#forced to be perfect

[moreespressoformydepresso]

In my headcanon Anthony’s forced to be perfect by his grandmother, which gives him a whole host of issues I may expand upon properly another day, but part of being perfect is never feeling negative emotions (at least not openly). Crying, having a breakdown, getting angry… those are all “signs” you’re not in complete control, which is bad according to Lady Tremaine, and she makes sure Anthony is punished when he isn’t perfect. She’s always watching. Only for specific amounts of time is Anthony not only alone, but not under scrutiny.

Because of this, Anthony bottles up all his emotions until he can let them out. He’s an expert at locking himself down so tight nothing escapes the mask until he can finally take it off, at which point he has to deal with everything in one go. He’s got some unhealthy coping mechanisms to help with that.

Also, he sets timers for how long he has alone and unwatched, has a breakdown for exactly that amount of time, and locks down again the second the alarm goes off. By the time he goes to Auradon, he’s an expert at erasing the physical signs of a mental breakdown. How to unpuff his eyes, how to cover up the blotchy redness, how to subtly do his makeup without a mirror and while walking so nobody knows that’s what he’s doing, everything. Nobody can tell when it happens, and it frustrates his friends to no end because they never know when he’s actually fine and when he’s not.

(He’s never fine, none of them are, but still)

[jonismitchell]

if goodreads had a letterboxd-style layout what would you put as your four favourite books?

[mischievous-thunder]

Did Wade really think that Logan was going to let him do this? All alone?

This was the very moment when realisation came crashing down on both of them that they wouldn't be able to live without each other. So, they saved the world together and in turn saved their souls.

[knifearo]

being aromantic is like. hey btw you're going to live a life that is the culmination of most of society's worst nightmares. sorry lol ✌️ but then you turn around and take a really good hard look at it and it turns out that living in that nightmare is fucking awesome and you get to wake up every day and take that fear that other people have and laugh and hold it close until it's a great joy for you instead. and being happy is a radical act that you define instead of someone else. and you're sexy as fuck that's just a fact of life i don't make the rules on that one

[dekariosclan]

One of my favorite things in a good romance is when scenes are repeated to show character growth/used to bookend the arc of the romance (Mr. Darcy sharing his feelings with Lizzy, anyone?) and today I’m thinking about the two scenes of Gale getting on his knees and taking Tav’s hand.

How it starts: Gale hesitantly letting Tav into his heart, letting Tav be the first person he’s shared the truth with, the first person whose touch he’s felt in over a year. The way that he clings desperately to their hand, needing their help but unsure if they will give it. The way that his expression is pleading but hopeless, his eyes dry as he awaits Tav’s judgement—because he knows that no matter what their answer is, the orb is growing more unstable, and this is probably the beginning of the end of his life.

How it ends: Gale, having not only let Tav into his heart, but given it to them fully. The way that he no longer needs to cling to their hand, but instead takes it gently, worshipfully, knowing this is the hand that saved his life. The way that there’s no trace of uncertainty in his expression, just fully bared emotion and adoration—because the orb is no longer a threat, Tav has said yes to his marriage proposal, and this is not just the beginning of the rest of his life, but the beginning of the rest of their life, together.

[mysuperiors]

Stay down on your knees until I’m ready to give you your punishment. You’re in for a world of hurt, fag.

[dragon-spaghetti]

I'm feelin soft 🥲

(Please click for better quality!!)

[jakeperalta]

I've said it before that taylor's many years of receiving (often unwarranted and ridiculous) criticism have seemingly skewed her ability to pick up on what is valid criticism and what's just ""haters"" and she pretty much proved that correct with but daddy I love him and I fear that is now her attitude towards all criticism (even without the excuse of being blinded by love or whatever). which is sort of why it would probably help to be surrounded by more people who can help make that judgement of valid criticism vs celebrity hate. but alas :/

[inkskinned]

you're grabbing lunch with a nice man and he gives you that strange grimace-smile that's popular right now; an almost sardonic "twist" of his mouth while he looks literally down on you. it looks like he practiced the move as he leans back, arms folded. he just finished reciting the details of NFTs to you and explaining Oppenheimer even though he only watched a youtube about it and hasn't actually seen it. you are at the bottom of your wine glass.

you ask the man across from you if he has siblings, desperately looking for a topic. literally anything else.

he says i don't like small talk. and then he smiles again, watching you.

a few years ago, you probably would have said you're above celebrity gossip, but honestly, you've been kind of enjoying the dumb shit of it these days. with the rest of the earth burning, there's something familiar and banal about dragging ariana grande through the mud. you think about jeanette mccurdy, who has often times gently warned the world she's not as nice as she appears. you liked i'm glad my mom died but it made you cry a lot.

he doesn't like small talk, figure out something to say.

you want to talk about responsibility, and how ariana grande is only like 6 days older than you are - which means she just turned 30 and still dresses and acts like a 13 year old, but like sexy. there's something in there about the whole thing - about insecurity, and never growing up, and being sexualized from a young age.

people have been saying that gay people are groomers. like, that's something that's come back into the public. you have even said yourself that it's just ... easier to date men sometimes. you would identify as whatever the opposite of "heteroflexible" is, but here you are again, across from a man. you like every woman, and 3 people on tv. and not this guy. but you're trying. your mother is worried about you. she thinks it's not okay you're single. and honestly this guy was better before you met, back when you were just texting.

wait, shit. are you doing the same thing as ariana grande? are you looking for male validation in order to appease some internalized promise of heteronormativity? do you conform to the idea that your happiness must result in heterosexuality? do you believe that you can resolve your internal loneliness by being accepted into the patriarchy? is there a reason dating men is easier? why are you so scared of fucking it up with women? why don't you reach out to more of them? you have a good sense of humor and a big ol' brain, you could have done a better job at online dating.

also. jesus christ. why can't you just get a drink with somebody without your internal feminism meter pinging. although - in your favor (and judgement aside) in the case of your ariana grande deposition: you have been in enough therapy you probably wouldn't date anyone who had just broken up with their wife of many years (and who has a young child). you'd be like - maybe take some personal time before you begin this journey. like, grande has been on broadway, you'd think she would have heard of the plot of hamlet.

he leans forward and taps two fingers to the table. "i'm not, like an andrew tate guy," he's saying, "but i do think partnership is about two people knowing their place. i like order."

you knew it was going to be hard. being non-straight in any particular way is like, always hard. these days you kind of like answering the question what's your sexuality? with a shrug and a smile - it's fine - is your most common response. like they asked you how your life is going and not to reveal your identity. you like not being straight. you like kissing girls. some days you know you're into men, and sometimes you're sitting across from a man, and you're thinking about the power of compulsory heterosexuality. are you into men, or are you just into the safety that comes from being seen with them? after all, everyone knows you're failing in life unless you have a husband. it almost feels like a gradebook - people see "straight married" as being "all A's", and anything else even vaguely noncompliant as being ... like you dropped out of the school system. you cannot just ignore years of that kind of conditioning, of course you like attention from men.

"so let's talk boundaries." he orders more wine for you, gesturing with one hand like he's rousing an orchestra. sir, this is a fucking chain restaurant. "I am not gonna date someone who still has male friends. also, i don't care about your little friends, i care about me. whatever stupid girls night things - those are lower priority. if i want you there, you're there."

he wasn't like this over text, right? you wouldn't have been even in the building if he was like this. you squint at him. in another version of yourself, you'd be running. you'd just get up and go. that's what happens on the internet - people get annoyed, and they just leave. you are locked in place, almost frozen. you need to go to the bathroom and text someone to call you so you have an excuse, like it's rude to just-leave. like he already kind of owns you. rudeness implies a power paradigm, though. see, even your social anxiety allows the patriarchy to get to you.

you take a sip of the new glass of wine. maybe this will be a funny story. maybe you can write about it on your blog. maybe you can meet ariana grande and ask her if she just maybe needs to take some time to sit and think about her happiness and how she measures her own success.

is this settling down? is this all that's left in your dating pool? just accepting that someone will eventually love you, and you have to stop being picky about who "makes" you a wife?

you look down to your hand, clutching the knife.

[ptieuca]

My mom said some things to me about being the slayer. That it's fruitless. No fruit for Buffy. She's wrong.

[arieslost]

i cannot be held responsible for my actions after seeing this.

[damianbugs]

UGHHRHRRAAAH.... LITTLE DUKE THOMAS (my insane person powers explodes everything within a five mile radius)

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

I ABSOLUTELY ADORE YOUR SQQ HE LOOKS SO FUCKINH DONE WITH LIFE

The recipe for SQQ is: calm on the outside, screaming on the inside.

[ukiyoebirds]

Now in Amazing Technicolor!

See the original inks here.

You may need to click on the images for better quality.

[ttvck]

i feel like this is alrdy all ill draw of this game- -)💭💭

[dhmis-autism]

listened to The Bradys and thought about duck again you all know what that means