#sorry this is so shallow but shallow things are very important to me

[itspileofgoodthings]

I’m going to the school play next Friday and I’m going to wear this red dress I love that hasn’t gotten an outing in my closet yet this year and a trench coat and my sparkly heels and I love that for me.

[nyancrimew]

I’m sorry but how can you be so proud of yourself for taking this moment to write an essay that boils down to “Don’t bother engaging in collective action, you should just do what makes you feel good with your friends :)”

Like, there is no world in which going to a concert advances a cause more than participating in a union or political party. How can you be so detached from historical and material reality? Nobody who advocates for political organization is saying “also stop spending time with your friends and interfacing with your community.”

Have fun limiting your “organizing” to shallow little playtime in nice cozy Switzerland while the rest of us try to address injustices and atrocities through collective action. I hope you decide to join us, eventually.

the essay does not actually boil down to this, at least this definitely isn't the point of it. this would be a very fair critique if that actually were what im trying to say but it just straight up isn't.

my essay focuses on how just saying to "get organized" or "join xy org" doesn't really help most people actually find their space in a movement, it's about how building friendships both within and outside the movement is important for setting foot in it and how people's morale tends to be forgotten in some political orgs (which i find sad) which leads to burnout and orgs that fall apart.

i think my essay makes it pretty clear that collective action is the goal but focuses on what's also important in the here and now, leaving people helpless and hopeless helps no movement.

i do a lot of things in radical spaces that i don't publicly talk about online, to just assume i have no actual involvement in any on the ground stuff just because you misread my essay and disagree with it is frankly insulting. you are free to disagree with me, i don't think anyone will ever fully agree on theory anyways, but at least try to be honest in your engagement with what i wrote.

[mcflymemes]

AS SAID BY ASTARION ANCUNÍN *  assorted dialogue from baldur's gate 3

you are mine. no one can change that.

i wish... to drink. and be drunk.

you haven't earned the right to stare at me like that.

you could scream bloody murder out here and no one would ever know.

we should find a tavern and celebrate.

do my eyes deceive me? the gang really is all here.

i'd rather be the only dark power inside your body, if it's all the same to you.

you're cute, you know. in another life we might have been friends.

i don't hate you. because this is not you.

we just have to be vigilant. keep our wits about us.

you can try, but i will stop you.

do what you like. it's none of my concern.

i simply do not care.

we could do it, you know. we could rule the world.

i... i don't know what to say. thank you.

well that's just disgusting.

listen to me, damn it! i'm trying to save you, even if you're too stupid to see it.

believe what you want. i'm done with you.

you have no idea what i can do.

sounds like a delightful dinner plan. perhaps i'll join you.

forgiveness? you've never forgiven anything.

i don't need anyone to speak for me.

i don't owe you a damn thing.

don't worry. i'll keep watch tonight.

just don't ask me again.

is there anything else? any new and interesting ways you can waste my time?

i'll come to you tonight, when you're snugly wrapped in your bedroll and we can have a little privacy.

this time i'll make sure i'm quiet.

you're lucky i'm such an open-minded person.

why send anyone after me? i'm hardly a threat out here.

what are you waiting for? help me!

"you can do whatever you want" sounds terrifying, and it is, but there's opportunity in it, too.

i am so much more than what you made me.

hold very, very still.

i'm sorry, but could you excuse us a moment?

get out of my way. i'm in no mood to talk.

you didn't think i could do it? i'm hurt.

i appreciate your loyalty, darling, but i don't think you understand.

fair? nothing about this is fair.

i don't know who they are, but i have plenty of questions.

i'm glad to hear it.

i do believe you. i know you only did what you thought was best for me.

i just need some time to let it sink in.

you're so good to me.

safe? how can i ever be safe now?

well, hello. looking for a cuddle?

now that you're back with us, we need to have a talk.

how flattering. and disturbing.

please tell me this is important.

there's also gold, sex, revenge... quite the list, really. but failing any of those, i will always settle for shallow praise.

now just tell me i'm beautiful and we can call it a day.

i want to thank you.

you're a vision. and you're so much more than that.

this is all a game to you, isn't it?

for as long as i can remember, i've been used by others.

of course i was attracted to you. look at you, for goodness' sake!

i will forever remember what you did for me today.

that's what you've been waiting to hear, isn't it? that's what you want?

i have been waiting so long for you.

come, give yourself to me.

i'll take care of everything.

it's time to try living again.

i feel safe with you. seen.

we don't have to rush into anything tonight.

would it kill you to dispense a compliment?

looking for something?

honestly, you have no sense of fun.

i do appreciate your enthusiasm, but let's try to restrain ourselves a little.

would you like a tour? we can start with my tent, if you like.

everything was taken from me, too.

well, that could have gone better.

i don't know what you mean.

were you actually worried i was angry?

so what was it like? tell me everything.

i hope i'm not interrupting.

some day that soft heart of yours is going to be torn out of your chest.

what a party. we should do this again.

there you are. i've been waiting. waiting since the moment i set eyes on you. waiting to have you.

you've seen enough already.

i didn't want to lose control.

oh, don't be like that. not every problem has to be beaten to death, my dear.

wait! don't interrupt them!

let's not make trouble for some stranger.

my, this place is fun.

my past isn't exactly a happy story.

that was amazing.

it won't happen again. you have my word.

so many people need killing.

remember who saved you.

don't worry. i'm here.

[greenwitchfromthewoods]

stay. l Joel Miller

Summary: he became empty again

Warnings:  a lot of sadness, practically nothing happens, he is just left alone (tw: panic attack)

A/N: your feedback is very important to me and I thank you for all the reblogs, comments and likes. 🖤 sorry for all the mistakes

short stories from life. [masterlist]

For a few weeks, his house was strangely quiet and empty. No conversations, no laughter, no everyday noises. Joel found himself listening constantly, as if at any moment the porch or stairs could creak under your footsteps.

Ellie had also become quieter, more distant. He could still picture the look on her face, a mixture of confusion and anger, when she found out you wouldn't be living with them anymore.

"Do something, dude!" she hissed, looking at Joel and clenching her fists. "You can't just let her go... Fuck!"

Something she knew and trusted suddenly fell apart. And even though she saw you in Jackson, even though you talked almost every day, Joel could see how much she missed you. And he was to blame for that.

He saw you too. Your eyes met and sometimes he had the impression that you would smile at him, that he would soon have you right next to him. Nothing of the sort happened. And he was to blame for that. 

He didn't expect this again, but could it ever be any different... 

The house was empty and quiet, again. Like every day. His body still warm from his morning shower, he combed his wet hair. He wanted to make himself a coffee, put the kettle on and felt it again.

His heart started racing, pumping blood so fast he could hear it pounding in his ears. His hands gripped the door frame, so hard his knuckles turned white. It helped him not to fall to the wooden floor.

Joel squeezed his eyes shut. Helplessness, no control over what was happening to him. It was terrifying. Uneven and shallow breathing. He felt like water was flooding him, seeping into his lungs, ears and nose.

That's when he felt it. Something touched his face. Warm and gentle hands.

"I'm here, it's okay."

He opened his eyes and saw your worried face. Were you really there?

"Breathe with me. Slowly..." your soothing voice reached him through the fog "In and out..."

"You're here..." he panted, gasping for breath.

"I am. But you have to stay here with me too."

Joel nodded. He took one hand off the doorframe, and you immediately understood and grabbed it. The grip gave him an anchor, he had to feel you.

You could see that he was trying to breathe with you. You didn't pay attention to the whistling kettle, only Joel mattered.

He took a few deep breaths. "S-sorry..."

"Shhh, don't say anything now. Try to focus. Breath..."

Your touch, your scent, your presence. He had no idea how you got there, but you had to be real if he felt all of it. When he opened his eyelids again, you were still there. Your face, eyes looking at him with tenderness and sadness.

You didn't have to, but you stayed. For him.

You didn't let go of his hand even when his breathing was calmer and regular, you stayed until the very end. Despite everything, you were there for him.

When it was over Joel felt like he hadn't slept in a week, his body felt heavy and numb. The whistling of the kettle stopped and he realized it was you who turned it off.

"I came to bring something for Ellie." You said quietly, looking at Joel. "I guess I did the right thing not to knock."

"Thank you." His voice was quiet and hoarse.

"Come on, I'll put you to bed."

You helped him up the stairs and led him to his bedroom. When he sat down on the bed you took off his shoes and helped him lie down, then took a blanket from the armchair to cover him.

A familiar hand grabbed your wrist.

"Will you stay with me?"

You could have left. You could have told him to fuck off and slammed the door. You could have done many things, but you did what you felt. What Joel needed.

You laid down next to him, and he awkwardly put his head on your chest. The strong arms wrapped around you and he clung to you like a castaway to a raft that was his only salvation.

He didn't say anything more. His eyelids closed on their own and he fell into a deep sleep, hearing your heartbeat.

It was a strange feeling to wake up in his arms. Joel clung tightly to your back, his strong arms wrapped around your body. It felt good, safe, but at the same time it tore your heart apart.

He didn't want to give you what you needed, what you wanted. You tried to remember when you felt something more for this man, but you couldn't find the exact moment. Everything happened naturally. Your relationships and gestures, you were learning about each other.

You remembered exactly how tense Joel's body was when you hugged him for the first time. He was no longer used to such gestures, he had almost forgotten what it was like to hold someone in his arms. But it awakened all the needs in him that he had so carefully buried under the surface of his roughness, indifference and rudeness.

You didn't want to change him, but you knew that he had to be different once. And then, one night when you were sleeping in some abandoned building, and in a moment of breakdown you started to sob, so quietly so as not to wake either of them, you felt Joel hug you. And that's how it stayed with the two of you.

When you woke up, the room was plunged into semi-darkness. For a while you stared at some point in front of you, but when you moved you heard his voice.

"Stay, please."

God! You wanted it so much that it twisted your insides.

"I can't, Joel. You know that."

He reluctantly let go of you when you slipped out and sat up. Maybe you shouldn't have stayed? Maybe you should have left sooner?

"I miss you. Ellie misses you too." Joel spoke quietly, you barely heard him.

"I'll talk to her."

He noticed that you didn't mention anything about him. Okay, he deserved it. You put on your shoes and got out of bed. The watchful eyes didn't leave you for even a second.

"You can come back here. I won't get in your way. We won't go on patrol together." He sat down on the bed and stared at you with a pleading look.

You smiled sadly and shook your head. "I can't, Joel. I can't pretend that I don't feel all this... I care about you and Ellie, and I always will, but I can't pretend that you mean nothing to me. This is the best for us, believe me. Maybe it will be easier for you too..."

You were wrong.

With each passing day, Joel felt as if he was going numb. And when you left and he heard the door slam, he hated himself again for letting this happen.

He was left alone, with the remnants of your scent on the pillow and the fading warmth of your body in the sheets.

[ssentimentals]

41,57 and 58 combined with your amazing writing would a perfect match for a seungcheol drabble just sayinnn🤭 love you lots 🤍

hi bebe! aw, love you too 💜 58 is taken, but let me go with 41 and 57, thank you so much for requesting!

prompt: panic attacks & accidental hand holding

you're not sure what set it off. maybe it's the fact that whole university is there, waiting for your performance, cheering you on. maybe it's the whole thing about being in a new place with new people. maybe it's your never ending stream of thoughts: overthinking every move, coming up with scenario after scenario of all kind of outcomes. maybe it's about you not eating a thing since you woke up. reasons are not that important now, when you can feel tremor in your hands and fastened heartbeat. it starts right in the middle of director's speech when whole crew is present - the most inconvinient time to have a panic attack. you bite your lower lip, slowly moving backwards, hoping to somehow hide in the shadows. it's futile to reverse it, you know - you should've noticed the signs earlier.

'you're alright?' you almost scream in fear, jumping a little. seungcheol frowns at you, throwing both hands up to show that he's innocent. 'sorry, didn't mean to scare you. you're just shivering but it's not cold out here. all's good?'

if only words were easy. it feels like heart is in your throat, making it hard to voice out your concern. white noise start to fill your head, overpowering anything else and you gasp, trying to get more air in your lungs but it doesn't- it's not right. it's not working the way it's supposed to work, it's not-

'hey, hey- let's get out of here, yeah? is it too stuffy for you?' somehow seungcheol's voice penetrates through the fog.

without thinking you grab his hand and turn towards the exit, needing to get out of here now. the only thing you can hear is your own heartbeat and then ragged sounds of your shallow breathing - futile attemps of your lungs to get more air. your legs work automatically, they carry you out of the building on their own; you don't even notice that you started running until you don't push the door and stumble out on the street, almost collapsing on the ground if it weren't for pair of strong arms around your waist. for a second all is the same but then when you take a deep breath, your lungs finally expand and it's- better. not good, but so much better and you sigh in relief, closing your eyes. vaguely you feel someone caressing your back, but you're more concentrated on getting your heart out of your throat and back into your chest - you succeed after several attempts.

'tell me what to do,' you suddenly hear said in a very worried male voice. 'i- i am at loss. how can i help? please, please tell me what to do.'

you blink, turning to the left. it's a bit weird to see seungcheol here not because you have anything against him, but because you two are not really close. it's swet though: how worried he is, how earnest he is in wanting to help. your mouth opens to tell him that you've got it under control when you notice two things: one, it's seungcheol's hand that's been caressing your back the whole time and that still is doing it and two, you two are holding hands. like, legit holding hands with fingers intertwined and all. you hope that your blush can be seen as something because of panic attack, not because cheol is handsome and his hand is warm. 'i'm good,' you mutter, straightening up. his hand leaves your back and you almost mourn it. 'uh- sorry for dragging you here. i kind of panicked and didn't really think it through.'

seungcheol shakes his head. 'no, it's alright. are you okay? was that panic attack? looked rough.'

you snort at this and seungcheol cringes at his own choice of words. 'well, it was rough,' you say, chuckling. 'but thank you for staying with me. you didn't have to.'

you two are still holding hands. it's both nice and a bit awkward, but you're not about to stop it. seungcheol also doesn't seem to mind if to trust his easy smile. 'let's go back then? you good?' he asks.

you take two more deep breaths and nod. it's better, fresh air always acts wonders on you, but maybe it's also something about having seungcheol this close. 'yeah, let's go back.'

seungcheol doesn't let go. you don't let go either.

a/n: i think it's very telling that it's always seungcheol that gets requested on themes like that. yes, seungcheol here fits the best :') hopefully you'll like it! - nini

request your own here

my other seventeen work is here

[pinep-ne]

Mmm. I usually don't get into fandom drama because sometimes it's really just a waste of energy. But TikTok's got some... interesting people. I've noticed a pattern and I hope I have a place to speak on it.

I'm kind of sick of non-Americans/Southerners being blatantly and willingly uneducated towards, or even just entirely ignoring the political+societal themes of rdr2. It's literally the game man. I just think sometimes they really don't feel the weight of the topics they're throwing around.

Why are you calling Charles a "redneck" in a failed attempt to call him another slur, neither of which were you aware were derogatory, nor did you think to educate yourself on the significance of?? And then when people called you out and educated you, you throw out a meager apology with the words "I'm sorry if I offended anyone."

And then proceed to half-ass a google search, post it, and further prove your stupidity by saying "redneck isn't a slur, it's a derogatory term for Americans" which yes, it is— towards white, southern, lower-class Americans, with actual history tied to it. It's still derogatory, and Charles isn't white. And THEN when confronted about it even more, you throw your hands up and say "I just can't make jokes I guess." Like it was never a joke in the first place dude. You're just being racist (and accidentally classist?) on account of your illiteracy.

And this one was just a wild argument I had the other day— why are you calling Micah's racist remarks "not as black and white as that"??? He quite literally says a derogatory term within the first ten minutes of the game. There's a whole four minute youtube video of his racist actions. Joking or not, or whether you think his intentions were to 'rile people up', it's still discriminatory. Racism is often, if not always, as black and white as that. (no pun intended /srs)

Thinking otherwise, I'm tempted to believe, is your own projection. It shows a lot that you'd stretch so far to continuously deny and defend a continuously emphasized theme, that directly affects the characters as it has directly affected real people. Hell, even if it was vaguer than that. How much tolerance are you privileged with to brush off and prance around something that irrevocably damaged entire communities for centuries. Just because it's fiction? 'Cause it's not real? Because "it doesn't affect anyone"?

They also said "He can't be racist! He works with POC!"

???

I'm all for liking and appreciating whatever character you want— I'm not gonna spend my time leading all those horses to water— but snatching and running with the veil of fiction to dissolve the connotations and gravity of a very real thing, simply depicted within a story, just so you can slobber all over your favorite character, it's just undoubtedly shallow and disrespectful to the history and media that you claim to comprehend. You can't just create lines to read between and pull the "have some media literacy" card when someone calls out that you really never had such power in the first place. Like I said, do whatever you want with a character, but at the very least acknowledge every single part of them instead of brushing it off.

Ah anywho. I'm not a POC myself but I am Southern. Racism is still very present here and I felt it'd be important to me to speak up about it. If anyone's got perspective to offer, or they'd like to correct me on anything, I'm open. I think my prose may be a little too flowery to have gotten every point and logistic across, so there's always a chance of misinterpretation. Just let me know!

*** Hh and disclaimers because I'm afraid of misunderstandings. I know racism exists in places outside of the U.S., but the game is placed in America. It's in the context of discrimination against American POC, that some non-Americans tend to poorly gauge the difference and weight of. In neither of these instances were the people from the U.S. And as another thing, this isn't to ignore the treatment other characters receive regarding their culture or country (Sean, Javier, Charles, etc.) by folk who are not a part of it. It's just ignorance. The cycle sickens me. I just think in general if you're going to consume historical fiction and you're going to discuss it, at least understand the historical part. Don't be blissful x

[jbbartram-illu]

hello! your handbuilding skill is impressive! i’m just getting started in ceramics (about 6 months ago) and now i’m at the point where i could buy myself some tools - we have some metal scrapers and shaped wooden sticks at the studio, but it’s not much. what kinds of tools do you use to get such clean lines and engravings on your figurines?

Ahh, so sorry for taking 500yrs to answer this, @upmala !!

I did a little tool roundup a while ago with a bunch of my favourite tools, which can be found here, but that list didn't include my most-used engraving thing - the humble pin tool!

I have three (a reasonable number to have, I swear) - I just got the all-metal one & haven't used it much, but do have opinions about the other two:

This one is my favourite, as the sturdier pin-end/comfortable pin-to-handle ratio allows for a lot of control of the lines it makes. It's made by Kemper, who was closing/maybe has closed (??), but some shops might still have stock/I'm sure other companies make similar tools. I don't really use the other end at all, so it's not important (to me at least).

My other wood-handled pin tool (right) has a much longer/more flexible pin, but is a smaller gauge, so I use it for the very tiny details (eg. whiskers, delicate fur, etc). I'm just more careful about my pressure/angle with this one b/c sometimes it likes to go a bit rogue because the pin is so (comparatively) bendy.

I'll also reiterate my top texture tools from the post I linked:

That middle wooden tool is one of my absolute favourites - the point makes lovely smooth/shallow lines & the taper is great for feathers like on the sphinx wings as seen below (outermost long feathers)!

I also have a wooden tool with an even smaller point that I love (not pictured, but it sort of looks like a wooden version of a graphite-smudger).

Finally, the left-hand sgraffito tool below (also Kemper, sigh) is fantastic for detail carving, as its loop is exceptionally wee!

I hope this is helpful!

[verstappentime]

more of daniel taking care of max when he has a migraine that i didn't post ❤️ if you're just joining us, max had a career-ending head injury and left f1. he and daniel are married but currently broken up!

(part 1/part 2)

“Stay,” Max says, rushed, before Charles can get anything else out.

“Okay,” Daniel says. He tries to clear the lump in his throat. He’s been waiting for Max to say that word, but this is as close as he’ll get, probably. “Tilt your head forward for me.” Max does; Daniel gingerly presses the ice where his head meets his neck.

Max hisses, reaching up to grab Daniel’s forearm. It’s been so long since Max initiated touch with him; Daniel forces himself not to jolt.

“I know, baby, I’m sorry.”

Max groans, gradually loosening his grip. “Can we do the bathtub thing?”

“The– Oh, yeah, sure. Charles, do you have a bath?”

“I feel like you are being the doctor and I am the nurse,” Charles says. He’s hovering closer than a second ago. “Yes, I do, is it for something weird?”

“Nurses are very important,” Max says. Daniel wonders if the meds are making him loopy already.

“It’s not for anything weird. Can you fill it up with hot water? As hot as it can get without burning.”

“Fine. But it’s for him.” It’s too dark for Daniel to see the look Charles is giving him. Just as well.

Daniel stays there, crouched beside Max, keeping the ice pressed to his neck. Max’s breaths are shallow, like he’s trying really hard not to wince, but he’s mostly failing. “The medicine is gonna help,” he says, just for something to say. In the dark, eyes closed, Max reaches around for his hand. Daniel links their fingers, squeezing hard. Max’s hand is clammy and he can’t get a good grip on Daniel, all weak and floppy. “Tell me what feels bad?”

Max turns his face into a couch cushion, making a tiny whining sound. “It’s– like, all the bad stuff. I scared Charles with the throwing up.” He’s talking more, which is a good sign.

“It’s fine,” Daniel says. “He called me and I’m here now, so it’s fine.” He presses his thumb against where Max’s jaw meets his cheek. He’s so tense everywhere.

Charles comes back into the room. “The water’s in the bath. I’m saying again to not do anything weird.”

“We are going to do something so weird,” says Max. He groans as he swivels his legs around to stand up, pressing on his forehead. “Ah, fuck. Shit.” He grabs Daniel’s wrist, squeezing hard.

“Take it easy,” Daniel says, clearing his throat where it’s all thick. He hates this, he hates that Max hurts, that he’s still hurting, and he— he loves, sort of, that it’s him Max is reaching out for. It’s fucking twisted.

Max doesn’t ask to be helped, so Daniel doesn’t offer, just hovers as Max slowly pushes himself to stand up. But Max is unwieldy, swaying a little, and— and he grabs for Daniel again. Maybe it’s just because Daniel’s seen it all before, because he’s fed him and bathed him and sat with him in the middle of the night, but. He’s still being chosen. “Sorry,” Max says, like Daniel would ever want him to do anything else. “My eyes are not so good.”

“It’s fine. I have you.” I always will, I always fucking will.

Charles waves them through to his master bathroom. In the light, Daniel can see that Max’s left pupil is blown. He’s sweaty and he looks like shit, hair all messed up, but he’s Max, and he’s gorgeous. Daniel wants to hold him.

“Max, yell for me if he is doing anything weird to you,” Charles says, and ducks out of the room. Conceding.

“You could have told him we’re not getting naked.”

“I mean, I am taking my pants off,” Max says. “Can I hold onto you?”

Daniel nods slowly, feeling oddly like he should look away. He watches the ceiling as Max holds onto him for balance.

If Max notices him acting weird, he doesn’t say so. “You’ll get your pants wet,” he says instead.

Oh. Daniel glances to the door, where Charles is not. This isn’t what he expected when he woke up today, he thinks, as he’s stepping out of his jeans.

They sit on the edge of the tub, Daniel pressing the ice pack to Max’s neck. It’s an easy trick; get the circulation down into his lower body and away from his head.

“Charles could do this,” Daniel says, after a moment.

“I know,” Max says. He leans his head on Daniel’s shoulder, closing his eyes. He doesn’t say it, but Daniel knows it: I wanted you. “Do you have somewhere to be?”

[seeker-ophelia]

HAPPY DRAGON AGE DAY

Conniving Crows, Wicked Watchers, Lustful Lords, Vivacious Veil Jumpers, Wild Wardens, and Shrewd Shadow Dragons!

Me: THANK YOU SO MUCH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR FILLING OUT MY SURVEY! You: Lady, what are you talking about? Me: A couple weeks ago you filled out my survey! You: Oh yeah, whatever happened with that?

Well, let me tell you, good internet people!

Dragon Age: The Veilguard in “One Word”:

If I had a nickel for every "Fun, but..." or "Pretty, but..." responses, I would have a lot of nickels. "Fun but not Dragon Age" was my personal favorite.

If you don't see your verbatim response here, that's because there was 650 of you. And I had to take some liberties with verbiage here.

What were your Overall Impressions of Dragon Age: The Veilguard?

What did you like the MOST about Veilguard?

What did you HATE about Veilguard?

Ho, nelly, you guys.

186 (>28%!) of you used the “Other” box to expand on your ideas (which is part of why this graph is so uhgly) but I appreciate every single one of you sharing your thoughts with me.

19 (2.9%) of you said something pertaining to “The Writing” even though that wasn’t an option

112 (17%!) of you mentioned (at least one of) the words: shallow, pale, child-locked, darkness, nuance, choice, conflict, empty, sanitized, or (my personal favourite) toothless.  

Some “Hated” Honorable Mentions:

“Neve’s Hat”

Fuck off her fascinator is fascinating

“Not Being able to Swim”

I read it before and I still laughed; this one is the real MVP

The Death of Varric

☹

The one person who said “Harding”

I will fight you

The TWO People who said “Too many puzzles”

Bitch is this Taash? How did you get access to this???

**Shout out to the people who pointed out I spelled DIALOGE wrong, yeah I know sorry I’m an idiot

If Veilguard were to have a DLC, which Companion Characters would you want to see return the most?

I find it SO interesting that I asked for 5, and there were 5 VERY CLEAR winners...

(Cole, Dorian, Fenris, Merrill, Zevran, by a veritable landslide; there’s over 100 votes between the lowest – Merrill (284), and the next highest – Cassandra (177))  

To those of you who can’t read: the HoF, Hawke, and the Inquisitor are NOT Companion Characters.

Also, to the one person who responded: “No one deserves to be dragged through that” I see you.

*I did not have time to collate the data supplied in “Other” but I think there’s a pretty obvious winner here

And now, if a “Keep” DLC were to be made, which choices do YOU think are the most important to have?

Before we jump into that, I would just like to say how little these answers differ; despite my open ended question a LOT of people wrote the same things.

Some of you, bless your little hearts, explained your choices like im a dumb bitch who hasn’t been living in the wiki and played each game 2/3/5 times. Like I would be doing this and not know what Orzammar or the Architect is.  Bless your little worm spirits you’re so adorable.

Every person who said “Inquisitors Class” followed it up with (weird I know sorry uwu im so weird im sorry) like… guys. You know…. You are ALLOWED to have OPINIONS. And you’re not weird there was like 6 of you. You're not alone.

To the EVERYTHING/ALL OF IT people; I see you.

Four people were brave enough to admit they couldn’t remember anything, and 55 people didn’t write ANYTHING.

Behold, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat:

Circle Fate: Fate of the Chantry Circles after DAI

DAI Wardens: Wardens exiled/accepted in DAI

Divine: Who you chose for the Divine (DAI)

Fade Fate: The Fate of the person you left in the fade in DAI

Mage/Templar: The outcome of the Mage/Templar conflict (not differentiated between Inquisition/2)

Southern Rulers: All three Rulers of Southern Thedas; Ferelden, Orlais, & Orzammar

The Well: Who Drank Mythal's Bathwater (dont kink shame me)

Any answer with less than 5 responses got taken out for brevity and are listed below:

(2) Nothing Cuz they destroyed the South, (1) ANYTHING!!!!!, (1) fuck you (bioware) for disregarding the entire lore of the first few games, (1) I think the most interesting things are the smaller stuff you don't expect to carry over.

(2) Andraste's Urn, (2) Avernus (research), (1) Awakening companions fates, (2) Calpernia's Fate, (3) Cass/Tranquility, (2) Clan Lavellan Status, (1) Cullen/Lyrium, (2) DA:O Dalish Clan, (1) DA2 Isabela, (2) DA2 Qunari Plot outcome, (1) Dagna (Magic School), (1) Danarius, (1) Disband/Keep Inquisition, (2) Faded for Her Result, (3) Hawke Siblings Fate, (2) Inquisition disbanded actual consequences, (1) Inquisition Support of Nevarra or Tevintrer (josephine war table quest), (4) Inquisitors Class, (1) Iron Bull, (1) Isabela, (1) Paragon of her Kind (Golems), (1) Prisoner at Ostagar, (1) Rule of 3, (1) Save/Stop Solas, (1) Sha-Brytol dwarves, (1) Shale, (4) Solas/Inky Approval, (1) Solassan Implications, (1) Solavellan Vallaslin, (1) Soldier's Peak, (2) Sten, (2) Zevran/Darker Crows.

To the one person, who commented: “I think the most interesting things are the smaller stuff you don't expect to carry over.” I see you. And I am percolating.

If the Devs/Anyone at BioWare happens to see this, the last question I asked was this:

If you could ask the Devs/Writers of Veliguard one thing, what would it be?

A lot of responses are focused on the lore. More are questioning the narrative & lore decisions & implications of VG. Some are begging for DLC. Some are flat out rude. One is a proposition. But there are a fair amount of people who want to ask you;

‘hope you're okay’

‘How are you holding up?’

‘I hope despite everything you know that your creation is loved and adored.’

‘THANK YOU!!!’

Intelligent fans know the development Hell VG went through to be born. They know corporate culture. They understand there's often more than meets the eye. Fans of Dragon Age know what heavenly good delicious golden content BioWare can make. And they're hungry for it. Take some well deserved rest, and then come back to the table with us, because we cannot wait for more.

A Sappy Little Note:

I have Zero online presence and really expected to get about 100 responses total, and I got 650 (*mind blown emoji*), I wasn’t even able to share it to reddit main (bc of the fvbjvks mods). Most of these responses are from YOU GUYS on good ol’ tumblr.com and Im so weepy about how you all got involved and shared your thoughts with me Thank You SO MUCH.

For those of you who messaged me about the DLC, you are not forgotten. Believe it or not, I have a plan. Watch your inboxes over the next couple days, because I’m going to be prickling your creative brains over the Holidays.

Once more, Thank You All, so so so much for participating. Bare your blade, remain vigilant, and keep an Eye out for The Agents.

[ellen-m-ichiban81]

Joe Quinn NSFW Headcanons

*He can ba switch, but mostly a Dom. Loves to hiss filthy things in your ear when he's pounding you into the middle of next week, but calls you his good girl after.

*Loves to have his cock sucked, loves to watch you gag on it while he fucks your throat .. but nothing turns him on more than burying his face in your cunt. He can quite happily stay down there all night, making you cum over and over, and die a happy man.

*He can alternate between railing you mercilessly, and making gentle love to you. It can depend on his mood, but mostly on yours. In the end, *your* pleasure is more important.

*Much as he loves to be in control, he loves to let you ride him. Giving you that power over him, makes *him* feel powerful. And, on a shallow note, he loves to watch your tits bounce in his face.

*He's very vocal. A lot of 'fuck yeah's and 'just like that's and 'you take me so well's. He shouts when he cums, depending on the intensity.

*He's a post coital cuddler. Right after, he will just cradle you in his arms, murmuring words of praise in your ear.

(Sorry, this is short.... climbing slowly back into that writing saddle again)

[shiongenkai]

Haku and Zenji 🤔 I noticed you were a fan and was curious about more of your thoughts on them!

- 🍃

Local guy says he'll answer these (checks timestamp) 11 days ago. and then proceeds not to . ANYWAY

hello. i am. a fan of them. I think I might be one of the biggest fans of it in fact, considering the fact that I run that zenji blog. Oops!

Anyway. Strap the fuck in bc this got long as FUCK and it's informal as hell so it's rambly. Sorry

The gayest thing you can call another man is Old Friend.

No but ships aside, Haku and Zenji are fascinating. Just like...

Starting with the obvious of Haku being the only one who could see Zenji for a good six months, or the fact that Haku puts in so much effort for Zenji all the time, or the fact that they reference each other a lot, or so on so forth. It's so extremely clear to me that they both care about each other in one way or another, and it's clear that they're just like. Paired?

Which is to say, Subaru is very accommodating to Haku, and very kind. He treats Haku as though he's the captain instead of Subaru himself, and he gives a lot of leeway for things Haku does in general. This is partially due to his own secrets (in my opinion), but Subaru is really like, almost hands off with Haku. He hypes him up when he can and doesn't really ever speak bad about him. Zenji, on the other hand, is welcoming but not necessarily like... unconditionally so?

Haku is a lout. He's uncouth, or ungentlemanly, or stupid or whatever other adjectives Zenji has used for him again and again. Zenji criticizes Haku (sometimes unfairly) and hypes him up in equal measures. You know Zenji's compliments towards Haku are sincere then, because you can see what he says when he DOESN'T have something to compliment Haku on. And Haku, in turn, is the same with Zenji. Haku is more likely to say some out of pocket comment towards Zenji, but Haku in general is really more of an Actions guy.

Which is to say, holding an umbrella up for Zenji in the rain. Recording him, even as the students around them call Haku gross. Editing them, posting them. Replying to comments. Managing the channel. Giving him advice, telling him what sort of videos he wants to see, listening to his pieces (sometimes), telling him what to give MC for Valentines day, etc. Haku isn't as Compliment-y as Zenji, but he certainly shows his affection (platonically) towards Zenji in a multitude of ways.

And like... If you think about it, yes, Haku is the only one Zenji had, but in some weird way, Zenji is that for Haku too. Haku is a transfer into Hotarubi, and though he's vice-captain, he doesn't really seem to Enjoy that position. And like, we already know that other transfers have gossip surrounding them, and pairing that with Haku's vague statements about his backstory, we can see he's like. An outsider. Just in general, Haku views himself as an outsider, though he's good at masquerading as someone in the in-group. But with Zenji, he's important, but not in a way that has too many Stakes. You know? Like.

Haku cares about Zenji and puts in effort, but he can also just. Leave. Just walk away in the middle of Zenji's song, or tune it out, or any number of things. He can ignore Zenji if he wanted. It's fine. Sometimes Zenji ignores him, too. It's a casual thing, but not in the sense that it's shallow?

Haku and Zenji fall into a category I like to call 'opposite sides of the same coin'. Both are deeply lonely at their core, but express it in opposite ways and embody it in opposite ways. Haku keeps his cards close to his chest and Zenji expresses them openly. Haku is surrounded by people and still feels like an outsider. Zenji is surrounded by, most of the time, nobody, and feels perfectly connected to them all. Haku thinks more than he feels, Zenji feels more than he thinks. They balance each other out in a very, very interesting way, and I think like. Just small parts here and there really stick out to me. Haku always phrases things in a way that includes Zenji without tipping his existence off to others. Haku never slips up about him, never tells others unless Zenji is ready for them to know. He covers for Zenji even at his own cost. Even MC frequently, and I mean frequently, fucks up regarding Zenji. But Haku doesn't. I bet that's comforting to him.

It's just like!!! Man!!! MAN!!! IS ANYONE STILL READING? I FEEL INSANE. The line where Haku says that there's 'Somebody he wants to help' and that's why he works so hard for everybody? Being implied to be Zenji? Or the fact that Zenji doesn't want to move on, and Haku doesn't make him? Or how Zenji trusts Haku So Goddamn Much? OR LIKE. AUGH. IT HURTS. THEY'RE SO!!!!!!!

I'm really so excited for the new chapter. I really want to see them interact more, or at least see Zenji nagging Haku more. It's so cute... Haku teasing Zenji too! Which he does a lot! And Zenji falling for it every time. It's a penname, Haku! A pen name! How many times does he have to say it? Probably eight billion more bc Haku is just doing it to mess with him. AUHGH.

[myreia]

It's been two years since I played Endwalker. It is the expac that I have spent the most time digesting by far, and I think I still haven't come to terms with just how much I dislike the forced time loop and Kairos for what it does to Venat's general characterization, writing and relationship to the WoL.

I've tried to write a post dissecting this multiple times, but it always ends up becoming a mess because there's just too much to say and the writing I'm discussing is janky and riddled with issues. I'd give Endwalker more grace if it wasn't for this one character and this one plot beat, but because I've received backlash for being critical of her writing in the past, I'm being stubborn about it.

I'm generally pretty flexible about most fictional things, so it is extremely weird to be in a position where this one bit of writing makes me want to chew glass.

Unfortunately Venat is too important to the overall story to ignore or sweep under the rug.

It's her knowing everything in advance that breaks her character for me—the pre-determination from the closed time loop. I wouldn't have issues if she had lost her memories to Kairos, too—in fact, I'd probably love her. If she went into the Final Days not knowing anything about Meteion or the future world, and the Sundering was an unexpected consequence of the Hydaelyn v Zodiark fight (as it is implied in Shadowbringers), then I wouldn't take issue. Or if the game actually cared to show her trying to avert the crisis but nothing works, and make it a "you can't fight prophecy" kind of thing. Or to show her concerns being dismissed by the Convocation and double-down on them not budging and not believing her.

But instead they imply that she followed the WoL's information to the letter to connect the timelines, and didn't tell anyone about Meteion or the Final Days and let her world walk right into that unprepared. And then instead of Hydaelyn's actual summoning and fight with Zodiark, we got a metaphorical cutscene that, while very beautiful, is a pretty shallow musing on 6.0's themes.

I could even give the time travel a pass (even though I think it's a really weak way of giving the WoL the information they need about Meteion) if they didn't let her keep her memories. But the way they do it in game, Venat has no agency in her own story because her actions are pre-determined. It's a prime example of “look at the pretty spectacle and don't think about it too hard”.

I don't think the writing does a good enough job at actually letting you have an organic relationship with Venat. The story is too rushed; the game relies on assumptions, headcanons, and sentimental/meta nostalgia (the "has your journey been good?" line) to make it work, which is why she's such a divisive character. It's personal because we've all fleshed her out in some way with our own ideas. But I didn't leave Elpis feeling like Venat and I were friends or that we were connected. I left feeling like she was a stranger I knew for 24 hours max and somehow she decided that she loved me and put me on a pedestal, then decided to throw out her own world (that she says she loves) for the sake of mine based on a few stories.

This whole premise falls apart for me because the writing never sold me on Hermes' perspective, or that the Ancient's world being a broken paradise doomed for failure. They didn't explore it enough to pull that off. We needed to see the lands beyond Elpis, which is a research facility and should not be considered the norm. Ancient society has its problem for sure; it's an extremely flawed society, but no more than everyone else. This especially falls flat coming after the expac that had Eulmore.

What happened to "to ignore the plight of those one might conceivably save is not wisdom—it is indolence"? Sorry Louisoix, apparently that no longer applies if it's Hydaelyn doing it.

The scenes where Venat talks about her travels and how much she loves the world just don't feel genuine to me at all. I think it is better in FR and JP, but in ENG she sounds like a western tourist who Eat Pray Loved her way across a foreign country and came back "enlightened". Which sucks because out of all the new characters introduced in 6.0, Venat has so much potential! She has the makings of a phenomenal character! But there are too many execution problems, and her writing is hurt by the fact that the game is so scared of you thinking she's flawed. The game's inability for the WoL and the Scions to criticize her actions or view her in anything but a positive light hurts her writing.

I worry a lot about posting this because criticizing Venat's writing hasn't gone well in the past. If I sound sensitive, it's because she carries a lot of ffxiv social baggage for me.

I no longer play with the group I started ffxiv with. A couple people within that group got upset when I started thinking critically about her character because I thought it was interesting to give the WoL a difficult relationship with her. Eventually I had to leave because I couldn't stay in a place where I was being ignored, talked over, and cut out from doing group content because of my opinions about a fictional character.

It was a crappy situation all around tbh, and I don't really ever want a repeat of it.

[angelickisscs]

trent jealousy!

nothing else matters ~ trent alexander-arnold

୨ ୧ ˚₊ pairing ~ trent alexander-arnold x reader

summary: sharing a friend group with your ex is not the most practical thing ever

a/n: this is awful sorry but i got desperate to post something

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO you, happy birthday dear Maya."

Birthdays had alwaysbeen a momentous occasion throughout the longevity of your group’s friendship. Out of the 365 days that built up the full year, each of you always made sure to make the special day centred around that singular important someone.

No matter what had happened throughout the days leading up to it, on those days, nothing else mattered.

Or at least that was what had spiralled around your mind. It had created its own staircase over the several hours you had recited that to yourself, creating space for the next set of the recurring words.

It had claimed more control than it could deal with, the size of boots it had picked being far too large. You had kept yourself so busy that you were in and out of consciousness, the chair you had strategically placed yourself behind being the only thing keeping you standing at that moment in time.

Maya blew out the candles with a smile bigger than you believed she could fit on her face. The Mamma Mia themed cake that she had non-stop talked about for the majority of last year that continued until only two weeks ago, sat placed in front of her.

Your two other friends had done the honour of brining it out towards her, shielding the candles with their hands to keep the wind from doing what it had threatened to that whole night.

“Thank you, thank you!” She squealed loudly, looking to everyone crowded around her with

such gratefulness that it was a high possibility she could explode.

His hand landed on your lower back whilst he adjusted himself from his seated position to your left so he could properly look at you.

The action caught your attention quicker than it would usually as it did the same for the man sat next to the birthday girl. His eyes held a certain weight to them, locking onto you with such a strong unreadable emotion that it soaked its venom into every inch of your innocent flesh.

“You alright?” Ben asked you, trying everything he could so he could look you directly in the eye. By the time he had officially managed to, his body sat at such an unnatural position it would be no surprise if he would end up texting you to complain about the back pain he had ‘randomly’ picked up.

“Me? Yes, yeah. Awesome.” Your voice was an approximate three octaves higher than you would usually reach, the need to get away from the male species reaching heights that could challenge Mount Everest.

He smiled sweetly at your response, “That’s good.”

Mustering a smile to respond with, you began to excuse yourself from around the table. It only took creating the ruse that was grabbing something from your car for people to accept your absence for a matter of minutes.

You inhaled the icy air that ran its fingertips across the usual soggy atmosphere the second you exited the house. The air that had once surrounded you was becoming heavy, slowly creating a dangerously shallow ability to breathe. It forced you to suffer its wrath the harshest, the desperate gasps that escaped from you making that painfully evident.

Your lips felt moments away from becoming numb despite the very few seconds you had spend in the outdoors.

The ground was slightly damp beneath your harsh steps. The dew of impending snow that the news had warned everyone about weakening everything around. Even as you subjected the innocent spikes of grass to the vicious murder spree that was your heels, they laid limp, crushing and bleeding under the spears.

It was a deep sapphire that painted the sky in that moment, echoing with the sounds of blackbirds singing and everyone’s shouts of celebration. The bird’s voices resounding through the freezing air, coating every exhale with icicles that pierced deep into your uncovered skin.

Swinging open your car door, you leant in to grab the singular object you had left the comfort of your friends’ house for. A jacket.

Why would you need it whilst being inside? You couldn’t give an acceptable answer.

“Hey.” A voice snuck up from behind you, sending you flying upwards to hit your head on the hardest part of your car. “Sorry! I was really trying not to scare you.”

You placed your hand atop of the injury site, flinching it away the second your fingers hovered ever so slightly near it, the pain being far too harsh at that moment. “Ben. You really can’t be doing that.”

His hands lingered around his grimaced face. The guilt was evident however every small thing that led up to this specific interaction had left your patience thinner than average.

“I was really hoping to catch you alone tonight. I need to talk to you about something.” Ben took a step closer towards you.

“I-I really have to get back inside. Maybe another time?”

Ben was quick to refuse the alternative you had kindly given, another step being taken towards you. The car stood its ground firmly, leaving only another two steps before an uncomfortable amount of distance between the two of you was yet to be cleared.

He took a deep breath, using up any extra air on which you could rely. “I like someone, and I was thinking that you could help me out with that.”

Closing your eyes momentarily, you regained the composure that you could grasp at.

“Oh! Who? Do I know them?” You coated your voice with fawned interest.

“Very well.”

The pure fluffiness of the clouds that hung confidently in the sky was evidence towards why people compared it to candy floss. They looked edible, comfortable even. A necessary escape from the direction the conversation was heading in.

“Is it Maya? You know what, I’ve always thought you would be cute together.” Throwing the jacket over your shoulders to lessen the blow of his upcoming words, you diverted your gaze elsewhere.

Flowers surrounded the building you had just exited, no protection offered for when severe weather decided to make its name for itself. They sat susceptible to whatever the universe threw at them.

“No, you know here a lot better than that.” Another dreaded step.

“Olivia? She’s actually-.” An emergency plan began forming in your head, the large red button that had appeared in the back of your mind when you had broken up with Trent had been pressed.

“Do I know her?”

His voice was more angelic than you had ever heard before, the shadow his figure casted against the man in front of you causing a small lack in vision.

Ben turned around to meet him face to face, taking away your access to see what was happening on his overly expressive face. His shoulders seemed to tense, his back straightening as though he was becoming prey.

“I’m just going to go. I’ll see you inside y/n?” His voice was frigid as the words that he spoke seemed to crumble upon meeting with the harsh gaze that welcomed them once they exited their safehouse. You felt a soft pang of guilt ripple throughout your body as you stood there, unable to do anything but send him a sorrowful smile as he made his long-awaited exit.

Trent was soon filling his empty space, leaving you with no chance to escape from him in the same way. A soft flurry of smoke felt over his lips. The suit he was wearing was warm, brandished with deep cologne that seemed to climb up your figure, lacking any effort in doing so. The few buttons that were originally sculpted to cover the first part of his chest were left undone, showing off the golden chain he had placed around his neck.

“I thought that you might be out here.” His response rolled from his lips as if it were a part of the trickling wind passing by.

Nodding your head, you didn’t bother to speak your response. Though the situation you had previously found yourself in was bad enough, this surpassed it very quickly. One thing was certain for today, the world was not spinning in your favour.

The world fell quiet again, immersing you in a void of silence that was so strong it began to shake your body. With Trent standing next you, his broad figure looking so lost amongst the mixture of trees going on behind him, it was becoming increasingly hard to think.

“I’ve been wanting to speak to you as well. But he can’t seem to leave your side.”

A scoff fell past your lips, the wind quick to snatch it from in front of you and run away with it.

“I can’t do this today.” You responded in a hardly audible whisper, using it as an excuse to excuse yourself yet again. Trent was quick to react to your movements, his fingertips offering you the warmth you had been craving. The world stopped without delay; you await a reasonable response, but nothing appeared.

His knuckles wrapped so tightly it caused a bleed of a ghastly white to flush across them. Trent’s lip parted, preparing themselves to say something that would stop you from leaving him but the only thing that slipped past them was a loud sigh.

“I was beginning to think the two of you were together.” He finally admitted, his shoulders slumping in a makeshift relief.

You rolled your eyes, taking a millimetre of a step back just to feel as though you had put any form of distance between the two of you, “That’s none of your business. Not anymore.”

The lingering space between you disappeared within seconds, his head leaning in to seal the deal.

“I wish it still was.” Trent’s words were fast to process in her mind, his lips practically kissing your ear every time he spoke from closeness, the warmth that exited with every letter crawling down you.

Exhaling a deep breath, your eyes brought themselves upwards to stare at the sky. His presence was enough to start a civil war within you. The two sides argued relentlessly as to whether you should let him back in. Both failed the simple task that was giving a reasonable argument for their actions which consequently left you in a vulnerable situation.

Every muscle in your body came together in full cooperation to lift your arms up to move him away from you and even then, they fell flat against his hardened chest. It was such a small action, one that to most would mean nothing. But to him, to him it gave him every ounce of permission that he was asking for.

His lips were gentle across your collarbone, a stepping stone to getting you right where he would want you. You could feel him smirk against your skin as your head lulled to the side to make sure he had full access.

“Okay, I would find it much better if we were to talk.” Seemingly coming to your senses, you watched as he looked up towards you with the most convincing puppy eyes you had ever caught sight of.

Trent didn’t move whilst he watched you, a playful glint catching onto the moonlight, “What if I don’t want to talk anymore?”

“That would be perfect because I don’t want too either.”

[applecherryandpears]

I'm not sure how to put this... but I wonder if there was a little competitiveness between Noel and Paul when it comes to Liam and being his surrogate father figure. Paul is the eldest and most grounded and was around more for Liam's formative years. But Noel shared a room with Liam and went off round the world with him then he wiped his hands of him and Paul was very much back in as Liam's primary father figure.

People have said there was a falling out between Paul and Noel over that backstage past but I doubt very much it was anything that shallow. That was also around the time Liam was in a finincial mess and asked Noel to reform the band to help which Noel refused. That seemed to be a dividing line for Paul.

Oh that was a very interesting take that made me think so thank you!

But also sorry this got über-the top long somehow, so cut needed.

I think there's truth to that yes!

Maybe there's a case of ideological differences here and also remnants of the abusive family dynamics.

First of all, the thing about Paul is that, I do believe growing up, family was very important to him. He started his book with the scare him and Noel had that Liam almost drowned as a child which says a lot, and he used to spend his hard-earned money on his brothers when he was young. But he was definitely more of a product of his surroundings than Liam and Noel were, he saw life in a very matter of fact, practical manner and interiorised the Manchester Irish working class way of life, he accepted thankless jobs while L&N did not and he appeared a bit disappointed or resentful they'd look down on him for doing so and for not including him in their grandiose escape plan, because he did not enjoy what he was doing, but from his pov there was nothing else to do.

The other thing is, when Oasis was formed, not one thought was lost on Paul, Noel was a dreamer and Liam was a star, L&N would do their thing and did not involve him in any way even though he knew how to mix music and/or, according to him, sing, when they were young both Noel and him briefly worked together as their father's roadie, they could have made him a roadie for Oasis or idk what else later on but no nothing, he was blanked out.

And Paul did try to belong in Oasis, I think because he saw this as a family endeavour and it was akin to a mini betrayal that he wasn't part of it in any capacity. He said he had some kind of business he wanted to advertise and they rejected the offer (understandingly so, I think) but also Noel barred him from setting up an oasis fan club in Manchester, what's implied is that Liam was fine with it but Noel was not. And then of course there's very much evidently the book. Liam wasn't, I think, too happy about it but didn't publicly blame Paul, I'd need to find the quote back but I thiiink he said something along the lines of he'd rather have family stuff stay private but it seemed it was important for Paul to write about it, Noel on the other hand, unsuccessfully tried to buy Paul out of the idea of publishing it and was vocal about this. It's clear Paul wanted to exist as one of the brothers, felt left out, it was about more than money.

On top of this, Paul complained many times that it was hard to get to their concerts (before the breakup) and said he wasn't at Knebworth he "went on holiday". He sounds like he was hurt or disheartened he was excluded from the brotherly dynamic, and that L&N were all too ready to leave Paul out of it. I mean, you would think that being the brother of the main oasis members would guarantee getting backstage without any issue. So I believe it may have both been a case of, (indadvertedly?) making it hard for him to get in like 'forgetting' to put him on the list or making him wait and of Paul being ignored or left on his own if he did go backstage that made him throw the towel.

After all he seemed to be quite present post oasis at their concerts. I think he was even responsible for taking photos for Liam's solo concerts. The whole situation shows just how much, much closer Noel and Liam were in a kind of fusional way, their own eldest brother was kind of part of the furniture so to speak. But it wasn't like this when they were all just kids but by then, Oasis was L&N's thing and Liam was, Noel's thing. I mean no matter what you think of L&N's relationship, one thing was clear is that it was intense, and I think had Paul often hung out backstage back then, it would have impaired the dynamic in some way. And from my understanding Noel was calling the shots at the time, Liam lived his freedom in acting out and disappearing off to nowhere.

Paul found back his place in Liam's life after Noel ejected him from his own. And he didn't appear resentful, it seems he seized his a chance to get his spot back. I actually think he got more attention from both Noel and Liam after they broke up. And I agree that he took back his eldest sibling place in Liam's life, as the spot was empty and hence may have "lectured" Noel about not being there for Liam during his dark days. It seems as Noel and Liam shared a room and formed this special bond, Paul had gradually been pushed to the side.

So relationship wise it's also interesting. Liam said that growing up he was worried his brothers were going to be unhappy and that his mother will be sick. I'm not saying Liam loves Paul more than Noel does but, he feels less distant to Paul than Noel is probably, most of the times I heard Noel mention Paul are when he wanted to remind people Liam was not his only brother after the separation or to say things like 'it's not derogatory that the best he can do is to dig out a hole so go out there and dig out the best hole possible', Liam may not mention him so often either but post Oasis, Paul mentioned he sees Liam almost every day and has Noel on the phone a couple of times a week, I'm not sure how much of this is due to the whole ordeal of Noel leaving Liam to land on his teeth but what I know is that there are many pictures of Paul with Liam's kids and I actually have yet to see one of Paul with Noel's kids.

What I mean is I'm not sure how close Noel and Paul were before but if they were, it wouldn't surprise me that Noel felt really lonely without Liam and that made him reconnect more closely with Paul, but as mentioned Paul has a family mindset so indeed it sounds completely plausible he'd have gotten in a fight with Noel about these matters around that time because he still sees them as an unit, or maybe even he felt he was getting his weight back so to speak.

But while Noel may have avoided his family in Manchester while they were asking him to make up with Liam, (in the end he had to let go of more than just Liam to freeze him out completely) I think it still gives an indication that the level of closeness of Noel and Paul is different, I'd say because they don't have so much in common and because Noel keeps to himself. Actually I think the closest person to him ever remains Liam, and he's the one he opened up to if only through his songs and being vulnerable around him. In addition Noel I think, wasn't about to defer to Paul as the eldest brother or be fine with Liam doing so.

Noel mentioned in 2017 that he always felt like he was a loner in the family household, and in true Noel fashion went radical, lying it out a little, saying they never got along really they were all kinds of independent individuals that were gathered in the same group. In 2017 Noel was really enraged at Liam and I'd venture his family tried to salvage the situation and Noel felt discriminated or angry about it hence the comment.

But, Noel is still incredibly nostalgic of the time right before they got famous, he strikes me as someone who loves his family a lot yet, he was singled out in the abuse, and it took his mother years before she left her father. Obviously, leaving someone abusive is extremely difficult even more in the 70s with no money and even more so when you're raised religious and traditional, but as a child you tend to think, my parent doesn't care enough that I'm being abused to do something about it, not every child may feel like this but it's not unusual to come to this conclusion even if only subconsciously. In addition to this, Liam was born after Noel and I'd guess that his mother didn't give Noel more attention than she did Liam, so Liam was as loved but not physically abused, it must have been a trauma for Noel (and for Liam too in a different way).

Noel may have a me vs them mentality that stems from a defence mechanism developed at that time. Like, he thinks no one is truly on his side or that he has to take care of himself he can't rely on anyone else. And in that sense, his relationship with liam may be even stronger because of this, he's clearly wanted to be this father figure for Liam, for example 1992 Liam once complained about Noel acting like a father and Noel said "of course I'm like your dad it's only fucking right". He sees Liam in different ways, including as his child, he even refers to him as one in his songs. And when he gives out advice for children growing up it's like he's talking to Liam, it appears to be very important to him.

It seems in his mind, Liam is really "his family" like his own territory, also precisely because he got to embody this father figure role. He's had impact and a long lasting one at that on Liam's life and Liam reflects to some degree his own self so no one can take this away from him. On top of that Liam is 5-6 years younger, that means a whole lot of events happened before he was "conscious" with him came an opportunity to change the dynamic.

In a family, it's usual that the eldest sibling would take on the "parent" role but in a dysfunctional family, it's not unusual that the child with the strongest personality does instead. And I think that in some ways, Noel taking the father's role in Liam's life created a drift in the sibling dynamic, suddenly it was Noel and Liam plus Paul. I also think that it relatively kept Liam and Paul from really bonding, because as long as Noel had this overbearing place in Liam's life he "belonged" to him.

I don't think that Paul sees so deep within Noel's intent. But he must have seen and felt the shift as Liam was growing up even if they were young, it's something you remember, additionally that shift in dynamic with L&N sharing a room and creating their own world as I said gradually ostracised Paul. Probably when Liam was still a young child it didn't matter much but the older he got the bigger were the csq. For example, I haven't heard much about Paul going to see Noel while he was working for the inspiral carpets or hanging out at his apartment, of course this can be because Paul's life hasn't been explored that much but unless I'm wrong he didn't mention this in his book, but Liam was often hanging out with Noel despite how much the latter pretends it wasn't the case.

[chocholattes]

₊˚｡⋆❆ Orihime Inoue headcanons

Summary: HCs of what it would be like to be in a platonic and romantic relationship with Orihime <3

Content: GN! Reader, pretty much fluff! (Not beta read, sorry if there are any typos or misspellings ><)

Character: Orihime Inoue!!

Word count: 0.8k

Notes: aaa this took me way too long to write sorry!! It was plenty of fun and I enjoy writing for Orihime (she’s the sweetest >//<) I do feel like the romantic section could’ve been a bit longer but I’m actually quite pleased with how this turned out!! I hope you enjoy reading this ૮꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ა ♡

Platonic:

Orihime would be an incredible friend to have. She’s sweet, sympathetic, and supportive! Those are some of the most important qualities that any friend should have, and she excels in being all three. She definitely has more positive qualities as a friend, but I think I’d be here for far too long if I were to list each and every one.

Honestly, you couldn’t ask for a better friend! She’ll be there for you whenever possible in any type of situation.

She’s a very helpful girl. She’ll do her best to help you! Need help with homework? She’s got you covered! The two of you can go over it together at her place; Orihime will explain the subject in great detail for you. If it’s something physical, like carrying a bunch of books or different items, she’ll also help you with that. Orihime can do it!!(⸝⸝> ᴗ•⸝⸝)

Orihime is an incredibly compassionate girl! If you’re ever feeling down, she’d gladly lend you an ear. She’d listen to your problems and even give you her personal thoughts on the situation if you wanted her to. She’s very perceptive, especially when it comes to emotions, so she’ll notice if something is up with you. As a friend, you don’t need to be afraid to come to her for comfort! As mentioned before, she’ll always be available to support you. You are her friend, after all!

On top of all this, Orihime is just a super silly girl in general. Her bubbly personality and ridiculously charming sense of humour is sure to have your sides hurting from how much you’ll be laughing at times! It might be because of something she says that’s just so hilariously bizarre, or maybe it’s something goofy that she does, but trust me, there’s never going to be a dull moment with Orihime around.

She’d also ask you to do taste tests with her! Trying out Orihime’s food can be a gamble at times— it’s not like her food is bad— it’s just that her choice in combinations is… unsettling. However, in terms of Orihime’s food, one thing that you can be confident about is her skills when it comes to baking! The food she bakes is die for, and if I were you, I’d take the opportunity to eat some.

Hanging out with Orihime would consist of the two of you either staying at her house or yours, and talking about recent events that have occurred in Karakura, life events, and other interesting topics that may pop up.

She’s the type of person to have a lot of trust in her friends, so please don’t go breaking it! She’s someone who treasure her friends deeply, and would do anything to protect them.

Romantic:

As for a romantic relationship, your time with her will probably be spent doing things identical to the actions and headcannons just mentioned, however there’s more of a deeper meaning behind it all. You could say that you’re wearing rose tinted glasses, however it goes a lot deeper than that. In fact, saying that a romantic relationship with Orihime rather than a platonic one is just like having rose tinted glasses isn’t necessarily untrue, but it’s a very shallow way of describing it. Every single moment spent with her just feels so much more special- much more sweeter.

She gets so shy at times, it’s so adorable. There are moments when you might be doing a regular activity— nothing special— but she’ll just go silent for a bit, smiling earnestly, a soft pink dusted over her cheeks, and she’ll just look at you. She’ll tell you how much you mean to her, how much she appreciates you, adores you, and cares for you and it’s the sweetest thing you could possibly witness.

Her preferred love language is words of affirmation, so do expect to be smothered with heartfelt sentences often!

As for pda with her, Orihime doesn’t mind too much. Things like holding hands, giving her a kiss on the cheek, or hugging are fine, but she’s into not super public pda. Don’t do anything more than that, respect her boundaries please!

Dates with Orihime would be very simple. Extravagance isn’t the way that she shows her love; simplicity is. She really doesn’t need anything fancy or lavish to show her love for you, she’s one that shows her love through her actions. She’s the type of girl that really puts a lot of thought into her dates: think of a romantic candlelight dinner (that she prepares the food and scenery for), or a casual yet cosy picnic out on a bright field…

She’s honestly a hopeless romantic. She’s so giggly and elated over being in a relationship with a lover in such a childish and pure way that it’s just so comforting to her, and when she’s with you, she feels like the luckiest girl in the world!

Overall, dating Orihime is something that’s soft, safe and comforting. It’s going to be a fun experience for sure, but as well as that— as long as you treat her right— it’ll be a smooth road with plenty of cute moments that you’ll come to cherish. It’s something that’ll have your heart racing for sure!

[king-candybug-backup]

I saw a post recently about Roadblasters feeling like an NPD collapse for Turbo, and it got me thinking of a couple things I wanted to ask you, if that's ok? So 1, how do you do your research in regards to writing about NPD? I've done some casual googling about NPD before (just out of curiosity) but vast majority of the answers I get look like they're from people who blanket-statement the whole disorder or smth, like they appoint themselves an expert because of having experienced narcissistic abuse, but feels like they don't actually know what they're talking about. Example being smth like say I'll google "Can person with NPD change" and all answes will be along the lines of "No, they'll be awful forever because they're evil and incapable of love or improvement" (extreme example, but that's the underlying vibe coming off from a lot of what I see but it feels like a very shallow and uneducated take on it)

And 2, what would you say is the most challenging part about writing a character with NPD?

GHFGFGDSFCHG I SAW THAT POST TOO, OP is so based 😂

Okay, so, for the first question, I've had a lot of the same issues before while researching, as NPD is unfortunately still extremely stigmatized, as are pretty much all Cluster B disorders, so there's a looot of misinformed people out there throwing out random bullshit as if it's fact. Hell, even in the medical/psychology field, there's a lot of demonizing going on with Cluster B folks, so it's really about filtering out the obviously-demonizing stuff to try and find sources that are legitimately wanting to be helpful/educational. One thing I'd say for sure is, do not use Quora for this topic lmao, I'm assuming Quora is where you're getting a lot of those kinds of answers because Quora is FULL of that sorta BS. While there can sometimes be helpful answers over there, it's mostly just full of people who want to brand the entire disorder as "evil" because of their own negative experiences. And I don't say that to try and discredit the experiences of those who've suffered abuse at the hands of people with NPD, it's just that painting the WHOLE disorder as "pure evil" because of it helps LITERALLY NOBODY. All it does is worsen that stigmatization and make it WAY harder for people with NPD to actually get help if or when they need it. In a convo I've had about this with a few moots, they also made some GREAT points that, like, turning the disorder into some "boogeyman" that you can blame all the abuse on just makes people wrongly assume stuff like "Only people with [x] disorders can be abusive, therefore if I see these behaviours in people later on they must have [x] disorder" EVEN THOUGH THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS AT ALLLL, ANYBODY WITH ANY KIND OF DISORDER OR NONE AT ALL CAN BE ABUSIVE, STOP TURNING IT INTO A LABELS THING I BEG OF YOU, anyways I'm getting side-tracked, sorry lmao

One thing I would HIGHLY recommend is checking out the r/NPD community on Reddit, that community is specifically for folks that actually have NPD, and there's a lot of good discussions in there that can be helpful in understanding how it works a lot better. So like, next time you google an NPD question, try adding r/NPD into your search or something, and it should show you discussions about those topics more specifically. Listening to discussions about the disorder from people who actually have it is about as good as you can really get when it comes to this stuff, lol. I'm also lucky in that I have a friend who has NPD and has felt comfortable enough with me to open up about their struggles with it, as well as knowing an extremely talented and well-educated writer that is very well-versed in Cluster B disorders that was willing to help me out with some of the things I'd been struggling with. (I talked a bit more about that and about some general Turbo NPD stuff in this ask) Also it's important to note that people with NPD, just like anybody else, are all different and may interpret/react to things differently. (I know that may sound painfully obvious, but you would not BELIEVE the amount of people that actually think "You HAVE to behave exactly like [x, y, z] or else you don't really have NPD" unironically, lmfao)

You're also probably better off using Google Scholar search results for NPD rather than vanilla Google, since the scholar version has a higher standard of research and education involved in the kinds of results it shows you. (That being said, as I mentioned before, there's still a lot of stigmatization towards NPD even in the professional fields, so always take what you read with a grain of salt, and take into consideration the way in which people talk about NPD.)

As for the second question, tbh, all of it has been pretty hard, it's really difficult to write a character from such a different mindset that I myself have never experienced, but that's what the researching part is for, ofc! I think the hardest part for me is like, writing the "extremes" of NPD thinking in an accurate-feeling way? Like, the extremities between "narc high" and "narc crash", I feel like sometimes I put Turbo in too much of a middle ground, which isn't super accurate to how NPD generally works. 😭 (It can be easier to healthily cope with those extremes for those who've been formally diagnosed and given the proper tools and support to handle navigating this stuff more healthily, but given that I'm writing KCB from an undiagnosed/uneducated-about-it kind of angle, it doesn't quite match up as well as it probably should) Another thing that's also been kind of difficult to work with is like, Vanellope being pretty much the only one willing to hear him out and (try to) support him, because like, she is nine and should NOT be taking on that level of emotional labour, especially for somebody who wronged her so badly, and I don't want it to seem like I'm making it, like, her "responsibility" to deal with this dude's mental health problems, because it's also important to note that she really REALLY does not owe him ANYTHING and has already been WAY too gracious, all things considered asghdfjvh..... Like, yeah, part of her motivations are selfish in that "This guy is basically the only thing stopping Sinistar from eating me, I should probably stay on his good side" lmfao, but even still, it's like... yeah, just not an ideal situation, she should not have to be worrying about this stuff, lmfao. Anyways, idk man, I'm still likely getting a few things wrong here and there, I am certainly not an expert by any means, but I'm gonna do my best the whole way through, that's for sure