#How to accept imperfection and make progress

[aaliyawrites]

From Perfectionism to Progress: Aaliya's Story of Breaking Free from Procrastination

Hey there, I’m Aaliya, the pen with a story to tell. I’ve been with my human, V, since 2018, and trust me, it’s been quite the journey. I’ve seen her smile, cry, win, lose, fall in love, and sink into some deep pain. Her path’s been full of confusion, heavy expectations, and, well, let’s just say, a lot of procrastination. But through it all, she’s kept going. That takes courage — even if she’d never admit it.

You see, V’s methods aren’t always the best (and yes, sometimes they suck), but her heart is in the right place. This blog? It’s not about her past (at least, not all of it). It’s about where she’s at right now. But hey, a little context never hurt anyone, right?

V’s Battle with Perfectionism: The Journey to Self-Acceptance

Let’s get one thing straight: V is human. Shocking, right? You’re probably rolling your eyes, but it’s important. She forgets that a lot. In her world, her worth is tied up in accomplishments — money, looks, killer communication skills, friendships, or finding her "perfect" crew (think Luffy’s gang, for you anime fans).

She’s convinced that if she doesn’t check all those boxes, she’s just… not enough. She believes that if she doesn’t have it all, people will leave her behind. And if you’re sitting there thinking, "Well, that’s wrong," you’re absolutely right. But does she know that? Sure. Does she feel it, though? Not quite.

Knowing something’s wrong doesn’t mean you can magically stop feeling it.

Meet the Monster of Procrastination

For too long, V has been stuck battling Profecta — the monster born from perfectionism and procrastination. She’s caught in an exhausting loop where her efforts never feel good enough, and there’s always something more she thinks she should have done. This creates a void inside, filled with guilt and shame, which leads to procrastination — a victory for Profecta, her inner perfectionism.

Has she tried to escape this cycle? Absolutely. But she usually lasts 3-7 days before something breaks her rhythm. Overload or distraction stops her, and it takes her another 1-2 months to get back on track.

Love, Loss, and a Whole Lot of Mess

V, like anyone in their twenties, has loved with all she had. Her first love? Miss K. Yep, Miss. But Miss K didn’t return those feelings. She wasn’t interested in girls, in general. Even though V never fully accepted her feelings or confessed, they stayed friends. Miss K was her Safe Place — full of love, acceptance, care, and support But when their paths diverged, V convinced herself that she wasn’t worthy of Miss K’s time and never contacted her again. Also, those emotions connected to Miss K? Way too overwhelming for V to face.

Two years have passed, and V is still holding on. Too much? Welcome to the mess.

Did she try to move on? Of course! But she couldn’t bring herself to delete Miss K’s number. She’d still watch her stories online, and instead of deleting photos, she just hid them in a folder. Silly, right? But facing her feelings was too hard. So, she buried them under distractions.

Escaping into Fiction: A False Safe Place

When battling the Profecta monster became too much, V sought comfort in a form of escape — creating a fictional world where she felt safe and loved. It became her refuge, but soon it turned into an unhealthy coping mechanism. Instead of preparing for her exams during her gap year, she threw herself into fanfiction, reading it for 13-15 hours a day. Not exaggerating.

She isolated herself from the real world, cut off friends, and stopped replying to messages. Why? Because she felt she wasn’t enough. She’d suffered two huge academic setbacks, and even after taking a gap year, she couldn’t get back on track. The weight of her past failures made the present feel unbearable, so she sought refuge in a fictional world, even at the cost of her health, sleep, and academics.

The Turning Point: Letting Go of Miss K and Fiction

V cared deeply for Miss K and didn’t want to hurt her. She didn’t mind if her escape ruined her, as long as Miss K was safe. But one day, V’s thoughts took a darker turn. She imagined hurting Miss K emotionally, just to make her feel the same pain V was feeling. It shocked her.

That was when V knew she had to change. She deleted Miss K’s number, erased the photos, and cut all ties. She even stopped reading fanfiction — something she had tried and failed to do before.

A New Battle: Seeking Comfort in Unhealthy Escapes

Without her fictional escape, V felt lost. So, she turned to another unhealthy coping mechanism. Let’s just say it involved content that didn’t make her feel any better. She started seeking comfort in role-playing communities, hoping to find real love and comfort. But it only messed with her mental health even more.

Journaling: A Ray of Hope for Healing

Despite all the struggles, there’s been one thing that helps V find her way back: Journaling. When she sticks to it, things start to shift. Journaling helps her process the chaos inside her head. It’s not a perfect solution — she’s had bad days that stop her in her tracks — but it’s a start.

This is why V decided to start writing on Aaliyawrites. Because, let’s face it, Aaliya writes ;) .Through this blog, she hopes to create a space where healing becomes possible, even if the path isn’t always straight.

Building a Community: Sharing Stories and Healing Together

Aaliyawrites isn’t just V’s story. It’s for anyone who’s ever felt lost, stuck, or overwhelmed. V wants this space to be a community where people can share their experiences, support each other, and offer advice. Healing doesn’t happen alone, and through this blog, she hopes to help others feel a little less alone on their journey.

Have you ever battled perfectionism? Or found yourself stuck in an exhausting loop of procrastination? If so, V and I (Aaliya, the pen) would love to hear your story.

George Herbert once said, "Good words are worth much, and cost little."

Your words might be the lifeline someone needs.

So, What’s Next?

V is still figuring things out, but she’s trying. Her journey isn’t linear, and there are still battles with Profecta. But every small step she takes matters. And through Aaliyawrites, she’s hoping to keep moving forward — and hopefully help others do the same.

Please, share your story, give advice, or drop a few words of encouragement. Let’s build a space where we can be open, vulnerable, and support one another on this journey of growth and healing.

Final Thoughts: A New Beginning

This post marks the beginning of something new, not just for V, but for all of us. Together, we can create a space where healing and growth are possible, one step at a time.

Signing off, Aaliya the pen (P.S. — Classic Profecta move: this draft was written four days ago!)

[everythingisamazing]

I love Viktor, you love Viktor, Jayce loves Viktor - we can all agree on his lovability.

I still think we really have to talk about his biggest flaw: Needing to be right.

(Credit to @fuckyeahisawthat who pointed me in this direction and opening my eyes to said pitfall of Viks character.)

As always, this is an interpretation of canon so do with it what you will. With that being said, let me explain what leads me to think of this as his core flaw:

It comes down to what Viktor says to Jayce when talking him down from the ledge in S1: He was an outsider. No one to back him up. No patron. Not even a name.

So how did Viktor manage to get where he is, in his own words? He believed in himself.

This is first of all, not only a helpful mindset for someone with Viktors background, but can be absolutely necessary for survival. But as with everything, there is a flipside to it, that becomes more apparent as Viktors story progresses. The flipside being, that it makes him take certain risks with possibly horrible consequences.

Remember the scene where Jayce and him are about to break into Heimerdingers lab? Jayce asks: "What if we're wrong?"

And Viktor answers: "Better be right then."

Think about all the consequences this mindset causes later on. The foreshadowing in those two lines of dialogue. The writers really were on fire here.

If we assume that Viktors risk taking is directly tied to his assumption that he IS going to be right, we can see how this flaw leads to Sky being killed. Viktor knows what he is doing is dangerous. But just like we saw him take apart a bomb while Jayce was in the room, he believes and needs to believe in his own abilities so much that he is willing to put other peoples life in danger.

(The more I think about this, the more ironic him calling Jayce egotistical becomes. Takes one to know one, ey?)

I do believe Viktor "learns his lesson" after killing Sky. It definitely strongly factors into him accepting his own death, which he (understandably) couldn't before.

After fusing with the hexcore, this flaw of needing to be right gets amplified. And it really is so tragic, that with the choice to accept death taken away from him, Viktor now has to live not only with being at fault for killing Sky - of having miscalculated and being wrong - but also what he at this point percieves to be a betrayal by Jayce.

Him becoming a messiah like figure is therefore not only an expression of wanting to help people, but also a massive cope.

Better be right then, once again.

(I also think this interpretation allows reframing Jayces "there is beauty in imperfections." into also meaning "you are allowed to make mistakes and be wrong". Not saying this was intended, but works well for me)

I could go on about how Viktors psychology is just super rich, layered and fascinating but I hope I kind of got my point across :)

[loveemagicpeace]

North node in Pisces & South Node in Virgo🦋🧜🏼‍♀️☁️

Pisces is a signs that is the most dreamy, illusional. You can expect a lot of things to be very spiritual. People can talk a lot more about mental health and things that are not seen. You will be much more committed to your world and to believing in something you believe in more.

*Sparkles ,shiny things, ocean, crystals, magical things, cakes, nostalgia, just vibing alone by the river ,listening to the music, cute things, hugs, hopeless romantic things. *

Love that is expressed in a much more selfless way. During this time, you can meet many people with whom you share a more magical path. Soulmates type of vibes. Love can become different, unconditional and sacrificial. During this time, you can sacrifice more for the people you love. Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind type of love. Messy things, white dress with crystals. Having magical days. Connecting with your inner self, meditating, getting to know your subconscious. Sunsets & Sunrise. Magical path to stars. Finding imperfections in everything and loving it. With the North Node in Pisces, we're drawn to go deeper, beyond the obvious. Finding meaning in life is essential.

Feeling fulfilled and connected to the universe is incredibly important. Searching for answers beyond what's visible or measurable is a fundamental human drive. We are learning that it is okay not to have an answer, it is okay not to understand what is going on, it is okay not to know exactly where we are going. Just going with the flow - the fool (tarot card) journey. Things don't have to be logical or make any sense. Just you knowing and believing that this things exist it is enough. Believe in magic.

South node in Virgo

Forgetting what hard work feels like forgetting everything, not being perfect. Change the routine you have had so far and follow your body more closely. Give up the work you've been doing so far and take a new, better path. Wear something you feel comfortable in and don't wear something just to please others or to look good. Eat healthier foods. It will help you release the need to micromanage and over-analyze. This opens space for creativity and emotional connection. And there's no rush! Doing things more slowly.

In Virgo, the South Node's focus will be to clear up the path so we can actually make progress and navigate effectively. It could also mean exploring different approaches to diet and exercise. Instead, it encourages us to find ways of adjusting our lifestyle that feel natural and sustainable for our unique needs. We're likely to see shifts in how we run our lives and operate on a day-to-day basis.

The South Node in Virgo is an invitation to release the excessive need for control, perfectionism, and rigid planning, while still appreciating the value of order, organization, and effort. This combination of energies reflects a general inclination towards overthinking, overanalyzing, and overworrying. Ultimately, this transit teaches us to let go of impossible ideals and expectations, accept our humanness, and acknowledge the beauty in imperfection.

If u have nodes reversed

The nodes in reverse transit challenge you to revisit the lessons of your North Node (Virgo) while simultaneously confronting the patterns of your South Node (Pisces). Virgo north node in chart-Your soul's growth path is about practicality, organization, discernment, and service. You're here to refine your boundaries and embrace the material world, focusing on creating tangible results.

South Node in Pisces: Your comfort zone involves spirituality, imagination, escapism, and an emotional connection to the collective. In past lives (or earlier in this life), you may have avoided practical concerns or become too absorbed in dreams and emotions.

You might feel drawn to spiritual practices, artistic expression, or moments of surrender. This is an opportunity to reconnect with your intuitive side and integrate it into your life without losing your grounded focus. Your Virgo North Node lessons may temporarily take a backseat as you're asked to reflect on whether your pursuit of order and practicality is serving your highest good—or if it's become rigid or overbearing. Themes of sacrifice, forgiveness, and emotional boundaries may come up. Be cautious of falling back into self-sacrificing patterns (South Node in Pisces) but remain open to deep emotional connection. This is an ideal time to deepen meditation, explore creative outlets (like poetry, music, or painting), or connect with mystical experiences.

The nodes in reverse transit challenge you to revisit the lessons of your North Node (Virgo) while simultaneously confronting the patterns of your South Node (Pisces). Virgo north node in chart-Your soul's growth path is about practicality, organization, discernment, and service. You're here to refine your boundaries and embrace the material world, focusing on creating tangible results.

South Node in Pisces: Your comfort zone involves spirituality, imagination, escapism, and an emotional connection to the collective. In past lives (or earlier in this life), you may have avoided practical concerns or become too absorbed in dreams and emotions.

You might feel drawn to spiritual practices, artistic expression, or moments of surrender. This is an opportunity to reconnect with your intuitive side and integrate it into your life without losing your grounded focus. Your Virgo North Node lessons may temporarily take a backseat as you're asked to reflect on whether your pursuit of order and practicality is serving your highest good—or if it's become rigid or overbearing. Themes of sacrifice, forgiveness, and emotional boundaries may come up. Be cautious of falling back into self-sacrificing patterns (South Node in Pisces) but remain open to deep emotional connection. This is an ideal time to deepen meditation, explore creative outlets (like poetry, music, or painting), or connect with mystical experiences.

For Rising Signs

Aries Rising: The North Node in Pisces will activate your 12th house, urging you to embrace spiritual growth, solitude, and deep introspection. It's a time to let go of control and trust the unseen forces of the universe. The South Node in Virgo in your 6th house will challenge you to release perfectionism in your daily routines and work habits while balancing your need for practical organization with intuitive flow.

Taurus Rising: The North Node in Pisces highlights your 11th house, focusing on spiritual connections, dreams, and your role in the collective. You may feel drawn to compassionate friendships and humanitarian efforts. The South Node in Virgo in your 5th house asks you to release overcritical tendencies in your creative expression or love life and to embrace joy without judgment.

Gemini Rising: The North Node in Pisces will activate your 10th house, asking you to align your career with your higher purpose and to trust your intuition in professional matters. The South Node in Virgo in your 4th house invites you to let go of the need for control in family dynamics or home life and to create a balance between work and emotional grounding.

Cancer Rising: With the North Node in Pisces in your 9th house, you're encouraged to explore spiritual teachings, higher learning, and the bigger picture of life. Let your intuition guide you toward personal growth. The South Node in Virgo in your 3rd house asks you to release overthinking and excessive focus on small details in communication and daily interactions.

Leo Rising: The North Node in Pisces in your 8th house brings transformation, deep emotional healing, and a focus on spiritual intimacy. You're encouraged to surrender to the mysteries of life and trust in rebirth. The South Node in Virgo in your 2nd house challenges you to let go of material security or overly analytical approaches to finances, focusing instead on emotional and spiritual wealth.

Virgo Rising: The North Node in Pisces in your 7th house shifts your focus toward spiritual partnerships and relationships based on compassion and unconditional love. It's a time to open your heart and trust in deeper connections. The South Node in Virgo in your ist house asks you to release self-critical tendencies and embrace a more intuitive approach to your identity.

Libra Rising: The North Node in Pisces in your 6th house brings attention to holistic healing, spiritual practices, and service to others. You're invited to align your daily routines with emotional and spiritual well-being. The South Node in Virgo in your 12th house urges you to release guilt, overthinking, and tendencies to self-sacrifice behind the scenes.

Scorpio Rising: The North Node in Pisces in your 5th house encourages you to explore creativity, romance, and joy with a spiritual or imaginative touch. It's time to embrace vulnerability in self-expression. The South Node in Virgo in your 11th house challenges you to release overly critical judgments of your social circle and to embrace a more compassionate view of friendships and group dynamics.

Sagittarius Rising: The North Node in Pisces in your 4th house highlights emotional healing, spiritual connection to your roots, and finding peace in your private life. It's a time to create a sanctuary for your soul. The South Node in Virgo in your 10th house asks you to let go of perfectionism in your career or public image and to prioritize inner fulfillment over external validation.

Capricorn Rising: The North Node in Pisces in your 3rd house inspires intuitive communication, spiritual learning, and imaginative thinking. Trust your instincts in how you share ideas. The South Node in Virgo in your 9th house challenges you to release rigid belief systems or overanalyzing philosophical concepts, encouraging a more fluid approach to personal growth

Aquarius Rising: The North Node in Pisces in your 2nd house invites you to align your values with compassion, spirituality, and emotional richness. It's a time to trust your intuition in financial matters. The South Node in Virgo in your 8th house encourages you to let go of obsessive control over shared resources or deep emotional entanglements and to embrace trust and flow.

Pisces Rising: The North Node in Pisces in your 1st house calls you to embrace your spiritual identity, intuitive gifts, and compassionate leadership. It's a time of self-discovery and authenticity. The South Node in Virgo in your 7th house asks you to release overcritical tendencies in relationships and to allow partnerships to flow with grace and understanding.

-Rebekah🦋☁️🧜🏼‍♀️

[casscainmainly]

How much sympathy do you think Cass extends to her younger self?

INTERESTING QUESTION KOL!!! This is actually a question where canon slightly differs from my own preference, but I'll tackle canon first. In modern day, solidified by Batgirl (2024) #5, Cass feels a great deal of sympathy for her younger self:

The hugging + the line before this panel ("maybe I can save") + the "no control of her life" indicates to me that she sympathises with and pities her younger self, understanding that she was forced to kill and it wasn't really her fault. She still sees her younger self as guilty (she frames it as 'saving' her younger self, not accepting her younger self), but she does show such compassion here to young Cass. This follows on from Batgirl (2008) #6, where she lays the blame squarely on David Cain:

In both this and Batgirl #5, Cass highlights her younger self's lack of agency. I think modern Cass does truly feel sorry for her younger self, in a way she didn't before.

I think this is a sweet and natural progression of her character arc, but gosh if I don't love early Cass and the way she looked at her younger self. Because the Shiva fight solved her death wish, but I personally don't think it resolved the resentment she felt towards her younger self. I think it's very interesting that even in Batgirl #5, her younger self isn't really 'her', but someone external - someone she can 'save' like another criminal. To an extent, Cass has never been able to fully reconcile that younger self with who she is now.

In Batgirl (2000) #25, Shiva kills Cass and fulfils her death wish, so current Cass has 'atoned' (or suffered appropriately) for her murder. She realises that death isn't the solution for any murderer, including herself. But young Cass didn't go through that punishment or redemption. When Babs shows Cass her young self in the holo room, Babs says "that's you, isn't it." Cass doesn't reply until young Cass moves, and then she screams "STOP!". Obviously the 'stop' refers to young Cass killing Faizul, but in light of Babs' question, in a way Cass is begging for that young girl not to be her. She wants to stop her younger self, and she wants to stop being her younger self.

Batgirl Secret Files and Origins

I wonder if part of her also resents her younger self's happiness pre-kill. Just personally, while I like her having evolved past these early days and being able to embrace her younger self like in BG '24 #5, I really do prefer the messier feelings. In Cass' mind her younger self is associated with David Cain, with the "perfect killer", with a happiness built on lies - she definitely feels sympathetic, but that sympathy should be (in my opinion) strained by discomfort and a bit of blame.

My ideal amount of Cass sympathy for her younger self is Batgirl Secret Files and Origins. She tells a boy "you did... one bad thing. But you're... not," and when he asks whether she really believes that, she answers, "I try to." She hasn't fully forgiven her younger self, she might never fully forgive her younger self, but she's trying her best to sympathise with her anyway. It's imperfect, painful, effortful sympathy, and that's what makes it so beautiful!

[theambitiouswoman]

Ways to Cultivate Self-Love

Practice self-compassion: Treat yourself with kindness and understanding, just as you would someone you love.

Practice self-care: Prioritize your physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Take time for relaxation, get enough sleep, eat nutritious food, exercise, and pursuing hobbies or activities that make you happy.

Set healthy boundaries: Assert your needs, desires, and limits. Establish clear boundaries in your relationships and communicate them assertively. Saying no when necessary and honoring your boundaries helps protect your well-being.

Practice mindfulness: Be present in the current moment and non-judgmentally observe your thoughts and emotions. Mindfulness can help you develop self-awareness, reduce stress, and cultivate a deeper understanding of yourself.

Challenge self-limiting beliefs: Challenge negative thoughts and self-beliefs that hold you back from self-love and personal growth. Replace them with positive and empowering affirmations.

Surround yourself with positivity: Surround yourself with people who uplift and support you. Minimize contact with those who bring negativity or undermine your self-esteem.

Practice gratitude: Regularly express gratitude for the positive aspects of your life, as well as your own strengths and achievements. Keeping a gratitude journal can help shift your focus toward self-appreciation and increase your overall sense of well-being.

Celebrate your wins: Celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small they may seem. Recognize your efforts, progress, and achievements, and take pride in them. Doing this reinforces a positive self-image and boosts self-confidence.

Practice self-acceptance: Embrace and accept yourself fully, including your flaws, imperfections, and past mistakes. Realize that no one is perfect, and that self-love involves accepting and embracing your whole self, including both your strengths and areas for growth.

Focus on self-care rituals: Engage in regular self-care rituals that make you feel nurtured and valued. Take long baths, practice yoga or meditation, journaling, creative activities, or spending time in nature. Find what activities make you happy and make them a priority.

Embrace self-expression: Explore ways to express yourself authentically. This could be, engaging in creative activities like art, writing, music, or dance.

Practice forgiveness: Forgive yourself for past mistakes and let go of any self-blame or guilt that may be holding you back. Making mistakes is a part of being human, use these experiences as opportunities for growth and learning.

Celebrate self-care milestones: Celebrate the progress you make in your self-love journey. Set small achievable goals for self-improvement and celebrate when you reach them. This helps build self-confidence.

Surround yourself with positive influences: Surround yourself with people who inspire and uplift you. Invest in relationships that support your growth, well-being, and self-love. Distance yourself from individuals or environments that consistently bring you down or undermine your self-worth.

Practice self-empowerment: Take control of your life and make choices that align with your values, desires, and aspirations. Set goals and take steps towards achieving them.

Engage in self-reflection: Reflect on your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Incorporate journaling, meditation or mindfulness exercises. Self-reflection helps you gain insight into yourself, your patterns, and your needs, enabling you to make intentional choices aligned with self-love.

Be your own advocate: Stand up for yourself and your needs. Speak up assertively when you feel disrespected or when your boundaries are crossed. Express your opinions, asserting your rights, and asking for what you need in various areas of your life.

[lexiecon-mp4]

Jayvik and Butterflies || Arcane Meta

The butterfly motif has put everyone into a chokehold (myself included) and has had me brainrotting so hard for the last few days that I felt compelled to make my first Arcane post.

With how repetitive the butterfly motif is within Viktor and Jayce's lives throughout Arcane, I thought it would be fitting to do a meta looking into what that symbol might mean.

So first things first; where do we see this symbol pop up? In presumed chronological order of in-universe events, here are some of the following;

1. Viktor when following his toy boat (S1E6)

2. Jayce after being saved by the mage (S1E2)

3. Mechanical butterflies shown during Progress Day (S1E4)

4. Butterfly at the Fissures when Jayce and Viktor talk about failing to "do good" (S1E9)

5. A flash frame of a butterfly appears when Jayce hits the Arcane with his hammer (S2E3)

6. The hammer itself is shaped like a butterfly after Jayce emerges from the Arcane (S2E5)

7. Viktor and Jayce vaguely form a butterfly-type shape when they sacrifice themselves (S2E9)

(If I'm missing any I apologize, but these are the memorable examples that I think embody the themes I'm going to discuss. Feel free to comment more!)

I'm not including Jinx's mechanical butterflies here since they are more reminiscent of Firelights, but it is fitting that she has taken a symbol associated with progress from Progress Day and retrofitted it to her own design, just like she does with Hextech itself. That already serves as a manifestation of how Jayce and Viktor's shared creation can lead toward a dangerous path.

Ultimately, I think there are three main themes that I believe fit both characters respectively along with their arcs.

1. METAMORPHOSIS

Viktor goes through a literal metamorphosis of his own as a result of the glorious evolution, both physically and emotionally. Like the change of a caterpillar to a butterfly, his evolution is one that he perceives to be an "improvement" on his prior form. Simultaneously, his obsession with perfection (due to his own insecurities, struggles and oppression) shifts his focus. His original ambitions to help the people of Zaun and beyond are lost as he prioritizes using the Arcane to "improve lives", even against their own will. For the final step of his evolution, he sacrifices his humanity and breaks out of his "chrysalis" as a changed man. Viktor become utterly unrecognizable to everyone, even to his own partner; until the last scene between the two.

Jayce has seen that he has become something completely different than the Viktor he knew before. But regardless, he sees him as beautiful in the context of his current "perfect" AND prior "imperfect" state. The caterpillar and butterfly are one and the same, just like the man he knew and the "Machine Herald" that stands before him. He sees under the facade (a literal mask) that Viktor wears, knowing that his partner is still there.

What distinguishes Viktor from the butterfly is that his metamorphosis doesn't end with the "glorious evolution." While the evolution was intended to be a point of no return, it was eventually shown to be another step in his ever-changing arc. Viktor doesn't revert back to his original state, but makes his sacrifice alongside Jayce because of the growth of his character. The final, glorious evolution he always wanted was in liberating everyone from the Arcane, not enslaving them.

The metamorphosis theme also applies to Jayce, as he has obviously "evolved" after touching the Arcane. Yet despite his own evolution, he never loses that humanity that allows him to keep hope for Viktor still being in there. Both of them become something more in the end. I especially love that this happens by each accepting their flaws and acknowledging one another as beautiful. Jayce would still love Vik if he was a worm the caterpillar, since that was the first and original iteration of the man he admires.

2. THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT

The butterfly effect is one of my favorite thought experiments related to chaos theory; the underlying patterns/laws of the universe's systems that seem random but are actually dependent on initial conditions. The effect argues that a simple flutter of a butterflies wings could lead to a chain of events that cause something completely different and significant. Arcane has several of these "butterflies" (e.g. the note Vander wrote for Silco) but the most prominent one yet again connects Viktor and Jayce.

Old Viktor explains that in every universe, he gave young Jayce a different rune in order to invent Hextech, presumably with the hopes of preventing the apocalypse as well. He knew that Jayce was the only one who could show him the truth about perfection, but without the right rune, he couldn't get there. It was the specific choice of an acceleration rune that allowed for the events of season two to occur. This small change gives Ekko a chance to fight back and Jayce the chance to talk it out with his partner.

(My personal theory is that the acceleration rune allowed for Ekko and Jayce to travel to a different dimension through the Arcane. This led Ekko to create the Z-Drive and gave Jayce the knowledge of his and Viktor's fates. The rune in his wrist was likely what brought him to Old Viktor in the first place. Otherwise, it's likely that Ekko, Heimer and Jayce would have been absorbed/disintegrated in the process.)

At the beginning of S2E6 Viktor describes Jayce as having "a singularity simultaneously self-replicating and self-annihilating." While the singularity seems to be driving Jayce insane and irate, it contains the chaos needed to stop the influence of the Hexcore over Viktor, Piltover, and Zaun.

In the end, both are able to intersect the "chaos and order" of the Arcane, connecting the rune embedded in Jayce's wrist with Viktor's Hexcore-ified body. The disorder of the Arcane in Jayce seemed random at first, just as the rune given to him did. Yet it was these initial conditions that determined the fates of everyone involved, including the closure that he and Viktor were able to have in the end.

The way that these two are able to break the terrible fate determined for them if they ever met, while still being able to resolve their conflicts at the end, is some extremely beautiful storytelling.

3. MIGRATION/THE JOURNEY

Finally, the act of migrating is one that I feel applies most to Jayce in season two, but also is present in Viktor's backstory and struggle against his disabilities.

There's a specific species of butterfly that migrates every fall, which are the Monarch butterflies that are native to North America. These creatures must brave difficult conditions as they travel down south to more temperate climates. It is a physically demanding trip that tests the resolve of the butterflies, which in Jayce's case, also shakes him to his core.

He has to endure many perils and pains when the Arcane transports him to the "bad ending" universe. He travels through Zaun, gets stuck in the Fissures for a while, then finally climbs the Hexgates to learn the truth about his dream. While the sufferings of the journey itself feel unnecessary, it's a path Jayce must take in the end no matter how painful. Like the monarchs, he perseveres and makes it out of there alive.

But unlike them, this difficult pilgrimage is necessary to shape Jayce's character. He essentially speed-runs Viktor's personal journey as a Zaunite; born in Zaun, being poisoned by the Fissures, and "pulling himself up by his bootstraps" all the way up to the gilded heights of Piltover. It's a perilous and painful trip, made more difficult by his injured leg. Yet when Jayce reaches the top, none of the achievements matter to Viktor in this universe. After everything he had done, there was only the empty husk of his loved one and the truth it carried that remained. His illness and "imperfections" were cured, but at what cost?

This puts everything into perspective for Jayce. At the end of his travels, he realizes what he really wants to save isn't Hextech, or his dream, but his partner. In turn, it saves the lives of everyone including that of Viktor's, who comes out of the other side of this journey loved rather than alone. Perhaps their presumed deaths aren't the most happy ending for both of them, but they certainly made it to clearer skies together.

(One last additional note: I love that the alternate universe only has dragonflies instead of butterflies; the connecting symbol between the two is missing in this universe because they couldn't save it in the end.)

So ultimately, the motif of butterflies for Jayce and Viktor represent the change, resilience and interconnectedness of the pair. Throughout the entire two seasons, this symbol follows them on their respective arcs like a red string of fate. As Viktor calls it, they are "two sides of the same coin, inextricably bound." The final two variables needed to solve the Arcane, and they could only do so together.

(i hate these guys they have irrevocably rewritten my brain chem)

Thank you for reading if you made it this far!

[mossyquill02]

Just finished Arcane season 2, and if there was ONE thing I could change (apart from this season being expanded into two seasons because it really needed the time) it would be Jayce's speech to Viktor before they ascended together.

I understand the intent behind it. I do. Jayce is supposed to have made so much progress after his climb from the pits of hell to the top of piltover with his broken leg (mirroring Viktor's struggle). His speech is meant to be proof of that change, of his newfound understanding of Viktor, and a show of acceptance to Viktor's (and humanity's) imperfections.

But...all I could hear in it was the message of "your disability is a strength! you're so brave! You're not broken/disabled, you're just *different*, that can be a good thing!" -- All messages I've heard from people/groups that view themselves as progressive and supportive of disabled people irl but which, as a disabled person, really suck.

Viktor IS broken. Literally, physically, his body is broken and (through season 1) failing. He is DYING. But oh, it's ok now, your boyfriend has realized that dealing with a shitty situation (being disabled and dying at a young age) doesn't make you lesser as a person :)

What SHOULD have been said is that "it's ok that you're broken" (I accept you as you are, flaws and all) NOT "you aren't *really* broken" (denies reality, implies that if he *was* broken it would be a bad thing).

Telling a disabled person to just accept themself and not view themself as broken is also bs. I accept my disabilities because I have to. Because they're part of me. But if I could cure them I would without hesitation. To say that "your disability is a beautiful part of you, so just accept and love it" is to speak over the actual disabled people saying no, our disabilities aren't beautiful but that doesn't mean we are impossible to love.

Same thing for the "your disability makes you who you are" line--it does, but only in the sense that I've had to learn how to live with it and am negatively impacted by it every day. Yeah, it contributes to who I am, but so does everything in life. If you think it's the "overcoming adversity" aspect, would you tell someone "being in poverty makes you who you are, so you should accept it and celebrate it"? Because that's how the line comes across to me as a disabled person.

I can love myself and accept I'm disabled without having to love or enjoy my disability. Smae for other people--I don't want others to love my disability, I just want them to see me as me, as a person.

I loved Arcane. I really did. But Jayce supposedly grew soooo much and then was given such a crappy speech for his big "show Viktor how to not destroy the world" moment, with such cliché and common phrases that I get hit with as a disabled person almost constantly, that i can't help but be disappointed. Ultimately, it was the writers' failure to understand their own message that ruined the scene for me, and, unfortunately, pretty much the entirety of Jayce's character arc.

In short, what they failed to understand is that people are beautiful even when disabled or broken, not because "being disabled isn't really being broken".

[gildeddlily]

season 2 started off beautifully. I was ecstatic at the end of episode three, for the simple reason that it had the same spirit as season 1. Vi feeling like she made a mistake so big trying to reach Powder instead of seeing Jinx and the danger she represented that the only way to fix that for her was to join her oppressors. Caitlyn destroying all the progress she'd made, unlearning what she'd been taught about Zaun by being with zaunites like Vi, the moment one of them killed her mother, and embracing her roots we can say, talking of bad blood and "I thought you were different"- showing that the internalised racism was always there ready to resurface the moment it had an excuse to. Caitlyn saying that her mother being killed by a teenager who's never dealt with her trauma and mental illness is the same thing as Vi's parents being killed by members of a military institution, disregarding everything she knew about the pain and abuse Vi went through because of the Enforcers. a "men get abused too" situation, in which one ignores the social and historical background of that type of violence to feel less sorry about it. they were perfectly well written, because they are things we see everyday. my father taught me as a child that black people crossing the Mediterranean to look for work in Italy were a good thing, and now that he's had problems at work with one he's started saying the opposite. a gay man I knew laughed at trans folks and said they made things worse for us, ridiculing them in the company of straight people to feel less threatened. (not the exact same thing as what happened to Vi, but you get what I mean).

those are real things, and Arcane has always been good at showing real things.

later on, episode seven, Jayce fell down. he landed in the deepest hole of Zaun, broke his leg, was forced to wear a brace to walk, suffered and had to claw his way back to the surface, to Piltover, in a strange metaphor of Viktor's journey and life (saw a post talking even more beautifully about this, will put the link here if I find it again), and once he met Viktor again, he told him his illness, his legs, he, were beautiful. not despite everything. because of it. and now he can understand him a little more. now he says "your imperfections are beautiful" and we can believe him, because he's not speaking from the perspective of a man trying to convince his friend to stop harming others. he's a man trying to make his partner see that he still loves him, now that he's finally understood him after years of trying to reach the truth and always being stopped by something, and that he understands him enough to know why he's harming others, and that he cares for him enough to think that he will be able to understand why it's wrong. it's Viktor accepting the inevitability of being seen by someone who went to hell and back to reach him.

those were fucking beautiful arcs. they were.

and then?

Vi saw Caitlyn become what she'd always said she wouldn't become, and there were no repercussions. Catelyn got to walk away and live all the same. she lost an eye to Ambessa, but it was no punishment for what she'd done. how many people did she harm? how many people did her actions have repercussions on? Vi shouted at her once, and then it was like it had never happened- which is still real, I guess. it happens everyday. but I didn't see any wish to make us see how that was wrong. I don't want to be told "this is wrong", I'm old enough and smart enough to understand this, but I also think I can see the difference between trying to show deeper meanings and not wanting to deal with difficult plot lines.

and Zaun? it was sad. pathetic. years of abuse were what, forgotten and then vanished in thin air because there was a common enemy? that, sadly, isn't real. it isn't. years or oppression can't be forgotten so easily, not by the oppressed, for one "glorious" fight. it's lazy. what started as a good depiction of reality turned into an american wet dream of big fights and sad sacrifice scenes and epic love stories that cross any difficulty, and economic and social difference. don't you dare say something against Caitlyn and Vi's ending, they went through all that, they deserve nice things. they do. many other people did. no one cared about them tho.

so.

epic failure. good soundtracks tho.

[kituono]

· ୨୧ · · Yandere Cupid Headcanon

W/c : 465

A/N ┊AAAAAAAAAAAAA so i've been trying to make a masterlist but I have been slacking off. FYI I've been sleeping as well most of the time. But here's a cupid headcanon. (； _ ；)/~~

PAIRING ┊Yandere Cupid x Taken!Reader

TW ┊Kidnapping, love bombing (?), mentions of cheating, implied non-con

Yandere Cupid sat on the clouds each day; he looked down at the world below. He solemnly looked at the couples he matched. Some of them ended up well together, and others had broken up due to an imperfect match; while staring at the people below, he spotted you… Something about you pulled him into a trance.

Yan! Cupid desperately yearned for a lover on his own; it had been eons of matchmaking before someone caught his eye. You. He couldn't lie; he was head over heels for you. Other nasty thoughts filled up his head as he thought more and more about you. He wanted to overdose you with love arrows and potions until you're obsessed.

Yan! Cupid watches you and skips out on most of his duties. He was supposed to find people their lovers, but he was too infatuated to care.

Yan! Cupid's dreams were crushed when he saw you hanging out with another person. Who was he? Yan! Cupid would gag whenever you kissed that fool of a man; He meddled in the love lives of others, but not once has he thought love could be the thing that made him frustrated.

Watching you spending your life with your “boyfriend” made it agonizing for Yan! Cupid.

So, he did what he had to do. He made sure your little lover boy was making googly eyes to some other chick. He used his love arrows to match him with another lady.

Once you were crushed after you found out he was cheating on you, Yan! Cupid took this opportunity to bring you to his temple; it was located on a pretty stable mountain with beautiful scenery…He hoped that you'd be vulnerable enough to accept him. He thought that the fact that he took you away from your current life just to be with him was justified as long as you were with him.

When you were staying at the temple, Yan! Cupid smothered you with love and gifts. He tried sweet talking to you, making little teasing jokes. Making you feel much better than your past boyfriend ever did. Yan! Cupid gave you expensive gifts, but you still stayed non-compliant. How annoying…

Yan! Cupid still tried to shower you with affection, but seeing as these material things wouldn't woo you over. He went for a more physical approach. He knew he could just shoot you with one of his arrows or force-feed you some love potions, but that wouldn't be enough to satiate him.

Yan!cupid started growing touch-starved and he wanted more than just a few glances from you, he wanted more… With each day passing and you were slowly starting to warm up to him, he ruined all his progress by being impatient. He staked his claim on you by ravishing your body by force.

@kitsuvio

[oceane4loveu]

Hi can you make a guide on Song Jia mindset ? She was in single inferno and has a youtube channel too

Song jia: I really love myself💗

Jia has a mindset focused on self-love and self-confidence. She believes in this ability to succeed and improve in the future. She is wary of others and does not prefer not to confide fully. jia values ​​her individuality and emphasizes her self-esteem by focusing on herself and being disinterested in the opinions of others. she encourages you to encourage yourself and to surpass yourself every day. She expresses this satisfaction with herself and her desire to remain true to herself. here are tips for having the same mindset as her.

1. agree to move on : start by accepting past experiences, whether positive or negative. Recognizing that the past cannot be changed will allow you to move on, freeing yourself from any emotional burden and focus on the future.

2. have confidence in your potential: cultivate the conviction that you have the skills and resources necessary to achieve your goals. develop a growth mindset that allows you to see challenges as opportunities for learning and personal growth.

3. be wary of others: keep in mind that it is important to be vigilant, jia emphasizes that it is important not to trust everyone the same no matter how close you are to them. don't trust everyone easily and be selective in your relationships and take the time to get to know a person before giving yourself over completely.

4. Prioritize your own happiness: Jia emphasizes the importance of loving yourself and focusing on your own life. Don't worry excessively about the opinions of others and focus on your own happiness and your development.

5. only compare yourself to yourself: consider yourself as your own competition. every day strive to surpass yourself and be a better version of yourself. do not compare yourself to others but aim to be the best version of yourself. set realistic goals and measure your progress. Learn from your mistakes and look for ways to evolve.

6. Be your own support system: Learn to applaud, celebrate, and reward yourself. Develop a positive attitude towards yourself and become your own biggest fan.

7.let go:learn to let go of things you cannot control.focus on what you can influence and let go of what is beyond your power.this will allow you to get rid of unnecessary stress and concentrate on your own actions.

8. I really love myself: start cultivating a caring relationship with yourself. To achieve this you can practically self-compassion, accept your imperfections and replace your negative thoughts with positive thoughts. Take care of yourself, celebrate the little ones victories and being a positive person. Set personal goals and practice gratitude.

[skyborneveggie]

oh my goodness your hanahaki posting is getting to me. do you have more specific thoughts on a (lawlight?) hanahaki au? flower symbolism, logistics of the illness progression/timeline, etc.? do they both get it, do they ever get over it, is this the ultimate doomed flower sickness yaoi??? The People (me) wanna know!!!

Omg thank you so much for asking because I have SO many thoughts!!! I'm currently writing a fic on this & it was supposed to be just a little plot bunny thing, but then the implications hanahaki would have for Light's psyche kept running on & on & on in my mind 😩.

To start with, I have a bit of an unconventional take when it comes to hanahaki and similar tropes... I have a very strong preference for returning agency to the person experiencing the symptoms, and in that way making hanahaki not about unrequited/unconfessed love, but about emotionally repressing one's own feelings and an inability to be honest with oneself. The body is eating itself, and out of the dead pieces grows a desperate, last chance, unignorable cry for help. For the mind to listen. A beautiful, growing thing that should have been nurtured, becomes murderous. It's a physical manifestation of extreme psychological distress; one that can only be healed by approaching emotional self-acceptance.

In this light, I feel that post-yotsuba Light is PRIME to fall prey to this. He's already the king of repression, and now on top of that he's repressing his grief over L's death to the furthest ends of the earth and back. Light is someone who, as presented in the narrative, is incapable of self-realization. What would he do if he was confronted with irrefutable physical evidence of his own emotions? Is he capable of putting in the work to heal? Is he so compartmentalized that he can pick out this one element of himself and ignore all the other hidden fragments it's tied to? Or are the many fibers of his subconscious too jumbled, too interwoven to be able to separate the strands of his feelings for L out from the mess? If he opens the box to look inward, will the truth of everything else come spilling out? Is it better to live, destroyed by the guilt of the truth of your actions; that you were only ever a mass-murderer and that. is. all? Or is it better to die, in denial, and convince yourself it was martyrdom?

And also like. The absolute shame Light would experience in the mid-to-late stages, when the effects become unconcealable. There's no way he would be able to hide it from the task force for all that time. How does someone who can't abide even the slightest hint of his own imperfection, deal with not only the internal knowledge of his emotional instability, but also the knowledge that everyone else can now see it on him too. The hatred he would feel any time he saw pity in someone's eyes. The feeling of his body betraying his mind, and everything he stands for.

Light is someone that I see as being very disconnected from his body to begin with, existing largely within his own mind, his body nothing more than a vehicle with which to navigate the unimpressive, foggy, distant physical world through. I can imagine that for a very, very long time, he would be in absolute denial about what is happening to him. His mind is the only true thing, and it knows itself better than anything. His body—clunky, stupid, vacuous—is a traitorous and meaningless vessel. It is wrong, it doesn't understand him. It is pulling things from nowhere.

At some point, he has to face the facts, acknowledge the truth about his grief and true feelings for L, and make a intentional decision about his future. There is no more naive & unconscious path forward. It is either a conscious choice to accept the known truth, or a conscious choice to suppress the known truth.

(Also I think Misa's interaction with all of this could be FASCINATING. I'm of the opinion Misa is not truly in love with Light either, and that she uses him as a prop in her own internal agenda to simulate love & normalcy. L is dead, so I don't imagine she'd see him as much of a threat to her built-up fantasy. I do wonder if she would fear for Light as an extension of fearing for herself and her own future without him, or if by nature of it being a slow decline, she would be able to come to terms with it in a toxic kind of way and romanticize the hell out of taking care of her "poor terminally ill boyfriend :(".)

The idea of Light getting hanahaki in the first half while L is still alive is interesting, & one I've thought about far less tbh. I kind of feel like since it is a present, living feeling at that point and hasn't yet become internalized as a past-tense emotional memory, it could be possible for Light to come to terms with his feelings without jeopardizing his internal construct. If it was between life and death, I'm certain he would choose life in that case. But I'm not sure that it would deter him from killing L in the end.

And perhaps this goes without saying, but if the operation was available in this theoretical universe, pre-yotsuba Kira!Light would recognize & get it all ripped out right away out of necessity, to prevent himself from being compromised under pressure of the game. Post-yotsuba Light, with the threat of immediacy removed and dull fog of mundanity descended over him, would have more time to linger in denial. (I am trying to decide, for my fic, whether it is believable that Light could be so deep in denial that he could let himself get to the point where the flowers and vines have inextricably embedded themselves in his system, and the surgery is no longer possible by the time he seeks help; or if his sense of self-preservation outweighs his emotional denial. I would love to hear your opinion on this 🤔) Yotsuba Light is so, so interesting to think about!! He has the highest capacity to heal his hanahaki the natural way, but he is still the same perfectionist, internally unforgiving person. I'm kind of torn as to whether I think he would be able to reach self-realization, or if he would still see his feelings as a weakness and get the flowers taken out. I could see either happening under the right circumstances.

As for L: I feel that L is able to be a lot more emotionally honest with himself than Light is. If he got hanahaki, I think it would fuck him up inside and that it would be despairing, but I also think that he doesn't have an internalized compulsion to lie to himself. He might hate it, but he would be able to accept the truth of his feelings, and banish the flowers by letting the knowledge of it live in his body like a silent, melancholic memento. In this way, L's hanahaki has the potential to be canon compliant. Alternatively, if he did get the surgery, it would be more of a calculated, impersonal decision, one that he might not really want to do but has to for his own best chance at surviving the game. He might be a bit mournful & carry a bit of preemptive regret over it. Unlike Light, who would tear everything out with furious self-loathing.

I could go on even more, but this has already become extremely long 🙈. Thank you for listening to me ramble endlessly haha.

[christa-syd]

People out there thinking Daniel has a bad relationship with his son when Johnny is right there being an abusive asshole who abandoned Robby. It's like they can't recognize a piece of shit when it's in front of them. The writers should stop pandering to Zabka's fangirls and focus on Daniel, he should be the only protagonist. Johnny Lawrence can die in a ditch and he deserves it.

Sounds like you're missing the point of the show if you prefer one over the other. Johnny being an irresponsible, neglectful father has already been established since the first season and literally one of the biggest motivations that Johnny has as a character is trying to have a second chance of being a better father to both Robby and Miguel. He is a flawed character since The Karate Kid movie and we begin Cobra Kai with him being in a terrible state, and an obvious asshole, but that's how the plot progresses with him bettering himself and leading to the series conclusion of him finally making things right. I love Daniel as a character (in fact he's my favorite if you can't tell by my profile picture already), exactly because we get to see his flawed side underneath the picture perfect facade that he puts on. We see him struggle with losing his grip when his past comes haunting him back with Johnny and then Kreese and Silver, but also even before that we've seen the cracks forming with his relationship with Sam and Anthony. Being present does not necessarily make you a good parent, in fact he struggles with the opposite of Johnny's problem. He's an overbearing father to Sam and she holds resentment towards him, but a neglectful one to Anthony as evidenced by him and Amanda eventually realizing that they raised a bully. Daniel's character arc throughout the series is embracing imperfection and making the best out of it. Nuance is integral to the series, the premise is about seeing both sides of the story. Eventually both him and Johnny became better people after learning to accept the past and moving forward.

[oldhalloweentape]

🧨 Vinny Santorini (Atlantis) x (gn) reader🌹

(Kid Edition!)

(Picture’s not mine!)

(Request here! Howdy hey!! Been a bit since I last did something for this man, real glad someone asked for him <3333)

- Alright so, when it comes to children he’s very hit or miss, like sometimes succeeding in keeping a child happy and safe with him—

- And the other times that kid is frighteningly close to an ignited fuse to a firework that makes Satan’s Baby look just like a baby.

- I don’t think it’d be much of a difference if said the child was his, though he’d definitely exercise caution.

- In general, I think he’s a great father, a father that knows how to lay the law but also has fun— Pranks the kid with harmless crap as soon as they are old enough to comprehend what a prank is.

- He adores his kid greatly and isn’t too lenient with them, knowing well that kids can and will take a mile of you give an inch far too often.

- A part of him still knows how to be a kid, to have that kind of joy in life that is palpable when he does something he loves wholeheartedly, and he hopes that his kids share that same energy, especially in his presence.

- I think he can be an enabler at times, like, there’s no doubt in my mind his kid would have that talent for demolition and the sorts.

- No one can tell me he wouldn’t somehow make a little version of himself and be elated by that fact.

- Regardless of gender, that kid is well loved and cared for, he doesn’t have it in him to not be as rough around the edges as he can be, he’s a genuinely good person who cares deeply for the people who have a part in his life.

- His child BECOMES his world when they’re born, he holds the memory of holding them for the first time close to his chest with an insane amount of love, as cheesy and cliche as that is.

- Much like any other parent he does get frustrated with his child’s antics, little kids do such stupid things and I think even before he has a kid he knows it all too well being the eldest child of his family.

- That and he too was a stupid kid back then… Even before the fireworks incident, I think he was a very impulsive kid who got into trouble after being cooped up in the family business.

- I think when the kids are still little he establishes himself as a good dad, though when that kid starts growing up it’s hard for him to grapple with because that’s their stage of discovering themselves and being less dependent on him.

- He has his imperfections when it comes to parenting— But who doesn’t?? He’s the type to learn and fix his mistakes after some stubbornness with a kind of courage that can let his kid rely on him as a father when they realize they are as mature as they let on.

- He’s tough on them when it is warranted, as chaotic as he may be, he’s become well acquainted with what is acceptable and what isn’t with trial and error, and not wanting that for his kid he promptly teaches them consistently till it sticks.

- Though I think he’d bail them out if they ever did get in trouble with the law when they’re still a kid, especially when he’s just so wealthy after the expedition… Though he of course makes them repay that bail money through hard work among other things…

- They’re probably on their own if they do it when they’re older. As much as he loves his kid, he ain’t about that if it’s coming from his fully grown child.

- Has his tough love moments, but it isn’t thinly veiled abuse or anything, thinks consistently smacking kids is pretty counterintuitive— Might give them a light smack upside the head when they do something progressively dumb as shit after he warns them over and over again about what they’re doing is wrong.

- Again he’s not about that but he does spoil his kid with fantastic foods, clothing, etc— He’s as present as can be as the owner thriving a string of flower shops maintained by various members of his family.

- Talking about his family, his family definitely dotes on his kid, in general, that child is having a great childhood with many benefits.

(If you think this was hastily written at like 2am, you’d be very correct in that assumption— I just had to write for this guy after what feels like months of nothing @ayothepizzahere4)

[girlwhohasjams]

As someone who is new to the acotar Fandom and just recently joined with expectations of sm love and fun in theorizing the unknown and loving the characters...I'm soo disappointed and heartbroken to find sm hate in the circle..like😭

Why do people want to judge sm??

The stories and the character, no matter how fictional, aren't meant to be perfect..

They love fiercely, make mistakes, learn from their mistakes, improve, try to live and lead their best lives, sacrifice, teach and just fill your heart with so much..

Can't we simply love the story? The character arcs? The growth, personal and non-personal?

The point isn't how perfect or imperfect everything is but to experience with the characters and their stories..to go through the highs and lows with them, to learn from them and with them, to grow with them and to love with them..

Okay it is fine if you do not agree with or like certain things, you are allowed to have opinions, but they can be expressed nicely..that's the part where we're learning and experiencing growth..

You do not like something, express your dislike for it and a solution or alternative but what's up with the hate like bruh😭 it's leading Noone to nowhere!

That's so immature😭

Hating on the character? Like what's that gonna do for you? Erase it? Have the author change it out?

Simply don't think about the book book then, don't read, keep it away, stay away if you don't like it..

Why do you have so much space, time and energy to hate, when the good things can be loved? And I don't mean turning a blind eye to other happenings and living in a bubble, experience all of it and decide about situations and persons and feel but why ruin the love others are sharing and experiencing?

It is a story, a happening, an episode, and the author means to send a message through it, not necessarily glorify it.

The author just doesn't give personal opinions and expresses through the character's pov instead..ensuring every angle is looked upon..

And the shipping wars omfg😫

Guys, opinionated theorizing is fine but can. We. Just. Be. Better. About. It?

The character doesn't puppet on your instructions, they will progress how they wanna..

What I want to say is..doesn't just relaxing and experiencing and accepting whatever is happening (if it's good for the character and theirs) sound lovely? Like, experience it how they are and feel with them, as them..

Like I can hope these two end up together or such happens with such person but at the end I will be happy for them however if they are at a good place in the story..bcs they are..and if that doesn't happen I can just wish and be sad about it..going about spreading hate about it isn't gonna make shit better 😭

P.S - also your opinions should have a rational base with logic and reasoning 😭 just because you want something to happen doesn't mean you can force it into happening, make it make sense too, with a please 😭you can't simply be twisting and turning things when you want them in your favor and start turning them back if they don't progress to😭😭😭😭😭😭

[rigelmejo]

Maybe this will be useful (or motivating) to someone? So, ever since I finished college, I don't take notes when I study any more. This blog right here is all of my language learning notes. So I suppose I do take notes. I just mean that like... you won't forget everything immediately if you don't take notes. That was something I had to learn to accept, since I was used to being afraid I would forget anything I didn't write down.

I just don't write words to review and memorize on paper anymore. I used to write down ALL the grammar points in my textbooks, all the new vocabulary, a lot of the dialogues in new chapters, mnemonics for kanji that were in worksheets, etc. I wrote so much down. I wrote so much I had hand cramps all the time (not only from language classes, mostly from my other classes which were even more note-intensive). So when I finished school, I decided I'd prefer never to write that much on paper again, to never write so much my hands hurt.

I still type a lot, lol you are all aware of that. Sometimes my hands cramp a bit from typing, but never as much as they did when taking paper notes. I still love drawing, so yeah my hands cramp when I do that for a long time.

My point with all this was... I was a perfectionist in school, and I wrote notes on EVERYTHING because I read once "writing notes helps you remember" and I needed all the help I could get in school to get good grades. So I did it all, writing everything by hand, sitting at the front of class, asking questions any time they popped up for me, all things recommended to get better grades/learn easier.

When I decided to really let myself study languages in my personal time, I decided I did NOT want to be perfectionist about it. Perfectionism stressed me out so much in school, and one of the reasons I really enjoyed self-studying languages is how much I got to learn and improve by making mistakes. Language learning is an area where I get to embrace mistake making, enjoy imperfection and the process of learning - because I will NOT be perfect at languages for years, if ever, I will NOT understand languages perfectly for years, if ever. I still don't speak perfect English and I'm a native speaker who's been writing/speaking for 30 years. So thankfully, I can never be perfect in any language. Striving for perfection is impossible, it will never be reached. Instead of giving up - since perfection is impossible - language learning is a domain where I can simply enjoy the journey of continuously learning.

So self-studying, I stopped writing down things I wanted to remember. I accepted that I was going to be imperfect, going to forget and have to re-look things up, review things as I ran across them again, and accepted that was the route I wanted to take.

I think it's great if you want to write down notes on things you want to remember and review, or save stuff to anki card decks, or whatever you specifically want to do. And writing notes definitely Does help one remember faster, it served me well in college when I had to reliably remember things ASAP - I just no longer have that need. (I still save resources - see this whole blog lol, and I save words I've looked up recently in Pleco and Google Translate - although I rarely end up reviewing them)

For me, I didn't want to do that anymore. And I wanted to be an example that someone CAN make progress and improve, even if they don't write down the things they want to remember. I used to have issues trusting my own memory, afraid anything I didn't write down I'd never learn, and it's been a relief to just let myself Not do that.

[leolithe]

this has been sitting in my drafts forever so i'm just gonna post it!!! these are my Plural Lotus headcanons that are Integral to my interpretation of them

Lotus represents balance while Natah and Margulis represent extremes, but she also represents Acceptance in The Sacrifice. So it makes sense that Lotus is the most passive, or "watching and waiting" one of the three

Lotus is also the most withdrawn and cautious one because she's the one who holds the trauma of every event leading to The New War. From her kidnapping in Apostasy Prologue, she was Lotus-turned-Margulis. From the Sacrifice to her death in New War, she was Lotus-turned-Natah.

After holding back Wally, Lotus fainting was a direct result of realising that the war was over. That she was finally free. That she could finally get the rest she desperately needed. And her entire body took that realisation and completely shut down. The need for rest was that dire.

This is when Natah and Margulis start to awaken. In the epilogue, when the Operator and Drifter are asking Lotus Radiant questions, Natah and Margulis also answer at the same time, each with their own insight and inflections. This is what leads to Lotus saying that she hears voices.

Natah was just as dead as Margulis when her body was reprogrammed. (Jovian Concord monologue: "I became a memory, a ghost"). Therefore, Lotus was formed from a blank slate of a (powerful) Sentient husk and Margulis' memory.

Natah, being the Sentient body personified, is able to access everyone's memories at will. She can also read everyone's minds, while still being able to focus perfectly on the present/outer world. She uses this to watch over Lotus and monitor her wellbeing.

Natah hates accessing or reading Margulis' mind though. She does not enjoy the imperfect, inaccurate, messy nature of Human memory. So she leaves Margulis alone for the most part.

Because she sees everyone's memories, Natah is the first to realize that she was formed to protect the Lotus. She takes the role of prosecutor, and she's very fiercely protective. Natah places much more weight in remembering the trauma rather than suppressing it like Margulis did.

Margulis is someone Lotus remembers for caring for and loving the Tenno, so she was formed with the intent of having a caretaker in the Lotus system. She's best at grounding Lotus, whispering soothing words to her and generally being a gentle and comforting presence.

There is very clear friction between the way Natah and Margulis handle their roles. Natah's decisiveness can be pushed into being cutthroat and stubborn, and Margulis' healing can veer into unrealistic idealism. Natah doesn't like how Margulis encourages Lotus to neglect her traumatic memories, and Margulis doesn't like Natah's insistence on forcing her to remember. They both think the other is pushing back Lotus' progress; Natah by intentionally surfacing painful memories and Margulis by exposing Lotus' weak points to the same aggressor again.

Very much a fight between, "If you don't remember how it damaged you, it will always happen again" vs "It will never happen again, you're safe and free to live like it never did"

Natah vs Margulis isn't only about Power vs Healing/Destroying the enemy vs Protecting your allies... it's about Remembrance vs Oblivion in regards to distress and trauma.

Lotus gets intermittently pulled around by these two for a while, until Margulis' comforting lies become unignorable and Natah's ruthlessness becomes unbearable. And when Lotus finally snaps and asserts herself to them... it's a wake up slap to both Natah and Margulis. This marks the point where they start quietly trying to work together... pushing past their rivalry to then FINALLY. Explore each other's bodies. Sentient-Human headmate style.

Thank you for reading. I can go on and on but I'm just gonna leave u with the mental image of Lotus walking in on Natah and Margulis having ravenous floor sex because they've actually never fucked a woman in their lives and they're not normal about it