#I can understand being uncomfortable with that

[grison-in-space]

I'm genuinely sorry, I was really tired and couldn't think of the word that mad pride movements use. I'm new to all of this. I thought you would be more open to it because you've reblogged from radical leftists (anarchists and communists both) within the past couple of weeks and they're all for Veganism afaik. The argument that all brains are different but equal and should be treated the exact same is a primary aspect of mad pride from my understanding, and that speaks to me about animals just having different brains, and that they don't deserve to be exploited and killed for us just because they're different. I'm not spamming people with it, but I was inspired by an ask by a nonvegan and started asking popular bloggers why they weren't vegan to open up conversation and potentially change people's views on animals. If I've made you uncomfortable I'm sorry, though I admit I'm really confused by your standpoint. You do know that the only reason communism hasn't succeeded is because of America? Anyway, sorry again, I'm also autistic and I didn't mean to dismiss your legitimate dietary needs. Can I recommend acti-vegan's posts? While I understand that you can't go vegan, perhaps their blog will at least help you understand our points, they're much more well-written than my asks and they have plenty of legitimate science resources at hand. Thanks for listening, I'll take your advice into account. I'm not trying to not listen, it's just frustrating because so many people say they get it but they don't change, and if they truly got it they would, you know?

Okay, I get that you didn't mean to be offensive, and fuck knows I shouldn't throw stones when it comes to forgetting specific words. (This happens to me fairly frequently; it's a thing.)

The argument that all brains are different but equal and should be treated the exact same is a primary aspect of mad pride from my understanding, and that speaks to me about animals just having different brains, and that they don't deserve to be exploited and killed for us just because they're different.

So yesterday I actually wrote out and then deleted a whole paragraph to the effect of "part of my deep, deep frustration with animal rights activism hooks into my commitment to the phrase 'nothing about us without us,' because I frequently see the same kinds of emotional projection without making the effort to listen to animals on their own terms from animal rights activism groups."

The first thing I need to make clear to you is that this--veganism and animal rights activism (ARA) more generally--is not new to me. I am in my mid-thirties and I have never had a job of any kind that did not revolve around animals in some way, I've spent time in rescue spaces and vets and universities, I'm queer and I have spent most of my life in leftish progressive circles, so it's kind of hard to miss.

Essentially, you are proselytizing to me as if you were a newly baptized evangelical convinced I had never heard of Jesus, because if only I had heard and understood his holy word, I would be converted instantly to his light! It's not any less irritating when the belief system isn't explicitly a religion.

More under the cut, because this one is long.

Disclaimer one: Veganism isn't synonymous with ARA ideology, but it's deeply entangled with it, and ARA ideology drives the movement of veganism as a (theoretically non-religious) ethical decision. And I object very strongly to the framework imposed by ARA activists. When I say I am not vegan, I am saying that I have considered the ethical framework that underpins veganism as an ethics movement and I have deliberately rejected it.

The second piece of context you should know that when I talk about being a behavioral ecologist, I mean that I'm a researcher who works on animals and that my framework is rooted in trying to understand animals in their own natural ecological context, without necessarily comparing them to humans. There's a lot of ways to study animal behavior you might run into, including attempts to understand universal principles of behavior that transcend species (animal cognition) and attempts to understand how to better treat animals in human care (animal welfare). You know Temple Grandin? Temple Grandin is an ethologist (the field that gave rise to behavioral ecology, also focused on animals within their species context) who worked on animal welfare (finding ways to make slaughterhouses less stressful to livestock, among other things).

Third point: my profession also means is that I work directly with animals--in my case, currently mice--and that I do not think research with animal subjects is wrong as long as all efforts are made to ensure maximal welfare and enrichment for the animals involved. This is another major bone of contention politically between my entire field and ARA groups, and you should know that I have also spent my entire professional career under the shadow of, well, people who care strongly enough about those ideas to invade my workspace and potentially seize my animals and "free" them into a world they do not have the tools to survive in.

So there's where I am coming from. Let's get back to what you're saying. Here, I'll quote again in case you have the same crappy short-term memory I do.

The argument that all brains are different but equal and should be treated the exact same is a primary aspect of mad pride from my understanding, and that speaks to me about animals just having different brains, and that they don't deserve to be exploited and killed for us just because they're different.

Point the first: Even within humans, I don't think that all brains should be treated the exact same. Especially in a disability context! After all, what is an accommodation if not an agreement to treat someone differently because they need certain things to access a space? Accommodations by definition fly in the face of this "treating everyone the same" understanding of fairness. I think all (human) brains are equally valuable, and I think all brains are worthy of respect, but I do not think that it's wise or kind of me to assert that everyone should be treated in the same way. For one thing, I teach students. If there's one thing teaching has taught me, it's that a good teacher is constantly assessing and adjusting their instruction to meet students where they're at, identify failures of understanding, and keep the attention of the classroom.

Point the second: animals do have different brains from humans. That does not mean that animals are inferior, but it does mean that they are alien. There's a philosophy paper, Nagel, What Does It Mean to Be a Bat, that you might find illuminating on this front. Essentially, the point of the paper is that animals have their own experiences and sensory umwelts that differ profoundly enough from humans' that we cannot know what it is like to be a different species without experiencing life as one, and therefore we must be terribly careful not to project our own realities onto theirs. That is, our imagination cannot tell us what a bat values and what it experiences. That is why we have to use careful evidence to understand what an animal is thinking, without relying on our ability to identify with and comprehend that animal. I have watched ARA groups deliberately encourage people to shut their reasoning brains off and emotionally identify themselves with animals without considering within-species context for twenty years. This is a mainstream tactic. It is not an isolated event and for that reason alone I would be opposed to them.

Point the third: there is a definite tendency in lots of people to care deeply and intensely about both animals and people who are seen as "lesser" in status--children, poor people, disabled people, etc--just as long as those groups never contradict the good feelings that come from the helper's own assessment of themselves and their actions. In humans, when the "needy" point out that some forms of help are actually harmful, the backlash is often swift and vicious. This is why animals are such an appealing target of support and intervention. They can't speak back and say "in fact, you are projecting my love of this frilly pink tutu onto me, and I think it's uncomfortable and prevents me from walking." They can't say "I kind of like it better when I don't have to worry about getting hit by a car, actually?"

(By the way: this is also why it's offensive to compare disabled people to animals, because this is generally done at least in part to silence the voices of disabled people speaking for our selves and our communities. We have access to language, and we use it, thank you.)

All forms of animal welfare intervention going right back to the founding of the first RSPCA have been incredibly prone to being hijacked by classist, racist, and otherwise bigoted impulses. This is because animals offer an innocent face for defense that conveniently cannot criticize the actions taken by their champions, and they therefore provide a great excuse for actions taken against marginalized members of human society. Think about the very first campaign the RSPCA ever did, which was banning using dogs as draft animals: a use that is not inherently harmful to dogs, which many dogs actively enjoy, but also one that was specifically used by poor Londoners and which in fact immediately resulted in a great butchery of the dogs that Londoners could no longer afford to feed rather than allowing poor people and their dogs to continue working together. No one was, of course, challenging the particular uses of dogs or any other animal favored by the wealthy. This kind of thing is so, so, so common. Obviously it doesn't mean that all interventions to prioritize animal welfare are inherently bigoted, but it does mean that we have to be critical about our choice of challenges.

On top of everything, the animal rights activist movement's obsession with "exploitation" is a function of the idea that humans are sinful or otherwise Bad in how we interact with animals by definition. For example, take the chicken rescue near me that is so obsessed with the possibility that some human somewhere might benefit from an animal in their care that they implant every hen they adopt out with hormonal implants such that the hens no longer lay eggs--a function that is normally a natural byproduct of a chicken's reproductive system, fertilized or not. A mutualistic relationship involves both parties benefiting, and that is the case for an awful lot of human relationships with animals. In general, the idea that associating with animals is a thing that can only harm animals rather than being a trade between two species to enrich one another is all over these groups. It's just so myopically focused on human shame that it prevents practical interventions that might benefit everyone, and often promotes interventions that don't directly benefit animals but sure do make humans miserable. For example, this kind of thinking is why groups like PETA are absolutely awful at effectively rescuing unwanted dogs and cats: they think pets living in "bondage" with humans are an essentially sad outcome, rather than one that might be mutually enjoyed by all parties.

I'm tired and my meds haven't kicked in, so I'm not currently going to handle the communism thing except to point out that while the US absolutely did destabilize a number of leftist regimes in South America and Africa, Russia and China between them have certainly not treated their own people kindly, either (and more so their own client-nations, as with the former members of the USSR). Please do some reading about the Holodomor and Lysenko in Russia (and frankly all of the details of Stalin's regime) and the Cultural Revolution in China in particular. Khmer Rouge might be worth looking into, too. I am not saying the US's hands are clean, you understand, because they are not; they're as steeped in red as anyone else's. What I am saying is that for people living on the ground, communist revolutions have this nasty habit of turning into bloodbaths and arbitrary slaughters. Do not let your distaste for the US's bloodsoaked imperialism (which, yes, is and was bad) let you fall into the trap of becoming a tankie.

And if you don't know what a tankie is, you really, really should take some time to learn.

[kevindayqueenofexy]

I saw someone posting how Transmasc Neil makes sense to read, cause he is not taking his shirt of in front of people and has a different name now and he is terrified of people finding out his „real“ name. But you know what would be even funnier, that all the foxes suspect Neil being Transmasc and drop hints that they support him and Neil is just terrified that he is found out or just really confused.

Neil: Has anyone seen my Binder?

Matt:*internally screaming: Neil trusts me with his secret* No.. sorry but i can help searching for it.

Neil: Thanks i really really need to find it and— why are you looking in th closet?

Matt: *a few hours later* I’m sorry L I can’t find it. But we could order a new one online no fret.

Neil; *confused* I am not sad that my binder is gone. I need the stuff in the binder.

Matt:…

Neil:…

Renee: I changed my name after I was adopted by my Foster Mom, I built myself a new identity.

Neil: *Oh God, does she know about my Past?*

Renee: I mean our situations aren’t really comparable, but, I understand to some degree.

Neil: *Holy, she definitely knows*

Renee; Neil, is a handsome name, you picked good.

Neil: *ready to bolt*

Allison: Neil. I can’t stand seeing you in the same clothes anymore. I understand that those clothes are comfortable and help you hide—

Neil: *screaming internally, oh god she knows.*

Allison: but you are going shopping with me. I managed to make Seth look like a prince. I can help you too.

Neil:.. what?

Nicky: Neil, handsome you are so manly. One of the manliest person I know.

Neil: Okay… *takes a step backwards*

Nicky: You don’t have to feel uncomfortable changing with us. No one will judge you.

Neil: *Does he know about my scars*

Nicky: but don’t worry if you’re not ready. I understand, really i do. I wont out you.

Neil: *out me? But i am not in anything*

Some of the foxes are talking:

Neil: What’s going on?

Andrew: Oh they are talking how you Identify as a Unicorn.

Neil:… are you on your meds again? What.

Andrew: *looks Neil in the eyes* You can be a Unicorn even without a horn.

Neil: *confused*

Andrew: *walking away* *nailed it*

[b1tcht0p1a]

Feelings - Monster Trio

Fem! reader, but there is more gender-neutral wording in both Luffy's and Zoro's parts. Sanji does, too, but I was thinking more feminine. Don't worry, I will be making a male! reader one eventually. Rewrite of this post!

Luffy doesn’t come off as the most intelligent or aware of a lot. He’s smarter than he lets on sometimes. He's had crushes during his childhood and is well aware of what a relationship is. But he hasn't explored anything close to a romantic. It's unimportant to him, but that doesn't mean he's never considered it. It wasn't often, but these thoughts started up more often when you came crashing into his life. Especially after he got to know you better.

He figured that he liked you but shrugged it off at first. It was a small thing, it would probably disappear at some point.

But he was wrong, he found himself talking about you. From something big you did with him and the crew or a small thing you did that he found funny.

He'll do this when he knows you're not around to hear. He's not embarrassed about what he's saying. He just doesn't want to make things uncomfortable for you.

And even after repeated attempts to get him to even hint at this crush of his, he doesn't. And you're oblivious to the whole thing.

So when he finally comes around and just admits what he feels, you're blindsided. But once thinking back on some things, you understand completely.

You were on the deck, chilling and just enjoying the sun after several days of overcast. Everyone was enjoying themselves, relaxing like yourself, or doing some activity. You're in your own world, not paying attention to anyone, when the sun's warmth suddenly disappears. Cracking open an eye reveals Luffy staring down at you and picking his nose. "Can I help you?" He shrugs his shoulders, his finger still digging in his nose. He pulls it out and inspects his finger before wiping it on his shorts. "Don't know, just kinda felt like coming over here."

"Oh, why don't you sit down?"

"Ehh, no, I'm good. Just wanted to say you're pretty and that I like you." "Oh? Thanks-" "As in, I want to date you." He walks away after that, probably to return to whatever he was doing before or to annoy Sanji for lunch. You're stunned momentarily, mind wandering as you think.

Getting over how sudden the confession was, and thinking back on how he treats you; he was obvious with his feelings.

Checking on you first after fights, even if he's pretty injured. Coming to find you and hanging around you even if you aren't doing something 'fun'. Most of the time, he'll ask a question about what you're doing before walking away. The rare times he would stay, he would simply watch. Only a question or two here or there.

He also tends to listen to you better. Like, ask him to do something for you and he'll do it. (Most of the time, occasionally he won't)

Anyways, if you approach him and talk to him about what he said, he'll repeat himself. No shame. He felt ready.

He doesn't expect you to return his sentiment but does hope that you feel the same. At the end of the day, he wants to have you in his life. Significant other or not.

Oh? You feel the same? He heard you just give him a second. The words are reaching his brain.

He's overjoyed, he's laughing and wrapping you in a hug. He's running around the ship telling everyone. He still has you held in his arms the whole time.

Zoro is very special. He knows things, but fuck is he emotionally constipated. He tolerates you more than the others, aside from Luffy. He's capable of showing and experiencing emotions; he's not as stoic as people think. But he doesn't like expressing things that might make him seem weak. He hates crying; he hates romantic feelings. Even though he tolerates you, he dislikes being around you because you make him feel weak. He can't have that.

When he first realized his little crush on you; he started to push you away.

Only to stop doing this because it made him feel worse for pushing you away.

His crush is obvious by the way. He'll do things for you that he wouldn't do the others. And also if you get him talking about you, he has a lot of things to say. All good, promise.

He likes to hover a lot when out on an island. He says he doesn't but he is. He also manages not to get lost while with you. Which is strange.

Please don't talk to him about his feelings. He will get mad and walk away. Let him do it himself, and act surprised.

You just returned from a little shopping trip on the most recent island. Everyone went out, getting much-needed supplies but also some more indulgent things. You went off to shop, wanting to see what this island had to offer. Zoro, of course, had followed you. Standing right behind you, arms crossed and looking more like a bodyguard than anything. It's intimidating and some vendors seemed too eager to sell you things. Even at a high discount. Sure, it's nice not having to spend a bunch of money on something you really like, but the feeling of being rushed makes it hard to comfortably buy things. But overall, your trip was successful, and Zoro was 'begrudgingly' carrying it back to the ship for you. It was silent as you walked back to the ship. You had decided to take a scenic route back to the docks. Enjoying the vibrant colors of the town. It gave a perfect opportunity to speak to Zoro alone. You had been aware of his feelings and returned them. You had wanted to talk to him about it. Thinking it was best to do it away from the other, you waited to get him alone. The island stop provided a good moment. So when the docks came into view, you stopped walking. So did Zoro, though he was confused as to why you stopped.

"The ship is right there, why'd you stop?"

"I want to ask you something..."

"Okay? Why'd you stop, though?" You sigh deeply. You have to take your next steps carefully. Zoro is special. Being blunt felt right.

"Everyone keeps saying you have a crush on me. Yes or no?" He drops everything in his arms and stares at you blankly. Then you see it, he becomes flustered.

"You’re an idiot. What the hell makes you think that?" He stomps off before you can even answer. You had to carry everything back.

He ignores you for the rest of the day. Refusing to even glance at you during dinner.

He’s still visibly flushed btw.

He will come around later either that night or the next day. Begrudgingly apologizing of course.

He’s honestly expecting to get turned down so he starts talking as if you don’t like him back.

Dumbfounded when that’s not the case. Smiles at you before it quickly drops.

The others only know because you told them. There’s not much of a difference between dating and friendship. Just more affection.

Sanji, despite being the emotional person he is, doesn’t know how he really feels. He loves women. Which makes it hard to discern genuine thoughts from his perverted thoughts. And at first, that's what it very much seems like. A man with a little too much to say about feminine individuals. He understands that he finds you attractive, but there's something else there. This tight feeling in his chest makes it feel like he can't breathe. He's scared.

He's not as confident serving you as he is with Robin or Nami. He needs everything 100% perfect.

Because of these feelings, he tends to cook meals that he knows will please or thinks will please you. He lives for your praise.

He'd say things like "I love you..." or "Marry me...". Anything that he also says to Robin or Nami. It's less tossed out as it is with them.

Despite his typical nature, he can converse with women or feminine people in general without being his usual self. So he'd ask for help; it's new, and he wants to address it as soon as possible.

He is a lot softer leading up to his confession. More genuine smiles and compliments. Like small things. He's observant.

'Did you do something new? You look lovely today!' 'Wow! Those colors really make your eyes pop.'

Sanji had been acting strange the past few days. His normal pervertedness had mellowed into something actually sweet. He wasn't as tense, and he spoke softer than he would Robin or Nami. When he wasn't cooking or catering to people's needs, he often sat with you. Talking about interests, hobbies, anything about you. It was late, way after dinner. Everyone was off getting ready for bed. Other than you and Sanji. All his cleaning was done, thanks to your help. Now, you're both sat at the head of the boat. Both staring into the water, talking about random things. Surprisingly, the topic turned to the future and love. He's standing close, his face soft as he speaks. "I fear that my normal behavior might have ruined my chances." "Well, if it's anything, you've made leaps and bounds with that shit since. At least towards me." Sanji hesitates momentarily, taking a drag from his cigarette and blowing it into the wind. He turns so he faces you. "Yeah, because it's you." The world has never been clearer.

Just pretend you are blind pls. He was so obvious with it that he thought you knew. But realized you didn't when yall would talk.

He almost walks off after saying that but waits.

Crys when you share the same sentiment.

Gladly tells everyone over dinner. Only for Zoro to say some dumb shit.

Nami and Robin are very happy for you, though. They were tired of Sanji's whining to them.

As stated above, this is a rewrite of this post. Do not plagiarize or reupload my content to any other site or blog.

Luffy 574 Zoro 606 Sanji 468

[drdemonprince]

I just read your piece on mindfulness, I was really touched by your authenticity in sharing how much it just sucks to exist in the world as an autistic person. I relaize I had defensively rejected the idea of mindfulness without really stopping to learn what it's really about, and your article was so enlightening. Your honesty in sharing how rough a time you had really drove home the fact that mindfulness is really about completely immersing yourself the rawness of the human experience. Personally, I find joy easily and I find that I'm often mindful about the positive, appealing, beautiful aspects of the world. I have a much, much harder time dealing with discomfort and suffering (except in kink!). I have a tendancy to shut out everything uncomfortable, especially painful stimulation, "negative" feelings, and the people around me. Your piece inspired me to challenge myself to be mindful while overstimulated, triggered, and extremely anxious in a grocery store (aka hell on earth). Spoiler alert: it really really sucked. But, I definitely processed a lot more of what was going on in my mind, and my body. I noticed how tense I felt in my chest, and learned how it took hours for it to dissipate. I noticed how busy it was in the store, and how the narrow aisles and close proximity to other people made me agitated and scared. I know now what will happen if I go there again at that time of day, and can adjust my plans to shop there again accordingly. I noticed the ache of the trauma shrapnel in my mind, and I percepted that just beyond my reach parts of me were processing and feeling really difficult things. I know that if I listen enough I will learn what is going on, and be able to process it consciously. The last thing I noticed was at the check-out. At this point I was desperately trying to escape so I was practically flinging my items into my backpack. I was completely overwhelmed by the chaos I felt in my being. But when I paused to pay, my attention shifted outwards. I realized how kind the cashier had been to me. I knew from her body language and tone of voice that she understood that I was having a hard time. She was so empathetic and kind during such a short interaction, at the end of her shift, towards someone who could barely look at her. I was so touched, and have thought of her every day since. Thank you for your article. I can't wait to notice, and feel, and learn more, into perpetuity.

Wow. This is beautiful. This is exactly how I experienced embracing mindfulness to better understand my own sensory issues and overwhelm, after years of rejecting the idea as stupid, woo-woo, and unpleasant. Attending to all the ways in which your environment is disabling you is PAINFUL, but it really can generate a ton of insight. When we know exactly what is triggering us, and what is moving the needle up and down, we can self-regulate by making tiny adjustments that make the painful a little more bearable. And then we get to appreciate little oases of peace and grace, like the one you experienced with the cashier. So lovely. Thank you for sharing this with me. <3

Here is the piece, for those who didn't see it:

[pretty-little-mind33]

NON-MAGIC AU JAMES POTTER AND A FEM!READER WHO IS NERVOUS ABOUT THE GYM

Ask: hi hon! i saw your request were open and i was wondering if you could write about james with a reader who has a hard time with going to the gym and he's super patient with her and kinda helps her develop a healthy relationship with the gym? i totally understand if you don’t want to!! have a wonderful day hon and stay safe and hydrated 💐

~ this was such an adorable idea that i wanted to write something even if only in headcanon form! i hope you don't mind, lovie! thank you sm for requesting 🫶 ~

• James is so very strong! He's an athletic, muscular guy. ARMS FOR DAYS! He doesn't have any problems going to the gym. On the contrary, he loves the gym. It's his happy place and he's also made loads of friends there!

• (he makes friends wherever he goes.)

• It isn't until you're maybe 3-4 months into dating that James brings up the dreaded question; "You wanna to go to the gym with me?"

• The first three times he asks, your excuses work on him. "I'm not feeling super well!" - "I have plans with some friends, I'm sorry!" and even, "I'm on my period!" your understanding boyfriend doesn't bat an eye!

• However, James quickly picks up on some very obvious signs that the gym makes you uncomfortable because you'll avoid the topic entirely and become all shifty.

• Naturally, this prompts your mature (usually 😙) boyfriend to plop you down on his bed and have a conversation. When you open up about your insecurities, James listens patiently.

• "Love, why didn't you tell me you were feeling nervous and unsure? I'd never look down on you because you don't feel comfortable with something as trivial as the gym," James says and leans in to kiss your nose, his hand rubbing soothing circles over your thigh.

• "Really?" you ask, your tone small and he nods.

• "Really," he assures you.

• A few weeks later James had forgotten his water bottle at home, so being the good girlfriend you are, you bring it to him. When you see the gym James uses and realize it's very calm and everyone seems friendly, you gather the courage to ask James if you can accompany him next time.

• He's overjoyed! "Of course we can go, darling, I'll be with you the entire time! Okay?"

• When you go, you're still nervous and James can tell. He can always tell. He holds your hand, tightens your ponytail/pushes hair behind your ear (depending on hair length), and then kisses you.

• "I'm right here with you, darling. I'll show you how all the machine's work and be with you the entire time, okay? You don't need to be shy or nervous around me, I promise!" his words are calming and you feel better.

• You go try the machines that interest you and James helps you understand them by showing you. He's sooo patient with you, watching you with kind eyes as you try them out.

• "Don't forget to drink, lovely," he says, handing you your water bottle.

• If you run into any of his gym friends, you realize he's been gushing on and on about you. His friends all LOVE you instantly. Now you have even more people to help/watch over you which makes you feel safe!

• When you finish up, you're shy. "James?"

• "Yes, baby?" he says, walking back to the car with your gym bag (which he'd carefully prepared for you) and his slung over his arm. He wanted you to have your own so you could feel independent. He's considerate like that 😏

• "I might wanna go again. Make this a weekly thing? Once a week I could come with you?"

• James takes your hand and stop you from walking. He kisses both of your hands and looks into your hands. "I'd love to make this a weekly thing. Well take it slow, no need to rush, and soon I promise you'll feel better about the gym. I'm so proud of you!"

• HE ENDLESSLY PRAISES YOU AND REMINDS YOU HOW MUCH HE LOVES YOU AND HOW WELL YOU DID!

• James just loves sharing the things he loves with the people he loves, so your newfound interest in the gym makes him so happy!

• It doesn't take long for you to also like the gym, especially because James is there.

• He's not always hovering over you once you're used to the machines and the atmosphere. But he's always close! All you need is to look around and you see him somewhere!

• He also packs an extra shirt in his gym bag for you in case you become insecure (he doesn't tell you because he doesn't want to promote the feeling, just ease it if it happens 😊)

[cordeliawhohung]

Important:

Under the cut, I'm going to be talking about domestic and sexual violence, general unsafe scenarios, and my boundaries regarding my pet!au series (though, this heavily extends to ALL my works) and the expectations i have for people who interact with me through my writing and what is sent to me in my inbox.

While I understand that I write dark topics in many of my works, covering things from domestic violence, to graphic sexual violence; I am still a human being. I know it's easy to pretend I'm just some random person, some faceless creature through a screen, or whatever other way you may perceive me, but please, be thoughtful and courteous of the things you say to me/send me in my asks. It's extremely inappropriate to send me graphic descriptions of things you are going through/have gone through in relation to what I'm writing or what my works have depicted. It's unhealthy for both me and for you to send me unsolicited stories of detailed abuse, especially because I am in no position to help you.

It's normal for writing to illicit strong emotional responses, and I am genuinely so thankful that my writing has been cathartic for so many of you. You are more than welcome to share with me that something I've written has helped you, or touched you in some sort of way: I just ask that you please spare me the graphic details. It is damaging, and I will not respond to those asks and slap such heavy, unfiltered content for others to see.

You may think that you know me, and feel safe enough sharing such intimate details about the darker parts of your life with me, but I ask that you please don't because you truly do not know me well enough to dump anything heavily triggering like that onto me. It's very flattering, and I'm glad I come across kind, and as a safe person (because I try to be!!) but it makes me severely uncomfortable. I simply will not tolerate it.

I do not wish to discourage anyone from sharing their trauma, or experiences in general. Obviously, talking about things can be really healing and therapeutic. I am not saying you must keep everything to yourself and bottle up these very complicated feelings. I just beg of you to please ensure that the person you are speaking with is able and willing to bear the things you're about to share with them; and I am making it very clear that I am not that person. I wish I could be that person for everyone, but I simply cannot. The emotional turmoil, the stress of not being able to help, it's extremely unhealthy for me. Especially when I am essentially coerced into doing so. Share your experiences in a healthy, and beneficial way. Dumping an experience (or several) onto someone who has not had the chance to back out of the conversation is damaging, and something I can't afford and will not tolerate.

If you find yourself in need of someone to confide in, there are hotlines and other mediums of support you can seek. While I'll admit, sometimes hotlines or online help isn't always the greatest, it is certainly more effective than I'll ever be. Here are some resources (I believe based in the USA) if you find yourself needing them.

National Domestic Violence Hotline

RAINN Sexual Violence Support Hotline

It is gut wrenching knowing people relate to Bonnie in pet!au in any capacity, but I ask you guys to respect these very clear boundaries. I would hate to have to stop writing/take down the story because of inappropriate or harmful behavior in my inbox.

[jymwahuwu]

The mini reader, that is, you, always stays with Sunday, staying in his miniature model. You are his favorite. One day, you sneak away from his miniature, but hear his steps. In desperation, you ran into a bag next to you. I didn't expect it to be a pile of gems. You feel uncomfortable being rubbed against the surface of those gems, but you still endure it. You feel the bag of gems being picked up… you are being shaken in the air…

Then there was a long conversation outside.

"…You bag is over there, do as you please. I believe you can trade this bag of worthless jewels for everything you need. That's what gamblers excel at, isn't? "

"Off you go. Mr. Aventurine. You are free. I will wait here for your good news. "

You can't understand what's going on. Who is Sunday trading with? In the darkness, the bag was opened. Aventurine looked down from a high place and met your frightened eyes - slowly, a cunning and satisfied mood appeared on his face.

Ah, look at you, Sunday gave his favorite to IPC? This was beyond his expectation. He gathers the pieces of those cornerstones together and holds you. You struggled, begging pathetically for him to let you go. You are really just passing by…

No, this won't happen. Aventurine gets an unexpected gambling chip. He will win it all and take you away from that control freak forever. He believes that one of his prizes will be you, and he also thinks of several ways to play in the future…

[genderfluid-insomniac]

Hello! How was your day? I hope it's been good.

Could I request Zhongli, Neuvillette, and Wriothesley finding out their lover had been gushing over them to random people?

Zhongli, Neuvillette, and Wriothesley x gushing!reader

Zhongli

The ex-archon as usual goes for his daily work break for lunch and tea where Iron Tongue Tian told stories, sitting down and looking around to see one of the staff talking excitedly with another couple of patrons before seeing him. They seemed to light up upon seeing him and bid goodbye to the others, coming over to him and clapping their hands together. “So you’re the handsome man that Name’s been gushing about. Zhongli isn’t it? I’ve seen you around here often.” they said with a smile and noted down his order, waving their hands and assuring him they knew it was usual.

This was news to him. He hadn’t suspected that there’d be any reason for them to gush about him since to him it seemed it should be the opposite. “Hm, I have to say this is the first time I have heard this. “ he said and thoughtfully hummed. Color him intrigued. “Why don’t you sit here with me and have some tea as well? I would very much like to discuss more about what Name says about me,” he said with a smile and if someone looked close enough they could see the slyness behind it.

The worker immediately smiled and nodded, rushing off to get his tea and what he assumed was theirs as well. “Well, I can assure you they’ve never said anything but good things. If anything I’m not sure I have heard anything but praises and compliments about how great of a lover you are. They always talk about how kind and caring you are whenever they’re uncomfortable or feeling down. Another thing they really gush about besides how in their words you’re “sculpted like an archon attractive figure” is how you actually listen to them and hear what they have to say.” he was unfortunately surprised when they emphasized that he actually listened to them which must’ve meant that others didn’t in the past.

Zhongli was aware that some men weren’t the best but he didn’t think it was that bad and if Name hadn’t mentioned it then he wasn’t one to bring it up since he trusted them to come to him with any issues. It was comedically ironic that his lover had said he was handsome like he was made by the gods but he suspected that it was a cover partially for keeping his ex-divine status. Nevertheless, this was great information that he’d found out and he would let you bring it up if you chose to or more likely if they brought it up to you.

Neuvillette

Everyone knows that the melusines see Neuvillette as a sort of father and so when you both started dating or “courting” as your boyfriend put it the adorable group of beings started thinking of you as their mom of sorts. Since they were guards and workers scattered around the city of Fontaine, greeting you whenever they’d see you and having small chats. Many of which you’d gush and rave about all the great things about your boyfriend and how he was so sweet and caring.

Word travels fast but it travels faster among the melusines so when Neuvillette walked the Palais Mermonia to overview a big court case coming up he was welcomed by a joyful group of melusines who started talking all at once. He could roughly understand parts of what they were saying and how they were talking about his partner. “Slow down, slow down. Let’s go to my office first,” he said and ushered them all in, closing the doors and thankful they could talk about this in private. “Now, what is it that you want to tell me?” he asked and sighed tiredly. It was already 10 in the morning and already there was something urgently needing his attention.

Canotila came up to him with her hands clasped together and a wide happy smile on her face. “We are just so happy to hear that Name loves you so much! We knew you were such a kind and devoted person to both Fontaine and its people but we didn’t know how caring you really were. It’s truly admirable Monsieur Neuvillette!” she gushed and joined several others to say affirmations of what Canotila had said. The Iudex knew his lover loved every part of him even the parts he was reluctant to share with them but he hadn’t known they had been gushing about how great of a boyfriend he was.

To be completely honest seeing Neuvillette display any strong emotional expression was rare and the bright red blush spreading over his cheeks was a treat to see. He was extremely touched that you praised him to others for what you adored about him. He would talk to you later to possibly not tell others and strangers about the more intimate details of your relationship because of a few reasons.

Wriothesley

To some of the veteran residents, it wasn’t a surprise to hear that the Duke Wriothesley had a lover and there were very rare times when he’d freely be able to visit you as often as he’d like but you’d often come to the prison when you both wanted to spend time together and couldn’t wait. So the guards knew you well as well as the senior residents and greeted you in addition to also making sure no one else fucked with you if they saw you since you never treated them anything but kindness.

So it wasn’t surprising when one of the guards informed him that one of the prisoners he was particularly close to asked to speak to him and came in with a smile. “I’m letting ya know that your lover is here but I think you wanna hear when I overhead them telling one of the guards,” he said and waited for Wriothesley to let him continue if he wished which he did. “Well, seems like you’re quite the 5-star boyfriend which doesn’t surprise me since I’ve known you since you were once in here but Name wasn’t it?” he clarified and continued.

“They kept going on and on about how well you remember all of their favorite things even the littlest details like how they like their tea or favorite dessert. I feel like it’s not a surprise to hear that another major part of what I heard was about them going on and on about how doting and loyal you are not to mention how attractive you and your personality are.” he hummed with an amused smile and held his hands up, getting up and saying his goodbyes to the Duke.

[quitealotofsodapop]

I can easily imagine a situation where Wukong is actually fem or trans actually. Like, China, especially ancient China, is a hugely patriarchal society, and Wukong is born into a matriarchal society. One that has a pretty significant language barrier considering Wukong describes speaking chinese or any none monkey language really as "speaking human." It's easy to imagine a situation where there wasn't really a good descriptor for what Wukong was to her tribe other than "Chief" or "King" or little baby Wukong not knowing the proper pronouns to a language he's not quite fluent in yet accidentally claiming herself to be King when Queen or Chieftess would be a more appropriate title. And history just... never realizes it was a translation mistake or that Wukong was actually a girl until MK becomes Wukong's successor. It could even be a situation where Wukong hid her gender when one considers the views of women at the time and the fact she spent several years in the presence of a very aggressive flirt and pervert, even if Baijie probably wouldn't have ever actually done anything just his presence done would make her uncomfortable

Just little ideas based in what you said about the story not really changing much if Wukong were female

Prev.

I can def see a situation in LMK where Wukong identifies as a girl (personal hc is genderfluid) and just... got tired of correcting people.

Younger Wukong didn't exactly have the correct word for her status amongst the troop in "Human" language so she uses "King" since it's the closest. "Queen" didn't sound right cus that meant the King's mate from what she saw.

We know that Subodhi takes on acolytes of all genders, so he had no problem with Wukong (then Shihou) wanting to learn daoist & buddhist magic. He did think Wukong was a guy at first simply cus he didn't think to ask. He did have some old-fashioned "Women = Yin. Yin is bad" views though, and that led to a few arguments between him and his most outspoken student.

No one in Heaven or the Seas bothered checking cus "Thats a Monkey". Except for whoever was in charge of electing Wukong for the stable-monkey job - that was a directed hit at her (in ancient china female monkeys were kept around horses for luck/scaring off wolves). When Sun Wukong realised that she had been given a job even below a stable-boy simply for her body and/or gender identity, she flipped out.

Being elected a Peach Orchard Maiden was a lot better, which made her even more upset that she wasn't allowed to attend the Queen's Banquet - the Orchard Maidens got to go! Why couldn't she!? The real reason turned out to be that the other Maidens were actually the Jade Emperor and Xiwangmu's daughters - a fact that's often forgotten amongst even the nobles of the Celestial Realm. The Maidens hadn't been able to explain that it was an immediate-family-only party when Wukong decided to crash it.

Bonus for Stone Matriarch au: Xiwangmu immediately recognises a startling familiar destruction in this little demon. Like she's seeing a mirror of her younger self; a wild queen destroying the Heavens to prove her worth. The Queen Mother even pauses at the sight of the chaos on Flower Fruit Mountain, thinking she's seeing one of her own daughters throwing a tantrum.

Ofc the relationship between Fem!Wukong and the Brotherhood gets altered a bit. I feel that they knew Wukong's gender and supported her 100%. DBK goes full "You looking at my little sister, punk!?"-mode on anyone that even looks at Wukong. PIF helped a lot with understanding "human girly-stuff" when Wukong joined the Celestials.

Macaque knew from day 1, and it doesn't change his level of devotion to his King - though he makes a point of referring to Wukong as the "Beautiful Monkey King". Guaranteed to leave Wukong blushing. Macaque's own gender identity is a question mark - he takes what gender he can steal from others.

It also only served to reinforce Azure's projected martyrdom onto Wukong - who would be the best figurehead for the rebellion than a woman who suffers as much pain as the Bodhisattva Guanyin?

Tripitaka likely faints once or twice at the revelation that his bodyguard is a bloodthirsty woman - but quickly gets over it cus thats the least of his worries. Tthough he does panic at the thought of Wukong being like certain other female demons towards monks -Wukong quickly puts his worries to rest; Tripitaka isn't her type.

Sha Wujing and Ao Lie didn't mind but they made sure to have Wukong's input for when she preferred to be addressed as male - usually amongst humans or celestials.

Zhu Bajie on the other hand...

It took Bajie a lot of rejection to get the point that the Monkey King was not a free lady. After a few years their relationship became a lot more "annoying siblings"-vibes, but the initial creep factor always made Wukong uncomfortable.

MK (he/they transmasc) discovers the Monkey King's true gender and *immediately* works to correct his language.

MK: "Monkey- wait, do you prefer being called King or Queen? I don't want to misgender you if possible." Wukong, surprised: "Uh, King is fine bud. It's sort of my brand now anyway." MK: "Okay! Never be afraid to correct me if I mess up." (*points to trans pride pin on his jacket*) :D Wukong, honestly touched: "Aww."

Later when the rest of the Noodle Gang meets Wukong, there's a little surprise - mostly from Tang who's rambling how all the translation inconsistencies finally make sense! Mei shrieks with glee - the Monkey King is "The Ultimate Girl Boss!". Sandy politely asks for Wukong's preferred pronouns if she's comfortable sharing them. Pigsy is a lot more understanding of why Wukong felt the need to hide her gender for so long.

Pigsy: "Let me guess, you pulled a Mulan cus of a certain... pervert in your travel party." Wukong: "Eh not entirely... Bajie figured it out after a few months, but by then he already saw me as One of the Guys. Felt weird to bathe or sleep near him though - dude stared." Pigsy: "Gross." Wukong: "Mega-gross."

Wukong's dynamic with Spider Queen becomes a bit funnier, since she likely doesn't know Wukong's gender. Second she learns that her opponent is "a fellow Queen" she gains a lot more respect for her. Female spiders are overwhelmingly the strongest after all.

If it becomes wide knowledge during LMK, then Wukong gets an intense public reaction, not just from fans (she tells Fire Star to deal with the media dumpster fire) but from demons that knew her back in the day that never knew and are surprised, or did know and are extremely proud of her for coming out.

DBK loudly declares "MY BABY SISTER HAS RETURNED!". The king he's been forced to fight felt like a complete stranger until Wukong started owning her gender identity again. He is extremely supportive to an embarassing extent. Red Son feels elated, especially since they're coming to terms with their own gender indentity.

And ofc a lot of this is me projecting as a trans masc person - I tend to automatically see Sun Wukong's as afab either way. This idea can have Wukong either as afab genderfluid or trans fem, whatever tickles the brain.

[thegoober010]

Hello! Could I request Trey, Cater, Kalim, and Lilia with a reader who played twst (the game) and shows them fanart? Headcannons please!

HELP I LOVE THIS IDEA !! OFC YOU CAN BUDDY :D ‼️‼️

gender neutral reader as always !

Tws/Cws : none !

Also idk how this would work but I'm guessing like it's an au sorta thing where the twst characters end up irl somehow or somehow the reader who plays twst ends up in the twst world ?

Ima go with the second option though !

Hopefully I'm right idk ?!

oh also I didn’t know which type of fanarts you meant so I did like tame ones/wholesome ones, ship ones, and like weird ones sooo yeah

sorry if this isn’t what you wanted ! I tried my best ig!?

---

♤ Trey Clover ♤

Trey was literally just staring with a concerned expression at you

He was obviously in a bit of shock after you explained your whole situation meanwhile you were just happy he listened to you

And now here you are showing him all the fanarts of him

You started off tame just showing him all the cute and nice fanarts of him chilling or just being with his friends or being put into different outfits/meeting other characters

He didn't have much of an opinion on them he was just happy people liked him enough to draw him as well as his friends !

After a bit of showing him the more tame art of him it quickly went downhill after you showed him the ship art. In all honesty he thought some of them were cute even if he didn’t think some of the ships could be possible due to the other persons opinion on him or his on theirs but some of the ships made him a bit uncomfortable

You obviously just showed him the cute ship art first all of that and then immediately after he went “eh that’s sweet I guess….” After that you immediately showed him the more… concerning fanart/shipart

“…. Oh great sevens…” is all he mutters out before staring at you with the most concerned and uncomfortable expression ever while you laugh mischievously

He doesn’t say much after that and he gently grabs your hand and puts your phone down to your pocket before shaking his head.

there’s a good awkward silence between you two for a good 30 minutes before Riddle and Cater come into the room and the topic immediately changes with all of you now just playing a card game.

Trey does make you promise to never show him those weird fanarts ever again though ^_^”!

Cater Diamond

He listens very intently to you while you explain everything and he gets a little freaked out but…. You’re his friend so… he listens I guess, but it’s obvious with his face he’s a little freaked

After that you two are a little awkward but you changed the subject quickly with.. “Do you wanna see the fanarts people make of you and everyone else…?”

…..

“Hell yeah 😍”

You start off tame as well showing him the cute fanarts of him and his friends but mainly of him and he lets out a few laughs at how accurate they are

Is honestly super happy he has fans in your world too “Well I’m like super popular here so I’m like not surprised I’m popular in your world!” He jokes

He immediately takes out his phone and asks you to send them to him like ASAP

You do, after all if you don’t he won’t stop bothering you about it and basically begs for the art, plus he kinda wants to show it off and if anyone asks he’ll just say some of his fans/follwers drew him !

After that you start showing him the ship art and to be honest he doesn’t mind them much but he does ask often why people decide to ship him and people he doesn’t see himself liking romantically

He doesn’t ask you to send any of the ship art which was a bit of a surprise but understandable

Once you finished showing him the ship art you gained quite the mischievous thought. Why not show him the more hmmm deranged ones ?

Let’s just say he was jaw dropped at some of the art. He was obviously uncomfortable with some of it too… He laughed nervously before patting your shoulder “Lol I think that’s all you should show me .” And that’s where it ends, you two went out for some ice cream after that and posted pictures of what yall got !

he never mentioned the fanart again besides asking to send just one more wholesome one to post on his story or something !

Kalim Al-Asim

Kalim is low key surprised but very understanding about your situation ! You two were hanging out in his room when you had explained everything and eating food as well as a few crackers when you randomly decided to spill that little fun fact of yourself to him !

He was very quick to make the topic less awkward by joking about your situation trying to make you feel better

After that you asked him if he wanted to see his fanarts and he had the biggest smile ever at the thought that people draw HIM LIKE when I tell you he could not stop nodding

You happily obliged and showed him all the tame fanarts of him where he was hanging out with the others or where it was just him and such and he LOVED them. He looked like he was about to cry out of joy

He was so happy and he asked you if you could print out the drawings so he can put them in a notebook or something (you said yes)

After that you showed him the ship arts and he didn’t really mind them, he thought it was a little funny how people liked shipping him with his friends and such but he didn’t really get some of the ships lol

He would ask sometimes why he’s shipped with these people but that he doesn’t really mind he just thinks it’s interesting pairings and so on

You explained a bit the dynamics blah blah blah but after that you showed him the more… strange art. Safe to say he had that shocked look on him. He didn’t get why people drew such things….

He joked about them a bit trying his best not to seem concerned but after that you felt bad so you showed him more wholesome ones again and safe to say he got wayyy happier and less concerned !

Lilia Vanrouge

He listens very intently to your yappin and explanation, he’s not very shocked that happened or concerned, when you reach his age (not like we can tho…) not many things surprise you anymore, even things like this…

He just chuckled before patting your shoulder and giving advice on the situation and promises to help you out

After a bit of silence you ask him if he wants to see fanarts and he seems a little surprised, well that did surprise him a bit huh… well why not? What’s the harm in it.

You grinned at his response and just show him so many wholesome fanarts of him taking care of malleus and silver or just him or him when he was a general and so on and he was quite impressed. He did give a few critiques to some art but he would also compliment all the art a lot as if he were an art nerd reviewing 18th century art or sumn

He took your phone sometimes to look closer (you know that grandpa pose where the grab the phone take off their glasses and move their head to see something better, yeah, that pose basically) and he was so chatty about each fanart

You send him like one or two art pieces and hes smiling really wide, it was a nice sight like he literally can’t stop smiling for a good while when you show him and send the sweet fanarts !

You then show him ship arts and he just giggles at some of them (like the ones with malleus’ mom) and says “I wish hehe” and things of that nature

He seems really chill about certain ship arts (after all it’s with malleus’ mom most of them so ofc he likes them or thinks they’re silly) and even compliments the drawings at times :)!

Once you show him the weirder fanarts he just laughs uncomfortably before only letting out a few giggles. He’s not surprised he got these types of fanarts, after all if there were tame and wholesome ones of course there’d also be these types. So he doesn’t really care he just shrugs them off

tbh you thought he’d have a different reaction but oh well!

He also asks you if there’s any fanarts of baby malleus or silver so that he could show them to them !

you happily send him a few 😊

[hannahssimblr]

Jen is fully awake, bright eyed and stomping around looking at the art when we arrive at the gallery. I suspect she's hopped up on sugar after I bought her a plate of overpriced pancakes in a cafe in the middle of town. 

“Woman, yearning,” after reading aloud from a gallery placard next to an abstract work she stands back to ponder it for several seconds. “Where’s the woman? I just see blobs. Ugly blobs too.”

“Is that a serious question or are you just giving out?”

“I’m offering my critiques,” she says haughtily, narrowing her eyes at it. “The point is that I wouldn’t hang that in my house.”

“Hang it where? It’s like, fifteen feet tall.”

“Well, all I’ll say is that I’m now a woman, yearning for my ten seconds back.”

Evie titters. 

“Don’t encourage her,” I mutter, “It’s better to ignore it. She did this when I took her to the zoo once too.”

“You don’t like the zoo?” Jen doesn’t hear her because she’s already rushing to the next room, and as I suspect, to the merciful end as quickly as possible. I answer for her, “No, she hated it.”

“Was it the sad animals?”

“No, her feet just hurt. There was too much walking.”

The room we follow Jen into is stark and completely bare, save for an enormous, rusted iron sculpture dangling by a chain from the ceiling. I know what she is going to say about it before she does. 

“I just don’t understand how this is art. It’s just ugly, and it makes no sense to me. I’m sorry if that makes me sound ignorant, but I just don’t see the skill in this.”

“It’s not really about the skill though. It’s all in the process,” I'm explaining this for probably the fourth time this hour, but I can see in Jen’s face that she's frustrated, genuinely so, and I really do feel bad for her. While it was nice of her to come, I feel I should have just let her stay at home and hang out on the beach with one of her magazines for the day.

Evie bends to read the placard, “It’s supposed to evoke a reaction, and I guess you being confused by it counts as a reaction, so you could say that it’s done its job,” She turns and flashes a sympathetic smile at Jen. This is a very nice thing she’s done, attempting to help her to relate to the art, but I suspect from the aura of complete resignation emanating from her that we are past the point where such a thing is possible. 

As a last ditch effort I try to gently explain the purpose of modern art in a way that sounds accessible, and not like I’m just regurgitating my art history textbook, but her eyes have glazed over. She doesn’t care about the sculpture, she doesn’t care about what it means or how it’s intended to make her feel, she’s simply had enough. 

“I don’t know, guys, I think I'm going to go browse in the gift shop. I’m not picking up what this exhibition is putting down,” she trudges off towards the stairs and leaves us on our own, her footsteps echoing, distant, then gone.

I’m aware of the quiet once she isn’t there anymore, poking fun at the exhibit, and Evie, who was quiet already, becomes even more so. As she examines the sculpture for longer, I wonder what meaning she’s found in it. Really, to me it is just kind of a big rusted lump, but I’m nervous about admitting that to a person who seems to understand what she's looking at. I stand and pretend to enjoy it for an amount of time that feels more acceptable.

When she wanders into the next room I follow. This one has an old TV in the corner, and sunlight streaming in through the big sash windows catching specks of dust drifting through the air. We watch this uncomfortable performance art video of a man stripping down to his underwear and climbing into a bed. It feels sexual in nature, while also feeling kind of weird and not that way at all. I don’t know the intention, or which emotion it’s supposed to awaken in me. I say “cool” so that she thinks I understand the point of it, though I’ve never much liked performance art. I find it embarrassing to watch.

I don’t think she’s going to try and make any kind of conversation, but maybe she doesn’t want to make too much noise in an art gallery. Maybe she’s shy. My nose runs so I sniff, and even that sounds offensively loud. 

“So what’s your deal?” I ask her as we move onto another exhibit. 

She pauses, surprised, “To be honest, there’s not much to say about me.”

“Of course there is.”

“No, well,” she laughs self consciously, “I’m not that interesting, is all. I don’t want to bore you.”

“Seriously, I want to know.”

Her eyes dart around the room as though she might find something to distract the conversation away from herself, then failing, says, “Like, Tullamore is dull, I go to an all girls’ school and really, nothing very interesting happens day to day.”

I exhale a laugh. These are her bullet points. I bet this is what she says to everyone to make them stop asking. Unfortunately for her I'm only comfortable when someone is speaking. “So you wish you could leave.”

She makes a small sound of agreement, and then says nothing for a few seconds. From the centre of the room I watch her drift about glancing at the works. “Yeah,” she says eventually, “all the time. I kind of feel like… I don’t know, like I don’t belong there or something. It’s a small town and I think I’m just a bit different from a lot of people.”

“I understand that.”

She nods, “I’d love to be somewhere with likeminded people. That’s why I really envy you going to Berlin, I just imagine what it’d be like to be able to be fully myself and everyone would be just… fine with it.”

She envies me? Already?  She won’t for long. “Oh well, it was an easy choice for me. I feel the same as you sometimes too, like, I just want to know what else is out there. I don’t want to go back to the US, but I don’t really want to stay in Ireland either. I don’t know about needing to be a different person though. Don’t you think that if you were yourself here then people would be fine with it?” 

She runs slender fingers along the plush velvet of a barrier, and I’m struck by how easy she makes it to have this conversation, even with the back of her head. I don’t usually talk with strangers like this, but maybe it’s precisely because we are strangers that we can.

Michelle complained sometimes that strange men would corner her on the bus from time to time and start spilling their secrets entirely unsolicited, things like affairs they’d had, money they’d gambled away, unforgivable lies they had told. They unloaded it all on some random girl in her school uniform who couldn’t ruin them, who they’d never see again. I wonder is this like one of those demented conversations. There isn't much about Evie that strikes me as especially demented though. Her openness is refreshing.

“I don’t know. I feel like I’ve such a history of being… odd, and doing weird things, and I don’t know if I can come back from that,” she admits, “I’d rather just start again and be a new, better version of myself somewhere else.”

I suppose she is a bit odd. Not in a bad way, but there’s a certain manner in which she moves, floating about the room, this dreamy cadence to her speech, these brief moments of intensity that cross her face and interrupt that other worldly, spacey look she has. She’s her own person. I'm not surprised stuff is hard for her, since teenagers resent people they cannot understand.

I picture her at my school, how the girls might have spoken about someone like her, what the rugby boys would have thought. Yeah, obviously she’s real fine, imaginary Fitzy says in my head. He’s picking dirt out of his studs with a twig, bit kooky, though, isn't she? Weird. Like she’s an alien from Mars or something like that. 

She meanders over to a bench and sits. “What about your friends though?” I join her, “and your boyfriend? Don’t they like this current version of you?”

She squawks out a raucous laugh that ricochets through the room, and several people look at us. Her eyes widen and she clamps her hands over her mouth, like what I just heard was the expulsion of a demon and not just a natural laugh, “Sorry, I don’t know what that was!”  

“Did I say something I shouldn’t have? Sorry, your reaction was just-”

“No no, just you said that Liam is my boyfriend and-”

“Oh, shit, he’s not? My bad, I just assumed,” I assumed because he told me as much. Was he lying or does he just not know? 

“No, he’s not. I don’t know what he is, we just hang out and stuff. He’s a really nice person.”

“He is,” I debate whether to say more. “Hm. I always feel so bad about Liam.”

“What? Why?”

“Because we used to be so mean to him when we were younger.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, he was just this happy little kid, he always wanted to be involved with us, but it was like, he was always way too eager, you know what I mean? We thought he was this hokey little country boy, we used to think it was really funny to mess with him.”

“What kinds of things did you do?”

“Nothing terrible. Just… it was more like…” I shouldn’t have started this conversation, “He thought that we were really grown up or something, I guess, and he wanted to come and hang out the whole time, which was fine. The guys just had this thing about not sharing our drink with him, you know, because it’d be a waste because he’d just end up getting sick and having to get his mother to come and pick him up from the party. So we started pouring him drinks out of a vodka bottle filled with water, and he never noticed.”

“That’s not bad” Evie says charitably, “That’s actually responsible in my opinion, and I honestly wish that Kelly would fall for that kind of trick, but she can sniff out alcohol like a bloodhound.”

“Nah, like the bad part is how much he really didn’t notice it. It was like a crazy placebo effect or something, and he’d still stumble around like he was drunk. We thought it was hilarious. And then one time when we were fifteen Joe got weed from this guy in town and everyone wanted some, but like, Liam was there and we knew it’d be a bad idea to give him some.”

“So what did you do?”

“The classic - I got some herbs from the kitchen cabinet and rolled them up for him, and then guess what?”

“He didn’t notice?”

“Right! He didn’t even notice. He smoked our little fake joint and then-” God, why am I laughing? Shouldn't this story have stopped being funny? “-and then after an hour he was rolling around on the rug saying that he could taste colours and that like, the fibres of the rug felt so soft. We had to get his mother to collect him again.” It’s my turn to let out an obnoxious, echoing cackle, and once again, everyone in the room looks at us.

“You’re a mean boy,” Evie chides, but she doesn’t look like she means it. She looks like she likes it.

“I know. I’m a bastard.” 

I get to my feet. “We should go and see the rest of the exhibits. I don’t want to leave Jen down in the gift shop all day, she’ll be bored.”

Evie’s smile wavers, but she nods, “Okay. Sorry... I didn’t mean to hold you up.”

“You didn’t, I just thought you’d be rearing to see the rest of the art.”

“Yeah,” she says, then hesitating, “it’s a bit unusual, isn’t it?”

I chuckle, “To be honest I’m not sure I like it.”

“Oh, thank God you said that. I hate it too, I didn’t think I was allowed to say it.”

We giggle and I swerve straight for the exit. “C'mon then, let's do something else.”

Beginning // Prev // Next

Corresponding LG Chapter

[safetycar-restart]

we (i) need some more cat!max !!! you know how some cats don’t like other people and will like hiss at them, i imagine max to be exactly like this. he loves his partner (obviously, you’re his everything) but around other people he’s like 🧍‍♂️😾 maybe one day he’s sitting with you in the sun (making biscuits !!! cat!max would sooooo knead his hand on your side and he’s so sleepy he doesn’t register that he’s even doing it but it’s sooo sweet 🫠) and a couple mutual friends come over and he knew they were coming, he just hadn’t realised that much time had passed so he’s just sitting there frowning the whole time with his tail constantly moving against you to maintain your attention !!!

i love cat!max with my whole heart ❤️‍🩹 love you 💞💞

Oh my god yes. I think I might once again be obsessed with the hybrid!au.

So firstly, we said that before you max used to always repress his cat instincts because growing up he was told they were signs of weakness and vulnerability and would distract him from racing.

It's only when you come along and help him that he starts to really embrace it. Sidenote, maybe when you start dating him you just automatically start to do some stuff that you know cat hybrids normally love and Max is so confused about why you're being so nice to him encouraging him.

Anyway, once Max gets over that hurdle, his cat instincts come out in full force. But only with you. He's still very shy and uncomfortable about showing it around anyone else. He's slowly starting to open up to his trainer and some key members of his team, but it's a VERY slow process.

So when you tell Max you have friends coming over, he is NOT happy because that means someone is gonna come and take your attention away from him! As far as Max is concerned from the moment you get home, it's like a switch flicks and he's able to just enjoy being a cat hybrid.

Your friends only come in the afternoon, so you give Max as much time as possible. You even decide to fuck and overstimulate him to make sure he's good.

The issue with that though, is that once Max is all fucked out and tired and just so so happy and cosy, all he wants to do is just lay on your chest and kneading your tummy and purring. Which you let him do of course, you could never deny him that.

Except that your friends arrive before Max has gotten his fill of post sex cuddles and snoozing and he is NOT happy. You tell him that he can stay in the bedroom and you'll just tell your friends that he isn't there, but no! No that's even worse because then he wouldn't even be able to see you!

Which is how you end up sharing a couch with a very pissed off Max who has his tail very firmly wrapped around you and is refusing to engage in conversation. Luckily, your friends are understanding and know how territorial cat hybrids can be so honestly it just tells them that you're clearly keeping Max very happy.

When your friends leave, Max is immediately rubbing himself ALL over the couches and pillows and stealing some of your hoodies to do the same with because now the apartment smells like your friends and max does not like it.

Once he's satisfied, he just plonks down on you and rubs his head against you until you start patting his back and stroking him and you have to do this for like two hours before Max forgives you for ending post sex cuddles early.

[nightcolorz]

so funny that people are only simping this hard for Louis because he tells us every single episode he's the saddest most tragic serial killer in the land. Literally seeing people with my own eyes say Louis has experienced trauma and loss Armand can never imagine under gifs of Louis making fun of human trafficking and the palazzo attack.

Like obviously Armand is a deranged bbgirl torturing and manipulating those men for love!! But people treat it like it's a 1v1 pvp whoever has the weakest finishing move is the Objective Innocent Victim, like abusive relationships between two mass murderers aren't more complex than numerically tallying who you think has the most strength points at any given moment. like louis has barely been concealing his disdain for armand since they met. He gives armand NOTHING. all he does is recreate every shitty abusive act he's ever complained about other people doing to him and doing them to armand.

swear the only thing that man thinks about when armand shares his tragic backstory is embarrassment at finding out that the entire time he was bragging about how everyone in the avant-garde movement tooootally like his art more than Picasso, Armand had paintings in the louvre.

Cw iwtv typical sexual abuse talk and spoilers for iwtv s2

ur so right literally say that shit 🙏‼️ I love Louis and I honestly find it so gross ?? How some people act like Louis is only capable of being objectively the exclusive victim in any given situation or relationship. like it’s fucking weird that someone would reduce him so exclusively to victimhood bcus he was in an abusive relationship to point where theyd insist Louis is not capable of causing harm or being a complex flawed person beyond his victim hood. It takes away his agency and reduces everything that is interesting about his character to one dimensional victim which like, why would u die on that hill as someone who loves Louis’s character?? It’s once again, fucking weird. Louis has been presented to us from the beginning as capable of violence cruelty and selfishness, and him being abused by lestat doesn’t take away his capability of being cruel to Armand 💀 I think that some people were so attached to their assumption pre s2 that Armand would be lestat part 2 who is even more abusive that they refuse to accept or embrace the much more complex reality. Loumand is toxic but very much mutually so, there has been thus far nothing to suggest that Armand is forcing Louis to be with him or abusing him in anyway akin to how lestat abused Louis. Jacob Anderson has even spoken about how louis and Armand are mutually toxic and louis mistreats Armand 😭and louis being a fucked up person is like, smth I wouldn’t understand why anybody would want to deny, it’s very overt. And dying on the hill of “Louis is never ever bad” is like, very weird to me especially since Louis is like canonically capable of being sexually exploitative (literally a pimp) and violent and selfish. Like I love Louis!! In all his horribleness 🙏 and you can too believe me 😭

it’s also fucking weird to insist that Armand is always 100% being manipulative and abusive in everything he does towards Louis bcus, especially in the case of him talking about his trauma, it makes some rlly uncomfortable and gross implications?! Like, I’m not here to say that Armand is the most ideal partner of all time who does no wrong 💀 obviously, he’s pretty mf gaslighty and horrible and violent, but suggesting that what is presented non ambiguously as Armand being vulnerable with Louis about his sexual abuse trauma because louis wanted to know the real him is definitely abuse and manipulation is…like fucked up? 😭 like?? The jump to “oh this character I don’t like is talking about being sexually abused to his partner after having a conversation about how they aren’t vulnerable enough with each other, yes this is Manipulative” is genuinely kind of fucking insane I’m sorry 😭🙏 what Armand has been through is incredibly horrific and noticeably difficult for him to talk about and the assumption that since everything is black and white and Armand is bad he must be talking about this with evil intent is dumb and it’s ignorant. Like yes abuse victim talking about his abuse to his partner who explicitly asked for him to share that, wow that is so emotionally manipulative of him. What a hill to die on 🙏I hope u guys who think like this don’t think this way about ur friends when they vent to u cuz omg 😭

I guess my point with this is that I’ve noticed a lot of people in their refusal to interpret Louis as anything but unambiguously in the right all the time r being like unintentionally offensive and ignorant in a way that’s wild to me 😭 Like guuuys, you can love Louis and talk about how his relationship with Armand is bad for him and Armand harms him without insisting that Louis mockingly telling Armand that the man who groomed and raped him as a child “made him into a little bitch” was justified 😭. Also, friendly reminder that Louis’s daughter was raped and abused in a similar way that Armand was, which rlly goes to show imo how fucked up the way he treats Armand’s sexual abuse is. Like if he is so willing to say shit like that to Armand the moment they have an argument I imagine that his empathy for Claudia does not extend so far. He still was a pimp lol 🙏 and it’s been pretty overtly portrayed time and time again that living a good portion of his life having a position of power where he sexually exploits women for money has limited Louis’s perspective and capabilities for empathy for the people who have been sexually abused in his life 🙏 and guess what!! 😋 this is the horrible abusive murderer show, u can still love Louis (I do) while knowing he is horrible 🙏

thanks sm for the ask ‼️

[megamuscle885-blog]

CW: canon compliant gore, sexual assault.

Disclaimer: I do not condone violence, sexual or otherwise.

A little bit irrelevant to my review on Severed but has anyone else realized that if Skitter was ever inducted into the Slaughterhouse 9 and actually got over the hump of trying to mitigate her violent actions, and fit in with the group, she'd actually be the worst member of them all? Like "Oh thank god it's Bonesaw. Skitter's not around is she? Yeah great turn my insides into eels I've wondered what that's like just don't let her near me."

I applaud all writers who understand perfectly that Jack Slash is rapidly out of his depth when Skitter joins the team and eventually takes over because Queen Administrator insists to Broadcast.

They'll be doing their usual schtik of threatening/laying out the trials and then Skitter just pipes up, "I'm going to castrate you." and the rest of the S9 are really uncomfortable with it because, like America, their violence isn't sexual. Maybe that's just Wildbow being unwilling to poke that particular topic (more than in passing or flashback) but in my opinion, a group that usually sets up in a city and uses their abilities to guarantee that their power is overwhelming seems to only use their power over people for violent ends. This is America, we can kill our victims with increasingly violent and gory methods but we can't fuck them. Maybe the Siberian, but that's still a projection of a daughter piloted by her father and is still more motivated by violence than sexuality, irrespective of her nudity.

It's really up to the writers if they want to say that, yeah, the S9 also rape sometimes. That's the benefit of fanfiction, one doesn't have to answer to editors.

But I can't help but be amused by the idea that in an effort to lash out on some innocent cape, Skitter threatens "to cut off your cock and feed it to the Siberian." and William Manton is just standing there in his daughter's skin, looking to Jack and shaking her head fervently, silently screaming 'I don't want to taste cock please.' While Jack tries to contrive a way to let people get away from the S9 for a change since dick-spiders georg is discovering what kind of serial killer she is.

Putting the disclaimer at the top and bottom: I don't condone violence, sexual or otherwise.

[thelampisaflashlight]

Cryptid Biology Season 2: Shark Bait

[The previous entry in this series: Here. Rain decides to have a little fun with the abbey's gardener after she dares step into his lake smelling like a certain earth ghoul. Implied MountRain and some RainDrop. Going back to our roots and writing about tentacles.] Below the cut.

Rain is hovering just over the silt in the bottom of the lake, belly just barely touching the muck, when he catches a familiar, heady smell emanating from somewhere closer to the surface.

It's Mountain's musk; That distinct scent of evergreen trees mingled with the stench of sweat, but there's something softer, sweeter, diluting it.

He rises slowly, following the smell like a shark tracking a trail of blood in the water.

The ghoul breaches the surface slowly, making the smallest ripple on top of the water as his eyes adjust to the sunlight, blinking once, twice to retract the clear, secondary eye lids that protect his vision in the depths.

The air is thick with humidity, and the sun is harsh, hot on his head, but as his gaze settles on the shallows, he can't bring himself to care about the heat.

Waist deep in the water, the abbey's groundskeeper, Beatrix Milne -Bea-, is stood holding a mesh net, cleaning up debris and trash from the shoreline.

While the siblings, and the ghouls are careful to remove trash after lakeside parties, part of the greater lake extends towards a shore not on the abbey's property; Marked off by a series of buoys, despite efforts to keep the shared waters clean, careless individuals have left everything on the opposite side of the line a mess... leaving people like Bea to clean it up as the winds carry it across.

It's definitely one of the more frustrating parts of maintaining the land, one he's overheard the groundskeeper venting her frustrations about to Mountain when the two come back to the abbey in the afternoon in spring and summer, the cart attached to the UTV loaded up with debris to be sorted out into the compost or recycled later on.

He tries his best to keep the water clean himself, but there's only so much he can do alone, which is why he understands the pointed look of annoyance on Bea's face as she fills the net with half sunk beer cans and the occasional snack packaging.

Rain eases his way towards the shore, floating along even as the water gets shallower and shallower, and settles himself in the reeds nearby, watching the human work.

Bea and him have never really clicked, despite a shared interest in protecting the natural world, she's often too abrasive for him to want to approach her directly and strike up a conversation, but he can't blame her for being that way; He's seen how Mountain can get after spending all day out in the hot sun, isolated from others, sweaty and uncomfortable, body tense and sore...

However, looking at the groundskeeper now, she doesn't look too terribly bothered, just focused.

She's dressed more casually than he's seen her before -much, much more so-, wearing cut off jeans and a bikini top, her exposed skin shiny with a mix of sweat and sunblock...

Rain sniffs the air curiously.

It's just barely there.

Mountain's scent on her skin, not nearly strong enough for him to have smelled it from that deep in the water.

He hums, sinking down slightly when the groundskeeper looks out over the reeds, waving her hand as if swatting at an insect.

And that's when he notice, as his nose hits the water, he can smell it.

Trailing his gaze down the curves of her body from her face, he eyes the waistband of her shorts, just barely visible over the water, and lowers himself down further to get a better look.

Sure enough, the smell is coming from there.

"Oh, I see..." he thinks, taking in the sight of the rough fabric soaked through, and clinging to her skin.

Despite how often the two argue; Mountain has clearly marked his territory, or, perhaps, Bea had claimed hers.

Maybe both.

But regardless of who struck their flag where, coming into another ghoul's domain smelling so strongly of someone else has Rain feeling... slighted.

If she's going to play around -Clean, she is cleaning the lake- in his lake like this, she should at least ask his permission first, but she hasn't.

And that alone is enough for Rain to want to punish her.

Of course, the type of punishment depends on how she reacts to what he does next.

Cloaking himself slightly with his magic, Rain drops back beneath the waves, and glides himself past her legs, letting the fin of his tail slide against her thigh.

Her can almost her her gasp, feels her jump... but she doesn't flee.

Rain swims by her again, and before HE can react, he feels the tug of fingers in his hair.

He groans, air bubbling from his lungs as he's pulled above the water again.

"You know that doesn't work on me, right?"

He'd forgotten.

"Sister Imperator gave me 'Sight', so I wouldn't get tricked by the other creatures on the grounds like the last caretaker." she says, "Are you going to stop fooling around, or are you going to help me clean up?"

Rain pouts.

"You're one to talk." he murmurs, moving to stand, towering over the gardener, "Seems you and Mountain were 'fooling around' not long ago... You know it's rude, right? Entering my lake smelling like him."

Bea stares up at him, brows furrowed, squinting, both in annoyance and to keep the light out of her eyes.

He steps more into the path of the sun, casting his shadow over her.

"I was under the impression that you liked how Mountain smells." she says, turning away from him, tossing her net onto the shore, but not before tying a loose knot in it to prevent the debris from spilling out.

She's not going to clean it up twice in one day.

"Mountain told me you're always pressing yourself up against him, rubbing his scent all over you... Are you annoyed or just jealous that I smell like him, too?"

Rain grins.

"Jealous? Of you?" he laughs, then sighs, "Perhaps a little... Did you like it?"

He steps closer.

"Him shoving his cock inside of you?" he asks, watching the faintest hint of embarrassment color her cheeks, "I bet you begged and begged and begged for him to give you more."

"Me? Beg?" Bea tilts her head, and quirks her lips, "He was the one begging."

Rain presses forward again, and Bea meets him, skin to skin.

He can feel the soft pudge of her belly against him in the water.

Warm against his naturally cold flesh.

He traces his fingers along her arm, watching her shiver.

"...I could make you beg." he offers, "If you'd like to see what I do to make the 'mountain' shake..."

Bea squirms as he lowers himself into a kneeling position.

"If you want me," he says, poking his thumbs through the belt loops of her shorts, "you'll remove these. I don't much care of the look or taste of denim."

Wordlessly, and with an almost amusing amount of haste, Bea shimmies out of her bottoms allowing Rain access to her crotch.

With a whispered 'yes' from her lips -said far quieter than needed for where they are- Rain dives in, pressing his nose against her mound and inhaling deeply.

He can smell Mountain here; Though wiped clean, but a ghoul's scent is strong, and even if Rain bemoans not being able to lick if from her, he can still taste Mountain's release, perhaps there is some still deeper inside.

He continues to nose at her cunt for a time, separating out her smell from his, trying to appreciate her scent as well.

He giggles and feels her tremble above him.

"You smell like honey... Honey Bea... how cute~" he teases, dragging his tongue along her folds before she can begin to argue.

She reminds him a bit of Dew in that way.

He always shies away from endearments and praise during sex, but if Bea is anything like the feisty fire ghoul, then he knows if he keeps pushing, he'll get what he wants.

Rain kisses her 'lips' before probing deeper with his tongue, it's messy and the sounds it makes, though muted by the water, is obscene.

Having been on both ends of such encounters, Rain is very familiar with what to do to get himself and his partners off this way, but that's not his goal here.

He pulls away just when Bea's body is about to buckle, and pushes her backwards into the water, revealing in the way she yelps as overwarm skin meets the lake.

"You jerk-!" she shouts, but, again, she is cut off by Rain.

"Have you ever been with a water ghoul before?" he asks, fingers tracing the split along his crotch, teasing the scales there, catching her confused glare, "...You haven't, have you?"

The head of his tentacle begins to peek out from between the folds, a light blue, bleeding into purple at the tip as he begins to pet it.

"I think once you have..." he says, leaning forward, cradling her neck to keep her head above water as he lines himself up, watching the surprise flicker across her face as the tentacle begins to prod at her entrance.

"...You'll realize you're not the only one who can make someone beg."

[creature-wizard]

Hello, your special interest in conspiracy theories might prove insightful for my predicament.

i've been having very strange things happening to me from a young age, and only in the past few years have i begun to accept them and embrace them. however, whenever i try to search for any information about them, i find these new age conspiracy rabbit-holes that as you've made clear are just thinly veiled white supremacist nonsense.

I wonder if transcendent experiences (in my case having direct, regular and positive interaction with a caring nonhuman entity as well as accurate premonitions for largely mundane future events) are not that uncommon but we either push them to the back of our mind and make them out to be wishful thinking or odd quirks of the brain.

That therein I think may be one of the reasons why the new age cult is the monster it is today: a vacuum of explanation and community for the very real and unexplainable experiences people leads them to new age sooner or later. In these rabbit-holes I often found people speaking of very similar experiences to mine but immediately attributing it to explanations provided by this cult, ones that i felt very deep in my gut to be bullshit.

Do you think the apprehension to discuss & believe genuine spiritual experiences for fear of a loss of acceptance by your peers is detrimental to non-new age spiritual communities? I observe that online pagan, witch, etc circles are rife with this apprehension, of either accepting their or others experiences, either actively or passively by adjusting language used to appeal to the assumed skepticism of the audience. New age, on the other hand, appeared to be far more accepting of the reality of these experiences.

A general unwillingness to consider strange and seemingly inexplicable events (spiritual experiences, UFO encounters, etc) without trying to apply a "rational" yet wholly inadequate explanation is absolutely a problem. The people who do this aren't even necessarily trying to be dismissive, but it can still often feel that way.

Meanwhile, New Age and the conspiracysphere in general will usually provide some sort of explanation that at least feels adequate, especially to those who aren't particularly scientifically or historically literate. (Although some people are so desperate that they'll set aside their scientific and historical knowledge.) New Age alien mythology, for example is of course chock full of nonsense, but it's still more validating than "you hallucinated it" or "you just saw a normal aircraft."

That said, I also don't think this is the only problem. People in general are just uncomfortable with not having answers, and don't really understand how having no answer is better than having a bad answer. Furthermore, people often perceive scientists as waffly and ignorant because scientists have a much better understanding of how much they don't know than the average person, and are therefore more hesitant to give firm answers; whereas conspiracy theorists, who are often incredibly ignorant as to how much they just don't understand, will just trumpet their beliefs with absolute certainty, and thus feel more likely to be right.

Overall I'd say there's a big cloth mother/wire mother problem going on, where New Age conspirituality often provides comfort and validation where more critical viewpoints typically do not.

Sometimes, people's egos just get in the way, like the person who has an incredibly vivid experience where they perceive a divine being telling them they're the reincarnation of Jesus Christ, and doesn't want to hear that maybe their experience shouldn't be taken at face value, and maybe they shouldn't go and start a cult over it.

So yeah, I'd say it's a combination of factors, and I think overall it could be helped by everyone coming to terms with not needing to have an answer or a solution to things like this all the time. We don't need to always assume that we already have enough information to adequately explain things like this, and that it's better to not have an answer than to come up with a bad one. And I think it could also be helped by understanding that just because the current "rational" answer is wholly inadequate, doesn't mean that the conspiratorial or spiritual one is any better. And I think we all need to be more aware of people's need for validation and comfort, and do our best to be more compassionate and understanding in general.