#the problem is they don't want to learn from older community members

[cripple-kin]

I think

"You need to let new people learn and grow and make as many mistakes as they do because they'll never actually find themselves or be comfortable with a community like ours if we don't lend a helping paw"

And

"older members of the community have a right to be angry at younger members when they shame, water down, or overall push out certain things and people of the community who/which are harmless"

Are ideas that coexist

[hothammies]

morning hug - apoc au relationship details under the cut!

--- mike and will's (+ the og party's) background:

is it mike and will if they aren't childhood besties? their moms were friends before the infection hit and they saw each other occasionally before the apocalypse

after the apocalypse, they lived in the same walled community with their families and stuck together for a long time! from ages 4 to 7, they were basically each other's only friends until lucas came around at age 8 and dustin came around at age 9

the boys were separated from their families because a neighboring group attacked, effectively destroying the community (more on that another time)

this is when the og party learned to live and survive with each other!

in this au -> mike fell first, will fell harder :)

just friends... with benefits:

are able to talk about anything and everything

each other's closest relationship out of the party -> used to rely on each other emotionally (much more strained after they started doing fwb)

tentative fwb - usually only engage in benefits after they've had a bad day or are really stressed out

things feel normal when they're together and the morning after but then they give each other the cold shoulder...

mike has started making a habit of ensuring that there's a buffer person between the two of them when he assigns jobs (cannot handle the tension)

are currently -> avoiding each other + the other party members have noticed (they don't know ab the two of them)

what is their problem?

mike is scared of being committed to each other because he's seen what happens to people (his mom, rip ted LOL) who have lost their partners. he doesn't want that to happen to him or will were one of them to die.

he's also afraid of the possibility that a relationship between the two of them could affect the party's whole group dynamic and set things off, because he's more worried about their survival then he is about his own feelings towards will.

he loves will so unbelievably much that it hurts, and the idea of getting even closer to will and suddenly losing him hurts even more, so he keeps his distance.

-

will is most afraid of losing mike and the group were he to ask him to take their feelings any further. he's seen how devoted mike is to the group and to him, but he doesn't know if there's a limit to what mike is willing to tolerate from him.

he doesn't want to take the risk of alienating either of them, and he cherishes his relationship with mike so much that he's willing to go along with what mike is doing, which is straining their friendship.

will is a natural giver. if all mike wants is a fwb relationship even if he wants more, than he'll give it to him, even if it's tearing him apart on the inside :') he doesn't know if mike loves him back, so will is emotionally torn up from the distance that this is creating btwn them.

---

other notes: fwb byler is a really interesting dynamic to explore, especially in this apocalypse setting - by the point in the story that they become fwb, they're 17 and they don't really have any clue about what they're doing. most of their clues about intimate relationships stem from old magazines from a while back (that don't say anything about gay relationships) as well as what their older siblings taught them when they were 12, which highlighted the emotional aspect and not the physical aspect.

mike and will know that something within their relationship has fundamentally changed, and they have no idea how to handle it. however, they know that they can experiment and relieve tension with each other safely, but are also extremely conflicted on how they present themselves to each other outside of their experimenting and to the party.

heteronormative societal pressure is not a conflict in this story (at least, not yet) - they don't live with anyone else except the other party members for the time being. their only conflict has to do with them both being scared of losing the other. they live in a world where anyone can die so quickly, so they don't want to fuck up what they have :'D mike wheeler is the king of being unable to process his romantic feelings properly and will byers is the king of completely repressing his emotions! they're perfect for each other!

both of them are the equivalent of shaken up soda bottles with mints inside them, ready to explode (the mints are them being friends with benefits)

[faeryarchives]

heartslabyul with a furina-like female reader! the "regina of all waters, kindreds, peoples and laws" is deeply loved by all. under her flamboyant and imprudent facade, lies a girl holding an unbearable weight and guilt on her shoulders to save her people. note: contains major spoilers about fontaine story quests (you have been warned) !! furina - like female reader series: savanaclaw recent fics: you feel like home & octavinelle with a fischl like female reader! & i'm not jealous !! (savanaclaw x gn!reader)

-‘๑’- riddle rosehearts

"who are you people? and why are you all dressed suspiciously? no, don't come near me, i am warning you!" "calm dow- where did these water familiars came from?!" "stay back i said!"

riddle was taken aback by your sudden behavior and your ability to wield a sword as well as commanding your familiar like it's your second nature! but weapons are still not allowed on school grounds 🤬

after the incident, riddle thought he wouldn't interact with you again when somehow manage your way to the dorm and stepped in when he was about to collar his dorm mates

"i don't think it's appropriate for you to chain your subjects like prisoners, mr. riddle. that is not a proper way of to rule." "don't stand in my way, what do you know about ruling?!" "... you have no idea."

and you proved him so wrong after overhearing your conversation with your heartslabyul friends. it's not like he intended to eavesdrop but it just happened that he was passing by

"after 500 years of acting on stage - i am finally free to live as a normal human again without the need to act as a strong and more god-like version of myself. but the problem is, i don't know where to start."

riddle made it his mission to always make you feel welcomed in the heartslabyul dorm and gradually became close friends with you

who knew that the two of you are similar to each other? from ruling over a community to having tea parties and your love for sweets

"riddle, you can enjoy sweets as much as you want. you dont need to follow such suffocating rules." "...what a pleasant surprise, truly an extra slice of joy."

believe it when i say he is very fond of your salon members and even went out his way to always give them a proper greeting and send them invitations for the unbirthday parties.

it was like he is healing his inner child along with you + very comfortable to the point that he doesn't even hesitate to ask you for advice 🫡 rather than an older sister you were like his twin

-‘๑’- trey clover

it is bad to have favoritism but trey clover took the cake immediately after watching him bake the most delicious cake you ever tasted

sorry to all fontaine patissier or fontaine in general but maybe you might as well stay in this world ... kidding 🧍🏻‍♀️

out of everyone you met, trey's firs impression was the second best (kalim being first for obvious reasons) he was like your dear friend who adores tea time but more laid back verion of them

"what a rich aroma and delicate texture... i didn't expect you to be such an accomplished cook... with refined taste, as well!" "a compliment from the regina herself is such a worthy praise for someone like me." "nonsense, trey! you are the best one out there!"

with curiosity getting the best of you, you always try to help out during the unbirthday parties and learn how to cook and bake from the vice dorm leader

... after all having pasta everyday is not very healthy 😭

listens to your rambles about the novels you've read befora and suggests you some that he have on hand! at this point he might as well be your guardian angel

despite being smaller than most of the student at nrc - you shocked the whole heartslabyul group after fighting off the known bully group of seniors trying to scare some freshmen

"now go along and never show your faces to me again. capiche?" "woah, i thought you said you are not used to battling!" "mmm, i did. but it's different from my abilities, no?"

you were the opposite of trey, rather than being embarrassed, you know your strengths and weaknesses and use it to your advantage

"trey, don't tell me you are just an ordinary person, you liar. you can't fool me with your downplaying talk!"

he can't fool you with that but trey pulls some harmless pranks on you by tricking you in putting a different recipe in the pie orsomething

he learned his lesson after you really followed his instructions and became the first victim to his own prank

you always seem to pride yourself as a strong and capable woman and how despite everything you are going through you always go for it headstrong

"now look at you, getting sick. i told you not to overwork yourself right?" "mmm, sorry big brother..."

did you just say 🥺 older 🥺 brother? after that he wears that title like a cape everyday and even brags it to cater 😭

-‘๑’- cater diamond

oh cater absolutely adores you the moment he saw your outfit because it is so well made?! 🫨 not only that - you were like giving the total celebrity vibes

"you have an eye for discerning people! yes, i am once the most beloved star of my country... but that time already came to an end."

sometimes while he tags along whenever you, grim and the adeuce duo hangs out - he always had this feeling that you are staring deep into his soul 👁️👁️

as much as he puts up his usual cheerful facade to fool you, it was like arguing up to a wall and you finally pointed it out one day during your tea parties

"you know, you don't have to force yourself to eat sweets. i cooked some habanero pepper cream pasta earlier with

you might as well become his favorite underclassman 🥺

no wonder you were able to read him so well because you revealed that some how seeing him act in such way reminds him of yourself in the past

"sometimes acting for so long can make you wonder if people can really see through you or was it all fake." "but that is how it is right? how can other people know us when we don't even know ourselves?"

anyways! every now and then, cater would appear right on your doorsteps with small clothes and hats in shopping bags to give it to the salon members

it was funny to see your salon members have a new member and they treat him like their own son 😭🤍

as much as he want to tease you sometimes - he try not to over do it after seeing you let the salon trio chase after ace and grim all over the maze with threatening looks in their eyes.

"wow, mademoiselle crabaletta looks so energetic when she got to hit ace at the back of his head." "well, ace did pissed her off by playing rock paper scissors with her." "... did she win?" "i don't know, you tell me big brother cater."

... he will never let it down after owning his title as your big brother 😭 get ready to receive random gifts every now and then because this big brother cater is ready to spoil you to rotten

-‘๑’- ace trappola

having to get sprayed and hit by multiple bubbles in the face was certainly not on ace's list 😭 remind him to never play rock paper scissors with mademoiselle crabaletta ever again

he really like to be your friend genuinely 🙏 not that you mind though because ace is fun to talk too + you were able to adapt and learn about this world thanks to him, deuce and grim

but sometimes, he can be a little too reckless in roping you in trouble

"woah! (name) put mr seahorse down and let's talk about this!" "oh so you prefer my sword instead?" "it was just a harmless prank!" "then why is there an anemone on grim's head, again?!"

after you were comfortable enough to tell your story - ace thought he was actually dreaming because how did you stay sane after that 500 years?!

will ask you to help him with his studies and practicing magic + probably thought you were clueless but after years of searching every nook and nanny in your nation's library, you were like a walking dictionary

"how come you get a higher score than me in animal languages?!" "i was wondering how on teyvat did you get a lower score than me?"

omg you traitor 👩🏻‍⚖️

your number one buddy with midnight snacks + everytime he would sneak out of the dorm he always bring some sweets as a bribe to let him stay

there are times that you always fool ace by acting especially in front ofriddle when he accidentally dropped your cake in accident

despite the shenanigans between you two, he always trusts you to have his back

"(nickname) cover for me!" "alright! let the world come alive, hehe!"

whenever the salon members feel silly, they will go and chase after him and you just let them be - even they shower him with love in unexpected ways.

"recently, i've been wondering if Iife been a little too hard on myself in the past. i never got the chance to enjoy my life." "then let's go grab cater-senpai and go shopping!"

he will not let you experience such loneliness again! not when he is one of your first friend here in wonderland.

-‘๑’- deuce spade

opposite to ace, he is mademoiselle crabaletta's favorite for some reason or even the whole salon members are fond of him !

while he is more on the less troublesome side - he still make some troubles but you can see how much he was trying to not get you involve in it 😭

"deuce, you could've just told me earlier about this..." "i'm sorry, i don't want you to get involve again." "you are really a jester. we are friends! how can i not help you when you are facing problems?"

just as you listen to his problems, you were surprised that deuce is a great listener 😮 its not sarcasm !!

it first came to you during the octavinelle incident when deuce found you crying behind the ramshackle down, hugging your knees and being surrounded by your salon members, trying to calm you down

"i still couldn't do it... i do not belong in this world now i don't even have a place to stay..." "(name)..." "d-don't look at me like this! just give me a second." "no it's okay, let it out. i am so sorry for putting the pressure on you."

the sweetest guy??? ever??? he will try to include you in discussions about this world itself and wouldn't let you feel out of place

you even found him taking down notes whenever you get the chance to talk about your nation and people

"you have a dragon as a friend?!" "yea, don't let the dragon title fool you though. he is very kind but all he eats and drink is water every break time."

while ace had your back, deuce got your sides covered + knows fully how capable of being the front liner

"how dare you!?" "ah, (nickname) don't go to far!" "... remind me to never mess with her again."

remember the phantom back in the mines? you encountered one again and after it made one of your salon members disappear - the trio watch you literally annihilate the monster

seeing you all impatient and having a childlike temper made him laugh because you weren't so different from them after all

but please do not rush in battle so suddenly, you might as well give him a heart attack 😵

don't tell the others but deuce really looks up to you as an admirable person + not only you were able to endure everything for a long time, you still have the heart to forgive everyone who doubted you.

"do you know that you are really a respectable friend?" "...? oh my god, did you eat mushrooms for breakfast again?" "i'm serious!" "oh is that so? well i am proud of you. don't you know you improved a lot too?"

it's 7 am in the morning are you trying to make him cry? 🥹

having you with him during his high school life is an unexpected but wonderful experience - learning other things together + being interested in the same things? he had never felt such comfort before

deuce just hope that even though he and ace are seen as troublemakers, you won't hesitate to let your walls come down when times get rough 🫂

[snowthedemonfox]

So what is the Alien AU exactly??? (AKA: The masterpost)

Long story short, in this AU a group of people are sent off on an AI controlled ship by 'the company' to research a newly discovered planet. Nobody in this research team gets along, which only gets worse after they accidentally capture 2 of the aliens that live there. Now they have to deal with not only their problems, but the problems this new planet is already dealing with.

Alien AU tag can be found here

Below are all the finished designs for the characters in this AU! I haven't finished all of these yet, but you're free to ask anything about the missing characters if you want to :3

Questions & Boundries:

Can I ship any of the characters? - Yes! I don't mind shipping at all. I'm a multishipper myself, and while some ships are implied in this AU (Bunnydoll, Abstragedy & Showtime), all are okay with me! - The only exception to this would be ships involving Gummi. While yes, Gummi is sentient, capable of understanding speech, and able to communicate to some degree, I do not feel comfortable shipping him with anyone. He's just friends with some of the other team members.

Can I write/draw/make something for the AU? - Of course!!! I love seeing what other people do with this AU, it really makes my day. Feel free to tag me in anything you do! I only ask that nothing NSFW is done with this AU. Please respect this choice!

Can I put my OC in your AU? - Yep!! I even made blank versions of the info cards if anyone wanted to do this ^w^ The first one is for alien characters, and the second is for team members!

Are you going to add [character]? - Depends! The entire main cast will be added, along with some side characters and NPCs, but it all comes down to if I have an idea for them in the AU. I am a slow artist sometimes, so I probably won't be rushing to get all the info cards done ASAP. Feel free to ask about any specific characters if you're curious!

How does Abstraction work? - There's two types of 'abstraction' in this AU. If we're talking about a team member, they simply get re-assigned to a different team. This is what happened to Queenie and Kaufmo. They're alive and well, just somewhere else. The company can and will re-assign whoever they want, whenever they want. - When it comes to the aliens on the planet, there is an infection spreading around that has similar effects to abstraction in the show. It's not 100% the same, but causes those infected to become extremely hostile and attack anything around them until the host eventually dies. In this AU, Loolilalu (named Candi) is infected, and is seen as a minor threat by the rest of the team. Right now, there is no known cure.

Does the AU take place in a digital world? - No, everything is real. There's no mysterious VR headsets that are making people disappear in this AU!

Why isn't anyone on the research team human? - Because I suck at drawing humans and wanted to stay close to their canon designs. There's not really a lore-related reason for this.

I'll be putting all the links for the masterpost under the cut!

Outdated/older art: ★Original Jax & Gangle designs [X, X] ★Various sketches of Gangle's original design [X, X, X, X, X] ★When your alien roommates break into the kitchen at 2:34am ★Gummi's first appearance

The more recent art: ★Bnnuy alien Jax [X, X] ★Jax sketches [X, X, X, X] ★Coloured Jax sketches [X, X, X, X, X] ★Gangle sketches [X] ★Little guys (baby Jax & Gangle) [X, X, X, X] ★That one time I drew Jax in the maid outfit ★ Abstragedy [X] ★A smoothie ★The consequences of our actions ★Alien AU plushies [X, X] ★Tynie [X] ★Jax's evil little sister (Jaiden) ★More Jaiden + AU Ghostly & Loolilalu ★Jaiden learns bad words ★Christmas aliens

More asks about the lore: ★AU recap ★What does Jax have to gain from this ★Where do Jax & Gangle live ★Do the aliens have abilities ★What language do they speak?

[firespirited]

hundreds of reviews about We need to talk about Kevin focused on nature vs nurture, did she make him, did she just sense it? what a bitch, what a demon child. good vs bad as a fixed quality. diagnoses thrown around willy-nilly.

Guess what's missing? The one thing I haven't seen mentioned once?

There's a massive correlation between domestic violence specifically against mothers & girlfriends and mass murderers.

He is targetting the one person who is attempting to love him unconditionally (however badly) and probably chose emotional violence and coercion because he's smart enough to know he'd get caught for physical abuse. We have many cases where the mother or gf is the first kill or the mother or gf is left the sole survivor of an annihilation.

Plenty of people grow up with cold or outright abusive mothers and don't turn to violence against others. The "refrigerator mother" is outdated and wholly debunked. The fact that society still clings to this idea is clear in

how she's looking for what she could have done wrong,

how her community reacts

and how people are reviewing the film and book.

It is very telling and disturbing. We are failing people by not talking about the masses of data we are collecting about "evil", failing people by trying to find either a simple diagnosis or a parent/event to blame and letting these myths form. Sociology and psychology work hand in hand here for a far more complicated set of factors that lead to violent crime.

I found the final scene very good closure. The ambiguous nature of his new-found vulnerability and willingness to reflect. Is he using her, is he changing, bit of both?

There are many cases of teen criminals who you could slap all sorts of psych labels on for doing horrific things... who just grow up after experiencing consequences and learning better impulse control because they're stuck in prison/juvie and can't afford to just act out or aren't rewarded for it by their peers/circumstances. We need to talk about all the Kevins and all their Evas.

----------------

So I'd like to talk about my neighbours: 4 boys, now men, from a neglectful and sometimes volatile household:

Son 4, the one called Kevin, became a care worker in a senior centre and is emotionally healthy. He experienced more violence and may have mild FAS.

Son 3 began committing acts of sadism in his teens and was jailed for a violent hate crime in his teens, he has a cold but potent charisma and pushes others to violence, briefly a gang member for a year or two but doesn't like to follow orders.

Son 2 seems like a gentle sensitive soul but he has a drinking problem and is on parole for hurting the mother of his child badly enough that he was sent away and custody was fully revoked, you would not be able to tell there's anything 'off' about him.

Son 1 has been involved with older women consistently since his teens, often as a childminder or sugar baby as he can't keep down a job: he is a kind but flaky man who wrestles with alcohol addiction.

They all have the same nurture and nature, struggle with the same demons. Son 1 turns his pain inwards, son 2 turns it against his girlfriends, son 3 against anyone and son 4 has rejected it.

Son 2, on the surface, needs to get sober and learn anger management - he claims he wants to get better. Son 3 was young enough when caught that his tendencies could change but prison just got him networked with others like him and enjoying his power over other inmates.

Only one would get a psychopath diagnosis and it's not the one smart enough to keep his violence carefully hidden.

You cannot trust vibes or words. We have to trust the data. The data says neither is a write-off but either could reoffend, especially the one who's going to be given more leeway.

----------------------

I found it a very careful and thought-provoking film with some incredible acting. I found it realistic and liked that it doesn't present an ideal mother and doesn't rule out change.

But I would like to point out that in real life (and in a similar film called MASS), we do have warm loving mothers or grandmothers who have sons like Kevin who pick up from dads or society at large that their aggression against a parent doesn't get the same pushback when it's their mother (or more vulnerable parent or sibling).

It's not a chicken and the egg situation, it's not nature vs nurture, it's definitely not rare: it's a child with issues who learns from a very early age that one parent can be hurt or used without consequences and then leans into those impulses.

What i found most horrifying about the film is that we as a society are not taking care of the mothers left in the wake of teen criminals, her psychological abuse is central to his MO: everyone around her and most reviewers missed it.

[ficsyoumayhavemissed]

🏳️‍🌈 Moths and Butterflies — LadyAj_13 / @ladyaj-13

1.363 words / Harry x Louis

It seemed like such a good plan a week ago. It had seemed like fate, for the town’s Pride parade to fall at the very same time when work sent him there to charm some clients. Who was Louis, to sniff at a higher power? It was exciting, a week ago. Now he’s here though, in the thick of it, and he thought it would feel freeing but it doesn't. It just rams home how he doesn’t belong.

This is a lovely fic for anyone who has ever questioned whether they are queer enough to belong in the queer community. You are, and this fic will remind you of it whenever you need it.

🏳️‍🌈 Quite the Pickle — @lululawrence

1.455 words / Grimmy x Harry x Louis

Nick hated pickles. It was an entire thing for him and he used to get into arguments all the time when his mum insisted he could just remove them and the sandwich would be fine without them. She never seemed to understand. The flavor was still left behind because of the juices. The scent was still there. The pickle was never fully removed. Not successfully. And now one was sitting on the plate, almost touching his perfectly pickle free sandwich, all whilst leaking it’s flavor and scent all over his chips. Good thing there happened to be a pregnant man with a craving nearby.

An adorable, cozy meet-cute between a couple and a stranger, this fic has so much goodness in so few words. From the struggle of pregnancy cravings to the unexpected pleasure of finding people who will accept you as you are, it’s a fun little roller coaster you don’t want to miss. 

🏳️‍🌈 Over The Heads Of The Crowd — DancingOnCapitals

3.232 words / Harry x Louis

Harry attends a fandriven LGBTQIA+ event to support the queer part of his favourite band's fandom and probably also some members of said band when he spots the most beautiful person he's ever seen.

Love at first sight it’s always nice, but gay love at first sight is something special in itself. A meet-cute fic where they share a bed... What else could you ask for?

🏳️‍🌈 Courted in Cabos — @alphalouis 

5.511 words / Louis x Oli 

Oli's spent his whole life with Louis Tomlinson. More accurately, he’s waited his whole life for Louis to pop the question. When Louis invites him to Los Cabos, he thinks this will be it. So he waits. And he waits. Eventually it becomes clear Louis won’t make the first move. He decides to take matters into his own hands.

Absolutely adorable! Friends pining on each other is always such a nice trope to read. Seeing the development of their relationship was really cute, and this fic is more than worth a shot, considering Niall’s special additions. 

🏳️‍🌈 falling in love with the stable boy — @sup3rbloom

5.620 words / @1dreversebang / Harry x Louis 

Louis is the son of King Tomlinson, and now that he's older, he's interested in learning horseback riding. King Tomlinson assigns Harry, the kingdom's stable boy, to train him. It's love at first sight for Louis, and this wouldn't be a problem if being gay wasn't wrong in the kingdom.

This fic is a little heartbreaking, considering how Louis' own family might reject him for something he doesn’t have a choice in, however it was extremely cute how Harry, Zayn and Liam were there to always protect Louis. 

——

As always, support the authors by leaving kudos and comments! Happy reading!

Since it's Pride Month, we want to bring attention to our other three related tags and past recommendations:

COMING OUT;

GENDERQUEER;

LGBTQIA STORIES;

PRIDE REC

And to take the opportunity to mention that the @projectotb is back this year and also running a drabble fest, and give a shoutout to the @1dpridefest which is currently happening, so don't miss the chance and support all the amazing writers and creator participating!

If you love a fic that has gotten less love than you think it deserves, submit it to us so we can check it out and perhaps add it to one of our recs! — FYMHM xx

[corrupted-nightmare]

back to the basics -

name: liam edward flint. name meaning: liam meaning protector. edward meaning wealthy guard. nickname(s): lee occult type: witch, dark magic. dreamwalker. birthday: february 14th age: 27 sexuality: straight occupation: shop / industrial arts teacher at high school language(s) spoken: english, italian, russian, latin

extra, extra, read all about it !

personality deep dive -

archetype: the dexterous zodiac: aquarius - the water bearer - air - uranus personality type: istj - logistician positive traits: clever, intuitive, independent negative traits: cynical, rigid, reactionary moral alignment: neutral enneagram: type 8 - challenger hobbies: woodworking, metalworking, carving, collecting old weapons pinterest: click here theme song: here i go again - whitesnake

the ties that bind -

parents: alastair (deceased) & scarlett flint cousins: eurydice, andromeda, & nemesis lilim pet(s): wilson - black-tailed jackrabbit (familiar)

open for the taking -

(connection) exes - a couple of spots open. likely didn't end well and probably had something to do with liam's need to always put his best friend first or that he would never open up to you.

(connection) friends - liam isn't the friendliest of guys, but once you get past his sarcastic remarks, there is a semi-good guy there. or at the very least, once he considers you a friend, he is very loyal and protective.

(connection) carve me up - the two of you bonded over wood carving. he has a passion for it and sometimes you two work on projects together.

(connection) watchful eyes - you believe you know that liam killed his father or at least had something to do with it, but you can't prove it. maybe, you work with the law, maybe you were a follower of his fathers, a powerful witch. either way, the two of you don't really get along and liam wishes you would stay out of his business. (likely doesn't know the reason why liam killed his father and was under the man's charm)

(character(s)) long lost sibling - liam's father was known to have several dalliances outside of his marriage. maybe, you are from an outside town or state or even, country looking for the father you never knew and come across liam.

once upon a time -

liam's parents, alastair and scarlett, were both from prestigious bloodlines. there marriage was a setup between alastair and scarlett's father, though it didn't take long for scarlett to fall for alastair's charms.

his parents 'loving' relationship didn't last long before it soured. scarlett has a hard time becoming pregnant, having to rely on the coven for help. alastair wanted several children, but was told scarlett would only be able to give him one. shortly after liam's birth, alastair turned the charm off and let scarlett see the real him, a cruel alcoholic.

liam's father practiced dark magic and growing up, alastair wanted liam to only learn from him. he was also a dreamwalker, something liam had no interest in, but was taught how to do at a young age.

as liam grew older, his punishments when he would fail a task would get worse. a punch or being dragged around by his hair was a normal day in his household. scarlett had turned to alcohol and pills herself, using that to numb the pain of alastair and his infidelities, rendering her useless to help liam.

as he got older, liam began to fight back. he knew better than to ask for help as hardly any of the elders in the coven would have believed him. alastair had most of them enchanted with his lies and power.

this torment didn't stop once liam got his own place in town. liam had grown used to it, though. nearly a year ago, while liam was over taking care of his mother, an argument over liam's limited use of his dreamwalker skills led to him snapping and killing alastair. the main problem with this was that his father was a prominent member of the coven and the community. thus, a coverup was hatched and a few of the people in liam's inner circle helped him make it look like an intruder had killed the man.

liam worried that someone that he doesn't trust will find out the truth and life as he knows it will be over. but, he tries to focus his energy into his trade and teaching the students.

inside information -

liam has had his 'pet' (familiar) since he was a child. wilson was his first confidant and is regarded as one of the things liam cares about most.

if there is a wood or metal carving you want for your home, call him.

despite his cynical attitude, he has a good relationship with his students. especially those who show an interest in the craft.

once you become a friend of his, you are a friend for life.

he is allergic to limes.

liam doesn't so much care about the different occult or covens, believing that will drag him farther into his father's former circle.

while he does use magic and continues to use dark magic, liam would need a very good reason to ever dreamwalk.

on his days off, if he isn't with cordelia, it's likely you will find him at the hanged man's tavern.

[flowersanddoves]

Hey lol idk if you still check this blog anymore but I recently started learning about freemasonry n was curious about some things... I'm going to be attending a clowning program run by the Shriners n was curious about their beliefs and culture. I am a nonbinary woman and my ultimate goal of clowning is to do clown drag basically lol like I want to mix gender signifiers to create my own clown persona... I think that would be really fun but I don't want to scandalize a bunch of religious old guys or anything 😭 especially since I read the clowning competition rules they hold their members to and it said they weren't allowed to "impersonate women" (but it seemed to be because they didn't want to make fun of women rather than being opposed to drag, because the rule also forbade them from dressing up as other cultures)

I want to be respectful of their beliefs but I also want to be able to express myself artistically. But I don't really know what their beliefs are (except for charity, which is always a good thing lol)

Hello! Yes I do check this

Sometimes..

From my personal experience with the Shriners, most do hold a generally conservative standpoint on things. Nothing too crazy, but what you would typically expect from older American men. While the Shriners, as with freemasonry, don’t require members to hold a certain religion, most are also Christian. A majority of Shriners are generally accepting as would be expected from an organization focused so heavily on charity. Sexuality doesn’t seem to be much of a problem, but as with many groups composed of this demographic the topic of gender identity and expression tends to get a little iffy.

In the end would personally recommend contacting them about doing drag since it really is up to the shrine or the unit hosting the event. I have noticed various groups and orders overall can have largely varying stances on topics like drag and the LGBT+ community, so I can’t speak for the order overall.

I hope this helps, and if you have any more questions feel free to ask :)

[butts-bouncing-on-the-beltway]

I know your life isn't perfect, you speak explicitly about your struggles that you face day-to-day, but you've also lived a lot of life? Like I read your blog, and you've survived a fuck ton of shit. I don't know many older leftists--my family members certainly aren't ones, and talking to people around my age about the state of the world/lived experiences is wonderful, but it can also become so very sad, because we're not sure what to do. I'm a fresh 18-year-old, and I'm terrified of the future. Logically I know that I'm not obligated to complete the world's work, but I can't abandon it either. And that your loved ones, your community is what gives your life meaning under systemic oppression (Experiencing that firsthand where I'm finally making a few friends, and they fill my soul with life). But emotionally, I get so utterly sad, hyperfixating on what's bad when I'm away from my friends. Do you have any advice for living life while you're building that network of friends, figuring out your values, and carving out the life you want in whatever niches you can? Things you wish you could tell your younger self? I hope I'm not putting you on a pedestal, or stressing you out with this ask. I honestly would just like some words of comfort from someone older than me, who's POC, an activist, and also cares about a lot of the same things as me.

I absolutely don't think it's putting someone on a pedastal to ask questions like this! We all have different ways of surviving in this big wild world, and surviving often means different things for different people.

I do want to go ahead and speak to one piece of what you said though, just to make sure I don't wind up appearing to say something I'm not. I'm not a person of color, at least, I have never experienced myself that way. I am many things, including a person in a mixed race family, a person for whom older generations of my family were not considered white during their lifetimes (that doesn't mean that I'm not considered white now though, or even that some of those relatives aren't considered white now), and a person who has a lot of loved ones in a lot of different iterations of global politics. I try to talk about the things that impact people that I love in ways that I have come to understand over a lifetime they often speak of it themselves. If you want to hear from an actual person of color on these topics, you may want to reach out to my wife, @loreofthejungle, who has lived through all of my last ten years or so with me, and has her own experiences with activism and survival politics outside of me.

Something I have learned about carving out space though, you have to really and truly look at that space as if you have every right to inhabit it. Not just that you *should* have every right, or that people generally should have the right to space as needed. You, personally, have the right to inhabit space simply because you have the desire to do so.

Does that mean you will always be able to succeed in occupying that space? No. But the reality of inhabiting it really isn't fathomable until you believe that your desire to exist in whatever manifestations please you is your birthright. How you might navigate inhabiting as much space as you wish while still reasonably allowing space for others requires first knowing what space you want to occupy and not immediately compromising it before ever negotiating that space with someone else. If no one else has given reason to believe that you occupation of that space is a problem, why are you pre-emptively making yourself small?

This is easier said than done obviously, lol, but learning how to ask yourself what you want for your life and understanding what shape you and your world would need to take in order to achieve it are skills that serve us well in life. Some of this is learning to stop acting on assumptions I've made that people haven't communicated, even if I am absolutely sure the assumption is correct. Subtext is one thing (and I still have plenty to say about that on my best days lol) but frankly if someone isn't willing or able to communicate their thoughts and needs to me, it cannot be my job to predict those thoughts and needs on their behalf. Not a fun dynamic, just breeds resentment on all sides.

I have been my most secure, in life, in activism, in community work, when I am able to meet my basic needs, when I acknowledge that caring for myself the way I care for my loved ones is itself a basic need, and when I take the time to think about what is reasonably within my control and what isn't.

Sometimes that looks like prioritizing what issues I get deeply invested in (e.g. dedicating personal time and resources to organizing and understanding it as opposed to making efforts to support other people doing that work). Sometimes that looks like taking space away from the internet and social media because frankly......ugh. I just don't always have the energy to both communicate effective organization strategies and also have literally any time to not be "on" during the day. Sometimes it means taking space from organizing almost entirely because my work itself is community and care oriented, and there are times that is all I have in me. Sometimes it means learning new skills and support strategies in order to continue organizing despite changes in my circumstances. Sometimes it means focusing down to a small local region and not worrying about the whole wide world for a while because my neighborhood or my town is all I can navigate for a bit.

I realize it's frustrating to hear over and over again "connect in person" or "get offline" but like.

The reason for that often has less to do with "oh online activism is worthless" and more to do with "radical organization does not occur online even if its PRODUCTS occur online, because there is no way for us to reasonably protect our members that way. You need to show up to video calls or in person meetings so we can talk with some measure of InfoSec." You're just not going to get a step by step/comprehensive guide of how to organize or how to get involved effectively online because doing so would innately make those access points unsafe and insecure. Beyond that, there simply aren't univeral strategies. There are historic or common methods used within organizing, but every situation calls for tailoring by those doing the work, because organizing will never be one size fits all. You don't get buy in from people when you impose structure top down, but organization is much more effective when those doing the work co-create it together.

The good news is, there are so many groups running organization trainings and groups, and the whole point is to help you cultivate your personal skills in an organizing capacity so you can apply them in ways that work for you. Thus the eternal call to join a union or other organizing body.

I think people forget that the act of community building IS the act of organizing, in many ways. When you make the time to be attuned with the people in your sphere, and talk with them openly and honestly about your needs and the needs of those in your community, you can make great strides, even without the weight of a full campaign behind you. It's amazing what the community is willing to come together and create once they find they pathways and cohesion to do so.

This got rambly, and covered a lot of different versions of my answer to your question. In the end, I think what I mean with all this is just....we're all human, and we're all figuring out this whole "being a person" thing together and regardless of what anyone tells you, no one really has it down. There aren't right answers to the problems that have plagued society for generations, but there can always be the very human intention to help each other figure out a better answer than we had before.

[yvtro]

https://at.tumblr.com/scintillyyy/ah-thank-you-for-the-correction-you-are-correct/nwppbs9d8f1g

That whole thread really highlight how lonely Jason's Robin run was. Honestly it makes me sad how he didn't have many friends back then compare to others. He had Eddie but even then dc forget about them.

i don't really agree with lots of points in this thread, mainly because of tim exceptionalism (or the main character complex, whatever you want to call it) + it assumes that things that happened pretty much only because of jason's death would still occur.

having said so, i do agree that jason's robin run was (in a way) incredibly lonely!

now, personally i don't think that jason noticed it much, but that's part of the problem. i have touched upon it briefly in my other posts about vigilante/civilian identity (look: here, for example), and i think it's worth to make a quick comparison of pre-crisis vs post-crisis jay.

so, tldr, pre-crisis jason is shown to have a whole life at school, he has friends and even a romantic interest. post-crisis jason has none of that. we see him working for an extra credit at school, but if i recall it right (might have been a pre-crisis story retroactively included in canon though) the only time we actually see him *in* school is when he thinks about how he would like to join the theatre but doesn’t have time for that because of robin responsibilities. we don’t see him having any social life outside of robin, but also as a member of the community he doesn’t have anyone close his age. his cameo in titans is very dear to me, and you know, as a person with siblings i will tell you, you can absolutely be friends with your older brother’s friends, but we don’t ever see him developing a lasting bond with any of them (which is also because he died quite soon after that. i’m not saying that donna, for example, didn’t care about him, but i don’t think they had a chance to grow very close).

there's eddie, sure, but even that relationship is that of penpals, and by the time jason comes back from the dead, eddie is completely retconned, so it's safe to assume that in the current continuity they have never known each other at all.

i'm not going to comment on dc trying to sell the concept of roy and jay being childhood friends in n52.

so i’m thinking, you can make an argument about how jason knows little besides vigilantism, but i believe there’s an additional layer to how even his “nightlife” (debatable term btw, we see robin jay operating in daylight along with batman all the time but i guess that was a whole another era) focuses pretty much on bruce and no one else. he really doesn’t know much beyond batman and robin.

and it obviously wasn't really the writers' intention, i bet it's mostly the result of the fact that they weren't really interested in exploring his character much, but jay's world is so very narrow and centres around bruce. and i can see how bruce wouldn't really see any problem in it at first, because (while it's not really canon, as there's a time skip and we don't even get to see how he settles into the manor, nor much of his training period) it is safe to assume that it took some time for jay to gain bruce's trust and to get used to a role of a child (since he was used to fending for himself/presumably being briefly a caretaker for his mother before). so when the kid finally learns that he can depend on bruce and actively seeks him out, that's great. it took so much to coax him into allowing to be cared for, now the issue is solved. (wrong.)

i think it really puts post-resurrection jay's mentality in perspective (even if winick did not intend it this way; he clearly had no interest in jay's 80s characterisation). of course jason's anger, disappointment, and feelings of betrayal focus on bruce; bruce was everything he had. at this stage, he doesn't know much beside him, and being robin.

and i don't think that jason then was quite aware that he was lonely. he had his dad, which was the most important thing for him for a while, he had alfred. dick might not have been home much, but their interactions we got to see were meaningful, and flashbacks (such as the famous ski trip) suggest that they did spend more time together. babs was around. he probably made so many brief connections with gothamites in his time as robin too.

it all becomes a problem when jason grows. when he can't see a line between being a robin and a son, and looks for another parental figure, and he doesn't have anyone to talk to about it. everyone he has a lasting relationship with is part of the family that he worries he doesn't belong to, so he just resolves to find someone new to depend on.

it becomes a problem when he digs himself out of grave, and later comes back to gotham, and there's such a limited number of people he can (or could, if he wanted) turn to.

i also believe that even if the plot of 'a death in the family' never occured, the fact that he went from a hyper-independent parentified child to someone who spends most of his time with his dad or alone (and i don't think he minded alone time all that much at first) would backfire otherwise. i'm joking, but at this point there probably would be some separation anxiety, on both sides.

i just wish i could grip jay with bbq tongs and put him in east gotham to allow him to stay in touch with his community. of course he probably was around there as robin a lot, but as a civilian? i doubt it.

[folxlorepod]

Author's Notes on 'Creature' and 'Home': Trans Love, Bad Queers, and Happy Endings.

By Syd Briscoe CREATURE and HOME were an interesting pair of episodes to write, because they reflect on the same experience in very different ways. Not two sides of a coin, but then we'd be hypocritical if we went for something too binary, wouldn't we? 

I started writing from the POV of wanting to give Charlie an ending that he deserved, and my voicing him actually influenced the cross-dimensional premise of the season entirely. As you may have noticed, I was finally (after the better part of a decade on an NHS waiting list) allowed to start taking testosterone while we were planning things out, and my voice changed really quickly. So from a purely practical perspective I started thinking about how punk it was to have a trans VA change sound completely during a story. 

Charlie has been a challenge as a writer ever since the pilot episodes, because he's not a capital-letter Good Queer in the way that people often write their queer characters to be. He's angry, he's petty, he's paranoid, he's anxious - the track that always makes me think of him is 'I'm Not A Good Person' by Pat the Bunny, and he'd sing along to every word with a complete lack of irony. He's been through some stuff which he's never unpacked, and he stands for those among us who feel like we missed the boat in life somehow. 

That's why it felt important for him to still be like that once he got whammied with the magical transition stick. Because so often in media our narratives end with us transitioning, begin post transition, and/or view it as a magic wand which is at once the root of and solution to all our problems. Charlie is still a horrid little goblin once he's allowed to feel more like himself in his skin - he's still angry, he's still depressed, he's still plagued by memories and bothered by things he can't have. He's also still very much our root-deep link to Glasgow, even as he finally learns to get off the subway. 

If Charlie is an expression of how our experiences existing while trans can shape us - for better or worse - then the Creature is a manifestation of all the things we didn't get to be. Particularly the older members of the community, which very much influenced its conception as an ancient being. We didn't get to mould our bodies, we didn't get to exist outside of a hostile society, we didn't get to just be how we are. We didn't get to be the children or the teenagers our cis peers were, we didn't get to have the silly nights out without fear, and we didn't get to be carefree. 

The Creature absorbs that, tries to shield the other characters from feeling that, and yet it endures. It isn't a fantasy of wish fulfilment - it isn't a gender fairy creature - but it's how I imagine an ancient being would conceive of the business of gender and queerness in a very different way to how our society does. Namely that it doesn't matter at all in the same way we'd think about it, and they're a bit confused as to why our hostile world would care so much, but the fact that people it cares about have experienced it in the way we do matters very much. 

I wanted to have the Creature feel very alien, and then Charlie to come from his extremely bare bones relatable Going Through Some Shit place, and them to find not only love but more importantly purpose together. It often feels like there are so few trans love stories, and when there are they're about Hyper Passing Person No1 finding Cis Person No2, or couples breaking up due to transition, and… fuck that, to put it bluntly. Charlie is a weird person. The Creature isn't a person. If the lads on Grindr don't love you, then that doesn't mean you're unlovable. Weirdos are here, and we have always been here. 

My first concept for CREATURE was Charlie helping the Creature change their jewellery. The OG idea was about body mods and the queer community, but given everything happening in the UK, my writing soon became influenced by other things. It was meant to be a very simple metaphor at the start, but it became more complicated for political and personal reasons. I don't think you can make queer art in this country without it feeling fraught at the moment, as we get battered in the media for no good reason other than our existence, and it would be nice to have something's protective wings spread over us for a while.

It is not easy being in transition, even if you're going where you want to go. That's pretty much the thesis statement of both HOME and CREATURE as a pair, and I really hope you find some enjoyment, meaning, and maybe even comfort in them. 

[riff-is-on-a-fucking-crisis]

More Heroes of Robloxia Headcanons (+ some hcs based on the team's rooms in hq)

Captain Roblox

Cap still prepares for missions and works out during his free time or before meetings

No one really knows why he keeps a box in his closet or what's in the box

With cooking, Cap is either good at cooking, or absolutely terrible at it

has he ever met his birth mom? sadly, no

He, Tessla, and Amethysto know sign language beforehand so they don't have a problem with understanding it

He can easily get proned to stress

Cap has emotional intelligence that's almost above average and understands social cues quite easily, which Overdrive underestimates (quite ironic for him to not be aware that ppl admire/have a crush on him)

Overdrive

The sneakers in his room are a prized possession to him and rarely ever wore them as a civilian

He's a fan of retro videogames

Doesn't know a lot of sign language, but has been learning (and improving) around the events of mission 3

Tends to watch cheesy and/or bad movies as a guilty pleasure, sometimes even getting immersed with the plot of said movies

He has a preference for animated films over live action films (this doesn't apply to the headcanon above)

he's estranged with his dad after they got into a fight when overdrive was 20. he still keeps in touch with his older siblings though

Tessla

Tess anonymously runs a blog related to the latest technology and theories

She's pretty picky with the color of clothes she wears and most of her wardrobe has blue, indigo, and purple

She gets along pretty well with Overdrive but also enjoys having conversations with Tigris when they both have time to catch up (since tigris is said to be from the rokyo district)

Tess is good at baking, though she prefers to bake alone

Mostly goes through a schedule and doesn't want any slip ups on said schedule

Kinetic

80% of the time Kinetic's room is just, chaos

"do you ever put your furniture down?" "...." "nevermind.."

tbh having their furniture float around is a bit of a perk on their end (mainly because their furniture wouldn't be lifted up all the time in order to clean unreachable areas). It's also a bit of a downfall since it's tricky to get onto for some people

They communicate differently with others, and communicates with Captain Roblox through sign language the most (and it's pretty consistent as they exchange signs/conversations)

They were taught sign language at a young age(roughly around the age of 5-7)

Despite being the 2nd oldest, they're the 2nd shortest to the team (the shortest being Glimmer)

Amethysto

After the events of Mission 4, he decided to move back to HQ (since they've been in hiding during the dark matter crisis)

Some members of the team(namely Overdrive and Kinetic) ask why he keeps a head in his room

The boxes in his are mostly filled with pictures and other stuff

He's the only one in the team to use their phone as an alarm clock. (mood, honestly)

Amethysto's pretty fascinated with crystals and has a collection of them somewhere.

They don't know how to put on eyeliner that well, so Tessla helps him out alot when he needs it

[kawaiichibiart]

Project Sekai AUs

I don't think this is gonna be a masterpost, but I wanted to give very quick (and kinda sorta pretty rough) summaries of all my Project Sekai AUs. If there's any you'd like to know more about, you can send me an ask, my inbox is open <3

Stand-In AU:

After all the units have formed and met in person, they begin to collaborate together. This has led to permanent side groups, such as FANTASISTA Squad, and to each group becoming more well known for who they collaborate with.

What started off as a friend assisting a friend when their group was down a member became a widely known method to expand their knowledge and abilities.

NPC AU:

An alternate universe where the original units (Leo/need, MORE MORE JUMP!, Vivid BAD SQUAD, Wonderlands x Showtime, and Nightcord @ 25:00) were never formed due to various circumstances, five new units take their place. Consisting of characters who were originally NPCs, each unit has similar, yet different, problems to their original counterparts. From a band doing their best to come together again, to a family torn apart from lies and broken promises.

STANDOUT, Blossoming ✿ ‪ Melodies, FR33LY 2M0RR0W, Phoenix Reincarnation, and the Night • Watchers are the new units.

Only 4 of these units grow and change, learning from their mistakes and using it to push their individual messages and dreams forwards, while the remaining one remains stuck in their ways, truly believing they are in the right.

Story of Evil/Reincarnated AU:

A villainous Prince and his loyal sister are reborn into modern times. Neither remembers their past at first, but memories slowly come back to them in their sleep. Often they're passed as dreams, some pleasant, and some more accurately being nightmares.

Neither knows what to do with this newfound information, but feel some reassurance that the sibling they cared for deeply is still with them, and that their loyalty for one another has yet to truly be broken.

Fantasy/Sci-fi AU:

An alchemist, half siren, and half-pixie half-elf stumble across an odd young man. He glows as bright as the sun and as dim as a dying flame. It takes a while for them to catch him, and much longer to find a way to communicate once they learn he is not from their world.

Born from the stars, Tsukasa has a fond love for the planet Earth, especially for the shows put on by humans.

There's more to this story, from a Princess and a Prince plotting to stop their wedding, to an Angel losing her wings for aiding a trapped siren.

Miraculous AU:

Kwamis have been around since the dawn of time, each with a gift/power to lend to those who wield their Miraculous, a magical jewel. As time goes on different people have wielded various Miraculous, from well known heroes to the most awful of villains.

With the Miraculous becoming more well known as the years go by, magic has begun to spread.

Once again, the Miraculous are being wielded by young heroes, each one chosen carefully and to the current Guardian's best knowledge.

Beauty and the Beast x Swan Lake aka The Cursed Kingdom AU:

Sekai is a very large kingdom with several smaller ones within. One of these kingdoms is rumored to be cursed and has been closed off. Any being who enters never leaves.

How could they? Dragons watch over the people and their Prince is as cold as ice.

When an infamous alchemist never returns from his travels, his friend, a young Knight, goes in search of him, until he, too, doesn't return.

His sick younger sister is the one who finds him after being worried for days and deciding to go searching for him. And that's when she realizes the cold Prince is the boy and her brother considered to be their younger brother.

Making a contract with him, she takes her brother's place (and later meets up with the alchemist who was also a prisoner) and refuses to look at her older brother as he taken away from the palace.

The Knight is returned to his home but immediately gathers three Knights to help him. One a fellow friend of the alchemist, one a dear friend of his sister (and perhaps more), and the last one was once close with the Prince.

Their goal is ultimately to get the eldest Knight's sister and the alchemist back and to safety, but the last Knight also wishes to see if he can get through to the cursed Prince.

The Secret World of Minori:

Based off the Secret World of Arrietty, Minori, Haruka, Airi and Shizuku are borrowers doing their best to get by.

Living near a cottage, the four tend to explore the vast garden and pond it has.

The four have their preferred places to explore and do their best to avoid the two girls who reside in the cottage.

Tsukasa:

Based off the story of Anastasia, Tsukasa is a Prince who lost his home, family and memories in a fire while he was young. Due to the loss of his memories, he has no idea who he is or where he is from.

Renamed Torpe, he lives in a quaint village orphanage. As he got older, he would go out for work. Torpe usually works with Emu Otori and Nene Kusanagi, two girls who do live performances in the village center. He will often play the piano whilst they dance and sing.

One day a man name Rui convinces Torpe, Nene, and Emu to help him with his latest con: Convince Princess Saki and Prince Toya that Torpe is the long lost Prince, and the two royals eldest brother, Tsukasa.

[into-the-blorboverse]

Domino: The Lamb

cw cults, infanticide, abuse, etc

Domino was born into a cult. A particular cult whose goal is to make powerful demonic beings. A more recent practice of theirs is to summon a demon into newborn children, with several failed attempts leading up to Domino's birth. Previously the cult members were trying to infuse a stronger, more mature demon into the infants, but the power was too strong for the young vessels. With Domino's indoctrination, his father decided to summon a lesser demon to try and see if the two could grow stronger together without overpowering and killing the child. This made Domino the first success in the newborn trials. As the first sire of the Chosen One, Domino's father gained esteem and a higher position within the cult. This was a huge success so Domino was seen as untouchable Golden Child and they are pleased to learn they have been blessed by a demon of the Electrical Realm.

Domino was never truly loved by his father. He was merely a vessel and a lot of pressure was put on him a young age, testing his demonic abilities and strengths. The older Domino gets, his father starts to fear that he's not progressing as rapidly as he should and he doesn't want to lose his status in the cult. Perhaps the only impressive part of Domino's trials was that he managed to survive, and as time ticks on the other members in the cult are expecting more from him than mere sparks and static electricity. More children have been born since and have now had more obvious results with their possessions. The shine of their Golden Child was starting to wear off.

Over the years his father increased the intensity of the tests, putting him in more and more dangerous situations to get a reaction from the demon inside his son. The demon was starting to defy the father in an attempt to protect Domino from the brutal tests. Being with his host from such a young age for both of them, the demon formed a powerful bond with Domino.

Domino's father as well as others in the community start to think Domino is not deserving of his status after a decade, but as the first success they can't take that away from him... unless...? Can we kill him? Hmm..

The father devises a plan. He claims to have had a vision and must sacrifice his Firstborn (this is a surprise tool to use for later) to the cause. He uses a ritual dagger and treats him like a sacrificial lamb. The light goes out of his eyes and he dies... for a moment. The ritual killing didn't take, it turns out. Interesting! But the onlooking cult members see this as a Miracle! He was the Chosen One! Not only did they make a successful vessel, they also made an unkillable one! :) 👍

This was lauded as a great success and for a while set the skepticism back, business as usual once again. But as Domino still showed resistance and restraint in his powers, there were whispers that maybe the miracle was all a setup. It seemed very convenient that the father would have a vision about his own son just when people were starting to question the validity of his status. Sure they saw the ritual killing but the timing of it all, you know. 🤷‍♂️

They figure that since he is unkillable after all, then it shouldn't be a problem to test it again. The father is fine with this since he was secretly trying to get rid of him anyway, either way works for him. So time and time again, the lamb was led to slaughter. And he survived!

The cult believes that due to the circumstances of Domino's birth and indoctrination, fusing a youngling demon to an infant, is what made him strong enough to come back from the dead. However, unbeknownst to them, its the particular combination of host and demon is what led to this. When other demons are presented with the idea that they don't need their hosts, they would take the opportunity to break away. But Domino's demon truly cares for his welfare, and loves him very much. Their souls are fused and intertwined in such a way (it's messy in there) that he'd do anything to protect him and keep him alive. And so he did.

In the last test that his father would ever do, he gets more and more frustrated with Domino, sensing that he'd like to run away from the cult, and snaps. Enraged, he grabs Domino forcefully and screams in his face, not at all like the gentle facade he put on during the sacrificial ceremonies.

He tells Domino that he's good for nothing and that no one in the outside world would love him like he does, and that you should be grateful for the status that you have here. You're a disgrace, and I will find a way to kill you that'll stick. Frightened at all of this coming out of seemingly nowhere, Domino can't handle it and blacks out, going limp for only a moment before the demon takes over.

Years of all the brutal rigorous testing and the multiple attempts on Domino's life while making a spectacle out of his perceived immortality built up and the demon refuses to take it anymore. Bolts of lighting begin to materialize from Domino's hands that his father was proud to see, if only they weren't aimed directly at him. In his final moments he smiles smugly and utters that is the promise that he wanted to see. But the demon was not about to give him the satisfaction, he would not allow him to bathe in that accomplishment. The bolts of lighting let loose upon that fucker and kills him!

With the father dead, the demon is worn out from the mass exertion of energy and is unable to fully protect Domino from a few burns as the forest around them is now caught aflame. But he is alive. He is free.

TO BE CONTINUED

[aercnaut-archived]

im not an expert on things like this which makes me kind of nervous to say anything directly so apologies for coming to you on anon but is there a reason you use both lmm and timothy olyphant as faceclaims for lee when lin is a man of color and timothy is not?

first of all, even if it's on anon, thank you for reaching out! and for any poc who may see this, if you have input, please don't be afraid to message me! as a white person who sometimes acts before i think, if i'm doing something wrong, i want to know so i can correct the problem.

anyways, the short version: somehow that didn't click when i made tim the alternate. he was originally chosen to replace a shitty person for a verse completely separate from show canon and it spiraled from there.

the long version: tim became the alt originally because i learned the man who played lee in the g.olden c.ompass movie is a raging homophobe. i liked how he played lee but wasn't comfortable using him (as a member of the lgbtq+ community who writes with others but also like. as a decent person) so initially tim at his current age was going to replace him. basically, keep the movie version as an option on this blog, but using tim instead of the original actor.

after spending some time in tim's tag and remembering how he looked in d.eadwood (not just the movie, when he's older and closer to book lee's age) and i got over excited about the idea. i didn't want to replace l.in m.anuel because i adore his lee, but i really liked the idea of tim as a fc, so i made him an alternate to occasionally appear on the blog. somehow during all of this it never clicked that a lot of my portrayal of lee (which is mostly show based) is based on him being a man of color.

now that i'm aware it probably comes off as sus, i might either remove tim and the idea of an alt fc completely or see if i can find someone of similar heritage to be an alt fc. if anyone (and i don't mean other white people saying "well i don't think it's a big deal") has any input, please lemme know, even if it's on anon! i meant no harm by having tim as an alternate, and i apologize for any harm done.

[impulsivelycontentious]

The desire to pseudo-parent teens is one i am probably never gonna get over. When i was a teen I wanted to pseudo-parent younger kids. When i was a younger kid I wanted to look after little kids.

And imma do it. Imma be nice to younger people than me and listen to them and talk to them like I trust that they have thoughts in their head and take their opinions seriously and really discuss it.

I have always done this and a lot of adults think i'm some kind of kid-whisperer because kids tend to do what I ask them to. And I tend to under where problems come from.

And it's all just listening and responding. I genuinely see kids as less experienced people who are developing. And people can be fun. Listening to kids infodump about dinosaurs or share the gossip among the 8 year olds can be fun.

It'a nice not to have adult problems as part of the conversation.

I have also explained psychology to 10 year olds who need to know why people do some things.

I have given advice to teenagers who are just sorting things out that I FUCKED UP HARD and didn't figure out for another 10 years. It's great! I love being able to tell teenagers how badly i fucked that shit up and what i learned eventually. Most of them don't fuck up in the same way as a result! It's fulfilling!

Also. New ideas are essential for older people in thw same way interacting with elders is essential for youth.

Without it our brains age faster. Our memories go quicker. Our ideas get stagnant and set and it gets harder to THINK. Children and elders need to interact with eachother for our brains and there's research on that one.

We haven't done researched on, say, middle aged people and teens but there's literally no reason to assume it isn't important. That only little children and our eldest make a difference.

We need that variety. We need it. We need to teach and to learn our whole lives. We do.

And it isn't all take. The new ideas can help YOU, too.

Like i know for most of you it won't be a great example but I HAVE to point at elders who find out they're nonbinary or asexual in particular. They have never heard of these ideas before because of WHATEVER, but a younger family member or acquaintance comes out and suddenly THEY UNDERSTAND SOMETHING ABOUT THEMSELVES. And this happens with all kinds of things. Where qhwn we were younger qe just didn't have exposure to these ideas and now young people do and we LEARN. Or they see things differently and they're RIGHT. And we learn.

I have brain damage and my brain is melting out of my ears slowly. I'm not gonna make it to ripe old age before the dementia sets in. I already have memory loss.

Interacting with younger people HELPS. I still don't remember but the mental workout is good for me the same way long walks are good for my heart.

There's nothing sinister with forming friendships with your WHOLE community. Not just your age mates. The divide is bad for the kids and it;s bad for the adults and it's bad for the elders.

Keeping us separate is just. Bad. Anyone trying to push it has bought in to someone distracting from a REAL problem or is distracting from a real problem with something they can have a fake moral outrage at.

For the record one of my oldest friends is over a decade my senior and we've been friends since I was 15 years old. I'm WELL over double that now.

i think some of you guys are insane 👍 it's actually possible for a 16 year old to be online friends with someone in their 20s. source: teenagers are actually people who can talk to other people about shared interests.