#especially also considering the circumstances under which it was formed but especially UNDER WHICH IT IS UPHELD TODAY

[disco-cola]

Not me still getting unfollowed by „leftists“ for my posts on insta 🫠 like if after 3 months and all the info out there you still side with a state that’s been continually under a fascist government for decades (and even opposing israelis say the racism is systemic, its internalized in their entire society rather than in just a few „spoilt apples“) or think staying neutral does anything… hon you are no better than the oppressor. You support fascism. I shared several stories by jewish creators yesterday who debunked the „safe haven for jewish people“ myth that is more like an ad slogan israel put out into circulation about itself (additionally fueled through the controversial nation state law passed in 2018) rather than based on facts, on the contrary - due to the forced military service and ongoing clashes it’s actually a very dangerous place (and how can you REALLY be SAFE like that, nobody would be) - and think you are fighting antisemitism by unfollowing me while not even listening to those creators but continuing to throw every single jewish person into one pot with israel, which is a fucking clichee and generalization - isn’t that literally what antisemitism is? Assuming generalized things about one ethnicity/religion legitimately will go for every one of them, like „knowing one means knowing all“? 🤔 Rather supporting a nation state with those laws and ideologies than to start calling and working towards safety ANYWHERE? plus you’re blatantly disregarding all the work organizations like JVP or also singular individuals have done to fight that stigma like idk that seems more antisemitic to me than still defending a state that bombs a small strip of land consisting of mostly kids in the name of „jewish safety“ then arrests Jewish Israeli citizens when they dare to criticize the military and show empathy with Gaza (like how is this a „safe“ jewish person when they don’t even have the basic law of free speech and get arrested for showing sympathy with others ESPECIALLY about something like THAT) honestly I just don’t get it it makes me so so angry - then again these were oftentimes the kind of people who thought they showed solidarity during BLM when all they posted was a black square which was exactly what creators and black activists asked us all NOT to do bc it clogged the feed and killed the flow of information and news but yeah… some of those antifa people - at least here - were and are just scene kids who pay more attention to their outfits and hair colors and patches and maintaining a certain look than to actually sit tf down shut up and listen once. They only feel validated when they can feel like they are the „saviors“ and secretly wallow in that feeling and can pat themselves on the back for waving a rainbow flag that has the antifa logo on it in a local demonstration. They are so concerned with symbolics and outer representation that they forget to actually keep LEARNING instead of just repeating the same things over and over again and oversimplifying things by that, because sometimes there’s so much more behind matters which brings me to the starting point of this post.

[cloverjelly]

life series duos as songs!

2 - mean gills (scott and martyn) - me and the devil by soap & skin

again, song analysis under the cut :)

-(not song related/for clarification) - somewhat hc but i say scott has the widow curse (not grian ik, scott's curse is in the sense that he outlives his allies) which is the black widow spider fucking up the strings and martyns is the swan curse bc he devotes himself to one person and will defend it like hes fucking feral. which explains the feathers bc i really didnt wanna draw a swan!

-and i said hello satan, ah / i believe it's time to go - i like to think that since both of these buddies r super smart and (mostly canonically) aware of the watchers and what goes on beyond the games, they both kinda knew about each others curses when they met and knew one of them would die to the other and only one curse would be broken in the end

-me and the devil walkin' side by side - super similar to the first note- the entire mean gills alliance was doomed and formed more from strategy than actual friendliness (debatable but yk) and both were aware of the other's ability to murder them

-you may bury my body / down by the highway side - i would say this is mostly scotts pov, since i still believe that he knew what was coming for him and knew about martyn's betrayal, this is also shown by him smiling in the art

-see, don't see why / people dog me around / it must be that old evil spirit / so deep down in your ground - kinda tying back to how both parties were somewhat aware of the watchers (the "evil spirit" in the lyrics) and were lamenting about their curses, especially when it came to them both being in the final fight

-(not song related, 2) - i used white hibiscus flowers as a base for scott's crown (its usually js yellow) bc 1. they lived on a fucking beach 2. it symbolizes purity and sympathy which i think makes a lot of sense considering the above circumstances, AND i used the same reddish tone for scott's flowers and martyn's coral crown. i ALSO added a nice beam of light as the lighting this time bc drama and also idk smth smart about being aware/"enlightened" to the watcher's antics

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Hello! It's me again. I'm probably pestering you, lol. I think a lotta people give flack for the Octavinelle trio being ruthless and "behaving like a Mafia." But I think considering where they live it makes sense? They live in the ocean. And the ocean is a kill or be killed environment, where you have to the strongest and toughest. If not? You at least have to be quick witted and unable to be seen, otherwise you'll be dead. If the trio become too soft they'll be fish meat.

I think the fandom is pretty divided when it comes to perceptions of what the Coral Sea is like. On one hand, you have the people who think of it as like living in Atlantica, which is basically just like living in a peaceful and pretty city (but underwater). Then you have the people who think the environment would be so different it would shape its inhabitants to behave differently as well. The second one tends to be a darker or grittier interpretation which aknowledges dangers such as other undersea creatures and treacherous living conditions.

Personally, I lean on and enjoy the latter, since TWST rarely ever designs purely for the aesthetic of it; one example of this is how the twins are confirmed to be bioluminescent in the Magical Archives. This is a decision that was not made “because it would look cool”, but because many deep sea creatures rely on this trait to intimidate potential predators. It would make more sense for the cold waters of the Coral Sea to change its people rather than merfolks’ cities simply being civilizations moved several leagues under, especially seeing TWST time and time again really consider the geography and history of each new location and how those inform the cultures that form there.

However, I want to state that the Coral Sea would be very different depending on which area you’re in, just like how there are nice parts and bad parts of a city. It’s not ALL nice or ALL bad. For example, the Atlantica Museum in book 3 appears to be in a more photic zone, so there’s more sunlight and it appears pleasant to be in. Even the merpeople there seem to be different than the Octatrio; they less so resemble specific sea creatures and are much more akin to being human-like. We have yet to really see how the benthic zones are—but we do know they must be harsher, since Floyd has mentioned exploring shipwrecks and various dangers there (like sharks).

I also want to point out that there are subtle signs in dialogue which could imply merpeople prefer traits that promote survivability and adaptability in the ocean. Azul’s bullies are noted to taunt him for his weight, but also for his bulky tentacles and inky tears. Now why those traits specifically??? Because these impede his ability to swim swiftly (making it harder to escape danger) and easily give away his location (if he’s in hiding or camoflauging).

I’ve seen others suggest that maybe these comments are because of racism against octopus merpeople, who are a rare kind of merfolk. This is entirely possible, yes! But thinking about it like that… Isn’t it also possible that there aren’t a lot of octopus merpeople at the moment because it’s more difficult for them to escape or to hide from predators? Which then informs and perpetuates preexisting prejudices. In this context (plus the bullying), it makes sense why Azul may have “hardened” as a defense and survival mechanism. The same goes for the twins, who were explicitly taught how to defend themselves (although this also goes into the Leech mob family theory, which is a whole separate matter) and have often made references to fighting others in the Coral Sea. Their upbringings also play a part in their personalities, but so does the environment they grew up in. Like Azul and the twins, you’d have to harden mentally or physically to some degree to ensure your survival through tough circumstances.

It’s hard to say for sure though! A lot of this is speculation based on current but infrequent lore, and the Octatrio themselves are a very small portion of all merfolk. They may not be representative of the behaviors of all other merpeople, and we should keep this in mind when referring to them as our exemplars. That’s why I’ve been hoping for a Coral Sea hometown event so we have a more concrete idea of what life under the sea is like 😭

[halfusek]

Something inky this way comes! The Ink Demonth emerges once again!

The Ink Demonth is a 31-day event dedicated to the game Bendy and the Ink Machine (and other games associated with the Bendy universe). It’s based on daily themes. As long as your creation involves elements from the game along with any interpretation of the respective day’s theme – it counts!

You don’t have to create something for each day, make as many creations as you’d like. However, if you manage to do all 31 of them, you can submit a form to receive a little gift (drawing request)! In the form, you will have to provide a link to each of your posted event submissions (it doesn’t have to be Tumblr, just a site that’s publically accessible!).

Here is the link to the form (it will be opened from September 1st to September 30th):

Tag your creations with #The Ink Demonth and #Bendy and the Ink Machine. It’s important if you want to have your entry reblogged by me, which I’m going to do to everything I’ll see in this tag. (So don’t @ me, just tag it with the event’s tag and the game’s name. It’s possible that your post may not show up in the tags, if you notice that I’m not reblogging your entries for a longer while, feel free to DM them directly to me on Tumblr. My focus will be mainly on Tumblr, I may interact with posts on other sites but it is going to be with whatever I run into, as this event is Tumblr-focused. Feel free to post on other sites too, though!)

(Due to special circumstances in my life I might be especially slow this August with reblogging stuff, so if you notice that I'm not reblogging anything at all, I might just be having a busy day and will get on it when I'm free! <3)

(And, though I think it goes without saying, if I notice a post containing something I consider harmful content, I will not reblog it and will warn the creator of such content that, depending on the case, they cannot continue to take part in the event with content like this or perhaps even not at all.)

Remember to tag only the finished entries, so the tag isn’t clogged with WIPs!

You can create whatever you’d like! Draw a picture! Write a fic! Do a video edit! Take a cosplay photo! Anything you can come up with that is a creative interpretation of that day’s theme!

(Don’t try to „cheat the system”, though – don’t submit a, let’s say, straight line for each day, I will notice this kind of spam and remember: spamming is a terrible sin. You can make an entry that covers a few themes but as long as you don’t create 31 things, the gift will not be granted to you.)

The event starts on the 1st of August and ends on the 31st. Although, don’t worry if you’re too busy in August, late entries are always welcome! (…for reblogging, as for drawing gifts I’m going to give all of you an extra month, so if you’re aiming for that, the end of September is your deadline.) (I usually also give an extra month before for preparing during July but this year I’ve been too busy to make it for July so apologies!)

Why in August? I figured that since August is the month on Joey’s calendar in his apartment and August is the month during which BatIM takes place, it should be the one! 

Please, make sure to tag appropriate trigger/content warnings!

Thank you for taking your time to read this. Reblogs are appreciated in order to get the word out.

Have fun everyone! 💛🖤

You can view the text version of the full month under the cut~

1. Pencil

2. Friendship

3. Creator

4. Choice

5. Benevolent

6. Machine

7. Flow

8. Pen

9. Failure

10. Creation

11. Reason

12. Angel

13. Children

14. Puddles

15. Color

16. Legacy

17. Eye

18. Purpose

19. Ghost

20. Factory

21. City

22. Radio

23. Contraband

24. Keep

25. Cycle

26. Demon

27. Pit

28. Devour

29. Meat

30. Duck

31. Revival

[tommys-cant-swim]

So, you want to get a tommy

Great! Tommys are wonderful creatures and full of personality. But there are things you should consider before getting them:

Tommys have a very long lifespan compared to dogs or cats- 35-40 years to be exact. A tommy is a big commitment and if you're on the older side you might even need to pass yours on to another family member.

Tommys are extremely energetic, overwhelmingly so. By the time I finish tiring out my tommys, I'm usually sweating and exhausted (love them though)

The most popular breed of tommy (dsmp or canon depending on who you ask) are significantly more prone to anxiety than other breeds. Please do not get one just because you've seen them online

Tommys have diets that may be upsetting to some people- they eat bugs and shellfish (and fruit), if you're upset by either, don't get one, please.

All that being said, here's a quick and dirty guide to getting your first tommy!

Choosing a tommy

There are lots of ways to choose a tommy, there's plenty of shelters to choose from and most house every kind of tommy. I recommend going in person and picking whichever you feel the closest to- but picking a specific breed is fine too! I'll leave a guide to the two breeds I know best (feel free to add info about other breeds)

DSMP/Canon - As previously stated, a very popular breed of tommy. They form strong bonds with owners and other pets and generally mix well with other popular mcyts such as tubbos and wilburs. However, they are easily startled and can be very messy due to being burrowers. They're also known to experience strong 'play aggression' and can accidentally injure others if they get too riled up.

Origin(s) - I know much less about this breed, but I still feel confident speaking on them as I have fostered origins tommys in the past. Origins tommys are much more mentally sound than dsmp breeds and do not have the major caveat of having to eat bugs as they are completely vegetarian! However, they do have minor flight abilities, which may be a turn-off for some owners.

Setting up your home for your tommy

Tommys need an outdoor area of at least 25 sq ft for digging and general enrichment. Tommys who are let outside unsupervised should be belled to prevent damage to the local ecosystem and the tommy themselves, as they have a bad habit of eating birds and squirrels, fur and bones, which they cannot digest.

All tommys need a small, private space to hide and rest in. A cardboard box will do just fine under most circumstances as long as it is large enough for your tommy to stretch out in to prevent claustrophobic anxiety (which dsmp tommys are especially prone to).

Lastly, tommys need chew toys. Chewing is their main way of relieving stress and expressing joy and not having a consistent outlet for it is extremely upsetting for them.

Additional advice

Tommys cannot swim and should not be let near bodies of water deeper than knee-height.

Dsmp tommys are terrified of heights and should not be placed on counters or tables.

Tommy's Can be picked up by the scruff

My other guides:

Caring for tommys with anxiety Tommy mouthingIntroducing two tommys (this can really be applied to introducing a tommy to any pet)

[lilacmingi]

THE INVITE

My works are 14+ ONLY. If you’re under 14 DO NOT interact with me or any of my works. Ageless blogs and blank blogs risk getting blocked

Pairing: Vampire!Jin x human!fem reader

Word count: 2,105

Note: This imagine is from my Wattpad so there won’t be any extra parts or continuations

A letter sat idly on your coffee table untouched as you stared it down, debating on wether to open it or not. You knew exactly who it was from. A brief glance at the fancy designs embellishing the envelope was enough to tell you exactly who the sender was.

Kim Seokjin.

You lived in a society where vampire and humans coexisted, living together in peace (for the most part). Seokjin was one of the most well-known vampires in town. Everyone knew who he was or at the very least had heard his name.

You were almost afraid to see what was inside the envelope, but at the same time, your curiosity was gnawing at you. You had never received a letter from Seokjin before. Sure, there had been times where you saw him out and about, sometimes you would say hello or give him a small nod. The most interaction you'd ever him was the occasional friendly exchange and a brief conversation if you were lucky.

Though you would have liked to have an actual conversation with him besides small talk, the circumstances were never ideal and also he was really intimidating. Not intimidating in a scary way, but in a way that he was so good-looking, and maybe that was a vampire thing, but his visuals were otherworldly and often made it difficult for you to carry on a proper conversation.

Before you could chicken out, you reached out and snatched the letter from the table, examining it. The envelope was sealed with a red, wax emblem meaning whatever was inside must've been extremely important. Ever so slowly, you broke the seal and pulled out a neatly-folded piece of card stock. Upon unfolding the paper, you found a letter written in the most stunning penmanship.

Miss Y/n,

I would like to cordially invite you to a prestigious ball at my house tonight at 10:00 PM. Dress code is formal and it is preferred that you wear dark colors. I hope to see you there.

- Kim Seokjin

You clamped your hand over your mouth to stop yourself from gasping. This wasn't a letter, it was an invitation—a handwritten one at that. The invite was daunting, especially considering it was sent to you of all people. The idea of being invited to Seokjin's lofty home for a prestigious party had your insides riddled with jitters. The two of you had only spoken a handful of times which had you wondering why he had invited you.

"I don't even have a dress." You murmured as you folded the letter up and tucked it back into the envelope.

With nothing to wear to the event that was to take place in just a few hours, you headed out to the nearest formalwear shop to find the perfect gown. After roughly forty-five minutes of browsing the array of garments, you settled on a form-fitting carmine dress with a silk cape attached to the back. The style of gown was fitting for an event hosted by a vampire and it fit the dark color scheme specified in the invite.

You returned home shortly after making your purchase, hanging the dress on the back of your bedroom door before heading to the shower to begin preparations for the evening.

10:00 PM rolled around much quicker than you expected, assumably because you were so focused on getting ready that you hardly glanced at the clock.

Now here you were stood before the mirror in your room, smoothing out the red dress that flattered your figure well. The heels you had on were a pair buried in your closet, which you hadn't worn in a couple years. You were happy that they were finally getting some use.

Adorning your neck was a luxurious diamond necklace and a set of matching earrings that were a gift you purchased for yourself one year for Christmas. Your hair was styled perfectly and your choice of makeup was something that matched well with the dress.

Grabbing your small purse, you stepped outside and prepared to head to your car when you spotted a sleek, black vehicle parked outside. Just as you were ready to turn around and run back inside, the window rolled down revealing a man you didn't recognize sitting in the driver's seat.

"Miss Y/n?" He asked.

"Yes. That's me." You responded hesitantly.

"Seokjin requested that I pick you up."

"He did?"

"Yes ma'am. He wanted to make sure you got to the party safely."

"Oh. Okay."

The driver stepped out and opened the door to the vehicle, making sure you got inside safely before closing it.

Seokjin hired a driver to bring you to the party?

Nerves stirred within you, twisting your insides like a pretzel and making your hands clammy. Not even the homes and buildings passing by could distract you. And how could you relax while sitting in the back of a nice, expensive car heading towards a very prestigious party? Deep down, you knew you didn't belong at such an event, but Seokjin invited you. As much as you were dreading it, there was no way you would've been able to miss the party.

"We're here." The driver announced, bringing your focus back to the present.

Just outside the window was a lofty two story house all lit up on the inside, letting you know the gathering was already in full swing.

The vehicle came to a rolling stop in front of Seokjin's home and the driver got out to open the door for you. You murmured a small thank you as you stepped out of the car and began to make your way up the stone pathway to the front door.

Someone standing at the entrance opened the door for you to which you acknowledged him with a small nod and entered the house.

Discomfort washed over you the instant you stepped into the room, taking notice of the many pairs of eyes that were glued to you. Right away you could tell that you were more than likely the only human there, feeling like you were surrounded by hungry sharks. It's not that you were scared of vampires, you were just intimidated by so many of them being around you at once.

Keeping your head down, you made your way through the crowd in hopes to find a secluded corner to stand in for the duration of the event.

Regret gnawed at you and suddenly you wished you never decided to show up in the first place.

This was a terrible idea.

You turned to go back where you came, but the crowd was so packed you didn't even want to try and make your way back through.

Much to your relief, you spotted a door that led to a private balcony; the perfect place to get some fresh air. You hastened through the crowd and squeezed past some people as discreetly as you could, trying to get to the door.

On the way to make your hasty escape, you bumped right into someone's chest, nearly knocking you off your feet.

"Woah. Are you okay?"

Lifting your gaze, you found that you had bumped into none other than Seokjin.

"Oh! I'm so sorry. I didn't realize you were there." You apologized.

"I asked if you were okay." He chuckled, ignoring your response.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Sorry for bumping into you."

"It's okay. This place is packed anyway. There's not much room to move about." He smiled softly. "Where are you running off to? You just got here."

"If I'm being honest, I'm a bit uncomfortable."

"Don't tell me it's because you're surrounded by vampires."

"Well..." You trailed off.

"You're safe, especially if you're with me."

Even though you didn't exactly feel safe, you nodded.

"Seems you wanted to go outside. We can go together if you'd like." He offered.

"I'd like that."

Some alone time with Seokjin would give you the chance to have an actual conversation with him.

He slid his hand into yours and guided you through the crowd, pulling you outside to the small balcony overlooking his well-maintained front lawn.

"You look exquisite tonight, Y/n. This dress is gorgeous."

Biting back a coy grin, you smoothed out the carmine fabric of your gown. "Thank you."

"I'm really glad you showed up."

"You are?"

"Of course. You sound surprised."

"I am. Truthfully, I was shocked to receive an invite in the first place. I don't belong here amongst all these vampires. I'm just some human. There's nothing special or extraordinary about me."

"There is." He stepped closer.

"How do you know? We've only met a handful of times."

Seokjin averted your gaze like he was nervous to answer.

"I've been... watching you."

"You what?"

"I'm sorry." He shook his head. "That came out wrong. I haven't been watching you per se. When I see you out, I can't help but stare. I find myself entranced and my eyes follow you until you're out of sight. It's creepy, I know, but you're just so breathtaking I can't seem to tear my eyes away."

Entranced. Breathtaking.

These words replayed in your head, making your heart race and you were sure he could hear it.

"Seokjin—"

"Jin." He corrected. "Call me Jin."

"Jin. Did you really mean that?"

"Every word." His hand lifted to brush your hair out of your face, quietly admiring the way the moonlight highlighted your features.

As if being pulled by an invisible force, he started to lean in closer. All the while, you stood completely still, anticipating the feeling of his soft-looking lips pressing to yours. Though you were reeling from his confession, you were still able to prepare for what was about to happen.

Jin's pink lips were mere centimeters from yours when he inhaled deeply, pulling back just enough for you to take notice.

"What's wrong?" You questioned.

He shook his head, not wanting to tell you.

"You can tell me." You gently urged.

"You smell really good."

Your brows raised.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"No, no. I understand. If you want to—"

"No. I can't. I don't usually drink human blood. I try to stay away from it."

"Jin, I don't mind. Really."

He met your gaze, searching your features for any signs of uncertainty. "Are you sure?"

A single nod from you confirmed.

He leaned in and kissed your lips sweetly, a single and light gesture to test the waters. Though you were caught off guard by the sudden affectionate display, you weren't opposed to it in the slightest. In fact, you wished he would place his lips upon yours one more time.

When Jin noticed the way you leaned into him, he pressed his lips to yours once more, this time for a little longer. A faint smooch sound could be heard as he parted ways, his lips ghosting along your jawline before slowly trailing down to your neck. He placed a soft kiss to the area he decided to feed from which made you suppress a shiver.

His arms slid around your waist and coaxed you closer to him, keeping you securely in his hold. The sharp sting of his fangs sinking into your skin followed a few brief seconds later. You released an involuntary gasp and clutched onto the collar of Jin's suit jacket.

In an attempt to comfort you, he began to rub your back in a slow and soothing manner, the gesture helping to relax you a bit. Needing something to focus on, your eyes shifted to the city in the distance, marveling at the pretty lights dotting the nighttime scenery.

Just as the pain started to ebb away, Jin withdrew his fangs and pulled back.

"Are you okay?" It was the first question he uttered, his red eyes slowly fading back to their natural brown.

You nodded.

"Hang on a second. Stay still."

He leaned in again and you felt him lick a stripe up your neck, causing you to shiver at the sensation.

"What did you do?"

"I healed your neck so it won't get sore and you won't have to worry about covering an ugly bite mark."

"Oh. Thank you."

"No. Thank you. You didn't have to do that, but it was a nice treat." He winked, setting your cheeks aflame.

Jin chuckled when you turned away to hide your flustered expression.

"After tonight, I'd like to see you again. I want to take you out somewhere nice where we can really get to know each other. If that's alright with you, of course."

"I would love that."

Jungkook ♱ Jimin ♱ Yoongi ♱ Taehyung ♱ Namjoon ♱ Hoseok

Masterlist ᝰ — enjoyed this imagine? reblogs & comments are very much appreciated!

DO NOT steal, plagiarize, copy, repost, alter, or translate my works in any way

🏷 @h3arteyes4mingi @weird-bookworm @poppy2007 @parkjennykim @evidive @mxlly143 @lizzymizzy-blogg @minhanbyeol @dinossaurz @laylasbunbunny @iammeandmeisiam @delulu18 @hyunjin-amore

[hazbinhotelie]

I need to work on a list of headcanons for Alastor in general, hold on

-HOOVES (confirmed)

-Tail and fluff (unconfirmed :()

-Deer noises (slightly confirmed? With Rosie)

-Is a very snuggly person but in the sense that he can invade other people’s space when he wants, but no one can touch him without permission (this might be canon, I haven’t checked)

-No Touch Days! Where he doesn’t want to be touched at all, and honestly, that’s relatable.

-When I’m making him as show-accurate as possible, he’d be sex repulsed.

-otherwise I’ll be sticking labels on him like little stickers, swapping them around for situations as needed. In one fic he’s ace, in another, he’s aroace, it’s all fiction you can’t stop me >:)

-This asshole is a virgin who definitely platonically married Rosie for tax benefits

-His radio static can interfere with Vox’s signals (which leads to so much potential for trolling, but also angst if it’s possible to manipulate Vox’s perceptions of things)

-Zestial helped him sew his mouth shut/into that near-permanent smile (or taught him some of what he knows)

-He hates Valentino for many reasons, his treatment of women (and people in general tbh) being a big part of it, but also that whole love potion thing he did with Velvette. And of course, his preexisting hatred for Vox and their affiliation with him probably plays into it

-I don’t think he hates Vox. Even their rivalry is one sided lmao.

-I think they had a falling out and it was bitter for a time, but Alastor has gotten over it. Now he’s just trolling Vox because it’s what he does to everyone.

-he has a little ace ring on his finger that Rosie gifted him

-he can’t actually play piano, but he is a good dancer and can obviously sing well

-he keeps up to date on the latest music and news (and vaguely knows of tech, he just doesn’t care for it)

-he has tea sessions with Rosie specifically dedicated to learning slang

-the two points above this are specifically for his radio show, because I headcanon it’s not all just screams, he’s got some actual segments in there. Especially considering he used it to diss Vox in Stayed Gone and nobody was surprised

-Under different circumstances, he would have definitely adopted Velvette on sight. (Keep in mind for AUs)

-his antlers are sensitive, that’s why he usually keeps them so short (instead of having them big, like in his full demon form)

-His ears are also sensitive! And soft. Don’t touch them, or you’ll die.

-he gives both the best and worst relationship advice, depending on who’s asking and when.

-He doesn’t like sweet things very much, but he’ll eat it when necessary (to make his friends happy. He won’t admit it)

-He eats raw meat like an absolute menace, but he is a good cook.

-he’s very particular about the way the kitchen is organized, no one else is allowed in lest they mess it up. No one is allowed to Interrupt his cooking, but they may offer to help clean up the dishes afterwards.

-he hums old tunes when cooking (or doing anything really) and his radio static accompanies him at all times, it’s just a matter of how loud or quiet it is. Usually people don’t notice it because it’s so quiet.

-The static changes volume, frequency, etc. depending on his mood, a key indicator when he’s pissed off or joking or not.

[dwellordream]

“Sex and reproduction affected women’s lives much more powerfully than men’s. The mid-century decades were particularly treacherous ones because the codes of sexual conduct were changing so rapidly. On the one hand, traditional sexual mores and the “double standard” remained so strong that a woman’s reputation could be “ruined”--in the lingo of the day--if she behaved in ways that were outside the boundaries of acceptable sexual conduct for women. If she became pregnant as a result, the consequences were extremely dire. On the other hand, these were the years when sex became big business; sex was used to sell products from cars to toothpaste.

Magazines, movies, and every form of advice literature encouraged women to be attractive and sexy to catch a man--but to put on the brakes when it came to sex itself. Birth control devices were becoming more effective and available, but abortion remained illegal except under exceptional circumstances, and illegal abortions were extremely dangerous. If women were confused by all these mixed messages, it is no wonder. As one woman recalled, “Postwar America was a society with Stop-Go lights flashing everywhere we looked. Sex, its magic spell everywhere, was accompanied by the stern warning: Don’t do it.”

…It was now obvious that homosexuality, once considered a deviant fringe element of society, was pervasive. But in the hostile climate of the Cold War years, this knowledge did little to make life easier for gay men and lesbians. In fact, the postwar era was a time of heightened persecution of homosexuals. Anyone who did not display the appropriate sexual behavior of the era--heterosexual dating, young marriage, and childbearing--was suspected of being a “pervert.” This pejorative term was widely used during these years and implied not only sexual deviance, but danger. The Republican party national chairman, Guy Gabrielson, claimed that “sexual perverts… have infiltrated our Government in recent years,” and they were “perhaps as dangerous as the actual Communists.”

It was widely believed that only “manly” men could stand up against the threat of communism, and that “perverts” were security risks. The persecution of homosexual men and women became more intense than ever before. Homophobia became ferocious, destroying careers, encouraging harassment, and forcing homosexuals to name others with whom they associated. In 1950, the Senate issued a report on the Employment of Homosexuals and Other Sex Perverts in Government, which asserted that, “those who engage in overt acts of perversion lack the emotional stability of normal persons… Indulgence in acts of sex perversion weakens the moral fibre of the individual.”

Male homosexuals were considered the greatest menace. Lesbians were also condemned, but since displays of affection between women were not uncommon, lesbianism more easily went unnoticed. Nevertheless, lesbians established strong communities with distinctive styles of dress, behavior, and social institutions. Lesbians who were open about their identity faced extreme hostility and even violence.

…Dating began the path to marriage. Most young people dated during high school, and many, especially young working-class women who did not go on to college, married right after graduation. The dating system established a certain amount of physical intimacy between unmarried men and women. Although the proportion of young men and women having sexual intercourse did not increase substantially between the 1920s and the 1960s, there was a significant increase in physical intimacy that stopped short of intercourse. As Kinsey noted, “on doorsteps and on street corners, and on college campuses, [petting] may be observed in the daytime as well as in the evening hours.” He claimed that petting was “one of the most significant factors in the sexual lives of high school and college males and females.”

Dating and petting in high school often encouraged young coupling, and those who were steady dates were more likely to become sexually involved. One teenager explained that it had more to do with love than with sexual experimentation: “Something you go all the way in should only be with someone you really love, not just any date.” Although adults at the time were sometimes alarmed at what they saw as promiscuous behavior, dating and petting, and even intercourse between steadies, was part of a system of dating that was expected to lead, ultimately, to the rational choice of a marriage partner.

The dating and petting system, however, contained many dangers for women. It was very difficult for a young woman to know how to avoid being a “prude,” and at the same time to know how far was “too far” to go and still maintain her reputation and desirability. The “double standard” was fiercely enforced, which meant that boys could experiment sexually with little risk, but girls were condemned if they did so.”

- Elaine Tyler May, “Sex: Dating, Marriage, and the Double Standard.” in Pushing the Limits: American Women, 1940-1961

[disabledunitypunk]

Screenshot below:

[Image ID: A tumblr post with the username cut off which reads "i mean this in the gentlest way possible: you need to eat vegetables. you need to become comfortable with doing so. i do not care if you are a picky eater because of autism (hi, i used to be this person!), you need to find at least some vegetables you can eat. find a different way to prepare them. chances are you would like a vegetable you hate if you prepared it in a stew or roasted it with seasoning or included it as an ingredient in a recipe. just. please start eating better. potatoes and corn are not sufficient vegetables for a healthy diet." /end ID]

No. Just no.

You don't HAVE TO do anything. ARFID is called an EATING DISORDER for a reason. What's it going to take to get it through your heads that some people cannot, under ANY circumstances, eat certain foods because of their neuroDISABILITIES. It's almost like disabilities of the brain can still make you NOT ABLE to do things!

You also have no moral obligation to be healthy. Healthism is one of the fundamental pillars of ableism. Health is a personal choice that must be fully, enthusiastically consensual (which does not mean you can mumble-grumble about the steps it takes to get there or have complex feelings that include resentment about the process or what caused the unhealthiness in the first place).

The "hi, I used to be this person!" is, get this, ALSO ABLEISM. Like good job, you had the ability to do something with effort that some people with your same disability can never do! Something that, might I add, you had no obligation to do but chose to because YOU either wanted it or were unfairly pressured to. Plus, the narrative of "you can overcome your disabilities if you try hard enough" is incredibly insidious even in disabled communities (in my experience, especially so in neurodivergent communities, but I'll also add my experiences aren't universal).

Just, everything about this post reeks of ableism. A "hey, if you're wanting to eat more veggies but can't because of sensory issues, these ways of preparing them might make them edible for you!" would have reached MORE people and accomplished more than... all of that.

I'd also like to add: healthism is how you get involuntary psychiatric holds for even people who are self-harming or using substances as a form of harm reduction. Healthism is how you get psychiatric and medical abuse that forces or manipulates you onto meds you do consent to being on (including coerced consent, as that is not consent).

Healthism and ableism both is why insurances and doctors require you to go to physical therapy to "get better" before even considering prescribing a mobility aid because "what if the mobility aid has health consequences when PT could 'fix' you?" Healthism is responsible for "do no harm" stopping at bodily harm and not taking a holistic, whole-person approach to making sure disabled people have a good quality of life.

Healthism is also a primary driver of fatphobia and to a lesser extent, medical intersexism. There is a normative idea of what "health" even is, one that is often incorrect and based in bigotry, that means deviations from that norm get blamed for any symptoms a person expresses while actual causes are ignored. "Corrective" measures are forced are many people who neither want nor need them to be healthy.

Healthism aims to make people more abled (or at least more able to conform to abled standards) without regard for their quality of life, personal wishes, or even consent. It is directly responsible for medical abuse.

It is also responsible for medical neglect, in that if you *can't* pursue a treatment option, doctors will often refuse to explore other treatments. Instead, they assume you're simply lazy and don't want to get better, and are therefore a waste of their time.

("Can't" here includes 'is technically possible but the consequences of doing so make you as sick or sicker/in as much or more pain/as or more disabled than not doing anything at all.)

Often there's another treatment option that would work just fine. Sometimes there's no viable option, and GOOD treatment then becomes exploring how to still live as fulfilling a life as possible with the condition untreated. Sometimes it's only possible to manage a disability that is usually fully possible to send into remission. There's a wide spectrum of experiences here.

But the most important thing is: what do YOU want for your body? Will conforming to standards of "health" help you feel happier and live a more preferable life for you? Will the requirements in the process of becoming "healthy" end up just making you sicker or more disabled in one way or another?

Also, are there access barriers or direct obstacles caused by your disability in the way of seeking the health outcomes you want? Are those outcomes not possible because of your disabilities, and if so, is healthy OR helpful to keep pushing yourself past your limits or trying and failing to do so? Have you made sure this is what YOU want, and not what you feel pressured into doing*?

*(Reminder to BELIEVE PEOPLE if they say it is what they want. We respect autonomy above all here.)

I've talked about this before, but recovery is about what YOU want and are able to do. There are no milestones you have to make or requirements you have to meet. It's okay to be unhealthy. Often, disability means you don't have a choice in the matter, and moralizing health is therefore moralizing disability.

It contributes to the myth that disability and chronic illness especially is a result of "bad choices", and especially the culturally christian idea that it is a "punishment" for "sinful behaviors" and "righteous behaviors" will be rewarded with the person becoming abled again.

As I said above, remember: Autonomy above all. What matters, first, foremost, and forever, is what each disabled individual wants. Helping other disabled people with tools to reach their desired bodily and psychiatric outcomes? Yes!! Do that!!

Disabled people don't owe anyone health, though, and certainly not standards of health that may make us sicker or more disabled than simply not conforming to them.

[sisterspooky1013]

Parallel, Chapter 1/6

Rated X | Read it here on AO3

She’s been watching him all morning, studying the way his long legs dance back and forth across the office as he articulates with his hands. He’s a beautiful creature, limber and primed like a bird ready to take flight, but somehow concurrently staid and steady as a mighty oak.

She’s watching him because she’s grown tired of listening, and watching the twist of his hips as he paces to and fro gives the appearance that she’s engaged, especially when punctuated by the occasional nod or skeptical squint. Not that she couldn’t muster interest in…whatever it is that he’s talking about if she wanted to, it’s all just feeling a bit pointless lately. A bit directionless. A bit like they’ve been circling the same city block for seven years and Mulder hasn’t seemed to notice that they’re only making left turns.

There’s also the fact that she’s no longer capable of suppressing her attraction to him. It used to be a persistent buzz, like some kind of sexual tinnitus that she learned to ignore. Lately, she has to carefully monitor herself to avoid staring at his mouth for prolonged periods of time while her mind wanders to decidedly un-partnerlike places.

He’s done just enough to make clear to her that if she opened that door, he’d happily walk through it. If this were a rom-com, they’d share their first kiss on a rain-soaked sidewalk after confessing their true feelings and the credits would roll. But he only felt brave enough to kiss her under the cover of a New Year’s tradition, and their rain soaked sidewalk was a sour-smelling emergency room. As with other aspects of their relationship, it was just a bit off the mark. Add up all those bits, and it feels like it’s simply not meant to be.

There’s something to be said for the bond that’s formed between two people who have shared unique and sometimes traumatizing experiences. Who else but Mulder understands the shock of fear she feels when exposed to sudden bright lights, or the thoughts that run through her head when he doesn’t answer the phone? Who else can relate to the unrooted sensation of lost time, or the way it changes your brain chemistry to evade death with more frequency than a feral cat?

But that bond, however strong, is rooted in self-preservation, not compatibility. If they’d somehow crossed paths in another way, in another circumstance where they had no common enemy to overthrow and didn’t rely on one another for survival, she’s fairly certain that it would have gone nowhere fast. She would have found him attractive but arrogant. He would have enjoyed pushing her buttons, but never even considered her as a possible romantic interest. Strip away all the flashing lights and gunpowder, and they are two people who don’t have much in common beyond their proclivity towards spirited debate and their expansive vocabularies. What kind of foundation is that for a romantic relationship?

“You don’t believe in it, I presume?”

She lifts her eyes to his face, scrambling to recall the last thing he said.

“You do?” she asks, volleying the question.

Mulder sighs and sits on the corner of the desk. He’s wearing his charcoal suit today, which happens to be one of her favorites.

“I think it’s possible. Given the unfathomable vastness of the universe, assuming that this is the only planet among billions with the ability to sustain life seems a bit egomaniacal, doesn’t it?”

“I suppose it does, yes,” she agrees hesitantly.

“And given that we’ve only been able to study the physical and chemical bounds of this universe, and furthermore acknowledging that we still have so much more to discover that we aren’t yet aware of, discounting the possibility of a parallel dimension on implausibility alone is a shortsighted conclusion.”

She blinks at him, and after a beat he springs up again, walking determinedly towards the annex.

“A parallel dimension,” she repeats, her mind turning it over like a river stone, examining it for signs of a hidden fossil. “Are you a basketball star in one of these parallel dimensions, Mulder?”

Though she can only see the back of his head as he rifles through a drawer, she can tell that he’s smiling.

“Am I not a basketball star in this one?” he asks rhetorically, and she fights off a smirk.

He returns with a clear plastic sheet and a handful of pens, dragging a cart behind him on which a weathered overhead projector sits. She watches him with amusement as he sets it up, adjusting the reflected image on the wall until he’s satisfied with the focus.

“Theoretical physicist Albert Homnell posits that we exist in one of countless parallel dimensions, each triggered by a significant change in the trajectory of human history,” he begins, drawing a small blue circle in the middle of the sheet. “Let’s say that this is our dimension. Perhaps this dimension is the one in which we won World War Two.”

Just beside the circle he draws two tiny stick figures, adding a shock of black hair to the top of one’s head and a swoop of red to the other. Scully smiles wryly and sighs. At least this is entertaining.

“However, there’s a parallel dimension,” he continues, drawing a small green circle to the right of the blue one. “In this dimension, Hilter succeeded in becoming a world power, and this changed the course of history so significantly that we broke off into two dimensions, completely separate timelines. In this dimension, my mother’s family was executed by the Third Reich, and I was never born.”

Beside the green circle he draws another stick figure Scully with an exaggerated frown on her face.

“It’s an interesting theory,” she says, uncrossing and re-crossing her legs. “Albeit a disturbing one.”

“Think about it,” he charges on. “There would be a dimension where the Bubonic Plague never occurred, another where the Titanic never sank, another where the Industrial Revolution happened a hundred years later than it did.”

He’s covering the sheet in multicolored circles, connecting them with lines that branch off into a spider’s web-like network.

“It would be like the butterfly effect on steroids,” she says, and he looks up and grins at her.

“Exactly,” he says, abandoning the projector and plopping down in the seat beside her, the sides of his hands smudged with ink.

“You really believe in this theory, Mulder?” she asks with an arched eyebrow. “It’s a bit out there, even for you.”

He pushes out his bottom lip and shrugs.

“I don’t know that I believe it, per se, but it does make Mr. Sawyer’s claims a bit more intriguing.”

“The guy who thinks he’s being visited by his own ghost?” Scully asks, incredulous.

Mulder quirks a smile.

“Homnell also believes that there are thin spots between dimensions, access points through which they can interact with one another. Sedation is one of them, but so is sleep. More specifically, the REM cycle.”

“Dreams,” she says, and he nods. “So you think the ghost that’s visiting Mr. Sawyer is a dream, but the dream is actually a glimpse into another dimension?”

Her tone comes off a bit more derisive than she intentend, and she doesn’t miss the millisecond flash of a wounded cringe on his face before the facade of aloofness is back up.

“I wouldn’t say I think that so much as I’m willing to entertain the possibility,” he corrects her, leaning forward with his elbows braced on his knees.

He looks up at her from beneath his eyelashes and she feels herself flush.

“Alright,” she says reluctantly. “Entertain away.”

He pulls a goofy, surprised smile and cocks his neck back.

“Is it my birthday or something?” he asks, looking over his shoulder at the calendar on his desk.

“You act as though I don’t give an audience to your crackpot theories forty hours a week,” she snarks back, and he pretends to be offended.

“It’s almost five, what say we blow this popsicle stand and discuss my crackpot theory over dinner?” he suggests, already halfway to the coat rack.

“I have to assume that means you’re buying,” she tells him, and he holds out her coat for her to slip her arms through.

“Crackpot always foots the bill, Scully. House rules.”

-

“What would be the point?” she asks, spearing the pearl onion in the bottom of her martini with a swizzle stick.

Mulder makes a face and shrugs.

“What’s the point of any of this?” he asks, gesturing to the room around them.

It’s not a nice place, but it’s not not a nice place. The decidedly after-work crowd are all in various stages of undress, some having shed their jackets, others their ties. Mulder’s suit jacket is draped over the back of his chair, his sleeves unbuttoned and rolled up to his elbows. His tie hangs loosely around his neck, and he’s wagging the toothpick perched between his teeth back and forth with his tongue, much to her distraction. Scully has removed her suit jacket as well, which leaves her in a sleeveless white blouse.

“Okay, so assuming that you or I was somehow able to access one of these thin spots and communicate with an alternate dimension,” she says in her very best I-am-only-having-this-conversation-to-humor-you voice, “what would the motivation be to establish that communication? This isn’t time travel, correct? We couldn’t change the outcome of some pivotal event and prevent disaster from occurring. If one entire dimension is predicated on the fact that Hitler won the war, there’s nothing we can do to change that. So what’s the point?”

Mulder sits back in his chair and considers her for a moment, and she takes a nervous sip from her drink. She both loves and hates it when he looks at her like that, like he’s really trying to see her.

“I’m not sure it’s voluntary,” he offers. “Or Homnell isn’t, anyway. The person being perceived may have no idea that they’re starring in someone else’s dream. So in that sense, it doesn’t have a point any more than dreams themselves have a point.”

“I thought you said dreams are the answer to a question we haven’t figured out how to ask,” she gently chides him, and he smiles warmly.

“You do listen when I talk,” he says, his voice thick and rough.

It hangs there for a moment, their playful banter and his long glance with mossy bedroom eyes. She wonders if he’ll ever kiss her again. She wonders if he knows she wants him to. When she can’t take it anymore, when it feels like she might burst into flame if he looks at her one second longer, she averts her eyes to the table.

“The prevailing theory is that dreams help you consolidate and analyze memories,” she says, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

“So what does it mean if I have a recurring dream that A.D. Skinner spanks me with a wooden spoon?” he asks, and she snaps her head up to find him grinning.

“I think you’re confusing dreams with fantasies, Mulder,” she quips, and he shakes his head at her affectionately.

“C’mon, let’s get you home. It’s a school night.”

-

She once had a horribly vivid nightmare that she was seeing her father off to sea, standing on the shore waving as his ship slowly moved away from the dock. He was perched on the bow, his arm held high over his head and the white of his smiling teeth visible even from a great distance. Something happened that caused the ship to lurch, and she watched helplessly as he tumbled over the railing and was sucked into the rudders. In her dream, the fact that the rudders are located at the stern didn’t matter. It felt so devastatingly real that she woke up screaming, and had to call her parents in the middle of the night to be sure Ahab was okay before she could go back to sleep.

She thinks about this as she lies in bed staring at the ceiling. Under Mulder’s alternate dimension theory, she could have been bearing witness to actual events that happened to another version of herself in another dimension. Would that then mean that a different Dana Scully once dreamt that her sister was shot dead in her doorway? Or that she was abducted from her apartment? Her life would be fodder for some seriously disturbing nightmares.

Recently, she dreamt that she was on Mulder’s couch and he was on top of her. They both appeared to be fully clothed, but in the dream she was certain they were having intercourse. What would that mean for an alternate Dana Scully? Perhaps in her universe, they don’t remove their clothes before sex.

She laughs to herself at the absolute ridiculousness of it all. Are there other universes where people regularly experience all their teeth falling out at once, or stand up to give a presentation only to realize they forgot to put pants on? Nonetheless, she enjoyed her evening with Mulder. Enjoyed it a bit too much, perhaps, because she now has an ache in her chest where she typically stuffs down her feelings for him, and a matching one between her legs.

She reaches for her bedside drawer in search of a little something to help her fall asleep. She can only hope that her dreams are sweet ones.

Tagging @today-in-fic

[neoninky]

New OC Drop (SC x Diasomnia story)

So literally as I was formulating a new fox character the other day, HOYOVerse dropped this foxian dude onto the internet like an ikemen grenade as they do.

And my fox dude just so happens to be Chinese-inspired lol. I swear this is a coincidence. Anyway- (big ass nerdy info dump under the cut)

I am introducing another SC series OC, this time for my Diasomnia story that I said I would write forever ago. It's still happening, there are just a few bumps that still need to be ironed out. In the meantime: Meet Zhao Tai-Yang (last name, first name)

I'm taking some a lot of artistic liberties with the world-building for my Diasomnia story. The Land of the Crimson Long (I believe that's what we're calling it on the EN Server, correct me if I'm wrong) has been mentioned in TWST Chapter 7 and the original Halloween event before. As our dear Malleus has stated before, the Chinese Long is not the same as a dragon in the canon timeline. In the timeline that I'm writing for my Sacred Crown OC x Canon series, Long are a variant of dragon fae. Very different from their Briar Valley cousins but dragon fae nonetheless and where Malleus and his family are the monarchs of Briar Valley, The LoCL is ruled by the Long Emperor. Tai-Yang is a fox fae hailing from The Land of Crimson Long, inspired by the mythological fox spirits of China known as 'Huli Jing'. Not Kitsune. No, kitsune are Japanese fox spirits. From what I've read they are similar but not exactly the same. Anyway, moving on-

Without giving away too much, Tai-Yang served the Long Emperor as a trained assassin who sometimes posed as a concubine to lure in enemy targets (and to also protect the actual harem). His family has served the royal palace for generations. Circumstances in the past brought him to the shores of Briar Valley over hundreds of years and reunited him with an old friend in the current events of the story. While he is skilled with a sword, his preferred weapons are his armored claws which he utilizes in hand-to-hand combat. Plus they're easier to hide. Does he have a fox form like Malleus has a full-on dragon form? Maybe?? lol I mostly added the lil fox mascots simply because I could. The story itself doesn't have an official title yet. I've been considering 'Her Waking Dream' but I'm not entirely sold on it yet. Either way, I'm pretty happy with how my boy Tai turned out, especially for a very slapdash sketch I just kinda threw together lol.

@nuitthegoddess @wysteriadelights @iscarlettappel @foxwitchaine @honeyuuyuu @yunaemiya @1ndigowitch @ladyrosemoon @victoria1676 @aiimee9 @feldya @palomiuwu

[mk-writes-stuff]

OC Interaction Tag

Rules: describe an OC, then how they would interact with the OCs of the people who tagged you

Thanks @illarian-rambling, @kaylinalexanderbooks, and @willtheweaver for the tags, I’m sorry this has taken me so long

Also this one’s going under a read more because I have a LOT of tags :)

Katie’s OC: Izjik Meautammera is a 26 year old halawemavar selkie (think catfish-themed instead of seal) with big muscles and a bigger heart. She's the vessel of an entity known as End, a starry-eyed godkiller, who prompts her to go out and do the whole godkilling thing, which she'd much rather not. Her talents include fighting, hunting, and a high level of emotional intelligence. Izjik might know fuck all about academic nonsense, but she can smell fear and can spot a lie from a mile away. She uses this skill to comfort her friends and act as the heart of her found family. Izjik likes to think that everyone has good in them, and if she can help to bring that out, she will. There's a deep kindness in her, rivaled only be a serious vicious streak. It doesn't matter what; Izjik will do anything it takes to survive. She fights even in the most dire circumstances. Giving up isn't something she knows how to do. This can be good, or, in the case of stubbornly refusing to learn anything about End in case the truth made it impossible to go on, very bad.

Kaylin’s OC: Gwen is a twelve-year-old girl with invisibility powers. She's extremely kind, compassionate, and empathetic, though has a bit of fire inside her. She's soft-spoken, loves reading, and appreciates nature, due to going on hikes with her family and takes morning runs to wake herself up. She has an intuitive sense to how others are feeling, to the point where she's often cited as the one member of her friend group who understands others and their emotions, despite there being a telepathic empath in the group. Gwen loves her friends deeply, even though she doesn't have anyone she'd consider a "best friend." She plays percussion in both her band class and an after school band and adores music. Gwen is very passionate about others, to the point where she can get stuck in others' problems. She gets increasingly more pessimistic about the future throughout the series, but that doesn't stop her from doing her absolute best work to change that. She's relatively impatient unless she can feel herself making a difference. Despite being shy, she lights up when comfortable around others, and can show a ferocious passion if necessary. She loves learning more, especially about other people.

Will’s OC: Lord of Loftperch Lookout, Halley is a proud and war-like eagle. He is considered to be the most belligerent of the Roost Lords, having warred on and off with his neighbors, both bird and fox. What few know is that his more aggressive tendencies stem from his family history and personal experience. Most of his family were killed in a bloody coup that saw the few survivors displaced from their original eyrie, and Halley himself has been the target of several assassination attempts. These past experiences have left him with a firm belief in peace through strength, and that all threats to himself or his family must be delt with swiftly and decisively. Those who put up a good fight are deemed worthy of earning his respect.

Katie’s OC (2): Elsind Cavernsight is a 20 year old changeling with a nervous disposition and a romantic heart. They can take on any humanoid form they've observed before. In his true form, Elsind is a skinless-looking humanoid with no face, a long tail, and petal-like fins that ring the back of his head. They use the pronouns of whatever form they're in, while using they/them in their true form. When referred to in abstract, she gets Shrodinger's pronouns.

Until she was thirteen, Elsind had a happy childhood and was raised by a single mother in a book shop. However, changelings are a valued commodity in Skysheer. They were kidnapped to be used as the court freak of one Marquis Sunflight - a cruel man who forced Elsind to do many abhorrent things for his 'entertainment.' After five years of this, Elsind managed to run away with a rebel group seeking to overthrow Skysheer's nobility. He now acts as an infiltrator and assassin.

As a person, Elsind might’ve suffered greatly, but she never lost her kind spark or huge capacity for empathy. They love to help people and even if they tend to be really nervous and awkward about it, they seek to make everyone's day better if they can. She's a bit of a chatterbox, especially when things are tense, and cries easily. Though she doesn't necessarily enjoy it, she is a great liar and infiltrator. This, combined with his easily underestimated bravery, makes him quite the spy. Their greatest passion are romance novels. Elsind is an avid reader of all things steamy and decadent. Out of all my characters, they'd be the most likely to have a blog on this site.

My OC (I know I’ve already done her for this game but that’s fine :)): Cassie is a runaway clone of the head of Sixth Station, Cassiopeia. She’s tall and buff, with an eye patch to hide her one purple eye and messy blonde hair she can never keep under control. She also has a mechanical metal arm she wears to replace the one she cut off in a sliding door. She currently works for the Seventh Station noble family, although she hates noble politics and pretty much all nobles. She has a magical ability she’s keeping secret to telepathically communicate with machines.

Cassie is brash, a little arrogant, and absolutely tactless, preferring to solve problems with her fists than her words. Despite this, she has a big heart and a crude sense of humor that can get a laugh more often than not. Cassie is violently defensive of downtrodden and mistreated people due to her own history as a horribly abused slave on Sixth Station. She’ll quickly throw herself in harm’s way to prevent someone more vulnerable from getting hurt and will (admittedly clumsily) offer any kindness and reassurance she can, probably after beating the person mistreating them to a pulp if she can get away with it.

How Cassie and Izjik would interact: I feel like these two would be fast friends. They both have a survivalist streak a mile wide and a rough past, and both care a lot about others (although Cassie is definitely more selective and worse at it than Izjik). I think they’d have fun sparring and they’d work well together - Cassie would absolutely take Izjik’s found family under her wing, although she and Sepo would have some truly legendary fights, and she’d be glad to help defend them if anyone awful came their way.

How Cassie and Gwen would interact: Cassie is not great with children. She’d try, but she has no experience with children or even with being a child, so their lives constantly confuse her. I feel like most of their interactions would end up with Gwen having a lot of questions about Cassie, and Cassie would be happy to talk as long as Gwen didn’t try to unlock her tragic backstory. That would be the end of it. I don’t think they’d be close, but I certainly think they could get along if circumstances pushed them together.

How Cassie and Halley would interact: Well, Cassie has never seen a bird before, so that would take her a minute. Once she got past that, I feel like they could get along. Cassie has also experienced a lot of violence in a short time and tends towards violence herself to solve problems, and I think he’d respect that about her. Halley might actually be pretty good for Cassie if they got to talking - Cassie has a bad habit of running from any problem she can’t figure out how to just punch, and I feel like Halley, while warlike, would be able to give her some context on how to deal with those sorts of problems in a way that made sense to her.

How Cassie and Elsind would interact: Cassie would learn one (1) thing about Elsind’s life and immediately want to protect him at high speeds. If Marquis Sunflight was in punching range, he’d be on the floor. Cassie has absolutely no tolerance for people treating anyone the way Elsind was treated and would absolutely put herself in harm’s way for them, no questions asked. I think she would also find Elsind’s shapeshifting really cool and would probably ask her to snoop for her (or try to flirt with her but would can that pretty quick when she made Elsind uncomfortable). I think Elsind would find Cassie a lot but would appreciate her. Also they would absolutely be trying to get her and Belladonna together the minute he realized they were into each other.

That in fact came out pretty long, I hope y’all don’t mind. I had lots of fun! Lmk what y’all think :)

@elsie-writes @nebula--nix @somethingclevermahogony want to play?

[hyperlexichypatia]

what are your thoughts on the people pushing the idea of things like social anxiety is some form of "narcissim" or individualistic way of thinking?

Fair warning, this might be rambling...

My first thought is that we should just abolish the term "narcissism." It's too tainted. Originally it just meant selfishness or self-centeredness, but now it's completely tied in to the psychiatric meaning, which is just constructed as "ontological bad person disorder."

I have heard (a lot) the idea that being socially anxious is "selfish" because it's thinking that other people are thinking about you, when in reality, no one is thinking about you at all.

I think this is flawed in a few ways.

First of all, people can't help how they feel, so an emotion, like anxiety, is inherently morally neutral.

Second, sometimes "Nobody is actually paying attention to you, and thinking they are is just self-centeredness" is... false. Sometimes people actually are paying attention to you! Especially if you visibly look "different" somehow!

And it's just denying reality to insist that's not true.

Third, even if being anxious about how other people see you is "individualistic" or "thinking about yourself"... so what? You are yourself. You are an individual. What else should you be?

I think most people really don't think critically enough about exactly when, how, why, and under what circumstances "selfishness" is a moral problem.

Selfishness is a moral problem when you're prioritizing yourself at the expense of others. Like, thinking of yourself as better or "more deserving" than others, or not fulfilling your responsibilities toward others, or monopolizing resources needed by others.

Having your own thoughts, feelings, individuality, interiority, or subjective reality isn't inherently "selfish" in a moral sense as long as these things don't harm others.

If you feel anxious, your emotional state isn't inherently harming others -- it isn't inherently "selfish" in a bad way -- unless you choose to make your anxiety someone else's problem or use it to take away someone else's rights. And in that case, the moral problem isn't your emotion, it's your actions.

Feeling social anxiety doesn't inherently harm others, so what does it matter if you're thinking about yourself?

The thing is, the kind of virtue ethics that concludes "thinking about yourself (even if it isn't at anyone else's expense and causes no harm to others) is inherently wrong, because it's the wrong kind of thinking" is every bit as selfish as social anxiety supposedly is! It's still locating the focus on the self, only, in this case, "the self" as something to be policed for Bad Self-Thought.

In sum: You're not somehow doing something wrong by being anxious. If it's wrong to focus on your thoughts and feelings, consider that the people trying to police your thoughts and feelings are also focusing on your thoughts and feelings, but with less justification, because they're not you.

[ctheathy]

PLSSS YOU WRITE FOR VOCALOID??? FOR FUKASE????

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE GIVE ME GENERAL YAN HCS FOR MY BOY FUKASE 😩😩😩💕💕💕

....ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ɪᴍ ᴡɪʟɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ sᴇʟʟ ᴍʏ sᴏᴜʟ ғᴏʀ ᴀ sᴍᴀʟʟ ᴄʀᴜᴍʙs ᴏғ ʜɪᴍ..

Yandere Fukase Headcanons

Fukase x Reader

Yandere Headcanons

Author’s Note : Hihii Nonnie-!! You’re at the right place for Fukase content, love our unstable lil memelord here. Definitely going to be making some more content of him in future occurrences ahah

Fukase is really just grossly obsessed with an idea instead of the real you to be honest. It’s a more realistic view on one obsessing over another, and I personally really enjoy this concept for yandere aus of a character. Stay safe yall, it’s important your mind remains in reality.

Potential ⚠️TWs⚠️ :

Gender-neutral darling • Stalking • Murder • Abuse of power • Anger issues • Jealousy • Extremely delusional mindset • General toxicity • Guilt tripping • Obsessive behaviour

তততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততত

There’s a few ways how this could go; quite literally being seen as a celebrity under vocaloid circumstances, I cannot see him as extremely impressed by doting courses. He’s loved all over the world by the many, many fans of his and he knows this. Although undoubtedly being appreciative torwards it, in a way he desires his own personal space and rest for once in a while. So if anything, I believe a darling who treats him as a neutral being instead of the usual idolising would rather be what catches his attention; his features forming into a look of genuine shock after lacking the enthusiasm he’s used to, his surprise being rather indescribable, yet he feels intrigued right at the same time. If anything, he’s the one off for showing his unusual excitement and interest torwards you; likely being closer to desiring an impartial conversation with another that’s not all about himself. This actually felt... favourable to him.

He’d want to get to know you better, questions literally lingering left and right. It’s just been so long since he’s met a human being that can treat him right; basic manners having often been lacking when meeting the average fan. He’d get especially excited if you just so happen to share a similar interest in music. His entire creation has been surrounded by the idea of taking good use of those vocals of his, of course he could not help but get himself all hyped up over gathering that information!! He finds himself continuously going back to the things he’s heard from you, remembering the music you’ve mentioned by chord and getting far lost in his thoughts with that lovely voice of yours being repeated in his head, it having become the most gorgeous tune he’s ever heard.

At first it happened to be quite innocent. An example being how you’d easily find your ways into his head whenever he’d sing tracks with hints of romance connected to it, and becoming rather giddy as his imagination did the rest of the work for him. As so started his fantasies, which would end up being the literal root of screwing over not only his reflection, but his entire sanity aswell. It had started from occasionally seeing you in the particular musical numbers in a sense of comparison, to constantly being reminded of you among the whole singing process as a whole. He gets too deeply invested into these mere illusions his mind creates for his own self solance, almost corrupting him in a way. And it’s only then when he realises how much he’s been thinking about you; from daily, to every hour, to every minute, to the point of not being able to get you out of his racing mind at all.

Things only worsen from that point, much due to his sense of music having quite the dark side to it. Many of the songs he’s required for that are considered an entirely pure context also just so happen to be in the minimum, becoming the start of his mind taking quite the disturbing turn. Instead of the usual lovey dovey songs he’d view within the two of you, over time these get twisted into the songs with the most sickening meanings behind it. These songs of innocence, they...they do not do anything for him anymore. He’d slowly start acting upon the information of these music genres; looking up to them, even. Over time, all has become nothing but normalised in his head, the continuation of it definitely not having been pretty so far. Hateful notions torwards those around are starting to worsen to a severe extend, and unsanitary thoughts have been taking place in the back of his mind. Pictures of you are starting to find their ways on his walls and he’d briefly find his inappropriate mind going even further than that when the satisfaction runs out.

A massive stalker at heart, silently adoring and following you around from the distance as heavy breaths leave his lips. His heart continuously beating in an uncanny manner and feeling as if it’s going to burst out of his ribcage each and every single time; may that be due to the fact that he knows it’s wrong or because of way his mind fogs up whenever you just so happen to be nearby in the area. You’re quite close to being a drug to the redhead, and the more he tries to keep his hands off, the more desperate he comes crawling back right after, one occurrence being worse than the last.

As for when he’s required for a concert, singing requests or through other means, he becomes a whole lot more pouty and incredibly irritated by the solicitation knowing he has no saying in the matter. His patience likely dropping down to zero, not wanting to associate with any other of the vocaloids who had also been asked for their attendance and just wishing to hurry things up with to get back to you as quickly as possible. During these occurrences, I could totally see him making a demand to Point to keep his eye on you, and making very well sure you remain in eyesight atleast every five minutes in his absence.

When it comes to shedding blood; Fukase is nothing above of it. Due to how aggressive he can get in the rivalry dialogue, his murders are usually pretty brutal and messy to say the least. His main targets honestly ranging between friends, to family, to mere strangers you’ve only met on the streets once. Telling himself that the reasoning behind it all would be for you, despite it honesty becoming closer to being an obsession of his own rather than anything else. He’s not the kind that’s up for torturous desires though, the patience of his being far too short for his liking and being limited to almost nothing when others just so happen to be in the picture. The appearance of the said opponent alone would already be enough to push his frustration streaks on edge, over time becoming as unbearable as it is. He’d often be one to lure his victims in, using his approaching and friendly demeanor and seemingly innocent intentions in a way to guide the said person to their destiny, only leaving them to rot near the stage when the job is done. Yet on the other hand, they’re likely never truly planned to begin with. It’s almost as if he’s in a constant rampage, his instability and growing temper having caused in quite the anger issues in his system. These also cause him to become a rather unpredictable yandere over time, not only causing physical and sometimes even fatal damage torwards his rivals, but emotional harm torwards his darling.

Even if he does still manage to crawl his way into your heart, you rarely know what to do with the boy. It’s always the question whenever he’ll be close to reaching his limits again or not; he could easily be having the time of his life, suddenly snap at you, and then leave him to have a mental breakdown right infront of you for apology matters. Which is something he’ll stand to rather commonly as well; making himself out to be much more fragile and sensitive than he actually is. Though his supplications for forgiveness at a moment’s notice would be genuine ; he’d also be one to plead and beg for your full-time attention if he has to, crocodile tears spilling from his eye in an unsavoury attempt to win over your compassion one or another way. He needs your observation, and he’ll have no shame in doing whatever in order to get it.

His position as a vocaloid has caused in the unsteadyness in his mind and has made him become highly fragile torwards any riskier emotions he may experience from time to time. He takes advantage of his fame in order to get what he wants. People have begun to disappear around you and you’re likely starting to become paranoid by now, but there’s nothing anybody can even really do about it without violating their position with him being the loved and well-known vocaloid that everybody just so happens to adore. His high position always finding one or another way to get him out of trouble. Any suspicions are disintegrated into being that of a lie and any caught acts are merely justified. He knows you’re going the be the end of his entire career at some point, but he straight up cannot get himself to care for it anymore; not as long as you’re there with him, may that be through participation or force.

Even if this includes being solely lured in by a mere delusion he’s created out of you.

তততততততততততততততততততততততততততততততত

[drafthorsemath]

TBB and Clones HCs - What kind of horse would they have?

Thank you to @staycalmandhugaclone for listening to my entire ramble about this and encouraging me to post it.

I don’t actually do a lot of AU HCs but this was fun.  I’ve definitely thought about this in depth. Here are my HCs for what kind of horse these clones would have (breed, color, name, and horsenality) and what kind of horse sports they might be into.  You’ll see terms like left brain (a horse that is naturally confident), right brain (a horse that is naturally unconfident), introvert (in literal terms, this would rather stand around than move quickly unless they feel danger), and extrovert (the horse not only wants to move their feet, their instinct drives them to frequently).

Wrecker

This big boy needs a draft horse or cross. It's only fair. He gets a black Percheron.  And as Wrecker is pretty extroverted, he needs a left brain extroverted horse who can keep up with him. This horse likes chasing cows and going on trail rides. But don't let their size fool you. Like Wrecker, this horse is an absolute locomotive when it comes to getting somewhere fast.  When cow working or the trail ride is over though? Wrecker takes the saddle off and makes sure his equine partner gets plenty of time to roll and shake off. Horse's name: Hector.

Echo

This smart boy needs a horse who can be patient at the mounting block so he can get on safely and is comfortable with vocal cues in addition to the usual stuff. Echo prefers riding Western because he can get away with using just one hand on the reins. He definitely rides a left-brain introverted horse. One that will not take off with him for no good reason, but that is steady. Echo also prefers a shorter horse who is easier to get off of due to his cybernetic legs. This horse can walk for miles while Echo enjoys nature with his equine companion, but is also willing to book it when asked. Echo’s horse is a chunky, buckskin Quarter Horse named Blaster.

Hunter

Hunter is a pretty sensitive soul. He likes to take his time and consider things without jumping in too much and he definitely needs a horse who can think without jumping into trouble. Like Echo, he gets a left-brain introvert. Now Hunter is canonically the shortest of the group (except Omega) so he doesn't want to have to climb onto some super tall horse like Wrecker can.  Hunter can handle some height, but too much is annoying, especially when he has to get on and off a lot from the ground during trail rides or camping trips. Hunter has a palomino Tennessee Walking Horse which is perfectly suited to his horsemanship goals. While they may often be found in the show ring under stressful circumstances, Hunter prefers their natural gait and refuses to show his horse.  That’s not for him.  He finds it easy to ride outside for hours at a time. Hunter takes his horse deer hunting, dragging a deer carcass home after a successful morning in the woods. His horse’s name is Zip.

Tech

So Tech might be a chatterbox at times (and legitimately, I could listen to him all day about anything), but he's also a quiet thinker and can spend a lot of time to himself. When he's taking in new information, especially learning about an animal without the assistance of a data pad, he's going to be good at watching his horse and he learns how to read his horse quickly. He is a very quick study when it comes to horsemanship and so he would do well with a right brain introverted horse. This horse needs someone to take their time with them and form a strong bond, so when something scares them, their person will be right there to help them calm down.  Tech notices the small things that bother his horse before they become really big things. This kind of horse that needs a minute to think and a person who they can trust. Tech believes in himself and his horse latches on to that and so together they can do just about anything. Of all the batchers, I think Tech would be the most drawn to classical dressage for its elegance and precision. Tech’s horse is a dark bay Dutch Warmblood named Descartes.

Crosshair

I firmly believe Crosshair masks a lot of his emotions with snark, but I think underneath it all, he is very emotional. I think he would also do well with a horse that has emotions brewing underneath it all, so like Tech, I think he would do well with a right-brain introverted horse. This horse doesn't want to go fast and is naturally unconfident, but Crosshair takes the time to quietly reassure his horse that things will be fine. With time, they form a strong bond and Crosshair gets into mounted archery (obviously). This once nervous horse who wanted to stand around scared is now one that can be ridden at speed through a course with Crosshair hitting each target. And in between each target he discretely pets his horse letting them know that they're doing great. Because Crosshair knows what it's like to need some validation, he's not going to let his horse down. Crosshair surprises people and so does his horse. Crosshair’s horse is a Clydesdale named Arrow.  They show up at mounted archery competitions and all these people with tiny, fast horses get blown away by this absolute tank of a beast running through the course as they kick everyone's ass.

Omega

Omega got into horse riding like her brothers, but she’s not one to get on some tall horse.  Instead, she gets a left-brain extroverted Fjord pony named Beatrice.  This draft pony is full of sass.  I mean, you could not possibly put more sass into said pony.  Omega really wants to work on mounted archery like Crosshair, but initially Beatrice loved jumping the short fences along the path of the course and then just flat out galloped through any field before coming to a screeching halt.  Hunter thought getting Omega a pony instead of a big horse would be a good idea, but it was not.  However, Omega loves Beatrice and is learning a lot in the process. She has gotten good at warm-up exercises where she asks her pony to speed up and slow down and speed up and slow down.  This way she is teaching Beatrice not to run off with her, but also promises Bea that they can still go fast sometimes.  Recently, Crosshair started taking Omega to the mounted archery course to practice because they discover that Beatrice does better with another horse around.

Rex

Rex really wanted to try dressage.  He really did.  He like the elegance and felt like the athleticism required would be perfect for him, but his horse could not handle the mental collection needed for dressage. Rex should have known better with a horse named Chaos.  Instead of dressage, Chaos wants to go fast and jump high.  Chaos is a right-brained extroverted Friesian / Arab cross. This horse is naturally unconfident and his instincts say “go fast.”  At first, this combination resulted in Rex feeling like he was having a heart attack every time he rode, but as time went on, he was able to help Chaos be more confident, and especially be more confident in Rex himself.  Once Rex fully sees that his horse is just following his instincts, he’s very understanding.  He takes his time during warm-up so by the time they get to the real work, Chaos is much more calm.  Rex decides that show jumping would be a better outlet and Chaos excels at it.  They get to go fast and jump high as a team of two and while it’s not originally what he planned, Rex loves flying high.

Fives

Oh Fives. Fives is really into cross country.  He has a gray, left-brain extroverted Holsteiner horse.  This tall leggy horse is incredibly athletic and will take on the cross country course at full speed whether or not Fives is still on his back part way through.  Fives loves the adrenaline and manages to stay on each time, but it’s not what one would call a pretty ride.  Fives originally named his horse Uno, as in “the one and only,” but Kix started calling him OhNo and it stuck.  Despite their absolute insane rides, Fives does actually care about OhNo and puts in the time to be a better rider.  He knows that it can’t be fun to have a human flopping around your neck and back while jumping down a hill and into the water, and so he spends a lot of time both in the riding arena and on trails working on his balance.

Kix

Kix has a liver chestnut and white Sugarbush Draft horse.  This big, steady horse is a left-brain extrovert.  Unlike the more extreme extroverts on this list, Kix’s horse is find just trotting around all day.  As long as he’s moving.  They love trail riding and while they don’t compete, Kix is trying his hand at the discipline of reining.  Kix named his horse Spike, but Fives calls him FreckleButt.  When the group all go trail riding together, Kix and Spike bring up the rear, making sure everyone is together and okay.  Sometimes for fun, Kix paints the red medic symbol on Spike’s hind end.  As a result, the boys got him a saddlepad with the medic symbol embroidered on it.

Cody

Cody has an immaculately trained chestnut Oldenburg that he sometimes doesn’t know what to do with.  This left-brained introvert mare was a schooling horse, but at this point in her life, she’s tired of teaching people how to ride.  She instead prefers to be fed when she’s not snoring loudly in her sleep.  When Cody got her, he was determined to ride her regularly, but instead he has had to take his time to get to know her and win her over with a lot of undemanding time (mostly involving taking her to the best grazing area on the farm).  This horse is the epitome of “horses don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”  Because of the time he spent with her, she will only put in effort for him now.  If anyone else tries to ride her, she refuses to move or will lay down.  Cody is mostly working on his freestyle riding, but after each ride he makes sure she gets a good brushing, some friendly scratches on her shoulders, and plenty of snacks.  Her favorites are molassas cookies and Cody knows better than to show up to the barn without plenty of cookies and an apple.  This horse’s name is Gloria and to Cody, she’s worth her weight in gold.

Jesse

Jesse has a buckskin Paint horse who has some markings that absolutely do not match his tattoo, but he's convinced otherwise. While Jesse originally got into horses because he wanted to run barrels, he actually really enjoys liberty work.  His mare is a right-brained extrovert and she needs to run.  While her previous owner and trainer had her run barrels thinking it got her energy out, it’s clear now to Jesse that it just gets her more worked up.  To take the pressure to perform off, Jesse started spending most of his time doing online and liberty work.  While he thought he would love riding and they sometimes go on a nice ride through the field, he spends most of his time teaching her tricks.  He likes the feeling that his horse can be running around without a halter or lead rope on and still wants to be with him and play.  Whenever he arrives on the farm, she runs to him the moment she sees him.  Jesse’s horse’s name is Venatrix and he frequently lets her steal carrots out of Fives’ stash for OhNo.

Howzer

Howzer has a Swedish Warmblood named Lucy.  This right-brained introvert is very unconfident and very introverted.  When he first got her, she would really rather just stand in her stall and be left alone.  She possibly comes from a difficult past, but it’s hard to say.  She is, however, a good equine match for Howzer.  He wants to do right by her.  He’s not going to just throw on a saddle and go.  He spends a lot of time standing around in her vicinity without asking much of anything.  This turns into doing online work and going for walks together outside.  As soon as she shows she’s worried about something, he backs off so she doesn’t feel pressure.  It doesn’t take long before Lucy realizes that he’s a different kind of horse owner than those of her past.  She rapidly bonds to him after this and as he’s able to ride more, Howzer is also interested in dressage, like Tech.  Lucy likes this discipline as well because it isn’t too fast and there is a lot of quiet communication with the rider.  As they begin to trust each other, Howzer is able to ask for more from her and she is able to expand her bubble of comfort.

Gregor

When Gregor decided to get a horse, Rex joked and said he should get a mule instead.  Gregor rolled his eyes a little bit, but within a week he brought Petunia home.  Like any mule, this Belgian Draft Mule has a lot of opinions.  She’s a left-brain introvert who values her downtime.  She is incredibly sure-footed and Gregor loves riding through the mountains with her.  She also enjoys cow working and Gregor gets a kick out of seeing her big ears pinned at the cows who don’t move out of her way fast enough.  While she can be very slow, she definitely gets into her groove around cows.

[staliamazing]

Mickey's Coming Out (4x11) / Lover You Should've Come Over, Jeff Buckley 

I've always felt this song, particularly these couple verses to be quite queer-coded! I'm pretty sure this song is about cheating but, in these moments, we hear the singer talk about the sacrifices he would make for his lover and lament over what he believes to be the never-ending nature of their love. This sentiment can be echoed by the queer community, especially when considering instances in which people with homophobic/transphobic families have chosen to come out and jeopardize their past relationships to live as their truest self. 

So! How does it relate to Ian and Mickey, you may ask? Here's some examples below based specifically on Mickey's coming out scene in Season 4 episode 11, 'Emily'. You can listen to the song here. 

My kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder 

Mickey’s kingdom is his family. Seemingly dozens of Milkovich brothers and cousins and uncles can be seen at Terry’s homecoming party, all sharing a similarly violent and thuggish attitude to the patriarch himself. It was from these people that Mickey learnt his volatility and who bred his affinity for violence, making his declaration even more polarizing.  

"I'm fucking gay."  

Despite speaking with the patois of his family, by publicly sharing his sexuality Mickey essentially emancipates himself from the Milkovich’s. Based on his facial expression as he watches Ian begin to walk out of the door of the Alibi, he finds himself at a crossroads and faces losing Ian, or his family. In choosing to express his love for a man he forfeits his kingdom and the possibility of ever pleasing his father, something that despite not being verbally admitted to is undoubtedly a goal all Terry’s kids reach for, if not just to stop the abuse.  

The notion that the singer gives up their kingdom for a mere kiss, not even upon his lover’s lips but merely on her shoulder, provides us with an understanding of the devotion which they feel towards her. To give up so much for seemingly so little. This allows us to harness Mickey’s point of view for a moment; not only does he essentially give up his place in his family to stop Ian walking out the door and out of his life, but he burns it to the ground, all guns a-blazing. Milkovich-style, no matter what Terry will think of him after this. Ian is worth it to him.  

The use of 'kingdom' is an important lexical connotation here also as it could also refer to the kingdom of God aka Heaven in the Christian and Catholic religions, meaning that when individuals choose to come out they are abandoning his Kingdom to live freely and comfortably in their sexuality. Of course, I do not believe that homosexuality or queerness in any of its forms is a sin, I only add this as a footnote to further highlight the undertones of the song and add cultural meaning. 

All my riches for her smiles 

Whilst echoing the sentiment of the previous line about sacrifice for love, I’d like to touch an alternative perspective, being that the subject of the song represents Mickey’s wife Svetlana and his father Terry, as opposed to Ian. Over the duration of season four, Mickey grapples with gaining a wife and child, neither of which he consented to and having to develop a family life under these circumstances where at every turn he is denied his freedom and selfhood. In this case, his personal wellbeing (his ‘riches) are sacrificed to play house with Svetlana and keep his father happy. Based on the events of 3x06, the viewers are aware of Terry’s extreme, violent disdain for Mickey’s homosexuality and fear the possibility pf this cropping up again as much as Mickey and Ian themselves. Thus, from a storyline point of view, at the emotional climax of the pair’s storyline this season, it only makes sense that this elephant in the room finally blows its trunk. Besides Ian's ultimatum which leads to Mickey's coming out at one of many emotional cruxes of the episode, his unwillingness to continue living a manufactured life was undoubtedly a factor also. 

It's never over 

This scene is one of many in which the pair spend their screen-time blood-soaked. As previously mentioned, it was with almost sheer certainty that Mickey understood the physical ramifications that his announcement would have. Any booze filled Milkovich event is bound to have a tousle or two, so add a freshly freed Terry and an announcement of his very own son being gay? Bound to be a bloodbath. While the final iteration of "it's never over" remains the same lyrically, Buckley belts the line out. Metaphorically, Mickey does the same. By antagonizing his father while bent over a police car, (read: "Guess what we been doin', daddy? We've been fuckin'!) he acknowledges that yes, his father will always be a terrible man who will never accept him. Concomitantly, he comes to the realization that his phase of hiding is over, which gives him the gusto he needs to be so bold in the face of Terry after all this violence. 

All my blood for the sweetness of her laughter 

When Mickey makes Ian laugh, his eyes light up in a way that is not often seen in the show. For once, it seems, part of his shell has broken, and he is freer than we have seen him thus far in the show. To be able to sit there in such sorry circumstances and accept the physical affection he would usually meet with sharp rejection must certainly dull his pain and help him come to terms with the ways in which his life has been permanently altered.  

♡♡♡

@gallavichmeta I really hope you see this and have a read! I worked hard on writing this and stringing my ideas on the parallels between the song and the scene together :,)) Just a bit of fun to think about how seemingly seperate things can actually have common themes!

And a thank you to @iansw0rld for giving this a read-over and giving me a lil confidence boost too :) <3

Yes, Mickey would die for Ian. But here, he says: I will live for you.