#when i say differing influences i mean more like:

[pansy-picnics]

YESSSSSSSS YES YES GOD. OH MY GODDDDDD. RIPPING MY SHIRT OFF LIKE THE HULK. YOU GET IT OP. I LOVE PLATONIC RELATIONSHIPS (Says the aroace guy . Like okay fork found in kitchen cmon now)

No cuz LISTEN. romance and attraction is something that is constantly front in center in society as a whole….its a lot more understood than friendship or familial relationships. so it probably makes SENSE to hugo at least in concept.

Attraction is understood by a lot of people as like a biological instinct (And obviously its more complex than that but thats the most Basic idea thats been held for most of history i think). And hugos definitely been Attracted to people before. I think he kind of just sees it as a nuisance tbh. He just tries to gaslight himself into pretending it isnt there.

But platonic love….you dont have that physical reaction yknow??? I mean ive had what i can describe as platonic “crushes” before but it’s different….It could be different for other people ofc but in my experience platonic love kind of sneaks up on you. You might not even really notice its there. One day you’ll just be looking at someone and you’re like, “oh yeah. This one. Theyre the one. Theyre safe.”

They affect you in little ways. like influencing the way you think or the way you speak and you dont notice until someone points it out. You’ll pick up on words they use and everyday things will make you think of them. ITS JUST. GAH!!! I LOVE PLATONIC LOVE!!

I think platonic love is SUCH an important part of hugo’s general role in the story because like….This isnt his first rodeo remember? Hes done jobs for donella before. Hes probably crushed on a few people before. Maybe even people hes worked with. But clearly its never affected his performance before. none of these crushes have Permanently rewired his brain and this perspective he has of the world.

The reason team radical has such an impact on him is NOT just bc she’s gay for varian. It’s bc ALL OF THEM are the first people who have just Genuinely cared about her, with no ulterior motives, no strings attached, no romantic connotations, no nothing. Theyre the first people she’s actually connected with and felt like she could be herself around. and they’re the first to actually able to counter these mindsets that are so Natural to her- these mindsets that it’s every man for himself, that relationships are all temporary, and that she’s not fundamentally deserving of love. Varian, nuru and yong showed hugo a new perspective on life. ALL OF THEM DID!! NOT JUST VARIAN!!!

Its why platonic varigo is genuinely so important to me and one of the reasons i think varigo are the “best friends first/lovers second” kind of couple. its also why i dont really like them having chemistry like right off the bat. Because like…Them being friends first is the only reason their relationship as it is is even possible. Neither of them really had friends their age before and thats Why they really connect.

if it wasn’t for varian just…being a good friend, and him, nuru and yong all collectively showing hugo this new outlook on life….team radical would have just been another means to an end. Sure maybe hugo would’ve had a little crush on varian or found him attractive, but it wouldn’t have made him like, quit his whole job. He would’ve just done the work and moved on with his life. he wouldn’t have FALLEN IN LOVE like he did. Love and attraction are two different things and hugo didnt just have a crush on varian, he fell in love with him. and he fell in love (platonically, of course) with yong and nuru too.

THATS what changed him!!! Genuine human connection and love!!! It had nothing to do with romance!!! And i feel like people just tend to focus on the yaoi or whatever when like…It means nothing if we aren’t seeing hugo form these bonds with the group as a whole and watching his outlook change as a result! without the core feature of genuine human connection and friendship the yaoi wouldn’t even EXIST!!! 😭😭😭

I especially need more library/betrayal scenes with the whole group bc it genuinely makes me so mad when they’re Just about varigo and nuru and yong are just. Left behind? NOBODY EVER WRITES NURU AND YONG REACTING TO THE BETRAYAL…..NOBODY WRITES THEM HELPING HUGO WHEN VARIAN GETS POSSESSED. THEY’RE JUST. LEFT BEHIND AND THEN THEY SHOW UP AT THE END WHEN THEY HAVE THEIR GROUP HUG OR WHATEVER….SOMETIMES NOT EVEN THAT!!!

IT BREAKS MY HEART BECAUSE THEY’RE NOT JUST SIDE PIECES TO VARIGO!!! 😭😭😭 GAHHH. I NEED MORE TEAM RADICAL JUST ALL BEING BEST FRIENDS AND LOVING EACH OTHER!!!!! I NEED YONG AND NURU TO PLAY A PART IN THESE MAJOR PLOT POINTS TOO!!!!

I feel like we don't talk about how Hugo would be weirded out by the concept of having friends enough. Like we all pretty much agree that Donella, while maybe not being outright abusive, was at least not an amazing parent figure and made Hugo live a life that wasn't super healthy. But I haven't really seen anyone talk about how he probably has never felt platonic love.

I like the idea that it wasn't Varian that convinced Hugo to leave Donella, it was Nuru and Yong.

Hugo would have at least had a crush before, if not an actual relationship, he's aware that liking someone made you want to do stupid stuff, like quit your job, abandon your mother figure, and live with them for the rest of your life, but wanting to do that sort of stuff for someone you have no attraction to whatsoever? Huh?

I just love the idea that while Varian was a huge part in changing Hugo, it took friendship with no hint of romantic connotations to finally win Hugo over.

[artemisia-black]

The Black Family ‘Madness’ Trope: A Critical Analysis

I will start this meta by saying I’m not the fandom morality police, and people can write and explore what they want. 

However, we sometimes need to unpack popular tropes in order to examine where they come from, what societal trends they reflect, and what literary traditions they speak to.

In this case, I want to explore the “Black family madness” trope and its implications, particularly its ties to the Gothic literary tradition, ableism, and gendered narratives of mental health. 

Importantly, the term “madness” is so profoundly loaded.  It has historically been used to dismiss, pathologise, and other individuals experiencing mental distress, stripping away their humanity and turning them into objects of fear or ridicule or a source of morbid entertainment. Even today, it often conflates vastly different experiences `(mental illness, trauma, grief) into a single, reductive concept.

When viewed in the context of the Black family, fandom uses ‘madness’ as an undefined, catch-all label. It’s thrown around to broadly explain behaviour, dysfunction, or cruelty without any meaningful exploration of what it actually entails. This vagueness is deeply problematic, as it reduces mental distress to a simplistic, monolithic concept rather than recognising the nuanced and varied experiences it represents. 

This lack of specificity gives it an almost caricatured quality, evoking characters like Renfield from Dracula, where madness becomes an aesthetic of grotesquerie rather than a nuanced reflection of mental health.

And this warrants critical examination.

1.0 The consanguinity of it all.

I have to start with science, as much of the discourse around “Black family madness” focuses on inbreeding or consanguinity, with a particular focus on the marriage of Walburga and Orion (who are second cousins)/ 

However, this idea doesn’t hold up under scrutiny—either scientifically or narratively.

Second cousins share about 3.125% of their DNA, a negligible amount from a genetic perspective.

 To put this into context, the general population shares, on average, about 1% of their genetic material with any random individual, meaning second-cousin marriages increase genetic overlap only slightly. Even first-cousin marriages, which share 12.5% of DNA, while not advised, do not guarantee the passing on of recessive disorders or significant genetic risk. This is due to the role of epigenetics and genetic variability during zygote formation, which can influence the expression of genes and mitigate the inheritance of certain recessive traits. In the case of second-cousin marriages, where the genetic overlap is even smaller, the likelihood of hereditary issues is further reduced (although it does increase the odds within a small community it’s not a guarantee). 

Furthermore, it’s worth noting that Orion and Walburga are the only example of a second-cousin marriage in the Black family tree, making it strange that “madness” is so broadly attributed to the family as a whole. 

Other family members married into other pureblood families including the Potters, Malfoys, Longbottoms, and Macmillans—none of whom are labelled as “mad” in fandom discourse.

Also, Bellatrix who often does bear the brunt of madness discourse, is not directly descended from Orion and Walburga and, therefore, wouldn’t be affected by this supposed hereditary instability (yet she is frequently framed as the epitome of “Black family madness.”)

Futhermore, we need to confront an uncomfortable truth: genetics, as a field, is relatively new. For most of human history, we had no understanding of DNA, recessive genes, or the risks of consanguinity. The reality is that most of us are far more products of consanguinity than we’d like to admit. Before modern transportation, people lived in small, isolated communities, often marrying within their local network (which frequently meant distant relatives). Yet humanity persisted, and the widespread dysfunction assumed in discussions of the Black family’s genetic "madness" is not reflected in the reality of human history.

This overemphasis on consanguinity also carries echoes of Victorian pseudoscience, where inherited “madness” was often used to stigmatise families and individuals as morally or biologically corrupt. 

2.0 Abelism but make it gothic

Finally, moving away from science (and my own flashbacks of having to wear a lab coat every day), it’s important to examine how the “Black family madness” trope fits within Gothic literary traditions—and how fandom has amplified it.

The Blacks are steeped in Gothic tropes. They are a family who has crumbled under the weight of their own hubris, trapped in a decaying house filled with bottles of blood and knives (ngl, it is a vibe). Their tragedy is almost operatic (someone really needs to seance Puccini and get him to write The Fall of the House of Black).

Fandom’s embrace of the “madness” trope often centres on Walburga’s portrait, where she is described as shrieking, claw-like, and grotesque. This imagery has been seized upon as evidence of hereditary instability within the Black family. However, it’s worth noting that canon never confirms this idea. Instead, Walburga’s depiction leans heavily on Gothic conventions, where madness often serves as shorthand for moral or hereditary corruption rather than a nuanced exploration of mental health.

This framing, while aesthetically in line with Gothic traditions, leans heavily into ableist narratives. By turning mental illness into spectacle, it dehumanises characters and perpetuates harmful real-world stigmas about mental health. Madness becomes something grotesque, isolating individuals and reducing them to objects of voyeuristic fascination—cautionary tales rather than complex individuals.

And yet, this framing isn’t applied equally across the family. Male characters like Regulus or Orion are rarely labelled as mad, despite their struggles or dysfunctions. Similarly, Narcissa, who arguably embodies the Wizarding World’s ideals of femininity (read: motherhood), is spared this label. This selective application reveals how the Gothic’s obsession with madness intersects with its deeply gendered lens, which we’ll explore next

2.1 Gothic Tropes and Gendered Madness

In Gothic literature, madness often has a distinctly gendered lens, with women’s emotional and mental health struggles frequently pathologised as symbols of hysteria or instability. This tradition continues in the portrayal of Black family women, who bear the brunt of the “madness” trope.

Some fandom interpretations wouldn’t look out of place at a Victorian doctor’s convention where they’re designing vibrators to treat “hysteria.” Female characters’ grief, anger, or ideological conviction are persistently reduced to vague notions of madness, as if their emotions are inherently excessive or irrational. Instead of nuanced examinations, their struggles are framed as aberrations, fitting neatly into the trope of the “hysterical woman.”

This framing erases the complexities of Black family women, leaning on misogynistic traditions where women’s mental health is weaponised against them. Their distress is rarely explored as a response to systemic oppression, personal loss, or ideological indoctrination but is instead transformed into spectacle—a way to dehumanise them and dismiss their perspectives.

Characters like Walburga and Bellatrix are cast as emotionally unbalanced, their behaviours dismissed as irrational shrieking rather than the product of their circumstances and choices. This pattern is far from new; Gothic literature has long used the “madwoman” archetype to punish women who deviate from societal norms.

Bertha Mason from Jane Eyre is a prime example. Locked in an attic, her “madness” is attributed to supposed sexual excesses and moral degeneracy, reinforcing Victorian beliefs that tied women’s mental health to their purity—or lack thereof. Stripped of her humanity, Bertha becomes a monstrous figure, a cautionary tale about the dangers of female desire and independence. Similarly, in The Yellow Wallpaper, Charlotte Perkins Gilman critiques how patriarchal systems dismissed women’s mental health. The protagonist’s postpartum depression is labelled as “hysteria,” and her prescribed “rest cure” exacerbates her decline.

These tropes are mirrored in the portrayal of Black family women. Walburga’s grief, anger, and ideological rigidity are reduced to insanity, rendering her a shrieking, clawed portrait rather than a woman grappling with immense loss. Bellatrix’s fanaticism and violence are similarly dismissed as unhinged madness, ignoring the ideological indoctrination and personal choices that shaped her.

Such portrayals flatten these characters, perpetuating harmful cultural narratives and the “hysterical woman” trope ultimately delegitimises women’s voices and experiences. 

The Gothic’s obsession with tainted bloodlines and hereditary madness also intersects with colonial anxieties about purity and degeneration. Victorian Gothic literature often used madness to represent racial and cultural “otherness,” dehumanising those considered outside the norm.

In conclusion, tropes like this need a critical eye. It’s important to recognise where pervasive ideas come from and what they’re perpetuating, both in fiction and beyond. These are just stories, yes, but what is fiction if not a reflection of reality? When we allow tropes like “Black family madness” to go unexamined, we risk reinforcing harmful stereotypes and flattening characters into tired archetypes

[that-starry-sky]

‧₊ ᵎᵎ ☁️ MINE AND YOURS ๋࣭ ⭑

SYNOPSIS: basically a small series of relationships of different characters

Character: Diluc Ragvindr — Genshin Impact

[Strongly OOC, I tried to make it fit the character as much as possible.)

THE BEGINNING

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ First of all, Diluc is a closed person, he doesn't really let anyone get too close to him, perhaps his servants would be the closest thing to a family. I would say that Diluc's trip made him not know how to talk to the people he had contact with without it being awkward.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ Not to mention the problems he may have, things like insecurities, trust issues, maybe fear of abandonment and he may or may not a dubious depression It would be difficult to get close to Diluc, you would have to be very persistent to get close to him.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ But if you are persistent enough and give enough trust for him to deign to allow you to be closer to him, it would still be a something, You might see each other more often when the tavern is closed and then Diluc will allow himself to be a little more vocal, But it doesn't say much either

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ I wouldn't have much to say about this stage, since I feel that it would be the same as in the game when Diluc enters the scene, Distant but always willing to help those who were once closest to him and who he possibly considers his closest, but it is a complicated situation.

THE BEGINNING OF THE PRE-COURTSHIP

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ When Diluc begins to feel things more significant than those of a simple friend, I would say that he would feel conflicted, his insecurities, his fears would trap him like a rabbit in an open trap. He wants to go with you but he's afraid that the trap will close and he'll end up more hurt.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ He knows he is handsome, his name has influence and above all, his money, He notices how the maidens presented to him at parties do not look at him for what is behind his appearance, name and fortune. It is a reality that he has already accepted and that he and other aristocrats face.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ He knows that his dreams of meeting a girl, falling in love and marrying for love when he was a young boy are nothing more than distant and childish dreams. But now with you in the photo, that conflict floods his mind, It doesn't leave him alone between the decision of taking a risk and loving or not.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ He knows that love challenges you to too many things, loving means changes, time and dedication, It challenges you to care for others and if you are not able to do so, maybe you are not as ready for love as one thinks.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ He is willing to do that, to face the challenges that love would have for him, At least he believes that if it is for someone he treasures, it is worth the attempt and the risk.

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It was late at night, he had arrived from his job as a night guard in Mondstadt, tired and a little hurt but nothing really serious other than arrow scratches and some scrapes, He was dressed in more casual clothes than he naturally wore. He was cleaning his heavy sword while thinking about his heart.

He knows that his heart is his greatest enemy. So many feelings can leave him exposed to things that would hinder him in his work... But it felt good, too good to just let it go.

Could he really let his heart rule his mind for once in his life? Let himself be vulnerable and let you see what he's really like? Let you see his insecurities, fears, would you accept him if he let you see that? That without money, power and influence he would be nothing more than a broken man with many defects.

Even though he was afraid to do it, he wanted to.

He wanted to be with you, through thick and thin, to be able to hold your hands when you're cold and to be able to dry your tears, Even if the thought of just seeing your face stained with sadness hurt.

He is willing to embrace you with all the love he can give, to give it to you on a silver platter, He just waits for you to be willing to let him hold you and love you, He expects that and that you return that and that it is sincere, not something fake just to say "look at me, I'm dating Diluc Ragvindr, The uncrowned king". you're not like everyone else (you're not, I hope...)

He followed leaving sword finally, clean and ready for the next night, soon went to the window, seeing the starry night, Thinking about what he should do, he wants to court you, but he doesn't really know how.

He knows the basics yes, but after his 3 year journey and too much time alone he really lost a lot of his social skills, Minimal does the essentials for the formal, but you are more than a formal occasion.

That night he lay awake, not fighting monsters, but thinking about how he should approach and court you.

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PROPOSAL OF COURTSHIP

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ I feel like Diluc at this stage would be somewhat indirect, testing the waters a bit with small, anonymous gifts to see if it's the right time to go direct, Make clear your intentions with you.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ Here it would depend too much on your reaction to the gifts, depending on that, Diluc may or may not delay his courtship, He really wants to play it safe, at least at the beginning of this, Then he would be encouraged to be more risky when he gains more confidence.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ If your reaction is happiness, intrigue and even excitement for each gift, he would feel too happy internally, now thinking about directly going to you and letting you know that he wants to court you. And if possible, be able to establish a loving relationship

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ If your reaction is neutral, annoyed, or even displeased for each gift, you may be perpetuating his insecurities further and his direct courtship may not come until much later. (He's little one, take care of him)

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ Assuming (forcing) that your reaction is the first, he will directly send you a letter that is perhaps too formal and elegant to ask your permission to openly court you, Being clear with you, Ready to give you his feelings, his heart was in a state of uncertainty as he waited for your response.

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With trembling hands he left a letter at your house, his grip was so strong that he would be able to tear the paper or even burn it with his vision without meaning to.

He was scared, the night guard who went through hardships at a very young age was scared by a simple letter, but he could afford it right? For at least this moment.

Without thinking too much, he left the letter that had a scented envelope and the stamp that made it clear that it was from Dawn Winery, He soon retreated to a distant place but had a view of your house, he did not like the idea of doing this but if you reject it, At least he will be able to mentally prepare himself before you come with him.

He watched as you walked out, noticing his letter, his heart tightening as he watched you carefully open the letter and begin to read.

“For [Y/N]

It may be a bit strange that you receive a letter, but I thought it was more appropriate, since possibly if I had you in front of me the words would not come out of me no matter how much I wanted to say them.

Actually, in order not to make this long, I will go straight to the point.

This question has been haunting me and I thought it appropriate to finally reach out to you and ask. Would you allow me to court you?

You know, court you directly and see if something more blossoms between us, if you are willing to accept my proposal and let me get closer to you, more than friends.

I will wait for your response patiently, take the time you need.

Sincerely, Diluc Ragvindr”

As the redhead watched your eyes pass over his words with enviable calligraphy and something too elegant, maybe he worried about it too much, But he really cared now what you would do now that you had reached the end of his letter.

He was only able to see how you brought the scented envelope to cover your face and how you apparently smiled while you smelled the envelope softly. Apparently you were happy with his proposal.

He only hoped that it would be like that and that it would be the beginning of something more beautiful and meaningful for both of them.

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COURTSHIP

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ At this stage Diluc would be more than dedicated, fulfilling what he promised, because of how he was educated he was obviously a gentleman and respectful, It is impossible for me to treat you with less than the greatest respect

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ Sure he would be shy and a bit rough at first, but the more and more time he spends with you, the more he will warm up and everything would be really sweet.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ Also that at this stage despite doing everything directly, he really wants to keep it as private as possible, he knows that if he says something it will spread like wildfire and everything will burn.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ It's not something that really bothers you either, at the end of the day, in his empty tavern he's really cute, Or even when you escape from Mondstadt for a bit to wander through the beautiful meadows of Mondstadt

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ I really don't think he has anything new to add for this phase other than what has already been said about him, quite a gentleman, shy but cute...

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It was late at night, Diluc was having dinner in his office while thinking about the best way to woo you and be able to have a chance at a relationship with you, His mind was full of doubts, something unusual for someone as sure of everything as he was, what should he do?...

The door to his office opened after a few knocks, the blonde-haired maid, Adelinde, entered with a tray of tea and desserts, Smiling softly as she greeted him.

Adelinde left the tray, she was going to leave but. —Adelinde, wsit— The young master suddenly said, stopping her.

—Yes, Master Diluc? What do you need?— The maid turned around, facing him and waiting patiently for the redhead to continue, although she noticed that he was... nervous?

Yes, he was nervous and hid it very well, but after so many years working alongside Diluc, she knew how to read him perfectly, even if he hid his feelings very well, Even from its employees-

—Do you have any advice for courting someone?— his eyes sparkled and his cheeks blushed. —There is a person I want to court, but I really don't know what is the best way to do it, can you help me?— His eyes desperately searching for help with her, like a baby duck searching for its mother.

The maid's eyes were wide in surprise, not believing what she was hearing, The young master, Diluc, the closed-off and mysterious man from the vineyard, in love?!,Who is this and what did he do to Diluc? Bring him back!.

Leaving the jokes aside she smiled while her eyes sparkled, Diluc was waiting for her answer to his big question, Adelinde was the closest thing he had to a mother, he supposes it is a good idea to seek her guidance.

She soon sat down in the chair on the other side of his office desk, excited by this situation.

The night passed between food and tea, Adelinde asked everything, when and how he met you, Soon she gave him advice and guidance to help the young lover.

Now we just have to wait for the moment when she sees you holding hands.

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RELATIONSHIP

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ Here you enter a more dense and personal environment, when you accept that proposal of love, accepting to be his partner, his love, you reach a higher level of intimacy, vulnerability and fear.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ This stage is where I have the most to say to be honest, because I would like to go deeper here.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ Be prepared to be this man's safe place when he can't walk because of his nocturnal activities once he tells you about them, You'd better leave the window open enough so he can get in without waking you up, Although in the morning you will meet a hugging bear

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ In these vigilante activities that he does, it is impossible for him not to get hurt, a constant but inevitable concern, It will be normal that if you are awake when he comes to you, you will have to help him.

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Another difficult night, they managed to give him some good blows, and more than grazing him with arrows and more, apparently there were more enemies this time, the more tired he was, the more difficult it was.

But it was something that no matter how tired or damaged I was, I had to do, so that Mondstadt could sleep peacefully, so that you would be fine, He will die in the dark if necessary.

Although if he thinks about it, he would prefer to see you one more time before he dies, the moment where he has to be buried before his time comes to his mind, Hopefully at least he'll have a photo of you when he's buried.

A photo so that he doesn't forget your features that he memorizes and traces every night, so that he isn't afraid of being down there, meters underground, To be able to go in dreams with you and thus be able to feel more alive, That's what he expects and they do, of course, if he dies before his time.

But right now he can't allow that, he got up and walked with too much pain in his body, too much pain and even burning, He slowly went to Mondstadt, he couldn't go to his vineyard, so he went straight to the safest place he knows.

After a painful walk he finally reaches your door or rather your window, he climbs in, his body being in too much pain to climb properly, But when he arrived the only thing he didn't take into account was that you were awake, Seeing how his body was about to collapse.

He just felt your arms wrap around his larger body that trembled gently, feeling you finally felt good, he relaxed but his body relaxed so much that he let his tiredness win

You only saw his face, somewhat dirty with dirt and somewhat scraped and leaning on your chest as he slept peacefully after going through hardships, He looked like an innocent child who was seeking refuge in the arms of the person he loves most, you.

You knew his story, how he was technically taught to be a gentleman in his younger years, not to be running the vineyard, even when he was deep in depression.

It is a shame that he lived through things so young that were too heavy and that he did not have to go through, he deserved to continue being a gentleman and he deserved to continue having his father, But life had other plans, plans too cruel that took away his smile and innocence.

Plans that took him on a journey where he was alone, fending for himself, where his hands became more calloused and where his innocence fell to pieces, Only to come back, be replaced and actually be even lonelier.

For tonight now you would have to take care of this young man who carries too many responsibilities, too heavy even for his biggest and strongest shoulders...

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-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ I think at some point in the relationship, maybe 1 or 2 years, maximum 3 or 4 years, he would invite you to live at his vineyard, His feelings and thoughts would depend a lot on your answer again.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ If you accept, it would be nothing new, Diluc would feel happy and excited to be able to live next to you and the move would really be quick.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ If you decline his invitation he will only become shy and apologize for his hasty request, although his heart would be somewhat disappointed.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ Again, assuming (forcing) that your reaction is the first one, Your life would change noticeably but not so drastically, it's not like your life would turn 180 degrees 5 times, As much as possible, it would be largely the same

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ The most significant thing would be that Adelinde would treat you as if you were her daughter, I have the thought that Adelinde is very maternal, Not only with Diluc but also with the rest of the staff, she is motherly but strict.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ So considering that, expect the blonde maid to treat you with too much love and motherly affection, The morning will be pleasant even if Diluc could not accompany you for breakfast, Adelinde was there to talk to you.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ The rest of the staff would be the same, although to a lesser extent, everyone would be happy to have you there and it is more happiness when they see the love between you and the young master.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ Although the best mornings are when he can be with you until he leaves, without any intervention from anyone, just you and him.

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You woke up, it was early in the morning, too early, early enough for you to see how the blue barely filled the room through the windows, you turned around, somewhat annoyed by your early awakening.

Although when you turned around and could see better, you saw how your lover was at the window, looking at the sky with something illuminated.

You smiled sleepily. —You know, it’s too cold without you here Luc.— The tired voice caught the attention of the redhead who immediately turned around and smiled, a smile just for you.

—I'm sorry, I didn't think of that.— He approached the bed as he spoke, climbing onto the bed, resting his head on his arm as he hugged you with the other arm. —Let me warm you up then— He said affectionately.

He hugged you, making your head rest on his chest while he covered you with the thick, soft blankets, He began to tenderly ruffle your hair while giving you kisses on the forehead, his pyro vision doing a perfect job warming you up.

Between his caresses, his kisses, his soft heartbeat in your ear like a lullaby, Its warmth causing sleep to attack your body again to take you back to the world of dreams.

He held you against his chest gently as he let you sleep leaning against him, being able to see your peacefully sleeping face, running his fingers over your face softly, Trying not to wake you up.

Tonight he will take care of you and protect you while you sleep, Just like you did and do.

Although looking at your face he can see everything he fights for at night, so that you and the inhabitants of Mondstadt can continue sleeping peacefully, And he will fight for that every minute of his life if it means that you and his beloved city are okay.

And he is so grateful to have someone who greets him with loving words and not silence, Someone who hugs him with warm arms instead of the cold wind, just as he has someone who caresses his wounds and scars and does not make them deeper.

He is a lonely knight, who longs for the dawn to appear on his dark path, but it will never do so, he is eternally condemned to this darkness.

But with you by his side, that darkness is more bearable, even in his deepest darkness, you with your warm, orange light illuminate that darkness to which he is accustomed.

Just you and him, Together

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-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ Naturally when he can't be with you he always leaves you a note and a flower promising to return to your arms as soon as possible, Telling you to stay safe and that Adelinde is there if anything happens.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ With his staff, of course, you spend the most time, whether it's chatting with Adelinde while she cooks, Have friendly conversations with Elzer, although sharing moments of a younger Diluc, just don't tell him

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ You would also have afternoons where you would help old Tunner with the grapes while he tells you things about his son and stories that he has for you.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ Even Charles joins this list, being that sometimes you go to the tavern even if Diluc is not there, just to make conversation with him and help him a little.

‧-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ In themselves they all loved you and respected you and they would enjoy the little moments, they are also happy that the Diluc who always looked sad, At last he has someone waiting for him and with whom to return.

-`୨୧���.ᐟ Finally, Master Diluc had someone to call family.

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The mornings were calm and normal, the sun was warm and the clouds did not make an appearance, Adelinde was taking care of the flowers outside while watching them out of the corner of her eye.

You and Master Diluc under a tree together, chatting and laughing, she can't remember the last time she saw Diluc smile so sincerely and so lovingly.

It was incredible how you made your way into his frozen heart and how you took care of that heart that, although hard on the outside, was soft on the inside, Longing for someone to hold him with as much love as you do.

Adelinde smiled softly as she watched them being little love birds.

The love you and he had for each other was evident, as pure and sincere as it could be, She knew it because she had seen it, how you hugged Diluc in the living room while he was relaxing after his activities.

She had seen how he put a lot of effort into every gift he gave and even in the soft and delicate way he spoke to you, Even as he feared that some gift you might not like, which was always an unnecessary fear.

She smiled softly as she saw them hugging under the tree, young Diluc looked more relaxed, without worries or tensions that made his body really straight, it was simply a nice moment between a young couple who loved each other very much.

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-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ Although nothing could be all positive, rosy, just as you had nice and happy moments, you also had bad moments, moments where you argued, arguments are normal, But painful

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ Also accidentally that pain could increase because of things that should not have been said, things that crossed the line of what should be said in an argument, Things that hurt deeply

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ For the two of you, that rule was no exception, many times you said things just because of the tense moment, Stupid things.

-`୨୧⭑.ᐟ But with the same love that you showed each other when you were well, you could cope...

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It was very late at night, how much? You don't know, that doesn't matter, the only thing that matters is that a few minutes ago you were arguing with Diluc, for something stupid now that you think about it coldly, A misunderstanding that escalated to too much...and now? You hurt Diluc with words, words you didn't want to say but your subconscious won over.

God, they were so cruel that you can't even remember exactly what you said, you only remember Diluc's pained face, as well as his beautiful eyes that you loved to crystallize and fill with tears, Only those tears never made their way down his cheeks.

Now he was out in the open somewhere, Fighting monsters maybe, but you couldn't help but worry about him, especially after this.

You knew that you had no right to feel bad, you hurt him in the first place, but you didn't ask to avoid feeling guilty, A feeling that spread from the depths of your heart until it tightened your throat and almost prevented you from breathing.

The hours passed without you noticing because of the repetition of that moment, the blue morning dominating the room, cold passing and freezing you. Diluc would be hugging you if he found you like this, since he always tried to come back a little earlier, But not today, not now...

You came out of your trance hearing the door of the room, turning to look, you saw that person you were thinking about so much, Only now she was disheveled, polite and somewhat sore, apparently he was more careless during his hours of surveillance.

You got out of bed gently as he entered just as gently, your bare feet touching the cold floor, taking a small step closer to him, Only his sudden glance at you made you stop, They both looked at each other, Tired and clearly regretful eyes looking at his more serious but still crystallized ones.

You approached him gently and not abruptly, making sure he could predict your every move. You knew he was hurt and distressed but above all scared.

You just raised your hand to his cheek, though not touching it, you just waited for his movement, letting him decide... Sooner or later he leaned completely on your hand, Like a kitten looking for warmth.

Your eyes watered, and you hugged him just as he hugged you, as tightly as you, He began to tremble as he let the tears he had been holding back come out like rain on a cold day.

You just stayed hugging him while you caressed his back, trying to comfort him, now you had to be strong and above all, recognize and apologize.

—I'm really sorry... I shouldn't have said that, I didn't even have to if I was too angry, You don't deserve to be treated in such an ugly way, much less when you tried to explain it to my stubborn head.— With a somewhat broken voice you asked for forgiveness, while you continued to hug him.

He gently pulled away to look into your eyes, seeing in your eyes that you were truly sorry and that you truly sought his forgiveness, He nodded, accepting them, although at bedtime he wasn't in the mood to hug you and you understood that.

It would take a little less than a week for them to fully reconcile, but the hardest thing would be sleeping without him hugging you.

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P.S.: I feel that it was somewhat empty and without exploring too many things, but what do you say?

[wind-tied]

not part of the oc asks im jus curious….

what are the races in ur worldbuilding?

Hello!!! I currently have 17 species in my universe. 3 are extinct, bringing it down to 14! In the world the common word that means sophont species / or race (way it is used in fantasy) is "oisnnuk".

long infodump below...

I will be grouping the species into categories based on three factors. These classifications are only on the planet of Morweav. Viefuent are not included in this due to the fact that they are from the planet Driskine and are also extinct.

Bima - directly related to, or to the ancestors of Biehtim and Mismar.

Moa - artificially created under the will of a divine or the influence of a powerful being. All species here are built with the intent of the species serving a particular purpose. (Which is usually lost over time lol.)

Wiyl - these sophonts are not related to Bima and have no influence from Moa. Most of these sophonts appear after ROSE, which is known as the Rapid OverSaturation Event, but not all.

Under Bima : Biehtim, Mismar, Fayons and Werins are included.

Biehtim and Mismars are what we call the "humans" of the world but they have their own differences from earth homo sapiens, being more akin to a sibling species.

Fayons and Werins came into the world around roughly the same time. Technically they could be mixed into the Moa. But because they were accidentally created by two tuceno who, never intended for such things to happen. And in result never gave the species a "purpose". So the two are under Bima instead.

---

Under Moa : Avihas, Kestrim, Daefuent, and Shaifir.

Avihas and kestrim are peoples similar to birds and were artificially created by the Veilke. Their genetics are a heavy mix of many animals and people. Avihas get most of their non bird-like looks from mismar genes, and are more mammalian. While Kestrim obtained more genetic code from pterosaur-like creatures that exist across the world, they are also more archosaur-like. The two species have some fun mythological stories about their creation.

Daefuent were artificially created by Moira after the mass extinction of her children species, the Viefuent. She crashed down onto Morweav and in her grief, she created the Dae to help her. Some sources say that Daefuent should be considered an alien species.

Shaifir were created directly after the creation of the Dae. Made as a collaboration between Chappell and Flurill, tuceno lovers, the Shaifir are often considered their children, despite not being actually related to either individuals. The shai were created to specifically deal with the chaos of ROSE, working to maintain peace in many locations along the southern hemisphere.

---

Under Wiyl : Camsabi, Gorune, Tieraltsh, Loruz, Meenki, Pabur, Saxles, and Veilke.

Camsabi's ancestors were affected by ROSE, gaining the ability to activate their ECS plus the fact that their brains were getting larger from an abundance of nutrients. The species quickly rose to sophonce. They are generally considered one of the more rare oisnnuk, due to their high avoidance to any creatures outside of their own. They are nomadic and great story tellers.

Gorune and Tieraltsh are sibling oisnnuk, taking a very centaur appearance. Their sophonce occured before they split, and much further back than ROSE or even Fayon and Werins came around.

Loruz are similar to jackalopes. Their ancestors were small antlered rabbits, a fairly common animal. But during ROSE, a specific population was altered, creating highly intelligent rabbit people. Only three subspecies exist in modern times and are relatively spread apart. An interesting note is that some oisnnuk do no recognize Loruz as a sophont, and use their reasoning to excuse harvest of their meat, and fur.

Meenki are large cat(?) like creatures that occured due to ROSE. Their ancestors were small tree climbing predators who were venomous. When ROSE came around, and they began to get smarter and more articulate, they began a rapid growth in size. Their massive tails help counterweight them so they are able to stand upright!

Pabur are the smallest oisnnuk. They prioritize knowledge and education. Their sophonce came from their ancestors need to be able to communicate complex information. Unlike other oisnnuk, they have special organs that allow them to communicate with one another seamlessly. They often form communities with Loruz.

Saxles are the only semi aquatic oisnnuk. Due to their evolution path, they take on striking similarities to earth phocids. Saxles are highly avoidant of other species besides their own. Depending on the subspecies they may form massive colonies, or groups of just parents and children. Some oisnnuk, like northern ethnic groups of werins may hunt them for survival.

The Veilke are highly important in the creation of Avihas and Kestrim. But Veilke were originally from a population of pterosaur-like land predators, who were exposed to the ROSE site directly. After their brains changed and molded into something new they began to harness essence powers, maarik. The veilke started being very combative with other sophonts, often not recognizing the shared intelligence, mostly due to their very different body language and ways of communication. The veilke hunted Werins, Fayons, and Biehtim, this started a war. A veilke roo called Mabuz forced his helper, Barca, to craft creatures who could help take down the small, but fairly violent humanoids. After many, many failed tests Barca crafted two, the avihas and the kestrim. Later into the war, the veilke were mostly wiped out, their own children had turned against them. The last of the veilke who fled, died out in their due time.

So these are the oisnnuk of my world :3. I rambled like crazy here I will spare you and zip my mouth back up ! I also have a toyhouse page covering all the species in sokiin.

[writing-for-life]

@embervoices , I had to put this in a reblog because it got too long for the comments (brevity is not my forte 🤣):

Yes yes yes! I’ve got several metas that riff on exactly the points you mention, also Desire not being the straightforward villain so many think they are; you’ll find them all in my meta-library:

(please don’t feel you need to read them though)

Or rather: If we look at the Endless conceptually instead of seeing them solely as, well, “not human but still people”, we get to a deeper meaning that will otherwise stay inaccessible. It starts with *when* Desire and Despair first enter the scene in the main run (right after The Sound of her Wings, when Dream… well, hears the sound of her wings 😩). The “big sister sets his head straight” is a valid surface reading of #8, but it’s also just that—a surface reading.

You can’t love and be close to Death if you don’t feel drawn to death.

Death can’t advise you without also being her function. She *is* death. The literal thing. And I’ll never tire of saying it, because every time he listens to her in the whole run, he gets closer to her in the real sense.

And another unpopular opinion: When NG coined the pithy phrase that one must change or die, and that Morpheus made his choice, he didn’t mean he just chose death (even if a felt 80% of people seem to read it like that, but that might just be what I see on my feed—other people’s mileage might vary). They were never to be read as mutually exclusive—it was always both. Because metaphorically, something needs to die to change—a viewpoint, a habit, a set of beliefs. And yet, it doesn’t entirely disappear. That’s exactly what happens—omnia mutantur, nihil interit. And Dream is the Prince of Stories—of course he relates to everything via a narrative *he* spins (he can deny it all he wants).

And yes, you can absolutely desire death—it’s so poignant that we meet Desire and Despair for the first time in #10, and also that they show as the twins on this occasion.

And then there is Brief Lives, when Desire (which is *also* a life force, and that’s important contextually in several arcs) actively pulls out of the scheming in more than one way: Dream even says, verbatim, he has no desire to “do this”, when he usually avoids even the word like the plague (and if he hadn’t done it, the ending might have been different, but that would have also been totally past the point). But the influence of his other siblings, or rather how he relates to them, is far more devastating in that moment. And while they all try as siblings, they are also their function. And in their function, they are NOT helping—again, it’s so obvious if we just look at when and how they show up for him:

Delirium made him go on the trip to find Destruction, Death told him off and made him change his mind when he had already abandoned the plan, Destiny advised him but also didn’t because he is what *must* happen either way, and Despair only showed up for him after Orpheus’ death.

Funnily enough, Desire, despite all their scheming, was always the only one who saved his ass (maybe not always for the most unselfish reasons, but they did it anyway). Not just once. Several times over. Overture is all I’ll say (during the actual events of Overture, but also in the flashback to Alianora’s story).

It’s all incredibly clever and heartbreaking at once…

”But He Loved, He Should Have Been Forgiven”

About Free Will, Responsibility and Agency: Lucifer and Dream as Foils

Did I finally jump on the Lucidream/Dreamingstar bandwagon? No, don’t panic (or be eternally disappointed 🤣), because that quote is actually from “Murder Mysteries”, a short story that also exists in comic form (drawn by P. Craig Russell). And while it isn’t officially part of the Sandman Universe (or even DC), I always saw it as somewhat of a blueprint of how NG (re)imagined Lucifer’s Fall. There is enough in Lucifer’s characterisation in the Sandman that makes it quite plausible as a sort of backstory, especially since it was written when the Sandman was still in full swing. But more about that later…

I’ve long wanted to write a meta about Lucifer and Dream as narrative foils, and since I’ve finally started clearing out my drafts, this was a good one to do right now because we are currently discussing “A Hope in Hell” in our community (join us!). Although I have to admit that this one is rather about what transpires when Lucifer decides to abandon their realm in Season of Mists...

When Lucifer learns of Dream's impending return to Hell to finally release Nada, it solidifies their own resolve to leave (I use they/them pronouns because of the show although comics!Lucifer is male presenting apart from the plumbing and also referred to as he/him). By the time Dream arrives, Hell is nearly deserted, with Lucifer basically expelling its last inhabitants. Lucifer tells Dream they rebelled long ago, and that they are not willing to “pay for that one action” anymore. And the most profound truth they share with Dream is the nature of ultimate freedom—the freedom to leave. This is also brought up many issues later, when Lucifer says to Delirium, "I told him, you know. I told him years ago… I told him that I owed him much for having given me the impetus to go. I told him there was always freedom, even the ultimate freedom. The freedom to leave. You don't have to stay anywhere forever.”

And that’s just… ouch. Not just because it so clearly shows that Morpheus also could have left had he just chosen to (then again, he wouldn’t be Morpheus if he had, and even more “then again”: he did in certain ways), but also because we generally see Lucifer as an antagonistic force. But here, they express something akin to gratefulness. And maybe even a hint of regret that Morpheus didn’t also choose the same way. They feel almost sorry for him (my guess is they actually do, and I can never forget their face at The Wake). But what do you do if even freedom feels like a cage?

All of this ties in neatly with the crucial truth about Hell Lucifer reveals: People are there because they choose to be (and that Hell doesn’t need to be a physical place: We can make our own—any place, even in our own minds).

...this is where you wanted to be.

Lucifer explains to Dream:

"Why do they blame me for all their little failings? They use my name as if I spend my entire day sitting on their shoulders, forcing them to commit acts they would otherwise find repulsive. 'The Devil made me do it.' I have never made one of them do anything. Never. They live their own tiny lives. I do not live their lives for them.”

He continues, “and then they die, and they come here (having transgressed against what they believed to be right), and expect us to fulfil their desire for pain and retribution. I don't make them come here. They talk of me going around and buying souls, like a fishwife come market day, never stopping to ask themselves why. I need no souls. And how can anyone own a soul? No.

They belong to themselves… they just hate to face up to it.”

Which brings me to one of the most important messages (one of many) of the Sandman: People must take responsibility (and in this particular case not only for their lives but also for their afterlives, which is also a recurring theme). Each person's soul is their own, and no one can take that away. Paradoxically (or maybe not), as Lucifer abandons their own responsibilities, they urge people to take responsibility for themselves: You can drop said responsibilities, with all that entails, as long as you also take responsibility for the fallout.

So what about the wider question of free will then?

Let’s look at Lucifer's rebellion and fall for that, because both raise a lot of questions. Dream tells Lucifer that he remembers them as passionate, and Lucifer responds, “I cared about so many things. I suppose that was why everything began to go wrong. You know… I still wonder how much of it He planned. How much of it He knew in advance. I thought I was rebelling. I thought I was defying His rule. No… I was merely fulfilling another tiny segment of His great and powerful plan.”

And this brings me right to NG’s short story “Murder Mysteries”, which isn’t really officially part of the Sandman Universe, but also… it totally is 🤣. In it, pre-fall Lucifer witnesses the destruction of an angel who killed another angel they loved. Raguel (the angel formerly tasked with said destruction who now walks on earth, coincidentally mentioned in the panel above as one who might also have rebelled) narrates, “‘That was not right. That was not just.’ Perhaps Saraquael was the first to love, but Lucifer was the first to shed tears."

Later, it is revealed that God orchestrated this situation to push Lucifer towards rebellion. God needed an adversary to run Hell and says, “Lucifer must brood on the unfairness of Saraquael's destruction. And that—amongst other things—will precipitate him into certain actions. Poor sweet Lucifer. His way will be the hardest of all my children; for there is a part he must play in the drama that is to come, and it is a grand role.”

Lucifer was basically set up by God, and this somewhat revisionist interpretation of their rebellion and fall opens up larger questions about free will, agency and destiny.

Because although Lucifer's actions were influenced by God, they still carried them out and are therefore fully responsible for them. And by choosing to abandon Hell, Lucifer was taking responsibility for their own life. They faced a choice: remain in Hell as a shadow of their former self, or move on and make peace.

This fragile peace is illustrated at the end of "A Season of Mists," when Lucifer and an old man are conversing on a beach. The old man, despite having lost everyone he loved, remarks that any God who can create such beautiful sunsets couldn't be all bad. After the man leaves, Lucifer admits (basically to God), “He's got a point. The sunsets are bloody marvelous, you old bastard. Satisfied?”

And in a way, even Lucifer comes to terms with their past once they take responsibility for it.

In a way, this mirrors Dream’s arc to a tee. One could certainly argue that he was set on his path by forces outwith his control: Whatever had to happen in cosmic terms was always bigger than Dream. The Fates also held a grudge against him and Orpheus, for more than one reason. Orpheus did make the Furies cry, and they never forgave him for that. Crucially though, he was also responsible for his own actions and carried them out. Only that Dream’s choice was ultimately a different one—or was it truly? Because what is the exact definition of “walking away”? He certainly did not abandon his realm like Lucifer because he ensured it was taken care of. There is no devil-may-care (no pun intended) attitude, because even when choosing death, Morpheus does care about his realm and the dreamers. Deeply.

It is the sole reason why the ending we get is the ending we get, and why we have Daniel as Dream in the end. And while Lucifer takes responsibility for their own life, Morpheus takes responsibility for his own death. But both Lucifer and Morpheus faced a choice: remain on their paths as shadows of their former selves, or move on and make peace. And both chose the latter.

And one takeaway for us, as the readers, might be that if we find ourselves in an intolerable situation, we can always walk away, even if the price may be high. This brings us back to the theme of freedom:

The price of freedom is taking responsibility for our lives, even if we haven't been fully in control of them. The freedom to walk away might not be the ultimate freedom, as Lucifer suggests, but it is significant.

Free will in the Sandman is a topic of debate, and I tangentially wrote about it before:

Destiny carries a book that contains everything that will happen to us, all there was, is and will be. Most of all though, it contains what must happen. One could say that in this universe, there is a strong element of predestination involved. However, complaining about a lack of free will and just pointing towards Destiny’s book also misses the point:

In the end, our lives are always our own (which is mentioned several times, directly or in a roundabout way: in Façade, in Song of Orpheus, in Brief Lives, in The Kindly Ones, in The Wake).

Your life and your death are your own

Some of us might have more to overcome than others, but the sooner we accept our unique challenges (which is not the same as being passive), the more we will focus on what we can change—or what we can meet with forgiveness and (self-)compassion.

Destiny and freedom as opposite sides of the coin matter far less than what we do with them…

[bujorulgalben]

the other day i was chatting to saf abt how i based a lot of facial features for anica and serghei to represent influences from the south and the north respectively, while also trying to make sure they still look related. and i feel i’ve succeeded with that!

she then brought up anica’s face reminding her of türkan şoray and hold on fellas hold tf on 

i see it!

[fragmentedblade]

The "Dan Heng is Dan Feng" dogmatics annoy me a lot. It entirely brushes off one of the most interesting and prevalent questions posed by the game, incarnated by several characters and stories that give the question different hues with different potential answers, and a constant also in HI3, like a thread waving the two games together

[dimensionzero]

anyway every spider-man in the multiverse is alone except for miles. can anybody hear me

[moonstandardtime]

i want to put link in isat. im sure hed do fine. the heros spirit endures

[countess-of-edessa]

the thing about taking advice from anyone on tiktok or instagram including catholic and christian type influencers, parenting advice, relationship advice, etc, or internalizing any stories of horrible relationships and betrayal people tell on those platforms, or reading about all the ways interpersonal relationships can end horribly and be cycled through extremely quickly on those platforms is that you are necessarily then consuming the thoughts and experiences of someone who is willing to put their face and name on a public social media platform to talk at you. and like 1% of those people have a good reason for doing so and the other 99% are completely unhinged. so everything you’re consuming has first gone through the filter of "is this person weird and insane enough to make Instagram reels of themselves crying?" and if the answer is yes maybe their advice doesn’t apply to your life because you’re a normal person who would not do that.

[delphiniumpacificguinevere]

Gosh, this is gonna be a long story… I mean really long…

Absolutely starting with T.H.White’s the once and future king. My parents were like changing working places in different countries all the time and so my siblings and I were usually went to international schools which were taught in English, u know, global language, and international schools in all countries teach in English. So back to about 7 one of my teachers (a very sweet British lady) gave me that White’s novel and I was just so into it. But then I’m started to focus on other stuffs and did not think about Arthurian for years.

The when I was like 13 or something(can’t remember lol) my family moved to the UK and my school was like spending the whole year teaching Le Morte D’ Arthur in Literature class, but what’s the most important for me is that, they adapted the book into a stage play (not a big one, just school show) and selected performers from among the students. Yes, and I have been chosen to cast Guinevere. (I still don’t know why my teacher choose me a new coming student and English is like my 3rd or 5th language, maybe just eney menny miny moe ur gonna be Guinevere in this show lol). I was under huge pressure but also very grateful for the trust so I was like “I’m gonna do this beyond just ok, come hell or high water”. I made the whole year absorbing all Arthurian sources as much as I could and I spent most of my time learning about Gwen (Obviously). I feel like I started to have a strong and deep emotion connection to the Camelot Queen and by the end of the show I felt like I wanted to cry so badly, I was so attached to Guinevere (it was really embarrassing i still can’t figure out what’s wrong with myself lol).

Yeah, I think this is where I really started to get into the Arthurian legend, I even think that liking it was the reason I chose to stay in the UK. (Yup, my parents have since happily gone on to work in other countries, but I said I don't want to wander around, I’m gonna stay here plz let me stay) Gosh, it's so convenient that if you live in the UK if you see a certain location of interest for Arthurian you can just go there and check it out…

btw my sister is also quite into Arthuriana (well, under my influence), but she’s pretty stick to Arthur & Guinevere, so every time u know when i say “aww i feel like Guincelot and even MordGuin is cute” she’s like “damn u…” lol, sisterhood<3

Plz ignore this part:

And thanks for the Isles of Britain to “adopt” me lol, feels like I'd be more likely to call the UK my home rather than others, as although I've lived in many countries (thanks to my parents? I guess I should be thankful? But I actually don’t really think so) I haven't grown attached to any of them probably because none of them have I lived for time long enough (even those where my ancestors came from, how to say this, like my lineage). Being mixed race identity crisis has always been a thing, even exacerbated by changing residence all the time in my childhood, so it really feels good to have a place a country to be called home u know… Seriously, in that way, Arthurian legend has changed my life (my saviour) (this sounds really really weird I know…)

Yeah i just yapped too much, ignore me plz… but this question just brought so many precious memories to me🥹… thx 4 this question for just be brought up🥺

arthuriana fandom. what was your FIRST introduction to arthuriana im v curious,,, like was it a book a movie word of mouth etc etc

[perenlop]

was talking about this in vc but i honestly think kieran’s arc is stronger without the possession angle. like, saying as someone who LOVES the possession trope usually, you gotta be careful about when you use it. i like that kieran nearly sabotages his relationships and life on his own and that he ruined his own chance to get close to ogerpon and that he spirals and spirals until terapagos forces him to look at the reality of his situation, and idk i feel like if he was just being puppeteered by pecharunt then it would have had significantly less weight cause now hes just being mind controlled, it’s not him it’s the puppet etc

[shirogane-oushirou]

[cw vent: chronic illness, general world politics mention w no detail)

"man. i'm so tired. i feel like i can't do anything selfship related. is it because my energy's been sapped from family visiting and everyone wanting to do ~summer activities~ nonstop? am i so in my head about "getting ren's story right without stepping over any lines" that i've backed myself into a perfectionist corner? is the world just going to shit so hard that i can't have one (1) minute of escape on this blog before going back to working through the political hellscape we're in? god even trying to make this plushie pattern is killing me even though i want to hold my guy So Badly AUGH."

/finishes the plushie pattern after trying multiple body bases and literally buying a japanese ebook about plushie face and hair design/

"actually what if i lived forever and spent all of that time making an army of these fuckers to swim in? what then?"

[niiwa-angel]

Ohhhhhhh honey, it's so cute how you can be so close yet so far.

The sorting of bathrooms, prisons, sports categories, and shelters by sex isn't there to "violently segregate" people and the definition of male and female aren't arbitrary. There are biological differences between the sexes that are noticable. Males have broader shoulders, larger lung capacity, their pelvis is shaped differently than a females. Females have lower blood pressure than males, our skulls have a different shape and so do our rib cages, we don't build muscle the same way males do. And because of those differences, and if course the underlying hormones, males are stronger and faster than females. Hence why sports categories are sorted by sex.

Let's talk about behaviour, because males and females have different behaviour patterns, some societally influenced and some not. Males commit 80% of violent crimes, males commit 94% of sex crimes, females are the victims in 90% of sex crimes. When we separate spaces where people are going to be vulnerable, such as bathrooms, change rooms, and prisons, keeping males out of female spaces isn't bigotry, it's protection. These statistics have nothing to do with feelings or gender identity, they are observable globally. Around the world, males are more violent than females and they are violent towards females. They're violent towards each other too, but because they have the same biological advantages like lung capacity, bone density, and testosterone, two males fighting are decently matched.

Now let's talk about your ridiculous arguments about a woman wearing pants in a country that forbids it, because that made me laugh. Culture is made up, every single one, and they don't affect the biological reality of male or female either. The reason countries like Afghanistan have rules about what women can wear isn't about subjugating GNC people, it's just flat out misogyny, it's the oppression of women based on their sex. I dress very differently as a Canadian woman than a woman from sub-sahara Africa, we would celebrate different holidays, have different manners, and have grown up with different expectations of what is "feminine" but we are both female. Our sexes don't change just because the cultural expectations surrounding it do.

Moving on to how you tried to talk @radykalny-feminizm about how she may not be cis because she doesn't feel like she has a gender, please don't go around preaching your delusions. You sound like a Jehovah's Witness.

When radical feminists say we are women, we don't mean that we fit a cultural expectation of what women should be. We don't define womanhood by a set of pronouns, style of clothes, hobbies you're drawn to, or media you consume. Being a woman just means being an adult human female, that's it. Everything on top of that is just you, your hobbies, your style. I don't feel like a woman, it's just a biological reality, like my skin colour, height, and blood type. It's not something I can identify into or out of. If I were born male, it's be the same, I would be a man simply because I was born male. You saying you don't "feel" like a woman is like me saying I don't feel like 5"4, it's silly, it's placing behavioural and emotional expectations onto something that cannot be changed and that is not impacted by your view of it. You're a woman even if you chose to call yourself a gender just like I am 5"4 even if I chose to call myself 6 feet. In two hundred years, archeologists can dig up both of our skeletons and will conclude that we were both female and I was 5"4. The factual reality of ourselves doesn't change, it just is.

Furthermore, your argument that if a woman has her breasts removed, is infertile, and has trauma to her genitalia, she will be viewed as less of a woman is just insulting. Survivors of FGM aren't mutilated by chance, they are victims of a deeply misogynistic culture that viewed their natural genitals as needing to be changed. A woman who has had a double mastectomy or a total hysterectomy due to something like cancer isn't magically a male. It means that these women have undergone physical trauma that has changed their body. A male who has had his testicles removed because of testicular cancer isn't magically a woman, he's a man who has survived cancer. How society views these people after they have survived their trauma is still based on their sex.

Don't you realize that male and female are social constructs? They're ideas. Scientists don't even believe biological sex is a thing anymore, we're all just people. Gender is almost like religion, it can change, some people are really sure on theirs and others aren't, forcing someone into one is always wrong. Do you know why you're cis? Do you ever think about the possibility that you're not, about what it would be like to be something other then what you were born as. Would you still feel like a woman if you didn't have a womb, if you didn't have breasts or genitals or estrogen? It was a combination of contemplating these things, and mystical experiences with the goddess Hel that got me to realize I was agender. I thought I would lose certain things when becoming nonbinary and genderless, but I didn't. I don't know about you, but know you can be happy as an enby or a boy, you can be loved, and cherished and comforted as an enby or as a boy. I don't know if you're nonbinary like I am. You might find you really do identify with womanhood, but if you do really want to be a woman, then know that that's the same feeling amab women have. I know what it's like to think the way you do, I used to think that way, and I've had bad experiences with men and with the expectations society has for people with bodies like mine. But you don't have to take your pain and call it womanhood.

I'm not cis.

I didn't choose to be a woman.

I don't identify as a woman.

I don't feel like a woman.

I simply am a woman.

And being a woman isn't a social construct or an idea.

Being a woman is a biological reality.

I was born with a female body. That's a fact. It's not something I can change.

Saying that scientists don't believe in biological sex is a blatant lie. I can't believe that it needs to be said, but male and female bodies differ not only on the outside. We get affected by different conditions & illnesses. We have different immune systems. We have different pain levels. We have different hormones & health issues related to them. We respond differently to drugs and their dosages. Not to mention our reproductive systems and everything related to them. Our bodies are far away from being just a concept.

Being a woman in itself doesn't make me happy or unhappy. Just like being white & Polish doesn't make me happy or unhappy. Those are just facts about me.

And being a woman doesn't mean that I have to look or act in a specific way. What is womanhood for you if you think that males can identify with it? Is it about wearing dresses and makeup and acting silly? If a man does that then he's a woman? And if a woman doesn't do that then she's not a woman? It's absurd.

If you claimed that one can identify with a specific race by acting & looking in a specific way, everyone would (rightfully) say that it's offensive. Racial stereotypes are not okay, but gender stereotypes are fine & valid? Both sex and race are in the same category of material reality.

Being a woman doesn't determine who I am as a person. Being a woman is not a personality trait, just as race isn't. I don't have to do certain things so I can call myself a woman. There are no certain things one can do in order to "become" a woman.

But being a woman does shape my position in society and it also shapes yours, whether you like it or not. You can identify as whatever you want. It doesn't change the fact that society sees you as a woman. You can't identify out of oppression. You can't stop identifying with pay gap. You can't stop identifying with your reproductive rights being taken away. You can't stop identifying with the fact that women are being raped and killed by men everywhere, everyday. Women in Afghanistan can't stop identifying with the education ban.

Goddess Hel won't help you once men decide to take your rights away. Identifying as agender won't either. Stop being delusional for your own sake before reality slaps you in the face.

[magentagalaxies]

just got a like on my brooklyn 99 jessay-post from a while back which reminded me i've been thinking about the show a lot more bc my brother is currently watching it for the first time so sometimes i'll be in the room while he's watching an episode. and it's such a bizarre experience bc my brother is VERY anti-cop and that made him not want to watch the show at all until a friend convinced him to, and now he really enjoys it in this compartmentalized-way of being like "i know a lot of aspects of this are copaganda but also the character writing and comedy are objectively well done"

and as i'm rewatching bits and pieces it's bizarre bc i also had no desire to rewatch the show after it ended mostly bc of that copaganda aspect and how it fumbled its social commentary in the final season, but damn it i feel myself getting nostalgic and liking the characters. but mostly i feel myself realizing basically all the best parts of brooklyn 99, even if you try to ignore the baggage, have nothing to do with them being cops. it's just a fun group of diverse friends making jokes together! except it isn't, the cop thing will always be the elephant in the room.

i'm not going to reiterate all the points i made in that original essay bc i just reread it and even after properly revisiting brooklyn 99 i think the points i made hold up, but the main thing i think about now is actually an anecdote i heard about when they first decided to adapt "the office" for an american audience. and once of the biggest notes its american showrunners got was you can make michael scott as immature and obnoxious and ridiculous as you want, but you HAVE to make him still good at his job. american audiences won't tolerate that kind of character unless they still get results.

and then you have brooklyn 99. filled with these ridiculous characters having their own zany-and-distracting adventures week after week, but don't worry, they're "good at their job." but when their job is fundamentally an archaic institution responsible for ruining many people's lives and perpetuating the racist prison industrial complex, how "reassuring" is that quality really?

[kaijutegu]

Alligator Body Language and You, or: How To Know When An Alligator On Social Media is Being Stressed for Views

Alligators are wild animals. Despite the idiotic claims of animal abusers like Jay Brewer, they cannot be domesticated, which means they are always going to react on the same natural instincts they've had for millions of years. Habituated, yes. Tamed, yes. Trained, definitely. Crocodilians can form bonds with people- they're social and quite intelligent. They can solve problems, use tools, and they're actually quite playful. Alligators are also really good at communicating how they're feeling, but to somebody who doesn't spend much time around them, their body language can be a bit mystifying. And it doesn't help when social media influencers are saying shit like this:

That is not what a happy gator looks like.

That's a terrified, furious gator who isn't attacking because the ogre handling her has her in a chokehold. She's doing everything she can to express her displeasure, and he's lying about it because he knows his audience doesn't even know how to think critically about what he's doing. He knows that because his audience doesn't know anything about these animals, he can get away with it. This I think is why I hate him so much- he deliberately miseducates his audience. He knows what he's doing is factually inaccurate, he just doesn't care because attention means more to him than anything else in the world.

Let's change that! Here are two really important lessons for understanding alligator body language on social media.

Lesson 1: Alligators Don't Smile (in fact, most animals don't)

So what's going on in this video? Jay Brewer is aggressively choking his white alligator Coconut while scrubbing algae off of her with a toothbrush. And make no mistake, he is digging into the creature's throat while she is visibly distressed. He claims she's happy- but she's not. He is willfully misrepresenting what this animal is feeling. That's a problem, because people... well, we actually kind of suck at reading other species' body language. The reason for this is that we tend to overlay our own responses on their physical cues, and that's a problem. For example, let's look at an animal with a really similar face to ours, the chimpanzee. Check out Ama's toothy grin!

Wait, no. That's not a happy smile. That's a threat display. When a chimpanzee "smiles," it's either terrified and doing a fear grimace, or it's showing you its teeth because it intends on using them in your face.

How about a dog? Look at my smiling, happy puppy!

Oh wait no, this is a picture of Ryder when he was super overwhelmed by noise and people during a holiday party. He'd hopped up in my sister's lap to get away from stuff that was happening on the floor and was panting quite heavily. See the tension in the corners of his mouth and his eyes? A lot of the time when a dog "smiles," the smile isn't happy. It's stress! Why Animals Do The Thing has a nice writeup about that, but the point is, our body language is not the same as other species. And for reptiles, body language is wildly different.

For instance, look at these two alligators. Pretty cute, right? Look at 'em, they're posing for a Christmas card or something! How do you think they're feeling?

Well, I'll tell you how the normal one is feeling. He's annoyed! Why is he annoyed? Because the albino just rolled up, pushed another gator off the platform, and is trying to push this guy, too. I know this because I actually saw it happen. It was pretty funny, not gonna lie. He's not gaping all the way, but he was hissing- you can actually see him getting annoyed in the sequence I took right before this shot. Look at him in this first shot here- he's just relaxing, and you can see he isn't gaping even a little bit.

By the end, he's expressing displeasure, but not enough to actually do anything about it. He's annoyed, but he's comfy and that's where one of the best basking areas is, so he'll put up with it.

Reptiles open their mouths wide for a lot of reasons, but never because they are actively enjoying a sensation. Unless they're eating. No reptile smiles- they can't. They don't even have moveable lips. If a reptile is gaping, it's doing so because:

It is doing a threat display.

It is making certain vocalizations, all of which are threats. Alligators are one of the rare reptiles that do regularly vocalize, but most of their calls aren't made with a wide open mouth.

It is about to bite something delicious or somebody stupid. Check out this video- virtually all of the gaping here is anticipatory because these trained gators know darn well that the bowl is full of delicious snacks. (I have some issues with Florida's Wildest, but the man knows how to train a gator AND he is honest about explaining what they're doing and why, and all of his animals are healthy and well-cared for, and he doesn't put the public or his staff at risk- just himself.)

It's too hot and it has opened its mouth to vent some of that heat and thermoregulate. This is the main reason why alligators will often have their mouths part of the way open, but sometimes they'll open all the way for thermoregulation. This is what a thermoregulatory gape looks like- usually it's not all the way open, kinda more like < rather than V, but you can't say that 100% of the time. Additionally, a thermoregulatory gape... typically happens when it's hot out. If they're inside, maybe they've been under their basking light for too long. Heat's the dominant factor, is what I'm getting at.

There is another reason that a captive crocodilian might be gaping, and that's because it's doing so on command. Some places have their gators trained to gape on cue, like St. Augustine Alligator Farm and other good zoos. They have the animals do this in presentations that are genuinely educational. They ask the animals to open their mouths so that they can show off their teeth and demonstrate how their tongues seal off the back of their mouth. They'll also do it as part of routine healthcare, because looking at their teeth is important.

In this case, the animals aren't gaping because they're stressed, they're gaping because they know they're gonna get a piece of chicken or fish if they do it. And what's more, they're doing it on cue. They have a specific command or signal that tells them to open wide. It's not an instinctive response to a situation. It's trained. If the animal provides the behavior after a cue, the situation is much less likely to be negatively impactful.

It's also important to remember that there's a difference between a partially open mouth and a gape! As discussed above, alligators will often have their mouths a little bit open just to maintain temperature homeostasis. It helps them stay comfy, temperature-wise. These guys are all doing thermoregulatory open-mouthed behavior- that slight open and relaxed body posture is a dead giveaway. (That and it's the hottest spot in the enclosure.)

Lesson 2: A Happy Gator Is A Chill Gator

So if alligators don't smile or have facial expressions other than the :V that typically signifies distress, how else can you tell how they're feeling? One way is stillness. See, alligators subscribe to the philosophy of if it sucks... hit da bricks.

Basically, if they hate it, they'll leave. Unless, y'know, somebody has their meaty claws digging into their throat or is otherwise restraining them. (Restraint isn't always bad, btw. Sometimes the animal is going through a medical thing or needs to be restrained for their safety- which a responsible educator will explain.)

Let's look at a very similar scenario, in which a captive alligator is getting his back scrubbed.

As you can see, it's quite different. First, he's not being restrained at all. Second, look at how relaxed he is! He's just chilling there vibing! He could simply get up and leave if he wanted to, because he's not being held. Towards the end of the video, as he lifts his head, you can see that his respiratory rate is very even as his throat flutters a bit. I'm not sure what this facility is, so I can't comment on care/general ethics, but like. In this specific case, this is an alligator enjoying being scrubbed! And you can tell because he's not doing anything. A happy gator is content to be doing what they're doing.

Why Should I Listen To You?

Now, you should ask yourself, why should you listen to me? Why should you trust me, who does not own an alligator, versus Jay Brewer, who owns several?

Well, first off, there's no profit for me in telling you that what you're seeing on social media is in fact not what you're being told you're seeing. I'm not getting paid to do this. That's the thing with people who make social media content. The big names aren't doing it just for fun. They're doing it for money. Whether that's profit through partnerships or sponsorships, or getting more people to visit their facilities, or ad revenue, you can't ignore the factor of money. And this is NOT a bad thing, because it allows educators to do what they're passionate about! People deserve to be paid for the work that they do!

But the problem starts when you chase the algorithm instead of actually educating. A "smiling" alligator gets the views, and if people don't know enough to know better, it keeps getting the views. People love unconventional animal stories and they want those animals to be happy- but the inability to even know where to start with critically evaluating these posts really hinders the ability to spread real information. Like, this post will probably get a couple hundred notes, but that video of Coconut being scrubbed had almost 400,000 likes when I took that screenshot. Think about how many eyeballs that's reached by now. What I'm saying here is that it's just... really important to think critically about who you're getting your information from. What do dissenters say in the comments? What do other professionals say? You won't find a single herpetologist that has anything good to say about Prehistoric Pets, I can tell you that right now.

Another reason you can trust me is that my sources are not "just trust me bro," or "years of experience pretending my pet shop where animals come to die is a real zoo." Instead, here are my primary sources for my information on alligator behavior:

Dragon Songs: Love and Adventure among Crocodiles, Alligators, and Other Dinosaur Relations- Vladimir Dinets

The Secret Social Lives of Reptiles- J. Sean Doody, Vladimir Dinets, Gordon M. Burghardt

Social Behavior Deficiencies in Captive American Alligators (Alligator mississippiensis)- Z Walsh, H Olson, M Clendening, A Rycyk

Social Displays of the American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)- Kent Vliet

Social Signals and Behaviors of Adult Alligators and Crocodiles- Leslie Garrick, Jeffery Lang

Never smile at a crocodile: Gaping behaviour in the Nile crocodile at Ndumo Game Reserve, South Africa- Cormac Price, Mohamed Ezat, Céline Hanzen, Colleen Downs (this one's Nile crocs, not American alligators, but it's really useful for modeling an understanding of gape behaviors and proximity)

Thermoregulatory Behavior of Captive American Alligators (Alligator mississippiensis)- Cheryl S. Asa, Gary D. London, Ronald R. Goellner, Norman Haskell, Glenn Roberts, Crispen Wilson

Unprovoked Mouth Gaping Behavior in Extant Crocodylia- Noah J. Carl, Heather A. Stewart, Jenny S. Paul

Thank you for reading! Here's a very happy wild alligator from Sanibel for your trouble.