#but most of the creations i think of that truly express myself

[unityrain24]

i have so much creativity in me and i cannot express it all and it's so frustrating

[maryleclerc]

A SERIES: THE UNION OF HEARTS AND DUTIES

pairing: prince!charles leclerc x noble!reader

summary: as the diamond of the season, will lady y/n find a true match?

warning: english is not my first language, bridgerton theme, haven’t watch ss2-3 yet, took place in the 1920s era. not proofread/beta read yet

TUOHAD series

CHAPTER 1: The Diamond of the Season

The night was alive with anticipation as I, Y/N Y/L/N, stood before the grand mirror in my room, my reflection framed by the soft glow of candlelight. It was an evening I had long dreamt of, one where I would step into the world as the Diamond of the season, the most sought-after young lady among London's elite. The title had been both an honor and a burden, one that brought with it the weight of expectation. Tonight, at Queen Charlotte's ball, I was expected to shine brighter than ever, to captivate the gaze of every eligible suitor, and perhaps, to find a match as fortunate as my sister's.

The gown I wore was a masterpiece of Regency fashion—a flowing creation of silk in a shade that complemented my complexion perfectly. The delicate fabric clung to my form in just the right places, the empire waistline cinched below my bust with a ribbon of deep blue, matching the color of my eyes. My hands, encased in sheer gloves, fluttered slightly as I smoothed the skirt, a gesture of both nerves and excitement.

My hair had been carefully styled into a high bun, every strand meticulously placed by my lady’s maid, revealing the nape of my neck. I had always been told that it was a subtle but powerful feature, an allure that added to the elegance of my presence. The pearls that adorned my ears and the simple necklace at my throat were the finishing touches, heirlooms passed down through generations of the Y/L/N family.

As I studied my reflection, I couldn’t help but think of my sister. She had found her match at a similar ball, her marriage a love story that had become the envy of the ton. I longed for the same, for a partner who would see beyond my title and status, who would love me for who I truly was. But with the eyes of the entire nobility upon me, the pressure was immense.

My mother’s voice broke through my thoughts, calling from the hallway. "Y/N, you must hurry! The carriage is ready, and we mustn't keep the queen waiting!"

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. "Yes mama, I'm ready!" I called back, my voice steady despite the flutter in my heart. I knew the importance of this night, of the decisions that could be made under the glittering chandeliers of the palace. 

As I left my room and descended the grand staircase of our home, my parents waited at the bottom, my mother’s eyes gleaming with pride, while my father’s expression was one of quiet approval. They had prepared me for this moment, for the role I was to play tonight.

The journey to Buckingham Palace was brief but felt endless as my mind raced with thoughts of what the evening would bring. As we approached, the palace loomed before us, its grand façade lit by hundreds of torches, welcoming the nobility of England to another night of tradition and potential romance.

Upon arrival, we were greeted with all the pomp and ceremony befitting our station. The grand hall was filled with the most prominent families, their gowns and jewels sparkling under the brilliant chandeliers. Musicians played a lively tune, and the air was thick with the scent of roses and the murmur of conversation.

"Make sure to keep a bright smile on your face!" my mother advised, reminding me that a lady with a confident smile is a force to be reckoned with in the world of high society.

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of her words. The carriage door opened, revealing the grand entrance to the castle, illuminated by the soft glow of lanterns. The night was alive with the murmur of conversation and the rustling of elegant gowns as guests moved gracefully toward the ballroom.

As we stepped out onto the cobblestone path, I reminded myself of the importance of this evening. My every move, every glance, and yes, every smile, would be scrutinized by the eyes of the ton. But I was ready. I had been prepared for this moment, and I knew that tonight could change the course of my future.

With a final, reassuring glance at my mother, I allowed a confident smile to grace my lips and walked forward, ready to embrace whatever the night would bring.

As I made my entrance, I could feel the eyes of the ton upon me, whispers following my every step. But I held my head high, my mother’s lessons on poise and grace echoing in my mind. Tonight, I was not just Y/N Y/L/N; I was the Diamond of the season, and I would fulfill the role expected of me.

The evening unfolded as I had anticipated, with numerous introductions and dances. The suitors who sought my favor were charming and well-mannered, each attempting to outshine the others. But as the night wore on, I found myself seeking something more—an encounter that would set my heart alight, a connection that would make me believe in the possibility of love.

It was then, as I stood near the refreshment table, a glass of champagne in hand, that I felt a presence beside me. Turning slightly, I found myself gazing into the eyes of a man who took my breath away. He was tall, with dark hair that was slightly tousled in a way that suggested both nobility and a hint of rebellion. His eyes, a striking shade of green, held a depth that immediately captivated me.

"Lady Y/L/N," he said with a bow, his voice smooth and warm, "I hope I am not too bold in asking for a dance."

I recognized him instantly—Prince Charles Leclerc, the talk of the ton, known for his charm and his title as the most eligible bachelor in Europe. But there was something in his gaze that set him apart from the others, something that made my heart skip a beat.

"Your Highness," I replied, curtsying gracefully, "I would be honored."

As we moved to the dance floor, the orchestra struck up a waltz, and the world around us seemed to fade away. His hand rested lightly on my waist, guiding me effortlessly across the floor, and I found myself losing track of time, of the whispers around us, of everything but the man before me.

"You are as enchanting as the rumors suggest," he murmured, his eyes never leaving mine.

"And you, Your Highness, are as charming as they say," I replied, feeling a smile tug at the corners of my lips.

For the first time that evening, I felt a spark of hope—a sense that perhaps, like my sister, I too could find happiness in a match made at one of these grand balls. But as the music came to an end and the dance concluded, I knew that this was only the beginning. The path ahead was uncertain, and the world of the ton was filled with both opportunity and danger.

The grand ballroom of Buckingham Palace is bathed in the warm glow of chandeliers, the air filled with the soft strains of the orchestra. The guests, adorned in their finest attire, swirl around the room in a dance of color and elegance. After a waltz that left many in awe, Lady Y/N Y/L/N and Prince Charles Leclerc step off the dance floor, finding a quiet corner to converse.

"You dance with such grace, Lady Y/L/N. It is no wonder you have been declared the Diamond of the season. I must admit, I’ve rarely enjoyed a waltz as much as I did with you tonight," Prince Charles said, offering me a glass of champagne.

"Your Highness flatters me. But I believe it is your skill as a partner that made the dance so memorable. I must thank you for that," I replied, accepting the glass with a slight blush, my voice steady but tinged with warmth.

Prince Charles softened his gaze as he leaned in slightly, lowering his voice so only I could hear. "It is not mere flattery, I assure you. In a room full of splendor, you outshine them all. I find myself drawn to your presence, Lady Y/N, more than I have been to any other in quite some time."

My heart quickened, but I maintained my composure, meeting his gaze with a calm yet curious expression. "You honor me with your words, Your Highness. But I must wonder, what is it that truly draws you to me? The season has seen many a lady catch your eye, has it not?"

Prince Charles paused, considering my question thoughtfully before responding with sincerity. "Indeed, there have been many beautiful and accomplished ladies this season. Yet, from the moment we met, there has been something... different about you. A strength, a wit, a kindness that goes beyond mere appearances. It is as though you see the world with a clarity that others do not, and I find that both intriguing and refreshing."

My eyes softened as I listened, my own curiosity deepening as I spoke more openly. "I must confess, Your Highness, I had not expected such earnestness from a prince. The world we live in often demands appearances over authenticity. It is rare to find someone who values the latter."

Prince Charles nodded, a serious yet gentle expression crossing his face. "You speak the truth, Lady Y/N. The weight of expectation can be a heavy burden. But in your company, I feel a sense of ease, as if I can be... simply myself. Tell me, do you share this feeling?"

Pausing for a moment, my gaze grew thoughtful as I considered his words. "Yes, Your Highness, I believe I do. In your company, I find myself able to speak more freely, to be more at ease than I often am in such settings. Perhaps it is because you see beyond the surface, just as you have seen beyond mine."

A warm smile spread across Prince Charles's face as he heard my words. Stepping a little closer, he lowered his voice once more. "Then perhaps, Lady Y/N, this is the beginning of something more than mere titles and duties. Perhaps this is the start of a genuine connection, one that I would very much like to explore further... if you would allow me."

I could feel my heart flutter at the sincerity in his eyes. Returning his smile, I replied softly, but with a voice filled with promise, "I would very much like that, Your Highness."

The night had passed peacefully, spent in conversation with Prince Charles. It was a chance for us to truly get to know each other, and by the time morning arrived, a sense of understanding and connection had begun to blossom between us.

The next morning, after a pleasant breakfast with my father and mother, our maid entered the room carrying two issues of Lady Whistledown’s paper. By now, we were quite familiar with the name, and the anticipation of what the infamous writer might reveal this time hung in the air.

My mother, holding the paper, began to read aloud. As she progressed through each line, her expression shifted from mild curiosity to wide-eyed surprise. Finally, she turned to me, her voice laced with both excitement and concern.

"Y/N, my daughter, read what Lady Whistledown has written. Is it true? Tell me."

Curiosity piqued, I took the paper from her hands and quickly scanned the contents. A mix of shock and confusion washed over me. How could Lady Whistledown have known such private details? I could only manage a somewhat awkward response to my mother’s inquiry.

“Dearest gentle readers,

Another season has come to an end, and once again, a new Diamond has been crowned. If you happened to miss the excitement, this season's Diamond is none other than Miss Y/N Y/L/N, a young lady from the distinguished house of Y/L/N.

But the season's drama did not end there. Prince Charles himself has proposed marriage to Miss Y/L/N. It seems the lady could not resist the undeniable charm of the prince. But will this union be one of true love, or is it merely a match made for mutual benefit? Only time will reveal the truth.

Yours Truly,

Lady Whistledown”

[to be continue…]

—

[daretoassume]

respond differently

i have noticed that there are times when certain people trigger us, activating a part of us that feels deeply disturbed. however, these days i am much more aware of this process. i am conscious that if i had truly changed my self-concept and how i perceive others, then my response would be different. sometimes, this reaction is not directed outwardly toward others but inwardly toward ourselves. we might choose to keep our feelings inside, yet we silently harbor resentment, whether we are aware of it or not.

"all changes of expression are brought about through a change of feeling. a change of feeling is a change of destiny. all creation occurs in the domain of the subconscious." ♱ feeling is the secret, neville goddard

whenever i get triggered, i recognize that there is still a part of me that has not fully healed. i sometimes find myself having an inner dialogue when triggered, asking, "okay, respond differently as you said. how can i respond to this now? is there another way to respond to this disrespectful person who has tormented you for years?" sometimes, the only thing i can do is release my emotions through crying or journaling. but most of the time, i remind myself that it is not really about me. whatever comes out of their mouth is merely a reflection or representation of who they are. consider this: would a loving person or someone in the right mind say something hurtful to others? no.

if you think about it, their lives are enough punishment because of how they think and view the world, which only ruins their existence. and if you believe it is not, you still have no idea what is going on in a person's mind. as i said, a loving person would not hurt or torment another. how they treat others is merely a reflection of how they love themselves.

change how you respond to them or any circumstances or don't respond at all, see it neutrally. if it bothers you so much, remind yourself that whatever it is, it must be serving you in a positive way. the more you focus your attention on things that are irrelevant, the more you will experience them. yes, of course, you often have to face them and heal from them, but you also have to learn when to stop giving them attention. if you have truly changed, the way to prove it to yourself is by responding differently.

[percheduphere]

LET’S TALK ABOUT EXPLORING LOKI & MOBIUS THROUGH THE LENS OF QUEER EXPERIENCE

Thank you for this request, @nabananab 

Before I dig into this juicy ask, I think it’s important to note (however obvious the fact maybe) that an individual’s unique engagement with art is an inherent and integral part of art. The intention of the artist and the sociopolitical influence of culture, while important in our interpretation of a work, are not the sole source of drawing the work’s meaning. We are all artists in one form or another. I consider myself one of the pen, and nothing is more important to me than art giving someone a sense of emotional connection. I should hope other artists would agree, and for this reason I am an ardent believer in art taking on a life of its own once it has been created. The creator’s word, while it matters to some degree, does not supersede an individual’s relationship with the creation. Our histories, our desires, our fears, our likes, our dislikes, indeed our infiniteness as fragile human beings, allow us to create an elevated, spiritual interpretation beyond the confines of original intent. With art, there is no such thing as “reaching” or “reading too deeply”. 

I leave this message with all of you as we look at these beloved characters through the lens of queer experience. 

LOKI 

Culture influences what we see and hear, which in turn influences artistic portrayal. Setting aside Norse myth, Marvel’s Loki is a classic example of a queer-coded villain (later canonized as a queer antihero). Deception, daggers, sexual temptation, transformation, and magic are all culturally tied to the “immoral” facets of femininity. Just as a strong, independent woman untethered to the control of man is deemed a “wicked woman”, a man demonstrating gender ambiguity and like qualities is similarly judged. Only masculinity is viewed as pure and good, and this no doubt was—and continues to be—a key force in white, western colonization’s destructiveness. It all but crushed our rich global history of divine femininity, gender diversity, and romantic and sexual expression. 

Asgard, as Marvel portrays it, is without a doubt a masculine-dominant warrior society. Only two women feature prominently: Queen Frigga and Lady Sif. Whereas Sif embraces her masculine qualities and fits in easily with Thor and the Warriors Three, Queen Frigga embraces her feminine powers, though her authority is submissive to the All-Father, Odin. Her influence is most heavily seen in her adopted son, Loki, with whom she shared and taught magic in hopes that Loki might “feel some sun on himself” despite the “long shadows [Thor] and [Odin]” cast. The magic that Frigga gifts Loki, however, attracts scorn. The subtext here is that Loki’s specialness, his individuality, comes from feminine powers despite presenting as a man, and a gender ambiguous one at that. Unlike Thor and Odin, he is not masculine. While strong, he does not exhibit Thor’s brute strength. He is cautious, thoughtful, another feminine quality, whereas Thor’s courageousness often veers toward foolhardy and brash.  

Thus, if Loki cannot be loved and accepted as he is (a queer person of another race), he will force love and acceptance through the power of the throne. Kings oft inspire fear, coercing subjects to love them whether they wish to or not. But we know Loki never truly wanted the throne. The throne is a mere distraction from, perhaps even a poor replacement for, what he truly wants: genuine love and acceptance that cannot be bought. Unfortunately, Loki believes he will never get these things, which is why, when Mobius questions him, Loki’s desire for control (Loki, King of the Midgard; Loki, King of the Nine Realms; Loki, King of Space) can never be satiated. Mobius challenges Loki for the exact purpose of revealing this to him. What do you really want? At this point, Loki does not have the words to form an answer. In S2E5, Syvlie raises the question Mobius originally asked in S1E1. It is then, after experiencing Mobius’s friendship and the other relationships that come to being as a result (including Sylvie’s), that Loki can articulate his answer. 

Loki’s othering, even before the discovery of his true identity as a Jotun (an allegory for a villainized foreign race), creates a lonely environment in which Loki’s potential for goodness is quashed by centuries of resentment, bitterness, and jealousy. His attempts at masculinity take the form of violence, all of which are, as Loki admits in S1E1, “part of the illusion; the cruel elaborate trick conjured by the weak to inspire fear.”  

Loneliness and the desire for love and acceptance are a universal human experience, but they are felt far more acutely within our intersectional queer communities. 

MOBIUS 

His fascination with Loki is compelling because there are many things we can infer about its reasons. The first, most obvious explanation is Mobius’s “soft spot for broken things”, which is in some ways tied to his qualities as a compassionate, forgiving, and supportive father. A secondary explanation is a wish for partnership. We know from S1 that Mobius’s friendship with Ravonna spanned eons. We later learn in S2E6 that he and Ravonna started out as peers, hunters. They were partners on the field, but where Mobius “failed” because of his humanity, Ravonna “advanced” because of her ruthlessness. This change in relational dynamics left him partner-less. Finally, a third, less obvious reason is Mobius’s desire to express himself in ways Loki does so effortlessly. That desire may come from the suppression and repression of his own softspoken queerness in order to survive the fascist culture of the TVA. 

Mobius is captivating for many reasons. Whereas Loki is a textbook example of culture viewing “queerness as evil”, “queerness as flamboyance”, “queerness as stylishness”, “queerness as loudness”, “queerness as sexual promiscuity and deviance”, “queerness as chaos”, Mobius very much aligns with the image of a straight-passing, repressed queer individual. This is an identity that does not get as much attention or presence in artistic media as it deserves, for there are many who need this representation to reflect them. He is not stereotypically queer by any means: he is not colorful. He is not stylish, flamboyant, or loud. His sex appeal primarily derives from the viewers’ attraction to his personality, though it certainly helps that Owen Wilson is quite handsome.  

Combine these three reasons, and it becomes easy to see how a character (or person!) like Mobius might fall in love with a character (or person!) like Loki.  

There is a certain amount of beautiful irony in how Loki and Mobius affect one another and consequently their identities. Mobius, feeling compassion toward an individual who has been brutally othered and oppressed, seeks to free Loki from the confines of his narrative, as determined by the “Time Keepers”.  The only feasible way to do this is to bring a variant of Loki out of the timeline and into the TVA. Mobius then provides Loki with the opportunity to change by: acknowledging Loki’s strengths, giving Loki the chance to use his strengths in productive ways, praising Loki when he does well, listening to Loki, believing in Loki, calling out Loki, and accepting Loki as he is, with all his history, without judgement. Mobius does not try to force change like Thor or Odin. Rather, he creates an environment in which change could happen naturally. This kindness and, indeed, what becomes unconditional love by the end of S1E4, allows Loki to embrace his authentic queerness with self-love and use his feminine powers for altruism rather than masking them with self-hatred and masculine rage. 

FREEING LOKI 

In S1E1, Mobius is enthralled with Loki’s hijinks as the handsome, charming, devil-may-care, D.B. Cooper. This minor escapade in Loki’s life, which was likely only intended for laughs by the writer, reveals something interesting about Mobius: Loki’s mischievousness, his magic, his cunning, are all quite endearing to him when no real harm is being inflicted. That is, Loki, when not under duress, is someone to be admired when he’s being himself. We admire in people what we wish we had in ourselves, and this, at times, may lead to powerful attraction. 

Loki, for his part, does much the same for Mobius. The environment (the TVA) which allowed Loki to thrive is also the same environment that has abused and constrained Mobius. 

The heat that Ravonna presses upon Mobius, however, changes his tone with Loki himself. When Loki asks Mobius why he “[sticks] his neck out for [him]”, Mobius provides Loki with two options to choose from: “A. He sees a scared little boy shivering in the cold, or B. He will say whatever he needs to say to get the job done”. Option A, while insulting, has compassion layered beneath the barb. Loki, an expert at cloaking truth with meanness, sees through this and indirectly chooses what he believes to be true in the cafeteria scene: that Mobius feels sympathy for Loki’s painful childhood. The subtext of this acknowledgement is that the true means to the end is reversed: Mobius doesn’t need Loki to catch the Variant on the timelines. Mobius needs the Variant to free Loki from the timelines. The Variant is an excuse and another agent of poetic irony: when Sylvie unleashes the multiverse, she literally frees Loki of his predetermined narrative. 

The conceit of S1E1 is that Mobius intends to use Loki for the “good” of the Sacred Timeline. It is important to remember that characters, while not real, are meant to mirror human complexity. Multiple, seemingly conflicting things may be true concurrently. In S1E2, we see in Mobius’s conversations with Ravonna that he deeply believes in Loki’a capacity to be a wonderful person and wants him to have the opportunity to change. His enthusiasm for these things outshines his desire to catch Sylvie.  

And, because the Variant is Loki, because Sylvie is Loki, because, as she says, “[they] are the same”, Mobius’s own freeing of Loki, his unconditional love for him, cascades from Loki to Sylvie. Sylvie would not be free to live as she pleases if not for Mobius’s compassion for Loki in the first place. 

In S1E4, Loki reveals the TVA’s sham. Mobius’s sense of self becomes fragile alongside his sense of partnership with Loki. But because of our sociopolitical culture’s influence on capitalism, the creative voices of the Loki series self-censures what could be (what is) a queer romance. This self-censureship makes itself known in Mobius’s own self-censureship. His jealousy and heartbreak cannot be spoken directly. It must be spoken through the words of a woman, someone who presents as the opposite sex. Through a looping memory of a scornful Sif telling Loki, “You are alone and always will be”, Mobius makes known the nature of his feelings for him.  

BUT WHO WILL FREE MOBIUS? 

In the same cafeteria scene in S1E2, Loki asks Mobius if he’s ever ridden a jet ski. Mobius’s response is demure, saying him riding one would “cause a branch for sure”. The jet ski gives the audience another clue as to what Mobius seeks in life: something fun, thrilling, and reckless. Yet Mobius sets aside his desires for what he believes is for the good of the TVA, and thus humanity. This suppression and repression of authentic selfhood mirrors the queer experience of living within a heteronormative culture, especially one with religious doctrines that equate pleasure with sinfulness.  

Because Mobius extended his heart, his partnership, his love (symbolized by twin daggers hidden in his locker [a closet]; notably a male phallic symbol of which there are a pair [partners]) and was soundly rejected, Mobius retaliates with the loneliness he himself feels. This loneliness may be interpreted as an allegory for the loneliness of being closeted as opposed to the loneliness of being out but othered. 

Ultimately, Mobius’s love for Loki shifts from selfish desire to unconditional love when he chooses to help Loki save Sylvie. In S1E5, it is conspicuous that after delivering Sylvie safely to Loki’s side, Mobius’s partings words are, “Guess you got away again”, to which Loki replies, “I always do”, which echos the lover’s trope of “the one that got away”. 

[It drives me absolutely bananas that I can't find the specific gif I need when I literally saw it multiple times earlier this week but didn't need it THEN]

Owen’s acting choice is interesting here. He laughs, smiles, then looks down before looking up again, his eyes shifting from fondness to what feels like longing. Mobius extends his hand, a sensible choice for someone who believes his love is unrequited and is unsure of how Loki defines their relationship. Loki, appreciating what Mobius has done for him, closes the distance with an embrace and thanks Mobius for his friendship. 

In S2E1, upon Loki’s time-slipping into the war room, whatever apprehensions Mobius had about physical contact was wiped away by the collapse of the TVA and the memory of Loki’s hug. In this scene, it becomes clear to Mobius that Loki is panicking. He makes the executive decision to use his physical contact as a grounding force, relocates Loki to a quiet environment, asks after Sylvie with no bitterness in his voice, then prioritizes Loki’s physical well-being. Perhaps, in Mobius’s view, his love is unrequited, but there is nothing in place to stop him from expressing that love more freely while honoring Loki’s feelings for Sylvie. This regard, which may be construed as platonic, may also be viewed romantic, courtly love. 

The fight between Loki and Sylvie in S1E6 sets the stage for Mobius to receive Loki and become a refuge for heartbreak.  

S2E2 and S2E3 has Loki’s and Mobius’s temperaments when it comes to investigating flipped. In S1, Mobius was focused on the mission and often had to reign in Loki. In S2, Mobius is more casual, more willing to take his time and enjoy the sleuthing as it unfolds, while Loki administers pressure to stay focused. The question is why? 

In S2E2, Brad attacks Mobius’s sense of self. He points out how weird it is that Mobius is not at all curious about looking at his timeline and stresses that the TVA, and everything in it, isn’t real. Brad calls into question Mobius’s reason for staying. Knowing that the answer is Loki, we can surmise through the queer lens that Brad also corners Mobius into potentially outing himself in front of the object of his affections, someone he believes does not return his feelings, and whose knowledge of those feelings may threaten their friendship. This is a traumatic experience for queer people in the real world, and this extra layer of emotional conflict adds depth to Mobius’s violent response.  

Mobius influenced Loki in a myriad of ways. One that has not been discussed yet is an appreciation for focus and order. Loki, in turn, has cracked the door open for Mobius to explore pleasure. We can speculate that, in his own way, Mobius is testing what happiness could look like living a life between the TVA and the timelines. For him, this means cocktails at the theater, cracker jacks, and exploring the World’s Fair, all of which are pleasurable on their own but are even more so with Loki’s company. His queerness, once again, is quiet, mundane, but playful in its own right, and finally brave enough to explore. These scenes suggest that Mobius is indeed happy at the TVA and, as we see in the finale, this happiness is solely rooted in his relationship with Loki and the emotional intimacy they share together. 

Loki expresses concern for Mobius, noting that he has “never seen him like that before.” Mobius, interestingly, deflects every concern by absurdly blaming Loki: “He got under your skin”, “I was following you!” The psychological undercurrent here is that Loki is the reason why Brad got under Mobius skin. Loki is the person that Mobius will follow.  

Loki takes Mobius’s distress in stride, responding in a way the Mobius normally would. However, Brad’s question piques his interest, and his own care for Mobius prompts him to gently challenge Mobius’s lack of interest in his own timeline. Mobius’s reason for avoidance is, “What if it’s something good?” 

In S2E5, it’s interesting that “good” in this narrative is defined as a heteronormative fantasy of a house, two kids, and (possibly) a puppy and a snake. The “good” in Mobius’s original timeline, however, is imperfect. There is a partner that is missing (partners being a recurring theme in the series, particularly in S2E3), pronounced gone not once but twice. The entire scene between Don and Loki has been discussed at length by many, so there’s no need to reiterate it here. However, let’s bring our attention to Mobius’s avoidance of this “good” because this avoidance resonates with another queer experience. 

The TVA, for Mobius, is the place where he studied, saved, and developed a close relationship with Loki. The fear of the “something good” is the fear of being confronted with something Mobius “should” want more than the TVA, and therefore “should” want more Loki. The fear is wanting something (or feeling pressured to want something) other than a queer relationship with no children. The question of “choice” is impacted by what is considered the “norm”. 

S2E5 very pointedly focuses on the concern of choice, especially Mobius’s choice, in the bar scene between Loki and Sylvie. “Mobius should get a choice now, no?” At this point, Loki’s regard for Mobius has finally caught up with the romantic nature of Mobius’s feelings for him. And Loki, living his own queer experience, is also afraid of his true desires like Mobius. In being part of the intersectional queer community, the psychological need to guard against disappointment is high and commonplace. Desires are easily disappointed by the expectations of oppressive social mores. This survival tactic manifests itself with our hope and heartbreak with mainstream media, Loki the series being among them. 

But Sylvie, the harbinger of true and absolute freedom, takes on the role of supportive ex and challenges Loki to answer Mobius’s question in S1E1: “What do you want?”  

In this, Mobius and Loki’s individual relationships with the TVA are identical. It was never about where (the TVA), when (time works differently at the TVA), or why (the timelines). It was about who. It was about each other. The TVA represents a liminal space which became home by virtue of the people who brought love into it. The TVA is code for Loki and Mobius when each speaks of it. 

Again, the artists behind the media must self-censure. In this, Loki also self-censures while giving the truth. “I don’t want to be alone. I want my friends back.” It cannot be denied that Mobius is Loki’s first truest and closest friend. “I don’t want to be alone. I want Mobius back.” Sylvie appreciates and validates this desire, but also points out that showing the TVA is something that cannot be unseen. The implication of this response suggests that Sylvie believes that Loki’s friends will feel compelled to join the TVA out of moral pressure. She reiterates the true lives that are being lived, and Loki, loving his friends, loving Mobius, elects to not take that away from them. “You are just fine without the TVA.” 

Yet, Loki must choose an act of profound selfless love to save everyone. In doing so, he saves and frees Mobius in the way Mobius saved and freed him. The tragedy and, once again, poetic irony is that they both would have chosen each other. In giving everyone freedom, the true freedom of Loki and Mobius is sacrificed. This double-standard reflects in our reality between those who identify as cis and heterosexual and those who do not. 

When Mobius looks at his timeline in S2E6, he does so for one reason: that timeline survived because of Loki’s sacrifice. He must honor that sacrifice and see what Loki protected. Mobius appreciates what he finds, but he doesn’t belong there. It is not what he ultimately longs for. And there must be worry, shame, in recognizing he would prefer to give up the house and two children if a life with Loki were a viable choice. 

We all experience loss in our lives. Loss without a goodbye is also commonplace but is another pain that is more acute within the intersectional queer community. I speak of missed opportunities for happiness due to external forces. I speak of loss of self. I speak of loss of friends and family and home. I speak of death, losing a loved one without a goodbye, because same-sex lovers are not considered next of kin, an impossibility without marriage. Marriage echoes back to Don, who has no spouse, and Mobius, who has no partner. 

[eatmangoesnekkid]

I have a mostly heterosexual readership but my number of queer readers are growing exponentially by the week. I am grateful for any human soul who adores the frequency I channel from and feel expanded in any capacity by my work.

I do not try to fit it with the heterosexual community because I am not a heterosexual person in my thinking, perceiving, or feeling. I do not care to fit in with the queer community either because I don't sense myself queer. The queer community is too wounded in oppression, locked into the mortal mind, and generally moves through the world too victimized for my taste and archetypal texture, not in full ownership of their divine power and light, which can also be said for the conscious black community. I have never felt aligned with the Western word "queer" as I feel more undefinable--which means-- indigenous and rootsy, a frequency where "sexuality" wasn't rigid and had a natural range, depth, spirit, and viscosity, a primordial mother so lighthearted and sensitive to subtle energy that she could make passionate love to the universe and repair her aching knee joints with the provisional light received. There is a great gift in not defining, boxing, or organizing every part of us into a system of language. Thank you, Mother Sobonfu Some, for courageously authoring range and clarity in your divine work.

I am merely who I am, and that person, that playful, creative, dancing, beautiful, womanly spirit in female form, a medicine woman and sensual Priestess, is enough.

I have lived in a 3rd lane for most of my life because I generally do not feel inferior to anyone or any system, which assisted me in unplugging the limiting programming and dogmatic thinking from my tissues and building more real grounded confidence in myself and my unique imprint without having a whole entourage around coddling me along the way. I didn't need to be part of the "feminist" crowd. The "witch" group. The LGBTQIA crowd. The conscious Black crowd. I participated in everything that I wanted to without any labels attached to my personhood. I was free. I still am.

The more anonymous you walk around, the brighter you shine.- Mother Caroline Myss

I care deeply about what's real--true love, the brightest expression of the power of God/creation running through our bodies, lives, and experiences.

I have dedicated myself to embodying love imperfectly. I am devoted to the chaotic and vulnerable journey of living full and plump and loving innocently. And it is a journey because all the programmings and conditioning baked into my mind, body, and psyche, and even the TV shows and movies I watched in my youth, have to come undone. And it can be chaotic because you are literally letting go of everything, shifting your perceptional field, changing frequencies, growing consciousness, growing new tissues, and evolving your mind. True chaos is the structure of the divine feminine. Surrender is key.

I also care about real nourishment and lubrication/hydration. And a range of intimacies and passions. And real human emotion. And authenticity. And relaxation, playfulness, and groundedness. And truthful, thoughtful, vulnerable relationships. And regeneration.

I am a Lover Archetype through and through.

I care about how to inspire people to love themselves (their cells) better and to love other people (and the cells of other people) better. And the only way to know love is to muster the courage to move through addictions, obsessions, shadows, and other blockages to love.

My desire to always be myself and not fit in if the harmony was not truly there has also been my superpower that has kept my body ripe life force energy, that juicy love, innocence, and aliveness. It has also kept my mind sharp and clear. I was never meant to fit in. And I am willing to bet that neither were you.

—

Trust the ones who don't try to fit in.

The ones who seek to evolve into new imprints.

The ones who weave the deep magic of full body sensual explorations into practical life.

The ones who come out from the limiting programming of ancestors and heal unseen kin. The ones who harness the courage required to live their best lives.

The ones who tread through the mud of race, class, sexuality, and gender and stack river rocks as offerings to nuanced femme Gods.

The ones who do not shrink in order to make other people feel comfortable.

The ones who descend into the underworld, slough through discomforts, and come back with otherworldly solutions and next step directions.

The ones who burn with flames so red hot that their mere presence, without words or the any need to profess, illuminates.

The ones who dare to dream so big that they appear brilliantly naïve and beautifully childlike.

The ones who know that their knowledge is only a fraction of the whole truth.

The magical ones with soft strength and deep vulnerability, heat and humility, love and compassion, and drive and kindness. See them. Welcome them. Honour them. And most importantly, recognize them in you.

None of us are not supposed to do this work alone. --India Ame'ye, Author

[dlstmxkakwldrlarchive]

(article) SHINee's ONEW hopes to make people happy with his songs

Singer Onew of popular K-pop group SHINee has been deeply thinking about happiness, a theme that heavily influenced his latest release."I think it's wonderful to be someone who can have a positive impact on others and make them happy," he said during an interview Thursday with a group of reporters.

"It's a great merit that I can lift someone's mood. When people tell me they've been comforted by my songs, it feels like I'm truly living," he said.

This introspection led to the creation of his third individual EP, "Flow," a departure from his previous albums -- his first solo album, "Voice" (2018), second EP titled "Dice" (2022) and first full-length solo album, "Circle," (2023) -- which centered primarily on his distinctive voice and emotional expression.

Instead, "Flow," due out Tuesday at 6 p.m., is designed to resonate more broadly with the public, featuring songs that are easy to follow and enjoy together.The album is led by "Beat Drum," an upbeat pop track characterized by "kitsch" vocals in the chorus and a synth melody, according to promotional material from his label, Griffin Entertainment. The lyrics compare the feeling of a racing heart to the rhythm of a drum beat.

Also included are five B-side tracks, all of which maintain a bright and cheerful tone.

"I wanted to become closer to the public, so I put a lot of effort into making songs that are easy to follow," the 34-year-old explained. He also tailored the choreography to be accessible, allowing more people to catch on after just one viewing. "I hope even those who don't know me can feel a bit of positive energy," he added.

Onew stressed that while his unique voice and emotional depth will continue to be central to his music, his current focus is on expanding his positive influence.

The vocalist also has a goal of creating his own performance brand.

"I think a concert becomes richer and more enjoyable when many people can immerse themselves in it and have fun together. I want to create an atmosphere where it's not just a performance by me, but an experience where everyone can play together," he shared.

After taking a hiatus of over 10 months due to health issues, Onew returned to the stage in May.

During the break, the vocalist had the opportunity to attend a Coldplay concert in the United States.

"I loved the excitement and anticipation that I felt while waiting for the show," he said, expressing hope that audiences would experience the same thrill at his concerts.

Performing in front of fans and reuniting with his bandmates were what he missed the most as he recovered from neck surgery. He lost so much weight after the surgery, making his fans feel concerned and worried about his health.

"Now, I'm in great shape. In fact, I'm so well that it's almost a problem," he said with a laugh.

He spent a lot of time traveling to places like the U.S., Japan, and Austria during the break, giving himself the space to think deeply on his own.

"While traveling, I learned how to fail. There was a time when I tried to catch a train during a typhoon and ended up sitting on the platform for six hours. Sometimes, things just don't work out. But I realized that you can always try again later. That was the biggest lesson I learned."

After this realization, Onew changed his attitude about performing. He used to believe he couldn't go on stage unless he was 100 percent perfect, but now he's more open to taking risks.

This new attitude led him to boldly take on producing for the first time while working on this album.

"I challenged myself by getting involved in producing, selecting demo tracks, trying out different ideas, and communicating with writers to incorporate my thoughts into the songs. It was a big challenge, but it was a fun experience," he recalled.

Onew also tried his hand at rapping for the first time.

"I was debating whether to use more melody or try rapping," he said.

He thought rapping might work, so he gave it a shot, and fortunately, it turned out well.

"This new challenge has become a great motivation for me," he said.

He has also started taking guitar lessons recently because he wants to play during his concerts.

"I read somewhere that singer Lee Hyori said she started learning something new and that in 10 years, she could become an expert. So I thought, 'It's not too late. If I start now, I could be playing in 10 years too.'"

[beatthegame]

I just beat the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Exclusively on the Nintendo Switch. It's a direct sequel to it's predecessor, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which is a first for the franchise? Perhaps Hyrule Warriors? Or Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link could be an exception but even that was a huge pivot from the original Zelda. But I digress...Storywise, Zelda games typically occur generations apart from each other. But this game is unique in bridging two games together within a couple of years. Nowadays, good sequels are rare. We usually go backwards through the prequel route but this game takes place just a few years after the events of BOTW. Not many sequels live up to outshine their originals. Often falling short in certain aspects. And Breath of the Wild, as a stand alone game, is an absolute masterpiece. One of the greatest adventure games I personally experienced. So when the developers announced that there would be a direct sequel to one of the greatest adventures ever made? It left a LOT to be desired. But does TOTK truly live up to the hype? Let's try to fuse all these elements together and try to make sense of it...

In a nutshell: It's like Minecraft in Hyrule! You take the same open world template from Breath of the Wild. Triple down on the map & add heavy emphasis on crafting abilities. Combined with hundreds of side quests, treasures, characters and challenges sprinkled across the largest open world in gaming history. (If you can find a larger open world in a game, please let me know.) When you boil it down, Tears of the Kingdom should be considered tears of joy!

The Good: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a BEAST of an adventure game! The cel shaded anime inspired graphics are simply gorgeous. These screenshots would be good enough for the artwork inside the 8-bit game manuals of years past. Trying to imagine those details on a 8-bit platform was great for the time. But being able to control those stillframes now like a beautiful moving painting is like a dream come true. Most open world games are pretty rich in terms of a playable area with missions sprawled across the land. But I don't think I've played a game world this deep? And I mean that literally. You have the vast continent of Hyrule to explore. Same map from BOTW. All of it's valleys, lakes, mountains, islands and more. And when I say more, I MEAN MORE. Because now you have islands hundreds of feet in the sky to explore. In addition to the underworld depths hundreds of feet below the surface. The deepest bowels of a planet you can think of? And it goes DEEPER than that! I find it difficult to express myself through words, how packed this game map is. But you have the freedom to explore it all, however you like! And boy, does this game offer a rich variety of CHOICE. Something I feel is an gift AND a curse in this game? For now, let's talk about how AMAZING it is to create almost ANYTHING your imagination can handle...based on the items scattered throughout the land.

Your Sheika technology from the previous game has been replaced with new Zonai fusion technology that will allow you to combine all sorts of objects, monster parts and broken vehicle pieces to construct all sorts of cool contraptions. From simple suspension bridges to complex flying automatons with rocket launchers! There's a bit of a learning curve to manipulate pieces and placing them in functional spots. But once you get the hang of it, it becomes 2nd nature. You can even save your creations to quickly assemble duplicate machines, which is convenient at times. But that is only ONE fraction of your creative capabilities. You are also able to create custom weapons, armor and arrows to expand your arsenal. You will need these abilities to explore the land, skies and depths of Hyrule. It's an experience that can grow beyond your imagination. Which sounds amazing. And it is, in so many ways. However, it also one if this game's many problems...

The Bad: I hate to say it, but this game is the very definition of "trying too hard". Breath of the Wild is off the charts fantastic! Almost a perfect game. So when you're tasked to make something great even better? Sometimes adding more ingredients to a stellar dish ruins the meal. Like, imagine the best 5 layer cake in the world...perfectly frosted, with sprinkles and a cherry on top...and now add a tomahawk steak, and a peanut butter & jelly sandwich, and nacho cheese fries with frosted flakes sprinkled on top of that? A bit much, right? That's how this game is... You have an entire world of objects and machine pieces and monster parts. But there's only so much you can do to actually function well in the game. What's the point of building an elaborate hovercraft when a crude assembly of logs & rocks can get the same job done? Which leads to the weapons. One of the main things I hated about BOTW are the fragile weapons that break after a few swings. This game not only brings back the shitty fragile weapon system, but now you have the burden of crafting your own weapons. Which is FUN... for about 5 minutes. But when you are in the heat of battle? Quickly assembling weapons or sifting through my entire inventory under durress was more annoying than it was fun. And don't get me started on the Blood Moon. A couple of times would have been ok but like every 10 minutes?! Give me a fucking break! Let me build this wooden helecopter in peace LOL!

But refocusing on the positive, overall, this was a fantastic gaming experience! But even though this play-thru was satisfying. There were too many flaws that effect the final score. Tears of the Kingdom would have been a decent spin-off game. Like, focus on the Sheika Lab team and have them rebuild Hyrule and deal with the Ganon threat with building gadgets. Harvesting minerals underground. Rebuilding towns devastated by the Calamity. That would've been cool. But as a Zelda adventure? It falls short when you compare it to the other masterpieces throughout the years. But when you put aside the competition? Tears of the Kingdom is a stellar game experience!

A-Class

[arc-misadventures]

For the Vtuber Au (if that's gonna be the name of it for not)

...has our dear Errantry Paladin ever played Dark Souls/Soulsborne/equivalent genre of games, if so how much rage has Jaune ever expressed in any form, if at all

Bonus question if you'd like to answer:

What his cute Vtuber model look like?

No, that’s gonna be the name of this, AU.

The VTuber: Of Bugs, and Rage

Errant: Hello everyone~! And, Welcome to the stream!

The Errantry Paladin started his stream with a smile across his avatars lips. People often marvelled at how expressive his avatar could be, only adding to help humanize the digital creation in their eyes.

~~~ Steam Chat ~~~

: Whoo! It’s beginning!

: It’s starting!

: What are you playing today?

: Hi everyone!

: There’s that winning smile that we all know, and love!

: How are you this day my liege?

:🥳🥳🥳

: He’s as handsome as ever!

: Sire my babies!

: Any thoughts on growing a beard yet?

~~~~~~

All as perusal for one of, Errant’s streams.

Errant: So I was asked… a lot. Honestly it more like begging, and pleading with me really to play a, Souls game. Like, Dark Souls, and the like.

~~~ Stream Chat ~~~

: We didn’t beg you.

: Suggested.

: Encouraged you.

: Certainly didn’t beg

:❤️I beg for you babies!❤️

: I beg for cake!

~~~~~~

Errant: Well, at least some of you are honest… or, claim to be…

Errant shot his chat a skeptical look before address the screen, and what game he was going to play today.

~~~ Stream Chat ~~~

: Aww he looks like an upset puppy!

: Who’s a good boy!

: Who wants the ball?

~~~~~~

Errant: Stop that! Ahem… So, in honour of your request, today we will be playing, ‘Hollow Knight!’ Now this is a game I’ve been looking forward to playing for a while now, I just haven’t had the time to do so. I stumbled across someone saying how great the soundtrack is, gave it a listen to myself, and fell in love with it, so I wanted to give it a go. And, since you asked me to play a, Souls game, and this game has been described as the, ‘Dark Souls of Metroidvania.’ And, since I’ve never played a Souls game, a Metroid game, or a Castlevania game before either. Well, three birds on stone.

~~~ Stream Chat ~~~

: Oh Hollow Knight hell yeah!

: It’s not Dark Souls but he will rage.

: This game is brutal.

: This game makes me sad.

: The music is damn good!

: Hed probably just curb stomp everything in a Souls game honestly.

: Id like to see that!

~~~~~~

Errant cheekily shrugged his shoulders as he gave a coy smirk as he explained his reasonings. Many in the chat we disappointed that he wasn’t playing a, Souls game, but what many truly wanted was to see their calm, and collected, Paladin rage. For the rage unleashed by the calm, and collected was a true sight to behold, and they were all looking forward to see it for themselves.

Errant: Enough stalling lets start it up. Lets see… Eh? Classic, Steel Soul, and Godseeker? Must be their names for the level difficulty. No wait… Classic: Normal Play mode. Steel Soul: No reviving. Death is permanent?! Is there a one life mode in this game?!

~~~ Stream Chat ~~~

: Yep!

: You gotta beat the game first before you can play that mode though

: Good luck

~~~~~~

He looked at his chat, then to his game with a shock look in his eyes. People played on such a difficulty, and won?

He could help, but wonder what it was he was getting himself into.

Errant: And, the last one: Godseeker: Challenge the gods of Hallownest. Is that a boss battle royal type of thing?

He looked to his chat, and saw people typing ‘yes,’ or the equivalent of that throughout the chat feed.

Errant: Okay… How many bosses are in this game then?

~~~ Stream Chat ~~~

: A lot

: Too many

: You’re gonna love them!

: Mantis Lords are the best!

: Grimm King is evil!

: 😍Mantis Lords😍

: all hail Gorb!

: You’ll die at least once to each boss

: Most likely

~~~~~~

Errant: Oh… Well now I’m scared. No matter, lets delve into, Hollow Knight then shall we?

///

Do you guys think this is a good way to integrate the stream chat reply? I think it does, but…?

Well, I ask for your thoughts after all.

As for giving, Jaune a cute, VTuber model. How about something more…

Ruggedly handsome? Roguishly charming? Somethings like that, he needs a different air about him.

Don’t you think so too?

[seeingteacupsindragons]

Normally, my meta is pretty focused on what happens in the story, and I bring things from reality to use when it’s useful. But I like pulling stories apart to talk about how the story works, and stories only exist with a thin tether to reality most of the time, and they have wildly different rules.

This one is a little different. This one is going to have a lot of outside information brought to bear to discuss Sherliam’s relationship, but they’re things I think are relevant: A Japanese word and its origins, how creating art and stories works, what being an artist is…and how that all impacts William and Sherlock, how they relate to each other as creations of artists and artists themselves.

Basically, stuff about how art is made and the context it lives in. I think that's more useful than comparing it to reality. It’ll be interesting, I promise! Just a little different than usual.

Let’s start here. I think you’ll see where I’m going with the Sherliam thing pretty quickly, but if not, don’t worry. I’m going to explain.

I saw this post on Bluesky during aro week, and I’ve been thinking about it a lot since.

Basically, there’s a word in Chinese, that has actually carried over to Japanese (I’ll get to that in a minute) that means, basically, “person who truly understands your songs.” It’s based off this story of this musician would make instrumental music, as one does, and this person who understood immediately, without being told, what the song was about. And this relationship was so deeply important and meaningful that after the second person died, the first destroyed his instrument, because there seemed to be no point in continuing to create music without the person who got it.

Yes, I know, you’re all seeing the Sherliam parallels already, but give me a bit longer before we get there.

This word carried over to Japanese with a slightly different pronunciation (as happens), but the same kanji and the same meaning. My Japanese-English dictionary defines it solely as “an exceptionally close friend.” No other options are provided. So I looked it up in some Japanese dictionaries! They both started with the same origin story of the word, and then both came up with a handful of definitions: Dear friend, person who understands your heart, partner, comrade, eventually it got down to sweetheart, someone you can rely on. My favorite was “Peerless/unmatched friend.”

The word does seem to be fairly formal and archaic and mostly relegated to Literature™ and classic works. It’s not a word that’s canonically ever applied to Sherlock or William.

And yet. And yet.

I don’t know how common the word is in Japanese that they’d recognize or know it. Whether or not it actually influenced the story from background knowledge, intentionally or not. But knowing the concept now, and knowing the concept has existed in Japanese culture as…as an option does change how I think of some of the media I’ve seen before. The word notwithstanding, the concept exists.

As an artist myself, I deeply understand the need/desire/hope/longing/etc. for a person who just. Gets what you’re trying to do. The person who deeply understands what you’re doing and your intentions and the way you expressed yourself. Who understands you via your creations.

I am, as many of you know, looking for a new critique partner right now. I have one, but I need one or two others for Reasons. And one of them already turned up a dud because this person’s feedback had nothing to do with what I want the story to be or what I’m trying to write. It’s a lot of marketing advice. Advice on how to make the story more what they would want, or more like other books.

A good CP needs to see what the intention of the story is, so they can make that story stronger and help that story make that point to more people. They have to understand your art. Not to the degree of a 知音, but nonetheless.

Sherlock and William are, obviously, on the level of understanding each other this way. They just get each other, without explanation, and they both treasure that relationship dearly. So dearly that Sherlock, when faced with the prospect of losing the person who truly got him, would have rather died with him then survive without that connection.

Because what was the point of doing things, of making things, of being, without that person who got it. How to bear living once you’ve finally found that person?

And I think this kind of gets to what Louis was seeing in Sherlock and hoping he would do to validate William’s existence. Sherlock got William. He saw his intentions through his plans, and saw who he was and what his soul was even under all the masks and walls and machinations. He understood why William would want to die, and that he was actually trying to die intentionally almost immediately.

And because Sherlock actually understood William’s existence, he could actually validate William’s existence. The same way someone has to understand what my book’s story is trying to be to actually help it. The same way someone actually understanding what the fuck I was trying to write makes me feel…well, like writing and sharing it with people is actually worth it, because I can do this.

And, because Sherlock understood William’s intentions and plans, he made changes to the story William planned, because he saw the weaknesses from a distance, saw the intentions without drowning himself in what was already there the way William the Author did. Because he saw the intentions, but also the actual effects.

And William’s plan came out stronger and more effective and more beautiful for it all. Because Sherlock was there to see it, to understand it, and to help.

After all, Sherlock is an artist, too, even if we only see him with his violin on occasion. He knows what it’s like. And he knows William helped give him a stage to show off what Sherlock wanted to share with the world, too (forensics, etc.).

And I think it’s interesting, after all that, to remember that Yuukoku no Moriarty is created by not one artist, but two. Did they understand each other’s intentions the way William and Sherlock understand each other? Almost certainly not, especially given that we lost one of them from the series. But they had to work together, to understand each other’s intentions and art, in order to work together and create the story. To fill in where the other fell short, to give feedback and strengthen the story together.

We don’t know much at all about their working relationship or how the series came to be from the two of them. It’s really impossible to speculate if they felt in sync or they wished they were working with someone who Got Them better. But I think either way, Sherlock and William’s working together to create a story that was stronger, fuller, and better than either could have come up with alone is an interesting reflection of their story’s two creators anyway.

[desafinado]

ooh if you’re taking requests I would love to ask for something kaveh related,, I love him and his recent appearances have me going feral

I was thinking maybe something with an artist s/o?? with his whole arts and romance thing I think it would be so cute 😭 sketching out his building ideas and such together..I just crave kaveh content tbh

✎, ੈ♡ kaveh with an artistic s/o

°｡⋆ kaveh x reader 

°｡⋆ artsy stuff, sickening fluff (yk the drill), love, beloved, dear

note: reader is described to be an appreciator of all art in general (visual arts and writing specifically)  just take what resonates lol, but yeah ^^ also ahh i wrote a song sorta similar to this concept before called “art museum” so i took inspo from that skjfsdf

if you think about it, everything you see has its own artistry, its own beauty; beauty is in the eye of the beholder after all. among all the things and people, however, you found kaveh to be the most beautiful thing of them all.

his creations were just as beautiful, of course. you couldn’t help but adore the details, the aesthetics, the everything. he was clearly someone who created with his heart on his sleeve, and it was why you admired him so dearly.

and while you had this respectful and deep admiration for him, he would only praise you for giving him such inspiration in the first place, whether it be the art you create or the love you give him.

he’d watch in awe, seeing you create visuals that make him swoon, and write words that almost bring him to tears.

if he wasn’t dating you, he’d still definitely be your number one fan.

that being said, you are dating, so expect that you do the most nerdy art things together; going to art museums, painting and wine dates, simply sitting in the living room and reading each other poetry (or even making some).

“hmm, and you were there, a heavenly body, a star, whose presence i had been blessed with.” “k-kaveh! you don’t need to read every poem… haven’t you flustered me enough, today?” “i wasn’t reading that time, beloved.”

everything reminds you of each other; when you both get home, you spend the first 30 minutes telling each other of everything you saw today that reminded you of each other.

more so, when it’s art. you both could go on for hours.

“i saw a newly installed statue today, i think it was a representation of spring, blooming and such?” “hmm… sounds lovely, i’d love to see it and interpret it for myself.” “well, for me, it only ever reminded me of you.”

helping each other with your arts; i mean, art is a form of expression and you think kaveh brings out the best in you vice-versa.

he’ll ask for your opinion on sketches, how he can improve and get his feelings across better. he’ll often feign naivety and ask you to help him draw it, just so he can get you to hold him closer.

“dear… i truly haven’t a clue what you mean. could you maybe guide my hand and help me understand?”

you know what he’s doing, of course, but you’re not complaining. you’ll even tease him and whisper softly into his ear; he asked for it after all.

when you’re writing, painting, sketching or doing anything at all really, you can expect him to be watching. he’ll hum in agreement or gently speak some words of affirmation.

when he notices you being a bit stuck, a bit uninspired and frustrated, or simply overworked, he’ll be quick to coax you into bed to cuddle.

he knows how easily you might get into your head, overthinking your work, critiquing every small detail, so he’ll simply get you to stop thinking period.

he’ll stroke your head, caress your cheeks, and mindlessly draw circles on your neck, while reading you your favorite poetry.

if all else fails, he takes you out to see the sunset/sunrise (whichever is more convenient). underneath the dance of colors, the borders between day and night, he reminds you how beautiful the world is. without over complicating everything, the world simply creates all its wonders as they are.

he won’t let go of you until you get a well deserved night’s rest, and you can always expect to be right there when you wake up.

and you wake up to see that lazy smile of his, slightly squinted eyes and groggy morning voice; there’s a tenderness as he greets you a “good morning, beautiful.” and you know feel all your worries melt away.

you think he’s a being way beyond any piece of art, because he gives you reasons to face the next day, and have the courage to express yourself.

that and you can kiss him silly until you can only say each other’s names.

requests are open!! please do not repost on other sites.

[mysticbewitched]

▪︎▪︎ Evolving In My Spiritual Awakening: ▪︎▪︎

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

Hello manifestors,

It’s late at night and I felt so incredibly inspired to write this post in order to update you all on my personal journey of spiritual awakening.

Where have I been all this time? I have taken a step back to purely focus on myself and my spiritual journey to enlightenment. Not too long ago, I believe I have crossed paths with one of my spiritual guides who I like to refer to as my guardian angel because ever since meeting him, we have been guiding and helping each other on our spiritual paths.

The experience has been nothing short of deeply transformative and awakening for me. I’m proud to say that I manifested him as a spiritual mentor and close friend in my life whom I can bond with throughout the stages of my spiritual awakening.

I’m considering the idea of doing an audio podcast with him one of these nights to dive deeper into the primary fundamentals of nonduality, manifestation, and our role as conscious creators of reality.

*If* we both decide to move forward with this, I’ll post it on my page for everyone to listen. This is not a for sure thing, but it is under consideration.

After so much more evolving and transforming on my path: I just want to say that the title, “law of consciousness” no longer resonates with me in my teachings since I have evolved to higher levels of understanding and transformative epiphanies on my spiritual path. Along with that decision, I have reached deeper insight from having profound realizations revolving around the terms, “consciousness” and “awareness" connecting into the nature of nonduality's philosophy.

This epiphany right here has been one of the most transformative and profound revelations so far on the path to true enlightenment throughout my own spiritual journey and these realizations dismantled one of the greatest misconceptions thrown around in the modern nonduality community.

I have been allowing myself to be guided by the inner knowledge of my true self.

I have come to discover that these terms: “consciousness” and “awareness” are distinctly different from each other. These terms are not and have never been the same.

Consciousness and awareness are the not the same as we have been previously lead to think. This is important for people to realize as we learn more about the true nature of nonduality.

This is a reveal that spiritual guru of nonduality: Nisargadatta Maharaj has touched on in deep detail.

Because I have let go of such terms, realized the actual differences of consciousness vs awareness, and reached deeper understandings of on my spiritual path of awakening, I have come up with my own titles to use on the side of the standard titles for nonduality instead that resonate much deeper with me at these stages of my journey.

The titles to refer to the nature of nonduality that resonate much deeper with me are:

▪︎ reality warping

▪︎ law of being

▪︎ reality creation

▪︎ law of manifestation

▪︎ law of creation

▪︎ law of awareness

Remember that there is not a single law operating outside of us. There is absolutely nothing outside of our true divine nature as unconditioned, silent awareness. We are the divine law of creation itself.

Those are the only kind of titles that I will use from now on to express the vital fundamentals of nonduality and reality creation in order to help you reach the transcendent Heaven of self-realization throughout your spiritual awakening.

I write this post as I experience complete bliss and serenity from the God state perception where I am truly thriving in this moment and enjoying my true self’s nature as divine awareness. It's a beautiful feeling of enlightenment and freedom.

It’s such an intense, liberating feeling to realize the true self as divine awareness and recognize the absolute oneness of all existence.

Think of waves filled with pure euphoria rushing through your veins as you experience an inner feeling of invincible thrills and deep satisfaction just from embracing your divine nature.

You experience unbridled freedom and indescribable ecstasy from transforming your conception of self to the blissful God state of self-awareness. The feelings that come along are truly a treasure and it cannot be expressed by words.

It’s a powerful sense of euphoric bliss that rushes over the body and it cannot be tamed. It demands to be felt with profound intensity throughout your every inch of your being. All I can say is that it just feels like complete Heaven on Earth.

I have not a single care in the world at the moment as I’m simply enjoying the divine beauty of all existence, the human experience, and oneness.

Before I end things here, I just want to share that the human experience is such an absolute treasure and precious gift to behold. The true beauty of this life is that there is truly no meaning and we are simply here to awaken from the dream of life as divinely powerful creators to our true inner power.

As we awaken to our true self, we realize our infinite power within to create the reality of our dreams.

This life we live is such a precious gift. There is nothing to ever fear as we embrace the beauty and magic of living this human experience and connect with our true self. It's a feeling beyond this world.

We are here to embrace, live, and simply enjoy the human experience while we have fun with mastering reality. I love this life that we live and I feel thrilled to be living deep in the moments that pass by.

I feel an ocean of deep love and gratitude for all of my followers who support my page. I just want to say that all of your love, support, and appreciation for my content truly means absolutely everything to me beyond words. I hope that everyone here reading this euphoric-fueled message is kicking ass on their own spiritual journey. We are all divine and powerful.

My heart is filled with so much love and appreciation for you all. Thank you from the very bottom of my heart for continuing to support my page even when I take a step back at times to catch my breath.

Sometimes I just need a break for awhile to regain my inspiration and fiery drive for writing more posts.

I wish everyone a beautiful night tonight and I look forward to sharing more of my spiritual epiphanies with you. Lastly, I want to remind everyone that you are all powerful manifestors deep within and every single one of you has invincible power to create the reality of your wildest dreams.

Be confident in yourself. You are power.

Trust in yourself and dare to believe in the reality of your dreams. The true nature of self is simply divine.

I have faith in you.

~ Mystic

[forever-fixating]

WIP Wednesday

OMG hey! It's been a while, I know. IRL can be a real energy suck, but I have recharged my batteries and have some goodies to share. Thanks to @onthewaytosomewhere for the tag! I'm doing this under a cut because I'm sharing bits from living in a new normal and Tournament for His Heart! Enjoy!

living in a new normal

“Hey, talk to me.”

Swallowing, Henry said, “It’s risky. I don’t know that I trust myself not to be able to hide how happy you make me.”

“Good thing we’ll be so busy with the kids,” Alex laughed. He moved closer and put an arm around Henry’s waist. “Baby, you’re gonna be overseas with me soon for three months. I know you’re worried about people talking, but let them talk. That doesn’t have to affect us.”

Henry turned his face toward Alex and accepted his gentle kiss, murmuring against his lips, “You’re right.”

“I know I am,” Alex said with a grin. “Besides, you think you’re the only one here finding it hard to hide how happy you are?”

“Have you been hiding?” Henry asked. “I’ve seen your Lives and Instagram stories. Nothing but sappy love songs, darling.”

“You fucking love it, don’t lie!”

Henry did. Alex’s knowledge of music and its history was impressive, to say the least. One minute, he would be talking about the history of Motown and Berry Gordy’s manipulative and predatory contracts, and the next, he would be ranting that The Chicks did nothing wrong when Natalie said what she said about Bush and he would kill to collaborate with them on a song. He promised to show Henry his vast collection of eight-tracks, vinyls, cassette tapes, and CDs. Music made him come alive. This wasn’t someone who was a casual fan of music. Alex was in a life-long love affair with it.

So, when it came to his IG Lives and Stories, Henry didn’t know what to expect. It could be a song from Taylor Swift, Billie Holiday, or Wham. When he sang a country version of the duo’s song Freedom, Henry could only respond via text with a string of lovey-dovey emojis. It was ridiculous, and Henry couldn’t get enough.

A Tournament for His Heart

“Love, remember the shadows,” Alex read aloud. “Talk to Pip.”

At the trio of confused expressions, Alex explained Henry’s final message and his belief that some kind of danger scared Henry into cutting off their correspondence. Zahra turned to Ellen again and said, “Your Majesty, I believe it would be a grave mistake to send your children to Lerasea. You must decline.”

“I will go,” Alex snapped. At Zahra’s thunderous expression, he said, “Keep June here if you must to ensure the line of succession, but Henry is in danger. I will not leave him to whatever fate Mary has in store for him.”

Ellen reached out to take his hand and squeeze it. Her voice was soft when she asked, “You still love him…don’t you?”

Alex nodded, his throat suddenly too tight to speak. Zahra, ever the pragmatist, said, “Your Highness, while you may still harbor some tenderness toward the prince, I beg you to think about this rationally.”

He glanced at the advisor and the paper in her hand. “This is the list of your fellow suitors. Twelve of them are using proxies, some of the most skilled knights across creation. Even with our very best, there is no guarantee you will be successful. Why open yourself up to the possibility of that heartbreak?”

“I will not use a proxy,” Alex stated. “I will compete myself.”

His mother’s grip on his hand tightened while Zahra snapped, “Alexander, this is not a game! Are you truly so arrogant to believe yourself capable of defeating anyone they put before you?”

“I would break every fucking bone in my body if that’s what it took to be with Henry again!” Alex shouted. His words echoed in the chambers. His body was flooded with adrenaline, but he forced himself to take a moment to calm down. Looking at his mother, with whom his fate and future happiness rested, he said, “I apologize for my tone and language. I don’t believe this will be easy. In fact, I relish the challenge. It is not arrogance that fuels me but love. I love him, Your Majesty. Then and now, that feeling has not changed or wavered. It has remained as constant as the suns, the moons, and the stars. Please let me do this.”

Author's Note: No matter the universe, Alex has zero chill when it comes to his Henry. I'm working on these stories, hopefully I'll have something for yall soon. I have a giant summer with plenty of downtime ahead of me. Later, taters!

[dionysianfreak]

hello dear! i currently am devoted to Lady Aphrodite and am interested in learning more about Dionysus. i love your blog, and I see you work with both- whats your experience with both of them? individually as well as together. do you have tips on working with them? sending love your way! thanks <3

why hello lovely ! thank you for asking, I love talking about Aphrodite and Dionysos. They have truly been my rocks for several years and I really wouldn't be who I am today had I not had Them.

Aphrodite and I have a very fluid relationship. She is my favorite neighbor, the elderly woman who loves to sing me songs, the gentle mother i longed for, my lover, my soother, my tear-soaked shoulder, my laughter, and everything in between. She was the majority of my emotional support through extremely hard times and She carries Herself with a softness I've always trusted.

theologically, i attribute Aphrodite to all earthly creation and the love that persists in the universe. while i view Deities like Gaia as personifications of earthling life, I see Aphrodite as the force that compels life. i heavily associate Her with the physical/material world, especially the physical connections we can form with the world and beings around us. this is why i worship Her as Aphrodite and Aphroditos, because I view the body as the thing that connects humanity to every other physical thing. She was born from the mixing of the sea, earthly blood, and divinity representing the harmony of creation. I also see Her in the unique things we can only do because of our physical body. this includes feeling complex emotion, sensuality, sexuality, gender identity, self expression, and more. Aphrodite taught me to love and express myself wholeheartedly, and extend that love to every other living thing.

Dionysos, on the other hand, is the blessing of consciousness. Dionysos is the reason we can appreciate and love the things the other Theoi gift and cultivate. He was the one who kisses our eyes and liberates us from automation. I speak about my views of Him in this post here which explain it well i think. Dionysos came to me when i was young, reckless, and naive. contrary to many of the others i found who worship Him, He brought a serious and structured breath to my lungs. if He had been anywhere close to the rambunctious and indulgent God many people know Him as, i would have flown off the tracks and destroyed my life. He came to me as a God of moderation, balance, and self-realization. I don't often see His carefree or festivity-oriented aspects.

Their roles in my life have drifted apart as time has gone on. when I was younger there was a lot more collaboration and syncretism of Dionysus and Aphrodite in my worship. these days, things are quite separate on the surface. They seem to have a very close relationship in my life in a way I find hard to put into words. Aphrodite definitely brings an airy, relaxed perspective while Dionysos is able to navigate any chaos that arises with grace. They keep the balance between logic and emotion in check, though there is no clean divide between who is which. i wish I could describe it better for you, but English is so limiting. I'll put it this way: I have never seen Their roles in my life as separate nor conjoined, but it feels wrong to worship Them in different shrines. I don't speak about my devotion without speaking both of Their names and I credit Them equally for the man I am right now.

the tips I have for you are scarce. Aphrodite and Dionysos both handle domains that are extremely unique to each individual, so it is hard to give advice when all i know is my own inner world. I would say that the best way to approach both of Their influences is without expectation or method. letting the lessons be fluid and appear as they are meant to has been most effective. my worship with Them has also been very non-linear so i wouldn't be concerned if one of Them drops off for a little, or if the dynamics shift frequently. Aphrodite and Dio flow together in a very unique way, which can be difficult to get used to in the beginning. but again, this is just my experience. i hope it helps a little ! and good luck <3

[strawberryspiced]

For years, I've poured my heart and soul into my art, yet insecurities have often derailed my vision, whispering doubts about the worthiness of my creations and whether anyone would truly appreciate them. But through it all, I've come to realise that art is not just about external validation; it's a deeply personal journey of self-expression and growth. Yes, this is something I know well - but your insecurities are very good at convincing you otherwise sometimes.

Growing up, I was always drawn to art in many forms. Whether it was sketching in my maths book during class or losing myself in front of the piano, creativity was my sanctuary, my safe space - a place where I could escape everyday pressures and troubles and just dive into my imagination. But as I got older that annoying and nagging voice of insecurity began to creep in, creating doubts over my passions.

I remember very clearly the first time I hesitantly shared my artwork with others, waiting for their reactions. My heart raced with anticipation, longing for validation yet fearing rejection. Would they see the flaws I saw? Would they dismiss my creations as amateurish or unworthy of attention? These questions plagued my mind, threatening to overshadow the joy I found in creating. How simultaneously CRAZY and sad, right?!

Yes, I understand that art is a journey of self-discovery, a process of embracing imperfections and celebrating individuality. It's not about conforming to external standards of perfection, but rather about staying true to oneself and embracing the unique perspective we each bring to the world. Acceptance of this, I began to loosen the grip of insecurity and embrace my art with newfound confidence, but sadly that does not lock the demons away for good, lol.

No… My journey has not been without its challenges. There have been moments of frustration when my vision refused to materialise on canvas or digital canvas and there are still times when self-doubt threatens to derail my creative aspirations - But through it all, I have clung to the belief that art is a reflection of the soul, a testament to the beauty and complexity of human experience. So… regardless of what my inner ramble says, I have made a conscious decision to let go of fear and to continue sharing my work with the world.

If I am truly honest with myself… making the decision to share my art with the world, despite my lingering insecurities has been one of the most transformative aspects of my creative journey. Yet, even as I received positive feedback towards my art, I still find myself having to silence my insecurities. As frustrating as this has been, I have also come to witness and realise that it seems to be something which many creatives battle with, so at least I know I am not alone, lol.

Nonetheless, I've come to realise that my creative journey is not defined by what others think or whether or not my stuff even sells… it is about the joy and fulfilment I find in the act of creation itself. Each piece I create is a reflection of who I am, a snapshot of my thoughts, emotions, and experiences frozen in time. And whether or not others choose to purchase my art is ultimately beside the point – what matters is that I continue to create, to explore, and to grow as an artist and as a human being. So, yay to that haha!

So here I am, denying my doubts entry and just moving forward with what I want - and what I want is to share my art with the world… to have it up on walls and enjoyed, not only from a visual perspective, but from an emotional one too.

[eatmangoesnekkid]

I want to be pristinely clear that while "The Melody of Love" critiques patriarchy, it doesn't promote the war or tension between sexes, this deep soul wounding, or encourage the de-centering of men. While I understand what women who participate in this movement are trying to do and I agree that there is a dire need for women to stop obsessing over men and generally become priorities in their lives, when you listen to those who promote this movement, there is a haunting hollowness of hidden, unaddressed hurt and pain at the root.

That's why the "de-centering men" movement would never be part of my mission. Far from it. I like to get to the root of the reality—which is deep in the body and not out there. And yes, you should be at the center of your reality, at the center of your universe, the "de-centering men" movement puts a wedge between men and women, instead of bringing us all together, including non-binary people. As usual, I find myself not being part of typical polarized ways of thinking, and more present in a nuanced 3rd lane which has been the case for most of my life. When the handy man comes over to work on my home, if I'm in that movement, I would not consider giving him some tea, juice, or water to quench his thirst. While this gesture from me is not necessary, it does show kindness to someone who enters your home and will feel thought of and move around your space with good vibes due to your hospitality. Such beautiful energy shared between two people and emitted out into an aching world.

Through my critiques, I am making a much larger point about the level of harm these systems-patriarchy, capitalism, and Abrahamic religion do to us because they live in our bodies. They cause breast pain, pelvic pain, back pain, pussy pain, period pain, blood clots, cysts, tumors, and the like. These systems ferment like sauerkraut into our breasts/hearts, hips, bellies, tailbones, and spines and impact our wellness like our moon cycles and experiences with menopause. They negatively influence how we breathe, how we think and perceive, how we make love, how we regenerate, the care and attention we cook a meal, and what we receive and attract. They trigger us to value production over getting a good quality of rest and not staying up late at night. These punitive systems do the work of keeping our nervous systems locked into flight or fight and survival states on a daily basis. Only healthy relaxed women engage the most openhearted passionate love and yield healthy families and healthy communities/villages.

But I don't just critique like an academic. I am rootsy, braless, barefoot, and revolutionary to my core, therefore, I channel practical solutions that lead readers towards healing their bodies and truly evolving their lives into bliss.

The melody of love movement is about deep spiritual repair and care: the strength and capacity of love, the truth of our soul and destiny, the intimacies and passion of the body meeting earth, and the regenerative qualities of the female body and how they favorably impact her quality of well-being and abundance. Essentially my work brings your body into a state of love that allows you to masterfully maneuver beyond these wicked systems as an embodiment of love, one of the highest frequency, a reclamation of your original sovereign template that taps you into the inexhaustible reservoir of energy that lives inside your female body, this spark of creation. After we build up our energy and increase our capacity, it is my vision that we will then lend our bodies over to being of service to something larger that favorably recalibrates our global world into greater harmony.

There is actually a deep yearning present inside my own heart to witness more men truly rise into a more healthy honorable expression of themselves on the planet. To de-center men, no matter what your sexuality may be, yields great harm to the feminine heart. I’m not sorry to say this but-- a real woman could never do that. She would die sorrowful...deeply heartbroken. -India Ame'ye, Author

[utilitycaster]

Also Orym, for better or worse, seems to be the PC in C3 that people tend to project onto the most. Likely because he's kind, unassuming and almost a blank slate in a lot of ways (not a bad thing). He's the Good One. Which means a lot of people are projecting their ideals of Good on to him and then if/when he does something they don't agree with, or someone else labels as Bad, it can be confronting. So they say he's going dark when they mean he's doing something they personally wouldn't do.

So I agree that's probably a factor, and I guess my stance on media is like...I don't care, truly, if people project onto media, but so much criticism is based in "the show didn't do what I told myself it was supposed to" and not "the show didn't do what it stated it would do" and that's boring. Again. If you want to make yourself sad, that's fine. But if you can't engage with anything until you've trimmed it down to fit neatly into your comfort zone and experiences you are utterly not worth my time.

I also want to post the longer Brennan quote about rage and conflict because I think it's really relevant (again, from Dom or Be Dommed, episode 14 of season 1 of Adventuring Party):

"I remember one time 'cause in basic improv stuff, you teach people not to fight and a therapist one time, I was working at a camp, teaching LARPing and improv to children on the autism spectrum. We were working with a therapist who was working with them, who was writing a doctoral paper, and she mentioned one time about the no fighting rule. And she was like, "That's such a funny rule," because, of course, people put into a fictional circumstance are going to want to fight, because the idea of being able to express rage without consequence is such a cathartic thing for people who most often swallow rage."

Now this means a lot of things, and can be interpreted all sorts of ways but I think one of my biggest takeaways is that D&D (and other interactive play/acts of creation, whether it be other TTRPGs, one's own writing or art, or playing open-world video games) can be a place to explore some fucked up shit, or even some stuff that's not necessarily bad, but falls outside what you can do in real life. Like, in the real world chances are if you try to kill the unjust greedy baron equivalent you will get in trouble, and in D&D you will not only gain the love of the common people but you will also probably get a cool sword. And I think that occupies a very important place - that you can explore things you would never dream of doing in real life, and express ugly feelings and anger in a safe place and even be rewarded. And to be clear: it's a safe place for the artist or creator. There is no guarantee of a safe space for the audience.

If someone prides themselves on never crossing any lines they wouldn't in real life, and only liking the most squeaky clean morally pure characters, that's their own business. I also have no interest in anything they have to say.