#L. log

[heybabybird]

raided the Fenton's weapon vault✌️👍

waiting for backing cards and I'll start shipping them out next week!

[lavernius]

Locus and Lopez vs. dehumanization and seeing your own humanity through someone else

AKA 1.5k words worth of me trying to justify a random pairing I've been trying to sell people on for 5 years. Feat. a lot of my own introspection on both characters, CW for mentions of abuse.

It's kind of easy to assume that Locpez as a ship only exists because Locus is one of the few people who understands Lopez and one of even fewer who has had an actual (off-screen) conversation with him with full mutual fluency, especially since they interact directly, like, twice in canon (Objects In Space and the "Holy shit he's bilingual" scene from The Federal Army of Chorus). To be honest, that was my initial reason for shoving them together whenever I got into RVB and there was literally no content for them because no one was really considering them together in any capacity but a brief, funny passing interaction.

I do think language is an inherent motivator in their relationship with each other. It's a catalyst. Spanish, of course, is perhaps the most obvious thing they share--Locus being a Latino man and Lopez being the same in a convoluted and meta-racist metaphor. Beggars, choosers: anyone who knows how I operate knows I lean into reclaiming their depictions for my own brown person machinations. For Lopez it's the beauty of meeting someone who not only understands him, but isn't going to belittle him for the language he speaks or imply it'd be easier if he learned English. Locus will just listen to him talk and respond without commenting on the language barrier; Lopez isn't exotic or abnormal or "broken" for it, he just speaks Spanish, big deal, Locus speaks it too.

For Locus, it leans more toward reminding him of who he used to be when he was a simpler and kinder person. His culture seems like a forgone part of himself in many ways, but even if only because he's so distant from his humanity that he doesn't remember HOW to embrace his culture, or what the point of cultural pride even is. Lopez is like, reverse culture shock for him, where Locus is very familiar with Spanish as a language--grew up with it, learned it young, whatever, he canonically understands it and given he's Latino it's easy to assume it could be his native language--but has divorced himself from it so much to be malleable to his abusers that hearing someone speak it so unabashedly feels new. It's the lack of it that makes it so foreign, but it's so ingrained into him that it's easy for him to just slip back into it.

And Lopez being so stubbornly proud of what he is plays into that language dynamic, yes--now that there's someone who will listen and not judge, he has room to be adamant and own his monolingualism, and having someone as aggressively, straightforwardly prideful as Lopez forces Locus to recognize the beauty in the language too--but it applies on a grander scale, which is what I suppose the point of this post is: Locus and Lopez don't just share Spanish, but also histories of abuse and dehumanization, of being overlooked as living, thinking things in favor of taking advantage of their skills. And the results of this abuse manifest differently in both of them, but they're alike in just enough ways that their differences stimulate each other into bettering themselves and reflecting on what makes them, dramatic pause, human.

Some of Lopez and Locus's defining personality traits to me are their shared low empathy (forcibly learned on both of their parts) and the way they feel so alien in any group they're a part of. They're people with a lot of potential who don't care how others see them (at their worst, especially in Locus's case), but are limited by someone who only sees them for their usefulness (Sarge, Felix) and doesn't truly see them as a person. Lopez may be a Red, but they don't really care about anything he says, so he's just a wrench to them. Locus has Felix, but he doesn't recognize that Felix has one-sided power over him and is keeping him on a short leash; he's a shield and a weapon. They're tools, they don't have feelings, and if they realize as much it's a fault in their programming, they can and have to be steered back into place.

They're reflective of each other in this way. However, they're not identical in disposition: Locus resigns very easily to what he's told to be. He had more hope once, made attempts to be humanitarian, but was swiftly taught that kindness is suicide and that the point is to survive, no matter the cost. It was easy for Felix to take advantage of him by saying they needed each other when Locus was at his worst, because having kindness ripped out of him gave Locus little else to rely on but his hands. Locus has no room for questions, because a rulebook is absolute. It takes a reminder of what he used to be to make him falter, but even when Santa is showing him one of the inciting incidents of his "soldier" mindset, Locus can't stop himself from resigning to the mindlessness that Felix and the UNSC have already taught him.

Lopez feels trapped and is hyper-aware of it. He'll listen, but only because there's nothing else in the world for him. He's subservient but not in the same way Locus is, because he's angry about his situation: he knows it's not fair, but what can he fucking do about it? He was made to be Red Team's mechanic, and every word he says falls on deaf ears. He carries this self-awareness like a shield, like a threat: he could do something, but there's no point because his nature as a robot defines him. All he has is a sharp tongue and his hands, and the Reds only need one of those things from him. He revels in being able to complain and reminds himself that he's meant for something greater, but he's so fatalistic that he won't take action.

The balance comes from this anger. They're so alike in how they see the world and how much life has mistreated them, but they don't fully understand each other despite it. Locus sees Lopez as privileged for having a team because Locus has never had people to belong with, but he doesn't understand that Red Team isn't a safe place for Lopez. Lopez thinks Locus is misguided for letting himself believe he could ever be reduced to a mindless weapon, because Lopez has only ever been an object and Locus can't comprehend what that's really like. They see each other for their imperfections first and foremost and it frustrates them mutually: "You could've fixed this sooner, you could've escaped the grief, why didn't you try?"

It's this back-and-forth that they both need in order to reflect on themselves. They're harsh people who don't want to be coddled and admonished, but they're not making forward motion on their own because they're both stubborn and tend to decathect before they even recognize they CAN feel. They refuse to see themselves as human, but they can only see the humanity in each other, and they're both so alike that it could make them hypocrites. For a robot, Lopez's anger is so potent that it's alive: Locus sees more feeling in him than he's ever felt in his own life. Locus wants to be a weapon so bad, but he doesn't realize an object doesn't have heart the way he does, doesn't mourn the years it spent under someone's thumb, doesn't want to fix itself.

They're both brutally honest and they both need brutal honesty. They get along WELL by nature of being as similar as they are, but they argue so much because they want to understand each other and don't realize they already do. They're mapping details of their reflections. It's great: Locus is so hurt that he can only see the damage he causes, Lopez is difficult to hurt and notoriously good at fixing things. Lopez wants true accountability and retribution and Locus has cultivated complicity and guilt to perfection.

After Felix, Locus needs room to command his own life and put others in place when they overstep his boundaries, but he's scared of becoming Felix, so he also needs an anchor to keep him grounded in reality and reasonable. Lopez has never had real control over his own life before and would kill to have the power to make small choices and do as he wants, but he's a very private person who also needs a lot of space to work. They balance each other out and know the other's limits so well that they can easily go "You're hurting yourself and I'm not going to let you get away with it."

It's about understanding yourself through someone else and vice versa. Realizing that you share so much that if they deserve good, you do too. Reclaiming pain, experiencing freedom, finding support. They will deconstruct each other to the metal and muscles and rebuild one another over and over again, and they'll never get it perfectly right, but they're both going to learn more and more as they go. Flawless navigation of a road you've driven a million times, forward and back, potholes and all.

[ninjasmudge]

LinkedIn is so needy. what do you need to send me 8 emails a day for huh? you whore

[qtubbo]

The real tragedy of team soulfire having the least viewers is that no one sees the yuri potential like there are 4 girlies stuck in a life or death situation together

[cult-of-the-eye]

Listen guys, I know that the venn diagram of tma listeners and traumatised is a circle, so for all us memory loss hotties I have a suggestion. Get a bunch of blankets, snacks and a couple of hours and tell your whole story, as much as you can possibly remember, into your phone as it records.

OBVIOUSLY ONLY DO THIS IF YOU ARE SAFE, COMFORTABLE AND IN THE RIGHT HEADSPACE. FOR SOME PEOPLE THIS CAN MAKE EVERYTHING SO MUCH WORSE BUT IT CAN HELP FOR OTHERS. I AM NOT A PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFESSIONAL. THIS JUST HELPED FOR ME SO I THOUGHT I COULD SHARE IT. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES.

[thorough-witness-enjoyer]

Hello everyone!!! I just wanted to make a small post to thank everyone who left such thoughtful and kind messages on my Witness post!! 😭😭 I was so scared to post my very personal take on the matter, but I’m glad I did as I got to see how many people it resonated with!! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR INPUTS AND PERSPECTIVES AHHHH!!! YOU GUYS ARE GREAT!!!!❤️❤️

As a thorough Witness enthusiast and someone who deeply loves it more than anything, I will be sure to continue to spread nothing but hatred and malice towards it (not the Precursors) while offering understanding of the origins of its actions!! I post with one hand and hold a brick in the other!!

That said, since everyone liked the previous post, I think I will begin to work on an analysis of Rhulk as a perfect example of the grooming prevalent in ideologies that rely on people giving up their individuality to form a single unified front that can subjugate opposition. In this era where right wing ideologies such as fascism are on the rise, I think there is so much to be learned from the warnings given by Rhulk‘s story (and how despite the atrocities he has committed, he still stands as a testimony of the fragility of the Witness‘ failing ideals).

I think of the relationship Rhulk has with the Witness and my stomach starts to get REALLY upset. It’s such a harrowing dynamic that is becoming more and more abundant in our modern era. GET AWAY FROM THAT LUBRAEN NOW, STAY AWAY ‼️ Those two together revolt me so bad, it’s not even funny, Rhulk step away from the big eyed freak.

But thank you all once more for giving me the courage to continue posting my takes!!! I’m glad to be in this community with all of you and I hope I can inspire others to speak on what Destiny means to them!!! Stay tuned!!

[zhxngii]

For a while I've been thinking about deleting this account but I think I'll just leave it be and move. Once I make the new account I think I'll share it here in case anyone wants to stay or be moots on my new one! :)

[kleptomusician]

weekly-ish homestuck logs #2

CA: for a feww hours at least CG: NO NO NO. CG: NO. CG: BAD. CG: BAD FISH. CA: yes yes yes CA: yes CG: NO. CG: DO I NEED TO HIT YOU OVER THE HEAD WITH A NEWSPAPER? CA: yes CA: no CA: fuck CG: YOU SAID YES. CA: i fixed it you stay in your lane boy CG: WHAT'S SAID CANNOT BE UNSAID.

bad fish!1!1!!!11 BAD!1!!1!!!!!11!!1111!

[corviiids]

how do i get viz media to let me just write and publish a new death note light novel because that's basically what im writing at this point

[theultracharmingladynoire]

LU GUANG.LU GUANG WHAT TEH FUCK. LIGUSNG WHAT TEH ABSIUET FUCOLGGEVE

[blu3berrydraws]

- I was trying to meditate.

- Well, I am trying to spend time with my fiancé

[survivalist-anon]

Log 14: An expensive and deadly game

Las Vegas: 11:37 A.M

The Paris Casino: The Security Suite

Sleen was briefing Selene on the day's schedule as always. Closer to repeating the same schedule as a form of control rather than for occupational instruction.

"-when Tulio ropes you back up, you'll land on this platform right here and the lights go off, also, Kathy quit this morning, so you'll have to step in as Artemis this show as well. Can't for the life of me figure out who's going to be Orion now 'cus my nosey brother juuuuuust wanted to ruin my show again.", pouring himself a sizable serving of gin and tonic.

A frustrated huff from Selene was all it took, she had cursed under her breath in Comorian, than slowly to French, "tu m'esclaves comme si je n'avais pas d'âme, gros cochon fumé".

Sleen shuffled his shoulders in depraved glee, "oooooh I just loooove it when you talk all Frenchie like....makes you sound attractive too. Hehe", Sleen obviously couldn't speak the language of course, it was the only way Selene could ever be truly free from his influence.

Her sharp, glare, brightened by her piercing ice blue eyes, a rare trait in for home country. Stabbing Sleen with her gaze, "if you like it so much, why not hoard the prostitutes that are walking the streets....Au lieu de moi...", her time with Sleen was closer to imprisonment than anything. She has been lucky that Sleen enjoys the idea of tormenting her with sex.

She had been fixing her hair, braided into tight cornrows for the character. Since she had begun, she has been dying her hair a stark white with small strands of blue and silver. Unfortunately for her, she had to always be in character.... especially for Sleen.

"Oh come on sweetheart, why would I want to two bit, dime a dozen whore when I can have the goddess of the moon, the fairy of the dawn...and now.... the huntress of the night, besides you have something Kathy doesn't, a pretty face and a fine 'derriere'...", taking a long drag of his cigar, he looks at Selene like he was looking at a pork cutlet.

From the vanity mirror, she could see him starring at her, "You know. Sleen....I'm still off limits.....you wouldn't want my..... sponsor.... finding his best purchase soiled .... wouldn't you?", considering Selene's origins, her sponsor was an anonymous off shore individual. Paying Sleen to keep her in Las Vegas in the meantime, before being shipped back to some other country for her to pay her services.

However, like Sleen's appetite for third servings at the buffet and money, he's been taking an extra portion for himself. At least in regards to poor Selene, his plan is to purchase her from her sponsor, so he can have her no strings attached.

Sleen's more upbeat mood had soured to frustration. "Mmm...yes....good old Mr.Fe...what a stupid nickname....anyway....you should be greatful, my little bird of paradise. I know you have to go out for some shopping right? I'll have Hans escort you....", he leans close to her face, laying his chubby hand on her arm, "so no funny business...you got it? 'Mo ne mi'?". He slowly walks to his bodyguard, "lose her again....I'll make you lose your balls.". He leaves the bulky man and Selene alone.

She had no expression on her face she couldn't have. She felt like mawling everything in sight like a revengeful caged, lioness. But one thing that had kept her from expressing her fury.

A little sign of hope. A note

'Meet me in Rome. Where the circus is internal. For us to meet in darkness.'

~Mr.Crow.

Just the lingering vision of seeing the tiny, handwritten note had nearly given away her thoughts.

"Let's go Hans...I just need to stop at the dressing room."

As the two go down to the employee theater entrance, the game begins.

Selene walks to her usual spot, the twins where there ready for her signal. "Bonjour.", she picks up a signal lipstick.

The twins head straight to Hans.

"Hey big boy, whatcha doing tonight?", Magan cooed.

"hmmm your so big and strong, do you work out", Angelina began to hang her arms around Han's neck, ready to nuzzle him.

"Ladies, I'm working right now.", he probably knew what their angle was. Suddenly, one of the stage hands comes up to him.

"Hey you big lug! Whatcha doing with my girl?", Magan's official boyfriend had come from the gym early.

"Quincy! I was just haven a conversation.", she now had to act fast.

"I don't have time for this bullsh-", it was then he realized that Selene had disappeared. "Fuck the boss is going to kill me for this. Alright you assholes, wheres the girl?!", he demanded.

Magan, Angelina, and several other staff members were silent. One of the members of the back stage staff, had rope.

"Hope you like BDMS big guy....", a stage hand jokingly said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Caesars Palace 12:05 p.m

As I stand quietly within the currently unopened teacher for one of the performances at Caesars Palace, I ponder what to say to Selene. To express that there was no time to waste....and that we must disappear this week.

The longer it takes, the more difficult it will be.

"I'm telling you homes, Hans is not going to be that stupid to fall for the same trick again.", Tulio sat watching on guard with me. A true companion in crime.

"I had the rest of the cast in on it.", I responded.

I swear he almost had a heart attack.

"What?! You crazy! Sleen is gonna get people fired for that!", he had a point.

I couldn't help but conduct my own brand of chaos, I've already invested William Sleen from his background history down to his most recent purchases.....one thing is for certain....he can not afford to attract the attention of law enforcement... he already has enough on his plate given his criminal record. "As per union law, he can't just fire the whole cast....he knows he can't.". I could see Tulio had now begun to understand my gambit.

"Ah yes, hehe, fire the whole cast, the casino loses money ....good thinking Wick. Say, are seriously still interested in beating that Mark guy? Seriously for someone in the military, he's got some chip on his shoulder.", Tulio's warning was not to be taken lightly.

Airman Mark is...a careless maverick....to say the least. It is not an uncommon trait amongst those to take to the skies. I myself have been criticized for the very same reason.

"Yes. I refuse to let some low ranking pilot gain the upper hand against an experienced flier like myself.", over the years my arrogance has become more unbecoming. Yet it is a shame I must bare for the sake of my own sanity.

*click clack, click clack*

There she was, my night sky, my moonlight. "Tulio, she's here, make sure that the coast is clear and that our inside man is ready.", to Tulio, Selene was no where to be seen. I personally could hear her entering the casino hall from yards away amongst the other gamblers and patrons.

Looking around, he decides to trust my instincts. "You got it Wick.", he leaves to one of the hidden employee doors.

I await for Selene. I could see her, smell her sweet aroma, feel her presence. As hidden as one can be, my eyes laid upon a woman with a dark hooded jacket, moderate heels, and eyes of starlight. Her smile, petit yet so bright.

"Selene.", all I could breathe was her name.

"Mon corbeau.", her touch upon my arm sent every follicle of hair on end in anxious passion. Her lips upon my cheek, my upon hers. "We must go.", her whispers were like a shot of adrenaline to me.

We take flight to the dressing room theater, hiding ourselves in the comforting darkness of the backstage of the Colosseum theater.

If we could not make love in our false Paris, than we shall make love in darkness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Downtown Vegas, within the bowles of the Trump Towers.

A meeting commences between another party within the dark underbelly of the city's crime syndicate.

Tapping his foot furiously, Sleen waits for his connection, "c'mon c'mon c'mon, where is that giant freak?! He better be here with my money.", the sudden scrabbling of claws, gnashing teeth echo and footsteps heavy enough to crack the pavement bombard through the empty halls of the basement level parking lot. "G'Ah! Who's there!? I'm armed!".

The low, grumbling laughter, "Arm'd? Yus call dat be'in Arm'd?! HA!", a large, tall, very smartly dress "man", surrounded by his own wall of guards, with two women oh so gently wrapped around his arms, steps forward just enough to obscure his face. "Dat ain't evens nuff to even scare Scruffy.", referring to his oddly shaped and gnashing "dog". Who's only desire is to take a bite out of Sleen.

"Oh! N-nice d-oggie-seriously what the actual fuck is that thing?", his momentary fear dampened by the logical side of his perspective.

"SHAHT IT, you 'ave it?", the voice boomed.

Sleen shakingly handed one of the guards the finest, smuggled tobacco one could get. "ok here you go Mr.Green. hehehe. Now where is it?", although a coward, the one thing to stoke his courage was money.

"hmmf, 'ere, just make sure you spen it soon. It ain't cheap yus knows.", a large heavy bag is handed to Sleen.

"ok .....but how am I supposed to use it if I ain't even allowed to open it??", Sleen had never once questioned his connection. All he knew when was to bring these teeth to Mr.Fe's man in San Diego California, then money would be granted in equivalent to its value. He knew what Mr.Green understood about the bag's contents is that it CAN be used a currency.

Mr.Green gave a horrible, yet cheerful grin. "Ha! Yur problem! Not mine, just make sure da scrap at South Point gets fix'd. I ain't losin to no "El Nino", sounds like a CHUMP." he snapped his fingers, him, the wall of guards and his lady friends left Sleen, by himself in a dark, dank basement area.

"....sheesh...what an asshole.", he quickly leaves the basement area and into the nearest elevator. As it goes up, a class from his phone blares through the music. "Yeah? What is it?.......WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE QUIT?!? He can't quit on me how's am I supposed to be running around without a meat shield like Hans?!?! Who's going to be my thug now?!", it was one of the stage hands back at the Paris Casino.

"Look, boss, ain't his mom and I sure as hell ain't his damn babysitter either. He just left and quit.", Angelina was currently sitting on the trunk of one of the staff's car, ready to drop Hans off at the nearest strip club. The banging on the top of the trunk nearly makes her lose her balance and popping her chewing gum. "Wooh!".

Sleen, heard something in the background, "what was that?", he interrogated her through the phone.

"Just a rat passing by, really did spook me.", she looked to her fellow staff members, all giggling at the illegal mischief they have committed.

Sleen....knew something was going on. "....is....Wick there?....and WHERE IS SELENE?.", his patience has run thin by this point.

"I don't know boss, she's with some of the girls at the mall or something, I don't have the budget to be spending on what they can afford.", blowing another bubble.

The cogs in his head had turned a little, "I'll pay you triple in what I'm paying you now...to tell me what the hell is going on.".

This was anticipated even by Wick. "Oh...hmm...me AND Magan get triple.....", covering the mic part of the phone, giggling with her sister. "....and...I'll tell where Wick is."

His grin widened into a grimace..."good....now...spill it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Caesar's Palace: 15:25 p.m

We had just finished another beautiful performance between the two of us. Laid upon my bare chest, and I on the chaise couch.... admittingly a size too small for my given size.

A satisfied sigh from her was evidence of my love for her, but I must tell her before we may not have another chance before Sleen finds out. "Selene, we must leave the city. You must escape."

She gasped, "Wick, is it not too soon? Sleen will hunt us down for certain. I fear what he is going to do with you.", she laid her head on left heart, hearing my hearts beat.

"I know mon épervier. Please trust me in my urgency. Even if my plan does not fully work....I can make sure it will....the great goal is that you can escape unharmed.", I speckle a few kisses on her head. "I would die to make sure your story is told, to make sure you're back home with your family. Safe and sound.".

Her eyes lit up brighter than I've seen. "Mon corbeau. You have been brushing up on your French.", she guilded me with lips under my jaw.

"Tout pour toi mon amour", our lips embraced each other. "All for you.".

We check the time, we both had to leave back to the Paris Casino for the show. "Oh dear, two hours before 'showtime'."

It was a struggle to consider the performance a show by this rate. "Let us leave in separate times. You need to meet with the girls at the shopping center here in the casino. I'll meet with you later.", we parted with another embrace.

End of log 14

@kit-williams @barn-anon @egrets-not-regrets @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan @walking-natural-disaster @starfrost740 @squishyowl @sleepyfan-blog @lawnchair86

[hexados-on-a-string]

gus and ace friendship except its based less on actual friendship and more based on "oh my god the fermins are so fucking oblivious it should actually be scientifically studied." gus has practically proposed to keith like 8 times. mira has had a crush on DAN before even considering she might have feelings for ace. gus knows that keith is emotionally constipated so hes almost coping with it better cuz thats Just What Keith Is Like. ace is attempting to console themselves w the thought process of "if mira can fall in love w dan, her standards might be low enough to fall in love w me. maybe." its not working out for them but its all they've got. they are both suffering immensely.

meanwhile the fermins are in an endless feedback loop of "keith, gus likes youuuuu" "no he doesn't he just sees me as like a friend or something" "ur kidding" "anyway ur one to talk, whats up with you and ace" "wdym??? we're just best friends" "ur kidding"

[homunculusalphonse]

I don't usually post comments I get on my Lunter fics, but ngl, being a Lunter writer/artist can get exhausting. I've gotten so much hate for a pairing that isn't immoral in the fucking slightest. Lunter isn't ERASING anything, L/umity is canon and nothing is taking that away. It's fine if Lunter is not your thing, but you don't have to be a fucking asshole about it.

Genuinely considering disabling comments on all my Lunter fics. I'm so tired.

(Please don't go after this person. If you find them, block them.)

[narrativelysignificantturtleduck]

so funny that atla and natla both have cameos from george takei

[vampireassistant]

post malone country album was made for me. hank ii, dolly, sierra farrell....everyones on there