#but man they really can't look at themselves from an outside perspective to see what the sound like

[tuliptiger]

On a completely totally unrelated note to the last post... When I was younger and raised evangelical Christian my family kept telling me how god loves me, is all powerful, and can just make whatever he wants happen at anytime because hes all powerful or whatever. I decided that that meant he could turn me, a 11 year old girl, into a tiger while retaining my thoughts and human mind.

I prayed for 7 days and fasted (I snuck snacks so maybe the point didn't translate like I needed it to) for him to turn me into a tiger and when I didn't that was the start of me losing my faith in traditional Christian god. Which, to this day, I think is so incredibly funny and cool of me.

[skynapple]

I am actually tired that people keep comparing Artem and Zayne.

Look man I'm an Artem loyalist ok I went into the game thinking Zayne was going to be the one because from an outsider perspective, yeah.

Having spent countless hours in the game now...

Artem being work partners with MC, despite Artem's massive crush it's a slow burn colleagues to romance based on mutual trust and affection. By the time they're dating it's more a confirmation than a confession. With Zayne just from experience he's so reserved that it really almost feels like MC is the one pursuing him and always questioning herself about it. Business Trip makes me a little sad tbh cause yeah it ended well but it's so clear she wants a little bit more of that public casual affection.

They do both have reserved personalities but will surprise you

Artem can surprisingly be very fun and spontaneous and Zayne is extremely calculating and yes he'll go to arcade with MC but it's more just to watch her have fun and be in the same air as her, I think Artem and Rosa (MC) actually go to enjoy themselves and be a little competitive and have fun. From what I've seen Zayne prefers the planned dinner dates and itineraries or just cooking at home. One of his dates is literally... one of those work fairs with like tables and booths. Artem and Rosa's dates spawn the entirety of "grocery shopping and a movie at home" to "we randomly decided to enter a shooting tournament on a whim cause we were in the area"

Not afraid to be bold with affection (Artem freaking proposed at someone else's WEDDING omg Zayne could never I think he would die)

Artem never doubts or coddle MC's ability, complete faith and trust in her ability to protect herself (fortunately all the LaDS boys have this but of the ToT boys I know there's been moments the others kinda coddle her and are overprotective, and of the 4 ToT Artem is hands down the first to say 'Go on without me you can handle this.' You can fight me on this. If you have doubts the last Mystery Little Boss event was wild proof for me.) I just feel like Zayne gets a little overprotective the difference is... he can't really stop her.

In contrast to Zayne, Artem's personality is very warm with MC; he smiles brightly and laughs loudly with her, he'll swing her hand in public, people literally already think they're dating even in the main story. With Zayne I feel like he's so reserved in public to the point I think outside his hospital colleagues who might see her often, people might be surprised to find out if he's even married (I have a coworker like this. So reserved that they handed me their wedding invite one day and I was like???? EXCUSE ME since when did you even have a relationship???). He likes to save his affection for private moments and that's fine and dandy but it's not like Artem to not be affectionate with her constantly and I'm not just talking his confession when he kissed MC in front of the whole theme park or in the middle of the street in front of his mom, no I'm talking just the casual always throwing his arm around her shoulder and holding her casually close to him, even during the recent billiards tournament. I just think it would take a while for Zayne to get to that level of comfortable and for Artem its like, a need.

There's a few more but I'm done. I love Zayne, I do, I'm just tired of people saying he's Artem copy/paste cause he's NOT they could not be more different and if you go into the game thinking you'll get Artem 2.0 then I'm sorry man.

[redditreceipts]

hiiii could you elaborate on philosophy tube coming out being the last straw? I never thought of her* as being especially bad but I don't really follow her videos.

*( I use preferred pronouns for people who are not sex offenders or something, obviously you are free to disagree with me)

why do I not like Philosophy Tube?

He is a horrible philosopher. Even before transitioning, his explanations were shit. Now they are even worse. Here is someone explaining what he does wrong, and here is another one.

He seems to lack any capability to look at himself from an outsider's perspective, and that's I think why he appears so... cringe? He takes himself so seriously. This is something I kinda respect about Contrapoints, at least Contrapoints seems to have some kind of self-reflection?

He made so much money with his bullshit "I am bisexual" video, just to later come out as a "trans lesbian" aka a straight man.

This is probably the most important, but he literally made a whole debakel about how gender dysphoria doesn't exist. He personally may not have gender dysphoria (which I would kinda expect, given his very late transition and him comparing transition to "changing a job you don't like"), but why does he have to act as if nobody else did? And why are we as taxpayers expected to fund his gender transition when he just sees it as a fashion choice? He just runs around and tells everyone that no single trans person has gender dysphoria. It seems like me, an evil nazi terf, cares more about people who make the choice to take hormones or do surgeries because they can't accept themselves if they don't transition. (And yes, he said "no one has gender dysphoria". Here is the video clip)

So yeah, I personally don't care that much about pronouns and I'm happy to refer to people as they wish to be referred to. I'm totally okay with anyone using the pronouns they think fit best to describe a situation and I also try to not misgender people just for the fun of it.

However, Philosphy Tube would have NEVER gotten this big if he had been female. NEVER. His explanations are bullshit, he doesn't understand philosophy, he throws people with actual gender dysphoria under the bus, and he makes a shit ton of money with it. If he had been female, people wouldn't even have watched his videos to begin with.

(Also I hope this doesn't come off as mean towards anon or something, it's just that every time I think about Philosphy Tube, I'm annoyed again haha)

[py-dreamer]

Rant about shadowpeach (WARNING! Mac slander)

I'm sure you've all heard this time and time again but you know what screw it I'm tossing my 2 cents into the ring

I think my bias for Wukong definitely has a part in this but I will try to be as neutral as possible which is impossible. My personal opinions will absolutely shine through but it is just that: a personal opinion

I love my trio of gay monkeys, I really do.

Is Macaque a good character? Yes

I do think he's a genuinely interesting character, with cool mystery ,interesting backstory, cool powers, he's fun to watch, has a kickass theme song and aesthetic and I can see why a lot of fans attach themselves to them.

Do I love seeing him with Wukong? Yes

Their banter is fun, past shadowpeach can be sweet as sugar (or spicy, I don't judge) and their angst is real yummy.

What I don't like is when the angst is all Wukong's fault. And everyone and their grandma will harp on the Monkey king and just ignore all of Mac's bullsh!t. Especially in fanfics.

Like don't get me wrong, keep writing that good stuff! But like...jeez

The amount of smack that the golden monkey goes through in this fandom is like...yikes.

Look, I know we're all hung up about the bloody murder thing.

(Personally I'm on the theory that Wukong didn't actually kill Mac, if they were really that close he wouldn't have acted so casual upon their battle after he murdered him, but I digress)

And Wukong should be called out on that BUT.

Mac also isn't blameless here.

(If you like toxic shadowpeach, fine. But this is for peeps who think that Wukong is the only toxic one and Mac was just a victim.)

Take it from this perspective:

The two were really close during the brotherhood era. Wukong kept doing stupid things to gain power and getting them in trouble and in the final battle did something astronomically stupid and they all lost.

Then they all ditch him...leading to his imprisonment (five phases mountain) and torture (furnace and also being fed iron pellets and hot mercury)

Fair, Mac probably shouldn't have been trapped too but he visited once out of 500 years, had a fight and never came back by the looks of it.

He assigns himself the role of the warrior who always stood by his king's side.

And then ditched him in his time of need.

Mans really failed at his own self proclaimed job.

Fine, he probably should've taken a break, none of them were in the right state of mind and Wukong was being very bratty.

BUT

IF HE TRULY VALUED THEIR RELATIONSHIP (from the looks of his lil gay play, he did) HE WOULD'VE Y'KNOW. COME BACK AND TALK?!?!

If he really valued their relationship, outside of calling him a coward and LEAVING, never to visit again. Would that not be a perfect opportunity to communicate?

Like, my dude. He's stuck in the rock. He can't run. Could you not find the roots of the problem and solved it?

But lets say "He was too busy taking care of flower fruit mountain"

(despite him literally EATING one of the monkeys in JTTW, but that was JTTW and I don't think its canon in Lmk. But still, interesting to note.)

I'm sure his subjects were worried about their king? Did he never answer them? If he really valued their bond, could he not have I dunno, shadow portaled some monkeys to see their king or like put time aside to communicate and update the monkeys?

But lets say "He was too traumatized from the burning of his home and was too angry"

500 gosh dang years seems like a long time to take a break.

I feel like at that point, he should've let go of Wukong

BUT NOOOO HE DOESN'T NOW DOES HE.

We establish that their relationship is kinda wrecked.

They don't communicate.

He ditched Wukong for 500 years.

But when he see's the pilgrims decides that Wukong ditched him and the brotherhood..?

So by his logic, Wukong has abandoned ffm the brotherhood and him, after they ditched him under a mountain for 500 years, never visited, never talked, never tried to rebuild their relationship.

Sees the circlet being used, sees the pilgrims not trusting him, sees him go on this journey unwillingly, not allowed to leave the monk unprotected, and comes to the conclusion that Wukong is a traitor...?

But plans to free him because he's being abused and forced to do it?

Pick a lane my dude. Did he abandon you or not?

BUT THEN.

He impersonates him, destroys what little trust the group had

WHILE TRIPITAKA STILL HAD EASY ACCESS TO THE FILLET MIND YOU

hurts Wukong multiple times, till he gets banished. And tries to kill Tripitaka as he still had the bloody circlet?!

This isn't sad lover getting revenge at being abandoned.

This is bitter jealous ex getting petty revenge and still expecting to get back together like this.

Also he says he watched as the pilgrims tortured him with the fillet. If he watched them, he'd know that Wukong is also obligated to fight and most of the time he does kill them, despite the pacifist monk.

He's required to PROTECT THE MONK AT ALL COST.

So tell me...

WHAT THE HELL WAS HIS PLAN?!

He does realize that like this was mandated by heaven right? And there'd be huge consequences to killing the monk right?

So basically:

Mac: yea so my plan is to impersonate you and commit crimes you didn't do, get you in trouble and inadvertently hurt you severely, traumatize you even more then kill the monk so we can go back to flower fruit mountain like we wanted to right?

Even though there will probably be astronomical consequences for you, me probably the rest of the monkeys for letting me kill this monk on the trip mandated by heaven. By failing to protect him, redeeming yourself and also losing a close friend heaven might probably put you under another mountain again probably forever this time, and I will probably use my powers to get out scotch free and we'd all blame you even though I killed him.

But you're still to blame for abandoning me, the brotherhood and your subjects even though I never visited you after our fight, calling you a coward, immediately leaving never to come back and update you on what happened. Its your fault the mountain is like this even though I never asked you for help or advice or even contacted you to let you know our home was destroyed.

Meanwhile I'm the victim and you never valued our friendship.

.

.

.

This idiot-

In summary, he abandons his king, accused him for ditching them all comes back claiming to help him by antagonizing him, hurting him and puts himself in a position where he kinda has to do something?

Because Mac was set on killing the monk.

Everyone acts like he just visited, said something mean and Wukong played the stab game bit too hard.

But he tried to kill him and wouldn't back off?

Seriously what did he expect Wukong to do?

The fandom acts like he was given a pass to not die when he's already broken off the relationship and put Wukong in an impossible situation where Mac wouldn't freaking leave or let go about killing the monk.

I'm not saying that Wukong should've killed Mac on the spot. But I just wish that everyone stops acting like he was being such an asshole and killing him out of nowhere.

(for someone with six ears and is meant to be all hearing he sure is bad at listening)

Then he gets revived by the lady bone demon and let me check:

steals all of Mk's powers

tries to kill the kid despite having no bad blood with him

antagonizes Tang, ridiculing him and calling Wukong a coward despite ditching him under a mountain

makes a copy of the TEA van to kidnap and traumatize Mk even more

Traumatizes Mk AGAIN in the shadow play and steals his friends souls

Hold Mei and Sandy hostage for the rings and tries to squeeze the life out of them

Shooting the airship down (OOOHHHH WUUUKOOOONG this ape is down bad.)

Chokes Mei and uses her as a hostage again for the samadhi fire ritual

Immediately leaves after Mei's firey outburst

Wants to leave possessed Wukong to the clutches of LBD

never gives Mk the full story in the ink scroll that he tried to kill Sanzang or how he never came back.

NEVER APOLOGIZES

I don't even think Macaque has apologized for any of his bullsh!t.

Some of his acts were necessary but he just makes it uneccessarily cruel and revels in their pain

And the fandom makes them all buddy buddy at the end, excuse all his actions and collectively hate Wukong?

Yes he does help Mk in fighting possessed Wukong but like LBD's reign would end the world as he knew it. What else could he do? DBK would probably do it in his position.

But he never apologizes to any of the cast.

I've seen fics where he does apologize which is good.

But he also never apologizes to monkey king?

But that will be in pt2. Yes there will be a goddamn pt2 cause I've not even scratched the surface when it comes to fanfics.

But I will take this chance to share a fic that does tackle this issue really well:

Fractured Pieces make a mosaic by @furornocturna

Cause this fic is genuinely so good I am vibrating at the seams, its one of my favs (also furornoctura's writing is good in general)

One of the only fics I've seen where the characters all call out Mac being a jackass and in an interesting way.

One day I will make some fanart for this but till then this will do

Their writing is so yummy go check it out

[cmrosens]

Worldbuilding Thoughts 3

Ok so one thing I don't see very much in medieval fantasy settings with a royalty system is the issue of the monarch travelling with a retinue. If you're writing one like GoT and you're into the whole idea of the monarch needing to travel (trust me, if it's medieval, they really do need to do a circuit of their kingdom, even if administration and judicial system has been centralised. If you don't, you can't monitor the nobles on the periphery, and you ... really need to do that).

If this is something you've considered, ignore, if not, I was just thinking about the medieval England situation for the earlier kings (William I to John).

Do you know how many the king travels with?? How many guards how many horsemen, lads to take care of the horses, courtesans, scribes, courtiers who need to stay close, accountants, etc? Now have a look at the size of the castles. They're not that big. You have to scale the castle to the landscape (and really seriously consider how long it takes to build a big one). You've got space for a prestigious guest, and then like. 20 extras. At an absolute push, in some cases. Ok, bigger ones, yeah ram 100 in.

The king's got 200 men. He doesn't scale down to stay at a castle or fortified manor that fits 50max and already has 30 occupants. He just rocks up. People do not want him to, but he does anyway.

What used to happen in Medieval England was - there wasn't ever enough space. Literally none. There was also no system, it was King gets the best guest room, everyone who needs to be immediately close to him crashes on the floor, and if you're not fast enough and a bit further down the pecking order, you're marching into someone's house and saying "I'm staying here tonight" and sleeping downstairs with the goats. There are sources of courtiers bitterly complaining they had to sleep in barns and some "camping" (sleeping rough in the rain) in the forest because there was NO SPACE FOR THEM in the castle/fortified manor or in the surrounding villages because they came late due to their admin duties holding them up. And they don't have a tent. They have to literally sleep outside with their cloaks over them. Did they die of exposure? I mean, sometimes. Did they catch chills and die of those? Sure, yeah. Did it really piss them off? Every time.

(Peasant perspective: So many young* angry men with swords with untreated PTSD from all the war/general life trauma, chips on their shoulders and complexes about being younger sons (the spare not the heir) and desperate to prove themselves in a chivalric context of fighting/shagging prowess but they've been give a lot of admin duties to do, drinking a lot of alcohol every single day. Since being on the road they have had to cut down on the alcohol which hasn't improved their mood. And they're all coming to your village. And you can't feed or house them all.)

Then the king decides to leave.

It takes a good few hours to let everyone know because **nobody knows where anyone is**. You have to prep the supply wagons and the horses. And the king stands up after breakfast and says "I want to leave NOW"

Then he changes his mind.

Now you're leaving tomorrow afternoon.

If you're trying to picture this, with a lot of highly strung horses in an enclosed space being yelled at and dragged into position to cut down time, and people running to comb the villages and the woods for stragglers and leave messages for others coming through later, it's chaos. Absolute chaos.

Now imagine being put in charge of it.

So many plot points to play with there.

*For reference, because I've been watching Robin Hood adaptations lately, Richard 1 "the Lionheart" is depicted as an older man in all the films but he was only 42 when he died (b. 1157, d. 1199). The Third Crusade was 1189, when he was 32. He's played by Sean bloody Connery in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, when he actually was around the same age Richard Armitage was when he played Guy of Gisborne in the BBC Robin Hood series. (For context). Prince John was 33 in 1199 when he became king and only 23 when Richard went off to war. We're often largely talking about an intensely homosocial group of men in their 20s and 30s. ladsladslads

In the 14thC, one of the Earls of the March led his first campaign in the Hundred Years' War at the age of 17. ladsladsladsla-

[curedigiqueen]

Why I think Ryo is the Ken of Survive.

Obviously, all the Survive kids are meant to reflect one of the 8 original Adventure kids. However, the characters aren't completely one to one, as each of the characters are in fact, unique characters in their own right. (Most evident I think is in the fact I'd assign basically every character except for Miyuki a different crest from their adventure counterpart). But they do echo the basic archetype of the role each adventure character played in the series. For the most part this is self explanatory, some more than others.

Takuma is Taichi Minoru is Koshiro (Less obvious but that's a separate point) Aoi is Sora Shuuji is Joe Saki is Mimi Kaito is Yamato Miu is Takeru Miyuki is Hikari

However, Survive has 10 important human/digimon partnerships.

The sole adult of the group, the professor, even bares some resemblance to a rather important "old man" of adventure, Gennai. An old man who knows a lot of their situation, was involved in the "inciting incident" looks after the kids to a certain extent, but is rather unreliable and has amnesia regarding some very important things he should know. Of course original Gennai isn't even really human, and therefore doesn't have a digimon partner, (Jijimon also takes on some Gennai traits imo) but Akiharu I would still say parallels Gennai.

However, Ryo doesn't match any of the original adventure cast. But I think it is fair to say he resembles Ken. Ryo has a worm digimon. Ryo has a family member whose death deeply affected him. Ryo is grumpy and aggressive, while hiding a secretly gentler and hurting side. Ryo is self-destructive, at the cost of his partner.

Ryo can't be Adventure Ken really, because Adventure Ken doesn't really exist. But Ken isn't exactly an 02 kid in the way Daisuke, Iori and Miyako are. A reoccurring theme in 02 is the difference in outlook between the Adventure kids, the Adventure and 02 kids, and the 02 exclusive kids. And so Ken is in no way one of the original Adventure kids, but there is something to be said of the fact that his (executive meddling hellscape) backstory reflects experiences of Takeru, Hikari, more than it does the other 02 original kids. He even has an associated crest. In many ways, Ken is a retroactive Adventure character, without actually being an Adventure character. Ken in the context of digimon Adventure 02 is very much so an example if a character like Takeru had been driven to the darkness, who then had to be rehabilitated by a set of characters with an outside perspective. Really that is what all of 02s Jogresses is really, the new kids helping the more experienced kids deal with their unprocessed issues. Miyako helps Hikari look out for herself, Iori helps Takeru stop lashing out in anger from keeping his emotions hidden, and Daisuke helps Ken see value in his own continued existence.

Which is why I think Ryo is a homage to Ken. It's not the "Adventure Ken" that theoretically exists, the little boy wondering around the digital world with Wonderswan Ryo or whatever did or did not happen in that unreliable backstory, but 02 Ken, the Ken after the trauma, who needs SOMEONE to connect with him to help save him. He's the sole character who is taken from 02 era rather than the first Adventure era. And 02's themes are in this character. Ryo dies in part due to hopelessness and depression. He is unsavable the first playthrough. Unsavable in the initial adventure context. The original context where the focus is on survival and connection with your own digimon. Wormmon couldn't Save Ken alone. just as Kunemon couldn't. Both Wormmon and Kunemon die in desperate attempts to try and save their partners (really from themselves). But Ryo is saved from death when you can manage to become friends with him. When you connect with him, not unlike how Daisuke managed to save Ken. And from there, Ryo manages to save other people (Shuuji) from falling into that same despair, not unlike how Ken tried to reach out to the dark spore kids. It's noteworthy that of the 3 initial endings, the moral route is the closest to the truthful route, but aside from Ryo and Shuuji has one key difference. It ends like the original Adventure did, the kids and their partners separating, while the truthful route has the kids and their partners living together, invoking the 02 ending. While the Harmony and Wrathful routes do also bear a resemblance to 02's ending, just relatively less optimistically, Harmony and Wrathful routes involve the failings of personal connections. The failure to understand each other. Ultimately the truthful route resolves peacefully, even the big bad reconciling with his sister, no longer feeling the need to lash out at others. Ryo is the factor that takes this adventure and adds a bit of 02 to it, 02 in this context being the importance of connection. 02 being what makes the happy ending.

It's not a 1 to 1, after all, all of the characters are different from their adventure counterpart, and take pieces from one another. For example, its Minoru that has the parental divorce backstory, and Miyuki is a protective older sister to the professor, not a younger sister to Takuma, and the Professor is the most curious about the digital world's nature, and is the one with the digimon partner Gabumon. Saki is the one hesitating the most about going home at all rather than being the one to bring it up the most. I'd say Ryo also has elements of Joe in his fear of his partner and for being an unreliable older kid, and Shuuji has elements of Ken in his cruelty of Lopmon, and insistence on authority and desire to measure up against an older brother with whom he has a flawed relationship. Really none of these kids match up one to one with the adventure kids, and that's great, but I think it is fair to say that as far as analogies go, Ryo does draw from Ken.

02 is an extension of Adventure, and despite their differences in plot, theme and character arcs, no discussion of Adventure will ever be truly complete without discussing certain elements of 02 in relation to that, particularly 02s epilogue and what it means thematically. Ryo is a reflection of Ken, and how his story and needs were a reflection of the themes of 02, and how those themes were built off of the themes of Adventure. How Ken needed something that was not as prevalent in Adventure. Naturally, I think the "truthful" story of survive, would have to be a route that includes elements of 02 no matter how faithful it is to other Adventure themes otherwise.

[q-starhalo]

I wanted to wait until Bad finished his stream so I couldn't get distracted from trying to write my thoughts correctly but I can't wait so sorry if it's messy and all over the place but 👏

Heads up! I don't have Twitter so this is just based off what I've seen here. AND I am in no way discarding the possibility of 4/halo! I just wanted to get some points out :]

q!Bad is an oblivious idiot when it comes to romance.

I mean, he's not able to always communicate many feelings in general but when it comes to romance, he's just oblivious.

Though, from an outsider perspective, it COULD be seen as if Bad might be playing with Forevers feelings so I don't blame Baghera thinking that as a possibility. Actually, I don't blame anyone who isn't a Bad viewer or wasn't there to know that cc!Bad has stated that q!Bad is just oblivious to romance.

HOWEVER, it should be noted that Bad's character isn't one to be a full on homewrecker. He doesn't want to destroy any couples nor marriages. He might tease with cheating allegations but at the end of the day, that's it. And the cheating allegations are mostly to annoy Foolish so really, that's kind of a discarded thing.

Even when Bad and Richas were talking about Forever and Max and how Max was dating someone, Bad gave in when Richas said it might make Forever happy. He backtracked his statement. He doesn't want to destroy a possible couple.

As far as the eye can see, Bad just doesn't want to be replaced by someone who seemed like they wanted to always include him in their life.

He gets jealous, that's it. Romantic or not, he's just jealous. And rightfully so. This man did not only arrive in 9600 BCE but he's also the grim reaper so seeing souls he's going to collect be distraught that they're going to be taken away from their loved ones AND the possibility that Skeppy dies and gets reincarnated (however Bad has said that Skeppy can't die because he's a diamond. BUT THAT DOESN'T STOP ME FROM MAKING ANGST ABOUT THOSE TWO) will most definitely impact him on how he feels when someone seems like they're going to replace him or said person is being taken away from him

He just doesn't want people who are special to him to be taken away from him. That applies to Forever. Romantic feelings or not, he doesn't want to lose him. He isn't intentionally being toxic and playing with Forevers feelings. No. He's just jealous and doesn't want to lose Forever but doesn't want to admit it.

q!Bad is an interesting character. But in no means does he want to ruin any relationship. He might jokingly say stuff but not many will take it seriously. Even if he "flirts" with someone, the couple won't fight with each other, they'd just have a bit of a conflict with Bad.

Yes, q!Bad when confronted like today shouldn't tease it cause that looks like a bad thing to do from an outsider perspective but that's just Bad's character. He likes joking around then admitting any feelings. But he truly doesn't want to lose Forever. And that's that.

I'm deeply sorry that this doesn't make sense, I'll make a new post about q!Bad and he's emotions when my thoughts are more organized.

Again, this isn't to discard the possibility of 4halo. As much as I'd rather not have it canon cause it's funnier that way, there is a chance of it happening. But it's all up to the ccs themselves. Sorry for the ramble :]

[writing-funsies]

OP characters with artist s/o P.6

p.1 | p.2 | p.3 | p.4 | p.5 | p.6

pairings: Shanks x reader, Mihawk x reader

warnings: mentions of alcohol, cuss words

Shanks

likes to sneak up on you when you're focused

and scare the living daylights out of you

which has one of two results

your project is now ruined

or it's going to take you hours to fix it

the consequence is always the same

you throw the captain out of your room

or off the ship depending on the circumstances

but he thinks it was worth it to see your face

will be so excited if you ask to draw him

make sure you get his good side

and make him look like a badass

another one of the worst people to have pose for you

he just can't keep a straight face

he watches how serious you look 

and the way you're staring at him

he loses it

you'll see him break bit by bit

first, he'll adjust his shoulders

then he let out a cough

the corners of his lip will tug upwards

and that's when you know for sure you're not finishing this piece until later or another day

a few seconds later and he's laughing like a mad man

the best time to draw him is when he's drinking

he'll be so focused on the rest of the crew

and his surroundings

that he won't notice you furiously getting down every detail you can in your sketchbook

if anyone asks or says anything about your position on his crew 

(outsiders not the crew themselves)

(the crew absolutely adores you btw)

Shanks will happily claim that you're the finest artist on the whole Grand Line

and he just had to have you with him

sends your art to marine HQ all the time

to try and get them to change his wanted poster to have your drawing of him instead of a picture

just imagine one of the high-ranking officials having dozens of drawings of Shanks in their office

and when anyone asks about them

they just let out an exasperated sigh 

he just won't stop sending them

maybe some strings get pulled and for a week Shanks's wanted poster has one of your drawings

he'd be so proud

and you'd be like 

what the hell???

he would never tell you how they got ahold of your art

Mihawk

he's a man who can appreciate the finer things in life

he likes to live a quiet, semi-luxurious life

it's not like anyone would really stand a chance to take it from him

so when he's sipping wine and reading

you'll find yourself staring

then decide to do another sketch of him

Perona insists that he needs to smile and try to look cuter when you're doing so

he shouldn't look so grumpy in every single picture

you think he looks relaxed

not angry

he just has a nasty case of RBF

but that's okay with you

it does make it easier to get the detail of his face right

he doesn't mind if you make him the centerpiece of your projects

but if you ask him to pose

he'll just sit and do whatever he normally does

would probably never tell you

but he thinks it's nice when you draw Perona

you two get along so well

and she's always so excited when you ask her to pose for you

he's definitely proud of your art

it's a talent he does not possess

to transport someone somewhere else

or influence their entire perspective on life

or accurately reflect human emotion

with some paper and a few paint strokes

he's impressed

he doesn't quite understand you

you seem to find the beauty in everything

so if he takes you to do some traveling

and you're stopping at the most normal sights

someone buying bread

some kids running around

a flower that caught your attention

he might get a little grumpy

but he'll get over it

as long as you're having fun

then he doesn't care

there's definitely been a few times he catches you staring at him

your eyes full of love and wonder

and he'll clear his throat

is there something on my face?

you'll just smile and shake your head

nope, just admiring how beautiful you are

instant blush

he's not used to such tender compliments

Mihawk takes care of himself

but he doesn't care about outward appearances

so when you say things like that

it catches him off guard

he'll turn away and return the compliment

the way you see life is ever intriguing to him

he loves listening to you explain how you see the world

it's just so different from himself

and over time

he'll find himself admiring how the light shines on the ocean

and the different greens of trees

and how the wind makes leaves dance in autumn

the world is much softer through your eyes

every day presents something different

but

because of you

he starts to see the beauty that you do

[animehouse-moe]

Two On Ice Chapter 1: Reunion Spot

Wow. I'll say it one more time, wow. Of all the new series that have appeared in WSJ this year, I don't think it's an understatement to say that this is arguably the most promising first chapter bar none. Hell, even going into 2022 and earlier it would remain a standout. So lots to talk about. Lots and lots to talk about. But first, you should go read the chapter

So, let's start with the concept. Off the bat, incredibly great idea. Placing the kid that only ever had eyes for the top alongside the girl that was always forced to maintain her position at the top is such a great concept. It mixes the ideas of always looking forward vs always looking over your shoulder. The passion and desire to continue, vs the strain and requirements of holding your position. And that narrative begins with this loaded statement from our lead character Hayuma.

As a concept for a character driven story, it's a flawless chapter one approach, and is right at home with all the other accoutrements.

Take for example, the character design. It's sharp and detailed, almost blocky even. But all the characters are totally unique, even the way they get drawn is. They're all great with expressiveness, and off the bat the mangaka isn't afraid to play around with the character designs and introduce some chibi style to make the comedy pop.

But that's nothing compared to the most important piece in a manga like this: movement. And man, does it ever feel like it moves. The mangaka uses two "simple" tricks, but it makes all the difference in the world.

The first trick is to bend the rules of paneling. When you really want to convey motion, stretch the limits. Draw outside the lines to really sell the perspective on the scene. It works wonders when employed effectively like it is here. There's three instances of it as well. The duo breaking the panel edge with their legs, then the man's hand overlapping, and then the woman stretching 3 panels. All of it expresses just how fluid that movement is, that it can't be contained by lines or limits.

And number two, collages. Perhaps not the best choice in words, but allow me to explain. What do you feel from the above image? Obviously you grasp the intent behind the movement, but you don't actually see the woman get thrown up in the air. But still, you feel it. Why? Because of what the mangaka chooses to show you. A simple hand reaching upwards is enough to convey that motion, and readers perfectly grasp that.

Similarly, look at this example. We have Hayuma imposed atop the skating rink, as well as a single image of one of his legs. But yet, you perfectly grasp the intent and flow. He uses that leg to stop himself and turn into his triple axel, and you feel that intent so clearly.

I guess there's really three tricks, but I think this last one is something that mangaka should be aware of regardless, and that's blurring and linework. In both images, there's a lot of extra lines and hatching that speaks to the movement of the characters. Not just the lines on the ground/ice or even around them, but how the shading/hatching of the characters appear. The linework on the characters themselves bends towards the motion that they are doing. In this chapter it's largely spinning, so you'll see the hatching align with the rotation of the characters to help sell that movement.

I think the only thing I could speak on that could use improvement is just the choices in paneling. The dynamic feel is incredible, but some of the more "still" panels where characters are focused on talking can feel a little.... typical? Not at all in a bad way, but just sorta something that feels like what you'd expect.

It's something I really hope the mangaka will quickly grasp and improve upon, because some of their ideas have really incredible potential, like this panel. It's really good in its current state with how it uses distance and space, but it could be even better if it used the window frame as the frame for the panel itself. It's just simple stuff like that, where they have really great ideas through this first chapter, but just miss on going the extra mile to do something really incredible.

Anyways, easily the best first chapter in WSJ this year and, personally speaking, the best opening chapter in WSJ since Sakamoto Days. I'm really hoping that the follow up chapter can provide the same energy and excitement as this one, so I'm really looking forward to it!

[avalonmoonshinesstuff]

I just realised Something about a portion of fandom I don't really engage with all that much. Because I don't want to, btw.

In all other shows, movies, books, etc, every single bad person is at least somewhat 'ugly' according to the narrative. The 'problematic' characters rarely get acknowledged because there are so many good looking characters who are good themselves (I remember Annabelle from the first book of Percy Jackson, I think, and there were more ofc).

However, Rowling's main idea about appearances was that it was an illusion. Every single good looking character is either reprehensible or ends up dying (Cedric) in the same book they were introduced*. The story wants to be relatable to how every teen feels, and no matter what, we all have insecurities.

However, they're just teens, and on top of that, at least one or more of our main teens have done something terrible or badwrong (Hermione with skeeter and Marietta). So, they aren't exceptionally beautiful and neither are they exceptionally good. Even the side characters who are popular come across as jerks to some of their family members, making their sibling cry.

This creates a problem for the people who don't have a sense of self yet, or are so scarred they can only look at life through black & white lenses.

The Halo effect playing greatly onto the above, we're presented with another set of teens, two of whom are described as extremely sought after by the opposite sex, one of whom is popular, and the final one who has endeared himself by showing ugly Snivellus his place (via map and the Verbal Sparring). They all, by the end of this introduction, understand that Snivellus is badwrong and doesn't deserve anything good.

'It's clear he's the villain, and has been since forever, see, these people agree with me and they're the Protagonist's parents.' Whether this is believed because of the Halo effect or taking Harry's perspective to mean a God pov, I can't tell. The point being, they are even more convinced.

They want an escape from how difficult it is to sort out their feeling about these people the author keeps throwing at their face so why not attach to the characters who are dead or strongly attached to the protagonist (so they can never be badwrong in later books). A safety blanket of sorts, if you will. And in doing so, they completely ignore the nuances of the scenes presented in the last book. Because they are attached, they'd rather call badwrong Snivellus' love impure than explore what the montage of all his memories implied. That beauty is skin deep.

The thing about people who like such black and white scenarios and people is: they will always fall prey to the Halo Effect. And it's extremely painful to be disillusioned about your favourites. So they may never get disillusioned.

All this to say, sometimes I wonder why that part of the fandom is like 'that'. And it's just that this is the safety net in this series, or this is just how vanilla people outside of fandom coming in can take.

And that's fine (coz I'm crazy for the marauders era as well, just with a slightly wider taste pallet).

TL Dr: The antis are attracted to wholesome ships and since Rowling made it so difficult to find such ships until much later where you are emotionally connected with each character, the antis attached to a bunch of (mostly) dead people who, by association to the Hero of the story, being pretty, popular, and clear on their behaviour with the badwrong confusing character, are all good. They were desperately looking for the safety net in the books and found some. Also, since antis are the way they are, maybe they believe the fictional character being dead means people would not criticise their wholesome ship? Idk.

A/N:

*The only properly handsome man - Bill - barely gets mentioned, marries a beautiful woman, and imo the only reason he doesn't die is because he didn't revel in his handsomeness or popularity (him liking Snape in school is so cute + that disqualifies him from being popular with the antis since he likes the badwrong character). Also, he was literally scarred on his once handsome face to show that his wife actually loved him and didn't just choose him to have beautiful babies. Her being a veela and owning her Frenchness were already flaws (in the narrative's opinion) so all she needed was a scarred husband. Now, they both don't have to die 🤣.

[aliaoftheknives]

me reading through that long ao3 post thinking hang on, that was never what the protest was about, the goal of changing work titles was to increase visibility of OTW's failure to make any progress on a goal they set for themselves three years ago, this is like... exceptionally bad faith.... (scrolls a little more) oh thank GOD theres a rebuttal. damn i love being told soooo condenscendingly that it is actually better for ao3 to refuse to take the tiniest steps to not alienate fans of colour. man. sorry im just ranting but im so relieved someone else spoke up to say that whole post was a crock of shit

(under cut. tama lmk if you want me to take this down)

i think the thing that a lot of people don't get about being a capital-f Fan Of Color or w/e is that fandom, whether unintentionally or not, was not really meant for us. from day 1 it has never been the sort of complete and utter escapism that it's posited to be. it's been a really interesting experience to come up alongside this specific corner of the internet as fandom culture and how people engage with media has shifted and changed, how they've gradually realized the extremely limited scope of their perspectives, and what that means for the people outside it.

fandom is transgressive, fandom is for everybody until you start wondering who's deciding what's transgressive? who do you have in mind when you say everybody? i'd consider myself extremely lucky re: my experience in fandom but even just in passing, not even directed at me in particular, not even particularly heinous or hackles-raising and probably half out of ignorance-- well. it's worn me down, man. all these small things and others. the way white fans talked about danmei when it was just starting to get big in the West, the way they'd talk about the actors. the assumptions and jokes about depiction of queerness and censorship in asian countries. all the small things and others.

so it's the juxtaposition between knowing fandom was never really For You, looking at the fine print after the 'everyone', and never really having to. knowing that it started with your perspective and everyone else is just set dressing, and who cares about the set dressing? this is so silly. why can't you guys see the bigger picture? why can't you guys see this differently?

well, i can't help it, i guess.

[mywifeleftme]

19: Exuma // Exuma II

Exuma II Exuma 1970, Mercury

Not aiming for trenchant analysis here. For anyone who loves themselves some demon wax, Exuma II is too good a time to dig up like that. Exuma the Obeah Man (born Macfarlane Mackey on Cat Island, Bahamas) was a genuine mystic, throwing his whole pussy into a persona wreathed in ritual smoke and crackling with spiritual lightning. His early songs clatter along like unruly processions, laden down with bells, congas, whistles, his musicians following the capering Obeah Man, who rambles and shrieks as he strums folksy melodies on his acoustic guitar.

There aren’t really songs like Exuma’s anywhere else, though some combination of Dr. John’s “I Walk on Guilded Splinters” and Screaming Jay Hawkins puts you within summoning distance. What to make of “Paul Simon Nontooth,” an account of a necromantic ritual gone awry set to harmonica and altar bells that would cause Paul Simon, were he ever exposed to it, to turn from mogwai to gremlin:

Get me blood, for I thirst And if you don't get me blood, I'll drink yours first See this cane? Come, come here Look at my cane, look at my head See this head? See this head? These are the markings of the dead If your souls have long been gone And you have nothing to trade tonight, I’ll pluck the life from you tonight Give me music! Give me music! Give me music!

King Diamond would be proud.

Ah, sweet kisses There is no soul From the young and from the old Remove your clothes Remove your earthly goods You're going with me to the fiery woods You can't sell what you don't own Hurry, hurry, come on, here comes the moon

Oh hell yes. Oh fuck yes.

While Exuma II lets more light in on Side 2 than its (even more madcap) self-titled predecessor ever does, the celebratory energy present on “African Rhythm” and “Zandoo” gives the record a healthy balance. Unlike a lot of artists whose work scans (from the western perspective anyway) as outsider-y, Mackey actually was appropriately venerated in his home nation as a musician, playwright, and painter. (Those are his mind-bending paintings on the covers of his albums.) Exuma II is the sound of an artist, and a raucous crew of collaborators, caught up in the ecstasy of his own powers. It’ll never cease to be a thrilling, idiosyncratic listen.

19/365

[pebblysand]

Hello Jo! In connection with your latest ask, I was wondering if you can answer these. Of course, if these would be spoilers I understand if you can’t! :)

When in the future Ginny’s story is revealed would there be anyone who would think like she is now? And I mean friends, family… I think at the present she doesn’t realise it but she is trying to assure she has control and that she had control then, but I don’t think anyone from an outside point of view would label it like she does. I am hoping that along the way she will reach the point where she can say it was rape and that it will come out from her own free will.

Are you planning to explore this in castles?

I would be qurious to see Molly’s reaction and also how McGonagall and Kingsley would feel and if they would feel guilty.

Thank you in advance! The latest chapter was beyond great and the way you write always amazes me :)

hi there! thanks for your questions and for your kind words! you're quite correct, it's very hard to answer these without getting too spoilery. i'm going to try haha.

(under the cut for SA talk)

When in the future Ginny’s story is revealed would there be anyone who would think like she is now? And I mean friends, family…

i think in terms of close friends and family, probably not, especially considering the circumstances during which it comes out, which i can't talk about too much. but if you extend that circle, yes, of course. we still live in a world where women often get asked what they were wearing after an assault so of course some would think the same way she does now. some people would also think she whored herself out, betrayed the cause by "sleeping" with a death eater - i mean, you can think of a lot of negative ways ginny's assault could be perceived. but close friends and family - i don't see anyone in that circle thinking this way.

I am hoping that along the way she will reach the point where she can say it was rape and that it will come out from her own free will (...) Are you planning to explore this in castles?

i can't speak to this too much because again ✨spoilers✨ but i think what interests me in ginny's perspective is also this concept of choice. that's why i never wanted ginny's assault to be a random man-in-a-balaclava, out-of-nowhere type of assault. not that these don't happen - they do - but a lot of situations involving sexual violence against women are a lot more complex than that. sexual violence is: someone's boyfriend forcing them to have sex when they don't want to, someone's boss pressuring them to have sex in order to keep their job, the bloke from the bar who won't take no for an answer once the girl he brought home changes her mind. there are many, many types of assaults.

i think what's interesting with ginny's situation is that there was an alternative. it wasn't a pleasant alternative (her family might have been killed, harry might have been killed, she might have been killed) but the alternative existed. it's not a case of: someone cornered her and tied her up and forced themselves on her. mostly, she went there "of her own free will" (kind of - you know what i mean). she even borderline initiated it as a way to get out of amycus almost calling voldemort on her.

I said: ‘Please don’t, I’ll do anything.’ I’d heard the rumours. The way he looked at me. It wasn’t much of a leap. I handed it to him on a silver platter. I could see a smirk on his face, like the idea had just occurred to him. Contemplating possibilities. He laughed. 'Really? Anything?'

and, i think for her (currently in castles but i think probably until the day she dies of old age), the existence of that alternative and the existence of that choice she made is very important because there is such a dimension of bravery and self-sacrifice in what she did. and while, of course, i don't believe this was truly her decision in the way that you can't truly consent to anything (let alone sexually) in those circumstances, i also don't think she's wrong or delusional for asserting her own agency in this.

if you ask me (and, honestly, if you ask harry) it's like: of course, it was rape. just the fact that he was a teacher and she was a sixteen would have made the relationship incredibly problematic, without the added fact that he was basically a psychopath and a terrorist with a gun pointed at her head at all times. of course, she didn't do this of her own free will. but... she kind of did. it's complicated, you know?

and, i think, in her head, it wasn't and will never be just rape. because, again, this was the way she (partly) fought the war. she chose to give herself up in that way, in order to save herself and those she loved. in a lot of ways, what she did is actually closer to harry's "forest again" than you would think. she was presented with an impossible decision to make, and she still made it. and, she sacrificed herself to save those she loved. that takes courage in a way that frankly, very few people would be capable of.

and, so i think, whilst yes, ginny's perspective on what happened will evolve as she gets older/time passes and she will also grow to see how truly awful what happened to her was (again, i can't talk about this too much here because i don't want to spoil), the above will also always be something she considers. it's this question of: do we always have a choice? and i think in ginny's opinion, the answer is yes. it may be a choice between two horrible alternatives, but it's a choice nonetheless. and, i think ignoring that would be reducing her and her experiences.

anyway it's complicated and to answer your question, yes, i'm hoping to explore it eventually. as to whether it comes out of her own free will, i don't feel like i can answer that without spoiling, sorry.

I would be qurious to see Molly’s reaction and also how McGonagall and Kingsley would feel and if they would feel guilty.

lastly, regarding this, i would love to include everyone's perspective but please keep in mind this is a restrictive third person POV story that is already too long for its own good. i will explore what i feel serves the story but i can't explore everything :).

thanks again!

[butwhatifidothis]

btw are you playing the three hopes demo? I wouldn't want to submit anything about it if you're avoiding it entirely

Different nonnie: Are you playing the FE three hopes demo? If yes, what do you think so far ?

I've played the demo, and have played through Claude's route, watched my sis play through Dimitri's, and am currently still going through Edelgard's, so for now I can only be spoiled for her stuff lol. I do know that Monica is a simp for her but twitter won't really talk about anything else regarding SB's demo so that's all I got spoiled on and know rn lmao

What I think so far (under the cut)

Tfw I have to actually think about strategy more in this game than the base game lmao, but I really like the gameplay! Especially once intermediate classes were unlocked, that's when the sail really got movin'. And ordering the other units to take care of other shit is really neat. There also seems to be actual risk to pitting a unit up against someone with an effectiveness against them; I play Claude on the wyvern and an archer's nearby and unlike the base game I actually feel the need to dismount him since he can't just dodge tank through everything here lmao, stuff like that!

If these are the actual first four chapters of the game, hoo boy is this game not wasting any time lmao. It's a little dizzying how much they throw at you all at once in the story, but! The alternative stories they bring onto the table are really interesting so far - definitely the most excited for Claude's since his story is like, by far and away the most immediately intriguing. Not to knock the other two but like. C'mon lmao.

Shez! Arval! I'm really likin' them so far. Arval is such a little prick but he manages to avoid being outright annoying (most of the time anyway, but he's gettin' away with it for now lol) even tho I am very sus about him (I’m interested tho!), and Shez just feels so much more natural as a protagonist than Byleth did. A player character with a set personality and dialogue to express themselves with, oh how I've missed ye. But speaking of Byleth-

Byleth! The little they physically appear here is also doing wonders for me personally. Like, being honest, while I acknowledge that Byleth was supposed to have acted like the Ashen Demon during the first few chapters of 3H and that characters reacted to them as if they were acting strangely, they... never really came off that way to me? Like ever? Most likely because everyone has to like Byleth so they almost universally come around to them very quickly, which never felt... right. If that makes sense lol. But seeing them from an outside perspective - seeing them kill Shez's company and then basically tell them to Get Good and casually telling them maybe they can have a rematch later? That's what's been missing. Some meat to Byleth's character, where we can finally get to see the Ashen Demon. Hopeful for whatever's gonna happen with them later!

SHAHID IS A HOOT AND A HOLLER that man is a comedian. "Oh hey yo weird you look like my horror of a little brother, that wretch, the one I loathe and hate with everything in me. Hate you for that! Gonna kill you for that." LIKE BRO AND HE SOUNDS SO ANGRY ALL THE TIME dude has NO chill in his body. I will not rescind my statement of him being handsome but will concede that that is only the case in the 3D cutscenes cuz OOF does he have uhhhh The Range when it comes to appearance lmaoooo. Also like the confirmation that yes Claude’s family, at least with his siblings (or at least a nonzero amount of his siblings), is uh. Um. Ass. I remember Early Discourse trying to say that he was lying about that to get sympathy points from Byleth (haven’t seen that recently mind but never forgot it lol) so the hard-confirm was nice.

Fuck kind of name is Sigiswald. It's perfect. Also Holst doesn't a Crest it looks like? I didn't see any on his character details during the map he's an ally on in any case 👀 His back and forth with Nader was funny too lol

Matthias... tragic face. But I like him! Or like, like adjacent him lmao - he came off real good in this demo but the whole thing with his family life is uhhh Complicated™

RUFUS' VOICE IS SOOOOOO FUCKIN' NICE TO LISTEN TO?? Deadass one of my faves. Even tho otherwise he has big "Yes-Ma'am-dude-from-the-dick-flattening-meme" energy. His death was dope as shit, absolutely in love with the presentation. And he had it comin’ cuz wtf dude’s an asshole

Edelgard gets Monica Dimitri gets Rodrigue and Claude gets FUCKING NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M IN PAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GIVE ME JUDITH RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I KNOW SHE'S IN HERE I SAW HER GET SMACKED AROUND BY EDELGARD IN THE TRAILER YOU CAN'T HIDE HER FOREVER

Supports are strange, dunno how I feel about how they've been implemented. Like why have "supports" that can be reached if there's no corresponding conversation I don't get it lol 🤔

That's all I'm willing to put brainpower in rn lmao

[breakingarrows]

Musings on my introduction to Warhammer 40k

It started with lore videos. Luetin09 had a playlist of lore videos on Warhammer 40,000. I never really paid much attention to the fiction or the tabletop game, but I thought the series would be a good thing to listen to as I fell asleep at night so I added the playlist to my library. I'm not sure when exactly I started to get hooked. It might have been sometime around the 7th or 8th video after the Horus Heresy story was told that I started to become much more invested in paying attention to the fiction. The tragedy of the Horus Heresy still compels me, the fall from grace is a reliable source of drama and emotion when done well, and the dramatic irony of an Emperor who sought to eradicate all religion and faith becoming a God-Emperor worshipped by the remains of his empire is rich.

Since I was most interested in exploring the world of fiction and less interested in the tabletop side of things, I started to look into what books would be the best to read to get introduced to this world outside of lore videos on YouTube. Most online sources and advice from others already into the fiction recommended the Eisenhorn trilogy of books. I happily downloaded and voraciously consumed the first book, Xenos, within a week. It was pretty much the perfect sci-fi space fantasy adventure. You had your cast of characters already known to each other and introduced to the reader through a mid-mission introduction that opens up into the larger conspiracy that consumes the rest of the plot. It moves and moves from beat to beat, seemingly always ending with enough of a teaser or revelation in the last line to make me eager to dig into the next chapter whenever I could. New characters get introduced, there are actual long lasting consequences and losses (most notably the destruction of Eisenhorn's ability to smile) and downtime where characters are given adequate time to believably recover and prepare for the next large setpiece and sustain even more damage before the ultimate resolution.

With Xenos wrapped up and my interest fully piqued into what else Warhammer 40k had to offer, I chose the first of the Horus Heresy novels, Horus Rising. The introduction was comprehensively confusing as it bait and switches your expectation as to future events with a meandering, perspective changing introduction revolving around Horus killing the emperor, emphasis on little e. Once my confusion was cleared up, watching Loken ascend into the inner circle of Horus, and seeing the intimate details of a body of people, the faults and cracks in the Emperor's Great Crusade became everpresent and ultimately believable as the fault of human beings. The Emperor is, as he claims, just a man, and that is why his crusade ultimately fails. As famously claimed by Halo: Reach, "from the beginning, you know the end." Horus will fall, legions of space marines will perish, and after a few more thousands of years we will reach the timeline of Eisenhorn, but for now, I get to fret and worry over the ultimate fates of the periphery characters of history such as Lorken and the various remembrancers accompanying Horus' forces across the cosmo. My one complaint is that due to the ultimate fate of the universe being known, a few too many knowing references are written in, things such as Astartes killing Astartes, Horus himself succumbing to Chaos, the Emperor dying and being worshipped throughout the empire, etc. It cheapens the surrounding characters as fourth wall breaks weaken the overall drama of the current time by referencing known facts the characters can't comprehend. These don't reinforce the tragedy of known events yet to happen, they just call attention to themselves as winks from the author to the reader and not believable dialogue between characters.

Once Horus Rising was completed, I returned to Eisenhorn with the second novel, Malleus. Though I didn't find it as good as Xenos, it was still a great sci-fi adventure, and the epilogue is a huge tease for the finale in Hereticus. Malleus, as a result of revisting and reintroducing various elements present in Xenos, something that, to me, happened only a week or two ago but for Eisenhorn happened a century ago, feels too fresh to have as much significance to me as I feel was intended. This pushes me more towards the various side-novels and short stories involving Eisenhorn, as they, presumably, do not have as many direct ties to each other and the mainline trilogy as to make the universe feel smaller than it is.

Now I'm beginning False Gods, the second book of the Horus Heresy. The series is quite extensive, as I've already looked into the order in which they were published, as well as some of the earliest Warhammer 40k novels as I'm always interested in seeing the very beginning of something that is now so large. It has also made me more interested in the games that seek to capture the experience of living within this world, at this time mostly with the Boltgun game, as I can never get enough of the boomer-shooters explosion (hopefully something will one day surpass DUSK.) I have been really enjoying this dip into Warhammer fiction though, and intend to see it through as long as my interest holds. I've already torn through three novels in less than a month, who knows how much more I can do.

[90363462]

media.giphy.com

Here's How You And Your Partner Can Engage In Some 'Gratitude Sex'

How grateful are you for your sex life?

Shellie R. Warren

Nov. 22, 2021 06:51PM EST

When I wrote the article on how to have "comfy sex" for the site (check out "What Is 'Comfy Sex'? How Can You Get More Of It?"), someone wrote me and asked, "Where do you get this stuff from?" Honestly, a lot of it I make up although what initially inspired my "different kinds of sex" ideas is a piece that I wrote a while back entitled, "8 'Kinds Of Sex' All Married Couples Should Put Into Rotation." Personally, it is my heartfelt belief that a part of the reason why some people — especially those who are in long-term relationships — find themselves getting bored with sex is that, far too often, they only look at it from a physical perspective. And yeah, if all you're thinking about is how intercourse literally happens and whether or not you're going to get an orgasm from it, not only can that get old, real fast, it can also keep you from experiencing so much more of what coitus has to offer…if you choose to stay open to it.

Since this is the month when all-things-gratitude are the focal point, I figured that now would be as good of a time as any for us to explore what it means to enjoy some "gratitude sex" with our partner. Sex that, yes, let's them know that you are grateful for being able to experience something so precious with them. Yet also taking another approach on gratefulness — sex that is "pleasing to the mind or senses; agreeable; welcome". Ready?

1. Customize Your Presentation

One of the things that I like so much about the place where I get waxed is the atmosphere; especially the bathroom (and I can't say that about many bathrooms, chile). It's super clean. It's decorated in a really warm and inviting way. And it smells amazing. And all of that makes me more comfortable about taking off all of my clothes and going spread eagle in order to get the job done. My point? You know, it's interesting because, when I was having a convo with a husband recently, he said that something that he doesn't think that women recognize a lot is how much ambiance matters to a man. "I know society makes y'all want to think that as long as we can 'get in' we don't care about much else but that's actually some real bulls--t. I like candles. I like soft bedding. I like a sexy scent. Men like the right setting too."

I totally get this because when we take out the time to "set the stage" when it comes to sex, it sends the message that we've put some real forethought into planning out the experience…because that's how much our partner means to us. So, definitely make cultivating ambiance a top priority if you want to engage in some gratitude sex. Even before you touch each other, it lets your partner know just how much you adore them and are grateful to share what's about to go down.

2. Set Aside Some “Atypical Time” for Nothing but Intimacy

Remember how I said in the intro that a definition of grateful is "welcome". I've shared in a different article before that another husband once told me that he's someone who likes lingerie outside of sex. "If a woman only wears it before sex, it sends the message that she thinks that we don't care to see her being sexy AF outside of the bedroom and that's simply not true. Honestly, I like lingerie when my wife is just walking around the house. Once it's about to go down, she can be butt naked for all I care."

An atypical time to wear lingerie. Copy that. Do you know what else men are "welcome" to? An atypical time for intimacy. If you always do it at night, switch things up and initiate in the morning. If the weekends are more your thing, catch him off guard on a Tuesday afternoon. Something else that's cool about gratitude sex is when you aren't caught up in the routine of the act, when you "break code" a bit, you are basically saying, "I am so glad to be with you that I want you now" — and if now is at a random time of the day or night, who gives AF? So be it.

3. Tell Your Partner What You Appreciate About Them. Sexually.

When it comes to the semi-long list of top reasons for why so many couples end up calling it quits (including married folks who end up getting divorced), if there's one thing that I don't see mentioned nearly enough but absolutely should, it's that they don't feel appreciated by their partner. I get why that's so important too because when you appreciate someone, that means you value them, that you are fully conscious and aware of what they mean to you, and yes, that you are grateful for them.

Since the focus of this piece is all about physical intimacy, take a moment and ponder — when's the last time you verbally expressed the things that you appreciate about your partner, strictly as it relates to what happens in your boudoir? Maybe you appreciate how good they are at dirty talk. Maybe you appreciate how they take their time. Maybe you appreciate how much they care about you gettin' yours (and how they are able to tell when you don't). Maybe you appreciate how they pick up on your non-verbal affirmations or the fact that they are fully present, even after the act is over. Far too often, we take people for granted in areas where we think they should automatically know how we feel. If you want to be a master at gratitude sex, never assume — always express.

4. Be Compassionate in Your Foreplay

A grateful individual is typically a pretty compassionate one as well. What do I mean by that when it comes to sex? Well, the main definition of compassion is to see someone suffering on some level and have a desire to relieve it as a direct result. How this can translate into intimacy is, if your partner is totally down but you know they had a long day, how about offering them a massage? Or if it's evident that they are super stressed out, how about giving before receiving (if you know what I mean)? Or if they are feeling a little self-conscious about their body as of late, why not treat their sensitive areas as spots that you want to love on the most?

Synonyms for compassion include empathy, grace, mercy, tenderness, and heart. Putting yourself in your partner's shoes. Giving them favor when their performance may not be totally up to par. Being patient with them the way you want them to be patient with you. Bringing a "Force MDs spirit" into the bedroom (the real ones know). Caring about their feelings and emotions. All of this defines what it means to be a compassionate lover — what it means to incorporate compassion into your foreplay.

5. Speak Your Partner’s (Sexual) Love Language

I say it often because I totally believe it to be so — one of the biggest mistakes that are made, on the regular, in relationships, is folks are too caught up in giving their partner what they want to receive instead of what their partner actually desires. This can be the case in the bedroom too. That's why, last year, I penned "Are You Ready To Apply Your Love Language To Your Sex Life?" for the site because how your partner may want to receive sex may be different from how you prefer to. 

Words of affirmation folks like seductive expressions. Physical touch people are big on erogenous zones. Acts of service individuals appreciate a cleaned bedroom. Quality time folks cherish afterplay (more on that in a bit). Gifts people like a little something that's waiting on their pillow before foreplay transpires. Pretty much, in every area of a romantic relationship, you can never go wrong with knowing what your partner's love language is. When it comes to sex specifically, do you? And if so, do you speak it fluently?

6. Fulfill a Sexual Fantasy

Again, another definition of grateful is "pleasing to the mind or senses" and fulfilling a sexual fantasy of your partner (as they do the same thing for you) definitely qualifies. When I'm in sessions with married folks (especially ones who have a somewhat extensive sexual history with other people), I'm big about pushing them to fulfill fantasies. Why? Well, aside from the fact that it's erotic as all get out, oftentimes a fantasy is something that hasn't actually manifested outside of one's mind…yet. 

So, if one or both people are feeling a little uncomfortable or insecure about their partner's sexual past, something that can help to "drown out" those emotions is to create new experiences with one another because, I can almost guarantee you, that no matter what you and/or your partner may have already done, there are still things on your sexual bucket lists that you still have yet to do. Do those things together. What in the world are you waiting for? Because having a whole set of customized sexual memories is definitely something to be truly thankful for.

7. Get into Eye Contact Sexual Positions

Wanna know if someone is truly present with you? Wanna know if you are truly present with someone else? Maintain eye contact. You know, I actually read an article that said when folks go out of their way to avoid making eye contact, it can mean that there are walls up, they don't trust you, or that they aren't being very genuine. And while I wouldn't say this 100 percent applies, across the board, in the bedroom (because some sexual positionsavoid all eye contact and yet are still pleasurable like a mutha), I do think that if you and yours are never in some variation of the missionary position, that should be discussed — because if there is a time when you should want to feel like you are totally connecting with your partner, it's when he's inside of you and again, eye contact helps to make that happen.

8. Make Afterplay a Top Priority

A complaint from women that I tend to hear a lot when it comes to sex is how often men will fall asleep, immediately after sex. In response, what I typically remind ladies of is the fact that science is the underlying reason. After men ejaculate, they release a considerable amount of the biochemical prolactin. When that happens, it causes them to feel tired and drained which is why they want to fall asleep. This is where the article, "Sure, Your Foreplay Game Is On Point. Now What About The 'Afterplay'?" comes in. Although I don't know many men who want to have a full-on deep discussion following sex, cuddling counts as afterplay. So does snacking on something or even watching a movie together (even if he only lasts for half of it).

The main thing that I like so much about afterplay is it's a reminder, to both people, that your partner is not just some random jump-off. What I mean by that is, it's not uncommon for casual sex partners to get off and get up and go. On the flip side, when you truly care about someone, you tend to want to cherish time together as you bask in the afterglow. If you want another way to show your partner how grateful you are for sharing such an intimate time and space with them, make sure that afterplay is on the agenda. It makes sex very…sweet. It really does.

9. Pillow Talk About Each Other’s Sexual Goals

Famed author Zig Ziglar once said, "What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals." And yes, I am big on encouraging couples to set short and long-term sex goals with one another. It helps to keep them from getting stuck in a sexual rut. It encourages them to step outside of the box and try new things. It gives them something special to look forward to on a regular basis. It challenges them to rise above their sexual status quo. 

It conveys that they are not only prioritizing their sex life, but they are proactively looking for ways to make it better than ever. So yeah, two people who use their pillow time, at least a couple of times a month to set some solid sex goals are two people who think their sex life is just as important as every other part of their relationship — and when you've got a partner who thinks this way…how can you not be grateful for that?

10. Keep a “Sex Gratitude Journal”

One more thing. Something that I think all people should have is a sex journal. You can read more about that via the article, "The Art Of Sex Journaling (And Why You Should Do It)." Along these same lines, something that I think all couples (who are in an exclusive sexual relationship) should have is a sex gratitude journal. I'm telling you, there is something that is very thoughtful, very endearing, and very special about two people who literally make the time to handwrite thoughts, moments, and experiences that they shared with one another, sexually, that they are truly thankful for; especially when they make sure to put a date and time on their entries. Then, when things are a little challenging, one or both feels a bit of a disconnect or it's around the anniversary of the relationship's beginning, they can look through the journal and recall so much that is good about their bedroom chemistry.

So, as you're on the quest to implement more gratitude sex into your life, make sure to cop a fresh journal, to post entries and keep it on your bedroom nightstand. Whether you're the one writing or reading the entries, there's no way that you can put the journal down and not feel valued, adored and even a little horny. Just as sex should make you feel. Always.

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