#to act similarly when they're in that position too. we cannot just tell them what to do...we (adults) must show it by doing it ourselves to

[musicrunsthroughmysoul]

Three of my favorite 7th graders last year (who are 8th graders this year) told me specifically that they missed me, and two 8th grade boys (who were my favorite 7th graders last year) called me their "bestie" and one said he loved me and then asked me 20 rather personal questions in rapid-fire sequence (which kinda made me uncomfortable, but the way this kid is I kinda understand not to always take him too seriously...as in, he means well, and I know that), so I think I'll be okay this year, even if I'm the only tutor at work and that is HELLA SCARY. :')

No, but really, if I truly end up being the only tutor at work for the whole year, it'll be interesting to see how it works out. Like if the 7th and 8th graders end up needing to shoulder the responsibility of acting as tutors for the younger grades, how they'll manage that, especially working with me as the one tutor they all have in common and who certainly will not put up with any bullshit! The 7th and 8th graders know that about me, though. (In other words, I wonder if they'll take the responsibility seriously I do try to model a serious, responsible attitude, and I don't have much time for goofing off in spite of being fairly laid-back - do those things seem opposite to you? I wonder how it's possible myself; I'm very interested in and willing to go with the flow, but I also take my and everyone else's use of time seriously so I want to let things get done in as non-silly a manner as possible...if that makes sense or if they'll try to take advantage of me being there - especially being the one tutor or even technically person with any experience/authority with this work in the case of the 6th graders. Since the 8th graders this year have some experience with being 'assistant tutors' last year, though, I think they'll manage well as long as they can manage to not get too silly with their younger peers, LOL, but maybe a summer has lent them a teensy bit more maturity than they had last year? 😂. I do believe in and have faith in them! But I'm also always interested in just...seeing how it plays out.)

[wutheringskies]

Wangxian is that dynamic: Rant Post

I personally think Wangxian is one of the most complete, compelling and near-perfect dynamics to ever be written. Like, think about it. All of our favourite pairings generally include one T (Thinking-type) and one F (Feeling-type), or both Feeling types as they are easier to relate to.

But then you have Wangxian - an ISTJ and an ENTP. Such... annoying personality types.

You have Lan Wangji, who's going to fight your procrastination for you. The guy who's stability personified and Mr. He Is Indeed Better, and then you have Wei Wuxian, who's going to argue his mouth off than take a hint; a little too aware of just how great he is and constantly onto the search for new angles of discovery.

Generally, these sort of personalities are put into the background while an INFP (or whatever) find love. These are the cliche best friends. But never the main leads.

But look at Wangxian!

Look at them being so smart together, sharing the same values. Look at Lan Wangji showing his anger by frosty, cutting words (just a few) or worse... utter disregard for you. The guy's going to glare at you with such frosty chill or go out of his way to ignore you. You're not going to get to him, and it's going to PISS you off.

Then there's Wei Wuxian and it's like...are you getting to him? Or, is he getting to you?? If you argue with him too much about his alleged failure and arrogance and quirks, he's gonna tap into them, and make you feel unstable. He's going to wield his flaws like a blade at you. You're going to just want to avoid him and the snark that filters in through his sunny disposition.

And... look at Wangxian taking the "scientific way" to sex.

"What am I supposed to do?" / I cannot believe I'm asking Lan Zhan for sex advice.

"Relax." / To the point answers only.

Also in the Extra, when discussing their CNC kink they go all the way into the story of how they're going to scene:

"So I'll do this and you resist and then I'll do this."

"Sounds difficult."

"Okay, let's switch positions."

Like... perfection??? Like go, find yourself a partner who's equally as weird as you and have your happy ever after with them: accomplished.

Not just that but the aftermath of the bichen incense burner:

"I have never been treated like this before."

"Mn." (fond smile)

"I'll chop you if you do that again."

"Mn."

Like... how easy is it to communicate ? Without any fears, without any remnant feelings, without guilt - how easily they understand each other.

And not Wei Wuxian showing his love by gifting Lan Wangji a numerous weird things, and constantly talking about exactly what he loves about Lan Wangji. Not Lan Wangji doing every sort of act of service for Wei Wuxian (and Wei Wuxian allowing it), and being calm but not quiet with his words.

"It is as it is" - loving Wei Wuxian is a fact for Lan Wangji, backed up by his actions.

They never go out of their way to think of certain events differently. Perhaps, that's what takes them so much time and 2 life times to get together. Because, hell, it's obvious to us. But you're telling me Lan Wangji wouldn't stand up for anyone who's in the right and framed incorrectly? He totally would. Lan Zhan is just that nice. Similarly, Wei Wuxian is also just that nice.

He took a brand for Mianmian. He couldn't remember her for a minute afterwards. He saved Su She. Twice. He has no idea who Su She is. So, yes. He did a lot of things for Lan Wangji but what is he supposed to be?

I love how their relationship is built upon a pact of no apologies and no thanks. Loving each other isn't a duty, a responsibility or a debt. It is just natural. There's nothing to be repaid. There's only things to discover together.

You don't need to thank me because thanking means you recognize my effort as helping you, but you are not required to - as it is the nature of things. I will help you. You will help me. We will never measure who helps each other more. You don't need to apologize for your actions, because I trust that you will not do wrong unto me. Never by intention.

And, let's talk about how they gravitate towards each other ?? Lan Wangji sitting in Gusu thinking about Wei Wuxian and his lotus seeds and stems theory. Wei Wuxian sitting in Lotus Pier thinking of Lan Wangji. Analyzing every word the other has said, thinking back to all that they have done for each other, lingering not on the pain they have caused each other but the happiness, and you know, that they'll be able to talk about the pain, through the pain, because they are people rooted in the present.

I imagine just how insane it would be for Wei Wuxian, the no golden core until the age of 9 to head disciple to one of the strongest cores to the reason why Yunmeng Jiang win every night hunt event at Discussion Conferences, to lock swords with Lan Wangji and feel, "Ah, this is an equal. This is a new puzzle to be solved. This is a cabbage to be pricked (canon)."

And for Lan Wangji, who's equated insolence and disobedience with poor performance to suddenly come upon someone who appears larger than life, raking up answers and top spots in tests, and duelling as an equal yet never adhering to the rules, finding loopholes and shaking up Lan Wangji's whole dimension.

Another thing I really love is how Lan Wangji isn't, like, his uncle. Or his brother. He isn't his uncle in the ways that he allows himself to break rules when they don't align with the rules he considers superior - his moral calling. His hanguang-jun-ness. He absolutely loves rules; he does; and he loves his stability but he's not afraid to embrace change if it is required.

And, Lan Zhan just isn't his brother. He doesn't like you? Trust, you're gonna know. He thinks you're stupid? It's going to be translated across. He's not going to appease you, or make his presence or his wishes lesser to comfort you. He is his own person (which is so similar to how Wei Wuxian is; like poor boy was punished all the time for being himself, at Lotus Pier by Madam Yu, and yet he never downplayed his talents. He never bowed down.)

And I think it's obvious just how well Lan Wangji knows how worthless words can be if they're not followed with actions. Similarly for Wei Wuxian, he speaks a lot. But he does do what he speak. Protect Jiang Cheng? He will. Fight for Lotus Pier? He will. Protect the Wens? He will absolutely.

Thus, you see, as a couple they will never have to face those sorts of arguments where someone seriously states how they feel about A event but behaves differently when they can do something about it. As a couple they will never have to worry about the other not being themselves. Compromising is one thing - pretense is another. Wei Wuxian compromises and doesn't try to break rules. Understands that he's going to insult Lan Wangji's position by acting out. Lan Wangji compromises and breaks some rules for him. They both compromise and take care of each other's needs and habits to cohabitate together successfully, and at the same time, there's no pretense. No lying. No manipulation. No "I'm fine when I'm not."

Think of them going to night hunts together, with Wei Wuxian's easy brilliance and Lan Wangji's easy dependency. Like that guy, is strong and capable enough to protect Wei Ying. He knows that. Wei Ying knows that. The cultivation world knows that.

Think of how both of them are such healthy adults and loving to children. Lan Wangji isn't a cold dad and Wei Wuxian isn't an irresponsible one. They're both so very capable.

So, my point is - Wangxian is perfect. I will die on this ship.

[rael-rider]

I thought ewing's guardians was bad. Gamora telling rich to leave them because they're family and what is Rich?

I think you’re not seeing things from Gamora’s POV or taking into account what she’s done and gone through since Duggan’s and Cates’ runs. You’re also assuming that she knows what Rich has gone through since he came back from the Cancerverse.

The Guardians just went through a difficult and traumatic mission, Rocket almost died, and Gamora wants to settle down and be happy with the people she loves. If Rich had come in and joined them with the intention of healing and hanging out she would most definitely be happy to have him with them. But he’s coming in recruiting them for another mission, another fight, and she tells him that she doesn’t want to, that they aren’t like him (or like these heroic alternate versions of Phyla and Heather) and to leave them if he’s going to them with the intention of making them fight again.Gamora knows Rich will never stop being Nova no matter what. It’s his reason to get up in the morning and it’s also his huge burden. Rich without Nova isn’t Rich. He already tried a life without being Nova and he fell into a terrible deep depression, and the other times his powers were ripped from him….Well lets just say he didn’t handled those situations that well either. She would never ask him to stop being who he is.

Then there’s the fact that Rich is just really shit at communicating his feelings and problems. Not just with Gamora, but with Peter, Sam, the New Warriors, his ex-girlfriend Laura Durnham, and other people in his life. It takes a lot for him to open up. No one knows what’s happening with him because he bottles it up until he can’t do it anymore. So how would Gamora even know he went through hell and back again to save their universe from the Cancerverse? How would she know that he’s in desperate need for help and that he’s panicking because the whole universe is about to go to the shitter? In her mind he’s just asking them to do another dangerous mission.

Nova vol. 7 for example was Rich isolating himself and people finding him and reaching out to him. Gamora only finds out he’s alive because she was hiding in one of his safe houses on Earth. She was hiding from the Ultimates and SHIELD and stranded on Earth, she was angry at the other Guardians and her only safe space was one of Rich’s old safe houses.Anyway, she’s upset that he didn’t tell her.

Rich didn’t tell her because he’s infected by the Cancerverse (something he doesn’t want anyone to know because he feels like a monster and feels shame and he probably thinks he doesn’t have that long) and he doesn’t feel like he can tell her, so he changes the subject.

Again Gamora wants to know what’s wrong and Rich really has a hard time telling her and tells her that they “were never good at talking” and when the opportunity presents itself he avoids the subject.

The point where he is close to telling her what is happening is when he’s feeling the Cancerverse pull at him.

But him sensing Sam being in danger makes him avoid the subject.

At the end of vol. 7 we see them together but we never find out if he told her or not and it’s never brought up again. Then in Duggan’s run Peter similarly finds out about Rich being alive just by coincidence and not because Rich tells him.

He’s also understandably upset about it.

I just love how Rich states how Peter is wondering how he escaped the Cancerverse (again not something he’s very comfortable talking about) and Peter is eager to know but Rich just changes the subject. It’s never discussed again.

By the way Rich doesn’t do all of that because he’s careless or because he’s being a jerk. He’s always had a hard time talking about things that are traumatic to him. His return from the Cancerverse was at the cost of leaving Worldmind behind and he feels shame for that. There’s also the fact that Rich does not value himself as a person, he suffers from low self-esteem and possibly imposter syndrome. He likes being Nova and feels that he’s capable of the job but there are moments were he feels like he’s not good enough, like he still has to earn his position, and thinks himself as a fraud.

At the end of the first arc of Cates’ run Peter tries to get Rich to join the Guardians. Rich basically turns him down. Not the first time Rich has shown reluctance to join the Guardians, and it’s not that he doesn’t like them but Rich in general has always felt more comfortable as a solo act (that way he can just do a crazy stunt and no one will stop him or get hurt because of him) and he will not put the burdens and duties of a Nova Centurion on someone who didn’t ask for them (and it’s for that very reason he didn’t want to re-build the Nova corps post-Annihilation and why he was upset at Worldmind recruiting people like crazy).

Annihilation Scourge is a traumatic moment for him because he’s basically dragged by Annihilus into confronting two traumatic events of his past (Annihilation and the Cancerverse) and Rich being the hero that he is cannot ignore others needing his help (even an entire universe that once tried to invade his). At one point when he realizes he can’t fight the Cancerverse by himself he does go out and recruit other heroes. The situation is THAT dire for him if he does that and the people he recruits are friends and trusted confidants and other heroes that he knows are strong enough to help.

Only the Guardians are missing and there’s a reason for that. After the events in Cates’ run they were recuperating and even if the universe was in danger Rich left them out because he knew they needed that time out.

Only now everyone else that helped him is also either reeling from the events of Annihilation Scourge or going through their own troubles. They also don’t know that Rich was brought back by Annihilus after Sentry killed him and he’s pretty disturbed and upset that one of his greatest enemies was the one that resurrected him. It’s possible he didn’t bother telling them that he’s alive and that he’s counting on Night Thrasher (who called him without knowing that he had died) to deliver the news the same way he counted on Gamora to tell Peter.Rich could take a break and rest but he doesn’t even allow himself that because the universe is in chaos and no one else sees it but him. When he finds out about the reborn Olympian Gods he reaches to the Guardians for help because he’s THAT desperate.

Then we get this scene

If you take into account that Gamora and Drax (who is basically a resurrected clone with the memories of the real Drax but I guess he’s the real Drax now) lost their family and were forced into a life of fighting and violence tat revolved around Thanos it makes a lot of sense for them to want to stop fighting. You see here that Rocket does want to get back into the action and he does want to help Rich stop the bad guys, you also see from Peter’s face (and a comment that he made earlier in the issue) that he’s restless and wants to help Rich too. Both Rocket and Peter used to be cops of some sort. Yes Rocket was experimented against his will and turned into a caretaker and a Sheriff for the residents of Half-World but he liked helping people and he had never been one to settle down. Peter basically fought his way into space, he choose to become Star-Lord, he made the Guardians because he wanted to defend the Galaxy, he was never going to be one to settle down either. At this point Gamora wants them to just take it easy and live a peaceful life but it’s not what they want since in the end they both follow Rich.

BTW Gamora wanting to settle down, live a happy life, and quit fighting, it’s not out of character for her. She has tried to do just that before.

Third time’s the charm right? Maybe if superhero comics were allowed to end but judging by the upcoming solicits it’s obvious it’s not going to work out. Maybe Ewing will explore this aspect of her.

And again Gamora doesn’t know what Rich went through in Annihilation Scourge, she probably doesn’t know much about him other that he escaped the Cancerverse and just resumed being Nova. Rich never brings up his problems to anyone because he doesn’t consider them that important. Hell he even tells Gamora that “If anyone’s earned the right to rest… It’s you.” which really says a lot about Rich not seeing like he’s earned that right (no matter how much he wants it, he’s Nova and his duty is to protect the universe and he can’t rest while it’s in danger).

Peter and Rocket didn’t even know what happened in Annihilation Scourge until Rich tells them.

After this Rich breaks down and pretty much shows his vulnerability to everyone, it’s something he doesn’t easily allow others to see so for it to happen it was dire.But yeah I don’t think Gamora excluded him from the Guardians or didn’t consider him family and when she said “we’re not all like you” I think she meant that they’re not heroes nor are they sworn to save everyone like Rich is. Gamora at this point knows she cannot stop Rich from doing his job but she doesn’t want to go either, she doesn’t want the other Guardians to go either, but she will have a rude awakening once she finds out Peter and Rocket are gone and they aren’t feeling like she is.