#and like. it’s really hard to try to assume the role of a teacher or counselor when someone is older than you

[cats-in-the-clouds]

my sister got engaged and we’re all really happy for her but my bitter rain cloud of a dad (who naturally she told last) is giving her a bit of passive aggressive grief about it despite her boyfriend being like the best man of our generation (presumably either because he’s not catholic or because my dad sees them as young dumb unemployed people who aren’t ready for marriage or because he’s mad he barely has any real love with his own wife or something). so like pray for us? i wish i knew what to do

[simplyalicee]

Sleepy Teacher

Miss Circle x GN!Reader

You held your papers to your chest, your heels clicking against the hard, tile floor of the hallway. The gentle sounds of your footsteps filled the silence that swept around you. Various flyers decorated the plain walls that were grey and gloomy. You'd occasionally come across a few drawings here and there from students. But aside from that, the design was simple.

You marked your way to the teacher's lounge, your stomach rumbling for some needed food.

You forgot to pack lunch.

You couldn't help it.

You taught your class as usual. Gave a two to three week unit, hand them a study guide, and test them the next day. It was a lot of papers to grade for a single teacher. You feared falling behind, so you spent hours at night trying to grade what you could. And so far, you've only managed to grade half of what was needed to be done. Not to mention that you also hadn't updated your lesson plans yet.

You took a seat at a table, the room empty. You placed the packets of papers on the desk and rubbed your temple. Your head throbbed with excruciating pain. You felt like crying. But you were a teacher. You signed up for this amount of stress, so you resorted to sucking it up with a sigh. After a minute of collecting your thoughts, you grabbed out your pen and began to grade the papers.

Time felt slow, and you grew more tired by the second. Sleep deprivation overwhelmed you and your thinking process. You spent 20 of the 35 minutes of lunch trying to grade a single packet. Your thought process was slowed down that you hadn't registered someone walking in the room.

"Mx. Y/N?" A soft, Japanese accent filled your ears, and you flinched, nearly dropping your pen. You turned your head around to see Miss Circle standing in the doorway.

"Goodness, you nearly scared me to death," you frowned.

"I called your name twice," her eyes narrowed at you.

"You did?"

"I did."

"But I didn't hear you. And since when did you come in?"

Miss Circle didn't say a word. Her eyes stared into your soul, and you knew right away that she caught on to your habits. This wasn't the first time she's found out about your lack of sleep. And unfortunately, she was not real happy about it. Her footsteps clicked against the floor as she made her way to you.

"How much sleep did you get this time?" She asked with a stern tone. You stared at her with visible confusion. You were zoned out until she had to tap your shoulder to get your attention. You simply tilted your head and stared. Miss Circle scoffed lightly.

"How do you expect to be a good role model when you can't even take proper care of yourself?"

"I do take care of yourself," you retorted.

"Then why are you staying up late?"

You stood silent, unsure of what to say or how to respond. You simply shook your head and went back to trying to grade papers. Miss Circle frowned in disapproval. She sat down next to you and lifted your chin up, turning your head to look at her.

"This isn't good for you, you know that by now. If you keep this up, I'll turn you in to the principle—"

"No, please don't!" You protested.

"But I will with the way you're neglecting your sleep. Papers shouldn't be over your top priority."

You stood silent, the feeling of dread washed over you. You hated how caring she was about you. You could handle a few hours of sleep, you thought. You crossed your arms and turned your head away from Miss Circle. Her fingers lightly tap against the table.

"And I'm assuming you didn't pack your lunch either?" She asked. Your eyes widened, and you stood silent. You felt her eyes glare down at you as your silence was obvious enough. Miss Circle mumbled a few words underneath her breath as she went through her lunch bag and pulled out a container with a sliced sandwich. She handed you the bag in front of you and reached over to take away the papers stacked in front of you. You glanced at her and groaned to yourself.

"You really don't need to," you mumbled.

"Oh, but I insist," she whispered back in a hushed but angry tone. "I'm not giving you a choice. Eat."

You shook your head. "No. Come on, seriously. I really need to grade those papers."

"Absolutely not. These papers can wait. Eat the sandwich, and I'll give them back to you."

You snarled in frustration. You were too tired, so you just slammed your head against the table with your arms folded. Miss Circle stared at you for one moment, her eyes narrowed down at you. After a moment of glaring, her gaze softens. She places the papers down beside her and presses her hand on top of yours.

"Listen, I'm not trying to be mean. I'm just worried about you, okay? This isn't healthy for you. You can get yourself sick, you know."

"I know," you sighed. "But it's almost summer break. I can't slack off. The students are stressed enough as it is."

"And so are you. They're not the only ones dealing with stress," she reassured.

"..I'm so tired," you whispered, your vision getting blurry.

"I know you are,"

Miss Circle was about to continue her sentence. But you lifted your head up from the desk, leaned in, and leaned your head against her shoulder. You were tired to notice, but Miss Circle froze with shock and felt her face flush. She stood still and allowed you to lean against her, unsure of what to do. Finally, she wraps her arm around you and holds you close to her.

"Uhm, Y/N?" She gently called out. Nothing. She tilted her head, only to see that your eyes were closed. You fell asleep on her. Miss Circle was flustered, but she held you close. Using her foot, she pulled your chair closer and made you lean on her. You looked so peaceful. Your breathing was steady. You felt at peace. Miss Circle couldn't help but feel her heart swell with adoration.

This was okay. Next hour was her planning period anyway. She didn't mind this, not one bit. Miss Circle kept you close, her fingers gently trailing against your skin that left goosebumps in their wake.

"I suppose a few minutes wouldn't hurt," she whispered, her lips curling into a smile the longer her gaze stayed at yours. She leaned in and pressed a soft kiss on your forehead.

How sweet. ♡

☆------☆

I wrote this at 11 pm. It's not the greatest, but I hope this is well for you. ♡

[dreamyblossommwrites]

I remember reading Bakugou x Tomuras little sister reader fanfic when I was younger and I just cant get this trope out of my head now :((((

! Tiny bitsy spoiler about the UA traitor !

!Fem reader!

Imagine your Tomuras younger sibling, taking care of Lovs buissnes from behind the scene. Making sure missions went right, helping your master with nomu production and and recruiting new members to the league. You liked your role. You liked your life. Even though it was full of blood and violence from an early age. Because you had your brother. And he had you. He could be cold and cruel around others, but whenever you were alone, he was the most caring older brother you could ever have. Whenever you had some free time, you watched movies together, played games, and talked... Like a normal family.

Everything changed when the main league team was formed and AFO decided to send you to UA. You were supposed to make sure the traitor you sent there didnt turn on you. Easy job, really.

That's what you thought.

Making friends at UA was easy. No wonder, since you've been practicing adapting your personality to a given person all your life. Considering what work you did outside of UA on a daily basis. There was only one- well, two issues that you had with the whole mission.

One, you practically don't see your brother now. In the morning until the afternoon you are at school and then you fulfill your duties in the league. There is no time to sit down and talk to the only family member you have.

And two, There's someone here who doesn't buy your kindness. At first, the blonde just glanced at you from his seat in the classroom. Your new friend - Mina - couldn't stop joking about how he probably liked you. Which only enraged him more.

But you knew it wasn't that kind of a glance.

And he knew you knew he was suspicious of you

His suspicion only worsened when the students learned that there was a traitor among them.

He started pairing up with you at every field training with heros. It didn't help with keeping an eye on Ayoama at all,but you have to play along.

Now, you were listening to instructions about public safety from one of the hero-teachers.

Even though there was no requirement to break into groups or pairs for this lesson, you could feel the boy staring at your back. You glanced back at him, then you looked back to the front. Taking two steps back to get closer to him, you whispered "If you keep looking at me like that, I'll seriously start to think you like me." Even though you stand with your back to him, you can imagine the angry look on his present on his face. "I wouldn't touch you with a stick" He barked back in a whisper. You could only quietly laugh at this comment knowing that the spiky-haired boy was only getting more annoyed. "Whats so fucking funny?" He asked. "Oh I dont know.... Meybe the fact you think I would let you get anywhere near me in the first place? I don't date hooligans" You covered your mouth with your hand to stop laughing. You feel him leaning over your ear.

"I don't date criminals."

Up until now you were just playing with him. You were you laughed in his face. But now? He has your full attention. You turned to him with your eyes wide open, shocked of how fast he worked out why youre here. You knew he would be the first one to find out, but you hoped he would take more time. You snorted under your breath. "Criminal? Where did this came from? It would be hard to get a girlfriend if you you assume the worst about everyone-"

"Cut the crap, woman. We both know youre not here for that......You're not here to be a hero either. But just so you know, If you try to do anything that in some way will make my way to becoming a pro longer, I will get you, and you will regret ever meeting me." He interrupted you and then looked back at the hero who was still speaking, pretending to listen. "We will see about that." You said, also looking at the hero.

This will be good.

Reblogs appreciated!!!

Pls dont flop😭

[pictureinme]

kinktober day iii. ROLE-PLAY – robert fischer

word count: ~800 tags: d/s dynamics, teacher rp, spanking, rimming, hand jobs masterlist | ao3

“You’ve been a bad boy, haven’t you, Mr. Fischer?”

He looks up at you from his kneeling position on the floor, eyes nervous and flitting everywhere, “Yes, ma’am… I’ve been bad.”

Smirking, you circle him. You’re donned in a very cheap Halloween costume that was labeled “Tantalizing Teacher,” something that caught Robert’s eye while browsing the web. Admittedly, you were intrigued by it too, knowing his tendency to… submit, and he immediately put it in his cart. You paired it with the sluttiest red heels you could find, towering over him easily.

Tilting his chin up with your ruler, you pout, “Am I supposed to pity you?”

“No, no, not at all.”

“Then what do I do with bad boys like you, hm? Do I just let them off easy?”

The edge of the ruler traces his jawline, threatening to slap him at any given moment, “I think you punish them, ma’am.”

“Finally, a good answer from you. Why aren’t you this receptive in class, Mr. Fischer? We could’ve avoided all this… unless you wanted it?”

A sweat droplet forms on his forehead as you move the ruler to rest on his quivering bottom lip, “I just want you, Miss, that’s all.”

You roll your eyes, huffing, “Take your slacks off and get on the bed, ass up. Now.”

Robert scrambles upwards, unbuckling his belt with no precision whatsoever. The desperation was evident as he was left only in his boxers, a wet spot forming on the fabric. He crawls onto the bed, never making eye contact with you for fear of breaking any boundaries of the scene.

He followed your directions to a T, and you couldn’t help but bite your lip at the humiliating position he was in. His ass was practically shaking with anticipation, eager for whatever you would give him.

“Desperate to be punished, aren’t you? Pathetic, really.”

You hear Robert try to bite back a whimper, and you don’t hesitate to smack him with the ruler. His noises fail to cease, and you know what you have to do. You slide your damp panties down your legs, “Turn around.”

Hesitantly, Robert turns, struggling to stay somewhat in his aforementioned position. You pick up your knickers and shove them between his freshly bitten lips.

“Now, if you manage to make any noise with that in your mouth, you’re not cumming for a week.”

The fear in his eyes is obvious, but he obeys your command, nodding. Robert gets back into position, albeit more nervously. You smile at the control you have over this otherwise powerful man– you’ve seen the way a simple hand gesture could give him the world, but not in this room.

You trace the seams of his boxers with the ruler, giving him a false sense of security. When you snap it back on him, he jerks forward, but makes no sound, “Good boy.”

Robert’s shoulders shudder at your praise, he was so easy to please in this particular headspace. You move his boxers down his quivering thighs, watching as his hole flutters eagerly. How bold was his body to assume you’d grace him with a toy tonight when this was his punishment?

With his underwear now out of the way, you spread his cheeks harshly, and spit dead-center. Robert lurches forward involuntarily, but you don’t reprimand him for it. He had bigger things to worry about controlling as you licked a stripe up his entrance. You heard a muffled groan from him and laughed as you continued to touch him in ways you’d never done before.

You grip tightly at his leaking hardness, beginning to inch your tongue slowly into him. Robert trembles slightly in your hand, and you grin as you lick inside. Beginning to pump him harshly, but slowly, his back arches into your touch. It was so painful, but so good.

He shakes as you touch him in such filthy ways, but he can’t deny the fact that this was the hardest he had ever been in his life. Every time your hand moves up and down, the flick of your wrist makes him feel closer and closer. This doesn’t go unnoticed by you as your tongue goes even deeper inside of Robert, his tightness doing nothing to stop you.

“Gonna come for me, big boy?” He hesitates before nodding vehemently, deciding not to risk making noise. “Better clean it up after, hm?”

Robert continues to nod as you increase your pace and kiss around his hole. He can’t handle the gentle yet dominant persona you suddenly took on, and he thrusts pathetically into your touch. His moans break through the thin barrier of your panties, desperate and submissive.

You grin as his hot release spills all over your fingers and the duvet, his hole clenching around nothing as you leave a biting kiss on his reddened cheek. Robert collapses onto the bed face-first with a groan, continuously shaking into his orgasm.

His sorry little movements had you kissing all over his cheeks down to the crook of his knees, “You did so good, Robert, so fucking good for me…”

[cripplecharacters]

hi! long ask up next.

I'm not sure if this is the right blog for this question, i'm really sorry if it's not. I'm part of a theatre class/group that is putting on Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. The teacher has a very specific vision in mind that i generally vibe with. However, she's asking me to play a character in a way that might be offensive. I play two characters, one of them is Snug. There's a play within the play that an incompetent artisan theatre troupe is putting on, which snug is a part of. In our version, snug is meant to have a speech impediment (the teacher hasnt given me more specific directions on how to talk). I did a bit of research and decided that my version of snug has dysarthria (no dysphasia or aphasia) from a degenerative disease that he inherited from his dad. Im trying to play him as having distorsion and omission type articulation errors, in the initial and medial positions respectively, but it's been very hard for me to consistently play him like that becuase i dont have his disability. The only correction the teacher has given me so far is to speak slower so my dialogue is more comprehensible.

Now, i shouldn't have, but i did watch some scenes on youtube with snug in them. And none of the versions i saw give him a speech sound disorder, from what i could tell. What most versions do have in common though, is that the artisans who are putting on the play are, for lack of a better term, meant to be "dumb". Snug specifically has a line which i didn't realize was supposed to be a dig at his own intelligence until i saw a clip. The line is:

Have you the lion's part written? pray you, if it be, give it me, for I am slow of study.

In the video i saw, the actor paused briefly after saying "slow", for emphasis:

for I am slow... of study.

I'm autistic and i know what it's like for people to assume i'm "slow" because of how i talk, and i don't want to promote those stereotypical views.

What makes this whole conundrum more complicated for me is that our version is going to be (sort of?) a musical. And my teacher is adamant on me rapping an eminem song. I thought this would be fun but thinking about it more carefully i worry that the joke might be that snug is faking his disability for some reason, and that he can actually speak "normally".

sorry if some of this isnt clear, english is not my first language.

Anon S

Hello! I wanted to address this ask as a former actor and current student studying speech language pathology as well as someone with an articulation disorder.

You can give a backstory in your head as detailed as you want - and as an actor this is a good thing, and something you should do with every role no matter how complicated or simple - but the unfortunate truth is most audience members are not going to interpret it exactly the same way without the same context. You may be thinking of portraying a mixed dysarthria (and there are many types of dysarthria, from spastic to flaccid to ataxic, to mixed that will all have difference in sound quality, articulation, and rate) but unless it's written somewhere the audience, who is just noticing a slow rate and articulation errors, and who may not even be aware of what dysarthria is, may think your character has some dialect or strange difference they don't recognize.

From my knowledge of the play, the Rude Mechanicals are meant to be laughed at and this falls into the idea that people with certain speech patterns or disorders are funny or silly or even, yes, stupider than others. However, there's not much you can do about this if your director is insistent other than refuse to treat your character as a joke. I would feel better about a character with consistent errors and whose disability was thought through than one who wasn't, even with a character like a Rude Mechanical.

As for a disability disappearing during a rap, for something like stuttering that would make sense but not for an articulation disorder and certainly not for dysarthria, which causes a slower rate normally and can cause articulation issues due to coordination of the parts used to speak (not only the mouth but also the soft and hard palates and the lungs, for example). I would talk to your director about what the point of the rap is - is it to be funny? is it to show another side of him? why does this character need a speech disorder? why does this character need to rap, and why does the speech disorder need to be dropped during the rap?

If you can talk with your director and figure out what the vision is for some honestly bizarre choices it may help you figure out if you're on the right track (and if dysarthria is the right choice for a disorder for your character, as well). As always, if anyone has advice or input please feel free to add it!

[the-monkey-ruler]

what’s the difference between celestials, yaos, and w/e monkey king is

Oh wow there are so many things that are different.

I guess it's important to start with celestials/deities.

I am going to start by saying I am going to be talking about Eastern Heaven where it is based more in Chinese folklore and the Daos rather than Western Heaven where it is more in Buddism. (Yes there are different Heavens and they are slightly different but still together)

I think the biggest confusion I've seen when it comes to Westerners seeing learning about Chinese Heaven is that no one is born a celestial, not really. Celestials were all human at one point and they way that they get to heaven is that they have to earn it. None of this 'your dad/mom was a deity and thus you have immortal blood in you' no, none of that. That is what immortal schools are for. And really anyone can be an immortal in theory it just... hard. Because you have to be an immortal first before being a deity. Usually, in these cases, you would find an immortal teacher to show you how to cultivate via the Dao and hone your skills to be forever young, educated, enlightened, and skilled.

This could take hundreds if not thousands of years and even then you might just always be a student working under your teacher if you are slower to master these crafts or gain merit.

Hence why Wukong being an immortal in only ten years or so is such an unspeakable feat.

So even if you do become immortal and get the 18 or 36 transformations (these are standards in celestial soldiers) you still do not get recruited into heaven.

And yes you have hired into heaven to be a deity. Another difference I see people get confused a lot. You can't just take a role, there has to be paperwork, recommendation, even an internship depending on who recommended you, very business-like.

Which is why Wukong giving HIMSELF the title of Great Sage in Heaven was slanderous as... it's like walking into a business and telling them you are their new hire for a position they didn't even have or need. Not only bold but also slightly delusional.

Anyway either the immortal teacher will recommend you to heaven or you will be recruited via your merit and given a position. Thus you are given a title and finally able to be a deity. Each deity has had to go through this, working their way up the ranks over hundreds of years to get their merit. Some immortals never even get celestial titles, rather staying on earth to continue their cultivation and having a large amount of respect for their merit but otherwise forgo a god/goddess position to focus on their own studies.

Which is also why Wukong having a lowly position for his first job in heaven isn't unusual as he would have had to work his way up but that didn't really happen.

That is the basics of deities are there are some outliers (Li Nezha being a good one) but I hope that clears some things up.

Yaogaui or Yao in general are a different matter all together.

Yaoguai 妖怪 is a generic term for monsters or strange creatures. 妖怪 is a compound word consisting of two Chinese characters: 妖 (yāo), monster or demon and 怪 (guài), strange or unusual (as an adjective) or monster/unusual creature (as a noun). Both, when read as individual words, signify and connote strangeness.

妖 - (1) strange, uncanny (2) bewitching, seductive (3) eldritch

怪 - (1) monstrous, anomalous, (2) unnatural, (3) freakish

However, the 妖 often partake or share in the essential nature of an animal or a plant (a vixen, a snake, a butterfly, or a tree or a flower), is capable of assuming human or near-human form and of wielding supernatural powers, as well as developing other abilities due to Daoist cultivation.

From what I can tell it's more like objects/animals/ or even ideals trying to become more sentient and therefore than on the forms of humans as they achieve higher thinking

"when people lack constancy or engage in strange or abnormal behavior, then this leads to the emergence of the yao" ("人弃常则妖兴").

There are two types of Yao from what I have seen.

Cultivated creatures - living creatures and inorganic substances other than humans will also cultivate qi (mana/energy), wisdom, or look completely similar to humans through years of cultivation. Such a situation has always been called "成精 (Chengjing)", "Yaoguai" and "Yaojing" are most often called such creatures, and only a few are called "仙 (Xian)" They skip the reincarnation cycles as only Humans are allowed to cultivate and therefore they very being goes against nature.

Demoted gods - some gods were relegated to the mortal world and became Yaoguai because they violated the laws of heaven. The most representative ones are Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing. In addition, in the Journey to the West in the heavenly court, there are also some people who violate the laws and deviate from the mortal, but privately descend. Many of them are waiters and mounts around the gods, such as the Golden and Silver Horned Kings of the Taishang Laojun, Yellow Robe Demon, which was originally Kui Mulang, Maitreya Bodhisattva's Yellow Brows Great King, Manjushri's Azure Lion and so on.

There are two ways for Cultivated creatures to be created.

Years of cultivation

Eating humans

Cultivated Yaoguai are often oppressed after cultivation as they are going against the laws of nature either way. Most start with personal cultivation to gain sentience but soon give in to eating humans as a faster and easier way to gain more power and their desires. They are either captured by Taoists or priests, or immortals, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas want them to go on the right path and remove their cultivation, allowing them to have a chance to reincarnate into the next life and be human.

In addition, there is a saying that "Dharma cannot be rectified for a thousand years, and you do not learn the wild fox Zen for a day. (千年不得正法，不學一日野狐禪)" The energy and skill created by the cultivation of species and the set of practice methods they teach will also be regarded as evil. Gong, those who learn it, will also be harmed by it similar to how when Wukong learned the Taoist form of immortality from Puti he was to be sent three punishments and killed by Heaven, thus him learning the 72 transformations in order to escape his execution by nature.

Not with Wukong... that is where things get tricky.

But he is, and always will be, the exception to the rules.

Wukong is to play as the discontinuous creature that is both Yao and Deity without really losing either status.

He was born from a rock that has cultivated, a born Yaoguai however he also gained the Way becoming a deity and later on a Buddha.

He is considered to be something that can be in both the demon world and the heavenly world, a strange fixation where he can easily travel between both worlds and still not be accepted in either case.

This is where his species as a celestial primate is called into question, as he is considered outside the ten natural things on both earth and Heaven.

In short, he is taking the cake of being the most unique monkey.

There is so much to be said about how Wukong is to be seen as a combination of these tropes, that his very being is ambiguous and anomalous in the role he plays within the novel where he goes against the heavens but also goes against demons, working for both yet yielding to neither as well. He is a walking, talking contradiction.

And I think this shows how the heavens and earth are also a connection within Chinese lore. There is always a cycle of translations, reincarnation, and cultivation where demons are trying to gain a higher form os Self but are also actively working aginst their mission by not submitting to the cosmic order to achieve true self. Wukong has been able to cross that barrier of being both a demon and a god without having to loose what it means to he his Self and how the journey is to show his entire character growth of coming to accept his "Self" eventually leading to his enlightenment.

It is even to be pushed that Wukong is not just a Yaoguai or a Deity but he is also Human as well. That he learns what it means to be human on his journey and that is what makes him so reliable to audiences is that humane nature of self-discovering that any generation can relate to.

There is a lot more to be said but I think I have talked a bit too much about the subject overall at this point.

Hope this helps!

[eeblouissant]

[Femme!Dorothy anon, this is a long mess and I wish I could articulate myself better because your thiughts are so interesting] yes exactly. Dorothy doesn't want to be associated with anything masculine, and she genuinely is not masculine. She wears the occasional tie and is straightforward and that's it. She is in no way masc in style or behaviour other than being tall with a deep voice. In fact she's very feminine, her style is entirely conventionally on trend femme as a younger woman and as an older woman she is still clearly feminine just not trendily so (her silhouettes are from older decades and her overall style is very unique for the time yet today looks almost proto Boho in certain respects- imagine a modern substitute arts teacher in a getup of hers.). Why it changed is something you nailed, the divorce hit her self esteem hard and I think facing the reality of that plus how she's treated in general drove her from her ideal style, she gets actively laughed at and mocked when she dresses up. So she's retreated to a compromise, a safe style that she feels comfortable in. I can't articulate my thoughts on the change in her whenever she feels nice in a glitzy gown but I know you'll see where I'm trying to go and how important those glimpses are. And to go back to behaviour, this is why I was actually thinking exactly of the scenario you brought up with the strap. She's a feminine woman who has spent most of her life not being seen as either of those things (and then having both tied to a teenaged pregnancy and marriage which is another depressing complication, her femininity and womanhood are by association denigrated as bad choices, moral failings to be redeemed by being a good mother and wife. what does it mean when Stan cheated on her, in this context?). Dorothy wants to be treated as a desirable woman, a lady, and that goes further than wanting to be seen as pretty in a dress. It's also why I think Rose would understand her far easier than Blanche, why I think Blanche would actually trigger her at some point, because Blanche blatantly sees Dorothy as a masculine figure. She puts Dorothy in a protector role, at times almost desexualizes her because of how she's masculinized her. I don't say this as hate, I love Blanche, but Blanche comes from such a specific and different world to the others and its not out of hate that she does it either, it's simply how Dorothy currently fits into her understanding of the world with the tools she's been given. That's really a whole other topic and I don't want to just shove a whole thesis at you that you might not agree with so back to the original point. Yeah, Dorothy wouldn't in a million years want to wear a strap or have a partner assume she wants to lead/top/penetrate. It would be so deeply, deeply humiliating to her in that context and the opposite of healing. You portrayed the exact opposite of this perfectly in your recent fic, you get what her fantasy would be. And I've vomited so many half formed thoughts at you I'm going to stop talking now. The only thing I want to bring up before I shut up is when they're in the Rusty Anchor bathroom because it kills me everytime on so many levels, seeing Blanche wrestle with actually seeing Dorothy as a beautiful feminine woman, how Dorothy clearly understands how Blanche usually sees her, and Dorothy saying she's jealous of Blanche every day of her life because God, that scene is practically this conversation we're having distilled with how the world sees Dorothy and how much pain that causes her. [This message is all over the place and so long. Please feel free to delete it or only quote little parts. It boils down to me thinking you're so right with your headcanons and meta.]

oh anon 🥹🥹🥹 hand in marriage asap because you just get me - oh my god, how could I ever delete or ignore an ask like this !!!!! I absolutely live for your thoughts always (I am in love, seriously, where do I even begin?)

Honestly - and this might be insane so hear me out - would it be too crazy to say that I think those few times when Dorothy does wear elements of a “masculine” outfit, it could possibly be tied back to her own internal struggle with how she presents herself & how she’s perceived? Like, she thinks that maybe the bullying will quit if she gives in and embraces it, if she takes it back and tries to make it something she’s in control of, to try and enjoy something she feels so deeply uncomfortable with (story of her life tbh) because maybe she’ll be able to drown it out then???? are we seeing the vision … just a little thought that came up after reading that first bit, I like angst a normal amount. I feel like there’s definitely a shift away from that “masc energy” as the show goes on but maybe I’m nuts - of course it could have been for many different reasons !!! But I do think it’s mostly a show of growth & shedding those insecurities / stereotypes / etc.

YES !!!!!!!!!! oh my god dorothy fits the 1920s silhouette sooooo soso well & I think that’s what she would say she gravitates toward if asked (on the surface of course. We know by now that the layers & hiding herself is a result of her past and the constant bullying - I do believe that she may also just genuinely find comfort in dressing this way on some level, I don’t think it’s all negative, but it is definitely rooted in insecurity. The fact that she isn’t the bitter type, going on and on about the body she used to have & how she used to look, is kind of shocking to me ? But also a very good example of her gentle nature!!!!! she’s a lot more sensitive and “submissive” than she lets on imo. Very very gentle soul, she is not what she makes people think she is and it’s so devastating to watch her never let that go in canon because we all know she never will.)

Oh my god exactly exactly exactly — like a lady !!!! I’m so glad you brought up Blanche here (and to the blanche enthusiasts, I’m sorry in advance, look away…) because, listen. I have and will always have a problem with the way blanche literally bully’s her constantly & also ropes rose into it a lot ??? like, does dorothy fire back at her just as harshly, yes. Is it (playfully) deserved on both sides sometimes, yes. But holy hell - it seems like every time blanche fires an insult at Dorothy it gets her right in that delicate place because she always puts up her walls so quickly, like she’s genuinely being attacked. And especially having comments like those come from someone like Blanche - the absolute opposite of everything Dorothy has ever been told is wrong with her. Can you even begin to imagine? This has been talked about a few times in the fandom but it’s a subject that makes me especially upset. Blanche is just so unreasonably harsh. I don’t blame Dorothy for some of the things she says to her sometimes I’m sorry 😭🤚🏻. That ep where they were sitting a the table talking about what they’d say at each others eulogy’s , after Blanche said she always felt safe with Dorothy in the house? Yeah, I dont blame her for throwing out that last comment, I would’ve too. Like wow, okay… ( for the record dorothy is not like exempt from also being nasty sometimes, she’s made some insane comments as well 😭)

Blanche most definitely triggers her, many many times we see it!!! It’s so heartbreaking and I could write an essay on the whole subject. And she HAS to be aware of how severe Dorothy’s insecurities are, Blanche is far from oblivious. She’s not stupid, the whole thing is kind of sick. Petition to stop beating Dorothy into the ground please ??????????? Holy hell ???? I absolutely 100% agree with you anon and feel very strongly about the subject. Of the four of them Dorothy gets it the worst idc - it’s sooooooo heartbreaking because she’s the last of them that can handle it, deep down. Yet another topic I could talk about for hours!!!!

I have manyyyyyyyyyyy many things to say on Dorothy’s insecurities playing a massive role in how she views & feels about sex but I’ll save them for my side account, for now know that you are SO correct anon - it absolutely would be humiliating for her (incredible choice of words btw - holy that was so spot on) and would most definitely end in tears. I’ve brought it up five million times now & I promise I’ll shut up until it’s actually published but this is expanded on in the second chapter of that same fic !! Promise to actually post it soon and stop teasing it every other post haha

[aletterinthenameofsanity]

how do you click into a characters ‘voice’ as well as you do? People are so consistently in characyer and I notice that as a unique standout of your writing

Advice for Writing Characters: Design, Arcs, and the Role of Plot

Warning: hella spoilers for my Doctor/Amy/Rory 'verse because that's what I'm using as examples for this writing breakdown of sorts.

First off, thank you so much for the compliment to my writing! I have worked so hard on my characterization over the years and it means a lot to hear that you liked it.

But onto the actual writing breakdown:

So I'm going to sound like every basic English teacher you've ever had to suffer through with this opening piece of advice, but it really is about practice making perfect. I wrote disastrous dialogue/characterization when I started out writing in 2014 (when I was 14). Looking back at my old characterization it's hot garbage. Dead awful.

But I have improved a lot over the years. A lot of that has to do with about my ability to sit down and re-watch episodes over and over again and find the right music to listen to, but a lot of it also has to do with the three things I always look to/think about when writing characters.

To be honest, I still have my weaknesses as a writer. I don't always like writing settings and I'm still improving on my action scenes and my intimacy scenes but my favorite things to write have always been a good extended metaphor and diving into character POVs. I write because I like exploring characters. There's a reason why the most popular additional tags on my ao3 account look like this:

I love writing character-driven stories. Plot comes as a secondary device to link the character moments for me and not vice-versa (though I'm not gonna lie, I can occasionally come up with a decent plot twist, ala the Master, Clara-River-Ytroswinasleen, or Bill/Clara reveals). Writing characters is about exploring what threads twist themselves together to compel the character/story forward, whether that be backstory, current stressors, or what their motivations are to go forward.

For example, with the Doctors it's easy to explain because they're divided by era. To talk about Eleven, you have backstory: the ENTIRETY of Ten's character arc hope from Rose -> guilt/grief from losing her -> Martha/Donna helping him believe in himself/find joy again -> grief from losing Donna -> Time Lord Victorious leading into Adelaide Kane/him finally doing one kind thing for Wilf. Then, as shown in the only good moment in Let's Kill Hitler, his guilt over everything he did to those three. Then you have current stressors: the sheer loneliness he feels after regenerating alone/isolating himself, the guilt he feels after "abandoning" Amy as a child/leading to Rory's death, and the ever-present knowledge he has with every companion that humans do have a tendency to die/leave him.

Backstory and current stressors tend to play off of each other to lead to future actions, aka: Eleven freaking out and assuming that Amy and Rory will leave him after the baby is born and trying to cut them loose before he can or later, after we establish the Martha&Jack&the Master of it all (and the guilt that he still feels after how Ten handled All That Shit), it makes sense that he might go a little Time Lord Victorious when you find out that the Master was behind River's kidnapping because the Doctor finally has a family to get protective over.

And this is all just from one character point of view! It's also about how characters bounce off of each other- my absolute most favorite part of writing. It's what creates the most interesting parts of the story. When you have Rory's desire for a family/desire to do-no-harm/loyalty hitting up against Amy's desire to keep her family safe/the established ferocity of her love/her willingness to face danger in the face and not blink hitting up against the Doctor's fury of a time lord/guilt over doing things wrong the last time/desire to make things right not just for Martha and Jack and himself, but for Amy and Rory and River, things are bound to get not just messy but satisfying when you have Rory look the Doctor in the eye and tell him that he can't take that choice out of people's hands in the end. That the Doctor has to give River and Amy the choice that the Doctor didn't give Martha and Jack regarding the Master before.

Characterization is as much about a satisfying arc as it is digging into a character's mindset. As much as I love writing "character studies," that's only half of the battle when it comes to writing. Yes, you need to know where your character's head is at. But you also need to understand where they were and where they are going. Learning to figure out a satisfying bend to that curve is one of the greatest tools in an author's toolbox. I am constantly aiming to create as satisfying an arc as I can for every character, and this is usually the bit that fumbles most writers. You can come up with the coolest character design and then make their arcs either boring (sadly the case with a lot of Thirteen's companions in canon) or unsatisfying as hell (the case with Rory, River, and Amy's canon character arcs) because you don't plan them out well enough or just start and stop them within a single episode (everything regarding Mel/River Song in Let's Kill Hitler is a fantastic example).

The great thing about fanfiction is that since there are no limits for number of words or length of installments, I can throw words on the page regarding insights I have and figure out the order or how/where they fall later. I can rearrange episodes and give myself plots to bounce off of to develop characters. Because this is where plot comes in: it can give you an opportunity to explore a character in not just how they see themselves, or how they react to each other, but how they react to being challenged by their circumstances. That's how you get great moments in this series like exploring Eleven/Thirteen's unresolved loneliness with the Planet Sanatorium arc or Amy figuring out how to stop the mummy because of her own experience with war or Rory responding to the poisonous hallucinations or Amy getting closure by Eleven popping up as the voice interface or Thirteen seeing Rose in the Solitract or Amy's slow Doctorification thanks to how she reacts to Solomon/the TARDIS-as-Idris/the mummy/the pocket universe in Hide/the prison break situation or Bill figuring out the flesh in the database. You can only go so far with character motivations/their relationships with each other when you don't see how they react to conflict/challenge/separation. You can, however, use the challenges to directly lead into character arcs.

As a final example of all three elements coming together (motivation/character design, character interaction, and plot as challenge), I'll use Thirteen/Amy/Rory's arc. You don't get Thirteen, Amy, and Rory making up at the New Year's wedding if you don't have the arc of trust between them. The Cybermen are used entirely and only as a device to show their characterization/development off as characters. When they first appear, you get a glimpse into how the hundred-year separation has affected Thirteen and how her anger/fear/protective instinct go just as deep as Eleven, if not further, but also how she isn't sure if she can trust Amy/Rory yet, while you also get to see Amy's faith in the Doctor contrasting Rory's doubt but also the nuances of his position (loving her but not trusting her because she has revealed that Eleven didn't trust them). This leads into the Chameleon Arch plot which gives you Bill (my beloved) but also a view into Rory's changing opinion, both Amy and Rory's own development and their ability to hold their own, and the fact that the Doctor trusts them with her life. Then we get It Takes You Away and the realization that the Doctor would stay with Amy and Rory over anything, even Rose, then the wedding scene (kisses! rings! comms! Dr. Pond!). But then the Judoon come back after the Cybermen issue, prompting the TARDIS crash/the multidoctor fic where you get a stark contrast between Eleven at his worst and Thirteen at her best (fantastic place to explore characterization) where you also get to see Rory finally get closure/see that that he really does trust Thirteen. Then Thirteen giving herself up to the Judoon to protect innocent people AND because for the first time in the entire series she completely and fully trusts Amy and Rory to save her. The Cybermen as a villain don't truly matter in the end, other than some really fun imagery and exploring a bit of the mind control angle/just how far Thirteen is willing to go for Amy and Rory. It's about how Thirteen running against them provides the structure of sorts for her, Amy, and Rory's developing characters (and, hell, Bill, for that matter, regarding the Chameleon Arch/prison break plot), just as the Master provided an obstacle/structure for Eleven/Amy/Rory working through their own arcs.

...Whoops. That was a lot of writing. I'm almost sorry for all of that. But I hope that the three-step process made sense! I also recommend reading analysises of characters (and for a show like Doctor Who, I read analysises from both pro-Moffat and Moffat-critical blogs, same as with Chibnall) and just rewatching the show! You don't necessarily have to take notes or anything, just kind of take in thoughts you might not have thought of otherwise! For example, I got a lot from @tenmartha, @orpheustwelve, and @variousqueerthings, all of whom had completely interesting and different takes on Eleven, Amy, and Rory as canon characters!

Hope this gave you a good view into the process or even some advice for your own writing, and I hope you continue to enjoy my writing! (Right now I'm currently working on a much shorter, five-chapter AU to the end of Season 3 where Riley from "42" travelled with the Doctor/Martha for the last six episodes of Season 3, using these same three rules to explore the growing dynamic between Ten, Martha, and Riley, if you're interested.)

Thanks once again for the compliment- the absolute greatest gift I can receive as an author is questions/compliments like that!

[forgedroyalseal]

Ranger Gathering Day Six

Lead-

Horace was not a leader. He was used to being told what to do, and that’s how he liked it. He was a knight, through and through, happy to let others do the lions share of the planning and plotting. When he was with Will or Halt, they were always be able to see ways around a problem that Horace wouldn’t have come up with if you had given him a 100 years. His talent was in the midst of battle, not in the days and weeks leading up to it. He was a doer, not a thinker, and he had never had a problem with that.

Until now.

Becoming a knight had always been part of the plan. Becoming the Prince Consort of Araluen? Not so much.

He hadn’t thought about what it would really mean to marry the Crown Princess. He seldom thought of Cassandra’s title, to him, she was just Cassandra, the woman he was madly in love with. He proposed because he loved her and couldn’t imagine his future without her right there besides him. Their engagement bliss was short lived though. The moment it was announced, Horace was thrown into meetings and lessons about his future role in the monarchy. With each day that passed, he felt to pressure building up around him. He was painfully aware that every time a member of nobility looked at him, they could see just how inadequate he was to lead the country.

All of this doubt came to a head after one particularly grueling history lesson. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t get the information to stick.

“This is important Sir. You can’t expect to lead a country that you know nothing about.” His teacher had said in frustration. Horace’s face had burned in humiliation, and he had sulked out of the study with his tail between his legs.

He spent the rest of the evening locked in his room, claiming that he was unwell when his valet came looking for him when it was time for dinner. It was late in the evening when there was nothing knock at his door. Assuming it was his valet coming back to check on him, he called out from his bed, “I’m alright Roberts. I just need some rest.”

“I’m sure Roberts will be relieved to hear that. I’ll make sure to past that update along, but I’d like to confirm that for myself.” The deep voice was unmistakable and Horace shot out of his bed and rushed to the door. He flung it open and ran his hand through his hair, in a fruitless attempt to make himself appear more presentable.

“King Duncan. Please come in. I’m sorry I wasn’t at dinner, I haven’t been feeling well this evening and-“

Duncan raise his hand, cutting Horace off. “Take a breath son, I’m just here to check on you, not scold you for missing dinner.”

“I appreciate it, but I’m fine, just needed a rest.”

Duncan nodded. “I heard you had a history lesson with Lord Barnaby. No wonder you’re exhausted, I struggle to listen to him for an hour, much less a whole day.”

Horace looked down at his feet. So that’s what this was about. King Duncan had heard about how spectacularly he was failing and he was going to tell Horace that he wasn’t good enough to marry Cassandra.

Sensing Horace’s discomfort, Duncan placed his hand on his shoulder. “I think we need to have a chat Horace.” He guided them over to a pair of chairs on the other side of Horace’s room.

“Now, tell me what’s wrong. And don’t say nothing, I can tell something is weighing you down.”

The warmth of Duncan’s words and the caring look on his face was all it took to open the floodgates. The words spilled out of Horace before he could stop them. “I know that I haven’t been doing a good enough job, but I promise I am trying best. I just, I was never born to lead. It’s never been the type of man I am. Will would have been way better suited for this job, or any other member of nobility for that matter, and I hate that I won’t be the husband Cassandra deserves, or the Prince Consort that Araluen should have. I can’t be the leader that everyone is expecting me to be.”

“I think that you are selling yourself short Horace. And I also think, that you don’t know what is the most important job of a Prince Consort. Your number one priority is and will always be to support Cassie. To give her the emotional and moral support she needs to rule over the country. She can lead, so long as you can support. I have as much faith in your ability to do that, as I have in her ability to be a great leader.”

Horace felt tears prick at his eyes and rubbed his hand over his face in an attempt to push them back.

“Look at me son,” Horace took a deep breath and met the king’s eyes, which were heavy with sincerity. “I promise, you would not be marrying my daughter if you didn’t deserve her. All her life, I have prayed for her to find a partner exactly like you. Not like Will, or a prince, or anyone else that you might think is better suited for the role. You. I truly believe that marrying you will be one of, if not the best, decision my daughter will ever make. And I will be eternally grateful to her for giving me the opportunity to have such a wonderful son.”

Both men were cry at this point. Horace had never felt so validated in his entire life. It was as if King Duncan had read his heart and knew exactly what he had spent his whole life looking for.

“I can’t tell you how much that means. Thank you.”

“You never need to thank me for telling you the truth. And if you ever, ever, need to be remained of it, you come to me, day or night, and I will be here.”

Maybe Horace wasn’t meant to be a leader, but maybe he didn’t need to be one after all.

[giggly-bun]

Helloo~~ I wanted to participate in your event hehehe, would you consider writing lee alhaitham with ler nilou? Probably alhaitham is assigned by the akademiya to inspect zubayr theatre, so as a disguise he participated nilou's dance class. But in there nilou discover that alhaitham is ticklish~

{Bun’s Festive Fics Event❄️}

A/N: i hope you had a wonderful holiday my dear and thank you for the request, i hope you enjoy :D -bunny🔮

“Can you stop laughing, please, I’m trying to talk to you.” 

“Nohoho t-thihihis isn’t talking! N-Nilou!” Alhaitham cried, as fingers skittered around his neck. 

You may be wondering how the great scribe of the akademiya had got into a position like this. Well, it’s simple, really. Alhaitham had been instructed by some members of the akademiya to inspect Zubayr theatre as there had been some suspected activity from the fatui. The scribe treated this investigation no different from any other, immediately assuming his position at the theatre, his disguise role being a dance student in one of Nilou’s classes. 

He chuckled to himself upon entering the class and seeing a few people, as well as Nilou herself, by the stage. ‘Too easy.’ he thinks to himself. He gets on with Nilou fairly well, the last situation with the sages bringing them closer as a team, so he stationed himself at the front of the class, keeping an eye out for any fatui. 

“Oh, Mr Alhaitham! I didn’t take you for much of a dancer, how nice to see you in my class.” Nilou had said, walking over to Haitham with a sweet smile on her face. The taller smiled back, of course. 

Alhaitham chuckled. “Well, I can’t say that I am, but I am here on business. I hope you won’t mind me partaking in your class.” And Nilou just giggled. 

“Not at all, as long as you’re willing to put in some work like my other students.” The sentence made Alhaitham chuckle. How hard could this be?

Oh, how wrong he was.

Thirty minutes into the class, and he was already out of breath. He never took her for it, but Nilou is a strict teacher, and she expects perfection in every move. He lost count of how many times she’d come over to him and fixed his posture during the routine. Speaking of…

“Mr Alhaitham, your posture is slacking again. Let me help you, it appears that you’re struggling.” She sauntered over to him with grace before standing behind him. She put a hand on his neck and Haitham’s breath hitched when Nilou ran her hands from his neck to the middle of his back. 

“You need to make sure your spine is straight and aligned with your feet- am I hurting you?” Concern suddenly laced her voice as she noticed how he flinched at the light touch. 

“Huh? Oh, no no, of course not. Uh, what were you saying?” He sputtered out, trying to keep his composure. Nilou waited a second and then hummed. 

“As I was saying, a good posture during dance is what makes it look so clean- s-sir?” Nilou once again had wordy plastered on her face when Alhaitham had blurted out a sound, it sounded pained, like he was trying to stop it. 

“N-Nilou.. do you think you c-cahan move your hands please?” The scribe murmured and- wait, was that a giggle? Nilou looked down at her hand placement, and then it all pieced together. She giggled to herself, before using on of her nails to swipe down the length of the scribe’s back. 

“ACK- N-Nilou what’re yohou doing? Dohon’t do that!” The elder scolded, flinching away at the shock feeling tingling up his spine. 

“I’m just trying to help you fix your posture, me Alhaitham. You said you’d work hard, remember?  Now, as I was saying, make sure you’re facing forward and your back needs to be straight like this.” She stated as she emphasised her point with another swipe up his back. Haitham was struggling to hold in his giggles as every new feeling, felt more ticklish than the last. 

“Nihihilou dohon’t, I-I hahave to focus.” He sputtered out, twisting slightly. 

“You’re right, hopefully this will get you to focus.” And with that, the red head began skittering her nails around Alhaitham’s exposed neck. The latter squealed before bringing his arms up to try and block her hands, but his attempts were weakened as he didn’t want to hurt the girl. 

“Nihihihilou ihihi cahahan’t- stahahahap thihis is embaharrissing!” He giggled out. His face began flushing as he heard some of the other students chuckling to themselves. Oh, how humiliating. 

“Can you stop laughing, please, I’m trying to talk to you.” 

“Nohoho t-thihihis isn’t talking! N-Nilou!” Alhaitham cried, as fingers skittered around his neck. He squealed again when Nilou scribbled her fingers into his open hollows, taking advantage of the way they were exposed as he tried to defend his neck. Haitham clamped his arms to his side. 

“NO! nohohoho dohohohon’t- nahahat there stohohop.” He laughed. At some point, he doesn’t quite know when, he had fallen to his knees, unable to carry his own weight as he laughed and the dancer just followed him to the floor. 

“I love seeing your enthusiasm, sir, but I hope you know flood work isn’t until the next section.” She giggled, watching as Haitham writhed with mirth. 

“Yohohou’re nohohohot funny- GAH NOHOHO! NILOU!” The shorter girl in question had managed to find an especially sensitive spot, right on the outskirts of his underarms, and her light touches were driving him insane. Haitham clutched his stomach, letting out bouts of laughter with seemingly no end. Until all of a sudden, it stopped. He went limp, still hunched over, residual giggles leaving his lips. Beside him, he heard Nilou chuckle. 

“I hope that will help you fix your formation, mr Alhaitham.” She said, amused, leaving one last swipe up his back. Alhaitham just flinched away from the touch and let out anticipatory giggles. 

“D-Dohohon’t tehell Kaveh.” 

[oatmealaddiction]

I'm really glad tumblr has changed and it's not a place where people just shit on kids constantly for being children. That said I'm noticing this sentiment going around that worries me.

The sentiment is basically "Taking care of kids is easy when you just do XYZ. Parents who yell are assholes." And it sort of equates being good with children with being a good person, which to me is a dangerous idea.

Like you wouldn't walk onto a construction site and assume because you're nice and even tempered you therefore have all the tools to build a skyscraper. If you did that you'd feel like a horrible person when you inevitably fuck up, and you'd feel worse if the people trying to help you get better were calling you a bad or dangerous person.

Mr. Rogers was not good with children because he was a good and kind person. Yes he was a very nice guy, but he was also a serious professional who spent years studying child psychology, working with kids one on one in research groups, screwing up and perfecting his methods for decades on top of decades. But people don't see that, and instead the narrative surrounding him is that he was "good" and therefore it must've been easy for him, a natural skill.

Raising kids is really hard. It's a job like any other that requires time, lots of reading, trial and error, and inevitably screwing up. What works for one child is not going to work for another. You will inevitably have days where you do everything wrong, and possibly even days where you lose your shit. When that happens you need to know it's not because you're a bad person who hates children, but because you're acquiring a learned skill that's really hard. Being calm and collected and even headed all the time is a super hard skill to have. Not losing your shit when your kid bites you is really hard. Having good positive and empathetic alternatives to punishment is hard when you've been at it for weeks on end and it's still not working. It takes practice and work, and to be clear that's work you have to do, but it's not easy and if you're not someone who's practiced it before you're going to mess up.

And I think this equating of "good person" with "good parent" sets a lot of people up for failure. On the one hand, you'll have new parents and teachers who have done no reading and no preparation stepping into childcare roles and assuming because they like kids and they're nice that the job will be easy. On the other hand you've got caretakers who cave under stress and yell, or issue a harsh time out, or have a breakdown and then spiral into shame and self hatred for being a "bad person," OR WORSE completely reject any kind of advice or help because they're terrified of admitting to any flaws in their parenting/caretaking because that then reflects on their personhood. In the very worst case scenario, sentiment like this is what breaks up marginalized and impoverished families when they don't have the resources to provide for their children, or when stress takes a toll on a parents mental and emotional well-being. If they were good people who loved their kids, why didn't they take care of them, right?

So like, when we make these posts about how to take care of kids, my best advice is that we have to look at parenting and caretaking as learned skills. You practice them, you grow, you learn, and you will also fail, and it's okay so long as you keep trying to do better everyday. Seek out lots of advice, read books on the subject, take classes, and keep trying and if you feel like you're doing bad, don't be ashamed to seek out help. And for people who are trying to be better, empathy from others is always so helpful, and the community at large should be practicing that. That's what will make more positive environments for children.

[quirkwizard]

Hello! This is a bigger ask and steers further into AU territory, but the prospects of Tomura's death fascinated me and I'd love to hear your insight on the following: Assuming that Shigaraki dies prematurely (or something similarly drastic happens, preventing AFO from making the next big move), enabling All Might to follow through with his original plan for retiring, how do you imagine society would change? When and what do you think would cause All Might to announce his retirement? (1/2)

All Might retiring isn't just some announcement like the weather forecast, after all. His forced retirement and the circumstances surrounding it had essentially caused not just power vacuum that Endeavor was arguably never fit to fill, but also made general trust in heroes plummet. So, what do you think would change in a scenario where All Might gets to retire on his terms? Society had still relied on him as basically the only pillar to keep up peace. (2/2)

Hard to say really. Because Endeavor was always going to take over All Might's role as the Number One hero. It just comes down to how soon he'd have to take over and how smooth of a transition it would be. All Might was on his last legs when the fight All For One happens, but I believe that he could keep doing hero work at least for an extra month or so. With that extra time, I could see All Might taking some steps to ease people into not having him around and investing more time into being a teacher, trying to subtly push Endeavor as the next Number One and getting people to accept that he's not doing as much. And when the announcement comes, there could be some changes in the reaction. All Might went out on the highest note he could. It did a lot to cement All Might as this grand hero, but likely hampered Endeavor's chances at establishing himself. That being said, I do think All Might's final battle did do a lot to renew people's faith in the heroes. If he slowly waned off hero work and retired one day, I could see more people feeling betrayed by it, especially if he reveals his frail form to explain why he's retiring. Though I could see the Hero Commission spinning it as All Might fighting as hard and as long as he could because of how much he cared about people.

[theladyofbloodshed]

You’re a teacher in UK (I’m assuming based on a few posts from before). Rishi Sunak (the new prime minister) is making plans to make maths compulsary for kids upto 18 years old.

All over social media, british people have different opinions about it. Most are however against it. The most common reason is that they believe it kills creativity, and that the cirriculum could use some other useful subjects.

What is you opinion on the matter as a teacher?

(Sorry if you only take fandom related questions. You can totally ignore it if you don’t like non fandom related questions)

I think it is ridiculous. Long post so I'll put under a read more

If everybody studied maths to 18, it wouldn't make anybody more employable because all would have that qualification. The majority of jobs do not require you to use maths. So often my kids will ask me why they have to learn something and the honest answer is that the government told me I have to teach it.

The shift between GCSE to A Levels was hard. That was ten years ago for me, but it was hard. It's a big jump in terms of depth of learning. In order to study maths to 18, either students have to drop a subject they had wanted to take to fit it in (in the UK, you generally take 4 subjects for AS Level then drop one for the final year. I took biology, chemistry, psychology and philosophy & ethics then dropped the latter) or will have an extra subject wedged on top which gives them less time to focus on each class - or they won't actually care about taking maths so won't put effort into it.

I work in a primary school and how it works here is you teach the same 30 children every subject for a year. My role is slightly different as I am a cover teacher and cover all across the school so when a teacher has the afternoon to plan, I'll teach their class which means I can teach from 4-11 years old in the same week. We already have children who declare they hate maths and its hard. We have parents who when we ask them to support their children's learning will say that they were bad at maths so it doesn't matter if their children give up on it. I had a child last year who at 11 years old was greater depth for writing and reading (the highest level you can be) but wasn't secure in her number bonds to ten so massively struggled with all areas of maths. Number bonds to 10 should be secured at age 5. Our curriculum is so big that sometimes we run out of time to teach everything or children have absences and they have so many gaps. She was missed every year as somebody who should have been higher and I spent so much time trying to catch her up by filling in all of her gaps on number bonds and times table knowledge which filter into every strand of maths. We had 2 years of covid so maybe if that hadn't happened, the gaps would be apparent sooner, but she's not the only child like that.

Maths isn't valued here. Partly that comes down to the way it is taught. It's not a criticism of teachers, but the syllabus is so massive that you have to hit everything at pace and for those who can't keep up, they end up with massive gaps in their learning. If they've struggled with fractions for the 3 weeks they've studied it, too bad we're onto area and perimeter now, you'll do fractions next year!

In the mornings, I tutor a group of children who have fallen behind and I have to plug any gaps and try to catch them up to age related expectations. This past week, I taught them bus stop method for division because that was what I was told to teach by their regular teacher. I then found out what we aren't supposed to teach that method until next year.

But they had understood it, because they know how to exchange from subtraction because we ensured they really were secure and understood what exchanging means rather than "you add a 1 to the next number".

So then we had to go back a step because the government said they need to learn how to partition it into a whole part model... which is actually harder because they didn't know how many tens or ones they should be splitting it to. It's just so ridiculous. They completely understood the one on the left and will be taught that next year and will use that method forever. But the one on the right has confused them - and they won't need to do that ever again after this year - but we have to teach them like that because that's what the government says?

I didn't really enjoy maths. I never gelled with my teacher and I had the same one for 4 years and I knew I wasn't taking it beyond a compulsory level. I got a B at GCSE which was bad in my school so I had to go to a remedial math class at the start of year 12 because there was maths in biology/chemistry which I had chosen. But in the first lesson my teacher was like "why are you here?" because the small branch of maths that I needed for my science subjects was secure. I've not needed trigonometry or the quadratic equation ever in my life.

I've needed maths to teach maths but actually my understanding of fractions and place value has only become secure since I've had to teach it.

That time would be better spend in teaching young adults how to apply for jobs, for understanding taxes and insurance, for developing contacts in careers etc. The average grade for maths at GCSE level is around a low B/high C. At my school, if you received a B in a subject that you wanted to take for A Level, you would be warned that it would be difficult. If you had a C, they'd advise you against taking that subject because it would be too hard.

It would be better for the government to look at the national curriculum and see how many hoops educators have to jump through and how many boxes we have to tick to please them first. It's so stupid!!!

[tikitania]

Coming up for Air…and answering some Asks while I can!

I finally have some time to catch up on some Asks. There aren't that many, but I do try to respond quickly because I enjoy the discussion! And a special shout out to the one who likes my blog. THANK YOU! Saving Mariinsky-China Tour topics for another post. Questions edited for brevity: Thoughts on Sofya Maimula? I believe she's a fairly recent grad from BBA, no? I haven't really followed her, but I recall seeing class footage with her and thinking that she looked exactly like Vaziev's ballet ideal — long thin limbs, beautiful feet. I hope to see her more though. In general, I feel like following the Bolshoi is like drinking from a firehose. So many dancers, so many performances. It's hard to keep up!

Yaroslavna Kuprina is no longer scheduled for Paquita & Gamzatti… I have no idea why, but I'm assuming it's injury related, which is such a shame. I don't think they pulled her for being unprepared. Hopefully, more news will come out soon and wish her a speedy recovery if that is indeed the issue. However, I also fall into the camp that it is just WAY too soon for these recent grads to be given such huge roles. I mean….Koshkareva / Koshkaryova (sp?) will be dancing the lead role in the Diamonds section of Jewels in November. I don't care how good she is….THAT. IS. CRAZY. Is it hard on Vaganova students to have such old teachers, whose deaths would devastate their young pupils. Total speculation here, but I think it's quite the opposite given how much reverence dancers have for beloved teachers and coaches. Teachers are respected and admired for their wisdom and guidance — the time and attention they give to young dancers is precious. I think it's a cultural norm and their ballet schools and companies have benefitted from having that depth of knowledge and experience. Here's one for The Olds! Thoughts on fast-tracking Arina Denisova and Eva Seergenkova? Ooof. Watching the clips of Denisova was rooouuuuugh. She's not ready and may never be, honestly. Blame falls squarely on the artistic staff for this call. They put an inexperienced and unprepared ballerina on the stage of the Bolshoi to dance, arguably, one of the hardest ballets in the repertoire. WTH. Are they trying to break her? Her Nikiya was also very rough. I just don't understand. I believe that Seegenkova has way more potential, and her performances seem more technically sound. Although she's had a very meteoric rise that felt way too rushed (now the norm at The Big) I think she'll grow into her aristry with more experience and confidence. As a comparison, I watched a video that someone put together of Renata Shakirova's first DQ — and a very recent one. The growth in technique, artistry, stagecraft was evident. It's amazing that we have videos at our fingertips to observe it. Mariinsky performing Walpugisnact on Oct. 4th It's different than the Balanchine version. You can see snippets online…I've seen both Iliushkina and Osmolkina perform this piece, which I understand to be a ballet interstitial from the opera Faust. BTW, Osmolkina is pretty f-ing good. Just watch some clips of her….you won't be sorry! Shock that Koshkreva & Kuprina have been given some corps-level roles such as Prince's Friends in Swan Lake & Peasant PDD in Giselle, while also dancing Gamzatti and the Paquite Grand Pas….doesn't seem a fair or balanced workload. So the norm for recent grads would be dancing the featured Prince's Friends pas de trois in Swan Lake, or the Peasant PDD in Giselle, so I don't find this odd. A lot of soloists also dance these two roles at the Bolshoi & Mariinsky. They are featured parts just not THE LEADING role. But in the bigger picture, casting at the Bolshoi will always remain a mystery to me. See above about Denisova.

I'm sorry if this is a silly question but would you have any clue about how the logistics of a ballet tour work? Thinking about the Mariinsky's upcoming tour in China. Not silly at all. And….I have NO idea! But that is such a good question and one for the likes of a stage manager professional! I do have a friend who worked in post-production/studio work for the Olympics at NBC, and they would charter a cargo plane (I think several) and ship all of their production gear to wherever the Olympics was taking place. So I'm assuming it's a similar task: Box it up, load it onto a plane, and set it up at the destination. The donkey in DQ probably stays back in St. Petersburg, though.

Speculation that they are preparing Kulikova for a big role soon…given that she hasn't appeared on stage at the yet this season. I actually think she has been dancing in the corps. I think I saw her IG as a swan, in particular. But maybe I'm mixing her up with someone else? My money's on Kuznetsova, though. I'd keep an eye on her.

Thanks for all the interesting questions, speculations, and tidbits.

[defense-witches-archives]

Defense Witches 2 - Year 3

Rather short post this time not all the third-year students were released ;_; anyways here's an assumption on what the character descriptions are based on what I was able to translate.

Cecilia - Earth Witch

"Daisy's older sister. Former student council president. Although she has a kind and gentle personality, with master-level magical power and high charisma, she pulls her friends together. Even now that she retired as the student council president, she is a leader at the magic school. There are many people who rely on her and she is respected as the "secret student council president." She dotes on Daisy and has a silly side."

Bianca - Fire Witch

"Becky's older sister. Vice student council president. The eldest daughter of a prestigious noble family, she is a celebrity who is highly regarded in society due to her gorgeous appearance. Although she usually tries to act like an aristocrat, she has a friendly relationship with her fellow magical girls. She had a fiance chosen by her parents, but he recently went missing. I'm a little relieved that the marriage proposal fell through."

Lillian - Lighting Witch

"Chloe's older sister. I'm so scared that even if someone I don't know approaches me I'll get scared and run away. (She's fine if it's a magical girl who is a friend or a comrade.) However, her magical powers is unparalleled and it's rumored she can even surpass her teachers when it comes to long-distance lighting magic. My favorite candy is marshmallows."

Iris - Ice Witch

"Nicola's older sister. Current student council president. Very cool, and her smile from time to time is mysterious. She loves comedy and has a causal side where she bursts out with gags, but she is a little off-key and reigns over the school as the ice queen in many ways. Lately because of Velvet's southern accent she seems to be trying hard to learn the language."

Unfortunately while planned and have released character designs Lyra and Tiana were never released into the game.

Assuming Lyra, since she was in the previous game and Tiana because with the introduction of Felt (who is one of the main characters) and Cotton being explosion types, Tiana may have played a bigger role in this game. She is also one of two special characters in the first game to actually get a character redesign.

Ahh, but I really love these character redesigns. Even Celia's design seemed to have grown on me after all these years. (I absolutely used to despise it)

[amaryllisblackthorn]

so i just wanted to write a bit how daigo's hard on himself bc it's a thing i've noticed and it makes me sad

the most noticeable exhibits of this are in kiwami2 and ykz5 -- note that I've barely seen ykz4 so it's not being included here in detail. in kiwami2 the scene in serena tho with kashiwagi ??

the way kashiwagi bursts into the room and is like 'are you okay daigo?! you're not hurt, are you?' and daigo turns his head away/down?? as if he's feeling ashamed?

and what daigo says to him is 'sorry…i couldn't protect chairman goda' to which kashiwagi goes 'i heard. dont worry about it. you're alive, that's all that matters' and then offers him a cigarette&a light, which daigo accepts

its just such a short scene that always gives me a lot of feels and i feel is underappreciated but that’s also because i hyperfocus on daigo

but it's like, kashiwagi bursts in worried about daigo while daigo feels bad for not being able to protect the chairman but kashiwagi doesnt care about that, he's only caring about daigo at the moment and its just asdfghjk

all kashiwagi cares about rn is that daigo's okay!! but daigo's upset he couldn't protect the chairman -- as tho he's let them down, perhaps? 👀

srsly tho kashiwagi's interactions with daigo come off quite paternal, in a different way than kashiwagi's older brother interactions with kiryu and nishiki, which makes sense given context but it's something i always find cute/sweet

its a scene that i think shows that despite daigo being in his sort of 'angst, apathetic' 'phase', there's more to him than that&he actually cares quite a bit about things--his 'disrespectful' interjections at the meeting at omi hq i think are also supposed to be a sign of that, but i digress

and then there's the scene in ykz5. when daigo insists on like a proper duel/shootout with kurosawa to settle things and kiryu's all worried, daigo goes 'maybe i can finally say i lived up to the title of sixth chairman. kiryu-san' and that ???? that's absolutely in part related to the events from ykz4, and aaAH

not to mention what aizawa tells kiryu in the beginning of the game -- albeit aizawa is putting on a show -- "truth be told, all i know about you are the stories, fourth chairman. but it was the chairman who was always telling them. He said it was his duty to protect the Tojo Clan you left to him […] The other execs don't want us having these talks with the Yamagasa Family. say they're not even in the same league as the Tojo. how this equal alliance is anything but. but the chairman took it all in stride because of what he promised you."

not to mention daigo's "it may not always seem it…but i'm trying my best to walk this path" from the beginning ???

this is also sort of a tangent, but also the way daigo tells shinada that he didn't have any dreams of his own bc his path was already decided for him as a yakuza so he was fine with getting expelled to protect the baseball game was really sad, esp juxtaposed with how we're told that shinada remembers dojima-kun as having 'the top marks in the grade' aah

and i looked up the original japanese text to confirm that Shinada does specify 'Dojima-kun' as having first rank in the whole grade. assuming his father's reputation didnt intimidate the teachers' gradings -- and i dont think they did since it seems like daigo wasnt known for any yakuza ties in high school -- that means daigo was bright and could have potentially had a future with opportunities in another life aaah but i digress

and then in ykz6 when kiryu's writing that letter, aAH ;-; talking about children who believed they'd be loved and acknowledged by surpassing their parents/proving themselves ;-; the undertone of kiryu acknowledging he let daigo down by not being present for him despite his parental role and aaH i could go on about their relationship but im already rambling ;-; ;-;

daigo looks up to kiryu so much and it hurts me so much and makes the letter at the end of 6 so cathartic in a sense bc it's a validation of feelings for daigo and the shots of his face in the car during the scenes AAAhH

bc while kiwami2 shows that daigo's hard on himself outside of his relationship with kiryu, ykz5 makes it pretty clear that he feels like he's let kiryu down in a sense, by like failing to live up as chairman and stuff -- just that whole 'maybe i can finally say i lived up to the title of sixth chairman. kiryu-san' && 'it may not always seem it…but i'm trying my best to walk this path' is so !! heartbreaking !! and it's like, kiryu's distance, particularly post ykz3 but also like in general ever since Dojima died which is a whole !! other thing

this has gone offtopic a bit bc there's a lot about daigo that breaks my heart, so i apologize for the tangents