#she’s literally the worst y’all I’ve been saying it for years

[evansbby]

haven’t i always said that selena gomez always plays the victim??? ALWAYS???

[coolestzed]

Alright, I’ve been holding this inside for years but I’m finally gonna say it.

Misako haters are actually fucking annoying at this point.

They always were to me, but now, they’re just OBJECTIVELY an annoyance. And they need to STOP.

They take literally ANY chance to slander her, even when it’s completely unwarranted. Like, I’d just look at a picture of her on Pinterest, and there’d be multiple comments going "the world’s worst mother". Or I’d see content about Koko and there’d always be comments comparing her and Misako and going like "Koko way better fuck Misako".

I’d even see a fucking meme and people would slander Misako. Like they couldn’t resist.

And that’s not even mentioning his people constantly make her seem way worse than she actually is. Im not gonna quote everything, but basically they act like she never does good things for Lloyd. That she doesn’t care about him at all! And it’s just- so WILDY out of character!! And it’s the same vice versa! I saw a funny Ninjago video the other day with a "your mom" joke and someone in the comments was like "jokes on you, Lloyd would never call Misako mom". I’m just?????? Yes he DOES????? ALL THE TIME???

People just act like their relationship is nonexistent! Like they don’t care about each other, or that Misako doesn’t care about Lloyd! Which is OBVIOUSLY not true!

People claim that she disappears every other season but the only seasons she was absent in are 12 and 13. Also, she has a job. She goes on expeditions. Obviously she’s not there 100% of the time. And she and Lloyd clearly spend time together off screen.

People don’t even acknowledge the reason why she left in the first place. They act like she dropped him off at a boarding school and dipped to take a vaycay. She was literally trying to stop her husband and son from having to fight to the death. You ever think about that? You ever think about how SHE felt in the situation? With her husband being consumed by evil and later being banished, and learning that he and their son would have to fight each other? She was HORRIFIED and GRIEVING! Ultimately she did it to save her family. It doesn’t make leaving Lloyd right but it’s understandable.

But apparently not to almost all of the fandom.

Most of y’all, completely ignore that, and everything else that came after season 2.

Misako constantly being worried about Lloyd in Tournament of Elements and Possession.

Both of them spending Day of the Departed together.

Her getting/building the Destiny’s Shadow as a birthday gift for Lloyd.

How she supported, fought beside, and risked her life for Lloyd in Hunted.

How she wanted to stay and fight with him during MoTO but only went inside because Lloyd urged her to protect the civilians.

Not to mention just their general interactions. THEY’RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO SEE EACH OTHER!!! Do you know how many times they hug?!

And this dialogue here:

"Aren’t you going to kiss your mother goodbye?"

"Mooom, we've-we've talked about this-"

WHAT MORE PROOF DO YOU NEED?!

Lloyd and Misako have a good, healthy and loving relationship. Misako has long since made up for her mistake and they’ve moved on.

Yet THE FANDOM REFUSES TO!!!

EVERYONE, TO THIS DAY, STILL TREATS HER LIKE THE FUCKING DEVIL!!!

I CAN’T EVEN COUNT THE NUMBER OF TIMES PEOPLE HAVE HAD OVERDRAMATIC TANTRUMS FROM HER JUST EXISTING.

IT MAKES ME SO UNREASONABLY ANGRY.

AND THE FACT THAT I’VE SOMEHOW BEEN SEEING EVEN MORE MISAKO HATE DURING AND AFTER MOTHERS DAY IS ACTUALLY APPALLING.

NOT EVEN FUCKING ENDEAVOR FROM MHA GETS THIS MUCH HATE AND HE’S DONE MUCH WORSE TO HIS FAMILY.

IT. HAS. BEEN. OVER. 16. SEASONS. AND. A. MOVIE.

GET. OVER. IT.

*deep breath*

Look, she’s not perfect. Obviously. She fucked up. But who in this series hasn’t? She came back, and she’s made sure to be a better mother to Lloyd. He forgave her, and they have a good relationship now. They’re close.

She wouldn’t be as hated if the writers didn’t do her dirty. Her introduction wasn’t handled the best, and having her and Lloyd have a more in depth discussion would’ve made the reunion and forgiveness feel less rushed and forced. That love triangle with Wu and Garmadon certainly didn’t do her any favors either. 😑

Regardless, her character’s gotten better over the seasons. Again, she and Lloyd and close and have a good relationship.

But hardly anyone acknowledges that, almost everyone in the fandom hyper fixates on that one mistake from years ago. They don’t pay attention to anything else. Like how she’s a better mother, or how she’s just a generally good person.

You aren’t supposed to judge characters or irl people solely on their past mistakes. Especially when they’ve already made up for them. Thats why the "Misako’s a horrible mother" statement is always bullshit to me.

Seriously, Misako’s been a part of Lloyd’s life longer than she’s been absent from it at this point.

The amount of passionate, unforgiving hate she gets is so undeserved and over the top. Too many people are projecting their own issues onto her. Or just being plain hateful. It’s not fair to define her entire character on a single mistake that she’s long made up for.

And it’s definitely not fair to people that actually like Misako. Often times on the few positive posts about her, there’d be Misako haters in the notes or reblogs complaining about her or insulting her, or just stating they hate her but love the content. And that is completely uncool and rude. It’s so unnecessary. You don’t do that, that’s so shitty. The again Misako haters have a habit of spouting unnecessary hate. Like it’s a terminal condition they have.

So, please, for the love of god, COOL IT. Stop and think, try to ACTUALLY look at her character without the veil of blind hatred.

If you still dislike or hate her, fine! But if you’re gonna detest her, at least hate her as she is and don’t make her worse than she actually is to justify hating her more.

And PLEASE stop bashing her at every turn, it’s annoying, upsetting, unwarranted, unnecessary, and just not good.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

[strawberrykidneystone]

Im not quite sure if you do various characters hcs? But how about Christmas time with like Sevika, Jinx, Vi, Ekko, Viktor, Silco, or any one really that you can or will write for?,!

CRACKS KNUCKLES IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ONE TURN IT UP

a/n: if they’re ooc im so sorry i’ve literally only ever written for sevika and vi before but i really want to try writing for all of them!!! also fuck it adding cait, mel and jayce in too

tysm for requesting anon <333

ANYWAYS

Christmas Time with Arcane Characters

sevika:

claims she’s not a “christmasy” person

did she cry when she watched the grinch with you? yes she did.

insisted on watching all 3 versions for comparison

gets really into grinch stuff

i’m talking pajamas, mugs, you even have a lit up fake dog with an antler tied to its head as decoration outside of your house

if you dress up at martha may you will not be walking for the next month

you sometimes catch her reciting lines while she’s busy doing chores

jinx:

oh she’s dragging you to all of the christmas light shows

yk how some zoos have zoolight nights or whatever?

yeah, y’all have annual passes

she still complains that you can’t actually see most of the animals and tries to yell at them to “wake them up” LMAO😭

literally SHOUTS whenever you pass a house that’s decorated with lights and insists that you stop to admire it

of course you oblige her because you also want to see the lights

she grabs your hand in hers as the lights reflect off her eyes, a joyous glow completely surrounding her

vi:

yk that scene in better off dead where he’s like “i’ve got this cousin that makes this monster eggnog made with motor oil”

that’s her

the spiked eggnog she makes is VILE

unless you realllllly like fireball with a drop of eggnog, then it’s good!!!

she makes the christmas dinner with a “kiss the cook” apron that jinx makes fun of her for

unfortunately she did have to kick you out because you were kissing the cook too often for her to focus

you almost made her burn the green beans!!!

ekko:

the WORST and i mean worst person to go christmas light decoration shopping with bc he’s like “i can literally make that for you at home”

shh it’s about the novelty and whimsy of buying things smh🙄

he drags you out of the store and spends the next few days making all of the decorations that you said you liked AND THEN SOME

he goes above and beyond, quite literally with the firelights stringing up lights up on the tree

once he’s done making the decorations, he gives you a smug grin as you admire them

“fine, you were right.” “i know, but it still feels good to hear you say it”

kisses your forehead before he’s pulled off to put up more decorations

viktor:

he would LOVE going on one of those hay rides that go around super decorated neighborhoods

idk if it’s everywhere but where i’m from there’s a certain neighborhood that has their electricity bill covered for like all of winter bc they’re all get SUPER into decorating and people pay to walk around

they also have hay rides that drive you through them so yes he would absolutely love that

i also feel like he would actually buys figgy pudding for carolers and is disappointed every year when none come LMAO

dw yall do karaoke to christmas songs and eat the pudding in the comfort of you own home

mel:

she’s has MULTIPLE christmas trees in your house, the main one being a huge white one with golden decorations that has all of your presents under it

the other “less aesthetic” trees have heirlooms and silly ornaments on them, but she loves them all the same

or so she claims

she has a mini tree in her nightstand that she treats like her baby complete it’s mini tinsel, ornaments, and even a lit up star on the top

she insists that it stays on when the two of you go to bed and you don’t have the heart to complain, plus it shines such a beautiful soft light on her that you can’t say no

goes to a LOT of holiday charity auctions with you on her arm and usually wins every bid, especially the items that catch your eye

jayce:

WHAT DO YALL KNOW ABOUT THE POLAR EXPRESS EXPERIENCE‼️‼️‼️

he'd be pressed up against the windows watching the landscape go by while the two of you are on the train

he’s BELLOWING all of the christmas carols and asks for extra marshmallows in his hot chocolate

the train ride is so much fun though and you’re both wearing matching pajamas of course

when santa comes and gives everyone their bells, he gives you his for safe keeping bc even though he KNOWS none of his pockets have holes, he’s still anxious about losing it

yes yes he knows that they arent the magic bells like in the movie, but he still smiles so brightly when they ring out

caitlyn:

she’s taking you to the nutcracker AND I DONT WANNA HEAR SHIT ABOUT BALLET BEING BORING I WAS A BALLERINA FOR 14 YEARS I DONT WANNA HEAR IT

anyways

the two of you get all dressed up and walk arm and arm into the theater, the lobby transformed as if you were stepping into clara’s party already

she def cries during the sugarplum fairy pas de duex

afterwards, the two of you stop at a little mom and pop diner and share a milkshake of your choosing<333

silco:

hosts the best christmas parties and always gives his employees a christmas bonus

only has 1 or 2 drinks at the party but loves seeing you get absolutely BLASTED

if they’re on the nice list that is

his favorite thing of the season by far is curling up with you by the fireplace and falling asleep in each others arms

even though he wakes up with a SERIOUS crick in his neck

[brattylikestoeat]

Y’all no one showed up to work last night. So imagine I get here at 2am and I’m tore the fuck up y’all, but I got here at 2am and she still here my big boss. She give me her keys, and door code (which I have my own) and left by 3am.

She talking about Mr predator will be here at 3am. I look at the schedule and he off today.

This man lied to her and said he was going to be here knowing he wasn’t.

So now I’m here with just the cleaning staff and we got people knocking at the door but I’m not letting them in cuz I’m not dealing with all these people at 4am.

They done threaten to call the Atlanta district person. I told them do what they gotta do, cuz I know it’s not gone fall on me.

This gone fall on predator and new boss. Both I want gone.

Predator made this schedule. He scheduled himself off and his lil boo that he fucking so they could both be laid up, don’t ask me how I know just know I know 👀👀👀.

So my boss text me, mind you she only been gone 75 mins. She has to be back at 830 for a conference call.

Am I going to make it worst? Absolutely gotta fan these flames cuz I want mr predator out of here. I never got over him cussing me out and I def never got over him having sex with that teen girl who ran away from home.

This happen like 4 years ago. It use to be this girl 15-17, don’t know her exact age but she was a minor and had ran away from home. She use to hang around our job for some reason, cuz the men gave her attention and a few dollars.

One day she stopped showing up and I didn’t see her for like 2 months. I saw her one day at a bus stop and asked if she was cool and how come I didn’t see her no more.

Apparently Mr predator gave her $20 and a happy meal, fucked her and told her not to come over there no more or he’ll call the police.

Now I do think part of the story is missing but he had no business treating that girl like that. Even now he’ll hit on young girls. He don’t care they age.

I say all that to say this. I’ve been praying on his downfall. But he one of those men who has charm. He literally can put a spell on women of age and older. They let him act and do what he want.

Can’t wait to see him gone.

[katnissmellarkkk]

Okay! So I literally haven’t done one of these in like almost a year but here’s a bookcomb of Katniss being on the receiving end of affection! I’m gonna have to do one for each book separately because, to my surprise, she was actually given love plenty of times. I also only included when she was on the receiving end, not the giving end, of affection. So not when she consoled Prim or tucked Peeta into the sleeping bag. Anyways, hope y’all enjoy.

-

My sister and my mother come first. I reach out to Prim and she climbs on my lap, her arms around my neck, head on my shoulder, just like she did when she was a toddler. My mother sits beside me and wraps her arms around us. For a few minutes, we say nothing.

-

And then the Peacekeeper is at the door, signaling our time is up, and we’re all hugging one another so hard it hurts and all I’m saying is “I love you. I love you both.”

-

“Promise you’ll wear it into the arena, Katniss?” she asks. “Promise?”

“Yes,” I say. Cookies. A pin. I’m getting all kinds of gifts today. Madge gives me one more. A kiss on the cheek. Then she’s gone and I’m left thinking that maybe Madge really has been my friend all along.

-

Finally, Gale is here and maybe there is nothing romantic between us, but when he opens his arms I don’t hesitate to go into them. His body is familiar to me — the way it moves, the smell of wood smoke, even the sound of his heart beating I know from quiet moments on a hunt — but this is the first time I really feel it, lean and hard-muscled against my own.

-

Cinna climbs up before us and ignites our headdresses. He lets out a sigh of relief. “It works.” Then he gently tucks a hand under my chin. “Remember, heads high. Smiles. They’re going to love you!”

-

It’s not until we enter the City Circle that I realize I must have completely stopped the circulation in Peeta’s hand. That’s how tightly I’ve been holding it. I look down at our linked fingers as I loosen my grasp, but he regains his grip on me. “No, don’t let go of me,” he says.

-

I dig my fingernails into my palms as my face comes up, expecting the worst. Then they’re flashing the number eleven on the screen.

Eleven!

Effie Trinket lets out a squeal, and everybody is slapping me on the back and cheering and congratulating me. But it doesn’t seem real.

-

“Katniss, the girl who was on fire,” says Cinna and gives me a hug. “Oh, wait until you see your interview dress.”

-

But instead of fleeing the room, the girl closes the door behind her and goes to the bathroom. She comes back with a damp cloth and wipes my face gently then cleans the blood from a broken plate off my hands. Why is she doing this? Why am I letting her?

“I should have tried to save you,” I whisper.

-

When all the garbage has been dropped down a disposal and the food cleaned away, she turns down my bed. I crawl in between the sheets like a five-year-old and let her tuck me in. Then she goes.

-

Effie takes both of us by the hand and, with actual tears in her eyes, wishes us well. Thanks us for being the best tributes it has ever been her privilege to sponsor. And then, because it’s Effie and she’s apparently required by law to say something awful, she adds “I wouldn’t be at all surprised if I finally get promoted to a decent district next year!”

Then she kisses us each on the cheek and hurries out, overcome with either the emotional parting or the possible improvement of her fortunes.

-

“Do you want to talk, Katniss?” Cinna asks.

I shake my head but after a moment hold out my hand to him. Cinna encloses it in both of his. And this is how we sit until a pleasant female voice announces it’s time to prepare for launch.

Still clenching one of Cinna’s hands, I walk over and stand on the circular metal plate. “Remember what Haymitch said. Run, find water. The rest will follow,” he says. I nod. “And remember this. I’m not allowed to bet, but if I could, my money would be on you.”

“Truly?” I whisper.

“Truly,” says Cinna. He leans down and kisses me on the forehead. “Good luck, girl on fire.”

-

Rue has decided to trust me wholeheartedly. I know this because as soon as the anthem finishes she snuggles up against me and falls asleep.

-

But I’m too exhausted to begin any detailed plan tonight. My wounds recovering, my mind still a bit foggy from the venom, and the warmth of Rue at my side, her head cradled on my shoulder, have given me a sense of security. I realize, for the first time, how very lonely I’ve been in the arena. How comforting the presence of another human being can be.

-

“This is an enormous improvement over the mud,” he says. “Clean clothes and medicine and a sleeping bag . . . and you.”

Oh, right, the whole romance thing. I reach out to touch his cheek and he catches my hand and presses it against his lips.

-

Peeta sits beside me, leaning against the wall, his bad leg stretched out before him, his eyes trained on the world outside. “Go to sleep,” he says softly. His hand brushes the loose strands of my hair off my forehead. Unlike the staged kisses and caresses so far, this gesture seems natural and comforting. I don’t want him to stop and he doesn’t. He’s still stroking my hair when I fall asleep.

-

My mother’s hand strokes my cheek and I don’t push it away as I would in wakefulness, never wanting her to know how much I crave that gentle touch. How much I miss her even though I still don’t trust her.

-

“No, it’s good. You need to eat. I’ll go hunting soon,” I say.

“Not too soon, all right?” he says. “You just let me take care of you for a while.”

I don’t really seem to have much choice. Peeta feeds me bites of groosling and raisins and makes me drink plenty of water. He rubs some warmth back into my feet and wraps them in his jacket before tucking the sleeping bag back up around my chin.

-

“I want to go home, Peeta,” I say plaintively, like a small child.

“You will. I promise,” he says, and bends over to give me a kiss.

-

“Well, he probably used up a lot of resources helping me knock you out,” I say mischievously.

“Yeah, about that,” says Peeta, entwining his fingers in mine. “Don’t try something like that again.”

-

“That’s exactly the kind of topic Haymitch told me to steer clear of,” I say evasively, although Haymitch never said anything of the kind. In fact, he’s probably cursing me out right now for dropping the ball during such an emotionally charged moment. But Peeta somehow catches it.

“Then I’ll just have to fill in the blanks myself,” he says, and moves in to me.

This is the first kiss that we’re both fully aware of. Neither of us hobbled by sickness or pain or simply unconscious. Our lips neither burning with fever or icy cold. This is the first kiss where I actually feel stirring inside my chest. Warm and curious. This is the first kiss that makes me want another.

But I don’t get it. Well, I do get a second kiss, but it’s just a light one on the tip of my nose because Peeta’s been distracted. “I think your wound is bleeding again. Come on, lie down, it’s bedtime anyway,” he says.

-

In stark contrast to two nights ago, when I felt Peeta was a million miles away, I’m struck by his immediacy now. As we settle in, he pulls my head down to use his arm as a pillow; the other rests protectively over me even when he goes to sleep. No one has held me like this in such a long time. Since my father died and I stopped trusting my mother, no one else’s arms have made me feel this safe.

-

I’d be the first to admit we’re not exactly riveting today. Starving, weak from injuries, trying not to reopen wounds. We’re sitting huddled together wrapped in the sleeping bag, yes, but mostly to keep warm. The most exciting thing either of us does is nap.

-

“You have a . . . remarkable memory,” I say haltingly.

“I remember everything about you,” says Peeta, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “You’re the one who wasn’t paying attention.”

“I am now.”

-

“Scoot over, I’m freezing.”

I make room for him in the sleeping bag. We lean back against the cave wall, my head on his shoulder, his arms wrapped around me.

-

I scoot over and shake Peeta’s shoulder. His eyes open sleepily and when they focus on me, he pulls me down for a long kiss.

-

I cover his mouth with my hand, but I’m laughing. “Stop! Cato could be right outside our cave.”

He grabs my hand away. “What do I care? I’ve got you to protect me now,” says Peeta, pulling me to him.

“Come on,” I say in exasperation, extricating myself from his grasp but not before he gets in another kiss.

-

“I whistled. Why didn’t you whistle back?” I snap at him.

“I didn’t hear. The water’s too loud, I guess,” he says. He crosses and puts his hands on my shoulders. That’s when I feel that I’m trembling.

“I thought Cato killed you!” I almost shout.

“No, I’m fine.” Peeta wraps his arms around me, but I don’t respond. “Katniss?”

I push away, trying to sort out my feelings. “If two people agree on a signal, they stay in range. Because if one of them doesn’t answer, they’re in trouble, all right?”

-

Twenty-one tributes are dead, but I still have yet to kill Cato. And really, wasn’t he always the one to kill? Now it seems the other tributes were just minor obstacles, distractions, keeping us from the real battle of the Games. Cato and me.

But no, there’s the boy waiting beside me. I feel his arms wrap around me.

[…]

We stand there a while, locked in an embrace, feeling each other, the sunlight, the rustle of the leaves at our feet. Then without a word, we break apart and head for the lake.

-

We hear him hit, the air leaving his body on impact, and then the mutts attack him. Peeta and I hold on to each other, waiting for the cannon, waiting for the competition to finish, waiting to be released.

-

“Are you cold?” he asks. He unzips his jacket and I press against him as he fastens it around me. It’s a bit warmer, sharing our body heat inside my double layer of jackets, but the night is young. The temperature will continue to drop. Even now I can feel the Cornucopia, which burned so when I first climbed it, slowly turning to ice.

“Cato may win this thing yet,” I whisper to Peeta.

“Don’t you believe it,” he says, pulling up my hood, but he’s shaking harder than I am.

-

“Why don’t they just kill him?” I ask Peeta.

“You know why,” he says, and pulls me closer to him.

-

He holds my gaze for a long moment then lets me go. I loosen the top of the pouch and pour a few spoonfuls of berries into his palm. Then I fill my own. “On the count of three?”

Peeta leans down and kisses me once, very gently. “The count of three,” he says.

-

Peeta pulls me to the lake where we both flush our mouths with water and then collapse into each other’s arms.

-

I turn and see them all waiting in a big chamber at the end of the hall — Effie, Haymitch, and Cinna. My feet take off without hesitation. Maybe a victor should show more restraint, more superiority, especially when she knows this will be on tape, but I don’t care.

I run for them and surprise even myself when I launch into Haymitch’s arms first. When he whispers in my ear, “Nice job, sweetheart,” it doesn’t sound sarcastic. Effie’s somewhat teary and keeps patting my hair and talking about how she told everyone we were pearls. Cinna just hugs me tight and doesn’t say anything.

-

It’s a relief to be alone with Cinna, to feel his protective arm around my shoulders as he guides me away from the cameras, down a few passages and to an elevator that leads to the lobby of the Training Center.

-

When the elevator doors open, Venia, Flavius, and Octavia engulf me, talking so quickly and ecstatically I can’t make out their words. The sentiment is clear though. They are truly thrilled to see me and I’m happy to see them, too, although not like I was to see Cinna.

-

Haymitch’s eyes shift around my musty holding space, and he seems to make a decision. “But nothing. How about a hug for luck?”

Okay, that’s an odd request from Haymitch but, after all, we are victors. Maybe a hug for luck is in order. Only, when I put my arms around his neck, I find myself trapped in his embrace.

-

“Your only defense can be you were so madly in love you weren’t responsible for your actions.” Haymitch pulls back and adjusts my hairband. “Got it, sweetheart?” He could be talking about anything now.

-

“But you think I’m not?” I say, taking the opportunity to straighten a bright red bow tie Cinna must have wrestled him into.

“Since when does it matter what I think?” says Haymitch. “Better take our places.” He leads me to the metal circle. “This is your night, sweetheart. Enjoy it.” He kisses me on the forehead and disappears into the gloom.

-

Then there’s Peeta just a few yards away. He looks so clean and healthy and beautiful, I can hardly recognize him. But his smile is the same whether in mud or in the Capitol and when I see it, I take about three steps and fling myself into his arms. He staggers back, almost losing his balance, and that’s when I realize the slim, metal contraption in his hand is some kind of cane. He rights himself and we just cling to each other while the audience goes insane. He’s kissing me and all the time I’m thinking, Do you know? Do you know how much danger we’re in?

-

I sit so close to Peeta that I’m practically on his lap, but one look from Haymitch tells me it isn’t enough. Kicking off my sandals, I tuck my feet to the side and lean my head against Peeta’s shoulder. His arm goes around me automatically, and I feel like I’m back in the cave, curled up against him, trying to keep warm.

-

Caesar Flickerman gives me a warm hug when I come in. “Congratulations, Katniss. How are you faring?”

“Fine. Nervous about the interview,” I say.

“Don’t be. We’re going to have a fabulous time,” he says, giving my cheek a reassuring pat.

-

We sit somewhat formally on the love seat, but Caesar says, “Oh, go ahead and curl up next to him if you want. It looked very sweet.” So I tuck my feet up and Peeta pulls me in close to him.

-

I can feel Peeta press his forehead into my temple and he asks, “So now that you’ve got me, what are you going to do with me?”

I turn in to him. “Put you somewhere you can’t get hurt.” And when he kisses me, people in the room actually sigh.

-

“Yes, it’s your fault I’m alive,” says Peeta.

“He’s right,” says Caesar. “He’d have bled to death for sure without it.”

I guess this is true, but I can’t help feeling upset about it to the extent that I’m afraid I might cry and then I remember everyone in the country is watching me so I just bury my face in Peeta’s shirt. It takes them a couple of minutes to coax me back out because it’s better in the shirt, where no one can see me, and when I do come out, Caesar backs off questioning me so I can recover.

-

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Peeta extend his hand. I look at him, unsure. “One more time? For the audience?” he says. His voice isn’t angry. It’s hollow, which is worse. Already the boy with the bread is slipping away from me.

I take his hand, holding on tightly, preparing for the cameras, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go.

-

[carigm]

Today Millie had a fan panel in which she answered that her ideal ending would be Mike and El getting married and Will being happy and confessing to Mike (lol) and ofc the Stranger Things fandom kicked up the old Byler vs Mlvn war once again, regardless of the fact she doesn’t write the show. But I want to break down some points here about things I’ve been noticing today, but also for a while and that I think need to be discussed. Keep reading if you want.

I’ve seen a lot of hostility towards Byler and Bylers on Twitter lately, saying we’re delusional and don’t know what we’re talking about. This always seems to be the go to argument even tho it’s all in the narrative. Today it got really bad after Millie’s comments and even people that were merely disagreeing with her opinions got called everything from delusional to misogynistic.

IF the Duffers suddenly decided to ignore everything they’ve carefully crafted and put into their narrative that doesn’t make anyone delusional, it just makes them terrible writers. Who would be doing a great disservice to all three characters involved in the love triangle.

There’s been an insurgence (on Twitter) of so called “Will stans” who seem to be completely fine with the idea of mlvn being endgame because “Will can just get another boyfriend” Not only is this insulting to what the writers have already established for Will’s character but it’s also a defense and endorsement of the worst kind of lazy/bad writing that could graze our screens.

The Duffers CHOSE to tie Will’s character arc to Mike’s and El’s.

How do you expect them to undo that and create a well fleshed out character that’s deserving of Will, in 8 episodes that we know are not just gonna be dedicated to Will’s supposed love interest, because there’s a shit ton of stuff to resolve?

If this was the route the Duffers were going for, they could’ve clearly given Will a love interest last season (like with Robin) or two seasons ago (like with Dustin) And yet somehow, people think it would be totally okay for Will to get the most meaningless romance of all time as the writers ignore the same story they’ve created.

Another point I’ve been seeing a lot from these people is “Mike won’t come out. Let it go. He’s just a very unlikable character” What does that say about the quality of the writing and content you’re willing to consume then? You’re okay with characters being poorly written? And please someone explain to me how Mike’s actions, especially in S4, make any sense unless he likes Will.

The more people try to simplify this story the more plot holes and inconsistencies it creates.

The funny thing is that a lot of these “Will stans” used to be Bylers themselves but are so deathly afraid it won’t be endgame that they’ve started to use the same rhetoric mlvns use every day to justify what would be atrocious writing.

And this next thing might be controversial but I think it needs to be said.

So many people on Twitter have hit those who disagree with Millie’s opinion today with “y’all are misinterpreting Millie’s words” and let me tell you, no one has. She’s been saying the same stuff for forever and quite frankly she’s never had a coherent thought about Will. Which is fine, at the end of the day that’s not the character she plays. However, I haven’t forgotten how last year (at another panel) she was asked about Byler and said it was just a reflection of Finn and Noah’s friendship and that was what people were seeing…

Whatever the fuck that means, I guess.

Again, I’m not taking her answer today too seriously cause truth be told she’s been saying some version of this since she was around twelve, and has even at times said she was joking about it. If a wedding were actually happening she wouldn’t be able to say it cause I’d literally be a spoiler, even if she doesn’t have the scripts yet or doesn’t know I’m sure there’s things that would be off limits for any actor to say at this point.

But this defense squad that formed today begging for us to not misconstrue her words because “she really cares about Will’s character” is laughable.

Her answers regarding the topic of the love triangle have been anything but nuanced. If she doesn’t want to get into it or address it, that’s fine. It’s her choice.

But of course, mlvn stans are gonna take her answers seriously, as well as those who are now “Will stans” who basically ship mlvn too.

And to me there’s a fundamental flaw regarding the ship wars in this fandom, which these people don’t seem to grasp. At this point, it isn’t so much about “which ship is better” but “which outcome isn’t violently homophobic”

That’s it.

I don’t care how much you ship mlvn, this is the undisputed truth here.

But when your lead actors act like it’s not a big deal, it’s no surprise the fandom doesn’t give a shit.

I can only hope the Duffers were smart enough to see reason and were able to write the only outcome that won’t set television back around 10 years or so.

And hopefully one day, when S5 is out, we can get a more in depth and honest conversation with the actors about all of this.

As for me, I’m gonna lay low and not give much of a fuck until we start getting those Reddit leaks, which were very much accurate for last season. I’ll take a peak at those, and depending on what they look like, I’ll stay around or dip completely.

If you read all of this, thank you.

[local-redhead-bookworm]

Some of the people in the Stranger Things fandom are absolute boneheads. I don’t care about whatever degree in psychology you have, if you think an 18-year-old boy who

was abandoned by his mother and left to live with his abusive father

was actively being abused up until he got flayed

had clear abandonment issues

showed behaviors that could easily fall into anxiety and/or PTSD or CPTSD

was groomed by a woman old enough to be his mom

was possessed by the Mind Flayer and was robbed of all bodily autonomy

sacrificed himself for the first person to show him kindness and compassion

used his final words to apologize to his sister

deserves to die, then you didn’t pay enough attention in those psychology classes, you don’t understand how abuse shapes people and the different effects it can have, and you should never, ever be allowed to practice. You don’t deserve a license if you think someone is undeserving of help.

“He was racist” debatable. Dacre has expressly stated he didn’t play Billy as racist, in spite of the Duffers’ initial attempts to write him that way, the original script even including “a far nastier piece of language” in regard to Lucas. Even the Duffers aren’t 100% sure if Billy is racist. And if Billy is racist, this is a small conservative Midwest town in the 80s and Billy is a Californian. He’s definitely not the worst one there. Most importantly, racism is learned and can be unlearned.

“He’s abusive” highly unlikely. The most we see is him yelling at Max once and grabbing her wrist once. This is all just after a very sudden move too, which inevitably makes things strained between family members. Even Max says that Billy wasn’t behaving that way before the move. Also if he was as abusive as y’all say he is, she wouldn’t be flipping him off, back-talking him, snooping around his room, and talking about him like he’s her annoying gross older brother. If he were abusive, she would be more scared of him.

“He tried to run over the kids” do you really think he would have risked jail time? Really? If he had actually wanted to run them over, Max wouldn’t have been able to turn the wheel.

“He tried to get with a married woman” I think you mean that a grown woman with a husband and children was sexually interested in an underaged boy and pursued him for nine months, was willing to have sex with him as soon as he was legal, stalked him to the point of having his work schedule memorized, and showed up at his workplace just so she could ogle him. It doesn’t matter that Billy initiated the flirting, Karen is an adult and she knows better. She only backed out because she didn’t want to ruin her own cushy life by sleeping with Billy, not because she realized that sleeping with a boy young enough to be her son was wrong.

“He’s homophobic” he’s quite literally not. There’s zero indication of that. He’s actually one of only three characters to be called a homophobic slur (the other two being Will and Jonathan). You’re making things up now.

Your arguments are boring and baseless, and your treatment of anyone who likes Billy is abominable. The sheer amount of horrendous things I’ve seen my friends be called because they like Billy (racial slurs, victim blaming, weight shaming, suicide baiting, saying they deserved the abuse they experienced, wishing death and rape on them) is actually disgusting. Behave like civilized people, stay in your lane, and if something upsets you that much, don’t interact with it.

[sturniolo-rat]

Too Sweet: Prologue

Matthew Sturniolo X Reader

A/N: I did a poll to see if y’all wanted this but I already had it written so it was a trick question 😌😌😌💕

Contains: literally nothing, no smut no fluff just story

TW: alcohol abuse?, drunk driving, existential dread

Matt is an optimistic do gooder on his way to Redwood University to start his masters degree. He’s far from home but he feels like the world is at his fingertips.

Cricket is a high school drop out going nowhere fast. She’s deeply unhappy with her job as a bartender at a tavern frequented by Dungeons and Dragons larpers.

They can’t help but feel drawn to each other, but is he too sweet for her?

This is what they were doing the morning of the day they met.

Y/N’s Pov

It’s 8 am on a Tuesday. I take a shot of fireball in preparation for my 12 hour shift at The Enchanted Mushroom Tavern and Inn. It is a belief commonly held that taverns and inns only exist in dungeons and dragons. This is false, as all well loved imaginary things come to life with time. That’s a fancy way of saying this place was built for people who LARP and I have to pretend I’m a medieval bar wench.

I squeeze myself into my costume that consists of an off white shirt with puffy off the shoulder sleeves, a mossy green skirt with a tattered and uneven hem, and a brown corset over top that I will note is Elizabethan and not medieval. The woefully inaccurate uniform isn’t the worst part of the job though. While at work my name is no longer Y/N it’s Petronella Epworth the fucking third and I wear the dumbass name tag to prove it.

“Let’s go, Phoebe!” I yell from our living room. I’ve never been a patient woman. Not even when we were kids. We met in kindergarten when she was hesitant going down the big slide at the park and I decided she was taking too long and pushed her. I’m bitch but I’m an insanely efficient, hardworking bitch that gets what she wants.

“Give me a minute!” She’s been working at the Tavern with me for a year and a half, and I’m always 15 minutes early for work. Because we carpool, she is always 15 minutes early for work, which has given her a reputation of reliability that she does not deserve. Phoebe has a few redeeming qualities to make up for her flakiness. When I need her, and she actually shows up, she’s unreasonably nurturing. One time, when I got sick after I dropped out of high school, she played hooky and stayed in my family’s trailer to take care of me. She brought ingredients for homemade soup and blankets. Nice blankets, too, the fleece ones that go on sale around Christmas time. The book she stole from her mother’s collection to read to me was the highlight of my week. It was called “My Alpha Mate.” The main character was an omega, and her love interest was an alpha. I think they were like werewolves or something. It was extremely smutty.

“I’ll just wait in the car, then!” There’s a loud thud as I close the front door. My van is objectively shitty. It’s a 1998 Nissan Quest that I’ve named Ted. I do, however, feel that if you’re 24 and own a van, you ought to be either a mother or a hippie with that cool Volkswagon. My vehicle doesn’t match me at all, but at least he carts around all the shit I own that doesn’t fit in my apartment. While I wait in the driver’s seat, I take a swig from the flask I keep in the car—fireball, of course, always fireball. I take a long look at myself in my rearview mirror and wonder what I’m doing with my life.

Matt’s Pov

It’s 8 am on a Tuesday and the sun is shining down on me through the sunroof of my car. My phone vibrates in my pocket and I already know it’s one of my brothers.

We’re triplets and have never been apart for more than 3 days at a time. When I was getting my bachelors degree they got an apartment two blocks away from my dorm. Chris and Nick never went to college and started a clothing brand called Fresh Love and a chapstick brand called Space Camp. Safe to say my lips are well moisturized. I’m actually wearing gray Fresh Love sweatpants right now. They’re very comfortable and perfect for long drives. I’m embarking on a 10 hour road trip to my new apartment near Redwood University where I will be studying for the next 5 years. My brothers think I’m absolutely insane for moving this far away from home.

“Chris, you know I hate answering the phone while I’m driving.” He does this on purpose to piss me off, but when I get into an accident because he divided my attention, he’s going to be sorry.

“Dude, did you know Red U’s mascot is a booby.”

“Yes, I did.” I most certainly did not know that.

Nick chimes in because, of course, Nick is there too. They’re never far apart. “Okay, but, listen to me when I say this, Matt, it’s a blue-footed booby at Red U.” He puts emphasis on blue and red. “Doesn’t that bother you? It bothers us!”

“Why on earth would that bother me? I’m not going for the sports anyway.” It bothers me a great deal. I can’t believe I have to rep the Redwood blue-footed boobies. This will surely tarnish the Sturniolo family name.

“Shut up!” says Chris. “I know it bothers you, and that’s why you have to turn that car around immediately and come back home.”

“Chrissy, I love you and Nick the most, but I have to go. I’ve got a scholarship and a once-in-a-lifetime internship.” Red U is home to one of the most prestigious research labs in America, and I have an internship there. It’s the whole reason I applied to the university; the scholarship was just an added bonus—the perks of being a straight-A student.

He groans, “I know. We know you’re going to go out and do great things.”

We’re just gonna miss our little Mattmallow,” adds Nick in that weird baby voice people use sometimes. My heart sinks at the use of my childhood nickname.

“I’m gonna miss you guys too.” More than I’ve missed anyone ever.

“Alright, man. I’m gonna leave you alone. I know you hate talking and driving,” Nick says, and I know he’s feeling a little uncomfortable.

“Love you, guys.”

“Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

The line goes dead and I know I should feel some sort of sadness but really I just feel loved. I am deeply loved, my future is bright, and I feel like today is an omen.

Masterlist

Taglist

@wurlibydominicfike @yourmumscar69 @69isabella69 @mattsturniolosgf @mrsmiagreer since you guys liked the Too Sweet poll post

[britcision]

So I’m thinking about this again and I think a lot of the dislike for Vivienne comes from missing the metatextual layers of her character

Obviously she’s always a bitch and I love that for her, 10/10 step on me energy and if she was lighter she’d have been Lady Dimitrescu a few years early

But there are two different layers of subtext that I can see in her character that at the very least have made it really hard for people to explain why they don’t like her

Long and involved discussion below the cut, pack a lunch

Let’s start with the most common complaints:

1) she’s mean. Y’all love that in plenty of other characters though, so there’s something different about Vivienne that makes her being mean so much more offensive

(I wonder what it could be.)

She’s even mean in an overly polite, very delicate way with lots of honeyed compliments and stark disagreements

2) she’s a cop apologist who thinks the circle system works

Ignoring for the moment that people seem to have far less animosity for Cullen, who Literally Is A Cop and believes all the same things

(I wonder why.)

This is where the metatextual layers come in though, so bear with me:

Vivienne’s view point, that the circles are essentially good and while Kirkwall clearly wasn’t and needed to be destroyed, that was the exception instead of the rule, is the dominant viewpoint in the game

Even hanging out with the mage rebellion at Redcliffe, the greatest concentration of mages who should be pissed about the circle, every single minor mage NPC is against the rebellion

They’d rather be in the circles, but left because otherwise they’d be alone and murdered

There MUST be a number of mages who’ve experienced the worst of the circles; enough of them voted to rebel to carry these outliers like a tide

You never fucking talk to them

Not one

Fiona, the leader who started the vote to rebel, has nice things to say about templars if you speak to her, and still wants to reform the circles. She’s just realised it won’t work from within, and accidentally almost sold the mages into indentured servitude (if you picked the mage route)

This isn’t a subtle thread, it’s glaringly obvious if you pay even a little attention. Even mages who started as apostates tell you the templars are not all bad, and “it’s complicated”

Now, I haven’t played DA2 or seen a full play through, so this part is pure speculation, but.

The biggest complaint I see about DA2 is that you can’t help Anders blow up the chantry.

You have to be shocked by it, despite giving him the dynamite, and everything about how DAI refers to it tries to push that he was an extremist and hurt the mages more than helping them

(Also mysteriously every circle Cullen is at tends to fail soon after, despite him being extremely pro templars. Very interesting, completely unrelated)

And I think that’s why you’re surrounded on all sides by “not all templars” in DAI

I think someone at the top level was fundamentally confused by the reaction to DA2, because I think someone at that level thinks the moral quandary of the game is “who’s right, the mages or the templars”, and they think it’s a 50-50

That’s why you can pick either side with equal weighting

They think there is not a right or wrong answer to this question

We shall be calling this the Supervisor level, since I’ve no idea who or where they are, but they’re definitely near the top rung because holy fuck DAI is beating us to death with “well free mages are bad actually and some templars are lovely people”

I think that the Supervisor level think Vivienne is right

This is a game that has gone to great lengths to portray racial equality (and emphasise species inequality as a metaphor that it clearly understands is bad), that worked hard to make incredible, gorgeously under-toned and perfectly lit dark skin options

All of the default heads for all of the playable races come with two gorgeous POC options that are hot out of the box

Vivienne herself is a character they’ve given the world to; she’s beautiful, powerful, independent, strong willed, beginning in by far the best position of any of the companions

Her first scene is her stepping in to effortlessly undercut an encounter with a pissy noble that you as the PC were not given a win condition for

She is the most influential mage in the game, Fiona is undercut by Alexis before even appearing, the Tevinter magisters are all suspect because who knows who is Venatori, Dorian is a pariah and a rogue, Solas is an isolated apostate

Vivienne is in the running to be the next fucking Divine if she joins the party

The people who approved each level of plot for this game gave this beautiful Black woman the world at her feet, persuasive dialog options, and the most widely supported opinion in the world of the game

(She’s not wrong that right after Kirkwall’s explosion is a bad time for a rebellion and makes it look like mages support murder; she just fundamentally does not understand that there would NEVER be a right time or how badly the other mages were being mistreated

She’s isolated on a glowing cloud of privilege, yet never mentions her childhood or early days at the circles )

Dorian will happily tell you that the Tevinter circles pretty much are what Vivienne thinks the Orlais circles should be; well established schools of learning and study where mages are protected and given room to grow

(He also admits disappointment that their templars are toothless and don’t actually investigate who’s doing the human sacrifices unless they’re poor or not well connected)

So our first meta textual layer shows that to the Supervisors, Vivienne is right. It should not be almost impossible to get high approval with her, because players should not all be on the side of mages

They specifically use mages to push “free mages are dangerous” because it’s harder to argue against

They’re prepared for people to go that route anyway, that route exists, but they expected it to be a pretty much even split, and for grey areas like “the circles are bad, but mages still need to be watched because demons will possess them” to be a strong part of the mage route

Even if you ally with the mages freely, you can tell every single ally in every single conversation that you lied, they aren’t free, you’re going to keep them in line

And this brings us to meta textual layer 2:

Someone (or a group) in the writing staff understands the actual dilemma of the game perfectly:

The templars are wrong, the circles are an oppressive system that cannot be fixed from within, and you are only barely able to advocate for them to be treated as people, against constant and heavy resistance

This shines through in ways that could almost be seen as coincidence, which is why I think the power balance is set up this way

Sera says it best when asked where she stands on the mage and templar war:

In the middle, because you only hear about mages when one gets possessed and blows people up, and you only hear about templars when they decide to steal a bunch of maybe-mages

On the surface, this sounds like a pretty flat 50-50, both sides are bad so why take a side

But when you actually look at the words…

You hear about mages when their bodies are taken without control and they are forced to do terrible things

You hear about templars when they decide of their own free will that they want to kidnap random people and make sure no one ever looks for them

Only the templars have agency in these examples

There’s also the simple fact that the main baddies in the first part of the game are rebel mages and rogue templars

Rebel mages are fighting for their freedom, notably split off from the main body of the rebellion, who have run for their lives and are hiding

Rogue templars just decided to stay behind when their powerful and influential leaders decided to pull out and stop protecting people, and none of the “good” templars tried to stop them

You are deadass not permitted to bring this up when you first go to Val Royeaux and the templars fully withdraw to their keep

It wouldn’t fucking go anywhere because ✨plot reasons✨ but the fact that there isn’t even an option to say “by the way come pick up your trash” feels telling

Nothing is stopping all these good templars, that we are constantly being told exist and have mage partners and all that, from trying to do something about the rogues who are murdering just anyone they come across

There is no system to stop the bad templars, or abuses in the circles, because the system is not set up to protect mages

It is set up to contain them, and keep them from causing trouble. Whether you do that by keeping them happy and compliant or beaten and locked in solitary isolation does not matter to the system

But guess which one is easier, cheaper, and inevitable without any kinds of checks to make sure that the good templars are the ones in charge?

In this layer, Vivienne is laughably uninformed about… well, everything that goes on not under her nose

She’s so sure she’s the last First Enchanter left because she lives outside her circle, has the perspective of what common people believe, understands the political timing in the way the other mages

(Who are surely all just as comfortable and well off in their towers as Vivienne herself, who lives in a palace and visits the circle when she wants to)

can’t possibly grasp. Her whole first recruited dialogue is a list of increasingly passionate “why couldn’t they just sit tight and bear it until a better time came”

If you push all the way down she becomes more and more emotional each time, from her cool façade of “I know best, they’re being foolish” all the way to “they made it look like mages support murder”

It’s beautiful animation, incredibly complex and nuanced, and easy to miss if you write her off as a cop apologist and don’t drill down

I seriously doubt she even knows what restrictions were imposed by any of the circles, possibly including her own, cuz they sure as shit did not apply to her

Her party dialogue with Cole is actually another really good example of her just… not knowing what to do when the information she was given is wrong

She starts full of certainty, confident she knows more about demons than Cole or Solas (he asks why she’s scared of him but Solas isn’t, it’s adorable)

She accuses Cole of wanting to be more than friends with Solas, asking if he wants to possess Solas and keep him forever and stay out of the Fade with utter conviction

Cole understandably gets upset and tells her that he fully can’t go back to the Fade, and sometimes wishes he could

The motivation she’s ascribed to him deadass does not work, has been easily disproven in two sentences, and the conversation ends

Vivienne never replies, because this information doesn’t fit her worldview and she therefore doesn’t know what to do with it but write it off as a lie

Because on this level, which we will call the Writer level because it is most visible in the script, Vivienne is so much more than a cop apologist

Vivienne is the perfect demonstration of how an oppressive system cannot be changed from within, and what happens to those who try

Vivienne does not approve of abusive circles; she’ll tell you right off Kirkwall needed to be shut down

She just assumes that her circle experience is the more common one. That most of the circles are as lenient as hers, letting people live off campus if they have the right friends

Hearing her talk about the circles is actually a lot like hearing Dorian talk about the Tevinter circles (and yet he also doesn’t receive half as much hate.

How mysterious.)

Vivienne really thinks that the circles are all nice, comfortable institutions of learning and protection, and the mages who rebelled are brats who want to put their comfort over lives

She thinks circles like Kirkwall are outliers that need fixing, though preferably not by explosion

If Vivienne becomes Divine, Orlais circles go back to what they were, because she does not see the problems, does not listen to common people, and is comfortable under the status quo

It’s a fascinating combination of arrogance and misplaced modesty; Vivienne is special, incredible, the best for a reason. But she also thinks anyone else could have done as well, if they only applied themselves

That any other mage, in any other circle, could and would have her sphere of comfort and protection if they only tried

The system needs mages like Vivienne, powerful, cunning, persuasive mages, because they are its greatest weapon

She’s given a position of relative power and influence specifically to stop her from changing the system to what she believes it should be, by making her believe it has already been done

She defends the system from outside change because if it works for her, it must work for everyone, and they’re just being petulant, and she is isolated from anyone who could show her she’s wrong

She’s surrounded by the upper echelon of templars, who either have the appearance of being good, kind, noble protectors, or may actually be in her own position;

Being cosseted to keep them from making changes

It doesn’t actually matter if every single circle has fallen to the depths of depravity, abusing every mage inside it in obvious physical ways

What matters is that every single one of them can, and would the second one of the bad templars that everyone agrees are there, bad, and should be dealt with, got into power

There is nothing to stop any circle from becoming Kirkwall or worse, and that is why the system needs to be burned down from the ground up

They are jails, and the templars see themselves as jailers over people who never did anything wrong

If you wonder how that goes IRL, check out the Stanford Prison Experiment, then remind yourself that in the eyes of the templars being born a mage is a crime

And if you go wandering around and talk to everyone you can… there’s a Tranquil woman in Skyhold, your new creature researcher, Helisma Derington

(and HOLY SHIT the Tranquil will be a story for another fucking time, for now let’s leave it at “mages are uncomfortable around them and encouraged to see them as less than people for a reason”)

And Helisma will tell you she was made Tranquil not because of her magic, but because she was willful. That the time before she was made Tranquil was emotionally trying, but she doesn’t remember why

And ooooooh do I ever want her to have a talk with Vivienne, because holy fucking hell there but for the grace of God and all that, this lady cannot be a coincidence

And the Tranquil can’t lie

On this level, it’s actually much more important that Vivienne is a Black woman, and an intelligent, independent, powerful, canny Black woman at that

Because it shows that the system can and does work on anyone

There’s no identity that magically makes you aware of the inner workings of oppression, and you can’t opt out by being clever

Vivienne being so intelligent, so independent, so strong willed, is what makes her so very desirable to the system; she will be so much better at defending it once she is on the inside

Because oppressive systems that can be changed from within don’t last a decade. No matter how much you think so, you’re never the first to decide to change it

That’s why the system is built specifically to channel clever, capable, strong willed people into one of two paths: Vivienne’s, or Helisma’s

First the certainty that just kicking the system down and starting over would be so much worse. It’s dangerous, scary, and unfamiliar

Then the lure. Surely a Good Person at the top could fix all the problems. You can be the Good Person, make all of the changes, the system worked for you so it must have the potential to work for anyone if you can just fix those little problems

The isolation, being kept away or not seeing the people for whom it doesn’t work, never has, never will

Turning you against those who want to tear the system down, because clearly it’s personal. They don’t believe in you, they don’t think you can do it. You just have to show them, prove you’re right, if they’d just sit down and behave you could fix it all.

But do you need to? It’s already worked for you. It works under your nose, where you can see it

It’s nice, comfortable to be a mage in your circle, and you can’t be everywhere. The templars can keep their own people in line, they have the seekers for that

It’s too much money, too much work to look into every circle every day, week, year to make sure that no one is abusing the system, because the system itself is good

And frankly, that is a good chunk of why I enjoy Vivienne so much

She’s so utterly convinced she knows best, and the other mages just don’t understand, but she’s the one who really has no idea what’s going on

She’s so smart, classy and sassy, funny, and we will never hit a single point of agreement because she’s deadass just wrong

And there is just the smallest chance that if you keep her out of the system long enough, if you could introduce her to the right people and experiences in the Inquisition, she’d see how the system was using her

(And oh BOY would that ever be something)

And if she doesn’t? She has the same beliefs as more than half your companions. Wants the same things and speaks the same way as 90% of the minor NPCs in the game

(Seriously they are SO heavy handed with the “both sides” rhetoric that has to be intentional too)

Most of your allies disapprove of allying with the mages, though only your companions get the immediate little flash on screen

(You don’t get Viv’s Greatly Disapproves until the next time you talk to her, so you could probably technically avoid it and never speak to her again)

Cullen, Josephine, and Leliana are all quick to tell you you shouldn’t have done it, and should have talked to them before making a decision (I think there’ll be some disapproval if you freely ally with the templars too, but Cullen sure as hell approves of that one)

Tl;dr: the Supervisors think Vivienne is right about mages.

The Writers are using her to show how oppressive systems are designed to prevent people from changing them from the inside.

You don’t have to like her, but she doesn’t have to be right all the time about everything to be an interesting character

[twilightknight17]

This time on P3R: Get in the car. We’re going to war. Atlus is just personally attacking me now.

(I’m half-joking. Probably.)

It’s the first day of December, and Ryoji was absent today. But I got a text from him after school asking me to meet him in the music room.

Specifically using the phrase “I need to see you right now.”

He’s sitting at the piano when we get there, by himself. Something is clearly wrong.

Don’t apologize. You’re important to me.

He’s not even sure what he wants to say. So he just thanks Minato for spending time with him, because he’s learned so many new things and got to experience so much, like the trip to Kyoto and just hanging out with everyone.

...oh. He learned to play the piano. For Minato.

Let’s do it let’s play together let’s play a duet asdfjkl;

We don’t have another time! T_T

He says that seeing the couples in Kyoto and spending time at the dorm has helped him understand what it means to build real connections with other people. They help each other overcome challenges and keep each other going. And they understand each other.

It’s… sweet, knowing what he is. He’s trying so hard to understand, and he likes people so much.

………

……Atlus. ATLUS. What is this? WHAT IS THIS? I’m not allowed to date this boy and you put THIS dialogue in this game how much more blatant can you GET OH MY GOD.

Hello, TVTropes editors, it’s not a crack ship or ships that pass in the night after a line like that.

...WHERE IS MY THIRD DIALOGUE OPTION. ATLUS. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD.

Yes, I want to be more than friends, I love you, please, please, please, if I love you enough I can save yo--

FUUKA NOT NOW WE’RE HAVING A MOMENT.

Fuuka comes in and says that she was passing through and heard someone playing a beautiful song, so she thought she’d come in and listen to the performance. Which. Did you just hover outside the door after he stopped playing so you could interrupt at the worst moment?

That was mean. I’m sorry, Fuuka. But seriously.

She asks who was playing. It was Ryoji. He’s right there, Fuuka, come on--

Did my boyfriend launch himself out that window to escape this interaction? Oh my god.

I never should have taken my eyes off him.

I didn’t even really get to answer him. Those weren’t definitive answers.

God. Fuck. Atlus, why. Why would you do this to me.

All I can do is go home, and spend my evening doing whatever.

Ryoji’s still absent from school, and now Aigis is gone, too.

But there’s literally nothing I can do.

I guess I’ll go to my student council meeting.

...Odagiri-kun, I know I’ve been neglecting your link. But – and I say this with as much respect as I can manage when I’m busy worrying about my boyfriend – it has been over six months. Just let this go, holy hell.

I’d rather not go home, but I guess I have to. After all, I need to get some sleep before the plot decides to go haywire.

You’ve never woken up at midnight even once this entire month? God, I should have woken you up in Kyoto.

Also the fact that Aigis went after him without telling anyone else what was going on… no. We’re a team for a reason, Aigis!

But no. He’s “dangerous”. He’s her enemy.

He also doesn’t know what’s going on at this point.

Shoutout to Atlus for the butterfly wings when she activates her powers. Thematically appropriate for the papillon heart. But look at his face! He doesn’t understand what’s happening, and you’re trying to kill him!

It triggers his memory, though.

Ryoji is the thirteenth Arcana Shadow: Death. And ten years ago, he was broken into thirteen pieces because of an incomplete awakening in the Kirijo labs. During a fight on the Moonlight Bridge against Aigis, a robot created specifically to destroy shadows, she couldn’t defeat or destroy him, so she sealed him into the only available vessel.

So, y’all killed his whole family in your fight. Oof.

Aigis says she had no other choice but to seal Death in this kid. I guess when you’re 100% focused on your goal, it certainly would seem like that.

I am curious what happened to Minato after that. I’m surprised any of the remaining scientists didn’t snatch him up. Did Aigis just never mention what happened to Death?

Apparently not, because this poor kid was left to grow up alone, until his inevitable return to Iwatodai.

...he looks like he’s in pain, now that he’s remembered.

Aigis comes at him, even though he tells her not to because he’s stronger than the first time they fought. He’s got all of his pieces now. He doesn’t want to hurt her. And he deflects her no problem with what I’m assuming is Moonless Gown. But she keeps trying, even activating Orgia Mode, until she can’t anymore.

Fuuka had been scanning for Aigis, and SEES took off immediately when she found her, so now we’re arriving two minutes too late. Aigis is down, entirely shut off, and Ryoji is not doing well.

You didn’t want any of this. It’s not your fault.

He tells SEES that the shadows exist to bring the rebirth of the “maternal being”, and that the Appriser exists to draw her to him and allow her to awaken.

Overwhelming?

Incomparable?

Inevitable?

OLCE?

He explains that he was born ten years ago and sealed inside Minato, and that Minato returning to Iwatodai set all of this in motion.

Junpei, he’s awake during the Dark Hour and won against Aigis. There’s clearly something going on here.

...plus, listen to how sad he sounds.

No wonder. An awakening will take it out of you, and he awakened to something stronger than most of us can comprehend. Minato also realizes that Ryoji was probably Pharos all along.

This would be a great opportunity to carry him home like a damsel, though. I’m gonna pretend that’s what happened, especially after the music room conversation. And I KNOW I’m gonna have to go to school tomorrow, but I’m also going to pretend I don’t have to.

But yeah. Seriously, Atlus? For real? All of that?

Just end me.

I need to go write fic or something.

They deserve to make out on a piano.

I’ll do the sad explanation next time.

(Also I’m gonna hit the image limit. X’D)

[doll-elvis]

It's kind of difficult to discern what's true about E and what isn't, because so much of what's been written about him directly conflicts with other things. So it's hard to keep track of what's really true and what's just rumor that got twisted and blown out of proportion.

Me personally, I tend to not trust Lamar, Nash or the Stanleys, because they've all been proven to at best, not have the best memory of things, or at worst be outright liars for money.

I agree completely and throughout my journey of reading about Elvis I’ve learned to not take anything as truth until I have cross referenced between books/interviews and it’s been confirmed by multiple people or at least coincides with behavior that Elvis usually exhibited

** I also highly highly recommend elvislibrary (who is on Instagram and has the biggest elvis book collection I’ve ever seen😫) as well as elvisinfonet for books reviews, whenever I start a new book I usually check out their reviews beforehand as they give great insight to whether the book is credible or not

I have discovered that literally anyone who has breathed the same oxygen as Elvis has come out and shared a story or written a book about him. This man was even more exploited after his death than while he was living and it just angers me. Everyone who knew him has made money off of him in some way and I realized that people will say anything if they think it is a story that will sell

And “Baby let’s play house” by Alanna Nash was actually the first Elvis book I ever read, and foolishly, I believed every story in it, no matter how outrageous it was. Then I started to do a little basic research and I realized she has allowed so many fabricated stories in her book and has given a platform to several people who aren’t credible

Like the whole relationship with Tura Santana never happened and Elvis never even met her even though she claims he proposed, yet Alanna Nash shared her story. And Elvis did not publicly dry hump the fake dog Nipper on stage like she claims, he just wiggled 😭 And Nash uses Byron Raphael as a source, who she co-wrote a playboy article with in 2008, when it’s been confirmed that he never actually worked for Elvis and only very briefly worked for the Colonel (and the playboy article is full of the most blatant lies ever, I cannot believe this woman is regarded as a credible biographer 🤧!!!)

As you said, I’m very wary of Lamar Fike also, he tends to over-exaggerate things and I found his perception of events to be a whole lot different from others when they are describing the same stories

As for the Stanleys, Dee is literally one of the nastiest people you will ever learn about in the Presley circle and it truly disgusts me that Elvis treated her and her sons so kindly (even though he didn’t like her) and she repaid him by going to a tabloid magazine and telling a made up story to make money

What’s most disgusting is that she made up lies about two people she never even met (Gladys Presley and Nick Adams) and only used people who had already passed away as sources for her book like saying that Vernon Presley, Minnie Mae (Elvis’ grandmother) and Alberta (former maid), all knew that Elvis was in a s*xual relationship with his mother. Obviously all these people weren’t here to say otherwise and that is why she wrote the book (I hate that woman so muchhh that I’m getting mad just typing this 💀)

Ricky and David I’m not too crazy about either but I give them a little bit of respect for calling out their mother and saying her book was full of lies

Honestly the only Stanley books worth reading are by Billy Stanley and I really loved his two books “The faith of Elvis” and “Elvis: My Brother”, I found his insight really unique and I really really appreciated his honesty (if y’all didn’t know Elvis had a brief affair with Billy’s 18 year old wife named Annie, and it was a mess 😭!!!)

If y’all want to be entertained Dee Stanley went on the Geraldo talk show in the 90s alongside Joe Esposito and J.D Sumner to talk about the whole Gladys story and they absolutely drag her 😫 J.D lowkey wanted to slap her and I don’t blame him at all

unfortunately some of the audience believes her about Gladys so that was frustrating to watch but other than that, Dee gets absolutely humiliated 😃

[the1975attheirverybest]

hes just being messy, he was with meredith in la last wednesday and then now is like very public with gab. i actually feel pretty bad for meredith, the unfollow makes me think she thought they were more serious than they were. i dont think dating casually is a crime but all parties should at least be on the same page 😕 (no need to post this just telling you)

I’m very confused by all this and I guess y’all really don’t understand boundaries, respect, or consent. But since I’ve deleted just about 40 asks about this in the past 48 hours or so, fine. I guess we are talking about this. (Not directed at you alone or anything just my general feelings on the subject and on the fandom.) you wanna talk about Matty’s love life? Let’s talk about it.

Matty is 34 years old. Which means he’s well above the legal age of consent and, yeah, god help him, as a cis straight man, he do be acting like an absolute child sometimes, BUT it’s his life. His decisions to make.

From everything that we know about him, and especially after the ENTIRE FUCKIN WORLD turned against him over the summer, he is a lot more kind, compassionate, smart, self-aware, gentle, and pure-hearted than anyone’s ever given him credit for. Even his own fans. Say what you will about Matty Healy, but if it were me, in his shoes, I’d feel more than entitled to be Turner bitter towards the public what with the way we all (yes, we, as his fans too) have been treating him. But NOPE. Matty is a way bigger person than most of us. He didn’t say a damn thing. He kept his mouth shut and his head down and he did what he needed to do, he never let any of it deter him from being vulnerable and honest with us and putting on the best fuckin show that he could possible put on every fuckin night.

If that doesn’t earn him the benefit of the doubt then I don’t know what will.

I’m not sure why or when some of us have decided that it is our place to observe what goes on in his love life, to monitor his following/followers lists, to draw conclusions based on those numbers, or to consume public glimpses of his interior life as if it’s some tv show or movie or reality tv, even when those images are taken without his consent, and decide Meredith is not “marriage material” or Gabriette has “an aesthetic that I can finally get behind” (which, by the way, is a very sexist and disgusting thing to say about them as well as Matty, but I guess this fandom is hypocritical and will turn against its own values as soon as Matty Healy’s dick is involved), but at some point apparently that happened and we started to treat him as less than human.

Fine, fine, I’ll even give you that much. Be sexist. Be judgmental and creepy and all up his ass. But to do all that and then “feel sorry for Meredith” call him a “mess”??? When you LITERALLY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED BETWEEN THEM?!!!!! How do know she thought it was more serious than it is??? Were you there??? Since we’re making judgements and assumptions based on the tiny fragments that we see, I’m gonna go ahead and make a judgment of my own and say since I didn’t see you in the middle holding one of his hands and one of hers, then you weren’t there. So why do you feel qualified to talk about what he may or may not have done??? Do you know him? Is he your bestie???? Did he confide in you??? Hmm? Fuckin tell me!!!!

To summarize: he’s a form of entertainment to you. You don’t care about his boundaries. And you have such a low opinion of him that (despite him proving in what is objectively one of the worst things to happen to a public figure, that he’s endlessly graceful and kind) you will comfortably assume the worst of him without A SHRED OF ANYTHING REMOTELY RESEMBLING EVIDENCE. So….why are you a fan? Hmm? Why do you feel comfortable supporting someone you think so little or and have no respect for as a human being?

If any of you really think “he deserve love” and “he deserves companionship.” Then you’d shut the fuck up, stop engaging with content that commodities and dehumanizes him, and mind your fuckin business for fucks sakes.

I mean, how would you like it if, based on a 7 second story on Instagram, or a tweet you made about your personal life or whatever, I (somehow who knows absolutely nothing about you) came up to you and was like “omg I noticed so and so has unfollowed you. Then two days later you posted a pic with this other person. You must have really crushed someone’s heart and led them on making them believe you were more serious than you actually were. And now you’re using this other person who appeared in a picture with you. That is concerning behavior my friend.” If you’re okay with me doing that to you then you and I must live wildly different realities.

[gummybear1031]

The randomizer ended up choosing "Freaky," which I honestly ended up loving.

I’m not a Vince Vaughan fan, but I love “Freaky Friday” (Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsey Lohan FTW!), and I like most of Blumhouse’s stuff.

If Isaac was planning on getting laid, that’s not happening now.

I was raised that you don’t wander around people’s homes and touch their shit without permission. And you especially don’t pick up their expensive ass basement wine.

Oh, cool! Vince is a killer like Jason, not a realistic one. That wine bottle thing was really cool.

All of these early kills are so cool. Definitely feeling the ‘70s-80s slasher vibes. Also, how tall is Vince? He looks huge compared to the kids.

Girl! Stay in the hidden closet back until the cops show up. You may get shot, but that’s more survivable than whatever Vince is going to do to you!

I probably shouldn’t say, “I told you so,” to the murdered teenager, but… I told you so!

I am already anti Josh. Between the “black weiner” comment and the fact that he’s okay with date raping dudes.

Y’all need to get Millie therapy. She can’t see how hot she is, which means she may have some dysmorphia happening.

And she seems to still be hung up on her dad’s death. She should’ve gotten therapy for that already, but she definitely needs it now.

Also, also, I think she was on “Supernatural.” Definitely needs therapy.

Cameron! That mustache is wild. Oh. It’s a douche’stache.

When I was in high school (and uni), if anybody treated the mascot like that, the coach would make them eat their jockstrap. And beaver jokes were absolutely treated like you’d pulled your dick out. (Oregon! Though our mascot was a “pioneer.”)

Also, our homecoming dance was right after the football game. We seriously had to shower in the locker rooms and then go to homecoming court. Except that year they canceled the dance because there was a fight in the cafeteria earlier that week.

Mascots are on the cheerleading team. Where is the cheerleading coach? Vince could take both of them, I’m sure.

Though, maybe not, our coach used to lift people to demonstrate how to do it properly.

Why do they never wait for half a second longer? You can’t see the guy for five seconds, he’s obviously not gone.

This is the absolute scariest place a person could wake up.

Wait, the football game was on Thursday? That means this school has the *mascot* go to the *JV games.* How big is this damn school?

This is absolutely the most disgusting thing I’ve ever seen. The Butcher’s eating habits are worse than any of his kills.

Not!Millie is holding a knife creepily while not saying anything. Why is Cop Sis acting like that’s remotely normal? Even for someone who has been traumatized?

Ryler would be the worst person to come out to. She’s going to immediately put it on TikTok.

Told ya!

Millie, sweetie. Why are you showering in the girls’ locker room?

The school has a cryo unit? For women’s athletics?!? How big is this high school?

Not as cool as when Jason did it, but still good.

“You’re Black! I’m gay! We’re so dead!” is still just as good despite it being played to death on the commercials.

I also love that Nyla and Josh keep kicking her ass even after she puts the weapon down. They wouldn’t survive a horror movie, but not because they were stupid.

I’m not sure that I would’ve tried the Beaver Dance to get through to my friends, but it worked.

I am also tall enough to see over most bathroom stalls. It’s annoying.

HAHAHA! I love the Spanish teacher. Also, it *is* weird that an Aztec dagger has an inscription in Spanish. I wonder if that’s going to mean something later or if it’s just a lampshade hanging.

Poor Butcher. The teacher probably deserves to get his ass beat, but Butcher forgot how small he is now. He’s literally like a foot shorter.

You know what, Cameron? I will absolutely not be upset when you get murdered.

I’ve never heard “excited” as a euphemism for “gay” before, but I like it.

The Butcher has literally the best come back to a groper ever.

Is this a horror themed indoor mini golf place? That’s amazing! I would absolutely live there! Also, mini golf was created by service members in Fayetteville, N.C.

Millie enjoying how the Butcher dressed her and did her makeup is wild but also great. Butcher clearly has been reading his Vogue because he is accentuating all of his assets.

Murder Barbie is absolutely a doll that should exist. I know so many goths who would buy it.

Is this kid getting ready to come out as straight? This whole confusion is so unbelievable. I ugly laughed.

The confession was so unbelievable I called it a confusion.

Don’t put your head against the door! He’s going to stab you! Told ya.

This is the second grossest thing in the movie. Not because it’s two dudes, but because one is Vince Vaughn.

Is it just me or have all the victims after the Butcher ended up in Millie’s body deserved to be killed? (Maybe not Ryler, even though she’s awful.)

Butcher came through that wall like fricking Jason!

(Most) Cops don’t actually shoot into the sky like that for exactly that reason. Also the bit where gravity is a thing.

Yay! Millie is back in her body! Now she can get kisses!

Oh, there’s no way the Butcher is actually dead. I’ve seen way too many of these to believe that.

“Char, you left the door open again!” Millie, surely you are more genre savvy than this now. He’s in the damn house. Get out.

Oh, yeah! The whole family is kicking his ass. You go, ladies!

The ending line is ridiculous, and I love it.

[kgbird]

Did I tell y’all that my class did a “superlatives” thing? Like I never had that in high school or college or anything. But sga sent a google form out n asked people to vote stuff for other classmates.

And I was like ok another popularity contest. And I briefly worried that I would be nominated as greasiest, ugliest, weirdest, worst fashion/style, etc.

But they ended up doing one for everybody which whatever. And none of them were hateful so that’s something.

Mine was “most mysterious.” Like ofc I don’t care but I was like just say you don’t know me and let me go home. Its just a less rude way to call me the weirdest.

Other peoples had cute drawings on theirs and what not. I got scribbles and “the payback on yt” and I really don’t think it’s the James brown song. There’s a channel by that name but it is odd and has very few subs. And I srsly cant think of anything I’ve done to any of my classmates like I’ve never been mean to them or done smthn sneaky or literally anything. So I didn’t think that’s what they meant by payback. Also there was a picture of sunglasses and the yt channel uses those same glasses. I haven’t watched the vids but they look odd and maybe true crime which I don’t even like so I really don’t know. Insight welcome.

But anyway I would have preferred to have not gotten anything at all frankly. They didn’t have to include everybody. Just let it be the popularity contest it’s supposed to be. At least I didn’t overtly get called out and ik I’m the only person who remembers it.

Like I know I’m weird and off-putting and awkward in social situations but I mean… whatever idk what I expected

What’s weird is that I know at least two people who put me in for “best music taste” which was super sweet and that’s what I gotta focus on is the people who DO care to know me. But like if two people said that, why did you just… not use that? And instead actually think and work to come up with something to deliberately jab me. And the YouTube channel like idgi.

Kevin got most likely to answer every question correctly and idk why everyone loves him even tho he’s just as awkward as I am. Anyone I’ve talked to abt it says it’s bc he’s a guy. Like literally my therapist was like the hades gif “he’s a GUY!”

Mackenzie got “most likely to work in the ER” which, she hates the ER. But that is what she did for hours and I guess that’s the only thing ppl know abt her. I def think the two of us are on the bottom of the totem pole, but it doesn’t matter really cause it’s no big deal in the grand scheme, and this year I won’t be seeing anyone anyways. Plus there’s not as clearly defined social strata like high school.

Lowkey Mackenzie was trying to get in on my pity party about how no one cares about her either. And on one hand true igi but the other I was like,,, at least they knew SOMETHING about you to say… so let me have this lol.

So it’s whatever idc but I’m afraid that when I finish this rotation and any of my classmates get assigned to the office I’m at now… technically we’re not supposed to talk about each other in the clinical setting but. I have a feeling that one nurse in particular would talk to this theoretical classmate of mine and whoever it is will dump on me or whatever.

And I don’t dislike the nurse he’s just a kid so whatever but he’s also super smart in the same way kevin is. But even the other nurses or the other providers or anything! I KNOW I’ll never hear from them again but I’m scared that they’ll all talk about how weird I am. Or, to a slightly lesser degree, they’ll like my classmate a lot more than they like me and think they’re smarter than me and better w patients and not such a little crybaby. I really try to be nice at word and all that but I literally can’t help being weird like I’ve tried to be normal, but it’s so stressful bc I’m afraid people will see through it.

And I know: so what if people you’ll never see again think you’re weird? What’s the worst that could happen/whats it to you? And idk how to answer that because short of failing the rotation, that feels like the worst thing that could happen. Like if there was something I could actively do to prevent that I would. But like I said when I try, I get extremely stressed and frustrated and overwhelmed and depressed. Idk ig if the yt thing makes any sense to you, lmk.

[cheekycherry20]

Yea y’all guessed it. I’m still sad. It’s even worse knowing I’m doing it to myself. My health has taken an extreme toll these pass couple of weeks, I’m pretty sure I had a seizure on Saturday. But there’s nothing I can do, I’m not in control of any of my life situations.

I started working with kids for a good reason. And when I got the job I was honestly suprised. But I was ready to start a career. I made sure I payed attention, I studied, and I was receptive. I didn’t think anyone at my job really liked me, but it was ok. I started working with a kid (the sweet boy I refer to in a couple of old posts) and he completely changed my life. Everything started making sense. I was trying to get an adult drivers permit as well. I havent able to get an appointment at the dmv, but I always try. I finally felt like I was good at something, helping him helped me! I felt on top of the world! At the time, my job had a really annoying insurance policy, so I wasn’t allowed to work with certain kids. I complained every second of the day. I had my first depressive episode of the year, and I felt like everyone at the job hated being at me. The only way out was to get my license for my profession. So I scheduled my test. Soon for my sweet boy, he would start speech therapy. Another life changer. I met his speech therapist and I knew I wanted to be just like her. And it made so much since why working with my sweet boy has more appeal and came so easily to me. We were signing, and I was literally giving him a voice.but he was moving soon. I was his last therapist at my location. I started hanging out with my coworkers outside of work. They’re my first real friends I’ve ever had. I took my test and I passed. I was still sad about not seeing my baby (and not seeing a speech therapist) but my biggest issue was that I wasn’t getting hours at the job. The insurance policy thing was over (FINALLY) ! After I passed my test and complained about hours, I was finally full time. A little bit before sweet boy left, I started working with a girl close to my age. She has been difficult to work with, not because I don’t like her, but because I know I can’t help her. Of course she had other factors going on at home, but I always revert to negative self talk first. There’s nothing that I can do that will insure her independency in her adulthood and I hate myself for that. I hate not being able to help people. The kids go into emotional behaviors and I don’t know what to do sometimes. I’ve started to hate what I do for a living, because it’s not coming easily for me anymore. We’ve hired new people, and the good ones are leaving, so it’s no longer a welcoming and friendly environment. The kids come in after school so I’ve lost my hours. I still haven’t gotten my adult drivers permit either, and I can’t move out without it. My mental health has gone down tremendously. I want say it started after my sweet boy left but I don’t know. My teeth hurt because my jaw is always clenched, My chest and back hurts because of the hyperventilation from panic attacks, I’m breaking out in hives from stress and my family has stopped talking to me. I’m usually care free when I’m high, but I’ve been getting paranoid lately so I can’t even enjoy myself. And the worst part is that my problems aren’t even that big compared to everyone around me. I feel like I’m always begging for attention.I don’t want to kms now., but I know I’m going to think about it constantly until I do. There’s so many things that I KNOW will make my situation better, but until I get my drivers license I can’t start on anything. I’m trapped in the cycle with no foreseeable way out.

[fangirleaconmigo]

Sorry if you've already discussed about this but I'd love to read your thoughts about Jaskier's song burn.

Hi Nonny! I have not. But y’all are gonna have me out here being honest on tumblr dot com today. 😅

I have very strong and very complicated feelings about Burn Butcher Burn. (Not surprisingly)

So do not read below that line if you think critique (not hate, but critique) will bum you out or inhibit your ability to enjoy something you enjoy. I'm beggin you, I'm Boys II Men I'm I'm down on bended knee. Just don't do it. I don't want the pissy anons.

Ok, now that we're all here, I am going to tell you something funny. I first heard of Burn Butcher Burn via the Hot Topic t-shirt that was released ahead of S2. I thought Burn Butcher Burn was a Hot Topic invention. I didn’t know it actually appeared in the show. lmao

I’m sure the song list must have been released by then, but I hadn’t read it. (Spoiler alert: Sometimes I’m dumb) Now, I am a fan of The Witcher as a story and I’m a fan of the fandom. I am not a fan of massive corporation Hot Topic. (Of any corporation really) So I had no problem being critical and loud on Twitter.

I was like WHAT THE FUCK? JASKIER WOULD NEVER DO THAT!! (I know, I know.) HOT TOPIC IS CATERING TO SHIPPERS BUT DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE CHARACTER OR THE RELATIONSHIP. I’m laughing at that now. Because in retrospect, it obviously came from the show. But anyway.

That day on Twitter, there were many very reasonable people who disagreed with me. They felt that of course Jaskier would do that. They felt that I was overlooking Jaskier’s petty and dramatic side. (He wished for Valdo’s death when he had a djinn! Etc etc) That I was reducing him to sunshine and rainbows. And that I was forgetting that sometimes people say mean things when they are very very hurt.

That was not the case. I am fully aware that Jaskier has a petty vindictive side. I also know that people say things in anger. But I stuck by that opinion (and still do) that Jaskier would not do that.

And now with some thought, I believe it comes down to our differing associations with the name Butcher.

I associate the word “Butcher” with bigotry. Yes, butcher refers to Geralt killing people. Hence butcher. So maybe it is not literally in the word.

But the episode in Blaviken, all the talk about him being a monster, and the way the crowd turns on him for fucking defending himself, for me, it has everything to do with his otherness. It is inseparable in my mind from bigotry against witchers. It goes hand in hand with the dehumanization of Geralt.

I think that is the difference. I don't see it as an unfair characterization of Geralt's ethics. I see it as bigotry against him. That's what it feels like to me. I can't separate that word from it at all. And that is where I get stopped up.

Because Jaskier never. Ever. Not once. Has seen Geralt as an “other.” He isn’t capable. It wouldn’t even occur to him. The thought is totally absurd and laughable. Geralt is just his buddy. His fave. As far as the books (of which there are eight long books that cover years and years) they have arguments and bicker plenty, but not during their worst arguments does he ever. Ever. Throw Geralt’s otherness in his face. (Meanwhile many other people do)

It is truly my favorite characteristic of Jaskier. In fact, when they are in a fight, he says the opposite to Geralt! He’s like (paraphrased) “and you think you’re an other when you aren’t, ya big dumbass. I’ve got news for you, you aren’t special. You’re just some guy.”

Wait ok, I'm grabbing the quote, because it is literally my favorite thing that Dandelion ever says to Geralt. (well top three things). This is in Sword of Destiny in the short story A Little Sacrifice. Dandelion is irritated at Geralt for being kind of a cad with Essi. Essi gives him attention and he assumes she is just morbidly curious and he tries to kiss her but it seems like he's trying to put her off or prove something to her. Basically, he's rude.

Do you know what your problem is, Geralt? You think you're different. You flaunt your otherness, what you consider abnormal. You aggressively impose that abnormality on others, not understanding that for people who think clear-headedly you're the most normal man under the sun, and they all wish that everybody was so normal.

What of it that you have quicker reflexes than most and vertical pupils in the sunlight? That you can see in the dark like a cat?

Big deal. I, my dear, once knew an innkeeper who could fart for ten minutes without stopping, playing the tune to the psalm Greet us, greet us, O, Morning Star. Heedless of his---let's face it--unusual talent, that innkeeper was the most normal among the normal; heh ad a wife, children, and a grandmother afflicted by the palsy..."

Ok, so I love that it's canon that Dandelion calls Geralt my dear. And I laugh my fuckin ass off at the implication that his witcher attributes are correlated with a man who can fart a tune. Amazing. Also, this passage speaks to my absolute favorite things about Jaskier. It is the entire reason I fell in love with him. In in a fictional world saturated in bigotry and racism (much like the real world) he just doesn't have that in him. He just doesn't.

He sees someone different and he just goes YES! FUCKING AMAZING PERFECT NO NOTES!

It has to do with his empathy but also his natural curiosity and wonder.

That is 100% why I fell in love with him in TWN in the first place. He sees the pissed off looking mutant who everyone else mistrusts, and he just walks up to him like YOU! YES, YOU! YOU ARE FRIEND SHAPED.

That is it! The core of why I love him.

So, back to Burn Butcher Burn. I know lots of people see it differently. They say, but Geralt was terrible to him and left him! He’s just hurt! But that isn’t my point at all. My point is, I believe that no matter WHAT Geralt did to him, it just would never occur to him to be bigoted towards Geralt because it simply is not in him.

Would he call Geralt an Asshole? Yes. Motherfucker? Sure. Clod. Clown. Petulant moaning whoreson? Absolutely. Butcher? I’m sorry. No. Not for me. And for me it sabotages the entire reason I love that character.

And it made me fear what the show would bring.

And then the season came out.

And. Well? Not only did they not make him a bigot, but they have him actively helping elves escape. He is actively anti-racist. So they clearly understand that about him.

So idk man all I can think is that, just like the other fans who disagree with me on Burn Butcher Burn, the writers just do not associate Butcher with Geralt’s otherness or with bigotry the way I do.

So, having Jaskier be The Sandpiper took some of the sting out of my disappointment, by actively saying…we know Jaskier has compassion for elves and other non humans, and we are explicitly showing that.

The second thing that took some of the sting out of it was Joey’s performance. He is so grief stricken he kind of collapses while he’s singing. He looks like he’s dissociating! My god. Joey really put his all into his performance. Just wow. I was completely blown away by his vulnerability and authenticity. You could not watch his performance and say the song was a result of anything but a shattered heart. It didn't come across as someone being mean.

All that calmed me down a lot.

The song gave us an absolutely fantastic performance from Joey. It showed how incredibly important Geralt is to him. How deeply he feels. The honesty and vulnerability of it also created a bonding point with Yen, and their scenes were my favorites. My beloveds. If I could frame that entire goodbye good luck and good riddance scene I would. I am currently clutching it to my chest.

So, it’s complicated. Burn Butcher Burn giveth and it taketh away. They used it to such good effect. And they clearly know that Jaskier isn’t a bigot.

But. I still wish they would have used almost any other word. And I don’t acknowledge its existence in any of my fanwork because it still doesn’t line up with how I feel about that character or that relationship. I just can’t. My association with that word is my association with it. I feel how I feel. If others feel differently, I respect it. But I can't. In my little dream land of headcanons it never happened.

Ok, those are my feels. Thanks for the ask! <3