#(tho fictional stuff doesn't count)

[deceit-and-knowledge]

(I noticed my spelling mistake from voice to text at the last second while it was sending. Please use this one instead.)

Oh black sapphire, I’m sorry you had to find out like this

ooc: this is making me laugh like a lil bitch and making me realise my other au smilk would be an omega (that *ahem* "situation" on the ask blog)

b: ........

MASTER SHADOW MILK COOKIE CAN WE BAN CANDY APPLE COOKIE FROM THE ONLINE STORIES TOO!!

s: why?

b: SHE'S LEARNING ABOUT.. THIS...STORY TROPE WHERE THERE'S APLHAS, BETAS AND OMEGAS AND SHE CALLED PURE VANILLA COOKIE AN OMEGA.

s: and that's ban worthy why? How is he an "omega"?

b: well he's kind, hard working, has a strong scent.. you've called him...particular terms.... And you've bit him have you not?

c: are you saying he IS an alpha?

b: ...

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME!?

c: why did you look into it?

b: what are hea-

c: NO.

s: hm?

c: IT'S UM. SCIENCE YEA SCIENCE...

s: I'm looking into this to make sure you're not breaking my ONE RULE..

[conclaveconfessions]

As a general I like this fandom a lot. I have my dislikes. I do agree sometimes they make Vincent too holy or too quick to drop his vows, but I'm also deeply sympathetic because well... the person that writes, oh let's say, 2.5k puppy play is indeed not looking for a very deep exploration of these characters.... And That's ok!

What I did when I was puzzled by this (the desire to read erotic content but without the rush) was sort by word count, and it really helped! There are gorgeous agonizing pining long fics in this fandom. Not that many gosh I Need More but there are. Everyone give them a try. I also do see a lot of effort to make the stories grounded, even if they might get a bit ooc, which other fandoms tend to not do... Or do way less, I mean.

I can't cope with Lawrenitez mpreg though. Firstly I don't think Vincent is able to get pregnant and even if he could, like. My mind is only screaming: They're post menopausic queens!!! No one is getting pregnant!!! Stop!! (Do whatever you want haha it's ok) I do however cackle and enjoy when I see "Vincent getting knocked up by the holy spirit" now THAT'S literature (lol). I guess the difference is that if it's by God magic, it's a full on miracle, if it's by a "natural" way it's really weird (to me). Just on account of their ages. I think it's not THAT popular of a trope here, I think most people like the fact they're old men but still-

The reason I mention it it's because I know I'm really a hypocrite. I was complaining about omegaverse with a friend. I do think making Vincent an omega sort of goes again the " uncertainty" that gives him his condition in canon (maybe make him both Alpha and Omega? A complete unknown fourth sex? Uterus and knot? I'm just brainstorming), it flattens the canon stuff. To me, omegaverse is a setting that enhances fictional sex differences because it's hot, but in this context, where the point is that those sex difference irl are maybe not as important as we think, I find it against the characters, and as such, not as hot (I liked one where Lawrence was a beta tho haha)

The reason why I'm a hypocrite though, is that I do sort of love it with Bellesco haha. There, the idea of the sex difference being embarrassing for him is super hot (oh, I'm bottom!Tedesco, Omega!Tedesco one hundred percent). So in that context, I like it. WE know there's nothing shameful in being a bottom or being the "lesser" sex but he doesn't. And that's hot.

Another reason why I'm a hypocrite is that I do love these old queens suddenly feeling all horny. Like, the idea of Lawrence, post prostate cancer already in his autumn years suddenly being absolutely gob smacked horny for Vincent and soo guilty about it that it cures his impotence... I like it. Ditto with Tedesco finally crashing down and admitting he's queer, haha. I have no issues with old men holding erections all night, unrealistic as it could be. I do respect the erectile dysfunction soldiers 🫡

At the end of the day, your tastes are very personal. It's ok if you don't like something that's going on in the fandom. It's normal! And it should encourage you to write your own stuff, or to shower with praise the people that are doing what you like, so they do more :^) and you can also talk about your dislikes as long as you are respectful.

I think speaking about your dislikes is equally important though, since it might let you to people that also dislike the same things you do and you can share "correct takes" with each other. This is a bit arrogant, to say it that way, but let's face it, that's how it feels. And it's no crime either. Saying: ok whatever but THIS is better/hotter, I'll write it- it's like. Half of why fandom exists. Have fun :^)

I don't think I'll write anything myself anytime soon because I'm well fed by the current works, but who knows. My rudimentary English doesn't hold a candle to the poets of this fandom tho <\3

~

[brucewaynehater101]

I just thought of the comedy potential in a Superkids summer camp.

I imagine the other members of the Justice League are super impressed with the robins and want their children to have basic training so they have a better chance at surviving. So they ask Batman about it. He says no (probably because the idea that he can train kids to survive is a bit triggering to him), so they ask Nightwing about it and he's delighted to organize with his siblings.

This would be for the youngest of heros/children of heros so think Damian and younger. Except for Damian all the Bat kids are camp counselor. Some rapid fire thoughts:

Dick and Barbara are the main camp counselors. They sometimes have to leave camp because duty calls (I mean, all of them have to at some point). Dick would teach the kids how to properly fall, a lot of knots and some fun beginners acrobatics. The kids love him because he's great at retelling stories at the bonfire. All of the campers are trying to piece together his love life because it sounds chaotic.

Barbara teaches the kids basic tech skills, how to properly use comms and how to spot cameras and mics. She and Jason may not be as outwardly protective as Dick but they understand the danger of being a hero's kid (Gordon counts as a hero to me). The kids think she's fun because she's always up to mess with the boys, but she's also the one that talks about the serious stuff. When Dick gave them the talk about the importance of their safety at first they didn't take him seriously. It's Barbara who (with tact of course) makes them understand they're not invulnerable, and everyone needs training.

Cass might get overwhelmed at times because communication doesn't come easy to her and kids are particularly prone to misunderstanding things (sometimes on purpose). She still enjoys it tho, and considers it good practice (Barbara is really proud of her). She teaches hand to hand combat and hr marshmallows are always perfect.

Jason is conflicted. I think he would have a lot of fun pulling pranks and teaching the kids how to aim with different weapons (non lethal of course), but the premise of "these kids have a target on their back" hits a bit close to home. He's definitely broken down about it at some point. He hides it well and tells amazing fictional bonfire stories (that aren't the plot of classical books reimagined)

Steph is the local expert in disguises and teaches the kids different accents and how to change body language. She's also extremely chaotic and helps the kids pull pranks on the rest of the counselors. The kids love her impressions and she provides voices for Dicks stories in exchange for marshmallows.

Tim is having a lot of fun and I imagine him and Dick are reminiscing about Young Justice/Teen Titans a lot now that they're surrounded by kids. He teaches the kids how to be stealthy and probably introduces them to the art of "always having a backup plan for your back up plans". He corrects Dicks inaccuracies when his retelling his own battles (and provides evidence with Barbs). He would also be amazing at telling horror stories.

Duke would be the one helping the kids find creative uses for their powers. Since they're still young a lot of them are still figuring it out. He also helps non metas to spot the weaknesses in superpowers. Also he, Jason and Steph definitely give the kids the ACAB talk (Tim offers to distract Dick and Barbara). He makes visual aids for bonfire stories (sometimes he makes Dick look derpy because that's how siblings work).

Damian hates the whole idea at first. Sure, he gets to spend time with John but he could have done that without a bunch of bumbling idiots around. And half of those are not even his siblings! He considers it beneath him, he doesn't need to learn what he knew at five. He starts helping the other kids out because "he just can't stand to watch such incompetence". The kids start going to him for advice and at first he's very annoyed but eventually he realizes that they're looking at him as some sort of camo leader. Then he gets really flustered about it (especially when some of them start calling him friend). Dick and Tim high five behind his back, it was the plan all along.

(Damm this got long sorry. I would love to hear your ideas on possible interactions or other things the bat kids could teach the kids. I really don't know much about the younger gen)

I don't know much about the younger generation as well :( I really like this idea, though! And you're absolutely fine. This ask wasn't that long and was super enjoyable ^^

There's a ton of cute ideas that you've mentioned with the batkids and campers. It kind of got away from me, but I started to wonder about them making camp an annual event.

They could extend the camp out to people who have powers in general instead of just heroes kids. The camp would be disguised (even from some parents who don't know their kid is trying to be a vigilante or has powers). It's a great idea to give the kids survival techniques, connections, training, etc. The fact that it's over the summer also helps so that the kids can focus on school during the school year.

The camp is funded and slightly looked over by the JL, but it's mainly headed by the batkids. Some of their hero friends also help out over the summer if they want to and can.

Eventually, they start to have organization for what's being taught. They have many many classes taught by different heroes, vigilantes, anti-heroes, trusted contacts, etc. They want the kids to have fun, but be safe. Here are some of their classes:

First Aid/Medical Help - All campers are required to have some sort of first aid class on their schedule. They can test out of the lower levels, but most end up repeating a class. It's been 10 or so months since they last learned the material. The camp is certified to allow campers to get a CPR certificate if they complete this class.

Stealth - various levels on staying hidden in different scenarios, blending in, or getting away enough to hide

Disguises - This includes keeping and maintaining a secret identity

Hero Ethics - This class goes over various laws in place (regionally, nationally, and internationally), the impact of capes on the community level, etc.

Vigilante/Hero Arrests - Basically how heroes make arrests, how this holds up in a court of law, necessary steps, evidence gathering, etc.

Power Safety - how to safely experiment with your power, when to use it, how to use it, etc.

Fun with Powers - how to let loose a little, enjoy the moments, and be free with any powers. It also allows campers to feel more confident and reassured.

Water Fighting/Rescue - They use the lake to demonstrate how to help people, how to fight various villain types over water, and how to calm down panicked civilians in water. They also have classes geared towards teaching people to swim or row

Arts, Crafts, and Police Sketches - Usually for fun, but the higher levels help people with making quick witness sketches

Dance and Movement - teaching folks how to move their bodies in various ways, how to incorporate dance into they fighting, how to dance in general, and how different movements create different effects

Being Prepared - backup plans for the backup plans

The Downsides of Being a Hero - older campers are eligible to take this class so that they are aware of the consequences of this path. Once you're in it, it's hard to let go. They want people to make informed decisions (they aren't discouraging heroics. Rather, they are chatting about the ugly sides people don't usually talk about).

Life Essentials - cooking, cleaning, sewing, taxes, etc.

Survival - How to survive in all types of scenarios (rural, urban, in forests, deserts, etc.)

Night Classes - stuff they teach after it gets dark (navigating in little to no light, for instance)

There's probably more, but this seemed like a solid start. They have campfires, lots of free time to explore, trails to hike, those blow-up water things, plenty of games mixed around, treasure hunts, capture the flag nights, etc. They want the kids to be safe, have people they can turn to for advice, but to still be kids.

My response doesn't really focus on the batkids, but you can try to assign who teaches what, which friends get dragged into camp, how all the logistics are handled, who's playing music over the intercoms, fun pranks they do, and other stuff.

[nerves-nebula]

im nottt a system actually i made my coping mechanism into a religion instead which means it doesn't count anymore. so what if i need to imagine "the persistent one" entering my body and sitting up in order to get me out of bed. doesnt count cuz i gave her a name and a mythology and shes part of my personal religious practice now

ok but fr tho:

i think the doeshima arent really part of whatever potential plurality i have going on, cuz they're very new and fictional in a way none of the other "me"s are.

but i do think that they are kind of evidence of how i cope with things, which points to my tendency to make up a 'me' who can do (or usually not "do" but "survive") something i cant when under stress. i feel i cant survive it, so i think of some fictional me who can, and just embody them.

i think i should probably just admit that while i dont think i have like a full blown identity disorder with lost time and all that, i definitely have some weird identity splitting/fracturing stuff going in terms of like. PTSD shit. ive known that for a while i guess. i've almost always felt like I am not the original me, I'm the one who was crafted/called upon/summoned because the former me couldn't survive. and that kid is still in here and i kind of hate them for making me go through all of this. but i know it's only fair, because they couldn't survive the world, and despite how much it doesn't feel like i can, I CAN survive. and I have.

i used to tell my friend that it felt like i had to cut off a part of myself to live. kill that pathetic child who was desperate to be coddled and protected. and i did, but i also didnt, because i was MADE to protect that kid. when i went to high school i was fucking feral, i hissed and bit and growled because i was a fucking animal meant to protect someone. and when i wasnt so feral anymore the kid came back like a goddamn ghost. you know it never used to speak? it only started talking and showing personality within the past year or so. it only ever used to stare at me silently.

I'm the one who isn't allowed to kill itself. My one main thing is that I'm not allowed to die, it's just not on the table anymore. I just have to keep going, and maybe it'll be worth it. and when I need a break I can swap out with these sort of half-personalities, who aren't as defined as me, but who get the job done when I've reached my limits.

it feels weird to call it plurality tho cuz thats so definitive. it feels like something that might not apply to me at all. but its also a bit comforting. and i've always been drawn to it (and to body sharing and hive minds and all that stuff since i was like 11) and like. idk. i probably wont call myself plural a lot but. like. i know what we are. and i dont dislike it.

[cobra-creampuff]

headcanon that stede loses himself in stories in the purest and fullest escapism possible. he has an extraordinary imagination, extraordinary avoidance mechanism, and extraordinary lack of self(-perception). as such, it's easy and automatic for him to insert an imaginary, idealized version of himself onto any character in any story that he likes, without it ever occurring to him to identify with or even really catch on to any real similarities to himself and his life that might be paralleled in fiction.

even if he happens to read or be told a tale that has such reflections in it, they will pass him right on by completely unobserved, and he will either find the story unbearably dull or he will warp it into something idealized and project onto it as if it's totally fantastical and foreign to him like any other. he simply never sees himself in a story, because he doesn't see himself in real life either and has absolutely no interest in doing so (at least up until his final scene of season one, and these things don't change overnight so still past that but to a gradually lesser degree as he develops. um. for as long as he... continued to develop. lol).

like obviously stede does make everything all about him (tho we did see - for like a second. lol. - that he's trying to get better about that), but ignoring all the themes in a narrative work and any remotely undesirable trait in a character in order to make it the perfect escapist projection fantasy is functionally still making everything, or rather in this specific case, every story all about you, it just happens to be your personal ideal of perfection rather than your experiences. haha actually sort of like- *the audience relation director hurriedly turns off my mic*

cough. anyway. ed also makes everything about himself, but the other way around. he actively looks for himself in stories and in other people's experiences, and inserts himself if he can't find it.

at the same time, he also doesn't particularly want to see himself - not the parts of himself that he takes conscious note of anyway - so he generally just avoids getting close enough to anyone to relate to them. if he absolutely needs to know something about somebody else he'll guess(timate) or flat out make something up. he does that with people's preferences/tastes, feelings, backstories, even sometimes their names (except when unavoidable, or when he slips up and accidentally lets himself form a genuine human connection lmao). i mean, this is in part because most people ed's involved with are almost certainly going to die pretty grisly deaths, most likely during their acquaintance with him, and when he's captain it's kinda his responsibility, and he doesn't want to grieve or feel guilty for anything ever. but also the first stuff i said.

and then re: stories, if he's going to engage with one he needs it to be as exaggerated and/or abstract as possible and also preferably vague as well. that way it's distant and he can tell himself he wasn't really in it, it could have been about anything, actually it was really just about the nonexistent thing that was in it - like the story he told about the kraken killing his dad. like there's plenty of room to interpret that while we were seeing the flashback, ed had more lines describing the scene to his in-universe audience off our screens. but! i think it's more in character if he left it to just the few flippant lines we actually heard. he loves the drama and the attention, of course, but not as much as he (thinks he) wants to not be truly seen.

he tries stede's method via the jeff act, but we see that fail immediately and spectacularly at any hint of doubt twice (at the fancy party when they laughed at him and in the gravy basket when hermit hornigold didn't indulge the roleplay scenario). and to be honest i'm personally counting three more: when izzy pushed back against the ep10... Situation, when ed threw blackbeard overboard and became breakfast in bed bf instead but stede was still into piracy, and when he was forced by confrontation to admit his fanciful ideal of being a fisherman didn't match up with reality. plus i think if read hadn't interrupted, his little therapy speak word salad "i'm doing better than i ever was" guy with the rabbit would have gone the same way. (and obviously the inn idea would go this way too. so it's a good thing that never happened! lmao can you imagine...)

(vs stede who tries to play the idealized character, fails, pretends he didn't after a period of depression, but then adjusts the role to better fit his true self and is successful; they did write the arcs of stede becoming himself + ed accepting himself that they meant to, they just broke both their legs and their fucking neck on the dismount.)

ANYWAY. catch me writing a whole fucking meta post just to say stede would think nothing of telling the story of fenrir and tyr at storytime post-the parts of canon that aren't drivel.

you know, the story about the monster of mixed race parentage who is destined for violence due to said parentage even though all he really wants is fame, and the one man brave enough to get close to him? and the man helps the monster grow, until he gets too frightening and everyone decides he can't be tamed? so the man offers a limb in exchange for the monster's restraint, perhaps trusting that he wouldn't hurt his only friend? but the monster bites that limb clean off and eats it?* yeah, that one.

stede would be jazzed to tell a story about/by legendary sea-faring idols of conquest and (homoerotic) masculinity with norms that run counter to the social environment he loathes that ed (and izzy) wouldn't already know (and probably pop his rose-colored bubble about). he would not think hm maybe not This one though. all he sees is the excitement! *stefan voice* this myth has everything: prophecies, friendship, betrayal, blood and gore, finely crafted textiles...

meanwhile, ed is trying to beat himself to death since SOMEBODY managed to fuck that up, and izzy is shaking, crying, throwing up,,

*editorialized to make tyr seem better and fenrir seem worse, to align with how ed would interpret it in reflection of his self-perception, though i'll also say the very same ed hearing the very same story in a different mood would interpret a worse tyr and a better fenrir than textually depicted just as well

[mutter-official]

6 9 13 17 19 (for the unlinux asks)

oop that's a lot of numbers

6 (What's your favourite hobby that doesn't include anything computerized?): I thiiiiink I've already answered this one; I said top-rope rock climbing. I boulder competitively, but anything is more fun with rope involved.

9 (When is the last time you sent a hand written card or letter?): actually sent one through the mail? oh god, probably a decade. wrote one? maybe a couple of months; I think I wrote some Christmas cards this season

13 (You're going in isolation for a while. Which books or records are you bringing?): already answered this one, copy-pasting from this post: ooh this is a tough one. definitely On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder, my favorite book of all time, my personal cookbook (fuck you I'm counting it), probably my bible, and something fiction to pass the time... maybe Lord of the Rings or Fahrenheit 451 + some other dystopian stuff like Brave New World, Handmaid's Tale, etc.... for records I'd definitely bring Preacher's Daughter by Ethel Cain, Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers, Vessel by Twenty One Pilots, and either Born to Run or Darkness On The Edge of Town by Bruce Springsteen. I'd probably bring some Xana too because I am the world's second most pathetic lesbian

17 (Are you happy with your handwriting?): meh. it's... fine. I can write pretty fast and it's readable to me, which is nice, but other ppl often have trouble reading it, which is problematic as a debater

19 (What non-tech hobby would you like to pick up that you've never tried before?): okay this is kind of cheating but outdoor climbing. I boulder and top rope in the gym regularly and I just learned how to lead (sport, not trad lol), but I've never actually properly climbed outside other than some scrambling... I've seen some good spots around where I live tho and I will definitely be dragging the friend that I learned to lead with with me to them at some point

ty for the ask!

[wordy-little-witch]

My brain is all over the place so I'm gonna mix n match my stuff with the only common theme being Buggy and hyperfixation.

But like. Age regression. Not the funky cool supernatural kind in fiction, the coping mechanism (I like the fiction ones too tho but for this, it's coping mechs)

Just. Buggy and Shanks both having had a frankly RIDICULOUS amount of childhood trauma and both turning to different methods to cope. Buggy got introduced to age regression both bc he already kinda sorta did t involuntarily without KNOWING and then when he brought on some people to his crew with experience in psychology and therapy for whatever reason.

He got dragged to self care hours, kicking and screaming at first and then more willingly. Turns out the "off vibes" were actually severe psychological distress, PTSD, etc. Who knew? Anyway yeah.

Cabaji, Mohji and Ritchie were the ones who were first aware of Buggy's "fuzzy episodes" as he called it. Was hard not to be in close quarters on a tiny ass ship holding three nearly grown men and a growing lion. As the crew grew, even when they got the Big Top, they were still mostly aware of things. Ritchie in particular always seemed to just... Know when Buggy was blurred out and needed a hand. Or to have smth to cuddle and pet.

Mohji actually brings it up in HIS therapy sessions without naming names. Just "hey how can I help with [x,y,z]?" There's some hums and haws before finally herspist is like "sounds like it could be anything, so I can't definitively say. Keep doing whatever has worked so far, I guess,but take care of yourself too. Maybe recommend your friend talk to a professional, like me or one of the other doctors."

Buggy is vehemently against it for a good while until he finally reaches a point that he's getting frustrated. He's scared and mad and decides he'll ACTUALLY consider it - then during one of his own sessions, he gets triggered into a panic attack, which spirals due to exhaustion into him just... clicking out. Surprise. Looks like it's happening whether he wants it or not.

Through this and subsequent meetings and experimenting, he gets told that what he's doing is a blend of regression and dissociation. They decide to try to separate thebtwo to see if maybe they can turn this from a defense to a decompression method.

Buggy still can count on one hand the number of people he trusts to know this - but it does help. He's doing... a lot better actually, with this. It doesn't fix everything, but it DOES help him stay steady enough to work on the things that need fixing. Cabaji, Mohji, Ritchie, and later Alvida are also finding themselves enjoying the time they spend together when Buggy wants or needs company. They also start picking up on some smaller things about Buggy that have turned the odd quirks and strange habits into smth more, start getting puzzle pieces to the bigger picture.

They secretly start a hit list but that's for another time.

Impel Down was an absolute hot mess, and the recovering from that and the subsequent summit war was not pretty. Just when things started coasting again on slightly smoother waters, Crocodile and Mihawk show up with the instatement of the Cross Guild.

Might just make a tag specifically for my agere stuff bc Buggy is my little blorbo and I shamelessly project on him so I may throw all my clown themed thought here

[myupostsheadcanons]

Chilling Reflections (Villains' Code, Book 3)

I was able to finish reading the book while heading across state to the KS Renaissance Fair. (harhar, that the plot of the last 5min Sherlock book was also about a RenFair) I had planned on reading it all the same week it came out, but had meat-space stuff get in the way - sorry.

Yes, you should read "Villains' Vignettes" before reading this book. Events that happened in that Volume are talked about in this book. While it does do some explaining, the over all experience is a lot better if you already read what happened. The Halloween story and a young Ivan ending up an accidental hero in another dimension have elements that are important to characters growth in this one.

Spoilers Under Cut:

VRX77... yeah, i guessed she was an alternate universe Tori by the second time she showed up in the book. I first thought, by the title of the book that Vicki was going to be a cold-based version of Tori tho. But turned out the "Chilling" part of the book was because of Jokull the Frost Giant and his role within the C-plot of Faithful and Bert's schemes.

I do find it a rather interesting development with Ivan and Fornax, that whenever Ivan loses control and Fornax takes over, that once Ivan gets behind the driver's seat again, he is unable to maintain the same amount of dominance between his will and Fornax's will. That Ivan can't not access as much of Fornax's powers with out risking Foranx slipping into the driver's seat. It is a clean way to nerf Ivan, make it to where he can't just show up and fix everything, and Drew then doesn't have to keep throwing Hammers at the Earth (Or having Ivan go to another world for a while).

But what about Lodestar swooping in to save the day? She has only been back to work the last couple years, she did spend the past several years as a full time mom and not using her powers. There is only one of her, and she isn't as ruthless as people like Professor Quantum or the members of the Villains Guild. She has been taken out of fights before, or has been distracted by a larger threat while something else happens under her nose. This has happened at the end of both Bones of the Past and Chilling Reflections already.

Jokull counted on Lodestar to show up when he took Ivan. He knew that if Lodestar wouldn't kill him, eventually he would push Ivan far enough to become Fornax and get the same result. The latter happened, unfortunately.

Though not unfortunately, it did FINALLY clear the air between Ivan and Helen and they aren't pussy footing around their feelings for one another anymore... (hits Nexus with a rolled up news paper for being a peeping tom)

I would like to see more of the extended cast in the next book or in the VVV2. It does stream line the story focusing most of the POVs to a handful of groups. I do miss having more of Glyph and Pest Control, or even some of the other Villains... doing Villain stuff. It has been even commented in this book that Tori and Bev don't act very villainous, they just don't pull their punches like a Hero would, they are more Vigilante than Villain.

Cloe getting a taste of Edict's powers, and realizing why people who've ran into her counter parts put Edict on the same level as Nexus and Captain Bullshit. She was able to change Faithful's powers without him even realizing what happened, he probably doesn't even know yet, and i hope this comes back to bite him in the ass.

I've came across a few old science fiction stories that are based around Faithful's powers before. It is the belief that He is the only real person and that nothing else around him is real. He is a God in his own mind and he believes in himself thoroughly.

With Mr. AV coming back into the picture at the end of the book, it is likely that Donald/Cyber Geek is going to get that training that other Cyber Geeks were able to get. It was funny as fuck when Cyber Geek randomly found a guy named Full Bars with the power to amplify all cell and wi-fi signals just when he needed the help accessing the internet the most. I read that part out loud in the car to my brother and he thought it was funny too.

I have this sneaking suspicion that Rick and Ren/Medley are going to have a lot of common ground (on body image and shape shifting). And, just maybe, they can learn something from one another. something that Ivan can not teach. Perhaps Helen brings it up to Ivan as a possibility.

Kyle finally putting the pieces together that Tori just may be Hephaestus... that would be an awesome 'popcorn worthy' show down when it finally gets out into the open. All because Bev wanted a nice pair of caprices.

So... are we like seeing Professor Quantum become the true Villain? The first meta, paranoid as fuck, afraid of losing control, has back up plans for back up plans, treats people as tools, works against other heroes, has no problems with killing people that get in his way.... That was a dick move putting that mind-control chip in Ellie and making her see her "dead" friend.

Speaking of.... Ike and Settler are alive.... somewhere....

Ranking: 7 out of 10.

Too much going on sometimes. There are at least four different antagonist plots going on at the same time, on top of the monster invasion from extra space. Drew perhaps needs to step back a bit on the gas and put in some more Personal Life Drama stuff like he had in Super Powereds.

[dee-daa]

i hate how people treat taboo romance, especially after the "rise of tiktok". they don't do it with any other genre!

like if someone likes murder mysteries, it doesn't mean they're a murderer. and everyone understands that.

but as soon as someone enjoys romance that involves anything taboo from softer stuff like boss x employee to harsher stuff like abuser x victim, everyone is like "ohh they want to do hurtful things that are in this piece of media".

like bruh... fiction ≠ reality.

also tiktok has destroyed the term "proship". which actually means "for ship" (as in being okay with ships and letting people ship whatever they want. ship and let ship, y'know?).

the terms that actually go under the taboo ship category are "darkship" and "comship".

darkship is a ship that involves dark themes such as murder, cannibalism, noncon, abuse, etc.

comship means "complicated/complex ship" and involves stuff that involves any sort of "complex" ship dynamic and doesn't have to be illegal (tho there are still illegal comships). examples of comships are boss x employee, teacher x student, human x monster, incest, large age gaps, immortal x mortal. even rare pairs and cross-ships can count as comships because of the dynamics.

btw many anti-proshippers are actually comshippers, who are unaware of the term or think it only involves the illegal stuff, when it actually doesn't.

ignoring the right terms makes it sound like taboo topics in romance are fully wrong and should be completely destroyed and censored.

and i hate that.

also dark/comshippers are some of the chillest people i've seen. it's always the "anti-proshippers" who are the unhinged and rude ones.

like, i like some taboo ships and don't like other ones. which is fine. everyone has ships they prefer, no matter how taboo.

and just because someone ships what i don't like, doesn't mean i'll bully them because of it.

once again: ship and let ship.

and also once again: fiction ≠ reality.

[magne7ic-marz1pan]

intro post yaaay confetti

header from @/kgymz, dividers from @/unknown-till & this website

hiii nice to meet youuu ☆ please call me mel, melanie, felix, or marzi!

i'm an artist, gamer, roleplayer, and occasional baker and writer!

my biggest dream is to be a character designer/illustrator professionally! i have a ton of passion for the art of design, and i could sit and analyse my favourite characters for hours ⸜(*ˊᗜˋ*)⸝

my art is heavily inspired by pokémon and early 2000s graphic styles like the puyo puyo games, with sprinkles of poppy candy colours from games like splatoon and muse dash! i <333 bright colours, so i'm preemptively putting an eyestrain warning on my art! i'll try to tag, but i'm not really sure what does and doesn't count for eyestrain aside from the obvious, so... some stuff might slip through ☆⌒(>。<)

speaking of: i'm a maaaaaajor splatoon fan. it's one of if not my #1 favourite game of all time!! i love it with all my heart and it's been a major inspiration for me and my sense of style over the years so if you dislike it i don't think we can be friends i'm sorry </3 /srs

currently participating in the nintendo boycott so i can't play (,: here's my sendou if you're curious tho🐠

i can flex basically anything, but my favourite weapon is carbon deco, and it's what i'm best at! i also play a lot of bucket and sword ☆(>ᴗ•)

another thing to know about me is that i am not afraid to be a little cringe! i self-insert into things, i put my sona in places, i selfship! if that's not for you, i'd recommend peacing out right now, cause you're gonna see that at some point!

aaand since the climate of tumblr is a lot more casual than other social media sites, i'm just gonna put whatever i want here! that means silly doodles, messy concept art, selfship stuff, ramblings about stuff i like, and possibly other things! and if you're lucky, maybe finished art here and there xD

my interests °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

🔑 ~ key

☆ = into it

★ + bold = SUUUPER into it

★ splatoon

★ block tales

★ the fruitless quests of nabiu

★ bugs & bug things

☆ fish

★ frutiger aero

☆ gyaru/kogyaru

★ jet set radio/future/etc

★ pokemon

☆ noxp

☆ phighting!

☆ pikmin

☆ dandy's world

★ vocaloid/vocasynth

i'm uncultured and don't know how having mutuals really works, but if you like these and you wanna give it a shot i'm willing :D

(/lh) we probably shouldn't be friends if:

-you're super clingy/have attachment issues/etc

-you're someone i've cut off in the past

-you actively dislike splatoon

DNI at all if:

-basic dni criteria (homophobic, transphobic, etc etc)

-you're a proshipper

-you use gen ai/think gen ai is okay/etc, with certain exceptions

-YOUR NAME IS AVERY AND WE USED TO BE FRIENDS. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. LEAVE ME ALONE.

subject to change if i encounter more things i do not like.

ヾ(*'▽'*) tags guide!

#marzisez = text posts

i am a yapper so pure text posts tend to be at least a paragraph. can vary from me talking abt a game i like to me talking about my ocs to me rambling abt fictional characters i want to smooch. browse this tag at ur own discretion!

#mareblogs

mostly just me collecting shinies so-to-speak. i try not to reblog spam, since i mostly want this blog to be focused on me and my art, but i will reblog things i like on occasion, mostly others art and ocs i find cool, sometimes funnies, sometimes donation posts. serves a good window into my interests !!

#marzidoodles

things i don't consider high-effort enough to deserve the main art tag. can be stupid memes or messy concept art. probably most of what my art will be.

#marziart

the main art tag! this is where all the things i consider finished / the things i put actual effort into go!

#marzisocz

the oc tag. it's full of oc content. some of them original, some of them for fandoms. if you want to see my characters go here.

#marzirp

sometimes i roleplay on here. sometimes i don't wanna make an entire other blog to do so. block this if you don't want to see me roleplaying.

will b updated if i make more [:

thanks for giving me your time of day, and thank you for dropping by my blog!

here's my linktree if you wanna find me elsewhere, (i have a pronouns.page if you wanna have a peek at my labels)

also, remember to do your daily click :3

don't be afraid to talk to me! i'm super friendly, i promise~

ok!! this is the end of the post! i hope to see you around, internet stranger! byebye!! ( ° ∀ ° )ﾉﾞ

[noblehouseofgay]

Long fuckig ramble about morals and jkr and all that

It's so complicated like- seeing people with the opinion on hp I used to have vs my current opinion

Bc I used to get annoyed when I'd see any hp stuff. Bc to me it equals unsafe. It meant to me that you don't respect me or my life, as well as a lot of other people's.

But like seeing marauders fans, ik it's the opposite. Obviously this doesn't count for all fans, I steer clear of millennial white women fans, shit scares me.

But I saw someone talking about how it's a red flag to like any of it, and from someone who's been on both sides- i disagree

If you are actively speaking up against jkr and what she stands for, I think you're allowed to enjoy what you want. Especially if it's a fan made thing? Dude she gets no money from that go wild

I just think the internet as a whole needs to remember what nuance is. The internet feels likr a black hole so often and it sucks. I'd much rather have a civil discussion on shit rather than get called a slur and blocked

Anyway I'm rambling. Obviously I still feel some guilt for being a fan of hp. It literally freaks me out sometimes bc its so conflicting with who I am. But I think the fans (queer marauders fans especially) make it what it is. We took what that trash bag of a human made, and turned it into something more accepting

We saw the racism and stereotypes and all the bs, and we gave those characters real traits instead. We gave them real personalities and stories. And I think that's beautiful. Taking something gross and making it better

Tho I do absolutely understand that some people don't agree. Like I said, I had that opinion for- probably 10 ish years of my life? Idk time isn't real

Tho the mental battle I have is exhausting sometimes. Bc I'm trans. I'm literally the thing she targets the most now. I've grown up seeing the antisemitism and the racism and the homophobia from her. And it's fucked up. But I think- the whole "Harry potter fans need to grow up" shit needs to stop. Bc we could say that about any fucking fandom. A fuck ton of movies/stories/etc are considered childish. A lot of those things also have villains that people love. I think we need to acknowledge that while it's fictional, it can do harm, but we can enjoy the fiction if we still stand against the harm

God I have so many thoughts and I just needed to get it out ig

Fr tho "those fans need to grow up" yeah ok go tell it to star wars fans. Or disney fans. Or Marvel fans. Or doctor who fans. Or fucking any other fan. Bc you can have your criticisms, but get a better argument

[autisticempathydaemon]

THIS IS FOR THE MATCH-UPS AND ALSO /NF TO DO, IF YOU DONT WANNA, ITS OKAY! :D

What song are you fixated on at the moment? What lyric or verse, and why? — OOOH definitely Dance with me by Topline Addicts, as for lyrics: You say "come and dance with me", but I'm a bit too shy so I just smile politely (its giving me so much Lasko vibes this part and I love it)

What is your Enneagram type? — 9w1 the peacemaker (k think thats what its called)

Do you love gargantuan Youtube video essays, and if so, which is your favorite and why? — I never heard of them (if they are a person bcs I tried to look them up but no luck, unless if you mean subnautica–?) I'm sorry ;-; /lh

Tell me about your childhood imaginary friend. — Not really an imaginary friend, but I guess I could count my daydreams of myself as a fairy princess when I was a kid? So charming and pretty and powerful as hell, getting the hearts of those fictional character I loved at that time

What is your go-to way to fall asleep? — Always lying on the side, my back facing the wall. I try to sleep on my back but it's not working so far, other than these, I need complete darkness and quiet, bcs I get stiff when I hear a noise

If you had to change your name, what would it be, and why? (In tandem, if you have changed your name, why did you pick that one?) — If there was this name in my country, I would go for Jax or Jaxen, gender neutral and short and has a nice punch to it!

What is your favorite of Redacted’s audios, and why? — Lasko fucking Moore. This guy almost took down the channel, was number one before the purge, keeps breaking stuff even in his apartment, he is just like me fr /hj (Lasko kinnie here) and even lately, I love his development so much, like he will always be my number one (I love other characters too tho!)

What Redacted boy holds no appeal to you, and why? Like, not the one you hate but the one who you don’t get the hype for. (I won’t judge, I promise.) — It's I guess because of how much he is popular? I love Sam, but I sometimes forget how much favorite he is and it always surprised me /lh

Tell me about that one book/movie/tv show you know all the words to. — The Smoke Thieves by Sally Green, I love the dialogues between two characters, which one is kinda always flirty (not in Gavin way, he is like "youre so pretty and your pretty eyes omg") and so chill and happy with the other, who is awkward and doesn't know how to accept compliments and theyre so gay omg

Which Redacted boy are you platonically attracted to? Like- forget dating, which dude do you want to be your best friend? — I dont wanna answer this because that means I have to choose /j./lh (... Huxley... I will smooch his cheeks. As a friend.)

Do you have a go-to thing you ramble about when you’re tired, and if so, what is it? (For example, my boyfriend knows I’m ready to sleep when I start talking about space.) — It depends on the mood while I'm tired, but most of the time, it's my Redacted OCs currently, especially when I'm so tires I can't even type right LMAO

Tell me your go-to gas station and drink combo. — Some chocolate snack bar and milkshake in a bottle

Tell me about your favorite playlist at the moment. — I made it yesterday, but it's all kinds of happy sounding songs and OST without any lyrics and it feels so nice to bop into it

What’s your guilty pleasure media, and why? — Wattpad books,, i wanna get back into reading some, its been years

And whatever else you think tells me about who you are! — I'm libra sign, INFP, I like the nights and sunrises, have many redacted OCs (around 20 of them, i like to play with the kinds of powers and try to mix them and experiment) and I like to text RP! I also currently work on my gaslamp fantasy WIP book(?), I'm undiagnosed neurodivergent (possibly audhd), dyslexic and I also listen to Mr Laveau's Nexus AUDIO RP series (recommending if you like video games sfx and original art) and started listening to DND group The Adventure Zone!

I HOPE YOU HAVE A NICE DAY/NIGHT/ALL THE TIME! :D

Okay, so you know who I’ve always thought should really be into fantasy and DnD? Asher, and since canon hasn’t yet confirmed he loves these things, you can be his introduction!

The combination of your personality types and your being a writer gives me the image of an emotional and emotionally intelligent person, which I think is a good match for Asher who is also pretty emotionally intelligent! I think your vibes would really match, and together you two could be, like, the heart of the Shaw Pack as the Beta and his mate. Also, Asher is some sort of flavor of neurodivergent, and I love making ND4ND pairs, ya know?

Your life together would be so FUN, I’m actually jealous. I think getting Asher into DnD and games would be such a treat, listening to TAZ together, helping him learn rules and the different systems, maybe putting together a campaign with Angel and Davey because Angel would be a fuckin bomb DM, I feel it in my heart. He’d also be such a lovely partner for a writer. I can very clearly imagine Asher laying his head on your lap, having you read what you’ve written that day aloud to him which functions as both a cute bonding activity but also a way for you to spot-check and edit how it reads.

Song:

What would you do if I stole you tonight? (Ahh ahh)/ Why waste time? (Ahh ahh)/ 'Cause the world goes on without us/ It doesn't matter what we do/ All silhouettes with no regrets/ When I'm melting into you/ 'Cause I belong in your arms

One, you said you like happy-sounding songs, and I think this is a great one. I love it’s kind of dreamy, high vibe, you know? Two, this came out around 2012, when Asher would have been a teenager, so I like how nostalgic and romantic this song would be for him.

Runner-ups:

For a writer who loves fantasy, OC’s, and roleplay games, Guy is a sure shoe-in for a runner-up! I think he and Asher have a lot of similarities, but I went with Asher because he struck me as a better match for an introvert. For a Lasko kinnie, I had to choose Aaron as another contender because they’re my favorite Redacted rarepair, and I’ve been meaning to write something for that shop for a while.

note: thank you for your entry, I hope you like it!

Read this post and send me an ask if you’d like a match-up of your own! 💌

[xenoshadow13]

you really should take the matter over fictional content more seriously because one day you could actually really someone out there over what you think is just harmless fun

you might laugh right now but you won't find it so funny when you're dropped by a former friend over it :/

As I've once said to another anon, I rather not be pulled into this nonsense over fucking fiction. It's nothing but a very stupid shitstorm that should have NEVER gotten this bad in the first place.

And because I know there will be folks out there who will get on my case for this, no, just kindly fuck off and leave me alone. I refuse to be dragged into a shitstorm all because some folks out there want to throw a hissy fit at others enjoying ANY sort of fictional content that THEY find uncomfortable.

I said these before in another post and I shall say it again because I feel it's needed. Putting this under readmore tho cuz post getting rather long here.

It's okay to feel upset over certain fictional content & interests, but that does not mean it's okay for you to act as if those who enjoy said stuff are horrible people. You're allowed to feel however you want over certain content, but for fuck's sake please just use that block/mute/whatever and move on with your fucking life. No need to announce to the world how much this or that makes you uncomfortable okay.

It's YOUR job to curate your own internet experience, NOT US STRANGERS. Most of us will do our best to tag certain shit to make it easier for others to avoid content but the system here isn't perfect so stuff is bound to slip by regardless. But even then, it's still YOUR job to curate your own internet experience. Again, a lot of us fellow online folks will do our best to tag certain content to make this a little easier for you, but that doesn't mean it's our job to cater to you.

News flash people, everyone has trauma and everyone deals with it differently. You're allowed to feel however you want over with anything regarding your trauma but that does not give you the fucking right to act as if only YOUR experiences and how YOU deal with YOUR trauma is "right". What's that? Do you find how this or that person deals with their trauma to be really weird? Alright. That's okay. You think so-and-so doesn't count and that gives you the right to treat them however you want for it? Yeah no. You can fuck off with that mindset there.

Everyone is bound to unwittingly do something that will make you and others uncomfortable but that doesn't make them some horrible person. So please take a chill pill and not jump the gun so soon on others solely because of that. Not to say that you're not allowed to feel however you do but for fuck's sake 1) a lot of us are socially awkward folks who struggle with recognizing social cues and such and 2) it's not easy to read tone and such over text. :|

Alrighty. This is getting long enough as it is and uhm starting to get a bit tough to not go off completely here so just gonna stop.

But yeah. If you have a problem with any of this then go right ahead and hit that unfollow button there. You will not be missed. :)

[not-really-a-conjunction]

5'2 I think

uh idk I think hourglass?

my eyes and lips and basically my facial features

yeah the blue of my tips kinda faded now it's all brown

completely depends who I'm with normally shy tho

femme✨✨✨

I think tol

i would have to say wine mom cuz uh my whole family drinks wine lmao

constantly putting on lipstick I never have a break

Pinterest whispers if they count

yeah all the time

yep used to do archery camp

OH HELL YEAH

yeh broadway bj on tour

not rly but some yea

no there isn't rly anything in my town

never played

i think but im a cheerleader

behind

asoue

my names nor and nor is a conjunction so-

uh so I think I found cool art and googled it so I came here for fanart 👍

addison and michelle yk who u r >:)

the smell of new cars it makes me S I C K

no

nuh uh

not rly the most scandalous thing i did is idk swear in front of my mom and hand a short n sweet poster

I pulled an all nighter and my mom walked in on me being up at 4 am and I said I just woke up... rly early...

playing pretend with a book that tells you what to say and people who pay to watch u

Ok so I have multiple but my bestie for the longest uh she's aroace and a chaos gremlin and on this godforsaken hellsite

idk I'm pretty open abt my lore but uhm I have records on my ceiling above my bed rn

bored tbh

either failure or being raped

Vicious

talking to a random person on this hellsite and exchanging numbers <3

all the time

having a girlfriend for years and we go to this scenic place and I propose and give her a beautiful ring and we get married and live in a cute little apartment in nyc

i fucked up making cake pops

i don't remember lols

yeh

my discord server w the besties

June 7th around 11am won't elaborate unless someone asks

realize w h a t-

depends on the person tbh

ill only date you if you're kind and can make me laugh

same age

6 months younger than me, literally the most beautiful dark brown eyes, dark I think brown hair with red faded highlights, so kind and has an amazing heart, we share a Spotify blend, OMG also the C U T E S T freckles ever ughhhh I can't anymore >-<

no

eyes or hair

making me laugh and being kind to me

Yep but she turned out to be a rly bad person so-

yep

i mean it was the person I described in 47... so... yeah...

kinda if someone breaks it it's hard to get it back but before I kinda trust too much

no sadly being a very long distance away doesn't help

yes but also shy girls I just love girls in general

i couldnt even say anything I would be depressed and crying literally listening to fuckin idk logical or drivers lisence or happier or ilyis or the exit and couldn't do anything for days

i dont think so humor is a big thing 4 me

yea

too much dude i stutter around ppl I like

yes as you can see in 37

i think spread rumors and try to ruin someone's social life? They did something terrible (sa'ed my friend) so I think it's deserved I try to be a good person tho

idk bro im a minor this stuff is tmi

ms I shove a pen up my ass (iykyk)

darling or my love

So fictional I never had a crush but my gay awakening was watching toh and seeing lumity and then I realized that's a thing that can happen so I put 2 and 2 together...

kind girls 100%

kindness, intelligence, and a sense of humor

typically femme or androgynous

depends who I'm with I can flirt with my friends great if I wanna

my friend of aboutttttt 3 years now adalyn

yeh

yep

i don't remember

I miss you, like a downed tree misses its roots, i need you, like a creature needs air, i love you, like orpheus loved eurydice (yes my greek mythology nerd ass needed to include a mythology reference)

way too easily

uh probably

nuh uh

yes

brunettes with pretty eyes and some mental issues

fall asleep in her arms

idrc abt height

kisses

get twirled

uhhh thigh ig?

neck

play w her hair

both is good :p

waist

pretty confident someone called me a fag in 2nd grade do idgaf what people say abt my sexuality

butterflies

Liked them yes, told them no

9 or 10

Well one time I got so scared I couldn't talk to her even say hi so I had to go with my mom 😭

graham/megan and yes it's canon

you can't be a lesbian I can fix you and also you like (guy friend)

literally when I wrote 47 she drives me crazy in a good way

idk how to put it but caring about someone unconditionally and making someone more complete as a person 👍

and uh I nominate @ravensdecent36(ily) @sonny-boiiii and @your-local-depressed-fangirl to do this

99 gay-ish asks

how tall are you?

what is your body type?

what is your favorite part about your body?

is your current hair color your natural hair color?

are you more outgoing or more shy?

are you more femme or butch?

are you tol or smol?

wine mom or vodka aunt?

weird habit?

favorite meme?

do you sing in the shower?

ever used a bow and arrow?

are/were you a theatre kid?

have you ever seen a broadway musical?

do you think musicals are cheesy?

have you ever been a part of a protest or a march?

favorite Cards Against Humanity Card?

last movie you watched?

behind the camera or in front of it?

favorite tv show?

meaning behind your url

reason you joined tumblr

who’s your closest tumblr friend?

what’s something most people love that you hate?

have you ever taken narcotics?

have you had sex?

have you ever gotten caught sneaking out or doing anything bad?

worst/funniest lie you’ve ever told?

describe your passion without mentioning it.

describe your best friend.

give us one thing about you that no one knows.

how do you feel right now?

what is your biggest fear?

what’s a song that always makes you happy when you hear it?

what is the best decision you’ve made in your life so far?

have you ever tried your hardest and then been disappointed in the end?

something you fantasize about.

last time you cried and why

what was the last thing that made you laugh?

do you really, truly miss someone right now?

who do you feel most comfortable talking to about anything?

the last time you felt broken?

are you starting to realize anything?

are you more dominant or more submissive?

i’ll only date you if _____. (fill in the blank)

do you prefer to date people the same age as you, younger, or older?

describe the person you’re in love with/have a crush on in great detail.

do you have any kinks?

first thing you notice in a person?

how can someone win your heart?

been rejected by a crush?

have you ever had feelings for someone who didn’t have them back?

would you have sex with the last person you text messaged?

is trust a big issue for you?

did you hang out with the person you like recently?

is confidence cute?

what would you say if the person you love/like kissed another girl/boy?

would you be able to date someone who doesn’t make you laugh?

does the person you have feelings for right now know you do?

ever embarrass yourself in front of a crush?

do you want to get married

worst thing you’ve ever done?

three things that turn you on.

who do you hate?

favorite term of endearment?

who was your celebrity/fictional gay awakening?

intimidating girls or kind girls?

what do you look for in a possible partner?

do you tend to like more masculine, feminine, or androgynous girls?

are you good at flirting?

who was the first person you came out to?

do you have any friends who are wlw?

is your crush wlw?

last person to make you reconsider your sexuality?

write a short love poem to your crush/self?

do you fall in love easily?

is there something that happened in your past that you hate talking about?

are you good at hiding your feelings?

are you a forgiving person?

what is your “type?”

fall asleep in her arms or rub her back until she falls asleep in yours?

tall girls or short girls?

hugs or kisses?

twirl her around or get twirled?

tummy kisses or thigh kisses?

hairline kisses or neck kisses?

play with her hair or stroke her tummy?

making out or soft kisses?

hugs around the neck or hugs around the waist?

how confident are you in your sexuality?

when you like someone do you blush or get butterflies in your stomach?

have you ever liked a friend as more than a friend? did you tell them?

how old were you when you realized you were into girls?

most embarrassing thing you’ve done in front of a cute girl?

do you have a favorite lesbian ship? is it canon?

what is the most aggravating thing someone has said to you about your sexuality?

when was the last time a girl made your heart flutter?

what is love to you?

ask me anything.

[llycaons]

atogai last lb. they finally got to fuck 😭 it was a little underwhelming tho so I can see why mx. rowland relies more on suggestion and implication than outright explicit content

oh tadek is so funny

I haven't mentioned evemer's mom bc I do not like her 😭 her harshness doesn't ease enough into genuine care and it makes it look like she raised evemer to be insane about disciple. like that isn't really good for people....and why is his only personal possession a copy of military history? thats insane. that's not healthy. he's frankly quite underdeveloped!

the hints at the softer things like the appreciation of beauty were nice but I wish they were elaborated on...also! no tragic backstory?? he's just like that?? mama mia...

kadou doesn't have this problem. he's a wonderful character, finely wrought and full of life and of the specific details that give someone a personality

this is actually the first time I've seen a marriage act as an obstacle to two characters getting together. original, if still a little weird

oh boy he has temple therapists to talk to

this trial is actually kind of crazy. they just chain them up and accuse them? and the accused have to just take it, they have no legal defenses or opportunities to defend themselves? it's not public? they're in a foreign govenrment!

sylvia's contempt for her brother is pretty funny, but it's a little underwhelming that THESE are the great masterminds. they're acting like quarreling children...

it's so sad that the sultan said she'd not take another lover...she should have good things and companionship too...

also 'even if the government sends people for you, they owe us a ton of money' their economic power is crazzyyyy

it's also kind of weird that his panic attacks stopped happening or mattering even in actual life or death situations when initially they were like a commonplace occurance. maybe having something meaningful to do really did improve his mental state that dramatically. also evemer being around

oh literally as soon as I write that, it came back. ah, chronic mental battles

gotta say, the way kadou comes to realize he loves evemer is a little anticlimactic. and then they've been having like, over the clothes sex where evemer doesn't come bc apparently that doesn't count for the purposes of annulment? this is weird and uncomfortable and I kind of wish they'd just stuck with straight celibacy for the simplicity

aw sweet they've gotten together for real. the confession was a bit weak, but eh.

oh shit this might be that sex scene I've been looking for. unfortunately there's a lot going on around me irl rn and I can't concentrate on it

okay they're gone

YESS THEY FINALLY HAD A FULL SEX SCENE

the dialogue is honestly pretty charming and funny. the sex scene itself is fine - I've read better on ao3 - and I wish it was more umm thorough but you know what I'll take what I can get. I think they're better at buildup that delivering bc they have this tendency of having characters discuss what they want to do or will do in vague but appealing terms and then not doing it bc there's no time or opportunity or w/e. but they'll do it later! offscreen! maybe I wanted the chapter-long full nudity stuff...ah well that's what ao3 is for ig

it is kind of fun that the prince is the one giving head. like there's potentially some heavily weighted expectations on their sexual dynamics bc of the nature of their bodyguard/prince relationship but it's not really about service at all. we don't even know who tops...the yaoi fangirls are weeping....

I'm satisfied in the sense that I understandal why mx. rowland doesn't write longer sex scenes and I think it's because that's simply not their forté as a writer. alas...good sex scenes are hard to come by in original fiction. or maybe I just don't read enough to know. or maybe I need to be extremely invested in the characters. hence the fanfic

but yeah I think the buildup waa so good that I had really high hopes for the actual scene itself, both here and in unstrictly ballroom, and it felt like I was being cheated so it was frustrating...but it's simoly not their strong suit and I can accept that

yayy personal growth for kadou!!! yayy the rings!!! yayyy the honeymoon!!!! yayy plans for the future!!!

what a sweet ending. a little less dramatic plot-wise, and the only hurdles were internal, but it was nice

the afterward was rly sweet too....AR clearly poured a lot of love and passion into this book and it's really heartwarming to read it

they were planning on killing tadek? damn...I knew I could scent the death flags on him. I don't know how skillfully they could have navigated that loss, and I like tadek, but I do think it would have added a heavier emotional weight to the story, and perhaps a maturity and a solid depth that was lacking

they said the first draft was written in 2016 so it's unlikely evemer was heavily inspired by lwj - in fact, AR might have liked wx or lwj because it appealed to a dynamic they already enjoyed. or maybe evemer was altered a little during the later edits. no way of knowing

also apparently the cover is ARTWORK? I for real thought that they were models, damn...well kadou is way too ugly I'm sorry. and they're both way too pale <- said as if I understand the character designs better than the author

also 6 inches is such a huge height difference. don't love height differences in general they piss me off

either way, I like the ending. a romance is easy to enjoy finishing if you like both the characters and are happy to see them together

and that's it! I do plan on reading their other books, and I do have interest in this general genre of lgbt romance historical/fantasy, but man...the bodyguard stuff really isn't my thing. I'm umpressed how well AR navigated it but if it wasn't for a set of specific circumstances, I wouldn't be reading this

as it is, the original characters were fine, the worldbuilding was pretty good if rather under, the romance was nice, the plot was uninspiring, the comedy and dialogue was actually great, the emotional and social intelligence of the writing was extremely impressive - I liked this book, but I do think AR is even better as a fanfic writer than an original writer

then again I have read some truly awful stuff on their page so. jury's mixed ig

but! there's still their other book series to read :) which I definitely will, it sounds rly good

[advanced-imbecile-art]

honestly just do the whole thing for elias >:3c

Allrighty, you asked for this. Here's the whole thing for Courier Elias.

🌸- What's this oc's favorite and least favorite color?

Likes yellow, dislikes gray/silver

🌹- What's this oc's biggest fear

Other than fears acquired from being shot in the head and buried alive, he's afraid of being alone. Of not having friends.

🌷- How does this oc take their coffee?

At least some sugar if he can find it. Otherwise, black is acceptable.

🌻- What's this oc's mental health state?

Not good! He regularly hallucinates the night he was shot in the head and other strange things. On top of that, the chronic pain he has from being shot in the head wears on him, leading to Med-X addiction. And he gets a Dear John letter post New Vegas from Arcade because he just... can't stop being a Courier and won't settle down, so he's fragile about having been broken up with.

🌼- What's your favorite thing about this oc?

He's an awkward friendly guy who looks scary.

🌺- Which family member(if any) is this oc closest to?

His elder half-brother, Matthias. There's a lot of messy things going on in the Ables family, but at least he had the grace to recognize Elias was a blameless child and treated him kindly.

💐- Where is this oc's favorite place to relax?

Can't think of any place he'd strongly prefer. So long as there's water and something to block the Mojave heat out, he's good. Bonus points if there's friends around.

🌱- Does this oc have any pets? Do they have any pets they want?

Does ED-E count as a pet? He keeps ED-E.

🌲- What is this oc's greatest strength and weakness?

He's a very kind forgiving person and he's a very kind forgiving person. Elias, do NOT release Benny. He is just gonna come try and kill you and reclaim his plan.

🌵- How does this oc feel about physical affection?

Doesn't dislike it, but doesn't really 'get' it. Has to be in a particular mood to be enthusiastic about it, but otherwise generally tries not to touch people and gets stiff and awkward about being touched.

🌴- Who is this oc's favorite person?(Can be another oc, a fictional character, a celebrity, anyone)

He loooooooooves Arcade Ganon. Too bad he self-sabotages that.

☘- Does this oc have any piercings? Do they want any?

None. He figures his body has had enough holes put in it.

🍁- What's this oc's favorite genre of movies/tv shows/books/etc?

Not much of that around in the Wasteland. Probably likes the Silver Shroud well enough tho.

🌾- How does this oc get along with people they just met?

He tries, though first impressions are usually rough since he looks scary and is rather blunt.

🍀- Around when does this oc get up in the morning?

Early as he can manage. Have to capitalize on the few cool hours of the day that there are in the Mojave.

🍂- What music does this oc like?

If Mr. New Vegas is playing it, he's listening to it. He likes all that country stuff and misses it whenever he goes out of range of the New Vegas signal.

🌳- Does this oc collect anything?

Hard to be a collector when you have to travel light. But he does keep a small collection of letters that have been sent to him.

☀️- Does this oc make good or bad first impressions?

Bad. He makes too much eye contact, hardly blinks, skips pleasantries to talk immediately about whatever he needs from you, and will not stop itching his scars.

🌙- Does this oc have any unusual hobbies?

Being a mailman is basically his hobby? He's a weird little guy and wanted to be one since he was little.

🌟- Is this oc good at expressing themself through words or do they have to use other means?

He's just gotta hope whoever he's talking to has the patience to listen while he struggles to think of things more complex than "need food and water."

🌈- What does this oc like and dislike about themselves?

He enjoys that even though he's not what one might say classically intelligent, he can fix and robot, gun, or engine better than most. It didn't bother him at first, but after meeting people who genuinely liked him and a place he might've belonged, it upsets him that he can't seem to get himself to stay in one spot for very long.

❄- What is this oc's favorite and least favorite food?

He likes a nice Sunset Sarsaparilla and a good brahmin stew. Miss him with most of the bug meats though. He just can't manage that texture.

☁️- What is this oc's clothing style like?

More layers than you might expect. In a desert, it's important to keep the sun off your skin.

⚡- How well does this oc sleep?

Poorly. His head hurts all the damn time, his scars itch, and half the time he's gonna have a nightmare about getting shot in the head, suffocating on dirt, or some other wild vision that'll have him twitching throughout the night.

💧- What is this oc most passionate about?

"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds" This man is so passionate about delivering mail.

🍃- Describe this oc in one word

Dedicated