#i can't even imagine what parents of kidnapped children are feeling

[folklorespring]

I still can't process the fact that russians kidnapping Ukrainian children, adopting them in russia, changing their names and other personal information from Ukrainian to russian, "re-educating" them and raising them as russians is our reality.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_abductions_in_the_Russo-Ukrainian_War

BBC article

https://www.politico.eu/article/save-ukraine-children-abduction-russia-war-rescue-operation/

[yeoldenews]

I know we live in a very different world now, but I find it concerning how the newspapers printed all these kids' addresses. Did any harm ever come from that, to your knowledge?

I feel like the concept of your address being private information is a very modern one. Any news story until the mid-20th century (and much later in small towns/rural areas) would include the addresses of the individuals involved. Even the smallest towns printed yearly city directories that listed everyone's current address and occupation. So I can't imagine anyone would hesitate to publish a child's address, as why bother concealing what was already considered public information?

Furthermore, the concept of stranger kidnapping - and 'stranger danger' in general - was not something that really entered the public consciousness in the US until the 1920s, and even then the vast majority of kidnappings were for ransom. It was something that happened to rich people, usually in big cities.

It wasn't until several extremely high profile kidnappings of children in the late 20s/early 30s (namely Marion Parker, Walter Collins and Charles Lindbergh Jr.) that the concept of a stranger taking your child would probably have even crossed the mind of the average parent.

Additionally it's important to understand that the role of small town newspapers (where most of the Dear Santa letters are from) was something closer to Facebook or the Nextdoor app than a source of important news. Going on a trip? It's in the newspaper. Having a small dinner party? That's getting reported, along with the guest list, menu, party favors and any decorations you put up. Your child built a particularly nice snowman? There's a reporter here and entire town will know before dinner time.

So is it possible that some burglar used a Dear Santa letter to target the home of a wealthy child sometime in the 1890s? Sure? But I can't see why in an era where if you wanted to know where someone lived you could stop any random person on the street and say "Hey, where do the Johnsons live?" and no one would hesitate to tell you.

[yanderes-galore]

scenario for 33.) "You ever think of our future children like I do?" For yandere Redson with his captive wife please 

I never thought he'd be a demon who wanted children... but... perhaps that changes with you? Most likely OOC, my bad.

Yandere! Red Son Prompt 33

"You ever think of our future children like I do?"

Pairing: Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Female Darling, Obsession, Forced marriage, Possessive behavior, Mentions of wanting children, Manipulation, Isolation, Kidnapping, Forced relationship.

He never thought he even wanted such a thing. Children... him being a father... it was nearly laughable to him. He always felt he had better things to do in his youth.

Then he met you... the girl of his dreams...

His wife.

Red Son was an older demon now, yet still wanted to prove he was good enough to his parents. What better way than to show he could find love like them? Showing he can produce progeny that would make them proud?

Red Son couldn't believe it when he began having such thoughts. He didn't start with them, of course. They occurred gradually over time.

First, in his youth, Red Son fell for you. You were the closest person in his life. His dream girl that he wished would always tend to him and his every wish.

Then, when he got older, he felt you two should date. You were reluctant at first (still are....), but eventually he managed to convince you to be his girl! He's a demon with ambition, after all.

He wouldn't stop pestering you and you cared just enough to give him a try.

Your relationship was rocky. Red Son was always overbearing, adoring you not only for his own feelings... but to impress his parents. After a year or two you quickly got fed up with him.

You broke things off... Only for Red Son to pursue you weeks later to drag you back to his home.

It was then Red Son decided you needed to be a permanent member of the family. By that, he meant chaining your leg in your soon-to-be shared bedroom. He needed to marry you.

Red Son never thought he'd want marriage, let alone a growing desire for progeny. However, now an adult demon, there was just something about you. He couldn't help but think about having children with you.

It made him a bit prideful, actually.

Red Son knows he's demanding on his own. Yet... when he imagines having at least one kid with you? He can't help but want a legacy.

He wouldn't want to do it with anyone but you.

Said marriage was awfully dull. You never wanted to look at him. Even when he held your hand, kissed you, complimented your dress. You... just didn't love him like he wanted you to.

He thought maybe, just maybe, he could convince you to love him with a child.

You want to please him... don't you? You used to. Now you desperately try to ignore him, to huddle away in your shared room. You don't even want to cuddle.

He yearns for you...

Why don't you yearn for him?

"... You ever think of our future children like I do?" Red Son admits one night, sitting on the bed as he gazes at you.

You pause your pulling at the chain clamped around your ankle. You feel a nervousness grow in your gut at the thought. You've... waited too long to escape... haven't you?

Red Son notices your silence, clearing his throat. He feels awkward. To the point he nearly misses the way he fidgets at your silence.

"I mean... think about it, love..." Red Son encourages, eyes looking at you fondly. "You and me... having a kid... raising them...."

Red Son's tone is eager, the complete opposite of your disinterested silence. You merely continue to tug on the thick metal chain. The clasp is welded shut... no doubt due to Red Son's flames.

"Do... Do you want that?" Red Son whispers, looking at you with a hopeful gaze. "You're my wife after all... It's quite the responsibility—"

"No."

Your words are crisp and clear. So much so it actually makes Red Son flinch about. He feels... disappointed but not deterred.

"Do you at least think of it?" Red Son tries again, seeing your grasp tighten on the chain.

"No."

A deafening silence washes over both of you. Red Son's frowning, irritation flickering in his gaze as he watches you. You... You don't want his kids....

"But you're my wife, love. You have to give me children at some point, right?" Red Son scoffs, crossing his arms. "It's what your husband wants...."

"No."

Red Son's eye twitches. He really thought he could play nice. He was hoping he wouldn't have to force anything else.

Yet... He'll be patient... Because he loves you.

"It's inevitable, love...." Red Son sighs, looking at your back. You wouldn't even look at him. "You're mine. I'm your husband. I've done everything to make you mine... except this one thing."

Red son spins you to face him by your shoulder. You reluctantly look at him, exhaustion on your face. Red Son wants to feel bad...

But he also wants your obedience.

"I'll wait..." Red Son sighs, yet a certain determination flickers in his eyes. "Yet you aren't getting out of this..."

Red Son cups your face, ignoring how you shy away from his touch.

"You're mine... Nothing's going to change that..." Red Son growls, slowly leaning closer.

"We'll have a powerful family... Even if I have to wait for it to happen."

[brionysea]

if you know me, you may know that I love animation. I think it's beautiful and deserves a lot more respect as an artistic medium than it gets. I still live with my parents, and they don't agree; they think it's for children, which makes it worth less. I put on my favourite film (Into The Spider-Verse) while they were in the room once, in a sneaky attempt to share something I love with them, and they were just on their phones the entire time. if I'd been more open about what I was doing they might have tried more, but as it stands, it didn't even cross their minds that something animated could be worth their time.

I say all this to lead into the fact that I've also never been able to get them to watch Avatar: The Last Airbender. again, I was watching something I liked while my mum was in the room, but just because I wanted to this time. I was watching the North Pole episodes. my mum likes badass female characters in media, so I told her to pay attention to Katara's fight with Pakku, but even that didn't pull her in (although she did note that Katara was "fiery"). she was bored, wanted the TV for something she liked now (I'd had it for a while), but I wanted to finish the 2-parter first. we decided on one more episode. we reached the part where Zuko kidnaps Aang and runs into a blizzard with him, and Katara, Sokka, and Yue find them. Katara, of course, outmatches Zuko in seconds. Sokka frees Aang and suggests leaving Zuko to die in the blizzard, and Aang - being who he is - says, "No. We can't leave him here."

and my mum, barely looking up from her phone, says, "Why not? He'd leave you."

bear in mind, she hasn't watched the show. she doesn't know these people. she doesn't know Zuko. this is a single glimpse into a single moment of his life, one of countless mistakes made by a lost teenager, where someone else had to decide whether or not he was worth saving. I got this sinking feeling, imagining a world where Aang didn't listen to his beliefs in this moment; a world where Zuko died in the blizzard, where Iroh lost another son, where Aang never got the chance to learn firebending from him - a world where Zuko never realised his destiny, all because he was left for dead in a snowstorm.

but my mum didn't know this show, didn't know all the reasons why that shouldn't happen, so all I could think of to say in response was a small, devastated, "He's sixteen."

and I'm looking back on that feeling now, at the judgement made on a boy she didn't even know, and I'm thinking: what gives you the right to decide he's done? that he's not allowed to grow anymore? that he won't be missed? that he should die, and that Aang should be complicit in it?

this may seem silly. animated or not, Avatar is just a show. but it's a show that got me invested, a show that made me care about the characters and what they have to say about morality and philosophy and the world. it's a show that made me not want Zuko to die alone in a snowstorm. it's a show that made me not want Aang to become a murderer at 12 years old.

but that mentality of judging people by their worst moments, of not seeing them as full human beings who have worth and a future and limitless potential for change because you, personally, haven't seen it, translates to real people too.

it's reductive.

I think of it like this: what they decide says something about who they are, but what you decide says something about who you are. are you the kind of person who would let someone die when you had the chance to save them? are you the kind of person who invites more pain into the world? who allows it without protest? who believes it's possible to reach a point where people don't deserve your compassion anymore?

Aang isn't.

I didn't have much of a plan going into this post, but looking at it in full, I think this is the value of redemption arcs. and while on a practical level, you can understand why so many people pushed back against it at the end of the show, I think this is the value of Aang's philosophy: it lets you be more.

[maidenofthecloud]

honestly people should start drawing Wukong with Peach's dress. I can just immagine him being kidnapped the third time that week by Rumble and savage. Mk being so tired that his mentor keeps being kidnapped by stranger that are talking on and on about Wukong being their mother and is their right to take him back home while Wukong is tied up like fagoto. It gets so repitetive that even Macaque is tired, but having them distract on kidnapping Wukong is far better than having to parent them. So he doesn’t stop them at all.

I also think at some point Wukong could not mind too much being kidnapped, it is annoying and tireding. But he could start to enjoy spending time with Rumbke and Savage, seeing them acting like children with him ect. He even could convice them to not try to fight with Mk or kidnapped in exchange of a evening where they can play together (Wukong and Rumble and Savage). Even gifting them some toys or candy at the end of the day.

Sorry for taking so long to respond, I tried to put my ideas in order, it turned out to be more difficult than I thought.

thanks for asking

honestly people should start drawing Wukong with Peach's dress.

For real

Mk being so tired that his mentor keeps being kidnapped

It's really kidnapping if you can break free whenever you want

mk: wait a second, you were able to break the bonds all this time?

SWK: yep

mk: then why didn't you do it before?!

Swk: because... THEY ARE SO CUTE!

I think the only time they really kidnapped him is when Macaque ordered it and the first time they met during JTTW.

sun wukong, tripitaka ao lie and the pilgrims everyone was so confused as hell 😖

savage: leave our mom alone, your bad man!

Rumble: We won't let you take Mama Peach away!

[pointing they fingers at the monk tripitaka]

Tripitaka: BAD MAN?!!

Zhu Bajie: mama?!

Sha Wujing: mama Peach?

SWK: i'm your... mom?

Ao lie: [🤯]

Monkey King doesn't really deny about being their mom and plays along because he doesn't want to hurt their feelings and he really loves them.

( This is also somewhat based on the interactions between Princess Peach and Bowser Jr, as she never denies being his mother and does not even confront Bowser about the lie. )

It gets so repitetive that even Macaque is tired

which is very ironic because Macaque made them specifically to help him catch sun wukong

But when did they start asking questions like "what is a mommy" and why don't we have a mom?"

Macaque lied to them because in his perspective it was easier lie to them than tell them the truth

Macaque: "hey kids, they are both clones that I combined with fragments of wukong's power that I made to help me get my revenge" imagine how they would react if they found out You understand why I can't tell them the truth. It would destroy them, anyway they are happier thinking that Wukong is their mama Plus Wukong doesn't seem to have a problem with it..

mk: okay but why tell them that Monkey King is his mom?

Macaque:... I thought it would be funny at the time...

mk:[facepalm]

is far better than having to parent them. So he doesn't stop them at all.

Macaque prefers that SWK teach them basic things like reading and writing (because Sun Wukong knows how to read in this house) so he doesn't waste time on that and focuses on training them in fighting.

seeing them acting like children with him ect.

I think swk would love to see Rumble and Savage behave like children, well, almost, they're still scary shadow monkeys.

Although I think he still considers them to be the most adorable things ever

even if they were the most intimidating and terrifying and I have proof

in the episode Cooking With Chang'e when the Bunny mech appears for the first time and who looks like this

mk and pigsy are naturally scary

while Sun Wukong just smiles and literally says "the cutest thing I ever saw"

The same thing happens later in the episode he makes these faces when the Bunny mech attacks them

What I'm trying to say is that even if they were the scariest monsters he would still find them adorable.

[sleepdeprivedartboi]

I love how everyone always says "Oh noo the Jedi kidnap children yada yada" yet in reality there's multiple instances in both canon and legends that they ask for permission, and if the parents refuse, then they just dip and keep watch. They literally allow any Jedi to leave the order at any time and even let parents visit sometimes, and if they want their child back, they have returned them too. Mace windu himself returned a child once if I remember (I don't remember which piece of media I read it in)

"But what about this and that and " , first of all, can't blame the entirety of the order cuz of the idiocy of some people, second of all. There was no kidnapping anywhere, whatsoever.

I know people like to bring up the point of "but they are children" , acting like the Jedi are raising and taking normal fucken children. These children have the fucking force, we know exactly how powerful this is and how bad it can get in the wrong hands. An untrained force child, is a danger to everyone. The Jedi are being generous and nice asking for permission imo. I've seen how emotional teenagers and children are. If you wanna know how bad this can be, take America and it's guns. How many school shootings have happened cuz someone was emotional and Unstable and got access to guns? This is one country on one planet. Now imagine this on a galactic scale. Unstable and emotional teenagers/children with things that can kill are not a good thing. Literally take grogu, fella was ready to kill Cara over arm wrestling. Now imagine Din didn't know it was the child, and suddenly before he realises, Cara is dead. The Jedi aren't teaching these children bad things, they teach them discipline and make sure that those children do not end up killing someone cuz he didn't want veggies and got super emotional about it. They can easily fall to the dark side, or exploit this power.

People love to take things out of context. Yes these are children, but they are children with the capability to level entire buildings by themselves if left unchecked . On top of it, I've never once seen Jedi take children if their parents said no, sure they do push them slightly, but it's cuz of the aforementioned reasons. In one episode of clone wars they literally go away after the mom says no before cad Bane comes in and steals the fooken child.

In every culture it was seen as a blessing and great honour to be chosen by the Jedi so very rarely did anyone ever refuse. It's basically like the church saying your child is a saint, if the church was super highly respected by the entire galaxy.

And the fact that they have kept a list of force sensitive children and don't just go and forcibly take them, should tell you enough that they do not kidnap children.

Now, I know thisll come up, so ima say it, speaking of the acolyte, that thing was a huge misunderstanding and Master sol was definitely at fault, but even that came from wanting to protect the children and it was HIS decision, not the Jedi. Sol saw creepy witchcraft shit, then saw no guys, then mae came in and told him "everyone must be sacrificed" misquoting her mother, then he straight up saw her mother try and turn her to dust and then you will start seeing how one can misunderstand.

Qui gon also didn't just forcibly take anakin, he asked his mom, he asked him, then when he accepted , Qui took him. And there's many examples of consensual child taking, yet like 1-2 examples of Jedi actually being morally grey. Never bad.

Idk where these misconceptions come from but I feel very strongly about this. The Jedi we're wrong about many things, but this i believe isn't one of them. Discussions welcome and appreciated! Just be civil!.

[myriadparacosm]

You think Sirius Black would go crazy over James having child? Do you even imagine how he will be for REMUS' CHILD? He will lose his mind.

I personally do not like the original relationship of Remus and Tonks (love you queen but your author is shit) because it felt forced to me - though it gave us one little Edward "Teddy" Remus Lupin.

Anyhow, let's trash canon out of the window because what matters is how Sirius would absolutely go mad for Remus' child - be it from Tonks or anyone else (male wizards would definitely figure out a way to get pregnant through magic but that's another story). He is already over himself for Harry and he wouldn't truly play favourite but it's /Remus/ so Teddy has a very important spot that Sirius probably wouldn't know how to deal with.

Sirius will literally sleep as Padfoot in Teddy's room to be sure nothing happens to him and Remus wouldn't not catch him right away. Teddy would always remember a dog spying on him at school or even when he plays outside.

In the case of Remus being an only father/sharing custody (because come on Remus and Sirius are soulmates and they will end up together)

Sirius would always try to get involved and he naturally becomes the favourite of Teddy - who sometimes calls him papa (because Sirius would definitely teach him french swear words to mess with Remus but Teddy will ask how to say dad in french) and it's an embarrassing surprise to everyone. Teddy will even fuse Pad with Papa because Remus often call Sirius Pad.

Though Sirius would recover pretty fast and use it at his advantage and Teddy is the perfect partner in crime: "You shouldn't speak with that tone to the papa of your child!" "Yeah! Don't speak to Padpa like that!"

Remus is, of course, smitten and desperate over all of this because he already has enough feelings to deal with without adding up his son bonding with Sirius like it was meant to be.

The school, because it's important that Teddy learns from Muggles before going to Hogwarts, is convinced that Sirius is the actual father of Teddy up until Remus showed up to pick him up. (yes Sirius responded to Mister Lupin but no one was there to see him blush and Teddy kept the secret in exchange of candies). He had to fight with Sirius who has taken the habit to drop off/pick up Teddy without /asking/ to finally do it by himself and the first time this happened - Remus thought his child got kidnapped until he called Sirius: "what do you mean he disappeared? Teddy is with me-- bollocks, not the chocolate Teddy!"

Sirius will literally adopt Teddy the moment he sees him. Harry was also smothered with his love but James isn't the love of his life (rude he says) whilst Teddy feels like the future, present and past of Remus all in one and Sirius is a very possessive person, which he is aware of, but he can't stay away.

He isn't perfect at taking care of Teddy at first because he is too much like a friend rather than a parent to Teddy but he learns fast and tries to be better. No one really asked Sirius if he ever felt like having children or even if he felt like he would be any good at it - to which he would have replied with a depecrating laugh and 'are you mad?' because Sirius is afraid at the idea of being a parent.

The question isn't so much important right now, not when he tucked Teddy in, hugging him as Remus read the traditional bed time story to them. Sirius always falls asleep there, definitely after Teddy despite what Remus says after waking him up so they can sleep properly in their bed ever since Sirius moved in indefinitely.

[an-theduckin]

Billy Hendricks Character analysis

[DISCLAIMER: I am not justifying or condoning his actions, I am merely showing that he is not just a mindless villain and I'm exploring the depth of his character. This is probably obvious but yeah please don't come after me for this]

Billy Hendricks, kidnapper of Mark. He's a terrifying villain who has no redeeming qualities. Let's dissect that fucker cuz he's got a LOT of layers and depth.

First, let's see some context.

Billy Hendricks was a child actor, starring in 'my dear monster'. He was groomed and made into luring children into Big monster's sewers where Big monster kill them. When Big monster was caught, Billy's mom got him out of the show, saying she doesn't think a life in the spotlight is for her son. In that newspaper poster, Billy Hendricks is seen to be crying. In the poster above, Billy is smiling. Showing how he views Big monster as an inspiration and loves acting. Keep in mind that he was just a child when this all happened, he was supposed to become famous. This was supposed to be the film that make him really get famous in the film industry. He was about to get everything he ever wanted, but than in a flash, everything was taken away from him. He was taken away from what he loved most, acting. Now imagine how this would make him feel. Billy was a kid when this happened and he was an adult when he kidnapped Mark, this suggests that his hatred for Big monster (who's the reason he can't act anymore) has been burning for many years. He is still hung up on his dream, a dream that was shattered long ago and would never be possible to achieve again. This suggests that he cannot move on from the past. (Plus he's a theatre kid and theatre kids are dramatic as hell. Trust me I'd know, I'm a theatre kid too)

The way he act and treat Mark

I think it's obvious that Billy hates Mark, his hatred for Big monster transferring to Mark just because he's Big monster's nephew. His hatred for Mark just grows more and more episode, this can be seen because in the earliest episodes, he refer to Mark as his "best friend". For example, in the first episode he starts off with, "Hello kids! And welcome back, meet my best friend, Mark!" But he stops doing that in later episodes, just referring to Mark as his "friend" instead of "best friend". This subtle change hints that Hendricks is getting more and more impatient with Mark. He also constantly silence Mark for small reasons, in the first episode he just shook his head when he didn't want Mark to say that he want to see his parents, but in later episodes he go as far as to shutting up Mark by putting his hand on his mouth. He doesn't just normally do that too, in the picture below you can see that his grip on Mark is strong. That must hurt Mark. He probably does that on purpose as he resents Mark and is very impatient and hateful towards him.

Billy Hendricks feel as though he is achieving his childhood dreams by doing all this. This may be true because of the way he act. In the rain day episode, when they do those activities such as building a pillow fort, Hendricks actually look genuinely excited for it. He could just be good at pretending to be excited for camera, but it actually felt real. Him acting childish like this reinforces the idea that he is living in the past and hasn't move on from it. Even though he's not a kid anymore, he never grew up. This is also furthur proven because of the fact that he has a "signature outfit" and wears the same set of clothes since he was a child, showing how he never grew out of his childhood. Anyways so, in that episode they do three activities. Building pillow forts, making paper cut pictures, and playing hangman. In the first activity, he looks genuinely happy when Mark says he like the pillow fort that Billy made for him. He could just be acting to be happy, but I don't think that's the case. Because in the other two activities where it starts having a twist of him taunting Mark, he did look "happy" but not as geniune as he did in the pillow fort activity. The comparison can be seen in the pictures below. It's subtle but you can see it, the smile on the right picture looks fake. This implies that he sometimes forget that this isn't what he wanted, and has to remind himself that he isn't just doing this to make himself happy but to also torture Mark and get revenge.

His attitude switches up very fast. Most of the times he talk in a singing-ish tone, mimicking kids shows where they do that. But when he's angry, like for example when Mark tried to escape, his voice becomes firm and serious. This shows how he struggles to stay "in character" sometimes, because his hatred runs so deep that it can be hard to pretend to be this cheerful kids show host. When his voice is firm and he calls out for Mark, he usually emphasises on the 'k' sound of his name. This creates a plosive sound, illustrating that he is being rough in the moment.

Billy Hendricks is dedicated to make Mark suffer. Besides the very obvious tortures that he make Mark go through, he torment him in other more subtle ways too. Here are some examples where he does that.

In the Staying healthy episode, they look at the anatomy of a Little Monster. When Billy said that "It's important to stay healthy so your brain continues to think!", Mark continues the advice by saying, "and your heart continues to love!". But then Billy corrects him, saying, "Pump blood, Mark!". This illustrates Billy as shattering Mark's innocent view of life, contrasting how his childhood dream got shattered too (even though this is a less extreme extent of it)

In the Pet episode, Mark says that he knows alot about pets and suggest that maybe he could lead that episode. But Hendricks shut him off by saying, "I know alot about pets too, Mark". You can sense the anger in his voice when he says that line, suggesting that he gets mad when someone else gets the attention and not him. This ties in his whole character of him getting so much attention from his classmates because he was a child actor and people loved him, but then he got thrown off the spotlight later because of Big monster. His mother's line, "I just don't think a life in the spotlight is for my son" suggests that he doesn't get attention anymore. (Plus he's a theatre kid and theatre kids are attention seekers- yeah okay I'll stop bullying theatre kids now). This idea is further reinforced in the positivity episode, when Mark says that he made a sticky note saying "Yes you can!", Billy tries to get the attention back on him by saying "I wrote some sticky notes too Mark!". This shows how he wants the attention and spotlight on him, and gets mad when Mark tries to get attention too.

Billy Hendricks doesn't just torture and torment Mark himself, he forces Mark to do things he doesn't want to too. For example, in the cooking episode he pressures Mark into killing the paperbag monster, "Are you gonna skin it Mark? Or do I have to do it?", he says the second sentence with a hint of anger in his voice, implying that Mark will probably get tortured if he doesn't do what he ask him to do.

Billy even goes as far as to hurting himself to hurt Mark. Like in the episode where they go to sleep, he brushes his teeth until they're bleeding. He hurt himself just to scare Mark. This portrays him as someone who's dedicated to taunt Mark, and would do it at his own expense.

He also seeks to control Mark, like in the drug episode he says that he'll give drugs to Mark if he's good and go along. This may be because he was forced out of the film industry and it was all out of his control, so he wants control back.

Recurring themes

There's a lot of scenes where Billy Hendricks monologues. All of those monologues portray a pessimistic and negative view of life. He constantly puts a negative spin on things that Mark enjoy too. Some examples are in the Halloween episode where he put razorblades in Mark's candy and ask if it's still his favourite holiday, in the pet episode where he carelessly gave Mark a pet that he wanted who died of neglect, and the biggest example is the career day episode where he puts a negative spin to the jobs that Mark said he wanted to do. This links to how he was going to be a famous actor, but it didn't work out.

Billy Hendricks is presented to have a weird obsession with death and wasting your life. This can be seen especially in the career day episode, where he monologues, "There's only 2169 days until you have to choose a job and it creeps up on you fast. 60 years will pass and before you know it you'll be lying in your death bed wishing you had picked a different career to waste your life on". This may suggest that during the time between after he quit being a child actor and before he kidnapped Mark, he had 'wasted' the years by doing a job that he didn't enjoy. He believes that he would have been happy if he was an actor, but now he couldn't be one. This may be one of the reasons why he is portrayed to be very pessimistic.

His obsession with death is further explored in the kids episode where he says that a child is your peak because "you get showered with adoration and have lots of fun". He wants to be a child again because now he's miserable as an adult, but instead of trying to improve his adult life and moving on from the past, he took away another child's childhood. In that episode, he also taunts Mark by saying that in the adult world, life goes by very fast and that before he know it, he's gonna be too old to work and die. There are many more instances where he monologues about this, but these are the main ones.

There's also a recurring theme of toxic positivity. This is obviously shown in the last episode, the positivity episode. Where his 'inspirational' sticky notes say that everything is okay, while it's not. This is further shown in the posters where he says that you can do dangerous things because "everything works out".

The theme of toxic positivity is also seen in other episodes, like for example in the feelings episode where Billy asks Mark if the pictures are happy or sad. When Mark said that the picture of a dead penguin is sad, Billy says "No silly, all these images are happy". This may be because he was forced out of his dream yet he had to pretend to be okay with it at that time.

People who influence him

There were two people who were a major influence on him. His mom, and Big monster.

Let's talk about his mom first. She just wanted what was best for him, and she got him out of the film industry because she thought it was best for him. She was just looking out for her son, but she didn't realise the negative consequences that her actions would bring. Billy was just a kid and didn't fully understand why his mom would do that, she probably could have explained it to him better. But even if she did, Billy most likely would have just turn out this way anyways because his ambition was too strong. But still, if she did explain it maybe he could have turned out differently. Maybe he wouldn't have this much resentment in him.

Now let's talk about Big monster. He tricked Billy into luring his friend's brother, Johnny Hackett, into the sewers so he can kill him. He was Billy Hendricks' idol, Billy probably saw him in a rose-tinted light and never saw anything bad about him as he idolised him too much. But then he turned out to be a murderer who used Billy to get his victims. This may turn Billy into a pessimistic person, linking back to my point earlier, and would make Billy just expect the worst of everything. He's the main reason why Billy Hendricks became a kidnapper.

Ashur's acting skills

Ah yes, the very necessary ramble about how cool Ashur is. Skip this part if u wanna, I added this solely for myself <3

ASHUR IS SOOOOO GOOD AT ACTING LIKE WTF??? HE SLAYS THE ICONIC BILLYS THREATENING SMILE FACE LIKE HOLY SHITTT THAT MAN IS TERRIFYING!! HE EVEN SOMETIMES SCARE ME GENIUNELY LIKE HOLY FUCKING SHIT HES AMAZING. BILLYS VOOCE RANGE IS JUST SO PERFECT TOO AND NOT 2 MENTION THATS LIKE HIS FIRST TIME ACTING USING VOICE?? (HIS PREVIOUS ACTING SERIES ARE JUST TIKTOK POVS WHERE HE DOESNT TALK) HES LITERALLY SO COOL BRO HES LIKE MY NUMBER ONE INSPIRATION FOR ACTING!!! LIKE THIS MAN LOOKS ABSOLUTELY INSANE AND I LOVE IT!!

The cycle of abuse

The backstory of Billy Hendricks is very tragic. He was an abused child who turned into an abuser. It is important to recognise him as a human too and not just a cruel villain, this does not mean justifying his actions. I firmly believe that dehumanising villains is a bad thing to do, because if you so that you will separate yourself from them and won't recognise it when you're being an accidental asshole. So while I hate him for everything he has done to Mark, I still think we should also see him as a hurt person who continued the cycle of abuse. Let's just hope Mark doesn't do the same thing.

End notes

Ahhhhh I've been planning 2 make this post for so long now! And even though this post is like, VERY long, I still feel like I've only barely scratch the surface of his character. He's a very interesting and complex character n should be treated as such. Also, this is just the way I see him, you are allowed 2 disagree with me ofc! You can have a different opinion on him than me, and you can express it, but please just don't be rude about it! If you'd like 2 discuss his character further or is confused abt smth I said here, feel free 2 ask me abt it! I'm more than happy 2 do it (if you're nice with it ofc) :3

Anyways yeah I hope u enjoyed this character analysis of him, and please reblog if u did (no pressure) cuz it took me such a long time 2 make this TwT

[after-witch]

Derek Goffard Imagine (If he knew you from childhood and hated your guts)

Title: Derek Goffard Imagine (If he knew you from childhood and hated your guts)

Word count: 1200ish

notes: misogyny, physical and emotional abuse, descriptions of childhood bullying and harassment including bulling related to appearance and sexual harassment, bug eating, descriptions of violence and sexual assault, descriptions of death, kidnapping

There's this dynamic I am obsessed with when it comes to Derek, just absolutely enamored with, it makes me wild, feral, etc etc.

It's being someone from his past the he. just. fucking. hates.

Maybe you went to some exclusive private school together. Maybe your families were in the same ultra-rich circles and you wound up shuffled into the same rooms as children and then teenagers, chaperoned by nannies who took the opportunity to hang out in corners with snacks and drinks, eager to get a break from their wealthy little charges for a few hours.

Whatever the circumstances, the fact remains: he can't stand you. He can't stand the way you act better than him, better than everything around you. And his dad makes it clear, very, very early on that he is not to touch anyone in their social circles. He has dark urges? There are ways to handle that discretely.

His dad will, however, overlook some basic bullying. Because daddy dearest and Derek both know that you aren't going to tell your parents about it. You're smart enough to know it won't amount to anything. Your family's situation is too precarious to shake things up. New money and all that. You (and they) won't rock the boat.

So when Derek pins you down in some over-pretentious fuck's playroom where you're all being shepherded and shoves handfuls of dead bugs in your face, when he calls you an ugly slut in between classes and convinces the pack of kids he calls his friends (even if they hate him as much as anyone) to hate you too, when he snaps your underwear through your pants and snickers, you just take it.

But that pisses him off, too. Because he has made you cry, yeah. He's even made you hiss between your teeth--shut your fucking mouth, Derek, and the little thrill at getting you wound up was nice.

But it's not enough. He wants more from you. He wants to see you cry so hard that snot bubbles out of your nose. He wants to see blood-laden drool dripping from the corner of your lip. He wants to see you with real fear in your eyes, not anxiety because he's going to say something nasty, but true, pants-wetting fear because he has a knife in his hand and you know he will use it.

But he can't get that, because of that clearly spoken rule. He can't touch you. Not in any way that matters.

One day, your parents move you out of state. New business venture. He doesn't know until you're not in school for a week and someone mentions it, but by then he's about to graduate and then he's being groomed for a bigger role in his father's business and being allowed to regularly indulge in his darker side, so he shrugs it off. One less plaything gone.

A few years pass. He's an adult now, big fucking whoop. He's gone to a few hunts. Killed and raped and done all sorts of awful things. He likes it. It makes him feel in control. It makes him feel good.

So good that he finds the time in between hunts to be agonizing.

And he's bored as fuck one day, and gets the idea to look you up. Why not? Maybe he'll print out a picture of your face and use it for target practice for an upcoming hunt or something. Whatever.

But oh, what he finds... he normally doesn't bother with lame ass social media, but it's a treasure trove, one that has him grinning behind his laptop like the little shit that he is.

The Oh-So-Perfect-Above-It-All You? Fallen from grace, what little of it you held. Your father was caught stealing from his company (what a moron) and he's in prison. Your mom is married to some new rich asshole and from the looks of it, isn't in your life much.

And you? You're living in a tiny apartment in a shitty area (with roommates! you can't even afford it by yourself! he barks out a laugh at that one) and working some deadend job at a gas station that is barely enough to pay the bills.

He sees that you list a nice college on your resume but don't say you graduated from it... timing-wise, it looks like you only got 2 years in before your dad wound up in prison. No way for him to pay your tuition from behind bars.

Your life has gone to shit.

It makes him snicker. Then it makes him laugh.

And then it makes him... wonder.

You're not somebody now, are you? You're no one. You live in a rundown apartment with roaches (he's seen the videos you made complaining) and work at a gas station, sometimes even on the night shift. Your mom's a goldigging whore and your dad is rotting away in prison, and nobody in your previous social circles gives a single rat's ass about you. It's like you were never there in the first place.

So... he could arrange things, couldn't he--to have you picked up and given to him, all tied up and terrified. And then he can do whatever he feels like. Hurt you, rape you, kill you. All his fantasies, all those times he imagined... what it would look like if there was blood spurting from your nose while you begged to lick his balls so he didn't plunge a blade right into your guts, what it would look like when you heard a bone crunch under his boot for the first time, what it would look like when the light left your eyes.

Fuck. He's hard just thinking about it.

Not so high and mighty now--that's what he would say. Cliche but true, so who cares. You'd be on your knees wearing some thrift store outfit that got ripped up during your capture, confused, crying, terrified. And then you'd see him and it would all cli-i-i-i-ck into place.

Look at you, he'd say. Finally in the trash where you always belonged. Well... he can work on his retorts later. The point being, he'd make sure you knew exactly what you were and where you were and how you were fucking nothing. You weren't better than him then and you sure aren't now. With your slut runaway mom and your white collar prison dad and your lack of friends and security.

He'll rub all that in your face while rubbing his literal dick in your face (You'll cringe, won't you? Probably screw up your nose the way you used to do when he'd toss that out as an insult--Suck my fucking cock, bitch--and now you'll have to do it! Hah!) before he gets down to proper business.

You'll have the benefit of not being his first victim. He's gotten more creative over time, even more patient, which surprises him. He could slice open your tongue before he makes you give him a nice, sloppy blowjob. He could find bugs--live ones, this time--and make you eat them one by one while he slices up your arms for every time you gag. He could make you apologize for being trash while he uses a blowtorch on your fingers.

He could do whatever. he. wanted.

And you? You'll bleed and you'll beg the way you should have done all those years ago.

Hell, it might be better to see if he can arrange to get you outside of the hunt. Then he'll have all the time in the world to do whatever he wants with you.

Lucky you, huh?

[lesenbyan]

Basing my question off the fact that your tag referenced 'sisters' - how much of your character's personality/upbringing/history might have changed if they were an only child and/or had brothers? Do they enjoy being a sibling or is that conditional based on the current family drama?

Man I forgot I rb'd that post! Happy surprise in my inbox

If Eve was an only child I think most things about her would have changed significantly. Eve, Cyn, and Aki are basically attached at the hip from the moment they start walking until Aki's departure/kidnapping (which exists regardless of verse, tho which it is changes.) So much so that losing Aki very much feels like losing a limb to the other two and they both decide to devote their lives to finding her again. if Eve didn't have either of them much about her life would change, if only because not having them means she was either 1) adopted by a different family or 2) not adopted ever.

I imagine her personality would mostly be the same, but I think she'd be less confident, more cautious, and less outgoing than she otherwise is. I think she'd still end up happily in sex work but I don't know if she'd make her name in it the way she does when she has Cyn by her side and also playing bodyguard and supporting her, and the support and love of her parents helps her a lot too. and I do think it's not unfair to say part of Eve's confidence comes from being adopted but also treated exactly the same as the biological children her parents have that are her same age.

If she had brothers on the other hand, I don't think anything would change if they had the same personalities as Cyn and Aki at least at the core. She already rough houses with Cyn- as their mother tells it (proudly) they were basically play wrestling in the cradle. And the both of them have protected softhearted, bookish, and quiet Aki from day one. any time they had a disagreement as children they'd always made up by dinner.

Eve can't really imagine what her life would be like without her family and never really wants to, even when she'd having issues marrying both part of her identity within herself (she's always multi-cultural.) Family is a big part of her identity, including those she's adopted into her family and any and all significant others those people have. She has an extremely large found family and she's at her happiest at a dinner with her family, a lover or two of her own, and a few friends around as well. She's absolutely one of those "food tastes better the more people you share it with" and is always eager to invite friends to dinner with the family. She never even considers wishing she wasn't part of this specific family for a moment.

[marshmallowprotection]

i was just thinking about mystic messenger & landed on the thought of MC just,, having a kid when they get lured into the apartment. like, logically saeran wouldn't have chosen someone like that, but i now have the image of saeyoung doing his whole ignoring you thing while a toddler just stares enraptured at his computer

From a logical standpoint, yes. Unknown is going to choose anyone who is a liability. He is searching for someone who won't be missed, or rather, doesn't have enough people in their life to bother him or his mission. He needs to get someone to a secondary location AND get them to go into the apartment. A parent is a liability. They won't get involved in something sketchy. Now, a good samaritan who is totally clueless about their safety? He can work with that.

Even disregarding his feelings about his experience with his parents and the trauma that followed, Unknown will not pick a parent to go into that apartment purely out of principle. It adds more trouble to his situation. The RFA would add more layers to the location to keep that MC and child out of harm's way.

His intention is to make MC the largest liability for the RFA members, and to do that properly means he plans to kidnap them once they've done enough for him to get most of what he needs out of the servers. He can't have MC already have their own liabilities. They need to be the problem, they can't have problems. On top of that, I genuinely do not think he wants the trouble of dealing with MC and a child at the same time. So, it's just not a realistic choice.

But, hey, "realistic" doesn't need to be the law of the land if you are an MC with your child out there! Your comfort story is yours to imagine at the end of the day.

I do think Saeyoung would have a much harder time if you were an MC with a child, though. Imagine that. Not only does he fear that a person as innocent as you have gotten involved in this mess, but he's also just that much more afraid for a child. Children remind him of his brother. Saeran is still a baby in his mind. He will want to do whatever he can do to keep a child from even getting close to this mess... his mess.

His paranoia would make him feel even more complicated with his feelings toward you. The agency wouldn't just kill Saeran if they knew about him... if they knew about you and your child, you'd be used as a tool against him. They'd hurt both of you and Saeyoung just can't live with that. It would make things that much more complicated when it comes to your affection toward him. He's not just afraid loving you is the ticket to your death, no. He knows your kid is at risk, too.

Saeyoung Choi is many things, but he can't allow himself to let truly innocent people get hurt because of him. He'd even tell you that in a fight.

"Your priority shouldn't be me," he'd say, voice stone cold as they come. "Your priority is your kid. Don't worry about me. Keep them safe and I'll make sure that nothing chasing after me comes for the two of you."

But, in the same regard, it would be even harder for him to be mean to your kid. He just can't do it. I can't see him putting on a mean face toward a child. He'd give himself a flashback to his childhood and be out of commission for a while because of it. He doesn't want to be his mother or father, and the thought of subjecting a child to that kind of nature... cruelty, and harshness... he just can't do it. He would have to bite his tongue. That's all he can do.

He'd try to ignore your kid since that's all he'd be capable of. Even a mean voice might be enough to make your kid cry. He can't do that. He can't make a child cry even in the name of trying to make sure he wouldn't be afraid of you two getting hurt because of him. He could only try to push you away... with shame in his eyes that your kid will probably call him on if they're old enough to say something about it.

That's a conflict for him, to be honest, and it's an interesting thing to consider for someone like him compared to someone like, say, Jumin Han. But, Jumin doesn't have the level of danger that Saeyoung does in this situation. So, you having a kid would go over a lot better with him than it does with Saeyoung. I'm not saying it's impossible, but I am saying this is a situation that would need to be combed over with a finely tipped-brush to even begin to work out.

[dairy-farmer]

No because Tim being catatonic while pregnant reminds me of a fic I read about Dick being Talon and kidnapping a sleeping beauty!Tim and getting him pregnant and the author implying that Tim only wakes up when he gives birth because of the pain of childbirth. Now imagine that with red kryptonite Tim being completely catatonic until he is giving birth (maybe to twins) and screaming because he has no recollection of what happened to him beyond vague awareness of his time in captivity. Maybe holding on to Dick while he gives birth crying that he doesn’t understand because Dick had tried to protect him before and so would be his go to person. If Bruce is out would he even be allowed to interact with the babies? Or would it be like a Jason relationship in one of your past works? Because I could see Bruce trying to manipulate a vulnerable Tim who is dealing with his rape trauma and suden motherhood. Like how furious would the family be seeing Bruce trying to manipulate Tim when they find out. Lmao this is how you know I love Tim I like it when my favorite character are broken down

i know that fic!!! it took a bit of the day to track down because i know i read it!! i'm almost certain it's this one.

but yes i love that idea!!! i've been knocking around the sleeping beauty idea around too but they were only ever vague ideas but the one thing i really liked is your mention of twins because in the original sleeping beauty she did give birth to twins (and they were her father's children too bc he took advantage of his daughter while she was like that so that too fits so well).

for the red kryptonite au what i think occurs afterward depends almost entirely on bruce. now bruce here isn't so much 'evil' so much as he is a man that is mostly a slave to his desires. he's felt an attraction to tim for years. part of him shoved it down deep and hid it behind mostly hostile treatment so that he didn't have to acknowledge he felt this way- not only because it was inappropriate and went against everything he fought but also because it was unexplored territory and bruce doesn't like things he can't control. and what he couldn't control was how strong his attraction to tim was. but now bruce is in a unique situaiton.

his attraction is known and acknowledged, he's already acted on it in the worst way possible but also in a way where he does not carry any of the blame. no logical person could truly blame him because if he'd been himself he would've never acted on those feelings. YES he felt them and that was wrong, he knew that was wrong that's why he never did anything about them.

bruce knows how good it feels, knows he wants to feel it again but knows that his every move will be watched now because people are under no illusions about him and his continuing desire now.

add to the fact that tim is pregnant now. with his child. an opportunity that bruce has never had before and bruce has an incredibly strong devotion to family (his parents are prime examples of this). and while he may not recognize this or choose to ignore it, it's also opportunity a way to control tim from a distance because now they share something, something that ties them together.

even though he's pregnant and they know it was under horrible circumstances i don't think the family would elect to have an abortion performed on tim while he's catatonic because 1. tim's already had his bodily autonomy violated and while it pains them to let it proceed they kind of have to. 2. tim is not utterly incapable of making decisions nor is his catatonic state likely permanent so they can't make medical decisions for him. if he was in a coma? if he'd been left with damage to his brain enough that he could no longer make decisions regarding his health?

they just have to wait and hope that tim pulls through before the babies arrive.

bruce having both an obligation and duty to take responsibility for his actions (despite them not being wholly his own) are what essentially push tim into a space with him even if bruce isn't physically present.

tim's feeling on the other hand- he feels betrayed. he knows that bruce wasn't behind those actions but he also can't ignore how he was made to endure those events as a result of bruce's genuine feelings. if bruce wasn't...attracted to him in the first place none of this would've happened.

but them tim feels guilty for thinking that because it's not like it was obvious to him or anyone that bruce was harboring this secret. (but that's not true. not really because everyone knew bruce treated tim differently only now they know the reason behind it).

tim feels frustrated, lonely, agitated, and hurt because he feels like he is to blame for all of this (even though it's not true and dick or anyone would tell him that as well).

tim waking up out his fugue during childbirth would be traumatizing because he's hit with the overwhelming weight of everything all at once and now he's responsible for children he didn't ask for and who also didn't ask to be here. so tim is sort of..distant from them.

when he pulls himself together, enough to try and go see them he realizes that everyone else also feels awkward with the babies. they don't blame them necessarily and they don't hate them. but it's hard to ignore their origins.

come to find out bruce has been taking care of the babies this entire time. feeding them, washing them, changing them, playing with them, reading to them and tim just...

breaks down a little more because he's been unable to shake the bad thoughts about bruce but yet here he was taking care of tim's kids when he couldn't and...

tim's mind broken a little. there's little cracks in him and bruce...bruce isn't the greatest person in the world and he can see that maybe..just maybe he can make this easier on them both.

tim clearly needs support, he needs help and normally bruce wouldn't be the best option but no one else is really present to prevent it given they're trying to avoid his and tim's babies.

so bruce gets him. he gets him by showing him how to rock their children, how to hold them, how to kiss their full cheeks. how to love these beautfiul little things that they made together, created together.

tim latches onto bruce to keep his head above water, to teach him how to love these babies. and bruce does. and they grow closer and tim is maybe growing far too dependent on bruce given the circumstnaces.

and maybe eventually tim starts coming to bruce for company when he can't sleep. and they start talking and leaning on each other and bruce gets tim used to his touch, his hands, the sound of his voice.

and when they fuck again it's after three days of no sleep because both their children have colic and two people are just not enough.

they're echausted, they're drowsy. they can't fall asleep. bruce is going to go to the bathroom because jacking off sometimes help but tim doesn't want him to because bruce is so warm and its helping him relax and so to kepe him close tim just...parts his legs. lets his robe slip open grabs bruce's cock to line it up with his seam. tim has hardly touched himself, can't remember the last time he masturbated and as bruce fucks deep strokes into him tim can't even find himself to care about how wrong he should feel this is.

tim's already been fucked by his father so what did it matter. he was a person who got fucked by their dad and the whole family and some of the league knew it. but tim got to keep warm, bruce's thrusts rocked him to sleep and as hot cum filled him all he did was wiggle closer and murmur something about it being warm.

[allthemusic]

Week ending: 2nd August

Well, I'm excited about both of these songs, for completely different reasons. One's a returning favourite, and the other is covering a song I liked. On top of that, the second artist is also the literal antithesis of what I said last week about artists of this era having boring names. And I know that's not a predictor of good music, but I can't help but look forward to hearing what he sounds like, anyway. But first, Doris Day!

Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be Will Be) - Doris Day (peaked at Number 1)

You probably know this song. Even if you don't know the whole song it's from, you definitely know the chorus, or can at least quote the most iconic line. It's almost become just a proverb, a thing people say divorced entirely from the song, to the point where I can use it as a mnemonic when teaching the French future tense stem for être, and my kids - most of whom will not know it is from a Doris Day song - will nod along in recognition. Which really does show just how iconic the title line is.

It's framed first as an answer from a mother to a daughter, a piece of vaugely-existential parental wisdom. The daughter asks What will I be, / Will I be pretty, / Will I be rich? to which her mother responds: Que sera, sera / Whatever will be, will be / The future's not ours to see / Que sera, sera. It's a sort of shrug, a zen acceptance of an uncertain future.

Interestingly to possibly just me, it's not in any real language, but rather it's a word-for-word mistranslation of the English "What will be, will be" in something vaguely Romance-language-y. If you wanted a more accurate verison, the French would be "Ce que sera, sera", the Spanish would apparently be "Lo que será, será" and the Italian would be "Quel che sarà sarà". None of which scan half as well, so I'm not too mad here. Also, apparently it's been used in this form in English as a heraldic motto since the 16th century, and appeared in both Marlowe's Doctor Faustus and Charles Dickens' Hard Times. So it's got antecedents that also help it to work here!

Anyway, at this point, we move from Doris as a girl asking her mother about the future, to Doris asking her sweetheart What lies ahead? Will we have rainbows day after day? and getting the same response, and then we get another time skip, to Doris telling her own children the same thing, passing on her mother's wisdom. I like the way that the passage of time is shown in it, and the way that Doris' life has clearly progressed, despite not being able to tell the future - whatever ended up lying ahead, she's clearly done fine for herself!

The whole thing's very well packaged. Doris' vocals have all their usual warmth and charm, and there's a sort of smile in her voice as she sings the chorus, accompanied by these plinky, folksy mandolins, an oom-pah bassline, and at one point a music box, all of which gives the whole thing the feel of a folk tune, or a lullaby, with this sort of gently rollicking waltz time, and enough repetition that by the end of it you absolutely know the tune, even if it's your first time listening. It feels like a song that was made to be timeless, and to stick in people's brains.

I imagined, with this in mind, that this was from a musical, perhaps, or just an original song - but no, this is from a Hitchcock film, The Man Who Knew Too Much, a remake of Hitchcock's own 1934 film by the same name. Unexpectedly, at least to me, it sounds like quite a gritty film, a mystery thriller about a singer and her husband whose child is kidnapped on holiday in Morocco, leading her at the climax to sing this song as a cue to him, even as his kidnapper prepares to murder him. A reluctant accomplice encourages him to whistle along, at which point he's found and not killed. Which is... way darker than I expected, and also much less relevant to the plot of this song. Huh.

For its role in the film, this song apparently won the Oscar for Best Original Song. And fair enough, it's super catchy and sounds like it was used very dramatically.

The Wayward Wind - Tex Ritter (8)

What a cool name! Tex Ritter sounds like a cartoon cowboy, and his voice and this song in particular really does fit with that vibe. I liked it when it was Gogi Grant singing, but there's something about Tex's deep, melancholy voice that really works here. It feels like a Western, in the best possible way. I particularly love the country twang on lines like the one about my wanderin' ways. It's charming.

I also like the change of perspective. While Gogi was singing about her lover's compulsion to roam, carefully downplaying her own heartbreak in favour of explaining why he was like that, and how tragic the overall situation was. Which was interesting in its own way, but having it be the singer who's compelled to wander feels like a more obvious move, and it leads to this interesting moment where Tex leaves his girl in her little border town and is forces to recognise the hurt he caused by doing so, explaining how Tho' I tried my best to settle down / She's now alone with a broken heart.

It's a classy move, adding a touch of ambiguity to his character - Tex carefully never tries to sound too broken up about it, even as he more clearly realises the heartbreak that he's caused. He knows he's hurt his girl, but he's quite matter of fact about it, and at the end of the day, he's the one who callously abandoned his love, and is now making excuses about how his childhood means he's simply not able to settle down. It's in his genes! But... is it really, Tex, or is that an excuse you're telling yourself?

There are lots of little touches in all of this that keep me listening and enjoying the song, from the harmonica moments and the horn that occasionally cuts through, to the little vocal tricks and hiccups Tex throws in, to the backing singers, who I'd normally find irritating, but they kind of work, here. Plus, there's that final, incredibly deep line as Tex repeats that he was next of kin to The wayward winnnnnnnnd. Which is a trope that's as fun as it is cheesy.

This is going to be hard one! I thought for sure going into this that Doris would be a shoo-in, given how much I like most of what she does. And she is indeed lovely here, as ever. But honestly, while I can really appreciate the craft that's gone into Que Sera, Sera, I don't think I actually like it that much? I don't dislike it, or anything, but there's something about its faux-folksiness and relentless return to its chorus that leaves me a bit cold, even as they make it iconic.

Favourite song of the bunch: The Wayward Wind

[mirceakitsune]

I do NOT justify what I think, feel, or create to anyone

I want to make something clear in very direct words for today's cult of a society: I do NOT justify myself for what I think what I feel or what I create, especially not under pressure or under threat. I need no thought passport from and for anyone: I owe no information or explanation to any individual or platform or government, especially because some twisted minds think certain content has special meaning associated with remote harms in their paranoid minds. I can draw or render whatever perfectly normal or completely crazy thing I want if I feel like it, I can freely share what I think feel or make with whoever I want, I can be whoever I want and was born being… you own nobody and the rights to their mind, period.

I have no obligation to trust anybody I don't feel like trusting… particularly not anyone who's looking to take away my rights and freedom, especially corrupt oligarchs now playing the role of popes while hailed as saviors by the very people they're ripping off. I don't need to know or care how your mental triggers work: I don't have nor comprehend them, I can see an image of the most horrible stuff and just scroll past it. I respect that some don't work this way and are more affected by what they put their eyes on, until the moment their sensitivity threatens my right to exist as a being with individual thoughts and creative freedom: If one's "empathy" and diseased complex thinking spiral to the point of going crazed tyrant, it's time for some spirits to be crushed and desensitized in tears, because the rest of us aren't going to live in a hell of angry authoritarian children harassing us everywhere we go because some have too many feelings and can't keep it to themselves! At that point fuck feelings, you're gonna be made into a man sonny: Here's your ticket to Ukraine for treatment soldier, go shove your nose up a few dead bodies scattered on the streets till your empathic condition has been cured.

I'm sickened by the way complete strangers, including the owners of large services or politicians to the comedy of it all, address me as if they're my parents / brothers / children and entitled to my trust whereas I'm obliged to understand their culture. I'm sorry but what hole in the ground did those people crawl from and who the fuck are you? I don't even know you nor need to, at this point I actively don't want to nor want anything to do with your demented world! You think just because I exist I need to be in line with your choir and part of some fashion, be it far-left or far-right or any other woke trash I need to pick from the official lists of ideologies? I feel and believe only what I personally experienced, which was rather isolated from society and other people thank goodness for that! if you think using every direct or indirect method imaginable to endlessly harass and control and interrogate me is going to change that, you're upping what you see here every single time.

My only obligation in this shit world is to not practically and realistically harm others: No going out on the streets mugging or pick-pocketing folks to steal their belongings, no kidnapping punching stabbing shooting poisoning or creepily touching people, and as far as the internet goes no hacking of accounts or making bomb threats… the list goes on for similar common sense stuff. Those clearly justified things are the only actual obligations me and everyone else have: Beyond this we have zero! I'm not obliged to understand anyone's culture and whatever struggle for the "common good" (WTF) they feel I need to be involved in… in turn you aren't obliged to understand me, in fact I actively want people to not truly understand me as any info they have can be used against me by the enemy.

This is an issue of concept and principle, something I know few people these days have instead of wrongly thinking they do: I will be up in arms over it even if it's things I'm not into or downright dislike. Stuff like toddler / very young cub porn is in fact on that list, not to mention death or gore which fuck that shit: It's really not my thing if I'm being completely honest… yet I will defend it too to the death, because just as they can judge and attack those that like it so can their judgmental mind turn against me if the random paranoia already in their brain ever gets rewired, and I'm not gonna play around with monkey brains to find out how this shit works just so I can briefly imagine "maybe I won't be next on the list".

Thing is that the more people try to stop me or interrogate me over things I normally wouldn't even think about if I didn't hear them from others, the more it makes me want to create those things just to spite them. I'm starting to feel that if I don't make my art offensive toward whatever is in fashion today I'm wasting the effort, this doctrine shit actually pushed me into feeling like that. Which sucks because I wish I could at least just focus on what I truly like doing… but hey, if even thoughts are a weapon in some medieval ideological war to you, may as well mix them up and play along a bit!

To sum it up: If I feel like it I can draw swastika dick monsters wearing a "black face" yelling the holocaust never happened while fucking 7 babies and their parents at once: Don't look if you don't like it, none of your or the world's business ootherwise. Capiche?! Of course I likely won't draw that in particular as it's seriously not my thing, plus I don't want the simpletons thinking it must be something I truly believe if I made a drawing about it… that's just to say it is my right to create whatever insanity I'd want free of your hateful judgment.

Was going to talk about the shithole Patreon and more have been turning into, but I ended up writing this instead so best left for another time if still necessary. Just yeah; I've more than reached the end of my rope with whatever alien society is out there beyond my bedroom window… if there's no way we can let each other exist any longer, best I don't speculate.

[thehappiestgolucky]

Did. Did all the characters have baby shenanagains in mer AU?

(Mostly asking because baby Quirrel has legs, he can probably get into places only Herrah can get to! Hornet as a chaos child is amazing and adorable, and Tiso being the tame one by comparison is amazing.)

On that note, do the Dreamers know each other before Quirrel gets found? Because a "first" meeting with Herrah would be a lot sadder on her part because this guy looks almost exactly like an older version of her friend's missing kid. And later it would be a case of "Oh shit how didn't I notice."

Also, I'm just imagining Quirrel being a famous kidnapping story and him showing up again would just set conspiracy theorists wild. So when Tiso reintroduces him to Xero and Markoth they have that extra level of "oh shit. He's gonna be eaten alive by the conspiracy nuts" to go along with the whole merman that can't swim problem.

Also early while relearning to swim, probably: Quirrel moves an arm while talking to someone, and then gets gently course corrected after he begins to spin/flip.

Sorry about the topic jumping just. Merms good.

You just opened the can of worms of me just doodling the merms when they were babs. Also just kinda showing my merm parent ideas. Allow me to ramble.

Merfolk can be born in different ways depending on what species the other half is, for example Tiso and Quirrel. Tiso being a dolphin was a live birth kid, whilst Quirrel hatched from an egg - with Quirrel thus being smaller and having a quicker growth from baby to toddler compared to Tiso. It’s a little fact, but it’s a fun one. Merfolk parents also have multiple ways to carry their kids. One of the most commons ways is a seaweed or equivalent sash to carry the child around the chest - basically a merfolk baby holder. Usually it’s used when the parent needs to do a lot of activity or swimming a fair distance - as it reduces the risks of the child getting lost. For bigger families, usually a hand holding chain is used. The better swimmers the child becomes, the less risk of losing them. Disabled merfolk usually stick with holding hands with a trusted person, or ocean creatures that got trained (think guide dogs but like - ocean).

For baby shenanigans? Merfolk children have just as much energy as human kids do, and one of the ways they expend that energy whilst staying a safe distance near their parent is to swim in rings around them, which naturally is easier when the parents are larger than the children. Normally that’s the case, then there’s Marmu “Am whale baby” and Xero “Am dolphin dad”. Still happens, just a little sillier. Merfolk children with predatory species, like Hornet being a ghost shark, also have hunting instincts and shenanigans, like stalking and leaping at a stray bit of seaweed to practice hunting or constantly nomming on things to stimulate their need to bite. Practicing hunting small game is very good for these subspecies (or whatever word describes the merfolk of predatory species) and actively encouraged even if the parents aren’t carnivorous. The same goes the other way around, as in parents of herbivores or merkids that prefer plants overall, they are encouraged to actively show and help with those diets.

Little Quirrel could easily get lost in crevices if it wasn’t for vigilant mama. (Make no mistake. Baby Tiso was absolutely chaotic. Tiso is chaotic but in a different way from when was small)

Interesting ask! Yes I like to think all the Dreamers were acquainted to one another. I think Monomon was friends with both Herrah and Lurien, but Herrah and Lurien themselves are only acquaintances to one another. My friend and I joked about how Monomon zoomed to Lurien to ask him about names for Quirrel when he hatched because look her babyyyyyy!! Herrah did most likely meet Quirrel, and I’m sure hearing that he went missing was sad since Monomon, personally, feels like a person who masks her upset to not let it bother others. Her baby went missing :(

Also that’s, an interesting point actually. I think to go about it is that only few bad apples amongst the conspiracy nuts actually try to bother Tiso and Quirrel out in public. Most probably talk amongst themselves about it all. I’m sure there’s some unfounded rumours about “oh how convenient he brought back his boyfriend who happens to be this missing merman” “was he ever missing? was it a way to escape??” and stuff like that. Thanks to bug fam, the bad apples that try to bother them get scared away real quickly either by Tiso or Quirrel putting their foot down, or by Hunter, Mato, Hornet, Bugdessa and Ghost just basically getting them to leave. The latter three being kids unafraid to stab others for bothering their dads >:T. But yeah, it’s a reasonable fear for Xero and Markoth to have considering it is rather wild. God forbid when the human group starts making an appearance djdkfnskdj.

Personally Tiso and Quirrel would like to stop being bothered about the nature of their relationship. They’re just boyfriends and the whole being missing thing does not affect that thanks-

Also lovely image. Help he’s speening-

[leggerefiore]

everyone's talking about yanderes and kidnapping and toxic twitter fans and can i just request some nice normal wholesome headcanons of emmet and ingo playing and bonding with their kids??? fucked up train men kidnapping you and tying you up is sexy and all but you know what's even sexier??? two well-adjusted men with a healthy relationship with both their spouses and their children

anon i'm on kick rn... u'll get ur fluffy train men, but at the cost of terrible grammar (so the usual) and it just being some imagines because i am a bit wiped on hcs atm.

Ingo showing his son the driver's area who just stands there gaping. He eventually begs his dad to let him drive it, who gives a firm no. Not until he's been properly trained. Ingo lets out a small chuckle at his pun while his son joins him. The older twin does, however, let him wear his hat and yell 'all abroad'. The sheer volume of his kid makes him proud. Truly, he is Ingo's offspring.

He also gifts him a baby Litwick. It's a big responsibility, certainly, but his son is so much alike him that he trusts this task in his careful hands. The candle pokemon is immediately hugged by the small boy, who tears up and thanks Ingo over and over again. His son may have no interest in being a trainer, but he's ever grateful that the boy is willing to handle pokemon.

Litwick is seen cuddling him throughout the home, deeply attached. No one dares bully him, knowing that the terrifying trainer Ingo is his father. Though, the do politely ask him to stop describing different types of train cars and their functions. This upsets him deeply. Ingo and Emmet both sit down and nod at his descriptions to cheer him up, despite already having this information present in their brains. They clap and Ingo yells a 'bravo!' which makes his son blush.

Ingo 100% has dressed his son in some of his clothes he kept from when he was younger and taken more photos the necessary because he found him so adorable. His child(ren) are the most precious thing to him alongside his brother and his partner. He refuses to miss a single thing when it comes to them. He still does occasionally, but feels awful the entire time.

Emmet's daughters have no interest in trains and keep harassing him for battles. He shows them no mercy, seeing their potential. They often pop up separately on his Super Line or together on the Super Multi Line to challenge him and Ingo. It's always evenly matched, and he loves it. His children love battling just as much as he does, and his competitive spirit clearly was inherited by them.

He gifts them a Joltik each, but only one of them actually trained theirs. The other kept the electric spider as a pet and companion. He was a bit saddened by this, having bred both to be perfect for competitive battling, but he can't very well make them use what they don't want to. He is verrrrry happy to see her Joltik scuttle about with a cute accessory attached onto them. He giggles when they steal a battery before running back her.

It came as no surprise when that daughter came to him with big eyes, telling him of her plans to become a contest star with the Joltik he had gifted her. While he may not of had that in mind when breeding for them, he is excited to see a new use for his beloved bug types. He helps her pick out an outfit, practise poses, and for interviews. By the end, she feels properly trained to tackle a contest. If only they had any in Unova. She cries for a week, and he brings he sweets in a desperate attempt to cheer her up.

The other is determined to become champion of Unova and is constantly wondering around debating battle strategies and teams. Emmet helps her along, finding her passion endearing. She's constantly bouncing ideas off him and battling him whenever he's available to test them out. Eventually, she declares that she is going to take on the gym challenge. Emmet cheers her on as she goes through each town. You know he brought Ingo, her sister, her other parent, Elesa, and her cousin to support her as she finally reaches the elite four. It's a bit embarrassing for her to see her entire family watching her, but she's happy to show off just how powerful the Joltik, now Galvantula, her father had gifted her had become.