#and i'm ngl it sounds so exploitative

[bad-wolf-circe]

why do pop artists feel the need to traumadump about their actual real-life relationships through hit songs

[teecupangel]

Hello! first time asker! I've only just recently got back into AC and you're pretty much the only AC blog I've followed so far (after reading your fantastic Eagle of Alamut fic) but the thing that happened to me seems very much something you'd enjoy.

Which is the Altair Jumpscare I got

to preface, I'm an ad blocker extraordinaire and put that on pretty much everything - except my mobile games. But even so, with how much i adblock the ads i DO get are very generic with very generic characters.

EXCEPT FOR ONE BIZARRE AD

A Tap-Away ad that for some inexplicable reason had Altair in it where he waved his arms like a wacky inflatable tube man and was then promptly sucked into the tapaway cube.

I was so caught off guard that i didn't nab a screenshot and I have been trying and failing to get him to show up again after 3 weeks of doing so much more Wordscape than I've ever had before to no avail😭

But it did spawn the idea of Desmond, with a burner/stolen phone, playing a mobile game and getting that Altair Jumpscare like i did which, with some digging by Rebecca because why the hell is he in an ad??? find a breach in Abstergo's database which they can exploit.

Welcome to the fandom! I hope you enjoy your stay (don’t mind the missing exit).

Aaahhh, Wordscape. I used to play you but then you keep interrupting my time with ads so I deleted you… like all the others who dared to give me ads that takes majority of the screen.

Ngl, I would have tried that game because it dared to show Altaïr to me. Then promptly delete it after a few hours XD

Alright, for this one, we’ll set it during AC2. He’s not that close to anybody yet so he sorta kinda stole Lucy’s burner phone while she was looking.

He always had a knack for stealing, probably the only thing that didn’t make William Miles say ‘again’ more than five times.

It only became so much easier when he started reliving Ezio’s memories.

The Bleeding Effect, right?

That’s what Lucy called it.

Regardless, Desmond figured it would be alright to play it anyway. It had a cell service and he always returned it to Lucy’s bag before she notices anyway.

It was during one of his free time (Rebecca said the Animus was acting fussy for some reason), he figured he can play one more level before they tell him to go back in.

The level wasn’t anything new, kinda funny that one of the words was ‘imprison’ and he got a bonus for trying out ‘prim’ (primo was a no go though and it took a moment before Desmond realized it was because it wasn’t English, fuck, was this the Bleeding Effect as well?. Just when he cleared it, the phone let out a loud static sound.

Which was weird because (1) the game’s audio was set to mute and (2) the phone itself was set to full silent with 0 volume on any kind of media.

They all turned to stare at him and he would have apologized, had he not heard someone shout his name coming from the phone.

“Desmond!”

It was Altaïr.

It could only be Altaïr.

The voice was the same voice he heard back in the Animus.

And he shouting at Desmond, staring at the screen as he slammed one hand against…

The screen?

Golden wisps wrapped around him, dragging him to the darkness behind him as he shouted, “Desmond! Find us! We’re-”

The ‘ad’ disappeared.

And Desmond was now staring at the next level.

He could clearly see one of the words was already filled out for some reason.

‘Breach’.

“Desmond…”

“Sorry, Lucy.” He handed the phone to Lucy as he said, “I was just playing ‘cause I was bored.”

Before Lucy could grab it, he pulled it back and pressed it over his chest as he asked, “Did you guys hear Altaïr too?”

“We heard him but, more importantly, Desmond…” Rebecca glanced at Lucy before she said, “None of us should have any phones at all. Abstergo could track us.”

“It’s not mine!” Lucy immediately said, taking a step back as she said, “I don’t know why you think that’s my phone, Desmond.”

“What?” Desmond blinked, “But… I took this from your bag…”

“Shit.” Rebecca’s eyes widened as she realized, “Did… Did Abstergo plant that in your bag, Lucy?”

“What?” Lucy turned to stare at Rebecca.

“That’s not possible. We’re the ones who brought that bag here, remember?” Shaun reminded Rebecca, “And we’re absolutely sure we didn’t put that phone there.”

“Then… who did?” Rebecca frowned as she mumbled.

“We need to get out of here.” Shaun said, “Desmond, turn that phone off and give it to Rebecca. She’ll check it.”

“Wait-”

“We don’t have to tell Bill about this.” Shaun said, “That phone could have easily given Abstergo our location. We need to move.”

Lucy’s eyes widened when Desmond gave the phone to Rebecca and she said, “We need to destroy it then. To keep us safe!”

“What? No!” Desmond stepped forward to cover Rebecca.

No.

To cover the phone.

“Altaïr just used it to contact me. We need to know how it was able to do that.”

“It’s a risk but he’s right, that Altaïr could have just as easily been a trap but we need to be sure.” Shaun was already taking down the papers on his corkboard as he said, “Come on, Lucy, let’s pack as quickly as we can. We can contact Bill on the move.”

Desmond frowned.

Lucy looked pale.

Was she afraid that Abstergo already knew their connection.

“Hey.” Desmond placed a hand on her shoulder, feeling her freeze. He smiled at her as he said, “We’ll be fine.”

His smile grew as he said, “I’ll kill any Templar coming our way, okay?”

[the-gentleman-pining]

Decided to rewatch OFMD S2 eps 1-3 and actually jot down my thoughts as I go! Oh what fun! Ngl this is mostly for me babes but if you enjoy it that's neat ❤️

Episode 1: Impossible Birds

Stede bearded in his dream could just be playing to swashbuckling archetypes for funsies, but is it some lingering wish that he was more masculine?

Con O'Neil truly graceful about it with the sword huh

"WHERE IS HE. WHERE'S ED?" Stede seeing Izzy as the thing that is keeping Ed from him when he's the one that left lol ok

His idealised version of Ed doesn't hold him accountable either. My mans doesn't want to face what he did at all!!

His first words to Ed in his letter are reassuring him that the crew are safe, as if he doesn't remember that Ed marooned them and left them for dead on purpose??

I know it's meant to be funny but Jackie was a bit of a sex pest toward Swede at first and the power dynamic was a bit 🫤 Glad he was into it in the end!

WHY DOES WEE JOHN SLAM THE HEAD OF THE ONE WHO GOT STABBED INTO THE TABLE INSTEAD OF THE ONE WHO STABBED THEM?? 😂

Stede truly is unphased by people being assholes to him and I just,,, respect it.

Ricky your vibes are strange and unsettling

Who in their right mind would have an ocean wedding in the golden age of piracy?? I know they probs didn't know it was the golden age of piracy while they were in it but STILL

Ed looks so dead behind the eyes 😭 Just going through the motions eh buddy?

Dressed up like the book Blackbeard I see. God he's trying so hard to inhabit this character.

I would die for Archie. Truly the himbo we need in these depressing angst riddled times.

Jim asking someone else how they're bottling things up?? Hello?? Who are you and what have you done with Jim?? Aren't you the bottling up Master? Olu bewitched you too good and now you've unlocked Feelings 😔

"He's actually a good guy" Stede babygirl did we actually forget the marooning???

I have so much I could say about how Izzy and Blackbeard's relationship has deteriorated hhhhh,,,, Izzy is a problem child but I'm so glad the story is crashing towards his character actually growing and changing. In season 1 he at least got the crumbs Ed would throw him like "I need you here", now he's only getting abuse and maybe he's throwing himself at it because he recognises he had a part to play in reaching this point and believes he deserves it.

Fang's delivery on "how you doing Izzy" will keep me warm and fed all winter. Masterclass in approaching someone, truly tender and genuine but not too pressuring. God.

That second "unhand me" hhh the panic of realising you're going to start crying if the situation continues

Con is gonna rip my heart out and eat it this season if I'm not careful

Labour exploitation Jackie what a girlboss x

Why does "you'll be having a lot of breakfastseses together" sound so ominous though 😭 Smeagol Jackie my worstie...

Stede doing Blackbeard Voice is adorable but damn he really doesn't believe that he made Ed's life better. Like how??? Why doesn't Stede equate happiness with better? Ed was explicitly happier around you ya dingus!

Swede deserves his married bliss so much. The crew can be so mean to him!!

"What am I to you" and "I have... love for you" are said so softly I'm gonna be sick,, Izzy you fucked it by wrestling this man into this particular coping mechanism and your tenderness is coming wayyyy too late. Heartbreaking tbh cause the guy didn't know how else to help Ed and now he's realising it could have been different. Sick and twisted little dynamic I'm eating it like good soup.

Definitely supposed to be taken that Izzy didn't realise "talk it through" was a Stedeism as he said it but godddd you idiot dude

Once again god bless you Archie I'd die for you

Fang I want to rescue you hhhhhh my hot topic fashionista must be so dehydrated from all these tears!!!

No way in hell Ed expected anything else out of Izzy's mouth than something about Stede, but god I wish the guy had just payed attention to Frenchie shaking his head. The catharsis of saying the quiet part out loud wasn't worth your leg, man.

"Start by cleaning up that mess"... yeah we def see Ed is killing people himself again but outsourcing the Big Job on Izzy makes sense. He's also exactly the kind of self sabotager atm that would know Frenchie won't do it, and he's looking for reasons to Be Worse.

Indigo heist my beloved. Fuck those hammies up!! I love how loud Black Pete was omg 😂

Oh fuck off Ricky I know you're a S1 Stede mirror but you're doing it detestably

Roach why is your instinct to immediately put the blue dirt on your face darling

Zheng Yi Sao completely unphased by Jackie is giving me so much delight

Sexy Dutchman 😭😂 Jackie never change

I love that Zheng Yi Sao is taking the whole crew on just to have her lil Olu moment, get it girl

TENDER JIM IM SO HAPPY FOR THEM THEY'VE COME SO FAR. I LOVE THEIR BIG SMILE 😭 (also Archie is so wholesome what is she DOING here???)

Ed oh my god you're not alright at ALL

Frenchie's quiet "sounds like a plan" is just so... painful. The acting this season is off the charts.

When Roach asked if they were in soup now I thought he was referring to the ocean as soup I'm an idiot 😭

[luvtonique]

Ngl it sounds like you're using AI for it's intended use as a helpful tool, not exploiting it to hurt others like many people do, I think you're using it properly, as long as you don't lie and deceive people by saying you don't use it even though you do i don't see a problem

Nope! Very open about the fact that I use it, and I am using it as a tool, similar to the paint bucket, Photoshop filters, blur tools, smudge tools, etc.

I am using it to cover my weaknesses to help round out my art.

AI is not used in any way for basic character art. I'm already skilled in drawing characters, so I don't use it for that at all. Poses or anatomy either. If I draw a character it is 100% me drawing it.

But the problem isn't that I'm using it "correctly"

The reason I'm losing followers is because I'm using it "at all" lmao

[inmaki]

so many new anons!! zuma u r under arrest. ur offenses include being friendly and having a magnetic personality. hands where i can see em 🔫 (just kidding, ily. pls don't forget about me when ur famous)

ALSO I have been plagued with cuddly thoughts lately. What's ur favorite type of hug?? i love all of them equally but the one that's been on the brain are back hugs…

like imagine ur jjk bf just snuggling up to you from behind while ur doing something. (i didn't include toji because i'm not used to writing about him and ngl i feel like, he'd just turn it into something sexual no matter how you see it, probably grinding against you or squeezing/slapping ur ass lmao.)

gojo, toge, n geto probs are lil shits and would find joy whenever you yelp in surprise cause they come outta nowhere... it's even worse if ur ticklish cause you bet ur ass they're gonna exploit that. probably blows raspberries just to annoy you.

nanamin, yuuta n megumi on the other hand, prefer doing it when they're tired or touch-starved. maybe a mix of both. they'll bury their faces in ur neck or hair and breathe in ur scent, letting out a contented sigh. might even leave a little kiss there.

yuji n choso likes giving you surprise hugs, but they actually mean well, unlike, ahem, some people. might pick you off of your feet or rock you side to side gently while they're at it. they'll apologize if they scare you: they do it more so to hear you laugh afterwards--it's their favorite sound.

sighs. where's a jjk bf when you need one, huh?

- 🍉

I KNOW RIGHTT so many i am drowning in asks and idk what to do about it BUT IM GLAD TO FINALLY REPLY TO THIS ONE HI MELON NONNIE <3 sorry for taking so long again ilyt :(((( I MISSED U AND UR LONG ASKS A LOT UGHHH HUGS HUGS

BACKHGS ARE SO NICE UR REAL FOR THAT hmmm i also love backhugs,, but any type of hug is nice nsjhnsjs my love language is physical touch so i never complain!!!!

ur absolutely right on toji turning it sexual if u wanna cuddle u need to ask this man or he will never get the fuckinf hint 😭 YUJI AND CHOSO SURPRISING U BY ACCIDENT AHAHAHSJ THATS SO trUe these are all super accurate omf as a very ticklish person especially on my waist i think satosugu/toge would actually KILL ME good god.. love them anyway 🫶 i also think yuji could fit into the first section when he feels like it,, hes a menace in disguise yk

ur so right. what i would do to get a backhug from nanami???? unspeakable things i want him so bad

[the-one-who-lambs]

🐑🐑🐑 (3) (for the fic ask thingy in case this confuses u lmao)

3. What’s something you learned about yourself as a writer?

This is... a long one. TL;DR: It took me a while but I finally, actually internalized that I don't need to set goalposts for myself and consistently move them.

Story's gonna get vulnerable and involve a few other people too. Many of y'all probably saw me go through a whole character arc but I've never really talked about how I felt about this (aside from a couple close friends).

Around July/August, I noticed my readership going down because I had just finished a big writing project and I was moving on to other stuff/trying to figure out what my next big thing was gonna be. I have always always written for myself but ngl, getting lots of consistent engagement and then suddenly not as much anymore made me wonder if I was doing something wrong, if the quality of my works were going down. I vented to a group of friends (including you lmao sorry Juliet) about it and they were like "chill it's the beginning of the semester and people are getting rly busy it's ok" and I was like "yeah makes sense" but nope, I had just plateaued and was dropping off a little for a couple months.

Around the same time, I posted about reaching some sort of milestone and got an anon (maybe well intentioned but it seemed kinda backhanded) that basically said "oh if you ACTUALLY have that many reads that makes you the most popular writer in the cotl fandom. I'm gonna place u above everyone else due to this metric I just kinda invented." And once I noticed my readership had stopped growing and just kinda leveled off/dropped a little bit it made me anxious. Sadly, "keeping others interested" with my writing wasn't really a concern of mine until this started bothering me

I did know that recognition was not the same thing as talent but silly perfectionist brain thought "oough you're the exception btw. you're just not interesting anymore and therefore you're probably not as good anymore lol"

Anyway. October rolls around. I start getting some asks comparing my writing to bamsara's, starting with them mentioning little details that sound very similar but realistically are coincidences because sometimes multiple writers see a theme/motif and we all start chewing it. Anyway, it's obvious that anon is just trying to start shit. Maybe they saw how I'd been kinda beating myself up abt my writing for a little while and tried to make me jealous of them. I don't know. It's probably not worth trying to understand tbh. I just delete the asks. I keep anons on just in case there's a genuine concern.

at this point I'm gonna interrupt to say EVERYTHING TURNS OUT OK I PROMISE and I'm not tagging you in case it's a sore spot but Sara if you're reading this I'm literally so sorry that me learning the lesson I got out of this involved you getting these nasty messages too.

Bam posts something kinda vague about how they get compared to some writers they've never read before. I hope this is a coincidence but alarm bells are going off and I keep this to myself.

Anon keeps doing this every once in a while for a few weeks; at first it looks like anon is accusing bamsara of copying me (???? like i said, we're just exploiting similar themes) and then it starts turning into basically "they're doing everything you're doing but better." Bam obviously hadn't done anything wrong, so I keep supporting them as I do the other writers in the fandom. Eventually the anon gets kinda pissy that I'm not envious or trying to tear someone else down or whatever. I've kept this mostly to myself and they don't like that.

So when they send an ask in mid-November and this had been going on for a few weeks I finally answer an ask to tell them to shut the hell up (gracefully) and then I forget about it and go to sleep. Wake up the next morning and uhhh. See Bam feels like shit because they got a really scathing message. Comments say it happened during a stream and I check it to see if it's the same anon and it is. Fuck on a stick. I literally burn myself out with anger over the next two days until I donate to their kofi as a peace agreement. They reach out and apologize for something they didn't do and it takes me until now to realize that literally nothing I have worried about over the past few months matters at all.

Anyway. It all turns out fine because we become mutuals and hype each other up. Kicker is, whoever it was forgot to turn off anon in Bam's askbox so we got to block them and I'm pretty sure they deactivated too lmao. I reached out to a bunch of writer friends and checked in with them to violently spread positivity and I've been trying to violently spread positivity as much ever since. Yay. Happy ending but sucks that this had to happen for me to crush my anxiety. Bam and I are buddies now and I've also befriended many more writers since, too. cotl writers we are unionizing.

[aloeverawrites]

hello!

it's me your moot, not saying which moot because currently I'm kinda just sleep deprived ngl. and not making the most sensible decisions.

so anon!

my ask is about the Magnus archives! (spoilers ahead)

have you heard of it? if so have you heard of the main characters struggle with predation (idk how else to describe it) like they consume FEAR and in doing so the fuck up their prey pretty bad.

it's a very interesting premise, and I think it relates to veganism quite well.

and just the ethics of feeding off of things that love and feel and dream and whatever!

(and the main character was forced to become a fear creature thing? they were human but then got turned Into a fear creature guess?)

because our main character struggles HARD, and it's just really interesting!

idk.

bye!

Hello dear moot!

That sounds really interesting, thank you for recommending it to me. :)

I had to google it to double check lol, but I did start getting into the Magnus Archives. My non existent attention span has kind of had me putting that on the back burner for a bit, I can only watch a show if theer's pictures and captions and maybe an asmr video playing in the corner lol.

I do want to get back to it though. Which episodes are your favourites and where do you think would be a good place to start? I'm in around episode 8. I often skip around in a series so feel free to let me know of some places to land lol.

It'll be really interesting to see that from the main characters, so far the only thing I know about Jonathan is that he's really very annoyed with the last archivist-

And I think that would be really interesting to think about in terms of veganism. Veganism is centred around the idea that causing suffering to sentient beings is bad, and yeah I think it can be a bit easier for people to relate when humans are put in that hypothetical situation as the victims.

There's not many forms of media where humans are farmed as opposed to outright hunted but I think there should be, it really makes us think. And like Guardians of the Galaxy vol.3 was a really good criticism on animal testing.

Also huge spoiler warning for Oblivion, but I thought that was a vegan movie as well. The main character is treated almost like a bee, he's exploited for his labour and his environment is controlled. He also doesn't know exactly what's going on, and that's how I'd imagine it would be for an insect, they have no idea who we are, or why we're taking their food or killing them.

Thanks for the recommendation and feel free to always send asks about any other series or things you find interesting! I always love hearing from moots :)

[animusiem]

Billboard USA Exclusion Zone Episode 1 (02/04/2023)

Welcome everyone to my new blog series where I talked about every new entries from Billboard Global Excl. US chart from this week till beyond. I will be giving a sentence or two about the songs debuted. Let's not waiting any longer let's go!

----------------------------------

18. "MOONLIGHT SUNRISE" by TWICE

I always love TWICE because they usually have fresh sounds and I do prefer their style than Blackping. Having said that, I will admit that this is not on par with their standard. But it's still pretty good and I love the percussion on there.

70. "Komet" by Udo Lindenberg & Apache 207

This is why I love this chart. Without US in the equation, you let song from other countries to shine. In this case it's a great pop rock cut by a rock veteran and a rapper from Germany. Great find.

122. "Ahora Que" by Quevedo

This is basically the Spanish version of Industry Baby but more subdued and the bass swamped up the mix. I do still think Quevedo voice is sexy.

148. "Rush" by Ayra Starr

Oh my god this song is beautiful. Ayra Starr vocal is heavenly, the production is stellar, and the instrumentation are lush but also very modern. Highly recommended.

167. "GOSSIP" by Maneskin ft. Tom Morello

You know I always thought that Maneskin is a poor man's QUEEN BEE and this song just prove me that. I do love Tom Morello guitar here, but the lyrics are very shallow. I know it might be because of the language barrier, but they're just not hitting home how American music industry are exploitative. Still Tom Morello saved this track.

168. "Coracao de Gelo by WIU

Yeah I don't think I will get Brazilian or Lusophone music scene beside Ai Se Eu Te Pego.

180. "Apna Bana Le (From "Bhediya")" by Arjit Singh & Sanchin-Jigar

I actually used to watched a lot of Bollywood movies but they were from like the 80's and 90's. So color me impressed that they managed to bring those sound and modernized it with contemporary instruments.

194. "Those Eyes" by New West

Okay so this is apparently is going viral on TikTok in Southeast Asian region but especially where I'm from Indonesia, and ngl it's kinda surreal that my country could impact the Billboard chart in any capacity but here we are.

199. "I Love You" by back number

It's a back number song, so expect a gentle production about being in love and the conviction from Iyori Shimizu about as romantic as your average The Fray song.

I encourage all of the readers to listen to these songs!

[tuiyla]

That is exactly my point, all the wrong people are going to participate and it is going to be a distasteful, disrespectful mess. I didn't mean Matthew, he hadn't even crossed mind, I don't know the first thing about him as a person, I said Naya's ex-husband. He had hurt Naya terribly during their marriage and he has been trying to whitewash himself ever since he'd become a single father to her child, he'd taken every opportunity to talk about her but mostly about himself. I'm not going to explicitly say what he'd done but I think you know what I'm talking about. There's no coming back from something like that and so it doesn't sit well with me to have him talk about her after everything he'd put her through. But since you brought up Matthew, I don't imagine a writer would go against Ryan Murphy or anybody important in that production if he wishes to get future work in Hollywood. I think you are right about Heather, maybe she won't be in it after all. What I meant was she'd definitely go in with all the good intentions, I would never accuse her of not meaning well, it's just not going to be a production that actually wishes well for these people is my point. Kevin and Jenna clamp up at the first hint of any real drama and I don't blame them, I think that's the way to go, so I really don't know that they're going to participate in something that's all about messy drama. There are people who could profit off of the glee drama and that is why this series shouldn't be happening in the first place. It doesn't sound like the creators have good intentions, they're not trying to make any sort of a tribute, they're trying to stir the pot, they're trying to bring out all the negativity, there are zero good intentions behind this. Celebrity drama docuseries sell well and all they do is hurt the people hurt by the events even more while filling out the pockets of the creators who don't care about these people. Perhaps I am being too blunt but that's only because I care, and I am just a person on tumblr, I am not saying any of this in a Hollywood production that many many will see, I am not trying to profit off of these unpleasant and tragic events. It is a bad idea all around and Cory and Naya and their friends and families deserve better, like you said yourself, this is going to be a soap and this time it will not originate in and stay in fandom gossip spaces. It is entirely unnecessary that a series like this is created.

Yes sorry the reading comprehension thing was my bad, you said ex-husband so I should have known you meant Ryan. Look, I don't know enough about Ryan Dorsey to judge nor do I want to. You're entitled to your opinion but imo calling him attention hungry is disrespectful when his kid's mother died and he honours her memory regularly. Whatever went down with their marriage is none of our business. If I had to say, I'm sure Naya herself would also only care about the fact that he's taking care of their son.

Again, you're free to think what you think, but it doesn't sit well with me to be hung up on what he does and does not do. You don't know him or the family. Who are you to judge, honestly? Who are any of us to. He grieved an ex-wife and the mother of his little boy and it's kinda gross to judge how he did that as far as the public could tell. They don't owe us anything and it feels insensitive to sit with our phones in hand and say that he's talked too much about himself or whatnot. I'm not gonna tell you what to do but like... maybe don't do that.

Without a paragraph break it got kind of hard to follow your message, ngl, but I agree that I don't think there are any good intentions behind the docuseries whatsoever. And we also agree that all the very real people affected by the real tragedies surrounding the show deserve better than to be exploited for some cash and buzz. So with that respect in mind all I can say is that we'll have to see how it turns out. And don't go around judging people we'll never know. Just because we read Naya's book it doesn't give us permission to judge people in her life and invalidate their grief.

[anxiety-banana]

ngl this feels like a weird post to make and a little uncomfortable but I feel like it needs to be said

(TW for anorexia and bulimia)

I've been seeing a lot of terrifying anorexic/bulimic content recently. And it's honestly really scary to know what the Internet is for some people: a diary and a therapist. From your big sister AB, I just want to say a few important things. when people know you're hurting like this, they will take advantage of it. don't let people take something so vulnerable about yourself and use it to their advantage. it's terrifying how much people will exploit.

Second, and most importantly, if no one has told you lately, you are too important to destroy yourself like this. You deserve to live, you deserve to eat, you deserve to avoid pain. You can't take care of yourself like clearly detrimental habits are going to make you a better person. And speaking as someone almost three years ED clean, you won't feel like yourself until you stop rewarding yourself for feeling hungry. Crying about calorie intake won't make you better. Anyone who dislikes you for the size and shape of your body is not someone worthy of your attention.

One last time for the people in the back: YOU WILL NOT BE HAPPY LONG TERM. The feeling you get from going to bed hungry? That's not joy, my love, that's the thrill of an addiction. You feel like you're reaching a goal, but the only thing this goal is doing is killing you. And dying isn't supposed to be on your bucket list. You deserve to live, you deserve to eat, and you deserve to wear clothes that reveal your stomach or your arms or your thighs and not feel ashamed.

It took time to get clean in a way that meant anything. I had to remind myself every time I ate that my fat wasn't what defined me. I refused to step on a scale for six months because I knew the moment I did I'd plan what would make me drop two pounds a day until I was at my perfect weight. My perfect weight kept getting lower and lower and no matter how hard you try to convince yourself you're done, you never will be.

It's really hard to believe that you deserve to be a little flabby. But you do. You deserve to eat what scares you. You deserve to wear a crop top and have your stomach hang over your pants a little (or a lot). You deserve to think you look good. Really, you do. And that sounds absolutely horrific right now, believe me, I know it does, but you truly won't feel okay as long as you believe you have to be hungry to be happy.

If you've been considering what you're doing, I'll be the first to tell you it's not worth it.

I'm happy. I wasn't happy when I was afraid of eating. I wasn't happy hunched over the toilet in a Chinese restaurant because I ate rice and two chicken tenders and thought I deserved the burning in my throat. I wasn't happy when I went to school hungry. I wasn't happy when I binged everything in my pantry at two AM and sobbed the entire time.

You aren't happy. You're stuck, and addicted. The thing in your brain that says you'll be happy is controlling you and convincing you of things that have never been true.

You deserve to be happy, and to go out to eat, and not think about what you're eating anymore. It can, and will, happen if you let it. I swear to you it will.

[musicastrologer]

Astrological Song Release Chart - Rina Sawayama, STFU!

Stuff I'm doing to push myself astrologically...

The idea that you can calculate an astrological 'birth chart' for just about anything is ngl my favourite bit of astrology and I've been fascinated for a while about doing this for song releases and if they are any patterns or different effects on the different signs.

I started with STFU! by Rina Sawayama because

it's honestly one of THE BEST pop-metal combinations I have ever heard

I've been living under a fucking rock and can't believe I didn't hear this when it first came out asdjkffjdd

I also wish I had known how racist and exploitative Matty Healy was, which I didn't until I heard about her calling him out. Here's to hoping Rina can get a new label sooner rather than later where he doesn't get any of the profits from this track (is it possible to transfer an artist's catalog from one label to another like this? imo is should be...)

So, this track is a scorpio...

stellium in Scorpio yeah I could fully analyse it much more than I have space for but it's pretty big. Lots of bold energy, mars is in a sign ruled by water though, so it's interesting how both this, the sun, and mercury (ruling air and communications and thus representing the media and music industries) reflect public image and social impact. This makes sense with the song's themes as a callout track, and in addition the sun's placement in scorpio can indicate the nu metal inspired changes to her sound that were previously unprecedented (scorpio is secretive af, yet the sun brings fresh and individual energy).

meanwhile Jupiter (expansion) is conjunct venus in Sagittarius (a fire sign) so there is plenty of big, active energy but that is balanced and moderated by the earthier energies of venus. this actually checks out with the musical balance of energies within the song (metal and alt pop, and the way it mixes and matches more intense bits with more mellow bits.)

Does the release date embody some of the same astrological energies as the song and the writing behind it? There do seem to be some themes which makes sense given the law of attraction, which is why I'm gonna do more of these

There is a lot more I could say about this chart but honestly I need and want to listen to her catalog more fully and deeply first. I don't feel you can analyse a song's chart without that kind of immersion but idk, maybe just me. I wanted to do this one though as it's such a great track in general so yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna be listening to her stuff on repeat now lol.

This is also my first time analysing a song release chart and it has really got me thinking about astrology differently so I will probably end up doing some more...

[crispy-chan]

☆彡 how would stray kids tickle you

genre: fluff, humor, ot8 x gn.reader // wc: 1k // tw: none // masterlist

☆彡 chan

chan is the goofiest little bean on earth. however, from time to time, his more devious and teasing side comes out and you can always tell by the mischievous twinkle in his eyes. you're laying on your bed, immersed in the imaginary world of your book when he comes up to you with a sweet smile. his hands slide down your waist and you lean into his touch thinking he just wants to cuddle. a shriek escapes your lips once his cold hands slide under your t-shirt. chan grins at your stunned expression.

"that's what you get for ignoring me all day, sweetheart." his voice echoes in your head as the room is filled with your laughter.

☆彡 minho

minho is probably feeling unusually needy but his pride won't allow him to ask for cuddles. so like any normal human being, he manages to wedge himself between your back and the headboard of your bed and starts blowing in your ear. at first, you try to ignore it, thinking he'll just get bored of it and leave you alone. however, minho is a patient man and he refuses to stop. you're about to tell him to kindly piss off when his warm breath reaches your neck. and you giggle... big mistake. minho's ears are sharp enough to pick up the quiet sound and he immediately smirks, knowing that he found your weakness. and it wouldn't be lee minho if he didn't exploit it.

"why are you laughing, babe? i'm not doing anything, am i?" he whispers in a sickly sweet tone as his fingers gently stroke your neck, relishing in the gasps you release as you try to hold in your laughter.

☆彡 changbin

the hunk that he is, changbin doesn't shy away from using his big boy muscles to win a tickle fight. the little bet that you two have going certainly doesn't help. you're laying on the couch, phone in hand as you scroll through your spotify playlist when suddenly, changbin dives from across the room and lands right on top of you. he immediately uses his arm to hold most of his body weight so he doesn't crush you. his unoccupied one manages to grab both your wrists and pin them above your head. the cocky smirk playing on his lips makes your cheeks heat up but before you can even say a word, changbin is tickling you on your sides and laughing like maniac.

"ha! i won! you owe me twenty bucks."

☆彡 hyunjin

it started with hyunjin accidentally grazing the bottom of your foot as he was massaging your feet. the adorable giggle you make is like music to his ears, so after a few seconds, he tries again. only this time his, touches aren't as light. in no time at all, hyunjin has you doubling down in laughter, wiggling in his hold, and kicking your feet. he smiles cockily when he manages to evade your kick.

"this won't get you anywhere, darling. just say the magic word..."

☆彡 jisung

jisung loves embarrassing you in public. whenever you two are out together, he finds a way to make you regret all your life choices. if you don't get frustrated at least once while you're hanging out, he considers the outing an absolute failure. when the two of you are on the bus, the silence soon starts eating away at his brain. the giggle that leaves his lips is your only warning before he slides his hands up your shirt and starts brutally tickling you. this guy has no mercy as you beg and plea for him to stop while the rest of the passengers glare at the two of you.

"-ouch. i'm sorry, y/n. i didn't know that the grandma would curse us out like that..."

☆彡 felix

ngl, you're probably the one who started it. felix is a ball of sunshine and he would never tickle you unprompted. even though he found out how ticklish you were, the thought of exploiting your weakness didn't sit right with him at first. however, if you're the one who started it, he'll lower himself to your level and tickle you back. that's when prankster!felix comes into play. yeeting from the couch, this boy chases you all over the house and mutters ridiculous threats in his deep ass voice making you simultaneously crack up and fear for your life.

"if you don't stop right this second, i'll pour cranberry juice all over your socks!"

☆彡 seungmin

seungmin is a sneaky little grasshopper. he's a little bit more reserved than your average person, but once he gets in the spirit, you're in for a treat. when he notices you're in a slightly sour mood, seungmin decides that it's his duty to cheer you up. strutting down the hall, he puts on his swag pororo hat and starts chasing you around the house. if the prospect of getting tickled doesn't scare you enough, his creepy smile definitely does. as you storm into your bedroom, slamming the door behind you, you wonder if there was something in morning coffee that made him behave like that.

"c'mon, minion... you can't run from me!"

☆彡 jeongin

knowing how competitive you are, jeongin knows that he has to think strategically before he attacks. when you start whining about how cold you are, a lightbulb goes off in his head. plastering the sweetest (fake) smile on his lips, he grabs a blanket and waddles over to where you're laying. you stand up groggily, smiling gratefully at the boy when suddenly, he pounces. instead of carefully wrapping the blanket around you, he tightens it around your torso, trapping your limbs and rendering you immobile. while you're writhing on the couch, he begins running his hands over your sides in hopes of finding that spot. the high-pitched scream you make is enough proof for him that he found it. with a devious smile, he tickles that spot as you wheeze, begging him to stop.

"are you still cold?"

[moririki]

⤷ AN EIGHT-LEGGED PROBLEM

OIKAWA TOORU & SAKUSA KIYOOMI & HAIBA LEV & MIYA ATSUMU X READER -> 1.8K
you save your boyfriend from a massive problem which is currently in the corner of your bathroom )

REQUEST -> n/a
CONTAINS -> spiders, bugs, you picking up said creepy crawlies, hq boys being no! help! at! all! (but that's ok bc we love them for it), fanon-ish sakusa cos i haven't read the manga and he had like 5 seconds of screen time so i'm just going off of what i've read + seen, clear favouritism despite the fact that i know basically nothing about sakusa, manga timeskip spoilers in sakusa's
MORI'S THOUGHTS -> haven't seen one where the reader is the one in the relationship who takes care of bugs so since i'm a #girlboss who throws spiders out of my room whenever i see them without breaking a sweat i'm writing that into a fun lil thing with the haikyuu boys that i strongly believe are scared of bugs. also besides the point but look at the pretty colour palette that their banners make fjfjfjdj will go back to writing the requests after this! inspiration just struck

❍ OIKAWA TOORU

-> omg this fucking guy

-> don't let his pride fool you this man HATES bugs with a burning passion

-> he'll never admit it though

-> between you and the aoba johsai team he would never hear the end of how the great king oikawa would cower at the sight of a moth doing laps around a lightbulb

-> so when you pretended not to hear the shriek that left your boyfriend when he saw something flying around the bathroom light and he declined your offer to get rid of the moth for him, this left oikawa in a pretty difficult situation

-> it was just him alone in the bathroom, trying to brush his teeth while eyeing the bug warily

-> you came in a few minutes later, getting ready to go to bed as well

-> "you know, babe, that moth's been there for quite a while," you teased him

-> oikawa hummed in response, his eyes never leaving it as it continued its circumnavigation of the light fixture

-> "oh, you know. who am i to kick someone out of their home? i'm no monster"

-> you almost snorted at how poor of an excuse that was, but ruffled your boyfriend's hair anyway

-> "i'll take care of it, ru, you just finish getting ready"

-> "but y/n-chan, that moth has feelings! don't be mean to it!"

-> you gave tooru a very blank stare at that

-> "so do you want me to leave you alone with your new friend?"

-> "......no"

-> "that's what i thought"

-> you went up to the moth, managing to trap it in your hands before releasing it from a window

-> oikawa shuddered as you came back to the sink, giving your hands a quick rinse before resuming with brushing your teeth like nothing had happened

-> "you're so brave, my love"

-> "anything for you, babe"

❍ SAKUSA KIYOOMI

-> bless this poor boy

-> so it's no secret that sakusa isn't the fondest of germs

-> and that extends to bugs and spiders too

-> besides a normal amount of disgust that he held for them, the thought of where the insects had been or placed one of their many feet on never failed to make his skin crawl

-> that's where you, his wonderful significant other, comes in

-> as much as he loves you, he just can't understand how you always stared at bugs with wonder in your eyes

-> you'd even pick them up, cooing at the way they crawled up your arm while sakusa just stared at you in disbelief with a can of bug spray in hand

-> tonight was one of those swelteringly hot summer nights

-> you know, the ones where the air seems to be still no matter how many windows you open and every insect in a mile radius is actively trying to enter your home

-> you were spending the night at your boyfriend's apartment, ready to have a relaxing night in with him since your schedules had finally synced up and allowed you both to enjoy a day off at the same time

-> it took months of trust before sakusa finally admitted to you how much he enjoyed doing skincare

-> so whenever you two spent the night together, you decided to start the evening with some face masks and idle binging of a tv show

-> against his half-hearted protests, you had insisted that sakusa wore a headband while this happened (one that had a very cute duck face printed on it)

-> just to keep the curls out of his face, of course

-> whenever he caught you sneaking a candid of him with facemask and duck headband on, he just shot you a halfhearted glare and threatened you to never send that to atsumu or the rest of the msby team

-> (you set it as your home screen instead)

-> anyways, i digress

-> so tonight you decided to cool down from the heat with a few facemasks and cuddling in your boyfriend's heavily air conditioned living room

-> but he kept all his skincare stuff in the bathroom, so you went to go get them as he set up a show to watch along with some snacks

-> you flicked on the light, going to his cabinet when something in the corner of the room caught your eye

-> there was a fairly large spider, desperately trying to crawl up the smooth tile wall

-> you decided to take pity on it and release it

-> but when you had it cupped safely in your hands, you decided to terrorise your poor boyfriend just a little

-> "hey, omi, look what i found!"

-> your boyfriend perked up at your signature nickname for him, though his eyes narrowed as he saw your clasped hands held in front of you

-> "no"

-> "but baby, you haven't even seen-"

-> "no"

-> you giggled at how defensive he had become

-> "come on, don't you want to name it? it's very cute"

-> "i want you to throw it out, y/n"

-> "alright, alright"

-> you took the spider to a window, releasing it back outside before heading back to the bathroom and grabbing a few masks for real this time

-> sakusa gave you the cold shoulder as you sat down next to him, humming as you gave him a face mask and putting it on without a word

-> "aww, baby, i'm sorry"

-> "..."

-> "i'll give you a head massage if you stop ignoring me?"

-> sakusa turned to you, his eyes narrowed in thought as he stared you down

-> the act soon broke, though, and he smiled against the sheet mask that was on his face

-> "it better be a good one," he huffed as he tugged the duck headband off, already sighing at the sensation of your fingers against his scalp

-> "omi, come on, what do you take me for?"

❍ HAIBA LEV

-> ngl lev gives off equal amounts of being terrified of like the tiniest spider or just finding bugs insanely cool vibes

-> it's funnier to imagine this 6-foot-something guy scramble away from a fucking crane fly in terror though so this is how it's going to play out

-> when you invited your giant of a boyfriend to your flat, you didn't anticipate just how small he made everything appear

-> he even towered in your doorway, having to stoop to step through into your hall

-> "woahh, i love your place!"

-> it was his first time staying over for the night, and lev was making sure to drink in every aspect of your interior design

-> you found it sweet of him, and watched as he stared in wide-eyed wonder at the little trinkets you had collected over the years to make your small apartment seem more like a home

-> you didn't expect him to scream at the top of his lungs and practically run back to you, though

-> you jumped at the sound, watching as he scrambled away from your lamp and pointed back at it with a shaking finger

-> you squinted at it, making out the very menacing form of a crane fly as it bumped into the lampshade and continued on its path

-> "lev, you big baby," you giggled, heading to the kitchen to grab a glass and trap it

-> "y/n, don't leave me alone with it!" he yelped, and you rolled your eyes at his antics

-> you came back, smoothly capturing the insect and throwing it out of a nearby window

-> lev was sat on your couch the whole time, hands covering his eyes as he curled in a ball

-> "is it gone?" he asked, and you you giggled at how childlike he was acting at the moment

-> "it's all good, baby" you smoothed his hair and lev gratefully leaned into your touch, a sigh of relief leaving him

-> "thank you, y/n"

-> "i'll get rid of all the bugs in the world for you, lev"

❍ MIYA ATSUMU

-> gives off the vibes that he used to eat bugs as a child i'm sorry but

-> have mercy on his soul lmao

-> so twins are supposed to be identical right?

-> anyone who spends more than a few minutes around the miya twins know that that's a complete fucking lie

-> and you've had the misfortune of being friends with them for a very long time

-> like your mums were friends and you were all born around the same time

-> you've been pulled into their shit before you could walk or talk

-> so you're well aware of just how different these mfs are

-> even though they were both absolute bastards, osamu always had a slightly more mellowed out approach which would always end up with atsumu getting the blame for what they got up to

-> especially as a child, osamu loved to terrorise his twin with the unwilling help of you

-> one of the ways was through osamu exploiting one of his twins' fears

-> that being bugs and spiders

-> he always cackled at the sight of atsumu screaming and trying to run away from him due to the spider he was holding

-> as they both grew up, this became less of a frequent thing for osamu to do

-> you also somehow started dating atsumu, but nobody could exactly pinpoint a moment that signified a beginning to your relationship

-> but since you're dating the world's biggest manchild in disguise, and osamu gets annoyed with atsumu quite easily, you would have to swoop in to rescue him from time to time

-> recently the twins had been getting a little snappy with each other, and it had yet to sort itself out

-> from what you had heard your boyfriend was in the wrong this time, but you still listened to him whine and rant about it

-> you were going to the inarizaki school gym to say hi to your boyfriend and best friend before practice started, only to see absolute chaos unfolding

-> with kita yet to arrive, the twins were effectively unleashed and that much was clear with the way atsumu was practically screaming his head off as he ran around the gym

-> your eyes took in the rest of the players- aran had his head in his hands, suna was snickering with his phone out to record the newest miya twin fight, and osamu's deranged laugh could be heard above everything else as he chased his brother, hand held out in front of him

-> only one thing was capable of making atsumu scream like that, so you already knew what was happening

-> atsumu quickly spotted you hovering in the doorway, and made a beeline to where you were

-> his eyes were panicked, and you were quick to wrap him in a hug as you shot osamu a nasty glare over his shoulder

-> literally this lmfao

-> "that's enough, 'samu"

-> your best friend paused, before a smile spread across his face as he dangled the centipede in front of him

-> "you know it was rubber, right?"

-> you felt your boyfriend tense in your arms and you bit your lip to stifle a small giggle

-> but at least they would be back to normal by the end of today

back to the menu - ,, 🕷 ·˚ ༘ ꒱

[oediex]

I'm a carnist (That sounds kind of cool to say ngl), but I am curious about veganism. I could never go vegan for health reasons, but I'm curious on what made you want to change your diet like that - If you're willing to share.

Hey!

Veganism isn't really about health. It's an ethical stance against the unnecessary exploitation, suffering, and killing of non-human animals, insofar as it is possible and practicable. (note the emphasis)

Basically, the idea is that a lot of suffering and death of non-human animals is not exactly necessary. It is possible for most human beings to live on a plant-based diet, and it is possible for all human beings to reduce their use of animal products as much as is possible and practicable for them.

So, it's a philosophy that aims to extend kindness, empathy and non-violence to include non-human animals.

As for myself, I went vegetarian when I was 18 (basically when I started university and lived away from my parents for the first time) and I didn't really have to think about it. It just seemed obvious that animals shouldn't have to suffer and die for me needlessly. It was really just a matter of ethics.

Some years after that, I started to realise that if I valued kindness, empathy and non-violence towards human and non-human animals alike, then I really couldn't continue to consume animal products. Animals in the dairy industry, for example, also suffer and instead deserve to live a happy and full life, free of exploitation. In other words, veganism is, in my opinion, merely the logical consequence of vegetarianism. It still took a couple of years before I was able to put that into practice, though. I've had to fight my own mind to take that step, finding all kinds of excuses to continue drinking milk, eating eggs... until I couldn't anymore.

I eventually decided to go vegan when I was 25 (now 8 years ago), but I didn't do it overnight. For me, going from vegetarian to vegan was a lot harder than going from carnism to vegetarianism! It's a steep learning curve. Getting rid of milk and butter was easy. I found vegan cheese in the Tesco near my house fairly quickly. But I still ate eggs for a year! I've often wondered if that meant I didn't really go vegan in 2014, but I don't think that's true. I was doing what was possible and practicable for me. I was learning, figuring out how to live my life and assure a healthy and nutritious diet free of animal cruelty in the pace that worked for me.

If you would like to know more about veganism, there are some great resources on the interent.

The website of the Vegan Society, for example. @acti-veg's blog has guides, arguments, links, ... Or if videos are more your thing, Earthling Ed has many different kind of videos available, from debates with non-vegans to information about practices in animal agriculture, reactions to current events, or arguments for veganism. Of course, you can find many posts about veganism on my blog (I usually tag them with vegan) but I also recommend @vegance and @sobadpink! They are my favourite vegan blogs on Tumblr, although I'm sure I'm missing many good ones!

I do hope you look into them, and maybe you'll find a way to reduce the use of animal products in your life. Even if you cannot reduce all animal products from your life for health reasons (I take anti-depressants that have lactose in them), that doesn't mean you can't be vegan! Veganism is open to everyone who subscribes to its ethical philosophy and does their best to apply it in their own life!

Thank you very much for your ask, it's a breather compared to some of the other messages I've been receiving!

[straydawg-writing]

𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞'𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦.

- 𝓚. 𝙯𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙮𝙘𝙠

• hunter x hunter series

���✰⋯

Chapter 3—

"Don't they have anything at least a LITTLE flattering? I get they're like hippie-extremists, but not all of us want to look like a sack of potatoes," you complained, swiping through their clothing racks that screamed no-potential-whatsoever.

You'd finally arrived at NGL headquarters, only for them to make the three of you throw out your phones and clothes. It's like they were still living in the 18th century.

"It's only clothes. Just pick whatever," Killua replied while browsing through the selection, though he looked equally as aggravated and bored. He did have at least some style that he wanted to upkeep.

Gon on the other hand didn't seem to care.

"You think they have anything green?" He wondered out loud.

You pulled out a set of white pants with a blue long sleeves top.

"Hey Killua."

"Yeah?"

You shoved the set into his arms, giving him a bright smile.

"Try this on, I think it would match your eyes well."

"Idiot. The Chimera Ants won't be looking at my eyes when we're fighting them." Pink dusted his cheeks as he looked to the side, avoiding eye contact.

He bought the outfit without even trying it on.

Gon pouted. "Wait, what about me?"

You pulled out two more similar sets. One was a pair of green pants and a white tank top, while the other was burgundy pants with a black top. That one was yours.

"We can all match!" You grinned, relieved you finally found something that wouldn't make you all look like homeless children. "Well, sort of." The sets were still different colors, but they retained the same general style.

"Oh, great idea Y/N! I'll go change into it now," Gon beamed, nearly skipping all the way to the changing room with his brand new green pants. It was about time he put on something different for a change, you inwardly joked.

Killua was already walking back from the stalls when Gon ran past him.

"Wow Killua, look at that drip~" You whistled, checking out his new outfit.

"You're so hopeless," he sighed, bonking the top of your head.

You rubbed where he had hit and stuck out your tongue, pretending to be hurt. It was the truth though, he looked really good in the outfit you had picked out. Peeking at him while he wasn't looking, you discovered that the tight-skinned long sleeves accentuated his arms in a way you'd never noticed before, hugging his lean muscles. You were right about the royal-colored shirt bringing out his pretty blue eyes. And the way his pale skin and white hair contrasted them even looked a little heavenly...

God, what were you thinking? If Killua heard you right now he'd hit you over the head another 20 times over. You looked to the floor, hoping he wouldn't see your growing blush.

After all three of you had changed into your new clothes, the hunt for the Chimera Ants began. Kite was on his own horse, while the rest of you fit on the second one due to your small frames. You were holding onto Gon's torso as he took control of the reins.

He was like a natural, his whole body moving in sync with the horse in strong determination. You trusted him, knowing that wouldn't just let you topple over. You weren't really used to horses, as they weren't typically found roaming around the jungle.

Then there was Killua, who was standing stick-straight on the horse like it was nothing.

"How do you even do that?!" You called out over the sound of galloping hooves.

"Huh, Do what? You mean this?" Killua smirked, doing a handstand.

You couldn't believe him. The boy had no fear at all.

"You're crazy," you stated, turning around to face Killua and leisurely leaning your back against Gon.

You had finally mastered balancing on the horse without having to hold onto him— but you had nowhere as near the skill Killua did.

"Maybe I am, but you love it," he teased, still upside-down. Temptingly enough, his white locks of hair were hanging upside-down too.

Slowly, you leaned forward on the palm of your hands, steadily closing in the distance between you two.

"Sure, I do. You got me there," you cooed, catching him off guard.

"Huh.." He sweatdropped, turning bright red. Killua's balance was starting to wobble.

Then, exploiting his moment of weakness, you tugged on his hair knocking him over.

Satisfied, you rested against Gon again. Thankfully the boy didn't seem to mind.

"Show off," You said, sticking your nose in the air.

"Man, that was so unfair!" Killua whined, sitting back down on the horse and dragging his hands down his face.

You crossed your arms, ready to deliver some witty comeback, when you noticed some bees in the distance that looked like they were carrying something. Squinting your eyes, you saw that they were flying in closer.

"Hey guys, look at that," you pointed out. The horses stopped as one of the bees dropped the paper in Kite's hand.

Help!!

Chimera Ant Nest, Rocky Area

Notify Hunter Association!!

An SOS? And it appeared to be written in blood.

You cast a worried glance at Gon, who looked disturbed.

"It's Ponzu..."

Ponzu...? The name wasn't familiar to you at all. That must be somebody Killua and Gon knew from before you had met them.

The bee fluttered defeatedly around you before making its landing on your ring finger. Kite made the decision to leave the horses, with a message for the Hunter Association.

Even though they ran faster on foot, it didn't take much time until you came across an unsettling scene.

Or, what was left of Ponzu.

Blood soaked the ground. Articles of ripped-up clothing scattered the dirt, and there was not even a bone in sight. The putrid smell of iron overwhelmed your nostrils.

It was fresh blood.

If you had arrived even 15 minutes earlier, maybe Gon and Killua's friend would not have so barbarically killed. You felt sick to your stomach.

'This wasn't done by a human'

"This was done by a Chimera Ant," Kite finished your thought.

The look on Gon's face scared you. Most of the time, Gon was a sweet boy on a journey to find his father. But sometimes, you could spot a festering darkness threatening to take over his very being. You knew he would never tolerate his friends getting hurt, but you couldn't help but wonder if Gon was self-sacrificing, or perhaps selfish?

"I hate to consider the possibility, but it's possible that NGL's underground rulers have already been fed to the queen. What will happen if Chimera Ants are born with their genes..?" Kite trailed off, studying one of the bullet casings in the murder scene.

An unprecedented biohazard never seen before in human history, is what that meant. The worst-case scenario had just happened.

⋯✰⋯

That wasn't the last disturbing scene the four of you came across. In front of you now were three decaying horses, each speared through the stomach by its own tree. They resembled grilled chicken and steak kebabs.

The scent was even worse than the last incident. This time, they were rotting. Killua and you both covered your noses, in an attempt to block out the stench.

"It's like a morning sacrifice," Gon stated.

You remembered what that was. Back at home, sometimes birds would impale their prey on sharp objects like branches. It wasn't a pretty sight, but it was the circle of life. What kind of monster could do this to not just one, but three 1,000 ton horses?

Your question was answered quicker than you had hoped.

"Trash. Those are mine!" The monster in question growled as he stepped foot out of the dense forest.

He looked like an overgrown bunny, with wings of a bird, thick-ass thighs, and seaweed green hair. And as for the vibe he gave off? You could safely assume he was just a stupid man-child.

"Wow. You're ugly," you deadpanned.

"You wanna say that again little brat?" He snarled, making the first move and charging right after you.

You quickly dodged his attack, but not before he came in contact with your arm. That was gonna leave a bruise.

Kite activated his aura, temporarily distracting the bunny-monster. It seemed to have noticed the change in atmosphere.

No way...was it possible? Had it already learned about the power of nen?

"Y/N, Gon, Killua... You three must deal with him yourselves. We'll be encountering more Chimera Ant soldiers like him. I won't be able to help you during combat, so if you can't defeat him, you will have to leave." Kite stepped back from the fight.

You nodded, Gon and Killua mirroring you. The three of you understood what hung in the fate of this fight.

"We told you before Kite, we're pros, not just kids!"

In sync, you all activated your nen together.

"Did you hear that bunny? I'm about to blow off those weird speedos of yours into the next dimension." You raised your hand in front of you, manipulating the wind to blow him away with every step that you advanced.

Killua was already in the air, prepared to test his thunder-bolt. In a flash of blue, dozens of lightning strikes were being zapped into the ant, immobilizing him. Gon's charged punch was enough to send him flying across the sky.

You saw his tail-puff shrink and sparkle in the distance as he was about to disappear, until something fast and unidentifiable swept him away.

Someone had been watching.

"He let his soldier do the fighting so that he could learn our abilities," Kite explained while walking towards the three of you again.

Gon and Killua looked disappointed. You hadn't even gotten a chance to use much of your powers during that fight. If you had finished it off, would that have been enough to prove yourselves?

"Are you coming?"

You looked up at Kite.

"There's no need to feel down, your attacks weren't that bad. You just need experience now. If you wish to become stronger, this is a perfect opportunity... But if you aren't prepared, you won't be able to endure it. Whether we win or lose, hell lies ahead of us." Kite finished off, looking at each one of you in the eye with a resolute stare.

You knew that. Gon and Killua knew that also.

Even so, all three of you were prepared and eager to do whatever it takes to strengthen yourselves and help Kite save NGL.

⋯✰⋯

Kite looked serene as the light of the small campfire lit up his features. He and Gon had caught some fish for dinner earlier, while Killua and you set up camp. Now, you sat brushing arms with Killua, who was sitting next to Gon, who was huddled up close to Kite. The night was quiet, except for the cicadas singing in the trees and the thoughts running through you and your friend's minds.

There was a lot to think about.

Gon and Killua hadn't even been given the time to grieve over the loss of their past acquaintance, before being hit with the hard-hitting truth that the Ants were already evolving at a nightmarish rate. Nobody knew how many had gone missing or even more so been eaten. Yet everyone knew that the death count had already surpassed comprehensible numbers. Most likely, not everybody here would make it out alive.

But, the three of you consistently have proven the odds wrong. You held onto that fact like you held onto your pendant.

It reassured you.

It was obvious that the three of you had become inseparable over the past two years.

After you met Gon and Killua at Heaven's Arena, you'd never left each other's side.

Nobody would be going home without the other, because you had all found home within each other.

"Hey, Kite? What was your dad like?" Gon asked.

Kite looked up at the boy, surprised by the sudden question. Turning his eyes to the starry night sky, he exhaled a breath of cold air.

"I didn't know him. He disappeared when I was a child."

Gon hummed, waiting for Kite to continue. He knew that feeling too. It was an icy and empty feeling, not having a father figure in your life to guide you, praise you.

"I have very few memories of him, but they've all muddled together by now. Sometimes I can't tell if they're real or if I've convinced myself they are."

"....I think Ging would thank you."

This brought Kite's attention back to Gon.

"Thank me for what?"

"Well... You've been like a sort of mentor for me ever since we met, back on Whale Island. If it weren't for you, I would never have even become a hunter. Maybe I'm just a kid, but the past month it felt like I.. like I had a dad."

Your heart ached for Gon, who had been searching this whole time for his father in everyone he met and everything he saw. Gently, you placed your hand over his and squeezed it, wishing you could be of more comfort to him. Wishing you could turn back time and bring Ging back to his home, to Gon.

Kite's eyes softened as he looked at the boy, who offered a wobbly smile.

"Ging would be proud of you," he said, ruffling Gon's spiky hair.

That night, the glimmering moonlight had brought out your most vulnerable selves. You felt a honey-like warmth grow inside of you— a new member had just been added to your family. Killua seemed content, happy that his friend was smiling. And Gon's eyes matched the twinkling stars as he looked up to Kite like he was the most wonderful thing.

It was a special night. You knew deep down that you would treasure it, for a long time to come.

⋯✰⋯

[22degreehalo]

Okay I'm stalling in working on my fic lmao but actually one of the things I still most appreciate about Breaking Bad (apart feom its AMAZING cinematography) was that it is absolutely not at all intended to be conpetence porn. Like those moments HAPPEN and they get the most attention from outside but they're such stand outs because the show really is not like that 90% of the time. The show is incredibly aware that its main characters are a chemistry teacher with cancer and a high school dropout who spent most of his time smoking weed. They're not badasses and they know fuck all about high level drug trafficking stuff. When they have a genius plan and it all goes wrong, it's not because they were extra next level genius and this supposed failure is also part of the plan, it's because they're in over their heads and the world is inherently chaotic and unforgiving.

And that gives it all a very... black comedy sounds too light, but a subtly farcical tone, like Fargo. The overtly funny moments are indeed rare but there's a fuckron of kinda lowkey hilarious shit, and it's not unintentional.

Like I really can't overstate how much Walter is clearly a bad person and how uncritical you have to be not to realise that. He's honestly pretty pathetic as a person! He's sad and unreasonable! He's not OPENLY laughable because there are many reasons to sympathise with him too but they don't change what a fundamentally not nice person he is.

So it's just, this absurd premise, and this main character, and this odd couple pairing, and this chaotic and unknowable world that just fucks shit up and accidentally propells these people to the top...

Idk - on some level, I think Breaking Bad is actually a genuinely funny show. Or maybe just - self aware? It's like a train wreck in slow motion, but it knows exactly what it's doing?

Anyone who thinks it's just a generic Straight White Man power fantasy is just as uncritical as the guys who think Walter White is a hero. It's just as much a subtle parody of those shows. I mean, who actually gets to come out of it possibly happy someday in the end? The drug addicts Walt was trying to exploit, his wife, and his disabled son. (But not Jesse's latina girlfriend and yeah that sucks ngl :( )