#tbh i don’t know how to tag

[mothmore]

[freckledjoes]

Maybe Eddie told Steve to show him how it’s done, how to get the prettiest person in the room to go home with you for the night.

Maybe Steve would show him just how well the Harrington charm worked on the prettiest boy in the room.

just steddie things ~ not dating!

-

Closeups ✨

[guppygiggles]

Trying to decide if I want Avery as a medical doctor or a university professor in my Sea and Sky AU… I’m honestly leaning teacher, but, um. Both have their. Charms. ////

[unordinary-diary]

Seraphina and Arlo: The Brainwashing of High Tiers

Exposition:

— Remi, Episode 50.

There is a heavy implication that Seraphina and Arlo were raised in much the same way. The pressure on Seraphina comes from her parents, so I’ll extrapolate that the same goes for Arlo. This raises the question: how do the authorities create such a strong societal pressure on such a small percentage of the population? Most high tiers will probably not know any other high tiers besides their parents. Take Wellston Private High School for example: it’s the most prestigious private school around, and canonically has the “highest concentration of high tiers in the region”. There are six high tiers in Wellston. Apply this to god tiers specifically, and there are only three. Not to mention that this current group of students is uniquely strong, even for Wellston. In Rei’s senior year, he was the strongest at 5.8 max.

So much of this brainwashing relies on the parents to do all of the work, and it only takes one or two people to break the cycle. So how are the authorities creating this immense pressure? One tactic could be by isolating high tiers. There is a very widespread concept that one shouldn’t associate with those outside their level range. A caste system like this that affects everyone is much easier to create and maintain than an expectation for a small group, and it also means that high tiers are only being influenced by those who are also high level. This creates an echo chamber. I’ve researched cults and how they brainwash victims, and the first step in the process is isolating them in exactly this way.

But, if there are so few high tiers, how the hell are they supposed be isolated from other groups? The answer is that high tiers are just isolated in general. Take a look at Arlo: his only friend is Remi, and even her, he keeps at an arm’s length. Arlo is only close with Remi in the first place because he was close with Rei, who, at the time of meeting Arlo, was presumably close in level with him. [EDIT: I forgot about Holden, which I think says a lot about his relevance. He is kept at more than an arm’s length and doesn’t seem to have any actual influence on Arlo, let alone a deep relationship. He is also not presented as an equal.] Take a look at Seraphina: before meeting John, she didn’t seem to have any friends other than possibly Arlo. Seraphina and Arlo pre-John seemed to have had more of a professional relationship, and while they were not close in level, Arlo did fit the bill of being a fellow god tier, and strong enough to also be brainwashed.

Now let’s look at Remi. In episode 60, Cecile says to Remi: “And yet here you are... Always hanging around those two monkeys, Blyke and Isen. Letting them treat you as an equal even though you’re in a completely different league.” This struck me as odd because, aside from Cecile herself, the Wellston students closest in level to Remi were Arlo, Blyke, and Isen. And who is she friends with? She actually was doing a pretty good job at following that social convention, unless Cecile wanted to be friends with Remi, which she clearly didn’t. But... her friends were still not close enough to her level. Was she supposed to just not have friends at all? The answer seems to be a resounding yes. Can you think of any genuine friends that Cecile has either?

Friendship simply isn’t considered a necessity for high tiers.

But... why is it that Arlo and Seraphina were brainwashed differently? Creating a societal norm for an isolated group of people is one thing, because those people’s mindsets feed into each other. Putting pressure on individual families to keep them in line, but doing it all in different ways? That would be near impossible. My theory is that Seraphina recieved the typical high tier brainwashing, and that Arlo was raised differently because he was being groomed to work for the authorities. Seraphina didn’t have a set career path planned out for her, but if she’s trying to be “perfect” by the standards of those controlling her, she’s bound to end up going in a direction that pleases them. Arlo on the other hand was specifically planned to become an authority figure. That’s why his brainwashing is so centered on leadership. Also, growing up with direct contact to the authorities makes it more possible for them to customize his brainwashing in this way.

But does all of this apply to high tiers in general, or is it specific to god tiers? Let’s take a look at the high tiers in Wellston. We have Seraphina, John, Arlo, Terrence, Remi, Cecile, and Blyke. John is a unique circumstance because he wasn’t raised by high tiers, so we’ll cross him off the list. Terrence was also unique, so we can cross him off as well. Remi was different from the norm as well. Why is that? Well, Remi actually wasn’t raised by high tiers either. Rei said on screen that both of his parents were elites. We can cross Remi off. Blyke doesn’t fit the bill either, but that’s easy to explain. He was an elite for a large part of the story, and he shot up rather quickly. We don’t know much of his family, but he probably wasn’t expected to be a high tier at all, and was raised as an elite. (All of this also serves to emphasize how much of this brainwashing comes from a person’s parents.) That leaves only Seraphina, Arlo, and Cecile to look at.

Cecile does seem to have high tier brainwashing, but it’s not nearly as intense as with Seraphina and Arlo. She doesn’t seem “obsessive”, and she wasn’t one of the examples Remi mentioned in chapter 50. It’s clear that high tiers are brainwashed in general, but god tiers are kept on a much shorter leash. This makes sense, obviously, because keeping a population in control like that is less necessary the lower the level. However, it’s also a chicken an egg situation: god tiers are both more important to keep in control, and also easier to keep in control. It’s important to note just how many exceptions we had to cross off. People like Remi and Blyke aren’t actually that unusual— a lower leveled high tier is much more likely to have non-high tier parents, or to have not always been a high tier themselves, or just in general, to have way more day-to-day interaction with non-high tiers. The brainwashing gets more and more diffused the lower down the ladder you go.

[scissorcraft]

i really want to make isat friends…

[starswirly]

[ * RAAAAAAHHHH MORE OF THE CREATURE] [ * Draconink’s design is of course made by @starmonsterrr!! ]

(OG Ink -> Comyet)

[ciphercalamitiez]

uhhhh

Hi tumblr I’m bored have stuff I drew earlker

[napping-sapphic]

Honestly so good that I’m too shy to talk to people because I’m like 80% sure my impulsive ass would just ask strangers if they wanted to try to fall in love just to see if we could

[origami-fox]

Fuck it, my au Mikey (even tho no one asked)

[amaneyuiki]

Idk what i tried to do with frisk but hc of their backstory ???

Honestly i love how i did the eery atmosphere

[jackmichaela]

“So nice to hear him speak like this”

“He’s so intentional with his words”

“Ryan I love how you articulate things”

….proceeds to ignore a good half what he says (particularly words like hetero - wonder why?) like you failed reading comprehension in high school.

And I know you didn’t - so why pick and choose what bits of what he says to highlight? Tell me why you aren’t respecting his words for the WHOLE of them. (I can guess why- I know what you are)

- and this is only after getting the snippet, not the whole interview.

[cupiidzbow]

that one post asking what ring they would propose to you with….. i actually have a whole thing of how it would play out ( im normal )

[mushroominaforest]

A painting I did of my friend! (Acrylic on wood)

[adriancatrin]

i’ll never understand zuko post-spirit-coma in ba sing se, i swear. idk if i’m dumb or if it’s a writing thing but whatever ‘conclusion’ he comes to from his dreams that leaves him so positive towards iroh, but not yet to the point of acknowledging his fathers abuse/helping the avatar, is lost on me. i guess that’s why i like fics that cover it and explain it in more detail

[paladinwife]

Silk Scarf

Arlecchino reflects on a chance meeting with Swanhilde of Mondstadt. ~900 words. Warnings for a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it sex implication.

Arlecchino’s dark eyes were fixed on the length of white silk draped across her hand.

A silk scarf, belonging to another woman. One that had left for home all too soon.

Despite herself, she could feel a tangle of emotion forming at the base of her throat just looking at the piece of cloth in her hand. And yet, she couldn’t bring herself to put it away.

She lifted the delicate piece of silk to her face, looking at it more closely.

~~~

“Tell me, Swanhilde, what brings you here?”

The other woman’s warm, brown eyes were filled with mirth. Her gloved fingers laced with Arlecchino’s as they stepped onto the dance floor together.

“I came to Fontaine on… personal business, shall we say.” Her tone was playful, baiting her into a dance. And so Arlecchino took her bait, leading her in a tango, Swanhilde’s steps quickly falling in line.

Arlecchino’s eyes were still on hers, and she raised her eyebrows. “Then let me ask: what brings you to me in particular?”

She could see a flicker of something in Swanhilde’s eyes.

“Would you take simple curiosity as an answer?”

~~~

The scarf still smelled faintly of her perfume from where it lay against her neck. Its scent immediately sent her mind reeling, conjuring images of the evening she had spent with her.

Of her.

She tore her gaze away from the silk scarf to the floor. No. She didn’t have time to waste brooding over a damned garment. Tenderly, she placed the scarf on her desk, folding it carefully.

Her eyes glanced towards it once more. The thoughts still swirled in her head.

~~~

Step by step, Swanhilde’s body moved as one with hers, her chest pressed up close to hers, her breath in sync with hers. She could smell her perfume on her neck, a soft scent of roses that stirred something in the back of her mind. The other woman had a gentle flush across her face, a placid smile on her lips.

Though Arlecchino’s countenance remained calm, beneath the surface her heart raced. Her hand caught under the woman’s thigh, lifting her leg to her waist.

“You’re good at this,” the other woman teased, a playful look in her eye.

“Perhaps I am,” Arlecchino responded, her tone cool. “Or, having a good partner makes such a thing easy.”

Her laugh was like a melody.

~~~

She had work to do. She didn’t have time to waste thinking about this. Any moment now and the children would come looking for her. And how would they find her? Stuck in her own head over this woman.

This endlessly charming woman.

She sighed softly, stepping away from her desk.

Perhaps, if she could get herself to start working again, she could cast the thoughts out of her head.

Two more strides towards the door, and she placed her hand on the handle.

The door clicked as the handle turned.

~~~

“Let me ask you again, Swanhilde.” Arlecchino’s voice was low, nearly whispering in the other woman’s ear now. “What brought a woman like you to me?” She had begun leading them away from the crowd, each step taking them towards the fringes. “You have come all this way from Mondstadt, on unspecified ‘personal business…’” She leaned in closer to her face. “…and have sought me out for some reason you still won’t tell me.”

She chuckled, her face flushing with joy. “Does ‘curiosity’ really not suffice?” Something glinted in her eyes, something that hinted at more behind her coy answer.

The two of them had stepped away from the crowd now, away in a corner, in their own world together. “Curiosity? Or, could it more accurately be described as… interest?” Arlecchino leaned in even closer, her lips almost close enough to brush against Swanhilde’s. She paused for a moment, watching how Swanhilde’s face flushed and her eyes widened at the proximity. Her eyes fluttered shut for a moment, and when they opened again, the soft look in her eyes made Arlecchino’s breath catch.

“Interest?” Swanhilde chuckled again. “I suppose you could say that.”

Arlecchino took Swanhilde’s chin in her hand, enjoying the sight as the other woman swooned in her grasp. Time seemed to slow, her heart fluttering in her chest, as she drew their lips together.

~~~

She turned back, glancing at the scarf one last time. There she stood in the doorway, still for just a moment, one hand on the door handle, the thought lingering in her mind.

She stepped back towards her desk.

With a delicate hand, she lifted the scarf again, letting the fabric cascade over her hand.

A shiver ran down her spine as a vivid memory conjured in her head — this soft silk in her hands as she knotted the fabric around her wrists…

No, no, not right now.

She doubled the scarf over itself, and again, and again, folding it into a tiny triangle, and tucking it into her pocket. Perhaps she could take her with her as she worked.

She finally stepped back towards the open doorway, resigning herself to her work.

When she finally had the time to sit down and think through what she wanted to write, she owed Swanhilde a letter.

[yourlocaltiredartist]

super rushed but i made a little gif! also i have zero idea what the background is supposed to look like with colour so i kinda just guessed. anyways credit to @somerandomdudelmao for au

tap/click for better quality, and no text version under the cut :)