#thank you so much for asking grace

[thekidsarentalright]

Hey, I've seen a lot of reasonable discussions about Gabe's zionism and I thought his latest comment on his initial post would be worth sharing. It was posted about 20min ago

It's not a perfect response, but I think it honestly is pretty acceptable. What are your thoughts?

thank you very much for sharing this with me! though i’m, of course, no expert on this my initial reaction to reading that is to agree with you- it isn’t perfect, but the level of self-reclection and accountability being taken by him there Is better than anything i could’ve hoped for. it’s a step in the right direction, i think, and i can only hope he continues showing this level or more of growth and education on what is happening in palestine and that his previous behavior and statements were Not acceptable. perhaps it’s the bare minimum or Veryyy close to it considering the harmful rhetoric he had been sharing, but some level of growth from that is still reassuring to witness.

[capn-twitchery]

Grace: what holidays, if any, do you enjoy celebrating? can be neathy or not :)

"Oh. I-Hm," he stops, blinking in surprise, "Sorry. It's been quite some time since I thought about any of that...Back before I...On....On the surface, I mean, I'd not felt particularly fond towards any of them.

Had I not spent much of them working at ze-At sea, perhaps they may have held more meaning...I suppose I enjoyed the winter celebrations more than any other, if only for the food...But, ah, I'm afraid I seem to find myself less...enthused about such things, at present."

"And, I-please do excuse me, but I've yet to experience much of the Neath's celebrations. I've been quite...reclusive, since my arrival here. I believe I may have missed...a few..." He hesitates, as if unsure he should say more.

"....But Feast of the Rose was quite enjoyable."

[rosesradio]

quite often I just like to think about Jason being a biter and Percy is oh so sensitive to it

at first Jason is apologetic. he's scared he's hurt Percy and Percy didn't want him to but witnessing how much Percy loves them makes him realise how much he loves it too

Percy loves it. he loves the marks, the slight pain of them being made, the aftermath and how gentle Jason kisses them, the fact he gets to look at them in a mirror for days after and the way they stick out his camp t-shirt or below his shorts

Jason loves how that's his marks on Percy that Percy so proudly wears, how Percy withers under him, how Percy begs (or actually begs 👀) Jason to leave more. he loves finding new spots over Percy's body to find the most sensitive parts and witnessing the different ways Percy reacts to them all

I don't know where I was going with this really I just think about Jason biting Percy a lot

this, %100 🙏

one of the reasons jason's character is so compelling to me in both a smutty & non-smutty setting is how he alone is two sides of one coin (weapon ref? eh whatever). he has this wolfish side, though he also has a more diplomatic, almost gentleman-like side. most i guess 'wolf-coded' characters are just like moody + distant (honestly kinda like nico, though i love him). jason's so fun because you don't know what you're going to get with him in any given scenario

(very much anthony bridgerton coded in the sense of like—"i am a gentleman 🧍"...*proceeds to behave in the most whorish slutty way possible* lmaoo)

anywayys, just thinking about what this biting scenario must have been like the first time it happened. thinking about jason bending percy over the nearest surface, like the arm of the couch (my editor says i write characters fucking from behind too much, but what does she know? allie if you're reading this ily).

as he gets closer to the edge, jason can't help but admire everything he can see of percy from this angle—his ass, his toned back, his shoulders. he has some hickies on the sides of his neck, though it doesn't seem like nearly enough, not to jason. jason would have percy wear a collar with his name on it, something he could pull percy around with (and, gods, he should get on that).

it's in that moment that impulses take over, and jason's clamping down on the sensitive bit of skin between percy's neck & shoulder. for a split second, jason's terrified, thinking that not only did he hurt percy, but he did something weird. he's always felt this disconnect from mortality, both by being a demigod & by his upbringing. he's scared that percy will think he's a freak.

and then percy fucking whimpers.

it's a sound like jason's never heard from percy, though he can tell it's not one of pain—at least, it's the sound of pain being overwhelmed by pleasure. & if that wasn't enough, percy comes a moment later—and although his words are muffled between moans & whines, he seems to be...begging for more? and that sends jason over the edge like nothing else, panting and growling as he clamps his teeth over every sensitive spot of percy that he can reach.

once the post-nut clarity of it all hits, of course jason is falling all over himself to apologize to percy. percy, however, is giving him a hazy look, his eyes still dark with need.

he asks jason to lick the blood trickling down from the bite marks.

this sparks round two.

[skitskatdacat63]

And now my art has been reposted on tiktok, have I finally made it as a creator? 🥺 But like seriously my god, I didn't think I had to say but don't repost??????? I think I've been pretty safe from it cause I normally just draw AU art but ahh making relevant art, it's a dangerous game....I just yeah, don't necessarily know what to do about it, but yeah just don't please?

[julietasgf]

28, 30, and 38 for the fic writer ask game!

tysm for the ask grace!! <3 alright let's go:

28. which fic is closest to your heart?

I would say "carcará" because it was a fic I took a lot of inspiration from my own generational problems in family! I have a lot of love for it not only because it's a work I enjoy in general, but because I was able to put down some thoughts about some things. tho I have to say "all you wanna do" is now tied as a second favorite, as it's another fic I used a lot of stuff that can be quite personal to me.

30. which fic would you most like to have its own fanfic written for?

the way to a man's heart! I think the bakery au got a lot of possibilities and I would love to see different takes on it

38. pick three of your fics and share a song to go with each

I was so happy that you sent this ask because I LOVE picking songs for my fics (it was actually hard to pick just one for just three), so alright:

pray for your salvation (from damnation): sun bleached flies by ethel cain (the whole album fits very much this fic tho)

waterloo: gostava tanto de você by tim maia

(translation: I don't know why you were gone, how much I missed you, I'll live forever sad because of the goodbye I could never give; you marked my life, lived and died in my history, I'm even scared of the future and of the loneliness that knocks at my door)

carcará: PRIDE. by kendrick lamar

[zukkaoru]

i read souheki and came running

"are you sure about that?" and/or "what are we doing to do?"

souheki!!! the crowd goes wild!!!! first is beast au they are making each other worse❤️ and the second is canonverse fake dating shenanigans

“Are you sure about that?” Ranpo whispers, their breath warm against Dazai’s mouth. Their fingers tighten in his hair, dragging his head backwards so he’s forced to look them in the eye. He scarcely remembers what they were even arguing about. He’s far more interested in getting Ranpo’s lips back on his. It’s a bad idea on every level, and it’s inevitable that Dazai is going to simply discard them once he’s had his fill. But until that happens— “I am.” He lifts a hand to Ranpo’s face, tracing his thumb over their lips. “If I weren’t sure, I wouldn’t be here.” Ranpo hums. “I would love to dissect your brain and figure out how it works,” they say. Heat pools in Dazai’s gut at the thought, and he feels himself smile in response. “Do it, then.” Ranpo grins.

-

“What are we going to do?” “Well…” Ranpo taps a finger against their chin. “Making out probably wouldn’t help the situation, but it also wouldn’t make it any worse…” Dazai glares at them, despite their eyes being closed. They’re smart enough to know what he’s doing without seeing it. “I think it would make things worse, actually. Lucy-chan kicked us out for flirting, and you want to respond by making out right outside?” “Yes.” Dazai considers this. On one hand, it would be funny. On the other, he’s not sure how much longer his leg will be able to handle standing up. But maybe if he… He grabs Ranpo’s arm, maneuvering them so Dazai’s back is against the wall and Ranpo is across from him. He leans his cane against the wall beside him, then rests his arms around Ranpo’s neck. “I might fall over if we stay out here for too long.” Ranpo snorts. “Don’t worry, I guarantee someone will catch us quickly.” Coming from Ranpo, that’s more than enough reassurance. So Dazai pulls them closer and seals their lips together.

[heyitschartic]

What do you think would've happened if Contessa simply picked Bonesaw up and put her somewhere else, where Jack couldn't reach. Like Earth Aleph. What would she do!!!

This is probably unsurprising, but I've thought about this idea a lot. First of all, I think it really depends on what Contessa wants to do with her. Really, in almost any circumstance, I could see a conversation first. Probably setting a room up so Riley feels safest, with Contessa sitting in just the right way that she looks like Riley's mom when she first sees her so she doesn't attack (similar to what she did with Taylor). She spars words with Bonesaw about capes, powers, and passengers, basically laying the ground work for how she'll start to question herself, then drops her through unceremoniously, before Riley can work up the annoyance to attack.

After that, I think Riley lays low. Maybe kills one or two people for parts she needs, but she has someone watching her who is powerful and she's probably still very unsure exactly what is going on and why. And she's been with the Nine for a while, she knows how to be inconspicuous. Her relative anonymity on Earth Aleph really helps. They just aren't prepared for a powerhouse like Bonesaw.

But things start to break down. Riley is not used to being alone and we know that she has horrible nightmares about the day of her trigger that she eases with comfort from Jack and the Siberian. Eventually all those issues are gonna start to pile up and with no one there to push them away, Riley's gonna be forced to confront. This probably goes badly. I could see her breaking down here, the stuff from Contessa's talk finally coming home to roost, and in absence of that comfort she goes and seeks it out.

It doesn't go well.

I think at this point she finally starts to catch the eye of the local heroes. I don't think they make the connection, I doubt they ever will, but they understand a dangerous villain and go to try and stop her. This could play out any number of ways, but I think in the end, Riley runs, probably doing some things she regrets. People she tried to latch onto hurt in the process and for the first time she's feeling genuine guilt about all this.

She moves around but things are getting worse for her, she's really questioning who she is and without Jack there to whisper in her ear she's not sure she even wants to be this anymore. Maybe the heroes catch up with her, and she allows herself to be brought in. In the end, finding out Cauldron's reach extends to the hero agencies even there and she willingly joins Contessa's side. Maybe she just disappears to reflect, waiting for Contessa to come out and finish their talk whereby they reach an agreement. Maybe she doubles down, bringing more destruction and pain until she feels hollowed out inside, turning to Cauldron because they're the only group she feels can redeem her.

Either way, I wish I could see it.

[softquietsteadylove]

omg I love possessive Gil in your 10 things AU so much🥵 can you please write more smut like that? (with any AU you want)💌❤️‍🔥

Thena laughed at the man's joke, who was happy to receive her payment with a sleek smile. His hand even floated down to her shoulder. Their exchange continued, but that hand felt the need to linger.

Gil watched it the entire time.

Thena was on her doctor mandated break, from both performing and even teaching for at least two weeks. He was happy to take care of her at home, but almost at the end of her time off, she was getting restless. So, seeing a show seemed like a great idea.

Thena had a great time--at least he thought she did. He had asked if she knew anyone in it but she hadn't recognised any names from the show program. That made this even worse.

The male lead had just happened to recognise Thena, purely from running in similar professional circles. Gil was proud of it! She was an amazing ballerina, of course she should be recognised for it. That wasn't the problem. This guy was the problem.

"I'm honoured I could finally meet the Swan herself," he schmoozed right in her face.

Gil tugged at his tie. He called her that, thank you.

"I've seen so many of your shows, I should be the one dying to meet you," he continued. His hand left Thena's shoulder, but only to trail down her arm to clasp her hand in his. He was really pushing it.

"Nonsense, you're the crown jewel of your company," she countered his flattery, although she hadn't yanked her hand out of his yet, much to Gil's distaste.

"If only I were the crown jewel of yours." Okay, this guy definitely knew what he was doing. Gil stood straighter as the man even raised Thena's hand to his lips.

"Oh," she blinked, blushing faintly as he did so.

Gil cleared his throat loudly. He had stood by for enough of this. He moved in without a thought to the jostling of everyone. He elbowed the man out of his way and captured Thena's waist in his arm. "Sorry, we're late for something."

"Gil!"

"Of course," the man sighed dramatically. He waved as Thena was dragged away from him. "It was a pleasure, ma cherie!"

"I'll show you pleasure.

"Gilgamesh," Thena huffed as he ushered her into an empty dressing room and slammed the door behind them. "What is-!"

He pulled her close, taking her lips in his. He cushioned the back of her head with his hand, although her back hit the door as he pressed as close as he could get.

Thena moaned against his lips, their tongues moving fluidly and her hands on his cheeks. Her shoulders bunched up, surprised by his urgency.

He moved his shoulders, eager to get her elbows out of his way. He moved his hands from her waist to grasp her behind through the light layers of her pretty dress.

"Gil!" she all but yelped. He hoisted her, hands grasping her behind so he could move them from the door to the mirror. He plunked her down onto the table of it, her shoulders pressed against the cold glass. She gasped. "What are you doing?!"

But he wasn't in the mood. He was in a very different mood. He grasped the insides of her knees to help them wind around him. These things were the perfect height. "You want pleasure?"

"Gil," Thena attempted to scold him, but he could watch the tiny twitches in her face as he trailed his hand up the inside of her thigh.

"You can have it," he breathed into her ear. He dragged his teeth over it, enjoying the flush of red that followed. She shivered. He used the other hand to trail over where he had watched that asshole do exactly the same. He would replace that man's touch on Thena's body with his own. "Because you're mine."

"Gil," she bit her lip as he latched onto her neck. His one hand continued to trail lightly from her hand up to her shoulder, back and forth, up and down, so lightly it was almost ticklish. But he reached her shoulder and planted it more firmly. "We can't."

"What did I just say?" he whispered roughly, his other hand reaching its goal and easily pushing aside the white lace she was wearing. He remembered it well; he had watched her select that exact set and then joke about not going.

Thena whimpered as he skipped any sort of warm up and instead pushed in just the tips of his fingers first.

"Miss Thena," he teased, pushing in to the second knuckle. "What did I tell you?"

"You're mine," she panted, her hands finally moving up his chest and around his neck to his back to pull him closer.

He chuckled. It was close enough. He liked rendering his Swan all ruffled and speechless. He dove, dragging his teeth from her neck down her clavicle to her cleavage. "I said you're mine."

Thena let out a deeper moan as he pushed his fingers in completely, simultaneously using his teeth to drag down the front of her dress. It had been sitting just off her shoulders, teasing him all night.

He reached for the back zipper, freeing her breasts completely. Its tightness had offered her some lift. He admired the way they bounced, now at gravity's mercy again.

"Gil, please," she whimpered, moving her hips with his fingers.

He could multitask. He continued to watch the rhythm of her breasts, eventually bending his head to take a nipple between his teeth. He bit a little more firmly than necessary. Her back arched but he pushed his thumb into the dip of her collar bone, not needing any pressure to keep her shoulders against the mirror. It was fogging up.

Thena whined as he pulled his fingers away. She was panting for breath and a light sheen was fighting the setting layer of her makeup. "Jealous and a tease?"

If he could give her behind a little smack, he would. But he kept her firmly planted on it, deliberately pulling both hands away from her to undo his belt. She watched with hunger in her eyes. "This what you want?"

She nodded.

He undid his suit trousers, pulling himself out and grasping himself at the base. Fuck, he was hard. "Say it."

"I want you," she managed, her voice full of breath.

He bent her knees more, forcing the skirt of her dress up and out of his way. He gripped the flesh of her inner thigh, a fine mix of natural fat and firm muscle. It clenched as he massaged little circles with his thumb closer and closer to her hip. "Ask for it."

A flash of stubbornness passed over her. He raised his eyebrows, just touching his tip to her warmth.

Her eyes lowered as she looped her arms around his neck, "please, Gil?"

"Please," he moved closer to her ear again, letting her fold her swanly form around him. He nipped at her earring, "what?"

"Please," she whimpered again, the red from her ears shooting down her neck. "Fuck me."

"Good girl," he congratulated her as he pushed in. She moaned, her knees tightening around him before stretching out and then closing in again. "You're mine, aren't you?"

"Yes," she gasped, her whole body adjusting to him in this position as he kissed along her throat.

"And this," he grinned, rolling his hips and hitting up and forward within her. Oh, this was a good spot. She tightened around him and he nipped at her cleavage again in thanks. "This is mine."

"Yes," she moaned, trying to urge him into moving more.

He leaned forward, pushing them both more firmly against the mirror behind them. It was completely fogged up from their heat now. Thena's bare shoulders squeaked against the glass. "All mine?"

"Yes," she whined, digging her heel into the back of his thigh.

"Say it," he teased again, moving lightly, as if they had all the time in the world for him to fuck her in a strange theatre full of other patrons.

"I'm all yours."

"Good."

Gil slammed their hips together, picking up a completely frantic pace. He gripped his arm around Thena, keeping her at the perfect precipice, close enough to the edge for him to push all the way in but also safely planted on the counterspace. These things were not meant to be fucked on; he could hear the braces of it in the wall as they moved.

Thena made a buffet of sounds for him to enjoy. Her head rotated between leaning down, searching for him, and pressing the bun in her hair against the mirror, smearing the steam. "Gil!"

He ran his hand down her arm again, bringing her hand to his lips, then her wrist, then up her arm. "Mine, mine, mine."

"Yours," she repeated back to him. He wasn't sure she was really in the depths of territorial need like he was. But so long as she was enjoying herself, that was what mattered. "Fuck, Gil, I'm-"

"Coming?" he snarled, trailing his tongue from between her breasts and up her neck. He nipped at the sharp angle of her jawbone. "On whose cock?"

"Yours," she answered again, although her voice was so breathy and high in pitch it was getting hard to hear her.

"Say it," he grunted, changing angle, pushing the top of his head down and burying his face in her breasts. Her fingers ran through his hair.

"Your cock, yours," she obeyed, pulsing around him frantically. He gripped her hips and pulled her, slamming and grinding them together where they were joined. Her shoulders slipped down and she gripped the corners of the counter edge as she came.

Gil held her by the waist, lifting her bottom half completely to keep them firmly joined. He came with her, both of them erupting with nowhere to go. He opened his eyes slowly, coming down from the high as they both gasped for breath.

The skirt of her dress pooled around their hips and drooped down from where he was holding her. But he heard a faint dripping sound that made him feel positively feral.

Thena attempted to call out his name, but she was shaking all over, especially her arms. He moved closer again, helping support her again. She leaned over him, her back to the mirror and her front to his chest. She whimpered as he slipped out of her.

Gil examined the damage, slipping her panties back into place, not that she didn't squirm at that. He glanced briefly at the floor as he stuffed himself back into his trousers and did up his belt.

Thena cleared her throat. He looked at her and she looked positively scandalised. Although, her glaring and pouting would do a lot more if she weren't so flushed, and such a cute shade of pink. "Gil."

He chuckled, knowing exactly what she was asking. "Yes, Miss Thena."

She looked away as he wiped the evidence of them off the floor. Her legs were crossed and she was gripping the skirt of her dress over her lap. "I like this dress, you know."

"I'll have it dry cleaned, Gorgeous," he promised, kissing her cheek as he gently helped her slide off the counter. Her heels hit the floor but they clattered and skidded as she struggled to stand upright. "You got it?"

She grumbled into his chest, trying to find the strength in her knees.

"Hm?" he hummed, observing the top of her head and how even her bun was a little messed up now. He picked at it, trying to make it seem more deliberate. She swatted his hand away.

"I said you were insufferable," she huffed as she finally managed to take two straight steps without wobbling.

No, watching some stranger paw at his girlfriend was insufferable. This was quite pleasurable, if he did say so himself. He tilted his head as Thena paused at the door. "Sweetheart?"

She turned, positioning herself behind him. "Tell me if it's all clear."

His poor Thena. She could be so adventurous at times, but when it came to the consequences of their lovemaking, she would prefer not to deal with them. He gripped the handle, ready to strut his stuff.

[little-de-vil]

Hi! Sorry this took so long to get to you, but I hope my long-windedness makes up for it. Starting with your distinction of Cutters and Keepers… I find this really interesting and I had heard the terms thrown around on your blog a lot and I always was like “I should look into that” and then I didn’t because I’m a horribly forgetful person. BUT! I finally did, and I adore the way you’ve set up the structure of class divides in Two. After re-reading Mockingjay, where Katniss spends a few weeks in Two and lives with resistance fighters in mining communities in Two, I have always been interested in how the distinction between Peacekeepers in Two and the whole gladiator culture with the Careers and volunteering came to be. 

The line: “The southern desert folk and their blunt nature, entrenched in tradition that mirrors what it was before. The northern mountain people and their river sweet ways, creating new rituals after living so close to their invaded neighbors.” was just SO GOOD. And I really like how you managed to keep the aspects of pride prevalent in the culture of D2, but made sure to separate the pride of the Cutters and their cultural traditions from the pride of those more influenced by propaganda in D2. (Also… If you ever were to write on ao3, I would absolutely devour your fics. I’m still reading through Snowfall Upon Sophroniscus on Tumblr, so I may need to pick your brains on that once I finish, but I had to talk to you abt your amazing D2 lore first). 

Another quote as a segue: “The Keepers: soldiers—the common grunt and almost unheard of 2 born general.” This really struck me, especially because of the very obvious profiling shown in TBOSAS with the officer candidate test and Coriolanus saying that the other cadets can’t read so he had an advantage. Of course, one of D2’s primary industries is peacekeeping, but I can’t imagine the Capitol would be happy putting any district people in a place of power after the first rebellion. (Since I’m into D13, I think that they have officers and did before the dark days which kind of served as a warning to the Capitol not to have that happen again). 

Now onto the post about religion in Panem, and the concept of “Saying Your Stones”. I thought this was such a wonderful tradition, and again you have a real talent for creating meaningful (and canon, imo) cultural traditions. I’m interested in the fact that the practice changed after the war from something one did by themselves to a community focused event. It was in an effort to create more ties to the community, yes, but was there any other reason? Was it a form of cultural resistance? I’d also LOVE to know your thoughts on what those who moved from the Capitol to Two as officers thought about D2 cultural traditions and what their efforts were to suppress them!

Now, the FIRST SONG! You have truly rewired my brain here. It sounds very “traditional”, I’m not sure how else to say it. I guess what I mean is authentic. My favorite verse has got to be this one:

And in come new folk, bold and strong

No hammer or pickaxe

Just guns and armor, waving banners of country flag

Ain’t got no space to hold ‘em, but they make space themselves

Takin’ our homes, our pride, our love, our work

They don’t do much in mountain-land ‘sides work us to the bone

I think you hit the nail on the head when it came to the opinions of the Cutters on the new coming peacekeepers. I appreciate that you think there is a genuine physical divide between the Keepers and the Cutters, because I think that may be the only way that the Capitol could prevent riots and constant class tension between the industries. Also an excellent critique on the Capitol's imperialism. 

All in all, I am so glad I read your explanations regarding the development of the class divide in D2, because it is something I have been very interested in ever since I re-read Mockingjay. The work that you have put in here is very impressive, and very realistic when it came to the shift in attitude over time, and how a decent amount of children around the time of the 74th games are Cutters-By-Blood but became Keepers/volunteers/career tributes for upward social mobility. I am very interested to know, since you are a D2 historian, if you used any real-world historical examples to develop these ideas, and if so I would love to know what they were. 

I really really love your work! It is so interesting to see an entirely different take on the state I grew up in, as CO has definitely outgrown its mining/ranching originations. I’m always just happy to see different interpretations of Neo-North American culture represented in Panem, and you do a truly fantastic job representing that!

Writing this while watching TBOSAS was a religious experience. I know Sejanus always Said His Stones and Snow is not deserving of a Home Name. I’m going to respond to this by writing out the responses under certain segments so that it’s clear which part I’m talking about. This is also as always stupid long, so I'll just write it under the cut.

The line: “The southern desert folk and their blunt nature, entrenched in tradition that mirrors what it was before. The northern mountain people and their river sweet ways, creating new rituals after living so close to their invaded neighbors.” was just SO GOOD. And I really like how you managed to keep the aspects of pride prevalent in the culture of D2, but made sure to separate the pride of the Cutters and their cultural traditions from the pride of those more influenced by propaganda in D2. (Also… If you ever were to write on ao3, I would absolutely devour your fics. I’m still reading through Snowfall Upon Sophroniscus on Tumblr, so I may need to pick your brains on that once I finish, but I had to talk to you abt your amazing D2 lore first). 

I really like that you love that line! It was such a quick thing I put together, already knowing that I wanted a geographical cultural distinction but have that be the case because of the war. Those cultural personal markers (blunt v sweet) was already how I pictured those two, but I knew that I wanted their cultural traditions to differ in certain aspects because geography shapes culture. I was also sure that I wanted to separate the Cutters pride and the Keepers pride by being communal vs individualistic. To quote me (teehee): “Where the masons took pride in their work, the weapons manufacturers took pride in the Capitol's adoration.”

Another quote as a segue: “The Keepers: soldiers—the common grunt and almost unheard of 2 born general.” This really struck me, especially because of the very obvious profiling shown in TBOSAS with the officer candidate test and Coriolanus saying that the other cadets can’t read so he had an advantage. Of course, one of D2’s primary industries is peacekeeping, but I can’t imagine the Capitol would be happy putting any district people in a place of power after the first rebellion. (Since I’m into D13, I think that they have officers and did before the dark days which kind of served as a warning to the Capitol not to have that happen again). 

So I when I wrote this line, I was thinking of this in two aspects:

“Hope”

Proximity to power/whiteness under assimilation

 I put hope in quotes like that because it’s different to the one mentioned throughout the series. I see it as a false hope, where those of 2 who do have access to power have already had it from the start in some facet (ie: Born-and-Bred Keepers) v a Cutter who will never have that access unless they reject their culture and thus become an oppressor to gain power/wealth/security, etc. (for just reason or not). With that annexing of culture to gain that power, it further distances those Cutters from their community, with a mutual betrayal and that feeling of never fitting in with the other Keepers who will forever see them as less than.

Notice how I say “gain” and not “earn” because it’s always going to be something that is already accessible v something fought for, but ultimately pretty unreachable. Gain is closer linked to growth whereas earn is closer linked to achievement and winning, and while there is achievement in accessing the power that being a Keeper brings you, it will never been seen as deserved among either community. And community is essential to the people of 2. I’m not saying that to force this into my lore, we can see it clear as day in the first book with Cato and Clove.

I knew that I still wanted to have it be a possibility and even success of someone from 2 being in such a high position of power because of that hope, but I also knew that whoever it is, they’d probably be a white man. Having soldiers and some higher ups be people of color work because of the way the propaganda works, but having the higher positions of power still being held by white men still continues the idea of power=whiteness and a proximity to whiteness will always be seen as powerful.

Now onto the post about religion in Panem, and the concept of “Saying Your Stones”. I thought this was such a wonderful tradition, and again you have a real talent for creating meaningful (and canon, imo) cultural traditions. I’m interested in the fact that the practice changed after the war from something one did by themselves to a community focused event. It was in an effort to create more ties to the community, yes, but was there any other reason? Was it a form of cultural resistance? I’d also LOVE to know your thoughts on what those who moved from the Capitol to Two as officers thought about D2 cultural traditions and what their efforts were to suppress them!

I always knew that I wanted something to mark the change of culture that comes with war, particularly a war lost among those who have these cultural traditions. You’re right in it creating more ties to the community and that there were more reasons behind it. I highlight this a bit with the Sophro Trio and how with each new generation slowly looses their culture, an inversion of what is it by Katniss’ time. And it was always going to be a form of resistance because of the power of the community, the population of the community. There is no way to force them to stop completely, it will always find a way to survive. But The Capitol knows that, they know that by destroying both community and culture it will not make their slaves susceptible to whatever propaganda they inflict upon them. There needs to be hope, and culture and traditions bring that. It also was a way to make sure that only the tradition survives (not thrives!!!), but is understood and properly practiced. Which means that by having it be more openly practiced, it eventually leads to it being open to bastardization by the oppressors. It’s a vicious cycle.

With those Capitol officials who go to 2: yes, there is oppression of community in the power they hold, but there was more ridicule than an overall attempt to end the practices. I’d like to think of it as to how Snow thought of the bread tradition, as foolish and a waste of food. Those Capitol officers would see these hordes of people basically praying to rocks and think of them as fools with no self-identity, seeing how the Stones are seen as that person, where they are a marker of personhood and personality rather than who they “really are.”

Now, the FIRST SONG! You have truly rewired my brain here. It sounds very “traditional”, I’m not sure how else to say it. I guess what I mean is authentic. My favorite verse has got to be this one: And in come new folk, bold and strong No hammer or pickaxe Just guns and armor, waving banners of country flag Ain’t got no space to hold ‘em, but they make space themselves Takin’ our homes, our pride, our love, our work They don’t do much in mountain-land ‘sides work us to the bone I think you hit the nail on the head when it came to the opinions of the Cutters on the new coming peacekeepers. I appreciate that you think there is a genuine physical divide between the Keepers and the Cutters, because I think that may be the only way that the Capitol could prevent riots and constant class tension between the industries. Also an excellent critique on the Capitol's imperialism.

Fun fact: I almost cut that entire segment out completely! I originally was going to have it be from “keep our kin close at hand” to “make my people proud” up until the end with “someday when we are free” and have that be the end. But I realized that because I have my running theme of D2 songs being historical, I needed a verse to be more present and angry at the change in their district, in an effort to show how much has changed by the time it’s sung throughout the years! And I love this verse! There’s a part of me that wants there to a mixed of forced physical community among the Cutters and the Keepers to show how much of an invading presence they are and how it’s said in Mockingjay that many stonecutter working locations like the mine and quarries shifted into housing and training spaces for the Keepers. But another part of me knows that by keeping them separated would not only be consistent with othering each group against the other.

All in all, I am so glad I read your explanations regarding the development of the class divide in D2, because it is something I have been very interested in ever since I re-read Mockingjay. The work that you have put in here is very impressive, and very realistic when it came to the shift in attitude over time, and how a decent amount of children around the time of the 74th games are Cutters-By-Blood but became Keepers/volunteers/career tributes for upward social mobility. I am very interested to know, since you are a D2 historian, if you used any real-world historical examples to develop these ideas, and if so I would love to know what they were.

Here’s the thing. I have been thinking about this story for 11 years. It has been a part of my being for a very long time, regardless of me publicizing it. And because it has been with me for so long, I’ve definitely taken bits and pieces of my life and certain cultural aspects and imbedded it into the story as time has gone on. But it’s all really been a subconscious decision, I don’t realize I’ve done that until well after the fact (I do have a literal processing disorder, so that tracks). I can say that to my knowledge, I haven’t taken real historical examples and developed them into something. However, I have definitely taken certain cultural aspects of my life or my loved ones life with me and put that in. So like how Saying Your Stones has transferred from being individual to communal, I inverted that from my own personal life of having grown up in saying my late-night prayers with my grandparents to now only saying it on occasion. For Home Names, I think of that as how one of my Tia’s always gave us nicknames that have stuck the test of time and is used among family. Even the death tradition of The Rock, I can always attribute to tracing my grandfathers name on his tombstone when I went to go visit him on my second to last trip to El Salvador, and only returned 15 years later, last year! So no, I don’t base it in history unless it’s going to be some physical thing (like stone associations with onyx, for example), I base it on parts of my life that I’ve lost and don’t want to regain but remember.

[softspeirs]

Okay, this is going to be a bit of a long shot, but how about 'hands' and 'rescue' for Grace Fleming - and Helen, our Clubmobile girl! (Something something...shared grief?)

A/N: Ooh, thanks Merc! Loved an excuse to get these two ladies together.

It’s Tatty who first comes to the infirmary, her steps unsure and her eyes a little tired, a little sad.

Grace is busy folding blankets and towels, and greets her with a breezy hello, her eyes flitting between Tatty’s troubled face and her hands that are clenched at her side.

“Lieutenant,” she says, a tiny smile appearing on her lips. “Thought I’d find you here.”

“Hey, Tatty.” Grace is a little surprised at herself for feeling shy. It’s almost like realizing the popular girl at school wants to talk to her. “What can I do for you?”

“Can you—“ she takes a step closer, lowers her voice. “Would you mind talking to Helen? Casually, if you don’t mind.”

Grace puts down the blanket in her hands. “Is she okay?”

Tatty nods. “I think so. Just— she got to know this pilot at the party the night before last… between you and me, she barely got more than a few hours of sleep, they were out dancing so late.”

Grace’s heart sinks. “Oh, Tatty… did he—“

“He was with the new crew. Rosenthal’s. He didn’t make it.”

.

Grace finds Helen in the Clubmobile, like she suspected she would. Helen isn’t the type to shirk her duties, no matter how she’s feeling.

“Morning!” Helen says brightly. Grace doesn’t miss the way her hands shake slightly as she gathers herself. “It’ll be a few minutes for donuts but I can get you some coffee while you wait.”

“That would be great, thanks.”

The cup is steaming when it comes out, and Grace inhales. “God, but that smells good.”

“Coffee in the morning always does.”

They stand in companionable silence for a few minutes before Grace decides she better just ask. “How are you doing, Helen?”

The smile on her face doesn’t go away, but freezes in place. “I’m okay.”

Grace nods. Looks at the bags under Helen’s eyes and the way her movements seem automatic, robotic. She knows combat fatigue. There isn’t a snappy name for this type of grief, though. The type where you know someone for barely a day, and yet their loss hits you like a freight train.

It’s a unique part of living on an air base, and Grace doesn’t think she’ll ever get used to it.

“You need a day off?” Grace asks quietly. “No shame in it. I can talk to whoever I need to-“

“No.” Helen’s voice is firm, but still pleasant. “I’m okay. I want to keep working. It’s— it’ll help.”

Grace nods. She doesn’t want to overstep. She also knows that everyone on this base, especially these women who have such a vital role to play, are far more resilient than people give them credit for.

They’re interrupted by the still-half-asleep figures of Captain Rosenthal and Lieutenant Lewis.

“Ma’am,” Rosenthal greets her, and she watches as he struggles to make eye contact with Helen.

“Morning Helen,” Lewis says, either not feeling as shy as his friend, or determined to lighten the mood. “Coffee would be great.”

“You got it,” she says. Grace is pleased to see Helen’s hands aren’t shaking anymore when she gathers the cups and gets to work.

.

It’s over a year later and Grace almost wants to laugh when their roles are reversed. She can’t bring herself to even smile when she sees the woman approaching.

“Grace?”

Grace’s hands start to shake at the care and tenderness in her friend’s voice. She cannot allow herself to break down. If she does, she won’t be able to make it the rest of her shift, and too much time alone with her thoughts is no good.

“Grace.” Helen’s hand finds hers. Stops her relentless folding and moving and fidgeting. “Hey. Slow down.”

“Funny that you need to come to my rescue now, huh.”

Helen shakes her head. “You don’t need anyone to rescue you.” She ducks her head so she can meet Grace’s eyes. “He’s alive, Grace. I know it.”

Grace shakes her head. “How can you be so sure?” Tears spring to her eyes but she refuses to let them fall. “He’s been so lucky so far…”

“It’s not luck. He’s the best pilot we’ve got. I don’t know where he is, but he’s going to come back.”

Grace sniffs. “It’s just— this one feels harder. It feels harder to believe he’s going to keep coming back.”

“Couldn’t keep Major Rosenthal away from you for too long, Grace.” Helen jokes softly, jostling Grace with her shoulder. “He’s probably hassling some General to get him back here to you.”

Grace takes a minute to just sit there, shoulder to shoulder with a woman who has become one of her dearest friends, their hands tightly clasped together.

“I hope you’re right.” Grace says finally. “Thank you, Helen.”

The two women sit there together for a long time, minds filled with the men they’ve watched come and go, ones they laughed with and loved, and ones they didn’t even get a chance to know. This is the hardest work either of them have ever done, but it’s made easier knowing they’ll be there to rescue each other every time, no matter what.

[thebugthatruinsyourpicnic]

🤓 for the hatchetfield ask game

Favourite character from NPMD and why

Grace! I love Angela's portrayal of her, I love her hair clips, I love her clothes, I love her bathing suit, I love her lALalalaLaLALAla in her NMT episodes, I LOVE HER. She's incredibly funny but also very interesting because of how her values collide with her desires. 'I called God the son of a b-word... who am Iiieaoughhh' is iconic and Dirty Girl has rewired my brain. I also have a similar vocal range to Angela (though I can't actually sing all that well but I'll get there) and I'd love to play her some day!

[hazellevessque]

es mea amica bona 🫶

gratias tibi! tu quoque 🫶🏽🫶🏽

[capn-twitchery]

hi this is @neathyingenue! your drawing of lt. grace and capt. twitchery was so dynamic and i would love to know more about their relationship if you'd like to share 👀

OHOHO rubs my hands together--you've activated my trap card >:3 (also thank you sm!! :D♥︎) SO-

short answer: their relationship is a complicated nightmare at best, and it changes a ton over time. they meet in weird circumstances, things stay weird for a long time, & they end up "together." what that means, i have no idea, bc i think they would die before they talked about it or said they were Actually Dating

long answer: they meet when twitch rescues a very nearly dead grace from the arctic. twitch thinks this poor guy looks very haunted, which is apparently interesting enough for them to reroute the entire ship so they have an extra couple months to hound him for secrets.

upon getting back to london, they want nothing more to do with eachother: twitch got all the secrets they could, grace wants to get far away from this weirdo, preferably as soon as possible, thanks

so they part ways, for a while. grace starts working with the constables (he thinks he can help people there. poor guy) they keep giving him the unwanted jobs: drag bodies back home, sort the paperwork, stand guard outside the cells because this new inmate is chatty and it's annoying everybody else and-oh, it's twitch. of course it is.

they get talking, since there's nothing else to do, and twitch is Very Persistent. they strike a deal: grace can use his connections to get twitch on the good side of the legal records, and in return, twitch will give him free zee trips when he needs it. twitch thinks this will be basically never, since grace has nothing going on, right? so they got the better end of this deal for sure-what do you mean he's on an unhinged revenge mission to murder a fucking master of the bazaar? oh, they have got to see this.

grace is too reluctant to zail himself, has no other contacts & doesn't know anything about the neath. twitch is his only real, consistent source, and they want to see & know everything about how it's going-- this is like the most interesting story in the world to them! so they're spending a lot of time together. a weird amount of time together, really, for two people who don't spend lots of time around any one person in particular.

and it's...kind of fun? sure, twitch is very unreliable, their weirdness is still offputting to grace, sometimes-- but less than it used to be. they're nicer than he gave them credit for, smarter, and their enthusiasm is infectious. and grace is very helpful, it turns out, and it's nice to have company in the captain's cabin, and making him smile instead of looking miserable all the time starts to feel kind of like an accomplishment, and- oh, no.

they both react to their feelings about as well as you would expect: ignore them! or in twitch's case, ask the ship's surgeon to surgically remove them (and get refused. cruel.) they both deny their feelings for a long time. it could never work anyway, right? they're far too different.

except, not really. grace later finishes nemesis, and after parting (somwhat bitterly) with twitch & a brief stint at the grand geode, he realises maybe the laws here fucking suck, actually--maybe he doesn't need to uphold them to help people. lucky for him, twitch has a hell of a rivalry with the admiralty & it's only a matter of time before they cross paths again. he deserts the admiralty in the midst of a naval battle, onto twitch's ship.

til i give either of them an ending, they stay together from that point--at least, as much as they want to. old habits die hard--twitch still likes zailing off to do weird shit, twitch is still a criminal, grace is very much not (more of a vigilante, i guess.) they still can't talk about what they are, they still clash sometimes. but they make it work! captain & (honorary) first mate.

(& twitch's crew breathe a sigh of relief. bc they've been waiting for their emotional brick wall of a captain to semi admit it for at least a year)

[rmu-vincent]

Dear Mr. Edgeworth,

I recall from one of your previous postings that you are particularly fond of cats, and am interested in your opinions on other animals commonly kept for human companionship. What are your thoughts on dogs? Horses? Rodents? Birds and reptiles?

I would assume that last one would have interesting twofold connotations given your status as a law student, due to these creatures' association with the legal profession - the epithet of "legal eagle" on the positive side, and all the jokes about snakes and crocodilians' show of professional courtesy on the negative. As an enthusiast of all things reptile related, I feel it is a reputation undeserved by these misunderstood, scaly creatures... as well as those aspiring to take on careers in law, very important for society...

But I digress. Lastly, I would also take it that, for rather obvious reasons, you don't really like fish, the way they remind you of a certain someone...

Regards, Seraphine. Again, may you excel in your studies, and no slanderous jokes come your way.

Dear Ms Seraphine,

Thank you for the kind words and inspiring thoughts.

Despite, as you noted correctly, being fascinated by cats, I am not that fond of most domestic animals, and my liking for cats is simply an amusing exception. However, there are still some species that I could call charming and interesting in ways different from keeping them as pets.

The first animal that came to mind was a graceful black panther. Ever since I was a kid, I thought of panthers as majestic, powerful guardians, trustworthy leaders, and dangerous vigilantes. They might not represent justice in the traditional sense of court cases and hour-long debates, but if one crosses their road, they should be wary of seeing their eyes shine in the dark when the night falls.

On the other hand, I could never resist swift, elegant antelopes' beauty. As someone who has always strived for success and improvement, their efortless endurance and resilience resonated with me; antelopes are in a constant state of action, awareness, and searching for new paths, opportunities. For me, they are a symbol of motivation and energy.

As my final point, I would like to mention swans. Even though they are often depicted as an embodiment of love, from swan figurines being placed on wedding cakes to towel swans on hotel beds, these birds have always struck me as an exquisite representation of change. On another note, the concept of a swan song has captivated me ever since I learned what the expression meant. It is impossible to deny that I spent hours considering what my swan song could possibly be, and to tell the truth, I still think about it from time to time.

Unfortunately, I do not have a strong stance on reptiles. They are the most beautiful when admired from afar, and their quiet deadliness amazes me; snakes in particular have been painted as villains since the beginning of time, so despite me condemning the demonization of reptiles, I understand why people have those... preconcieved notions about them.

Keeping rodents and other smaller animals as pets does not make much sense to me. For me, it would be impossible to love something that is barely capable of communicating its needs. These fluff balls always seemed closer to decor than to actual companions.

As for fish, I would not say that a certain someone you mentioned has enough influence over me to make me actively dislike fish. Marine species look magnificent in acquariums when the interior is done right, and personally, I do not mind fish... served with a tasteful side dish, that is.

Best regards,

Vincent Edgeworth

[skitskatdacat63]

super obsessed with your art, seb looks soooooooooooo stunning!!! I am now very curious however, only if you feel like going into it, as to which other historical figures you align with which drivers?👀👀

AAAAAA tysm Grace!!!! Though I am so so so sorry for how rambly and long this post is gonna be, but you just asked me abt one of my brainrots!! I will answer your question but also talk about my history alignments and AUs in general LOL

But if I'm making comparisons of F1 drivers and historical figures, my brain kinda forces me to make it an AU because I'm like "this needs to make absolute sense historically and contextually.)

So, tbh of the four historical AUs that float around my brain, only two of them are really specifically about certain historical figures. The four are: Nandopoleon(About how Fernando reminds me of Napoleon), War of Spanish Succession(mostly about that era, but Seb and Nando are supposed to be paralleling Charles VI and Philip V), Napoleonic Hussars(which is about how , in general, Hussars = F1 drivers), and Rennaissance Muse(this just happens to take place in a different era.)

Explaining my AUs and the historical contexts(proceed with caution, its a lot)

Nandopoleon:

Okay so I'm really really am so deranged about Napoleon = Fernando, but I’ve not posted about it too much because I wanna make a well thought out post about it. But basically I think they’re similar people with similar characteristics and motivations. There was this period of time over the summer where I was only brain rotting about how well any of Napoleon’s quotes fit Fernando(with my fellow nandopoleon confidant @/sweatyflytrap haha.) Here’s some quotes as example: 

“Victory belongs to the most persevering.”

“It is not necessary to bury the truth. It is sufficient merely to delay it until no one cares.”(Piasco era lol)

“Victory is not always winning the battle…but rising every time you fall.”

“From triumph to failure is only one step.”

"A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon."(trophies y'know)

"Always carry champagne! In victory you deserve it, and in defeat you need it!"

Tell me Fernando wouldn't use these as instagram captions! TELL ME!!! But the other thing that was driving me crazy is how well excerpts from the personality/image section of Napoleone's wiki line up with testimonials from Fernando's doc. Examples:

"He cheated at cards, but repaid the losses; he had to win at everything he attempted."(Napoleon) "Whatever activity I take part in, I have this compulsion to find the compeititon in it."(Fernando)

"He could rapidly dictate a series of complex commands to his subordinates, keeping in mind where major units were expected to be at each future point, and like a chess master, 'seeing' the best plays moves ahead"(Napoleon) "When you talk to him, his mental capacity is so strong. He's talking to you, but his brain is thinking ahead"(Fernando)

Like c'mon tell me they aren't at least a bit similar??? There's a lot else I find similar about them but I cannot list my whole manifesto here skdjlsd

Anyways this AU would be Fernando as Napoleon and would be Webbonso -> Strollonso. Basically, Napoleon had two wives: his first wife, who was older than him and who he was super in love with, but had to divorce because they couldn't have kids, but he still loved her deeply. And then his second wife , who was much younger thanhim and from the Austrian royal family, and this was a politically motivated marriage but they still got on pretty well!!(also it's funny, before she married him she didn't want to be with him because the public perception of him made him out to be not the best guy, but then she wrote to her father about how loving and kind he was. very Strollonso, no?)

War of Spanish Succession:

Mostly explained it here and here. I'm not too interested in either Philip V nor Charles VI themselevs as individuals, but rather the roles they fufill in the "story." Though I will say, I got hit with a brick while reading Charles VI's wiki when finding out that he apparently had several male lovers! So I guess my AU having an arranged m/m marriage isn't even that far off the mark hahaha. Why did they have a 13 year war, they should have just arranged a marriage between the two canidates sigh sigh. But yeah, mostly Austria vs. Spain, I think it fits well with the Vettonso rivalry!! They would end up being: Fernando I King of Spain and Sebastian I Holy Roman Emperor hehe. Also I sketched some more:

Napoleonic Hussars:

Explained here as well as with art, and more art here. I'm really still proud of the points I made, I just feel very ardently about it!!! Not about any specific figure, but rather a historical group that I think lines up extremely well with F1 drivers. But this one is fun cause I can kinda insert any driver into it and they'll work pretty well. It's fun to figure out what kingdom what driver would be, either based off their nationality or the nationality of their team. I remember vividly staring at a map from this era trying to figure out where Maranello would be....But like Renault = Kingdom of France and RBR = Kingdom of Austria, and stuff like that

Rennaisance Muse:

Mostly just this post, I've not thought about this one incredibly deeply. Mostly just brainrot about how I think Seb looks like The David with his curly hair

[gabbysdawsons]

💞 + Cody my fave dino girl

Owen. they're just so ridiculous. like that man is- 40 and also like her best friend. neither of them knows how they got here but they're here and they have to deal with it.

James. they have kind of a strenuous relationship at times, but ultimately they're sisters and that's what matters.

Meeko. that's her baby. her favourite dinosaur ever.

Claire- they just have such opposite personality types that it's fun to see them interact.

the way i both ran out of people and also- very honestly have to put Will. like they are just <3 i love them

and bonus Jon because They are kinda dumb silly blondes and they are in love <3

send me 💞 + an oc and ill tell you my top five favorite dynamics of theirs