where they can be themselves and still feel safe and comfortable. She can be sarcastic at times and a little harsh with her honesty but has the greater good of her friends in her heart.

*Then there’s Karissa Lead Bassist and Sub Vocalist of Broken Bottlez She’s 22 and goes by She/Her pronouns and is Willows younger Cousin Karissa is the heart of the band She always knows how to lift everyone’s spirits whenever things seem to be going wrong.

She’s an Extrovert and loves to be around like minded people. She’s very protective of her friends Especially Ash and Willow. She can tell what a persons feeling just off of one look and tends to be the shoulder her friends can lean on.

Her interests consist of making her own Clothes and designing outfits for the band to wear. When she’s not doing that she’s Practicing Bass and helping out at her mother’s Bakery or Helping Vera manage the Band. She also may or may not have a teeeeny tiny crush on Ash.

*And finally There’s Ashton “Ash” for short. Lead Drummer of the bandThey’re 23 and go by They/Them pronouns and is Willows Best Friend

Introverted by choice Ash likes to keep their public image simple: Cold and Mysterious. Buuut in reality they’re actually An open book and a very loyal and kindhearted Individual to those they are close to. They just really prioritize privacy. Tends to get overwhelmed when at the center of social scenes so Prefers Observing and listening.

Their interests consist of Playing and Practicing The drums. Are they never not playing the drums? Outside of that They Help run their family’s Record store With their Oldest brother and going to quiet places like parks, libraries, and Art galleries. Loves to hangout at Vera’s Bar tends to be the one Social setting they thrive in.

And that’s it pretty much! I’m still working on some things and getting character sheets out but Welcome to my Weird little Sapphic Comicverse 😭❤️❤️❤️

[greenerteacups]

you cannot tell me minerva mcgonagall did not watch draco- son of narcissa black, cousin to sirius black- get sorted first year and think “ah fuck here we go again.” You CANNOT tell me she doesn’t brag about him to snape especially since he’s second in the year. I love that she’s obviously proud of him- especially when he saved harry from falling and said “hat was right”. i genuinely think about that line so often. roughly 85% percent of the harry potter series can be summed up by “hat was right”

oh god, you're tempting me to write a oneshot that's just Minerva's perspective of Draco's Sorting. it would be so good. because yeah, she knows exactly who he is, and as soon as it goes "gryffindor," she's thinking oh god fucking damnit. i didn't get paid enough to raise the first morally stunted under-socialized genius Black heir, and i'm sure as fuck not being paid enough to raise the next one. like, she will, but she's not happy about it. (she is, actually. she's super happy about it. especially since she gets to watch the absolute spit of Lucius Malfoy smirks his way up to the podium stool, sit down, and promptly get it wiped straight off his face. she also gets to see Severus's reaction to all of this. the part of minerva's head that is not flipping over all the furniture in her brain in a silent rage-induced war tantrum wants to kiss the hat full on the mouth.)

and then it WORKS?? and it turns out that this slimy little sonuvabitch falls in with harry FUCKING potter and his crew, and ends up throwing his life on the line MULTIPLE TIMES for his sake, miraculously bullies the Longbottom kid up to snuff in Potions, and spends half of her class muttering and passing notes to her teacher's pet best student, Ms. Granger, a muggle-born, and severus comes into the teacher's lounge like once a week bitching about how he's having to speed up the curriculum because Fucking Malfoy and Goddamn Fucking Granger keep reading ahead, and she gets to gloat for days — oh, i'm sorry, did the class rankings come out this week? hmm? what was that the Nott boy got on his Charms exam? an E, you say? how............. respectable. (and that's before we get started on the Quidditch of it all. when Oliver Wood turns in his 1993 team roster for Head of House approval, the Tower cat doesn't stop purring for days.)

at the end of the day, minerva mcgonagall would never go so far as to describe her relationship to her students as familial — she's far too professional for that. however the students feel about her, she firmly maintains respectful boundaries and urges them to prioritize their own families (knowing that she can't be the mother many of them want.) and yet — and yet — you know what, she sees that little blond bastard take a forty-foot dive for a boy his father would've tried to have killed, right there in front of every gryffindor and slytherin there is, and when she gets close enough to hear his loud whinging about his (self-inflicted) broken arm she swears she hears the ghost of Sirius Black barging into Transfiguration bitching about James Potter's six o'clock quidditch practices.

she writes narcissa malfoy a very long letter that night. she doesn't send it, but she keeps it. just in case.

[gingergofastboatsmojito]

Storer and Calo make each other better at this

S3 was imbalanced.

It was all Storer no Calo -or very little Calo-. She was not as involved in the writing as in S2.

She focused mostly on her EP duty.

Maybe it's because she’s involved in the pre-prod of other Disney projects right now, which started right after award season 2023.

So she had a lot on her plate, she had to prioritize, and writing + producing was too time-consuming so she picked EP. Plus EP is better paid than writing. Let’s be real. She chose wisely, I guess…

But it wasn’t just her that deserted the WR. I’m 100% sure the writers’ team changed from S2.

And you can tell the lack of Caloness. It’s all Storer’s sadism. No balance.

You can call it softness + intensity, or two fires with different levels of ignition, as Ayo said about her character and Jeremy’s. The point is that Calo balanced Storer out.

Without her he’s a 3 y.o. with too many fucking crayons, Uncle Jimmy would say.

She brought in the romantic element.

Storer, the intensity and the chaos.

She was the red string that connected Sydcarmy.

Storer and Calo S&C, btw are like Syd and Carmy.

They make each other better at this.

When they are disconnected, so are Carmy and Syd and they are not as good apart as they are when they are together.

I checked and most eps lack the WRITTEN by xxxx or SCREENPLAY by xxxx credit. Most of them just mentioned the Director and EP or one or the other, but we have no idea who was really responsible for that script, which is shady and kinda backs up my idea that the WR is 100% different now, they let in a bunch of writers that were not there before and have 0 knowledge of the mythology of the show and the characters. No idea about the vibe and the subtext that were there in S1 and 2. So they watched the show a couple of times and started writing for these characters from scratch. AND YOU CAN TELL! The characters didn’t sound like themselves in some scenes, they sounded OOC, especially my man, Carmy! And even Syd sometimes. IT WAS THE NEW WRITERS ON THE BLOCK’S FAULT! I’M TELLING YOU! They shoulda made NO CHANGES, the same WR they had in S2 shoulda have remained untouched. Identical. They fucked up big time, changing that and then the Editors fully fucked it, bc they coulda soften the blow, but didn’t. All of this was signed off by Storer and Calo. Storer is not the same Storer without her. And Calo was otherwise engaged.

I expected better, I expected the winning team to remain the same but they changed it and Disney is probably to blame for that. It was a self-boycot, sure. But not Storer’s. It was ultimately Disney’s because the network saw a Golden Team and decided to make them multitask and diversify, and they got greedy. They wanted them to make a lot of BEARS for them. And they couldn’t. Then again, those were nothing but my own expectations.

Now, if I detach myself from those and analyze this season objectively, like I have on some previous occasions, if I remove my own expectations from the equation, I can easily identify amazing stuff such as the constant battle between man and beast that Storer wants to portray. I mentioned time and time again how Carmy is 100% not based on a chef friend of his, as he said in several interviews, no way. Carmy is Storer and Storer is Carmy and that’s the best guarantee that we, truthers have, of Carmy having a happy ending. I’m sure that happiness will definitely include Sydney. So, summing up, we’re cool. Let’s just be patient and don’t let this sadist fuck with our patience. In the meantime let’s focus on the great things this season had.

Let’s choose to let it go and be positive, as Cousin would say.

This show constantly inspires me to take a good hard look at art as a whole and my own relationship with it. I mean, art in any form. I’m not an artist per se, but I certainly am an avid art consumer and fully believe that life would have no meaning without it. So, having said that Storer’s art is always inviting me to broaden my perspective because whether I like it or not how he does it, he usually pushes the boundaries of writing, storytelling, and cinematography, and also tells a story through music in a very personal way, etc, One of the things I loved the most this season was the cinematography and noticing he found inspo in paintings, painters, etc. I mentioned this season was Carmy’s blue period, like Picasso’s, etc… Storer does that, and last but not least, he put front and center a topic that is often not well depicted on TV, which is MENTAL HEALTH and indirectly, COMPASSION, EMPATHY, LOVE but from a non-romantic perspective. From a human perspective. Not platonic, bigger than that, human. S3 was also about SOLIDARITY if you think about it. And that, in and of itself, is something beautiful.

So, thank you, Storer.

[rp-guzi]

Lord guzi, does your father talk about his parents at all? I mean, he is such a good father to you so he must’ve had a good father too

*sits down next to you*

I probably shouldn't talk too much about it since it's his private life. It might be better to ask him. Keep this between just us, alright?

But... no. My dad believes that men from Yong An are all vicious monsters on the inside. His father was from Yong An. Make of that what you will.

ᵐʸ ᵒʷⁿ ᵉˣᵖᵉʳᶦᵉⁿᶜᵉ ᵈᵒᵉˢⁿ'ᵗ ᵉˣᵃᶜᵗˡʸ ᶜᵒⁿᵗʳᵃᵈᶦᶜᵗ ᵗʰᵃᵗ

His mother was a good person, I think, but died when he was young. His Auntie the Xian Le Queen at least treated him nicely sometimes, but she never really prioritized him. We went to visit her body shortly after he became my dad. He told her how hurt he was about running into his cousin again.

And then he showed up and we hid and... well, the story of the rest of what happened is common gossip, so you probably know. My dad acted like he didn't care about the Queen's body in front of Scrap Gege. I didn't know him well at the time but looking back I can tell he was just putting on a tough face. He didn't know she was going to fall apart like that. He felt bad about what happened.

He didn't have anyone growing up that cared about him the way he cares about me.

I may not have been there for him when he was little and needed someone, when he was Prince Xiao Jing, but he has me now. I'm here. I care about him.

[antiyourwokehomophobia2]

So it's often talked about how some people have the mindset of "I suffered so others should too" but I feel like something that isn't touched on is how people with that mindset are often mad that others don't want to suffer.

At my old job, I called out right before my shift which is an asshole thing to do, I know, but when I told my manager I was sick he told me "I used to go to work with the straight flu" as if his suffering was enough of a reason for me to disregard my own health. Don't get me started on the fact him an I actively worked with food so he was putting his co-workers at risk and the customers too.

At my current job, I requested not to wear a headset because I've always been protective over my hearing and ears and they don't make me feel good. I avoided it for a long time, but eventually I had to put it on and I made it very clear I wasn't happy about it. One of my manager's asked to speak to me privately to ask why I was behaving how I was. I told her that the stupid things gave me a headache and not only did she give me a look devoid of any sympathy but she also started giving me a lecture on how when she wakes up not feeling well or on her period then she still sucks it up and does her job. She warned me not to cause issues again.

The next day, I ended up apologizing cause I actually did feel bad. She told me that that very morning she found out one of her cousin's died and she still showed up to work despite it. I couldn't help thinking how sad that was.

Right now, I'm recovering from an illness and so took time off work (I not only called out an appropriate time beforehand but also days in advance) and I've gotten multiple requests to come into work. I can't quite shake the feeling that me taking time to rest has caused some negative feelings to stir. Nothing that won't resolve in time, but still.

It's just so odd how people who don't prioritize their own health will actively get mad when you do. They get mad you advocate for yourself and don't suck it up. It's like they've put themselves on the back burner for so long that the smell of something not burning is what makes them nervous.

[hlcevr-tech-support]

hey Coda, 🌂 anon here! My entire body feels like it’s going to explode for a thousand different reasons i’m using text to speech right now because I can’t type this without typos ok good stuff fist fuck I mean firstoh my God it worked it worked it worked it worked it worked I don’t know what the fuck she did but they are real! they are alive! and for some reason they think I miss Pauling.(i don’t think I sound like her and I’m probably nowhere near as competent) I didn’t think it worked until I heard solder waking everyone up for the day. And they are like realy real???? I know I already said that but now I mean that they are literally the team like The team! The voices are identical they act the same and they where just going around there day like it wasn’t the first one of there entire lives?! On the one hand I’m actually one hand I’m actually talking to the tf2 characters And they actually like me! On the other they just say stuff like “hello miss Pauling, has mister Whatsitnow finally paid us for the assassination of his fifth cousin or are we going to have to break into the vault that he owns? also we are possibly low on wine put that on the order list.” And I have to be like yep I know what is going on all of the time mister spy dad man yep!!! Luckily there wasn’t to much of that because of they were too caught up with map that we (they?) spawned in it’s a weird mix of all the playable Mabs in the game, there conclusion is ether merasmus or major teleporter malfunction

ok sorry for the text wall i just talk a lot when I’m trying to process things and that wasn’t all good news anyway but onto something I can’t make heads or tails of so “she” (the tech goddess that actually brought them to life) said that my only payment is that I have to go run some “errands” for her I don’t know what that means but she says they will be consequences if I don’t, And I was like what do you mean? And she said if your files were secure I wouldn’t have been able to put them there… (not an exact grout I mean “) so I’m scared for my life and even more scared for theirs, oh God oh fuck these are the first friends I’ve made since high school help what do I do Coda?!?!?! Keep you updated, i’m going to scream for three hours straight.

Oh shit oh shit oh shit!

Okay so!!!!

First of all, awesome!!! Your friend has created functioning, Sentient AI of the Mercs! That’s cool as hell! I wonder if Mister Rat Rust (my nickname for Merasmus) is Sentient AI too…he’s my blorbo.

Second of all! Oh boy…

Hopefully whatever errands this person asks you to do aren’t like…super duper illegal or anything? Like, I dunno what to do about that??? I just run the tech support blog. My job is to provide tech support for the funny crowbar man video game and the website that lets you export the little guys from it.

Actually, maybe you’ll be able to export them with the SMST website? I dunno. I gotta ask Soupy’s team how well it would accept their files. He said somebody he knew got AI to APPEAR in Hunt Down the Freeman but he never said if those ai got exported.

I dunno. Try whatever resources you have to if you’re worried about the Mercs’ safety. Though to be honest, I think you should prioritize your life a little more right now! The Mercs live on the computer and can have their data restored if they die. You don’t have the same benefit, so stay safe!

-Coda

[robo-milky]

Alright time to write again because my mind is on a brain rot streak regarding this Au-

So have these Epel x Cloche hc that came to mind 🫶🫶

1. Epel insists on standing to Cloche's left (??) since thats where her vision fades. He feels the need to be cautious and this way he can tell her whats going on her left side. For example if someone was running, he would hold her arm so that the person passes amd doesnt shove her on accident. (he forgets she can hear well)

2. He made special requests on being on the same team and starting point as her in events like Beanfest! He does not trust Ace and Deuce to take care of her after he has seen all their shenanigans.

3. Since epel has short hair too, he helps style Cloche's hair if she allows him to!

4. Once a savanaclaw claw freshman was yelling at Cloche for sitting in "his" spot in the gardens but Epel came running to the gardens and dealt with him. (lilia trained him after all i guess-) Jack says that it was as if Epel knew smth was wrong, grew Floyds long legs and ran to the gardens from the cafeteria. They still question how he knew. But dw, its just his parental senses that he got from looking after his little cousins.

5. He knows he can be overbearing and 2 or so weeks after the incident, he sat down and apologized to Cloche for being in her personal space these past weeks.

6. final one but in their freshman year, epel wished Cloche never left. It was innocent really and he knew he shouldnt be selfish but seeing what happened, he hates he ever thought that.

Also Cloche if you dont kiss Epel rn, i swear ill take him.

AHHHH THESE HEADCANONS ARE GREAT— They might as well be canon tbh jdjdjdj- You are not just feeding, but also the spokesperson/advocate for ClochEpel I swear 😭 (…I’m afraid you might have to take Epel for yourself )

To build more on SY!ClochEpel, I can’t help but feel like Epel at times might question the authenticity of his relationship with Cloche after the incident. I imagine Epel having to adjust to Cloche suddenly being so receptive and willing to stick with him, even going out of her way to call for him at times. Epel’s so used to OG!Cloche’ indifference, that he feels like it’s too good to be true. It makes me wonder if Epel likes SY!Cloche for who she is, or if he misses the old Cloche, the one he looked up to and fell for. A part of me can see Epel liking the reception; he’s finally someone Cloche trusts enough to rely on, yet I can also see Epel having some complex where he might prioritize the previous Cloche’ personality/feelings.

[Response]

1. Yes! Epel would be glued to Cloche’ left side, even when Grim’s already there, either walking beside Cloche or perched on her shoulder. Since they’re pretty close in height, Epel’s sight is definitely more helpful/accurate to Cloche’s perspective, even if it’s a minute detail. I find the idea of Epel forgetting hearing is a thing absolutely great— since her hearing is technically enhanced because of Binding Bells (and because she’s technically a beastman).

2. Awww, that makes sense! I can see Crowley finding Epel’s requests endearing, dubbing it as Epel being “such a kind and caring student who’s willing to help the injured”. Of the different events there are, Beansfest would be a nightmare for Cloche. If it were purely shooting/throwing, Cloche could cope— but since she’s being chased in an open forest, she needs her peripheral vision. F for ADeuce, though. Epel would definitely feel iffy with the way Ace messes with her blindspot (flicking, playfully stealing). I can see Epel being a little more chill with Deuce, since they are closer and Deuce is generally reliable, but when Ace and Deuce are together? …Oh boy.

3. That would be too cute! Epel would be very careful, especially whenever his hands are near Cloche’ face/bangs. After the incident, Cloche feels uneasy whenever something or someone is close to her face, especially her eyes. If Cloche is having her hair done in Pomefiore, Epel better hide the scissors, since Cloche developed a fear of scissors (due to the correlation that led to trauma) and would be triggered by them.

4. The new freshmen of NRC do NOT know what’s coming for them. The satisfaction Epel would feel when he can finally pull out the respect-your-seniors card on the Savannaclaw freshman. …Lowkey, I feel like anyone showing aggression towards Cloche in this AU is hella brave.

5. HELP— Epel would have the most adorable puppy-dog expression without even realizing. I can imagine Epel giving a super impactful and heartfelt reflection while Cloche just nods with an “Okay.”

6. GODDAMMIT- THIS IS MAKING ME LOSE IT- Aughhhh it’s so bittersweet! Poor Epel, having to watch Cloche go into a downward spiral and feeling like it’s his fault in some way (even when it’s not ;;)

Extra: The HC from the other ask you sent of Epel carving a cat playing w/yarn has my heart ;;

[hello-nichya-here]

Do you think Alicent and Rhaenyra could have remained friends if Alicent had been honest about pursuing Viserys, Rhaenyra had not had bastards, and the whole conflict with Aemond stealing a dragon and then losing his eye had not happened?

No, because while all of these things damaged their relationship, the real reason for the lack of trust between them, the real reason why, no matter how many times made up they ALWAYS ended up at each other's throats again, is the simple fact that Alicent gave Viserys male heirs, that would be threats against Rhaenyra no matter what - and Alicent was going to prioritize the safety/future of her children over Rhaenyra's.

Just look at the scene of Alicent warning Aegon that he could easily end up in mortal danger if he challenges Rhaenyra's claim to the throne, and when he then says that he will just not do that and everything will be fine - to which Alicent correctly points out that he IS the challenge, just for existing.

Can Alicent REALLY trust Rhaenyra not harm Aegon (and Aemond) or his descendents to make sure she's the only option of ruler? Can she trust DAEMON not to do it to benefit himself and his wife? Can she trust Rhaenyra and Daemon's children, grandchildren and so on not to harm her family later down the line?

Can Rhaenyra trust Alicent will not scheme to put her own son on the throne when her father, Otto, who is clearly an ambitious man and that Alicent obeys blindly, found a way to make her queen, became hand of the king himself, and had Rhaenyra followed so he could get dirt on her that could make Viserys decide not to have her as his heir after all? Can she trust her siblings, especially the one that had the potential to be KING, won't conspire against her? Can she trust their children and grandchildren won't conspire against her descendents - especially against the bastards she had with Harwin, which would be seen as lesser than their siblings, cousins, nephews, etc?

Hell, considering Alicent was once so disguted with Aegon she straight up said "You're no son of mine", yet still looked at Rhaenys and went "You would have totally been a good ruler, but you're a woman, so that could never happen because women are just not meant to rule anything. Please help me guide my fuck up of a son, something neither of us will ever get any credit for, because that's just our role as women - to support the guys no matter how bad they are" it's pretty clear that even if Aegon wasn't her son, it wouldn't take much to convince her that Rhaenyra's brother should be king because that's just how their society works.

Girl saw Viserys use all of his final strength to support Rhaenyra (after over a decade of favoring her), and yet still convinced herself he wanted his SON to inherit, just because he was saying weird, vague shit about "Aegon's dream to unite the realm must come true" while so high on painkillers that called her "Rhaenyra", which Alicent heard very clearly. She also doesn't ask Aegon about said dream to "unite the realm", which sounds wildly out of character for a guy spends his days black out drunk and RAN to avoid becoming king because he did not have ANY interest in the privileges or duties it came with, just because the vague stuff she heard confirmed her bias of "The son is always the correct choice over the daughter just because he's a man".

There's only two ways these two could have ever solved their issues and House Targaryen would stay united after Alicent's marriage to Viserys:

1 - Aegon and Rhaenyra get married + all her kids are his.

Can't have a dispute when their heirs are the same, even if people would disagree on who is the real ruler and who is just the consort.

This one would require a few changes to characters though: Aegon could NOT be a drunk loser, and Rhaenyra could NOT be too proud to accept that the only way she gets to be queen and not be questioned is if she marries him AND she can't be sleeping around, and the only way she'll stay loyal is if she actually falls for Aegon.

2 - Alicent and Viserys only have daughters.

Like I said, Alicent genuinely believes that men ALWAYS being seen as superior to women is just the way things are - but if Rhaenyra is the king's eldest child, has no brothers, is married to Daemon (aka the only real rival she has in this scenario) and was even NAMED heir by Viserys, then her right to the throne is unquestionable by the laws of Westeros.

She won't be paranoid/rightfully concerned that Rhaenyra/someone who benefits from Rhaenyra being queen will kill her children because, as her younger sisters, they pose no threat to her, as trying to make any of them queen in her place is UNDENIABLY treason - both in the eyes of others, and in Alicent's own mind, meaning not only would she not try anything, she'd 100% snitch on anyone who did.

There'd still be some tension in this scenario, at least until Viserys was officially too sick to continue having kids, and possibly more if Rhaenyra still has bastards with Harwin before marrying Daemon, and when Otto inevitably keeps trying to make one his descendents marry Rhaenyra's heir, but overall I think it'd be far less hostile AND everything would eventually calm down (after all, even in the show, after all that happened, Alicent and Rhaenyra reconciled one final time before Viserys died AND were not too eager to immediately try murdering each other until Aemond fucked up and killed Lucerys).

If Alicent and Rhaenyra's friendship is to survive, then Rhae's dispute with Aegon cannot exist in the first place/needs to be solved without either of them truly losing. Anything else is just delaying or speeding up the inevitable.

[saucy-mesothelioma]

Meso's Mixtapes: Tabitha Scarlet

Jesus it's been a hot minute since I've done one of these.

I got into Scarlet Hollow one or two months ago when I got the game on sale then proceeded to play through it four separate times in one day, so it was only a matter of time before I wanted to contribute to the fanbase. And since it's been a while since I've done a playlist, I figured what better time than now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

9 to 5 by Dolly Parton

Gotta Get Up by Harry Nilsson (I think this song fits Tabitha for two reasons: one having to do with where I first heard this song, and the other being the actual lyrics. First: I was introduced to this song from the TV show Russian Doll, which deals with a woman trapped in a time loop of her 36th birthday [It's a good show, I highly suggest it]. This song plays at the beginning of every loop, and thanks to that I associate this song with having to get up for those monotonous days that feel like you're reliving the same day over and over again. Due to Tabitha's job and general demeanor, I highly doubt that she doesn't view her normal routine as being the exact same thing over and over again. Secondly, we have the actual lyrics for this song: "We used to carry on and drink and do the rock and roll | We never thought we'd get old, though | We never thought we'd grow cold, but now". When Tabitha was younger, she was able to prioritize her relationships rather than her work. She was able to hang out with her friends even with her mother constantly over her shoulder for the most part, but when she got older, she was forced to shift her focus to her work. She used to be able to go over to Stella's every day, but now she's got a mine to look after.)

Lucretia My Reflection by Sisters of Mercy

Barton Hollow by The Civil Wars

Alles im Griff (auf dem sinkenden Schiff) by Udo Jürgens (The primary theme of this song is saying that you're fine when everything is falling apart around you; the title basically translates to "Everything Under Control on the Sinking Ship". Despite all of the shit happening to Tabitha, her cousin, and her friends, her attitude always seems to be that of just bottling it up rather than really taking the time to completely process it, or at least that's how I see it. The ship of her life is slowly sinking, but she keeps going on as if things are more or less fine.)

Mrs. Bluebeard by They Might Be Giants

This Town by Jinkx Monsoon

Coal Miner's Daughter by Loretta Lyn (Ok yeah I couldn't help myself. The story of the song is so ironic when you compare it to that of the Scarlet family, but with the title is was too funny not to include in the list.)

Heroes by David Bowie

Dream a Little Dream of Me by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong

Get Out of My House by Kate Bush (Obvious secrets of Scarlet Estate aside, I think this song does a very good job of representing Tabitha's treatment of her relationships [both romantic and platonic]. The singer of this song is desperate to not only keep other's out of her life remove the "stains" of those she has previously let in. She's locked the door to her "house" and the mere suggestion of someone wanting to enter, no matter the reason, is cause for retaliation. One of the first things we really learn about Tabitha is that she's pretty much shut out those who were in her life, somewhat due to Pearlanne but also by her own means, and even with the player character she is still rather reluctant to fully let them in.)

Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now by The Smiths

Pressure by Billy Joel (It feels obvious to me that Tabitha was forced to grow up far quicker than she should have, primarily due to the expectations of her running the Scarlet Mines. She's had to deal with pressure her whole life: from her mother, from her job, and from the Scarlet legacy. She sees people like her cousin and Stella come in "with your faith and your Peter Pan advice", and especially in the case with her cousin she often laments that she is the one who must take on the pressures of the Scarlet name, primarily with the mine but also with the pain that their family has caused [such as with Charlie's payment of years].

Badlands by Bruce Springsteen

Poor Girl by X

Sans toi by Michel Legrand and Corinne Marchand (This is a song from the French new-wave film Cléo from 5 to 7, and it's a film that I personally think Tabitha would like because she can relate to parts of it)

My Silver Lining by First Aid Kit

I've No More Fucks to Give by Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq

Pretty Lavinia by American Murder Song

Kingdom Come by The Civil Wars (Despite feeling that the tone of this song fits her well, I also personally like the contrast it holds to Tabitha's view on her situation. Deep down, she wishes to run away like the subject of the song and have a peaceful, simple life of her own, but she feels unable and incapable of doing so. She can't fly away til kingdom come, because in her mind she has already fallen back into a fate she can't escape from.)

[ereardon]

Happy 30th birthday babe 😚

As someone who is entering their 20s got any advice? If you want to give some lmao

Aww thank you!!

Oh my GOSH yes I have so much! Literally never ask advice from me unless you want it lol because that's my personality I love to be the person who gives advice to friends.

Don't let fear make you miss out on things — solo traveling, taking that new job and leaving something comfortable, going on that date, etc

Prioritize friends who prioritize you. This one was hard for me but in my 20s I learned that people who make time for you are the ones worth your time and energy. All of my friends live in different cities and states and I make an effort with every single one of them and they do the same. People who you have to chase aren't worth your time.

Tell your family you love them! I lost my cousin when we were both 22. She was the closest thing I had to a sister, and I miss her all the time. I wish I could tell her I loved her one more time.

Invest in yourself. If you like workout classes over the gym, build that time into your schedule and budget for it if it's a priority. Buy the nicer sweater because it'll last 5x as long as the cheaper one. Dress up for work or a date or just to go run errands. If you feel better you'll be more successful!

Don't wait to do things. Drink the good wine on a Tuesday because why the hell not? Burn that special candle someone gifted you for no reason. Wear the pretty party dress you bought for a wedding out to dinner. Be your own main character!

Don't try to do too much. Feel free to narrow it down to what truly interests you. I spent way too much of my 20s trying to get into things I didn't really care about (critically acclaimed movies, workout classes that weren't a fit).

Don't be afraid to ask for help. Also, don't be afraid to voice your opinion or concern. I'm 30 and I still feel like a little kid sometimes when I share an opinion to someone older than me or maybe they're more advanced in their career or they hold a higher position than me. It's easy to feel intimidated by others and to think less of yourself. Guess what? They're just as scared and naive as you are! But maybe they hide it better. Don't be afraid to ask questions because you'll never know the answer if you don't.

You come first! Other people — romantic partners, even family — come second. Mental health is key. You can't care about people if you're not caring for yourself.

20s are great! You got this boo!

[wondereads]

Personal Review

The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker

Summary

All her life, Zilan and her two cousins have been preparing for the exams that would grant them government positions. Zilan, who strives to become a royal alchemist, uses her abilities to raise the dead to fund their studies. She hates the rich clients she works for, who fear death so much they eat gold infused with the power of immortality to stop their aging. However, when comparing making gold for the rich to a life of powerlessness, she will put aside her morals for her future.

Plot 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

The plot of this book is one of the best I've read in YA fantasy. While it starts with an exam and starts becoming more focused on rebellion, a not unheard of story in this genre, the way it is executed is simply amazing. The magic system and world, which really feels like historical China, pull you in, and there were so many good plot twists. While there might be some you're able to predict, there were plenty that completely knocked me off my feet. Then the material is a lot more mature and gory than one would expect from YA; it's visceral, and the consequences feel real.

The magic system of this book was perfect for this kind of story. There are rules and limitations introduced from the beginning that play a huge role in allowing those amazing plot twists to be executed. Also, I just find the inner workings of alchemy incredibly intriguing. The worldbuilding concerning the social situation of China during this alternate period also works really well for the plot. The decision to have the elixir of immortality imbued in gold was a great choice to both emphasize its wasteful, greedy nature and to exacerbate the wealth gap in a way that feels eerily similar to modern times.

Characters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Zilan is an amazing main character. It's quite common for YA books to have these hyper competent characters that are the best in their field. It's fun, but it can feel unrealistic and as if they don't really face many challenges. Zilan is incredibly skilled, and she can do things no one else can, but she has a lot to learn. Her time in the palace definitely shows that, and there are a lot of moments where she is too impulsive or simply doesn't know how to go about something. Her competency feels real with plenty of scenes exemplifying how hard she's worked, but she also learns throughout the book.

Zilan's relationship with her cousins, Yufei and Wenshu, so close they're more like siblings, was particularly interesting. One thing I really liked about this book was that although there is a romance subplot, most of the interpersonal conflict came from Zilan and her family. Their relationship is incredibly complex; they're obviously very close, but there are so many odd circumstances surrounding their lives that it can be hard to tell where they stand with each other, which is used for some very compelling conflict.

The aforementioned romance was pretty good in my opinion. I'd like to see it developed more, but I get the feeling that the kind of incomplete vibe I get from Zilan and Hong is on purpose. They're both at very vulnerable points in their lives, and they find comfort in each other, but they both have a lot of issues, and I really want to see how their relationship works in the second book. Finally, one of my favorite characters was the villain, Empress We Zetian. She is unapologetically evil, and she's truly terrifying. She didn't feel one-dimensional, but she was also totally irredeemable and a villain that really felt like a threat. She outsmarts Zilan on multiple occasions, and she really brought the more dark tone of the story into the spotlight.

Writing Style 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

The writing of this book was incredibly intense. It seems to prioritize modern readability over exactly matching the historical setting, but it rarely took me out of the story. This book honestly feels closer to NA than YA because of how dark and gory it was. As I mentioned previously, consequences in this book are horrifying and constant, taking a much more extreme turn than most YA books. There were moments where this book felt like it was verging on horror. For example, there is a scene where the empress and prince are eating gold in which they, while unchanged physically, become these voracious monsters, and it sent shivers down my spine.

I would say my one critique of this book would be that there are certain things that feel a little rushed. Trying not to spoil too much, that would be Zilan and Hong's situation, which sort of felt like it came out of nowhere, and when Zilan starts to take a more rebellious stand against the empress. However, it didn't detract from the enjoyability that much.

Overall 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

This book was absolutely stunning. The characters were amazing, the plot constantly took me by surprise, and the writing is a great blend of readable modern language and the intense style that usually accompanies fantasy. Zilan is an amazing main character; she’s competent without being perfect, she’s ruthless and driven without being completely heartless. Her cousins, Yufei and Wenshu, are particularly interesting, especially concerning their relationship with Zilan and how complicated it is. The love interest is a good balance to Zilan, though I hope to see their relationship develop more. Empress Zetian is a chilling and horrifying villain who is truly a terrifying opponent. The plot was constantly twisting and turning, keeping me on my toes, and while I found some moments a little too fast paced and would consider this more NA than YA, the overall quality of the story definitely makes me want to keep this at a full 10/10.

About the Author

Kylie Lee Baker: Japanese-Chinese-Irish-American, plays the cello, also wrote The Keeper of Night

About the Reviewer

My name is Wonderose, and I post a reading update every week with the occasional review and themed recommendation. I take suggestions, and you can check out my pinned post for more about me :)