#their existence is just important for the story

[dreamauri]

♪ — 𝗟𝗢𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗡 max verstappen x finace! reader ( fluff ) fic summary . . . max had never thought you had spoken dutch, not a day throughout your long relationship and engadment had you mentioned speaking his language, and when he finds out at a gasstation, max.exe has successfully stopped working (683 words)

( main master list | more of max verstappen ) ( requests )

The hum of the car filled the air as you and Max cruised down the highway, the Dutch coastline fading in the rearview mirror. The road trip from Zandvoort to his home in Belgium was mostly smooth, save for Max’s insistence that he was the designated driver for the entire journey.

Somewhere along the way, the fuel gauge dipped low, and you made a quick stop at a gas station off the highway.

"I'll go in and grab some snacks," you said, stretching as you stepped out of the car.

"I'm coming with you," Max declared, unbuckling himself hastily.

You raised an eyebrow. "Why? You scared I'll leave you here?"

Max shot you a flat look. "Not funny."

You instantly regretted the joke. You knew about that story—how his dad had left him at a gas station when he was younger. Max didn't talk about it much, but it wasn't exactly a mystery.

"Sorry," you murmured.

Max sighed, shaking his head. "It's fine. Let’s just get snacks."

Inside the small convenience store, you browsed the aisles, grabbing a couple of things—a pack of stroopwafels, some chips, and, of course, a can of Red Bull. Max trailed behind you, throwing in his own choices (which were essentially the same as yours but his version).

At the counter, the cashier greeted you with a polite smile.

"Dat wordt twaalf vijfennegentig," she said, scanning your items.

You handed over a bill, offering a casual, "Dank je wel," as you waited for the change.

Max, beside you, went completely still.

Frozen.

As if someone had hit pause on his entire existence.

You barely noticed at first, stuffing the snacks into a bag. But then you glanced over—Max hadn’t moved an inch, eyes wide, brain clearly buffering like a bad WiFi connection.

"Max?"

No response.

Sighing, you grabbed his shirt by the collar, dragging him towards the exit while he remained utterly unresponsive.

"Kom op, Verstappen," you muttered, shoving him into the passenger seat.

The silence stretched as you got back onto the highway, but you could feel him staring at you, completely stunned.

Then, out of nowhere—

"JIJ SPREEKT NEDERLANDS?!"

You nearly swerved off the road.

"Uh . . . I did? You were there?"

Max made a strangled noise, somewhere between disbelief and betrayal. "SINDS WANNEER?!"

You shrugged. "My whole life?"

"Mijn God." He ran a hand down his face, shaking his head. "Al die jaren…"

You side-eyed him. "What?"

"Al die jaren heb ik tegen je gepraat in het Engels terwijl ik gewoon Nederlands kon gebruiken?!" (All these years I've been talking to you in English when I could’ve just used Dutch?!)

You snorted, amused. "Well, yeah, but I didn't think it was important."

"NIET BELANGRIJK?!" (Not important?!) His voice cracked in sheer frustration. "Weet je hoeveel makkelijker mijn leven had kunnen zijn?!" (Do you know how much easier my life could have been?!)

You grinned, biting your lip to keep from laughing. "I mean… you never asked if I spoke Dutch."

"Waarom zou ik vragen?! Ik dacht dat je het niet kon!" (Why would I ask?! I thought you couldn’t speak it!)

You drummed your fingers on the steering wheel, the smugness in your expression only fueling his meltdown. "And?"

"EN?! EN?!" (And?! And?!) He threw his hands in the air. "Ik heb zoveel gênante dingen in het Nederlands over je gezegd!" (I’ve said so many embarrassing things about you in Dutch!)

Now that caught your interest.

You glanced at him. "Oh ja? Wat precies?" (Oh yeah? What exactly?)

Max clamped his mouth shut immediately, face flushing.

"Nee, laat maar." (No, never mind.)

"Oh, nu wil je Engels praten?" you teased.

"O mijn god, dit is de ergste dag van mijn leven," (Oh my god, this is the worst day of my life) Max groaned, slumping dramatically into his seat.

Grinning, you reached for your Red Bull and took a victorious sip. "I think it's the best."

[bluehawkdustorm]

To be serious for a sec, I think it's important to understand (and fun to explore through tropes like Evil Wizards) that, when we think of "the shadow" - the dark parts of ourselves we repress and avoid acknowledging - that "positive traits" like kindness and empathy can just as easily become part of our shadow as "negative ones" like rage, resentment, grief, and selfish ambitions. "Positive" and "negative" have literally nothing to do with it.

I worry when you read that, that what y'all take away from it is "positive and negative are not that important", or "it's a little more complicated than that".

What I said was,

it has NOTHING to do with it.

Because "positive" and "negative" traits DO NOT EXIST.

The deciding factor is CONVENIENCE, whether or not you're willing to recognise the needs that those parts of you try to fulfil. Whether or not you're repressing things, whether or not you view parts of yourself as "in the way".

If you view the best parts of you as your defenses ("I get things done", "tears are for the weak", "well I guess they don't deserve food or housing and they're trying to trick me into giving away mine"), if you view anger as a non-emotion and a show of strength, or even just if you view the world through the lens that if you earn strength, then you want the right to do what you want with that strength (at others' expense), then yeah, kindness and empathy are as likely as anything to become part of your shadow. They're "negative" traits, right? Friendship, family, empathy, these are the demons you must slay to succeed and defend your success.

To be clear, this is why we have so many stories about heroes facing direct reflections of their negative traits, a literal shadow-self (e.g. Scott Pilgrim, Naruto) and having to accept and absorb it to win, usually not long before facing the True antagonist. The reason it's VERY IMPORTANT that positive and negative actually have nothing to do with it, is that whenever you consign to the shadow realm a part of you that you think is "bad", you're actually repressing something you need to know about yourself. You're creating your own blind spots and you're basically doing it on purpose. The bill will come due, and it will not be at a convenient time.

So I guess what I'm saying is, an Evil Wizard whose "dark reflection" / other-side-of-the-mystic-meditation-waterfall self is made of of things like their kindness, their empathy, a bunch of prosocial values and feelings, as well as their moral outrage and a bunch of other things that get in the way of blood sacrifices and abuses of power? Yeah, I absolutely fuck with that story.

I want to be an evil wizard. but I keep choosing kindness

[23xfgg]

YANDERE! BATFAM x DRUG USER/SOBER! READER

(Ch. 1)

(Ch. 2)

Ch. 3 <-

An // Sup my little omegas 😼 yes. You (🫵) are my little omegas *growls*. Your alpha is here to give you chapter 3 of this *gestures to the tumbler post* story make sure you say thank you alpha in the comments 😼😼😼🐺🐺🐺

the tag list is also closed!!!! (That’s a lie)

ALSO SORRY IF I DONT RESPOND TO COMMENTS YOUR APLHA OVERTHINKS THEIR RESPONSE TO THE POINT THEY DO NOT RESPOND AT ALL THINKING IT SOUNDS FAKE BUT I WILL LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE KIND WORDS I LUV YOU GUYS I WILL COVER YOU WILTH MY ALPHA SCENT FRRRR🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

With the Bat family 😱

They are constantly busy with their lives. Whether it’s them ensuring that their night lives as Gothams and Blüdhaven’s vigilantes aren’t exposed to the world or their regular civilian lives, keeping up appearances. But still with all that they are able to make time for the people in their lives. They just don’t want to make time for you.

Over these past few months they noticed small changes with your personality and appearance. Your makeup is darker, you always have rings on and your preferred shoes have a platform to them.

Your personality, once chasing after their affection and attention you are now just constantly locked in your room and if you are in a common area like the living room and they enter you make quick work of leaving and avoiding any type of communication/ commotion that cold of happened.

The first one of the brothers that noticed your change was Damian. He noticed the way you no longer lash out to the degrading comments he makes about you or your mom. Your eyes look dull during his ‘Damian insulting your very existence’ time, like you are thinking of other things than focusing on the words spewing out of his mouth. Which you do, you are mentally calculating how much of your personal stash you have left before you run out and probably have to buy more or go raid one of your stashes around Gotham. Depending on how much cash you have left. You couldn’t care less about what he is saying and just want to leave.

It took him by surprise (which he didn't show) when you just walked past him like he wasn't there and just walked out of the manor. He wonder at where heading off to but he didn't ponder long. There is an important mission he needs to focus on currently and that takes importance over whatever you are going to do.

Alfred was the first one officially to notice the change with you. He was with you often when you were younger. He treated you like you were his daughter that he cared for (not the one he abandoned for the Wayne family). So it hurts him when he saw you becoming more closed off and secretive. You even started lying to him about your activities. Whenever you were asked where you were leaving to you give him short answers like “Out.” or you just completely lie to him and say you are going to the movies. It hurts him when you lie but he isn’t going to push for the truth but rather leave his door open so you can tell him out your own free will.

He decided not to alert the change in your behaviour to the rest of the family because he knew that they would dismiss it as they don’t see an actual problem even though there is a problem arising.

Penis (Dick) was next to see a change but it was dismissed as soon as he noticed. You walked out of your room the same time he was talking to Tim about visiting some fast food chain that opened up recently. He saw you and had a brief memory of you asking if the he can hang out with you sometime. His excuse at the time was obviously “Sorry little birdie but next time for sure.” But next time never came. With the sudden recollection of that request from years ago he spewed another apology and gave an empty promise about hanging out together. You just rolled your eyes and returned back into your room thinking that the vodka you have in your wardrobe sounds much better than heading to the kitchen for actual hydration.

He brushed off your lack of response as you just accepting the ‘change of plans’ and finding something else to do (there was no plans to begin with but he didn’t know that nor remembered).

When Duke joined the manor, you were already extremely closed off and kept to your self so he just took it as normal. He only knew that this wasn’t how you acted before through Alfred reminiscing on how he use to bake cupcakes with you when you were younger.

He was curious about what caused the whole personality switch but knew you wouldn’t talk about it so he left it at that. Mostly because he doesn’t exactly know how you will react to him suddenly bombarding you with questions.

You only had less than a handful of interactions with Cass. Mostly because you were weirded out by the fact she can read people’s body language so well and you didn’t want anyone to know about your extra activities. So you may have came off a little cold but speed walking out of a room every time they are just about to enter and never realign making eye contact with them. Your reaction towards her probs made you look guilty but you didn’t care you just focused on avoiding them and keeping yourself to…yourself.

It’s the same with Steph. You constantly try to avoid her coming off as cold and distance but you don’t really care. You don’t even clearly remember when she came into the manor. You just woke up one day still high and saw a purple blob with a blonde top and just continued with your raid on the snack cupboard in the kitchen making sure to not take any snacks that belong to the other residents. And that was probably the last time you were willingly in a room with one of them albeit it was because of your hunger.

Bruce, Barbra, Tim and Jason didn’t really care. They barely notice the change with you and when the did they only dismissed it as a rebellious teenager phase that you will probably grow out of (AN// you will probably die before that happens. I am totally not foreshadowing….or am I wehheheeh) with due time. Never really focusing on your lack of presence in the room or in the over all manor. They all had better stuff to do. Bruce has to deal with being Batman, protecting Gotham, Brucie Wayne and his family. Barbra has her work as oracle cut out for her. Tim is a CEO at like seventeen. Having to manage that along with being Red Robin, and the hero teams he is apart of and being basically a computer whizz why bother even considering that he may notice you. And lets face it Jason has his own stuff with his unsolved anger with Bruce, being a crime lord/anti hero known as red hood, if he was going to actually notice you he wouldn’t care either way.

They will all see the changes but they never care…

An // RAHHHHH you can tell where I started to give up….tsk tsk

I do want to clarify that some members like Duke and Cass didn’t really join until after your personality switch so they have little idea to what you were like before hand while others just don’t care. Steph probably thinks that you are a raging bitch because you practically ignored her when she first met you. You probably didn’t even register her voice was aimed towards you because you were just trying to figure out when did the grimace get a blonde ponytail.. sorry Steph I love purple :p

The next chapter will come after a hiatus due to university work so I will probably not start anything until I am done with this semester and I’m finally on holiday

Tag list is in fact not closed I’m a liar but I will in fact close it when the next chapter drops y’all

So if you want to join these special omegas…just comment

taglist sorry to anyone who’s tag did not work and if I forgot you pls tell me in the comments: @welpthisisboring @vanessa-boo @shycreatorreview @jsprien213 @1abi @cxcilla @moon0goddess @sadeem575 @galaxypurplerose @zeros-rot @visualchu @lostsomewhereinthegarden @waterberryss @burningkittenprince @91-kya @scoutyyy @haileybugulug

Bye bye my little omegas…your alpha is going to miss use and your pheromones *AWOOO*🐺🐺🐺👋👋👋

[the-oblivious-writer]

I’d like a Tara Carpenter x Fem!Reader (not that it's important but R is taller and on the masculine side) story filled with angst, guilt, and miscommunication.

Tara cheated once during all the chaos (you decide who she cheated with) and when she admits it to R, she expects anger, but R just says, “It’s okay.” Tara is crushed—she wants R to fight, to show how much she hurt her, but instead, R forgives her quietly, which makes Tara feel even worse.

They pull away after that. There’s silence between them for weeks, even though R lives with the Carpenters. R feels abandoned, while Tara is drowning in guilt, thinking she’s lost R for good. Tara wants to make things right, but she’s scared it’s too late.

Then, Ghostface returns. The chaos forces them to hide together, bleeding and terrified. In the heat of the moment, they argue, scream, cry, and finally kiss—desperate for some release from the pain.

When they pull apart, Tara whispers, “I never stopped being yours.”

The confession hangs in the air, raw and vulnerable. The story should show Tara’s guilt, R’s hurt, and all the emotions they’ve been hiding. They’re both broken, but they’re still there, still holding on, with a chance to rebuild what they had.

Feel free to change anything! Take your time.

Thank you so much!!

-🥝

Heart in a Helmet

Tara Carpenter x Implied Female Reader

one-shot

summary: When Tara Carpenter confesses to a moment of betrayal, she expects rage, screaming, anything but the quiet "It's okay" that falls from your lips. That deafening forgiveness creates a chasm between you both, with silence filling your shared apartment as you orbit each other like wounded stars. It's not until death stalks just beyond the door that secrets and resentments finally shatter to the surface.

warnings: angst, infidelity, blood/injury, violence/horror (typical gf stuff), emotional distress, and brief mention of self-destructive behavior (implied in y/n's emotional state), and conflict within a relationship.

note(s): yous can't blame me for this one, i'm simply fulfilling a request that happens to be angst.

The silence in the apartment has weight, substance. You can feel it pressing against your skin as you move through the shared spaces, careful to avoid her. Three weeks since Tara's confession. Three weeks of existing as ghosts in your own home.

You remember her words with perfect clarity. "I slept with Chad." Four syllables that demolished everything you thought you knew. The way her voice shook, how she stood there waiting for the explosion, for your rage to match the magnitude of her betrayal.

But you couldn't give her that. Instead, you heard yourself say, "It's okay," the words hollow, automatic. A lie neither of you believed.

The hurt sits beneath your ribs now, a constant companion. You think of how she looked at you afterward—confusion, then something like disappointment twisting her features. What did she want? For you to scream? To break things? To match the chaos outside with chaos of your own?

Sam moves between you both like a diplomat in hostile territory, carrying messages neither of you will speak directly. "Tara's working late." "You left your book in the kitchen." The three of you orbit each other in the small apartment, a broken system struggling to maintain equilibrium.

At night, you lie awake on the couch, listening to the sounds of the apartment settling, wondering if she's awake too. If she's thinking of you. If she regrets more than just the betrayal—if she regrets you entirely.

The morning brings another day of careful avoidance. You're pouring coffee when Tara enters the kitchen, freezing at the threshold like a startled animal. Her eyes, usually so bright, look dulled by exhaustion. Hair unwashed, wearing one of Sam's oversized hoodies. She's lost weight.

"Morning," you manage, voice rough from disuse.

"Hi." She hovers, uncertain, watching you with the wariness of someone approaching a wounded creature. "I was just—" She gestures vaguely toward the refrigerator.

You step aside. "Go ahead."

The silence stretches between you as she moves around the kitchen. You notice how her hands shake slightly as she pours herself juice. The urge to reach for her is almost overwhelming—muscle memory from a life that no longer exists.

"Have you been sleeping?" The question escapes before you can stop it.

She glances up, surprise flashing across her face at the direct address. "Not really." A pause. "You?"

"No."

Something like relief crosses her features—this small acknowledgment that you're both suffering. She opens her mouth as if to say more, but her phone buzzes with a text. She checks it, and the color drains from her face.

"What is it?" you ask, alarm cutting through the emotional fog.

Wordlessly, she hands you the phone.

Did you miss me? Ready for another SCREAM, Tara?

Your blood runs cold. "Does Sam know?"

"I just got it." Her voice is thin with fear. "It has to be a sick joke, right? It can't be—"

The crash of breaking glass from the living room answers her question.

Everything happens at once. You grab Tara's wrist, pulling her toward the back door. But you're too late—a figure in the familiar Ghostface mask appears in the kitchen doorway. You feel Tara's scream more than hear it, reverberating through your joined hands.

You push her behind you as the knife arcs through the air. Pain blooms across your arm as you stumble backward, knocking into the kitchen table. Tara grabs a chair, swinging it wildly at the attacker, buying precious seconds.

"Run!" she screams, and you're both moving, down the hallway toward your shared bedroom—the one you haven't entered in weeks.

The door slams behind you, lock clicking into place. Blood seeps through your sleeve as you frantically push a dresser against the door.

"The window," Tara gasps, already moving toward it. But before she can reach it, something heavy slams against the door. The dresser slides an inch.

"Fuck," she whispers. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."

You scan the room desperately. "The closet. We can hide until Sam gets back."

Another slam against the door. The dresser moves again.

You pull Tara into the walk-in closet, yanking clothes off hangers to bury yourselves beneath. The small space forces you together, her back pressed against your chest in the darkness. You can feel her heart hammering, or maybe it's yours.

Your arm throbs where the knife caught you. Warm blood seeps between your fingers as you press against the wound.

"You're hurt," Tara whispers, turning in the confined space. Her fingers find the wound in the darkness, gentle despite the urgency.

"It's just a cut."

Her breath catches. "God, this is my fault. Everything is my fucking fault."

The sound of splintering wood from the bedroom makes you both freeze. Heavy footsteps. Drawers being yanked open, contents scattering.

Tara's body trembles against yours. You hold her tighter, your bleeding arm forgotten. If this is how it ends, at least she's here. At least you're not still pretending to be strangers.

Seconds stretch into minutes. The footsteps retreat. A distant door slams.

Still, neither of you moves, breath held in the suffocating darkness of the closet.

"I'm sorry," Tara finally whispers, so quiet you almost miss it. "I'm so fucking sorry."

"Not now," you mutter. "We need to—"

"No, now. If we die, I need you to know—" Her voice breaks. "What I did... there's no excuse. But it wasn't because I didn't love you. It was because I was terrified of how much I did."

The confession hangs between you in the darkness, raw and unexpected.

"Then why pull away afterward?" you ask, the words burning your throat. "If you loved me so much, why make me feel like I was nothing?"

"Because you forgave me," she says, and you can hear the tears in her voice. "You just said 'it's okay' like what I'd done was nothing. Like I was nothing to you."

"What did you want me to do? Scream at you? Hit you?"

"Yes!" Her voice rises dangerously before she catches herself. "Yes," she repeats, softer now. "Fight for me. For us. Show me it mattered."

"Of course it mattered," you hiss. "It fucking destroyed me, Tara. But what was I supposed to say when you're standing there looking like the world was ending? That I wanted to break things? That I couldn't breathe thinking about you with him?"

Her hand finds yours in the darkness. "Yes. Anything but 'it's okay.'"

A sob tears from your throat, surprising you both. "Nothing about this is okay."

Her fingers tighten around yours. "I know. I know, and I'm so sorry. I thought—" She sucks in a breath. "I thought you'd given up on us."

"And I thought you had."

Another crash from elsewhere in the apartment makes you both flinch. Tara presses closer, her face buried against your neck. You can feel her tears, hot against your skin.

"If we get out of this," she whispers, "I need you to know that I never stopped being yours. Even when I fucked up. Even when I pushed you away. It was always you."

The words unlock something in your chest—grief and hope tangled together so tightly you can't separate them. You turn your face toward hers in the darkness, finding her lips with yours. The kiss is desperate, tasting of salt and fear and something like possibility.

When you break apart, you're both gasping. "We're getting out of this," you say with a conviction that surprises you. "And then we're fixing this. Us."

For the first time in weeks, Tara's eyes hold something other than guilt. "Promise?"

Outside, sirens wail, growing closer. Sam must have called the police. Relief floods through you.

"I promise," you whisper, pressing your forehead against hers. "But you have to fight for us too."

"I will," she says, voice steady despite the tears streaking her face. "I never stopped."

The closet door is suddenly yanked open, and you both scream—but it's Sam standing there, wild-eyed and breathless.

"Police are here," she gasps. "He's gone."

You help Tara to her feet, neither of you letting go of the other's hand. Your arm is still bleeding, throbbing with each pulse of your racing heart. But for the first time in weeks, the pain feels like part of being alive rather than evidence of dying inside.

Outside, lights flash blue and red through the broken windows of your apartment. Evidence markers dot the floor like strange constellations. Paramedics clean and bandage your arm while detectives take statements.

Through it all, Tara stays beside you. When the police finally leave, promising extra patrols and a manhunt for the attacker, she helps you clean the blood from your skin with gentle, shaking hands.

"Stay with me tonight," she whispers as Sam makes calls in the other room. "Not—I don't mean... Just stay. Please."

You follow her to the bedroom you once shared, both of you moving carefully around the chaos left by the intruder. Neither of you bothers to clean up. Instead, you fall onto the bed fully clothed, exhaustion claiming you both.

In the darkness, her hand finds yours again. "We're broken," she whispers.

"Yes," you agree, because there's no use denying it. "But we're still here."

Her fingers tighten around yours. "Still yours," she repeats, like a promise.

You turn to face her, tracing the outline of her face in the darkness. There's so much to unpack, to heal, to rebuild. But tonight, survival is enough. Tonight, this fragile thread reconnecting you is enough.

"And I'm still yours," you whisper back, the words no longer feeling like surrender but like claiming something worth fighting for. "We'll figure out the rest tomorrow."

For the first time in weeks, you fall asleep with Tara's heartbeat under your palm, the rhythm steady despite everything broken between you. Not fixed, not forgiven—but present. Alive. Possible.

[airosuiren]

𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔗𝔥𝔯𝔬𝔫𝔢 ℜ𝔢𝔠𝔩𝔞𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔡

A/N: OKAY HERE WEEEE GO. This is Part 2 of [Y/N]’s story—where the Batfamily finally sees what they threw away, Lila throws a fit, and Evander makes it VERY clear who [Y/N] belongs to. This one’s petty, powerful, and just a lil’ bit toxic. Enjoy your royal drama.

𝕻𝖆𝖗𝖙 1

Gotham buzzed with whispers.

A war hero. A queen. A legend returned.

They said she commanded armies with a glance. That her magic glowed like starlight and her voice could still time. That her blade never missed, and her soldiers followed her with fanatical devotion.

It was only after her name reached Gotham's news that Bruce Wayne realized who she was.

"[Y/N] Wayne is alive," Tim said quietly, dropping the folder on the table. "But she doesn’t use that name anymore."

Jason flipped through the pictures. "Is this real? This is her?"

"She calls herself [Y/N] of Virelya," Tim confirmed. "And she's building something."

"Looks like a damn fortress," Damian muttered. "Who's that beside her?"

In the photos: a tall warrior in dark armor, pale eyes glowing with frost.

"Evander Thorne," Tim said. "Northern commander. Possibly immortal. They're married."

"Married?" Lila shrieked. "To him? Since when?!"

Silence.

Bruce stood.

"We leave at dawn."

Snow covered the hills as the Batfamily arrived. The gates of Castle Virelya rose like fangs from the mountain, laced with magical wards. Banners of silver and violet fluttered from towers. Soldiers in enchanted armor lined the path.

And at the end of the great hall stood [Y/N].

Crowned. Clad in war-silver and silk. Eyes glowing faintly with ancient power.

She did not smile.

Evander stood beside her, taller than them all, unreadable, a wolf at rest beside his queen. One hand on the hilt of his sword. The other resting possessively on her back.

"You're alive," Bruce said stiffly.

"I always was," [Y/N] replied coldly. "You just never looked."

Lila pushed forward, high heels clicking, voice sickly sweet. "[Y/N], what is all this? You disappear, and now you're pretending to be a queen in the snow with your murder-husband?"

Evander’s eyes narrowed.

He took one step forward. The air dropped in temperature.

"Pretending?" [Y/N] echoed. "No, Lila. I’m not pretending. This is who I was before you were born."

Lila scoffed, stepping closer to Evander. "You must be so bored with her. She acts like she’s important now, but we all know she's the extra. The side project. You could do better."

He moved.

Fast.

His blade was at her throat in an instant, though he hadn’t drawn it.

"Touch her again," he said, low and lethal, "and I will carve your name from memory."

"Evander," [Y/N] said gently, reaching up.

He relented at her touch. Just a brush of her fingers and the frost receded.

Bruce stepped in, stern. "You don’t need this. You’re still our daughter."

"Now you say that?" she said, voice cold. "Where were you when Lila lied about me and got me grounded for weeks? When she took credit for my projects? When you looked me in the eye and forgot my name?"

"You could've said something!" Lila shouted.

"I did. No one listened."

Tim tried. "You don’t have to cut us off. We can do better. We want to do better."

"You want access," Evander snapped. "Not redemption."

"She’s our sister," Jason argued.

"She’s my wife," Evander replied, pulling [Y/N] closer. "And you’re nothing but strangers to her now."

[Y/N] raised her hand.

"Enough. You want to understand? You will." She turned to her companions. "Show them."

Kaelen stepped forward with a scroll. Lysandra murmured incantations. Alarion ignited the flames.

A vision surged up in the air: [Y/N] in chains, her rise, her fall, her crown. Evander kneeling at her side. The world that burned and was rebuilt by her hands.

Bruce fell to his knees.

Damian turned pale.

Tim whispered, "Oh god..."

Lila screamed, "THIS ISN'T FAIR! You're stealing everything! Even Dad loves you now!"

"No," [Y/N] said calmly. "I earned everything. I rose while you were busy pretending I didn’t exist."

Evander looked at her, adoration in his eyes. "Shall I take their memories?"

"No," she said. "Let them remember."

She stepped forward, hair blazing with magic.

"I, [Y/N] of Virelya, sever all blood, bond, and burden from the House of Wayne."

The air cracked.

A burst of golden magic severed ties.

Bruce gasped, reaching out. "Please."

She stepped back. "Too late."

Lila sobbed. "You’re selfish. You don’t deserve him."

Evander moved again.

"She is my soul," he growled. "And you are nothing but noise."

The Bat family was forced out. The doors slammed shut.

That night, the great hall of Virelya sang with light and fire.

Evander twirled [Y/N] beneath enchanted lanterns. Her crown glinted as she laughed into his chest.

Lysandra read fate from flames. Alarion offered a toast. Kaelen trained the next generation.

From the balcony, [Y/N] watched the moon rise over her kingdom.

Evander wrapped his arms around her. "Say the word. I’ll wipe them from the realm."

She leaned back into him. "Let them live. Let them watch what they threw away."

He kissed her temple.

"Long live my queen."

A/N: SCREAMING. CRYING. THROWING ROYAL SHADE. Lila got dragged, the Batfam got shut out, and Evander was everything. Want more? A scene of [Y/N] and Evander's wedding? Lila trying (and failing) to sneak back in? Or maybe the court reacting to the Queen’s return? Lmk! Long live the Queen 🖤👑 Taglist: @trashlanternfish360, @nixxiev, @eclipse-msoul, @plsfckmedxddy, @viilan, @kittzu, @bunniotomia, @bunniotomia, @rattyrattyratty, @texas-fox, @1abi, @niamcarlin,@tomoyaki, @silken-moons,

[ruffboijuliaburnsides]

"Rumination" is what sheep and cows and other ruminants are doing when they "chew cud". It's when they eat the grass, it goes into one stomach to digest a bit, then they regurgitate it, chew it again, and send it to a second stomach/second partition of their stomach. It may happen more idk I"m not a ruminant expert, but that's the basic process.

You need to sit with your emotions like you need to chew your food. You need to chew before you swallow, because otherwise you could choke or get sick, or get some kind of blockage. But you are not a ruminant. It is unhelpful - nay, actively harmful to your body - for you to regurgitate, rechew, and swallow again. Not only is it gross, but since your body isn't meant to do that, your stomach acid erodes your esophagus, your teeth, is harmful in all sorts of ways.

Just so, you need to sit with your emotions and process them, but it is unhelpful - nay, actively harmful to your psyche - for you to ruminate on them. Pulling them back up and going over them over and over and developing stories that don't exist because you keep coming back to it so it MUST be important and your brain goblins will fill in the blanks, meanwhile you're just eroding away at things like healthy responses and self-confidence and self-worth.

It's a skill, obviously. It takes practice. But once you learn how to stop emotionally chewing your cud, you'll be a much more contented and healthy person.

for like a decade I kept getting the advice of "don't ruminate" but also "sit with your emotions" and I was like What The Fuck Does That Even Mean. until someone finally explained it in a way that makes sense:

so there's the emotional part of your brain ("I'm embarrased") and then there's the storytelling part ("all my friends hate me and I'm a piece of shit"). when people say "don't ruminate" what they mean is don't feed the storytelling part

you tend to the emotion ("I'm feeling x. why am I feeling that? how do I move forward given that information? what's something nice I can do for myself right now to cope with this?") but you treat the storytelling part like a little goblin that's trying to be as unhelpful to this whole process as possible. this doesn't shut the storytelling goblin up completely, but it keeps it from causing so much chaos and over time it stops talking so damn much

it's basically like if you were trying to comfort a friend. you'd validate their emotions, but you wouldn't sit there and let them call themself a piece of shit. do that for yourself

sharing this in case someone else is also like Why Didn't Someone Just Say That

[veryfastnighuncatchable]

I understand why people are upset and I'm absolutely not here to tell anyone they're not valid! But I have some thoughts on the finale (note that I'm not a book reader!) ↓↓↓

First off, Siuan's death was not about Moiraine. I love Moiraine, and I love their relationship, but painting Siuan's death as simply a plot device for Moiraine does Siuan herself a huge disservice. Siuan was a powerful leader in a rapidly deteriorating political environment who fell to a coup, not a tragic romantic figure. While she acknowledged her love for Moiraine (in a very realistic way, in my opinion), her final speech to Elaida focused on her defiance and her belief in the light. Siuan didn't die to advance Moiraine's plot, she died as her own person.

Second, while I (as a member of the queer community) acknowledge the pattern in media of creating tragic queer relationships as side plots to the happier main hetero relationships, I don't think this pattern applies here. Yes, it was a tragic love story--but so was everyone else's. Rand and Egwene, Perrin and his wife, Alanna and her warders, even Lan and Nyneave, they all went through tragedies, deaths, forced separations, and conflicts. Why? Because everyone in WOT is fighting the war against the Dark One, and war is hell. That's the whole point. Siuan's death was tragic, but it wasn't for no reason. It showed how easy it is to create discord in times of strife, demonstrated the faults in the Aes Sedai, and further splintered the existing factions. Siuan didn't die for shock value--she had an actual, important death. And they didn't shoehorn a queer woman of color into the show just to be a side character and then kill her; Siuan was important in her own right, and there are also so many other powerful women, poc, and queer characters that will continue to fight for what's right, which is what Siuan died doing.

In all, while it was sad in the way that the deaths of any beloved characters are sad, I personally don't view Siuan's death as harmful or poorly executed. I think it aligned well with the plot of the show, and while she was stilled and bloody, Siuan Sanche died defiant, powerful, and unbroken.

Hail Siuan Sanche, daughter of the river.

[secretgardensinmymindd13]

“you don’t respect buck and eddie’s sexuality if you insist on buddie getting together (like making buck’s bisexuality all about buddie, or ignoring that eddie is ‘straight’ (i can’t not put it in quotation marks))” takes are so fucking stupid, because the writers are literally on board with buddie

they get it, and they’ve been subtly - and not so subtly - hinting at it since the season 7 premiere

the minute they realized eddie was turning out to be gay, narratively speaking, they knew the only right person for him romantically - again, narratively speaking - is buck

and they’ve been planning bi-buck way before they noticed gay-eddie, but when they introduced buck’s bi-awakening, they made sure to show that his new relationship with a man doesn’t click the way it clicks with eddie. they’re cute together, sure, they have chemistry, yes, but it’s constantly highlighted in the show that the only right person for buck is eddie - because he’s just always fucking there, he gets buck like no one else does, their connection is unmatched and this new love interest can’t compare because they’re not meant to be

because the two characters who are meant to be already met each other

i totally respect buck’s bisexuality and how important it is for representation, but i also respect buck as a whole character - and if you respect him that way too, you also understand that buck’s the one is eddie. because it’s been shown across all seasons that eddie is the one person in buck’s life who matches his level of love and his personality

like, it all always comes down to people never actually seeing a proper queer slow burn before because it’s never really existed - previous queer relationships on screen were either fast-developing, pre-established, or never got a real resolution

so people keep dismissing buddie’s connection as “just friendship”, even though the signs of it being a love story have always been there - with both buck and eddie’s sexualities, and with how they relate to each other

the writers saw it because they’re not stupid. and the way they went about making these characters slowly understand themselves and realize their feelings for each other tells me they’re actually geniuses. there was an insane amount of subtext in s7, and basically plain text in s8

and if you can’t see it, then you’re stupid - sorry not sorry - ‘cause i genuinely can’t comprehend how bt-endgame fans or eddie-straight-truthers can’t see what’s happening right in front of them

we finally got a queer friends-to-lovers story for once, stop whining

every time someone says, “why do people always need to ship characters that are cLeArLy just friends?” i’m like:

‘CAUSE WE NEVER FUCKING HAD THIS TROPE WITH SAME-SEX CHARACTERS. it’s always disregarded, even when it makes perfect sense for the story - because of heteronormativity, homophobia, or a general lack of understanding of queer sexualities and experiences

so, yes, i root for them. because it’s a smart thing to do. because i can read between the lines. because it’s written in the story, and the story doesn’t make any sense otherwise. because it’s there in the chemistry between the actors, and in the compatibility between the characters

[riwa-s-tarot]

The 4 Seasons

🌸 Spring - What needs creative expression?

🌴 Summer - What needs to slow down?

🍂 Autumn - What is ready for harvesting?

❄️ Winter - What needs shelter and care?

──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

Choose the picture that you feel is speaking to you the most.

Remember that this is a collective reading and it doesn't replace the value of a full personal reading - take what resonates, leave what doesn't!

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

❇ Pile 1

[🌸Ace of wands 🌴9 of cups 🍂The World ❄️ Temperance]

🌸 Don't be afraid to express what you're most passionate about, whether it’s drawing, writing, or dancing. It doesn't matter what it is! This is the right time to go all out and enjoy it all. If you’re uncertain where to start, don't worry: there's no need to go big, just begin little by little without overthinking. Anything that inspires you will be fine.

🌴 Perhaps during this period, you feel more negative than usual, with your thoughts racing toward negativity. So, pause for a moment: try to listen to the birds singing, to notice the scent of nature, and to feel the sun on your skin. Savor your next meal to the fullest, pet your animal, and hug the important people in your life. The advice is to halt negative thoughts and appreciate the small pleasures of life to remind yourself that even in the darkest times, you can find something worth moving forward for.

🍂 You are about to reach the end of a path that began some time ago, be it the beginning of a love story or a work project, and the finish line will be filled with joy and satisfaction. You have successfully integrated different aspects of your life and achieved a sense of balance and harmony; it’s time to fully enjoy this moment.

❄️ Don't make hasty decisions; weigh each choice carefully and select what makes you feel good, balanced with yourself and the world. Avoid conflictual individuals, connect only with those who deserve your precious time and bring well-being into your life. Protect your harmony and inner peace.

────── 𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧 ──────

❇ Pile 2

[🌸 The Hierophant reversed 🌴Page of wands 🍂3 of wands ❄️10 of coins]

🌸 Whatever you decide to do, do not adhere to dogmas or pre-constructed patterns! Break the rules, challenge traditions, be independent in your thinking and actions. Be your own mentor and explore alternative beliefs and practices, embracing your individuality and creating your own rules. Trust your inner self and develop your personalized practices, whether spiritual, artistic, or work-related.

🌴 It would be better to temper any excessive impulsiveness; focus on learning rather than acting. If you have many ideas and can't decide which one to implement, don't rush in without thought, but try filtering them to keep only those most aligned with your principles.

🍂 If you’ve been planning something for a long time, now is the right moment to put your ideas into action, be it a trip or a new project that you’ve been considering for a while. The important thing is to stick to your plans and be ready to push the limits of your comfort zone. Be far-sighted, anticipate difficulties and think long-term.

❄️ Protect your material investments and the security you’ve achieved through your hard work. Take care of your family (whether it's biological family or your chosen family) and give back to your community, not necessarily through money but also through acts of generosity and kindness. Form new relationships with like-minded individuals and nurture existing ones with those you care about.

────── 𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧 ──────

❇ Pile 3

[🌸Death 🌴4 of swords 🍂Queen of wands ❄️9 of swords]

🌸 Try to face the inevitable changes in life creatively: leave old paths to explore new ones. Be careful not to get stuck in harmful habits. Eliminate everything superfluous to focus on what truly matters, on what aligns with your values.

🌴 You may be very busy during this period, and everything may seem heavy and complicated. What needs to slow down is you! Take some time for yourself to rest your body and mind. It would be better to avoid excessive efforts, giving yourself the time to recover. Perhaps you could take advantage of this resting period to meditate and examine your personal goals.

🍂 Put your self-confidence, enthusiasm, and creativity to good use. Be bold in pursuing your ambitions and ideas, carry them forward with courage and passion. Invest your energy and attention in projects and relationships that fulfill you: let go of people and plans that don't excite your mind or spirit.

❄️ Sleep is essential for our physical and mental health. Protect both by taking care of your sleep! Learn good habits that facilitate falling asleep and make sleep more restorative. Don't obsess over the future or dwell on the past, but take care of yourself in the present.

────── 𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧 ──────

❇ Pile 4

[🌸The Tower 🌴Strength 🍂Page of cups ❄️6 of swords]

🌸 Have you been considering a drastic haircut for a while? Or dyeing your hair a specific color? Do it now! Want to try that absurd recipe you saw on TikTok? Go for it! Channel your energy through creative acts or activities different from your usual routine: write a poem, compose a song, or sign up for a dance class. And if your life feels chaotic right now, remember that only through adversity can you discover your inner strength and resilience.

🌴 Take time to nourish your spirit. Train your self-control, both to handle external events and to avoid falling into your own vices. Remember that most problems are better resolved with calm and patience than with brute force.

🍂 Enjoy the connections with your special people; let the positive feelings you have for them flow. Ask for and give affection; don’t be afraid of your emotions or theirs. If you’re contemplating a more serious relationship with someone, this is the right time. It’s also a good time to start new projects that are important to you.

❄️ If you are emerging from a negative period, now is the time to focus on healing and hoping for a brighter future. Try to move forward in small steps, distancing yourself from the painful past and being cautious not to bring old problems into your present. If the situation you’re in feels uncomfortable, don't hesitate to leave it and step into an unknown but better future.

────── 𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧 ──────

✶ ✶ Thank you! ✶ ✶

For choosing my Pick-a-Pile

[beatrice-otter]

I think it's important to remember why copyright exists ... and profit of the creator is only part of it.

Here's the other part.

The thing about creating something is that it is inherently iterative. Nothing is created in a vacuum. No story, no painting, no song, no piece of clothing, no technological development, no scientific discovery. Nothing new comes from a lone genius sitting in an empty room with no input. We take the world around us, the creations that come before us, and we adapt them and make something new out of it.

When something is copyrighted, it makes it much harder for other people to take it, transform it, and make something new out of it. The more important, useful, or meaningful something is to society, the more society benefits if that thing is open source and can be used by other people as the building blocks for something new. There are all sorts of things that might have been created, that can't be--or can't be circulated--when important things are under copyright.

Now, of course, copyright exists for a reason; creation takes a lot of time and effort, and if you can't monetize it, you're going to get a lot of people who simply can't create, or can't create as much, because they've got to work at something that will put bread on the table. And corporations are very hard-nosed: they don't hire people out of the goodness of their hearts, they do it because it's profitable. For both of these groups--individuals who aren't independently wealthy, and businesses--you need at least some copyright protections or you will have fewer things being created.

The point of copyright--at least, until Disney and other corporations got ahold of things--was to balance these two competing needs. The need of society to have things available to use and transform, and the need of creators to make money. Too short a copyright period, and you lose new creations because the creators can't make a living at it. Too long a copyright period, and you lose new creations because the raw materials are locked up and can't be used. You need a sweet spot.

Personally, I think that the sweet spot is "max 20 years for copyrights held by a business, and life of creator or 20 years, whichever is longer, for individuals," but that's just me.

my solution to copyright is that everything unconditionally becomes public domain with the creator's death. anything held by a group will lose their rights with the death of its leader; whether it be a CEO for corporations or a president for state media. this will solve no problems but will lead to extremely funny assassinations

[nightrider1967]

It is actually disgusting how the US government is trying to erase trans people. Do not let people erase Marsha P. Johnson or what Stonewall was about. I am scared that I only just heard about this.

I don't like to talk about my identity on her because I like to post memes, but it is important. I identify as a non-binary person, I use any pronouns, and I am pan. I shouldn't be scared to exist. I should have to worry that I won't be able to marry my future forever partner.

I fear that them erasing trans people from LGBTQIA+ is the beginning there is no LGB without the T. Trans people have done so much for queer people, and it isn't right to forget them.

I love the United States, but not the people in charge, and I really don't want it to be illegal for me to live as myself in the country I was born in. I am scared, and it has kept me up at night.

I love all my trans brother and sisters and find their stories inspiring. Nobody should be scared to be themselves.

Stay Safe.

FUCK TRUMP FUCK MAGA

[hexalene]

I wish my family was inclined to get on the internet and tell stories because the MOST HILARIOUS saga has been happening with my parents and neighbor for the last few months.

My parents have a great marriage. Hilariously secure. Locked in with a lifetime warranty. Literally -100000% chance of cheating thanks to the…odd but effective preventative power of their collective neuroses overlapping with their better qualities. For whatever reason, it just works.

Their neighbor….is kind of a shitshow. I feel bad for her, honestly, but she’s a wreck. Late forties, early fifties bleach blonde white lady clinging to her youth. I’ve never seen her young, but I’ve gleaned from conversations that she was one of those effortlessly beautiful women who sailed through their youth partying and doing drugs and living on the grace of whatever man she happened to be with at the time.

Unfortunately, age and the partying has caught up to her and she looks pretty rough now. She’s barely cracked her 50s, but she looks my dad’s age (he’s in his 70s….though admittedly, my parents are freaks of nature who both look really young for their age).

BUT TO THE POINT: this woman is convinced she has ruined my parent’s marriage. Evidence…? Uh…

She keeps texting my mom apologizing for “stepping into her marriage” and that she “would never ever sleep with (my dad’s name)” and that they’ve never done anything, she swears. She’s just so sorry.

You may be asking, what prompted this, what EVENT has driven my father from his marriage??

My dad went over to her house and helped pick her 98 year old mother up off the floor. And handed Neighbor Lady a tissue when she cried and apologized for asking for help. He might (MIGHT, my dad is very touch averse) have pat her on the shoulder. Maybe.

Oh, you may be asking, but maybe something else did happen?? Maybe my father is LYING as cheating men do.

My mother was there. She helped. She handed my dad the tissue. This woman was never alone with my father.

It continues

On Christmas, my dad refilled her wine glass. She stared at him like he’d hung the moon. Then spun around and looked tearfully at my mother.

Unfortunately she’d whipped around so fast her robe dropped open and she flashed me.

Note: me. Not my dad. Not something I wanted to see, but like, not the end of the world. And obviously an accident. Did she apologize to me? No. Unfortunately important for the story: all I saw was like, cleavage and half a nipple. She had pants on.

She waited until my dad and I had wandered off then tearfully apologized to my mom and swore up and down it was an accident and that she didn’t mean for my dad to see her naked.

My mom burst out laughing, like, loud. We heard it from outside. Mom handed her a bottle of wine and sent her home. Then came outside and asked my dad if he’d enjoyed the show.

Of course, he hadn’t seen or noticed the flash. That had been me.

I think my parents almost peed themselves laughing over it. While they were laughing, neighbor started texting emoji laden apologies to my parents.

They joke a lot about it. My mom waved to her once and my dad immediately said, “well it looks like our marriage is over”

Neither of them can figure out what is up with this lady.

My bet is alcohol and a long history of this kind of dramatic behavior. I know this woman has been in and out of highly dramatic and toxic relationships since her teens.

I don’t think she knows any other way to exist. And I cannot sell how funny this is hard enough, the idea that she’s trying this with my dad:

The King of the Undiagnosed ADHD.

The Man With The Touch of The ‘Tism.

The God of Mobile Civilization Builders who has and I’m not joking - over 100 different emails and accounts pretending to be other people from all over the world so that he can gaslight his online friends into thinking they’re in a decade long guild war with a clan entirely populated by his female alter egos— THIS man. She thinks THIS MAN is going to take the time to cheat and be in on her drama? Amazingly funny. Absolute cinema.

[cairoblair]

Hello!

Could I request a few things? All similar to each other….in a way!

Could we headcanons on the guys involving children, like how many kids they’d want (if they want any), what they would be like as dads, and how they would handle their s/o not wanting children?

I don’t see too many fics or HCs about them as dads or them with a family or anything and I just think it’s cute, But also understand that some people don’t want kids and respect that, and would like to see what they think or how they’d handle their partner not wanting children!!

Thanks so much!!!!!

awww yes i love this! hope you like it!

(a/n: these are my personal opinion of the LADS men as fathers. yours may be completely different, and that's okay! i hope you enjoy this regardless.)

Rafayel

my personal opinion? he's a girl dad, 100%

how many? two or three, i think he wants to see the difference in how his children would flourish

girl dad? he'd love to dress them up, paint their nails, do their hair, and have little tea parties. he loves playing pretend with them. he'd probably ask them to play instead of the other way around.

boy dad? he might be a little flustered at first, but he'd raise lovely, empathetic little boys. they would appreciate the beauty in life, and understand the importance of recognizing it.

you don't want kids? he might be a little disappointed, but he understands. it can be a lot of stress on you and your body. he's perfectly happy spending your days together on the beach or in his studio.

Xavier

that's a twin dad if i've ever seen one. one boy, one girl, i think

how many? he'd probably be good with the twins. they're a handful by themselves

girl dad? he gets a little embarrassed when she dresses him up, but he does it without a complaint. he'll wear the little bows and headbands with her as much as she wants, no matter how silly he may feel. and he'll happily play animal crossing with her when she learns how to press the buttons

boy dad? he doesn't quite know how to handle his energy, but if one thing's for sure, that little boy is going to be emotionally mature. no throwing your controller when you get mad at the game. just breathe, little dude

you don't want kids? totally okay with him. he appreciates the peace and quiet that exists with just the two of you. there's no pressure from him - if you're happy, he's happy

Zayne

i think he could go either way with gender

how many? one or two, he knows the toll pregnancy takes on your body and refuses to push your limits

girl dad? he's so soft with her. he knows how to braid thanks to the kids in the hospital, so he'll use those skills to help her do her hair in the morning. he'll encourage her imagination, and happily read bedtime stories before he tucks her in

boy dad? what a chivalrous four year old. he hopes to make him a mini Zayne, though he'll never say that out loud. he'll probably be a little bit stoic, like his father, but he has his moments of mischief. all Zayne can do is shake his head and say, "you must've gotten this from your mother."

you don't want kids? from a doctor's perspective, he understands completely. it can take a toll on your physical and emotional health. he's perfectly content with it just being the two of you. as long as he has you, he has the world

Sylus

GIRL. DAD.

how many? one. i think he's an only child father. though, he wouldn't be opposed to a few

girl dad? oh, she's spoiled. she's got her dad wrapped around her little finger. anything his little girl wants. but, she's ready to kick ass too. she's a feisty little thing, but he loves it. he's going to make sure no boy ever treats her as well as her father does

boy dad? he's competitive with him. he'll teach him to box, and he won't go easy on him just because he's the father. he's probably spoiled too. he'll teach him how to take care of the yacht, and his son will definitely use that as a way to get ladies when he's a teen

you don't want kids? no problem. kids can be quite disruptive, and his schedule is already pretty unorthodox. he's happy to spend his days spoiling you instead. that black card isn't for nothing, you know

Caleb

i think he'd be great with either

how many? oh dear...probably as many as you're willing to have

girl dad? he's extremely protective. don't touch her, don't talk to her - that's his little girl. he's ecstatic to play with her dolls or plushies, and he's all over dressing up. he'll probably be the one to tire her out, instead of the other way around

boy dad? that's his little buddy. he'll teach him to play basketball, just like his dad did. he'll be a little disappointed if he chooses something else, though. one thing's for sure, caleb's protectiveness will definitely rub off on him. whether it's his sisters or his mother, he's ready to throw hands

you don't want kids? he's a little upset, truth be told, but he would never pressure you. you're everything to him - happy wife, happy life, after all. besides, that means he has you all to himself. he'd be a little jealous of the attention the kids get

[bberry005]

tbh to me what makes samira mohan and victoria javadi such good indian american representation is that they don't feel like they're just there to be indian american. yes, lots of indians in the US are doctors (and we see that accurately reflected in the pitt!), but a lot of the time, their stories are told in a one note way. you know, the stereotypical way you expect indian people to be represented in mainstream US television.

the thing is though, samira and victoria don't fall into that. you can tell that they're indian and that being so is important to their characters, but that's not the central factor. instead, cultural norms in indian american communities shine through in their essential character traits. hard work, respecting your parents, eyes on the prize attitude, a strong work ethic, and academic and professional achievement of the highest level are all things that indian americans value strongly, and you can see it in samira and victoria without it being handed to you. their cultural values and upbringing inform their characters, but its not so in your face it doesn't feel real. and mainstream american television always makes asians robots or messy failures, so just seeing two indian american women be so refreshingly real is so beautiful to me

also there's something wonderful in samira being the character with research focused on racial health disparities in the ER. when people in the US think about racialized healthcare, they don't often consider asians and asian americans in that assessment. the way we as asians face healthcare discrimination is different than other minorities in the US, but it does still exist and it's extremely prevalent. and samira studying that makes me so happy. and yeah, victoria is the progidal indian child, but her storyline frames it in a way that displays the way she (and many other successful indian american women) are at tensions with their family for pushing them so hard to be so successful and not allowing room for much else. it feels like victoria's story will play out with nuance rather than her just completely rejecting her family as many stories do end, and it's such a good way to subvert the genius asian character stereotype to me.

[yuurivoice]

You mentioned mages being sponsored with the expectation that they work for whomever gets them in the College of Mages and I can't help but wonder what other implications come from that. As far as the capital (not the Belly) is concerned, is magic a status symbol of some sorts?

It is a not so subtle commentary on exploitation of the working class, innovators, etc and so forth. Think about Tesla, Space X, and other such "WOW THIS GENIUS IS SO INNOVATIVE!!!!" business ventures...that were actually stolen, co-opted, or not wholly a product of one particular Muskrat.

So let's take smithing as an example, and imagine that Thomas was a mage. If Thomas could imbue the things he makes with magic, that would be a very valuable skill. Maybe whoever the top smith in the capital was would say hey, I'll sponsor your attendance at the College, and then you come work for me! (And if you don't accept my offer, you will be disadvantaged in ways that I can afford and have access to!)

If Thomas accepted, years later, it's the guy whose name is attached to producing these weapons and tools who receives the renown and clout. Not Thomas. Because people don't care about the details. If McSmithFuck is on the sign, doing the business, shaking hands and kissing babies...he's the one responsible for the product in their eyes. He's the innovator. He's the reason we have access to these weapons, and we should be grateful. And Thomas should be grateful too, because otherwise...he would just be some smith in the backwoods...dealing with all manners of problems that may be directly caused by McSmithFuck as punishment for not bending the knee.

I think at this time in Evalas, magic, and the mages that wield it, are viewed as a resource. The College of Mages is both a safe haven for them, and an unfortunate cog in the wheel that is allowed to exist due to their compliance. Members of the staff may have varying opinions on this, but it is widely accepted that if they don't want to draw the ire of Emrys, they must operate this way.

So again, not subtle, but I think it was an important factor to include in a story about fantastical, magical, eldritch oppression. Because sure, some big unknowable evil is pulling strings, but those strings aren't vague. They're attached to the systems we are familiar with, being wielded against the people.

And the evil that creates those systems isn't unknowable. Greed and lust for power always exists. There will always be people who seek to dominate. Shitty people were always there. They're just being backed by this incredible wickedness, thriving under its rule.

We already have to tread lightly with the "oh no, this eldritch evil made me do deplorable, vile things!" excuse for members of the Anointed, right? I do not like the idea of absolving anyone of guilt or complicity because oooo mind control or whatever. What is MORE interesting is how the people who were manipulated choose to react when they are free. Do they feel guilt and shame? Or...pride? Joy? Do they regret it, wish they had the strength to resist in the first place? Do they run? Do they want revenge? Do they fight back?

The big way to combat it is to show that it mattered. That different people will react differently to them. That the viewer isn't meant to just forgive them because the plot demands it, and we can play with that through different POVs and listeners. Edwin, who we see has a genuine, good heart...was essentially a war criminal, and instead of OH SWEET OLD MAN IT'S OKAY (which will definitely happen anyway because ppl do that) it's moreso meant to be an exploration of a broken will and lost faith. But the plot does not demand forgiveness. The plot, and Edwin himself, demands accountability and penance...but he has to overcome his sense of hopelessness and loss, first.

Goddamn that's a lot of yapping. Hope all of that makes sense, because I ain't proofreading that. LMFAO

[mysteryhack]

this is just… so depressing.

Toph’s character arc in the show is all about her reclaiming her autonomy and figuring out how to trust and cooperate with people once she has it. this is an extremely important kind of story to tell, both for young girls and disabled people, two demographics of people whose autonomy is in constant danger of being ripped away.

I find it ironic then that Netflix made this casting choice. it effectively tells blind kids exactly what Toph’s parents did: they can’t be badass heroes who shake the world. all they can do is sit to the side and let the abled people do the work. tale as old as time.

and the feminine thing… not that blind people can’t be feminine but Toph is pretty utilitarian and doesn’t care about stuff unless it has some material benefit for her. the bun is for practicality, she gallivants around the world in her wrestling uniform instead of a dress, and the only reason she agreed to get makeovers with Katara was because it was fun hanging out and it was nice to be pampered. softening that aspect of her is character assassination because she reinvents her whole life to suit her needs and chooses to discard all aspects of her home life that don’t fit her, as well as everything that exists exclusively to please others.

and that matters because how often do you see female characters who refuse to exist in service of you?

this is the worst fucking day of my life, and yet i am not surprised in the slightest.

toph is an icon for disabled people. she’s one of so few blind characters who is a hero and whose disability is not her weakness or fatal flaw. while it does make her life harder, as any disability does, it also gives her strength. she is the greatest earthbender of her generation. she invented a whole new subsection of bending. the people behind the live action production had a chance to make history just by doing the bare minimum: casting a blind actress to play a blind character. they couldn’t even do that.

not only that, but they’re making her “slightly more feminine” to “humanize” her. as if there weren’t so many young girls out there who looked up to toph because she was weird and didn’t fit the mold. in “tales of ba sing se” she tells katara, “i don’t care what i look like. i’m not looking for anyone’s approval. i know who i am.” to have a female character who doesn’t conform to beauty standards is so important especially right now with the prevalent beauty influencer culture.

while the original cartoon’s representation of women wasn’t perfect, it was diverse. katara and ty lee were both feminine. they liked to dress up and look pretty. toph is not feminine. she grew up forced to dress in formal clothes and style herself a certain way and decided to liberate herself from that. all three of these women are incredibly strong and incredibly talented at what they do, and none of that is impacted by their appearance or gender presentation.

every day, my hatred for the netflix version of avatar grows.