#hes stepped on a good amount of people's boundaries while on set and it was just really weird and bleggh

[x-crowmancer-x]

then they Morbed all over each other. the end.

[jubileemon]

Explaining Huskerdust slowburn

Huskerdust is one of the most popular ships within the Hazbin Hotel fandom, which started with their first interaction in the pilot.

From the outset, Angel Dust shows a clear attraction towards Husk, which is evident from his immediate flirtatious behavior upon Husk's arrival as the hotel's bartender. This attraction is not subtle as Angel Dust is overt in his advances, often pushing boundaries. On the other hand, Husk was initially dismissive and annoyed by Angel's flirtations, responding with expletives and a general attitude of disinterest. Yet, this sets the stage for a relationship that promises to evolve slowly over time.

Although they started off bad, with Husk often finding great irritation in Angel's continued advances, their relationship would begin to deepen as the series progresses.

In the beginning, Husk made it no secret that he was forced to stay at the hotel because of his ties to Alastor and would gladly get as far away as he could if able to. He's addicted to gambling, much the same way Angel is addicted to drugs and sex. He used to be an Overlord but gambled away his bound souls until he got desperate enough to sell his own soul to Alastor.

While his words were poorly timed, pushing Angel's buttons after he'd just suffered a night of abuse from Valentino in "Masquerade", it's hard to deny that Husk is right to be frustrated with Angel's sexual harassment. He's cuttingly accurate when he points out how Angel's lewd and carefree behavior is all a self-destructive act that he hides behind to avoid his problems, and that nobody in the Hotel is particularly impressed with or taken by the front he puts up.

In the episode "Masquerade", a pivotal moment occurs when Husk rescues Angel from a potentially dangerous situation at a club that shows a protective side under his gruff exterior. Afterwards, Husk continues to remind Angel that he can stop his act. However, Angel, shedding tears and expressing his sadness, lashes out at Husk as they argue, explaining he needs to be who he is in order to break himself, both to wash away his misery and escape Valentino.

Saddened by this, Husk helps Angel recognize the parallel misery, which led to them both admitting their regrets and Husk revealing his past as an Overlord to Angel.

Husk getting through to Angel Dust in the manner he does makes a considerable amount of sense when it's taken into account that the first step to overcoming drug addiction is usually getting the addict to acknowledge they even have a problem. Angel hasn't been able to get better despite having some genuine interest because he's been utterly refusing to admit he has a problem to fix, the moment he does his mood drastically improves as does his motivation.

The song 'Loser, Baby' became an uplifting melody for Husk and Angel Dust's relationship. It encapsulates the message that while they may see themselves as losers, they aren't alone in their struggles.

The whole song is just "Stop thinking you're special". Some people may see that as a bad message (at first) considering what Angel goes through, but like him, staying in that mindset of "No one knows what I'm going through, no one else knows what it's like to be me, etc." would not be good for him at all as it would create a barrier of isolation. To be clear, the point is that Husk calls Angel a loser because people, especially very hurt people, need to break their cycle of self-loathing somehow. And sometimes, sometimes, people need to hear that they are, in fact, a loser. But that's okay because a lot of other people are too. This is even reflected in the song, with Angel initially assuming Husk is mocking him, but eventually picking up what he's actually saying. The message isn't "You're not special lmao," it's actually "You're not alone in this, and embracing that is a big step in getting out of it."

A small detail many fans have noticed is that whilst Valentino is very forceful with Angel Dust both emotionally and physically, during the song “Loser, Baby,” Husk is never seen grabbing Angel Dust at all during the song, only ever offering his hand out for him to accept. It's apparent that Husk is expressing more interest in Angel Dust, after seeing that he isn't as shallow as he comes off to be. Since then, Angel and Husk have formed a special bond through being vulnerable and honest with each other. But this scene also shows Husk's concern for Angel's well-being, especially when it comes to drugs and a potential relapse.

In the episode "Welcome to Heaven", Cherri invites Angel and Husk along with Niffty and Sir Pentious to a bar. During this scene, Cherri tries to motivate Angel to take drugs as a way to relieve stress. Husk reminded Angel it would destroy his progress. Husk then admits that Angel succumbing to drugs would really disappoint him. Angel declines the offer, making Husk smile, but later starts heavily drinking, something Husk disapproves of.

This concern is reciprocated when Angel Dust takes care of a drunk Niffty, suggesting a shift from his earlier, more self-centered behavior. The confrontation with Valentino, where Husk is ready to defend Angel Dust, further cements their bond.

Angel was very attracted to Husk and didn't hide it, with his constant boundary pushing flirtation. After being called out for this behavior, Angel not only begins a genuine bond with the cat demon but also stops the annoying, aggressive flirtation.

As they were preparing to fight the exorcists, Husk unconsciously makes a sex comment saying that "Angels won't stop coming", and Angel laughs at this remark. Husk realizes the double meaning of it, and laughs admitting his mistake.

During the bar scene in "The Show Must Go On" an instrumental of "Loser, Baby" plays in the background during Angel and Husks' conversation, which further underscores the hidden depths of their bond. Angel takes Charlie's words to heart about living however you want that night since it may be your last. How does he choose to do it? By simply having a drink with Husk and Cherri Bomb. Husk even notes that he's changed quite a lot since he came to the hotel.

Also, the way he looks at Husk and the little piano reprise of "Loser, Baby" playing in the background. Angel's feelings for him may run deeper than they seem... 😍

[grison-in-space]

Currently rereading Eric Flint's 1632 and reflecting on just how influential Flint was to me and my approach to both praxis and politics as a teenager. I found Flint when I was about thirteen or fourteen, around the time I found Pratchett I think, and he's left an equally wide thumbprint on my soul. Isn't that the most wonderful thing about stories, that people you've never met can help shape our adult selves? Mother of Demons I often recommend for its SFF worldbuilding--Flint built a species with at least four genders, only some of which are reproductive, and associated "normal" sexual orientations, and then proceeded to write in a textually intersex character and queer the hell out of it.

1632, though, is the one where a little West Virginia town in 2000 gets picked up and dropped in the middle of Thuringia, Germany in the eponymous year--right in the middle of the Thirty Years War. The local United Mine Workers of America chapter plays a major role, particularly its head.

As I write this I'm listening to the scene where the little town of Grantville, having admitted after a few days that they are probably not ever going home, is crowded into the high school gymnasium listening to the mayor lay that reality out and suggesting an interim council to help the town set out a sort of constitutional convention so they can work out what on earth they're going to do moving forward--especially since there's a bunch of displaced refugees collecting in the forests nearby. Sensible of them, really; the Americans murdered the shit out of the local soldiers that displaced them, on account of how the shaken mine workers that went out to figure out WTF happened not being super down with suddenly running into a bunch of fuckheads raping the locals and torturing people to find out where their valuables might be. After that, said Americans proceeded to retreat into the town boundaries and gibber quietly to themselves. I would go lurk in their woods, too.

Anyway, the mayor sets up this proposal, everyone agrees, and a CEO who was visiting for his son's wedding at the time steps forward and says: look. I know how to lead, and I'm probably the most qualified person here. I lead a major industry corporation effectively and I did that after my time as a Navy officer. I put myself forward because I'm qualified. Now, we're going to need to circle the wagons to get through the winter, tighten our belts, but we can get through this. We can't support all these refugees, though; we'll have to seal the border so they can't bring disease--they're a drain on our resources we can't afford--

and the UMWA guy, he gets really mad listening to this. There's this Sephardic refugee woman he's real taken with who got swept up in the town first thing, and she's sitting in and listening; he's thinking about throwing her out, thinking about how much she knows about the place they're found in, and he's furious. But he gets a good grip on his anger and he marches up and he says, look. This dude has been here two days and he's already talking about downsizing?! You're going to listen to this CEO talking about cuts, cuts, cuts? Nah. Trying to circle the wagons is probably impossible, it's stupid, and if you think my men and I are going to enforce that, you can fuck off. That proposal is inside out and bass ackwards. We've got about a six mile diameter of Grantville here; how much food do YOU think we're going to grow? How about the soldiers wandering around, do you think we're going to be able to fight armies off on our lonesome? Look at the few refugees we already have in the room, they'll tell you how those armies will treat you! We could do it for a while, the amount of gun nuts here, but so what? We don't have enough people to shoot them! Not if we're going to do anything else to keep us going! We have about six months of stockpiled coal to keep going, and without another source or getting the coal mines working, we're screwed. We have technical strength but we don't have the supplies or resources we would need to maintain it. Those refugees? They're resources. We need people to do the work we will need to keep ourselves. The hell with downsizing; let's grow outwards! Bring people in, give them safety, see what they can bring to the table once they've had a moment! He invokes: send us your tired, your poor!, and the CEO yells in frustration: this isn't America! so he yells back "it will be!"

And of course everyone cheers. I love Flint for many reasons but he is unapologetic about affection for the America of ideals--ideals, he freely admits, that are often honored in the breach rather than the observance, ideals that are messy and flawed, but nevertheless ideals that can work to inspire us to become the best version of ourselves. For Flint, history is as valuable as a source of stories to inspire ourselves as it is a repository of knowledge, and on this I tend to agree with him. We must learn from our moments of shame but equally we must learn from moments that show us how to be our best selves.

It's been twenty three years and the text is now an interesting historical document in its own right, hitting points and rhythms in beats that are sometimes out of place today. It's not perfect. But the novel contains a commitment to joy and to emphasizing the leaps of faith and understanding that regular, everyday people make every day to try and support each other that I routinely try to match in my writing.

Anyway, one of the strengths of the novel, I think, is its gender politics: it's a very ensemble kind of novel, lots of characters, and it's preoccupied with positive masculinity in a lot of ways. There's a lot of these hyper masculine characters--Mike Stearns perhaps more than anyone else--and--and...

... And Flint's characterization of Stearns, as he sketches out who the man is--his pivotal American leader, ex boxer, working class organizer, big man.... well, it lands equally on "he is delighted and astonished to find a local woman who quickly assesses how the cushion of air in tires works," and "he considers who to set up a Jewish refugee in the middle of Germany up with and he thinks to ask the Jewish family he grew up with to host her and her ill father because he thinks she'll be most comfortable there", and "he views people as potential assets rather than potential drains." A younger man asks him for advice on whether to pursue a professional sports career because of the boxing and he says no, you're in the worst place of not being quite good enough and you'll blow out your knees without accomplishing safety. He frames that interaction such that he allows his own experiences to make him vulnerable and invite the younger man to understand when a struggle have worth it.

It's actually a really deft portrayal of intense masculinity that also makes a virtue of a bunch of traits more usually associated with women: empathy, relational sensitivity, the ability to listen. As a blueprint for what a positive masculinity can look like, vs the toxic kind, it's very well done. I think sometimes when we look at gender roles in terms of virtues, and when masculinity is defined in terms of opposition to femininity, people get lost by arguing that virtues assigned to one gender are somehow antithetical to another gender. In fact that's never been the case: virtues are wholly neutral and can appear in any gender. What the gender does is inflect the ways we expect that virtue to appear in terms of individuals' actions within their society.

Gender isn't purely an individual trait, basically; it's a product of our collective associations. Two characters with different genders can display the same virtues and strengths, but we imagine them expressed in different ways according to our cultural expectations around gender. And I just think that's neat.

[peterspinkrobe]

Revelation - Priest!Miguel x Reader [part 3]

Word count: 2,878

Rating/Warnings: mature. Naughty thoughts and naughty bits. Mentions of parental death, religious content, food, soooo much Catholic guilt.

A/N: I’m so glad you guys are enjoying the series so far! No more money in my budget for commissioned art this month, but I did take this picture of St. Phillip’s Church while visiting my uncle in Charleston. Please let me know what you think of this chapter! If you haven’t read part 1 or part 2, go do that first :p

Tagged peeps: @friendlynbhdzero @ceoofghosts @hoelychildofgod @tayleighuh @luckycandykitten @beebslebobs @milkyardbetter @miaasmf @koimess @miggyswhore (sorry if I missed you in the taglist or if it messed up the tag!!!)

There were two things known about your mother: her cooking and her follow through. She was the delegate for church and community event meals; oftentimes in the kitchen doing the work herself alongside people that respected her and her cooking.

Your mother prided herself in her cooking and it kept her going in times of hurt for you both. She was the one baking casseroles to give to neighbors when dad passed. It was you who had to sit her down to eat something most days.

If God had anything to do with her getting better, it was in giving her that ability to provide in a way some overlooked. She buzzed while she worked her talents in the church’s kitchen now. The previously mentioned follow through evident in her meticulous manner of cleaning right behind herself as she cooked.

That follow through was especially true now as she was making sure you followed the rules she had set in place regarding church and attendance. Not only were you going this Sunday since you missed the last service, but you were also helping with the Wednesday church dinner.

You know she wants the best for you. It took you a long time (and a lot of space) to see that she showed it in the ways she knew how, the ways she was raised. You try to sprinkle the amount of salt she showed you earlier onto the massive amount of rolls. Despite your physical presence where she asked, you know your hearts and values don’t lie within the boundaries of shared faith.

You didn’t mind the service aspect of religion though. In fact, you enjoyed assisting your mother when she helped others in the community. You only pretended to follow the ‘good book’ and ‘walk the righteous path’ to spare her. What you had issues with was the institution of religion itself and some probably never-to-be-resolved personal qualms with the man upstairs. First, why did god have to be a man?

You’d never admit these questions and doubts to her, it would devastate her.

You did, however, admit it to someone.

Your confession last Thursday and the fact that Reverend Miguel was on the receiving end of all your revelations had you waking up suddenly in the night this past week - jolting from the bed, a quickening pulse, and sweat dampening the sheets. The concern in his deep, dark-eyed stare from that day stuck with you. You felt shame, guilt, maybe both, or something else unnamed and it kept you from indulging in the pleasure he had so easily made you feel without even being in the room. You still felt tense knots in your shoulders as you worked.

It was easy to feign sickness when you actually felt feverish and drained after you’d let those inner thoughts become spoken truths.. Your mother worried when you wouldn’t come out of your room. When you missed (skipped) church, she showed her concern and care with homemade chicken noodle soup. Moping, unbothered lasted only another day before she was yanking covers off you and having you run errands around town. ‘Getting back on your feet is the first step to feeling better,’ she retorted to your groans early that Monday morning. No more laying out of church…

You had to think of another way to avoid him. A way to steer clear of any sort of confrontation

You thought about moving away, dramatic, yes, but maybe into the city. Not too far from mom, because she needed help more than she admitted. Tonight was a prime example as her usual kitchen hands said they weren’t feeling well. This was helpful in negating any suspicions your mom had of you lying about being ill. Moving wouldn’t be running away, you were an adult.

You had literally run away though. As soon as the reality of who had taken your confession set in, you ran right out of that booth, back into the bustling city, onto the bumpy bus, and curled up into yourself at home. As you’re thinking about the many help wanted signs and rent postings you saw in the city, you hear chatter that interrupts the flow you two had created in the kitchen.

Mom is being pulled away by another member of the church and she instructs you to make two plates for the people who weren’t able to help her with cooking this evening. You’re pulling the last of the vegetables out of the oven and she hovers a moment, uncomfortable leaving you to the important final preparations.

It’s hard not to feel offended. Five years ago you would have rolled your eyes and commented on how if she didn't trust you, you shouldn’t be doing it in the first place.

“It’s okay,” you assure her as you wash your hands before preparing their plates, “I’ve got this.” You smile gently at her for you know you both need reassurance at times. She pinches her lips together but nods and leaves you alone.

Styrofoam to-go plates were open on the counter, waiting to receive their fill. You eyed the dinner and patted yourself on the back. Mom thought up the meal and did most of the actual ingredient brain power and temperature controls, but you’d done your part as well. It did feel good to do for others even if you still felt down.

A wide pan of meatloaf with a perfect caramelized sauce on top sat as the main course. Alongside it was some cabbage slaw and a broccoli cheddar bake. You make the to-go plates with equal portions and top them each with a roll. Your favorite part were the green onion rolls and you couldn't help but sneak one as the hours of prep and cooking left you famished.

You placed foil over the containers of your mom’s truly famous strawberry cobbler for it to cool when everyone ate. Most of the produce has come from the local farms. You savored the first bite of the fresh roll and marinated on the flavors of home, wondering if you could really leave this behind again.

You’re setting out the plates and silverware for the church members when you hear footsteps behind you. You turn to tell your mom that you’d made the plates, but it’s not her that now joined you in the kitchen.

Tense shoulders, little sleep… you were as tight as a coil ready to spring so you jumped a little when you saw the towering figure as you turned.

Reverend O’Hara’s eyes showed the same concern from last week, but softer. His feet shuffled slightly and he put his hands up as if he had approached an animal in the wild. He had a hesitant, more nervous aura than the suave confidence he usually eluded.

He opened his mouth to speak and you heard him say your name again in that sweet voice…

______________________________________

Standing before you now, Deacon Miguel found himself reflecting on the unexpected confession he heard last week. It was a confession that had stirred within him a mix of emotions and conflicting thoughts.

Miguel had contemplated how to address this delicate situation for it simply couldn’t go ignored. You matter. Your feelings matter. The deacon knew it was crucial that he approach this with compassion and understanding. Faith was a deeply personal journey, and each individual had their own struggles and doubts. Lord knew he’d faced his own in the past and that even if his current standings were solid, they were shaky.

His mind had been consumed by the weight of what he had learned. He couldn't help but feel a profound connection to you when he first placed the communion wafer on your tongue, the tongue that had inadvertently confessed impure thoughts to him. Though your honesty and vulnerability struck a chord within him.

Unbeknownst to you, the deacon struggled with similar doubts and desires. When he heard your confession, his heart weighed heavily with empathy and understanding. Though he couldn’t help the mix of relief in his emotions as well. It was comforting to know he wasn’t alone in grappling with faith, the temptation, and the forbidden attraction that he felt towards you.

Denying his own attraction to you was impossible.

Despite his commitment to his faith and role within the church, he too has found himself captivated by your presence and constantly battled his own desires. Since he’d laid eyes on you that faithful Sunday morning, he’d felt an invisible force bind himself to you. Much like he had bound himself to the service of God Almighty, he found himself wanting to serve you.

Miguel O’Hara couldn’t get that mental image out of his mind. Serving you… The more he tried to control his urges, the harder they became to ignore. He’d been doing what he was told all these many years in the church, abstaining from giving in too much. But no matter how much he tried to uphold the image of chaste, he is merely flesh.

The views of his brothers in Christ were archaic. They forget that the sacrifice of the only Son was done in love, despite our sins. He truly believed that it is natural, God-given even, to experience attraction to fellow flesh. It’s natural to seek a partner in life. He’s human. He’s prone to straying from the path. He is only human. He just hopes that God understands when he asks for forgiveness and repentance.

He struggles with the guilt of falling into temptation when he feels he’ll come undone if he doesn’t allow himself release. He isn’t able to hold back now as much as times prior. Not when you had captivated his spirit.

He also felt guilty for viewing you in the explicit ways that he thought of you. Focusing on the way clothes hugged your body and needing to know what hid in the heaven of your thighs. While Matthew says not to judge others, he also mentions in the Good Book that, “whoever looks […] to lust at someone, has already committed adultery with them in his heart.” If he were to really follow the written word, Miguel would have to pluck out his eyes for his transgressions against you in his mind.

His flesh weakens when he remembers how soft your lips were under the pad of his thumb. The way your eyes looked into his as he cupped your chin.

Cold showers are his usual go-to when it comes to trying to avoid the temptation of touch. His large shoulders hunched slightly when the frigid water fell onto his skin. It’s in vain though each time because his body still radiates heat of passion from thoughts of you. When he looks down at himself, he curses his body’s reaction to thoughts of your mouth. His painfully hard cock begs for your touch. It’s always too much to bear. The tip of him screaming red and leaking despite the cold temperatures.

When he gives in, it’s always too fast. Finally gripping himself the way he’d liked, imagining showing that way to you, he pumped himself with his hand. His grunts steamed the shower even further as he envisioned you with him. Oh, how he longed to feel you and learn you like scripture. His wanton movements force him to brace himself on the shower wall as an image that always brings over the edge flashes his in mind: your legs spread in offering of your own communion. It’s enough to make him see stars as your name echoes in his shower like hallelujahs.

He wishes it wasn’t shame that he felt after. He wishes his comedown was met with comfort from you. He allows the evidence of his shame to wash from himself down the drain, but the feeling is still there. You were more than someone to be lusted over.

While the sexual attraction was strong, he also yearned to know more about you. You’d only revealed little bits of yourself in the confession booth but he was intrigued, nonetheless. He wanted to know more about your conflict with faith, wondered what your childhood was like and what foods you enjoyed, interested in learning your outlook on life. Miguel wanted to learn your personal philosophies as if it were doctrine.

Not seeing you at the previous Sunday service hurt. He understood, given your beliefs, that he couldn’t expect you at church. It wasn’t an attendance issue, which he would not enforce on anyone, but the empty aisle seat in the middle pew made him feel equally as vacant. It didn’t matter to him if you were conflicted or steadfast on Christian values. Matthew 7 held his strongest position on the matter of judgment: it wasn’t his place. He was simply a figurehead of spiritual guidance.

In fact, he had geared his sermon slightly towards you for that Sunday. He couldn’t help the itch to address the issue in a way he was comfortable, through scripture. He didn’t want to convert your faith to Jesus Christ. He wanted to help you restore faith in yourself.

You conjured in him quotes from Corinthians: a book in the Bible that speaks of faith, hope, and love. He carefully highlighted 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 the night of your confession as he crafted his sermon. “[…], our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light, momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” Yes… the Bible is literally referencing heaven as the eternal glory, but it’s all metaphorical. “Unseen” was the key word in this theological message. He knew the congregation visualized pearly gates and mansions of clouds as a reward for the pain they experienced on this terrain. What he had hoped you would have gotten to hear was that there were so many possibilities when one had faith in themselves. He wanted to show you the unlocked potential housed within yourself.

He had a lot to say as he stood before you now. There’s so much you need to know, need to hear.

First, you needed to know that you were wrong.

He said your name to get your attention.

But, there wasn’t a sound after that for a moment, until your mother and a few other members of the church came through the double doors.

________________________________________

You snapped out of the trance Miguel had you locked in with the song of your name on his lips when your mom burst into the kitchen with some of her friends.

You reach to get the cups out of a cabinet and simply ignore the deacon for a moment despite the flush in your cheeks. Easily explainable by the heat of the kitchen.

“Everything is ready! Mom, I’ve got two plates ready to go for later. Come on and eat, everyone!” Your mother’s friends all compliment her on her well behaved child and you catch her eyes. There’s no strictness in her expression. She simply beams at you, her child.

Members of the church start calling out, ‘Let’s eat!’, ‘Smells good!’, and mentioning how they knew they were in for a good meal as it was your mom that did the cooking.

As people pour into the serving area and line up, you hear Reverend Miguel’s voice above the hustle of hungry people.

“Before we enjoy this delicious looking food, let us first thank the cooks and then I suppose we should bless the meal, yes?” He was smiling as he said this, as if prayer before a meal was only a formality. It seemed as though the appreciation for you two was what he was after as you watched the church thank your mother and you for your cooking. You shrugged off the bits of praise you received as it really was your mom who did the majority of the work.

An elder member is selected to lead the church in prayer and everyone bows their head. You’re still riding a buzz from the work, not to mention seeing Miguel again after almost a week. You can’t seem to bring your eyes down.

You scanned the room of bowed heads and smiling faces and found the deacon’s gaze on you again. This time, you smiled at him and nodded in appreciation. The prayer concludes and your mother’s smile at the praise makes your heart feel warm. Due to the spotlight on her cooking she was forced to be first to get her plate of food, something she usually didn’t do until after everyone had gotten their own plate. Sometimes after they’d gotten seconds. She had found her a community of support and love.

As the church members started scooping portions onto plates, you saw Reverend Miguel approach you again. He stands by your side and you watch as the congregation gets their food and he leans to his side a little toward you. He speaks in a hushed tone as he asks,

“Can we go somewhere to talk?” You swallow dryly, but his next word nearly knocks you off your feet.

“Alone?”

[waitmyturtles]

TW: probably unpopular opinions on Step By Step’s filmmaking!

I’ve had an insane work week so far, so I don’t have the largest amount of time to write an analysis of Step By Step, episode 8, and I’m already late in watching it anyway. But I will largely point everyone in the direction of @lurkingshan’s EXCELLENT analysis of Jeng’s reaction to Pat’s reaction that Jeng is gay (and to @neuroticbookworm’s post-Shan analysis of their prediction of the road ahead, which I subscribe to). 

I’m also late in watching this because I allowed myself the spoilers yesterday, and was admittedly frustrated to learn that the payoff of this episode is that Pat learns about Jeng’s preferences... in an episode that’s over an hour. It’s a very unpopular opinion I have! The editing and some of the writing of this show suck. I’m gonna repeat myself -- I would prefer crisper writing and dialogue. But I am still in favor of the deep focus on Pat and his mindset. It’s just that in some moments (like in the second restaurant), he’ll disappear and we won’t get feedback on that disappearance until MUCH later. (And forget about Jaab and Jen, I’m leaving that alone for this analysis. The show definitely had the time to examine that more in an hourlong+ episode, but didn’t.)

ANYWAY. Citing @bengiyo‘s and @ginnymoonbeam‘s conversation about Pat’s radar -- I want to build off of @bengiyo‘s comment for a moment, on something I realized when Jeng was with Tae, when Jeng got the text message from Pat that the restaurant crawl was on. Something I realized when Tae was asking Jeng about Pat’s intentions is that:

For Jeng, WORK IS LIFE. We’re spending a lot of time, and the show spends a lot of time, dealing with the boss-to-subordinate conflict. BUT. I would argue that Jeng’s whole world is work. The man is LITERALLY WORKING TWO JOBS, TWO HIGH-LEVEL, EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP JOBS. Man’s insane. 

I give Pat the gigantic benefit of the doubt that he “could” or “should” have known Jeng’s preferences intentions. (@lurkingshan, @bengiyo, and @ginnymoonbeam all know that before seeing the episode, I did state incredulity that Pat DIDN’T know this, so I recant before you all!)

BECAUSE: what PAT is seeing in front of himself, vis à vis Jeng, is a man that is WORKING ALL THE TIME. So I think Pat’s radar is off, in my opinion, because he can ONLY see Jeng as a boss and a leader, and would not allow himself to cross the boss-subordinate boundaries, even in settings where they are “working” on Jeng’s “other” job, because Jeng is a boss in that other space as well. 

And while Jeng doesn’t see this as “working,” Pat certainly does. 

I mean, I’ve tried to get glasses of wine with some former bosses of mine, just to create intimacy and get to know them out of office spaces, and like, all we talk about is work. Some people can’t relax and separate. I get that.

I think Pat ASSUMED Jeng was like that, because in doing social activities, it seems, from Pat’s perspective, that Jeng is still working -- and for that restaurant crawl, he totally is! And Tae knew to call that out and maybe tease Jeng for being a little delulu, which, accurate. 

So I write this, now not in criticism of Pat’s radar, but in grudging support of it, and I say grudging because I do not think the editing of the show is supporting the slow burn anymore. Unpopular opinion, I know. I think this show is doing Pat dirty. I believe the payoff will be good. But the show is dragging and not giving us enough by way of internal communication on Pat’s part to demonstrate intriguing development that grabs me. 

But we get a confession next week. Let’s see how long it’ll take to get there. 

[daddysfangirls-dc]

UnTamed Ch.12

Prev | Next

Damian Wayne x OC!Female

The Kids were up to something. Bruce was sure of it. It wasn't unusual for the family to be together during holidays. The amount of time they were spending together as a group was suspicious, and to top it off, they appeared to be excluding Damian. All very suspicious. He was doing his best to keep an eye on everything, but he had a lot of kids. Plus, Alfred wasn't helpful. 

"Is it anything had?" Bruce asked as Alfred set a cup of tea down. He moved his papers to the side. " You'd tell me, wouldn't you?"

"Of course, Master Wayne." Alfred gives a small smirk and leaves the office. While he was relieved to know it wasn't anything harmful and that Alfred was obviously aware, he was also tense and nervous because his kids were up to something, and Alfred knew and wasn't telling him. He was definitely in for it. 

-

There was a soft knock on his door, and Asta quickly shifted to a cat Damian had called to enter. It was Alfred who came baring cookies and milk. " The others have already raided the kitchen," he said as he placed a plate of cookies and two cups of milk on the bedside table. " I'd thought you'd want some."

Damina hid his shock at the cups. "...thank you".

Alfred gave a small smile and nodded before departing, closing the door and locking the door behind him. 

"He knows," They both said once he's gone.

"He... he feels good. Proud?" Asta wasn't entirely sure what he felt, but it wasn't bad. His feelings weren't entirely legible, but they weren't bad. He felt good. 

"I trust Alfred; he won't tell anyone." Damian immediately goes to reassure her.

"I know" she doesn't need it. Asta smiles as she takes the cup of milk and a cookie. " He's a good person." 

-

Alferd knows everything or just about. Alfred was aware of Damian's female companion even before he became romantic with her. As sneaky as the two had been, they had slipped up a few times over the years. Take extra food and blankets, constantly closing his door. At first, Alfred assumed it was a hidden pet, then Damian started to ask for romantic advice, which confirmed it to be a person, and then the purchasing of clothing confirmed them to be female. 

Followed by a few slipped giggles and unlocked doors, it was easy to find out and put the pieces together. He did what he could to help hide the couple, but there was only so much he could do. Especially with Tim on the case, the poor lad was obsessive.

Right now, he was simply doing his best to keep them distant from his siblings. He, of all people, was well aware of how overwhelming his family could be. They had very few boundaries and little respect for others. Privacy did not exist. Still, Alfred managed to work through it. The love he had for his child and grandchild.

He sighed as he heard the children fighting in the kitchen. They were down to the last cookie.

"Gentlemen and ladies," he said as he stepped into the kitchen to find the kids over the last cookie, as usual. A  simple clearing of his throat and all fighting ceased. Walking up to the counter, he takes the last cookie. 

"Where's Damian?" Dick asked

"He preferred to stay in his room. He'll be down for dinner, which I must start. Everyone out."

There was a chorus of awws and a crowd of pouts as Alfred shuffled them out. Jason was the last "Can I help?"

"Potatoes need peeling." Jason nodded and went to work.

Alfred smiled and watched as Jason pulled out the potatoes and got to work. He was tall now and bulkier even though he still wore the same face he did when he was 11, and he first taught him how to peel and chop potatoes. He had been a child at some point. Alfred still thought of them as children, but they all had been smaller at the same point. Some were years ago, and others were yesterday. They had grown and would continue to do so, and he hoped to see it all.  

[intheclearblueskies]

Sleeping Over At Their Home

| Masterlist |

Tanjiro:

He's the Mom Friend™ of the group. He's the more mature one, so if things start getting too rowdy, he'll shut it down. (Of course, Zenitsu may be a bit sulky that he has a girl with him, but he'll likely go back to sitting near Nezuko anyway.)

He's very happy that you're spending time with him and will devote most of his attention to you. What do you want to do? Read? Tell stories? He's down!

Once you two start getting sleepy, you both sleep facing each other (in separate beds, of course).

Nezuko:

This actual cinnamon roll is 110% down for snuggling. It's likely that she already jumped at the chance to rest her head in your lap as soon as you settled down in her room. Happy Nezuko noises are to be had when you allow her to settle against you.

She'll be content to just listen to your voice while you stroke her hair. She loves listening to people tell stories (as that's what Zenitsu did to keep her company while travelling) and often you'll find that it lulls her to sleep.

Once you two settle in to sleep, she'll probably fall asleep hugging you to her body. She protecc, even in sleep.

Zenitsu:

Zenitsu is overjoyed at you spending the night with him. Almost to a concerning amount. That being said, he's also a total gentleman to you the entire time. He'll do whatever you ask of him, as long as it isn't too crazy (which, it's Zenitsu, he'd probably be down to do almost anything).

He'd be a little shy about you sleeping over, considering it's a good step forward in your relationship, but he won't push boundaries -- he respects your privacy and is just happy that you're staying over. He'll probably offer up the only bed in the room if there's only one there.

Once you two start getting sleepy, he'll probably fall asleep after you because your sleeping face is adorable. He likes to be sure that you'll still be there when he wakes up, and the sound of your soft snores will lull him to sleep.

Inosuke:

Inosuke won't treat it much differently than with his close friends. Maybe a little differently in some ways because you're his girlfriend, but he's not gonna go full Zenitsu on you.

It's likely that you'll talk for a little bit before going to bed. Once you do fall asleep, you're both spread out the way you usually are in your beds.

Giyuu:

Giyuu is admittedly a little nervous about you sleeping over. Still, he does his best to be a good host.

He tries to keep you happy and entertained, even if 'entertainment' means just sitting and listening to you talk about this and that. He gives you a spare room and total privacy if and when you want it.

Kyojuro:

Kyojuro is ecstatic that you're staying over. He and Senjuro work together to make sure their father won't be too much of a bother to you, as he's still the reluctant one about your relationship.

They set up a guest room for you and keep you entertained all evening. Senjuro is a sweetheart through and through, and you have a lot of fun sitting with him and Kyojuro, talking and laughing.

Muichiro:

Muichiro will likely be a little nervous to show you his home, but he's an attentive host nonetheless. The two of you sit and talk about this and that until nightfall. Even when he's so sleepy he's falling asleep sitting upright, he insists that he won't go to bed until you do, so you have to herd him to his room and give him a forehead kiss goodnight before heading to your own room.

Shinobu:

You've stayed over at the estate several different times, mostly to heal from some nasty wounds, but once or twice you've stayed over just to visit with the girls. Tonight is no different, even if you and Shinobu are an item now.

She's casual, showing you to your usual guest room and letting you do pretty much whatever. You both usually sit on the back porch talking while you braid Naho's hair (and let Sumi and Kiyo play around with yours). Sometimes Shinobu has to leave for a bit for some errand, and even then you play with the girls. Once evening comes and you're both more relaxed, you sit in a common room and drink some tea and eat snacks, chatting about any random topics that may come up.

Gyomei:

Gyomei is more reserved than most, and although he's very happy to have you over, he doesn't show it as often as the others do. Still, you recognize his different emotions now, so you can be reassured that he really is glad to have you.

The both of you amuse yourselves by doing some light training until evening, when you retire to a common room to either read or meditate.

Sanemi:

Sanemi is a little reluctant to have you stay the night, mostly because he's nervous about having a girlfriend over, but in the end he agrees.

He's a little less aloof than he usually is, although you definitely don't complain. He tries to keep the activities more light, like going out for a walk or sitting and talking, and when evening comes he lets you rest your head in his lap while he tells you stories about his past. He usually resorts to fond stories about his little brother Genya while running his gentle hands through your hair.

Akaza:

Since Akaza doesn't really have a concrete residence (#justKizukiproblems), he usually goes to your home instead. He has to only visit after sunset and has to leave before sunrise, but it's nice to pretend that you have a more domestic life once in a while.

He's so respectful, you have to giggle at his stiff mannerisms. He wouldn't dream of sleeping in your room with you yet, so thankfully you have a guest room. He tries his best to be the perfect guest, polite and accommodating to anything you have to do. He waits until you inevitably fall asleep to go to the guest room and meditate for a bit, maybe getting in touch with Muzan if the man demands it.

You wake up alone, but he leaves you a sweet little note telling you that he had a wonderful time, and that you'll have to do something like this again.

Douma:

Technically it counts as a home?

Douma is a little wary of having you over, considering his whole deal with his followers, but he's excited to have you over anyway.

He makes you your favorite snacks to eat while you talk in the afternoon and evening. Sometimes you'll sit with him as his followers come in to perform for you two. It's a bit over-the-top for your tastes, but you're fairly amused by it.

Since he doesn't really sleep, it usually ends up being you taking another room to sleep in (close to his, of course) once you've grown too sleepy to continue to stay up and chat with him.

Kokushibo:

There's simply no way he's staying a night in your house, not even in a family cabin somewhere away from all the wisteria. Kokushibo is too strict on such things to spend a night with you alone, even if you slept in different rooms. You could coax him to all you want, but he feels it's an invasion of your privacy to stay in your home. He doesn't even watch you sleep because he doesn't want to intrude on your personal space.

Muzan:

Muzan doesn't offer for you to sleep at any residence he has, so usually he stays at yours.

He doesn't care about what you do. Sometimes you'll sit and talk about things with some alcohol, sometimes you'll read books or just laze about. He stays until you fall asleep (if you nod off anywhere but your bed, he'll tuck you in), and then he'll leave.

Yoriichi:

Yoriichi doesn't have a concrete residence, so usually you both stay either at a friend's or at yours. Your parents have long since accepted him as a part of your family, so he's always welcome (and your parents tend to be annoying with how hard they hint at the two of you being on the road to marriage, but thankfully Yoriichi never says anything about it.)

That being said, your parents are still a little reluctant to let you both sleep in the same room (moreso now that you're officially dating), so usually you sleep in your old bedroom and he sleeps in the guest room (an older sibling's old room) next door.

[fitgothgirl]

Long write up about some issues of mine and the past, been wanting to get this out. Will probably send to my therapist lol... TW emotional abuse.

The more I think about, the more I know my dad and my ex really messed me up. I still defend my dad that overall he was a decent parent and he was only human. I had a very comfortable and happy childhood. He tried to be a good dad and was caring, but he also messed up a good amount of times. My ex on the other hand, fuck him. For the sake of whatever unknowing victim, I hope he never dated again for whatever reason, death included.

But they both contributed to one of my biggest weaknesses. Nothing is harder for me to do than speak my mind, stand up for myself, set boundaries, and so on. In my mind, a serious talk is synonymous with fight. There are always tears. I now know that ADHD can cause one to cry ridiculously easily or to just shutdown into silence during discussions because we can't handle the emotion. Makes so much sense, I do both those things. But it wasn't just the ADHD. Every important conversation didn't need to be an argument, or me getting shutdown, or something negative. So I have it lodged deeply in my brain that my interpretation of things is wrong. I'm always wrong, wrong, wrong. It's a mantra that often plays in my head.

My dad wasn't as bad as my ex. He was a single dad who worked a lot, who had two daughters that probably just reminded him so much of his crazy ex, who both ended up being a handful in their teens. He was just always stressed and had a short fuse and would scare me when he was pissed. He didn't do anything to me, just the way he talked through gritted teeth or how he yelled (or what he yelled) or how he was strict. I remember certain things would trigger both me and my sister to go to our rooms to be on our own - his car pulling up in the driveway, the sound of the garage door; we just wanted to stay out of his way when he first got home since we knew that's when he would be most on edge. I can also distinctly remember the sound of him walking up the stairs, when I would pause to listen if he would be turning left to our rooms or right to his room. I'd try to gauge his energy/mood in the subtleties of his step. Anyway, it wasn't the best atmosphere for standing up for myself or speaking my mind, etc. Parenting today has taken such a good turn where people are trying to move away from anger and yelling and punishments for mistakes, and instead treat their kids like people and have a more understanding and guiding attitude. But still, my bf is my age and I look at his family and they're just amazing... I know many people who felt like they could really talk to their parents. I know my situation was by far not the worst possible, but it also wasn't great.

And I went straight from that to some full on grade A emotional abuse for 3 years with my ex. Life was constantly walking on eggshells... Things I didn't know could be a fight were a fight. All I wanted was for him to stop criticizing me and yelling at me and I didn't know what to say to make it stop, which wouldn't happen until I was in tears (although not like that's hard). I couldn't win no matter what I said so I just shutdown and said whatever to appease him in the fewest amount of syllables. He had the final say with everything. No seeing friends without him, which was rare for him to agree to, unless I wanted to have it held over my head forever (along with any other "nice" or "lenient" things he did or "let" me do). Had to work 6 days a week but also be responsible for the cleaning of the apartment since I made less money than him. Panicking at work when I realized I left a dish out and he was going to be home before me. Trying to be as small as possible while he punched a hole in the wall. Not able to spend money without his approval. Sitting home alone before a 13 hour shift while sobbing and holding my cat about how utterly trapped I felt. And he didn't even fucking drive, I was his chauffeur... Oh and of course, at the end of every lash out, I was reminded how it was because he loved me and cared about me wanted me to grow as a person, etc. (If you're wondering, yes I'm embarrassed that I let myself put up with this.)

All this to say, the thought of any form of serious conversation is almost paralyzing. And I get so distressed that I forget things I want to say. And it always ends with me being wrong in some way anyway! This is not something I've imagined, this is learned from experience. It's not even me yielding to end the discussion - by the end I do see that I'm truly wrong and I wasn't thinking. So why should I speak my mind about things when I know I'm going to somehow end up in the wrong or otherwise judged or dismissed... And if something gets brought up by someone else with any tinge of anger or irritation or even seriousness? I just shutdown. If I have to speak then just have a one track mind to appease.

This all leads to me being the mediator (INFP-T for sure), the one to keep the peace. Always adding smiles and laughs to what I'm doing or saying to keep others at ease. Trying to steer things back when any negative emotion rises, silently begging against any conflict. Just fawn response all day everyday.

I've now been with a wonderful guy for almost 12 years and yet I often still feel so trapped inside myself.

[the-golden-comet]

So I saw the results of the character poll and I would like to voice my support of Noah as the all time GOAT of the Goldencomet-verse

Ik Peter won, and don't get me wrong, I love Peter, but maybe he's a bit too much of an asshole. Like, he doesn't catch enough retribution for his actions and Benji is kinda forced to deal with it and it's played off as a joke. Sure, Benji flings enough insults to make a French man laugh, but none of them are really taken seriously by anyone (especially that dress scene. That was wrong and no one ever apologized in the slightest, even Peter). I need some retribution and I need some W's for me to ride or die for a ship.

That all being said, that's one of the reasons why I LOVE Noah (and Ali). Noah, while being super introverted (from what I've seen), he's still not taking shit from anyone. AND ALI RESPECTS IT 👏👏. I like myself a relationship built off of genuine pure-bred respect. That's why I love enemies to lovers or rivals to lovers (even though idk if YWIMC counts as either. Could be wrong tho). Most of the time in those two tropes, the romance stems from genuine (although begrudging) RESPECT. And respect and pity are two different things. 'Aw poor *insert character here*' also isn't a good relationship foundation. If the relationship isn't built off of long-standing respect of the 'I see you as my equal' caliber, I don't want it.

I would also like to voice my love for Noah in a separate paragraph, cause I kinda just yapped about the relationship lol. Noah, as I mentioned, doesn't take shit from NOBODY. 'Introverted' sure as hell doesn't mean pushover when it comes to Noah. And, for every ounce of not taking shit, there's an equal amount of softness towards those he loves. You need an equal balance for a delicious romance and he does it perfectly 🤌🤌. I also like that, while he isn't the strongest physically, he's still not a pathetic mop of a character. He earns his wins through his own means and HE DESERVES IT. Even when he has help, he's not the ever constant damsel in distress waiting for his big strong boyfriend to save him. He does something, he tries his best, and I respect him for it.

And i would like to end this with saying I love Peter Hart, even though ik it sounded like I was hating lol. It was a really fun read and funny a lot of times. Ig getting away with assholery just strikes a sore spot 😂

One last side note: I will definitely be reading YWIMC when it comes out if you can't tell (and also sorry for the rant)

I am absolutely in love with this post!! Thank you so much for making it!! Don’t ever feel bad for voicing an opinion of my characters! In fact, I am so happy to see Noah get some genuine love!! This post gave me the goofiest smile and I appreciate you making it 💛✨

Noah has a soft spot in my own heart because of his jaded “front,” but he’s not afraid to let his vulnerability show….ESPECIALLY around Ali. Noah has trouble expressing his emotions due to his ASD, so seeing him make genuine wins and setting firm boundaries with people make us go, “YES! Don’t take shit from anyone! 👏 👏 👏”

One of the main themes of YWIMC is stepping outside of comfort zones and letting rigid barriers fall (in Noah’s case) whereas the lesson that Ali learns is that you can love someone regardless of your upbringing, and to eventually get over fears of attachment.

Seeing so much love for Noah is genuinely heartwarming, and I thank you so much for making this ask! 💫

(And Peter is such an asshole lmao. Entertaining, but an asshole nonetheless. This is a totally valid criticism of his character 😂✨)

[arzuera]

What inspires you to create the story?

Honestly? Everyone in the community! Everyone worked together to piece the ideas that are the basis of Robin's Egg. Someone just needed to be the glue to put them into a working fic and I thought I could do it well.

I had just gotten into the DP x DC fandom thanks to @impyssadobsessions with their art of Batman trying to shield Danny from the rain... then I found the Vacation Crashers fic and I was down the rabbit hole. I wanted to write something but was very out of touch with Danny Phantom since I haven't watched it since I was a kid and I only knew the basics regarding the DC universe.

So I was looking through the dp x dc tag to get an idea and the idea of Damian having to take care of Danny was so funny and cute! There was so much you could do with it while keeping within the boundaries of the characters. The sheer shenanigans that could ensue! Plus everyone was really excited for the idea so I thought I would give it a shot. Thinking that about....30-40 will be happy that someone decided to combine the ideas in the initial post.

I was not expecting for it to blow up as it did.

I posted chapters 1 and 2 within a day of each other because I was so excited and almost hit 10k hits in 3 days. Which broke me because I was floored by such a positive response. Robin's Egg had been my first real attempt at writing again after finishing my first long fic of 3 years that ended 3 years ago. I've written a few other things since but nothing this ambitious.

It astounds me how big Robin's Egg has grown. It is officially my biggest fic on Ao3 and it is truly amazing the amount of love it has been given. But it's true that YOU all are what inspire me.

I read ALL of the comments. Without fail. In chapter 2 I borrowed a line from one of the commentators (they are sourced in the notes) and it's basically the catalyst of why the Batfam call it an egg. Three chapters later in Pegguin Problems, Damian gets trapped in a pool that Danny froze over. That's because there were SEVERAL commenters who said it would be funny if he froze over a glass or a punch bowl while Damian was fighting one of his siblings. All I did was step the idea up a bit and set it up in a way that fits more with the narrative. There are a few other examples but these two are the ones I remember the most.

Since the basic idea of this fic was the collaboration of several ideas by lots of people, I view the entire fic as such. I'm just having fun putting all the ideas together and adding my own little twists and ideas to it for my own part. That's how I want it to keep going as well. If someone leaves a good comment or has a fun idea, I'll find a way to work it in. Though some have already guessed some of my own ideas that haven't happened yet (I will neither confirm nor deny said ideas).

So long wordy post short... This story was basically inspired by you all.

I'm just along for the ride.

[sun-marie]

Aloth for the character breakdown!

How I feel about this character: Aloth my beloved <3 I love him to pieces, I love how he balances snark with kindness. He's uptight and nervous and just a tad hypocritical at some points, but I find him really compelling in the first game and especially the second game. I appreciate how they handled his backstory, in my experience abusive parents in media often justify a "hardened" character's behavior (when they're really just assholes), but I appreciate how the abuse Aloth went through + the fact he had to hide Iselmyr for most of his life have worn him into more of a nervous wreck than some kind of a "badass", and there are several routes he can take to healing. And I really like how in between games he reconciles with his mom and is straight up like "you don't have to approve and I'm glad I did it" to the Watcher, I appreciate that he has boundaries and it gives depth to his unseen relationship with her. I think he's a flawed and well-rounded character, and even though I went into the games expecting to like him I was still surprised by how much!

There are moments in the second game where I did feel like his... attitude, I guess? was a little much for me. I think in the DLCs especially he suffers from just a little bit of flanderization, where nearly everything the group did he had a comment like "we're not seriously doing this, right?" or "wonderful, another x uncomfortable thing" that give the feeling that he's just being dragged around by the Watcher and doesn't wanna be here. And idk by the end of the Forgotten Sanctum I was kind over it? Like I'm sorry you're not having a good time my dude but nobody is. BUT I try not to hold that against his character bc to me, I more have issue with the quantity of the comments rather than the quality, and I can easily see a situation where the writers wrote his reactions to certain situations in isolation, not realizing that it might be too much when it all came together.

Overall, though, I generally prefer him in the second game and think his second arc was handled even better than his first, both paths are incredibly crunchy.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: ...Is it cheating to say my Watcher? Idk I enjoy his very lowkey Deadfire romance a lot <3 I like how a lot is left up to interpretation re: how far they go in their relationship (with Sabina, at least, I don't think they get very far at all), and it has such sugary sweet vibes for such a dark setting.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: As I mentioned in my answer to this question for Xoti, I feel like the entire Deadfire crew could fit this spot for each other, and I also referenced how much I enjoy her relationship with Aloth. For Aloth specifically, though, I have to go with his bromance with Edér, which really benefits from spanning across two games (and with Matt Mercer having great chemistry with... himself). I also read this great fic a while ago that really sold me on the potential of his relationship with Sagani and Grieving Mother!

My unpopular opinion about this character: I have no idea what ending people prefer for him in Deadfire so idk how popular/unpopular this is, but for me I prefer the ending where he gives up his work dismantling the Leaden Key, mainly because it feels like an immense amount of pressure to place on a guy who seems to be under plenty, and the steps he would have to take take to continue feel eerily similar to how Thaos operated. Plus it means he can stay with my Watcher but as an avid tragedy enjoyer I promise it's not just that it's just a bonus

Also, I'm not a huge fan of the "Elves have a super long lifespan" bc I feel it unnecessarily complicates things and I kinda wish he was just his actual age instead of like 65

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: While I like how lowkey his romance is, I would have appreciated just a few extra crumbs. Also, I would have loved to see more Iselmyr if he didn't suppress her, bc while she's fun and I enjoy her I sometimes forget she's there 😅

GIVE ME A CHARACTER: and I’ll break their ass down:

[darkbluescamvictim]

i meant to actually freak out more bout ur latest chapter but i think the handprint gepard had left on sampo got me so bad i went into a catatonic state or something. (which i am trying not to go Off bout like oh my god the handprint?? gepard's love for him and how much he cares for him and how he would push himself so far to protect him?? left a permanent mark on sampo??/ aueuugh) ANYWAYS sampo being so fuckign knowledgeable and explaining and also i love how u do the masked fools n what theyre about?? but also ALSO like the 'crimes' he did and how upset he was and how CERTAIN sampo was that gepard would despise him for it. like he truly had the idea of gepard as a noble absolute figure of honesty and lawfulness. and gepard saying he doesnt care??? because he cares about sampo MORE??? insane. it truly nailed one aspect of sampard i always puzzled on like of where gepard's limits/boundaries of his morals lie in if he is capable of bending his unwaivering ideals of justice in order to love and be with sampo.

also the whole handkerchiefs. loved that shit so much like the idea that sampo has a bunch of handkerchiefs on him randomly to pull off the occasional magic trick.

also also sorry for the wall of text lmao,,

Okay so this took me forever to answer cuz everytime I went into my inbox I cradled this post like "If I answer this I'm gonna lose it I don't want this ask to be gone I wanna look at it forever :'(" Until I realised I can just answer you publicly to keep it on my blog forever lmao I hope you don't mind? I have to put it under a cut tho because this got wayyyy too long

Anyway first of all please don't apologise for the wall of text I LOVE getting walls of text?!? This is like being a 3 year old who's just been unsupervised for a moment and managed to get into the sweets hands deep mouth smeared and 2 hour sugar rush incoming every time I read it ok. So no need to apologise. Also THANK YOU ACTUALLY CUZ THE HANDPRINT IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME TOO OK?? I had this idea for ages (and also because it was just the natural conclusion to Gepard's actions anyway) so I'm glad I'm not the only one who goes a tiny bit feral about the idea and symbolism ok thank you thank you thank you Next, I honestly spend hours agonising over the problem of Gepard being incredibly lawful and honest while Sampo is, in his very essence, at the very least a troublemaker and also a good amount of criminal (thief/conman/scammer yadda yadda) What makes this the most difficult is really that both these concepts are at the core of their character; almost everything Gepard is has something to do with his unwavering sense of justice and almost everything Sampo does has something to do with his 'shadiness', at the very least. So to subtract from one in favour for the other felt really really hard to do and I think if I wouldn't have had the basically 70k+ word build up I wouldn't have managed to find even just the resemblance of a believable middle ground for myself. In the end, I think that Gepard's sense of justice is ultimately a sense of loyalty to the people of Belobog (as seen by his character text about standing between Belobog & the Supreme Guardian if need be); which he believes will fend the best when they follow the rules and laws set down by their government. But since he is also (at least now) loyal to Sampo and his wellbeing, he can see that what Sampo did while maybe 'not right', isn't worth causing the mental anguish nor be punished that harshly if it makes Sampo this distraught. Not to mention, 'this' version of Gepard is slowly learning to be more selfish and so ultimately, he put his own desire to be close with Sampo above his sense of duty (basically for the first time) which, granted, is a step away from canon Gepard's attitude but I hope made believable enough through my painstaking work I put in :')

Also, yes, Sampo is enough of a clown to just have handkerchiefs with him at all times (same as the candy for the Moles, he's always prepared in that regard) (Also the handkerchiefs are surprisingly durable and do make a good improvisational rope if the need arises)

[traumasurvivorshelpingsurvivors]

No tws

How do I stop having hope in my parents? I'm genderqueer and my parents have differing views on that. I think my dad tries. He (Christian since forever) has gone out it his way to try and watch some queer TV shows and movies with me. He's stopped saying homophobic and transphobic things for the most part (at least in front of me), though he still holds some bigoted views. He's not great at using my pronouns but he helped me buy some pride pins. My mom on the other hand hasn't stopped saying homophobic and transphobic things at all. She knows it fucks with my mental health but doesn't give a shit. While my dad is usually fine, he still believes some messed up shit and I probably won't be able to convince him otherwise. The hope I have in my mom to change isn't a lot but it's still something and I repeatedly get shown that it's misplaced. The other day my mom had said she'd donated to an gay organization. At first I got really excited about this, she rarely gives money to organizations because she is distrustful of them, preferring to just give the money to family who might need it. But she gave money to this organization, a gay organization! I thought she might be coming around. Nope. Organization was Gays Against Groomers. A group of cisgender gays who make it their fucking mission to make the lives of trans and nonbinary people worse. I just. I'm tired. It's been like this for years. Having hope in either of them, especially my mom, is of no use. I haven't been kicked out I haven't been called any slurs I and I haven't been put through DIY conversion therapy. All in all I have it good. I'd rather focus on the things my dad is trying to do right than continue having any faith that either of my parents are going to change.

-🎵

Hi 🎵,

I'm so sorry about what you've been going through. You don't deserve to be treated like that.

It can be difficult to let go of hope in someone, especially when it comes to family members. It's understandable that you want your parents to accept and support you for who you are. However, it's important to remember that change is ultimately up to them, and it's not your responsibility to change their beliefs or behavior.

One way to cope with this situation is to focus on building a support system of people who do accept and support you. This could include friends, other family members, or members of the LGBT community. Having a support system can help you feel less alone and provide you with the validation and acceptance you deserve.

You might also consider setting boundaries with your parents. This could involve limiting the amount of time you spend with them or trying to avoid certain topics of conversation that are likely to lead to conflict or hurtful comments. It's okay to prioritize your own mental health and well-being, and sometimes that means setting boundaries with people in our lives. Here are some steps to help you set boundaries with your parents:

Determine your boundaries: Think about what behaviors or actions from your parents are unacceptable to you, and what you need from them to feel respected and safe. Write these down so you can refer to them later.

Communicate your boundaries: In a calm and assertive manner, let your parents know what your boundaries are and how important they are to you. Be specific and clear about what you need from them and what behaviors you cannot tolerate. Use "I" statements instead of blaming or accusatory language.

Be firm: If your parents try to push your boundaries, it's important to stand your ground and be clear that those behaviors are not acceptable to you. You may need to repeat yourself several times or restate your boundaries in a different way.

Enforce consequences: If your parents continue to violate your boundaries, it's important to follow through with consequences. This could mean leaving the conversation, taking a break from spending time with them, or even cutting off contact if necessary.

Take care of yourself: Setting boundaries can be difficult and emotional, so it's important to prioritize your own self-care. Reach out to supportive friends or family members, practice self-care activities, and seek professional help if needed.

Remember, setting boundaries is about taking care of yourself and creating a safe and healthy environment. It's okay to set boundaries and enforce consequences if your parents continue to violate them. You deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.

Ultimately, it's important to remember that you deserve to be accepted and loved for who you are, regardless of your gender identity or sexual orientation. Don't give up hope that your parents might one day come around, but also don't let their beliefs and behavior hold you back from living your life authentically and finding support and acceptance elsewhere.

I hope I could help. Please let us know if you need anything.

-Bun

[softtransbf]

Heartbreak Feels So Good, Heaven Iowa, and Flu Game for Kingston! :] - @selfrinsert

@selfrinsert

2: "Heartbreak Feels So Good" - Who confessed first? What drove them to do it? Did you immediately become a couple after that or did it take some time before you both became one officially?

I'd said some things implying my crush on him, but he was the one to properly confess first. He had to be. You know Kingston- if anything that he'd consider possibly selfish to accept is offered to him, he'll deny it a hundred times over. It has to be his call to take the steps to go for it. And it's no small thing for him to get over himself and do that. In this case, it was good old fashioned jealousy. Sofie decided that I needed a partner, so she started trying to set me up with people. At that point, my feelings for Kingston weren't really serious and I'd gotten no indication that they were returned at all, so I went on the blind dates she'd set up. Never any second dates, because I found myself comparing them to Kingston, and they never measured up. But I did fuck most of them, and didn't beat around the bush about it when Sofie asked how the dates went. (I gave her a different reason for not wanting to go out with them again, of course.) I'm not shy about my sexuality and Sofie has boundary issues (love her to death, but it's true), so she asked TMI questions I totally answered. Turns out Kingston didn't like that so much, and one day he found a moment to talk privately and it turned into a fight. I asked why he gave a damn and that's when he confessed. Didn't mean to, but he did. Then we made a mistake and fucked instead of talking about that. It was a while and a few more hookups we both felt guilty about after before we actually talked about our feelings and got together. Secretly, of course. So I told Sofie that I was tired of the one night stands and needed to take a break from all that and asked her to stop trying to set me up with people.

5: "Heaven, Iowa" - Is there anything about you/your s/i that your f/o finds oddly charming— something that others often overlook or ignore but they’re completely captivated by?

None of the movements are big, so it's easily missed, but when I'm really deep in thought, my inner monologue is a conversation with myself, essentially, so often I'll be moving my hands or mouthing words as I work on whatever the project or problem is. Totally subconsciously. Kingston loves watching me when I'm like that. He says it's beautiful, like watching a dancer or an artist at work.

9: "Flu Game" - How open are you about your relationship? Do you prefer to keep it private, only tell a selective few about it, or do you let everyone know about your relationship?

We keep our goddamn mouths shut and hands to ourselves if anyone else is around. Can you imagine the amount of shit everyone would give us? It'd be good hearted, but god they'd be insufferable. We'd never get a moment's peace. At some point we'll tell everyone, just not for a while. (tbh I think we'll get caught before that happens, but we'll see) I think Pete and/or Sofie suspect that something's up, but I've got no evidence for that, so Kingston says I'm just being paranoid.

[yeezyscheap-co]

The 10 Best Foam Sneakers to Buy Right Now

Temperatures may be dropping, but the foam sneaker trend isn’t cooling off yet. Even as Salehe Bembury’s Crocs Pollex Clogs and the Yeezys Cheap Foam Runner become the sort of pairs you see people wearing every day, the practicality and convenience of keeping a pair in rotation is hard to top. You don’t have to be headed to the pool; sometimes you just want to hit the door without lacing up a pair of sneakers, and that’s fine. Thankfully, the trend has become widespread enough that there are a good amount of options to choose from. Whether you want to go with a popular option like Bembury’s aforementioned Crocs Pollex collab or switch things up with something more unusual, you’ll find those and more here. And don’t worry, we’re not going to recommend you cop the Big Red Boots—those aren’t sneakers, anyway.

All products are independently selected by our editors. Complex may collect a share of sales from the links on this page if you decide to shop them.

Salehe Bembury x Crocs Pollex Clog

Salehe Bembury’s footwear resume includes stints with Yeezy and Versace, as well as multiple New Balance collabs, but he may have had the most impact with his ongoing Crocs project. The designer’s Pollex variation of the iconic Crocs Clog modernized the silhouette and helped drive the foam shoe trend that’s permeated the industry these past few years. The model is available in a wide variety of colorways, offering both subtle and bold options. 

Crocs Echo Clog

Crocs’ standard Classic Clog has gone from sartorial abomination to being fully embraced by the fashion set over the last decade, but it’s a little too mainstream to include on this list. Instead, the Crocs Echo Clog is a decent way to switch things up while still taking advantage of the brand’s comfortable foam construction and “sport mode” strap. This Echo version adds a drop-in footbed for comfort and is aesthetically a step up from the standard pair. 

Adidas Yeezy Foam Runner

We won’t blame anyone for abstaining from Yeezy-related footwear given all the terrible choices their name has made in the past few years, but if you’re not trying to make any moral judgments about what you wear on your feet and who it comes from, this is still an amazing model. It set the tone for the current wave of cool foam shoes and even years after its debut, looks otherworldly, like something those recently unearthed "aliens" who were chilling with congress in Mexico might wear. 

Brain Dead x Oakley Paguro

Since Spring 2022, Brain Dead and Oakley have been working together to bring back some of the latter’s cult favorite footwear models of the 2000s era, like the Flesh and Chop Saw. The linkup has also produced a brand-new model in the Paguro, a mule that combines two densities of cushy EVA foam for a look that’s unlike anything else on this list. These are a good choice for anyone who wants to enjoy the comfort of the foam shoe wave without wearing a pair everyone else is going to have. 

Nike ISPA Universal

Nike’s experimental ISPA line has been hit or miss. Some of the pairs are a little too out there for the everyday consumer, while others push the boundaries of design yet still remain easily wearable. The ISPA Universal falls into that second category. A cork insole gives them some added comfort (and moisture absorption), and each pair comes with an extra set so you can swap them out once they get worn down. And eco-conscious consumers will be glad to know this pair’s foam is partially made from sugarcane as part of Nike’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions. 

1017 Alyx Mono Slip-On

Because making foam shoes is so relatively easy compared to making full-on sneakers—the latter generally require way more components—there is a pretty wide range of brands playing in the genre right now. Matthew Williams is coming at it from a couple directions, working the foam slides with Nike that you’ll find elsewhere on this list and also crafting this sleek EVA foam silhouette with his brand Alyx. The shoes are even made in Italy, if that does anything for you. 

Suicoke Cappo Loafers

Suicoke’s Moto sandals have long been a staple in the streetwear scene, so it’s no surprise that the popular Japanese brand would have some additional slip-on options. These Cappo Loafers feature EVA rubber uppers, thick midsoles, and a removable heel strap that can be left at home when the chance of needing to engage sport mode is low. 

Nike MMW Slide

Part of Nike’s ongoing collaboration with 1017 Alyx 9SM designer Matthew M. Williams, the MMW x Nike 005 Slide takes breathability to new heights with perforations all throughout the upper, even extending to draining holes beneath the foot intended to keep the wearer cool and dry. Retailing for $190, these can now be found on the secondary market for under the original price in nearly every colorway. 

Merrell Hydro Moc

OK so I’m a recent convert to the foam shoe trend. I never thought I’d go full in. I wore the Yeezy Foam Runners before, mainly because the first pair was inspired by Armenia. But I happened to get a pair of the Hydro Mocs and am all in. They’re slimmer and sportier than the Crocs and look cooler, at least to me. They come in a handful of tie-dye-ish colorways and look like you can actually wear them outdoors, not just in a kitchen or with sweats. Be forewarned, they may start as your backyard grilling shoes and turn into your everyday footwear. 

Fear of God California Slip-On Mule

There are levels to these foam shoes. There are Crocs that everyone has, and that everyone can shell out the $50 for, and there’s Jerry Lorenzo’s Fear of God Mules, which will set you back nearly 200 big ones. And to some, it’s totally worth it. They look beautiful and come with the prestige of being FoG. That’s enough for some. Heck, they’re cool enough for Samuel L. Jackson. And that’s one cool dude. 

[oxygenbefore1775]

hii! can i please get some warrior hcs about their cooking skills? thx in advance!

(also im in love with your hcs i mean why else would i ask you for some)

tysm for the ask, Im really flattered to read this - so, without further ado

AoT Warriors and their cooking skills

Annie

Annie can't be bothered to cook and consequently neglect her training

doesn't resort to less time-consuming options like instant noodles or fastfood - she hasn't fallen this low yet (also she needs nutrients to keep her body in-shape)

prefers to cook meals with minimum amount of steps and the ones that don't need supervision

overnight oats is her go-to meal, Annie has a year's supply of this stuff - adds an ungodly amount of protein powder while preparing it

when her partner comes over for a date, only then Annie prepares a perfect salad i.e. all vegetables in the salad are perfectly cut into pieces of identical size and shape

Bertholdt

cooking is not his cup of tea — treats cooking not as a hobby or a leisure activity but as a required skill to keep himself alive

cooks whenever he feels hungry so his portions are rather big and recipes he picks out are uninventive

but if Bertholdt is in a fancy mood, he might treat himself to an intricate meal that he would spend hours on

on the other hand, Bertholdt enjoys baking — every now and then he would bring baked goods to the office for other Warriors to enjoy

gets very anxious whether or not his sponge cakes or muffins are delicious enough so his cure-all is the loads of baking powder and sugar that he adds on top of the recipe

Colt

a perfect cook as long as he has a recipe to follow - the abscence of the recipe sends him into a panic mode

Colt is very thorough when it comes to ingridients and equipment, would go grocery shopping solely to buy the needed ingridients

but every now and then he would forget some minor thing and that would put a halt to the entire process: "Oh no, we've run out of parsley! Now I can't finish cooking the meal. Falco, could you please buy some parsley in the meantime? But be quick - it all depends on you whether or not we will be dining tonight"

bless him, Colt is simply unaware that recipes can be adjusted

Pieck

Pieck, on the other hand, doesn't let minor details of the recipe bother her - does the bare minimum required of her; for example if Pieck is making a pizza, she'd just cover a piece of dough with ketchup and some dried out cheese, bake it in an oven and call it a day

often forgets to add salt and pepper

is very resourceful but this resourcefulness can be extreme sometimes - one time when cooking she needed some lemon juice but didn't have any lemons, so Pieck diluted some citric acid in water and used this instead

doesn't like washing the dishes so opts for reusing pots and pans to the point when it gets gross and calls for cross-contamination

Porco

Porco doesn't cook - he performs

wants people to watch him cook and would use the flashiest cooking techniques (like setting the contents of a pan on fire with alcohol) even if they are not required and even if he is not skilled enough to use them

would get distracted often and leave pan/pot unattended

is a type of person who would increase the temperature in an oven so that the dish would cook faster

taking last two points into consideration, expect him to serve burnt food

Reiner

if Reiner cooks only for himself, he won't push his boundaries then - anything he has laying around in the apartment would do as nourishment

gets annoyed whenever he has to cook for somebody else because he will need to make an actual effort at cooking (but he will be damned if he doesn't feed those people)

watches over the pan/pot to prevent any food from being overcooked and taste-tests the food at each-stage

olive oil - even if it's not in the recipe Reiner would add olive oil - desserts are the only exception for him

Zeke

considers himself a good enough cook to buy himself an apron and a chef's hat

doesn't season his food at all - he can't be bothered to take into account the seasoning preferences of all people so Zeke just serves them a plain dish with seasonings on the side

sometimes delegates tasks to other Warriors - if Zeke is lucky enough, he can "prepare" a dish without lifting a finger because the others would do all the cooking in Zeke's stead

due to his cat-tongue Zeke can't taste-test his food while cooking so finds out the actual taste of the meal only through the feedback of the other people - until then the successfulness of Zeke's meal is pretty much a gamble