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mickandmusings · 1 day

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ii. crash my party

part two of the 'hangman & honey' series!

summary: when his original plans to bring honey to homecoming fall flat, jake thinks he's secured a fail-safe plan for honey to still have the night she deserves. when that too comes crumbling to pieces, jake, like always, is there to patch it back up. because jake is always the one to take care of her. they knew everything about each other...right?

word count: 5.6k

warnings: angsty -> fluffy, shitty homecoming dates, unbearable tension, i'm aware jake would only have a learner's permit but we don't follow the laws in small towns

It had started with one simple conversation.

"Jake, humor me," she'd started, finally closing her hardback book, looking up at him from across the table they'd been sharing in the school cafeteria. "A school dance? What part of that seems like a place I'd want to spend my Saturday?"

Jake smiled. "Hm, because I'll be there."

He gave her a shit-eating grin before shoveling fries into his mouth. Honey had rolled her eyes, forcing herself not to break into a grin as well. She stole a fry from his tray and swallowed before shaking her head and giving her retort.

"You're going to be there with Katie, and I highly doubt she'd want me hangin' around all night. She's like, majorly in love with you. I'm not going to be your third wheel, people already think I'm weird because I'm always taggin' along with you. I don't need to give them more fuel for the fire."

Ignoring the jab Honey gave herself, Jake tried to think of another approach. He hadn't wanted to go to this dance with Katie at all. He internally scolded himself-Katie was a sweet girl, pretty too, but as Honey had mentioned, Katie was in love with Jake. He just simply didn't feel the same. Suddenly, as if a light bulb had flickered above his head, Jake perked up.

"What if someone asks you to homecoming? Would you double date with me?"

Honey cut her eyes to his forest-green ones, looking away briefly before chewing on her bottom lip. She looked down at her hands, twisting the garnet ring adorning her right ring finger.

"That's sweet, Jake, but you and I both know that won't happen." She pauses, placing the ring back in position. "But, metaphorically speaking, if some random guy decided it wouldn't be social suicide to go with me, then, yeah, I'd double date."

Honey could feel the blush rising to her cheeks, she was positive Jake was the only guy in the entire school that had ever talked to her, much less look at her in any romantic nature.

Her confirmation was all Jake had needed, and he was already on a mission that he was sure he'd succeed in. As the lunch bell rang and he parted ways with Honey, he put his plan into action. Sitting in his fifth period Biology class, he turned to the seat behind him, a good-natured smile on his face. Hayden Wright, Jake's football teammate and friend, stared back at him. The teenage boy raised an eyebrow and gave Jake a look.

"What do you want, Seresin? You've got that stupid look on your face."

Jake scoffed, "First off, fuck you. Second, I've come to cash in my favor, Wright."

Jake had done Hayden a solid nearly a month ago, helping him in cleaning up his family's trashed barn from one of their post-game parties (to save him an ass-whooping from his father), and Hayden had agreed to owing Jake one, he'd just never thought Jake would actually ask him for one.

"What'd ya want?" Hayden's face had been neutral, figuring Jake wanted him to put in a good word with one of the cheerleaders, or to get Hayden's older brother to buy him alcohol.

"You know my friend, Honey?"

Hayden's eyebrow raised at Jake's word.

"The one that sits with you at lunch? I mean, yeah I know of her, why?"

"You're going to take her to homecoming." Jake said the statement plainly, so there would be no question.

Hayden audibly laughed. "Good one, Jake."

"I'm not joking, Wright," Jake's voice had taken a different tone. There was no more lighthearted humor to it, only a sense of seriousness. "I was already planning to take her, but Katie asked me before I could ask Honey myself. The only way she'll go is if she thinks she's not someone's tag-along. I'm not asking you to wine and dine her, asshole, I'm asking you to pick her up, give her a corsage, just-just fuckin' talk to her. Treat her like you would anyone else. She's not going to fall in love with you because you gave her an ounce of your precious attention. You owe me, man."

"Seresin, I already planned on asking Sam Van-"

"Be real, Wright," Jake's eyes were sharp, now daggers. "No shot in hell Sam Vance is going to say yes to you. Honestly, in my opinion, Honey is too good for you, way too good for you, but I'm desperate at this point. You'll ask her-in person-today, after practice. You'll ride with me and Katie, wear a nice suit and bring a corsage. She likes magnolias." Jake's statement left no room for leeway. It was set in stone, Hayden would ask her, be there with bells on, or else. Even as an underclassmen, Jake was easily on the taller side of his teammates, with the muscle to match-his daily farmwork had aided him in that department. Combined with his family's influence, you simply didn't want to be on his bad side.

Hayden sighs, his face drawn in a tight line.

"Fine, but consider my debt paid indefinitely, won't pull this shit again. If I'm going to have to take this girl, what the fuck am I supposed to talk to her about? I don't know the first thing about 'er."

Jake chuckles.

"Lucky for you, she's not much of a talker. Won't be to you, anyways. She likes to read, a lot. Ask her about literally any book. She's funny, just talk about whatever, she'll find a way to make you laugh. Just because she's not a cheerleader doesn't mean she isn't worth your time. Just for once in your life, just one night, don't be a dickhead."

Honey had been foolishly naive in thinking someone like Hayden Wright would actually be interested in someone like her. She'd felt the sinking feeling enter her chest the day he'd asked her to go to homecoming with him, starting small at first, but growing large enough to fill her anxiety-ridden torso. She'd felt the feeling lingering in her gut when she'd tried on and bought the flowing white dress that adorned her frame. She'd swallowed it down, buried it deep, told her internal insecurities that maybe, for once in her life, something good would happen to her. When that looming feeling had festered forward again that afternoon, as she meticulously curled her hair in Jake's bathroom, she had plastered on a smile and kept going, telling herself it was only a feeling.

But now, as she sat horribly mistaken on the steps of the Seresin farmhouse, she no longer stomached the feeling. Hayden was supposed to be here over an hour and half ago, and he had yet to show. Honey knew he wouldn’t, she’d expected it. She swallowed thickly and looked on as the sun made Katie look radiant in a way Honey knew she would never be-girls like Honey simply didn't shine like that. She let that aching feeling fester forward as she watched Katie laugh next to Jake in front of Janet's rosebushes, tears lining her lashes. The ridiculous eye makeup she'd spent an hour on had gone to waste, along with the heels she'd splurged on. She had almost unbuckled them and tossed them to the side when Janet's voice sounded.

"Honey, sweetheart, c'mon over, I want some pictures of you and Jake."

Honey had smiled and wiped her eyes, standing as tall as she could next to Jake in front of the Seresin's towering magnolia tree. She'd painted on her best smile, avoiding Jake's gaze that was staring holes into the side of her head. He hadn't said anything, and she didn't expect him to. Just because her night turned out to be miserable didn't mean his had to. He and Katie would go to the dance, and she'd stay with Seresin's, probably watch westerns with Jacob Sr. until he fell asleep in his recliner, then she'd take herself up to Jake's room and read until he came back. Maybe she'd just go home, despite hating being there because of the loneliness, so she wasn't a bother to anyone at all. The Seresin family was too kind to her, and she'd never want to overstay her welcome.

"Well, it's a quarter til', you young folk should be headin' along," Jacob Sr.'s voice sounded. Honey smiled as Katie hung off of Jake's arm, and Honey turned back towards the porch of the house, sitting back down on the stairs and started to unbuckle her shoes. Jacob Sr.'s eyes cut to her frame, and his eyebrows furrowed.

"Honey, what are you doin', girl? Not too sure on the dress code at this function, but I imagine shoes are required."

Jake's eyes looked at the figure of his best friend sitting on his grandparents' porch, and a feeling he had never felt seeped completely down to his bones. He hadn't even bothered to take her in completely since she'd gotten dressed, too focused on getting himself ready. Honey was dazzling as the sunset framed her figure. The color of her dress brought out her skin, and her hair had been styled lightly, but just enough to frame her face. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. But when he finally braved looking into her eyes, his heart ached. Sadness pooled behind her irises, water forming in her waterline. Her smile contradicted all of the feelings he knew were stirring inside of her, and every cell in his body wanted to shed his dress clothes, pile into his truck and hunt Hayden Wright down to beat the shit out of him.

"Oh, um," Honey started, as if she couldn't find the words to say. "My date isn't comin', I-I don't think I'll go. I'm just gonna go home." She smiled a smile that would appear unbothered by anyone else, but Jake knew that smile. It was entirely fake, an action to keep herself from bursting into tears. She was often so quiet and so good at saving face that it was hard to see her suffering, but Jake saw through her completely, he knew her 'strong' look. Jake jumps into action, without even thinking of how it may make the girl on his arm feel.

"Not a chance, Honey," Jake started, walking across the yard. "Just because Hayden is a jerk, doesn't mean you don't deserve to go. You look beautiful, can't let that go to waste. C'mon, you can hang out with us."

He sticks a hand out and looks down at her. She sighs heavily, taking it, and Jake feels his skin light up. His hairs stand on end, and after all these years, he notices every color in Honey's eyes. He notes the curves of her cheeks, the beauty of her entire figure. He finds himself feeling an overwhelming urge to press his lips into hers. How had he never seen her before? She had spent half of their lives by his side. She knew everything about him, from his favorite foods to the things that kept him up at night. Jake's eyes dart between her own as his heart races in his chest. Jake Seresin was in love with his best friend- head over heels, jumping into the deep end, full force in love. He stands stock still, her hand on his own, for a moment too long.

"Well, we're going to be late if we don't come on." Honey's voice is small, not quiet like usual, but small. She tears her hand away as she makes it down the stairs, giving Katie a curt smile as Katie's arm links around Jake's. He helps Katie into his passenger side, feeling a bit odd that Honey wouldn't be just to his right. Honey climbs into the backseat, her bottom lip tucked in-between her teeth, hands mindlessly rotating the rings on her hands. As Katie chatted animatedly in the truck, Honey only smiled politely, speaking when only necessary. She was utterly miserable, and Jake could see it. It was written across her face so plainly. For most of the night, that look never left her face.

Loud music, the sounds of their classmates yelling at one another to talk, and flashing lights filled the small high school gym, a basketball court full of underclassmen couples swaying to a song Honey didn't recognize. She was wishing she'd brought her current read with her, not that she'd be able to see it in the dark room. Instead, she sat in her metal folding chair at the table Jake and his friends had claimed, watching all the other girls' shoes and purses. As she looked out at the group, she couldn't quell the hurt in her heart that she'd tried swallowing down a million times that night. Katie threw her head back laughing at something Jake had said, though Jake didn't look nearly as amused as her. Her eyes focused on Katie alone-she danced barefoot in front of Jake, her turquoise colored dress shimmering under the lights. She wore a wide smile, one that lit up her whole face. Honey burned with envy. Of course that was the type of girl Jake went to dances with. Katie practically glowed-everyone loved her. The type of girl that guys would never stand up, the girl that guys stopped and stared when she walked by. And no matter how Honey yearned and prayed at night, begging to God to be that kind of girl-the girl that lights up a room, one that makes everyone's head turn-she would never be that. She'd always be bookish, timid, she shook with nerves when she had to give presentations in class, much less in a room full of her entire student body. Without much further thought, she suddenly realized it wasn't the fact she wanted to be loved by everyone, she just wanted to be the kind of girl Jake loved. Jake would never see her as anything more than a sort of quasi-sister, someone to give him advice on how to treat another type of girl right. Even without malice, Jake would hurt her too, and she knew it would leave her empty. Honey felt a tear slip down her face, she hadn't even realized she was crying. She wiped it away hastily, refusing to be the rejected girl that cried at a school dance. She might be a loser, but she wouldn't become a cliche. She found herself picking at the skin around her nails, biting her bottom lip, trying to distract herself from the oncoming round of tears pushing through her eyes.

Back on the dance floor, Jake let out a breath as Katie ran off to dance with some of her girlfriends. The girl was sweet, but he could hardly keep his mind focused on anything but the girl sitting at the table he'd left twenty minutes ago. He'd thought about just dropping Katie off and turning around to take Honey home, but his grandparents would've never let him hear the end of that. Instead he watched from the dance floor as Honey became more and more drawn in on herself. He clocked her fidgeting first-the once pristine white polish on her nails now chipped, her bottom lip red and peeling. Her shoulders were slumped and she hadn't smiled once since they'd arrived. He knew she was trying to let Hayden's rejection roll off her shoulders, he knew she would've already expected it, but when it actually happened, it left her devastated. Not that she cared much about Hayden, but her years worth of abandonment had flared. She was reeling in her own mind, and in a room like this, there were no distractions, no book to escape to, so she simply sat and drowned.

Jake plopped down in the chair next to her, his feet aching in his new dress shoes. The air was thick, and even knowing Honey so well, he wasn't sure how to comfort her. He simply went on instinct. His voice had a rough edge as he shouted over the music.

"You wanna dance?"

They'd danced before, a thousand different times. They'd dance to old country songs as kids, in the barn on the Seresin farm. They'd danced to the radio in his grandparents' kitchen, just friendly dances. It wouldn't be any different, right?

"No."

Jake's head whipped to her. She was never short with him, always layering her rejection softly. Jake didn't think too much about it, she was already feeling vulnerable.

"You sure, Hon? You love this song."

He wasn't wrong-she did love this song. It was a country ballad at least a decade old, but she'd loved it anyway.

"I'm fine, Jake. You should dance with Katie."

"Don't want to dance with her, want to dance with you."

Honey bit her lip to keep it from wobbling, shaking her head.

"You don't have to feel sorry for me. I already knew he wouldn't show, I expected it. It's not your fault, you have nothin' to make up for, okay? I'm not going to be the girl you give a slow dance to because she’s a loser who thought someone like Hayden Wright would actually want to go with her. I don’t need that kind of pity, Jake, especially not from you.” Her tone was fiery, but she hadn’t intended to come across as angry towards Jake, he hadn’t done anything, she was just growing tired of being completely visible and simultaneously invisible to him. “I'm sorry-I just, I don't feel much for dancing at the moment."

She swallowed and took a deep breath.

"Then let's get out of here."

Her head now whipped around to Jake.

"No, no. I'll just wait until you and Katie leave, o-or I'll call your Grandma, I'm sure she wouldn't mind coming to get me so you can keep having fun.” She looks out into the crowd and spots Katie moving through the large crowd of the football boys and cheerleader girls. “You're having fun, Jake, with your friends, and just because I'm miserable doesn't mean you have to be."

"I shouldn't have dragged you here, Honey. I convinced you to come, and you're miserable. I should've realized this isn't your scene, and I'm just making it worse. You shouldn't have to sit here and be miserable and watch as everyone else has a good time. That's like some sick form of torture."

Honey wanted to scream, to grab him by the shoulders and make him realize that she lived it every single day, she was always watching from the sidelines as everyone else lived. It wasn't any different now that she was in an uncomfortable dress in a cold metal chair.

Honey musters a smile and turns to face the boy who held her heart in his hands. Jake couldn’t pull his eyes away as the white satin dress adorned her freckled skin, falling perfectly on her curves. "Jake, look, Katie is out there and she's beautiful and she adores you, and she's been nothing but kind to me, even for being her date's weird third wheel. My night is already miserable, hers doesn't have to be. She deserves to have the night she dreamed of. I sort of already imagined my night to look this way, so, not that big of a disappointment, really."

She swallowed thickly, her vision blurring with the tears she couldn't keep pushing down. Jake blinked, crouching across to rest his elbows on his knees to turn himself closer to her. He caught her eyes, but she couldn’t meet his, afraid of the sympathy she’d find in them.

"Honey, how clueless do you think I am? You say that, that you already knew you’d be disappointed, but I watched you. I sat on the tub while you got ready, and I've seen that look before, the same look you get when somethin’ unexpected happens in your book, or a stupid meet-cute moment on a movie. You’re not some mutant, you may not care about the stupid social part of a school dance, but you were excited, Hon. I’m sorry he put out your fire, believe me I want nothin’ more than to take him behind the barn.” Honey now braves a glance at him, and finds herself staring at a pair of warm green eyes. No sympathy, no pity, just Jake. “You say you're fine with disappointment, but you're not Wonder Woman, darlin'. You're human, and no one can take that amount of sadness without breaking. You suffer in silence because you think no one cares about your happiness, but, Honey, I care. You deserve your own happy night. So please for the love of God, let me get you out of here, we'll do whatever you want. I can't sit and watch you suffer."

Honey shook her head.

"As wonderful as that sounds, Jake, I won't do that to another girl. It's not fair to Katie for you to just leave her here. It's already-"

"I don't think we'll have that to worry about." Jake points to the general direction of a crowd of people, where Katie is laughing as she hangs off the arm of another member of the football team. "I don't think Katie's 'obsessed' with me, I think it's more of anyone who wears the jersey."

Honey shook her head silently, looking up at Jake. His arm was stuck out for her to take, and she gave him a small but genuine smile. Her head rested on his bicep as they walked through the parking lot. As he opened her door and let her in, she almost let herself imagine that she was the girl he’d asked, that he’d decided the dance was lame, and they’d have more fun doing something else. She shut down those thoughts, knowing they’d only disappoint her later when he showed up with another pretty girl at his side. She let the thought float away as the high school faded in the rearview mirror, Jake’s country music filling the cab of the truck.

“What’d you wanna do, Hon? It’s kind of late, everything’s probably closed, but we could swing into Greenville, catch a fast food place.”

Honey shivered, Greenville was nearly twenty minutes out, and she was already itching to get out of this dress and into bed.

“Uh, don’t think I’m cuttin’ you short, J, I just, I really want to get out of this dress, and I want to shower. I-I think I just want to go to bed. I told you not to leave, your night is gonna be-“

Jake’s clouded mind filled with a particularly lewd thought as she spoke about getting out of her dress, one he shoved down quickly.

“My night’s gonna be just fine, because you’ll be in bed and not in that gym miserable.”

Honey simply smiled and continued to watch their small town pass by out her window. It wasn’t long until Jake parked in her driveway, her heart heavy. She stared at the dark house, the empty garage, and the feeling of emptiness she knew she’d find. She smiled half-heartedly as she turned to Jake. He smiled back as he cut the truck off and crawled out of his seat, opening her door and helping her out. He walked her up the steps and to her front door, they looked at each other in the darkness of night, illuminated only by the moonlight.

“Thanks, seriously, Jake, for everything. You’re the best friend I could ask for.”

Her heart cracked at the word ‘friend’, and so did his, not that either of them knew about each other’s feelings.

“No need to thank me, Honey. You can always crash my party.” He winked, looking up at the dark porch light. “Forget to leave the porch light on again?”

Honey shrugged, fetching her house keys from behind a plotted plant. She opened the door to turn the porch light on, and when she flicked the switch, nothing came on. Her eyebrows furrowed, trying the switch for the living room light, and nothing. She shakes her head, her shoulders slumping.

“That’s just rich,” she mumbles under her breath.

“What’s up? Light bulb blow?” Jake’s mind wandered aloud.

“No, uh,” Honey flushed red, feeling embarrassed. “My mother didn’t pay the light company, again. S-She forgets about this place sometimes. I’ll just call her tomorrow, it’s fine. I’ll see you Monday, Jake.”

Jake pauses, placing his palm on the front door she was trying to hastily shut. He takes in her slumped figure, his anger flaring at her neglectful mother.

“Hey, don’t shut me out. You say she forgot again? She’s done this before? Honey I’m not letting you sit down here in the dark, pack a bag, you can stay with us.”

As much as she wanted to protest, as much as her brain said she’d be an imposition at the Seresin’s, her heart was lonely and heavy, and she didn’t want to be alone tonight. She didn’t fight it, only grabbing the flashlight by the door and stomping up the stairs as Jake stood watch. She packed a duffel hastily, throwing in pajamas and casual clothes, and even a set for Monday at school. She never wanted to overstay her welcome, but she would stay as long as the Seresin’s would let her. She hated this house, she hated the empty rooms and she hated her mother. She stomped back down the stairs and locked the door back, sliding back into Jake’s truck and peeling down Seresin Farm Road.

Late that night, with wet hair and Jake’s Dallas Cowboys hoodie over her frame, she sat across from him atop his plaid comforter, snorting and heaving with laughter over Jake’s spot-on impressions of his football coach and teammates. He’s traded his formal wear for basketball shorts and an old rodeo t-shirt, appearing much more like the Jake she felt most comfortable with. For the first time that entire night, she’d felt light, filled with happiness. Hayden Wright never crossed her mind, nor the beautiful girls she held her standards to, not even her elusive mother who Honey felt hated her most. None of it mattered, because she was safe, comfortable, feeling perfectly content enough to curl under Jake’s sheets and fall asleep on his spare pillows. She slept soundly, not feeling Jake’s hands push hair out of her face, or his green eyes unable to look away from her sleeping frame until he too collapsed in sleep. Most importantly, she hadn’t heard Jake’s mumbles of how beautiful she’d looked tonight, things he’d only say when he knew she wasn’t listening. At least for now.

When Janet woke early the next morning, she relaxed seeing Jake’s truck parked in the drive. She stumbled up the stairs to find his bedroom door ajar, a pair of black high-top converse keeping it open. They were Honey’s-she wore them everywhere. Janet’s blue eyes peered into the room illuminated by morning sunshine.

Jake and Honey both slept soundly in Jake’s queen bed, facing one another, none of their limbs touching. To any other parent, this would lead to a sharp lashing and a loud wake-up, but Janet knew her grandson well. He held Honey in such high esteem he’d never try anything of a clandestine romance. Janet loved Honey, and, while never audibly saying it, she silently hoped her boy would open his eyes soon and see the diamond of a girl in front of him. She simply kicked Honey’s shoes out of the way, closing the door to leave them undisturbed.

When the pair woke, nothing had changed. Jake and Honey still sat at the breakfast table like any other weekend, Jake stealing bacon off of Honey’s plate, and Honey stealing strawberries off of his. There was no great fanfare of Honey all but moving into Jake’s room. Janet and Jacob Sr. had no objections when they found out the reasons why. They treated Honey as if she was another Seresin. The only thing that had changed is that Janet no longer had to pick her up for school. So when Honey and Jake walked into school together on Monday, no one seemed to bat an eye. When Hayden Wright walked into the courtyard Monday morning, however, it seemed every single eye was on him, or, more likely, the double black eyes he sported.

Jake had passed off his busted knuckles on some farm work, and Honey had believed him. When she noted that his closest football buddies, Brett and Willie, also had the same markings, she’d passed it off as a football tussle Jake hadn’t wanted to tell her about. Jake had smiled and kept the conversation topic away from Hayden at all costs, which struck Honey as weird, but she chalked it up to Jake’s protective nature. She only started to wonder when Willie turned to her in their shared third period and asked her about the book she’d been reading, or when Brett had caught her attention in the hallway.

“Honey!” The tall boy’s voice had boomed over the crowd of people in the hallway. “What’s up?!” He’d high-fived her as she simply responded with a quiet “nothing much” and headed towards her locker.

When the two boys joined her and Jake at lunch, she’d been nervous at first, as she always was around new people, but quickly fell into a more comfortable state as the weeks passed. Jake’s friends, his true friends it seemed, found her funny, doubling over in laughter at her witty retorts to Jake’s comments, and her jabs at particularly disliked teachers. She no longer cowered behind Jake as he spoke to his teammates, because Brett or Willie were always around, actively roping her into easy conversation. For the first time in her life, Honey had friends, well, besides Jake, but she'd always had Jake.

That Friday night, after the game, as Jake slung off his shoulder pads and tossed them into his designated cubby, Brett’s voice sounded over the bustle of the loud locker room.

“Yo, Jake, are you and Honey going to The Basket after this? I’m fucking starving, man, and she always lets me have her fries she doesn’t eat.”

Jake felt a weird sort of flutter erupt in his chest, knowing that he wasn’t the only person to see Honey’s personality, that she had made an impression on his closest friends too. It almost made him burn with jealousy, but then he’d realized that he quite literally slept next to Honey each night-platonically, of course.

“Uh, yeah, as long as she’s down,” came Jake’s reply as he slung his bag over his shoulder.

“Fuck yeah!” Willie’s voice came into the circle of conversation. “Tell your girl to come to the after party at Junior’s too! I just finished that book she let me borrow, and that party’s gonna be ass, so we’ll have plenty of time to talk about it.”

Jake’s blood ran cold, his girl? When had his friends decided that Honey was his girl? He didn’t correct the boy’s words, only nodding as he chuckled, thinking of Honey’s frame sitting on the bales of hay at Junior’s barn as Willie’s towering linebacker frame chatted animatedly about the copy of The Outsiders she’d lent him.

“Yeah, I’ll see if she wants to come. You might have to catch her later, though, she’s not really big on parties. She’s not one to be social or drink, so people give her shit about it.”

Brett’s scoff filled the air.

“She’s wearing your numbers, Seresin.” Brett referred to Jake’s old jersey Honey often wore to the game. “And me and Willie’ll be there, nobody’s gonna mess with ‘er.”

That night, Honey and Jake sat on one side of a sticky red booth at the local diner with Willie and Brett across from them, opting to spend their night over dinner instead of at a party the law would likely bust. Jake had hardly spoken to Honey at all since they’d arrived, she was deep in a conversation with Willie over greasers and poems about gold. It made Jake happy that she and his friends got along, but as Honey flashed Willie a smile she’d only given him, he felt his fists tighten at his side, the burning jealousy returning. As Brett chattered on and on, Jake tried to focus, but his eyes kept lingering on the other side of him, seeing Honey laugh or her eyes sparkle as she divulged in literary talk. His mood had turned sour, and she hadn’t even noticed. So when Willie and Brett parted for the night, and they’d made their way to Jake’s truck, she’d clocked his frown as he opened her door for her.

“You alright, J?” Her voice was sweet, laced with sympathy.

“M’fine, Hon,” came his reply as he shut the door, walking around to his side and sliding in before starting the truck. Silence filled the truck, and Honey found her happiness deflating. She must’ve done something to upset him, that must be why he was acting this way. She pulled her knees to her chest, feeling small. Jake caught the movement out of the corner of his eye.

“Nothing’s your fault. I swear.” His green eyes were more warm than before.

“Then why are you acting like this? I-I’m sorry if you thought I was ignoring you, I just got caught up in talking to Willie about the book that I didn’t think about it.”

“It’s not that, you haven’t done anything, I promise. Just, thinking about a lot up here.” His pointer finger tapped against his temple.

“You can always talk to me. You can tell me anything, Jake.”

He smiled at her and nodded, but he knew he couldn’t. He could tell her anything except that he was in love with her.

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@djs8891

#jake hangman seresin #hangman x reader #hangman imagine #top gun imagine #top gun maverick #jake seresin x reader #jake hangman seresin x reader #request #tgm #tgm fanfiction

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sleepy-sirin · 1 day

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Incarnation (Honkai Star Rail x Child! Herrscher! Reader)

Summary: In which Y/n, the creation of Will of Honkai, successfully defeated her own creator with the help of her friends. After defeating the Will of Honkai, for using too much of her power she goes into a deep sleep.

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Chapter 7

Third POV:

Stelle and March were looking for Dang Heng, only to find him in the Fight Club, which Sampo dragged him there. When they managed to find Dang Heng there, they saw Sampo leave the Fight Club, the three of them followed him and interrogated him.

"H-Hey! It's you! I was just thinking to myself: "Am I getting robbed? Who are these people following me?" So, y'know, you start to walk a little faster, and... Anyhoo if I'd just turned around, I could've thrown open my arms and said a big "hi" to my old friends." Sampo said as he was making an excuse to himself.

"Save it. You saw us in there and got scared, so you pulled a runner." March was so done with Sampo's pathetic excuse.

"Me? Scared? Hahaha, my friends, what do I have to fear? *gasp* Surely I haven't done anything to offend you?" Sampo said.

"You set Dan Heng up." Stelle said.

"Set him up? Yeah, with a job! You guys are new here, and let me tell you, you're gonna need some cash. And, Sampo Koski stops at nothing to help his friends. Saving you was just the beginning, I have to consider your finances too! With me you get the full service, folks. That's friendship." Sampo said.

"Where's Y/n?! We haven't seen her since we got here!" March said.

"You mean the little girl? I have no idea where she went after I dropped you off at the clinic." Sampo said.

"He's right. She just left without us knowing." Dan Heng said.

The three of them continue to interrogate Sampo, and now the four of them were looking any traces of Wildfire, which Sampo told them.

"Seele's usually always out on patrol here at this time... What's Wildfire up to...? Hmm... are they avoiding me?" Sampo ponder.

"Hey, look! Who's is that?" March said, looking over the crowd.

"Is that... Bronya?" Stelle asked.

"It looks like she's in trouble..." March said.

"M-My friends, don't just stand there! This drama really doesn't need any more bystanders!" Sampo said.

"Oh? Y'know it might be interesting to see you get in trouble." March said.

"We should avoid attracting too much attention... but we can't just leave her." Dan Heng said.

"Dan Heng's right, we can't ignore this." Stelle said.

"Exactly! My boy Cold Dragon Young- uh... young master Dan Heng speaks with reason." Sampo said.

"Let's help her." March said.

"Alright princess. Let's dispense with the pleasantries!" One of the Vagrants said as he aimed the weapon on Bronya and pulled the trigger.

As he pulled the trigger, the bullet was sliced into tiny pieces, as Seele appeared out of nowhere.

"You dare attack someone on our turf again... How about I give you a punishment then?"

"Argh, darn it! Quick, disperse!" The Vagrants run away as possible.

"Spinless thugs!" Seele said, as looks where the Vagrants ran off.

"Miss Seele! Phew, it's a good thing you showed up when you did. My heartfelt thanks~ These Vagrants have got some nerve looking for trouble in Wildfire terri-"

"Shut it Sampo, this has "you" written all over it. Wildfire has countless issues on it's plate right now. We don't need a side order of Koski" Seele said.

"I hear a Silvermane Guard is paying the Underworld a visit... is that you?" Seele asked Bronya.

"You kidnapped me and brought me to the underground. What is the meaning of this?" Bronya said.

"My, my, even your counter self, you still like Bronya~" a familiar voice said.

All of them looked where the voice was coming from, a familiar h/c hair and e/c eyes appeared out of thin air as she waves at the group.

"Sorry I'm late." Y/n gave them a small smile.

"Did you just appered out of nowhere?!" March exclaimed.

"Where did you go?" Dan Heng asked Y/n.

"I got bored and wanted to explore. You humans are so boring, I wonder why Kiana wanted to save humanity..." Y/n whispered the last sentence.

"So you know this little girl? I happend to save her from those vargrant." Seele said.

"It's you..." Bronya looked uneasy upon looking at Y/n, remembering what happend to her guards at their fight. Bronya shake her head.

"Nevermind." Bronya averted her eyes at Y/n, then she gaze at Seele. "You kidnapped me and bought me to the underground. What is the meaning?

"Hmph, listen to her. "What is the meaning of this?" ...She still thinks she's an Overworld princess. Do you know what's become of us down here while you live the easy life? Did you even consider the fate of the Undeworlders?" Seele asked Bronya.

"The Silvermane Guards aren't "living the easy life." We are constantly engaged with the enemy, defending Belobog from the scourge of attacking monsters... And protecting all those above and below the surface." Bronya said.

"Hah, do you even hear yourself? You? Protect the underground? Redeploying every Guard to the surface, sealing off the only passageway... Protecting the so-called Architects, more like it." Seele said.

"The Madam Guardian has her reasons..." Bronya said.

"Hmph, Enough talk, you're coming with me. Chief Oleg wants to see you, and he's got more than a few questions." Seele said.

"Perfect, Miss Seele! We were just on our way to pay Chief Oleg a visit ourselves. Room for a few more?" Sampo asked.

"Fully booked." Seele said. She shifts her gaze at the trio. "...Who are they?"

"I'm Stelle." Stelle introduced herself to Seele.

"...What good is your name by itself!" Seele said.

"Well its this: The chief's in the market fo specific talent, an urgent request. So i'm taking them to see him..." Sampo explained.

"We're looking for a Stellaron, it's the source of all the disasters here. If we find it, we can-" March was cut off by Sampo.

"Ahaha- ahem! I would recommend you not recite your story to everyone you meet. Miss Seele won't understand it anyway, so let's save it for the chief, huh?" Sampo said.

"You're right. I don't understand it, and I don't plan on passing the message on either. Wildfire's encountered trouble at the Great Mine, the chief's busy. If you really want to find him, come look for me at the mine entrance. I'm leaving." Seele left the place.

Y/n, Stelle, March, Dan Heng, and Bronya went to find Seele at the entrance of the Great Mine. The five of them went searching for Seele, Y/n was the one who found her first.

"Hey, you came. That was fast." Seele said.

"What is Wildfire doing in the mine?" Y/n asked.

"Didn't I tell you? *sigh* Long story short. The underground used to have many mines. However, in recent years, some sort of corrosion called the "Fragmentum" started to spread, it's ruined a lot of mines. The one we're heading into is relatively unaffected. A bunch of vagrants made it their home after their old turf was consumed by the Fragmentum. Actually, most of them are pretty honest folks... But with such a large group, it's inevitable that troublemakers will find their way in. They've been stealing from the miners and picking fights. And that's not the worst of it. Things are much more serious this time... For two days now, huge clashes have been breaking out between the miners and the miners and the vagrants. It isn't pretty. Mines are our lifelines in the Underworld.We have to keep providing Geomarrow to the Overworld in exchange for supplies. In order to quell the situation, Chief Oleg brought Wildfire into the mine and left me in charge of security for the towns. But the situations in the mine is critical, I have to back him up." Seele explained.

"Understood, let's go." Y/n Said.

Seele looks at Bronya. "Oh, as for you... the Chief wil decide your fate when we see him.

"Good, I've been wanting to come face to face with the leader of the Underworld." Bronya said.

"Hmph, you're about to come fae to face with reality." Seele said.

"Can you two please stop flirting with each other." Stelle said.

"We're not flirting!" Both Bronya and Seele said.

"Right..." Stelle deadpanned at the two.

Second POV:

The six of them enter the Great Mine, March noticed a familiar doctor among the crowd. "Huh? Isn't that the doctor lady?" March said.

"What's Natasha doing here? Things must be worse than I thought." Seele said. All of them went to Natasha to ask what's the commotion is all about.

"Nat! I didn't think you'd be here. Where's Oleg?" Seele asked.

"Hey Seele, and... Sampo's guests. So, it looks like you've already met. i haven't seen Oleg. The miners sid they saw him take a group further in." Natasha said.

"These people..." Stelle gestures.

"Miners and their family members. They want an explaination from the instigators. This area up ahead is a vagrant dwelling, but they've sealed off the entrance. I guess they're afraid that angry miners might take revenge. *sigh* I heard that many were injured in the clashes, so I hurried over here to see if I could help." Natasha said.

"How could the siuation here become such a mess?" Seele asked.

"I heard that First Mining Team found a Geomarrow vein with incredible deposits... The initial estimate put it at the largest discovery in the last thirty years." Natasha explained.

"Are you serious? That's big news. How come I never heard about it?" Seele said.

"Well, they weren'tin a hurry to make it known. Most o the mines have been contaminated by the Fragmentum, many people are out o work. They were afraid of eing overwhelmed if they let the word out." Natasha said.

As Natasha continue discussing while others were listening, You got tired already even though you didn't do much. You try to stay awake but you took a quick nap but you hear a voice you haven't heard a long time.

Ÿ́̾͏̧̝̦̜͖͇̖̩̼o͖̠͇͚̮͔̣͒͒̋ͭ͑̈ū̏ͣͯ̐̾̓͝҉̳̹̰ͅ ͈̰͖̓͂̈͒̈́̉ͫ͝͡t͚̺̬̞̱͎̱̭ͯ̔ͧ̇̈́͗̓́h̬͇̼̗̱͓͍ͭ̑ͪͩͦͨi̶̠̩͈̜̓̾͘ͅn͈̯͉͒̿̽ͨ̉ͧͫͩ̉͡k͊ͨ̏ͩ̅ͬͦ҉͈̺ ͦ̇͒̇̈͏̜̟̲̩y̸̙͔̯̽ͨͬͮ͟o̖̰̟̱̬̹͉͖ͥ̍̊͗͡u̠͚̳̟̦͔̤͔ͬ ̶̢̺̬̍̌ͫͣ͑̇̊ͮc̫̯̦̥̱̪̜ͤaͯͯͭ̅͋̍ͨ͝͏̣͍̘̱̜̯̹̝ͅn͈͚̱͇̻͎̻͒̈̓ͦ͂̒̅̑̚͢ͅ ͈̟̠̱̘̪̗̯ͯ̌ͪ̔̂͋͟g̡̦͕̭͎͓͑ͮͭ̎͑̄͡e̷̲͓̰̱ͥ̚͟͝t̨̙͎͍̫̂͂͆̏͟ ͐͒̈͏҉͕̦͉a̡̦̞̟͈͓̱͈̓͌͂͋ͣͧ̓̀͟ẁ̷̞̤̹͓͍̮͚̦̪̂̽̿͂ͩa͍̬̒̾ͩͤ͠͠y̹̼͉͇̻̥̬͖̙͋ͫ͌̎̽̈́ ̨̪̭̹̝̘͊̊ͪ̆ͩ́ͅf̡͈̜͔̫͕̠͍ͥ̏̄ͨ͋͋͗̕r̶̸̫͍̞̘͙̭ͫ̄ͩō̦̟̙̓̽̕͟ṃ̟̰̘̤̜̈́̄ͣ̋ ̹̖̹̇̓ͩ̂̀̚͝mͥͦ̎͘͏̦̗ͅy̢̼͙̖̘͊ͣͮ͊ ̴̝͔̩ͦ̌̆̓č̹̮̳̱͖̈́ͦ͂̏͐́o̵̡̹͉̍̅͜n̘͈̦̩̭̭ͮ̒̌̈t̶͔͓̯͎͈͙ͧ͆ͧ̉̆̆̎̓r̛̥͍͛̋̉̋̽͌o͇̮̙̦̯͂ͯļ̧̣̤̦̘ͤ̄́̇̍,̨̠̟̳̫͓̗͂ͯͫͨ͛͆ͫ͋̎ͅ ̶̮̣̭̻͉̰̱ͬ͆̍Y̶͙͙̓̉͐̄/̸̢̠̠̺̰͚͓͕͌ͭṇ̶̼̙̭̱̙̦̝̽͢͜.̵̰̯̭͕̥͈̬̯̊͒̓̅̅͛ͭͫ.̲͙̗͎̝͕̍̏̑ͩ͆̃ͧͧ͜͟.̫̜̭̻͓̬̜̽ͤ̀ ̸̶̨̖̲̲͋͛ͫ͆I̸͔̦̳͎̋̀̋ ͉͈̈ͧͯ̕͢͟ͅa̲̠̞͉̬ͦͬ̊ͥͩ͝m͆ͧ̐̂̊̅̅̆̀͏̺̮̪͡ ͣ͊ͣ̊ͩ͌͛͑ͭ́͏͕͎̝̮͕ŷ̡̤͙̺̣̼͈̝̿́͞o̸͓͙̯̜ͦ̑̾̿̔ͨ͐̽̀͡u͍͍̦̭̗̼̮̹̤ͭ͐͂͝'̹̥͊͌͐ͤ́́̚͢r̷̩̭̮̘̣̪͔͆́͘ě̵̢̖̩̩͙̠̯̣͒̌͐̋̍ͫͅ ̸̷͉͓̰̙̤̺̙̹ͥͫ̅͛̌c̡̛̤͕͔̙̹̻̠̊ͬ͛ͬͥͦ͑̀͞r̡̹̞͐̚ẹ̝̝̭ͧ͂ͩ̑̇a̦̹͈̦͂̑͡t̨̤̝͇̥̻̪͚ͪ̎̍̀́o̷̶̪͕̬̲̼̹̍̊̊͆̇r̶̖͎̥͕̲͉̤ͫ̏̉ͨ͊̉̇̿͢!̡͖̆ͤͭͫ̑͒͞

Taglist: @starxao

#honkai star rail #hsr #honkai star rail x reader #hsr x reader #child reader #platonic #hsr stelle #hsr march 7th #dan heng #hsr seele #hsr bronya #sampo koski #honkai x reader

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ladyazurith · 3 days

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Thoughts on and Headcanons for Rook Hunt

Rook is a very divisive character for me, and I’ve gone back and forth on how I feel about him. I absolutely hate how he treats the nonhuman students. I also hate the vin where he comments on Vil gaining weight when it wasn’t even noticeable to someone with normal eyes. That’s not a healthy mindset. Nor can I ignore the wall of hidden photos we see peaking out behind the wallpaper in his (canon) room.

I do not like how he handled the end of Chapter 5. The way he gushed about Neige and revealed his obsession, right in front of Vil, after everything that had just happened. I know people get upset over the fact he voted for RSA, and while I think it was a dick move for him to have revealed that it was his vote that cost them the show. It’s more that he hid something like that from Vil, and given how they talked about everything related to the theater together, and he knew Vil’s connection to Neige it just feels…really shitty that that's how it came out.

On the other hand, I really do think he cares about Vil. I have never truly shipped them together (the only time I’ve written them in a relationship together was in a poly with Cater) I do think he loves Vil in a brotherly fashion. And I think they’re important to each other. Vil especially I think values Rook’s friendship more than he wants to admit. (This is also kinda why I think his actions at the end of chapter 5 were so crappy)

At the same time, I think he suffered from character assassination at that point. They needed Rook to do what he did to thematically fit the narrative and his role as the royal Hunstman. And they cared about that more than if it was something Rook would truly do. As much as I love twist and the story, I find myself having this complaint often. They’re more concerned about the overall narrative than what actually makes sense for the various characters. I could write an entire essay on this especially where Cater is concerned, with him and his interaction with the other characters and his place in the overall narrative. (Again a subject for another time)

On a less serious note, as far as romance goes, I’m reminded of a line from a very old Christmas movie called “White Christmas” where one of the main characters goes. "I'm not the marrying kind or the engaging kind, I'm more the I don't mind pushing my best friend into it but I'm scared stiff when I get anywhere close to myself kind" I can see Rook endlessly encouraging Vil to pursue his heart (With me it's him insisting to Vil he does have feelings for Cater and should give him a chance) But the idea of his own actual love affair terrifies him. He’d rather just watch other people fall in love.

I do think he has several secret perches around campus that no one knows about.

I also think he and Cater would be absolutely great and chaotic friends, that would strike fear into Vil’s heart. They both share a love of photography and him. I can just imagine Vil having to endure the two of them talking about him while he’s sitting right there lol.

I also gave them an anonymous magicam account where they post pictures of student life on campus (Mostly taken by Rook, but some by Cater)

I developed Rook’s Family for a fanfic I wrote a while ago. So some of this comes from that. I know if we ever get to meet his family this will all be obsolete but its still fun to work with. I also won't go into to much detail here, because his Family could be an entire post on its own. (Just like Cater’s)

His father works directly for Leona’s brother (And previously their father) as head of Royal Wildlife Management in the Savanah, a position his family has inherited for generations after they made the move there. A position his eldest brother will inherit one day. His eldest Sister I made a traveling exotic vet.

Rook himself is a fraternal twin. Reinette (the name I gave her) also has magic but doesn’t attend NRC because it (appears) to be an all male school. But she acts much like Rook did in his Savanaclaw days. Longer hair, sunbaked skin, and loaded with freckles.

His younger brother I named Florent and idolizes his big brother, and is the only other Hunt child to have magic. He’s set to go to NRC as a first year when Rook is a 4th year.

His youngest sister and the baby of the family is Fleur, and shares Rook’s and their father’s love of theater, albeit for the more technical side, and also has more than a slight obsession with Vil.

At his core, I don’t think Rook really feels like he fits in anywhere. Pomefiore and Vil have come as close as it gets for him, but it’s still not right. He’s restless, and is still searching for his “home”.

As an adult, I’d given him the profession of a wildlife photographer (French Steve Irwin is how I described it) It’s something I think he’s well suited for.

That’s probably enough for now, thank you if you made it this far ^^

#twisted wonderland #twst #rook hunt #vil schoenheit #cater diamond #twst headcanons #twst thoughts

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tumblingxelian · 2 days

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I have to admit I'm impressed with how awful a father CRWBY made Taiyang while giving him a veneer of reasonability.

To the point that his ability to just spout off things reminds me of an Aunt and Uncle who have no idea just how badly they are painting themselves.

As in - when he makes a judgement call about how Yang lost her arm that fits it into his "Over dependence on his semblance" it's incredibly telling about him not ever actually asking anyone about what happened.

It means he never talked to Yang about it, or even you know offered because while Yang wouldn't have said everything she'd probably have said a little.

Or talked to any of the students who probably got information about what happened from Blake when she dragged Yang to safety. Which wouldn't have been much but probably included the fact that Blake was attacked by someone, Yang intervened.

Given that students presumably died when Beacon fell and that Yang was a first year student... Like by itself, Yang being alive enough for a teammate to save her is a victory.

Nevermind context of her going up against someone that fought Blake, who came back injured herself, and Adam probably did get ID as going around killing students. So the fact that Yang was vastly outclassed would have been known, you know if Taiyang asked at all about "What happenend". Or worse - he did and still blames Yang. Like what did he expect her to do - leave Blake to die? Yang got Blake enough room to run, Blake used the opportunity to get both of them out of there but Yang bought that opportunity for Blake.

Meanwhile I'm looking forward to the Belladonnas actually talking to Yang. Because I don't think it's an accident that we didn't see said interaction before we started being shown in detail the grease fire of the Xialong Rose family.

From my perspective Tai is a rather interesting execution on the archetypical father on these fronts. IE, he's not a classic bad father the way Jac is, or the classic emotionally distant husk archetype. Yet to me, he is still 100% a big problem and done a lot of harm to Ruby & Yang with lackluster parenting & 'teaching'.

As outlined here.

I think this is one of the reasons why a lot of people struggle to actually see him as flawed even when e gets basic facts wrong.

Another reason is just how much undue credit men are given by default that women have to earn. Hence lots of people shrugging off Qrow's drinking or Ozpin's manipulation, or Ironwood's authoritarianism until they couldn't anymore.

Though being more charitable, I would also note how CRWBY often play these characters against their more traditional archetypes to help offset the audiences presumptions.

For instance,

Ozpin is a mysterious headmaster of an adventurers school but he's the 'fun' headmaster who both helps the kids go on adventures but unlike certain other headmasters sends an adult escort with them.

Or Ironwood, he's a big military hard liner who wants more tech, bigger weapons and to throw his military around. But he asks about the kids, he jokes casually, he's not just some General Ripper.

& Qrow of course is the bitter veteran and mentor, who is super badass & drinks/smokes, but in contras, he's also seemingly functional, friendly and clearly has a good rapport with his nieces.

Its easy to see why people saw those aspects and were willing to ignore things like:

Ozpin sending teenagers into terrorist dens, Ironwood backstabbing his allies while making himself out to be the victim, and Qrow's blatant dependence on alcohol to function.

Cos CRWBY made them characters & not archetypes.

So when the shit hit the fan and subtext became text, subtly problematic behavior became blatantly problematic and festering problems once seen as comedic now had real weight.

I feel Tai fits the same mold, he's on the surface 'functional', he definitely cares, and even seems to do some 'fun dad' stuff. He just also as no idea how Yang's Semblance works, & was absent or otherwise none functional for so long its left deep scars on Yang having to keep the family together & Ruby outright says Yang raised her.

He's in many ways a more realistic and nuanced portrayal of a dysfunctional or toxic parent who may not obviously have issues the way an open abuser like Jac, or an absentia parent like Raven might but can still do harm.

Also excellent breakdown on how the surrounding context of the Fall of Beacon. Team RWBY are first years, Blake is an incredibly experienced combatant, Yang had been put through the ringer. Literally everything was on fire and even people like Ozpin died.

The fact the whole team made it out at all is nothing short of a miracle. But accepting that "Sometimes bad things happen" is a surrender of power, its an admission that there was nothing to be done and that is terrifying. Especially for a man whose had two of the most important people in his life vanish on him without a trace.

He wants there to be something in Yang to blame because then there is something that can be done about it. Add in his clear and overtly stated projection of Raven onto her, and hos incoherent his reads on her personality are given Yang's addressed stuff like stubbornness & strategy well before this.

& you get a parent making being dismembers in a no win situation against a more powerful opponent the victims fault while giving vague, generalist advice to feel like they're doing something.

Gosh I want them to just adore her, and her to adore the Belladonna's.

Thanks for the ask, and good luck on that essay you mentioned, remember to tag me ;)

#RWBY #Yang Xiao Long #Text Post #Ask #Do not clown on this post

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fromtheseventhhell · 9 months

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"The best calumnies are spiced with truth," suggested Qavo, "but the girl's true sin cannot be denied. This arrogant child has taken it upon herself to smash the slave trade, but that traffic was never confined to Slaver's Bay. It was part of the sea of trade that spanned the world, and the dragon queen has clouded the water. Behind the Black Wall, lords of ancient blood sleep poorly, listening as their kitchen slaves sharpen their long knives. Slaves grow our food, clean our streets, teach our young. They guard our walls, row our galleys, fight our battles. And now when they look east, they see this young queen shining from afar, this breaker of chains. The Old Blood cannot suffer that. Poor men hate her too. Even the vilest beggar stands higher than a slave. This dragon queen would rob him of that consolation." (Tyrion VI, ADWD) Should you reach your queen, give her a message from the slaves of Old Volantis." She touched the faded scar upon her wrinkled cheek, where her tears had been cut away. "Tell her we are waiting. Tell her to come soon." (Tyrion VII, ADWD)

I appreciate how George explicitly makes the point that slavery isn't just about the economic aspect and that it is, at its root, built on subjugation. Even the people who don't directly benefit from it will fight to keep the system in place just so they have someone beneath them. That's why all the criticisms of Dany not replacing the economy before abolishing slavery fall flat, because that wouldn't have worked either. The slavers would've fought to enforce slavery regardless because they enjoyed the power and privilege it granted them. We also get insight onto the slaves thoughts on Dany's revolution, which makes it feel like this perspective is only coming from the consideration of the slavers and not the people actually being subjugated. The slaves want to be free, they want Dany to free them, and that shouldn't have to wait until the people who think of them as property decide it's acceptable.

#daenerys targaryen #pro daenerys targaryen #asoiaf #george rr martin #I just know some of y'all were in history class playing devil's advocate when the teacher was covering slave rebellions #there's no other explanation for why people in this fandom advocate so hard for the slavers and ignore the slaves #slavers: uwu I'm nervous being around my slaves who I think of property cause this new Queen is giving them ideas #and those are the people fandom is choosing to defend 🙄#never mind that she's actually working to rebuild the economy and instead of working with her the slavers are digging their heels in and #fighting to reinstate slavery...but these are the people y'all want Dany to compromise with (knowing you would call her a slaver if she did #/dragons don't plant trees so Dany doesn't know how to rebuild/ and she's literally replanting the trees that the /slavers/ burned sdksdkds

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cathodic-clairvoyant · 18 days

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Oh hi there transfem discussing her experience in the trans community i just had a quick question about your post

What does tme mean?

Oh okay i see i understand, thank you.

What does transmisogyny mean?

Ah I see, I get it.

What's a trans woman?

Oof scary. One last question.

What's a woman?

Thank you for being my own personal google (not like you had anything better to do right?) and derailing the point of your post for my own personal education. I will now add nothing of value to this post in return. Bye bye!

#channel 3 #ignore me i'm bitching #it's just like. somehow the word tme/tma magnetizes people who refuse to do a second of thinking EVERY SINGLE TIME #like on one hand i almost feel bad for bitching #because generally if someone is unaware enough to ask theyre probably not aware of the precedent of multiple tme people asking on every post #what tme/tma means #BUT ALSO it happens so often it straight up feels like it's intentional #and like even if you don't want to look it up i feel like it's easy to guess by context clues #but like regardless of that #could you imagine going to literally any other discussion like that and asking them to define basic terms #'hi thank you for sharing your math thesis with us. just one question what does that t shaped symbol mean? this one: +'#'hi thank you for your in depth analysis of whether the cubs win this year. just one question. what's baseball'#'hi thank you for this in depth character analysis. just one question. what's a book?'#like in all of these cases we can agree that either a. they're a bad actor or b. they're not doing the bare minimum to engage with the post #why is it that people think it's still okay to do that on posts by transfeminists? (<- knows the answer)#(also i'm sure this also happens to cisfeminists but i think more people know better than that now)#like. if you do this i don't think you're evil or like transmisogyny incarnate or whatever but like. in the nicest way #i want you to think through what you expected to happen with. like sincerely and ask yourself was this productive to anyone #did this add anything of use to the post or to anyone else #explaining tme/tma doesn't add use to the post because transfems have explained it billions of times elsewhere #and knowing what it means is generally the bare minimum for interacting with a post discussing transmisogyny #so who does it help to ask? further who does it hurt to ask? in what context might my question be taken?#whagever who give a shit

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pseudophan · 3 months

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i just lost two followers and it's making me laugh because judging by my most recent posts i assume they were diehard royalists? or at least people holding the british royal family in an unusually high regard? cry about it i guess idk, i do find it funny that you give a fuck though

on this note though of my followers holding different beliefs than me - if you're a terf? please kill yourself! i don't usually give a fuck because i just don't have it in me to start a war with everyone i disagree with but like. truly. if you hold any kind of prejudice against trans people whatsoever. fuck off from my blog lol i don't want you here

#ive got the shinigami eyes extension right #and sometimes i see people in my notes flagging up red #but i hate blocking people is the thing like i just don't do that #if someone who flags red reblogs me more than twice i'll block them though #but mostly i'm like. i don't want to block people. so i don't #but it's still like ohhhh my god. how are you reblogging my posts about dan and phil as a full on transphobe!!!!!#and dont be worried cause i vet all of these blogs #bc i know shinigami eyes isnt fool proof #sometimes someone gets marked red and they aren't actually a terf they just said one thing at one time that got misconstrued #like the bot isnt all that moderated #so any time i see a red url i will investigate to make sure they are in fact a terf #but man. MANNNNNN #my main point is like #do yall know dnp would fucking hate you lmfao #even if you somehow ignore the part where dan doesnt give a fuck about gender and none of it is real #and hes happy with all pronouns #like u can refer to her by he she they #doesnt matter #even if you ignore that #and all of the rest of it #how do you hear the things dnp say. frequently. all the time. and go. yeah i think me. a transphobe. should keep watching them #MAN IDK #youre all fucking weird

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transmascutena · 6 months

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rgu is not actually very hard to understand, but i do get why it's gotten that reputation. there are certainly things about it that are difficult to wrap your head around, like if you focus a lot on specific symbols. but the emotional core of the story, a narrative about abuse, should be pretty clear to anyone who watches it.

#this sounds a little mean and condescending but i promise i don't mean it that way!#i'm not trying to say 'this is actually so simple and you're stupid if you don't get it' because obviously it's not simple #and i don't wanna call anyone stupid unless they're deliberately ignoring the point.#but you don't need to focus on deciphering (this is imo the wrong way to go about analysis in general) everything on your first viewing #just let yourself feel the emotions the show gives you. get yourself invested in the characters. they're written in a way that almost anyon #can relate to them or at least empathize with them. and that's the most important thing.#leave the symbolism for the second or third rewatch if you need to. or don't get into it at all if you don't want to! that's fine too #when people come out of the show with the response of 'i didn't understand any of that' i think it's just a matter of them #focusing on the wrong thing. you will not be able to understand every single thing at once so don't try #revolutionary girl utena #m

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kyliafanfiction · 9 days

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I sometimes feel like characters who do truly monstrous things while also having been victims of some pretty insane shit themselves are sort of an exercise in empathy. Or at least, should be seen as such.

Like, in real life, if a person who has been horribly broken by their experiences and failed by society than proceeds to rape someone - it's hard to feel the justifiable sympathy/empathy for that person (without excusing their rape, never do that) because well, you can look at this actual human person they hurt, or worse, and it feels gross and disrespectful to the rape victim.

And this is understandable. (And applies to more than just rapists/rape victims of course, that's just the most visceral one and thus picked for that reason)

But a fictional rape victim is... fictional. You can't 'disrespect' their trauma, and while obviously rape/whatever else is real, and people may related to the rape victim and thus see your comments about the rapist also being a victim as somehow being about their experience...

Well, it's not.

Because the rapist here, didn't actually hurt a real person. Fictional characters are objects. They're objects that often grab us by the throat and refuse to leave our fucking heads, yes, but they're objects. They are tools used by writers to tell a story, and readers to tell a story.

And one of the things fictional characters are good for is allowing us to consider experiences we never had, and imagine ourselves in other circumstances and lives. (Also just fun and fascinating and interesting to watch their stories).

It's very easy to feel for the rape victim in fiction, and rightly so. That's Level 1 Empathy there. Granted, some people IRL fail that, but that's not really what we're talking about here.

Advanced Empathy, hard Empathy is feeling for the rapist. Not for the rape, of course, even if they feel guilt about it, but if someone really was failed on multiple levels and was broken and damaged and went through the sort of psychological wringer that would leave most of us here on tumblr catatonic - they do deserve the same Empathy any human (any person) who went through all that.

Even after they also do the bad thing, critically they still deserve Empathy. And that is fucking hard. I very often have a hard time feeling bad for truly awful people who also deserve empathy and sympathy, real and even fictional (despite all this, yeah, I'm not perfect on this) for what they (separately) went through.

It also becomes even harder when what they went through is utterly bound up with what they did. How what they went through and experiences is in part responsible for what they did - because they still made a choice. The circumstances may have left them not in their right mind, may have left them feeling without choice, may have driven them to things they normally might not think of or do, but they still chose to do that bad thing. And that's not okay. They still hurt someone.

And yet - one cannot remove the action from the circumstances. So you can still feel empathy, and elucidate all the factors and circumstances as to what led up to their choices and why, and it doesn't change that they did the horrible thing. The rape, or the murders, or whatever.

But circling back - with a fictional character... they didn't hurt a real person. There's no one who is real that suffered. The things the character did IRL are bad because they hurt real people.

So you're not being disrespectful to the victim by feeling that empathy, or sympathy. By exploring the things that they were a victim for. Even by wanting to focus on those things - fictional characters should be compelling in all their aspects, if they're written well.

And yet, of course, if you do that empathy and do talk about what the bad person went through and all that context, people come at you. They call you evil, just as bad as the (again, fictional) character, or they say that you're treading dangerously close to the arguments people use to defend the real people who do these things in real life. Or you're disrespecting all the victims of these crimes IRL. Especially of course, if the person coming at you has a reason this comes close to home.

But again - fictional.

In an ideal world, we'd all feel sympathy and empathy when it's called for, regardless of what the person did. Even the worst most monstrous people deserve human treatment in prison. And if you don't have empathy, that's hard. Even if you do have empathy, that's hard.

So if you look at a fictional character (who doesn't hurt a real person by virtue of being fictional) that does horrible, vile things, but went through so much, and you still can't empathize or sympathize with them... I mean, it doesn't make you a bad person, not even close, this is still fiction, and there's people I should empathize with in fiction that I don't, but...

It's still a failure of your ability to be empathetic. And we're all humans. We're all failing at that, among other things, all the time. But... it's good to be aware of that. at least?

At the very least, bear that in mind when other people are talking about that context, and that victimization. And please, for the love of god, don't fucking pretend that the victimization didn't happen, that this person who did do terrible things (in fiction) suddenly didn't also (in fiction) experience awful shit, as if doing a bad thing erases all the bad things done to you.

Again - it doesn't necessarily make you a bad person, but like... the horrible state of prisons in our society is a real, actual problem. The way we as a society dehumanize people who do bad things is a real actual problem for a lot of reasons (not least because it creates an incentive for authority that wants to dehumanize a person or a group to expand the definition of 'did bad things' to make their dehumanization now acceptable, among other things).

So yeah. Fictional character who suffers but than also makes others suffer - that's a useful exercise in Empathy. And doing that doesn't make you or anyone else a bad person, or actually defending the sorts of crimes, IRL or Fictional, that this character did. Contextualizing is not whitewashing, empathy is not erasing, and humanizing is not disrespecting the victim(s).

So yeah, they fictional character did bad things. But there's more to them than that. And you can say but and talk about what comes after but without disrespecting the fictional victim. Because the fictional victim... is just as fictional. Just as not real.

Is it possible for this to end up being taken too far? Yes. But that's a reason to be mindful of yourself when it comes to real people, not to never do it. And when it comes to fictional people - again, fictional. Nobody was actually, really hurt.

(I really do want to make clear, before people read the tags, that this applies to all crimes these sorts of characters do, rape was just picked as the one to use as the example.)

#Anakin Skywalker #Azula #Grant Ward #Amy Dallon #Panacea #Empathy #Sympathy #I kind of used both terms probably a little wrongly I don't know but I think my point is clear #the tagged characters were Just a few of the characters I had in mind while writing this #So many times I see people talking about the context and the way this and that character who did horrible shit and then I see other people #give them so much shit for that and say its not okay to talk about these things because it's victim blaming or erasing the crimes #or disrespecting the victim and like - it's all fictional but also like... even if it were real #a real person who suffered #whatever else they do later #is a real fucking person who fucking suffered #Ultimately if you can't bring yourself to empathize with a given fictional character - whether it's because their crimes hit close to home #or not - it's fine #you're not a bad person for that and I'm not saying that #but if you consistently never empathize with the fictional characters who deserve it and consistently try to downplay their trauma in the #context of the fiction or even try to erase it #Then maybe reflect #and either way - let other people empathize and talk about the context and all the rest for these characters in peace #even if you feel like they're whitewashing or victim blaming they probably aren't in 99% of cases and even if they are when it comes to #fictional characters they're fucking fictional just block or ignore or back button and move on maybe vent in your own space #But just - leave it alone #And maybe - if you haven't before - try to practice the 'Advanced Empathy' required to feel for these fictional monsters. It really is a #good exercise #Also like please reblog this I'm not really on tumblr for the notes most of the time but I really poured out a lot into this one and I'm #tired of doing that only to feel like I'm shouting into an empty void #I am on here because on some level I want engagement I want the connection

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