#your fave has prosthetic limbs

[your-fave-is-crippled]

Hiccup Haddock The Third from httyd

is crippled/a cripple, supports cripplepunk and has a prosthetic leg

image one: [id: a dark grey flag with a dusty rainbow going from the bottom left corner up to the right, dark grey circles on top one in the middle of the other and hiccup from the series how to train your dragon in the middle of the image looking at the viewer with a determined smile. :end id]

image two: [id: a flag with a grey border around 7 vertical stripes ranging from left to right as dark green, seafoam green, light green, pale green, pale pink, pink and dark pink. on top of the flag is hiccup from the series how to train your dragon in the middle of the image looking at the viewer with a determined smile. :end id]

[wizkiddx]

unusable faces

i have exams hence why i needed to write something exceptionally cringe :)

PSA: this is completely inspired from one of my fave writers own blurb @blissfulparker​ --> completely recommend u go read hers its much better than anything i could ever write!!!! (and just her whole account) = link

Summary: pure exhaustion and mutual pining, Tom Holland x actress!reader

^(just thought this was cute, doesn't really fit aha but full credit to op!!)

A scheduling nightmare would be putting it lightly. Perhaps almost unavoidable but that didn’t make it any less of a hellish form a torture. Harry had very helpfully said it actually was a form of torture, that is sleep deprivation. Y/n loved her job - it was all she’d ever really wanted - yet that thought was quickly becoming not enough to get her through the day. Not when it felt like an interrogation tactic used by the CIA. 

To give a quick timeline of the past few days may give a little context:

Thursday - filming the fight scene all day plus an evening-turned-half-the-night-shoot due to some technically difficulties delaying the process.

Friday - flying to New York while doing read throughs of scenes for the next few days; followed immediately by getting glammed and filming the tonight show with Fallon; then a dash across town to the late late show with James Corden; then straight back on a flight to Atlanta that landed at stupid o’clock in the morning

Saturday - a full day of shooting in a mock grand central station set

The press trip to NY had been unplanned… to say the least. But the star of their studios other new release had taken ill - meaning they had slots booked on some of the biggest talk shows in America that would just be abandoned (angering the shows bookers too). It was a waste of perfectly good promo time and since the studio had their two other stars together doing a block of reshoots - it wasn’t a conversation. Much more a call demanding the two of them to be on the plane.

Normally this wouldn’t be such an unmanageable ask either, except the reshoot block was really rather time pressured. You see, the promo tour wasn’t far from beginning meaning they really needed the final film in the can. So really it was a bit of a mess. Just to free up that single day the two were in New York the whole schedule had had to be rejigged - in doing so they’d lost a rare day off too. It was just typical.  

The joys of success hey?

Well, that’s at least what Y/n was making herself think whilst her incredibly talented SFX artist was in the process of crafting a deep wound onto her upper arm. The reason why she would be ‘dripping with blood’ whilst at a train station was beyond Y/n to be honest - she hadn’t been allowed to read a lot of the script so even now as filming was drawing to a close, the story arc of the movie she was headlining was still a little ‘fuzzy’.

“So I watched your ‘spill your guts’ thing on YouTube” Ellie giggled whilst reaching over for more prosthetic putty- a technical term apparently

“I’m glad one of us enjoyed the experience” Y/n replied with a sigh, rolling her eyes at the mischievous smirk on her face - no doubt Ellie took great joy out of seeing her suffer through eating a thousand year old egg. Which Y/n swore the taste of was still in her mouth… and it seemed as though it’d never leave. 

“Oh don’t worry darling I did too” Nelli called over from the next chair along, where she was doing Tom’s makeup for the day of shoots. “Between that and the animals on Fallon, you made a hell of a lot of people laugh last night” Tom’s artist was referencing the fact one of Jimmys other guests was a zookeeper, so at the end of the interview he had you and Tom join in trying not to scream at the snakes and spiders.

“You mean laugh at us?” 

“Well of course darling!” Nelli exclaimed back in an overdramatic bronx accent making all three of the women burst out laughing, Ellie’s unceremonious snorts echoing through the trailer only egged them all on more.

Tom in response, who had otherwise been absent from conversation for the majority of the morning, exclaimed a curse and jumped up in his chair. While you and Ellie collected yourself, Nelli apologised to him.

“Oh sorry love, I’m interrupting your snooze with my uncontrollable comedic gift” She spoke sweetly, even if still taking the moment to flaunt to the other women, as she squeezed his shoulder compassionately.

“No no” Tom waved off her apology, attempting to rub his eye before Nelli swatted his arm away - a stern look for the risk of ruining all her hard work she’d put into making his face look half presentable. 

“I’m impressed you can sleep while they poke you with all these er instruments” Y/n added in, having only just realised Tom had been in a light sleep for god knows how long they’d been in that chair. It did seem a bit unlikely, being able to fall asleep as you were dabbed, prodded and brushed. 

“Maybe you should try though Y/n… your purple eye bags are proving a struggle even for me” Ellie quipped back, now it was Y/n’s turn to give the stern look. Tom took the explain though, shutting her off from whatever kindly meant insult she was about to throw back at her friend. 

“No normally never, I just��.” He was cut off by an ear splitting yawn, appearing almost powerful enough to crack his jaw - which would be a disaster, for no one should ruin such a beautiful and sharp jaw line. “…uh-sorry. I just think I ended up taking my NyQuil and DayQuil the wrong way round in the madness of yesterday.” Only Tom, the poor kid often seemed to lacking in any form of common sense - even if those closest to him knew just how intellectual and passionate he could be about the right topic. Affectionately, Nelli scalded his idiocy by jokingly swatting his head with a little tut.

“I can’t believe your still standing then! I’m barely alive and I don’t have any sedatives in my system.” It was true, Y/n was at that stage where every part of her body felt ridiculously heavy… eyes included … eyes especially. 

“But I did sleep on the jet back while your stupid self was studying the script!” Tom replied with a pretty inarguable point - at the time he knew her actions were stupid;  when their flight took off at 11 PM he was certain that the most valuable asset to his ability to act in the reshoots today would be sleep - rather than character development. And he’d tried to convince Y/n that briefly, but gave up. She was bloody stubborn when she wanted to be. 

“Stop competing about who has it worse cos I think it’s me and Nell”Ellie announced - making Nelli agree empathically with her coworker, nodding her head as she looked first to Y/n in her chair then back at Tom.

“Yeh because we have to deal with your unusable faces!!”

After much sarcasm thrown back and fourth, the trailer slowly ebbed it’s way back into serenity and peace as both artists focused on their work. Once Nelli was done she excused herself, Tom staying in the chair in favour of studying (more like staring blankly) at the dialogue for this mornings scenes. His pretence didn’t last long though and while Ellie was busy adding the final touches of fake blood to the now almost completely believable gash that she’d crafted on Y/n’s arm - Y/n had her attention focused the opposite way.

At poor little Tom. He looked so childlike, his slightly puffy eyes looked as if they had weights tied to them - they way he was having fight against gravity to flutter his eyes open, before loosing the next second only for the process to repeat as they dragged downwards. The broad muscles of his neck occasionally seemed to occasionally let up a little, letting his head tilt slowly at first until it gathered enough momentum to throw him off balance. The then sudden movement of his head unconsciously pulling itself back in line caused his eyes to bolt open prior to the whole cycle repeating again. All Y/n wanted to do was let him lay down someone, her heart feeling a tug in her chest just seeing him like that. 

Ellie proclaimed her completion of the wound, leaning back to admire her work before looking to get an affirming nod from Y/n. Yet instead, she was too preoccupied gazing at the boy slouched across from them. “Someone seems a little distracted.” Ellie smirked, finally garnering Y/n’s attention, only feeling more and more smug watching a light tint appear on the actors cheeks. 

“I-well-no… we need to go.” Y/n ignored her words as though nothing had happened, instead rushing off the chair to get Tom out the chair and onto the awaiting set. They had places to be.

|||||||||||||||||||||||||||| (bcos im lazy)

Honestly when the director, Ed, called for lunch break, it was pretty apparent to be purely as a compassionate gesture to Y/n and Tom. Both of them had tried so hard this morning to fully commit, even so they’d both been almost completely useless. Y/n kept missing cues whilst all Tom’s actions and lines where slow, dragged out and at times completely prompted from someone behind the cameras. 

So when the lunch break was called there was only one thing on Y/n’s mind and what sandwich was available in the mess tent was not it. Still standing on the set next to her fake holdall bag she looked toward Tom, who was pulling himself up to standing from the train station bench - the pace of his movement making him look more like an old man. 

“You good?” His answer was predictable. 

“I’m so fucking shattered”

Tom swore he’d never heard anything sweeter come out of Y/n’s pink lips than her next statement.

“C’mon I know somewhere we can lie down.”

Without any sort of thought Tom blindly agreed, nodding as he took her outstretched hand in his. The gesture in itself brought a fresh wave of comfort to his aching limbs and as his feet stumbled to catchup with her slight head start he leant the majority of his weight into their connected hands. 

Neither would admit it but they were ‘a thing’… whatever the hell that meant. It was clear as day to everyone and anyone that worked closely to the two but neither of them had ever broached the topic with each other. They’d worked on a few films together over the years; each time they got closer and closer to the point any job without the other simply wasn’t as good. It was scary though, especially for two actors in the prime of their careers. If they weren’t working the same film they’d likely be the opposite side of the world to each other most of the time - quality time together would be few and far between, Really their jobs didn’t suit dating at all, yet it would be perhaps easier if one half of it worked a ‘normal’ job. Something with consistency, a regular structure. A level of dependability that neither Y/n nor Tom could offer to the other. 

So it was terrifying, acknowledging the growth in their magnetic attraction to each other. Both were acutely aware that doing that, confronting their feelings, would most likely signal the beginning of the end. 

Although none of this stoped Y/n from returning the gesture, tilting her shoulder into Tom’s left side as they took slow steps through and then out the set building. She steered the two past the hair and makeup trailer and round into a store and extra equipment trailer. Tom tilted his head as she climbed the stairs whilst beckoning for him to follow - it didn’t seem like the most obvious choice. Rolling her eyes, Y/n explained.

“It’s where all the blankets and coats and kept for the raining scenes plusssss no one will disturb us in here.” Again Tom was not in a position to disagree, eyes drooping as his shoulders sagged to the floor. Right now he’d take anything. 

So he climbed up the stairs and shut the door behind him, just as Y/n flipped the light on. She was right, it was well equipped and with an almost mountainous supply of red blankets that normally the crew and extra would all be wrapped up in after the freezing rain scenes with all the ‘waterfall machines’ as Y/n called them. However it was also um…. It was cosy. “Oh I don’t think I realised how small it was” She chuckled lightly, since now the door was closed her back was pressed up against the far wall of cabinets and still her front was mere millimetres from Tom.

“I…I don’t mind… if-if you don’t?”

“I’m too tired to care” She giggled in response, and Tom , now with her seal of approval, immediately started ransacking the piled shelves for all their worth creating a floor carpeted in the pale red of the blankets, in an attempt to make it more cosy. Joining in, it was almost remarkable how quickly their bodies suddenly agreed to move, with the new promise of rest mere moments away. 

Once the trailer was fully drowned, Tom kicked off his costume shoes and threw his jacket off - it haphazardly landing by the doorway. Y/n copied him, leaving her stood up whilst he had the advantaged of already settling down on the floor, her standing and looking down at him.

The space between the two opposing shelving units was not close spacious enough for two people to lie down whilst keeping a respectable level of personal space. Suddenly feeling a wave of awkwardness, Y/n stayed standing, wringing her hands slightly - whilst fairly certain Tom could hear her heart running at 100 mph. 

“You er… gonna stay there or?” Tom, contrary to popular belief, wasn’t a complete idiot - he could see she was suddenly self conscious. He got it too - they’d never crossed this boundary of choosing to cuddle into each other. It had happened once of twice accidentally over there 2 years of knowing each other. Both of those times it was completely accidental, falling asleep watching a movie with a safe distance of space b between the two, only to find hours later their bodies almost completely intwined. Tom would be lying if he said that his heart didnt skip a beat when he had awoken to Y/n’s soft and gently breath fanning into his neck. He’d loved it, but understood that was unconsciously breaking down part of the wall they’d both been the constructors of.

For fear of getting hurt. 

So now, as Y/n awkwardly bent down and lay on her side, he thought it was imperative to make her feel comfortable. Naturally then, his arm slid round her shoulders and pulled her down toward his chest, releasing a little breath as he felt her relax, her legs slowly wrapping round one of his. 

“This okay?” He murmured, now into the crown of her head as she lay half on her side half on his chest. In reply she nodded into him and Tom couldn’t help but grin- unbeknownst to him but Y/n was doing the exact same thing. 

The peace lasted all of 3 seconds until she groaned again.

“What?” Tom enquired as she wriggled out his hold and stood up. Instead of replying though she just leant over and flicked the one harsh light bulb off making Tom chuckle as she fumbled her way back onto the padded floor in the darkness, earning a few grunts from both as she accidentally kicked Tom’s thighs or banged her head on one of the now empty shelves. Fumbling her way back into a comfortable position, occasionally cursing when she stubbed her toe- or Tom did when she accidentally elbowed him in the ribs. 

“Comfy?” Tom asked a little sarkily as he squeezed her a little more into his side.

“Mhmmmm… I’m gonna sleep for 100 years”

“Yeh me… me too”

And with that they both almost instantly and in complete unison sagged into each other and the blankets - the pent up stress and tension of the past few days ebbing away.

What the pair had neglected to remember was that sleeping for 100 years wasn’t really an option. The whole crew of 50 people, who wanted to restart filming after 45 minutes, had not been told about Y/n’s little hiding place. The pair were so completely safe in their own little cocoon of comfort they were completely oblivious to their teams calling there names more and more frantically. Completely oblivious to the game of hide and seek the situation had descended into, completely oblivious to Harrys natural annoyance as the director asked him for the whereabouts of the two stars - as though Harry was childminder to the pair of them.

It was Nelli who found them first. She’d and Ellie and Tom’s manager had all been recruited by Harry as part of the man hunt. Both girls, having seen first hand the state of the two this morning, were fairly certain they’d both crashed out somewhere. So Nelli, already with a sneaking suspicion, opened the door gently, her figure blocking the majority of the light from seeping through to the dimly lit inside. The sight she was met with had her actually pouting at the cuteness - and yes its a cringey word but also the only one appropriate.

Between bedding down and barely an hour later the two had managed to become impossibly tighter pressed to each other. Y/n’s face was pressed into the crook of Tom’s neck and his arms seemed to have pulled her on-top of him almost completely. Her left leg was hooked under his right, which was then sandwiched by his left too. They both looked so pure and innocent and god did Nelli know they both needed any extra time they could get.

Nelli cared a lot about Tom, she’d been working with him from the beginning, from the child star days to now. She cared about him like her very annoying surrogate son and she wanted to see him looked after. She also so completely wanted the two stars to stop pining after each other. Because frankly it was getting a little frustrating for everyone else. 

So she chose to tactically forget about her discovery, sneaking a photo on the sly before silently pulling the door closed and leaving them to their sleep. 

[a-queer-seminarian]

So sorry if this is breaking news to anyone, but: the Bible is ableist. Its pages hold some really shitty stuff about disabled persons.

...AND it’s also affirming of the goodness and wholeness of disabled persons, just as we are!

it turns out that among the many authors of the many texts collected into the Bible, there were differing views around what we now call disability!

so whenever disability comes up in a given passage, i can’t keep my brain from immediately trying to sort it: is it a Good Text for disabled persons, or a Bad Text?

i try to resist that easy binary, because the answer is usually somewhere in between. that certainly seems to be the case for this week’s lectionary reading from Mark 9.

there’s so much wild stuff in Jesus’s little monologue in this lectionary passage, but let’s start with verses 43-47 (my rough translation incoming):

If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it all the way off; it is better for you to enter into The Life impaired than, while having two hands, to go away into the gehenna, into the unquenchable fire.

And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it all the way off! It is better for you to enter into The Life limping than, while having two feet, be cast into the gehenna.

And if your eye should cause you to stumble, cast it out; it is better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God one-eyed than, while having two eyes, be cast into the gehenna, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. For everyone will be salted with fire.

oh lord, not the hell talk!! anything but hell talk!! this whole passage bristles with a million ways to misuse it. (homophobia cw: anyone else ever get told “if your sexuality causes you to sin, cut it off — this passage is proof gay people should be celibate!” just me?)

now, my focus is on what Jesus says here about disability, but as we talk about that, better ways of reading the text will come up. for instance, that last verse about how everyone will be salted with fire? to me, that suggests Jesus’ vision of this “gehenna” place does NOT = the standard Christian idea of hell. first off, it’s a place not of punishment, but purification — which is a word heavy with baggage these days...what if I say “reformation” instead? And if that’s the case, i imagine one’s stay there isn’t eternal — why bother reform people who are gonna be shut off in a fire-filled jail forever?

once those fires “purify” you, i imagine your stay is through and off you go into “The Life,” because you’ll finally be ready for it. so that’s one option for getting ready for The Life / The Kingdom of God — or, Jesus says, you can opt instead to get rid of the things that “cause you to stumble” in advance by......cutting off a limb or gouging out an eye??

now. i could be wrong but. if we start by taking this text as literally as possible, with physical stumbling and a physical limb-removal taking place......wouldn’t it be easier to avoid tripping if you’ve got two eyes to see obstacles with, two feet to step over potholes with?? even today when prosthetics are sometimes an option, there’s an adjustment period where you have to relearn walking.

so it seems that Jesus is making one of his trademark statements meant to subvert expectations -- the last will be first, the foolish are proven wise, and those with two feet are more likely to stumble. chances are, he’s not speaking literally. it’s not your literal foot or hand you should be chopping off -- it’s a metaphor for something else.

but before we consider what exactly it’s a metaphor for...where does this ironic little twist leave actually disabled persons? is it shitty of Jesus to be using disability in this way? is this like his “blind leading the blind” & “spiritually blind” comments elsewhere in the Gospels, where he stamps a disability with a moral judgement?

yeah, i do think it’s kinda crappy to use real disabilities for an object lesson, for hyperbolic effect, for shock value. “better to be impaired” (even tho, the subtext seems to be, It Sucks To Be Impaired) “than end up in Gehenna. Trade one terrible thing for a still bad but not as bad thing!” My impulse is thus to throw this passage right into the Bad Text box —except!

Except, i feel like this text holds some positive implications about how Jesus viewed disability, too. 

First off, there’s the implication that one can enter into “The Life” — abundant life, “the world to come,” God’s Kingdom — while disabled. (i wish that were just a given, but it’s not; it’s actually exciting to hear confirmed!)

In the Hebrew Bible (the “Old Testament,” the scriptures we share with our Jewish neighbors, the texts that Jesus would have read and known), the most common assumption about disability is unfortunately that disability = imperfection, and imperfection is something that should be kept out of contact with God.

Now, there are authors & stories within the Hebrew Bible that offer a counter-narrative to that assumption! Two quick examples: Exodus 4 establishes Moses as having a speech impediment, yet he has many close encounters with the Divine. Meanwhile, in Isaiah 56:1-8, God not only welcomes in eunuchs — whom Deuteronomy 23:1 forbade from entering God’s Assembly — but even gives them a place of honor there!

So Jesus’s perspective is not brand new; he simply continues the counter-narrative that other Jewish rabbis and prophets established before him. Still, it is significant that he takes the status-quo-subverting perspective that actually, disability and wholeness are not at odds!

While Jesus’s primary aim with this little passage is not about disability, his weird self-disabling metaphor does imply an attitude of welcome for disabled persons, in that he seems to take it for granted that disabled persons are not barred from The Life of wholeness and abundance he’s talking about.

It’s obvious to him that they don’t even need to be made not-disabled to get there! (Plus, there is no suggestion that once there, one regrows one’s lopped-off limbs or eye / becomes abled again.) This isn’t the only time Jesus expresses this idea of disabilities present in God’s Kingdom, either — my fave is the parable of the banquet in Luke 14 (i have a whooole video about that passage, if you’re interested).

Moreover, Jesus’s closing remarks about salt — which at first glance seem to be something of a non sequitur — can be linked to the Gehenna fire stuff when it comes to the theme of im/purity. Let’s look at that last verse of the lectionary reading, which follows right after Jesus’s claim that “everyone will be salted with fire”:

“Salt is good; but if salt becomes unsalty, with what will you season it? Hold salt in yourselves, and keep peace with one another.”

Another weird little riddle from our favorite riddle-master. unsalty salt? instructions to stay salty?

One way to read this is to focus on the purifying and preserving uses of salt — the way it can keep food from going bad, which was particularly important in a time before refrigerators. in the previous verses, Jesus told his disciples what to cut off — anything that impedes them on the way into abundant Life. Now, he tells them what to hold on to — the stuff that, like salt, clean out harmful things and preserve helpful things, thus enabling abundant Life.

So yeah. In naming something culturally considered an imperfection — disability — as something that can easily enter The Life, no problem, Jesus is making an argument for what is truly impure, what truly impedes wholeness. And it’s not disability! ...So what is it? What are these stumbling blocks that Jesus likens to feet, hands, and eyes?

To find out, we have to rewind to the start of the lectionary reading, a comment from the disciple John that actually kicks off Jesus’s whole spiel:

John informed him, “Teacher, we saw someone throwing out demons in your name, and we stopped him, because he wasn’t following our way.”

But Jesus said, “Do not ever prevent him! For there is no one who will do a powerful work in my name, and will be quickly able to speak evil of me. For whoever is not against us, is for us. Whoever might give you a cup of water to drink because you are in Christ’s name, amen I say to you, that one will not utterly lose his reward.”

The disciples have a certain way of seeing the world, and their actions against someone who is not one of them, but still using Jesus’s name to cast out demons, show us what that way is. They see the world in terms of us vs. them, in vs. out, one right way and many wrong ways. It’s this perspective that impedes them from supporting other people’s kin(g)dom-building work when it differs from their own.

But Jesus tells them they need to stop thinking this way, and start recognizing that there isn’t just one road to the Kin(g)dom, but many — and to quote Jesus’s words from other parts of scripture, you’ll know that someone’s work is good when it produces good fruit. This dude might be doing things differently from how they do it, but the fruits of his efforts are good — the casting out of demons, which frees people up for new life. So don’t stop him — support him! Be glad for his work!

To sum up the entire passage now that I’ve laid it all out and shown how the seemingly-disjointed parts of Jesus’s speech connect, I see his argument as something like this: “That dude you tried to stop is not against us; we can see that by the consequences of his actions, which are positive! His goals are the same as ours, so don’t hinder him just because his path is different from yours! Now, here’s an example of people/behaviors that ARE against us: people who cause little ones to stumble. And you know what you should do with such stumble-makers (or else the stumble-causing behaviors/attitudes)? Cut them off. Let go of anyone or anything that keeps you from abundant life, from the liberation God intends for all. Meanwhile, hold on to the things which purify you like salt — the things that liberate you to enter wholeness. Do it now of your own accord, or accept that it’ll happen later, and it won’t be very fun.”

To reiterate what all of that has to do with disability theology, I’ll share what my friend Laura said when I brought all these ideas to them. (Laura is the host of the Autistic Liberation Theology podcast, which i highly recommend for anyone who wants to hear more Bible stories told through a disability lens!)

Laura noted how common perspectives around dis/ability lead people wrong today, impeding our liberation. Our society teaches us that in order to function as whole persons, we need to be able-bodied (and neurotypical), and that the kinds of accommodations that disabled persons require limit their quality of life. When those ableist assumptions are the lens through which we view the world, that can “cause us to stumble” in the metaphorical sense — can impede us from loving ourselves and one another fully, and from fully participating in the diverse Kin(g)dom of God.

They offered two examples:

When a person with a mobility impairment that could be improved with a wheelchair avoids using that wheelchair because of internalized ableism, preferring the increased suffering that walking more than their body can healthily do over being “wheelchair bound,” that internalized ableism is a stumbling block keeping them from abundant life. Learning to let go of those beliefs, to use a wheelchair when they need to, will — contrary to that “wheelchair bound” language — bring liberation. 

Their next example imagined a parent who puts their autistic child through ABA therapy in order to get them to talk, make eye contact, and otherwise behave like a non-autistic person, due to the belief that autistic persons are missing elements of a full personhood, or that they can only live a happy life if they learn how to mask their autistic traits. However, in reality, ABA therapy brings the child pain and trauma — it impedes rather than enables their quality of life. Letting go of that need for your child to communicate through spoken language and otherwise behave like an allistic will make room for celebration of who they really are!

As Jesus’s comments in this passage imply, a disabled person can enter into “The Life” of wholeness and kinship that is the Kin(g)dom of God just as they are. To try to sever their disability from them would be the hindrance to that liberation. To deny that there are many ways to participate in the Body of Christ  impedes the incoming Kin(g)dom.

So let’s take this message to heart. Let’s consider what points of view, what assumptions about what is necessary for wholeness, are currently keeping us from abundant life, or causing us to stop others from their abundance-bringing work. It’s time to learn how to let those harmful assumptions go — and hold tight to the things that bring true wholeness.

For more on this text, check out my translation notes, which include a lot of commentary from D. Mark Davis’s own exegetical work.

For more on disability theology, you might enjoy my #disability theology tag on tumblr or my Disabled AND Blessed YouTube series. This video exploring the many different perspectives on disability found within the Bible is particularly pertinent.

Finally, what do you think? What good news do you hear in this Mark 9 text? What parts of it feel like a stumbling block for you, dredging up hurt or confusion?

[jasontoddiefor]

fave vader injuries you say? ok. his knees. how does anakin feel about his knees? idk I just think it'd be fun for there to be a segment of him just talking about how wild the human body is how that he has to pay attention to his needs. he can cry now because his tear ducts are not burnt out. he can taste things. he will eat everything and no one can stop him.

TW for Vader’s general health and also eating disorders. And yes, Anakin definitely cries a lot.

Instead of using durasteel for his leg prosthesis, the medical droids had substituted an inferior alloy, and had failed to inspect the strips that protected the electromotive lines. As a result, the inner lining of the pressurized bodysuit was continually snagging on places where the strips were anchored to knee and ankle joints. Additionally, the tall boots were a poor fit for his artificial feet, whose toes lacked the electrostatic sensitivity of his equally false fingertips. These devices made it even more difficult for him to move with ease, much less with any grace. Raised in the heel, the cumbersome footwear canted him slightly forward, forcing him to move with exaggerated caution lest he stumble or topple over. Worse, they were so heavy that he often felt rooted to the ground, or as if he were moving in high gravity. 

And

The alloy strips were added in late into the surgery, to allow for Vader to walk relatively normally after simulations revealed that his stock prosthetic legs would buckle under the overall weight of his armor.

And

When put to use, his mechanical legs would allow him to leap a considerable distance.

- Wookiepedia on Vader’s armor

Every time I read this I wonder how this man managed to walk at all. If your knees are messed up, walking becomes so, so difficult. Never mind that this whole armor was at first apparently too heavy for his artificial limbs. Really says a lot about how strong Anakin was that even with all of this, Sidious decided he would still be the perfect attack dog. Since Vader could very much still jump, but was so heavy and he himself thought that the droids had messed up with them, can you imagine how much pain he must be in? Like gravity constantly pulling all that weight downwards and if you add shock to that?

I can totally see Anakin doing like, experimental jumps like kids do when they’re bouncing everywhere. Getting used to the fact that shock actually gets absorbed well and it doesn’t hurt (beyond phantom pains). And his knowledge of the human body is so big now. He knew what was wrong with him so he knows in detail how human bodies actually work! He was no medic, but now he definitely has all that knowledge and probably keeps going on and on how fragile and easily breakable human bodies are. One thing out of synch and you’re already messed up!

And food, oh hell. He would definitely go between eating everything in reach, overeating no matter what it is, even the horrible ration bars and forgetting to eat at all for days. People have to remind him to eat and when to stop eating. He probably experiences a void where he feels like he needs to keep stuffing himself and on other days the smell and texture of food disgust him and he throws up.

[kat8porgs]

“But perhaps there is a different sect we could ask for an engagement.” Jin Guangshan turned in his seat and smiled at Wen Qing and her brother. “What do you say, Sect Leader Wen?”

“…” Wen Qionglin was stunned, his wine splashed over the front of his robes and stained the white cloth a deep, bloody red.

“Ah, Sect… Sect Leader J-Jin.” The boy’s voice was weak and thready, barely audible over the murmurs of the banquet. “I do not want to marry your son.”

One of my fave new bits from my work.

Agh, 32k and still no cultivation powered prosthetic. 

The next bit should be Lan Xichen though, who has not had a PoV in AGES and is going to be upset by his continued lack of hand. I might tie in some phantom pains with it. The plan is to talk to Su She about how LXC trusts him and if Su She wanted to establish his own sect, since he’s been the right hand man (ha ha...) to a sect leader for a bit, LXC would support him.

IDK if Su She genuinely likes Lan Xichen or if he’s using him. Because like, look, early Su She was just... like, understandably a hot mess. So, he’s kind of using LXC because he HAS already fucked up and being LXC’s personal disciple is kind of a big deal.

BUT THEN, I will get CLOSE to robot hands because WWX is gonna be at Lotus Pier and in need of a PROJECT and you’re going to tell me there aren’t more disciples out there with lost limbs? You would be wrong! 

[cj-and-cjs-ocs]

2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 26, 28, 29, 30, 33, 35, 41 and 62 for Inlustris? :0 sorry if it's a lot ksdjksjdks, she's one of my fav OCs of yours and would love to know more about her---

Jkhdsfkhjsd this is awesome XD (and heck she’s probs one of my faves too)

2. What is their sexuality?

Probably straight? Maybe. Idk bc she is attracted to the males of her own species but she also happened to be attracted to a male of a different species...so I’m not sure how straight that really is.

3. What is the meaning behind their name? Do they have any nicknames?

8D aaaa YES! okay okay...so Inlustris actually means “starlight” in Latin, and she’s named this because Reptmalian royalty is supposed to be descended from living stars! “Starlight” also happens to be her nickname (although the only one who really calls her that is Milo)

5. What’s their relationship with their parents like? What about other relatives?

Inlustris HATES her dad, which is pretty obvious I suppose, she’s also pretty angry with her sister as well and has basically “disowned” both of them as relatives and only refers to them by name. She barely remembers her mother, but she’d visit her tomb every so often and bring some flowers, which was always very relaxing. Inlustris never really met any of her other relatives, since she was so overprotected, but she wishes she’d got to know them better as they could’ve been helpful allies for her.

8. What do they believe will happen to them after they die? Does this belief scare them? In Reptmalian culture, it is believed that royals will return to the stars after they die and become part of the big galaxy that can be seen from the planet Thiolia. This doesn’t scare Inlustris, but what does scare her is being separated from her loved ones once she’s gone.

9. What is their favourite colour? Favourite animal?

Her favourite colour is purple! Like, a very light, pastel purple. Inlustris’s favourite animal is the Lantern Dragon (a creature on Thiolia) she wishes she could see one in person someday.

10. What are some of their talents/skills.

Inlustris is a very resilient fighter and is fast to think and act. She is incredibly talented when it comes to science and technology, and is able to build, invent, and fix most machines or prosthetic limbs. She’s also gotten very good at some medical things, mostly involving deep wounds and small surgeries.

11. If they could make a mark on history, what would they like that to be?

I’m going to make this sound at least cheesy as I can but, she would want to be known as someone who stood up for the oppressed and fought for inter-species marriage rights as well as the rights of humans. She’d also like to be known as the one to reveal the true nature of her father.

12. How old are they? When is their birthday?

Inlustris is 16 (in Reptmalian years, she’d actually be 18 if she was human) when we first are introduced to her. Her birthday is actually coming up! It’s June 3rd (The day I’m pretty sure I came up with her idea and design).

18. What languages can they speak? Where did they learn these languages?

Inlustris can speak Reptmalian, Universal, and a small amount of English. She learned Reptmalian from her family and general studies (it’s her first language). Her sister actually helped her learn Universal, since it’s a language that is used very frequently. Inlustris has picked up small words and bits of English dialogue from living with Milo.

26. Are they aware of their flaws?

For the most part, yes. Although she often pretends to not notice them and remain in ignorant bliss, until they start causing problems.

28. Are they aware of their strengths?

Only when someone points them out to her. She’s been so neglected for most of her life that she finds it hard to see what she’s good at.

29. How would they describe their own personality?

Inlustris would describe herself as “the helpful extrovert gets excited to easily”

30. When frightened, will they resort to “fight” or “flight”?

Fight fight fight!! She’s a fighter at first response, but knows when it’s best to run.

33. What is their biggest fear? How would she react to having to face it?

Her biggest fear is losing her freedom again, and would fight it with every ounce of her strength.

35. What is the easiest way to annoy them?

Talk over her, interrupt her, or completely ignore her altogether. (It’s about the disrespect)

41. What does their laugh sound like? Do they snort when they laugh? How often do they laugh.

Inlustris, when she’s really laughing, sounds a lot like a kookaburra but more dinosaur-like, and she totally snorts when she find something really funny. She laughs a lot, but it’s mostly just giggles.

62. Have they ever been betrayed? How did it affect their ability to trust others?

YES. Her gosh darn sister has gone behind her back (more than once.). Inlustris is a very trusting and forgiving person, but since her sister betrayed her, she hasn’t been able to trust anyone of her own species. (And for good reason.)

[spoonssporksandknives]

ableism in media: Star Wars

I’m picking on my favest of fave fandoms today y’all: Star Wars. Yes, you actually can enjoy a Thing while acknowledging that said Thing has problematic elements. I LOVE Star Wars, but it’s incredibly guilty of having people who look disabled as their visual shorthand for evil. I’m going to use examples under the cut, but before I do, I’ll say this. It’s okay for ableds to reblog this (please do in fact) but only if you’re actually going to engage in respectful discourse. Racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, fatphobia and other related hot takes can jog on. 

Also also: Star Wars abbreviations and their main characters for the more casual fan: OT = Original Trilogy (Luke, Leia, Han); PT= Prequel Trilogy (Anakin, Padme, Obi-Wan); (Sequel Trilogy = Rey, Finn, Poe)

Now, back to our regularly scheduled light reading: ableism in Star Wars.

For our visually impaired readers, the top image shows Anakin Skywalker’s first prosthetic hand from AotC, with the caption, “A mechno hand replaces Anakin’s after he is maimed by Count Dooku. As a result of his impetuous passions, Anakin has begun to lose his humanity.”

The second image is of Anakin’s hand in RotS, with the caption, “Some Jedi Council members believe that when Anakin lost his right arm to Count Dooku, he lost some of his humanity.”

Because losing a limb makes you lose humanity, amirite guys? And they even did it twice: the top image is from the AOTC Visual Dictionary and the latter is from the ROTS Visual Dictionary. 

It’s in the sequels too, because nothing is more evil than being old AND disabled: (image of Snoke on his throne)

And I know that in a visual medium you need some sort of visual indicators of evil, but using disability as code for evil is all kinds of Not Okay. And let’s not forget that Vader was a huge walking symbol of that in the OT.

However, Star Wars has not limited itself to obviously disabled characters. There are no explicitly coded invisible illness characters (unless we’re counting Vader’s breathing but considering he walks around in a giant space iron lung i think we can say that even that is a visual disability) - there are characters who definitely display characteristics of invisible disabilities. And I’m going to start with the ST’s most overtly coded as mentally ill character. That’s right, it’s ya boi Kylo Ren!

(image: Kylo Ren walking shirtless, in high waisted pants)

(I was originally going to put in a gif of him having a meltdown and destroying a console but I couldn’t find one easily but him shirtless was easy peasy. Go figure.)

Kylo Ren has been a very divisive figure in the fandom - much like Anakin in the PT, and for similar reasons. Public opinion has softened much on the PT but at the time of its release people hated heavily on the things that were coded as mentally ill in Anakin as well - outbursts, whining (is it really whining if you’re worried about your mum dying??), tears, anything not reeking of machismo, basically. Now, there are parts of fandom that have gone out of their way to point out the ways in which Kylo displays tendencies that could be read as autistic/neurodivergent, borderline personality disorder (BPD), or even dissociative identity disorder (DID). Much of the hate that Kylo receives is quite ableist in nature. However, he’s not the only ST character to display mental illness and receive hate for it. 

Let’s talk about our reformed Stormtrooper and hero of the ST: Finn. One of the first major scenes involving Finn shows him having a panic attack on the field (and then later after his conversation with Phasma). Finn clearly has PTSD, or maybe C-PTSD - I’m a lay reader and not a psychologist here, on one hand, and on the other, I legit have PTSD and find Finn very relatable.

(image of Finn in his Stormtrooper armor, mask streaked with blood)

And one of the things that disturbs me most about fandom and its tendencies toward purity culture is the fact that many of us who have invisible - and in particular mental illnesses - do in fact enjoy seeing characters who are coded like us surviving, thriving, and yes, still being disabled. Finn has overcome a great deal to get to where he is in the story. Let Finn be happy. Hell, let’s let Kylo live and be happy too. (I know he’s the villain but can we not kill off the obviously abused character?) Dark Side characters often have some sort of trauma and again, it’s the conflation of evil and disability that disturbs me deeply.

And while I’m on the subject - can we talk about the inherent colorism involved in the Dark Side? Color coding evil as darkness continues to perpetuate colorism. I know it’s used because people are afraid of the dark, but in this day and age it’s naive to think that this bit has no psychological effect on the public at all. The choice of Finn as hero is wonderful and it disappoints me greatly that the hints of his Force sensitivity have not been followed up on as of yet. *has a small amount of hope that maybe JJ will do right by our Finn*

Now, there’s a lot that’s problematic about Star Wars’s Force philosophy, and I’m aware that I very much see this as a religious minority, but the Force takes a great deal from eastern religions and philosophies but then turns around and overlays it with some very US Christian light/dark and good/bad duality in a way that is nonsensical to anyone with a background and understanding of the original philosophies. I have an entire tag on my main blog about this, entitled Paganism and the Force. (For the curious, I made this blog because the main is mostly star wars gifs and baby animal videos. I didn’t want people to wade through it for serious stuff, but if that’s your thing have at it) I may cross post or add on to the series here as well. For now, I’m going to leave you with a quote from another writer, who has reached a similar conclusion:

“… it may be countered that the Sith are worse than the Jedi because they commit a number of obscene acts throughout the films, most prominently the use of the Death Star to destroy planets during the Galactic Civil War in Episode IV. Two points in response to this. First, it effectively amounts to a “what-abouttery” argument; an informal fallacy. The Jedi are moral degenerates regardless of what the Sith do or do not do.

Finally, it may be countered that the Jedi only use the light side of the force, and therefore are good, whereas the Sith only use the dark side of the force, and therefore are bad. This is an argument not of reality but of word connotations. Simply put, there is no logical reason to hold that “light” equates to goodness and “dark” equates to badness (emphasis mine). Crucially, both light and dark are equal sides of the Force; they have to exist, as is often said in the films, in a “balance.” Pretending that one side of the Force doesn’t exist isn’t going to make it go away (as much as the Jedi seem to wish this).”

--  Matthew Berto, 'Star Wars': The Sith are the Good Guys and the Jedi are the Bad Guys

War is messy, y’all. Atrocities are committed on both sides and while we might all like a clean cut narrative where the Rebels/Resistance do no wrong, it’s disingenuous and unrealistic to think that this is true. That’s not how war works. The prequels are proof enough that the Republic wasn’t perfect or glorious and considering the current political climate, I wish some people would break out the films again and watch them carefully. Palpatine took it over from within because it was already corrupt. If I lived in the GFFA I’d side eye anyone who wanted to make the Republic great again.

Now, though I have said it before, I’m going to say it again: you can enjoy a thing and still critique it without demonizing it. Love Star Wars all you want (I sure do, got my TRoS tickets for opening night the day they were made available), but maybe, just maybe if the public and the filmmakers could refrain from immediately conflating darkness and disability with evil, that would be great.

[theparanormalperiodical]

Scary Halloween Costumes: Your Guide To Realistic and Really Spooky Costumes (On A Budget)

“In the real world, Halloween is when kids dress up in costumes and beg for candy. 

In Girl World, Halloween is the one day a year when a girl can dress up like a total slut and no other girls can say anything else about it”

Set your stop watches people - we’ve got 11 days to prepare for the most wonderful time of the year: Halloween. 

And despite the cultural traditions echoing across the world, there is one phenomenon that dominates the rest.

Halloween costumes. 

It’s the personalised touch Christmas loses out on, and it's the one day of the year we can awaken our inner child.

And no, I don’t mean the therapeutic kind where you get in touch with your real, raw self. I mean the inner child that wants to pull on a Pennywise cosplay and eat an unrealistic amount of processed crap.

Working out your halloween costume requires thought and consideration. And then giving up on creating a latex prosthetic and slapping on a pair of cat ears. 

But at the Paranormal Periodical, we like to do things a bit different.

If you like things spooky and you’re a bit skint, pull up a chair - welcome to your complete guide to realistic halloween costume ideas!

Every year we see the classic costumes: a witch in a black hat; a vampire sporting a single drop of fake blood on the lip; and a zombie with a scrape of blood down one arm. 

I’ve decided to shake shit up. 

I’ve taken the most common costumes, and gone back to the roots of the creatures. Yep, I’m rewriting halloween, and putting scary back on the menu!

So, if you’re considering being a witch, vampire, zombie, or mermaid, here is your guide to the realistic costumes.

Let’s get spooky!

The Witch

It’s a classic.

It’s the go-to option for women, merely requiring a pointy hat you can grab from Claire’s, and the clothes from your goth phase when you were 14.

Add a smudge of black eyeshadow, practice a cackle, and boom.

You just got halloweened. 

But actual witches from way-back-when weren’t so Instagram.

In fact, they were considered the worst kind of women: hag-like, old, ugly, disgusting women. If you can think up a trope for a stereotypically ugly woman - which isn’t necessarily true, I mean, people rock unibrows every damn day - then put it in your costume.

Back in the 1640s, witches were considered poor, crone-like women. That’s a moustache, wrinkles, hairy brows, squinted eyes, and crooked teeth.

Also, they had teats! No, that’s nothing to do with their actual nipples, you won’t have to do anything to your own.

Basically, a point of ID for a witch was a devil’s mark - that’s scars, pimples, birthmarks - anything which symbolised their pact with the devil. Or, they had extra nipples which their animal sidekicks would suckle from.

Speaking of scars, if a witch pricked her finger, and it didn't bleed, the subject was a witch fo sho. And if they placed their hands on a dead body that they had killed, the body would start to bleed.

The final trademark fashion statement comes from one of the witch tests: dunking.

Aside from being stripped to her scanties, the witch’s thumb was tied to her big toe and a rope was cinched around her waist. She was chucked into a body of water - if she floated, she was a witch! If she sunk, she would die!

Yeah, it’s not a good test.

So, how does all that shizz translate to a costume?

Here’s how:

For the signature makeup, go with a heavy brow, and dark, eyelined eyes to perfect the squint.

Then, fake scar it up. I’m talking dots of red on your hands, maybe draw a pink circle on your face for a nipple, and slash a lipstick scratch up your arm.

Or, ditch the red dots on your hands for literal red hands - just like the blood pouring out of your victim’s body. It could be fake blood, it could be red nails, it could even be patches of dark reddy-brown!

Whatever it is, finish the look with the iconic style of a witch:

Follow up with the fashion twist on a black pointy hat, tie a rope around your waist to give shape to the look, and tie some wool or string around your fingers.

That’s right; accessorise your way to authenticity.

The Vampire

This is the unisex approach to halloween.

Couple of drips of fake blood, maybe an Edward Cullen inspired quiff - anything can be a costume if its teamed up with the im-100-years-old-but-look-17-so-its-not-creepy smoulder.

But there’s a lot more to the vampire phenomenon that didn’t make it into Nosferatu, nor Twilight.

Vampires were popularised in the 19th century, so most of their style inspo was based on Victorian vibes. But in terms of their bodies and faces, there are some striking features you need to know about:

Vampires were often regarded as have bloated faces and bodies, and ruddy looking skin; these are the supposed effects of blood drinking.

And this blood was also believed to seep out of the mouth - and the nose. But fangs? They were rarely reported.

These features from past vampire sightings have been typically debunked via two explanations: the disease, Poryphoria, a group of diseases which cause blistering and itching in sunlight, and the past’s lack of knowledge regarding decomposition.

So, fancy reworking your Edward Cullen into something a little less up-to-date?

Here’s what you need to do:

Take your fangs and fake blood stash from last year, and do the classic drip from the lip look.

But this time, smear a little under your nose, too. 

Speaking of facial features, it’s time to get ruddy - that means giving yourself a flushed look. So, grab some blush - reddy, pink tones, only - and go to town. I’d suggest a patchy look for the deathy vibes.

And make sure you leave your contouring kit in your make-up bag - aim for a bloated, round-faced look. Or, opt for loose clothes or something baby bump-esque to bloat out your half-dead body.

To finish the look, dab on some liquid latex and pull apart to give wrinkly, blistery skin in patches. You can even check out my tips for being a zombie to ensure you achieve the death you aim for!

The Zombie

In more recent years, this has become to go-to for quick costumes, thanks to show like The Walking Dead.

But it’s not the easy part of the look that I love, it’s this: a zombie is an inclusive halloween costume. 

Anyone can do it. 

You can pull out your FX make-up stash to show your skull’s skin peeling off and limb rotting, or simply pull a face and make a groaning noise.

You don’t even have to buy new clothes! Put on your usual get up, and stick your arms out like a Mummy.

#nailedit

But - if you’re asking me - achieving the realistic death look isn’t an expensive or difficult feat.

Zombies are supposed to be the undead; they’re infected and they’re decaying. 

So, let’s go through some of the features of slowly rotting corpses:

A few minutes into death - aside from going cold, and going pale - cells begin to die and leak as they breakdown. Couple hours after the beginning of that process, things start to get shitty...

Yep, piss and poop just start leaking out ya body.

Then, your skin starts to sag, leaving it pale with red patches. Then, that skin shrinks, making your hair and nails appear as if they are growing.

Following this, your skin turns green as you begin to digest your organs. Then bugs, like maggots, take part in consuming your body.

It’s not long before you turn purple, lose hair, and slowly become a skeleton.

And there you have it.

#decayed

Question is, how can achieve this look?

Settle in folks, and let’s get dead.

(Oh, and I can assume you don’t want to be a skeleton with purple skin draping on your bones; so let’s cut to the early effects!)

To get your undead chic on, here’s what’s on your to-do list:

For ya face, make things red and patchy with a dab of red lipstick smudged around your visage. Oh, and don’t forget to moisturise and highlight - think less leaking cells, more dewy finish.

A few patches of grotesque green will further the final look. You could even put gel on the ends of your hair to make it seem wet, or longer, and define your fingernails with brown eyeshadows.

Yep, start contouring your nails - let’s start a #trend. 

Ready to take things to the next level? Cut some gummy worms up, and latex ‘em to your face.

Et voila, ya ded. 

The Mermaid

Our final option is the current Insta-fave.

Joining the ranks of the pastel-aesthetic is the glittery, highlighted-on-fleek mermaid.

But why be pretty, when you can be pretty damn realistic?

Fact is, nothing is more realistic - and scary - than climate change. So, it follows that any mermaid will probably be struggling in the plastic-filled hot tub that is the ocean.

It’s time to swap the dewy, contoured fish finish for an actual mermaid. Or, well, a dead one.

Typically, a dead human who had been left in the ocean would have several zombie-like characteristics that would be exacerbated by the sea water.

Your body breaks down much more slowly in water, and salt water - like sea water - would slow the decaying process even more so. A body left in the ocean for 2 weeks will look the same as one left in open air for a week!

So, that’s the red, patchy, dewy finish we already discussed with zombies.

And instead of the pruning you get in a bubble bath, imagine blistering, black skin. Plus, that skin also becomes swollen, and bleached, giving you the bloated, patchy glow that you don’t see in The Little Mermaid.

Oh, and don’t forget your body!

Thanks to accumulating gases, the abdomen swells from bloating. 

Fun fact: this is what makes corpses turn upside down and rise with the torso and head at the water’s surface!

So, are you ready to get your mermaid on?

Swap your Ariel wig and beachy waves for patchy, red and green skin, and use latex to create blistered, wrinkled skin in patches.

Simply follow my tips for a go-to zombie look, and like, make it wetter.

Don’t forget to stuff a jumper down your shirt to puff out your abdomen - bonus points for farting out those gases filling out your torso.

Now, go get your fish on!

So: which supernatural being are you vibing with this All Hallows’ Eve?

And which of your past halloween costumes have you been most proud of?

(Mine was my Man-Spider costume from last year...)

[moonbeammuses-a]

// allllllllllrighty my friends. It’s time for me to talk about what Endgame means for my muses. 

This (long as sin) post, and all that follow it, will NOT be tagged so turn back now and unfollow me til you’ve seen the movie. 

Last chance. 

Okay, here we go

So my general “canon” for Tony is going to reframe the narrative of the movie (duh) to have him survive. He loses his right arm and the sight in his right eye in the process, but he SURVIVES. 

And of course, Shuri makes him a prosthetic limb that out-performs anything he could cook up in his “garage,” leaving him endlessly grateful. Shuri is amazing and you can all fight me. 

-cough- Anyway. 

There is another option I am only too happy to write: the canon ending. That’s right, I am willing to write that Tony died. Well what am I even gonna WRITE then, you ask? Hold your horses, I’m getting there. 

Yes, he dies. However, whether by his own hand or someone else’s, an Artificial Intelligence, made in his image, is activated. 

Y’all. That is an actual screenshot, and it is my favorite.  Yes, in the same vein as the Invincible Iron Man run of comics, Tony (or someone else) managed to create an AI of his consciousness. (if it is anyone other than Tony HIMSELF, then it is a close approximation but will have errors and incomplete date. don’t fight me on this, nobody else could get as close to a perfect copy of Tony Stark, as Tony Stark can.)

ANOTHER option I am willing to write, is that Tony didn’t get the gauntlet at ALL. 

But who stopped Thanos then? 

MOTHERFUCKING THOR, THAT’S WHO

Credits to @portraitoftheoddity and their post for the following idea and image.

Thor gets the glove, does the THIRD snap (because need i remind you that BRUCE successfully saved half the goddamn universe and so few people talk about it), and Thor not only saves the Earth from Thanos, but he trades Thanos and his army for Asgard. 

Thor’s snap restores Asgard. He restores ALL of it. Those killed by Thanos and his army, and those killed by Hela, as well as the PHYSICAL Asgard. Such a small number compared to Thanos’ snap, the restoration of a single place and its people, but still costs Thor an arm. (An arm that Shuri replaces because again, gotta give my fave genius girl credit ♥) 

And still, despite restoring the place and its people, Thor passes the mantle of leader to Brunhilde, the woman who has already BEEN leading Asgard. I’ll make a post on why I feel this was right at some point in the future if I ever feel up for it. 

And while we are talking about Thor, lemme say this: Fat Thor is not a bad thing. Fat is not a bad thing. If you see a person drawn, imagined, characterized as fat, and think that that’s an insult to the character, then what that is saying is that you think that fat is a bad thing, and that is YOUR internal issue to resolve. Thor was STILL fucking worthy to the hammer, and is still worthy to me, no matter his size. I will FIGHT for fat Thor. They made a fat superhero worthy of Mjolnir, capable of wielding two of the most powerful weapons in the universe AT THE SAME TIME, and y’all still wanna say that him being fat is a bad thing. Do I agree with everything they did with Thor? NO. Absolutely not. But I will FIGHT for a person’s right to be any goddamn shape and size they feel comfortable being, and for their right to mourn in whatever way they see fit and still be WORTHY of love, respect, and the power to fight for the things they love. 

Moving on. 

I will also be adding Morgan Stark to my blog! I love her so much and i want ALL the soft things between her and Tony. I would love to write her interacting with the other Avengers as well, and really anyone else. 

I am happy to write her as a child or a teen, but am hesitant to try and write her too far into the future simply because my mind has a hard time imagining the future, if that makes sense? It’s an odd thing about the way my mind works. I can’t conceive the setting, and that makes me hesitant to try and write in it. Too many unknowns about a roleplay setting give me this hard to describe anxiety, so I prefer established settings where the finer details are easily accessible, rather than feeling as though I need to mentally fill in all of the blanks.

I... think that about covers it! Feel free to come at me to talk about how any of my other characters would handle the snap, who would/wouldn’t survive it, what they’d be doing those 5 years, and anything else! I am happy to work out a plot for ALL of my characters, since this was a universe-wide event, and it’s not too far-fetched to think that in other fandoms universes, Thanos could have managed the snap off-world.

[gavillain]

So with the year about to close, I’m once again doing my annual Top Ten Villains of This Year list. My personal rule for doing this: these characters are judged solely on the merits of their 2018 appearances, and I’m not going to include any villain who has appeared on last year’s list (which you can read here), even if they would still make the cut. Also bear in mind that this is only from media that I actually saw/read/played this year, so forgive me if your favorite isn’t here because I might not have seen them. New December movies in particular slipped through my fingers.

List under the cut

10. Lotor (Voltron: Legendary Defender)

Ever since Lotor first debuted, he's never been villainous enough for me. He's been positioned in villainous roles, but he never really did anything all that bad or evil. Season six, however, sees the true depth of his evil finally get revealed. His obsession with his Altean heritage and loathing of his Galra side is interesting from a psychological perspective, and his actions as the seemingly benevolent but truly vicious leader of the Altean refugees really highlight how truly sinister this guy was. He has quite a lot of blood on his hands all done to fuel his thirst for power. The final battle with him in the quintessence field was pretty cool too. I love seeing normally refined and restrained villains just totally lose it and go balls to the wall psycho and that's exactly what we got. We really finally got to see Lotor for who he was beneath all of the false masks he showed to Team Voltron and the audience, and, for that, I definitely consider him one of the year's best.

9. Barbara Kean (Gotham)

Gotham every year always has a great villain to highlight, and while I assume most Gotham fans are coming out of this year talking about the Valeska brother, I think Barbara Kean really showed her stuff this year. Barbara's had an interesting journey on the show, going from a bland love interest to a psycho ex-girlfriend to a Fish Mooney esque crime boss to this season becoming the heir of Ra's al Ghul himself. This year we saw Barbara Kean inherit Ra's al Ghul's mantel as the Demon's Head and assuming control over the League of Assassins. She proceeded to immediately put the sexist men in their place and established a lethal team of female assassins to serve her. It's fun to see Barbara taking on a new mantel and even being instrumental in taking down the original Ra's al Ghul when his schemes go too far. Her ultimately taking charge as the leader of the Gotham Sirens and declaring her turf a violently men-free-zone is a fun touch that I look forward to seeing get followed up in season five.

8. Magica DeSpell (DuckTales)

When I first heard that the DuckTales reboot was building up Magica DeSpell as some serious business Big Bad, I was definitely among those scratching my head. Magica had always just been a reoccurring funny villain with wacky hijinks rather than anyone who acted as a true Knight of Cerebus. However, 2017 DuckTales pulled it off and did so WONDERFULLY. Magica is not only a big serious villain and threat; she also maintains her same charismatic and funny personality. You see her manipulating Lena to giving up her body and unleashing ultimate darkness whilst still cracking jokes and going after Scrooge's number one dime. It's hard to balance genuine serious villainy with comedy, and it's a balancing act that the Disney villains of the 90s had down pat. And that's exactly what Magica feels like: a harkening back to that golden breed of Disney villains, and I hope to see her continue on in season two.

7. The Sanderson Sisters (Hocus Pocus: The All New Sequel)

This was the twenty-fifth anniversary of Hocus Pocus, and, to celebrate, Disney released a sequel novel that included both a novelization of the original film and an all new story set years later. The Sanderson Sisters are iconic and hilarious villains who have long been among my all time faves, so seeing them return in book form was a rare treat. This time, the Sandersons are scheming to bring all of the witches back from Hell to take over the world, and it's pretty scary reading Winnie's evil literally sending innocent people to Hell to exchange for evil witches. Mary also gets a solo musical number about her relationship with Winnie that's a lot of fun and sheds a new light on her character. It's operating at about the same level as A Twisted Tale in terms of quality so it's not hitting anything out of the ballpark, but seeing the Sandersons get treated to new content coinciding with their twenty-fifth anniversary is really fun and is worth their inclusion for sure.

6. Killmonger and Klaue (Black Panther)

The biggest movie of the year also gave us two of the very BEST villains of the year in the form of Killmonger and Klaue. Klaue, as portrayed by Andy Serkis, is naturally fun as a sinister and charismatic thief and arms dealer, filling sort of the "funny villain" quotient for the film. He's enjoyable and a treat to watch every time he's on screen. He's an evil white man who is raping African of its natural resources out of his sense of greed and entitlement. Killmonger compliments that nicely by being one of the deepest and most thought provoking character in the entire MCU. Killmonger is fun because not only is he sadistic and someone who enjoys bloodshed, he's also driven by righteous anger over the way that Wakanda has turned its back on black people globally. He has a desire to turn all of that around and remake the world. He may be cold and ruthless, but you can also see where he's coming from and that makes him all the more effective.

5. Salem (RWBY)

Salem, since her debut, has been a generic evily evil who eviled for some evil evil and never really had any texture at all besides being a vague evil. All of that changed this season of RWBY. We now know Salem and Ozpin's backstory. I was enthralled and mystified the entire time during their backstory. The animation, the story telling, everything was top notch. Salem is a woman who was cursed by immortality that hardened her into someone bitter and angry. She lost the man she loved once through death and then after his reincarnation, she lost him through his own fear of what she had become. She really feels like the type of character who is a tragic figure of myth at this point, and I loved how her motivation seems to stem from a bitterness at the gods and a desire to end the world that they created. Very fun for an arch-villain.

4. Red Goblin (The Amazing Spider-Man)

Dan Slott's decade long run as head writer of the Amazing Spider-Man came to an end earlier this year with a grand finale to end all grand finales: Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin, rediscovers Spider-Man's secret identity and bonds with the Carnage symbiote to form the Red Goblin. Now, on some level, I find that whole concept to be very fanwanky, but, on the other, it's REALLY fucking cool. Yeah, Spider-Man writers have a tendency to continuously try to tell the next great Norman Osborn story, and, while this doesn't really rank in my top five, it's a worthy effort. I appreciate how it shows off how vicious and relentless Norman is. Him just fire bombing random people on the street to get under Peter's skin in particular is one of those great twisted moments. I also liked seeing Norman corrupt his grandson Normie Osborn with the symbiote and getting a grandpa's little monster serving him. It's got that fun "he's an assassin and a hostage rolled into one effect. And, of course, the Red Goblin left a permanent mark on Spider-Man history by being the villain who murdered Flash Thompson, long time friend and ally of Peter.

3. Obake (Big Hero 6)

The Big Hero 6 TV show has been a slam dunk for Disney television. Bringing in the same creative minds behind Kim Possible, the show has a great "loving parody of he superhero genre" feel to it whilst still being an epic hero show in its own right, and six heroes are only as good as their villain. Voiced by Andrew Scott of Jim Moriarty fame, Obake is an evil genius mastermind who's always in control of a situation and always crafting diabolical and brilliant schemes. Obake is in many respects a dark image of what Hiro could become: a man who refuses to limit his brilliance by morals or familial ties. His brain has outright been damaged to where his conscience doesn't check him and this brain damage IS slowly killing him, but he accepts it as a reasonable price for his perspective free of morality. But in the end, his schemes were all that he had, and when he's defeated, he has no reason to live and effectively commits suicide after letting Baymax go. There's a really great tragedy to the way he ends up. And, on top of that, he's just a really interesting and charismatic villain with fun quirks, fun minions, and engaging schemes. Easily one of the very best villains to come out of Disney television. 2. Doctor Octopus (Spider-Man PS4)

One of the really smart features of Insomniac's Spider-Man game is that Octavius is actually not Doctor Octopus at all for the first half of the game. Octavius is Peter's friend and boss, and the two of them are working together on cybernetic appendages for prosthetic limbs that respond to the brain waves just like regular limbs. Octavius has a degenerative brain diseases that is causing him to slowly lose control of his motor functions. As such, when he thinks he has the solution, he's overly hasty to use it even though the cerebral interface has a dangerous impact on his personality and moods. It causes him to act upon his worth impulses, particularly his resentment and anger towards Norman Osborn. This turns him into the Doctor Octopus who we all know, much to Peter's sadness. Peter ends up struggling a lot in this game over whether Octavius is worth saving, and it tears him apart when they reach their climax. No spoilers, but it's POWERFUL writing and acting. I particularly like how this version of the characters takes a little from every single iteration of the character without ever feeling unfresh. He has that personal connection and tragic element of the Raimi Ock, he has the intelligent master criminal side of the comics version, he has a design that echoes the sort of "I may be an overweight nerd but I can still kick your ass" appeal of the Spectacular Spider-Man version, and yet they still find his own unique sweet spot of characterizations that perfectly blends with the Insomniac Spider-Man world. I particularly enjoy his use of the Sinister Six and how he gets them all under his control by using his intelligence to give them each what they want so that they're all in debt, but they all genuinely seem to enjoy and admire him. That's an excellent retelling of the Sinister Six that's far more interesting than just "We all hate Spider-Man so let's team up to fight him."

1. Venom (Venom)

This was honestly the biggest and weirdest surprise of the year for me. See, the whole idea of a Venom solo movie is a uniformly bad idea from basically the word "Go." Oh yes, let's do a movie about a villain whose entire character revolves around being a dark version of Spider-Man in a movie that completely omits Spider-Man so that the villain can be the protagonist. That won't backfire at all. Well, of course, it totally backfired into a complete mess, but it happened to create a mess that was entertaining and enjoyable and had an absolutely wonderful and fun take on the Venom character. This film leans hard into the romantic side of Eddie and the Venom symbiote's bond and sort of formats itself as a gay alien romcom. Eddie is a journalist who wants to be a hero through his reporting, but he pursues it at the expense of every meaningful relationship he has. Venom is the runt of his alien litter who on Earth suddenly finds himself as the big fish in a small pond, and he likes it that way. In Venom, Brock finds a relationship that allows him to indulge his savior complex that won't be destroyed by it, and in Brock, Venom finds someone who allows him to indulge his power trip and sense of narcissism. They complete one another. Yes, it's stupid. Yes, it's cheesy. No, it's NOT the Venom we know at all. But, yes, it's a fun and effective route to take the character in the absence of Spider-Man. The thing is that the reason why it's so fun is pretty much all Tom Hardy. Tom Hardy has a weird awful accent, but he also gives this weirdly camp performance that's just captivating and fun. It actually reminds me a bit of Jack Sparrow in a way in that it's so out there, you can't help but he enamored. The Venom symbiote has fun banter and chemistry with Hardy, and the humor is on point. You've got Venom eating gangsters as people around him under-react, and he just shrugs it off with a one-liner. It's that type of thing, and, honestly, I love it. Like when the movie is Tom Hardy and Venom being goofy murder bros together, it's fun and engaging. Eddie himself is definitely more hero than villain, but Venom absolutely counts as far as I’m concerned, even if he is restrained by Eddie’s moral code by the end of it. It's exactly the type of ridiculous villain protagonist fantasy that it needed to be, and even though Venom isn't the main antagonist of his story, he's still easily my favorite villain of 2018... I have no idea what that says about me XD

Also I have all three of Spider-Man's big archenemies on this list in the reverse order that I usually like them XD That's fun lol

[the-letter-horror-lover]

The Mouse

orphan_account

Summary:

"The mouse is scrawny, gray, and tailless." Joker finds a mouse. Years ago, Baron Kelvin found him. The story of a broken man, told in parallels. [Spoilers for the Circus Arc]

Notes:

Written for a deviantArt contest, under my username asel1. Maybe check this out on dA, give it a fave if you like it? I've got art, too. Writing's not really my forte, but I draw a lot.

Heads up, I was pretty tired by the last few paragraphs, so you may find them to be full of repeated ideas and synonyms.

Anywho, enjoy!

Work Text:

The mouse is scrawny, gray, and tailless. Now, Joker wouldn't consider himself a charitable person, but the creature is so pathetic he can't help but scoop it up and place it in a box lying around his tent. As Joker goes out in search of scraps from the evening meal, he wonders what prompted his sudden act of goodwill. He is aware that the world is cruel and letting nature take its course would have been best, but letting the creature die would have felt rather cold. Maybe the invalid mouse was a bit too much like himself, back when he'd suffered on the streets, armless, tiredly wishing for a savior. Joker chuckled. Or perhaps he was just getting soft. Joker enters the dining tent and grabs a few extra vegetables, a canteen of water, and, after a bit of thought, some cheese for good measure.

Rain poured out from the weeping sky, unaware of the misery it was bestowing upon four children of East End. The children huddled together beneath a tarp, seeking bodily warmth. Hunger and pain and cold shook their thin frames, and their eyes dully looked upon the cruel world beyond their temporary shelter. Their bodies appeared as lifeless as the city around them. Broken, deformed, frail children, they were, doomed to die. Then, out of nowhere, the sound of footsteps reaches their ears. Black shoes approach. A man. The man says something that goes unremembered, but what Joker does remember is the warmth that enclosed his body not long after.

After a few days, the mouse is in considerably better shape. It walks more steadily, thanks to a small, light prosthetic serving as a tail (which, in the wild, serves to stabilize and balance). It's gained weight and has learned to eat scraps out of Joker's hand. Joker's uncharacteristic devotion to the mouse doesn't go unnoticed, and he laughs at Beast's look of disgust and deplores Doll's—no, Freckle's request to pet the mouse. Yes, the mouse has definitely recovered. Though, Joker is at a loss for what to do with it. In the circus, you had to pull your own weight. Do chores, practice, perform. Even having a pet would be an unnecessary hassle, and Joker has already spent too much time dawdling with it as he nursed it back to health.

“I wonder...” Joker murmured. He knew many animals performed in circuses, though mice were hardly an exemplary example. He sighed and stretched. Ah well, there was nothing wrong with taking a break once in a while. Besides, Joker found spending time with the mouse strangely calming, therapeutic. And God knows Joker needs all the therapy he can get.

Heaven. This is heaven, the boy thought, walking along the mansion's railing. The man from the rainstorm had taken all four of them in and given them food, clothing, and a shelter from the streets. It was wonderful not being required to labor or do anything but recover from their struggle in East End. Kelvin, the man's name was. Kelvin. Their savior. Just when the children had given up on humanity—and themselves—the universe proved them wrong by sending them the embodiment of benevolence. Just yesterday their savior had promised them new prosthetics to replace their missing limbs. How the boy longed to hold on to all that was dear to him, protect the ones he loved, and serve his savior. All of his dreams were coming true. For the first time in his life, the boy smiled. Now the tragedy of his past could be left behind and he could be free to chase a brighter future.

The mouse effortlessly jumped through the hoop and snatched up the cheese Joker held at the other end. Freckles, his ever-present audience, clapped excitedly.

“Wow, that mouse's gettin' real good at these tricks,” she said. “If you had a giant magnifying glass or something, you could show 'er off at the circus!”

Joker grinned. “And take time away from you lovely folks? No way.” He stroked the mouse's back and signaled it to go through the hoop again. The act really was impressive. The mouse seemed to be really motivated in performing its tricks. Perhaps it was out of gratitude, or whatever understanding of gratitude a mouse could have.

Freckles stood up, leaning on the table. “It's amazing what you can do with some practice and hard work. You really are the best of us, Joker!” She smiled appreciatively.

“Well, the little creature does owe me after all. It's about time it started thanking me.” Joker smiled and shooed Freckles out before closing the entrance to his tent. Darkness had fallen, and he wanted to teach the mouse one more trick before retiring for the night.

The boy—no, a young man now—wasn't sure how long it had been since Father had taken him off the streets. He was living a privileged life and was very happy. However, Father's state of being was declining at a rapid rate. Father had taken to holing himself up in his room for quite a while as of late, occasionally going with little nourishment for days at a time. He refused all invitations to social gatherings, and recently his wife had left him. The young man was concerned for his savior's well-being, and so when he was called up to speak with the Baron, he went readily. He approached the door and knocked once, twice, before turning the knob. He entered the dark, barren room and bowed before the feet of the Baron Kelvin. He asked what he could do for his honorable Father. The Baron turned to gaze at him with shattered, bloodshot eyes and whispered a single name,

“Ciel Phantomhive.”

Joker gently pushed a piece of cheese towards the mouse, attempting to get it to eat, but to no avail. It squeaked and ran further down the table, away from Joker. Frowning, he pocketed the cheese. The mouse had refused to consume any food or water for two days now, and Joker was becoming concerned and rather irate. What had caused this sudden fast, he wasn't sure. If anything, the mouse should be hungry due to all the work it had to do, the tricks it had to learn. Joker sighed, picked up the mouse, and set it in its box. If the mouse wasn't in a cooperative mood, he might as well look over the circus practice that was currently taking place. Joker walked towards the main tent, welcoming the cool air of an oncoming winter. The circus grounds were empty and devoid of movement, all action taking place inside the large striped tent looming before him. As he entered the tent, Joker savored the tumultuous atmosphere surrounding his being. This was where he thrived, where he belonged. As he watched some second-stringers practicing their juggling, Joker couldn't help but wish that his mouse would also be as ardent in training again. Sure, mouse-training was just a side hobby for Joker, and unlike the second-stringers the mouse wasn't required to practice, but still. Even if training wasn't especially pleasant, the Joker did save the mouse's life. An exchange of services would certainly be nice.

After a few minutes of observation, Joker moodily went in search of Doctor. His prosthetic was aching again.

If Joker had been made of anything weaker, he would have collapsed long ago. He'd come up with the circus ruse himself, nicknaming his fellow “first-stringers” and coming up with various acts.

He was also the most ruthless, the most willing to serve his Father.

Father had changed from the philanthropist who had taken children off the streets. Now he had one obsession—Ciel Phantomhive. Joker didn't approve of it, but serving Father came first. And if Father was pleased, Joker needed little else.

Thus children mysteriously disappeared, whisked away to dreamland by masters of the night. And the Pied Piper, the Noah's Ark Circus, forged onwards through England.

A few weeks after the beginning of his nightmarish new life, Joker lay sickly upon his bed. He wasn't especially strong morally, but his heart weighed heavily in his chest and he wanted nothing but to fall asleep and enter the dreamland he had promised so many children. It was Snake who found him in this miserable state.

Are you ill? Says Goethe."

Joker said nothing. Nothing needed to be said.

“All of it has to be done. Says Emily.”

Nothing.

Snake remained standing at the foot of Joker's bed. In a neutral voice, he murmured, “Don't be distracted. Kidnapping the children is not a choice, it is a necessity. We're not bad people—we're good people trapped by circumstance. Father may not be seeing clearly, but that fact doesn't change his orders nor the fact that they must be fulfilled.” Snake lowered his head, gazing at the ground. “You're not the only one suffering here, Joker. The rest of us are going through the same hell as you. Go easy on yourself and the rest of us and don't think too much about what we do. If not for yourself, do it for the rest of us still at the workhouse.” Then, almost as an afterthought, he added, “says Webster.”

Joker watched Snake's receding back as the snake charmer left the tent. Really, for someone who says little for himself, the man's speech was eerily true. The rest of us, the ones at the workhouse. Who knows what Father would do to them if the Noah's Ark Circus went absent? Joker rose from the bed, blankets falling around him like a broken cocoon. Yes, for their sake, and his own, he would need to stay haughty, above it all. The workhouse children would only suffer if he weakened and broke from the weight of his sins.

Metamorphosis was over. Eyes cleared, Joker exited the tent and entered the night.

The mouse was becoming very adept at the tricks. With no hesitation, it now ran through the full routine even without the incentive of food. Abnormal behavior, but Joker wasn't about to complain. However, while the mouse completed its tricks perfectly, it lacked the exuberance it had had before. In fact, the creature could have been a machine for all the difference it made. It was somewhat saddening to Joker, seeing the mouse make such robotic movements each day. It jumped through the hoops and ran through the mazes and went through the motions of passing each obstacle Joker set before it, but that was all. Not a single wasted movement. The mouse was doing its job...but little else.

After months of kidnapping stray children off the streets, Joker was desensitized. The gore, the screaming children, the carnage he caused nearly every night (the knowing of what would happen to the children once they were delivered to Father) now bothered his steel heart little. It was ironic that he played the part of humorous host in the circus, for he also played the role of the most ruthless and cruel character in the sick story that was his life. A murderer by night; a “joker” by day, flashing empty smiles and speaking encouraging words that he did not believe in. Joker avoided thinking about what he was doing and the blood staining his hands. He simply went through the motions and never questioned the morality of the orders given to him.

He was a monster; a monster devoid of emotion.

Joker almost doesn't realize that the mouse has bit him. He'd been indifferently stroking its back when a sudden pain in his fingers had stunned him. Joker stared, dazed, at the blood gushing out of his fingers as the mouse scurried away, off the table and into the circus grounds. There was a lot of blood. The mouse had bitten him pretty deeply. Joker hissed and compressed the wound with his sleeve. He'd thought the mouse had lost all notions of rebellion—he had no idea the mouse would turn on its benefactor, its savior so suddenly.

Though, perhaps it wasn't so sudden. Deep down, all creatures harbor a lust for freedom. Some lose sight of that need for a while, but it never completely leaves. It stays, harboring in the back of their minds, scratching at the walls that sensibility and common sense raise up. The mouse had been reckless, leaving the safety of its savior to venture once again into the world outside, risking its life. An unwise move, yes, but maybe it was the right one.

A lust for freedom also dwelled in the back of Joker's mind, but Joker suppressed all feelings of insurrection. Unlike wild animals, Joker could weigh the risks of any future choices. Running away, towards blessed freedom, would only spell disaster later on. Not only for him, but for the other children, his family, still in the workhouses. No, it was better to bear with his situation, his hell, and keep his family safe. To Joker, living through hell each day was not a choice. It was essential.

The next day, Joker finds a mouse carcass in the main tent, crushed and mangled. With a snort of disgust, he picks it up and tosses it into the woods.

[your-fave-is-crippled]

Violet Evergarden from said series

is a cripple/crippled, supports cripplepunk and has prosthetic arms

image one: [id: a dark grey flag with a dusty rainbow going from the bottom left corner up to the right, dark grey circles on top one in the middle of the other and violet evergarden from the series violet evergarden in the middle of the image looking at the viewer with a hand touching the broach on her neck. :end id]

image two: [id: a flag with a grey border around 7 vertical stripes ranging from left to right as dark green, seafoam green, moss green, light green, pale pink, orange-red and red. on top of the flag is violet evergarden from the series violet evergarden in the middle of the image looking at the viewer with a hand touching the broach on her neck. :end id]

[rocket-sith]

Trash: 1-16 lol

…okay, this serves me right for being a giant attention whore with these memes. lmao, you got me this time, Anon! (Also, Qs 3, 7, 8, and 14 have already been answered in some detail HERE.) 

1) name ur politically correct ship that no one ever questions - Mulder/Scully, Remus/Sirius (At least that second one wasn’t controversial when I was in the HP fandom. Maybe it’s got a band of self-righteous antis whining about it now because it’s exploitation of werewolves or some shit IDEK.) 

2) now name ur trash ship - Anakin/Obi-Wan

3) and ur really trashy im-going-to-hell ship - Vader/Aphra (this is really just a minor side-ship for me though. Most of the gourmet trash that’s sending me to hell is definitely Obikin related.) 

4) who is your cinnamon roll fave who everyone loves - Ahsoka Tano 

5) who is your sinnamon roll fave who everyone loves to hate/hates to love - VADER. Who else. 

6) who is your trash fave who is so problematic they probably have hate tumblrs dedicated to them - Hahahaha this would be Anakin. And he definitely has hate bloggers who bitch about “Anakin apologists” and whatnot. 

7) what is ur  guiltiest guilty fave fandom - Pokemon. Not even sorry. (I’m not into pokemon hentai or anything, it’s just a seriously dweeby fandom to admit to, even by dweeb standards. I feel like I need to go shove myself into my own locker right now.)

8) what is the fic you want to write/read but can’t because it is too full of Sin - The only honest answer I could give to this would be, like, “see attached sheets” with a 10 mile list of shit on it.

9) what is the most sinful fic you have ever read/written - I’ve read a lot of absurd shit in the “I dare you to click this link and read it” sense of the word, but sins are things you ENJOY, yes? Most deeply sinful fic I thoroughly enjoyed reading: “Negotiation” by @glare-gryphon . Biggest sinfic I’ve ever perpetrated myself: probably Capture and Release, not because the fic in itself is particularly sinful, but because I need to get my dirty ass to church for using Anakin’s traumatic past as an excuse for bondage shit. (It’s fully consensual bondage shit, and not even sexual, BUT STILL. Sin bin ahoy. I’m also a dirty sinner in the sloth department for failing to have any sort of writing/update schedule for any of my fics or for fic in general.) 

10) what is the worst thing you want to become canon (character death, trash-ship etc) - Obikin in the trash ship department. I know it won’t become canon, and I totally accept that, but I can dream. In the character death department - that little piece of shit Yoda did NOT deserve to peacefully die of old age after trying to fuck up a SECOND Skywalker with toxic Jedi dogma. I wanna see that fuckass little frog turd dismembered and tossed into Mustafar’s lava lake instead of Anakin.

11) what is your most sinful headcanon - Anakin loves getting tied up by Obi-Wan. Sometimes he likes getting tied up and fucked until he’s too exhausted to do anything or worry about anything or have any of his restless energy left because he burned it all off struggling and thrashing around, and sometimes he just likes to get tied up and stroked and loved so he’s got a safe place to let go, and sometimes he knows he needs to be tied up and fucked or loved or both, but he doesn’t quite know how to ask for it, so he acts like an obnoxious little jerk to try and goad Obi-Wan into it. Obi-Wan totally knows what Anakin’s doing and is actually pretty good at gauging Anakin’s mental and emotional state, both through the Force and through their regular, basic, human connection. Sometimes he’ll troll Anakin back if he thinks Anakin is just being an obnoxious pain in the ass for the purpose of being a pain, other times he’ll immediately give his friend/lover what he needs if he’s worried Anakin is coming apart, but variations on this situation are a very common occurrence. 

12) what is your cutest headcanon - When Artoo saw Anakin’s mechanical arm for the first time, he freaked out from pure joy. Not because his favorite organic buddy had been damaged, but because his BFF was part droid and it meant they had something else in common. Also, Anakin tinkers with Artoo as a means of stress relief, or just when Artoo wants attention or upgrades or whatever, and as a result, Anakin has inadvertently taught Artoo that mechanical tinkering is a method of friendly bonding and showing affection. Anakin tinkers with Artoo, and Artoo tinkers back, and this actually helped Anakin adjust to having the prosthetic limb. Then when Luke gets a mechanical hand all those years later, the same thing plays out. 

13) what is your heart-breakingist head canon - Why the hell would I want or need heartbreaking headcanons when there’s already so much heartbreak in canon?! (Especially Harry Potter and Star Wars, FFS!) I honestly try to avoid those TBH because ouchies. 

14) what is ur crackiest crack ship - I don’t think I really have any particularly cracky ships? Vader/Aphra is probably the closest, but I don’t think that’s crack so much as just a rare pair since Aphra isn’t a mainstream character who’s shown up in the movies or animated cartoons.  

15) what is ur marginally less cracky crack ship - See above.

16) what is ur favourite ridiculous au - Someone submitted “pokemon trainer AU” as one of the possible prompts for Obikin week. It didn’t win the vote to be one of the prompts, but I think the idea is hilarious, just the whole concept of Star Wars characters as Pokemon trainers. 

[princesscas]

Happy Valentine’s Day! To celebrate, here’s some amazing destiel fanfics that I recommend! Under the cut is over 50 fanfics, some are AU and some are canon. Mostly AU because that’s what I mainly read.  All of these fanfics are over 10k, so no one shot’s. I might make a one shot/under 10k reclist later maybe? If anyone’s interesting in that let me know :D 

Happy Valentine’s day, Dean and Cas are in love <3 

♥ = My all time fave 

* = Recently added

*What Happens In Vegas (Canon AU) -  Words: 12,188 - “Dean wakes up with a wedding ring and without a clue where he is."

Down Like Water (Canon AU) ♥ - Words: 14,512 - “There's no time for nerves, no time for second guessing. There's only right now, and right now he has Cas."

Everytown, USA (AU) ♥  - Words: 56,972 - “Dean's determined not to stay in one place for long--he's enjoying his new-found freedom too much. Castiel might be the one to make him stick around.“

Preacher Comfort (AU)  ♥  - Words: 42,799 - “Dean Winchester works as a nurse at an after-hours medical clinic. He's a champion at what he does, but for him, professionalism has its pitfalls: good-looking patients make him flustered. Luckily, his fly-by-night infatuation evaporates within minutes, since most patients only swing by once. Castiel (fondly known as Bee Sting Guy around the clinic) is one of those iniquitously handsome fellows – and he keeps coming back. He's also a Catholic priest, 94% asexual, and in need of the tender love that happens to be Dean's speciality.”

Hope on Fire (AU) - Words:  32,968 - “The Civil War ended, but left Castiel weighted down with guilt and shame. In an attempt to start over, he moves West, building a life for himself outside the small mountain town of Purgatory. Five years later a storm blows in, bringing the Winchester brothers and bitter memories along with it.”

Heartburn (AU)  ♥ - Words: 51,941 - “Dean Winchester, a certified Burn RN, is one of the most dedicated employees the St. Devic Hospital has and today is no different. But when his patient expectantly goes into cardiac arrest and needs to be transferred to the heart hospital floor under the care of one Doctor Novak, Dean can’t help but feel his patient isn’t the only one who’s going to have to get his heart under control.”

Mistakes Are Better When They're French (French Mistake AU) ♥  - Words:  21,791 - “Number One: Dean would definitely never appear on a soap opera. Number Two: Dean Winchester did not wear makeup. And Number Three: He was not gay! God, Cas, whoever was listening - Please get them the hell out of here. “

The Day I Fly Away (AU) - Words:  42,846 - “In which Castiel is schizophrenic and loves to play Sorry. Dean is his doctor. "Tell me yours." "Mine?" "Your story." "I don't like my story."

Kingdom Come (AU) - Words:  97,700 - “Dean’s life is all work. He’s either at the bar that’s been left to him, serving drinks and cooking with his friend and partner Benny, or tinkering with prosthetic limbs. The rest of his life is one unhappy mess after another. Finding a stranger in the bathroom of his bar, after hours, doesn’t necessarily improve anything.“ This fic has been deleted but on the destielfanfic post is an EPUB download link. 

What I Need (AU)  ♥ - Words: 46,998 - “ A joking phrase commonly heard between a surgeon and his tech is "Give me what I need, not what I ask for." Dr. Novak and his tech Dean will soon learn the impact this phrase has on life outside the operating room.“

Unknown Quantities (AU) - Words: 8,568 - “No one ever tells Dean anything.(or: Dean Winchester and the not-relationship crisis of 2014)”

Misha's Not in Vancouver Anymore (Canon AU) ♥  - Words: 74,129 - “An accident on set results in Misha ending up in the SPN!Verse and stuck with a confused and irritated Dean Winchester. Dean, Sam, and Castiel have to work together to find a way to send him back. Misha's cheekiness brings to light the things that Dean only ever thinks about in the space between waking and dreaming.”

Ghost Dance (AU) - Words: 51,194 -  “In post-apocalyptic isolation, Castiel nurses Dean back to something like his former self, but will a time come when Dean's recovered --and rediscovered-- too much?“

Waves (College AU) - Words: 54,132 - “Dean Winchester is the average guy: football, college, kid brother, nice car, girls and beer; his life is black and white, that is until he meets Castiel Collins: pretentious, slutty, sweater-wearing genius, who won't even take the time to look up at him from his obscure novel while he insults him. And then everything is shades of gray and Dean is drowning.”

Jump The Track (HS AU) - Words: 83,180 -  "t's Dean's senior year at Lawrence High, and he's already given up on himself. It takes the arrival of the strange, intense, awkward Castiel Delacroix at the school to prove to Dean that maybe his life is worth saving after all.”

I Like You (Like Me) (Coffee Shop AU) - Words: 11,195 - “Dean’s the owner of his own pretty successful coffee shop, and he’s absolutely, totally not in love with the hot accountant guy who comes in every day. He’s way out of his league. Isn’t he?”

Bottoms Up (Canon) - Words: 28,103 - “Sam could’ve kissed them both when he got to the bunker one day to find a string of clothing (his heart nearly burst with hope when he saw the abandoned flannel and trench coat) leading to a very naked pile of limbs tangled on the couch. Just kidding. Of course it wasn’t the couch. Sam always imagined it as the couch because the fact that he actually found them on the dining room table had tainted the happiness of the memory.”

A Need For Breathing (Canon AU) ♥ - Words: 27,687 - “When Dean and Castiel reunite at the bunker, Cas has a nasty case of pneumonia and Dean takes care of him.(Slight AU set early season 9 in which "Ezekiel" healed Sam without possessing him)” 

Absolution (Canon AU, NSFW) - Words: 15,032 - “Sam and Cas need to figure out how to rid Dean of the Mark of Cain and do it fast. Dean wants Cas to kill him, but Castiel, Warrior of God, has some history in helping humans find absolution. The question is, will it be enough?”

Carry On (AU, NSFW) ♥ ♥ ♥ - Words: 148,000 - “When Sam gets into Stanford, Dean needs a bigger paycheck than Bobby’s garage can give him. Luckily, he knows a guy.” *This fic has been deleted from AO3 however in the link there is an EPUB download* 

Après (Canon) - Words: 24,045 - “When the angels stop falling and Castiel makes his way out of the trees, he finds himself alone and oceans away from the Winchesters. For once, Dean flies to him.“

The Summer Holds A Song (We Might Sing Forever) (AU) - Words: 10,769 - “When Castiel Elkan rents John Winchester's beach house for the summer, all he's looking for is a quiet place to write. From the moment he lays eyes on John's teenage son, he knows his chances of staying free from distraction are nil.“

Do What Feels Good (Canon AU, NSFW) - Words: 12,572 - “Castiel learns to love alone time in the shower. And then he learns to share.“

Santorum Will Pry My Porn From My Cold Dead Hands (AU) ♥  - Words: 41,725 - “AU President Santorum bans all pornography, and Dean decides to start his very own prohibition racket. Unfortunately, the only person he can find to 'perform' is Castiel.  

Have Love, Will Travel (AU) ♥ - Words:  94,054 - “Castiel Novak is a reclusive writer with a childhood so tragic it's left him terrified to leave his home—until his overbearing brother, Gabriel, drags him out for a night on the town full of booze and strip clubs, and he encounters Dean Winchester, a mesmerizing and mysterious stripper with secrets of his own. Both men find themselves inexplicably drawn to each other, and soon Dean's private dances for Castiel become much more, as both men confess their troubles and find solace in each other's company. But neither can seem to find the courage to take their relationship further than the intimacy of the club's VIP Room—and just when Dean's own brother gives him the excuse he needs to finally admit his feelings, Dean discovers something that brings it all crumbling down. Will they find a way past their demons and their trust issues, and back to each other?“

All In (HS AU) - Words: 12,672 - ““Are you staying for dinner, Cas?” Mary asked. Cas and the Winchester boys sat at the kitchen table doing homework, Dean and Cas working more side-by-side than together since they only shared one class.Castiel glanced at Dean and Dean spoke up for both of them. “Definitely.” he said.Mary went about her business finishing dinner preparations and when she was safely away from the table, Dean leaned over to Cas. “We don’t have to if you don’t want to, but I thought we could maybe say something about us tonight.”Cas started to snap back, but closed his mouth when Mary came near to get something from the refrigerator. He watched her warily until she went back to the counter. “I don’t know, Dean.”“It won’t be a big deal, I swear.”“You said your dad-” Cas cut off again, this time because Sam’s eager head popped up, ready to listen.” 

Control (AU, NSFW) - Words: 10,976 - “After Dean spanks Castiel over his desk for making a typing mistake, he then makes him pull down his trousers and fucks him."

A Movie Marathon, Captain Morgan and Sweet Dreams - What Could Possibly Go Wrong? (HS AU) - Words: 15,251 - “Dean Winchester, 18 years old, enjoys the last weeks of his senior year in high school with his best friend, the shy, dark haired Castiel, before finally reaching summer break. When John Winchester goes for a hunting trip with Uncle Bobby over the weekend and Sammy stays the night at a friend's house, Dean seizes the oppurtunity and invites his best friend over for a movie marathon night, expecting, as always, an awesome time with Cas. Well, he get's his fun - he just certainly had not expected it to come along like /that/.“ 

Crawl (AU) - Words: 10,961 - “It’s been almost four years since Castiel left Kansas; he'd eventually settled in an island town where he has a job, a house, and a life without the Winchesters. Every winter, Dean drives down to the coast to see him.“I shoot guns. I beat up monsters. I fix cars, Cas.”“I guess I should have done something worse to yours than hide the distributor cap, then.”

Professional Couple Only (Canon) ♥ - Words: 37,153 - “There's a haunted apartment building in Vermont, and the ad says "Professional couple only". Dean and Cas rise to the occasion.“

Dean Winchester, Straight Shooter (AU, NSFW) ♥ - Words: 15,550 - “Dean Winchester, star of StraightShooter.com, is a gay-for-pay porn star with a huge following. Cas Novak signs on to do a scene with him, even though he dislikes "straight" porn stars on principle. But Dean is more complicated than he first appears, and after inadvertently learning his secrets, Cas finds himself falling for him.“ 

I Don't Want to Go Back Alone (AU) - Words: 12,695 - Dean is the new kid, Castiel is blind. Romantic angst and fluff ensues. (Based on the short film, "Eu Não Quero Voltar Sozinho")

The Silence Between Heartbeats (Canon AU) - Words: 32,204 - “Fic that replaces Carmen with Cas. And then, when Dean wakes up and he meets Cas for the first time he freaks out because it's the only man he's ever loved and he's so confused as to how he can be real when he obviously had to be something the djinn created.” 

A Room Of One's Own (AU) ♥ - Words:  94,118 - “All Dean wants is a little privacy. Cas doesn't understand.“ 

Sweaters & Cigarettes (HS AU) ♥ ♥ ♥ - Words: 150,00 - “Dean Winchester is in high school, crushing hard on Castiel Novak, the unbelievably hot goth who Dean does his very best to convince himself he hates, despite the fact that he can’t really stop staring at him. Dean tries, but when the two of them finally cross paths, their first conversation takes a surprising turn. And suddenly, they both find themselves falling harder and faster than they ever could have expected.“ *This fic has been deleted from AO3 however I have an EPUB copy, if you want it just message me and I can email you it* 

Impossibly, We've Already Caught Fire (AU) - Words: 25,059 - “After a fire ravages his apartment, nurse Dean Winchester moves in with his best friend.”

It's Only Love We're Falling In (AU) ♥ - Words: 18,779 - “Castiel is a nurse. Dean isn’t a very pleasant person. Castiel and Dean don’t get along at first, then, naturally, like in most romantic comedies, things happen. Like unwillingly falling in love.”

The Laundromat 'Verse (AU) - Words: 48,939 - “Dean runs a laundromat. The punk kids come to him for all their clothing repair needs.That includes their bad boy ringleader, Castiel.”

I Wanna See Your Animal Side (Canon) - Words: 18,554 - “Dean gets attached to a dark-haired, blue-eyed kitten. He hates cats, so he can't really say why.”

Muscle Memory (AU) - Words: 18,916 - “Dear Castiel, Hello – it’s Castiel. This must all seem very confusing, and I’m sorry for that. Dean says to tell you that this isn’t some kind of ‘time-travel stunt’, although I’m sure that won’t be your first thought. I know it wasn’t mine. I’ve told Dean to leave now, as this is my notebook and I want everything in it to come from me – or rather, from you. I know you think it's the fifteenth of January, 2010, but it isn't. At the time of my writing this, the date is the fourth of October, 2013. Dean Winchester is your boyfriend of a year and a half, and you no longer work at the library, and in early 2010 you were hit by a car and hospitalised. I’m sorry.”

A World Above Water (AU) - Words: 35,187 - “Castiel’s hope for freedom is threatened by a chance encounter with the Crowned Prince of Lawrence, who is trying to avoid an arranged marriage”

To Find A Family (AU) - Words: 26,434 - “When Dean's little brother gets taken away, he's expecting the fight that ensues. He's expecting the stress that comes from separation, expecting to do all he can to get Sammy back from whatever awful foster family he's been placed with. He's not expecting Castiel Novak.(Castiel, in turn, isn't expecting his first foster child - five years old and angry - to be the one that leads him to the family he's always wanted, but life has a funny way of working itself out)”

Shorten the Distance (AU) - Words: 43,034 - “ Nerdytr3nchcoat" and "Impala67" weren't looking for romance on the dating website called 'dateangels.com'. Castiel was looking for friends and Dean was just looking to get his nagging brother off his back. What they didn't expect to find was each other.“

Learning Curve (AU) - Words: 37,853 - “Dean is a pre-school teacher and Castiel Novak is his new student's intriguing guardian. They both know the sacrifices that come with caring for others, but, over time, they learn what it means to want something for themselves.  

The Breath Of All Things (AU) - Words:  65,409 - “Dean Winchester was twenty-six years old when a car accident killed his father and left him paralysed from the waist down. A year and a half later, Dean is in a wheelchair and lives in a care home in Kansas, where he spends his days waiting to die. It's only when Castiel Novak starts volunteering at the care home that Dean starts to wonder if a changed life always equals a ruined one.“

Cooking With Gas ‘Verse (AU) ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ - Words: 217,460 - “Castiel Novak has it all. He's rich, famous, has a top rated cooking show and restaurant, drives an expensive car and wears Armani. His producer throws a contest to spend a day with Chef Novak, cooking and learning techniques. Castiel wants no part of it, but Balthazar insists and Castiel will do as expected. What Castiel wasn't expecting was to fall head over heels for the winner. Dean Winchester hasn't had a successful relationship in his 34 years on Earth. He's got a past he'd like to keep hidden, and his life rotates around his family and his business. Winning a contest to spend a day with his favorite TV chef is a shock, but a welcome diversion from his day to day life...until he meets the guy, and he turns out to be a big jerk. Dean figures he should have expected that. What he wasn't expecting was that same gorgeous blue-eyed man to sweep in and shake up his entire world.” *To this day, this is my #1 favorite long AU destiel fic out there* 

Don't Let it Burn (AU) - Words: 86,383 - “Cas and Dean have been through much together; they got married, expanded their businesses, dealt with health scares and the ups and downs of making a relationship work. Now expecting their first child, life is busy and happy for both of them. Cas is invited to be part of a new show on Food Network. He and several other chefs, including up and comer John Bartholomew, are the judges for a new high-stakes competition show. He’s flying to New York a lot, while Dean holds down the fort back in Kansas. Dean’s a pretty happy guy these days. He’s given Benny more control of Winchester and Sons, in preparation for cutting his hours back when the baby comes. There are new babies in their extended family and Ben’s on the Dean’s list at Stanford, really, things couldn't be better. One drunk driver, and tragedy hits the Winchesters hard. Dean’s entire world is upended in one night, and he needs Cas more than ever, but Cas is in New York more and more, leaving Dean to deal with the situation in Kansas. He’s falling apart, slowly but surely, close to the edge and about to tumble over, and Dean can't help but wonder if anyone will be left to catch him when he inevitably falls.”

Any Little Heartbreak (AU) ♥ - Words: 76,897 - “Dean Winchester knows everything there is to know about the human heart.Well.Anatomically speaking.”

Life In Pink (AU)  ♥ - Words: 25,174 - “At just 33 years old, Dean Winchester is one of the most sought-after wedding planners in the city. He’s chased his dream ever since he was a kid and is now on the brink of making partner at his firm. But the wedding that’ll make or break his promotion? Is his best friend Dr. Castiel Novak’s. It’s going to be the event of the season - unlimited budget, no expense spared - and it’s the kind of task that Dean has been waiting for… except he’s hopelessly in love with Cas.“ 

Unfold Your Love (AU) - Words: 35,476 - “This is the story of how a cop and an ER doc meet and fall in love.”

P A R A N O V A K (AU) - Words: 20,618 - “Castiel has always been a sad, “not quite right” young boy, at least according to Aunt Naomi. Ever since his Father abandoned them for “God’s work”, and his Mother killed herself shortly after, Castiel has been struggling to connect to the living…and finding it too easy to connect to the dead. Milton, Castiel’s home, crawls with ghosts and lost souls - not even his own home is free of them! Seeing ghosts has always been a part of him, and he wouldn’t give up his power for anything, but it doesn’t become a problem until he meets young, troubled Dean Winchester.“ 

Breaking Seals with Body Counts (AU) - Words: 35,197 - “Dean was chasing a murderer, chasing the man Castiel Novak was rumored to be indebted to, partnered with, and with so many shadows lurking in darkness, questions unanswered, psychopaths amuck, surprises looming every which way, being in love was the last of Dean's priorities, and the first of his worries. Dean had broken a few rules over time, to get where he was, but he'd never ached so much to destroy all the real work he'd done, and never yearned for an act so atrocious as slipping into Castiel, a suspected criminal and residential asshole, and letting his skin and mouth become Dean's own drug and dealer, especially with such enemies waiting to strike down on him and Castiel with a fury like they'd never seen before, bigger than the both of them. And this was only the beginning.“ 

A Batch Made in Heaven (AU) ♥ - Words: 23,119 - “When the rich Castiel Novak buys half of Dean’s bakery, he knows things aren’t going to work out. Castiel comes in with a plan to change nearly everything that makes A Batch Made in Heaven Dean’s, and while Dean resists at first, he soon realizes that maybe Castiel isn’t everything he’s taken him to be.“ 

Dead Things and Washing Machines (Canon) - Words: 26,114 - “Sam is sick and, despite Dean’s strict no-research-rule, finds a case. It’s like these cases sneak up on them when they least expect it. Dean says the hunt can wait; but, Sam doesn’t think that’s the wisest decision so he calls Cas to work the hunt with Dean.Dean and Cas drive out only to find that the motels are all full; so, they end up in a one-bedroom/one-bath condo, sharing a bed and reveling in the stylish, fully-furnished, khaki-pants lifestyle.Hunts don’t pause or slow down; they’re fast-paced and brutal. Dean and Cas’ relationship takes equal turns at both.”

A Winter's Tale (Canon AU) - Words: 64,316 - “Cas is sick and Dean finds a journal that Cas kept about his time alone as a human”

Plus One (AU) ♥  - Words:  90,872 - “Castiel Novak might have to attend three weddings in two months, but he’s not about to let his brother play matchmaker. His family’s Internet streaming company is too important to let a relationship steal his time, but he knows exactly what to do–hire someone to pretend to be his boyfriend.Dean Winchester has worked five-star hospitality long enough to know how to fit in with Castiel’s crowd, and this job could score him the connections to make his acting career take off. It’s a business deal, no matter how they’re drawn to each other. When the lines of their contract start to blur into real feelings, can they withstand Castiel’s family and jealous fans working to split them up?”

Bandaged and Bruised, I'd Still Pick You (AU) - Words: 12,398 - “Cas is a paramedic with a tragic past. Five years ago he lost a patient on the job and never fully recovered from the emotional trauma it caused. He's become an expert at pushing the feelings aside, but Cas's past comes back to haunt him when he saves his lost patient's brother from a car wreck. When the two men fall for one another, both of them learn how to patch old wounds and find new life with each other.”

Touch My Scars Away (Canon AU) - Words: 18,449 - “Dean Winchester has spent a life hunting, so it was only a matter of time before he ended up with an injury he couldn't handle on his own. Settling in at Bobby's, Dean undergoes surgery and the subsequent physical therapy required to get back to his life and his job. His physical therapist, Castiel Novak, however, challenges everything Dean had ever believed about himelf: his sexuality, his lifestyle, even his devotion to hunting. Cas's healing hands may heal more than just Dean's bad knee.“

Will You Wait Until Tomorrow (AU) - Words: 28,731 - “Castiel just got the all clear — testicular cancer has left him with scars, mental and physical, but it won’t mean his life. Now comes the task of putting himself back together and realizing he’s not worthless just because a part of him is missing. With the encouragement of his wife, Tessa, he seeks out the help of a sexual surrogate.“

On Drowning (Canon AU) - Words: 28,731 - “The absolute last thing Dean would ever admit, after saving Cas' life, is that it was all thanks to the unhealthy amount of time he spent reading about drowning on Wikipedia.Not that he's not grateful, but what he really needs is an instruction manual for everything that comes after.”

The Way to a Man’s Heart is Through Chlamydia (AU) - Words: 89,337 - “Dean doesn't expect to see his one night stand again, but then again he also doesn't expect to find out he has an STD. Sometimes life is hilarious like that.“

How I Want to Go (AU) ♥ - Words: 110,064 - “The one where Cas has cancer but he isn't telling anyone about it, especially not his gorgeous new boyfriend, Dean Winchester, or his useless but well-meaning brother, Gabe. Anything but resigned, Cas is determined not to let his diagnosis govern his life.”

An Exercise In 'Worthless' (AU) - Words: 26,547 - "I mean, you’re–” He gestures at Cas, in his neat oxford shirt and nice pants. “–and I’m a high school dropout who tattoos for a living.“

Good Things Do Happen, Dr. Sexy Edition (AU) - Words: 110,526 - “Dean has hit rock-bottom when he wakes up from a coma after causing an accident while driving drunk. He doesn’t see that it's rock-bottom, though. He believes he's still in free-fall because the darkness that has killed John Winchester and has almost claimed Dean’s life, too, is all he can see. But then Dr. Novak steps into his life, a guiding light in Dean’s darkest hour, and no one can blame him if he notices just how attractive the doctor is. If it only weren’t for the problem that he’s falling hard for this man, which will most certainly lead to a broken heart and more whiskey. Because that’s what happens when a washed up drunk like Dean Winchester falls for a doctor who is sexier than Dr. Sexy. Or isn’t it? Then there are also Dr. Novak’s brother Gabriel, who isn’t ashamed of watching Dr. Sexy, and Balthazar, who has a tendency to blurt out the most inappropriate comments at the most inopportune times. And of course don't forget the issue of family. Because Sammy is in Stanford and better off without Dean. And Dean is happy for him, he really is, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t still hurt. Or that it doesn’t have to be dealt with if Dean really wants to take up the fight and heal.”

Somebody to Love (AU) - Words: 11,109 - “Dean wakes up in an alley after a bar fight with no memory of the actual fight. When a handsome stranger comes to his rescue, Dean’s torn between being wary and being grateful. But fortunately, Castiel knows what he’s doing. Even if it originally doesn’t necessarily seem that way.”

Your Name is Castiel (AU) - Words: 10,310 - “Yellow walls or blue walls. Yellow walls or blue walls. Yellow walls or blue walls.”

Paradise (AU, NSFW) - Words: 13,857 - “Maybe next time, Castiel would ask his realtor what kind of house he was moving into before a green-eyed, half naked man showed up on his doorstep with cake.Or, wherein Castiel accidently moves in next door to a porn studio.”

Carried Away (AU) - Words: 81,529 - “Living in New York City, Dean Winchester's life consists of working as a pediatric nurse, leaving little room for free time. His best friend and roommate, Castiel Novak, happens to be a surgical resident at the same hospital that Dean works at. Even though they see a lot of each other, the two of them have learned to coexist with ease.When the annual fundraising gala becomes the talk of the hospital, it only makes sense for both of them to pretend they're together to kill two birds with one stone. The gossip about them finally stops, and no one tries to set them up with a date for the gala. It's easy enough for Dean and Castiel to act like a couple at first. However, they each end up getting more than they signed up for as the line dividing what's fake and what's real between them blurs.”

Further Adventures (AU) - Words: 38,028 - “Cas regards him with that level gaze. “So you’d be the submissive one.”Dean flushes. “Um, yeah.”“Hmm,” Cas says.”

300 Things (Podfic link) (AU)  ♥ - Words: 76,500 - “Dean’s life at twenty-four makes him feel like he’s forty—he works two jobs to help pay bills for his house and put his genius little brother through private school, and has spent six years (on and off, let’s be honest) working on his mechanical engineering degree at KU. With so much of his life devoted to his family, Dean has little time in his schedule for class and no time for social interaction. Then, while getting his classes together for the fall, he finds himself in a do-or-die situation: He must take his last literature class now, his spring already filled with those left for his major…except that none of the English classes will fit his schedule.” I think this fic is deleted but I have an EPUB file if you would like it!

Jeté (AU) - Words: 10,848 - “Castiel has been photographing their ballet company for two years now and he and Dean have barely exchanged six words, and yet somehow when Dean breaks his leg, it's Castiel who takes him home from the hospital and takes care of him.”

Salvation (AU) - Words: 99,719 - “Dean is an honorably discharged marine who lives in celibacy because celibacy is better than the alternative.Castiel is a well renowned doctor who has suffered through enough death for a lifetime.Before all this, Dean and Castiel were "the real thing", according to everyone around them. Then life happened and they were screwed out of everything.Now, ten years later, Dean and Cas see each other again and they have to face everything holding them apart.”

Unsolicited (AU) - Words: 56,274 - “In which Dean Winchester gets an unsolicited dick pic from an unknown sender which is both totally not disappointing in that it's a really nice dick pic, and incredibly disappointing in that it's clearly a downloaded picture of his favorite porn star.There's absolutely no way it's actually this porn star sending it to him, right?Right?”

Sex 101, or: That Time Castiel Asked Dean to Teach Him How to Have Sex (Canon AU, NSFW) - Words: 50,215 - “'I want to have sex,' Castiel announces suddenly.Dean chokes on his gulp of Baja Blast."***Wherein Dean teaches Cas how to have sex, and Cas teaches Dean why to have sex.”

Deactivated (AU) - Words: 23,676 - “The morning after his scene with Dean, Castiel wakes up to the realization that he has made a massive mistake.”

Breathe Lightly (AU) *MCD* ♥ - Words: 28,561 - "To my first love, and my last, Dean Winchester. These are the things I want to tell you: the human body is 60% water. The number of neurons in one person is the rough equivalent of the number of stars in a small galaxy. There is 0.2 milligrams of gold in your blood. The heart is an elaborate engine. I love you."

SextersAnon.com (AU) *Dom/Sub* ♥ - Words: 169,136 - “After years of self-imposed celibacy, Castiel Novak decides to seek an anonymous sexual partner to engage in long-distant text-based activities. Things get personal quickly, though...”

Something by the Sea (Canon) - Words: 30,700 - “After suffering the horrific cost of being cured from demonhood, Dean and Cas settle down in the small town of Old Orchard Beach, Maine, buying a run-down shack near the beach to call their own. Dean attempts to get into a normal routine– fixing up the kitchen, chopping wood for the fire, and picking out paint colors– all with the pleasant backdrop of Cas’s company and a beach fifty feet away. These things prove themselves to be fragile, however, and the past haunts Dean in the form of nightmares and strange phone-calls from an untraceable number, along with the far-from-innocent history of their new house.“

Just Pretending (AU) - Words:  41,752 - “A cool job, a nice apartment, a hot girlfriend. Dean had it all. And lost everything. That’s when he gets the chance to be featured in an article in the famous magazine “Heaven on Earth” and reside in a luxury hotel for four weeks. And win a shit ton of money. The catch: it’s only for married couples. And because Dean’s life is a disaster the only person who is willing to play along and marry him is the person who despises him the most. But playing Couple with Cas Novak for a month can’t be that hard, can it?”

Let This Remain (AU) - Words:  63,082 - “Dean Winchester dropped his little brother Sam off for his freshman year of college, then dropped out of his life completely. Now, nearly a year later, Dean's gotten himself together and is back in Lawrence to make things right with his brother. As he works to build his life in Kansas, Dean finds himself repeatedly crossing paths with Castiel Milton. Maybe the universe is trying to tell him something at a time when he's actually ready to listen.”

The Hands that Bind Me (Canon AU) - Words:  56,827 - “Dean is struggling with adjusting back into the civilized world after a year of fighting for his life in Purgatory. He's going to need some angelic assistance reining in his darker impulses.”

Your Very Own Doctor Sexy (AU) - Words: 51,294 - “It's an easy and average life for Dean Winchester. He worked hard, helped Sam and Ruby through law school while helping Bobby expand his garage. There isn't much to want until a car crash changes Dean down to the very core of who he thought he was. Working closely with the Novak brothers, all doctors, changes his life in a way he can't account for.”

* Sexiest Man Alive (AU) - Words: 24,017 - “Cas' struggles at dating actor Dean Winchester, as told through fights and longing, phone calls and memories.”

* Painted Angels (AU) ♥ - Words: 105,637 - “Author Castiel Novak has finally hit the big time, with a book based on his failed college relationship with a brilliant painter. He's put all his pain behind him, but at a book signing, he comes face to face with Dean Winchester for the first time in twelve years, and the reunion doesn't go like Cas hoped. Dean's a broken man, with a lot of scars and secrets, shoulders weighed down by his demons and self loathing. Cas sees a second chance with the man he's never stopped loving, but Dean's moved on, and is about to get married. Sam launches a "brilliant" plan to reunite his brother and his best friend, but Cas is worried it will all blow up in their faces, and he'll go through the agony of losing Dean a second time.“

That’s all the fics I have listed for now, i’ll add more fics in the future :D

[fuckyeahwintershock]

Author Spotlight: LeftyLain

This week’s recommendation comes from @awwheartno, who said:

I'm gonna suggest doing a spotlight on Leftennant because she's kinda the bees knees and the queen of wintershock in my humble opinion. 

I’m sure most Wintershock shippers have heard of @leftylain (aka leftennant) - she’s one of our leading lights - but that’s no reason not to turn the spotlight on her! Her series Road Trip of Champions is pretty much a gateway drug into our ship.

01. What about Wintershock as a pairing appeals to you?  

Everything.  I could not love it more.  Basically, I feel like they’re very similar at their core.  Darcy’s personality is a lot like pre-war Bucky to me.  She’s flirtatious, bold, confident, has a strong sense of humor, and is extremely loyal to the people she cares about.  She also doesn’t beat around the bush, and says what she means.  I think these traits would help to draw him out, and he’d be able to let his guard down around her.  Plus I’m a sucker for any pairing where you’ve got the smol person ready to go to bat for the big tough person who doesn’t exactly need the help, but is grateful for it anyway.  

02. How did you first encounter the pairing?  

Ummm, hmm.  The first time I saw it, I was still writing Tasertricks.  I actually had to blacklist the ship, because I knew it would throw my muse off, and I wanted to finish Captivated first.  That’s how much I liked the idea of the two of them together, I literally had to hide any Wintershock references from my dash to prevent muse-swervage.  Then Anniemar started to get sucked into a little over a year ago, and she refused to let me avoid it any longer.  Although, I can’t blame her for dragging me down the Wintershock rabbit hole.  I read one fic, and it was so damn good, that I dove in after her.

03. Do you have any specific Wintershock headcanons? 

Are there any particular fic tropes you like concerning the pairing?  Oh god, I’m a trope whore.  For real.  It doesn’t really matter what trope, as long as they end up together at the end.  Although I seriously love forced cohabitation, and huddling for warmth.  Those are always, always favorite.

As far as headcanons go...hmmm.  I think Bucky is touch-starved, and he probably loves that Darcy is so tactile.  Also, I have a feeling that she recognizes how he likes to be near her or touching her, and appreciates it.  I like to think she respects him, and respects his boundaries, and that he can relax around her because of this.

Another headcanon I have is that Darcy wouldn’t turn his arm into a personal kink/fetish. Bucky’s prosthetic was literally attached to his body without his permission by an agency that brainwashed him into murdering with it for seventy years.  I have a really hard time believing that he’d be into someone looking at his arm as a sexual kink.  Plus I’ve got a friend with a prosthetic limb, and I know how weirded out they’d be if someone treated it like that.  

04. Do you associate any particular songs with Wintershock? If so, which one?

HOLY FUCK YES.  I have so many playlists/songs for this pairing, that it’s getting ridiculous at this point, but lemme just name a few of my favorites.  The Enemy by Genevieve, If it Wasn’t for You by Various Cruelties, Satellite Call by Sara Bareilles, and Sit With Me Tonight, by Garrison Starr.

05. What Wintershock fic by someone else would you recommend to others to read? What about this fic appeals to you? 

This is the hardest damn question, because there are so many.  My current favorite is A Mask of My Disguise by amidtheflowers.  I just love the way she writes Darcy and Bucky as a couple, and the slow burn is so damn perfect.  Plus she had them stuck on a boat together, and sharing a bed.  It doesn’t get any better than that.

06. What kind of Wintershock story would you love to read that hasn’t been written yet by you or others?  

I want some Guardian Angel Bucky.  Someone make this happen for me.  ;D

07. Out of the Wintershock stories you’ve written, which is your favourite, and why?  

Three Weeks.  That fic is my baby.  Actually the whole roadtrip series is my fave.  It was so damn fun to write.  It makes me happy whenever I think of it.

08. Quote a favourite extract from one of your stories. What is it that you like about it?  

It’s kinda nsfw.  Maybe.  A little.  And long.  Whatever.  It’s my fave piece of dialogue between them, and it’s from L is for Lemon, L is for Love.  I like it because it makes me laugh whenever I read it, and it’s based on an actual conversation I had once with a uh...this guy...named Justin. I should probably thank him for the inspiration, right?  Thanks, Justin, wherever you are. :D

“James Buchanan Barnes, you didn’t even let me get to the good parts first,” she accused. “That’s completely unfair.”

He chuckled, the vibration running through her and causing another series of heady shivers. “Oh yeah? What good parts are those?”

“I’m not telling,” Darcy retorted. “Next time stay asleep and you’ll find out.”

“Next time, huh?”

“Yeah. Next time. I’m mad at you right now. All that stealth and sneaking, totally wasted.”

“You aren’t mad,” he said.

“Yes I am.”

“Nah.”

“I’m so mad. You don’t even know.”

He quirked an eyebrow at her. “You’re smiling.”

“That’s my anger smile,” she insisted.

“You’ve got your hand in my boxers.”

“Just ignore that part.”

Thanks for answering the questions, Lefty!

If you have any future suggestions for the Author Spotlight, please submit them either to the blog or to me (@latessitrice).

[your-fave-is-crippled]

Marius Von Raum from The Mechanisms

is crippled/a cripple, supports cripplepunk and has prosthetic limbs!

image one: [id: a dark grey flag with a dusty rainbow going from the bottom left corner up to the right, dark grey circles on top one in the middle of the other and marius from the mechanisms in the middle of the image holding his violin. :end id]

image two: [id: a flag with a grey border and 7 vertical stripes coloured from left to right as teal, light teal, light green, yellow, light orange, orange-pink and pink. in the middle of the image on top of the flag is marius from the mechanisms holding his violin. :end id]

requested by: @vampiric-vhs

image three: [id: a banner with a blue to green gradient and water-filtering-light texture under a faintly transparent blue rectangular box. in the box is light blue text that reads "Blog is about disability, disabled characters and headcanons. may include occasional pd rep but otherwise do not derail. blocking where i see fir for my comfort, please remain respectful." on the top of the banner outside the blue box is more light blue text that reads "DNI if proship, terf, are a discourse blog and other basic dni stuff" in all caps. under the blue box at the bottom of the banner is more light blue text that reads "cripplepunk is for the physically disabled only" in all caps. on either side of the banner is an image of ryn from the show siren staring off to the side. :end id]