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notanotherdexaccount · 2 months ago

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mildly pressed. cannot format this well it will be a ramble and it will not be fun to read

it's a surface level take to believe transIDs cannot work outside of being transgender bc of the physical aspects of the ID. that just sort of means you don't understand things like race (race isn't physical, it is not a tangible thing, it is a label decided by the perception of your traits that is up to change over time based on perceived proximity to certain communities) being concepts and easily manipulated and changed the same way one manipulates their perceived gender presentation in order to pass. that also feels like you just. don't understand the idea that transsexuals exist? do you think that the physical sex a person is beforehand nullifies the changes done by HRT and surgery? at what point does the changes does things like surgery and manipulation of presentation with things like clothing and makeup no longer count? transheight works bc yes, you can get surgery to be taller. you're allowed to label your feelings around your height however you like. also anyone can become disabled (literally so many people's ability levels changed so much during COVID, lots of healthy people developed symptoms of the CFS I've had since 13) at any time. lots of people with chronic disorders can see improvement and barely any symptoms at all over time (you know, like how a lot of people have seen those symptoms and struggles of CFS slowly resolve when given time to recover), making them feel more abled than before. ability is inherently fluid and it's physicality should not determine a person's feelings to it. and yes, you're allowed to want your ability to change and yes, it is fundamentally true you can transition to a LOT of disabilities. idk. peeved to say the least. there are things about transness that will always extent to things that seem ridiculous (how does one acquire dysphoria over not being perceived as a fictional character? why does one go through cosmetic surgies not to look human anymore? why does one have a complex relationship to their perceived IDs and label them as such? ) and I'll always be a lot more concerned with giving those people space to explore those feelings than determining if those feelings really exist or not just bc it does seem ridiculous or odd. like just letting people do whatever with their labels and exploring their cultural ties and why they feel the way they do is also just sort of. cool to me? idk

also things like trans species as used by rqs and non rqs alike are a lot more complicated than just "i want to physically be another species" and have a longer history of being used by nonhuman communities to explain the discomfort that comes with a mismatch of soul or brain (which is a pretty similar description that some people still use for gender) to the body and it's perceived species. idk this all is about perception, isn't it? there is always something about your perceived existence and the boxes you fit into that plays into what transness is like. I think people forget that like. a lot of transabled people end up being cisabled and seeking a way to talk about how they are perceived vs how they actually feel (I'm obv also ok with transabled people simply not being cisabled people and having other reasons to be trans, but it is important to point out that yea, disabled people are allowed to call themselves transabled if their disabledness isn't being taken seriously or they struggle to get a diagnosis and help). and honestly that's like just a huge part of existing in social circles and having the ability to understand ones mask and persona and how that changes how others treat them. and like yea also physicality is part of transness too and yea that actually can and does extend to non gender IDs. yes you can just physically want a different amount of melanin and feel dysphoria over it and? theres a huge industry around that, it's called tanning beds and spray on tans. idk. is this what the 38 of you came for there you go it's been a while since I've been this pressed about something. idk I'm tired and all I'm just. how do you arrive at transgender being more valid due to it being a self contructed ID based on your social settings and personal perceptions and not realize how. most things a sentient thing calls themself is just that. also again. what about being transsexual. does the growth of erectal tissue and of a gland that mimics being a prostate mean nothing. does the act of taking ones flesh and shaping it into a vagina mean nothing to you. do the changes in sexual characteristics mean nothing. what

we don't have to get into spiritual stuff or anything for any of this to be valid btw you can be radqueer and just not believe in manifesting or shifting or in souls or in god or in anything for this to still work btw skill issue if that's another reason to not believe transIDS are real or whatever. my wrist hurts jfc

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milfzatannaz · 3 years ago

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Hey it's me! The one that said about how zatanna can be more ''wrong'' in her relationship with john and how fans forget about it and just blame our british man. I will communicate with this ''🐇'' emoji, so you know it's me.

well my question is this: As I think Zatara is not the best father in the world

starting with the fact that he is highly overprotective and that ends up being something controlling. He always wanted to control Zee's life. I recently found out that after the ''death'' of his wife and the deaths of his Wayne's friends, Zatara became an alcoholic and please, I'm pretty sure he silently blamed Zatanna for it all. He had no one else and she was the only one he could take his anger out on.

second point: the way with in JLD 2018 he did the worst with Constantine. The guy literally pulled john out of the asylum, a broken and mentally stable john who had just been through trauma. zatara decided it would be a great idea to take this kid and put him through some of his magical shit he didn't want to get his hands dirty. He lied and manipulated his daughter and still made john never able to tell anything

third point: Zatara has already erased zee's memories and his trauma with puppets, which I think is wrong since she grew up with this fear and didn't know the reason for it, and I'm pretty sure he has erased her memory other times . In addition to him manipulating zee, because she ALWAYS defends her father, even when he is a fuck and is highly wrong. she was a dumb brat when she cursed at john and said horrible things to him in JLD #13 2018. All this to defend her goddamn dad.

maybe that's why Nick Necro wanted to kill Zatara so badly in the new 52

I don't agree with a lot of Zatara's actions, but I understand that he was protecting his daughter in a horrible way, it's difficult. I like their relationship, but I hate how Zatanna is dependent on her father and can't get over his death. All screenwriters always press on this same topic and it has already become something boring.

good, that's it! sorry to talk so much and my english is terrible, most of it is from the translator, the dangers of being brazilian. Anyway, I really admire everything you do and talk about johnzee and the vertigo universe in general, I'm with you in this fandom of 5 people!

hiya it's nice to hear from u again! I love receiving meta in my inbox!

and yeah you raise a lot of good points about Zatara, esp the 2018 reboot. I suspect that sideplot was written to heighten conflict between John and Zee- writers never make them overtly romantic, and for the JLD plot to move forward I feel like they need to have something keeping them at odds. Otherwise there's less of a justification of why DC hasn't fully developed them in 30 years.

also, aside from team comics, I think Zatara is often written this way to add some life to a rather flat character. He hasn't been anything but Zee's dead dad since 1986. The mourning daughter schtick is a tad tired, so this effort to make him posthumously more morally grey is probably just to add some spice. but it often backfires, bc Zee still glorifies him and has never done anything but miss him on panel, despite the mind-wiping and manipulation. So they keep introducing these plot points that should have a lot of emotional weight, but aren't developed.

that's honestly my problem with JLD '18 as a whole. visually cohesive with enough vertigo lore to make it go somewhere, its main problem is its own lack of commitment. All these things happened to both john and zee, and their individual characters and their relationship has not progressed at all. Zatara died for John, who himself had just been cradled in zee's arms, and it's never mentioned again. Zee kept secrets from him and there was no payoff. idk you can try and make a ~spooky~ comic but if there's no emotional development it all falls a tad flat.

#answered

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the-illiterate-pirate · 4 years ago

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Hi! Can I request a Kira x Reader where the reader also has a hand kink? 👀 I would request a pucci x reader but hand kink man my beloved 😫💕

-Totally some random acc and not Dirty-brainrot.

No it couldn't possibly be Dirty it says so right there

Oh man sorry about that it's just your request reminded me of someone I know.

Anywho, here's an obligatory apology for this taking so long to come out 🙏 Also I'm afraid I wasn't able to put in too much hand kinky-ness on the readers part :( this is mostly pointed at Yoshikage being horny. But maybe I can make it up to you with bottom-bitch Kira

Put Your Loving Hand Out, Baby

Warnings; Nsfw, modern-ish AU, no stands (bc let's face it Yoshikage can't not be a serial killer if he's got THAT kind of power), slight choking, woman on top, Yoshikage Kira's hand kink, hehehe I forced him into being a bottom

With a precious white Persian cat napping on your chest, you didn't see anyway your day off could have gotten better. Until your husband entered your home.

"Yoshikage? Didn't they need you at work today?"

The cat was awake at the sound of the door. She mewled out as if she too wanted to know.

"It was a false alarm, by the time I got over to my department they were already overstaffed by three others and they said I could go home." He sighed, undoing his tie from his neck. "I'm going to change into something more comfortable, I'll be in the bedroom." You hummed to let him know you understood.

After the blond's leave you continued to play with the Persian. You loved Queen, and she loved you. To Yoshikage's surprise, his usual cynical kitten (even hissy with him) had developed a soft spot for you, and you for her. There was no other place in the villa he could find his cat other than in your arms.

(Or the food bowl)

Queen looked past you into space with those beautiful big pink eyes of hers, before skittering off somewhere new. You were confused why, until you felt your husband's arms wrap around your neck.

"That was an invitation to join me in the bedroom, you know." He murmured against your shoulder.

"Mm, maybe. But I couldn't have left Queen in here all by herself!" You argued. But now Queen was gone, and you were left to fight your strikingly handsome husband alone.

You'd never seen a grown man pout before. But that didn't mean your husband didn't look incredible cute when he did. "Queen has been given enough attention." He huffed, sitting down on the other end of the couch. He startled you by picking you up and propping you up in his lap.

"Now it's my turn."

Snuggling into his built chest you joked with him, "Fine. I swear, you're so needy sometimes."

He stayed quiet. His lips only traveled up and down the column of your neck with his hands rubbing your hips. His attack was soft, and more of a way to comfort you than rile you up. It felt good. Yoshikage's lips were soft, like fine silk against your skin. They left you tingling.

"Mmm~, my boy has been so busy lately. Maybe I should reward him for his hard work, yes?" Your husband's breath hitched in his throat once you dragged your hands up his chest. Your nails scratched up the showing skin to wrap around his neck and drag your fingers through his hair. He easily melted under your touch, pressing his face deeper into your neck while his eyes closed in pleasure. "But first, may we move to the bedroom?" You'd never knew Yoshikage Kira to be an inpatient man, but the speed in which he left the living room with you bridal style in his arms was possibly a new record.

Of course, Yoshikage was a man of practice and routine, you tried helping him keep to it, even if it means pausing your love making. In the heat of the moment you don't doubt he was ready to have you right where you were. But he'd come to freight and worry over it later, you were sure. (as sweet as it sounds, you'd feel bad)

He still had you on top of him. Shutting the door, he sped over to the royal purple bed where he flopped down uncharacteristically and scooped you back up, his silent way of telling you were on top. It wasn't every night Yoshikage let you take control and you certainly weren't going to waste the opportunity. Over hearing some talk has left you with ideas you were almost excited to try on him.

You had to admit, earlier in the relationship you were a bit weirded out by his... preferences during sex. But after indulging him time after time you begun to take immense joy over having such a hold on this man. Hell, you could say his attention to your hands gave you a new appreciation for his, too.

"Such gorgeous hands," You cooed after leaving your husband's lips. You didn't break apart not even after his moving to the bedroom, having had stayed in a passionate lock the entire time. They finally separated with a loud smack. Moving to hold his hand in your own, you pressed it against your wet mouth, giving gentle pecks to the finely manicured fingers. "Such perfect nails,"

Without his knowing your unoccupied hand left from around his neck to undo the button of his pants. He had to suck in a short breath at the feeling of your hand wrapping around his sensitive member.

You didn't get to finish your sentence. Yoshikage was grinding your core onto his hardened cock leaving you moaning breathlessly. There was a scuffle between the two of you where Yoshikage worked off his designer pants and you did they same for yours. Your husband was left in all his glory beneath you, such a beautiful body with not a scratch on him. There was a tremble to his lips as he looked up at you, silently praising you as the goddess you were on his bare lap.

"Oh, my lovely husband~," You cooed to the man, fingers dancing over his chest, ghosting him with your nails and sending electricity down his spine. "Do you want me to use my hands on you?" It was such a silly question for the man but it was always good to ask. There was always the chance he wanted something new, and you were eager to please.

"Oh, my darling wife~" He all but whined back to you, holding your hands in a loving embrace between his own, feeling up the precious skin. "I'd love to have these beautiful hands wrapped around my throat, if you'd indulge me in such a vulgar act?"

Choking. That wasn't anything you've indulged in yet. It wasn't that you were worried, though it felt so foreign. Was he sure he trusted you with such an act?

"Your wish is my command, dear."

You shimmied out of your panties. After throwing them away to a new part of the room you sat back down on Yoshikage's stiff member. You grinded down on the hardened flesh a bit, enjoying the feeling of him just barely pressing against the parts of you that needed him most, before you finally let his cock sink into you.

You both silently praised the feeling of finally connecting. Once the original shock of it faded you began to bounce on him. Soft and slow, with your hands making a show of grabbing on to his left pec and his neck. Just the simple grab was enough to get his eyes rolling into his skull. A soft squeeze got him wheezing out groans for more. The hand not pressing your own harder into his neck was clawing at your hip, definitely leaving marks for later.

Yoshikage filled the quiet between you two with soft whimpers and moans. He looked like he was in heaven with simply having your nails digging into his skin. He was a simple man to please, but that didn't stop you from going overboard with his pleasure.

Bent down, so your face was level with his chest, you pressed soft kitten licks to the crescent scars on his pecs from where you've clawed him. Licks turned into pecks turned into kisses trailing up, until you were sucking at the skin behind his ear, a sweet spot you used against him time and time again.

His moans went higher in pitch. Now he was using both hands to ram you down on his dick. The way he pressed himself against your insides had your mind reeling. You were so close... But you had to wait.

Although... Thinking on it Kira probably wouldn't be against a hand job to help him finish. No, even so, you wanted him to come with you.

So you bounced on his hips harder. You squeezed his neck tighter with both hands holding onto him like it was the only thing keeping you up. You stopped your kisses to whisper sweet nothings into your husband's ear. Things that made him sigh, and cry, and almost scream your name if it wasn't for the hand blocking his breathing way.

"Yes, Yoshikage! Right there! Ah~, You love it when I use you like this, right? Like my own personal toy, with my hands around your throat?"

"Ghk–! Y-Yes!" He was in disarray with a dazed look in his deep blue eyes. With eyes rolled back and drool slipping from his lips, he was openly begging for air and not getting it. And yet he continued to push your hands deeper into his own neck.

He trusted up into you. You threw away words and simply began to sing to each other with soft cries for more. That familiar feeling of impending pleasure made itself known. It curled itself deep in your gut waiting to

explode. You let your husband know. You cried Yoshikage's name, warning him of your oncoming orgasm. You slammed down on to him at once just as he threw his hips onto you one last time, and you both erupted. With a final cry of your name Yoshikage let himself spill inside you unprotected, his shot leaving you feeling full and hot.

Exhaustion hit you like a bomb, you collapsed on top of your husband, gasping for air. Yoshikage wasn't much better after your hands left his throat. You could tell his neck was red and raw, but he looked happier than anything, still dazedly staring up into space.

You both stayed in comfortable silence while sticky heat grew between you two. Once it became unbearable you had to detach from your other half to your side of your shared bed. The blond still held your hand in a soft hold, massaging your sore fingers and palm while he stared at you in love. "Such a perfect wife I have," He whispered, almost like he was going to pass out. "I think we should try this again."

-----

Everyone always talks about what's the best Yoshikage, but it's so clearly obviously that

This. This is the best Yoshikage

So casual.... So pretty......I love..... This, plus D.C. Douglas' voice acting is *smooch* muy bien

Tbh I don't feel too good about this one Chief :( I really wanted to do something else but I was halfway through this and figured I was already taking long enough, sooooo

Maybe in the future someone else will request David Bowie, and then I'll be able to do him justice. And maybe then will be the day I can finally write for limb kinks properly lmao

Up next is the Weather Report!

#jojo no kimyou na bouken #jjba x reader #kira yoshikage x reader #yoshikage kira #hand kink #jojo smut #steamy writing

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ff-imagines · 4 years ago

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uhm this is embarrassing thing to request but,,,,,,, how bout u know,,,,,, nsfw alphabet/scenario/hcs with blobster. 👁️👄👁️. I'm sorry.

Boston lobster: nsfw alphabet

Minors dni xoxo

A - aftercare

Admittedly kinda sloppy, it doesn’t occur to him that he should probably check up on you till he’s like “oh shit humans need water” and he suddenly shoots up to grab some and come back to you lmao

If you explicitly ask you get no back talk from him, he just carries you where you need to be and makes sure you’re feeling alright.

Will be endlessly prideful if u say you can’t walk, express your soreness at your sanities risk bc he’ll bring it up for ages

B- body parts

Oh he’s got no shame to tell you he loves your ass and thighs. The type to walk by you and give you a tap on the ass while smirking to himself. Doesn't matter how much or how little you've got he’ll still ask at least once if he can fuck your thighs lmao

Does his height count? He loves how he towers over most humans and food souls alike, chances are he’s probably taller than you, and he really likes that. Sulks a bit if you’re actually taller than him lmao.

They aren’t his favourite part of him but I gotta talk about the antennae. They’re weirdly sensitive, pulling him makes him squeak, which ends with him chasing you or with him chasing you, take your pick. When he catches you he makes it his goal to find a weirdly sensitive part of your body and to tease that spot endlessly. Tickle fight ensues but it’s more like you’re suffering while he’s maniacally laughing above you.

C - cum

It’s thick as fuck and very salty, rip lmao

He likes to cum inside or on your thighs, look they’re very squishy and nice ok he can’t help it </3

He’s also obsessed with not only making you cum, but just… your cum. Amab or afab readers, he will delight in making you watch him swallow. Would also bring his hand up to make you taste yourself, grinning the whole damn way.

D - dirty secret

He’s really affected by scents. If you have a signature perfume or cologne you wear all the time it can make him unbearably horny, since the smell lingers on his sheets and on his clothes long after you’re gone.

E - experience

A fair amount, out of curiosity. Not too many times as he’s spent a lot of years in total isolation. His curiosity is a more recent development, he finds he likes the feeling but something is just missing from his hookups. Then he meets you and is like “ohhhh a relationship is what it was, damn.” Once he realizes that, and even a little bit before when he first starts noticing his internal unease, the hookups stop so he can figure out how to swallow his pride and try and ask a human out lmao

F - favorite position

He loves doggy style because it’s just so so easy to control you that way. He loves to pull you back by your arms, spearing inside you at a punishing pace.

He also would love if you were flexible enough to push into a mating press, getting right next to your ear, whispering about how close he is.

G - goofy

Surprisingly, yea! He’s actually pretty good at making fun of himself, he just doesn’t do it often and doesn’t like it when someone he’s not close to does it. He gives little teases here and there, it eases tension quite a lot.

H- hair

He doesn’t shave for shit lmao. Intense happy trail, intense amount of body hair over all, he actually prefers it that way.

He keeps the same energy with your body hair and will come out and tell you he kinda likes it if you don’t shave. Ultimately he doesn’t think on it too hard, it doesn’t bother him in the end, whatever you want, he wants too!

I- intimacy

He’s not so good at being truly intimate, it’s just not something he’s used to being. If you ever, by some miracle, convince him to let you top him, he’s actually a lot softer and it’s easier to let his feelings speak for him. He also discovers he likes getting dommed a lot but he won’t tell you that lmao

J- jerk off

Not too often, he’s either super busy or he could just find you and solve the problem in an even more satisfying way.

If he ever can’t, expect him to grab one of your shirts to press to his nose as he fists his cock, the feeling of being surrounded by you is enough to help him finish when he desperately needs it.

K- Kinks

Well, the scent thing ofc.

He’s really into risky sex, a true exhibitionist. He’s hot, you’re hot, who wouldn’t want to see you both put on a show? If it gets it into their heads that no matter how bad they want you, you belong to him, your place is right here, getting split apart on his cock, he’ll make sure the message gets across.

Huge breeding kink. Hates the idea of kids but really likes the idea of claiming your insides. He’d love to push you into the mattress and release as deep as he can go.

He’s into humiliation as well, let him tease you while calling you his sweet little whore, he'll make it worth your while.

He’d love if you let him tie you up, he’d probably get into doing fancy designs that accentuates your body in the best way. A pretty rope to tie up and dick down a pretty s/o.

Also I can’t look at his skin where he’s got that suit on and not know he’s got a daddy kink, I just can’t. He doesn’t care for anything other than the title, it’s more about power than anything else. Call him daddy in public and watch how fast you get taken to a more private area. Or, maybe a less than private area, if you’d let him.

He’s got a thing for size difference as well, he loves to loom over you, even if he isn’t actually bigger than you.

L- location

Anywhere, anytime. He’s a prideful bastard, he’ll show off his ability to get you drunk off his cock any way he can. Not only isn’t there a spot in your house he hasn’t fucked you on, there probably isn’t a place on your street either.

M- motivation

What really gets him going is seeing you when you're at your most confident. If you come to him beaming about winning an award, wearing an outfit you feel great in, even if you just say something cocky, it just makes him so proud and eager to share that confidence with you. He doesn’t want to break you down, he wants to prop you up! Tell him about how good you feel, he’ll make you feel even better <3

N- no

As much as he likes to show you off, he doesn’t actually like the thought of a third party joining in. He might be swayed if it’s someone he really trusts. He also doesn't like receiving humiliation, he’s much too prideful lmao

O- oral

Please suck him off, he’ll be kinda rough with you but he’ll be nicer if you ask. He prefers to be mean though lmao. He likes ordering you around on what to do when you’ve got his dick in your mouth, his words get more incoherent the closer he is, though.

He’s just as eager to give you head too, he treats you like a whole 7 course meal. He loves biting around your thighs before ever touching where you're desperate for him to.

P- pace

Oh he’s punishingly hard. Loves to have a fast steady pace then stop as deep as he can and roll his hips a bit to make sure you feel just how deep his dick is inside you.

There are rare days when he’s feeling soft, those days he’s slow and methodical, gripping into your hips to make sure you can’t wiggle to increase your own pleasure, he wants you to savour the high he gives you.

Q- quickies

Well, why not! So what if you’re in an alleyway near a busy street, and anyone can walk by and see you getting pounded? You’re feeling heated aren’t you? Don't kid yourself, just turn around and let him take care of you.

R- risk

He lives for it. If you’d let him he’d bounce you on his cock in a plainly public place, like a subway car.

It’s a big fantasy of his for someone who absolutely pines for you to flirt just a little too hard, you coming to him and letting him fuck your right in front of them. It fuels his pride beyond belief to show you off.

S- stamina

His refractory time is fairly low. Even if he...can? doesn't really mean he wants to. He prefers either one drawn out, long round where you’ve both been edged to the point of desperation, or a few quick rounds throughout the day.

T- toys

At first they kinda hurt his pride but then he’s like “wait I can strap them on a vibrator and just sit back and watch” and then he’s totally on board lmao.

Forcing you to sit on a chair with a vibrator he had the remote to, keeping you on the edge and smirking while you beg and snivel, having no actual plans to give into your pleading.

U- unfair

Oh fuck yea, strap in babes.

He loves loves to edge the fuck out of you, he’d drag it out for hours if you’d let him. Even better if he can tie you down so you can’t squirm away from what he’s giving you.

Overstimulation is just as exciting to him, but he actually loves it more on himself. Sometimes he’ll overstimulate himself on purpose by still continuing to buck into you even after he’s already cum, determined to chase a second high no matter how painful it feels.

V- volume

Loud groans, and he won’t stop talking. Loves to ask you questions when you’re clearly way too blissed out to answer in any sort of coherent way.

He gets a lot louder near his release, he loves to bite into your shoulder to try and muffle himself. If he decides to be bold and let you hear him, he grabs your jaw and brings his face right next to your ear. What a show off.

W- wild card

He kidnaps small items that remind him of you, not just things that smell like you. That one earring you always wear, a glove, a necklace, picks flowers that remind him of you for whatever reason, he might even go out of his way to buy things that remind him of you, keep them to himself for a while, then give it to you when he’s sure it smells enough like him. He gives your stuff back… eventually.

X- X Ray

Oh please… he spits, sweats, and bleeds big dick energy. I refuse to believe his dick isn’t big enough to make you nervous. Would have you sit on his lap and track a finger up your stomach to measure how deep his cock can go.

Y- yearning

He’s pretty likely to mold to your sexual drive. However often you need him, he’s at your beck and call. He likes to keep it closer to 2-3 times a week if he can.

Z- zzz

He doesn’t sleep all that easily at all, but it gets a little easier when he’s got you in his arms. Prefers to be big spoon, and as much as he hates getting overheated, he just can’t will himself to let go of you. It’s ironically one of the most peaceful sleeps he’s ever had.

#food fantasy #food fantasy x reader #ff boston lobster #ff boston lobster x reader

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rivalsforlife · 5 years ago

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i'm holding myself back from asking commentary on almost every scene from the catch up game bc i love so much how you wrote phoenix in that fic!! that said, could u do commentary on the last 2 scenes from the first chapter (party + gumshoe), if that's not too long or on parts of it if it's too much?

Sure thing!! The scenes on their own are already over 2000 words so I’ll put them under a keep reading for everyone’s peace of mind.

Alright let’s start then...

The bachelor party was beyond Phoenix’s expectations. He’d been expecting Edgeworth to be much stingier with the spending, considering his general attitude towards Gumshoe’s salary. But he’d agreed to rent the bar out and pay for one drink for everyone, plus transportation home for those who couldn’t do it themselves. Phoenix… was surprised, actually. He’d known for a long time now that Edgeworth appreciated Gumshoe much more than he let anyone know about, but it was still surprising to see in action.

this paragraph brought to you by My AAI2 Feelings, particularly the parts where Gumshoe really does come through in the investigations, so much that Miles actually gives him a salary raise at the end... it did a great job developing their friendship, I loved it a lot.

(Also I headcanon that after aai2 but possibly before that... every “I’m going to cut your salary!!” that Miles says does not actually result in a salary cut. poor gumshoe can barely feed himself as it is. but Miles can’t be, like... Nice about it so he’s just going to pretend. Gumshoe understands. it’s like an inside joke now.)

And honestly figuring out this whole party scene was such a pain. I still feel like it could be better but I’m not sure how? I just had the goal of “get someone to let it slip that Miles is in love with Phoenix” but then there was the issue of a) who knew Miles well enough to know this, and b) who knew Phoenix well enough to talk about it, and c) what circumstances would let them slip up and say it. The answer was Gumshoe because he can’t resist leaking information to the defense... even when it’s information about his boss’s personal life. oops.

Athena dropped by for a movie night, since Pearls was too young to attend. Phoenix wasn’t worried about them; he was sure they wouldn’t get into any more trouble than he and Maya could at the party.

OOF AWKWARD PARAGRAPH this is a remnant from when I shifted a lot of scenes around in this chapter. I thought it would be cute if Athena and Pearl were friends. And I think there was more to this but then it was distracting from the overall topic so I cut it out... resulting in this.

“Pals!” a familiar voice boomed at the entrance to the bar, and Phoenix soon found himself and Maya swept up in a bone-crushing hug. “I’m so glad you both could make it!”

“Gumshoe!” Maya returned the hug enthusiastically. “It’s been forever, man!”

“Sure has!” Gumshoe released them, allowing Phoenix the opportunity to wheeze and clutch at his ribs, while Gumshoe ruffled Maya’s hair. “Been keeping yourself out of trouble?”

“You know it!”

“Uh, I had several sleepless nights last year suggesting otherwise,” said Phoenix.

“Shut it, Nick.” Maya elbowed him, not helping with the situation with his ribs, and beamed.

a little bit of banter that really just serves as a transition thing. most of the party is actually both “transition scene to indicate that the party did, in fact, happen before I get to the important stuff” and “introduce some important character stuff while I have time to fill”.

and of course these sleepless nights are in reference to pretty much the whole plot of SOJ...

One last note that I think Gumshoe probably gives great hugs, if you can survive your ribs potentially being crushed in the process. he doesn’t mean anything by it. he’s big and strong and likes hugs so much he forgets how big and strong he is.

... ps I love Gumshoe

“But congrats, Gumshoe! Seems like just last decade Nick and I were wandering around trying to pass your lunches over to Maggey.”

“God, it’s been that long, hasn’t it?” Phoenix reminisced. It was odd, thinking back on cases he took before he was disbarred, before he became a father to a daughter who wasn’t even with him today.

Gumshoe chuckled. “Guess so, pals. You two’ve really been there since the beginning, huh? Maggey and I wouldn’t be here today without you.”

Phoenix smiled. “Aww, Gumshoe…”

“And that’s why I get to be maid of honor, huh?” asked Maya with a sly grin.

“Maid of honor?!” Phoenix looked to Gumshoe, who didn’t object, before rounding back on his best friend. “You didn’t tell me that!”

“You didn’t ask!” Maya sighed. “If it weren’t for me eating Gumshoe’s beloved bento box in front of Maggey, who knows if we’d be here today?”

“I don’t think that was a deciding factor at any point…”

Gumshoe clapped Phoenix on the shoulder. “Sorry, pal. Would’ve made you the best man, but, y’know… Mr. Edgeworth.”

“Yeah, of course, no hard feelings, pal.”

“What’d I tell you about stealing my trademark, huh, pal?” Gumshoe laughed before stepping back into the bar. “C’mon in, you two.”

REALLY just more awkward transition scenes haha. Maya is the maid of honor in this fic mostly because I went to Maggey’s profile page and she was the only woman listed under the “friends” list... and we don’t know much about Maggey’s personal life. plus more “Miles and Gumshoe friendship” agenda pushing in here!

There were more people there than Phoenix was expecting, and many of them he hadn’t met. Edgeworth had mentioned that he would let Gumshoe select the guest list, but he’d kind of expected this to be people the two of them knew. Or, at least, that Phoenix knew — Edgeworth seemed to recognize more, which was rare, and was currently speaking with someone Phoenix vaguely recognized as an Interpol agent he’d worked with on a few cases back when Phoenix would help him out in Europe.

Ema ran up to them and made small talk before she and Maya got caught up in discussion about some show Phoenix had never heard of, so he wandered off to find someone else to talk with.

And there was… no one, really. Gumshoe and Edgeworth were talking with strangers, and Phoenix didn’t want to butt in on that conversation — he thought he saw Larry lurking about but couldn’t find him right now — and anyone else Phoenix recognized he either hadn’t talked to in years or was sure didn’t recognize him.

Phoenix hadn’t realized just how much his disbarment affected him, in these little ways. He looked out over the crowd of people Gumshoe or Edgeworth spoke to and had no idea who they were. It had been eight years out of touch with the rest of the legal world — eight years to fall behind.

It was… oddly lonely. Eventually it was just Phoenix standing there at the bar with a glass of grape juice in his hand. He was beginning to wish he’d ordered some more euphemistic “grape juice” instead.

You know that feeling when you go to a party and your one (1) friend leaves you and then you have no one to talk to and don’t know what to do -- maybe? That’s kind of the thing. slight Lang cameo in there.

ORIGINALLY Ema and Maya were going to talk about Lana and Mia and kind of hint at some Lanamia stuff in there, but then I thought about it and really why would Phoenix pass up an opportunity to gossip about his boss’s past relationships.

And this also tries to kind of go for one of the general... “themes” of the fic? More of an exploration into Phoenix’s loneliness/how he copes with not having people around him. RFTA and JFA in particular kind of really entrenched that he Does Not Do Well without people to take care of -- which comes up a lot during this fic. And part of getting to explore those issues is essentially me trying to make Phoenix as alone as possible. ... sorry Phoenix!

Also in here is a lot of “disbarment should have messed up Phoenix more than DD and SOJ would lead you to believe” -- he essentially spent seven years completely disgraced, it’s unlikely he made a lot of notable legal connections, aside from maybe Miles and Miles’ social circle. He probably missed out on a lot.

The last paragraph there is just referencing the “grape juice” thing - I do believe it is literal grape juice and not an alcohol euphemism, and I believe it was also literal grape juice in the original, so that’s what it ends up being.

“Hey, Niiiick…”

… But Phoenix supposed that just when you’re feeling down, the Butz arrives to drag you down further. “Hey there, Larry.”

Larry slumped against the bar beside him with a sigh, a glass of what definitely wasn’t grape juice in his hand. “Y’know Franzy didn’t even show up to this?”

“I’m not surprised. Being whipped half to death during your own bachelor party isn’t anyone’s idea of a good time, y’know?” In truth, he knew Franziska couldn’t make it down until just a few days before the wedding because of work — or so Edgeworth had told him — though he couldn’t help but wonder if Gumshoe was grateful for it.

Larry muttered something under his breath that sounded like it might’ve been contradicting Phoenix’s last statement, which Phoenix decided he was certainly not going to press further on, before Larry cleared his throat and continued. “But why’re you out here by yourself, Nick? Maya ditched you?”

“No, not at all,” Phoenix lied. “Just… taking in the scenery.”

“... Huh. Never took you for the wallflower type.” Larry frowned. “I mean, we did use to spend school dances in the corner by ourselves… guess some things never change.”

“Please don’t remind me of middle school ever again.”

“I’ll drink to that,” said Larry, who then did. “But I get it, dude. I was kinda hoping for some more excitement here… more ladies…”

“Don’t worry Larry, I’m sure you’ll find someone else to pester tonight,” Phoenix commented dryly.

... enter Larry Butz.

I really did try to explore the relationships of all the important people in Phoenix’s life... Larry though is so insufferable in canon I didn’t really have the heart to fit him in, so he falls out. (Apollo also doesn’t show up much, aside from the bit in chapter 5, that’s because he’s in a different country and I couldn’t come up with much of a role for him.)

And I also do believe that Larry and Phoenix were super unpopular in school. Larry was... Larry, and Phoenix was probably very sensitive up until the Dahlia Incident, and together they had enough unlikable traits that anyone who could spend time with one wouldn’t want to hang out with the other, but the two of them were loyal to each other. It’s my headcanon that Phoenix’s only real close friends throughout his childhood were Larry and Miles, which is part of why he got so attached to Miles to change his career for him.

“Yeah.” Larry’s eyes scanned the crowd before landing on a woman with dark hair in a high ponytail, and his face brightened. Phoenix cringed preemptively.

“Little miss Kay!” Larry called out, as the woman looked their way. “Looking as cute as ever! And more grown up, too…”

Phoenix tensed, suddenly feeling the wrath of hell creeping up behind them.

“Larry Butz,” a deadly voice boomed, “if you go anywhere near her, I will sue you for everything you are worth, little though it may be.”

Larry jumped and spilled half his drink over his jacket. “Geez, Edgey,” he grumbled, scuttling off to find a napkin. Phoenix, hoping it was safe now with the target gone, turned back around to meet the glare of his other childhood friend. “Hey, Edgeworth.”

Larry being gross but more importantly: me pushing the Dadworth agenda!

“You didn’t have to do that, Mr. Edgeworth,” said the woman with a laugh. “I’m an adult. I know how to effectively break someone’s kneecaps if they bug me.”

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. “Though I don’t necessarily disapprove, do we need to talk about avoiding criminal records again, young lady?”

“Sheesh, you’re still treating me like a kid,” she huffed, before noticing Phoenix and extending a hand. “Sorry about that! Kay Faraday. I’m Mr. Edgeworth’s assistant.”

Edgeworth gave an exasperated sigh, though Phoenix could detect a note of fondness to it. “You haven’t been my assistant for over ten years, Kay.”

“So you finally admit I was your assistant at some point!”

“Ngrk…”

Phoenix laughed and took her hand. “Pleased to meet you. I’m Phoenix Wright, attorney at law.”

Kay grinned. “Oh, I know! Gummy debriefed me on you, Mr. That Man.”

“Kay,” Edgeworth warned.

“Plus I kept up with the news,” Kay continued, before Phoenix could say anything. “I’m a big fan of your work! Anyone who can take Mr. High-and-Mighty over there down a notch or two is a hero in my book.”

“Ha, I appreciate that.” Usually the first thing people said to Phoenix after saying they saw him on the news was much more negative.

I really still can’t believe Kay would be 27 here. that’s just so weird. she’s permanently seventeen in my mind. --- said by miles, probably

Even though this was supposed to be a fic about Phoenix’s important canon relationships Kay just wormed her way in here. I love her so I didn’t make any particular effort to take her out of this. Plus it gives me the opportunity to write my favourite things: Dadworth, and also Kay bullying Miles.

And yeah the part about people seeing Phoenix on the news is a reference to disbarment... can’t imagine anyone would have had anything particularly nice to say to him, especially those first few years.

“Kay has been assisting some of the prosecutors and myself through some tricky crime scenes lately,” Edgeworth informed him.

“Technically I’m a P.I., but Mr. Edgeworth said they’re really short-staffed these days, so I thought I’d lend him a hand,” Kay elaborated.

“Oh, so I might be running into you at the crime scene someday.”

“Probably!” She grinned. “Though I’m not gonna go easy on you just ‘cause Mr. Edgeworth likes you.”

“Kay.”

“Oh is that Ema over there?” Kay said loudly. “I’ve gotta run, see you around!”

She dashed off. Edgeworth sighed.

At first I made Kay just a straightforward detective, but I changed it pretty last minute. I feel like she’d want to do her own thing, plus this way she can assist from the outside when dealing with Dark Age of the Law Corruption-type stuff. Miles hires her because canon says he was left pretty short-staffed in SOJ. I’m not... totally sure what the laws are regarding private investigators working with police, but this is a fictional universe with fictional laws so I will do what I want.

Aside from that... more Kay making fun of Miles.

“She seems energetic,” Phoenix commented.

“Indeed she is.”

“... Why did she call me ‘Mr. That Man’?”

Edgeworth coughed. “I’ve not the slightest idea,” he said, turning his head to the side. “That aside, this whole affair is going much smoother than I expected, aside from that slight mishap.”

“Yeah, murder’s not really the best way to kick off a bachelor party, huh? Even if it is Larry. But I think we did alright.”

“Indeed.”

As if on cue, a loud cheer rose up from the crowd at the far corner of the bar.

“... Do you smell something?” Phoenix asked, and true to form, the swaying form of Larry crawled on top of a table.

People making fun of That Man is one of my favourite tropes regarding the AAI characters.

I don’t actually know how bachelor parties work, but if anyone can make them into an overly dramatized super wild party... it’s Larry.

Edgeworth groaned and began to storm off, but Phoenix grabbed him by the hand to hold him back. “Edgeworth, it’s a party, let them have their fun.”

“I… suppose so,” Edgeworth relented, but his hand was still tense in Phoenix’s.

Phoenix released him. “C’mon, we can chaperone from a safe distance.”

Edgeworth nodded wordlessly, but Phoenix could sense that same feeling of unease from him again. He opened his mouth to ask about it but a loud shout took up his attention — this was something that could be dealt with later, he thought, as he and Edgeworth rushed over to the scene.

Miles internal monologue: Wright is holding my hand. Wright is holding my hand. Wright is holding my hand writgh is holding my hand wright is holdin g my ha--

Phoenix: uh. edgeworth?

So in this fic... Miles is gradually working up the courage to confess to Phoenix. He finally worked out his own feelings at some point prior to this fic starting but can’t quite admit them yet, so every time Phoenix does anything that can be remotely construed as romantic he just goes “!!!” and it’s probably all he can think about for a week. Poor guy! I’m sure that when he finally confesses all will be well.

Hours later, as the party wound down and various taxis came to take people home, Phoenix found himself crowded in a booth with a tipsy Maya and a drunk, gushing Gumshoe.

“... and I know she’s gonna just be so beautiful, pals, and what if it’s too much?” Gumshoe asked, lying sideways against the table. “What if they don’t let me see her and then the day of the wedding I look’t her and… I die?”

“People have gotten married without dying, Gumshoe,” Phoenix consoled him.

“But they don’t marry Maggey, pal…”

Maya snorted. “With her luck, I wouldn’t be surprised if something like that happened.”

“Hey, don’t tell him that!” Phoenix hissed.

really this wedding should have had way more disaster than I wrote about... probably at least one murder.

“No, no, don’t mention her luck, she’s already so worried,” said Gumshoe. “We’ve checked off every good-luck wedding charm in th’ book… but she still thinks somethin’s gonna go wrong. I love her, I really, really love her, pals…” A far off look crossed his face, and Phoenix wondered if anyone would ever speak of him like that, “... but she worries so much…”

“What’s she worried about?” Maya asked, slumping over against Phoenix’s shoulder.

“Ceremony, reception, if people’re gonna show up, if we’re gonna lose somethin’ important… even ‘s far as the bouquet toss. I told her, if you’re not sure, just toss it in th’ direction of you,” he pointed at Phoenix, “or at Mr. Edgeworth, and maybe it’ll work.”

Phoenix frowned. “Why me?”

Gumshoe let out a burst of hearty laughter. “I’m thinkin’ if you or Mr. Edgeworth catches it, it’ll give ‘im the courage to finally ask you out, pal.”

Maya shot straight up. Phoenix froze. “... What?”

probably not the smoothest way to get to the entire reason why this bachelor party exists, BUT.

Also it’s implied that Miles DID actually talk to Gumshoe about this at some point. probably Gumshoe caught him pining at a bad time haha.

“Y’know the old tradition, whoever catches it is the next to get married and all…” Gumshoe stared at them for a moment, before his eyes widened and a look of absolute horror crossed his face. “O-Oh! Crap! Pal!”

“Edgeworth wants to ask Nick out?!” Maya shrieked.

“FINALLY! IT’S ABOUT FREAKING TIME!”

originally Gumshoe used a much stronger word than “crap” but idk Gummy doesn’t seem like the type to curse much...? Maybe it’s a stretch haha. also “pal” as an exclamation is my favourite little Gumshoe speech tic

“Shh, shh!” Gumshoe reached over to clamp a hand over her mouth but fell, collapsing on the table. “You heard nothin’ from me, pals, got it? Mr. Edgeworth’s gonna kill me if he finds out… worse, stop funding the wedding…”

Death is one thing but the WEDDING...

And I can’t remember if I mentioned at any point that Miles was also funding the wedding haha but it’s probably also something he wouldn’t want to tell anyone. Gumshoe with his perpetually terrible salary (which is also Miles’ fault) plus Maggey with her inability to hold down a job before being fired in a murder-related incident probably means they don’t have a lot for a nice wedding so Miles offered. secretly and evasively. because he’s a nice person but also doesn’t want anyone to know that.

Maya stared at Phoenix, her mouth agape, as Gumshoe continued mumbling to himself under his breath about the various consequences of Edgeworth’s hypothetical wrath. Phoenix, meanwhile, felt like his brain had short-circuited.

That wasn’t possible. He must have heard Gumshoe wrong. Edgeworth didn’t think of him that way. Edgeworth didn’t think about anyone that way, Phoenix had thought, for the longest time.

Little do you know, Phoenix!

Touching on the aroace Miles headcanon here because it’s a very valid interpretation of his actions even if it’s not my own...

… Even if Edgeworth had been acting strange lately, even if something in his expression softened when he looked at Phoenix, even if…

No. Phoenix quickly shoved that thought to the back of his mind. There were many things he knew about Edgeworth, and one of those was that Edgeworth saw him as a part-time friend and part-time annoyance, but never a romantic interest of any kind. The thought of it was just… just unbelievable.

Phoenix craned his head around, catching sight of a familiar pink jacket across the room and watched Edgeworth in the middle of some phone call. He would know if Edgeworth was interested in him that way… wouldn’t he?

At first “the back of his mind” was “the overflowing mental trunk of repression” but that seemed a little too on the nose. Just know that’s essentially what he’s doing.

Another thing I wanted to establish throughout the fic was how close Phoenix and Miles are now -- they essentially know each other really well. And thinking about that part in Turnabout Goodbyes where Phoenix declares that “I’m the only one who knows the real Edgeworth”, I kind of interpreted that Phoenix Knowing Things About Edgeworth is an important part of their relationship to him. And the occasions where Miles did surprise him (with some aspect of his personality) weren’t always very good things... realizing he’d turned into a “demon prosecutor”, then the “choosing death” part... it’s a lot of my headcanons running away from me haha. Basically in this fic, Phoenix thinks he knows Edgeworth so well because he’s so close with him so an indication that there’s something about Edgeworth he doesn’t know or has completely wrong kind of... connects to him /not/ being as close to Edgeworth as he thinks he is? Maybe? And being close to him is something very important to Phoenix.

(This is not my personal opinion though haha, people can and will surprise you no matter how well you know them... but this fic is Phoenix’s Relationship Issues: The Fic, so.)

And no one else has mentioned the scenes where it comes up yet so I’ll talk about it here -- a lot of my editing process involved going through the fic and cutting out every instance of Phoenix either talking about him hypothetically being in love with Miles, or of Miles being in love with him. I just ctrl+f “love” and cut out whatever fit the criteria. Phoenix’s interpretation of Miles’ actions up until the end of chapter 5 isn’t exactly that Miles is Capital-L In Love with him, more that it’s like... a little crush? Mayyybe some physical attraction. Misconstrued admiration. Not anything so severe that Miles would willingly initiate a conversation about Feelings. so “He would know if Edgeworth was in love with him” changed to “He would know if Edgeworth was interested in him that way” because part of Phoenix’s issue here is that he can’t actually directly acknowledge the possibility that he’s in love with Miles or that Miles is in love with him. It’s a whole complicated thing I’ll probably talk about in the next commentary I do?

This got long but there’s the end of the chapter! I’ll answer more later...? These take up a lot of time haha.

#dvd commentary meme #the catch-up game #asks

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earlgreytea68 · 7 years ago

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Maybe it's bc I'm from a country whose gov wiretapped innocent people they saw as their enemies but I can't believe people PAY MONEY to get spied on so they what? Don't have to press a button?! I'm not angry or anything just absolutely baffled at how many people ACTIVELY choose this dystopian nightmare shit. Things are bad enough already so I just wonder how both those things (anger about fb&owning alexa) fit together. Not attacking you, just genuinely wondering about the thought process (1/2)

Valid question! Here’s my thought process:

First, the Facebook thing is actually less about the collection and sale of my data than...a really, really long tortured relationship with Facebook that needs to end now. Not that I agree with the collection and sale of my data! Because I don’t! But you should know my long history, because I think it explains my thought process.

I registered for Facebook early, when you still had to have an edu email address. I thought I had it locked down, private, friends-only. Then, a few years later, my boss walks into my office and closes my door and gives me a talking-to about “inappropriate Facebook posts.” To be clear, I was never a person, like, posting topless photos on Facebook or something, nor was I complaining about my boss really. It was more like, “Ugh, I have to work all weekend, sorry I can’t go to this party!” And she was like, “THAT IS PRIVILEGED INFORMATION THAT YOU WORKED ALL WEEKEND.” And I was like, ...how are you even seeing my Facebook, you’re not my friend? So (a) I was spooked, because when your boss yells at you because of Facebook, it’s terrifying, and (b) I was completely bewildered that she could even see my Facebook. Upon investigation, it turned out that at the time (and this was a decade ago), if you put down where you work, EVERYONE who also put that place down could see your Facebook, even if they weren’t your friend and your Facebook was friends-only. (I think Facebook has changed that policy now.)

So, terrified, I deleted my Facebook. But this was back when not having a Facebook caused this whole public outcry thing and my friends freaked out and so I gave in and re-started a Facebook, posting very little because I was terrified. But I still used it. Until I got depressed and started therapy. My therapist told me to keep a stress journal, where I wrote down whenever I felt a spike of stress, and going on Facebook consistently showed up in the journal as a source of stress. So, upon my therapist’s suggestion, I stopped going on Facebook. I still kept it instead of deleting it because I didn’t want people to freak out the way they did the first time, but I stopped using it.

Fast-forward many years, and in January of this year, I tried to open a Facebook for the psuedonym I use for novels. Facebook immediately flagged me as suspicious and asked me to prove I was me by uploading a photo. And I was kind of like, ....Why do you need my photo? What’s that going to prove? All I can assume is that, of course, they have a database of what we all look like. How they know I’m not just grabbing a random photo of the person I’m trying to impersonate off the internet is another question entirely. But I was like, Fine, whatever, I don’t feel like fighting with you, Facebook, so I gave up on having a pseudonym page.

And then I started thinking: Why did I still have a Facebook? I never go on Facebook. All the stuff had happened with the election, so it wasn’t like people would freak out anymore if I deleted it, they’d totally get it. And I kind of no longer wanted to give Facebook bragging rights about how many users it has by counting me when I don’t actually use it. And Zuckerberg’s attitude seemed to be that if you didn’t like Facebook, you shouldn’t use Facebook. I COMPLETELY disagree with this sentiment on his part because I think it completely ignores how many people can’t opt out of Facebook at this point, but luckily, I can opt out of Facebook.

...Or so I thought.

Except that I requested deletion of my Facebook, and they confirmed deletion and said I was scheduled for deletion within two weeks, and then...just never deleted my Facebook. Which I only know because they keep sending me emails about me being tagged and people sending me messages (even though I also keep requesting to be unsubscribed from those emails). (And also my friends still on Facebook confirm for me that I’m still on there.) I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to get in touch with Facebook but...you can’t. It’s impossible. Try not being on Facebook and finding ANY contact information for Facebook other than a paper mailing address. If you find the contact info, please let me know!!! They have zero available email addresses, they don’t respond to their Twitter, and the phone number that circulates online is a dangerous scam stealing your social security numbers (which Facebook knows and warns you about but still doesn’t provide you with any way to contact them).

So my anger with Facebook isn’t just about gathering and selling my data, it’s the culmination of years of mistrust and knowing it’s not healthy for me in general and then BEING DENIED MY RIGHT TO DELETE IT AND BEING RENDERED COMPLETELY POWERLESS. Like, the longer this has gone on, and the longer I have realized that there is literally nothing I can do to get Facebook to delete my account, the angrier and angrier I have gotten.

So. That’s Facebook. As for the Alexa, well. You’re right. It sits in my house and is probably recording everything that happens in the house. Which is...basically nothing. I’m only home a few waking hours a day because I work full-time. I travel most weekends, so I’m not there on the weekends. I live alone, so I don’t talk much in my house. I have people over maybe two or three times a year, and then I can unplug the Alexa and stick it out in the garage and I feel relatively okay about that???? I might be kidding myself there, but, if worse comes to worst, I can throw the Alexa out entirely, and I think I’m okay. So I feel mostly in control of Alexa and its eavesdropping on me.

I worry more about the fact that I’m supporting Amazon in the first place, since I disagree with most of Amazon’s policies. I feel really guilty about that and do want to extract myself from the Amazon dependency I developed. My only shopping option in my town was Wal-Mart, and at the time when I moved there a few years ago I thought it was better to support Amazon than Wal-Mart. Now I’m not so sure about that (although I guess the lesson I’ve been learning is that there is no company I really want to give my money to).

I also worry more about the fact that I have a smartphone than an Alexa. I was very, very late to adopt a smartphone--years and years after everyone else had them--because I was very wary of them. I’m used to them now, but I don’t like how much information the smartphone has on me. I’ve given up a little bit, because I just...did. But the information the Alexa has is tiny compared to how much my phone has. And we all know that we have our suspicions that the phones are listening to us the whole time. And I *do* talk on the phone. I don’t talk much in my house, but my phone is the device I use to talk on (I talk a lot while walking around the neighborhood, waiting between classes at work, etc.). So the phone is getting every conversation I have, not the Alexa.

All that said: I don’t know that I can completely disconnect now. I shouldn’t have a smartphone, or a Twitter, or a Tumblr, but I decided that at a certain point what I’m really going to strive to do is be conscious about this technology and work to shape it in better ways. Is this naive and idealistic of me? Yes. Undoubtedly. I have nothing I can say to defend myself on that point. I absolutely should just unplug...but that’s difficult to do, and I do feel like (as the EU is trying here) there are ways to make this technology less dangerous.

Anyway. That’s my thought process. I think we all make the decisions we feel fit what we’ve considered. I don’t care much for Facebook, so it’s easy for me to disconnect (well, it would be if Facebook would let me, which is part of my major Facebook problem). I find Alexa useful and because I don’t do much around it and it’s connected to less stuff than my cell phone to begin with, it doesn’t bother me as much, and I feel like I can change my mind and get rid of it fairly easily. Of course, I could be wrong about that. I always thought I could delete my Facebook at any time, too.

Everyone might get done reading this and think, Wow, EGT is an absurd human being who makes zero sense. That is a completely true statement.

#long post #Anonymous

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livingwithashipname-blog · 8 years ago

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i used to love scorpion but it's become mediocre since the second half of season 2 bc all they've done is bait waige. tbh, it's not a good ship and maybe i'm biased bc i've headcanoned walter as aromantic (which would've worked much better in terms of his character since the show seems to be telling ppl with higher IQ that to find a place they belong they have to develop EQ to "evolve" when as a society, we should be accepting them and not making them fit in with us)

No offense anon, but… Is there a question in this? It’s unclear exactly what you’d like to discuss or know from me. But I chose to take my time with this response in order to open a discussion within the fandom. This isn’t a rant. Lol!

I disagree with the notion that the show is telling its audience that high IQ, low EQ individuals have to develop EQ to evolve or fit into society. This insinuates that the geniuses sacrifice their intellect in order to become less socially inept. This is simply not the case. One of the show’s core messages is to communicate the benefits of emotional intelligence in relation to one’s goals to share that intellect with the masses - learning to adapt without sacrificing identity. The message is continuously addressed with Walter O’Brien because he is the genius with the lowest EQ, the creator of Scorpion, and uses his business as a hub for like-minded individuals with various skill sets.

What makes us different from animals as humans is cognition - the ability to reflect on our thoughts and experiences and act on them to change ourselves and our environments. Walter is not efficient at processing emotion to label it properly, meaning that he can not identify behaviors to which he can not relate. This does not mean he can not emote, but the amount of EQ he gains over time is learned. It does not derive from within. The same is true of the other geniuses to a lesser extent. (Elyes Gabel talked about this at the cast’s first SDCC appearance - Walter has an emotional vault that he struggles to access.) Furthermore, Walter’s environment contributes to how well he can regulate his emotions. In the show, Walter’s intelligence was fostered as a child through his work for the government. But his emotional development was only fostered through Megan because she accepted him for his differences unlike his parents. This is why he was so protective of her medical care and fought hard on an intellectual level to save her. Since Walter’s emotional development is an arc for the entire series, his character will be written to show his successes and failures in various aspects of his life in relation to his life goals.

As far as attraction is concerned, Walter could be written as aromantic in relation to his genius. This would have been a great and intriguing development. But various moments in the show suggest that Walter, at the least, is romantically attracted to women for now. Therefore, his emotional intelligence will also have an impact on any romantic relationship he seeks to have given the show’s premise. If you’ll indulge me, allow me to explain using recent scenarios from the show, present the conundrum that lies within fandom, and how that conundrum is capitalized in order to “bait” fans on Waige under the cut. It’s long, so don’t say I didn’t warn ya! 😜

Examples from Canon

In episode 2.22 Hard Knox, the team mobilized to help Ralph win his court battle. Ralph tried to explain his program’s functions to Walter, but he couldn’t understand Ralph’s approach. Sadly, Walter projected his frustration over a problem he couldn’t solve in that moment onto Ralph. This led to Ralph walking away feeling defeated and Paige threatening to quit. When he realized the mistake in his behavior, he approached Ralph and said this, “what upset me is that you were willing to slow down for me to-to let me go down the wrong road, when that would’ve hindered you, because I couldn’t grasp your work. Never hobble your intelligence for anyone… because if you do that in this garage, imagine what you’ll have to do out there… for humans. The world needs to catch up to you… because if-if it can, just a little, imagine what a… a beautiful place it could be.” This example is unique because it reinforces the show’s core message in IQ vs. EQ on the basis of intelligence, not emotion.

In 3.15 Sharknerdo, Walter argued with the client over the way he stated the service fee instead of accepting the fact that the client was not interested in learning the correct way to communicate $109,000. This cost the team their job and dismantled the weeks of work Paige did to secure that contract. Paige was rightfully frustrated because Walter couldn’t get like Elsa and let it go. 😂 Plus, it’s even more frustrating that Walter secured a new job on contingency, where payment is only guaranteed upon completion of services. This is bad for Walter despite the fact that Paige is the liaison for several reasons: 1) he talked with the client in her absence, 2) he lost a job with a secured fee and replaced it with a less secure one (that’s not good business when you have employees to pay), and 3) he is the boss of Scorpion who makes the final decisions. In Paige’s absence, he is the next point of contact for independent jobs (those not issued through Homeland Security). This is the statute of limitations when it comes to his goals for Scorpion. He has to acquire skill sets to make him more efficient at communicating with average/high EQ, non-geniuses if he wants to diversify his clientele to do more good in the world. In other words, he has to learn and apply approaches on an EQ level to appeal to normals in order to get them to his level or create an equal playing field. Another great example of this can be found in his interaction with the foreman in 3.14 The Hole Truth after his talk with Happy. I apply the same tactic as a researcher. I have to know my audience and how to address them in order to communicate my findings and spark interest. If I do not, I limit my reach and open doors to miscommunication and misunderstanding.

Also take into consideration instances where Walter has lied about facts in order to achieve the greater good. Episode 2.04 Robots is a great example. What’s also interesting about this episode and others in which this has happened is that Walter doubts the scope of his own emotional intelligence. The same is seen with Happy Quinn whose EQ is closer to Walter’s. If you have read any of my reviews, I talk about this doubt factor several times. Walter and Happy have demonstrated emotional mastery in both their work and personal lives. Their main issue is consistency outside the limitations their logical brains impose on their emotional functionality. Yet overall, they improve each season.

This show is loosely-based on the real Walter O’ Brien, who is an executive producer. If you ask him to choose between IQ and EQ, he will tell you, EQ over IQ, from his own personal experiences which has been infused widely throughout this show. You can read that interview HERE and learn what he did to create the show. It’s very enlightening!

Fandom Realities

Here’s the conundrum that stems from fandom. (If you read the interview, then you already got a sense of what I am about to say.) Scorpion is an action dramedy in two parts - personal stuff and mission stuff. And these two elements are interchanged in every episode. However, the majority of fan commentary on the show is about the romances first, the other personal storylines second, and the missions last. This means the greatest pull, as far as spoilers and other marketing strategies are concerned, is information on the ships whether it’s through social media, press releases, or cast interviews. The majority of fans don’t get excited over the missions (or else that would be reflected in fandom convo and creations). Scorpion covers some real projects like the Chernobyl dome and the Svalbard Doomsday Vault (both of which are really cool btw). And I am curious if an upcoming episode will take a note from a docu-drama on Mars that debuted on National Geographic. Anyways, Waige is not canon and yet Waige-centric episodes receive behind-the-scenes exclusives on pop culture news sites like Entertainment Online. Katherine McPhee and Elyes Gabel are sent out on press to talk about them. You do not see similar treatment with the other ships because Waige is the main ship of the show. All others are side ships, regardless how much exposure they get. Quintis is highlighted in the storyline because the relationship is between two main characters, who are both high IQ, low EQ individuals, as opposed to Callie (RIP 💀) which is between a main and a guest, both of whom have average/high EQ.

The showrunners, writers, cast have alluded and established in many ways that Waige is an endgame, slow burn otp. The mystery lies in WHEN this will happen. It would be stupid for them to reveal that information. But they use episodes to answer that question for the fans. As fans, we can choose to trust what is there to put our expectations in check or fall for the bait! Besides, we get more receipts the more the writers use more than one episode to foreshadow. If we don’t like what we see after some time, we have to determine what is the breaking point and move on or devise a new plan to indulge the content (e.g., skip episodes, binge later). We also have to take into consideration that some decisions are in the hands of network execs. At the end of the day, it makes no sense to engage in endless emotional masochism over something we no longer enjoy. It’s silly! But I digress. If you want to know more about my theories on Waige, feel free to go to my page, type “the Waige flip” in the search engine, and read all about it. As someone who ships Waige, I don’t have any questions on them until season 4, episode 12/13.

I will not argue whether Waige is a good ship or not because it’s not my place to police opinion. What I will say is that Waige is an intriguing pairing because it is a relationship between a low EQ individual and a high EQ individual - a genius and a normal. (Btw, high IQ, high EQ individuals exist - it’s a function of nature vs. nurture. But that’s a topic for a different day!). Melvester had the same dynamic, but the EQ gap between Megan and Sly was much less than that between Walter and Paige. For this reason, Waige will always face unique challenges. Like I said at the beginning of all this, Walter’s emotional development is a series arc and his triumphs and failures will extend to his personal life. But one thing this show does well is communicate understanding in the team’s decisions, both geniuses and non-geniuses, whether you agree with their stances or not. That’s necessary given the show’s premises!

If you’ve read up to this point, CONGRATS!!! You have survived another Emanda’s Inner Sanctum analysis/thought piece! Toodles peeps! 😘✌🏾️

#ermanda's inner sanctum #answered #anon #cbs scorpion #scorpion cbs #team scorpion #livingwithashipname

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