#their relationship is so interesting and important to me
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The notes on this post are really interesting! I used to hate pet names (not cringing but found them tedious and OOC), but then I realized that it's probably fairly realistic for two characters in a long-term relationship to have SOME kind of pet name they use for each other. (I still find it a bit grating when characters use noncanonical shortenings of each other's names to refer to each other, though -- this applies to sibling relationships too.)
For me, the cringe isn't usually related to the type of pet name used but more often the frequency. Certain ways pet names are used can add saccharine-ness to a scene, so if that's what you're going for, then sure, use them, but if it's not, it gets distracting. Dosage is important. Dropping them in every sentence also reduces the impact of each individual usage, so the fiftieth time someone calls their partner by Meaningful Nickname may not have the same effect as that Meaningful Nickname had in canon, for example. Also, frequent use of pet names can have the effect of concealing the character's voice and making them sound like a more generic "person in relationship." So for all these reasons, I think pet names shouldn't be used all over the place but only intentionally when needed.
I have probably spent way too long thinking about what pet names Quark and Odo use for each other. I think they would both use pet names in a relationship (probably something fairly plain and familiar like honey/sweetie/babe/etc.), but it would take a LOT for them to feel that comfortable/affectionate in a relationship, so it would take them being pretty deep in a relationship for the pet names to start getting usage. (Quark I think would regularly use pet names when flirting with people (he's a Casanova type, so using pet names would also serve as useful cover for "I literally forgot your name, sorry" type situations), but it would be a bit different/weird for him to have one in the context of a serious relationship.) For that reason, I think pet names are actually pretty useful for establishing contrasts in the state of Quark and Odo's relationship -- for example, if they're in a secret relationship, there's that nice contrast between how they talk to each other in public vs. in private.
(If they were fake-dating, though, they would absolutely be using the most over-the-top pet names sarcastically as a way to needle each other while also pretending to be in a relationship -- e.g. snookums, pookie, my dearest, etc.)
I was reading a fic earlier and cringing a little, so it left me wondering...
#poll#fanfiction#oops surprise mini-essay again#quodo#quodo meta#this is how I used pet names in my Old Men of Time fic#to do an established relationship surprise reveal
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Always slightly jarring seeing you post about anything 40k cause I always have the impression it's something you'd either be ambivalent of or passively dislike
my relationship with 40k is complicated! complicated enough to warrant a readmore
it's an aesthetically gorgeous setting of absolute misery and awe-inspiring violence to a ridiculous extreme. it's the aesthetics of the NWOBHM extrapolated and amped up as far as they can possibly be amped up, complete with little doodles of 60s era elric slathered in the margins
it creates so much beautiful artwork and so many interesting hypergranular interactions between individuals who have to exist in that kind of world, who have to continue on with their fundamental personhood pushing against an abjectly hopeless reality and no future worth living into
it's weaponised cathedrals in space that shovel corpses into their furnaces, five zeros added to every important number, a norse dialect of Future Latin existing entirely so that a linguistic technicality about the name "bjorn" can come into play like a macbeth prophecy, king arthur von gilgamesh is kept on life support so that everyone can pretend the empire isn't collapsing by worshipping his catatonic corpse like a nuclear power plant that produces divine will
it's a grotesque excess in all things! it's joke upon joke upon joke!
you can even root around a bit further and say "the little glimmer of hope that the imperium provides humanity is propaganda papered over the collapsing hopeless void of how bad things really are, and all of the cruelty is at once needless and pointless" if you want to get especially gothic about it
which I personally do! as someone who enjoys the fiction space allowed by nihilistic and terminal circumstances, it provides a lot of ink for that well
I quite like a good deal of 40k! I also can't stand it, and it's mostly not even because of how the fanbase acts about women, gay people, and the intersections of those categories that contains me (you've seen my blog theme. I'm a deep sea creature to that kind of stuff at this point)
even setting aside the starship troopers aspect of things, even setting aside the faults of the writing itself, 40k being the strut-skeleton of a wargame where you're encouraged to be (profoundly) financially invested in your faction by way of your army leads to some of the absolute most obnoxious powerscaling debates I've ever seen for any franchise ever
I'm trying to think of the best way to put this without coming off as overly mean-spirited, but if you look at the replies on any art of a character who is not a space marine killing a space marine, regardless of dramatic context, you'd be forgiven for assuming the artist personally threatened to cuck everyone in the thread
something that mechanically occurs in the wargame, which textually occurs in the written canon, will be litigated out until everyone gets to settle on the most boring possible answer and nobody dies who isn't expected to
and of course the franchise itself has a perverse incentive to play gently with those exact feelings! in the business of selling boutique plastic and faction rulebooks, there's a lot of money that goes up in flames if you make the primary buyers of your most sustainably reflavourable moulds widely popular miniatures feel like a lost game could be reflected in canon rather than just being some bad gameplay on their part
I can't really offer any particular synthesis of all this into a broader point. in the end, I can't stand the canon or fandom, and I'm also primarily endeared by the canon and fandom
or to put all that another way, I don't care about how the sausage is made, I'm not the one buying it, but I do enjoy the infrastructure that invites gratuitous textual accounts of sausage factory manglings and photos of their aftermath
I'm mostly just here for the yaoi and the dip pen art
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18+ Your Next Spicy Night 🔥
Hey, friends! Happy Spicy Saturday! In today's reading, we're going to look into your next spicy night, who it will be with, and what will happen between you two. To choose your pile, focus on the images and pick the one you feel the most drawn to or the one that catches your eye first. Let me know what pile you chose and if it resonated with you! 🫶
Love, Tara

Who Will Your Next Spicy Night Be With?
Right away, I see that this is someone new, someone you don't know yet or have history with. This is someone you will be in a committed relationship with when you have this spicy encounter. This person is also EXTREMELY attractive. There will be a fiery passion and intense sexual chemistry between you two. I see that this is someone who is very in touch with their feminine energy regardless of their gender. They are deeply emotional, intuitive, complex, and very nurturing. However, they may not show that side of themselves to everyone. When you first meet, this person may come across as a bit guarded. They take awhile to open up to people, especially new people. It takes awhile to earn their trust because they have been hurt before. They've had things they had to heal from in the past and they aren't looking to repeat those experiences. Because of that, they are very protective of their peace and their inner world. They don't let just anyone into their life. I also feel like this person takes love and sex very seriously. Those two things are intertwined and they have a hard time separating them. So, they aren't one for hookups or casual sex. They have to be emotionally invested in someone before they feel sexual attraction to them and before they even consider sleeping with them. I also see that this is someone who is very intelligent and they have very progressive views. As traditional as they are about love and relationships, they are actually very open-minded and accepting of others who may be different from them. I do feel like they can be quite opinionated and they are not afraid to stand up for what they believe in or stick up for others. They have a lot of inner strength and their personality is very dominant. That dominance has gotten them far in life too. I see that they are very successful. Their success has not been handed to them though. They have worked hard and have dedicated themselves to whatever it is that they do. This is someone who knows they are the best at what they do and it's not arrogance, it's confidence because they know that they've put the work in to be able to say that. I feel like this person could have a very important position in their career. They may be a leader, someone who is in charge of others or someone who is an expert in their field. I do feel like you may have some insecurities about this when you meet. You may feel like this person would never be interested in you because of how successful they are. You may have a career that isn't always associated with wealth or you may just not be in a place in your life where you feel secure and successful. It'll be like the "starving artist" falling for the wealthy businessman. However, I see that this person will have no issue with what you do and where you are at in your life. This is someone who looks at someone's soul, not their wealth when choosing a romantic partner.
What Will Happen Between You Two?
This night will be full of both physical intimacy and emotional intimacy. I see long, deep talks about the future and what you both want. I see you talking a lot about marriage, family, and children. You both are very serious about each other and you see a future together. So, I see you both wanting to have this conversation to see if you are compatible on that level and on the same page when it comes to future plans. This feels like a sweet night that turns spicy. At the start of the night, it'll feel like you are two best friends who are enjoying each other's company. You'll be laughing, doing something you love doing together, and just enjoying the night. However, at some point, things turn heated. It may be a look or a touch but whatever it is, it brings that fire between you that was simmering in the background roaring to life. For some of you who are more inexperienced, this could be the night you lose your virginity. I do see you two going multiple rounds. However, I do feel like the first round won't be all that good and I don't think it will end in either of you feeling satisfied. I feel like you may have to stop before either of you has orgasmed. If you or your partner are inexperienced or if either of you have sexual trauma, it may just get to overwhelming or it may be a bit painful (especially if you are a woman with a man) and that may be why you have to stop and take a break. However, when you do come back to it later in the night, I see you two having more success because you know what to expect, you know how to plan for it, and you are just much more comfortable with each other in that way. So, I do see you both being able to orgasm the second time and I think there could be another round or multiple rounds after that because once you two get a taste of each other, you won't be able to keep your hands off of each other.

Who Will Your Next Spicy Night Be With?
This pile is a little messy, not gonna lie. So, only take this if it resonates because it's kind of specific. Your next spicy night will be with someone you have some history with. I see that this could be someone you are friends with currently or who you friend zoned in the past because of other factors in their life that made a romantic relationship with them undesirable or difficult to maintain. There could be baby mama/daddy drama with this person and that could have been a big factor in their hesitancy to commit to you in the past. For some, this person could have even had an ex say they were pregnant as a way to come between you and this person in the past. This person may have even been in a relationship as well but I do see that if that is the case, this person has severed ties with that person. For some, this person even went through a divorce recently. So, just take it as it resonates. I do see that this person has been through a lot of hardship recently. I see that right now, they aren't feeling the most stable in their life. They could've disappointed their family and their family could've shunned them. I just feel like right now, they feel very alone. However, as bad as it sounds, I do think this is what they needed. It's been a wakeup call for them and it has made them realize what is truly important to them. So, I do feel like they have a completely different outlook on life and their priorities have shifted because of it. I do see that right now, they are very focused on happiness in general. They are done doing what is expected of them and done trying to please others. Instead, they are focused on what feels good to them and what makes them happy. There's an emphasis here on being honest with you as well. So, in the past, if this person tended to lie or skirt around issues, they are going to be much more honest and open with you now.
What Will Happen Between You?
I know this is a "your next spicy night" reading but I feel like this spicy encounter will happen during the day or it will start in the daytime and go into night. I see that this person is going to be very magnetic and there will be something about their energy that is much more intense and alluring than it was in the past. I do feel like for a good portion of your time together, you'll keep things kind of surface level but it'll feel like there is an "elephant in the room" that you aren't acknowledging. There will be this feeling of one or both of you holding back, almost like you are afraid to bring up sensitive topics because you don't want to rehash any past drama but knowing that it is necessary in order to move past it. Because of that, I do think things could be a little awkward or tense for awhile. However, at some point, I see one of you breaking the ice and choosing to address those past issues. This will lead to a very open and honest conversation, one that creates more trust between you. I see you talking about any third party interference from the past and really addressing those issues. While this conversation may be tense and uncomfortable at first, I feel like there will be a sense of relief after it is done. You'll feel like your connection has changed in the most positive way. You'll feel like you truly were able to overcome whatever it was that kept you apart in the past and that you are moving towards a more stable and positive future together. I see the night ending on a lot of laughs, reminiscing, and emotional intimacy. I don't know that things will get very physical. I think the "spice" here is more about sexual tension and the attraction between you, almost like a promise of what is to come.

Who Will Your Next Spicy Night Be With?
So, I do feel like you could have more than one romantic option when this person comes into your life. You may also feel like this person is a bit of a player as well and you may think that they aren't that serious about you. However, I do feel like they are a lot more serious than they seem. This is someone who is very assertive and confident. Some may even call them a bit arrogant or even a bit pushy (not in a negative or creepy way that would make you feel unsafe around them). I feel like the way this person approaches you will be a lot different from past connections. You may not be used to being pursued or people who have pursued you in the past may have been very passive about it. So, having someone who is chasing you and not being shy about how attracted they are to you, how they feel, and what they want with you will be a lot different. At times, it may even be a little overwhelming. However, I'm seeing a lot of potential for long-term commitment here. So, keep that in mind, especially because I feel like this person is not your usual type. You may have been manifesting long-lasting, genuine love when this person comes in and here they come, looking like the last thing that you wanted. I keep hearing, "this is not what I manifested" and "this is not what I meant." So, I just feel like they may surprise you but Spirit is urging you to take a chance on them because I do think that you will be pleasantly surprised. I also feel like you may be kind of avoiding romance when this person shows up. Even if you do have multiple options and people who are interested in you, you may be turning down offers and choosing to remain single in order to focus on yourself. You may even be a bit guarded and you may be afraid to open your heart to someone new because you've been hurt a lot in the past. Whatever the case may be, I do think you may be a little resistant to this connection when it shows up. With that said, this person is very persistent and when they want something, they go after it and they don't give up easily. This person loves a good challenge and they are not afraid of the chase and having to earn your trust. That just makes it more fun and makes you more alluring to them. On a more random note, there is something about this person's style and the way they dress that will be unique or make them stand out from the crowd. They could also drive a sports car and/or a convertible.
What Will Happen Between You?
This will be a night filled with romance, love, and affection. This is a true romantic encounter. This person will want to wine and dine you. They will want to spoil you and make you feel like royalty. So, expect them to pick you up, bring you flowers, and take you to a really nice place. Also, this feels very much like a formal date and not a hookup or random encounter. This feels like something that was planned out. I do see that the sexual chemistry and the attraction between you will be burning hot. However, I think this date may not flow very well at the beginning but I think that is due to your own stubbornness. lol. I feel like you'll be a bit reluctant to open up to this person but they'll be trying so hard to impress you, earn your trust, and make you feel safe with them. There seems to be a lot of overthinking happening on your part, almost like you are afraid to hope for a happy ending here because you've been disappointed so many times in the past. However, I do think that you will slowly warm up to this person and with every minute that passes, you'll start to feel much more comfortable with them and more open to them. By the end of the night, I see that your connection will have grown and will have gotten so much stronger because of the effort this person is putting in. I also feel like your opinion of them will be positively changed by the end of the night and you may even have a more positive outlook on love and relationships as well. Now, on a sexual level, I don't know if much will happen. I see that this person will be very respectful of your boundaries and they don't want to be pushy or make you feel uncomfortable in any way. So, I do feel like they'll keep their hands to themselves for the most part. I do see some hand holding and maybe a tame kiss at the end of the night but for the most part, it seems like this person is keeping things very friend and PG while also making it clear that they want a serious romantic relationship with you if you are open to it.

Who Will Your Next Spicy Night Be With?
So, your next spicy night will be with someone who is very balanced, calm, and grounded. This is someone with a very solid, secure energy. You will feel so comfortable and safe in their presences. However, your connection may start with a bit of a hiccup. I feel like when you first meet, your first impression of this person may not be the best and you may think they are something that they are not. I feel like when you first meet this person, they will be fresh out of a breakup. They are trying to heal and move on from that past relationship. However, they may be going about it in not so healthy ways. They could be in a bit of a player phase and you may judge them for that and shut them down when they make a move towards you. However, I do think you will quickly realize that how you see them is a misconception. Even though they were exploring their options, this person is more than ready to settle down with the right person. This is someone who wants marriage and a family. So, while they may be exploring their options and enjoying being single, their ultimate goal is to find their person. I do see that there will be a very strong attraction between you, almost primal and animalistic. You definitely won't be able to deny the chemistry and the connection you share.
What Will Happen Between You?
This encounter will be full of emotional and physical intimacy. As far as spiciness goes, I do see that there will be some sexual acts that you do with each other. However, I don't see you going all the way. I see you wanting to but stopping yourselves because you don't want to rush this connection. I do see some touching and grinding/dry humping. It will be very hot and sexy in the moment and neither of you will want to stop. You'll have to really force yourselves to take a step back and take a breather in order to allow the sexual energy to dissipate. Even though you don't go all the way, I feel like this will be the best sexual experience of your life. This connection will feel much different and a lot stronger than anything you've experienced. I also feel like you two will get a lot closer emotionally through this encounter. I see this person being vulnerable with you and opening up about the complexities of trying to heal and move on from a past connection while exploring a new connection. All in all, I feel like this is an encounter and connection that transform both of you in the most positive ways

Who Will Your Next Spicy Night Be With?
I love this for you, pile five! This is a connection that has so much potential for a long-term, stable connection. For most of you, this is likely the person you will end up marrying. This is a connection that starts as friendship and slowly but surely grows into something more deeper, undeniable, and all consuming. I feel like you will most likely meet this person in the Summer time and at some point, they will invite you somewhere or to do something under the guise of just friends. However, they plan to confess their romantic feelings for you and that is the moment that changes everything. It sounds cliche and silly but it'll feel almost like the stars and planets are aligning just for this moment to happen. It will feel like the universe is celebrating with you because two souls who were meant to find each other finally found each other. This will be a relationship built on reciprocity, tenderness, safety, and warmth. It's not a burning wildfire, it's a cozy campfire. This person will also be great at reading you. They are very observant and they have an almost intuitive connection with you that allows them to feel and see any mood shifts you may have. You will feel truly seen in this connection. You'll open up to this person about things you wouldn't tell most people. They will know your deepest secrets, the feelings that you are afraid to share with anyone else, and they will know you like the back of their hand.
What Will Happen Between You?
So, I see that this night could happen in the fall or late summer (September to October) when it's still warm but the temperatures are starting to cool down. I feel like this person could invite you to some kind of get-together with their friends and family. It won't be a huge thing but they'll want to introduce you to the people that are important to them. This feels more like a barbecue, bonfire, Sunday dinner vibe. It's cozy and down to earth. However, I feel like you go into this night with a lot of nerves. You'll worry if this person's friends and family will like you and you'll be really worried about embarrassing yourself and your person. You'll just be putting a lot pressure on yourself but it's all overthinking. When you get there, I feel like you'll quickly start to feel comfortable with these people even though they are new to you. They will be so warm and welcoming. You'll have no choice but to feel the love and warmth that surrounds you. This night will feel almost magical, like you are exactly where you are meant to be. I don't feel like there will be much physical spice until later. I feel like you could end the night with a very spicy kiss in the car before they drop you off, one that leaves you wanting more. It could even turn into a full blow makeout session with lots of tongue action, touching, clothes getting pushed aside to give better access, etc. However, I don't think you'll go very far sexually. This feels like an encounter that is hot and heavy but leaves you wanting more. Later that night when you are both alone, I feel like you could call each other or text each other and that quickly turns very spicy. I feel like this could result in pictures, videos, or even a FaceTime call that leaves you both panting and going to bed with very inappropriate thoughts of each other and what is to come in the future.

Who Will Your Next Spicy Night Be With?
So, I want to begin this by saying that I want you to be careful with this connection because I do see this possibly turning very obsessive and toxic very quickly. I feel like the attraction between you two will be very fiery. This is definitely a connection based on lust but because you are a romantic at heart, you may mistake this for love and see a future with this person that isn't possible. I feel like this person is someone who is only in it for the physical. This person has no intentions of settling down or committing. They enjoy sex, they enjoy being single, and they love their freedom. I see this person possibly stringing you along and giving you false promises to keep you interested. They know how you feel about them and they know that they have power over you because of that and they aren't ashamed to use that power to get what they want from you. This person could be a fire sign (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) and for a lot of you, this is someone you already know and are having a hard time letting go. If that resonates with you, I see that this person knows that you've developed this almost obsession with them and they aren't afraid to use that to their advantage. It's super important to use logic when approaching this connection. In order to navigate it, you will need a clear mind and not be clouded by your emotions.
What Will Happen Between You?
This person may start out being very sweet to you. They may wine and dine you, bring you flowers, and give you very sweet compliments. However, it's all done with the motive of getting you in their bed and under them. Yes, this will result in a hot and sexy hookup. This person is no doubt a very skilled lover. They are very good in bed and this will end in both of you climaxing. So, I don't think this will be a bad or unsatisfying hookup in the slightest. However, the emotional intimacy with be lacking. I feel like you will be seeing and feeling things that aren't there because you are in love with idea of love and are obsessed with feeling that. So, it's almost like you trick yourself into feeling these intense emotions and this person is very good at playing the part as well. However, this seems like a "love 'em and leave 'em" type of encounter. You'll have some hot and steamy sexual moments that end in complete sexual satisfaction but it will be over quickly and this person will be out the door without providing aftercare, giving any sweet words of reassurance about how they feel, and without making you feel like they actually give a damn about you. I see you ending the night feeling a bit used and even rejected on an emotional level, unfortunately.
#metaphysical#occult#tarot#tarot community#tarot reading#tarot readings#tarot reader#tarot cards#free tarot reading#free tarot readings#tarotblr#divination#divination community#divination readings#divination reading#oracle#free divination#oracle cards#oracle deck#oracle reading#oracle reader#free oracle reading#spiritual#spirit#spirituality#witchy#witchblr#witch community#tarot witch#pick a card
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parental guidance — matt sturniolo

You had survived many things in life:
A 10-page essay with a 12-hour deadline.
The time your sister cut her own bangs and blamed you.
A near-death experience involving a rogue shopping cart at Costco.
But nothing, nothing, could have prepared you for the emotional rollercoaster of meeting Matt Sturniolo’s parents.
It started with what Matt called “a chill lunch.”
Just “grab a bite with my parents,” he said.
“Nothing serious,” he said.
“You’ll love them,” he said.
And because you were in that disgusting stage of new relationship happiness where you’d agree to go on a 4am hike if Matt asked with a smile, you said yes.
You’d tried to prepare — emotionally, mentally, spiritually — but the moment you stepped out of the car, your brain short-circuited.
Matt, on the other hand, was as chill as ever. "You'll be fine," he said, patting your back with one hand and texting Nick with the other, probably about something deeply important like if they still had that box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch in the pantry.
"You say that," you whispered, "but what if your mom hates me and your dad challenges me to a duel?"
Matt blinked. "Okay, first of all, this isn’t Bridgerton. Second, even if my dad did challenge you to a duel, it would probably be over whose meatballs are better. You’d win if you brought garlic bread."
Comforting.
You took a deep breath and followed Matt up the steps. MaryLou opened the door before he could even knock.
"Hi honey!" she beamed, immediately pulling Matt into the kind of mom hug that could repair broken bones and emotional trauma. Then her eyes landed on you. “Matt told me so much about you. He said you were beautiful, and he was right. He really loves you.”
Cue internal panic.
He what now?
You glanced at Matt, who was suddenly very interested in the bread basket. The man looked like he was reconsidering all his life choices.
“Uh—” you stammered, because, what was the protocol here? “T-That’s so sweet. I—I love him too— I mean— not that I— I like him! Very much. Like. Deeply. In a non-threatening way.”
Matt physically winced.
MaryLou, however, was glowing. She had zero chill and all the warmth of a Christmas Hallmark movie. She gave your hand a pat-pat like you were a nervous puppy.
“Oh honey,” she smiled, “you’re adorable.”
She pulled you in for a hug, and for a second, it felt like you had passed the final boss of a video game. You were in.
The house smelled like a bakery and looked like Pinterest exploded in the best way. There were seasonal dish towels and a “Live Laugh Love” sign in the kitchen that seemed to stare into your soul. Jimmy was leaning against the counter, sipping coffee like he was about to offer life advice or a dad joke. Possibly both.
He shook your hand, strong and warm. “You must be the girl Matt won’t shut up about.”
You blinked. “He talks about me?”
“Oh yeah,” Jimmy grinned. “Says you’re smart, hilarious, keeps him in check—though I’m still not convinced he listens to anyone—but most of all,” he winked, “he says you’re beautiful.”
Your heart did a double backflip.
“And he was right,” Jimmy added sincerely. “He really loves you.”
You stared at him, stunned, while Matt choked on his water behind you.
“DAD.”
Jimmy ignored him, still smiling at you like this was a completely normal, casual Tuesday.
You turned to Matt, your cheeks on fire. “You told them that?”
Matt was red. “I mean... yeah? I wasn’t gonna bring you around if I didn’t—like—y'know—”
“If you didn’t what, Matt?” MaryLou said, crossing her arms and enjoying the show. “Say it.”
Matt groaned. “Oh my god.”
“She already knows you love her,” Jimmy said helpfully. “She just found out ten seconds ago.”
“I’m going to hide in the basement,” Matt muttered, grabbing a cookie from the counter like it was a survival ration and retreating toward the stairs.
“So,” A while later, MaryLou leaned in with the gentle intensity of a therapist who knew you were hiding something, “how did you and Matt meet?”
Matt visibly froze mid-sip of water.
You grinned. “Well, technically, I almost hit him with a door.”
Jimmy blinked.
MaryLou gasped. “No!”
“Oh yes,” you said. “He opened it too fast, I panicked, and accidentally whipped my smoothie at him.”
Matt nodded solemnly. “It was mango. It burned.”
“I offered to buy him a new hoodie,” you added. “And somehow, he agreed to go on a date with the person who mango-assaulted him.”
MaryLou clutched her heart like this was the plot of Titanic.
“That’s— that’s so romantic,” she whispered.
“Romantic?” Jimmy said. “She assaulted him with produce.”
“It was a liquid fruit-based accident,” you clarified.
“Sounds like love at first pulp,” Matt muttered, and you kicked him lightly under the table.
For the next hour, it was a whirlwind of questions, stories, and MaryLou pulling out photos of Matt as a baby that absolutely no one asked for.
“He was such a serious baby,” she said, showing you one where Matt stared directly into the camera like he was about to declare war.
“Bro looked like he was already paying taxes,” you whispered.
“He was born with a furrowed brow,” Jimmy added. “We thought he’d come out quoting Nietzsche.”
You were laughing so hard, you nearly choked on your water.
Eventually, as the meal wound down, Matt finally spoke up. “So... not a total disaster?”
MaryLou reached across the table and took your hand again, eyes warm.
“You’re funny, you’re charming, and you clearly care about my son,” she said. “I can see why he fell for you.”
Matt cleared his throat and looked down, cheeks pink.
Jimmy looked between you and Matt. “You roast him regularly, don’t you?”
“Absolutely,” you said.
“Good,” he nodded. “He needs that.”
As you stood to leave, MaryLou hugged you like you’d just passed a sacred rite. Jimmy gave you a firm handshake and a nod of approval. And Matt?
Matt walked you to your car and stood awkwardly by the door.
“Sorry about the whole... ‘he really loves you’ thing,” he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.
You smiled. “You told your mom I was beautiful.”
“I mean... yeah.” He shrugged. “You are.”
“And you love me?”
He groaned, but didn’t deny it. “Can we pretend I said it in a less intense way?”
“Nope.” You leaned in and kissed his cheek. “But I love you too, mango-boy.”
He blinked, then beamed so hard, you almost saw sparkles.
And just like that, meeting the parents wasn’t so scary after all.
(Although you were slightly traumatized by Baby Matt in a diaper and sunglasses. Some images never leave you.)
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usopp, sanji, and robin and how their relationships to abandonment, insecurity, trauma, pain, reunion , love, and devotion make one piece beautiful. and in turn, how their bonds make the sunny a wonderful place to call home
(word count: 6k words. WAY more under the cut. get ready for a needlessly long one)
one piece, of course, is famously about friendship and liberation. every single animanga canon arc from romance dawn to elbaf have been repeated demonstrations of the themes of devotion to morals, causes, ideals, people, wishes, and dreams.
however, one piece also touches on another extremely important side of this hypothetical coin of love and devotion. it touches on selfishness, attempts at self sacrifice and distance to spare others trouble. as well as to, subconsciously, spare oneself the trouble of seeing people one loves get severely hurt or weighed down by your actions, or inaction, or peril, or otherwise… unworthiness. to be alive, to have their respect, to be in their graces, to be loved. and how, despite how the circumstances these feelings show themselves in the story are often strikingly different, they are all meant to be a reflection of the other, a thematic and narrative parallel of how and why love is shown.
of course, in arlong park, we see our first member leave the crew. but nami’s storyline in arlong park has a little less to due with her personal insecurities, and a lot more to do with her trauma and general fear.
while absolutely interesting in its own right for analysis (and i might have to come back and write something about franky in w7 and nami in arlong park sometime), arlong park isn’t one of the arcs i’ll be touching upon here.
the main arcs that i am interested in discussing today are water 7, enies lobby (& post-enies lobby), and whole cake island. in addition, we are going to be dividing the parallels into three sections. one for parallels between enies lobby and whole cake island, one for water 7 and whole cake island, then the last for water 7 and enies lobby. they will also be categorized by what i personally find to be the most striking means of delivering the similar themes each arc shares.
robin and sanji’s hope instilled by a personal savior
(enies lobby and whole cake island spoken/written parallels)
when robin escaped the buster call on o’hara when she was 8 years old, she was told by saul, who rescued her from certain death that she would be “alone for now, but [she]'ll definitely meet friends who will protect her!!"
when sanji escaped germa when he was 8 years old, he was told by reiju, who guided him to safety from a life of abuse that "the sea is broad, [he]’ll definitely meet some kind people one day!"
both of these statements carry the same weight, and the same implication. the people who loved robin and sanji, were convinced that one day, they wouldn’t be the only ones who’d carry the title of their loved ones anymore. of course, worded differently to reflect their specific circumstances (which will end up a recurring theme here), but the idea remains intact out of both reiju and saul’s mouths.
see, this is where our analysis becomes the most interesting to me. we read reiju tell sanji he’ll find “kind people,” and read saul tell robin she’ll find “friends.” what does this mean in their personal contexts?
sanji had already known kindness, sora was the most overtly kind to him in a cruel world ruled by an iron fisted patriach, but she’d been dead for a while at this point. reiju wanted to make him believe, she wanted to remind him, that kind people still existed. it wasn’t just sora, with so many people on the planet, he’d find people like sora again! and that, of course he did. we see it happen exactly in whole cake island, where luffy smiles eating sanji’s cold, stepped on, wet bento he’d made (accidentally with the crew in mind), exactly like sora would’ve. an obvious visual representation of the hope that reiju not only instilled in sanji, but what she herself hoped would happen for him, and how their hope became a truth.
robin had already known friendship. sanji knew familial love through sora, but robin had known friendship, more notably. all her friends and loved ones died in the buster call. she lived and they (mostly) didn’t. saul wants her to never forget she would know friendship which would save her life again. she spent so many years alone and in her own head, in the unwelcoming houses’ of strangers, in persecution. the next time we see robin involved in a buster call, not only does she live, but she proclaims she wants to do so. this time, she’s not a scared lonely 8 year girl watching a bloodbath with no one by her side and powerless to stop it. she has her friends.
actually, the spoken parallels do not end there. luffy’s own dialogue in their times of devastating emotional turmoil in which they make excuses as to why they have no interest in, why they can’t, return to the straw hats, is, too a spoken parallel.
luffy shouts to sanji “tell me how you really feel!”

luffy shouts to robin “say it! say you want to live!”

another two pieces of dialogue which are actually nearly identical in sentiment, but take on completely different wording due to the circumstances. sanji, during the events of whole cake island and in his childhood in germa, was never allowed to feel anything. or, at the very least, he was expected to behave like he never had and never would. so, luffy’s act of radical love was to allow sanji the opening to do what he had never been permitted to do as a child. he left sanji to state his own feelings. which, of course, were the culmination of the emotional moments of the arc for many. sanji wanted to return home, with the straw hats, on the sunny.

translation note: in japanese, sanji uses the verb "kaeru" which does, in fact, mean "to return [home]," this is the official translation from shounen jump, but its not the one widely accepted by the general one piece translation community, i believe.
in contrast to allowing sanji an opening by asking him a question, he leaves robin an opening by making a demand. she truly could have said she wanted to die again, that she had no interest in living, that the straw hats could’ve left her there. but she remembers what saul told her. she remembers the hope to find friends. and thus, in turn, she thinks maybe… just maybe, this time it will be okay to agree, to follow along, to trust someone after years and years of hatred and despair. she screams her heartbreaking wish that she wants to live! she wants the straw hats to take her away from the site which became a buster call location.

in her remembering of saul’s hope, and trust in the world, despite it all, robin finds her own hope and trust in her world, her friends, shining through. in his remembering of reiju’s genuine conviction, sanji finally allows himself to express his true, open, genuine raw emotion, right on his sleeve, to the people who actually valued it.
yet another point to be made about dialogue and parallels brings us to the attention of sanji and robin’s (at the time) living parents' lack of desire to disclose a mother-daughter and father-son relationship.
when robin tries to leave o’hara, she infamously cries to her mother if she knows her, if she remembers her?! olvia doesn’t even turn around, and informs robin that she must be mistaking her for someone else
as viewers, we can see olvia’s thoughts and intentions. she is thinking to herself that she doesn’t want robin associated with her to avoid robin’s incoming death if she were to do so.
however, that is how we as viewers read it. to a little 8 year old nico robin, all she hears is that her mom doesn’t want to remember her, or maybe doesn’t care for her at all. we see this on the proceeding pages where robin begs olvia for her acknowledgment as olvia’s daughter. she sobs that she knows she's grown up, but it's still her! it's her, its robin!

there is, of course, a twisted version of a scene similar that occurs in whole cake island between sanji and judge, shown to us during the flashback of sanjis childhood. as 8 year old sanji is running out of the dungeon to scramble to leave, judge is the one who catches him running upstairs to freedom after reiju let him go.
sanji fully anticipates some kind of resistance, going so far as to have a small blade prepared to possibly fight, but judge has no qualms about letting sanji leave germa. as a matter of fact, he is quite mockingly thankful, reminding sanji, as always, that he sees the kid as nothing more than a blemish on an accomplished scientific career and reputation.
his only condition to give sanji the key to the psychological and physical trap on his head is for sanji to never tell anyone that judge is his father. he’s embarrassed of his child.
it is noteworthy here that this is the only time, in the entirety of whole cake island from past to present, that we ever see judge refer to sanji as his son behind closed doors.
he is doing the inverse of what olvia did for robin. olvia’s goal was to save robin and the only way she knew how to do so was to outright deny her motherhood of her. she made her own public stand against being robin's mother, for a noble cause, but she still denied it. yet she denied it herself. she never made robin do it for her.
judge’s only goal, on the other hand, was to save some face and maybe a bit of reputation, he makes sanji not say he’s his dad. if sanji had asked judge publicly if he was his dad, like robin asked olvia, from all we can gather and understand from judge’s public relationship to sanji, he would’ve said yes, of course he was. despite this, he didn’t even value sanji’s life enough to consider his disdain for him to even slightly tarnish his public reputation, so of course the only logical thing he could think to do was to make sanji do all the dirty work for him.
an archeologist saving her daughters life by denying their history herself, and the king of a fascist empire making his son save him some ego by forcing him to denying theirs for him... its an oddly fitting in-text commentary on some of the most common themes of the series as a whole, isn’t it?
possibly one of the most interesting and valuable moments in robin and sanji’s character arcs post-whole cake island and far, far past enies lobby, is sanji begging for robin’s help in wano. he asks her to help him!
this does two things for their characters and actions, and how they evolve and change and grow as people. how to be loved is to be changed, fundamentally.
the first is that this is one of, if not the only, time we see sanji ask for anyone’s help. the fact it is a woman’s help, who he always treated like and believed he needed to be the protector and savior of, tells us so much about what this means for him. this is life or death, he asks robin to help him because he trusts her.
on robin’s end, it's less explicit, and this is more a personal reading of the arc. but, how would she have felt being asked to help someone? again, recall that robin was mistreated and not trusted by anyone until she met the straw hats. people notoriously thought she was a traitor for trying to survive, that she had no ideals or semblance of morals. so, for anyone, especially someone who has never asked for help, to trust her enough to plead for her assistance, had to have impacted her deeply.
both of them thought all these actions were completely and utterly selfish, so they took the route they believed to be noble. they chose self-sacrifice. but the true selfless action, as luffy made them realize, would be to allow others to help them when they needed it, and make them feel appreciated and wanted. the true selfless action would be to allow their friends to help so they could all continue to enjoy each other's company.
usopp and sanji’s trials in the cold
(water 7 and whole cake island visual parallels)
whole cake island has some of my personal favorite and visually and narratively interesting manga panels in the entire series. and water 7, another parallel of whole cake island, the same as enies lobby, has so many visual parallels to whole cake island.
first, let’s discuss the obvious, the gloomy weather. usopp and luffy infamously dueled in dark, foggy weather, and sanji infamously told luffy he wanted to come back in the rain.
this is extremely interesting to me. these two scenes are some of the most striking, visually, and noteworthy times we see rainy and/or wet weather be associated with sadness or despair in one piece. usopp cried and sat on the ground in the fog, after a performative fight to leave the crew, while sanji sat in the rain while giving performative excuses as to why he can’t join back. sanji ultimately ends up confessing what he really wants in the rain, but usopp doesn’t get that closure here.
to usopp and his narrative, the fog and wet of the night is associated with performative, frustrating, “fights” that no one wanted to see, but with associated genuine feelings of upset anger. to sanji and his narrative, the rain is associated with performative arguments, and ends in genuine feelings of upset, angry, and deeply sad and yearning feelings.
the weather is not their only notable visual parallels here. another is their fights with their captain, their fights with luffy.
usopp’s fight was clean, more evenly matched. luffy directly consented to it, he agreed to usopp’s challenge to a duel. however, sanji’s fight with luffy was less of a fight and more of a physical attack. luffy didn’t fight back, he took the hit and made his decision, right then and there.
of course, there is more to be said here. in particular, during sanji’s emotional betrayal to his own feelings. he and usopp are actually extremely similar in their actions, but with different stakes.
chopper, after trying to help usopp, comes back crying to nami that usopp told him they weren’t crewmates anymore, and that chopper needed to leave him alone and go back to the ship, with the crew.
when sanji starts fighting the sanji retrieval team, nami asks him what the hell gives? sanji answers her question with a demand. sanji demands the crew to leave him alone, that they’re beneath him as pirates. this is a statement he has no belief in, which of course we all know. however, sanji’s eyes in this panel specifically look dead. he looks like he’s out of it, like he’s trying so hard to look like he believes it despite the fact he does not at all.
while not exactly a whole cake island specific parallel, the important proceeding context is, and it gives contextual visual comparison, so i will humor it here, somewhat briefly (as i’ve spoken about sanjis part of this in this post)
sanji and usopp, notably for our purposes, share two distinct visual character poses. touching upon sanji’s first, he bows deeply to zeff, to his father, and thanks him for taking care of him for so many years. of course, this scene is bittersweet and emotional during baratie, but the knowledge we receive in whole cake island makes it all the more painful and moving. he makes a final statement of the true nature of his and zeff’s relationship, right then and there.
in juxtaposition, when sanji iconically pulls down judge by the tie of his cape, to be able to look each other eye to eye, he denounced their relationship. he yelled that judge was not his father! so intensely that we see him sweating and breathing heavily after the declaration. due to the nature of their literal, physical height difference, but more importantly, how sanji felt judge’s eyes always looked at him with shame.
usopp, too, had a moment of shirt pulling. however, his moment of shirt pulling was a reflection of tragedy and insecurity.
it is made clear in water 7 that usopp believed his role on the crew was somehow inherently tied to the going merry. he makes it obvious by continuously speaking of how he repaired her. he loved her, she was their crewmate. how dare they let her go.
so, when faced with the reality that the merry’s beyond repair, that she needed to be let go even if she was their friend and loved her…
…who’d they let go next? this is the core question which is often neglected and disregarded in this argument. he quite literally states it, if they’re abandoning weak crewmates, naturally he has to go too.
during their heated argument, there is a moment where we see usopp try to pull luffy down by his shirt as well. despite the fact they are the exact same height, and have been looking at each other at the eye level for months at this point, usopp feels as luffy is looking down upon him. he feels the need to bring down his captain, who he idolized and admired, down to look at him.
in contrast, at the end of post-enies lobby, when usopp apologizes to luffy and the crew (which is a conclusion i have personal opinions on as a writing choice, but i digress) he too is seen deeply bowing. he is sobbing his eyes out while groveling to luffy and the crew to apologize for being mean, for being stubborn. inadvertently, he is also thanking them for letting him on the crew despite all of this. he hopes he would be able to come back. he wants his crews desire to welcome him back. he longs for their desire to love him.
at the end of the day, thats what both he and sanji desire from their scenes, the freedom to be loved, and the desire for people to want to love them. sanji grovels to zeff because zeff wanted him, he wanted to love him, he made sanji feel important when he’s felt like a sad waste of a human being for his entire life. zeff’s kindness, sanji feels, is what allowed him to survive and join the straw hats, who’d come to be his best friends. and of course, sanji’s scene with judge is another demonstration of respect toward his father, toward zeff. he’s thanking zeff for raising him and instilling true morals in him.
usopp grovels to the crew to show his sorrows and regrets about his actions and how what he did was wrong, disrespectful. he sobs his apology, and of course luffy immediately forgives him. yet, he pulled down luffy’s shirt to make them look eye to eye, even if they’d done that this entire time. he wanted his desire to be respected taken seriously. but more importantly, he wanted his desire for love to be taken seriously, even if unspoken directly in the text.
lastly for this section, there are two panels from sanji’s performative fight in whole cake island, and of course two parallel panels in water 7, i’d like to point out as interesting.
the first, is luffy’s face getting hit by two things associated with heat. rendering him briefly unable to fight back. usopp’s hit is much less deadly, of course, but the parallel stands. sanji kicking luffy in the face with his leg on fire, and usopp getting luffy in the mouth with the deluxe pepper sauce star, could be understood as two different means to the same end. they didn’t want luffy to win, they didn’t want him to fight back, they were trying to achieve a goal to prove they weren’t respectable or worthy. they were trying to fulfill a prophecy they’d created.
the second, is the parallel image of usopp and luffy’s battle, and yonji’s comment to sanji about luffy becoming hunted down.
usopp tells luffy he has an army of 8,000, a classic and signature lie of his. it’s an intimidation tactic usually, but here it’s a distraction. he’s trying to distract luffy as a part of the strategy to beat him. however, sanji doesn’t lie to luffy about power in numbers, he simply lies to him about his opinion of pirates and those who the vinsmokes believe are beneath them.
so, when yonji informs sanji that there is an obscene crew of people going to find luffy, its disturbing to sanji and the reader. it’s like usopp’s lie come true, but its flipped on sanji, with the crew of people finding luffy having full intention of killing him.
so, what do the panels here tell us? in water 7, we see luffy and usopp in extremely similar panel sizes, directly next to each other. however, when yonji informs sanji of the team whos going out to kill luffy, we notably see both of them at the top of the page. however, the page focus is not on them. its on the team whos trying to go out.
usopp believed in luffy so deeply and they were (are) such fantastic friends, that even in their fight they are, more often than not, framed as equals. in contrast, yonji believed in luffy so little, and sanji had pretended to believe in luffy so little, that the panel shows us them at the top, despite not being the focus of the page. why would they get their hands dirty dealing with straw hat, right? they’re royalty, they’ll leave the simple bloodshed to the people beneath them, literally here.
sanji and usopp held beliefs about themselves, their role on the crew, their usefulness, and how they didn’t belong. they did everything in their power to make everyone believe they didn’t deserve to be with their friends in fear of being a burden or easy target. and, throughout both arcs, for a while, this seemed to have worked.
monkey d luffy, despite all his idiocy and recklessness, is a guy full of compassion and emotional intelligence. their lies appeared to have lasted, but luffy had no intentions to allow their prophecy to be condemned to a regretful life of sorrow to be fulfilled.
they thought regaining their invitation to the crew would be selfish, so they chose to lie and leave so no one would miss them when they were gone
however, they didn’t realize that their invitation to luffy’s friendship was never revoked.
robin and usopp's cowardly “facing of the facts,” and their brave acceptance of truth
(enies lobby and water 7 parallel timeline occurrence, and what it meant for robin, usopp, luffy, and the crew)
of all the so-called straw hat “desertion” or “betrayal” arcs, it is noteworthy that enies lobby is the only one piece arc where two straw hats abandon the crew simultaneously. in fact, it is so important to the crew and the story, nami herself points it out. she feels like the crews falling apart, she quite literally says this exact sentiment in the text.

this idea is shown to be shared at least among chopper and sanji, who have vastly different approaches. chopper, of course, is sincere and shows genuine outward deep care for usopp. the rest of the crew does as well, but sanji’s hardass mentality about it is clearly disregarded when his friend is at his lowest and no one is helping him.
in any case, the entire crew (usopp included) were deeply concerned about robin’s whereabouts and status. we come to know as readers exactly whats happened to her and what shes about to experience, but for right then, the straw hats were in the dark themselves.
robin and usopp’s narratives come down to be only truly different by the stakes involved. they had the exact same motivation, they wanted to rid the crew of dead weight, they wanted to rid the crew of targets on their backs. they have a selfish desire to avoid seeing their friend suffer, even if they want to help, even if others are helping them to settle things cleanly. robin and usopp wanted something weird and messy to leave behind, so they were never welcome back, even if that wasn’’t their true wish.
the moment on the sea train where usopp is badly injured and dripping blood onto the ground, and speaks to robin, is one of the most important sogeking scenes in enies lobby. usopp briefly stands from the ground and reminds robin to believe in luffy.
usopp, as we know, didn’t seem to believe in luffy during their argument. he didn’t believe in himself, but he projected that belief onto his relationship with luffy.
robin really didn’t believe in luffy. she had no desire for him to come rescue her, she thought she was a lost cause, an evil and despicable woman beyond saving. she’d been told this constantly from the day she’d escaped the buster call to when she joined baroqueworks, but more importantly when she joined their crew. her crew, a crew which loved and appreciated her and wanted her back as their friend. she wasn’t just a tool for them to use, she was a friend who they valued.
therefore, when usopp of all crewmates, comes to inform her that luffy needed to be trusted in, that he would come save her, because no pirate is permitted to desert their crew without their captains permission. she must hold hope in her heart that crews love for her was never withdrawn. even as he informs her of this, she simply turns around and walks away. its a sentiment she should not believe, cannot believe, because it would mean she’d have to come to terms with the fact she was loved.


we’d seen usopp do this in water 7, obviously. in robin’s absence, usopp deserted the straw hats. yet, he’d come back for robin too. why? why would usopp come back to the crew to save a member, despite the fact he felt disrespected and inferior to them?
it was an act of revolutionary devotion. it was a demonstration of true love for his friends. he never stopped caring about them, and they never stopped caring about him. even robin’s turning around in the scene where usopp tells her she must believe in luffy is a demonstration of love and care. she is doing exactly what her mother did, she refuses to put a crewmate in danger. its her radical act of love and devotion.
usopp’s show of love for robin is to repeatedly acknowledge her worth, and her importance, and her genuine love which she is full of and surrounds her. he puts himself in harms way, despite his anxiety, despite his fear, because he loved her. robin’s show of love for usopp, and the crew in general, was to avoid causing them fear, to avoid causing them fights, to avoid causing them any trouble.
although, on the sea train on the way to enies lobby, robin must’ve known sogeking was usopp. there was no way she didn’t, the only crew members who didn’t realize were luffy and chopper, which is mostly played as a gag.
despite the fact she didn’t directly witness luffy and usopp’s fight and subsequent duel and usopp’s separation. she does know one thing about usopp, as a guy, as her friend.
usopp is anxiety ridden, easily scared, and sometimes so frightened he nearly appears cowardly. she knows this about him from their time spent together. she knows and never seems to mind, she loves him anyway.
this is why sogeking, this is why usopp, shooting down the world government flag is one of his most beloved and respected moments in the entire series.
usopp, who robin knows has a major flaw of being easily frightened and had a tendency to run away when faced with danger… that usopp, that scared little 17 year old kid? he was the one who shot down the flag. sure, luffy commanded him to, but he did it with no hesitation, or so much as waiver in his voice. luffy commanded him to shoot, and he said got it, declared the power of his new weapon, a remarkable reflection of his power, drew back the slingshot, and struck down that damn flag as if it was nothing.
this leaves an absolutely stunning impression on both robin, and the intended viewer. this was easily the scariest moment usopp had faced up to that point, yet he did it anyway, seemingly without fear. it was beautiful and wonderful and a true demonstration of devotion to his friends, because he was not a member of the crew at the time. he didn’t care about his current status on their crew, robin was his friend before his crewmate. all the straw hats were his friends, which was more important than his arbitrary status on a pirate crew.
robin has an equally important brave feat of revolutionary love. luffy demands her to say she wants to live. she briefly pauses, beginning to cry. one of the most meaningful parts of this sequence is her remembering usopp’s words to her on the sea train. believe in luffy, he told her to believe in luffy. so, if she can utter what she truly desires just one time, because she should trust in luffy then…
maybe its okay to want to live. maybe its okay to say that. it is an act of revolution and political defiance, the same as sogeking shooting down the flag. devil child nico robin wanting to live, wanting to be loved, wanted to be saved, and willing to scream that in front of the entirety of enies lobby is just as much as a demonstration of friendship and her belief in her friends as it is an act of disrespect to the government which wishes to condemn her for being alive.
sniper island is in robin’s heart, and on the sniper island in her heart, lives usopp.
luffy and loss and inferiority and selfish self sacrifice and tragedy and hope and love
in terms of character arcs, there is one glaring major arc which is often ignored in wider discussions of this topic. luffy’s character arc from water 7 to whole cake island ends up progressing so slowly most just don’t consider it.
luffy has had four narrowly avoided losses in the present events of canon. he has also had one major loss, the loss of his brother, the loss of ace.
ace’s death, as we all know and is made abundantly clear, impacted luffy deeply. for the first time in his life, he witnessed someone beloved to him go through with the plan of not just death, but of self sacrifice.
ace always felt unworthy of being alive, like robin, and unworthy of respect or status, like usopp. even if he promised luffy he wouldn’t die, even if he was a member of an extremely powerful and important pirate crew, he still ended up doing very thing luffy had prevented a loved one from doing once before.
upon hearing slander of his now deceased fathers name, ace turned around. he took a hit, which was reckless. but he didn’t care. the man who loved and took care of him was dead, his true father was deceased, and if anyone spat on his legacy like that without intervention from at least one of his children, what would that say about the honor of their crew, of his family.
he chose the route of self sacrifice for the sake of their honor.
luffy, in water 7, is reckless and emotional and doesn’t think things through. yes, its true he often doesn’t think anything through. but he was being mean by not thinking things through. he was being as stubborn and inconsiderate as usopp was. even when they both were repeatedly told to knock it off by nami and sanji.
in enies lobby, luffy gets his shit together and seems much more composed. the situation is life or death, there is no time for in-fighting. the rest of the crew knows this as well, they love usopp regardless and of course they let him fight alongside them, thats their best friend! luffy’s still just as reckless as ever, but the recklessness has thought behind it now. he asks robin to say she wants to live, and he asks sogeking to shoot down the flag. these are what most would consider completely irresponsible actions in terms of the crews general safety, but none of them mind. all they care about is their beloved friend robin, so who cares if they all die? they’d rather do that than abandon robin to be executed. however, they certainly have no intention of dying while freeing her. they fought tooth and nail just to get her back from hell, they were gonna drag her out even if all their bones were broken and their bodies tired and bruised.
this brings us to whole cake island, the first and only arc of the timeskip to have a straw hat desertion. sanji leaves the straw hats, and refuses to rejoin the crew, even when luffy wants him back on that rainy day. he tells luffy one of his three reasons he cannot return is his fathers life, his father zeff’s, legacy would not only be disrespected, but he would be killed. therefore, he must comply with the demands of the man whose evil blood is running through his veins.
it would sound familiar to luffy, wouldn’t it? a man who luffy loves believes he needs to abandon him, to die, because he feels unworthy of his love and time, despite being grateful for receiving it at all. he believes he is cursed by the simple luck of the draw of his parents. he only wants to defy, his loved one’s, luffy’s commands and help because he refuses to let his true father’s life and legacy be destroyed.
luffy wouldn’t like that. of course he stands in that rain, on that lonely island that's full of people, of course he doesn’t leave until sanji comes back with him.
what kind of captain would he be if he left sanji there? what kind of man would he be if he abandoned his crew? what kind of pirate king would he become?
he wouldn’t be able to, he decides, in order to be king of the pirates he cannot leave sanji there. in order to be the pirate king, he needs his crew. he still has them, he needs to be dedicated to them at all times. he needs to save them, he needs them to know they are loved.
concluding thoughts
one piece, as discussed in the opening section of this essay, is about love, devotion, care, compassion, and unbreakable friendships.
the narrative of one piece, as well as the thematic framing, make the themes of dedication to friends even more evident. yet, it is not entirely a “power of friendship” story per se, as much as it is a story about interpersonal freedom.
freedom from self hatred, freedom from oppression, freedom to be loved, freedom to be cared for, freedom to be appreciated and beloved and have people around who give a damn if you left and would do anything for you to be saved from the chains which bound you to an inability to accept you are loved and worthy of love.
monkey d. luffy is a symbol of liberation, and liberation begins on an interpersonal scale.
#my meta#one piece#nico robin#usopp#sanji#luffy#monkey d luffy#one piece meta#whole cake island#enies lobby#water 7#portgas d ace#<- shout out GOAT whos here mentioned briefly but its cause the fact hes dead is plot relevant </3#shout out all my friends who beta read this shit. crimson and sam ily. stop glazing.#please read this post if you ever want to say to me that the parallels aren't there.#not even aren't obvious but just aren't there.#one last thing I CAN'T BELIEVE IVE NEVER SEEN ANYONE TALK ABOUT THE OLVIA AND JUDGE THING THATS INSANE???#what the fuck ever man.
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So much shipping discourse feels very rooted in discomfort with complexity to me. Like if you can't concieve of a world where character A can have feelings for character B and C while B and C might also have feelings for others beyond the three of them you're missing out on how cool a constellation of loving relationships can be? Not to say that poly fixes every ship or that every ship has to be romantic, but that the tension of loving multiple people is almost always more interesting than saying only one ship or the other is valid.
In fact I would say that needing a ship to be the "right" choice for a character is really rigid and closed off to the kind of possibility I think fandom is really about embracing. There's a queerness in complexity that's really important, in how much embracing complexity lets us celebrate art without forcing it into a normative lens.
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Cause you seem to be the best at psychoanalyzing the beats, esp with the anon answer about potential childhood abuse with mccartney, i wanna know what you think about George and his sex habits, primarily with being a "homewrecker".
Maybe its just the asexual in me who thought the circumstances of losing his virginity wasnt the healthiest thing in the world, but i cant help but think of a link between the story of him losing his virginity to his later exploits. In my mind, i think of this as a subconscious way of one up-ing other men. Or maybe something else in his life that led to this behavior with others wives?
And yeah if you think this is bs go ahead and tell me, lmao.
Hi anon! That’s a super interesting question (and thank you so much!! I really really appreciate that <33333)
This got kind of long and rambling, so the TL;DR is that I think that's a really strong theory, and it got me thinking more about the relationship between intimacy, masculinity, adulthood, and misogyny. More under the cut.
I do find George’s philandering a little harder to make sense of than John and Paul – not so much because they eventually found relationships where they could be loyal as because the reason for their disloyalty seems so much more straightforward. I talk about this in the context of Paul and Linda here, but there’s this phenomenon where men who are deprived of emotional intimacy by social pressure or their own internal fears will substitute sexual/physical intimacy. This can lead to a much deeper and more present need for sexual intimacy, an almost obsession with it. Y’know, the whole “men are dogs” thing.
I think that, with both Paul and John, they were such enormous black holes of emotional need and were so resistant to expressing any kind of need/vulnerability in anything but a sexual context that they, well, cheated like dogs. That is, until they found a person willing to subjugate every single one of her own needs and desires in order to dedicate herself solely to caretaking her husband’s emotional wellbeing. And in both cases the women seemed pretty okay with that arrangement, so I’m not judging, I’m just saying that I don’t think either of them grew out of the mindset that led to their chronic cheating. I think they just found a different way to satisfy that mindset.
What’s odd about George is that he didn’t seem to fear emotional intimacy or vulnerability in non-sexual relationships, at least not to the same degree as Paul or John. This is the guy with “romantic friendships” who won’t let you leave the room until he hugs you for ten minutes and tells you how much he loves you. The idea that he was doing the classic boomer male thing and substituting sex for emotional vulnerability doesn't really hold up. So it’s not at all clear why he felt the need to sleep with everything that moved. Or, for that matter, why he did seem to specifically pursue women who were already attached.
With women who have a fixation on being a homewrecker, I think it often has to do with experiencing or witnessing gendered abuse. The thought process is something like “if I can get men to choose me over other women then it proves I’m better and more important than they are, and that means men won’t hurt me the way they would hurt those other women.” Angelina Jolie has been pretty open about holding this mindset in her youth and predicating her entire sense of self-worth on her ability to attract married men.
With men who have a fixation on other people’s wives…. honestly, your theory makes a lot of sense. The way he lost his virginity was SO weird to me – I know “the beatles had weird boundaries” isn’t a fresh take, but holy shit, it is so bizarre to me that this fifteen year old boy had sex in the same room as all of his friends and then they all applauded. Yeah, you can read it as typical teenage boy humor, but you can also read it as sort of a humiliation ritual designed to initiate him into the “older boys” group.
And, speaking of that, I always found it interesting how fixated they were on George’s age. I do wonder if it had to do with his relative lack of sexual experience; if, like most teenage boys, they viewed sexual encounters as the definitive mark of True Manhood and so they infantilized him because he made it all the way to 15 years old without having sex (and they apparently did not). Paul still goes out of his way to tell people George is his Baby Brother, which is cute if George liked the term and pretty nasty if he didn’t, and there are some interesting stories about George joking that he’s the little baby of the group. Astrid’s comments are revealing:
“He was a lovely little boy,” says Astrid, telling of their Hamburg days. “He was just little George. We never judged him in any way, the way we used to work out how intelligent or clever Stu, John and Paul were. He didn’t develop as quickly as the others had done. But he wasn’t stupid. No one thought that for one minute. He made lovely jokes at his own expense, sending himself up for being young. I gave them all their Christmas presents one year, all wrapped up. John opened his first and it was an Olympia Press version of the Marquis de Sade. George picked up his and said, ‘What’s in mine then, comics?’”
(x)
So not only did they see George as a little boy who wasn’t "developing" as fast as they were, but George saw himself the same way. Or at least, he was aware he was seen this way and was willing to joke about it. And I definitely think men tend to see masculine prowess as a hallmark of manhood, so being characterized as childlike and immature is another way of saying he’s not a Real Man like the rest of them.
It’s honestly crazy to me that I never realized his relationship with gender is probably related to his relationship with adulthood/manhood, but now that you bring it up, it makes SO much sense. And then of course his identity was so deeply shaped by being a beatle, so deeply shaped by the role he played for the other beatles, that in some ways he probably never could stop feeling like a Baby Brother. Or at least, couldn't stop wondering if he was seen that way.
So I can definitely imagine a world where George views sexual conquest, especially at the expense of other men, as proof that he’s as much of a Man as anyone else. A way of rejecting the characterization as a slightly inept, slightly unnecessary little boy, because sexual prowess is the antithesis of a failure of masculinity, and therefore “stealing” a sexual trophy from another man is proof that you’re more Man than he is.
All that being said, some of this is definitely just a pure lack of respect for women. The ability that some men have to hold one moral code for their interactions with men/nonsexual relationships, and a completely different moral code for their interactions with women/sexual relationships, will never cease to amaze me. And I think it goes into overdrive when they have something to gain from it, like being a real Manly Man.
And, actually, it kind of annoys me a bit that we don’t talk more about how badly it beat Pattie down to be disregarded over and over again, and how it drove her to Eric. I’m not saying it’s George’s fault she ended up in an abusive relationship, I’m just saying that women in abusive relationships often have a complex trauma history, including previous relationships where they weren’t treated with respect, and I think we owe it to Pattie to understand her experience with Eric as one chapter in a larger story with many different characters who contributed to her understanding of herself and the world in general.
George once told Pattie that he would financially support her no-strings-attached if she decided to leave Eric, which seems sweet until you realize that this heavily implies George knew something was wrong between the two of them and continued to call Eric one of his closest friends. Which isn’t remotely shocking, of course. He was close friends with John, Paul, and Ringo, too, and there are accusations (and admissions) of physical abuse there as well. I think it’s just more evidence of how easy it is for men to disregard how other men treat women, and how this often reflects their own internal belief systems around gender and sex. How these belief systems are often predicated on lifting men up while using women as tools to meet men's needs.
To be honest, a lot of women view men and women this way, too -- including, I suspect, Pattie, Jane, and Linda. But that's a conversation for another day.
I don’t think George knew for a second Eric was abusive – abusers are too good at hiding it – but abusers will show just a little fucked up shit in public, just enough that people will think they know the worst of it and won’t look for more, and it’s a shame that George’s continued love for Pattie didn’t include reassessing his feelings about the man who was hurting her.
#sorry this is so rambling but hopefully it's kind of an answer lol#ask#anon#george harrison#pattie boyd
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I can’t stop thinking about that moment when Cass took a bullet and when Batman talked to her about it he said “good”. Good????? Yes, she did it to save someone, but good???? I don’t remember him reacting this way to his other protégés when they get injured in the line of duty. Like, at least tell her to be more careful in the future, stop encouraging her death wish smh
Wellll not an expert but Bruce has wacky expectations for most of his protégés 😭😭. But for SURE his 'good' comment did not help her death wish at all, if anything it probably cemented Cass' belief that instinct = identity (and thus what Onyx later calls her 'killer instincts' means she has to die). I will say he was saying 'good' not because of Cass sustaining an injury, he was specifically saying 'good answer' because of the reason Cass did it. To me the sequence is:
Bruce (angry/concerned): Batgirl. It was suicide to rush the gunner like that. Why did you do it?
Cass: instinct...
Bruce (thinking about when David said 'she's like me not like you' and realising that Cass saying 'instinct' means she DOES have the Bat in her): Good answer!!! (Yippee she's like me I love her so much)
Cass (to herself): Batman thinks it's good for me to die
That last part is debatable tbh because I've always thought Bruce's words that seem horrifically offensive to us is exactly the type of thing Cass understands instinctively (their relationship is in a lot of ways built on instinct). So another take on what Cass was thinking:
Cass (to herself): Batman understands that instinct is the core part of who I am and by saying 'good answer' he's affirming that my instinct to save people is a marker that I am good. Also it's good for me to die
Horrible thing for Bruce to say but Cass gets the intention 😭😭
My thoughts on whether Bruce was encouraging Cass' death wish are really complicated actually. In Gotham Knights #2, Bruce tries to stop Cass from dying by saying to be in his family she must choose to live. However, at some point he changes his mind. This is sooo important to my understanding of them and of Bruce in this time period. Initially, like Babs, he is fully (and vocally) against Cass killing herself. But somewhere along the way he realises Cass must die, or at least follow through with the Shiva fight in order to actually live.
And this is so interesting!! What made him change his mind? Did he really think Cass was gonna die? My instincts say he suspected Shiva wouldn't kill Cass forever. He describes the fight as Cass 'working through' the death wish, which doesn't sound like he thinks Cass is gonna die for real! I think he would've been against the fight if he'd thought she really wouldn't return tbh. But of course that's speculation, he's still a bonkers parent for letting her fight at all 😭😭
(This now makes me think of a scenario where Cass actually dies. Bruce grappling with the ensuing avalanche of grief and guilt. That man is coming out with his OWN death wish 😭😭)
#bruce wayne#cassandra cain#ask#i think puckett set it up so that bruce and babs were equally right and wrong#bruce was in denial about cass killing faizul but babs was in denial about cass needing to die#the narrative justifies bruce's side that cass did indeed need that fight and her death wish wouldn't have been cleared otherwise#issue 23 is a really good example of bruce and babs being wrong and being corrected by each other#i just think it's easier to acknowledge babs being right about faizul than bruce being right about cass' death wish 😭 but he was#whereas babs was speculating that cass didn't know she couldn't beat shiva (wrong)#anyway that wasn't really in the ask anon sorry 😭😭 i just find bruce's early motivations/actions highly fascinating!!!
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Thank you for talking about this because I’ve felt pretty shut down in fandom about the comphet idea before. The response is always like “well headcanon whatever you like but he has sex with women so you’re definitely wrong”. But I don’t think it is a headcanon, it’s how I interpreted the canon events of the game when I played it, before I saw any fandom opinions. It’s okay for others to interpret him as bisexual, but surely there’s a difference between Henry who proposes marriage to practically every woman he bangs and has canonically been in love with a woman before (Bianca), and Hans who pursues women but completely loses interest in them after the ‘conquest’, says he’s never been in love with any of them, and mainly brings them up in 2 only to deflect Henry’s romance lines. Then with Henry he makes a love confession (involving a super gay story he’s been holding onto in his mind for who knows how long) and clearly wants to continue the relationship afterwards. It seems important to me that this is THE FIRST TIME we’ve seen him in a genuine love relationship, and it’s with a man. If a piece of media shows me that story - man can’t find love no matter how hard he tries until he falls for another man - I’m going to assume their intent was to show me a gay character, not a bisexual character.
Having sex with women gives Hans a lot of advantages beyond getting off. He’s not very good at connecting with people, but he is handsome, so flirting/sex is an easy way for him to get validation. He gets to escape things he doesn’t want to do, or alleviate his total boredom, in a socially acceptable way by running off with women. Womanising also helps him live up to what he thinks nobles ought to be like. I think there’s justification for him to pursue women (and even actually think he enjoys it) while not really being that attracted to them.
I can see it if people want to say he’s bisexual and just such a misogynist that it’s hard for him to love a woman, but then what’s the point of describing him solely as bisexual, if you see what I mean… why is the biological fact of where he can stick it apparently the most important thing…
Trust me, I definitely get you. It is frustrating. I haven't seen anyone disrespect people for headcanoning him as bisexual, meanwhile we're told it's morally wrong to headcanon him as anything else. To me that is deeply disrespectful.
The "he has sex with women" is a wild fucking argument to make, honestly. For one thing, he had sex with women. Past tense. For another thing, there is a non-zero chance that that actually never happened. I'm not saying it's very likely, but given that we know that he canonically failed with Karolina and that his favorite bath maid is the only bath maid that he literally isn't allowed to touch, we have literally zero proof that he's actually ever fucked a woman.
But let's move forward saying that he did. As far as things are in canon, he hasn't gone around sleeping with women since leaving Rattay. Even if you decide that Karolina is real (she isn't), then his last time sleeping with a woman was while everyone was at the Devil's Den. When he tries to talk to the women at the baths there he strikes out! So all we know is that he used to have sex with women. It's his choice of whether or not he decides to continue to do so.
All of the points you've brought up are extremely solid. Hard agree on all of those. I would further add on the fact that Hans, back when he was (maybe) sleeping with women, was not aware of the fact that men were even an option. Until I was 20, I went through life absolutely convinced that I was 100% straight. And I was aware of the fact that people could be queer. Hans didn't know that. At most he would have heard that sodomy is a sin. And he was desperate to find the sort of love he'd read about in books and heard of in tales. Of course he was going to be searching for that love in all the places he thought he was supposed to.
#still not over the argument that gay love is less special than bi love because the sample size is smaller#like jesus christ#hans capon#kcd#kcd2 spoilers#kingdom come deliverance#tam talks#kcd meta
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gils route will always be my favorite out of all of them not just bc of the amazing character development and the chemistry with hakuno but also for all those little moments where u can tell that:
1. gil slowly starts giving a fuck about someone other than himself
2. hakuno starts developing a bit of a crush on gil
like, sure gils route doesnt have super explicit romantic moments like nero and tamamo have so if u enjoy them more as platonic besties (or even as just friends with benefits sort of couple) u definitely can, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have any implicit moments or subtext at all bc it does. like for example if u play with hakunon (saying this bc specifically this scene only happens if u play as a woman btw), you'll have THIS dialogue coming from her:



and there's also this

and this (which again only happens if u play as hakunon)

like, getting upset and emotionally hurt about the notion of getting rejected for her age (lmao) by a guy she PRESUMABLY doesn't give af about, being happy for just being with him, or unexplainably getting sad when gil suddenly forgets everything about her, and her strange out of pocket suggestion for gil to act as HER lover then getting flustered and stammering when called out or confronted about it..... imo its pretty obvious hakuno does have a crush on gil much to her dismay and i think we should talk more about it tbh bc i often see these moments being brushed away either for being one-sided or bc ppl just didn't pay attention to these few convos and moments or think they're not that important to the story when they provide A LOT of saucy subtext to gil and hakunos relationship. seeing hakuno slowly realize she actually does like gil for his personality of all things is genuinely hilarious and adds imo a pretty interesting dimension to her constant angsting about liking gils company in spite of being aware he's not a good guy
also gils progressive attachment to hakuno is also worth to point out too, even if its not written to be as explicitly lovey-dovey as other servants its still there (cant put all screenshots bc even tumblr has its limits lmao)

this mf always makes sure to give the impression that he doesn't give a fuck abt anyone and that he's a heartless demon which is why its so rewarding to fish these little moments where he shows that he actually cares.......



fake idgafer 🫵
like hbnnndnww just fuck me up, i just like slow burn complicated ships based on earned mutual respect ok? the game and supplemental material does give u very shippy stuff of them too such as the AR tapestry (which is legit nasu approved softcore gilhaku porn ill prolly make a separate post about lmao) even if it leaves other stuff vague, with this one from the TM **official** anthology being my favorite of all the stuff we have of them

the pookies...... ccc sure knew what it was doing.
anyway sorry for the rant i just rly love my niche ship a lot and wanted to gush about them 🥹🫵
#fate#fate series#fate extra#gilhaku#hakuno kishinami#kishinami hakuno#gilgamesh archer#archer gilgamesh#ramblings#gilgamesh#gilgamesh x hakuno#whether u prefer them platonically or not which is totally perfect#ccc sure knew what it was doing
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pls tell us more about ur dio and apollo hcs 👀
they had a very frictional relationship!!! and were constantly clashing
this ties a bit into

this
more under the read more. warning: LONG-ASS POST
you see conceptual shit is very important to my conception (lol) of the gods and how they interact and fight and just live
and dionysus was (and is) Dangerous. in every way. he is rebellion and countermovements and the breaking of social norms and impulse and chaos. and apollo... is the guy who organizes and orders things lmao
dionysus is a human that ascended himself into godhood and apollo is a god who's nature leads him to try to Understand It All. so especially humanity, that is where their whole everything originates from. so they meet in a very strange middle except not really, where dionysus was a lot of Everything All The Time and apollon was extremely uncanny valley
they are both like strange negative color mirrors of the other, opposites but very similar in it. they are the most clear sighted and meta aware of their power system and reality and it shows
but again. their relationship. when dionysus came back to greece he was very emotional and sensitive to everything. he had an army he was invading with and he took any rejection as like,, a personal rejection. of him specifically. and he responded to them with extreme prejudice. that guy had issues
so of course apollo(n) was like very opposed to what dionysus was doing not only as a matter of principles (you're literally invading?? you're disturbing the balance and order of our status quo!!!) but also,, bc they're literally the worse fate he can possibly imagine for someone (disturbing the MIND!!!?????!! literal nightmare fuel to him. fate worse than death)
but at the same time... he understands what he's doing. to cut the middleman and go directly for the human belief... to join the pantheon from the ground up by integrating his religion instead of seeking zeus and having all his authority be derived from him. it's logical it's transgresive it's genius. it peels back at the curtain and makes him question and analyze his reality and memories and history even more. it's human in a way that weaponizes and plays to their actual strengths instead of their weaknesses and it's amazing
so! a lot of mixed emotions lol!! dionysus is doing shit that is Abhorrent to his sensibilities but what he is doing is amazing to him!!! so I think he mostly plays non interference, but he makes himself Very available to anyone who might want to call on him. like, any victim of dionysus invokes him just a little and it's on, that is his person right now, Do Not infringe
on dionysus' part he entered kind of guns blazing lmao, he was expecting the worst from apollo, not someone so,, understanding??? he expected the god of order to be inflexible and intolerant and antagonistic but instead got someone who literally seeks to order things. to harmonize discordant tunes, to organize the distorted mind. to incorporate new data
and at the same time he was kinda freaked out by his,, acceptance?? blue and orange way of thinking in comparison to his clearly trying to be closer to humanity demeanor???? that kinda snaps him out of it lol, now dionysus is kind of starting to feel offended on behalf of his victims. like, don't just stand there??? how can you be so accepting of it these are your people!!! like I'm clearly the bad guy here?? by all rights you should've shot me the moment I step foot here and I have no idea what you were doing!!!
and that's kind of their dynamic for when dionysus becomes a god. unblinking smiley scientist apollon and chaotic shitstirrer dionysus who can tell this guy is an alien with an humanity special interest and also kind of freaked out by his passiveness
who also have like, diametrically opposed powersets. and ways of,, existing?? dionysus is very much about worldly and bodily experiences and the present moment, apollo is about lofty thinking and highminded ideals, he rotates and polishes an idea until he can find no more flaws in it before it leaves his mind. dionysus workshops it out loud
so it's very give and take!! apollo orders and helps with a bit of dionysus' chaos! dionysus reminds and anchors apollo to the material world and propels him a bit out of his stillness!!
and then everything changed when the roman empire attacked /j
no but what shook up their relationship was 1) dionysus getting better, mentally speaking, 2) apollo having a hardcore depression and existential crisis with his absorption of helios and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, 3) ZEUS GETTING SO MUCH WORSE AND CROSSING THE POINT OF NO RETURN
AKA: ALLIANCE BETWEEN TRUTH AND FREEDOM THEY'RE IN SYNC NOW BABEYYY
my imagining is that apollo was balking under the weight of the Truth of the despair and hopelessness of their situation and DIONYSUS was the one who noticed and helped and was there for him. much like apollo was there for him when he was in a similar situation. and you cannot deny that apollo proceeded to take a lot of cues from him (and hermes) as a defense. to adapt. since his own ways aren't working. to feel closer to him. to reflect the insanity of the situation. as a strategy to throw off suspicion. because he is the boldest and most courageous person he knows
and dionysus also started to be a bit more like apollo (and hermes). to be more level headed, to be more artistic and use his emotional intelligence for good
and that's kind of where they are in the present day. truth and harmony and freedom and rebellion under a tyranny. they have never been closer or more alike. good luck to zeus. may he find peace in the end
#if you didn't get it I think dionysus had the PERFECT Concept to continue the cycle and overthrow this generation of gods#and it was PURE LUCK he didn't#(or was it ;))#(it was not it was his siblings making him feel accepted)#if I were to adapt it he would clearly be a HUGE threat and arc villain#what saved him is that no one treated him like that. they treated him like family#so that's what he became#it's heartwarming but they really dodged a bullet there#fr he is Rebellion Against The Established Order incarnate#toa dionysus#pjo dionysus#toa apollo#pjo apollo#toa#trials of apollo#the trials of apollo#pjo hoo toa#toa headcanons#pjo headcanon#hermes and apollo are the ones responsible for Integration#hermes eases you into it and apollo establishes it. them little colonizers them😅
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– It's just one evening, Hans. You used to get along just fine without me.
– I used to just drink wine at those boring noblemen's parties. After Raborsh, I swore to myself never to do that again. I'll get into trouble again! – Capon howled, tightening the garters on his stockings. He hadn't wanted to go to this upcoming meeting at Jobst's in the first place.
– It'll be me and Samuel this time, and your uncle won't be there, – Henry reassured him, crouching down to help.
– That's the problem! Your brother will drag you into a corner, and I'll stand there alone like a fool!
– We don't see each other that often. And you could have a chat with John. He'll probably be lonely without Sam, too.
– That rat Jobst's and I have nothing in common! We're not even friends. He'll find out all my dirty secrets! What am I supposed to talk to him about? Gossip?
– He already knows all your dirty secrets, just as you know his. You're on the same side, and you need friends. And isn't that what nobles do every time they meet?
In response, Henry only received an offended look from above.
***
As Hans expected, this was not at all like an important military meeting and was just another feast. Capon, frankly bored, drank his wine for an unusually long time. Looking around, he noticed his lover and Samuel in the corner, laughing and telling each other something. His soul became even sadder. And although it was stupid to be jealous of the page for his half-brother now, he still could not get used to the fact that he would have to be shared with someone.
After Samuel learned about their relationship with Henry, and they, in turn, learned from him about his connection with John, their conversations became less tense, but more awkward.
Hans glanced around the room and saw a man in blue clothes on the balcony, who also seemed to be avoiding company. This was unusual for him, and so the lord, remembering Henry's words, approached the lonely figure.
"And what should I talk to him about? He is not interested in hunting, archery, or women. ... Should I talk about men?"
– I see that I am not the only one without an escort today, – John grinned, sipping white wine from his mug.
– Indeed. It is very strange to see you without company. Shouldn't a spy sniff out traitors all the time?
– Sometimes even a good hound needs a rest. This is a common drinking bout. You will not find any useful information here. I am not interested in hearing about who cheated on whom or who has a rash on their ass, – Liechtenstein's voice sounded tired, which made Hans feel guilty.
– What else interests a spy besides gossip?
– Well... I like poetry. You know, Lord Capon, sometimes it's very nice to read something light and unobtrusive. Sometimes I make Sam read plays with me by roles.
Hans immediately imagined this and burst out laughing.
– It must be very fun. Henry likes to read, too. Ever since he learned, he's been robbing my library. He especially likes my poetry, - Capon immediately regretted blurting it out, because the eyes opposite him lit up with curiosity.
– Do you write poetry?
– Hm... Sometimes. Nothing special, but I suppose it could be called "light poetry". ... If you like, I can give you some to read later.
Liechtenstein smiled charmingly, nodding at such a generous offer.
"He is the only nobleman who could appreciate poetry of such content!" – Hans mentally justified his impulse, leaning on the railing, – “And it’s definitely not because I want to be friends with him!”
#kcd#kcd2#kingdom come deliverance 2#kingdom come deliverance#hansry#hans capon#kcd hans#kcd henry#henry of skalitz#kcd samuel#samuel of kuttenberg#kcd john#john of liechtenstein#jamuel#jam#fanfic
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GIVE ME YOUR JASON OR TIM HCS PLEASEEE
I'm doing a mix of personal hcs and x reader hcs!

general hcs:
- Jason doesn't drink, not for any particular moral reason, but he just hates the taste of alcohol
- he likes to cook to destress, any kind of cultural food he remembers from his childhood
- learned to cook at a very early age, though he despised it until he came back to life
- tracks his daily water intake like he's in the fucking military
- may or may not have a stuffed bear that he keeps for when he feels sick
x reader hcs:
- the most awkward guy ever. not on purpose, he just doesn't know how to act around you
- he worries that he's too inexperienced since he died before he got to experience a real relationship
- mean but because he doesn't know how to express how much he loves you as anything but an insult
- probably not the one to initiate any relationship 'firsts' until he's totally comfortable with you
- Jason likes hugs and cuddles but in the compression stim way

general hcs:
- has not drank anything other than Zesti Cola in a week
- Tim wears guyliner and pretends his eyes just look like that
- prefers snacks to a full meal, but he'll never turn down Alfred's cooking (who would?)
- takes beginner classes in things he already knows how to do to feel superior
- he likes napping in uncomfortable positions and despises waking up with the following muscle and joint aches
x reader hcs:
- so worried that he's going to do something wrong in your relationship
- he overthinks absolutely everything, but at least you'll never have to ask him to buy you flowers. he somehow already knew and bought them an hour before you knew you wanted them
- you WILL have X-Men marathons and Star Trek binges with Tim, this is non-negotiable
- anything that you like is now his interest, too. now you're learning that skill together, in fact
- will try his best to remember every little detail about you like it's the most important piece of information he's ever received


#dcu#dc#jason todd#tim drake#robin#dc robin#red robin#red hood#my headcanons#headcanons#my hcs#hcs#anon asks
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i didnt want to get back into mtl at all, because ive long since lost interest and dont care about this fandom anymore. but a recent realization about dickface’s relationships made me write a psychoanalysis that im really proud of
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SO
DICKFACE AS A "THE BORDERLINE-NARCISSIST DYNAMIC"
it is worth clarifying what BPD and NPD are in general:
borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a dysfunction in the regulation of attachment, identity, and emotions. borderline individuals are constantly desperate for intimacy, fear abandonment, and experience intense ambivalence in their relationships with others, where love quickly turns to hatred and idealization is replaced by complete devaluation. the primary pain for borderline individuals is the fear of rejection and an underlying sense of emptiness.
narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is associated with deep-seated vulnerability, but it manifests itself in the need for admiration, a sense of superiority, and a lack of empathy. behind the mask of superiority, there is often a deep-seated fear of one's own "worthlessness."
WHO IS WHO IN THIS DYNAMIC?
murderface is clearly a borderline individual who exhibits a full range of symptoms and appears to be a highly demonized version of the disorder.

he experiences a real emotional chaos in relation to people, especially the other dethklok members: first he idealizes them, makes them exceptional in his life, and then completely devalues, rejects and humiliates them. including this attitude towards himself: first he elevates himself to an idol, and then considers himself a lower being on the planet that not even worthy of life.
he is emotionally unstable and experiences deep-seated hatred, which is immediately replaced by a plea for recognition. he is crying for help, but disguises it as another extravagant provocation. in his quest for recognition, he desperately seeks extreme forms of self-expression in order to be noticed.
he is plagued by intense existential crises of identity, such as "no one needs me," "no one understands me," "i hate myself”.
he craves understanding, recognition, and deep love, but he is unable to sustain genuine affection, turning it into another act of humiliation, as he often pushes others away first. he is incapable of both giving and receiving love. he longs for recognition, but he immediately destroys everything that "recognition" brings to him.
as a true borderline, he is prone to self-destruction in every sense of the word: self-harm, a strong inclination towards suicide, various addictions, a lack of self-care, and a hatred of himself and others.
its also important for murderface to receive attention from others, even if it's negative. he's used to being repulsive both physically and mentally, as that's how society perceives him. he’s adapted to this image to meet others' expectations and avoid disappointing the public.
as for dick, he's a potential narcissist, albeit not in the traditional sense.

on the surface, he does not exhibit the classic traits of narcissism (grandiosity, exploitation, and a need for admiration), but he is distinguished from the "grandiose" (open) narcissist by the facade he tries to present to others: in public, he is affectionate, caring, charismatic, and attractive, and he knows how to connect with almost everyone. he is used to being a "samaritan" and helping those in need. he might have been an open narcissist in the past, but he toned it down over time because it put him at risk of going to jail.
in fact, despite his outward desire to help and take care of others, he is an aggressive manipulator who uses emotional swings to take whatever he wants. he is a representative of elite, hidden power. loves to control, does not tolerate those who try to replace him and is ready to "literally" get rid of those who threaten his supremacy, but he does it secretly, without his direct participation — he manages, but in the shadows.
he also controls his relationships with people, trying to maintain emotional distance, but he enjoys playing with emotionally close connections, testing their strength and allowing others to become even more enamored with him.
it turns out that he is closer to the "vulnerable" or "hidden narcissist" who acts not openly but through emotional influence, manipulation, and dependence on being needed.
HOW DOES THIS DYNAMIC WORK IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP?
murderface feels empty inside, so he fills this emptiness with an attachment to someone he considers superior, consistently welcoming, and patient. dick becomes this figure for him, as he doesn't laugh at him or his desire to create a solo project; instead, he stays, always ready to help, listens to murderface’s every crazy idea, and does everything to make the project a reality. as is often the case with narcissistic figures, dick appears very reliable and accepting. In his solo outbursts, murderface often seeks a "mirror" and confirmation of his own significanc and uniqueness, and dick provides it like a narcissistic reflector.
dick may also suffer from an inner emptiness and a sense of insignificance, so he takes emotional satisfaction in how much william needs him. he feeds off of how much murderface depends on him and desires to be understood and accepted in his presence, and he absorbs this recognition and takes pleasure in being exceptional to him, which is why he constantly returns to him. even if it is genuine concern, there may be an element of satisfaction in his position as an invisible puppet master who can be relied upon. his silent benevolence can be a form of emotional control — he is always watching, but remains out of reach.
the borderline (murderface) suffers, loves, idealizes, and reaches out to the object of their affection, while the narcissist (dick) observes from a safe and privileged position, never getting too close but never leaving because they need the validation that the borderline (murderface) can provide.
BUT THEIR CONNECTION IS A POTENTIAL TRAP FOR BOTH OF THEM
at first, william may elevate dick to an absolute, believing that he is the only one who understands and loves them. however, the slightest hint of coldness can lead to a sudden devaluation and hatred. In this relationship, murderface gives it all and experiences intense pain if it’s not receive emotional reciprocity, which can turn into aggression and destructive hatred.
if dick feels that william is becoming too obsessive, he may distance himself or engage in other activities, reinforcing murderface's trauma of rejection, as he fears being consumed by the william's obsessive affection. even if dick genuinely cares, he still maintains a sense of control and a "master" mentality, making him unavailable at the level of intimacy that william may require.
thus it turns out that their dynamics are a pathology and a codependent prison, consisting of destruction and an insane need for each other, because they need to fill their inner emptiness with recognition, acceptance and the reciprocal return that they can give each other.
their closeness is unsolvable, they both want to be close — but each of them lives according to their own scenario: murderface is afraid of being left and abandoned, and dick is afraid of losing autonomy and dissolving in someone else's emotions.
#metalocalypse#dethklok#mtl#william murderface#dick knubbler#dickface#long post#psychoanalysis#still in my squid game phase but these mfs means a lot to me
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How did you watch TOS and not come out of it a spirk shipper? Genuinely, show me your ways
Great question, get ready for a long answer! Keep in mind while reading this that I only took into account TOS while writing. I haven’t seen anything other than TOS and I don’t plan to (although, I have seen a bit of the original films, but I don’t like what I saw and I see it as separate from the series). Now! On to what is practically an essay at this point!
I’m a huge shipper normally and started watching Star Trek with the expectation that I’d ship them, so this truly is an impressive feat on my part! I also think it’s one of the best ships ever… so the fact that I don’t ship them is odd to say the least.
So I suppose I’d say, I love Star Trek too much to ship them. I love every aspect of the canon of TOS, to ship them would be me saying that I prefer them in a romantic relationship over their canon one, and I respect the canon too much to do that.
Kirk loves Spock his dear friend, he loves his ship and the people on it, he would choose those things over anything… and yet… he longs for a woman, for a romance. He would choose Spock and his ship over a woman 100 times out of 100, but still he feels lonely at times. To ship him and Spock means I prefer a romance between them to the canon of TOS and to do that is to disregard this part of Kirk’s character. I don’t want to do that. Now I do believe that he is closer to Spock than he could ever be with anyone else, but I think only mentally. Mentally he is as close to Spock as is possible, closer than he’s ever been with anyone, but physically he needs more than that.
Now as for what part of Spock’s character I would be disregarding… there isn’t one I can think of… more on this later. It’s quite interesting.
Another aspect of it is that I genuinely believe that they are better as friends than they would be as partners, and them being friends is more interesting than them as lovers. They are as close as two people could possibly be and yet they are not together… how interesting!!
For example they canonically love each other deeply, but Kirk is straight and Spock is alien who has different sexual desires than humans. And that’s it. That’s the reason they aren’t together. They love each other enough to be, but aren’t able to be attracted to each other romantically. In fandom we disregard sexuality constantly because in the face of a good ship it doesn’t matter, but in this case I think it does, because it is quite literally the only thing keeping them apart. That’s so interesting, they love each other so so strongly and yet there is no attraction involved.
In a shippy point of view let’s have their first meeting shall we, Kirk finds Spock attractive and Spock thinks the same. Love at first sight! I’ve read that a few times in fanfiction. It’s all in good fun and I quite like it, but I feel as if it devalues their bond somewhat. For in canon while we don’t know how they met we do know that they grew to love each other for their minds, a deep deep love and affection that went beyond physicality.
Another thing that interests me is McCoy. He is an integral part of the main trio of Star Trek. Putting Kirk and Spock together puts him in a separate category from them. We’d have Kirk and Spock who are in a relationship and McCoy who is their friend. Canon is far more interesting than that. For canon is this: we have Kirk, Spock and McCoy who are friends.
“Why is that more interesting? It’s just a category. It means nothing.”
Ah, but it does. For Kirk and Spock do love each other in a very special way. Because of that the fandom often forgets that McCoy is quite important as well. Amok Time. Spock called his friends down to the planet to be by his side. Not just Kirk, McCoy as well. However the only one he spoke to about his affliction was Kirk. This is so interesting, the only person he is close enough to for him to share this information is Kirk, and yet when McCoy figured it out Spock also wished for him to be by his side. If Kirk and Spock were together then this is so different. Rather than a complex web of love and friendship that is so different and yet so similar between all of them, they are pushed into these separate categories. Spock tells Kirk the truth- because he is his lover. Spock has McCoy come with- cause he might as well have a friend be with them for his and Kirk’s wedding am I right?
I understand that while it is a trio Kirk and Spock are the main duo of the show. However, this is a nitpick of mine. To be frank if I absolutely had to ship something it’d likely be McSpirk simply because it is closest to the canon.
Now let’s get back to what I brought up earlier… I stated why it is wrong to Kirk’s character to put him and Spock together despite them loving each other. But what about Spock? Is it damaging to his character? Well frankly it depends on your interpretation… If we’re talking about a fanfic of Spock being aroused by Kirk and kissing him on the captains chair then yeah, as fun a concept as that is- he would never do that. But that’s not because he doesn’t love Kirk, that’s not because of a conflict in his character where he yearns for something else, it’s simply because he doesn’t experience attraction like that. Ok let’s go, fun time, an analysis of Spock his relationship with romance and why his closeness to Kirk might very well be as close as he could ever be with someone not only mentally but also physically.
*ahem* So we all know that whenever there’s an episode where an attractive women is about all the men are frothing at the mouth over her except for Spock, for he is a Vulcan and far too dignified for something like that. It’s said and shown in many episodes that he is proud of his ability to be unaffected by such things, that he does not fully understand such things, and that he is incapable of such things, they are truly foreign to him.
“Wait a minute?? What about This Side of Paradise? Obviously there it’s revealed that he is capable of it!!”
No. You are mistaken.
This Side of Paradise is a wonderful episode. But it is not quite like that. When Spock is influenced by the spores it is quite against his will. He struggles and it hurts him, she says that it shouldn’t hurt for it didn’t for them, he says that he is not like them. That matters a lot. Against his will this was forced upon him. Under the influence he is able to experience human joy and human love, he loves her, he is capable of it now. It is then taken away as he loses the spores. At this moment he is obviously devastated.
“He is devastated, doesn’t that prove he wanted to be with her”
He did not want to have the spores, but because of them he experienced human joy and human love. Now it has been taken away. His devastation is more than reasonable. He can’t be with her now, but just moments ago he wanted to be.
This episode ends with Spock saying that for the first time in his life he was happy. That line stuck with me for much of the show. It is meaningful and filled with sorrow (I thought),and yet something about it didn’t make sense. He prefers the ship I know that. He chose to leave her. He has been happy before although in his own way… Despite my misgivings I took it at face value, Spock was happy for the first time on that planet and he wishes he could be again. Until I read an autobiography.
Within it an interview with Leonard Nimoy. The interviewer said just as I was thinking, poor Spock. Mr. Nimoy said he was wrong. Mr. Nimoy said that Spock is merely stating a fact, he experienced human happiness for the first time. Like if he had gone to a specific planet for the first time or eaten a specific dish for the first time. Now isn’t that interesting? That makes so much more sense. Of course he was sad at the end of that episode, but he still chose the ship he chose himself as he is.
Look I know this is long, and if you’re this far you’ll probably read any length, but as much as I want to go into each and every episode where Spock has a romance… I believe that what I’ve done will suffice for now.
Let’s get back to the main topic: I think that Spock’s closeness to Kirk is as close as he could be to anyone. I’ve already proven that romance does not come naturally to Spock. Now let’s get into the rest.
He touches Kirk more than he touches anyone else, he gazes at Kirk, he expresses himself only for Kirk, he looks to Kirk to see his reaction to anything and everything. He loves him. In Requiem for Methuselah that scene at the end is quite literally him saying to Kirk I love you. And if that seems like a reach to you.. it is not only my interpretation, I read it in the novel on Star Trek: Star Trek Lives! from 1975. So quite an official source wouldn’t you say? Yes that lovely scene did mean to convey such love.
When Kirk gets with a woman in front of Spock the camera always cuts to Spock looking dejected. He always has a valid reason. The captain has kept something from him, or something is wrong with Kirk, or this isn’t the time or place for such behavior, etc. Still, it is frequent. Fans like to say Spock’s jealous and he wishes to be kissed. I don’t think so. I do however think that Spock while tolerating and understanding of such behavior on Kirk’s part doesn’t quite like it. Because of love.
In Elaan of Troyius (one of the few episodes I can say was rather subpar), Kirk is forced to fall in love with a woman he does not love. When McCoy and Spock find out about this they have very different reactions. McCoy’s I find quite reasonable. He sounds upset, he’s exasperated, Kirk got into this mess he doesn’t know if he can cure, he’s got to find an antidote now and he’s annoyed and worried and Kirk’s always getting into these messes and- Spock is different. In perhaps the most devastated voice he’s ever used he says “It is true than Captain?” So… he loves his captain. I don’t have an explanation. I don’t think he wants the captain to kiss him instead, I don’t think he should be as worried as he sounds, no… actually, I believe I do know. I think that it truly pains him to see Kirk’s failed loves pan out in front of him, in Requiem for Methuselah it is the same, he doesn’t want to watch Kirk suffer so. In Elaan of Troyius he is pained to see Kirk be forced to love, to yearn for her. It is a unique thing though, he obviously does not enjoy the captains suffering in any sense, but in love it is particularly bad, he also doesn’t much like to see that captain with women even if he is understanding.
After this long long talk on Spock’s canon feelings regarding romance tell me… can you picture Spock falling in love and kissing and having a romantic affair? I can’t. Can you imagine him being as close as he is to the captain with anyone else? I can’t.
I think that Kirk is as close to Spock mentally as he could be with anyone, but I think he yearns for a women to be with to share mind and body with.
I think that Spock is as close to Kirk as he could be with anyone mentally and physically, and I don’t think he yearns for romance like Kirk does.
I think that these canon facts and their canon relationship is superior to simply disregarding all this complexity and placing them in a romance. That is why despite thinking it is perhaps the greatest ship to ever exist I do not ship them.
I wrote this for over 2 hours. I had a great time, if you can’t tell I’ve been thinking of this for a while! Despite how long this is, frankly, I think I only scratched the surface of what I have to say on their relationship, but damn despite the fun, this has gone on long enough! If you read all of this, please let me know your thoughts my dear anonymous asker, and of course anyone else who happens upon this. I finished rather late at night so I’m sure there are some errors, but damn I’m pretty proud, this is good shit for shippers and non shippers alike, enjoy folks
Edit: omfg guys I just checked and this is 2261 words?!? Man… and I could add more too
Edit2: so when I was writing it this is fr as short as I could get it, but now that I’ve got all these thoughts out of my head I was finally able to think of a way to say it simply:
I like canon. In canon they are friends. That’s that.
But y’know my fancy analysis still stands and frankly needs to be expanded upon, just thought I’d give y’all the simple version of it. (Purposely didn’t say tldr cause u guys gotta read the long stuff to earn the simple version)
#star trek tos#star trek#spirk#tos spirk#star trek spirk#mcspirk#ask#james t kirk#spock#bones mccoy#leonard mccoy#captain kirk#mr spock
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mlt date someone waiting till marriage?
Sorry this is so late! If you've submitted an MLT I promise I will answer it (eventually 😅)
Warning: SFW but features discussions of sex
While none of the members would ever push you to do something you're not comfortable with, Jeongin would understand your decision better than most. Coming from a religious background, he's naturally more conservative when it comes to relationships. He isn't interested in hookups, and if he met someone he really connected with and cared for he would absolutely be willing to wait until you two were fully committed to each other before beginning a physical relationship.
Felix also has a religious background so he would understand the desire to save physical relations for marriage. For him, intimacy is much more important than sex: he wants to feel close to you, to be vulnerable with you, to build trust that's going to last. He is a very touchy person so he would love cuddling and kissing, or even sharing a bed with you if you were comfortable with it, but he would never dream of putting any pressure on to go further until you were ready.
For Changbin it's not necessarily to do with religion, he's simply a gentleman. He's more traditional than the other members in relationships: driving to pick you up on dates, holding doors open for you, and he probably won't even go in for a kiss until at least the third date. Changbin is the perfect balance of respectful and passionate: he keeps his hands to himself, but at the same time he worships you and makes sure you feel desired even if you two don't act on those desires straightaway. He knows you're worth the wait.
MLT requests are tentatively closed, but if you want to request one you can DM me as long as you don't mind waiting a bit for it to be posted 💜
Taglist
@chanchansgirly @vernorica123 @purplelady85 @miistersunshin3 @isabelcor3 @imagine-all-the-imagines @justwonder113 @emilyywhyy @velvetmoonlght
#skz mlt#skz imagines#skz headcanons#skz x reader#skz requests#stray kids x reader#stray kids#skz#yang jeongin#yang jeongin x reader#lee felix#lee felix x reader#seo changbin#seo changbin x reader
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