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[reality-liver-n0]

This is going to be my worst post to date (in my opinion)

But after the anguish and turmoil that has hit Balalaika fans after her appearence in the latest chapter like her lack of muscle/strength that we know she unleashed on Rock, the fading of her scars, and other things I decided to investigate myself to see how much she changed.

The majority of these pictures are from the anime. Sad, I know, and hopefully once I find the direct panel from the manga that mirrors it I will edit or add more to this post.

I will start this by saying that Anime Balalaika is an absolute fucking unit. Like reviewing the pictures I realized that she's built like a very beautiful Russian tank and that is really the best description here.

Do you see what I mean? It's most likely the coat but still, it has to touch her shoulders to even drape.

Although, it depends on the scene as she can be like this too

Her shoulders are less defined and aren't quite as cut as the top ones but her muscle is there at least.

Above is the Virgin Rock as physical comparision

She's obviously fucking built way beyond his physique and she knows it. She corners him in or crosses her arms while his remain at his side as he tries to be unaffected. And honestly, kudos to him. He stood pretty strong in this scene and I think he knew he had to do that to even try and talk on her level.

I mean we've seen what happens when he doesn't. Disclaimers ahead, Rock is in for a rough ride. I on the other hand, laughed my ass off when I took these screenshots.

Also, here is what I personally think went through Balalaika's head in each scene and the progression of it.

% Anger Level - Annoyance

Jesus Christ, he's on this bullshit again. Sounds like one of those family dogs I keep having to put down.

% Anger Level - Frustrated

Maybe if I make it clear I'm pissed right now he'll have some sense left in him. If he says one more word I am going to make him the hood ornament for the car.

% Anger Level - Hostility

Just looking at this cigarerette is giving me an idea. I could just throw him like I could with this. Sooner or later he'll be stepped on; fire dying out.

% Anger Level - Rage

I'm certain his face will never change in his casket

With one strike I could gouge his eyes out. Maybe then he'll see justice.

You've sealed your fate Rock. Now you'll suffer the death of a true hero.

(Woohoo! 🎉You passed the slideshow and now I'll do my commetary. Here's a Boris photo as a reward.)

This is the face he wanted to make right when Rock started talking.

Anyway, I must have forgotten just how Balalaika threw Rock since I took those screenshots. I knew that she did it but somehow forgot that she did it with one arm. Or at least how much power she put into flinging him like a ragdoll. LIke she fucking lifted him in the air with one hand and with a single move had him on the hood in split seconds.

Here's a funny picture I caught mid-shot as well

His feet aren't touching the ground. He's fully straight as if he didn't have have a second to take it in, meanwhile his hands are just open and it's like he forgot he was even alive. No doubt, he had a vision that when Balalaika even reached for him that she just punted him to the afterlife.

Meanwhile, I cannot imagine the raw terror Revy must have felt seeing this happen.

She is scared as hell here. Keep in mind that this entire exchange she can't see Balalaika's face or Rock's. Both their backs are to her until Balalaika throws Rock. Still, I doubt that she really could've seen him past Balalaika's frame. Meanwhile, she's probabaly just processing that Balalaika's strong enough to do what she just did. Most likely she already knew she has a lot of physical power, I mean look at her, but this is the first time she's seen it and it happened to the worst person possible.

I can fully say that Balalaika is a fucking beast in hand-to-hand combat with the body to match it. And this is only focusing on her throwing Rock! She already snapped a neck by this point. Rock saw that and again, he does have some courage or maybe stupidity to even do this since he saw that with his own eyes.

Revy hasn't. And I don't think Rock told her, at least not until he knew they were back in Roanapur and safe. He was still traumatized by it too so chances are he is suffering some recurring nightmare of it. To top it off, this event alone was so visceral in his mind that he draws a direct comparaision to Chang, symbolizing how truly helpess he was.

With all that out of the way here isthe recent manga depiction of Balalaika

(no comment needed)

Here are the earlier depictions of her in the previous chapters. All the thanks to @crystallinee-waters and @progmanx for the posts concerning the chapters and the usual girlboss stuff 💅

Love you two for that

In conclusion the only explanation for this is that Chang used his CIA connnections (Eda) to tamper with the latest chapter to make himself look cooler. And I guess he had enough mercy to include Rock in that upgrade too, for whatever reason.

Hero of the chapter was definitely Le Majeur

Homegirl got sacraficed by Balalaika to the gays

Which will probabaly be another cursed post sometime in the future with the Holy Trinity (Balalaika, Revy and Le Majeur)

✊ They're staying strong and holding down the series' reperesentation of the ABC Mafia

(😔 not canonically tho only Le Majeur has officially come out, or got outed by her comrade. But then Revy saved her ass and definitely did not hear anything and now does not knows what Le Majeur really is.)

A homosexual 🌈

Okay. I think I'm finally done with this, and I went off the rails by the end but this post now exists so I will return to my secluded hole 🕳️

(Forgot to add buff Revy too, so here she is)

She can be both happy and mad but she's still jacked af (and silently judging you at all times because of your gayness)

[plainandgeneric]

Angry about Lore.fm the "AO3 Audible app"

For those who don't know, Lore.fm is an app that's advertised as "audible for AO3". It uses AI text-to-speech voices to read fics on an app completely separated from AO3 and creates a local copy of the fic audio on your device. It is stated to be non-profit.

1. It's opt-out not opt-in, that alone is a red flag and worthy of suspicion. The only way to not get your fic used without permission is to email them - it is unsafe and dubious to hand out personal email addresses to companies you don't know.

2. It takes engagement and agency away from the authors. Readers using this app don't even need to interact with the original AO3 post. Only a link is needed to generate the audio. An extension would've been significantly more ethical than an app.

3. Valid criticisms towards this project are labelled by the developer as "ableist and classist". Most devices and browsers already have FREE screen readers available. Especially for IOS (since this is mainly advertised for IOS), the existing built-in accessibility screen reader is very decent! I'd know cause I've been using it for more than a decade!

4. The developers show zero transparency. The devs listed for this app are also in a company that made an AI WRITING/STORYTELLING APP called Spinoff. The fact that this information is hidden on the appstore for Lore.fm tells me all that I need to know. I found the source for this on this comment by CupcakeBeautiful. [Edit: Unfortunately, the comment has been deleted by reddit for some reason, so I have removed the link to it.]

This whole thing pisses me off. Once again it shows that people don't respect and don't care about actual fic writers. I wish people would stop exploiting fanfiction authors under the guise of accessibility. Please think carefully if this is a company/project you'd want to support.

I don't usually post things like this on this blog, but I don't think a lot of people are aware of this situation on tumblr. Please feel free to add any information that I've missed. If this post comes off as aggressive, I apologise. I am just very frustrated.

[tidesreach]

i think the issue with cql/mdzs fandom (specifically jiang cheng antis) is that it seems to have a very rigid view on a) what being a good person looks like and b) what trauma looks like, or significantly, what it should look like, and c) the meeting point of the two: what being a good person with trauma should look like. e.g. the way wei wuxian is held up as this sort of shining example of how to be traumatised the right way. so much of this fandom consistently frames wei wuxian as Good Traumatised rather than what he actually is, which is quite simply a person with various trauma responses and trauma-learnt behaviours that he did not choose and that have no actual bearing on his goodness. whereas jiang cheng is condemned as Bad Traumatised when actually he is just a person with different trauma responses and trauma-learnt behaviours that he also did not choose and that also have no actual bearing on his goodness. people categorising the way wei wuxian responds to his trauma as Good and the way jiang cheng responds to it as Bad (or even Evil) is a mindset that is deeply rooted in stigma whether you realise it or not.

like, i don't interact with jc antis if i can help it. which, yeah, is because i have no interest in reading endless hate posts. but i also steer clear predominantly because as someone with a heavily stigmatised mental illness a lot of the discussion around jiang cheng and the notion that trauma making you angry and hateful = Bad reads as "i support people with mental illness but only the people with symptoms that i personally find palatable" which is very reminiscent of frankly dehumanising real life debates around whether people who display certain symptoms (people like me) are worthy of help (or whether they even can be helped or whether they are just inherently terrible people etc.). and that is a horrible and damaging thing to read about yourself.

essentially, it all boils down to the wholly problematic idea that there are right and wrong ways to be traumatised—as if (in the absense of therapy and/or medication) you have any choice or control over your own symptoms/trauma responses—and that anything that doesn't fit into the "trauma made me kinder" mold is the wrong way to be traumatised. which is exactly what stigma is and why a lot of people have to fight so hard to get a modicum of help. so much of the language used around jiang cheng's trauma and his emotional responses to that trauma is rooted in real life stigmatising rhetoric that denies people the help they need and deserve because they're not the right type of mentally ill. this mindset that wei wuxian did trauma right and jiang cheng did trauma wrong is based on a made up concept designed to demonise certain mental illnesses.

it's like, there are so many takes which go something like, "well, wei wuxian has trauma too and he didn't do x, y, z." and sure, you're right, he didn't do x, y, z, but he did do a, b, c, if you see what i'm getting at. and arguing that a, b, c, are better responses than x, y, z shows a lack of understanding of the complexity of trauma and the way it can be informed by self-perception or perception other people have of you, i.e. it can become a bit (or a lot) of a self-fulfilling prophecy. because if anything the idea that trauma made wwx kinder oversimplifies the damaging effects it actually had on him. because it also made him reckless and (re)vengeful. it also gave him a messy saviour complex that repeatedly leads to ruin (like, man, when jiang cheng says to wei wuxian in anger, "wei wuxian, do you have a saviour complex?" he reads him very well. he knows him very well. in the same way wei wuxian knows that jiang cheng holds on to too much anger). wei wuxian's trauma is just as messy as jiang cheng's but it manifests in very different ways. different ways, not the right ways. wei wuxian's trauma responses hurt people too and you can acknowledge that. it doesn't make him Bad.

what seems to cause real issue though, is the differences in the way they respond to trauma. what causes real issue is that those differences are indisputably to do with certain symptoms jiang cheng displays being the more stigmatised ones. it's his anger and hatred and volatility. it's his very extreme fear of abandonment and equally extreme efforts to avoid it by furiously protecting what he has left because he cannot bear to lose anything or anyone else. it's his dichotomous thinking that can make him irrational. but those are not evil or wrong trauma responses. they're just trauma responses and they are actually fairly common trauma responses at that. certainly more common than "trauma made me kinder". i don't know who needs to hear this but a person's involuntary emotional responses to trauma are not an indication of whether they are a good person or not. you can struggle with anger and hatred and symptoms considered "less palatable" and still be a good person. trauma does not give "bad" symptoms to bad people and "good" symptoms to good people because there is no such thing as a morally good or a morally bad symptom.

people need to stop letting stigma inform their (mis)understandings of mental health and trauma and try to remember that there are real life people who suffer from the symptoms they are stigmatising and who face barriers every single day because of that stigma.

[spongeknife]

It might just be me (and I might get flames for this) but I think the SysTumblr Experience is really dumb (and counterproductive).

I started, many years and blogs ago, in this community to find support- to find people who could understand my experiences. I liked getting advice, I liked seeing the creativity people had during hard times, it was especially nice to see that people similar to me could recover and it helped me try again and again when I really thought I would be stuck in a nightmarish trauma hole.

I can barely stand interacting on Tumblr now. Nearly everything system related is washed up by the endo/plurality argument.

Tags I used to use to connect have become some sort of hidden message to show "which side" I'm on. I can't simply exist in any of the spaces I once could without fear of extreme backlash on "picking the wrong side."

And, terribly so, the loudest of each group- the most harmful ones- block out any sort of "good" I may have found before. I do not think everyone in syscourse is the problem, and there are a few small areas I've been able to find peaceful discussion (although, I do not want to find the only peace in debates - there is still a lack of space to just exist).

I also think, most importantly, Syscourse is too easily accessible. Many many times, I've seen literal children in this very tumultuous environment. I can't help but imagine when I was in middle school and grade school, and the shit I was going through at that time. What about now? Literal kids are being sent threats, either to each other or by adults. It's fucking disgusting, and I worried about the risk of reblogging a post and inadvertently directing aggressive syscoursers to a young account.

While it might not "technically" be my job to worry about children on the Internet, I in no way want to cause extra harm or damage to these kids who are just being kids (many of them seem like they're just young and trying to process what they may have been through, and/or are trying to identify who they are. I don't think that's something worthy of all the vitriol they get).

I'm rambling a bit, but my main point is that Syscourse is so unavoidable that all these "safe spaces" aren't really safe.

Are these fears irrational? Are they misplaced?

I'm at the point where I could care less what you label yourself as (I know, a seemingly controversial opinion), as long as you're not trying to hurt others or force your opinion on others (when it's unwarranted).

Being on Tumblr has become exhausting, 2015 Sponge would be in shock that I'm saying it (also I don't really post syscourse anymore, I just want to yell this into the void - I hope I'm not the only one alone in this feeling)

[annachum]

If Namor x Shuri were to actually become canon

I can totally see them having a slow burn former foes/rivals/political allies to lovers dynamic

Like :

. Being political allies had them work together in diplomacy and international relations related matters and such and find that they have even more in common than one may think

. Namor got his eyes opened to even more types of surface dwellers and realizes that....not all of them are like the Spanish colonisers that killed his dad 🤯🤯🤯🥺🥺🥺😭😭

. Namor eventually admitting that he feels guilty for inadvertently causing Ramonda's death ( THE ANGST )

. EVERYONE IN TALOCAN KNOWS THAT NAMOR IS SMITTEN WITH SHURI AT FIRST SIGBT

. That received mixed feelings from the Talokanis ( some are more hesitant, some others just joined the shipping boat )

. Shuri at first doesn't feel exactly the dame way yet gradually became torn between her growing attraction to Namor and tormented from even THINKING of forgiving Namor who inadvertently caused Ramonda's death ( THE ANGSSSTTTTT )

. The two eventually start to wear elements of each other's home domains' clothing at times in front of each other. They told their cohorts that it is ' to persuade Wakandans/Talocans even more ' YET ALL THE TALOKANIS KNEW HE AINT SLICK and some Wakandans picked that up too.

. Nakia understands how Shuri feels throughout the whole thing and tries her best to support and watch over her through the whole thing

. Riri ( who became an online friend of Shuri's after BP 2 ) was all like a hype woman like, ' GIRL THAT DUDE IS MF DRAGON AND HE LITERALLY GAVE YOU HIS MOM'S BRACELET '

Shuri : (in a facetime with Riri )Uh, Riri, we are just political allies, NOTHING MORE.

Riri :Yeah? Well, uh, how do you explain you SUDDENLY wearing more green jewelry that I see on your Instagram posts, hm? Care to explain?

Shuri : * face red * Uh.....

. Both suddenly found even more common ground in their shared hatred for Valentina Fontaine aka Madame Hydra

. Namor : Valentina is what us Talokanis call (in Mayan ) a piece of rotten fish

Shuri : * laughs loudly * Ku, I think she looks like a pig in some freaky Kardashian wig?

Namor : Are the Kardashians like.....the land people's version of nobility or something?

Shuri : * proceeds to show Namor some pics and clips of Keep up with the Kardashians *

Namor : * grimaces and laughs * Such vulgar behavior and dress style! And land people actually LIKE these stuff?!

Shuri : Yeah, well, SOME. Not me. I just heard stuff from some others and just laugh about it.

Namor and Shuri : * both roll over with laughter *

Aneka : * from a distance watching and excitedly filming the interaction *

Okoye : * watches with Aneka yet shakes her head with exasperation and being like ' I'm watching you, sea dragon man ' and trying to help Ankea contain her suppressed laughter *

. Thor ( whom I think that Namor will be friends with sometime after BP 2, or they are friends already before that )basically becomes a hype man for Namor and offers some advice on how to ' court a mortal lady '

' You should swim up to the shore, send her flowers, and just write love letters '

' Uh, wear more purple jewelry? My friends in Wakanda LOVR purple jewelry. '

' Maybe show her that you are actually good with kids!'

Namor : * groans * Thunder man, I appreciate your advices, yet Shuri is not like your lover Lady Foster. Plus, I have an army of nieces and nephews from both sides of my household tree that reside in different parts of the ocean and they ALL have a way to drive people nuts.

. And then when, after some time, Namor and Shuri FINALLY got together

Riri, Aneka and Thor just high five each other

Okoye just goes ' Hurt her again, and you're good as filleted ' to Namor

M'Baku basically just TRIES to challenge Namor in ' a series of challenges to prove that he is worthy of Princess Shuri ' yet Shuri was all like, ' Well, he passed them all before, has he not?' with a big smirk on her face.

🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯

[m0thisonfire]

Hello. This is a vent I had made around 12 am after seeing what frecklydork posted about my girlfriend. I have links to the post below, but perytonpred has good screenshots and is pretty much spot on in this.

Keri is an insecure child and a hypocrite. A hypocrite who has resorted to wanting to cause physical harm and wishing harm on someone. Someone dear to me.

I wrote this on a rage fueled whim with screenshots and questions. I’m only posting this now because I feel I need to fully express how angry she’s made me with threatening and dragging this out for as long as she has.

————————

Day two of new unfathomable rage towards a certain fucked up human who is so much more concerned with f/os and someone getting commissions with her favorite character.

Warning, there is nothing but hate and hate and hate under the cut

This is about the same fucker who is still posting about my girlfriend. She has now resorted to apparently wanting to hurt my girlfriend over a FICTIONAL CHARACTER.

Once again, I started talking to my gf back in June. I talked to her through July and throughout autumn and winter to today, and I am still blistering with rage at the fact this bitch is still acting like she’s the victim. Did things happen between the two? Of course. Is it as bad as she’s making it out to be? Fuck no.

Because I would not be in the spot I am without my girlfriend. My confidence, these characters and s/is, my desire to reach out and interact with and support more people. Faux Pas and Devanii making more appearances. They would not have happened if she hadn’t encouraged me. If she hadn’t shown interest and delighted in these characters with me. Nearly a whole year talking and her reassuring me I was worthy of having my art seen.

This fucker is a liar. There is no fucking way. I want proof. I want proof of this so called abuse of my girlfriend apparently tormenting her and convincing her that these characters want to hurt her. You want proof? You want a real kicker to why this person is a fucking liar?

Exhibit A!

Exhibit B!

Two incidents. Two incidents my girlfriend has comforted me and reassured me. Over characters I love who hated me. This contradicts everything that this person has been saying. About her convincing her these characters want her dead or would hurt her. She’s fucking lying about it.

I want proof from this person. I want the screenshots, I want the comms she claims my girlfriend had that hurts her so fucking bad, the ones where her s/i was replaced. I want her to stop fucking targeting my girlfriend for liking the same character as her. I want her to fucking own up and show proof.

Where is this comm? Why didn’t she mention it in her vent post? Show me the art of her s/i getting hurt and killed. Show me the image and artist. Show me WHERE.

And then we have this lovely post plus one that started this entire essay and a fucking half!!!

May I repeat over COMMS and FICTIONAL CHARACTERS.

And her daring to say she wants to put hands on my girlfriend over this. Over what she claims makes me so fucking mad. You want to talk about rage and hate?

I have been speaking to her the whole fucking time. I have been there throughout everything. And I can attest to certain moments that do not align with the story.

You want to talk about rage? Rage is watching a friend states away struggle and not being able to comfort them in person. Rage is watching them slowly decline over and over and hate themselves and apologize for things they shouldn’t have to apologize for. Rage is watching from afar while they have a fallout with a friend they thought was going to kill themself if they didn’t keep an eye on them. Rage is watching said ex ‘friend’ turn around and completely smear the image of the person concerned for them. Rage is watching from afar as they make vent after vent after vent bitching about fictional characters not loving her. Rage is getting to the point she says she wants to hurt your friend turned girlfriend. Over Fictional. Fucking. Characters and comms.

Rage is not “Oh my comfort characters and f/os have been ruined and I’m so mad and traumatized over someone else’s ides of them and seeing comms with them 🥺🥺”

Rage is the feeling of “If I ever fucking met you in public knowing what you want to do to someone I love, you better fucking pray you can back wanting to strangle someone, because you’re about to fucking test it out.”

I don’t even care about Tfp Starscream anymore. Watching this fucker talk about him and how she fucking obsesses over him makes me sick. Talk about ruined comfort characters, my fucking space dad is her fucking f/o and she says he’d hate my girlfriend.

That shits heartbreaking and disheartening. She can fucking have him, but she will not convince my girlfriend she is unworthy of love and respect. She complains about not getting it, but look at what she fucking posts! What she writes!! She has completely convinced my girlfriend Starscream wants to hurt her, the same shit she claims!!!

I’m so fucking mad. I hate this bitch. I want to confront her but I can’t. You want to talk about someone wanting someone dead? You have not met the rage of a sexually and religiously traumatized person who has nothing to lose but the person they love.

I have been abused too. I have suffered. I have been through the same, if not worse than this person. But I would actually kill myself if I said half of what she’s said. Just the thought makes me sick, I could never hurt anyone in such a way. But she has. She wants to be a victim and hurt. She’s a fucking hypocrite and I fucking hate her. She can lie all she wants, she’ll never be right in wishing harm on someone over this shit.

[aquaticptato]

Hey taters n' skaters! You can call me Tato (online alias for safety :P) and my pronouns are she/her!

This blog will be more for lurking than for posts, but if you want to occasionally see some random content that follows my hyperactive brain, feel free to stick around! I'm in lots of fandoms, but at the same time it feels like none at all, lmao.

Intro and Navigation! ✨

🩵💙🩵💙🩵💙🩵💙🩵💙🩵💙🩵💙🩵💙

Lil bit about me 🥔

🩵Tato

💙17

🩵She/Her

💙Biromantic, Asexual

🩵AuDHD

💙Roman Catholic ✝️(don't worry, not the kind who hates everyone and tries to force conversion. That's actually entirely what Jesus is against.)

🩵Favorite color: Any variation of blue!

💙Favorite food: Potatoes in their many forms (though some require bacon and cheese to be worthy)

🩵Favorite pastimes: Drawing, reading, writing random music that pop into my head, petting animals, playing Minecraft, watching shows

💙Music Taste: All over the place lol. Some of my favorite artists include:

Alan Walker

mididuck

Set It Off

Stessie

Sasha Alex Sloan

Hatsune Miku

Being Me The Horizon

{The Hazbin Hotel soundtrack}

LongestSoloEver

Lolirock

I Prevail

Motionless In White

Magnolia Park

Shawn Mendes

DJVI

Waterflame

Duolingo

C418

TheFatRat

💙🩵💙🩵💙🩵💙🩵💙🩵💙🩵💙🩵💙🩵

🥔Fandom Masterlist🥔

🍟Artwork Masterlist🍟

Tags for navigating my blog:

#tato shut yo bitch ass up - random thoughts and rambles

#tato reblogs art - reblogged art and fics (writing is a form of art that's why fics are included)

#whoa tato made something - my original work!!

#tahahato- memes/shitposts/humor I reblog

#tato dispenses knowledge- answering asks

#serious topic- serious things.

And of course, there will be fandom tags.

HOWEVER- I am too lazy BUSY to go edit the tags in all the stuff I've already posted/reblogged (cause it's a LOT). So anytime I edit my tag system, womp womp. Anything I posted before is still the same tags or lack thereof. Sorry, yes, confusing.

And for posts that date back to before I changed my alias to Tato, the tags are:

#aqua shut yo bitch ass up

#aqua reblogs art

#whoa aqua made something

#hahaqua

(no ask tag)

Next, VERY IMPORTANT thing:

💥⚠️DNI LIST⚠️💥

DO NOT under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES interact with my blog if any of the following applies to you.

🚫 You support the Israeli government (and the complicit countries such as U.S. of Ass) in the genocide of Palestine (NOTE: THIS DOES NOT MEAN NO JEWS OR ISRAELIS ARE ALLOWED. BUT IF YOU TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING THE RIGHT THING BY MASSACRING THE INNOCENT, FUCK OFF.)

🚫You support Russia in the invasion and massacres of Ukraine

🚫 You are homophobic

🚫You are transphobic

🚫You are biphobic

🚫You are aphobic

🚫You support J. K. Rowling (Harry Potter fans welcome, we can separate art from artist.)

🚫You are antisemitic

🚫You are anti-Muslim

🚫You discriminate based on any other religion or lack thereof

🚫You believe that your religion gives you the right to abuse others in the name of "preaching the truth"

🚫You are racist/xenophobic

🚫 You're a Trump supporter

🚫You are a ped*ph*le (M.A.P. IS NOT A VALID QUEER IDENTITY AND NEVER WILL BE, YOU CREEPS)

🚫You are a proshipper (INC*ST, PED*PH*LIA, AND R*PE ARE NOT OKAY, EVEN IN FICTION. THEIR REPRESENTATION IN FICTION SHOULD ONLY BE PORTRAYED AS NEGATIVE AND BE FOR THE PURPOSE OF EDUCATION ON SURVIVORS' STRUGGLES)

🚫You ship things that erase hard-earned canon representation (i.e. shipping Amity Blight with Hunter when Amity is a canon lesbian and Dana Terrace fought hard to include that rep)

🚫You are a zooph*le

🚫You DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ALL FURRIES AND THERIANS BECAUSE YOU ASSUME THEY ARE ALL ZOOPH*LES (THEY ARE NOT)

🚫You think abortion is not necessary healthcare or a human right

🚫You think gun reform is a stupid idea (SAY IT TO MY FACE, I FUCKING DARE YOU. BECAUSE I BET ANYONE WHO THINKS THIS HAS NEVER LIVED THROUGH THE TERROR OF A SHOOTING OR BOMB THREAT. LIKE I HAVE. SO SAY IT, YOU BITCH.)

(now, saying it's gonna be nearly impossible and be hard and take a long time, that's fine. But saying it's not important enough to even be worth trying gets you blocked here.)

🚫You support Autism Speaks

🚫 You discriminate against people with physical disabilities

🚫You discriminate against people with mental disabilities (THIS INCLUDES USING THE R WORD)

🚫You are over 30 (EXCEPTION: If I already knew you before you turned old [/j], you can stay)

Yes, the list is long, because UNFORTUNATELY there's a lot of different kinds of people who aren't welcome here.

🩷💜🩵🩷💜🩵🩷💜🩵🩷💜🩵

Aight, that's it! If you think you like the vibes, feel free to stay!

Sea you later!!

-🌊🥔

[makemywebsite1]

7 Unique Ways to Brand Your Website

Tired of pouring your heart and soul into your website, only to have it get lost in the vast sea of the internet? We've all been there. It's frustrating when your carefully crafted web design fails to make a lasting impression. But fear not, there are ways you can fix it, which you will be learning about in this blog post. 

The following 7 unique ways will transform your website, whether it’s a business website, personal blog, or professional portfolio. More importantly, they upgrade your online presence and set you apart from the competition.

So, let’s get started and turn your digital space into a captivating destination for your audience!

1. Create an Achetype

Why do so many websites seem the same? It’s mainly cause they don’t have distinct personalities to remember them by. So, many web designers create them for their clients’ web designs.

Just as in storytelling, an archetype embodies the essence of your brand, resonating deeply with your audience. Whether you're the Hero, the Rebel, or the Sage, infusing your website with a distinct personality creates an unforgettable experience. For example, Apple is the ‘visionary,’ and Microsoft is ‘the boy/girl next door.’

Use the same trick and elevate your website's identity.

2. Rethink Your Logo

Do you have a logo yet? Or is it adequately representing your brand? If your answer is NO to either of these questions, it’s time to rethink your logo design.

Your logo is the face of your brand, and giving it a fresh perspective can breathe new life into your online presence. Explore innovative designs, play with typography, or even consider animated logos for a dynamic touch. A well-crafted logo not only grabs attention but also communicates your brand's values and personality instantly.

3. Add a Blog Section

Blogging is a great way to stay connected with your audience. By blogging, we don’t just mean writing informative articles but more like documenting your business. Give your audience a peek into your business once in a while, and, you never know, it may be the turning point you needed all along.

From how-to guides to trend analyses to behind-the-scenes, the possibilities are truly vast. With such binge-worthy content, you will keep visitors coming back for more while strengthening your brand's authority.

4. Include Social Media

Social media engagement can either make or break a brand, as people's interactions can elevate your brand's visibility and reputation. So, integrating social media into your web design is like tapping into a bustling digital community. With nearly half the world connected through these platforms, brands like you need to strategise to enter this space and connect with potential customers.

Displaying social media widgets not only shows relevant information from other consumers but also boosts engagement with your brand. This integration opens up new opportunities and attracts potential customers to your brand, propelling it to greater heights.

5. Enable Easy Customer Service

Make customer service a breeze by enabling easy access on your website. Provide multiple channels like live chat, contact forms, and FAQs to address queries promptly. Streamlining customer support like this not only enhances user experience but also builds great trust and loyalty.

By making support readily available, you'll not only satisfy existing customers but also attract new ones, solidifying your brand as a reliable choice in the market. This will leave a positive impression on visitors and encourage repeat business.

6. Use Custom Colours and Patterns

If you want to inject life and vitality into your web design, there’s no better way than using colours and patterns. And to brand it, you use customised alternatives rather than the usual ones.

Choose colours that resonate with your brand identity and evoke the desired emotions in your audience. Incorporate patterns and textures to add depth and visual interest to your design. By customising these elements, you create a memorable visual experience that sets your web design apart from the rest.

So, make plans right away to move beyond generic templates and elevate your brand's unique aesthetic through colours and patterns.

7. Creative Display of User-Generated Content

Want to pique your audience’s interest? Grab their attention by showcasing their content on your website! Encourage users to share their photos, reviews, or stories related to your brand. Then, creatively display this user-generated content (UGC) on your site.

For example:

●       Create dedicated galleries

●       Highlight it on product pages

●       Feature it in your blog posts

UGC adds authenticity and builds trust with your audience, showing that real people love your brand. Plus, it's a great way to engage with your community and make them feel valued. 

Final Message:

Branding your website is more than just design—it's about creating a memorable experience for your audience. By implementing the strategies outlined in this article, you can transform your website into a powerful tool for building brand identity and connecting with your target audience.

If you need more help creating this experience for your audience, you can contact Make My Website—the finest yet affordable web design and SEO company in Melbourne. Let their expertise make your website shine!

[meanwhileinstasiville]

So I posted a long idea on Facebook, something I rarely do

And it's about openness rather than "being too boring" like Scott Adams the Dilbert guy suggested in one of his books. Me, I've been under a lot of microscopes federal and otherwise over the course of my life (since I was three or so and left a wiretapped phone off the hook).

So I can go back a lot. I'm solitary and anhedonic and have been since ever. I don't really have friends in the sense that, on the one hand, it was like being heterosexual kids first girlfriend. And OTOH, it was like my definition of friendship barely made it past acquaintance from stranger at school levels for my few friends.

I had a friend who's dad didn't think I was worthy of knowing him, who was connected to Chicago and government types, and thought also that my dad was Russian state security or something (don't ask).

I had two different friends who were analogs of the kids of a grocery manager down the road from my childhood home. (A fact I was well aware of) Also including these bizarre out of nowhere pass through non sequitur comments.

A scotsman who was pretty sure I'd shot someone when I was little after his parents, long story, told him not to play first person shooters in front of me. He's doing a stomp dance thing in my middle school age bedroom. Then, this other time, he's showing me how he can hold his breath and press his lungs while standing from doubled over "to black out". 300lb guy collapsing and I bet they heard that at either neighbors house (both neighbors known quantities to me even back then). He's speculating on behalf of someone else by making a guess and check noise. Twice.

A someone-suspected-mass-shooter, eventually expelled from an abundance of caution, connected loosely to the Italian diaspora. He wants to sleep in a hay bale fort the first time I stay over (vicariously trying to asthma kill me right out of the gate). He's asking about "the refrains from songs", Buffalo Springfield theorizing, does aikido rolls over the coffee table in front of his couch, and has this spooky reference pool like my Sicilian relatives are hiding in the curtains in his house or something (ask, but you don't want to know). "in varied forms" he comes to refer to a short list of our conversation topics by phone and otherwise. Because I'm trying to get to the bottom of this stack of coincidences so deep it feels like visiting a theme park. And he, curiosity peaked, is trying to reconcile what people are telling him so emphatically about me, with substance of our interactions. Because he's Italian. "Well if you slept with him..." about phil and what happened at shop n kart which was near the end of our interactions; presuming me gay. Following up with "don't try to kill yourself, don't become an alcoholic or something" because I had at that time, lived with about the opposite of a support system.

And I regularly got punished for both knowing how the systems worked, and also for having the problems that getting punished for knowing how a system works, causes.

Abraham Lincoln was the basis for my youngest friend fyi, because "have I not destroyed my enemy..." against the collective opinion of our respective parents.

And *I did* try to shoot my mom with a revolver when I was all of two because "don't eat that; you'll ruin your dinner". A fact and a part of my character that's never changed, and a fact I have to bear in mind *every time* someone finds a way to antagonize me.

Duck season, rabbit season, my dad said was life; the guy who doesn't know, the guy who knows, and the guy who thinks he knows.

[agentrouka-blog]

your post reminded me how embarassing Val was during the meeting with Selyse, like I would dance and sing the macarena naked every day for the rest of my life if that would convince someone to save my people from getting killed by a zombie horde, but kneeling was too much for Val's pride

To be fair, she does enter the meeting by taking a knee like Jon, and she does not let it show to Shireen that she wants her dead on first sight (they exchange polite conversation, even). But the moment it would count, when Selyse reacts badly to the information that the free folk will not kneel to Stannis, Val escalates the tension by being confrontational right away.

“Of course,” the queen went on, “the wildlings must first acknowledge Stannis as their king and R’hllor as their god.”

And here we are, face-to-face in the narrow passage. “Your Grace, forgive me. Those were not the terms that we agreed to.”

The queen’s face hardened. “A grievous oversight.” What faint traces of warmth her voice had held vanished all at once.

This would have been a great moment to not antagonize her more.

I don't disagree with Val's stance, only her inability to adjust to the requirements of the setting, although Jon had actually lectured her on why this was a time for maximum courtesy literally moments earlier:

“May I laugh when I kneel?”

“You may not. This is no game. A river of blood runs between our peoples, old and deep and red. Stannis Baratheon is one of the few who favors admitting wildlings to the realm. I need his queen’s support for what I’ve done.”

Val’s playful smile died. “You have my word, Lord Snow. I will be a proper wildling princess for your queen.”

A river of blood.

She did not need to lie or fake obedience, she could have bitten her tongue and left the talking to Jon. But she could not do it.

Instead:

“Free folk do not kneel,” Val told her.

“Then they must be knelt,” the queen declared.

“Do that, Your Grace, and we will rise again at the first chance,” Val promised. “Rise with blades in hand.”

The queen’s lips tightened, and her chin gave a small quiver. “You are insolent. I suppose that is only to be expected of a wildling. We must find you a husband who can teach you courtesy.” The queen turned her glare on Jon. “I do not approve, Lord Commander. Nor will my lord husband. I cannot prevent you from opening your gate, as we both know full well, but I promise you that you shall answer for it when the king returns from battle. Mayhaps you might want to reconsider.”

“Your Grace.” Jon knelt again. This time Val did not join him. “I am sorry my actions have displeased you. I did as I thought best. Do I have your leave to go?”

“You do. At once.” (ADWD, Jon XI)

Val contributed nothing to their cause, instead she felt the need to emphasize their willingness to engage in armed conflict.

Not helpful.

There's a clear progression in the chapter

from how Jon builds her up in his head ("a sight so lovely" when she has "dark-honey" hair, i.e. reddish, and blue eyes instead of grey, and looks like she belongs with Ghost, and "she would make a worthy wife for any lord")

to the decision to let her play the role of the princess ("Why not? thought Jon. They are all convinced she is a princess. Val looked the part and rode as if she had been born on horseback. A warrior princess, he decided, [...]", he even calls her "my lady" on the way)

to finding out exactly why not.

She is not what Jon projected onto her in his mind. Whatever he had expected of her in that meeting, she could not deliver, and her reaction to Shireen drives home the cultural divide even further.

She cannot operate in his world, the "worthy wife of any lord" this is not. She is not a "southron" (read: Northern) lady, but a woman of the free folk, just exactly as she had told him the day he sent her out to look for Tormund.

The fact that GRRM ends their interactions in ADWD on this note, at chapter 11 out of 13, but makes the two remaining mentions of her in Jon's mind about how she displeased Selyse and her thoughts of Shireen seems pretty telling. His idealized view is well and truly shattered. He understands who she is much better, but it no longer invites open admiration.

[blueprint-han]

[Image ID: A black picture with the title “HOW TO SUPPORT FANFICTION AUTHORS” written in bold caps lock, colored with a winter forest picture. End ID.]

Well, this post has been made countless times, but I’m making one too because I’ve seen a lot of people say they’re new to tumblr and don’t know the whole “reblogging is better than liking” rule and other stuff. So without any further ado, here are ways YOU can support the fanfiction authors. Now keep in mind this applies to almost every author out there, not just the stayblr fandom, so if you’re a silent reader (or even if you aren’t), I advise you go through this post. Warning, this is a fairly long post going into detail, so yeah. I still expect you, the readers to read this, and if you’re a writer, feel free to lmk if i’ve written smth wrong or if you want me to add something! ^^

In this post I’ll go into thorough analysis of the pros and cons of each of the methods listed here and how YOU as a reader can show the authors whose fics you read more love and motivate them to produce content.

WARNING; LONG POST! GOES INTO A DECENT AMOUNT OF DETAIL. NOT EDITED, EXCUSE ANY TYPOS.

#1 : LIKING !

I think this is basic common knowledge, and a lot of people tend to do this. When you like the post, the author sees it, you see it, and if the author has their liked posts accessible (which majority of the time they don’t), and if someone deliberately goes to check it, then they see it. See why so many authors say just liking does nothing? Only liking says “Hey, I’m gonna tell you your story is not that good by simply liking it and not sharing it with other people. :D”

♯ PROS:

You’re telling the author that you've read their fic, and either you’ve enjoyed it to a certain extent, or you’re just saving it to read for later.

Likes are seen by you, the author and anyone who has access to your likes (which, most people don’t).

♯ CONS:

If you ONLY like, you’re not really helping the author’s work reach a wide audience because this site isn’t Instagram. Reblogging is the only way people can SEE our works. I’ll cover more on that in the next section.

In a nutshell, liking is good! But you should most likely use it in a combination with the other stuff I’ve listed below, because just the like itself doesn’t really do much in giving the author any feedback or interaction on their fics.

To clear shit up; I’m not talking about those people who don’t read the story or appreciate it in the first place. I’m talking about those who appreciate the fic, like it, but don’t leave any sort of feedback to show that.

#2 : REBLOGGING !

This is SO, SO important. I cannot stress on this enough. Let me explain WHY so many writers stress on reblogging content: 

Tumblr’s tag system is inherently fucked up, and has grown more so over the year. I’m not kidding, at first, the fic either used to show up in the tags or it didn’t, but now, sometimes your fic can be REMOVED from the tags because of,,, idk tumblr tag shit. Anyways, as you can see, it’s very demotivating for authors at that point, because the major way for people to find their content and expand their blogs has been blocked.  

Due to this reason, tumblr authors need to RELY on you, their followers to help spread their works to a wider audience. Now again, before you get me wrong, I’m not saying you ae forced to rb our works regardless of whether you like them or not. BUT, that being said, if you DO infact like the story, there’s no harm in reblogging, right? By doing this you’re indirectly telling the author — “hey! :D I liked your fic! Which is why I am gonna share it to my followers so they can read it too :D” Trust me, you’re doing nothing but helping the people who produce content for you to read. Seems like a worthy cause to hit the reblog button, right? It’s only a one, or maximum two step procedure.

Leave tags in your reblogs! Trust me, as an author myself and as much as I know from all my author friends, we oft check the tags of your reblogs to see if you found any part amazing or even if you have anything to say about the writing we put so much hard work into. Even a key smash or a “This was so [insert adjective] 🥺” is enough to leave a smile on your authors face. 

♯ PROS :

You’re !! Sharing !! Your authors !! Works !! This leads to them getting more recognition, so for the content they’re so graciously providing for free, you’re promoting their blog and helping them expand it.

If the tags are being a shit, which majority of the time they are, then you’re literally making an author’s day by reblogging! You’re showing them that you, a follower and appreciator of their works are willingly sharing their content because it deserves to be seen by more people. Again before any dumb people decide to attack me, i am talking about people who like the fic but don't bother reblogging and are silent/ghost readers. I am not forcing anyone to read anybody’s work.

YOU’RE MAKING YOUR AUTHOR SO HAPPY WHAT MORE REASONS COULD YOU POSSIBLY WANT !! 🥺

♯ CONS :

Literally none, because as far as I remember no author is against reblogging of their works. It’s quite literally the way this platform functions. Reblogging is IMPORTANT.

#3 : COMMENTING/SENDING FEEDBACK !

This kind of overlaps with the previous section, but THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT STEP !! When you leave feedback, you are directly giving the author something so much more valuable to them than high follower/note counts or money. Your feedback is literally our serotonin. I kid you not the number of times I’ve received a positive comment and smiled and it has made my day. There’s a reason youtubers (though not the best example, bear with me here because it was the only one I could think of) ask people to subscribe, like and COMMENT. The subscription is like a follow, the like is ofc like a heart, and the comment is equivalent to an rb with comments in the tags. 

You might argue and tell me that a comment is basically like an ask so the reblogging step isn’t necessary, but I’m sure 99% of you use YouTube and you know that more comments leads to people’s videos boosted in the stream/trending charts. This is what reblogging does. Reblogging shares the piece with other people like minded, which leads to a boost in reads. You are literally helping your author grow.

It’s quite literally the same thing as youtubers. Youtubers NEED validation to keep their content creation going, so do writers, so do other ccs on this site. This post is however, focused on WRITERS, so keep that in mind.

♯ PROS :

By doing this, you’re giving author valuable feedback! It’s similar to what you do in rbing with tags. Interactivity with their fics boosts their note counts and helps expand their audience, so srsly, now think of it: your one comment is playing such a massive role to help ccs create more content.

Imagine how much of a difference the note counts will be in when every person who simply likes after reading the fic, reblogs, leaves a comment and sends an ask. the note counts would be high on each and every fic, which is validation in itself, but your comments would inspire the writer so much more! Please, don’t skip the commenting part. Even a simple one like: “this is so cute!” is wonderful. 

♯ CONS :

Remember, if you’re gonna give constructive criticism (which I’m sure you all are smart enough to know if different from hate), make sure the author is okay with it. Authors need to be in a specific mindset and must be ready to accept criticism, so if you’re gonna give constructive criticism to them when they’re at a low point, it may demotivate them.

Just commenting, instead of reblogging and commenting in the tags/ reblogging and then leaving an ask in their inbox, while it gives validation in plenty, will not lead to the author’s work being spread. Therefore I suggest either reblogging and commenting in the tags or reblog and then leave an ask, or comment under the fic!

!! reminder; I am not saying that if you don’t rb and just leave feedback, your feedback has no value. We authors truly appreciate every bit of feedback, but this post is aimed to help you learn how to interact with and support authors, and make them feel more motivated, because the current scenario of liking and scrolling is taking a toll on their creative abilities. Take it from a person who’s been writing for a year.

#4 : COMMSIONING VIA THEIR KO-FI/OTHER APPS !

Before any of you attack me, let me tell you that this is not a step that is 100% necessary to do. ONLY donate if you can and if you genuinely want to, and if anyone is forcing you to pay for something against your will, you need to get yourself out of there.

Regardless, if an author has a kofi and you’re able to and you want to donate, you definitely should! It’s also a valid form of support.

#5 : ADDING THEM ON REC LISTS/ RECOMMENDING THEM TO REC BLOGS

This is such an underrated option, to be honest. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve seen my fic was recommended onto some rec list and it’s made me smile so hard. If you like some fics, create a rec list! They’re oft very popular amongst the fans too. Making rec posts is such a great way to share your favorite stories with others. 

Rec blogs! I’ve seen a couple going around, and needless to say they are a great way to get someone else to read your favorite author’s work whilst also giving them your own feedback. These blogs oft accept recs via a form or ask box, and they leave your feedback along with their own, or else they’ll oft tag the author in the feedback post, so look! You’re basically helping your author share their fic to many more people, because you’ve given them feedback and a reblog.

♯ PROS :

Validation! Feedback! Reblogs! More exposure! Helping a blog grow! Spreading love! basically a run down of the stuff I’ve said before!

♯ CONS :

Literally no con of this. Unless, a one in a million case, this author says they don’t like receiving feedback/being tagged, and I’m sure NO person has said this before, at least none that I’ve heard of.

#6 : FINAL COMMENTS; MISC !

When an author points out about how the interactivity is drastically reducing, don’t just give them blind apologies. Yes, you feel sorry for not interacting as much, we understand, but rather show that you’ll become a better content consumer through your actions. We need to see that we’re not just throwing words into a void and that people are actually trying to be better content consumers. 

Understand the fact that authors don’t get paid for this, and 99% of the time, these authors don’t take commissions either. They’re giving you novel worthy writings for free. Take Percy Jackson: You think the author would have felt motivated to write the subsequent parts, let alone two whole series based off of it if literally no one showed that they were interested? Rick Riordan has sales, he is being paid, there are millions of people and big agencies who provide him feedback. Now take that huge amount and simmer it down to an audience of maybe 10000 people This is what fanfic authors want. They don’t want your money, nor are they telling you to risk your lives for them. All they want is, a reblog, some tags, some feedback, some INTERACTIVITY.  A sign that they aren’t throwing fics into the void and that people actually like them, some motivation to continue. Seems fairly easy to throw an rb with some tags, right?

Don’t bother to tell me that we do this for ourselves and we shouldn’t ask for likes and reblogs and feedback, because 1) you are consuming the content that we “write for ourselves” and 2) writers post their content here for interactivity and feedback. We could just not post and write and save our fics in our dungeon drafts for years. But we choose to post to entertain the readers, the consumers. And we aren’t even asking that much in return.

Don’t give me the whole “I’m scared that authors feel that comments are annoying” excuse either because seriously this has been DEBUNKED SO MANY TIMES. Istg, in the nicest way possible, if you still think writers are annoyed by interaction and feedback, after so many posts, long rants have been posted as to how we’re not, then you must truly be living under a rock. There, I said it. Please stop thinking this way, I’ll say it again, AUTHORS ARE NOT ANNOYED OF FEEDBACK, COMMENTS, TAGS, REBLOGS. WE LOVE IT. Saying this is like saying that the audience in a theatre play shouldn’t clap when the play ends because the actors would find it noisy. 🤡

I’ve seen some people saying they have anxiety issues and such, so pls note that I’m not invalidating your condition. If you’re trying to be more interactive, I really appreciate it! If you can’t, that’s fine too. You’re trying.

But for the people who have no reason other than feeling lazy to rb and comment, your lack of interactiveness is not excused. Please. Tumblr is a reblogging site. If you’re gonna consume content like authors are some sort of machines, I encourage you to go get some more perspective.

This site is not Instagram or the satan bird app. Your likes are appreciated but frankly speaking, they do nothing to the author except tell them “Hey i read ur fic but i'm not gonna support u :D” and honestly, that is detrimental to their creative capabilities and mental health. 

DON’T FOLLOW AN ACC JUST TO MINDLESS RB THEIR SIGNAL BOOST POSTS AND THEIR REBLOGS OF GIFS AND NOT INTERACT WITH THEIR WRITING AT ALL ! Trust me, authors prefer a lower amount of interactive followers than a high count that doesn’t even give them any feedback. Again your follows are appreciated, but when you’re following, you know the type of content the author creates, so the author expects that the more followers, the more interactivity. These days, this is just becoming the opposite. So don’t do it! If you’re gonna follow to read, interact with their works. I promise, this will make both you and the author happy. A win-win situation.

In conclusion: SUPPORT YOUR FUCKING AUTHORS! THEY ARE NOT MACHINES THAT HAVE NO FEELINGS TO PRODUCE CONTENT FOR YOU! FICS TAKE DAYS AND DAYS OF PLANNING, PLOTTING, OUTLINING, WRITING, EDITING, MAKING TEASERS. SO JUST SHOW THEM YOU APPRECIATE THEM WITH AN RB. IT’S THE L E A S T YOU CAN DO.

I will be liking this post here written by the lovely @chaninfused​ and @scriptura-delirus​ . Please take time to read it because if you weren’t convinced by my arguments, you will see how much frustration we as writers face on a daily basis. Please, just show support. Here is the post by @stayndays​ about how to get more people to read your work, because it also has a note on reblogging. Please educate yourself, and put an end to this mindless consuming culutre and bring up some interactivity.

If you’ve read this far, I want you to go to two of your favorite authors and leave some feedback in their inbox, and tag me in it (either tag me yourself or ask the author to do so, they won’t mind). Show your writers that our words are taking effect and you are becoming better consumers. I mean it. I’m serious. I want every single one who reads this post to do this. besides valid reasons, if you’re lazy to do this, you’re a part of the problem. PLEASE get more perspective.

Also, feel free to add to this post! I’d love to read your thoughts too, remember to be kind though. And, if I think your rb is somehow contradicting my points and is bringing down the reason I made this post, I will politely ask you to delete your comment, because this post is about being truthful about the harsh reality of tumblr consumers and how we can change it. I’m sure none of you will let it get to that point, though. <3 love you guys. 💓

And, just a reminder, don’t just blindly like this too. Do what I said before, and while I am not forcing you, I’d appreciate your reblog, because seriously, it took me 3 whole days to write this, plus, I’m sure this will help more of your followers understand the fault in consumer culture. haha, that’s it! This post was way too long uff.

also, this is ur cue to not be stupid in my inbox. You have something to say? Think I worded smth wrongly? I’m sure it wasn’t my intention to do so, point it out with manners. 

[witch-hazels-musings]

INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER REFERENCE : SCARAMOUCHE

(all insights are based on textual evidence from Genshin Impact & the character Wiki Page) - Hazel’s character analysis are not official, just analytical*

Song: Thunder - Imagine Dragons

“Eternity stretches things out over a long time. But each moment within it becomes all the more fragile”

General

Values: Control, Power

Love language giving: --- (distorted)

Love language receiving: Acts of Service

not well liked by the other harbingers - either he is stubborn and disagreeable, or overly talkative and arrogantly confident - insults and put-downs are common with him;* there is a great lack of empathy

is coy enough to slip in close to his target without any suspicion and ruthless to strike when the timing is right (see “the crisis deepens” quest)

fully believes in the Tsaritsa and the Fatui - when sharing what they did in Inazuma, he says “we” frequently and fervently believes he was giving people exactly what they wanted “power” that was inaccessible to them (see “inazuma archon quest”)

constantly annoyed by those around him not meeting his standards - he wont hide his dissatisfaction and will openly show/voice his irritation (he’d much rather handle the most important things on his own, which is a good idea because failing him would be a terrible outcome) - will not tolerate insubordination  (see “the crisis deepens” quest)

Behaviors:

Introverted*

Open Body Language - spreads his arms wide, will make forceful gestures with his hands (pointing, dismissive wave of his arm, a sudden burst to show his seriousness), lifts chin up to look down at whoever he finds less worthy than him (which is almost everyone), crosses arms, furrowed brow, frown. Sits proud, sprawled out - takes up more space than he needs to

Environmental impacts - he is poised and self-possessed, around other Fatui he doesn’t believe he needs to prove himself because he knows he’s better than them. Alone he may be more relaxed and laid back, but his demanding attitude and desire for submission will not be absent no matter where he is or who is around him 

Dialogue:

he’s 100% that villain who will monologue because he knows he’s won, but if there is a better deal to be gained from an interaction he may be willing to take the offer (see “Inazuma archon quest”)

tone of voice: disinterested, rough, condescending

condescending, direct:

“… now we will just let the premise of power draw in the weak.” // “...take your friend in the resistance for example. There’s nothing you can do now. He’s a lost cause. Just like a bubble in the water. Beautiful for a moment, then total destruction.” // “... the more incompetent they are, the more likely they try to fight it. It’s such a farce.”

word choice: ruthless and simple, he is more likely to sound ‘mean’ than most of the characters and if you feel like your dialogue is a back-handed complement or a slight to the person he is talking to / about - you done did good

Other observations / info

Is a puppet created as a test to house the vessel of the Raiden Shogun, she did not wish to kill him and instead, sealed his power & set him free to wander without support -- this is how he was found by the Fatui 

likely to be very possessive of what he considers his and will ruin anyone who stands in his way or limits his access to his belongings 

items marked with * are canonical

I may add to this as I think of other things or increase my analysis*

@dourpeep​ -> Peeps Scaramouche Analysis (check this out!!) 

main post

[vina-writes]

Ten Favorite Drarry Fic Recs

I’ve reached a bit of a follower milestone, and I thought, why not celebrate? I’m happy! This is an incredible feeling that I honestly can’t fully articulate in writing. Knowing someone enjoyed my work and presence enough that they’d want to be notified if I posted again just makes me squeal and want to hug everyone from joy!! Thank you to anyone who has ever left me kudos, a comment, a tag, a note, an emoji, a tag emoji!! I am endlessly grateful to you all for this support and kindness.

Now, since it’s party time, I’ve compiled a personal list of my ten favorite Drarry fics to share the love. This is by no means a stamp of quality (as there are thousands of brilliant fics out there) and neither is it a guarantee that these are everyone’s cup of tea. But they are certainly my cup of tea— my whole buffet honestly.

I chose fics that made me feel deeply. Fics that made me cry, laugh, throw my phone, squeal and wiggle and dance at the end. These (mostly) weren’t fics which answered deep philosophical questions. They were fics which instead showed me love and adventure, joys and betrayals, misunderstandings and occasionally unbelievable (but appreciated) levels of smut (you know who you are). These are stories I read to be entertained, entranced, delighted, and happy. These are stories that made me feel in love.

In honor of that (and of my Canva addiction) I’ve made little banners for each. I hope they do some justice to these works. I’ve tried to capture the feeling of each fic in just one image. Without further ado, read on to find out exactly what my guilty pleasure (as if Drarry isn’t enough) is:

The Songbirds of Avebury Manor by Tessa Crowley [E, 18k] 

Summary: Harry Potter presents as alpha at fifteen, and it is supposed to change his life for the better. Instead, it leads him to a beautiful noble omega he cannot have, a political plot he cannot escape, and a threat on his life.

This story. Oh my stars, this story. What can I even say to properly express how I feel about it? This is the Romeo and Juliet, the Pride and Prejudice, the Hades and Persephone of Drarry. Reading this made me feel like an unwedded Victorian lass waiting for her Prince Charming. It’s a wonderful Historical AU that throws around power dynamics and questions of who is worthy of love, freedom, and respect despite them. This is a brilliant portrait of deep romantic love. Harry’s dedication to Draco is all-encompassing, beautiful, intense, intimate— earth shattering, really. The way they fall in love despite class and situation made me want to cry and write poetry. This is a true fairytale romance.

The Pirate and the Prince by @nerdherderette​, maniacani [E, 49k]

Summary: Draco can't believe that fate and circumstance have made him a stowaway on the Master of Death's ship. He doesn't know what's worse: the dread pirate's legendary vendetta against the aristocracy, or the fact that his captor is the most infuriating yet irrefutably fascinating man Draco has ever met.

The moment I started this story I knew it was going to be an instant favorite. It’s swashbuckling, debonair yet disheveled, dangerous, fun, adventurous— everything you could desire from a romance on the high seas! Though they come from very different backgrounds, this Draco and Harry are a power couple to the core. Their romance is once again beautiful, intense, and dedicated, but this time it’s mixed with a healthy dose of self-exploration and mutual acceptance. But apart from romance this fic holds delicious secrecy and identity issues, an astounding knowledge of sailing ships, plenty of piratey shenanigans, some heart-wrenching found family dynamics, a cursing parrot, and a glorious angst with a happy ending finale! 

Soup-pocalypse and the Great Curry Cataclysm by SquadOfCats [E, 104k]

Summary: Eleven years after the war, Draco Malfoy leads a quiet, boring, and perfectly respectable life, thanks very much. Or, at least he does, until a sudden and very unexpected veela awakening causes him to throw soup all over Harry Potter in the middle of the Ministry cafeteria.

What can I say about Soup-pocalypse? It will lure you in with tales of Veelas and romance, and then it will kidnap you and throw you in cooking class and therapy. You’ll come out wondering what just happened and how two days have passed. There will, of course, be Veelas and romance aplenty, but it will be a caring romance, a familial romance, a supportive and kind and nurturing romance. This story feels like family, good cooking, sunny days, the deep heartbreak of change, and through all of it, the truth of a real and solid partnership. This is the humorous yet angst-ridden tale of two idiots learning to love as adults, and then in turn learning to face the world together.

you’ve got the antidote for me by Kandakickass [M, 20k]

Summary: When Harry Potter unintentionally severs their soulbond before it can fully form, Draco Malfoy resigns himself to a slow death and decides not to burden Harry with a soulmate he's made it very clear he doesn't want.

He's never been selfless before, but for Harry, he can try.

Right then. On to the angstiest story I’ve ever read and truly enjoyed. Not just enjoyed, adored! Worshipped! Come back to time and again whenever I needed a good cry! Here is the beauty of it: this fic is deeply painful and heartbreaking, yet it steers clear of emotions like disgust and discomfort. Never once was it disturbing— only sorrowful, in the purest and most heart-wrenching way. Yet despite the pain strung throughout the majority of it, this fic left me feeling relieved and rejuvenated, the way one feels after crying their heart out over something simple. It’s an emotional release that does not leave you broken.

On the Last Day of Our World by Sansa [E, 84k]

Summary: During a detention, Harry and Draco get locked in a strange room together overnight. When they escape the next morning, they discover they are alone. Love, angst and adventure abound as they struggle to survive in an empty world.

Truly one of my favorite takes on canon divergence. Truly. This is an exploration of isolation and the joys and comforts that come with it. It is the power couple Drarry to rule them all— a Draco and Harry so strongly connected, in love, and attuned to one another that the world could fall at their feet. This story leaves you on the edge of your seat until the very bitter end— one of those where the second things are briefly peaceful the world goes up in a new set of flames. Those of you who daydream about a partnership that needs no others, two souls who are each other’s family, friend, and future, and would gladly abandon everything to spend eternity alone together: this is for you.

The Arc of the Pendulum by brummel [E, 30k]

Summary: After his father casts a mysterious curse on Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy is forced to try to make things right.

Yes. YES. YES!!! The Beauty and the Beast take you didn’t know you needed! Still canon-compliant to an extent, this is realistic and raw and incredible. Draco makes the choice to help Harry here, and the vulnerability of their interactions while Harry struggles with the curse is everything you could hope it to be. There’s a distinct fairytale atmosphere in this fic— both of them confined together, finding support and comfort in one another while struggling through the effects of the curse, and falling in love along the way. I could write sonnets about the ending using my tears for ink, but they shan’t be revealed here.

Picking Up Pieces by Tessa Crowley [E, 43k]

Summary of Part One: Fifteen years after the War, Draco is a social recluse and award winning author. Harry is an auror who works too hard, ensuring his old war wounds never heal. They meet at a masque ball, unaware of each other's identities. In another situation, it would have been love at first sight. But for them, it would never be so simple.

Picking Up Pieces deserves no introduction, but if you haven’t read it yet, please find a blanket, and cup of tea, and a quiet place to read, cry, and recover. I sobbed my little heart out through the entire second half— the tears were really never ending. How does it end up on a reclist by a fluff lover like me? The answer is similar to Antidote— though this story broke me apart, it was never twisted nor ugly, never disturbing. It was an incredibly touching tale of redemption, forgiveness, human nature, and recompense. The writing does put you through the emotional wringer, but it leaves you relieved and whole. I would lay down my life for this Draco. He truly needs to be protected and loved at all costs. Even though I’m usually careful when recommending heavy stories, I would encourage everyone to read this— it made me feel new, it made me feel like I’d spent an hour crying in the shower, but most of all, it really did make me happy.

Two Trees by LakeWitch [E, 36k]

Summary (shortened): In his Eighth year at Hogwarts, part of Draco Malfoy's probation is to see a Mind Healer once a week. Another part, unfortunately, is having to take Muggle Studies.

It wouldn't be so bad, really, if it weren't for the mandatory outing—a 'field trip'—booked at a Muggle lakeside retreat for the better part of five days. [...] Draco is determined to get it all over with as painlessly as possible. He'll keep his head down, and stay out of everyone's way. That is, until Pansy tells him—at the very last moment—that she's schemed to have Draco stay in the same room with Potter for the whole trip.

Just the two of them... in one room.

This is the comfort fic of all comfort fics. It feels like camping, like sitting by a lake in the sun, like marshmallows over a fire and sparks against a starry sky, and cool, feather-soft hotel sheets. Draco is dealing with several different anxieties here, but the brilliant setting and easy plot turn them into a cathartic read. This is a fic about young love and the ability to build bonds on trips. It made me remember my first crushes and the feeling of getting breakfast in a hotel lobby. There’s cuddling, there’s love, there’s some highly emo Draco (both warranted and unwarranted), and there’s a truckload of nature. Go read it!

Your Place Or Mine? by @l0vegl0wsinthedark​ [E, 26k]

Summary: "This person is so much harder to hate. And I’m supposed to hate Malfoy. How the fuck else am I supposed to limit this to just sex?" 

At first I was like, “Damn, Harry,” but then I was all, “Damn Harry!” but then I went, “DAMN Harry!” (interspersed with a lot of whistling and cursing). I could have slapped him, and you will want to. This is another Draco that deserves endless love and hot chocolate, with a Harry that deserves a good smack. I think about this fic weekly, and not just because it’s endlessly hot— although it is scorching hot, like how do you even write something that hot type of hot. Draco’s pining and Harry’s stupidity makes for the angstiest yet most satisfying friends-with-benefits-but-really-there’s-more combination, and the climax (pun intended) and resulting spill of emotions is everything anyone could hope for. Ten out of ten.

The Courting by the Pureblood Who Only Has Five Milligrams of Romantic Intelligence and Thinks He’s Real Smooth by @cibeewastaken​ [T, 19k]

Summary (shortened): Draco could grab Potter and shove him into a stall before proceeding to suck his soul out of his dick, but secretly, deep down, in the part of Draco that he will never admit to anyone, he is (everyone pauses to shudder) a romantic. Potter is not someone Draco wants a one-off with. Potter is — Draco’s beloved!

So Draco decides to boldly go where no one has gone before: to put himself through scrutiny; their friends’ teasing and pranks; unsound romantic advice from a house-elf; wearing pretty clothes; all to try and win Potter’s heart through courtship...

This thing of beauty is exactly as hilarious as it sounds. However, it is so much more than the endless laughs (although there are many). It is sweet, tender, touching, and filled with glorious pining and misunderstandings. Inside you’ll find extravagant (the word was literally invented for Cibee’s Draco) outfits, confusing customs, a blanket that brought me to tears, one badass house-elf, one very confused beloved, absolutely no fornication (wink), and one hopelessly smitten pureblood. Be warned, this fic is actually three “What the fuck, Draco?”s in a trenchcoat. I read it when I want to laugh, facepalm, and submerge myself in the adorable stupidity that is Draco Malfoy in love. It is well worth your time and is sure to bring a smile to your face.

With this final fic we conclude my list on a happy note! It’s long, it’s tedious, and I had a spanking good time writing it. I hope these bring some joy or happy tears to your day.

Love, Vina 

[ravens-words]

I cannot believe there are 400 of you who saw my mess of a blog and decided it was worthy of a follow. Without you all, the past year would not have been nearly as fun, chaotic or productive as it turned out to be.

Thank you to each one of you. I appreciate you all so much 🌸

Now, onto the fun (I hope) stuff:

Send me a 🥀 + a ship and a combination of an angsty prompt and a soft prompt from these lists and I'll write a drabble for you.

Ships I Write For: Tarlos, Buddie and Malex.

♤ Send me a character/ship + an idea/au and i’ll write my thoughts about it

♤ Send me a ship or fandom and I'll rate it

♤ Ask any questions about any fic, whether it's posted or a WIP. Talk to me about one of my fics! tell me your thoughts!

♤ Send me 🍁 and a ship/character and I'll give you my top 3 fics about them.

♤ Send me 🎶 and I’ll shuffle my music library and give you my favorite lyric for the song I land on

👀 Ask me anything you want and I’ll answer truthfully (scout's honor)

Anything other than the fic requests can be sent on or off Anon!

I would love to interact with all of you, but please know that I tagged you to show appreciation and that you absolutely do not have to interact at all if you don't want to 🌸

@cosmiicmalex AJ, my best friend. Thank you for being you. I am so grateful that I got to know you. Talking to you was a decision I will always be happy that I made. Without your encouraging words, and your pushing, I wouldn't have posted my first tarlos fic and I wouldn't have gotten to join the 126 discord family that I love so much. Thank you for listening to my rants, and for enjoying them (and occasionally setting me off, on purpose). I love you 💛

@laelipoo Jen, your friendship means so so much to me. I love our talks, I love our angsty brainstorming sessions, I love goading you and I absolutely love causing chaos before you had your morning coffee. I love you 💚.

@excusemyfrenchgh Elle, my first friend ever on tumblr!! I still remember how frustrated I was when I couldn't find any Malex shippers who loved Max too, posted about it, and you responded. I am so so happy you did. I appreciate you so much, baby. I love you ❤

@alwaysablossom S! My twin in almost everything lol. Your friendship means the world. Your support means the world. Thank you for being my friend, and thank you for bullying me into watching the Rookie, and suffering through my detailed rants about it. I love you 💜

@djdangerlove you are a ray of sunshine and I'm so grateful I got to know you. Your friendship and your talent are two things I'm incredibly lucky to have in my life. I love you 🖤

@lenscribbles Len!! We don't talk as much as we used to, but you have such a special place in my heart, friend! Our Pynch talks were always epic. I love you ❤

@iwonderifyouwonderaboutme Becca, you lovely human, your friendship and our talks are a bright spot in my life. I love you 🧡

The 126 Discord family:

@lire-casander @alilypea @aliceschuyler @immortalstrand @miss-macca @pragmaticoptimist34 @ourdiningroom @noxsoulmate @morganaspendragonss @daniela-bella @breannacasey

RNM/911/LS mutuals

@lambourngb @lovecolibri @theviewofmylife @alexmanesss @capmanes @el-gilliath @sabrinachill @idealuk @aliencurls @gra-sonas @manesalex @tylerjblackburn @angrycowboy @bluenet13 @maddieandchimney @loveyourownsmiilee @actuallysara @dearbuck @futures-tense @imcatchingteardropsinmyhands @diazchristopher @buckybarnesalways @silvarafael @221bsunsettowers @christopherismybuddie @reyescarlos @silvarafael @rafael-silva @alberthan @evanbuckleys @outrunningthedark @justsmilestuffhappens

Stupid tumblr won't let me tag more than 50 people, so I can't tag all you wonderful mutuals 😭

[brandnewhuman]

Hey babes, can I have a slasher matchup? Appearance wise I'm 5'6 with long red hair and blue eyes the way I dress is either is super fem dresses, skirts putting a lot of effort into my appearance ect. Or an absolute bum. I have a bubbly, outgoing I'd like to think I'm pretty perceptive and have a good nature, I think my cons are my emotionally, people pleasing and being disorganized. The way I love can come off as intense(?) Meaning I don't hold back on expressing that I'm interested in someone, I'm very passionate and spontaneous I think my love language torwards my partner is acts of service and gifts. My hobbies include rollerblading, skateboarding, drawing and gaming.

Thank you for your wonderful content :)

I paired you up with...

♡Brahms Heelshire♡

YOU GOT ME ALL EMOTIONAL AND SHIT AWW. 

No seriously thanks to all of you who have been nothing but kind and supportive. 

Now let's get to the juicy content

Brahms, my stinky wall man, my beloved. I had to admit I did have to think about it a little bit because I wanted to give you a perfect match and finally I decided that none other than Brahms could be the one for you. 

First of all I feel like the whole either dressing up or just putting whatever is something that resonates a lot with brahms. He would sometimes get all nice and fancy for his pretty y/n but other times he feels the weight of the world on his shoulders so he would appreciate the fact that you too seem to have days where you don't really wanna wear anything special. 

Now while he can have a really volatile temper, his personality tends to be more on the shy and soft introverted side. He has spent all his life behind a wall, having only his parents as human interaction. The fact that you can be the outgoing one and kinda manage the conversations ecc is going to make him a lot more comfortable. He likes that you're perceptive cause that saves him a lot of troubles trying to convey in words things he can't really explain

Unfortunately I have to say Brahms might take a little bit of advantage of you being emotional and a people pleaser (i know, what a bummer) but i don't think he does it on purpose. 

As I said in a few of my posts his whole life he has been fighting for everything and to show he's worthy of love and understanding. Somewhere along the path he has lost sight of how he has to treat someone in order to win their love. He's going to kind of guilt trip you a lot and tends to manipulate your good intentions but fear not! He loves you and he wants more than anything for you to love him back, like truly love him and not just fear him so if you talk to him he will do his best to change. 

About being messy, well he actually enjoys putting things in place ecc so if you ask him he will help you (obviously you would have to give him extra kisses after for being a good boy!) 

When i tell you that this man absolutely adores how intense is your love for him…oh lord

He's on cloud 9, that's how much he likes you and your attention. He needs a lot of reassurance, at this point you can't even say he's touch starved, he's straight up love starved. He has never had someone who would just like to show him love without him having to do something remarkable to get it you know? So it's actually really perfect you're like this. And he's not going to hold either!! 

About your hobbies, I think he would love to play video games with you. He would be an animal crossing type of person I'm sure. 

I can almost see him running to you super excited to show you his little house all decorated ♡♡ 

Plus I think everyone will agree that brahms is  mind blowing talented at drawing.  He would spend whole evenings with you, drinking tea, listening to music and drawing in a comfortable silence 

This matchup made me think about this song

[youwontlikethisblog]

The Art of Subtlety in YSBTLF

Now I have yet to really talk about Betty and her development. Currently I'm on the episode where Betty goes to the bank to secure a loan through Terra Moda and it got me thinking.

Slowly we've been seeing the change from Armando's behavior towards her. Now it's been very subtle. One of my favorite scenes that display's the subtlety of his behavior is when Betty and him are being driven around by Don Hermes.

Right as they are leaving the building where they went to sign some documents to start the process of Terra Moda seizing Eco Moda Betty and Armando are talking.

She often jokes about her ugliness and as a person who in society has been outcaste by the mere fact I'm fat, I get that. We don't use it as a way to downplay our worth, better yet to find the humor in something that hurts us deeply. This is something Betty does often. Usually Armando agrees or goes along with it. The scene however caught my attention because after Betty jokes that she didn't get hired due to her ugliness she laughs and walks away and Armando stays behind and nods slightly, as if understanding that her ugliness could cause that BUT we then hear Don Hermes lovingly say "My beautiful daughter, did everything go well?" and Armando's face lights up. He sports a slight smile and stares at Betty as she laughs and tells her dad that everything went well.

The more I watch this show the more I realize that we see a lot of contrast between Betty and Armando's personal lives. While Betty's parents are very present in her life, constantly at the fore front of her ethics and morals as well as there to keep her grounded and realistic, though at times one can assume over baring and over protective, her parents love her deeply and you can tell. They treat her as their most precious possession.

However Armando's parents are a different story. His father always expects the worst of him, his mother coddles him but with conditions. His parents are only ever shown or involved when it comes to the company and/or his relationship with Marcela. Often when they do talk it's always about the company or again the relationship he's in with Marcela. It never goes more than that. We don't see them interact outside of that which causes that parental relationship to seem cold and distant. Kind of like a trophy child. Not really there to celebrate or show love when times are bad. Just there when things are on their terms. They show more interest in Daniel, Marcela, and Beatriz than they do to Armando and even then it's not saying much. In shorter terms, they suck.

So this scene in particular is one of my favorites for that reason. We see Armando, who at first was annoyed and being all pipirs nice to then engaging in conversation, joking, and letting his guard down and that's the thing. Often we see Armando with his guard up but around Betty slowly we begin to see him let his guard down.

Now in particular the reason why I bring this up is because from the get go I've always been interested in the complexities that Armando's character offers, but Betty is this different story. While Armando is complex in dark ways, Betty is complex is light ways. Her complexities aren't a form of harm rather a form of self preservation but still seeing the best in people, while Armando's complexities are in self preservation at the cost of others.

They both struggle in a sense with self worth. While Betty's self worth is rooted in her image and the way society treats her due to her not being societies beauty standers, Armando's self worth struggles are deeply rooted in his person's worth. Meaning that he doesn't find himself worthy as a human if he isn't succeeding, which makes him extremely arrogant. Betty's insecurities make her extremely humble and though being humble isn't a bad thing when there is no balance, her self worth is to the ground and due to this she allows people to step all over her and she often is a people pleaser because of this.

She lets people push her around and doesn't stand her ground when people are rude to her about her appearance. She does when it comes to her work but not as person and because of this she begins to idolize Armando because, unlike everyone before, he sees her as a person, when it comes to work.

This draws the lines, clean and crisp lines.

At work Armando defends her. He defends his decision to hire her. He defends her degrees and her experiences as an economist. This means a lot to her, because as mentioned before, she wasn't getting hired due to her "ugliness" and here comes a man that looks past that and hires her over the pretty one. We understand Betty's crush. We understand why she begins to idolize him even though he shows really crappy behavior at times.

First he constantly yells at her, laughs behind her back, allows his best friend to secretly see her as if she were this attraction in the tent of strange and ugly phenomena at the circus. To then being subtly annoyed when certain people mock her and make fun of her, though this gets him half points because he still allows his best friend to do this.

To end my analysis of Armando's behavior towards Betty up to this point I'll say that as this continues Armando begins to soften up towards her and while no one else picks up on it, Betty does. Which feeds her idolization of him.

Up to this point of the show Betty has been unconditional, even when she has needed to set aside her true feelings for him, she places his before her own. With Claudia, instead of ruining his night she stayed in the room all night long to which later we see Armando feel guilty over it but he gets no gold stars over that. That was a dick move.

Betty constantly shows loyalty, unconditionality, support, and most of all, team work. When he fails she always places herself to take the blame with him. She doesn't let him feel alone in his failures. Betty truly shows to love him. As a friend, as her boss, and as a girl who idolizes him and this moves him because to this point Armando hasn't had that. His parents do not show him unconditionality. His fiancé shows no team work or support and his best friend... he sucks. He is a terrible friend. Here is this girl who gives him all of this and for what? She doesn't ask for anything in return except to work for him. That's why we see the subtle change in him and Betty deserved that and more.

When they went to that cocktail with RagTela, where Armando started to hit on Ms. Colombia, I forgot her name, Betty doesn't seem jealous or hurt by that. In fact she seems unbothered and stayed in her lane, once again the lines being crisp and clean. However later on, when Betty tells Armando that they've got a meeting with Macro Textil and she sees Armando's face light up and ask how he looks, we see a subtle change, jealousy. She showed some of that with Claudia but Armando probably interpreted that as Betty being frustrated that due to that she had to sleep in the office that night. Here he doesn't pick up on it. She laughs dry only to cover her tracks and gets the man his cologne and throughout their meeting with Macro she shows to be a good wing-woman, minding her business of course.

Now let me skip some scenes. They're trying to negotiate a payment plan with Macro Textil. At this point what Armando has said isn't very convincing and Betty steps in, our bright Betty manages to say stuff that makes them think over their offer. At this point Armando has had all eyes on Ms. Colombia but he turns to watch her, with a slight smile on his face, a brief second of staring at her lips and completely absorbed into what Betty is saying and doing.

Now I want to bring us back to the main scene of this post. Betty sitting across her old boss. We have seen two scenes of her old boss and her interact before. Not only to drive the plot, but I believe to show the difference between a boss who was fond of Betty, after all he did say he was happy and pleased to help her with Terra Moda after being her boss for two years and a boss who is... more than fond of her but confused about it(to be fair Armando is so stupid when it comes to feelings the dude isn't even aware he's got them to begin with.) Betty's behavior is respectful and friendly towards her old boss. You can tell she's comfortable talking to him and so on and her old boss is the same. He's respectful and friendly towards her.

Why do I think this is important to the plot of the story?

It got me thinking. When I was working I got pretty close to my manager. He was married and older than me and we got along great. We talked, we joked, we had work discussions and we'd talk about life and stuff. However it was always very respectful and friendly, like a boss and their employee. My manager was very gentleman like. He didn't let me carry heavy stuff(As a fat woman I'm not used to that lol) however the line was there, Boundaries were there. Obviously we didn't have conversations that were too personal or even that personal at all. I could see Betty and her ex-boss being the same. A simple boss to employee friendship but if I had a... ship of sorts with my boss like Betty does with Armando my sensors of red flags would be blaring.

Think about your greatest friendship with one of your bosses. It's respectful and friendly but you don't cross lines, right?

Now I keep comparing their behavior to my manager's and mine.

That is why they show us, unlike with all the other Banks Betty has talked to, their interactions. To show a clear and distinct line of work related ships. Her ex-boss is truly fond of her but he doesn't cross boundaries and neither does Betty.

My ex-manager was respectful and we talked like an older brother and younger sister would. That was our work dynamic.

Betty's behavior has always been respectful and friendly towards Armando. Their work dynamic has been that she's the smart one and he's the pretty one and it works for them.

Betty's emotions start to blur when Armando's behavior towards her starts to blur. We go from seeing back to back scenes that show separate life styles and personal lives to having them blend in and once their personal lives begin to blend in so do their work lives.

During this day, before Betty goes to talk to her old boss, we are shown the scene when she tells him that Macro Textil was on their way to sign a contract with them that very day. Armando is between Betty and Mario and he talks to Betty. Constantly saying "Betty we did it!" and things along those lines but after each sentence he goes to Mario and repeats the same thing up until he goes to hug Betty.

[EDIT: This allows us to view Armando's personal dilema. Your brain often blurts the first thing that comes to mind and seeing as Armando isn't that bright when emotions are involved, he blurts out the first thing that comes to mind and that is Betty. His first thought is to talk to Betty, to celebrate with her (since she is the reason why that business deal is even happening) but he is prioritizing her, picking up on it and then going to his best friend to celebrate it as well. It shows us subtly the change in him.]

He doesn't even do that to his best friend. Once again, the lines blur. Armando is the first person in this work related relationship to blur the lines and Betty follows suit.

Yes, the hug was work related. Yes he was excited over the fact they could release the new fashion collection they'd been working on BUT he hadn't done that for other deals that they had managed. He didn't do that with the first collection he launched. He's hugged her, up to this point, two other times. Once after the meeting with Daniel where Betty gave him lessons on economics and later when Betty was crying.

This is their third hug. I'm not reading into that hug but what follows before and after.

As I said when writing we're told to keep what drives the plot, character development, and overall story; everything else is thrown out the window. So these subtle changes, behaviors, and quirks we begin to see coming from Betty's interactions with Armando explain why it was so easy for her to be manipulated by this man. They are important because they are meant to show us what is okay and what is not. What is normal and what is not and in small ways their work dynamic begins to shift and the first person to do that is Armando.

because he didn't feed the illusion of love when that sinister plan was created, he fed it when he started to get confused about her. When he started to blur the lines.

Betty didn't just idolatrized him because he defended her work. She did it because he fed her feelings towards him. When Betty showed loyalty he showed to be more fond of her. He went from constantly yelling at her, being indifferent towards her, to trying to watch his tone and temper. When Betty showed unconditionality he showed kindness. When Betty showed support he showed loyalty and little by little we begin to see these two blur the line between personal and work.

The changes are really subtle that they fly over your head but when you pay attention to the actual story and not the romance you can tell when they start and that is one reason why I love this novela because very much like real life these changes are subtle.

Betty's love was really subtle and you can pick up on when she starts to fall in love, whereas with Armando his change goes from being so subtle that you're confused yourself to it being so bam in your face you can't deny it.

In any aspect their relationship begins to blur during these episodes and the clear contrast of that is with seeing Betty interact with her old Boss at the bank.

In the future episodes this theory is proven right when we no longer get clear cuts of scenes that show the difference between their personal lives better yet we get a very muddy and blurry view of their personal and work lives.

Betty's moral, ethics, and emotions begin to change when Armando begins to change. Up to this point Betty has been consistent with her morality, though close to stumbling her father has been there to keep her on the right path. She has been the sweet and loving person she's always been but her character has been consistent up to this point and it's important to note that and why everything that happens after this is the way it is because as an audience we have been warn over and over again and so have these characters but just like in real life we don't always pay attention to the subtle changes until their domino effect starts to make too much impact.

also sorry if this doesn't make any sense it's currently 6:40 am and I've been writing this since like four lol.