#and even tried to validate and uplift the other

[survivalove]

ATLA fandom and removing Katara’s agency and POV

Recently, I came across the following thread where OP proceeded to uplift the following ships to diminish Kataang, on the supposed basis of Katara’s agency and pov (or lack thereof).

I decided to keep all their points and pictures to show a holistic analysis of the show, which they themselves fail to do.

Firstly, on the topic of loss, Kataang has multiple moments where they connect over their losses.

At first, Katara tries to tell Aang that his people may be lost by opening up about her mother, but he is obviously in denial. It is only when he sees Gyatso’s body (like Katara did when her mom passed) that he accepts the loss of his people and her comfort.

I also want to note that this is a recurring pattern of Aang struggling to accept Katara’s comfort at first, despite these shippers’ claims that he easily accepts her “coddling/mothering”.

Kataang as seen in Katara’s pov:

This is easily the most inaccurate part of the thread and shows how shippers fail to acknowledge Katara as a character unless she is with their preferred love interest.

Kataang’s relationship is framed in Katara’s point of view multiple times, especially in these episodes.

Next, Katara’s boundaries:

Once again, they exclude the frames where Katara exercises her agency — pushing him away and telling him off, removing her pov from the scene all on their own. Furthermore on the issue of being violated, what is her point of view when she’s tied to a tree, or when her grandmother is being roughed up and tossed around?

This is part of a greater issue where shippers genuinely believe the misogyny in the writing room is exclusive to a single ship and would somehow be resolved if the female character ended up with… another man.

On Katara’s grief,

Honestly, this has to be the second most dishonest and laughable part of the thread (don’t worry we’ll strike gold soon), so I’m not even going to validate it with more than these pics:

Lastly, the ship in question:

I just find the lightning pic so funny in this context like what?? Like I said earlier, Kataang is shown from Katara’s pov multiple times, but here’s more pics because when your ship has the material!

Aang has seen Katara at her worst multiple times, either stepping in, comforting her or giving her advice (just like Katara has done for him many times, unprompted I might add) because he knows her and has seen her very hostile reactions towards Jet and Hama when they tried to use her as a tool for their revenge. Mind you, this same advice her literal brother and eventually Zuko himself agree with.

Also I always found it pretty weird how Zuko (ahem the writers) set this up so that she can forgive him right after he failed to understand why she was the last one to do so in the beginning of the episode, but anyway…

Lastly, both Aang and Katara have opened to each other in incredibly significant ways. Aang opens up to Katara about the monks and why he disappeared. She is the only person to know this side of him. Meanwhile, Katara tells him about her mother and opens up her family to him, and even in the most platonic interpretations, how is that not the most significant way to open up to someone?

[profounddefendorcrusade-blog]

I feel bad for Starlo. (pt. 9)

Star's the Papyrus (both are idealistic & seen as naive) of this game (Martlet is another possible parallel), even though he's got similarities with Undyne too. No matter how broken Ceroba seemed he asked himself WHY she did what she did and I think that's SUPER important.

Ceroba didn't do this. Her first instinct was to be harsh (after being harsh with him even BEFORE he attacked Clover):

called his personality "damaged" before this scene

... you never asked yourself WHY he did the whole sheriff act.

.... you never asked WHY he didn't want to grow up. If it was a coping mechanism, if he wanted to help his community in a way he couldn't as a farmer? It was never on her mind.

Yes he has baggage but he's dealing with it all while uplifting others, Ceroba has baggage but is well taken care of by Star and at least has him, he has no one but himself and his optimism to pull him out of negative feelings, and still gets insulted.

Yeah Ceroba's been through stuff but apparently it's been some time since Chujin passed and Kanako fell down, she should have at least started to support Star emotionally like he's been supporting her (sure, he did so with distractions, but as he said "aren't distractions what's best for all of that?" He did his best). Problem is she DIDN'T realise he was ever struggling with self worth and only assumed he was goofing off. Either that or she did nothing about it aka was too occupied with her own problems (which are valid but still... she should have tried at least a little) Cer's character flaw is being too stubborn and devoted to Chujin. She trusted him blindly and wholeheartedly. Everything else came in 2nd place. This is clear as day.

It hurts knowing Ceroba could never respect Starlo the way she still does her husband. Not saying she shouldn't admire Chujin, but the way she sees Star as a goofy manchild whose lifelong passion can go "too far," the way she sees all this Wild East stuff as him "just having fun," the way she thinks that only someone whose brain isn't developed would ever consider dating him just... ticks me off, tbh. That's why I think the guy needs someone who will be gentle and patient with him, even if that other person is going through tough times.

She DID call Starlo the best sheriff she's ever known (honestly the only sweet moment between them in pacifist, but it is very brief, especially in neutral where he just gets cut off; also I hope she was being genuine here) and said how everyone adored him (but hated his persona, which I've already covered: basically they either hated 'North Star' as a whole, which I hope isn't true, or just how excited he was to meet Clover, which makes no sense to me; already covered it as well)

Bonus: Dina didn't know who Star really was or what he looked like, not before the end credits rolled (when he shows up as himself & she's also seen there; makes sense that he finally came clean to her):

So he's literally been playing this role 24/7, ever since she became the bartender; ever since this town started to exist. It's impressive how he could keep up an act AND use this fake accent for so long

Bonus #2: Star was SUPER worried about Clover's safety; that's what REALLY upset him (he cares about that child sm). THAT's what drove him off the edge (unless he naturally has a temper, i don't think this is it tho). Either way, he was way more patient w Ceroba than I think most would have been in that situation. Sure he snapped a few times, but there was a good reason to. He still TRIED to reason with her. Why did he attack? Worried for Martlet & Clover. I honestly think Star's the type to only get super angry if someone he loves is in danger (minus the stuff that happened which led him to cracking)

[stick-ball]

saw a hc about jean moreau being hyper sexual especially post-ravens. thoughts? feelings?

thoughts AND feelings! Oh the joy of being given a chance for a hot second to discuss this. You came to the right place my love. ❤️

Trigger and age warning : rape, sex connected trauma, dissociation, psychological abuse, controlling relationships, discussion of sexual acts.

Okay so, being hyper sexual. You know who does that in the books? Andrew actually. I know some might look at me weirdly rn like, 'what the hell are you talking about, he doesn't let anyone touch him'. Yeah, that's true! But that doesnt take away from the knee jerk reaction. (I'm sorry I know this isn't exactly what you asked but I need to discuss andrew first, and that has a lot to do with jean, bear with me).

Andrew finds a partner that he can to some limit trust (leverage, deals, careful observation, "training" them to behave how he tells them) to follow his instructions, which gives him a sense of control. They can fuck, but it's him who's doing it. It's him who's touching, kissing ect. The other person, of course if they consent, get to partake but not create the experience. It's one of the very, very valid scenarios of hyper sexuality as a responce to rape. He is rewriting every poisoned nerve ending in his body. He doesn't actually get off from the sex. For his own release he needs privacy, as shown in the books. Andrew's problem can be, that due to his truly inhumane trauma he can fall into the mindset of defining his sense of self through sex. It's an action and he's a tool in this scenario. Then again, We circle back to control, which is also a key feature of his decisions and protectiveness. Taking total control of the situation which used to be utterly outside of it, with no way out of it. Rewriting it, giving the traumatic experience a positive ending, hell an ending - when, and as suddenly as he might want it to end, is the motivator here. I think what he finds satisfying in terms of sex, not control, is giving sexual consent to his partners and, which he finds just as important, them giving it to him. Because it wasn't given to him. It's a way of building trust.

The motivations sound pretty nice, even if heartbreaking, don't they? Seem uplifting? The problem is, even if in good faith, this process can be very harmful, trauma surviviors mention that (at least ones I discussed it with personally) it feels good, but in the long run it does what this type of coping mechanism always does to your brain (similiar reactions can be seen for different traumas), which is hurt it. It's a form of desensitisation that limits your brain's ability to percieve the situation. It's hard to rewrite and leads to hot and cold kind of reactions, so yeah, having a relationship with a capital R is, difficult. That's what I always understood as Nora saying they are never actually okay (andrew and neil). Or at least partly understood it as.

Okay, so this cleared a couple things up. Now JEAN. Jean and Andrew share some factors of their trauma. While not treated as such, Jean was technically fostered by the Moriyamas, and well, Andrew's experiences with being fostered are faaaaar from what it's supposed to be as well. The difference is in Andrew's situation everyone tried to pretend the horror is not happening, there must have been a lot of manipulation and coercion and just plain fucking gaslighting in these houses. Its hard to talk about but I can imagine some of these monsters wanted him to act like he is enjoying it, and thats just out if the emotional range of dealing with for anyone. Jean knew he's in a trap from day one. Moreover, when it comes to the rape's he was victim of it was ordered by Riko to be done by others. That's a different level of fucked up. What's even more important as distinction here is he stopped, when Jean stopped reacting and fighting it. Because what Riko wanted wasn't violation, that was the tool. He wanted to psychologically break him. When the fish stops flailing on the cat stops pushing it around.

And Riko was constant, his modus operandi was regular, and the psychological torture was the motivator behind most of his "conditioning" of Jean. This is a situation where the abuse has a cause for the victim. It sounds sick and I don't agree with it, but it's a game in their mind. In the books we can see that he learned how to limit the amount of attention Riko gave him and as we know he is not confrontational like Andrew with his problems. And yeah I don't mention Neil as confrontational here bcs he has conditioned himself to run from everything and say he's fine to everything so..., sometimes it erupts frk mit but that's not exactly the same, its a last resort.

Circling back, I think Jean is more likely to be sex repulsed. For him sex, which was a form of punishment, is a cause of anxiety. Sexual tension is easy to mix up with nervous tension because of a feeling of losing control of the situation. That's why if we do get romance in the new book, I am putting my money on it being very messy from his pov. The magical thing about trauma responces though, is that they're not black and white, and someone who is sex repulsed might also seek an ending to their anxieties through it. Yet, it's ts a bit of an opposite motivation to the one Andrew has. When Andrew thinks of himself as a tool, Jean is more likely to think of himself as an object. There's a difference. While Andrew wants to take control, Jean is more likely to use it as either a way to retraumatise himself - so his version of hypersexuality would include less control and more roughness and violence, actually trying to rile the partner up. It might stemm for him from low self worth or be a way of letting out his angers and frustrations. It's not that he is used to being hurt, it's that he doesn't expect anything different. I also think he is more likely to have problems with opening up in therapy. Where Andrew is active Jean is passive, and the opposite. The upside is he might actually be more likely to communicate emotionally than through rules and laws, it will take longer, but be a smoother transition, because more people understand it than Andrew's way of building relationships.

Hope this anwser satisfies you, I'm sorry if I got a bit carried away. 😅

[theerurishipper]

Ah just saw a hot take that “Adrichat doesn’t have empathy”

Sometimes I wonder if some people actually watch the show or just have it on as background noise and straight up miss major character moments

"Adrien doesn't have empathy." And Gabriel isn't an abuser. Lila isn't a liar. Adrienette isn't canon.

Anyway, Adrien Agreste is the single most emotionally intelligent and empathetic character in this whole damn show. Some examples of Adrien being empathetic:

When he empathizes with Ladybug in Origins.

When he empathizes with Marinette in Glaciator.

When he empathizes with Chloe in Style Queen.

When he empathizes with Lila in Oni-chan.

When he empathizes with Felix in Felix.

When he empathizes with Ladybug in Miracle Queen.

When he empathizes with Juleka in Guilttrip.

And there are plenty more examples of this.

Adrien is very emotionally astute. He understands people. He knows how to connect with their feelings and understand them. Marinette, despite her desire to help and uplift everyone around her, isn't the best at understanding their feelings. But Adrien gets people. Even when people are doing bad things, like Lila and Chloe, Adrien is able to see them for who they are. A girl who just wants the validation and acceptance of her mother and a girl who craves attention.

An example of this is Chloe and the situation with not giving her the Bee Miraculous. Marinette gets so caught up in her own reasonings that she fails to consider other people and their reactions. But Adrien is able to consider them, and he's able to put himself in Chloe's shoes and understand that she's expecting and waiting to be given a Miraculous again, and lets Marinette know that she should talk to Chloe. Another example is when everyone discovers that Rose is sick. Adrien is the only one who doesn't start smothering Rose, because he can understand she doesn't want that.

Adrien is able to understand and read people very well. He just has trouble with casual social interactions, which is a symptom of being locked away for his whole life. In fact, one could argue that Adrien is too empathetic, because he tries so hard to look for the best in people and believe in them that it is often detrimental to him.

Trying to see the good in everything and trying to hold onto hope is the way Adrien copes with all the awful things in his life. He offers empathy to Gabriel and Lila, even though they are hurting him. Part of this is him downplaying his own feelings because he's been taught that they don't matter, and part of this is him trying to hold onto the good he sees in his life as a way of dealing with everything. What Adrien needs to do is to learn how to achieve a balance of being empathetic and understanding of other people, and also learning to prioritize his needs and happiness at the same time. He needs to learn that he matters too.

But that tangent aside, Adrien is very empathetic and very emotionally astute. Anyone suggesting otherwise must be watching an entirely different show.

Thank you for your ask!

[arielleslipgloss]

Can you make a guide for Song Jia ??

How to Become Magnetic like Song Jia!!

(none of these pictures are mine)

“It’s hard for me to have a crush on anybody. My standards are as high as Mt. Everest.” - Song Jia

Confidence!! Jia has a lot of confidence. She knows who she is and what she’s worth. She doesn’t see anyone as competition. This is because she knows that the only competition, is herself. Jia is constantly working harder to improve herself. Some ways she takes care of herself are, exercise, skincare, haircare, affirmations, etc. She does self-care with love and care for herself. Which helps her feel good about herself. This just goes to show, that taking time for yourself helps with confidence a lot.

Femininity!! Jia acts in her light feminine energy. She is very soft, feminine, flirty, mysterious, and kind. Her femininity makes her very appealing and magnetic. She moves and talks slow, making her look secure in herself. She is quite private, which makes her mysterious. She knows to stay laid back and let a man be in his masculine energy. Lastly, she always dresses nicely and looks well-groomed. All these qualities are very feminine. It makes her very alluring to people. Making them want to know more about her.

Mystery!! What makes Jia mysterious? Well, Jia is an extremely good listener. She talks less and listens to others more. I’m sure we all can agree that someone who listens well to us is very attractive. We automatically become pulled to them. This is because all humans love attention. We all want to be validated and valued. My point is, a good listener gives us exactly that. They validate us by just listening. All they do is maintain eye contact and listen. Which is insane how powerful those two things can be. Something else about Jia, is that she only reveals a little at a time. Even when she reveals stuff, she still says very little. This makes the person she is interacting with more curious about her. They want to know more and more about her. Yet, she doesn’t let them. Even in interviews, she keeps her answers to a certain amount.

4. Be Your True Self!! All the things I have listed already come naturally to Jia. That is because she worked hard on improving herself. Therefore, also work on making yourself better and better. Especially work hard on confidence because your confidence will radiate. If you have confidence that is strong and radiates, you will instantly be more magnetic. Although, why can being your true and authentic self make you magnetic? Well, because it’s rare to see people being their true selves. It also makes a person feel more comfortable and at ease around you. Almost as if they can trust you, since you seem like you trust them. That’s really magnetic and can make others attracted to you.

5. Don’t Bring Others Down!! Jia was never the type to talk bad about other girls on Singles Inferno. She’d stay out of drama and knew certain stuff wasn’t her business. She also knew that her only competition was herself. Jia always was respectful towards everyone she’d meet. She constantly tries to support others. This is because Jia knows, that bringing down others won’t benefit anyone. There is no purpose in bringing others down. What there is purpose in, is uplifting other people! Therefore, try to uplift others because you will get that positive energy back.

Love you sm dolls!! Remember to keep your standards high and stay pretty 💋🎀

“I’ve done well till now, I can do better in the future!” - Song Jia

Pinterest: Arielleslipgloss

[doorhine]

I think the show does a really good job at validating and empathizing with Akemi’s concerns as a woman living under a patriarchy while also acknowledging her privileges, not just as a wealthy person, but as a literal princess. There’s a lot to be said about Akemi’s dynamic with Madame Kaji and the other sex workers but right now I’m focusing on her and Mizu as two main characters whose experiences as women contrast each other the most. I specifically want to talk about the end of episode 5 because it’s a culmination of so many things.

*SPOILERS BELOW

Mizu obviously isn’t there to personally see the misogyny Akemi experiences so from her perspective, she has no real reason to empathize with her running away. Mizu also just has her own priorities with her revenge quest. But even with the lack of context or understanding of Akemi’s situation, Mizu and the other sex workers' judgment of Akemi isn’t unfounded because she has real privilege over them. As a princess, she has an unfathomable amount of wealth that lets her live a life of comfort and luxury so far removed from other people’s experiences to the point where, Akemi herself states that being rich like that makes you forget that you’re rich. And while Akemi is clearly shown to utilize the skills sets she does have to her advantage when she runs away, it’s not an insult to her intelligence to acknowledge that getting as far as Madame Kaji’s establishment was also the result of luck because there’s so many ways that things could’ve gone wrong on the way there. 

So for Mizu to encounter Akemi

A princess who ran away from all that luxury for the sake of a failed marriage with a guy who bullied/hate crimed Mizu as a child and wants to duel and kill her for his honor/social status in the present (when social climbing was never truly possible for Mizu even when disguised as a man and because we know how her marriage ended)

A princess who tried to kill her and says she only regrets not doing it immediately 

A princess who calls her a monster just like everyone else 

A princess who has no idea Mizu’s even a woman or all the experiences that got her to this point, including the assassination of Kinuyo (who didn’t want to die) at Madam Kaji’s request because women have to be practical and think of the results (not how they get there) when it comes to revenge 

A princess who may have fought to help defend Madame Kaji and her girls but then expected a mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted Mizu (suffering from multiple puncture wounds after doing the majority of the killing/defending) to fight Akemi’s own guards like a personal attack dog when doing so would’ve more than likely killed her and Ringo while Akemi still lived and got taken back home…. *takes a deep breath*

It’s totally understandable why Mizu just lets them take Akemi. 

On Akemi’s part, she doesn’t know the context around why Mizu is the way that she is but at the end of the episode assumes that she’s not capable of love when they’ve only known each other for… not even a day and half technically speaking. Meanwhile Mizu’s assessment of Akemi’s privilege is still accurate in certain ways despite her lack of context that makes Akemi empathetic to us as the audience. Also, not that Mizu sees this happen, Akemi is able to maneuver her way around the shogun’s court and her new husband while also uplifting and hiring Madame Kaji and her girls to both their benefit. A path she chooses to continue taking at the end of the season. It’s still within the confines of the patriarchy and not without its challenges, but Akemi is taking advantage of the privileges she does have when she previously took them for granted. 

Both Mizu and Akemi are just so nuanced and well written and this scene is a perfect example of how and why they clash due to such drastically different lives shaped by their social status. I’m curious to see how their journeys will go from here and what circumstances reunite them (for better or worse) given where they left off with each other during the season finale.

[jester-lover]

Hi I hope you’re doing well! ^^

I saw that your requests were open and o was wondering if you had any hc with L.j with a chubby/plus size fem reader who’s really insecure about their weight and how they look 24/7 nsfw or not, it’s totally okay! ^^

I’m dealing with severe body dysmorphia right now and I feel like I keep getting worse.

I love your writing so much and the way you write everyone, and I just wanted to say to keep the amazing work!💕

Feel free to delete it if it’s not something you’re comfy to write for! I’d completely understand

As always, stay safe and remember to hydrate <3

Pretty Lady

Cw/female reader, angst, fluff, insecurities, comfort, SFW, body image issues, food/eating/weight mention, this post is a bit longer than my other ones, because I personally wanted to write it

Laughing Jack x fem! Chubby! Reader

Hey nonnie, I know how difficult it feels to not belong in your own self, especially when it comes to weight. I know how repetitive the ‘your beautiful!’ comments can get, even if they are absolutely true. So I’ll just let you know that I wholeheartedly hope that you find happiness with yourself, that you find contentment with yourself. This is something I wish I heard in my times of trouble. You are completely free and valid to feel however you feel, but please know that there is always something beautiful in the world waiting for you.

Jack is such a tender hearted fool for you

His soul is wrapped around yours in an everlasting hug, and he’s forever grateful you chose to keep him around

What confuses him at first is your sudden reluctance to accept the little hard candies he makes specially for you

Jack tries to think of the reasons why you’d reject his treats, perhaps you have developed a new taste?

To his surprise, when he goes to your room to ask about it, he discovers a saddening scene

Clothes scatter your bedroom as you sit on your bed in your pajamas, crying into your hands

Your breathing begins catching, which takes him from his trance as he reaches to stroke your back and press you against his comforting form

“Dearie? What's the matter? Are you hurt?”

Jack will wait as long as you need to, letting you cry it out as he gently presses kisses to your temple

His hands wrap themselves around your soft midsection as he sweetly coaxes you to lift your head up to meet his eyes

As you explain your worries to him, Jack feels whatever leftover heart he has begin to break

Tears speckle his eyes as he looks at you, his hands that rest on your waist begin shaking a bit as he speaks up again, seemingly soaking up all your pain

"But beloved...there is so much more to love about you...you mean so much more to me than your gorgeous appearance."

Jack holds you in his lap, and whilst being mindful of his claws, traces the features of your face, whispering little complements as he kisses you gently

Throughout the next couple days, he'll distract and uplift you with various services and simple delights

He'll cuddle you in your sleep, preferring to spoon or hold you against his chest as he shares little stories and anecdotes

Jack has seen almost 200 years of beauty standards flying in and out of style, and he knows they matter for nothing

He'll assist you in small self care activities throughout the next couple days, like long bubble baths and painting your nails

these activities bring you closer together, and he just basks in your presence

"Being around you is an honor, my love, something I've been blessed with."

He practically worships you, treating you like the beautiful woman you are

He loves it when you show off your outfits for him, a little fashion show where you two parade around in ridiculous outfits, laughing at one another and toppling over in each other's arms

Jack loves you, all of you, including your body. He finds you deeply attractive and he wants you to see that too.

[mhsdatgo]

I feel like a lot of people misunderstand me when I say I'm disappointed with the way Aegon was adapted.

Most of those who criticize me (and some Aegon stans who aren't apologists, because get some help seriously) throw every possible excuse there is in the book in order to rid Aegon of any kind of depth or potential for Season 2.

I've been told I can't stomach characters that are downright bad, I've been told I only cling to show!Aegon's only redeeming quality at the moment (namely, TGC) and make it THE reason why Aegon should be liked.

I really don't know why I gotta say this about myself as a preface in order to debunk that second "theory" but I can absolutely assure you that amongst all the people I've crushed on or fell in love with in all my years of life, only two of them were boys and one of them is my current boyfriend. So if anything my fuckable meter as moral compass doesn't work that well with men lmao. Thank you for admitting that this show is so bad that sometimes the only good quality about certain characters are the actors that play them, idk what to tell you.

And on not being able to handle wicked characters, really? I've got a whole blog shitting on HotD writers for a lot of reasons amongst which is the fact that they made Rhaenyra blander than unseasoned potatoes and you came to the conclusion that... I can't handle wicked characters?

I'd really have no problems with Aegon being adapted as the cruel piece of shit he is in the books. You know, the only source material. If we're talking Aegon individually, my only problem with the route they're taking is making it similar to Joffrey. We don't want Joffrey Targaryen, we want Aegon II. (And like it or not, he's so different from Joffrey it's not even funny) The only things these two kids have in common are dying from poison, having a mother who's a lady-turned-queen, having a grandfather who's hand of the king and being selfish pricks.

My problem lies with Rhaenyra. Everyone knows Aegon sucks ass, that was known even before Sara Hess came up with that caricature of cartoonish evilness and tried masking it as gray writing. It's wanting to make Rhaenyra any better that is ridiculous as fuck.

Rhaenyra was just as selfish, self-righteous and dumb as Aegon. Rhaenyra's motives were just as valid as Aegon. They are both sides of the same coin. That's the basics if you want to understand Fire and Blood. Something Sara, Ryan, Miguel and the entire team didn't understand in the slightest. If you want me to take a show about the Dance of the Dragons seriously, you want to make this SIMPLE concept clear as day, which really isn't that hard.

And I'm sorry, but the situation with Dyana, that poor thing, is always angering to watch. Despicable, yes. Unforgivable, yes. I agree. I like it when there are turns in the adaptation of a story as vague as Fire and Blood, but not when that change is made for no reason other than wanting to uplift a character who deserves anything but.

Furthermore, I beg your pardon a second time for wanting the least possible scenes of r*pe or implied r*pe on my screen. Maybe because it's triggering, not necessarily because the r*pist is played by my little meow meow, ever thought of that? If you want your audience to hate a character, put yourself at work. There are so many ways to do that. Taking the easy route (because it was an easy route, argue with the wall) because war crimes aren't enough to make people pounce at a character like rabid dogs is lazy and disrespectful to people who came to see a well developed show. First accept that there aren't saints in F&B, then you can start working.

[fiercynn]

you know what’s fucking wild? when @end-otw-racism’s first action started in may, they were incredibly clear that they had narrow and specific demands for the otw, and that their demands were commitments the otw had already made. if you need a refresher, here are their demands:

Harassment policies that can be regularly updated to address both on-site harassment and off-site coordinated harassment of AO3 users, with updated protocols for the Policy & Abuse Team to ensure consistent and informed resolutions of abuse claims

A content policy on abusive (extremely racist and extremely bigoted) content; by abusive, we are talking about fanworks that are intentionally used to spread hate and harassment, not those that accidentally invoke racist or other bigoted stereotypes

Hiring a Diversity Consultant within the next 3-6 months

Committing to a policy of transparency on this topic, with quarterly updates on the progress of these projects including challenges and their plan for overcoming those challenges. These quarterly updates should be published on OTW News page and newsletters, not solely discussed in Board meetings

and despite the fact that these were taken specifically from the otw’s own commitments, a lot of people immediately decided that this was an overreach on the campaign’s part. they fabricated supposed secret agendas that the campaign must have; they invoked slippery slope fallacies to say that this would lead to mass content removal for anything on ao3 that even skimmed the line of racism; they claimed to know who was leading the campaign and tried to discredit the campaign based on that, because they claimed that those people had larger agendas.

despite all of that, otw themselves came out reaffirming their commitment to these priorities. which is great, but that was not the end of the work, because those commitments were made by the existing board, which is about to turn over in the upcoming board elections. it's essential to hold the incoming board accountable to the previous board's commitments.

but when @end-otw-racism’s second action around otw board elections has continued to keep those specific, clear demands in their focus, they’re getting hounded for it from the other side: by people claiming that this analysis they did of the otw board candidates – in which eotwr made it clear that they were looking at whether the candidates talked about any of the eotwr demands or not – was racist for not counting the work asian candidates raised around reaching out to non-western and non-english speaking fans as fulfilling eotwr’s demands.

(which, let’s be clear, they don’t! issues around access for non-western and non-anglophone fans, around the way chinese and chinese diaspora volunteers have been mistreated by otw, around translation, are all worthy issues to be pushing on. eotwr has even uplifted some of them. but they are separate from eotwr's core demands.)

so first eotwr is overreaching and trying to bring down every fanwork that could be even slightly misconstrued as racist, even though they’ve always been clear about their narrow and specific goals…and now they’re racist for not addressing every form of racism, even though they’ve always been clear about their narrow and specific goals?

it is completely valid for eotwr to look at the board candidates’ platforms and say “they did not mention these things that we are looking for”, because the things that eotwr is looking for are commitments otw has already made. it is not eotwr picking out certain “keywords” that they’d like to see – they are looking at whether potential incoming board members are prioritizing those specific commitments and will uphold them. and otw has had those commitments for three years! this is not new stuff!

also, if you read that analysis again, eotwr is not even criticizing the candidates for not mentioning their demands! they are simply pointing out what we can glean about the candidates from their platforms and bios, because the platforms are the main information we have about the board candidates right now. eotwr has been incredibly clear that they want to talk to candidates and learn more about their priorities. they've also been clear in urging other people to come up with their own analyses of the board candidates, and they have in fact reblogged and uplifted other people’s perspectives on the candidates.

i cannot stress enough that we need more folks in this space to be pushing on anti-racism, and eotwr having a narrow scope is not a bad thing. there is endless work to be done, and others who disagree with eotwr’s tactics should start their own campaigns! eotwr literally only started like two months ago with a call to action. it’s very possible to emulate them and push for parallel priorities.

advocacy work also needs groups with different tactics and approaches. my day job is in climate change advocacy, and we do our most effect work when multiple organizations are representing different perspectives and pushing in different ways. i'd love to see that kind of advocacy ecosystem built up in fandom.

but right now, eotwr is the only campaign i know of trying to do large-scale anti-racism work around otw at all. and to actively push against the campaign because you think it’s racist to focus on specific goals and gently critique board candidates based only on those specific goals? is, i'm sorry, fucking ridiculous.

[pechaberriesandsoju]

Okay, I have some gripes about the self ship community. I need to get off my chest. This is a long one. Do not derail this, I will block you. Pro.ship and com.ship DO NOT try to interact with this post, I will block you too. I do not have the patience for this today.

Rant/gripes under the read more.

I'm probably going to get shit for this or something, but I'm getting exhausted over this. The self ship community didn't used to be so scary and hateful. What the hell happened?? What happened to being understanding and kind to others who didn't feel comfortable sharing f/os or having doubles? Why the fuck are we dealing with people spreading lies, causing drama and pulling shit because they're mad someone doesn't want to share? Or causing shit because you end up finding out you share with someone, but instead of blocking them and moving on, you start shti instead? You go out of your way to attack them, harass them, give them trauma and make them feel unwelcome all because you couldn't stand the thought of someone else sharing an f/o instead of using the block button and the black list function that are right there. All because you couldn't respect someone's boundaries.

Why the hell are we being racist or ableist to each other for no other reason besides "I don't like them"? That doesn't give you the right to be cruel to someone because they're a different race or have a mental or physical disability they can not control. There's never an excuse to be out here being so hateful to someone because you feel like you're allowed to say a word or term that you have no right saying or reclaiming just because you want to drag someone down.

And then there are people who question if others' sexualites are valid or not because of the gender of fictional characters they're interested in??? When the hell did we decide that was a "good" idea to do any of this?? Then you have the audacity to claim they aren't valid enough to be considered their own sexuality or gender because they're not good enough for you? Why the hell would you think this is okay?? Does it make you feel better about yourself?? Because it shouldn't. And if it does? You need to take a moment and ask yourself why.

And don't even get me started on the fact that we have to deal with so many pro.shippers and com.shippers in this community. Especially ones that try to lie about it, hide it, and disrespect other's boundaries. We already have to deal with enough toxic bullshit in this community enough as it is, and now we have to deal with these people as well.

It's already hard enough to thrive and grow in this community enough as it is due to the whole fact that unless you're popular or ship with a popular character or have a more appealing and attractive art style compared to others, you don't get much interactions at all. It's a struggle enough in this community for small blogs. We don't need to add on all of this hate to it.

All of this is exhausting and frustrating. I remember when it used to be fun and welcoming, and when we tried to uplift each other, give each other a boost and respected other people's wishes and boundaries. What the hell happened?? When did this all change?? If you're uncomfortable sharing, you're valid, but please don't be so rude and disrespectful to others over it. The block button and the black list function are available to us. It applies to basically everything. Someone rubs you the wrong way, or you don't want to interact with them? Block them. You don't like a person? Block them. Don't like a ship that involves a character you don't like? Black list the tag. It's that simple. I really wish we didn't have all of this hatred happening right now. I really wish this community wasn't so scary and cause so much anxiety for people. Self shipping is supposed to be about having fun and for your own comfort. What happened? What happened to this community?? We need to fix this. People have left the community because of all of this or have been driven out by others over this. This has to stop. We have to do something. I know I myself am just one person, and I'm just a small blog, but it doesn't mean I can't use my voice to an extent.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for taking a moment to listen. Hopefully, this community will improve soon.

Have a good day.

[writingforfishes]

Otto and Atticus Lore 2: First Time-Mark

I'm going to be making a sub-series of "First Time" fics in the Lore series. These will feature the first time each of Otto's friends heard his hiccups and their reactions.

The other half of these stories will be a comparable moment between Atticus and Otto.

I do want to make some lore stories featuring Atticus' past, but Otto is easier for me to write, and Atticus' past will probably split from mine to accomplish more hiccup-themed stories from their past than I've had. (Atticus is braver that I was, and I imagine they have at least one friend who knew about their kink. But it's also tricky, because their past contains dysphoric things pre-transition. So, I don't have a plan for it, yet.)

I have no idea where this motivation is coming from and where this inspiration is coming from but I'm going to ride it as far as it'll take me.

CW:

Mentions of addiction to alcohol and inferring other substances.

Relationship ending between Mark and Jana.

Bros consoling bros

Morning cartoons

Mentions of Jana's trauma (briefly)

Mark's never-ending guilt and responsibility

Fast hiccups

Hiccups worsened by laughter

Hiccups induced by temperature

Inferring arousal and eventual action from arousal

Safe For Work

Back porch swing

Shared blanket

Hiccupy cuddles

Mild teasing

Mark's inappropriate joke

Otto laughing at Mark's inappropriate joke

Mark feeling real bad for it

Blaming coffee but coffee is innocent because coffee is always innocent

“I promise I’ll get out of your hair as soon as possible, Otto. I’ve already started looking at places,” Mark said as he brought in another box to take to the loft bedroom Otto had been so kind to offer when Jana requested him to leave.

It was early in the morning and the clock maker was watching the detective while standing at his kitchen island as Mark went back and forth taking his stuff to the bed upstairs. Otto had offered assistance, but Mark insisted that he enjoy his morning. Mark didn’t want to put him out more than he assumed he already had.

Mark had already been staying sporadically over at Otto’s as Jana got more overwhelmed with everything she’d been dealing with since she decided to go into recovery. With the lawsuit finally having reached the conclusion that the animal death was not the fault of Jana or her state of mind, it had been a wakeup call for the veterinarian that Mark’s worries about her health and her possible addictions had been more valid than she first gave them credit for.

The more Jana and Mark tried to stay together during the recovery process, though, the more it became apparent that both of them were being triggered by the other in unhealthy ways. Mark’s job was dangerous, and they discovered through couples therapy that Jana’s traumas were linked to losing loved ones to dangerous occupations.

After a long time talking it through with both the therapist and each other, it was decided that being in a relationship wasn’t a healthy place for Jana nor, by extension, Mark. Mark had agreed, but it wrenched his heart to have to leave someone he had planned to spend the rest of his life with. The guilt of possibly being the reason for the escalation of maladaptive coping strategies gnawed at him even more than he admitted it did while talking to Otto.

Otto assured Mark that Jana’s disease had nothing to do with him, but Mark held onto guilt more than anyone else the clock maker knew. The man could out-brood the most solemn of teenage heartthrobs. So, of course the first thing Mark said was an unneeded apology for accepting an offer Otto was all too happy to be able to provide.

As different as the two of them seemed to be, Otto knew that having Mark’s energy around was good for him. Knowing that he could have healthy and safe social relationships outside of AA meetings was extremely uplifting. Could the man do laundry or dishes to save his life? Well, no. But could the man literally save Otto’s life if there was ever a break-in? Having a detective as a housemate might come with that benefit, at least.

“I told you, it’s not a big deal, man! I’m happy to help. You sure you don’t need any help lugging those boxes. I do happen to have two arms and a pretty decent set of legs…” Otto said as Mark walked down the stairs and to the front door again.

“Only got one more box. The rest is going into storage next week,” Mark explained.

Otto sighed as he watched the younger man jog outside again and he went back to making his coffee.

When Mark finally seemed to settle down and collapse on the couch with a release of air that spoke more than just being tired from toting his stuff up the stairs, Otto walked over in his pajama pants and white t-shirt and offered him a mug of coffee as he sat next to him.

Mark nodded in thanks as he held the coffee in his hands and stared at the television he’d turned on, not really seeing what was on the screen.

“How’re you holding up?” Otto asked, his own coffee steaming from the side table he’d put it on beside him.

“I’m okay,” Mark said. “I’m fine. I mean...yeah. It’s-you know-but I’m good.”

Mark took a moment to meet Otto’s brown eyes with his blue, eyebrows suggesting distress as his mouth strained a hopeful smile.

“Wow. Yeah. You sound really good. You wanna try processing that with, like, complex sentences or…?”

Mark huffed and shook his head.

“Honestly?” Mark said and pursed his lips as he looked down into the steam dancing off the top of his coffee. “I think I’m too tired to process anything right now. And too riled up to try and rest. Does that make sense? I just...this is a lot. I don’t know what I feel except...a lot.”

“Yeah. That makes sense,” Otto said, nodding. “Well, what about we just sit here and drink coffee as we watch…” Otto looked over to the TV and raised his eyebrows “...morning cartoons!”

“You can-uh-change it if you want,” Mark said sheepishly.

“No! No no. I can watch this. Actually, I didn’t know they still ran Gargoyles. One of my favorites when I was younger. And X-men? C’mon, Saturday mornings didn’t get much better than that line up and a bowl of Lucky Charms,” he said, lifting his coffee mug and giving it an impatient blow so that he could drink it.

Mark laughed.

“Cheers to that, man,” he said, holding his mug up to Otto’s and Otto gave it a little tap.

For a moment there was a companionable silence. Otto simply existing beside Mark made him feel remarkably calmer. There was no expectation put on him. He wasn’t afraid of doing something wrong or saying something wrong. He could just be and not have to worry about some unknown set of consequences.

Then, as Otto gulped down the still-hot coffee, the silence was broken with sudden rapid sounds.

“HUP’K!HUP!MK! Shit, so-HMK!-sorry,” Otto apologized, putting a fist over his mouth in hopes of muffling the sounds, a quick start to a case of hiccups.

Mark hadn’t taken a sip of coffee yet as it seemed still too hot, but now watched his friend put his mug down so that the movements wouldn’t cause the coffee to slosh out. He watched Otto continue to ride through the fast hiccups, still audible despite how much it seemed he was trying to keep them on.

“Shit, you okay, dude?” Mark asked, taken aback by both the suddenness of the case and how violent they seemed to be.

“Yeah ju-hup!-just drank mk!mk!-my cof—coffee too fa-hump!-fast. Hmp!hmp!hmp!” Otto tapped his chest and shook his head, catching the concern and shock in Mark’s eyes. “It’s okay HUP! Happens some—sometimes. I drink i-hip!-it when it hmk!-it’s too hot. They’ll g-hulp!-go awa-hulmp! in a little wh-hup!-while! Hmk!mp!HU’UP!! Excuse me!”

“Damn, dude. Sounds like you have a drinking problem,” Mark said, immediately regretting the joke as his face fell in shock of his own idiocy. “Fuck. Shit. I’m sorry, Otto. That didn’t-I didn’t mean that!”

But Otto was grinning and chuckling the more Mark grew embarrassed.

“Seriously, man,” Mark continued even while Otto laughed, speeding his hiccups. “I would never joke about something like that! I don’t know where my head was.”

“Ca-alp!-calm do—down!” Otto said, taking a breath to try to slow his hiccups back down so he could talk. “Dammit you hup!hup!huk’p!-ma-ip!-made them wo-erp!-worse HUP!”

He tried again to calm them down through breathing to little success.

“Do you need anything like water? I really am sorry about that joke. I know it was insensitive,” Mark said.

Otto shook his head.

“N-hup!-no. Mk! I don’t—I don’t ac-up!-actually mind them. Huck’m!hulp! The joke was hmp!-was funny, man. Huck’m!hlmp!hmp!-uh. Don’t worry ab-hmp!hmp!-about it. I’m not that—that sensitive. HULP!” Otto explained while muffling a few more hiccups.

Mark’s eyebrows raised in disbelief.

“You really don’t mind them? It looks like you’re getting shot with a machine gun! They don’t hurt?” Mark asked incredulously.

Otto tried and failed not to laugh at the image of his hiccups being shot into his body by an old-timey gangster with a cigar hanging from his mouth.

“No,” he said, “pr—promise. Hmp!-hup’k!-hup! But-hup!-y-hmp!-you go—otta stop ma-hip!hip!-making m-hmk!-me l-hulp!-laugh, man!”

“Shoo! If you say so. They look pretty violent to me,” Mark said with a shake of his head.

“I’m fi-HUK’K!-fine,” Otto said. “J—just give me hu’ulp!-a few min-mp!-minutes.”

“Okay…” Mark said, still suspicious.

But as they continued to watch the cartoons Otto’s hiccups slowly started to settle.

At a commercial break Mark spoke up again.

“You know. Maybe you should cut back on the coffee. Could be the acid that’s triggering them,” Mark said.

“Coffee is hup!-is literally the last vi-hi’up!-vice I have left. HULP! I think I can deal with the HIC!-ups!” Otto said, covering his mouth and looking to Mark who was sharing his face of amusement at the unexpectedly loud but conveniently timed hiccups.

After a beat they both dissolved in laughter.

It took a few more minutes for Otto’s hiccups to go away after that, but he didn’t mind. Seeing Mark smile and laugh after he’d been so upset before was worth a few more diaphragmic spasms.

***

It was a chilly day and, for once, both Atticus and Otto woke at the same time. The couple decided to take advantage of the back porch swing they so rarely used. So, dressed in long sweats and wrapped together in a blanket (that was majorly on Atticus) they sat next to each other on the creaking wooden bench leaning back as the chains that suspended it swung it back and forth with the momentum created by the encouragement of Otto’s foot against the ground.

Atticus was, for once, not grumpy about waking up so early. They’d actually gotten very decent sleep and had learned to appreciate, infrequently, spending the morning with their husband. Otto had been telling them a little more about Jana and Mark’s history as the swing rocked.

He took a gulp of coffee and immediately felt a thump in his chest followed by another and then another. It was such a common sensation that, for a moment, he forgot how much more significant it was now that Atticus was in his life. He gave them a smile as they peered up at him a little shyly.

“Must be-HUP!HUP!-be the mk!-cold ai-hmk!-air mi-hip!-mixed with the HU’UP!-the hot co-hock!-coffee!” he mused.

The swing jerked, now, with the Otto’s movements. Atticus cuddled closer to their husband, luxuriating in feeling his stomach shake against them and watching his neck suck in as his chest thumped inward with each hiccup.

“Must be…” they said, trailing off with a smile.

Atticus and Otto continued drinking their coffee for a bit as they both anticipated their next actions. As excited as they both were, the feeling of closeness, the chill in the air, and the coffee’s warmth was enough for them to linger before giving into their desires.

“You know,” Atticus said teasingly, “maybe you should consider cutting back on that coffee a little. Has such a...violent effect on you.”

“You ki-hip!-kidding? HU’ULK!-uh. It’s my-mk!-it’s the only hu’up!-vice I have mk!mk!hup!-have left!” Otto said.

“Well, that and sugar,” Atticus reminded him cheekily.

“Ru-HU’OOP!-Rude!” Otto said, with a narrowing of his eyes.

That hiccup send the swing back a little bit more and encouraged Atticus’ hand to find his stomach in an almost greedy type matter.

“Besides,” Otto continued in a whisper as he brought his head down to Atty’s ear. “My HICK’UH! Hic-hic!-ups aren’t the on—only violent hulmpk!-rea-hmk!-reaction to come out of hu’uck!uck!-drinking coffee.”

Atticus took a deep breath as they shivered from a deeper place than the cold could have reached.

“Can we-uh-go back inside now?” the writer asked.

“Bed-hup!-bed roo-hmp!-room?” Otto asked feeling the flutters of his hiccups speed up at his own heightened excitement.

Atticus gulped down their coffee before saying, breathlessly, “Oh yeah!”

[ghostie-luvs]

no because you were such a good person, you were a good guy. And it’s not like I’m saying there’s no other good person/guy out there but you were you. You didn’t remind me of anyone else. You were purely your own self. You enraptured me in a way where I feel your morals, I agreed with and wanted to have too. You were a sort of role model to me. And I loved you for it too. For your personality, and all that I had not got to learn about you in our short time together. You weren’t like anyone else I’ve met. You were there for me, always. And you always seemed to know how to make me feel better, about anything or even myself, even when I had tried numerously to not drag you into my small problems and worries. You made my overthinking to occur less often, you comforted me, supported me and your comfort was the only one I feel I have been able to accept. And I did the same, or I at least hope I had such an impact on you because I was and am grateful for all that you’ve done for me and I felt and still feel the need to return it. I felt we really were one person, so when you left, a part of me was missing. You were everything to me. And when you left, you stopped feeling the same as me which is valid and understandable. One, you just lost feelings for me and that’s okay. It happens. Two, you also felt you werent good enough, told me that I deserved more and better than you. And I think you were stupid for that. And yet, I felt the same for you, I felt you deserved better than me. You were a good person, you had ambition, you had your likes and dislikes, but you werent perfect. And nobody is.  But you made me feel alive. So I didn’t and still don’t understand how you could’ve said that. That I deserved better. But I understand too all the same. You thought someone else was better for me, that someone could make me more happier. I wish you saw yourself like I saw you. And my only regret is that I couldn’t do that: allow you to see the best of yourself. Because really, you are everything words cannot describe. And you were also someone who brought the best out of me. And yes, I will continue to get better but you were someone I changed with. Someone I grew with. And that has to count for something. You inspired me, uplifted me, supported me, were a source of joy in my life. You made me a better person, made me learn more about myself, and quite frankly, I learned to love myself with you. I’m only upset that I probably did not do the same for you. But you were a person who brought me back to life, who made me see more things. And I love you. Or I at least think I could have, learning every bit of you. Either way, even if I did not come to learn much about you, I knew you were someone that I loved in whatever way it was and I will never forget you.

[sneezemonster15]

A lot of adults women behave like incels but less violent and more manipulative. They usually love the cringe romance movies where the main girl is average looking and not like the other girls and manage to make the badboy soft. Generally they hate hot girls bc they are jealous (see the way Skr stans talk abt Ino and feel victorious bc they "won" against her, the hot girl). Those women are full of insecurities, thats why Skr is so relatable.

The way Skr tries to not think about the fact Sske dont wanna spend time with her is the same way some irl women ignore that their husbands are cheating, and if they cant ignore it they will attack the other women but they will NEVER leave the guy. All their self worth is based on having a bf/husband.

Then there are some lesbian/bi women who stan her as an act of feminism. She is a female character who got what she wanted so its a win apparently. Fortunatly those ppl are minority bc as a queer woman and feminist, it is very embarrassing to read those takes. I'm all for uplifting women and for them to get everything they desire but not at the expense of non sexist men. Plus, Skr dont even look so happy at the end of the day. So is it really a win for her and women?

Yeah that makes sense. But it's sad isn't it? Because even trying to have a dialogue with them isn't helpful. There's no point having it if they aren't ready to be receptive to it.

Sakura really sees no contradiction between what she says and what she does.

And yet...

Lol. Till only two days ago, she was found styling her hair in the middle of chuunin exams, all skinned knees and having suffered minor injuries, while her team mates were working. She let her hair grow in the first place because she thought Sasuke liked it. Lol.

What impression can it possibly give to the reader? Kishi had to stress on it too, with another character this time.

Why would Kishi stress so much on Sakura and her obsession with her hair, just to make her say something totally hypocritical five chapters down? Lol. Kishi is very clever about writing his characters act according to the character traits given to them. Like for example, the panel below, Kakashi acts according to his character (where he has a blindspot for Sakura's negative shades) thinks Sakura is not the type to brag when she is actually exactly the type to brag.

Lol, Sakura's whole personality is about being obsessive for Sasuke which in turn makes her violently jealous of Naruto and Ino. She beats Naruto up regularly for no apparent reason and harasses Ino, even though that girl did nothing but try to help her. And she brags, it's the only thing she does properly. Lol.

And yet, she is always bragging, showing off. From start to end.

And I am positive I am missing some panels here lol. She is always looking for external validation. She revels in it. While external validation itself is not a bad thing, since humans need some amount of external validation to measure their abilities, and Naruto does it too, but for him, it's rooted in his quest for acknowledgement and acceptance, so he could make friends and not be ostracized from community. Sakura does it because of her ego. While Naruto has his principles rooted in his belief systems, his emotions and his dream that egg him on to do better, Sakura finds her motivation in the desire to show off and impress people, mostly Sasuke.

She disrespects Ino, Tsunade, and she fights Kaguya while she says this?

Girl, why are you so embarrassing? If you wanna attack her, just do it. Why even mention her being a woman? She wasn't mocking you, she barely even noticed you. You aren't worthy enough for her to notice.

Lol. And things she says about being a woman are just so cringe lol.

No one underestimates her because she is a girl, in fact Kakashi coddles her because she is a girl. She is underestimated because despite training, she is just weak and unskilled, as compared to her cohorts. And if she is skillful, we don't see it in the same proportion measured against the way she talks about herself. Tsunade never had to sing about her being a woman and yet people are bloody scared of her strength. Temari never had to mention it, neither did Kushina. Chiyo certainly briefly talks about how women always get the short end of the stick in their male driven society, but she not only belongs to a much older generation that has seen a hell lot, she is a master puppeteer and a superior warrior in her own right, she has earned it.

It would have been fine if only Sakura had actually consistently kept her word, proven herself through actions and not just empty words. Because when she doesn't, it reduces the value of those words. I don't know if she really meant it when she said women were fickle. Who? Tsunade? Kushina? Chiyo? Temari? Nope, they didn't give any such impression.

She constantly condescends to Naruto despite him having proved himself to be skillful, strong, the one who wins team seven several battles while she stands in a corner shaking and sweating. Thing is, she realises she makes mistakes. She acknowledges Naruto's strength as well, but she doesn't do anything to change. The whole point of a realization is to work on it and correct your behaviour. She is condescending towards Naruto till the end. Konohamaru takes her down a peg when she is being disparaging towards him and Naruto when they are doing the oiroke jutsu contest. She even hits Konohamaru, and he gets pissed off. So he makes a reverse oiroke jutsu just to show her true face, and that face has a streak of blood trickling down her nose lol. But when Naruto uses it against Kaguya, she again condescends to him. Narusakus are kinda embarrassing tbh, Sakura doesn't get Naruto. She thinks she does but she doesn't. She thinks she gets Sasuke but she obviously doesn't. And yet, she makes her 'strategies' in kage arc around her knowledge of Naruto and fake confesses to him. Naruto rejects her. Lol. She goes to Sasuke and tries to kill him (with a kunai...) by tricking him, only to be attacked, twice. Even when she drugs her cohorts before going to Sasuke, they clock her real plan. Lol.

She overestimates herself, even though it's clear that if she only thought things through, she would be much more successful. She is really blind to her own shortcomings even though she tries but remains unsuccessful, which is even sadder.

She does know Sasuke doesn't wanna spend time with her, she also gets a sense that she will always be much lesser than Naruto in Sasuke's eyes, she knows but she doesn't care. Even if it means long term misery for everyone involved.

Yes, I am sure some women find her character relatable. But relatable doesn't mean everything. I relate to Sasuke and I am very wary of establishing emotional connections but I know it's not something ideal or healthy. Connection is what people thrive on. If I ever started to relate with Sakura, I would really be compelled to take a hard look at myself. Lol.

[theerurishipper]

Honestly... Why does Chat Noir love Ladybug? Even to the end of season 5 I'm just sat here wondering because what qualities is he seeing in her that just made him fall so hard when the things she's pulled in the show would just I don't know make me dislike her lol is that why he fell for her alter ego Marinette even though they barely know each other because she's everyday Ladybug ? I don't like to hate but it sucks that like they really don't know shit about each other when it comes to their personal lives.

To me if I were to be blunt. I don't have any psychology background just guessing I think people look for a partner that heavily is inspired by their homelife and parents relationship. Maybe Adrien or whatever wants Gabriel approval and is just projecting what he goes through on her and that why he caters because she's validates him. Or maybe he just unconsciously seeks a toxic relationship because he's never had a proper dad at home. Marinette basically became a second GABRIEL. Whenever Adrien DARES to be emotional (often as Chat Noir) she cannot handle it, but when he's a submissive people pleaser who pushes down his own needs for hers, he becomes the ideal partner that she would rather keep.

It's why I'm weird about their love story because I don't count it as one. I think they aren't fit to be together even when the whole show tries to shove it down my throat.

As far as the first few seasons are concerned, Adrien loves Ladybug because she is someone who values and supports him unconditionally. When he goes out as Chat Noir, he is playing a character made of everything he is not allowed to express in his daily life because of his father. And Ladybug accepts these less than perfect traits, she encourages and uplifts him and she cares for him unconditionally. And yeah, he does project his relationship with his father onto their relationship as well, but Ladynoir is largely about breaking his misconception about needing to earn others' love and is about Adrien realizing that he deserves unconditional love. Ladybug's role is essentially to be the antithesis of Gabriel, and that's largely how it was portrayed in Seasons 1-3.

The whole problem started in Season 4, when Ladybug started to behave like Gabriel, by lying, keeping secrets, and manipulating Adrien, essentially pushing him away and not considering him before making decisions that affect him. Honestly, you've said it so well yourself here:

Marinette basically became a second GABRIEL. Whenever Adrien DARES to be emotional (often as Chat Noir) she cannot handle it, but when he's a submissive people pleaser who pushes down his own needs for hers, he becomes the ideal partner that she would rather keep.

And despite this, they keep trying to tell us that Adrien and Marinette are so perfect for each other. Sorry, I don't see it anymore.

Thank you for your ask!

[teegeewrites]

Positive Validation

Positive Validation

Synopsis: It's been a week since Mario and Luigi rescued Princess Peach from Bowser's latest kidnapping, and Mario hasn't seen or heard from Peach much during that time. However, Mario receives an invitation from Peach to visit her at the castle to speak with him alone. Curious yet eager, Mario accepts the invitation and finds himself in a position where he not only has to be honest with Peach, but also himself.

I've rewritten the summaries of my previous stories but kept this one mostly the same since it's fine the way it is.

I've been bottling this up for quite some time, but I’m finally ready to say it out loud: Princess Peach is my favorite character in the Mario franchise and one of my all-time favorite fictional personas, period. I’ve mentioned before that she’s my comfort character, but she embodies so much more. I adore her beauty, her gentle spirit, and her unwavering optimism. I admire her readiness to fight when the situation demands it and her fondness for the color pink. Above all, however, I truly value her unapologetic embrace of femininity. She distinguishes herself in a time when characters like her are often scorned in favor of those who display more masculine traits or a less feminine approach. This isn’t to say that there’s anything wrong with those other characters; I actually admire several of those archetypes. Nevertheless, I hope for a future where the more traditionally feminine characters are celebrated just as much, like Marle from Chrono Trigger, who remains less popular than Lucca and Ayla.

Admittedly, I’m quite sensitive when it comes to criticism of my favorite characters. I make a conscious effort to steer clear of negativity surrounding them. For instance, if I’m diving into a fanfiction and see my favorite characters being mocked, belittled, or if it’s obvious that the author has a disdain for them, I’ll promptly stop reading, no matter how well-crafted the story is or how invested I’ve become. Peach is the main character I’m particularly protective of. One of my top pet peeves is when a character receives accolades while Peach gets torn apart. I’m of the belief that can be admired without having to belittle another. A moment that seemed to really stoke the fire of disdain towards Peach was the controversial Super Mario Odyssey ending. It seemed like the criticism towards her increased exponentially after that. I often hold back from reacting or defending my cherished characters, knowing it can exacerbate the situation. However, even with my usual patience and understanding, there’s a breaking point to how much negativity I can tolerate directed at them.

This is where Positive Validation comes in. My inspiration for this narrative struck me when I noticed a relentless wave of criticism directed at Peach. I wanted to incorporate these genuine criticisms into the story, illustrating how Peach learns of them and their influence on her psyche. While she tried to maintain her composure, the words clearly weighed heavily on her heart, leading her to seek out Mario—the one who consistently puts himself in harm's way to rescue her—and understand his perspective on the matter.

In the tale, Peach openly articulates her feelings regarding the comments made about her, admitting that some of them hold a grain of truth. To reinforce this theme, I made a passing comment about Mario and Luigi heroically rescuing Peach from Bowser once more before her travels. Mario comforts her by pointing out that much of the criticism is baseless, as the critics don’t truly know her. This dialogue also allows Mario to share his own vulnerabilities, with Peach offering him the same encouragement. Ultimately, both characters finish the story feeling uplifted and their bond strengthened. To lighten the mood after such a serious discussion, I sprinkled in some lighthearted humor at the end.

Although I chose to narrate the story from Mario’s standpoint, it certainly could have been told through Peach’s eyes. In truth, I feel the story might have been more compelling if it had been written in the latter, as she was the central figure. One day, I might just rewrite this tale from her perspective, but don’t hold me to that!

Overall, Positive Validation was admittedly a self-indulgent story, and that’s what makes it one of my personal favorites. It seemed to resonate with some readers and commenters who are just as enthusiastic about Peach as I am. Witnessing my work evoke such feelings in others is truly rewarding, enhancing the entire experience. 😊

As a bonus, I recommend this post by @willowisapillow for any Princess Peach fans. It does a great job defending her character and highlighting what makes her great.

[anime-grimmy-art]

(not me absolutely forgetting to upload, nope)

Day 16 - Motives

Zet - Since Zet was taken in by the Guild at a very young age, becoming a hunter was more of an inevitability than a choice. When the Guild noticed her tenacity and proficiency with weapons, they made sure to train her to become an asset to them. Though, back then she was more a tool than a hunter, with no personal stakes attached to the title. Nowadays, in the New World, Zet finally defined for herself what it meant to be a hunter, which is someone that faces monsters and calamities to ensure the safety of their home.

Mei - Mei’s not a hunter but a rider. Motive would probably be just legacy? She did grow up in a rider village so ofc she’d become a rider one day. And with her grandfather being a legendary rider, it was destined for her to become one too.

Chidori - Chidori actually didn’t want to be a hunter at first. She really enjoyed growing up in Kamura and just, well, being there, and as a kid she really didn’t have any aspirations of becoming a hunter. But watching young Utsushi train and get better, and just generally being very inspired by him, she decided she wanted to walk down that path as well, only if to fight alongside him as the protectors of Kamura.

Day 17 - Temperament

Zet - Zet would honestly not notice or care if someone had a problem with her. She’s the kinda blunt but socially unaware person that could say something very offending without even noticing. She isn’t really someone that would actively start a fight or diffuse one, but she’s also very firm in her beliefs and won’t budge even if someone opposes her.

Mei - Mei cannot handle confrontation at all. She keeps a lighthearted and jokey attitude throughout, just to keep the mood uplifted. If she faces genuine anger or anything similar, she’s prone to just deflecting and running off. She’d rather leave than face negative emotions.

Chidori - Depending on who it is, Chidori would either apologize profusely or hide away. Either way, she panics just a bit (read: a lot). While she’s not opposed to making her ire known, she can mostly only handle it in a non-serious way. She often whines and complains to Hinoa and Minoto about stuff, but when she’s faced with someone actively bothering her, she shuts up and tries to defuse the situation by giving in or hiding.

Day 18 - Happiness

Zet - Again, her new home is the one thing Zet truly has close to her heart. It’s the first thing she actively knows fills her with happiness and what she fights for. So, just seeing her family safe and sound puts her mind at ease.

Mei - Anything, really. Mei is the kind of person that instantly lights up when you gift her anything. A new weapon? Awesome! An expensive item? You shouldn’t have but thanks so much! A shiny rock? AMAZING!

Chidori - Any kind of sincere praise. I know I’ve been joking that Chidori is an awful hunter while everyone thinks she’s amazing and sings her praises, but if she knows she did a good job and that gets validated, she gets incredibly happy.

Day 19 - Aversion

Zet - Unnecessary complications and indecisiveness. If Zet is anything, it’s efficient. If there’s a mission to accomplish, she’ll do anything necessary for that to happen. And if that mission is just deciding on what to eat, even that gets resolved quickly. So, if she finds herself waiting or hindered because someone or something caused a hold back, she does notice herself growing impatient.

Mei - Conflict. Mei cannot understand why people always have to fight each other, so it greatly upsets her when ppl have an argument. She also does not like diceitful people.

Chidori - As much as she loves her Master, the one thing Chidori will never like is his surprise training sessions. To make sure Chidori is always alert and ready, Utsushi, during their intensive training years, would randomly call out “the hunt is on!” at any point, and Chidori would have to be ready for him to jump out the shadows and attack her with a bamboo stick. Even at 3am in the morning. She still gets shivers remembering that time

Day 20 - Trauma

Imma just do this in one go, cos really, in this trio, Zet is the only one with legit trauma. Yeah, Mei and Chidori had some instances in their past that did shape who they are, but I wouldn’t call them scarred because of those moments. Zet, on the other hand, went through hell and back on numerous occasions, and she has visible scars to show for it. This poor gal was on death’s door more often than not, and had to face numerous Elder Dragons and Fatalis to boot. And she doesn’t even know what’s gonna happen to her after the events of Iceborne. Hooh boy, let’s just say, she took the idiom “sth costs an arm and a leg” a bit too literally.

Day 21 - Fear

Zet - She may not be aware of it, but Zet is afraid of reverting back to the way she was before the New World. She now has dreams and desires, goals she wants to achieve and connections she wants to cherish. She’s scared that leaving that life behind would mean she’d lose her new self as well and all the emotions with it.

Mei - Mei is afraid of expectations. The people of Mahana are her family and she loves them dearly, but there were always these underlying expectations since she was the granddaughter of a legendary rider. And through her journey, everyone was always talking about him and how she has to be like Red. It’s such a high order, but she loves Ratha so she’d do anything to reach that goal, but still, she sometimes felt like noone saw her as her own person which made her scared that all the love she felt for others wasn’t reciprocated.

Chidori - What isn’t she afraid of? She’s jumpy as all heck! Joking aside, if there’s anything Chidori is legitimately afraid of, it’s probably change. Things moved fast when she was just a little kid, so being taken in by Kamura and establishing a life there made her feel secure, but also made her scared for things to change. She did face that fear when she went off to the Guild for basic hunter training, and she would face that fear again when she decided to help out Elgado, but these decisions were backed with the thought that she can protect Kamura like this and eventually return home safely.

Day 22 - Spirituality

Zet - Zet doesn’t believe in any higher beings, she’s too logical thinking for that, but she does believe that nature and its monster have their own system and hierarchy and that everything balances itself out in some way.

Mei - I don’t think Mahana worships any specific deity, but I’d say their folk believes in the spirit of nature. Similar to how Zet thinks, but more on a soul-level, as in, if riders and humans can connect their spirits, then so can everyone.

Chidori - Chidori is spiritual by proxy, I’d say, since she spends a lot of time with Hinoa and Minoto, and next to quest handlers, they’re shrine maidens. I can see Kamura in general having a guardian deity or sth similar. So like, Chidori isn’t super religious, but she does participate in religious events and festivals and goes to make offerings at their shrines sometimes.

Day 23 - First Impressions

Zet - I wouldn’t say the first impression is bad, but it ain’t peachy either. Zet is stern and quiet and comes off really cold and unfriendly at first. Since she replies bluntly she could be seen as a bit offensive as well. It’s not totally accurate since she does not intend to insult anyone or be disrespectful, but she IS kinda muted and not very playful.

Mei - Mei is a “you get what you see” kinda deal, which, in her case, is amazing. She’s bubbly, she’s smiley and being around her just puts you in a good mood. You will feel liked and you can bet that you are.

Chidori - Oh boy, with Chidori the first impression could not be further from the truth. For some reason, Chidori gives off a very professional and competent kinda vibe because her stature is firm and gaze intent when you first talk to her. In truth though, she’s super nervous and high strung cos her instinct is to run and hide.