#scientific answers. ╱ inbox responses.

[autotoxins]

"Caesar - long time, no see."

❝ Ah! Law! YOU BASTARD! ❞ There he was! That smug, wannabe doctor! The fact that he approached him all casually like that seriously grind Caesar's gears.

❝ How DARE you put me through all that turmoil! You completely ruined my comfortable life at Punk Hazard! I'll NEVER forgive you!! ❞ Not that he thought Law was looking for his forgiveness ( in fact, he couldn't care less what the other was looking for ). Caesar just wanted to vent out his STRONG emotions. It was because of Law his life was practically ruined. He supposed working with Judge, which he was now doing, was not the worst, but certainly, working under Jōkā had been FAR more comfortable.

[zapreportsblog]

Moves Like Jagger

➥ summary: when in need of an distraction (y/n) is your gal

➥ a/n: this was requested by @alathan13 once again I deeeply appreciate your request, they explained it to me in detail in my messages/inbox and I’m happy to comply and get this out there for you. The name of this story is based off the song and was actually the first thing that came to mind for me when writing this

➥ spider gang x reader

The sun was just beginning to set over as Miguel O'Hara, the leader of a highly skilled and diverse team, stood in his office, contemplating the imminent mission that had been brought to his attention. He knew it was not a task to be taken lightly, and assembling the perfect team was crucial. Each member had unique talents, and he believed their combined skills would work harmoniously for this mission.

Miguel took a deep breath, picking up his communicator and sending out the call to action. First on his list was (y/n), the woman with an uncanny ability to adapt to any situation and a remarkable talent for understanding and connecting with people. As the communicator buzzed, (y/n) picked up and greeted Miguel with enthusiasm.

"Hey, Miguel! What's up?" (y/n) asked cheerfully.

"Hey, (y/n)," Miguel replied. "I need you to come to my office. We have a mission that I think your talents would be perfect for."

Intrigued by the promise of a new challenge, (y/n) agreed without hesitation. She quickly made her way to Miguel's office, a sense of anticipation building with each step.

Next on the list was Miles Morales, a skilled and resourceful young man with incredible agility and the ability to blend into the shadows with ease. He answered the call, and Miguel extended the invitation for him to join the mission.

"Miles, we have a mission that requires your stealth and quick thinking," Miguel explained. "I need you here."

Miles was eager to accept, knowing that his abilities would be put to good use. He swung through the city's skyline using his Spider-Man powers, arriving at Miguel's office in no time.

Miguel's next call was to Gwen Stacy, also known as Spider-Woman or Ghost Spider to some. With her impressive acrobatic skills and scientific genius, she was a valuable asset to the team. When Gwen received Miguel's call, she immediately agreed to join the mission.

"Pavitr Prabhakar, I need your help as well," Miguel said when the next call connected. Pavitr, also known as Spider-Man India, was a skilled fighter and had the ability to harness the power of a mystical amulet. He gladly accepted the mission and prepared to join the others.

Finally, Miguel called Hobie Brown, also known as Spider-Man or Spider Punk to some. Hobie was an expert in stealth and technology, making him a vital member of the team. Hobie was ready for action and was eager to contribute his skills to the mission.

With the team assembled, they all arrived at Miguel's office, their faces filled with determination and readiness. Miguel wasted no time and began explaining the mission.

"Thank you all for coming," Miguel began. "We have a situation that requires all of your unique abilities. A dangerous criminal organization has obtained a highly advanced piece of technology that could wreak havoc on the city. Our mission is to infiltrate their hideout, neutralize the threat, and retrieve the technology."

As Miguel laid out the plan, he highlighted how each member's special talents would be crucial for the success of the mission. He emphasized (y/n)'s ability to gather valuable intel, Miles' agility for reconnaissance, Gwen's scientific expertise to handle the technology, Pavitr's combat skills for confrontation, and Hobie's knowledge of stealth and technology to disable security systems.

Each member nodded in understanding, fully aware of the gravity of the mission and the responsibility that rested on their shoulders. Their unwavering commitment to protecting the city and its inhabitants fueled their determination to succeed.

Miguel concluded, "This won't be easy, and it won't be without risks. But I believe in each and every one of you. Together, we can take down this organization and keep our city safe."

With newfound determination in their hearts, the team prepared for the mission ahead. They knew that this mission would test their limits, but they also knew that their bond as a team and their unique talents would give them the edge they needed to prevail.

As they headed out into the night, a sense of camaraderie filled the air. They were not just a team; they were a family, united by their commitment to protect the city they loved. Their journey had just begun, and they were ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, knowing that together, they were unstoppable.

•••

Inside the dimly lit building, the team found themselves facing a group of guards standing watch near a heavily secured door. Gwen assessed the situation with a furrowed brow, knowing they needed a distraction to get past the guards without alerting others inside.

"We need to get past those guards without raising awareness to the others that may be inside," Gwen said, her mind working quickly to devise a plan.

Miles nodded in agreement. "So basically, someone needs to distract them," he added.

Pavitr hesitated for a moment before speaking up, "Well, it can't be me."

"Why not?" Gwen asked, placing a hand on her hip.

Hobie chimed in with a smirk, "Cause those bloody guards are men, and in case you haven't noticed it, love, so are us three.... That leaves you and (y/n)."

Gwen turned to (y/n) with a knowing look, and a determined glint appeared in (y/n)'s eyes. "Oh hell yeah, I've been waiting for this," she said with a confident grin.

Gwen nodded in approval. "Alright, (y/n), you're up. Time to work your magic."

The plan was set, and the team positioned themselves strategically, preparing to execute their diversion. Miles, Gwen, and Hobie took cover, blending into the shadows while keeping a close eye on the guards. Meanwhile, (y/n) took a deep breath, her heart pounding with adrenaline.

Moving with grace and confidence, (y/n) sauntered out into the open, catching the guards' attention. Her confident demeanor drew their focus away from the others, and they turned their gaze towards her, intrigued by the sudden appearance of an unexpected guest.

"Hey there, handsome," (y/n) purred, putting on an enchanting smile as she approached the guards.

Miles watched in awe as (y/n) effortlessly captivated the guards with her charm. Gwen and Hobie exchanged impressed glances, realizing they had made the right choice. (y/n)'s ability to connect with people and disarm them with her charisma was truly remarkable.

As (y/n) engaged the guards in conversation, she skillfully weaved her way through the questions they threw her way. While she had their full attention, Miles, Gwen, and Hobie quietly moved past, making their way closer to the heavily guarded door.

Gwen skillfully disabled the security system with her scientific expertise, while Hobie kept an eye out for any unexpected threats that might be lurking nearby. Meanwhile, Miles used his stealth to scout the area for any additional guards that might pose a risk.

(y/n) continued to hold the guards' attention, making light conversation as she skillfully steered them away from the entrance. Her wit and charm kept them captivated, and she didn't miss a beat, subtly leading them further from the team's location.

All was well, up until Hobie accidentally knocked something over. “Oops”

As Hobie accidentally knocked over a loose metal crate while trying to maintain his balance, the loud clatter echoed through the otherwise silent corridor. The guards' eyes shot towards the source of the noise, and their suspicions were immediately aroused. They had been trained to be alert and vigilant, and the sudden noise was enough to trigger their instincts.

Gwen, Miles, and Pavitr quickly took cover, preparing for a confrontation. However, (y/n) remained unfazed, as if the unexpected turn of events had simply become part of the choreography. Her heart raced with adrenaline, the thrill of the impending challenge fueling her spirit.

As the guards rushed towards the team, (y/n) sprang into action, moving with a fluid grace that was almost hypnotic. She twisted and swayed like a tango dancer, her movements calculated yet mesmerizing, effortlessly evading the guards' advances.

With a swift and elegant spin, she ducked under the first guard's attempted punch, her body twisting gracefully as she slid behind him. Before he could react, (y/n) delivered a swift and precise kick to the back of his knee, causing him to buckle and collapse to the ground.

“Oh my god!” Pavitr says watching (y/n)’s every move. “Oh my god she’s doing the thing!”

“What thing?” miles asks.

“That thing from that movie! You know the fight scene thing! She’s fighting those guards and dancing!”

Her every movement was like a dance, each step flowing seamlessly into the next. As the second guard lunged towards her, (y/n) stepped to the side, seamlessly guiding his momentum to miss her entirely. Her movements were as fluid as the steps of a tango, each one calculated and harmoniously connected.

In one swift motion, she reached out and grabbed the guard's arm, twisting it behind his back with such precision that he could do nothing but follow her lead. The two moved in perfect synchronization, their bodies dancing in harmony with the rhythm of the fight.

As the dance of combat continued, (y/n) used her agility to her advantage, effortlessly evading the guard's strikes and retaliating with her own well-timed moves. Every punch and kick were executed with the grace and precision of a dancer, leaving the guard bewildered and off-balance.

With a final flourish, (y/n) sent the guard spinning away, leaving him sprawled on the ground, disarmed and defeated. She stood tall, her chest heaving with adrenaline, a triumphant smile on her lips.

“Yessssss Queen!” Pavitr screams out jumping up and down in excitement only to be stopped and hit on the shoulder by Hobie.

“Sorry,” he whispers having noticed just how loud he was being.

The team watched in awe, realizing they were witnessing something extraordinary. (y/n)'s unique fighting style was a breathtaking display of skill and artistry, blending the grace of a dancer with the precision of a master martial artist.

As the echoes of the fight dance scene subsided, (y/n) turned to her teammates, a spark of excitement in her eyes. "Shall we keep going?" she asked, her voice laced with confidence.

Gwen, Miles, and Pavitr exchanged glances, reinvigorated by (y/n)'s energy. Together, they stood ready to face any challenge that lay ahead, knowing that with their collective talents and (y/n)'s extraordinary dance of combat, they were an unstoppable force.

With renewed determination, the team pressed on, knowing that the mission was far from over. But in that moment, they felt a deeper connection than ever before, united not only by their shared purpose but also by the unique bond they had forged through the artistry of their fight dance scene.

[transmutationisms]

along w ur plato post uve also mentioned disliking marxist syllabi that make you go chronologically just to understand one author (ie greek philo - hegel - marx)

i was planning to go down this route this yr to combine both my long overdue dive into theory and philosophy, and i actually found this to be less overwhelming than immediately diving into say, continental philosophy or critical theory. i wonder then what other route you'd suggest for philosophy? (since for marxist theory youve pretty much alr answered it in a past ask)

are greek philosophers still "useful" to read for beginners or is it much better off to start with contemporaries? is this a case of "we've actually been doing the math curriculum wrong this entire time" or is it just personal preference. help

depends what you're trying to accomplish, but if someone's in my inbox asking how to get started reading theory or philosophy then i think it's a) unhelpful, and b) needlessly deferent to received ideas of 'canonicity', to perpetuate the notion that there's a single correct order in which to read, and it begins with the same 20 ancient greeks writing about geometrical forms and elemental tetravalence. like, it's worth remembering what's missing from a typical global north university's philosophy syllabus: perhaps most obviously, reams of islamicate scholarship and centuries of dialogue between 'western' and 'eastern' writers often suppressed in favour of a 'dark ages' narrative that just sort of jumps up to the 'renaissance'... and there are so many other, egregious, historically unjustifiable lacunae like this.

it's noble enough to want to know where an idea comes from or what its genealogical lineage is, but to try to discover this by reading through a list drawn up by classicists or philosophy departments is dangerously optimistic about the politicking that shapes and perpetuates such lists. even just reading the works that an author is openly citing or arguing with is lacking: what about, say, hegel, whose idea of freedom and enslavement developed partially in response to reading newspaper coverage of the haitian revolution? he didn't exactly announce that in the text! to read the phenomenology of spirit as merely the next intellectual step after kant is deeply distorted; for that matter, kant's own intellectual influences came not only from a supposed philosophical canon but also from the scientific and anthropological discourses underpinning his biological theory of race and defence of racism.

my issue with the "read chronologically" approach isn't that it's bad to follow a topic over a process of historical change. it's that these received lists of 'canonical' thinkers are artefacts of their own social and historical contexts, and are both produced to certain ideological ends, & then appealed to later in order to enforce and even naturalise those ideologies. if what we want is the context to understand what hegel or marx or adorno were really talking about, we need to engage with the texts as historical documents and with the histories as products of imperfect, biased, and ideologically laden human labour.

i'm not here to tell you not to read whatever you were planning to read. for one thing, sometimes the intellectual influence named in the syllabus is a useful one (there are certain questions about marx and marxian ideas that are easier to understand and answer if you have read at least a little bit of hegel). but, in the context of the overwhelming gatekeeping of knowledge, and the hegemonic use of ideas about canonicity and the 'right' way to read 'classics', if someone asks what they need to do in order to read xyz, i'm pretty much never going to default to "start by reading plato". read things that are interesting to you, however old they are; read about their authors; make liberal use of online resources like the SEP if you need a crash-course on certain concepts or jargon. you certainly don't need to be afraid of reading one text to better understand another. i just don't think you need to be beholden to that mode of reading, either, especially not in a context where the common wisdom on whose work belongs in such a genealogy is predicated on centuries of colonial and imperial scholarship and disseminated by institutions structurally positioned to defend the idea of an enlightened and ennobling western intellectual tradition.

in a certain twisted way, these 'standard' (to whom?) or 'traditional' (since when?) reading lists are often presented as the shortcut to the 'correct' understanding of landmark texts or authors—only, this is a 'shortcut' that considers ideas as disembodied from their real contexts, relating only to one another in an intellectual realm and developing in more or less linear fashion often to some teleological end; and, by dint of the sheer amount of material involved, it's also a 'shortcut' that many people will never actually traverse. i don't have an inherent problem with reading chronologically. i just don't automatically defer to these kinds of syllabi, and i think dethroning them could do us all a lot of good.

[catboybiologist]

I was wondering if you had any readings on the biological aspects of transitioning, especially with the info you use to deconstruct the transphobia argument that being transgender is ‘against biology’. Im a biological sciences major, but haven’t gotten to discuss (much less find resources on) this topic.

Thanks in advance.

Long and rambling response incoming! Sorry for leaving this in my inbox for a few weeks.

This is a very interesting topic to me, and doesn't really have a clean answer. Because its not really about the biology itself, its mostly about the philosophy of science, and how it interfaces with ethics, etymology, and societal understanding. The primary thing to understand is that science is *descriptive*. Morality or classifications are societal determinations that we use to "wrap" scientific observations- gender is therefore the societal "wrapper" to sex, which, over centuries, has snowballed and taken a social definition well past any biological system.

That being said, most of my arguments hinge on the totality of changes that are possible with HRT, and how they affect the molecular mechanisms of sex determination. To me, this sheer totality means that a trans man with significant time on HRT can actually be considered a "biological man", and vice versa for a trans woman. To me, the sheer extent to which cell expression patterns change, and structural elements of the body change, means that the way that transphobes use terminology like "biological sex" is bullshit. And as I've said before, this is NOT a transmedicalist argument, and if I ever sound transmed, I am sorry. Part of the totality of this biological definition includes the interface of genetics, pyschology, and sociology that comprehensively includes all trans people, even those not on HRT. Rather, I use the changes of HRT as a way to demonstrate the plasticity of sex in humans and other animals, and how thin the barrier between sexes actually is. This punches holes in a lot of the propaganda that transphobes tend to roll out, and helps demonstrate how flimsy their talking points are. All of this is to say, something can't be "against biology" because biology is morally neutral. It's not morality. It's not static definitions. It's a set of observations. But, our thinking about definitions and classifications can reflect and be advised by these observations. For me, it helped to think about HRT changes, because my personal mentality is one of a constructed identity. I define myself by what I am in the moment, and if I can document my current state, that helps define who I am- which is a woman. The biology of transition told me how deeply that is true, and continually becomes more true, on a molecular level. So. Here's some individual papers and points that help guide my thinking on the topic, and how each helped me find peace with transitioning: Medical descriptions of changes on HRT:

I'm sure everyone is familiar with this and the WPATH, but from the perspective of medical expectations. Instead, take a look at the changes documented here, and start thinking about how deep and profound they are- these cell types and body structure are sitting there just waiting to happen, and they are literally the same as their cis counterparts. This was huge for me in accepting that my post-HRT body wouldn't be "fake", and actually is literally the

Review paper of sex determination pathways in the animal kingdom:

Transphobes use chromosomes as a prescriptive definition of sex and gender. However, if you take a broader look and see how sex determination works in animals with similar genetic mechanisms as us, it becomes pretty clear that chromosomal sex determination is a late addition to the party. Essentially, most animals use a fairly random mechanism to ensure an advantageous sex ratio in their population. This is often environmental or based on some random gene on chromosome that looks nothing like XY sex determination, but if a large chromosomal deletion comes along, its a convenient way to keep the big version of the chromosome always paired with the small chromosome- for example, the X chromosome always being paired with another X, or its half-deleted pair, the Y chromosome. But there's nothing intrinsic about the chromosomes itself that define sex, its just an evolutionary ride-along mechanism.

So what does actually determine sex? Well, as with any broad scale developmental effect, one signalling molecule or gene can cause extensive downstream genetic effects, and that active, lived set of gene expression then defines what secondary sex characteristics develop.

(even though the main point is about spermatogenesis, it does provide a lot of nice summary figures about testosterone signalling) While these papers don't talk about trans people, the introduction of cross-sex hormones will activate these pathways, and cause the wide variety of downstream transcriptional changes in gene activation. Essentially, the active genes in your body will follow the dominant upstream sex hormones in your body. If you're transfemme, on HRT, the active genes in your body are female ones. If you're transmasc, on HRT, the active genes in your body are male ones.

While I never explicitly studied trans people in my biology education, studying principles of gene regulation, chromosome biology, and just a tad of reproductive physiology means that I started to think about how all of those interface with the way we define ourselves in a lot of ways. And usually, that is dynamic- you can have developmental changes kicked off by signalling molecules later in life, and it would be deranged to ignore those changes out of spite and insist that the biological system is still the thing it was before. Sex determination is not exempt from that.

Again, I use HRT changes as an example, but you can find many similar papers on the psychology of transness even pre-HRT. But, I would caution against trying to find a "root biological reason" for being trans pre-HRT- its likely too polymodal to accurately characterize. It's why I stray away from neurological papers and arguments here. That is an ENTIRELY different argument and this post is already long. But hey, every ask I get like this helps formalize my thoughts on the matter. Hope this helped!

[hard-core-super-star]

no because literally, in a single ask there are many different topics and the answers just get longer. I imagine you opening your inbox and seeing some aks that look more like the digital bible itself😶

I'm telling you! I'm behaving now. I changed.

I'll wait, and I already have my doubts about something but I don't know if it's a reference. the 119% thing.

totally, just like they did when they guarded at all costs that Kate would be played by hailee. It would be really funny if the Nightwing phase hadn't just been a phase.... unless...👀 I also don't know how well-known this mafia game is, but I've literally never heard of it until now. you're good at FIFA? for further scientific research. i- i never played GTA, my mom was ok with me playing mortal kombat and seeing the most graphic and merciless deaths, but not with me stealing cars and running away from the police 😔

okay, if I go watch it for the gay shit and I come out of it sad I'll blame you and you'll pay for my therapy. If she's supposed to be an irredeemable villain then she did something really fucked up, right? because I'm kind of more of a fan of villains..... to a certain point... um yeahh..of course

I'm literally eating myself up because I want to know what this cliffhanger is, I mean, the show was cancelled... knowing this isn't going to ruin my experience, is it?

queerbait, queerbait is everywhere- oh, the denial, it's okay, thinking like this can keep you sane, but it's between ava and sara? wait, I got lost hwjakksskskk you defend flash until you possibly can't anymore, but only watch for caitlin? how does it work? RIGHT? It took me a while to like caitlin exactly for that reason. and don't judge me, but it got tired to a point where I wasn't even rooting for barry and iris to get together anymore. they almost made my hair gray for a while, but I recovered.

now I understand why there's SO MUCH supercorp fics, these people are drooling and surviving on crumbs- think with care <3 hdjskjsk

– 🌟

i’m happily surprised and impressed that we've managed to talk about so many things at the same time and, despite the slight confusion sometimes, we still have MORE to say. it's not often i find someone so willing to read my paragraph-long responses and then RESPOND with their own paragraphs. [and needless to say, i absolutely love reading your responses, even if they're long]

mhmm, we’ll see about that.

it technically is a reference but i don't know if you're thinking what i’m thinking. and if you're not one of us is going to end up looking like an an idiot 😶 [it’s me, btw]

i mean, he's technically still my favorite superhero so i guess the phase still isn't over. i’m just too gay to obsess over a man the way i obsess over kate. i don't think it's that well known but i love it. idk what kind of research you're doing that requires this knowledge but yeah, i’m pretty good at FIFA. not like super amazing or anything but i’ve played it all my life so i think i’ve developed some skills. funnily enough, my mom was the opposite way. mortal kombat was too violent but planning heists and stealing cars was fine. [but not until i was like…10 or something]

babe, i hate to break it to you, but i can't even pay for my own therapy so you're on your own. stop asking questions because i WILL write an essay on her. basically, she does do fucked up shit BUT she's also heavily, HEAVILY, traumatized. i can't get into it without giving out too many spoilers but as the show goes on, we learn she's genuinely just a heavily messed up person and NOT a Joker type of villain who causes pain for the sake of it. [she's also not a sociopath, no matter how many times the characters say she is smh. she's also queer-coded af so there's that]

it's probably my fault for bringing it up everyday lmao. it doesn't ruin anything at all, it's just frustrating. they do finish the plot of season 7 nicely so that's why i just ignore the cliffhanger. it was supposed to tease season 8 but then season 8 never happened. the thing that pisses me off is that the CW didn't bother to tell the writers or the producers or the ACTORS that they wouldn't be getting another season.

sorry, i phrased that weird because it's technically a spoiler. the queer-bait is between zari and a new character hence why i didn't give many details in case you decide to watch the show again. sara and ava aren’t queer-bait at all, they're just queer 👍 it doesn't work very well but like the flash still has some really good things in between all the shitty writing. [that's another reason to watch batwoman, btw, their writers are out of this world] plus, like i said, caitlin snow was part of my gay awakening so it's not like i could just ditch the show even while it was going downhill. i don't judge you at all, i hated their relationship in the last few seasons. idk how they did it but they made me dislike barry at some point which is a crime because he's my boy!!!

akdkkdkskk that's a perfect way to put it, no further comment is necessary. i’m definitely not thinking about it 😶

[gay-ratcore]

Hey, I just read what the last anon sent and that was so mean. I'm so sorry some horrible person sent that to you. Some people just talk out of the blue. But stay strong and I wish for all the trans royals out there to stay strong,you all have my support. I'm actually a bit left in the dark about whatever is going on because where I come from, this isn't really discussed. If you don't mind me asking, why are people hating on the trans community, they didn't do anything wrong 🤔 Stay strong darling ❤

Hi love, thanks so much for your kind message, it means a lot and I really appreciate it. 💗

People really are so cruel for literally no reason. Like, sorry I'm trying to protect children? 🙁

There are quite a few new anons in my inbox now calling me uneducated despite me being an actual clinician. On top of that, I barely said a word, all of the facta are literally just links from scientific studies and respected organizations. 😂

To answer your question, there really is no good reason to hate trans people. They are just trying to exist and be happy like everyone else.

I'm sure there are other people in our community who would be able to explain better why these people are the way they are. If anyone can add to this or correct me on anything, please feel free!

The main excuses I've heard fascists give are:

1. Trans people are pedophiles who are grooming children (this one has zero basis in fact and while I can't speak for everyone, I know of a lot pedophilic clergy and nazis, and zero pedophilic trans people).

2. Trans people are mentally ill, perverted rapists who are only trans in order to take advantage of women (This is the position that a lot of female transphobes take, which really only applies to trans women. They're so scared of men that they become scared of trans women. While I understand the trauma they have experienced, trying to genocide an entire group of people just because they remind you of men is as acceptable as murdering a guy just because he reminded you of your ex.

The only true part here is that the majority of trans people are mentally ill - not because they're trans, but because they're almost always abused and are under constant threat of murder just for being trans).

3. They say that it's "basic biology" and that "there are only males and females."This one is just based on a lack of education.

They are correct in that their view is basic biology - it's what we learn in grade school. We're taught a dumbed-down version of science as kids, but once we hit college, we find there is a lot more complexity to it than we thought. In this case, we would learn that gender and sex are two different things, with both being on a spectrum. I'm not the best at explaining it, so here's some better info!

Hateful people become scared of what they don't know. It's the same concept as racism and sexism. It's a "foreign" group of people whom you find scary because you don't understand them. So, their natural response is violence. It's horrifying and scary, and unfortunately these people are in charge of our lives. Please keep being open-minded, and keep asking questions. Education is the most important weapon in the fight against fascists.

[c-is-for-circinate]

Like, is the gist "Real life pedophilia/incest/rape is bad, and stories saying these things are good are bad, but including these topics in a story isn't inherently bad, so the people being like 'hey, maybe Ao3 shouldn't have so much kiddie porn there's an entire category called "Underage"' are just overreacting and making things worse?" Because it feels like you're saying, "your negative reaction to this stuff is valid, but also you're annoying and prudish and bad and really you aren't valid."

So here’s the thing: it really does not sound like you're asking this question because you want my answer, it sounds like you want to be angry with me and have a fight. And fair enough! I'm not terribly interested in a fight, but apparently this is my day to dive into this topic as thoughtfully and honestly as I can be. Maybe I'll say something you haven't already heard from other people before. Maybe not! Only you, anonymous asker, know that.

To begin with, you got part of the gist right. Real life rape (including child abuse/child sexual abuse as well as incest) is bad. Stories about rape, about underage sex, and about incest, are stories.

They're stories. They're pixels on a screen. They're not real. Whether they claim that rape is good, or bad, or sexy, or melodramatic, or life-destroying, or a normal Tuesday afternoon. They're stories.

And having a negative reaction to them is valid. Stories can stir up powerful emotions in people. It is absolutely, 100%, fair and valid and even normal for there to be certain tropes, plot elements, events, and kinds of content that make you upset and that you never want to see in a story you read, ever. You don't have to want to read about sex. You don't have to want to read any of it. That doesn't make you bad.

There are tropes, plot elements, events, and kinds of content that upset me. There are stories I won't read. The same is true of literally everyone else I know. Even though I know the stories aren't real. Even though I know the things happening in them are happening to fictional characters, who do not exist, who I cannot protect and who also cannot be harmed because they're not real. Even then, I can be made sad and scared and upset and hurt by reading those stories. And that is okay and that is valid and I am not bad or wrong for being upset about the story I've read, and neither are you.

But that doesn't mean the story doesn't have value to somebody else. That doesn't mean the story isn't important to somebody else.

What I see most often coming from antis, possibly even including yourself, is an overwhelming desire to protect. They want to keep themselves and others--possibly people they know, possibly hypothetical people they may never meet--safe from being hurt by these stories. And that desire to protect, also, is normal. It's even admirable! The problem, though, the thing that does more harm than good, is when that desire to protect drives people to lash out against things that matter to other people.

There is a difference between actual rape and stories about rape. There is a difference between a story that could theoretically hurt somebody, someday (which is all stories, always), and a story that hurts you personally. And there is a difference between a story that hurts you personally, and a story that is inherently poisonous to everyone who touches it.

We know--absolutely, scientifically, incontrovertibly--that stories about rape do not make people rapists. Yes, even the stories where the rape is there to be sexy. Even stories where the person being raped is a child. Even then. Fiction is not the same thing as normalization; again, there are far smarter people who have written far more extensively on that topic than I, and next time I come across something that goes more into detail on this point I promise I will reblog it. If this really is the thing you're afraid of, I may not be the right person to convince you that this is an unfounded fear, but I know someone out there can elaborate on it.

(Unfounded, which is not the same thing as invalid. My mother's claustrophobia is unfounded; it flares up in many situations where there's no physical threat whatsoever, where she has plenty of space to move and air to breathe. It's still real. It still chokes her. It's still valid, she is not bad or broken to feel that way, and she still can't drive through certain tunnels. The fear is real. But the thing she's afraid of can't physically hurt her, and that is worth knowing in terms of how she deals with it.)

We know, absolutely, scientifically, and incontrovertibly, that stories about rape and many, many, many other things can hurt and even traumatize their readers. Even though the situation you're reacting to is not real and you receive no physical injury, you can still be hurt by it. The key word there, though, is readers. The fact that the horror genre is out there terrifying people who enjoy being terrified for fun does not damage me unless I do something stupid and try listening to the Magnus Archives again and end up tense and miserable and paranoid for the rest of the week. The fact that guacamole is apparently delicious to everybody else in the world does not hurt me unless I do something stupid and order the wrong thing at a restaurant, and end up itchy and miserable with a little trouble breathing for the rest of the night.

The fact that there are, yes, tens of thousands of fics on AO3 in which characters under the age of 18 have sex? It can't hurt you. Those fics do not hurt you by existing. They can only hurt you if you read them. They can only hurt anyone who reads them. That's why there is an 'Underage' tag--and it's worth noting, 'Underage' is a warning, not a category. Nobody wants you to get hurt reading the wrong fic, any more than the sushi chef wants my throat to swell up because I ordered something with avocado. Literally nobody wants that.

The flip side, of course, is that you hating each and every one of those fics individually and as a group doesn't actually hurt me, or anyone else who writes, reads, or enjoys them. By itself. You can hate anything you like, and fic writers can write anything they like, and it all comes out in the end, more or less. Except.

Except that reading fic is always, entirely, 100% opt-in, and online harassment isn't even opt-out. Some antis have a nasty habit of going after writers whose content they don't like; climbing into inboxes and comments sections, calling those writers nasty names, throwing around cruelties and aggression and insults. I know that's not the same thing as simply disliking a genre, or even passively disagreeing with its existence (although disliking a genre and disagreeing with its right to exist are also very different things). I know not all antis do that. I don't know you, anon, but based on the speed and aggressiveness of this response to my last post, I can't help but wonder if you would do that.

And that does hurt people. Just like it might hurt you if someone threw a bunch of content that makes you uncomfortable into your inbox. Including the harasser, actually--because getting into fights with strangers on the internet about things that make you angry, sad, defensive, and upset isn't good for anybody. Including both you and me.

Anyway, after yet another lengthy ramble, let's get the tl;dr response to your ask here: nobody is ever bad or wrong for disliking certain content in their stories, no matter what that content is. You and your emotions are valid. The "overreacting and making things worse" part isn't about what you feel, but what you do with it. Constantly engaging with places where the thing that upsets you will probably show up, even to argue and try to fight it, will make things worse in the sense that now you're spending way more time thinking about this thing that makes you upset and angry, thereby leaving you more upset and angry. Getting together with a bunch of your upset, angry friends to make your feelings everybody else's problem? Makes fandom a more toxic place for everyone else involved.

Don't read stuff that's going to hurt you. Don't make other people read stuff that's going to hurt them. That's the whole thing, really.

[gay-jesus-probably]

bro just stop responding to that transphobe, you're not gonna change their mind. nothings gonna make them more mad than being ignored and you going on and enjoying your day

Oh, I know - I've been ignoring most of them, and it's been absolutely hilarious to watch the furious anons in my inbox get increasingly desperate for my attention. I only answer them when I've got a response that will make them angrier than silence. I figure being called a dumb shit and getting a scientific lecture on biology was a nasty surprise for that last TERF lmaoooo

[atlanticcanada]

Scientists identify antibodies that can neutralize Omicron variant

A team of scientists have identified antibodies they say can neutralize Omicron and other COVID-19 variants.

According to a new study, a group of international researchers have found certain antibodies can target areas of the virus spike protein that don’t undergo significant changes as the virus mutates.

The findings were published Dec. 23 in the scientific journal Nature.

Newsletter sign-up: Get The COVID-19 Brief sent to your inbox

The research project was led by David Veelser, an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Davide Corti of Humabs Biomed, a subsidiary of Vir Biotechnology in Switzerland.

Veesler, who is also an associate professor of Biochemistry at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, said by identifying the targets of the “broadly neutralizing” antibodies on the spike protein, it could be possible to design vaccines and antibody treatments that will be effective against Omicron, or other variants that may emerge.

“This finding tells us that by focusing on antibodies that target these highly conserved sites on the spike protein, there is a way to overcome the virus’ continual evolution,” Veesler said in a press release.

AN UNUSUAL VARIANT

The Omicron variant is considered to be “unusual” because of a large number of mutations to two key areas of the virus’ spike protein.

Speaking at a press conference last month, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, said one area of mutations is in the virus’ spike receptor binding domain.

“Where the virus attaches itself and invades our cells,” she explained.

The other area of mutation is in the antigenic supersite, Tam said, “because it is a target for our body’s defensive or neutralizing antibodies.”

Thirty-seven mutations have been detected in the spike protein in the Omicron variant.

Researchers believe this is part of the reason the variant has been able to spread so quickly, and can infect people who are fully vaccinated, as well as those who have previously had COVID-19 infection.

According to Veesler, the main question he and his colleagues were seeking to answer, was how the “constellation of mutations in the spike protein of the Omicron variant affected its ability to bind to cells and to evade the immune system’s antibody responses.”

CREATING A PSEUDOVIRUS

In order to conduct the study, the researchers created a pseudovirus -- a disabled, non-replicating virus -- that produces spike proteins like a coronavirus.

Next, they created pseudoviruses that had spike proteins similar to that of the Omicron variant, and other, earlier strains of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The researchers did this in order to see how well the different versions of the spike protein were able to bind to the protein on the surface of cells, which is how the virus latches onto and enters the cell.

“The protein is known as the angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) receptor,” according to the study.

The researchers found that the Omicron variant could bind 2.4 times better than the spike protein from the virus strain detected at the beginning of the pandemic.

The scientists also found that the Omicron variant could bind to mouse ACE2 receptors quickly.

The researchers said this suggests Omicron “might be able to ‘ping-pong’ between humans and other mammals.”

The scientists also used antibodies from patients who had previously been infected with earlier versions of the COVID-19 virus, those who had been vaccinated against the earlier strains, and those who both were previously infected and vaccinated.

They looked at how well the antibodies from vaccines and previous infections protected against the Omicron variant.

The researchers found that people who had been infected with earlier strains and those who had received one of the “six most-used vaccines” all had reduced ability to block an Omicron infection.

Those who had previously been infected and those who received the Johnson & Johnson, Sputnik V or Sinopharm vaccines had little or no ability to block the Omicron variant from invading their cells.

However, those who had received two doses of an mRNA vaccine series from Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech, or the AstraZeneca vaccine, did have some neutralizing activity.

Despite this, the press release notes that the ability to neutralize the variant was reduced between 20 and 40 fold.

The study found that antibodies from people who had previously been infected, recovered, and then had two vaccine doses also proved to have some neutralizing ability.

The researchers tested a large panel of antibodies generated against earlier versions of the virus, and identified four classes of antibodies that retained their ability to neutralize the Omicron variant.

“Members of each of these classes target one of four specific areas of the spike protein present in not only SARS-CoV-2 variants, but also a group of related coronaviruses, called sarbecoviruses,” the press release reads. “These sites on the protein may persist because they play an essential function that the protein would lose if they mutated. Such areas are called ‘conserved.’”

Veesler said that finding that antibodies are able to neutralize the virus by recognizing the conserved areas in various variants suggests that vaccines and antibody treatments that target those areas could be effective against a number of strains that could arise due to mutation.

Each of the largest vaccine manufacturers have said they are looking into making a Omicron-specific vaccine amid the most recent surge in COVID-19 cases.

In Canada, officials are urging members of the public to get a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as they are available, and provinces and territories have opened up booster eligibility to larger swaths of the population in a bid to increase protection and stem the spread of the virus. 

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/3Hd0tb4

[hadit93]

Asks and COVID.

I am by nature a helpful person and I enjoy answering questions, not always about magic. I don’t mind what you want me to comment on and I enjoy receiving comments, questions, and generally interacting online.

But it saddens me that I have had a quite a few anti-vaxxers invade my inbox asking me questions about my views on the Coronavirus situation.

So I won’t be answering questions about the political nature of the coronavirus situation nor will I be roped into an argument of vaccinations and mask wearing.

I will make it very clear here that I stand with science and the scientists who have devoted their lives to studying a specialised field. I don’t presume to know more than them and quite frankly I don’t think I could know more than them when it comes to their field. I am not paranoid, I do not see conspiracy behind every corner.

Do I think the media and the government have sent us mixed messages, caused utter chaos and confusion, and generally made the situation much worse? Yes, absolutely. Do I think there is fear-mongering going on? Yes, on both sides of the argument.

But to be clear, I wear a mask in crowded places. I have received both vaccinations and will receive my next booster when it is offered. I will continue to follow the scientific advice and observe proper hygiene practices and maintain a regular testing schedule. It is my stance that we are in this together and I believe everyone has a responsibility to do the best they can within the limits of what is capable and comfortable for them.

Nothing you can say will change my mind about these things, I don’t believe in the university of Facebook or people who have a PhD in instagram. I believe in science, I believe in people with actual PhDs and I believe in medicine, not pseudoscientific nonsense.

So, any magic or other interesting question- please ask away. 

Anything COVID related, keep it yourself! Nothing new will come out of a discussion.

[autotoxins]

looks up and down, stupidly. ‘ you like a mime or somethin. ‘

He has to look down, down, DOWN - because the person speaking to him is tiny. This is NOT the first time he's been asked this, and so he chooses not to take offence. ❝ Shurororo! A MIME? Don't be ridiculous. You stand before the world's greatest scientist! ❞ No, he's not going to be humble today.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Like Real People Do

Warnings: noncon/dubcon elements (rough sex, oral), deception.

This is dark!Loki and ft. some Steve and explicit. 18+ only.

Summary: You’re a temp in Stark Tower by day and a fanfic writer by night. What happens when your professional life collides with your secret hobby?

Note: Brief break from HSB but I’m gonna be working on that today and hopefully figuring out when I’ll finish my other pending series. I need to wrap some stuff up so I can move on to newer series, etc. But for now, I hope you like some sneaky Loki.(inspired by an anon ask) Love you guys!

Leave some feedback, like and reblog if you can <3

It was your second week at the tower. You were still in disbelief. Working with larger than life heroes. Literally. And a paid internship no less. It was like a scene out of your very own fic. Well, those could stay a secret. Especially here. 

The golden haired vet and his billionaire pal didn't need to know about your blog. Or that they were the main attraction of it. Or that you had a notebook in your bag of all the ideas that came to you as you typed away at your desk. And who would guess the new assistant was anything but a chipper upstart?

It was almost thrilling. Smiling at them as the plots whirred in your mind. The comments of other thirsty fangirls. And it was all harmless. Just fantasies. Dreams. You'd get your job experience and be on the way all while fueling your illicit hobby. 

It was busy that day. Traffic came in and out as you waved them along and checked in when Tony buzzed. It was an easy job and time passed quickly with the people.

As you looked up, you almost rolled your chair out from under you.  You dropped your pen and quickly retrieved it from your desk. You smiled up at the burly man as he approached you, a thinner, just a familiar man at his shoulder.

"Hello," You sang as you stood to greet him. "You here to see Tony?"

"Why yes I am," The large blonde boomed in response. "You are new here, my lady?"

"Started just over a week ago," You introduced yourself as he offered his hand. "And you're Thor obviously."

He smiled as the other man rolled his eyes. You righted yourself and shook off your excitement. You glanced at him meekly and cleared your throat. 

"Ah, yes, and this is Loki, my brother," Thor chuckled. "He's the quiet type."

You nodded and sat back down. "I'll let him know you're here if you wanna head in."

"Certainly, but if you don't mind, my brother will stay out here." He elbowed Loki playfully, "He's not exactly permitted beyond the desk."

"It was a joke," Loki grumbled, "Your midgardian friends need to evolve a sense of humour."

"Just sit down," Thor turned back to Loki. "And don't give her too much trouble."

Loki rolled his eyes again and retreated. "Don't worry, brother," He sat among the line of chairs, "I'm not so easily amused."

Thor sighed and turned back as he headed past your desk with another smile.  Loki leaned back and draped one leg over the other. You took out your cell and hid it behind your monitor as you checked your notifications. 

You scrolled for a while and set it aside. Several visitors and regulars passed but a tension remained. The office phone rang and you answered with your usual chime. You turned halfway in the chair as you took the call.

You got down to search through the files in your drawer and as you sat up, you found a lithe figure standing not far from your desk. Loki examined the framed photo of Stark and his lab in London. You finished up your call and hung up as he turned away.

He sat again and tapped his toe impatiently. He ran his long fingers down the lapel of his dark suit as he leaned heavily on his elbow. His green eyes stared dully at the wall opposite him, just right of your desk. You peeked at him and squinted. He caught you before you could look away. He smirked.

You looked down and scribbled along the border of the calendar across your desk. You could sense him watching you. You ignored him as you waited for his brother to return. You slid your phone closer and swiped it open. A message blipped in your inbox.

‘Very intriguing stories’. It read. You hurriedly tapped in a ‘thank you’, hit send and locked your phone again. You stared at the screensaver as it bubbled up the monitor.

Finally, you heard that deep voice again. You glanced over your shoulder as Thor appeared beside your desk with Tony. They chuckled as they neared but Loki did not rise. 

“Fine. You keep him in line and I can put up with him. I let the rest of the team know.” Tony said.

“Oh, you know, he’s not all bad,” Thor grinned at Loki and beckoned him over with two fingers. He didn’t move. “He’s a changed god. Trust me.”

“Mmhmm,” Tony hummed skeptically. “We’ll see but you understand, it all comes down on you.”

“You two are much more alike than you think,” Thor laughed. “You both worry too much!” He turned and swept over to Loki. “Come on, brother, before your sour face changes his mind.”

Loki stood with a huff but followed his brother out; chin held high and eyebrow arched. Tony shook his head and leaned on your desk. 

“Word of warning: avoid that one.” He grumbled and you nodded with a shy smile. “Oh, and, coffee. Please. Need it after that one.”

🖋️

Thor and Loki became another staple in the office. By the end of your first month, you were over being star struck. The avengers, the worldly heroes, they were all just your co-workers. And they were nice. Nat brought you a frap every now and then, Steve always went out of his way to say hi, and Bruce was just happy to have someone who would smile and nod through his scientific spiels.

And your blog was booming.

Every night when you got home, you wrote and posted as much as you could. Your small following had doubled and so had your enthusiasm. You might’ve felt a tinge of guilt as you sat across the desk from America’s saviour or his grungy best friend, but they made for steamy fics. Besides, you reminded yourself, it was fiction. You knew the difference between fantasy and reality.

That didn’t always keep you from daydreaming in the office. That day you found yourself doing so several times as Tony stayed late for his last meeting and you were chained to your desk until he was done. You spun lazily in your chair and checked your phone every now and then. You wanted to write but you didn’t dare do that on a work computer.

Finally, the door opened and you looked over as the two shadows neared. Steve clapped Tony on the back. You sat, patiently patient, as you tore yourself from your thoughts. Tony checked his watch as Steve bid you farewell and waited for him to leave before he turned to you.

“Well, kid, I guess you can head out,” He said. “See ya tomorrow, bright and early?”

“You sure?” You asked coyly.

“Don’t push me. I can always find some colour-coding that needs to be done.” He teased. “I gotta find Pepper before she finds me.” He straightened his jacket. “Have a good one. And wish me luck… I’m only about an hour late.”

He strode out and you stood from your chair with a long stretch. Maybe you’d ask for an upgrade in seating. You packed up your purse and the elevator dinged again. You looked up, surprised. Steve waved awkwardly as he entered. 

“Hey, you know, I was just about to leave and I realised, well, it’s late and…” He shrugged, “You need a ride?”

“A ride?” You repeated as you grabbed your blazer from the back of your chair. “Oh, you really don’t have to--”

“It’s dark and kinda chilly. I got heated seats,” He offered. “But I can understand if you prefer those luxury subway recliners.”

 “Alright, you’ve twisted my arm.” You rounded the desk and neared him. “Thanks, Steve. You’re a real hero.”

“Well, that’s what they say,” He smiled as he led you to the elevator and hit the button. “So, where exactly am I going?”

🖋️

Once you were in the car, you were near giddy. It was a bit reminiscent of your last fic. An indulgence on your part. You resisted the urge to pull out your phone as you smiled at him from your seat, his sparkling blue eyes reflected the street lights. Captain America, the Captain America, was driving you home.

Alright, alright, settle down. He was just a man and he was just being nice. And you were terribly quiet, weren’t you?

“Um, so, how was your day?” You asked nervously.

“Ah, usual,” He said. “Tony’s such a perfectionist. We’re headed… we’ll, we’re due for a mission and he’s been lecturing me about ‘unnecessary heroics’, although I call those my job.”

“Mmm,” You nodded emphatically. “Sounds exciting… dangerous.”

“Surely more than riding a desk,” He chuckled. “How’s it going, anyway? You ready to bring a pillow with you or what?”

“Ha, yeah,” You scoffed. “I mean, I’ve had worse. There was an unpaid internship I had entirely in a mail room. Amazing experience.”

“Sounds like,” He returned as the GPS guided him down your street. “You should see if Tony can show you around the lab. He’s always keen to show off his latest toys.”

“Maybe I will,” You chirped as he pulled into your building lot. “Thanks again for the ride.”

“Hey, I wouldn’t feel right. I was already there and--” He put the car into park as he looked at you. “And well, I’ll be honest. Forgive me if it’s a little forward but… we don’t really get much time, do we? In the office, there’s so many distractions and interruptions--”

You giggled nervously as he stretched his arm over the back of your seat.

“What I’m trying to say is it was my pleasure.”

You looked down shyly. Your cheeks burned and you slowly looked back up. You squeaked as his lips met yours. You tried to pull away but he only leaned in more. While it wasn’t entirely unwanted, you couldn’t help but think of your internship. He didn’t seem the type for one night stands and you weren’t exactly fond of the idea of an office romance; even with him.

“Steve,” You finally parted, breathless.

“Sorry, sorry, I just…” He sat back and looked at his hands meekly. “I had to. I’m sorry if I--”

“Really, it… it was nice but I just don’t think…”

“You liked it though?” He interrupted.

“Of course, I mean, I--” You caught yourself and squeezed the strap of your purse. “I can’t really afford to lose this internship and this could--”

“No one needs to know,” He blurted out. “I know how these things are nowadays. I just… I really like you.”

“I don’t know,” You bit your lip. “I… um…”

“Look, I won’t pressure you.” He raised his hands. “I just was putting myself out there. I guess… bad timing.”

You looked at your purse then back to him. You peered around the car. Who would know? Well, you would and Steve would. Things might get awkward if you were to… Then again, this was a dream come true. Were you really going to get out of this car alone? You couldn’t help but wonder if reality lived up to fiction.

“You’re right,” You said quietly. “No one needs to know.”

🖋️

Steve had you off the floor before the door was closed. Your purse bounced across the carpet as he carried you past the doormat and the flimsy coat rack. He blindly lumbered around with you in his arms, your lips locked together. He fell onto the couch with you beneath him as you pushed the leather of his coat down his shoulders.

He parted to help you untangle it from his arms and was just as quick to tear your blazer off and toss it away. His tee shirt was next and your blouse barely kept its buttons as he ripped it off. You never expected such vigour from him; more a doting sore of intimacy, not that you were complaining. 

You slipped out of your heeled oxfords and he kicked off his own shoes as you admired his torso. Every muscle rippled beneath his flawless skin and for a moment, you felt a tickle of insecurity. Look at him. He was perfect.

The jingle of his buckle drew you back. You bit your tongue eagerly as you stood and wiggled out of your stuffy dress pants. His eyes followed your hands as you bared your thighs and stepped out of the wool. With his fly undone, he reached out and drew you to him. He kissed you again as you straddled his lap.

His hands were swift in unhooking your bra. Another surprise. You always dreamt of the clumsy pan plucked from the past. You dropped the undergarment down your arms as he cupped your tits. You flung it away and wrapped your arms around him. You tossed your head back as his lips tickled your throat and rocked atop his lap. He groaned and ran his thumbs over your nipples.

You purred and felt along his chiseled torso. You pushed your hand past his jeans and the elastic of his briefs. Your fingers slipped below as he gasped against your throat. You gripped his cock and slowly moved your hand between your bodies. He was thick and just as big as you imagined; maybe bigger. 

He bent his head and kissed along your chest. You arched your back and twined your fingers through his hair. You held him to you as you stroked him and he kneaded your ass hungrily. He lifted his ass easily with you atop him and shoved his pants down his thighs until he sprung out. 

You carried your motion as he fell back against the couch. His hands trailed up your sides and back again. He gripped your hips then dragged his nails down your thighs. He nodded as you bit your lip and got up on your knees. You hovered over him and shed your panties. You straddled him again and lined him up with your entrance. You lowered yourself onto him as you slid your hand down his length. 

He squeezed your thighs and let out a long moan as you took all of him. You pulled your hand away and grasped his shoulders. He was a lot and your walls strained around him. You shuddered and his fingers danced up your curves.

“Go slow,” He said.

You nodded and tilted your pelvis carefully. Your breaths were shaky as you lifted yourself up and he impaled you once more. You leaned back with your hands on his thighs as you tried to ease the pressure. His eyes roved your body as you rocked your hips, slowly building your tempo.

“That’s it,” He uttered. 

He explored your body with one hand and his other rested just below your stomach. He pressed his thumb to your clit. You bucked and sped up as he played with you. You huffed as you arched your back and rode him wildly. Your eyes rolled back as you chased your orgasm. The tendrils that stretched over your flesh and strangled you in bliss.

Your climax shook you. He grasped your hips and kept you moving as your arms trembled weakly. “So naughty,” He whispered. His voice was low, dusky; so unlike his own. “So delectable.”

Your vision was blurry as you lifted your head. You let him use your body as another orgasm rose. You sat up as he guided you up and down his cock. You whined as you came and closed your eyes in rapture.

You cried out as you were suddenly flipped onto you back. He didn’t miss a beat as he fucked you into the cushions, your legs splayed around him. His snarls were animalistic, ravenous, as he rutted into you. You babbled and grabbed weakly at his thick arms planted beside your head.

He pulled out and grunted. A warmth spilled down your thighs as he pushed himself back onto his knees. He watched as he stroked himself over the edge and his golden hair fell forward. You sighed as you touched your forehead dazily. He caressed your thighs as he caught his breath.

“Wow,” You murmured.

“Yeah,” He panted. “Wow.”

🖋️

In the back of your mind, you dreaded the early morning but you were too elated to care. Too intoxicated by your lust to worry about the body next to you as you fell asleep. Your double bed was barely big enough for both of you but you didn’t mind his warmth as he slung his arm over you. You dozed contently; floating in a river of bliss.

You woke with a snort. Your face was buried in the pillow and the sky was still dark outside. You sat up groggily and felt your way to the bathroom. You relieved yourself and rinsed off the remnants of your tumble. You stumbled back to the bedroom, eager to squeeze in a few more hours before you had to drag yourself back to the tower. 

You tiptoed out to the living room and grabbed your phone before you got back into bed, careful not to disturb your guest. As you laid back and lit up your phone, you dropped it on your chest. You lifted it and held up the glow to the pillow next to yours. That wasn’t Steve.

You swore loudly and threw your phone at Loki. His eyes shot open as yours began to adjust to the dark. You pushed yourself up as he caught your wrist. A low snicker sent a chill through you as he tugged you closer. His arm snaked up below you and he pulled you against him.

“’His eyes spoke of his sin, but his body promised heaven.’” He slithered and you froze. “Poetry, almost.”

“You-- How did you--” You cringed at your own words; written for your lascivious blog.

“I do wonder what he would think,” Loki clung to you as you squirmed. “I don’t think he’d be so eager as all that.”

“How could you-- You tricked me,” You pushed against his shoulders.

“I gave you what you wanted,” He said. “And you can’t say you didn’t enjoy it, dear.”

“I thought you were...him,” You stuttered. “I never would have--”

“I can be him,” You felt the change, heard it in his voice. “Or maybe another favourite.” His voice deepened and you recognized Bucky’s sonorous tones.

“No, no,” You whined desperately. “Stop! Please.”

“Stop?” His voice returned to normal and he turned so that you were atop him, his arms firmly around you. “Oh, but I am your biggest fan, dear. I have but one suggestion.” He stared at you through the dim. “I’d be a great addition to your repertoire.”

“You’re sick!” You snarled. “You--you--”

“I know your secret,” He sneered. “I admit, your little tales would make for some fascinating conversation among those ridiculous Avengers but I think you might just find yourself no longer welcome among them.”

“You wouldn’t,” You hissed.

“What makes you think that?” He taunted.

“What do you want?” You breathed.

“I’m sure your dirty little mind can answer that,” His hand wandered lower and you felt the twitch between you. “Hmm?”

You shook your head; mortified, shocked.

“You can resist it but I feel your heart racing; the heat coursing through your veins… mmm, that would make for great prose, wouldn’t it?”

“Please…” You begged.

“Oh, I can please you,” He said. “You just have to let me, dear.”

He rolled you onto your back in a moment and his hand crawled along your stomach cloyingly. You stared at him, his silhouette limned in the dull light that streamed in past the curtains. He slowly retreated as he lowered his head. His lips made you shiver as he laid a trail of kiss along your chest.

“Loki…” You whispered.

“Louder,” He spoke against your skin.

“Loki,” You said louder. “Please, don’t.”

He continued his path along your stomach, a hand played with your tits blindly as he did. You trembled as he reached the vee of your pelvis. His teeth grazed your hip bone and you closed your eyes. You caught his hand on your chest.

“Loki,” You said again.

“My dear,” He raised his head. “I’m about to put your stories to shame.”

He slipped his fingers up along your ass and between your folds. You winced as he bent his head and his cool tongue met his fingers at your clit. You inhaled sharply and tilted your pelvis against him. He purred in approval as he swirled his tongue around your clit.

You reached down to stop him and he flicked his tongue. Your fingers tangled in his hair and you urged him on. Your legs bent around him as he nestled between them. He hooked his hands around your thighs and held on as he lost himself in you. You writhed as he suckled and lapped, soon breathless and mewling.

You bucked your hips as you came and he held you firm as he coaxed you over the edge. He was slow to pull away and you covered your face as he sat up in the dark. 

“Don’t be shy, dear,” He drew your hands away from your face. “You don’t have to be with me. I know everything. I’ve read every story a dozen times.” He pinned your hands beside your head. “And I want to live them all.”

He held you down as he dipped his pelvis. You felt his tip along your cunt and held your breath. There was one part of himself he hadn’t changed. The head of his cock slid along your folds and he slowly pushed inside as he found your entrance. You gasped as he plunged into you entirely. He lingered and basked in the feel of you around him.

He wasn’t slow this time. Or gentle. As he thrust, he jerked your entire body and the bed swayed beneath you. You were still tender from before and you whimpered as he rocked into you. His motion was deliberate and deep. He was sure to make you feel it. He squeezed your wrists until your fingers were numb.

“Say it,” He snarled as he pounded into you. “Say my name.”

“Loki,” You cried out. “Loki!”

“Again!” He commanded.

You repeated his name over and over, though you weren’t sure if you were begging him to stop or keep going. It wasn’t long before your core was once more buzzing. You pushed your head back into the pillow and gritted your teeth as the chant turned erratic. You squealed as you came, the syllables uttered pathetically.

He released your wrist as he sat back. He grabbed your legs and pulled them up against his torso but never wavered. He hammered into you as he held your legs to his shoulders and you groped desperately at the blanket. The springs of the bed were noisy and added to the salacious sounds of your fucking. 

He stopped suddenly. A few final spasms as he hugged your legs to him and gave a soft groan. You felt the warmth seep through you. He dropped your legs and they fell around him as he breathed heavily. He rocked his hips a few times before he pulled out of you. You could feel his cum as it leaked out onto the sheets.

He ran his hand along your thigh and squeezed it. He nudged you and when you didn’t move, he forcefully rolled you over. He slapped your ass as he pushed your legs together and straddled your thighs. You lifted your head and he shoved it back down..

“My dear,” He slithered. “I think I might just be your best story.”

[dee-the-red-witch]

I asked cause of shit head like Kent hovin and other creationist anti science scum con artist

OH. RIGHT. You want a reasoned answer with factual evidence proven scientific theory, hard fact sources, that kind of thing- like the loads of ones you can find on the internet via your regular search engine. And you’re asking the guy who writes weird fiction and horror and makes leatherworks, masks, props, art and all sorts of fictions to ground and support the fantastical worlds they come from to give that to you. There are SEVERAL THINGS GOING ON HERE all of which are making me stare into my compute like my gaze might ultimately set it on fire. 1. I AM NOT A CREDIBLE SOURCE. Nor have I ever presented myself as such. You want to refute those shits, your quote cannot come from me, because it can be blown off by the very nature of what I do. USE YOUR FRIGGING SEARCH ENGINE and come up with a real article written by someone educated and accredited in the field. 2. I AM NOT YOUR RESPONSIBLE ADULT. I am also on some days not even a responsible adult whatsoever. I do not owe you education, tools, or guidance, and you probably should not expect it from me. I reblog stuff on the regular from folks far more educated than me, and I still don’t expect those people to write up explanations for me on a whim. 3. ARE THESE PEOPLE ARE EVEN DOING THIS? because I don’t have them in my notes. I doubt you have them in yours. And is a thread about megalodons and frigging RE-ANIMATOR really a likely spot for them to show up? 4. I’ve been dealing with RSI pain in my thumb strong enough that I had to push off today’s Patreon material. Work I actually get paid for. Because I can’t shuffle cards. Typing doesn’t hurt on a keyboard, but it likely isn’t helping. And yet I have your notification in my inbox staring at my ADHD brain until I do something about it, so I’m personally compelled to reply, and hopefully SHUT THIS THE FUCK DOWN BEFORE IT HAPPENS AGAIN. Read: I am irritable, in pain, cranky, and forced to reply because FUCKBRAIN. SO I’m gonna say this right now- unless you include an email address I can invoice you for my time on your next ask it’s not getting a reply. In short: Stop asking me for stuff that you can google and get real, better supported answers on. Unless it’s me or stuff related to what I actually do, a search engine really is your friend.

And finally, if you have a problem with ANY of this, the unfollow and even the block buttons are in their usual locations, and you’re wholly welcome to use them.

[askaceattorney]

Dear Alex Cornejo,

My guess is that she at least visited Phoenix every now and then.  The Mod once made a picture of her looking sadly at the spot on his suit where his badge used to be, but I was unable to find it.  And I think it should be obvious why she returned in the newest game: fan service because she’s awesome!

Dear springtime562 and Springtrap,

Thanks!  We’ll have a fight over which one of us you were referring to now.

(Previous Letters)

Dear bluedragoncody,

They were made by The Mod, and he hasn’t been around for a long time now, so...I believe we can apply the doctrine of laches here.  In other words, go right ahead!

Dear mungeondaster,

Hey, there are no dumb ideas when it comes to new Ace Attorney content, as far as I’m concerned.  The visual novel with Pearl and spinoff with Franziska von Karma stuck out the most to me as things the fanbase would enjoy the most.  You could even give players the option to use her whip on whomever they please for fun (much like Link does with his weapons).  The other ideas sound like Flash games you’d find on an Ace Attorney website, but I'd still love to see them fleshed out.  Rhythm action games are my jam.

(Previous Letter)

Dear jnv11,

You know, I never realized the similarity between those two organizations before now.  I imagine NASA still exists as a separate entity, though, so I’m leaving the letter as it is.

Dear Anonymous,

I wasn’t aware that Holmsie’s name had been changed to something else in the (supposedly) upcoming American release, but I’ll probably keep his and every other character’s name the same.  For one thing, changing their names would cause confusion for anyone searching for them by their hashtags, plus, like you said, we’re all familiar with the fan translation names by now.  It’s your own fault, Capcom.

Dear Fortune Cookie,

(Previous Post)

Dear Modthorne,

Thank youuuuuu!!!

I’d love to have you back, especially now that I’m taking a leave of absence.  It just hasn’t been the same here without...

...

...

...

...

...

Um...  Can you all give us a moment?

Dear Anonymous,

Our Christmas idea’s already in motion (*wink, wink*), but that sounds like a fun idea.  If Matthew Taranto made it work with Mario, then why not Edgeworth?  Gumshoe could easily play Bob Cratchit, and Manfred von Karma would make a good ghost of Jacob Marley, but who would the three spirits be?  I’ll leave that up to you.

Say, would it be going too far to include Professor Layton characters?  I can’t think of anyone who could pull off Tiny Tim better than Luke Triton.

Dear skibot99,

We don’t usually start working on holiday ideas until a month in advance (at most), but I’m always open to suggestions, so thank you for those ones.  If I’m still around next April Fools’ Day, I might just try one of them out.

Dear Palbert (Sorry, I couldn’t resist),

You’ve got that right, Palbert.  I’m amazed we’ve been able to keep it going this long as well.  I repeat myself, but it’s thanks to submitters like you that we’re able to!

Whether we end up getting another installment in the series or not, I’m just glad we have the current games to enjoy and re-enjoy.  I played through the first case again with my parents recently, and it was a fun time for all of us.

Dear mungeondaster again,

I imagine Franziska’s older sibling being a sister who competes with her to be their Papa’s favorite child, as well as the most perfect prosecutor in the von Karma family (similar to her rivalry with Edgeworth).  In terms of personality, I see her behaving somewhat more refined than Franziska, while insisting that she grow up in her own subtle way (which is also a lot like Edgeworth).

Franziska’s niece has actually been a subject on this blog for a while now.  I love the idea of her being a “perfect little niece” to whom Franziska talks sweetly, and for whom she attempts to provide better coaching than her sister does.  Her being called “Aunt Franzy” and getting thoroughly irritated by it is also too much fun to imagine.

Dear Matt,

I’m honestly not sure what to say to that, except thanks!  I majored in computer science, but all the research I’ve done for Ema’s responses has come from the internet, not any scientific studying on my part.  I don’t know how I pulled off sounding so smart, but I’m glad it worked out that way.

With that in mind, thank you for trusting us, but don’t be afraid to check another source for anything we (or the characters) say.  That’s what the experts do, after all.  ...I think.

Dear snowthefirst,

Co-Mod: Unfortunately, I checked the inbox and my stash of deleted letters and didn’t see that letter among them, which either means it was deleted by accident or Tumblr ate it.  Feel free to resubmit it, and I’ll answer it and stick it in the queue.

(Edit: Looks like you already did.  Sorry for the wait!)

-The Co-Mod

[ziracona]

hoh I'm really sorry friend but you got Talbot's backstory kinda muddled. Some things you stated that he did, he didn't actually do for the reasons you stated. He didn't experiment on killers just for fun -- he ran from them. they hunted him. he experimented on them to find a dosage right for himself. he also didn't experiment on an animal for fun. it was dead. Vigo apparently talked about escaping and it had to do with serum. Its why he injected himself after tests. He wanted a way out.

I’m going to answer this in two parts since it’s stated in two. First, friend, I am going to have to operate on the assumption that you have very very strong feelings about Talbot and assume everything said against him is pretty much the same after a glance or something like it, because I never once said he experiments on the killers for fun. I said the Entity I think lets Talbot experiment on other killers now that he is one too as “punishment for them and fun research times for Talbot,” not that Talbot experiments on them for fun. I think he does enjoy doing his scientific research, but that aside, the above is just a description of the Entity’s reasoning in letting him do that/its POV.  I certainly never said he does it ‘just for fun’. In fact, I explicitly stated his motivation for becoming a killer was to attempt to protect himself. I have to assume you didn’t really read my post at all, or perhaps got it confused with another. I know my shit. I read up. Though it is true I say ‘animals’ when, while he canonically experiments on both rats and crows, only the one rat happened for sure before he moved on to the Trapper. Although, that’s kind of worse... Again though, I never once said he did any of this for fun. I know he injected people to see what the serum would do, in a very reckless and poorly thought attempt to escape the realm. I explicitly mention this. Perhaps you are confused because I describe him as torturing people, and he’s not just doing pain for fun--this is because torture is not limited to only pain inflicted on someone out of cruelty or a desire to manipulate them. The dictionary definition of the verb, to torture, is “To cause intense suffering. To torment”. And he absolutely tortures killers, survivors, and reanimated realm animals alike as a means to his own ends. Also, the Entity has not erased all his memories--I know the archives has some memory deterioration lore added, but much of what he did to others happened well before any of that began, and explicitly some of his own addons mention things he explicitly remembers. The Entity did of course leave him to suffer in the void, with is a form of torture, and used the medical affects of blight itself to help manipulate him. Unfortunately, being hurt yourself doesn’t excuse you from the responsibility of what horrors you inflict on other people.

For part two, I am sure my answer is coming off as a bit abrasive. I appreciate the apology, but yes, it is rather rude. Even without the lack of attention to detail. Let me try to say this more fairly though, because I don’t know you at all, and in all likelihood, you’re a very nice and decent person who doesn’t mean anything by this, and simply has deep feelings about this character. Also, this isn’t all directed just at you, but to some degree at everybody who has sent me one of these in the past, or will in the future, which I am very tired of. I am going to quit answering most of them from here on.

First of all, I understand feeling deeply about a character or topic. I understand being frustrated or even hurt when you see opinions that distress you, or seem unjust compared to what you believe. That’s natural, and even sweet. And I am all for talking about how you feel and think and why, and leaving that in the tags so other people might hear what you have to say. Even for messaging people to see if they want to have a discussion with you. It’s endearing when people love things and want to fight for them. I only describe Talbot as more interesting than many of the others, because I was not asked specifically about my sympathy level, and it doesn’t factor high in importance to me where he is concerned, but you’re not wrong that Talbot is more sympathetic--or, at least, depending on interpretation, much more capable of being written sympathetic while adhering to canon--than many of the other killers. That said, he’s also--completely in line with canon--interpretable as pretty monstrous. I don’t think I necessarily paint him heavily either direction. Simply I personally feel fairly little sympathy for someone who commits the kinds of dehumanizing acts of scientific research torture on war prisoners without a second thought, ignores the consequences of his actions, and so quickly casts his humanity aside when in tribulation. He devolves from someone who could have changed and been good, to a man who is a horrific monster and cares only for him self, with no lines he will not cross (his own words, and pre-killer even). And to some people, that is tragic. To me, I feel little kinship for the man he was before, and am simply disappointed in him for failing so easily and completely. I can see why someone might interpret his character quite differently, but my take is just as valid in line with canon, and it’s mine. 

I don’t mind people telling me their thoughts, and I don’t mind reading takes in the tags. And again, I very much understand the desire to stand up for something you care about if you feel it is wronged. But that’s not really what you’ve done here, messaging me on anonymous. To the best of my knowledge, I have never even interacted with you before. You didn’t open a discussion with me; you talked down to me, and you decided to argue with me about a topic I did not invite anyone into debate with myself. I am not an opinion blog, or a discussion blog. I am a personal blog. But still, you were discontent to not go into my space and try to scold me about my own opinions as a stranger. And you did all of it on anonymous, where there is no tag attaching anything you said even to your online persona, and no way for me to even be assured of you seeing an answer, or entering any dialogue with me. Which means that the goal, subconsciously probably since I know nothing at all about you and have no reason at all to think you’re anything but a decent person who is a bit carried away today with love for Talbot Grimes, but still the goal, was never to have a dialogue with me in the hopes maybe I would see and like your reasoning and we could talk about something we both have an interest in. It was that you felt so entitled to dictate someone you don’t know’s opinion about something they disagree with you on, that you felt compelled to leave a missive instructing me to correct my wrongs in my inbox. 

Which, well, is rude.

This is probably a bit more, uh, ‘icy’? Than is totally necessary. I really am not angry at all; I understand you probably had no real ill will towards me doing this. I just have this happen a lot, and I am tired of it, so I want an easy frame of reference to link back to for why I find this behavior rude and cowardly and an unasked for nuisance--badly intentioned consciously or not. I truly am sorry if this makes you feel bad or distressed to read, especially if you’re a younger fan. I truly am not mad at you--and I do not at all think or mean to imply you are a bad person. Everybody is occasionally thoughtless. It’s not remotely representative of character. But please don’t keep doing this to people who aren’t interested in a debate. And if you believe in something enough you want to take the discussion to someone else, sign your name to it. If you feel enough conviction to make something someone else’s problem, make it your problem for real too. I’m truly not mad though, and wish you the best.

(and my ‘if you are annoyed by this or any of my other personal opinions and desperately want me to read your thoughts on anon about that’ requirements below the cut)

It’s literally not worth my time to read anon hate or people upset I don’t like a serial killer, so if you for some wild incomprehensible reason really feel a need to see me read that and answer to you instead of just delete and/or block without a look, then either leave my $5 on my Kofi, or get used to knowing I didn’t even read it.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I have to actually get paid to not file that shit under ‘I’m not paid enough to deal with this’. 

[transgenderteensurvivalguide]

I saw on the gc2b website that you can exercise in your binder. I do track & cross country, but I had hurt my ribs after using a binder that was a size too small. Would I hurt my ribs more if I run (with injured ribs) & use the right size?

Lee says:

We’ve been a trans advice blog blog for 8 years now, so we have been answering questions for 4 more years than gc2b ever existed.

Over the past 8 years I’d estimate we’ve gotten at least a hundred asks by people who got injured while binding and exercising.

There’s only one study on binding that I know of, and they didn’t say anything about the safety of exercising in a binder. So in the absence of data that supports the safety of binding while exercising, we have to rely on the community to figure out what seems to be safe and what isn’t.

“Current recommendations shared by transmasculine and LGBTQ community organisations for healthy binding include: wearing a correctly sized binder, avoiding the use of elastic bandages, duct tape, or plastic wrap, removing binders when sleeping, and limiting binding to 8-12 hours/day (QMunity 2013; Stanford University 2014). These recommendations are largely based on personal experience with binding rather than clinical or population-based studies.”

We tend to answer things that there aren’t much/any research about on a “better safe than sorry” basis. Maybe we’re a bit conservative in our advice, but for good reason. Maybe for every person who gets injured, there are 30 who come through unscathed. But that’s still one trans person who has been given dangerous advice.

Gc2b says you can exercise in a binder if you wear a binder a size larger than your normal size to exercise in and “Know your limits and take it easy. Go slowly with exercise intensity and take baby steps if you’re worried; everybody is different. It is important to take the binder off/cease the activity if you notice any sort of pain or discomfort.” There’s no supporting sources on their site saying why they think potentially intense exercising in a binder is safe though- just that statement.

I think it’s possible that if someone is doing mild exercise in a binder that they’ve ordered specifically in a size too large to exercise in, they may not get injured. But I also think that many people will either do vigorous exercise and push themselves too hard, like you probably will if you’re wearing a binder in a cross country race, or people wear their normally sized binder which isn’t safe either. Moderation and caution in doing risky things is great, but you need to know that they’re risky in order for you to have enough knowledge to be cautious about it.

So maybe there isn’t any data that says binding while exercising is dangerous. But we can tell you from the years of running this blog and from our personal experiences as trans people who bind, people do get hurt while binding and exercising. It isn’t a made-up phenomena, and the asks we’ve gotten prove that to us.

And maybe we’re a bit conservative and black/white in our advice, but it’s for good reason. Maybe for every person who gets injured, there are 10 who come through unscathed- but that 1 person who gets hurt may have a hard time accessing a trans-competent doctor, especially if they’re a closeted teen, and they may have to stop binding for a good amount of time while their ribs heal and it can be emotionally devastating if they’re stealth or have a lot of dysphoria and use binding to cope. So you also have to consider our audience when you see our posts that urge caution.

I can’t speak for gc2b here, and I honestly believe that gc2b is a good company that tries to make safe binders and help inform people on how to use their products safely. I actually wore gc2b binders myself before I got top surgery and I recommend them on this blog in our Binding FAQ and when asked by followers. I also know we’ve been around twice as long as them, and we have no conflicting financial interests here. We are all volunteers who make no money from this blog whatsoever- we aren’t trying to sell you binders or any other product.

Maybe the people at gc2b have been lucky and haven’t gotten injured while binding and exercising. That’s great- I would never wish a binding injury on any trans person. But I’m not convinced the binding while exercising is actually safe, and I wouldn’t knowingly recommend anything potentially dangerous to our followers, who are mostly teens and preteens.

If gc2b has some secret data they aren’t sharing on their site that indicates binding and exercising is safe, then I’ll happy update our information. But until there is unbiased scientific info supporting their claim, I think it’s best to be safe rather than sorry and avoid binding while exercising so you don’t become one of the “I’ve injured myself binding” anons we get so frequently in our inbox.

We don’t want to be responsible for you getting injured! If something seems unsafe, we’re going to tell you that. If you then decide “I want to do it anyway,” then that’s your decision- we can’t force you to bind safely. We can only tell you what information we know, based off of our personal experiences, and let you make your own choices.

TLDR; We can’t tell you that it’s safe to exercise in a binder because there isn’t enough data on it, so we’d recommend that you don’t do it because a lot of people have sent asks they they were injured after doing so.

-

Back to your question: Would you hurt your ribs more if you run in a binder with injured ribs? Yes, there’s a good chance that you would re-injure your ribs by binding again while you run, possibly enough to aggravate the healing so it takes longer for them to heal or worse. You don’t want to get a season-ender rib injury, so it’s better for you to wait until your ribs have healed from the first binding injury, then just run with a compression sports bra.

In high school I also ran track and cross country on the women’s team, wearing a sports bra. It wasn’t the best for me emotionally, so eventually I quit the team and just ran for fun with a friend. Then I finished high school and turned 18, and I started T and got top surgery. Now I’m in my second year of running NCAA DIII cross country on the men’s team at my college. You’ll have many more running years ahead of you as well- if you take care of your body!