#i hate god etc etc

[benderbendingrodriguez]

not been a good day today fellas

[felrija]

Ghoap

They're alive and well

[strrwbrrryjam]

"we need more complex female characters," you guys can't handle molly o'shea, mary gillis, abigail roberts, sadie adler, tilly jackson, marybeth gaskill, karen jones or susan grimshaw.

[volcanicsleep]

i've been havin' mega hard art block the past month hsdajidbsi, but i managed this which is nice

[kerink]

idk man. personally i'm against human suffering and torturous, miserable deaths. i'm against the idea of spending 4 days locked in a tube without food or water, having to shit and piss yourself, unable to move or stand up, all the fighting and sobbing, a father cradling his son. i think it's terrifying and miserable and i hope they get found alive and get the help they need and this company is brought to justice.

i know the people involved are the elite and have likely caused human suffering on their quest for power. but the thing is... that's one of the things that separates the working class from the bougie... the working class care about the suffering of others.

i think this death would be poetic, and ironic. but i don't think it would change anything. the elite won't understand, they won't apply this experience of suffering to the suffering they cause their workers. they won't understand the irony of ecotourism causing a torturous death and parallel that to climate change. the won't see this as another example of elites trampling over mass graves for clout. they aren't going to take a global perspective.

these people will die miserable and tortured and afraid, the company may face legal and financial backlash, and that's all that's going to happen. and if they survive, the odds of any of these people using their power and fame to help others, to end their own questionable business practices and help others with mental health issues is such a small chance.

i hate watching people make jokes and laugh. these are human beings. you can see the irony in it, you can write essays about how this is another example of something rich white people have been doing for centuries. i understand and i think that's helpful and worthwhile!

but the number of posts i've seen cheering for these people to die is a lot. the number of memes and jokes i've seen is a lot. it's hard to look at sometimes.

[jade-len]

you know it's bad when i read svsss and tgcf, stories about just two guys falling in love and getting together, and think, "god i wish i were in between them."

gay little domestic cottage core life with binghe and qingqiu? please and thank you. being sandwiched by hua cheng and xie lian, two pretty men who are hundreds of years old? i am blushing, kicking my feet and giggling

and again, it's not even that i would want only one of them. like in both of the relationships, the two love each other too much to the point it'd feel wrong if they were separated! it wouldn't feel complete, so you gotta be with both of them!

but that's the thing; i just?? i feel so incredibly guilty whenever i think about being loved by these mxtx couples??? like it's so stupid but i feel like i'm intruding in on something and it's like, everyone else seems to just want them together only, not wanna be with them. like it's fuckin taboo or whatever

i feel like with any other character from any other media it'd be fine to simp for and write/read x readers of them, but when it comes to these books, it's off limits! no way, what are you, crazy? yes, yes i'm unhinged and desperately want their love and affection simultaneously. i want to be in a happy little poly relationship with these overpowered beautiful men with long hair.

i can't be the only guy or whoever to feel this way?? to wanna be kissed by these characters? sandwiched?? i have two hands for christ sake and they all look so happy together and im just like "lord i wanna be with them so much". someone tell me i'm not alone cmon <\3

[crimeronan]

i swear to god i've seen an exactly equivalent number of posts recently with the premises "it's gross to talk so much about how you wanna fuck trans people, can't you be normal about people you don't wanna fuck" and "it's gross to act like trans people are unfuckable and that we're only attractive as a fetish, actually i'm a girl with a great dick and it's fine" & i'm like. rubs my eyes. maybe the truth is that human experience is varied and different people wish to be desired/perceived/discussed in different ways and what's validating to one person feels yucky to another. maybe if someone's form of validation isn't for you then you don't need to immediately assume the worst faith possible interpretation of their words. i mean this in the most constructive way possible bc i do this too and i frequently look back at assumptions i made and realize i'm insane. Just Because It Felt Bad To You Doesn't Mean It Feels Bad To Everyone.

[inchidentally]

Can we talk about the little guilty look to Oscar when Lando said "that was never planned" about Australia? That is so cute. I'm like you I never expected they were close enough yet to randomly meet up during the break. I think Oscar was already gone then? But so adorable how Lando felt a little guilty anyway.

no I know !! he said that entire segment about Australia to Oscar instead of Lawrence and I loved Oscar's little nods when Lando said "that was never planned" ;__; then the whole overly explaining why he made the spontaneous trip like baby boy Oscar doesn't mind that you visited your good friend of like three or four years and not him <3<3

and yes, Nicole tweeted abt the dog missing him and Oscar had already flown back to the UK!

and like just to clarify !! this is all intended as a joke and lighthearted please dear god no more hating on men who have literal gfs over this one 48h trip etc etc

[hajihiko]

imo i read chihiro as like. fuyuhiko’s childhood crush (they’re teens but still) that people totally still point out. they poke his cheeks and make fun of him <3

Fuyuhiko will see a soft gentle nerdy gamegrl and say is anyone gonna go red in the face over that and not wait for an answer

[kaladinkholins]

BRB thinking thoughts about Taigen's character, the TaiMizu ship, and a big chunk of fandom's perceptions regarding both those things.

(Inspired by @farintonorth's post related to this topic that just got my brain going brrrrr)

OK so let me just... start off by saying that I think that reducing stories to their tropes is seriously detrimental to the way some people are interacting with fiction, and while that honestly warrants its own post about the subject, I wanna talk specifically about how this affects the way some people in the fandom talk about Taigen and TaiMizu.

Because yeah, tropes are useful shorthand to refer to certain dynamics or archetypes etc, and they are indeed the building blocks to any story. But in a well-written story, characters and their relationships, actions, and motivations, are much more complex than just tropes. Because in a story that has characters who are more than just cardboard cutouts, their behaviours, backgrounds, motivations and all of that, are inseparable from the context of the overall story they exist in.

So like, sure, you can say Mizu and Taigen have an enemies-to-lovers or rivals-to-lovers dynamic. I also use those terms because it's easier. But I also think this is where things start to get a bit twisted, especially from an intertextual sense. Because "enemies-to-lovers" is also commonly used to refer to other ships in other media, whereby it tends to be rooted in an imbalanced power dynamic, such as oppressor-oppressed and bully-victim.

And while that's a whole can of worms that I won't be getting into because it can quickly derail into a whole separate sort of fandom discourse, I'd just like to make it clear that Mizu and Taigen, in particular, do not have an imbalanced power dynamic. They are not bully-victim or oppressor-oppressed. The only understandable reason why someone might actually think their relationship is imbalanced is if

A) they only watched the first episode, or

B) they cannot grasp the slightest bit of nuance in a character, or

C) they're being obtuse on purpose simply because the Mizu/Taigen relationship, or Taigen's character in general, just doesn't suit their tastes.

While yes, Taigen, along with his whole gang, had bullied Mizu when they were children, that dynamic does not exist between them whatsoever in adulthood. Whatever imbalanced bully-victim power dynamic that had once existed between them was decisively ripped apart the moment Mizu beat him in that duel in the dojo, and then completely obliterated by the end of the season.

Mizu is not a defenseless victim at Taigen's mercy. Mizu can beat Taigen's ass any time she wants (and she DOES, repeatedly in fact), and could even kill him if she felt like it. She taunts him openly and without fear ("I like your hair"; "I can beat you with any weapon you choose") and all he does is bark back, because that's pretty much all Taigen ever does. Time and time again, he yaps about how much he wants to kill her, but time and time again, his actions prove that all of it is just an empty threat. Because though his words say "I hate you", his actions demonstrate the complete opposite. He's shown how protective he is of Mizu, how unhesitatingly he sacrifices himself up for her, how loyal he is in enduring days-long torture to not give up information about her, how even when near-death and in pain, he's still willing to keep standing back up so he can fight by her side and help her win against her enemies.

And Mizu is not an idiot! She sees that too. She does not see him as a threat, an enemy, or even a bully. Especially not by the end of Episode 3, and definitely not by the end of the season. When she finds him in the dungeon in Episode 6, she smiles from relief, and doesn't think twice to take him with her. Mizu finds him, at best, an annoyance, or at worst, an infuriating hindrance on her quest for vengeance. Which is why, when Taigen is about to say, "It's a shame our duel's set for tomorrow; I have to kill you before you get your revenge," Mizu whacks him on the head without a second thought before he can even finish his sentence, and leaves him lying unconscious, face-down, in the snow.

And this further emphasises how he does not hold any power over her. There is no abusive power dynamic between them. She is more powerful than him, he knows this, and all he's ever done after they've met up again in adulthood is get his ass whooped by her, get mad about it and pester her and follow her around, get his ass whooped by her some more, and put his life on the line to protect her.

"OOoooOOoooH b-but he called her a demon at the end of Episode 7 and threatened to kill her again!!!" Oh my god. He called her that because he's calling her out on her selfishness to stay silent about her knowledge of Fowler's plans to attack Edo. Because to him, loyalty and honour as a samurai is more important than anything. So in his own brash-and-immature Taigen way, he felt betrayed that Mizu did not hold the same principles. That's why he got angry. He wasn't even that mad about letting Akemi get dragged off by the Tokunobu guards. It was about saving the Shogun and the Shogunate as a whole. That's why the first thing he does in Edo is not find Akemi, but try to warn the Shogun about Fowler's attack.

Look, I'm not defending his stupid ass, of course. Because calling her a demon especially after their cute little wrestling time was obviously rude and inappropriate, especially since words like "demon", "monster" and "Onryo" have had such a deep effect on Mizu throughout her life, and continue to contribute to her self-hatred. But like? That's the fun of realistic and flawed characters, and realistic and flawed relationships. They're not perfect, and it's why we as an audience root for them, wanting to see them work through their shit and find a way to prevail despite it all.

Also, him saying that was in the heat of the moment. He was angry, he felt like his initial belief of who Mizu was—a strong and loyal samurai, just like him—was shattered, and so he lashed out. Was it rude? Definitely. Was it immature of him? Yes, incredibly. But it's also very much in line with his character, because even though he's grown a lot over the course of the season, the show isn't over yet, so obviously his character arc is just beginning, as that is also the case for the other three main characters: Mizu is beginning to accept herself, Akemi is beginning to grow into her position of power, Ringo beginning to train under Master Eiji, while Taigen is beginning to simply be a better person.

On that note, when speaking of Taigen's immaturity, I think that's also one of the main things that people tend to gloss over when it comes to his character. Because when you boil everything down to its bare essentials, Taigen is, essentially, a boy. I've talked about this before, but to reiterate, Taigen very much behaves like an unhealed child. Even as an adult, he is insecure, prone to throwing tantrums, and is desperate to latch onto some material goal in hopes that it will make him feel better—initially he was chasing status/glory/greatness, and then when Mizu tells him that "Nothing comes from being a samurai but death," he immediately decides he wants to run away with Akemi in hopes that he will be happy.

And it's a big step, acknowledging that he doesn't truly want greatness, but had always just assumed it was his only path to a good life. But it's clear he still hasn't really figured it out. Because if he did run off with Akemi to get married and live in the countryside, he still wouldn't be happy. Because he still doesn't know who he really is, or what it is he really wants. Marriage at this moment is the last thing he needs, and as he is now, he would be a pretty awful husband. A simple life would be good for him, but would he be good at a simple life, when he still has so much he needs to work through?

So anyway, what I'm getting at here, is that he's trying and he is learning and growing. So yeah, he is flawed, but honestly? So is Mizu. And the funny thing is that they're flawed in very similar ways.

Because Mizu is also an unhealed child. That's why she's so angry all the time. That's why she pushes people away. That's why she, just like Taigen, is so happy when given the chance to playfully wrestle in the forge, laughing and rolling around like children without shame or pretense.

Again, this shows there is no imbalance between them. They had grown up together as peers from the same town. And while Taigen had had the upper hand back then, because he'd had a gang of other kids with him, that is definitely not the case anymore. Today, they are equally flawed, equally strong, equally skilled swordsmen, and equally bull-headed.

However, yes, Mizu is definitely leagues more mature than Taigen. But she still holds a lot of childhood wounds that mirror Taigen's own. And we see this especially in relation to her mother. Similar to Taigen who had an abusive and alcoholic father, Mizu's Mama was an opium addict and had hit her, berated her, had shaved her head without her consent as a child, and as an adult, had constantly emotionally manipulated and guilt-tripped her. Mizu's love for her Mama was what had driven her to a path of vengeance in the very beginning. And when she'd found out Mama was still alive, she had wanted nothing more than her Mama's love, and it was this alone that pushed her to agree to the marriage with Mikio in the first place. And now, knowing from Fowler that her birth mother is someone else entirely, is what makes her agree to keep him alive and haul his ass to London to seek answers.

Thus, integral to Mizu's self-hatred is also Mizu's intense longing for love and family. Just like Taigen, whose pompousness comes from his insecurity about being the son of a poor fisherman, Mizu's goals are also shaped by who her parents are. Remember, her vengeance is not against just anyone who's corrupt or evil, but specifically against the men who she believes had assaulted her mother, the men she believes had made her a monster, the men she believes had abandoned her to die and continue to try to kill her. Her vengeance is against a father, on behalf of a mother. In The Tale of the Ronin and the Bride, Mizu is not merely the Ronin, the Bride, or the Onryo, but also the Child.

This is also why Ringo is so good, not only for Mizu, but for Taigen as well. Ringo is wise and caring and considerate, but above all, he is in tune with his inner child in ways that Mizu and Taigen are not. He is always earnest and positive, he sees the world with childlike wonder, but is not naive or blind to its ugliness. His whole life has been a battle. Ringo brings out the best in Mizu, consistently acting as her moral compass and conscience, and Mizu's choice to save Akemi in the final episode is only because she promised Ringo that she would. Because it's the right thing to do. Ringo inspires her to be a better person, and to think outside of her narrow-minded goal of revenge. At the same time, Ringo also brings out the best in Taigen. While at first Taigen had looked down on both Mizu and Ringo ("Half-limb to a half-wit"), by the end of the season, he's proud to have Ringo as a friend and ally, he listens to Ringo's advice ("What would Master do?"), and asserts to the fucking Shogun that Ringo is a worthy warrior to have by his side.

Okay, I've gone on a bit of a tangent here, but my main point is that Mizu and Taigen are incredibly similar. They are equals. They are both flawed, unhealed children who are chasing some impossible outlandish goal in hopes that it will fill the void in their hearts. They also both have a long way to go in terms of character development if they were to ever build a healthy romantic relationship (either with each other, or even with anyone else). So while I believe things will be rocky (because duh, it's a story, we all live for the drama, etc), I think with Ringo's help, they'll get there eventually.

[moonshynecybin]

What kind of kinks would rosquez be into post reconciliation, cause it can’t be the same as pre divorce because of Marc’s injuries and vales getting older. And does it make Marc anxious that he can’t do the same things he used to cause he thinks vale will need that but vale reassures him that it’s okay the way they do it now.

every time i get asked one of these it activates my goofy brain instead of my horny brain and i come down on the side of campy roleplay. like they can’t act AT ALL but they love being silly and dramatic so i think it’s a healthy way to exercise tension and keep things horrendously horny and deeply embarrassing (their wheelhouse) especially post arm injury when vale is retired and still relatively busy but he’s like. living that wag life too.​ vale showing up at his motorhome with a pizza like did anyone order a LARGE SAUSAGE?? and marc falling over laughing type stuff

so it’s like. marc “pulling vale over” to give him a “ticket” and then vale hitting him with a big charming i am valentino rossi lecherous smile like. you look like you’d rather i use those handcuffs on you :) and then they fuck in vale’s car on the side of the road and vale spends the wholeeee time whispering to marc (NOTED maturity tell me i’m good weirdo) about how people are gonna see him and they’re gonna KNOW he’s a slut and then they’re gonna TAKE HIS BADGEEE. it’s about like. being corrupted for marc and leftover teen-who-got-pulled-over a bunch rebellion for vale like it WORKS for both of them…

and it’s ALSO marc pretending to be a FAN going up to him in the bar asking for his autograph which feels NASTY DIRTY to him liek truly the MOST illicit thing in the wolrdddddd…. it’s slightly to the left of a fantasy from when he was a teen BUT he was a prodigy during those years so he thought he would be a rider AS WELL in those fantasies… so for him to come to vale pretending to be a nonracer is like. SO transgressive and horny 2 him… would you still love me if i was a worm type shit. bolsters both of their egos in different ways… and then when vale takes him home (after he WORKS him over in the bar bathroom) he signs marc’s tits with permanent marker (and then ***** ** ** !!!!)

[aulerean]

Luxray ⭐️

[hippolotamus]

Fuck it Friday 🌻

tagged by @thewolvesof1998 @daffi-990 (do yourself a favor and visit their FIF posts. promise you won't regret it)

no pressure tagging @disasterbuckdiaz @ladydorian05 @wikiangela @malewifediaz @shortsighted-owl @eddiebabygirldiaz @stereopticons @elvensorceress @giddyupbuck @monsterrae1 @spagheddiediaz @spotsandsocks @chaosandwolves @wildlife4life @heartshapedvows @loserdiaz @your-catfish-friend @statueinthestone @buddierights @911onabc @hoodie-buck @the-likesofus @fionaswhvre @barbiediaz @eowon @honestlydarkprincess @spaceprincessem @pirrusstuff @jesuisici33 @steadfastsaturnsrings @watchyourbuck @weewootruck @exhuastedpigeon @underwater-ninja-13 @messyhairdiaz @gayedmundodiaz and anyone else who wants to

so i kinda got this idea. it's more than likely going to the backburner for a while (i have got to finish the stuff i already started) anyway, i came across this post that was adorable af (some screenshots below)

brain said 'huh. what if a young Eddie wants to take young Evan on a date? and then gets shamed for it. because of course he does. and then Eddie has to work through all his crap as an adult so he can then ask Buck on a date?' so i'm dumping what i have under the cut. mwah!

Eddie sits on the end of his parent’s bed, kicking his bare feet in time with a song only he can hear. He can’t remember the name, only the basic rhythm that his music teacher, Ms. Hughes, taught them. 

Tap Tap Thump! Tap Tap Thump! 

The wooden footboard is starting to bother his heels, turning them a faint red, but he continues tap-thumping along, not ready to stop just yet. It keeps him busy while his mama gets ready for a night out with Papa.

“What do you think, Eddito?” She asks, meeting his gaze in her vanity mirror.

She holds up two different earrings. One is tiny, barely visible between her fingers except for the way it sparkles in the light. The other is bigger, in a sort of loop shape with a jade stone at the bottom that matches her green dress. He thinks she looks pretty with both of them, but he remembers his dad boasting about the tiny one being a real diamond. Eddie’s not sure what that means. It seems important though if the way Papa looked was any indication.

Papa was so proud when he gave them to her after his last business trip, practically beaming. Mama wasn’t quite as pleased. Not like she was when Eddie and Sophia gave her the jade pair for Christmas. Maybe she was just tired that day? She usually is when Papa goes away for work. 

“The sparkly ones,” he tells her confidently. If Papa knows Eddie helped choose them for tonight, maybe it’ll help him earn some extra time for catch tomorrow. 

Eddie’s been extra helpful this week, helping Mama look after Sophia, setting the table, and dusting around the house before his dad came back from Houston. Hopefully Mama will mention that, too. He might only be nine but he’s getting bigger all the time (Abuela tells him so) and can do a lot more things than his little sister.  

“Thank you, mijo.” She tucks her long hair behind her ears so she can put the earrings in. 

He rearranges himself on the bed so he’s on his belly with elbows bent, chin resting on his open palms. His feet automatically restart their rhythmic drumming. 

Mama picks a lipstick and carefully swipes the brilliant red across her lips. She pinches them together a few times before she’s satisfied, swapping the small tube for a square container and something that looks like a funny, fluffy paint brush. He watches her swirl the brush and lift it to her cheeks, tinting them a dusky pink. 

“Where are you and Papa going?” 

“Out for dinner at a nice restaurant. Maybe some dancing.”

“Why?” He asks, not particularly sure why he suddenly wants to know. Tia Pepa is babysitting tonight, which means a bowl of ice cream neither of them will ever admit to while they watch telenovelas.

“He’s been traveling and it’s a nice way to celebrate when he comes home.”

“Because, Edmundo.” Papa glides through the doorway, like he was waiting for the perfect moment, stopping to stand behind Mama. “You’ll figure this out when you’re older, but date nights are key to keeping everyone happy. Especially your mother.” 

He tilts her chin up, leaning down for a kiss. Gross. 

“Ramon,” she scolds. “Now I have to fix my lipstick.” 

Papa sighs playfully. He turns to Eddie, shrugging as if to ask what are you going to do?

“So a date is just going out to a fancy restaurant? For no reason?” Eddie muses aloud. The whole thing sounds a little boring and undeserving of a special title. 

“It can be,” Mama says. “Or it can be some other activity. People go out just because and for meaningful days, too, like an anniversary or birthday. As long as you’re with someone special, it can be whatever you decide.”

Oh. Well that changes things. 

“Like laser tag and pizza?” 

“Sure,” Papa answers with a chuckle while he digs through a dresser drawer. 

An idea begins to form in his brain. His best friend in the whole world, Evan, is moving at the end of the summer, just weeks away. Evan and his sister, Maddie, have lived next door as long as he can remember. He and Eddie do everything together. Other than his family, there’s nobody more special than Evan.

[stunfiskz]

[gothicayomi]