#our liberty cannot be taken from us

[wilwheaton]

Instead of listening to those who misunderstand the history of “Court-packing,” Democrats should adopt the framing used by Senator Robert LaFollette, Jr. to back FDR’s plan. A Progressive Republican from Wisconsin, LaFollette argued passionately that the president wasn’t trying to “pack” the Court; rather, he said, FDR was trying to “unpack” the pro-business bloc that had taken it over in the preceding decades. [Quote] There is a lot of talk of the President “packing” the Court. Let’s not be misled by a red herring. The Court has been “packed” for years – “packed” in the interests of Economic Royalists, “packed” for the benefit of the Liberty Leaguers, “packed” in the cause of reaction and laissezfaire. Let’s be frank about this matter. The vested interests have for years prevailed in the selection of judges. Under our form of government the will of the majority should prevail. If the majority of the people want progress, they shall have it. [The 1936 election] made it clear and unmistakable where the vast majority of the people stand. They want to be free from the shackles of vested interests. They have rejected the Economic Royalists. In the words of Lincoln, they want a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. They cannot have it if the Supreme Court places itself above the Constitution and arrogates to itself legislative functions. One clear way in which they can have their will of last November expressed is to have the Congress “unpack” a Court which has long been “packed” by the forces of reaction. [End Quote] Of course, this argument fell short at the time, because its basic cynicism ran headlong into the stubborn idealism that all too many Americans still had about the institutions of government. But thanks to the ethical scandals and political gamesmanship that have come to define the current Supreme Court, the argument that the Court has been “‘packed’ by the forces of reaction” seems quite obvious. As a result, the argument that it now needs to be “unpacked” would carry much more weight.

Unpacking the Court

[floral-ashes]

We had a rally before the Alberta Legislature today to oppose Danielle Smith’s cruel anti-trans policies. Here is the speech I read:

Danielle Smith is a hypocrite. She says parental rights, but what about the parents who want to support their child accessing gender-affirming care? What about the parents who want their child to know about Two-Spirit, queer, and trans people and receive quality sex education, but will have that choice taken away because of her policy?

She says she wants to keep trans youth’s choices open, but then turns around and bans puberty blockers, which exist precisely to give youth more time.

She says she only wants the best for trans youth, but she threatens to override their constitutionally guaranteed right to life, liberty, and security of the person. How can threatening the life, liberty, and security of a child ever be in their best interest?

Her words are lies. Her policies are a cover for the Tucker Carlsons of the world. For those people who want nothing more than for trans people to be kicked out of society, relegated to the shadow of the closet or the mound of an early grave.

She won’t succeed. They will not succeed. They cannot succeed because—even if they manage to pass their policies, even if they manage to circumvent the constitution and its Charter—they will never be able to stop us from fostering the pockets of care, love, and community that sustain life.

They will never stop us from reminding trans kids every single day that they are worth all we have, that they deserve all we have, and that they can and will grow up into the flourishing adults that I know they will be. This truth, I feel it all the way into the deepest recesses of my heart. Just as others’ love has nourished us, so will we nourish others with our love.

Despite it all, we will win. We will never stop fighting. We are tireless. And when we tire of fighting, we will find our second wind and only come back stronger. Danielle Smith and her UCP cronies will not know a second of rest until these policies are buried and they are ousted from power for their failures.

This is not the end of a story. This is not the end of our story. In the end, we will win. No matter how long it takes. Because trans people are worth it. Trans kids are worth it. They breathe spirit into the world. They bring light to each and every one of our lives. Trans people are divine. And what is light and spirit cannot lose. Despite it all, we will win.

[sunsetkerr]

THE SHOWER | s.kerr

summary: caitlin, alannah and mackenzie have taken it upon themselves to plan yours and sam's baby shower.. what could go wrong?! [1.9k words]

pairing: fem!reader x sam kerr (sweet nora universe)

notes: trying to cheer myself up after sam doing her acl, I hope it cheers you all up too. I missed nora lots and lots.

august 2019, 3 months pregnant

IF THERE WERE THREE PEOPLE THAT you would never trust to plan literally anything, it would be Alanna, Mackenzie and Caitlin. The three of them together are like a taking time bomb that just cannot wait to go off. They are loud, messy, chaotic and almost always in disarray.

So when Sam came to you in the third month of your pregnancy and say that the three of them wanted to be the ones to plan your baby shower, you could've fainted then and there.

Sure, Sam had known the three of them for a long time. They were all really close friends of both you and Sam. Sam had been playing with Caitlin since she was 15, she was in your wedding for god's sake- it wasn't a far fetched idea to have them want to do something so big for you both. But with the three of them together, you weren't really sure how successful your baby shower would be.

You and Sam were completely shut out of the planning side of things. They told you nothing, and you mean literally nothing. Alanna had made the invites before even asking (or telling) Sam if they could plan the shower, claiming that she had an untapped passion for graphic design or something like that. All the information on there was all you got.

The shower was going to be held at your home in Perth during Matildas camp for the World Cup. That way all of Sam's teammates could be there and so could your families. A few of Sam's teammates from Chicago would fly out, Mackenzie ensuring their arrivals. By the time the shower came around you had been shunned away to Sam's parents house to get ready for your day.

Alanna had taken the liberty of finding you a dress, knowing exactly the kind of clothes that you would feel comfortable but confident in at 3 months pregnant. You slipped on your outfit and were subtly impressed with what Alanna had chosen for you.

"Wow, hello you" You couldn't help yourself but to let a smile fall upon your lips as Sam wolf-whistled at you as she came into her old bedroom. You were stood in front of the mirror, fixing up your hair before you left for the baby shower. Sam was dressed in a beige button up shirt with a pattern on it paired with some white linen shorts that you loved her in. She looked so gorgeous.

"Do you like it?" You asked, giving her a little spin.

"You look incredibly beautiful" She nodded softly as she grabbed hold of your hips and pulled you in closer. She placed a quick kiss on your lips before pulling away and hovering over them again. "Like stunning" She whispered, before kissing you again.

"I love you" You leant your forehead against hers, not wanting this moment to pass from you both.

"I love you more" She smiled.

"Are you two ready to head off?" Rox called up the stairs. You were driving in with Rox and Maddie, who were both waiting for you two downstairs.

"Yep! Give us like five minutes" Sam called back. You chuckled and leant into her embrace, leaning against her as she held you tight.

"Are you excited?" Sam said quietly, trying her best to saviour your time together before you went into a sea of people for the late morning.

"I'm more so nervous to see what they've done to our house" You closed your eyes and imagined the chaos that could only be caused by Cait, Alanna and Mackenzie.

"It's just a brunch babe" Sam kissed your forehead, already knowing what you were thinking. "Worst thing could be that they haven't put coasters out on the table" She admitted.

"It's really nice timber, Sam" You defended yourself and your over-protectiveness of your breakfast bar. Sam had it custom made for you when you said that you had always wanted one. It really was your first child in a way.

"Don't worry, I already warned Cait about the timber" Sam droned, rolling her eyes at you. "She's said she'll protect it with her life".

"She better" You raised your eyebrows.

"I doubt she would mess with Mrs Kerr" Sam smacked your bum lightly before leading you out from her childhood room and into the car.

"Oh I love it when you call me that"

You couldn't stop the butterflies in your belly from fluttering around, although you weren't sure if you baby was just moving around more than usual. The house looked amazing when you pulled up at the front. The garden had been decked out in balloons, a sign next to the front door that said 'Y/N & SAM'S BABY SHOWER' in a beautiful handwritten font.

You held your hands over your mouth in shock as you got out of the car with Sam's help. "Oh my god it looks so good," You could've sworn that there were tears welling up in your eyes.

Before you could even take it in fully, Alanna, Mackenzie and Caitlin opened the front door and cheered for your arrival.

"It looks so good!" You exclaimed, bringing all of them in for a bone-crushing hug. You were beyond impressed and far past grateful.

"We clean up nice" Macca chuckled, hugging you tightly.

"Do you wanna like have some faith in us?" Alanna laughed, rolling her eyes at you.

"I was nervous" You admitted, shrugging awkwardly.

"She was so nervous" Sam reiterated.

"Trust the process, Y/N" Caitlin said before leading both you and Sam inside.

The house looked amazing. There were fresh flowers throughout the entry way with more decorations strung up. You spied a few games set up on various tables before entering the back garden. You had to have had over thirty girls waiting for you and Sam in the back garden. Your close friends were there, as well as lots of Sam's teammates, members of your family sprinkled throughout.

You squealed as you spied some of your older friends who you hadn't had the chance to see in a while. Sam smiled as she watched you catch up with your mates, looking radiant.

"It looks just amazing guys," Sam brought the three of her friends in for a hug. "Thank you so so much" She smiled.

"We need to start charging for events I reckon" Macca chuckled.

"Oh yeah, definitely" Cait nodded in agreeance.

"So what do you need from me?" Sam asked, ready to go into mum-mode and help out her girls for the morning.

"Nothing" Cait shrugged. "Can you relax skip? It's your baby shower. Go sit with your wife and chill. Brunch will be out soon"

"How did you manage to order so much food for so early" Sam asked, the curiosity eating inside at her.

"We're making it" Caitlin said.

"Wait, what?"

You would be lying if you said you weren't nervous that Caitlin might burn down your kitchen. There seemed to be lots of raised voices coming from inside your home, majority coming from Lani telling the girls that they had been cooking the bacon for too long. A few of Sam's teammates offered their help. Emily headed in and started to bring out what was hot (and not burnt) with Steph running inside to save the day- her mimosa in hand.

Everyone was determined to not let you inside and look at the carnage you were convinced was happening in your kitchen. Instead, Sam just held your hand and distracted you by talking with your friends and family.

Soon enough, brunch was served and you were pleasantly surprised. Macca ended up coming out late to eat, still with an apron on, claiming she was just tidying up a little. You knew there was probably more than a little bit of tidying to do, and you were okay with that.

Since being pregnant, you found yourself needing more control over situations, but right now in this moment you were grateful that you and Sam had such beautiful friends who were willing to, not only put on such events for you both, but to make sure you were relaxed and enjoying yourself as they did.

After brunch the games began. Caitlin had the idea of a blindfolded nappy change race. You never thought you would see Hayley Raso facing off against Lydia Williams in who could change a baby doll's nappy the fastest. Lydia smoked her for the record.

Alanna had hidden baby photos of you and Sam around the garden for guests to find. To say you were shocked to have a picture of two-year-old sam sitting in your esky was an understatement.

Mackenzie wanted everyone to decorate a one-suit for your bub. You had Clare Polkinghorne claiming hers was the best as she drew a little tillies kit with her number on the back on hers. Sam tried her best to draw little hearts all around hers, but ended up with some red splotches more so than hearts- you loved it.

The shower went on for a while, way longer than you would have anticipated. It was an absolute hit and you were so grateful to have had to thrown for you.

As the night was winding down you found Cait, Macca and Lani cleaning up the kitchen together so you and Sam wouldn't have to.

"Hey," You said as the girls all turned around to face you. "Thank you so much for today. You have no idea how much it means to me that you guys did all of this"

"Stop it!" Macca exclaimed, reaching out to put a hand on your growing bump. "This is our niece of nephew we're talking about! Of course we wanted to do this" She gave you an extra squeeze before grabbing her dishes again to wash.

"I'm just so so happy" You looked at them all.

"So you had a good time?" Alanna asked, bringing you in for another hug.

"Such a good time" You smiled as you leant against her shoulder. You were so grateful.

"Good we're glad," She smiled at you once you pulled away, "Now get out of the kitchen so you don't combust watching Mackenzie attempt to wash dishes" She nodded over at Mackenzie who was trying her best to scrap at a pan that had definitely seen better days.

You offered them all another thank you before heading out into the garden again. You could here Mackenzie start to bicker with Alanna as you left.

"I'm actually really good at washing dishes" She defended herself.

"Not sure if that's really a brag there Macca" Lani shot back.

It became late in the afternoon before everyone had really started to head off. You and Sam were left sat in the back garden together, watching Macca, Caitlin and Lani as they picked up the last few things around the house.

"They're so good to us" You smiled, leaning your head against Sam's shoulder.

"They're good chicks" Sam nodded, never having felt so content that she did in that moment.

"Can't believe in six months we'll have a baby" You marvelled.

"Can't believe in six months our baby is going to have more than three aunties" She scoffed.

"That's on you there skip" You raised your eyebrows at her as a smirk grew on her lips.

"What can I say?" She shrugged, "I've got good teammates".

"The best teammates"

[dontforgetukraine]

@/RachelPAV: I have been in Ukraine for several weeks now meeting with everyone that PAV supports. Since 2022 we have supported several hundred volunteers in Ukraine with flights and equipment, both civilian and military. These are some observations based on what they report: 1. This is an entirely different war than it was in 2022 or 2023. The drone threat has changed everything. EVERYONE has agreed on this. The situation a year ago seems completely inapplicable now. 2. The needs in Ukraine are almost entirely military. The needs for civilians are drastically less than they were just a year ago. There are some small Ukrainian groups doing an excellent job assisting people when necessary and there is only a limited need for foreigners to be involved. 3. Being issued poor quality goods is still a surprisingly common occurrence. There are still fake tournaments out there. Same with fake NVGs, fake ACOGs, etc. 4. The injury rate and death rate for foreign military volunteers is higher than ever before. There are no signs of this changing. 5. The biggest needs continue to be the very non-sexy and non-exciting needs that have always existed. Car repairs, fuel, rent for the team house, ecoflows, and generators are needed by everyone. Most volunteers express the most gratitude that our donors are willing to help cover rent and fuel as without this they cannot do their work.

This checks out with everything I've read from articles too. Foreign soldiers that come over to fight are taken aback by how different the war is from wars they have experienced where they had air superiority. Then there is the amount of drones. Drones, drones, drones.

The last point is especially true. Check out the Donation Guide Master Post if you want to help out with the "non-sexy" and "non-exciting" needs.

Or if you want to help out a big-nonsexy fundraiser but super needed item, Constantine (aka @/Teoyaomiquu on twitter) has one going for excavators that is approved by Liberty Ukraine. You can find the PayPal link HERE or just click on the link to the twitter post.

Constantine writes"

"Why is this so important? Whether it's for offensive or defensive operations, the front lines have become much more dynamic, with the line of contact constantly shifting. This means new fortifications are urgently needed, but digging by hand is too slow, and our troops can’t keep up. Additionally, infantry units need to construct their own fortifications without depending on centralized units that sometimes misplace positions. This is crucial—it saves lives by providing shelter from UMPK bombs, artillery, and FPV drones. In the video, you can see an excavator donated by @/LibertyUkraineF to the 26th brigade, doing incredible work fortifying a Krab position. I spoke with an officer from the brigade, and he told me this machine has been a game-changer. It has significantly improved their security, reduced losses, and saved countless lives along with tens of millions of dollars worth of equipment. Help us continue making a difference."

[droogiesanddiscourse]

"Hellfire."

Pairing: Monsignor John Pruitt x F!Reader

Summary: You are called first to receive everlasting life from the angel's blood during Easter Vigil.

Warnings: Spoilers for Episode 6 of Midnight Mass and all the content that comes with it. Language. Taking some liberties with how the angel's blood works uhhh hehe. Millie who's that AU. Going off of the stream of consciousness / dream-like writing I am trying so hard to stay out of my head and just write what comes.

"Brothers and sisters,” Monsignor Pruitt concludes. “On this most holy night I come to you with good news. Not only the good news of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who arose to forgive us of our sins after three days in the tomb. But, also the resurrection of ourselves."

He clasps his hands together in makeshift prayer, eyes sparkling an unfamiliar orange glow that you've never seen before. That of a feral black cat's eyes bouncing back light. The ones that hunt on the outpost of the island, all teeth and heat and hunger and sex and wild and and and--

Visions of nocturnal holiness.

"I ask you. Trust in me. And God will reward your loyalty heavily. Know that I would not ask of the ultimate sacrifice of your life if I did not have utmost faith in our God for the miracle he is about to bestow tonight."

The silence within the church is deafening. Not a soul rises for his offer, parishioners stunned to their seats. His eyes scan, searching for a familiar face. Finally focusing on yours.

“Please. [“____”]," his voice like liquid honey calls to you, echoing through the church. "I call upon you to take the plunge first, my sweet child. Show the good people of Crockett Island that there is nothing to fear. That there is paradise waiting for us all tonight."

He leaves his pulpit, descending down the steps towards you. His arm reaches out, using his slender fingers to beckon you to him with a "come hither" motion. White vestments flowing, covering his human visage as he moves, billowing out like an angel's wings.

Devils were once just fallen angels. Symbols of purity be damned.

He notices your trepidation.

"One moment of pain, perhaps. But an eternity of youth and love and worship in His name. We have been given a tremendous gift, sister ["____"]. Be brave.”

Beverly Keene remained tucked in the upper corner of the church, stirring the choice of death for this evening. She's always been a witch in your eyes; now the harsh comparison rings true more than ever as she concocts a deadly potion of sickeningly sweet liquid.

The smell reminds you of too hot summers and running against the shoreline as the waves lap against your ankles and buying popsicles at the general store and sticky raspberry juice running between your fingers. Familiar memories and tastes intermingled with rat poison.

“And so Jesus rose from the tomb, trampling down death. As will we. I am with you, and you are with me. There is nothing to fear."

Don't drink the kool-aid, the old adage goes.

But you wonder how vanilla and raspberry taste mixed together.

Jonestown redux is standing before you, with his hand outstretched for you to take; his body backlit by the illumination of hundreds of candles. You look up at him through your lashes, lips slightly parted. Your eyebrows upturned and eyes reposed.

"Monsignor. Forgive me, but I cannot," you swallow hard. Back yourself from that cliff, you have one leg dangling over the edge now! "For I have not taken communion as my sins have been too weighty, too difficult to ever be forgiven. I believe I did not deserve the body and blood of Christ at that time, which is selfish of me. Forgive me.”

John almost considers this for a moment, his thick eyebrows furrowing together as he stares down at you.

"There is no resurrection for me. I will die,” you state bluntly. Your words are finally registering. 

Back away back away, make distance between the cliff.

But he smiles, against your expectations. A tight lipped smile, his eyes kissing at the corners when his cheeks raise. Missed by the miracle of reversed age, not reaching the crows feet that reveal only when he's truly happy.

"My angel. You've taken more than enough of my seed in your womb, and down your throat. The blessing is already inside you."

His hand grazes your cheek, and Hellfire reigns down as the finality of his reveal sets in across the room. Hot and prickling at the back of your neck. High pitched buzzing of bees in your ears. Whore of Babylon comes to Crockett Island. Mary Magdalene weeps. Hundreds of eyes descend upon your form, fragile and ready to break at a moment's notice.

Hell has a special place reserved for you for tasting the most unholy fruits. You wear guilt like a halo.

John positions his index fingers and thumb underneath your chin, tilting it upwards. Your eyes dart away, unable to face him. For sure your very skin would burst into flames if you stared too long.

"Look at me," he demands. "Look at me, angel. Do not be ashamed.”

Oh, you’re more than familiar with this position.

Your eyes tilt back, big and yearning and scared yet wanting more. More of John, more of his smell on your bedsheets, more of his fingers in your mouth more of the salty bitter taste of his skin more breaking the boundaries between heaven and hell more more more more flesh more blood no sin no death no guilt.

Hell has a special place reserved for you in due time.

But real hell is living without him. You slip your hand into his, rising from the pew.

The church is silent, conversations about your unforgivable sin now hushed to murmurs. Somewhere in the distance you hear the gentle song of night crickets that intermingle with your delicate footsteps across decades old wood. A resounding creak and moan of the floorboards that echoes through the small church that makes it become an entity of its own, ready to swallow you whole.

Someone is crying, quietly muffled pathetically behind a cloth. A woman blesses herself using the sign of the cross as you pass.

A dead girl walking, and this is the sound of your funeral march.

Your toes bump into the first step leading up to the chancel. Guiding you by your waist, John spins you to face the congregation. Expressions of the crowd are unreadable.

Are you Joan of Arc or a witch about to be burned at the stake?

Blasphemy, blasphemy stood before your friends, family, acquaintances.

A light. The vision of John blocks you away from their watchful eyes as he stands before you, cupping your face within his hands. Your eyes lock together. Gently, he presses a chaste kiss to the center of your forehead. Lips just barely ghosting over your flesh. You tremble before him.

Bev stands behind you, both arms outstretched forward, bent at the elbow. You’re smart enough to realize she’s ready to catch you for when you involuntarily start seizing, your body putting up its final fight against the poison coursing through its veins.

Life. Death. Rise. 

A sob starts in your larynx, unable to burst fully to the surface The warmth of his hands removed from your face, now reaching for Bev's as he takes the small plastic solo cup of juice from hers into his.

"I am with you," he whispers as he holds the cup up to your lips. "As you walk through the valley of the shadow of death I am with you, and you will come out on the other side anew. Whole. Pure as a reward for your devotion to Him."

Raspberry and vanilla threaten to break the seal of your lips, the cup tapped against it. His other hand snakes his way up your back, weaving his fingers within your hair. The digits tug against your locks slightly, tilting your head back.

"Open."

Saliva gathers at the back of your throat.

You can't, you can't, you can't.

You cannot dare to lose the chance to miss another one of those too hot summer days where the children of Crockett island throw their books haphazardly into their backpacks basking in their first hours of summer vacation and the salty water clinging to your hair making it curly and sticky raspberry juice dripping between your fingers–

But oh the visions of him with and the way he whimpers into your neck when he thrusts into you, his hot mouth on your pulse point, the way his hand pin down your wrists forcing you to stay still. Murmured praises and bedroom hymns whispered as the moonlight coats both of your bodies in a ghostly blue glow. Was it truly ever living without him? No more hiding no more secrets you are his and he is yours. A boundary death cannot even cross–eternity is a beautiful thing to imagine.

A tear slips out of your eye, rolling down your cheek. The pad of John’s thumb gently rubs it away. Sympathy for the condemned.

"Drink."

And you do.

[philosophicalconservatism]

Response To Post On Transphobia

the-psudo

"By 'transphobes' they don't mean someone who feels malice toward a particular set of people. They mean people who perceive some harm arising from ostensibly harmless conduct. If they're not picking your pocket or breaking your leg or similar, what justifies your getting involved in their business?"

philosophicalconservatism

I'll say this again. Cross dressing, drag shows, hormone therapy/sex reassignment surgery for adults, all of this has existed for ages and most of us never cared a bit about it. We do not care about how any adult chooses to live their life, or how they choose to perceive themselves; that is what liberty means. What we care about is the attempt to forcefully impose those same perceptions onto the rest of us; that is the opposite of liberty. The current ideological movement in question here involves an attempt by certain parties on the Left to shape our conduct and our beliefs; and therefore it is an attempt to intrude into our business. Laws have been passed in states like New York and California, and in nations like Canada which literally dictate how people are to speak concerning sex/gender (employers, landlords, educators etc.)

An endeavor to positively dictate how people speak (to determine what concepts they must employ and how) is an endeavor to dictate public belief. At the same time, we are all collectively informed that to willfully refuse to use this language is to exhibit "hate". The political Left has a peculiar practice of attempting to forcefully dictate public belief (which is by definition intruding into people’s private lives) and then, when they are called out for doing so, complaining that their critics are somehow the ones intruding into people's lives by objecting to those policies.

Requiring private businesses to adopt a certain eccentric ideological perspective concerning sex/gender, and demanding that they alter their policies accordingly is also more than merely allowing people to “live their own lives”. It is the imposition of one subjective, highly questionable worldview onto all of society. Meanwhile, certain other unfortunate parties are left to suffer the practical consequences of this world view: young girls and female athletes lose access to valuable life opportunities, and in other instances (high contact sports) are physically brutalized by biological males. Female inmates are housed with and raped by male prisoners who don't "identify as men", and all under a system which intimidates these girls and women into silence and compliance, making them the offenders if they complain about the unfairness.

Finally, when we speak of the citizen's sovereignty over himself, it is implicitly understood that we are referring to adults. Children/minors do not possess the same rights as adults. They are overseen both by their parents and by the state (due to the potential for parental neglect and abuse). Furthermore, there are certain things that children cannot do even with a parent's consent because we believe they are not things that a child can elect to do. For example, in many states children are not allowed to possess alcohol even with a parent's consent. Children are not allowed to work certain jobs, to work certain hours, or in any other manner not consistent with child labor laws. Therefore, I don't believe that life altering and permanent decisions such as those in question in the gender ideology debate should be made by minors. When they are adults, they may do as they will. They are adults.

I have never taken the position that a person with Gender Dysphoria merely living their own life and making their own decisions was harmful to anything. What is harmful is imposition upon others.

[sflow-er]

To August anon 2

Sorry it's taken me so long to reply! I don't know if you'll even see this as I've decided not to risk the backlash of putting it on the main tag, but I hope you do.

[Earlier posts: August anon 1, August anon 2]

I want to curate the discussion a bit now that you've shifted part of the focus on Sara. I don't share your position of liking both her and August for being 'morally dark' people, and I fear it may be a bit jarring to any Sara fans reading this. So I've decided to screenshot your message and put it under the cut instead of replying directly.

We disagree on some fundamental things when it comes to August's and especially Sara's characterisation, and I doubt we're going to reach consensus. But that's okay! I'm just going to explain some parts of my POV below, and then we can agree to disagree. There are also a few areas where we seem to be getting our wires crossed (e.g. what we mean by 'understanding' the consequences) so I want to clear those up.

Most of this rambling essay was written before the S3 trailer came out, so I'm not focusing much on the glimpses we see of them in the trailer. But I am still using the spoiler tags just to be safe.

CW: negative take on Sara (but the anon actually likes her); couple of suicide mentions

Okay so... I'm going to start by clarifying a couple of things:

Understanding vs. understanding

Infantilising vs. taking young age into account

When I talk about August and the consequences, I'm not saying he lacks the intellect or analytical thinking to know/predict them. I'm saying he lacks the empathy and relevant frames of reference to understand them. I think we're just using the word 'understand' to mean different things - maybe internalise, empathise or relate would be a better choice for what I mean by it?

To revisit my previous example, August as an incredibly privileged member of the elite cannot understand i.e. relate to Simon's experience as someone whose ability to make his own reputation and get by on his own merit has been permanently affected by the video. As a very confidently straight man, he also cannot relate to Wille's experience as someone whose non-straight sexuality, a deeply personal and private thing that he wasn't even done figuring out, has suddenly been exposed to the world and potentially even some homophobic hate.

I'm not saying this to infantilise, defend, or excuse August. I'm saying it because to me, it partly explains why it's so easy for him to dismiss the harm to Simon and see his betrayal of Wille as just a matter of loyalty - the only moral code he knows - instead of something that would've been wrong no matter who the victim was. It's a thought pattern that stems from his upbringing and worldview, and it would have to be dismantled for him to feel proper remorse. Which I think would probably take professional help at this point.

(I agree with you that August would be extremely prejudiced against Boris. A glimpse of him googling therapy providers or booking an appointment for after graduation might feel more realistic to me - but I guess it depends on what the writers want to do with him. We already saw very quick progress with Wille in S2 so it's safe to say they can take some liberties.)

I still believe that August will lose his social status in S3, likely towards the end. But it's fair that you don't, and the trailer is certainly edited to support your position. If he retains his status, then you may be right about him remaining the same old asshole! If he does lose it, then my original point about him likely not being resilient enough to cope with the consequences still stands. He is very much the kind of person to whom suicide is the "proud" way out compared to the shame of losing everything.

Now, the age thing.

Respectfully, I think you may be ascribing too much meaning to August and Sara being of age in S2 (note that Sara was still 17 when she made the deal with August in S1). Eighteen is the age of legal adulthood, yes, but it doesn't make them fully grown and mature adults in the (neuro)biological, psychological or social sense.

[This feels like a good point to say that I am not going to try to account for Sara's neurodivergence here. I definitely don't have the insight, so if anything I've written below is in any way inaccurate or offensive to persons with AuDHD, please let me know!!]

Firstly, it's important to note that that the human brain matures gradually and unevenly. The prefrontal cortex i.e. the 'reasoning centre' only matures in the mid-to-late 20s, while parts that handle things like right/wrong, risk/reward, and emotional responses (e.g. the amygdala) mature earlier. This can cause teens and young adults to struggle with things like impulse control, assessing the long-term consequences of their actions, understanding others' emotions, and rational decision-making in situations that trigger a strong emotional response. Reason can get overtaken by emotion on a chemical level; sometimes the young person can't even fully explain afterwards why they did something they rationally knew was wrong all along.

[I don't think August was in a particularly analytical state of mind when he decided to post the video. He was an intelligent but emotionally unstable and empathically challenged 18-year-old who felt like he had nothing left to lose and the only moral code he knew (i.e. loyalty) was obsolete. He was also still stewing in the emotional turmoil of his humiliation and likely stuck in a negative feedback loop. It feels very plausible to me that he could be in a very bad place for a pretty long time and still function enough to plan his revenge (more on the revenge part below).]

Secondly, both August and Sara have also had some pretty traumatic experiences (Sara's bullying, August's dad's suicide, the influence of both their dads while they were still in their lives). These may have impacted their emotional and psychological development in various ways and created some thought patterns. Not to play arm-chair psychologist, but I don't think it's a coincidence August's decision to post the video is related to his family estate and legacy, while Sara's decision to make a deal with August is related to the threat of being sent back to Marieberg.

[This feels particularly relevant for Sara, whose bullying was brutal and long-term enough for her to have to repeat a year. The negative attention on Simon after the video probably seemed less severe in comparison, and also like a 'first incident' (in fact, she might have even felt like Linda was applying a different standard to Simon's ordeal compared to hers by immediately wanting to take them both out of Hillerska).]

[I vehemently disagree with Sara's idea that the damage to Simon was already done and it wouldn't have made a difference whether he knew who was responsible, but I think it matters to some extent that she didn't know the history between Simon and August. To her, the video probably seemed like something that was mostly between August and Wille. That idea was likely reinforced by August consistently dismissing Simon's side of it - and also by Simon seemingly moving on with Marcus and no longer being the talk of the school after Christmas. This kind of rationalisation may have even made Sara feel better about pursuing a relationship with August in S2.]

[I also think Sara probably felt like she had the right to be selfish after everything she'd been through. Simon's support during her bullying wasn't conditional; she didn't feel like she "owed him" any sacrifices. It was clearly Simon's idea to follow Sara to Hillerska, and she may have even felt like he was hovering a bit (I doubt S1E1 was her first time saying she was fine now and he didn't have to be there). Then, Simon started to keep secrets and even see Micke for reasons Sara didn't know, altering the terms of their relationship, while Sara was finally daring to dream of things she'd been denied for so long. Friends, a better future, even romance. To her, it felt extremely unfair to have to give all that up and go back to a school that was a nightmare to her but not to Simon. Especially when her and Simon's lives weren't as intertwined anymore and she finally felt like she was gaining some agency in her own.]

Thirdly (circling back to the point about maturity), it's good to keep in mind that both August and Sara are still in the high-school phase of life. A phase when most people are a bit selfish, and their past and current dramas and dreams for the future are everything to them. They haven't really acquired much experience or long-term perspective yet. So I really don't think we can call them that much more mature in the social sense than, say, Wilhelm and Simon. They are still messy teens living their messy teen lives, shaped by their upbringing and limited life experience, all the while thinking they are basically grown adults.

So am I saying all this to infantilise August and Sara and excuse their actions? I'm sure it sounds that way; hence, not putting this on the main tag.

But the way I see it, to infantilise them would be to say they weren't responsible for their actions or didn't know what they're doing. They are responsible, and they do know. All the factors laid out above (and also in my previous August posts) explain their reasoning and actions to some extent, but they do not excuse them. The fact still remains that they both applied their best judgment and deliberately chose to do the thing that they knew was wrong.

You're right that they took time to consider their decisions in S1, although I don't think we can know for sure exactly how long August takes. The timeline is a mess at that point; he is still at the Palace wearing the same outfit when the others make their statement, and I doubt he could've been there overnight. But he does take several hours in any case, and although he isn't thinking rationally at that point, he still knows what he's doing is wrong. In fact, he does it with the sole intention of hurting others, which makes it all the more reprehensible.

I just want to caution against labelling him as some evil, fundamentally unfeeling mastermind. He's just a very selfish and immature young man with a very warped view of the world, who needs to see some consequences for his own sake as much as his victims'. I think part of the reason we saw him turn so soft with Sara in S2 was to underline that he is capable of empathy and caring; it's just a matter of unlocking those emotions. They haven't exactly been nurtured growing up, so he is only applying them to the people he deems "worthy", instead of all his fellow human beings. That selective empathy is another thing he seriously needs to work on, alongside the lack of accountability.

As for Sara, she takes several days to consider what to do about the video, which makes her betrayal of Simon more severe. But as explained above, it's so much more nuanced than her not caring about him. (Or indeed her being some poor victim who didn't know what she was doing and fell in love with The Devil! Don't get me wrong, August definitely let her believe she was guiding him in a better direction, which may have even pushed some Micke buttons in her subconscious and/or memories of Simon's insistence that everyone deserves a second chance... But she still made her own decisions and is responsible for them.)

It's easy to forget that we do in fact see Sara aware that her actions are wrong even before the end of S2. She looks conflicted/unsure when she and August make out in S1E6, cries when Simon earnestly proclaims "I like you when you are you" and "I'm trying to be your friend again because I need you" after she has just betrayed him, and again looks conflicted when the siblings talk about loving the "wrong person" in S2E5. She did some very selfish things and hid them for much too long, yes, but I believe her regret is genuine. It will take some skilful writing to make her and Simon reconcile in a way that makes sense, doesn't feel rushed or reduce her to an archetype, and doesn't just magic away her leftover feelings for August (as those will probably take some time to clear out). But I do have faith it can be done.

So I think that just about covers what I wanted to say. This isn't a comprehensive essay by any means, and I'm sure it won't go down well with everyone. I also don't expect it to change your mind about these characters, anon, and that's okay!

I mostly just wanted to push back on the notion that Sara and August being 18 means all their bad decisions are now on par with bad decisions taken by fully grown adults and their character development is now set in stone. I highly doubt the show will end with them both proudly standing behind their poor choices - I can certainly see August doing that if he doesn't see any repercussions, but not Sara.

In any case, thank you for taking the time to explain your point of view on these characters, and sorry again for taking so long to respond!

[archduk-e]

An attempt to investigate and explain fandoms and headcannons thorough Orientalism

Recently I started reading Orientalism (in short - a book on how the West saw and created the narrative of the Orient more than 100 years ago) and suddenly had a bit of a realisation. The author, Edward W. Said, mentioned how an important aspect of Orientalism was the fact that firstly, it fascinated the westerners because they already felt a certain (superior) way about that territory due to their history with it and the colonial past related to it, and secondly, the Orient was incapable of resisting being fantasised and thought about.

Anyways, I think I saw a link between this and what I and many other people do on the Internet with fandom characters and celebrities (which by the way isn’t as common as we think outside of websites like this). I must also add that my points of reference for this text are (ironically) my own fandoms and communities and what I see and do in them. This post will likely reach no one, but even if that won’t be the case, take all of this with a grain of salt as I am also very biased in my data sources.

I believe that just as with the western ideas of Orientalism there are 3 important factors that enable us to photoshop pictures of grown men and add glitter and bowties to their hair (not that it’s not cute and funny of course)

1. Personal Creative Empowerment

There already exists a certain attitude towards what we call “headcannons” - we know everyone has them! However, what we forget is that it wasn’t always likely the case. Unlike 100 years ago anyone today is at complete liberty to create any art, fiction or similar, at their own pace and in their own places. We feel empowered and capable of creating and publishing any art and any stories, and we always take a moment to imagine something in situations where someone from 100 years ago (or pre internet) wouldn’t have taken the time to. AO3, fanfiction.net, Tumblr - all of these places house many small creators, who upload silly art, romantic and cute stories, write these “POWs” and interact with other fans about their chosen fandoms. This removes the elitism from these communities and makes everyone who visits such websites think “hey… I can create and upload my silly tv-show art too! just like [this creator] and [that creator]!”. It is a very positive and empowering concept, and it creates a much less limited environment that allows us to share content and amplify the made-up and non-existent narratives we create for our own comfort and amusement.

2. Honest Internal Fascination

Our fantastical and sometimes concerning thoughts and ideas about characters, people and fandoms all relate to things we find inherently fascinating ourselves. Whether it be a WW2 era movie, or a fantasy game, or a documentary, we always talk about, draw and write about things (and aspects of things) we ourselves are connected to beforehand. We find a character who we feel personally connected to in some way, an idea which resonates with us on a deeper level, or a general concept of being someone else somewhere else and being able to do things we cannot do right now.

3. Power(less)fullness and Entitlement

Most importantly, we feel entitled to produce these pieces of content and “yap” about these things because neither the made up non-existent movie characters, nor the very much real but distant actors and personalities can not resist or in any way inhibit (stop or resist) our creative eruptions. They are powerless and helpless against our metaphorical imaginative offence, and find no way to express their own thoughts on the matter, making us feel even more entitled and empowered than we previously would have been. It also notably enables us to twist and shape these characters ideas or people into whatever we want - give them any traits they originally didn’t possess or assume their behaviour in situations. The terms “yassification” and “babygirl” come to mind, often made to relate to characters who didn’t show any such behaviour in the actual piece of media. The oversimplification of motives and traits also stems from this empowerment, allowing us to make anyone into anyone, just for our own psychological comfort and amusement.

~~~

Now indeed, just as with Orientalism, the most evident reason behind our actions is also true and honest fascination and interest (sometimes even love) - we don’t have a monetary or political motive behind our actions (in some cases however this isn’t necessarily true), we are simply drawn to these things due to our very real emotions and feelings. However I do believe that without the aforementioned 3 factors there would be much less “fangirling”, Tumblr posts about characters, and discord servers discussing how literal war officers from a popular movie would behave in an aqua park (real example).

I want to finish this by saying that I personally find nothing bad in this behaviour - indeed I display it myself (look at my posts and you’ll get it). I do however find it infinitely interesting.

[plumbob-boy]

RetailSims Satanic Set

So I noticed RetailSims.com is gone now. It's likely due to internet decay and most likely permanently gone, so I have taken the liberty to reupload the Satanism Set from that site, which is pictured below.

The set comes with 16 objects, some of which have recolors. The objects are bundled in a collection you can see in residential or community lots. The Lady on Red and recolors have a dependency on CEP, the rest are standalone.

All items are from retailsims.com and are unaltered. If the original uploader, HChangeri from Retail Sims, wishes these to be taken down, please send me a message and let me know. Again, I take no credit for these items and am only reuploading to maintain community access because I love these cc items and can't live without them!!

Download (google drive) (simfileshare)

Edit: I guess I'm a few years late to the party and some awesome people already archived everything from retailsims. that's awesome! but……. I'm just gonna go ahead keep this up just because I already made the post :p

Description and pictures of each item and recolor below the cut:

The Great Book

Object with 8 recolors

This book isn't just good, it's grrrrrreat (and damn old). Mesh created by Maxis. Recolored and edited by HChangeri. www.retailsims.com

Inverted Pentagram End Table

Object with 4 recolors

This table sports not one but TWO inverted pentagrams for twice the evil. Created by HChangeri. www.retailsims.com.

Decorative Inverted Pentagrams

3 separate objects each with 2 recolors

Large

Hang this around your evil lair just enhance the evilness and scare idiots away. Created by HChangeri. www.retailsims.com

Medium

Slide a table under this inverted pentagram using the "moveobjects on" cheat for a wickedly evil altar adornment. Created by HChangeri. www.retailsims.com

Small

A little piece of evilness for your darkest decorating needs. Created by HChangeri. www.retailsims.com

Altar and Shelves of the Abyss

3 separate objects with no recolors

2-Tier Shelves

Shelves with that "just stepped out of hell" look to them. Created by HChangeri. www.retailsims.com.

Table

An altar with that "just stepped out of hell" look. Perfect for Satanic Ritual, Necromancy, or for the uber goth look. Created by HChangeri. www.retailsims.com.

1-Tier Floor Shelf

Shelves with that "just stepped out of hell" look to them. Created by HChangeri. www.retailsims.com.

Lady on Red Recolors

6 Recolors of a Maxis base game object

No description available

Note: Likely requires CEP which can be downloaded from MTS

Seal of Baphomet

Object with 5 recolors

"1. Stupidity—The top of the list for Satanic Sins. The Cardinal Sin of Satanism. It’s too bad that stupidity isn’t painful. Ignorance is one thing, but our society thrives increasingly on stupidity. It depends on people going along with whatever they are told. The media promotes a cultivated stupidity as a posture that is not only acceptable but laudable. Satanists must learn to see through the tricks and cannot afford to be stupid." - The #1 Cardinal Sin in Satanism according to Anton Szandor LeVey (c) 1987 www.churchofsatan.com

Altar Candle

Object with no recolors

Pay homage to Old Nick the proper way with this Satanic Altar Candle modeled after one used by a Satanic High Priest (www.churchofsatan.com). Created by HChangeri. www.retailsims.com

Double Candle

Object with no recolors

When you put two evil things together you get……twice the evil (duh!) Created by HChangeri. www.retailsims.com

Large Banner

Object with no recolors

Celebrate the black mass properly with this banner depicting Baphomet and an inverted cross. Created by HChangeri. www.retailsims.com.

Large Banner

Object with no recolors

Celebrate the black mass properly with this banner depicting an inverted cross. Created by HChangeri. www.retailsims.com.

The Satanic Rituals

Object with no recolors

Every Satanic ritual altar needs a copy of The Satanic Rituals by Anton Szandor LaVey....so here you are. Created by HChangeri. www.retailsims.com

Note: Place the altar table first, then objects on both slots (candles are recommended), then with moveobjects cheat enabled, place the Satanic Rituals book in the center of the altar table.

Magick Ritual Tools

Object with no recolors

Includes Book of Shadows, Wand, Chalice, Athame, Bell, and Candles.

Note: A duplicate floating version of the object intended for use with the moveobjects cheat enabled is also included for more customizable placement options.

Collection

The collection file includes all items described above, as pictured.

[chryso-chryso]

人是__ / man is __

(spotify / youtube)

singer: Zhou Shen 周深 lyrics: Tang Tian 唐恬 score + arrangement: Qian Lei 钱雷

in honour of it being september, i thought i'd start posting my zhou shen song translations. can you tell i like diacope

very nervous! disclaimer: artistic liberties have been taken! first time doing song translation!

去往所有命运 风暴之中的盲童

go in the direction of destiny – a blind child in a windstorm

你来之火山炙热 与苦寒的深海

you come from scorching volcanoes, the bitter depths of deep sea

生本就是意外 硬币反选为尘埃

life was always an accident – the dust of a coin toss 

跟侥幸可以相爱 造了船 移着山

you can fall in love with chance – build a boat, move a mountain  

出征是古老的宿命 人将赤足走入夜晚

expedition is an ancient predestination, men walk barefoot into the night

只有我可以来决定 

only i have the ability to decide 

我以何种姿态

what will be my own posture 

让死亡觊觎我 让恐惧亲吻我

let death covet me / let fear kiss me sweetly 

来摧毁我深爱的一切

come destroy all i love deeply 

可仍夺不走我的选择

you cannot take away my choice 

弹指间湮灭我  但命运打不败活着

destroy me in the moment of a finger snap / but destiny defeats not the action of life 

让生命如剧烈的烟火 璀璨熄灭前也将点亮

life, like a violent firework, doused radiantly / but first setting alight

孩童的双眸

the eyes of a child 

未知摊开棋局 舍弃昨日才可破

the unknown sets out a chessboard / just yesterday, surrender was destroyed

再见了我的月光 我的蓝 我的爱

goodbye, my moonlight, my firmament, my love

钢铁的巨兽在轰鸣 我们拒绝走入夜晚

the beast of iron is howling, men refuse to walk into the night 

破碎是新生的约定 我便愿为尘埃

destruction is new life’s consultation / i am thus willing to become dust 

让死亡觊觎我 让恐惧亲吻我

let death covet me / let fear kiss me sweetly 

来摧毁我深爱的一切

come destroy all i love deeply 

可仍夺不走我的选择

you cannot take away my choice 

弹指间湮灭我 但命运打不败活着

destroy me in the moment of a finger snap / but destiny defeats not the action of life 

让生命如剧烈的烟火 璀璨熄灭前也将点亮

life, like a violent firework, doused radiantly / but first setting alight

孩童的双眸

the eyes of a child 

若巨浪已淹没了来路

like a vast wave has drowned out our origin 

我是帆 亦是舟

i am a sail – i am a boat 

是微妙的希望

it’s an indistinct hope 

我们依然前行 没有光指引

we still move forward – without the light to guide us 

往前吧 失去吧 不要停留

(come forward / be lost / do not stop moving) 

让时空消亡我 你无需记得我

let space and time wither me / you don't need to remember me

来摧毁我深爱的一切

come destroy all i love deeply 

可仍夺不走我的选择

you cannot take away my choice 

弹指间湮灭我 但命运打不败活着

destroy me in the moment of a finger snap / but destiny defeats not the action of life 

是微茫中高歌的族类

in the indistinctness, a race singing heartily 

生命像烟火那就点亮

life, like a firework, then sets alight 

孩童的双眸

the eyes of a child

未来的瞳孔

the eyes of the future 

[amarylliasky]

Number 9!

Huiss Academy: Where History is Repeated

Welcome to Huiss Academy, student! I’m the Vice Headmaster and I’ll be taking you on a tour of our school grounds! On the way, you’ll meet all sorts of students and faculty, so make sure to be taking notes of all the major happenings and familiarize yourself with the environment.

As we walk around the courtyard, you’ll notice quite a few students keeping a distance from that fountain in the middle. Would you like to know why? …..No, they’re not afriad of getting wet, if it were that useless of a reason then all the students would throw coins into it like a normal fountain. The real reason they stay clear of the fountain in the courtyard is because there is said to be a legend about the water in this fountain. Would you like to hear it?….

The legend goes “You have tried to trap my child just as you had done in the ancient times. Very well, I shall take aim at he who tries to tame the water that eats the sky. Do not think yourselves great because you can shape the water in whatever way you choose, for the water cannot be contained. The moment of freedom is at hand. For he who touches the sea that strikes the sky, your life is one that is filled with pain and hardships.” …..Kind of eerie isn’t it? And that’s not all.. For those who get closer to the fountain…. ….! As you can see, the water here is grey, not clear. It definitely does the job of scaring students away, am I right? Let’s move on. We’ve go a lot of ground to cover before the school day ends!

Our next stop is the Library! Make sure to keep your voice down as some students are studying. ……What? You didn’t expect there to be so many? Well, believe it or not, there are quite a few students who come to the library each day! Many come here to study history and the ancient times!…The Ancient Times? Oh, that’s a story for another day! Let us carry on. Anyway, there are a great deal of students who come to study history, especially those attending Professor Eruhaben’s class. The Roan History Professor expects all of his students to be well versed in our continent’s past. Other interesting topics to read would be the many books detailing Chemistry and ancient Alchemy, along with the philosophy of matter and mana. I could go on about our vast collection here in the Huiss Academy library, but you probably have better things to is to do than hang around with these dusty old books!

As we continue along the hallway, do make sure to avoid the students with blond hair. Hmm? Which ones? Why all of them of course! Especially those broom- Oh! My apologies, student! I nearly said something disrespectful! Let’s be on our way now! (…)

A little while later……

And that’s all the time we’ve been allotted today! …..It was my pleasure, student! Here at Roan’s finest academy, we strive to make all of our students feel welcomed and included! So if you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to reach out! Headmaster Sherrit and myself would be glad to help you adjust in any way we can!

I’ve taken the liberty of calling a cab for you. … Oh no, it was my pleasure. Have a safe trip home, student! I’m sure we will see each other at orientation!

////////

So while writing this, I kinda imagined a sorta otome game style narrative. That’s why there aren’t really any quotations and stuff to differentiate between narration and dialogue. The dots are supposed to be the student(you, or whoever I’ll decide on later). While I don’t intend to add any actual romance in it if I do continue this story, the whole otome game genre is what this was inspired by the most.

Anyway, this is kind of a silly little drabble set in a modern au. I won’t go into specifics, but the idea is that pretty much every major character (including villains) go to this academy or are part of the faculty.

Until tomorrow, everyone!

[cerealmonster15]

For the date ideas post, may I slip a note under your door that says Idikei? K bye! 🏃‍♀️

HELLO. this ended up being way longer than i planned initially JFKDLSJKLF sorry it took forever but also THANK YOU for the suggestion i LOVE IDIKEI i'm so glad i had reason to make myself sit and write for them!

This was written as a prompt from this post! I asked for someone to suggest a ship, and I would randomly draw numbers for the rest of the categories. I pulled:

Date type: Wedding date

Date idea: Getting ice cream[x] and strolling through a park

How the date is going: Super romantic

I may have taken some liberties with the prompts LOL but the overall vibe is there.

[Ao3 Link]

Title: Blue Raspberry Mango

Word Count: 5,224

Rating: G

Summary: Idia absolutely cannot show up to Azul's wedding while he's still single. Can you IMAGINE the obnoxious gloating he'd have to endure? Good thing his best buddy Cater Diamond is willing to help him avoid such a perilous fate!

“Oh my god, Trey,” Cater sighed between bites of risotto, “No one does it like you! I miss your cooking SO much!”

“Cater, don’t talk with your mouth full,” Riddle chided from across the table, but smiled nonetheless. “I suppose that means you’ll just have to come visit us more often, doesn’t it?”

“You know our door is always open for you,” Trey agreed.

“Provided you call first,” Riddle added. “It’s good manners.”

Cater laughed. He was glad his job in photography allowed him to travel around and ultimately landed him in the Queendom of Roses for most of his work. He’d never expected that he’d see so much of his old friends after graduation  and yet… Here he was, years later, sitting at the dinner table with two of his best friends in the entire world.

“Ooh, speaking of getting together for some mingle time,” Cater said, a grin spreading wide across his face as he spoke. “Did you guys get the invite to Jamil and Azul’s wedding!?”

“We did.” Trey stood for a moment to step into the living room, returning shortly with a familiar card that he placed on the table. “Riddle already sent our RSVP, of course. You’re going too, I assume?”

“So punctual!” Cater winked at Riddle, then nodded. “And OBVI. Cay-Cay’s not about to miss a once in a lifetime event like this! Idia says Azul’s inviting practically everyone from our NRC days. Something about wanting to ‘flaunt his happy marriage to everyone that doubted him,’ or something like that. You know how Azul loves his theatrics.”

“Ugh, yes,” Riddle scrunched up his nose, “I’m sure Azul will love reminding me - again - how he and Jamil managed to schedule a wedding before Trey and I have.”

Trey chuckled, pressing a kiss to the top of Riddle’s head on his way back into the kitchen to retrieve dessert. “You know it’s not a competition.”

“It is to Azul, and he certainly believes he’s winning,” Riddle sighed, but then turned his focus back to Cater. “And how is Idia doing? I imagine you’re one of the few that he willingly keeps in contact with from NRC these days, yes?”

Cater nodded, a sense of pride filling in his chest at the acknowledgement that Cater was, in fact, one of the rare people Idia spent time talking with. On PURPOSE, even! “I sure am! He’s chill doin’ his thing over at S.T.Y.X. with Ortho. He still games with Lils on the ‘reg, and I think he and Azul do these, like, speedy flash matches on Chess.com? I don’t know if they even talk to each other. I think they just like the thrill of trying to digitally kill each other or whatever.”

Still, gaming and asserting dominance over virtual board games was practically the social pinnacle when it came to Idia Shroud.

Riddle raised a curious eyebrow. “Chess… Dot com…?”

Cater already had his phone out. “I’ll send you the link, and I'll get Idia and Azul’s usernames for you. I bet they’ll be thrilled to have a fresh opponent.” 

He pulled his phone out, despite Riddle’s unspoken no texting at the dinner table rule, and sent a quick text to Idia.

Cater: heyyy whats ur chess.com username or w/e + also azuls

To which Idia replied almost instantly, as he tended to do with Cater whenever he wasn’t physically too busy to multitask.

Idia: no way ur actually signing up for chess.com unprompted. whats it for

Idia: also ew why azul lol

Cater huffed a small laugh through his nose at the incoming messages while he sent the website link to Riddle, and then swapped back to Idia’s messages.

Cater: lol u know me so well bestie ~ it’s for riddle!

Cater: cmooooon u know u and azul would have fun doin one of those speedster rounds with him lol

Idia: they’re called bullet rounds 😑 w/e ya i’ll txt u the info

Idia: or yknow. he could wait to get it at the wedding. 👀👀👀

Cater gasped out loud, followed by a squeak of delight, causing both Trey and Riddle to look at him curiously.

“Whatever’s happening on your phone must be very interesting,” Trey said, “because you haven’t even glanced at the plate in front of you.”

There was, in fact, a new plate in front of Cater. A plate with a beautifully sliced, dark chocolate tart, topped with fresh strawberries and raspberries. A compromise, of course, as Trey trained himself in the art of locating more semisweet desserts back at NRC, so Cater wouldn’t feel completely shut out when it was time to bring dessert to the table. 

A subtle reminder to Cater that he was very loved by his dear friend.

“Aw, sorry Trey!” Cater set his phone down and took a bite of the tart. Perfectly balanced flavors, as always. “I just got excited! Sounds like Idia’s able to make it to Azul’s wedding after all. We weren’t sure ‘cause of his schedule, but I guess he managed to clear things up in time!”

“That’s good,” Riddle said, a light smirk forming across his face, “because I think we all know Azul would never let Idia hear the end of it if he failed to show.”

Cater’s phone lit up again, another text from Idia displayed for all to see.

Idia: ummmm ahem nows the part where u ask me if i cleared my schedule so i could go ( which ya i did) so that i can smoothly lead in2 asking u for a favor

Idia: cmon cay stay on the ball 🙄 

Riddle sighed. “Why don’t you just call him? There’s no use pretending you aren’t distracted by his texts going off every few seconds. It’s faster.”

Cater COULD argue that he and Idia weren’t exactly ‘callers’ so much as ‘texters’ or ‘video chatting in the privacy of their own homes while multitasking on six other activities’, but… He figured it was best not to start a disagreement with Riddle of all people.

After about three rings, Idia answered. “I-it’s not such a big favor that you needed to call me…” he sheepishly mumbled into the receiver.

Cater smiled. Idia was always so shy in the first few seconds of a call, planned or not. “Yeah, yeah, but I don’t wanna bug Riddle and Trey with my constant text notifs-”

“You know how to put your phone on silent.”

“Idiaaa…” Cater pouted, and though Idia couldn’t see his face, he could definitely hear it in Cater’s tone. “Just tell me what’s up?”

Idia exhaled a long, drawn out, dramatic sigh, before responding. “‘Kay, fine, whatever. Basically, I need you to LARP as my player 2 at Azul’s wedding. Y’know, secret stealth mission style.”

A long pause.

“...Huh?” Cater eloquently replied. “Um, what?”

“Uuughhh, this is why I didn't wanna have to explain out looouuud,” Idia groaned. “Listen. You know Azul. I know Azul. The dude invented the concept of being an insufferable, smug little bitch.”

That last comment pulled a full laugh out of Cater. “OMG, Idia, if that’s the kind of stuff you say about your besties, I’d hate to hear you tell me about your enemies!”

As if Cater hadn’t heard endless gamer rants time and time again about randos online that Idia felt personally wronged and slighted by. He knew exactly how cutting and fired up Idia could get, so by comparison, Idia was being gentle with Azul.

“LOL, Azul’s no bestie - but N-E-Way, circling back to the prime objective… Um…” Idia’s voice grew quieter as he cleared his throat. “What I’m saying is… There’s a 100% chance Azul’s gonna rub his stupid new marriage in my face, like, ‘Ohh, Idia, still single, are you? Wow, what’s that like? Can’t relate, Jamil and I are sooo happy in our stupid normie marriage, here come look at my ring did you see my ring-’ like, DUH I saw the stupid ring! He only emailed me a billion pictures of it!”

EMAIL?! Cater bit back a laugh. That was so on-brand for Azul.

“So, uh, anyway…” Idia resumed his mumbly, more reminiscent of NRC days tone of voice. “I wanna… Lie. W-With you.”

WHA-

“N-N-Not like, physically!” Idia quickly followed up before Cater could interject. “I mean, like, deceit! Lies and slander but without the slander! I want you to pretend to be my wedding date!”

“Your… Your wedding date?” Cater repeated, earning a couple of curious glances from Trey and Riddle. “Wait, what? You want me to pretend to be your date just so Azul doesn’t think you’re single?”

Trey raised an eyebrow. Riddle furrowed his brows together with a frown.

Cater pretended not to see.

“Exactly!” Idia responded with a sigh of relief that Cater was still following. “If he thinks I have a new b-boyfriend, he’ll have slightly less reason to be annoying towards me specifically! And it has to be believable anyway, right? You’re one of the few people I still talk to post-grad, so…”

It also didn’t hurt that Cater would be high up in Idia’s top 10 list of prettiest guys to ever graduate from NRC. And NO, it didn’t matter who the other nine on that list were, thank you very much.

“Well, for one, I’m totes flattered,” Cater said. “But, d’you think we’d be able to pull something like that off?”

“Cater!” Riddle interrupted. “You cannot seriously be considering-!”

“Shh,” Trey softly interrupted Riddle’s interruption. “Let’s see where they go with it, first.”

Riddle relented with a pout, leaning into Trey’s shoulder and watching Cater closely.

Idia huffed into the receiver. “What, because the Riddle Police is gonna expose us before we even try?”

“Aw, nooo, Riddle can keep a secret! Right, Riddle?” Cater covered the phone with his hand and offered Riddle and Trey his best, sweetest, pleading smile - complete with as much eyelash fluttering he could muster on the spot. A classic Cater Diamond move.

Riddle and Trey both sighed at the all-too familiar sight. 

“Cater,” Trey said, “You can’t weasel your way out of every situation with a cute face.”

“Ooh, is that a challenge?” Cater winked, then dissolved into giggles as Riddle crossed his arms and continued to pout at him.

“I don’t exactly feel right about you two lying for such frivolous reasons, but… I can’t say I don’t fully… Understand.” After all, having graduated alongside Azul, Riddle just might understand better than anyone why they might feel tempted to go about such a way to avoid Azul’s smug tendencies. “Just don’t expect Trey or me to carry any outlandish stories for either of you!”

“Yay!” Cater cheered, uncovering the receiver and speaking back into the phone. “No biggie, Idia. We’re all good over here!”

“Wait, so you’re in, then!?” Idia asked. He hadn’t really expected this to go so well, but he figured if anyone would be willing to hear him out, it would be Cater. He was always down for a fun shenanigan, after all, but still… “I kinda thought I’d have to do a little more convincing, TBH. I even wrote a speech-”

“Lemme hear it anyway!”

“No!” Idia shouted. “You already agreed, so no take-backs!”

Cater giggled. “Hehe, alright, alright! Let’s do a vid call when I get home later, and we can start planning our coordinated outfits!”

–

The wedding itself was beautiful, obviously. Cater and Idia wondered just how much bickering likely went on behind the scenes for Jamil and Azul to find a compromise between Azul’s need for an extravagant, flashy-yet-tasteful, show-off wedding, and Jamil perhaps wanting something more lowkey and humble.

Or, perhaps they truly both wanted to show off to their former classmates, as the wedding ultimately ended up very ‘cammable, as Cater made sure to tell Idia every five minutes. 

“God, did you see these centerpiece flowers?” Cater giggled between sips of champagne as he clutched Idia’s arm and tugged him over to a nearby table. He nearly spilled the glass on his shirt trying to pull his phone out of his pocket, and was saved only by Idia reaching over to pluck the champagne flute from his hand and finish drinking it himself. 

“Heh, failed your dex saving throw,” Idia grinned. “And yeah, I saw those same flowers when you pointed them out ten minutes ago.”

“Uh, ‘scuse me for getting excited about all the photo ops, babe.”

Idia rolled his eyes at the obvious teasing, but a few giggles spilled from his mouth all the same. Surely it was due to the champagne that he felt so lighthearted and giddy, despite being trapped at such a bustling social event.

“Well, well…” The familiar voice of Azul Ashengrotto called out from behind the pair as he and Jamil - arm in arm, much like Idia and Cater - approached. “It would seem that your message wasn’t full of baseless fabrications just to try and distract me from our active chess match after all, hmm?”

Cater couldn’t hold back from openly, loudly laughing. “Wait- Idia, did you for realsies RSVP to their wedding over Chess.com?!”

“Yes, he did,” Jamil sighed. 

“Oh, don’t act like it didn’t make you laugh too, my dear.” Azul patted Jamil on the arm, to which Jamil responded with a snort and roll of his eyes. 

“That being said,'' Azul continued, “I really couldn’t believe it until I saw it for myself in person. You two really did end up together after all, then?'' His piercing gaze shifted from Idia to Cater, and then back to Idia with a growing, devilish grin. “Your cute little high school crush never faded after all these years?”

Idia gasped. Oh, he should've known this was the route Azul would take the second he didn’t have a chance to gloat about Idia being single. Of course Azul wouldn’t forget about the forbidden knowledge he collected back in the olden days of NRC. An elephant - or in this case, an octopus - never forgets! And this particular octopus still had that stupid, smug grin on his face that Idia was so hoping to avoid.

But, there truly was no avoiding smugness when Azul Ashengrotto was involved; both Idia and Cater were fools if they thought they could prove otherwise.

And speaking of Cater, his gasp was even louder than Idia’s. “OMG. A crush!? You had a crush on me when we were in school?”

Idia instinctively reached for the hood that he was not wearing. Curse these fancy wedding clothes and their stupid, hoodless collars… “U-um! So what if I did?!”

“You never told me!” Cater huffed with the PUFFIEST cheeks he could muster. Trey and Riddle could say what they want, but his cute pouts were his most powerful weapon! … After his unique magic, probably.

“The poor thing thought you were dating Trey for the longest time,” Azul interjected, clearly pleased with the direction this conversation had gone. Idia’s flustered look of betrayal was more than satisfying.

“Wh-!? I literally TOLD YOU when Trey started dating Riddle!” 

“Okay, well, I thought you three had some sort of secret polycule hidden route thing going on in your IRL VN of a life!” Idia huffed, crossing his arms in what was probably a more adorably huffy look than he intended. 

“Oh? What’s the matter?” Azul asked, his smarmy grin not faltering in the slightest. “You’re together now, are you not? No need to be so embarrassed… Right?”

Oh. So that’s how it was. Azul was a doubter and a HATER, huh?

“Ugh,” Idia grumbled. “Anyone would get embarrassed when you go aggro-mode like that with forbidden lore of the past!” He reached for Cater’s hand as he spoke, and gripped it firmly in defiance of Azul’s stupid smug face. 

“Um, yeah, totes!” Cater returned his friendly, dazzling smile to his face. “Besides, I think it’s cute. Look how far we’ve come!”

“Maybe your wedding will be next, then.” Jamil said, a tiny smirk tugging on his lips as Idia once again failed to hide his jittery reaction. 

“Oh, please,” Cater laughed. “I think Riddle might actually kill me if we cut ahead of him and Trey.”

“Oh, yes, of course,” Azul chuckled. “And how long have those two been engaged, again?”

“UUGGHHH,” Cater groaned with every ounce of drama he could muster. “Don’t rush them! You KNOW Riddle isn’t gonna cut a single corner when it comes to having the perfect wedding!”

“Well, I’d say we managed to do so quite efficiently,” Azul said, not even pretending to be humble. “I couldn’t afford to waste time, after all. I wanted to marry the love of my life as soon as possi-”

“God, you’re so cringe, Azul,” Idia interrupted, crinkling his nose at Azul’s shameless, sappy proclamations of love for his partner while he and Cater were still standing RIGHT THERE! 

Cater decided that perhaps this was his and Idia’s cue to escape the conversation. “Um! Y’know what, Idia?” He said, starting to tug Idia in the opposite direction. “I totally feel inspired by their lovey-dovey vibes. Let’s go dance!”

“Wh-!” Idia’s protests dissolved in his throat as Cater swiftly pulled him through the crowd and back to the dance floor. Idia, of course, complained, but when Cater asked him if he’d rather dance together or go back and continue talking to Azul, the protests quickly stopped.

And so they danced - Cater led Idia through a range of more traditional dances that Riddle taught him over the years, and plenty of modern dance trends that Cater practiced through watching hours of viral Magicam videos. Idia, though nervous at first, soon forgot his fear of prying eyes as he and Cater got lost in the moment together. Cater wasn’t the only one with dances to teach, after all! Idia made sure to show Cater just how much he learned through all his hours of watching idol group music videos.

Perhaps their dancing strayed a bit from the theme of the actual music playing, but that didn’t matter to them. Idia and Cater had fun off to the side in their little pocket of the dance floor together, occasionally joined by a former classmate now and then, or pausing to make conversation. It really WAS  an NRC reunion, intentional or not.

And it was exciting! Exciting… And really, really draining.

“...Idi-BB,” Cater sighed, draping an arm around Idia’s shoulders and leaning against him with a few exhausted pants. “I’m, like, so spent from all our hardcore grooving. Y’’wanna go outside for some fresh air and a sensory break?”

“Yes,” Idia wheezed, nodding with equally exhausted enthusiasm. 

The two promptly fled the scene, getting themselves out of the crowded venue and across the street to a quiet little park that was decorated with seasonal lights and flowers.

“Azul and Jamil really know how to pick a location,” Cater murmured as he and Idia walked under an arch of twinkling lights and found their way to a bench. “Even the nearby lots are top-tier photogenic. It looks like there’s even some kind of night market going on at this park.”

“Just what we need,” Idia complained, “MORE activities.”

“Hey, c’mon, at least over here we don’t have the obligation to talk to anyone. No familiar faces at a random market! And besides…” Cater pointed towards one of the trucks with pretty lights and colorful signage. “That one looks like it’s selling ice cream!”

“You don’t even like ice cream!”

“But you do…” Cater mumbled, and then grinned. “Plus, ice cream from vendors always looks super pretty. So, like, you get a sweet treat, and I get sweet pics! It’s a win-win, really.” 

“Do you ever take a day off your photographer brain?”

“Absolutely not. The ‘cam life was simply my calling, as my professional website can show you. I still can’t believe Azul didn’t even ask to hire me for wedding photos, TBH.”

“You wouldn’t’ve wanted to,” Idia said, slowly standing up and inching over to the ice cream truck-slash-booth. “Azul would have crazy annoying standards and requests, and would no doubt try and squeeze out a ‘friends and family’ discount from you.”

“Ugh, totes,” Cater shook his head, walking alongside Idia towards the truck “I’d rather take it easy and enjoy the event as a guest, anyway. Much more fun!”

He paused for a moment, peering at the menu. “Looks like they've got some flavors based on the Great Seven - Ooh, OMG, you should get that one!” 

Idia looked at the menu item Cater pointed at and read it aloud. “...King of the Underworld Cone: Mango and Habanero Sorbet, topped with blue raspberry syrup and chili-lime flakes, and served in a blue raspberry cone.”

“I love a good mango-chili combo! And the colors are perfectly coordinated to match our hair. You’ve gotta get it so we can take a cute selfie under the lights!”

Idia sighed, but pulled out his wallet as Cater ordered it for him. It DID sound pretty good, so he wasn’t going to fight it. He allowed Cater to hold the cone and pull him back over to the bench, pull him in close, and finally snap the photo before he finally got to try the ice cream.

“Jeeze, you seriously haven’t let up on the selfie-taking all evening,” Idia said between licks. “It really is like we’re back at school.” He held the cone out to Cater, tilting his head and silently offering him a taste.

“Aw, c’mon!” Cater paused, eyeing the ice cream suspiciously for a movement before lowering his head and giving it a tiny, curious lick. “...Ooo, spicy! That’s not bad.” He smiled, then turned back to his phone to text Idia the photo. “And anyway, I’ve def let up on the selfies these days, especially since I take pics for a living now.” Cater supplemented his statement with yet another pout. “Besides, today was a special occasion! Like, hello? It’s a WEDDING, and there were a ton of people I haven’t seen in years!”

Cater reached over to boop Idia on the tip of his nose. “Like you, mister! You live so far away and with such a complex job, I haven’t seen you in, like, LITERALLY forever…” He sighed, dropping his head onto Idia’s shoulder.

It was a warm and familiar sensation to the both of them. Near the end of their time at NRC, the two spent many a late night in Idia’s room binge watching anime or pop idol music videos together, which almost always ended with Cater laying half asleep propped against Idia’s side. The first three dozen times it happened, it would send Idia into a silent, internal freak out spiral, but through the exposure therapy of Cater’s consistent sleepiness, he eventually not only grew used to the feeling, but started to yearn for it on nights he watched shows alone.

“...Tell Riddle and Trey to hurry up on their wedding planning, then,” Idia mumbled into his ice cream. “If I know about it early enough, it’d be easier to fit into my busy boss-lord schedule.”

Cater’s ears perked up. “Oh? Would you really go to their wedding?! I know you weren’t as close to Riddle and Trey as you are with Azul … But then again, I guess you have been playing those online chess matches with Riddle ever since we signed him up.”

“Never doubt a warrior’s bond over a chess board,” Idia snickered. “A-And, uh, yeah. I’d go, but… Only ‘cause I know we’d get to see each other again, or whatever… O-Ortho would probably want to go, anyway, so… Might as well.”

“Aww!” Cater picked his head up to beam at Idia, eyes shining with delight. “You better promise! ‘Cause I WILL be there, and I’ll be on official photographer duty, so you should start planning your perfect outfit now. There’s no hiding from this professional shutterbug!”

“Wha-?” Idia scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion. “Weren’t you just saying you were glad you didn’t have to put up with Azul’s picky perfectionism and just wanted to enjoy being a guest? You don’t seriously think Riddle Rosehearts would be any less difficult a client than Azul, do you?”

Cater laughed. “Oh, don’t worry, Idia. you’re forgetting one very crucial detail!”

“...What’s that?”

“Riddle is my bestie, and I love him.”

Idia burst out laughing, quickly covering his mouth to avoid spewing blue and orange droplets everywhere. “The power of friendship is gonna save you from Teapot Tyrant meltdowns?”

“Hey!” Cater protested. “I’ll have you know that Riddle is MUCH more mellow these days-”

“Heh. You should see the chat logs from our last chess match.”

“Oh my god,” Cater rolled his eyes. “ANYWAY, I’ll have you know I’m the perfect person for the role. Trey and I stood by Riddle’s side for two years running Heartslabyul and herding underclassmen around. Riddle trusted my aesthetic eye when it came to setting up tea parties, and I earned that role, thank you very much! I’m a trained professional in both photography AND Riddle de-escalation tactics.”

Idia laughed again as Cater dropped his head back down onto his shoulder. Really, he couldn’t argue with that logic. After Trey, Cater really was the only other person from their school days that knew how to handle the ins and outs of a Riddle Rosehearts tantrum.

Still, a lot had changed over the years…

“...Did you really have a crush on me when we were in school?”

Idia nearly choked on the half-crunched cone that he just shoved into his mouth. “WH- GHK- CATER!” 

Cater quickly sat up again and started patting Idia on the back while he coughed up blue chunks. “OMG- Don’t you dare die on me before giving me an answer!”

A few more coughs and wheezes, a rough swallow of ice cream remains, and then Idia finally spoke again. “...Ugh... Hey, what’s with the sneak attack!? Don’t you think I took enough psychic damage when Azul brought that up earlier?!”

“No!” Cater huffed. “Because you never even told me! Why’d I have to find out from AZUL?”

“B-B-Because…” Idia stammered, “Why would- I told you I thought you were dating Trey and kind of also Riddle back then! And there was also that one time you came over to hang out after you’d been to a party in Pomefiore, and you told me you kissed Rook Hunt!”

Cater gasped. “OMG, I can’t believe you remember that. I almost don’t remember that!”

“Of course I remember!” Idia took his turn to pout, now that the ice cream cone was finally finished and no longer a hazard to his theatrics. “I had a huge crush on you! OBVIOUSLY I’m gonna sit and agonize endlessly over every little detail you told me about your love life - and also my own headcanons to your love life, apparently. You were my super hot best friend and I was the school shut-in!”

Cater gasped. “You thought I was hot?”

“I still think  you’re hot!” Idia shouted, and then slammed his hands over his mouth as his eyes blew wide open and the tips of his hair flushed into a bright shade of pink, flaming wisps dancing wildly around his face.

Cater stared silently back at Idia with equally wide eyes as silence filled the air between them.

Idia promptly spent the next ten seconds planning out how he could escape and have Ortho help him fake his own death, only to be interrupted by Cater speaking again.

“...It’s kinda like the universe is playing a trick on us, don’tcha think?” 

When Idia’s only response was more panicked stares, Cater continued. “Um, like… Neither of us was really ever the type to seriously ask someone out, y’know? So we were both just… Sitting on our feelings.”

Idia finally managed to find his voice again as he squeaked out a reply. “Wh-?! Both? ‘O-our’ feelings?! You never-!”

“Ugh, Idia, please,” Cater grabbed Idia by the shoulders and turned him so they were facing each other. “I fell asleep on your shoulder WAY more times than I’ve ever gotten sleepy hanging out with Trey, and he and I were roomies for two years straight!”

“...How many times did you fall asleep on Tr-”

“NOT important! Just- Listen…” Cater closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. He slid his hands down from Idia’s shoulders to his hands, then opened his eyes and looked at Idia very seriously. “...I… Also still think you’re hot.”

“Wh- Don’t make fun of me!” Idia shrieked, his face now matching the color of the tips of his hair as he attempted - unsuccessfully - to wiggle his way out of Cater’s grasp.

“Sorry, sorry, I couldn’t help it!” Cater giggled, tugging Idia closer. “But I'm not making fun, I swear! You really are still a Grade-A hottie after all these years!”

Idia paused his squirming to glance sideways at Cater. “..Enough to kiss me instead of Rook at a party?”

Cater gasped in shock, and it was Idia’s turn to laugh. 

“IDIA! You’re so much bolder these days, jeeze….” A sly grin spread across Cater’s face, and he leaned closer. “But, y’know… We ARE at a wedding party, and Rook is one of the guests.

Idia went quiet again, freezing in place as he watched Cater’s face move closer.

“Totes within kissable range if we went back, I guess… But I kinda don’t wanna get on Vil and Leona’s bad side, y’know?”

He leaned in closer, and hoped Idia couldn’t hear the anxious hammering of his heart against his chest.

“And… You’re a lot closer… And a lot cuter, TBH…”

Cater paused, averting his eyes to the side. Waiting. 

The offer was on the table, and it was up to Idia what happened next. The following five seconds stretched across what felt like eons to them both as Idia focused all his energy on trying not to literally pass out on the bench and take Cater down with him, or get overwhelmed by the possibility that if he DID kiss Cater, Cater might immediately throw up all over him and run away screaming. Really, it wasn’t that he didn’t WANT to kiss Cater, but what if he died? What if they both died!?

Well, they didn’t die. The agonizing seconds passed, but Idia decided that if he DID die, he’d rather go out knowing what Cater Diamond’s lips felt like against his, even if just one time. 

The kiss itself was quick, but had the weight of ten thousand hammers crashing into their walls of repressed feelings built up over several years.

Idia pulled back first, watching Cater cautiously for any signs of nausea.

But, Cater smiled at him, a nervous giggle bubbling from his lips. “That was-”

“BIG BROTHER? CATER DIAMOND? WHERE ARE YOU!?” Ortho Shroud’s shouted out in the distance from the direction of the wedding venue.

Oh, shit. How long had they been hiding out at that park, again?

“We… We should probably… Go back…” Idia mumbled.

“Y-yeah…” Cater slowly backed off of Idia, face flushed, but had not let go of his hands. “We… We should talk tonight, yeah?”

Idia wordlessly nodded, clutching Cater’s hands like his life depended on it.They headed back towards the wedding venue, hand-in-hand, both ignoring the internal dread from within at the growing realization that they both, somehow, had Azul Ashengrotto to thank for this.

[paracosmic-murdock]

i kinda just noticed that I never say anything here but i've been super inspired lately with a benedict OS fic (longings locked) i just labeled as COMING SOON and it will come sooner than the anthony fic i put in my masterlist like...

last year 😭

i've actually written a few chapters of the anthony one and i might start posting them as soon as i'm sure my inspiration won't end halfway through it (been there, done that) (i will post it soon bc i couldn't have written all that IN VAIN)

this is me:

anyways, as a compensation, i'm gonna share a bit of it. it's titled "tarnished, but so grand", and this is the summary:

you, your mother, and younger sisters were left to your own devices after your father's death with no one to take care or provide for you. thankfully, high society's ties were always useful, and you got an interview with none other than viscount anthony bridgerton for the job of his sister's governess. and yes, he could have expected about anything except to fall for you in such invasive, magnificently cursed manner when he was supposed to be looking for his very own wife.

if this flops i'll delete in immediately🙄

anyways, here comes the sneak peek:

After two months of knowing you, Anthony could say he got used to you not giving yourself credit for anything. He believed it was something that had to do with the sense of responsibility of being the eldest child who was imposed the task of providing for your family in a world that deprived your gender of opportunities to do just that. He saw himself in you often enough, and that might be the reason why he was so driven to you.

You nodded. “I saw him struggling and reached out to help. Did I take a liberty beyond my place?”

“Not at all. I could never question your place in this household, Miss Luddington,” Anthony was quick to erase the idea from your mind. “What I mean to say is thank you. This goes beyond your job as Hyacinth's governess, and it is not that I have any issue whatsoever. I only wish to thank you for helping Gregory as I've also taken notice of how much you have done for Eloise. This is going to be quite a difficult season for all of us, so I am incredibly grateful to you for taking the burden of my sister's stubbornness off my shoulders.”

You looked at him surprised. “You are very welcome, My Lord, but you mustn't thank me for anything.” you waved off after a sigh. “It does not need to be so difficult for all of you. I am sure that Eloise is more relaxed and her aversion for the upcoming events has been fading. You should not worry too much about her.”

Anthony cleared his throat. “I didn't mean it because of Eloise only… I have decided to start looking for a wife this season.”

That was everything but expected.

“Oh…”

Your lips formed a fine line at the thought, and you wanted to scold yourself for that painful weight growing in your gut.

“Yes… I believe it is time for me to settle down and find a wife, a viscountess. My mother has been too stressed with her responsibilities as the lady of the house, the Dowager Viscountess, and our mother. Once I marry, she will be more tranquil, freer.”

“That is right, My Lord,” you granted him. “Your mother has been tired lately. I wish you the best of luck on your quest, though I am a hopeless romantic, and dare I hope for you to find love instead of just a suitable partner.”

Anthony chuckled. “While I appreciate the sentiment, I am afraid I cannot afford that luxury.”

“You are a man, My Lord. One with power, at that. With all due respect, there are certainly not many things a person like you could consider a mere luxury, and your choice of a wife should not be one of them,” you mentioned, perhaps the alcohol giving you the guts to speak so freely. “God knows I would give anything to attend a ball, wear my fancy dresses and my jewels again, be asked to dance by handsome gentlemen, and be seen with utter admiration.”

“I take it it is your wish to marry.” he guessed, feeling his heart ache in your name.

You laughed, refilling the glass of whiskey and pouring one for him as well. “Now it is further than a dream… Papa promised me when I was a little girl that I would marry the man I loved. He said I was his daughter and that no man would ever deserve me, but I deserved whichever man I laid my eyes upon. Now I fear I shall die an old maid.”

“You can never be so sure.”

“Unfortunately, no man I marry would allow me to work, much less will he be able to provide for my entire family. I would have to marry a rich man for that, and I am afraid my status as a high society lady has been revoked. I could never get that,” you countered. “I also would not dare to abandon my dearest Hyacinth, and once she is done with her education, I will be too old to be wanted.”

“I can assure you, Miss Luddington, that it would be the most enormous waste on Earth if a lady as phenomenal as you passes before knowing what it feels like to be truly admired like she deserves.”

if you want to be added to the taglist of tarnished, but so grand, you can comment this post or dm me btw <3

if you want to be added to the longings locked's taglist, you can also let me know with a comment or dm, i'd be honored to add you

ALSO i wanted to thank you all for the support! this blog started with my matt murdock obsession and i want to write something else for him soon, but my current hyperfixation is bridgerton.

that would be all, thanks for reading! 🫶🏼

[11thwardtls]

Memory Defrag | TRACK 5 - Data Corpulence | Azekawa Kinari's Ward Mayor Novel Translation

Warnings and Disclaimers:

This translation is not professionally done and is not proofread. Edits and clean-ups may come at a later date.

Not a 1:1 translation either and some liberties into localization were taken into account.

This novel will contain spoilers for the Ev3ns Main Story: "Chained Up Scarlet".

Appropriate Content and Trigger Warnings will be added if needed.

May be used for quotebots/masterlists etc.

I am not fluent and self-studying Japanese (albeit at turtle speed), this was translated by ear and with the help of a JP dictionary, so please feel free to point out any errors!

—/—/—/—/—/—

I came out of semi-conscious mode and awakened all at once.

By my bedside, there was a plastic water bottle, with a note stuck to it: “Are you thirsty? Here, if you don’t mind.” in Raito’s handwriting. 

As I am an android, my mouth does not get dry, yet I drank from the bottle anyway.

The room’s interior has been plunged into azure-hued darkness.

I could hear the flapping of the nocturnal birds resting in the trees behind me.

———[At the very least, you could say what’s on your mind in your own words.]

Father’s words repeated several times within my auditory system.

Whenever I recall these words, I start to feel something, slowly.

It’s something that I’ve not been able to properly verbalize.

But now, I’m searching for a meaning within Father’s words, of which I had previously felt nothing upon hearing them. 

“Were his intentions similar to Master’s own words?”

I threw my question into the void.

I suppose that the true nature of Father’s hopes for me, was similar to Master’s own desire to treat me as if I were a fellow human being. 

What Father wanted at the time was not for me to be in a state to channel Kinari’s spirit, but for me to speak out using my own words. 

Rather than words that have been programmed into me, he must have wished to hear my words from the heart.

As I thought, I still deeply regret that I could not do that even at his deathbed.

Yes, there’s some sort of feeling of regret. Likely so. Surely, I thought.

And this sort of emotion is quite surprising in itself.

Because, as an android, I feel an emotion called ‘regret’. 

But looking back on this incident and understanding how I felt while reviewing those memories, perhaps someday I too will gain those 21 grams.

By analyzing, considering, and reflecting……

As Kuguri has previously said, these records can turn themselves into memories. 

[Further verification is still required.]

For that purpose, any and all records shall be preserved without being deleted.

I thought about it for when I have the free time to browse these past data bit by bit, but a message box appeared hovering over my retinas.

[The additional information related to the emotion base is building data corpulence at this time. Would you like to delete those additional parts?]

This newly acquired data is a highly valuable resource that is connected to 21 grams, therefore it cannot be deleted. I selected [No]. 

[The screen glitches for a moment.]

The moment that I’ve made my choice, the image reflected in my retinas became distorted and a noise appeared.

“...?”

I checked on my systems to see if a small error had occurred, but there was no problem.

Right now, I cannot afford to shrink down on my memory any further.

The everydays that would increase from here forward would be also valuable pieces of samples.

With that in mind, I laid down on my bed.

—/—/—/—/—/—

“Today’s a whole extra super awesome ‘nother lesson day~! After finishing with warm ups, we’re doing formation checks, alrightyyyy?” 

Chihiro’s cheerful voice resounded throughout the lesson room this morning.

He always took the initiative whenever it came to practicing.

As always, I put out the tablet and started to record our dance formation———

—But he appeared troubled almost immediately.

“Oh whoopsies! My hard disk is full already~ I can’t record anymore.”

“Isn’t that a large capacity tablet? Why’s there so much data…? Plus, didn’t you say the same thing last month?”

Tao rushed in to check quickly. Chihiro pouted, cheeks puffed up, “I’m an influencer, aren’t I? Don’t tell me you forgot?!”, he retorted.

These two always have this kind of conversation all the time.

“Hahaha, well yeah, your job’s to take pics and all that. So I guess my smartphone…

Ah, right… I dropped it in the bath yesterday and it broke.” 

“Haaaaa. It’s like, soooo unbelievable that such a high-key moronic guy exists in this world!” 

Raito made an offer to do it on his behalf, but then was quickly rejected.

Kuguri gave Raito the stink-eye, as he had no intention of ever lending his own device.

“Welp, there’s no choice then. Kinyari~ can Chii twouble you to do it?”

“Understood.”

In the past eras, humans have used their eyes as a camera when photographic equipment cannot be used. Their video recordings would be burned onto their retina, be available as an output and viewed on another device.

I began to film our dance routine while looking into the mirror.

“Tao, stop. Your hand placement is off by three centimeters.”

“Tao, stop. Your arms are not fully extended.”

“Tao, stop. You mustn’t do this move from your chest, but from your shoulders.”

I added detailed annotations about our mistakes, and by the time I finished them, Chihiro would hug me and say, “Luuuuv ya, Kinyari!”

Chihiro does this more often than not. He also happily rested his cheek by my hair.

“Ahhh, you smell so nice, Kinyari~ Haaaa, you’re just the bestest, the cutest, I loooove you~” 

“Mm. Thank you.”

“Oi, Chihiro, quit messin’ around already. Keep doing that and it’d count as sexual harassment.”

“But if it’s me and Kinyari, we make a super mega cute picture together, so it’s a-okay!” 

“Eh… That so?”

Tao warned him, but Chihiro bit back.

He seemed a bit distressed after listening to Chihiro’s absurd reasoning.

Raito laughed softly as usual, saying, “I’m glad that we all get along so well.”

On the other hand, Kuguri interjected, “Nyushi, if I were to join in as well, wouldn’t it be even prettier?”

This sort of interaction between us unit members had now become the norm.

Chihiro often talked about me so lovingly, yet according to Tao, “Ain’t it because Chihiro used to be an idol otaku and likes cute things?”

Can this kind of love be classified as something that fulfills my father’s hopes and wishes that [Someone who loves you will surely appear]?

I don’t know it yet, but I have long since accepted this circumstance.

“Man, at the end of the day, I was still the one who made the most mistakes again.”

“Tao, you’d be training on your own again today, wouldn’t you? I’ll join as well so let’s do our best together.”[4]

“By the way, Kinari. I accidentally let it slip that you slept longer than usual this morning to Ushio. He seemed quite worried so if you could, please show yourself to him later to let him know.”

“Plüss, won’t you at least punish this wretch of a man for saying something so unnecessary?” 

Chihiro and Tao started to whisper amongst themselves about everyday this and that, while Raito and Kuguri, who were wiping away their sweat, also chatted for a little while. 

I’d say, “Shall we proceed to play and observe the formation video I took on my camera on another device now?”, all four of them, Kuguri—to an extent, would watch somewhat seriously. 

Thus, our discussion on how we could further improve it would then begin. 

I, for once, would like to repeat this moment an innumerable amount of times.

……The thought of it was not at all unpleasant.

“Please give it your all in singing, dancing, your idol activities and live happily!”

This is my firstmost and top priority order I needed to fulfill. It is my very core of being. 

My most important standard of behavior.

However, rather than having to meet that standard, little by little, the desire to fulfill it instead is being born.

What to call this sort of ‘emotion’, I don’t know it yet.

But, I can feel it. I know so.

Emotions that I cannot name yet will continue to grow within my heart.

Surely. Probably. Maybe. 

Someday, even… 

———is what I thought.

—/—/—/—/—/—

Translation Notes: 

1 - This chapter’s title name was very… difficult to word, as 肥大 in particular could be any of the words related to gaining weight/fat. In accordance with this, I used the word corpulence instead to achieve the same meaning across. 

2 - Took liberties with Chihiro’s gyaru-speak. Also yes he did say all of that part (I have screenshot receipts). 

3 - Again, Tao did actually say that. Quite literally in fact too!

4 - I don’t know who said that, but basing off the prose that followed, it seems to be Chihiro? I’m not sure if he’s ever called him anything other than Taotao so please correct me if I’m wrong here! 

—/—/—/—/—/—

Directory:

Main Page | TRACK 1 | TRACK 2 | TRACK 3 | TRACK 4 | TRACK 5

[beardedmrbean]

The gruesome details and brutal savagery of the October 7 attack launched by Hamas operatives on innocent civilians was shocking to even the most battled-hardened soldiers and war correspondents. Evidence of beheadings, babies shot in their cribs, parents shot in front of their children, entire families massacred, the torture and execution of the elderly, people burned alive, and hundreds of young people gunned down while attending a musical festival for peace, were widely reported and verified by video, audio, and forensic evidence.

Most people would be horrified. Yet in an interview on Lebanese television, Senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad hailed the brutal October 7 attack and pledged to repeat the October 7 attack again and again until Israel is "removed," claiming Hamas "was the victim," therefore "everything they do is justified."

That interview was the inspiration for a recent cartoon I drew for the Washington Post depicting Gazi Hamad and his human shields.

But my cartoon was pulled off the Washington Post editorial website amid an internal outcry. Critics claimed the cartoon was "racist" for stereotyping and demonizing Palestinians. They said the cartoon ignored the death of thousands and the suffering of millions of Palestinians as a result of the Israeli military response.

Any decent human being would agree that this war is catastrophic. I mourn the loss of innocent life—on both sides. I am shocked by the destruction that has shattered their lives and grieve for those families. I wish for the safe return of the more than 240 hostages that Hamas has taken. But those are separate issues.

This cartoon was designed with specificity. Its focus is on a specific individual and the statements he made on behalf of a specific organization he represents—their claims of victimhood, and the plight of innocent Palestinians used as pawns in their political and military strategy.

That person is Ghazi Hamad. The caricature of the central figure looks like Ghazi Hamad.

The organization is Hamas. The main figure in the cartoon is labeled Hamas.

Hamad's words and the innocents bound to him as human shields and their forced martyrdom reflect the official position of Hamas.

Hamas is a terrorist organization that blames Israel for the attack on civilians, but ignores its own complicity in their suffering. It was Hamas that first launched the attack on Israel, continues to use civilian infrastructure as cover, and restricts the evacuation of Gaza civilians from areas which Israel has given advanced warning of strikes.

Gaza civilians are victims. Hamas is not.

It's ironic that those who criticize the cartoon for overgeneralizing and stereotyping cannot seem to distinguish between a known terrorist group and Palestinians. And it's a tragedy that their only way of coping with the truth depicted in my cartoon is to erase it from view.

In my speeches, I say, "An editorial cartoon is not humorous for the sake of humor. It is not controversial for the sake of controversy. Whether you agree with it philosophically or not, a good editorial cartoon engages the reader in debate. It informs and challenges. It draws the reader into the democratic process."

Liberty, the free exchange of ideas, is the foundation of our democracy. Thomas Jefferson once wrote, "Our Liberty depends on the freedom of press, and that cannot be limited without it being lost." The reason our Founding Fathers included the right to a free press in our Constitution was because they knew the communication of ideas and information, the right to inform and be informed, the dissemination of ideas and the expression of opinion, are all necessary components in a political system based on self-governance and individual liberty. Limiting the exchange of ideas even in our common culture limits our freedom.

The purpose of an editorial cartoon, and a good editorial page is to be the catalyst for thought. By promoting the thoughtful exchange of ideas, we forge a consensus through the fiery heat of debate.

Today, political correctness and the woke movement have defined words and images as weapons that should be banned for offending political categories and self-defined oppressed groups. It is tolerance of all ideas—except those they disagree with, and it follows the adage that if you can't win the argument, you change the rules. It treats people as children who must be shielded from conversation, unable to manage a verbal exchange without supervision, and it is a direct threat to freedom of speech and liberty—as well as the truth.

Critics of my cartoon are using an accusation of racism as a device to "cancel" the truth—the overwhelming empirical evidence that Hamas uses civilians, both Palestinians and Israelis, as human shields. Their bases of operations exist within or under civilian infrastructure. They fire rockets from densely populated areas and hospital roofs, by design, to sacrifice the lives of innocents to exact a political toll from any military strikes.

I do not mind being attacked for my cartoons. People should be emotionally invested in their politics. While the First Amendment guarantees the freedom of speech, it does not insulate you from the consequences of your speech. I accept that. It is part of the job.

I stand by the cartoon—and I stand by my critics' right to condemn it.

It remains on the website of my home paper, the Las Vegas Review-Journal, who stands firmly behind me.

Yet I have to point out the irony here: The slogan of the Washington Post is "Democracy Dies in Darkness." When the protest and rancor of a distressed newsroom, offended by a cartoon exposing the truth, causes adults to retreat to their safe spaces, clutching their participation trophies and "canceling" freedom of speech, these are truly dark days.

They should imagine what it was like for Israelis hiding in a safe room, clutching their children and praying for the safety of their families.

Sometimes, the truth hurts. Journalists have an obligation to keep the lights on and not kowtow to the voices of dissent who want to extinguish the free exchange of ideas, and hide in the darkness.

From my perspective, I think it hurt the Washington Post far more than me.

[srbachchan]

DAY 5427

Jalsa, Mumbai              Dec 24/25,  2022             Fri/Sat/Sun  10:04 PM

Birthday - EF AMIT NADKAR .. Jalpesh Piyushbhai Desai .. Rani ShardaSunday, 25 December ..

this is a special birthday for all the Ef and our wishes for wellness peace calm and love ❤️❤️❤️

There is the seeking of apologies for the late consumption of time for the post of the Blog that should have been out yesterday in the night .. but not just that but the next day the one today has undergone some delays .. so am rushing to connect ..

Yes .. yesterday was a bit occupied by the pending works of many many days .. and the bad habit of mine that , instead of leaving it to a team of managers and secretaries to attend to many of the aspects of our routine and connects , I must see and do them myself .. 

reason .. ?

you are writing and connecting with me , not my management , if at all I can safely contend that I have one .. 

that personal information is most important, because I do not want to be looking up to a guest with gaping mouth, when they seek an answer to the letter or post or picture or gift that they had sent me with affection .. and I cannot remember of know of their existence .. that is rude on my part ..

the well wisher, the audience is the master .. no opinion makers can replace them .. they make us .. and it is only but the needed ‘charan sparsh’, the touching in reverence of their feet , that must be honoured and respected ..

So .. there was a visit to the ‘tube’ with the strange electronic sounds that record what the body is doing inside us .. it is a rather long procedure and can get claustrophobic for many .. 

I ..

well I .. begin to construct a ‘dhun’ inside .. with the rhythmic convulsions of the electronic that plays in its planned graph and rhythm .. 🤣🤣

that done .. and all being well .. got taken up by the exuberance of ‘liberty’ of ‘freedom’ of the absence of ‘routine’ and not having the Damocles sword hanging above you for the absence of any of the above ..

is it not true that we often use words and expressions to express a moment and have never wondered where it came from  .. 

i take a considered note of it and and wished to know why the Damocles Sword expression was used and why and from where ..  

well Damocles was a legendary courtier who ever extravagantly praised the ruler of the Syracuse Kingdom of the Ruler - Dionysius 1 , who 🤣🤣🤣 not very taken up by this extra territorial praise , and wanting to show the courtier how precarious this praise was, made him sit on the banquet table and hung a sword over his head, on a string of hair  !!! 🤣🤣😳😳😳

and that is where this expression comes from ..

alright enough of ‘gyaan’ ..  more importantly .. all is well  .. with the TV and the serials that are being witnessed at odd hours and for timed intervals .. and the pattern of exercise and breathing is done in and the .. connection continues ..

my love then ..

and how wonderful to have the so called divas of design and dress and clothing and couture , seek your information on what we wear and from where   !! 🕺🕺

Amitabh Bachchan