#that she provides for him both emotionally and materially

[barnbridges]

the thing is that bunny's weight, laziness, bad humor probably all can be tied to that he's in a comfortable relationship with someone that keeps him down the respectability line.

[themotherofhorses]

Hi guys, it's Vic! Also known as:

Round TWO at addressing the extreme racism in the CoD fandom!

So it’s both odd and funny that my Indigenous fem!OC has pissed off so many random people, especially with the fact that I created her to ship with Ghost.

(A fictional character that has NO canon love interest, FYI. Sorry to bust y'all's little bubble. Well, there's Mara and Urban Tracker....)

Anyways, I really don't care if this post sounds bitchy in nature. I really don't, not anymore. Some of y'all need a damn wakeup call. Several months ago, in December of 2023, I made a post (here) regarding the sudden influx of hate I began receiving following the posting of my OC, SilentDove Reyes. For around two weeks after that post, the hate died down, and I felt motivated to create more content involving Dove and Ghost.

Until the hate picked up again with every little thing I posted that related to my OC x Ghost.

However....this new hate incorporated the MMIW. A bold ass move, in my opinion.

If you are not aware, the MMIW stands for "Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women." Alternate spellings include the MMIWG & MMIWGTS (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirits). As of 2023, statistics indicate that Indigenous women face a 10x murder rate than any other race/ethnicity. I have made a previous post regarding the issue, seen here. The unfortunate truth is that young Indigenous girls are more likely to be SA'd and murdered than to attend college. Let that sink in for a moment.

Now, I am an Indigenous woman. That is no surprise there; I fashioned my OC to provide myself (and, by extension, others) with Native representation in a franchise I greatly enjoy. What IS surprising, however, is that me doing so has pissed off so many people. I'm very certain some of y'all must descend from Andrew Jackson, or John Wayne cause, christ on a bike driven by a pike.

Here is a screenshot of a hate anon I recently received:

Listen, I don't care who you ship Ghost with. I really don't. I've blocked numerous shipping tags, remained mindful of the content I'm interacting with, and surrounded myself with fellow mutuals who also have personal OCs. It is really that easy.

What I do care about is the fact that some of you CANNOT separate fanon headcanons from canon material.

Exhibit A:

So let’s clear some stuff up!

Soap x Ghost is NOT canon.

Ghost being queer is NOT canon.

And, most definitely, Ghost being a woman abuser who would harm/abuse/murder a woman (either physically, emotionally, psychologically) is NOT canon.

What IS canon is his and Soap's strong bond. In my eyes, that is a brotherly bond, reminding me of a big brother/little brother relationship; in my fanfiction, Soap is Ghost's children's uncle. In fact, his son (second-born child) is named after him.

You are, of course, free to view them as romantic; what you are not free to do is attack OC creators/non-shippers for not perceiving them like that.

That is just fucking weird and delusional behavior. Knock it off. You're giving your fellow normal shippers a bad name.

ALSO! Let’s clear things up!

1. I’m not straight — I’m bisexual and demisexual.

2. I’m only half white (Spanish, with Mexican heritage). I’m QUITE LITERALLY an enrolled Native, so I guess the best way to describe me is “biracial.”

3. It’s y’all ruining the canon gay representation by shipping Laswell—a GAY woman—with Price, despite the fact that she canonically has a wife.

4. My OC does not have a “dumb fucking name.” Her name is an Indigenous name with a specific backstory to it; it’ll be explored further in future fanfics once I find the motivation to return to writing.

Anyways, I highly doubt this will be the last post I create regarding this problem; apparently, a nice chunk of the fandom has this intense animosity towards fem!OCs, fem!Y/Ns, and BIPOC!OC creators. Alright. With that being said, I invite anyone who has similar experiences to share yours, either in the reblogs or in separate posts.

As sometimes we say during pow wows:

“The floor is all yours.”

Thank you!

[kidspawn]

And Now, A Comprehensive Essay I Never Thought I'd Write:

I've seen people upset with Gabe's character in the show thus far. Saying he's too toned down, too "pathetic white trash" as opposed to abusive jerkass. I do understand why people are mad, but a few words in defense of this portrayal - and why it still works.

One: "He's too nice/soft/passive"

Um... absolutely not? This dude had me cringing and tensing up as soon as we meet him. Percy tenses and goes on the defensive, starts shooting comebacks. Gabe, seeing a tense and emotionally drained child, immediately comes at him, berating him for misbehaving.

He snaps at Sally, basically loses his shit at the idea of her leaving the apartment. She has to negotiate with him to leave her own apartment? To use the car? I don't care if she's "standing her ground" more. (Which, she isn't, but that's a whole other topic.) He's still being a douche.

There are aspects of Gabe's book characterization that are lost in media translation. For instance, Percy giving him money. "Whenever I was home, he expected me to provide his gambling funds. He called that our 'guy secret.' Meaning, if I told my mom, he would punch my lights out" (The Lightning Thief, pg. 31) This is Percy's internal monologue. When Percy enters their apartment in the book, Gabe is just a dick. Yes, he's not pestering Percy for money but he's doing everything else. I wouldn't be surprised if this information about Gabe comes to light the further into the story we go. Rick Riordan isn't trying to erase the abuse, but drawing attention to the intricacies and subtleties of abuse.

Two: "Sally is too assertive/fights back/etc"

Please, kindly, screw off with that "perfect victim" line of thinking. Just because Percy and Sally aren't crying, sobbing, etc, doesn't mean they're not being abused? First of all, that would be out of character. No doubt about that.

The only thing different between the scene in the book versus the show is how Sally manipulates/negotiates with Gabe. She has a different tone here, sure, but let's face it - Sally doesn't particularly like Gabe. He is a means to an end. She doesn't care too much about hurting his feelings here. She's placating. She's leveraging what little she has to get something from him. In the books, it was bean dip. In the show, its sandwiches and watching a game together. Sally doesn't care for Gabe, but Gabe obviously has interest in Sally, or spending time with her. She's leveraging her time and her resources to get her kid to Camp Half-Blood. She knows what's going to work because she's been dealing with this for so long.

And don't pretend like Gabe using the word "please" is changing the horrid tone he uses with Sally. Neither Percy or Sally flinch when he yells. This isn't a rare occurrence. Gabe probably yells all the time. But it's been happening long enough they're both desensitized to it.

These aspects aren't that different from the book.

Yes, the abuse is subtle, a few tweaks to appease an admittedly young target audience. But it is there. It's solely disappointing to me that subtext has seemingly been lost.

Three: "He's just average white trash."

Is that not... the point? He's... just a basic mortal? He's so abysmally human, so utterly mundane that he masks Percy's smell. He's crummy, and slimy, and awful. He doesn't strive for more, he doesn't aspire for more. He's a bully. He's awful to Percy, he yells at Sally. The only thing different about him in the show so far is he hasn't hit Sally yet.

(Yet. By the way. There's only two episodes out. We find out he's hitting Sally at the end of the source material. He never hits Percy onscreen, it's stated in internal monologue.)

Details will be lost in translation, of course, but please I cannot stress enough how little of the show we've seen. We don't know how they're going to explore Percy's characterization and reaction to abuse. There will be flashbacks, opportunities to flesh out the relationships and characters. Just because Rick changed aspects to keep people from being triggered doesn't mean he's going to let audiences go on believing this kind of behavior is ok. (At least, I hope he doesn't.)

Gabe Ugliano is still a piece of garbage. He is a horrendous human being. It's baffling to me that no one's believing that based on what we've seen of him. Not once did I think he was "toned down." I had a hard time rewatching that scene. The verbal belittlement, the subtle manipulation and control he's asserting into their lives. He's awful to Percy, he's awful to Sally.

Also, I reiterate: there are only two episodes out. Give the story time to breathe. Give the team time to deal with this storyline and flesh out this aspect of Sally and Percy's relationship.

[asongoftearsandfandoms]

I notice that through all the discourse I find scrolling through the Tumblr tags about Alastor is that people don't really talk about what his character's point in the narrative is.

I can't remember the specific name of the character type, but I found a list of character types, and it's kind of an amalgamation of these: Doubter, rival, charmer, enigma, meddler, skeptic, pessimist, the shadow.

He's not trying to be an antagonist, and he's not quite a foil (well, maybe to Vox).

His role is to provide helpful opposition to his allies (especially the Morningstars).

It's like that friend that sees you're down and instead of trying to offer kind words, says "yeah, you're right. You suck, you're the worst, you never would have done a good job anyways. You were always going to fail. I mean, prove me wrong!" It switches your self-loathing and defeatedness to resolute determination.

Think about it. In the Pilot, he aids Charlie in making the hotel more desirable, but he openly tells her he thinks she's going to fail.

But think about when he shows up. Charlie has just suffered a huge public embarrassment and morale crush.

She's literally still sitting there moping when he knocks on the door.

He simultaneously declares his intent to assist her in this endeavor and starts trashing on sinners and how he thinks it'll never work. And look at the effect it has on Charlie:

She was nervous and somewhat uncertain before, but her stubbornness kicks in and she's motivated to prove him (and everyone else) wrong.

Let's look at another time he antagonized someone into doing better.

Lucifer shows up, depressed and unmotivated and having obviously been an absent father for a while. Alastor hones in on this, possibly before he even showed up (based on Charlie's hesitation and phone call with him).

It looks like jealousy on the surface, a pissing contest between two dominant males, but when has Alastor ever shown interest in being a father figure to Charlie before? Or expressed desire to be anything resembling family? But you know who does desperately want to be family to Charlie? Lucifer. Alastor immediately recognizes this is a sore point for Lucifer and needles those exact points, putting pressure on.

What does this do? Fires Lucifer up and makes him want to push back by actively taking back the role of being Charlie's father, and wanting to help Charlie with whatever he can give her, both materially with the hotel and emotionally as a father.

And look how proud this man looks. This isn't a face of jealousy or frustration that he lost against Lucifer, this is the pleased look of a job well done.

He knew exactly what he was doing. Lucifer wanted to reconnect with Charlie, but without that push from this tiny little Overload who thinks he's hot shit, who knows if he would have fought for her. The antagonizing pushed him from depressed passive longing to motivated actions.

Alastor's narrative role is helpful opposition to the protagonists, through providing doubt, being a rival, and posing as a meddler, skeptic, pessimist. He charms his way around, using connections and pure power to support the hotel. Why would he defend the hotel if he wanted it to fail? He could have just sat back and laughed. It's because even if he doesn't have an investment on seeing the ultimate goal of the hotel succeed, he does have some level of investment in seeing those inside get/do/be better.

[my-my-my]

I loved the question you got for Aizen and wanted to ask the same for Majima: Do you think Majima would be a toxic boyfriend? I honestly think he'd do some toxic, immature things unintentionally. What toxic things do you think he'd do or say to his partner?

Ohhh good question!! Honestly, yes I think Majima would be a toxic boyfriend, but definitely NOT for the same reasons as Aizen.

TW: discussion about violence, mention of domestic violence, abortion

Majima is someone who has been through so much. Joining the Yakuza at a young age, having his kyodai in prison for 25+ years, while he himself, experienced The Hole, being Shimano's bitch while acting as a Captain for the family, then getting his own family. Life was not kind to him, and he definitely tried to make the most of it as a yakuza member.

I definitely agree with you anon, he would do a lot of toxic/immature things unconsciously, but that's because - at least for Majima, it does come out of self-preservation. He lived in an environment where it truly was one-man for himself (in a way). He had to not only be unhinged to survive it, but also become ruthless to his own men in his family. It's quite lonely, you know? He has violent tendencies, has probably killed people in his work, slapped Mirei Park when she aborted his child, let alone dating her when she was 18 and he was in his late 20s!

Majima is also someone who thinks he is better off alone for the safety of the people he cares about. We see this in Yakuza 0, Kiwami 2, Yakuza 4 and 5: He left Sunshine without telling Yuki, Youda and the other hostess, did not say anything to Makoto after the events of Yakuza 0, is implied to not have looked or sought out Yasuko (even though he cared for her deeply like an older brother), completely cut off contact with Mirei after he hit her/the abortion, and faked his death for Saejima and Kiryu's safety.

While he does care for his men, Saejima, Kiryu, etc. through his actions you can see that he believes that they're better off without him. So I think if something were to happen to his partner because of their ties to him/association with the Yakuza, he would ghost them.

Also in the Kiwami 2 Majima Construction mini game, Majima admits that he thinks he looks old and would scare off potential dates. So he's also insecure about that - I think it would make him apprehensive to be with someone if he doesn't believe them when they find him handsome.

I think if he had a partner and he wanted them to be safe without him, he would cheat on them - giving them a reason to end the relationship with him. He doesn't seem like someone to communicate his feelings at all, if anything, avoids that if possible.

Similar to Aizen, he is lonely, but Majima resigned himself to this loneliness. He decided to stay in the Yakuza, and he knew what kind of pain and hardships would come along with that. In his own twisted logic, he thinks having a partner like him would be unfair to the other person - as they deserve someone much better than him.

While he can monetarily provide whatever material gift they want, maybe some physical connection too, I think Majima would be reluctant to connect to a partner emotionally - even if he wants too. His "mask" built during his time in the Yakuza has really skewed his view of himself.

We can see with how he is with Saejima and Kiryu that he cares deeply, that is emotionally sensitive and attuned, but Saejima and Kiryu know the Yakuza life and what that entails, so Majima's "mask" is off - whether a partner can experience that is another story and how much Majima would want this partner to know about the yakuza life.

Thank you for this ask! Sorry for the ramble haha. TL;DR: Majima and Aizen are both lonely men, but for completely different reasons! Majima wants what's best for his partner, and that can be in a world without him.

[ghostflowerhotpotch]

Has it ever occurred to you that since Gwen hasn’t had a mother figure for the majority of her life and from the beginning of ATSV its kinda shown she’s been craving that type of guidance or even affection when she sees Jess for the first time, do you think that once the dust is settled between her and Miles and she finally gets to properly introduce herself to his parents, do you think that Rio can not replace Gwen’s mother but atleast fill in that gap in some way where she’s able to get some of the guidance she’s been looking for. Idk I just feel like the dynamic between the two could be interesting once they both get along with each other, hopefully this makes sense to answer.

Ohh this is interesting.

Now, hope you don't mind, but Gwen and Jess situation is something I wanted to talk about for a while, so, I will use your comment to talk about this.

I will do the Rio part too, but knowing myself, there is a chance that would end in a second post because I talk too much.

Let's go!

Now, do I think is this a joke? Yes, but I also think Gwen means it.

And look, this is not to say that you necessarily need to have two parents to raise a kid, I personally believe that one parent, if they provide the necessary attention and care to the child or children, could be an amazing parent and not let their kids feel like they are missing anything.

However, as discussed on this post, I mentioned why while George isn't a bad dad, sadly he is not the best parent for Gwen.

And here I also discussed why Gwen's mental health is a bit of a mess.

But to not sent people to do homework, let's give the cliff-notes version.

George is trying to be a good father, however between his job and his refusal to understand nuance, he has accidentally pushed Gwen away; even if maybe this could have been resolved if she talked to him in a normal situation, the fact that he did what he did in the beginning shows she was scared for a reason.

So that means Gwen has a gaping hole in what a role model and parent should be, since she needs more support. Of couse her Spidey identity is important to her (in fact she leans too much into it,) and having no one to help her on that complicated path doesn't make the situation any easier.

Enters Jessica Drew.

You know I found extremely telling that when Gwen sees Miguel, she is cracking jokes and not really taking his professionalism crap seriously; yet when Jess comes kicking ass with her motorcycle and she looks at her like she has seen the light.

Perhaps it had to do with her realizing this failed artist is more problematic than she expected, or the fact that Miguel was quickly disposed of by something she saw from a mile away; while Jess came putting the bad guy on a grinder and maneuvering a bike like nobody's business. Needless to say, Gwen is DEFINITELY impressed.

Once again, this plays almost like this is a dream come true for Gwen.

She hides it well for most of the movie as well as the previous one, but the reality is that underneath that cool exterior, this is a teenage mess with so much angst she is giving my teen self a run for their money.

Just like she craves companionship in the form of Miles as well as other spiders, she probably wants someone who can tell her everything is going to be okay or what they should do. Again, we may forget sometimes, especially with superhero movies where protagonists need to be competent despite their age most of the time; but Gwen is 16, 17 at the most; and has been handling this stress and turmoil for at least 3 years. That's a lot.

Top it with her dad not being able to emotionally support her, and the fact that she wants a mom becomes less a possible commentary about not nuclear families, and more of a likely possibility because the first 20 minutes of the movie gave us LOTS of material to show how mess up this is.

I think is a testament to the situation that she doesn't default to Peter B or Noir in the first movie, nor Miguel; she only seems to be interested in learning from someone when she sees Jess.

Is funny, but is also very painful to hear for me, as if you ask me she said it completely straight, and this just shows how much help she needs.

Granted Gwen said that accidentally and probably wouldn't have said it if thought about it first, but the fact that it slipped says a lot.

She desperately wants someone like Jess in her life, and to top it off, she probably wants that person as a maternal figure; probably someone to ask about techniques for defeating baddies and also who could talk about feelings without this person defaulting to work as a copy mechanism.

Feel free to call me crazy for getting so work up about a joke, but if I am honest other interactions really make me sell this idea for me.

Now let's talk Jess.

Literally what other reaction she was going to have.

We really never hear a definitive answer to the question, but I also think Jess didn't think too hard about it for a reason.

I am planning to go through some scenes of Gwen and Jess to dig deeper into their mentor/not-mom situation, but let's start with this.

Do I think Jess should have adopted Gwen? No, not at all.

Look I am a sucker for found family and adoption tropes, and I would had love nothing more than for Jess to give one dirty look at Gwen's dad, tell her she would be there for her, and take her away to a good home. That is not what happened, and I don't blame her.

She is on her way to having her own kid, she needs to be spider-woman and to top it all off, she seems to be kind of a second in command in a really big operation, where your boss is your friend who is also way too into his job and she probably is still there partially to make sure Miguel doesn't completely lose it. She has a lot on her plate as it is, adopting a traumatized teenager is a lot of work that shouldn't really be her job.

Do I think that means she has no responsibilities to Gwen? No, not really.

And this is largely why.

Okay, I will try to not go over every moment with them, as this is more about explaining their situation than a deep dive of every instance of their relationship, but this is a good kicker for the situation.

Jess immediately takes an interest in Gwen for the organization, now while I can understand that she based this purely on her abilities, I think a part of it was the comment Gwen made earlier. I think she sees in her someone who needs a steady hand and some support.

As a mentor.

This is going a bit ahead on the post, but let's establish that 1) This exists, and 2) Jessica got that idea EXTREMELY quick all things considered.

Here is where the responsibility part actually kicks in.

No, Jess doesn't have any responsibility to Mother Gwen in any way, regardless if Gwen needs one or not (she does,) but the moment she not only started to argue for her to have a spot in the organization, to take her in when the things in her universe technically imploded (which they are marginally responsible considering they came to clean this means and they only did it thanks to Gwen,) She implicitly accepted to look after her.

Okay here is where we need to talk a bit about tropes.

When you have protagonists that are teens or kids with powers, is inevitable that they will need to deal with dangerous stuff that no sane adult would let a real kid do, but is fiction so you kind of have to suck it.

This is a trope that I found kind of lazy even when I was part of the age demographic; which is why stuff like The Owl House with Eda was refreshing.

She was also a Mentor who was also not very responsible as a guardian, but she ended up growing into one, and even if she failed to protect her apprentice, she did try her damnest to do it.

Jess is not Eda, and she doesn't need to be, except that this story has proven to be aware that they are still teens.

Jess clearly recognizes this isn't fair for Gwen. We also see something like this in the first movie, with Peter B worried about Miles can or can't handle, while still letting them do stuff you wouldn't catch me letting my little sister get away with; they know that there are somethings someone at that age shouldn't just be handling on their own.

And Jess isn't exactly ice-cold about Gwen.

Jess took interest in Gwen's potential quickly, she looked after her, and quickly went to try to calm her down and support her during a very high tense and stressful moment. Even here is Gwen the one who ultimately moves away, not Jess, proving she could had try to stay close to ensure she was okay.

And this is something that shows that it kind of sticks.

While considerably harsher here than in her introduction scene, Jess is showing that despite her annoyance with Gwen, she still likes her. She never thought her relationship with Miles shouldn't be a reason not to have her on the team; she trusted a mission in the universe despite that, and also calls Gwen her star pupil, which I don't was sarcasm.

She also gives her an hour to fix this, which even if not much, is more than she could have given her.

I am not saying that Jess didn't look after Gwen, or didn't care about her beyond what she could do for the organization, however, it wasn't what Gwen needed.

Let's circle back to responsibility,

Jess is aware of what happened with her dad, she knows what Gwen lost, and she can probably imagine that a kid that lost her identity and her world like that on just one night can't be doing okay; yet nothing shows me she ever did anything about it.

Here is the thing, Jess doesn't need to be Gwen's mom, but she can't just insist to have her and be her mentor, and don't think about checking on her in something other than her kicking-ass abilities. Even if she doesn't want to deal with it, she should have either seen how to make her father see reason, or lock her in the room with the spider-man psych.

Considering how things go in this movie, neither thing happens.

And it feels more painfully obvious when you see how much Gwen tries to appeal to her emotionally.

In a vaccum, none of these are a big deal, but the more I think about it the more heartbreaking this is for me to watch.

This is why I find these to be such a big deal: Gwen doesn't like to do emotional shit.

I know, I probably repeated that more times than I can count; but let that sink in contrast to what's going on.

After Peter died, she decided to not have any friends because she couldn't deal with the grief, with Miles only getting past that rule because they are both spiders plus chemistry. And even then, when you see Miles asking if she is going to talk to her dad, she decided to crack a joke and brush the idea as swiftly as possible.

When her dad tells her about the break in the spider-woman case, she tries to brush it off with false enthusiasm at first, and then when she gives a more honest response is more out of bubbling annoyance that truly her trusting him with something.

She isn't baring her heart open in these moments though, let's not have it twisted; however, she is trying to use emotion as a way to appeal to Jess, which is not her first move with most people in general. Even when she is not actively giving her an in-depth explanation, in each of those moments she is giving the emotional context as to why this is so hard.

"You never got too close to someone?" -> "This person is important to me and this is hard for me, wasn't it for you?"

"But my gut says-" -> "I know this looks bad, and I can't explain how, but this isn't right, trust me."

"Tell him he is wrong!" -> I don't really need to explain this one, do it?

She continuously looks up to Jess to hear her out, and to understand what she is going through; she sees her and expects someone who can connect with her on that level and care about it.

But that's not what Jess does, because she is not her mom, she is her mentor.

For the most part, when Gwen tries to appeal to Jess emotionally speaking, Jessica shuts that idea down fast.

Now, I am going to preface this by clarifying that in real life, a mentor would probably check emotionally on the kid they are mentoring if only for the fact that when you are in charge of a kid, you should look after them. Fiction however is another ballpark, and technically speaking, a mentor shouldn't need to be doing something that is the job of the family.

A good mentor would probably understand their apprentice position and listen, since regardless of your years of experience, you can't just underestimate people or you will inevitably be surpassed. However, Jess isn't trying to be anything like that; she wants to teach Gwen her way, and her way says that emotions are kind of on the way. So regardless if it isn't what Gwen needs, she will insist on that.

I think there can be a way to accept emotions but also don't let them cloud your decisions, yet again, Jess is not interested in that, and I Gwen actually have normal, supportive parents (or even just one,) I wouldn't be so hung up about this. But she doesn't and Jess knows this.

Superhero or not, Gwen is just a teen, and shouldn't need to be living this, especially because I freaking doubt this is a canon event or something; with the resources they have, and the people they have on board, I can't believe there isn't a way they could have talk to Captain Stacy and made him see reason.

But they didn't, because they are more worried about spider-man duties than whatever is going on to the person under the mask, and for them, this is just what comes with the territory so you have the suck it up. Even if this is perfectly avoidable once you think of it.

That's something that I had been thinking about a lot while doing my post on the organization as well as the one with Gwen falling in Mumbatthan. The spiders are stronger together, and in general working as a team gives them not only better chances at saving people, but also helping with the stress they have and being there for each other. That isn't the goal of the organization though.

Miguel's mission is to preserve the canon and to put people from other dimensions back into their respective ones, anything else is probably secondary to him. Sure, if someone asks for help from another Spider I don't think he would stand in the way; except if it is a canon event, which in that case, he will probably say to people to suck it up.

The pain they have, the trauma they are suffering, while being together helps it was never the end goal to help with that, and there is no regard in avoiding said pain. This is a job first and foremost, which is the attitude Jess has.

Gwen is not her kid, or even a young student, she is a coworker; one that she needs to guide a bit, but her subordinate at the end of the day.

Sometimes the waters get muddier, on both sides if I am honest.

I will touch a bit on other scenes, but I wanted to bring up this one in particular because there is something that feels a bit more mother-daughter than it probably has any right to show.

Now I will be the first to admit this may be a me thing, I can be very formal in real life and that goes double with people who are older than me and in a position of power over me, the only exception to that rule is my current boss because he is the mythical creature of being a manager who remembers employees are people too.

Gwen is not like that, she jokes and doesn't give too much of a shit regardless if you are Miguel or a bad guy. However there is something in the way Gwen acts that feels she wouldn't be phrasing stuff like this if it was Miguel on the other side; again, back to her using emotion as a first resource rather than as a lashing effect of her anger.

Jess, while being kind of no-nonsense overall, is also not the most formal, because this is the spider society and Miguel had the bad luck to be the only straight-laced one while everybody else tries to be a comedian for the most part. But there is a way that she talks to Gwen that for me feels kind of like her not fully keeping this professional either.

I can't fully put it into words, so feel free to not make seriously on this one, but there is something about the way Jess is commenting on the situation that reminds me more of a mom than any of my bosses.

Then we have scenes like this.

I am sorry but this part really first like is a discussion between mother and daughter, even with contexts the way the scene delivers gives that energy.

This isn't exactly wrong by itself, nor is it truly that surprising. The boss I mentioned before had also mentioned off-topic that me and my other coworker (who is a couple of years older than me,) are almost like his kids, and we share an age range. However he doesn't try to parent us really, and even if some of the comments are very much 'now listen to me kids' he quickly remembers we are adults and would drop topics or decisions we made that I know wouldn't be his reaction has been one of the kids that are actually kids.

It probably has more to do with the way they talk and see people younger than them that any parental feelings, and none of this is really inappropriate.

Nonetheless, the fact that Gwen craves that motherly bond makes these interactions hurt all the more for me.

Gwen may not be under the illusion that Jess is her mom, but she's subconsciously looking up to her, and the fact that Jess acts like this, even if by accident, just feels into that mentality. The mentality Gwen has that maybe Jess will listen this time, that she will take into account her feelings and her opinion in her decisions; but she continues to not do that.

For the most part.

Is a bit hard to see with the resolution I have, but when Gwen is kicking and screaming while been taken by the machine, Jess's gaze goes in another direction.

I am sorry if this is feeling repetitive, I know this post is a long one (which is funny how this post created another 2 just so those topics wouldn't be here.)

What I am trying to say with all of this, is despite Jess' insistence this is just work, that Gwen is just her pupil and she can only do so much; Jess continues to have a soft stop for Gwen that let's her get away with things. Is kind of ironic how Miguel said Gwen was a liability for her feelings for Miles, yet couldn't even consider how feelings in general would get in the way, considering Jess assigned this mission to Gwen (which then she fumbled the bag and led to the Spot becoming an actual menace,) give her a second chance, and then apparently let her go.

(It is possible she is looking for where Gwen is going to tell Miguel, but I doubt it.)

I fully believe that by the third film, Jess will probably end up either switching sides or just letting Gwen do what she wants, and even if is the first scenario I think it would be via Gwen that happens.

But to wrap things up, if Captain Stacy is not enough as a parent for Gwen because he can't do that role properly, Jess isn't good enough as a parent for Gwen because she doesn't want that role, regardless of if she sometimes kind of acts like it.

I think their relationship is fascinating, and I would love to explore more of this connection in some way; if only because the complicated nature of it makes it all the more interesting for me, but in a nutshell, is this:

Jess: I wanted an apprentice, you wanted a mom. Gwen: Well I guess we are both disappointed.

(Sorry I couldn't help myself, OOF I wish I could draw well enough for this.)

Now, with my thoughts on Rio, I could probably put them on this post because is not that long, but it will probably feel off with all this commentary I had been making, so it would be in another one.

If you got this far, congrats on your patience, and thank you for reading!

[ovaryacted]

do u think fuckboy!leon meets sherry? i think itd be quite sweet

Hi anon! Thank you for the message, this one really got me thinking. I actually have a very particular headcanon specifically about Leon and Sherry’s dynamic in the universe I’ve conjured up ahaha. Prepare for your mind to be blown cause I’m about to breakdown familial trauma lmao. Cracks knuckles and neck.

Also, I don’t own fuckboy! Leon or the trope, but I’d like to think this is my own personal hc for this dynamic is all. :)

In my mind, at least in this au, Leon was placed into the foster care system early on as a young child when his parents pass away. They died in a hit and run as misdirected targets, or a bad accident. So with no other family members he knows of (that also didn’t want him), he finds himself jumping from household to household and develops trauma along the way. He’s a relatively quiet kid at first, nervous and anxious, but he grows to be rebellious when he gets a little older, thinking he won’t get adopted.

That is until around the time he’s 9, a rich white family takes one good look at him and says “yup, I want him”, and they adopt him. He’s now in a family with status and money, he doesn’t have to worry about any material things because they can provide him everything he would need and want. All things good right? Wrong!

Sure, his new parents give him everything he needs, but they’re emotionally detached especially his new father. He tried to interact with them, but it just doesn’t work, and his adoptive mom is sweet but not in the way Leon wants. He finds himself comparing his new mom to his birth mom frequently, so now he has both daddy issues and mommy issues. This leads Leon to become a bratty pre-teen (this is when he starts developing all of these traits that actually make him a dick head into adulthood). His actions got so bad around freshman year of highschool that his father threatened to send him out to military school if he didn’t get his act right, and since Leon didn’t want to do that, he calmed down and kept all the things he did hidden away from his parents.

Leon is a snobby prick, he develops a sense of entitlement because of his parents and believes he is owed things. But because of the new familial trauma he has developed over the years, he also grows emotionally detached, doesn’t really think he’ll find that sense of belonging in a family dynamic again.

That is, until his parents end up adopting Sherry when she’s around 5 (Leon would be 14/15 then), because she fits the aesthetic the family wanted to achieve. At first Leon was pissed, didn’t like the idea of having a sibling mostly because he didn’t want to deal with them. But over time, he found himself growing fond of Sherry and rather protective because that was in his nature.

Sherry also has a weakened immune system, so she gets sick often. Her parents gave her more attention than they gave Leon (because yeah), but Leon was the one that actually ends up taking care of her whenever she gets sick. And of course, since their parents have money, they have the ability to take care of her without worrying about expenses.

So, now to the present, both Leon and Sherry are considered foster siblings and have been for years. Leon is stubborn, a traumatizing little shit and is emotionally detached to the point where he doesn’t think he’d be able to handle any intimate relationships. But there are only two people in his life he has cared for enough to break those walls, his birth mother and Sherry. As much as Leon doesn’t want to admit it, he loves Sherry, and she loves him and looks up to him sometimes. Sherry also doesn’t know that Leon went out of his way to get legal guardianship of Sherry when he turned 18 in case something did happen to his parents, they wouldn’t be separated again. (Fear of abandonment fr)

So to answer your question, yes I do believe fuckboy! Leon knows Sherry and they’re somehow in this family dynamic together where he looks after her and she’s the only one that can bring out the softie he is that’s buried under all of that trauma.

I’m totally not thinking about this more than I should btw. It’s not fleshed out entirely, but just my mind being silly.

[takeariskao3]

can i just say that i love how relatable your ginny is? in many stories ginny is perfect and harry is messed up, but in this they are both a hot mess. and what i love is how you do a great job of portraying ginny’s mindset in a way that not only shows that she blames harry, but also makes the audience blame him. but if you really think about it, she’s just as much the reason if not more that they’re so messed up. not saying harry’s not a complete wreck 24/7, because he definitely is, but our girl’s got trust issues, understandably so cough cough childhood trauma, and she’s all HARRY RUINED EVERYTHING HE DOESNT LET ME IN WHY IS HE LIKE THIS meanwhile this beautiful badass emotional trainwreck of a human is actually blocking him out even more then he’s blocking her and she’s creating problems in her head and making everything way worse for their situation. like harry’s got issues but he’s over being sad and is ready to snog the living fuck out of her and hold her and protect her and be there for her and she’s like why must he be so closed off and push me away and be unwilling to try meanwhile she gets angry every time he so much as breathes and avoids him at all costs but also loves him but has convinced herself it’s all 100% his fault and then gets pissed that she has feelings for him and tells herself more reasons why he sucks. self sabotage at its finest.

i love it. me too ginny

I HAVE HELD ONTO THIS MESSAGE FOR SO LONG BECAUSE I OPEN UP MY INBOX AND READ IT AND GRIN LIKE AN IDIOT!!

also i was reluctant to respond because like HOLY SHIT YOU GET IT!? you know??? you. get. it. and if i go on a total rant about HOW MUCH YOU GET IT i would literally spoil everything lmaooo so i'll try to freak out over this message with minimal spoilers skdfjskldjfs

under the cut because length

when i first set out to start the path from you, i knew the story i wanted to tell, but i knew it had to be a long evolution of both their internal thoughts and their views of each other. because we can make inferences and interpretations of their deepest, most intrinsic thoughts from the source material, but it's really fun for me to ask how does that change after trauma..?

and i knew (I KNEW) i wanted them both to be the most unreliable narrators imaginable. because that's how we think right?? or at least that's how i think, i can't speak for everyone else i suppose, but we rationalize and try to put puzzle pieces together that don't actually fit. and if you look close enough, ginny is such a PERFECT template for this kind of storytelling because she is so strong willed. she is open and emotionally mature with most everyone, except herself?? now a lot of this is me filling in the blanks between CoS and OoTP/HBP but i mean how does a girl spend an entire school year possessed and then just casually go on to be the most well-adjusted, well-liked, social butterfly?

she suppresses. she suppresses HARD.

and with that habit of suppress and overcome, all the sudden she is falling in love? and providing emotional support and a delightful sort of stability to a person who has never felt that in his entire life.

so i ran with it! i sat down and wrote out pages and pages of what ginny thought of harry, and what harry thought of ginny, and how ginny thought harry saw her, and how harry thought ginny saw him... and its the second half of those questions that gets *really* interesting.

how does ginny think harry sees her? how does ginny react when she thinks she can't be that ever again? what happens when suppress and overcome doesn't work anymore? what is she going to do when harry actually decides to open up about something for the first time in his life?

ginny has created this narrative in her head that blames harry and absolves her of guilt because the alternative would be admitting that she has kept him as far away from her as possible because if he saw her (the real her, after all the shit) then she thinks he wouldn't want her anymore. and that is just too devastating for her to even contemplate so she doesn't bother, and she goes along heightening all harry's mistakes in an effort to dampen her own.

and let me tell you... once harry looks outward and stops focusing so much on his own internal war when it comes to his feelings for ginny, he starts getting real tired of it.

[sparkling-pink-lemonade]

(Long post ahead, reposting a reblog I made and ended up deleting because OP was an anti. Placing a "keep reading" after the repost before getting into new info. Post is screenshot heavy, and such not compatible with screen readers. I do not have energy to transcribe alt text right now.)

So anyways, there are antis in the Pico's School fandom.

I love the ship picandra (Pico x Cassandra), it's super hot, but apparently there are antis shaming it. (What don't antis shame?)

I'm not sharing OP's tags this time so it isn't as easy to find them. But the jist is that Pico isn't some pure hero, he's an anti hero. And it isn't canon that Pico has any trauma because of Cassandra. They express frustration with antis trying to demonize people who enjoy hero x villain ships.

This was my response before I deleted my post:

I'd also like to add that antis, as well as this post, are focusing on whether or not this ship is problematic due to Pico being a victim being a victim of Cassandra attacking the school. Not once does anyone mention the fact that the characters are 10 years old in their source material and that "it would be disgusting to ship 10 year olds and imagine children dating and kissing when 10 year olds would be doing nothing more than holding hands." I bring this up because of how OP then went and behaved in the comments of their post. Throwing a huge fit when a proshipper tried to inform them of what proship means.

Blue is OP, light blue is whenever they replied directly to the proshipper they were arguing against (not me), and purplish white are buzzwords creating very serious accusations against proshippers.

Any further comments from OP on their post were missing too much context due to the other side of the conversation being deleted. And such won't be commented on.

It's horribly ironic that they went on about pedophilia and their hatred for underage ships, when this post originated from a ship consisting of two 10 year olds. And on top of that, if their argument on proshipping being bad is because the dynamics of problematic ships are harmful and affect reality, then sorry to say, in my opinion as a proshipper is that Picandra is a comship. Even if Pico wasn't traumatized by Cassandra's attack on the school, she still caused irreversible damage to his life. She killed all his classmates and teacher. She is an alien who used emotionally insecure goth kids to kill humanity with no regard to the lives of her allies. She canonically couldn't give a shit about Pico, let alone be interested in him. In turn, after the attack, Pico had become a serial killer hitman that is very aggressive and closed off emotionally. If these two were to engage in a relationship, it would be toxic and abusive as all hell on both ends. But I guess that's fine because it doesn't disgust you personally. So it can't possibly be morally corrupt or questionable.

I do not plan on making a habit out of indirectly replying to anti bullshit on this level. I've already made sure OP is blocked and thus unable to see this post. The existence of my rebuttal points are more for the sake of getting my own frustrations out, practice making points against a real example rather than a hypothetical strawman, as well as providing a source of positivity for other proshippers who have dealt with this or other antis like the one featured above.

If you manage to find OP, do not harass them, send them hate, or even send 'helpful information'. A person like this is not in the right mindset to learn, and such trying to rebut them any further will only cause unnecessary stress and may cause them to root themselves more into the anti mindset.

[zablife]

Okay you have me, can I please please ask for a Jake Seresin hearing some banging in the locker room and finding the pilot!Reader just smashing her helmet into the lockers while crying? (Basically she got a message that her old wingman (her female bestie, they were basically sisters) got killed during her deployment, in action? The reader is angry at Jake and telling him to leave her alone but he doesn't.

Just some soft!Jake mixed with enemies to lovers :333

Thank you and you are a gem ♡♡♡♡

“What was that about?” Jake asked, pushing off the wall outside Admiral Simpson’s office. Rebecca rolled her eyes at him and kept walking at a brisk pace.

“Hey, I’m talking to you! Why did the admiral want to see you alone?” he asked, stalking after her. He felt it was his business to know since she was his back seater.

Turning on her heel to face him with obvious emotion welling in her chest, she said, “Because it wasn’t about you, ok?” Then quickly swallowing it down, she took a deep breath saying, “Leave me alone, Jake,” and continued on to the locker rooms. 

Jake stood staring after her, wondering what she meant. He wasn’t one to wait for answers so he charged ahead, ready to find out. Rebecca could be stubborn and they fought about the best way to do things, but Jake thought their open communication and willingness to push one another made them a good team.

As he rounded the corner to the women’s locker room, Jake heard the unmistakable clang of metal. The reverberations could be heard down the hall echoing loudly off the walls. It sounded as though someone was  knocking over an entire row of lockers. “What the hell?” he muttered under his breath. A scream of frustration followed from the other side of the door.

This was unlike any behavior he’d ever witnessed from Rebecca and it was beginning to scare him. She was tougher than most of the men he knew and he’d never seen her crack under pressure. He couldn’t think of anything she’d been through that had shaken her emotionally, including the injury that saw her reassigned to Jake’s squadron.

Deciding to investigate, he barreled through the door, calling out,“Rebecca? Rebecca? Viper!” The clanging stopped and he heard a helmet drop to the floor. He listened as it rolled back and forth on the ground, the only sound in the room until Rebecca breathed a heavy sigh. Jake slowly approached and found his wingman sitting on a bench, head in her hands. 

“Hey, hey? What are you doin’?” Jake asked.

“Jesus, I ask you to leave me alone and you follow me in here? What the fuck, Hangman? I’m fine!” she said, kicking her helmet across the floor.

He jumped back dodging the projectile she had launched at him and furrowed his brow. “Yeah, you don’t look fine and if we’re gonna fly together you need to tell me why,” he said pointing a finger in her direction. She shook her head and looked away from, unable to say the words. 

“Fine, you wanna get us both killed cause your heads fucked up? Keep being stubborn, Viper,” he said as he began to walk away. 

Watching him go, she opened her mouth, finding an uncomfortable lump in her throat and her mouth too dry to say anything except a name. “It's Siren,” she called out through clenched teeth. Then the sobs began. 

Jake froze, recognizing the call sign of her previous wingman and best friend. They had flown together until Rebecca’s injury and Siren had been deployed shortly after. Jake didn’t need much more to connect the dots. Their work was inherently dangerous. Everyone accepted the risk that came along with the job, but somehow it never got easier hearing about the loss of a colleague. 

Instinctively, Jake went to Rebecca, taking a seat next to her and wrapping his arms around her. To his surprise, she accepted the comfort he provided, burying her head in his shoulder. “I can't believe she’s gone, Jake,” she finally managed to say against the rough material of his flight suit.

He placed a hand to the back of her head, stroking a hand lightly against her hair. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know,” he whispered, rocking her gently. She allowed herself to be held in his strong embrace, finally able to take a deep breath knowing she was safe. However, the nagging guilt would not relent.

“I should’ve been with her,” she said, chewing at her lip.

“No, we don’t get to decide. You know that,” Jake said, running a large hand down her back.

She pulled away from him to look him in the eye. “I understand if you don’t want to fly with me,” she said earnestly.

“Why would you say that?” Jake asked, looking hurt and confused.

“No one wants to fly with someone they don’t trust with their life. You just said as much. And if you think I’m fucked up from this, then maybe you should go talk to the admiral now,” she said, looking down at her hands. She was squeezing them together so tightly, her knuckles were turning white.

Jake slowly reached into her lap, placing a hand over hers and caressing the back of her hand with his thumb. “I was an asshole, alright? The truth is you’re the best pilot here. I’d be crazy not to want you flying with me,” he said reassuringly. “If that’s what you want,” he added hesitantly, looking into her eyes for confirmation. She nodded, throwing her arms around his neck. 

“You never hang me out to dry, you know that. You’ve always been there for me,” she whispered in his ear. 

He chuckled. “Well that’s cause we got a deal, remember, Viper? You watch my back too with those quick strikes." She nodded with a laugh. He tilted her chin up to look at him, "But you keep that temper to yourself, only strike the enemy, alright?”

“It’s a deal,” she said, capturing his bright green eyes in a longing stare. Without another word, Jake leaned down and placed a soft kiss to her full lips, fulfilling a wish they’d both had for some time.

[cdragons]

MCU Eternals Romantic!Ikaris X Reader & Platonic!Druig X Reader AU Idea (AKA my ADHD/Neurodivergent brain is whipping my butt)

Ok so, I'm just going to spare y'all the misery and brain spiral I put both @valeskafics & @its-actually-minicika through, and give the most recent one. This is a really long post as it will go into a lot of detail about the character's personality and her interactions with other characters. Please read through it, and if you hate the idea. Don't be a jerk! Just move on, and ignore this post! But if this is something that you think would be interesting to read: like it and/or let me know in the comments, or send it to a friend you think will find this idea interesting!

So it goes without saying that the MCU Eternals' fandom has unanimously agreed that Druig is best boi/edgelord, and I have no disagreements with that. Hell I basically live on Tumblr's 'druig x reader' tag. BUT I too thirst after Ikaris (AKA Not-Mother's-Favorite)...look, it's Richard Madden, I'm only human.

If you are one of the maybe 10 followers I have, you will know that I am already writing 2 other fics (a Robb Stark x Yi Tish!OC, and an Ikaris X Water Elemental!Reader). But if you read this post's title...you will see that my ADHD brain refuses to listen to reason...and since starting to write fanfiction...it has only gone into overdrive. You will also know that I love drawing inspiration from mythology...and dragons but that's another discussion.

BACK TO THE POINT! So I have seen a lot of Nature Eternal!Reader x Druig fics, and I love all of them. But I read @spacetalbot's Druig x Reader x Ikaris fic where the reader is basically Persephone, AND @winterlves's Ikaris x reader fic where the reader is Thor and Loki's sister who controls nature. Needless to say...I became obsessed.

Basically, I wanted to explore the idea of an Eternal!Reader whose powers are like Persephone (Chlorokinesis, Geokinesis, Fertility Manipulation, etc.). And while Druig is like Hades, he serves more as this reader's overprotective older brother/guardian. Instead, her main love interest in this idea will be Ikaris.

Druig and Hades actually share a good amount of similarities to each other. Both are mostly disliked/not popular amongst the Pantheon/Eternals and humanity, both are secluded to their own domain/community, both are much more somber compared to their family members, and the list can go on. But the reason I wanted to use Ikaris as the main love interest is mostly to due with his attitude towards humanity and how he interacts with them. While life goes on for everyone else, it just sort of "stops" for him. He doesn't really make any effort to connect with them outside of being with Sersi, and when he leaves her, we don't see any further attempts. And this is where Persephone!Eternal kind of comes in.

Now, unlike my other Oc's/Reader fics, I actively plan on writing this reader to show neurotypical symptoms. For example, she will show signs of having trouble emotionally connecting/socially interacting with others. Her mind will wander in meetings and need a nudge to focus back. She might unintentionally put off someone by how she phrases her question/response. She will prefer to study the differing flora and fauna in the places they visit than interact with people. While she does hold some love and affection towards them, she knows that it's not her the humans love, but rather what she can provide for them. This last part is kind of what lays the foundation to Ikaris' and the Reader's connection.

One scene I intend to write that really shows how Persephone!Eternal's mind works is how she interacts with Phastos when he describes the steam engine to Ajak. Personally, I headcanon that Druig likes to be around when Phastos is inventing something, but more just to be his annoying little brother. Persephone!Reader is not at all tech-savvy, but it's how Phastos' thinks of his ideas that fascinates her. What materials would be needed to build it? Does the materials need to be first sourced by humans? Is the conversion of high pressure to low pressure like when an area with a lot of water flowing into an area with low amount of water? If I decide to write Ikaris seeing this, it will make him notice how Persephone!Reader's mind definitely works differently than his. As normally, he wouldn't question Phastos, just accept it and move on. But he would notice how you are the only one to really connect with him by how you don't outwardly mock him like Kingo or Sprite, and by being the only Eternal to act genuinely interested despite not technologically inclined.

Another scene would be how Persephone!Reader was supposed to be attending a feast for the harvest, and so Ajak sends Ikaris to look for her. He finds her in a secluded area of a forest, and with a cow and her calf. He is confused and so Reader explains that she noticed that the cow had been eating much more lately and been much more tired and unable to work. She overheard the humans wanting to kill it, but then she noticed that the cow was in fact pregnant. So while the feast was busy, she snuck away and made an area so that the cow could safely give birth in peace. Ikaris would notice that Persephone!Reader is smiling and much more at peace alone, than in a crowded area with tons of laughter and noise. You are worried that Ajak will find out and make you not see the animals anymore, but Ikaris promises you that he will keep your secret, and that he will just tell her that you weren't feeling well. This furthers your connection.

Another one is where there had been a big dispute amongst the humans, and some people are severely hurt. Druig and Ikaris get into a fight about it since it was under Ikaris' order that Druig not engage. Ikaris is impassive and stern and Druig calls him a coward. Persephone!Reader is seeing the fight and asks Ikaris why he wouldn't let Druig stop it, if he can do it, why not let him? Ikaris retorts stating that it isn't their place to settle their disputes, to which Reader states that he should care about the humans, and not be so cruel. Ikaris gets angry and tells reader that it is not his job to justify his reasonings to Druig or anyone else, much less her. So he storms away. A few hours pass, and Ikaris hasn't been seen by anyone, not even Ajak or Sersi. Reader finds him in a hidden area and notices that his face is very tired looking. Reader realizes that she has made a big misjudgement on her part in saying that Ikaris doesn't care, and is very careful in saying she is sorry. Ikaris is still upset and tells her to go away. But Reader just stands there and doesn't move, refusing to leave him alone. She eventually gives him a hug stating that she was wrong and she was sorry, and that she should have known better. This comforts him a lot as he allows the hug. Reader also makes him a wreath of flowers of her appreciation of him as her leader, but mostly as her friend.

I got a ton of scenes planned, so like and/or comment of what you think!

If you are still waiting for my Robb Stark x OC fic! The 3rd chapter will be out soon!

Edit: I reblogged this post to add on some headcanons of an additional Eternal!Reader who is Hecate. Check out the reboot part in Notes to see it!

[theloverscardtarot]

Michael Fassbender General Reading (June 28, 2024)

General Energy

8 of Wands, Justice, Queen of Pents Rev, 4 of cups

Energetic and always in motion. Swift when it comes to projects progressing and events. I wonder if he's a really serious person while working and likes to do the scene, get it right and be done. Positive and proactive approach to life. Shows a lot of integrity and makes decisions based on what is right. He is a fair person who believes in equality. Lives life with moral and ethical principles. He may come off as not very caring or warm. He may focus on material things as opposed to focusing on others around him. He may come off as distant and emotionally blocked off. Not really aware of their surroundings and kind of disinterested. May grapple with feelings of detachment or discontent. Does anybody know if this is something that has been said about him? He seemed a bit quiet and not talkative in interviews.

Love

Ace of Swords, The Emperor, 10 of Cups, 6 of Cups, Page of Wands, 9 of Pents:

AoS: Both parties honor and value honesty and fairness. A strong intellectual connection. That could be what attracted them to each other in the first place. They just "get" each other. Healthy communication. A relationship with positive traits. They may both be air signs. (His wife is gorgeous!)

EMP: Very protective of one another. Unconditional love. Sex is off the charts! He may take pride in being able to provide for this person. "Wants to be the main one and is determined to beat all competition" I wonder if this is significant somehow. They had to fight for each other. I wonder if one or both was "the other person"

10oC: A very balanced and happy family life. Lots of positivity. High sexual attraction. Very fertile. Does he have a lot of kids? (I looked this up after I wrote this and he just had baby no. 2 with his wife a few days before I did this reading 😃)

6oC: Not just lovers but best friends. Love each other unconditionally. Comfortable with each other, probably sharing inside jokes. Something about their person brings out the gentle and innocent side of them. Soul connection.

PoW: One of their children might have been a surprise. They may have moved fast in their relationship or took it very slow. Passion and fiery energy. Bring out the best in each other. Could sit and talk for hours and can't wait to be able to do so. They create beautiful art together. Have they worked together? She may be an actor as well.

9oP: This indicates they are in a very healthy relationship and have been able to maintain their individuality. This card is a sign of values and self worth meaning they have an emotionally healthy relationship. Dedicated to each other. Balance each other out mentally and emotionally.

Damn! Couple goals

Career

Hanged Man, 3 of Wands, Ace of Cups, 8 of Cups, Page of Swords, 2 of Cups, The Empress Rev.

HM: A shift in perspective may be necessary. I'm not sure if he's been doing the same thing so much he is tired of it. A typecast situation maybe. Paitiently await the right opportunity to arise. He may be taking a break and waiting for the right project to come along. Maybe taking some time with his wife and kids.

3oW: Career promotions are possible. New opportunities are headed your way. Put in the effort and success is within your reach. This new adventure will be exciting.

AoC: A new project, business venture or opportunity may awaken your creativity and sense of purpose. Could be at a point in your career where you can use your creativity and intuition to make decisions. Working on something big behind the scenes as well, maybe? About to embark on a new fulfilling journey.

8oC: May feel stuck or stagnant in your current career path and may be seeking something more fullfilling. He may be looking for something more aligned with his values or goals. May feel the need for self discovery and growth and it's time to step out of your comfort zone.

PoS: Take the necessary risks to explore opportunities that align with your interests and passions. New knowledge and skills that can help advance you. It's time to work on communication skills. Why do I feel like that might mean he could do voice over work for something? Narrate something perhaps?

2oC: You may find success forming a partnership or connections of some sort. You don't have to do it alone. Collaboration and mutual support will help you achieve success. It may be beneficial to seek guidance from a mentor or someone that is skilled in this particular aspect of your career.

Empress Rev: May be feeling creatively blocked or facing obstacles in his career. May help him to seek additional training to enhance his skills. May find this in an unconventional way. I can see him doing something off the wall to prepare for a role that he may feel blocked from creatively. I can see him walking around in disguise to see how people view him. Or doing something completely unexpected.

I am not familiar with Michael at all, so if I got anything on point feel free to tell me!!

[mermaidsirennikita]

ARC REVIEW: Pain in the Axe by Daphne Elliott

4/5. Releases 7/22/24.

Vibes: divorced exes, oops baby, LUMBERJACK, small town (it works)

Heat Index: 6.5/10

The Basics:

Chloe is back in town and taking over the Hebert family's lumber company—which means she's now her ex-husband Gus's boss. Which gives her no small amount of satisfaction, given their unresolved tension. This tension explodes into a fiery night together... which wouldn't be a problem. If that fiery night hadn't resulted in a baby.

The Review:

I'm reluctant to read small town romances always, but this one was honestly really, really cute. And quite hot. And it had the kind of interpersonal second chance drama that I eat up like candy.

Chloe and Gus are kind of a classic case of getting married when they're immature and not really fully getting who they are as people. But that doesn't mean they don't have damage—well, mostly Chloe. Gus does have damage (daddy issues galore, we love to see it) but when he realizes he wants Chloe back... He goes for it. And that? Is satisfying.

I know that a lot of people are reluctant to read oops baby plots—understandably, especially now. Admittedly, I don't take issue with them, but I do need them to be well-handled and, in contemporaries especially, aware of realities. Chloe does pretty quickly decide that she's keeping baby, but she's aware of her options. Also? She's pushing forty, is a successful woman who can support a child, and has had eggs on ice for a while. She wants kids. While she's not certain when she makes her decision if Gus will want to be in the kid's life (he does, immediately) she knows he's not a bad guy. Her choice makes sense, emotionally and practically.

Gus is a sweet guy, though not a pushover. I did find his relationship with his dog adorable, I found his enthusiasm for the baby super touching, and I just... liked the dude. Like, he got DOWN, but there was a tenderness about him that appealed to me on a "this guy is husband material" level.

Chloe was kind of the star of the show for me, though. Hard-nosed, a bit "difficult", and ready to wear her standards on her sleeve. She's the kind of heroine I love to see in a contemporary. She doesn't melt for Gus. Even after she's pregnant, she keeps her walls up for a while. She's kind of dealing with the fact that life didn't turn out like she expected (and so is Gus) and that's not easy. But it does make me feel better, and kind of hopeful—I related to her.

I do have some quibbles. I would have moved the actual pregnancy up sooner in the story, as there was a bit of wheel-spinning happening there. You do have a minor crime story on the side, and while it does introduce conflict, I don't know if that conflicted worked perfectly with the main story. That said, however, these were small issues.

The Sex:

The sex reads like two people who used to fuck a lot but haven't in like... twenty years. Like, they're intimate, they know each other, but things have changed—both in terms of their habits and their bodies. I loved that! I also loved that Gus enjoyed going down. A lot.

I will say, the first sex scene kind of cuts off just when they're changing positions, and... I would've liked to see the rest of it.

Overall, this is the kind of small town romance that's light without being insubstantial. It doesn't overwhelm you with side characters, yet you get a sense of the town and its people. And a heroine who truly feels like a real, flawed woman—with a hero who adores her—is always welcome.

Thanks to The Author Agency for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[my-soul-void]

- Nana Mikazuki (Kannushi)

- 14 years at the time of application and 174 after

- She is completely black and white, she wears appropriate clothes. He wears a 20 cm high geta and a yukata with cutouts from the hips on both sides. She is a priestess/The Kannusi are in their village and outwardly strongly resemble their god. He wears a pendant, a symbol of their god.

- Character.

She is straightforward and sometimes unpredictable: at one moment she behaves like a child, touching a cute animal, and at another she maniacally watches a brutal murder or sits emotionally under a tree. She is distrustful of strangers, even if she may not show it outwardly. She takes a responsible approach to tasks, even though she is lazy. He takes care of the village in which he lives and its indigenous inhabitants, throwing aside unnamed tourists and visitors if they are of no use or a group of residents has not stood up for them. She is calculating and greedy, but she knows how to share. When it comes to her religion, she can talk about it for hours, attracting more and more people, and becomes aggressive when slandering her god. If necessary, he wears emotional masks.

- Biography.

She was born in a village that was obsessed with the religion of her own God, and served faithfully in the temple since childhood. Her parents were the same as other residents – believers and working for the benefit of the village. At the age of 14, she was turned into a demon and stayed in a wild state for several months, almost none of the indigenous people died in the village, she instinctively did not touch them, preferring visitors, who were many at that time – the village was famous for an unusual temple, a variety of herbs and numerous root crops. Then she regaled her companions outside the village. After a while, she returned to the village, where she was graciously welcomed, recognizing and accepting her transformation as a gift from God, the favor of their god and her choice as an ambassador of his will. So she became a priestess and the main Kannushi in their village. After that, faith became even stronger, Nana continued to feed on people, but exclusively outsiders or faulty blasphemers, she took care of the village in exchange for God's faith and devotion not only to the village and God, but also to herself. Over time, she began to practice her blood magic and improve regeneration, as it is strongly interconnected with her.

- Height – 140 cm. (with 160 shoes), weight – 44 kg.

- Blood magic.

She is capable of using her blood /body part/ other bio-material to create a monster that completely obeys her. The bigger, smarter and stronger the monster, the more resources it takes to create it.

An omen

Creates living objects with the help of his blood/flesh. The more material is invested, the longer they live (for example, an umbrella, furniture and dishes with eyes and mouths or ears). If they are not disturbed, they do not show their animals

God's Servants

With the help of blood / body parts, he can create monsters, the type and characteristics of which depend on the strength of the creator and the amount of material invested.

God's messengers.

With the help of blood and her severed hand, she will create a huge monster with individual characteristics that will fulfill the set decree. You can defeat him by piercing through the core of his existence, most often it is in the chest, less often in the head, but there are exceptions.

God's blessing

If her blood gets on a living being, if that person's will is weaker than Nana's, she can subdue him. However, the victim can wake up or be brought out of this state, provided that the trigger is affected (with a sufficient level of will) . It is possible that the appearance will also change a little, become less human (depending on the characteristics of the victim and his will), if control disappears, he will return to his normal state

- Weapons.

He wears two simple silver daggers under his clothes for self-defense.

[sammypersaud]

THE BASICS

Name: Samar Persaud.

Nicknames: Sammy, Sam.

Gender: cis Male, He/Him.

Occupation: Sanitation Worker (Garbage Man), Junk Builder.

Age: Thirty-Two.

Birthday: December 15th, 1992.

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius.

Location: Bighorn Hills, Providence Peak, Colorado.

Birthplace: Providence Peak, Colorado.

Orientation: Bisexual, Biromantic.

THE PHYSIQUE

Eye Color: Brown.

Natural Hair Color: Black.

Height: 6′ 0″.

Body Type: Muscular.

Allergies: None.

Dominant Hand: Right.

Tattoos: Probably some kind of dumb tattoo for @ingridlczano (still pending tho).

Piercings: None.

THE INTRODUCTION

Samar Persaud was lucky early in life; born to two loving parents in a single family home in a quiet neighborhood, with a tall tree overlooking their backyard where he spent hot summer evenings pretending to be a rock climber or a knight or an astronaut, feeling free to go as far as his dreams would take him, forever supported by his family. That luck, however, was short-lived when his dad found himself without a job when Sammy was just five years old. Suddenly, the tree that had held his dreams when he couldn’t carry them all turned into his reprieve from a household, spending every moment he could sitting up in its branches so he wouldn't have to be at home, a home broken by a system that had been a set up from the very start. Hours that passed by in the day soon became something he counted with the number of beer cans stacked up in the kitchen, able to spell michelob before he could even spell his own name. His mom attempted to pick the family back up with a part-time job, but it wasn’t enough to stop the once loving home from falling into disrepair, both emotionally and physically. When Samar was old enough, he learned how to use a hammer and a drill and fixed the things his father was too drunk to fix. His fixes weren't perfect and often cobbled together by other things he found laying around, materials he got for free after putting in some work under the table for local hardware stores, and items he found on the side of the road on trash day. Growing up with Ingrid Lozano was enough to keep his sanity. She was his safe place to land when his home grew too much to handle, she was the rock that never budged in his life, the stability he craved from a family that would never be able to give that to him again. They found exactly what they needed in each other, a semblance of a home they never had. Their friendship eventually bled into more and inevitably, they found themselves bouncing from on to off and back again over most arguments that never really meant a thing when it came down to it, yet both were too stubborn to knock it off. They knew a fight never meant forever though, their comfort in one another running far too deep to call their friendship quits. With her support and unsolicited opinions, he eventually purchased a few acres of land in Bighorn Hills with a house that needed more fixes than his childhood home did and a barn that was empty and full of promise, eventually something he filled with the treasures he would find on the side of the street, sitting out for free, during his early morning garbage shifts. He'd take anything he could find home, storing it until he found the right pieces to fit together, and creating something new out of it. He taught himself how to built, weld, and put together the tiniest, most confusing parts of virtually any machine. On Saturdays in the summer, he can be found at the farmer's market with a stall proudly displaying these secondhand pieces he managed to give a new life to.

THE HEADCANONS

Sam has one cat, a giant orange tabby named Poppy, who enjoys roaming his acres of land, will typically live inside during the winter, and will come and go through an open window in the summer. She enjoys lounging in the barn in her cat bed that he made for her while he's working on new furniture pieces. Unsure of what to do with acres of land and having no intention of becoming a farmer (yet), Samar planted a boatload of flowers across an acre and allows whoever to come pick their own flowers, offering a u-pick option or prepicked bouquets in a little stand near the entrance to the field. The only rule is to leave flowers for others and don't harm the bees that may be around the flowers. He still drives a messy, beaten up pick up truck from the early 2000s that used to be his dad's before the man became too far gone to drive it. He repairs it when it needs to be repaired, but it's generally been trusty for most of his life. This man collects vintage Coleman camping items like his life depends on it. Anytime he sees some on the side of the street, it's the holy grail for him. Sam cleans it up, restores whatever is necessary, and it gets to continue to live on during his camping trips. He plays the banjo. 100% serious. He found one on the side of street once with a bunch of free stuff, repaired and refurbished it, and now it's a gorgeous instrument that he plays around campfires and whenever someone asks to hear it (or doesn't, he's a unsolicited banjo player sorry in advance).

[lonelier-version-of-you]

I know when I said a couple of days ago that I'd prefer to see Sahira on Casualty with her original backstory of being Henrik's mentee who met him in the 1990s restored - and the "childhood best friends" retcon completely disregarded - rather than have Henrik turn up there, I was expressing frustration about Henrik's characterisation in the last few years of Holby.

But also, seriously, I actually do believe Sahira moving to Casualty could provide some great material!

In particular, I think Sahira and Stevie could have some really interesting scenes together, considering that they were both victims of emotional abuse from someone in a management position: Henrik for Sahira, Marcus for Stevie. There's a lot of potential for very powerful, emotionally impactful scenes there.

I don't really expect Sahira moving to Casualty to ever happen, but the more I think about it the more I think it should. Initially I thought her switching medical specialities would be a bit contrived, but it would actually be completely understandable for her to want to take a different career path, as a way of putting her trauma behind her - and since she left in 2012, she could easily have a different career by now. And, again, there's so much potential with the parallels between her and Stevie that it would be worth it.