#like sure Ace's feelings about All That are valid and understandable

[fake-geek-girl-616]

This is a minor thing, but how freaking cute is it that Roger let Shanks wear both of his hats (especially that one time when he wore them at the same time)?

That's absolutely adorable. Roger was a good dad.

[gayasswitchbitch]

One Piece- Do they get jealous?

Synopsis: One piece headcannons! Do they get jealous when someone tries to flirt with you?

Ft: Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Robin, Nami, Ace, and Law

Tw: none (I THINK) just insecure and jealous thoughts.

Luffy- He wouldn’t understand someone flirting in the first place. I think Nami would have to point out that another person is flirting with you, but even then he doesn’t get it. He would something along the lines of :

“There’s no way someone is flirting with y/n because they’re my partner! Geez.. you guys are dumb!”

He genuinely can’t fathom that someone would try to get with you when he is already with you!

Zoro- I don’t think so. He’s a very confident man and has a decent sized ego. He knows what he’s got. Hes not insecure enough to be jealous over someone liking you.

That being said, I don’t believe he’d just let someone flirt with you though. 100% ready to fight ESPECIALLY if someone puts their hands on you in any way. He’d tell them to back off because you’re taken maybe even a:

“Yeah my partner is really beautiful/handsome aren’t they?” with a smirk and an arm wrapped around your shoulder just to piss them off.

It’s his way of showing you off and making it known that he’s willing to throw down if needed, but he would most likely make another shitty comment and then leave with you in hand.

If they keep persisting though, then he’s going to get pissed off but he def tries to keep it cool before it gets to a fight breaking out.

Sanji- GOD YES. SO JEALOUS. Don’t even let mosshead BREATHE near you! Any time you give another person, specifically another man, attention he LOSES IT.

“Do you hate me, my love? Am I not good enough for you? Tell me what I can do better. I’ll do anything for you just please spare me a passing glance again! What could they give you that I can’t? I’d walk to the ends of the earth for you. I’d starve if it meant you could eat. My love please tell me you still love me!”

When all that happened was you were asking Usopp to help you with some gadget and it took too long in Sanji time. (Which was probably an hour)

He would def try to compete with anyone that did flirt. It was a fierce battle and there was no way he’s losing.

“Did you know that my y/n-swan loves the rain? You can always find her by a tree, blissfully meditating. They love it because it makes them feel like all their stress is being washed away. You can see it fall right off their shoulders. Did you also know that their favorite color is (whatever) ? You can always catch a twinkle in their eye anytime they see it. They have exactly 7 outfits in that color. Did you also know that they like to collect trinkets? They pick one up at every single place we stop the sunny at. Yeah I took it upon myself to be the one to find the trinkets now. Did you know that? Did you also know-“ and he wouldn’t stop.

I could even see him taking it as far as to tell them that they’re not good enough for and could never be good enough for you, then would immediately turn around and seek validation from you to make sure you love him and only him.

Robin- She doesn’t get jealous, she gets possessive. Babygirl has had everyone she loves taken from her so she’s making damn sure you’re not going away and that means you are by her side 24/7.

Most of the time no one even dares to think about flirting with you due to how scary she can be.

She’s a very observant woman. If someone liked you she would instantly spot it and give death stares.

If they still tried to approach you, she would be crossing her arms to take them out, smiling the entire time.

Nami- I think it would only happen if she genuinely thought someone was prettier than her and they were around you alot.

She would get sad and seek reassurance by trying to push your buttons. If that doesnt make her feel better then she would walk up to you and turn at glare at the person before wrapping her arms around your neck to pull you into a deep kiss. After she’s swirling around and giving a “Hmph.” And walking away.

Most of the time she knows she got it. If you wanna be stupid and cheat then it’s on you when she burns down all your belongings.

Ace- This man is already insecure as fuck and your ass is out here being fine as hell. It’s stressful because he knows you’re fine and he knows that other people know you’re fine. He’s like a damn guard dog that doesn’t stop barking. He finds ways to constantly bring you up and it’s a front to make sure everyone knows you’re taken.

“What was that? Oh yeah my partner is really smart! I’m so proud of you babe!”

“Man look at my partner. They’re so strong!”

If he sees someone flirting he gets an instant wave of anxiety. What if you finally realize there’s other people better suited for you out there? What if you finally see that he’s nothing special and that you should move on? What if you see that he’s really not as handsome as you think he is? And what if you think this person is more handsome/pretty? What if they’re funnier? What if he never gets to be the one to put a smile on your face again? Then it’s breakdown time. This happens at least twice a month. He will go on about how he doesn’t deserve you, doesn’t deserve to be here, doesn’t deserve so much goodness when his blood is so corrupt.

Just remind that baby that you’re with him because you love him, you do think he’s the most handsome and it’s insane that he doesn’t see it, that he’s the only person that can make you laugh so hard and so on and he’s good for another month. This only lasts for maybe the first year or so. The more you reassure him, the more confident he gets in your love and starts realizing he is worth of it.

Sabo- Like Robin, he’s more possessive. He will politely laugh along with any onlookers while you’re around and thank them for complimenting you, but as soon as you’re not in the room it’s near death threats.

“Look, I understand y/n is very beautiful/handsome.. but you try and flirt with them again and it’ll be the last thing you ever do”

He says it so calmly, eyes so wide, that it’s actually terrifying.

I could also see him being much more calm about it and making some obscure lie to make them go away like telling them you have a contagious disease and then forcefully coughing until they run away. He’d walk back to the base laughing his ass off too.

Law- I wouldnt say he gets jealous.. he gets irritated. He knows when someone is flirting with you and as long as they don’t take it to physical touching he won’t do anything. He trusts you and knows where you two stand but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t cause burning pain in his chest.

Bepo may point out what’s happening and he’s like:

“I’m aware. If they needed help they would say.” But it’s honestly taking all his strength not to strangle the person.

Sachi and Penguin might stir the pot and ask their captain what he would do if you were enjoying it, which was an awful idea. Now he’s slammed a hand on the table and clenching his jaw.

“They don’t.” He says through gritted teeth.

“But-“

One word. The one ‘but’ was all it took for Law to jump out of his seat, rush over to you and grab your hand into his roughly.

“Come on. We’re leaving.”

If you tried to hesitate he’d whip his head around and give you a stare. One you know that if you disobey you’ll be scrubbing the deck for the next week. So he’s taking you back to the ship and throwing you against his office door in a heated kiss.

[genderqueerdykes]

In a weird way, it feels like this is the only blog I can ask this and know that I'll get a 100% honest answer to my question, without having to worry about reading subtext. (Thank you for that) you've mentioned you don't want man hating lesbians here (valid) and if that applies here I'll back off 100% but like.

What if I specifically hate Cishet men. What if I don't take issue with queer men at all, just the cishets? Geunine question, just in case, because I know this could read as like trolling or something, and I do understand that basic language dictates yes it'd apply but I'm stupid & not sure, and I know that even if it's a harsh or brutal reply, you'll still give it to me straight. (Thank you for that too, my autistic ass struggles with subtext a lot.)

While I have reasons for feeling the way I do, I'm not sure they matter in this context. And that's okay.

i'm glad that you want to have a genuine conversation about it, i really appreciate that! the only way to learn and figure things out is to ask questions

at the end of the day, this behavior still affects queer men. cishet men can be queer- they can be intersex, aromantic, asexual, genderqueer, gender non conforming, drag artists... "cishet man" does not inherently mean someone who is not queer. there are many ways to be queer outside of being gay, bisexual, and/or trans. and even then, this behavior gets dangerous fast because strangers you perceive to be cishet men very well can be anything but that. someone you clock to be a cishet man may be a closeted trans girl, a trans man, a non binary person, a butch lesbian, and so on. you treating that person like they're an inherent danger causes a whole host of issues

this attitude is also why trans men, trans women, and non binary people are being forcefully removed from queer communities. if a queer person reads or passes as a "cishet man," they are treated with hostility and asked to leave in a lot of cases. we cannot allow the concept of manhood and perceived manhood to be viewed as something to be avoided and cast out, because it affects so much more than just cishet men. this attitude affects a LOT of closeted and non-passing trans women. honestly, that's who this hurts the most. it hurts trans men and enbies, but it really hurts trans women. it creates a standard where they have to overperform femininity and womanhood in order to be seen as "safe", and it's not okay.

projecting your issues with a small handful of people on to an entire group does not help. you have not been harmed by the concept of cishet men- you have been harmed by specific cishet men. in permanently labeling cishet men as bad people, this creates an ultimatum where they can never improve. hating them by virtue of them being cishet men creates a standard that cishet men will ALWAYS be terrible, and that they can't improve or learn. this creates an environment where no one challenges these behaviors and it makes the cycle even more toxic and abusive

it's okay to not want to spend time with cishet men, but saying that you hate all cishet men really isn't a good look. it's not the way to go about living a happy life. assuming that every single cishet man on this planet will hurt you or be a bad person strictly by virtue of being a cishet man is exactly what cishets do to us. this is how queerphobic cishet people look at trans women. there's no reason to do it back. we have to learn not to stereotype entire groups of people, no matter who they are

the concept of cishet men has never hurt you, and it never will. cishet men are not your enemy- patriarchy is. not every single cishet man benefits from patriarchy, either. intersex men, men of color, gender non conforming men, ace men and aro men are treated like absolute shit for not conforming to the toxic masculinity that patriarchy pushes. patriarchy also harms men- we must stand alongside men who are being chewed up and spat out by this machine. cishet men are not inherently bad people- we are grooming boys and men to be hostile, emotionally closed off, and violent. this is not an inherent trait of cishet men, but rather a societal issue

i hope that makes sense! in general it just really sucks to stereotype an entire group of people. it doesn't help anyone. the concept of cishet manhood hasn't hurt you and it never will. cishet men can still be allies. i've had lots of cishet male friends who weren't transphobic or even homophobic. the first person in my irl life to switch to using my proper pronouns at the time was a cishet man. he never screwed up my pronouns once, he never questioned my gender identity. cishet man does not mean inherently violent, dangerous, and evil. the more we teach men that they don't have to be this way, the more they will follow.

hope that helps! take care!

[radiohao]

relationship dynamics with nct wish

pairings: nonidol!nct wish hyung line + jaehee x reader

warnings: one joke abt throwing up

wc: 1.2k

oh sion

— flirts with you every second of the day x unphased

we all know oh sion is a very flirty person

if he doesn't try to kiss u at least 10 times a day, please check up on him because that's NOT him

you literally can't go through one conversation without sion saying something to try and rile you up

when you two first started dating it got you all giggling like hee hee, ha ha but now you're just like :-| girl really

like you'll be running some errands at the grocery store and you're talking about your day

"we had a test today — i'm not sure if i passed, but it's okay, i can retake it-"

"if i took a test to prove my love for you, i'd ace it with flying colors."

then you have to sit there and be like ???? hello???? how is that???? relevant????

and you might have to start leaving sion at home because you can't afford to be embarrassed like that in front of all your friends

one time you and sion were at a party at riku's house, eating dinner

"sion honey can you pass me the salt?"

"what's the magic word?"

"....please?"

"no, it's 'i love you to the ends of the world and back, oh sion.' go on, say it."

you let out an exasperated sigh, stand up, lean over and YANK the salt from the other end of the table

"wha- BABE! i was gonna get that for you.." he says with a pout

you say nothing as you shake the salt over your food and continue to eat like normal

riku laughs from across the table, saying, "at least there's one person in the world that can humble oh sion."

"shut it, riku."

they find it so funny how unphased you are by it

"watch, one day she'll flirt back at me!"

"if that ever happens, lunch is on me," yushi says with a chuckle

maeda riku

— searching for validation every second x reassuring

riku seems like the kind of person that always wants to be complimented

but doesn't everyone? so this dynamic goes both ways

one day your bf is getting dressed for a formal event

"baby, i look handsome, right?" he's wearing a suit and yes, he does

"OH MY GOSHHH you look so good baby!! you're definitely going to be the best looking one there" and riku's like :>

it's the same for you, like that one time you were going to the movies with your friends

u were feeling especially uGLy that day so when you're showing riku your outfit ur like "...do i look chopped"

"nO don't say that about yourself!!!! you are the most beautiful girl i've ever seen!!!"

"you're just saying that because you're my boyfriend-"

"i am NOT!!!" and he jUmps up to pepper you with kisses and u have to be like OKAYOKAY i get it!!

the guys are equally jealous and disgusted by the two of you

you'll be watching an anime together in ryo's dorm and you're like DAYUMMM THAT CHARACTER IS SO FINE

riku smacks ur shoulder lightly and pouts, "but i look better than him, right? :c"

you have to squish his cheeks together and be like "of coURse you look better, my love!! you're the handsomest ever-"

"i don't know if i want to laugh or throw up." sakuya says

"please stop being so lovey dovey riku, there are kids around." sion rolls his eyes

you laugh and go to squish sakuya's cheeks instead, like "awww do you want to be complimented tooooo?? don't worry saku, you're the cutest!"

he grumbles but does nothing to stop u and riku's like BACK OFF

"she's right, i am the cutest!" he says proudly

"run, fujinaga." yushi says and sakuya's like ??? what do u mea-

riku TACKLES this poor boy and u have to be like nO i take it back baby ur the cutest too!

tokuno yushi

— literally does not shut up x soft spoken

no one understands how you two got together

if someone tells you to speak at a lower volume for more than 5 minutes, you feel like you're gonna die

you NEED to scream and yell and cry

and while yushi isn't always quiet, he talks at a volume comfortable for him and that's okay!

you're literally the definition of HE SAID NO PICKLES!!!

one time you were at a restaurant with yushi and the guys (you were forced to go because sakuya said he wanted you to)

yushi ordered a medium-rare steak but he got it well done

and not even the good kind of well done, it was basically dry

"bro, that's a congratulations steak. you should send that back to the kitchen" jaehee says

yushi waves him off and begins cutting into the steak

"it's okay guys, i don't mind."

u shake your head in disapproval and pull his plate away from him

"absolutely not, we're giving it back."

"baby it's okay, i swear-"

just then, the waiter passes by and you're like EXCUSE MEEE!!!!

yushi shrinks into his seat and the guys just laugh at him

the waiter apologizes and takes the steak, eventually giving yushi a new one

"how is it?" you ask, and he nods contently before feeding you a bite and tucking your hair behind your ear, smiling, "thanks, bebe."

one day you're yushi's advocate, another day he's the one holding you back

like at one of your family dinners, your (least favorite) cousin makes a comment and you're ready to throw hands, already thinking of what you're going to say back

your bf takes your hand from under the table and squeezes it, as if to say please don't start a brawl right now

you whisper, "but he-" "i know, i got this." you scoff lightly & smile

he balances you out so perfectly

kim jaehee

— has incredible self/spatial awareness x no thoughts

i feel that jaehee is someone that is very aware, both with himself and with others

and it's not that ur dUmb per say, but you just... turn your brain off when you're with him

jaehee feels like he needs to tape his eyes open because one blink and you're gone and now he's frantically searching for you

like you'll both be at the mall shopping, and jaehee's talking to you

"ouhh, honey i think this shirt would be cute on you, what do you think? ...honey? oh crAP- Y/N!"

oh my god where have you wandered off to now???

when he finds you he's like "why'd you walk away?? what if i lost you? i wouldn't even be able to call you cuz i have ur purse with your phone in it-"

"oHHH thAt's where i put it! i was wondering why my back pocket was empty." and ur bf just facepalms

it's so funny because you're actually smarter academically and tutor jaehee, but once it's not about book smartness all your brain cells evaporate.

jaehee pays attention to literally everything about you

"sweetheart, are you ready?" jaehee calls out for you

(the two of u are going out for lunch at this nice restaurant)

you come out of the room and he's like WOW yeah i won in life

but wait..... something isn't right.....

"why aren't you wearing your usual 'going out' earrings?" he makes air quotes and u laugh, "did you lose them again?"

you have to look at him like :0000 "how do u KNOW"

he just laughs and helps u put your necklace on, "i just do. we'll look for it when we get back."

one day u and jaehee are cuddled up on the couch watching love island and he's like "babe, kinda random but- why is it that when we go out, you seem to leave your brain at home-"

you cACKle and ur like "well, i just don't feel the need to try because i'm so comfortable with you."

he's like :'), that was so sweet of you, he'll deal with your lack of spatial awareness any day

—

author's note: hi guys!! lol this one was so fun for me to make :) also idk if anyone will read this note but i'm not gonna take requests anymore, i realized that i might feel obligated to answer them all and i might lose the enjoyment i have for making fics. but to those that did send requests, i'll still be answering them :-) have an amazing day/night!

[lover-from-the-past]

Headcannons:

Asexual!Reader x Shanks, Law, Marco, Ace (individual)

obvious mentions of sex, but nothing explicit. Asexuality and sex-repulsed themes. Happy Pride Month!!

Shanks

- Explaining that you’re asexual and sex-repulsed was probably a bit tedious tbh

- He might not understand the intricacies of it, but he supports you and is proud that you told him

- He’s def had his share of relationships/flings, so I think he’d understand that what you want and what others want can be different while still maintaining healthy relationships

- Says it, too, but not in so many words

- If you ever feel insecure or pressured by anyone to want or participate in sex, he would be defending you ten toes down

- Probably whips out the explanations and vocabulary you rambled to him when he was drunk

- Makes sure you know that he knows you don’t have to want or participate in sex to love someone and show it

- Still makes dirty jokes and ends up explaining them to you if you don’t understand them

- If you do, he’s delighted because the fact that you don’t like sex but still get jokes is funny to him

Law

- Being that he’s both a doctor and survivor of a plague, he’d understand that you don’t want sex

- Being a doctor, a naked body is a naked body to him, and germs are also bad

- Also a big defender of you if anyone says anything

- Pulls out medical terms and explains things if people just need to be educated

- Whips out the nastiest fave if people are just being hateful

- I headcannon he’s demi so I think he gets it to an extent

- He’s doesn’t seem like an overly touchy guy aside from a very select group of people, so I think your explanations would make sense to him and he’d tell you that, too

- Would do research into asexuality if you asked (I think he would also be happy to know thing about/for his crew)

Marco

- another doctor, so a body’s a body in most instances for him

- Might not fully understand a complete lack of desire for sex, but supports you

- Another one to stand ten toes down if someone’s hateful

- Feels like an advocate for knowing things about yourself, so he’s more than happy that you know yourself

- Being in a crew as big as Whitebeard’s was, I think he lowkey at least heard it all, so he’s probably not phased by much

- A big supporter of saying you aren’t broken or messed up, you’re just you

- Tbh takes it in stride

Ace

- Firstly, the abbreviation is his name so he’d probably like that

- Secondly, I don’t really think he’d give a damn

- “Ok? You’re still you.”

- Also a big supporter of “you aren’t broken, you’re just you”

- Probably a little confused about not wanting sex at all, but understands that everyone’s different and has different preferences

- Probably asks a lot of questions about it and how you figured it out and why

- He’s definitely one that understands love doesn’t need to be and shouldn’t be shown only through sex

- Like, Luffy’s very affectionate and they grew up together, so he for sure is comfortable with casual intimacy in any relationship

- Has a script to whip out when people are being rude (he write it down to make sure he didn’t mess up)

- Thinks it’s great that you know yourself and are comfortable with yourself

a/n: thank you so much @ianmoone000 for this request! One of my friends is ace, and I’ve thought about demisexuality for a while now.

To everyone under the ace umbrella: you’re so valid and so great! Keep being yourself, and be proud of who you are! Happy Pride, guys!!

[cosmicredcadet]

I'll never understand why people assume that something being a phase is a bad thing, especially when it comes to identity. because the thing is that our lives are made up of phases - they always have and always will. nothing, and i mean nothing, stay's completely the same forever. it's always changing ever so slightly - we are always changing ever so slightly.

We grew up in phases. We would grow up and maybe we liked robots as a kid but then as we grew up we instead decided dinosaurs were cooler - you didn't see people getting up in arms about how a kid liking something was just a phase and why that made their experience with that interest invalid.

We grow up choosing random jobs that we think would be cool as a kid but then as we get older we tend to choose something completely different - no one ever shut down those dream jobs for kids because it's understood that changing your mind isn't a bad thing. It's not bad to say "i want to be an astronaut" and then change that later. No one makes a big deal about "how do you know you actually want to be an astronaut, though?" because that's seen as a silly question to be asking.

it shouldn't be any different for identity. "How do you know you're aromantic?" how do you know you're straight? how do you know you won't change your mind later and realize something about yourself as you grow as a person?

sure, i'm aroace now. That may stay the same it may not. I'm a human being who grows and changes just like you are. Just like we all are. that's the whole point, isn't it? to grow and change?

So what if being aro or ace is a phase. The experience isn't any less valid. it still helped build me as a person. my life was richer because of it, even if it was temporary. I'd rather grow as a person and be happy than feel miserable because I forced myself into stagnation.

[yan-lorkai]

Hi!! I loved your hcs of the Octotrio with a yuu that seems to only have a talent in art. I related to it a lot because sometimes I feel like I’m not good at anything else other than drawing.

I was wondering if you could do the same prompt with Riddle, Ace, Deuce, Cater, Leona, Malleus & the Scarabia boys please? If that’s too many you can just do Leona, Malleus, & Scarabia. Thank you 😊

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ A/N: I guess everyone has one of those episodes, huh? I've been writing for more than 8 years now and sometimes I get hit by the "aa but I'm only good at writing, I should totally try something" and then I try something new and hate it bcs I really love to write and nothing can compare lmao. Anyway, I hope you like this darling, I did all the characters requested too btw ~

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Ace would be playful and encouraging, but his competitive nature would lead him to manipulate situations to keep you close. He’d play little tricks to make sure you stay dependent on him, offering "helpful" critiques that subtly undermine your confidence in anything but your art. His lighthearted facade would hide a deeper need to be the center of your attention, he is your muse, the one you use to practice, the who inspires you, making sure that you see him as the only one who truly understands and supports you, all while ensuring you don't realize how he’s subtly sabotaging any other talents you might want to try to explore, for he fears you will not want to spend more time with him anymore if that was the case.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Cater would use his social media prowess to make you art the talk of the school, ensuring your work — and by extension, his support — is always in the spotlight. However, his validation would come with a price, as he subtly isolates you from others, creating an environment where you feel your art is only appreciated by him and his curated audience. Cater’s charming persona would hide his darker intentions, as he manipulates your into believing that your worth is tied to the art you create under his influence, all while keeping you emotionally dependent on his constant praise. You're already good at other things, so surely you don't need to have another hobby, right?

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Deuce, unlike Ace, would be fiercely protective of your artistic talent. He’d encourage your art with an almost desperate intensity, pushing you to try different brushes and pens, different scenarios and things, but he'd also pressure you to stay focused on what your good at, ensuring you don’t waste time on things you never tried before. His possessiveness would manifest in his need to be your protector, to the point where he'd become intimidating towards anyone who tries to steer you away from your art, that does not apply to yourself, while he think your drawings / paintings are very beautiful, he would not force you to make it more if you're having an episode where you doubt your skills and think you are good only on the art field. If you want to explore new things, Deuce will be by your side the entire time.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Riddle would be intensely supportive yet controlling, pushing you to perfect your craft while ensuring you don't stray too far from his strict rules, even more if you are already his lover. His obsession with your success would become borderline suffocating, as he constantly monitors your progress and enforces discipline to keep you on the right path, nurturing your already beautiful talent. To Riddle, your art is flawless, it's personal and have a touch of you in every drawing, be it digital or traditional. When you come to tell him about your doubts, about how you're only good at art, Riddle promptly sooth you with gentle words, albeit he is a little awkward while talking. He offer to teach you about whatever you want to learn but be prepared because he is somewhat a strict teacher.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Leona would admire your dedication to your art, and he would ask questions about it too, learning as much as your interest as possible. However, his possessiveness would be almost primal, keeping you close under the guise of protection, ensuring you don’t waste time on anything — or anyone — else. Leona would be dismissive of your attempts to explore other talents, reinforcing that your art is the only thing that matters. His control would be subtle yet overpowering, as he ensures your world revolves around him and your art, leaving you with little room for anything else.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Malleus would shower you with endless admiration, captivated by your artistic talent, even more if you were influenced by an artistic movement. He'll notice all the little details, the subtle way the traces converge, how the color scheme is perfect, the way the shadows and the light reflect. He is your number 1 fan, so supportive of you. However, his intense fascination would drag you into his lonely world, where your art becomes your only outlet and he is your audience - though he has your drawings framed and hung on the walls of the castles, so everyone can look at it and admire. Malleus may not understand your struggles and why would you want to pursue another hobby, but he can arrange anything you may want to try at least once, from singing and dancing to sewing and knitting, even the art of potion making, archery or fencing. He just know you're going to find something you like as much as your art, and if you are happy so is he.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Jamil would secretly nurture your talent, subtly guiding your creativity while undermining any attempts you make to excel elsewhere, he sees your art as something free and with many meanings - it makes him relaxed in some sort of way and Jamil wants to be a little greedy here, he wants you to continue creating more pieces, always keeping you under his watchful eye as you started drawing / painting. There's just something so intimate, so calming about it he can't wrap his head around. He loves watching you creating your art, feeling is guard lowering just a little. If you ever approach him with your doubts, Jamil take you to the kitchen so he can teach you a few things about cooking. It's a different kind of art but when all is said and done, it's just as good as when you're creating and make you feeling accomplished.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Kalim would be so overwhelmingly supportive and enthusiastic about it, showering you with gifts and opportunities to nurture your artistic talent, buying everything you may need to create your art, a new software? Sure, no problem, he brought the most expensive one too. A few new pencils and pens? Right away. You need more frames and paints? It will be here in a couple of hours. However, his naivety mixed with possessiveness would lead to unintentional control over your life, as he tries to keep you happy and close by his side. Kalim’s well-meaning gestures would create a gilded cage, where your art flourishes but your freedom is slowly stripped away. He would be oblivious to the suffocating effect of his love, believing that as long as you're happy creating art with him, nothing else matters, leaving you feeling trapped and not knowing how to communicate with him. He have done so much for you already!

[romancerepulsed]

maybe this is a "hot take," but it's something i genuinely believe is true. aphobes can broadly be sorted into 3 categories: the uninformed, the bigot, and the bully. there is overlap between all 3, and i'm sure there are some people out there who are aphobic in a fun new way that i can't possibly conceive of yet, but i think these categories are fairly accurate and helpful for an aspec to recognize.

the uninformed aphobe is what it sounds like– they either don't know anything about the aspectrum or they've been fed false information about it. this is the only type of aphobe that is ever worth engaging with, and only to politely correct them and point them towards resources that would help them broaden their understanding. i'll be completely honest though: you'd be pretty damn lucky if you managed to actually singlehandedly change their mind. if they're not receptive to your corrections, simply move on. it's not worth the headache. you at least gave them something to think about.

the bigot, in contrast, is absolutely never worth engaging with. the bigoted aphobe is aphobic simply because aspec people are queer and they hate queer people. terfs famously used (and still continue to use) aphobic rhetoric as a sort of gateway drug for transphobia. the people who will argue that aspec folks aren't queer are often the same people who despise us because they associate us with queerness.

the third aphobe is actually the most common on this website, i think, and they're the reason i'm making this post. the aphobic bully may know full well the fundamentals of the aspectrum, but they will simplify and misrepresent it on purpose in an attempt to make aspec people look bad. aspec people have long been "acceptable targets" of bullying on this site for a reason that is fairly obvious to me but one i haven't seen anyone else point out: aspec people are largely neurodivergent. it's really no coincidence that ace discourse and cringe culture peaked at around the same time– they were one in the same, and the treatment aspec and autistic people received were (and still are) damn near identical. portraying aspec people as cringey teenagers who watched too many cartoons and are just too socially awkward for anyone to love them or whatever... it's a sentiment thats existed for years and years now. it took me a while to realize it, but this is why so many "tumblr funnymen" and other assorted popular blogs were/are aphobes too– they've got egos the size of china but they know they can't get away with blatantly picking on autistic people. so they'll hide behind a guise of aspec exclusionism, something that's unfortunately viewed as a real and valid ideology for someone to have. even aside from the thinly veiled ableism, bullies are always coming from a place of insecurity and projecting it onto other people. i've found that a lot of the most vicious aphobes are people who are struggling romantically or sexually. you can see them post about it, you can see even in the most recent discourse so many of these people are deeply stressed and hurt from whatever romantic or sexual struggles they're facing. to them, someone being unconcerned with those sorts of things is almost offensive because it means so much to them. they read it as a challenge to their own allo identity. so, why not take out that frustration on the aspecs?

it goes without saying that the bully isn't worth engaging with, either. they want to rile you up because it makes them feel better about themselves. don't give them that satisfaction.

[innerfare]

Angsty Ace Headcanons 

Summary: A collection of angsty Ace headcanons

Genre: Angst

CW: None // SFW

———

Ace never knew what his mother looked like, never even saw a photograph of her. 

At a certain point, Ace wanted nothing more than to become the marine Garp wanted him to be. He wanted desperately to please his grandfather, a man who could have turned him over to the World Government in exchange for a nice reward and even promotion but chose instead to harbor him. And when Ace learned the truth about his biological father, when Ace realized the World Government would never accept him as one of their own no matter what Garp said, he went to the seashore and cried, forced to accept he would only ever draw the ire of the one man he wanted to please.  

Ace always felt like a monster for beating Luffy. He had a very valid thought process: I have to make him stronger. But he still felt like he was doing something horribly wrong. The guilt stuck with him as he grew older, consuming him when he recalled the times he treated Luffy more like a brother than a son (parentification can be a bitch). 

Ace only began valuing his life after Sabo died. He only did it because he thought he had to for Luffy’s sake. Without Luffy, he would have lost the will to live entirely, and on some level, he did lose the will to live when he met the Straw Hats and realized Luffy was taken care of without him. Rather than feeling peace at having fulfilled the promise he’d made to a deceased Sabo to care for their little brother, he felt a sense of failure because he wasn’t needed. 

Ace once came across one of his father’s old wanted posters and, to his horror, recognized himself. Thus, he avoids his reflection at all costs. He’s been called attractive, but he doesn’t understand why because all he sees when he looks in the mirror is a monster. Burns his own wanted posters when he encounters them because he can’t stand the sight of himself. 

Ace always shrugged it off, but deep down, he felt horribly guilty for sleeping on the floor at Dadan’s place. Bringing food to her doorstep was his way of earning his keep, even as a small child, but the need to pay her back for sheltering a little monster like him didn’t go away when he set sail. He began sending money back to her every month in hopes it would ease the burden he had undoubtedly put on her by existing. 

When Whitebeard tried adopting him, he didn’t resort to violence because he was still trying to take down an Emperor. He did so because he was triggered by Whitebeard’s compassion. It was such a foreign feeling to him he could only think to attack, scared of what that compassion stirred in him. 

Ace was petrified of sex, even when taking every precaution. He was terrified of getting a girl pregnant and bringing a child into the world that hated him before he was ever born and would surely hate his child for all the same reasons, would perhaps even hate that child more because they would be blamed for his crimes in addition to his father’s. He had vivid nightmares about becoming a father, and then felt guilty for having those nightmares about it because he felt like he was inflicting psychological wounds on his nonexistent unborn child by not wanting them. 

Ace died thinking Sabo would be waiting for him on the other side. 

———

Hope you enjoyed it! If you want more, you can check out my masterlist here!

[penguinsfly]

I unfortunately saw something I didn't want to see and that was my last straw. I'm fucking doing this.

Let's establish this first. Alastor is stated in the show to be asexual that is not up to discussion. He is also very heavily implied in the same conversation to be aromatic. 'An Ace in the hole' being used in context of him being with Charlie is also implying his aromanticism.

VIDEO

If that's not enough then here is Viv speaking about his romantic orientation. It's pretty clear despite the fact that afterwards she said it's okay to headcanon whatever (it's not but I will get o that later) that he is written purely as an aro ace character.

On top of that going by Alastor's interaction with Angel from the pilot and the first episode it is clear that he is sex repulsed. Not only that but on the fandom website he is stated to be touch averse with two sources which you can check out on the website.

Hazbin hotel wiki, Alastor page

Now we established that Alastor is canonically Asexual, Aromantic, Sex Repulsed and Touch Averse

As I also am all of the above I'll try to explain everything to the best of my ability as simply as I can.

Aromanticism and Asexuality.

I'm probably targeting the audience that knows those terms but regardless I will explain it anyway.

Aromantic - people that experience little to no romantic attraction towards any gender

Asexual - people that experience little to no sexual attraction towards any gender.

Little to no

Asexuality and aromanticism are spectrums in which people can feel certain attractions towards people but those attractions are less occurring or are defined by personal connection.

Diagram from AVEN website

However some people are at the end of the spectrum, they never felt attraction and that's valid. Alastor was stated to be aroace he wasn't written as demi or as gray he was written as aroace as in the end of the spectrum. His repulsion and not giving shit about romance or sex speaks for itself.

Representation

I do understand that everyone wants to be represented but it's so important to understand that aroace people are one of the most underrepresented queer groups in the media.

And I'm not here to scream about how I want my fav character to be just like me I don't care for it I'm way too confident in my orientation to rely on that however I'm tired of explaining to people what asexuality and aromanticism is just to receive 'are you sure' or 'you'll change your mind' or 'its not real' or the community favourite 'you'll find the right person' no I won't I'm not looking thank you very much (I just smile and nod to be polite and I'm sick of it).

'Harmless' buts like: 'He might be on the spectrum', 'AroAce people can still feel attraction' hurt the final outcome for all the people on the spectrum not only strictly aroaces because it allows people to write one shots with 'Demi Alastor' that falls in love in 2000 words because he is 'demi' (spoiler alert: they don't understand what that label means). It's just a cover, an opening, sneaky way to disregard his orientation, feel good about themselves and move on. Newsflash there is no moving on for aroace people it's our life.

Shipping

Shipping is just harmless fun right? Usually yes but not in this case. In the same way its not okay to ship gay characters with genders they are not attracted to.

It's erasure and since there is much less people identifying on aro/ace spectrums then there is gay or bi people our voices are being silenced. Not to mention that gay people received support from entire LGBTQIA+ community over the years in contrast to aro/ace specs who to this day are told that we are 'not queer enough' or 'not oppressed enough' often by other queer people.

And finally... FINALLY we get cannon Aro/Ace character that is clearly not interested in romance and sex. Character that beats stereotypes of boring and timid aro/ace people and what's the first people do? They ship him. Alastor's storyline provides so many points to be explored like 'what is his backstory', ' what's about his deal', ' how does he fit in in the found family trope' , 'does he care about hotel guests' yet people choose to write about the only thing that he is not interested in. As a heavily repulsed person that used to be horrified about the fact that I'll have to fall in love with somebody at some point before I found out what aro/ace is I find it repulsive and trust me he would too.

But Viv said it's okay!

Its the same point once again. What if Viv said that it's okay to ship gay Angel with woman. She doesn't have authority to say shit like that.

Queerplatonic relationships

I can't tell you not to do it I don't think he would be necessary interested in it but for fuck sake do your research and try to understand what queerplatonic means before you use it as a cover to shamelessly ship him. Respect the fact that he is sex repulsed and touch averse and you're fine.

Why can't you just avoid it?

First of all I shouldn't have to. Alastor's orientation should be respected in the fandom like any other orientation is. Second of all I've tried. I tried to only look up AroAce Alastor tag I've blocked over 80 people on tumblr alone (I just counted) to avoid to see anything that could trigger me and I'm not talking about slightly shippy posts or fanarts I'm talking about full blown disregard towards his orientation. Guess what it didn't work!

Archive of our own where do I start. I've used this website for over a decade and I could probably count days I didn't go there on my fingers. I'm fluent in AO3 I know which tags I should block. I know how to skim thorough the summary and tags to see if I'm interested. I've seen shit I'm a shipper I've been on ao3 for ten years but never had to mentally prepare myself to face queerphobia as I click on the tab.

Just use aro/ace Alastor tag.

I do and let me tell you people can't tag for shit or they just pretend to be clueless at this point. Besides see this?

there is more ff with Alastor/reader (disgusting) than there is Alastor with his canon orientation and to play the devils advocate for arophobic people there is more Angel/Alastor then his stated in the show sexuality. I understand that fandom goes back before the show was aired but Viv confirmed his orientation back then too.

Summary

I could go on and on bout different issues and maybe I will in the future but I'm not wasting anymore of this weekend on it. I'm ready to answer any questions as long as they are respectful.

I'm aware that he is a fictional character, it doesn't affect him in any way whatsoever but it does affect aromantic and asexual people keep it in mind.

If there are any mistakes grammar related I'm not sorry I'm fluent in English (not my first language) but I took 3h nap in between and I'm sleep deprived.

Have a nice day.

[ktarotttt]

yang jungwon: the boy who carries the world quietly — a personality reading

cards pulled:

the emperor, knight of pentacles, ace of swords reversed, the lovers, empress reversed, four of swords. overall energy: king of pentacles, strength, page of swords.

so starting with the emperor — that’s his maturity, that’s his natural leadership qualities, all of that.

the emperor is known to have “dad energy.” and just like stereotypical dads, they’re not usually emotional.

they’re the type where, even if they don’t say “i love you” every day, when you’re in a crisis, you want your dad—because you know he knows what to do.

and i feel like that’s exactly how jungwon carries himself.

he wants to be seen that way. he embraces it. it’s his natural element — being the emperor.

but another thing about the emperor: they’re not as in touch with their emotions. it’s mind-over-matter energy. being rational, being strategic, making sure the problem is handled before the feelings are processed.

he naturally leads, protects, and provides that kind of stability — but it means he doesn’t always express the emotional side openly.

then moving into the knight of pentacles.

the knight of pentacles represents patience, commitment, responsibility. someone who understands that slow and steady wins the race. this is not a person who’s impulsive — especially not when it comes to their goals.

the knight of pentacles energy shows that jungwon is a hard worker, a very diligent person. he doesn’t expect results overnight. he knows that if you want to achieve real, long-lasting success, you have to be willing to put in the work and be patient with the journey.

this applies to enhypen as a group, and to his own solo dreams. every day, even if it’s small steps, he’s working toward something. he’s not lazy at all.

he’s very strategic about what he wants and how he’s going to get it, and i feel like one day, people are going to realize just how successful he really is. and when he finally talks about it, people are going to be like,

“wow, that’s amazing!”

but he’ll just say something simple like,

“i’ve been working toward this for five or six years.”

if he doesn’t get something right away, he doesn’t give up or get frustrated. he’s the type to keep practicing, knowing that mastery takes time. he’s consistent. he’s determined. he doesn’t rush success — he builds it.

then we get to the ace of swords reversed.

the ace of swords, upright, is about clarity, communication, sharp thinking.

but reversed, it represents mental fog, blocked communication, difficulty expressing yourself clearly.

so this shows me that jungwon can struggle sometimes with communication. which is interesting because he’s an aquarius, and his mercury is in aquarius — so you’d think he’d be super quick and articulate.

but the reality is that sometimes, he probably has a lot more going on in his mind than he can easily explain. it feels like he overthinks, or his mind gets so busy that he struggles to articulate exactly what he’s feeling or thinking.

it’s brain fog energy. not because he doesn’t care, but because translating those internal thoughts into words is hard sometimes.

the lovers and the empress reversed together gave me a lot of insight.

the lovers card shows that jungwon really does care about the people in his life. he forms deep, real connections. but the empress reversed tells the other side of the story.

the empress upright represents nurturing, affection, emotional warmth — traditionally connected to mother energy. so when you see the empress reversed, it often points to someone who didn’t grow up with that consistent nurturing.

it’s like — you can’t give what you never had. and i really believe that’s the case here.

i don’t think jungwon grew up with a mother figure who was super nurturing. not that she didn’t love him, but that she wasn’t the kind of parent who smothers you with affection or emotional validation. because stereotypically, dads give you protection and provision — but moms give you nurturing, emotional safety, hugs, softness.

and it feels like jungwon didn’t really get that softness from the mother figure in his life. so now, even though he loves people deeply, he struggles to show it the way others might expect.

he’s not naturally affectionate. he’s not the type to smother you with “i love you”s or hugs. and sometimes people might misinterpret that and think he doesn’t care. but he does. he just doesn’t know how to show it traditionally.

even as a boyfriend, this would show up. he’d love you — but it would be in actions, loyalty, and presence. not always in affection or emotional openness. and again, it’s not because he doesn’t want to love deeply — it’s because he was never taught how to give that kind of love.

four of swords is next — and this one is very telling.

the four of swords represents rest, burnout, healing, needing to retreat and recharge. jungwon is tired. he’s mentally tired, emotionally tired, physically tired.

and honestly? i can see him spending a lot of his free time just laying in bed. like genuinely — laying in bed all day if he could. only getting up to eat or use the bathroom.

i feel like right now, he’s in a healing phase.not just physically, but emotionally too. he needs the quiet. he needs the stillness. and even though he’s resilient and strong, that strength has come at a cost — and now he’s learning that healing matters too.

he’s not the type who’s constantly out and about when he has a day off. he would rather rest, sleep, be in his own space, just trying to recharge after carrying so much all the time.

overall energy

king of pentacles — what drives him

the king of pentacles is about stability, success, responsibility. this is somebody who wants to create a life that’s secure—not just for himself, but for the people he cares about too.

when you tie this back to the emperor and knight of pentacles energy, it makes perfect sense.jungwon’s motivation is always building something that’s real, lasting, solid. he’s not looking for shortcuts. he’s not interested in hype or temporary validation. he’s working toward a future where he’s able to say:

“i built this from nothing. and now, nobody can take it from me.”

he’s practical. he’s smart with his resources. he’s generous, but quiet about it. he’s the type that, once he’s really successful, will be helping people he loves behind the scenes without making it a big performance.

this matches the way he carries himself now — even if you don’t see it on the outside, that provider, protector energy is always there.

strength — the armor he wears

strength in tarot isn’t about brute force. it’s about emotional control. resilience. quiet survival. and this card ties back to everything about the emperor, the four of swords, and the empress reversed.

jungwon has been through more than people probably know. but instead of falling apart, he made himself solid. he doesn’t crack easily. he doesn’t lash out when he’s hurting. he holds himself together, sometimes at the expense of his own peace.

strength shows that even when he feels weak, tired, or isolated, he knows how to endure without losing who he is. but it also shows that sometimes he hides his wounds behind composure — not because he’s cold, but because that’s the only way he knows how to survive. he learned early that falling apart isn’t an option.

page of swords — the mind still learning

the page of swords is about curiosity, observation, always gathering information. it’s the part of him that’s still growing—still watching, still learning, still figuring himself out. this ties back to the ace of swords reversed in a really important way.

yes, he struggles to communicate everything clearly sometimes. yes, he bottles up a lot of what he feels. but the page of swords shows that he’s still trying.he’s still absorbing everything around him. he’s always studying people, dynamics, situations. he’s not naive.

he’s sharp. he’s aware. there’s a real intelligence here—but it’s quieter than you might expect. he’s someone who notices everything, even if he doesn’t always say it.

deep down, jungwon is a student of life. he’s always paying attention.always adapting. always trying to make sense of the world around him—and himself.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

thinking about book 6 battle simulations

I was thinking a lot about book 6 lately! (Not for any particular reason, I was just ruminating, haha...)

During the examination segment, Riddle, Azul, and Vil were put into one group and Jamil and Leona were put in the other group. Idia then put them into VR simulations in which (simulated) Trey, Jade, Rook, Kalim, and Ruggie approached the subjects to upset them. This is for the purposes of STYX to gauge their combative capabilities and blot accumulation. What I noticed on another read of these parts was that Idia makes sure to inform all the subjects they are about to enter a VR simulation BEFORE they dive in... and yet despite this, group 1 (Riddle, Azul, Vil) was still caught off-guard when Trey, Jade, and Rook attacked them. Meanwhile, Jamil in group 2 automatically defers to Kalim but Leona is the one who notices something is fishy about the situation. Now, now... this is interesting 👁️ Why might this be, I wonder~ (You bet I'm going to analyze the heck out of these small details!)

***Main story spoilers up to book 6!!***

First thing to consider: it's possible that perhaps the characters don't fully understand what "VR simulation" is, as most of them did take a while to come to their senses. Of the 5 subjects, Riddle is the most likely to fall into this category. He seems to be slightly confused by the concept of a "virtual space" when Idia explains the examination to them (which likely conflicts with Riddle's very traditional understanding of "tests"). Furthermore, Riddle has expressed in Endless Halloween Night that his mother did not allow him to play video games or to watch TV so he'd usually do crosswords or solve other puzzles for fun. He's not completely technologically inept (like Malleus), but Riddle does have a somewhat limited scope of how items and procedures are to be used, especially if it lies beyond its normal means. It's likely that he has not thought of VR simulation being used in the scenario in which he finds himself in now.

The other 4 subjects, however, most likely understand what VR is and shouldn't be confused by the simulation. Azul is very savvy and keeps up with trends, which can factor into his business(es). He even brings up streaming as a potential source of revenue in book 6; man has his fingers on the pulse of pop culture to know what will sell. Vil, being a celebrity and the leader of the Film Research Club, must have an understanding of various technologies used to achieve certain effects (especially as director of his own projects). Jamil constantly deals with Kalim's requests and, being in Kalim's social bubble, must get exposure to all kinds of crazy technologies. Leona, being a knowledgeable prince, surely must understand the concept of VR simulation.

Okay, so... why did they (mostly) still get "tricked" by the simulation anyway? The key words today would be "trust" and "dependence".

Thinking about it, there's one thing that separates group 1 from 2: the boys in group 1 have a tendency to rely on others for support and validation whereas the boys in group 2 are consistently shown to be more independent than their peers (even if they, too, seek validation). Let's go through them one by one!

GROUP 1

Riddle

Riddle is presented as a tyrant that rules with an iron fist, particularly in book 1 where he stars as the main antagonist. However, it's also pretty blatant that Riddle has become increasingly aggressive due in part to others enabling him. Ace specifically calls out Trey for this, saying that his failure to intervene or to quell Riddle's temper has resulted in Heartslabyul students suffering for it. Cater is also complacent, as he and/or Trey often follow Riddle's orders and remove Adeuce from the dorm multiple times in book 1. Riddle relies on these upperclassmen to listen to him and carry out his bidding, and he feels validated when they do. It's a lesson he has learned from his mother. He is the most powerful, and therefore he should be the most correct. Notice how Riddle is quick to anger when others refuse to obey him and how often he demands for them to conform. He becomes enraged when the Heartslabyul mobs rebel and chuck an egg at him. But what hurts him most of all is, perhaps, Trey turning too. Riddle was mad about the mobs acting up, yes, but he still did not overblot. Not yet, at least. No, Riddle overblots only AFTER he tries to attack Ace with the rose trees... and Trey steps in with his UM to overwrite Riddle's collar, turning it into cards. Trey's relationship with Riddle cannot be understated here. In this very moment, Trey, Riddle's childhood friend (one of his first friends), vice dorm leader, silent yes man, his most trusted confidant, has betrayed him. He is proving Riddle wrong, that the most powerful mage is not the most correct. "Are YOU going to tell me that I'm wrong too? After all I've done to protect the rule of law?! [...] I... I refuse to believe this!"

From these examples, we can clearly see that Riddle is someone who is reliant on others--not that he isn't a capable mage, but rather he is reliant on others for his own sense of self-worth. Indeed, even in his post-OB flashback, he indicates feeling proud and excited when his mother praises him for good grades or successfully performing a spell. This is reiterated many times over in book 1, in which Riddle feels satisfied and even smug when his students fall in line, and spirals into uncontrollable rage when they don't. There are a select few whom Riddle has chosen to place his faith in, and Trey is one of them. Trey, who gave him his first slice of strawberry tart and has been supporting him as his vice for over a year now (since Riddle became dorm leader in his first week as a first-year student; now is the start of Riddle's second year). That's why he feels so hurt when Trey is suddenly chastising him, telling him that he's behaving irrationally.

If we reexamine Riddle's post-OB flashback, you'll notice that Riddle says he is lonely without every outright stating the word "lonely". The phrasing makes it sound as though Riddle does not understand his own loneliness, like he doens't even know the word or want to acknowledge it as reality. He is awkward and unsure around Trey and Chenya, who invite him out to play. He follows his mother's rules because he believes that is what will bring him happiness. He wonders why, in spite of following all those rules, he still feels hollow inside. Then, once Riddle has awoken, he confesses that he always wanted to play more with Trey, and that he wants to talk with everyone after a meal. Riddle. at his core, craves companionship rather than dominating his peers. Trey was one of the few friends he ever had, and so Riddle puts a lot of stock into his support. This may be why he was quick to believe the fake Trey in the simulation, and why he looked so shocked when Trey started attacking him. Here is a boy who has already been betrayed once, experiencing that same betrayal again at the hands of his childhood friend. How scared must he be of losing his oldest friend, of Trey turning his back on him or seeing him as a monster? 😭

Azul

Due to the bullying he experienced in his childhood, Azul works very hard to maintain a new image of someone who is cool, confident, and composed. Part of that is passing himself off as someone who is large and in charge, while posing Jade and Floyd as his lackies who do whatever he tells them to. The reality of the matter is that the twins are very much... there to do their own thing, and they just kind of go along with Azul's schemes because they seem to be a lot of fun. When you stop to consider it though, Azul definitely puts a lot of trust into the Leech brothers even though they're both shady and can be flippant at times. It's the twins going around and advertising Azul's services to the student population. It's the twins who help him expand his business and acquire new items (as all three's Dorm Uniform vignettes are about the Octatrio conspiring to acquire the rights to and/or advertise their new drinks). It's the twins who are asked to run the Mostro Lounge whenever Azul is absent. Time and time again, Azul falls back on Jade and Floyd. They've been with him since middle school.

In book 4, both Azul and Floyd insist that they aren't really "childhood friends", but they do consider each other "equals". As Azul describes it, "I strongly doubt Jade or Floyd have any binding allegiance to me. This is all and elaborate game of pretend to them. [...] If I made a poor choice as leader--or even simply a boring one... They would turn on me instantly and seize the dorm leader seat for themselves." Floyd follows with, "We ain't got any plans to challenge him, either... for now, anyway. Aha ha! [...] We stick with [Azul] now 'cause it's fun. If it stops bein' fun, we drop him like a bad habit. Easy." The twins and Azul are both very aware that their relationship is a temporary and transactional one. Azul himself has even fully considered the possibility that Jade and Floyd may one day turn on him. This is all true--however, I also believe it's possible that the Octatrio are not being entirely truthful to themselves and do actually care for one another beyond the confines of their business ties or "having fun". In book 3, Jade and Floyd sense that something is wrong, and their immediate thought is to go check on Azul because of this gut feeling. Jade warns Azul of the consequences of misusing his UM. They are also the first to check on Azul after his OB and insist that he rest and find it within them to gently tease him over the situation. Even the way they address each other is "special". Jade and Azul have a tendency to be polite and use the honorific "-san" after everyone's name... except for each other and Floyd. Floyd, meanwhile, tends to give everyone a nickname... except for Jade and Azul. They drop these naming conventions within their group because that's how much they know and trust each other. Further proof of this is that when Floyd first meets Azul in the post-OB flashback of book 3, he calls Azul "Octopus-chan". Azul used to have a nickname, but no longer has one. This implies that a lack of a nickname actually indicates that Floyd is more intimate with someone than if he had nicknamed them. The same goes with Jade and Azul, who are usually so formal and polite.

I've already established that Azul acts in ways which indicate that he is close to the twins, as much as he tries to deny it and come off as tough. He drops the honorifics for them and he trusts them to do his bidding. What I find most telling, however, is when Jade and Floyd check up on him right as he's about to OB. "Jade! Floyd! Ahhh, you've finally come back to me," Azul says (if you listen to his voice, he sounds SO relieved). "Would you believe that thanks to these FOOLS, I've lost all of my contracts? Which is why I'm going to need your powers now. Come on, give them to me!" This is notable because, prior to this, he was forcibly ripping powers out of mob students. But now with the twins--Azul makes a CONSCIOUS decision to ask Jade and Floyd for them to willingly give up their powers to him. Azul is emotional and acting without tact here, but he STILL stops to ask the twins for them to surrender their magic. He cares about getting their consent specifically. When the brothers deny him and Floyd says Azul has become lame, that's when Azul snaps. His loyal henchmen are refusing his request and he's lost all his accumulated wealth. He's going to become the weak, friendless crybaby he once way all over again.

Knowing all of this, it makes sense why Azul was as startled as Riddle was when the simulated Jade attacked him. Azul claims that he anticipates this day--but he still seems to disturbed when it actually happens. It's true that perhaps this surprise comes in part from Azul having no indication that the twins were getting bored of him, so this is coming out of left field in his perspective. But... it could also be that he's hurt by the sudden shift, even if he and the twins have been telling themselves all along that they'd toss each other out without a second thought once they lose interest. This calls back to Azul's concerns right before he overblots: that his "business partners" (whom he refuses to call his friends) have lost interest in him and will now leave him alone and with nothing. He relies on the brothers not only for labor, but as his company and his confidants. When that's taken away from him... what does Azul have left that's worth anything?

Vil

Vil is another person who typically passes as very independent. He looks after himself quite well and is often the one nagging others to do the same. The thing with him is... he's still a celebrity at the end of the day, and a celebrity like him is always aware of his public image and the eyes on him. That's Vil's Achille's heel: as a celebrity, he is constantly concerned with how others perceive him. This is a lesson he learns in book 5--that he shouldn't let other people's judgment of him or a silly popularity contest determine his self-worth. Ah, but let's remember... book 6 begins like a mere DAY after book 5. Sure, Vil's character arc may be over, but that does not mean that he has suddenly completely changed. Up until yesterday, he was aggressively training to overcome his rival and to show the whole world his true beauty. Vil still, to some degree, finds value in how he looks and how others see him, as it strongly ties into his career. To this end, he sees Rook as a valuable individual.

Now, there's a lot of contention about whether or not Rook is a good influence on Vil or not, as some interpret his commentary as derogatory or unnecessarily critical. I'm not going to get into that; here, I am going to speak plainly about how Vil himself views Rook's feedback. In Vil's Labwear vignettes, he confides in Trey that he relies on Rook's keen observational skills to reflect the truth back to him. A celebrity must look at his best, and he can count on Rook to not mince his words and point out even the most minute of changes at a quick glance. (Vil himself is also extremely strict with himself, but lacks the superhuman abilities that his vice dorm leader does.) Rook has been doing this since long before he even transferred to Pomefiore, critiquing Vil's performances and such, not just his looks alone. This led into long discussions and debates between the two, which demonstrates how much Vil values Rook's perspective. Even back then, Rook was one of Vil's greatest supporters, but not exactly a totally blind "yes man". He is offering the kind of feedback that Vil seeks, not empty, sugar-coated niceties. This is why, in spite of his betrayal at the end of book 5, Vil eventually accepts it, as he trusts Rook's keen eye and judgment. What's interesting about book 6's examinations is that Vil seemingly takes charge of his group. When approached by the simulated classmates, Vil steps up and, after a moment of silence, says, "No... It's nothing. Let's go." (Vil is known as a skilled actor and can easily sniff out an act himself. Was the silence hesitation as he, Azul, and Riddle reevaluate the scene? Hard to say, but I'm assuming that STYX's state-of-the-art tech was able to perfectly simulate Rook, and thus confused Vil and co. for a while.) Rook strikes him with a spell, and that invokes a great emotional reaction from Vil, who seems to be the most aghast of the group. The fake Rook then declares that he's going to claim the dorm leader seat from Vil, which shocks him. "As you know, I appreciate beautiful things. Hence... I can hardly allow someone who's acted as ugly as you to occupy the Fairest Queen's throne!" The scene then cuts away to a battle. Now, while we don't get any extra dialogue from Vil to show his reaction, one interpretation could be that he was stunned into silence. Why is this a believable occurrence? Because the fake Rook called Vil out for "ugly" behavior. This is significant because back when Vil was overblotting, he was desperately shouting for people to "not look at him" because he's "so ugly". Here, ugliness does not mean literal ugliness or something that is visually unappealing. The "ugliness" being spoken of refers to being morally rotten, as Vil was speaking on his guilt after resorting to dirty tactics to try and take out his rival (when he had previously sworn to win on his own merits alone). The simulated Rook might be referring to this, which induces great shame in Vil, who is aware of the weight of his sins. Heck, book 6 even starts with Vil taking accountability and sincerely apologizing to the whole NRC Tribe for causing them trouble. Vil blames himself for their team losing, as it was his OB that forced them to fight and physically wore them out before their big performance. "What does it matter who forgives me?! I can't... I can't forgive myself!" He may still have lingering guilt regarding this incident, hence why he's the one predominantly reacting when the vice dorm leaders betray group 1. His mirror and huntsman, who speaks only the truth to him, now tells him of his ugliness. What else can that be, if not the truth reflected back at him?

GROUP 2

Jamil

To be clear, Jamil did not automatically go after the simulated Kalim. He automatically defers and tries to go along with his dorm leader (and only starts fighting once Leona declares the simulation for the sham it really is). Why? Surely Jamil is sharper witted than that. To this, I say... of course, it's just that Jamil's so used to being a servant that he reverts back to submissiveness as soon as he's put in a circumstance where there's a power dynamic. He’s not the one relying on Kalim—Kalim is often the one relying on him. You need proof of Jamil's servile mindset? He was intentionally talking down his own skills ever since book 4 and, according to Azul, has been purposefully maintaining painfully average grades (which, in of itself, takes a lot of effort). Admittedly though, those are conscious choices, not unconscious ones. But how about back in book 5, when Vil announces him as one of the lead vocalists and Jamil's immediate reaction is not to accept it, but to humble himself and insist that Kalim would be better suited for it (when Kalim actually isn't)? Jamil has to stop himself, back up, and accept the nomination, which he has earned for himself, rather than relinquish it to someone less deserving. Years and years of serving someone else, forced to play the part of the inferior servant, will beat that attitude into his mind, regardless of how much he resents the position.

Even now, Jamil feels like he usually has to follow someone else's lead. Leona, the upperclassman and dorm leader, provides that lead for him in the VR simulation. This leadership + independence is something they would butt heads over later in book 6, as Jamil begins to act overprotective of his current charge (Leona) as he does with Kalim. While Jamil has played the part of Kalim's attendant and childhood friend, the reality is that Jamil cannot stand those roles. He desires to stand out and to be recognized--something which is evident in book 4. Before he brainwashes the Scarabia students, he's always framing himself in a positive and helpful light to them and speaks humbly about his abilities. After he brainwashes the Scarabia students, he has them heap him with praise that he had never gotten in his childhood. In the post-OB flashback, we see Jamil's parents scolding him for outperforming Kalim, even in something as simple as a game. The headmaster of a great arcane academy overlooks him in favor of someone far less capable.

Jamil knows he can be great, but he's intentionally being told to not reach those heights. He feels stifled and trapped, and no one understands his plight that he cannot escape from. This results in Jamil distancing himself from others and coming to rely on himself and himself alone to make his wishes come true. He can't rely on his family, who are beholden to their legacy of being servants to the Asims. He can't confide in friends because none of them are quite like him, and Kalim would ignorantly brush it off. He can't tell third parties because, as Crowley as demonstrated, they dismiss him outright. Jamil, as he acts throughout book 6, is doing so in an effort to find his own strength and to be able to act on it with the freedom he seeks. To play support not because he has to, but because he, the individual, wants to. As Jamil states before overblotting, he wants to "be free" from these precarious circumstances where a wrong move could doom him and his family... but he only has so many liberties to work with. This leaves him in a strange limbo situation where he still isn't fully independent but desperately wishes to be. We see him fighting against the restraints, and to varying degrees of effectiveness depending on the context and his state of mind within that context.

Leona

From a young age, Leona seems to have worked tirelessly to obtain recognition. Like Jamil, Leona was in such a position (second-born prince) that, despite his efforts, he kept being rejected and beaten down again and again. As we see in his post-OB flashback, this is what eventually broke Leona’s spirit and made him develop a pessimistic outlook on his prospects for the future. The thing is, even though Leona does not really have hope for himself, he still manages to inspire hope in other people, from underclassmen to the students of his dorm. Book 2 is entirely about Savanaclaw looking to Leona to save their own futures, and him trying to do so for their sakes. His club mates extol how he can so quickly hone in on their best skills and advise them on how to sharpen those skills. Jack admires Leona’s plays, so much so that he wished to one day play alongside Leona. He’s even able to get beastmen of different species to get along and live peacefully under his rule when this has historically been difficult for his older brother to manage. All in all, Leona has all the makings of a leader. He stands out from the crowd, knows when to leverage his power and intelligence (playing smarter, not harder), and commands with ease.

… That being said, Leona’s presence can be so powerful at times that it’s also isolating. This was the case for his childhood, which is depicted to us as many palace servants being fearful of Leona’s devastatingly strong magic. He also uses this strong magic against his dorm mates when their intentions clash in book 2–and he comes close to killing someone in the process. He’s also just notorious in general for being grumpy or unfriendly toward others, including one instance in book 5 when he seems upset that you’ve showed up in his classroom. Leona drives people away from him, whether because of his strength or because of his prickly attitude.

At the same time, i would also describe Leona as a tactician that keeps some degree of distance from those he commands. He makes it clear he's willing to use others to achieve his own goals and does so many times over. Book 2, when he tries to take out Malleus to help his dorm leaders while also trying to prove to himself that he's capable. Book 3, when he helps Yuu and co. dissolve the contracts including one of his own he made with Azul, etc. Leona knows how to best use his own abilities, as well as those of others. That's what makes him so formidable--he can read others and judge the situation extremely well, and he knows when it is smart to fight and when to tactically retreat (such as in book 6, when he immediately surrenders to STYX agents rather than make a scene). Leona is a self-sufficient man.

There’s the question of Ruggie, of course. Leona is often depicted as lazy and relies on Ruggie to do many daily things for him, such as laundry or fetching food. This obviously throws a wrench into the claim that Leona is more "independent" than those in group 1, doesn't it? He doesn't even come close to Jamil, who actually does all of these tasks himself. Well, not exactly. I don't think "independence" here really comes down to that alone. Riddle, Azul, and Vil all relied on Trey, the twins, and/or Rook to some significant degree to inform their own senses of self. Jamil had this belief of deferring to his "betters" (the Asims) instilled in him, regardless of his personal feelings on the matter. And Leona? Leona does not significantly rely on Ruggie for his self-worth (dude was 100% going to sand him in book 2). Yes, Leona was likely looking to help his dorm members in part to prove to himself he is capable of leading a pack, but he gives up when he realizes it was a fruitless effort. He doesn't become reinvigorated to keep it up or to try again, even when his dorm members (Ruggie included) plead to him. Leona is acting selfishly, and he refuses to acknowledge their perspectives--he's set in his own ways and is driven by his own thoughts, not those of the people around him. Perhaps this is what allows him to discern truth from lies with such clarity, as it is Leona who rouses Jamil to his senses and leads the charge against the VR simulation Kalim and Ruggie.

[chanceofwhat]

Aroace positivity to outnumber the bots in our tags:

1. First of all, you are valid. Aroace, aroallo, and amatoace people are all inherently LGBTQ+ enough. It’s stupid to say otherwise. The queer community is (generally, and I’m v sorry if I miss anyone here,) for anyone who experiences attraction or gender differently from the current default social norm of cishet. Experiencing it not at all is plenty different enough.

2. This stuff is SO CONFUSING. It’s OKAY if you don’t understand your own feelings. Feelings are WEIRD. I’ve felt what I can only describe as strong queerplatonic attraction 3 times in my life, and in hindsight I can even identify my “type,” but I’m 20 so 3 isn’t very many and also I was equally happy dating them and not dating them.

2.5. (Story) I recently told my dad that my roomie and I are planning to still live together after college, and his response was “so you guys are officially a couple now?” ?????bro WHY would I do that? WHAT part of “living together” necessitates DATING?? That sounds STRESSFUL! Which brings me to,

3. AmatoAllos are going to struggle to understand. This is normal, fine, and not your fault. They can’t conceive of someone not experiencing sensations that are such a notable part of their lives. Be patient and don’t try to force them to get something they just don’t get, but also, that struggle is NOT an excuse to treat you poorly, NOT an excuse to try to push you into dating or copulating when you don’t want to, and NOT an excuse to not listen to you or to invalidate your experiences.

In summary: You’re not wrong, you’re not broken, you’re just different. Different is a neutral trait. If I could choose to stop being aroace right now? I genuinely don’t know what I’d do. Sure, sounds easier to fit into society, and I’d like to stop stressing about what my life will look like without that expected piece, but if I’m all distracted by crushes and wet dreams, how am I ever going to take over the world?! Also the ace and aro communities are some of the kindest and most accepting and more comforting I’ve ever seen, so I wouldn’t wanna give that up. I love myself exactly the way I am.

Love yourself the way you are. I know it can be hard sometimes, but we have to try. Eventually, you get used to loving yourself and it becomes second nature, or a habit at the very least.

I rambled a lot here and it ended up long and wacky, but I’m not sorry because ADHD is part of who I am and I love who I am so. Deal with it. But yea the point is no bots can get in the way of our powerful community and we’re going to eat cake and garlic bread and take over the world.

[dalekofchaos]

As a rational human being I've been annoyed and disgusted with her for years. As an Asexual *sighs* guess we're fair game to this bitter soulless hag.

When I found out what Asexuality is. I found whole and understood. I was uncomfortable about sex and intimacy and I finally felt like "there's nothing wrong with me after all". To be clear I consider myself Bi Aroace, but I am indifferent to sex and only want a partner in life and attracted to all genders. It especially felt good understanding what being Ace was about after escaping a really problematic kik/sexting relationship with a dom who had no concept of consent. But now I am in a loving long distance relationship with my wonderful Trans boyfriend. Sometimes I feel like a bad representation of the Ace and Aro community, but every now and then I see affirmation posts on tumblr that show that I am doing fine and I found a place where I truly belong.

She didn't think being a Transphobic racist homophobic Nazi was enough. Now she has to add Asexuals to her list of marginalized people she has to harass.

I can think of no sadder existence than sitting in a mouldy castle with all the money in the world and the only thing you choose to do with your time is be horrible to people for no other reason than being an ugly hateful person.

Can you imagine the narcissism involved to continually think you are the arbiter of what identities are valid? This is what happens when you empower bigots. They slowly but surely start confidently expanding their hate and spreading misinformation.

Every member of the LGBTQA+ community just want to live their lives in peace. But to her this is a personal slight to her. How long until she attacks the other letters of the community? One day she'll admit she hates the entire alphabet of the LGBTQIAP community and also people of colour.

When you peel back the layers of a transphobe, you find a homophobe(you can spot that in the books) Then you find a misogynist. Then you find a racist. It's never just one hatred, in the end. SHe'll start showing them now,

The FART(feminism appropriating reactionary transphobe”) complaining about Ace folk on International Day of Asexuality Day is both a mix of "of course she is" and a "look how miserable I am despite having all this money"

She's a white billionaire living in a literal glass castle throwing stones at people trying to live their lives. She could've gone to be known as the author of Harry Potter and retired in peace, but instead she revealed herself to be a bigoted piece of shit for nearly an entire decade.

She's so petty, so vile and so pathetic that she has to remake Harry Potter because the VERY NOTION that the three kids that stars in her movies denounced her bigoted views and stand with the very marginalized people she degrades.

I don't even know how it's possible, but she has reached new levels of pettiness. I guess money really does not buy happiness. I heard denatonium benzoate was the most bitter substance on earth, but it's actually JK Rowling

The thing about these people is that they have formed a habit, a familiarity with the hit of pleasure to be had from degrading an entire category of humans. Instead of getting hooked on something artistic or the uplifting of others, this is what they've taught themselves to be satisfied by. It's sad and pathetic.

She could've actually resembled the values of what her books preached and she could've taught herself to love anything and instead she chose bigotry.

I swear to god, the sooner she croaks and her grave becomes the newest gender neutral bathroom, the better.

[my-tatteredwingsof-freedom]

The ace discourse about Jon is actually kind of crazy to me because there's literally so many different forms of asexuality. And I mean yeah we can say that we heard it stated that "Jon doesn't" when discussing if he has sex at all but that's also coming from someone who heard it from someone else. It's a secondary source's information, and to be honest there's a lot of room for more intricate explanations in the "he just doesn't" argument.

I myself have had people say I "just don't have sex" when they talk about me which isn't true. I do, on occasion, and I identify as ace. Sure, using ace as a label is still new to me, personally, but it doesn't change the fact that its what I am, it's what several friends of mine are, its just that I sometimes find it easier to say I just don't have sex to people that really don't need to know about my business. I personally wouldn't describe someone else's ace experience to people they don't know in detail, either. I'd just say "they're ace" and let them do what they will with that information because it wouldn't be my business to explain someone else's experience to others without their knowledge.

I don't necessarily take Georgie telling Melanie that Jon "just doesn't" have sex as like, a firm stance that he never has sex ever. My personal head canon is that he's more my flavor of ace; he has sex sometimes, and maybe hes more aroused by situations than people. Im not in ANY way saying that people thinking Jon doesn't have sex at all ever is bad; that's great! And I encourage it because I want people to have fun and feel connected to a character they enjoy! Sex repulsed Jon is valid! Sex neutral Jon is valid! Jon that doesn't want to be touched but doesn't mind touching others is valid! All forms of ace Jon are valid!

This fandom itself is how I learned that there's so many different shades to being asexual. There's so many different ways ace people experience, or don't experience, sex as a whole and this fandom has opened my eyes to that and helped me identify myself. And I think that's amazing. I just also don't really understand the purpose of there being fights about whether or not Jon is a certain type of ace.

Ace people exist in so many forms. Apply what you believe and want to it. It's a beautiful thing to have a character you can relate to on such a level when ace depictions in media are still so rare.

[bug-in-a-cage]

at a top level, i don't have an issue with the concept of "sfw g/t" (though i'm not sure how much of this stuff can really be considered "safe for work" - it certainly wouldn't be safe in my workplace) but...it's kinda weird and othering when i see people from that sub-community talk like "sexualising giants" is something shameful and weird and disgusting, and that having a non-kinky interest in relationship dynamics between giants and tinies is, somehow, more "pure" than thinking giant or tiny people are hot.

like, fine, being sex-repulsed is valid, it's possible to have a fascination with size tropes that is not kinky, or is kink adjacent. i myself am on the ace spectrum and i understand the complexity that brings to relationships, both with others and with your own sexual and romantic orientation.

but uhhh.

it's kind of...weird to see people imply that if you do get off to the idea of giants or tinies, that you're somehow a disgusting pervert with an adolescent libido who is intruding while The Adults Are Talking.

i'm not saying that people should be allowed to sexualise characters explicitly labelled as sfw g/t, not at all. boundaries are important and should be respected.

but what i am saying is that size spaces will inevitably contain people, like myself, who think giants are hot, and if you are repulsed by that in general, your response should not be to think of those people as sex-crazed intruders who don't Truly Appreciate size.

sexuality is not inherently bad nor good. it just is. it is another mode of being. and indeed there are people who like size solely as a sexual fantasy and have absolutely no interest in romantic or platonic g/t relationships. those people are not wrong to feel that way about size.

it is true that there are many size kinksters, pretty much universally heterosexual men, that are genuinely regressive in their views on women in kink spaces, and who regard giantesses largely as dispensers of orgasms rather than thinking and feeling human beings.

but that does not describe all people who have a size kink. it doesn't describe me or any size kinksters i associate with. to paint all people who like size tropes chiefly as a sex thing as afflicted slaves to passion is, at the end of the day, just reproducing 19th-century Protestant sexual repression, where sexuality is seen as something aberrant that must be avoided or controlled to remain Pure rather than, you know, just another biological impulse, like eating or shitting.

it's fine to find sexuality distasteful and unpleasant and want to avoid it. it's not fine to talk about the people who do have kinky fantasies like they are disgusting and gross.

we are all human beings and it takes all sorts to make a world. it's fine to say "i don't get this or like it, but i recognise that others might feel differently" and then just...walk away.