#unless it affects them directly but that’s another thing

[godwardesqueprincess]

Guy who realizes people gatekeep pleasure and it’s actually powerful to partake in it and do whatever you want that pleases you: Oh yeah I’ve been really getting into hedonism lately 👍

[tiannasfanfic]

Physical Affection

Eddie Munson x Reader (Fluff)

Summary: You aren’t a very physically affectionate person…until you are.

A/N: Gender neutral Reader, they/them pronouns used, no Y/N. Not proofread.

CW: None, just pure fluff.

You weren’t an affectionate person.

Well, that’s unfair to say. You could be, just on your own terms. All of your friends knew this and none of them minded, but those times when you were randomly affectionate, it always caught them off guard.

If you ruffle Dustin’s hair, for instance, it’ll suddenly make the otherwise chatty boy speechless. Fixing Steve’s shirt by tucking in the tag for him made the former ladies man blush. That time you helped Robin fix her smudged eyeliner left the poor girl stuttering.

While everyone noticed you were a little more affectionate with Eddie, that was to be expected since he was your partner. But, despite that, they couldn’t help but wonder how things were going with you two. By all appearances, everything seemed fine, but they knew Eddie was typically way more affectionate in relationships than this. He was always all over his partners, no matter if they were one night flings or serious relationships. But with you, he had scaled way back. The only time they’d ever seen you two be affectionate for longer than a brief moment were at parties when Eddie would keep one arm around you protectively at all times. You never seemed to mind though, leaning into his embrace to wedge yourself even closer to him.

It wasn’t until one night at The Hideout that they started figuring out you might be way more physically affectionate than they thought.

The guys were out having a Boys Night when you came rushing into the bar and directly over to their table. Everyone was concerned since Boys Night never gets interrupted unless it’s an emergency.

“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Eddie asked, jumping to his feet. “Is everything okay?”

“Oh yeah, everything’s fine,” you said, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. “I just need you to give me a hug is all.”

Gareth, Grant and Jeff all froze in shock, then exchanged surprised glances.

Did they hear you just right? Did you seriously just ask for a hug? Surly they were hearing things. A combination of the drinks and loud music coming from the jukebox messing up what your words sounded like. That made way more sense than you asking for a hug.

But a warm smile came to Eddie’s face in response, and he stepped closer to you, wrapping his arms around you in a tight embrace. Your arms slipped around his waist as you buried your face into his chest, and you held onto him tightly.

The guys watched for several long moments, gawking as Eddie started to slowly run one hand up and down your back. He softly kissed the side of your head and they could hear him muttering something to you, but they couldn’t make out what. Your body just seemed to melt in his embrace, the tension in your shoulders visibly relaxing as you pressed yourself into the hug.

“What the-“ Gareth started to say, but the words died on his tongue at the glare Eddie’s suddenly shot at him.

Eventually, you pulled back from him just enough for the two of you to exchange a soft kiss.

“All better now, sweetheart?” they heard EddIe ask you.

“Kinda,” you said, nodding. “Do you think I could wait on you at the trailer?”

“Of course,” he replied, then kissed the end of your nose. “You have a key, my house is your house. Make yourself at home, I’ll be there here in a couple of hours.”

After sharing another tender kiss, you finally pulled yourself from Eddie’s arms. You gave the guys a wave and then left The Hideout.

The guys all stared at Eddie as he returned to his seat and took a drink of his beer.

“What?” he asked, finally noticing their looks.

“What the hell was that all about?” Jeff asked.

“Yeah, they never, ever ask to be touched,” Gareth said. “What gives?”

“Nothing,” Eddie said, then sat his bottle down to point at each of them. “And you’d all better just forget you ever saw that.”

The tone of his voice was serious, making them all blink.

“The shit?” Grant asked. “Why?”

“Why? I’ll tell you why,” Eddie leaned forward, a very serious look on his face. “They’ve started sitting on my lap and cuddling every time we’re watching a movie. Completely on their own!”

The guys stared at him in shock.

“Oh wow,” Gareth finally said. “That’s big.”

Eddie nodded rapidly, his curls flying.

“Yeah!” he said. “Huge! So if any of you meathead’s say anything to them and mess this up for me, I swear to God…”

[beheaded-sweets]

I've read lots and I mean lots of SAGAU content. People have different interpretations, so here's mine! Well, at least an idea of it.

Tw: Brief mention of Tartag going bozonkers on murder, perhaps general creepy, very unorganized since this is just an initial idea

Alright, so MC can control characters but isn't aware the characters can understand whenever they speak or what their next plans are in the game.

This leads to the controlled characters making odd voice lines often.

Like Xiao? He'll be like, "Adepti aren't meant to follow orders from outsiders. But...I'll make an exception this time." And then he'll proceed to try and burst out as many crits as he possibly can.

But here's the thing. If MC doesn't have the character at all, they aren't aware of MC. So this leaves all the MC's and unobtained characters very confused when the ones that are being controlled starting mutter random bullshit about a deity.

The ones that are directly in MC's party of course are probably the worst in terms of their obsession and admirance. They'll always try to ruin pulls on the gacha, or try to sneak creepy ass voicelines once in a while.

For example, Tartaglia, "Being covered in blood is something I don't mind. As long as I get to serve you. You're my idol."

Also, depending on the character's personality, MC will get different buffs for gameplay.

For example, more lighthearted characters like Ganyu or Nilu will get buffs for passive things like drop rate or decreased item respawn time.

Meanwhile, aggressive characters go all for the buffs for battle. Crit Rate, Crit Atk, Elemental mastery. You know, the things you always ended up farming for.

Also, the more manipulative/conniving characters will affect your gacha pull rates. Other personality types can too, but these fuckers will refuse to let you have your pull.

Another thing I've thought of is how the characters' backgrounds affect how they view MC. More so on what kind of attraction to them.

Like the little kids obviously see MC as a guide or an older person to look up to.

The teenagers see them as either best friends or a first true crush kind of deal.

The young adults will most likely be romantically obsessed with MC, unless their backgrounds say otherwise. (Idk, hints that they're aro or something).

The archons and the older, non-human ones will often...feel entitled. They think that you should listen to their guidance or be grateful that they're in love with you. Because why else would you be so stuck on trying to use their power?

Anyway, that's all I have for now. This is just an initial idea. I hope to get some content out soon. On more specific characters to be exact.

[aryesdanger24]

Hot take: Alastor doesn't like being the weakest in a room and especially wants to be noticed (he is the center of attention). We can see it when Carmille addresses him at the table for his absence and immediately brushes him off. We see him prickling at the comment but he let's it be since he knows them well and recognizes they still know him enough to recognize his absence.

So, Alastor notices immediately how much everyone puts into seeing Lucifer (we see how he observes when he walks in the room), and I bet there is some envy at the attention. Especially when he doesn't immediately notice Alastor and heads for his daughter.

Then Lucifer leaves Charlie to greet the things not even addressed in the show yet like Kiki and the Razzle Dazzle boys. Instantly putting him below everyone on the list in terms of meeting him.

So, he is thoroughly offended and brings attention back to himself by discussing the wall and instantly Lucifer is confused why his daughter didn't answer and then proceeded to belittle Alastor....which uh clearly leads to a FUCK you comment.

It is the result of not only being ignored and belittled, but also that Lucifer is physically and mentally not as focused on his appearance which I feel might play some part Alastor's jealousy. Lucifer doesn't have to constantly defend himself from people. No one underestimates Lucifer so Alastor takes it upon himself to be his number 1 hater. He revels in his own ability to use Lucifer's daughter as a shield and even a cover to create more distress in the other.

A show that is directly pointed at Lucifer and using Charlie's trust in him to his advantage, he shields and pisses off Lucifer in the process by acting fatherly. That way Lucifer cannot harm him unless he wants Charlie to hate him, which also doubles as a way to be better than Lucifer.

After all, Alastor loves to prey upon weakness and be right about it.

I am not saying that Alastor is not potentially affected by someone (Lillith perhaps?) Which leads him to act this way. Also I am not sure why Alastor let Lucifer finish his father daughter song with Charlie if he aimed to strike issue between them. I think the dad off duet might've been in some way showing Lucifer how absent he was as a father to motivate him to be better.

Regardless of motive, I stick to my theory of Alastor wanting attention which why he has his radio show despite not even killing. He is searching for people to notice him and his absence. Much like when a kid goes on vacations and comes back hoping people ask where they have been.

Update: I have since watched the finale of Hazbin

My view has not changed other than solidifying this envious narcissistic Alastor theory.

The envious part of his so easily seen at the end of the finale as he sang to himself. He desperately wants to be free and clearly has some power being held away by the one who owns him....which only plays into this envy he has towards others.

Moreover, it makes all his little jabs at his character all the more intriguing. He knows his power has been strapped away to some degree but like he tells Charlie "A smile can hide many things and keep you in control no matter what."

That is Alastor's game.

He offered true advise for her for 2 reasons:

1. To avoid extermination since he himself has been limited in power.

2. To reward her for being so easy to manipulate (giving candy to a good kid)

It shows to viewers that Alastor is confident enough to give his behavior away to Charlie. Despite her position she always gave him the respect and fear he craved while being easier to manipulate than most.

Being around her makes him feel powerful and even the hotel does...which is another reason why I believe he is so touchy about being reminded of his deal. This place is clearly a hunting ground that he doesnt want Husk ruining since he is bound here. He is attached to either a main cast member (Charlie being the more obvious choice) or the hotel itself but it's much more likely a cast member.

All and all, that fact makes all the power positioning and false threats and pompous attitude a front to avoid people sensing weakness, but I really believe Alastor craves to be noticed since he gets so many comments about radio being dead and such. He is finding relevancy despite the potential dangers of someone actually calling his bluff. It shows his narcisstic attitude well, that he truly believes he can either talk or bluff his way out of any situation with a dangerous smile.

Also I live for Lucifer and Alastor's rivalry and hatred toward eachother, I hope season 2 has more of their banter.

[catpriciousmarjara]

Personal pet peeve: When a particular character has a lot of paperwork and such associated with their job and it has been established in universe that the work is extremely hard, complicated, and tedious but then in fanfic another character in another job position takes up this character's paperwork and does it perfectly. That's not how this works. That's not how any of this works.

Paperwork is not some nebulous pile of papers so easy that anyone can just waltz in and fill it up just like that. Paperwork, especially for large organisations, requires specific training and knowledge. A particular situation might have at least ten forms associated with it depending on how it happened, when it happened, who were involved, who were affected, who filed the initial report etc. It could be form A.1, it could be form B8, it could be G3 or D-3.2e, and then it has to be filed away in a specific way under a specific designation. At times it could be completely nonsensical but still necessary and part of proper procedure....all of that requires training and experience. Someone from a totally unconnected role can't just take over this position and do an excellent job at it, unless it has been previously established that they too had prior training and guidance in this.

Example: Cale(KRS) and Basen Henituse in Trash of the Count's Family. Kim Rok Soo before trasmigration into Cale Henituse was a team leader who has experience with important official documentation and paperwork for the Company. Basen Henituse is established to have been send to territory heirship classes and doing well in them. These two people being able to take on the other's paperwork load is not at all farfetched. (Same with Cale and Alberu though the latter would still have to sign and seal his insignia separately in the end.)

So no someone who's untrained can't just take someone else's paperwork and just breeze through them unless they are like supernaturally intelligent to the point of figuratively downloading all the necessary data and information directly into their brain or something.

Let's not even talk about how the character might have a particular way and organisation of doing things and someone else taking over their workload without permission might just mess that order up and their well intended actions might end up doing more harm than good.

Look at MXTX's Shang Qinghua or Ling Wen. As I'm reading SVSSS right now let's take it as an example.

Someone who can conduct and lead an audit: Shang Qinghua, specifically trained as an auditor. Yue Qingyuan- can possibly fill in for a specific kind of audit.

Someone who cannot conduct an audit: Literally every other Peak Lord on Cang Qiong. Not trained for it. Should not be in charge of it.

Someone who can file in medical paperwork: Mu Qingfang, head of medical operations in the sect.

Someone who can't do that: his Peak Lord colleagues. At most they'll be able to file in incident reports and other such forms that guardians of patients will have to fill in at a hospital.

People involved with merchants and associated business transactions: Shang Qinghua(logistics expert-procurement logistics), and for large contracts, Yue Qingyuan(Sect Leader). Other Peak Lords depending on the goods. For example the Zui Xian Peak Lord when they are negotiating prices for the raw materials or equipment for alcohol brewing or Wei Qingwei when they are sourcing metal.

Someone who can handle annual budgeting: Shang Qinghua. Person who allocates the funds according to the final budget- Yue Qingyuan.

Persons who can't do that: His colleagues who are definitely not trained in finances and accounting.

And so on and so on.

Shang Qinghua was invited back to the sect after literal treason because nobody else could do his job. That should tell you that people without specific training can't just take over the paperwork of another person's job unless their own jobs are connected enough to be sufficiently similar that they can handle it.

So no someone like Shen Qingqiu who's a scholar and tactician primarily, can't take the entirety of Shang Qinghua's or Mu Qingfang's or Yue Qingyuan's paperwork and fill it in for them, no matter how intelligent he is. Though I'm sure Yue Qingyuan would let him sect be damned lmao.

You see things like this in many other fandoms as well. Innocuous forms that anyone can fill in are okay but complicated paperwork for auditing, budgeting, logistics, diplomacy, business transactions, internal affairs, etc? No way. That all takes time to familiarize with before even properly filing them let alone actually doing them.

This is of course a personal pet peeve as I mentioned from the beginning. People are free to write what they want, read what they want, like what they want. This is no way an accusation towards particular individuals. It's just that for me it breaks immersion pretty quickly.

[needle-thread-thimble-spear]

RGU and the Transfeminine, Part 1

OR

Why Miki Kaoru is an Egg

Fig. 1: The Sunlit Garden

When I’d first watched through Revolutionary Girl Utena, Miki Kaoru was initially one of the characters I had the hardest time figuring out. Unlike the other poisoned sibling relationships in the show, Miki and Kozue’s didn’t really make much sense to me. I couldn’t decide how I felt about the character, whether he was “better” somehow than Touga, Saionji, or Akio, or if he was “just as bad”. And of course. What the hell is with that damn stopwatch dude??* Looking at fan writings afterward just deepened the confusion. Everyone seems to have a different opinion on what’s going on with Miki. It’s only after much re-watching, and introspection, that I think I’ve figured out why I’m so conflicted about the character. I’d like to share why- and hopefully along the way I can at least show that Miki is more interesting than many give him credit for. Click the readmore if you please!

(And, to be clear, what is written below is a reading, a blend of evidence from the text, from the subtext, and my own personal experience. I do not claim to be the first to interpret the character this way nor do I claim that this is the definitive read of the character. Nonetheless, I hope I can make my case to you!)

and, a big thank you to @empty-movement for collating all the high quality screengrabs and scans in this post!

Fig 2: Rookie Princes

While I’m not the first to notice, I think it’s frequently overlooked just how similar Utena and Miki are in the first arc. It’s definitely something that flies over the heads of many first-time viewers. But Miki and Utena, are extremely alike! Of course, they are both motivated by an unattainable image of the past, and Miki’s early episodes codify the “sunlit garden” into the RGU symbolic environment. But it’s more than just this. Utena and Miki both treat Anthy in basically the same way. Utena has an easy time convincing Miki that the dueling game is objectifying nonsense. That the principled thing is to leave the whole exercise behind and treat Anthy like a person. It isn’t very hard for Miki to convince Utena to duel him for her hand either. They both view themselves as her personal protector, and (while maybe at different times), both project their imagination of what she must be thinking onto her. Utena does a bit more than Miki to try and figure Anthy out, but it doesn’t take much for her to get swept up in her own image of prince. In both their minds, Anthy needs them to save her. And, when Anthy looks them in the eyes, and tells them. I’m not yours. It destroys them. Freezes them in their tracks, breaks their hearts. Screaming, its a lie, you can’t mean that! Of course they get along so well! They see themselves in one another, plain as day. Little rival princelings, seeking the affections of the same princess, but always with chivalry and good intention.

Fig 3: Heartbreak

But I think there is more to it than that! Miki and Utena (and later Nanami) are some of the youngest duelists (at least, without a black rose anyway). And, they have fairly similar relationships to the other members of the student council. Juri acts as an older friend, mentor, and source of advice for both of them. Its not unlikely that she sees her younger self in the two of them, and while she does very directly take this out on Utena, its her sword that Utena takes to her second duel with Touga. Indeed, Touga manipulates Miki and Utena in unsubtle and sexually aggressive ways, as compared to how he might treat Saionji or Juri. And for both, its their relationship to gender that he directly attacks. He attempts to break Utena’s spirit by turning her “back into a normal girl”, and for Miki he seems to challenge his masculinity. And while this may seem as though the two of them are being shoved in opposite directions, in both cases, Touga hits them in the same place. “You’re a prince then? I don’t think so. Unless you prove it”. Touga isn’t the only one to question Miki’s ability or status. Utena and Juri both tell Miki. You are much more suited to playing piano than dueling. The main difference here is that they tell him this with genuine compassion, but the implication is the same. You aren’t suited to this prince thing. Give it up.

I don’t think it’s just the audience who is conflicted slotting in Miki with the other “men”.

Fig 4: Strange Friends

Much ink has been spilled on Miki and Kozue’s relationship, but I do think there is one thing consistent across readings. There is a power struggle going on between them, and they’ve both got something to hold over the others head. Personally, I don’t believe there is any attraction between them. Rather, What’s Going On With Those Two is their mismatch in understanding their sexuality and the RGU concept of “Reality”, and the friction that creates in their image of themselves and one another. That reading may go as follows. Miki sees Kozue as acting dangerously and immorally. In his mind, she is his responsibility, to keep out of trouble at the very least. Perhaps he sees himself as needing to step in for their absent parents. So he sees himself as the mature and grounded one, a father figure needing to keep the both of them on the straight and narrow. Kozue on the other hand, sees Miki as being essentially blind to Reality (with a capital R). She believes he doesn’t have a good grasp of what sex is, or what adult relationships look like. She may believe that she understands what happened with their parents much better than Miki, and clearly sees that her brother is in danger with his creepy music teacher. So she sees herself as the mature and grounded one, needing to protect her brother both by warding off people who would take advantage of him and by getting him to grow up and see things as they Really are. Without their parents, they feel the need to take care of one another and control how the other approaches their sexuality. But in the end, it does seem that Kozue is the one who is better able to manipulate Miki’s behavior, helping Akio convince him to duel a second time. That Miki needs to grow up and accept what he wants. He sees a vision of Anthy, and he’s driving the akiomobile. And, with fearful realization, he discovers the identity of End of the World.

Fig 5: Fear

So then. Why should Miki be so hung up about his sexuality? It clearly makes him very uncomfortable. And why does he compare the sister he had in the past onto the one he has in the present? What’s so special about that sunlit garden, anyway? What is Miki Kaoru’s shining thing?

Let me spin a yarn, if you'll indulge me-

As far as Miki remembers it, when he was little things were perfect. His parents were still there, and he and his twin sister were thick as thieves. They would play piano together, and drink milkshakes. Things were simple and happy as far as he’s concerned, and while his childhood was not nearly as rosy as he remembers, it was certainly better than whatever he has to deal with now. Now his parents are gone for reasons he doesn’t quite understand, and his sister has drifted away from him and acts promiscuously. His body is starting to change, and it fills him with disgust. Worse still, he finds himself envying his sister for some reason. It all floods him with shame. He needs to fight those feeling with everything he has. Being very clever for his age, he finds himself the youngest member of the student council. He becomes involved with the dueling game as it is revealed to him, and goes along with it, not wanting to act out of place. He gets a crush on Anthy, and is unable to figure out what the hell he should do about it. Later, he meets Utena, and the two become fast friends. And how lucky, his new friend is roommates with his crush! She’s just so perfect. She’s kind, and quiet, and chaste, not at all like his sister. He feels a kinship with her. And in an act of cosmic fate- she plays for him his favorite childhood arrangement. It’s just as Touga says. He can’t let the world get to her, the way its getting to his sister. The way its getting to him. He needs to make sure that Anthy, and his memories, are safe. But alas- it seems she doesn’t feel the same way. She’d rather be with Utena. Hopefully, Utena can protect her where he cannot. Miki and Utena go back to being friends, and he nurses his hurt feelings privately. It wouldn't do to make a scene about it, and besides, it wasn’t appropriate for him to think of her like that anyway. Thinking about anyone like that. He can’t help but feel disgusted with himself for allowing it. Later, his relationship with his sister continues to deteriorate, and his father is remarrying. But he can stick by his principles, and stay out of it all, the dueling especially. Kozue, Touga, and Akio have other plans. He is confronted with Reality, and it terrifies him. He sees himself in the drivers seat, Anthy his. This is what he is now, no point in trying to hide from it. He challenges Utena again, taking an early advantage utilizing his new resolve and Utena’s confusion. But that resolves breaks quickly. What is Kozue doing with Anthy?

Pay attention, or you’ll lose.

Fig 6: Crash!!

Miki is disgusted with himself, his role, because he does not want it. He hates what’s happening to himself and his family. He admires Utena and Juri, for embodying his ideal self. He listens to Touga, puts up with his music teacher, even if they make him feel gross and uncomfortable, because he feels he has to and that he doesn’t have a choice. He idolizes Anthy, so much. He is attracted to her, but maybe there is something more. Maybe, Miki wishes he could be her. Miki, in my mind, is a closeted trans lesbian going through puberty as a boy. I think that part of this might be projection, perhaps. But I hope that I might have made my case using the text of the show. But even if you disagree, I hope that you might have a better appreciation for his character. I think he’s fairly consistently people’s least favorite council member as a character, but honestly he’s my favorite and I think there’s a lot more too him than a lot of people give him credit for.

Fig 7: Three Lesbians Hanging Out

… this all being said. I think it’s interesting that Miki thinks Anthy is the picture of femininity right? That this is what he wants.

In the end, all girls are like the rose bride.

Please wait patiently while I make the case, that while Miki is an egg. Anthy has long since hatched...

(And I do mean be patient! This subject, and the concept that Ohtori represents a transmisogynystic institution at its very core, is WAY more personal than this headcanon, and also is much more of a difficult thing to write for dozens of reasons. I'm still not 100% sure it would even be right of me to post my thoughts on that publicly. But if enough people are interested, maybe that would motivate me to write it!)

*What’s a good Miki essay without some sort of Stopwatch Theory tm? Well (and I freely admit much of this is probably projection, but it’s not just me projecting! It’s also my girlfriend!!), Miki seems to get very wrapped up in his own thoughts. He is very self conscious, takes the criticisms of others very seriously, and also seems to get ideas about How Things Are Going To Happen in his head. He desperately tries to make sense of his surroundings, and finds himself consistently failing to do that. So my guess is the stopwatch is a way for him to regulate and calibrate his thoughts and hypotheses and self image. He picked it up in his duty as council secretary, but its something he feels is significant outside of that. Aha moment? Click. Unexpected end to a council meeting? Click. Something go completely as expected? Click. It helps him process I think. That is my formal Stopwatch Hypothesis tm.

Supplement Fig 1: Stopwatch

[anachronistic-falsehood]

Vash and Femininity: Trigun Stampede and its Themes of Bodily Autonomy, Exploitation, and Vague Gender Fuckery

alright sit the fuck down. we're gonna talk about THEMES

I was on Twitter- terrible idea usually, but a couple people I follow made some tweets that got me thinking about Trigun's overall themes, and here we are. So let's talk about some themes in Tristamp! And I'll take a couple looks at Trimax as well, just for fun :3

Let's look at how the showrunners utilize gender roles and exploitation of feminine characters to show how unhealthy Knives' obsession with his ideal of Vash is, and how horrific his exploitation of Vash and the Plants is.

Vash, from the beginning of Tristamp, is someone who cares about people's choices. When people kill others in front of him, he reiterates that whether someone lives or dies is not another person's choice to make. This is something he learned from Rem (a prominent female figure in his life). He refuses to kill people because that is not his choice to make. To kill someone is the ultimate removal of their bodily autonomy. They can no longer make any choices at all; they're dead.

Vash is also someone who has almost no choice in what path his life takes. He's constantly dragged around by outside forces, namely situations that are caused by Knives (which we'll get into later). Vash doesn't make things happen, things happen to Vash. The majority of events that occur are not his fault. He's pushed and pulled in a thousand different directions. His entire life is completely out of his control.

This can be seen as early on in his life as the Fall, something he had no control over and had no idea he even had a part in. Even later, in the ship with Luida and Brad, after he's been rescued from the desert, he's kept in handcuffs right up until he's shown to be of use to them and the Plant on their ship. After that, he could theoretically say "no, I don't want to go to other ships and heal their plants," but he doesn't. He's Vash. He's helpful and nurturing at his core, and these people have done so much for him just by letting him stay, so he'll do whatever they ask, no question.

This carries over into his adulthood. At Jeneora Rock, he goes to look at their Plant at one simple request, doesn't protest when he's dragged into a duel-- he doesn't take initiative unless someone's life is immediately at stake. He lets people tell him what to do and lets himself get dragged around by the wrist. He doesn't even pretend to have control over his life like Trimax Vash does, which I mean. Fair. Why pretend to have a grip on your existence when it's impossible to do anything without a gun pointed at your head?

Vash is a very passive character. He's nurturing, kind, gentle- he's a guy that fits a lot of very typical feminine character stereotypes. If you wrote this same story but made him a woman, I wouldn't bat an eye (but I would definitely be looking at it a lot more critically, what with the amount of stereotypically nurturing/motherly female characters in media already.)

This contrasts directly with Knives. He makes a decision and carries through no matter what stands in his way. He takes initiative. If Vash is a passive character, Knives is an active character. Wherever he goes, he leaves a lasting imprint. He makes shit happen! If outside forces make things happen to him, he'll go out of his way to make sure that particular force doesn't affect him again.

These two tweets I saw are what got me thinking about this originally. I just feel like here's a good place to put them as a segue into talking about episode 11.

Episode 11 is where a lot of this feminine imagery really just. Explodes in your face. IT'S RIGHT THERE. You can't dance around it if you try. And it kind of reaches a peak when the connection reaches 100%, the gate opens, and. well. THIS happens to the Plants.

Plants, in both Trimax and Tristamp, are almost always typically feminine-looking. Knives and Vash are the only two who are male or even masculine at all. Knives, as the most masculine out of all of them, is the one trying to take charge, and mould the world as he sees fit, to a degree that is detrimental to both him and everyone else. And Vash-- passive, feminine, kind and nurturing, whose Angel Arm in the manga always sprouts decidedly feminine-looking Plant parts-- is the one being exploited for Knives' plans. It's no mistake that they made the giant plant formation at the end of ep 11 look like a giant woman that almost resembles Rem.

Vash wants people to make their own choices and keep their autonomy when it comes to their bodies and lives. Knives is the exact opposite. He wants all Plants to become independent and he uses Vash to achieve that goal, without asking what Vash wants or even knowing what the Plants themselves would prefer. He exploits Vash for the soul purpose of trying to make these Plants have Independent Plant babies. He's completely incapable of seeing that his choices are not for the greater good! He thinks he's saving them, but none of his actions are for the good of anyone but himself. He’s just violating them for his own gain.

They're really leaning into gender roles for these guys, but in a way that screams "HEY, LOOK AT THIS! ISN'T IT FUCKED UP? LOOK AT HOW FUCKED UP THAT IS. LOOK AT THIS, AND BE UNCOMFORTABLE, AND KNOW THAT IT IS FUCKED UP."

Because it is! It's so extremely fucked up. They're using this imagery and these roles, something that makes most of us intrinsically uncomfortable, to drive home how unhealthy Knives relationship with his ideal of Vash is. That's the point. We're supposed to be uncomfortable with this.

Now of course there's some nuance to it. Like, you could see Knives as somewhat of a feminine and/or queer-coded figure as well, ESPECIALLY if you look at some of his panels in the manga, which could in turn lead to themes about infighting and control within marginalized communities, but that might be something for another post. :3

And there's definitely different ways you could take this! Vash, with all this feminine imagery, could be either transfem or transmasc coded, depending on what way you'd rather see it, which could lead into themes of how people outside the norm constantly face a lack of bodily autonomy and are exploited for purposes outside their boundaries. We could also look at Wolfwood and his lack of choice over joining the Eye of Michael and becoming the Punisher, and how masculine men (particularly men of colour) are often forced into violent roles against their will. If we look at Trimax, the exact same could be said for Livio/Razlo and people with disorders such as DID/OSDD.

There are many different ways you could spin these themes, some of which I don't feel personally qualified to discuss. If anyone who is qualified to talk about Wolfwood or Livio/Razlo or even other characters related to these themes, then god PLEASE add onto this post or make a post and tag me or something. I would love to read it!

Anyway, in conclusion: Vash is a feminine figure constantly taken advantage of and exploited and and he's so incredibly trans/nonbinary-coded that it drives me insane. Thank you

[garden-of-joy]

Simon "Ghost" Riley SFW alphabet

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

At first, Simon is anything but affectionate. He's distant, cold, and vaguely rude, but that isn't permanent. He'll slowly start to unravel, peeling layer after layer of professional hostility. Then, he'll begin with small things. Little compliments here and there, maybe he'll do something for you if you ask him, start to talk to you between missions and deployments, invite you to drink together. It'll start small due to the ridiculously high walls he has, but he'll come around eventually, it's just that he'll be subtle with his affection.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

Having Simon as your best friend is kind of weird. For him to even let you be his normal friend first he has to get really comfortable around you, but once he quietly makes you his best friend? Oh, he feels safe. The kind of safe and understood he's never really felt before. This means he's a really dedicated and consistent friend. He's never cancelling going out unless it's an emergency, and he's not going to just ditch the friendship for no reason. If there's issues, he'll talk them out with you. He's practically glued to your hip and he's not letting go. He'll listen to everything you say and be an overall great friend to be with, despite what might seem at first. The only issue is that unless you're in the 141 yourself, you'll have to deal with him suddenly dissapearing due to his job. He's just so happy to finally have someone very close to him, even he doesn't directly state it.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Simon isn't really big on cuddling for long. Small hugs here and there are fine, but long cuddling makes him feel trapped. That said, every once in a while, he'll be in the mood for cuddles, and there's no escape. Be prepared to snuggle a big and muscled teddy bear, because he sure feels like one. For some reason, he's so good to hug, it's just that he's rarely in the mood for big and long hugs.

Another thing is that he's not happy with PDA. He just doesn't like it, being watched by everyone. In fact, a small fear of his is someone wrong seeing his affection and then using you as leverage against him. He wants to keep you out of harm's way as much as possible.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

At first, Simon thought that he is unfit for life in the civilian society. He thinks that he's nothing more than a weapon- an asset. In his eyes, he doesn't know who even would be insane enough to want a future with him. In the end, he does want to finally have a somebody to call a home with, but that's a distant yearning to him. Simply a farfetched dream. Or, until he meets you.

As for cooking and cleaning, he's impeccable at cleaning, but mediocre at cooking. Everything is in perfect order, spotless and in line. Simon hates chaos and filth, so he cleans every corner. Cooking though, is a different story. It's not that he'll give anyone food poisoning, but he's so used to surviving off of military rations and processed food, he doesn't know how to cook beyond boiling eggs.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

It will be hard for him. He'll definitely be heartbroken if he realised the relationship he has is toxic and not good for him or you. At the start, he'll probably start making excuses to try and convince himself it's good to still be in a relationship, but given enough time, he'll realise it. He's just so averse to the idea of splitting up with the only person who got actually close to him, to the point he'll try his hardest to not break off the relationship. As for how he'd break up, he probably wouldn't have the courage to confront you. He'll be so hurt and sad that he'll probably just... Dissapear. He'll leave off the face of the Earth. He won't respond to texts, he'll not call you back, won't meet with you, nothing. He'll just leave. If you're in the 141 with him, then he'll return to his original behaviour. He'll be cold, standoffish, and refuse to talk to you unless it's strictly related to work.

F = Fiance (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

Again, long-term commitment is like a distant dream to him, but once you want to become his s/o (after a lot of persistence mind you) he'll feel good about it. Then again, he'll probably feel like a placeholder. A boyfriend, just so you aren't single while you search for someone better. That's why you need to sit him down and talk to him, explain why he matters to you, and that you genuinely love him. He'll break down in tears, showing genuine emotion and vulnerability like he hasn't done in God knows how long. But after you comfort him? You've got the most commited boyfriend under the sun.

As for marriage, he's still hesitant to think about it, almost scared that he'll turn out like his father. But now that he's sure in your connection, he'll be far more inclined to accept marriage after you've been together for some time.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

Again, he's not veey gentle, but with time he'll be very much so. He thinks he has the mentality and hands of a killing machine, not a human. He'll just need time to realise he's wrong. Simon is generally really caring and careful with things he values, but before a genuine connection is established, he'll not be very careful.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

Same as cuddles. Long and drawn out hugs make him feel trapped, but occasional hugs here and there are perfect for him.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

He's painfully slow when it comes to a confession. Even if he's fully sure you like him back and want to enter a relationship, he'll still not confess for a long, long time. You'll have to make the first move.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Sadly, Simon gets very jealous, very easily. He manages to not let it get in the way of course- he's not going to carry you out of a situation just because he's jealous.

That said, he still will make sure to show you're his. He'll come up to you, put his hands on your shoulders and coo out "Hey love." then kiss you lovingly om the head. He'll show who's whose, but he won't straight up yank you out of anything, unless it's a threat.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Simon is slow, methodical and through. When he wraps around you and wants to kiss you, he'll kiss every part of your face, his tongue will feel every part of your mouth. He'll work you slow and good- nothing good comes out of rushing after all.

He he loves getting kissed on the neck. It's a little sensitive, so every kiss there is sublime to him. He'll never, ever admit it, but loves it when you gently nibble his neck or trace his teeth along it. You probably found out after you started trailing a kiss all throughout his face accidentally slipped to the underside of his chin. He'll deny anything about this, but it's obvious just how much he's enjoying it.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

Honestly, children are not his speed. It'll take a few years of dedicated marriage for him to even consider the idea. Even then, he still isn't sure, because he's military and that calls for him abruptly needing to leave at random times. And the last thing he wants to be is a bad or absent father, like his was.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

Simon would like to laze around all morning with you. It makes heim feel safe for once. Watching you sleep or gently taking your hand while you sleep and dozing off like that? Perfect. He's not completely against the idea of cuddling in the morning, but he's not the biggest fan either. Once in a while is good by him though.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

It depends, really. Some nights, he sleeps slike a baby and doesn't move an inch. Some nights, he gets plagued constantly by nighmares and can't sleep for more than an hour before waking up, drenched in cold sweat. If it's one of those nights, even if he can't sleep, he's perfectly content with watching you sleep. Watching over you, somehow... Guarding you, makes him feel much more at ease.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

He starts sharing small tidbits here and there even before you two get together. For example, if you ask him for his tattoo, what it means, etc. he'll tell you, even if somewhat laconically. Just don't poke and prod too much, he might get iffy if you do so.

However, he'll need much more time to share the more sensitive things, to open up about all the emotional baggage he has. Even then, it will be bit by bit, slowly and only if he's sure you'll listen.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

Simon can get ticked off and annoyed fairly easily, but downright angry is hard to achieve with him. He knows how to handle his emotions, and some small inconvenience isn't going to get him enraged.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

Simon makes sure to remember everything, from needle to thread. He just... Remembers it. And even when you tell him something that's more obscure and niche, he'll make sure to keep it mind. This doesn't happen only when you're in a relationship with him, he'll do that even before you're together. Partly out of habit, partly because he just subconsciously makes a profile of everyone he meets, then keeps it in his head.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

It's definitely the fact that there's somebody out there that loves him. Wants him. He never thought he'd have any friends, but then he became a part of the 141. He never thought he'll have a special someone, but he met you. You gave him hope, and no matter how much he tries not to let it show beneath his exterior, he loves and cherishes you for that.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you?)

Simon is VERY protective, but he's not being overbearing either. He'll keep you under a watchful eye, and remain close when he thinks there's danger, but he won't be insufferably protective. He'll point out anything he deems fishy in anyone and tell you what to do, just in case.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

At first, he'll not put much effort into anything, because as I said, he doesn't think it'll last. But with time, when he sees that the attraction is mutual? He'll begin to try his hardest to have a good time with you, he'll treat you to a nice restaurant, he'll remember every little moment worth celebrating, just for you.

He'll do everyday tasks regardless of his commitment though.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

He's very aloof and dismissive, and doesn't even realise it. He'll try to remember everything you tell him, but it's not like he hasn't just completely ignored you on accident for no reason. Not to mention that he'll try to undermine any concerns you have for him, saying he's "fine".

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

Not really. He already wears the balaclava most of the time, and he doesn't really put much thought into it. Unless it poses a threat, he doesn't take any special care of his appearance, just showers and washes, that's all.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

Yes. When he bonds with you more throughly, he'll definitely miss you a lot, especially if he's alone on a mission.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

Simon is obsessed with knives. He has a wide collection of different knives. Throwing, regular, special... You name it, he's probably got it.

But if you ask him to tell you more, by God be ready to get your ears bled out, especially if you're close to him. That's the one thing you can see his enthusiasm for.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

If his partner is really loud and boisterous, if he can easily identify them in a croud of people by sound only? Gives him the ick. Another thing is someone who takes things too quickly and is too energetic. He needs time and space to adjust, to plan everything out.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

On nights with nightmares, it's not like he completely can't sleep. When he wakes up, he just needs to try and fall asleep again for a bit, and it usually works. This process isn't fulfilling sleep though, so he's extra grumpy the next day.

[nothorses]

I think there's a Thing where any transphobia known to be against a transfem gets called "transmisogyny", which is fine I guess, but idk I feel like transmisogyny is supposed to be the word for the Specific Type of oppression that trans women face, not "transphobia that in this case is against a trans women". Does that make sense? Like if somebody misgenders a trans woman and that's it, that isn't anything more specific than "transphobia", right? Like if somebody were to call me a faggot, I wouldn't consider That transandrophobia simply because I Am a trans man, I would just think of it as generally anti-queer. Does that make sense, or am I misunderstanding the terms transmisogyny, transandrophobia, etc?

No I think you're right, and tbh I think it's a manifestation (and a really good example) of the "identity = oppression" framework a lot of folks are operating under in these conversations.

It's not something anyone really says out loud, but I've noticed it as a pattern in certain circles; mostly a lot of primarily young, online queer circles.

It's the same framework that, imo, spawned "Transmisogyny Exempt/Transmisogyny Affected" (or "TME/TMA") in which one's identity is directly equivalent to the oppression they experience.

The logic goes: If you identify as X, you experience anti-X oppression. If your identity is not X, you do not, and cannot, experience anti-X oppression.

This is also where we get, like, "misdirected misogyny" as a concept: the logic is that trans men* do not identify as women, therefore they cannot experience oppression meant for women.

Or "slur discourse": if you do not identify as X, you do not experience anti-X oppression, you have never been called this anti-X slur, and therefore you cannot reclaim this anti-X slur.

A lot of other gatekeeping arguments follow similar logic, as do a lot of arguments against acknowledging "transandrophobia" (or anti-transmasc bigotry as a specific concept). Personal identity is understood to be directly equivalent to experiences with oppression, and trans men's identities are thus broken down into their two parts, and assigned corresponding experiences:

Trans experiences

Man experiences

Even understanding "trans man" to be a third identity, with additional, unique "trans man experiences", creates a lot of friction within this framework: a lot of the unique "trans man experiences" we talk about arise from interactions between transphobia and misogyny. But misogyny must be woman-only; our experiences with misogyny are considered incidental, or "misdirected".

If we consider identity to be directly equivalent to oppression, then what, exactly, could these unique "trans man experiences" be?

In this framework, they can only ever be the combination of "trans experiences" and "man experiences"; and "man experiences" cannot contain any unique "man oppression" (unless all men are oppressed just for being men), so "trans man experiences" can only ever be "trans experiences".

When people say "transmisogyny" to refer to any and all oppression that impacts trans women, it's because they understand identity and oppression to be one and the same. Trans women's experiences with oppression cannot be understood as complex & nuanced interactions between different systems of oppression- they are always considered transmisogyny, because the person experiencing them is a trans women, and the oppression of trans women is called "transmisogyny".

It's a reductive and honestly immature understanding of how identity and oppression interact with and relate to one another, but I find it really helpful to understand it when breaking down the flaws in arguments like these ones.

*Some trans men (as well as other transmasculine people) can and do identify as women, and this logic is often applied to transmasculine people as a whole, which erases those folks as well. I'm just not sure what the most accurate term to use here is, honestly.

[hazshit-hotel-hater]

can you please include a post of shit vivzie has done TO REAL PEOPLE not fucking drawings???

Not sure if you read but the anon asked “explain like theyre 12” and also I stated there are lots of other better in depth posts about things Vivzie has done. I simply listed ones I know of off the top of my head. The post also did include things Vivzie has done to real people. Only 4 and 2 really can be seen as exclusive to art but one of them is antisemitism and the other is glorifying abuse which, yes, does affect real people! As for the others, Raph is a real person, her employees are real people, other indie creators are real people, and the people in that playlist are real people. Vivzie supporting and doing this shit affects “REAL PEOPLE.” My blog is mainly for criticism towards the show and fixing it and I have mentioned many times my issues with Vivziepop that I honestly do not feel like repeating every couple months. If you would like actual posts about shit vivzie has done I DO also reblog those on occasion but, again, I do not like writing about Vivzie herself when possible. If it isn’t related to Hazbin I likely will not be talking about it unless I happen across it myself. I don’t actively dig for dirt on this lady and I know very surface level stuff about her shitty actions and simply listed what I know while being incredibly drained of writing from work. I am NOT qualified to make entire long posts about how terrible she is even if I did want to. That is another reason that post was incredibly short aside from having been asked to make it short.

Fiction that is made by REAL PEOPLE affects REAL PEOPLE in turn. Look at fucking south park and how many kids were saying homophobic and antisemitic shit because of it. Literally everything shitty that Vivzie does is shitty for a reason. “Drawings” can be shitty. You can be a shitty person for drawing bad things. This is like saying theres nothing problematic about her because all the problematic stuff is in drawings.

Please look elsewhere than on my blog for information on Vivziepop things that don’t pertain directly to her content. Heres shit I’ve briefly reblogged in the past about her. Go look there, not here. And if you have a genuine problem with me please stop screaming at me on anon. I do not have the time to repeat why Vivzie is shit every other day. And if you want articles, I do not have them because I am again not qualified or educated enough to talk in depth on this and also when I try to find them its all just Vivzie fans trying to debunk shit like whatever that stuff was with Viv being transphobic to her old friend

[alwaysgodownwiththeship]

"Got Any Better Ideas?" Aziraphale's Conviction and Crowley's Resignation

I was watching that scene in 1x06 again, and something clicked for me that never any sense to me before. In fact, it explained a couple things in season 2 .

See this scene is beautiful, heartbreaking, and hilarious all in one. We see yet another example of how much Crowley cares about Aziraphale... And we see Aziraphale making a bizarre move to (?) attack Crowley, then make a childish threat that won't matter given that they're both about die.

Before, I just assumed that he was just saying whatever thought ran through his head.

Now I get it.

Recap: Crowley realized that Gabriel and Beelzebub told on them Satan. Satan, who was now coming to kill them all. Crowley was this close to giving up, and then Aziraphale picked up his sword.

There's only one reason why: Aziraphale wasn't going to give up. In that moment, Aziraphale chose to fight Satan. He knew he would likely die trying.

(Psst! Past self: He's not giving Crowley some weird, friendship ultimatum!)

He's terrified. But resolved. And he knows this really will be their last conversation.

And Crowley gets it. He might not have believed that they were going to survive Satan's arrival, but he hadn't quite put together like this: If he isn't able to come up with another plan, Aziraphale will take up his sword against Satan and Crowley will have to watch him die.

So Crowley got a better idea, remembering Adam's power, he decided to give the human(s) the choice and protect it alongside Aziraphale.

Season 2

This is part of larger ongoing dynamic where (unless circumstances allow Crowley to give Aziraphale a better plan which actually addresses the problem) Aziraphale will act, like choosing to help Jim!Gabriel. If he thinks it's the right thing to do, he'll do it, regardless of the costs. It won't deter him at all.

Crowley learned that about him some time ago.

He saw Aziraphale lie to save Lot's children despite fully expecting to go hell for it.

(Plus Aziraphale straight up lied to God about the flaming sword that time, right? UMM... Why didn't he fall????)

So there Crowley is, apologizing(?), dancing, and lying about the full extent of the danger they're in.

I don't agree with Crowley's actions, with the lying especially. (Seriously, Crowley? Tell Aziraphale about the Extreme Sanctions!!) But Crowley is resigned to help at this point because he knows Aziraphale will be in danger anyways and he knows that when Aziraphale has made his mind up, he won't change it. Crowley can only offer his help or provide a different solution.

And since their communication problems are so big right now, their dynamic is to work around each other rather than with each other.

Right from the very beginning, their conception of the problem is very different.

Crowley: We're exposed to danger because of Gabriel, we have to find a way to hide Gabriel/ourselves from Heaven and Hell.

Aziraphale: Jim!Gabriel (innocent like Lot's children/rather childlike himself) is in danger, we have to find a way to hide Gabriel from Heaven and Hell.

TAKEAWAY

-Crowley wants them both to stay away from the toxic plans of Heaven/Hell so they can be safe together.

-Aziraphale wants to directly interfere with the plans of Heaven/Hell when he feels the responsibility to do good.

Takeaway on the ending of season 2:

When their perspective on the problem is so different to begin with, the breakup makes a little more sense to me. Though no less horrible.

(Wild Card: Heaven is the symbol of what is right and good? Aziraphale since when??? UGH, I have to meta more about this: Aziraphale's (and Crowley's) belief in the ineffable plan and how it affects his idea of reform/fixing the institutional problem of Heaven.)

[saintsenara]

Do you think Tom Riddle could have done better in a different house? (As in being in a different house would have helped him heal and not led him into path of wannabe dictator)

no... not really.

not because i think he's innately evil and would have gone bad wherever he ended up, but because his radicalisation depends - as we see in canon - on the confluence of multiple failings, both at an individual and an institutional level, that would have been present whichever house he went to.

that is, he certainly stands out in slytherin because he's poor, an orphan, and not pureblood, and the obvious class distinction between him and his peers clearly bothers him... but the demographics of hogwarts are consistent, especially in terms of social class, across all four houses. he'd be marked out by his secondhand robes and lack of parents in all of them.

similarly, we know that slughorn doesn't only select favourites on the basis of them being in slytherin. unless two things which are so fundamental to the teenage voldemort's character that changing them would make him a completely different person - his looks and his academic ability - are removed from the equation, the "what do you know about horcruxes?" conversation is almost certainly still happening.

[not least because - unless another thing which is fundamental to his character, the fact that he's an orphan, is changed - he's still going to have a complex about death caused by his grief over his mother, still scour the hogwarts library for information about his parents, still discover his descent from slytherin, and still very probably open the chamber.]

we also know from canon that everyone who ever teaches him likes him - it's not just slughorn - and that this makes no difference to what happens to him [that he's closest to slughorn is because slughorn is so easy to manipulate, which would be the case whether he was in slytherin or not]. he'd undoubtedly still be thought of by everyone as quiet and studious, and he'd still be made head boy.

nonetheless, i think there's a reasonable case to be made that dumbledore might be slightly warmer towards him were he not in slytherin - but dumbledore's canonical relationship with voldemort is set by the way he behaves when they meet prior to him starting hogwarts, and this behaviour is directly attributable to his childhood experiences as an orphan raised in an institution.

[and it's also important to remember that dumbledore - by his own admission - doesn't mention anything about voldemort's behaviour during this meeting to the rest of the staff, even before he's sorted into slytherin. i can see no reason why this would change just because voldemort ended up elsewhere.]

and, finally, we also know from canon that voldemort didn't invent blood-supremacy. it's something directly tied to the entrenched class system which governs the wizarding world, and which would affect him regardless of the house he ended up in - slughorn offers to help him secure ministry positions after he leaves school, for example, not because voldemort is his favourite pupil, but because he's a half-blood orphan who doesn't have any influential connections of his own and this would, once again, be the same unless he's changed into a completely different character by virtue of his mother being alive, his father being involved in his life, or both.

while his politics might manifest themselves slightly differently if he was in another house [i think, for example, that you can write him as considerably less interested in indulging his supporters' fantasies of pureblood oligarchy if he's not primarily recruiting from slytherin], the circumstances of his childhood are what influences both his lack of interest in being dependent on people and his lack of interest in being obedient and grateful to his social "betters". shifting him into gryffindor and surrounding him with muggleborn peers might mean that you end up with comrade voldemort rather than lord voldemort... but people are dying either way.

i do think the knock-on effects of changing which house he's sorted into are interesting and fun and worth exploring - but, unfortunately, i think that simply changing his house doesn't change anything about his life.

what does that is someone giving a shit.

[circuscarnage]

Mwah Mwah

me rambling about Woe (My Vespersona) and how she would kiss the main love interests.

Kissing Francesco is easy. He's adorable and a good boy to boot. Woe would gladly kiss him every opportunity she gets. There isn't much romantic tension, but it is tender, as if kissing a puppy. I can see Woe cupping Francesco's face as she gently pulls him closer, planting a chaste kiss on his cheek before giving it a light tap. It may not be what he wanted, but it's what he's going to get.

Woe kisses Keir as if to prove a point. After so many talkbacks and oooo you wanna kiss me so baaaddd, finally being given the green light to kiss him is like a punishment in itself. It's a 'You allowed me into your heart so now I have to kiss you just to spite you' type of deal. If he would let her, she would climb that man like a tree and kiss his face all over. But most of the time it's quick and simple kisses on whatever skin is showing (Which admittedly is his arms), followed by denial 'A fly must have landed on you, not me.' Everyone knows she's lying.

It's playful, the way she guards information about herself behind a paywall, and yet expects the same currency to be paid when she asks. Woe would kiss Oleander mostly under the premise that she'll get something out of it 'I'll only kiss you if..' is an example of her curiosity mixed with affection. She doesn't want to offer kisses directly, not if she can get something out of it. A stray rumour or common knowledge, something small and meaningless that doesn't undermine the affection she's trying to give.

(I think the reason I see her more open to give affection to Keir no strings attached and Oleander only if is because Keir feels more genuine. Is her relationship with Oleander genuine or just for fun? I've yet to decide.)

Kisses with Cirrus feel extremely rare. Their dynamic requires him to be untouchable unless allowed. Kissing him is a reward, one that requires proof of her devotion. It's extra motivation, if anything. I can see Woe brushing her lips over Cirrus knuckles while she looks up to him. It's another that isn't necessary romantic, but a sign of respect. A continued and enthusiastic yes to whatever weird freaky thing they've got going on.

And just for fun Woe's favouite place to kiss them:

Fran: On cheek.

Keir: On neck.

Olander: On chest.

Cirrus: On hand.

[olrinarts]

Ref Sheet and Background: the Lamb/Esriaal

long post ahoy! (i'm serious. stupidly long. do not click that readmore unless you wanna scroll for a while)

A note about AUs: All of my AUs can be considered to be within the same ‘universe-cloud’, for lack of a better word ('multiverse' has frustrating associations, alas. curse you mcu, lmao.) That doesn’t make them directly linked or in any way affect another AU, unless explicitly said to (see: constancy must transpose and chimes of bone in the at the root series.) Otherwise, each is a standalone AU, either diverging directly from the Base Lamb and Base Narinder’s story, or in some way reflecting/echoing it (see: ashes ashes, the yuri rock god AU.) Any completely unrelated AU to this universe-cloud will have it mentioned that it’s not connected.

Name/Titles: The Lamb, The Shepherd, The One Who Welcomes, Esriaal (private name) Base Age: 34 (age at which they were executed by the Bishops) Gender: N/A, agender. Always uses they/them. Race:‌ Sheep, fine wool

Background:‌

Esriaal was born to Verchiaal and Raqib, a recordweaver and a dyemaster of the South Anuran herd, around ten years after the prophecy about the One Who Waits’ promised liberator was made. The sheep were actively hunted, but still relatively plentiful, and their cultures and traditions were still in use/valued. Through their mother, Esriaal is a quarter leadersheep, a kind of sheep that are more independent minded in nature, as well as a role that requires training if pursued. Leadersheep as in the role are rarely shepherds themselves, but instead work to support their herd’s Shepherd. Plenty of sheep have at least a little of the blood, so Esriaal isn’t particularly unique in that regard. Esriaal was determined to become one, anyway, inspired by their own namesake, the first leadersheep (no relation.) Though they faced a lot of pushback from their own herd’s Shepherd, Artecof, Esriaal was an insistent little creature. When they were nine, their Shepherd finally gave in enough to send them to the North Anuran herd, to train with the primary leadersheep under that Shepherd, Harut.

Esriaal was exceptionally awful at the whole thing at first, but they were too stubborn to give up just because they were bad at it, and Harut had a soft spot for them and helped them outside of their lessons. By the time their training was complete, at 16, they’d managed to turn it around and become known as one of the more competent young leadersheep, as well as Harut’s protégé and apprentice.

The hunts from the Bishops’ zealots had grown much worse over the years, however, and it was shortly after returning to their herd with their parents that the South Anuran herd as a whole was wiped out. It was the biggest single loss so far, and Esriaal as well as a few others were the scant survivors. Their parents weren’t among that number. Harut, who’d been with them at the time and was the reason they’d made it out at all, kept them with him as the North Anuran herd intentionally splintered, in hopes of avoiding the South Anurans’ fate. It was at this point that the zealots began to hunt not only with blades, but with fire. The South Anuran herd was the first to be hunted in that way, but not the last.

Over the next four years, Esriaal and Harut did their best to help the North Anuran Shepherd, but there was little to be done; eventually there were so few flocks that they were forced to flee Anura altogether for Darkwood, joining the Deepwood herd’s flocks, much the same as the scraps of the other herds already had. It was in this attempted consolidation that the last of the Silk Cradle Mountains’ herds were wiped out.

In spite of Harut’s objections, Esriaal volunteered to be one of their flock’s ‘Sacrificial Lambs’ – it was their job to distract the hunters while the rest of the flock fled an attack, and then successfully escape and rejoin the flock when it was safe. Esriaal was good at it. Good enough that in the end, their flock was the last one standing, but that couldn’t last.

The ambush that wiped out the last sheep wasn’t one that any Sacrificial Lamb could have saved them from, and the only reason Esriaal was able to escape (or was even willing) was Harut’s plea for them to do their duty not as Sacrificial Lamb, but as a leadersheep – to preserve the memory of the sheep and not let the Bishops win. They fled while Harut bought them time, and then they were alone.

They successfully evaded the Bishops’ zealots for another fourteen years, never staying in one place for long, relying on their own skills and the kindnesses (or greed) of others. They might have continued to evade them, had they not met Yarlion. A brown goat (note: absolutely not THE Goat) who claimed to be from Darkwood. He successfully seduced the lonely Esriaal, and led them to believe there might be a way to safely escape the Lands of the Old Faith, and promised that someday they might even have lambs of their own. Yarlion then sold them out to the Bishops for an unknown price, and three weeks later they were sacrificed by the Bishops, and the events of the game take place. This is where the diverging AUs begin.

When initially resurrected, due to having lost their head and not all resurrections being clean and neat, Esriaal lost almost all of the details of their memory, though they retained broad strokes and certain kinds of knowledge that they seemed to have memorised. They couldn’t remember their name, however, and so chose to go by the Lamb rather than give themself a new name. (Diverging AU: untitled politific, where they do not lose their memory but still choose to go by the Lamb, concealing their retained memories.)

In a departure from canon, they are aware of the sacrifice that awaits them from the beginning, as for whatever reason the One Who Waits saw fit to inform them from the start that the ultimate cost of releasing him would require their sacrifice. The Lamb agreed to the plan, because it was a way to ultimately spite the Bishops – to take revenge for their people, then unleash the god the Bishops were so terrified of, which as far as they’re concerned is a worthy reason for sacrifice.

This is why the choice is between ‘yes’ and ‘absolutely’ – not because he was explicitly forcing them (though it’s not like they could say no), but because the Lamb had already made up their mind to do this. The only question was how zealously or cautiously they would do so.

Over the course of the game’s events and a span of around one hundred and twenty years, the Lamb grew close to the One Who Waits, though they were only able to reach the Below after a death or after a crusade. They became familiar with Aym and Baal, who admired the Lamb as an equal devotee to the One Who Waits and something of an older mentor figure, though the two cats chose to keep that to themselves and maintain their stoic personas. As for the Lamb’s personal connection with the One Who Waits, they were glad to be as close as they’d become, but wished they could know more about him/spend more time with him. Eventually, they realised they’d fallen in love with him. They weren’t actually alarmed by this, as it wasn’t going anywhere, and it didn’t change anything about the plan, so they never mentioned it.

One of two things then happens, after the demise of Shamura: either the Lamb fights the One Who Waits and wins (primary AU: constancy must transpose, where they claim the Red Crown), or the sacrifice is successfully carried out (diverging AU: chimes of bone, where they take possession of the Pale Crown.)

Other Notes: When in the Above (the world of the living), they are almost exclusively in their mortal form, save for when they get emotionally volatile and their godform begins to peek through. Their godform exists almost exclusively in the Below, the place between the world of the living and the Beyond, where the many afterlives coexist (as does the Last Peace.)

Their primary gimmick as a god is conditional omnilocation – when they die, every single person is met with an individual instance of the Shepherd that exists for no one else, all of which are identical to Esriaal themself, right down to the soul. Their other primary trait as a result of resurrection/eventual godhood is their soul’s insistence on being as close to a perfect ‘in-between’ as a Death for everyone, not only in terms of gender but in terms of physical shape. Esriaal has both sets of bits below the waist, to put it delicately, and their godform has one ram’s horn on their right and a ewe’s horn on the left. This happened primarily due to the symbolism of it, but it was also their subconscious fear of not only being the last of their kind, but of failing to change that with lambs of their own. This only comes up if/when there’s a spicy scene in a fic, and only applies in a fic where they’ve either undergone apotheosis or been resurrected at least once, but is otherwise just sort of a fact about them that they’ve decided to roll with.

‘Base’ Lamb The above backstory is almost always true in its entirety, with exceptions made for reflection AUs (such as ashes ashes, which takes place in a world where the Bishops were never crowned in the first place.) If a reflection AU is different enough, such as a different world setting entirely, then specific things are adjusted, but there’s always strong parallels, and the culture of the sheep/the basic facts about Esriaal’s identity are unchanged.

There is no story to accompany the Base Lamb beyond their end-game sacrifice on purpose. The closest to a ‘base’ canon for them is the world of the comic fittings, as that one is largely nondescript about the actual way Narinder and the Lamb/Esriaal came to be in the position of Narinder as his mortal form as part of the cult and Esriaal as the Red Crown’s bearer. It focusses almost exclusively on the culture of the sheep (and some of Narinder’s base backstory, as well.)

[pigeonpeach]

Diluc to me loves like a cat. His affection is earned not given. He won’t cozy up to anyone nor welcome people so easily. So it takes a genuine and sincere person to earn his trust and heart. And once you have it that’s when he is affectionate. Like a stray cat rehabilitated he seeks your body because its comforting to him. He’s protective over you because he knows how easily he could lose someone. He knows how quickly things can sour. Overtime he becomes more affectionate in a calm sense. The ideal cuddles for him is on the couch in front of the fireplace, or in-bed after a long day of work. But he also enjoys just having you around or being in the same room as him.

Kaeya is similar to Diluc although he takes more to trust someone. He has a tendency to push someone away when it comes to romantic relationships. He knows he’s in a tough spot and a relationship will complicate things. He already lost both families he’s had too could he really risk losing another? For Kaeay however he indulges more in affections simply because he’s still weak in the heart. He struggles to fully commit to his decisions regarding this. To get into his heart you would have to be a cunning thief and a charming one too. But even so he’d struggle to admit defeat or truly embrace you. Even though he wants nothing more than to melt into your hold. So he shows it by being in the same room and quality time. Keeping you at arm’s length as he knows if you touch him gently he’ll melt.

Itto loves like a dog. A dog that is hyper and destructive. He gets angry easily but he also isn’t violent. He just has a defensive side to him is all. But he loves to hug and be hugged. Although when it comes to someone special he loves it even more. To the point he acts like a koala stuck to their side at times. Although Itto is difficult to court because he’s so friendly and open that he doesn’t recognize when its done with romantic intent. But he’s very loyal and very kind. He will save up to get you a hairpin or trinket you want. He would gladly leap to your defense at any opportunity with a fierceness you would only see then. He is a very passionate man and if you’ve gotten this far then clearly you aren’t against it.

Thoma is kind of like a dog too but not like Itto. He is a bit shy when it comes to physical touch. He’s friendly otherwise though. He’s not unsocialable at all. But he shows a different side with you when you’re alone. He shows you only the fiercest of loyalty and devotion. Nothing less than the best for you. He loves through service and favors so when you return them he’s very happy.

Ayato however loves like a cat. He doesn’t show it. He doesn’t let you know directly. If he loves you its because you won’t know because he’ll spend awhile deciding what to do next. He has alot on his plate and alot of standards to uphold. But he still enjoys your company and support. As he comes up with a plan to go through with your relationship with the less chances of complications or interference he’s still not overtly touchy. His hand may rest on yours, or your hip gently. He’ll leave a kiss on your cheek and maybe on your lips. But cuddling is almost always done at night when he’s resting, in which he holds you close to him.

Lyney loves like a cat if the cat had social anxiety. When he loves someone he clings to them. He protects them and worries when they’re out of sight. He’ll never admit it though unless needed. But he’s quite willing to cuddle at any hour granted he has nothing else to do. He also just feels more relaxed and comfortable with you near.

[freakinator]

I'm so interested, but I don't know where to start watching UU. I'm so confused. Could you please advise me how to watch it properly?

honestly the best advice i can give you is to just search unstable universe and click on any of the playlists (i recommend diya's since it tends to be the most up-to-date one), if you wanna watch just one pov then feel free to do so but be warned youd be missing a part of the experience by doing so mainly through missing context/part of the story for certain scenes (although tbf that pretty much goes for any lets play but if you dont mind that aspect then go right ahead)

a few warnings before you get started tho:

its a huge time investestment, all but the first 4 episodes are more than 3 hours long with most of them either halfway through or nearing 4 hours

some vids are uploaded later than they actually take place on the timeline, i have a guide here if you wanna know at least from what i can tell the actual order is

theres a few supplementary materials (can be found in the extras part of the sheet i linked, not complete yet cause theres some vids i havent linked yet and im still on the lookout for more since some vids get added retroactively in addition to the ones uploaded explicitly for uu), you dont need to watch them to enjoy the story but theyre a cool bonus

if you wanna watch only one pov heres a guide on each of the povs specialties before doing so

general:

they all shift in style as the eps go on, nothing jarring but if you dont like more scripted storylines you may find the later eps a bit lacking

plot themes get used and reused a lot, for example spoke often goes on quests to destroy important landmarks, parrot often goes on scavenger hunts/get imprisoned/some combination of the two, and wemmbu often does things related to civilizations/kingdoms/factions

certain editing styles also get copied from each other, parrot and wemmbu in particular like to do this with each other

themes and styles can also switch around sometimes which can affect future eps on some level

certain exploits and mechanics dont work as intended so dont bother replicating how certain mechanics work according to actual mc cause chances are youll be disappointed by the results (unless youre into that sorta thing i suppose lol)

the main povs tend to stick to the same set of ppl, most likely due to scheduling reasons, so dont expect a whole lot of crossover casting (tho obv there would still be some esp if theyve got a pre-established role already)

spoke:

redacts some important events from his eps but may recount them later on depending on how the story plays out tho not in detail

not a lot of pvp in his pov and when there is chances are hes trying to run away or someone else is handling it (mainly mapicc)

doesnt upload nearly as consistently as the other two, consequently his shift in style is more obvious comparatively but so is his character development

thematically his eps tend to be about personal growth of some kind

lorewise his eps tend to focus more on server meta, for example his pov is the only one where there is clear confirmation of the server being unstable codewise, his pov is the only one where just how large of a problem duping on the server is can actually be seen and felt, and so far his pov is the only one that shows who ash is and what his goals are. basically if spoke introduces some kind of threat in his ep, chances are it'll be a threat to the server meta and youd have to think of the bigger picture in order to grasp how dangerous they actually are

his pov is also the only one you get the full picture of what a soggy little rat he actually is since in both parrot and wemmbus povs spoke is seen as a serverwide threat, directly for parrot and theoretically for wemmbu

if you like ls s4 zam and/or ls s2 spoke then youll most likely like him as well lol

has a small reoccuring cast and tends to stick to one person when going on quests while also taking note of another one

you will feel the ghost of jamatoP haunting this kid wherever he goes even if he never directly references him

parrot:

tends to get dragged along plot points, not in the sense that he doesnt have agency cause he very much does but more like he takes it upon himself to clean up other ppls messes if that makes sense

tries not to get into pvp but he still does get into them quite often, usually tries to run away but when he doesnt/cant he doesnt really have the best fighting techniques

his character development tends toward introspection which leads to a lot of "quiet" and assumptive character development, you gotta use a lot of psychological analysis when watching a parrot episode basically

thematically his eps tend to be about the willingness to get in danger in pursuit of something (whether it be for something greater, knowledge, or the safety of the other players on the server whether it be their life or memories) vs the predictable and stagnant comfort of safety

lorewise the threats he faces are ones that focuses on the actual players themselves, if one is introduced on his episode then chances are that they specifically target and affect players. an interesting example of this is zam, seen as a threat but never actually treated like an actual problem to be solved unlike the other threats he faces and it just so happens that zam is in a really interesting place antagonism-wise when it comes to wemmbu but is otherwise not a huge threat to unaffiliated players not even parrot who he apparently has beef with

has a large reoccuring cast who come in and out of his life, each of whom are important the same way cogs are important to a machine (applies to parrot himself as well). wifies sticks by him no matter what tho

wemmbu:

literally only one episode of his so far does not heavily feature or center around zam and its the one that takes place before they meet, if you do not like seeing/hearing about zam every 10 minutes or so do not watch wemmbus eps or you Will get pissed off

gets into fights quite often and is the best at pvp among the three main povs but isnt the best in terms of the server at large (hes somewhere more along the lines of average)

his character development is. rocky. and cyclical. be prepared to see him spiral and get better and spiral again over and over again basically lol

thematically his eps tend to be about princezam. i wish i was joking. but besides that, theyre also about retaliatory safety, morality, and sacrificing everything just to try and accomplish a singular goal

lorewise he causes a lot of ripple effects that affect the other two povs to a level that neither of them have ever affected him like for example him terrorizing spoke and parrot is what drove them to their current paths (anti-exploit exploiter for spoke and player protector for parrot)

has. A reoccuring cast. most of them are enemies and/or dont matter to him a whole lot personally tho... that doesnt mean he doesnt have friendly relations or allies of any kind, just that the only two you Really need to take note of are eggchan and princezam

i think thats p much all i can say about uu in terms of how to get into it but if youve got any questions of some kind feel free to ask :D