#for the individual is in direct opposition to what is right for the group

[youve-always-had-me-cas]

The Reddit blackout is really funny because I fucking hate Reddit, I can't stand it, I will rant about the flaws in Reddit's Moderation system at the drop of a hat and as someone who used to mod a >300k subreddit believe me there are so, so many of them, but finally the admins of the website who have been profiting off the unpaid impossible labour mandated of their moderators by the structure of their website for years are getting the exact same treatment mods get every day. Your users are demanding an impossible thing of you. They hate you. They hate you. They want what you are offering them but their sense of justice is irreparably skewed and they will not listen to a single thing you have to say anymore. But unlike the people stuck trying to hold a community together under these absurd constraints they do not control you made this horrid mob of people and fostered this culture for decades this is entirely one hundred percent your fault.

[the-cat-and-the-birdie]

The Hobie Brown Punk Playbook - Anarchism & Hobie's Arc

A short series where I analyze the political, historical, musical, and romantic influences of Hobie Brown, and how it affects his arc, design, and character.

1) Anarchism 101 / 2) Punk 101 / 3) Hobie Characterization Guide (How to Write Hobie) /4) Punk & Hobie's Design / 5) Romance in the 70's

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Why Hobie's Arc is the perfect metaphor for Anarchy and Anti-Establishment:

What is Anarchism? What's an anarchist, and what makes Hobie one?

In most places, Anarchism is defined as:

a political theory advocating the abolition of hierarchical government and the organization of society on a voluntary, cooperative basis without recourse to force or compulsion.

Which means that, as an Anarchist, Hobie believes that all forms of authority that involves a hierarchal power should be abolished and destroyed.

Anarchists opposes any and all power structures in which a single person, class, or entity rules over a body of people.

Anarchism is a thought system that, at it's core, is anti-government, anti-monarchy and anti-cop. It's goal is to protect and highlight the importance of equality and community but also freedom and individuality as well.

Although many people assume anarchy is about chaos - and denying any and all structures - if anything, it’s actually the opposite.

Anarchy is about balance -

When we look at the definition of Anarchy, we can see two complimentary ideas. ______

The first is the 'advocating the abolition of hierarchical government' - which is the sentiment Anarchy is most known for. It's the opposition of power structures in which one class or group rules or gains privilege over another - cops and civilians, the government and citizens, Spider-people and the multiverse, Miguel and the Spider-people...etc.

For the purposes of this post, I'll call it the First Pillar of Anarchism, and it's the basis for one of Anarchism's foundational beliefs: direct action.

(Which Hobie is the king of)

The second idea is one often overlooked, but just as important, and I'll talk about how much it colors Hobie's characterization in a second.

The organization of society on a voluntary, cooperative basis. Anarchists believe in equality, and the power of the collective and working together as a unanimous unit.

But they also believe in freedom of choice, and the choice to be independent.

When working in large cooperative groups, there is the risk of a shared identity that may stifle or assimilate it's members. Just as much as Anarchists believe in unity and equality, they also believe that a society - or any group - should be voluntary. And that sticking out from the pack is okay and even encouraged.

They believe people reserve the right to not participate at all, and that it is their right to differ and challenge the pack, if they so want to.

In the perfect anarchist world and situation (in my opinion,) - No one rules over the collective, and the collective rules over no one.

When you put those two together you get Anarchy. A balance of community and self.

And although we don't live in an anarchist utopia, Anarchists are people who live life fighting for the equality and unity of others, as well as their independence and freedom to be who they are outside of others.

In short, An Anarchist is someone who believes in equality, community, freethinking, and most of all freedom of choice.

Starting to sound like anyone we know?

What makes Hobie the perfect Anarchist?

Hobie is Anarchy personified. Literally.

Hear me out.

When we look at the definition of Anarchism next to Hobie's actions, behavior, and beliefs - we can see the writers created Hobie and his arc to be anarchy in it's purest form.

Anarchy is described as:

a political theory advocating the abolition of hierarchical government and the organization of society on a voluntary, cooperative basis without recourse to force or compulsion.

Hobie only has roughly ten minutes of screentime, and I wrote (here) exactly how the writers squeeze meaning into (quite literally) every-line he has.

In every line and frame the writers are intent on having Hobie move towards the 2 specific goals and motives on Anarchism, backed by his punk and anarchist morals.

Firstly, he approaches Miles to advocate the abolition of Miguel's hierarchical society, emotionally and mentally encouraging Miles to oppose his authority. All of Hobie's speaking lines are dedicated to this purpose - becoming an ally to Miles (and other Spider-people) and inspiring rebellion.

This is reflected by his opposition to the ideas of anomalies, and Miguel's rule.

I just wanna highlight, that when Hobie meets Miles - neither he nor Miles are aware that Miles intends to avoid his canon event.

At the point of their meeting, Hobie only knows that Miles has disrupted Pavitr's canon event, and that Miles himself in an anomaly.

Hobie opposes Miguel's hierachial society, his rule over the timeline and multiverse, and his use of force and threats of violence. By advocating for the abolition of Miguel's society and urging Miles' rebellion against Miguel, Hobie is directly engaging in the first pillar of Anarchism.

When Hobie's efforts pay off and Miles escapes Society capture, he's goal changes toward the second pillar.

Hobie recognizes Spider-Society does not operate on a voluntary, cooperative basis - as their canon events are mandatory by force and compulsion. And because of this, he thinks ahead and uses his self-made watches in order for him, Gwen, and Miles to exercise their right of choice. From the moment he quits, all of Hobie's behavior is dedicated to this purpose - getting Miles and Gwen out of the society, and helping Miles avoid his incoming canon event.

The Spider-Society is everything Anarchy stands against.

Anarchy stresses volunteered and cooperative effort for a reason.

I spoke earlier about how in cooperative groups, their is a risk of a shared identity within a group that forces assimilation and cooperation.

And Spider-Society is the perfect, and most literal example of this.

Spider-people are (literally) the 'same person'. Those in the Society are united by the shared identity of being Spider-people. This identity is mandatory for entry - and because Miguel ties canon events to the identity of a Spider-person, the canon events become compulsory and mandatory as well.

I mentioned before that at the time of meeting Miles, both he and Miles had no idea about Mile's incoming canon event. He, like Miles, only learns this when Miles announces that his dad is about to be captain - in front of Miguel.

When Miles escapes and Hobie quits, from that point on - despite the fact he's not fully shown on screen again - Hobie still manages to act on and stand by Anarchism. From then on, every single one of his actions is dedicated to opposing the involuntary, compulsory nature of canon and canon events.

Hobie interferes with the compulsive nature of canon by approaching Gwen's dad and speaking with him. He interferes with the involuntary nature of the Society's membership, by leaving Gwen the watch that allows her and Peter B. to leave, going AWOL.

___________________________________________________

As a character, Hobie is what is considered a insurgent. His purpose in the story and Miles' life is to inspire action and rebellion within him and the system.

And at his core, Hobie is meant to be a character that's meant to empower others - especially at their lowest point. That's what Anarchism, and Punk, is about.

Hobie is Anarchy personified.

Every one of his motives and lines are dedicated to it's purpose. Whether it's his first scene disarming Miles with humor and allyship, or him deliberately copying Society technology.

With every word and frame, Hobie inspires rebellion - defying hierarchy, and empowering choice.

With the people closest to them, he literally put the power of choice in their hands, whether it be Miles' palms, or the watch Gwen held.

In the battle against the Spider-Society - an organization of hierarchy, control, compulsion, and force - the writers chose to have Hobie's weapon of choice be Anarchy.

And it's really clear they see Anarchy for what it is - a system and tool of empowerment, compassion, and freedom.

And honestly, I can't think of any other words that can describe Hobie better (or than hot).

Hobie Brown is literally walking Anarchy idc idc you can't tell me different bye.

Find Part 2 - Punk 101 here!

__________

also have a couple more ideas and drafts of these, mainly examining: Punk and what makes Hobie punk, his design inspiration and fashion, the 70s history behind him, romance in the 70s, etc so uh yeah

[five-thousand-loaves-of-bread]

my issue with right now AAC advocacy, nonspeaking (autistic) advocacy (from individual advocate, to organization like communication first and assistive ware) (mainly outside tumblr), can all be summarize by their one phrase:

“presume competence.”

“wait, what wrong with that? isn’t it good? don’t they follow that?”

half yes. idea is good, hope everyone follow it, must: all disabled people should be give tool & help to learn, all diagnoses, all amount of struggle.

yes, “even” that person diagnose with severe autism & profound ID, who never speak or look like show sign of understand any language, who scream and make noise and run away all time, who give self & other many injury and broke bone and concussion.

but. me problem not with idea. have problem with, use two big complicate word as basic key important idea for movement: a movement for those who hard speech & communication.

this group, naturally mean have many people (more than “average” amount), who hard communicate, hard communicate big words, hard remember big words, hard understand big words.

“then just change name or explain idea, why say it summarize problem with entire movement?”

on tumblr, AAC user community, semi- & nonverbal/nonspeaking community, see lot people who not just struggle with mouth say word, but also with communicate hard. although less, and most borderline or mild, but do have a few people with ID who talk about ID. people with many layer disability, more affected. in fact, in some corner, we loud & seen here in community.

but. outside tumblr—like twitter, where majority AAC & nonspeaking advocacy get most hear, often influence even new AAC apps and AAC company and non profit and (US) law and (US) government groups. but also different organizations, and real life. so basically, people with bigger real life influence. this opposite.

it many life-long nonspeaking autistics with severe motor apraxia, who brain body disconnect cause mouth not able move make noise in way brain want. often diagnose with severe ID back when not able communicate, but now able full communicate, now realize have high IQ, use long sentence, complicate grammar, big words, who can “write right.” many who not be teach communicate or read, but able learn how read write, by self.

—who not speak because motor struggle, but “mind intact” (their word not mine), no fundamental expressive receptive language understand issue (edit: outsude not mouth speak), no intellectual cognitive issue?

they nonspeaking. they AAC user, or speller. yes, they deserve be in community. must be heard. people must realize this form of nonspeaking possible and many people like this. AAC nonspeaking community without them is still leave out people.

but. right now problem is: both them and allies, treat this form nonspeaking as only way be nonspeaking. all nonspeaking people like this. and what this group want (like be call nonspeaking and nonverbal wrong), need apply to all people who not able speak, because they seen as entirety nonspeaking community.

“all nonspeaking (autistic) people like this”—many times imply by never ever mention other “not speak” experience, but sometime even direct say (paraphrase). where my “not speak” friends who have expressive receptive language issues, who trouble communicate even with AAC, who don’t understand other and self communicate at all, who “mind not intact” (whatever that means), who ID not misdiagnose but is actual severe profound ID, who can’t learn AAC can’t ever functional communicate ever?

what about people who “not speak” not just because “motor but everything else fine,” but “motor AND expressive receptive language AND/OR intellectual”? people who don’t have all your abilities?

we not remembered. we not exist. we not talk about.

and this “ignore,” can be see in all area of their advocacy and movement.

the policing “no severe no functioning labels no levels no nonverbal ever they all bad no excuse”: all my friends who call own self by any of that been direct attack harmed many many times by people who say this, so no, there no “personal identify okay” exception. this silence us. anytime we mention how we dare call self, all what we actual say ignored, actual message ignored, and become argue over terms call us ableist, and lock us out block us crowd attack us harrass us—us with communication issues who words hard first place, and who often have big emotional regulate struggle.

harass us lock us out enough. of course we silent, of course we no longer write in community. of course “community” no have us, no one see us. no one know we exist.

the big words. complicate sentences. complicate ideas. everything confuse. overwhelm even parents without intellectual & communication struggles who want learn to help child. not to mention us, who “not speak” include receptive language issues and intellectual disability.

write enough big words. write enough complicate stuff. write enough confuse hard follow stuff. of course we who can’t understand that get frustrate. and stop read. stop be in community.

have ability write professional enough, write approximate closest to nondisabled people enough. not have ID. all advantages that make people listen you more, take you more seriously. but this advantage, or fact this even is advantage that some not have, they not recognize.

whether mean to or not. became “am nonspeaking and proud, but at least have high IQ mind intact and can write ‘normal,’ so still have worth still deserve listen to because still have those redeeming abilities.” —what about those us who don’t?

“what that do with term ‘presume competence’?”

presume competence key idea, root of movement & advocacy.

presume competence, big words, not everyone who struggle speak can say/speak/write/communicate these two words. not all can remember. not all understand. some, will never ever able communicate or understand these two exact words ever in life, even with best support most help.

key slogan of movement, inaccessible to group of people you claim advocate for. same group people you also ignore pretend not exist erase in your advocacy.

this how deep this exclusion and inaccessibility issue run in nonspeaking advocacy.

down to its roots.

[this about nonspeaking movement (especially outside tumblr) and people who do this exclusion + inaccessibility. this not say term nonspeaking bad or all individual nonspeaking person bad.]

[bluemoonpunch]

BTS Group Energy Analysis (2024)

[The Group Energy Analysis covers all members of a group, their energetic projections, and how they connect. For this reading, due to their separation, I focused mainly on the members as individuals, with just an overview of collective projected energy and external stimulation or guidance. This spread is an original design by me. This reading lasted 1 hour.]

Reading Performed: July 4, 2024

Originally Posted: July 9, 2024

The overall energy surrounding the group as of the time of this reading, with Fork In The Road, Exchanging Gifts, and Round and Round, it feels like there is a split in the energy and both sides are spinning in their own directions while still, individually, putting pieces together of themselves. I believe this split in energy is coming from the fact that Jin is out of the military while the rest are still serving. As with Exchanging Gifts, Jin has popped out of the box ready to greet the world and share his work in person, while the others are still sharing with the world but from a distance.

It’s an interesting back-and-forth that seems to be centered around what they are able to give themselves at this time alongside what they are giving to the world.

Off to the side, there is another set of cards representing a higher influential energy around the group — you can think of it as what is affecting them from the outside while the previous set more so reflects what they are generating on their own. Here they have Dynamic, Alchemy, and Change. Everything is in a state of transition, actively crossing a threshold, which may stem from or contribute to that split energy that they are projecting.

There’s a significance to the number 8 here. There is an 8 on Alchemy, while the number 12 and 23 appear on the other two cards. These numbers progress into each other, 123, but combine individually to create 3 and 5, which come together to create 8. This, along with the number 8 itself, or the infinity symbol, gives me the image of cells dividing, or two separate forms coming together to create something new. Both ways, something is being created or expanded on. I can see the split energy, spinning in opposite directions, eventually coming together again but it would form something different than what it was originally. It’s not quite a rebirth of the group, more so a revision, reconstruction, or realignment.

It’s interesting to see this alongside past states, especially with how they were separated on a higher level from the soul body so that they could self-actualize and fully form as individual souls, then experience a full separation from the public and each other, to then be, eventually, brought back together, in the same form, but as something different, something bigger. So, the state of Dynamic, Alchemy, and Change is being experienced both individually and within the group as a whole.

For the main part of the reading, because they are, with intention, separated, I won’t look over the whole of the spread and will focus on them individually. Even with Jimin and Jungkook physically, and consciously closer, more often together than the others, they are reflecting the same energetic disconnect which is supporting personal development right now.

Side note — Jimin and Jungkook’s connection currently may reflect the flip-flop of connections through the layers of consciousness as well, meaning that while they are disconnected on a higher level now, they most likely are very closely connected and connecting to each other consciously and physically to make up for it. To look into this, I have done another relationship reading for them, as well as an Elemental Alignment for Jin to see where their energies stand within this current state, with Jin an individual physically separated from the group, and Jimin and Jungkook separated from the group, but close to each other. Those will be posted soon.

Jin

King of Pentacles + Authority (Mars in Capricorn) + Mercury

Jin’s current position is very positive, though it does feel a bit heavy in terms of the responsibility or work that is suggested between Authority and King of Pentacles. Like the image of Authority, Jin has fully returned to the world and has faced it head on from the second he was discharged. It was right back to work, something familiar, but for the most part, completely on his own. He’s representing himself in a big way now, in a much bigger way than before with his solo work, but he’s also the first member of BTS to be welcomed back. He’s also representing them, laying the groundwork, carving out the path for them all to re-enter through.

There’s so much assurance around him, so much that is guaranteed, nothing needs to be fought for or really worried about, he is the King of Pentacles here, the absolute pinnacle of reward and security. It’s a sure thing, but I can’t help but feel a bit nervous when looking directly at the face of Authority. Everything is prepared and locked-in. He’s all dressed and ready to go, but there’s a sort of anticipation there, as if what he’s holding in his hand, presented to someone in front of him, could be rejected. It won’t be, but understandably there seems to be just a bit of nervousness around that possibility.

Mercury being here in such a big way really puts focus on communication and being a sort of a broadcaster. This brings to mind his solo work in terms of what he shares artistically, but there’s also this aspect I’m seeing of “talking on the phone” or “talking through the radio,” which I think may just come down to how he communicates and connects with the public overall. It’s a huge point here, a huge emphasis on this being a very prominent time, potentially the first time ever, that he, all on his own, has a direct, unobstructed line of communication with the world as Kim Seokjin.

He’s really stepping into something here, with a lot of confidence in what HE is able to do and say, but there is a bit of nerves around how it will be received.

Hoseok

The Moon + Idealism (Sun in Aquarius) + Quarrel (Mars in Cancer) + Jupiter + New Moon

Since Hoseok is on his way to finishing up his military service soon, I figured I should do him second. Here, he’s really projecting the elements of that split energy that I was seeing for the whole group, which could be an effect of his previous position as the Throat Chakra in the Soul Body, being the one to give and receive the energy of the group, or this is purely just his position on his own as he is in a state of transition as he prepares to end his service. The end of his service seems to carry a lot more meaning for him personally.

The enlistment period has shown up in many readings I have done (not posted) as being a more physical/conscious version of what was experienced in the dismantling of the Soul Body, and therefore, the time going in and the time coming out can be somewhat chaotic energetically, mentally, and emotionally, and can contribute to that anxiety or anticipation for the return.

The cards are interesting, contained on both ends by the images of a Full Moon and a New Moon, again emphasizing a period of transition, one that may be affecting him more emotionally. I’ve seen before for Hoseok how his energy and emotions mix quite a bit and can often put strain on his nervous system. Back in the day, this was showing up as emotional flux and physical health issues, but here it could just be emotion.

I’m seeing the ups and downs through the cards like this:

IDEALISM!!! quarrel… JUPITER!!! new moon… SUN!!! mars… AQUARIUS!!! cancer… FULL MOON!!! new moon…

Between the images of Idealism and Quarrel, I see Hoseok finding the ideal version of himself (Sun in Aquarius) and trying to pull that out of himself, trying to bring the most vivid and most authentic version of himself forward along with the help of his personal Guides who fuel the process from above, but then he (in the image of Quarrel) runs into his own reflection, a double of himself coming from the opposite direction that he now has to fight.

With the significance of Aquarius and Cancer in these cards, I wanted to see if he had anything in Cancer in his chart; he doesn’t, but I did take notice of the opposition between his Taurus Moon and Scorpio Jupiter. An expansion of self in the realm of the “undesirable” opposing his own personal comfort and emotional stubbornness. It’s like he expands on himself, makes himself glow from the inside, but as soon as that light starts to reach the outside world, he pulls it back. This is most obvious to me between the drop from Sun to Mars.

The Sun rules Leo, a Fire Sign, but a Fire Sign that, when in its higher development, doesn’t actually contain Fire so much as it contains warmth and light, like the Sun itself as we experience it here on Earth. Leo, unlike Aries and Sagittarius that always carry the element of Fire, mirrors the Sun as it emits its own light and warm energy through personal expression, either creative or emotional. But Mars, Mars rules Aries, a Cardinal Fire Sign, the hottest of the hot. It burns no matter what, hence why it needs to be contained or at least monitored, otherwise it can contribute to destructive behaviors, or what others will deem to be “too much.” The drop from “SUN!!”! to “mars…” is like “I CAN/WANT TO DO THIS!!! but they won’t like it…” It’s very image based, where his persona may have overtaken his sense of self and I feel like this comes down to the issue of “Hope” being something/someone he wants to be but is not, and he’s still concerned about “breaking the illusion” without being there to quickly blow it up and put the mask on again.

I feel like that was something he was meant to ponder on in his time away, but even now there’s still a lot of back-and-forth within himself. Showing the Sun and the Full Moon at the same time would be quite interesting as we would see a truly dualistic person shining, but both the Moon and Sun are “popped” by Mars and the New Moon. The visual of this “pop” is more clear between Jupiter, who expands or blows up that bubble (could relate to Libra/7th House conformity and assimilation, pleasing others by distorting your own personality), followed by the New Moon card where it appears as if the blue and orange of Jupiter’s image have flooded out and left a void behind.

With Idealism, and this constant up and down, I feel like he is being guided by his personal Guides all the time to be inspired and to shine the way that he wants to, but he keeps halting. That Taurus Moon of his keeps clinging to not what he likes but what he finds familiar and comfortable while his Jupiter, which shares space with Pluto and his North Node, is trying to drive him forward and outward, potentially through a process of self-destruction or self-deconstruction, specifically deconstruction of the outer personality, the persona.

This is putting into my head the idea of someone who has thick skin, as in they can take a lot of bullshit from people and not be affected. They have thick skin, so they can take it, but they built that thick skin specifically because they know they can NOT take it. There’s a deep, deep sensitivity in there somewhere that is being guarded, but it’s really weighing things down in terms of his personal progression. It feels like it’s something that can cause and has caused him to fall out of his own alignment before. This could give reason to his vulnerability in the soul body in the past, as well as his difficulty in regulating himself on his own, both on a higher level and on a conscious level. He’s a very, very strong person mentally, but there’s a reason for that, and that reason seems to be picking at him right now as he prepares for another transition in his physical life, another shake up as he completes his enlistment.

Namjoon

Page of Pentacles + Three of Swords + Affair (Venus in Leo) + Fifth House

Namjoon seems to have quite a bit going on creatively within himself, which leads me to believe he’s either working on something right now or is currently “taking notes” on his inspiration for work he will do later. The Page of Pentacles, Affair, and 5th House all scream artistry, creative flux, and seeds being planted for something that will be birthed, put on display, and performed at some point.

There’s a bit of a pulse to this that gives me the feeling of something or someone being revived, which takes us into the Three of Swords with the image of the heart being stabbed by the swords. This image is very different from the traditional image as in the traditional image, the heart is directly being stabbed, while here it appears like lights reflecting off of an image smeared into a window. There’s no stabbing, there’s no direct pain or hurt, but there is an illumination of pain or emotional turmoil happening, suggesting deep self-reflection, potentially even self-dissection, that is contributing to this immense creative inspiration.

Yoongi

Three of Cups + Inspiration (Mercury in Pisces) + Principle (Jupiter in Sagittarius) + Ascendant + Solar Eclipse

No surprise here that Pisces Man Min Yoongi is all up in his spiritual shenanigans while still denying it at the same time. This was such a thing back in the day with him, where it was so clear that he was receiving very direct guidance but was either not sharing it or pushing it down within himself. These cards come with warnings and messages specifically for him, which leads me to believe his cosmic answering machine is full and some of it is leaking into this reading.

The Three of Cups is more reflective currently of his conscious state, happy with the current position, but there’s a “more” behind him somewhere, things he’s dreaming about or envisioning, but for some reason he’s not taking action with it. Maybe it’s something he is saving for the group, but one of the messages is for him to be self-focused now and to focus on personal creative drive. There’s a message in here about him opening up as a conduit as well.

There’s a lot more here, but most of it does seem to be more direct and personal, so I can’t get into all of it, but for sure, without a doubt, there’s strong stimulation to the Crown and Third Eye, with open receptivity and projection through the Throat and Heart Chakras. I believe there’s effort in remaining “grounded” in the lower chakras, but in that, he seems to be ignoring or putting aside what is meant for him.

Jimin

Five of Swords + Companionship (Moon in Libra) + First Quarter Moon

Jimin’s been showing a lot of odd inner conflict for a while, and I think I touched on it a bit in previous readings I’ve posted (I can’t access them right now, so I’m not sure), and here it’s no different.

Companionship is the strongest energy coming through showing a connection, which I’m assuming is with Jungkook since they’re enlisted together, that tethers from his internal space to the external space. In other words, this Companionship is the only thing keeping him grounded right now. There’s a lot of turmoil in the mind as shown with the Five of Swords and the First Quarter Moon where a lot of what is around him is not comfortable or secure. It feels like the people at the top of the Companionship card are looking both ways to keep an eye on Five of Swords and First Quarter Moon, which can combine here to represent paranoia through a mix of external observation and personal emotion/fear.

Basically, it’s coming off as he doesn’t feel particularly safe where he is, and therefore his Companionship is the safe space. Again, I’m assuming this is purely Jungkook just because of how they’ve always shown to connect through protection and nurturing, but given that there are multiple people on the top side, I feel that there are also some new friends who help him to feel safe where he is. Just by the card, I’d say Jimin and Jungkook are the hands at the bottom, while the four above represent new people who understand the fear or have the same fear, and look out for each other.

I’m not entirely sure what it is that he’s afraid of exactly, there’s plenty unfortunately, but right now, it does just seem to be a matter of the mind. He’s afraid of something happening, he’s not afraid because something already happened. There’s a constant nervousness that, just going on what I’ve seen in other readings for the two, he is not sharing directly with Jungkook but Jungkook can probably see it and therefore stays close to him as best he can.

The Five of Swords is the most pressing for me as this contains other people, outside people, other people’s words and actions that he has observed. This observation is then picked up and projected into the First Quarter Moon where intuition is active but not always clear. This means you can see the potential of something happening, but rather than just being mindful, it turns into an anticipation for that thing to happen, leading to fear and paranoia.

What’s interesting is that the people in the image of the Five of Swords are looking everywhere but right at us as the audience, which makes me feel like no one is saying or doing anything directly to him, but they could be saying things about him, or making jokes, or talking about things they’ve done, and all of it is picking at anxiety that he isn’t quick to share, but seems to be readable enough in others around him who are actively trying to keep him comfortable and safe.

I also think he went into his service with this anxiety as it is very deeply rooted. There are layers to it, but I think his worry through observation could have come from other people, as in, someone who’s already served relaying their experience, perhaps giving him a warning about certain things, and thus carried that with him, only to have it affirmed by the words or actions of others. Again, it’s not been directly toward him as he is well protected, but it’s like he’s hypervigilant because he feels the danger is near.

So, yeah, for the most part he’s totally fine, just anxious as hell around certain people, and therefore chooses to focus on and hang around people represented in Companionship. Again, Companionship itself, with the Moon in Libra, is focused on emotional and physical comfort through friendship and expression.

Taehyung

Four of Swords + The Empress + Publicity (Jupiter in Leo) + Eris

There’s a very interesting pattern between all of these cards that puts focus on Taehyung potentially self-reflecting on his own status, or his position in the world, what he does with it, and what he wants to do with it going forward. There’s a very Hermit-esque feel to the Four of Swords here as someone is shown to be meditating or in a state of contemplation on a cliffside — not the top of the mountain like The Hermit.

The Hermit goes very high up to observe other people, to observe the world, and from there comes to understand where he fits into all of it, then decides whether or not he wants to come back down and rejoin the world or remain alone. Here, this person has only gone halfway up, not to observe the world, but to simply get away from it. He’s using, seemingly, his enlistment as a time to isolate from the world, or at least from what he used to find familiar, and is very deliberately trying to “grow up” and grow into himself more.

Eris is a little odd here as she comes with jealousy and spite towards those who don’t include her in their fun. I think somewhere, in some way, he feels left out or forgotten, and is now really reflecting on The Empress (what he creates) and Publicity (how people receive it).

There seems to be a lot of questions he’s asking himself, and it really feels like, somewhat similar to what I saw with Hoseok, he’s meeting his own reflection and is trying to see if he lives up to what he knows he can be. For sure, he’s using his time for personal expansion, but like I said, the Eris part gives an odd feeling to it, suggesting anger or frustration within the self, with himself, but it’s being directed at other people, or just the world in general. Capricorn vibes.

Jungkook

Nine of Pentacles + Charity (Saturn in Cancer) + Pluto

Jungkook has to have the simplest set of cards and the easiest flowing energy out of all of them. It’s so step-by-step, beginning-middle-end, here it feels like he’s just sitting on a floaty and riding a current through a river. The Nine of Pentacles is the overall, baseline state of being. He’s in a very independent, successful, and well-rewarded state. He’s in his harvest season with the seeds he’s planted with his solo work. He’s very comfortable and confident in this as the Nine of Pentacles would suggest. While he may express concern or doubt about his own success, he knows very well that he can not fail from the position that he is in now, he has built something up that can’t be undone very easily — he sees this for both the group and himself, but humbly he will still “doubt” himself.

Charity with Saturn in Cancer is his current position physically and mentally. The assured confidence and growth of the Nine of Pentacles has put him in the position of the older woman in the picture who is carrying her children away from a rigid and harsh institution that was not good for them. This feels directly connected to Jimin’s Companionship card. It seems in this position, they’ve swapped places in the sense that Jimin was always more nurturing and caring toward Jungkook, but over recent years, and very much so now, the roles have switched to Jungkook being more of the leader in their dynamic, the protector.

The woman carrying her child, Jungkook carrying Jimin, is running toward Pluto with the assistance, guidance, and protection of angels, which feels a lot like the four people in the top half of the Companionship card. So, not real angels here (although I’m sure they’re well protected on that level as well), but like actual people, helping them along, helping them stay safe. Pluto itself marks the end, marks personal death that leads to a new beginning.

On some level, in spite of the physical and mental strain of enlistment, it almost feels like he’s taking it as a vacation, comforted by his “harvest” or the reward and success he’s seeing his work and the group’s work while he is enlisted. Because of this, he feels he can put energy and attention into being a protector. He’s eager to get it over with, as suggested with the woman running toward Pluto, but he’s pretty much alright. From what I can see here there’s no big mental or emotional strain on him, other than any pressure or upset feeling he may have from seeing someone he cares about be anxious or uncomfortable, trying to alleviate that without really knowing what the issue is.

With that Pluto there, I have a feeling he’ll come back from enlistment in a big way, with even more confidence and self-assurance. He was already becoming quite bold over the last few years, but I feel like he’s shedding the last of his old skin within this process. The affirmation of the Nine of Pentacles is really giving him a sense of strong foundation to stand on, securing a sense of personal freedom that he’s been trying to achieve for a very long time.

*More readings on bluemoonpunch.com!

[roeroe-world]

could it be or could it not be? (a different world edition)

As requested❤️: @notapradagurl7

starring: bumper robinson as dorian haywood, keke palmer as ruby jacobs

set in 1993.

warning(s): detailed smut, harsh language, adult situations

“I really don’t understand why out of all people your partner has to be her.” Lena sends the male an eye roll, not bothering to even glance in her boyfriend’s direction. Dorian and Lena strolled alongside one another into the lobby, annoyance pouring over both of their frames.

“Don’t start, Lena. I told you Ruby and I are just friends.” He sighs heavily.

The couple were having a slight argument over Dorian’s assignment. This appointed assignment isn’t just the issue, it’s who the assignment is being conducted with. In Lena’s perspective, she thinks her lover should have been paired with someone else.

“Just friends? Oh, please…” With a wave of her manicured hand, her petite body plops onto the couch.

Dorian’s head shakes side to side, occupying the space next to her before leaning in to place a kiss upon her lips. His arms snaking around her neck. Instantaneously, her head turns in the opposite direction as her tongue drags along her cheek. The scene caught the attention of a few familiar individuals.

“Oop, I’m sensing some tension over here. Y’all having a couple’s fight again?” Gina quizzes, eyes darting between the two nosily and carefully.

“How about you mind your business and go back to wherever you came from, big mouth.” Lena insults nonchalantly yet irritation present in her tone. Both Gina and Charmaine’s head tilt backward in pure offense.

“Dang, what’s the matter with you?” Charmaine butts in, the duo welcoming themselves amongst the couch as well. “Yeah, exactly. What is the matter with you? I keep telling you that Ruby and I being partners for this project was completely unintentional. The professor partnered us up. We had absolutely nothing to do with this.” Dorian’s gaze piercing passionately into his girlfriend’s canvas in hopes of her understanding his side.

“Ruby? As in fine Ruby Jacobs?” Terrell makes his presence known, catching wind of the conversation. He takes a seat along the arm of the couch.

Immediately, Lena sits up. “See—” She began frustratingly. “That’s exactly what I’m talking about. You can’t be just friends with a girl like that.” Her intense gaze falling upon the male, eyelids squinting. “Look me in my eye and tell me that you’re not attracted to her. You better not lie neither.”

Dorian finds himself laughing in disbelief. He couldn’t believe his girlfriend could be this way, so insecure. He’d never given her any reason to feel inferior nor intimidated by another woman. But all of that changed when Ruby transferred to Hillman.

Ruby transferred from Howard to Hillman for a fresh start. She also happens to be a long time friend of his, given they’ve even grown up together. They lost touch for a while after graduating high school but quickly reconnected after crossing paths— to be specific they were passing one another on campus before recognizing each other in a quickness.

Ever since then, things had shifted within his relationship with Lena.

She became a jealous, raging woman. Often speaking ill of Ruby whenever she isn’t around for no apparent reason. Dorian understood to a certain extent but it was growing extremely uncomfortable. Ruby rarely glances in her direction, let alone speaks of her.

“Lena, listen to yourself. You’re being extremely irrational right now.” Dorian argues.

“You can’t even—” Lena began, only to be interrupted.

“Hey, sorry to interrupt whatever this is. But Dorian it’s your turn.” The woman of the hour makes her appearance, butt-length individual braids swinging softly alongside her confident stride. The entire group’s energy shifts, their attention shifting upon Ruby’s frame.

The strap of her Rasta striped backpack chilling on her right shoulder. A purple and white tank top reading ‘Nike’ in white bold letters hugging her torso yet exposing her small waist, matching oversized nylon track pants covering her legs. A fresh pair of Nike Air Jordan 7 OG Raptors adorning her feet.

Gold compliments her skin tone and clearly she’s aware, rocking a plethora of gold necklaces and a few rings. Two of the necklaces being a nameplate necklace which spells out her name in cursive as well as Egyptian queen, Nefertiti. Notes of brown sugar and vanilla bean engulfing her natural being. She’s the epitome of fly.

Her aura was bright yet she was nonchalant and the facial expression amongst her canvas remained unphased. In fact, she doesn’t acknowledge the rest of the group. Her attention solely focused on Dorian’s being, handing the male the car seat.

“Cool. How was she?” He quizzes, referring to the infant simulator resting in the assigned car seat. The infant simulator happened to be the fake baby the duo were given for the sake of their project.

To be specific, their project happens to be a social experiment. The duo were to pretend to be young parents whilst tackling real world issues and college.

“A pain in my behind. I was able to get her to sleep so I could get some studying in thankfully.” She smiles weakly, ignoring the subtle stares they were receiving. “I gotta head to track practice. Good luck.”

“Thanks and before you leave I’m gonna need you to watch her tonight. I have an exam tomorrow morning. I need some sleep.” His pools of brown practically pleading for the young woman to oblige.

Her hands meeting her hips, sighing irritably, “I have an exam too, Dorian. Don’t you think I can use some sleep?”

“But—”

“No buts.” Before he could even get another word in, Ruby saunters out of sight.

“Okay, wow…” Gina starts with a mischievous chuckle. “So, Lena? You’re like the resentful girlfriend but Ruby is the baby mama that you just can’t seem to get rid of. Mm, I would pay good money to see this in a soap opera.” Her chuckles transitions into intense laughter.

As a result, Lena hops out of her seat and began to march away from the group. Charmaine sends a harsh slap to Gina’s shoulder earning a light gasp— the young woman no longer laughing as the duo began to follow closely behind an angry Lena to comfort their friend.

The moment the trio were gone, the infant simulator bursts into loud wails. Dorian’s tired eyes falls onto his friend, Terrell, whom instantly stands to his feet. A nervous laugh escaping his throat.

“You know, man. I would help you but, um, I gotta study for that uh… exam I got tomorrow too. So, uh, yeah. Bye.” He lies before quickly leaving the scene as well.

Dorian’s head tosses backward in pure frustration, a sigh passing his lips. His gaze falling amongst the crying electronic infant the second he lifts his head once again.

———

Now you want my love

Well that’s alright

Well, it will be there for you, morning, noon, and night

TLC’s “Baby, Baby, Baby” softly commences through Ruby’s apartment due to her handy dandy CD player. It happens to be a one bedroom, simply furnished but nothing too extra. It was just right, perfect for her accommodation during this point of her life.

She stays off campus, not because she necessarily had to but she chose too. After the horrific experience of having roommates at her old campus, she decided to purchase a place of her own. She needed her own space. Ruby liked it better that way. Besides, she doesn’t live too far from the campus.

Silently, she flips to the next page of her thick textbook which is seated upon her lap. Her legs indian style comfortably, basking in the solitude and tranquility of her space.

Until, a couple of knocks meets her door.

Her gaze travels to the door for a split second before sitting the textbook onto the coffee table and standing to her feet. Glancing through the peephole, she looks to the side with a lighthearted chuckle yet wasting no absolute time to welcome the uninvited guest inside.

“Did you need something, Dorian?”

“Yeah. To study.” Without protesting, she takes the car seat out of his hold as he closes the umbrella. It was storming pretty badly outside. The rain poured at an intense rate and it hadn’t shown any signs of stopping anytime soon.

“You didn’t walk over here in the rain. Did you?” Ruby places the car seat onto a nearby chair, carefully analyzing the infant simulator’s appearance to ensure everything is intact.

Shutting and locking the door behind himself, “I took a cab.” He takes off his red, black and white letterman jacket before neatly hanging it onto the coat rack. She grabs his backpack, laying it on the couch. “I know you’re probably wondering why I’m here. I’ve been trying to study but she keeps crying and the only way the thing seems to stop is when I hold her.”

“It does that to me too. Hence why I gave her to you for the night. You’re not the only one in dire need of sleep and on top of that I have to study too. As you can see—” Her arms motioning to the mountains of paper and textbooks scattered across her coffee table.

Dorian observes the scene. A sense of regret and guilt creeping upon his being. “You know what? You’re right. I should go. Sorry about this.” He reaches for his belongings, preparing to leave before Ruby halts his actions. “Stop. Seriously, what’s happening to us?”

His eyebrows furrowing together, “What do you mean?”

The male began to act oblivious. Though, he knows exactly what she means. Before their project, their friendship was great and they would rarely possess any disagreements. But with the assignment, the duo seemed to be growing slightly distant but oddly closer in the same note due to the infant simulator.

Sure, they were best-friends. But before the “baby” they had their own lives and friends so they weren’t obligated to see one another every day. Now, they had to for the sake of their grade.

“This thing—” The young woman motions to the infant simulator in slight frustration before plopping onto the couch. “drives me nuts. I can’t really hang out whenever I want. You’re starting not to like me anymore. I’ve become annoying. Haven’t I?”

“Woah, what?” Dorian laughs, taking a seat next to his friend. “Look, I’ve been worked up over this project too. You’re not alone and you are not annoying. You’re just… a young mother, technically.” He tries to assure her earning a light exasperated sigh.

“Well, in that case, I don’t wanna have children anytime soon.”

The male finds himself laughing causing Ruby to join him, “I mean, I can’t study. Oh and I can’t take long thorough showers like I usually do. One time, I was in the middle of a presentation and the thing started crying. It was soo humiliating.”

“Tell me about it. My Biology professor literally kicked me out of class.” The two relate to one another, their heads shaking in unison. “I’m so glad we only have a couple of more days left of this project. It has been a long two weeks. Though, I can’t lie, I feel for those who are juggling college and parenthood. It is not easy.”

“Yeah,” She began, her gaze softening the second she turns in Dorian’s direction. “Um, I caught wind of you and your friends conversation earlier…” Instantaneously, his attention falls upon the woman. “I don’t understand the issue your girl has with me. I mean, we’re just friends.” The young woman says with an eye roll, crossing her arms.

Not once did Ruby ever come on to Dorian. Despite the fact that she doesn’t know Lena well, she respects her enough to not interfere in their relationship. But Ruby isn’t an ass kisser so it is what it is.

Dorian sighs heavily, “I tell her that a million times. Lena is just… I don’t know. She’s never been this way. I’m not sure if I should be flattered or upset.” His mind going into deep thought.

“All I’m gonna say is, she has nothing to worry about. I also enjoy our friendship. I think she really needs to dive deep inside and find that insecurity so maybe she can stop taking it out on me. I’ve done absolutely nothing to her nor to you, Dorian.”

The young woman stands to her feet, walking to the other side of her living room to turn off the CD player. “Ruby…” Dorian slowly steps to her, grabbing her hand to gently turn the woman in his direction. “I apologize on behalf of Lena’s behavior. Okay? But I can’t control nor can I convince her not to be threatened by you… I mean… look at you,”

Ruby’s head gradually lifts, their pools of brown connecting, “You’re beautiful. Guys flock to you all the time.” She breaks their eye contact, disconnecting their hands due to her growing quite flustered as she saunters in the opposite direction of the area.

Dorian only follows right behind the beauty. Tension forming between the two.

“Can I be honest?” He inquires, swallowing his pride.

“Yeah?” Her gaze away from his being, avoiding any absolute eye contact.

“I’m glad we became partners because I’ve grown to realize something…” Suddenly, Ruby turns to look at him. “What’s that?”

“How I can’t do this thing called life without you. There’s no other person I see myself doing this—” He motions towards their surroundings. “with.” The duo being partners for the project gave the two a chance to view one another in a different light. A light they never once walked to.

“I… see you as more than just a friend. In fact, I’ve loved you since I was nine years old.”

Ruby grew speechless, peering deeply into his eyes. Derealization creeps upon her frame— nearly on the verge of pinching herself to figure out if she’s dreaming or not. But she isn’t… Dorian is standing right in front of her, live in the flesh. Confessing his longtime romantic feelings for her.

“This may come as a shocker but… I had to tell you before it was too late.” He further explains, stepping closer to the beauty.

“Lena. What about Lena? Did she ever come in mind when you realized you had these feelings for me?” Their chests meeting softly, her gaze peering upward due to their height difference.

“What about her?” Her eyebrow raises at his response. “I care about her but she isn’t you.”

“Could this be? Or… could this not be?” The beauty’s fingertips tracing along the material of his long sleeved shirt.

His face slowly dipping downward toward hers, his lips leaning closer to hers, “It will be.”

Without wasting another agonizing second, their lips connected for the very first time. Their union was fervent, zealous— in search of what was next to occur during this moment. Their tongues began to tango within the other’s wetness. The act creating a track of its own.

Both of their racing hearts thumped intensely as Dorian takes the initiative of positioning his hands along the top of her backside. He wanted to remain respectful, not wanting to overstep his boundaries in any way shape or form.

As a result, Ruby sends him the signal that his thoughts were okay. It was as if she read his mind given their undeniable chemistry, leading his large hands to her covered backside that sat plump and proudly in her shorts.

Her arms hanging loosely around his neck, their heads conducting every which way yet never breaking their steamy kiss. Unfortunately, the infant simulator started to wail loudly catching the duo’s attention. Dorian sends the woman a grip on her backside, his top row of pearly whites softly digging into his bottom lip. Hazy low eyes staring downward at her seductively.

“I got it.”

Suddenly, he snaps out of the trance she unintentionally lured him under. His mind traveling to his girlfriend for a split second.

“N-No, I got it.” He volunteers, tending to the infant simulator’s needs.

Giggling softly to herself, Ruby observes as he rocks and feeds the mechanical infant. Her gaze travels along to her sock cladded feet before lifting her head once again, finger twiddling the tip of one of her lengthy braids.

The second he returns it to its rightful place as soon as it halted its wails, “I should go.” He began to pack his things, preparing to leave once again.

Yet again, Ruby stops him right in his tracks. This time what she had in mind isn’t so innocent.

“You can’t just confess your feelings for me then up and leave. Besides, it’s pouring down out there.” She was enticing, practically seducing him with her eyes. “You gonna go out in the rain? Hm?” They were a deep shade of brown, lust and desire swirling within her orbs.

Her head tilts to the side, their pools of brown burning into one another. “I don’t think you should leave me, Dorian.” The woman confidently steps closer to his tall frame, exuding a femme fatale. A woman clearly comfortable within her sexuality.

He surrenders, “I suppose, I shouldn’t.” The thought of Lena being shoved in the back burner of his conscience.

With his consent, the woman takes his hand and leads him to her bedroom. Anticipation and excitement pouring over his frame as he watches her hips. He takes a seat on the edge of the bed, observing the beauty undress while admiring her being. His member hard as a rock.

Ruby kneels upon her knees, unbuckling the fly of his denim jeans. “You don’t have to do that.” He says, though he doesn’t mind. He’d never received fellatio before so it would be a first.

“Stop worrying. Would you?” She doesn’t bother to even glance at him as his tongue drag across his lips, gaze directed amongst her breasts. He lifts his hips so she could pull down his boxers, he’d never been so ecstatic about anything in his life. He had no idea Ruby had it in her.

Slowly stroking his long phallus, her lust-filled eyes glances upward in his direction. It wouldn’t be long before her lips would be wrapped around him, slurping him up as if her life depended on it. Clearly, it isn’t her first rodeo.

His jaw falls agape, “Oh shit.”

Her hand skillfully strokes him. The beauty’s head bobbing upward and downward with absolute ease. Her skills were heaven sent, becoming a pleasure to the male. She was too good at this.

His head falls backward, fucking her face as his fingers tangles into her braids. “Ruby…” He calls her name, low gaze averting downward onto the sexual deviant earning her attention. Batting her eyelashes, she seductively drags her tongue along one of the veins of his thick phallus, making sure to maintain their hazy eye contact. “Yes, baby?”

Before he could utter another word— he couldn’t any longer. He’d completely lost his train of thought. She snatched them away of him as well as his soul, going harder than before due to his reaction. Ruby was giving him Grammy award winning head, a plethora of profanity escaping his throat.

She was showcasing one of her many talents, revealing that she’s unlike any other woman he’s ever been with sexually. None of his previous lovers offered fellatio and he never pressured them either. But Ruby was more than willing to with no absolute shame.

In fact, she was committed. Dedicated to make him come just with the handy dandy work of her tongue. It had taken much practice, though she loved it. The jaw aches, the tears cascading along her cheeks, her mouth being full, the slob surrounding her juicy lips, the moans— even screams. The aggressive face fucking— she abso-fucking-lutely loved it.

“Fuck, fuck…” Dorian groans aloud, releasing into her mouth without warning. She made him come in under a minute, leaving breathless and panting heavily. He wasn’t expecting that level of head.

She swallows whatever he produces with no complaints, crawling onto his lap. “Think you could handle some more?” Her center throbbed for him, throbbing for a good pounding and he possesses the perfect size for her dripping tight crevice. The woman always desired for something bigger than she could handle.

He was still up at attention. “Hell yeah.”

Reaching for a condom into her nightstand, she makes sure to secure it on him. The second she does, she hops off of his lap and lays beside his being. His eyes closely following the places she goes, watching her legs widen. He analyzes her wetness as if it’s his most prized possession, his trophy.

One of her hands drags between her breasts along onto her toned stomach, eventually between her legs. Her index and middle finger toying with her throbbing center, moaning softly. Dorian replaces her touch, a groan passing his throat due to how soaked she is. He barely touched her and he had her like this.

Ruby practically melted like putty in his hands, surrendering to whatever he had to offer. His fingers soon being replaced with his thick phallus, both of them moaning at the sudden contact.

She trapped him into her cavern and he couldn’t find himself desiring to escape. He was already hooked, longing for more and more and more.

Dorian’s strokes were deep, passionate yet slow. He wanted to savor each second, capture each second. His face no longer buried into the crook of her neck, lifting his head to analyze her facial expressions. Her lips were slightly parted open, low pools of brown flowing into his. “I love you.” She whispers before whimpering shortly after her confession.

“I love you.” He tucks one of her braids behind her ear. Orbs sparkling in admiration. Ruby’s deep brown eyes caught him in a daze. Her cheekbones sat high. Her glossy lips plump and suckable, begging to be ravished. Brown skin smooth and soft, her signature vanilla bean scent entering his nostrils yet again. “You’re so beautiful.”

The woman caresses his back, hips rocking into his. Her legs enveloping his waist. She didn’t want him to stop especially when he stretched her out so perfectly. Dorian already has her right where she wanted him to have her.

“Dorian…” Her feminine tone summons his name. It wouldn’t be the last time.

Natural nail beds digging into the golden skin of his back, the pleasure growing increasingly overwhelming. She felt every vein, every thrust, everything. “Shit.” The second he finds her spot— he seems to not want to leave it alone, deepening the tip of his phallus in circles.

Love marks being left upon her skin, biting and nibbling. His wet tongue sensually dragging along her chest then her brown hardened areolas, showing them the attention they were in dire need of.

The view of her breasts bouncing along each thrust, her reaction garnered another side of Dorian. Without a lack of hesitation, he flips the woman onto her stomach before entering her walls yet again. It catches Ruby off guard but she doesn’t disagree. Her legs shaking immensely.

The headboard bangs against the wall harshly. The couple pants heavily as the aggressive sound of skin slapping bounces off the walls. “Ah, fuck,” Dorian’s tight grip amongst her hips forces her body back and forth. His pace more rougher than before. His lust-filled gaze observing her backside clap against him, top row of pearly whites digging into his bottom lip.

No uncertainty, Ruby pumps herself back. “Oh, yes, yes!” Her body burning for him, sweat beads dripping along their melanated frames. She desired for more, no matter how much he filled her up. “Don’t stop… fuck me, fuck me.” The sexual deviant became a certified fein. So far, Dorian wasn’t a disappointment.

Her eyes rolls to the back of her skull for the millionth time tonight. One of her hands reaching behind her back to grip his hip while the other gripped the sheets due to the fervent impact of his strokes. Drool dripping along her chin due to her jaw hanging agape in pure disbelief yet bliss. She hadn’t had her world rocked like this in awhile.

Her arch remained intact, ass up in the air and face down just as he loves it. The view was a true sight for a sore eyes.

The second she looks back at him with that pouty expression upon her face, the throbbing sensation of his phallus intensifies. He isn’t prepared to come just yet. The effect of Ruby was something serious and Dorian hadn’t prepared for it.

Suddenly, an abrupt feeling of Dorian’s member slipping out of Ruby’s cavern earns a whimper. “Put it back in,” She drags out, high-pitched weak voice holding a slight crack due to the amount of shouting she was doing a second ago.

Dorian doesn’t respond. Instead, he lowers himself between her legs. The male figures he would return the favor. “So good.” He groans against her wetness, ravishing her nectar as if it’s his last supper.

“Ouu—” His thumb pressing against her anus. In result, more of her juices dripping along his chin. “Ah, fuck… just like that.” She encourages her lover, fucking his face.

His tongue dragging across her center passionately, not so rough but it was sensual. Soon enough, two of his thick fingers would enter her warm walls again before thrusting them in and out at a gradual pace. The amazing work of his tongue and fingers would cause the beauty to grow weak in the knees.

Dorian was dedicated given his eyelids were shut, his head moving side to side— up and down to lick every angle of her dripping goodness. He was quite adamant on pleasing the woman. He’s his own man and it showed.

Without warning, she squirts onto his gorgeous canvas with a shout, “Fuck!” He would continue his actions resulting in the woman to feel the urge to squirt yet again.

Her aching paradise would be filled to the brim with his love once more, digging in and out of the beauty mercilessly. She released the urge, squirting along his soaked pelvic area while babbling incoherent words. A flushed yet fucked out expression amongst her naturally captivating canvas. “Mhm,” He encourages her, despite not understanding a word she’s uttering.

A firm grip upon her braids would jolt her head backward in his direction as he continued to fuck her into oblivion, her brain growing completely dumb. “Unh, unh, unh, unh!” She shouts into the heated atmosphere. He sends a rough slap to her backside.

“Ah, shit!” Dorian groans, feeling his orgasm approaching. Though, he was about to come— he continued to give her all he had. He was a panting, sweaty mess but he was still incredibly sexy. “Fuck, I love you.” He meant every single word he said.

“I love you more, baby…” She began, tone of voice frail and shaky. “I love this dick.” Her mouth was absolutely filthy but so was Dorian’s. She brought out that side of him.

“I know…” His gaze averting to where their bodies connected. “You’re so fucking wet for me.” With each stroke, her wetness made its presence known— creating an mixtape of its own. Their sex was sticky and sloppy just as the couple loved it.

Their sexual chemistry was better than expected. It took a moment but eventually it transitioned into something unforgettable, ardent.

Her walls tightens around him causing his eyes to roll to the back of his skull, head tossing backward as his tongue drags along his lips. “Shit. I’m gonna cum.” He informs the woman, his thrusts becoming sloppy. Her nectar sloshing against his hardened member, squirting once more.

Their bodies began to shake violently. Oxytocin and Dopamine streaming along their veins as their love comes crashing down upon them. Dorian continues to pound his lover, unable to get enough despite his orgasm sending a slight jolt to his movements. In result, the couple began to grow overstimulated— fucking one another through their orgasm.

“I’m coming, I’m coming!” Ruby’s voice high-pitched cries out with a light crack before calling out for the most high. They ride out their highs, Dorian grunting aloud as his seed fills up the latex.

Panting heavily, the male’s arms wraps along her waist. His sweaty chest pressing against her back, lips inching closer toward her ear. “You know there’s no going back, right?”

The second their high came down, the couple was brought back to reality. What they did was absolutely wrong, the ultimate stab in the back. Both Ruby and Dorian understood that but neither of them could deny the burning desire of going there with one another. Though it was wrong, it felt right.

They love one another and Lena couldn’t stop that.

Turning to look back at him, a loving grin upon her lips, a twinkle of admiration and adoration in her eye as her gaze sets upon his captivating canvas. “Of course.”

[spoonienation]

The Far-Right – And Some Democrats – Are Criminalizing Masks.

We Must Act Now to Keep Each Other Safe.

Politicians across the US are pushing for mask bans. We all have a responsibility to fight this attack on our rights, our bodily autonomy, our privacy and our health. If you stopped masking, now is a good time to reengage with this practice in public spaces, and particularly in political gatherings. If you are organizing an event, please require and distribute high quality masks as visible expression of solidarity.

Please Forward this message widely to your community groups.

What’s Happening: Politicians are pushing mask bans

New York Governor Kathy Horchul just announced in a CNN interview that she is considering a ban on masking in New York State, following New York City Mayor Eric Adams’s suggestion that protesters should no longer be allowed to protect themselves and others by masking. Hochul’s remark alluded to masked pro-Palestine protesters – marking a new direct connection between anti-public health repression and repression of Palestine solidarity work. This comes just as North Carolina is nearly finished supercharging its law against masking, setting a precedent that is likely to have far-reaching implications for people trying to take care of their health across the United States.

The state of North Carolina has had a law on the books for years that criminalizes mask wearing. In 2020, they correctly amended their rule to include an exemption for “any person wearing a mask for the purpose of ensuring the physical health or safety of others.” However, this exemption is currently being undone. In mid-May, North Carolina’s Senate tried to pass a bill to remove this exemption. In the face of significant public opposition, North Carolina’s House of Representatives rejected the Senate’s version. On June 12, a “compromise” bill that included language ”to ensure that individuals who have legitimate health concerns can wear a surgical or medical-grade mask in public” was passed by both legislatures.

This “compromise” is a bad bill.The changes it introduces do not go far enough to protect individuals’ interest in masking for their health. Other changes actually make this version worse than the previous Senate version of the bill.

The earlier bill entirely removed exemption #6, which protected “any person wearing a mask for the purpose of ensuring the physical health or safety of the wearer or others.” As a “compromise,” the current bill includes exemption #6 but has removed the phrase “for the purpose of ensuring the physical health or safety of the wearer or others.” In its place, the exemption will be for “preventing the spread of contagious disease.” As noted by North Carolina’s legislative counsel, the earlier bill meant that “individuals would no longer be able to wear masks in public for health or safety reasons.” Yet, the new bill, by also removing the “physical health and safety” language, is effectively the same as the earlier bill: individuals will have a more limited ability to wear masks in public.

This is a negation of an important individual right. People have a right to self defense, including a right to protect their health. Such a right is significantly broader than an interest in “preventing the spread of contagious disease.” For example, breathing wildfire smoke is damaging to your health but has nothing to do with contagious disease.

Moreover, the new bill proposes to give every person in North Carolina the legal right to ask those around them to unmask—something we haven’t seen anywhere in the US to-date. Under the 2020 version of North Carolina’s anti-mask law, law enforcement officers could request that people remove their masks in certain situations, even if they were relying on the health and safety exemption. The new bill extends that power, allowing “the owner or occupant of public or private property where the wearer is present” to request that the wearer “temporarily remove” their mask. This rule threatens to amplify the practice of “mask shaming” by giving employers, colleagues, and “occupants of public property” a legal basis for demanding that people wearing medical masks show them their faces. In fact, before the law was even signed, a stage 4 cancer patient at a gas station was intentionally coughed on by another customer, who told her that wearing a mask in public was illegal.

Not only does this rule provide a dangerous ground for harassment, it makes public spaces unsafe for people trying to avoid COVID and other viruses, particularly medically vulnerable people. There is no safe amount of time to unmask, particularly as ventilation conditions and viral load can vary. People may be asked to unmask multiple times, further increasing risk.

As the North Carolina bill is one signature away from becoming law, mask restrictions are now being pushed elsewhere and across party lines, like New York state. Last month, the Ohio Attorney General advised public universities that student protestors who wear masks could be charged with felonies under an archaic anti-mask law. And of course, just this week, the Governor of New York told CNN she was looking into whether the state could reinstate its own 200-year-old anti-masking law, which it had repealed in 2020. Across the country, police have been harassing people wearing masks on campus using a variety of legal justifications.

These legislations and legislative attempts aim to set a new precedent for the right-wing agenda, as evidenced by their attention to ban mask mandates in healthcare in the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 document co-signed/supported by hundreds of far-right and Trump-allied organizations. These same repressive forces have made inroads in dismantling reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare options. Their attention is now also focusing on those practicing community care and bodily autonomy by wearing masks.

How did we get here?

Although these fascistic mask ban policies have been kick-started by the far-right, many police officials and some elected Democrats, too, are joining team “Far Right” to sacrifice public health at the altar of increased surveillance. Democratic New York City mayor Eric Adams has been urging business owners to require customers to lower their protective medical masks upon entry as a crime-prevention technique, claiming that refusal to unmask “should cause … alarm” and now suggests he favors outright bans on masking in some situations as well. And Democratic Alderman Raymond Lopez of Chicago’s 15th Ward has now submitted a proposal with similar language to the North Caroline bill, to increase penalties on any protesters arrested while wearing a mask. His staff told us that there is no plan to exempt medical masks. Many other Democrats – through silence on this issue and through broader inaction on public health – have helped to institutionalize an anti-public health agenda, reinforce structural ableism, and further isolate anyone who wants to avoid a preventable, still deadly, and often disabling virus.

Not only a terrifying threat to all our health and safety as well as our rights to privacy, mask bans violate our Constitutional rights and the Americans with Disabilities Act. They are an egregious overstep on behalf of right wing forces to erase and to criminalize our efforts to care for ourselves and others. It’s no coincidence that these bans began in the US South, specifically targeting, intimidating, and harming Black, Brown, and Indigenous peoples.

Mask bans also serve short-term corporate interests, which center profits over the lives of workers and consumers. In-N-Out burger publicly banned its employees from wearing masks, seemingly because an inability to "service with a smile" due to mask-wearing meant revenue loss. Hospital chains dangerously removed mask mandates in part due to slowdown in elective procedures caused by COVID testing requirements and mask-wearing policies.

But there is a lot we can do

We all have a responsibility to fight this right-wing agenda, to protect everyone’s right to participate in public life without making ourselves and our community sick. If you have stopped masking, now is a good time to reengage with this practice in public spaces, and particularly in political gatherings. If you are organizing an event, please require and distribute high quality masks for all as visible expression of solidarity.

We must protect our right to health, bodily autonomy, privacy, and political expression.

Take Action:

Wear a mask. To prevent COVID and Long COVID, EVERYONE should be masking in public with good-filtering, close-fitting respirator masks. We are all at risk ourselves, and we all pose risks to other people. So, wear an N95 mask in public spaces. If you are organizing an event – particularly a political event – require and distribute high quality masks for all. If you have stopped masking in public, this is a great time to re-engage the practice. Our opposition to this fascism must be made visible. There is safety in numbers. We keep us safe.

If you live in North Carolina, call your state representatives and state senators and use NC Megaphone’s tool to email all the State House and Senate representatives at once. Tell them mask bans are dangerous and unconstitutional.

If you live outside North Carolina, call the Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill Chambers of Commerce. Tell them you will not be traveling to North Carolina so long as they continue to consider mask bans. You can use the NC Megaphone tool above to do the same.

If you live in Chicago, call and email Alderman Lopez who proposed the mask ban there, and your own alderman and tell them that you oppose it in its entirety.

If you live in or frequent New York State, call 518-474-8390 (press 1 to leave a message, 2 to speak with a person) and email Governor Hochul to express your opposition to mask bans. If you live in or visit New York City, call and email Mayor Adams to say the same and express why his comments on masking are harmful. Follow @covidadvocacyny for more details

In every state, call your own elected officials. Ask if they have heard of any plans to introduce mask bans in your state, and register your dissent. Tell them: “mask bans are a dangerous violation of our rights. We need mask requirements in healthcare, not mask bans which will make public space even more unsafe and inaccessible.”

Connect with your local mask blocs or other local groups supporting COVID prevention.

Forward this message to your community groups and discuss mask bans with your family, friends, and community. Email us at info@peoplescdc.org if you would like more materials.

[audible-smiles]

So, I think I may have accidentally found the worst book ever written by a human being.

I don't know if you guys have ever heard of Savitri Devi; she was a Hitler stan who moved from Greece to India, got really excited about "Aryan" racial mythology, changed her name, and tried to fuse Nazism with Hinduism. A lot of her ideology is patently absurd (e.g. Hitler is an avatar of Vishnu), but none of it is funny because she spent her entire life actively trying to build a coalition of the most violently racist people you can imagine. Hindutva paramilitary groups, American neo-Nazis, early ecofascists; you name them, she probably went to their meetings and wrote propaganda for them.

So, knowing this, it makes one feel particularly deranged to learn that she also wrote fiction about- and from the POV of- her many cats.

The book in question is called Long-Whiskers and the Two-Legged Goddess, or The True Story of a "most objectionable Nazi" and half-a-dozen Cats.

Published in 1965, this text features a protagonist named "Heliodora", who Devi admits in the introduction is just her lightly fictionalized self-insert. In the beginning Heliodora heroically rescues a stray kitten and its mother, but then the narrative grinds to a halt to explain the weird racial theories that brought her to India, before it picks right back up with the cat fancying. Here is an excerpt that may convey a little of how jarring these transitions can be:

"An unexpected thought crossed Heliodora’s mind, like a flash of lightning: “Had I gone to Europe in 1939, or even in 1940, 1 should not have had this lovely creature, nor, in fact, any of these cats to which I have given a home. They probably all would have been dead, by now — would have died of misery, in some gutter, without love, poor beautiful felines!” And a strange question followed that thought: “Was it for them that I was fated to remain here?” She knew the thought was a nonsensical one and the question too. For of what account was the life and happiness of any creatures, nay, of any human beings, including her own, compared with the Service of the Aryan Reich and of the Cause of truth?

It is all. Fucking. Like This. There are grim descriptions of feline suffering contrasted with long, ecstatic descriptions of her cats learning to trust the only nice human in the world (her). There are passages on the virtue of vegetarianism and the evils of (especially Kosher) slaughterhouses. She thinks it's a great idea to do medical experiments on criminals rather than animals! She thinks kids who throw rocks at cats should have their hands cut off! She starts chapters with direct quotes from Mein Kampf! When her favorite cat runs away she writes the (fully imaginary) story of his adventures on the streets, including him having cat sex. Here is the cat sex:

"The coquettish she-cat jumped up and ran away, only to stop again some twenty yards further and again to roll in the grass, calling for love, — and again to ran away as soon as the lover was about to take her. At last, however, — after many an unsuccessful leap and further and further galloping in the moonshine, Long- whiskers overcame her faked resistance and possessed her. He forgot himself, and she — his black silky panther — forgot herself. Their individualities ceased for a while to exist, and in him, the eternal He-Cat, Creator and Lord of everything, and in her, the co-eternal, sphinx-like, dark Feline Mother, Lady of all Life, once more mingled their opposite polarities and took consciousness of their double Godhead, as they had been doing for millions and millions of years. And once more the divine spark — the Creative Lightning — flashed through their furry bodies, and the daily miracle took place: there was life in the female’s womb."

Sooooo......anyway...........the lost cat finds its way back to her, but has caught feline distemper and dies in her arms, but then he is REINCARNATED IN ENGLAND, as a kitten in a decent (white) home where his family loves him. Heliodora is coincidentally going back to Europe at this time (she lists her religion as "national socialist" on the travel paperwork), which means we get pages and pages of her obsessing over every 'misstep' in the war, and Germany's tragic loss, but more importantly, she meets a random cat and he is (unknown to her), the reincarnation of her beloved Long-whiskers, the Cat Who Fucked. She sees that he's well-fed and happy and is like "I finally understand why Hitler was so nice to the British; they treat cats well so I guess they're Aryan too". I am not making any of this up:

“They have poured streams of fire over Germany; betrayed their own race; identified themselves with its worst enemies ...”

“Prrr, prrr, prrr,” purred back the cat; “that is because they had been (as they are still being) misled, deceived. But one day they shall wake up from their delusion, tum against their bad shepherds, and help the people of their own blood to build up a new Europe — the very Europe of your dreams, in which we creatures will all be happy — for they are good people at heart; good people like Aryans generally are, taken as a whole. Prrr, prrr, prrr . . . The proof of it is that they have taken such good care of me! Prrrrrrrrr . . .”

This version of her cat grows old and dies. Meanwhile, Heliodora is arrested and imprisoned for distributing Nazi propaganda. When she gets out, she meets the reincarnation of a different cat she had left behind in India. (All of her cats want to find her again after death because they love her so very much.) In between her banal, mundane descriptions of caring for this new cat, she describes her various arrests, interrogations, and brief periods of imprisonment. And then she moves, gives that cat away and gets another fucking cat. It is at this point where I completely lose track of which cat is meant to be the reincarnation of which other cat; this woman goes through cats like potato chips. She says she doesn't even love them as individuals, but as one piece of "the intangible Essence of Catdom", so I guess it doesn't fucking matter whether I know their names or not.

This woman's primary thesis is "human suffering doesn't matter, only animal suffering matters" and she beats it into the ground. Her secondary thesis is that national socialism is the one true religion and will save the world. Not only is this a deeply self-obsessed, morally incoherent, grotesque piece of writing, it is also boring as hell. It's half stories about how people who are mean to animals all deserve to get murdered, and half a travelogue where the protagonist goes on screeds about race-mixing every time she visits a new city. While you're reading it you feel as if time has stopped, and you will be stuck reading this terrible book for the rest of your life. All she knows how to do is repeat her two ideas over and over again. Honestly, it reads like heavy-handed satire of a very specific type of white woman. Heliodora wears golden swastika earrings.

I'm exhausted. Never read this book.

[cyberpunkonline]

What is a Cypherpunk?

The term "cypherpunk" refers to a movement and a community of activists advocating for the widespread use of strong cryptography and privacy-enhancing technologies as a route to social and political change. Emerging in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the cypherpunk movement is a confluence of libertarian political philosophy, hacker ethos, and cryptographic science.

The Core Traits of Cypherpunks

1. Advocacy for Privacy and Anonymity: Cypherpunks champion the right to privacy, emphasizing that individuals should have control over their personal information and digital footprints. This advocacy is often in direct opposition to government surveillance and corporate data collection practices.

2. Use of Cryptography: The cornerstone of the cypherpunk movement is the use of strong cryptography to secure communications and transactions. Cypherpunks believe that through cryptographic techniques, individuals can protect their privacy in the digital world.

3. Open Source and Decentralization: A significant trait among cypherpunks is the belief in open-source software and decentralized systems. This ethos promotes transparency, security, and resistance to censorship and control by central authorities.

Who are the Cypherpunks?

The cypherpunk community consists of programmers, activists, academics, and technologists. Notable figures include Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks; Jacob Appelbaum, a former spokesperson for the Tor Project; and Hal Finney, a pioneer in digital cash systems. The manifesto "A Cypherpunk's Manifesto" by Eric Hughes (1993) [https://www.activism.net/cypherpunk/manifesto.html] eloquently encapsulates the philosophy and ideals of this movement.

The Cypherpunk Movement

Cypherpunks are not a formal organization but rather a loosely associated group sharing common interests in cryptography and privacy. The movement's origins can be traced to the “Cypherpunks” mailing list, started in 1992 by Eric Hughes, Timothy C. May, and John Gilmore. This list served as a platform for discussing privacy, cryptography, and related political issues.

Relation to Cyberpunk Principles

While cypherpunks share some overlap with the cyberpunk genre of science fiction, they are distinct in their real-world activism. Cyberpunk literature, like William Gibson's "Neuromancer" (1984) [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6088006-neuromancer], often presents a dystopian future where technology is pervasive and oppressive. In contrast, cypherpunks aim to use technology, specifically cryptography, as a tool for empowerment and resistance against such dystopian futures.

Notable Contributions and Technologies

The cypherpunk movement has been instrumental in the development of technologies that emphasize privacy and security:

Tor (The Onion Router): A free and open-source software for enabling anonymous communication [https://www.torproject.org/].

Pretty Good Privacy (PGP): A data encryption and decryption program that provides cryptographic privacy and authentication [https://www.openpgp.org/].

Bitcoin: The creation of Bitcoin by an individual or group under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto was heavily influenced by the ideas of the cypherpunk movement. It embodies principles of decentralization and financial privacy [https://bitcoin.org/en/].

Wikileaks: Founded by Julian Assange, WikiLeaks is a multinational media organization that publishes news leaks and classified media provided by anonymous sources [https://wikileaks.org/].

Conclusion

The cypherpunk movement is a critical lens through which to view the ongoing dialogue about privacy, security, and freedom in the digital age. While not an organized group, the collective impact of cypherpunks on modern cryptography, internet privacy, and digital rights is profound. As digital technology continues to permeate every facet of our lives, the principles and contributions of the cypherpunk community remain more relevant than ever. - REV1.

[hwnglx]

Caitlin what do enhypen sunghoon and gidle shuhua think of eachother?

what do they think of each other? sunghoon + shuhua

based on tarot. i do not know these idols personally. energies are always changing. what i say is NOT straight fact. pls take it with a grain of salt!

what does sunghoon think about shuhua?

so to start off, the four of swords immediately came out once i started shuffling. so i don't think these two are very close, nor seeing each other at all right now.

in conjunction with that, sunghoon doesn't seem to have any significant thoughts on shuhua, like there isn't much to his opinion persé. he's always given me more of a chill and detached vibe, where he just lets most people be and doesn't concern himself with them much, unless he's close to them.

it does seem as though his opinion changed for the better once he got to know her a little closer. there might've been some prejudice before, where he felt she wasn't easy to talk to, or just gave off this proud and unapproachable demeanour. she was on guard and more cautious. having read for 4th gen groups' opinions on each other several times, i often get this vibe where male and female idols (generally speaking ofc! there's always expections) seem to be quite avoidant of each other? it's almost giving this classmate dynamic; you all go to the same school, might cross paths frequently, but don't always entertain each other's presence all that much. you're also aware that you'll be ripped to shreds looking into the opposite sex's direction.. but that's another conversation.

the empress in the end is telling me, sunghoon got to know shuhua's positive sides later on. he thinks she's pretty, kind, much more gentle, pleasant and nurturing than you'd expect. she seems like the type of person to have this fun and cheerful disposition on camera, while being calmer off camera, and taking care of the people around her when no one's looking.

what does shuhua think about sunghoon?

it looks like shuhua had more of a generalized and collective view of enhypen members as a group, being these young, immature, overly ambitious and free-spirited boys who're just doing their own thing; she didn't seem to have much of an opinion of sunghoon as an individual, i don't think she cared much before to be honest.

however, it's interesting because her thoughts literally transitioned from knight to the king, showing me that later on, sunghoon striked her as more mature than she initially thought. she thinks sunghoon is quite mature and grown up for his young age, and has this nice balance between emotional, logical and fiery energy. she thinks he's level headed and cool as a cucumber (like he doesn't allow things to get him overly emotional, stays calm in tense situations, thinks quickly) while also carrying a lot of passion for the things he's enthusiastic about, and has good emotional intelligence. just a very well-rounded guy.

[shkika]

Got any Headcanon backstory of how each iterator was named? Like, how did No Significant Harassment get his name? How did Five Pebbles get his name? Etc, etc. I'm curious what you think!

OHH what a fun ask to make up stuff on actually. Sure I have some headcanons. Iterator names are so so fun, because there's a lot you can do with them.

Different local groups could have themes perhaps on their names. Or perhaps their names are phrases or sayings or derive from them. I will go with each colony having their individual meaning for the iterator name.

Sliver of Straw- I've talked about her name extensively here! (x) Please check it out, because I LOVE her name. Basically means needle in a haystack + shortening it to SOS is genius. Just the best.

Looks To The Moon- I don't know if this is the most original take, but I do think her name has a lot of meaning especially if you take into account that she's one of the first or at least an extremely old iterator. I compare it to the landing on the Moon in a way even if it sounds silly. This impossible to reach place is now something well withing reach. Her name is to represent looking at opportunity at the impossible and striving to achieve it. Which can connect to.. well answering the impossible ascension question.

Five Pebbles- This is such a hard one for me. But since the game makes such strong parallels between those two. Making them opposites and such it makes sense to see that in their names. While Looks to the Moon's name is grand and aiming for high achievements. Five Pebbles' name could perhaps be about the smaller mundane things. Finding the solution in a little nook or cranny somewhere close to you. A place where you'd least expect it.

One name is to aim hight and strive for the impossible. The other is about staying low and finding the answer in the small things in life. Which is hilarious if you look at their actual characters. With FP making the bold dangerous decisions and experiments and LTTM vibing like a much more grounded character than him. I love those two.

No Significant Harassment- People find his name really weird which is amusing, because it's really not! To me at least. It can very simply mean "No real harm done". Which I think is probably the intention and it suits his funny guy personality quite a lot. In a way his name could mean peace! A fun hc I discussed with @creeket is that perhaps before NSH was built the colony was divided into four factions/houses that hated each other. The iterator was a reason for them to unite and work on something together which is what the four connected diamonds on his forehead represent.

Seven Red Suns- Okay this is one of the names I struggle the most with. My headcanons about SRS which I've mentioned before is that their colony is very religious and made them as an actual god, treating him as an actual all knowing god much muuch more than the other iterators are treated to the point Seven Red Suns has actual political power (which they really don't want to have). So I think their name is supposed to express how grand and impressive they are. Seven as in complete, perfect. Red is a royal, regal color and of course Suns further cementing their godhood. It makes me think of how the sun is often personified or given a deity to represent it. It can be a cruel leader that dries the land, but also give life and light.

Of course there's many ways to take it in completely different ways. Red stars if I'm not mistaken are the coldest.

Chasing Wind- I also really really like this iterator name. I like to imagine it as either one of two things or both. Chasing after something that is right in front of you yet just barely out of grasp. Like y'know the wind! Or your head is Chasing wind. Having an abundance of thoughts or ideas. Your imagination and creativity running wild and free like the wind!

Unparalleled Innocence- It's so on the nose haha. There is no buts or anything that is a direct opposite to her name in my headcanons. She's a very well meaning innocent person. She was the last iterator to be ever made and lacks a lot more context than the other. She was based of the concept of a child. Which of course children are known for their innocence and unique approach to the world.

[antifainternational]

Genuine question here.

If being Anti-fascist, yet trying to dictate what others can do or vilifying / condoning violence towards people who have different views, is that not a derivative of fascism? Trying to dictate what others say or do because you believe it to be in everyone else’s best interest? Although we are all individuals with our own goals and beliefs.

As it seems you are forcibly trying to oppress the opposition or people with alternative views even if they do not forcibly oppress others but wish to live their life in their own ways. As you believe what you want is in everyone’s best interest but it is almost impossible to be completely neutral and not have some sort of bias due to your own beliefs and upbringing.

Ah yes, the old “anti-fascists = fascists” line of reasoning.

We're going (very generously) assume that you are being genuine and are just this ignorant about fascism and anti-fascism, Anon, because we know a lot of people out there are. First off: you seem to think fascism = "telling people what to do" or "being violent." That's like saying that fascists often wear pants, so wearing pants = fascist. Yes, fascists are fond of "telling people what to do" and "being violent." So is every other state and governing structure in existence. If that's all that fascism was, then every society with both rules + a way to enforce those rules (which inevitably falls back on violence/"forcible oppression" = "derivative of fascism," rendering the category of fascism meaningless and, quite frankly, insulting the victims of fascism by equating what they suffered with, say, speed limits. So from jump, you clearly don't have a useful understanding of what fascism is. Not to worry, Anon, a lot of people don't and we can help you with that. Let's start with this poster from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum:

If reading is your thing, we’d also recommend The Anatomy of Fascism by Columbia University historian Robert O. Paxton; if reading is not your jam this video by Philosophy Tube is a useful starting point for understanding what fascism actually is. If you’re going to espouse your opinions about fascism and anti-fascism, Anon, these learning resources are not optional for you. Next, let’s talk about violence. If you think the fascists’ take on/use of violence is the same thing as anti-fascists’ take on/use of violence, you’re once again demonstrating a real ignorance on the matter.

For fascists, violence isn’t just a tactic or strategy; it is the tactic/strategy. Fascists consistently and repeatedly glorify, prioritize, and valorize violence as a legitimate and desirable means to accomplish their goals. By contrast, violence employed by anti-fascist is always in defense of ourselves and our communities. Anti-fascist violence is typically employed as a last resort and is typically proportional to the threat being confronted. A few examples to illustrate: 1) The Proud Boys reserve the highest level/rank within their gang/terror group for those members willing to commit acts of violence.

We defy you to name and provide evidence of an anti-fascist group that does this.

2) The Center for Strategic and International Studies looked at 900 acts of politically motivated violence in the US that resulted in deaths. Here’s what they found when they compared violence committed by antifa, the left in general, Islamic extremists, and the far right:

As you can see, the overwhelming number of deaths from political violence is caused by far-right extremism. 3) Maybe you heard about the “violent” Black Lives Matter protests “burning down our cities” a while back. Researchers at Harvard looked at over 7300 BLM protests and discovered that less than 4% of those protests saw any vandalism or property damage and in less than 3% was anyone injured. In that 3% of protests where someone was injured, as the researchers note, “when there was violence, very often police or counterprotesters were reportedly directing it at the protesters.”

Now let’s talk about your mischaracterization of fascist ideology as a “differing view” or “opinion.” Let’s be absolutely clear that the “viewpoint” or “opinion” of fascists is that people who differ from the fascists in terms of ethnicity/race, religion, language spoken, geographic origin, migration status, gender or sexual identity, or disability should be dehumanized, scapegoated, persecuted, driven from the community, and eliminated, preferably by force.  The viewpoint/opinion of anti-fascists, in contrast, is that people should be allowed to live their lives free of fear of persecution and violence being directed at them because of their ethnicity/race, religion, language spoken, geographic origin, migration status, gender or sexual identity, or disability. The anti-fascist position is captured by the slogan Respect Existence of Expect Resistance. We’d go so far as to argue that the fascist position isn’t even an opinion because (as any first-year philosophy student could tell you) opinions must be defensible; something the fascist position clearly is not. Look Anon, if fascists were arguing about whether pineapple belongs on pizza or how much tax money libraries should receive, we’d happily debate them on those opinions or viewpoints. But whether or not certain groups of people deserve basic human rights or if they should instead be persecuted, forcibly removed, enslaved, and/or murdered is not a matter up for debate and people trying to spread that ideology must be stopped. If you think that they should instead be defeating in the free market of ideas through vigorous debate, please consider a couple what Michael J. Dolan succinctly explained; that "when you argue that fascists should be defeated in debate what you're actually suggesting is that vulnerable minorities should have to endlessly argue for their right to exist and that at no point should the debate be considered over and won." If fascists want to “live their lives in their own ways,” they should fuck off to some part of the planet no one else lives in or holds claim to and do it there (maybe Elon Musk go lead them on a Mars colonization project?); so long as they continue attempt to do it in communities other people live in, they pose a clear threat to those communities and need to be shut down by any means necessary.

[cethlyarlo]

Shin's Belt

I really rather like that the symbol on Shin's belt is that of the alchemical symbol for chaos. Let me tell you why:

Chaos represents the concept of everything doing everything all at once; existing together, in tangent, or not at all. It represents all paths and what lies beyond what was made to believe is set in stone. The definition of chaos is not particularly the opposite of order in this circumstance, but it can be used that way.

More clearly, chaos provides an opening for new beginnings; to disrupt what is stagnant or what doesn't feel right to present alternative pathways. Chaos is needed to undo pressures, expectations, norms, etc. so that an individual can learn to be themselves; to grow and change as needed.

It's very much not the evil or negative symbol pop culture and Hollywood would have you believe. I've even seen it used to refer to Satanists, which is very much not true. Dark practitioners can and do use this symbol, but this symbol does not represent them. They don't own it nor can they control it/assume authority over it. It's not exclusive to one group either: anyone can utilize it however they see fit and like with most things, that could go in any direction. We will be focusing on the balance between the negative and positive aspects of chaos here in this write up.

That being said, on to why this symbol is important for Shin's character arc:

Firstly, Shin is devout and loyal to Baylan; her Master and depending on how you look at it, potential father figure. He's everything she's ever known and his own views, teachings, and opinions have been pressed on her since she was young. There's nothing particularly wrong with that, seeing as that's usually how parenting/teaching goes, but it isn't allowing her to see beyond that. The box is small and she finds herself unable to think outside of it due to her loyalty to him.

When Baylan begins to refuse to tell her crucial details about his plans and goals, she begins to question him and her idea of him. This is the beginning of chaos' disruption over her life and as the show progresses, this disruption continues to grow. It's a butterfly effect, if you will; the seeds of disarray have been planted and they have the potential to grow into something exponential.

She comes into contact with Sabine Wren, who has lived a very different form of life compared to her own and I believe the simple interactions between them helps to spur the questions she suddenly has about her life in general. There are things and people that can and do live outside of the box in her mind and while she's probably aware of this, she hadn't truly understood what that meant until this point. With her master's increased elusiveness and the lack of answers, plus the eye-opening revelations that witnessing bits and pieces of Sabine and Ahsoka's relationship (I.e Seatos), the seeds of distrust and further questions begin to take root and sprout. Her mind is opening to other things; the walls of the box are beginning to crumble.

By the time they're on Peridea, Baylan's motives are entirely unclear and somewhat unpredictable to her. She's confused by him and what he wants. Chaos is taking greater hold of her now; her life is changing so quickly and in directions she can't forsee like the arrows of the symbol that gesture to all directions simultaneously. The seeds begin to uncontrollably grow into trees regardless of her attempts to reconnect with him.

Then he abandons her.

Without a word on where he went, Shin's found herself alone. The walls of her box have been destroyed, the wound made worse by Ahsoka's offer to help. Chaos has upended her normalcy, her comforts, her mental and emotional stabilizers, her trust, her view of self; her life. What began as seeds have rapidly grown into a sprawling forest and now she has to deal with the wreckage.

The change is for good though. With Sabine and Ahsoka stranded with her, she has the opportunity to step into her own person. She now has the opportunity to find herself; to make her own decisions, to spend some time with other people like her. She has the ability to learn and grow free of her box and the restrictions that had been pressed on her since joining Baylan, however long ago that happened to be.

Shin gets to be her own person now, and she can do whatever she wants with that :)

Edit: I realized I forgot to mention the little dots within the wheel!

Symmetrical to the Norse story of Hati and Skoll [who were sons of Fenrir (and Fenrir is the son of trickster God Loki and Jötunn giantess Angrboða)], the wheel of chaos on Shin's belt sports two little dots which I believe represent the sun and moon [and thus the wolves that chase them; Skoll (the one who mocks) and Hati (the one who hates) respectively]. As it goes, the celestial bodies rise in the East (right quadrant on the belt) and set in the West (left quadrant on the belt). The little dots are doing just that. The dot on right I believe represents the moon, or Shin, and that the dot on the left represents Baylan. The moon is rising and the sun is setting, showing that Baylan's time in her life is ending and her own time is just beginning.

Either way, it's a very hopeful symbol in my opinion :)

[mxlissaliss]

Gleam Reaper (RoR Hades x Fem!Reader)

⚠️ TWs/CWs: Mentions of drugs , harassment , dead bodies , implied suicide and manipulation ⚠️

Words: 4,4K

Part: 1/3

Notes: Reader here is far from a saint. Here lays a twisted woman with too much power and little to no supervision. It's okay, Hades loves y'all anyway and is all in for the chaos.

Also, it's a kind of platonic-ish relationship at the moment. Might need to see how I lead it to a romantic halt in the near future. First time writing something like this btw, hope you like it if it even reaches anyone :P

***

Red lights, obnoxious music, sweaty people and drugs; that's the perfect recipe for either a great party, or a disaster. And in most cases, it's both.

When you are the God of the Underworld, you grow familiar with the many ways mortal lives end, especially young ones. Tragic to most, any other Tuesday to Hades. After all, eons of experience can toughen anyone's heart and make even the most appalling situation just an everyday occurrence, and a party like the one he had just sneaked in was full of these fateful events.

As he loved to say, death was always around the clock, which was a literal sentence when it came to his job. He leaned against a wall with his arms folded over his chest, an amused expression on his otherwise stoic face. The place was a complete mess, and it was easy to see.

Right next to him lied a deceased young man on the cold floor, eyes and mouth open dismally. The poor lad drank some spiked booze from a nearby table, and it seemed that he was quite the lightweight. Or perhaps he had already done drugs prior to that incident and ended up overdosing. Either way, he took note of that corpse as the first one of many to claim that night.

‘Hm, I wonder how they can talk to each other when I can barely hear my own inner monologue? It's absolutely deafening in here.’ Hades thought as the DJ turned up the music to a further level, and he swore that the speakers were about to catch on fire.

Though, more distracting than the ear-splitting tune in the background was that most of the women around would stop dancing to occasionally throw suggestive glances at him, a kind of visual language that Hades knew pretty well. No God could ever be a stranger to seduction, and he was well aware of the effects his divine appearance had on mortals; his tall stature and broad shoulders caught everyone's attention the second he stepped into the place. He was the highest individual in the room, a quality that only added more charm to his already handsome features. Perfectly chiseled chest and torso that paired up heavenly with the black, tight sweater he was wearing to appear more human-like in his attire, those well-defined arms and athletic legs that couldn't be completely hidden under his gray pants, a sharp jawline, snow-white skin that looked so soft yet untouchable, that godforsaken greek profile and moist, rosy lips. Breathtaking.

But his never-ending beauty was only enhanced by his silvery, wavy hair that looked somewhat messy despite being nearly styled. It moved graciously with each step he took, his slim fingers running through it every so often to brush it away from his forehead as his deep violet eyes searched carefully for his next victim. Oh, how divine he was, and he knew it.

“Help, someone…” The desperate cries of a young woman could be heard from the nearest bathroom, and his sharp ears caught the pitiful plea with ease even through the loud noise. The door was cracked open, and he could catch a glimpse of what looked like your local high school bullies cornering a younger couple with ease.

What a sad sight, humans really seem to not know better sometimes… Aha, there it was! All he had to do was turn his head to the opposite direction and he saw it, yet another dead person on the floor. Well, almost dead. It was a woman convulsing mercilessly on the ground as a group of panicked people tried stop the seizure by holding her limbs still. What a stupid thing to do. They were just making it worse and more agonizing for the poor lady. But it was not Hades' place to intervene, and even if he wanted to, he would not. When death knocks on your door, there is only so much any God other than Thanatos can do.

Besides, the more people that died, the more souls his domain would possess. So he smirked slightly to himself and turned back, walking away to the opposite direction. That summed up two deaths already. The night was looking good so far, and it was only starting.

But even after countless minutes of searching, he couldn't find the person he was looking for; the “Gleam Reaper”, as he liked to call you, since you were like a precious jewel shining among the dark grip of death. A gorgeous, gorgeous woman usually dressed in stylish black clothes, with fancy and neatly polished nails, always preying on mean mortals in the brink of death. You were once a human that died at a party when a group of browbeaters took advantage of your vulnerability, and then things got out of hand. A mess of a party, just like the one the King of the Underworld had just attended to with the purpose of finding you.

He had the honor of meeting you once your soul made it to Helheim. From what he could grasp, you were not the nicest person to walk on Earth and had earned a first-class flight straight to Tartarus, plan that he was about to execute. But you were awfully calm and accepting of the situation, and for someone that had just learned that their final destination would be the worst place to be in the Realm of the Damned, your peace and quiet was nothing short of intriguing to Hades.

———

“Y/n S/n, eh? Aren't you afraid of the Tartarus?” He asked in an icy tone that served well to hide his amusement. The God came off as uninterested and aloof. Nevertheless, the glimpse of curiosity in his eyes did not go unnoticed by your own sharp ones, something that you used to your favor.

“I regret nothing.” Was all you said.

And surprisingly, that was all you needed to say. You knew it when he kneeled down to cup your face with his thumb and index finger, gently pressing them deeper into your cheeks with the kind of glare you'd only see on someone that has pretentious meanings. “You have so many things to regret, yet I sense no mockery or dishonesty in your tone… Interesting.”

You scoffed, almost offended by his preying eyes upon you. It made you feel like a piece of meat under a lion's nose, and yet, that wasn't even close to enough to make you back off. “I am not afraid of you, God of the Underworld. You do what you want with me, I do not care.”

For the second time, the King of the Underworld was thrilled by your bold attitude. You were either the bravest girl to ever speak with him, or the most foolish and naive little thing he had ever seen. Whatever, that didn't matter at all. You were fascinating, to the point in which your constant way of glaring daggers at him seemed more like a ludicrous attempt of forcing him to let go of you than a move to save your already deceased existence.

And he loved it. He knew that Persephone, Thanatos and the other deities of his realm would love you and your snark.

“So that's how it is, very well. Welcome to the Underworld, Y/n. From now on, I'll make sure that you live as freely and comfortably as possible in the cold embrace of the dead.”

———

Those were some simpler times… Well, not really. It was barely twelve years ago, a pitiful amount of time in the life of an entity that has lived longer than any other among his kin. But back to reality, he shook his head in frustration and kept searching for you.

‘Where is that stubborn lady? We always bump into each other accidentally in the Underworld, yet I can't seem to find her when I actually need something from her…’ He thought again, looking over people's heads endlessly but to no avail, much to his dismay. A swamp of people would have been an appropriate term to describe his surroundings. No matter how hard he tried to set his eyes on different corners, doors or gateways, dancing drunkards were always in the middle to block his gaze, unintentionally.

Now he was starting to get irritated about the amount of individuals cramping the room. And worse of all, he couldn't feel your presence anywhere close to him.

Why did he even need to talk to the Gleam Reaper? Even after a decade of knowing each other, you had never been close enough for him to be so persistent about his urges to see you. He didn't bear romantic intentions, that much he knew, for he already loved Persephone dearly… So, what was this strange craving for amity?

Right, that was it. He wanted a friend, that's why he came here in the first place. And in an opportunity, he made his way through the people to find a not-so-crowded space in the room and slumped down on a couch, paying no mind (or, at the very least, trying) to the annoying couple next to him that couldn't keep their hands to themselves. How inconsiderate, but first, he needed to sort out his thoughts to clear his head.

It's not like you loved to wreak havoc everywhere you went. Hades himself designated you as a deity of chaos at parties specifically, and he knew the reason why; you just liked to be troublesome whenever there were bad people in misfortune around you. Bullies, tormentors, stalkers, harassers… All of them were on your death list, leading it. Similar to what happened to you in your final moments, your Grim Reaper self always lured the lads in and then showed your true colors, by making them end their own lives with their own shaky hands as you watched their lives fade away, keeping them secured in your embrace as your slim fingers stroked their hair. He still couldn't tell if you really enjoyed their misery, or if you just pitied them.

The latter sounded more accurate to him. Perhaps that's why you only went after those whose days were already counted. No point in torturing a healthy and innocent individual when you could “free” a tortured soul from their torment, and you did it because said souls also tortured others. You hated those that would cause pain to others just to deal with their own.

Even though you were pretty much doing the same thing you despised the most now as a deity, you told yourself that you were their karma. That was your twisted mindset, and he was all in for it.

And so he remembered his brief encounter with Poseidon earlier that day. Time to daydream again…

———

The Tyrant of the Seas was never fond of those pesky mortals that Gods were supposed to watch over. Those creatures were ungrateful, worthless and useless, just as much as they were unhinged. The mere thought of humans made him feel sick.

And yet, there he was, listening to his eldest brother rambling about the possibility of hiring a mortal, the lowest form of life, as an assistant to reduce the workload. Hades was never one to complain about his duties nor his struggles. As the eldest, he'd always thought that it was his duty to shoulder everything on his own to keep his siblings safe, and his domain was no exception. No burden could ever be heavy enough for him not to carry alone.

Except for boredom, that is. Though, it was more of a consequence than mere mental strain. Persephone had recently made her trip back to Mount Olympus to reunite with her mother, and while Hades was well aware that the following six months were going to be just the same as the others, a strange feeling of restlessness was keeping him awake at night.

Actually, it had gotten him so distracted lately that he had been trying to read the same book for over two weeks now, stuck in the same page. A task that would usually take him two days or three at most.

“Utterly unnecessary.” Said Poseidon in his characteristic monotonous tone, cold blue eyes piercing straight into Hades'. What his brother had just proposed came off as both ridiculous and undignified, and he'd rather be struck by lightning than agreeing with him. Physical defeat would be way less humiliating, he thought.

“I might need a companion. Not a lover, for I already have my wife, but perhaps a friend to pass the time with me while I am at my office to make the silence more tolerable.” Hades spoke back immediately, already having anticipated his younger brother's protests. He was unamused at his reaction, and yet, somewhat disappointed by his disapproval.

The younger God didn't respond to the suggestion, remaining stone-faced as his eyes were set on his brother's. Typical Poseidon.

Hades sighed, leaning back on his throne before speaking again, “An assistant would be a pleasant addition to my everyday routine, don't you think?” Asked the King of the Underworld with a tinge of intrigue, trying to gauge a better response from Poseidon this time. “Someone to sign the less important papers for me, or deliver the weekly letters when I can't do it myself.”

“You can do it yourself. You must do it yourself. You mustn't rely on anyone else,” Poseidon said sternly, showing the slightest bit of frustration at the God of the Underworld's insistence. “You are a God, and Gods do not rely on others.”

“This is not a matter about reliance, brother.”

Well, no more words were said for the next twelve minutes, which gave Hades the impression that their brief exchange had ended abruptly with no hopes to be resumed. The albino twirled a strand of his smooth, silky hair around his index finger as a reflex, deep in thought and possibly unaware of his elegant fashion.

Sure, he understood Poseidon's point, at least for the most part; Gods have always been self-sufficient and naturally independent. Hades himself had been working alone in the Underworld for as long as his immortal mind could remember, assisted only by his wife during the span of months that she spent with him in the realm of the death. He's never had enough trouble to seek for help from anyone. Not when he was younger, not during the Titanomachy, and definitely not on his daily tasks since then.

So, why was he suddenly so adamant about hiring an assistant for the mere purpose of companionship? It didn't make sense to him, let alone to Poseidon.

On the other hand, he couldn't just ignore the feeling any longer, constantly nagging at the back of his mind. What was it, even? Was the routine he'd been keeping for eons finally catching up to his wit? Hades couldn't even recall the last time he had longed to do something exciting, other than contacting Beelzebub whenever he needed something from the Lord of the Flies. And the more he tried to find a reason, the more confusing it became. It was frustrating, that much he could figure out by himself.

And the awkward silence in the throne room was doing little to quell his impatience, so eventually, the God of the Underworld added something out of ennui.

“I'll go for a human, preferably deceased. That way I won't have to drag anyone down to the Underworld, as it'd be a hass-“ But Hades was interrupted by Poseidon standing up hastily, not even turning back to bid farewell. Surprised much? No, not really, Hades was expecting that, but he hoped that the Sea God would at least listen to the entire proposal. How arid.

Though there was no point in complaining, anyway.

—————

Ah, what a pleasant talk during some wholesome quality time with his little brother. Just remembering the way Poseidon's knuckles grope harder the edges of the throne's armrests at the mere mention of a human made Hades chuckle to himself. The Tyrant of the Seas could be quite comical without wanting to, but he'd never say it aloud if he wanted to make it out in one piece.

Perhaps the younger God was right, no? Even if he made friends with the Gleam Reaper, nothing would guarantee that those feelings would go away. Maybe time would tell…

‘Time to get out of here. Leaving my domain for a whim like this was an inadequate move on my reco- … Now, just what in the old world is this?’

Just when the King of the Underworld was about to take his leave, a familiar item rolled up to his feet; a pill, and not just any pill, but a psychedelic capsule. What an intriguing sight, Hades thought, so he got off of the couch and crouched down to carefully examine it, trying to see where it came from.

Judging by the nearby people's reactions and stares, it came from the balcony next to him. The glass doors were covered with wine colored tulle curtains, which distorted the view of the folks outside that were surely enjoying themselves among their own “privacy”. But one thing he was certain of is that the ergoline in his hands came from there, specifically, from the small opening on the left door.

And that was all he needed to know.

“Gotcha.” Spoke aloud the Undead God, smirking at nothing in particular as he rose to his feet and brushed off his knees, ready to head off the balcony. Being away from the music would help a ton.

He stored the pill in his pocket and opened the door fully to the terrace, breathing in the fresh air which felt heavenly. The smell of sweat and puke was clogging his nostrils back inside and he didn't even realize it until the fresh breeze cleared up his nose, allowing him not only to think a bit better, but also admire the scenery before him.

Glass railing that supported the kissing ladies leaning against it, marble flooring that looked spotless, elegant benches made of the same sturdy material, and a breathtaking garden filled with extensive fields of Lavenders. The calming scent of the flowers reached him through the cold, gentle wind of the night, relaxing him further. It was a welcome relief from the mess happening in the party.

It was actually ironic, having thrown a party that turned into pure chaos claiming soul after soul while being right next to a Lavender meadow. That sort of duality was appealing to him. Such was life, he thought.

“Care to explain what are you doing here, King?”

That voice, that tone, those hints of sweet notes in the speech…

He had found you. Or rather, you found him first.

“The Gleam Reaper herself, what a pleasant surprise. I was looking for you, Y/n.” Hades said, smiling softly as he turned to around to look at you closely. “I knew I would find you here.”

“Oh, really? How come?” You smiled back at him, e/c eyes staring into his very soul. For a clever woman like you, Hades had always been a mystery that remained yet to solve. His mind was like a chess board, or rather, a painfully complex puzzle that always seemed to be missing a piece just when you thought you've got it figured out.

And in more ways than one, that was exciting for your deviant heart.

“A crowded room with red lights, funky music and drugs, filled with dumb women, sad girls, high school junkies and men that are desperate for feminine touch…” Hades began smugly, making you laugh.

“… The perfect recipe for disaster.” And you continued, just like the first time you two met after you had turned into a Grim Reaper, a being that collects the souls of those who have perished to take them to the Underworld, to him. Those exact words marked your first ever interaction as immortal beings, and it felt like a breath of fresh air to know that he still remembered them to the letter.

As the sentence ended, the both of you shared a soft sigh, enjoying the comfortable silence that followed for the next five minutes, just gazing over the Lavender garden. Of course, until the Undead God voiced his intentions.

“You know, over the years, I have given you a kind of freedom that others could only wish for. You are a Grim Reaper, yet I have allowed you to be selective with your victims and even the times when you wish to work, and the others, when you just want to slack off. But I've let you rejoice in such privileges because I find you interesting and deserving of my special treatment… So, I came here to ask something of you, Y/n.”

“Then speak, and do it quickly so I can go back to minding my business.” Your tone shifted almost dramatically. One moment you were all in for a good laugh, then your intonation became serious and your words clever. That's just how things worked around the God of the Underworld.

“Alright, I'll go straight to the point.” He said, running a hand through his hair, “I want you to come visit me in my palace, specifically, my office. I've been longing for a companion for quite a while now, and I can't think of anyone else better than you to fit that role.” By the end of the proposal, the albino's violet eyes took on an almost empty look, one that you knew was not idle in the slightest. “What do you say, Gleam Reaper?”

“…” You didn't respond for the first few seconds, seemingly unfazed by his request. But that was okay, he was used to Poseidon and other Gods doing just that every time so he was willing to be patient.

Still, something about his sudden petition seemed off to you. Why would the King of the Underworld, Ruler of Helheim and the Dead, the very Dark God himself want a friend? Because you could see right through him, and whatever kind of “help me with my paperwork” crap he was most likely going to come off with didn't even stun you in the slightest. If anything, it was confusing.

“Two questions. First, why? And second, why me?” You finally answer, leaning back against the mirror-like railing with a raised eyebrow.

Hades simply shrugged, probably just as confused about his own request as you were, “First, I have been feeling quite lonely lately, dwelling in my endless work with only the company of my cockatoo, and occasionally Cerberus when he's not guarding my palace.” He explained, now twirling the same strand of silvery hair in that characteristic manner of his, which you interpreted as him being deep in thought.

“And second?” You asked again, both curious and impatient.

“I think that your presence would be soothing, but if you ask me why, exactly, I might not be able to tell you just yet. I'd rather not think of it as hope, but intuition instead, so to say, a hunch.”

“A hunch? The cunning God of the Underworld is relying on a hunch, of all reasonable excuses to seek for a friend?” Even though you tried not to, an inevitable cackle escaped your pretty lips. Now that was just too humorous to be true. Oh, but you knew that he was being serious, and that was easily the funniest part. “Fine, I'll think about it later. It sounded more like an entreaty than a request, given how humbly you asked for it.”

“I'll take that as a yes, then.” He said with a self-satisfied expression, before turning back to walk toward the doors. It was time to leave for good.

But before he did, Hades stopped in his tracks, not bothering to look back at you. “Before I go, tell me, where are they? I know for a fact that you weren't here just enjoying some alone time and a cigarette.”

“Aha, you witty God.” Just like him, you just shrugged, seeing yourself in the reflection of the doors and using that to raise a hand and point a finger to a certain direction. Hades followed with his eyes through the reflection on the glass and his gaze landed on a not so far away spot; the roof of a small house next to the building they were in, made out of red tiles that looked quite old.

And then, he saw it.

A pile of dead bodies put one on top of the other, almost threatening to slip off of the tiles and fall down grotesquely, much to the disgrace of any passerby underneath. He recognized them almost immediately, they were the ones harassing a couple in the bathroom just half an hour ago. The last bits of humanity in him felt uneasy at the sight of those people tormenting the poor lovers that just wanted to leave, but Hades was way more focused on finding you than questioning his own moral compass.

Now, their flesh was already rotting even though they had died less than an hour ago, something that he knew was only possible because of your wicked abilities and will.

And the more he stared at the scene, the more details he found, and one of those was the fact that every single corpse was holding a needle in their right hand, already used and broken needles.

So that was your doing, he must have known.

“You still prey on broken individuals that wish to find inner peace by making others miserable. They have always been your favorite kind of soul, haven't they, Gleam Reaper?”

No more words were needed, for he just waved a hand to bid farewell and walked past the doors and out of the balcony. You didn't expect any less from him, whatsoever. That's why he came here, because he knew exactly what you would be doing.

You could only watch him walk away and disappear between the crowd, and scowl lightly at his whole drama of having been searching for you when he could have easily found you among mere mortals. Still, you grinned widely knowing that your next visit to the Underworld was going to be quite intriguing. You'd never turn down such a plea, and it was exhilarating.

Then, your eyes moved back to your “masterpiece” of remains and smiled, answering his tacitly rhetorical question with opaque eyes. “What can I say, it makes me feel like home.”

With that, you knew your job was done for the night. Therefore, time to leave as well.

You could only wait in anticipation for your next meeting, and whatever it may bring to the table. Hopefully something worth your precious time.

[acesofspadess]

Let The Games Begin

Worth The Risk Masterlist

narry x oc

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜

You know the saying, easier said than done, well you never meant to take that so literal. Over the course of the next couple weeks, shit had hit the fan. You were good, that was never the question, but being so young and inexperienced compared to the rest of girls set you behind from the beginning.

“The final contestant who’s made it through… is…”

It wasn’t your name. And while 99% of you knew it wouldn’t be, the 1% in you was more hopeful than ever. You didn’t let the tears fall until you were backstage by yourself. You went to text the siblings before someone sat next to you. “I'm sorry you didn’t make it. You were really good.” The accent wasn’t like your own. “Did you not make it either?” you saw the redness in his eyes, and when he shook his head to confirm your guess you rested your head on his shoulder. “Autumn.” you recited, “Niall.” he gave back.

“Nice to meet you Niall, even under the unfortunate circumstances.” you both laughed softly at the attempted joke before silence fell over you both. The silence was comfortable, it was peaceful, home like almost.

“Can I have all the girls over here please?” one of the workers called in your area and you and Niall looked at each other, confusion over your faces. “Maybe they’re collecting the boys too? Go and check.” you urged as he helped you up. “I’ll see you later Autumn.” he waved goodbye as you went in the opposite direction.

Meanwhile….

Nicole, Louis, and Simon, were looking at the photo cards of the boys. “I like these 5 together.” Nicole happily cheered but Simon seemed off-put. “It's missing something.” he pointed out, and while Louis and Nicole thought to adjust the boys Simon went over to the girls group. He looked for a specific photo and once he found it he put the card in line with the boys.

“No Simon, you can’t do that.” The first disagreement was made by Nicole. “But her voice would go perfectly with the rest of the boys.” he stood his ground and looked to Louis who was studying the faces intensely. “I have to agree with Simon, Nicole. They look good together, I'm sure they would sound even better. I don’t know why you have something against her.” He defended and stood with Simon. 

“I don’t have anything against her,” she quickly told off. “I just don’t think that she belongs in a boy band.” Louis looked at the photos one last time. “Then let her choose.” he offered, looking down at Simon who spoke, “Have her come in with the girls, then we’ll decide from there. But I think even she would prefer the boys.”

Present…

As you walked on stage with a group of girls from the left wing, a group of boys, some of which you recognised, Harry, Zayn, and now Niall. You couldn't stop looking over at them, wishing you were with familiar people, some who actually cared to learn your name. 

“Hello.” Nicole spoke softly into the mic making you snap your head away from the boys as everyone repeated the greeting. “Thank you so much for coming back. I know judging from some of your faces that this is really hard. We’ve thought long and hard about you individually, and you are all too talented to let go of. So we’ve put together two separate groups.” Nicole handed the mic to Simon who was looking right at you. “Autumn, do you mind joining the boys?”  The faintest smile made its way to your face as you walked across the stage standing in between Harry and Niall as they had created a space for you. 

“See she looks happier there.” Simon whispered to Nicole as you walked across the stage. She nodded in understanding, having to admit that you did indeed belong with them. “We’ve decided to put you both through to the judges rounds.” Time seemed to freeze as you repeated what he said over through your head till you were being wrapped in a massive hug. You immediately wrapped your arms around the figure you now knew was Niall before you both separated and shook Harry who was crouched into himself. He popped up wrapping you and Niall into a hug full of laughs and cries. 

As you walked off the stage together you all huddled up again. “I know this might be weird with me, but I have an older brother-.” 

“You're one of us now, it doesn't matter.” One the boys who you hadn’t met yet cut you off and you smiled. “Louis.” he held his hand out. “Autumn.” the tallest boy came over to you too. “Liam.” you knew he had heard you so you didn’t repeat it again. When you all walked outside you saw Bentley, Nan and Pap, and Anne chatting together. You assume it was over what just happened. When they saw you, you and Harry ran towards them. You hugged Bentley who held you tightly. “Where’s Bev?” he pointed towards the car to see Beverly asleep. “She has the ability to fall asleep anywhere.” you both laughed before you dragged him over to meet the rest of the boys. “Bentley, Niall, Louis, and Liam. You’ve already met Harry, and Zayn.” he greeted them as Anne pulled you into a hug. “I’m glad you're with them. They need some girl power in their lives.” you laughed with her as it came naturally. 

Anne decided she needed a picture of all you, and as you sat on the stairs next to Harry in front of Liam you were truly in for a ride.

———————-

Worth The Risk Masterlist

tags:

@youcan-nolonger-run @ravenclawdirectioner

@luxiorchive @maeflowers653  @purple9950 @forkmeniall @nathalielovesonedirection @hopsydaisy @shortie-niya

[truthdogg]

How long can an extreme ultra-capitalist nation survive without becoming an authoritarian dystopia?

I’ve been pondering that today, but it’s occurred to me that it’s worth noting this extremist capitalist society called the United States did start out as an authoritarian dystopia.

I had originally typed “for a massive number of people living within it” to the end of the sentence above, but I’ve erased it because that’s what all dystopias are. They are never horrific dictatorships to everyone. There is always an in-group that lives in relative comfort with relative freedom that simply does not consider the suffering of others to be relevant to their lives.

The US was built by a wealthy merchant class to be that dystopia where those merchants and landowners were the in-group, replacing the king and his appointees. The country shifted toward freedom for all, toward democracy over time, not away from it. The right to vote was first held only by male landowners of the upper class, it was not designed to be egalitarian for all. The notion that it was ever meant to be for all people is a lie we tell ourselves so we can feel special about our country’s founding, but it’s still a lie, and it’s a dangerous one.

Accepting this history, and considering it, changes the question. It becomes:

How long can an extreme ultra-capitalist nation survive without returning to an authoritarian dystopia?

That’s a more tangible premise to consider. It shifts the argument from an inevitable economic condition in the hands of capital, to a political one in the hands of people. Extreme capitalist oligarchy has always been in direct opposition to full democracy, because under democracy, capital’s power can be overruled by the will of the people. When the needs of the people cannot override the interests of wealth, then democracy is no longer functioning; an oligarchy has control. Maintaining that control in the face of increasing hardship for people inevitably requires more power. This premise leads us to look at how oligarchy may strengthen its grip.

We can look right now and see precisely which elected politicians are arguing that the US is not (and should not be) a democracy, but a republic. We can see exactly who is arguing for a return to constitutional principles, while suggesting we suspend the Constitution. We can see exactly who preaches “Law & Order” while ignoring the law. We can see exactly who claims that some votes should count more than others, and that their candidate is “the real winner.” We can also listen and learn exactly who is paying them to do that. We can then gauge their support and the support for their ideas to see how much time we have left before we empower people to undo the past century of incomplete social progress.

An oddity of today is that the US is hurtling in two directions at once. One is toward a more empowered people, with unions rising, differences celebrated and enjoyed, and a support for struggling individuals. The other is accelerating wealth inequality, indifference to suffering, and desperation driving down wages while increasing profits. Both are happening, both are accelerating. That’s not sustainable.

The highly dedicated people pushing hard in both of those directions often see the other side as a destabilizing anti-American force, determined to upend whatever greatness we have. And they’re both right about that, it’s just that one sees America as a fully-formed sacred ideal that’s been lost, and the other sees it as a process for building a more perfect Union. This is the divide that the nation was born with, and the same divide that led to the Civil War.

I’m not shy about which side I’m on. We have to keep pushing for stronger democracy and a happier people.

The other side, the one that sees America as built by prophets, that wants to ban history so their prophets won’t be questioned, that unrealistically imagines themselves to be the in-group the founders intended, will return us to their authoritarian dystopia. That is where all of their arguments originate, and where all of their arguments lead.

That’s why MAGA uses the word “again.” They mean to return us to a time they thought was great, where the in-group was clear and life was miserable for everyone else, because they genuinely believe they’ll be the new in-group. They won’t, they all can’t, but they will take us there quickly as soon as they can.

[intersexcat-tboy]

Perisex trans women: trans people have intersex brains :333 thoughts? I think we should discuss this.

Some other commentor: I think this is insensitive towards intersex people

Perisex trans woman: ummm actually, I, in my privileged position, don't think it's insensitive. Since I absolutely have a place to speak on what is or is not harmful to another minority I clearly have little education on

Me: you don't really get to say that unless you're intersex. It's already a big misconception

Perisex: ummm reality is I can say whatever I want. Don't be a gatekeeper

Me: this is the same as a cis person claiming something isn't transphobic.

Perisex: you sound like the transmed of the intersex community :///

Mind you, believing there to be a medical condition behind being trans is the definition of transmedicalism (which, if the brain sex theory is ran with, would further gatekeep trans people), and I'm the transmed gatekeeper? I had also linked three different studies discussing the harm and need for separation, w like three other intersex activism articles from leading orgs in another comment, which were very obviously ignored, so that's what the studies were about bud, or whatever.

There was some other comment by another trans women "I like the concept of putting ourselves under the intersex umbrella" like please. Have you ever thought to maybe listen to us instead of just speaking. Do you even hear yourself.

Trans intersex individuals trying to exist in the trans community: / (own place being: finding solidarity and community w intersex individuals) / (intersexist) perisex trans ppl then joining intersex communities

What do you think happens to intersex needs, rights, experiences, stories, fights and struggles when you flood the community (with a group whose activism is only similar in bodily autonomy, but otherwise is nearly opposite yours)?

We get diluted. Our activism gets erased. We become more invisible. This isn't the "intersex version of TERFs claiming trans woman erase women" bc 1 the definition of woman doesn't mention it being an innate variation. And 2, 49% of the population is female. It's a lot easier to erase less than 2% than it is 49%

From the Intersex Human Rights of Australia, "conflation of intersex with being transgender […] obscures the specific goals of the intersex human rights movement". Trans rights is the right to say yes, intersex rights are the right to say no. Studies have discussed how "there is a need group to only those with somatic intersex variations due to their distinct medical experiences". Others discuss how the researchers "learned that researching intersex issues with greater accuracy would focus on people who are intersex. It would require the aid of people with intersex variations themselves as research allies and advisors, to capitalise on 'insider/ outsider access dynamics emphasised by intersex researchers, in order to foster more direct exploration of people with intersex variations'" (aka, there aren't a whole lot and we need to focus on actually intersex individuals).