#simply. ahhh :[

[lgbtlunaverse]

So I've said multipe times now (here and here) that thinking nmj is just so blinded by privilege he doesn't undertand that acting out of line gets people killed is, in my opinion, a misunderstanding of his character that ignores the part where he's, you know, actively dying the whole time and thinks that's a good thing. But that doesn't mean I don't think privilege plays no role at all in how he views the world.

Specifically, his view that death (at least premature or violent death) means something.

Death isn't always a tragedy to NMJ, but it is always meaningful. If you kill an evil dangerous person for your righteous cause, that death had meaning. There was evil in the world and now there is less of it. Similarly, if you die in the pursuit of your righteous cause, that death has meaning, because the sheer dedication you gave to it that you were willing to die for it will further that cause, and your bretheren will be invigorated by your sacrifice to fight even harder.

If a death isn't meaningful, that's an injustice and it is up to the living to give it meaning. That's what cuts so deep about his father's murder. There were no consequences, no changes, no meaning. Wen Ruohan was just going to get away with it! He fights and wins an entire war to make it mean something, to make it so that the unjust murder of Nie Mingjue's father is part of Wen Ruohan's downfall.

But this is a view he can only hold because he's the kind of person who's death will be meaningful. Most ordinary people's deaths are meaningless. Not ontologically, not inherently, but they are made meaningless because no one cares. For death to be meaningful you either have to be so powerful that anything you risk your life for will be impacted in some way. (Like, say, if you sacrifice a long life for immense martial power in a faustian bargain with a blade) Or if people with that kind of power care enough about you to do so for you. For most people, this isn't true. A starving street kid has no power to change the unfair world that put them there, even if they risk their life trying, and no one will do it for them once they die.

Nie Mingjue knows this in abstract, and of course rightfully believes it's wrong. But all that does is make it yet another righteous cause people should be willing to die for. Everyone's deaths should mean something, we'll make it so or die trying!

This is what the conflict between nieyao is about at its core. Because Jin Guangyao, fundamentally, cannot conceive of his own death as meaningful. Nie Mingjue grew up around powerful men who could change the world but refuse to do so because god forbid they risk a single hair on their perfect heads. Meng Yao, on the other hand, grew up in an environment where no one of importance would blink twice if you died. He was surrounded by meaningless death. Indeed his entire early life is defined by that lack of care.

Meng Shi dies and no one cares. Meng Yao gets thrown off a flight off stairs and no one cares. He has to be the one to do the caring, and once he's gone no one else will do it for him.

So he has to live.

Jin Guangyao eventually gets far enough that he actually does aquire the power to change some things... as long as he's alive. If he changes too much, holds on too tightly to his ideals, he'll die and it'll all be for nothing. He can't sacrifice himself for his goals because doing so would immediately render those goals unobtainable. No one will care about what he tried to do. He won't be a heroic sacrifice, he'll just be trash that finally cleaned itself up.

And well... Nie Mingjue dies, and someone makes it mean something. Makes it mean so much that the entire story of mdzs would not exist without it. Jin Guangyao dies and it doesn't mean anything. Most people are glad to be rid of him, and the few that are not don't do anything to change that.

[marlsswrites]

Books and Red Hair

Ice skating AU, part 6!!

August 6th - words: 1109

First part Previous part

James would quite like to think he was extra welcome at a library, but that’s just not true. He’s clumsy, he knocks books over and can’t whisper to save his life. He’s always either too quiet or loud enough to get himself kicked out. Last time he came to this specific library, the local one to his university, he played full volume music on his AirPods - blissfully unaware that everyone around him could hear.

So how someone managed to get him back in here was a mystery, but here he is anyway.

He trailed behind Lily like a lost puppy, keeping his hands firmly to himself and not the bookshelves.

“James you look petrified.” Lily laughed out in a hushed tone.

“I’ve been told multiple times that I am severely not wanted here.” He hissed.

Lily blinked at him a few times, raising an eyebrow and flashed him an awfully unimpressed look. “What did you do?”

“Me, Rem, pads and Pete might have started a small fire in here last year.” He bit his lip to stop the smug smile from forming on his face, clearly the look still flamed alight in his eyes.

“Don’t look so proud.” She swatted his arm. “I only brought you here because you promised me a coffee after work.”

He and Lily worked in the same little record store down the street, well it used to be just records, now there’s comics, posters, collectables, CDs, everything like that honey. They��ll normally pop into a cafe after, treating themselves to a coffee before going home, but today Lily needed to grab some studying materials from the library.

“Stay here.” She said as she started to walk away.

“I’m not a child!” James protested.

“Sure!” She flashed a sarcastic smile over her shoulder as he went, leaving James with a frown on his face as he wandered through the tables of people studying, taking a seat at one of them without paying attention to anyone around him.

-

After about five minutes, he started to pick up some of the hushed whispering around him as the sound of a few people sitting in front of him hit his ears. Now he fiddled with the pages of the random book he’d swiped from the shelf and - innocently - eavesdropped after he swore he heard a voice he knew.

“Reg can you help?” A hushed female voice sounded after a few flicks of a page.

“Yeah.” A familiar voice responded. “One second Cas.”

His head slowly lifted, a smirk appearing on his face as he realised who had sat next to him.

“Hi.” He propped his head on his hands and drummed his fingers against his cheek.

The girl only gave him a confused look, she had dark shining skin, adorned with a couple of dainty tattoos and stacked jewellery that reminded him of the stuff that Lily likes to wear. But she wasn’t the one James was looking at.

“What are you doing in a library?” Regulus gave a raise of his eyebrow.

“Okay ouch, and actually I’m just waiting for my friend to finish finding - uh - whatever she needs.” He shrugged.

“So that’s why you’re reading The Great Gatsby - but specifically the blank page at the front?”

His eyes flicked down to the book, where the only words written were ‘The Great Gatsby.’

“It has some writing on it.” He proclaimed.

Regulus just hummed, no sign of emotion on his pale, blank face, yet it seemed to hold the world. His eyes like once grey clouds drowning in water, his skin as milky and smooth as a white silk pillowcase, his hair curled perfectly and dark as it hung around his face like Medusas snakes danced.

“I’m sorry, how do you two know each other?” The girl - Cas he thinks - interrupted. “Because I could swear that Regulus here doesn’t talk to anyone.”

“I talk to you!” Regulus bickered. “And Barty, Evan and Pandora.” He counted on his fingers.

“Four whole people.” Cas gasped.

Stifling a laugh, James simply watched as the two went back and fourth, clearly playfully as they argued. Still, Regulus looked beautiful with a scowl, even better with a smile though. Even better while he skated, face stoic and wondrous, face on full display and body moving like a puppet controlled by the god of love herself.

“And me.” James smiled and battered his eyelashes, Regulus pointed and nodded.

“You never answered my question.” Cas pondered, looking between the two boys suspiciously.

Stuttering out an answer, James realises he didn’t actually have just one.

“Tried to buy a book, stalked me, stalked me again, and is apparently friends with my brother and my coach’s son.”

“Hey now, I didn’t stalk you. I-“ But he cut himself off when he saw the slightly smiling face of Regulus Black - covered slightly by his baggy sleeve - but still there. The end of his pen was placed between his teeth and a silver glint on his tongue catching the sun and shining like the star the paler boy is.

“I know.” He shook his head, still smirking slightly as he moved the pen to his page, scribbling slightly and leaving James to stare at the way a ring was slid onto every single pale finger, shining bright and jewelled - as he said - like the star he is.

-

Stretches of comfortable quiet later, he felt a hand tap his arm as the silence surrounded him. “I’m done.” Lily smiled and held up the books and couple of bookmarks up with a squeal. “You owe me a coffee, let’s go.”

“Right.” He looked between the redhead and the other two, Regulus’ head still in his book but the once cal, expression had been covered by one of tension and thorns sharp as daggers. “Bye!” He waved as he and Lily left.

“Yeah, bye.” He heard dully before he walked away, the sunlight splashing in on him as soon as he stepped outside, blinding his eyes and burning into his skin.

“I bought my girlfriend this,” Lily waved up a little flowery pin that she’d picked up from the library store she’d insisted on looking in seconds beforehand. “Isn’t it adorable.”

“The cutest.” James winked with a smile.

Yet he still couldn’t get the anguished expression of a star from his mind, burning holes into the once bright irises of his eyes, stabbing into his once radiating heart. Oh what he would do to wipe it away with one quick swipe of love, leave that smile on his face that he seems to feel the need to hide.

Someone like Regulus Black shouldn’t be hidden, he’s much too special for that.

Next part

[comingyourlugubriousness]

Colored the silly Yume from this traditonal drawing. It is now my icon. 0v0

Inspo:

[shih-coulda-had-it]

Nana as a mermaid for Mer-may? :)

my beautiful fish wife... (below the keep reading, a free tiddy (relatively) version)

[verstappen100]

☀️⛵️❤️✨

[lambilegs]

hi favie.. i’m like.. really bored and wanna request something.. maybe like 😁 late nights with lee? idk if you’ve written that yet. but maybeeeee staying up late with her.. OKAY BYE ILY!

late nights with lee harker <33

AWEEEE THIS IS SO CUTE HEHE thank you so much for the request angie ilysm!!!

𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ (˶ ˘ ³˘)ˆᵕ ˆ˶) 𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ ᰔᩚ -> you and lee

I can see her being into playing board games and puzzles together during late nights. like, the two of you just having a movie or some music on and doing something like that. I feel like it'd relax her to put her focus to something on something other than work, and just become absorbed in that. plus, if it's a challenge of sorts, she'll find it entertaining amusing to verse you, especially if you're a sore loser

like you say in the headcanon in your post about lee driving (everyone say thank you angie hehe her headcanons are amazing), I could def see her enjoying aimlessly driving around (this is angie's headcanon!! she's a genius), which with you, involves taking you out in her car, winding the windows down and letting the cool wind get you both chilled and cozy

CUDDLES. I truly believe she is such a touch-starved, clingy girlfriend, and at the end of a long day, or even if she knows the next day she'll get to spend the day at home with you, she'll be super needy and excited to be with you. I feel like during late nights, she'll be especially clingy, and will enjoy being the little spoon, with you on your back and her face buried in your neck, legs entwined with you

sometimes really just needs some peace and quiet, especially after a chaotic day at work. I feel like she'd be happy to parallel play with you, just quietly eating her cereal and doing nothing at her desk while you do your own thing

you'll try to push her to not do work, but when she's particularly sunk into a case, it's hard to convince her to not work on it when home. sometimes, though, you do get upset at this, wanting time with her, and not being able to have it because she's bringing work home. once she realizes you're getting upset, she'll usually set it aside. and once she's holding you, and finally gets out of her work headspace, it'll hit her again just how much she misses you and how badly she wishes she had spent more of the night with you. she'll usually make it up for you by giving you all her attention, and it's a habit she tries to work on

also I can just see you guys goofing off in bed -- like, just being super cute, talking about the most random shit, like asking each other silly hypothetical questions, or talking about funny anecdotes, while raising your legs up and seeing who can last longest

sometimes you guys will share a joint and have some snacks together, which def helps her in unwinding LOL

if all else fails you guys can... you know 👀 if one of y'all is in the mood, you both are one hundred percent down for a night of position after position hehe

[maxladcomics]

I finished my research run and I'm left more confused

These 3 give the same 52 EXP and 25 gold

They were all used in the design of Lemon Bread. Obviously Woshua wasn't used in the final version unless we consider technicalities.

However: The other monsters used in other Amalgamates don't have this.

EXP, gold or stats, are all different.

[faresong]

Qingyuè (清越) Satou; maiden name Lin (林)

small reference sheets...

[recurring-polynya]

why do i have poster's disease? i wanted to write a weird little vaguely horny story that i've thought about for a long time but i did so under the pretense that it was 'just for me' and i wasn't going to post it b/c i really do not want put it up for public opinion, but then i wrote it and was like 'what if...ha ha...j/k...unless...?' Part of my problem is that i always think 'what if someone else wrote this and they wouldn't let me see it...i would be so saaaaad...' and then i feel bad for this theoretical lurker me who doesn't even write me fanfic back. Like, I read all these posts where people are like 'no one interacts with fic anymore, i'm going to stop posting my work' and i'm always like 'hmm, i understand your feelings, i have noticed the same' but it could not be me. i will keep posting my unpopular shit and feel bad when it doesn't get much in the way of kudos and have a hundred regrets and then i'll just do it again later. idc. (it's a lie, i very much do care)

[lucreziaces]

am i crazy thinking when cesare says "we're borgias, we never forgive" he's referring to himself and lucrezia as well as putting up a guard around his heart as he's killing him so he won't need to grieve juan (because he's detaching juan from the family and therefore, from himself by implying juan's not a borgia because he was able to forgive cesare just minutes ago)? WILD LAYERING MOMENT IN THE DIALOGUE, NEIL JORDAN, YOU GENIUS!!

[lampthegloomyone]

kind of an old artwork, but i am still very happy with this

[kazzzmataz]

i know theres a lot of talk abt laiostism but honestly we need to talk more abt kabrutism that is an autistic man who put all of his autism points into winning at social interaction

[mad-hunts]

barton's legit reaction on camera whenever he finds out that the doctors in arkham have written a special note on his chart that says he should now be muzzled before being transported someplace (and i just thought i should mention this would take place right after he had pretty much bitten off the ear of a guard as well as strangled them in the past... like UMMM ☠️ i'm definitely not saying it's right to muzzle a human being, but he would really be out here acting like that didn't happen jsjsj)

[gio-cosmo]

The soundtrack to this game is absolutely phenomenal btw

[reikomakoto]

A follow-up to my other monster kawoshin poll (24h+ remain for that one!), this time I wanna ask y'all which dynamic do you prefer :3

As always, feel welcome to give me specifics in the comments! And thank you for your input, I can't believe just how many responses the last poll has gotten 🥹

[dandyshucks]

man I can't even be mean to myself w the idea of Guz anymore djfkdl its been so cemented in my brain that he loves me that i tried to be angry-mean at myself during a breakdown a little while ago and tried to tell myself that he'd be disgusted w me and hate me but i honestly didnt believe that at all and it felt silly to even say it to myself 😭😭 all i could see in my mind's eye was him being worried and trying to help, i couldn't even conjure up the idea of him hating me or being angry w me 😭😭 and now i feel a little silly like maybe im crazy for being so convinced that he'd love me but aaaaaauugghh okay im not gonna go into some sort of stupid morality spiral over that omfg its literally fine. I am not a bad person for thinking fictional character would love me. even if its not Normal™ i dont think it's actually hurting anyone or immoral. its fine its fine its fine lol