churchydragon · 5 days ago
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"apparently it's hinted somewhere that Jimmy stopped taking anti-psychotics at some point-" okay sure but that doesn't change the fact that he raped Anya and when he couldn't find the gun to kill her decided to crash the ship and it definitely doesn't change the fact that I hate his guts. Don't make excuses for him.
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curiouschaosstarlight · 3 months ago
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Bit of a random post, but I think one of the worst things about having a brain (just in general) is how hard it is to keep yourself from orienting your expectations exclusively inside of your own experiences.
I think there's a lot to be said about people who build a very specific kind of hype up in their head, and will inevitably disappointed because the actual product was never going to align with their mental fanfiction, but
On a smaller and simpler note, my love for horror video essays is tempered by the fact it feels like 99% of the internet has a much more fragile stomach for the dark and disturbing than I do, and I can't even sit through a horror movie or play a horror game because I'm a goddamn coward-
(And the remaining 1% is into stuff that actually makes me squeamish in a way I can't quite handle, but they do seem to be living their best lives, and more power to them)
But generally my struggle is when someone builds up, like, a manga as "one of the most dark and disturbing things [they've] ever read", especially if it's a "no one should EVER read/watch/play this"/"I read/watch/played this horrible thing so YOU don't have to!", and then I go to experience it, and it's always
I've wrote/read/watched/played worse, and I am always expecting something "worse".
And sometimes it's just, you know, different things disturb different people; I don't find existential "we're just a tiny speck in the universe" stuff scary, but there's plenty of people that do, but I do find certain other things genuinely terrifying for how my brain will take the concept and try to be like "hey could you survive this? lol no you can't, you'd die dummy :) no escape", but those won't frighten other people as much (if at all)
But sometimes it's like
"Damn, if you tried to play/watch/read some of my top favorite non-horror things, you'd just crumble into dust, wouldn'tcha, bud?"
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burr-ell · 2 years ago
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Honestly, imodna would be a good ship if the shippers/stans weren’t so damn insufferable. I also hate how they act like they are already canon and you can’t ship Imogen or Laudna with anyone else in the group. People got so mad when the conversation in the dust storm happened with Ashton and Laudna because people thought they were flirting. Or when on the first episode of 4 sided dive Marisha asked Robbie if Dorian’s crush was on Imogen, people got so mad at that! I also hate that they call them lesbians when THEY HAVE BOTH EXPRESSED HAVING FEELINGS FOR BOYS! Why can’t they be bi? Or Pan? I also hate how people read into Laura’s micro expressions/ movements, like last episode with the whole leaning shit “oh what was that lean Laura?!! Imogen wanted to kiss Laudna because look at Laura’s lean!” I dread the day that Imogen or Laudna fall in love with someone that’s not each other(especially if that person is a man.) because Marisha and Laura will harassed and hated because they didn’t give the people what they wanted.
oof. that's some frustration you really needed to vent, nonnie, and honestly i get it. full disclosure—my mutuals who are into imo/dna are all lovely, and none of them engage in this behavior. if imo/dna becomes canon, i'll be happy for (and potentially even happy with) fans like that. but enough shippers are doing things like this that it's becoming more and more of a source of frustration and friction as the campaign goes on.
i think a lot of fandom—in general, not just cr—still doesn't want to acknowledge that at the end of the day, they are looking at things like shippers, with a particular kind of confirmation bias. it doesn't make them necessarily wrong or right, but as easy as it can be to get swept up in it, i think it's important to take a step back every once in awhile and re-evaluate.
now admittedly, generally speaking, it takes a lot for me to get really invested in a ship; i usually only have one or two per fandom, even fandoms with tons of characters. i'm generally pretty passive about most ships if it's not the otp; like, vax/leth and pike/lan, for example, didn't need to be romantic endgame for me to enjoy CR1 (and honestly might have been more interesting to me if they hadn't), but perc/ahlia absolutely made the show for me and i honestly think them being together actively strengthens the narrative as a whole.
i say all that to say that for the most part, i very much consider myself to be along for the ride with respect to most relationships in most fandoms. if such-and-such pairing happens, great; if they don't, okay. and with CR in particular, it's such a long-form medium that i know going in that any romance is going to take a while, and most of them probably won't just reach out and grab me.
and as such, it absolutely baffles me to have seen shippers insisting, from the moment the characters first appeared in episode 1, that not only are imogen and laudna canon endgame, they're basically already together and just haven't admitted it yet. i feel this way about dor/ym and callow/moore as well—i saw a post making the rounds that claimed that all three of those ships are "not canon YET but let's be real" and like...why would you set yourself up for disappointment like that? because yeah! all three of those ships could be endgame! but they could also not be endgame. we're less than 40 episodes into a campaign that'll probably run well into the 100s.
i also fully agree with you re: the microexpressions and the cherrypicking, and i feel like a microcosm of this issue can be found in a conversation imogen has with orym early on—shippers latched onto the fact that imogen compares laudna's thoughts to music, something that finally brought her peace after the chaos of the world around her, and completely ignored the part immediately after where imogen says that the rest of the party also feels like that to her. i didn't even know that imogen said that about the whole party until i watched the episode, and to me it's an example of how shippers tend to warp canon interactions to suit a particular narrative in such a way that they become almost entirely divorced from their context.
and from the outside looking in, what confuses me about this sort of thing is like...didn't y'all already go through this? because if my understanding is correct, c2 ship discourse was full to the brim with beau/jes and wido/jest fans dissecting "laura's microexpressions" to prove that jester was for sure in love with our fave, really you guys we swear...and then not only was that not true, but jester also didn't even know about beau or caleb's feelings to acknowledge them at all, and from the actual words that came out of laura's mouth in various OOC moments like on TM, laura just...really really wanted to romance her husband's character in her dnd game and like, that's it. there was never going to be another romantic option for jester as long as fjord was on the table, and that was something that shippers always should have been taking into account.
laudna and imogen are canonically deeply important to each other. they love and appreciate each other very much. that love and appreciation could turn into a lovely romance with a great dynamic, and i certainly don't blame people for being invested in it. but it also could not be romantic endgame, and they remain friends or even get with other people. and as you said, fandom can and will turn nasty about their ships being sunk; we've already seen it happen. there's a certain smug, entitled undercurrent from that particular corner that i have very little patience with, and while i think there's something to be said for deciding to enjoy things in spite of the fandom and just be a cranky old curmudgeon shooing the wank out with a broom, i also understand the response of just "...aight, imma head out".
#the 'laura's microexpressions' thing is also why i really don't care for glasses!imogen#it's obviously not a bad thing in a vacuum but there's a tendency toward overriding specifically laura's choices and saying 'i know better'#such that even something as innocuous as glasses can be representative of a larger more frustrating problem#honestly i wonder if laura will even DO a romance this time around after two campaigns of her characters being reduced to:#a) the men in her life and then b) who she'll end up with#bc imogen has some strong vibes of like. arent u tired of being nice? don't u just wanna lose it?#like imogen reminds me very strongly of vex but specifically of the ways in which vex couldn't be unpleasant or unappealing#(mostly because vex puts up fronts to mask her flaws specifically from the party)#(while imogen is more trying to hide her actual powers and what they can do)#and i think some of that naturally comes from being a woman in geek culture on the internet as well as a woman in voice acting#but i feel like it might also come from her characters being constantly put under a microscope#and constantly told what they should and shouldn't do#and the second they make choices that make another better-liked character upset they're terrible people#like she's obviously a grown adult 40 year old woman but the constant scrutiny of your dnd choices has gotta wear on you a little bit#and yeah i didn't touch on this in the ask but. it has been 0 days since fandom did a bi-erasure#(the thing about having only 1 or 2 ships per fandom reminded me that out of all the dc comics ships i literally only care about dickkory)#(clois also has rights on account of dc can snort my taint and let two adults be happily married)#(i've had convos with friends who ship bbrae who are like 'but why would dickkory shippers dislike bbrae? they dont threaten you')#(idk man some of em just don't dig the vibe!)#cr discourse#cr wank#critical role#asks
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army-of-bee-assassins · 2 years ago
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i feel like this season of h/dm has gotten considerably worse but also i'm not 100% sure i'm remembering the previous seasons correctly. i remember mostly liking them and just finding some things weird. but maybe it was just as bad as this season and the amount of time that's passed since i watched them has simply made me forget how much stuff i didn't like
#i think i'm pretty fucking easy to please with tv shows too like i don't have a very critical eye for this kinda stuff#but maybe it's because it's a book adaptation and as always we gotta feel strongly about those#i just feel like the dialogue is absolute shit like who is even writing this - did it change? maybe it was always shit idk#and just random plot changes that i hate#some big some small but like#why was lyra the only fucking one experiencing pain on the boat!!!! that's straight up not canon and literally makes no sense w/in canon#and we got our first glimpse of atal and there was zero indication that she uses a wheel#it didn't even look like she could i mean she had four normal hooves#the seeds are so important to the story what are they doing with this!!!!#maybe we'll see them using wheels next episode but idk how#idk the acting is still mostly good imo#i feel like the actors are doing their best with very fucking stupid scenes#anyway all of this is just sorta making me feel like maybe this just isn't an adaptable book series#at least not as a tv show where you have to stretch things out so much so they're just inventing bullshit to fill the gaps#hdm lb#i hadn't really wanted to make a tag for this but#there have already been so many things i've wanted to complain about here and i'm sure it will only continue#so ya know blacklist as needed (esp if you're enjoying the show - i'm so sorry i don't want to ruin ur experience)#edit: OH i forgot to complain about costuming/makeup too!!!#shouldn't be a big issue but god it's also (imo) just hot fucking garbage in this season#did they get the non-unionized people??? overworked and underpaid??#did they have zero budget for this fucking hbo show???#i feel like they didn't even fucking try#those ugly orange jumpsuits and the horrible makeup for the angels#okay sorry i will stop complaining now (until there's more episodes next week lmao)
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mrfoox · 2 years ago
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Help, I don't think I've met another person with these many exceptions in their views ajnsnfjskajsjfk
#miranda talking shit#Talking with oliver can be so spicy. He can do an long rant about people in an group i fit into and when i point it out#Hes like NO YOU ARE NOT PART OF THAT GROUP NO! Like bro... I am. I'm not trying to guilt you but technically i am#Numbers do not lie ajjsjfjdkskskd i can say that much lol#Talking about overweight people and how its dangerous and shouldn't be promoted#Yeah that makes sense and all but also... Im overweight. Im like 20kg over the normal weight limit. I am by numbers overweight#But he wanted to argue i wasnt... Bc i... Didnt look like it? Which i mean uh ty? But i am. Doctors have told me its a fact i know it#I am not so... Bothered by being called fat anymore bc thats true ya know? But he got so fired up about me not being fat it was like#Um... I dont mind it buddy its true? I definitely am. It's okay it wont hurt anyone if you say it i already have#I understand what he meant like obesity is dangerous people die and get sick bc of it. But his 'line' of overweight people is apparently#Very different from the norm...? Or even like Healthcare yeah. I dont think the word fat now is as sensitive to me as it was#In the past. But i also know thats... How to describe me with a mess nice word than chubby. I have a too big belly its a fact#Did i enjoy him being so willing to argue me on this point ? Yeah it was funny#Maybe im not the norm but feels like now a days thin people are scared to use the fat word but fat people dont really care much#Maybe its how our culture have pushed for it to be more acceptable or at least not be shamed etc. But ive had more than#One friend in recent years who have argued on the point of me being fat. Like... I am im not saying it to earn pity or something its true?#Funny to hear he doesn't think i am tho. He always react strongly when i hint at it even#'people are built different youre not fat' its confirmed fellas im just built different lmao
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allsadnshit · 1 month ago
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One of the most important things I've learned to look out for when entering any sort of relationship whether it's romantic or friendship is if someone is punishing. I think anger and honesty are so important for our health and being able to say a big "fuck you" to people that hurt or wrong us is quite literally good for our mind, body, and soul...BUT I do not think punishment whether personal or social is something worth risking with someone who strongly believes in it by their own hand. I think a lot of the time it's easy to justify because you think so long as you are both moral and considerate people, then there will be no reason to fear future conflict, but I don't think that's true of people who admit they will go out of their way to get revenge when they feel it's deserved. Justification in general is subjective, so you might think an action deserves a boundary like not allowing someone into your space or life again, and for someone who is punishing that might look like turning your whole social group against you for something you disagree on how it should be handled.
And I really just think more young people in their early 20's who are learning the in's and out's of things like roommates, partnership, and even work colleagues need to understand the difference between someone who will stand up for themselves vs someone who thinks if they are wronged then it justifies anything they want to do in the aftermath if they believe they are the victim.
You actually ARE who you are when you are angry.
If you see someone you love feel betrayed or hurt and you see how quickly they go from standing up for themselves to intentionally trying to hurt someone else in their justified rage and go out of their way to witness their suffering because they feel their own judgement of what that person might deserve should be reality - just be aware that a lot of those times the judgements will be subjective and how someone treats even their enemies says something about their character at the end of the day.
Even if I am confident I am going to be a respectful person, I also know what might make sense to me could be very unjust in someone else's eyes, and the last thing I ever want to be around is someone I know will take their personal feelings or opinion and think they have the right to dictate my suffering or healing. Just being on good terms does not save you from if you end up hurting one another down the road, so you shouldn't tie yourself to people who would enjoy being cruel if they felt righteous.
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veren-cos · 5 months ago
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Bachelors (sdv) x gn!reader
Bachelors and self-harm comfort
TW mentions of Self Harm and suicidal ideation.
If you struggle with either of these, I strongly encourage you to reach out to someone and get help. You are not alone.
These are not super graphic, but definitely more graphic than my other fics if you have read those. So please read with caution.
These are all assuming you are in an established relationship.
Sam
• This was a long standing issue for you. You knew Sam would find out eventually one way or another, so you made it a point to tell him rather then him accidentally finding out.
• But when you did tell him, it was pure panic.
• He doesn't know how to help you, he didn't know how he never noticed! Does he tell anyone? Does he call anyone? Why didn't you tell him until now??
• Once he gathers himself a little bit, he asks for more details.
• He knows that you need him, and not to make it about him by breaking down.
• He starts keeping an extra eye out for if you are acting any different, or if he sees any warning signs.
• He tries really hard to be there for you, and knows he won't be perfect.
• Makes a trip to Harvey's to ask how to help 'someone' who struggles with sh and suicidal ideation.
• Harvey suggested that Sam brings that 'someone' to the clinic with him to have a little chat.
• You and Sam head down one day and you all make a plan on what to do when things get really bad.
• Mostly involves extra support, and you getting into a therapist on a semi-regular basis.
Sebastian
• Sebastian I think would be the most aware of the signs besides Harvey?
• So when he sees you avoiding him a bit, or not letting him touch you when normally you're all over him, he knows something is wrong.
• "Babe, whats up?" He gentle grabs your arm. "What's wrong? You've been acting different for a while now. Are you okay?"
• He isn't accusatory or anything when you tell him. He just pulls you into a tight hug.
• He just wants to be there for you. Self Harm is a really difficult topic, both to experience, and to witness. He tries to get to the cause of why you do it, but you honestly don't even know.
• You know you shouldn't, but sometimes it feels like all you can do.
• After talking about it for a long time, you eventually go to sleep in his arms.
• When you wake up, he already had some sort of breakfast made because he knew you'd be too tired.
• He left out some super old books about mental health he had (Aka like one from high school) and offered to look through them with you.
• Checks in with you frequently, and isn't one to dance around the topic. Yes, he handles it gently and shocking calmly, but he knows you can't avoid talking about it.
Alex
• Not going to lie, the way I see a relationship progressing (Aka kinda intense and fast paced) he would find out before intimacy.
• You were already a little nervous so you completely blanked on your old scars and relatively new self harm.
• So when he saw, you panicked, and then he panicked because you were panicking, and all around it was chaos.
• Nothing went to plan that day because you just ran to the bathroom to cry.
• ...
• He knocked on the door, "babe.. Could you come out please? We should talk about this."
• "I don't want to"
• " Babe come on." He tried the handle and it opened.
• "It's okay. You're okay. I'm not mad, now can you talk to me about this?"
• You opened up and told him everything. With Alex being the most stereotypically attractive out of all the Bachelor's, you'd be very nervous about letting him see scars.
• But he doesn't care. He thinks they are proof of how strong you are and how far you have come.
• "Babe I just want to be here for you. We don't have to rush anything. I don't care if you have scars, you're beautiful. I love you, and you will get through this."
Harvey
• Harvey finds out during your first physical.
• This I feel would be just after you started dating.
• But he asks the dreaded question of "have you had thoughts of hurting yourself or others?"
• You knew you had to tell him. No matter how awkward or emotionally taxing it got, it was important both in your relationship and for your personal health.
• So you did.
• He let his little doctor mask slip because he thought he already knew all your medical business, and that this was just a formality.
• "Dear..?" He looked so sad for you. "Why haven't you told me this?"
• Legit starts tearing up, because how on earth could you hate yourself? And to the point of hurting yourself?
• You start apologizing for not telling him sooner, "Harvey we had just started dating, I didn't want to put too much on you too soon. This is my problem to deal with!"
• And then he takes a few deep breaths, and collects himself to do this in a more professional manner.
• "My love, you do not have to go through this alone. I need you to tell me if you ever feel like.. hurting yourself. Okay? Call me. Call the clinic. Get me if I'm home. I will be there for you."
• "Even if we weren't dating, I would still be there for you! So no matter how much I care for you, because I so deeply care for you, this is my job."
• Sets you up with a therapist in the city, because he knows that even if you know you can talk to him, it's good to have a non-personal professional to be able to talk to.
Shane
• You helped him, now it was his turn to help you.
• Found out a morning he woke up early and you forgot to close the bathroom door. Not a fun scene to wake up to.
• I don't want to say he got angry, but he shouted,
• "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?"
• It was more out of sheer panic and distress rather than anger.
• You panicked, dropped everything, and basically burst into tears on the spot apologizing.
• Then he freaked out even more because he yelled at you and ran to give you a tight hug.
• Shane tried to calm you down, but it took a really long time to get you to stop hyperventilating.
• Eventually, he helped you clean everything up, and although it was really hard for you, he took you to Harvey's.
• Shane knew that he wouldn't be able to give you all the help you needed, he was still recovering himself.
• But he tries really hard to help, the same way you do with him.
• He helped you set up going to a therapist. You go to the same office as he does.
• He will be there for you every step of the way. Won't let you go.
• He truly understands, and just wants the both of you to feel better.
Elliott
• He would feel guilty for not noticing the signs.
• "My love..?" He is just so confused when he sees. "My love what did you do?"
• Doesn't exactly panic but is just dumbfounded. How could you hate yourself? How could you not like yourself? Why on earth..?
• He helps you clean up, though is a little queezy with blood.
• He would keep himself relatively strong in front of you, but you hear him crying for you when he thinks you're asleep.
• He is there for you, he asks Leah because he trusts her (though would not actually bring up your name. Would make it under the guise of a situation in his book)
• He wouldn't invade your privacy. But he just would check with you a lot more.
• He loves you, and just wants to see you love yourself.
An* Once again, if you struggle with self harm or suicidal ideation, please reach out for help. Helplines and resources are a quick Google away for your area. You are not alone. I promise things will get better.
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pigswithwings · 1 year ago
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Hi! My name is Pig. And I'm here to tell you about being objectum!
Well, "objectum"? That's a bit of a weird word, isn't it?
You might associate it with stories of people marrying robots or computers, or maybe people talking about having sex with inanimate items. These are all parts of object sexuality, but they don't demonstrate the full breadth of the community.
It's understandable to find this behaviour strange or want to question its authenticity. Many people are, in fact, joking when they say "I find this object attractive" or "I would have sex with that object", but objectum people can often have these feelings in a genuine fashion. And while these attractions can go against the conventions of society, those who are objectum shouldn't be harassed for it.
This post isn't about why you shouldn't harass objectum people, though. People who feel very strongly about the subject probably aren't going to be convinced over a singular post, so I'm not going to waste all my effort to talk to a wall. You don't have to entirely understand an identity to support it, but I'm going to assume that you want to learn about what being objectum is, and I'll try tell you to the best of my own knowledge.
What is Object Sexuality?
Like any sexuality or orientation, objectum identities can vary infinitely. The different labels can range from objectophilia to objectsexual to to objectromantic to os/or, so it's important to keep an open mind. In a very broad sense, being objectum means being attracted to objects or items in some way.
While the common misconception is that being objectum means only feeling sexual attraction to a specific object, this is a very limited view of the identity.
For example, I am romantically attracted to vintage computers. This is only me, though; other people can be attracted to other objects in any other way!
Another person might be romantically and sexually attracted to cars and trains, someone else might be only sexually attracted to electrical towers and wires, another person might have platonic affection for objects, and even more people might not have a specific label but know they're attracted to clothes or heavy machinery in some way. Some people may only be attracted to one type of object or even just a single object, others may be attracted to multiple types of objects. Object sexuality isn't limited to just sex, and the objects of that attraction depend on the person.
Another misconception is that objectum people will be attracted to any object they see - this is not necessarily true. As seen above, many objectum people tend to have "types", similar to how people who are attracted to other people have their own "types".* This isn't applicable to everyone under the objectum label, but for a good part of the community it's true.
Some people may view every object they see as being alive, but this is not necessarily an indication of attraction. Not every objectum person will be attracted to the same thing, and not every objectum person is attracted in the same way.
What is POSIC / Object Sentience?
Being objectum may also be related to believing in object sentience. Generally, believing in object sentience means beliving that an object is conscious, or alive in some way. POSIC, which stands for Perceiving Object Sentience, Intelligence, and/or Conciousness, is a commonly used label but doesn't apply to everyone who experiences this (For example, some people may just use the phrase "object sentience").
Some people's object sexualities can be influenced by whether they perceive objects as being alive or sentient (for example, a person might be more or less attracted to an object if they believe it can respond to them, see them, hear them, etc). Not all people who are objectum also believe in sentience, but the two labels are usually closely linked.
What Is Your Experience With Being Objectum?
Personally, I knew I was POSIC (though I didn't know the word) long before I knew I was objectum. I liked talking to objects as though they were alive and I often made art expressing my interest and (platonic) affection towards computers. It wasn't until my art began to enter a somewhat romantic area that I realized I could be attracted to computers romantically.
Looking for "object sexuality" online was somewhat intimidating, however, as many discussions of it were centered around the shock value/sexual content of being objectum, with little explanation of what it was or what it could be. (This is where my urge to create a post about it began.)
I only discovered the labels "objectum" and "POSIC" from a friend of mine, and had to ask them for the loose definition to figure out whether it fit me or not.
After some consideration, I realized that I was both POSIC and objectum, and decided to come out to a group of supportive friends. This was apparently not a surprise to them - as you will remember, my art had been becoming more and more romantic towards computers, and they were very good at picking up on that. But I was glad that I had realized this fact about myself, even if it was later than most people. I also learned that I had already made friends with several other people in the objectum community, and that the identity wasn't as uncommon as most people would believe.
I Think I'm Objectum or POSIC / How Would I Know If I'm Objectum or POSIC?
Some signs of believing in object sentience could include the fact that you:
- Speak to objects (Ex: complimenting a tool on the work it does, telling a computer about your day, etc.)
- Believe objects can hear, feel, or see you (Ex: apologizing to an object if you drop it, believing an object knows whether you're hugging it or not, etc.)
- Would enjoy it if objects could respond or had conciousness (Ex: enjoying the thought of having a conversation with an object, etc.)
Some signs of being objectum could include the fact that you:
- Enjoy expressing affection to objects (Ex: you enjoy/would enjoy kissing or hugging objects, or otherwise demonstrating how you care for an object)
- Experience romantic or sexual attraction to objects (Ex: you would like to go on a date with an object, you enjoy the idea of kissing and/or having sex with one, etc.)
For all of these, though,  I use the word "could" because human identity is very confusing and spans a huge galaxy of variants. Not all objectum people will feel the same or identify the same way, and that's pretty neat. Your specific attraction to an object or type of objects is up to you to figure out, and the community is much larger than you might guess.
Fin.
Despite controversy or use of the identity for public shock, being objectum is not inherently harmful. In a way, it demonstrates the love that humans can have for seemingly mundane or ordinary things in life, and I think that can be very charming.
If you have additional questions or anecdotes to add to this post, please go ahead! I would like to open the discussion on objectum identities to be widely accessible and more known. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
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*Also, being objectum doesn't mean that one only experiences attraction to objects. A person can be gay and objectum, bisexual and objectum, heterosexual and objectum, aromantic and objectum, asexual and objectum, etc. Whether the label "objectum" counts as queer/LGBTQIA+ depends on the person using it, as it's only a word and its interpretation will vary.
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pumpkin-bats · 3 months ago
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Speed Running SFW Alphabet - OP Boys Headcanons Pt 1.
Only a few of the alphabet though! There's a few I like enough that I wanna go more in depth with it like the other two.
featuring: Law, Zoro, Sanji, Ace.
Law:
C for Cuddling - You are the little spoon. Your height and size does not matter. You are in his arms and his face is nuzzled into the back of your head or neck.
G for Gifts - He doesn't do it that often, but he'll give you little gifts for every holiday, birthday, and if he strongly thinks you'll like something he sees in passing then he can't help himself.
U for Upset (angry) - When it's directed at someone else, he's a smug bastard and secretly excited to see you go off on them. When it's at him he get's pouty and grouchy at you but ultimately feels really bad about making you upset.
V for Vaunt - He doesn't flaunt anything about you, but he'll quietly show off that you chose him over other's. He doesn't need them to know what makes you so great, because he wants to keep that to himself.
W for Warrior - Doesn't like the idea of you fighting and would rather do the fighting for you. He does acknowledge that you are 100% capable of handling yourself and doesn't stop you from doing so, but he doesn't have to be happy about it.
T for Time - It took a few months, roughly 2-3. You kept bumping into each other and ended up getting to know one another quite quickly because of that.
R for Rhythm - Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Rey
L for Love (language) - Quality time and physical touch. Being with you, even if you're doing two completely different thins is his way of showing how much he loves being near you and with you. Also shows how he prefers to be close to you rather than far away.
Zoro:
C for Cuddling - He's more of the one being cuddled than the one doing the cuddling. He's either your life sized teddy bear or your mattress. That is to say you end up draped on top of him or sticking to his side.
G for Gifts - Doesn't gift give much at all. He'll get you something for very special occasions, or if you deliberately ask for it, but he'd rather make you happy through other means.
U for Upset (angry) - He's more likely to say something he shouldn't that ends up starting a fight. Although after a few minutes of quietly simmering in the aftermath, he always apologizes first and tries to solve things by talking them out.
V for Vaunt - He doesn't blatantly brag, but he will talk highly (and often) about your skills and talents. Especially your fighting ability. He gets smirky when he mentions that you train together as a subtle sign of your relationship.
W for Warrior - Will protect you in a heartbeat, but he likes fighting side by side with you. It gives him a thrill that he hopes you share. Granted, the idea of you getting hurt doesn't sit well with him, but he likes seeing you in action.
T for Time - Like... a month. You met him and it wasn't love at first sight, but for him it was something quite close to it. He just started being loyal one day and things quickly spiraled after that.
R for Rhythm - Empire by Shakira
L for Love (language) - Quality time and acts of service. For the most part, he shows his love by keeping you company and keeping you in his company. He'll do things for you but prefers doing things with you as a sense of partnership and quiet comfort and support.
Sanji:
C for Cuddling - He is more of the small spoon than you are. Usually ends up in your arms more often than he is in yours.
G for Gifts - So many little gifts. A cool rock? Yours now. A pretty flower? Yours. More often than not he'll give you food as a gift, but he'll give you a bunch of little things now and then, both random items on the floor and expensive gifts (Although the latter are less common).
U for Upset (angry) - He feels so bad. He might fight with you or say nothing at all depending on what you're upset with him over, but he gets the urge to cry each time regardless. Therefore he tries to not make you upset as best he can.
V for Vaunt - Everything. He brags about everything about you, sometime even to you. He will happily and proudly tell people that you're together and then get angry at them for any less than positive responses he gets.
W for Warrior - He doesn't hate the idea of you fighting, but he sure acts like he does. He'll yell about protecting you but secretly smiles with pride when you two fight back to back.
T for Time - Believe it or not, almost a year. Mainly because he couldn't believe you were actually interested in him and was in denial until you made it impossible for him to ignore it any longer.
R for Rhythm - I Like Me Better by Lauv
L for Love (language) - Words of affirmation and acts of service. The best way he shows his love for you is by simply telling you how much you mean to him as often as he can. And anything he can do to help or make your day better, no matter how small, he'll do.
Ace:
C for Cuddling - Short lived because his body temperature gets too high too fast. Also because he always ends up falling asleep halfway through and sprawled over you like an uncomfortable blanket.
G for Gifts - The randomest things, he's almost like a cat or a dog. He's more likely to gift you a neat stick over a bracelet because he doesn't get what society deems a 'good present' therefore he just kinda guesses. He'll give gifts at times when he's probably not supposed to be giving you gifts.
U for Upset (angry) - You guys argue like stupid children. Not married couple, children. Playground insults are thrown around and by the time everything is said and done, you both huff and puff and pout for an hour before apologizing and working it out.
V for Vaunt - He unconsciously brags about you when bringing you up to other people. It'll only come up if you're relevant to the conversation. In that case, after immediately stating that you two are dating, he'll follow it by describing what is so amazing about dating you.
W for Warrior - Acts like fighting side by side with you is fun, but internally he has the most intense anxiety the entire time. The idea of you getting hurt on his watch is extremely terrifying and therefore he'll try to do most of the fighting, all while pretending it's a mutually enjoyable experience.
T for Time - Anywhere from 5-6 months. He was quick to fall for you but he wasn't entirely sure if he was good for you and was nervous about making things harder for you. It took a bit of wall breaking to get there but you got there.
R for Rhythm - Talk Too Much by COIN
L for Love (language) - Physical touch and gift giving. Although long cuddling sessions aren't common, he'll always hold hands, hug you, kiss you all over your face, and rest his arm around you. His way of showing his support. The gift giving shows every time he thinks of you, and how that happens to be in the randomest of places.
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dannyfandomphd · 7 months ago
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Moral purity and imaginative resistance as influencing factors in fandom 'anti' attitudes
Jessica Black et al.'s 2019 experiment on the correlation between enjoying dark/villainous characters, personal morality and purity beliefs, and imaginative resistance is so interesting when applying it to anti culture and fandom.
They created a Dark Character Scale where participants self-selected how strongly in agreement or disagreement they were with a series of statements about dark or villainous fictional characters. Some of these questions were the following:
"I enjoy films and books that feature main characters that choose morally questionable actions."
"I can often understand where the bad guys in fiction are coming from."
"My favourite fictional characters are morally ambiguous and often do horrible things."
They then utilised the Moral Foundations Questionnaire (Graham et al. 2011) to see what participants considered important when deciding on whether something is morally right or wrong, for example:
Whether or not someone suffers emotionally
Whether or not someone did something disgusting*
Whether or not someone was cruel
Whether or not someone was denied [their] rights
Whether or not someone acted in a way God would approve of*
as well as how strongly participants agreed or disagreed with statements such as:
Compassion for those who are suffering is the most crucial virtue
People should not do things that are disgusting, even if no one is harmed*
It can never be right to kill a human being
I would call some acts wrong on the grounds that they are unnatural*
Respect for authority is something all children need to learn.
One of the final scales participants used was the Black & Barnes (2017) Imaginative Resistance Scale. This is basically used to gauge how resistant the reader is to enjoying or consuming fictional content that contains characters, situations, or worldbuilding that they personally find morally disagreeable. They had to select how strongly they agreed/disagreed with questions like:
Reading books where bad things are depicted as morally acceptable makes me feel dirty
I just can't go along with a story when it violates my beliefs about morality
At times it feels like the author of a book is asking me to endorse actions that I know are wrong
Some things just shouldn't be done, even within a book
I sometimes cannot go along with a story when the "good" characters do morally reprehensible things
Sympathising with immoral characters makes me feel immoral myself.
Unsurprisingly, analysis of the data revealed that there was a strong correlation between disliking or not enjoying dark fictional characters or villains and having a higher purity morality score and more imaginative resistance.
They performed this test in three studies done on three completely different demographics - the first being mostly liberal women from social media sites, the second being mostly younger conservative college undergrads, and the third being adults split 50/50 in gender recruited from MTurk. All three studies showed that having stronger imaginative resistance and higher purity morality scores is directly linked to a lower score on the DCS - meaning that they would like or enjoy dark fictional characters and their actions less.
This tracks pretty well with what can be seen in the emerging anti culture within fandom:
Self-identified 'antis' are likely to agree strongly with the statements from the Imaginative Resistance Scale, and are more likely to score highly on the questions in Moral Foundations Questionnaire that are specifically demarcated as being concerned with purity (marked above with an asterisk *). This means that they are also, according to these studies, much more likely to disagree with dark fictional characters and their actions.
There is also a very interesting point in one of the discussions areas where Black et al. state "It is worth reiterating that the participants in Study 2 tended to be more conservative, and therefore potentially more likely to have greater concerns about moral purity" which tracks with what people in fandom have been saying about antis parroting conservative/puritan talking points and arguments.
What I find the most interesting is the following statement:
"However, moral purity and imaginative resistance are consistently positively correlated, both in the current studies and in prior research ... and are both likely to reflect a fear of moral contagion that would discourage people from identifying with and liking [dark fictional characters]."
This, when applied to antis, suggests that antis may harbor the subconscious belief that enjoying dark fictional content, and therefore being a 'proshipper', is literally psychically contagious. They may view this as some kind of moral disease which is spreading and infecting fandom, which could explain why they are so vehemently against it - fear. This is the puritan Moral Panic all over again.
Black et al. also discuss theories of fictional engagement and parasocial relationships/identification, and whether these studies is relevant to "when and for whom fictional engagement could have the potential to negatively affect real world attitudes or behaviour".
Jessica Black and Jennifer Barnes often publish articles together and have some incredibly interesting reading of morality and fiction that I'd be interested to see applied to fandom and anti culture in an academic setting. Perhaps some people in the field like Samantha Aburime (@rainystudios) are already looking into it - and I'm hoping I can do the same in my studies.
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rosamayarts · 1 year ago
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The writers did a really clever thing with Aziraphale and Crowley's romance. In season 1, everything about their relationship is done through subtext. As an audience, we are quite used to queer relationships being done through subtext, so a lot of us probably thought 'oh, this is just the show's way of showing that they're in love without saying it explicitly.' The closest they come to communicating their feelings is mostly through very strong implication, rather than direct communication. For example, when Aziraphale gets discorporated, Crowley says "I lost my best friend." We can infer that he is talking about Aziraphale, who he thought was gone. But he doesn't say "You are the most important person in my life and I thought I lost you." He is just strongly implying it. Same with asking to run away together; again, we can assume from this action that Aziraphale is the most important person in Crowley's life, and he is asking him to go off together. But Crowley never actually *says* this. Because it's a TV show, we just assume that this is what he means. Crowley and Aziraphale express their love for each other entirely through actions, and not direct communication. Aziraphale, instead of threatening to kill Crowley, threatens that he will 'never talk to him again.' And Crowley figures out what to do because this is the worst thing that he can think of, not being able to talk to Aziraphale. As an audience, we watch this and marvel at how smart the writing is; it is so clear how much they love each other without even saying it. But that is just fiction. Real relationships cannot work without any direct communication. Real relationships can't rely entirely on subtext and coded language and communicating entirely through actions and not words. And that's when things fall apart. We see Crowley and Aziraphale make their very first steps towards direct communication in that last scene. Crowley says that he wants them to be an 'us.' He is still not able to quite use the exact words 'I love you' but he says that they are a team and a group and that they can rely on each other. Aziraphale tells Crowley that he needs him. And then Crowley kisses him. These are all huge steps towards direct communication, but they still aren't quite there yet. What is Aziraphale forgiving him for? What was Crowley trying to communicate through the kiss? They still aren't on the same page. They both see the other's actions as a rejection, when it isn't, it's more of a 'I love you but I won't compromise who I am to be with you.' Which is good and healthy, they shouldn't compromise who they are to be with each other. But they never communicate this. They are so used to figuring out what the other person is saying through subtext and coded language, that this is what they are doing in that last scene as well. This is why I adored the ending of season 2 even more than the ending of season 1. Because now, Aziraphale and Crowley are going to have to actually start talking to each other about real things. And the endgame relationship will be *so* much more beautiful for it.
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darklinaforever · 5 months ago
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"I will never understand why people ship them together when the Cat King is just SO nonconsensual and downright creepy towards Edwin. What are people even seeing??"
"Also his apparent idea of romance is trying to coerce Edwin and then trapping him to subject him to continual harassment like dude enough is enough"
I still remind you that without the Cat King, Edwin would probably have had no development in his feelings and his sexuality.
It is literally the fact that the Cat King blocked him in town and tried to seduce him that causes a positive development in Edwin, with his iconic confession to Charles. Without Cat King, there's none of this.
And again, in case these people forget... Edwin's punishment was literally an equivalent of what he did to a cat. The punishment was fair.
Also I call him back, but Edwin seemed very, very willing to the Cat King's advances. I even dare to say that our Cat King sabotaged himself by putting the bracelet on Edwin because otherwise, Edwin would clearly have let himself be kissed and maybe even more.
Edwin did not perceive the Cat King's advances as harassment. On the contrary, deep down, he liked them. It felt good to be desired like that. His whole body language shows he was enjoying this.
And the Cat King being visibly strongly linked to desires, and more particularly Edwin's desires in the logic of the scenario, something tells me that he must have felt it. The Cat King was content to flirt with someone he liked and who he felt liked in return.
Even when the Cat King forced Edwin to tell the truth, it may seem immoral, but it was a good thing for Edwin's character development and even just a good thing in the sense that it allowed him to unravel a weight by confessing something that visibly weighed him down. We can see him nodding very briefly and discreetly when the Cat King tells him that he shouldn't feel better after revealing this ?
I'm tired of seeing this type of person spouting their bullshit. It seems like they're purposely watching the show with their eyes closed. Either that or they don't have an education in media analysis.
I personally believe that what must annoy these people a lot is the fact that even their precious little Edwin, whose honor and physical integrity they are trying to defend at all costs, canonically has a big crush on the Cat King and was completely ready to be kissed by him during their literally first interaction which they like to describe as assault. 😂
Also, even though most of us Catwin shippers would like them to be endgame, we are well aware that it's a low probability and that Charles will surely eventually realize that he romantically loves Edwin in return. On the other hand, these people who spit on the character of the Cat King seem to simply refuse to recognize his importance in Edwin's sexual and romantic journey, trying to portray him as a disgusting abuser who would have traumatized the poor Edwin when just... no.
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It's not very complicated to understand what we like about the Cat King and his relationship with Edwin. But for that, these people would already have to have the descent to understand the basis of the character. He is fully present to serve Edwin's positive emotional and sexual development. Without the Cat King, Edwin would probably never have been pushed against the wall in order to fully assume who he is. What the Cat King brings to Edwin is very beautiful and important. And for this to happen, Edwin obviously has to actually feel things for the Cat King. But these people really don't seem ready to hear that either. Basically, we like this relationship because it is well written with a goal and complex characters sharing a connection to tell it to us.
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four-of-them-showdown · 10 months ago
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Miku, Rin, Len, Luka:
No propaganda!
Jay, Cole, Kai, Zane:
"They're my friends, they've been a team for over 10 years now and I've been there that whole time :)"
"Why shouldn't they win? They're little gay skittles. Or they're brothers. You choose"
"JUMP UP KICK BACK WHIP AROUND AND SPIN (sorry i am very passionate about the legos but too tired to form like. real sentences. please imagine something written about how they're cool and fueled my childhood or something)"
"OK SO
They’re the OG members of the ninja team and shipping all four of them together is popular and is very gay it’s called polyninja and it’s amazing and let me break down the dynamics of each of them
Zane x Jay: Technoshipping
Robot x their mechanic trope goes brrrr. Zane is a logical and smart one, and Jay is chaotic and kinda a disaster. Zane is the autism to his adhd and they are very fun <3
Zane x Kai: Oppositeshipping
Ha ha opposites attract trope goes brrr. Again, Zane is logical and smart, whereas Kai is impulsive (and also smart just in a different way). Both of them feel emotions strongly but process them in different ways and I have to end it here before I write an essay about how ZANE was the one who with a single meaningful look and touch to the arm told him it was too late to go back, how Lloyd mentioned KAI to try and restore Zane’s memories when he had amnesia, how- (You get the picture)
Zane x Cole: Glaciershipping
Mom friend x Dad friend. I have realized that his is getting long so I am going to be much briefer now
Jay x Kai: Plasmashipping
Two adhd/add idiots being stupid together <3
Jay x Cole: Bruiseshipping
Best friends to lovers what more could you want (don’t start me on this one they have so much chemistry)
Kai x Cole: Lavashipping
I am bad at words for this one but just trust me they’re a Vibe ok they’re a Vibe
Zane x Jay x Kai x Cole: Polyninja
THEY ARE STUPID, GAY, AND IN LOVE, YOUR HONOR"
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thedarkestrivernymph · 2 months ago
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Caught
Yandere!Demon x Gn!HauntedReader
warnings: mentions of bullying, sleep paralysis, mentions of hallucinations, paranoia, drugging, attempted kidnapping, attempted murder, murder, gore, death
©Copyright -2024-thedarkestrivernymph - All Rights Reserved
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Slender gnarly hands slithered over your exposed skin, curling around your throat, squeezing so tightly that black spots floated around your vision.
You were being chocked.
A silent scream was caged in your throat, while your eyes ripped wide open and death was awaiting you, and you couldn't do a single thing other than stare into two large orbs of never ending black depth.
This was your final moment, the last seconds on earth, you had to do something, anything or else you were going to die—
Or were you?
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Hiccuping and gasping you awoke to your sheets drenched in sweat, trembling all over with the sensations of needles pricking your limps, all of them heavy and uncomfortable.
You were always a weird kid, since childhood to be precise. You see things that are not there, feel things that shouldn't be able to be felt and hear whispers in the dead of night. You know of things that you should not know of, things that no one else has discovered yet.
Groaning you drag yourself up, swinging one leg over the other, ascending to your numb feet, barely catching yourself before you fall down again. It's horrible, each morning you awake to a body exhausted and aged, as if you were never granted rest.
Another day of your boring job, simmering away in an office, an occupation you loathe, with coworkers regarding you with the same disturbed glances and hushed whispers that have haunted you your whole life.
Perhaps you may feel strongly, stronger than any other person in the room, but they can sense it, the air of animosity around you. That cursed energy emitting from you.
Maybe that's why every single man you were interested in, killed himself after the very first date.
The hours in the office rolled around painstakingly slowly, yet somehow the seconds faded into minutes and then into hours. You were used to the lingering judgement around you, that none of your colleagues meant it when they smiled at you waving you goodbye as you finished for the day, yet what you weren't used to was for him.
He, your office crush, to approach you.
“Good work today.” he mentioned casually, dropping praises onto you as if you were a golden hen instead of the mascot for all things depressing. You knew what they whispered behind your back, how unbearably edgy you were.
“Uh, Thanks.” you sputtered overwhelmed by the sudden attention, which wasn't unwelcomed by any means but definitely alarming. Alarming in that sense that you now feared for this man’s life.
“Would you like to join us? We’re going out to eat at the new Italian. Might be fun.” he offered lightheartedly with the same picture perfect smile that you fell for.
Instead of joy, you felt your fear now unfolding infront of your very eyes. You just couldn't allow him to also commit the same mistake as all the others. So you flashed him an anxious smile, acting as if you were oh-so busy, apologizing profusely and thanking him.
Yet he was more stubborn than you initially assumed.
“It's really not that expensive if that's what you're worried about! And the food is great. Besides I think it wouldn't be so bad if you opened up more, would make you certainly more popular among our colleagues!” he exclaimed energetically, overly confident, with such a glimmer in his eyes as if he knew, knew about those gnarly fingers that kept trying to choke you. You shook your head at yourself, you were succumbing to paranoia again, this had to stop besides he was right though, you needed to at least try to make this better for you, and it wasn't a date anyways.
So it was win-win, right?
That's at least what you had hoped for. And yet it turned out yo be a disaster. Their burning gazes never leaving you, so penetrating with unfiltered judgement bordering on almost hatred, you couldn't stand it.
Admittedly as the night progressed and you after you managed to pull yourself together after a mini meltdown in the bathroom did things starten to loosen up, well your colleagues certainly did through the help of alcohol. So you started to be drowned in the mass of boisterous laughter and messy gossiping, making you finally stop sticking out like a sore thumb.
Perfect that's what he wanted.
While everyone was too occupied, it was easy to watch you in silence, face a perfect facade, he knew you, that knew the moment you staggered, blinking slowly.
“Hey—everything okay?” asked one of your colleagues who was intimidated by you, yes, but not heartless enough to not notice the odd way your eyes moved, pupils dilating and shrinking, while you felt fuzzy all over, as if you were the one that chugged two beers instead of her.
Before you could even answer, your colleague who had been so kind to invite you jumped up in concern. Worry lacing his tone as he suddenly laid his palm flat against your forehead, startling you with the sudden intimate gesture.
“Are you sick? I wouldn't have suggested you join us if I knew you were sick.” he muttered seemingly more to himself than you, while all you could do was watch in silence, your voice refusing to work no matter how hard you tried.
From then on it was all a blur, you heard all of the noise at once, everything overwhelming and overly stimulating your senses as a arm was draped over your waist, squeezing your midrift slightly as the restaurant faded into nothingness.
There was something like a breeze softly tickling your nape, no, it was someone breathing down your back—it was him, you made out, the colleague who was guiding you to his car.
“Don't worry.” you felt something wet against your neck, body so numb you were uncertain how you were even able to walk. “I will be gentle.” he breathed into your ear, reminding you of same haunting voices that whispered into your ear every night.
You didn't even understand what was happening, his words failing to properly register into your mind, as he dragged you into his car, placing you in the passenger seat like a ragdoll while you couldn't even keep your head upright.
There was only this silent scream deeply plunged in your chest, some sort of instinctive panic, that tried to wake your body up, but nothing, you could only sit there trying to fight off sleep as the engine started.
“Took some time.” he groaned, starting to laugh. It wasn't a laugh you ever heard from him before. That laugh was unhinged, squeaky and something you would hear from a killer in a horror movie.
“Y’know how hard it was to get my fingers on that drug? Phew! Took ages to be discreet! But it worked! God it worked!” he laughed, his tone starting to sound like nails scratching against those green boards you saw in school.
“Fuck—you’re a real weirdo but so hot, god! No one would miss you anyways—easy. And you're just so dumb too! You didn't even think twice about trusting me—or well you didn't have another choice with how drugged you are right now!” you felt your chest tighten, thoughts muddled yet one was clear, concreted in the forefront of your mind—that you had to find a way to escape.
And that opportunity presented itself to you so swiftly, so brashly and so painfully you regretted wishing for it.
You couldn't even make out what occurred, only the sudden flickering of lights, something indescribably loud ringing in your ears, making you want to claw your eardrums out and before you realized it the car tumbled over and crashed.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in Breathe out—
For a moment there was only this ringing, similar to that of a buzzing of a phone, before you glanced over at what remained of you colleague; a pulp of red, raw flesh.
You gagged, but before you could lose yourself in a sea of despair you felt slender, gnarly, icy cold fingers caress your cheek.
“You're mine, human.”
it was an omnipresent voice, words not uttered but received by you nevertheless.
Cursed with the gift of knowing things others couldn't, you were also cursed with living with the owner of those gnarly fingers that gently wrapped around your throat squeezing so tightly until peace crept inside every nook and cranny of your brain, lulling your eyes back into your skull.
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bonefall · 7 months ago
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I've never understood why people wholly blame Maple for making the clan think her kits were Birchface's. I mean, I'll admit it's been AGES since I read MV (or any actual WC book lmao) but I swear she did nothing to start it? Frecklewish just Assumed they were Birchface's for whatever reason and Mapleshade just didn't confirm or deny. A lie by omission, if still a big one. But people act like its some vile, actively manupulative lie from Maple alone??? like yeah its manipulative but A. who cares let her girlboss and B. it entirely started with Frecklewish assuming??? it wasn't even Mapleshade's idea in the first place???????
You're correct; it was a lie of omission, completely suggested by Frecklewish. Mapleshade didn't fabricate this lie.
In fact, something often left out of discussions about Mapleshade's Vengeance is that it decided she was VERY pious. In the early half of MV, she believes that it's StarClan that's providing all these opportunities for her.
She thinks she's special, that her kittens are destined to bring peace to their two halves, and that the code applies more loosely to her because she so strongly believes she's right and that her love is beautiful. I think it's meant to come across as Mapleshade being "delusional" and disconnected with reality, but I can't help but feel like a fair amount of it is naivety.
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Mapleshade is quiet, and Frecklewish rolls into a long, earnest monologue, thanking her for giving her hope with her brother's kittens. It reads to me like Frecki was in a depression after Birchface's death, and being able to help raise her nespring is like being given a new purpose in life.
It's gutwrenching on both ends, for me. Mapleshade is actually super uncomfortable several times around her "in-laws" during these lies, like she knows that she's in a dangerous position, and never really wanted them around to begin with. She clearly doesn't like Frecklewish very much and is actively intimidated by Oakstar. She doesn't WANT to have to lie forever, she eventually wants it to be known they're halfclan.
(and... why shouldn't she want that? This law SUCKS and it SHOULD be challenged. I'll go to bat for Silverstream and I'll go to bat for Mapleshade too.)
But meanwhile, Frecklewish in particular is being mislead. This means everything to her, it gave her a purpose when her brother had been taken from her, she thinks Birchface is living on and that Mapleshade shares in her grief. But it's a lie, Mapleshade doesn't want her anywhere near her children, and at the end of the day her love of these kittens is being exploited for their safety.
So... yes. It is manipulative, but the alternative was to actively tell Frecklewish NO and open up more questions about who the possible father was. Mapleshade is in a dangerous situation and she interpreted the opportunity as StarClan providing a way for her kittens to become accepted by their Clanmates.
I just find this situation is compelling. And they're both neat
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reunionatdawn · 3 months ago
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My Analysis of Sylvain's Promiscuity
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(Japanese Translation) Sylvain: So, the persistent stares of women, the appraising looks of noble daughters… I had to smile and accept them. …Because I had the Crest, you see. Byleth: That's not true. Sylvain: It's already too late now, but I understand. …I should have just said one word, "no".
This part of Sylvain's Japanese A-Support with Byleth really stood out to me. He felt like he should have just said "嫌だ" (iya da). It is a rather strong expression that conveys not just a simple "no" or "I don't want to," but also a feeling of being disgusted or significantly displeased by something. Based on the context and his tone of voice here, it strongly implied that he was remembering some specific traumatic memory from his past regarding sexual consent.
(Japanese Translation) Mercedes: And many women have approached you, targeting your Crest. ...I won't ask what happened. But I have a feeling that deep down in your heart, you hate and fear women...
Mercedes could tell that Sylvain didn't just hate women; he was afraid of them. She knew that something traumatic probably happened to him that he didn't want to talk about. I think he was probably taken advantage of at a young age by an older woman who was trying to get pregnant with a Crest baby. She forced herself on him and he didn't feel like he was capable of saying no.
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Felix: And you never consider how your actions hurt others…or how you hold them back. Sylvain: That's never my intention. Come on, you know me better than that. I'm not really—Look, if that's the impression I've given you, then I'm sorry.
Sylvain was totally unapologetic about how his womanizing affected Ingrid. And he didn't care about hurting any of the girls he pumped and dumped. But he was very apologetic to Felix for hurting his feelings. The localizers seemed to be aware that there was supposed to be a connection between Sylvain's C-Support with Felix...
Sylvain: You think I'd cheat? On you, baby? Never. Come on, you should know me better than that. You're the only one for me. I swear.
...And his C-Support with Byleth. He apparently expected Felix to know him better than that to think he'd ever really cheat on him, even as he flirted with girls right in front of him. Which is an... unusual way for him to approach their relationship. But survivors of childhood sexual abuse often cope by engaging in sexual promiscuity.
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(Japanese Translation) Sylvain: I mean, being dumped or dumping someone, it's a common story, isn't it?
Sylvain tried to downplay it in their B-Support, but he was very hurt after getting dumped by Felix in their C-Support. He was not expecting Felix to apologize to him and truly thought it was over between them. And he seemed to be taking the pain of that breakup out on the village girl he dumped in his C-Support with Byleth.
(Japanese Translation) Sylvain: That girl too, just because there was another woman, there shouldn't be a reason to get that angry.
CSA can distort a person's understanding of love and intimacy. It can create a split between emotional intimacy and physical intimacy, making it difficult for them to experience love and sex as interconnected. Sylvain did not inherently associate sex with love. So, he truly didn't understand why his casual flings would be considered cheating or why it would even make Felix jealous or angry.
(Japanese Translation) Sylvain: Sigh… Seeing the pained expression of a cute girl, it's hard to handle. (Option 1) Byleth: It doesn't look like it. Sylvain: No, no, it's really hard. I'm still pretty depressed about this. (Option 2) Byleth: Really? (Male Byleth) Sylvain: Ah, it really is painful. I feel like I might collapse on my knees any moment now. …Well then, Professor, they say the best way to heal from this kind of love pain is a new love, right? How about going out with me for a bit? Let's go woo some girls together! (Female Byleth) Sylvain: It's obviously hard, isn't it? ...Professor, you can comfort me if you want. Oh, the other day, I got some good tea leaves! How about it, in my room...
Sylvain didn't love any of the girls he slept with. But he was using his hook ups as a way to fill the void of true love and intimacy.
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Ingrid: When you were fifteen, you sought—relentlessly, might I add—to involve yourself with Lord Gwendal's daughter.
CSA blurs the survivor's understanding of healthy boundaries. Sylvain did not want to get married. In fact, he said that he would have run away if he had the courage. But he had no say in the matter. Some survivors may develop hypersexual behaviors as a way to regain control over their bodies. It can be a way to exert power in situations where they had previously felt powerless. By being sexually active on their own terms, they might reclaim a sense of agency.
(Japanese Translation) Sylvain: I just picked up that girl from around here. I thought we'd just have some fun and then go our separate ways. But it seems like she ended up getting more attached to me than I expected. Man, what a hassle. Byleth: You're too frivolous. Sylvain: What are you talking about, Professor? This kind of casual fun is the most comfortable for me. …Well, no matter what you think, I have no intention of changing my ways. You see, even though I'm a good-for-nothing, I'm still a noble with a Crest… I try to avoid getting too involved. It only brings trouble. Eventually, I'll be quietly married off to someone suitable, and that'll be the end of it.
Abuse can severely impact a person's self-esteem and sense of self-worth. Some survivors may engage in promiscuous behavior as a way to seek validation or affection. Sylvain believed he was a good-for-nothing and doubted whether he was worthy of love. His sexual conquests were also a way to combat his poor self-esteem.
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(Japanese Translation) Sylvain: If by any chance a child without a Crest is born, that generation is just given up on… But generally, the head of the family keeps having children until one with a Crest is born. Then, the child with the Crest becomes the next head and repeats the same thing. You understand? For commoner girls, someone like me is easy prey. Byleth: That's not a nice way to put it... Sylvain: Even if you say that... Should I say that it's a good stepping-stone to becoming a noble?
Survivors may find it hard to believe that others have good intentions, fearing that getting close to someone will lead to betrayal or harm. Sylvain assumed that every girl who showed interest had an ulterior motive. In the English version of his B-Support with Byleth, he lamented how girls viewed him as a trophy and a studhorse.
In Japanese, he was even more cynical. "格好の獲物" (kakkou no emono) literally translates to "prime catch" or "ideal prey." It is often used to describe someone that is seen as an easy or attractive target, whether in a literal hunting sense or in a metaphorical sense, such as someone being an easy victim for exploitation, manipulation, or attack. The phrase can carry a negative connotation, implying that the person is vulnerable or easy to take advantage of.
(English) Sylvain: If I marry a girl and she gives birth to a child with a Crest, that kid might become the next head of House Gautier. (Japanese Translation) Sylvain: If they can have a child with a Crest, that child might become the next head of the family.
The original Japanese version of this sentence didn't mention marriage. Nobility status is granted to any child who bears a Crest, regardless of whether they're a bastard. And so, a commoner woman wouldn't even need to marry Sylvain to benefit from his blood. All she would need to do is sleep with him and become pregnant with a child who bears the Crest of Gautier.
(Japanese Translation) Sylvain: Well, nowadays with our diluted blood, most of what's born are guys like my older brother, though… Crest-bearers have always been both envied and desired by people. I understand the value of my blood, in my own way. …To the point of disgust.
I don't think the girls that Sylvain was hooking up with in his Byleth Supports were using him. They seemed genuinely hurt by his behavior. But it would not be too farfetched to believe that Sylvain had an encounter with a female sexual predator in the past.
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(Japanese Translation) Ingrid: …And stop making jokes like that guy did about being fine with dying.
Engaging in promiscuous behavior often involves taking risks. It can even be a form of self-harm like cutting. After making advances on Lord Gwendal's daughter, Sylvain was almost killed by her father. And he not only expected to get stabbed eventually, but he did not care if he did. He just laughed and joked that it would be fine if he died.
(Japanese Translation) Sylvain: It's fine, as long as you're okay… If you're alive, then I…
I'm sure that Sylvain was not really joking here. Engaging in promiscuous behavior is also a way to dissociate from one's emotions. As children, Felix and Sylvain had made a promise that they would always be together until they died together. Sylvain knew he was going to be forced into an arranged marriage after graduation. Apparently, he didn't want to have "the talk" with Felix and deal with a painful breakup. He only allowed himself to engage in casual relationships because he wouldn't feel bad about dumping them later. He was unable to be with the person he really wanted, so he slept around to avoid dealing with his pain.
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