#that being said. I don’t think she’s a perfect person like a lot of swiftie do

[detentiontrack]

sooooo you think taylor swift is gay?

Not necessarily. I think it’s none of my business what her sexuality is BUT I think she’s had some very odd intense relationships with women she was close to over the years and as a lesbian, I think a lot of her songs can connect with the wlw experience. Being insane is just a fun hobby I have. (Read the tags)

[rainbowdaisy13]

Hi Rainbow! I figured I'd pick your brain a bit bc yours is a fun brain to pick! I've been thinking about the general trajectory of Kaylor's public face and I'm wondering whether Karlie knew what she was signing on for when they went the blackout route. I'm mostly referring to the hate she started getting. The scorched earth policy maybe made sense at the time, but do you think they really wanted to twist Karlie into a complete snake? Or do you think the hate got worse than Tree and co. anticipated? I suspect Karlie is a very resilient person, but jfc, the haters can be SO awful. I know Taylor has suffered a lot over the years, but Karlie sometimes seems like she got the worse end of the deal.

That said, I think Taylor knows this and she seems to feel a lot of guilt about it.

IMO Swifties have evolved to a level of insanity that no one could’ve predicted. It’s kind of the perfect storm of Taylor’s early pseudo friendships with fans, TS the Business/Taylor herself being pathological people pleasers to keep the cash flowing, the never ending quest for breaking records, never checking fans bad behavior, and the advent of social media that have created the blood thirsty monsters that are Swiftie keyboard warriors

TLDR—No I don’t think Karlie or Taylor anticipated this level of fuckery from her fans directed at Karlie

[placeinthisworld]

just curious what you mean about your idol becoming what she used to sing about? what do you think has changed? no hate just genuinely curious

i feel like over the years her music has become more jaded, less personable more targeted. she used to sing about her experiences and feelings more generally and therefore held more interest bc of the relatability aspect of her songs. like for all the ogs which i may still listen to she had so much intent in the songwriting. like, as a teenager i never went through a breakup (still haven’t?) so i could never relate to her breakup songs in a traditional way- but the way she would write about her feelings would still feel relatable to me enough to help me through different situations.

i feel like now she writes to complete and album. she knows she can bullshit something quick is she’s motivated enough. it feels like midnights was a first draft- like it was never edited and perfected it was just written, recorded and produced. done.

i also feel like her fanbase has a lot to do with it. i think when folklore was released, she had disappeared from the spotlight long enough for the general public to forget why they were so against her to begin with. i think taylor made her dating life a main highlight in her career (whether that was on purpose is another debate), so when she got with joe and went private for a bit the general public weren’t being plastered w ts/ bf gossip and sightings to annoy them and remind them of her “serial dater” reputation. and when folklore came out it was purely about the album and not the relationship that influenced the album bc it was “fictional,” and people needed something fun to transfix on when the world was unpredictable and scary bc of covid- which is why everyone and their mom became a swiftie overnight. nobody speculated about what song was about who (i mean swifties did ofc but it wasn’t a world wide thing- it was just rocking out to august). the internet definitely shifted during this time and it feels like everyone became chronically online.

long story short: i feel like taylor is using her songwriter and platform as a weapon. she knows her fans are weirdly cult like and notoriously known for being bullies on the internet, and that they’ll buy and believe anything she says. i think everyone will be expecting a folklore- likeness to ttpd but i think it’ll be a cheap way of blowing over her relationship with joe and changing the narrative for rep tv. overall it just feels like all of her songwriter is so personal to her life and her relationships it’s not relatable anymore, her words don’t have the impact they once did. everything feels tailored to her life specifically and it’s more of a show for swifties to make pick up easter eggs for clout on the internet. like she knows what she’s doing with ttpd, we all know.

it’s evident in the way she markets herself, it’s evident in the lack of marketing of her albums. she knows her fans will promote it for her. no lead single, no real description of the album or anything. hundreds of dollars of encouraged preorders for something you don’t even know if you’ll like until you buy it. fucked with umg to try to return it if you don’t. fomo if you missed out on an “exclusive” or “limited” item.

also just the whole miss americana thing she’s ignoring. we all heard her. she said she wanted to be on the right side of history. yet here she is politically silent as always- besides that one time in 2020 when she coincidentally had something to release….

(also unrelated….but like the taylor overexposure is real. i love that she’s interested in doing different things but i wish she would prioritize quality over quantity. it feels like she’s rushing through everything to get to the next one. i just wish she would care more about her art than breaking records and being #1/ talked about constantly. it just feels very….narcissistic? like girlie you’re a billionaire and youre still in your early thirties what are you trying to do??? be the first person to sing on the moon like??? when is it Enough for her?)

[bcolfanfic]

Hi! Just wondering if you have any headcanons for Josie and Rosie’s daughter? I think that’s such a fun ship and would love to hear any of your thoughts about them.

babies <3 josie is the longer hair- if any of y’all need a refresher in young vets au josie is the bucks, naomi is rosie’s kiddo that he adopted as a single dad. (though she’s also later adopted by his partner aiden that he gets w later down the line) s/o to @swifty-fox who this was developed with. we have created. so much young vets au next gen lore.

sweet girls

well. kinda. josie is a bit of a terror there for a minute.

she is bucky’s after all (: i think ive said before that while obv they both love both their kids, josie Is bucky and micah Is gale.

has had a lot of girlfriends and situationships and what have you

naomi. has- not.

knows she’s gay, is very gender non conforming just. rizzless like her father (sorry rosie)

is buddies with josie and has kinda had a littleee crush on her since they were kids but. always got the sense that josie thought she was too Cool for her.

why would she want some dweeby gnc girl a couple years younger than her when clearly she can get any pretty girl she wants <\3 ugh naomi baby.

they become a closer when naomi goes away for college bc she. struggles to make friends for a minute and josie texts her to check in and they just start talking more from there.

naomi does meet /someone/ at college and. this girl is not very nice but ahhh we cannot stop her your first gay relationship being toxic as shit is a baby gay canon event.

brings her to the big memorial day weekend reunion get together with everyone in wyoming and josie immediately does not like this girl lmfao.

surely that means nothing (:

everything kinda blows up bc josie goes into the house for something, and naomi’s little girlfriend follows her and tries to hit on her. which naomi walks in on.

and ugh god love naomi she thinks josie was the one that ‘started it’ and they just start going at it. naomi following her back out of the house yelling at her that she can have whoever she wants why can’t she let her have one thing. josie yelling at her that she didn’t do anything- her little girlfriend is a slimy little weasel, nothing good comes from latching onto the first person to pay attention to you.

draws the attention of. everyone in the yard lmfao. bucky and rosie and aiden have to run over and break it up before someone gets smacked.

josie all pouty and frustrated off with bucky and aiden rambling about how she didn’t do anything, naomi is such a good girl, she hates that her little girlfriend is so awful bc naomi doesn’t deserve that.

naomi off w rosie and curt crying because she feels like she’s just never going to be happy <\3 even her own *girlfriend* wants josie instead of her, and she gets it bc josie is perfect but. feels so stupid and broken.

eventually when everyone’s heads are cooler josie all awkward asks naomi if she wants to go on a drive to get away from everyone for a bit. get fast food or something.

and naomi is like 😐🙁 i guess

josie gets like five minutes down the road before pulling over under a tree and naomi is like ??? is something wrong with your car i thought we were getting food ???

and josie just. looks at her for a long few seconds before unbuckling and reaching across the console and kissing that girl good.

naomi kisses her back but then yanks away like she’s been burned bc. shock.

kinda immediately throws up walls nudging her off telling her she doesn’t want her pity over her own girlfriend not wanting her.

don’t do that to me jos, please

sweet josie. a terror but a good girl at heart like bucky. just sighs and tells her she’s wanted to do that since before she brought that little jerk around.

naomi still pushes back just 🫤 i don’t buy that. picking at her nails looking at her lap. tells her she can have anyone she wants she sure as shit doesn’t want /her/. all your girlfriends are gorgeous i know what your type is.

(naomi has. a lot of insecurity around the gender non confirming stuff bless her sweet heart. rosie and aiden are such good dads about it. her best friends <3.)

but josie does want her. she really does <3

tells her that. kisses her again. they end up in the backseat of josie’s falling apart car for an hour and make all the guys giggle like little girls when they rock back up to the bucks house like flushed little baby deer.

micah pushed naomi’s little POS girlfriend into the lake

[nikatyler]

✈️ 🐷 ❤️ 🤍 🧐 For Sharon

Thank you! This took me ages to figure out for some reason. But here we go!

✈️ AIRPLANE — does your oc like traveling, or do they consider themselves a more homey person?

She has to travel a lot for her athletic competitions. She likes visiting new places but hates the travel part, especially if it's far away and she has to sit in the car or plane or whatever for a long long time. She loves travelling with Tyler but their idea of an ideal vacation is different. While she’d like a more active vacation, going hiking, exploring nature and places, Tyler would rather stay in the city or at the beach and just rest and relax. But hey, they’re good at coming to a compromise that works for them both.

🐷 PIG FACE — what is your oc's favorite animal?

I can see a wolf being her favourite animal.

❤️ RED HEART — what are three of your oc's positive traits?

She’s doing a pretty great job at not comparing herself to others. One of her quotes to live by is “you’re only competing against who you were yesterday”. 

But don’t get me wrong, she’s not obsessed with chasing perfection either, aside from her sports career maybe. There she wants to be the very best and she’s setting impressive goals for herself, she’s quite ambitious and she's willing to do whatever it takes to reach her dreams.

She doesn’t let gossip and rumours dictate how she should feel about a person. She doesn’t jump on the hate train without hesitation…heck, she doesn’t really jump on the hate train at all. She’s just not a hateful person, and if you have an issue with someone, there are better ways to deal with that than to let your whole soul be consumed with hate and rage towards them.

🤍 WHITE HEART — what are three of your oc's neutral/questionable traits?

She's got a bit of a “I'm not like the other girls” syndrome. It's something she grows out of as time goes but it's definitely there when she first shows up in the story.

…and now I noticed I misread the question, I thought it said negative. Well, the “I’m not like the other girls” mindset sure is questionable, eh? As a former not like the other girls person now not like the other swifties person, I’d say it’s complex. It doesn’t have to be entirely negative, it’s just…not very healthy overall. 

She can come off distant, cold and uninterested a lot of times, even if she is actually interested. It goes beyond the resting bitch face, which she sure puts on often unintentionally. I dunno. It’s like the emotional switch in her brain takes a bit to flip on. People who know her know that, but it can intimidate strangers. (which…can be a good thing sometimes, now that I think about it 😂)

You don’t want to argue with her. You just don’t. She’s not hotheaded, she won’t yell at you immediately, but she can do it. Her angry fiery part doesn’t show up often, again, if she’s pissed she’s more ice-like, but when the fire starts, you won’t soon forget it.

🧐 FACE WITH MONOCLE — is your oc more logical or emotional?

I think I sort of said it in the above answer – at first, it’s cold logic, rationality, analyzing facts and acting purely based on them. But a lot of times, the switch eventually flips and emotions kick in. And I'd say it depends a lot on the situation or the problem, too.

[missegyptiana]

hiiiiii how are youuu

sorry I genuinely don't understand what taylor is doing??

Like, this is such a bad pr move that it's basically impossible that it's a pr relationship imo

which means it's real which is way worse???

how is her pr team letting her associate herself so publicly with someone like that. maybe she just knows that she's so big rn that she can do basically whatever she wants and many people will still support her??

I know taylor isn't perfect by any stretch, but until now i genuinely thought she was generally a good person, even though she lives in her extremely privileged bubble.

every time she said she was an ally or that she cared about people or she seemed a sweet and caring person etc, i didn't think it was fake (even when she failed to follow through with all the promises she made in miss americana but that's a whole other can of worms)

but now I'm wondering if it was fake?? maybe this is a bit too parasocial, and I'm fully aware none of us really know her, but all of us have an idea of her in our heads, and the one I had in mine just... would not date someone like matty healy. especially since she's a smart grown woman and not a naive young kid.

that's why I'm also genuinely worried about how many people (in my experience mainly young US swifties) put her on a pedestal, say they will always love her no matter what, think she's absolutely perfect and can do no wrong.

obviously it's okay to support people and be their fans and that almost always means idealizing them at least a bit, but blind faith like that is dangerous imo.

anyway sorry for ranting, I'm just upset and confused.

hope you have a good day!!

hi anon i’m ok how r u? i agree with all of this tbh. i have no idea what’s going on with her and between those two but i have a right to be hurt by it and to speak up on it. especially being apart of a community he’s made fun of or laughed at. ya and after everything she said she would do when miss americana released and the man and yntcd being released and i can’t remember the last time she’s spoken up abt something since the lover era. i understand she’s attracted to him, for some odd reason, but how can she be ok with what he’s done? and the things he has said that has hurt her own fans? and so many minorities?? and be ok with it? and her team being ok with it? people say we shouldn’t talk abt it cause it won’t do anything or we don’t even know her but idc! let me say my opinion! if u were hurt by him u would do the same! it’s just so annoying how people think we shouldn’t say anything. like shut up fr. ofc i still love her and i’m still going to her show, but this hurts so fucking much that i’m confused on what to do and i’m confused on what she’s doing. even if they break up, this decision of hers will forever hurt us. and her ignoring everything hurts a lot too.

and it’s ok that u ranted! i appreciate that u felt comfortable enough to put it in my inbox!!! never hesitate to message me or send an ask abt anything i will always listen to anyone’s rants. i will try my best to reply to everything u say <3

[jewishbarbies]

I feel like a big reason why a lot of swifties fail to hold Taylor accountable is because of what happened to her in 2016. Almost like they feel she doesn’t need to be held accountable and called out for things she does, because she’s had “her share”, “She’s had her serving of karma to last the rest of her life.” Also while we’re on the subject of karma, the way she conveys the concept of karma as a white, Christian woman to her fan base gives the same energy as everyone buying crystals because of social media during the pandemic and the surge of crystals for the “aesthetic.” ( In that they’re not understanding it properly and not understanding it’s immense value/ properties. )

Aswell, anywhere you look on the internet, swifties call every single thing she does perfection and that “she can do no wrong” which in my opinion is a very toxic way to view someone. If you’re not able to spot the flaws/ disagree with something— anything someone does, you will get caught in a “give all, receive nothing” relationship and place the person on a dangerous, egotistical, inflated pedestal that they won’t be able to step down from.

I also find it funny how things have basically reversed. In that, back in 2015-2018 if you said you liked Taylor, her music or were a “swiftie” you would most definitely receive some form of abuse or bullying and so the result was that you’d basically have to be a fan in secret. And now, in this day and age of social media and the sheer size of the cult ™, if you say one word of disapproval towards her, you will also most definitely receive abuse. Anything from a slew of hate comments, insults and threats to being made fun of etc. You’ll probably also be called “misogynist” or “hopping on the hate train”. I don’t think swifties can comprehend that some people just don’t like her but in their heads it all goes back to 2016, that you don’t like her because you’re internalised misogyny is making you “jealous” and “spiteful”.

Anyways, there’s my rant lol. I had to get it off my chest because I literally can not say it anywhere else, for fear.

[holyyground]

okay so hiiiii 😊

starting off by saying i'm kind of a gaylor myself, in spirit mostly than in action shsbshs i mean i do believe she's not straight and might have been in relationships with women, but that's that, i don't care about the rest.

anyway, i've been thinking about it for a while, that the reason most anti gaylors are so opposed to the idea of taylor possibly being not straight- well, apart from good ol' homophobia, that most of them don't even try to hide, is the connection to relationships and certain people. what i mean by this, and disclaimer; those are just personal thoughts and not something i believe as a fact for everyone- anyway, what i mean by that is that most of them hear the term gaylor and immediately think of kaylor. that people who believe taylor is queer (gaylors) only mean her possible relationship with karlie, does this make sense? and since most swifties have a personal vendetta against karlie, for reasons i don't really care to know, i don't really care about taylor's personal life and relationships (i say as i write this message 💀) tbh, just her music but i do observe 👀- anyway, you get what i mean? since they don't like karlie for whatever reasons, they don't like the thought of a relationship between taylor and karlie = taylor being into women. they can't separate taylor from that relationship and see taylor as an individual, outside of this relationship, who might be queer. i don't know how else to explain this and sorry bc english isn't my first language but yeah it makes sense in my head. like, my perfect het queen taylor absolutely cannon be in a queer relationsh with a woman i hate!!!!1!1!1!1! something like that.

also, i think a lot of people, gaylors included, only see two possible options for taylor: either the hettest heterosexual of heterosexuals or a lesbian. the thought of her being bisexual, pansexual, you name it- just fluid with her sexuality is, as i see it, out of the question. (please, feel free to correct me if i'm wrong but that's how i see it from behaviours inside the fandom.) and here you have lesbiophobia, biphobia, panphobia- queerphobia in general, all fighting each other just because 1. people can't grasp the thought of taylor not being only into men 2. people thinking she can't possibly be into men at all and 3. people plainly refusing to accept that, wow shocking, she might be into women/or any gender as well!! as i said at the beginning of this message, good ol' homophobia 🤩. and anyway, i think that's unfair to taylor. i think most anti gaylors are so aggressive towards gaylors and the idea of taylor being queer because they only see her as a lesbian. and that's truly disgusting. i mean, bisexuality or pansexuality or whatever i mentioned earlier being out of the question, as i said before, is what fuels their hatred towards the idea of taylor not being *only* into men.

oof, i hope what i said makes sense bc my thoughts are just boom all over the place. anyway, cant wait to read your thoughts on this. thank you for your time and patience <3

First I want to say THANK YOU for this massive ask, holy shit. I love hearing y’all’s thoughts about this topic.

Second, I absolutely agree! Over time I’ve seen several comments from non-gaylors accusing us of only seeing Taylor as a lesbian, and that the word “gaylor” only means lesbian, but anybody who spends any time in gaylor spaces would know that isn’t the case. Even for myself I don’t put a specific label on what I think she is because it doesn’t matter. Do I think it’s most likely that she’s bi? Yeah probably, but my opinion on it changes and ultimately I don’t care that much because her individual label is her choice and none of my business.

A lot of the backlash towards gaylors does definitely come from a dislike of Karlie, and having been around the swiftie tumblr community since 2014, that definitely has always been there. A lot of it, in 2014, was because people were generally far less accepting of the idea that Taylor is queer than even they are now, and when she posted that tweet about not making dating rumors about her friends, it only got worse. But then as time went on and Karlie began having connections with the Kushners, it became that much easier to paint her as a villain. But honestly a lot of the hatred comes from the “crook who was caught” line and some dumb rumor started by Perez Hilton, of all fucking people. But a lot of her other relationships with women are shown more subtly or almost not at all, and so because Kaylor is the most visible, it becomes easiest to attack Karlie specifically. And it was also the most recent one we have documentation about, which is also why I think it gets more attention than her other previous relationships like swiftgron. But her queerness is so much more all encompassing than just Kaylor, and it does actually bother me that so many non-gaylors reduce it down to this one relationship specifically. Her whole career is a story of a queer woman, and it has so much depth to it that just gets so overlooked.

In a major way though, I also think a lot of the distrust of gaylors comes from this idea that Taylor is our friend, that she knows us, and wouldn’t lie. A LOT of swifties are VERY attached to who she dates, which we of course saw with the Joe breakup but we still see with Jake gyllenhall, and even Harry. (If I have to see another “I’m a child of divorce” comment about Harry and Taylor I’m gonna Kermit.) This idea that she’s omitted huge chunks of her dating life is horrifying for a lot of people because then suddenly you realize that you matter to her far less than you thought you did. And I get it, we’re all parasocial with her in SOME way, but still.

But yes! Thank you again for this ask, I hope my answer made sense!

[mooregan07]

ah yes why care about anything when mother is giving us new music!!!! so thankful ☺️🥰

like keep being distracted by the shadows babes but there is an actual world out there that does get impacted by these things (i’ll assume from your stance you won’t be) and believe it or not the mega superstar has a massive role in it (and the arguments of hypocrisy is that she knows her massive role, has said she wants to use it to be better and better the world, and doesn’t because she don’t wanna lose the breakup)

and yeah the implications of a rich white british man saying he gets off to women of colour being brutalized is no big deal! so right! 🧐

kind of longer post coming in.

hey love! thank you so much for sending in this ask and i totally understand what you’re saying here. also thank you for explaining the hypocrisy thing to me, i do need to get more versed on everyone’s thoughts and theories, and i definitely will.

while i am not a person of color, i do have many close friends who are, and i do truly understand where everyone is coming from. i am lgbtq, a woman, i use she/they pronouns, and i have a lot of greek blood in me, and my grandmother is jewish, and so i do truly know the damage and harm that someone can cause by saying things like what matty says. i’m not trying to defend myself for any comments that someone may have deemed problematic or “distracted by the shadows”. i’m so sorry if this is how i came off. let me just take some time and explain myself a little farther, as it seems i need to do.

i just really don’t like to jump to conclusions about celebrities because we don’t know them personally, and we don’t know what they are truly like. i do realize that satire or not, there are a lot of things that matty has said that are very, VERY wrong and should be talked about and critiqued. however, again, we don’t know who taylor is behind closed doors. it’s hard to cope with and hard to hear, and i’ve been very anti super stans since the beginning because people get so heartbroken over celebrities coming out to be more problematic. i would like taylor to make an official statement, and i have educated myself more on the issues with matty.

as i saïd in my earlier post, i wasn’t super sure about everything, and i still a teenager and i’m learning about politics and how to be/how to live. i’m so very sorry if my comments hurt anyone, that was not AT ALL the intention. i was just hoping that it could help some swifties who are very upset about this to find some hope in the situation.

also, i am very very aware that influencers/celebrities and even mega stars like swift majorly contribute to a lot of the problems we have in the US and all over the world right now. i just really try not to focus on the bad part and focus on the good because the bad really upsets me. i’m sorry if i came off as a defender for different issues. i’m very optimistic person and i try to find something that can possibly make a situation less anxiety inducing or upsetting for people and so once again, i was trying to spread some hope.

i do believe matty saying he watches pornographic material of women of color getting brutalized is HORRIBLE, and should not be condoned or said to be okay. i didn’t know he said that. i’m sorry i neglected this. i really want to emphasize that i do not neglect the pure disgusting things that matty has said in the past, i was just unaware and i have learned more now.

the idea of separating the art from the artist is very important to me for many reasons, one is because we never know what celebrities will do, and two, no one is perfect. public figures shouldn’t be glorified to the extent that we think they’re perfect/surprised that they get things wrong. so, i was still super excited about taylor’s new songs and i’m really pumped to see what she does next. taylor is still human and she gets it wrong sometimes, so i love her music but i don’t idolize her.

i would like to sincerely apologize for my ignorance and taking to the internet to say something that i do understand fully is controversial and is seen as very problematic for to some people. i just wanted to spread my feeling of hope that i had, because i seriously think taylor is a good person. i love taylor so very much that i don’t want to believe that she would condone matty’s behavior nor support it or tolerate it. i just wanted to hope that he’s a better person. maybe i’m in the wrong. once again i’m sorry, and i will educate myself better on this topic.

however, i just wanted to let everyone know that shaming people over opinons and thoughts, especially people who said explicitly that they are not super well educated on the topic and just wanted to share their opinion is not cool. taylor promotes kindness, and so called swifties who do not follow this are not true swifties. i know you were just trying to share your opinion, anon, but i do believe it could have been done in a much kinder way. i’m a huge believer in kind criticism, and so it would be much appreciated that you wouldn’t assume that i’m not impacted by the things matty says, and that i really don’t understand it. i do now, and i did not appreciate how harsh your criticism came off. i’m really just trying to promote hope and love and respect for peoples privacy. i hope you understand. i’m a very empathic, anxious, and emotional person, and so this did hurt me a little bit to be basically called ignorante. however, i truly do understands where you’re coming from.

nonetheless, thanks for sharing, anon.

[bisluthq]

Widows view of joe as this de facto innocent victim is really annoying. Same way it’s annoying when swifties always view Taylor that way without any info or context in any given situation. But like the irony is they criticize Taylor for all that but project that Joe is this perfect angelic man with only good intentions. But where did they get most of the ideas they even have about Joe? Sure you can gather some things about his personality from interviews and stuff despite him being extremely neutral and private…but the vast majority of their ideas about Joe come from directly Taylor’s own lyrics which they cite lmao. But if she’s so crazy in relationships that her narration is unreliable or even nefariously disingenuous than why do you believe the good stuff she said about him?

eh I mean I think we have a lot of interviews of him and interviews of his colleagues and cast mates and he’s very clearly a very excellent friend so I don’t think we can say there’s no evidence he’s a nice guy. I think the leap from he’s a nice guy to “Taylor shouldn’t have left him” is the part I don’t understand. I do think he’s a nice guy but she was no longer happy so like???

[tparty1989]

i might get some hate for this.

but with the fan base having grown exponentially in the last few years with folklore and the rise of tiktok, taylor’s popularity has skyrocketed (IMO), and i think this needs to be said.

while i’m sure taylor has had some say in a lot of the finer details when it comes to the tour, i’m also sure there is so much more that we don’t know in relation to her contract with ticketmaster. and ticketmaster is far beyond the size of even taylor, who is arguably one of the biggest artists of our generation.

ticketmaster has so much reach and ownership when it comes to ticketed events, and it’s likely taylor has very little ability to make the kind of massive change people are demanding she speak out and make.

at the end of the day, have things gone horribly wrong with this tour thus far? absolutely— but i think the blame needs to be on ticketmaster rather than taylor. she is generous, and she has shown time and time again throughout her career that she cares about us.

i’ve been a swiftie since debut. i’ve seen it all when it comes to taylor being hated by the general public, bullied by other celebrities, judged harshly by the media. she didn’t deserve any of that horrible, negative energy then, but she definitely does not deserve to be spoken about the way ive seen many “fans” speak about her in the aftermath of this ticketmaster disaster.

is she human? yes. does she make mistakes? yes. is she perfect? no. i think there are probably ways in which she could make things better, but she also has a team that she has to work through when it comes to making public statements; she is a brand, this is her business, and she’s smart. she won’t jeopardize everything she’s built because people want her to make a statement ASAP. she has to make sure what she says doesn’t get her into legal trouble— and this is assuming she wants to make a statement. based on what i know about her and how vocal she’s been about injustices before, i can’t imagine she won’t make a statement, but we’re definitely not entitled to one when this disaster wasn’t a result of her direct actions.

i hope taylor knows those who truly love and appreciate her and her work would never burn merch, spew hatred toward her, or “unstan” her. she shouldn’t be entirely blamed for mistakes mostly made by a massive company that should have been prepared for this kind of demand.

i truly hope every fan who wants to go to the eras tour is able to do so; we’re so far from the start of tour still, and so much can happen between now and then. don’t lose hope. you’re allowed to be angry, upset, sad, devastated, or any other emotion you’re feeling. but remember that taylor is a person too. she doesn’t have to tour; she’s doing this for us. and i’m sure this is far from what she imagined would happen.

others might disagree, but i hope taylor knows that i and other swifties like me are on her side. while we may be feeling a range of emotions, at the end of the day, my love and appreciation for taylor and her music are the reason i’m a swiftie in the first place, and that’s the heart of it all for me.

[oitommothetease]

Invisible String (8/?)

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female reader (Modern AU)

Description: James Buchanan Barnes, the owner of the most expensive-looking club in town and your new apartment. He was a dick and you hated him. What could possibly go wrong when you, the new girl in town, start bartending at his club to pursue your dreams?

Word Count: 2.4k words

Your parents’ house was exactly how you remembered it, but again, it had been only two months since you last saw it. Contrary to your usual life, a lot has changed in two months. You aren't working in a cubicle anymore, you're not going on random blind dates that your sister and mother plot for you. What you are doing is bartending in a town far away from your family. You're fake dating your boss who happens to be the most dangerous person in the town, at least that's what you've heard of the rumors, but so far, James has been nothing but non-threatening to you. Yes, he was mean in the beginning, but a lot has changed since then. 

And now sitting in front of your parents with James beside you, eating lunch; you recall Barry's diner and you miss the food there. It's funny because you always thought that this was your home, your family and everything associated with them should make you feel at peace, but you were feeling everything but that. You were restless and anxious, and you wanted to go to that cozy dinner with James where Sally would tell you anecdotes about her life. You wanted to sit with James and watch him debunk the myths about his career that you believed were true your whole life. Turns out, he doesn't cut off people’s dick for disrespecting him. Who would have thought? And you decided that maybe you should stop reading those stupid mafia stories.

James sensed your discomfort, you don't know how he does that, but he always knows when something is bothering you. He brought his chair closer to you in hopes of providing you some relief. And it did, his presence made you feel at ease and you weren't sure how you felt about it. You knew you were dependent on him for comfort since the incident at his club, but being with him didn't make you feel caged.

You always thought that a relationship would make you feel stuck. That's why you never engaged in one, but with James, it felt liberating. Maybe because this wasn't real and the moment this turns real, it'll be a shithole. At least that's what you told yourself. 

“So, what do you do, James?” your father asked, and you nearly choked on your food. James's hand involuntarily reached towards your back, his thumb running soothing circles while his palms patted gently. 

“I own a club and a few other buildings in town,” your faux boyfriend answered, and you were thankful he didn't get into his other business. You wanted to ask about all the rumors in town and why people are so scared of him and why does everyone in the club carries a gun, but you were scared to ask. You feared that you wouldn't like the answers. Honestly, that's false, you weren't scared of the answers, you were scared that what if he closes himself again the moment you step into uncharted territory. And you really liked this fun, caring, swiftie James.

Everybody was sitting silently at the table which was unusual because usually family dinners were the place where everyone pointed out your faults. Carol kept glancing at your parents every few seconds and vice versa. Your brother-in-law, Nick, was focused on the food and their kids were taking a nap.

 You were going to thank your stars for this peaceful lunch when your sister broke off the silence. “So, how did you two meet?”

Every head on the table turned towards you expectantly, waiting for you to explain how you met James. What were you supposed to say? That you met when you interviewed for your current job and he clearly rejected you? 

Before the panic could make its way to the surface, James' palm landed on yours softly, grounding you. Your sister's eyes fell to your hands on the table and she scoffed.

 “We're glad you're happy, but at least don't forget basic table etiquette,” She commented. How could you forget the ‘no hands on the table while eating’ rule? Just when you were about to remove your hand from the table, James held your hand and placed it on his lap, lacing his fingers with yours. 

“Auntie Y/N!” A shriek made you turn behind, and you saw your nephew and niece running towards you with the biggest grin on their faces. Both the kids jumped in your embrace without a care of their surroundings and you stifled a laugh.

Bucky didn't like kids, hated them, to be honest. In his defense, what's there to like, they're always whining and crying, but seeing you attempting to straddle two 5-year-olds on your lap while their mother complained might change his opinions on the subject. 

You didn't like kids either, except your nephew and niece. They were perfect in your eyes, but maybe you were a bit partial because you sort of shared genes with them. You were so focused on the stories Alec and Izzy were telling you that you didn't notice the eyes that were fixed on you. James looked at you with not only adoration, but also devotion. He knew if he kept looking at you like that, he'd be deep in shit, but it was too late now. 

After dinner, you made your way to the bedroom, only to realize that there was one bed. Fuck. You really should have thought this through. 

Before the embarrassment could seep in, James started collecting a blanket and some pillows. “I'll take the floor,” He said. 

You frowned. “No, James. You've already done so much for me. Take the bed, please.”

James pretended not to hear you and started preparing his bed on the floor. 

“Seriously?” You queried, slightly huffing at his childish behavior. “You're gonna pretend you didn't hear me. How old are you, five?”

Without saying a word, James started humming a tune and situated himself on the makeshift bed on the floor and closed his eyes. 

You stomped your foot furiously, yeah, maybe you were a little childish too. Without muttering another word, you made your way towards the bed and tucked yourself in a comfortable position. 

“You were saying something?” James asked, his voice laced with tease, and you huffed at his tomfoolery. 

“Yeah, just how immature you are.”

“Sorry, I didn't hear that. What was that?” you couldn't see him, but you knew he was doing some theatrical actions by putting his hands on his ears for better listening or furrowing his eyes in feigned confusion. “That I'm so smart? Oh, why, thank you. You're not so bad yourself.”

“That's real mature, James,” you murmured, clearly not enjoying his antics.

A comfortable silence fell in the room. The only thing that could be heard was your breathing and the air conditioner that always sucked in your childhood room but your parents never thought it was a primary concern. Oh, yeah, also, you were staying in your teenage room with your boss. You tried telling your parents that you could get a hotel, but they insisted so now James could see one direction posters on the wall right in front of him.

You would have assumed that he fell asleep if he hadn't broken the silence. “I know it's not my business and you don't have to answer if you don't want to,” he paused, wondering whether he is crossing a line by asking you this. “But why do you let them treat you like that?”

You coughed in surprise, you clearly did not expect him to ask this. You thought maybe he was going to ask you who is your favorite one direction member. Anything really, expect this. “Wow, you do not beat around the bush.”

You could hear him shuffling and once he settled you were sure he was facing you. Well, the bed actually. You did the same, turning towards him. You couldn't see him, but it still felt so intimate.

 “I'm honest with people I trust,” he informed and you smiled, thinking about the time when he told you he did not trust you or your intentions.

“What do I get in return?” you teased, although you would have told him without getting anything in return.

“What do you want?”

You debated for a minute whether you should go forward and just ask him so you did. “What do you do?”

You didn't expect him to actually answer. You knew that your relationship (whatever that was) with James had increased from where it was a few months ago. You deeply cared for each other and had mutual trust in the other. But you still didn't know about the actual work he did. Your realtor told you that he was a criminal, a mobster to be exact, and had sketchy connections with the mafia but you didn't know the exact nature of his work. 

He signed heavily and you were ready to drop the subject, scared that it would only push him away again and you couldn't lose whatever you had this early. 

“We provide weapons to the government at a cheaper price, eliminate problems or shootouts that the government is too scared to take the blame for,” he said, voice unwavering but you could sense the tension. Bucky thought that telling you about his work would make you fear him, and he didn't want to risk losing the progress he made with you, but he also knew that if he wanted you in his life in any form then he has to be honest with you. “We don't do the kind of stuff you're thinking of, it's mostly assisting the government to do stuff where they don't want to get their hands dirty.”

“Why?”

“How would you feel if the leaders of your country were involved in shady business?” It was a rhetorical answer, of course, you would feel unsafe, but your sleep-dazed brain was about to muster up an answer but he quickly spoke. “So if it backfires then they don't lose their men and women and can blame it on us, the criminals.”

“So that's why you weren't scared if I went to the cops? Because you kinda work for them?” you asked. His reaction made a lot of sense now, but some part of your brain hoped that he did that for you. That he would defy the police for you. 

“Off charts yeah,” he answered, “Although that has nothing to do with why I wanted you to go to the cops. I wanted you to because what Rumlow did was unacceptable and he should pay for his actions.”

“Wow,” you didn't know what to say. Anything further could push him back to the 'I don't trust you' James and you couldn't risk that. 

Bucky didn't want to elaborate further, “Your turn.”

“Sir, you just set yourself up for the biggest disappointment,” you joked, already imagining his reaction and smiling to yourself. 

“I let them treat me like this because they are my family,” you replied honestly. “I don't have anyone else but them.”

Bucky knew all about the issues that come with family, but he didn't think you'd be the victim of it. Bucky realized that in his head, he had conjured up a version of you that was perfect, so if he were to know you better, it would decrease his crush on you, right? 

Wrong. The more Bucky got to know you, the more he realized you weren't some angel and were just a vulnerable human like everyone, and the more he wanted you, all of you.

“Where does Rumlow come in this?” you questioned.

“His work is dirty like drugs, sex trafficking so he doesn't work well with government or any sort of authority,” he explained, “He's one of the problems they wanna eliminate but can't because he's too powerful. He works with Hydra.”

“Wasn't Hydra a myth?” you queried. You have heard stories about Hydra too, how Bucky was their rival. You assumed it was about territory or money. You know, like in the movies.

“Nah, doll, it's real. He's part of that organization and that makes him shielded from us and literally everyone.” 

“So you're technically not… you know, killing people for fun like the mafia and all? You're like undercover agents,” you concluded and he shook his head, chuckling at the disappointment in your voice.

In your defense, you expected him to be the movie-type mafia boss who kills people for raising their voice but again, this is not a movie. 

“If it makes you feel better, we smuggle weapons for the government. We're still criminals and dangerous,” he articulated, his tone laced with amusement at your reaction.

 “No offense, but that's a horrible career. Is that what you wanted to do growing up?” you asked, yawning, your eyelids becoming heavy from the exhaustion.

“No,” he answered truthfully. “Not everyone gets a choice, doll. My dad was murdered when I was a kid and I was shoved into the business to protect my family.”

 “Where are they? Your family, I mean,” you inquired, hoping you weren't overstepping.

“Ma basically hates me and my sister maintains her distance, but it's for her own safety.”

You didn't ask about them further, realizing his family was a touchy subject for him. You could relate to that. “What do you want to do?”

Out of all your questions and weird assumptions, this took James by surprise. No one asked him what he wanted to do. Hell, he didn't even ask him that, and now someone finally asked him, he didn't know what to answer. You understood his silence, you always understood everything James felt even without it being voiced. He generally hated when people predicted him, he prided himself on being unpredictable but not with you. James wanted nothing more than to just be Bucky with you.

“Don’t worry, you'll figure something out,” you mumbled, already drifting off to sleep.

James turned towards the opposite side. “Sleep well, doll.” he murmured, his breath growing even, matching yours.

TAGS: @bananapipedreams​ @akkinda10​ @rivers-rambles21​ @emmabarnes​ @goodcleanfunsis​ @valsworldofcreativity​ @boofy1998​ @marvel-3407​

[dessarious]

What Makes a Family? Pt18

AO3   Beginning   Previous   Next

“And what price are they going to have to pay for your magic?” Marinette couldn’t help but smile at the protective tone in Bruce’s voice as he glared at Plagg. She was beyond relieved that he seemed to be a good person and even her Guardian instincts were calm around him.

“The Miraculous are all about balance. In our case, as true Chosen, they affect us whether we use them or not. That’s why Cass’ life has been so difficult and mine has been relatively calm. Actually being in possession of Plagg’s ring will make things better for her. As for other holders, it varies. The longer you hold a Miraculous the more it pulls out certain traits in you. Good or bad depends on both the person and how in tune with the Miraculous they are.” Chloe’s over protective nature and Adrien’s possessiveness were both likely side effects of being holders but there was no way for her to know for certain.

“So they begin to turn you into a different person?” Marinette was shaking her head before he was even finished. She really wasn’t good at explaining things to other people.

“No. Any traits that the Miraculous bring out were already there. If anything they bring out a person’s true nature so they can’t hide who they really are. My former partner for instance was always showing his best face to the world around him but Plagg’s influence allowed those looking for it the ability to see some of his less desirable qualities. Especially when transformed.” While it made perfect sense that the ring had brought out the things Adrien felt he had to hide from the world, she still felt guilty. She also had to wonder how different his life would have been if she’d found her real Black Cat sooner. Cass burrowed into her side.

“Not your fault.” Marinette just hugged her twin closer. Even if Fu had picked Adrien, as the current Guardian he had still been her responsibility. She’d let her knowledge of his personal life define how she treated him when she should have simply judged his actions as a hero. It had been reckless and irresponsible. She’d put everyone at risk. She felt a vibration at her side and actually laughed when she realized Cass was purring to calm her down.

“Well if I needed any more proof that you are Plagg’s chosen, the fact that you’re picking up cat traits without even having the ring on you would have done it.” Cass stopped abruptly and buried her head into Marinette’s shoulder with an embarrassed whine. Mari just grinned and kissed her temple to try and soothe her. “At least yours is cute. The first trait I picked up was reflex bleeding.” It was a small consolation that Lila had a rash for over a month after grabbing her.

“Do I want to know what that is?” Marinette offered Bruce a commiserating smile. It was a lot to process.

“My skin secretes a toxic substance when I feel threatened. Sadly enough it’s actually helped in battles before. Poor baby August tried to eat me a few times while Akumatized.” Bruce just blinked at her and Marinette could practically hear him thinking ‘what the fuck?’ She grinned at him. “Once you’ve actually been through an Akuma attack, remind me to show you footage of past battles. It will prove educational and quite possibly entertaining.”

“You expect me to be entertained by one of my children almost being eaten?” He sounded insulted at the suggestion but Marinette rolled her eyes.

“No, but the fact that Hawkmoth tends to Akumatize the worst suited people into villains should. The only reason he’s still around is because he’s a coward. If I could find him all of this would be over in a heartbeat. Hopefully with Cass here my luck will keep shifting for the better.”

“I thought you were the one with good luck.” Mari let out a frustrated breath.

“Technically yes. However having the Miraculous active, especially with the ring being held by someone so much less in tune than I am, has been affecting me. It’s gotten better since I added other permanent holders but certain things haven’t improved at all. Also, the Kwami are of the opinion that Cass and I rubbed off some of our luck on each other in the womb. It’s likely the reason she ended up with you around the same time I first became Ladybug. Being together will allow us to buffer each other.” Bruce was still frowning at her but it seemed more contemplative than anything else.

“Cass.” She watched her sister peek at Bruce from her position. “What do you want to do?” Marinette let out an approving hum at the question. She got a strange sense of satisfaction that he treated Cass with such care even though she wasn’t his. He wasn’t as warm as her parents, but it was obvious he did care.

“Stay. Help.” Bruce let out a sigh but nodded. Cass relaxed further and Marinette could feel contentment radiating off her.

“So Selina said you’re a fashion designer?” Marinette rose an eyebrow at the subject change. “Since there’s nothing more to be done at present about what’s going on in Paris and it doesn’t appear to be an urgent issue, I would like to get to know you and I’m sure Cass does too.” She felt Cass nod.

“Yes, I’m a fashion designer. It was always what I wanted to do, but my actual start was one of the first twists of fate after I got my Miraculous. I ended up designing something for Jagged Stone and everything just sort of took off from there.” Cass stiffened slightly and Marinette saw Bruce’s eye twitch.

“You’re the designer he’s always bragging about?” Marinette felt her face flush. It hadn’t really occurred to her that he would be familiar with Jagged. Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose. “The boys are not going to leave you alone. Dick, Jason, and Tim have a running bet over who can get a commission from you first. I apologize in advance for whatever happens at dinner.” She laughed at his dry tone and caught Cass’ smile out of the corner of her eye.

“I assure you it can’t be worse than Uncle Jagged himself. He introduces me to all my new clients and I swear it gets more embarrassing every time. I’m fairly certain he practices just to annoy me.” Bruce’s mouth twitched into something between a smile and a grimace.

“Do not underestimate the boys’ ability to be annoying or embarrassing. That’s not even counting the fact that Damian is likely to challenge you to a duel in order to prove that he’s meant to be my true heir and I have no idea what weapons he managed to smuggle on the plane.” Marinette rolled her eyes. Why wasn’t she surprised?

“I take it Talia’s teachings are still strong?” He frowned at her. Oh right, he didn’t know she knew. “When she and Ra’s were in Paris she enjoyed bragging about him and his bloodlines. That’s how I figured out you were Batman. But don’t worry, I can handle him.” The skeptical look he shot her just made her grin. “Trust me. Besides, I just have to prove I’m not a threat to him. Given that I have no wish to take over your business and I have my own hero problems to worry about there’s no reason for him to take issue with me.” Bruce still seemed uncertain but Cass signed something at him and he nodded.

“I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see.” While Bruce obviously doubted her, she felt nothing but confidence from her twin. As nervous as she was to meet the others, Damian trying to kill her wasn’t that big a problem. At least with him, she knew what to expect.

AO3   Beginning   Previous    Next

Ko-Fi

Tag List

@moonystars14 @ladybug-182 @elmokingkong @smolplantmum @jessigurl-design @trippingovermyfeet @its-salty-bug @whydoexamsexist @scorchdragon88 @alenee13 @lil-1254s-blog @sturchling @random-fandoms7 @fandom-writer642 @chylou34 @thewitchwhowaited @junarvion @laurcad123 @hakoirii @aestheticnpoetic @aegyobutpsycho2 @sassakitty @swiftie-miraculer13 @miraculous-simmer7 @peachedpocky @misslenamooney @shamefullove @user00000003 @18-fandoms-unite-08 @galla02006 @thestressmademedoit @toodaloo-kangaroo @trinity-1002107 @alessialeone6997 @i-shizen @necromancerflight @astoriaandromeda @devils-wrath @adrestar

[moonlitceleste]

I’m a warrior (now I’ve got thicker skin) Pt. 1

Part 1          Part 2          Part 3          Part 4          Part 5

I’ve toyed with this idea for a while, but I never posted it because I couldn’t think of the right song to go with it (that part comes in later). Thankfully, the idea came to me and I get to write it out!! It’ll probably be long, so I’ll split it into separate parts.

It’s three years since Hawkmoth started attacking Paris. By this time, the class has long turned on Marinette; however, she found solace in Adrien, Chloe, Kagami, and Luka. Together, they make up the permanent Miraculous Team.

They’ve finally defeated Hawkmoth. Gabriel Agreste, Nathalie Sancoeur, and Lila Rossi have been arrested. It’s made very public knowledge that Lila initiated contact with Hawkmoth out of pure spite and that her sole purpose was to target Marinette-Dupain Cheng and get her akumatized.

Lila is unable to lie her way out, because ever since Lila had gotten Marinette expelled, the latter had been keeping detailed notes on everything she had lied about and done. The only reason Lila hadn’t been exposed earlier was because Marinette was actively preventing it. She had deduced that Lila was working with Hawkmoth and knew she was a valuable connection.

Alya had also been posting Lila’s lies on her blog consistently, and there were quite a few blatant jabs towards Marinette in there.

Anyways, it’s been three weeks since that all went down. And people were still following Marinette around, from reporters to random citizens. The public was curious as to why Hawkmoth decided one girl was special enough as to be his target.

Tired of having to evade everyone, Marinette decides to give them what they want. She has an adequately large Twitter following since she was best friends with Adrien, Chloe, and had previously worked with big names such as Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale.

She shoots a one-take video and explains everything, but not before a quick disclaimer.

“I didn’t know whether or not to, but I realized that telling this story could raise awareness, or maybe just help someone feel less alone. But before I start, please don’t send hate to anyone mentioned in this video. Whether or not they deserve it, and no matter what they did to me, no one deserves to be bullied.”

“I’ve never really told anyone the full story before, and as counter-intuitive as it may seem, telling it to a camera is a lot less scary than it is to an audience.”

Marinette doesn’t hold back. She starts from the very beginning, from when Lila came in. I don’t like the Marinette-creepily-follows-them-because-of-jealousy thing, so I HC that in Volpina she followed them because she got bad vibes from Lila and was worried for Adrien’s safety. She says she saw Ladybug calling her out and that’s how she knew she was a liar.

She continues telling the story about how when Lila came back, everyone believed her immediately. She repeated the lies that Lila said and tore into the ridiculousness of them--the tinnitus she got from saving Jagged Stone’s cat from an airplane runway, how her arthritis flared up after saving Max’s eye from getting gouged out by a napkin and seemingly switched wrists constantly. How her classmates glared at her for being the cause of Lila’s pain and how the teacher didn’t even check for a doctor’s note or blink when they moved her to the back of the classroom.

She talked briefly about Lila’s threat, and how an akuma went after her but she managed to calm down in time, and that Lila was akumatized immediately after.

And then she talked about the expulsion. In great detail. But not before a little backstory about how her principal was quick to ignore anything her childhood bully did because he was easily swayed by money and influence. How her teacher had always told her to be the bigger person. Set a good example. Show people what the Marinette’s of the world are like.

And despite her being the “example”--the perfect student and class president, he expelled her without a second thought or even proof if what Lila accused her of was true. Lila’s parents weren’t even at the meeting, but hers had to be.

She wasn’t un-expelled until Lila herself claimed that she had a “lying disease,” which she later figured out was because Adrien helped her out.

She mentions how ironic it is that “my classmates who I’ve known since childhood and my best friend all turned their back on me in an instant. The four friends who stuck with me were all very new, and I had a dislike for 3/4 of them at some point in time.”

After explaining the beginning in detail, she summarized the rest of what they did--it started with glares and small jabs, then escalated to tripping her in hallways. Most weren’t outright malicious, but the more bull-headed like Alya, Alix, and Kim did the worse stuff like “accidentally” pouring water on her. After all, she was bullying Lila even after Lila had been so nice to her!

And then the Hawkmoth part. Emotions and akumatizations.

“Even though I know I didn’t do anything wrong, it was hard for me to remember that since the whole world seemed to be conspiring against me. But my true friend were there for me, and if they weren’t I’d have long succumbed to Hawkmoth’s influence.

I didn’t actually think Lila would turn my friends against me; I trusted them. Every time I was almost akumatized, it was because of injustice. I just had to remember that in due time, justice would come for her too.

I think my greatest fear was that even once Hawkmoth was gone, Lila would be able to lie her way out of it and somehow, she would convince everyone that I was in the wrong again. But that didn’t happen, and I’m glad that I didn’t give in to my negative emotions.

Part of that is because after a while, I just became numb. I haven’t let myself feel anything after all these years--at this point, my automatic response is to click and delete my negative emotions. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that I don’t have to do that anymore. The reason I never talked about what happened was because I was scared once I started, I wouldn’t be able to stop, and I couldn’t risk getting akumatized.

My knee-jerk reaction right now is to say I’m fine, but I’m not. I don’t know when I will be. I still have thoughts of what I did to make everyone leave me so easily--why they were so quick to turn. But hopefully, letting all this out is a step towards healing. It’s made me stronger, but I’m ready to close this chapter of my life and move on”

She ends the video after a brief end note and a reminder to not send hate to her classmates (but it ends up happening anyways).

“Maybe this could have been all prevented if my classmates had at least tried to listen to me, or if my teacher or principal had done their job. Everything may have worked out in the end, and I’m very grateful for that, but maybe it could have been stopped earlier if anyone had stepped in to help. If you see someone struggling, don’t stay silent. My true friends stuck by me, and they gave me the hope that there really was light at the end of the tunnel. You can give someone hope too.”

(There’s more said in the video, but those are just snippets I have right now.)

Parisians are horrified at the full story, and it spreads like wildfire. People add English subtitles, and it spreads even more.

A girl being targeted by an emotional terrorist for three years, having to suppress her emotions while actively being targeted by said terrorist or else the world would end?! Yeah, people ate it up.

And then Adrien and Chloe tweeted something, and then Bruce Wayne got involved, and soon enough, Marinette became known as the Girl Who Saved Paris.

TAGLIST

@2confused-2doanything @abrx2002 @alenee13 @animegirlweeb  @anonymously-odd  @buginetye @catthhay @certifiedbidisaster @dreamykitty25   @ertyzeta @fishandnoodles  *@how-to-function-properly  @iamablinkmarvelarmy  @ihavehomeworkbutistillhere @i-wanna-be-a-ninja @kris-pines04  @miracleofadisaster @momothefemur  @nach0 @nathleigh *@our-preciousss  @starpony999 @swiftie-miraculer13 @t1dwarrior-of-earth @thatonecroc  @theg0ddesspersephone  @thenillabean  @thequeenofpotatoeunicornss @tired-butterfly @trippingovermyfeet @user00000003 @velvetterabby

[bybdolan]

i can't find your ramblings on swifties, but I'd love to read it if you want to elaborate here, or screen shot it? i feel like it's been building since the yntcd mv to miss americana doc period of time. the disappointment of her aligning herself as lgbt in the mv, the song comparing her haters to suffering homophobia, the lack of blm effort after her apparent political awakening... that development was when i started to notice it on tumblr, at least

The word "ramble" was maybe a bit overstated, given that it was more or less just me pointing out that it's a thing that happens, but I am very glad you are asking me this because I have a lot of thoughts! If nobody else will write an essay on this, it might as well be me.

I think the groundwork for the fandom crumbling was already laid in rep era – not because of anything Taylor did, but because of the fandom: Every small criticism of Taylor was called "hate" and I think the idea of "good" vs "bad" fan really developed during that time. And the protectiveness makes sense after everything that happened during 2016 and it only increased after Taylor went more in-depth on her mental health struggles during Lover promo, but it also created a big divide in the fandom and made it a fairly hostile place.

Speaking of Lover: I agree with you that that was the era where a lot of people fell out of love with her a bit. From the lead single to whatever YNTCD was, to her "political awakening" shtick: There were a lot of things going on in that era that people found questionable, and this lack of general hype for the album led to even more fandom fights (I will keep bringing up the fandom because I think it's an extension of the artist and very connected to how we view them). I think what you said about the political aspects of that era is 100% accurate – it's ironic that fans critizised her more for little political action after Miss Americana than most of them did when she wasn't political at all, but it also makes sense: if you make being politically outspoken a huge part of your marketing and therefore profit off of it and then don't do much in that regard, people are going to call bullshit. To be fair to her: She didn't do nothing and a celebrity of her caliber has to rethink every move in that regard, but I think the frustration is justified, ESPECIALLY when Taylor is quick to tweet about problems concerning herself (see: that Ginny and Georgia tweet, which I don't want to talk about much because it makes me sigh – but as a side note: The fandom can be vicious and racist and homophobic and I think Taylor not commenting on that has upset people). And what I said about celebrities rethinking every move gets a bit sour to me when remembering that she is in a movie with that O'Russell guy. Very defensive fans have a point when they say that people expect a lot from Taylor, and obviously she can't be perfect, but Taylor did feed into those expectations when making a documentary about not feeling muzzled anymore etc. (There goes the loudest woman this town has ever seen.) A rich white lady shouldn't necessarily be looked at for political guidance, however, she has power and her using her voice has proven to be very effective, and I think fans are disappointed she doesn't use it more often (+ for causes not benefiting herself).

Which brings us to her "capitalist girlboss agenda" that some people take issue with and that I already touched on: Taylor is very proud of her marketing strategies and knowing how to make money. She loves being a businesswoman, and it is admirable that she has been so active in her own management since she was very young, but it's something that clashes with her authenticity and accessibility a lot of fans cherish. I think we all know why she cut out her fan interactions and I personally think it is for the better, however, the tactics that took the place of those interactions are a bit "uuuh" to many. I think this is also where the generation gap of the fandom comes in: Taylor has fans her age that grew up with her, but she also has very young fans and the marketing strategies aimed at the latter don't necessarily go over well with the former. But this just as a side note. I think the introduction of Easter Eggs is a noteworthy moment in fandom history given how big of a part they now play in interacting with Taylor. And it's a fun idea, but there is the issue of the fandom taking it very far and Easter Eggs not leading to anything (1989 TV says hi). It's frustrating to many to not know when a single or an album will be released, and it is tiring to not be able to view anything she posts normally because most likely, it's a hint to something, or at least fans will act like it is. Fans are always used to drive up sales and engagement, as are personal instagram posts, but it is jarring to see it become so overt. I do genuinely believe the Easter Eggs were supposed to be fun for the fans at first, as are the vault thingies, but with the level of marketing and self-mythologization attached to it, it feels cold and sterile. Add that to the insanely high prices for boring merch and debacles like the "digitally signed" CD and you have yourself a recipe for fan disappointment. Taylor has branded herself as her fans' best friend for long, and because she is quirky and weird and often not too polished it worked – but it's not what she wants anymore, and she deserves nothing more than her privacy, but a fan used to genuine engagement with her is going to be taken aback by the new marketing strategies. There ARE ways to be private while still feeling personal in your branding (see Lorde's emails) but Taylor's team didn't want to go down that route apparently.

With all that being said: Taylor's happiness and her being content with her life is more important than whatever I get out of her and her music, and she remains one of the greatest songwriters of our generation – nobody can take that away. And I am sure that many fans will roll their eyes at this post because they still love her like they did when they first discovered her, and I am very happy for them and happy that Taylor has fans that loyal, but this post serves as an attempt to analyse shifts in the fandom that I have noticed over the past few years. I also think it's worth noting that once you start focusing on the negative aspects of something those negative things start jumping out to you, and it's important to maybe step back and focus on the good aspects once in a while – a lot of which I didn't mention because this is not what this post is about. But they are there, and I think the love for Taylor's music can easily sustain even when interest in her as a person fades.

[olivia-anderson-fanfic]

Satisfied, Part 4

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Quick self defense tip <3: NEVER throw kicks unless you’re 10000% sure they’re not paying attention. They have a lot more power but they’re easier to see in advance. Your legs are a lot more fragile than you think they are, especially your knee. Don't die out there!

~~~

Marinette followed after the group, watching from the rooftops. 

While it didn’t seem like any of them knew each other (outside of the father and son), they were all walking as a tightknit group. She watched with vague interest as, occasionally, someone would break off or join. She supposed it made sense, they were in Gotham after all. Of course they would have systems to try and keep as safe as possible.

However, this amusement was lost the moment the father and son broke off. Normally, this would have been fine, but at the next turn the teenager took a turn as well.

It could have been a coincidence that they were near each other... but then why wouldn’t the teen have gone with the dad and kid?

Her eyes narrowed and she hopped over to the roof between the two alleys.

On the left was the father and son, who were struggling to get past a particularly feral group of stray cats.

On the right was the teen. They upped their speed to a light jog, pulling their hood up over their face. They turned the corner and...

Pulled a gun.

She walked to the edge and tossed her yoyo to catch on the nearest stable thing on the next building over and counted out the seconds until he would be in the perfect spot.

She swung down, her leg out to kick him in the head.

It was here, halfway through her kick, that she remembered that this wasn’t an akuma. This was just a regular person. Those were much more fragile.

She couldn’t really change trajectory in midair, though. All she could do was angle her kick lower a little lower, to their shoulder.

He turned, probably sensing her gaze. His eyes widened in a mix of shock and fear as he brought his gun up -- too slow -- and braced himself for impact.

There was a sickening crack as her foot connected with his chest.

He went flying into the wall but she couldn’t spare the time to worry about him as she pushed off from his chest, pulling her yoyo back to her.

She picked up the gun and tucked it into her belt.

She glanced back for the father and son. They were running out the way they’d come. Good. As long as they were safe --.

A fist connected with the side of her head, throwing her back a bit. She had assumed that with a hit like that he would have been down for the count but she hadn’t taken into account the adrenaline he would have had if he managed to stay conscious.

Her latched her yoyo to her belt to make sure she couldn’t feel tempted to use her Lucky Charm.

She brought her hand up to block the kick to her stomach he’d thrown in hopes to catch her off-guard.

Amateur, she thought vaguely.

She grabbed his foot and pulled him off-balance, her free hand coming up to sock him.

There was a whirl of silver.

The teen was yanked from her grip. He hit the wall behind him for the second time that day but this time she could see something silver sprouting from the fabric of his hoodie.

Was that a shuriken?

The teen struggled to pull out the shuriken for a second but, with three more flashes of silver, he was pinned to the wall.

She’d seen the trajectory on the last one, and followed it back up to where someone was on the roof. She didn’t need to wait long to get a good look at him, though, because he dropped to the floor beside her.

“That was my arrest,” she said, her nose scrunching up in distaste (both at the fact that he had stolen her win and the outfit).

Robin walked right past her, to the teen, and gave him a quick hit to the head. The kid stopped moving. He nodded once and turned back to face her. "I don’t see why you care.”

“Because I’m the one who went through the effort to save that kid and his dad! You don’t just go and steal someone’s win last second!”

He raised his eyebrows. “Your point?”

“My point, is that you can’t just rush in and get the last hit! I worked hard for it!”

Robin sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. “You can have the arrest, I don’t mind giving it to you.”

“Giving it to me?”

“Sure. I’ll let you take him in.”

She clenched her fists. “Let me?”

He raised his eyebrows. “Would you prefer I say this in French?”

She brought a hand to her mouth. In her anger, she hadn’t realized she’d been speaking with her accent. She had wanted to try and fake one for a while, at least until she’d managed to get her way to an American one, so she’d be able to claim it was a coincidence that she’d had similar a look and theme as the one in Paris.

She narrowed her eyes at him. Ultimately, it wasn’t about the arrest or even the last hit. It was about the fact that he was being an absolute prick about it. Acting like it was some honor that he wasn’t going to prevent her from getting an arrest she had rightfully earned.

But, as mad as that made her, she wasn��t going to argue further. He knew what her actual voice sounded like, she couldn’t really risk making him too angry.

“I’m an American,” she told him.

He snickered. “Are you?”

“Yup,” she said, pulling out the shuriken and shoving them into his hands.

She pulled out her yoyo, all to aware that he was staring at her, and bound the teen as tightly as she could without hurting him further.

“You have a weird weapon.”

“Thanks,” she muttered sarcastically, throwing the teen over her shoulder and sending Robin a glare as she set off towards the police station.

~~~

Taglist

@comet-kun @thatonecroc @trippingovermyfeet @swiftie-miraculer13 @nickristus-dreamer @moongoddesskiana @i-am-ironic @indecisive-mess-named-me