#you need to be able to point out the flaw in the logic

[purplesaline]

... did you NEED an article about why breeding for health in dogs is good while doing so for humans is eugenics? because that sounds kind of concerning? governing how humans reproduce is much more invasive and a much bigger abuse of power than doing so to animals. human rights are not comparable to animal welfare. maybe look into theory surrounding "animal rights vs animal welfare" for similar themes?

Not at all! I was just curious about the nuances of that topic that would be addressed in such an article.

As a severely disabled queer woman with an incredibly high genetic cancer risk I am not at all confused about the topic of eugenics and why it's a bad thing, don't worry!

I do like to explore nuance and grey areas and challenge my beliefs to see which hold up to scrutiny and which ones I may need to rethink or dismantle particularly because it's very easy to not realize when beliefs are formed based on the ideals of a culture rife with systemic oppression.

I know that the reason animal breeding practices for health is seen as good while it's eugenics in humans boils down to "We can't trust everyone to act in good faith" and personal choice and agency and consent etc. Don't worry! I'm not someone you'll ever see knowingly advocate for eugenics. I was simply wondering if an article about such a topic would address any points I hadn't previously considered on eugenics or animal welfare.

I appreciate you checking in and for suggesting some direction for learning more about the topic if I had been as unsure as you worried I may be. I know in online spaces a comment like yours is more likely to result in conflict and that it takes both energy and courage to reach out, even anonymously, so thank you.

[gali-in-distress]

Been thinking about this for a long time:

David and Crystal's relationship as a very straightforward metaphor for abuse, sexual assault and grooming (and other things of the sort).

I think that we can all agree that David is basically a loser, but, he's in a position of power from the start. Much like an older man who can't get his peers to like him, David goes to a younger, impressionable human girl who will find him interesting, cool, mature, because he's a Demon.

When it comes to demons in general, he appears to be just a nobody, but to Crystal he's THE demon. He feeds her ego with this idea that she's special, so much better than the other girls, because she's a psychic. And only he can help her reach her full potential.

David encourages the worst parts of Crystal, according to him she's mean and evil and powerful. Nobody else will understand her, nobody else will love her, she's above humans, and so is he. He is awful, yes, but so is she. So they deserve each other, right?

Taking a page out of the Abuser 101 Guide Book, David doesn't believe in consent. Under that web of lies and manipulation, Crystal agrees to being possessed, but she doesn't get to back off after that. That logic rings familiar for a reason. It is very easy to blame Crystal for letting a Demon posses her. But at the end of the day, she's just a teenage girl who told her manipulative, more powerful boyfriend, to use her body once, only for him to change the terms of the original agreement. Consent is an ongoing thing. You should be able to take it back at any point. But David didn't let her. Is it her fault for saying Yes one time, if she wasn't allowed to say no after that?

Like many trauma survivors, Crystal doesn't get to remember much of what happened to her, good or bad. David took her identity. She only has her abusive ex's version of events to go off. He manipulates the narrative, selectively shows her the pieces of the story that support the argument that she's bad and Just Like Him. The version of her that has no family, no real friends, no support, no one to talk to but her toxic boyfriend.

That's the version that he can control. The one he has power over.

But we know that that's probably not all there is to her. In Emma's memories, Crystal is a kind, funny friend. When the possession happens the change is so alarming that Emma feels the need to ask for help. Furthermore, once she's removed from her toxic environment, Crystal's actions speak of kindness, of sympathy and wanting to help others. She's flawed like everyone else, she's hurt and she's witty and opinionated (which are not bad things). But at her core, she's not a bad person, like David wants her to think.

The effect David has on her is evident. Her life, her relationships and her self perceptions are marked with his abuse from then on.

He harassed her to the point where she was forced to give up a great part of her identity in order to get rid of him. She had already lost her memories, but then she loses her psychic abilities, her talent, her skill, what she feels gives her the right to be useful, to have a place within her new friends. Something that she's ashamed and scared of having lost. And something we then find out is deeply connected to her identity as a black woman and her heritage.

Losing a crucial part of yourself because it's been tainted by pain and fear because of an abusive partner is something that many people go through.

Crystal, due to the damage David has caused, can't trust men in her life anymore. She's hyper aware of any possible sign of danger. She gets cornered by the fear of possibly making the same mistake again. She snaps at the people she cares about, she sees demons where they aren't. If that isn't a sign of trauma, I don't know what is.

Crystal is a clear representation of what could happen to a person when they're emotionally neglected by the people that matter. She's brought up in an environment that pushes her to be self-assertive and independent. But at the end of the day, she's just a teenage girl, so she's vulnerable to the influence of others.

David took advantage of a girl who had little to no guidance, who probably always felt different due to being a psychic. He presents himself as a cool, interesting, sexy guy who claimed to understand her on a level that no one else had before. But ultimately, he's just some loser guy who had to go find a vulnerable girl to pray on, because he wasn't cool enough on his own. She's more powerful than him, but he made her feel that she needed him. When it's the other way around. And when he couldn't keep her small, shaped to follow him, he took her experiences and her identity with him.

[vhaos-chaotic-writing]

Heyy!! How you doing?~ I wanted to ask who do you think out of TFP's autobots would be most to least husband or boyfriend material 🫣🫣

Yippieee, 1st ask!! ヾ(≧ ▽ ≦)ゝI am the worst person you could have asked for a tier list of whom is good husband material and not so good (shaking TFP Starscream with her tiny hands). /j

WARNING: This all based on myyy own opinion, logic and what I know from the Prime series - so, all fun! Never take seriously what I say! Also, too much text. (EDIT: Added Ultra Magnus! Never forgetting that fine mech again!)

(´艸｀) ~

Transformers Prime - Most to Least husband material

MOST

Bumblebee - Baby boy, would be such a good husband. Soft and protective, good with kids, comprehensive - the list can keep going! Perfection in person. (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Optimus Prime - He is good husband material, but I fear his selflessness and will to give his life for the sake of others, specially you, can be a double edged sword... but he is nonetheless a good candidate to be husband. A 9.99 in score.

Soundwave - A genius, intelligent, has sense of humor - can be quite stalkerish if you think about it, but it's loyal and definitely protective. If you don't mind the silence and the pattern of his speech, he is good husband material! Maybe the only thing that rests him points would be that he would give you a death scare if you forget he is there for a second.

Ultra Magnus - Good husband material, the thing that rests him points would be how strict he tends to be, it might get under your nerves. But this mech is good husband material! Calm, thinks before acting, knows when to stand up and fight back if necessary, respects others and will take your emotions and well being always in consideration!

Bulkhead & Breakdown - Same tier, both give me the vibes of 'I am a big guy, strong and ready to protect you' and 'the guy that will make you laugh, listen to you and can be quite naive (at some degree)'. They would be perfect to give you comfort and support, but have their flaws - impulsiveness, might not give the right answers or words in the moment. Nonetheless, good husband material, just be patient and go easy on them! (Of course give them a slap at the back of their helms when needed).

Knock Out & Smokescreen - Same tier and like BH/BD; they can be good husband material, but I fear both can come off sometimes annoying because of their personalities. KO could be annoying because of his quite egocentric personality and Smokes is a yapper and quite impulsive. Buuut they are not the worst, good husband material with its flaws.

Arcee (Yes, I am adding her here - bisexual go brrr) & Cliffjumper - A duo as always, they can be good wife/husband material, buuut with how easy things can get in their nerves (speaking more on Cee's side since... well, we only had Cliff for 1 episode-), you'll need both patience and put your limits/stance if you want the relationship to work. And reassurance on Arcee's side. She has lost many partners already, you will need to show her kindness and softness, keep up with her anger bursts while remaining in place, comfort and support. And she will pay you back the same and protect you dearly, slowly working on her things to become better.

Ratchet - The middle point; I love Ratchet dearly, but I fear with the war and how much he has lost, adding to the fact he has decided to close himself off on some emotional levels in order to not 'keep suffering and focus on his tasks' he can be a 'good husband material but with it's difficulties'. Will need patience, reassurance and perseverance on this, as he may hurt you accidentally emotionally, but will do everything to apologize, to be better - patience and empathy is the key! But this mech better do the same!

Starscream - Like Ratchet, but worse. Starscream can be a double-faced mech that is both a victim of abuse and his own problems (not able to trust others, cowardly, hurting others before he gets hurt and intentionally if it benefits him, doing anything to get his own way) and also the culprit of making other victims. He is a mix of too many things, but we know he is loyal, and I'm sure that with time, too much patience and reassurance, he could become husband material. It's a "I can fix him" and it could work! ... or not.

Wheeljack - Yeah... I like him, but I'll have my doubts. I fear he might not be that a good material husband with how much he is travelling and moving from place to place. And I also fear there is a 50% he won't be that faithful or take your feelings in the matter as something important to evaluate. I love you Jacky, but the 'husband material' might not be quite here. Definitely scared of commitment, will come back to share kisses and such, but not stay for tomorrow... who knows when he will come back.

Megatron - Yeah... it could work, maybe. Protective, self-confident, strong... quite aggressive, could snap or hurt you. If you add the dark energon, could hurt you badly or... offline you. Worst part, I think it could happen intentionally or, if it happnes by accident, will not mourn you. The 'I need someone strong as me, not weak' is playing in my head. (；′⌒`)

Dreadwing - Will be loyal, but with how he is prone to be aggressive and get physical, idolizing Megatron - I fear if the latter orders him to do something with you... might do it. (°ロ°)

Shockwave - Nuh-huh, always puts rational thoughts before feelings, and he might not be thaaat far from hurting you if he wants something for his own gain or use you as an experiment (actively or passive, might not see you 100% as an equal).

Airachnid - Haha. No. I support women rights and wrongs but cheez - doesn't totally see you as an equal and I fear she is ready to offline you if you are no longer something 'usable' for her.

LEAST

I think that's all of them! Just took the main-important ones in my point of view. As you can see, I like to write, I am yapper after all. (。・ω・。) Vhaos out!

[lacunammmm]

Do you think All Might was a good mentor?

You have to understand the following facts of MHA: -Characters can only solve their problems in ways that attribute their success to themselves or their friends. -The characters are meant to be seen as underdogs. -The two above rules always take precedent over logic. See: Shinso. Aizawa repeatedly states he's a bad teacher and he refuses to take credit for any of his student's achievements. When he trained Shinso, he let him figure it out himself. However, his help got Shinso fighting fit and took him from an untrained teen to a contender. But notice that the burden was on Shinso. Shinso did the work to learn martial arts, get physically fit, learn to use the binding cloth, and to train his quirk. Aizawa noticed Momo's lack of confidence so instead of talking to her at the time, he stages a final exam where she and Shoto fight and beat him. It's framed as Shoto and Momo overcoming a weakness or flaw. All Might is the same way. He's the reason Izuku got to be a hero, because he gifted him OFA and got him ready for the entrance exam. Also, notice how Izuku was the one doing the work. All Might wasn't even present when Izuku fully finished cleaning the beach. He just shows up to see Izuku being super hype (and buff) because he did the thing. The narrative just has an agenda that goes counter to the choices he'd make in character, so that's really all the help he gave. Case in point. During the sports festival arc, as a means to make doing well in it put more pressure on Izuku, All Might explains to Izuku that he needs him to show the world that he is here. Because, and he said nothing about this before, he wants Izuku to be the next symbol. So you'd think that a man who is dedicated towards molding this kid into his replacement, the pillar meant to hold society up, a living Atlas who carries the world on his shoulders, would want his successor to actually accomplish that? But he leaves Izuku to his own devices to do his own training, then after the sports festival, he pushes him to Gran Torino. The guy doesn't sign Izuku up to some kind of gym, or leverage his resources, favors, and clout to find a solution to his problem, because that would take away from Izuku's accomplishments. There's nothing stopping All Might from taking Izuku's training seriously ever since the day of the entrance exam. He already knew at the time that Izuku was going to get into UA, and he could have addressed him breaking two legs and one arm that same day. This is what All Might would do if unshackled from a narrative that makes him look incompetent at best and negligent at worst. But if Izuku enters UA already having his quirk under control, how can he be the underdog? Understanding how the narrative binds people who should be able to help our main characters shows you their limitations. So, by the standards of the show, All Might was great. If you use standards where the adults are meant to protect the children in their lives, he was terrible. Just less terrible than the other mentors in the series.

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

When Zoe-oneesama was still mapping out her plans for Scarlet Lady, she made an observation that two of canon!Sabrina’s biggest issues with her own personality are that she operates on both Mean Girl Logic AND Sidekick/Assistant/Slave Logic, which I agree with. This is evident in how, like you said, there are just as many moments — especially earlier on in the show — where Sabrina is gleefully going along with what Chloe wants as there are where she’s shrinking away or scared. Zoe also pointed out how this is highlighted in Evillustrator when Sabrina is trying to switch to being Marinette’s best friend and immediately tries to ingratiate herself by suggesting that they tell the teacher on Chloe and that she does Marinette’s homework. How would you handle a redemption or even just character growth arc for Sabrina with these main flaws in mind?

Here’s the OG post for reference (just for the Sabrina parts, not necessarily the SL parts since a few things were altered for the actual comic): https://zoe-oneesama.tumblr.com/post/180211248479/i-only-have-one-question-about-scarlet

(Link to the post that spawned this ask and a clickable link for @zoe-oneesama's post, which I'll also schedule to reblog the same day as this one if you don't feel like clicking a link)

Zoe is wise and makes excellent points. I've really enjoyed her comic's take on Sabrina and fully agree that people-pleasing Marinette is a poor choice for the character to help Sabrina be a better person in most situations. Marinette is great at standing up to those that she doesn't like, but once she cares about a person, she can be a bit of a pushover, which is a deeply relatable struggle. It's much harder to stand up to people when you care about them and want them to like you.

Adrien would be an even worse person to redeem Sabrina since he's even more of a people-pleaser! Marinette will at least stand up to her enemies, Adrien struggles to stand up to anyone.

This makes it hard to redeem Sabrina in canon because these two are our main characters. We want the plot and most of the subplots to revolve around them or the people close to them. We don't want Sabrina eating up screentime and elevating her narrative status to that of main character or major supporting character unless it benefits the wider story because the show isn't about Sabrina. She's an extremely minor character with zero ties to the leads outside of her role as Marinette's bully. No matter how much you like her, it makes no sense to give her serious narrative weight based on her established role in the narrative.

This means that Sabrina's path to the good side needs to either be very quick or somehow involve our leads and/or their core friend group without making them feel out of character. You could also somehow tie it to the villains and use it to develop them, but I really don't see that working for a redemption.

In spite of all of these issues, there are still a few ways that you might be able to make this work. Here's my pitch list. Note that the first three ideas could probably be mixed and matched into variants of each other where, for example, idea one's setup lead to idea two's plotline. I'm just keeping them separate to keep things simple and avoid repetition.

Idea 1: Remove Chloe and see what happens

Have season three end with Chloe leaving Paris because everyone blames her for Miracle Queen and Andre wants to protect his daughter. Without Chloe to be her leader, Sabrina is left adrift, so she looks for a new leader. She's already clung to Marinette once, so have that happen again, but with Alya more involved. Marinette will feel bad for Sabrina and Alya will be there to call Sabrina out on her bad behavior because you need a character who is willing to do that for this to work. Someone who won't try to sugar coat things like Marinette might if she's feeling sorry for Sabrina.

This path only works if you stick with the show's gender segregation issue where the girls and the guys don't interact much as it doesn't fit a setup where Sabrina is the fifth member of Alya, Nino, Marinette, and Adrien's little group. I don't even think it would work well in the larger group of girl friends. This plot line needs to really focus in on Sabrina and you simply can't do that with a large cast. The end result will probably be Sabrina becoming a pretty major character, pushing the guys even further into the background, so I don't really like this one, but it would work since canon is already giving Marinette and Alya way more importance than Adrien and Nino.

Idea 2: Self-Reflection After the Breakup

Have Chloe dump Sabrina. This could happen in several ways such as Lila not wanting Sabrina around as a witness or Sabrina failing Chloe in some way, leading Chloe to decide that she's better off alone. The cause really doesn't matter. What matters is the fallout.

This separation will play very differently from the one in the first idea. The separation is no longer forced on them, but an active choice made by Chloe, leading Sabrina to go into a full breakdown as she tries to understand what she did wrong. She may even try and fail to fix things. Chloe's continued presence will also make people wary of Sabrina, leading her to really have to face the bed her choices made.

Eventually Sabrina will reach a stage of self reflection where she wants to be better on her own. She will approach the rest of the class from the perspective of wanting help on her self-improvement journey, then someone who isn't a main character - and who hasn't suffered much from Sabrina's actions - will "adopt" Sabrina as their pet project. Sabrina's redemption will now no longer be a real plot line, instead it will be something we see hints of in the background. I liked the idea of this being Alix, that's a good fit. She would be very good at drawing lines in the sand. You could even make this a rabbit thing where Alix knows who Sabrina could be if she really works at improving and so Alix wants to help make that future happen.

Idea 3: Expand on Season Five's Speed-run Redemption

Stick with season five's plot of Sabrina switching sides because Chloe has gone too far, but instead of it being a one-episode thing, make it more drawn out. Make her and Marinette actually work together over multiple episodes and let Sabrina see what it's like to work with someone who cares about others. Someone who has lines that they won't cross. Marinette having a task to focus on will make her much less likely to baby Sabrina and give her Ladybug side a chance to really shine, which works since that's the side that inspires people to be better.

Idea 4: Paying it forward

Redeem Chloe, elevating her narrative role to someone who can have their own subplot, then have Chloe redeem Sabrina. Let their complex, but close friendship become a healthy and even closer friendship. This would let Chloe show how much she's changed and is probably the only path where I could buy Sabrina getting a miraculous as I just don't think that it makes sense for one of her main victims (Marinette) to give her magic powers. Just like Adrien should have picked Chloe, Chloe should pick Sabrina. "I know she's done wrong, but so did I and you still let me be on the team. Plus there's no one on this planet who is more loyal than Sabrina. This miraculous should be hers. She won't let us down."

You can also get real crazy and have Chloe pick Sabrina pre identity reveal so that Sabrina's redemption comes with a level of removal from the bullying baggage, making forgiveness much easier post-reveal. Identity shenanigans don't need to be limited to humor. They can be dramatic, too!

Personal confession time, that last one is my favorite. I just really love the power of love and friendship. I also really love the idea of the secret identities being used for more complex identity shenanigans such as easier redemptions. It's a lot easier to believe that someone has changed when you've become friends with their alter ego and seen the change first hand without the weight of the past hanging over you to bias your judgement. Option two is also pretty solid. Keeps Sabrina in her canon role while allowing her fans to see her grow into a good guy. Very best of both worlds.

I'll also note that the issue from my original post remains true: if you want to redeem Sabrina, then you need to stick to the version from the first three seasons. As soon as you add things like Derision to the mix, it becomes nonsensical to make her friends with her victims. She's simply gone too far with no complicating element to make her victims want a relationship with her.

For all Gabriel's awful actions, it makes sense that Adrien might want his father in his life, so you can potential make that redemption work if you handle it with extreme care, but Sabrina is just a random mean girl. There's no greater connection that would make the heroes want a relationship in spite of all that she's done. The only way to change that is to make Chloe a hero too because Sabrina is Chloe's best friend, so it makes sense that Chloe would want to keep Sabrina around (or at least these two were best friends in the first three seasons. I don't know what they were after that. It seriously felt like season four started with the introduction of Chloe's eviler twin).

[daniwolf9005]

Sorry this came so late- but Merry Christmas @part-time-pixie !! I was your secret Santa for the @mlsecretsanta 2023 event! This piece went through a lot of complications because I was so unsure about a lot of things! Let me run down the process!

I knew it had to be your AU since that’s a lot more personal and I myself am a big fan of personalized stuff! So I actually never knew anything about Winx before this so I researched- about 6 episodes for context of the fairy and specialist relations- so that’s one reason why the startup was slow but then!! I needed to figure out a setting- originally I was going with Magix City- but the color palette was more green and I wanted a more warm palette- but for the life of me I couldn’t find a place that screamed romance- eventually I gave in and just looked up “date in Winx” or something like that- and boom!! This place showed up- so heavy inspiration of the setting from this screen shot (lots of details were forgotten waaah-)

And then it was little things- from my research I realized they only transformed when battling so I needed a casual outfit (note for some reason I forgot to apply this logic to Luka’s fit I’m sorry 😭) for Adrien that wasn’t his powered up form for a casual setting- I ended up just asking- and I hope that didn’t clue you in but nonetheless I hope it was still somewhat a surprise! I’m so glad I did though because at that point I could finally finish the sketch- which was around the end of December so I was stuck on that for a while 😭

I finished the line art and coloring in a rush and man you can tell ;v; I went through a lot in coloring stage- I tried finishing this piece during a family outing and my markers (about 80+) fell out of their holders and went everywhere- also learned coloring over my white pen did not in fact keep it solid and the white began to get washed away from the marker on top, revealing the line art I messed up on beneath- one of the things that made me glad I was late is when you made this piece and I realized his gem clasp was teal- I was gonna make it yellow since that was the last red fountain specialist color not used and I assumed he’d just take it lmao! Though in short I went through all the stages of grief when doing the coloring ;v;

All to say though I hope despite all the flaws you still like it! I was really happy with this around the line art stage and even now- I’m just harsh on my own work but this is actually the biggest piece in my art book (I’ve been working on this book since Summer 2022!) so I suppose that is to say I’m glad I was able to try something new with this one!

(Also small note but I realized the quality turned out really fuzzy on here- if you want @part-time-pixie I can send a zip file to you in dms?)

[mythsandheather]

What I hate the most about LO is that Rachel is making the romance between actual gods backward. Aphrodite and Hephaestus were a couple but Aphrodite found him repulsing so she cheated on him with Ares. Even after that cheating on Hephaestus, Ares, and Aphrodite were the only sane couple in Greek myths. Apollo had his fair share of lovers (if you exclude Daphne) with him being in love with BOTH male and female and how does Rachel do justice to his character? By making him a R*****

The saga of Ares, Aphrodite and Hephaestus is often terribly misunderstood and LO is no exception, except that she weaponises it in her narrative and portrays it arguably at its worst.

The original story of these three is often stripped down to the bare basics along the lines of either “star-crossed lovers and ugly loser dude who got in their way” or “bad slutty woman cheats on poor helpless (but still ugly loser) dude with angry frat bro” and it’s wild. It’s a story, at least how I see it, about love, pain and compromise for what you need for yourself.

Hephaestus is hurt, angry and traumatised by his parents abuse of him, specifically Hera, and so he traps her in his specially made throne. He has a point to make and for the first time in his life, he will not be ignored.

Aphrodite is offered as the prize for freeing Hera, without her consent, and so is also hurt, worried and angry, especially when Hephaestus wins her hand. She is handed off to a man she barely knows, let alone loves, and can’t do anything about it

Ares is both not strong to free his mother, nor able to keep the woman he adores from being handed off to someone else — his own brother, no less, and has to just sit and watch. He is humiliated, he is hurt, he is angry.

The retelling I like the most is from Stephen Fry’s Mythos, where Aphrodite and Ares are already engaged when the throne incident happens, Zeus assuring them that surely since Ares is the strongest, he’ll be the one to free Hera. Even Zeus is humanised. Aphrodite’s hand being offered is him making a rash decision to motivate the other gods out of his desperation to free his wife.

When Hephaestus arrives and frees Hera, it’s not what anyone expected and Hephaestus makes it very clear that he’s not doing this to get the girl, so much as to make it clear he’s a force to be reckoned with.

He had Aphrodite seperate shortly after their marriage and she goes on her way with Ares while Hephaestus goes about his work, now with the respect he wanted for his craftsmanship. Ares, Aphrodite and Hephaestus are all on relatively amicable terms as later stories unfold too, especially compared to the fighting of the other gods.

In some versions, Dionysus intervenes and convinces Hephaestus with some alcohol both to free Hera and not to pursue Aphrodite, and Hephaestus agrees.

Now, you might be looking at all this and thinking “wow, what a nuanced tale and what a mature way everyone ended up handling it! Everyone here is flawed yet you like and relate to all of them! Surely this would make a great adaptation for a ‘feminist retelling’!” You’d be wrong.

Ares is a douchey dudebro who is obsessed with Persephone cuz reasons and exists to say every oversexualised, gross, objectifying thought Rachel herself has while drooling over her self insert but can’t make Hades say cuz he’s supposed to be a gentleman.

Aphrodite is a petty caricature of influencers and Kim Kardashian and her hyper sexualised nature is a bad thing and entirely her own fault when something bad happens to her. She’s also purple. I will never not be mad about Aphrodite not being pink.

She and Ares break up because -insert slut-shaming, not like the other girls logic to defend Persephone- here and she marries Hephaestus.

Hephaestus is set dressing, at best. Every cool attribute he has is stolen and given to Hades and instead of being ugly due to injury or physical deformity and this being a source of how mistreated he is, he’s just…black-coded and with prosthetic legs. If that made you slightly uncomfortable, it should.

Speaking of minorities being taken, chewed up and spat out by Lore Olympus, that brings us to Apollo. Poor, poor Apollo. One of the most beloved and influential of the Theoi, literally unrecognisable and reduced to being the self-insert’s r*pist because, you guessed it, reasons.

Let me add to all the people saying it, because it needs to be repeated; APOLLO DID NOT ASSAULT PERSEPHONE IN THE MYTHS OR ANYWHERE EXCEPT LORE OLYMPUS.

I know it’s probably not intended to be homophobic how Apollo is treated in LO, but fuck it, that’s how it smells to me, so that’s what I call it.

Every character, every relationship, every story serves to boost the Rachel x Mads fapfic Persephone and Hades love story and it’s nasty. How the fuck are you gonna call yourself a folklorist and do this?

[its-echo-song]

Plague AU Ch. 7

Just a little reminder!!!!! This is fiction, these boys in this particular AU are not any sort of relationship to strive for- my writing about these behaviors does not equate to me endorsing them. That said, please enjoy some drama lmao

Three days, three nights, a singular bowl of stew, seven bottles of wine, and a self loathing that doesn’t seem to find its way out of my bones.

I want to rot, just me and several loose pieces of parchment with new, poorly done, drawings of a man I regret missing. Drawings I’m sure will also serve as tender for the fire at a later date.

But I can’t simply remain here, a drunken mess of apathy, hunger, and abandoned desire. No, I must make my way into the world again- I’m out of wine.

Unfortunately, wine costs money, money is scarce now that I’ve been missing from work for thirteen days and… I really don’t have my pick of professions. I eye the plague doctor outfit, dreading the stuffy heat- nowhere near as much as I dread the possibility of seeing Donny. I sigh and set to my task, pulling on the ensemble and making my way into town.

It’s strange starting the day without the routine I’d gotten so used to, a daily dose of brightness in a person before I step into a world full of death. It’s even more off putting realizing how much I’d relied on him, helping me carry boxes, move patients, or generally acting like an extra set of hands. 

I catch myself starting to call his name out of habit, the beginnings of it falling from my mouth like a stone to the ground when I realize I should not. I spend most of the day working on my own, occasionally being assisted by another keeper- one who doesn’t know the ritual the way Donny does. He gets in the way, needs direction, doesn’t just act the way Donny would- I try not to give in to the frustration that finds itself settling into my blood. Then, as I’m instructing him on where to move supplies, I finally see Donny. I don’t think he even realizes I’m here, which is for the better, but the sight of him alone is an icy shock of adrenaline throughout my whole body- enough to make me stumble over my words and restart my sentence.  I can’t bring myself to drag my attention away from him, wonderment at his state tugging me into a steady flow of flaws in logic. It’s not going to hurt anything to observe from across the room, I just want to be sure he’s okay.

Except he glances over his shoulder, catching me staring at him. I shift my gaze away, hopeful that he’ll assume I’m just another plague doctor, that he won’t realize it’s me. All things considered, from a distance I should be strikingly unremarkable.

I hazard a glance back over- I would bristle like a startled cat if I had the ability to. His eyes are still locked onto me but now he’s considerably less cheerful. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at the slight scowl that appears as he turns his attention elsewhere.

My heart clenches in my chest- not that I’d deluded myself into believing he’d suddenly forgive me and all would be well but… well, hope is a foolish thing, doesn’t understand its boundaries even with stern reminders. Hope and I share the same stupidity, in this instance.

Several days go by this way, no contact with each other and nothing but quick glances at the other. At this point, the keeper who had started filling Donny’s role is getting better at his job- able to easily carry out his duties without much direction.

This is when I start to notice a strange behavior in Donny, nearly scavenger-esque like a jackal in the way he waits to swoop in and take the work from the other keeper. I observe this behavior, finding a finite amusement in both the determination he displays, and the astonishment of the other man who is eager to work less.

So as Donny tries to make his way over as if he doesn’t care at all, I intercept. I step in stride beside him, not missing the tension in his demeanor as I do so. “What are you doing?” I ask casually, like nothing has happened, as if we’ve always only been coworkers.

He glares down at me and I enjoy the redness in his face, a true marker that I’ve gotten under his skin in some aspect. “My job. Remember? What we’re here to do.”

“I thought Michael took care of it quite well, wouldn’t you say?”

He makes no response, only looks ahead of him as he walks.

“What’s wrong? Don’t like Michael?”

“I have no opinion.”

“You wouldn’t be jealous, right?”

He stops abruptly, grip tightening on the handles of the box he holds. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Well I’m just saying-”

“-you have no right.”

I hit the nail on the head, it seems. “Why be so touchy, then?”

He glances around him and places the box on the nearest table –too hard, it clatters loudly and I worry that something might’ve broken– then he turns to me with a fury I didn’t expect, nose wrinkled in disgust. “What do you want, Ha-”

I slap my hand over his mouth, sheer instinct and panic, the action preceded the adrenaline that spikes through my body. His eyes go wide for a fraction of a second, then he grabs my wrist and pulls it from his face, turning and marching with me in tow. I don’t have much option in this situation, wrenching from his grip would be impossible even on a day where he’s less irritated at me.

He pulls open a door, drawing me into a dim and abandoned hallway before slamming it shut behind us and shoving me in front of him. I stumble a few steps before turning to look at him, running a hand gently along the tender bruise that started along my wrist.

I didn’t realize how intimidating Donny was, not fully, not until now. He stands over me with a scowl across his face, fierce and steely. I feel adrenaline give way to sheer terror as I start to understand the situation I find myself in. “Why are you here?”

“I-I needed work.”

“So you come back? You come back and-” He sighs harshly, pulling my mask off and I gasp at the motion, watching helplessly as he throws it to the floor with a strange crackling sound– glass on cobble. “You come back here and stare at me all day? I’m just supposed to be okay being watched like that?”

I stumble over my words for a moment, taking a retreating step back. “I… didn’t mean to. I just… You’re hard not to watch.”

His glare softens slightly, calculation evident in the way his eyes flicker over me, measuring the weight of my words. He’s probably trying to decide if I’m honest or not. “Why is that?”

I swallow, flushing and staring down at my feet, unable to meet his eyes anymore. “I don’t- you’re just interesting, I don’t know…”

“You need to find somewhere else to work. I’m not your damn experiment anymore.”

My heart clutches in my chest, a sickly-sharp pang of sadness resonates throughout my core. “No- I don’t- I can’t.” I look up at him again, feeling a familiar pull that hasn’t left me since the first time I’ve seen him, cursing the feeling. “Please don’t.”

He flinches slightly at this. “What, are you willing to admit I’m not just research anymore?”

I grit my teeth, fighting the rush of frustration that is prompted by the accusation. He was never simply research, but admitting to him is admitting to me– I don’t want to start down the same path as I’d walked before, let one person be the thing that causes everything to crumble. “I’ve never said anything different, I don’t know where-”

“We’re done. I’m not sitting around and being drawn for hours just for your fake science, I’m not willing to be lied to.” He turns and starts making his way back to the door and I grab at his wrist before he reaches it.

“Please! Donny!”

“What!?” He turns on his heel, pulling his arm from my grasp. “Goddamnit, what!?”

“I- I’m not just- it’s real science. I’m-” He turns away again and I feel the desperation welling up inside me, overflowing like water at a boil. “I burned them! I burned the drawings! I won’t draw you again!”

There’s a long silence before Donny looks down at me over his shoulder. His countenance shifts from the anger he’d felt to confusion, to sadness. “You… burned them?”

“Yes. I don’t- I don’t have any- I mean, none that you’d posed for. They’re gone.”

“Why would you do that?” There’s an edge of hurt in his tone now, I’m starting to question my choices.

“I- I didn’t- I thought you would be happy about that…”

“You’re right- nothing but research.” He steps through the door, not even bothering to close it behind him. I watch him walk away for a moment before I realize I’m not wearing my mask. I shove the door closed, turning and walking over to my mask, crouching beside it. When I pick it up I notice one of the eyepieces is cracked, spiderweb fractures dancing throughout it.

I sigh, fitting it back over my face and taking a moment to stand in the silence of the empty hallway.

I didn’t realize it’d hurt him the way it did. I feel like I should apologize but- why should I apologize for doing as I please with my own things? It’s not like he drew them.

I open the door, doing a quick scan of the room and realizing with a slight sinking feeling in my stomach that Donny is gone. I ask a nearby keeper where he went and she shrugs. “Home, I think. Didn’t really stop to talk to someone.”

I thank her and make my way to the box he’d placed on the table- a glass did break, there’s salt coating the bottom, shards of glass scattered throughout it. I bring the box back to the supply room – less of an official storage space and more of a small room with more than one cleared bookshelf– and start taking all the other containers out, placing them on shelves. I start picking glass out from the basket, placing the shards in a cloth I’d laid out to the side.

In hindsight, removing gloves to allow myself extra dexterity was not my brightest move. I should know better, now I’m staring down at a large slice cut into my fingertip and trying to grit my teeth through the intense burning of the salt. I swear roundly, several times, shaking my hand and clutching a fist with the other. Goddamn useless, shitty, day.

I wrap the wound in gauze, frustrated and feeling as if nothing good could possibly happen today.

I think, at this point, I need an early day as well.

I head outside, walking the familiar path, a pace that has purpose with it, fueled by emotion more than by energy.

When I get far enough away, I pull my mask off and allow the pain to finally hit in full. I walk off the path, down to the riverbed, and sit in the dirt. Here, I allow myself to cry. Not simply tearful, but wretched, in a way that makes me feel as if my lungs may burst, like I can’t find any air, like the world has completely closed in around me and I am left with my misery.

I sit on the riverbank until the sun sets, staring at the passing of time before my eyes, counting minutes by the number of clouds in the sky, then by how many stars appear.

Then I stand and continue on my way, walking on autopilot, not realizing until I’m there where my feet were carrying me.

[siconetribal]

Beyond the Bookshelves (3)

Pairing: Loki x Reader

Warnings: Obnoxious coworkers, what is the proper ettiquette when emailing princes, teasing Captain

Summary: You're a Resource Management Specialist at S.H.I.E.L.D. normally referred to as “The Librarian”. You've been assigned the nightmarish task of digitizing all the physical resources currently owned by the agency, with a few new computers and one extra helper.

A/N: Please comment/like/reblog. If you'd like to be tagged moving forward, please let me know!

The lovely banners used in this fic are from @cafekitsune.

If you’re new to the story, please check out the master post for the rest of the chapters.

The meeting was as boring as the fallen prince expected it to be, but he hardly showed his disdain for his time being wasted. Cabinet meetings and audiences with nobility and dignitaries were expected and mandatory for royals. In his opinion, a majority of them were hardly worth the time and could be easily sorted out with logic, but politics hardly worked that way. It was fickle, changing at the whim of whomever is more powerful. And though at times it was fun to see how the spoiled nobles would squabble over the most ridiculous things, the majority of it was always dull.

To think I once found such a thing mesmerizing as a young boy, wanting to follow my father everywhere and prove myself useful to him. A moment to shine, to step out of the immense shadow casted by my brother. The corners of his lips tugged downwards at the miasma of memories that began to stir. He knew the ledge was a precarious one and a single thought could have him plummeting to the depths and ensnare him.

“Do you have any questions?” The agent looked at the members of the group one by one, hesitating and nearly jumping over Loki to avoid eye contact.

“Agent Pruyn, was it?” He watched the man who was addressing them flinch at the call of his name. “Would it not be wiser for me to be the one who distracts them? I am able to change my image to look like anyone. I would merely need some footage of the person I am to imitate to better play the role. You will also be able to monitor my movements since I will be in the banquet hall as opposed to behind the scenes searching through the office.” Minimal footage of me in questionable places is best. Who knows what someone might do as an act of vengeance. 

“No, this is the best plan of action. Hawkeye is better suited for that portion of the mission and needs support while Black Widow distracts the target.” Agent Pruyn cleared his throat. The lack of negative reaction from the others seemed to embolden him a little bit. “Also, are you implying that she can't handle it? Black Widow is the best undercover agent we have. She's successfully infiltrated hundreds of places while you've only failed at discretion.” He scoffed. 

There it was. The bias and condescending tone, the twisting of his words, and the lack of support. Such insolence made his blood boil to the point of physically punishing the fool, but he kept his reactions in check with a blank expression. Silently, he changed the way they perceived him to look identical to the infamous fiery haired operative who was sitting with them. Everyone in the room stared at him in wide eyed shock, looking at him and her to see if there was a difference. 

“Well isn't that a neat little trick.” Natasha was the first to break the silence. “Certainly beats needing to put on that holographic skin.” She leaned in closer, trying to find some flaw.

“Stare all you like, you won’t be able to tell the difference unless I let you.” He said in her voice.

“If he’s so good at keeping up an appearance, why not just swap them? Nat and I are equally able to get in and out without issues if there’s a good enough diversion.” Clint shrugged, though he was impressed at how perfectly Loki copied her.

“I don’t have an issue with that change, I’m the one who can break into the computer system they have. It’s better if I’m with Clint.” Natasha agreed, Loki shifting back to himself.

“So, we’re in agreement. I will be the one to keep the group busy and the both of you will gather the necessary information. As I stated, I’ll require footage and data on the individual I’ll be impersonating.” He turned his attention back to Agent Pruyn who seemed rather cross with the change to his plan but said nothing since the other two Avengers were agreeing with Loki.

“We’ll need to adjust the timeline of the operation then. Everything was set up for this plan, we’ll need to adjust and see if there’s another gathering we can infiltrate.” 

“You say this person of interest has possible ties to this Hydra organization, correct? Why don’t we get ourselves invited to his home or wherever you think he is housing the necessary information? Why must we wait for some large gathering outside somewhere else?” Loki questioned. 

“We can’t just waltz into his home unannounced.” Agent Pruyn scoffed. “Do you think he just calls people over for tea time? This isn’t one of your royal games, Loki.” The condescending tone was back once more with a sense of triumph. This was hardly enough to anger the prince, but he was not so lenient to let it slide for a second time.

“Who said anything about tea?” He looked at the agent with raised eyebrows. “I wasn’t aware you had the time for such frivolous plans. I must disappoint you, my plans do not allot time for such.” Agent Pruyn grit his teeth and glared at the insouciant attitude the Asgardian was speaking with to him. A few of the other members of the meeting snickered at the calm retort, looking away to avoid the ire of the presenter. “This target has questionable connections and has a proclivity to feign a charitable appearance through auctions. We need to approach him as someone equally shady who wishes to either wash their hands of some item or trade an item to someone else and obtain the money under the guise of donating to said charity. We simply need to choose someone from his connections or create someone completely new.”

“That,” Natasha was the first to speak, coincidentally cutting Pruyn off, “is an excellent idea. If we came as someone new, trying to make a name for themself, they’ll be more likely to accept us if we come with an item of great value. Loki can play the part of the client and I can easily play the part of his assistant as needed to keep up the facade. Once we’re invited in, I can get Clint inside and we can get the information we need while the auction is going on.”

“Until the auction takes place, we can build a relationship with him and others. We can record all the conversations and pick up on any codes they use to discuss the secret dealings!” A female agent chimed in soon after, realizing an extra benefit to this plan.

“This makes it a much longer plan than anticipated though, we’ll have to resubmit the plan to our lead agent and to Director Fury.” A male agent pointed out.

“Sounds like it’s a necessary delay if it’s going to be more fruitful than the original operation. I guess Thor wasn’t exaggerating when he boasted about how strategic you are.” Clint slightly nodded his head in approval. “Redraft the plan and submit it, we’ll see what Fury says before moving forward.”

“We’ll schedule our next meeting after that.” Natasha nodded, standing from her seat. The others followed her actions and the meeting came to an end with a very irate Pruyn glaring at the back of Loki’s head. A small smirk of satisfaction tugged at the Asgardians lips as he walked down the halls, feeling lighter at proving himself as worthy to be on the team.

Y/N stared at the screen of her computer, willing it to fill the empty body of the email that was addressed to the two Avengers she was allowed to work with. Glancing at the time, she groaned audibly and turned her chair around so her back was to the screen.

Three hours, I’ve been staring at this blasted computer screen for three hours! Why do I need to message them!? Wasn’t Agent Hill supposed to coordinate this? Why is everything suddenly dumped on me from start to finish? This is ridiculous! Next they’ll want me to manage their schedules and make sure they have time to complete their missions and assist in my never ending task! I am not some over glorified secretary, I am the head of the Resource Management department, the director of it! I attend all the ridiculous morning meetings, check-ins, and any other waste of time meeting that could have easily been an email instead while managing all centers that contain our resources, digital and physical! She pushed herself out of the chair and paced in the space she had behind the desk. “When am I supposed to even meet with them when both are due to be deployed this week!” She threw her hands in the air as she shouted into the empty office. Defeated, she slumped back into her seat and turned to face the computer once more. 

She did not want to wait until their return, she needed it done now so that while they were gone she could have the computers and scanners set up and be ready to start as soon as they returned. Straightening up her posture, she pulled the keyboard forward and quickly began to type a brief email stating she was approached by Agent Hill and wanted to set up a short meeting in person to introduce herself and better understand how to properly utilize their assistance and time. She also added that the both of them are available tomorrow after lunch for a brief period of time. Rereading her email over and over again, she made sure there was no error before finally hitting the send. Now she had to wait for a response. Thankfully, the chime signaling the door opening was a great distraction, letting her escape the panic while waiting for a response.

“Good afternoon, how may I help you?” She happily greeted the person as she stepped out of her office. “Oh, Captain Rogers, how are you?”

“Good afternoon Y/N, I’m doing well. How are you doing?” He smiled, giving her a slight nod.

“Could do with less work, but that’s not going to change anytime soon.” She tiredly chuckled.

“I don’t know how you handle your work at all. I wouldn’t know the first thing to do with a fourth of what’s here. They’ve got the right gal for the job here.” He patted her on the back. “Which is an expertise I’ll be needing at the moment. I’ll be going out on a mission with Thor and Tony to a fairly remote area with indigenous people. Thor will be a great asset with his AllSpeak, but I’d like to get some insight on the culture.”

“Oh, so no “An American Girl” books this time around? Or  the “Hardy Boys”?” She curled her lips inward to keep from laughing as she watched the famous Captain America clear his throat and turn away to hide the hints of a blush that were creeping up onto his cheeks.

“No, not this time. But maybe when I come back you can suggest something for me to read?”

“I would love to, I’ll think up a small list and let you see which you’d like to start with. So, back to your mission, where are you going and do you know the group you’ll be interacting with?” She clapped and rubbed her hands together, eager to be of assistance. “Let’s head to the front desk while you tell me so I can pull up what we have for you.” Nodding his head, he delved into the details of the mission that were necessary, Y/N never asking for more information than necessary as she pulled up anything relevant and jotted it down on a sheet of paper. “Ok, follow me!” She walked back around just as the chime signaled someone else coming in. “Good afternoon, if you need my assistance I will be with you shortly. Please wait at the desk.” She turned to smile at the newcomer only to see the raven haired prince. Oh, good thing I put the book on the table already. “Follow me, Captain Rogers.”

“Y/N, you can just call me Steve. I think we’ve known each other long enough to drop formalities.”

“Captain Rogers, so bold and scandalous!” She gasped. “What would your fangirls think?!”

“Please don’t remind me of those.” He sighed heavily and gave her a stern look. “And I insist you call me Steve, we’re friends.” He flashed her that famous hero smile.

“Alright, alright, Steve it is.” She turned into an aisle and began to skim the codes, pulling out books which were taken from her by the gentleman super soldier beside her. Once everything was pulled, the two went to the nearest table.

“This is great, thank you, Y/N.”

“Anytime Capt-,” she stopped at the pointed look he gave her. “Steve. If you need anything, just give a holler. I’ll come help you.”

“We’re in the library, I don’t think hollering is a good idea.” He chuckled.

“Who’s going to stop us, the librarian? Oh wait, that’s me!” She grinned, earning an eye roll from him before he turned his attention to the books he had as she made her way back to the front desk.

Tags: @vbecker10 @huntress-artemiss@softestqueeen @thegodofnotknowing @princess-ofthe-pages @firedrakegirl@rcailleachcola @cabingrlandrandomcrap @lotrefcp @lwtannie @kats72 @jainaeatsstars @mssjsg7 @tom-hlover @kneelingformyloki

[sanjarka]

being angry at katniss's mom for abandoning katniss at the end of mockingjay is certainly justified but judging that choice as if it was made from cruelty is not. there are healthier ways to protect katniss from herself sure but she is honestly not there yet. how can she be? what resources does she have to be healthier in a completely broken system? when did she ever have them? and saying that your mental illness explains but doesn't excuse your behavior sound does sound logical but it's not always fair or the reality of the situation.

would you blame a person for dying from a preventable disease if there was no doctor or a medic to heal them? cause that's exactly what happened to katniss mother. twice. you may think of her as selfish and cowardice and she is in a way, considering her actions at the end of mockingjay. but she is not cruel nor abusive. she was not in the right mind to take care of her daughter. she just wasn't. you being a parent, you being a mother doesn't stop you from being a person. it is possible to not be able to take care of your kid even if you want to. that there are things you can't just snap out of. what parents need, even today, is a village, a community and a helping hand. and katniss's mom never had those things.

this doesn't mean that she dealt with everything perfectly and that she couldn't have explained her pain better to katniss. we don't exactly know what happened. what we do know is that she just didn't want to disappoint katniss again. to open that wound for her. and maybe that wouldn't have happen, and maybe katniss wanted her mom any way she could've gotten her. but her mom didn't want to risk it and that was her choice. katniss doesn't have to like it, or forgive it and neither do you. that's not up for debate. yes, i personally don't think their relationship ends here, but, again, that's just my opinion.

what i doubt katniss's mother biggest flaw is, is her inability to come to terms with the amount of trauma she caused katniss. the amount of shame she carries which she lets stop her from trying too hard to gain katniss trust again. she is not a perfect victim but she is one anyway. you find ability to forgive katniss for her misgivings (which largely happen as a result of her lack of self worth) but you won't for her mom? do you think that katniss wouldn't have fallen in the catatonic state she was in after prim's death if she had kids or people to take care of? that she would've fought against it? really? cause while peeta was gone she was willing to let go of everyone else if she knew he was dead. she told us that herself. the point is that that there are illnesses you can't fight against. that you not having control of yourself doesn't mean you don't care about the people you have left. that if you loved them more you wouldn't be sick. it doesn't work like that. and it's truly mean to pretend it does.

but other people loose husbands, hazelle lost her husband and she made it work. she snapped out of it. well is she was able to snap out of it, it means she never had what katniss's mother did in the first place. i'm sure nobody in d12 is in a completely good place mentally but people are different and you don't get to choose if and how you will get sick. and no, katniss's mom couldn't ask for help from friends cause i'm pretty sure she didn't have any. when she lost her husband she lost everything. if there were friends ready to help her then those would've been friends who would've checked up on her but nobody did. if peeta hadn't given katniss that bread they would've died. when katniss said nobody helped she means it. when katniss is surprised that people care about her after she volunteered for prim, the shock comes from a very real place. because nobody helped them! and no she wouldn't have send them in to a group home that katniss states is full of starved abused children.

and actually, she wasn't going to make any decisions because she was catatonic. meaning not present. meaning not in reality. meaning not neglecting her kids but herself first. and if you can not take care of yourself then no, you can not take care of a child. and you never know if that is going to be you. nobody thinks that. until it happens. we need institution that help people when they struggle, not abuse them or take their kids from them. this is something that people don't have even today let alone in a land like panem. whatever is that you feel towards katniss's mom don't judge her for something she literally can not control or think her bad choices come from cruelty and not fear.

[narwhalandchill]

spicy take incoming but i kinda wish ppl werent so desperately attached to and protective of this moniker of Great Big Brother 100% Perfect So True And Real when it comes to childe bc honestly. he really isnt (perfect or even that good at times) and to me acknowledging the ways both he and his family (for enabling him) are in some ways kinda just. doing teucer incredibly dirty in the long term but only with the best of intentions in the short term is so much more interesting than just pretending hes a flawless brother?? like it only adds to the drama and irony of it all man like theyre rly so dysfunctional as a family unit its great. even if hoyos likely never exploring that shit in its true depth it still lives rent free in my head for sure lol

like. you rly dont have to turn ajax into some sort of unfeeling uncaring monster of a shit brother to acknowledge that he does, in fact, repeatedly make incredibly reckless and selfish choices during his SQ with teucer and in general by choosing to obstruct the truth of who he is from lil bro so completely?

like this stuff can be nuanced and coexist with his absolutely 100% genuine commitment to protecting teucers bubble of a worldview (and w the theme of childlike dreams and wishes being so prevalent in general who knows what could be cooking w that one in particular) and his loyalty and love for his family without just having to whitewash the dumb shit he does lmao

like just bc hes capable of and willing to face the potentially grave repercussions of absolute bangers (🙄🙄) like teaching an actual fucking child to consider ruin machines fun besties and 100% insta ready to fuck himself up by protecting teucer at the cost of aggravating his still-unhealed injuries from the liyue AQ when dottores abandoned lab turns out to be more lively than expected doesnt. make that choice not a very irresponsible one yall im begging 💀

like. hes the adult here . the entire situation unfolding as dangerously as it does in the factory is Absolutely all on HIM for not being able and/or willing to disappoint teucer by just . Doing the mature thing and sending him away to safety because HES gotten too attached to this idea of being his lil siblings' loyal knight and perfect brother that Always finds a way to surpass the expectations no matter the cost its a role HE wants to keep playing despite the risk

like its So obviously a pride thing for him too and thats so fucking interesting because Of how flawed and questionable the logic is!! like yes he truly cares about teucer and ensuring he has a great unforgettable time during this impromptu escapade in liyue like thats not up to debate but the point im trying to make is that the choices he makes are Still very much intertwined with his ego and overconfidence and not really based all that much on Whats Actually The Best Approach Here. he improvises a way to give teucer the best mr cyclops outing he has ever seen bc HE wants to be the one offering him that experience and ends up biting off a bit more than he can chew and he can only blame himself for that one and This Isnt Fucking Sustainable

like i dont think that makes him evil but i do think it showcases his arrogance and flaws in a very concrete way and is a part of why calling him a perfect brother or at least one without an asterix just. rubs me off wrong lmao

like idk feel free to keep calling him that if its important to u and all if u want idc (and i do to some extent get why this defensive narrative of insisting hes great no issues at all emerged bc i remember 1.1 some ppl acting like hes childcare satan for how he treats teucer lol) but. at least like . Be willing to chip in to fund the therapy teucers going to need for those lifelong trust issues in the future man 💀

Bc Thats The Other Thing. now tonia and anthon i dont consider a part of this bc at least they Know hes in the fatui and hiding the gory details of ur harbinger job from ur baby sibs is like. fair enough and reasonable. but. crafting an Entire different AU version of yourself and feeding it to your baby brother as what constitutes actual reality surely is a choice of all times like ajax ily but genuinely . What the fuck if you were real id throttle you

AND HIS FAMILY ENABLING IT THE ENTIRE TIME ITS CRAZY LIKE. As a person with multiple siblings both older n younger with some similar age gap cohorts involved. God id snitch so fucking fast i dont think ppl rly stop and think much abt how objectively horrifying this shit is from teucers long term pov 😭 in the best way obviously given its fiction like its so scrumptiously awful and dysfunctional .

(& just in general man im just so obsessed with the way ajax 14 basically broke the eggshell of his past life and emerged to rise towards his destiny drowned in the guts and gore of the place and people and community he once called home unconditionally. Bro he fucked that town UP and now his family relations will never ever be the same its so fucking Delicious. those 3 days missing and what followed are just Actually a literal fucking horror movie when you stop blindly stanning our ginger menace, forget ajax' side and take the pov of his family and morepesok in general Why Are People Not Talking About This)

like. its not that i dont understand Why this is sth childe ended up doing as i said Thats The Point. its human. teucer is the only one in the family who wasnt there during that fateful 3 days/months . Like yea anthon and tonia were prolly sheltered from most of the carnage back then too but they still Know where he was sent when he became literally uncontrollable and almost killed the neighbors (everybody & their mom loves demonizing his parents as if his demon spawn ass left them a fucking choice JFEJSJSJSKDKS) . like its at least Known.

but then theres teucer.

And like. teucers the Only one with whom ajax can even pretend to have that delusion (ha) of normalcy and a family that hasnt seen him gaze into the abyss and stare back bloodied and grinning ear to ear . like. hes the only shot childe can have at even playacting some crude imitation of normalcy before Everything and even That comes with an expiration date hes fully aware of. so theres just lies after lies after lies and the fact that even his family just. if not actively partaking in the charade then at least silently allows the entirety of it to happen to teucer whos the Only fucking one out of the loop is just..... dude its not fair on him At All

Misleading teucer THIS much is just. its fucking horrible man but i GET it. thats why its so delicious man i GET it but god its just . imagine being teucer in this situation.... thats his entire fucking World shattered once the truth comes out. Everyone close to him has been lying to him his entire time. They all knew and they let him be misled. Like sure he might be happier Now with ajax dutifully protecting that childhood dream of his but after that. Just. sit on this for a bit. after everything do we Really think teucers just going to understand why it came to be and see it as worth it???? Will he really????

yet at the same time as awfully cruel it all is its just So human!!!!! Its so human of both ajax and his family to use the innocence of the only child that was spared the aftermath of worlds best/worst 3 month abyss training camp to indulge in this flawed false reality where their third son didnt walk into the void and come back hungry for More until only the fatui could take him and even then it only spurred him on further on that path. Like its all an act and a lie and its just. Not fucking fair on teucer but hes still doing it and theyre letting him even tho they Know it wont last theyre all looking teucer in the eye every day and letting him believe like man....

like in both the entire ruin factory sequence And in general hiding the truth from teucer as extensively as childe does hes being incredibly selfish but at the same time its selfishness only rly in the way all people are when it comes to Wanting to be seen a certain way by the ones they love and care about. and thats what makes it so interesting. bc as much as the choices he makes are dubious (or like. this decision makes sense to him. a morally bisexual total omnivore ethics-wise narwhalpilled since 14 who sees exclusively in abyss shrimp colors and acts accordingly) both they and the motivations behind them are also just. So very human ones . as terrible as the implications and eventual inevitable downfall of those choices can (will) be.

like. is it not that much more fascinating to consider all the ways that childe is neither a particularly exemplary nor an egregiously bad brother just one that. Happens to be wired weird in the head and proud and flawed and with a track record of heavily suspect decision-making but that also very much genuinely loves his family man. Like i can love that about him without dismissing the fact that theres parts to how hes treating teucer that 100% can and imo rly should backfire horrifically bc. It really just is that fucked up

hes not a good brother hes Worse AMD better than that and also not alone in this like. his family is an active fucking part of this . But like still . Is he trying his best with his abyss shrimp colored vision ? Yes. Is his love genuine? Absolutely. What are the marks? 3/10 meet me in the office after class mister youre just actually horrible (affectionate) 😭

A perfect brother? Not My Ajax man 🗣🗣 and like theres SO MUCH to explore in that it makes me so sad you just. Never see any of it p much in fanworks bc we all just call him best bro and whatever and thats that like its so sad. this family is terrible horrible awful and no good and they deserve it but also didnt deserve it it was misfortune it was fate it was inevitable . justice for teucer man i need to get him in therapy asap

[bird-inacage]

Only Friends: Why Ray x Mew is Doomed to Fail

This show is consistently catching me off guard and I LOVE that. I was not expecting this to come out of the fallout, mostly because I didn't see Mew ever choosing this. But here we are. As soon as the final scene of Ray and Mew dancing at Yo's bar came on screen, I was wildly uncomfortable. Something felt so inherently wrong and off-kilter with this image. So let's discuss why.

Resigned Acceptance VS Active Choice

Let's be clear firstly; Mew hasn't chosen Ray. The entire exchange between them is Mew doing calculations in his head. And what he concludes is if someone loves you far more, then you don't lose out. Logically it's a far easier and safer proposition to try. (Whereas with Top, who was supposedly so out of Mew's league, has now caused Mew a tonne of insecurity because of his betrayal). Ray can't hurt him because Mew has never regarded Ray as suited for that spot.

It's with an air of resigned acceptance (and an obvious lack of any enthusiasm) that Mew accepts Ray's pursuit of him. Like a lukewarm shrug, 'Yeah. I guess. I suppose. Why not.' Right now Mew needs a distraction and here is his perfect opportunity to appear as if he's 'moved on' already. That he's unaffected. Mew is only doing all of this because he's hurting. If Top hadn't cheated, his stance on Ray would still be unwaveringly firm.

This also serves as an ideal way to punish Top. Top's reason for cheating was thinking (wrongly) that there was something going on between him and Ray. So why not rub that in his face and actually have something going on now to spite him? Top's worst nightmare manifested.

Mew Playing Mew 2.0

I had a really strong feeling this episode that Mew was trying to emanate Ray, especially with his new look. Bit by bit, Mew is denouncing everything that once made him who he was. He's trying to embrace the opposite end of the spectrum and his closest point of reference is Ray.

Ray isn't responsible. Ray is impulsive. He has everyone else taking care of him. I think in some ways Mew may envy Ray at times. The luxury to be reckless, spontaneous and have people around you to pick up the pieces. To test run Ray's 'fuck it' mentality for a change and forego accountability is freeing, it's seductive.

However, Mew 2.0 is just Mew playing 'dress up'. It's a costume and a form of armour but nothing more. Mew is not coupling up with Ray as his authentic self (and ultimately the 'self' that Ray fell in love with). The man Ray loves VS the man Ray is now dating are two different people. There's already a layer of falsehood sandwiched between them.

Ray's Glorification of Mew

In Ray's eyes, Mew can do no wrong. The way that Ray sees Mew is faultless, blemish-free, almost saintlike. Mew is his saviour and Ray holds him on a incredibly high pedestal. This puts an enormous amount of pressure on anyone who is the subject of this adoration.

When we love someone, what we really desire is to be seen for all the things that makes us painfully human. The things we hate about ourselves; the ugly, the unsightly, the flaws - for someone to know us at our very worst and still love us despite all that.

Ray's opinion of Mew means he can never truly appreciate who he is as just another person who has his faults and shortcomings. It also means Ray is likely to look to Mew to have the answers, to share his wisdom and that's just not always going to be the case.

For now, Ray may be basking in the awe of living his ultimate fantasy but I don't think he'll be able to cope with the reality being less than perfection. Of Mew being less than perfection. You've set Mew up to fail, and you've doomed this relationship to fall short of the spectacular grandeur you may have conjured in your head.

This pairing is fundamentally not on equal footing. Mew is vicariously living through Ray like some rollercoaster ride to hedonism. Ray is a means for him but not a destination.

[thesweetestdevotion]

Can I request bangchan skz bf reading? Do you read for skz? Thank you

Bangchan SKZ as a Boyfriend:

Dice: Sun, Virgo, 4th House

Tarot: The Hanged Man Reversed, Judgement, Ace of Wands Reversed, King of Wands, Queen of Pentacles, Knight of Swords, Strength, Four of Coins

I keep hearing the song that goes: "I wanna be loved by you, just you, and nobody else but you. I wanna be loved by you alone" and looking at his cards he does seem to be very protective and reserved about his relationships. He may be a little possessive, but mostly I see a need to be shown love and to be prioritized. He’s very romantic and also nurturing, but it seems to be in more practical and structured ways. Like acts of service, gifts, and responsibility towards the other person. I see he may not be the most open and warm about his feelings, and yet he craves someone who is like that towards him. perhaps its an opposites attract type of thing hehe. I think he’s extremely giving and kind to his person, he may be too sacrificial and end up giving too much of himself to the other person, which is why he probably craves a passionate counterpart. Maybe he’s realized that he needs a more equal exchange of give and take, so this is what he likes in a relationship. He’s extremely communicative but to the extent where it can come off as clinical and a bit cold. I think internally he’s very sweet and passionate, but he may not be able to express it too well to the other person so he comes off a bit rigid hehe. He’s very dedicated and giving and really likes to provide safety and comfort to other people. I think he’s also very self aware, especially about his flaws. So he’s not egotistical to the point of thinking he’s in the right all the time, and takes the approach of conflict resolution and careful discussion when having issues. I think he doesn’t like resolving issues by putting too much emotion, he likes to logically work things out, which may or may not be everyone’s cup of tea and he’s aware of this. Overall its a very balanced energy he carries in a relationship, he seems really chill and sweet!

Xxx

[clancyreinhart]

This is not my usual jam but here goes anyway:

Critical Role Campaign 3 Bell's Hells hot takes

1) Bells's Hells didn't need to be "nicer". They aren't diplomats, they aren't kindergarten teachers, they are traumatized, marginalized, abused, and exploited people. Those are the characters the players chose. You are not owed "nice" characters. If you don't like them or you don't enjoy watching them, you don't have to, but don't act like it's an inherent flaw that a bunch of punks and fuck-ups happen to be angry and abrasive sometimes. It's not a mistake, it's a choice, and not every choice will be *for you*. it obviously resonates with the cast and a fair number of fans, so it's doing what it was meant to do.

2) If the gods are owed credit for the good that is done with their power, they are also owed blame for abuses of those power. I've seen a fair amount of "Bell's Hells are the bad guys, the Primes have only ever given mortals Goodness and it's not their fault if their followers do bad things (even if it's under divine orders) because mortals have agency" attitudes. Yes, mortals who use divine power or follow divine to hurt others are culpable for their actions; the gods also bear responsibility for creating situations in which those people were able to *continue* to abuse divine power. If you tell a soldier to shoot civilians, you are to blame for giving the order *and* the soldier is to blame for following it. If you give a person power over others, and they abuse and exploit those others, you are also to blame if you allow them to continue when you could stop them.

3) "They should have used a beacon to kill Predathos; Matt said it was possible in a Fireside Chat." Well they didn't know that, and why does Predathos have to die? Bell's Hells didn't know the Luxon could kill Predathos. Sometimes, in an interactive narrative, there are possibilities which are not explored. Not finding this piece of information doesn't make BH (or the cast) stupid, or lazy, or wrong. That's just not where the story went. And why does Predathos need to die just for being hungry?

4) The status quo is not inherently the best possible world. Yes, from the viewers' perspective, things seemed to be pretty good with the gods for the last 2 Campaigns, but that was a very limited slice of the world. Matt (and Brennan) put a lot of lore building work into to illustrating that maybe things were always more complicated than they looked. Maybe the current set-up was *also bad for the deities themselves*. But that's "new" to the viewers, so it can't be as real as what we've seen for the past ten years, right? Except: of course it can. The gods might not be an inherently negative force in the world that needs to be purged, but the alternative isn't that they must be inherently positive and need to be preserved exactly as they are. The gods are tied into their own toxic cycles, the Divine Gate protects mortals only so long as the Prime agree to be held back, locking Predathos up only last until the next time somebody tries to break the Cage (and on an infinite timeline all finite time is infinitesimal). The Rite of Catatheosis introduces a change, and a chance to rebuild things differently. Maybe it won't work, maybe it'll only partly work. Maybe it'll be worse, but I doubt that. The point is to stop doing the thing that we know isn't working but keep doing because we've been doing it for so long.

5) A lot of people are saying "consequences" in a way that just sounds like "punishment". If you're mad that characters "got away with" something that "should have" turned out worse, that seems like a you problem.

6) You can't blame a show for pandering to fans and complain that it's too big for them to treat it like it's just for themselves at the same time. That's not me making a moral judgement; that's just basic logic. Artists make decisions solely for their own satisfaction all time, and skilled artistic communication and the universality of human experience allow others to connect with those decisions. So the cast can play like they're the only audience and still create something meaningful. Contrarywise, if they choose to do things they think fans will like, because they are by profession entertainers, that's also a valid choice and can lead to Good Art (if maybe a little less challenging at times). If the cast are not allowed to do things for themselves (too big) and not allowed to do things for the fans (pandering), who the hell are they supposed to do things for? Some Esoteric Council of D&D Actual Play Artness? Haters? Why? Like it's fine to say "I didn't like this choice; it didn't land for me" or "I would have liked to see this other thing" without acting like it's a failure or a lack of integrity anytime something isn't for you. Hey, you know what? I felt like things got too quickly into the main plot and the urgency ramped up way to fast. I would've liked more time for the party to fuck around, and Braius joining 6 in-game days from the end of the campaign makes it hard to see how he'd develop the same depth of attachments as the rest of the group. Notice how I didn't frame this as though my position has any greater validity than the opposing, or that the whole campaign was trash, or the show is declining, or even that the pace was *wrong*? It's just something that didn't work *for me*.

[senseandaccountability]

Depending on the story

(Some Solas thoughts)

I see some takes that are saying that in DAV Solas is finally true to himself, this is who he is, he is an asshole who always lies and betrays you. And yes, sure. This is the Dread Wolf dreadwolfing. But the whole point of his character arc is that he is also very, very much still Solas from DAI. And Mythal’s second in command, her lapdog, who carried out atrocities while he was bound (figuratively or literally) to her service. And Fen’Harel who started a rebellion because he hates abuse of power and who (likely) got caught up in the Godhood of it all the way everyone would because that’s certainly a theme of the series. And he is also still the Fen’Harel who (probably) crossed all the lines he set for himself and couldn’t stop until the Evanuris had fallen. And, more recently also the slightly unhinged Fen'Harel who boosted his own godhood powers by killing his oldest friend to be able to fulfill his final duty.

The story about you shifts with the ones telling it.

That doesn’t mean that people have one true self and the rest of it is lies and manipulation even if that’s a popular trope in stupid media and self-help capitalism.

That means that people are complex and contain multitudes.

To each their own but for me, the appeal of Solas isn’t that he’s a powerful asshole. For me, a lot of the appeal of his character lies in the fact that he does these big nasty things and he feels genuinely bad about them. He does them because he works with a flawed internal logic that tells him they need to be done and better him than someone who is deriving pleasure from it, who isn’t as brilliant as he is. An internal logic where the end - to correct his own mistakes, to free the elves he has failed, to not back away from the road he choose because that means he’s ruined things for nothing - justifies the means. What we see in the lore and memories of DAV is how the Dread Wolf persona came to be, all the way from manifesting as a spirit of Wisdom to being ready to kill anyone to finish “healing” the world he never meant to break. He hasn’t stopped being either of the things he was; there is textual evidence however that he does not wish to be the Dread Wolf, a self crafted in a different time, that he did not particularly want to be the Dread Wolf back then either, judging by a letter from Felassan who claims they must indeed play up those parts to make him out as someone strong enough to protect people. In the good ending he can, beautifully and ironically enough, be just strong enough to protect people while also shedding the Dread Wolf part - whereas the bad ending traps him in the role as an avenging wolf.

Nothing of what he says in DAI about spirits or the terrible price of war (or about replacing a regime in a country with spies and clever tricks or how fucking useless Falon’din was and that Andruil was a bitch) is any less true because of DAV - if anything, it’s more relevant because a lot of the time when he rants about something, he’s talking about himself and his own mistakes or ideals he wishes he could uphold because he believes in them.

TL;DR: He was himself in DAI, he is himself in DAV and he has been himself for thousands of years. What changes is the context and the stakes and other infinitely fickle circumstances.

[jsitmfgoesnsfw]

Kinktober Day 11 - Learning Curve(s)

Do you want to read more of my Kinktober fanfics? You can find them all on my Kinktober Masterlist!

Fandom: Obey Me

Characters: Leviathan x Reader

Word Count: 0.8k (891 words)

Content: First time, virginity loss (on your part), inexperience (on Levi's part), fingering (you receiving).

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You know there's only one person you want to lose your virginity to. Now you just have to convince him of that fact.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Levi’s hands were trembling.

They usually shook to be fair but it was worse than you’d ever seen it at the moment. Though you could hardly blame him.

Your hands were shaking as well.

When you’d asked him to take your virginity, you thought Levi was going to faint. It was only by some miracle that he had managed to keep his consciousness and stay in the same room as you. But once he saw how put off you were by what could very easily be seen as a refusal, he’d mentally slapped himself and done his best to comfort you.

“I’m sorry. It just surprised me is all. I mean, why me? I don’t…don’t exactly have the…most experience either, you know.” Levi’s voice was quiet and embarrassed. Exactly how you felt.

And knowing he felt the same way - jittery and nervously - made you feel better.

“Because I like you Levi. We’ve been dating for a while and I think I’m ready. And I want my first time to be with someone I trust.”

Levi couldn’t meet your eyes, a furious blush lighting up his face. “It might not be good though. You deserve a perfect first time and I don’t think I can give you that.”

You cupped his face in your hands, forcing his eyes to meet yours. “Levi. As long as I’m with you, there’s no way it can be anything less than perfect.”

He smiled shyly and leaned forward to kiss you. When he pulled back, he nodded. “Okay, I’ll do my best. It would be my honour to have you.”

You turned to his bed and suddenly realised the flaw in your logic. A bathtub. You weren’t going to lose your virginity in a bathtub. Levi followed your line of sight and squeaked in embarrassment when he realised what you were thinking.

You turned back to him. “How about my room?

~

You shuddered as Levi’s fingers worked you open. He pressed open mouthed kisses across your thighs and stomach.

You reached down and grabbed at his wrist. “Levi, please, I need you inside me. I’m ready.”

The blush hadn’t faded from his face but he shuddered as your words registered in his mind. He pressed one last kiss to your thigh and pulled his fingers from you, leaving you feeling empty.

He repositioned himself so that his face was above yours and made an effort of meeting your eyes. “Are you sure this is still okay? That this is still what you want?”

You nodded. “I do. I want you Levi.”

He looked away to line himself up and pressed against you. His eyes flicked back up. “Tell me if you need to stop. Please?”

“I will.”

And with that, he began pressing himself into you, stopping every few seconds to let you adjust.

It burned but didn’t hurt as much as you feared it would and with Levi’s patience, you were able to hold out until he bottomed out inside you. Then, you patted his chest.

“I need a moment.” Your voice was breathless and you were gasping at the tight, full feeling.

Levi didn’t seem to be faring much better. His jaw was tense and his eyes were squeezed shut in an effort to control himself. He nodded and when he spoke, his voice was taunt. “Take as much time as you need.”

Soon, you felt the burning fade into tingles and you smiled up at your boyfriend. “I’m ready.” You shifted your hips to accentuate your point and Levi collapsed onto you, burying his face in your neck. You could feel the heat radiating off him. He rolled his hips down into your slowly and you felt pleasure shoot up your spine.

“You feel so good. So much better than I could have imagined.” Levi was babbling in your ear and you marvelled at how his body seemed to work independently of his frazzled mind.

His thrusts grew faster and you looped your arms around his neck, digging your fingers into his back. You knew you weren’t going to last very long and when Levi managed to work his hand between your legs to tease you, you felt yourself rushing faster towards the edge.

You shuddered beneath him once more before you tipped over, feeling a rush of pleasure far greater than any you’d ever achieved on your own pass through you. Through your high, you heard Levi curse and his hips pulled back, leaving you empty. Warmth splattered across your stomach as he came with a stuttering moan.

Levi collapsed next to you as you both caught your breath and came down from your peaks.

“Are you okay? How do you feel?” Even breathless, Levi’s first thought was for your pleasure.

You smiled weakly. “I feel amazing. You were amazing Levi.” You turned over and curled into his side. “Thank you.”

Levi blushed and waved a hand. “No need to thank me. I should be thanking you. You were amazing as well.”

“We were both amazing, how about that?”

Levi paused and nodded. As you felt tiredness settle over you, you felt Levi shift and pull a blanket up across you both. He pressed a kiss against your forehead and, just before you let sleep pull you away, you heard him whisper.

“I’m so lucky you’re in my life. I love you.”

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