#the kindness and support means a whole lot

[lorddeathofmurdermountain]

Idk I don't really think I need to specify but assuming I'm right it's like this;

Sympathetic - you can sympathize with the decision. Maybe you once made that decision yourself, and are familiar with the consequences. You might not support it, but you have a personal understanding of why someone would do it.

Example: the character is put under a lot of pressure and says something they don't really mean - you don't like it, but you're familiar

Understandable - you can understand why the decision was made. Colloquially it tends to mean you find the choice agreeable, but generally you at least understand the logic behind it and believe the character would and SHOULD have acted in that way, in that situation, based on the character itself.

Example: it's understandable that Zuko (from Avatar: The Last Airbender) would agree with hunting Aang down, as the way he was brought up guaranteed he would focus his trauma in a direction that can "fix" his relationship with his father

Reasonable - the decision has a reasoning behind it that you believe to be sound, one way or the other. Like with the previous words, there's a degree of nuance, as "reasonable" tends to mean you agree with it, but it could just as well mean that the characters internal reasons for doing it are consistent with the story and considered a normal response in-universe

Example: it's normal for a Hunter (from Bloodborne) to kill Beasts - that's what the order was made for - but any regular person would likely struggle to do so when they learn the Beasts are just transformed people. Thus, it's reasonable for a Hunter to Hunt, just like it's reasonable for the regular Yharnamites to hide in their houses and not open the door, no matter what

Objectively the best solution - feelings are irrelevant in this one. It is what it says on the package; we might not like it, the characters might not like it, but at the time it was by far the best solution - not necessarily a good one, but the best one available.

Example: in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC for Elden Ring, the main antagonist is revealed to be Miquella, a character who we don't meet in the main game but who is famous for his intellect, eternal youth (in body and mind) and his extreme charisma, coupled with his Charm, which he's had from birth. Being a kind-hearted child, he always looked for ways to make everyone, and I mean everyone, get along. To help everyone. To do the right thing. In the DLC, he realizes all his efforts thus far were useless, and so turns to a measure generally considered extreme and vile, but to this literal child it only makes sense - if he can become a god, he can use his charm to make everyone get along - by brainwashing the whole world. For some of the characters, it's only practical; if everyone gets along, even if by such means, everyone gets to be happy. No more wars. No more starvation, no more oppression, no more pain and suffering. Miquella promises a thousand year voyage guided by compassion; he can actually deliver on that promise. Alas, the story demands you kill him, and while it does chafe my own morality, I think it would have been interesting if we could join him... Oh well. You can always just get hit by the grab attack twice. That sort of counts, right? Though it only results in a modified "You Died" screen.... Anyway! For the goal of "world peace" it is, by far, indeed the best possible solution ever thought up. People would literally be UNABLE to not get along nicely. It would be an unprecedented age of peace, harmony and love. But it's a solution that, ironically, ignores the most important part to all this: the heart. Forcing people to get along, no matter how much they'll eventually accept it, is wrong and, at its core, false. There is no such thing as a perfect happy ending.

One thing i've run up against when dealing with fandom and characters making less than ideal choices is that people seem to treat a character's decision being sympathetic, the decision being understandable, the decision being reasonable, and it being objectively the best solution for the situation, as synonymous. When those are 4 very different things.

[writing-until-i-drop]

Wildflowers For A Hangman Ch. 19

Summary:

Daisy, a career novelist, moves in with her college best friend Phoenix who has been permanently assigned to Top Gun with Dagger Squad. She finds herself instantly connected with a cocky pilot who's soft only for her and Jake can't help but want to know everything about her. When the past comes knocking at both of their doors, will they stand together or fall apart?

Or: The Dagger Squad can't cook and Jake falls in love with a woman who makes a mean lasagna while they work their personal trauma.

Jake "Hangman" Seresin x writer!femOC | 18+ (eventually) minors dni. Fluff, smut (eventual), idiots in love, past trauma.

A/N: Jake's hiding something and everyone thinks it's a bad idea

AO3 Link

Previous Chapter

Jake had been acting a little bit weird but I figured it was just the thought of spending Christmas without his family, especially since Pop’s surgery was being delayed. I did my best to be silently supportive, spending all the time I could with him. Jason, my agent, had called and said my latest book had been greenlit and the publishing house was looking to have me do a book tour for the release in a year. Jake was excited for me but not excited about the fact I’d be gone for at least two months. But Jason hadn’t just called to give me the good news, no, he had called to see if I had started writing the sequel yet. 

“Cassandra’s getting a love interest?” Jake stage whispered in my ear, I was between his legs on the bed, my back to his chest while I wrote.

“How do you figure?” I leaned back against his chest, relaxing into him. Jake kissed my neck,

“Detective Monroe, he obviously has a thing for Cass,” He pointed at the screen. “He brings her coffee, checks on her after the killer got away, he obviously cares about her.” Huh. He had a point. Detective Monroe was Cassandra’s partner, he had her back and was probably the one person in her life that Cassandra could call a friend. 

“And what makes you think he’s more than just a friend?” I prompted him, wondering what he could see that I couldn’t.

“The way he looks at her and knows what she’s thinking, he pays more attention to her than he should.” It was kind of hot hearing Jake get so riled up about my writing. He had been reading it over my shoulder for the past week, offering his observations and comments, and telling me when I needed to close the laptop and go to bed because I had typed “and” three times in a row while dozing off. “Baby, he’s in love with her.” 

“Isn’t that for me to decide?” I giggled, closing the laptop. Jake huffed,

“Don’t you always say that the characters do what they want?” Again, he had a point. “Whether you like it or not, I think Monroe’s got a crush on his partner.” 

“We’ll see what happens,” I put the laptop on the nightstand, turning so that I was face first in his chest. “How much time do we have until we have to be at Mav’s?” Mav was hosting a team get together at his and Penny’s house and the daggers had insisted that you were included on the guest list, Fanboy had threatened to give you your own embarrassing callsign if you didn’t show up. 

“About an hour, we have a little time, what do you want to do?” He kissed my neck again, massaging my hips with his hands. I hummed, thinking about it. We could do a lot in an hour but we also had to spend time with the whole team for the rest of the evening. I could already feel the exhaustion setting in, I loved the daggers, I did, but that didn’t mean they were exempt from draining my social battery.

“I want…” I reached around blindly for the blanket. Jake chuckled, pulling the blanket over my shoulders, “I want to cuddle until it’s time to get ready and when we do have to get dressed, I want you to tell me it’s okay to wear sleep pants to the party.” 

“I think I can do that, Wildflower,” Jake wrapped his arms around me and I buried my face in his neck. It briefly crossed my mind that I might be a little bit heavy on his chest but that thought quickly faded away as Jake began to hum a song, lulling me to sleep. 

“Matching pajamas, really?” Rooster rolled his eyes, bringing me in for a hug. 

“I think my girl’s onto something, they’re way comfier than jeans,” Jake announced to the room, pulling you out of Rooster’s arms and into his side, arm draped over your shoulder. 

“Dee!” Amelia came around the corner, stealing me away from Jake, her arm looped through mine. “I need advice,” She whispered, “From someone who’s not my mom.” 

“Is this a boy thing?” I whispered back and she nodded, pulling me into the hallway, away from everyone. “I’m not sure I’m the best at relationship advice but I’ll do my best.” Amelia rolled her eyes,

“There’s this guy named Charlie in my math class and he’s super cute.” 

“Like, really cute?” Amelia’s whole face lit up and it warmed my heart. I could see my nieces growing up to be just like her someday, calling me to tell me about their crushes, making me swear up and down not to tell their dad.

“Winter formal is coming up and there’s a tradition that girls ask the guys out,” She was so nervous it was adorable. “I mean, we’re kind of friends, we text but it’s mostly about homework and I don’t know if it’s weird if I ask him to the dance or not.” 

“You said mostly about homework, what else do you talk about?” Her cheeks went pink and she started playing with her hair.

“I mean, we both watch the same show so sometimes we text each other when the new episode airs and talk about what happened.” They were too cute, oh my goodness.

“Then I think it’s a good idea, maybe you can make him a sign or a note with an inside joke or reference to the show?” Amelia perked up,

“That’s perfect! I’m going to go work on that, thanks, Dee!” Amelia gave me a tight hug before running off towards the stairs, giggling the whole way up. I chuckled, making my way to the kitchen to get a drink when I heard Jake and Rooster whispering.

“Have you told her yet?” Rooster asked and I stopped just beyond the doorway, heart thudding in my chest.

“Not yet,” There was a smack, probably Rooster hitting Jake in the chest. “I don’t want to say anything until we know for sure. She’ll cry, hell, I’ll probably cry, and no one wants that.” 

“You’ve got to tell her, the more time she has to prepare, the better. Daisy is an overthinker, you’ll need time to talk her off the ledge.” This was the moment in a movie where everyone is yelling at the screen, telling the main character to stick around and hear the rest of the conversation, and for the first time I understood why they never did. I quietly backed away from the doorway and down the hall, heart feeling like it was going to beat right out of my chest. 

What did Jake have to tell me? And why did Rooster think he was going to have to talk me off a ledge once I found out?

“There you are,” Penny peaked down the hall, smiling. “Amelia find you okay?” 

“Yeah,” I answered softly, clearing my throat, my voice evening out when I responded the second time. “Yeah, I was just about to rejoin the party.” 

“Perfect, let’s get you a drink then.” 

X

Daisy was a little tense, her smile not quite reaching her eyes throughout the night. When I pulled her aside she assured me that we’d talk about it later and to enjoy the party but it was hard to do so when she was sitting on Phoenix’s lap, her head on her shoulder, instead of tucked into my side. 

Maverick pulled me aside when I went to grab a fresh beer, a santa hat on his head.

“I’m guessing you haven’t talked to Daisy yet?” I groaned, first Bradshaw and now Mav.

“How do you know?” 

“Because Penny hasn’t gotten any panicked texts yet and she’s been waiting for them for two days.” I ran a hand over my face, leaning against the counter. Two days. I had been wrestling with the whispers around base and what to tell Daisy. The guys were right, I needed to tell her, but I also didn’t want to burst the happy bubble we had been in since getting back from Texas. 

“Is it so wrong of me not to say anything until we’re certain?” 

“It’s not a bad idea but when she finds out you’ve been holding onto this for a few days, how do you think that’s going to go?” 

“You’ve got a good point, Mav.” He patted my shoulder, passing me to get a new beer,

“Tell her soon, Hangman, that’s an order.”

Taglist: @dizzybee03 @littlezee80 @nervousenemyduck @carolina-on-my-mind03 @mizzzpink @beltzboys2015-blog @writingrose @hookslove1592 @closetspngirl @samanddeaninatrenchcoat @closetspngirl @shanimallina87 @owenniasstars @cevansbaby-dove @caitsymichelle13 @bigstrongblackheart @mrsevans90

Next Chapter

[utdrmv-confession-box]

Transcript: ooh are we talking about reapertale? okay time to bring flowey into it because i was actually thinking about him recently—

first off, unrelated tangent, i think they did chara pretty decently? like, they used to be kind, but they were betrayed by monsterkind, etc etc. i like that, it honestly brings up what i think is a tragically unexplored part of their character. they hate monsterkind in some way for being so nice, and i think that’s why we can drive them to support genocide so quickly. i do think they shouldn’t have been evil right off the bat, of course, but hey! they’re a mythological figure. that stuff happens a lot in mythology, and more importantly it works in tangent to undertale.

flowey, though. god. amnesia does not suit him. they stripped him of character and expected him to still be flowey. it’s illogical. really reflects the early fandom’s perception of flowey and asriel as entirely different people. like being a flower makes you want to kill people or something. smh.

sorry i turned the topic to flowey but like. does he have to be the embodiment of despair. him being obsessed with chara is in-character i guess but he does it in such an out-of-character way. honestly that’s a big problem with every au! they make him a sweet little guy without actually addressing the roots of his canon problems. i mean, that or they make him the living embodiment of evil. they gave him the chara treatment, seriously.

he has so many layers though. it’s hard to fit him into one category. personally i’d make him some kind of pandora’s box thing. like an embodiment of the world’s pestilences where he used to be a closed box. helps highlight that he didn’t change, the box was always there, dying just opened it.

that might not make any sense. but man i’m tired of people making flowey chara’s lapdog. when in genocide he clearly sees himself as a partner in crime, at least until the end. (and then he defies them and ruins the whole killing humanity thing. so.) and don’t even get me started on pacifist. he tries to kill you repeatedly because he thinks you’re chara.

flowey is driven by (platonic!!) love. but it’s not the soft love you see on greeting cards or tv. it’s angry love. aggressive love. he’d do anything for the person he loves. even kill them.

honestly, maybe flowey would work better as a god of love. (yes i headcanon him as aroace but still.) “asriel” is soft, caring love. hugs and kisses and warm blankets and all that. “flowey” is the kind of love that slaps you in the face to get you up in the morning. he’s possessive, angry, passionate.

WHOO this got long.

[hiseyeisonthesparrow]

hi!

im lds too. I mean kinda. my family got shunned by our ward and then stake and its caused a lot of shakiness in my faith. I want to believe and go back but it's so hard when I share my experiences with others and they mitigate my pain and excuse the actions of the men who caused this. Any tips?

Thank you so much for sharing your story with me!

This is going to sound like the opposite of what you are expecting or wanting to hear, but when everyone else in the world seems to have turned their back on you, the most important thing you can do is build your relationship with God and Christ themselves. Sometimes the only people who will fully understand you is the one who created you (God) and the one who felt all the pain and hurt and misery you have experienced, are experiencing, and will ever experience (Jesus).

Going back to the basics of the Gospel has been really important for me -- instead of challenging my faith by trying to understand complex social issues with strong emotions behind them [stuff like queer membership, race in the priesthood, abortion, et cetera], finding things that I know I can believe and trust is important, even if it's as silly or simple as "I believe that some celestial force out there loves me because I was able to buy my favorite shirt before it sold out forever" or "I believe that being in the temple makes me feel peaceful" rather than things I still can't say with confidence like "I know the church is true" or "I believe the nuclear family unit is eternal".

When Covid struck, I was attending a ward in Utah. We kind of absolutely hated it -- after attending multi-cultural, multilanguage wards our whole life, the sudden plainness and overpopulation of Utah wards was so strange to us. Suddenly, lockdowns happened. Church was online and sacrament meetings were held from our home. The year or two we spent doing "home church" -- a weekly Zoom call with our extended family where our cousins would take turns giving talks, and my deacon brother would pass homemade bread to us -- was one of the most spiritually strengthening experience of my life. After Covid restrictions ended, we couldn't go back to our old ward -- none of them would wear masks, and my youngest brother couldn't get vaccinated. We ended up moving our records to a Portuguese branch half an hour north, and it was one of the best decisions we've ever made.

I don't know what your family situation is like. I am not going to pretend like The Power of Christ Can Heal All Intergenerational Trauma. While Christ did help me learn to love my parents and understand their perspective, it did not take away the fact that they did not support me through my most difficult times. But I will say this: if there is anything you can do to possibly come closer to your family, do it. This is a hard experience for all of you, I can imagine. If there is a way you can strengthen each others' testimonies, it will be unimaginably helpful. Finding others who understand the hardships you are going through is one of the best ways to get through it, and it's really convenient if those people have a) known you your whole life, and b) live with you. It may not work. They may never support you or understand your pain. But try.

Instead of turning to hate those who have hurt you, make an effort to focus your energy on the things of the Gospel that make you feel joy. Making death threats to Dallin H. Oaks will never be as helpful as being a good example for those around you, or learning to love Christ's gospel. It will be one of the hardest things you will ever do. But to quote Yoda, "Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering" -- for all parties involved. Allow yourself time to grieve, to be angry, to feel hurt. But simultaneously let those feelings be washed away in time by the healing power of the atonement.

If you ever feel alone or unloved by Christ or far from salvation, you are wrong. There are armies here and on the other side of the veil to bring you back to Him. Some of the strongest testimonies I've ever encountered have been here on Tumblr, by people with backgrounds similar to mine. We are here to help you. That's what being Christ's disciple entails -- helping others. Queerstake and Tumblrstake are here for you. I am here for you. Christ is here for you. Reach out with questions about your faith -- we love to answer them.

(Also if there's an opportunity to sneak into another ward or stake's church services, do it. You don't owe anyone an explanation of who you are or why you're there)

Thank you so much for your ask! I hope I answered the question well enough -- if anyone else has anything they think would be helpful, please share it!!

[ofmdrecaps]

11/01-02/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; David Jenkins; Rhys Darby; Darby Foster Kittens; Taika Waititi; Kristian Nairn; Vico Ortiz; Nathan Foad; Samba Schutte; Leslie Jones Guz Khan; Anapela Polataivao; Erroll Shand; Adam Stein; Boris McGiver; NSFW: "DILF Awards"; Fan Spotlight: BabyKittenTeach; Love Notes;

= David Jenkins =

David's been reposting more fan tweets! This time this lovely cloud that absolutely DOES look like our boys.

Source: David Jenkins Twitter

Also too, David answers the hard questions, and yes, I agree, definitely 'Boy'!

Source: David Jenkins Twitter

= Rhys Darby =

New Full length episode of The Cryptid Factor (Episode 99!)! You can access it on The Cryptid Factor Patreon

The Cryptid Factor Patreon

= Darby Foster Kittens =

Apparently Bumbles and the Dog are literally breaking the Darby Foster kittens out of their room and then they're all breaking into the food.

Source: Rosie's Instagram

Source: Rosie's Instagram

= Taika Waititi =

Our friends over at @adoptourcrew brought this great article to everyone's attention! Agreed! It is VERY natural looking and good god is he hot in it! The wig department deserved an Emmy.

Source: Adopt Our Crew's Twitter

= Kristian Nairn =

Kristian's on his way back home!

Source: Kristian's Instagram

= Samba Schutte =

More halloween Shenanigans from Samba!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Samba Schutte (@sambaschutte)

Source: Samba's Instagram

Are you going to be attending Samba's class on Saturday the 9th? If so, Momentus has sent out the recipe list! If you didn't get it for some reason, reach out, I got you!

Source: Samba's Instagram

= Nathan Foad =

Nathan reminiscing about Lucius and then showing us his gorgeous mug for today!

Source: Nathan Foad's Instagram

= Leslie Jones =

Leslie is going to be LIVE in Los Angeles on Nov 6th! Get tickets here!

Source: Leslie Jones Instagram

= Vico Ortiz =

Some fun from October with Vico!

Source: Vico's Instagram

= Anapela Polataivao =

More Auntie at the Pacific Institute of Performing Arts!

Source: Gaby Solomona Instagram

= Guz Khan =

Guz out in Instanbul!

Source: Instagram

= Erroll Shand =

Our Prince Ricky, Erroll Shand's show 'One Night' will be streaming on Netflix starting this month in Australia!

Source: Screenmedia_NSW Instagram

= Adam Stein =

One of our beloved writers, Adam Stein is in a production of Waiting for Godot at the Geffen Playhouse, Los Angeles. Nov 6 thru Dec 15 2024!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Geffen Playhouse (@geffenplayhouse)

Source: Adam Stein Instagram

= Boris McGiver =

Father Bonnet has some BTS of his show Teacup, finally getting to see him smile-- it's so lovely!

Source: Instagram

== "DILF" Awards" ==

Well, apparently the "DILF archive" results that were going on, really left many of our crew frustrated with where our dear cast fell. Seven_sugars on twitter has rectified that issue and was kind enough to make some Our Flag Means DILF awards for our various D's out there!

Source: Ashley (Seven_Sugars) Twitter

== Fan Spotlight ==

= babykittenteach =

Idk if you've see it yet but there's an ADORABLE picrew that our dear @babykittenteach created, where you can make some pretty fantastic Ed picrews! I had such a blast with them-- it's so cute and fun, and thank you dear for sharing it with us all!

https://www.tumblr.com/babykittenteach/766039915755683840/hi-i-made-an-ed-picrew-and-you-can-play-with-it?source=share

Source: BabyKittenTeach's Tumblr

== Love Notes ==

Hey there lovelies. I wasn't sure if I was going to get these done in time tonight... what with how behind I am. I know that a lot of us are all very worried about what's going on in the world, and specific in the US with the presidential elections about to happen. No matter what the results are, I know it doesn't just affect the U.S., it affects the whole planet. So many of our crewmates from around the world have been sending support and love, and I'm so very thankful to have the honor of knowing you all. Just remember, that no matter what happens tomorrow the 5th, you all are just as strong, and resilient and beautiful as you were yesterday. We are going to make it through whatever happens. Remember to lean on your crew if you need help, we're here okay? We are stronger in numbers, and we care about you <3 Additional love note tonight from our friend @illustoryart with Nadja!

Source: @illustoryart's Instagram

[scoops-aboy86]

You know what? You know who else loves that ‘doing co-dependent stuff but they’re not even dating, they should totally date’ shit?

Dustin. He’s just looking at Steve and Robin instead of Steve and Eddie.

So imagine one day he sits Steve down like, “Steve. Buddy. Longest of my older male friends.”

“It’s so weird that you call me that man, stop it.”

“Whatever, just listen to me.” And proceeds to go on a long, winding lecture about how when you spend all your time with someone, finish each other’s sentences, honestly seem to read each other’s minds half the time, that means something. He doesn’t mention Robin’s name because he knows Steve will shut him down the second he does, like always, so he keeps it general.

And he’s so damn pleased when a startled ��oh’ of realization crosses Steve’s face because finally!! Progress!!

The next day, Steve is particularly antsy when he picks Dustin and the rest of the party up for a ride to Hellfire at Eddie’s new place. Dustin figures he's still hyping himself up to ask Robin out, so he makes sure to tell Steve all kind of supportive things, reassuring him that he looks good and he’s got this—to the point where Lucas and Mike keep giving him weird looks, but they wouldn’t understand, this is brother-to-brother stuff and all they have is sisters.

When they get to Eddie’s place Steve parks and comes in with them, which is a first. But Dustin knows that he and Eddie have been hanging out a lot lately, which is great! He probably wants an additional pep talk from his friend, and Eddie is great at getting people hyped up. Like, when Steve took them all to see Corroded Coffin play at the hideout a few weeks ago? Even Steve had been into it, let Eddie try and teach him how to head bang after the show and everything—and he doesn’t even like metal. So Steve asks Eddie if they can talk in the kitchen for a sec, and Dustin grins and flashes him a thumbs up.

And, you know, Dustin really feels like he has a part in this conversation, since the whole thing was his idea. He puts his stuff down at the table and only gets into a brief argument with Gareth about where they left off last week and what they should do next before trotting off towards the kitchen with the excuse of grabbing a soda.

He did not expect to walk in on his two favorite older male friends making out against the pantry. (… Okay maybe Steve is right, that does sound weird and he probably should stop calling them that, but that’s not the issue right now.)

They break apart just long enough for Eddie to pant, “Hey, Henderson… fucking thank you, man.”

Steve looks over his shoulder and shoots Dustin a happy grin. Like, the happiest Dustin has ever seen him look, ever. “Yeah, I never would’ve put two and two together without you, buddy. Now… get out.”

“This is great and all,” Dustin says, “but what about our game?”

“Out,” Steve repeats, while at the same time Eddie says, “Give me ten… fifteen minutes. And close the door behind you!”

So that’s a development. And, in retrospect… Dustin can see it.

They kind of make more sense together than Steve and Robin even, considering those two bicker like Mike does with Nancy while Steve and Eddie’s back and forth has always been like… Dustin doesn’t know, but some sort of something. An energy. A vibe. Maybe like that electricity Steve had been talking about, the first time they’d really talked back while looking for Dart.

… Whatever, Dustin is still claiming matchmaker bragging rights as soon as everyone else knows. For now, he has to go back to the game table and spin a worthy cover story to his compatriots about why dnd is going to start a little late.

you know what...my favorite steddie trope is actually "they aren't even dating...yet". love seeing the most ridiculous, homoerotic, and codependent shit slapped together in two sentences and then followed by they're not even dating. i eat it up every time, keep doing that shit🙌

[allylikethecat]

⋆˚࿔ october prompts 𝜗𝜚˚⋆

Hiiii Happy Tuesday! No chaptered fic update today because conference but I am very pleased that I once again managed to get this one written during session breaks! It's a little all over the place because I wrote it very quickly during the session breaks BUT I got it written and now I am posting it and for this little exercise that is what matters! Thank you so much to everyone who has read any of these little prompt fills or any of my other works. I greatly appreciate it!

¹⁵⁾ a lone silver earring

If it wasn’t for a lone silver earring, a small hoop, found twisted in the bedsheets, George wouldn’t have believed the night before had really happened. He would have believed it to be a wet fever dream, a drunken desperate attempt from his memory to remind him what he had lost. 

But he and Matty had stumbled through the entryway. They had giggled as Matty tripped over his own feet going up the stairs. He had pushed George into the bedroom before throwing himself down onto the bed next to him, then crawled on top of him. They had pressed their lips pressed together as Matty tried to bring them impossibly closer, acting as if he tried hard enough he could burrow into George’s skin. He bit and licked at George’s lips like he wanted to devour him, like doing so would bring him some kind of salvation. George’s fingers were fisted in his hair like he didn’t want to ever let him go. They didn’t do that anymore, but as Matty buried his face in his neck, his breath erratic and desperate, George couldn’t remember why they had stopped. 

The next morning Matty was gone, and George couldn’t even find a trace of his scent on the sheets, the clothes dumped on the floor collected as he left during the midnight hours, a thief escaping in the night with George’s heart in his rucksack. If it wasn’t for the earring, found when George had gotten up and stripped the bed, he never would have believed it had happened, again, instead believing it to be a figment of his imagination, a desperate dream for what they once had and what they could have been again. He’s not sure if he had been changing the sheets to erase what had happened, or because he was searching for proof that it had been real. George wasn’t sure which would have hurt more, Matty having been there and gone, or Matty having never been there at all. 

George knew that it had been toxic, when they had tried it for real and that any time they tumbled into bed together, it was with that same air of toxicity. They had been too young, and had burned too bright, Matty deep in the throngs of addiction and George tangled in the binds of anxiety. George picked up the earring, the small silver hoop. Matty had been wearing it for the last few years, their fans cheekily calling it his slut hoop. George wondered what the implications of him losing his slut hoop in the bed of a drunken hook up. Because as much as George hated it, that is all that he was to Matty, a drunken hookup before he went back to the home he shared with her. George hated how much he liked her, he hated how good they were for each other almost as much as he hated his inability to stay away. 

They were getting older and as George raised his fingers to touch his lips, bruised and swollen from being crushed against Matty’s own, he wondered if there would ever be a them again. He wondered if he wanted there to be, or if it would hurt less for it to be over for real. 

Day: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |

[beanghostprincess]

I need your brain to help pick apart a thought that I had in mind. What would happen if Shuggy was raised with the Whitebeard pirates? Idk what their rules are about carrying around kids in the seas but let's say they don't get docked onto the nearest island (i mean marco is in there too so)

Would Buggy be different? I think a big part of why he's insecure and why he's a "coward" is because he's standing on the shoulders of giants, he's part of the best crews of the seas and yet they expect him to be a monster like everyone else is in that ship, but in reality what if he just wants to go on adventures and get treasures without the need to sacrifice his limb and life for it? I love the Rogers pirates, and would love to believe in my heart of hearts that Buggy is as equally loved as Shanks but man, thinking about their flashback and seeing how Shanks gets the hat, and Shanks is praised by Roger and Crew, I don't think they completely understood the emotional side of how to raise children.

Which leads me to believe that Whitebeard probably knew better than Rogers and Rayleigh in that regard, he's got like so many found family kids and they're all willing to go to bat and die for their dad, and with Whitebeard wanting a family and calling his children his treasure, I think he'd be more sensitive about the feelings of his children. I think Whitebeard would help buggy understand how he differs from Shanks, but that does not make him inferior. He would probably encourage Buggy with all his inventions and bombs and slight of hand tricks.

Would Buggy also feel less alone because he sees other people in the crew who are also Whitebeard's children, and therefore he has brothers? Would he consider them family?

I haven't thought ahead with how much Shanks would change under Whitebeard, but I doubt it would change. Shanks is still star-pupil shanks, but this time instead of the crew praising him like Uncles to a nephew, it's adopted big brothers to a prodigy (also I brainrot buggy more but I think there can't be buggy without shanks and vice-versa, so they are a Do Not Separate pair)

Maybe it's just me desperately wanting buggy to have a father figure who loves him. My heart wants to believe Rogers and Rayleigh was that for him, but the manga chapters really doesn't show much about them giving him that attention, so I naturally drifted to the Dad Pirate of the Series, Whitebeard.

Thoughts?

You have a point, actually! I mean, imo, I've always thought (or liked to think) that Roger and Rayleigh loved Shanks and Buggy equally. They just treated them differently because they do have different personalities, after all. As somebody who understands Buggy's POV a lot, I think we shouldn't have to take it as the only, pure reality of all. We basically just have his POV on this situation and of course, for him, Shanks is going to be the favorite and he is going to be treated unfairly. I think most of that perception comes from his inferiority complex toward Shanks. Because yes, he was obviously the star-pupil and did get the hat and it's understandable that Buggy feels inferior. But that is not the whole truth and I don't think everything is Roger and Rayleigh's fault because of their way of raising them. I think that no matter the crew, Buggy would have still felt at least a bit of resentment and jealousy when it comes to Shanks. Shanks is just that type of person.

HOWEVER! You do have a point and it is that the Whitebeard pirates are way more family-focused and they seem to want to get the best of everybody individually. The reason why Whitebeard is so loved by his crew isn't really because of his power but because he gives them a place to belong and grow up. Roger's crew is a family too but as you said, they're giants and of course, Buggy is going to feel like a little bug in comparison if they expect him to be the same and praise Shanks for just existing when Buggy has to actually work to be seen that way.

I think these two being in that crew would've changed their personalities a bit. Buggy being more confident in himself and being raised with positive reinforcement and an environment that is actually a family would've been good for him and his self-esteem. His personality would clash with Shanks' a lot still, but you know, that's just how they are. Also, Shanks I think would be the same except that his need to please/save people would not be that strong since he doesn't have the responsibility of the world on his shoulders and no hat to deal with.

Don't get me wrong, maybe the break up would still happen. It would certainly happen, actually. Of course Roger's death wouldn't be the same for them in this context because originally he is basically their dad, and they don't have a crew to go back to and that fact adds more layers to their fight, but Buggy would still be ambitious and want to go for the One Piece, and Shanks would want to wait. And I think that no matter the context they're both stubborn and emotional and refuse to talk things out. Although maybe being with Whitebeard would help them in that context but, you know, I think Shanks and Buggy are the type of duo that NEED to break up for them to work later on in the story.

This whole AU has a lot of unsolved questions like-- Buggy's fruit and whether they'd like to leave the crew or not etc etc. But. I think the point here is more about their dynamic, right? I think they'd be more emotionally stable after all. Maybe they're more open about their issues too, and Buggy probably wouldn't have the "he made me eat the fruit and lost my map" excuse to hate Shanks. I think the big change here would be Buggy actually being dangerous and using his full potential instead of holding back. That is... Worrying. I love him.

[marsixm]

i dont rly ever acknowledge it outside of the moment but man so much of my job rly is just emotionally supporting a ton of my coworkers and im happy to be there for them but sometimes i wish it wasnt only me. idk. i dont rly have a point just reflecting

[a-hazbin-spider]

Angel might know a thing or two about manipulation, there really was no way around it when the whole ‘honest work’ thing didn’t get him shit. Not only that, but the entirety of his resume- or so he’ll call it, was built on crime. Even fronting with selling other things, of learning the languages and the ideals of those around him- the useful everyday shit, had millions of dirty tricks and falsehoods that they would be used for. Even good things, like knowing how to fix someone up- that on its flip side meant knowing where to deal the most damage, or the most pain.

He sure as hell knows what those things felt like. And more often than not, some words could offer a hell of a lot of help to avoid the worst of it. All the time? Not quite, but it was like having tools. Making someone slip up, making them feel powerful and special, getting a rise- upping his value, pull people in and what he probably liked most of all: push people away too. His opponent in that mind game this time was Alastor though. Maybe if he’d had success, he would either be a heap somewhere up the stairs, or perhaps a carcass by now. For once he can just be grateful, and relax.

Through this, Angel had gotten to know a bit more about Alastor, the man was still sketchy, but- whatever, he can’t say he wasn’t, it was kind of nice to make a connection if he needed to be begrudgingly honest, he’d even gotten an invitation to dance. With that fresh in his head, perhaps in passing out, he might have a chance at something restful, maybe he’d dream of something nice. Nice like the genuine words Angel is still nearly awed to hear. That had been a pattern here, each kindness making for quite the pleasant surprise. Sure he agreed to do something at a later date, that never meant the sweet things would continue. So he’ll allow himself to enjoy that. Much like he is going to enjoy laying down without any fucking involved for the rest of the night at least.

When a hand is offered to him, he seems to take a moment to figure out how he’d go about it. He had remembered enough of Alastor’s inherent dislike of touch, and how previously the whole walking thing seemed to be an inconvenience. What was he again? An invalid? He didn’t really like the thought. But, in general he hated being a weak link, a burden. He was going to hate that part anyhow.

Alastor is quick to ease his seconds of half baked thought, giving him permissions and what one could take as caring- if a wish for anything but his downfall (literal in this case) counted. Which, he doesn’t really read into it too deeply aside from appreciation for his body having ensured safety. Maybe the sweeter contact was doing things for him too, but he’d rather stick a gun in his mouth than unpack that bag of gummiworms.

His body is careful with how he takes the support, sure he is- really a slight fellow, but that didn’t mean he wanted to be dead weight. Alastor’s body was a gracious support, though, comfortable and safe, his state of being was too weak still to do things himself. Or- walk without doing what Alastor feared he might do. Better now than before, sufficiently drugged and head a little lighter on his shoulders. For whatever reason, the pill or otherwise- he feels fuzzy, not even in a bad way.

“Thank you.” Wrapping his arms around the stag was treated like a delicate task, but he still responds upon getting a bit of a grip. It feels like he’s said it a million times, parroting it. But, it is easier to do when he’s a little less miserable. Plus, Alastor is yet to call him repulsive, or insult him, tell him to burn the shirt when it was said and done- he didn’t need to steal this shirt to cover himself either. It’s just been plenty of help without any push for him to do anything as it were. He almost feels a little drunk like this, and pleasantly not sick.

“I’ll still take care of em.” He mumbles soft against a shoulder. “They’re cozy. N’ smell nice. You took care of me too. Least I c’n do.” Usually his words don’t slide out like that, his obligations don’t go far past saying he’s got to perform, or begrudgingly needs to join an activity, things like that. His walls need a bit of rebuilding like the rest of him. There aren’t many more words he had to spew, mostly a few grunts any time he’d lost his footing.

Snort..! The truthfulness regarding the buttering up, rings too many bells on Angel’s end. It’s kind of funny though, he can admit, especially when they try to flatter! Such a mess it can be! Even Cherri, she sure likes to bribe or push the envelope far as she can so she can convince him to see it her way. Not that it was all bad really. Just. Well, it can get to be a bit much, especially when he just wants to rest after getting his shit kicked in.

C’est la vie, what can you do, though. There was a certain push and pull, like a scry in a way. Flows to things that could be better just to give in to and let the current push him. Angel is a fighter, a scrappy bastard to boot, actually. Yet he still wears down. Takes an ‘easy’ way out.

A low tone responds in kind to the information, verbal affirmative grunts to let him know that he’s listening, even if it might’ve looked like he was sinking closer to sleep. He really did hold interest, as much of an apathetic or flippant type he might seem to be, bits and pieces of information like that, those were held with a higher regard. Maybe Alastor can immediately catch it on him, how he really wasn’t too educated, but until Angel heard it, he never really gave it thought. And now that he had it, his brain would hold onto these things however it could!

“I… hear it. Yeh, you got a kinda…” one of his hands clicks his fingers fruitlessly for a moment. “Diction. To all ya words. Sound tha part of all them things ya are. All schooled, an’ concise. Bookish. Bright. Not that I mind not needin’ to buy a radio an’ wait for a timeslot to listen.”

The smile on his face may in fact be a bit of a sluggish one, but he still seems to find humor in Alastor’s small joke. Mentioning that he isn’t seen as quite the type though- that does take him in a little shock. Sometimes he forgets just how modern and especially distant from their era he seems to be. Not bad, just a bit of a reminder. As himself, the time he lived, where he lived, how he lived? Yeah, it sucked, it sucked major ass. But, parts of him still clung to some of the better things like a goddamn cocklebur. Such as the musicians Alastor mentioned. Or horror novels he could sound his way through.

“I don’t?” His head cocks the opposite direction to mimic the response and reflect the almost playful curiosity. Wondering more now of what Alastor thought of him.

“I s’pose some of it is bein’ product of my time, but tha rest is cuz they’s- they’s really pleasant. I always had a soft spot of it.”

Oh, wait- was Alastor offering to take him dancing..? The softer look of a pleasant shock can’t be hidden, it makes him feel almost like he could be one of those bashful teens receiving an invite for the first time. Had… anyone ever asked him to dance like this..?

He was far too drawn by the kind to be upset about any of the persistence on the ‘proper’ comment. “Ya mean that, huh? I think I’d like that, Alastor. I’d like t’do a lil bit of dancin’ with ya. I don’t think I could refuse a deal like that, s’ a compellin’ offer.”

His head bobs a little, keeping it up as it were wasn’t impossible, but evidently going through the wringer might grant him the impossible feat of sleep sooner than later. Likely a good thing, it isn’t typical that he can ever feel quite safe as he does now. Could be the layers of exhaustion helping out, but the care he’d experienced here- having his needs finally met so comfortably- that lowered his guard as if it were easy. And in truth, it feels like pulling teeth trying to take down any walls.

“Mmh, such a gentleman. Sounds like a good nap, I don’t think I’ll get that long, but. I. I really could… use some rest. Still, I feel lot better.” One hand raises up to rub blearily at his eyes while something is muttered about keeping the clothes clean, hard to totally translate in the yawning slur of words he had there.

“I’ll… yeah. Would ya? By- by t’morrow I shouldn’t be so… tricky. I c’n bounce back..!” Though he wasn’t sure how much of his garbled words were for Alastor or just for his own kind of reminder. He would need to be a little speedy, it was often expected of him. Still he’d almost seen to double dying again, Alastor saw that much. When that shit happens, he may as well be dead to the world for a week. Sometimes he almost thinks it’d be worth it for a break.

[holocene-sims]

a sneak peek for an upcoming (timeline tbd) update 😊

[ethasthrala]

absolute standout for episode 7 has to be the relationship between kit and elora <3 the way they are each other’s mirrors, they need each other to become who they have always known they were meant to be, against every lie that has told them that they cannot.

”Nothing I’ve ever wanted has come naturally to me.” ”What did you want?” ”To be brave, and loved, and to not be a princess.” ”It’s funny, I sort of did.”

they always knew, but they needed each other to realise it. kit needed elora to become brave enough to be honest, vulnerable, to love. elora needed kit to become brave enough to be confident, convicted, to truly believe in herself and in the power of magic that is good and true.

”You’re afraid, so am I. But you know what? My fear, it doesn’t get to decide. It doesn’t get to define me. I’m not giving it the power, I’m giving it to you. I have never believed in anything, my whole life, I believe in you.”

LOVE AND COURAGE THROUGH FRIENDSHIP FOREVER AND ALWAYS <3

[contagious-watermelon]

It's interesting to me that understandings of transsexuality have been almost exclusively filtered through the lens of queerness and the social aspects of gender. In other words, that the "T" was added to "LGBT." I've thought for a while that in a lot of cases, transness — and specifically dysphoria — makes a lot more sense when analyzed through the lens of disability rather than through queerness. (Personally I see it as being at the intersection between those things.)

I think that a theory of transsexuality would be incomplete without taking into account the societal aspects of gender, yes, but it seems to be similarly incomplete in the popular understanding of it.

I've seen a lot of discussion in the stuff I've read by disabled people about the contention between being objectively harmed or, well, disabled, by your disability, but still wanting to be proud of it or finding identity in it regardless. A lot of autistic communities, I've noticed, talk a lot about the fact that being autistic is difficult; it's made worse by other people's reactions to it, but it still is hard on its own (e.g. auditory overstimulation); yet people still can say that they'd rather be autistic than not. Or they may say they wish they weren't, but that they've come to terms with it because it's not exactly changeable.

Point is, there's open discussion about the differences between inherent challenges to your disability regardless of society, the ways which ableism makes things more difficult, and the contention of finding identity and community in your disability despite that. (And I use autism as an example because I'm autistic; I don't want to speak for, say, a physically disabled community as I'm able-bodied. But I have seen similar discussions there as well.)

The trans community, as I've seen, doesn't really have that. We're polarized between the extremely self-hating people who think that being trans is a curse and that people who like being trans are just fakers co-opting transness, and the toxically positive contingent who refuse to engage with the fact that sometimes dysphoria really does just hurt. And also that transphobia exists.

There's also the fact that in many ways, dysphoria is actually disabling. It isn't for everyone, and part of the problem is that transness as a concept covers so many things that analyzing it through just one lens will always be incomplete, but for me at least it caused me a lot of depression and dissociation, and made it difficult-to-impossible to interact with other people or function at my classes. Back before I medically transitioned, I related a lot to some descriptions by disabled people about their chronic pain, because my dysphoria effectively was chronic psychological pain. I don't want to say it's the same thing, because obviously I've only experienced one of those things, and dysphoria has a treatment while many (all?) chronic illnesses don't, but nevertheless it was a comforting lens to think of my dysphoria through in the time before I got top surgery.

Also of note is the way both our communities are treated by the medical establishment. I've heard many horror stories by disabled people of how doctors simply refuse to diagnose them or give them issues with their meds. Trans people obviously also have to deal with the shit that doctors put out in order to get access to HRT and any necessary surgeries. People deride HRT, saying that we shouldn't take it because it'll "make you a medical patient for life." People act like mental pain isn't real — calling depression fake, acting like because things like fibromyalgia aren't "real pain" that it shouldn't bother you so much, etc. — and that extends too into the way they dismiss the pain of gender dysphoria.

So, I don't really understand why the trans community has taken so many pains to disavow themselves from being considered even remotely similar to disabled people. I know that the common refrain, "we're not mentally ill!" is meant to combat the idea that we're deluded into thinking that we're a "different gender" than we really are, but the effect is throwing actually mentally ill trans people under the bus. The insistence that there's no way that dysphoria should be considered a disorder because there's nothing wrong with us — I just think that we could take a hint or two from the way that disabled people theorize about this subject.

[coquelicoq]

wow. they weren't lying that 19 portland mayoral candidates sure can underwhelming

[neganium]

hh tags are still broken and it's makin me irritable for sure. I can't tell if it's the updated unfucker that's doin it, since it still seems to be a problem even if I turn it off. maybe some kinda conflict with the userstyle? dunno...

[phagodyke]

ykw actually I am angry + disappointed w them. I've been pushing how I feel aside and trying to make it my own fault so it's all contained but I think theyve just been mean. and they really should know me better ik I try to pretend I don't expect more from them so I feel less hurt when they do things that upset me but we've been friends for years by this point. like come on.