#this is actually 100% true. not even an exaggeration

[obeymissmaddy]

Hey every1 that's new here. An introduction to moi: First of all, welcome to your new life as one of my owned little subbies.

If you are reading this, you're already mine. 💋

There will be no turning back from this point on, my little plaything.

I'm the findomme/femdomme of your wildest dreams. It'll be up to you to make your dreams come true. If u have been mine for a bit or for a while, you already know this to be true, lucky lucky little subby.

I enjoy making captions using pics of gorgeous women that you will never be worthy of either, to mold and condition you with. To put little simps like you in their rightful place with. Far, far, below me, and all other women. If u were ''worthy'', I'd still gladly make you submit and realize that being my pussy free & owned little fincuck is what you crave to be. Being owned by me. To experience true and authentic submission. I don't care who you are or where you are from. You are mine. Let my voice and captions guide you, my little simp. You however aren't even worthy of hearing my voice until you send me your initial. Get ready to open your wallet for me, my little finsubby.

I'm here to make you realize just how fragile that ''masculinity'' of yours is. To make you fully embrace what you are. And if you view yourself as a ''strong man'', I'll still gladly help u explore your submissive side in ways that you possibly didn't even know were possible. The pleasure of serving me will far outreach all of your ''own'' desires, subby. I'm here to take full control over you. I'm the most captivating woman you will ever have to honor of serving. If you are into a little mystery, a little exclusivity, and or are into being cucked, belittled, emasculated and degraded by a gorgeous and incredibly successful woman, I'm the owner you have been looking for your entire life. That's quite something, huh, my little bitch?

I share exclusive content only with my long term subs. You will have to earn it. But once you have & have been a good pay piggy for me you will certainly experience the most unique and exciting things of your entire life. I'm genuine. I get a lot of enjoyment from denying regular non 💸💸sending simps any and all pics, vids and voice recordings of me. Just to remind you who's in charge here. But if you send, you will slowly earn more from me. I'm very open minded and will make all of your wildest dreams come true, as long as you know your place with me and are a very obedient and good pay piggy.

What type of exclusive content am I talking about? I like being a mystery box type of gal. That's up to you to find out. But I know it's what you've been looking for. What I can assure you is that once you find out, you'll wish you became mine sooner. I do things in my way, and my way will become your only way. It already is, pet.

I like keeping you denied right from the start. Just to fully put you in your rightful place. I'm not for sale. I don't send pics of myself in exchange for cash etc. I'll however gladly fincuck you and make you swallow your cum to the sound of my voice or a pic of my socked feet, hah, little simp. But you'll have to earn it. If that captivates you, I know it does, then look forward to a lifetime of being my little bitch.

After your initial $100 you can earn your first bit of exclusive content, I like surprising my little simps haha. You'll have to find out for yourself what that means. But what I can assure you, is that it will be the beginning of one of the most exciting things you will ever experience, my little subby. I'm not even exaggerating. If you have been looking for a true owner and true submission, this is it.

What excites me most about being a findomme? Making subs realize that the only way they will ever please me is by sending me cash. Making you realize that all that ''belongs to you'' actually belongs to me, and that that has always been the case. It's so funny to see how easy it is to control subs. It really is. I don't even have to try and you'll submit, my little pet. You are so easy. So incredibly weak & easy.

Also, I don't do bland or vapid. I'm here to own you for the rest of your life. I'm here to stay. To take you deeper every day & make you realize that u are nothing but my owned finsub. You never were anything else. This is who you are, my little simp. How does it feel to be mine?

Welcome home, simpy wallet.

You finally found me.❤️

Once u have earned more of me, get ready for the wild ride of your lifetime. I'll take you deeper than you ever have before. I actually mean this. Sometimes findom and femdom can be monotonous. Not here subby. I'm here to give you something you have never experienced before. You are not ready, simp. You have no idea. I actually enjoy fully deconstructing all kinds of subs. To get to know you, to then mold you into exactly what you have always been. My human ATM. I honestly won't even have to try. I know that you long for this, subby.

I do like to take good care of my machines though, if that is what ''they'' like. If you prefer to be fully ignored & fincucked by me, I'll indulge you as well, my owned little machine. Anything you ''desire''.

I enjoy owning all kinds of subs. Cucks, betas, losers, sissies, ''alphas'', virgins, pussy free rejects, finsubs, fincucks, premie bitches etc. etc.

If you can name ''it'', I'll gladly own ''it'', lol.

Which one of those are you subby? You being here, on this page, seeking out these kinds of posts on tumblr, Ha!! I bet you are one of them, aren't you, subby? I know that you are hahah.

What I enjoy most? Making you obey. Very complicated, huh? Whatever I say, you obey. No orgasms for 1 year. You obey. 10 ruined orgasms in 1 day, you obey. Making you listen to my hypnotizing voice on loop all day on your off days, we are just getting started.

Now, submit to me pet. Oh wait, you already did. 😂🖕

Now, do what you are supposed to. Send, and begin the experience that you have been waiting for your entire life, my little subby.

I look forward to getting to know you, break you, mold you, cuck you, make you fuck yourself lol, deny you, drain you, drain you, drain you, drain you, drain you, drain you, my little wallet bitch. Whether you are broke or rich, I can always find creative ways to make use of my little simps. Now send send send, my little simp. Make your new ownership official. Do it as soon as you are finished reading this intro.

Once you have done so, message me: "Sent Miss Maddy'' and you'll be able to earn your first taste of me after we have introduced ourselves to eachother. When I say earn, I do mean earn. I don't waste my time on fake subs. This will be a journey unlike any you have experienced before. Serving me is not just submission. It's self exploration. It's raw & primal. Once you have sent the initial I'll allow you to tell me a bit about yourself as soon as I have time for you. Which I'll then be able to take you deeper with. You better be certain I'll only take you deeper, and deeper, and deeper, and deeper, and deeper, and deeper, and deeper, and deeper, and deeper, and deeper, and deeper and…

I look forward to getting to know you, my sweet little subby. And remember, if you wanna financially serve me silently, without ever even talking to me, you are very welcome to do so as well. I actually really enjoy my silent subs. Silently sending fincucks are so incredibly adorable. It's just so cute. Receiving silent sends from subs that don't expect anything for it in return at all, is such a turn on. Fully embracing your place as my silently sending wallet. If you want to be among my favs, this is the way you'll decide to serve me, subby. Also, I know some of you enjoy me ignoring you just as much as you enjoy interacting with me lol, so yeah, there is something here for every1.

Last but not least, once you are mine, our interactions will actually be meaningful and deep. I'll view you as a real person. You'll be my little wallet, but I'll take good care of you. Like I said, I don't do vapid and shallow. We'll always have fun with eachother. Of couse I'll be having most of the fun though, as it should be hahah. I'd like to get to truly know you and slowly invite you into my world. I'll take you under my wing and will actually give you something that will leave you feeling truly fulfilled, yet always longing for more. Being mine is a honor and will leave you feeling grateful and energized. To experience ''me'' is to experience true submission, in all ways, my owned little simp.

Now do it, subby. Go to the kofi in my bio and send your initial to your brand new owner. I look forward to getting to know you, my permanently fully owned little bitch. If you want me to take you seriously, come at me respectfully, and with patience. I also always appreciate initials that are bigger than what I require. Do it right now.

Hand it over, subby. 💋

(If you prefer a different way to send💸💸 from the one in my bio, message me, and I'll gladly provide you with some other options.)

((You can call me Miss, Mistress, Owner, Miss Maddy or Mommy, whichever you freaks prefer, all of those are fine by me.💗💗💗💗)

[astrow1zar6]

Astro Observations-32

Gemini moons have very unstable opinions and values. They usually change what they believe in based on their social environment. It’s very easy to convince them it’s this and not that if you’re convincing enough. These constant changes can make people confused in what they actually believe in. Very rare they have fixed beliefs about something. They contradict themselves a lot.

Gemini suns if underdeveloped can be big copy cats. I think they do it as a way to fit in so they’re more susceptible to changing their style or mannerisms based off of others they inspire to be like

Aries suns get triggered by everything very easily. If you say something they don’t like or that offends them they can take it from 0-100 real quick. They can be very mean at times but that’s usually their defense mechanism for feeling hurt. They can let wayyy to much things get to them they should learn to not take things so personally even if they are offended (this goes for Aries moon as well!!!) Controlling their reactions to how they deal with bs can help their mental peace a lot. When they learn not everything needs a reaction they can really become some bosses fr

Pisces/12th house placements show different versions of themselves based off of the persons vibe their interacting with. Which is why some ppl can see them as quiet and reserved and another person can see them as hot headed and loud and another can see them as sweet and outgoing etc. They can read ppls energy very easily which is why I believe they’re able to subconsciously change their personality to certain ppl as a defense mechanism to sorta see if that person is safe enough to be their true selfs. This can be why a lot of ppl see them in so many different lights. (Ex: my brother has a 12th house stellium and with family he’s extremely awkward & reserved but I’m his school he’s extremely popular & social and gets in trouble for talking too much). Learning to be more comfortable showing ur true self to others (other than the people they see as safe) can help others pin point better the person you are.

Cancer moons are so emotionally intelligent it’s insane

I notice your moon sign acts more like the stereotypical sign then your sun sign (ex: Scorpio moons act more like stereotypical Scorpios then Scorpio suns)

Leo moons are very passionate ppl. They want to live the intensity of life & they live it like that. That’s why ppl mistake their behavior for exaggeration & drama. These are actually their feelings they don’t exaggerate they truly feel that intensity. They’re only playful with selected people which is why others can see them as cold at times. If underdeveloped they can act like know it alls a lot, they can be very defensive and hard headed to others advice bc they believe they know better. Can result in big ego problems if not checked. But overall genuine hearted ppl.

Virgo moons get the ��ick” from people easily that don’t value what they value

Sag moons do you guys deal with deep emotions at all? Everyone I met with this placement is abnormally very jolly & nothing usually bothers them much. How do you guys deal with emotions?? I’m lowkey jealous of this moon placement because of how well you take negatively. They’re able to transmute negative energy into something positive with such little effort. This can be somewhat stressful for deeper signs however to really see under all that joy. This lack of depth can make it harder for others to relate at times. This placement is the definition of golden retriever energy.

Ppl with Aries mars in their chart gain muscle VERY easily (especially in their arms) these people actually enjoy working out and going to the gym normally. As kids they had a surplus of physical energy. They were usually always running around or climbing stuff making obstacles courses, arm wrestling ppl etc. this placement is a blessing in terms of energy levels and health.

Taurus placement can sit around and watch tv all day if u let them. They really love TV especially movies. I notice this more with Taurus mars as well, they’re more likely to watch movies all day or binge watch shows for hours. It’s usually their happy place (and when u add food to it they’ll never leave lol)

Taurus moons usually always grew up loving fashion and clothes. Even as kids they can be very creative with the outfits the wore. They were usually too stubborn to have their mom pick out their clothes cuz they wanted a certain “look” (I’m guilt for this) they are also very fond of thrifting! Can be big shopaholics lol

Pisces moons tend to ghost ppl they’re close too with very little warning. They’ll just randomly decide to move to another state without informing anyone which can catch ppl off guard a lot. They do this especially when they feel overwhelmed with life and responsibilities. These are the hardest ppl to keep in touch with (unless you’re a love interest) they tend to put their love interests before everyone.

Pisces suns fall in love with some of the most psychotic/mentally unstable ppl ever lol. They tend to have very chaotic love life’s and tend to go for people that need some sort of mental help.

Out of all the Venus signs I feel like Taurus Venus’s have the easiest time in relationships. They tend to go for very stable people that usually treat them well. They have the ability to attract very helpful partners. (Cries in aqua Venus 🥲) however they can be more likely to take their partners for granted and don’t realize how good they have it.

Another question for other astrologers does the house of ur Venus give the same affect as the sign? Like for example ( does having a 5th house Venus give the same effect as having a Leo Venus in a way? Or is it not as strong?)

[nobody-nexus]

EP 5 Prediction/Theory

Just wanted to make this idea public cause I think it's cool, but I could be 100% wrong on it. It IS just a theory after all

So, I was thinking about how it's most likely that the stadium we got teased with in the season announcement is probably Ragatha's episode. Especially now since we know she at least knows how to play it and probably enjoys the sport as well

But then that got me to thinking about what Gooseworx said in terms of shadow Ragatha. Well, the two things. "This attachment to Ragatha is going to be EP 5 a lot funnier" and the "No one has correctly guessed shadow Ragatha". So, here's me rolling the dice at this prediction:

So. Baseball is a team sport. I'm sure everyone knows this. Of course, Ragatha being all about codependency, she would like to play this sport. But there's always two teams. ESPECIALLY if it's in a stadium. Because that means it's the bigger leagues. So... What if the opposite team are the shadow characters?

Like the ones from EP 2

Caine has already shown that he has access to the player models with both the EP 3 mounted heads as well as the outfits from EP 4 fitting perfectly (And let's be honest: The VHS tape Gangle most likely is NOT Gangle). so modified player models are already something that Caine can clearly do

Plus, this wouldn't contradict another thing Gooseworx said about no more major NPCs being shown. Because it's not an NPC because they're not completely new characters. They're just clones of the OG characters. And for extra benefit- I'd think that they'd be the worst parts of the characters but exaggerated and harmful

Why this?

Because if this is true, I wish for shadow Ragatha to be every flaw that Ragatha is. Her hidden thoughts and feelings, her need for companionship, and her nasty temper. Ragatha clearly doesn't like her own flaws- only being (impulsively) honest when LITERALLY HIGH OFF HER ASS- so of course this would get under her skin

I think the best way to have that work too is if the torment is emotional. The shadow team does better than the OGs, and Ragatha gets more frustrated with everyone else for not listening to her, when in reality she's her own downfall. I don't wish for a scene where she blows up at her ACTUAL friends... But maybe at the shadows instead

She manages to be alone with them and she just- lets her anger out on them. Pinning THEM as the reason they're losing. But instead... The shadows begin to berate her. Dig into HER own insecurities and troubles and maybe even trauma, shadow Ragatha being the main person to do it

I dunno how it would get resolved, but yeah :D Just a lil food for thought

[cosmowgyral]

"Once again, the Evil that cannot be Undone: Tonight you will fall for me"

▪︎ William and Nica

This is a fan translation so please don't expect it to be 100% accurate. Creative liberties have been taken. All content belongs to Cybird. Reblogs are appreciated. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 2

This morning, Victor wrote me a letter that was delivered by a maid.

It said “I have some confidential information to share with you regarding your mission. I need you to come here immediately.” Attached was an address.

Breathless, I headed to the assigned place and there I saw---.

Kate: ….Mr. Nica?

Nica, a member of Vogel, was enjoying a cup of coffee on the terrace of the café.

Nica: Hello, Robin. Thank you for coming.

Nica gently pulled the chair next to him.

Nica: This seat is empty, so please sit down here.

Kate: No, I actually….

Nica: Please don’t turn me into a terrible guy who sits down and keeps girls standing.

Kate: ……Understood

He was being a little pushy, but I think he was also being considerate since he could see I was tired from running.

Kate: I have something to do, so I can’t stay long……

Nica: What is it? Summons from the Queen’s advisor?

Kate: How did you know?

Nica: I was the one who wrote that letter.

Kate: B-but a maid brought it to me, and the handwriting was Victor’s….

Nica: Faking a handwriting is a skill of mine. It was easy for me to copy the Queen’s advisor’s handwriting.

Nica: You trusted a fake letter…wouldn’t it be better for you and the servants to be a bit more cautious?

Kate: I-I admit that I wasn’t cautious at all.

Kate: Victor would have never asked me to come alone. It was foolish of me.

Kate: But…it’s a mistake to say the servants were not cautious.

Nica: ….Huh?

Nica’s eyes lit up like he has just found an interesting toy.

Kate: Victor told his servants that the members of Vogel are important guests.

Kate: How could they be wary of a letter delivered by such a person?

Moreover, only a letter was handed over. It wasn’t something dangerous.

If it had been some kind of a small package, they would have been wary. But I think it’s only natural to accept a letter.

Kate: I think you should be blamed for deceiving us, Mr. Nica!

Nica: Hmph…hahahaha!

Kate: Wha-what’s wrong?

Nica: Nothing…I just thought that was quite an exaggeration.

(It’s true. I was deceived, but maybe what I said was exaggerated.)

Feeling uneasy, I looked at Mr. Nica.

I surprisingly saw a gentle smile on his face.

Nica: I thought you were acting timid because you lost your memory……

Nica: But your cheeky side is still there….as expected of my girlfriend.

Kate: Gi-girlfriend…?

Nica: Don’t tell me, you forgot that too?

Kate: …I don’t remember.

(I suspected that I had a lover, but….that person was Mr. Nica?)

Nica: Oh Robin, you look like you don’t believe me.

Mr. Nica had a sulky look on his face, and he reproachfully poked my cheeks with his fingertips.

Nica: It hurts being doubted by the person I love so much.

Nica: The Crown wouldn’t let me meet you because they thought you’d be too shocked.

Nica: I even had to prepare a fake letter to meet you.

Kate: I’m sorry I don’t remember, Mr. Nica.

Nica: Just Nica.

I have been using Mr. Nica till now because of this part. MC had been calling Nica with the honorific 'さん' (san), which is why I chose to write it like that. However, Nica then told her to drop the honorific.

Nica: Well, you don’t need to apologize for things you don’t remember. It can’t be helped, right?

Nica: Even if you have forgotten, I can just remind you of things from now on.

Nica: For example—if I kiss you and you feel it with your body, will it help you remember?

Kate: That’s a bit….

Nica: Ahaha, I knew you would say that.

Nica: Don’t worry. I’ll tell you how we fell in love, Robin.

Nica: So…..fall in love with me once again.

Nica suggested that we take a little tour to retrace the moments in our relationship.

Nica: It all started here in this bar. Robin was being harassed by a drunk man and I happened to be here, so I helped you out.

Nica: But I was really uncool back then.

Nica: After I rescued you, I got drunk and fell sick.

Nica: So then, it was Robin’s turn to look after me.

As he told me about a past I had no memory of, Nica reached his hand out towards me….

Kate: ...gh!

--His supple fingertips gently stroked my cheek.

My heart pounded, and all my awareness was focused on the touch of his fingertips.

Seeing my wandering gaze, Nica chuckled softly.

Nica: …. Are you getting nervous just because I touched you?

Nica: Aren’t you a cute one, Kate?

Rolling it around his mouth, Nica calls my name as though it were a priceless gem.

His sweet whispers reminded me that I was supposed to be his lover, and the thought of that made my heart race, whether I wanted it or not.

(Is my heart beating this loud because I like Nica?)

Nica: Back then when I was feeling sick, you took my hand like this.

Nica: ‘Don’t worry, I’ll always be by your side.’- and said something like that

(Huh? I feel like I’ve heard that somewhere before…)

Nica: Why are you making that face? Did you remember something?

Kate: I don’t remember it…. but I feel like I’ve heard those words before…

Nica: So, retracing your memories in this way is effective, isn’t it?

---Then until sundown, Nica took me to various other places in an attempt to bring back my memories.

Nica: That’s all for today. So how was it? Did you remember anything?

Kate: …..I couldn’t remember anything properly.

Kate: But, I remember the conversations we had and recognized the places you mentioned we visited.

Nica: I see. Then that alone makes today a success.

Nica: I’ll patiently wait for you to regain your memories, Kate.

Kate: Thank you, Nica.

[Masterlist] [Nica's End]

[sugar-petals]

Hi caro 🌹 I saw in your hyunjin kibbe post( which I loved brw) that you mentioned some luxury brands and their go to kibbe types . I was wondering what kind of brands would best suit pure romantic? There is so little about the subject of pure R s sadly . Have a nice day ❤

KIBBE'S PURE ROMANTIC IN FASHION & HISTORY (+ even architecture)

R is the opposite of the tall, non-curve dominant dramatic and flamboyant natural model body types, which is why it SEEMS juxtaposed to haute couture on paper, as if people thought:

"romantic = gentle flowing style of bygone eras on a small figure 8 body = not fashion just a past reference,

dramatic = severe modernity with ultra sharp lines on a statuesque body = yep, that's forward modern fashion for the runway".

...even if the opposite is easily true (e.g. damiano david often dressing fashionably romantic)!

and the strawberry R dress causing a real fashion ruckus.

sure, that polar opposite logic isn't 100% erroneous. dressing tall models in R will often feel retrospective and damiano is SD-ish so he can do both; plus yin garments are too cinched & short for 6'0+ models as no vertical is accommodated.

there's a reason why the 50s are THE romatic (+ SC) era, as is baroque, R feeling almost confined to these periods.

however, many brands actually do design innovative yin lines! romantic equals luxury, excess & abundance (= upper class), ornamentation and glamour itself, as kibbe wrote, after all. a dramatic body type does not exude abundance and ornamental detail at all.

(even if such garments can cost hundreds and it could be difficult to craft and accurately sew!)

D is spartan, brutalist, geometric, NOT copious. which is ironic and deceptive for a luxury brand, supposedly the opposite of austere and simple! wealth whispers would be a classic type motto. but money on display is always R, always redundant, almost always past-oriented, and once again ironically very feminine-coded even if wealth is and was mostly in men's hands worldwide.

as a pompous, infuriating and exaggerated example, look at the german castle neuschwanstein of bavarian king ludwig above, or (jump scare) mar-a-lago's wasteful wannabe versailles-style interiors below.

insanity how this can exist. note how "princess"-like it all is, the inverse of masculine, hard, dark, angular, strong yang. showing material affluence is confusingly yin? 😅 as if, a guy is so rich, he can quite literally afford to display femininity in his interiors. nothing about this alludes to D, FN, SD.

you wouldn't guess a guy like trump lives there. soft fabrics, candles, florals, ruffles, lace, pastels... everything we associate with hyperfemininity and the romantic type: the inverse of donald who is a flamboyant natural (tall + width), men's 'chad/archetype' of our time — paired with the SD trend — and fashion's towering ideal body ever since the 90s (claudia, gigi, candice, naomi, adriana etc, and all male models ever, like tyson beckford).

quite a political and aesthetic paradox, the world upside down. maybe - on top of trump dressing business pure classic, i.e. far off his type - that's why he looks out of place, as if you photoshopped it in.

PS: the stereotypical villain's castle in fiction is almost always gloomy and pure dramatic, immediately signalling its intent without hiding. (minas morgul in lotr, maleficent in disney)

talk about excess, anyway, and that's where i answer the question: the notoriously well-off catholic church is very SD/R in its aesthetic, too, similar to european aristocracy. that's probably why many italian fashion houses love a yin branding. rounded yin is catholic (st mark's basilica, venice). italy idolizes the yin body type.

^look how dolce & gabbana draws from this to make it TR. that's why i include architecture in this post. it intertwines.

if you look at many historic arabic garments/buildings or especially dynastic china, too, pure R is also prominent in noble dress and art. if you want to study the romantic type, study ottoman and chinese (fashion) culture. even the men wear waist emphasis, decorative fabric, dresses/skirts, rounded head gears and fine jewels.

all of this heavily influences luxury today, which is why i took some time diving into history.

so, finally: ROMANTIC BRANDS!

as mentioned, versace is very ornamental yin overall, even the logo. no sharp D lines to be seen. they do several kibbe types, but R is a huge focus.

dolce & gabbana is always between TR, SD, and pure R. chungha being soft gamine fits the brand. she always wears R and TR. this brand is the most yin in europe, IMO.

guo pei, the most wonderful and well-crafted of all. such details, pure R eye candy. my favorite. it's no surprise they successfully dressed rihanna (SD). guo pei is a genius. everything she does is yin.

she is one of the few designers who shares her own essence with her clothing creations. guo is also very yin.

robert wun is always going tumblr viral. those light reflective fabrics. it's the darker side of romantic, not soft and sweet. still, draped and translucent, only sometimes SD and TR. i think robert is the frontier to make romantic lines modern and gender-neutral. so good.

smaller/lesser-known/less pricey R brands:

innika choo

chi chi london

confete

loveshackfancy

sir the label

morning lavender

revolve

icy city co

jessa kae

shopbop

doen

steele

lacemade

chicwish

for love and lemons

miss patina

hope this helped! thank you for reading and sending such an interesting question.

[valeriefauxnom]

Dragalia Niche Things In Weapon Lore You May Not Know

-Emperor Dane, ya know, the dude that Jupiter accidentally set on a brutal conquest where he became a dude that would kill two for fun every day?

He was also a weeaboo:

I knew there must have been warning signs that such a nice prince could be beholden to such depravity...

-Karina's real identity maaaaybe is Miralda, princess of Dargas.

The weapon that bears this description is a water axe, the very same weapon and element she wields, and it theoretically fits within her story. She claims that she ran off, but hardly escaped before she was captured. It would make sense that in a pirate invasion that they'd be crawling over the area enough to instantly get ahold of her.

If true, this would be an interesting case of Dragalia telling the future of a character. It's also one I potentially could see, since Karina's story focuses on her wondering how Euden has kept himself as a Good Boi even if he's a prince among all those Nasty Bois and Girls, so I could see her being inspired to change things in her own land later on.

Granted, it's not 100%, 'I have a definitive section where she clearly states she is Miralda', but I think there's enough 'hmm' elements to warrant a spot here!

-Zodiark had a cult around him, who called themselves Meggidothians! Also, they liked sacrificing humans.

...Of course, not officially sanctioned, but that didn't stop them!

Meggidoth might have also been a real person, but it is unknown how much he was involved or responsible for the cult's creation/tenets:

They also have an alternative cosmology:

-This isn't really a hidden lore or fact, but I find it curious that the weapon 'Blackwing' bears such a strong resemblance to Zodiark, without being attributed to him in any way. It looks more like him than his actual high dragon weapon:

-Alberius had a lance made when his kingdom was created and promised to personally kill anyone with it that threatened the formation of the new nation. He meant business, I guess!

-Tartarus may have been cut in half by the Greatwyrms, which is the reason he's now half-steel:

-Humans once got so nutty over a spear that Mercury put it at the bottom of the ocean

-There may be more than just one ark of humans living in the sky and at least one may have fallen and did a whoopsie destruction of a kingdom:

-Kukris are a weapon tied to the southeastern-most part of Grastea:

...And this is another instance of 'very niche lore that the writers kept track of', as Nevin's story also reaffirms this lore that kukris aren't really used except in the SE:

-This is just a funny intermission, but I find it funny if you take the many many many weapon descriptions literally, Euden's handing out weapons left and right quite skilled in delivering torture and otherwise painstaking deaths and subsequent commendations to a similarly terrible afterlife. Oh yeah and some also can destroy the world. Here's a small sample of what I mean:

And trust me, despite the 3/4 examples being shadow weapons, this is far from exclusive to the shadow element. So, uh, yeah.

Don't mess with the Halidom unless you want to face a whole bunch of people capable of sending you and your soul into endless agonies?

Intermission over! Back to the actual lore parts instead of just the 'oh boy you're gonna love to hear what this beauty's capable of...' likely exaggerations.

-There's a prison called Odo somewhere in the world, who seems to have a lot of executioners who predominately execute by the good old axe or by a bow in a proto version of a firing squad, judging by their weapons.

It's unknown if it still exists, however, as Odo was the place Stribog the dragon protected until Agni destroyed it with a firebomb disguised as a Trojan Horse. Maybe it was rebuilt and eventually repurposed as a prison town?

As bonus related lore, the death penalty is very much still active in Alberia, and usually takes the form of beheading or hanging. It can be commanded by local lords (as feudalism is in full effect with local lords having much control over the workings of their endowed region) as well as through courts.

There's also this bit of lore regarding it in another weapon:

-There may have been another race in Grastea, possibly their equivalent of halfling or gnome-esque races:

-This strays into other niche lore, but there was a band of elite Alberian knights called the Alberian Ironsides who seemed to love tower shields:

-Also another crossover between wyrmprints and weapon lore, the Battle of the Thelodian Plains was one at least 300 years ago in which eventually 23 armies unaffiliated with a formal state came together in a senseless battle, with a casualty rate of 80% (quick reminder that 'casualty' counts both injured and dead).

-There was a dude called Count Logan the Brave who seemed to like collecting weapons and bringing them back home. There's three weapons that mention him.

-Interestingly, Troy, the one adventurer dude that pops up a bit frequently in weapon lore, the wand from his last supposed adventure seems to bear a bit of a resemblance to Bahamut...

...Who, by the way, was indeed the explicit creator of the earth, as Xenos crafted sky instead!

-Last but not least, Zodiark really just seems to be involved in a lot of weapons that are Not Good for their wielder:

That's all I have right now, but I do hope that you learned something about the eternally-batty Grastea, through the weapons its residents use!

[cryptotheism]

Do you think Jones and his ilk actually believe all that stuff about demons and conspiracies and cults? Or to some extent are they making stuff up or exaggerating their true beliefs to keep their audience hooked? Or maybe it doesn't matter?

This is more about Jones specifically. I can't speak to his co-hosts or guests, but after keeping track of Jones for a good long while, I can confidently say that yes, he 100% believes that demons are real.

There are many things that Alex just kinda says. He doesn't even remember most of the conspiracy nonsense he spouts on that show. But at his core, Alex is a Christian Nationalist.

He sees demons as the force behind all misfortune. Alex's worldview has no room for things like "systemic injustice" or "issues of society". It is pure black and white. A battle between good and evil. Even if you don't believe in literal Christian demons, a worldview like that necessitates some force like demons. But Alex does actually believe in demons.

[ckret2]

I'd been meaning to do this since I found your account but today I read through the entirety of your Goldielocks fic (or at least, what's available) and all I can say is WOW !!!!!

You're really fucking good at writing these characters, capturing the lighthearted-yet-somehow-serious tone of the show, and the stuff you make up for worldbuilding fits right in with canon stuff. As a lover of making things canon-compliant and in-spirit-of-canon, this fic is like a dream come true. You're an amazing author !

I really look forward to your post-TBOB edits of the eclipse arc and the flatworld arc, I can already kind of guess where you're gonna go with it, but it's still exciting to think about what direction you might take things.

I'm also wondering, are you planning on changing anything about the Death Valley girls, what with the info we got about ciphertology and the like ? Or keeping them relatively the same ?

(I stayed up till almost midnight reading this - I'm so glad I don't have to be anywhere early tomorrow)

Thank you!! I've discussed my TBOB edits of the eclipse arc already, you can see some of them here if you want.

For the flatworld arc, I actually think basically nothing's going to change. Spoilers, but: Bill's world was never gonna be like Flatworld. It was gonna be a big reveal late in the fic ("big" for the characters, not the readers lmao) that Bill's world was actually pretty okay—like yeah, a few flaws, but not "barely-exaggerated satire of Victorian-era ableism/sexism/classism" flaws—and everything the kids read in Flatworld that made them pity Bill was 100% bullshit. It was going to turn out that Bill's world is actually...

... pretty much fucking exactly like Euclydia ended up being in canon—up to and including baby Bill getting medical trauma over having a super-rare cool-ass eye mutation that lets him see the stars of the third dimension.

I was gonna have Bill go "oh yeah, that's why I drove the author insane, I was that pissed at him for making my home world look that bad. I didn't correct you guys because I thought it'd be useful if you pitied me."

I did this because, before TBOB came out, I knew that no matter what I wrote about Bill's home dimension, probably a good 20% of readers would just push it to the side and automatically assume that his dimension was exactly the same as Flatland—like, occasionally readers were making comments about my fic talking about how triangles ***ARE*** oppressed in his home dimension like it was a canonical fact and taking it as a given that I was writing that. For that 20%, it seemed to me like the best way to ensure it got through to them that whoa, this isn't Flatland would be to have the characters assume his dimension is exactly the same as Flatland so that I could say, in story, "no that's totally wrong."

Post-TBOB, a lot fewer readers are gonna make that assumption. But having the characters assume his dimension is a lot worse than it really is is still a part of the story—it ties into the narrative of them slowly growing to expect him to be something more sympathetic/heroic than he actually is, a la Dipper's assumption that the Axolotl poem is a prophecy about how Bill will help save them—so there's no reason for me to take it out.

So yeah, tl;dr: Flatworld doesn't need to change because it was always going to be wrong.

I'm only gonna change the Death Valley girls a little bit. Everything I've currently written about them stays the same; except I'm also gonna mention that, yes, they are a Ciphertology sect, and yes, all the girls in the cult are Cipherwives.

So now I also get to crack jokes about Bill being both flattered and a little creeped out that even after he mostly ditched the cult they just kept inducting new recruits as "cipherwives" whether he showed up or not, like wow, you're just gonna marry him off in absentia to some lady he's never met??? What if he doesn't wanna marry her? What if he doesn't like her haircut?? Every time he shows up he finds out he's got a new wife! He loves the attention, but jeez, girls! At least send him a letter with his new bride's picture and wait for him to mail back an "OK" or something!

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Azul Ashengrotto - Platinum Jacket Vignette

"Happy 100th Anniversary"

[Land of Dawning – National Museum of Art]

Azul: That painting was done by a painter from the Coral Sea… I'm rather surprised at the number of merfolk focused paintings here in a museum on the surface.

Azul: I suppose I should expect nothing less from this Land of Dawning Museum with 100 years of history lining its halls. Their collection includes a wide variety of works.

Azul: Fufu, it does bring me pride a supporter of the museum. I must do my part well… Oh?

???: She's a lot bigger than I expected… Did the Sea Witch really need to grow to such a size…?

Azul: Well, well, Jamil-san. If there is anything I can elucidate you on this painting of the Sea Witch, I would happy to do so.

Jamil: Don't just listen in on someone else's personal mutterings like that. Your ears just pick up everything, huh.

Azul: The scene depicted in this painting is of when the Sea Witch was admonishing someone who tried to change their contract.

Jamil: And don't just start explaining without being prompted. Even I know about the story of when she transformed to that titanic size.

Jamil: But when I actually see this painting in person, she's just much larger than I had imagined… It's just hard to believe.

Azul: You believe this depiction is a fictional exaggeration of what actually happened?

Azul: I completely understand that. I had the same thoughts the first time I saw this painting.

Azul: Nevertheless, this painting has faithfully reproduced a well-known legend passed down in the Coral Sea.

Azul: The Sea Witch embodies the spirit of compassion. And yet, she also demonstrated her anger at the mer who broke their contract.

Azul: But all of it was for the purpose to reform the soul of the mer who had acted in bad faith!

Jamil: What, she disciplined them for their own good? …Actually, yeah, there are some people who don't learn their lesson from just a light scolding.

Azul: Indeed. That is how it is taught in the Coral Sea.

Azul: You cannot just spoil someone rotten, there needs to be some discipline as well. I believe that shows true compassion.

Jamil: I can't believe something reasonable actually came from your mouth… What's wrong, are you sick or something?

Azul: Not at all. I only say this because there was someone close to me who would do the exact same thing.

Jamil: You personally know a mer who is similar to the Sea Witch? Who could that be?

Azul: My grandmother.

Azul: She always dotes on me… And when I was a child, I was definitely spoiled rotten by her.

Azul: However, she didn't hold back on scolding me when I didn't heed her advice and mixed some dangerous potions together.

Azul: And that was beyond terrifying… She was as furious as whirlpools in a strait.

Jamil: Whirlpools in a strait, huh… I bet that was as intense at the Sea Witch in this painting.

Azul: Indeed she was. Even if I had wanted to swim away, my legs were shaking so much, I couldn't even move.

Azul: However, I do understand now that she was tough because she had been worried about me.

Azul: Even after leaving home, I diligently put forth the effort every single day while always remembering her teachings.

Azul: So whenever I go to work, I remember what she would say to me, and use that to strengthen myself before beginning.

Azul: She would say… "Become a mer who is capable of helping someone else."

Jamil: …I see.

Jamil: I gotta say, I wasn't expecting you to be that much of a grandma's boy. That's a bit of a shocker.

Azul: A grandma's boy… Well, I suppose. I am who I am now thanks to her.

Azul: Of course, it also wouldn't be incorrect to say that I learned the importance of proper compensation from her, either.

[Land of Dawning – National Museum of Art]

Azul: This is… a painting that depicts story of when the Fairest Queen disguised herself as an old woman and visited a young girl who lived in a forest.

Azul: If I recall, as a way to help the young girl in love, she personally came to deliver apples that the she needed for a dish.

Jamil: So she was going to get through to her love interest through their stomach, hm. If the Fairest Queen herself brought them all the way there, those apples must have been especially delicious.

Azul: Indeed, one can almost smell that sweet apple aroma just by looking at this painting.

Azul: I'm sure it would be rather difficult for a painter from the oceans to draw such a real-looking apple.

Jamil: You think? Apples are imported under the sea, too. I feel like they could draw it by looking at that…

Azul: Of course, we absolutely can get our hands of apples in the sea. However, there is a large difference in how the light hits it and how the color shines upon it when it is at the sea floor compared to the surface.

Azul: Unless that painter has spent enough years on land, the way they draw them will be completely different from how they look on land.

Jamil: Interesting. Speaking of differences, Azul… Is it true that things smell differently on land and in the sea?

Azul: Oh, you're quite knowledgeable.

Azul: It often does feel as though the same things smell differently under the sea or on the surface.

Azul: When I first came on land, every scent was new to me, so every time I came across something new, I made it a point to determine its aroma.

Jamil: You just went around sniffing everything left and right… Haha, makes me laugh just imagining it.

Jamil: I bet everything smelling different caused some confusion, huh.

Azul: I suppose so. However, I did make some new discoveries. I especially found my meal times to be very valuable.

Azul: I can never forget that moment I realized just how different the flavors of ingredients that we also had in the ocean could be just from the change in aroma.

Azul: People do often say that fragrance is a valuable part of determining the taste factor of a dish.

Jamil: That's true. Oftentimes spices are used as a way to add fragrance in the same way.

Jamil: So, what was the dish that made you realize that even the same ingredients could affect the flavor?

Azul: Just a simple grilled dish. Char-grilled meat or fish, for example.

Azul: Of course, I've eaten things made on land underwater before, but the flavor was completely different.

Jamil: Char-grilling, hm. I can definitely see that as having a different flavor, since those dishes heavily rely on aromas.

Azul: Indeed. As such, at Jade and Floyd's suggestion, we had a barbeque soon after we came to the surface…

Azul: However, our ingredients became charred due to our inability to control the heat properly, and smoke kept getting into our eyes… It was one hardship after another, since we had no idea how to do it effectively.

Azul: Not to mention that Jade and Floyd found it entertaining to keep blowing the smoke in my direction… It was a wretched time.

Jamil: Sounds like fun to me. I can picture just how disgruntled you must have been.

Azul: Oh, is that right? I'll make sure to invite you next time, Jamil-san, since you seem interested.

Jamil: …I think I'll pass, actually.

[Land of Dawning – National Museum of Art]

Jamil: This is a painting of the Lord of the Underworld and his human helper from his legends, huh. This lady looks pretty unhappy.

Azul: It is said that they would have troubles compromising often, and it seems that she is very reluctant towards something here.

Azul: In addition, she had failed in a task that the Lord had given her, and made a major misstep by reporting incorrect information.

Azul: However, he didn't abandon her and instead gave her a chance to redeem herself.

Azul: How utterly generous he is… The Lord of the Underworld is a wonderful inspiration as someone who knows how to rouse his people.

Jamil: Well, I can't deny that, but… To me, there's something to be said about being too tolerant.

Jamil: I know I personally would rather not have an increase in workload because something gets promised without thinking.

Azul: Are you perhaps talking about matter of raising the PR level of Night Raven College that the Headmage requested?

Azul: When that topic was brought up in the last Housewarden meeting, Kalim-san was so forthright in accepting the task.

Jamil: You accepted it, too. This is an unbearable weight on me, and my fellow dorm students, you know.

Jamil: I get why softhearted Kalim took it on, but why would you go out of your way to accept this sort of annoying task?

Azul: No reason why… The Headmage was in need, so I volunteered out of the goodness of my heart.

Azul: Also… If this PR were to succeed, then it would be beneficial to me, as well.

Jamil: Beneficial to you?

Azul: If the good name of our academy is spread, then that will also reflect on us, you see?

Azul: More than ever people will recognize us as being students from that Night Raven College…

Azul: And if it is a grand success, then as one of the organizers, I may have the chance to grow my own opportunities.

Jamil: So that's why. You're completely different from Kalim, who just took it on because the Headmage asked.

Jamil: But anyway, this is all just hypothetical, right? There's also the chance that it's all just a waste of time and effort.

Azul: That is true. However, that is no reason to sit back and do nothing.

Azul: My main goal while at this academy is to maximize my own marketability before heading out into society.

Azul: In order to achieve that, there is nothing I am unwilling to do. I must take every opportunity that is given to me.

Jamil: Sigh, that's just like you.

Jamil: Speaking of which, have you already come up with how you're planning on increasing PR?

Jamil: I hear that the organizer will have to implement the best idea personally. That's a pretty hefty load, don't you think?

Azul: Fufu, I can't go into details, but… Of course, I've thought of some feasible ideas.

Azul: If you're interested, why not join us, Jamil-san?

Azul: It would be remiss if I were to completely monopolize this wonderful of an opportunity.

Jamil: No thanks. I'll be leaving now before I get wrapped up in anything troublesome.

Azul: Fufu, and there he slips away from me. …Hm? This painting…

Azul: It's the mermaid who fell in love with a human from one of the Sea Witch's legends. She seems so naïve and vulnerable; one prone to being led on.

Azul: Fufu… The world is cruel, after all. I wonder how much of reality she actually understood.

Requested by @pianostarinwonderland.

[theoneandonlymettaton]

What is burgerpants doing? I would imagine someone who already dislikes mettaton would’ve only gotten more miserable.

Oh yeah, he's miserable alright. I wonder what's gonna be instore for him! I'm gonna talk about some spoilers in the actual game so beware!!!

TD;DR MTT hates him, and BG will always be miserable.

-

I thought a lot about what MTT's and BG's relationship was like. A long time ago I used to think that MTT was an incredibly abusive boss that treated all his staff like scum, I believed every word BG told us. Until after looking more into the MTT resort's dialogues and realized that didn't seem to be the case. At least, most of it didn't. A lot of his employees actually think very nicely of him, the only monster who bad-mouths him is BG. Why? Either 1, all his employees (except BG) are too biased to realize that MTT is a jerk. 2, BG is exaggerating and finds the negativity in everything. Or 3, MTT treats all his employees well (except BG).

I find number 1 very unlikely. After you kill MTT and go back to his resort, the staff speak to you worriedly about his lack of presence:

"Have you seen Mettaton? He hasn't come by lately. I have a lot of respect for that man. I had trouble getting a job because I am so pointy and angular. But, being a rectangle, he understood my struggles."

"How unusual. Mettaton usually shows up now to tell everyone they're doing a great job. Even if I was having a bad day, we'll always give each other a thumbs-up, and... ... oh, what am I doing? I'm not being very professional."

"Blub blub... Mettaton isn't here to press his face into the steaks. He told me that if he ever disappeared, we could use my face instead... But, I'm nervous. What if my face doesn't taste very good...?"

Sounds EXTREMELY positive for an abusive boss. So, why does BG think so terribly of him? Or does MTT think terribly of BG? Well, let us change perspective first and look at BG as an employee.

Extremely rude to the customer after a slight inconvenience (ex. not buying anything, not having enough money, full storage, buys full stock, when we kill everybody)

Smokes on the job

Bad-mouths other monsters he has interacted with (nicecream guy, bratty and catty)

Stole burgers

A total incel. Down bad. Sorry I thought making this note was funny

Not the greatest employee. Does BG slack off because MTT hates him, or does MTT hate him because he slacks off? Not sure what the actual origin was of MTT hating BG so much...

Here's some things we know that MTT does to BG (According to BG):

Calls him into work until halfway into his shift

Plays a CD album about how bad he is at his job

Turns down his ideas with the excuse of, "that's not how they do it on the surface."

Gives him weird outfits ("promotional" costumes, or for "holidays", "specials", or "because he felt like it")

Makes (only) him wear said outfits in his office just to laugh at him before telling him to go back to work

We also know that after the pacifist route, BG tells us that MTT told everyone that they were free, but told BG, "don't think that means you're getting off work early."

If we are to believe that what BG told us is true, then it is safe to assume that MTT is not fond of BG. At all. Why? No idea. It's kind of like in Family Guy where everybody hates Meg for no apparent reason. Maybe there doesn't have to be a reason.

BG is also known to be incredibly pessimist and only sometimes expresses hope, but also lies a lot. He is very ignorant when it comes to other people's perspectives, and told us that we are being brainwashed by Catty and Bratty. He is incredibly biased to attractive people, or generally anyone who has a better life than him (which is almost everybody). Which could imply that everything he told us may not be 100% truth, but I still find it unfair to not believe in anything he told us though.

I made this faq way too long so I'm just going to end this analysis here

-

I assume that he would just stay as a burger-flipper even after MTT's reign, but you may also find him working on other jobs throughout the comic. For comedic purposes, of course. Heh.

[mierstaer]

I have never publicly said this but : Jet drowning Gaipan and Zuko burning down Kyoshi Island are

1) narrative parallels

2) are widely exaggerated by the fandom as actions taking place in a 100 years war and performed by two teenagers

because yes context does matter. and you CANNOT possibly think that these actions come even close to the atrocities of what the rough rhinos did to Jet’s village or what Ozai intended to do to the Earth Kingdom.

NO THIS IS NOT ME EXCUSING WHAT THEY DID. DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THIS.

all I’m saying is that context, intentions and knowing what is going on in a character’s head are actually important in that case for a better understanding of their actions.

let’s take a look at Jet. he’s an orphan boy, who grew up with this very idea that every thing that went wrong in his life was caused by the FN (which is true) and that the only way for him to survive is to fight the FN (which is, again, true). therefore, the logical conclusion to years of trauma, and impregnated ideas of vengeance and wrath is to loose touch with your sense of morality and ending up doing heinous things because he’s convinced that it is the right thing to do. the ONLY thing to do. to survive and to escape the war. what people like to forget is that Jet didn’t grow up like Sokka and Katara, who even though faced a terrible tragedy after their mother’s death, and had to live in a tribe that had been weakened by the FN, also lived in a sheltered place for most of their lives, with their Gran Gran and father’s love, with a community, a family. Jet grew up in constant solitude, hunger, pain, fear, death and had to become a parent to those around him. and that’s not me trying to compare them. but you cannot seriously think that they grew up in the same conditions. growing up like that you just CANNOT turn out fine. the absence of love and protection coming from an adult actually does that to a kid. as time passes he realises that he, as an orphan boy, has to do what has to be done in order to survive. the question of morality doesn’t even crosses his mind. because fear and anger are the only thing left for him to survive. and all of this leads to him drowning Gaipan, and committing this heinous crime. which well doesn’t really happen because everyone is safe ! everyone survived ! yes the village is destroyed but that’s material loss. that doesn’t come near the loss of actual people.

now for Zuko, his core character trait in season 1 is that he’s very short sighted. he only sees his goal, and never what’s in between that. this shortsightedness comes from years of obsession fuelled by extreme (FN) propaganda, indoctrination, trauma and anxiety in regards of what awaits Zuko if he never gets to catch the Avatar. like Jet, Zuko’s anger and fear brings what’s most ugly in him : his lack of regards for any collateral damage he might provoke while trying to reach his goal. which ultimately leads to Kyoshi Island burning down. however, they are a few things that need to be said here. he never steps a foot on Kyoshi Island with the intention of burning it. that’s actually where it diverges from Jet. Zuko is extremely short sighted and his only goal is to find Aang. nothing. else. which differentiates him from his sister especially. who wanders through the earth kingdom while yes chasing Aang but also never stopping (or at least trying) to expend the FN’s power in the EK. Kyoshi island burning down comes actually from him being shitty at managing his firebending (and his crew) in season 1. it’s quite literally collateral damage and most of the damage on Kyoshi Island actually comes from Zuko’s soldiers (who we never actually see receiving orders that would indicate Zuko wanting to burn the island. he only says “I want the Avatar” before splitting up, and go rewatch the scene if you don’t believe me). we do actually see Zuko shooting a few fireballs at Aang but we see only one of them actually hitting the cabins. so it would be logical to assume that it was Zuko’s crew, while fighting the Kyoshi Warriors that did it. after the gaang left, Katara even says “he would have destroyed the whole place” meaning it wasn’t destroyed. and then Aang eventually saves the village and Zuko and his crew leave.

what I’m trying to say with this is that I cannot keep seeing people actually demonising and adultifying Jet and Zuko’s actions (especially at the very beginning where both of them are clearly villains with the narrative intent of doing heinous things) with using these two specific scenes, where, ultimately, no one got hurt (except Sokka & Aang while fighting Jet and the Kyoshi Warriors while fighting Zuko).

this post isn’t me denying what they did. at the end of the day, Gaipan got destroyed and Kyoshi Island lost a lot of infrastructure and cabins. this post is me explaining why I’m tired of the over exaggerated claims in regards of these two characters.

the problem with this fandom is that people will talk about Jet and Zuko’s actions in episode 10 and episode 4 like they would talk about Long Feng’s actions or Ozai’s actions.

like, no, two indoctrinated traumatised teenage boys in a war cannot be held accountable in the same way that two adults (who funnily actually did kill people !) are held accountable. like, textually by LAW they cannot be held accountable in the same way. because of their age, because of the circumstances, the consequences, etc etc.

and what’s even more important is that both actually do their best to make amends. even though doing this after years of indoctrination is actually hard. jet dies while doing so and Zuko nearly dies at the hand of his father for doing so. (and that’s without even talking about his actions as a Firelord)

you can dislike Jet and Zuko as characters. but the hate these two get will always look ridiculous at the end of the day. because it’s either completely exaggerated or out of context or doesn’t apply to them because they actually did change. and did try to make amends.

again, this is not me saying that they weren’t villains at the beginning of the series. this is also not me saying that these actions are excusable or even remotely okay. no, it’s me begging the fandom to just use their brain for two fucking seconds. it’s me begging the fandom to just understand what the war and it’s consequences does to people, especially children. on all sides of the war. especially war children.

[swanwonyoung]

ATTITUDE

𝔦'𝔪 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔞𝔱𝔱𝔦𝔱𝔲𝔡𝔢 — how to embody this energy ?

1. What Is "Attitude" and Why Does It Matter?

"Attitude" is not just about how you look; it’s about the energy you carry. It’s the aura of confidence, effortless charm, and self-assurance. Think of idols like Wonyoung, Yujin, Gaeul Rei, Liz and Leeseo—they don’t just walk into a room; they own it. This energy makes people gravitate toward them, and you can cultivate it too.

Why? well, who doesn't want to feel better about themselves ? Who doesn't want to change their realities and be a better version of themselves than before? Like waking up on a random day and feeling like you own the world even if we all own it at the same time ? having confidence is a very good feeling and cultivating it is very important.

2. How to Embody This Energy?

— I will be analyzing the response given by chatGPT.

Posture & Expression: Stand tall, shoulders back, maintain a soft but confident gaze. Your expressions should be intentional, never over-exaggerated but captivating.

My analysis on this point: Since I started doing this, everyone started to notice how much I've changed, and if I already received a lot of compliments before? Now I receive even more and it's actually true, which further improves this point.

Aesthetic & Fashion: Always look put together, even in casual outfits. Hair, nails, and accessories matter—think "effortless elegance."

My Analysis : that's actually so true, you don't need to do a lot if you don't want to, if you take good care of your nails (you don't need to paint or design them), take care of your hair, keep your clothes clean and iron them before leaving your house, It already has a huge result, after I started paying more attention to it, even my mother praised my dedication to it.

Mindset: You are the prize. You don’t seek validation; you attract admiration effortlessly. No over-explaining, no unnecessary apologies—just pure confidence.

My analysis : I have always looked for validation from everyone, and that never did me any good, but the moment I started caring more about myself and didn't accept people putting me down, many turned against me! and that's not even a bad thing, removing bad and fake people from my life helped me a lot and that made me open my eyes and see that I MATTER A LOT.

Behavior: Move with grace, speak calmly, and never seem rushed. Confidence is about control, not arrogance.

My analysis : i'm actually hyperactive (ADHD) so sometimes i speak too fast, I move a lot and without stopping, and if that tires me, imagine all the people who talk to me? So I started to control myself a little, and that not only helped me, but it made people understand me better.

3. "Attitude Routine" – Inspired by IVE & the Song Lyrics

Written by AI, This routine is designed to align with the confidence and mindset of IVE members while capturing the essence of the song.

☀️ Morning:

Wake up at a time that makes you feel refreshed, not rushed.

– if you have school, college or work, sleeping early is recommended.

Skincare + subtle, glowing makeup to look naturally flawless.

– a 3 basic steps routine (washing your face, moisturizer & sunscreen) already gives a boost to your appearance.

Wear something that makes you feel confident, even at home.

– i stay at home most of the time, so i personally recommend this one.

Listen to empowering music (If you're a dive, IVE’s discography is a must).

🌟 Afternoon:

Engage in activities that boost your self-esteem (exercise, stretching, practicing good posture).

– if you stretch, watch hinafit's video "wonyoung pilates", i do this one often and it's easy but makes me feel refreshed and ready for the day.

Study or work on something that enhances your skills—knowledge is confidence.

– i love studying so this one is perfect for me, if you want to start doing this, i recommend it 100%.

Take mirror selfies, practice your best angles, and refine your body language. (Optional)

🌙 Evening:

A luxurious shower or bath to end the day on a high note.

– or at any time you want fr.

Skincare + haircare to maintain that glow.

– as i keep saying, basic works ! less IS MORE. quality over quantity. you don't need a lot of products to look nice, that's totally optional (+if you actually have money for all that).

Journaling: Reflect on your progress and write down affirmations.

– my fav habit, it's so good for my mental health.

Plan the next day—organized people radiate power and poise.

– you don't need to write a whole essay, if you write just the 3 main goals for the day, it's already good.

[toto-4444]

do you think Ashely actually started the incest rumors like douchebag claimed or was it actually said by him, I’m conflicted because some of us thought that the voicemails were exaggerated/fake and they turned out to be 100% true, but in this case I’m thinking it’s either Ashley says something that’s misleading to her “friends” and they interpret as her having feelings for her brother, though it’s also possible that after she stood up douchebag and she and Andrew had the conversation about how they were each others priority but they couldn’t fulfill the romantic part of each others lives, she did that to scare “hussies” off which sadly ended up with Andrew dating Julia more than anything…

decay 1 spoilers

It's Becky's fault, I tell you. Ashley was already getting heat by some girls before douchebag even approached her.

She's inconnect, your honor.

Teen Ashley very much cares what other thinks of her.

[bitterkarella]

Midnight Pals: The Running Grave

[mysterious circle of robed figures] JK Rowling: hello children Rowling: i have a new ssstory for you tonight Rowling: a new ssstory of cormorant ssstrike Jesse Singal: wow mommy it's great! Maya Forstater: the greatest story ever told Rowling: Rowling: well i haven't told it yet

Helen Joyce: i'm not exaggerating when i say that this is 100% the best story ever written in human history Rowling: you haven't heard it yet Joyce: i don't have to hear it to know it's better than any other story in the world Rowling: Rowling: oh

Joyce: i don't need to know anything about it or even hear it to say that jk rowling is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I've ever known in my life Rowling: Rowling: i dunno Rowling: for sssome reassson thisss jussst isssn't ssatissfying

[midnight society] JK Rowling: hello children Rowling: i have a new cormorant ssstrike ssstory Barker: don't you have your own group to tell that to? Rowling: no all they do isss praisss me and tell me i'm great Rowling: it getsss tiring Rowling: you all wouldn't underssstand

Rowling: sso cormorant strike is an ugly detective with a terrible personality who also reeksss of cigarettess and fartss conssstantly and also his hair lookss like pubess Rowling: naturally the women are all hungry for hiss D Patricia Highsmith: crazy dames, who can fathom them

Rowling: the thing iss women can't get enough of cormorant ssstrike Rowling: did i mention hisss hair looks like pubess? Rowling: women jussst look at his sscrotum-like head and think Rowling: damn i can't NOT fuck that

Rowling: but cormorant sstrike hasss no time for women Rowling: women are all just a bunch of dumb bimboss who only care about sstupid clothes and being shallow Highsmith: bitches be shopping, it true

Rowling: cormorant ssstrike is hired by this rich arissstocrat to resscue hiss adult sson from a cult Rowling: ssee, his sson is autisstic so he can't be trussted to make decissionss Rowling: you know how autistic people are Rowling: they're bassically eternal children

Rowling: ssso the dad is all 'i need to have my adult autistic sson declared mentally incompetent sso that i can control hiss life totally and forever' Rowling: as a good father would

King: gosh joanne King: as a father i have say King: i would do anything for my boy joe King: but that seems a little extreme don't you think? King: sometimes the hardest part of being a parent is letting go Rowling: Rowling: you know what ssteve? sshut up Rowling: jusst sshut up

Rowling: this cult, sssee, it sseducesss and recruitss vulnerable autistic youth who, as you know, can't think for themsselvess Rowling: remindsss me a little of another group now that i think about it King: Poe: Barker: Koontz: Lovecraft: Rowling: you know who i mean

Rowling: thiss cult alsso ssays itss about ssocial jussstice & being kind Rowling: but really it's actually a ssecret front for pedophiless Rowling: remindsss me a little of another group now that i think about it King: Poe: Barker: Koontz: Lovecraft: Rowling: you know who i mean Rowling: thisss cult alssso hass lotsss of money and ussess frivolousss lawsssuitssss to sstop criticisssm Barker: gosh now THAT reminds me of someone Barker: but who? Barker: who could it be? L Ron Hubbard: Barker: yes but Barker: i'm thinking of someone ELSE

[tamsiblings]

so I've always wondered this in the back of my mind but your reblog recently brought it back to the forefront

this line especially, but also the vibe you get throughout the entire show that Simon is habitually caring for and protecting river since that what he's always done. And I've been wondering: protecting her from what? The show never shows us what Simon Protecting River looked like before he broke her out of the fucked up lab. I have a pretty good idea that it may have been a form of emotional neglect from their parents. They don't notice River's distress in her letters and basically disown Simon when he goes off to save her so maybe they were the type to never listen to their children or believe them when they expressed their needs. Or care more about how their children's behavior made their family appear socially and less about how their children were actually doing. I also wonder if River didn't have a bit of the Gifted Child syndrome going on and their parents treated her more as a prodigy than a daughter. And Simon had to stand up for her and try to get their parents to see her as a girl first and a genius second.

It would have been really cool to see this actually in the show as a flashback or something, but I bet you've thought about it loads and want to hear your take.

warning: this got reallly tangenty and long as i am wont to do oops <3 putting most of it under a cut

warnings for discussion of emotional neglect and a variety of other factors i think could reasonably be labelled as emotional and psychological abuse. emotional neglect on its own is to my understanding a form of emotional abuse, but i think there are other layers here as well.

anyway heyyyy bestie talking about the tams (including the parents tbh, the little we get of this family structure is fascinating to me) (we do actually get more on simon and river's background than anyone else! bc it's so connected to the current story anyway) is my favorite thing as you may have guessed so thank you for sending this.

and YES i have thought about this a lot <3

simon said he "always has" taken care of river and while i think on a literal level this is likely a Slight exaggeration (even if their parents weren't around physically for that whole aspect of taking care of, i think their material needs were always met and they likely had the means for a nanny or some other kind of support) but on an emotional level, i think this is very true.

i think you are 100 percent spot on with the emotional neglect and other unhealthy dynamics. here's some of what we know on that front:

the tam parents could be affectionate and even indulgent when it was easy and suited their own ends. ie. getting the source box for simon and assuring him he's worth it, calling them "you two geniuses" etc. this could be a very sweet moment and in some ways it is, because i truly believe the tams both believe in the worth and specialness of their children...

but their affection is clearly quite conditional. deeply. and, i think, more than anyone involved quite realizes. it's followed up by "that's the deal - dedicated sourcebox - brilliant doctor'. no matter how lightlyheartedly and affectionately it's said, it's clear it's seriously meant - and baby!simon clearly takes it to heart. (note: i've always interpreted this as simon already expressing interested in medicine and his father basically going "fine, but whatever you're doing, you have to be the best at it". i'm sure attorney or corporate ceo also would have sufficed for their image-focused needs, as long as he was successfuly and prestigious enough.)

i should also note that the the dynamic between regan and her children is far more implied because the focus in safe is mostly on gabriel.

a quote from an interview with sean maher: “It was great to learn where Simon came from. We see that his parents are incredibly ostentatious. There were so many expectations and Simon and River felt so much pressure, trying to be what their parents wanted them to be. And we got an idea of what happened to River. The parents sent her away to a school they thought would further her learning. Maybe they were naive in a sense, to think of only bettering her mind and not listening to her as a girl–as their daughter.” (emphasis mine)

notable here (and i love sean maher for noting this because, understandably because river isn't present in the flashbacks in the episode proper, it's not as clear what river's dynamic with their parents is, but certainly inferences can be made) is that both simon and river feel expectations and pressure from their parents, not just simon.

which leads to me wondering about river going to the academy. i think multiple things can be true here at once. i think, as simon says in the pilot, she did genuinely want to go. she was curious and brilliant and bright and not challenged enough in the current education system she found herself in or by her peers. she wanted something rigorous. i think a lot of that probably DID come from her. but i also do wonder if there was a level of their parents always expecting her to challenge herself in this way because, as you mention and i think implied in the quote above, they valued her brilliance and prodigy above her personhood. i also think it's possible (though i'm less sure on this) that river wanting to go to a school where she lives away from her parents and can both live up to their expectations but where she can distance herself from them could indicate something about how she feels. but might be reading too much into things.

there are also elements of controlling behavior that goes hand in hand with both the conditional love and the valuing their children for their intelligence/ability over simply valuing them as their childhood. in the shooting script, the offer simon gets goes through gabriel, and it's not presented as one opportunity or path simon can take. it's The Plan, and there's no room for deviation even when the most dire of circumstances calls for it. (and like, this would never happen because simon does genuinely value medicine and being a doctor, but in an interesting excercise: how would the conversation look if simon decided he didn't want to be a doctor o some other prestigious high paying XYZ? or even that he wanted to pursue a different opportunity he found on his own and is maybe not quite as prestigious in medicine? i don't get the sense it would have gone over that well.) we don't really get a sense of this with river because again, she's less present in the episode - but i think reasonable assumptions can be made.

^ it's a funny story that simon tells kaylee in object in space, about paying the feds off so they wouldn't tell his father about his drunken (and relatively harmless) escapade with his peers after making surgeon, and tbf, a lot of people probably wouldn't want their parents to know that. but in context with the rest of this, it feels very telling that simon did not want his father (or presumably his mother) knowing he acted at all in a way that could be considered undignified or that he got in any degree of trouble (it doesn't even sound like he was arrested, the police just showed up and he didn't want his parents to find out.)

in many ways, it seems clear both simon and river start off as golden children in their parents eyes - they care about them and value their gifts, but more like you would care about a trophy than a child. they care about what river and simon reflect on them. and notably, when river is no longer just the brilliant prodigy-child but vulnerable, in need of protection, and a symbol of inconvenient truth they don't want to face (a number of them, really - the misplaced trust in their government/society/system, the fragility of status and the false sense of security, their own culpability and failures to protect their children) - instead of helping her when she needs them the most, they ignore and abandon her. and when simon can't do the same, he - as the "truthteller" in many family dynamics of this structure often do - becomes some degree of a scapegoat. he faces the truth they are unable or unwilling to see. they turn a blind eye but simon can't, it's not who he is and he loves river too much. and suddenly, when he's not doing and saying and being exactly what they say he should because he's focused on helping river, he's treated like he's causing problems for no reason - like he's the problem. like he's making a big deal over nothing when he tries to show them the letters, when his father says "are you trying to destroy this family?" as though their daughter being kept and tortured against her will and their own refusal to acknowledge it isn't what's actually doing the family-destroying. and while i think simon getting scapegoated/othered/treated as a problem is a rather new development, and don't imagine they were getting constantly berated - in the scene at the end of safe, YMMV, but gabriel seems a little too comfortable quite ufairly berating simon for things that are quite obviously not his fault or for at all disappointing him. i don't think it was always happening - but i don't think this comes out of nowhere.

on the causing problems for no reason (or a reason they dismiss) component; this feels particularly insidious because they should know their son well enough to know simon doesn't do that. he doesn't do things for no reason, he has a highly overly developed sense of responsibility (which comes back into his dynamic with river ofc.) so like... either they do know that and are purposefully ignoring and even twisting it, or they don't know their son nearly as well as they should.

the scapegoating component lends itself to the extremely uncomfortable gaslighting component in safe. in fairness: i think this aspect of the Tams Very Poor Parenting Choices is likely much more situational and less indicative of past behaviors. regardless, it's pretty rough to watch simon point out things that are quite obviously strange (they don't KNOW anyone called d'arbanville) and have his parents treat him like he's paranoid and insane.

this also comes with a certain level of guilt tripping and beratement. i will say it forever: if i had a child and they were arrested, the FIRST thing i do is ask them if they're okay, figure the rest out later. "

and again: some aspects of all this are situational as we get into the river-at-the-academy component, but i think there's a lot that can be read into the tam family dynamic as a whole based on all this.

so on some level - a lot of THAT is why simon says he's always taken care of/protected river - i don't think he necessarily could have entirely saw or named or what their parents were doing for what it was (which i would argue, as you said, was some degree of emotional neglect and emotional abuse, though some of this is implied or inferred - i would argue based on evidence, but just something to keep in mind). but i do think he developed a sense of responsibility over her and a caretaking role as result.

because it's very notable to me that - for instance - in the river tam sessions, river specifically asks for simon. she doesn't say "i want to see my parents" or even "i want to see my family" but "i want to see my brother." and yes, you could argue that this is because that's who the audience who most care about/be familiar with - but with the rest of the context, it feels extremely significant. in the serenity film, she says something similar to what simon says in that shooting script flashback - "you take care of me, simon. you've always taken care of me. my turn" after simon gets shot and right before she goes in to get his bag and fight the reavers. and like, you could argue that she means ever since the academy - but "always" feels much more weighted than that to me.

it's also interesting to me that river doesn't seem to have as much difficulty reconciling with the fact that their parents abandoned them (and a whole host of other stuff, as established, but that's what the show most focuses on.) now, in fairness, river has a LOT going on - psychic and emotional overwhelm, lots of trauma and intrusive memories - both hers and others, etc - so it makes sense that maybe that just wouldn't be on her register regardless. but i also think... well 1) being so in tuned into what others think and feel, even if she might not have been quite able to name it, i do think she's understood longer than simon (maybe since before the academy; i am still curious if that's paret of why she left) how their parents really saw them. so she's had more time to accept and move on from it. 2) there's this other level where river DID have someone protecting her - simon - even if it took a long time to realize what he was protecting her from. while i think it probably looked less intense than it does in the show proper where she is so deeply traumatized, there is no doubt in my mind that if she was ever upset or anything ever went wrong, it was simon she turned to for comfort or help, not her parents. which tbc: <333 i love them. and this is not her fault at all. but simon Did Not Have That. i think he protected her without quite knowing that's what he was doing for a long time... and didn't realize he needed protection too and wasn't getting it.

which makes it difficult to reconcile and move on from, which is why in the moment in safe when river (seemingly talking about gabriel but likely talking about mal) insists "daddy" will come for them - simon totally shuts down. because he knows that's not going to happen, and it hurts a little too much to deal with, but he's still fairly RECENTLY coming to terms with How Their Parents Are - and the fact that he did not have emotional support. so now he doesn't know how to let himself even ADMIT that he also needs care.

final note (god sorry this is sooo long) i will also say that, while i (as a #tam siblings lover) am often very sad/angry/frustrated about simon and river's dynamic with their parents, and that i certainly will never excuse emotional abuse or this kind of parental behavior, that i try and hope to approach the tam parents in any analysis or ficwriting i might do from a very human angle. the range of human complexity is fascinating to me, and i don't think it does the themes of the show justice to act like the tam parents are outright monsters, totally good or totally bad (note: this is so not in the slightest me saying that i think you are doing this. more just thinking out loud about fandom discussions i have seen surrounding this topic.)

this gets at larger discourse both in fandom and in general i think there is a tendency in our society to want either completely villainize or idolize people (and this maybe becomes especially true in complicated relationships like this). when we talk about abuse to any degree and of any kind, people often want to dehumanize and villainize the abuser in such a way that separates themselves from that possibility - "abusers are evil and inhuman and i'm nothing like that so there's no way i could ever cause that kind of harm etc." but in actuality, there is no inherent internal quality that makes someone an abuser - it is a pattern of harmful behavior that people can choose to do and choose not to do. and i don't want to suggest that people who do this are abusive themselves, that's not what i mean - only that i think the mindset comes from a culture that insists on some very black and white thinking. i think it's a very natural human impulse to want to separate ourselves that way, but also maybe gets us away from seeing the bigger picture. and to be clear: i don't mean to suggest that anyone owes an abuser anything, or that simon and river, for example, should have to forgive their parents. that's not true here or in real life. i only mean to say that people are more complicated than being fully good or fully bad, and firefly reflecting this is one of my favorite things about it.

and again, this is complicated with the tam parents because i'm making a lot of (what i feel are supported, but even so) inferences and assumptions here. so whether you want to identify them as emotionally abusive/neglectful etc is a whole can of worms. but regardless, it's clear their behavior and parenting harmed their children. BUT here are where some major caveats come in:

similarly to the way people often do in other contexts, i have seen people want to outright completely villainize the tams and while i understand this impulse, i think it comes from the same place that a lot of well-meant but misguided discussions do. there are those that think they either must have never cared about river in any capacity at all or actively agreed to sell her out to the alliance (a theory i not only don't like or subscribe to but actually feel misses the point of what's going on with the tams and is less interesting even besides). but i think that sets up the tams to look cartoonishly evil in a way that the narrative doesn't support or intend. do i think the tams are good parents? well, no! i think it was easy to look like good parents when things were easy, but even then, there were cracks. (though i don't think everything was always bad - even in abusive situations, that is usually not the case - there are reasons why people love their parents and stay and have a hard time seeing the bad - because things aren't always like that.) i have also seen people insist or write like it's a given that the tams must have also been physically abusive, and while i don't want and would never tell anyone what they can and can't write, by my own reading, i find that unlikely. i think some of that is often coming from a place of people working through their own stuff, which again - never gonna tell anyone not to do that, you do you - but i also think at times it speaks to a societal tendency to assume that the harm isn't bad enough if it isn't physical - but i think we get a good sense of how deeply simon and river are affected even outside of the confirmation of any physical harm from their parents. (note: i do think the tams being willfully ignorant and leaving their daugher to be tortured and experimented on while on some level know that's what happening is a form of physical abuse or neglected, it's just situational and not in the traditional sense.)

but what i think is so important present, and much more interesting in this story, is that the tams are not evil, so to speak, or at least aren't mustache-twirling villains. they're not even entirely bad-intentioned; i believe they do genuinely want good things for their children, even if they have very specific ideas of what it should look like and how it will benefit them. but they have wholeheartedly, implicitly, without any room at all for questioning bought into the system values of the core and the alliance: prestige, status, and privilege treated as worth, family as a hollow projection of prestige, disruption as the ultimate trespass. to me, the story with regard to the tam parents isn't about them not caring or valuing simon and river at all - it's about valuing those things above them, and how their care is warped and shaped by those harmful systematic values.

now, this is rarer, but i have also seen people want to (maybe in response to above?), if not idolize, then absolve the tams of the role they played in river's abuse at the hands of the academy, but that doesn't ring true to me either. i want to be fair where it's due and say yes, there was danger involved (which simon put himself through) in helping river, but the fact is the narrative focuses much more on the tams focusing on what it could cost them on a social level - their status and "good name", prestige, etc. and at the end of the day, when you have children, you have responsibility to them - and the tam parents failed both of their children on that front.

one thing i also thing is so interesting to note is that simon and river are so loyal and value connection so deeply when it's clear that is not what was most instilled in them on a systematic level or taught to them by their parents. in fact, i think you could argue that while some of it was intrinsic to who they are (here's the old nature vs. nurture debate which i think you could argue simon and river are the two biggest representers of on the show), i also think it's a repsonse to this bond they formed specifically BECAUSE of their parents.

[anticomedygarden]

Percabeth hurt/comfort post Tartarus ptsd?

Basic I know but you can't go wrong torturing some comfort characters 😂

one of my favorite pjo tropes! so so true, thanks for the prompt. (you're my first ever prompter! bit of a landmark for me :) )

-

Staring deeply into his blue comforter like it held the secrets of the world, Annabeth didn't need to be a child of Athena to know that her boyfriend wasn't really there with her. It wasn't the first time one of them had found the other like this, and it probably wouldn't be the last.

He wasn't making noise or moving, actually not doing anything at all, which led her to believe that he wasn't having a panic attack or a flashback. Dissociation then.

After a lot of trial and error following the titan war, they'd figured out touch - especially involving water - helped ground him the best, so she didn't bother with trying to talk to him, not knowing how far gone he was yet. Instead she got some ice out of the water bottle on his nightstand, happening to glance at the few pictures she'd been able to bring for him to Camp Jupiter. Sally, Grover, Tyson, Thalia, the Stolls, Clarisse, and a few other campers smiled back at her.

If she'd known they were going to fall into Tartarus, she'd have packed a few more.

Turning away from the photos with a sigh, she sat down cross-legged on his bed and winced when the mattress bouncing got no reaction from him, so she gently picked up his arm in the hand not holding the ice and starting rubbing it up and down his tan forearm.

"Percy?" she murmured. "I'm gonna count backward from 100, okay?"

Predictably, he didn't answer, but she started her countdown anyway, studying his form for any changes. His jet black hair was falling into his down cast eyes, low enough that she couldn't see his seagreen irises. His pants were creased where his elbows rested on them, and she realized he was wearing the same thing as he was when his watch ended an hour ago. It hurt to know that he could've been like this for so long and she had no idea, but there wasn't anything she could do, not without leaving the ship vulnerable.

Then - movement. His hand twitched; she didn't dare stop, though, not wanting to risk backslide, just kept on counting and rubbing the ice up and down his arm.

A few minutes later, he pulled in a sharp breath and sagged a bit so that the only thing Annabeth could see was the top of his head. She'd lost count of how many times she'd made it to a hundred and back at this point.

"Percy? Are you with me?" He waited a bit and nodded minutely. "Can you try and breathe with me?"

She drew in an exaggerated breath slowly and let it out even slower. He didn't join her, so she tried again. This time, he managed a shaky, slow breath that almost aligned with hers.

After a few minutes passed and he seemed to be more present, she put the ice down on the nightstand, and he sagged even more, head landing on her shoulder like his strings had been cut.

She ran her fingers through his thick curls, illiciting a sigh from him. "Hey, baby."

His breath hitched, and she was afraid for a moment he'd start panicking, but she soon felt her shoulder grow wet.

"We're together," she whispered, hoping his words from so many (weeks? days?) ago would bring him some comfort.

They were still the most important words in the world to her.

At some point, his hands must have unclenched because she felt his nails softly scrape her thigh. "How long was I gone?"

"I don't know," she said honestly. "At least 15 minutes, an hour at most."

"Damn."

Sadly, he pushed himself off of her shoulder, leaving it cold and salty. "What's the last thing you remember?"

He looked off into the distance, thinking. "I remember sitting on the bed to get to ready to shower, and nothing else."

Her heart clenched as that meant he must have been gone closer to an bour. Do you have any idea what triggered you?"

"Uh...I think maybe when I looked across the hall and saw your empty bed..." He trailed off, and she nodded.

"I'll keep the door closed from now on," she promised. It wouldn't be any kind of major change since she never slept in that room anyway. The only reason it had been open was because of habit from Coach Hedge.

Now that Percy was present and they were both calmer, they started getting ready to shower, not wanting to be without the other. (Only shower. Neither of them were ready for more at the moment.) It wasn't long before they were climbing into bed together, both considerably more refreshed but exhausted from a long day on the Argo II.

It had to get better at some point. It just had to.