#(even if I'm speaking all of this into the void I just needed to speak it)

[sentrytruther]

And If I'm Crying, It's Because I'm in Love

Pairing: Bob Reynolds/F!Reader

Notes: It's quite literally been ten years since I've written anything on here. If you'd told me I'd be writing for Marvel again I'd never believe you. But Bob's sad eyes and slut waist have captured me heart and soul so here I am. Also Ethel Cain supremacy.

Warnings: Depressed reader and Bob. It's mainly just hurt/comfort tbh. No use of Y/N.

WC: 700

Summary: “It’s easy for him to get out of me/ what I’ve been praying will get out of me,”

Congrats, you’ve broken free from your chains. You’re no longer considered a monster. But you’ll never forget the way they looked at you.

Bob speaking her name broke the reverie she���d found herself in. She looks into her reflection, trying not to wince at the sight of her own face. Instead her gaze trails up to meet his, baby blues searching her face for something she doesn’t want to name. When their eyes meet, she can’t help but shoot him a meek grin. Always trying to comfort him, even when she’s the one in need of it.

Bob can’t return it, though the side of his mouth twitches like he wants to. But he can’t help but be anything but genuine with her, and right now he can’t smile like he means it when she can’t.

Unable to stand the sight of herself through her peripherals, she turns to face him, arms coming up to hug herself. Self-soothing. A part of Bob’s heart cracked at that, even if he understood the impulse. How many years had he spent holding himself, cradling the hurt in his shaking and damaged hands because no one else bothered?

No one else until her. Until Yelena. Until the rest of the Thunderbolts.

And now, it was time for him to return the favor.

Even though he trembled with anxiety, he opened himself up. Spread his left arm out and reached out to her with his right hand. Fingers stretching out and beckoning, pleading. He was a dog showing vulnerability for the first time, recklessly flopping onto his back, belly up, head tilted back to expose his neck. I trust you with the softest parts of me. His body language said. Do what you will with them.

And to her, the girl whose hands had only ever hurt others for so long, that was everything.

Later on, upon reflection, it would terrify her how quickly her walls came crashing down. Walls she thought were made of pure vibranium crumbling apart like they’d actually been paper-mâché the whole time. But in that moment, she ignored the debris cluttering her heart and ran to him. She fell into him, melting into the hard planes of his body like she’d been poured into his arms. And he held her close, in awe of how perfectly she felt against him, distantly wondering if he was born specifically to hold her. Treasure her. More than puzzle pieces fitting together, more than yin and yang. Two hearts melding into one body.

“I’ve got you,” He whispered. There was no need to, not really. But he felt like the moment called for it, like if he spoke any louder she’d shatter into stardust. She wasn’t a fragile in any sense of the word, but everyone had moments where they were made of glass, and this was hers. ���Even when you’ve convinced yourself you don’t deserve it. Especially then,”

Her lips quirked up a little then, recognizing that he was parroting the very words she’d spoken to him after the Void fiasco. She pressed her nose into his neck, squeezing him in response. “I’m not worth all of this,”

He shook his head. “It’s a good thing you don’t get to decide what I think is worth my time and effort,”

She allowed herself a full on smile then. He could feel it, could feel the tension slowly seeping from her shoulders, spilling down his fingers like water before becoming mist into the air around them.

I love you.

It almost came out of both of them, at the same time. But neither wanted to ruin the moment, wanted to be too much for the other, so they kept the secret pressed against the back of their teeth.

I won’t be greedy. They thought in tandem. I’ll be fine with this, for now.

One day, probably soon, the secret would tumble out of them into the open air, ruining everything in the best way. But for now, in the quiet sanctuary of the bathroom, this was enough.

[theotherrookie]

"I will hope you do." Willow replied, "And perhaps that day I will show you my Citadel."

It was a bit extreme for a first outing, but it's the thought that counts.

"I'm the mightiest birb." Rook said, "And I will dominate the skies as well as the skatepark!"

And if all else failed, her improved healing factor would peace her back together quickly.

"That's the Big Bro." Erica said, pointing to Antonio, "And you're Bigger Bro. It's easy!"

And more accurate, considering both were also 'cat brothers' to her. Besides, it sounded more menacing if she threatened to call up an older brother.

"It'll be something fun to play with while we fix the pool." Erica added. Rook predictably didn't look as enthusiastic at the idea.

A swimming pool still would have been more interesting than Five's car. Erica shifted on her feet for a bit, then hopped on the roof, leaning over to look inside while Travis worked.

"Well, it looks like it can go fast." Then again, that was mostly because it was red. "Willow rides shotgun. It's the rules."

"Aside from the rather crude image, I believe we should keep the windows down even after fumigating the entire car." Willow suggested.

She doubted Veronica's potion could do much against the stench of cigarette smoke.

"Well, it is a pocket dimension." Rook chimed in, "It was put together and fit between the realities and we can come and go through the little holes that form when we come in."

"Of course, we ensure such breaches are sealed." Veronica reassured, "This way we don't get each other's clutter mixed."

Speaking of, she would replenish her supplies while they were there. Veronica turned as several old wooden shelves, each filled with potions and ingredients, descended to their right.

"Feel free to have a look, Leofric." she offered, "And take whatever you may need. This is my smaller stash."

"This isn't the best time to run a clearance sale, mum." Rook pointed, "Gather everything and just put it here–"

Rook snapped her fingers to summon a large crate. Lucien was the first to dump his gloves and mask, taking a moment to adjust his cuffs, before returning to his place by Russell's side, ready to take his hand and not let go for the duration of their stay in that void.

"Well, we could do that, but there's just a small issue." Rook summoned a long rolled up carpet and gave it a good kick before watching it roll forward, then up, down and spiraling back above their heads in every direction. "We had a little accident a while ago and I'm still not done sorting out the physics in here. It gets trippy if you mark it like that."

Willow reached to give the drone a pat, "I'm quite glad to have met you as well, Simon."

It was so refreshing meeting a tech savvy person who was actually pleasant to talk to. Willow would definitely find the time to chat again over this topic or any other.

"It'd be fun to swing around and look down on the haters." Rook crossed her arms as Lucien leaned over to mock her, "It might be more exciting than jumping off the roof."

It would also be better for her mother's peace of mind. Lucien was reminded of the importance of respecting personal space and pointed back to Russell with a claw. He was his problem now.

"Well, I can think of some more names, but I'd have to ask Erica how to pronounce them."

"We could also go with Big Big Bro!" Erica said with a smile.

"It would be worth a try. In any case, we first of all care about spending time with you." Lucien replied. That, however, didn't mean he didn't plan on gifting Russell a nice t-shirt or two. Not that he needed the excuse to go shopping.

"Maybe a round of positive vibes will help, but let's not overdo it." Rook said, "I don't want the place to be too pristine, you know? Polite ghosts should feel welcome too."

If they wanted to open the place to everybody, then they better ensure it'd be that way even with a few safety measures in place.

Though it also occurred to Rook they should consider buying some super soakers. Her mother seemed to be enjoying herself.

"Fear my wrath, Antonio." Yes, she was definitely having a good time. "But I will let this go, if only because you still manage to be cute."

"Emotive extra limbs, am I right?" Rook chuckled, wiggling her wings.

But it was time to get going. Willow and Erica fell into step, mostly ready to try their chances riding in Five's car.

"You can never know where he put his hands. So I guess the first thing to do is cleaning the steering wheel." Erica suggested. She, of course, already had some tissue ready to be used.

"Indeed." Willow agreed. It was safe to say she didn't look very impressed with the car. Five's utter lack of taste extended to his choice of vehicle as well.

Rook decided to take the lead, knowing well she couldn't risk anybody wandering off while she had no way to track them down (having invited everybody inside without the help of an orb. She waited for her mother to follow, then for Lucien to step through, before shutting the portal behind them. The usual white void of the pocket greeted them in all its liminal glory as the fog parted, the lack of clutter suggesting this wasn't a corner Rook had been to recently.

Still keeping an eye on the group, she let out a sigh as she started floating a few inches off the ground. "Ah, it's nice to get some weight off my legs. I really can't wait to sit down."

"You will be able to do so soon, dear." Veronica reassured, "Now, feel free to toss your protections and spent consumables wherever you want. We do have essentially infinite space in here."

"It could use a few rugs." Lucien mused.

[ohisms]

✱˚｡⋆ ↪ 𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎 𝐇𝐈𝐃𝐄.    (  an updated collection of  lyric + action prompts originating from the works of grandson.  mature themes present: politics, violence, drug use, etc. feel free to adjust as desired.  )

money isn't always what it seems.

i love you, i'm trying.

it's more fun to be unaware.

one false move, you're a kennedy.

my ego follows me wherever i go.

aren't you fed up yet?

it isn't that much, but it's a good start.

i spent my last dollar on a motherfucking cab.

they lie about some greater good.

the drugs don't work anymore.

there's a cold wind blowing... i'm just warning & preparing you.

i've got a secret i need you to keep.

my heart keeps fucking up the motherfucking plan.

nobody really cared, so it never really mattered.

i wanna feel something, 'cause all that i got is nothing.

get down on the ground, don't even make a sound.

tell me what you're trying to hide.

i was try'na feel like a rockstar.

now presenting: a horror story or a happy ending.

i'm still trying to find my identity.

you don't have to hurt anymore, didn't you hear? the war's over.

i thought it would all be great when i got older.

how do you get in the mind-state to kill?

try to wash my hands, i'm never gonna get them clean.

i was living in the moment, searching for a little serotonin.

do you have enough love in your heart to get your hands dirty?

i became a version of myself i don't like.

you have been forewarned.

we are not alone ... can you keep a secret?

i just wanna fuck my hand up through the wall.

i trust my feelings & then i still get burned.

do you love your neighbor? is it in your nature?

i've been living on the run, now.

you don't wanna get that much closer.

guess that i'm stuck with this shit.

we might not make it 'til the morning.

they made up a reason behind closed doors.

is this what you wanted?

i'm just trying to get used to these changes.

i've got nothing to say.

if i speak too loud, then my voice might crack.

don't know how i'm gonna take much more.

how the hell is everybody on autopilot? they make it look so easy.

everybody knows somebody with something to hide.

look at how we've all grown up fast.

i never get to sleep at night.

i just wanna be optimistic.

beg me for forgiveness.

i never thought it'd come to this.

this isn't as fun as they claimed it'd be.

i got my bags packed & i'm ready to go.

i'm done playing games, so i'm going down in flames.

we made this bed, i guess that we lie in it.

everything's exhausting.

i'm pathetic, i know.

we both know i'm lying.

what's the point in fighting for a happy ever after?

self-sabotage is the only way to find clarity.

tell me, what's your life worth?

is there anybody out there that's paying attention?

i'll be back with the setting sun.

don't even hiccup, or i'm emptying a round.

it never really mattered, so it never really happened.

i gotta get out of this town somehow.

it's too late for me, i should've learned earlier.

just color in the lines, & you'll get it like they promised.

maybe someday all this will make sense.

if i could switch on a count of three, i would do it. but i'm stuck here with me.

took the shit to numb the pain, but it came with side effects.

step one, gotta find a way to get the fuck out of bed.

the bad's been slowly getting worse.

the people aren't happy.

i'm homesick, & i miss my mama.

i was getting high in the bathroom.

i'm watching everybody i grew up with move on.

how many last chances will i get?

shout into the void, & the void shouts back.

tried medication & therapy, it only seems to help temporarily.

i wish there was someone else i could be.

i think it's time for a change.

i'm sick of being underrated.

idle hands are the devil's best friend.

thinking about it, i get whiplash.

tell me, what's the point in living in a world so unforgiving?

i never meant to hurt nobody.

i'm sick of this pretend alternative.

if i had only one call, would you pick up?

what's a dead end to a dead man walking?

every day, every night, i would trade it in a heartbeat.

look me in my eyes, tell me everything's not fine.

everybody's fake & they won't quit talking.

i know i should face it, but i'm running.

i'm isolated & overstimulated at the same time.

i need a savior, but if not me, who?

the hole in my soul keeps wracking up debt.

my life's falling apart, but i love it.

maybe just ignore it, it'll go away.

i'm done playing games.

the day the youth might listen is the day the youth grows old.

speak now or hold your breath.

on the day that i lie still, i'll still have taxes & i'll still have bills.

tell me one damn thing i don't already know.

nobody from back in the day can get ahold of me now.

what's the point of living without you?

i don't like who i'm becoming.

beg me for mercy, admit you were toxic.

how much can i ask for before you walk out that door?

these thrills feel hollow. i'm so obsessed with success.

i think about it, & i get whiplash.

better step back from that open door.

i want it so bad, it takes all control of me.

i made a best friend out of the skeleton in the closet.

i don't know how to heal myself. shit, i don't even know if i'm still myself.

when you're gone i'm back to blue.

i don't know why i'm running away.

will this ever be enough?

the shot was loud & the flash so bright.

i just wanna be a rockstar with a million people following.

i always end up back up at the start.

give me a reason to believe you.

give me one reason i shouldn't go & end your life.

guess i gotta die to get my celebration.

i couldn't do nothing, i never saw it coming.

SCENARIOS / ACTIONS.

in a sudden outburst of anger, sender draws a weapon on receiver.

sender & receiver, strapped for cash, decide to commit a robbery.

during a struggle over a weapon, one muse is gravely injured.

our muses have an emotional fight stemming from jealousy.

sender shows up at receiver's house unannounced, looking haggard.

our muses slip away from a gathering to smoke a joint.

sender approaches a bedrotting receiver, begging them to get up.

sender comes back to enact revenge upon receiver.

our muses speed down the highway with flashing lights in the rearview mirror.

sender finds receiver dangerously wasted at a party.

sender is discovered by receiver in a state of extreme agitation.

sender intends to assassinate receiver, & enacts their plan.

receiver finds sender sitting at a rainy bus stop, alone.

one muse owes the other money, & they come to collect.

[mattnben-bennmatt]

Matt & Ben || John & Paul

Here’s a story. Matt Damon told it. But it’s not about Matt Damon. It’s about Bono. But it’s not really about Bono, either; it’s about Paul McCartney. But Damon heard it from Bono. One day, Bono flew into Liverpool. Paul was supposed to pick him up at the airport, and Bono was shocked when Paul picked him up at the airport alone, behind the wheel of his car. “Would you like to go on a little tour?” Paul said. Sure, Bono said, because Bono, you see, is a fan of Paul’s, in the same way that Damon is a fan of Bono’s. “Bono’s obsessed with the Beatles,” Damon said at the table in the lobby of the gated hotel in the little town in Germany. “He’s, like, a student of the Beatles. He’s read every book on the Beatles. He’s seen every bit of film. There’s nothing he doesn’t know. So when Paul stops and says 'That’s where it happened,’ Bono’s like, 'That’s where what happened?’ because he thinks he knows everything. And Paul says, 'That’s where the Beatles started. That’s where John gave me half his chocolate bar.’ And now Bono’s like, 'What chocolate bar? I’ve never heard of any chocolate bar.’ And Paul says, 'John had a chocolate bar, and he shared it with me. And he didn’t give me some of his chocolate bar. He didn’t give me a square of his chocolate bar. He didn’t give me a quarter of his chocolate bar. He gave me half of his chocolate bar. And that’s why the Beatles started right there.’ Isn’t that fantastic? It’s the most important story about the Beatles, and it’s in none of the books! And Paul tells it to Bono. Because he knows how much Bono loves the Beatles.”

— Matt Damon, interviewed by Tom Junod for Esquire (August 2013).

-

Ben Affleck and I actually had a joint bank account, and the bank account was money that we’d made doing local commercials, and we could only use it on trips to New York to audition […] If one kid had enough for a candy bar, then the candy bar was bought and split in half — that’s just the way it’s been.

— Matt Damon, interviewed by Piers Morgan for CNN (March 2011).

-

First of all, I think I should say that we pale by comparison to The Beatles. But my understanding of how [Lennon and McCartney] worked was that they would go off and work separately. Matt and I worked together in the same room most of the time, riffing off of one another’s ideas for scenes or certain lines of dialogue.

— Ben Affleck, interviewed for eDrive (February/March 1998).

-

Q: But you didn’t compose your stuff separately, as other accounts have said? JOHN: No, no, no. I said that, but I was lying. [Laughs.] By the time I said that, we were so sick of this idea of writing and singing together, especially me, that I started this thing about, “We never wrote together, we were never in the same room.” Which wasn’t true. We wrote a lot of stuff together, one-on-one, eyeball to eyeball.

— John Lennon, interviewed by David Sheff for Playboy (September 1980).

-

[Ben and I] have been bizarrely close for a long time. You know, I was watching Get Back—the Peter Jackson documentary—and at the end of that you see the Beatles playing on the roof in London and it says, “This is the last time that they ever played together, live.” And it made me so sad to think of; because you look at them and they’re so happy! And Ben and I, I called him and said, “Look man, we were talking about doing this and it’s been 25 years or something since Good Will Hunting. What are we doing? We both kind of hit the lottery! Why aren’t we working together more often?” And after my dad passed in 2017—and Ben was very, very close with him—it’s like it changed something in us, I think. You start to see the end game and to feel like, “I want to make every second count.” I don’t want to fritter away time anymore.

— Matt Damon, interviewed by Chris Wallace for CNN (July 2023).

-

I needed to make this post because way before the Matt & Ben brainrot had the chance to set in, John & Paul had already taken complete hold of my being. And even if this hold has gentled in recent years, they nevertheless rewired my neural circuits. And thus, everything now inevitably leads back to Lennon/McCartney. One day I'll make a (probably very tinhatty) post highlighting specific parallels between Matt & Ben and John & Paul. Today is not that day.

For now, I merely wanted to marvel at how it's not only me who inevitably sees same-sex friendships and creative partnerships through the Lennon/McCartney goggles, but, being Lennon/McCartney arguably one of the most famous same-sex friendships and creative partnerships in history, they influence how other friends who are also creative partners—such as Matt and Ben—see themselves.

For example, the Chocolate Bar story. First of all, I can't believe I only realized yesterday that one of my favorite bits of Beatles lore—a story so special Paul hasn't told it anywhere else—was made public by Matt Damon (which is kind of ironic, given how private and protective he is over his own friendship with Ben). But then, it made me re-evaluate one of Matt's quotes. You see, I thought Matt saying "If one kid had enough for a candy bar, then the candy bar was bought and split in half" about him and Ben was one of those crazy coincidences I could see thanks to my Lennon/McCartney vision. Rather, Matt seems instead to be directly referencing the Chocolate Bar story, even if only a handful of people would understand the reference at the time. By drawing this comparison, a candy bar is no longer just a candy bar. It represents the founding principles of generosity and equity on which a great partnership can be built. Like John and Paul before them, Matt and Ben chose to tie their fates together and share what they had so they could make it.

And as soon as they made it, the world started comparing them to Lennon/McCartney, as we can see by Ben's quote. And it's interesting to think how the generalized perception of Lennon/McCartney at the time might have influenced how they felt about the comparison. Imagine you and your best friend/writing partner just achieved your wildest dreams. But that also means the eyes of the world are now turned on you, and your very real friendship is being used as a marketing ploy and starting to be ravenously consumed by the public. Now imagine that people start comparing you to The Beatles, and the very famous songwriting partnership at its core, Lennon/McCartney: two friends who rocketed to the toppermost-of-the-poppermost, but who broke up very acrimoniously in less than a decade. The Beatle-People will know that they deeply loved each other throughout it all, but that was not the prevailing narrative until a few years ago, when Get Back came out. So no wonder Ben's first instinct was to go "RIP to John and Paul but Matt and I are different."

And then, Get Back comes out and it makes them realize that they both are and are not different. They are not different in the sense that the pressure of fame did affect their relationship. Not to the extent of John and Paul's, whose private troubles were made public. Whatever conflicts Matt and Ben might have had throughout the years, they gracefully kept it private, which allowed their relationship to naturally heal without the press poking at the wounds. However, I do believe the intensity of the public gaze made them shy away from collaborating again. They mention working on numerous projects throughout the years (particularly after their Oscar win with Good Will Hunting), but none of these saw the light of day. And even though they say they were working so much they did not have time to write, it's odd that it took them over two decades to even co-star in another movie again. I think that, much like John and Paul in the 70s, the pressure placed on an eventual reunion was so great—both in terms of living up to their past success and of inviting all that scrutiny again—that Matt and Ben opted to remain private friends, at the sake of their creative partnership. Which makes total sense, because, like John and Paul, there's no partnership without the friendship. But this sacrifice is tragic in its own way, because the creative partnership was a big part of their friendship. Acting, writing, directing—creating—was what drew them together in the first place! It's like asking them to amputate one of the fundamental components of their relationship.

Which is why I find the last quote so incredibly moving. While watching Get Back, Matt was not only reminded of the joy of creating with his best friend—he was confronted with the preciousness of it. Because this is where Matt and Ben are most different from John and Paul: Matt and Ben have been granted the luxury of time. Unlike John and Paul, Matt and Ben could get to their 50s and realize, "What are we doing? We both kind of hit the lottery! Why aren’t we working together more often?" They could realize that they didn't give a fuck about what anyone said or thought anymore. That being together doing something they loved was more important. And so, unlike Paul, Matt got to hear his wife say that writing with Ben was the most she'd seen him laugh in many years. And Ben, unlike John, got to feel that total happiness was seeing his children every day and working with his best friend, and that there's nothing more that he wants in life. In fact, working together on Air made them feel so profoundly accomplished and realized, that both Ben and Matt thought they were about to die, since they'd apparently reached the "mountain top".

And so, it is with great joy that I await what lies in store for Ben and Matt. They have just created their own studio, Artists Equity, and are slated to collaborate in some of its future projects. Nothing will ever replace John and Paul in my heart, and their love story is ongoing in its own way; oh, but how wonderful is it to be able to witness a creative partnership and friendship whose future is still ripe with possibility! And how poetic that the tragedy of John and Paul's story played a part in ensuring that?

[a-shadowedvales]

when jane's powers return in season four (and because they were regained by her confronting and accepting her past, rather than being retraumatised with it!) they're stronger than they ever were. when she starts getting a handle back on them, she very quickly comes to realise not only have they affected her, but her mother, too. one of the biggest losses that came about with her losing them was the fact that she could no longer visit terry in the void; while there was no real communication there, it did allow jane to sit with her, and gain a little more connection than she could in the real world. when she first visits the void after their return, it takes her three hours to find terry, something that is both unexpected and incredibly worrying. but when she does, it's something of a miracle. jane's increased strength and control over the void actually wakes terry up from her catatonic state, but only in the void. there's no way to help her mother physically, but she does do so (unbeknownst to her) mentally. terry is reborn in jane's newfound control over the vale of shadows; she becomes the woman she once was, and while her body remains frozen in a "good dream", her mind connected to jane's own allows her some freedom. jane is able to speak to her mother in the void, is able to be held by her, and while it's still unfair and jane cannot stay in there forever, it's something. this only lasts for about eight months, as each visit slowly begins deteriorating terry's physical and mental state, and jane's health begins declining after spending hours upon hours in the void each and every day.

when jane finds out these visits are actually killing her mother on the outside, she deems to stop, but terry expresses the importance of them being able to speak, that she'd prefer to die on the outside, if it meant she could have just a few months with her daughter like this. terry and jane's connection was always so strong, which ultimately led to terry "waking up" in the void, but even jane's newfound strength cannot save her from the harsh realities. each visit nearing the end of those eight months, terry fades more and more, becomes weaker in the void, and her real body eventually gives up. jane's in the void when her mother eventually passes on, and physically feels their connection weaken, like some part of her suddenly becomes lost in the shadows, a part she'll never find again. jane falls into a depressive state for weeks after her mother's death, given she's technically lost her a second time, but soon comes to realise she was lucky to have even shared those eight months together. it was better than nothing at all. there is a proper burial and funeral, (and when jane dies, she's buried next to her mother) which allows jane some sense of closure. she never fully recovers from losing terry, nor from the fact that she never had a proper relationship with her, but she does eventually find some peace with it all.

[bat-the-misfit]

i LOVE spanish or vanish and we got a glimpse of french or the trench and now duo has done korean or get eaten which was also funny

but the only thing my heart wants is

PORTUGUESE OR THE SQUEEZE

duo pls

[deadrlngers]

save me scrambled eggs save me scrambled eggs save me

[reraen]

was thinking abt putting what I'm cooking in the main tags but my brain tased me going 'bish don't push ur luck'

[arcane-vagabond]

.

[getvalentined]

An open letter to @staff

I already submitted this to Support under "Feedback," but I'm sharing it here too as I don't expect it to get a response, and I feel like putting in out in public may be more effective than sending it off into the void.

The recent post on the Staff blog about changing tumblr to an algorithmic feed features a large amount of misinformation that I feel staff needs to address, openly and honestly, with information on where this data was sourced at the very least.

Claim 1: Algorithms help small creators.

This is false, as algorithms are designed to push content that gets engagement in order to get it more engagement, thereby assuring that the popular remain popular and the small remain small except in instances of extreme luck.

This can already be seen on the tumblr radar, which is a combination of staff picks (usually the same half-dozen fandoms or niche special interests like Lego photography) which already have a ton of engagement, or posts that are getting enough engagement to hit the radar organically. Tumblr has an algorithm that runs like every other socmed algorithm on the planet, and it will decimate the reach of small creators just like every other platform before it.

Claim 2: Only a small portion of users utilize the chronological feed.

You can find a poll by user @darkwood-sleddog here that at the time of writing this, sits at over 40 THOUSAND responses showing that over 96 percent of them use the chronological feed*. Claiming otherwise isn't just a misstatement, it's a lie. You are lying to your core userbase and expecting them to accept it as fact. It's not just unethical, it's insulting to people who have been supporting your platform for over a decade.

Claim 3: Tumblr is not easy to use.

This is also 100% false and you ABSOLUTELY know it. Tumblr is EXTREMELY easy to use, the issue is that the documentation, the explanations of features, and often even the stability of the service is subpar. All of this would be very easy for staff to fix, if they would invest in the creation of walkthroughs and clear explanations of how various site features work, as well as finally fixing the search function. Your inability to explain how your service works should not result in completely ignoring the needs and wants of your core long-term userbase. The fact that you're more willing to invest in the very systems that have made every other form of social media so horrifically toxic than in trying to make it easier for people to use the service AS IT WORKS NOW and fixing the parts that don't work as well speaks volumes toward what tumblr staff actually cares about.

You will not get a paycheck if your platform becomes defunct, and the thing that makes it special right now is that it is the ONLY large-scale socmed platform on THE ENTIRE INTERNET with a true chronological feed and no aggressive algorithmic content serving. The recent post from staff indicates that you are going to kill that, and are insisting that it's what we want. It is not. I'd hazard to guess that most of the dev team knows it isn't what we want, but I assume the money people don't care. The user base isn't relevant, just how much money they can bring in.

The CEO stated he wanted this to remain as sort of the last bastion of the Old Internet, and yet here we are, watching you declare you intend to burn it to the ground.

You can do so much better than this.

Response to the Update

Under the cut for readability, because everything said above still applies.

I already said this in a reblog on the post itself, but I'm adding it to this one for easy access: people read it that way because that's what you said.

Staff considers the main feed as it exists to be "outdated," to the point that you literally used that word to describe it, and the main goals expressed in this announcement is to figure out what makes "high-quality content" and serve that to users moving forward.

People read it that way because that is what you said.

*The final results of the poll, after 24 hours:

136,635 votes breaks down thusly:

An algorithm based feed where I get "the best of tumblr." @ 1.3% (roughly 1,776 votes)

Chronological feed that only features blogs I follow. @ 95.2% (roughly 130,077 votes)

This doesn't affect me personally. @ 3.5% (roughly 4,782 votes)

[corkinavoid]

DPxDC Shit Fae!Danny Has Said While Living With Waynes

Danny, making a 'got your nose' gesture: Hey Jason, look, I've got your name!

Red Hood, who suddenly can't remember his own name: What the fuck

Bruce, in a tired dad voice: Danny, please, we talked about this, return your brother's name back

Danny: Oh, come on, it's not like he even uses it

Jason, thankfully remembering his name: And I repeat, what the f u c k

Steph, at dinner: I was wondering, what do faeries even eat normally? Like, flowers and stuff?

Danny, his eyes two black voids inside his eyesockets: The souls of the innocent

Steph: So that's a 'no' on the flowers?

Danny, back to normal and shoving a bagel in his mouth: I mean, I can, but would you want to stay on the crumbs-only diet when you are in a 5-star Michelin restaurant?

Tim: It's actually 3-star. Michelin rating system only has three stars, not five.

Dick: Are you saying that people are basically food joints for Fae?

Damian, at Constantine: It would do you well to choose your wording better when speaking to fair folk-

Danny, very much a fair folk, appearing out of thin air in the Cave: Yolo, s'up bitches, guess who's back in town!

Damian: -even when they do not necessarily do so themselves.

Constantine, looking between them: Are you sure you're the human and he is the changeling?

Tim, 46 hours of no sleep: Hey, if you can take a name from someone, does it mean you can take, like, other things that have no real shape or form?

Danny: Names do have shape and form, they even have taste. Yours is like a ping-pong ball made out of really dense cotton candy with banana-caramel flavor.

Tim, losing his touch with reality: Dense banana cotton candy...

Danny: By the way, I know you wanted to ask me if I could take your need to sleep from you, and theoretically, the answer is yes.

Tim, his whisper full of hope: ...will you?..

Danny: No. Either go to sleep or keep suffering. I'm not here to make your life easier.

Danny, after a half-an-hour rant on the Fae customs and traditions: -and Fae never tell the truth, but also never lie. It's a work of art, you know, say what you want but never in a way that makes sense.

Jason: So Fae just like to fuck with people.

Danny, looking him in the eyes, smiling and winking: Sure, humans are very fuckable.

Bruce, trying very hard not to pay attention to this: Can you make an example?

Danny: Sure. I lied.

Bruce: Where?

Danny: :)

Bruce, feeling like he is about to lose his mind: W h e r e ?

Alfred, right after he heard Dick's muffled screaming in the hallway: Young Master Danny, would you mind returning Master Dick his ability to talk in coherent sentences?

Danny, obediently standing up and walking out of the library: ...okay.

Bruce: How come he always listens to you?

Alfred: He knows what I will do if he doesn't.

Danny, returning to the library: He will change all the silverware to iron-ware. As well as the doorknobs and hairbrushes and lightswitches and everything else.

Alfred: Did you fix Master Dick's shoes?

Danny: I did. But I still think that making all of his shoes left ones was funny.

Alfred: Indeed, it was.

| <-prev | next-> |

There's also a fic now.

[thingswhatareawesome]

have super torn through the materials from the $bp, nice to make good progress on some characters though (like march/himeko/yukong and their light cones as I mentioned earlier). also did a ton more work again on evaluating relics. making sure to max out any gold ones that have 2+ needed substats. been trying to be conservative with the resources but that's holding my characters back, they're weak bc of low relics. so i think i've been too picky waiting. so yeah, so long as it's got the right main stat and at least 2 substats, i'm upgrading.

also then had to take a ton of time to do more with salvaging to then generate more of the material, and i really struggle with salvaging what really isn't a great item vs but what if a future character needs it or what if a 2/4 pc bonus combines with unexpected stats and gets recommended in the guides, like i wouldn't have suspected healing stats being needed on what looks to be non healing relic types. so hard to know what's trash and what the guides are going to suddenly say is useful. (and jfc is everyone going to end up in hackerspace?)

but doing my best. trying to use mats and not just hoard them for 'just in case' when characters need them now and i can tell it's why i'm so much weaker than other players. and trying to learn, like i know it takes me so much longer to pick up this information (just finally getting to where i understand pity and 50-50). wish there were a bit more info on this stuff for those of us who're new to hoyo games (like my dabbling in genshin never got me to gearing and evaluating stats so sr is basically my first).

not that many levels left on the battle passes, i'm in the 40s, so yeah, it'll be a bummer when that dries up. bc there's quite a while left before the new one.

[castielthinkr]

BE MY BABY

bob reynolds x fem!reader cw thunderbolts* new avengers spoilers, inspired by prompt 7 of this post, bob is an anxious mess, reader implied to be on the younger side of the team

bob reynolds has been avoiding you.

at first you thought he might have just been having some sort of anxious episode, avoiding the whole team, but you catch him sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with yelena, and know it's just you.

it hurts, in a way. the two of you had been close since the whole void incident, and not having him by your side is beginning to get to you. your heart hurts every time you see him - or, rather, don't see him.

things come to a head when you get cornered by bucky of all people. he’s noticed that things are tense, that you’re withdrawing into yourself.

“talk to me,” he says, sitting next to you out of nowhere. “talk to you?” “something’s wrong. talk to me.” you sigh. no matter how much you try to deflect, you know he won’t give up. you’ve seen the same thing happen with yelena (and john, of all people).

“bob’s avoiding me,” you mutter. “i know,” bucky says. you furrow your brows. “you know?” “it’s not exactly hard to see.” you sigh. again. “i don’t know what to do.” "i can't really help you, kiddo," he says, his voice a little quieter. almost guilty. you bristle at the nickname but don't try to correct him. he never lets up. "i know. s'okay."

except, it's not okay. now that bucky knows, yelena somehow knows, and john knows, and ava, and alexei, and pretty soon it's gotten back to bob that you're well aware that he's avoiding you and that you're upset about it and you're both freaking out.

he comes to you, one day, practically vibrating with anxious energy. you don't even realise he's there at first, having become accustomed to his evasion tactics. he notices.

he clears his throat, and you look up from where you're reading in a corner. in one of his usual spots, he realises. "i'm, uh... i'm sorry." you blink. sorry? "what?" "i'm sorry," he repeats. "yeah, no, i heard you. just... what?" bob sighs a little, fidgeting with his hands. "i'm sorry for avoiding you. it was immature."

you stay quiet for a moment, your brain needing to catch up. weeks of silence, and now this?

"okay... why did you do it?" you ask, not sure whether you actually want the answer. "it's stupid. you don't— you probably don't want to know—“ "bob." "yes?" "just tell me," you say, your voice a little softer now.

he sighs, squeezing his hands together and rubbing them against each other every which way. he murmurs something, and you don't quite catch it. he knows. he clears his throat again and speaks up.

"i have... feelings for you," he says quickly, almost quick enough that you don't catch it. "you... what?" you ask, not sure whether you heard him right. "i have feelings for you. like, romantic feelings. and i thought that avoiding you would make them go away but it hasn't--" "why did you want to make them go away?"

his head snaps up, nervous eyes meeting yours. "what?" "why did you want to make them go away?" you repeat, gentler this time. "'cause, i mean... i just thought..." "you thought i wouldn't feel the same?" you ask. he nods.

"okay, just... stop, for a second. stop everything," you instruct. he does. "i find it so insanely stupid that you think for one second that i'm not completely and utterly head over heels for your oblivious ass."

that makes him pause. "you... what? head over heels?" "yes!" you say, a little exasperated. "i have been since you appeared out of nowhere in that incinerator." "oh," he says quietly, "wow."

he sits next to you, rather ungracefully hitting the floor with a small oof. the two of you sit in silence for a while, revelling in your new discoveries.

"so," he says after a long moment of quiet, "completely and utterly head over heels, huh?" you swat his arm. "shut up. but yes." he leans his head on your shoulder, and your cheek comes to rest on the top of his head. "what does this mean?" he asks quietly, that nervous energy back in his voice again. "whatever you want it to mean. but i want something with you."

he lifts his head. "i want to do this right. take you out, and stuff. i know it might be hard with this... life we lead... but i want to try." "okay," you smile, "yeah. that sounds... that sounds really nice."

it only takes him three days to take you on a date. it's awkward, but it's so quintessentially bob that you don't mind.

bucky gets a full rundown from the two of you - separately - and groans, but internally, he's happy for you both, happy that someone in your little ragtag team is finding some enjoyment in life. finally.

[sleepy-little-stars]

andy speaks: caleb and the what r we thing cuz i wholeheartedly believe he's so down bad that he forgets to ask u out n just start planning ur wedding .. happy new years post in march 🫶

“get out of there. now.” 

after being apart for a long time, caleb was looking forward to finally spending new years with you again. it’ll be just like before! except, the two of you are well past the friends stage. long story short: upon reunion, he kissed you like it’s his last day on the planet and days and weeks after that, he doted on you every minute of every hour. he was always there tailing you like a puppy. you’re hungry? he’s already cooked your favorite meal and it’s waiting there on the table, still warm. bad day? he’s already at the door with his arms wide open for you to step into. need a distraction? no worries, caleb will never pass up on a chance to devour your lips (and soul) just so you can forget all your stress and worries.

all of those actions are really sweet of him. but there’s just one tiny problem. 

caleb has never officially asked you out. 

but here’s another problem. caleb already thinks the two of you are dating. you already do what lovers do, exclusively doesn’t that make you two.. well, lovers? while he’s out here thinking up your marriage and honeymoon place, you’re out here on the verge of crashing out because just what the hell are you two? you can’t just ask him outright, “caleb, what are we?” no, no. you don’t have enough backbone for that. is everything just casual? no, you can’t let chappell roan get into your head. but.. what if he’s just being friendly? a little too friendly. you’re confused, you're going insane, and you just wanna cry.

so what’s the best solution to your lovelife problems without confrontation and just the perfect timing of new years?

eat grapes under the table at exactly midnight in hopes that the romance aspect of your life flourish and prosper. in other words, finally have a boyfriend this year. or to be more specific, finally have caleb as your boyfriend this year.

which leads us to now. you shoving grapes into your mouth under the table, choking and cursing whoever started this tradition because who thought it was a good idea to make someone finish 12 whole grapes in one minute or else your wish ticket is void. 

“you’re going to choke to death.” caleb kneels down, tall frame bent and trying to fit under the table with you. when you retched on your eighth grape, caleb took away your cup and made you spit out on his hand. 

“why are you even eating grapes— choking on grapes? are you trying to start the year off with a bang?” he chuckles, his hand rubbing your back in circles. 

“i'm trying to get a boyfriend this year.” you replied between breaths. you take the cup of water from him (when did he get that? you don’t know) and gulped it down. 

caleb's brows furrowed, “a boyfriend? don’t you have me already?”

you look at him and sighed. “i'm trying to get you as my boyfriend this year.”

his brows furrowed even more, “.. are we not dating? i thought i was already your boyfriend?” he tucks hair behind your ear, hand lingering on the side of your neck.

“you haven’t asked me out yet.”

“do i have to ask you out?” he hums. “i could've sworn i was already too obvious.”

caleb leans in, lips grazing your cheek and a grin painted on his. “so, can i?”

“can you what?” 

“be your boyfriend, of course.” and there it is, that handsome boyish smile of his that never fails to make your heart skip a beat. instead of a verbal answer, you closed the gap between you two. 

guess that grapes already worked. despite you only being able to finish seven. oops.

bonus: 

“see, pip. grapes are more delicious if you eat them one by one.” he places a piece on your mouth. you chew with a grumble. “shut up."

“yeah? shut me up, then." he smiles, already bending down to nip at your shoulder.

"caleb!"

[sqgeism]

Omg i just read your touch starved! reader with anaxa, mydei, and dan heng and loved the way you characterized themmm!

could you please do one with anaxa (and anyone else you like), maybe theyre comforting their s/o (reader) when theyre so stressed they kinda go nonverbal? maybe curl up somewhere comfy

plz dont do if this makes you uncomfortable in any way!! please and ty

keep up the great work!!!!!

𐙚 𓏵𓏵𓏵 𐙚 𝐢 𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝'𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 | various hsr men x gender neutral reader

love mail — hiiiii anonnie!!!! thank you thank you so much (o´▽`o)ﾉ ♡ i'm more than happy to do this, gosh i've missed writing for hsr ! mydei's a bit forced since i wanted to do jus anaxa and phainon, but i tried regardless (*´∇｀)ﾉ posting this at 1am i'm going crazy.. when was the last time i posted four times in one day.. inspo for the song is zombie girl by adrianna lenker. characters in order: anaxa, phainon, mydei

anaxa knows there are times where words can fail a person, and there's no real way to express the way one is feeling in a moment. he's spent so long grieving in silence, he'd understand that feeling better than anyone.

so when you're sitting alone on the couch, just laying there, staring at the wall.. anaxa doesn't try to immediately get you to talk. instead, he sits on the floor by your head, leaning his back against the couch and looks at you. "bad day?" he watches you nod, and continues. "is there anything you need? blankets, water, anything?"

you shuffle on the couch a bit, making enough room for him to lay with you as you pat the free space. his one good eye shows hesitance in his reflection, however he slowly makes his way and slides up next to you. the best he does is one arm wrapped around you and the other is used as a pillow underneath his head. (he figures you need all the couch pillows)

"i don't mind the one sided conversation, i.. i know what it's like, just wanting to be understood without speaking." anaxa already knows, rubbing your sides since your back is pressed up against the backrest. he doesn't care that he's about to fall, just as long as he hasn't. "if you need me to do anything to help you feel comfortable, i'm.. here. research can wait."

with those words, it's followed by you reaching out to him and having your fingertips halt, just before touching the edges of the star-shaped hole in his chest. he stares down at where you're about to make contact, then he looks back at you — with trust never seen in him before.

you slowly trace the outline of the galaxy-like void, and anaxa can't help but feel his heart race. he's never been vulnerable like this before, even if he was your lover. it was all slow, steady steps as you both navigated your relationship.

but in this moment, consumed by delicate touch of your fingertips and completely yours, he can't help it. he can't stop his heart from racing and he can't stop the undoubtedly, ever growing love for you.

he loves you, he loves you so much. and in that moment, he's slowly realizing he'll be ready to do anything for you. anaxa just needs to come to proper terms with that, in his own time.

phainon knew something was wrong the moment you walked through that door, and he immediately started calculating in his mind what to do. get you good food? make you a bath? do all your chores?

he's found a solution when you practically toss yourself at him, catching you in his caring arms as he feels his heart melt. he always knew you as — not exactly a ray of sunshine — but definitely not as gloomy as this. the silence is new, but he pays no mind to it, letting out a subtle grunt as he begins to carry you to the bedroom.

he slips off your shoes for you, clumsily tossing them to the shoerack while giving you a smile; promising to fix it later. "was that red bastard giving you a hard time again, asking you where i was?" phainon tries to joke, not minding the fact you don't answer, and relish in the way you lean your head against him.

it isn't long till your boyfriends warmth is replaced by a comfy mattress, but it also isn't long for it to come right back — as he positions himself between your legs, and has his head pressed against your stomach — head tilted up to you like a lovesick puppy.

"i wonder what could've made you upset today," he wonders aloud, tracing patterns on your stomach as you close your eyes, just letting yourself drown in the sheets and the familiar weight of phainon ontop of you. "whatever it is, just know you're here now. i'm here and i won't be going anywhere, okay?"

he smiles at you, hands caressing your hips as he hums to himself. "if you need me, i'm all yours."

when a battle goes wrong, it doesn't tend to affect you. yes, you worry for comrades and the final outcome — but it's never been enough to completely make you freak out. after all, you know you'll win eventually.

that changes when you watch someone get close enough to mydei's weak spot, the only way to kill him for good. and the sight haunts you deep to your core, dropping everything to stop that blade from going through the last person you had.

and mydei understands that, he likely would've had the same reaction in your position. but the battle had taken such a toll on you, that you had just.. gone quiet on him.

he doesn't mind, not at all. he won't blame you for being horrified at the idea of losing someone you love. so he has you safely tucked in his arms, your back pressed against his bare chest and both his arms and legs 'cage' you. he's got a book infront of you, and he's been reading it out ever since you two got back home.

you once told him that despite being a man who yells out war cries, his voice is surprisingly.. gentle. like he could bring even the fiercest warriors to a deep slumber. so he's made it a habit, reading to you until you fall asleep. it's a deadly combo when he opts to hold the book with one hand, and decides to play with your hair using the other. which is what he's doing right now.

mydei can feel your head slipping against him, and although you've said nothing to him the whole day.. it's the most reassuring thing. that despite your stress and terror, he is yet again, your safe place. just as you are his sanctuary amidst a war.

as your eyes close and you're welcomed into the arms of a good nights rest, mydei drops the book completely and instead wraps his arms around you. falling asleep with you too in hopes to meet you in a better place, your dreams.

[sheeezu]

.Shift by channeling.

Go to your DRs by channeling, again, step to step guide.

This can be used as a separate method, or you could use this when you need a final push.

This isn't the spiritual type of channeling, nor do you need to use AI or something, nor do you get possessed.

Step 1:

Before attempting to shift, choose a person from your DR. It could be your S/O, you can choose to channel multiple people, if you have a friend group or something, but i recommend picking someone whom you have a close connection with in your DR.

Have a voice claim ready, take some times to look at the person's pictures, remember their physical attributes, focus on their personality.

(You can listen to songs which remind you of your relationship with that person)

Step 2:

Lay down, when you're prepared to shift. You're going to start off saying affirmations like it's a normal shifting method.

If you can visualize, i recommend you think of visual affirmations which relate to your DR.

Its a method to affirm, where you go around your DR, whether it's your DR house, room, or a memorable or nostalgic place in your DR, and see your normal shifting affs, carved, written around, for example, your affs formed by clouds, carved into pillars and tables, written on your clothes, finding papers or letter which say your affirmations (so Affirmations ∝ Your DR)

You should try to be hype fixated, so if you are fidgeting, can't stay still, you're too engrossed in what's going on inside your mind to notice your body itching or twitching.

Do this until your symptoms intensifies or reach a peak, everyone feels differently, for some it's more physical (seeing light flashes, tingles, floating) for some it's mental (having a gut feeling, feeling euphoric) so don't get discouraged.

You aren't doing anything wrong.

Step 3:

This is where we come across our special person. While you're seeing your affs, make yourself meet them. Now, if you're confused and going to say this isn't channeling, then just stop. You're creating this reality and undoubtedly every moment you're experiencing, so when you're in a deeply concentrated phase, the only thing that could possibly stop you from having a very real and authentic meeting with your SP is your own self-doubt (anyways, if you're having self doubt then say an aff or two to combat them)

Your SP is standing right in front of you, let yourself loose at this point. No need to force anything scripted, but if you want then you can.

Have a conversation with your SP, whether it's initiated by you or your SP.

Maybe even invite them to drink tea, sit outside, take them to a secret spot.

Now you're having a conversation with them, starting off with your conscious thoughts doing the talking from your part, whatever your SP says is your subconsciousness speaking, or you're directly channeling them (both of which are the same thing, i hate being repetitive, you're creating reality if you believe you're being channeled by your SP, then that's what's happening)

Start off with a normal conversation, like how'd you talk to someone, someone you love and know very well.

Right now, you're going to say a very specific affirmation:

"(your SP's name) is just about to ask me what i was doing in my OR/void reality."

Then let the conversation take a natural turn. That question will eventually be asked, your loved one is just very curious about why you were away from them.

Now, what you will answer back will be the way how to shift.

"Oh, must be a fever dream, i had never had a dream so real, i was touching everything, each and everything felt legit." (best for permashifters, don't be afraid of using this if you intend to come back)

"I guess it was out of responsibility, but don't worry, i'm here now."

"I don't know myself, all i know i didn't like being there."

"I was curious, that's all; you know i like exploring new things, and come on, it was a whole new universe, but now i want to rest at home."

Whatever your SP says in response, whether they're asking you to come join them, or how they're glad you're back, just nod back.

Step 4:

Go to sleep in your DR, if you recall, you're in your home. Go towards your bed, crash down, close your eyes.

From this point onwards, you're going to embody your DR self and fall asleep acting normal, completely abandon the fact that you were shifting, or that you have shifted to your DR, act like a person (your DR self) living in any other world (your DR)

I described this in details in the third phase of my pinned post, you're supposed to do all that.

You'll wake up in your DR.

Why is this method supposed to work?

Connection to your DR environment ✔

Logically explains your involvement with your previous reality, why you were there for so long ✔

Reminds your consciousness that you've successfully shifted ✔

Connection to your loved ones in your DR ✔

Most importantly, connection to your DR self ✔

...

That's the method, you can also shift in between the method as well. There really isn't any reason for you to wake back in your CR, listen to some subliminals to remove intrusive thoughts, then you're good.

You could also make it so your SP had more control over your shift, like they brought you back, you can modify the method according to your wishes.

It's a short and sweet method, believe in your abilities and you'll be out of here faster than lightning.

...

This method is heavily focused on visualizing, if you have aphantasia then your DR SP can just speak to you, when you eventually cross over to your DR self's state of mind (if they can visualize) you'll get the ability to visualize like them, or get flashes of images.

...

Also thanks for everyone who gave me compliments in my inbox I have no clue how to receive them, but I am very grateful (: