#a much needed inversion on a classic

[wcwit]

[x]

[dontmixpaintinyourcoffee]

As per usual, info under the cut <3

IM BACK BITCHES!!!

Alright, here's the design stuff:

I wanted to go for kind of a Lois Lane vibe, including the way she gets all the way up in business she should not be up in. At the same time I wanted to bring the super cutesy gothic lolita style in at least a little. So I ended up going with a poofy short jumpsuit with bows and teddy bears. I would love to make a specific thank you to @themooncallsyou for suggesting I look at the Moschino 2022 spring line for inspiration, it ended up having a very heavy impact on the final design.

I tried to lean into the investigative part of investigative reporter, so that's what the heavy coat is about. I thought adding that classic detective silhouette would be a nice final touch. Plus, I think Blondie likes the drama of the coat flying behind her as she's chasing down a lead. It makes her feel very cool.

Alright, so her original pet is a bear cub named Grizz but I have. Several problems with that. The main one is that it's not clear what the difference between Grizz and the actual sentient bears and her story is. There is never any differentiation between them. It's a Goofy-Pluto situation. Like it doesn't need to be explained, but the minute you start thinking about it too hard it gets weird real fast.

Anyways say hello to Honey the magpie!! Magpies are great mimics and lovers of shiny things, so I thought one would be a perfect fit for Blondie. She repeats bits of gossip and steals little trinkets and clues to help Blondie with whatever case she's on. Honey is where Blondie gets her infinite supply of bobby pins. Her scale is a little off, I don't think magpies are actually that big, but I still think she's cute so I'm not changing it now lol.

Now for character stuff:

Honestly I'm not really changing anything as much as I am exploring what's already there. I think Blondie has the potential to be really interesting, because she's unique within the class system of the school. She's kind of the inverse of Raven status-wise. Raven was born to royalty, but because her mom is the Evil Queen she's actually considered a commoner by society. Blondie was born to a wealthy commoner family, but her fear of rejection leads her to exaggerate the prestige of her lineage. Everyone sort of knows that she's not a Princess but she's so desperate to keep up the image of royalty that no one knows where she actually lands. Most of the royals assume her parents are Lord and Lady or Duke and Duchess or something. In reality they don't have any noble title, and Blondie is very insecure about that.

Blondie isn't so much ashamed of her family as she is terrified of exclusion and rejection. Her standing in society is the one major thing that makes her different from all the other royals, but she has major anxieties that she's always on thin ice. In her mind she's permanently one wrong step from total ostracization.

On a happier note, she does have a genuine passion for journalism! She considers her news blog/podcast practice for her future career. She starts out discussing school drama and gossip, but tries to stay a neutral third party. That's why her hair is so big. It's full of secrets. As the story goes on she starts reporting on more political and social topics beyond the boundaries of the school (and therefore becomes one of Milton Grimms worst nightmares). She is really, really, really good at getting into shit people do not want her to get into. She's got her eyes on prize and good luck stopping her

[transmutationisms]

I don't necessarily disagree with your take on David Lynch but I feel like at least part of Twin Peaks is about deconstructing or questioning the myth of the idyllic small town, like everyone in Twin Peaks has a dark secret, most of the men were abusing or complicit in abusing a teenage girl, etc. and the Return to me is about showing that it's kind of fundamentally impossible to return to that glamorized nostalgic past. I could totally be missing something though.

wow ok this was my most controversial david lynch statement yet... so first of all i disagree that there's any tension between the kind of conservative nostalgia i see in lynch's work, and the idea that the past is impossible to return to. in fact i think that kind of lament is pretty central to quite a lot of reactionary rhetoric: it's that emotional appeal of, look what we've lost / damaged / destroyed forever. it doesn't need to be a coherent political platform because it's an appeal on the grounds of pathos.

anyway if i can just quote from my own post lol:

i simply cannot read the series in any way besides as being deeply conservative lol. this becomes especially clear to me in 'the return’, which is largely motivated by a narrative of the loss of american innocence (the double r subplot, the numerous instances of drugs and violence tearing nuclear families apart, the encroachment of electricity and processed snack foods and gambling, &c). but this viewpoint is seeded too throughout the first season-and-change of the original series, and fwwm; because what was laura palmer if not the series’s first use of rape as metonymous for what lynch sees as a broader process of social breakdown and irreversible change? i understand that some people try to read bob and laura as a critique of the family, in the sense that the violence comes through the father, but i don’t think this reading holds even in the original series and it certainly doesn’t after part 8 of 'the return’, in which bob is explicitly and directly invoked in reference to the bombing of hiroshima and nagasaki, here construed as an originary act of american evil.

i think in david lynch’s mind, the spiritual forces and influences in the show are literal and apolitical, and frequently he seems to mean to depict them more as sources of artistic inspiration than anything else ('twin peaks’ is in many ways a tv show about making a tv show, hence the double use of electricity throughout 'the return’ and fwwm, in particular). but i find this really irritating frankly, because it’s at best ignorant of the inherently political nature of the constructions of small-town americana, teenage innocence, violence as an act of moral corruption, and so forth—and also because, after the return, it’s simply impossible to deny that the show’s overarching narrative IS plugged in to political and historical lines of critique. like, i am not trying to 'force’ a reading that deals with us imperialism—lynch put the show on this discursive terrain explicitly and deliberately, through not just the bomb footage and the penderecki threnody but also the inversion of classic symbols of american 'greatness’ (the unlucky penny, the evil lincoln impersonator), culminating again in the violation of a young girl’s body by the forces of evil. what this all adds up to is the invocation of american empire as a kind of universal moral struggle, stripped of its historical specificity or even the barest pretense of material critique or commentary. if it sounds like i’m asking too much of network television… i mean, maybe i am, but again, these were deliberate choices lynch made and specific historical events he invoked on purpose, lol. see also the jacoby trump commentary in 'the return’ (cringe and yawn).

i’m not a lynch scholar but i do think there’s a tension throughout his work (what i’ve seen) between the desire to make art about what he sees as the purely spiritual process of making art (heavily informed by his own TM beliefs), and the conservative elements that creep in anyway, noticeable especially in his commentary on american history, corruption, modernity, &c. the idea of any pure, transcendent, apolitical spiritual dimension of human existence is itself, i would argue, at best a misguided conservative fantasy, and 'twin peaks’ ultimately shows these cracks more blatantly than some of his other work (say, 'inland empire’) because it tries to subordinate the material to the spiritual in a kind of fantastical historical parable. but, you can see this recurring tension throughout his filmography, eg, the loss of small-town innocence ('blue velvet’) and a kind of generalised modernity anxiety ('eraserhead’, though taken on its own this one would permit other readings depending on how you interpreted the role of german expressionism in it).

i don’t think lynch is an ideologue or even considers himself particularly political, but nevertheless his narratives do idealise a certain conservative vision of post-war america, mourn its loss, and wax nostalgic for its perceived ethos (& it’s not a coincidence lynch is/has been a reaganite, lol). anyway, i thought 'twin peaks’ had some really incredible moments of visual artistry (part 8 of 'the return’, for example!) and i found much of it frankly beautiful and compelling to watch. so, i don’t mean any of this to dismiss lynch as a filmmaker—he is, if nothing else, highly technically adept.

[22to22]

It's my birthday

and the thing you can do to celebrate is check out Spindlewheel, a tarot-like storytelling system where you weave a story from card to card.

Spindlewheel is a unique system where the deck has as much to say about the story as you do, but the story is bespoke to you and your friends every time. Every Spindlewheel game is a constructed scaffolding for story structure, ranging from western four-act stories in Spindlewheel Classic, to tense bombastic duels to the bitter end in Meet Me In The Field of Honour At Dawn, to sorting out a trio's complicated feelings for each other in Love Machine.

The goal of Spindlewheel is to tell a satisfying story. Your character might win wealth and fame, or they might crash and burn. Both of these are victories if they fit the arc of the story you’ve told, and bring satisfaction to you as a storyteller.

How do you play? Well, I'm glad you asked!

Spindlewheel’s fundamental verb is interpretation.

Each card’s text evokes an idea.  The upright and inverse text are different. Sometimes they’re diametrically opposed; often, they’re two sides of the same coin.

Use the card as an anchor for the part of the story that you’re telling.

A card can be a person, an event, an attitude, or a physical object. Use as much as the entire card, or as little as a single word. A card is interpreted twice: once when it enters your hand, and again when you play it. It does not have to be the same interpretation.

FOR EXAMPLE: I might draw the Hearth card and Reflect that I feel like people closed their doors to me; but I might Engage that card later, declaring I won’t do the same to someone else, and play it to invite someone into my home.

It's a really excellent one shot system: it takes no prep, every setting is procedurally generated for each table, and most games are GMless. The games that are GMed are designed to support improvisation and provide coherent throughlines so the GM can focus on moment to moment play. It also works as a GM tool within other systems for when you need an ominous portent or an answer to a question where a dice roll just won't cut it.

It also makes for pretty damn good radio. Check it out on Party of One, An Atlas of the World Unknown, You Don't Meet In An Inn, Follow the Leader, and played extensively in the devlog Spindlewheel Stories where you can listen as the game takes shape over time.

Did I mention it's got an open SRD? Anyone can hack the system and sell their games. Here's a collection of people who have done just that!

Curious?

There's lots of ways to try Spindlewheel online for free! give @spindlewheelbot (by Caro Asercion) on twitter an @ for a "classic" spread inspired by the celtic cross, or a single card "vibe check"; print and play the deck with the original legacy art or play it on playingcards.io; or play it on Tabletop Playground and Tabletop Simulator.

Convinced?

Head over to www.teacabbage.com/spindlewheel to pick your digital copy of Spindlewheel on itch.io and roll20!

[cloudninetonine]

Ugh I was just thinking about the procession of game events with the chain, specifically Hyrule, and it gives me heartworms to imagine Guide playing his game as a child, and so that it’s just 2 children fighting against the world who only have each other, then they meet again as adults in the flesh and one of them immediately recognizes the other and seems to fall in love at first sight…. Ugh what true love Im melting.

Conversely you apply this to other members like Time and Legend, who have had it rough and it quickly sours. Legend, who has someone who has been there through his worst times, always the same age and so they grow together but simultaneously grow apart due to circumstances beyond their control, and so he blames them for leaving him, a childhood friend that he can’t trust to stay when he needs them. It’s like the inverse to the Hyrule dynamic: a childhood love that curdled rather than bloomed.

And finally Time. God, Time, who already struggles with coming to terms with his own journeys and how they impacted his age, both mentally and physically in the sense that he and Guide started off together the same, as children, Time finally has another friend other than Navi or Saria, one that will also disappear like them but one day they come back, and… they’re really much younger, a decade at most. And Time is suddenly in the position of no longer friend, rather guardian, protector, even a guardian figure. It distorts the relationship past what it initially was. So in conclusion you’ve got: 1) a classic childhood friends to lovers plot that is sweet in its earnestness and simplicity. 2) a bitter rift between once friends, now strangers who have to learn to trust each other again. 3) a dynamic in which 2 people care for each other so much, but time and circumstances distort that relationship and suddenly one of them is wiser, more battle-bruised, more traumatized. In a way, completely unrecognizable, like a war veteran coming home to their sweetheart but they’ve been completely changed by their experiences. Ahhhhh it’s all so tragic 😭😭😭 I could retrospect it all day, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it, even with the other Links and, y’know, coupled with the fact that most of them can’t even remember Guide, so that’s yet ANOTHER box on top of the already big pile of emotional shit everybody’s going through.

ANON WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME I'M IN PAIN

Coming in with a false sense of fluff with Hyrule and Player and the idea of Real true love then slapping me with the crushing pain that follows the Veteran and Old Man like the stench of death to a corpse 😭😭😭😭 I love it by god it fucking hurts to read it. Legend's bitterness and Time's feeling of lost, well, time being forced to grow up faster because of everything he went through

I need a fucking drink /j

[unaesthetic-writer]

HEYYYY THIS IS PT. 2 TO THE JEGULUS BALLET AU FIC HOPE U ENJOY THIS TOOOO @ashshmee

Sirius and I are still waiting in the hall of the theater by the time the whole place is almost empty. It's quiet and serene, but it does nothing to quell the excitement coursing through my veins. I'm actually going to get to meet him. The picture of him on stage still lingers in my mind. It was as if until now I was living in a universe without stars, and I can't fathom how I've survived until now. Sirius is still staring at me like I'll combust at any given moment, worried and scared at the same time. "So... You wanna tell me why you want to see my little brother so badly James?" I freeze slightly, my mind racing a million times a minute—even more than it usually does— trying to figure out a coherent way to describe this to his older brother of all people. "I- I just thought he was really good. He danced beautifully." That wasn't a complete lie, but the way Regulus danced... I couldn't truly do it any justice with any words I knew. Beautiful didn't cut it; And neither did spectacular, amazing, graceful, or even surreal.

When Regulus comes out, he is just as graceful as on stage. The poise he has, the way he carries himself, commands respect and awe. But he looked completely different to how he was on stage somehow. He still has this quietness to his steps that speak so loud somehow, and it just keeps your attention on him. But differently, he now seems more sad, like a part of him was left on the stage. He hides it well, but there's less of a shine in his eyes than there was on stage that wasn't just performance. And through all of this, he still manages to look scarily similar to his brother, yet still so different. His black hair and his eyes both match his brother's, but where Sirius' features came off more roguish and angular, Regulus was less rugged and slightly softer. That wasn't to say he didn't have the same pointyness all Black's seemed to possess, whether in personality or looks, he was just more... Ethereal. As if a dream. Sirius walks up to Regulus, pulling him into a hug and whispering into his ear, making Regulus raise his eyes to stare at me. A small smirk dances on his lips and I feel like I might faint. The breath I had been taking in was gone. He quite literally breathtaking. Not knowing what to do, I try to feign some type of confidence and strut over to Regulus. "You were wonderful in the show. It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm James Potter." I try not to stumble over my words as I talk to him as if he's not some godly incarnate. His words are just as melodical as he is, "Regulus A. Black. Thank you very much for convincing my brother to come see me. He's always hated ballet—too boring he says." Regulus chuckles the slightest bit, and it takes everything in me to stay grounded. "You make me sound like a child Reggie." Sirius huffs, fake pouting at his brother. "I won't make you sound like one when you start not acting like one," Regulus replies unfazed. The two brothers go back and forth for a bit longer, but I can't contain the one thought that's been running through my head.

"Will you dance in one of our music videos?" I ask Regulus, taking one small step closer to him, basking in his radiance.

Regulus raises an eyebrow. "I'm a classically trained dancer, Potter, not your random street dancer. So while thank you for the offer, I don't dance to the type of music you create.* His rejection is just as poised and swift as he is.

I nod, knowing that this answer was a possibility. "I'll make a song you can dance to then. Something worthy of someone of your training and caliber." Sirius stares at me incredulously, in shock of what I've just asked. Regulus shakes his head once more. "I find it hard to believe that you could. You do realize that my type of music is a complete and utter inverse from what you usually make? So once again, no I cannot I'm afraid." Challenge rises in my chest at this moment. I need him to dance in our video, and the song I make would be just for him. Especially for him, made with only him and his dance in mind. Regulus turns to go back to talking go his brother when I declare,

"I'll do it. I'll prove it to you I can create a song just for you to dance to, only for you. And if I do, please be in our video."

Regulus with no hesitation puts on a devilish smirk and counters, "I'd like to see you try, Potter."

AAAAAAND THAT'S PART 2 FOLKS, PT.3 WILL COME VERY SOON(sorry I have to keep splitting them up 🙏🙏😭 plz be patient with meeee)

[sitp-recs]

hello!! I just finished reading The Bolthole for the first time and ohhhh my god it’s so good. I loved the setting, I loved the way grief and guilt and coping and desire and deserving were explored for each of them, I loved how the way they felt about each other was so embodied and tactile and desperate.

I love the different sides of them we get to see and how their relationship intensifies when they’re out in the middle of nowhere together (feels like the parallel inverse of the beloved classic: trapped in a house in the city together). Would you choose middle of the city or out away from everything, for Draco and Harry? Do you have favorite bucolic stories?

Ohh The Bolthole is amazing and I agree, those vibes are immaculate! I love the elements you highlighted and I’m so happy that you enjoyed this fic; I remember the thrill of seeing those 3 brilliant authors publishing a story together, it felt like Christmas! I’m a very urban girl myself (love the city lights!) but I can’t deny the charm and quiet intimacy of bucolic fics, I especially adore the ones with recluse!Harry living in the woods. I loved doing this rec list, thank you!

Home is Where the Nifflers Are by primaveracerezos (G, 4k)

Draco has a soft spot for animals with nowhere to go; soon his and Harry's small flat is bustling with adorable, semi-dangerous creatures.

Vintage by momatu (T, 7k)

Of all of the vineyards, in all of the regions, in all of France, Draco's blasted editor sends him to Potter's....

Beekeeping by khalulu (E, 13k)

A few years after the war, Harry needs distance from the British wizarding world and volunteers abroad as a teacher in a poor rural school. Draco is a low-budget traveler, wandering wherever his curiosity leads him. Their paths cross in Malawi, “the warm heart of Africa.”

the treehouse near primrose downs by @softlystarstruck (M, 14k)

Draco and Harry have been roommates for years, so buying a magical house in the countryside shouldn’t be a big difference. But in between fresh loaves of bread and beds of wildflowers, things start to fall into place.

amid this warm and steady sweetness by warmfoothills (E, 21k)

Harry is not living in a period drama, no matter what his friends or his new house or Malfoy’s sudden affinity for horse-riding might suggest, and if one more person uses the word courting, he’s going to start hexing people.

Twelve Moons by @corvuscrowned (T, 27k)

Harry Potter lives a quiet life, running an inn with his two best friends. Once a month, Draco Malfoy comes to stay. A real-time fic that takes place over the course of a year; updates every full moon.

Pathless Woods by @shealwaysreads (E, 30k)

Harry finds himself unexpectedly reacquainted with Draco Malfoy when his work as an apprentice wandmaker takes him to Wiltshire. Amongst the trees Harry finds magic, growth, and a man who might finally be proving he’s worthy of the wand that chose him.

Of Wands and Trees by Omi_Ohmy (E, 45k)

All Draco wants to do is be a wandmaker, but to do so he needs to understand the soul of trees. Of course, the only man who might be able to help him is the one man who is more of a mystery to him than any tree.

Among Ancient Pines by @graymatters (M, 74k)

Every day, Draco Malfoy tries. With every fiber of his being he tries. But he doesn’t much think about what he’s trying for. In his final term of Healer training, Draco is unfortunate enough to find himself on a plane, the only means of traveling to a small, magical town in rural Alaska.

Knead by laughingd0g (E, 83k)

This is not a story about Harry renovating Grimmauld Place. This is a story about coffee shops and brewpubs, about Ginny and Luna on a farm with creatures, about magical Oregon, coastal road trips, flying, friendship, and Draco Malfoy's lean arms.

Wild (orphaned, E, 92k)

“No,” Harry said, by way of greeting. Malfoy’s blonde head rose slowly, carelessly. “Get out.” “I feel as though we’ve already established this, Potter,” Malfoy responded. “And I feel that what we established was that you telling me to get out of places really doesn’t make me more likely to vacate them.”

A Sword Laid Aside by @korlaena (E, 128k)

When Draco’s cover is blown during a deep undercover operation and the Ministry is compromised, Ron takes Draco to the only safe place he can think of—Potter. Hiding out with a taciturn Harry Potter, who has been missing from the Wizarding World for almost two decades after a shocking fall from grace, is nothing like Draco thought it would be.

[ride-thedragon]

At this point I think as a fandom, we've lost some of the crackship charm we once had. I can look up Ashara Dayne and Ser Davos and find results, But Nettles and Helaena have nothing. It's time to rectify that for my favourite girl and try to inspire some fanfics. Feel free to add more.

1. Daeron and Nettles

Think Enemies to Lovers, Captive of War drama like Jaime and Brienne or just some good old Gwen and Arthur-inspired love. Ivy by Taylor Swift coded, a She's all that inspired affair. I genuinely think that he's just trying to be there for her with this one. It happens and neither of them realise until You're in Love starts playing.

2. Baela and Nettles.

They would give the pot calling the kettle black in every argument. The Princess Bride-esque dynamic between them. Very Graham and Megan from but I'm a Cheerleader. Sapphic Pinning and Resentment should be its own genre. Sir Chloe's Michelle is my vision. We can even make a throuple with them and Jace or Alyn. Truly, I think they but heads until they kiss, building on resentment. I also think they would be the coolest couple.

3. Addam and Nettles

Kaz and Inej core.

But in all seriousness, I think Addam being loyal and Duty bound and Nettles challenging that idea is delicious. Solider of Duty x Solider for the People. A modern-day Persuasion story but gender-flipped if we put our minds to it. See you Again Kali Uchis and Tyler the Creator, that's all.

4. Nettles and Helaena

They just deserve better. That's all. Give me cottagecore sapphic romance with my best girls involves. Like the young lesbians from Barbie and the Diamond Castle. Lesbians raising kids together. Sheepstealer and Dreamfyre hatching eggs for the nieces and nephews. I just-

It would be so cool, I will by Mitski sentiment is already attached.

5. Alyn and Nettles

Now that we are here obviously she apologized for Sheepstealer, she doesn't need to but she did, He tries not to like her but can't help it. She wins him over and they hatch him an egg or something idk. Think The Princess Diaries: Royal Engagement, Mia and Nicholas, Flipped the movie if you will. Jealously plots would slay. For the song choice think Shameless Camila Cabello. Please remember that Alyn is younger than Netty by 3/4 years though.

6. Rhaena and Nettles

See now this is classic Friends to Lovers, Emma and Harriet if gay, perhaps, Bend it Like Beckham core definitely. Sofia by Clario inspired. Nettles doesn't leave Rhaena out because she's without a dragon and the same happens inverse. Sapphic confusion however, like Rhaena doesn't understand at first why she feels that way.

7. Nettles and Jace.

Now for the Mr Knightley and Emma Woodhouse of our time, the Kate and Anthony of Westeros. The potential for her just not listening to him when he tries to tell her how to ride a dragon. Or when she talks to him about the people he'll rule over eventually, Ygritte and Jon style. She's also the only bastard who doesn't look Targaryen, he can relate to that a bit. I think she's Fierce and he's Stubborn. Ungodly Hour by Chloe x Halle for them.

8. Nettles and Alys.

The Fire Witches of Westeros. I think they will be perfect as a ship. American Horror Story-esque characters. The two Witches in the story are obviously my favourites. It would be Jennifer's Body meets, the craft meets, and Suspiria. Willow by Taylor Swift becomes them.

This one was also a bonus more or less.

Anyways I just need to start to get a baseline story for my girl by the time the show gives her to us. So we have a general sense of direction, I'm tired of the mischaracterization of my baby. She's smart, resourceful, Cunning, Fearless, and not entirely loyal. She also curses, enough for it to be a character trait. Please remember this for her, I'm tired. I also know that Daemon loved her but she's too much fun as a character to limit her to him romantically in all her fanfictions, it is an interesting narrative to explore while we don't have exact answers but he gets romantic ships with anyone. She deserves more.

[citrusses]

@hd-erised favorites ❄️ (so far)

Thank you so much to everyone who participated in this amazing fest and made it happen, the sheer talent on display was astounding. I can't wait to catch up on all the fics I haven't gotten to yet, and to find out who you all are. I adore you! [Now featuring reveals!]

All Things Go by @sorrybutblog (E, 32,826)

Draco’s back at Hogwarts by court order. Harry’s back for no particular reason at all. Some things change, some stay the same. Neither expects to spend eighth-year living in close quarters, playing rugby (poorly), staying up late, sneaking around, and finally figuring it all out.

This story absolutely knocked me off my feet. The layers of characterization are so rich; Draco is very funny but also humble and guilty and sad; Harry is very horny for Draco and it develops in a completely organic way from his initial animosity; Hermione and Ron are also excellent in the background. The pacing was one of my favorite details, from the way their relationship evolves in person to the shift of the narrative to epistolary and back. This is such a lovely exploration of growing up, an enchanting read if you want something beautiful, that’s sweet and comforting with a healthy dose of wry humor.

The Unknown Door by @amywaterwings (E, 60,979)

There is something wrong with the Bellcrest. The heart of the place beats rotten. Everyone says so. Where Draco is a magical property manager, Harry is a recluse, and they’re definitely not hiding from their problems in the run-down flats of the Bellcrest. Not at all. Not one bit.

One of my favorite things that fic can do is turn over the rocks of Harry Potter canon to reveal what lurks underneath. This story looks at the places left out of the light of the wizarding world, but asks the question: what if we treated the downtrodden and discriminated-against with empathy? What if instead of pushing them further down, we attempted to uplift them? It does this through the viewpoint of Draco, who is not fully reformed when we first meet him. His journey is the inverse of the mistreated beings of magical ability we encounter in this story: fallen from the highest echelons of a prejudiced world, he needs to find a way to see those with whom he now shares social status as people, and in doing so find a way to consider one more “dark” creature worthy of love and kindness – himself. And I haven’t even gotten to Harry, who has his own journey to undergo that’s deftly imagined through both character work and inventive magical systems. This fic is full of empathy and heart and humor; it’s sexy, it’s painful at times (I cried), but it’s so very worth the journey.

Historians by @oknowkiss (E, 29,987)

It’s the Dumbledore’s Army Reunion Holiday, and Harry’s found himself in hot water with his friends once again, after telling them he has a boyfriend he definitely does not have. In an attempt to fix things, he’s made it his colleague on Level Nine, Draco Malfoy’s problem too. Featuring a ski chalet in Switzerland, a pair of bunk beds, and an agreement that should’ve been simple, were it not for all the bloody feelings getting in the way.

This fic is such a damn delight. Harry and Draco are both amazingly rendered, the plot grabs you and does not let go, and there’s an impressive amount of emotional complexity hiding under the classic rom-com setups of fake dating and miscommunications. Oh and it doesn't hurt that the smut is top-tier, all-time favorite status; my brain pretty much short-circuited at the final scene. The setting is so well-depicted that you will feel the crisp air of the ski chalet in your lungs as you read. The banter is out-of-this-world. Pick up this fic for the perfect steamy, romantic, comfort-read (and because you simply must meet the hideously adorable Professor Monday).

Everything is Relative to You by @thehoneybeet (E, ​​43,111)

Potter was supposed to have lived. Draco is certain of this. That Potter would no longer walk the earth was tantamount to the sun moving west to east across the sky. If only he could have stopped this from happening, if he’d have known... It comes to him as ideas often did: too late. Or, Harry dreams of his past lives, and Draco is in every one.

The prose in this fic is just *sumptuous.* We travel to many different worlds with Harry and Draco, and each is given detailed description courtesy of some of the most gorgeous sentences I’ve read in ages. This will put your heart through the wringer and, if you are like me, you will say "thank you, more please?" This fic made me think about physics and love and magic and how they relate to each other in ways I never knew I could, it was an intellectual and emotional delicacy.

Draco Malfoy's Foolproof Guide to Reconciliation by @aprofessionalprotagonistonist (T, 5,807)

Narcissa Malfoy’s determined to reconcile with her sister, which means Draco’s stuck spending time with Teddy Lupin — and Harry Potter.

I had to include this fic that does a wonderful job imagining the Malfoy/Black family dynamic, with Teddy being an adorable menace who helps to bring Draco and Harry together. It was such a sweet read over the holidays when I, too, was surrounded by tiny terrors. This story will make your heart grow at least three sizes.

Heliotropic by @sharperthan [ART]

Draco does not approve of the new gardener his mother has hired. Not one bit.

I was blown away by this art – there’s so much emotion on display, it’s a subtle and captivating story told in words and pictures.

And shout out to some of the other faves that I would write a million more words about if I had more hours in the day!

Once Upon a (Wet) Dream by @innerlillith (E, ​​13,510) 

Service Bell by @shiftylinguini (E, 8,297) 

Contretemps by @moonflower-rose (T, 8,488) 

Meddling, Menswear, and Magic by @writcraft (M, 18,739) 

The Inconvenient Death(s) of Harry Potter by @nv-md (E, 33,105) 

Two Wizards, One Bed by dustmouth [ART] 

​​Trouble with your tie, Potter? by @tenthousandyearsx (E, 6,719)

A True Entanglement by @thebooktopus (E, 10,243) 

[twelvemonkeyswere]

the classic character inversion trope in Crowley and Aziraphale is that the demon is the nice one and the angel is the mean one. neither of them is actually stupid, but they are canonically incompetent at their jobs. this is not necessarily a bad thing, for us, considering what the job is. Crowley fails by caring about others above orders and Aziraphale fails by not following strict orders because he actually cares enough to question them.

this is also not good for them because they are creatures who are expected to obey. even Crowley, who by virtue of being a demon means he disobeyed god, is expected to stick to a narrow path of behavior and values in service of hell. angels are expected to be obedient to god, but only an asshole obeys rules without caring how following them affects others. this is why the higher ups are so horrible. Aziraphale hasn't remained an angel for 6000 years without being able to at least play by those rules well enough, so this is one of the reasons he is the mean one of the two.

now, what this means on a practical level is that neither of them is actually free. Aziraphale has explained several times that the only ones who properly get to choose are humans. that's what free will entails, and angels and demons do not have free will. Crowley and Aziraphale figured out a plan to stay away from heaven and hell for a while at the end of season 1 out of need. they had gone completely rogue against their respective higher ups, both for selfish and selfless reasons, and they knew punishment was inevitable because they did the one thing they could never do: they made heaven and hell look bad. so, short of destroying themselves or finding a long-term solution (like dismantling heaven/hell, idk what any of this looks like), there is no escape for them, down the line.

for Crowley, what this means is that they must stay away from this mess as much as they can. this is what he did from day 1. he knows he can't change the way the universe is arranged, so he thinks what they need to do is to keep to themselves and stay as safe and free as possible. for Aziraphale, what this means is that whatever time they have together is finite, and their safety is never guaranteed. he also understands he can't change the way the universe is arranged, so he is willing to sacrifice freedom for safety if the position allows him to at least have some control of the terms in which they are free and safe.

there is also an interest on Aziraphale's part to stop the destruction of the world (the world where Crowley and he have built a life in, the world that allowed them to interact and fall in love with each other). from season 1 (and the book) we know Aziraphale first tried all the means at his disposal to stop armageddon before going straight to disobedience. he tried to fix the problem through logic. he still believed he could, somehow, change heaven's minds. he thought - regardless of Crowley clearly explaining it was futile - that he could even change god's mind. he thought all he needed was the time and the space to explain.

one thing I feel people often overlook about Aziraphale is that he is canonically intelligent. I suppose there might be a case here to argue that he is high intelligence while Crowley is high wisdom, but that is a little beside the point. what is more important to me is that the book goes on to be explicit that angels are not particularly more intelligent than humans. angels simply have longer lives, more access to resources, and can gather knowledge humans never could in their restrained mortal existence. whenever Aziraphale is stupid, he is stupid the way intelligent humans are often stupid. Crowley told him so in season 1, when he wondered how someone as clever as Aziraphale could be so daft about their situation.

Aziraphale STILL operates with the idea there must be a way to play along with the rules that will lessen all the maladies of the ineffable plan. after all, he's been doing it for 6000 years to survive (overlooking the fact that at the very end, he won the argument with a technicality Crowley first pointed out to him, and armaggedon was stopped because a child loved his family and friends over divine power).

this also makes Aziraphale very mean, because he dismisses what Crowley tells him he knows, through experience, can't be done. Aziraphale thinks his alternatives are falling - which would be horrible - or, more likely, being destroyed - which would also be horrible. the only way he has, in his mind, to survive this is to be able to change the higher up's mind, just as he intended in season 1, or, when the opportunity is presented, to be a higher up himself, to have more sway in the decision making process.

we know, and Crowley knows, that this will not work out as he hopes it will. but he still feels like he has to try. stupid in a very human way, you could say, because by desperately seizing the only alternative he sees to save Crowley and the world, Aziraphale pushed Crowley away (and lost his most treasured worldly possessions). Crowley, who has been on both teams, understands far too well playing along with the rules will not yield the results any of them want. if you look like a duck and act like a duck and sound like a duck, you're just contributing to whatever heaven or hell wanted in the first place. Crowley has already been punished for asking questions and thus doesn't fear being rejected or unloved by moral institutions, he already experienced the worst consequences sans obliteration. he understands freedom is the only way they'll get to enjoy their lives and each other, but both disagree on a fundamental level how much freedom they can obtain and what that means for them in connection to the wider world.

as usual the answer will probably be a third secret option neither of them has considered yet, and my opinion is it will probably be attained or devised by humans, just like in the first book. maybe aided by Crowley and Aziraphale in the funniest and most indirect ways. but I feel like this is why their story together is so compelling: love is such a powerful force it dares divine creatures to challenge not just the preconceptions of who they are supposed to be, but the very creator of the universe, if necessary, in order to be free to express that love. there is no holier war than the one you fight to be yourself, and I'm personally very excited to see where it goes for them.

[carefulfears]

omg rm9 was kinda fun To Me. i enjoyed mulder and scully going on a sushi date, scully being SOOOOO embarrassingly down bad for a man she’s known over 20 years, and of course the restaurant attacking them because mulder is a bad tipper. it’s also just nice to see them living life, you know??

i had a blast with rm9 tbh, a classic s11 well! have no idea what happened there! but i enjoyed myself! episode. just talked about it a bit but yes!! just seeing them living life!! literally the majority of s11 isn't even them going on cases they're just like. existing. and falling into Situations. in rm9 all they wanted to do was go to this sushi place. scully is of course always embarrassing as hell but what i loved loved loved loved about her in rm9 (and consequently throughout s11) is that last moment at the diner when they're both on their phones, and she puts hers away and just kinda leans over to his shoulder and takes his hand, and he puts his phone down.

i was so floored to see her do that, to ask for his attention like that. so much of the original series is scully...almost quietly suffocating, sometimes? being on the edge of his myopia and focus? wanting him to see her so bad, and then lashing out (READ: fucking serial killers) to either rebel, or get him to notice? but it's been a long time and he has been many more things to her since and now she just grabs his hand and makes him turn to her. in forehead sweat when she whines that he needs to feed her or she's leaving!! and then she does leave!!! in plus one when they aren't even "back together" yet, and she sneaks into his motel room and asks him to hold her.

scully in the revival has left him. she has struck out on her own, had her own career, lived on her own, been a doctor. and she's back and they're back because there's work to be done, and because, as james wong says: "She’s in love with him that way. She had a different career as a doctor, but she came back, because this is so important to him—she’s coming back to be there for him."

she's back, and they're back, because they're always choosing each other, and they've proven it, and they've done the work. she complains about his stakeouts. she cracks jokes about being sure he's on his meds!! she knows that their son is "guiding" them both, somehow. she doesn't question it.

she's embarrassingly down bad even after 25 years because she's never anything but adored him, but there's so much more availability now. she can openly check him out and invite him back into her room and giggle at him and sleep on his jacket in bars. she used to cry, every single time that he was present with her. she used to be so overwhelmed that she couldn't speak, when he was focused on her. this is the inverse reaction of the stability and peace that mulder has found, there's a steady foundation for scully to grow on.

[bogusfilth]

if you talk about like. classical liberal or early american political thought and you never bring up slavery or empire you are actually violently intellectually dishonest. it should just be unthinkable that you could say something like the following with a straight face.

Individual liberty, whether rugged or not, is certainly at the heart of the American political project, expressed in its founding documents, such as the Declaration of Independence. (Bruce K. Ward, Right Stuff, Literary Review of Canada January-February 2024)

individual liberty was at the heart of the American political project? how do we still let this level of open revisionism slide? it was a slave state. what next? "at the heart of the third reich was a commitment to the prevention of arson"? you should be forced by the merest ten seconds of thinking to encounter the real point, which is that american political thought is characterised by a contradiction between a nominal focus on liberty and an actual violent tyranny, not just a potential tyranny resulting from "too much" democracy.

It was Rousseau himself who acknowledged that in the liberal state he envisaged, based on the rightness of the general will, the recalcitrant would be “forced to be free.” In its extreme Communist form, this apotheosis of the state was to include the attempt, in the words of the Czech Canadian novelist Josef Skvorecky, to “engineer human souls.”

this has never been a problem. "we made the people too free and now they've enslaved themselves" has never happened. it's a conservative rhetorical ploy, it's an inversion in thought of the true premise - the thought that "subject and a sovereign are clean different things," the fear of the rabble that needs to be held down.

this should be the true struggle of modern liberals - how do you reconcile a universalist democratic ideal with the fact that the existence of anglosphere parliamentary democracy is fraught with its relationship to empire, the monarchy and landownership at home! i know this is me being mad about effectively marxist 101 problematization of the ideological framing of western democracy. but is the liberal project so weak that it simply cannot sustain itself without this kind of self-deception? is a liberalism that is actually committed to those values in some sense structurally impossible?

[upper-sixth-fanclub]

Has your muse ever felt torn between what their society / culture expects from them and their moral values? What did they decide to do about it?

Has your muse ever faced any kind of discrimination or oppression for an aspect of themselves that they cannot change? How has this experience shaped their attitude toward that aspect of themselves? Have they ever perpetuated any kind of discrimination or oppression against others, whether unintentionally or deliberately?

Hello, thank you for the ask. I appreciate your patience as I saved this one; it helpfully serves to recalibrate my muses.

CW for child sex work, child assault, sexual assault mention, and ableism.

Classic Literature Asks

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Has your muse ever felt torn between what their society / culture expects from them and their moral values? What did they decide to do about it?

Absolutely. Ume's tragic death was because her job's expectations were in conflict with the morals that Gyutaro raised her with. We're left with the vague story that Ume assaulted a samurai, but I'm sure a lot of people got the impression of Ume resisting sexual assault, leading up to her stabbing the guy's eye out. I think there's also room for interpretation, but even if she was strong-arming or demanding payment up front or whatever, that doesn't erase the fact she's a child sex worker. She was vulnerable to societal expectations and had little autonomy over her situation: I think whether Gyutaro had taught her to live that way or not, she loves him enough to idolize and mimic his behavior anyway. She was doomed to take action, and doomed to be targeted for it.

Gyutaro's way of defying societal expectations was to lean into the bit until it broke. After a childhood of being kicked around and abused, Gyutaro knew he was expected to just suffer and die. It was when Ume was born that he felt he needed to stay alive, and of course, her beauty made him feel a vicarious pride because he suddenly 'had' something that everyone else could want. (Classic time-appropriate misogyny.) I think his violence and aggression as retribution was inevitable, given it was all he knew. He was treated like trash, and so he came out trashy and messy and mean. Sort of an inverse of Ume, who wasn't expected to be violent, and so the price she paid for her actions was much steeper than Gyutaro faced.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Has your muse ever faced any kind of discrimination or oppression for an aspect of themselves that they cannot change? How has this experience shaped their attitude toward that aspect of themselves? Have they ever perpetuated any kind of discrimination or oppression against others, whether unintentionally or deliberately?

Points directly at Gyutaro. I know I harp on and on about the stigma of sex related diseases IN the field of sex work, especially the stigma against those with syphilis. Gyutaro's mother was likely the target of a lot of this discrimination too, as workers with syphilis were seen as dirty and immoral, which contributed to her lashing out on her own son, because how dare he be the living embodiment of her problems. It was a structural issue of hurting the people who needed help, and Gyutaro was absolutely oppressed by a form of ableism.

Obviously, this made him hateful and twisted. And while everyone has varying headcanons as to how much he cares about his appearance, I'm always a fan of uncertain sensitivity, as if he's only JUST wading into his low self-esteem, but hasn't really delved into the why and how. It still bothers the hell out of him, but he pretends it doesn't by using his 'ugliness' as his weapon. That's where he was mentally when he died, and where he stubbornly refuses to move from. He had nobody but Ume to confide in-- and even his vulnerabilities weren't really addressed, given their mutual worldview of beauty as power.

In this way, he perpetrated his own discrimination too: by validating the way he was treated and resenting it at the same time, by minimizing all of it to 'those who take win, the bullies are the winners,' he trapped himself in an unwinnable mindset. He can't reflect on himself as anything but a loser-turned-winner, because being a victim of all that doesn't matter to him now that he's attained power for himself and Daki.

I think this same argument can apply to Daki as a sex worker, too. At first, it was the only career path really available to her, given their location and status in life. And as a vulnerable kid, it's unlikely she WASN'T exploited for the gain of others. Women and children as property is still a mindset that's being deconstructed today, so I love that she told Zenitsu so blatantly that especially in the Entertainment District, people ARE products to her. She's a classic example of perpetrating further oppression; now that she's a demon, she could choose to do ANYTHING and her brother would go along with it. But she chose to become an oiran and to keep the human populace under her heel, hurting women and children the same ways she was once hurt.

[sterlingarcher23]

Flying W - Wonder Woman.

The Winnebago RV used is from 1972 - The logo is called "Flying W" (and in 1986 the Winnebago RV industry established the Flying W program in to recognize select dealers for service excellence and superior customer satisfaction.)

I don't know about you but the version of this one in particular reminds me a bit of ...

They even shot her standing there with this logo in her back. And it's a "Flying W" like "If you want to stop One you will need to fly" again making a connection between One and Max or better: Max is One. One of the good Ones since there are only three Ones in the show: 00I and 0II.

Theres no doubt a strong connection towards Wonder Woman been made in the show.

That's issue 326 > 3+2+6=11.

The first issue of The Legend of Wonder Woman (the comic Lucas is reading to Max in the script if I recall correctly) was released in May 1986. Weird, did they want to push Will's birthday to May (Birthday gate) allegedly because it better fits the lip movement? - I doubt that this is an oversight and they didn't use it because it was released much later but another clue left in the script that March and May are interchangeable and there are potential timeline shenanigans in the show.

And since the Duffers like Upside-downs/inversions, just have some fun and invert Max's initials ... Or just the Wonder Woman logo.

And note that Mike offers El some M&Ms (because he didn't get his break...I mean KitKat) while Max is right there in the background. So MM=Max Mayfield. And certain fonts especially in the Wonder Woman logo once inverted give us different initials.

I guess reflections/Upside-downs/inversions/mirrors are all just a coincidence. There's nothing like this in the show at all. There's nothing to see here, folks! Or is there? That mirror shots are btw like a Stranger Things version of the Sherlock mirror.

If Henry's shadow is Vecna(Edward?), then Max's mirror is...El. The walkie talkie isn't very subtle. Seriously, I wouldn't do/talk about this if there weren't inversions and mirrors etc in show and it's not even very subtle. Many parallels people talk about are actually mirrors. (Even literal mirrors like the one 00I gets thrown through which then switches the alignment of the shards to give us a mirror of him and the "Zoomer"-El that fights back.) It was the first thing that I noticed and that's what started this.

Oh, and shall we guess who's in room 110? (Just saw it, so take it with a grain of salt but this looks like Maya behind the window.)

Mirrors: 011/110

So, MM=WW because as pointed out in the comic reading scene Wonder Woman has another name, alias or "alter ego": Princess Diana. Like Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Clark Kent is Superman etc etc

All you need is simple math. 5'6 / 5 6 =??

Nah, just imagining things.

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

I do have an idea what the blue hair tie and yellow watch do resemble and mean as an allegory that totally fits the narrative. And yes, it's Wonder Woman linked too.

Had a post some time ago about the Lasso of Truth - and remember the poster for "Dear Billy"? It says "No more lies".

That Unbreakable is an inspo is obvious (and official) and David Dunn's weakness is water. (You know the whole rabies/fear of water thing which I likely will address in another post.) Nonetheless, the superhero coding is there.

[feline-evil]

I looove love love playing with the classic 'big tough guy rescues and protects small sort of pathetic nerd' type handsome prince story that Otasune has going on initially, but i also fucking ADORE playing with the inverse; Snake as a man needing saving despite how often he takes the role of hero in others eyes, Otacon seeing this man so battleworn and tired who has been denied any peace or a normal life and feeling such compassion and hurt burning in his heart for him that he makes a vow to stay by his side and protect him. Scrawny beanpole of a man holding this clone soldier in his arms when nightmares come for him, trying to calm him down from memories of the hell's he's walked through; whispering softly to him, reminding him he's there, he's safe. Helping bandage his wounds and massage his bruised muscles and caring for him when he grows tired and worn down; all with a look in his eye that suggests at rage bubbling silently over the fact the man he cares about has to endure this much. I just really like when Hal is in that protective role of trying to be the stronger one for Dave, this sweet sweet man with a big heart taking a look at the man under all that lore and legend and thinking who is taking care of you? Who is keeping you safe at night? Are you all alone, why must you endure this alone? I just. Clenching my fist. I fucking love when Otacon is strong in his own way, and protective in his own way; he might not be a supersoldier, he's just A Guy, but he cares and he see's the man behind the legend and decides to stick by him like his guardian angel and aaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaa They are both everything to me

[irenespring]

TV characters and their mentors

I have realized as I watch TV and find myself liking a character I also start considering who their mentor in @lorata's THG District Two system would be, almost as a personality test. I've put too much thought into it to not publish it somewhere. So, here is a very niche character analysis. TV characters and their District Two mentors. If you are a fan of these shows and have no idea what I'm talking about because you don't read Lorata, do it now. I haven't read the Hunger Games since middle school but I return to Lorata's District Two every few months.

The Mentalist:

Patrick Jane: Callista. The way this fits is actually one of the reasons I decided to actually write a post. He considers himself immune to the rules. He hates authority. He is charming and manipulative, with only fleeting indications he has a conscience. A chaos agent. Exactly what Callista looks for. He would absolutely break up the career alliance early because he decides he doesn't want to kill the youngest tributes if he doesn't have to for his survival and he would rather kill his "allies." It gets Callista in hot water with the other alliance mentors but she is just like "he's excellent."

Teresa Lisbon: Brutus. Lisbon is actually a lot like what Petra would probably become in twenty years. Still hot-headed, still stubborn and rules-focused, still wanting respect at all costs... but a little more chill about it. She's a pretty easy choice for Brutus because she gets things done and doesn't resort to the flashy nonsense of certain Calli tributes. Speaking of... Jane and Lisbon kind of work as an inversion of the classic "back-to-back Victors are a wild girl and chill boy" and would probably hate each other at first before slowly becoming closer as time goes on.

SVU (this is a weird case because I've published a THG AU, but lets just say all of them are Two in this case):

Alex Cabot: This is the hardest of all of them for me, but I'm going to say Devon. She fits the dreamer archetype of always wanting to make things better for everyone (even with the weird season 18 twist SVU pulled, Alex is still fighting for what she perceives as justice). That twist however does rule her out for most of Brutus' branch because it's coloring too far outside the lines. She's very charming and witty, but is focused on trying to do right in the world, rather than the more self-focused goals of Callista or Misha (my runner up for this character).

Olivia Benson: Brutus. Pretty much for the same reasons as Lisbon. She is very closely tied with the rules; even when she disagrees with them, she never really thinks about leaving. She is District Two in the AU I published, so I'm to promote myself and say for more insight into how she views the Games as a Career, go read that.

Rafael Barba: Lyme. The essence of a Lyme tribute. Abusive childhood, attachment issues, using flash to cover for insecurities, depression, and ambition. Has a very tough time in early recovery because he has difficulty squaring the horrors of the Games with his motivation for volunteering---a Claudius-esque (though less intense) desire for family and acceptance.

Sonny Carisi: Tough to decide between Devon and Emory but I'm going to go with Emory. He bakes for everyone. He tries to be a good person even the face of horrors. He has no real desire to do violence to people except when under massive amounts of pressure. He didn't even necessarily need to be volunteering, he just did his best, tried to make friends, and figured they'd tell him to stop when he failed.

Bones (this is another interesting case because I have written a THG AU but have not posted because of how much it uses Lorata's characters in the absence of mentor characters in Bones, and in the AU Temperance is from District Nine, but they will both be Two in this case):

Temperance Brennan: Artemisia. She isn't really sorry about anything from Career training, viewing the Program as the only rational choice given the Capitol's governmental system. She often insults other candidates on accident, because she is the best according to the rankings so why do they take offense when she points it out? She avoids serious injury because she really is the best. It cracks Misha up just reading the file. After it becomes clear in recovery that many of her nightmares come from the foster family that she was sent to after he parents and brother abandoned her, Misha tracks them down to make sure they...understand her displeasure.

Seeley Booth: Emory. He is Two in the AU I'm writing so I've thought this through at length. In the show, he is very pre-occupied with being a good person despite having killed people, and Emory is described as the most decent of the Victors. I've thought of an argument where as Lyme is to Claudius, so Emory would be to Booth growing up in District Two. He also has a habit of pushing all his emotions down because he views them as unimportant, something Emory is shown to have a very good way of countering as a mentor. Emory and Misha meet up to talk about how their Victors are clearly infatuated with each other, Emory dismisses it because Misha had a crush on her, but Misha is like "no this is different." They wager a batch of cookies (Misha's would be baked by Devon). Misha accepts her cookies at Seeley and Temperance's wedding.

ER:

Kerry Weaver: Lyme. A lot of the characters I like have similar vibes, so the explanation for this one is kind of similar to Rafael. She has a harsh persona that is used as a cover for someone struggling with abandonment issues and wanting to belong. As a District Two candidate, she likely would be a lot like Petra (quick to anger, sensitive to being disrespected or not taken seriously), but with less regard for duty and more personal investment. She cares about the people of her district, but she wants to win for herself and the family she would be promised. I've almost written an essay on Kerry and how she behaves and her mental health while she thinks she has a shot at fitting in to ER's found family, and how it declines after she realizes that they will never accept her around season 7 and 8. She really, really wants a family, and Lyme is drawn to those types of tributes.