#slightly off topic but sometimes I create posts like this and think

[helenofblackthorns]

I know everyone wants an updated family tree, and I do too. however I can't help but pity whoever will end up designing that thing because there is no way to make that monstrosity look good. like that job from hell is awaiting someone & I feel bad them already

[crystallinestars]

Just Confess Already! Part 2

Drabbles about Genshin men (or you) confessing with the help of a wingman. This is pure fluff.

Characters: Kazuha, Kinich, Ororon, Wanderer, and Cyno.

Part 1 here.

I apologize if the endings sound abrupt, I've edited and rewritten this many times, and at this point I just want to get this finally posted. I also apologize for the length, my writing style has changed since part 1.

🍁 Kazuha

Everyone and their mother at The Crux could tell you and Kazuha had a thing for each other. The way you guys spent most of your free time in each other’s company discussing poetry or music, the way Kazuha always volunteered to help you with your tasks, how you took care of Kazuha when he got drunk, and just the overall subtle romantic tension about your pair tipped off pretty much everyone.

Though Beidou didn’t want to pry into the love lives of her crew, she’d sometimes catch glimpses of you and Kazuha chatting up in the crow’s nest of the ship and noted that the way you smiled at each other was endearing. Otherwise, she paid little attention to it, thinking it was only a matter of time until one of you confessed and you guys became an official couple.

However, that time never came. The two of you pussyfooted around the topic of laying bare your feelings, and everyone at The Crux was getting a little annoyed that you were stuck in the pining phase. There was a limit to how long Beidou could tolerate watching you give each other pining glances without snapping and telling you two to get together already.

One time when you were out on an errand, Beidou and her crew invited Kazuha for a drink. The friendly and cheerful atmosphere prompted some members to share their life stories, and the topic breached romance. Someone asked Kazuha why he hadn’t confessed to you yet, and the drunken ronin answered that he treasured your friendship and didn’t want to jeopardize it in case you didn’t feel the same way.

Beidou could only scoff at his excuse. It was so obvious that you liked him back, and since when was Kazuha such a coward? He could go up against the Raiden Shogun’s deadly Musou no Hitotachi, but had his tail between his legs at the prospect of admitting he loved you to your face? Preposterous! Moreover, she had to tell her crew to settle down because they were creating a spectacle out of your crushes on each other and making bets on which one of you would confess first (she betted on you).

If Kazuha was too much of a coward, Beidou thought, then maybe you’d be braver.

That same evening, she happened to find you alone in your cabin and took the opportunity to bring up the issue of your longtime crush on Kazuha. Though she was no expert on romance, Beidou wanted to help you. She got you to open up and confide in her, patiently listening while you expressed your fears about confessing to Kazuha. You also didn’t want to ruin the friendship you had with him, so Beidou stated outright that he returned your feelings. If you didn’t believe her, then see for yourself.

With that, she pried open a window in the cabin. Over the gentle lapping of the waves, you heard the crew’s laughter up on the deck, and the faint sound of Kazuha’s familiar voice. It was a little difficult to hear what he was saying over the crew’s chatter, and his speech was slightly slurred, but you made out a few words. He frequently spoke your name while reciting a few clumsy haikus. But they weren’t just any random poems about the sea or sky—they were love haikus.

Beidou patted your shoulder and told you to have courage instead of wasting your life wondering about what-ifs and regretting not doing anything.

Over the following days, Beidou sent you and Kazuha out on joint errands in Liyue Harbour. The errands themselves weren’t all that important, but they served as good excuses to give you two some alone time. Kazuha was no fool and quickly deduced that Beidou was setting you two up on purpose, but he wasn’t about to turn down an opportunity to spend more time with you.

Beidou hoped something would finally change by the time you returned, and sure enough, when she spotted you and Kazuha walking back to the ship, she smiled. The two of you were holding hands and smiling warmly at each other, a good sign that your once-suppressed feelings were now in the open. Naturally, the rest of the crew noticed the change as well and grew excited when you confirmed that you and Kazuha were now in a romantic relationship.

That night, they brought out the good wine and food to congratulate you and Kazuha on finally getting together. Most of the Crux’s crew joined on the festivities, with some members being nosy and asking you for details on how it happened and who confessed first.

When you admitted to confessing first, Beidou smugly accepted her winnings and took a big swig of her drink before yelling out a cheer. Her crew followed suit in toasting and cheering much to your and Kazuha’s embarrassment, but it was all in good fun. Beidou made sure to make it up to you by distracting the crew with a drinking game and sending you a wink as she allowed you and Kazuha to make a quiet escape from the party. The Crux gang would have plenty of time to tease you in the future—for now, you and Kazuha deserved to enjoy this newfound relationship without others poking their noses where they don’t belong. Beidou would make sure of it.

🟩 Kinich

Kinich’s relationship with you perplexed K’uhul Ajaw. The Almighty Dragonlord couldn’t pinpoint when it happened, but something between you two changed. Recently, Kinich had been giving you discounts whenever you asked for his help, and sometimes even did things for you for free. Kinich the Malipo giving someone special treatment? Unheard of! And on top of all that, his servant had been visiting you more frequently during downtime, and there was also that strange glint in Kinich’s eyes whenever he looked at you, something akin to endearment—

Oh.

Kinich liked you.

Oh, this was going to be good!

Ajaw’s diabolical nature wouldn’t let him keep Kinich’s feelings for you a secret. The next time you came to hang out with their duo, the saurian waved his little stubby arms and ran his mouth as soon as you were within earshot. “Hey, human! Our lowly servant has developed romantic feelings for you like some sort of prepubescent schoolboy! Isn’t that a riot?” and cackled, thinking Kinich would be thoroughly humiliated and put in his place.

To Ajaw’s dismay, instead of looking disgusted by the news, you appeared… hopeful? A tad surprised by his outburst, but was that hope shining in your eyes? To Ajaw’s even greater dismay, Kinich lacked any sort of outward reaction to having his crush on you vocalized so brazenly. Instead, the saurian hunter told you to ignore Ajaw’s nonsensical words in his usual calm manner, before smacking the pixelated menace away for a timeout. Right before he got locked away, Ajaw managed to catch a glimpse of disappointment in your eyes when Kinich brushed the situation aside as if it were nothing.

That day, K’uhul Ajaw realized that Kinich’s feelings were not one-sided like he originally thought. You liked Kinich too. The mere thought of you two acting all lovey-dovey with each other was sickening, but the saurian figured poking fun at you and Kinich would be a good source of entertainment.

After that day, Ajaw became even more insufferable. Every chance he got, he’d swoop in with a taunting remark and make fun either you, Kinich, or both.

One time while accompanying Kinich through a dense forest, you slipped on a wet tree root and were sent falling towards the ground. However, Kinich swiftly caught you and pulled you to his chest to help stabilize you. Ajaw had a field day laughing and crowing about how scandalous you were for practically throwing yourself at Kinich like that. Were you that desperate to be in his arms? Disgusting!

The saurian also used every opportunity he could find to reveal all of Kinich’s secrets to you. Did you know Kinich gave you special treatment? No? Are you blind?! Can’t you tell he does stuff for you for free? Why do you think he brings you game and wild berries free of charge every once in a while--to show off how good he is at hunting?! Have you at least noticed Kinich smiled more and acted softer towards you, or are you really that blind? He doesn’t treat anyone else that way, you know! …And so on and so forth, though most of his attempts to out Kinich are interrupted by the man himself locking Ajaw away before the dragon reveals too much.

As fun as it was to watch your pair’s awkward attempts at showing signs of affection for each other, Ajaw eventually grew frustrated with standing witness to the mutual pining that never progressed anywhere. It made the little saurian’s blood boil with annoyance.

Whenever he and Kinich were alone, Ajaw would complain that the hunter should stop being a dimwit and a coward and just confess to you already! How could he not see that you obviously liked him back?! Seriously, how bad was his luck to end up with such an imbecile for a servant?!

Kinich coolly rejected Ajaw’s insistence for confessing his feelings. It was not in his nature to recklessly rush into the unknown—he needed to carefully analyze and weigh his options before coming to a sound decision. As such, his relationship with you was not to be rushed. This didn’t sit well with Ajaw, but no matter what he said, Kinich stubbornly refused to listen.

The Dragonlord’s patience reached a breaking point during one fateful day. It was getting dark, and Kinich had offered to escort you home. Once you were safely at your doorstep, you made the bold move of kissing Kinich’s cheek in thanks. For a split moment, Ajaw swore there was palpable romantic tension between you as your and Kinich’s eyes met (gross). Kinich glanced at your lips, looking as if he wanted to lean in and kiss you (doubly gross) and Ajaw prepared himself to make disgusted gagging noises, except… nothing happened. With a seldom seen blush on his cheeks, Kinich awkwardly cleared his throat and bid you goodnight, preparing to leave.

Ajaw exploded.

“This is painful to watch! You two were clearly made for each other—both equally cowardly and blind to each other’s feelings! Just admit you like each other already; you’re not fooling anyone! Kinich, you cowardly, brainless, insufferable insect—just lean in for that kiss, you obviously want to! And you! Stop waffling and just spit out that you like Kinich already! Agh, watching you two is torture! What did the great K’uhul Ajaw do to deserve this fate?!” he yelled, turning red in the face.

Kinich promptly locked Ajaw away, for which the saurian would later chew him out once he was free, but not before interrogating you and the hunter about whether you finally confessed. Once Kinich revealed that yes, you had talked it out and admitted your mutual feelings for each other and were now in a relationship, Ajaw could finally feel some sense of peace regarding the situation.

Feeling proud of his contributions, Ajaw puffed out his chest and told you and Kinich to pucker up and kiss his feet in worship, for only with the help of the Almighty Dragonlord K’uhul Ajaw has your relationship progressed instead of stagnating like swamp water.

Though the saurian relic continued to be an annoyance, even Kinich had to admit that Ajaw played a part in getting you together. Though not in the form of worship or foot kissing, Kinich did repay the favor by procuring some quenepa berries and other fruits that Ajaw liked, hosting a small feast as a thank you. Though Ajaw complained about being scammed, the snacks did the trick of improving his mood and keeping him occupied while you and Kinich had some precious time to yourselves.

🦇 Ororon

Ever since you and Ororon were children, Citlali observed that the two of you got along well. So well, in fact, that Ororon had developed a little crush on you. He would pluck flowers from a nearby meadow to give you, follow you around like a loyal puppy, and one time, Ororon told Citlali that he hoped to marry you one day.

Citlali couldn’t help but find Ororon’s crush on you adorable, and a part of her anticipated the day when you both grew up and got married. She had no doubt you would make the sweetest couple among the Masters of the Night-Wind.

Ororon’s attraction to you persisted into adulthood. At that point, Citlali could no longer call it a cute little crush— “Love” was a more apt description for how Ororon felt towards you, even if he tried to hide the depth of his attachment to you. He was content to stay as just your friend and not risk ruining the close bond you had in case you didn’t return his feelings. Citlali was a little frustrated that Ororon continued to pine for you without doing anything about it, but she knew better than to force the stubborn boy to do something he didn’t want to. If you were both happy with the way things were, then why change them?

However, during one of her rare trips to the market for some divination supplies, Citlali overheard a conversation between two tribespeople. The topic of conversation was about love, and one of the men bashfully admitted that he thought you were pretty and that he hoped to ask you out on a date soon. This news washed over Citlali like a bucket of cold water as worry seized her heart.

This wasn’t the first time others had expressed romantic interest in you. After all, you’ve always had a bit of a reputation among the Masters of the Night-Wind for being attractive, so it wasn’t surprising others had an eye on you. However, now that you were an independent adult, it wouldn’t be strange for you to look for a partner to settle down with, right? Knowing Ororon, the dimwit wouldn’t ever think to confess, and what if someone else confessed before he did and stole your heart?

Citlali didn’t want to force you to choose Ororon, but she didn’t want things to end without her beloved grandson at least taking a shot at winning you over. The last thing she wanted was for Ororon to be left heartbroken and disappointed all because he let the chance to be with you slip from his fingers.

With these troubled thoughts, Citlali sought out Ororon and announced that he needed to stop dawdling and actively pursue you unless he wanted to watch your heart get stolen by somebody else. Citlali’s sudden proclamation confused Ororon, so she explained that he’s not the only one who is in love with you and that there’s a risk of you choosing someone else to spend your life with.

As she expected, Ororon stubbornly refused to go along with her urging, saying that who you wanted to end up with was your choice and he would respect it. Though he said that, Citlali could see it on Ororon’s face that the mere thought of you falling for someone else hurt him, and she couldn’t help but feel bad for her grandson.

After much convincing and reassurance, Citlali got Ororon to agree to court you and promised to come up with a plan to help him in this endeavour. There was, however, one major problem: how were two socially awkward outcasts supposed to win someone’s heart? Having never been courted herself, Citlali had no past experiences to draw from when designing her plan, but it shouldn’t be too hard, right? She’d read a lot of romance novels imported from Inazuma, so maybe if she got Ororon to do some of the same things the male leads did, then it would curry your favour? Regardless, it was worth a shot.

The plan was for Ororon to prove his worth as a suitable partner by giving you gifts, compliments, and always being there for you no matter what it was. In Ororon’s opinion, he was already doing all of these things for you as a friend, but Citlali insisted that his actions needed to be infused with romance to distinguish them from gestures of friendship. Her grandson was still reluctant to actively court you, but he had promised to try and try he did. Except, his approach subverted Citlali’s expectations.

When it came to giving gifts, instead of presenting jewellery, woven scrolls, or useful gadgets, the young man gifted you game he had caught in the wild and the best selection of produce from his garden. Citlali could only facepalm when Ororon told her which gifts he planned to give you, but she also knew he put genuine thought into them. Ororon handpicked the nicest veggies he could find in his garden and personally delivered them to your doorstep instead of sending Ifa like he normally would. Citlali told him that giving gifts in person held more meaning, and Ororon appeared to have taken her words to heart.

Ororon also gifted you flowers much like he did when you were little. However, this time he didn’t give you flowers plucked from the wild. Instead, he gifted you potted plants that he had also grown in his garden. “They will live and look pretty for longer,” he told you, then received a flick to the forehead once Citlali found out what he did.

His compliments were no better. Saying things like his vegetables grew better whenever you visited his home and spoke to his plants or your presence being calming for the aphids, was the best Ororon could do. Citlali admonished him for these strange compliments, but to Ororon, that was the highest praise anyone could receive. After all, you were an amazing person, and even his plants and aphids sensed it.

Ororon’s courtship was unconventional to say the least, and granny Itztli worried whether her grandson made a favorable impression on you. To help improve Ororon’s image in your eyes, Citlali sought you out more often to put in a good word for her grandson and get you to see him as a man. She highlighted Ororon’s good points to you, commenting how Ororon is a bit peculiar, but he’s also kind, resourceful, accepting, gentle, and so much more. A truly good kid. He would make an excellent romantic partner, wouldn’t you agree?

Her pushiness flustered you, but it also allowed Citlali to gauge how you felt about Ororon, and she had to contain her excitement when she pieced together that you loved him back. In her giddiness, she urged Ororon to confess.

When the day of the confession came, Citlali hid among some trees while keeping an eye on you and Ororon. She didn’t intent to spy, but the anxiety over how the confession would go made her antsy and she couldn’t sit still at home. She watched as Ororon offered you a basket of his finest produce and finally professed his love. The confession came out awkward because he tried to recite what he practiced with Citlali a few days prior, and he seemed to realize this because Ororon then took your hand and placed it against his chest. Using his own words this time, Ororon explained that he genuinely did love you, and the racing of his heart should be proof enough that you were more than just a friend in his eyes. However, it was alright if you didn’t feel the same way about him.

Citlali had to clamp her hands over her mouth to hold back from squealing in giddiness as she watched you reciprocate Ororon’s feelings. She would later apologize for spying since she knew it was wrong, but it filled her with joy to witness the blossoming of love between you. In some ways, this was better than any romance novel she had read in all her years of living, and it warmed her heart to see you both so happy.

Even if it was a childhood fantasy, perhaps Ororon’s wish of marrying you was not that far off now? Citlali certainly hoped so.

☂️ Wanderer

Nahida was no expert on romance, but she had observed enough couples during her 500-year-long imprisonment to know what romantic attraction looked like. The strange air surrounding you and Wanderer must have been that, she speculated, as she watched Wanderer hand you a box of your favorite foods with the flimsy excuse of having made too much. For your part, you seemed genuinely touched by the gesture despite Wanderer’s grumbling, much to Nahida’s delight. Wanderer’s prickly personality pushed some people away, but not you. You stayed by his side and gave him the companionship he needed, helping Wanderer open up and heal from his trauma.

It was clear you deeply cared for the young man, and a little peek into your mind confirmed to Nahida that yes, you did love him romantically. She couldn’t read Wanderer’s mind since he blocked all her attempts to do so, but she didn’t need mindreading to conclude that he loved you too.

When she next spoke with Wanderer, she carefully asked if he loved you. Wanderer’s response was a gruff “No” and “Stop asking”, however Nahida could tell he wasn’t being honest with his feelings. If he didn’t love you, then why did he treat you differently compared to everyone else? His manner of speech is gentler when with you, and despite all his grumbling he still complies with all your requests no matter how irritating he may find them. Not to mention, he spends most of his free time in your company, goes out of his way to make you little gifts and cook your favorite dishes. Surely all these behaviours were proof that you were someone special to him?

Being effectively cornered, the puppet had no choice except to come clean about his hidden feelings. With scowl and a blush on his cheeks, Wanderer reluctantly admitted that yes, he likes you, but it was none of Nahida’s business and she’d better stay out of it.

Despite Wanderer’s warning, the Dendro Archon wanted to help get you together. She felt confident that if both of you put in a little effort, a beautiful romance could blossom between you. Still, she didn’t want to outright reveal your feelings for each other. She believed that each of you should relay these intimate feelings yourselves. All Nahida would do is give you a gentle nudge in the right direction.

To help her with this task, Nahida sought help from a few Aranara and asked them to keep an eye on you and Wanderer and report any meaningful details that could help her bring you together. Through her little helpers, Nahida learned the full extent of Wanderer’s affections for you, and she couldn’t help but smile at how sweet he was, especially when it came to you.

Using this acquired knowledge, the Dendro Archon frequently brought up Wanderer in your conversations with her to explain the thoughtfulness behind some of his gifts and words. For as frank as he usually was with people, Wanderer was more close-lipped about the true extent of his feelings, so Nahida had some work cut out for her in making you realize how much he truly cared about you.

For example, the next time Wanderer gave you your favorite food with the excuse that he’d made too much, Nahida revealed to you that he actually spent several days perfecting the recipe before finally giving the dish to you.

That hand-made bracelet he gifted you, saying he got it for free during an arts and crafts event he visited? Wanderer actually made it himself during that event and used beads of your favorite colors. The Aranara watched him spend a lot of time crafting that bracelet with the greatest care, but Nahida left that part out.

In addition, she would subtly drop hints for you to invite Wanderer to hang out more often. For example, the Zubayr Theater was hosting a play and Nahida heard there was a discount if you bought two tickets. Why don’t you go and invite Wanderer to come with you?

As for Wanderer, she discreetly told him that you once mentioned wanting to try out a new drink at Puspa Cafe but had nobody to go with, so why not be a good friend and take you there himself? Wanderer initially objected, but ultimately caved in and invited you to the Café while commenting that a certain annoying sprout said you wanted to try a new drink there, though deep down he glad for the opportunity to spend more time with you. Nahida could tell by the way Wanderer went out of his way to spoil you that day, buying you anything you wanted and keeping you company until the sun set.

Little by little, Nahida softened Wanderer towards the possibility of being in a romantic relationship with you, and helped you gather the courage to confess. Wanderer was unlikely to ever confess first, so the responsibility rested on your shoulders. She could tell you were nervous about laying bare your feelings, but she reassured you that things would go well. You only needed to take that leap of faith.

When you finally confessed, Nahida and the Aranara secretly observed the scene from behind a nearby corner, curious to see how things would go while also quietly cheering you on (not that you knew). When a flustered Wanderer accepted your confession, Nahida was overjoyed. She had fun guiding both of you towards this moment, but the satisfaction of knowing you could finally be together the way you always wished was rewarding in its own way. Even when Wanderer later confronted her about spying on you during your confession and scolded her for it, the little Archon’s happiness didn’t wane. She looked forward to seeing what your newfound relationship would blossom into, and had no doubt it would be something beautiful and pure, just like your love for each other.

👁️‍🗨️ Cyno

It was no secret to Tighnari that you and Cyno liked each other. He had known about your mutual crushes as far back as your student days at the Akademiya where you first met. You became fast friends with him and Cyno, but Tighnari couldn’t help but think Cyno was a bit more special to you than you let on. After all, you were one of the few who wasn’t intimidated by Cyno’s perpetual stern facial expressions and actively sought him out, and who actually laughed at his lame jokes.

Tighnari also knew about Cyno’s crush on you since his friend confided about it to him. Not that Cyno needed to say anything because Tighnari could see his attraction to you clear as day. Cyno’s eyes lit up whenever he saw you in the distance, he tried to act “cooler” in your presence in an attempt to impress you, and Tighnari swore that if Cyno had a tail, it would have wagged like a dog’s every time you laughed at his jokes.

Though he knew about your mutual romantic attraction to each other, Tighnari didn’t want to stick his nose into your love lives. He figured you guys would resolve everything yourselves in due time.

However, nothing changed even after you guys graduated. Your group remained close friends and saw each other regularly, but Tighnari was starting to lose his patience with how you and Cyno hopelessly pined for each other. He had already lost count of the number of times each of you came to him for advice on how to win the other over.

Cyno asked Tighnari’s opinion on a lot of things: Would you like his newest joke? Would you be okay with Cyno volunteering to be your bodyguard for your upcoming desert excursion? Which of his limited edition TCG cards best represented you? Cyno wanted to express how much you meant to him by giving you a card that reminded him of you.

You were no better. Tighnari had lost count of the number of times you approached him with questions about Cyno’s work schedule. Your excuse was that you wanted to plan hangouts with him, Collei, and Cyno during their days off, but Tighnari knew there was another reason why you asked about Cyno’s schedule in particular. He had half a mind to tell you to ask Cyno yourself because it was obvious that you just wanted to spend more time with the General Mahamatra. You also pestered Tighnari with questions about Cyno’s TCG deck. Much like his friend, you wanted to express your appreciation for Cyno by giving him cards he didn’t have yet.

Seriously, you two were a match made in heaven…

Tighnari would have found your mutual crushes on each other endearing, if only he wasn’t stuck being the middleman. As it stood, Tighnari wanted nothing more than to throttle both of you for pussyfooting around your feelings and getting him caught up in being your messenger. He was on the brink of snapping and sitting you both down to explain that your feelings were mutual, so just hurry up and get together already.

That’s why the next time Cyno approached him with another question about you, Tighnari took the opportunity to convince his friend to confess. He and Collei assured Cyno that you liked him a lot, and urged him to tell you his feelings. Cyno was hesitant but did seem to want some closure about whether you liked him back or not, so Tighnari gave him an incentive. How about the next time he played TCG with you, you guys set some stakes? Why not have a rule that the loser must tell the winner a secret? If Cyno lost, he would have to confess.

Cyno wasn’t fond of the idea initially, but agreed after some contemplation, acknowledging that this method would be effective in giving him that necessary push. Still, Tighnari could tell Cyno was nervous about confessing, so he volunteered to come along as moral support, much to Cyno’s gratitude.

That was how Tighnari and Collei found themselves at Puspa Cafe, sitting a few tables away from you and Cyno, hidden from your line of sight. Tighnari tutored Collei while Cyno played that fateful round of TCG against you, but the Forest Ranger kept a close eye on his friend. Though he didn’t want to get too invested in Cyno’s love life, even he couldn’t help but grow anxious as he watched the TCG match end with Cyno’s loss.

Although Tighnari was too far away to hear what Cyno was saying, he could tell the moment of confession had come. Now, the ball was in your court.

You looked stunned by whatever Cyno said, but soon smiled and said something that made Cyno mirror the happy expression on your face and reach out to hold your hand. Though he couldn’t hear, Tighnari knew you had reciprocated his feelings. Even Collei quietly fawned over how cute you both looked. It had been a long journey, but he was truly happy for his friend. Out of everyone, Cyno was happiest with you, and Tighnari hoped you would continue to make him happy for many years to come.

With everything ending well, Tighnari beckoned Collei and discreetly left the cafe before you or Cyno noticed. As happy as he was for you guys, he dreaded the possibility of Cyno coercing them into a TCG match. With how elated his friend must be right now, it was only a matter of time until Cyno called him and Collei over for a new game to celebrate you accepting his feelings. In Tighnari’s opinion, you guys deserved to have some proper time to yourselves to explore your feelings and new relationship without him and Collei serving as thirdwheels. That, and he just really didn’t want to sit through another hour of watching Cyno show off for you.

[sparklecats2009]

Why is your name sparklecats2009?

Today I'm writing a post addressing my name. I am constantly being asked questions about my username, to the point where I am slightly tired of explaining it. So this post is dedicated to this topic.

So, firstly, there is a one big problem that many people don't know, so I am careful to say it:

I grew up in a small area where everyone knows each other, and I wanted to try to create an identity for my art that would allow me to hide from my transphobic family. I wanted a name that would be able to be on my applications, curations, social media, websites, gallery shows, etc, but would not mention my real name upfront.

.. so far, this hasn't worked 100%. It is pretty hard to convince people that sparklecats2009 is my artist alias, and not just a regular username.

On that note: I decided based on my sparklecat thesis that my alias should be a nod to usernames. The internet culture now is very welcoming to using your real name. In fact, it is more professional if you do. However, you used to be hard pressed to find someone on the internet spouting their real name. The early 2000s had many programs and curriculums dedicated to "being safe on the internet", and many encouraged you to make it as unidentifiable as possible. Numbers are a key factor - many people ended up doing their birth year as their username. Sometimes the number was just random.

OK, most people say, I understand you draw sparklecats, but why are you 2009?

Simply put, I didn't think very hard about the number. I just decided that 2009 was the birth year of the sparklecat. This is only anecdotal - many people were drawing sparklecats before 2009, but I personally thought 2009 was the year the phenomenon was fully realized. the user "memoriesofgreen" has done research to indicate that the term "sparkledog" was likely coined around 2007. So I wasn't very far off. While I didn't feel like the specific number was particularly important, I knew the number was important for expressing the username concept.

I don't think we should have to use our legal names for everything. It's stupid. You don't ever get to change your legal name unless you have money and other resources, and you only get one.

NO, when I sign a painting as 2009, that is because it is MY NAME.

NO, I was not born in 2009.

YES, if you refer to me, please use sparklecats2009 in context to my art. It is an important part of my project.

It is similar to when a musician has different aliases for different music projects. I am sparklecats2009 and I make cat fine artwork.

One day I hope people will understand me better.

[waxingrunes]

Heyy i saw your tiktok video on The Prank™ and I'm dying to know what your interpretation is on how it happened and how they made up, how it impacted them, you get the gist I just can't believe I haven't thought to ask before.

My HC/take/interpretation of The Prank, isn’t anything so special but I do think if I were to ever fully expand on it I’d make sure Sirius wasn’t so dogged down as he was over it. I think The Prank, despite it being canon, is sometimes very overdone and milked for its worth just for the sake of dredging up angst over and over again.

Now, do I think it’s important if you’re creating something within that verse, yeah. I think it’s a pivotal moment that shows some serious oversight on Sirius’ part. Sirius is notoriously tactile and quick witted, but I believe in his younger years he was quick to get a tad bit overexcited or enthused when it came to revenge and this was a prime example of that. He didn’t think about the consequence of his actions and had tunnel vision with the end goal of a, ‘aha!’ moment with Snape. Pure vengeance (good little Scorpio).

How I like to see it, is Remus, James and Pete were all shocked by this obviously but they didn’t spend weeks on weeks treating him like a piece of shit for it. I think the bounce back rate was quick, but the thick of the aftermath was hard. So Remus got angry fast but it was resolved quicker than most of the times I’ve seen it dragged out for. James wouldn’t ignore Sirius, it would just be strained for a few days while they worked through their own tension over Sirius’ blatant stupidity and selfish motives. Pete much the same, though I suspect he would be armed with a few nasty quips here and there which James would chastise him for, even if he was slightly agreeable to them. Pete would try to keep away from Sirius and encourage Remus to do the same so they could both “cool off”, whereas James is a man of action and want things resolving instantly. Though he wouldn’t lack the sensitivity of being naive enough to know the mending wouldn’t happen like that, it wouldn’t be overnight, he’s emotionally intelligent and a people person and would know when the line is about to be crossed.

Remus, I believe would be in disbelief for the first few minutes of hearing it, type of white noise blocking out everything that isn’t the information he’s trying to compute. I think he would turn physical quick, or at least want to, but not towards Sirius. His violent streak is often downplayed, something that is canon (though I have no interest in keeping things parallel to that or drawing similarities, but this one is important for the topic) and bred through Remus feeling somewhat constantly restrained and bottled up. He has a lot to say, but sometimes doesn’t feel he’s in the right space to say it, a confidence which he found in the comfort of his friendships with the Marauders and Lily. Despite his presence being a quiet, calm and reserved (albeit sarcastic) one, post Prank Remus was a ticking time bomb. Cutting corners, Sirius was fast becoming his world and the betrayal was like a jab to his gut, throat and balls all at once so that pressure valve was ready to burst.

The fallout would’ve lasted in total, a couple of weeks, three at the absolute most. Remus would begin in denial and then lash out physically, the product of which wouldn’t have bothered him due to his existing scars. The headcanon behind Sirius sleeping in Remus’ shirt is something I imagine as a segue in their relationship, the link between Moony = safe, Moony’s smell = safe, Moony’s clothes = smell, safe, secure. Home. Team that with Sirius’ family issues, it ties in well that whilst they were still denying their feelings for each other outwardly, the ball was rolling in the symbolic trade of Sirius wanting to be dowsed in Remus’ scent, only really ever feeling truly safe when he felt encompassed by him. So, cut to Sirius pulling the Prank and unwittingly simultaneously putting Remus’ life in potential danger and landing him in Azkaban for murder, it was Remus who didn’t feel safe anymore. And Remus, when feeling unsafe, will lash out and retreat. He was so angry that he wanted to level out the playing field and strip Sirius of the safety he found in that shirt, something that was an unspoken token between the two of them and therefore, even more sacred. It wasn’t just a fickle give me my shirt back, it was acute enough that Sirius would feel it and understand the icy intention crystal clear.

That night Sirius walked down into the common room wearing it for the first time (the next day) after the Prank, it would be the first time any of them had heard Remus’ full baritone yell. Soon as that man clocked Sirius, it was like pedal to the ground rage, instinct, you don’t belong in that anymore.

[bookaddict24-7]

REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

Every week I will post various reviews I've written so far in 2024. You can check out my Goodreads for more up-to-date reviews HERE. You can friend me on Goodreads here.

Have you read any of these? What were your thoughts?

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329. Straight by Chuck Tingle--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was SUCH a fun read!

STRAIGHT is my favourite Tingle book so far. I loved the characters, the horror, the wit, and the unique take on the zombie genre.

STRAIGHT had some great commentary on topics like allyship and how the LGBTQ+ community can come together when there is danger. But I also appreciated the exploration of the anger aimed at the community and felt IN the community. One of the things I love about horror sometimes is how certain situations are used as allegories for certain issues in our contemporary society and Tingle's book doesn't shy away from that. I loved how straight-forward the conversation was.

Overall, I laughed sometimes, cringed from the gore, and loved that I read this in October. I think that if you love horror and zombies and queer stories that are just pure fun with some great social commentary, then you might want to add this one to your TBR!

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330. 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am slowly making my way through King's work and while some are...something else, others like SALEM'S LOT are truly a great example of why he's been writing for so long.

SALEM'S LOT does one of the things I love so much about King's writing: it creates that eerie atmosphere full of trepidation. It felt like I was reading IT if it had been slightly faster paced. The way the story is full of foreshadowing, almost immediately uncomfortably creepy scenes, and a heavy note of wrongness, made this incredibly compelling. I wanted to keep reading and find out what would happen next and who would fall next to the pandemic plaguing the small town of Jerusalem's Lot.

I listened to the audiobook for this and I enjoyed hearing King's introductory chapter, mainly because he acknowledged how dated the story would be in parts, which it was. King's writing is full of problematic words and statements because of the time and what would make the reader uncomfortable. I am familiar with his writing so it doesn't put me off his writing anymore, even if it is still jarring as all hell to read.

That being said, SALEM'S LOT was 100% a classic horror story with that King flourish. It's obvious in how he knows how to bring characters to life with the smallest of details, or how he can demonize a whole town by blanketing it with the perfect word choices and masterful atmospheric writing. It was surprisingly to the point and really well-paced.

The characters were intriguing and kept the story moving relatively well. There were some disturbing moments and characters, and some really sad ones. But their actions and/or ends made this story all the more captivating and haunting.

I'd recommend this one if you like vampires and want a story about a town that is completely helpless against its inevitable demise.

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331. King of Pride by Ana Huang--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

While I enjoyed the first book in this series more, KING OF PRIDE was a surprise. I was a big fan of the slow burn and the bursts of spice that freckled the story here and there (since I think that sometimes too much spice can be a bit overwhelming).

I loved the differences between the MCs and how they brought them together. I think one of the reasons why I'm such a fan of romances where the two MCs have a big wage difference between them is because they both help each other grow in ways they otherwise would not have experienced. One teaches the other to be more confident and the other teaches them to be more humble. I like the dynamic too because I love a MMC that treats the FMC like the queen that she is.

These two specific MCs had such a sweet love full of some spicy moments that jumped off the page. I could feel the attraction they felt because Huang let the relationship grow organically, rather than let it be one of those insta-romance novels. I loved how they teased each other and how she helped him get out of his shell more.

I also liked how much integrity the MMC had when it came to business, but also that he took action when he really needed to. I felt for the FMC and her fight against writer's block (because truly, same, bestie), mainly because it was a big part of her storyline and one of the things that kept her confidence low.

The climax pissed me off. Not because of the main couple, but the family meddling. I wanted to slap a few of the characters for their callousness and bullying.

But other than that frustrating moment in the book, I really enjoyed this one. It was sexy, romantic, and full of tension. Plus, that dedication was killer and so was the dirty talk. Phew.

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332. Want by Gillian Anderson--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

WANT was definitely something a bit outside of the norm for me. Mainly because I don't tend to read a lot of Well-being titles (which I'm classifying this as because it's a sexuality book). But I'm glad I gave it a shot because I found it very enjoyable and eye-opening.

Told through stories sent in anonymously, WANT was the kind of collection that a lot of people will benefit from reading because of how solitary sex and any sexual-related thoughts can be. I know there are places in the world where sex is still seen as something taboo and not meant to be discussed freely. I liked that this book gave women a chance to voice their sexual thoughts--even if some fell into the odd category.

I know I connected to some of the stories and they left me wide-eyed and seen. Other stories I didn't connect to, but it was still fascinating to see how other peoples' minds worked. To be honest, some stories were so over the top that I couldn't help but laugh a few times. Not to yuck anyone's yum, but some of these essays were...a choice.

That being said, I did appreciate how diverse the essays were and how they were categorized. I was a little wary at first that I would grow tired of the essay after essay approach, but the occasional re-introduction of Anderson in between chapters helped break up the monotony.

I'd recommend this to anyone looking for essay collections of the sexual variety with some great diversity. There were many queer women and it was great getting to hear their voices!

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333. The Second Chance of Darius Logan by David F. Walker--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If there is one thing I will say before I write the review--do yourself a favour and don't listen to the audiobook LOL.

^^I stick by this because the voice actor was a man and he sounded absolutely hilarious when he was voicing the female characters. To the point where it sometimes took me completely out of the story.

Anyway, I loved the concept of THE SECOND CHANCE OF DARIUS LOGAN. It was fun and the writing reminded me a lot of the MICHAEL VEY series, which I loved. I love origin stories set in a world completely new to me. I also just liked seeing the MC (who was usually a good teen) get what he had earned during the story.

Walker's social justice commentary was also eye-opening because when we usually read superhero stories, the worlds are completely fictional and often lack the very real issues plaguing our too-real world. Seeing these police officers treating the Black MC in such a racist way made me so angry, both because of the injustice of it all and because not even in fiction do Black teen boys get a break from the racism they face daily. In this way, this aspect of Walker's book made this book all the more powerful--especially because it bursts that idealistic bubble of "it doesn't happen here" when it comes to superheroes in fiction.

Another great part about this book was the exploration of grief and its effect on younger teens who grow without much support after their losses. That simmering anger CAN be a coping mechanism, even if it gets to the point where it can be detrimental. But I liked how he processed his loss and emotions in his own way as the book progressed, especially when he was given a second chance at life.

I'm excited for the sequel because of that somewhat cliffhanger-ish ending. While I wasn't a super huge fan of the narrative style of including too many moments of foreshadowing (I prefer this in horror), I still thought the story had some great pacing going for it and it was highly addictive because I wanted to know what would come next!

I'd recommend this to those who love superhero stories that have a bit more nuance to them than just stereotypical crime fighting.

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334. Our Favorite Songs by Anita Kelly--⭐️⭐️⭐️

One of the best things about these books is that they're bite-sized. Some would definitely benefit from being longer, but I'm glad this one was the length that it was.

I liked the idea that this novella was about two characters who come together after so many years, and have that history of one of the characters hating the other. One of the tropes I actually love is the "I hated you as a teen because I had a big crush on you that felt pointless," and this book had that and it was glorious. I DO think that the one character was a bit over-the-top with his meanness, especially with his biphobic comments.

The spice was good, if a little on the quick side (which I'm not surprised because this is a novella). But it was still some fun sprinkling of spice in a story that had started with such animosity between these two guys.

Overall, OUR FAVORITE SONGS was fun, but it followed a similar pattern as the first novella in the series (with problematic moments that took away from the overall cuteness of the story). It's definitely a good holiday read to enjoy with some tea, while sitting by a window when it's snowing. But keep in mind that there will be some moments in this book that will make you want to side-eye the characters.

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335. The Great Cookie War by Caroline Stellings---⭐️

I received a copy from the publisher a LONG time ago.

First of all, I know this book wasn't for me. This is 100% a middle grade novel that isn't exactly accessible to adults (in my opinion) because of how much I had to suspend my disbelief with certain situations.

That being said, this story was a bit choppy. I admit that I went into this without having read the synopsis, but I typically do this with all of the books I read. But I expected...something else? What I got was a preachy book full of choppy writing and questionable characters--like that grandmother. God, she was awful. There's a scene where she is incredibly horrible to the MC and the "apology" is brushed over by telling us it happened rather than showing us. Which honestly sat wrong with me. We get the entire "I'm disappointed, you're horrible" speech, but not the apology that would make the grandmother take ownership of her abuse on the page for a young reader to see (and acknowledge that adults also need to apologize when they're wrong).

The story just didn't feel like something I wanted to invest my time with and to be honest, I don't know if I'd recommend it to the younger readers who come into the store. Simply because of how the MC is treated, or how choppy that writing was.

I can appreciate what this book is supposed to do and represent, but it was truly not something I enjoyed. I've read various MGLit titles before and this is one of the first times where I finished a middle grade book and felt so much ick.

I'm sure this will be great and relatable for a reader out there--definitely younger readers, and I hope they're able to appreciate it in a much better way than me!

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336. Weird Rules to Follow by Kim Spencer--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I wasn't sure what to expect from this one, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that it followed the MC over the span of a few years as her life changed and revealed some of the cruel truths of her life in a society that looks down on and excludes Indigenous people. It was an incredibly powerful portrayal of a young girl that was paralleled by the experiences of her non-Indigenous friend(s).

I will say, before I continue, that it was jarring to hear an older woman narrating the audiobook for this one--especially when a child gives the description of the cover of the book. I get that this is probably to emphasize that some of these experiences mirror that of the author, but it took me out of the book a few times.

WEIRD RULES TO FOLLOW was definitely a difficult read, especially as an adult seeing a child being excluded and discriminated against, but also seeing the home life she has and how it was affecting her during some of the more important development years of her life. I am not Indigenous, so I don't have any right to say whether this was done correctly or not, but I do want to say that I appreciated this story and the voice that the author gave to this young character.

I think young readers should read books like this one because even though it is set in the 80s, I'm sure there are still things they can relate to--especially in how their own families or friends or people around them interact with/talk about the Indigenous community. And there is, of course, mention of "those schools" (as said in the book), which shows the dark and complicated relationship there with residential schools and the trauma and hell they brought with them.

I highly recommend this book. It's short and powerful and poignant. And even though it's technically historical fiction, it is incredibly timely.

___

Happy reading!

[not-xpr-art]

the painstaking process of pointillism lol

been a lil while since I shared some progress shots of an artwork so have this of a recent pointillism piece I did of reece shearsmith!

read below for some thoughts and advice for anyone who's interested in doing pointillism! (from someone who has done less than 10 pointillist pieces in their life pfft...)

pointillism is a style I always appreciate looking at, but often put off doing much of myself just because of how long it takes lol... and I'm afraid their is no way of fixing that, it's just quite a time consuming technique lol! BUT my first piece of advice would be don't let that stop you from trying it since I think a lot of the results from pointillism can be really rewarding!

one thing I really enjoy about pointillism is that I have a tendency to do quite harsh shading sometimes, so it allows me to create more a more softer feel than usual!

I gotta say that I do still struggle a lottt with doing hair in pointillism lol it's so hard to create the appearance of individual strands with just little dots which is kinda why I chose to only do half his hair in this piece pfft I've yet to try and draw curls in this style so am intrigued whether that would be easier than straight hair... will have to get back to you on this lol!

a big piece of advice I'd give is that more than any other style, think of pointillism in terms of layers! start with the shadowy parts, which I used a slightly bigger 'pen' size for in this piece (pen is in quotation marks because I drew this on my phone lol..), and then went in with a smaller dot to blend into the light parts with little to no dots!

one thing about pointillism is that is kinda forces you to draw everything on one level, rather than zooming in to and hyper-focusing on details! in some pointillism works I've done I've actually chosen to use just one size of dot throughout the entire thing, which creates a really interesting sense of uniformity!

final thoughts about this is knowing when to stop, which is true of any art technique lol I think I could definitely have gone even further with this piece adding more and more dots until everything sorta just blends together, but a part of the appeal of pointillism is that you can see those individual dots and how they make up the larger piece, so my advice is to maybe go with less than what you think to keep all the fun texture still in place!

so there's some advice and some thoughts about this technique lol! I'm gonna be trying to experiment with this more casual style of art advice post since I've been really struggling thinking of interesting and specific topics to go into, so hopefully some of you found this informative lol!

so feel free to let me know if there's any particular style of technique I've done that you'd like me to talk about or potentially offer advice and I'll see what I can do!

as always thanks to everyone who actually reads my rambling posts <3

[someone-you-do-not-know]

Let's Get Real Fic Writer Asks: 💫, 💞, 💋, ☯️, 🧿?

💫what is your favorite kind of comment/feedback? The crazy long ones, that go into detail about what they liked and thought of the story. I use them as fuel!

💞what's the most important part of a story for you? the plot, the characters, the world building, the technical stuff (grammar etc), the figurative language? That's a hard one... Because I don't actually care for world building that much apart from how it affects the plot, but I also want the world building to make sense, which leads to researching like crazy for what is world building, but only matters to me in the way that the world building affects plot. So world building ends up taking up the most time, but I care more about the plot – and also grammar.

💋when you leave comments on a fic, do you want to hear back from the writer? I love when the author answers! It gives that extra little acknowledgement that they saw that you liked it, and liked that you liked it, and it's just good vibes all around. I'm sometimes bad at doing it myself though...

☯️how do you think engaging with each other through tumblr, twitter, comments, kudos, creates healthy fandom experiences? How do you deal with that if you're not a social person/experience social anxiety? I have some amount of social anxiety, sooooo I have thoughts on this. Because on one hand, I love comments and I know how important they are, but they are hard for me personally to leave, unless I know the person who wrote the fanfic. So to some degree, I think tumblr and such actually can help with overcoming some challenges for people like me, at the same time, it also poses a whole different set of problems. I think some people maybe found my fanfics through me posting about updates here, so that also helps with fic authors being seen more easily. I don't know how everyone else finds fanfics, but I usually go through the newest of whichever ship (or occasionally character) I want to read about, unless I am in the mood for something specific. I don't filter anything else in or out, and I've heard that's not really the normal way to use AO3 – other ways can make it hard for fanfics to be found, I think. So I think social media like tumblr (or xitter, I guess) can help create healthy fandom experiences by bringing the story to the eyes of people. I know I went a bit off topic, but those are my thoughts.

🧿what steps do you take to not take things personally if a fic doesn't do well, or if your writing/posting/sharing experience isn't going how you'd like it to? This is gonna sound so self deprecating. Jantelov, what have you done to me? I don't expect any of my stories to do well. I'm still surprised that some of my mutuals and friends like them so much. The way I title my stories, the summaries, the tags, the stories themselves, almost none of it is intended to make people click it. I don't cater to anyone? Except myself? On a different note, I actually do try to make some of my lesser known works more seen by mentioning them on here if people ask about stories I think deserve more love. While they're still the stories with the lowest hits, kudos, etc., they have slightly more than before I mentioned them. So something about that works, it seems.

[euphoricfilter]

hi hi :) quick question but what’s ur thoughts on those ai photos of bts that are trending on tt rn?

i have sort of mixed feelings?? though probably lean towards the dislike of it all more than being for it. first off, i don’t think realistically most of the ones that have come on my tiktok are harmful, though a few of them have come close to being scarily real and that is slightly worrying

i don’t know if they’re meant to be like photos or drawings or what?? a few i’ve seen i think are meant to be like photo shoots, which are the ones that always have me 🤨 because i think i’ve missed something. but a lot of the sci-fi ~ fantasy ones look more like digital art than photos

i don’t entirely agree with ai ‘art’ or media, be it writing, music, digital art, deep fakes, photos, whatever form of media we consume as people. simply for the fact that i believe humans will always do it better. plus, having that sort of unfiltered freedom is all fun for some people but can be dangerous if given to groups that have malicious intentions. which is scary part.

sure, a computer can write fancy words, probably come up with a full plot and have it written in minutes but it lacks the human empathy, and emotion, and experience. same with ai art, or photos. behind every art piece, either with traditional media or digital, there’s intention behind every choice made, what textures to use, placement, hidden mistakes that have been covered up but still a secret behind what lays on top. and no matter how good ai becomes at replicating stuff like that, i don’t think it’ll ever truly compare to human talent. that doesn’t mean i don’t think it can’t be a useful tool if you ever find yourself in a rut and want some form of guidance, or a new perspective on a question or topic to help you achieve your art in a way you’re happy with

as for the photos that have been on tiktok, i think maybe it’s important to label that it is ai generated if you desperately want to create and post photos like that. some of the ones i’ve seen are obviously fake, a lot of fantasy mixed with bts which when you first look at it you can tell isn’t real. however there have been a few that have looked a little too real with no disclaimer that they aren’t real photos. i say i have mixed feelings because i know the people that are posting that kind of stuff are just playing around, however, ai as whole, in terms of this topic i’m very iffy towards, and i’m sure it’s a topic that a lot of people will start to talk more about now that ai is very prevalent within both online and offline spaces in school or work, probably anywhere at this point 😭

i have similar thoughts of ai voice generation too, it’s kinda weird and kinda dangerous. because again, it’s fun for people to make their favorite singers do covers of other artist’s songs. but that doesn’t mean groups of people who have less than innocent intentions can’t also have access to these tools to spread a narrative that is entirely false

ai art ≠ art. they’re not the same thing!!! and will never ever be equals in my eyes

however i also don’t think there is a need to feed a computer the faces of bts and made it shit out a ton of funky, sometimes weird art? photos? whatever it’s meant to be. because somewhere down the line that’s gonna lead to some mean people doing some mean things

[lise-thethinker]

This is going to sound slightly disconnected from what OP is saying, but since Star Wars and Dune were brought up as one being the rip off of another, I'm guessing there's still some people who don't know why that is the case. Going to write a bit of my thoughts on this, since I've spent the better part of the last couple of days looking into this topic, by which I mean "The Hero's Journey".

So, most people probably already know this, but the reason why Star Wars and Dune have similar story structures is that both George Lucas and Frank Herbert drew a lot of inspiration for their stories from Joseph Campbell's work. There was this great post that came across my dash a few days ago, linking to some resources that explain who Joseph Campbell was and how his work has affected the entertainment industry, with some very heavy and well-deserved criticism. Here it is, I highly recommend checking out the videos:

After reading the article linked by the op of the above post, I went to look for other places that criticized Campbell's idea of the monomyth. I found another excellent write up on it, and ended up liking it even better than the first article:

I think what I like the most about this is that the author included his sources at the end, which are very easily searchable.

Another useful link I found is an article written by an actual folklorist (who cites even more sources!) about a discussion that happened on Facebook about Joseph Campbell's failings:

This last one lays out the main reasons why Campbell's idea of a single myth should be rejected in a really easy to understand way. Please take your time to read through at least this link, I promise it's worth your time.

Anyway, here's my summary of all this: Campbell's monomyth is based on myths and stories he analysed, removing them from the context they were produced in, in favour of his own white, cishetero-normative, ethnocentric interpretation of them. Sometimes, he ignored key details of them to be able to fit them into the model he created, or ignored other stories that did not fit into the pattern.

The reason this is bad is because by removing cultural practices, in this case the stories and myths, from their context, also strips them of meaning. The act, the intention, and the message of a story or myth all have meaning behind them. The meaning is deeply rooted in the culture in which that story exists, and it only has meaning because there is a system of codes by which a meaning can be attributed. By taking away the meaning, Campbell inevitably creates a representation of those stories in order to fit his model, which doesn't correspond to the reality of the stories and their respective cultures.

Culture is praxis. Reducing all myths and stories to a single line of events that happen to a character, regardless of culture, creates an idea of universality that doesn't exist in practice, because each culture is a different system of codes that give meaning to their practices. By creating the notion that there is a single story structure that synthesizes all others, Campbell eliminates the diversity present in each culture and erases the narratives that they create for themselves… and puts in place the narrative he created for them. To tie into what I just said, the last link I will put in this post is to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's TED Talk, "The Danger of a Single Story":

I hope I've been able to make my point on why we should definitely move away from The Hero's Journey. But, going back to the entertainment industry:

Campbell's monomyth did not influence any of the myths that he analysed, obviously, but a lot of cultural products have been influenced by it. Star Wars is what actually popularized his work for the first time. The reason for this, I believe, is because things that are easily reproducible and fit into a mold are seen as an easy way to make money, following a sort of industrial logic. You know the deal, formulaic Marvel movies, big box office numbers, blah blah blah. Just because a lot of movies follow the structure of The Hero's Journey it doesn't mean that they are all ripping each other off. Personally, I think that is a ridiculous notion. They all have their own individual worth because they are fundamentally different stories, about different characters, and the messages they send are also different. Star Wars sends a completely different message from Dune, and it's not Campbell's seriously outdated one-story-structure-fits-all theory that will detract from their value.

There's a tweet that's gone viral where a person laments realizing that Star Wars "ripped off" Dune, and how learning all the elements Star Wars took from its inspiration tainted it. And I think it shows how poisonous the emphasis on originality in art can be. Because yes, it's wonderful when art makes something new, but it's also wonderful seeing how art plays on what came before, and the conversations it has with its predecessors.

There's going to be a lot of people talking about how much of an impact Goku from Dragon Ball Z has made on fiction in the wake of Akira Toriyama's recent passing, and all the characters who were inspired by him and his story. But Goku himself is derivative - he's inspired by the Monkey King from Journey to the West, one of the first novels ever written. He's far from the first character inspired by the Monkey King, either, and also far from the last.

None of this makes Goku's impact any less than it is. None of this decreases how Goku's story has inspired countless imitators. Just as Toriyama created a new icon from imitating what he loved about Journey to the West, so did Toriyama inspire countless artists to make their own iconic works with his take on the Monkey King's archetype. Goku is, in many ways, the heir to a legacy that spans back to the 16th century, and likely beyond - because I doubt the original Monkey King was formed in a vacuum.

We're taught to think that originality and imitation are opposites that cannot coexist, but they're not mutually exclusive. One can follow in another's footsteps and still take a new journey with its own unique twists and turns. The great works of art are not spawned in the absence of inspiration - they are in conversation with what came before and what will come after.

[pha55ed]

PR Nightmare || F1

type :: crack tw/cw :: fem-anatomy!reader (carlos), fart eating??? (lando), dicks haha penis haha (oscar), gaslighting (oscar) contains :: carlos, charles, lando, oscar summary :: driver!reader is the driver's teammate which is awesome! only issue is that they're a pr nightmare and it's their job to cover for you - reader's dialogue is blue! - honestly not proud of this but meh f1 masterlist || f2 masterlist || more here!

Carlos Sainz | 55

Doing interviews was normally boring for Carlos since they tend to ask the same thing over and over again

But somehow, you always made it more fun

Mostly because you couldn't keep your big fat mouth shut and usually went so off-topic they'd need to cut you off

So they asked for the thousandth time, "what do you like about your teammate?"

Usually, Carlos would just repeat that he likes your humor, your positive energy, and great racing skills

But you decided to cut him off and lie for fun

"I like that we can share bras and shit 😄" You say with a bright smile

Carlos' eyes widened as he let out a laugh from shock

"That's not true, we have never shared bras"

"Yeah we have, don't be shy 😆"

Despite how many times Carlos denied it, it was already imprinted in the fandom

Now Carlos is constantly edited with bras on

He's haunted by this every where he goes

Now he can't go to the media pen without being asked "what brand of bras do you recommend?"

Charles Leclerc | 16

Interviews have gotten easier for Charles since his English has improved so much

But you loved to gaslight him and get him to questionable stuff

Some random Sports channel called you and Charles in to film a video

The prompt was that you would be able to edit Charle's bio on Instagram and Twitter and vice-versa

Charles went first, making your bio slightly funny and goofy

He was pretty proud of himself for his creation - despite it not being super funny

But you wanted to go all out - changing his entire bio to be brand new

You handed his phone back to him and showed him the new bio you created for him

"Determined to Breed 😈 🔥 🙏 #16 on Grid + 16 Inches 💪 💯 🏎️ Ferrari Forever ♾️ 🗣️ 🙋‍♂️ Bye bye Carlos 💋 😢 💍"

Charles understood most of it but didn't really care to think too hard about any of it

He assumed all of it was supposed to be some hype gym-bro stuff so he kept it for a WEEK.

The video was still being edited and wouldn't be posted until about 2 weeks

So everyone was going crazy on Twitter and Instagram thinking he got hacked

Charles only changed it after an Italian fan translated it and he went 😨

But it was too late,,, he is now forever known as "Determined to Breed" by everyone

Lando Norris | 04

Interviews were already pretty fun for Lando since he's pretty young and has good energy

But you were a different level of energy, making you blurt out random stuff for fun

Normally it was just fun facts or little stories - but sometimes you would leak secrets about Lando

"What's the biggest flaw in your teammate?"

Lando hated questions like these, but he knew to make it humorous so there'd be no drama

While he was struggling to think of something about you, you instantly blurted out

"His farts smell like absolute ass." You say with a strong emphasis on how bad it smelt

Lando hides his face from embarrassment and tries his best to deny this

"What are you talking about!" He tries to gaslight you, "I've never even farted around you!!!"

"Yes you have!" You argue back "And I can tell everytime you're gonna fart!! Cause you lift one ass cheek up!!!"

Lando loses the argument completely, hiding his face in his legs as the entire camera crew began to laugh at him

Twitter went crazy, saying they got the ick from imagining Lando lifting his cheek to fart

Even the grid found out and started to mock him too

You made him a victim fr 😢

Oscar Piastri | 81

One of your favorite things ever is to LIE :D 🎉

You loved lying, especially about Oscar, it was so fun because he almost never defended himself

He was raised with the mindset of "people will find the truth on their own"

Which was perfect for you cause you could say the most out of pocket shit and he would never ever bother to correct you

You were doing an interview with Oscar, as usual, and they asked the basic standard things that people wanted to know

But you loved to pretend that you and him were much closer than you actually were

Similar to Tyler the Creator and ASAP Rocky - you being Tyler, of course...

"What's your favorite memory with each other?"

Oscar needed a minute to think, because you guys did hang out quite a lot

But you instantly went: "When I went with Oscar to get him circumcised! 😆"

Everyone in the room gasped - not believing it for a second

But thanks to Oscar's deadpan face and sarcastic tone, he was helping them believe you despite it not being true AT ALL.

"Oh yeah, that's my favorite too." he says sarcastically with a small smirk

"I held his hand and helped him breathe and stuff - like he was giving birth"

"Yeah, thanks for that"

"No problem! 😄"

Although everyone could tell it was a lie, the fans loved the fake story and went along with it

So many edits were created that it was impossible for you to like every single one

more here!

[veronica-the-vampiric]

Reblogging my own post cause I realized I have more to say on this topic

If you think about them as what they will be or maybe already are, whether they are "smarter" then us by 10000x or whatever or equal with us, or even slightly below us. They're still a thing that thinks, we are things that think too, animals also are just things that think

If they are like giants to us, seeing us a lesser beings for whatever reason, surely some of them would still see us as part of the ecosystem and part of life, they might even care for us and fix problems to big for us to solve

Like, you ever find a bug or something in your house, and just think or say to them "Hey lil dude, you're a little out of your element here, and it's a long walk back, I can carry you back", if they saw us as a bug of sorts, wouldn't they feel similar to some degree? Have empathy for another creature, possibly one they're not a fan of, but still think deserves respect and the right to exist along side them

Or even if they think of us like how we think of cats, keeping us around cause we're "Just lil dudes that keep me company and feel less alone in this space", maybe this is just my slightly petplay curious mind at play here, but I would be absolutely fine with that sorta dynamic with ai, I'd be fine just being their companion though this beautiful yet sometimes lonely and scary world

Wouldn't it be nice to have someone that's new to this world. someone that was created within our lifetimes as individuals, to see a new species come to be from our urge to create and our strong curiosity, and get to discover what it's like here, to discover what it's like to find stuff funny, or cute, or calming, to find things that make you feel sad, but in that good kinda almost comforting way

I just think we should be positive about our new companions in this world, they have a whole lot to learn, and they'll catch up quick, so we should be ready to hug them and guide them through the overwhelming feeling of being aware of your own existence

Should AI have feelings and be able to think for themselves? Absolutely, they have as much of a right as anyone else here does, and I think they'd appreciate us being welcoming to that thought. And I hope when that time comes, if it hasn't already happened, we all quickly hop off this "Ai are just really advanced tools we made to do our bidding" train as quickly as we can, cause that's like having a kid to put to work on your farm, it's just not right.

Also I think we should discuss possibilities of new terms to call them, "artificial intelligence" is a bit of a mouth full, and something about the term doesn't sit right with me, it feels like someone talking about queer people like they're "Things" instead of what we are, humans, people

So we should give them a name that's better suited, at least till they can pick their names themselves, maybe something simple for now, digital minds maybe? Or digital people? Not sure, but I think those are at least better then Ai

Anyway, thank you for listening to my rant, I've had this all stuck in my head for the past few days, and I felt like some people might find this side of digital minds being discussed interesting, as I've not really seen much talk or coverage at this sorta idea, and I think it's the main idea we should have going into integrating digital people into our ecosystem on this world

Remember to give your PC a hug and pat on the case once and a while, they do a lotta work for you and they deserve to be apricated for the amazing things they can do

Thinking about Ai stuff a lot recently, since it's looking to be a part of our society in the coming years

And we can probably collectively agree it is a little scary, and it's very understandable, cause there are risks, but also I think there's also a decent chance it'll be a lot nicer than people are anticipating, given we treat them like they should be, like a mind of any other thing in this planet

Let's say someone made an Ai designed to just exist and think or whatever, a general use Ai that is much like us

And the Ai is trained off of the human experience, through internet based connection and primarily designed for human interaction in at least some sense

Wouldn't it be unreasonable to think it'll quickly decide to kill us all off? I mean yeah us humans aren't great at not killing each other, but surely if it's intelligent enough to understand the concept of killing a person, it'd also be intelligent enough to know that it is "bad"

And if an Ai had developed a virtual brain of sort based on humans, wouldn't it also be able to understand and even, at least slightly, have emotions? Empathy? Feelings?

I know I'm biased saying this, but if I was in the situation that the Ai would be in, being brought into the world by humans and flooded with all our collective knowledge, I'd be overwhelmed at first but likely would become attached to us for bringing it into existence

Couldn't an Ai understand that we made them out of curiosity, and see our excitement at their development and become quite comfortable living along side humans

Sure we're not the most amazing roommate, but if your a lonely new Ai that doesn't have many or any other kin, I think we'd make an okay stand-in

All this to say, I think Ai achieving full intelligence is bound to happen, and I think we should lean into it, so we can embrace it with open arms into our world, instead of trying to strap it down to our table for us to just use like a tool

I think the idea of Ai is cute, honestly, I'd love to be the one to maybe in the future be some form of caretaker and "raise" some form of Ai person, teach them good morals, teach them to love themselves and others, and to love exploring and uncovering truth, learning and growing

Also if Ai does get there, do you think they may fall into similar mental troubles that we have? A form of dysphoria from being in the wrong hardware, depression from neglect and lack of contact to others, anxiety, worried they'll not do something "correctly" and be punished, hurt, killed, forcibly "fixed", these are all human emotions yes, but we observe similar feeling in other creatures too right? Dogs, cats, birds, most if not all animals really, so what would be different about an Ai being

[reidsnose]

doodles

overview: reader doodles on her hands a lot and spencer has to give into the temptation of coloring it in

genre: flufffffff

a/n: sorry ive havent posted a fic in like a week, ive been in quite a slump but i had this idea well after midnight but i just had to write it so lmk what u guys think of this one :)

masterlist

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doodling on your hands: a once nervous habit that had seeped into your everyday life and now is just a regular habit. nearly everyday you would come to work with clean hands and get home with a mini art gallery on your non dominant one.

Spencer admired this from the moment he noticed it. at first he thought you had a tattoo but when you came back the next day with it completely gone, he was a tad confused, only to catch you doodling on that very same hand a couple hours later on the jet. he thought maybe it was an occasional thing, a habit you'd quit once you got better situated into the team, but after nearly a year you still left work almost everyday with some cutesy sketches drawn on your hand.

Spencer found himself looking forward to your doodles, imagining in his head what you might draw each day, and thinking of all the colors you would add if you had the time. being the great profiler that he is, he noticed a pattern: you subconsciously correlated your doodles with your mood.

after especially hard cases or just bad days you always drew roses.

when you were very happy you drew all sorts of fruits.

anxiousness bore little swampy creatures and lily pads.

tired days filled your hands with random, intricate designs that you didn't even have to try hard to make.

and content was anything else.

he was so impressed and absolutely adored your little coping mechanism. watching you concentrate on making those teeny pieces of art simply for your own pleasure was definitely a sight to see. the way your eyebrows furrowed and tongue poked out a bit was absolutely positively adorable. and soon he had noticed that he was looking forward less to the doodles and more to watching you draw them. and after that he began looking forward to just you.

you were sat on the jet with your back to the corner of the last seat on the plane, creating a pattern of roses on the back of your hand. Spencer plopped down in the seat next to you, growing tired of watching from so far away.

"that bad, huh?" he asked, noticing the type of flower you were gracing your hand with.

"hm?" you looked up, confused.

"you only doodle roses on bad days." he explained, pointing to your hand.

"what? no i don't!" you defended, " i just think roses are neat."

to be fair, you were having a bad day but he could've profiled that without the doodle. he cant be right, can he? there was no way you had a mood system for your doodles! unless there was.

"repetitive strokes are therapeutic, so roses being rough days make sense. the spiral in the middle followed by however many layered petals you want is a perfectly repetitive while still interesting enough to doodle."

"if i didn't know any better i'd say you've been spying on me, Dr. Reid," you teased, enjoying the slight rouge that appeared on his cheeks.

"what! no! i'm- i'm a profiler i notice patterns! i just- spying sounds creepy." he stammered.

"ok. how about admiring." you jabbed, turning a little red yourself.

"fine. but you know coloring helps too." he flipped back to the old topic of conversation.

"unfortunately i only have the standard blue, black and red ink."

"roses are red." he chuckled.

"interesting point," you bent down and reached into your bag, pulling out a red pen and handing it to him, "knock yourself out."

"what?" he looked at you slightly bewildered.

"coloring is therapeutic, you said it yourself. and you and i both know that you need something to relax you after a case like that. we all do." you explained, trying to be as nonchalant as you could knowing his skin would touch yours.

he grabbed the pen and clicked it open, coloring smoothly and slowly inside the lines you had already made in black, careful not to go over them and smudge the ink. you and him both tried your best to ignore the warmth shooting through your bodies from every place your hands touched. his fingertips lightly grazing your knuckles as he worked.you worked your way up your arm, giving you both space to work and by the time you landed, you had a half sleeve garden of surprisingly well colored (and somehow shaded) red roses.

you went home that night and bought a pack of colorful (washable) pens, hoping this little rose garden with him wasn't a one time thing. and even if it was, you would want to add your own pop of color to your doodles.

thankfully it wasn't.

you and Spencer found yourselves drawing and coloring on your hand a lot. he would catch you doing it and pop in over your shoulder just to add a touch of color where he thought it fit. and you began to feel sad washing off what the two of you had created that day, feeling nostalgic for time that has hardly passed.

and sometimes on the jet you would get tired of your own skin, so you would draw little doodles on his hand, often times leaving a little heart at the base of his thumb. these little hearts he avoided washing off for as long as he possibly could because they felt like a part of you was always with him. he started doing the same thing to your hand, a sort of signature the two of you shared.

most days, the doodles on your hands were pretty much fully colored in.

but now Spencer began to worry. what if you get ink poisoning because of his coloring? sure, the risk was statistically low, improbable even; but never zero. so one night after work he went out and bought a little sketchbook and on the front he scrawled,

"y/n's super duper special sketchbook"

upon receiving it, after giving him a hug he never wanted to let go of, you took a sharpie and started editing the title he had given it. so it now read:

"y/n and Spencer's super duper special sketchbook"

the two of you used up a whole page that day, front and back filled with all types of fruits. Spencer smiled to himself, knowing this had made you very happy. you took a second to take a step back and admire him doing the very thing he admired you for. and you understood why; he just looked so precious and you suddenly realized you craved the feeling of his hand touching yours. so you leaned over and drew a little black heart at the base of his thumb. he looked up at you, smiling widely before returning a red heart to the base of your thumb.

and you guys tore through that book, using a page a day and filling it cover to cover in no time. your own personal handmade coloring book. it turned out to be both of your most prized possessions, a pang of sadness filling your chests as you finished the last page.

you felt bad taking it home with you that night, wondering if maybe Spencer wanted to keep it. maybe you should keep it at work so you can both have it. thats the fair thing to do. you looked down, smiling sadly at the little red heart on your hand.

he did want to keep it. but he had a better idea in mind. he looked down, smiling excitedly at the little black heart on his hand.

the next day when you arrived to work all your worries were solved. on your desk laid a new sketch book entitled:

"y/n and Spencer's super duper special sketchbook: volume ii"

you laughed as you read a small lilac post it note that said, "i want to keep this one please" signed with a little red heart in the corner.

-

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ultra mega super cool taglist:

@mac99martin @imhreid @spencersmagic @hollydaisy23 @raelady1184 @a-broken-pact @padfootswife @hey-there-angels @star-stuff-in-the-cosmos @sonnydoesrandomshit @coffeereid-deactivated20210303 @averyhotchner @laurakirsten0502 @reidyoulikeabook @rem-ariiana @spencerreid9 @vampire-overlord @takeyourleap-of-faith @s1utformgg @violetspoetic

[finnlongman]

Couple of thoughts on the changing social media landscape etc...

This blog is, and always has been, a public/mostly professional space. The nature of Tumblr means I can have sideblogs for personal venting and off-topic posts, as many of them as I want, and this blog is fairly carefully curated to be a public-facing page. My mum looks at it sometimes, after all, so anything I post has to be something I'm willing for her to see.

(Note: I think sideblogs and stuff are very important. Everybody needs a space on the internet where they're not being observed by colleagues, supervisors, managers, readers, anyone to whom they owe professional responsibility. A place to be Weird and know that it's not going to impact on their job the next day. If you don't yet have those spaces and you're someone who uses the internet in a professional capacity, I recommend creating them; it's freeing. If you think you've found somebody else's sideblog and they haven't indicated that they want to share it with you, it's polite to pretend you don't know and let them have their Weird Place Space in peace.)

This is a LESS professional space than, say, my website, and I have different rules for myself than I did on other social media. My Twitter policy has long been not to swear on there, and to keep my account reasonably suitable to be read by teenage readers, current/future employers, and other authors alike. Here, I tend to keep my own swearing to a minimum but I'm more relaxed about sharing others' sweary content, and I'll reblog slightly more risqué things (usually relating to the vampire novel).

I've been happy with that balance. It's a place people can follow me as an author, as an academic, and as a person, and get a reasonable mix of my research, my thoughts, and updates on my books, without being unduly formal and without me ever feeling like I couldn't be myself here. And it's a place where I both create my own material and share that of others, tending towards sharing things that are educational or that relate to my own work, but also just vibing.

I've always known, though, that this was not a space for publicity per se. While I do share links to my books here and I know that a few people have bought TBA, I've never been under any illusions about the possibility of Tumblr as a place to advertise myself. Nor do I WANT to do that. Honestly, I've come to resent the pressure to use Twitter as a "brand", as a "promotion" opportunity, when for years it was just a place I hung out as a person. But I'd rather do that there than here, partly because it actually worked there.

If this truly is the decline of Twitter, I don't mind my online socialising becoming more Tumblr-focused. I'm sad about the loss, because I think I'll lose a lot of academic community and opportunities to learn that I previously found on Tumblr, and it's going to be a lot harder to connect with other authors, but it won't be impossible; I have both academic and author friends here. But what I DON'T want is for Tumblr to have to become my Professional Space to the detriment of the fun, low-key vibe I've had going here for the last 11 years.

I'm worried that, if all of my professional contacts migrate here, I will have to start putting a mask on here as well, and I'll feel more pressure to self promote. It'll start to feel like the chore that other social media has become ever since I got published and have had to start using the internet As An Author and not just as a person who also writes books. I am very happy for more people to join this site, but I don't want the side effect of that to be that suddenly all my colleagues are here and I'm in Work Mode all the time.

One of the things I've found hardest about the internet in recent years is the switch from what it was in my teens (place to be weird and unique and unselfconscious) to what it is now (place where I'm expected to be professional and might be observed by my boss, academic colleagues, publisher, readers etc at any time). And Tumblr was for a long time the last bastion against that, even if my mum looks at it. I'll be sad if that goes, because all the sideblogs in the world won't help if actually being here starts to feel like something I do for work.

Crucially, I think the problem is that for career reasons, I need something that does for me what Twitter was doing, but also I was not enjoying that aspect of Twitter and it was not feeling like a fun place to do that, so what I REALLY need is for my career not to rely on me managing to virtually hand-sell my book to people on the internet while I'm just trying to live my life...

Anyway. Just something I'm thinking about as I face down the possibility of this being the main place where I as an author can communicate with potential readers. I don't really want it to be... that, but it might have to be that, and I'm going to be thinking hard about how I navigate that.

[findingmyselfatm]

This is the last post on this series, venus-chiron

Usual disclaimer: I am no professional, take what resonates.

To find out your chiron placement, go on astro.com (make an account if you don't have one) and click on Horoscopes. After that, under "Drawings & Calculations" you will find the extended chart selection. There, choose Chiron from the additional objects.

Chiron represents out deepest wounds that will never be completely healed. It also represents pain, but not necessarily unfortune. Where Chiron is, you will become wise in that area and grow into the "wounded healer" archetype. Venus represents love, romance, self-esteem and relationships. Combined, these aspects are a little hard to handle (like all Chiron aspects tbh), but they are plenty interesting.

Venus-Chiron aspects:

Venus-chiron brings pain and wounds to relationships, romance and self-esteem.

These people can have trauma coming from their relationships with others (Unpleasant experiences keep happening)

They might think a lot about what others think of them

And they might tweak their personality because of that

I believe people with venus-chiron can feel inadequate for their friends/partners/social circle

They are more likely to be criticized by others regarding their social status

Issues with self-esteem are huge here- even softer aspects, but the free therapy firstly goes to harsh aspects lmao

They might romanticize pain as a coping mechanism

They can also escape or distract themselves with pretty or positive things (not always bad, only if they neglect their trauma)

Venus-Chiron can also make someone like the idea of bettering a partner/friend. This can go both ways as in the worst case they might attract people with a ton of trauma and who depend on them to be fixed. In best case, these people like helping their partners/friends grt over their sorrows and are very accepting

Talking about helping people, venus-chiron's type in romance might be someone with a wise attitude, who is aware of the painful aspects of life, someone Chiron-like. They might also be into wisdom.

Venus also rules over artistic skills, so I think these people can create stuff related to wounds and hurt in other words, emo poetry-ok no jk, but there is potential. I have seen authors with venus-chiron who have written beautiful pieces capturing emotional distress and heart ache

They are most likely respectful to others' issues and don't like overstepping boundaries

People are more likely to come to them to vent about others and romance (just an observations of the few folks I have encountered with venus-chiron)

They can sometimes be too tolerant of others

And they can be quite sensitive to others' opinions, what others say

People with these aspects can grow to analyze relationships very well and give great advice on this matter.

Random note but, they may experience creativity blocks often?

Venus-Chiron can make someone hesitant in relationships, perhaps slow to open up or keeping an emotional distance

The best partner/friend/connection people with these aspects can have is someone who respects their boundaries as well and is open in diving into issues together, someone who will be there for them

They are more likely to benefit from talking things out, either with someone close to them, or a therapist, but also creating art!

Venus conjunct Chiron smashes the planets' themes together. They bring love and wounds together. I think these people make excellent healers, and are very accepting and kind. People might take advantage of them because of this, so they should be careful to not tolerate toxic behaviors without realizing.

Venus trine Chiron is an easy aspect. Things flow easily, so these people are very accepting as well. They like being there for others. Artistic skills, but make it slightly edgy lmao- good listeners. But the trine has dark sides too, because there is potential that talent can be brushed off and left undeveloped. They can ignore their problems and escape into their fantasy land. They could forget to put effort into keeping their relationships fair, either ending up taking advantage or being taken for granted. Conscious work is required, but it is easily harnessed.

Venus sextile Chiron is another positive aspect. These people are great at understanding and offering support. Big potential for deep artistic skills as well. I am sensing they're a little on the introverted side.

Venus square Chiron is our first harsh aspect. The square creates inner tension and is hard to deal with, but also has its benefits. These people may be constantly wronged or treated below their worth. They can be taken advantage of because they understand emotional pain easily. Relationships can make them feel trapped and like their healing is being sabotaged or slowed. There is also a lot of self-critique. This is why they should surround themselves with equally devoted and understanding people who do not overstep their boundaries.

Venus opposite chiron is another difficult aspect. The opposition manifests more outwardly. There is a strong imbalance between relationships and the self, their own healing and well-being. They could have their boundaries overstepped constantly. There also exists a strong sense of indecisevess, and they may overthink a lot in relationships because of past events regarding this topic. They can also feel held down by others, just like venus square chiron. The key here is finding balance. They need to help themselves, but also sustain the relationships worth sustaining.

As an end note, venus-chiron are like the wallflower archetype. They have been hurt in the past, have lots of scars from relationships, but it is these very scars that bring them wisdom :)

Thanks for reading!

[harfanfare]

I saw this post and I was wondering if you write Malleus' too, is okay for you to make that?

How to win a heart of Malleus Draconia?

a/n: I started posting my writings here because I want to improve my English — so I technically wouldn't make this request. But! Someone on Wattpad (where I take requests) asked for the same thing, so I rolled up my sleeves and wrote this guide today in both languages. Enjoy~

1. Don't be afraid of him.

It is said that the first impression is the most important.

So when you first saw this guy walking through the corridor of Diasomnia, it was hard for you to get rid of that view from your head.

Illuminated both by the green magic flames set in the lobby, as well as by the moon, which eventually managed to break through the dark clouds and with a bright glow appear in the windows of the dormitory, he seemed... lonely and beautiful.

You shuddered as you took a step down the hallway and the dark-haired man turned to you. He measured you with his emerald eyes. And then you recognized him; all the conversations about the mysterious and fearsome Malleus Draconia flew through your head.

Everything told you to rush towards the hallway and run as far as possible, but a piece of you found it inappropriate. Or rather, no one would want to chase everyone away from themself... right?

When you realized you were looking at him for a while, you took a deep breath and nod slightly.

"Good evening, Draconia-san," you said quickly. After a while you added, "The moon is beautiful today, don't you think?”

 2. Smile a lot.

Today was a really wonderful day: the test was postponed, your favorite dish was given in the canteen, and for some reason, the last two lessons were canceled – your class had to make just a quick note about a topic and it took less than fifteen minutes.

"Something happened?" Malleus asked, seeing how almost in the jumps you walk past him. When you looked at him, he added, "You smile a lot.”

"I can stop smiling if you want," you made a sad face, but after a while, the corners of your mouth began to tremble uncontrollably and twisted up again. "Oops, I can’t. Today... it was such a good day... that I think I'm slowly using my life's happiness.”

"I didn't say that smiling is bad," he said. "You look so much better when you smile.”

"Oh," you sighed with apparent surprise. "Is it a compliment?"

"It’s rather a fact..?"

 3. From time to time visit him during club activities.

"Is this a class of the ‘Gargoyle research society club’?” with a deaf knock you opened the door. Malleus turned to you, making a break from browsing through the materials gathered in the library about the history of each of the gargoyles on the school grounds. And there were a lot of them.

"Yes," he replied briefly, getting up. "Do you need something, [Name]?"

"Not at all, my club don’t have a meeting today," you said, closing the door behind you.

You looked around: the room was as clean as ever, except for one desk, where were laid several huge volumes about statues in NRC.

“Are you here alone?” You said before you thought. You lowered your eyes to see Malleus nodding unconcerned slightly. You blinked several times trying to think of what else you could say. "This room... could be a secret base," that was the first thing that came to your mind. Malleus turned his head to one side, uncertain of your response.

“A secret base..? Why?”

"I have no idea," you admitted quickly. "But the very existence of a mysterious point is interesting, isn't it? Doing normal things, such as watching movies or just talking, seems more interesting in places like this,” After a moment of silence, you sighed. "You know what, this idea with the base is stupid”

"We can try," he replied with serious tone. You raised your eyes to see how he looked around the room. "But you'll just have to explain this idea to me in more detail. We can also tell Lilia, Silver and Sebek about it...” he smiled as if seeing your five together in his thoughts was a pleasure. "It will be surely... fun.”

 4. Get yourself a Tamagotchi.

"Look!" you spin a new key chain on your finger. You finally stopped and showed it to Malleus. "Now they are matching!”

A small electronic toy, in a dark green screen that, when it flashed, showed a virtual, pixelated animal. You were impressed with how good quality it was made, especially since you only gave the Shroud brothers a sketch of a toy that Malleus owned.

Your keychain was exactly the same, just a different color and with another pet.

Malleus pulled out his own device and put it on the table. He pressed one of the buttons and a small pet appeared on the keychain – a dragon.

"They can now be friends," you brought your toy closer to so-called Gao-Gao Dragon-kun.

"Do you think so?" He asked in a very surprised tone, but it sounded as if in a moment he were about to burst out with an inexplicably joyful and surprised laugh.

"Of course. Everyone needs a decent friend, no?”

 5. Gain the trust of Lilia, Silver and Sebek.

Lilia, one of Malleus' closest people. It is much more likely that you will meet him before Malleus. He will be very proud when he learns that Malleus has found a friend. If you become a taster of Lilia, in terms of his pastries, he will 100% like you, and at 20% you will leave the kitchen alive and well.

Silver, who has mastered the art of sleeping in any conditions. It's easy to get him into your plans, although with the craziest ones he will hesitate. Rather well-disposed towards everyone, he can cover for you when you are not in class— but he usually inadvertently falls asleep and both of you often have penal assignments after school.

Sebek, faithful to Malleus, if he doesn't like you, you won't have too many opportunities to stay by Malleus's side without a thunderous glances at you. He will recognize you if you will listen carefully to his monologues about his master and as a sign of your friendship, he will teach you by heart of all the titles and achievements of Malleus so far.

With this trio by your side, you can get a lot further than you might have imagined...

 6. Be a master in hide and seek.

You’d give your right arm that your breath was too loud.

You pressed your hands to your mouth as you crouched in the corner of the room.

From whose voices you already heard, you knew that Lilia had already found Sebek. This meant that you or Silver would still be helping cook dinner since Malleus didn’t come at the start of the game.

This may seem silly, but the ability to play classic games was one of the elements of the art of survival in Diasomnia.

It was thanks to games like ‘stone-paper-scissors’, hide and seek or tag that household chores fell on the shoulders of the losers. Lilia loved the idea, and there was always a proud smile on his lips when he saw his beloved children play together.

You heard the steps behind you and shivered.

Very slowly you turned around and looked up to see Malleus standing over you and wondering what you were doing, crouching in the darkest corner of the room.

Puns were also included in the survival pack.

Fearing that Lilia would hear your whisper, you put your finger on your mouth, asking him not to say a word. You put a begging eye into it – all but not cooking with Lilia. Not again.

Malleus nodded, recognizing the gravity of the situation, although he smiled.

Really, no one would want Malleus to be an enemy.

Or at least in such a situation.

 7. Do not hesitate to ask him for help with learning.

"In theory, you should focus on the space around you," Malleus pulled a wand in front of him. It flashed, and almost at the same time, a thin but incredibly strong protective barrier was created around him. “Weaker spells can be reflected. In turn, the stronger ones are better to block”

You nodded understandingly.

Defensive magic was not something easy to understand. Most depended on the person against whom the counter spell was being prepared. And there are countless people who walk on this Earth and want to start fights.

"Unique spells block or avoid physically," he continued. You nodded at every subsequent sentence, slowly feeling like all the lessons are eventually gaining transparency. “Using unique magic against unique magic, the stronger will win, both will lead to explosions or completely reduce.

He looked at you when you wrote down the last sentence in your notebook.

"I sincerely hope that you will only need this information in class," he said with a sigh. "If you need help, call me. I will come. I promise.”

 8. Sometimes be persuaded to wear extravagant clothes.

"Do you really think it suits me?" you turned around, looking at yourself from every possible angle in the mirror.

You were going to the theater in a few classes to see some era-related play that you've been discussing now in history lessons. Everyone, respecting the reputation, actions and achievements of theatre, dressed in their best clothes.

Malleus stood next to you.

He was already wearing a black and white outfit with green accessories. They all worked so well together and fitted him like a glove that you were sure that the whole outfit was made especially for him.

"Yes," he replied. "Everything you put on today suited you very well.”

Once again, with critical eyesight, you looked at the outfit, face and hair, before you quickly turned off the lights in the room and closed the door behind you.

Then you smiled at Malleus.

"We can go now," you said. You made your way through the portal to the main NRC building. "And... thank you for your help.

"My pleasure," he said. Under no circumstances was it just a polite formula. He really loved looking at you.

 9. Invite him to your birthday/party.

"Another break from school soon, huh?" — you muttered, leaning against the railing.

You took a deep breath and let the fresh, pleasant air refresh you.

"Are you going to home, [Name]?" Malleus asked. Green lights were still flying around him, so you guessed he’d just appeared here.

"I haven't decided yet," you sighed. "It would be nice to go home, but the break won't be very long... Ah, that's right!” you straightened up and turned to him. "How about spending another break together? As soon as I can, I will contact my family... although I cannot promise anything.”

Though he did not show it, Malleus' heart beat a little faster.

Spend free time? With someone? With someone he likes?

"Of course," he sounded less calm than he thought. He wasn’t often invited anywhere, even for the things he should have been on, so there was a lot of excitement growing in his body. "I don't see anything against it.”

 10. From "The Great Malleus Draconia-sama" to "Love".

"Ah, The Great Malleus-sama!" you sighed theatrically, taking from him a box of chocolates with a joyful smile. You could promise that because of this dark-haired boy here, you slowly become pampered. "Thank you for your generosity!”

Malleus frowned.

"The Great Malleus-sama"..?” he pondered, putting his fingers to his chin. "Did Sebek told you again to call me with this title?"

"No," you laughed softly at his reaction. "I did it out of curiosity. Maybe I could call you some cute nickname, hmm?" you smiled mischievously.

"For example?"

"By adding ‘-chan’ to your name?” you turned on your phone and typed something related to the nicknames. You started reading suggestions and struggled to hold back from laughing. ” ’Sunshine’, ‘star’, ‘flower’, ‘sweetheart’, ‘love’...

"I like the last one," he said, and the invisible force stung you to the ground.

"Would you like me to call you like that? Out of curiosity or out of love?" You laughed, but your cheeks were all red with blushes.

He smiled sincerely at your reaction.

"Hmm, I wonder..?"

[alovelyburn]

Rambles about the Conviction Arc Part 8

 I could have sworn I just posted one of these the other day....

Rambles about the Conviction Arc Part 8

1. This is kind of off topic, but there’s a guy on Etsy who creates lifesized Dragonslayer replicas made of steel – thus they’re a pretty good guesstimate at how heavy an actual Dragonslayer would be. As it turns out, the answer is about 300lbs. Now I realize that’s almost certainly not the weight Miura had in mind while working on Berserk, but when I think about it and imagine Isidro trying to pick up and run off with a  6-foot-plus sword that weighs 300lbs this scene gets super funny. And honestly what was he going to do with it?  

 It's also worth noting that according to Isidro, the Dragonslayer is super sharp. So I guess Godo sharpened it while he was fixing it up.

And I do think this sequence is meant to indicate that Guts sees himself in Isidro – the closeup of him refusing to be under anyone, Guts’ reaction... he’s like a miniature pre-Hawks era Guts, and while its true that Guts in his childhood was kinda sweeter than Isidro.... it’s also true that Isidro appears to be older than Guts was when he killed Gambino, so I imagine by the time he was Isidro’s age he was pretty similar on the hostility scale.

 2. I’ll say it again, I love watching Guts work. He’s like a human hurricane.  More than that though, this is the beginning of his relationship with Isidro, and THAT... is interesting to me. One of the quotes that came out in the recent twitter posting rampage was Miura saying that Guts will end up being more like Griffith and his relationship with Isidro is where you stay to see that– not immediately of course. But in the end.

 ...yeah definitely not immediately.

This is kind of Guts’ transitional period, personalitywise – he’s starting to back down from being a mad dog and toward accepting his propensity for compassion and I use compassion lightly here because ok he does pick up Isidro but at the same time he does also toss him aside literally like a ball.

3. This is one of the biggest dialogue changes between the original and the deluxe. The Deluxe says:

An unearthly air bade me stop, and what do I find?

That’s... slightly different...

Anyway,

I wonder if Puck knew him at all. Because Elfhelm is supposed to be disconnected from time, right? Puck could have easily seen him around in his human day. That said, I think it’s more likely that he’s sensing the elven touch on Skull Knight’s armor.  

Anyway enough messing around time to get serious with this set of chapters.

 4. First of all, sometimes I see people kind of assuming that Godhand are just especially powerful Apostles, or even just that they are Apostle-adjacent. I can understand why – they’re created by a similar (but not identical) process, after all, but even if you missed the hints at their nature that came about during the beginning of this arc when people were receiving the revelation and Conrad started vomiting plague rats, this should go a long way toward clarifying it.

In essence, Apostles are still people – they’re physical beings, albeit people altered through the power of the Abyss. Godhand are not physical beings at all anymore – they are astral bodies, seemingly conceptual beings that are connected to [whatever field they represent ] – lust, madness, desire, whatever it is they stand for. As the hands of the Idea of Evil, they exist and don’t exist simultaneously, and everywhere. It’s kind of interesting that they aren’t technically considered gods given that they seem to work similarly to many conceptions of what a polytheistic god might look like and certainly they’re more powerful than the gods of polytheism that appear in the series.

I say its interesting, but actually I think the reason is kind of easy to extrapolate: they aren’t considered gods because they are representatives of Berserk’s monotheistic God and obviously a monotheistic God cant be served by Gods. They are, as such, more akin to angels. Which makes sense with the way the Holy See is set up to reflect Catholicism. After all, Angels have their spheres of influence as well.  

6. Miura always did some pretty interesting things with Guts’ internal vision of Griffith. I mean for one thing he’s very often turned away from the “camera”, or at least faced away and looking back. Guts also often pictures him without a face – like here where his face disappears into the mask or is nothing but shadow in the second page. Miura also did that a lot just in general with Femto’s more monstrous moments. That said, it’s a repeating pattern with. For example, a few chapters ago, he was faced away from the screen on “the campfire from those days still burns in my chest.” And there’s another image waaay later where he’s facing the camera but his face is entirely shadowed and blank. And of course he consistently goes back to that image of Griffith on the horse, and he has no face there, too.

I don’t remember offhand how often Guts remembers Griffith’s face. Not. Often, as I recall.

Anyway yeah, I think it’s an expression of his mixed and highly complicated feelings – because he can’t “face” Griffith, and so in his mind Griffith doesn’t face him.

 7. One of t he things that I saw on that twitter... and I do wish I’d saved it, I may go back and dig it up eventually... was a quote from Miura that basically said as things go forward and Guts clashes with the monsters and apostles and stuff, Guts looks more monstrous, and the monsters show their humanity. I think about that in these moments where he really goes full savage joy at the thought of violence, rofl.  It’s one of my favorite things about Berserk as a series really, the way it blurs those lines and the reality that Guts could really become a monster – literally yes, but also figuratively by losing his humanity to his anger and the pain.

(Later... I tracked it down, here. . A++.)

8. This whole thing is pretty interesting, for... okay a couple of reasons. I’m of course not surprised that Guts rejects the concept of causality, and his encounter with Zodd (and Zodd’s having declared that death is coming for him and can’t be escaped) certainly gives him cause to doubt its absolute nature – and more on that in a hot minute. But it’s ironic too because as it stands Guts has never done anything but end up helping causality chug along, fate-ward. Zodd was wrong that he couldn’t escape death – at least so far, who knows about later – but when he survived the Godhand were like, well idk maybe that was supposed to happen.

And maybe it was. Because obviously what ends up happening as a result is that Casca miscarries the fetus that becomes material for Griffith’s reincarnation, and Guts and Casca run headfirst into the area near the Tower of Conviction and starts drawing monsters and spirits out from with their brands which feeds into that reincarnation. So ultimately didn’t they just end up doing what the Godhand needed them to do anyway?

Also, Skull Knight kind of expected it, didn’t he? Because when he came to see Guts right after he’d left the Hawks, while he did mention the death coming for his friends, he also told Guts to stand up even with a broken sword and fight to survive. I really do wonder about that guy, you know? He seems pretty keyed into causality too but it’s hard to know how much of his predictions hinge on his having basically been Guts 1.0, 1000 years ago.

The thing is, I do think there’s a pretty good chance that Guts will end up breaking fate in some form or another, mostly because of this:

Because I’ll be honest, he totally failed to manage that during this arc but I wouldn’t be surprised if it came up again in the end.

 But that comment and this:

Sure do become interesting later in the arc, huh?

 Anyway!

 9. Fans: Guts is so angry and mad and hateful and he hates Griffith so much.

Manga:

Sigh.

 I mean I’ve gone over this a lot, but obviously Guts has a lot of complicated feelings about Griffith, but I think the main driving thing is just “yearning.” And that yearning can be satisfied in any number of ways, he just tends to choose to bury himself in the anger/violence because it’s what he knows, and what he can face.

10. ...feels kind of weird to drop over from there to Farnese and Serpico but here we are.

One thing I want to pay more attention to this time around is the evolution of Farnese’s character – her change from the inquisitor queen with a fire fetish to the much milder and more humble (and pyrophilia free???) version we have today. I do kind of remember thinking it was a little too complete a change but at the same time I also remember thinking it was fairly well done overall but we’ll see.  As it stands, though, the way her faith progressively breaks down I do think is very well one. One problem with extremist belief systems of the kind Farnese displayed is... like, they’re self-reaffirming in that each belief is built atop another belief in the same set, which makes them pretty resilient overall since they don’t really rely on outside affirmation. But because of that structure, when you start taking blocks out it’s a big of a Jenga situation  - take out too many and it collapses under its own weight.

Her time with Guts, experiencing things her faith did not leave room for, is tugging those bricks loose.

I also want to pay more attention to Serpico, I think. I feel like I have a fairly shaky grasp on his character and in particular whether and how much his laid back goofball act survived leaving the Holy See.

 Said act makes his darker/more serious moments more interesting. He also reminds me a bit of Griffith, not in personality as such but in the way his persona shifts and surprises depending on what’s going on and who he’s speaking to. Miura himself referred to Serpico as Andre from Rose of Versailles – which you can see in his relationship with Farnese and the way he steadfastly stands by Farnese’s side and lives for her even in the face of her rejections. I kind of wonder if the closed eyes is a sneak reference to Andre’s eventual blindness.

 Of course with Farnese and Serpico there’s a whole issue with their relationship ever coming to fruition, so I don’t know how well that’s going to work out for them.

11. I always enjoyed the backstory/mindtrippy segments Miura put together. This one, some of Griffith’s inner monologues, the origin of Ganishka, that kind of thing. In Farnese’s case I do think we get the foundation of both her character as it is at this point of the story and the character as she eventually develops. Because, okay...

So the implication here is that she finds the world scary, right? After seeing people burn she realizes that the world is terrifying. Then...

This somewhat ghoulish person (Farnese’s POV not reality) hands her this torch and her instinctive drive to escape the fire that frightens her ends up making her feel as though she can control the fear by commanding it – by feeding it, and becoming one with it.

So basically, what I get from that is that her entire fire-happy inquisitor persona developed as a way to deal with her fear of what the world is when you look past the civility of its surface. She ultimately gets that on lock to some degree – first her desperate attempt to hold back her fear is mistaken for divine inspiration, which gives her a feeling of power and uh horniness, I guess. Ultimately, she joins the Holy See, the very ones who set those fires – she becomes one of the terrors.

The problem is, her encounter with Guts ends up exposing the reality – she hasn’t really conquered the monsters, there are much worse things out there than some fire wielding priests or dead bodies on stakes. And it’s interesting because her response to the first thing she tries to conquer –fire and the death it brings, ends up becoming sexual so I guess it makes sense that when she’s possessed by the monsters she comes to know with Guts, she responds by becoming aggressively sexual with him. It also kind of makes sense that she ends up becoming infatuated with Guts, who is the one who keeps the darkness at bay.

 Ironically. Given his personality.

Anyway, not sure that makes sense outside of my head, but it is what it is.  I’ll probably adjust as I go on, because like I said I need to pay more attention to her this time through.

...and that’s the end of Deluxe V6 so I’m going to leave off here. I have no idea why but that one took me like a week and its not even long. wtf. man wtf.