#this is obviously very very far in the future

[thelostgirl21]

I don't know if this is going to be any comfort, but I think most Canadians see the American population as fellow victims in this whole situation.

Besides those of us that have also fallen prey to far right ideologies, there's this sense of awareness that Trump manipulated his way into power and is making decisions that are going against his people's best interests.

A lot of you have more or less been taken hostage by a fascist leader that is furthering his own egomaniac agenda without any empathy whatsoever for the suffering he is inflicting, and it's utterly horrifying!

And what's absolutely heartbreaking is that many of his "followers" are either aware of what's happening, but too scared of repercussions to take a stand and criticise him (and it's hard to blame them for being scared); or they genuinely worship him and believe in him the same way as people will follow and worship cult leaders.

And, in those situations, the only hope you have is basically for the victims of his manipulations to finally wake up and fight back themselves.

Because we can't do it.

We are a population of 40 million vs an American population of 335 million.

We can't just walk in there saying "we've come to liberate you from a fascist President that's threatening the lives and safety of trans children, disabled people, illegal immigrants, threatening to cripple your economy, etc." when a huge chunk of the American people would fight back and die for him!

And Trump was "democratically elected" by the people that he is now abusing. So, despite how disgusted and sick some of us may feel over the ICE raids (for example), we can't really stop what's happening in the USA from happening.

I think a lot of us feel a profound sense of sorrow and powerlessness in this whole situation, rather than a sense of being betrayed by the American people themselves.

And it could have been us. It could still be us. Actually, what's happening to Americans right now might save us from falling into the same trap as you did in our upcoming elections.

Because there's been a very troubling increase in hate crimes targeting sexual orientation (they've increased by 388% between 2016 and 2023, and a fucking 69% between 2022 and 2023 alone!) in Canada, and Pierre Pollièvre (leader of our Conservative party) had been more or less importing a "softer and more politically correct" version of Trump's rhetorrics into Canadian politics as well.

If enough Canadians get pissed at Trump, they might rally behind a leader that is the polar opposite of what he represents, giving someone like Mark Carney (that might take the leadership of the Liberal Party from Trudeau in March) a fighting chance against Pollièvre.

We might end up "owing you", in a very awful and twisted way, because you gave us a reason to try to come together as a country to attempt to find solutions against a common threat.

Yes, I can't deny the friendship dynamic might change a bit... Because, I don't know if people realise this, but we actually did put some measures in place that were meant to keep USA and Canada heavily reliant on each other to avoid such conflicts, and force us to continue to "play nice" with each other.

Ex: Canada produces the crude oil, the USA refineries refine it into a usable product, and then part of it is sold and sent back to us via pipelines that travel under both Canadian and American soil.

That's actually one of the benefits of global trade - the lack of self-sufficiency forcing you to care about your trade partner's own needs and interests as well.

Therefore Trump's willingness to threaten our economy in an effort to forcefully assimilate us as the 51st State is obviously making us go "Yeah, maybe we should try to diversify our trading partnership a bit more, and be a TAD LESS RELIANT on the USA in the future. We should definitely continue to make new friends out there, and expand our market a bit..."

But it's not necessarily a bad thing for both countries (there can be significant advantages on having more trading partners on both sides), nor something that should be taken as personal.

Because, again, it could have been us. The Canadian and American people can still see each other as brothers and sisters in a post-Trump era while understanding that all it takes is an abusive step-father to suddenly take advantage of people's fears and vulnerabilities to threaten the fragile economical balance between our two countries.

I currently support retaliatory tariffs and trying to avoid buying any American product for which we can find a Canadian equivalent in Canada, because well, first, if American consumers can no longer afford to buy Canadian products, because they cost 25% more than the price we're selling it to them, we'll need to buy as much of our own stuff as we can.

And, second, we do need some of the American people to wake up, and realize that the "illegal criminal immigrants" and the "child grooming trans and LGBTQ+ people" won't be Trump's only victims during his presidency!

As long as a problem doesn't personally affect or threaten them, some people have a tendency to sit back, stay silent, and close their eyes on the horrors happening around them.

But Trump promised the American people that the price of groceries and the general cost of living would go down, that it would be an easy fix, and that the tariffs imposed on international imports would not increase the price of the products they are paying.

He lied. About this, and about so much more!

I believe that the Canadian people are still very much ready and willing to support the American people and fight by their side, though.

But right now, you are fighting against your own selves, and lashing out while being unable to tell friends from foes.

We won't let ourselves be attacked without putting up some solid boundaries and opposing those measures from President Trump. But the idea that, because of this, American people will be economically suffering and struggling more - including all of those that did not vote for him and attempted to sound the alarm - is utterly heartbreaking for us.

We're not even going "Well, if President Trump has decided to hit our economy and make the Canadian people suffer, we'll make sure the American people will be suffering alongside us, too!"

We do not wish Americans any harm. We've been thrown into a senseless situation, are trying to limit the impact of the blows we are receiving, and standing up to a powerful bully as best we can!

While also vaguely hoping that those of you getting hit with us will realize that both the Canadian and American people are sharing a common enemy right now, and he's the fucking President of your own country!

The vibe I get from most Canadians is that we still do love you, but fuck do we hate HIM!

You did elect him, but he manipulated his way into power and took advantage of your fears and vulnerabilities. And a lot of us are very much aware of that.

To be clear I don't want a trade war with Mexico (or even China)

but Trump breaking our relationship with Canada, Canada, our ever friendly, dependable, helpful brothers to the north, is particularly hurtful. It feels like an abusive step-father banning you from a favorite cousin's house because they want to isolate you to keep beating you. It's painful and heart breaking and your cousin keeps asking you to explain and you can't.

sorry Canada, I didn't vote for him, I campaigned against him hard, but a bunch of idiots voted to blow up everything and hurt everyone so do what you have to do, maybe if you inflict maximum pain some people will wake up.

and to Americans reading this, I can't over stress we have FOREVER damaged our relationship with our neighbor, biggest trading partner, military and strategic ally, we fought WWII with them guys, and they are NEVER gonna look at us the same way again. We might repair the relationship in future but it'll never be as full a friendship as it was last month.

[shin-kenooubu]

Confession Headcanons!

featuring: Ranpo Edogawa

(sfw, fluff, gn!reader, no content warnings)

• author's note: more ranpo because i love him.

Ranpo isn't used to being uncertain about things, in fact, there is nothing in the world that he is less accustomed to. He always has things figured, it's always taken him seconds and it somehow takes him Even Less Time to blabber out the answer.

But that certainty comes from cold hard facts. Feelings are far, far, faaaar trickier.

So obviously. Instead of figuring out a way to put his feelings into proper words and going through the grueling feeling of vulnerability and heat rushing into his face and down his neck.

He makes you do it.

Eventually, you won't be able to keep quiet about your feelings and he knows this. But at the rate you're going, it's going to take ages. So he's going to help speed up the process! Because someone needs to confess.

And its certainly not going to be him. For obvious reasons.

So heres now it goes:

- All up in your space. He knows you get flustered when he's near. Filing some paperwork? He's sitting on your desk. Taking a break on the couch? He's sitting down and draping his legs over your lap. You're taking your lunch break? He's hungry too!!! Buy him a treat!!!

- Makes you accompany him whenever he gets sent out. It doesn't matter if you can drive or not, he'll tell you everything he's already figured out about the case on the way there regardless! He's basically figured it all out already anyways. Isn't that impressive? Isn't he the best? Praise him, please and thank you.

- Compliments you. Indirectly. All the other members of the ADA always mention how highly Ranpo seems to think of you. It's clear that he values your input, he finds you incredibly dependable as well, y'know, he's even mentioned that you're pretty easy on the eyes. Don't tell him they told you that, though. (It's all part of his master plan.)

- Shares. His supply is dwindling even faster because of you! You should feel honored. Or maybe not. He doesn't actually mind, don't feel bad for taking anything. Hurry up and eat the damn thing already.

- Listens to you. Actively. He makes sure to show that he's paying attention to you because he knows that you appreciate it. He doesn't really get it, he's always listening even if it looks like he's busy playing around. But feelings are weird and fragile. He'll be a little extra careful with yours.

- Makes an effort to not insult your intelligence. Not that he ever actually means to, his wording is just off. Which is why recently you've found him growing quiet in conversations for a few seconds. A small pout on his lips as he considers his words before snapping right back into place and continuing whatever tirade he was going on. All without throwing out an indirect jab. It's cute, and also very thoughtful.

- Minimizes the opportunities you have to get hurt in his plans. Obviously some things don't come together as neatly as one might hope but damnit if he isn't finding a way to keep you safe. You can be useful And out of harms way.

He's obvious, he doesn't trust you to not brush off his vaguer advances as him simply being friendly. He wants you to get the hint. Needs you to, really, because he's sick of pining just as much as you are.

When you do eventually ask to speak to him privately, invite him into your space and sit him down, his heart pounds.

Ranpo knows the outcome of this, he's set it in motion for weeks, maybe even months, but theres still Doubt.

He can't see the future.

He can infer it, maybe. Can imagine a future where you and him are happy, where everyday, the two of you lay in bed together, and you smile at him as you run your fingers through his black hair and his mind grows muddy.

But this isn't like any simple murder case. He knows some facts, yeah, but none of it will ever, ever be enough to be Certain. Certain of you and him. Together. It scares him.

But when you take his hands in yours, a little clammy from nerves, and whisper your feelings to him, he can't help but surge forward and press his lips to yours.

A wide smile. A simple, "I know."

You can feel his quiet laughter on your face.

He's lucky he didn't wheeze it out, with how tight his chest feels from pure giddiness.

[veritas-scribblings]

3. out of control | words: 2,325 | M for some mild sexual content | jegulus, platonic prongsfoot, some polyamory, implied bartylus, subtle "really read between the lines" rosestarkillerchaser | [early morning <- previous part | next part -> home]

(October, 1982)

James knows that something will go wrong the moment he sees them walking in. It begins when all the blood in his body immediately pools south the moment he lays eyes on Regulus. Regulus with his pale-yet-flushed cheeks. Regulus with his silky hair that falls into his eyes in loose curls. Regulus with his half-unbuttoned shirt, which should be illegal because James can see his chest. 

James wants to debauch him.

But he can’t. He can’t because Lily is across the room. He can’t because Sirius is here, and everything is already fragile and incredibly loaded. He can’t because…because…because everything. And he doesn’t know what to do. James has managed to keep everything so very, neatly separate and compartmentalised for so very, very long.

But now he feels like everything is about to explode.

It’s Dorcas’s birthday; the one time when their social circles overlap. Marlene, being Marlene, planned this elaborate event with promises of ‘much lubrication’. Because she’s filthy like that. And because Marlene is Marlene and really likes drama, and Dorcas obviously has her own friends, they’ve managed to convince Regulus to make an appearance.

Regulus, unfortunately, comes attached with Barty Crouch Junior and Evan Rosier. It was the only way they could get Regulus to agree to attend.

And James knows: everything is going to explode.

The music is loud; Marlene has amplified it with a Sonorus charm and James can barely hear himself think. Across the lounge, through the throng of bodies, Lily is behind the makeshift bar brewing cocktails. The ‘Lily Special’, Marlene calls it, tinged with magic that makes you sing or breathe bubbles. Mostly harmless stuff. But Barty has been fighting to get his ‘Barty Special’ behind the bar, which James knows isn’t the best idea. Mainly because of where the ‘Barty Special’ got him last time. 

“Lookin’ morose, Potter. All broody.” Marlene elbows him between the ribs. She drops herself down onto the couch beside him and passes him a drink: one of the Lily Specials. James’s agitation is giving Marlene far too much of a thrill, because Marlene is a little shit who gets joy out of other people’s discomfort. 

James cautiously sets the drink aside. Though he wants to down it to try and drown his worries, he knows he’s going to need a clear head to avoid future fuck-ups.

“What’s got your pants in a knot?” Marlene asks, conversationally. “Let me guess. Your ex-girlfriend is behind the bar brewing drinks, getting everyone lubricated, a strong, independent woman. Your best friend looks like he wants to murder someone. Maybe you. Maybe his brother. Your boyfriend, his brother, who you happen to be shagging also looks like he wants to murder someone. Maybe his brother. Maybe your ex-girlfriend. More likely you, because you, James Potter, have been avoiding him all night.”

Fuck it. Because she’s right. He has been avoiding Regulus, and Regulus has been furious about it, hitting him with icy-cold stares of death all night. And James? James is weak. James is a coward. James’s Gryffindor lionheart has wilted and died.

Sirius has never seen them together, and James is just not prepared for the fallout.

James downs the entire ‘Lily Special’ cocktail in one go, a smoking, pearlescent concoction. Swallows too much air. Hiccups a glistening, shimmering bubble. The bubble smells like lemon. The cocktail tastes like peach. It’s damned confusing.

Marlene is right. Sirius sits on a the bench by the bay windows with the darkest, angriest expression James has seen on him in a very long time. He’s watching someone across the room. From the looks of things, he’s been watching that someone for a while. Intensely. Hands gripping his cocktail glass, which surprisingly has yet to shatter under the pressure of his grip.

“Does it bother you, Potter, that they actually look like they’re about to fuck,” Marlene asks casually. She takes a sip of her drink, all innocent like, and smiles up at him sweetly.

“They who?” James asks. A bubble escapes his lips when he speaks.

Marlene elbows him again and nods across the room to the spot Sirius is staring at. She’s right again, he realises. They do look like they’re about to…fuck.

Barty has Regulus in his arms, holding him so closely they may as well one one. All tangled limbs. Leg between Regulus’s. They’re kissing. They’re moving together to the music. Grinding. Barty has his face buried in Regulus’s neck. Regulus has his head thrown back. He’s getting off on it, James knows, because James knows that look.

He has taken something. Most likely a ‘Barty Special’.

And of course Sirius wants to murder someone. James had been wrong; Sirius wants to murder Barty. There's darkness, there's anger. He’s most likely plotting just the murder might go down.

“Huh. So I was under the impression that Crouch is dating Rosier. And that you’re dating…baby Black…but that…” Marlene seems to note that James is not upset, he’s merely annoyed, because she shrugs and holds a hand up and says, “Hey, look, I’m not about to judge your sex life. Whatever kinky shit’s going on in your bedroom…or their bedroom…”

“Fuck,” James mutters. The song changes to ‘Back in Black’. He feels the beat pounding like a pulse in his chest; it gives him the internal boost he needs. “Shit. On a disaster scale of 1 to 10?”

“12,” Marlene says firmly. “I reckon, if you don’t want anyone losing an eye or an appendage, I’d intervene, like, ten minutes ago.”

James sighs and scans the room. Evan is leaning up against a wall by the door, shadowed, like he’s trying his damndest to avoid human contact and ensure his own ability to flee. James shoves his way over. “You go get your boyfriend,” he says, “and I’ll go get mine.”

Evan snickers and leans back against the wall, folds his arms over his chest. “Why? I’m enjoying the scene.”

“Look.” James grits his teeth, feels the heat of a memory flush in his cheeks, draining down his neck. He’s probably tinged red, and maybe he could pretend it’s the buzz of the alcohol, but he knows it’s not. And Evan knows it too. “I don’t need anyone…asking questions.”

“Embarrassed?” Evan drawls. “Hogwarts is a distant memory, and yet you’re still…such a Gryffindor. Besides, not the scene I’m enjoying. Not that it they’re not hot and all. How long do you think it’ll take before his head explodes?”

He means Sirius, who is still staring intently at Barty and James. Every once in a while, Sirius looks over at James like James will have a lot to answer for later. After Sirius is done freezing him out.

“I’m not emb—” James groans, frustrated. “I just mean, if you don’t want Sirius having a go at Barty…”

“Barty can handle himself. I’m pretty sure he’s taken Sirius on before.”

James rolls his eyes. He can handle this himself. When he stalks off, he sees out of the corner of his eyes Evan reluctantly following him.

Barty and Regulus are still wrapped around each other. Barty practically hisses when he see’s James. It is not unusual for the territorial heart that resides inside the little freak. It’s more than likely, James figures, that Regulus is upset with him and Barty is protective on his behalf.

Evan wraps his arms around Barty’s waist and pulls him backward, and James carefully works on untangling Regulus’s limbs. Regulus sighs and lays his head on James’s shoulder. 

“You’re a bitch,” Regulus says into his neck. They sound like Barty’s words.

He’s drunk, James knows. He’s also some level of high. Cheeks flushed, Regulus kisses James's neck and James has to cut off a moan when Regulus’s hand dips between them and he cups James’s crotch and he massages gently.

“Hey, hey, no. Not here. Sirius is watching,” James murmurs by Regulus’s ear, pushing his hand away. When Regulus makes a fussy sound and tries to leave, James traps him in the circle of his arms.

“You taste like fireworks,” Regulus says, nipping at his chin. He smells sweet, like coconuts and vanilla. His tongue, his lips work a pathway up James’s neck, causing James’s breath and heartbeat to quicken. He can feel it pulse between them.

“Love, what did you take?” James tries not to groan, but Regulus is so damned handsy, which is unusual for Regulus. And stress and arousal have been James’s companions all night. “Let’s go get you a drink…some water.”

James pulls Regulus over to the couch, where Marlene is still planted watching everything unfold with great interest. He tries to deposit Regulus onto the couch, but Regulus doesn’t let go and they go tumbling forwards together. 

When Evan arrives with Barty, planting himself between Regulus and Barty for good measure, James notices Sirius storming off across the room.

“Fuck,” he swears, “Evan, get him a—just make sure they don’t do anything stupid.” James races after Sirius, pushing his way through the crowd. 

Sirius is sitting on the door step outside smoking, a terrible habit he’s picked up recently. It’s dark outside and the autumn air is fresh with a slight bite to it. Sighing, James drops down next to Sirius and draws his knees to his chest.

Wordlessly, Sirius passes James the cigarette. James takes a drag, coughs up a lung, and passes it back. 

“It’s…” he hedges. “...he’s plastered. I think…Barty gave him something.”

“Barty Special,” Sirius comments. Takes another long drag from the cigarette. “He’s such a fucking arsehole.” He casts a sidelong glance at James and rolls his eyes. “I’m not mad at you, so you can stop looking like I’m going to rip your head of. I know what they’re like. Everyone knows what they're fucking like."

Letting out a long breath, James leans back, laying down on the ground, half in the house, half out of the house. He can hear the beat of the music in the distance, the chatter of voices merging into a single, shapeless blob. 

“I gave you my blessing, didn’t I?” Sirius says solemnly.

James blinks up at him. “Um…no? I think your words were, 'I don’t want anything to do with this'?” Sirius had frozen him out for a long time when James had admitted that he was quickly and hopelessly falling for Regulus. 

“Well, I maintain that. I am not in the least bit interested in details.”

“And I, too, am not in the least bit interested in giving you any details,” James agrees eagerly, sitting up.

“Good, I’m glad we’re on the same page.”

“Okay, so, what’s eating you, Pads?”

Sirius lays his head down on James’s shoulder and sighs a long, drawn out sigh. He tucks himself under James’s arm, snuggling close, staring up at the night sky, which is clear and speckled with stars. “Can’t see me, this time of the year,” he says.

He doesn’t want to talk about it, James knows. He’s bothered about Regulus—Regulus, who still won’t talk to him—and it has nothing to do with James, apparently. Maybe it doesn’t even have anything to do with Barty? It likely has to do with whatever occurred between the brother way back after their parents died. Something they won’t talk about.

James nudges Sirius and Sirius makes a fussy sound, so remarkably like Regulus that it leaves a weird, uncomfortable feeling in the pit of James’s stomach. “Well, what did you go with? Boils? Bat-bogey? Good ol’ fashioned quartering?”

“Death by a thousand lashes,” Sirius says darkly. “Slowly.”

James hums. He pulls Sirius down over to the lawn and they lay on the ground again. The sky is clearer like this; it gives Sirius comfort.

It gives Regulus comfort too. They’re similar like that, though they’ll never admit it.

“Barty isn’t half-bad,” James comments. “Sometimes I think you guys’d get along smashingly if…if you didn’t hate each other so much.”

“You’re nuts,” Sirius mutters. “That doesn’t make any sense. Too many blows to the head in quidditch practice, Prongsie. Gotta get you guys helmets.”

“He’s just…weirdly loyal.”

James doesn’t need to look at Sirius to know that Sirius is rolling his eyes. “Tried to literally murder me kinda loyal. Or you forgotten that so quickly?”

“Violent tendencies aside, he’s okay,” James says. He can’t explain it. Barty is insane. The kind of chaos where you’ll always see him coming, you just won’t know what he’s about to do. He’s territorial. He loves to bait people for the drama.

But James…sometimes he just doesn’t mind Barty. Sometimes he likes him. And maybe it’s…

James clears his throat and tries to shake the images away. It feels wrong thinking about it around Sirius. The way he can feel the heat in his blood rising and spreading and pooling. Feel the heat in the memory of those hands on his skin.

“I won’t say anything,” Sirius says quietly. He’s staring up at the sky, tracing the constellations, James knows. He won’t look at James because Sirius does not do feelings. He's practically allergic to them.

“He’s okay,” James says. “He’s good. Regulus is good. He…got the job at the apothecary. Still plays quidditch on the weekends. Oh, he’s trying to grow this rare herb at his house for these potions he’s brewing at the apothecary. And then his cat ate it, and we had to take it to the animal healer. It was this whole thing.”

James turns, looks at Sirius, who’s resting with his head on James’s arm. “I tell him about you,” he says gently. He talks to Regulus about Sirius, and Regulus doesn’t say anything. Much like Sirius, he is always quiet, but he always listens. 

Sirius hums and closes his eyes. He rolls into James’s arms. He smells like smoke, and he’s a little bit tipsy. Sirius won’t say anything, James knows. The way that Regulus won’t say anything. Because both brothers are too stubborn. Too proud.

And maybe that’s wherein the problem lies.

[technofeudalism]

there is a post from 3 days ago with over 34,000 notes featuring Utah Senator Mike Lee, a guy who less than 2 months ago was conspiring with Elon Musk openly on Twitter about the need to "overhaul the evil federal government", because he wants to abolish the TSA or whatever. there are notes calling him based.

here is Mike Lee on the Senate floor next to a painting of Ronald Reagan firing a sub machine gun while riding a velociraptor that is waving an American flag. this was part of a 10 minute speech belittling the Green New Deal.

while this poster undeniably goes so extremely hard that it almost made me stop making this post, i then remembered he does shit like carrying a far-right, anti-communist activist authored version of the US Constitution in his jacket pocket that advocates for an even more a bat shit crazy, theocratic Christian interpretation than it already obviously is.

the TSA is dog shit because they're useless, extremely invasive and an overall waste. Mike Lee doesn't want to get rid of heavy-handed, discriminatory and exploitative airport security. he wants to shift the employment of the security staff over to shady private companies run by billionaires or aspiring billionaires that aren't impeded by federal oversight and regulations, who don't have to pay a federal wage, or be easily subject to any sort of future whistle blowing operations or changes implemented by congress. "airports" aren't going to do this security. they're going to contract it out to these ghouls.

part of the problem with more people paying attention is that, without context for who these politicians are that are saying these things, you can very easily wind up misinterpreting them as reasonable and causing a lot of damage. this is how you wind up creating a bunch of right-wing libertarians.

[jimin-bangtan]

What are Jimin’s new dreams?

Before Jimin even clarified the (below) statement he made at Festa 2021 [set to mark], I had noticed that throughout the years many of the items Jimin had expressed that he wanted to accomplish did  eventually come to pass. He seems to be very good at setting goals and working toward making them become reality.

Click on image to enlarge.

Years later, at this point in their career, BTS has stunned the music industry by remaining productive and relevant while being absent due to mandatory military service.  So even while being in the military, yet another of Jimin’s known dreams came true.

In 2016 in his reflective Festa profile, Jimin declared that a desire on his bucket list was to “get the daesang”.

He may have been hoping for the prestigious daesang (grand prize) for the group at that time, but it wasn’t clearly stated who he had hoped would get a daesang eventually. It could have been a wish for both him and his group separately. Or he may not have been able to conceive of him ever getting a daesang as a soloist himself at that point. With Jimin’s goal setting habit and strength, it’s certainly possible either way.

Since then, it now turns out, the group and Jimin both have daesangs. Over the years, BTS did go on to earn a record-breaking number of daesangs, but in late 2024, Jimin was the first soloist to win this particular daesang (Worldwide Icon of the Year/Fan Choice of the Year), and he was the first soloist in a decade to win any daesang in any category. He is also the first soloist from BTS so far.

Soon after the win, Jimin used one of his rare communication moments with fans to thank them for such an honor.  He was very touched and “stunned”. (Stunned? Stunned stunned. Stunned.🤭)

After another customary break of silence for Jimin, he recently wrote a letter to reach out to fans again in January of 2025. 2025 is the year he is to be finally discharged from military service, BTS is to be reunited as a group, and the group begins the new phase of their careers and lives.

In the letter, Jimin wished fans a happy new year and filled them in on how he was spending his time. He explained that one of the things he was doing was having important conversations with Jung Kook, who is serving alongside him by way of Korea’s companion program. The conversations center around planning for the future.

Jimin's current letter caused me to reflect back to the past and then wonder, “What are Jimin’s new dreams?” If you've read my Chameleon Park Jimin series (especially the more recent ones), I have already been considering some of these same questions: How will he choose to present himself on stage and in life? What will he decide to show that he hadn’t shown before? What will he no longer show that he had once shown? What kind of life will he choose to live as an adult artist in the idol world? How have he and his views changed since serving in the military? But Jimin's current letter, along with my Festa 2021 reflection and all of his astounding and historic solo achievements, really sparked a curiosity about: What new dreams will Jimin now be aiming for?

In his song, Smeraldo Garden Marching Band, from his MUSE album, Jimin said, “Everything we couldn’t say before… I’ll tell you everything now.” In his MUSE fan song, Closer Than This, he said, “When we meet again on a spring day, I’ll tell you all the things I couldn’t before.”  Now, in his current letter directly to fans, he said he couldn’t wait to have fun conversations with fans about things that had happened. But obviously he already had things to tell that had happened before.  Will these new conversations shine a light on his new dreams and future plans? I’m sure all of his fans can’t wait to find out the answers to these questions and more. I know I can’t.

BTS, as a group, and now as soloists, have already achieved so much in their careers. They have reached heights and earned accomplishments that have far surpassed what others had done or in which they were the first to do so. After military service and the forced hiatus, Jimin and the rest of BTS will have so many more experiences, skills, and thoughts to share. June of 2025 cannot come fast enough. Whether Jimin shares all of his new (or existing) intentions with us, we know that he usually has interesting and exciting dreams and has the determination and ability - not to mention the support of his devoted fans - to make them come true too.

[malkaleh]

“No one could live up to your parents - the world knows that, your majesty. Be you, cousin - do not try to live up to that which only comes in rare millennia.”

“Cousin? You haven’t been so formal with me in an age, Nanette - shall I persuade you to use my first name at least?”

Nanette mimed throwing a pebble at him, as though they were children again - not the King living in the shadow of legendary parents and his spymaster cousin.

“Turhan then. I will tell you something like I tell Marianne, only more so for you, because it would be impossible to be your parents and they would tell you the same - it is not a failure to merely be a good king when you are following a legendary one who was all his legend and more besides.”

Turhan/Thomas II who is Mihrimah Sultan and Prince/King Thomas I (aka my fictional oldest son of Anne Boleyn in my OT3 verse) and who struggles with living up to the fact that his parents were in fact genuinely perfect progressive rulers of legend and more (and loving and good parents) and Nanette (Anne) Tudor-Dudley-Cecil aka Elizabeth Tudor and Robert Dudleys oldest daughter and her cousins spymaster/advisor.

(Marianne/Marian is Nanettes much younger sister who struggles with living up to her parents as well)

[hauntingofhouses]

Very interesting to me that a certain subset of the BES fandom's favourite iterations of Mizu and Akemi are seemingly rooted in the facades they have projected towards the world, and are not accurate representations of their true selves.

And I see this is especially the case with Mizu, where fanon likes to paint her as this dominant, hyper-masculine, smirking Cool GuyTM who's going to give you her strap. And this idea of Mizu is often based on the image of her wearing her glasses, and optionally, with her cloak and big, wide-brimmed kasa.

And what's interesting about this, to me, is that fanon is seemingly falling for her deliberate disguise. Because the glasses (with the optional combination of cloak and hat) represent Mizu's suppression of her true self. She is playing a role.

Take this scene of Mizu in the brothel in Episode 4 for example. Here, not only is Mizu wearing her glasses to symbolise the mask she is wearing, but she is purposely acting like some suave and cocky gentleman, intimidating, calm, in control. Her voice is even deeper than usual, like what we hear in her first scene while facing off with Hachiman the Flesh-Trader in Episode 1.

This act that Mizu puts on is an embodiment of masculine showboating, which is highly effective against weak and insecure men like Hachi, but also against women like those who tried to seduce her at the Shindo House.

And that brings me to how Mizu's mask is actually a direct parallel to Akemi's mask in this very same scene.

Here, Akemi is also putting up an act, playing up her naivety and demure girlishness, using her high-pitched lilted voice, complimenting Mizu and trying to make small talk, all so she can seduce and lure Mizu in to drink the drugged cup of sake.

So what I find so interesting and funny about this scene, characters within it, and the subsequent fandom interpretations of both, is that everyone seems to literally be falling for the mask that Mizu and Akemi are putting up to conceal their identities, guard themselves from the world, and get what they want.

It's also a little frustrating because the fanon seems to twist what actually makes Mizu and Akemi's dynamic so interesting by flattening it completely. Because both here and throughout the story, Mizu and Akemi's entire relationship and treatment of each other is solely built off of masks, assumptions, and misconceptions.

Akemi believes Mizu is a selfish, cocky male samurai who destroyed her ex-fiance's career and life, and who abandoned her to let her get dragged away by her father's guards and forcibly married off to a man she didn't know. on the other hand, Mizu believes Akemi is bratty, naive princess who constantly needs saving and who can't make her own decisions.

These misconceptions are even evident in the framing of their first impressions of each other, both of which unfold in these slow-motion POV shots.

Mizu's first impression of Akemi is that of a beautiful, untouchable princess in a cage. Swirling string music in the background.

Akemi's first impression of Mizu is of a mysterious, stoic "demon" samurai who stole her fiance's scarf. Tense music and the sound of ocean waves in the background.

And then, going back to that scene of them together in Episode 4, both Mizu and Akemi continue to fool each other and hold these assumptions of each other, and they both feed into it, as both are purposely acting within the suppressive roles society binds them to in order to achieve their goals within the means they are allowed (Akemi playing the part of a subservient woman; Mizu playing the part of a dominant man).

But then, for once in both their lives, neither of their usual tactics work.

Akemi is trying to use flattery and seduction on Mizu, but Mizu sees right through it, knowing that Akemi is just trying to manipulate and harm her. Rather than give in to Akemi's tactics, Mizu plays with Akemi's emotions by alluding to Taigen's death, before pinning her down, and then when she starts crying, Mizu just rolls her eyes and tells her to shut up.

On the opposite end, when Mizu tries to use brute force and intimidation, Akemi also sees right through it, not falling for it, and instead says this:

"Under your mask, you're not the killer you pretend to be."

Nonetheless, despite the fact that they see a little bit through each other's masks, they both still hold their presumptions of each other until the very end of the season, with Akemi seeing Mizu as an obnoxious samurai swooping in to save the day, and Mizu seeing Akemi as a damsel in distress.

And what I find a bit irksome is that the fandom also resorts to flattening them to these tropes as well.

Because Mizu is not some cool, smooth-talking samurai with a big dick sword as Akemi (and the fandom) might believe. All of that is the facade she puts up and nothing more. In reality, Mizu is an angry, confused and lonely child, and a masterful artist, who is struggling against her own self-hatred. Master Eiji, her father figure who knows her best, knows this.

And Akemi, on the other hand, is not some girly, sweet, vain and spoiled princess as Mizu might believe. Instead she has never cared for frivolous things like fashion, love or looks, instead favouring poetry and strategy games instead, and has always only cared about her own independence. Seki, her father figure who knows her best, knows this.

But neither is she some authoritative dominatrix, though this is part of her new persona that she is trying to project to get what she wants. Because while Akemi is willful, outspoken, intelligent and authoritative, she can still be naive! She is still often unsure and needs to have her hand held through things, as she is still learning and growing into her full potential. Her new parental/guardian figure, Madame Kaji, knows this as well.

So with all that being said, now that we know that Mizu and Akemi are essentially wearing masks and putting up fronts throughout the show, what would a representation of Mizu's and Akemi's true selves actually look like? Easy. It's in their hair.

This shot on the left is the only time we see Mizu with her hair completely down. In this scene, she's being berated by Mama, and her guard is completely down, she has no weapon, and is no longer wearing any mask, as this is after she showed Mikio "all of herself" and tried to take off the mask of a subservient housewife. Thus, here, she is sad, vulnerable, and feeling small (emphasised further by the framing of the scene). This is a perfect encapsulation of what Mizu is on the inside, underneath all the layers of revenge-obsession and the walls she's put around herself.

In contrast, the only time we Akemi with her hair fully down, she is completely alone in the bath, and this scene takes place after being scorned by her father and left weeping at his feet. But despite all that, Akemi is headstrong, determined, taking the reigns of her life as she makes the choice to run away, but even that choice is reflective of her youthful naivety. She even gets scolded by Seki shortly after this in the next scene, because though she wants to be independent, she still hasn't completely learned to be. Not yet. Regardless, her decisiveness and moment of self-empowerment is emphasised by the framing of the scene, where her face takes up the majority of the shot, and she stares seriously into the middle distance.

To conclude, I wish popular fanon would stop mischaracterising these two, and flattening them into tropes and stereotypes (ie. masculine badass swordsman Mizu and feminine alluring queen but also girly swooning damsel Akemi), all of which just seems... reductive. It also irks me when Akemi is merely upheld as a love interest and romantic device for Mizu and nothing more, when she is literally Mizu's narrative foil (takes far more narrative precedence over romantic interest) and the deuteragonist of this show. She is her own person. That is literally the theme of her entire character and arc.

[giddlygoat]

hater has disturbing reoccurring dreams about wander crawling inside his ribcage that always have him waking up in a cold sweat [they just feel too real and hater can’t place why]. wander has reoccurring dreams of hater ceremoniously destroying him with the Disaster Blaster and it’s the one dream he doesn’t eagerly blab to sylvia about because he doesn’t know how to tell her that it never feels like a nightmare. soooo is anyone else sick in the head or is it just me

[bumblingbabooshka]

It's impossible to write a TOS x Any other Series crossover [for me] without having to think about whose lens it's going to primarily be from because the vibe of TOS is so distinct and I think quite different from all series that follow it. The way the characters speak and are presented is so theatrical and of course steeped in the past that I find myself considering if this is, say, Janeway meeting Kirk (through a VOY perspective) or if I should write Janeway as she would appear if she stepped through a portal and was in TOS' universe.

[naniskys]

NOO But tbh I'm kinda secured that SkyNani would be working as a pair for a long run. Idk I'm sensing it I really think what's happening between them is genuine and they really have a good bond, also they look like they really like working with each other. Because in every interview they'd always answer it with joy that they hope they could work again or it's always "us" always "skynani" not individually. I'm not sure what the future holds but I'm really guessing that they'd be tgt for a long time...

yess for sure!! it's really so reassuring to see how they really do want to keep working together as well 🥹🥹 from nani saying how he was sad after hsf filming that they wouldn't be working together anymore, to all of the interviews where it's "us", like you said, and them saying to look forward to what's coming for them next

(also sky practically never mentioning mu te luv when they're asked about future projects and nani having to remind him 😭😭 he's just as excited for wu as we are)

even at today's event, they were saying that they don't have much work yet in march april may (so even after fancon !!) and asking (very cutely) for people to hire them 😭😭

like obviously i don't think they're gonna have projects together every year, but i rlly do think we'll get to see them working together in whatever capacity for a while to come :))

[sammygender]

so many people can’t conceptualise emotional neglect as anything other than ‘my parents were cold and distant and never talked about feelings with me’, and this, while being just a general awful problem of course, is also what leads to so much john winchester mischaracterisation. in this essay i will

[coffeeandcalligraphy]

sharing one of my all-time fave poems totally not because I spent the last hour crying uncontrollably over graduating <3 LMAO

LISTEN I LOVE YOU JOY IS COMING!!!

Text version here.

[karda]

oooooo

Did you like a quiet place day one? Sam was my favorite

i actually cant watch horror movies because of the illness™ i just like men

[theshotsheardacrossworlds]

FFXIV Write: Telling

In which Ser Hamignant Varlineau questions a certain someone about a secret. SFW.

“There’s something you’re not telling me.” Ser Hamignant Varlineau’s eyes narrowed. At six fulms eight ilms and very large, he cut the imposing aura of his father Ser Estinien with the we’ll call it “fluffy” body type of his mother the Warrior of Light. “What is it?”

“I…It’s nothing…”

The Temple Knight rolled his eyes. “You can lie to everyone else, but you can’t lie to me.”

I’m your twin, Marc.

We’re identical.

I know you, mate.

Marcelin threw his hands in the air and groaned. “Fine! I’m going to ask Ebegei to marry me, and—HAMI!”

I FUCKING KNEW IT!!!!!

Sylv owes me fifty gil.

Hamignant let out a cheer and hugged his twin. “Oh Marc, that’s wonderful news. Truly wonderful.”

Like Mummy, Marcelin blushed and smiled. “Aye.”

“Have you told anyone else?”

He shook his head. “No. I do have an idea of when and where but not how yet. I was thinking…” Uh oh. “Fuck it, should I do what you did when you proposed to Daisuke?”

Hamignant loved his twin dearly.

He’s a master of woodworking. An artist of renown. Has as big a heart as Mummy and Bapa put together.

He’s also a bit of a dumbass sometimes.

“Marc. Marc. Marc.” Hamignant drawled, dragging Marcelin by the arm to the bed in one of Uncle Aymeric’s many guest rooms. Marc’s in Ishgard for a job, and then off to propose I suppose! Heh. “In the moment, I trust you’ll find the right words.”

As they had done since they were small children, the twins sat side by side on the bed---Hamignant on the right, Marcelin on the left.

Spreading his thighs and resting his hands at the top of his belly, Marcelin heaved a sigh. “I hope so.”

“Oh Marc,” Hamignant threw an arm around his brother’s broad shoulders. “Remember what Granddad said to Mum: trust your heart because it’ll never lead you astray.” He grinned. “You’ll do great. I know it.” He then laughed. “After all, you can’t possibly be worse than when Laure proposed to Fry.” The two laughed heartily.

Poor bastard was so nervous he lost his lunch.

Even Bapa didn’t do that!

Once the laughter died down, the two stared into identical brown eyes.

Marcelin smiled like the cutest fucking dope. Wait, that means I do the same thing. Shit. “Thanks, Hami.”

“For you, dear brother, anything.” Anything and everything, Marc. We came into the world together. We’ll go into the lifestream together. And when you say “I do” to Ebegei and cry as much as Bapa, I’ll be by your side. He squeezed Marcelin’s shoulder. “Now, tell me what you’ve planned so far…”

[nidstiniens]

FFXIV Write 2024 - Day 06

Prompt: Halcyon Rating: G. Genre: Fluff (Domestic) Pairing: Estinien x WoL

Preview:

As he'd begun to crash headfirst into adolescence, Ronan had become more and more the spitting image of his father, and Estinien wasn't quite sure what to make of that just yet.

read on ao3 | ffxivwrite2024 masterpost

[enbysiriusblack]

Regulily and Marylene?