#when honestly that's probably not the case

[hellenhighwater]

Do you carry any other fun and whimsical things in your purse besides the brass measuring tools? can we see them??

"What do I carry in my purse" is actually a really long answer! Not very whimsical though.

I don't carry a very large purse but it is actually jam-packed with stuff. Obviously the usual—credit cards, ID, badge, money, car keys.

But the rest is taken up by a tidy little lineup of things that are useless 99% of the time and crucial 1% of the time. Some of it (most of the top row) floats loose in my purse; most of the bottom row packs into the little bag there. My sketchbook du jour is usually carried separately.

So: top row:

Sketchbook and the little brass drafting tools, which I carry inside the sketchbook, and also a little metal ruler that has honestly become redundant.

Then, a bunch of pens and marking tools: A ballpoint, some pencils, paint pen, permanent marker, white gel pens, white paint pen, white mechanical pencil, and eraser. This varies depending on what I'm working on and what I've absently left in the wrong place.

Some lip gloss, hand sanitizer, concealer, chapstick, nail polish, and heavy lotion (clay dries your hands out SO hard) and a hair pin. Usually there are several sword shaped hair pins also; I took them out while working on a project and they'll migrate back when I'm done.

Headphones, a couple knives, and a tiny foldable gerber multitool. A little flat card multitool, with a heavy needed shoved into its case also, and a pack of clear sticky notes.

A two-port USB brick; I usually also carry a power bank but it's charging in the car right now.

My change purse and my wallet, which is just the IDs; my actual cards are in a pocket in the purse that also has a little nail kit. My car keys, which have a bottle opener and a combined window breaker-seatbelt cutter, a 64 gig USB key, and keys to my studio, house, garage, and the courthouse.

The bag itself is metal mesh, which means it’s durable but also somewhat see-thru.

That little tin is a tiny first aid kit, which probably I should have unpacked, but it's got bandaids, bandages, skin tape, blistex; antiseptic, itch, and burn cream; eyedrops; several small packets of common meds (tylenol, advil, etc) and a little folded chart for meds, since I’m terrible at remembering which can be taken with which; a breath mask. There's also a razor and some safety pins tucked in there. It's held shut with a hair tie.

There's some single-use earplugs and some zip ties, some more eye drops, and a tiny vial of liquid breath mint.

A deck of mini playing cards.

A tiny sewing kit--needles, pins, earring backs and pin backs, some heavy black thread on a bobbin, a measuring tape, and some foldable scissors. There's a couple glasses screws in there from before I had Lasik.

Another little multitool, some binder clips, a tiny level, a 120 gig USB, and some bobby pins.

Matches and a lighter, a flat pen, and coils of 20 lb fishing line, picture wire, and monofilament, as well as two short USB cords.

A tide pen and a glasses screwdriver.

The bag contains cardboard strips with several yards of tape: Electrical, packing, scotch, duct, gaff, and skin tape. Superglue. A spare piece of heavy cardboard to use as a cutting surface if needed.

An Xacto knife with the blade reversed (learned my lesson after jamming my hand into my bag and taking a chunk out of a finger when a springloaded switchblade opened itself) and spare blades.

Some more clear sticky notes and a tiny lined notebook for when I just need scratch paper.

My car actually includes two slightly different emergency bags—one for regular roadside emergencies (including emergencies in blizzard weather) and one for camping emergencies, and a bit more of an extensive first aid kit.

[wolfsong-the-bloody-beast]

As a Rookanis lover, I've got to say that I enjoy seeing affectionate Lucanis from the external perspective on a different playthrough. It's something you can't see while romancing him with Rook, because he wouldn't tell them how much he wanted to get it right and how nervous he was about it, because he wants to look good for them.

But he totally fusses over preparing the dessert for his sweetheart. Which is adorable. And he does not like it when you later tell Neve that he got flustered over it. He wants to make a good impression.

And I can't believe people say you can't be evil in this game when you can straight up lie to him that it's a bad idea. :( That's an option for Rooks who like kicking puppies.

Also...

Assassin mode: On. 😆

An interesting difference I found here is that this is the point where Rook's romance with Lucanis locks in, and they officially become a couple. Rook recognizes what he's trying to say, likely thanks to all the previous experiences they've shared together - besides all the time spent together, getting to know each other, at this point they've almost kissed, and Lucanis also admits to having feelings for Rook during Inner Demons. The romance lock-in for him and Neve happens later, though. In my playthrough (where my Grey Warden Rook romanced Davrin but still saved Treviso), it actually happened waaay later, probably because I did Inner Demons soon after it became available, and the romance lock-in scene for them happened after Blood of Arlathan. (I haven't played enough yet to know whether it always happens this way, but I assume you can postpone or switch order for certain quests, which will affect your timeline for this.) So, with Neve, he may take significantly longer than with Rook.

And that is not meant to be any commentary on the quality of the relationships. I'm just observing the bird man for science. Especially because I've seen some people say that he doesn't act consistently between his romance with Rook and Neve. But... I don't think so? He still takes it slow in both cases. This is one of the examples. But of course, Rook and Neve are two different individuals that get involved with Lucanis under different circumstances and from different positions in the team, so it makes sense that the progression is not completely the same. Lucanis' relationship is flavoured by his partner, but they both make him happy and they're both equally valid.

I've also repeatedly seen some nonsense takes about how Rook's romance with Lucanis is supposedly inferior to Neve's, how he ignores Rook's affection, and isn't actually that much into them, which is honestly insane to me, because Lucanis expresses interest in Rook way before the scene with the dessert. Not only does he eagerly play along with Rook's flirting during their first coffee date, he initiates it. Most of the time, Rook's "flirting" takes the form of caring, expressing concern, and showing support. Lucanis is not used to that and he's also experiencing the horrors 24/7. But it is him that tells them that they always manage to cheer him up ("How do you always do that?" - "Do what?" - "Break apart my perfectly gathered clouds of doom.") and when they keep being supportive, he pins them against the wall. He straight up tells Rook that he doesn't want to lose them in Inner Demons. And I could go on. All that happens before the point when he starts courting Neve on a playthrough where they become a couple. Neve gets one cute dialogue cutscene with him and a few lines of dialogue/banter, because she's a companion. There's no reason to be jelly.

But back to the post.

From what I've gathered, it seems that the first pie didn't do the trick with Neve. I imagine they still spent nice time together, but from their actual lock-in scene later, it's clear that Lucanis didn't express his interest yet (or maybe didn't do it clearly enough, because his style is pushing a snack your way and hoping you'll get the message), or Neve wasn't ready to/didn't pick up on it. After the scene with the dessert (after Inner Demons) with Rook, Lucanis writes in his 4th logbook entry about spending time with them late at night. But with Neve, it's just this:

No mention of spending time with her yet.

When Rook and Lucanis become a couple, he makes this addition in the same logbook entry:

Which is another reason why it's clear they're just not there with Neve yet at this point. Also because Lucanis then prepares another pie later for her, and that's when they finally admit they like each other. But that's something for another post.

Also, I will tolerate no clowning towards Neve on this post. We love and respect Neve in this house. Sometimes she's my boyfriend's girlfriend, and sometimes she's also my girlfriend. I will protect. I'm writing this for fun, because I want to study the bird man from all angles. It's good extra material for my Rookanis headcanons. I also assume not everybody has done multiple playthroughs, so I thought maybe other people could appreciate it.

[omerobertenjoyer]

joost klein dating & marriage headcanons ( ´ ▽ ` ).｡ｏ♡

notes: sfw; the dating part is (accidentally) gender neutral, the marriage part mentions reader as a "wife" but it's not that detailed tbh; inbox open for ideas :)

dating:

• i believe you'll meet him through mutual friends, most likely at a function

• you'll just KNOW that he likes you right away, as he tries to get your insta he really reeks of desperation

• he really tries to impress you as you get to know each other, always taking you out, texting you every free second he has

⇨ ultimately it just smoothly turns into a relationship, you haven't discussed it, but you clearly are dating and everyone knows it loll

• he's very affectionate and touchy

• he's mesmerized by everything you do and say

• takes lots of pics of you, he's literally your own little photographer! also lots of unexpected "in the moment" pics that he takes of you when you don't see hehehe

• always interested in what you're working on

• lots of inside jokes!!!

• he just wants to see you smile :)

• he's a workaholic, but for you he'll REALLY try to not overwork himself so he'll have more emotional resources and time to spend on you

• if you live in the same city, expect to see him at your doorstep nearly every single day

⇨ if you don't live in the same city as him, he will definitely facetime or send you lots of messages everyday and will try to visit you as much as he can, maybe even a few times a month if he's not touring or especially busy!

⇨ if you don't live in the same country as him, once again, expect lots of calls and messages everyday!! he definitely won't be able to visit that often, especially if your country is far away or there's no direct flight, but when he has free time you better believe he's gonna stay here with you for like a whole month or smth

⇨ in some cases he may also just send you money so you'll come to him bc he just misses you that much :(

• he will really want to show you Fryslân!! and he will be really excited to see your home city/country

• in general, if you haven't seen some place, he will be really happy to show it to you or explore it with you!!

• writes down stuff that you like in his notes app in case he accidentally forgets

• he isn't really argumentative, he always tries to remain calm and to de-escalate any situation, it'll never turn into a screaming match with him

• he'll try his best to make your life better, always <3

marriage / domestic:

• any distance between you is insufferable for him, even if you live in the same apartment building, so naturally he will beg you to move in with him!

• you'll probably move in before you get married

• honestly i don't think he will wait that long for you to get married, 3 years MAX, but it depends on what you want

• he will definitely want to marry you since day 1, but will be too shy to discuss it straight away lol he's really the type to only start talking about it when it's brought up in a conversation

• i don't think he's the type to have a really big celebration, he will probably prefer a courthouse wedding, maybe celebrate with friends and family a bit and then travel around the world with you!!

⇨ but once again, it all depends on you, if you want a big pompous wedding then he's gonna organize it for you, as long as he can see that smile on your face!!!

• after he marries you, you better believe that every conversation that he initiates starts with "my wife"

• as he has mentioned before, he's not good at cooking, but he won't force you or expect you to do it; in fact, he will try to improve so he can make you the things that you like; and he also really loves to take you out to eat!!!

• he's also not very good at cleaning and fixing stuff around the house, but he'll try his best, he will watch youtube tutorials and follow them step by step!

• now his recommended page is just "how to clean up greasy kitchen cabinets", "how to fix a leaking toilet" and "25 chicken recipes"😭

• lots of cuddles and kisses 24/7, if he could he would just lie in bed with you the whole day

• eternally grateful for everything you give him

⇨ you found this cute t-shirt in a thrift store? he will bring it with him on every trip. random button you found on the road? it's with him everywhere everyday like a talisman. lip balm? suddenly his lips are always moisturized.

• ughhh why is he just such a sweet and soft boy

• literally him:

[a-sad-mage]

Man, sometimes i wish i hadn't taken Psychology in high-school-

TW//mentions of unethical psychological experiment involving babies-

So, we learn something new about MaoMao's childhood.

And that is, by the time she was a toddler, she was left alone till the cortizans where done with work. And that could take, a while...

Because of this our MaoMao learned from a young age crying wouldn't do her any good. Thus causing her to have trouble telling if people are interested in her, in almost any context.

And there is like, a psychological reason for this outside of 'character with a sad backstory'

So there was this 'Forbidden Experiment' performed on young children, babies to be exact, a long time ago, where the caretakers where only allowed to tend to their physical needs, and not the emotional.

It was a psychological study of sorts for emotional deprivation

I won't get into the heavy details, it's honestly a disturbing case all things considered.

But the reason why I bring it up is that those babies shut down. They stopped crying to have any of their needs met. And nearly half passed away simply from emotional neglect. Those who survived were left with lasting truama that still impacted them for as long as they lived.

And honestly?

I can't help but feel MaoMao is feeling those same effects the kids that survived did.

Obviously, her situation wasn't as bad,

But it left lasting scars on her psychologically.

And we see it in the way she handles affection from those who do care about her.

She responds to it, gives affection herself when prompted, or has a reason(like getting rare medicine ingredients), but when it comes to getting it herself, MaoMao is apathetic.

She is not ungrateful but keeps a respectful distance.

This is also probably what caused MaoMao to be as independent as she is now. Or at least contribute to it.

-

All in all, I love the show and its commentary. It doesn't truly sugarcoat things and doesn't blatantly spell stuff out for the viewer or reader. It's trusting us to be smart, make connections and figure the mysteries out ourselves, and determine how these bits of information influence the characters and their choices.

God, why did I take psychology-

[heavens-crown]

And They Were Neighbors Pt.12

Master List

Warnings: 18+, overbearing family, some angst, whole lotta fluff

Tag List: @starkgaryan @gabsgabsvaz @happyfestpanda-blog @gothgirl13

prev / next

A/N: If you want to be added to the tag list either comment down below or DM me!

Robby watched in amusement as Delilah argued with her Uncles about where she would be staying. They had shown up after she got her CT and Xrays back, besides a broken nose she was fine and able to leave. Each of them insisted she should stay with them, not even entertaining the idea of her staying with Robby.  Which he probably should have found insulting. 

“Ok I’m done here. I will be going home with my boyfriend, not either one of you.” Delilah declared, standing from the bed pulling on the clothes Cherry had brought her. All three men glared at their niece as she finished dressing. 

“Your boyfriend?” Tom asks. Robby realizes then that they didn’t even notice that he was in the room. Delilah just stared at her uncles for the briefest moment before turning to Robby. 

“Get me out of here,” she said quietly. Suppressing a laugh he stood up and placed his hand on her back leading her from the room. Cherry was sitting in the hallway and when she saw them leaving she popped out her chair taking up the spot on Delilah’s other side. 

“I was wondering how long it’d take your uncles to realize Robby was in there,” she snickered. Cherry was almost the complete opposite of Delilah. With waist length black hair and blue eyes she was a beautiful woman. She was also about 5’8 and didn’t have any visible tattoos or piercings, which made sense since Delilah had mentioned she was a pediatric ICU nurse. 

“Honestly they’re all children in men's bodies,” Delilah grumbled. “Do you still want to stay in the apartment? If not, we got a spare room in our place.” It made Robby happy that she claimed his apartment as theirs. Cherry just gave her an exasperated look. 

“Girl i love you but I’ll be fine in your old apartment. Besides, your Aunt Sammi texted me to let me know she cleaned up the living room and stuff in case you wanted to go back there tonight.” She said effectively ending the conversation. Robby waved goodbye to his coworkers so they could head home for the night. 

They had been home for maybe thirty minutes when knocks sounded at the door. Cherry opened the door to what Robby assumed was her entire family. As they all fussed over Delilah one of the younger men, who he assumed was her cousin, came over to Robby. 

“Hey man it’s nice to meet you. I’m Robert.” He introduced himself, holding a hand out for Robby to shake. 

“Nice to meet you too, I’m Michael Robinavitch but most people call me Robby.” The two men stood to the side as more of her cousins split off leaving their parents to fuss. 

“Let me introduce you to everyone Robby,” Robert said. He pointed to each person gathered near them. “That’s Nick, he’s the oldest of us cousins. Next to him is my younger brother Sam. The twins are Dean and Ron. and last but not least is Julian.” They all shook his hands offering their own pleasantries. 

“I’d say it's nice to finally meet you but we just found out Lilah had a boyfriend when dad blew a gasket over her not staying with us,” Dean chuckled. Robby smiled ruefully rubbing the back of his neck. 

“We’ve only been dating for about three weeks now,” He admitted, stealing a glance over to Delilah who was arguing with her Aunt Mary. “How's your grandmother doing?” Robby asked. It was Julian who answered. 

“She’s doing great, she hasn’t had another fall since she was last in the hospital.” He answered. Hearing voices raise, Robby looked over and saw that Delilah was getting angrier. Deciding now was a good time to intervene he excused himself from the cousins and walked over to her. 

“I am not a child, Mary,” Delilah said firmly. “I am fully capable of making my own decisions, like where I live or who I decide to fuck.” Robby shook his head at her choice of words but didn’t interrupt her. Mary was a stern looking woman who just shook her head dismissing Delilah. 

“Honestly Delilah, how can we trust your choice in men? Look at what happened with Spencer-” Before Mary could finish her sentence Robby stepped in. 

“Ok that's it. All of you need to go. If you want to see Delilah you can set up a time to see her later.” Robby’s voice was firm. They all just stared at him like he had three heads. 

“Who do you think you are?” Mary snapped. Feeling his temper rise Robby had to watch his tone as he responded. 

“I am her boyfriend. You are a guest in our apartment and if you can’t respect either of us then all of you can leave,” Robby said. “Now.” His tone held no room for argument and slowly her family trickled out of the apartment. Her cousins clapped him on the shoulder quietly telling him good job, and giving Delilah a quick hug before following their parents from the room. When the door finally clicked shut he exhaled roughly and turned to face her. She was looking up at him in awe. 

“No one has ever defended me like that,” She murmured. Raising an eyebrow, Robby pushed her toward the couch kissing her forehead once she had sat down. 

“That's what I'm here for right?” He said. “I need to call Gloria and let her know I need a few days off. Sit here with Cherry and I’ll be right back.” 

Delilah and Cherry watched as he walked into the bedroom, once the door shut behind him with a soft click Cherry turned on her with a raised eyebrow. 

“I’ve never seen someone handle your family like that,” She chuckled. “I can’t wait for your grandma to tear them all a new asshole.” Delilah groaned, leaning her back against the couch.

“I can't believe she said that,” Delilah mumbled. Hearing Cherry snort she picked her head up to shoot a questioning look at her friend. “What?” Cherry shook her head while taking a drink from her water tumbler. 

“I totally can. Mary’s always been a cunt to you. Granted I don’t know why she’s like that but it's clear she’s got some kind of issue regarding you,” Cherry explained. “Didn’t she also not get along with your mom?” 

“Her and my mom hated each other,” Delilah chuckled. “There was one christmas that Mary called me a spoiled little bitch and as a result her and mom got into a fist fight.” Cherry tipped her head back laughing. Delilah felt a mix of sadness and happiness when thinking of her mom. It’d been eleven years since they died but thinking of their deaths even now still made her chest ache. 

“So tell me more about Robby,” Cherry changed the subject. “Does he have any single friends?” 

The two women sat there chatting for a little while longer, eventually rejoined by Robby who fussed over Delilah. Normally she hated being fussed over, it made her feel like a child. With Robby though she liked it, he didn’t infantize her at all. At some point Cherry says her goodbyes and heads over to Delilah's old apartment. They’re curled up together in bed when Delilah decides to break the comfortable silence. 

“Thank you for getting my family out of here,” She says softly. “If you hadn’t they would’ve never left.” Robby presses a soft kiss to her temple, tightening his hold on her. 

“It’s not an issue baby,” he murmurs. “I wasn’t about to stand there and let them get away with talking to you like that.” Delilah hums not answering. They lapse again into the comfortable silence, a random HGTV show playing across the tv screen. Eventually Delilah falls asleep, her breaths evening out. 

Robby can hear his phone ding on the nightstand. Grabbing it he checks to see who it is.

[Jake: So when do i get to meet your new girlfriend?]

[Jack: I’m going to strangle one of these med students sooner or later.]

Snorting quietly Robby shoots off replies to them before turning his phone off. Once his phone is back on the night stand he settles back into bed and eventually drifts off to sleep keeping Delilah close.

[katherinakaina]

Thank you so much for this contribution. I did notice this as well. More so, people not only treat Pathologic differently in this regard, they literally only treat Daniil differently. And it's true that this was the case to some extend before Hbomb's video too.

My theory is that while other characters feel more like you, the player, Daniil always feels like Daniil. You feel like a witness to this weird guy's antics, not a creater of your own story. Even when the character you play is a strong presence (like Artemy, Clara or Harry) they still seem familiar, like someone you can be for a short time and stir their fate for them. Daniil, apparently, doesn't.

For most people, not for me. I have the opposite experience with Artemy, honestly.

Another theory is that it's contrast between Daniil's stated goals to defeat death, to save the world, and his character, that is a very stressed out dude with anger issues. Imagine you play Superman and you have all the bg3 dialogue options. It would probably make you focus on all the bad options more because you wouldn't expect them to be there.

Maybe people do expect heroes to be perfect people. And when they're not perfect it means they're no heroes either. Reminds me of vitriol with which people criticize actual activists for minor missteps. Why would you even demand from this person, who's saving the world as their day job, to be perfect on some offensive language issue here and there? But people do, all the time. Boggles my mind.

Another reason I relate to Daniil so much because I used to be an activist and I received messages like 'How dare you not post today after this tragedy happened?! That means you don't care!' from people who didn't do anything at all, on any day. The amount of criticism you face when you're trying to do good, especially publicly, is honestly unimaginable. It's right there with trying to raise a baby. Everyone has an opinion on what you're doing wrong. But at least with parenting those are the people who presumably have some experience. With activism you are being torn apart by people you are trying to save who demand saving but also fight back against it. This is psychological torture no human is equipped to handle. I mean, Danko does die for the sake of his people in the end, his body and heart stomped into the ground by the people he saved. That's the actual fate of a hero. When you're mean to Daniil this is who you're mean to.

Meanwhile Artemy has more relatable down to earth human motivations. He's taking his place, saving only his own town, avenging his father, proving himself to the people he's destined to lead. He can be as flawed as he wants while doing that. Who the fuck cares if the leader of the Kin is a bit of an asshole, that's way less important.

“Daniil does have genuinely awful text options. Stop pretending he doesn’t. THAT’S what people criticize him for. And y’all are just trying to absolve your favourite guy”

Okay. I don’t know what others do. But I don’t dismiss any of his bad lines (even if he usually has a contradicting line somewhere meaning he is in several minds on the issue, not a raging fanatic). Because:

Pathologic is not about who’s perfect. And it’s not about who’s your favourite war criminal either.

It’s about flawed people in the horrible world DOING GOOD ANYWAY.

You know, like us. Like me, like you. You don’t have to be perfect to go and fight the plague. In fact, you will never be perfect. If that’s what you’re waiting for you will never start fighting.

The only character who believes herself to be a literal saint turns out to be the literal plague. And even she goes and does good anyway. That’s the story we are dealing with here.

Why I am personally a staunch Daniil defender instead of tearing through his worst lines and choices (though I do that sometimes too) is because how the fandom treats him is unfair, it’s disproportionate to his crimes. And he is the main magnet for all the criticism that can be aimed at the characters in this game, meanwhile Artemy ‘these herb-gathering Worms have little in common with men’ Burakh is just as bad (at least) in the games. Seriously, if we start going through every problematic Artemy moment and treat them with as little leniency as people treat Daniil's faux pas we’ll be here all day. It would be so easy to portray Artemy as an absolute monster only using his canon text in either game, it’s not even funny. Not to mention other characters.

So, we either start scrutinizing and making fun of everybody the way we do with Daniil or we treat Daniil with leniency and respect as well as everybody. Those are two fair options. You don’t have to pick but then please be honest with what you’re doing.

[403tarot]

hello, i know u said cute questions but i wanted to know how does jungkook really view the pop star lifestyle and how will he fit it around his future spouses lifestyle?

thanks very much in advance!

🎡 JUNGKOOK'S VIEWS ON THE POPSTAR LIFESTYLE & HIS FUTURE SPOUSE IN THIS

starting this reading with the way jungkook sees life as a popstar in general, i'd say he's truly passionate about being an artist. the euphoria of being on stage, taking part in creating new things, setting trends, and having an audience to please is something intoxicating for him. it's what he naturally gravitates toward... it motivates him and is the center of his focus.

i know that many artists with a large fanbase feel a lot of pressure to be perfect in everything they do, and i don’t rule out the possibility that jungkook has moments like that too. but what i get from this is that jungkook actually feels very free within his artist persona, as if he knows he can present the best aspects of his personality and always work on showing his positive growth.

i feel like jungkook is currently happy with the way the general public perceives him as an artist. he deeply feels the support of his fans and genuinely believes he has a commitment to honor with them.

i do think there were moments in the past when he felt trapped or restricted by the idol life, missing out on things he wished he could have done. but today, it feels like he’s broken free from those restraints, and it’s no longer the case. now that he's busy fulfilling his duties as a citizen in korea, i can see that he misses expressing this artistic side of himself and is looking forward to dedicating himself to it again.

regarding how he's going to balance this lifestyle with the lifestyle of his future spouse, well, first of all, i see that jungkook isn't really thinking about being with the person he's going to marry anytime soon, so he doesn't see it as something to worry about right now.

jungkook might believe that he'll only be with someone he wants to marry much later in life because the cards i got give me the impression that, in his mind, by the time he's with that person, he'll be much further along in his career. he sees himself being able to slow down his activities as an artist to focus more on the person he's marrying and on building a family in calmer waters, away from the public waves.

i honestly don’t think it’s going to take as long as he thinks for him to meet this person, so i asked how he’s actually going to handle balancing his pop star life with his relationship and his future spouse’s life. the answer is that he already has a mature understanding of what he wants as an artist and how to separate that from his personal life. he won’t act impulsively (like dropping everything) just because he falls in love. i see that jungkook will be very careful and private about this future romantic relationship, making sure to approach it with as much clarity as possible so that he can maintain both his career and his role as a committed partner, working to make the relationship solid and fulfilling.

he'll likely want to continue his career while developing this relationship, and interestingly, being with someone won't be something that stresses him out (like worrying about fans finding out or anything like that). he’ll probably stay private, but if the time comes when he feels he should make the relationship public, he will and he’ll have the courage to stand by it.

to me, this reading feels like it speaks about a slightly older jungkook, someone who has become more seasoned in the industry compared to the persona he's been presenting more clearly since the start of his solo career.

[hollowed-theory-hall]

Hi

I thought there was a time when jkr said there was a deleted scene where Theo and Draco talked at Malfoy Manor. Even though they weren’t friends, doesn’t this suggest that they had the most equal and respectful relationship compared to other Slytherin dynamics? What are your thoughts on this?

Hello,

Yes, she has mentioned a scene like that and I wish I could read it! Here's what she said:

Malfoy & Nott (Chamber of Secrets/Goblet of Fire) I liked this scene so much I tried to use it twice; unfortunately, it didn't work in either place so I finally laid it to rest in one of the cardboard boxes where I keep all my old drafts, notes, electricity bills and chewing gum wrappers. As in the case of Dean Thomas, I know much more about Theodore Nott than has ever appeared in the books. Raised by a very elderly widower and Death Eater father, Theodore is a clever loner who does not feel the need to join gangs, including Malfoy's. However, in this scene Theodore's father (the same Nott who was badly injured in the closing chapters of 'Order of the Phoenix') goes to visit Lucius Malfoy to discuss Voldemort-related business and we see Draco and Theodore alone in the garden having a talk of their own. I really liked the scene, firstly because it showed the Malfoys' home, and the difference between the place where Draco has grown up and number four, Privet Drive; then because we rarely see Draco talking to anybody he considers a real equal, and he is forced to see Theodore as such, because Theodore is just as pure-blooded as he is, and somewhat cleverer. Together these two Death Eaters' sons discuss Dumbledore's regime at Hogwarts and Harry Potter, with all sorts of stories that the Death Eaters tell about how this baby boy survived the Dark Lord's attack.

(Source)

She outlines pretty clearly that they aren't friends. The dynamic she describes actually sounds like they don't like each other and are forced to interact because of their fathers.

I honestly love everything about Theo she said in this above passage and really fits how I portray him and his dynamic with Draco pre-fic. A Matter of Chance's situation kinda changed Theo's character trajectory and therefore his dynamic with the other Slytherins, including Draco.

This scene paints them as equal in social standing (more or less) since they are both pure-blooded enough to be in the pure-blood dictionary (written by Theo's grandpa) and the Notts are probably rich enough that Draco can't posture with his money to Theo. But she also refers to Theo as "cleverer" (which is how I write him) which implies Draco feels a little inferior to Theo, and he is "forced" to treat Theo as an equal. He doesn't like that or Theo. And I think Theo dislikes Draco and talking to him just as much (or more), considering he prefers to be a loner rather than befriend Draco.

(Also I love how she says Draco and Theo talk about Harry in that scene. I really wish I could read it)

(Also also her stuff about ghost plots, scenes, and characters that just don't work makes so much more sense to me after writing and publishing my own novel. I love how it turned out and I'm really proud of Iridescent the way it is, but I had a lot of ideas and whole characters and subplots that got scrapped because they didn't work. There were scenes I loved that were left on the cutting room floor because they didn't fit and made the story and pacing overall worse. Though some of these scenes and one of the cut characters would make an appearance in the sequel if I get my way. It's a really interesting process, honestly, and I find it doesn't happen with fic the same way since the process of writing an original novel and writing a fanfic are a little different in that regard)

[drop-dead-dropout]

OKAY KDJEHDHDNDZHXHX I'M DONE WITH THAT FIC NOW HERE IT IS LOL

it's like 1.5k words (look I'm trying to write longer fics but there's only so much you can write when it's just One Guy Talking okay 💔)

I just made up a fake birthday for kim, I don't think he has a canon one? lmk if I'm wrong. also I am so so sorry for the random references to a le retour fic in my drafts which is probably never going to get finished... maybe one day lmao

April 19, '78

"I made it, Harry," you whisper reverently. Talking any louder is hard these days, decades of smoking finally catching up to you, and besides, you know he can hear you anyways.

(He can always hear you.)

"You never said, but I don't think you believed I would. Honestly, I don't blame you. I didn't either. It was a fantasy, a story I could tell myself when I was afraid. When I wanted to imagine that everything could turn out alright. But I made it. Seventy years old in a free Revachol— well, a mostly-free Revachol, in any case. And still on two feet, no less!" You set your cane on the ground and sit down on the grass, feeling a sigh rattle in your chest. "Jean says hello. Don't worry, he'll come back to see you next week, but... It just hit him. That this summer, he'll be the same age as you were. I think he needs a moment." Stretching your arms over your head, a slight groan escapes you, your aged limbs protesting the strain. "They had him and I give a talk at some local high school. Did I tell you that? Oh, you'd laugh and laugh if you met those kids. They had so many questions, and almost all of them were very silly."

Time passes. It tends to do that. A gentle spring breeze rustles the branches of the trees above you, and you inhale, a wave of calm overtaking you. You come here as often as you can, rambling for far too long about any old thing that pops into your head. You like to think he'd appreciate it, and... It's the only place you feel at home these days.

(You wonder if this is what palesickness feels like. A bone-deep ache that you can't quite bring yourself to hate. A fond smile on your lips even as grief and yearning gnaw through your ankles like twin dogs, starving and desperate. A tender feeling in your chest as you return to your memories again and again, the green of his eyes catching the light, his arms around you, the way he said your name.)

(You don't dwell on it.)

"And yes, they did ask about you." Your voice is lilting, smug, because you know he would've asked. "The three of us are something of a legend around here, you know, especially you. Apparently evacuating a whole city, through a section of underground tunneling that no one was even sure still existed is, ah, mildly impressive. Though most of the kids were more interested in seeing if the rumors were true— about the amnesia, and the voices especially. I wanted to be honest, and Jean seemed more than happy to reminisce. But the teachers were shooting us dirty looks for telling their young and impressionable pupils about such fantastical things, so we had to keep it vague."

As you take off your glasses for a moment to wipe away a few stubborn smudges on the lenses, you blink a few times, disoriented at your sudden loss of vision. "Speaking of our reputations, did you know they have a saying these days? Le rêveur, l'aviateur, le commandant. You, me, and Jean's old titles. It basically means 'to find out what must be done, to carry yourself to your goal, and to have the strength to see it through'. I heard someone say it the other day and I turned towards them, as if they were calling my name..." You chuckle, shaking your head. "... I suppose it still shocks me sometimes, how much we accomplished. How much we mattered."

Tilting your head up, you try to make out shapes in the clouds, the way he always used to. It's a fruitless endeavor— your distance vision may be relatively intact, but you never had his imagination. But that's alright. Even if the sky is just a meaningless swirl of colors, it's still beautiful to you. "Anyways, I'm getting off-topic. I meant to tell you, at one point they asked about us. What I was to you. How I knew so much. Why we were always so close." A light puff of amusement escapes you, despite yourself. "I swear Jean was almost purple, the way he held in his laughter. Mister Kitsuragi, my sister says you were secretly brothers, but Jessica's mum told me his eyes were green, and your eyes aren't green. Were you adopted? Kids say the funniest things. If this were a decade ago, if I was still RCM, I would've just lied. Though perhaps not with such an improbable explanation. But..."

Your left hand drifts up, out of habit, to the twine around your neck— except you don't wear the ring on your neck anymore, do you? You wear it on your finger, where it should be. Because you can.

"When Toussaint, the lazy old fool, finally got around to marriage equality back in '71, I personally requested that same week for the judiciary to make it official for us. I doubt they would've bothered for anyone else. It's posthumous, after all... Not useful for much other than sentiment, and a bit of an odd request either way. But, like I said before, our names carry a lot of weight." A wistful smile tugs at your lips. "So, when that child asked me that ridiculous question, up on that stage in front of a crowd of nearly two thousand, I showed them my ring and I called myself your husband for the first time. And no, it doesn't count that we were already saying it to each other," you quip. "It went over well. I wasn't worried, of course. It's '78; two men being in love is hardly a matter of life or death these days. But... It made me miss you. Not in the quiet way I always do, but in a way that hurts like it hasn't hurt in years." You swallow, more embarrassed by the naked yearning in your voice than the admission itself. "So I've brought you something. Isn't that funny? Giving you a gift on my birthday. You'll have a lot to make up for when I see you again." The chiding words are undercut by the grin you can't quite hide as you dig through your messenger bag.

When you find what you're looking for— a weathered Mnemotechnique A6, torn in a few places, practically ancient— you place it on the ground in front of him, opening the cover to admire the flower pressed into its first page. "I can't believe I managed to hold on to this old thing. It's from when we first met, in Martinaise. Jean had the idea to press a flower in, so I picked a may bell. I thought you'd like it— you always used to like them, and I suppose they've grown on me, too."

Closing the notebook, you slide it closer to him, warmth blooming in your lungs like the first drag of a cigarette on a cold night. "So, let me promise you something, as if we were young fools in love, rather than the relics of the past we are." You reach out and rest your hand on the headstone, tender, like you're cupping his cheek. "I'll find you again, Harrier. I promise I will return to your side."

Bracing yourself, you attempt to stand up, but a jolt of pain sparking up your unsteady legs forces you grit your teeth and rest your achy bones for a moment.

(You try not to be secretly grateful for the excuse to stay just a bit longer. You fail.)

With a breath of laughter, you add under your breath, "Sooner rather than later, I think. But, it's as they say: après la vie, la mort..."

You lean forward and press your lips against cold, porous rock.

Somehow, for a brief moment, you could almost convince yourself that you were kissing him on the forehead— bidding him farewell, or perhaps goodnight. You like the second option better.

(You hope the morning comes soon.)

"... Après la mort, toi," you say, altering the line. It feels right. There is nothing after the pale, and you can't possibly know what's after death, but you know one thing: you will see him again. Pulling back, you stare for a moment at the words on his grave— you can't read it this close, but you already know exactly what it says, tracing your fingers over the indented lettering.

HARRIER DU BOIS

AGED 61 ('07-'68)

SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL IS GOING TO HAPPEN

Finally, you manage to retrieve your cane and bag and get to your feet. After a few steps, you stop, turning back around to add, "I love you, Harry," because you've just realized that you haven't said it yet. You almost want to apologize for forgetting.

It's just that it feels unnecessary. Redundant. Everything you do is loving him. You've sat here with him and rambled for nearly an hour, and you've said so many different words, and yet somehow, at the same time, all of them were the same.

A million different ways to say I love you.

Not for the first time, you find yourself huffing with amusement— Jean is right, you really have become more like him, if your this is where your train of thought is leading you. Disorganized, but poetic.

You nearly open your mouth to voice this observation to him, but... You stop yourself. You don't need to. He heard you.

(He can always hear you.)

[nellyellie]

Honestly, if anything? I feel like topsiders would be the ones who struggle to bake, cook, clean etc. Mel & the Kirammans, for example, have assistants and servants- meaning they have people who do that sort of thing for them. They never would’ve had to struggle & learn on their own. Mel- despite being banished as a teenager- wouldn’t have had to either, because for all of Ambessa’s faults she would’ve ensured her daughter’s safety. She’s protective, this is like… her only redeeming quality.

Meanwhile, Vander’s kids are given chores & work, meaning they all at LEAST know how to cook and clean- and it’s really hard to know how to cook without reading the recipes. Vander would’ve also taught them how to read so they could know how to manage a menu, just in case one of them wanted to take over the bar once they were older. Plus, chores aren’t just meant to be busywork- they’re meant to give you life experience.

They probably even have more knowledge about the law than your average Piltie kid. If you’re the cops’ prime target, you’re gonna wanna know exactly what can and can’t warrant an arrest in case you’re lucky enough to get a trial.

Don’t get me wrong, when it comes to logical and emotional intellect, it really depends on the person. But life experience? The Zaunites trump the Pilties ten times outta ten. I wish people should stop treating Vi like she’s dumber than a sack of crack when there’s no evidence for it & a dozen things that point to the contrary

Oh and also, I fucking DESPISE the CTE/brain damage jokes. The Arcane fandom has got me completely and utterly fucked up with those in every way. Handling topics like those respectfully is one thing, but making a mockery of it to be “funny” is beyond screwed.

class bias in arcane : the problem with the "vi can't read" headcanon.

the idea that vi never learned to read or write because she's from zaun is not only ridiculous and completely unsupported by the show, but always revolves around the stigmatization of zaunites in general and the uplifting of caitlyn. which is, obviously, very bad …

this is going to be a bit long, but i really wanted to explore this and share my thoughts, especially because this headcanon harms vi and other zaunite characters in the show indirectly. which is something i. hate. so. much. i just can't comprehend how people are still saying this.

vi can read. the show literally shows us this.

in season 2, vi says to jinx that the letter is from vander to silco. a letter. which is handwritten in manuscript. meaning she's actually reading. because it requires standard literacy skills. so, you know, she can read :)

and she's not the only one. jinx also reads the letter (if you somehow missed her cracking hextech in season 1). vander wrote it himself, meaning he was literate too. silco and vander put their initials on their jackets, just more proof that literacy isn't uncommon in zaun. literally, at no point in season 2 does arcane show a zaunite struggling to read or write.

season 1 already gave us clues about this.

this isn't even new information. in season 1, episode 1, vi searches jayce's lab for valuables to steal, but she still stops to look at the books. that's not something you do if reading is completely foreign to you.

she also looks at jayce's research board, which is covered in scientific notes and calculations and immediately realizes she's in an inventor's workspace. if reading were completely unfamiliar to vi, that mess of writing would just look like abstract symbols or nonsense to her. but no. she can process enough of it to understand what it means.

and let's not forget powder. well, maybe i'm reading too much into that, so you can ignore this if you want. but in the same episode, she picks up a book and seems to read a line before closing it. it doesn't seem to me that she’s staring blankly at the page, but that her eyes are actually following a line of text.

so if vi’s younger sister could read at that time, why wouldn't she ?

zaunites aren't illiterate, arcane shows that over and over again.

okay. so, if vi knowing how to read is still somehow up for debate, what about the other zaunites ?

ekko is literally shown reading, writing, and eventually inventing a time machine in season 2. since this alternate universe shows zaun becoming like piltover, you'd expect a major difference between these two characters. i mean, according to some people, the undercity is full of the poor and uneducated, right ? so with piltover being more open, powder should have had more resources to develop her skills. if that were true, you'd think she'd notice ekko lacking in literacy. but nope. he's just as literate as the powder from that world, since they collaborated without any issues.

maybe i could add viktor. yes, arcane doesn't detail how viktor got into piltover's academy, but his official lore confirms that viktor's intelligence was recognized early, he was already deeply knowledgeable in science as a child, working alongside singed and so later, he was brought to piltover and caught the eye of heimerdinger. i just don't see how any of this would be possible without being literate. there's no way he'd get into the academy without knowing how to read or write.

so, now the question is : why them and not vi ?

why wouldn't vander make sure vi and powder could read ?

again, if you somehow missed that jinx can read and write in season 1, or if you still think that doesn't necessarily mean vi can, and to answer "why them and not vi ?", let's go over this.

nothing in arcane suggests that zaunites are generally illiterate, it's actually the contrary (e.g. ekko, vitkor, silco, vander), so why would vander's kids be the exception ? and if one of them had to be, why vi ? especially when both vi and powder didn't have to work in the mines thanks to vander. no but this alone shows that he invested in their well-being beyond just survival, so why wouldn't that also include making sure they had basic literacy ? even if their parents didn't teach them first, what reason could vander have to not teach vi and powder when he can read and write himself ?

actually, it makes even less sense to assume that the sisters never learned to read, considering they were more privileged than many other kids in zaun, especially since vander kept them out of child labor.

the "vi can't read, so caitlyn teaches her" headcanon is just ... gross.

now let's talk about how this headcanon is not just a silly fandom theory, but something harmful.

there's this recurring fandom trope where caitlyn, the wealthy piltover enforcer, teaches vi, the poor ex-prisoner from zaun, how to read. and it's always framed as something "cute" or "romantic."

except … it's not.

this plays directly into the class divide between them. caitlyn already comes from a position of power and privilege. framing vi as this uneducated, illiterate street kid who needs caitlyn to "civilize" her completely strips away vi's intelligence and independence. it infantilizes her, turning her into some kind of "fixer-upper" project rather than the strong, capable person we know she is.

and after season 2, this headcanon feels even worse. it's as if the fandom is desperate to preserve a "wholesome" version of their relationship, even if it means making vi less than she actually is. if the only way to keep caitvi looking healthy for some of you is to belittle vi's intelligence and reinforce a savior dynamic, then maybe the ship isn't made for you anymore.

this headcanon needs to die.

i guess i have to conclude with the fact that nowhere in arcane is there any real evidence that vi is illiterate. if anything, the show gives us multiple signs that she, and many other zaunites, can read and write just fine. also, the idea that she can't isn't just wrong, it's rooted in a fandom bias that constantly downplays her intelligence while uplifting caitlyn's role in her life.

[fsnowzombie]

You literally never stop cooking do you? Managing to hit ALM so often must be tiring. You have such an incredibly distinct style. The lines, the coloring, the shading, the expressions. I hope you never find your creative process dull because man, you hit it out of the park every time.

Question though: You recently did a kitty survivorship bias piece. But I scrolled down this dang blog well into 2022/21's posts and basically only saw like, two other pieces referencing your miqote! Think we could get a much more sensibly armored kot sometime?

oh my goodness, thank you very much for your kind words! i would be lying if i said i never feel unmotivated, i think if you look long enough to some of my monday drawings you can definetly see some looking better than others but that is just kinda part of growing your own style and artistic voice, and as it is with any hobby/work, there are mondays when i reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally dont want to do it lmao and days when im so excited i start them on sunday, it really depends

as for your question, i dont post my miqo a lot to begin with since that character is not one of the ones i play with the most, by volume you could probably guess which 2 are the ones i play the most, and in the case of the miqo, as the survivorship bias drawing can lead to is that she doesnt wear a lot of fabric to begin with lmaoo, as for sensible armor for her specifically i coulr probably justify it by placing mountains of snow around her for her to be wearing useful coverage armor hahaha.

altough i draw her a bit more frequently in my more risque blog @sharpxfangs shes honestly a character i designed specifically to be drawn in compromising positions and/or clothing

[bloopitynoot]

Reading TGCF: Chapter 75

For those who don't know, I am reading TGCF for the first time and sharing my thoughts!

If you have not read it, there will be spoilers! Consider this a warning.

Also- if you want to follow along, I am aiming to post updates daily. You can find all the posts in the tag Bloopitynoot reads TGCF. You can also check out the intro post for context on my read BUT if you followed along with my SVSSS read, the rules and vibe are the same.

Today was a day for comfort; it was an absolute shit show at work. I can't share anything but its going to be a three month process. Fingers crossed though that I keep my job.

Today we have more matcha! Skylar did ask me what colour lights I wanted to accompany my reading- and we went with Qi Rong green ahaha.

Let's keep positive and get into chapter 75!

I am once again a victim of MXTX's misdirects. I expected a confrontation with Fu Yao, and got a civil discussion. p53

Lan Chang deserves a baby honestly. The way she's so tender with Guzi :'3 p54

Truly though, I'd be stressed if Xie Lian was investigating my case, "...Since you returned to the heavens, how many heavenly officials have you investigated?" Fu Yao said. "And how many of those heavenly officials have survived those investigations?" p55

The way Xie Lian just ROASTED Mu wing, "...he's still got principles" p56

:( Some of Lan Chang's backstory. oh no, I'm nervous that Qi Rong has some ties here. p58 (he was not involved in the way I thought).

[throws a coin into the jar] "Xie Lian probably can't get it up" p59

Qi Rong may have started that fight, but Lan Chang is absolutely going to end it. p60

Feng Xin!!! p61

Xie Lian: [pointing at Hua Cheng] cute right? Feng Xin: ?? Xie Lian: my son :'3 Feng Xin: When the fuck? Xie Lian: not my son, YET. Hua Cheng: ^-^ Everyone else: ... p61

the fetus spirit actually sounds horrific though. Those TEETH! p62

Holy Fucking Shit [pulls out the popcorn] FENG XIN IS THE FATHER??? p64

This week on Maury

Don't even look at me if I've aged myself with shitty reality tv references, but this is truly what this chapter felt like XD Who is the father???? Feng Xin????

I wanted to read another chapter so bad! I am sad it's a work night and I have to actually take care of myself and get good sleep.

[centrally-unplanned]

I've been watching Evangelion for the first time since my teens- which of the sequels/spinoffs/alternate endings would you say are worthwhile beyond the original show?

Hm, this is a good question! The answer is going to be very individual because most of the Evangelion additional content is varying degrees of wildly different from the original show? So it is really a question of "what genres do you like". And your tolerance for bullshit, because most of them aren't good.

I will assume End of Eva is just default-included in "the original show"? Just in case, if not obviously watch that. Otherwise I do think Sadamoto's manga adaptation is quite good - it is of course the "same" story, but tonally different enough to be fun while not so different that any Eva fan will probably get something out of it. Those are the "core" products one can start with.

Beyond that...

Where do you even start, you know?

Okay, so I think most people will say that none of the "big" spinoffs are like good-good. Your actual answer is probably none of them. But if you do wanna dig in, I think Girlfriend of Steel is a VN with a contained, coherent story that matches the tone of the original show pretty well? Sort of an alt-universe telling with a new girl in the mix who is essentially girl-Shinji (yeah, I know, isn't Shinji girl-Shinji? Life/Sadamoto finds a way):

The game is choppy in its presentation and ofc quite tropey, but it has heart, and gets more serious as it goes on.

I'm not gonna sit here and tell you that the shonen comedy manga Shinji Ikari Raising Project is, like, worth reading? But some people like it, I am sure. Gendo does Punch An Angel which kinda fucks:

Honestly I thought Campus Apocalypse was pretty neat? Alas the scans online are dial-up tier on quality, but if the idea of "Evangelion: but it is a noir school academy thriller" appeals to you it very much is that. And there is something inevitable to their being a version of Eva where they wield the Lance of Longinus like a person-sized polearm and the angels are hot goth guys:

Okay so I really like Princess Maker? Which Gainax made by the way, that is often forgotten - pre-Eva while Gainax's animation division was burning cash their video game side hustle kept the lights on. So Gainax took advantage of the synergy and made the Ayanami Raising Project - and Asuka Supplement Project to boot! Which is an incredibly cheap knock-off where you take our two main girls and plan out their days and grow their stats and abuse your inexplicable position of power over them to date them and dress them up in adorable outfits which is all I have ever really wanted:

These images ofc are from the supplemental artbook and strategy guide, which yes I do own - you asked for my opinion, I didn't fucking ask for yours, okay?

There are one million more of these things, I haven't read/watched/played most of them - when it comes to Eva you kinda just gotta grab one at random and dive in, see what happens. Go download a PS3 emulator, grab a ROM for Misato Katsuragi's Reporting Plan, and see if listening to her voice-synth reading the actual news to you while you spin her rendered polygon model around to give yourself an upskirt shot does anything for you:

Can't be any worse than the fucking Rebuilds.

[justabirdy]

Trans Day of Visibility

Wound up having more free time today than expected so I finished this lovely piece of leather for someone.

It feels rather fitting that I would finish this on Trans Day of Visibility and on the 4 year anniversary of my coming out as trans to most people.

Especially right now, visibility feels like an incredibly painful thing. I want to just live my life, I want to go out without anxiety or check the news without seeing my rights removed day in and day out.

But hiding myself was a death sentence in slow motion. I spent nearly 15 years of my life, denying who I was and how I felt. I watched my own passion and curiosity die a little every day as I kept trying to pretend I was something I'm not. If I hadn't admitted it to myself when I did, I don't think I would be here today.

Things are tough and I don't know if I'll be around to see the world become a better place. I honestly don't. But I do know that so long as I'm here, I want to be myself. I want to make things better for those around me. I want to remind the world that its worth caring about people and supporting each other.

So on this Trans Day of Visibility, I want to remind people they are seen. You don't have to come out. You don't have to shout it from the rooftops, in many cases its probably much safer to not do any of that. But I see you. I recognize the pain and the heartache, and I recognize the internal joy of finding yourself and doing even the tiniest affirming thing.

I see you struggling to find work, looking for a place to call home, fleeing from dangerous situations. I see you flying quietly through life, putting on the mask, drifting by, hoping to remain invisible. I know the pain and the exhaustion personally and I know the necessary safety it brings.

No matter your situation, I see you, I support you, and I'll continue to remind people we exist, to show our flag, and to fight for our right to be in whatever small way I can.

On this day and on every other. Be as visible as you need to be and know that you are not alone.

[ariemfox]

for reasons others have already mentioned, i do think it'd make more sense if the marigold caused simultaneous births, using one country's timezone as the measurement (east coast would deffo make most sense imo!).

i did try & look at the birth mother death scenes in s3 (when harlan killed them just before they gave birth to the brellies) to work it out... but honestly it just brought up more questions lol.

firstly, there's the fact that they all gave birth during the day since there is sunlight in all the s3 death scenes. due to the different timezones, you'd definitely expect at least one to give birth whilst sleeping or in the evening/early morning. however, they've all got pretty much the same lighting, suggesting they all gave birth at 12pm in their respective timezones. which would solve the question, right?

well, apparently not. turns out there is also an analogue clock conveniently placed behind five's birth mother reading 10.22 (presumably am given lighting). since harlan killed them moments before they would've given birth (based on the fact vanya's mom jumps into the water in the death scene in s3 & in s1 moments before she gives birth) & they are born at precisely 12.00pm, no minutes added... this clock is probably an error. meaning there is also the likelihood that them dying (and therefore giving birth in s1) during daylight hours is incorrect too.

so. hngh. it's probs just a case of whatever fits neater in ur opinion. i also think it's interesting that in the comics, the time they gave birth is different at 9.38pm. ig 12.00pm is catchier.

sorry i couldn't be anymore help!

Okay but how am I supposed to interpret the "On the twelve hour of the first day of October 1989"?

12 p.m in their respective timezone? Or 12 p.m in one country that has been used as a measurement? If it's the later, which country has been used? England, like the timezones? Or the East Coast of Northern America since the Academy is located there?

[sapphire-weapon]

First off i wanted to say i appreciate you always sharing your true opinion without muddying it up too much or trying to appease people. The honesty is very refreshing!

Okk anyway i keep seeing this take going around and wanted to know your thoughts on it (i have my own, but):

Leon in infinite darkness asks shen may out to dinner once and then later is looking forward to dinner with Claire. Do you see both of these incidents as platonic? The first one reads as flirting to me and the last one seems like an intentional ship tease from the writers (before uh, yknow, making the encounter end on a sour note... look, that one hug they share when leon saves her is ship tease 100% they know what theyre doing)

A lot of people seem to think he is just innocently wanting a meal and I kind of get that vibe with Claire I guess but... ... ... ANYWAY what are your thoughts. I think people are just simply afraid of whore leon

The way I look at it is that my goal first and foremost is to analyze the story text in a serious way -- and it's impossible to have a productive conversation about narrative, characterization, and use of literary tropes if I treat every single possible interpretation of the text as valid. There needs to be some uniformity to what I'm saying, or else there's no point in having the conversation.

That, and I also feel like there's no point in having this little community at all if we can't be honest with each other. Friendships aren't built on uwu. They're built on a sincere exchange of common interests and ideas.

So, I'm really grateful that we've all found each other. It's been so fucking awesome to meet so many people who are genuinely interested in a literary analysis of RE's story and want to brainstorm ideas and piece through things together as a team -- because this has never been my experience in RE fandom before, over the full 25 years that I've been here.

I love u all very much ❤

Ok, so as for your actual question --

I pretty much agree with your interpretation of what's going on there.

People really need to get the fuck over this weird, puritanical pearl-clutching they're doing and being scandalized by OG Leon being a slut canonically. OG Leon tries to fuck Hunnigan at one point, for god's sake.

Because, like. If you try to handwave away or whitewash the way that Leon is pure testosterone; he's a walking hard-on looking for a hole throws himself at people, you're erasing and overlooking a really big part of his character.

Leon is lonely and he fucking hates himself.

The way that this manifests/the way that he expresses this is different between Remake and OG, but that fact about him never goes away. Remake Leon puts up walls and self-isolates as though he's trying to protect everyone around him from the misfortune of having to know him, but OG Leon does the opposite. OG Leon is constantly giving more and more of himself away in the hopes that, eventually, there'll be nothing left.

So, there's a few different things going on there when he asks out Shen May and then Claire in ID.

With Shen May -- yes, he is actually asking her out. That is a legitimate offer for a date that he will go into with the intention of putting the moves on her and having it end in sex.

He does this not just because she's a hot girl -- though, of course he does think she's a hot girl -- he does it because he feels enough of a connection to her that, if she were to go out with him once, he could use that as a way to trick himself into thinking he's still worth other people's time -- even if for just a few hours. Again: he's really fucking lonely. No one person ever stays in his life long enough to form a meaningful relationship with him (platonic or otherwise), but if he can take a girl out to dinner -- hey, that's something, right?

And if he were to actually fuck her, he'd be able to lose himself in her wants and desires for long enough that he can forget how much he fucking hates himself. If he were to feel her hands on his body, he would actually feel wanted for a change. And if he were to make her come, he would feel needed -- and, if he were to make her come more than once, that would be even better. (Remember: Leon is "The Protector." He needs to be needed. He's probably the master of foreplay and will tease and touch and put his mouth on a partner for well over an hour before he actually fucks them.)

And, ever since being kidnapped by the CIA, the only way that Leon has ever been needed or wanted or useful in any way has been through physical means and the use of his body. That's why he defaults to sex as a coping mechanism before he gives up and just starts drinking. He might not have any value as a person, but as a physical body and an object -- well, that's a different story.

Leon objectifies himself, is what I'm saying.

With Claire, though, it's a little bit different.

Yes, it's ship bait -- but it's very mild ship bait, because the context for this one is way different.

Leon isn't being sincere with Claire when he says what he says. He knows that Claire didn't call him or meet up with him because she wants to go out with him or is looking for a booty call. He's not stupid (mostly).

Leon is being sarcastic and self-deprecating when he tells Claire that he was hoping she was going to want to get dinner with him. It's a sad joke to him, because, in his mind, the thought that Claire would be interested in him at all is actually ridiculous.

Because Claire knows him in ways that Shen May didn't. He can't charm his way into Claire's panties by pretending that he's something more than -- or that he's someone -- that he's not.

Claire doesn't need him -- Claire has never needed him, and Leon has absolutely no reason to believe she wants him, either.

What good is he to her, really, when she already knows the truth? She knows that Leon's only real use is as a weapon -- that he's not good for literally anything outside of an active bioterrorism situation. She knows that he fucks up everything he ever tries to do in his personal life. So, why would she want him? Why would she ever want him?

She doesn't. That's why she's about to disappear from his life again for maybe another six years. Maybe more. Because he's not worth being around.

At least, that's what his brain tells him.

It's a really self-defeating mindset that turns into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Him talking about getting dinner with Claire is a joke, and the punchline is his own opinion of himself.