#i love the idea of people who don't watch the show stumbling upon this a thinking this dude walks in rooms-

[repressedqueen]

Your post with the pre ass slap look for Tommy and Eddie - someone else posted this still and if you put them back to back it looks like he’s post ass slap 😂

Lmao you are absolutely right!!

Looks like he went for that slap after all 😂

[ceilidho]

OHHH I’m rewatching the walking dead too :3 do you have any ideas for it? I always think about zombie apocalypse aus when I watch shows like that

Ghost as Negan OKAYYYY ^^

oh god i just love zombie apocalypse stories so much. i don't think i'd ever write a fic that takes place in the walking dead universe, but i've already written a ghost/reader zombie apocalypse prompt and i'd write another in a heartbeat if i had the time/energy (and also when i finish my current wips).

i have a basic idea for a price/reader fic where reader is a single mother who escaped from the city with her baby when Price stumbles onto them and decides it's his job to keep them safe.

i'd also love to get back to my ghost/reader roots and write something for him, because i love the image of Ghost shutting down in the wake of the world ending, like the threads of his humanity fraying in this new world where he doesn't have to put up the facade of civility. he just has to survive, which he's good at - what he's made for, in fact. i think this is the one type of storyline where i wouldn't write him as immediately being obsessed with reader, but only because he's shut down so much of humanity that it doesn't really register at first.

so maybe this is a case of him happening upon reader when she's in a serious bind and he only saves her because it's to his own benefit (exterminating zombies or getting rid of worse people), and she's the one that follows him, that begs him to team up with her because she's lost everyone else and she's been on her own for days or weeks. and she just won't leave him alone, even when he threatens her, so he very slowly begins to warm up to her and lets her tag along with him.

[starryalpacasstuff]

She Loves To Cook and She Loves to Eat: I can't summarize my love for it sufficiently

A while ago, I asked @lurkingshan for Japanese QL recs, and Tsukutabe was her first rec. And while I'm finally watching this significantly later than I expected to, I'm so glad I did. I watched both seasons as a whole, which turned out to be a good idea because while season one was good, season two was excellent.

I think, going into this show I expected it to be a simple, domestic show that was pretty much all fluff. And while it was all those things, it was so much more too. It's got a lot of hidden depth to it, particularly in terms of how mature and real it is.

Tsukutabe is many things, but at its core, it is a show about people being kind. It's about people receiving kindness and being kind to others in turn. From inviting someone to a home cooked meal to volunteering to cover overtime work, the characters in this show exemplify how much change you can bring by simply being kind. It's something that fills you with warm, fuzzy feelings as you watch.

It's also a show about healing. We get to see people who have very different relationships with food heal and develop them as the show progresses. One thing I loved about this show was that it consistently treated everyone's problems as equal, never downplaying any of them. Nagumo and Kasuga's problems and relationships with food are fundamentally opposing, but are also equal in that they are two sides of the same coin, and are treated as such. I nearly wept tears of joy at the balcony scene with Kasuga and Nagumo, which was absolutely beautifully handled.

The show delving into the pressures of family and society in regards to marriage hit extremely close to home in the best way possible. I really appreciated the realistic and relatable portrayal of people's views on marriage, in particular how the show delved into the relationships queer people have with marriage. The depiction of the common belief that queer relationships are less likely to last was also extremely familiar. My mother, who is more liberal than most Indians, once told me that an Indian lesbian she talked to said the problem with being gay in India is that, due to gay marriage not being legal, there is very little commitment in gay relationships. While I'm still slightly unsure of whether this was true, the point stands that this is a fairly prevalent belief amongst Asians who don't grab pitchforks and torches upon hearing the word gay. I really, really enjoyed how realistic this show is in this regard, because it made me feel so seen.

Kasuga and Nomoto's relationship was adorable. Watching them figure out their deeper feelings for one another, stumble into a confession and then figure out how to be in a relationship was delightful. I was extremely pleased that there was little to no miscommunication, and that both of them acted like mature adults with decent communication skills (what a surprise!). And finally, they had an excellent dynamic that felt very real.

Another thing I absolutely adored was how much focus this show gave to the food, to the point where it was practically the third lead. I mean, I'm sure that it's to be expected from a show called she loves to cook and she loves to eat, but I still found myself genuinely surprised by the amount of attention that was given to the food in the show. Whenever food was cooked and eaten, we were presented with generous shots of both, which, as a lover of both cooking and eating, I greatly appreciated.

This show is amazing in many areas; the food, Kasuga and Namoto's slowly blossoming relationship, and the fantastic explorations of relationships with food. But, what really stole the show for me was the supporting cast. Each character that they introduced was someone who was at a different place in their life, with a different perspective that they brought with them. And, most importantly, as I mentioned before, they were so kind. The interactions between most of the characters were incredibly wholesome, and the story did an amazing job of showing us as much about the supporting characters as it could in the limited screen time they had.

Not only was Sayama a consistent, reliable support and voice of reason to Namoto, she had her own issues that she regularly discussed with Namoto, because that's what friends do. Too often in QL do friends of the main characters seem to only exist to listen to their problems, provide (typically questionable) advice and further the plot. I loved how the story subtly showed us how marriage pressure affect Sayama as well, who seems to be searching for a boyfriend only because that is what society expects of her, which is likely the reason she cannot find anyone. Kasuga's coworker had a wonderful mini arc of her own, and despite nearly all of it occurring offscreen, what little we got was absolutely brilliant. The scene wherein she and Kasuga talked about having to care for elders has to be one of my favourites in the entire show. In this, she was probably one of the first elders to ever encourage Kasuga to act with her own wellbeing in mind. Similarly, Kasuga was likely one of the first people to tell her to do what makes her happy. The fact that they are, in way, speaking in place of each other's loved ones only makes this moment even more of a tearjerker. The final scene wherein we see her looking for a job was delightful; it was the perfect conclusion to her story. Yako perfectly embodied the older, experienced queer and I loved her so much. It's clear that she's not had an easy time being a lesbian and asexual, but she overcame the challenges and came out smiling. Although I do wish that the show had explored her asexuality more, and perhaps even expanded on her story, I also understand that time constraints wouldn't have allowed for it; and besides, there's a certain poignancy to the conclusion she got. Honestly though, I'd absolutely love to see a spinoff based on Yako's story, exploring the hurdles she's overcome and maybe even seeing her find love (season 3 anyone?). As for Nagumo, I don't think I even need to say anything. She had a wonderful arc that was extremely well written, and by the end of the story she had blossomed into a better version of herself. I also loved her friendship with Kasuga, how the two of them grew closer over time and helped each other with their respective problems. The wide range of characters helped emphasize the show's message of how everyone is different, and how it is these differences that make our world a better place. Even Nomoto's coworker is an example of this, as someone who seems to have little to no interest in romance, who doesn't hesitate to take up the overtime work so that the two girls can enjoy Valentine's Day. (I'm headcanoning him as aroace and you can pry this from my cold, dead hands).

Found family is a trope I adore, and this show has to be one of the most beautiful executions of this trope I've ever seen. Watching Namoto and Kasuga build a little family for themselves—one that accepts everyone as they are—was a very healing experience.

Another thing I really liked about this show is how realistically conflict was handled. On the most part, the show did not antagonize characters. The man who told Kasuga to drink beer is treated as simply an annoying person one stumbled across (a common occurrence), the cooks at the restaurant make an effort by offering different sizes of rice portions after serving Kasuga a smaller portion due to her gender and both Nomoto and Kasuga acknowledge that it was not the real estate agent's fault for mistaking them to be friends. Nomoto's mother is slightly overbearing and conservative, but she clearly cares for Nomoto, something that hit very close to hom. I appreciated that the show portrayed this so well. Most people are not evil and out to get you, they're just people living their own lives based upon the beliefs they've built up over the course of their life, and most of the time it is not worth our time to get worked up over it.

Meanwhile, Kasuga's father is perhaps the only actual antagonist of the story. I really liked how this plotline was handled because of how real it felt. The show plays out exactly according to the actual thought process someone would have in a situation like this, in particular an asian; that our parents are products of their time and that while we wouldn't condemn them for their actions, the same does not make us responsible for dealing with them either. Side note while I'm on this, I was also very happy that the show did not compare Nomoto and Kasuga's different methods of dealing with family, because not only were they in different situations, the show also seems to emphasize that neither choice is wrong, and that it is up to each individual to choose their own path. Going back to what I said about being glad that the show did not compare Kasuga and Nagumo's situation, this seems to develop into a theme for the show. The show is filled with different people with different lives and different perspectives, and never once does it try to compare any of them, which I find to be a beautiful message.

If there's any criticism I have of this show at all, it's only that it's probably not the best pick for a binge. The slow plot, laid-back feel and fact that each problem that arises is resolved in the same episode makes it an excellent candidate for a show you watch a few episodes of every day. Unfortunately, I placed myself in an 8 hour flight with the downloaded episodes being my only source of entertainment, so I did end up binging most of it. It's definitely not bad as a binge, I certainly enjoyed watching it, I simply feel like watching it slowly is a far better choice. All in all, this is a wonderful show. It's cozy and comforting, and it's very realistic and mature in a way that's quite refreshing. Watching it made me feel warm inside and I'm so glad I finally watched it.

[ghost-rattan]

hello! Hello! I’ve stumbled upon this blog and really like it! Is it alright if I request? If so could I be called 🧸Anon?

I wanna spread this small idea, how about reader who likes to act dumb and weak because it fools people and makes them underestimate her..but she’s actually really smart and control alot of stuff in the background? It can be for whoever you want!

Hiya!! sorry this took a while! <3 excited to see what else you come up with! and yes the bear is free! :D might be a little ooc but hope you enjoy!

reader who tricks people to underestimate her!

Kunikida

When you first met he fell for it! You where his ideal woman but he also thought you where a damsel in destress and was honestly confused on how you joined the Ada

He thought that until you were undercover for a mission, you where all nice and kind to the criminal

That was until you both were sent on a undercover mission

He saw how quickly you switched from this kind smile to a more sadistic one

his eyes where wide open bro was so confused

after the mission you where more you calm collected as everything around this guy got torn into apart

you had secretly got one of your allies to infiltrate the this guys organization (kinda reminds me of william from mtp)

Kunikida was confused so he just straight up asked you about it

"People always look down on me so why not play to it? It works to catch the criminals and bring justice to this world so why not?"

that was the moment he fell in love with you <3

Now in a relationship he likes how strong you are and how you have a more phycological way to take care of your self

he's kinda annoyed that he fell for it

fyodor

HE LOVES IT

Like I said in my last post I can picture him with a manipulative person

you both can have dates where you plan missions together

I feel like you have an organization too but all your people know you as what you show them which is this act

When you both met he saw right through you sadly but when every one else was falling for it he was honestly impressed

He was also the first person to see through your little act

He honestly loves watching you manipulate others with this sweet dumb innocent girl act

He honestly thinks all the people that fall for it deserve what they have coming

I do think he would get annoyed if you thought you were better than him but other than that he would be glad that you have this ability to trick people too

You both give little pointers to each other and how you both can improve

He's honestly glad that you don't put up this act with him

he likes knowing the true you <3

[raginglesbian2006]

hii! could u headcanons of Vox and/or Alastor x Male! Reader who loves to write (poems, novels) and draws most of the time? like, maybe Vox/Alastor is distracted talking to someone else and or doing something and reader is in the back, drawing them?

This is such a good idea! Honestly, I have been meaning to write something for Vox but I love Alastor as well, so why not both?

RadioStatic (separate) with an artistic male! s/o

Alastor:

Alastor has a love for anything creative and artistic and the fact that his boyfriend shared a love for that too? Well, it makes him quite happy

He usually sits with you, sipping on his coffee as jazz plays in the background, enjoying the serenity of it all while you work on your writing or sketches

He also loves reading/reviewing your work. You seeking his advice feeds into his ego, ya know?

Alastor is a great person to go to for honest, yet constructive criticism

I mean, he is an asshole but not that much, ya know? (not me tryna defend this sociopath. The readers and I can change him I swear-)

He was surprised when he stumbled upon your sketchbook, opening to see quite a few drawings of himself.

Some featured him talking to people around the hotel and others captured him hosting his tamer broadcasts.

He'd tease you about it when he finds out, but deep down, he'd be appreciative that you took so much time and effort to draw his likeness

He'd quite sneakily take a page off to keep it for himself

He would advertise your work to Charlie or to other overlords he deemed worthy enough to bask in your expertise, only if you were comfy with it, of course.

If you are shy about showcasing your work to everyone, Alastor would be proud that he is the only one you feel comfortable showing your talents.

He is a total sweetheart behind closed doors. (Don't tell anyone!)

Vox:

He initially didn't care for you or your talents

But hooo boy, when he caught a glimpse at what you could do, you bet this man is all over you.

He likes watching you work when he's free

Since he's in the media biz, he provides surprisingly good critiques on your writing/art. He knows what sells and what doesn't after all.

If you are the shy kind, he'd try to convince you to broadcast your work for all his viewers to see but eventually, he'd settle on being one of the only people with the luxury of seeing your talents.

If you are comfy with showcasing your work to others, you bet he's spending the big bucks on making sure your talents are seen far and wide.

He'd even encourage you to write scripts for the movies he's making, only if you're absolutely ok with it

Vox's screen had glitched slightly when he stumbled upon your drawings of him.

His boyfriend...had drawn...him???

This man is lowkey tearing up, please hold him

The other Vees are kinda fed up with him just chattering on about you and your wonderful writing and drawing skills

You're his pride and joy, after all <3

A/N: Sooo sorry for the late response. I hope this is to your liking! :)

[aylish91]

Do you have any pirate sans x siren reader story ideas that you don't want/ Don't mind being converted into a story?

OOOOOOOOO! Pirate Sans x Siren Reader! You are in luck, my friend. I have had a few ideas I will most likely never fully get around to. If you would like to use any of them, be my guest~ If you do, please make sure to send me a link so I can read!!!

~~~ (1)

Sans is betrayed by someone on his ship resulting in the death of his brother and most of the crew. He manages to escape but is gravely injured. Running from his enemies, he stumbles upon a cave. Inside is a pool with a certain imprisoned siren. It is both lucky but unfortunate in his eyes. 

Sirens/mermaids were stuff of myths and legends said to have the ability to grant those that catch them any wish they so desired. The stronger the siren, the more wishes they could grant. However, if you failed to catch or angered them, they would take your soul or lure you with their song to your death.

Fortunately, neither of them is strong enough to hurt the other, so a deal is made. You are strong enough to grant Sans the “Eye of the Judge” and “Karmic Retribution” in exchange for freedom. However, it is quickly deduced that that alone wasn’t enough. (Everyone was still dead, Sans was still dusting, and you were now weak enough that you wouldn’t be able to save yourself even free.) In conclusion, to save both parties, you propose one last final deal.

If Sans allows you to lure/drown him and take his soul, you would be able to turn back time exactly one year. He would maintain his new abilities to then protect his family and crew from whatever threat had almost dusted him. In return, he would come back and release you from your prison and keep you safe while you recovered. 

Agreements are made with binding magic, soul consumed, and time reversed. (maybe with a side effect of now both souls being slightly bonded to each other) Sans finds you again as soon as he can and wa-la! Adventure time! Revenge against those who harmed Sans’ crew along with those who imprisoned you? Maybe! Simply avoiding danger and keeping everyone safe? absolutely! It could also be how you two slowly come to love each other or form a kind of familial bond.

~~~ (2)

You guide ships of your choosing through Death Pass. You keep other nasties away and show them how to navigate many days inside the perilous rocks and crags. All this for a price of course~ Anyone unwilling to pay can either turn back or inevitably get eaten by you or others. (After sinking of course… ha ha…)

There may be a certain pirate that catches your attention. One that brings you nice things and tells you the most entertaining stories. One that makes you want to go on adventures too… 

It could be how you become fond of him and his crew through work. You could eventually help him through without payment to save him from those giving chase. You could ask for payment to be him taking you with him on his journeys… 

~~~ (3)

Sans rescues you from the black market. Naturally, honor binds you to him now even though he let you go and left. You spend your time following him, getting closer, and sneaking on board.

(You are quite terrible at using legs at first, but you manage somehow. Even if people look at you weird. Customs are also different...)

You may be good at sneaking around and watching/helping. It could also be you only think you are sneaky. haha

[furbygoblinxiv]

Ok now to be annoying about a completely different flavor of Zelda: That cartoon from the 80s that has aged so poorly I take psychic damage every time I watch it (which has been multiple times (I have problems)). A few months ago when rewatching and being sick of the Link's personality from the show (his best feature is how funny the "Well excuuuuse me, princess" line is) I was like "I wish the quiet kid from the games/art was here instead" and accidentally thought too hard and made an au/rewrite of the cartoon lmao.

Anyways Zelda cartoon au where cryptid boy Link saves the post apocalyptic Hyrule of loz 1 and chills in the castle with cartoon Zelda to defend the triforce pieces that they have while trying to find the last piece before Ganon can find it, stumbling across the sleeping loz 2 Zelda along the way lol. Hijinks ensue as he teaches Zelda the brawns to back up her girlboss and he gets an adventure buddy because its dangerous to go alone and Zelda with her boomerang and crossbow goes hard. I think a monster of the week style plot works for the earlier Zelda games, but an overarching plot could coexist with that since that is kinda how games work lol.

As per usual here are a bunch of slapdash barely related sketches of my ideas with my expanded thoughts below bc I think it'd be fun to share:

I look at the official art of Link being a quiet determined little dude with a backpack of tools and wish that that was represented more. Like look at him! What a guy! Imagine giving a quiet puzzle solving 14 year old a sword, lethal magical weapons, and a wasteland to explore! I would love a show about that! In terms of other characters, swap out that annoying fairy character, put in a Navi clone, at least Navi didn't have a crush on Link🤮. Ganon can stay the same so long as he was always a demon pig and was never a Gerudo man because unlike Nintendo, I do not want to imply that the only prominent man of color in the series has only one big braincell thats just screaming "EVIL" on loop. But! Keep Zelda the same, I love her so much in the cartoon, she's obnoxious in a slay girlboss way, maximum vibes. By virtue of not having a paper thin plot, most other characters that were fine get fixed by proxy.

I think plot wise? It takes place a few years after the first game. Initially, Link saved the royal family and they started rebuilding that area of Hyrule, and Link traveled around to help people. One day, Ganon's minions start making attacks on the castle to steal the triforce pieces back to revive him fully, and a Zelda who greatly admires Links steps up to defend the place. Eventually, Zelda requests Link return to help defend the castle while they search for the mysterious hidden third triforce piece in order to combine the full thing and wish for peace in Hyrule. Link agrees and the hyjinks begin.

IIRC the og Link backstory was that he was the son of the hyrulean queen and the elf king or smth? In the manga? I didn't want him to be hylian royalty but I wanted to keep that cryptid vibe, hence why I have him related instead to the great fairy and the kokiri. He just leaves the forest/cave one day with literally nothing to go save Hyrule, what a chad. I think it'd be funny if people describe Zelda as feral due to how boisterous and headstrong she is, especially out on the field, but Link is the quiet version of wild that you don't notice at first. She is openly intelligent and snarky in comparison to "says 3 lines a day, bombs first and asks questions later, explore under every rock and bush" forest kid Link.

It would be fun though if "rushes into danger" Zelda resonated more with the triforce of power and "solves dungeon puzzles for funsies" Link with the triforce of wisdom, then they both resonated with the triforce of courage upon finding it. idk tho lol

I also think two different young Zeldas coexisting with each other after one awoke from a cursed slumber would be really funny. Like that's gotta be so awkward, especially if one has the fighter girlboss slay up to 11 and the other just woke up from a coma to her family gone and her kingdom destroyed and just kinda wants to read books and drink tea in peace. Imagine being the same age or older than your great (great?) aunt. Or imagine if the old lady Impa nursemaid to Zelda 1 Zelda was the young Impa nursemaid to the Zelda 2 Zelda. Wild.

If I wasn't incapable of remembering to finish writing wips I'd write that series lol. Alas, this is all I can pull for now.

I'd love to call this propaganda to go watch the show but maybe don't because its yikes. This is moreso propaganda for someone to make a Zelda cartoon show instead of the movie that I sense Nintendo is plotting to make. Also, if you've read this far, I should mention I also will probably be posting art from some of my actual long term Zelda aus beyond just expanding on the cartoon, though I may continue to do that if my train of thought continues on these tracks.

[creepylittlelady]

wait, I don't understand why fanon Masky is so hated?? /genq (I was never really that interested in him tbh so I only know shit about him.)

OKAY, I can answer this one!

I'm happy that the whole fandom turned around on Fanon Masky recently (at least, I believe it must have been recently considering Cheesecake Masky was a thing before I 'left' the fandom), since that version of him is a bit problematic lol

If you've watched Marble Hornets, then you'll know that Masky and Hoody are REALLY scary (seriously, I had nightmares about Masky for absolute weeks), and work against the Operator. However 'fanon' Masky is a loyal employee of Slenderman/The Operator (I'm gonna make a post addressing the differences one day), and isn't really all that scary?? From what I remember, he was mainly joked about as being the 'Sensible one' of the Proxy trio (Him, Hoody and Toby), who was basically the dude always tired of their bullshit. Not only is this the complete opposite of how Masky is, as he would NEVER work FOR his enemy, who literally ruined his life from childhood, but it also sort of flanderised him and no longer made him scary, which is something the Creepypasta fandom tends to do a lot lmao

Another thing is his sudden change of character design. A lot of old Creepypasta fanart depicting him from 2013-2017 show him with lighter brown hair and a yellow jacket, which isn't what he looks like at all?? Actual Masky has much darker hair and I don't think he's ever seen with that ugly ass highlighter coloured jacket.

There's also the complete change in his body type, definitely one of the most controversial things about Fanon Masky. Let me first say that I do not believe that Tim Sutton (Masky's original actor) is fat, I'm not sure WHERE the old Creepypasta fandom got that idea from. Fandom in general, especially the Creepypasta fandom, is quite 'fatphobic' from my experience. What this basically means is that if you're not a skinny twink you will be body shamed in every way possible. The Creepypasta character market has always been oversaturated with men who basically were twinks, with slim and pale bodies, such as Jeff the Killer.

I believe that making Masky so thin came from the fact that when the Creepypasta fandom really took off around 2013-ish, a lot of Creepypasta fans looked for content and eventually I believe that a lot of them must have stumbled across Marble Hornets. Upon seeing Masky and Hoody, two characters that could have passed off as Creepypasta characters (as most of the other characters in Marble Hornets looked like ordinary people), the fandom probably adopted them and adapted them to 'their tastes', no matter how good they were or not. It might have also been a game of telephone too, as maybe a Creepypasta fan's friend of a friend told them some info about Masky and they misunderstood and instead of who Masky actually was, saw him more as the silly goofy masked guy. And to be honest, I don't think the Creepypasta fandom has ever really been known for actually doing their research, so that misconstrued version of him just became canon in everyones minds.

Not that it was always that innocent though...

One titular thing about fanon Masky was his strange love of Cheesecake. I myself saw a lot of it in 2016 sewed into every bit of content for his character, and was confused on where it came from. Then, I found out that it was meant to be a joke SHAMING him for 'being fat'. I originally stumbled across this for the first time in a satire comic, where one of the panels is Hoody chastising Masky for eating cheesecake, stating that Masky will become fat. The cheesecake joke is one I've seen in some fandoms before, albeit in different ways and with different foods. For the life of me I cannot figure out why everyone decided to associate him with Cheesecake, but everyone just did.

Fanon Masky is a perfect example on how fandoms can flanderise characters to the point where they're unrecognisable; pull up a picture of Masky in the Marble Hornets and then a Masky fanart from 2015. The difference is STAGGERING. The Creepypasta fandom is very much infamous for flanderising characters, such as making Jeff a misunderstood bad boy, Toby a waffles-obsessed manchild, and Masky a Slenderman-loving, Crayons and Paper-having, Toby-hating, Cheesecake-eating twink.

TL;DR: Fanon Masky was made as a shitty misconstrued fat joke.

[useless-catalanfacts]

Hello, how are you? First of all, excuse me for sending the message in English, I don't speak Catalan just yet.

So, recently I've been researching about the immigration in Europe and found out that Catalunya is one of the places in the Iberian Peninsula that has received the most immigrants throughout the years. So, I wanted to know: what are the feelings that most Catalans have on this matter? If you don't want to speak for most Catalans, I'd love to hear your own opinion!

I also ask this because recently I stumbled upon this video on Twitter, I don't know if you have seen it, where this guy named Quim Masferrer was interviewing a black woman and got VERY surprised that she spoke Catalan. Probably because he thought that she was an immigrant and could only speak Spanish. You mentioned in one of your posts that people usually tend to change to Spanish when speaking to black people, assuming that they don't speak Catalan.

Salutacions des del Brasil!

Hi! English is no problem at all, don't worry.

Yes, you are right that Catalonia is one of the places in Iberia that has received the highest amount of immigrant people. We started getting international immigration from outside Iberia in the 1990s, and since then it has continued growing.

According to elections results and polls, Catalonia's population has a better view of immigration than the average.

Share of votes for political parties in favour of restrictive measures on migration in the European Parliament elections of 2019. Source: European Union. You can see Catalonia is one of the greenest places (with lowest votes for parties that seek to restrict migration), and Catalonia's shape can be clearly seen from the greener tone it's painted in compared with its neighbours.

Every so often, polls are conducted on the topic and they always show something similar.

Catalonia has also held the largest demonstrations in Europe in favour of welcoming refugees (in 2017). This was a protest against the Spanish Government, which is the one who has the power on immigration and refugee issues, because they were not allowing enough refugees in, and people in Catalonia wanted to allow them in.

This is not to say there aren't racists, of course there are. Sadly, the fascist parties are growing in all of Europe, particularly among young men/boys. This is also happening here, with the Spanish supremacist party Vox. And outside of people who are directly fascists, racist beliefs still persist in other parts of the population, often ones who would like to get rid of their racist beliefs, but we live in a society.

What you mention about the black woman speaking Catalan is one of them (I saw the video when this episode was on TV, link here for anyone who wants to watch it). Well-meaning Catalan people who want to be welcoming do this when 2 problems come together: on the one hand, the fact that many people still aren't used to people who don't look or sound like they're from here actually being from here, and the fact that many people would be very surprised if any people who aren't originally from here would speak our language or even knowing that it exists. So when they see someone who looks African, Scandinavian, from any other part of the world, makes mistakes when speaking Catalan or sounds like they usually speak Spanish, the Catalan person will 99% of the time switch to Spanish with the well-meaning intention of making it easier for the person they see as "foreigner". This is often useless, because a person who speaks Mandarin or Wolof won't be helped by you speaking Spanish instead of Catalan, but our history has convinced us that it will.

People are not switching to Spanish on purpose to call the other a foreigner, they're doing because we come from centuries of illegalization, persecution and discrimination and we have internalized the idea that we are worthless, not "citizens of the world", and that only our most immediate surrounding speaks our "useless" language, while The World speaks Spanish, the respected and widely-spoken language that everyone admires. That's of course not true, someone who just arrived from, say, China might know as much Catalan as Spanish: that is, none. But in our minds, because of all these centuries of brainwashing through physical violence, the school system, media, etc, literally everything saying we're "provincial", "rural" and "worthless", and that we better hide the fact that we speak the language we speak if we want anyone to understand us, and that it's so so so rude to speak in Catalan instead of Spanish or to even be heard by a Spanish speaker when we speak Catalan; while also making us believe that the whole world loves Spanish and that most of the world speaks Spanish and that everything will be better if we speak Spanish- well, at the first moment of seeing someone they identify as a "non-Catalan", the Catalan person full of self-hatred will immediately use Spanish.

Of course, this is racist (nowadays many people whose ancestors are African have been raised in Catalonia, sometimes even born here, or might have been living here long enough to speak it! it's racist to assume that just because of their looks or accent, that they are foreigner, and that they can't know the language of the place they live in and that they need us to make the effort of switching to an "international" language instead). But if you speak in Catalan to a racialized person or a person who comes from Spain (outside the Catalan Countries), many non-migrant Catalans will call you racist for it, because they'll say you're making things hard for the immigrant for no reason. They'll say, "why would you bother them with Catalan? You should make things as easy as possible for them", with the underlying assumption that Catalan is worthless and we should give up our right to speak it when it slightly inconveniences someone. And, again, the view that the immigrant person needs us to simplify and speak to them differently from how we would speak to a non-immigrant person because they can't know this, is very racist, even though it's done thinking that it's just being polite and, sometimes, believing that it's anti-racist and that it would be racist to treat them like any other person. At the same time, this alienates immigrant, racialized and Spanish people from the community, effectively showing them that we consider them a foreigner and not one of us, and we don't transmit the feeling that they need to learn it to live here, so in the end some of them will only learn Spanish (why learn Catalan, if nobody will speak it to them? Everyone speaks to them in Spanish, so that gives the idea that that is the language they need to learn) which fuels this circle.

So yeah, most people will do this racist thing because they believe it's the non-racist and polite thing to do. But, like racialized people have been saying for a very long time, that is not true at all. I have heard many racialized people (including friends of mine) explain how strangers in shops and restaurants will speak in Catalan to everybody and, when turning to the racialized person, talk to them in Spanish, clearly singling them out for their looks as if they needed any help, as if they couldn't speak our language perfectly (and even if it wasn't perfect, so what?). Some days ago I saw it again, I was waiting at the queue of the CAP (local healthcare centre) and the nurse attended everyone in Catalan. When a Moroccan family arrived and asked in perfect Catalan what they needed, the nurse (for the first time in that whole time) answered in Spanish. The Moroccan women continued asking in Catalan, and the nurse continued answering in Spanish, until the 4th interaction in which the Moroccan girl who was speaking ended up switching to Spanish as well. I can't imagine how heartbreaking that must feel.

I hope this answered your question. I hope you will understand why people act the way they do when they switch, that is not a matter of wanting to treat foreigners or those read as foreigners badly (actually, all the opposite). I hope you won't be too harsh on us for this, because it's a result of our own oppression and a manifestation of our internalized Catalanophobia.

Now, message to the other Catalans reading this: absolutely judge yourself harshly if you do this. Reflect and change your ways.

[i-used-to-wear-the-fedora]

Steddie Mating Run AU, Ouroboros

Mating jewelry, while not required, was a very important symbol in relationships. Alphas specially hand crafting a sign of their love for the person they cherished the most. But now a days, it was considered cheesy as hell. Still, that didn't stop Steve from heading to the jewelry store in the mall in hopes of finding something to impress his kind of, not really, mate.

It was a busy Sunday afternoon when Steve arrived at the shop near the corner of the mall. Approaching the counter near the front, Steve was greeted by a collection of big, bright gemstones that demanded attention. Every time Steve's mother came home, she was wearing something new his father bought. To some people, it would seem like his father cared about his mother. But Steve knew it was him establishing his ownership over her. She'd been very eager to tell a nine year old Steve this while black out drunk.

"I never wanted you. " He clearly remembered her saying as she laid spread out over the sofa in their foyer. Barely maintaining her grip on the glass of wine in her hand. They had a party earlier that night and his dad disappeared upstairs with one of his "friends" from work. His mother responded the only way she could, by trying to drink enough to forget about everything around her. Steve couldn't remember why he came downstairs that night. He was supposed to stay in his room when they had grown-up parties. Yet he still ended up in the living room, staring up in confusion at his mother as she stumbled to her feet. Letting out a strangled groan as she almost tripped over her child. Her neck was in his face, adorned by the necklace his father gave her. A choker that he now realized was more of a collar.

"God, you look just like him," she slurred out, "he took me when he knew I didn't have a choice. Now I'm stuck with a cheating prick of a husband and a disappointment for a kid." The woman took another sip of the wine. "Why couldn't you have been a girl? Maybe I could at least stand you if...if..." She trailed off before she could finish, the glass of wine falling on the floor before she completely passed out. It was one of the few times Steve saw his mom's real face. Not the one she put on to look like a picture-perfect family.

The memory faded and Steve was back in the jewelry shop. Staring down at the case specifically for mating jewelry. Frowning at the diamond necklace on a headless mannequin. Maybe this wasn't a good idea...

"Do you need help finding anything?"

Steve jumped at the voice, turning to see a store attendant smiling at him. The woman was a few years older than him. Her name tag read Olivia.

"Ugh, I don't know." Steve reached into his jacket, fishing around in his pocket and pulling out one of the rings he (temporarily) stole from Eddie to get an idea for size. Pulling it out revealed a silver skull with its teeth bared. Olivia's eyes fell on the ring and she raised an eyebrow at the piece of metal. "He doesn't know I'm here. And he thinks stuff like this is out of date and weird, but I want to show him this is important to me."

"And he's an omega?" Steve nodded.

"Yeah. I don't want to be one of those guys who's weirdly possessive about this kind of thing but I still want to get him something nice." Steve held the ring out to the woman who took it. Looking the piece over with a loud hum before she spoke.

"I think I have something you might be interested in." Steve followed her to the curtained off area. Waiting as she pulled it back to reveal shelves upon shelves of cases. Steve did his best not to focus on the way her body was positioned in front of him. As far as she knew, he already had a mate. Instead, he stared at the carpeted floor and waited until she let out a small "a-ha!". Looking up, Steve watched as she pulled away with a small box. It was covered in a thin layer of dust. The woman wiped it away before opening it to reveal a small silver band. Pulling it out, she revealed it was a braided snake eating its own tail. Glints of purple and red shone through the loops to represent scales. "We got this one in a while ago. It's called the Ouroboros. It's not our shiniest piece, but it seems in line with your partner's tastes."

If there was any jewelry piece in the world that screamed Eddie, this was it. Looking at the price tag at the edge of the box, Steve already knew Eddie would freak if he found out Steve spent this much on him, but it was a goodwill gift more than anything. He didn't need to know how much it actually cost.

"I'll take it."

[minisugakoobies]

Day 11 ❄️ KTH

Kinks: exhibitionism, shopping for gifts

Pairing: Taehyung x Reader

Genre: holiday, fluff, smut, established relationship, non-Idol!AU

Rating: M (18+)

Warnings: swearing, kissing, exhibitionism, oral sex (m receiving), face-fucking, cum swallowing, both reader and Taehyung wear lingerie, mention of body image/self-esteem issues, these two are quite whipped for each other

Word Count: 2.5K

Disclaimers: NSFW, obviously I don’t own BTS - they just inspire me

Summary:  Upon discovering that you and your boyfriend are planning on buying each other the same gift, you decide to try it on together first

A/N: Typically, I try to keep my reader inserts as physically blank as possible. I'm not doing that here. I'm specifically writing this with a plus-size reader in mind.

This story started out just porn with the barest of plots and ended up soft & smutty. I hope you'll like it. 💜

Please don't be a silent reader 🥺 I'd love to know what you think! 💕

Day 10 ❄️ Kinkmas Masterlist ❄️ Day 12

Of all your boyfriend’s amazing traits, it’s Taehyung’s openness to trying something new that you love the most. It’s led to so many memorable experiences for the two of you. 

Shopping at the mall on the Saturday before Christmas is new to him, but it probably isn’t going to make that list, you think, staring at the bustling crowds crammed into the corridor between shops. But Taehyung let you drag him down here anyway, since you both need to finish checking off the items on your Christmas list. He sighs now beside you, watching the people flow by like a colorful stream of fish. 

With only one gift remaining on your list, you’re confident that this won’t take long. “Okay, how about we split up and meet back here in like an hour? Is that enough time?”

Taehyung nodded. “That’s more than enough. See you in an hour.” He presses a quick kiss to your cheek, and then he dives into the crowd, passersby parting to let him through. The crush is so thick that he disappears in seconds.

After a moment, you join the stream as well, moving quickly lest you be trampled by the other shoppers. The store you’re heading for isn’t far. It’s a place where you’ve bought a lot of little presents for yourself in the past. But you’re not buying something for yourself today. The last gift you need is Taehyung’s, and you’re pretty sure you’re going to find it here, at Euphoria, your favorite lingerie shop.

Strolling through the racks, you ponder what will make the perfect present for your boyfriend. Lingerie was never something you enjoyed before you met Taehyung. It always felt like it was meant for models, for those who fit into sample sizes, who showed off their bodies on Instagram and never felt self-conscious about the way they looked.

But Taehyung loves all of you, which he has demonstrated time and again, most effusively when the two of you are in the bedroom. His love has helped you embrace your curves, your rolls, all the soft bits you used to hate, used to hide under layers and layers of clothing. The more you’ve come to appreciate your own body, the more you’ve become comfortable with showing it off, and now you have an entire drawer filled with garments that make you feel like the sexiest woman in the world. Which, according to Taehyung, you are. 

But what should you buy today? You mentally flip through your collection, hoping to spark an idea. Taehyung loves it when you wear your bodystocking, so maybe something with fishnets or lace? But he also can’t keep his hands off you when you put on a satiny corset or a pair of silk panties, so maybe that would work?

It only takes another minute of browsing before you stumble across the perfect ensemble. Thankfully, the line isn’t very long, so a sales rep rings you up quickly, and you slip your arm through the straps of the little shopping bag they hand you. 

As you head towards the entrance, fully intending to spend the rest of the hour sitting on a quiet bench away from the crowds, a very cute bra hanging a few racks away catches your eye. Maybe now that you’ve finished shopping for others, you could treat yourself to something, too. 

But you’re not paying attention to others as you make a beeline for the bra, and as you swerve to the left, you run smack into another shopper. 

Your boyfriend.

Taehyung’s eyes widen as he realizes you’re the person he just bounced off of. “Hey, babe,” he drawls slowly, tucking his hands behind his back. You can see the end of a hanger sticking out, but can’t see what’s hanging from it. His eyes flick to the bag looped over your forearm. “Did you finish your shopping already?” 

“Mmmhmm,” you reply, craning your neck to try to see what he’s hiding, but he shifts, turning his body to keep it obscured. 

“That’s good. I’m, uh, I’m…” 

“Shopping for me?” 

You can practically hear Taehyung weighing his options as he thinks about his response. If he says yes, then the surprise is ruined. If he says no, then he’s going to have to explain why he’s in a lingerie shop to purchase a gift for someone other than his girlfriend. Maybe it’s the spirit of Christmas moving through you, but you decide to take pity on him. 

“You can stop trying to hide it, it’s okay,” you grin, reaching for his arm. “I wanna see what you picked out!”

“But - it won’t be a surprise,” he protests, slipping out of your grasp. 

Laughing, you cup his cheek. “Taehyung, I’m not a little kid, I don’t care about the surprise. I’m curious now, so let me see!” 

He caves. In his hand is a white lace teddy, the material soft under your fingertips as you take it from him.

“Well?” he asks after a moment. “Do you like it?” 

“I love it.” Biting your lip, you take a look around. The shop isn’t overcrowded but there are more than enough customers here to keep the sales reps busy at their registers. “I think I should try it on, though. Just to make sure you got the right size.” 

“Actually, I got your size fr-”

You press a single finger to his mouth. Taehyung raises a brow.

“I should try this on. And you should come help.” 

A slow smile spreads across Taehyung’s face. Taking his hand, you lead him towards the back of the store, where the dressing rooms are hidden down a hallway, and tug him directly into an empty room, locking the door behind you.

It’s a little cramped with the two of you in there, but there’s enough room for you to change. However, you don’t start pulling off your clothes just yet. Instead, you hand your shopping bag to him. 

“Uh, here. Merry Christmas.” 

Taehyung looks at the bag but doesn’t open it. “You want me to open this now? Do you want to try this on, too?” 

“Not quite.” He doesn’t move. “Just open it, will you?” 

Again he gives in, and reaches into the bag to pull out his present. He’s quiet, turning the items over in his hands as he stares at them. His silence makes you worry, and you wonder if you should explain. 

He looks up. “This is for me?”

“Yeah,” you confirm. When he falls silent again, you blurt out, “It’s okay if you don’t like it! I just thought maybe… since you like all the lace and silk I wear, how it feels against your skin… and you’re always trying new things, so I was thinking, maybe you’d like this.” The explanation feels weak, and you bite the inside of your cheek worriedly as he blinks at you. “But if you don’t like it, you don’t have t-”

“I like it.” His deep voice cuts through your rambling, loud and steady.

“You do?” 

Taehyung nods, the corner of his mouth lifting in a tiny smirk. “You’re right, I do like trying new things. But I should probably try it on to make sure it fits. That’s why you gave it to me now, right?” 

He takes your grin as a response, and wordlessly, the two of you turn your backs to one another. The mirror is on the wall facing the door, so as you face the left wall and Taehyung faces the right, neither of you can see one another as you start to disrobe. It’s a little awkward with both of you stripping in the small space, the occasional elbow or shoulder bumping against the other, but you both manage to put your gifts on quickly. 

“Ready?” 

There’s some shuffling behind you, and then Taehyung says, “Yes.” 

As you spin around, you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror. The teddy Taehyung picked out is so unlike the racy lingerie you own, all of which is meant to tease and tantalize. This garment is pretty more than it is sexy, with fine lace trailing over your curves in a deep-v plunging from your collarbones down to your navel. A silk ribbon ties it together halter-style over your shoulders, leaving your back bare down to where the teddy ends in a crotchless thong, and another ribbon ties at your waist. Small silk panels over your hips flutter as you turn. The whole effect is rather delicate and sweet. 

Taehyung’s eyes darken as he takes you in, but you barely notice his gaze, staring at the way his gift fits. Although the men’s section of the lingerie shop is small, you struck gold with your selection. The black lace and satin briefs are snug, sitting low on his hips. Attached garters wrap around his thick thighs, highlighting them perfectly as you’d dreamed they would. 

He clears his throat, and you force yourself to look away from the delicious sight to find him watching you with an expression of total adoration. “Baby, you’re so… you’re so beautiful.” 

Even after all this time together, he still flusters you. You shyly play with the satin, rolling the edge of the fabric through your fingers. “Thank you. This is really pretty, Tae. What made you choose it?”  

“I just saw it and pictured you wearing it and immediately knew you’d look amazing. And I was right.” He smiles, lightly tugging at the bow around your waist. “And maybe I liked the idea of getting to unwrap you on Christmas, like the gift you are.” 

“Okay, stop, you’re too sweet.” You roll your eyes and wave your hands, but you’re smiling. “Do you like your gift?” 

He runs his hands over the satin waistband of the briefs, humming thoughtfully as he examines himself in the mirror. “Yeah. I do.” His long fingers pluck at one of the straps around his thigh. “It’s not something I ever imagined wearing, but you know what? Maybe I should have. Because I look fucking hot.” He grins as you laugh, watching you through the mirror. “Look at us, babe. We’re hot.” 

The mirror tells no lies. As you stare at your reflections, admiring the view, you notice that Taehyung is getting hard, cock straining against the lace briefs. 

The two of you have been in the dressing room for a few minutes now, but there haven’t been any knocks, so you decide to press your luck.

“Do you know why I chose this set for you?” you ask Taehyung. 

He shakes his head.

Gently, you place your hands on the small swell of his tummy, just above the briefs. “Part of it is the material. I thought you’d like the way the lace felt on your cock.” Taehyung hisses as your fingers trail down, rubbing lightly over the fabric, stopping to cup his dick. “Does it feel good?” 

“Uh-huh,” he nods, watching your hand as it palms over his clothed erection. 

“But the other part…” Sliding your fingers under the garters, you hold on to his thighs as you kneel. He watches you with his mouth hanging open slightly, chest rising as he sucks in a deep breath. “The other part is, I wanted to find something that I knew would show off this body that I love so much.” He doesn’t say a word as you curl your fingers around the waistband of the briefs, tugging them down until his cock springs free. “You’re always celebrating my body, Tae. I thought it was way past time to return the favor.” 

“Baby,” he begins, but the kiss you press to the tip of his cock strangles whatever words he was about to say, turning them into a choked groan. 

“Can I celebrate you now?”

He groans as you gaze adoringly at him from your knees. “Fuck, baby, how can I say no?” 

“You can always say no, Tae.” You know what he means, just as he knows what you mean. You still want to hear him say it. 

“Go ahead, baby.” His smirk returns. “Celebrate me.” 

Gripping the base of his cock, you lean over the tip, spitting to coat it in saliva. Taehyung moans as you cover him in wetness, rolling your hand a few times to stroke as you spread, before you wrap your lips around his head, sucking lightly. 

“Shit,” he grunts, “I don’t know how quiet I can be. I’m already all worked up.” It’s a good reminder that you’re in public, which means that you probably shouldn’t take your time like you’d like to.

 “I better make this quick, then,” you reply, and then you take him into your mouth as far as you can without deep-throating him, bobbing back off long enough to wink up at him before doing it again.

Taehyung pushes his fist against his lips, trying hard to muffle the sounds he’s making as you pull out all the moves that you know will have him popping in no time. Swirling your tongue around his darkened head. Hollowing your cheeks as you swallow around him. Sucking the sensitive skin of his balls into your mouth as you jerk him off with your hand. 

When his hips start rutting forward of their own accord, you grab his hand and place it on your head, giving him the silent signal to fuck your face. It’s something you both enjoy, him using you and you being used. Tears prick your eyes as he pumps forcefully into your mouth, chasing his release.

“Fuck, baby, gonna cum,” he warns, head tipping back in ecstasy, and you hum, squeezing his thighs to let him know to keep going, and with a few more thrusts he comes undone on your tongue, flowing warm and salty down your throat. 

As soon as you’ve pulled off him, swallowing and wiping away tears, he gently lifts you to your feet, wrapping his arms around you to steal your breath with fervent kisses. After a minute, you push him away, giggling.

“Tae! I need air!” You pause as a pair of footsteps pass by the door. “Also, we should probably not stay here too much longer. We’ve been lucky so far that no one’s needed this room.” 

He nods. “Yeah, you’re probably right.” But instead of putting his clothes back on, he pulls you back in for another kiss, and you feel his fingers tracing along the crotchless opening. “I still need to pay for your gift, though.”

“That is true,” you muse, tipping your head with a wicked grin. “I guess you gotta unwrap me here first.” 

“Love you, baby,” he murmurs between kisses, as he loosens the knot at the back of your neck.

With a happy sigh, you whisper back, “Love you, too.” 

Masterlist ❄️ Find me on AO3 ❄️

© 2022-23 by sunshinerainbowsbts/minisugakoobies. Crossposted to AO3. Please do not copy or repost.

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If your URL is italicized, tumblr won’t let me tag you! 😤 Check your settings!

[butmakeitgayblog]

So I'm relatively new to the fandom, and during my stay in this rabbit hole, that is, Clexa, I've got a few questions that I'm hoping you could answer :)

Why is everyone here pro-Lexa? Like don't get me wrong I absolutely love Lexa as a character and Alycia is a queen, but why all the hate towards some of the other characters, like Bellamy? I've never watched The 100 the whole way through (literally exited outta the show the second Lexa died), even then, it's been years since I watched it. Did I miss something while I was binge-watching, or was my teenage brain at the time just too immature to realize he was a total jackass..? Also, it's not just Bellamy, I've also seen hate for Bob, the actor who plays him. Which brings me to another question: does this fandom not like Eliza? I always see so much support when Alycia has an upcoming project or is posting Instagram updates but nothing for Eliza? Again, no judgment for the Alycia love because I completely understand why everyone here is head over heels in love with that girl but I just wanted to know, has Eliza ever done anything wrong? Or have I just conveniently only stumbled upon Alycia stans on this app?

Anyway, a totally unrelated note but since I'm here… may I just say ma'am, your writing is the bomb diggity. Like the perfect blend of humor, sexiness, angst, and fluff, THE GODDAMN FLUFF. Genius, you're a genius, like a mad scientist of Clexa fanfic. Hope you keep doing what you're doing, my friend. Take your time though, and don't listen to those ignorant anons that are crawling around yelling "wHy ArE yOu TaKiNg So LoNg To UpDaTe?" Thank you for writing for the Clexa fandom! ❤️

First I wanna say thank you for the sweet words and reading, that means so much to me 🥹💕 not to be a nerd but I screenshot that for one of my worse imposter syndrome days lol

Long post so you can read under the cut. Long time clexas you can just skip if you want because honestly I got annoyed all over again just typing it and you know it all already 🥴

Now right off the top, you don't have to hate Bellamy if you don't want to. It's not like that's a prereq for being a clexa, so if you like him, like him and don't worry about what anyone says. He's a fictional character so anyone who gets intense over someone liking him I think needs to take a walk.

But the reason why a lot of Clexas, myself included, hate him is somewhat of a two part answer. The main reason being is that his character is trash 😅. I mean I'm not gonna dissect every little bit of canon but the main points for me at least, since I can't speak for anyone else, are that he was constantly fucking up literally everything. He gets to earth, proclaims "tHeRe aRe nO RuLeS" and then,,, immediately declares himself the leader and starts forcing people to follow what he says. He literally almost let Clarke fall into a pit of spikes, tried to handcuff her and keep her hostage "for her own good", he spearheaded the whole thing with taking off their wristbands, HE BACKED PIKE, participated in the massacre of a peaceful army sent to protect skaikru, he constantly shamed and blamed Clarke for everything that ever went wrong even when a lot of that stuff was either the best solution in a bad situation OR was an indirect fallout from something fucked up that skaikru had done. The sweaty little fucker was always trying to control/manipulate Clarke and skaikru and his own damn sister despite the fact that everything he ever planned himself turning out to be: A Terrible Idea. Basically the dude sucked but was held up on spindles of glorification as being this heroic uwu soft boy that wasn't actually supported by any one damn thing in canon when you actually look at it objectively. And I'm sure I'm even forgetting stuff. The dude just sucked.

Agian, that's my own two cents.

The other reason being, it's rollover from having to deal with blarks. Their constant harassment and shoving their fanon, non-existent ship down everyone's throat, while being entitled little brats throwing tantrums about them not happening at every turn has led from what probably would've been just a mild distaste for a character for most into loathing even the name. Understand I'm not saying the word harassment lightly. They were awful for years. Death threats and homophobia, spamming inboxes with hateful messages and sending awful pictures/memes etc. One even sent EJT a dick pic with Blark written on their penis. They sent memes non-stop about Lexa dying when people were still reeling from it. I'm not saying all Blarks are bad because they're not, but there was enough harassment and viciousness from a large enough and loud enough faction that at a certain point it becomes a blanket feeling of animosity toward the entire ship and everything that follows it.

As for disliking EJT. In reality, she used to be the fandom favorite. I mean she was our girl because she used to champion us and was hilarious about it. Go look up old cons and interviews with her. She was funny and great. Once upon a time E was our biggest cheerleader and dealt with A Lot of abuse and harassment from The Other fandom for it. I'm talking body shaming, slut shaming, comments about her intelligence, sexual harassment and trolling her about her boyfriends and very descriptive messages about how they wanted her to harm herself. The list goes on. And no one, especially not Bob who was the golden boy for The Other fandom, ever said a word in her defense. Never told his fans to stop or that he condemned it. Ever. Not once. That never sat well with clexas, but you can't control what other people do.

We had her back anyway. So, it was whatever. Gross, but whatever.

And then she married Bob. Which, and Blarks cannot seem to wrap their heads around this fact, literally no cared about. She could've just married him and kept being the same person and no one would've cared. In fact, the way this fandom loved her, at first everyone was like hmmm weird and sudden but good for her I guess! Be happy!

But then Bob's ex came forward with very serious allegations about her past relationship with him. She released a statement that you can easily find online and from that it painted a very dark picture of things that involved both him and EJT. As I'm someone who believes victims, I have no reason not to believe her, and since the very bizarre (non) rebuttal that EJT posted in reply made zero sense, that was that. It changed the lens of how a lot of people started looking at her.

Which leads me to the charities.

Hear a collective Clexa sigh.

They're a saga in themselves, but to sum it up as short as possible, EJT had been a part of a children's organization for YEARS that she herself helped set up. Clexas raised a lot of money for this charity through fundraising and selling fanart and we really cared about it. And literally within months of them being married, he became involved in it, and then shortly thereafter, magically they both had to "step away from it" for dubiously explained reasons. (Which, if you read his ex's statement, logical deduction of what probably actually happened will make more sense than what they claimed, and not in a good way.) Sensibly, they started recieving backlash from supporters because, again a lot of people had been helping this charity for years and all of a sudden she was just gone from it and all the projects were halted. I'm not blaming solely her for anything but to just cut and run like she did was sus to say the least.

So to steer away from that shitshow, they started another charity. With a bunch of right-wing MAGA nuts. Yeah. They weren't open or transparent about anything, no records of where any of the money was going, iirc no real legitimate charity registration/tax documentation that anyone could find (and in the US that's all public info sooooooo). It was a total clusterfuck that people started calling them out on from the start. At first they tried to ignore it and just keep collecting money by doing these ridiculous cameos as cash grabs, but just like the first charity, after a while (and a lot of initially unaccounted for money being raised) the poor little darlings just had to "step away for mental health reasons."

Which I would accept and support wholeheartedly because mental health is extremely serious... except funnily, they didn't stop doing the cameos. They kept doing those and charging their fans money to listen to them blather on about made up ~behind the scenes info~ about Blark stuff and it being super secretly canon but for a million reasons that they don't know and can't name, stopped it from happening. Claims of love scenes and kisses that have never been backed up by evidence (like a script) or corroborated by a single person involved in the show. But it's totally true guys, just trust them bro. So yeah, they've kept doing all that. Just... not giving the money they're charging for the cameos to their "charity."

So that's the meat of it, I might be forgetting things and smudging some finer details because it's been a long while ago, but I think you can get the gist. People don't like Bob because he was an ass to fans and EJT herself before them even getting married. He's said ableist things and quoted racists trying to sound smart and never once apologized for anything. He's been accused of abuse in his personal life and has never addressed it, only made his wife write a terrible fanfiction-esque response to appease his ardent followers. And frankly, she pissed off her fans. Once she married him, she completely flipped her personality from a funny charity doing, body positivity leading, cheerleading about "Clexa are soulmates" and "Lexa is the love of Clarke's life" girl, to doing personal cash grabs constantly while spewing all this made up Blark garbage that directly contradicts things they've both said in the past to please her faithful paying cameo fans (read his fans).

It's all left a lot of people with a bad taste in their mouth, to say the least.

And ya best believe if Alycia does some crazy shit, I'll turn on her too 🤷‍♀️ but honestly I'm not too worried about that cuz the girl is a cryptid who you literally can't pay to go to cons or do cameos

[sgiandubh]

Would you know anything about the bedbugs infestation in Paris ? Is it as bad as the media says it is ?

Thank you 😊

Dear (returning?) Paris Anon,

At least I suppose it's you. 'Bedbug Anon' was a bit cheeky, to be honest.

Well, yes. I do know a thing or two about it. I even just re-watched a very popular and well-informed French talk show (C dans l'air) which spoke at length about it on October 2 (suit yourself, if you understand French: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKUizY5ek5A) - this explains my belated answer. It was, as usually, a most entertaining and insightful inquiry on what is now not only the latest wave of collective hysteria, but also a very serious political French affair (everything is political, in France).

For a more entertaining, yet alarming Anglo-Saxon POV, check The Cut's cheeky correspondence from Paris Fashion Week (https://www.thecut.com/2023/10/snug-as-a-bedbug-in-a-high-fashion-rug.html). I couldn't help but wonder if C dutifully left her suitcase outside or put her white Panda shirt in the freezer, just to be on the safe side, like all the American fashionistas recommended (see article above).

With French topics, I have a infallible rule of thumb: if it made it to the media, then it's bad enough and you should multiply the effect at least by 2, just to have an idea. It is a dire straits moment for France, when they are expecting to be submerged by hundreds of thousands of tourists, lured in by the Olympics: national pride is at stake. So this is why they invited an entomologist and two medical school professors at that talk-show: to explain the traumatized masses even Cleopatra had bed bugs (I kid you not and only in France) and that it has nothing to do with the lack of hygiene. Mysteriously, no other rationale was brought forth, but I would guess it has to do with the inflation of wallpaper that plagues all the bourgeois French apartments (those spaces perfectly fit to entertain people, but inept for comfortable living). Bed bugs just love wallpaper and upholstery, for some mystifying reason.

Since you asked at your own risk, I am afraid you have to put up with my logorrhea and allow me to shortly explain you something about French attitude to hygiene. Some people (Americans, especially) are horrified by what sometimes is a nonchalant approach to it, but I don't really mind and I don't find French people repugnant at all (God forbid!). But it is true that instead of 'cleanliness is next to godliness', French kids heard for centuries things like ' l'eau pique' (water stings). Jamie and Claire's Paris was not its lionized book and series avatar: it was a pigsty, where people routinely threw their chamber pots either in the Seine river or just haphazardly in the open street sewage running under their windows. So much so, that this is why the Sun King chose to flee from (bed bug) infested Louvre Palace and chose to repair and expand his father's old hunting lodge at Versailles, with the result we all know.

Not that Versailles was any better, hygiene-wise: Gabaldon's descriptions are correct, but they do not measure up with the brutal and hilarious honesty of the Princess Palatine. A rotund, plain but witty woman, Liselotte von der Pfalz (the sister-in law of the Sun King, no less) wrote (in French) absolutely wonderful letters to her German relatives. And I do remember howling when I happened to stumble upon things like : 'oh, in Versailles, just about everyone shits just about everywhere, without a single care in the world' (I am quoting from memory, but the idea is very accurate).

Along came two (contemporary) men. Louis Pasteur whose germ (Jamie's wee beasties) theory of diseases radically changed the public health game in France, aside from discovering the cure for rage. And the Baron Haussmann, who razed all the (bed bug) infested Medieval Paris neighborhoods, plus re-introduced underground sewage (tout à l'égoût) to France. And built many of the supremely elegant avenues and boulevards that are the real pride, joy and soul of that strange, annoying and beautiful city I deeply love and know like the back of my hand.

So you see, Anon, the pain, the shame and the struggle are real.

I hope I didn't make you dizzy. Don't forget to tell us if you liked Paris and don't be a stranger.

[frasier-crane-style]

I'm not sure Ahsoka is even a story

People have been comparing the writing to an AI and... they've got a point there. I mean, stuff happens... barely... but it's like there's no attempt to dramatize or sex things up or impart any excitement or conflict or nuance into the story. Dave Filoni has one move and it's spamming lightsaber fights and starship dogfights constantly.

(Speaking of which, remember in the movies when lightsaber fights would end with SOMEONE dying or at least being maimed? People get IMPALED in Ahsoka and they're there in the next scene like "get some sleep, you need it." Like being impaled by a lightsaber is a cold. Not even a bad cold. They might as well put the lightsabers away and settle things by arm-wrestling, it resolves as much!)

(I'm convinced that Marrok was a studio note added at the last minute because someone realized they had made a show with eight hours of people trying to kill each other with laser swords and no one actually dying.)

I actually read a quote by Timothy Zahn where his idea was that, in their decade-long exile together, Thrawn and Ezra had been forced into an uneasy alliance against an even greater threat. Like, yeah! That's dramatic! That's Something and not Nothing.

When you watch the show, though, it's more like they've just gone off to summer camp. Ezra sees Sabine again and he's just like "hi, how are you?" He's older and he hasn't changed at all. Neither has Thrawn. He's painted his Star Destroyer a bit and he calls his Stormtroopers Nighttroopers now (surely not to sell new merchandise instead of the same old action figures)... other than that, no change in his character whatsoever. Same guy.

Oh, he's teamed up with the Nightsisters, but that just amounts to him getting the obligatory Imperial superweapon. Does anyone really think this isn't going to turn into another plot coupon quest to stop him from using his new toy to destroy the New Republic before it gets destroyed anyway?

I mean, how can you not brainstorm SOMETHING interesting happening with this setup? It's impressive! A kind of anticreativity.

What if Sabine was in love with Ezra, then gets there and finds out he's gotten hitched to a cute Rodian or something. Or maybe he's gone kind of mad with isolation and is using the Dark Side, but doesn't know better in his crazed state?

Or Thrawn could be this Colonel Kurtz figure who's gone around the bend and his Stormtroopers all worship him like a cult leader. Like, right now, what does he even have against the New Republic? Why does he like the Empire so much? What is he trying to achieve? What benefit does he get from challenging the NR over simply suing for peace? It's insane--this one specific character is meant to be a galaxy-killing threat based solely on him as a person, but we know nothing about him as a person. (And he squeaks out a victory over three people, BARELY, and we're supposed to buy that the universe should be quaking in its boots.)

Filoni actually even stumbles upon a good vein of drama. Sabine betrays the galaxy to save her platonic friend. No one cares. Ezra doesn't care, Ahsoka doesn't care--why should the audience care?

Ahsoka trains Sabine to be a Jedi (that's its own rant, by the way), but stops because she worries Sabine will go the same way as Anakin. Jedi are all about nonattachment and Mandalorians are all about clans and lineage. Then, at the worst possible moment, Sabine proves her right, makes the exact same choice that Anakin did to go with saving a loved one over the fate of the galaxy... and Ahsoka just shrugs and goes "eh, no big!"

And I get it. I'm a comic book fan. I don't want to see noble, experienced characters flying off the handle at the drop of a hat and attacking their loved ones because it's their turn to hold the conflict ball. But these characters have no emotions at all! I don't care how good a person you are, if your bestie sells a nuke to Neo-Nazis to get you out of debt, you should probably raise your voice a little.

Also, is the last episode the first time they actually set up that Ahsoka and Sabine's conflict is over this "I'm afraid of her turning out like Anakin" thing? Well after it's resolved? Why? You have eight hours of TV show, you can set this up early on and then pay it off later (not next season, but later).

'Ahsoka has an astral-plane pow-wow with Anakin and gets over her issues' is a decent plot, but you have to actually depict her issues ahead of time, you have to dramatize them in a certain way so we know what the heck you're talking about!

Imagine if in Back To The Future, the first time we saw George McFly was when he punched out Biff and saved Lorraine. You wouldn't care at all, right? It's just a guy punching another guy. We have to know that George is a pussy and that Biff is his tormentor and that he's in love with Lorraine from afar--once we know all that context, THEN it's a triumph for him to punch Biff.

Your show can't just be people punching each other out! It also has to be reasons to give a shit about the punching!

You don't have to spell everything out, but you can't just show Rosario Dawson crossing her arms and expect us to know "oh, she's traumatized from Anakin becoming Darth Vader, she never got over that." You have to put that into words and imagery! Show us her ACTING! Let us RELATE to her! Introduce these people to us and let us get to know them! You can't coast on everyone already liking them because they look like old cartoon characters.

[raccoonrobyn-imagines]

Houseki no kuni x danny phantom.

Hear me out- (note: i got inteoduced to danny phantom thru fics and havent watched the show yet but will)

The ghost zone is a weird place right? Imagine if somehow danny decides to explore the gz for whatever reason and stumbles upon a lair that suspiciously... Looks like the moon. But is inhabited by ghosts and...rock people..? ( Lunarians count as ghosts right? ) but the weird thing is. They have no idea the ghost zone exists. Until danny waltzes in.

Note: i am a hnk fan who is deeply deprived of hnk fanfics.

-◇

Anon, I am so sorry, I have not seen that anime/manga, and I wish I knew more to expand on my ideas of how this could go down. Instead I shall give you my ideas about the Ghost zone and the purpose of the Ghost King cause I have been dying to type it out. (I haven't seen the original show either, dont worry, the fandom doesn't generally give a crap about canon or anything from what I've seen!)

To me, since the Infinite Realms are literally Infinite™ and cause they likely bind the multiverse together, I think that it is just an inifinite expanse of territories that are governed by the leaders that the people choose. Since no one person could truly know and understand the needs of everyone in an infinite expanse, the Ghost King is more of a mediator and can mobilize things to certain areas of the Realms as needed. So, like, if two territories fought each other, and it got to be a bigger problem than a garden variety war (think a world war vs a war between two countries), that's when the Ghost King is called in to have the final say about what is gonna be done about it. The Ghost King mediates and decides punishment for causing mass destruction and damage to everything.

The Ghost Zone itself is more like if the earth and its countries were all just afterlives and places where people got to enjoy their afterlife and chase their obsessions. But also if the earth was a never-ending expanse of souls and their homes.

Anyways, I love getting asks, so don't feel dumb anon, I just wanted to share those thoughts and ideas I had and that I semi took from other sources. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed my ramble, and please send in more asks, I love to get them!

[eldritch-araneae]

Can you make a list of Bumblebee's best friend (bot) in all versions such as animated, Cyberserve or prime?🥺

Hi, I was a bit confused ( like you want me only list bots, not humans?), especially if you want only the continuities you listed or all of them? Anyway, I'll do all bc as I was thinking about the answer I got some interesting thoughts. So prepare your tea and sit comfortably ~

Generation 1

In G1 cartoon they made it seem like Bumblebee just gets along with everyone. But I can't remember if Bee had someone among bot who we could consider his best friend. This title really went to Spike exclusively and I know you said to list bots only, bear with me here.

This fits into Bumblebee's struggles, because he's weak, but humans weak too so he feel he belong with them more than his own people. And Bumblebee still friends with Spike even after the human grows up and has a family (and the fact its the only time they show passage of time like this with a human character?)! We don't see Bee a lot on later seasons so I like to assume he just hangs out with Spike's family most of the time.

It would be so dope if they actually explored the idea of human mortality and how cybertronians would handle the invertible. But it never happens in canon even in "serious" continuities. And same even in fandom spaces. I only once stumbled upon the fic where Bee gets super anxious because Spike is getting older, really long time ago. Of course I wrote a story about this, but still, I can't be the only one thinking about this. In G1 based comics it's kinda the same thing, except IDW where Bumblebee has NO FRIENDS ( nor bot or human). Like he had some pals in the past, but he lost them all. In IDW2 there is Windblade who was established as Bumblebee's bestie but they way it was written... it was very cold friendship judging by panels I saw. Not a fan. Ah yes, I didn't watched the Netflix version, so idk, but considering how writers decided to deconstruct the character for no reason I can assume he has no friends at all.

Bayverse

I can's really say anything, I watched only first and second movies and again, Bee was bonded with a human. Same with Bee-movie, I know it's not technically bayverse, but sadly, Bee has the same the design and I still can't watch the movie bc of it xD

Animated

This is very clear that Bumblebee bot bestie is Bulkhead. And if both Bumblebee and Bulkhead were written better we would have a really dope character dynamic. Tho their dynamic is fun even as it is ( Bee crawling all over Bulkhead like a spider is Halloween episode cracks me up), but sadly Bee just never develops as a character.

Prime

I can't say anything about because I didn't really watched the show. I started, didn't liked it and dropped it. The entire aligned continuity isnt really for me, so I skipped Rescue Bots and RiD15. Though, I did like "War for Cybertron" game a lot, and maybe I would watch Prime if character designs were from that game. In the game Bee didn't had any besties.

Cyberverse

Here Bumblebee has bonds with few bots. First one is Windblade and I absolutely loved it. Their relationship was amazing and warm and physically tactile, and that's how I started ship them. Then we see Hot Rod and, now deceased, Blurr and later Bumblebee bonds with Cheetor.

This show had so much potential, like the buildup in S1 was nice and well established dynamic between Bumblebee and Windblade, but then it was all thrown out the window. Windblade was sidelined entirely in S2 as Bee hands out with Hot Rod and Cheetor ( as it's the typical all boys gang no girls allowed) after all this demonstration how close those two are in S1?? Meh.

And when Cheetor sacrifices himself? Bee looks sad at this moment, and then moves on like thing happened and it didn't affect him? What is this?? Ugh.

Earthspark

Right it's too early to say, but we can already see that Bee has a very sibling-like bond with Arcee. And from the trailer it looks like Bee is good friends with Breakdown which is interesting. Maybe he was the reason why Bee picked the racer car after his VW Beetle mode? We will see~

I think it's all? There is Shattered Glass too, but I have no idea, cant say anything. I hope it was enough)