#from mutuals as opposed to non mutuals they follow

[ilylovelyz]

⍣ ೋ Doughnut

˚ · . sakusa x afab!reader

: ̗̀➛ mutual pining to confession, a lil angst with happy ending, mentions of neglectful parents, first kisses, hand holding, non descriptive casual making out, prt 1.

the longer the wait, the sweeter the kiss.

sakusa sighed with anticipation as his eyes focused on the familiar park ahead of him. did he get the time right? he asked himself nervously, stopping ahead of the staircase he's stepped down many times. 11:11. he refers back to the time you wanted to meet up at the park, around 11.

whilst it is extremely late, it's not uncommon for this time of year. it's new year's eve, many are awake, either at home cozy with their heaters and TV, waiting for the new year's countdown, or they are out and about at lively food stalls and centers with the best sighting for fireworks.

what sakusa is doing is the opposite idea of a new year's eve activity. while he certainly wasn't opposed to the idea of staying inside with his blanket and heater, and he definitely did oppose the many swarming crowds. instead, he was meeting up with you at a near abandoned park.

as he finally stepped down the walking steps, his eyebrow furrowed at the sight of a few dozen people standing around for fireworks. seems like this place isn't as forgotten after all. he kept his black gloved hands in his pockets, nose occasionally snuffling due to the cold.

what once felt like a short five minute walk turned into what felt like was an eternity of walking. maybe it's because it's almost pitch black dark, nothing illuminating except the full moon that the pathway to the usual meeting spot looks longer. who knows.

but what he does know was that when he saw you, standing there in your pink yukata in the snow, was he will either be leaving with his heart either broken or fulfilled.

he stops a little five feet away from you, which felt a little unusual considering all the work the two of you had put in just to make him feel comfortable sitting on the bench with you. you're not sitting on the bench either, which just made him feel even more uneasy about the whole thing.

with your somber expression, you looked up at him, "happy new years kiyoomi." he silently nodded at that. his cheeks flushed at his awkwardness, it's like day one all over again. "h-happy new years to you too, y/n." he muttered out, eyes slightly furrowed at the notice of you using his full name.

it was still between the two of you again until your eyes perked up at the sudden snowfall. "it's snowing! how pretty.." you cooed, eyes glinting as you smiled softly, a small hand of yours reaching out for a snowflake. there's thousands of things that sakusa considers pretty right now but he can't find the urge to say how pretty one is in front of him.

his eyes travel down to study your yukata, which has the base color of a baby pink with floral prints. once again, you never fail to amaze him with your seemingly perfect photogenic aura, you look as if you belong in one of those raunchy love animes that he could never sit through without facepalming at the cheesy love cliche.

your attention shifts over back to sakusa, hand reaching out for what he can only guess is his. "walk with me, kiyoomi." silently, he allows you to take his hand within your own, guiding him wherever you want to go. he doesn't know where, but he wants to trust you do. his forehead stresses at the thought of you potentially leading him to who knows where, you never had a good sense of direction.

albeit, he swallows the lump in his throat down, he thinks theres a 60/40 chance of you getting the two of you stranded somewhere, not a single cell in your brain actually working. luckily, you just seem to be guiding him little ways away from the park, towards the nearby abandoned play-ground.

"a play-ground? what are you planning y/n?" he bluntly says, following you towards the sand and snow filled play-ground, watching you with a confused face "i think this is a better spot. i used to come here after you would leave during the earlier days." you say, careful to set your wooden geta shoes on the cement framings of the play-ground.

he followed you around mindlessly around the actual play-grounds equipment, careful to duck under the jungle gym and slide. then suddenly you were speeding up. okay, he sped up too. despite your much smaller frame, you did walk considerably faster than him. without knowing, he walked into your trap; a game of tag.

without realizing, he was almost chasing you around the play-ground equipment. almost eating shit twice, his legs slid amongst the sand/snow combined ground as he chased you. climbing up the jungle gym, lungs used to this heavy exercise, he chased you until you reached the slide and slid down, giggling and snickering at his dumbfounded face.

as he hurriedly stepped down the jungle gym's steps, it was like a lightning strike had hit him. "tag?!" he yelled out, "y/n?! you're not serious." he said, eyes crinkled with annoyance. this is the angriest he's been at you in a while, it's a bit of a surprise. you only chuckle in amusement at his annoyed pout, not fazed at all by the much larger man.

you deemed enough wad enough, walking towards the old swings on the side of the play-ground. not minding the way your yukata climbed up your bare legs, you pointed to the swing next to yours as you hopped into one. "sit." you said, bare legs swinging back in forth with excitement.

he couldn't only sigh with defeat as he begrudgingly set himself onto the swing next to yours, cringing at the way the rusted metal struggled under his athlete height. it was once again silent between the two of you, his ears growing deaf at the sound of metal scraping against metal. was i brought back to the times of hell again?

"i used to come here all the time. y'know, when you would leave much earlier than you do now back in the 'early days.'" you said so matter-of-factly. sakusa whipped out his phone to check the time. 11:46PM. "hey it's rude to be on your phone when somebody is talkin' to you!" you yapped, legs kicking back in forth with feigned anger.

he lightly scoffed at your comment before putting his phone away per your request. his legs mindlessly swung softly, finding a weird comfort in the way the swing softly moved back in forth. "..why didn't you just go home?" he asked, the question being one that he's been wondering since the moment he met you.

his practice ends much later than your club gathering does, almost an hour later, so it really made no sense as to why you stayed for so long, it really didn't seem as coincidental. he quickly connected the dots that the answer was maybe a little more than what he expected when you were taking a little longer to respond.

"well.. it's lonely at my house, mama and papa work a lot, so it's really just me. i would come to the park 'n just hang around because just seeing people made me happy." you confessed, swing slowing down to a stop. "and then i met you.. and it made me wanna come around to to the park more, even if i had to wait awhile for you 'cuz it meant i wouldn't have to go home to a empty house."

sakusa looked up at the starry night, feeling a little guilty at your reasoning. while he did know of your parents absence to a certain extent, he didn't know you were totally alone enough that you would just sit outside on a bench waiting for someone to talk to.

you seem to cringe at your own words, hands coming up to touch the warmness of your own cheeks. "it's a little stupid, i just felt lonely really.." sakusa finds himself sympathizing with you, "no, it's not. i understand. err..," he stammers. "i'm actually closer to motoya more than my own siblings."

you seem to relax at that, feet finally finding the energy to swing again. "...and when i met you.. i just felt less lonely."

its silent between the two of you while sakusa took in the words you said. felt less lonely, huh?

he looked back at you, eyes watching your face closely for any sort of reaction or explanation. you still looked as serious as ever though, making sakusa feel like there was a little more to your reasoning. but there is.

his eyes travel down to the bare parts of your skin, yukata sliding lazily exposing your shoulders, riding up to your knees. before he realizes, he's already climbing off his swing while sliding his coat off his shoulders and setting his thick coat onto your own shoulders.

you finally smile at the sweet gesture, hand coming up to touch at the thick material while looking up at him with crinkled eyes.

you looked cold, his eyes silently say.

before he can pull away his hands from your shoulders, you're already holding onto one of them. you sit stilly in your swing, fumbling around with his heavy hand, exploring the deep crevices and scars from what is years of volleyball.

his dedication and commitment is something you adore, you always love enjoying hearing his little volleyball stories and matches. "you're so cool kiyoomi." you coo, thumbs pressing on the side of his palm. you look back up at him, it makes his heart begin beating faster at the sight of your dilated pupils, so full of an emotion that he's come to fear, yet also come to feel.

you then jump down from your swing, standing closely to his chest. you're hugging him, for the first time ever. it's a one-sided hug at first, your hands barely wrapping around his chest and setting on his back, feeling the broad bones. he stands there dumbfounded, not knowing what to do, arms remaining at his side.

you breathe in his clean mint scent, eyes fluttering shut at his warmth, "you're so warm 'omi.."

during that everlasting hug, sakusa thought of what he was feeling. he thought his heart was going to jump out of his chest, almost frightened at the way this situation is going.

but he then asks himself, is it really that bad? if it's bad, then why does it feel so right?

it's much to his own astonishment when he finds the balls to embrace your hug, though still stiff, his arms rest around your neck, as he couldn't wrap them around your waist because you're too short.

but you've seen to have predicted him afterall, as you show no signs of surprise at all, only somehow pushing yourself closer to him. it has him stumbling backwards a few inches, face blushing intensely at the awkward contact.

you're then pulling away from him to look up at him, lips pursed into a fine line and taking his hand inbetween yours once more, as if to plead with him.

"kiyoomi, i know it's really early to say, and i know that this is really confusing and hard for you. i know you're not privy to romance, and i already know you've never even experienced it before," his face insultingly frowns at the last detail, "but please just give it a chance, give me a chance."

you press his hands against your chest, heartbeat strong against them. "kiyoomi, i really i like you, maybe a little bit more than like, so please, just give me a chance to show you how great it is."

his wide eyes look down at yours, lips slightly agape as he takes in your confession. he can't help but praise you for your bravery, it must've taken a lot for you to do this, and yet you did it anyway, something he definitely couldn't see himself doing.

he sighs deeply, looking away so as to avoid contact with your pleading eyes. your figure seems to slouch at that, head dropping towards the ground with defeat.

"o-okay fine, i l-like you too or whatever."

your head shoots up at his declaration, he's almost surprised at how happy you look, swearing he's never seen you so gleaming. you squeal out at that, reaching your arms up to wrap around his neck and attempt to hoist yourself up against him out of pure happiness.

you laugh and squeal, he wants to say it hurts his ears, but he can't hold back the way his eyes are fluttering shut out of embarrassment when he chuckles lightly at your celebration.

he doesn't know if what he felt was fireworks, or if it was the vibration from the actual fireworks exploding when the clock hit 12:00, but something within him set off when you suddenly pressed your lips against his own.

you clumsily push against his much taller frame, the only support you have is the arms wrapped around the base of his neck and the tippy toes you weakly stand on.

before he can even react, you're already pulling away, hiding your face within his chest while he looks up at the bright fireworks up ahead, head dizzy from all the feelings he's experiencing in just a couple of minutes.

this isn't so bad after all.

ೄྀ࿐ ˊˎ-

the seasons quickly came and went, and so did the end of the school year. it was now spring, so bright and colorful.

his last year of highschool was an eventful one, he came to appreciate and meet so many new things and people.

he was happy that the school year was ending on a good note, with good people, and with a good future ahead.

he pulls away from you, a string of saliva still connecting the two of you.

it's almost comedic to him, how just earlier in the year he was spitefully condemning those who he thought were silly for falling in love. it's almost ironic.

he lays underneath the heaviness of his duvet cover, hidden away from the bright sunbeams that shine through his window. his fingers play with your soft hair, body laying on top of yours, low black eyes looking down at you with quiet adoration. "i love you 'omi," you purr, impatiently pulling him back in to continue your intimate kissing session.

"i love you too," he softly mumbles against your lips, long eyelashes fluttering shut at the feel of your warm soft lips against his own.

haha what a ending i was struggling with this 😭 please like and repost

[genocidehim]

Lalo and Nacho both becoming obsessed with you after you serve them at a restaurant and stealing you away to be a part of their throuple

notes: gender neutral, throuple, unhealthy obsession, smut, superficial description of sex scenes, unhealthy non-canonical behaviour. words: 719

Normally, Nacho didn't usually coincide much with Lalo, both had completely different personalities and very opposing ideas, but in that way they fit together quite well as a rather... complicated couple.

But if there was one thing they both immediately agreed on, it was the attraction they felt for you when you attended to them that night at the restaurant where you worked.

What had you done to get both of their attention at once? Nacho wondered, and Lalo preferred to keep his deductions to himself. It could have been your kindness in serving them, perhaps the way you looked, because of course, physical attraction was a very powerful factor in this attraction, but there was something else, and Nacho wasn't sure.

Over time, that small liking turned into an obsession. Lalo wasted no time investigating you while Nacho refused to participate in the silent stalking. However, he was always the first to ask Lalo about the things he had discovered about you; name, family, economic status, and even your romantic relationships.

Lalo seemed fascinated with you, as if his idealized version of you was slowly filling the void that had changed between him and Nacho like the missing piece.

Lalo was convincing, he managed to sweeten his ideas to Nacho so that he began to fantasize about the idea of both possessing you, having you under their control, using you for their pleasure. Nacho didn't seem very convinced with the idea if it involved your lack of consent, but Lalo assured him that it wouldn't be like that, that you would fall for them if they played their cards right.

It was a two-against-one hunt, and unfortunately, you were not prepared for what was to come.

Their lunches and dinners at the restaurant where you worked became more and more common. Then unexpected encounters at parties you attended started happening until that pair became a recurring part of your life, not just regular customers. When you waited on them, they always followed the same dynamic; Lalo was bold in flirting with you and very explicit, while Nacho played the role of the quiet guy who gave you sweet looks and small smiles.

You noticed how both of them seemed to be able to coexist happily while trying to get your attention at the same time, without any jealousy or annoyed looks from either of them, as if they were playing on a team. And that was exciting, having two very attractive men joining forces to capture your attention.

At some point where they knew your work schedule and had enough time to offer to take you home, the topic was approached and it came up naturally.

Against all odds, Nacho was the first to take the step when they were alone. An unexpected kiss at the entrance of your house that ended in some passionate and sweet sex. Then came Lalo, who approached you in his own car while taking you home. He couldn't hold back his desires and had to park in the middle of a lonely road to fuck you against the back seat until you were dizzy and speechless.

Then came the mutual flirting, then the shared caresses. Lalo loved to approach your mouth and take care of your lips while Nacho used his skilled hands to caress and masturbate your pussy until it was dripping and squirting.

Although those encounters were infrequent, they intensified when both agreed that you should be part of their strange non-formal relationship. Now their sexual encounters were more common and needy, ending with one of them fucking you while the other was masturbated to exhaustion by you. But when obsession became the main theme of that dynamic, everything got worse for you.

Now you practically lived at Lalo's house, and he started making excuses for you not to go to work. Then came your resignation and ruined friendships due to Lalo's possessiveness, under the harsh gaze of Nacho, who didn't seem to agree with ruining your life just to keep you close to them. However, he was a very hypocritical asshole because deep down, Nacho loved the idea of knowing that you would be available for some casual sex twenty-four hours a day.

Both of them were obsessively possessive of you, but one hid it better than the other.

[apenitentialprayer]

May 11, 2023

Earlier today, Pope Francis declared that 21 Coptic Orthodox Christians, who were beheaded by Islamic militants in Libya in 2015, would be added to the Roman Martyrology. Francis made the announcement during an audience with Pope Tawadros II, the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. The “21 Coptic New Martyrs of Libya,” as they are called, were martyred on February 15, 2015. Less than a week later, they were declared saints in the Coptic Orthodox Church by Pope Tawadros. The Copts celebrate their feast on the anniversary of their death, February 15, and it appears that this will also be their feast day on the Roman calendar.

The world was shocked in February 2015, when a 5-minute video was uploaded to the internet by ISIS militants. The video showed the 21 kidnapped men in orange jumpsuits being beheaded on a beach near the Libyan city of Sirte. 20 of these martyrs were Egyptian Copts who had gone to Libya to do construction work. The last member of the group, Matthew Ayariga, was a fellow worker from Ghana. It is said that he told the executioners, “Their God is my God. I will go with them.” There has been some question over whether he was already Christian or whether the witness of his 20 coworkers led to his conversion, but nevertheless, his Christian witness and solidarity are inspiring. It was reported that as they died, they chanted hymns and prayed aloud.

The deaths of these men as Christian martyrs is undeniable. The extraordinary photos of Blessed Miguel Pro, a Catholic priest who was executed by the Mexican government in 1927 during the Cristero War — taken just moments before the he was shot by the firing squad — are perhaps the only other photographic images recording a Christian martyrdom as it happened. And yet the recognition of the 21 martyrs as Catholic saints is unprecedented for several reasons.

The primary reason, of course, is that the Coptic Orthodox Church is not in full communion with Rome. The Copts are Oriental Orthodox (as opposed to Eastern Orthodox), because they split from the other Christian churches in the year 451 at the Council of Chalcedon due to differences over the nature of Christ. They are also referred to as “Non-Chalcedonian Orthodox Churches.” This means that they recognize the first three ecumenical councils, whereas the Eastern Orthodox recognize seven, and the Catholic Church recognizes 21 ecumenical councils.

After more than 15 centuries, our hope of reunion may seem remote. After all these years, the two Churches have independently developed their own traditions, theologies, forms of worship, and prayers. Yet some things have remained the same. Both Churches have maintained apostolic succession and the sacraments: Pope Francis is the successor of St. Peter and Pope Tawadros is the successor of St. Mark. In recent decades, the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Coptic Orthodox Church has become closer. For example, in 2017, Popes Francis and Tawadros made a joint statement indicating mutual acceptance of the validity of baptism in both Churches.

Pope Francis has praised the Martyrs of Libya many times, and today he recalled our shared baptism, as well as the blood of martyrs that enriches the Church. He said, “These martyrs were baptized not only in the water and Spirit, but also in blood, a blood that is the seed of unity for all of Christ’s followers.” In the past, the pope has discussed how we must realize that we, the baptized, have much more in common than what divides us. This shared recognition of sainthood between the two Churches is a significant step towards Christian unity.

This sets a new precedent. In 1964, when the Ugandan Martyrs were canonized by Pope Paul VI, St. Charles Lwanga and the other 21 Catholics among his companions were declared saints. The 23 Anglicans who were martyred alongside them were mentioned briefly in the pope’s homily, when he said, “And we do not wish to forget, the others who, belonging to the Anglican confession, met death for the name of Christ.”

Another reason why today’s announcement is unique was that Pope Francis did this by an official act. The Roman Martyrology is the official list of saints officially recognized by the Latin Church. Many Eastern Catholic Churches have their own processes for canonizing saints according to their traditions. Historically, when groups of Eastern Catholics have come into full communion with Rome, they will bring along their saints and prayers and traditions. Many of these saints aren’t officially canonized by Rome, and they are usually only venerated in their own tradition. By inscribing the names of these martyrs in the Roman Martyrology, Pope Francis has made it clear that these martyrs are to be venerated by Roman Catholics as saints.

Finally, in declaring them saints today, Pope Francis sidestepped the typical canonization process. They are saints, without having passed through the usual stages of Servant of God, Venerable, and Blessed. This “skipping” of steps is commonly referred to as “equipollent canonization.” Essentially, when a pope declares someone a saint by an official act, that person is recognized as a saint in the Church. This is not the first time Francis has moved a case along in this way. For example, when he canonized Popes John XXIII and John Paul II in 2014, he waived the requirement of a second miracle for John XXIII so that the two popes would be canonized on the same day. In 2013, he elevated the Jesuit Peter Faber, whose status had lingered at “Blessed” since 1872.

Perhaps the most interesting case is that of St. Gregory of Narek, an Armenian monk venerated as a saint in the Armenian Catholic Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church. Unexpectedly, Pope Francis named him the 36th Doctor of the Church in 2015. Living from in the mid-10th century through the early 11th, St. Gregory lived at a time when the Armenian Church was not in communion with Rome. After several failed attempts at reunion, the Armenian Catholic Church was officially recognized as an Eastern Catholic Church in 1742. Interestingly, the Armenian Catholic eparchy of Buenos Aires (established in 1989 by Pope John Paul II) is called the Eparchy of Saint Gregory of Narek. Perhaps this is how Pope Francis became familiar with the saint.

We Christians are blessed with a wide variety of saints from all sorts of backgrounds. They help make up the beautiful tapestry of the people of God — praying for us, interceding for us, and inspiring us. This is something worth celebrating.

21 Coptic New Martyrs of Libya, Pray for Us!

Mike Lewis. Bolded emphases added.

[fancifulplaguerat]

My Nina/Polyhedron thoughts have afflicted me with considering how Aglaya’s hellbent mission to destroy the Polyhedron informs her hatred of Nina and vice versa. I want to structure this around this dialogue between Clara and Daniil:

“Aglaya sees the Polyhedron as Nina Kaina's infernal gift. She thinks that Nina rose high, but her pride drew down the wrath of heavens. Aglaya believes that her duty is to destroy this challenge before it has lead to more evil. Or maybe she doesn't even believe that […] She desperately, hopelessly abhors her sister. Even stronger than her worst enemy. When I got to uncover this secret and looked into her soul, my hair stood on end! Aglaya believes her sister to be the devil himself, a deathbringer.” 

I feel it is a little pointless to establish how much Aglaya hates Nina because lol. lmao. Aglaya put her whole heart and soul and pussy too into hating Nina’s guts it is not difficult to parse. But I do want to point to two dialogues which reference this. An Herb Bride claims that “[Nina and Aglaya] hate one another. Or rather the inquisitor hates the Mistress. I think Nina probably disregarded her,” but Victor states that “[there was a] mutual grudge between the sisters that persisted despite the difference in age. It’s a terrible, hopeless feud that even the elder sister’s death has done nothing assuage.” I am inclined to follow Victor’s claim, given that he was undoubtedly closer to them.

As for *why* Aglaya and Nina were perpetually at odds, I think it is foremost because Aglaya considered Nina cruel for her disregard of human life. While Aglaya is rather sharp-tongued and harsh, she is highly motivated by a desire to help and protect others. Indeed she spells it out in some instances, saying, “I am a humanitarian. My duty is to save people, not kill them,” and “I only wish to do good; not specific, targeted good, like that Clara, but overarching good.” She likewise tells Clara, “Human lives are valuable to me. To this day, I’ve been paying for my kind-heartedness.” Which. I am routinely obsessed with that last sentence. In my opinion, it implies Aglaya is prone to sympathy or kindness, that she perhaps even resents this feature of herself. That in turn suggests to me that this kind-heartedness is a prominent feature of her personality, if it is something that (by her admission) routinely bites her in the ass. And I can see sympathy being an issue for her, being an Inquisitor. Despite her ruthlessness, Aglaya cares for others; thus her resentment for Nina seems rooted in her conviction that Nina is an opposing force for absolute evil and harm, just as Aglaya conceives of miracle and the Polyhedron.

Aglaya characterizes herself as a servant of the law, one who “restore[s] the mechanics of the Universe.” She defines the Law as balance and harmony—anything which ruptures that homeostasis has violated the Law, and this is what Aglaya deems “evil.” Aglaya repeats this viewpoint to all three healers, but I think a prominent example is when she tells Clara that “Miracles violate the world; they're abusive in nature. When the world was conceived, it was conceived as a coherent whole, without contradictions. Harmony is the main, indeed the only component of any Universe. However ugly a world may be, however unfair it may seem—it is nonetheless harmonious!” She likewise states that “When mysterious evil emerges from nonexistence, it’s a clear sign that [the Law] has been violated. Disease is a retribution for trespassers. It’s an attempt to restore the balance.” She further says: “In accordance with the Law, the very logic of our world inevitably dictates the destruction of anything unnatural: anything that tries to break its own, non-capitalized laws. The disease is nothing more than a tool. It is an instrument of inevitability.” This logic informs her motivations in-game, with several dialogues across routes telling the player that Aglaya seeks to destroy the Polyhedron rather than end the epidemic. This aligns with Aglaya’s conception of the universe, the Law, and justice; after all, Aglaya views the Sand Pest as an instrument of the Law, retribution for the Kains’ miracle—as she says, “The Law stipulates a harsh punishment for an attempt to capture a miracle.” Thus to Aglaya, it is the Polyhedron which presents the true evil, not the disease.

It further interests me that Clara claims that to Aglaya, “there are no such things as miracles; that’s just the way she was made.” That fundamentally Aglaya cannot conceive of the miraculous, unlike her sister, who was predisposed to it. This reinforces that to Aglaya, the Polyhedron cannot be a miracle, only a violation of the Law which thus spawned the plague as punishment. I think Aglaya could likewise consider the Polyhedron and Nina as one and the same, which they are, to an extent—even without my preferred interpretations, Nina is playing musical soul chairs in that thing when not haunting her husband bodily. And given that Aglaya is a self-described servant of the Law and Nina functionally Utopia, I feel that one could view the two sisters as representative of these respective entities perpetually at odds with one another. Yet even with Aglaya and Nina in contrasting roles, I still hold that there is much similarity between them, but. This post is plenty lengthy already, so I shall save that for a later date :,) I wanted to end, instead, with some speculation about Aglaya’s sense of revenge, in particular given that last sentence of Clara’s dialogue—“Or maybe she doesn’t even believe that.”

Returning to that conversation with Victor, I am struck by his response when Artemy asks who could have motivated Aglaya’s potential schemery in Town. That is: “Not a ‘who.’ A ‘what.’ Despair.” This, in my mind, echoes Aglaya’s dialogue when she discusses Block. She claims that, “For a moment, I thought he was driven by the same feeling that I am: a great man, when unexpectedly betrayed by the people he loves, will often seek to fill the whole universe with his blind spite. Yes, the feeling is indeed familiar…” And that line goddamn haunts me. There seems a suggestion, if minimal, that Aglaya’s anger may be influenced by a sense of wounding or betrayal? Not solely her own death or trying to drag Nina down on her way to the grave (it makes me unwell that Clara says Aglaya wants to destroy the Polyhedron “As her final word.” Insanity. Btw.) I suppose Aglaya’s despair or betrayal could broadly refer to some capital confidants of hers, but I do wonder if it references Nina somehow? If only from a narrative standpoint, given that Nina informs Aglaya’s revenge and thus main drive in the story. Once again, characters reiterate that Aglaya’s Inquisitorial duty in Town is a mere means to the end of destroying the Polyhedron; for instance, Daniil states Aglaya “tried to settle personal accounts with her deceased sister” rather than fulfill her duty.

I have no answer to this, I only wonder—does Aglaya somehow feel betrayed by Nina? Did Aglaya even have enough attachment to Nina to feel betrayal to begin with? Maybe one could interpret that, given Aglaya’s description of herself as motivated by blind spite incurred by an unexpected betrayal by people she loves. I don’t know. But I find that far more compelling than Aglaya hating Nina without question, in particular when considering their relationship through the lens of Aglaya as the Law and Nina as Utopia.

[chaos0pikachu]

okay, so, regarding this post -> https://www.tumblr.com/chaos0pikachu/730266845520805888?source=share and your tags on it i just wanted to say that i've had similar thoughts while watching; like, i don't interact with the fanbase too much - i don't go into the tag for example - so i can't completely speak to that but the way the show treats Boston not wanting a monogamous romantic relationship is bizarre to me, this constant judgement towards him not wanting to date, calling him cold and uncaring, and overall acting like he needs that kind of relationship.....and just, huh? what makes it worse (to me, anyway) is that the "mouthpiece" for this is mostly Cheum for some reason? the only woman who is more than just "the bartender" or "the girlfriend", i don't know, i don't like it

i have more thoughts on this but this is already enough rambly thoughts to drop in somebody's inbox + putting thoughts into coherent writing is my enemy, aksisosisi, hope you have a great day <3

So I'ma say something potentially controversial but whatever time to let the chaos freak flag fly and all that shit.

I think Only Friends is strangely puritanical all things considered. I was talking with a mutual the other day about this, how Mew ended up "corrupted" in a sense after his first experience with sex went sour via Top's cheating/Boston's friend betrayal, and his "corruption" as a character that follows that betrayal is him hooking up with people, and having non-monogamous sex. Like, Top and Boston hurt Mew, no doubt, but his "villain era" as it were is all tied into sex now; using sex as power. He hooks up with Drake to get access to Boston's revenge porn, then uses that revenge porn as "punishment" against Boston by threatening to show his father. He makes out with Ray as a means to "punish" Top, it's not "sex" in the traditional sense, but it's dangling the possibility that he's going to have sex with Ray - someone Top has historically been jealous of and has disliked - as a means of punishment.

The thoroughline here is Boston and Top are being "punished" for their sexual indiscretion, Mew's newfound power is using sex as a means of retribution, and the endgame would be Top finding redemption in his "love" for Mew and Mew either learning to forgive him or learning to move on from him; either way the endgame is monogamy opposed to non-monogamy. Monogamy will "heal/cure" Top who has found solace and growth in falling in love with Mew, while Mew will go back to his "real" personality - one that doesn't revel in tormenting others, and acting self-destructive - once they go back to monogamy and give up casual sex with others.

At this point, I'm only half blaming fandom for these takes b/c the show is reinforcing them. Boston's flaws are all tied to his "whoring" rather than anything with more nuance. Does Boston act out b/c his father mistreat him? Does Boston just not want to be monogamous and is frustrated people - including his friends!! - constantly slut shame him for it (but for some reason don't slut shame Ray who is also having casual sex BUT is romantically in love with Mew meaning Ray would give up casual sex if it meant he could have Mew while Boston actively doesn't WANT a romantic relationship)? Lol nope, no further nuance for Boston he's just an evil slut.

Which would also even be fine IF there was some contrast to balance it out. Like, if Sand, who is probably the most well adjusted of the characters had casual sex and preferred non-monogamy. But we all know Ray and Sand are endgame (which is a different problem I have that's more Wastonian than Sherlockian). Their endgame is the ending of casual fwb sex and entering a "real" relationship. Top and Mew are probably on the same path as well. Top no longer wants casual sex he wants a "real" relationship with Mew, he's fuckboi ways are cured! All his boundary pushing, and inconsideration of Mew are all gone now b/c Top was cured by Mew's bussy in their dry toast first time.

Chuem is supposed to be the shows Voice of Reason, she's acting as an audience surrogate; when she says Top is trying we're supposed to take her words at face value, when she says drugs are bad for Ray we're supposed to agree with her, when she calls Boston a whore we're supposed to believe he is, a whore (derogatory).

I've seen a lot of people say we have to "have trust in Jojo". Idk why. Firstly, Jojo isn't even the only writer or director on the show. Den (War of Y, Playboyy) and Best (Moonlight Chicken, Bad Buddy, Never Let Me Go) are fellow screenwriters and I honestly think all 3 of their writing styles aren't meshing well together. There's also another director on staff as well. This isn't Jojo's show wholly.

Second, I haven't watched The Warp Effect, or 3 Will Be Free, or Never Let Me go. Thirdly, even the best directors and screenwriters have flops, you follow someone's career enough they will make a flop it just is what it is no one bats 100 all the time.

In the end, what I'm getting from Only Friends is the root cause for all the drama isn't things like selfishness, or inconsideration of others it's sex, specifically non-monogamous sex. It showcases itself in the development of Top and Mew's relationship, and also in Boston's char - if Boston wasn't such a whore maybe people wouldn't make sex tapes of him without his knowledge, why else would he be punished with them later? We're supposed to view Mew's actions as justified (and fandom does!) and see Boston hooking up with Top as a greater violation than Mew threatening to show Boston's dad his revenge porn! - And I find that really puritanical.

Now, I'm gonna give the show SOME grace b/c things could turn around depending on the ending. Like I think this is a show I won't 100% have a fully rounded opinion on until the end, so this is how I feel as of right now. It could change, and I hope it does.

[galsgeneration]

Same asker as the previous query about ships here. I wanna know how you feel about Shadow/Espio. It’s one of my fave ships, but there’s so little content for it even compared to other rarepairs. I feel that it’s OOC to some extent, as most ships with Shadow are (including Sonadow imo, even though I love that ship too) but I’m curious if/how you think Shadpio could work. And what you think about their dynamic in general. I’m always researching them but I assume you’d be more knowledgeable.

That's an awesome question! There's a particular charm in Shadow and Espio's dynamic when we get to analyze the characters' individual traits being displayed in the short interactions they've had thus far.

Considering the definition of "ship" in fandom usually leans toward romance, I personally can't see Shadow involved in some form with any of the characters, judging by how he thinks, acts and what we can conclude from his dangerously pure nature in the canon material (including Sonic X, as his characterization in the japanese script is faithful to his game counterpart). Espio, on the other hand, appears to be slightly more open to a conventional approach on the matter, but that would require further development and exploration on his relationships with other characters beyond the Chaotix, like Sonic, Rouge, Silver, etc.

As for creative content taking from the canon, it's only "out of character" if the intention within how they think of the other is somewhat changed, along with the characters' core traits, main relationships and their influence (or not) in the context of the specific moments they share with one another. With that being said, I can only say my personal thoughts on them based on what SEGA has already explored/showed, without going into "shipping" and "TV tropes" territory or "non-canon" media (i.e. Archie comics and The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog).

Shadow and Espio share a few similarities here and there, when it comes to their methods and decisions upon facing the emergence of a threat and the opportunity to strike at the right moment (i.e. their stance on Mr. Tinker/Dr. Eggman before and after the Metal Virus incident in the IDW comics, except that Shadow was hellbent on taking him down straight away while Espio only verbalized the idea to Sonic after having to deal with the outcome himself). They are not opposed to killing, either.

Although Shadow is cold-natured (bearing in mind he's also a man-made weapon), Espio has a rather calm, stealthy and deadly approach in battle that's almost a parallel to Shadow's more feisty, ruthless combat style. Their fighting tactics are precise and deceptive, whether in an ambush or general warfare - each in their own specialty, since Shadow is a master in Chaos Control and Espio a nin-jutsu specialist ninja - and they're equally confident in their skills. Striking from behind and when the foe least expects it can be quite their thing, too.

I enjoy the first look we got into their dynamic during the Semi-Hero route of Shadow the Hedgehog (2005), after the events of Sonic Heroes. Understanding that Shadow was seeking for the truth about himself and his past, it's easier to picture how Espio could affect and assist Shadow in the future (if SEGA ever considers the idea) after they situationally teamed up when infiltrating Dr. Eggman's database. Espio had asked Shadow if he felt like giving him a hand in looking for some information the Chaotix needed at the time, and Shadow hoped to find something useful about himself. Therefore, the mutual aid would only be beneficial. In one of the japanese summaries of the game for the boss battle following this specific mission, Shadow acknowledges Espio's role in defeating the Doctor and escaping the electronic world with him.

Something I also find curious is the way Espio managed (or at least tried) to bring Shadow back to the present throughout the mission, upon noticing how much the doubts and misleading offers kept getting at Shadow. There's a lot of cool and high-spirited lines coming from Espio to ground and help Shadow zero in back on his main goal (i.e. "Stop thinking about it, let's just keep going"; "It's all nonsense talk to trick you at the end of the day"; "Right now, let's focus on defeating [Dr. Eggman] to get out of here."). Hence, I can see Shadow being neutral towards Espio as he never stood on his way, nor manipulated him for his own gain (Espio doesn't like dishonesty, after all!).

Despite the whole ordeal Shadow went through in his self-titled game, it's a fact that Shadow can be impulsive when dabbling with danger, meaning he can be distracted once caught up in his own thoughts/emotions or the thrill of a challenge sometimes. It's a nice detail in opposition to Espio's cautious behavior, since he isn't distracted easily; even when his team is at risk, he attempts to keep himself level-headed and not lose his focus.

Still, something they absolutely have in common is an interest for dangerous missions and (the semblance of) perfectionism. Espio enjoys the "aesthetic" of staying in the shadows, though he sometimes makes the mistake of sneezing and compromising his invisibility; Shadow is a perfectionist by his own standards and doesn't tolerate anything but the ultimate performance from himself and others (even if he miscalculates at times due to a myriad of reasons). The manner that Shadow and Espio see the topic of perfectionism and balance can be an intriguing point for conflict, too.

On another note, during the only verbal interaction between the two in Sonic X, Espio asks Shadow if he's going to rescue Dr. Eggman after the Chaotix gave him a ride, in which Shadow responds that his only target is Dark Oak. This also shows how Espio doesn't know exactly/can predict Shadow's motivations or actions, but his optimism remains present nonetheless. Regardless of the events in the anime not being canon, we can see how direct and brief their conversations are, especially after Shadow's clarification (and subtle correction). This aspect is not different in the mainline games, as they only address the other when it's extremely necessary, or if the situation calls for a change.

All in all, I believe Shadow and Espio, as a dynamic and hypotetical "pairing," can be very interesting if we put these moments into perspective instead of latching onto popular tropes we find oftenly in the fandom (it's also the case for many other fictional ones).

My thoughts and considerations on them got longer than I intended, but I hope this is what you expected to read (and understand) from how I view them! They do have the potential to work as an intriguing, fleeting duo in the absence of the Chaotix and/or Shadow's usual allies, but that's all up to SEGA. 😜

[littletism]

🌈🍓⭐ WELCOME TO MY BLOG ^_^

ELLIE / MIMI ★★ 20 ★★ HE/SHE/FLUFF

★ hello im ellie/mimi!!!! dumbest princegirl evrrrr

★ 20 going on 21 babeyyy!!!!!!!!!!

★ dis is my REGRESSION BLOG!!!!!

★ SFW agere/petre posts only!! HOWEVER i do post about impure regression sometimes

★ AUDHD haver, sorry if i come off as rude sometimes i promise its purely on accident 99% of the time

★ non-system plural (BPD & MaDD), regression is affected by this and i may post about it sometimes

★ not anti-nsfw i just dont want nsfw accs interacting w me in what is meant to be my safespace. like i support you but go away

★ i follow from my main @minipuppygirl

★ only things on my dni for this blog are nsfw accs and exclusionists (non-radical inclus this means you too!!!!)

★ my little age can range from 2-12, however rarely i do regress to 13-15

★ my fav things of all time r my little pony, super mario, and rupauls drag race!!!!!

★ when i pet regress im usually either a cat, puppy, lamb, or fawn. sometimes i can regress to a fox, wolf, or calf.

★ not opposed to the idea of having little mutuals ^_^

ଘ(੭*ˊᵕˋ)੭ ⋆｡°✩ GOODBYEEE 🌈🎀🐶

[theemeraldforesthideout]

List 5 things that make you happy, then put this in the askbox for the last 10 people who reblogged something from you! (ू•‧̫•ू⑅)♡

Non-event days. I have this love-hate relationship with holidays that kind of tell you how you should be feeling at any given moment. Every time I find myself living through those moments, I always crave some hidden away Thursday afternoon or Tuesday evening where the joy feels completely organic and self sought, as opposed to manufactured feelings. Even normal days of the week: Sundays and Mondays, or Fridays. They can lean too heavily into a societal set of moods. And I just like to feel when I want to feel. 2. Music. It's impossible to know how many times I've survived a day or an emotionally tense moment purely through listening to music. I always have a song in my head at any given moment, and it feels like a kind of failsafe, that allows me to cope with less than great situations. As I write this I've just gone in on a new release from one of my favourite bands and, it literally saved me from heading into a bit of a sad period tonight. I just could not live without music. 3. History, but more specifically landscape archaeology and the stories that can arise from it. I love looking at maps, especially detailed maps that contain historic sites such as Roman roads or hillfort earthworks. You can build up a picture of history from that alone in some cases. Add on top that, digging into the etymology of the place names of these historical sites, and it can paint quite a vivid picture of how the landscape evolved over time, including the waves of settlers and the influence of their languages. 4. Tumblr. Yep! This site has given me invaluable insights into different cultures, mental health issues, psychology, nuanced and deep takes on current global issues and, maybe most importantly, faith in people again. I've met and chatted and followed and become mutuals with the most wonderful human beings. It's just life affirming, to be honest. I know it's not exactly cool to gush about this place, but, I am. And sure, maybe I've been lucky not to have bad experiences here... but, personally for me, I Iove it here. 5. Nature Photography. Pretty obvious, this one, given my blog is full of my own photos. I just love the challenge of trying to take a photo that is something beyond just a set of trees or a hill. Playing with light, or trying to get a new approach or new way of seeing things. I don't really edit my photos, other than playing with various settings on my camera when outdoors. I find photography just adds an extra layer of fulfilment to my walks around here. Visiting a set of epic waterfalls in Wales on a trip - I can just take straight up shots of them, and it's enough (although I still play with the framing etc), but if I return from a local walk with a memory card full of unique looking takes on places I've passed countless times, it adds to a level of fulfilment and a feeling of time well spent.

[poisonedxbeauty]

Low Activity & Private. Angel Dust Main.

Hazbin Hotel & Helluva Boss Multi & Canon Divergent.

Kanami. She/Her. 30.

Carrd & Credit & Memes Banner made by @radiostarsz

Matching icons with @radiostarsz

Be advised of triggering content & not spoiler free.

Affiliates: @radiostarsz

Mains: @radiostarsz @spidersins

🥀 Anti-Vizziepop.

🥀18+ only. Age must be indicated on your blog. Prefer to follow those that list online alias.

🥀 Duplicate friendly.

🥀Preference for being soft or hard blocked if you unfollow.

🥀Hard blocks are reserved for the bigoted mostly. Here to have fun. Leave your drama at the door.

🥀Open to mains so long as there’s chemistry. Not open to exclusives currently.

🥀Mutual exclusive for threads.

🥀 OC friendly. Currently would only like to write in the Hazbin & Helluva verses.

🥀I will not interact with self - insert muses. Nor will I interact with personals. OOC asks accepted, not IC.

🥀 IC asks are not mutually exclusive.

🥀 Heavily prefer if you want to continue an ask and make it a thread, you move it to a new post please. If you respond with the note feature or reblog the ask with a reply, I’ll move it.

🥀Personals please do not reblog any writing please. Role play blogs, please do not reblog threads labeled for someone else.

🥀Please do not treat me like a meme resource unless you really can’t find the source.

🥀I will not write smut on tumblr (possibly changing and content going to a side).

🥀 Shipping. These characters are new territory for me, so building a comfort when it comes to romantic shipping. Please, no forcing. If there’s chemistry and we’re both comfortable, I’m open to giving things a try.

🥀 I am more comfortable with MxM ships, and due to personal reasons a bit more selective with MxF, but not opposed to it. And open to trying FxF.

🥀 Due to the nature of this show, there are some dark themes. An example is SA and with Angel’s backstory, it may be mentioned. I do my best to tag things accordingly, but if I miss something please feel free to let me know. I will not write rape or non-con. Eye gore, Amputation, and Animal Abuse (writing and visuals are a no go). Note: medical amputation is one thing but my issue is this in the context of abuse like the dollmaker from Welcome to the Game.

C r e d i t s

Color PSD used for multiple pictures, mostly angel, on this blog. pockybub

[disdaidal]

Hi! I noticed your native English speakers post (im a weirdo that reads all tags lol sorry). I’m also a non native English speaker so I totally feel you! What worked for me is finding anybody to basically beta my work! They flagged the grammar/spelling mistakes and also could give some feedback with how it made them feel so I knew if anything needed correcting or elaborating. I know those people are sometimes difficult to find but just wanted to share, maybe some of your followers/mutuals/general readers might be up for doing it!

Aww, I always read other people's tags, too. ♥

I've sometimes considered looking for someone to beta my work because I often type too fast, don't always notice if/when entire words are missing, too lazy to always check the spelling, whether my grammar's correct or not etc. etc.

But one reason I haven't even tried hard enough to look for one is that in one of my older fandoms, I used betas all the time and well - they're obviously just people, so they come and go. Sometimes didn't even get back to me. Or sometimes I got negative feedback about my grammar regardless because turns out my beta's grammar wasn't much better than mine (and they were a native speaker, heh). One beta also ended up deleting entire parts of dialogue from my fic because *they* didn't like it, and needless to say, I didn't ask them again.

But let's just say if someone was willing to try it, I guess I wouldn't oppose it. It's just that I'm currently writing for a rarepair that's got maybe 5 fans in total atm (okay, maybe even more, but you know), so I don't know if anyone was willing to beta for that. Also, both my fics will have smut eventually, so that's also a big nope for some people.

Anyway, I appreciate this ask a lot and it's always nice talking to other non-native English speakers here! We struggle a little bit every day, but we also try hard, right? I think that counts for something at least.

[wri0thesley]

hi Nat! hope everything is well!🥹 I hope you don’t mind me asking this, but how do you get people to interact with you? i have quite a big following if I say so myself but it feels like there’s barely any interaction 😭 mostly it’s my fault as well to contribute to that, but I’ve been more active nowadays and when I try to interact by posting stuff so my lovely followers can interact, nobody really does. do you know the best way for interaction?🥹sorry for bothering you with such a question :(

i do not mind at all anon!

i actually have absolutely no idea. i am INCREDIBLY lucky that my beloved followers interact with me so much (to the point i feel AWFUL i have so many unanswered asks), especially because the usual advice for getting interaction is usually 'give interaction yourself' and aside from reblogging and sometimes replying, i get too nervous to send asks and such (if i do i usually send them anon even to moots fgbkjnbgnj).

if it helps give any sense of interaction vs follower count, i have about 15k followers (i have been writing on tumblr for a LONG time and writing reasonably consistently). i do think that the fact i've been around for a while helps too to be honest; people kind of see me as a safe person to come to with asks! i also try very hard to be friendly and open which i think helps; i want to be a positive force without being an UwU Toxic Positivity Force! i also generally try not to get involved in drama any more (i was involved in a little bit a long time ago when i just wrote jojo); again, i think that's a thing people do think about with interaction, because it can be scary to interact for the first time and fear that the blog is going to laugh at you!!!

i also try and treat the anons i DO get like they're my friends and mutuals instead of making a big divide between 'this is my friend group of mutuals and these are my Less Important Anons'. i know i personally get scared of interacting with blogs who seem to have a very defined friend group and do not really venture outside of that; it can feel cliquey even when it's not!!!

so yeah gbfdjnkfgbnk. not helpful i'm sorry! lots of my advice is honestly just 'stay on tumblr and write what you like and enjoy and people will come to you'. being friendly always helps! reblogging and commenting and sending asks (i send ask prompts when i can when they're reblogged because that's easier for me than speaking off my own head! i also try and practise ask prompt etiquette - if i reblog it from someone i try to 100% send them an ask from it too, that's polite!) helps too. treating anons like your friends* (*obviously in a non parasocial way; like friends you're seeing at a party as opposed to your bff forever) helps!

i hope that any of that helps!!! it can be hard and disheartening to not base your worth as a writer (or whatever fan-content you make!) on your interaction but i promise as long as you are having fun and being nice eventually people will notice and will give back what you give out!!!! <3

[cazort]

Hello! I'm Alex!

I am nonbinary (agenderflux), vaguely transfem and gender-non-conforming, and use they/them pronouns.

I'm neurodivergent. I have sensory issues and am generally weird.

I'm married and you can read more about my boundaries about our relationship below.

My blog is off-the-wall and you cannot expect it to remain consistent with frequency or topics. Cute animal photos, stupid memes, serious wall-of-text political commentary are all possible. But I love nature, Tumblr humor, and deep commentary so you're eventually gonna find all of these.

I am friendly and like to chat. My phone notifications are always off and I mostly use Tumblr at the computer. I am inconsistent at responding. I might engage immediately sometimes, and take days to get back to you other times. Please don't take it personally, I still care about you!

I am WAAAY over 18. Read why my age isn't in my bio and why I don't demand or even encourage people putting ages in bios.

Some boundaries:

I appreciate mass likes / reblogs and love engagement on my old posts. Don't be shy!

I don't mind being called girl or guy but dislike being called woman or man. I care less about pronouns and language and more about gendered assumptions. I.e. if you are thinking "Because you are (female/male/nonbinary) you must..." keep these thoughts to yourself and maybe consider working through them because they're probably untruthful. People are diverse.

I like talking about sex, and I like being given compliments about my body, but I do not want to hear about any sexual fantasy involving me, nor do I want you to ask me if I fantasize about you. This both oversteps a boundary of my marriage and I still usually didn't like hearing this type of thing even back when was single. Also I do not want to roleplay or send explicit pics and please don't ask.

I am sex positive and anti-censorship, but I am not seeking porn. I may engage with a more explicit or provocative picture or selfie on your blog, but please do not send me any explicit or sexually-provocative pictures by DM. I may have liked the pic in spite of the fact it was explicit, not because of it, and similarly for following you if your blog posts NSFW content. Or I may have wanted to signal my support for your sex positivity. Me liking your post or following you is NOT consent to receive such pics by DM.

I do not support any kind of violence except in direct self-defense, and I may unfollow you or distance myself from you if your blog advocates for such. Yes, this includes violence used for causes I agree with, for instance, I oppose all far-right extremism, but I don't support "punch a nazi" rhetoric. Want to know why? Read this post.

I do not tolerate negative generalizations directed at any group of people. I don't care whether the group is privileged or not, it always ends up harming marginalized people. Read this post for my explanation. I'm especially sensitive to how negative overgeneralizations about men can harm trans and neurodivergent people. If you post such negativity and I value our connection, I will challenge it. Otherwise I will unfollow or block you. I don't want people in my life who voice this sort of negativity.

You do not get to tell me what my experience is or what my intentions are. Nor do you get to tell other people this nor do I want to listen to you making these kind of statements about others. This is especially true if you are speculating about someone having negative intentions. I will react similarly to this point as to the point above.

Do not ask me for money, to buy content, or to reblog your fundraiser post if I do not know you. I like supporting people, but I am not here to buy content, and I am wary of scammers and highly selective about who I support. I only support people I know well. If we are mutuals though, feel free to reach out for financial advice. I love helping people improve their own financial situation if there is any way I can. If you want to support me, visit bplant.org and donate to that project; you will help support education about and protection of North American native plants and the ecosystems that depend on them!

Do not message me a generic "hey" or message me without having engaged with my blog at all, especially if you are an empty or very new blog. You will get blocked and reported as spam. Fill out your blog, make some posts, engage with some posts on my blog. And if you message me, please tell me how you find me and what made you want to message me.

I think that pretty much covers it, but I can update this if more issues arise!

[party-gilmore]

I am making my own post because I do not want to derail the one I saw it in from a mutual I respect - not trying to beat around the bush or vaguepost or anything, just wasn’t really sure if you’d actually want me to @ you on this or not? since i know it’s not at all the point you were trying to talk about with it

and I don’t want to flood their notifs with a response going in that completely different direction (to be clear - not OPPOSING, specifically, just DIFFERENT).

Post isn’t tagged for a REASON - this is a personal opinion for my followers, based on some similarities I noticed about language being defended versus attacked depending on who was defining it, so I didnt want it in the tags like it was open commentary. Parts of which I may very well be wrong about but it’s what I’m seeing and feeling, so. Starts off analytical but veers towards more personal.

Reblogs are off - this is a statement of what i’m seeing, to get it OUT of me so I can move on. If there’s anything that resonates feel free to copy and repost, i don’t care, it’s just i’m tired of holding in my feelings to avoid conflict so I just need it out of me. Not looking to discuss (yet, may revisit). I just want to be VERY clear about what this post IS and what it ISNT:

This post is specifically about the double standard I see when Jews who express discomfort with “from the river to the sea” are told to accept that just because Hamas is using it that way, doesn’t mean the rest of Palestine and those fighting for a free and safe Palestinian homeland mean it in the same radical, extremist, “purge the jews” way

Versus the way I see some of these leftists turn around and use “zionism” as a catch all term for supporting the genocide, assuming any Jew who believes in a similarly free and safe Jewish homeland wants that to be in a radical, extremist, “purge the palestinians way”

It is NOT about “which phrase/word is good/bad” or the history of either; it’s about the double standard in the RESPONSES.

I would hope that by now I’ve been very clear on my stance that Israel’s actions are and have been abhorrent and that there is no worldview theological or political that justifies this genocide or the continued denial of the Palestinian people of their own homes and right to self-determine as a nation on indigenous land.

I am specifically making my own post and not tagging it with certain tags because I am actively trying NOT to derail those conversations (OR bait opposition to them).

This is something I noticed ABOUT those conversations and concepts within this article specifically, and how I see them relating like a mirror to the issue of believing that Jews ALSO have that same right.

This is, specifically, about a hypocritical double standard I’m seeing from goyische, non-Palestinian*(noted specifically, addressed later) leftists when it comes to one phrase versus another, based on their “side.”

So this article - it’s not the main article i’m discussing, but it’s vital to one of my later points**

I would like to draw your attention to the source linked in paragraph below:

ID in Alt

Following that “historian Maha Nassau has noted” source, there is the following passage right toward the end of that article.

Dismissing or ignoring what this phrase means to the Palestinians is yet another means by which to silence Palestinian perspectives. Citing only Hamas’ leaders use of the phrase, while disregarding the liberationist context in which other Palestinians understand it, shows a disturbing level of ignorance about Palestinians’ views at best, and a deliberate attempt to smear their legitimate aspirations at worst.

Most troubling for me, the belief that a “free Palestine” would necessarily lead to the mass annihilation of Jewish Israelis is rooted in deeply racist and Islamophobic assumptions about who the Palestinians are and what they want.

Rather than just lecture Palestinians and their supporters about how certain phrases make them feel, supporters of Israel should get more curious about what Palestinians themselves want. There isn’t a single answer (there never is), but assuming you already know is no way to work towards a just and lasting peace.

These concepts here, at least, I can say I pretty much agree with.

It acknowledges that the phrase DOES have two meanings - the use of it within general Palestinian liberation, and the use of it by the terrorist group Hamas.

AND - key point here - it does NOT conclude with saying either use is the end-all-be-all true meaning.

It says SPECIFICALLY - “citing ONLY Hamas leaders’ use of the phrase, while DISREGARDING the liberationist context in which other Palestinians understand it” - to warn against the assumption that the extremist use by Hamas, calling for annihilation of Jews (in this case, specifically, at an official state level) holds true for all Palestinians who have found and hope and safety for themselves in the same concept.

Instead it asks for those made uncomfortable to listen to what the voices calling for it are actually asking for, to determine the manner it which it’s being used. For recognizing that within Palestinian community, it holds a different understanding.

Now, I said I wasn’t making this post to discuss the phrase “from the river to the sea” itself. And I’m not.

I’m making this post to say that if you agree with these general statements by Maha Nassau as I understand them:

That dismissing or ignoring what a phrase - one you may dislike, makes you uncomfortable, or even outright scares you - means within the context of the people using it, even if that meaning is different from how you, an outsider, use it, is ignorant at best and slanderous at worst **(i.e., WHY it was so important to read that article, whether or not you’d already decided to agree/disagree with it. I HOPE you read it.)

That a radical, extremist faction of those people using the same term to define their own particular movement and goals does not delegitimise the use of it by that general community, or give credence to any assumptions about said community wants or believes

That instead of focusing on how the way they use their terminology makes you feel, to actually listen to what that community is telling you they’re fighting for and watch what they do to work towards peace in the region and (considering the article was written in 2018 I am adding my own addition to this thesis statement that i feel at the very least should NOT be controversial addition) first and foremost STOP THE BOMBINGS AND GENOCIDE OF PALESTINE PRIORITY NUMBER ONE

If you agree with or even just understand all that…

I’m gonna need some of y’all to re-evaluate the way you react to the word zionist on this site. Especially when leftist Jews, vocally and actively supporting a free Palestine, are telling you repeatedly that it doesnt mean what you think it means - from zionist, non-zionist, AND anti-zionist perspectives.

You can’t sit there and nod your head and agree with a concept of

These Words May Be Used As A Slogan By Our Radical Extremist Faction, But For Most Of Us It’s Just The Concept Of Safety And Freedom In Our Homeland - The Context Is Different Within Our Community, We Aren’t Advocating For “Our Way Or The Highway” Just Liberation From Occupation, Self-Determination, and Peace

for Palestinians using “from the river to the sea”, and then refuse to acknowledge the exact same situation for Zionist* Jews opposing modern Israel and their genocide too!

*(whether they’re even ACTUALLY zionist or what YOU think a zionist is)

Anyways.

This all feels clumsy as hell reading it back, and I’m sure I fucked bits of it up. But it’s how I’m feeling, and what I’m seeing. Most of what follows is less analytical and more personal.

I don’t really care, at this point, what side of the “these words are right”/“these words are wrong” you’re on because honestly REAL TALK full 100% I’M not even sure how I feel completely, about EITHER concept.

But like I said. This post isnt about that.

This post is ALSO, to be clear, not about asking *Palestinians - the people currently in an active genocide having atrocities committed against them and their families and being fucking killed - not to use the language they have chosen to define their own liberation just because of how Hamas uses it.

Its about WHY I see the same people up in arms when some Jews post fears (and some even personal experience) surrounding FtRttS because “just because the radicals use the phrase as a call for an ethnostate, you’re assuming that’s what Palestine is going to do if they’re free? you think Palestinians are just that inherently barbaric?”

then turn around a start pushing the “zionism is just colonial terrorism, zionist jews just want a fully jewish ethnotate throughout the region while antizionists are the people who oppose the genocide.”

Still. Whatever side of the fence. If being asked to consider and recognize that either phrase has multiple contexts is offensive to you, or if this is the last straw for following me… you can unfollow. I’m not saying that to be snarky or passive aggressive, I mean it genuinely.

My point has been made (to the best of my ability).

If you think I’m 1) too zionist, for asking you to recognize the varying ways Jews hold and define zionist belief within their own communities, despite your experience with it as a radical extremist idealogy, or 2) too antisemitic for asking you to recognize that same concept in return for Palestine, or 3) too “middle of the road” and noncommittal or “too young/uneducated enough to really understand there’s a clear side here”

…then you’re just not gonna be happy following me, moving forward. Even if we respect each other, or agree on most other things. Because the fact is, I believe a LOT of seemingly conflicting things at once. And some of them, I am still learning where I stand, and may discover as I learn that some just won’t coexist and I may need to readjust my views.

But I do hold the following as incontrovertible:

Both Palestinians and Jews are indigenous to the land, sharing historical, cultural, and holy sites.

There is absolutely nothing in this world or the next that justifies the occupation and genocide of Palestine and the atrocities committed by the State of Israel against them, the only bare bones absolutely minimum basic human decency route here is a Free Palestine.

The actions of Israel are getting painted onto every Jew who isn’t clamouring for its complete and total dissolution, using Zionist like american propaganda used Communist during the red scare to draw lines between the Good Guys Fighting For Freedom! and Those Scary Foreign Nationals!

the personal bits in quick summary cuz i’ve been sitting in this car reading and typing and editing for four hours now and im cold - i’m non zionist I believe palestine should be free i also believe the idea of a safe jewish homeland for those who still feel connected to it is pretty good actually i just truly don’t think there’s a way to do that realistically that doesn’t cause more shit like this either between literally any other global political interest vying for power playing with people’s lives and homes like bar darts or within the jewish communities themselves determinining Who’s “Really”Jewish Enough To Count but shits all fucked and i’m tired of trying so hard not to piss people off who don’t really even like me anyway if they got to know me, so unfollow me if you gotta, strangers on the internet approving of me is literally the LEAST of my concerns anymore

…i will probably take a break again soon. i did a lot better just understanding my own thoughts when i spent less time surrounded by everyone else’s.

[horizon-verizon]

TG loves to criticize Aegon's prophecy, because they say that it only feeds that Targaryens think they have a divine right to rule, if I remember it was GRRM who put this in the series, so if the author put it it's because he must be saying yes… They have some divine right to rule

*EDITED POST* (5/8/24 -- included list of non Andal-considered incest and how the Doctrine was for Jaehaerys & Alysanne to marry/the dynasty to follow a Valyrian custom, not for blood purity, since blood purity rules you cannot marry to "muddy" the lineage)

I don't think it's "divine right to rule" so much as they were necessary for all humans to survive this magical catastrophe. "Divine right" means that the gods allowed or created you to rule either in their stead or to uphold the "land's" values so no one but a royal (sometimes not even then, just the monarch) can legitimately argue or seriously question them. that they can't be held accountable by any "earthly" authority: peasants, aristocrats, the Pope sometimes, etc. It's an argument many absolute rulers like the French kings of the 17th-18th century, Henry VIII, James I/VI, etc. used to justify why they should rule. An argument that they developed from the already present belief that God afforded "earthly" power to kings and spiritual power to the Pope/Church.

The Targs are humans with strong ties to magic (thematically AND physically) and the ability to ride dragons, but having magic and being religious are not always mutually inclusive. Jaehaerys uses the cultural element of the Faith, the extant Andal aristocratic idea of a ruler's divinity to justify his family's rule/his marriage to Alysanne and make enemies of the state anyone who opposes him/the marriage/the dynasty because the Targs were still seen as just as subject to the Andal- descendants' interpretations of divinity, incest, etc. And he made sure that dragonriding was the indicator of divinity or that the gods sought to make the Targs "worthy" to lead through them being "bestowed" these powerful beasts. It tries to legitimize dragon riding through a different interpretation of an already present religious/institutional principle/arguing religion and the gods' allowing them to rule AND justifies his marriage to Alysanne (love and personal aspect), secures the Targs' continuing to follow their own Valyrian customs just as Northmen do theirs and Andals do theirs--those customs, that like Andal/FM customs, allow incest for power consolidation (politics), as all aristocratic marriage customs have done in both fiction and real life.

The Doctrine never forbade the "mixing" of blood (which is actually blood purist), Targs marrying/having sex with those outside of their own family, etc. The Targs often did marry "out", or those who didn't marry a sibling/uncle-aunt:

Rhaena and Androw Farman (m)/Elissa Farman (s/l/i)

Aenys and Alyssa Velaryon

Maegor and 5 of his wives, the first being a Hightower

Aemon the Prince and Jocelyn Baratheon

Daella and Rodrick Arryn

Viserra and Theomore Manderly (engaged to be)

Viserys I and Aemma Arryn

Rhaneyra and Laenor

Rhaenyra and Harwin (s/l/i)

Daemon and Rhea Royce

Daemon and Laena Velaryon

Baela and Alyn Velaryon

Rhaena and Corbray/that Hightower

Maekar I and Dyanna Dayne

Rhaegar and Elia/Lyanna

Aerys I and Aelinor Penrose

Daemon Blackfyre and Rohanne of Tyroseh

Aegon III and Jaehaera

Aegon III and Daenaera Velaryon

Aegon IV and his various mistresses (s/l/i)

Elaena and all her 3 husbands (m); plus her affair with Alyn Velaryon (s/l/i)

Daeron II and Mariah Martell

Daenerys [II] and Maron Martell

Aegon V and Betha Blackwood

Rhaelle and Ormund Baratheon

Duncan and Jenny of Oldstones

Duncan and Kiera of Tyrosh

Valarr and Kiera of Tyrosh

Rhaegal and Alys Arryn

Magic and religious ties to it or priests (esp for the god R'hollor) using magic is the done-deal fact in the ASoIaF universe, but there is a skepticism of religion generated from several events in both the main series, and the accompanying works (Fire and Blood and Egg-Dunk's series) where people go through or witness atrocities and they look kinda askance at their gods. Or they doubt their ability to rise to whatever occasion that they think or were told to do in the name of /supported by whatever god(s). We the readers are meant to realize and be skeptical of religion's influence, not believe the Targs morally or ethically deserve the throne IN GENERAL, or to lead just because they had dragons.

In other words, let's be careful about how we characterize the Targs' rule. Yes, people who say they were colonizers or imperialists in Westeros are dumb. Yes, those who argue that the Targs are worse than other Westerosi nobles/former kingdoms/are in some sort of class struggle with literally every lord in Westeros in various periods are not working with a full basket of white matter. Yes, most green stans are totally in denial and refuse to learn how to read. However, the large point behind our criticizing these arguments is to show how ubiquitous power-seeking is for aristocrats of any and all lineages/backgrounds.

[wolfsbarbarens-a]

Baldur's Gate 3 - Recruitment

Breina's companion quest is called "The Prince of the Underground". She can be picked up initially from the Temple of Jergal where you collect Withers, bickering outside with the gang looting the temple.

Breina is a Wild Magic Sorcerer/Oath of Vengance Paladin. If following her default level-up path, she will take levels in both, with three in Sorcerer, and nine in Paladin. Her background is Folk Hero, same as Wyll.

Recruitment

Upon approaching the temple, a cutscene plays where Breina is being backed into the corner by the looters. She's got her hands behind her head, but she seems unintimidated by them, with a smile on her face.

Breina: Look. You want the shit in the temple, and I want to get out of here with my head. Those aren't opposing goals. Looter: Sure! As soon as you give back the thing you snatched. Breina: I didn't take shit, alright? At which point, Breina she will see Tav/Durge and whoever else is with them. She looks the looter in the eye.

Breina: Alright, you're right. I do have something. I stashed it in my boot - alright? Look-

She kneels down carefully, pretending to reach non-threateningly for her boot - at which point she will pull what appears to be a section from a branch from it.

Breina: See? Nothin' worth the fuss.

The looter will step forwards, and Breina will hold it out. Then, with a smile, she plunges what turned out to be a trick blade into the looter's weapon hand, yells a spell. and a green bolt of fire will shoot from her victim to another looter, which will collapse screaming (Green-Flame Blade). She kicks away the man she stabbed as a third looter rushes to help him to his feet. In the chaos that follows, she turns to the player.

Breina: You - get your arse over here!

Combat will then take place. When combat is over, so long as the player didn't attack and kill Breina, the player will be able to talk directly to her.

Breina: Fuck yeah! That's what those pricks get.

The player will get the following dialogue options. All are mutually exclusive.

Player: Are you alright? Breina: What? Oh, yeah, no big deal. I'm grateful for the backup, but you were a bonus, really. Player: Who were they? Did you know them? Breina: What? Oh no, not these guys. They're vultures. I was restin' in the temple when they dropped in. Player: I'm not your personal guard, you know. Breina: No offense, cupcake, but I don't need a personal guard.

The tadpole in her head will connect to yours:

Narrator: (Suddenly, you are elsewhere - you see a collage of memories too scattered to see clearly - a mob, a raised fist, a devil's face, a grey dragon's eye. Just as quickly, the woman is before you once more).

Breina: Shit! What was that? ... wait. You were on that ship too. Oh, fuck. Fuck. You're as fucked as me, aren't you? (she taps her cheek, below her eye)

One of the companions will interject with an acknowledgement of the tadpole. If the player is solo, they will simply nod.

Breina: Shit! I don't suppose there's a cure?

The player will get the following dialogue options. All are mutually exclusive.

Player: No, but I'm going to find one. Breina: Heh. I like your stones. Player: (if they've met Lae'zel) My companion says her people can cure it. alt: Player: (if they're Gith) My people can cure it at a creche. Breina: Huh. Not run into many gith, but sounds like yours are the folk to know. Player: Our chances are slim. Breina: I bet you're fun at parties. Player: (Dark Urge) Tons. Blade, poison, bludgeon. Breina: I think I'll keep the kiss of death as a last resort, thanks.

Breina: Look. You can hold your own in a fight, clearly, and so can I. But I wouldn't mind the back-up. If you're lookin' for a real cure, then I want in.

The player will get the following dialogue options. You can ask them all.

Player: What do you bring to this? Breina: I'm a real bruiser. I've gone rounds with some of Faerun's down-and-dirtiest. I know a thing or two about getting rid of ill-gotten goods and raisin' Hell, I can cast a spell or two, and I'm a pretty fine looking piece of ass and muscle. Need anythin' else? Player: What were you doing out here? Breina: Me? Looking for shelter whilst I figured out my next move, honestly. Fuckface and Chucklefuck down here were talking about something in the crypts, but honestly, I dunno what. I know better than to mess with tombs. Player: How did you get caught? Breina: Was huntin' out past Rivington when, pop! Ship comes out of nowhere and runs me down before I can think. Player: (follow-up) What were you hunting? Breina: People. I accepted a bounty job. Wish I hadn't. Player: (follow-up) (Baldurian): There's not much game in Rivington. Breina: Yeah, no kiddin'. I'm not that kind of hunter. Player: (Ranger/Druid): You don't look like you spend much time in the woods. Breina: Tell me about it. Da always did say I was a city lout. Player: How did you escape the nautiloid? Breina: Luck. We hit something and it broke the console on my pod. Popped right open. I'm glad, I'm not good enough at magic to figure out the warding runes from inside my own prison.

These will reject or accept Breina's companionship request:

Player: (full party, accept): I don't need help right now, but you're welcome to my camp. Breina: A camp! Oh... food, fire, and foot rest. Yeah, I'll do that. Come by if you need me, but until then, I'm gonna enjoy the luxury of a break whilst I can. Player: (accept) I could use some more muscle on my side. Breina: You won't regret this. Let's show Faerun who's boss! Player: (decline) Thanks, but I don't think you'll be of help. Breina: Owch. Well, fuck you too. I'll get out of your way, shall I?

If Breina joins the party, her tent will appear at camp. She is set up with a lean-to, quick to take apart and put back together, a back-pack, and a dog bowl. It is a spartan affair, designed not for comfort, but for disappearing at a moment's notice.

If the player rejects her, or they rest after getting to the Emerald Grove but before finding her, she can be found later talking to the Zhentarim in their hide-out, talking about the logistics of getting back to Baldur's gate. If spoken to, the player has on last chance to recruit her. If they just missed her, an altered version of the above conversation can occur. Otherwisee, if they did reject her:

Breina: Oh, it's you. Looks like you're doing okay. So am I. The Zhents aren't cheap, but they think they know the way to Baldur's Gate.

The player will get the following dialogue options. You can ask them all.

Player: You won't make it passed the goblins alone. Breina: Cupcake, that's my problem, not yours. Player: Do you trust the Zhentarim? Breina: The Zhents are shady, but honestly, I've done business with 'em before. I'm Cormyrian, and from the Thunder Peaks to boot. I know what to expect. They're bastards, but they're not unpredictable bastards. Player: What are your plans? Breina: Getting to Baldur's Gate fast as my legs will carry me and dodge the goblins and Absolutists along the way. If I'm finding a cure, it's not in this place.

The player can also ask:

Player: (Persuasion 14): I've reconsidered things. I could use your help. Breina: (Pass) Oh, really? I'm good enough for you now, am I?... alright. Fine. I wasn't sure how I was getting past the gobbos anyway. Breina: (Fail) Look, I'm not a dog. I don't like having my leash pulled. I'm going, and that's final.

If you fail to recruit her, she can be found south of the Last Light Inn as an aggressive shade - having passed the Goblins, like she predicted, but not the Shadow Curse.

[baijingshen]

Welcome to my WUXIA/XIANXIA MULTIMUSE roleplaying blog currently featuring muses from THE UNTAMED (CQL) / WORD OF HONOR (SHL) / ASHES OF LOVE and YIN YANG MASTER: DREAM OF ETERNITY.

multiverse | multiship | 30+ | low activity/slow replies | written by Doe

CLICK BELOW for blog rules :)

THE BASICS

This is a roleplaying multimuse blog for the series The Untamed, Word of Honor, Ashes of Love and Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity currently featuring Jiang Cheng, Nie Mingjue, Wen Ning, Wen Kexing, Ye Baiyi as main muses as well as several secondary muses (Nie Huaisang, Lan Xichen, Wen Ruohan [canon divergent], Wei Wuxian, He Shouyue, Yanyou). You can find all my muses on the muse page :) My portrayal is mainly based on the live-action dramas, I have not read the translated novels, nor have I watched the animated series (yet). I am open to interactions with MDZS based blogs, but since I only know the live-action series I’ll need your help in understanding the divergences! :)

THE WRITER

I’m over 30 years of age and will only roleplay with those over the age of 18, preferably over 21.

I don’t speak Mandarin/Cantonese beyond a few words and expressions (I am learning, but slowly. Very very slowly). My portrayal is primarily based on the Netflix translations.

I am slow with replies and generally low activity sometimes.

If you recognize me from another fandom under a different nickname, don’t be alarmed :D I go by different names, but I’m never claiming to be someone else. You might know me as Doe, or Min(a). You may use whichever one you prefer :)

I am AGAINST CALLOUT CULTURE and against fandom/ship policing. If you support this kind of behavior you will probably sooner or later take offense in something I write or say, so maybe refrain from following me. Insulting and threatening people online (or elsewhere) regardless of the reason is bullying and nothing else.

VERSES AND THREADS

This blog is multiverse, every thread exists in its own verse unless linked specifically. I am happy to plot and write multiple threads or verses with the same writing partners. I prefer plotted threads over spontaneous conversations and I mostly write multi-para threads.

Memes can be good thread starters so feel free to continue a meme reply if you think it works as a starter. If you’re unsure about it, just ask me :)

FOLLOWING AND EXCLUSIVITY

I prefer to roleplay with mutuals. If I don’t follow you, please don’t respond to my threads or ask me for roleplays. I am open to exclusivity, but only if we’ve been writing for a while and have good rapport out of character. However, I probably won’t go exclusive with any frequent/important canon characters/relations to my muses, e.g. Wei Wuxian & Lan Wangji.

SHIPPING

I adore writing romantic plots and this story in particular is a wonderful setting for beautiful love stories. I enjoy the canon ships very much and use them as default for my muses. I am not opposed to exploring non-canon ships as well! Notable restrictions here are that I will ship Lán Zhàn and Wen Kèxíng only with men, as I portray them as homosexual. NSFW threads are no priority for me, but I’m not closed off to the option. NSFW threads can also be written on discord!

TOPICS, TAGS AND TRIGGERS

Any themes that are present on the series will be present here as well (e.g. war, death, demons, injuries, politics, torture). I tag potentially triggering things as #tw trigger or #cw content warning.

Thank you for reading!