#I'm not someone who can help you out of a situation where your dad won't stop screaming at you

[deoidesign]

hi i have a bit of an odd question and im so sorry if it comes off as rude at all!

ive seen a lot of your posts about canes, i have hEDS and chronic pain and im trying to convice my mom and my doctor to let me have a mobility aid. my mom is very adamant that i dont need a cane because i dont have balance issues, but my knees and ankles are pretty much always aching. i was just wondering if you think a cane would help with chronic pain or if i should look into other aids?

Canes can help chronic pain, they are not guaranteed to help you specifically

You can get a cane for ~$30 at most stores and try it out

A physical therapist and/or a specialist in rheum will most likely know more than your PCP about your specific pain and situation

Parents often don't want to admit their kids have health problems

I wish you luck

I won't be answering any more asks about mobility aids.

This is nothing about you specifically, you were not rude, I just get a lot of questions like this in my inbox. It becomes draining to get so many asks with people's personal vents about their medical issues or religious trauma or the homophobic situations they're living in.

While I would love if I could help people, I am not a doctor. I am not a therapist, I am not a social worker. I'm just a random artist on the internet who has EDS and is barely getting by myself.

I prefer to keep my blog about my art and about my work, not about my disability. It is relevant to my work, of course, and discussing my conditions in vague terms in how they relate to themes present in my work is more than okay, but I prefer this space to be dedicated to my work and getting to engage with my readers through my stories.

Personal information about my pain, my medications, my tests my doctors and my trauma are not things I want to make public.

Thank you for understanding.

[totaly-obsessed]

Big Shoes to fill

Leah Williamson x reader request

pt. 1 here

-> Leah invites her struggling sister to live with her in London, where they support each other through healing and new friendships.

-> A very late pt.2. Please let me know what you think of it! If ya'll are interested I could make a pt.3 of reader meeting the team.

-> Just tagging you guys because you asked for a pt.2 in the comments of pt.1: @the-nameless-queen, @the-hottest-avenger-loves-soccer, @abcdefghijklmmopkrstuvwxyz

-> also a very big thank you to @alotofpockets and @greynatomy who read over it for me and helped with ideas - much love!

➳ Masterlist

•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

Leah sat there, stunned by the weight of her sister's words. She had always known that things weren't easy for you, but she never imagined the extent of the struggles you faced. The guilt of not being there for her little sister when she needed her the most washed over the footballer like a tidal wave.

"I'm so sorry, Bug," Leah whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I had no idea you were going through all of this alone."

You shrugged, trying to downplay the situation, ignoring the shame that showed in the redness of your face. "It's okay, Lee. I didn't want to burden you with my problems."

Leah shook her head, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "No, it's not okay. I should have been there for you. I should have noticed. I'm supposed to be your big sister, for God's sake."

You reached out and took Leah's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You're here now, that's what matters."

Leah sniffled, trying to compose herself. "I promise, things are going to change. I'll talk to Mom and Dad, and we'll figure this out together."

You managed a small smile, feeling a glimmer of hope for the first time in a long while. "Thanks, Lee. "I appreciate it."

Leah pulled you into a tight hug, holding onto you as if she never wanted to let go. "I love you, Bug. I'll always be here for you, no matter what."

And in that moment, as the rain continued to fall outside, you knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, you wouldn't have to face them alone. With Leah by your side, you felt stronger than ever before. And together, you were ready to take on whatever life threw your way.

When she was back in London and your parents were home again,  Leah couldn't shake the feeling of responsibility that weighed heavily on her shoulders. She knew she couldn't let her sister continue to struggle alone, not when she finally understood the depth of your pain. After numerous conversations with her parents, Leah made a decision.

"Bug, I want you to come live with me in London," Leah said one evening when you were staying with her after watching an Arsenal game, her voice filled with determination.

You blinked in surprise, not expecting such a sudden idea. "But what about Mom and Dad? Won't they be worried?"

Leah shook her head. "They understand, they want what's best for you, and right now, that means being with someone who can support you fully."

A mixture of emotions washed over you, uncertainty mingled with relief. The thought of leaving your childhood home was daunting, but the prospect of starting fresh in a new environment with your sister by your side was undeniably appealing.

"I don't know, Leah. What about your life here? Your career?" you asked, concerned about uprooting your sister's life for your sake.

Leah smiled reassuringly. "My career doesn’t need to stop. You're my family, and family comes first. Plus, I could use some company in this big old house of mine."

Unbeknownst to you, she actually wasn’t all that alone in her house, a certain brunette spent most of her time there as well.

Tears welled up in your eyes as you realized the depth of Leah's love and sacrifice for you. "Thank you, Leah. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Leah pulled you into a warm embrace, holding you close. "You'll never have to find out, Bug. We're in this together."

And so, with the support of your parents and the unwavering love of your sister, you packed your bags and prepared to embark on a new chapter in London. As you looked out the window of the car, watching the familiar scenery of your hometown fade into the distance, you felt a sense of excitement and anticipation for the adventures that lay ahead with your sister by your side.

Things were finally looking up.

—

Leah steered her car through the familiar streets of London, eventually turning onto a quieter road lined with rows of cozy houses. The neighborhood exuded a sense of tranquility, a stark contrast to the bustling city center. As Leah parked the car in the driveway of her quaint home, you couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over you.

Stepping out of the car, you stretched your limbs and took in the familiar surroundings. Leah's house, though not extravagant, emanated a sense of warmth and comfort that immediately put you at ease. The exterior was adorned with climbing ivy and cheerful flower beds, adding a touch of charm to the neighborhood.

With your bags in hand, you followed Leah up the front steps and through the front door. The air inside was filled with the comforting scent of your sister and well-loved furniture that you remember from her old room. The living room greeted you with plush couches arranged around a cozy fireplace, inviting you to sink into their embrace.

It’s surprisingly tidy here, but you could make out two empty cups on the coffee table, an arsenal sweatshirt with a 13 on it, and so many sneakers by the door, that they couldn’t just be Leah’s.

"Here we are," Leah said, turning to you with a smile. "Home sweet home."

You returned her smile, feeling a sense of gratitude for the familiar surroundings. "It's perfect, Leah. Thank you for inviting me."

Leah's smile widened as she led you through the house, showing you to your temporary room. The space was simple but inviting, with a comfortable bed and a large window overlooking the lush backyard. Of course, a little goal was set up. Was this even Leah’s home if there was no goal?

—

The first day with Leah was a whirlwind of emotions and new experiences. As you woke up in her cozy home, sunlight filtering through the curtains, you couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for the warmth and comfort of your surroundings. This felt more like home than the place you had grown up in.

Downstairs, Leah greeted you with a warm smile and a hearty breakfast (the only thing she was confidently able to make), eager to show you around her neighborhood and introduce you to her favorite spots. Together, you explored the quaint streets, stopping to chat with neighbors and browse through local shops before getting a snack in a quaint little café.

With a “Lia always takes the croissant, they’re good.”, you had been convinced easily enough. And the Swiss was correct, the croissants were indeed very good.

Throughout the day, Leah made sure you felt right at home, regaling you with stories from her own adventures in the city and sharing her favorite memories of growing up together. With each passing hour, you felt more and more at ease in your sister’s company, grateful for her unwavering support and understanding.

As the day drew to a close, you found yourself curled up on the couch with Leah, sipping hot tea and sharing laughs over stories of her teammates. In that moment, surrounded by the warmth and love of your sister, you knew that you were exactly where you were meant to be.

But it would not be life if things didn't get worse again.

As the days turned into weeks, you found yourself slipping deeper into the shadows of your own mind. Despite Leah's best efforts to create a loving and supportive environment, the wounds from your past continued to fester, leaving you feeling lost and alone.

Trauma and abandonment issues weighed heavily on your soul, casting a dark shadow over even the brightest moments you shared with your sister. The memories of being ostracized and bullied at school haunted you, triggering waves of anxiety and self-doubt that seemed impossible to overcome.

Leah watched with a heavy heart as you retreated further into yourself, the light in your eyes dimming with each passing day. She tried to offer words of comfort and encouragement, but they seemed to fall on deaf ears, lost in the endless void of your pain.

It hurts to see you suffer, not knowing how to help. So she chose to confront you after talking to Lia in depth about it, not knowing what to do. She ended up seeking a conversation on how to change things, on how to help you. Together, you found a therapist who specializes in childhood trauma and abandonment issues, hoping that they could provide you with the support and guidance you so desperately needed.

As you began your journey towards healing, your sister remained by your side every step of the way, offering a steady hand to hold onto in the darkest of times. Slowly but surely, you started to unravel the tangled web of emotions that had ensnared your heart, finding solace in the love and support of your family.

—

When the new school year started you were deemed well enough to start at the new school. Leah had asked if you wanted to do online school instead, but both your therapist and you didn’t think that to be a good idea. 

The transition to a new school was daunting and filled with uncertainty and anxiety. You couldn't shake the memories of past experiences, the taunts and jeers of classmates echoing in your mind like a cruel refrain. But as you stepped into the halls of your new school, you were met with a surprising kindness that took you off guard.

The kids here were different. They didn't make fun of you or hurl insults your way. Instead, they greeted you with smiles and open arms, eager to welcome you into their midst. It was a stark contrast to the hostile environment you had grown accustomed to, and it filled you with a sense of relief and gratitude.

As time went by, you found yourself slowly but surely coming out of your shell, emboldened by the kindness and acceptance of your peers. You made new friends, shared laughs, and discovered a sense of belonging that you had never known before.

Leah watched with pride as you flourished in your new environment, her heart swelling with joy at the sight of your radiant smile. She knew that the road ahead would still be challenging, filled with ups and downs, but she also knew that you were strong enough to face whatever came your way.

When one day you came home telling her all about two new girls you met, she was so ecstatic that she couldn’t help but cry about it to the Swiss brunette who had a permanent spot at your dinner table. The blonde had refrained from taking you to training as of now, leaving you space to breathe and be alone. With that you couldn’t just call Kyra and Alessia your friends and call it a day, you needed your own.

—

After spending weeks bonding with Charlie and Mia, you couldn't wait to introduce them to your sister Leah. One afternoon, you invited them over to Leah's house for a casual hangout, eager to share your newfound friendships with her.

As Charlie and Mia arrived at Leah's doorstep, you greeted them with a smile and led them inside. Leah welcomed them warmly, offering snacks (that you had made) and drinks as the four of you settled into the cozy living room. They wanted to get to know the sister you couldn’t shut up about.

You watched nervously as Charlie and Mia chatted with Leah, hoping that they would hit it off. To your relief, the conversation flowed easily, with laughter filling the room as they exchanged stories and shared jokes.

"So, how did you two meet?" your sister asked, her eyes flickering between them.

Charlie, a vibrant and outgoing girl, grinned and began the story. "Well, Mia and I actually met in our science class. We were paired up for a project, and the rest is history."

Mia nodded, chiming in, "Yeah, Charlie swooped in to save the day when I accidentally mixed up my chemicals. She's been my lab partner and best friend ever since."

Leah chuckled, nodding in understanding. "It sounds like you two make a great team."

You couldn't help but jump in, eager to share your own thoughts. "They really do. Charlie and Mia have been amazing friends to me since I started at this new school."

Leah's eyes softened as she turned her attention to you. "That's wonderful to hear, Bug. I'm so glad you've found some great friends."

You nodded, feeling a surge of gratitude for your sister's support, and thanks to your therapy, you were not afraid to tell them. "Yeah, they've been really supportive. And it's nice to have them here with you."

Leah smiled, her gaze shifting between the three of you. "Well, you're all welcome here anytime. It's nice to see you so happy, Bug."

—

A couple of days later Leah came home from training to you making dinner in the kitchen. Instead of sitting down or waiting she stood in the doorway joking about your apron. Conversation in the middle of doing something was always the best.

As the conversation flowed effortlessly among you, Leah's eyes sparkled with an idea. "You know, Bug, my teammates have been asking about you. They've heard so much about my little sister and they're dying to meet you."

Your heart skipped a beat at Leah's suggestion. Meeting Leah's teammates felt like a significant step, a symbol of how far you'd come since arriving in London. The thought both excited and intimidated you.

Leah must have noticed the mix of emotions flickering across your face because she quickly added, "But only if you're comfortable with it. I don't want to pressure you into anything."

She knew that you had talked to most of them before. But it had always been brief and at the side of the pitch, signing a shirt for you and taking a picture. Aside from Lia, who had been at the house just the evening prior.

You took a moment to consider Leah's offer, the warmth of her support comforting you. With a newfound sense of confidence, you nodded eagerly. "I'd love to meet them, Leah. It sounds like fun."

Leah's smile widened, and she reached out to squeeze your hand. "Great! I'll arrange a get-together with the team. I know they'll love you just as much as I do."

Meeting her teammates felt like the next natural step in your journey of growth and self-discovery, and you were ready to embrace it with open arms.

[russellsppttemplates]

okay but like protective charles over his family who are with him during a big gp like monza or something where everyone is always swarming him trying to get his attention and him just going into protective dad/husband mode🫠

btw everything you’ve written is amazing! i’m loving your blog sm 🫶🏻

Note: thank you for your feedback, I'm happy you enjoy it ✨️

"Hold mama's hands and don't let go, okay?", you checked with Hervé and Amélie, making sure they understood. Every weekend had its own rush and fans who wanted to meet your husband, and usually it was manageable with the kids. Monza, however, couldn't fall into that category. The fans and the whole atmosphere made it an even bigger event, tradition making it a weekend you rarely missed, and once the kids were old enough, they also joined you.

Walking out of the hotel, Charles walked in front of you, greeting all of the fans that had been waiting for him. "Charles! I'm here, I'm here!", they would yell, along with chants of "Forza Ferrari" and such.

The minute people started approaching you and the kids, the situation changed its look. Everyone wanted to have a little interaction with Charles, a picture, an autograph, or to give him something, not noticing you and the kids were getting swarmed in the sea of people until Hervé yelped.

"Sorry, buddy", an older man said, trying to make room for you and your children as you tried to move away from the group of people. Charles was quick to notice how you were in the middle of it all and how some fans were not letting you walk away from the group, almost trapping you and the kids.

"Everyone, I'm sorry", Charles tried, "EVERYONE BACK AWAY FOR A BIT PLEASE!", he yelled, catching the ones closest to him by surprise as he looked for you and the kids, holding Amélie's hand on his own so you could pick Hervé up and Charles could pick Amélie up.

"It's okay, amour, papa is here, there's no reason to fear, okay?", he checked with her, kissing het cheek and seeing some of the Ferrari team members also leave the hotel and calling for them, "can you help them out of here, please?", he asked as he kissed Hervé's cheek too, "are you going you be okay with them?", Charles ensured you were good, "yes - thanks for your help- yes, we will be fine", you assured.

"That was a little scary, papa. Mama wanted to get away but people weren't letting her, and I tried to push to one side, but we weren't able to go because only a few people were giving us space", your son pouted, looking up at Charles as you sat them in one of the benches, "I know, but that won't happen again, okay? I'm sorry", he said to the three of you, looking back at the group of fans that seemed to be getting antsier.

"Go, love, we are going to be fine. Just, be careful out there, okay? I don't want anyone trying to rip a hair out of you", you chuckled, kissing his lips and soothing some of his worries.

As Charles approached the group of fans again, contained by the police who had enforced security, "that wasn't okay, guys. I will happily sign and take pictures for all the time that I can, but when someone asks you to excuse them and let them walk, you have to let them do it. It doesn't matter who they are, my family or not, they're still people and they deserve that respect", he said, almost like he was lecturing your kids back at home.

(Thank you for your submission ✨️)

[beautifulterriblequeen]

S7 Runaan

I gotta look at him. I gotta look. What's he got

ONE:

His hair is still dungeony. He hasn't redone it. Is he expecting to meet Ethari soon and he just wants his husband's hands in his hair again, like always? Is he grossed out by his dungeon hair and doesn't want to touch it? Is he ashamed of his long assassin hair? (put it in a bun, sir!) Has he just. forgotten it's there. Dork.

His hair is waiting for Ethari, that's all there is to it.

TWO:

HE HAS A SHIRT. MY BOY. Runaan deserves dignity. It looks like a very Moonshadow shirt, navy blue and gray with swirls all over it. He's rolled up the sleeves, which is extremely hot of him. And it is a bit short at the waist, too (thank you TDP for that visible slice of Runaan's hip).

Headcanon: this is Lujanne's Rayla's own shirt and it's nice and tight and a bit too small for Runaan's tall rangy body but he'll take it because it's soft and comfy and better than nothing.

THREE:

Runaan isn't carrying his bowblade. We know Rayla has it, somewhere. Which means he is choosing not to carry it/be seen with it, in Katolis. He's making a choice to come with empty hands instead of a weapon, hoping not to be stabbed or shot on sight. Good luck with that, my man, they will NOT be happy to see you. But what else can you do to begin your amends?

I think Rayla might still have it somewhere, ready for him to use in a sudden moment of danger, but he could be doing the same thing Viren did with his staff. Viren didn't want to pick up the relic staff again because of what it represented to him - his own self, darker, harder, and making choices that hurt people. Runaan's bowblade has the same kind of weight. He may have it close to hand, but he may not want to touch it, let alone wield it, anytime soon.

That's not to say he won't be forced into a situation where using his bowblade would make things better - but also worse. I mean, this is TDP.

FOUR:

The situation that's giving him this pose may be that exact situation already. He's recovered his Hard Assassin Eyes here, even though his hands are empty and Rayla is actively guarding him with her swords. They've run into someone, or something, that's threatening them, and Rayla has to take point on defense. And Runaan is letting her, at least in this specific moment.

Who have they met? Judging by events earlier in the show, it could be Amaya again, which would add the whole layer of an Amaya vs Rayla repeat showdown at the Banther Lodge. At this point, Amaya and Rayla have hugged and become friends, nearly family. But Amaya's whole job when the assassins came was to try to save Harrow - and she wasn't in time. Being back at this location would probably put her in a very particular mood, and I don't think it'll clash well with Runaan's presence. Not at all.

Will I be getting my long-wished-for fight between Amaya and Runaan? Even if it's interrupted and no one is truly hurt, I would LOVE to see them go at each other. Their tactics are so different, I just want to see a silly lil skirmish, plssss.

FIVE:

Pure speculation here, but it's possible that Amaya and Janai flew Ezran to Katolis to help - since their hotcats are here with him against what looks to be human architecture. And then Amaya departed from Ezran's location to the Banther Lodge, possibly for supplies for the wounded and survivors. Leading to this second screenshot serving as Amaya bringing Runaan back with Rayla, and we get to see the mixed expressions of these characters. Callum's in particular - Rayla would not be parted from Runaan willingly, so she could still be standing beside him, possibly arrested with him, and Callum has to stand behind his brother the king and see her trying to defend the indefensible, her stabby dad who killed Ezran's stabby dad.

I'm adding a few more grains of sand to the scales in favor of it being Runaan because of this other screenshot from S6, which turned out to be him facing down Viren - another adult who helped ruin his life.

Anyway, whatever happens here, we will see it in four months! FOUR MONTHS UNTIL RUNAAN WITH A SHIRT Y'ALL AAAAHH

[jacks347]

I feel like hurting people so let's talk about Redacted characters fatal flaws.

David - Obligation

I was originally going to say David's flaw was loyalty but I thought that was too surface level so I dug a little deeper and found something a bit more important. David carries a heavy weight of obligation on his shoulders. He runs the pack and the security company because it's what his dad would've wanted, he works to keep the pack going because people depend on him, he only met Angel cause Caelum made him. Everything in his life is because of feels obligated to keep said things going. He didn't want to be in this situation, he doesn't want to have to work as hard as he does but he knows he has to in order to maintain everything his father left him. David takes on so much because he thinks he has to and that kind of weight will crush him eventually. He's pulling himself in so many directions, something has to give. To put it in his own words, one of these times when he throws himself at the wall it won't be the thing that breaks.

Asher - Optimism

Asher, you sweet sweet bean, your joy will be the thing that destroys you. Asher has the Polites problem (see, I know Greek characters) in where his optimism is the thing that drives the group into a far more dangerous situation. Asher's hopeful belief that they could get through the Inversion almost got him killed. He is the sunshine character, he's the one that everyone expects to be happy, he holds the morale of the pack on his shoulders and that kind of pressure would be enough to make anyone crack. How long will it be until the happy-go-lucky attitude snaps under the weight?

Milo - Dedication

It's easy to say Milo is loyal to a fault. It's hard to say he has a gravely misplaced sense of dedication. Milo feels he has something to prove, he always has. Prove to himself and the rest of the pack that he's useful, he has a place, he has a purpose in this pack. Milo has dedicated his life to proving his worth and that dedication to a harmful cause will be the thing that kills him. Hell, it already almost did. If another event like the Inversion happens, he might not make it out.

Sam - Independence

Sam is an interesting case because his need to be independent won't kill him physically as much as it will mentally. He has worked so hard to make sure other people's actions don't define him that he instinctively isolates himself. He keeps everyone at arm's length so that if and when they do something that hurts the people around them, he won't be caught in the blast radius. But that changes when he meets Darlin, someone who also keeps people at arm's length and doesn't let anyone get close. There's an argument to be made in how Sam seems himself in Darlin and that's why he felt so inclined to help them (beyond just hating Quinn) but not the point I'm making. Sam runs from problems before they can affect him and when the pack dies, he'll be stuck in a problem he can't run from. Sam may not die after the pack is gone but he will fade into the background. Sam will be lost in time, clinging to memories of a time that he let people in as those too eventually fade into the aether of history.

Vincent - Naivety

I heavily considered giving Vincent independence as his fatal flaw too cause it very well could be but we don't do doubles in this house and there is a far more deadly flaw in him and that's his naivety. Vincent is blind to his situation, he doesn't understand most of it because he's been shielded from it. He lacks understanding of what it really means to be a vampire, let alone one in such a well known house. And it's in that where we see his mistake with Lovely. Vincent turned Lovely without fully understanding his own place and therefore doesn't understand the responsibilities he's putting onto Lovely by bringing them into it. It's the blind leading the blind. This lack of real understanding I think will be what tears him apart.

Porter - Peace

Now, this one is hard to explain. How is peace a fatal flaw? Rather simply, actually. You find peace in a situation that you choose not to change. Porter is William's guard dog because he doesn't feel like he deserves to be anything more. He does as asked because he thinks it's all he good for. He had made his peace with the fact that he believes he's not worth anything more than the blood he can spill. Which is wrong and flawed. And it's in that peace in the situation he doesn't believe he deserves to change that will get him killed. If he doesn't convince himself he's worth more than this, it'll be the thing that does him in.

Gavin - Humanity

Gavin's sense of humanity may not necessarily kill him but it will cause an untold amount of pain. Gavin has distanced himself so far from the world of demons in order to choose his own path and be who he is that he's forgotten this world isn't his. Elegy owes him nothing and it'll give him as much. It's the immortal lover problem, he will survive long after Freelancer and the others are gone and it will break him. I've mentioned before that Gavin and Porter are two sides of the same character but what's interesting is how their stories seem to be going in opposite directions until they eventually switch places. When Gavin loses the people that give him a sense of humanity, he will fall to what he believes he has to be in order to survive while Porter is learning that he can be more than what's expected of him and will hold that sense of pride I believe long after Treasure is gone.

Escaped, you're next. Prepare.

[simvanie]

7 Sins Legacy - generation 4 (pride)

While Rohan made an attempt to stop Supriya from walking away, Supriya barely noticed that the musicians had cleared the floor for Suraj, who had taken his place behind the microphone: "Dear friends and colleagues, I would like to make an official public announcement tonight..."

Rohan: I don't get it. You've done more for our campaign in the past weeks than everyone else combined. And we are so close to winning the city's elections, why would you suddenly want to leave?

Supriya: Oh you really want to know? Imagine what will happen to the party when I quit- With all the publicity I've had, it'll be on the front page of the newspapers, and journalists will be lining up because they want to know why. And I'll tell them exactly why they're better off voting for someone other than... you.

Rohan: This job interview is for another political party, isn't it? Tell me, do you actually want to work there? Or is it because you think that you can't get to where you actually want to be in this party, so you've built your walls so high that you've completely closed yourself off from everything that has to do with it. And the only option you think you have left is to run away. Because if so, I hate to break it to you, but you probably won't make yourself happy with that decision.

"...I assume many of you already heard speculations, so it probably won't come as a surprise that the rumors are true. I want you all to know that I've decided to officially retire...."

Supriya: Oh! That's rich coming from someone who has it easy with his influential dad arranging everything for him! And you don't know what is best for me-

Rohan: Please, listen to me. It doesn't mean that I don't agree with you- Everyone deserves an equal chance, but you also have to know that there is a big chance that you'll encounter similar kind of situations somewhere else. Especially in this political world.

Supriya: What do you want then?! Do you want me to stay so I can congratulate you when your dad announces that you will get the position? Because I'm NOT going to do that- Besides, if you agree that everyone deserves an equal chance, WHY HAVEN'T YOU DONE SOMETHING ABOUT IT?!

" ...and that is why I, along with all our colleagues in the party, have unanimously decided to give the position as party leader to Supriya."

Suraj turned towards Supriya. "If you want it of course. So, what do you say?"

Supriya couldn't believe if she had heard it right and had to take a second while everyone slowly turned their heads towards her. "...Y- yes, yes of course!"

Suraj smiled and gave her a nod before turning his attention back to the public. "Very well, I suggest we leave the technicalities for the transfer until Monday and spend the rest of the night enjoying this gala that my lovely wife helped organizing."

Supriya: Did you- I... I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! Rohan: Congratiulations, you deserve it. Supriya: It's- This is amazing... That you did this!!! Oh, you've no idea what this means to me, I could kiss you right now! I-

.... Rohan: ...So why don't you?

For the first time, the feeling that had been slowly creeping up on Supriya since she met Rohan, and that she had been trying to ignore and push away ever since she found out that Rohan was Suraj's son, slipped through the walls she had so carefully built.

Rohan: ....Since I don't think you have to get up early tomorrow morning anymore, what do you say if we, when this gala is over, get some takeout from that new Mexican place near your apartment to celebrate? Supriya: Hm, I'd love that.

[self-loving-vampire]

That medium post is highlighting just how fucked people get when they treat gender norms like a Serious Thing you must abide by. Like, what?

1- "A weak thing really wanting to be strong is pathetic" is the kind of thing that is like... who is even saying that?

The virtue of wanting to become stronger (be it for altruistic reasons or even just to master your art) no matter how pitiful your starting position is seems to be something that repeatedly comes up in fiction.

It's not just shonen training arcs to help you overcome someone who outclasses you in every way but also things the RPG journey of starting out at level 1 barely knowing your left from your right and becoming strong enough to kill god at the end.

In fact, this is what makes games like Gothic and Dark Souls so appealing. You start out so weak that everything obliterates you in one or two hits and you're pretty much just another doomed soul in a horrible situation, but if you persevere you can overcome anything.

Maybe stop thinking of strength or weakness as something inherent to gender rather than something you need to cultivate through training and experience? Sure there's geniuses like me who get a huge experience multiplier but that's not gendered either.

2- Boys 100% do cry. They often get beat up for it because they're not supposed to cry, but they still do it regardless of how things are "supposed" to be. Because humans are humans and extremely few people naturally fit the platonic ideal of what their gender is supposed to be at all times. Crying is not exclusively a "girl" thing, and it has nothing to do with weakness, bravery, or intelligence.

See, the thing is that the people who actually get good at video games are usually people who enjoy playing video games and do it on their own rather than just when they pick up something they have never done before in an effort to get validation while being anxious the whole time because they arbitrarily decided that video games are "boy things".

You're not just missing out on the confidence buff but also jumping into a mid-game area before finishing the tutorial. What did you think was going to happen?

"Fantasy story where a woman is doing cool stuff" is like... not even abnormal if you ever engage with anything outside the absolute most mainstream of media. Maybe it won't feel so shameful if you realize it has been done extremely well countless times before.

Also gendering romance seems like a mistake as well. Like, from the exact same story as the above image:

Yeah, it turns out stories can have both romance and women doing cool things and mature, non-sexist men will not necessarily hate either of those aspects.

I'm one of those people who got physical abuse to transition to mainly just threats by fighting back, and you know what that was actually like?

I never was even remotely as strong as big as my father was. I'm 170 cm and grew up malnourished (about 100-110 lbs before I left). I eventually also developed a major disability. Meanwhile he was huge and has literally killed people before. Most of those teens who fought back against their abusive dads? They probably were still physically weaker than said dads too.

But none of that matters, because you don't need to actually win, you just need to show your will to fight. You need to make it clear that there's going to be serious costs if they are violent towards you, and even children who haven't gone through puberty at all are capable of doing that if they give zero fucks.

Even an unarmed 10-year-old who was truly willing to do so is capable of causing lasting harm to an adult. I don't blame anyone for not trying something like that themselves since most people don't want to harm their parents and are averse to pain, but it's definitely dumb to make it into a gender thing that is just impossible without a specific type of puberty.

Also I should note that in a lot of cases this doesn't make the abuse stop entirely. It didn't in my case.

This is literally just applying that one comic to yourself.

Hope you're sitting down for the next bit:

Playing cool video games is the modern day equivalent of fighting war??? How does that even occur to you? Video games are literally entertainment. More like reading books or playing sports than killing people for real.

Also like, war still exists? That's kind of a big thing that is going on right now. War exists and people are fighting it. If this person grew up in the US then their country has been at war in some capacity for the vast majority of its existence. The modern day equivalent of war is war, and war is not actually cool or respectable like gaming is.

Putting up a bright billboard that reads "You know you don't have to be like that just because of your gender, right?"

Like, who cares if the other women you know personally only improve their skills for the sake of dress-up and horses? Do you not have things you want to do? I don't know what to say other than that this reads like NPC behavior.

Tip: You can be a man if you want, but also that probably won't give you instant competence or respect like you think it will. You're still going to have to Get Good at whatever it is you want to do.

So the kind of person who tries to fake an interest in "boy things" in a completely half-assed and insecure way actually exists and has terminal gender essentialist brain. I see.

I do think that's kind of shameful not just for the essentialist garbage but also in the sense that it reads like someone who is too invested in trying to insincerely impress others at the cost of their own individuality and pursuits.

If you're going to be taking right-wing types seriously then maybe you should at least notice that they also don't seem to respect tradwife types at all. They want to own them, sure, but they don't respect them. Attraction is not respect. Those people just don't respect women by default for reasons that are patently bullshit.

This is, from multiple angles, a personal problem. Some of us actually do like video games rather than using them as a way to get respect.

In fact, I'd hate it if people made a big deal out of the fact that I'm a woman who likes video games. That is and should be just a normal, unremarkable thing.

You know, maybe that whole thing where you see yourself as an eternal, inherent weakling not just physically but technically is unhealthy and holding you back from even considering that you could ever be good at anything besides child-rearing and clothes.

Good thing that she rarely feels like this anymore as an adult who is (according to the comments) no longer in a religious cult but this is like... putting my sexist father's thoughts in a self-loathing woman, basically?

[kimbapisnotsushi]

hi! please share your headcanons about jay. thanks!

ooooooooh sure thing let's get it!!

(also please keep in mind that soke was literally my first time dipping back into dc after a LONG while, so i have a bit of catch-up to do in terms of characters and stories, and thus some of my knowledge might be outdated!!! also i love jay but i do consider myself still very new to understanding him and thus most of these will be silly fun :333)

damian makes fun of him for that all-black ninja-esque stealth suit he wore to sneak into star labs because there was literally NO POINT in jay trying to disguise himself like that when he didn't bother covering up his BRIGHT FUCKING PINK hair

yes i'm still mad about yes i would like to know his thought process

is it natural btw??? i've seen different takes around where people think it's dyed bc of his other version in aos:jk, but i feel like that's pretty unlikely considering it was shaved all the way down when he got taken prisoner and experimented on and it grew back exactly like that

for the record i'm not a hater i'm just saying 1) it made him a walking beacon and 2) it being natural is so fucking funny to me since he clearly didn't inherit it from his mom, which begs the question:

who the fuck is jay's dad

while jay does care for all of the revolutionaries as their ally and everyone at the truth as their boss, and as an overall friend, i think that wink and the aerie are especially close to him and they consider each other family. they were pretty much the closest thing to adult supervision jay had for a while, and he relied on them a lot when he was settling down in metropolis and figuring out how to live alone

this meant that he called them for stupid things like "if something explodes in your microwave do you call the fire department", and not-stupid things like "help me open a bank account because metropolis bank has laws that won't let me do it by myself as a minor"

they were also the first people he came out to

jay loves them even if they CAN be really annoying

jay: "are you—are you guys ACTUALLY planning on shovel-talking superman" wink: "technically, he's superman's son" the aerie: "and if he's late to the coffee shop, i'm taking points off"

i think jay would get along with tim actually

the dude is an underground hacktivist refugee, investigative journalist, and a former president's son. he's probably used to always looking over his shoulder, ready to be jumped at a moment's notice. he's got a plan for everything but the plans only exist inside his head because he can't risk hard copies being found or digital ones being hacked. he's memorized them all. they're either alphabetized or mentally color-coded. we're talking levels of elaborate just-in-case getaways and meticulously planned investigations that would get a normal reporter killed if they asked the wrong question. it's dedication to a terrifying degree

yeah tim would definitely rock with him

jay has this neat little trick where if he's in a situation in which someone's poisoned his food and he has to eat it/can't let them know he knows, he just partially phases his organs so that the food falls through his body a little bit at a time and never enters his digestive system

jon is HORRIFIED when he finds out. damian is really fucking impressed

does gamorra have its own language???? i feel like jay would be fluent in it if so. of course he would be. he'd do anything to keep part of home as close to his chest as possible

oh that's another thing i'll probs mess up on btw i am legit so confused on gamorra considering it's apparently in asia and i would assume has its own distinct culture? but jay's surname is japanese and that random kid on the boat has a japanese name so are they like. japanese-adjacent??? or is gamorra made up of multiple asian identities blended into one (read tags for clarification)

i should probably read absolute power shouldn't i

okay sorry that got WAY off topic but yeah jay is definitely someone who loved his home despite not being able to go back and did everything he could to maintain his ties

ALSO can we talk about jay being a student at metropolis college at seventeen???? did he skip a year of school when he got to the u.s.??? did he lie on forms or something??

like i don't think he's taking extra credit classes as a high school student because he was also advertising the media department when we saw him, and i don't think he'd be doing that if he was in high school

jon makes sense because he had a fake identity which COULD put him in college. but jay???

honestly lying on paper is such a jay nakamura thing to do if he doesn't want people tracking him down by cross-referencing his birthday with government records

jay nakamura's number-one tip of running an anonymous underground activist stream: hide all identifiable information from the government

(this does not work when you are widely recognized as superman's boyfriend)

also now that dick is backing the truth can we PLEASE get tim in on it. i think it'd be so fucking funny. i think he and jay would have a grand old time breaking into firewalls and digging through internet archives and exposing corrupt people

tim is like "FINALLY i have something fun to do at all those fucking galas bruce makes me go to" because jay needs some rich guy's vacation itinerary so he knows the prime time to break into his house and gather evidence for something

i just have so much appreciation for jay nakamura you guys i love him so much

[notmorbid]

yellowjackets, season 2 [pt. 1].

dialogue prompts from the second season of showtime's yellowjackets.

we missed something. i can feel it.

you could start by not acting like everything is normal.

i don't want to talk about the future. i'm all about living in the moment.

it's my decision to be with you. not yours.

if you don't want to talk about the future, maybe we should dig into the past.

looks like we got a crossed wire situation.

the ambience is a heady mix of imminent tragedy and broken dreams.

my memory stinks and my handwriting's worse.

are you okay? what are you thinking right now?

you've never done this before, have you?

i'll make a solid kidnapper out of you yet.

maybe old-fashioned dad shit is my love language.

you can go to sleep if you want to.

false hope is just going to make things worse.

there's no such thing as false hope. there's just hope.

i'm not scared of you. i'm never gonna be scared of you.

this isn't you. it's just something that's happening to you.

this is how you're choosing to say 'i love you' for the first time?

wouldn't want people asking questions, would we?

what if my only way of dealing is to numb myself into oblivion?

everything i thought was real is just a funhouse hall of mirrors.

what's the last thing you remember?

you're not a picture of normalcy yourself.

do i need a lawyer?

you should have reached out to me.

i know there's something you're not telling me.

you look like hammered shit.

serial killers love puzzles. it's a documented fact.

don't you see how much damage you're doing?

i'll never have another friend like you.

i don't even know where you end and i begin.

i'm sorry. and i love you.

you're too smart not to have figured it out.

believe me, if i could relax about anything ever, i promise you i would.

you talked to me. you were looking right at me.

emotions can run high in a place like this.

do you stalk everyone, or am i just lucky?

i liked not feeling like this boring version of me.

i'm not really a joiner.

i just want you to be safe.

you can't blame yourself. we did it together.

i love you, but i think maybe you need to leave.

it's one thing to point a gun at a person. it's another thing to use it.

there's a look people get when they realize they're going to die.

there are worse things than being safe.

why would you do all of that just to meet me?

just because you don't understand something doesn't mean it's evil.

it's pretty rare to have a friend who's relentlessly got your back.

what happened to you is the least interesting thing about you.

even the experts don't know how i survived.

if it works for you, what does it matter?

is there anything else you've lied about that i need to know?

you're not a bad person. you're just a bad criminal.

maybe one day i can talk to you about it, but for now, can that just be enough?

i don't understand why you won't see what's right in front of you.

how the hell are you alive?

i think i thought this was something that it obviously isn't.

you'll talk when you're ready.

i pinky swear i won't tell.

you can talk to me, if it helps.

there's only ever one rule: win.

you don't have to say anything if you don't want to.

i'm not being held against my will. anymore.

do you get how lucky we are?

you're not that good of an actor.

i guess people reassess their choices when they know they're gonna die.

you don't have to be dying to have regrets.

fuck you. don't make me convince you to let me help you.

i can't ask you for your help. i don't want to hurt any more of the people i love.

you should know better than anyone not to define someone based on their past.

what you're looking for is in your head.

i don't need your prayers. i need you to have my back.

for the first time in a really long time, i'm not afraid to fall asleep.

part of me wanted to ruin it.

[grimecrow]

Can We Stop Pretending Rhea & Damian Are Babyfaces?

The abused finally standing up for themselves doesn't make them bad guys. Let's look at the actions of Damian and Rhea outside of wrestling, outside of an environment where noise is piped in and commentators are constantly barking in your ear to reinforce the idea the story tellers want to put forward.

Rhea constantly infantilized Dominik, constantly took away his ability to act on his own accord. Anytime he tried to do something on his own the result was always the same. Being asked what he was thinking, being told he was stupid, and that of course he couldn't do it. Every single time.

And say what you want but if you had a friend who had a significant other that said to them; "I don't belong to your or anyone, but you...belong to me." If you heard that being said to your roommate would you think; "Wow, they're so lucky!" or would you think "That person is crazy, how do I talk to them about how they can do better?" Let's not forget how Rhea Ripley helped recruit Dominik in to the Judgement Day in the first place.

Rhea and the others beat and tormented him until he agreed to join, and then every moment they could reinforce the negative bullshit they were going on about having him agree till he started saying it himself. Again if your friend was harassed, and attacked till they ended up dating their attacker would you say "Awww, it's true love!"? Doubt it.

Dominik runs into someone who likes him, who tells him that he can do it, that gives him positive reinforcement and actively works to build his self worth. All the talk about the Liv Revenge Tour aside the way she acted when she helped him beat his dad; the way he talked about him to others and more importantly to him directly? Get the fuck outta here with that poor Rhea shit. Once more with feeling if you had a friend stuck in a possessive, toxic relationship and they leave it for one where the other person respects and encourages them would you be booing that? And I say this knowing that Liv is no angel either at first.

This clip summarizes Damian in a nutshell. https://youtu.be/H-uqw508FDk?si=iH4ya6aI-Jz4N6x6&t=61

Time and again when anyone else was mentioned; "The Judgement Day has no leaders." within three minutes always ends up at "I'm the leader!" Also Damian is a coward, go back and watch all his interactions when the Judgement Day was a group. When he's not talking over anyone else that tries to speak for themselves he is in a rapid hurry to voluntold others into violent matches that he knows they won't win. When he's super offended, he is so angry that he will totally sell out one of his 'friends' and then be there the moment it's over to put them down for not doing well enough. And let's not forget that half of his intro dialogue on every episode was reminding the others that they suck and can't get anything done. For the last six months that was his official substitution for the word hello. Let's not forget his love of doing shit like this. https://youtu.be/HSV6xdb0q0c?si=ubxnWiYHMavGr3BQ&t=45 He talks about how Rhea is his friend and all of that, that he knows and cares she's upset about what has been happening, etc. Which is why the first chance he could get our hero immediately starts gaslighting to intentional make the situation worse for everyone including his supposed friend Rhea. Then there is the Damian shitshow at Summerslam. https://youtu.be/O9e1MlqaDTU?si=1-oKu72WBJc_C-WB&t=83 Imagine one of your friends was betrayed and humiliated by a different friend. It sucks, your upset and then out of no where a third friend busts into the room, grabs you by your shirt and starts screaming in your face about how dare you do what you did...would you consider that guy a hero? Or unhinged? Honestly after that friend has talked over you time and again. Put you in violent situations you didn't want to be in because he and someone else got into an arguement about how whether your friend is cool enough. Only to do shit like this as well...would you still be their friend? Hell would you say they were a good guy? If one of your friends decided to stand up for themselves after being treated the way Rhea or Damain has treated Dom or Finn would you tell them they shouldn't have?

[normal-internet-user]

FINALLY BACK TO WORKING ON THIS SERIES!

BARRIER PT:4

♡~~♡~~♡~~♡~~♡

Pt: 1 Pt: 3 Pt: 5

Summary: Raph reveals himself to you after you call him for help because of your fathers harrassment.

Warnings: Smoking, swearing, toxic family members.

Requested:

GN Reader!

.........................................

You stared at your phone screen while biting your lip. You had been sitting in this cafè for god knows how long, and you just wanted to go home.

Your dad had been calling you non-stop, spamming you with angry messages, and you didn't know what to do.

You were debating calling Raph for help, but you didn't want to be a bother or accidentaly cross any boundary.

You took a shaky breath, and before you could think twice, dial his phone number.

With your knee bouncing nervously you waited to see if he'd answer.

And he did.

"(Name)? Is everything ok?"

You sighed in relief, "H-hey Raph. I'm sorry to bother you but- but I need some help, it's- I'm kinda scared.."

You heard someone else on the other end of the phone, then some muffled talking, Raph spoke again, "What happened? Are you ok? Are you hurt?"

"N-no, I'm not hurt. But my- my dad, he showed up at my job today- I don't know what to do. I'm scared he'll follow me home-"

"Where are you?"

"Uh- Let me- let me ask..."

You asked the kind waitress, and relayed your location to Raph, he told you to wait for him out back, and not to hang up the phone.

He talked with you the whole time, making sure to keep you as distracted as possible. He suddenly stopped talking, and you could feel his tension growing.

"Raph? Is everything ok?"

"Listen, (Name), I'm here. But, uh- I need you to promise not to freak out ok? I'm uh- not exactly easy on the eyes.."

"What do you..? Raph I'm not gonna freak out, you're my friend..."

You heard him huff, and the beep of him hanging up. You looked around confused, trying to spot anyone nearby, "Raph? Are you there?"

"Uh- yeah, I'm uhm, I'm here."

You turned around to face him, finally happy to put a face to a name. You examined his figure, his green skin, his scales, his beautiful green eyes, but must of all, the nervous way he stood.

He was scared.

Scared of how you were going to react.

You smiled at him, "Hey there, Karate Kid."

Raph noticably loosened his posture at your words, and he shook his head, "Hey there, Smartass. You ok?"

Your smile faded and the gravity of your situation landed on you once again, "I'm fine." you mumbled, "I just wanna go home."

Before he could say anything else, your phone buzzed in your hand, you looked down at the the string of messages and abuse from your father, the tears begining to well up again as you turned off your phone.

"Can you please take me home?" you asked, your voice cracking.

"Sure thing. Hey- can I uh, can I pick ya up? It'll just be faster that way."

You nodded, wrapping your arms around his neck as Raph picked you up bridal style.

"Hang on, Shorty."

The trip to your building was rather short, with Raph talking to distract you the entire time. When you arrived on the rooftop, you immediatly sat down in your place by the brick wall, patting the ground next to you, "You gonna sit with me? I mean unless you need to go, I did kinda call you out of nowhere..." you chuckled nervously.

Raph shook his head, slowly taking his place next to you, "Nah, I can stay. Fearless won't miss me for a while."

You nodded, pulling a cigarette from the packet in your pocket, "Thank you, by the way. I really do appreciate it. You coming to get me?"

Raph nudged your shoulder with his own, "No problem, smartass, I couldn't just leave ya there. I guess I should say thanks too, for not freakin' out over, well, this." he gestured vaguely to himself and you scrunched up your nose.

"Ok, first of all, I promised not to freak out. Second of all, there was no reason for said promise, because there's nothing to freak out about. You're a little different, so what? Anyone who cares enough about that to "freak out" is stupid as fuck." you puffed your cigarette, taking care to blow the second hand smoke away from Raph.

Raph looked at you curiously, a small smile gracing his rough features, "You're weird." he said, leaning back against the wall.

You smacked his arm, "And you're a jerk."

Raph snickered to himself while you rubbed your knuckles, how the hell did that hurt you more than him.

"What are you gonna do about your old man?" he asked, leaning an elbow onto his knee.

You shook your head with a sigh, taking another drag of your cigarette, "I have no idea. I need to find a new job though. I, uh, I quite my current one today. It was kinda an in the moment thing."

Raph gritted his teeth, how dare your father, someone who was supposed to care for and protect you, cause you this many issues? You, who was so kind to him, even after he showed you who he really was. What he really was? If he ever got ahold of your old man, he was gonna-

"Raph? You good man?"

"Huh? Yeah, yeah I'm fine. listen, (Name), it's no place of mine to tell you how to deal with your dad, but I thinks it's best if you cut 'im off. He crossed way over the line today, and honestly, I don't think he's gonna quit."

You rubbed your temple, nodding, "I think you're right, Red. But this time I'm gonna make sure he stays the fuck away." you stood, putting out your cigarette on the brick, "Listen, I'm gonna go get something to eat. But I'll call you later, yeah?"

Raph nodded, standing next to you, and it just registered how fucking tall he was, he was tall, "Yeah, call me whenever you want. No matter the time, got it Shorty?"

You smiled, "Sure thing, Red."

With that, you patted him on the arm, and made your way down the fire escape and into your apartment.

<RAPH'S POV>

♡~~♡~~♡~~♡~~♡

I watched 'em go with a frown, honestly, I was worried for 'em. Their dad had no buisness showin' up at their job, and now they needed a new one.

My mind drifted off to how they reacted to, well, me. I was not expecting that at all.

I was expected a scream, maybe for 'em to faint or something, anything but that cute ass smile.

Anything but that fucking smile.

I made my way home, (Name) filling my mind at every moment. I walked into the Lair, ready for the questions from Leo. I knew he was gonna be pissy, I just up and left during one of his little lectures afterall.

"There you are. Where the hell did you go, Raph?"

I looked over at Leo while I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, "None of your buisness, Fearless."

Leo sighed, "No, Raph, it is my buisness when you get a mysterious phone call, and just up and leave during a team meeting, without any kind of explaination as to where you're going."

"Like I said, none of your buisness what I'm doin' or who I'm talkin' to."

Leo huffed, storming out of the kitchen a d into Donnie's lab, no idea why, usually he goes to the dojo or his room to meditate after a spat.

Whatever, wasn't my issue. My issue, was figurin' out how the hell to help (Name)...

.........................................

Hmmm.... wonder what Leo and Donnie are talking about..??👀

Taglist!

@princessmads1820 @leleouwu @dilucsflame33 @pheradream15 @lazyafgurl

@turtle-babe83

@allybutton @muamazon4 @push-lennon-off-stage

I think I tagged everyone who asked, if I forgot you I'm sorry, 🥲 let me know if you'd like to be tagged in future parts!💕

[sleeplesssmoll]

Self-Image: How comfortable is the Timekeeper in her own skin?

This is purely speculative and more of a list of questions to consider. Food for thought!

Considerations

Scars

How does she feel about the scars on her back? (And scars in general cause I'm sure she has them but they aren't mentioned canonically unless they magicked them away with arcanum antics)

Is she self-conscious about her scars on her back or is it because she doesn't want to make feel people feel uncomfortable?

Is it one of the reasons she always wears long pants and long sleeves, or is that just a fashion choice?

Causal Nudity

This one seems silly but if you've lived with or stayed with other people, things happen. Someone walks into your room without knocking. You forgot to bring your towel. Your working on something and your clothes ride up, get torn, etc.

There are some people who could confidently strut around naked as the day they were born and others who lay awake at tonight 3 years later and get embarrassed by the memory of being walked in on. The there are also people who are apathetic to the whole thing and don't see to care. They won't leave the room undressed but they don't mind if someone walks in on them either.

I'll be honest, I can't see her in the first one and Sweetheart is probably a better example. For those who don't know her, these are some of her lines:

"Hmm... hah... a silk robe? Thank you, but I don't want it. Dress me up with Chanel No.5 (perfume). Only that is my nightwear." (Vertin trying to make her stop sleeping nude. It didn’t work.)

Now, you could say this is Vertin being uncomfortable with other people's nudity but it could also be her playing the part of Suitcase Dad and making sure the little ones (or anyone for that matter) aren't exposed to things they didn't sign up for. However, my question is more about Vertin herself. This exmaple is just to paint a picture.

In the second instance, Vertin would be very self-conscious. Is it shame/fear, and if so why (side-eyeing the Foundation rn)? Or perhaps she doesn't want to talk about the scars on her back/body? Maybe it has nothing to do with her but the way people react. She doesn't want to make people feel uncomfortable.

Or maybe she's just shy about stuff like that and and for once has nothing to do with her trauma 🥹

In the final case, Vertin doesn’t really care. Maybe it's because she grew up in a dormitory where it's common to change in front of other kids. Or she could be used to the medical exams and tests from the Foundation who didn't care about her privacy.

It could be a newer development. For example, Regulus barges in without knocking all the time. The kids scamper in on their own (the Twins, Erik, etc) The ghosts phase in and out of her room. She got used to it.

That being said, the person she's interacting with also plays a part. Levels of comfort are influenced by the other person in the situation. She might not flinch if it's one of the kids coming to her crying about a broken toy or what not. On the other hand, Tennant will be escorted out immediately by Sonetto and Dikke. I'm exaggerating of course, but I think it helps me explain what I'm trying to say. Nothing is all conclusive.

The Self

Unlike the others, this leans harder on perception. Who does Vertin see when she looks in the mirror? Is it someone she's proud of or someone she can't face? These things can warp your self-image and influence many things.

Self love, Self worth, and the extent to what you believe you "deserve". For example Do you deserve to be "loved"? If you don't believe that it might be hard to believe other people could love you either. Maybe you feel like you deserve suffering because you don't value your own worth.

(For anyone needing to hear this, everyone deserves happiness).

I'm curious to know other people's thoughts on this. Feel free to mention things I missed!

On a scale of 1 to 5, how comfortable is Vertin in her own skin? Heck Drop some hcs on me too if you'd like. I eat them up lol

[festivating]

do you have any tips/tricks for keeping characters' voices ic in a fic? not thinking of any in particular but in general (i love how you write everyone in attrition, including the minor characters 🥰). or does it come naturally? (that happens to me sometimes but only with the characters i'm obsessed with enough haha) thank you 💗

Ahhh you're very kind thank you, and thank you for asking me! 💚 I'll talk more about characters that have tons of canon content, like Elphaba and Glinda, but this also works with the ones that don't show up a lot it just involves a lot more of filling in blanks and making things up.

But generally I revisit the source material sometimes, it helps when I'm trying to keep things accurate but it also helps when I'm doing something that's wildly different from canon (which happens more often) because it makes me able to pinpoint where the diversion is, why it's happening, and makes me more conscious of my own choices.

I also make a Conscious Effort to learn a character's speech patterns and mannerisms, but most importantly how those change depending on the situation. Think about how in the book, Glinda tends to speak in long sentences but the way she words things depend on who she's talking to, she uses fancier words and loves to ramble when she's in Society Mode, but when she's with her peers at Shiz or with Elphaba later on, her speech is pretty juvenile. Meanwhile Elphaba speaks in the same acerbic way to pretty much everyone except her dad, who she is more soft-spoken to. That alone told me sooo much about them.

This makes it very fun and distinct when those patterns break, whenever Elphaba speaks softly to someone who isn't Frex it sticks out and draws attention and always feels like a bit of a Moment. When Fiyero's narration calls out Glinda for breaking that Society Mode pattern to tell him something genuine, it also feels like a Moment.

I think good characterization is mostly dialogue, if characters "sound" like themselves you can justify almost anything they do in a fic if your story is consistent.

The most important thing I do is become irrevocably unwell and rotate characters in my head 24/7

Also I think the easiest way to get that "in character" feel is to analyze how characters go about the things they want. A character should always want at least one thing, and whether they know what those things are or not will impact a lot of who they are. It's likely if you're writing a fic they won't want the same things they want in the source material, but if they go about getting those things in a way that feels familiar (eg Elphaba is direct, Glinda is calculating) then generally they'll feel "accurate" to canon. Tailor this to your context (in attrition Elphaba's depression makes it hard for her to know what she wants, but she still takes a direct approach when she can) and you'll be golden.

Lastly just keep in mind the longer your story is, or depending what sort of AU you're writing, it's okay if characters aren't 100% true to canon, because they are not living the same experiences and aren't developing in the same way. It's more important that they develop and change from things happening within your story, than to chase canonical accuracy in my opinion.

Everyone in attrition at this point is very different from their canon counterparts, but because they talk almost the same way as they do in the book, and they almost always strive for what they want in the same way as they do in the book, it feels like they are in character haha

I hope this helped!! This was very nice to answer :)

[lover-of-mine]

You don't have to answer this question at all if it's too personal . I won't feel bad. I'm just trying to get an idea of what to expect. I'm agnostic and wasn't raised in any religion. I don't even know really anyone who practices Catholicism. The only thing I can interpret from my friends who are Christian is its definitely, harsher??? Values ingrained in them. I was wondering if you were raised religious and had to battle being queer vs any pre conceived notions you held or your family may have. I swear you said something once about Nuns crossing themselves when they passed you for having colored hair? Sorry if I'm wrong on that. I just feel like if they are doing this they are really doing it and what a story of deconstructing yourself might look like.

Okay, this is a complicated question. I was raised religious and for all intents and purposes, I still am, but while I am christian, I was never catholic. I was raised with spiritism as a belief and they are a lot more open to stuff than different churches. The experience I had with catholic people telling me stuff like being queer is wrong was in school, because my city is very catholic and because we had a religious study class that was mandatory and the teacher was very Sunday school type vibes even though it wasn't supposed to be a catholic leaning class, but at that point I was old enough to push back, so I was constantly fighting my teacher. I'm not out to my family because while my parents never had a problem with queer people, my dad has made some comments about bisexual people that make me scared even tho they weren't fully bigoted, it's just boomer talk, being ignorant, and, honestly, I think he knows and he's waiting for me to say something because there was a situation with one of my cousins a few years back that got me really heated because her side of the family is very religious, and she's some shade of queer and people kept using religion against her, and my dad suddenly started talking about acceptance and stuff like that while supporting how frustrated I was with my uncle, but honestly, at this point I'm kinda settled into only coming out to them if there's a girl I want them to meet. I did go to university in a very religious city and I had to deal with multiple people commenting on my appearance, specifically colorful hair, the nun thing did happen, I had blue hair and I was wearing a shirt that had a cross made of skulls, they didn't like that, but I've had people tell I'm not getting into heaven and my sin was pink hair. I can't really help with this particular aspect because my struggle with being bi was never about someone telling me that loving women is wrong, it was always I do like men, so I just thought people felt that way about everybody. I fully kissed another girl and didn't accept I was bi until like, 3 years later lol. I will say that catholicism as a whole is very engrained into latino culture, and I did experience that adjacently, the whole being gay is a sin thing, but since in my house I didn't have that, I pushed back, I pushed back enough that my whole school believed I was a lesbian by the time I hit highschool (I grew up in a small town, everyone knows everyone)

Now, applying the whole thing to Eddie, I think with the way that Eddie talks about religious pressure defining some steps he took with his life, deconstructing his relationship with religion and the concept of God would be important for him to fully accept himself if that's where they're going. Mostly because I think he needs to confront the way he views the works and when you grow up religious, it does affect the way you look at things even if you don't believe that religion anymore. But I don't think I can give anything more insightful given the way I don't know how it feels like to experience catholicism the way Eddie does. I do believe that Eddie finding himself does mean Eddie accepting he is some shade of queer, and since they touched on the whole catholic guilt last season, that's a good way to force him to accept that there's nothing wrong with him, but it's more about the way I watched people go through similar stuff, not any personal experience.

[chaos-frog]

pls i need to know your angsty thoughts about human parent with a giant child/teenager. Like, children can be A LOT, teens can be A LOT. Imagine the parent with thoughts of being unfit to take care of that child, but they also can’t just abandon them! What if they’re in a world that hates giants??? YOU UNLOCKED SO MANY POSSIBILITIES WITHIN MY BRAIN IF I WASNT SO SCARED OF THE INTERNET I WOULD WRITE SOMETHING ABOUT IT

OK OK OK

this one is quite fun to write.

So, first, let's say we're starting off with a toddler. (Simply because getting into the logistics of somehow feeding and changing a giant baby is something I'm not super interested).

If you have ever interacted with a toddler, anything they grab is going STRAIGHT in their mouth, and getting covered in slobber. Obviously a situation you do not want to be a part of, so you've got to find some safe things for them to chew on. Giant teething toys?

How do you deal with tantrums? Kicking and screaming and yelling so loud that it might burst your eardrums. Disciplining a toddler is hard enough when you're bigger than them- how do you get them to listen and self regulate without traditional methods of physical discipline? (sitting them in timeout, etc). You rub their chest and back to soothe them, shushing and telling them reassurances. With any luck, you find a balance that works for you and this giant child you've somehow acquired.

How do you get enough food to feed the child? Where do you keep them? A giant baby or toddler can be kept in a barn, potientally. But what do you do when they get bigger? Where do you hide them? How do you explain to your giant little kid that their size is big enough to get them ostracized? How do you protect them?

Obviously, you're not the best equipped to deal with any child, let alone a giant one. But you can't just leave them to fend by themselves! They'll get themselves hurt, other people won't be so kind and understanding as you. Giants are destructive, after all.

Now, teenagers. It's going to be much easier if you have raised them from a child. They, for the most part, understand and are empathetic with the fact you are trying to tell them, and are more willing to listen to what you tell them.

If you somehow get a giant AS a teenager though... well, how do you parent someone who can flick you right over? Who can slam a door hard enough to knock your house over? Hell, they could probably sigh with enough teenage angst to knock you over. And they don't exactly trust humans either... and why would they?

So you start leaving food out for them- probably enough food to feed you for a month, but you hope it's enough for a growing teen. Then, eventually, they stick around to talk to you. They let you help with any injuries, and patch up their clothes. Eventually, they hold you. Eventually, they call you mom/dad. And you've acquired a giant kid.

[1800naveen]

Taryn Duarte: My analysis on her character. This is long so yeah, get ready for the reading.

@shadowqueenjude I have a feeling you'll like this.

I'll start it out like this, I don't hate her. I mean, she could be a pain at times but other than that, I like her.

So she's the younger sister of Vivi, elder twin of Jude, and elder sister of Oak. Parents got killed by her adoptive father, Madoc when she was 7 and she and her sisters were taken to Elfhame.

While living there, she and Jude are bullied and picked on by Cardan and his rag tag friends which are Locke, Nicasia, and Valerian. (Jude getting her finger chopped off by a guard is insane like bro that's a whole child😶)

With those events happening to these human girls, you can see how it affects their character and how they'll become in the future.

Let's say there's two pathways. Path A: Pretending like it doesn't hurt you or bother you. Go on with your day and let them walk over you basically. Path B: Fight back and show them that you wouldn't stand for this anymore. The Duarte twins took a path; for Taryn, it's path A and for Jude, it's path B.

Taryn is timid when it comes to Cardan and his friends, letting them do what they want and trying not to provoke them. Jude defends herself and Taryn and will gladly get all in their face if they want to act up (slay).

Taryn will reprimand Jude for acting like that towards the faeries and how she will draw attention to them. I get where she's coming from because when you got bullies, you want them to stay away and not give you attention. But a part of you wants you to show them, prove something to them.

Later on, Taryn falls for Locke. I know that she wants love as well (almost everyone wants a lover) but the guy that your sister likes? Criminal. She's finally getting that fairytale love that she wanted but it isn't exactly what she's getting.

Locke manipulated and hurt both Taryn and Jude. You can hate them both if you want but all my hate is directed at Locke.

Let's talk about Madoc. He cares for them in his own way. As a faerie can for a human child. He shows affection towards the twins like hugging them or kissing them on the forehead. Things that a dad would typically do. Though Vivi is Madoc's true child, she hates him for good reasons and doesn't have that much of a relationship with him. It's Jude, his ex-wife's daughter who he has a bond with.

Taryn is close with Oriana and you can see with the two that she picked up lots of Oriana's traits.

Taryn is a mirror of Oriana while Jude is a mirror of Madoc. And what Taryn said to Jude in Chapter 23: "I'm a mirror," she shouts. "I'm the mirror you don't want to look at." Jude said herself that she wishes she could be like Taryn, that she is what she could've been but isn't.

Let's go to the events of the Queen of Nothing. Taryn goes to Jude after she killed Locke. She says that Locke began to neglect her, leaving her in the house for many days alone and the story in her has left. In response, she murdered him (As she should).

Jude agrees to helping her but it doesn't mean that she forgives her. She does later on so yay!

Many say that Jude should never forgive Taryn for what she did and I can see where they're coming from but she's family. I know even though you're family, you don't have to forgive them and you can leave them to rot but in Jude's case, she can't.

She lost her parents at a young age, the only true blooded family she has left is Taryn and Vivi. Yes, Jude can leave Taryn behind but she would lose another member of her family. If I was in Jude's shoes, I'm doing the same thing.

Taryn and Jude are realistic reactions to a life like theirs. A lot of you would act like Taryn in a situation like this, there's nothing wrong with that. I see myself in Jude but I also see myself in Taryn because of how realistic she is. I don't like conflict and prefer peace, I'm meek even though a part of me won't admit it. If someone draws negative attention to me, I'll be upset about it. I study people and I can adapt quickly to my surroundings. I too have murdered my husband (I haven't, never even had a boyfriend before. But if he's rich and he's really old, mysterious circumstances🤫)

I HATED HER AT FIRST BUT I REALIZED THAT SHE'S JUST LIKE ME. HER AND NESTA, I UNDERSTAND THEM! TARYN DUARTE, I COULD NEVER HATE SOMEONE WHO I SEE MYSELF IN!

(Art done by Frostbite Studios)!

The lyrics is me at Taryn Duarte's character, for real.

Don't come into my comments and bitch about Taryn, I don't want to hear it. If you want to hate, go somewhere else. That shit is not wanted here.