#sometimes that's interesting in and of itself

[eggyrocks]

80 with kenma please :3

:3

500 follower special: #80 “How can you think I’m anything but hopelessly in love with you?”

kenma x gn reader, probably ooc kenma, insecurities, hurt/comfort, very light angst, not proofread written content masterlist

It's easy to love Kenma. It's harder to be loved by him.

They've learned over the years that he's not loud with his love. He shows it in little ways, unrecognizable unless you know him. He can sit with them for hours in complete silence, preferring their quiet company to being alone. He buys them small, frequent gifts, presenting each one to them without much fanfare. He lets them wear his hoodies. He's upfront and direct about his relationship status when interested fans question him about it. Kenma's attentive. Loyal. Dedicated.

But Kenma's not the grand gesture type. He doesn't vocalize his love often. He's not generous with physical touch. He likes to sleep soundly on his own side of the bed. He prefers relaxed nights in to extravagant dates. They know he loves them. He's told them so many times, in his own way.

And most of the time, these things don't really bother them. But sometimes, they start to add up, and even though they don't doubt that Kenma loves them, they start to feel like maybe he doesn't really like them.

It's been a long day. Work was difficult and long and taxing. Little things went wrong, and they added up. Small mistakes at work. Tripping on the train. Cracking their phone case. Kenma not responded to their string of texts. Burning their dinner. Cat puke. A headache. Kenma' silence.

It adds up.

And after they had cleaned up dinner and settled back down on the couch beside Kenma, he didn't acknowledge them. He didn't look up from the game in his hands.

And that was just sort of it for them.

They pulled their knees up into their chest, knotted their hands together, and let the thoughts run wild. Because Kenma's hardly spoken to them all day, and is it really that taxing for him to talk to his partner? Do they just not matter as much to him anymore?

It sort of feeds into itself, this sort of thinking. Sour thoughts spread and they can't stop the flow of emotion that makes their chest tighten and their eyes prick.

They press their face against the tops of their knees, trying to make themselves as small as they feel. And they're so caught up in the cyclical sort of thinking they don't notice when Kenma glances up at them from his game, or how the sight of them like that makes him abandon it at once.

So they don't expect it when his arms go tight around their curled up form, pulling them into his lap. "Tell me what's wrong," he says, voice hushed, not urgent but not uncaring.

All they can offer up in response is a shrug, not quite able to form the words. They focus on holding in their breaths, and keeping their eyes dry.

"Take your time," Kenma says, and does not move. He stays there, still and steady, cheek pressed to the top of their head.

A tear spills, and now they feel so stupid. Because of course he loves them, and they shouldn't be expecting more.

They inhale sharply, and try to steady their breathing before they speak once more. "It's dumb, and I know it's not true, but sometimes I can't help but feel like you don't like me," they admit, rushing through the end of their sentence once their voice starts to waver.

Kenma stills. “How can you think I’m anything but hopelessly in love with you?” he asks, and he doesn't say it with any particular passion or intensity. He's not mad or incensed. It's just a question Kenma doesn't know the answer to.

"I dunno," they mumble. "It doesn't bother me most of the time. But you're not an overly affectionate person, you don't always want to talk, and that's okay, I just," the strop, and exhale through their nose, "get insecure without that, sometimes."

It feels wrong to say it out loud, and when the words leave their tongue they almost wish they could take them back and reshape and rearrange them. Kenma doesn't move for a moment, but once he does, he lifts their hand and uses it to smooth out the top of their. "I'm sorry I made you feel that way," he says. "I can get stuck in my own head sometimes, I don't mean to make you feel neglected."

"It's okay, Kenma," they say, and it already feels like some of the weight's been relieved from their chest.

"No it's not," he's quick to counter. "And you don't have to feel bad for wanting affection from me. Especially when it's something I want to give you."

They sniffle, and lean up against him, head resting on his shoulder. "I love you," they tell him.

"I love you," he says, voice now firmer in the declaration, and he places a kiss on the top of their head. "And I like you a lot, too."

an: THESE ARE TAKING ME FOREVER IM SORRY also this one was bad lmafo im so sorry

[gay-ppl-real]

Been writing quite a lot of WH fic in my spare time recently and I realised I've kinda accidentally created a consistent interpretation of how the neighbourhood would see Frank X Eddie (liking each other or being together but on the down-low):

To be clear these aren't my theories on what's going on in the ARG, it's like... just in the world of the WH show itself, without getting deep into the horror and mystery elements, and therefore excluding facts like that in canon there's probably going to be homophobia themes to the story iirc. This is how I imagine it'd unfold if it just happened normally without whatever scariness is going on in Home as a factor.

Also I like playing around with lots of different ideas and dynamics and interpretations; this is just a bit of fun.

Transcripts (and a bunch of extra explanations/info) under the concealment charm! ⬇️

Sally:

Has no idea, because she's not paying attention to them.

Would be like "Cool. Now about MY NEXT PLAY!" if it was pointed out to her.

Unless she could make it into something dramatic.

(Extra: like if she thought of a way to basically make a performance out of it, I can imagine she'd do that. Eddie and Frank would both think she was being very strange.)

Poppy:

K N O W S

Possibly before even Eddie does, and trying to drop him hints.

Thinks they'd be wonderful together.

(Extra: She wouldn't think it was her place to say anything outright, especially because that could risk outing either of them, but she'd be like "Frank can be very protective of you, you know..." HINT HINT.)

Howdy:

Has a vague suspicion.

Doesn't think it's really his business.

DOES think they're cute together.

(Extra: it wouldn't really interest or concern him much so he wouldn't feel a need to offer input or say anything, but he would sometimes see them talking and be like 'lmao these bitches gay! good for them, good for them,' in his head.)

Wally:

Knows Eddie & Frank 'love each other' but is unclear on how this differs from how he loves all his neighbours.

Would be very happy for them if someone explained it to him.

(Extra: he wouldn't pick up on anything particularly special about them/their relationship, he just assumes that all his neighbours love each other because, in his opinion, what's not to love. He'd also likely be one of the first people either of them would feel comfortable telling.)

(Extra 2: also no-one would ever explain it to him properly. Eddie would get into embarrassed blethering and Frank wouldn't know what to say beyond that it's "just different," Barnaby would keep giving joke answers, Poppy and Howdy would just be like 🤷not my place, and Sally and Julie would keep telling him things that only made him more confused.)

Barnaby:

Would eventually pick up on it, and take great joy in teasing either of them.

Ultimately supportive, though.

(Extra: He'd greatly enjoy irritating Frank and making Eddie flustered in ways that meant nobody else but them knew what he was hinting at lol)

Julie:

#1 Frank X Eddie shipper.

She finds out because Frank talks to her about their feelings, and she's rooting for them from then on.

(Extra: she'd try to be Frank's wingman and just end up confusing and scaring Eddie and making Frank facepalm.)

[five-rivers]

rings of power

@nephmoreau

Metal clattered against stone and servos strained as the boy in the enchanted armor struggled to force Pariah Dark into the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep.  The sounds of the battle outside the keep were faint, but present.  Every so often, the cry of someone who could not die being fatally wounded rose up above the din.

The boy pushed again, harder, and the spikes of the Crown of Fire struck the edge of the Sarcophagus.

That was all the excuse it needed to topple from Pariah’s head.  

There were things it could do and things it could not do.  Bound to an object, constrained by ancient law and contract, its actions had to be plausible.  Plausible, not necessarily likely.  It had had enough of Pariah Dark, and it had no desire to be locked in the Sarcophagus with him again.  

It might be an immortal entity bound in an inanimate object, and therefore not terribly susceptible to the various ills related to the passage of time, such as boredom, etcetera, but it still had standards.  Pariah Dark may have controlled it and the Ring of Range the past several centuries, but getting beaten by a teenager that had no idea what he was doing, and demonstrating such a loss of authority, well… Did someone not able to control a teenager really deserve to wear a crown?

The Crown of Fire didn’t think so.  

Now, it wasn’t fond of the idea of leaving the Ring of Rage behind, but there wasn’t much the crown could do.  The ring was firmly on Pariah Dark’s finger.  There wasn’t much wiggle room there, literally or figuratively.  

But the crown could hurry their reunion along, one way or another.  They always got back together.  

It rolled away from the continuing struggle, ringing.  Its tines chimed against the floor, and the flames singed the stones.  Strictly speaking, it should not have rolled.  It could float.  But, again, plausibility.  It wanted to be noticed, so it called out with the only voice it really had.  

The Sarcophagus slammed closed, the boy practically sagging against it, but there was no key.  The crown watched with interest.  If the boy was successful, well, it was free of Pariah.  If he failed, at least it was with the ring.  

Then, Plasmius, the one who had freed them, flew into the keep, bearing the Skeleton Key.  The crown wouldn’t call the key a friend, but it was an old acquaintance, and they acknowledged each other in the only way they could.  

Plasmius inserted the key into the keyhole and turned it, locking Pariah Dark and the Ring of Rage away.  At least, until the crown convinced someone strong enough to open the Sarcophagus and properly defeat Pariah.  

That would take some time, though, if Plasmius was an example of what was on offer.  THe boy might be better, but, no, it could smell weakness on him.  The armor, as cleverly enchanted as it was, fed on him and his strength.  He would not be nearly as strong without it, and with it, well…

The boy collapsed.  

There.  That was exactly what the crown was talking about.  

Plasmius pulled the boy from the armor, checking him for a pulse of all things.  Nonsense.  The crown stopped rolling and fell with a clatter.  

Plasmius looked up, eyes falling directly on the crown, as planned.  He split a duplicate off himself, then another, and another, until one was holding the boy, one was holding the crown, and the others were lifting up the armor.  

But that armor… hmm.  

It had been a while, a long, long while, since it had moved.  

Item spirits, like the crown of fire, were far more akin to hermit crabs than anything else among the living.  They grew very slowly, but sometimes… sometimes, they got a little crowded in their shells.  So to speak.  

As Plasmius gathered himself together to fly to wherever he called home, the spirit of the crown slowly, slowly pulled itself free.  Invisibly, it stretched feelers out to the armor and sunk in, testing it.  

Oh, yes, this would do nicely.  

It only half paid attention as Fright Knight approached and Plasmius held up the crown’s old body like some kind of trophy.  Fright Knight’s flames rippled in the ghostly version of a sigh.  Well, he could keep his exasperation to himself.  The crown could do what it wanted.  It didn’t need a babysitter.  

.

The crown was having fun being a suit of armor.  Of course, being a crown, it wouldn’t stay a suit of armor for long, but it would be fun while it lasted.  Running around with the ghost boy’s human sister was exciting.  More than it’d had in ages.  The fake fighting wasn’t really it’s style, but, well.  

The sister wasn’t Pariah Dark, and, really, what more could it ask for?

But then the ghost boy was taking his sister, and setting off a self destruct, which, truly, was ridiculous.  Why would anyone put that in something they were going to wear?  

The crown tried to stop it, of course.  It should have been able to stop it.  But modern enchantments were so strange to it, so unfamiliar.  It still didn’t understand how they worked.  

So, instead, it reached out, searching for anything it could slip into, no matter how small…

… and it found something, many microscopic somethings, swimming through the girl’s blood.  

Nanites, they had been called.  Tiny enchanted things, small enough to hide dozens in a drop of blood.  They were enough to hold the crown.  They had to be.  

It made the jump. Then, it paced restlessly back and forth in its new home.  Better this than being blown up, but still.  How tight.  How unpleasant.  

It would make it work.  

.

Jazz put her hand to her head as Danny flew her away from Vlad’s stupid football-themed death arena.  

“Are you okay?” he asked.  “Vlad mentioned something about nanobots or nanites or something?”

“I’m fine,” she said.  “Just a headache.  You didn’t mention how loud that thing was.”

“Loud?”  

“Yeah, like something was squealing the whole time.”  She shook her head.  “It’s nothing.”

“Are you sure?” asked Danny.  

“I’m sure,” said Jazz, smiling.  She rubbed the base of her ring finger.  It felt like… something… something should be there. 

[coldfanbou]

Made For One

Alrighty, here we are with the fem reader peace. I went rough with this one. There is slight choking, mommy kink, a little BDSM, and a small bit of exhibitionism. Also, it's set up to where I could always do another part, you know, if there's enough interest.

Length 2.1K

Fem Reader x GP Hwasa

As you were walking down the hallway, preparing for your next class, you were approached by your classmate, Karina. She flirted with you a little, touching your shoulders as she asked if you could study together sometime. You think about your schedule quickly before telling her when you’re available. “So Sunday? You could spend the night over at my house,” she suggested.

“Yeah, that sounds good,” you tell her before you head off to class together. It was hidden at the end of the hallway by itself. You couldn’t find it to save your life on the first day of class, but you now have a handle on it. Outside the classroom was your professor, Hwasa, with an annoyed expression. She wore her usual outfit: a tight white button-down shirt and a short gray skirt. Hwasa’s muscular thighs were visible to everyone. “Hello, professor,” you greet her.

She places her arm on your shoulder, “I need to talk to you for a second after class.” You nod your head, gulping as you sit in the back of the class. You worry about what Hwasa wanted the entire time before you even knew it; the class was over, and you were left alone with her. Hwasa locks the door to her classroom before walking toward you. Your eyes move upward, catching Hwasa as she walks over to you, unbuttoning most of her shirt, her tan bra poking out. “Who was that you were talking to?” She asks, already knowing the answer. Hwasa sits on your desk, eyes cast down at you. 

“S-she just wanted to study together.” 

Hwasa places her hand on your shoulder before moving it up, her fingers running along your neck before she forces your head up. “Don’t lie to me. I saw what she was doing. You had a big grin on your face, too.” 

“I’m sorry.” You reply meekly.

“I think you’re missing a part,” Hwasa replies as her grip strengthens.

“I’m sorry, Mommy.” 

Hwasa grins, and she lets go of you, “That’s a good girl, but I still have to punish you. I’ll be nice and give you the option, here or home?”

“H-here.” You knew your answer didn’t matter. Hwasa was going to take you whenever she wanted. You knew the punishment was going to be rough and leave you bedridden for a while; you also knew who you became during Hwasa’s punishments. Your eyes move down, stopping as they see the bulge pressing against Hwasa’s skirt.

“Mommy’s going to teach you a lesson,” Hwasa whispers into your ear before hopping off your desk. Come over here,” she says as she walks to her desk. She waits patiently, tapping her nails along the wooden desk. You walk over to her and feel her hand move to the small of your back. “Get on the desk, now.”  You follow her orders, sitting on the table. “Lay down on your back.” Again, you do as Hwasa says, lying down on her desk. She moves you up, pulling you until your head is off the edge of the desk.  You watch her unzip her skirt; her panties do little to hide her cock. It was long and girthy, pointing straight to Hwasa’s stomach until she dropped them, too. “You know what’s coming, right baby?”  You nod your head slowly. Hwasa drags the tip of her cock against your lips, tracing them. You stick your tongue out slightly, knowing what Hwasa likes. You hear her groan as she feels your wet tongue touch the tip of her cock. 

Hwasa pushes the head into your mouth slowly; your lips stretch as she pushes her shaft in. “That’s it, take this cock down your throat, whore.” With that, she rams the rest of her cock down your throat. You feel her cock stretch it, and her balls smack against your face. Hwasa stares at your throat, watching it expand as she begins thrusting. Saliva drips from the corner of your mouth, flowing down your face as Hwasa uses your throat like a fleshlight. You feel yourself getting wet, your panties quickly becoming soaked as you give into your mommy’s demands. You don’t even react as Hwasa tears open your shirt and rips your bra off. You curl your toes as you feel Hwasa slap one of your tits. “Dirty bitch. I bet you were hoping to get some dick from someone else.”  Your moans are muffled, leaving you unable to respond. You catch glimpses of Hwasa taking off her shirt and tossing her bra onto the ground, shaking her head to adjust her hair as she continues to use you. You feel the pain from another one of her slaps before she grabs both of your nipples, pulling on them harshly and making you scream out from the pleasure. You end up gargling your saliva, your throat still blacked by Hwasa’s cock. 

She lets go of your nipples before dragging her cock out of your throat, making sure to rub it against your face and cover you in your spit. You couldn’t help yourself. You reached for your right tit with one hand while running your fingers along your slit with the other.  You feel Hwasa’s hand connect with your cheek a moment later. “Who told you can touch yourself?!” She yells at you, and you feel the sting from the hit, but it all blends together with the pleasure. 

“I’m sorry, Mommy. I’ll be a good girl from now on,” you tell her. Hwasa gives you an annoyed look before spitting on your tits. She climbs the table, sitting just under your head as she places her cock between your tits, pressing them together before beginning to thrust. You feel the heat from her cock as she moves between your tits. You run your hands along her thighs, only for her to chastise you. 

“Oh, you want to touch me?” Hwasa adjusts her position, fully sitting on you before grinding her ass against you. “If you want me so bad, here you go. Why don’t you be a good girl and eat me? Maybe I’ll go easy on you later.” Without a second thought, you tease Hwasa’s ass with your tongue, moving it around her puckered asshole. You can hear her groan, and it pushes you to do more.  You greedily squeeze at Hwasa’s ass as your tongue pushes inside her. She rocks back and forth and applies more pressure. You struggle to breathe but continue to please your mommy. Hwasa rewards you by twisting your nipples, making you moan as you eat her up.  “You’re a hungry little bitch aren’t you?” She says with mild amusement. You were running out of breath and trying to tell Hwasa. Still, she remained sitting on you; just as you were about to pass out, she climbed off you, stroking her cock and painting your barely conscious face with her cum. “There, you have something else to eat.” She says before walking to the side of the table, stroking her cock as she thought about what to do next.

Hwasa gave herself more time to think by stripping you of your skirt, leaving you in your panties for a second. She slapped you pussy, with a hard smack that nearly made you cum. “You’re such a dirty whore, getting off on this. I bet you want to cum, don’t you?” 

You nod quickly. “I want to cum, mommy.”

“Okay, mommy will let you cum.” Hwasa says as she climbs onto the table, grabbing your legs and folding you into a mating press. Using her weight to keep you in place, she reaches for you, wrapping one hand around your neck. “I don’t want you talking to anyone else. You are mommy’s fleshlight. You’re going to do whatever I say. If I tell you to strip in the middle of class so I can fuck you, you will do it. Understand?” Hwasa moves your panties to the side and drags her cock between your lips, making you whimper. “I said, do you understand?”

“Yes, Mommy.”

“Then what are you?”

“I’m Mommy’s fleshlight.”

Hwasa lets go of your throat and caresses your cheek, a soft smile forming. “That’s a good girl. That’s all I wanted to hear.” Hwasa points the tip of her cock right at your entrance and impales you with her first thrust; you feel her cock tear through you as she stretches your tiny cunt and splits your walls apart. “You’re you tight for mommy. Tell mommy how much you want her to fuck you.”

“I want your cock, mommy. Please fuck me,” You tell her in a small voice. Hwasa smiled as she began to move inside you. Her cock moved in and out slowly at first before it started to pick up speed. It was deep inside you, practically kissing your womb as she pushed every inch inside you.  Your moans filled the classroom as Hwasa leaned in and nipped at your neck, leaving hickeys all along it. 

“If I ever see you with anyone else, I’ll teach you a much rougher lesson.” She whispers before nibbling on your ear. You’re overwhelmed by all the sensations and feel yourself about to cum. Hwasa feels it, too; your walls were clamping down on her cock. You could feel its veins and the way it began to throb. 

“Mommy, I want your cum. Please give it to me.” You whine as you grip her arms. Hwasa grunts as she continues to pound away at your body. Each thrust brought you closer to the edge until you weren’t able to hold it together anymore. You cum on Hwasa’s cock, forcing her to climax a moment later. Your mind melts as you feel Hwasa’s warm cum pours into you, painting your walls white as she claims your body. 

Hwasa pulls out slowly, her cock covered in a mixture of cum and your nectar. She climbs off the table and gets by your face, smacking it with her dirtied cock. “Come on, baby, clean it up.” She says, placing her hands on her hips as you open your mouth and use your tongue to clean her cock. You taste yourself on it. It arouses you, and you begin to touch yourself, your fingers playing with your clit as you massage one of your tits. You can feel Hwasa’s cum flow from your cunt, making a small puddle as you masturbate. 

As you were finishing, Hwasa dragged her cock out slowly, rubbing it on your face. “We’re done here, sweetie. You can go.” Hwasa says cooly as she gathers her clothes and dresses herself. You remain on the table, masturbating until you cum again, coating the desk in a layer of your nectar. “Clean everything up before you go,” Hwasa says as she leaves you alone in the room.

Hwasa told you to arrive early in the morning the next time you had class. When you got to the classroom, Karina, who had flirted with you the other day, was standing outside. The door to the room opened, and Hwasa said, “You’re both here. Great. Come inside.” The two of you stepped inside, and Hwasa told the girl to sit down as she locked the door behind you. As you passed Hwasa, she wrapped her arm around you and whispered. “Strip for mommy.”

“But”

“Now.” Karina watched as you stripped down to nothing. This was Hwasa showing her just who you belonged to. She got behind you and continued the show, “Suck me off.” You kneel before Hwasa as she pulls out her cock, stuffing it into your mouth. You glance over at Karina, noticing a slight bulge under her skirt before Hwasa pushes you to her pelvis. Hwasa poured her cum into your stomach before pulling out. You open your mouth to show her you drank it all, earning a smile. “Good girl,” Hwasa says as she helps you to your feet. Hwasa sits at her desk, facing Karina as she plants you on her cock. “Karina, this one is all mine. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes, Mommy.” You moan as you bounce on her cock. Having Karina watch you turned you on, she could see everything, from your bouncing tits to your bare cunt. She was stunned.

“Oh? It looks like you're hard, too. You can jerk off if you want to.” Hwasa says, licking your neck as you near your climax. As Karina pulls out her feeble cock Hwasa humiliates her. “That’s all you have? You couldn’t please her if you tried.” Karina jerked herself off quickly, cumming over herself in a matter of seconds. You came a moment later, your walls tightening around Hwasa’s cock as she dumped her cum in you. “I think this could be fun,” Hwasa whispers. “I think I’ll make you both mine.” She whispers into your ear.

[tardis-technician]

Doctor Who Ghost!AU

The absolutely mortifying ordeal of being known (<-- has never written fanfiction before). This is inspired by the talented @g1ngerbeer's wonderful doctor who ghost au, specifically the aquarium comic from this post. Donna and ghost ten going on little outings means the world to me. It’s not actually a full fic, just a drabble that sort of got away from me. Hope you enjoy!

In the past week, Donna had gone to a natural history museum, a science museum, and the zoo. She hadn’t been to any of them since she was a kid, and hadn’t had any desire to go to them since. However, the two of them had recently discovered that the Doctor could leave the house as long as he was tagging along with Donna. Ever since, he’d been begging her to take him to all sorts of places she’d never go on her own. She’d made a fuss about it, but the poor sod was dead (probably) and good company (when he wasn’t getting her into trouble.) It seemed like the least she could do.

She had to admit, it was slightly more interesting than the school trips she’d gone on as a kid. For reasons neither of them knew, the Doctor had a vast and random collection of knowledge, some of which Donna knew to be true, some of which sounded like it was probably true, and some of which was completely bonkers. 

“They don’t mention the witches.”

“What?” replied Donna. 

It was the first museum they’d gone to. The discovery that he had a strange amount of trivia in his brain, and then the information itself, had been interesting at first. However, they were getting close to hour three of walking around (or floating for him.) She’d been zoning out a bit, considering offering to get him something at the gift shop in an effort to get him closer to the exit. 

“Nothing in here,” said the Doctor, gesturing around the Shakespeare exhibit they’d found themselves in, “says anything about the witches.” 

“What do you mean witches?”

“Well they gave him some trouble, didn’t they?” he said, looking perplexed. 

What ensued was a ten minute debate in which the Doctor absolutely insisted that he remembered hearing somewhere or reading somewhere that Shakespeare had a spot of trouble with witches, but that it was all resolved in the end except for the fact he never did get a chance to finish that play. Donna, convinced he was messing with her, allowed the argument to reach a volume at which people started staring. She sometimes got weird looks while she surreptitiously tried to whisper responses to the Doctor, but she’d forgotten herself to the point it looked like she was gesturing angrily at thin air. 

In an effort to avoid getting kicked out, they decided to agree to disagree. Or the Doctor had decided that, and Donna had decided it was a lost cause. She was able to persuade him out of the museum by letting him pick out a snow globe. At that point, he had a working theory that he used to be some sort of historian. But then everywhere they ended up going he seemed to be an expert in some sort of field, barring some outrageous historical claims and his seeming inability to separate whatever sci-fi he’d watched on telly from actual facts. He’d given up the theory, but seemed pleased by the fact that whoever he was had been very clever, and even more pleased about being able to show off. 

A few days later they’d gone to a planetarium, and the Doctor started spouting off facts as soon as they walked in the door. Donna had mostly stopped reading information where they went, just listening to the Doctor ramble instead. He went on about the formation of the moon and the planets, relative ages of things and what compounds they were made of. They’d made their way to the theater, where you could sit back and they’d put on a projector to make it look like you were in space. Donna had actually been the one to suggest the idea for their latest outing. Her grandad loved stargazing, and he’d taken her to the planetarium all the time as a kid. It’d been a while, and it looked like the technology had gotten a bit of an upgrade since the 70s.

The Doctor had been grinning madly, still going on about supernovas, but when the projector turned on he stopped mid-sentence. Donna looked over to see him unnaturally still, gazing at the stars. 

He looked absolutely lost. 

She tried to whisper his name, get his attention, but it was like he was somewhere else. She suddenly wanted nothing more than to be able to reach out and hold his hand. When the lights finally came back on, he flinched like someone had hit him, but still didn’t break his gaze from the ceiling. She waited for the theater to clear out before trying to talk to him.

“Doctor?” she asked. “Are you ok?” 

“I don’t know, I-”

He still wasn’t looking at her, just staring up at where the stars had disappeared. Eventually, he turned to face her again. She couldn’t be sure with the soft glow coming off of him, but she thought there might’ve been tears in his eyes. 

“Donna,” he said quietly. “I think I lost something.”

[nereidprinc3ss]

…no but going on about the rant…that is just a very interesting perspective and hot contrast coming from spencer. LIKE him being such a sucker for love, for reader but at the same time, being so confident in his knowledge on s*x. ouf, the hicky or the vibrator thing using it in front of him…i hope we can get a one-shot or anything…

just to let you know…

just.

but still, i think there must be boundaries for all the affection he gives to reader? i mean, i believe it can get overwhelming for reader at some point. (i feel like this sounds so weird but i hope you can get me) s*x is already a very overwhelming activity in itself with all of the emotions & changes going on in one’s body. i wonder how they discuss or handle this?

the way i’m so invested into your rantings and ramblings….

i definitely get you!!! i do at some point want to write something where either reader does get genuinely overwhelmed during sex or something and they have to stop cause he would sooo take care of her like it would just be really sweet and i think going along with the whole him “teaching” her thing, that would be a part of it for sure. like learning that it’s important to listen to yourself and be honest when you need to stop and stuff like that.

kinda nsfw discussions below the cut abt aftercare

i love writing aftercare😭😭 idk i know it’s random and idk if im going to do this for dybmn but ur right like i think sometimes sex IS rlly overwhelming especially the first time and it does feel weird and does weird things to you and i have this vague idea of her being like rlly confused and overwhelmed and kinda achey and stuff afterwards cause that’s very real and having him just take care of her and be reassuring idk idk….. maybe that will go in to the final part of dybmn maybe it won’t i’m not sure

im also not sure if that’s something anyone else would be interested in or if it’s just super niche and weird and nobody wants it LOL😭 if you do pls let me know and if you don’t pls let me know

[shakingparadigm]

idk if your still busy so obviously finish what your doing before doing anything else but do you know how hyuna's prosthetic latches together?? I think theres like a knee-latch on her prosthetic that's a bit father down than her other leg but theres so much going of its hard to tell whats going in that area

Honestly I'm not sure how the mechanics of it would work, especially since there's got to be some weird alien technology or structure at play there. It's pretty different from what a prosthetic leg is like in real life, so it's tricky to make assumptions based on that, too.

There's some stuff I noticed about Hyuna's leg across the various official arts, though. Mostly the fact that it's inconsistent, and I kind of see a reason for it. Please forgive me as I go on a bit of a ramble.

In her original performance outfit the prosthetic is structured almost like it's just a normal leg molded out of metal. It's a lot more solid and is dark in color, almost black. It also seems as if it goes up to just her knee? Maybe it still goes up to her thigh and she just ripped her pants until the knee for better/unobstructed joint movement. It joins at the ball of her knee and seems to be composed of quite a few different parts, somewhat complicated.

In All-In, Hyuna's prosthetic is still mostly of average leg shape. The most notable difference is that the leg includes hollow spaces, most likely thinner parts assembled together as opposed to one solid leg. It's also a different, lighter color. We can infer from this image that her leg is until her upper thigh.

And then we have the latest one. Hyuna's leg in All-In seems to be until her upper thigh, but this image makes it seem as if it goes much higher than that (although it's most likely an artistic choice. maybe I shouldn't look into it too much. I've learned my lesson 😭). But it's interesting how this leg is the most unique, solid and without hollow spaces, but considerably thinner, more simple.

There's also the fact that you mentioned, the latch being farther down in comparison to her actual knee. It's different from her previous prosthetic legs which seem to join at the knee exactly and are much more similar to that of normal leg anatomy. For this prosthetic, her leg doesn't actually latch at the knee, it latches just a bit below it. The prosthetic knee may look a little lower, but it's just the way she's angled, left leg facing left and right leg facing forward.

Maybe I'm overexplaining something that's already obvious/basic knowledge, my bad. Also I'm no scientist, so I could be wrong.

Anyway, the fact that Hyuna's leg changes quite a bit is interesting. It could be a design shift from the earlier production of ALNST to the finalized version, but I personally like to think that Hyuna's leg changes because she replaces it sometimes. Her lifestyle calls for a lot of action, and while her body can heal itself overtime, her prosthetic leg is prone to wearing and breaking apart.

This is how I see it (just a theory/maybe headcanon):

The leg she has in her performance outfit is one supplied to her by the aliens, which is why it looks much more sturdy, more like a true human leg. They're very advanced, so they'd know exactly how to make one that best suits her. Once Hyuna escapes to the rebellion, she doesn't have access to that kind of material anymore, nor does she know how replicate it. So instead she gets creative, taking scraps of metal and joining them together to make another leg, which is why it looks considerably lighter and less complicated. Whenever her leg breaks, she (or someone from the rebellion) creates a new leg from the material they can find, which is why her legs become progressively more simple and less conventionally "leg-like" . It's no problem to her though, and she's very proud of it.

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

Kaveh and Alhaitham, Sumeru Bulletin Board (over)Analysis: Part 2

(This is a reworked excerpt taken from my Haikaveh essay! If you're interested you can check it out here or as a pdf <3)

In Kaveh and Alhaitham's discourse on the discussion board of Puspa's Café, the two disagree over the subjective value of art. This topic is of particular significance to Kaveh, as it is a key element of his character design in respect of his career as an architect, being an artist himself, as well as it being highlighted within his Hangout. This is one of the few instances we receive of Alhaitham and Kaveh discussing the arts with each other to such an extent, so it is interesting to gauge Alhaitham's viewpoint.

Alhaitham holds a pragmatic view of art as a recourse, aligning it with any other material good to be produced, whereas Kaveh's viewpoint aligns with his sensibility, in that it is the meaning of art that trumps its material price and market demand. This makes sense considering their mirroring perspectives, in which Kaveh is described to be the opposing sensibility to Alhaitham's rationality, and in that human feeling is contrasted with practical knowledge.

The idea of correctness is alluded to here with the 'clash'ing of theories and Alhaitham refusing to pay for Kaveh's tab due to Kaveh disagreeing with his 'materialist' perspective. Since there is no definitive answer to their debate, there is no objective correct opinion offered. This idea of 'correctness' is a extremely relevant to Alhaitham and Kaveh's relationship, being a reason for their past argument and the misalignment of their once seemingly harmonised views, manifesting in their joint thesis of language and architecture. Now, however, the two are on differing wavelengths and appear to assert their opinions as the objective truth over the other (which is further discussed here). This ultimately acts as a detriment since Alhaitham asserts in A Parade of Providence that sometimes correctness can mean 'nothing at all'.

Not only is this particular board post interesting in regards to the differences in Kaveh and Alhaitham's characters and their approaches to life, it is also relevant in establishing their rapport with each other.

On a surface read, Alhaitham and Kaveh’s relationship can be simplified as “terrible” (as described by Geoff in A Toast To Victory), as in the two do not get along - but this in itself is a contradiction to Alhaitham’s inconvenience-avoiding nature, as by this he would gain nothing by allowing Kaveh to live with him.

Alongside their situation as roommates, it is revealed here that Alhaitham usually pays for Kaveh’s tab in Puspa’s Café, as well as buying crates of wine for the two of them from Lambad’s Tavern (as established in the Mahamata Bulletin Board). Whilst this is established, what is not established is what Alhaitham receives from these actions in return.

The implication is that Alhaitham does so without any expectations of reciprocation – as follows with his ‘rule’ of not keeping “track” of favours, so long as they do not inconvenience him. Alhaitham offering to buy Kaveh drinks in reference to a hypothetical furniture shopping excursion is referred to as a “loan” by Alhaitham, however, this does not mean that his paying off Kaveh’s tabs counts as the same.

When Alhaitham declines paying for Kaveh’s tab, it is because they have disagreed over their philosophies, and Alhaitham does so to ground Kaveh’s perceived idealism – referring to Kaveh as “spoiled”. Since Kaveh having to pay for his own tab is seen by Alhaitham as a sort of retribution, this shows that Kaveh typically does not have to pay Alhaitham back. This implies that the other “usual” instances of Alhaitham paying Kaveh’s tab are not loans, and are actions that are performed without expectation of reciprocation. Even within the proposed hypothetical scenario of Alhaitham buying drinks for Kaveh as a “loan” (as established in Alhaitham's story quest), he does not turn down Kaveh’s offer to go furniture shopping, and instead chastises Kaveh for pretending he is not in debt and having to live with Alhaitham.

These voluntary actions Alhaitham performs for Kaveh demonstrate the lack of inconvenience Kaveh imposes onto his life, and therefore rebuke the argument that Alhaitham actively dislikes Kaveh.

This discord of viewpoints and the lack of compromise demonstrated here as present within their two other bulletin board messages, albeit in different ways. The question ultimately posed ties in with the core question of their character design, most accurately put across in Kaveh’s Character Story 5, can their mirroring viewpoints ever align? Can they restore the harmony once established between them? Can the two ever understand each other?

[dailyanarchistposts]

A.2.11 Why are most anarchists in favour of direct democracy?

For most anarchists, direct democratic voting on policy decisions within free associations is the political counterpart of free agreement (this is also known as “self-management”). The reason is that “many forms of domination can be carried out in a ‘free.’ non-coercive, contractual manner… and it is naive… to think that mere opposition to political control will in itself lead to an end of oppression.” [John P. Clark, Max Stirner’s Egoism, p. 93] Thus the relationships we create within an organisation is as important in determining its libertarian nature as its voluntary nature (see section A.2.14 for more discussion).

It is obvious that individuals must work together in order to lead a fully human life. And so, ”[h]aving to join with others humans” the individual has three options: “he [or she] must submit to the will of others (be enslaved) or subject others to his will (be in authority) or live with others in fraternal agreement in the interests of the greatest good of all (be an associate). Nobody can escape from this necessity.” [Errico Malatesta, Life and Ideas, p. 85]

Anarchists obviously pick the last option, association, as the only means by which individuals can work together as free and equal human beings, respecting the uniqueness and liberty of one another. Only within direct democracy can individuals express themselves, practice critical thought and self-government, so developing their intellectual and ethical capacities to the full. In terms of increasing an individual’s freedom and their intellectual, ethical and social faculties, it is far better to be sometimes in a minority than be subject to the will of a boss all the time. So what is the theory behind anarchist direct democracy?

As Bertrand Russell noted, the anarchist “does not wish to abolish government in the sense of collective decisions: what he does wish to abolish is the system by which a decision is enforced upon those who oppose it.” [Roads to Freedom, p. 85] Anarchists see self-management as the means to achieve this. Once an individual joins a community or workplace, he or she becomes a “citizen” (for want of a better word) of that association. The association is organised around an assembly of all its members (in the case of large workplaces and towns, this may be a functional sub-group such as a specific office or neighbourhood). In this assembly, in concert with others, the contents of his or her political obligations are defined. In acting within the association, people must exercise critical judgement and choice, i.e. manage their own activity. Rather than promising to obey (as in hierarchical organisations like the state or capitalist firm), individuals participate in making their own collective decisions, their own commitments to their fellows. This means that political obligation is not owed to a separate entity above the group or society, such as the state or company, but to one’s fellow “citizens.”

Although the assembled people collectively legislate the rules governing their association, and are bound by them as individuals, they are also superior to them in the sense that these rules can always be modified or repealed. Collectively, the associated “citizens” constitute a political “authority”, but as this “authority” is based on horizontal relationships between themselves rather than vertical ones between themselves and an elite, the “authority” is non-hierarchical (“rational” or “natural,” see section B.1 — “Why are anarchists against authority and hierarchy?” — for more on this). Thus Proudhon:

“In place of laws, we will put contracts [i.e. free agreement]. — No more laws voted by a majority, nor even unanimously; each citizen, each town, each industrial union, makes its own laws.” [The General Idea of the Revolution, pp. 245–6]

Such a system does not mean, of course, that everyone participates in every decision needed, no matter how trivial. While any decision can be put to the assembly (if the assembly so decides, perhaps prompted by some of its members), in practice certain activities (and so purely functional decisions) will be handled by the association’s elected administration. This is because, to quote a Spanish anarchist activist, “a collectivity as such cannot write a letter or add up a list of figures or do hundreds of chores which only an individual can perform.” Thus the need “to organise the administration.” Supposing an association is “organised without any directive council or any hierarchical offices” which “meets in general assembly once a week or more often, when it settles all matters needful for its progress” it still “nominates a commission with strictly administrative functions.” However, the assembly “prescribes a definite line of conduct for this commission or gives it an imperative mandate” and so “would be perfectly anarchist.” As it “follows that delegating these tasks to qualified individuals, who are instructed in advance how to proceed, … does not mean an abdication of that collectivity’s own liberty.” [Jose Llunas Pujols, quoted by Max Nettlau, A Short History of Anarchism, p. 187] This, it should be noted, follows Proudhon’s ideas that within the workers’ associations “all positions are elective, and the by-laws subject to the approval of the members.” [Proudhon, Op. Cit., p. 222]

Instead of capitalist or statist hierarchy, self-management (i.e. direct democracy) would be the guiding principle of the freely joined associations that make up a free society. This would apply to the federations of associations an anarchist society would need to function. “All the commissions or delegations nominated in an anarchist society,” correctly argued Jose Llunas Pujols, “must be subject to replacement and recall at any time by the permanent suffrage of the section or sections that elected them.” Combined with the “imperative mandate” and “purely administrative functions,” this “make[s] it thereby impossible for anyone to arrogate to himself [or herself] a scintilla of authority.” [quoted by Max Nettlau, Op. Cit., pp. 188–9] Again, Pujols follows Proudhon who demanded twenty years previously the “implementation of the binding mandate” to ensure the people do not “adjure their sovereignty.” [No Gods, No Masters, vol. 1, p. 63]

By means of a federalism based on mandates and elections, anarchists ensure that decisions flow from the bottom-up. By making our own decisions, by looking after our joint interests ourselves, we exclude others ruling over us. Self-management, for anarchists, is essential to ensure freedom within the organisations so needed for any decent human existence.

Of course it could be argued that if you are in a minority, you are governed by others (“Democratic rule is still rule” [L. Susan Brown, The Politics of Individualism, p. 53]). Now, the concept of direct democracy as we have described it is not necessarily tied to the concept of majority rule. If someone finds themselves in a minority on a particular vote, he or she is confronted with the choice of either consenting or refusing to recognise it as binding. To deny the minority the opportunity to exercise its judgement and choice is to infringe its autonomy and to impose obligation upon it which it has not freely accepted. The coercive imposition of the majority will is contrary to the ideal of self-assumed obligation, and so is contrary to direct democracy and free association. Therefore, far from being a denial of freedom, direct democracy within the context of free association and self-assumed obligation is the only means by which liberty can be nurtured (“Individual autonomy limited by the obligation to hold given promises.” [Malatesta, quoted by quoted by Max Nettlau, Errico Malatesta: The Biography of an Anarchist]). Needless to say, a minority, if it remains in the association, can argue its case and try to convince the majority of the error of its ways.

And we must point out here that anarchist support for direct democracy does not suggest we think that the majority is always right. Far from it! The case for democratic participation is not that the majority is always right, but that no minority can be trusted not to prefer its own advantage to the good of the whole. History proves what common-sense predicts, namely that anyone with dictatorial powers (by they a head of state, a boss, a husband, whatever) will use their power to enrich and empower themselves at the expense of those subject to their decisions.

Anarchists recognise that majorities can and do make mistakes and that is why our theories on association place great importance on minority rights. This can be seen from our theory of self-assumed obligation, which bases itself on the right of minorities to protest against majority decisions and makes dissent a key factor in decision making. Thus Carole Pateman:

“If the majority have acted in bad faith… [then the] minority will have to take political action, including politically disobedient action if appropriate, to defend their citizenship and independence, and the political association itself… Political disobedience is merely one possible expression of the active citizenship on which a self-managing democracy is based … The social practice of promising involves the right to refuse or change commitments; similarly, the practice of self-assumed political obligation is meaningless without the practical recognition of the right of minorities to refuse or withdraw consent, or where necessary, to disobey.” [The Problem of Political Obligation, p. 162]

Moving beyond relationships within associations, we must highlight how different associations work together. As would be imagined, the links between associations follow the same outlines as for the associations themselves. Instead of individuals joining an association, we have associations joining confederations. The links between associations in the confederation are of the same horizontal and voluntary nature as within associations, with the same rights of “voice and exit” for members and the same rights for minorities. In this way society becomes an association of associations, a community of communities, a commune of communes, based upon maximising individual freedom by maximising participation and self-management.

The workings of such a confederation are outlined in section A.2.9 ( What sort of society do anarchists want?) and discussed in greater detail in section I (What would an anarchist society look like?).

This system of direct democracy fits nicely into anarchist theory. Malatesta speaks for all anarchists when he argued that “anarchists deny the right of the majority to govern human society in general.” As can be seen, the majority has no right to enforce itself on a minority — the minority can leave the association at any time and so, to use Malatesta’s words, do not have to “submit to the decisions of the majority before they have even heard what these might be.” [The Anarchist Revolution, p. 100 and p. 101] Hence, direct democracy within voluntary association does not create “majority rule” nor assume that the minority must submit to the majority no matter what. In effect, anarchist supporters of direct democracy argue that it fits Malatesta’s argument that:

“Certainly anarchists recognise that where life is lived in common it is often necessary for the minority to come to accept the opinion of the majority. When there is an obvious need or usefulness in doing something and, to do it requires the agreement of all, the few should feel the need to adapt to the wishes of the many … But such adaptation on the one hand by one group must be on the other be reciprocal, voluntary and must stem from an awareness of need and of goodwill to prevent the running of social affairs from being paralysed by obstinacy. It cannot be imposed as a principle and statutory norm…” [Op. Cit., p. 100]

As the minority has the right to secede from the association as well as having extensive rights of action, protest and appeal, majority rule is not imposed as a principle. Rather, it is purely a decision making tool which allows minority dissent and opinion to be expressed (and acted upon) while ensuring that no minority forces its will on the majority. In other words, majority decisions are not binding on the minority. After all, as Malatesta argued:

“one cannot expect, or even wish, that someone who is firmly convinced that the course taken by the majority leads to disaster, should sacrifice his [or her] own convictions and passively look on, or even worse, should support a policy he [or she] considers wrong.” [Errico Malatesta: His Life and Ideas, p. 132]

Even the Individual Anarchist Lysander Spooner acknowledged that direct democracy has its uses when he noted that ”[a]ll, or nearly all, voluntary associations give a majority, or some other portion of the members less than the whole, the right to use some limited discretion as to the means to be used to accomplish the ends in view.” However, only the unanimous decision of a jury (which would “judge the law, and the justice of the law”) could determine individual rights as this “tribunal fairly represent[s] the whole people” as “no law can rightfully be enforced by the association in its corporate capacity, against the goods, rights, or person of any individual, except it be such as all members of the association agree that it may enforce” (his support of juries results from Spooner acknowledging that it “would be impossible in practice” for all members of an association to agree) [Trial by Jury, p. 130-1f, p. 134, p. 214, p. 152 and p. 132]

Thus direct democracy and individual/minority rights need not clash. In practice, we can imagine direct democracy would be used to make most decisions within most associations (perhaps with super-majorities required for fundamental decisions) plus some combination of a jury system and minority protest/direct action and evaluate/protect minority claims/rights in an anarchist society. The actual forms of freedom can only be created through practical experience by the people directly involved.

Lastly, we must stress that anarchist support for direct democracy does not mean that this solution is to be favoured in all circumstances. For example, many small associations may favour consensus decision making (see the next section on consensus and why most anarchists do not think that it is a viable alternative to direct democracy). However, most anarchists think that direct democracy within free association is the best (and most realistic) form of organisation which is consistent with anarchist principles of individual freedom, dignity and equality.

[emmabirb8]

I've been an Invader Zim fan since 2011.

I was 15-16 at that time, and though I did thoroughly enjoy the show, I was not mature enough to really get it. Sure, it was funny, but I didn't pick up on the subtleties and style of humor beyond the surface level. I liked the wackiness and the characters, but I SURELY wasn't at a point of being able to deconstruct themes or analyze character motivations and narratives (like I very much enjoy doing now). I remember discovering an artist on DeviantArt who drew cute ZaGr stuff, so that was the pairing I liked too. I didn't think too deeply about much, and honestly, I don't think the majority of fans (if they were my age or younger, that is) did either. Everything was taken as dumb and silly for the most part, and that IS truthfully a major component of the show itself.

Getting back into Invader Zim within this past year though, I'm looking at it through a WILDLY different lens. I like Invader Zim for what it is and how it's intended to be perceived. I like that the show is meant to be dark, satirical, and tragic at the same time that it's silly, chaotic, and nonsensical. Almost everything that happens onscreen is written in to be funny above all else. (I've mentioned before that I've been watching Jhonen's Twitch streams for a while now, and I have a MUCH better understanding of his sense of humor bc of that. IZ makes way more sense if you can sorta see things from JV's perspective, lol.)

But at the same time, I also like Invader Zim for what it offers in terms of interpretation and what it can imply (intentionally or not). There is genuinely SO MUCH DEPTH to this dorky lil cartoon that a casual viewer wouldn't immediately pick up on. And a lot of that depth, I think, was not woven in purposely. The show itself was never meant to be taken so seriously. Nevertheless, I'm constantly fascinated by what IZ implies about good and evil, the nature of general society, and especially how it goes about demonstrating the devastating effects of social isolation and bullying. Meta for this series is always pretty damn *chef's kiss.* And what's even more interesting is how viewers manipulate canon to expand upon this world and these characters.

Given that I've come to understand Invader Zim better, I've also grown very fond of ZaDr. Now, while I wouldn't want to see this pairing happen in canon material, I love the potential it possesses in transformative contexts.

In reality, I get that these characters were intended to have a deep hatred for one another and a never-ending rivalry for the sake of comedy and not much else. It's an extraterrestrial perpetually throwing hands with a 12 year old because he's incompetent and his plans often fail. And that's funny. That's the point. But beyond that, canonically, these are two characters who are mirrors of each other; they're both treated like garbage by their respective peers, and they both crave acknowledgment, validation, and a sense of purpose. Throughout their story, they find they're only able to obtain these things from each other, so as a consequence of their similar personalities, they become utterly, unhingedly obsessed with each other (to a sometimes unhealthy degree). They are undeniably forever intertwined by design of how the show is set up.

And because of that, shipping of these characters was, frankly, inevitable in fandom spaces. I myself fell victim to their appeal too. (Sorry, Jhonen. 😅)

I'm not gonna go into any discourse surrounding this pairing because there's already PLENTY of that to go around online. Everyone has their own opinion on the subject, and that's fine. I respect that. Point is, even though I understand and appreciate what Zim and Dib are supposed to be in the context of the show, I also enjoy the idea of them as friends and romantic partners outside of and beyond the confines of canon.

And that's something that I think many fans who are biased toward ZaDr would also agree with! Actually, I'd say the majority of people who ship characters in ANY media would concur. We like the idea of seeing how specific relationships could develop over time and/or within different settings and circumstances. It's NOT always about wanting to see a relationship unfold on screen or in fan works strictly adhering to canon. It's about stretching canon, or in some cases, scratching canon entirely however you see fit! Who cares! It's fiction!

For me personally, I enjoy ZaDr because its attributes fall into so many trope categories that I've come to adore over the years (ones that I either wasn't aware of when I was younger, or that I didn't enjoy in the same intensity as I do now). Zim and Dib are, or could be, depending on context:

Codependent toxic soulmates

Human/non-human

Shared history

Classic enemies to lovers (or, as I often prefer it, enemies to friends to lovers)

Bicker couple

Battle couple, when put in the right setting for it

Violence as a love language

Smol and tol

The wild card paired with the rational one, the best part about this being that sometimes the more rational one is Dib, and sometimes it's Zim bc they're both a special flavor of insane

Make each other worse/stupider when together, tho oddly, they also kinda bring out the best in each other too

And, my personal favorites, the potential for hurt/comfort and angst with a happy ending, with the comfort and happiness aspects ultimately coming from each other

I like what these characters could be, to and for each other, apart from their roles in the show.

I would never want to explore a dynamic between Zim and Dib that goes beyond "frenemies" territory in canon (because that doesn't fit what the show is, and I do appreciate the integrity of Jhonen's vision). The subtle foundation for them is there, it's just that it can't really work unless a few key details are changed or manipulated, and, well...

I sure as hell like exploring every bit of that expanded potential in fan works because it's fun to imagine the various directions things could go if they were different!

This isn't me, like... trying to defend my (or anyone else's) enjoyment of this particular ship or trying to convince people to like it. Or the show for that matter! To each their own, truly. And I'm obv aware of the controversy ZaDr often incites and why. Everyone has valid reasons for liking OR not liking it, and I accept differing viewpoints on it. It's a touchy, nuanced subject to be sure. But this isn't about that.

I don't really know what this is, actually, aside from a very long very weird essay, lol. I just wanted to process why and how all of this works for me with my changed perspective from when I was first introduced to Invader Zim in my teens up until now.

It's strange, looking back. I didn't get ZaDr years ago. But I do now, and so much of it, at least from my perspective, has to do with taking the crumbs present in canon (that are undeniably there, whether you choose to acknowledge them or not, and whether they're intentional or not) and absolutely running with them to the ends of your own wild imagination.

[mixelation]

Would cosplay OC ever be able to get Kakashi to wear cosplay with them? If so, what would it look like?

unnamed cosplay oc definitely WANTS to play dress up with him. like look at him. look at those SHOULDERS. the HEIGHT--

kakashi: maa you only want me for my body

but i don't think kakashi would be into it, at least not as a public spectacle. she could MAYBE get him to come to a con, but he doesn't like attention on him. he would prefer to haunt her like one of her weird creepy fans.

i don't think kakashi would find cosplay itself very fun beyond "i like watching/supporting my girlfriend's talents and hobbies, and it is sometimes cool to see fan interpretations o characters" but as a ninja he obviously has to do weird disguises/"dress up" sometimes, so while he doesn't have much personal interest in participating, he's not like... against it, besides not wanting attention? and he does get a kick out of things that make her happy. by this i mean: she could definitely convince him to dress up as a bedroom activity. but also SHE refuses to do this because if her costume is not carefully disassembled in a specific order, she WILL have to fix it, and they will NOT be having sex, and also she will kill him.

maybe the closest she could get is she makes something with the pitch she just wants to challenge herself with men's clothings, and then whines at him long enough to get a few private photos. like, what if she wants something to look at while he's away and she has to [CENSORED] herself---

kakashi, pulling on the fancy ahistorical kimono he cannot move around in easily without further question: yes yes, i see, of COURSE--

[demodraws0606]

You know I think it's more appropriate to consider covers in project sekai representation of like performances or songs the unit would sing mainly cause I've realised there are a lot of difference between unit's musical style and the story itself.

The biggest like difference you can see is in MMJ and WxS's cover choices (and even comm producer choices sometimes).

Often MMJ get the more serious and sad songs even though story wise it doesn't necessarely always matches with MMJ's own story which is more or less pretty positive as of right now.

Compared to WxS, who during probably their lowest point in their story they got covers like Childish War and Wonderful Cat's Life.

Now I don't like comparing unit angst or something like that but MMJ overall has been doing better than WxS in terms of character moral.

So like the difference kinda creates a tonal dissonance for me ? So in the end I think what the covers are meant to be in that case is simply how the unit presents itself.

Idk what the take away to this is, it was just like an interesting thing to point out.

[just-late-roman-republic-things]

Just finished Harriet Flower's Roman Republics. I'll write up my notes on the final chapters later, but here's my general thoughts for now:

I like the basic idea of dividing the republic into more than just the early/middle/late periods, but I don't think all of Flower's proposed divisions are well supported.

She brings up some good points that are often overlooked (like the impact of the Servile Wars on Tiberius Gracchus' tribunate and the Cimbric War), but I disagree with others (e.g. characterizing the first triumvirate as a decade-long hegemony).

I wish she'd included a more detailed timeline of milestone laws and events - although doing so may have undermined her argument.

I also believe she understates the impact of the First and Second Punic Wars on Roman politics.

I would've liked to see more concrete, specific examples defining the political culture of each time period as distinct, a la Gruen's systematic, multi-tiered argument in The Last Generation of the Roman Republic. Granted, that's very difficult for earlier time periods, but that should serve to emphasize our uncertainty there. As-is, the book feels more like an outline than an in-depth analysis. Gruen also makes several arguments opposite to Flowers which I don't think she adequately addressed.

The complete skipping of 300-180 BCE, without even acknowledging it, still bothers me. A lot.

On the bright side, I do think she effectively demonstrates that the Roman republic changed greatly from 509-133 BCE, perhaps more than most people give it credit for. And I think she makes a solid case for viewing Sulla's constitution as a new form of government in itself, one that was never fully accepted by the people, and that this made it more vulnerable to coups and harder for the new Senate to work together.

It's an interesting book, and sometimes thought-provoking, but needs to be read very carefully so you can decide which parts you agree and disagree with. I have enough reservations about it that I won't be putting it on my favorites list. Still, I respect the author's work, and might suggest it for people who enjoy reading critically, want to examine an alternative viewpoint, and who already know a fair bit about Roman history.

[indig0trolls]

FLEET CHIC: REPRISE

THESE ARE 15$ USD EACH!

TOS and Purchase Links Under cut! I will not be updating these to reflect their sold status, you’ll just have to check the link. They’ll show as sold out if they’re sold out.

REMINDER. FOR THE FIRST 24 HOURS, YOU MAY NOT PURCHASE MORE THAN 2 DESIGNS TOTAL. That includes for yourself AND others. Other people may not buy you designs to gift to you if you're buying for yourself either!! Time posting: 10PM EDT 4/28/2024. You can come back for more if you want tomorrow!

TOS

By purchasing you will be agreeing to follow these terms as follows. PLEASE make sure you read them in full to understand them.

In the interest of fairness, given how fast these go sometimes: FOR THE FIRST 24 HOURS, YOU MAY NOT PURCHASE MORE THAN 2 DESIGNS TOTAL. That includes for yourself AND others. Other people may not buy you designs to gift to you if you're buying for yourself either!! Time posting: 10PM EDT 4/28/2024. You can come back for more if you want tomorrow!

You MAY change the design/species of any design i've made after youve bought it, but you must leave credit with INDIG0TEA for the design, and the design itself must be recognizable.

Gender/sex/etc is ultimately up to the buyer.

You may NOT resell the design for more than you paid for it, unless it comes with extra art either made by you (listed for your current or historical  commission rates), or commissioned by you. Gift art/free art does not count towards the value of any design I make, ever.  Additionally: You may not ever ask for, recieve, or offer full resale plus non-currency add ons (such as, but not limited to: art, characters, merchandise, games, game currency, etc.). Yes, even if the offer as couched as "free art/commission/character". Partial resale may be negotiated only for designs whose original buying price was 30 or more dollars USD, and split dollar amount may be for no less than 2/3 of the list price to prevent people trying to workaround this TOS to encourage other people to accept their offers. (For example: Partial resale on a 30$ design may be a maximum of 20$ partial + non-currency add on.) This is to prevent overoffering/artificially inflating resale value. I am willing to make exceptions to this clause, but you will have to speak to me directly to ensure my TOS is being respected.

If the design is gifted/traded at any point, all financial value up to that point is lost and it may not be resold until further art is made/commissioned for it.

You may not include my designs in resale bundles. Period.

You may not EVER feed ANY of my art into an AI interface of ANY kind.​​​​​​​​

If you resell, trade, or gift this design, please inform me that it has been traded/resold/gifted so that I may update the TOS to reflect that and so future buyers cannot be scammed.

You may not resell, gift, or trade this design (or any of my designs) to anyone on my blacklist, which is linked below for your convenience. Doing so will result in immediate  blacklisting/blocking of your accounts.

You may not ever edit the original artwork(s).

You may not repost the original artwork to deviantart, instagram, or other social media/portfolio sites.

You may not use this design for the creation of license-able media such as (but is not limited to): books, animated shorts/shows, Vtuber/twitch streamer  sonas,  comics/webcomics, and video games (free or otherwise). If you  would like to use this design in anything like this, we can negotiate a one time licensing fee which covers use in all of the above. This can be anywhere form an additional 150-500$ depending on your intended use.

You MAY use your design for any other purpose, so long as you are not profiting financially off of my work nor passing it off as your own.

You are allowed to store it in your deviantart sta.sh, post it to tumblr profiles, or upload it to websites like toyhou.se with proper credit.

However, you may not reupload to toyhou.se, to keep the ownership log intact, and to keep the original tos consistent.

For my personal comfort, you may not delete original listings from toyhou.seand resell it separately. This is again to keep the ownership log intact, and to keep the original tos consistent. If the person you wish to resell it to does not have a toyhou.se, I have plenty of invite codes I can give out as necessary.

Please credit to INDIG0TEA the first time you post art of them to websites other than toyhou.se 

Violation  of many of these terms will result in permanent blacklisting/banning  from buying or owning designs by me in the future.

BLACKLIST

[R1 LINK]

[R2 LINK]

[B1 LINK]

[B2 LINK]

[Y1 LINK]

[Y2 LINK]

[L1 LINK]

[L2 LINK]

[O1 LINK]

[O2 LINK]

[J1 LINK]

[J2 LINK]

[T1 LINK]

[T2 LINK]

[C1 LINK]

[C2 LINK]

[I1 LINK]

[I2 LINK]

[P1 LINK]

[P2 LINK]

[V1 LINK]

[V2 LINK]

[F1 LINK]

[F2 LINK]

[rabbitinthemeadow]

[The tumultuous changing from calm to ill] // Part 1

September 9th, 2022

[nukbody]

Answer to twitter`s "if your tav/durge had to draw their party members, how would they draw them ?"