#that book put me through so many emotions. most of them bad and all of them previously known only to shrimp

[fingertipsmp3]

Tbh it’s been so long since a book has made me feel completely and utterly insane. I need to read something that’s going to make me want to scream and peel my skin off

[hoshigray]

MAPPA gave Nanami such beautiful hands that they never fail to make you feel things.

a/n: Bye, the trailer JUST came out, and I can't get over how good they made Nanami, so I'm writing out this to put myself together. @satoruhour pushed me on to write this so ty swee-T-pie, love u sm 💓 this is just like when they released that hidden inventory trailer and i drooled over Toji's hands help 💀 so yeah this is just me writing a short smthn for kento's hands, sorry not sorry. also tysm for 1.9k!!!

cw: Nanami x fem/afab! reader - first soft then smutty, so minors DNI - h@nd h0lding - soft dom! Nanami bc yes - fingering (f! receiving) - hand kink (ig?) - fingers in reader's mouth - pet names (angel, love, sweet girl) - praise - clitoral play - you and Nanami in a cute domestic relationship ♡

wc: 950

You love Kento Nanami's hands. It's no secret to yourself because it's the truth. But you can't blame yourself; you can't help it! There are so many moments with him where you can't help but admire the man's big hands, and honestly, it's embarrassing at this point. It's a guilty pleasure that makes you feel such pleasant emotions, makes you want him more and more.

Even before the two of you expressed courtship, there were days when you'd encounter and have idle chitchat with the stoic man, and those were days that were hard to go through when you had such a tremendous crush on the guy. So much so that you'd drift your gaze away from his feline mocha eyes masked by his eyepiece. Instead, you'd look at his hands, admiring how beautiful and big they are. Aside from his face, they were the only thing visible from his dapper suit. Not that you complained, though. The more you saw and talked with Nanami, the more you marveled at his hands in your thoughts.

And when you two finally started dating, things were going slow and steady. Just as the two of you wanted — no rush at all. But a memory you hold dear to your heart was when the two of you walked home in the cold winter. The chilly breeze sent shivers down your spine, and your nose found breathing tricky in the extreme temperature change. Not to mention you forgot your mittens at home. Just my luck...

However, it wasn't all that bad. After all, your boyfriend (it felt a little weird calling him that) offered to walk you to your place, sticking close to your side, which was a rarity back then. Heat finally found its way up to your cold cheeks when Nanami took the initiative to grab ahold of your hand with his, the size difference making it easy to exchange warmth. "Here," he said so nonchalantly it almost felt like a dream. "Don't want the wind to blow you off the sidewalk." It was such an airy gag from the usually silent man, yet you chuckled and held his hand tighter, the cold overlooked throughout the rest of the walk.

Even watching him doing the most ordinary things is a sight. Whether he's washing dishes, making the bed, or cutting vegetables for the next meal he was cooking for you two, your eyes would always find their way to his deft hands. Rugged palms moving swiftly and gracefully, veins that stem from the back trail upwards to his forearm, and thick fingers with scars so faded with time that you'd have to be very close to see them. You're so in love with him — with his hands. They make you feel safe and secure, warm and loved. Specifically in times when you two are close to each other. Whether it's you resting on his chest as he reads a book while rubbing circles on your back or holding hands with you two walking around the vicinity, it couldn't get any better.

...Well, perhaps now as you're lying on the bed with your back to his chest, succumbing to his touch as one hand cups your cheeks while the other burrows inside your panties — his fingers intruding between your folds and playing with your leaky entrance staining the underwear with your come.

"Ooooh, Kentooo..." You moan to his thick digits in your vulva, scraping your spongey walls that result in high wails. He rubs your cheeks and maneuvers your face to the side so he can lay kisses on your neck, and you melt under his lips with a blissful hum.

"Open your legs a bit more for me, angel." His command is hushed to your ears. You follow his instructions and spread your legs further apart, and he rewards you with another finger added to your chasm. Now both the fore and middle digits slide deep into you, and the brush of his thumb on your clit results in sudden wails. "Good, that's my sweet girl."

His fingers graze your insides expertly, having you writhe on him with how good he's making you feel with just his fingers alone. The speed of his digits increases by the second, and you can feel the wave start rising in your body. Your body jolts with every scrape of his fingertips, pornographic whines fly out your mouth, and your face gets hotter and hotter.

"Haaaah!! Mmnnn...Kento, I'm so close. 'S so close, I'm—Mmmph!?" You don't get to finish that sentence when Nanami stuffs his free fingers into your mouth, your tongue immediately coating the two digits with your saliva.

"Go on, come on me, love." His sweet words were what it took for everything to come crashing down, the fingers in your cunt quicken in pace, and his thumb flicking on your clitoris — causing you to grab onto his forearm. Scratching the clothed limb and heavy pants drawing inward, your cunt clamps around on his fingers as your orgasm comes to pull you in for a euphoric release.

And Nanami lets your body experience the shocks on top of him, laying precious kisses on your temple and cheeks. He slowly removes his digits from your satisfied cunt with a whimper from your puffy lips. "Did so well like always, angel." In your daze, you still share a smile and welcome his lips on yours.

Like you said before — Nanami's hands are your guilty pleasure in more ways than one. And it feels so good to know he reciprocates those desires with mutual love. If such a gorgeous and attentive man can have you under him with just his sheer touch, then so be it.

[jojo-schmo]

hi jojo! im just wondering but ive been wanting to make a comic for a little while but im not too sure where to start 😅. i really love your style of art and your forgotten land roleswap, and i was wondering if you had any tips for beginners?

Hello, hello! Thank you for enjoying my Forgotten Land Roleswap comic, it means a lot! <3

I'm very honored that people have been asking me for tips and advice. All of this is coming from a hobbyist who draws these comics purely for fun outside of my regular day job. Some of my methods would probably deal psychic damage to a professional, LOL. But I'm more than happy to share some things I've personally learned! :)

First of all, the book, "Understanding Comics" by Scott McCloud ROCKS. It literally gave me a new dimension to understand the medium of comics and how it presents ideas and emotions to readers! And I haven't even had the chance to finish it all the way! I'm very happy I own a copy and I recommend having one of your own if you can, but it's archived here if you want to read it :D

I also like analyzing other comics and thinking about how they get information across to me as a reader. It's helped me learn more effective ways to visually tell a story, like what to include in a frame, how zooming in or out affects the feeling from the panel, maybe building a scene by focusing on other stuff if someone is talking a lot... etc.

ANYWAYS-! Some other tips I've learned through my personal experience-

I had to overcome a lot of negative self-talk in order to tackle a huge comic project like this and stay committed. I was a pretty severe self-deprecator for most of my life so far, and getting help has allowed me to catch myself when I'm slipping back into those habits, look in the mirror, and go, "NO, JOJO! You pour your heart into what you make and that is a wonderful thing! You are appreciated and loved and you deserve to have fun making something you are passionate about!!" Some examples of the negative self-talk I catch myself in....

"I'm a noob at writing and making a story interesting... What's the point of even trying?"

When it comes to starting a project, whether it's 2 pages or 2000 pages, is to just jump in and start! It's okay to be a little insecure or nervous about your technical art skills, writing skills, etc... But writing a "bad" scene is better than no scene- because you can always edit a "bad" scene down the line, but what can you do with nothing? Nothing!! I also put "bad" in quotation marks because I am trying to use that term less, and instead call them "early drafts." or "works in progress."

The first Roleswap scene I fleshed-out was the first Bandee boss fight, in May 2022. I made this drawing on an impulse, getting my ideas down on the page without thinking about the technical stuff like comic panel borders. I consider it like a "pilot episode" almost, haha. The final project is going to be very different from how things play out here. But it got me interested in the concept and excited to see where I could take it, and I made the decision to commit to an entire game plot's worth of AU comics!!

Also, what's the point in trying you ask? The point is to have fun! Making a fan comic in my free time means I don't have restrictions like deadlines, nobody's telling me what I can and can't write, and I can make the story as long or as short as I want! I have full control, which means the world I'm writing is all mine to create! Yes, with a fan comic there is a pre-established world with existing characters. But a universe like Kirby has enough open-ended concepts for people to take basic concepts in the world and take them to whole new levels! I think that's why there are so many amazing fan interpretations of Kirby characters and OCs. The rules are so vague, you can just make up your own a lot of the time!! And it's a wonderful exercise to learn skills for someday building an original world with all original characters from scratch! Magical!!!

"I'm not good enough to make a comic. I don't understand perspective or color and other stuff. Anything I make will look bad.

I once read a two panel comic on here. I can't find it anymore but I remember most of it. First panel showed the artist looking at what they're drawing on their tablet, looking defeated and sad. "Man, I don't even know how to draw this....."The next panel was like them smiling and shrugging, I think rainbows and sparkles were coming out of their tablet, ".....I GUESS I'LL JUST HAVE TO DRAW IT SHITTY!! :D "

IF ANYONE KNOWS THIS COMIC I'M REFERENCING, PLEASE TELL ME AND I'LL LINK IT!!! Because it permanently and positively changed my brain chemistry.

No kidding, making the decision to just do my best even if it's not perfect, helped me a LOT. I was always waiting to "reach a certain level" to tackle a huge project because I felt like I'd never do it justice at my current state. Except I had been telling myself that kind of stuff for years and I still didn't start any projects!!

So the day I said, "Oh well! If I draw backgrounds shitty, then it is what it is! I'll learn from it and draw the next background a little better," Was the day I could commit fully to the project. I'll keep studying how to draw them better for my own benefit, but I won't let my skill issues stop me from even trying!

And for my limited confidence in full-color art, I solved that by making the comic in black and white with no-to-minimal shading lolol. Because I can only address one skill issue at a time before it takes me 25 years to finish this HAHAHA.

It saves a BUNCH of time to work with skill issues rather than against them! Because at least experience is gained in other ways, and who knows, maybe that new knowledge will help address the skill issues someday! So identifying your personal skill issues and deciding which one to try to grow stronger, and which one to work around, could help with big projects!

"Nobody will read this. I'm going to put months or years of my life into a dumb little thing nobody will even care about."

Learning how to draw for my own enjoyment instead of somebody else's was one of the biggest breakthroughs I ever made. Enjoying the feeling of being challenged artistically and just doing my best, even if it's not technically perfect, is the reason why I was even able to start this!

And just because someone doesn't directly like, comment or whatever on a post doesn't mean nobody saw it! I used to get really down on myself for the lack of engagement on my art on other websites.

I was a lurker for pretty much my entire teenage years and never posted my own stuff or commented much. But that didn't take away the fact that I really enjoyed the things I saw online. Those positive feelings were real to me, even when I didn't know how to articulate it in words. Granted, I grew up into a Words of Affirmation main, and I use words to tell people the positive things I think about them as much as I can! But I know not everyone prefers words to express themselves. So I think about the people that I don't know enjoy my work- that just because I don't see it doesn't mean I didn't make a positive impact on someone by sharing my stories.

THIS IS GETTING LONG-- UHHH, STORY TIPS!!

If you work best on technology, start building the story in a Notes app, or a Google Doc! If you work best with pen and paper, start a notebook and rearrange stuff as you need to!

Or if you're chaotic like me, a mix of tech and paper!! I bought a notebook with ring binding so I can remove and rearrange pages of drafts as much as I wanted to! Like here's two very rough concept pages of one Chapter 1 scene made months apart.

I'd say planning out the biggest basic plot points and then filling in between as I went was most helpful! I also have separate notes for character motivations, important story-changing events, etc... So I can have my own reference when I'm writing new scenes!

Okay this was a lot, sorry about the yapping! Hopefully it helps even a tiny bit. If you have any specific questions I'm happy to talk about my experience in the creation process! Or elaborate on anything I said above.

And finally, because I'm not a professional there are probably plenty of other tactics that could work better for some people. My ADHD probably doesn't help with the chaos of my process either, HAHA. But thank you for reading this far and enjoying the peek into the rainbow glitter and soap bubbles that inhabit the right side of my brain, heehee.

[helpallthenamesaretaken]

The Judo Flip Scene; The Scene that Divided the Percy Jackson Fandom: What Went Wrong?

Annabeth grabbed his wrist and flipped him over her shoulder. He slammed into the stone pavement. Romans cried out. Some surged forward, but Reyna shouted, “Hold! Stand down!”

Annabeth put her knee on Percy’s chest. She pushed her forearm against his throat. She didn’t care what the Romans thought. A white-hot lump of anger expanded in her chest—a tumor of worry and bitterness that she’d been carrying around since last autumn.

“If you ever leave me again,” she said, her eyes stinging, “I swear to all the gods—”

Percy had the nerve to laugh. Suddenly the lump of heated emotions melted inside Annabeth.

“Consider me warned,” Percy said. “I missed you, too.

-Mark of Athena

This scene is one of the, if not most, controversial scenes in the entirety of Rick Riordan's books. It has caused many fans to go deep into the morality of the scene--into the question of boundaries, whether it is just a good boundaries into Percy and Annabeth's relationships or just abusive behaviour. In this post, I will talk about my opinion on, 'What went wrong?'

First, let us dissect this scene, shall we? We have Annabeth, who has lost her only proof of permanence for six months. The guy she was dreading would die for five years before she thought they had their happy ending was suddenly snatched in a time where she thought life couldn't get any better. During this time;

she saw jason falling in love with piper and was stressed that percy would be doing the same without her

she was stressed percy would never even remember her.

she canonically spent hundreds and thousands of drachmas (and probably time too) on iris messaging every monster and god she could just so that she could find him

she spent a WHOLE lot of energy on this.

she was probably advised by people in camp to find another guy, probably got these comments regularly

she was also troubled by athena's roman form to find athena parthenos statue and ditch finding percy, which must have been hard to handle

she was in charge of helping build a WHOLE WAR SHIP

she was also in charge of rebuilding the home of the gods

And you know what? It makes sense that she would have all of these emotions buried inside her. It makes sense that she would be angry, stressed, and depressed and that she would bury all of this inside. "During their separation, something had happened to Annabeth’s feelings. They’d grown painfully intense—like she’d been forced to withdraw from a life-saving medication. Now she wasn’t sure which was more excruciating—living with that horrible absence, or being with him again" Yep, homegirl was going through some stuff.

Though we don't know what his thoughts were on his point of view, from the fact that he laughs and never brings it up later, we can conclude that Rick wanted us to know that he didn't care, and that these interactions are common between both of them, though one could argue that isn't really reliable.

So; Annabeth having an outburst of emotions is a completely normal reaction, judging the amount of things she has gone through, even though it isn't the right way to express her feelings. But, why is the judo flip scene actually bad? Why did it give even percabeth shippers the ick?

The Way Rick Wrote It: Rick treated the scene as if it was funny, Annabeth was such a girly girlboss who did it to keep Percy in his place. "I only judoflip my boyfriend". And people were mad. Mad that girls are portrayed to be girlbosses by making them violent. Mad that this violence was against a guy who was implied to be abused in his childhood.

My Argument: This scene was written in a time where media with violent comedy was popular among kids (tom and jerry, oggy and the cockroaches, i see you), and that it aged badly. Another important thing: a lot of the fandom also thought of it as percabeth's most romantic moments, and hyped it up so much, which contributes towards the whole ick of the scene.

My Argument: One thing to take into account was that the romans were really on guard when the greeks arrived. they were scared it was going to be an ambush. so when annabeth judoflips percy, their nerves took over. i fully believe the humor of 'i only judoflip my bf' was just their way of diffusing a potentially dangerous situation of misunderstanding.

But in the end I do agree, the way this was written was a major disservice to the feelings that Annabeth was experiencing that time. Rick failed to portray that scene as an exhausted traumatised teenager having an unhealthy outburst of emotions, which is what it really was. Instead, he tried to make it a funny type of scene, and the fandom carried it forward by hyping the scene up as if it was one of percabeth's most romantic moments, and even though the intentions were good, he failed to convey the meaning behind what they said properly.

So now that we've answered the question this post was made for, I'd like to end this post with a positive note. I'd like to point out that in cotg, there is no moment that annabeth physically hurted (hurted is too much of an overstatement) percy if you think about it, which shows that she has improved. If you want proof, I searched any time where Annabeth teased percy physically when he said something 'stupid' and what I found was 'nudged me with her toe' and 'lightly pinched me'. So, even though Rick messed up in writing that one scene more than ten years ago, it's safe to say he has improved.

****************************************************************

[leakyweep]

Doflamingo x gn!Reader - Patience

@kyuuin9in ; Morning, hope you’re doing better! It’s 💜 anon, decided to come off anon for the request. :D I’ve had this on my mind for a while; how would Doffy feel if he met someone who actually read him like an open book to the point where his s/o actively (but not verbally) tries to teach him healthier habits, such as handing him a glass of water instead of letting him reach for the bottle of wine after a nightmare, proving him with emotional support without outright asking him about it and not expecting him to tell her about it. But also being basically attached to the hip to him and just doing things for him without him asking her to. He’s thinking about getting some salt? Well, would you look at that his s/o already passed it to him. (I also think his s/o wouldn’t like Trebol too much cause he’s an active enabler of Doffy’s bad habits 💀💀)

A/N ; Thank you for this lovely request! Writing Doffy being soft is so fun and challenging, so I hope you enjoy <3

Words ; 0.8k

Warnings ; None, just pure fluff. Although this fic is sfw, my blog is not. Minors, you are not welcome on my blog. Thank you.

Being with Doflamingo was a full time job. It didn’t matter that you lived under his income, under the roof of his stone palace, in his pink satin sheets. You helped out the servants in your free time, making up for the harsh side Doffy always showed the helpful staff. You stood in the kitchen, cutting vegetables, preparing lettuce, learning how long to cook meat to the exact temperature the master enjoyed. You found the servants to be quite pleasant; and while your husband was off in some meeting, you got to know his underlings, smiling and listening to their interesting stories and anecdotes. 

At the end of the day, when changing into your silk pajamas in front of your beloved, he asked you why in the hell you spent your days folding laundry with his servants, thanking them at the dinner table, tucking them in and telling them about the days you spent on the sea when you would join him on his expeditions – and your answer was simple. 

“They’re people too.” 

This made him… think. In his office, in bed, with the other members of the royal family. Of course, your least favorite cohort, Trebol, had many negative things to say about your kindness. He found it pathetic, trying his best to convince Doffy you were his weakest link, that your emotions were too strong. Of course, this made your love see red, grabbing his closest commander by the collar to tell him never to speak about you that way. Although your heart swelled, it discouraged you from being around Trebol for long bouts of time.

One particular night, you had joined him in bed later than usual, too caught up in your screaming thoughts as loud as a freight train in your ears. Sitting in the plush armchair Doffy had gifted you for a birthday in the past, you watched the moon slowly ascend into its place in the dark sky, trying your best to focus on all the good things in your life, the most prominent being the large, snoring figure just feet behind you, sleeping wistfully beneath his heavy comforter. This was short lived, though, when he was snapped awake by a harsh nightmare, his breaths ragged and uneven. 

You turned from your seat to ask him what was wrong, but before you could, his large hand reached for the bottle of red wine on his bedside table. You frowned at him and when his golden eyes met yours, you shook your head. 

“Darling, let me put that away for you. I’ll grab you some water.” Your footsteps were soft against the carpet as you took the bottle before he could argue. You disappeared to the kitchen to grab a glass of cold water for him as he pouted like a little boy who got his toy taken away. His expression upon rearrival made you chuckle gently while handing him the glass. With a roll of his eyes a mumble of gratitude, he took the glass and sipped. He fell back asleep in your arms that night, your manicured nails gliding through his blonde locks to calm him back to his dreamland.

Over time, you began to learn small habits to change for his well being – wine was forever replaced with water on his bedside table, you found yourself passing him things before he could ask at the dinner table, learning his triggers to help him calm himself when he was tested, being his kind ambassador when going to the town to enjoy the nightlife. You wouldn’t change it for the world, you thought. You loved this man – and you realized that while he was ruthless, powerful, and malicious, he also had feelings, and he just needed a little help dealing with them in a self-sustaining way.

Doffy’s heart had grown a few sizes since meeting you, or so he was convinced. The way you were kind to every living creature, how you spoke to children and laughed at their terrible jokes in the streets of Dressrosa, your calming tone as he felt those tendrils of anger threaten to choke him and devour him whole and completely dissipate at the sound of your voice – it all drew him closer to you, wanting to smother himself in the absolutely pure and selfless aura that radiated from your smooth skin. Hearing your laugh after a long day of work and dealing with absolute imbeciles was like medicine. Making love to you was like nothing he had felt before. All these things combined into one, and Doffy was marrying you within the next year. 

You were thankful for him, just as he was for you. And you knew as you grew old together, he would change, and he would grow, and that he just needed time. 

You were willing to be patient with him until the end of time.

[parachutingkitten]

Jay = High Intelligence, Low Wisdom

Kai = Low Intelligence, High Wisdom

Essay about this concept below the cut

Now these are all just my interpretations of the characters, I don't necessarily have hard evidence on hand to back all this up, but here we go:

I've been trying to put my finger on the Kai smart/dumb duality, and I think I can finally somewhat make out my thoughts. Kai is not smart. Book smarts don't come easily to him, he's not great at math, he's not great at overly complex stratagizing- but he's got a LOT of great knowledge in him.

Take the dragon healing in DR. He might not intuitively know how different medicines work or why, but he's got injured enough that he knows that type of information is important to know, and so he's forced it into his head. He couldn't tell you why the blue goop helpped the dragon, but he knew that it would, and that it would be important to remember that it would.

He's pretty good at navigating complex social situations, because he's good at reading people. Having had a history with extreme emotions, he knows how to take them into account, and knows how important it is to do so, even if it's not necessarily logical. I hate to say this, but he's very emotionally intelligent, which sounds kinda like an insult but is actually insanely valuable, because humans are inherently emotional creatures.

He's got a solid basis of common sense, and is constantly looking at the bigger picture. That's why he can come up with the best outline for a plan, because he can not think through the details. Now, if he tries to implement a plan of his without consulting others, he's probably going to miss some very important details, and screw himself over. But, he's most likely to have the best basic premise for an effective plan. This is why his intuition is usually correct. He's not logically thinking through the most likely scenario given all available factors, he's looking at every problem from the birds eye view, and is easily able to fill in the blanks, because he sees the whole picture. You can not tell me this kid knew Lloyd was the Green Ninja because he used logical deduction to eliminate all other possibilities, he had a gut feeling based on realizing the value of human life.

Now, sometimes you need details. And Kai is not good at those. He sucks at those. Big time. But he's self aware enough to know when those times are (most of the time, sometimes he wastes all his lives in a video game before talking to anyone else).

The thing all of these points have in common is that he's lived a very full life while making very many mistakes, and he's learned from all of them. He learns from his dumb mistakes, and is wise enough to know which lessons are worth holding on to.

Jay on the other hand... does not learn from his mistakes. He's got a real thick skull.

Inside that skull is a really smart guy who intuitively latches on to engineering and science concepts. He's got a whole heck of a lot of information that his brain is holding onto simply because it can. This man is all about the details. He gets hyperfixated on details to the point where it's a problem. He's the most likely to solve the intricate problem facing the team, forget that they need to stay hidden, and yell "I did it!". Good at details, bad at big picture. This is also why he usually gives up hope so easily compared to the rest of the team. He can not think long term, he can not see the bigger picture like Kai can, so road blocks in the current plan seem insurmountable.

Sure, he might have rigged an old sailing ship with rocket boosters, but he couldn't unscramble "darnagom" his logical problem solving skills are not what's carrying him.

My standby for the Jay dumb/smart duality is that he should have a significant amount of William Osman energy to him. He's very smart, and can work out how to solve intricate problems and make insane builds, but if making said things is a dangerous or dumb idea has never once crossed his mind, and if it has, he has actively chosen to ignore it. Jay's intelligence is much more creativity based than I think a lot of people like to think. Engineering is about slapping crazy ideas together which barely hold together at first- and that's Jay's brand of smarts.

If you compare this to Zane, that's the vital component that his intelligence is missing- the creativity. He is VERY good at assessing options, but not so great at coming up with new solutions himself. He's running on pure logic and tested successes. He's also missing that social intelligence that Kai has. I'd venture to say that Zane is, by far the most gullible member of the team. If there is not a solid logical reason to doubt something, he is absolutely going to take it at face value. Point being, all the ninja have different smarts, and stupidities, let's not try to conflate them too much.

[erithel]

Hello...Do you mind if I ask your top 5 (or top 10) favorite moments from any media that you love (books, anime/manga, tv series, movies, games, etc)? Thanks if you want to answer. Sorry if I ask too much....

That's such a fun question!

And definitely one that's difficult to answer... But let me see what I can come up with.

*These are not in order of favorite, just in the order I thought of them.*

1- Agni Kai ("Avatar the Last Airbender") This one is just a literal masterpiece. The visuals, the action, the music, the lack of dialogue, the show of character in their fighting... Literally mesmerizing.

2- Eri smiling ("My Hero Academia") She is the sweetest little girl and watching her smile as the darkness washes away from her after everything she was put through...it makes me cry.

3- Nadiya winning "The Great British Baking Show" I love Nadiya, and it was such an emotional moment to see her talk about how she would never doubt herself again, you could see how hard she was on herself and how much she didn't believe she could do something like this - and it was just so encouraging to see all her hard work pay off.

4- Kars for Kids ("The Good Place") We had to pause the episode to let me finish laughing because this caught me so off guard. Especially because it feels like an inside joke, almost. Like either you don't know what they're talking about with that song, or you are like YES THAT IS THE THEME SONG OF HELL.

5- I Want it That Way ("Brooklyn Nine-Nine") It's just brilliant. It's so funny, and no matter how many times I watch it, it always makes me laugh.

6- Rooftop scene between Daredevil and Punisher ("Daredevil") This scene always stood out to me because it didn't resolve with either character caving into the other's beliefs. I was so used to scenes always having a resolution, so this one was captivating because it was some of the best and most realistic dialogue I remember watching at the time.

7- Poison ("Hazbin Hotel") All I will say is that this was so hard to watch, and that was the point. Whoever worked on this did such an amazing job in conveying the situation from a place of understanding and not just for shock value.

8- Bad Wolf Rose ("Doctor Who") This moment always stuck with me because it showed what humans were capable of. And the fact that all her lines were spoken in a very soft, gentle tone made it all the more powerful.

9- Dracarys ("Game of Thrones") This moment I liked because it was just sheer comeuppance and satisfaction. I also was working retail at the time, and this had such "I AM the manager" vibes lol.

10- Riza Hawkeye shooting ("Full Metal Alchemist") She's such a good character, and she was usually so stoic and in control of any situation - until she thought the man she (at least in my mind) loved was dead, and she just absolutely lost it.

There are some shows/movies where I liked too many moments that it's safer to say I just like the thing as a whole, and no one moment stuck out too much. And I left books off the list so I could add a gif/video to this post.

I know that the minute I post this, I will think of many more moments, but I'm trying not to overthink this or I'll be here forever lol

I generally like moments of big emotion. Or at least moments that make me feel things - good or bad.

Thanks for this question! It was fun to think about. :)

[jupiternity444]

France Márquez: "I met them on Netflix"

On August 15, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, landed in Colombia, dazzling the press: "British royalty" descended from the sky! Why did they come? France Márquez Mina, the vice president, invited them. What was the purpose? Simple: they financed a trip for the dukes to dedicate themselves to making an unfortunate...

On August 15, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, landed in Colombia, dazzling the press: "British royalty" descended from the sky!

Why did they come? France Márquez Mina, the vice president, invited them. What was the purpose? Simple: they financed a trip for the Duke and Duchess to dedicate themselves to an unfortunate "humanitarian tourism".

During their visit, they acted as luxury tourists: they visited vulnerable communities, received gifts, enjoyed gourmet cuisine, and were treated as superior beings. In return, they spouted some banalities in forums and chats, posed for "official" photos on social networks and took selfies with everyone who asked for them.

Why did France Márquez decide to invite the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to do "humanitarian tourism"? The answer seems implausible, coming out of Creole stand-up comedy. At a press conference, the vice president revealed her motivation: "I met Meghan and Harry through the media, but above all I saw the Netflix documentary about their life and story, and that moved me and motivated me to say: that is a woman who deserves to come to our country and tell her story. Their exchange will undoubtedly be a strengthening for so many women in the world."

Márquez, as a dazzled fan and a capricious child, used her power as vice president to meet the media stars who moved her. It's like watching a bad gringo comedy in real life.

Beyond the expense for their visit, it is worth asking: what real change has it generated in the communities they visited? What impact does this media display have on the lives of the people in those places?

Let's analyze the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their four days in Colombia. At the Colegio Cultura Popular, they debated with the students about social networks and technology. The questions are: what real impact did this talk have? What useful message could the Duke and Duchess have conveyed?

To begin with, the social networks of celebrities like them are not managed by themselves, but by teams of experts in image management. The Duke and Duchess are not experts in social networks for young people; What little they know comes from what their advisors have taught them to have a cordial and friendly conversation with the students.

There was no tangible impact on the lives of these students, either in the short or long term. All that remained were cliché phrases, obvious advice, selfies and the empty emotion of having met British royalty. There were no pedagogical gifts (such as books), nor agreements for scholarships or resources that could benefit the most vulnerable students. This visit was humanitarian tourism, a banal moment that only served for the Duke and Duchess to reinforce their image as empathetic figures concerned about the problems of youth.

After the staging at the school, the Duke and Duchess went to the National Center for the Arts in Bogotá, where they attended a theater performance and a colorful dance show. On this occasion, they left behind their role as humanitarian tourists to put on their royal crowns. They were offered a beautiful cultural show, designed for their entertainment, although, of course, the official version says that they were shown the artistic richness of our country.

Harry and Meghan's visit was, in essence, a show of neocolonialism, ironically promoted by a vice president who, in theory, fights against it. This is where the cultural neocolonialism of the tour began: our culture was exoticized, reducing it to a set of picturesque features that indulge the curiosity of first-world observers like the dukes, ignoring the complexity and real challenges faced by our artists.

Was there any positive impact on the National Center for the Arts? Some useful international convention, managed resources, or at least media exposure for artists? Nothing of the sort. The media did not mention what was presented in the show or who the artists are, they passed as anonymous; There are only photos of the Duke and Duchess as protagonists, smiling and enjoying the show. In short, the only "gain" of this visit was a few applauses.

Later, the Duke and Duchess closed their first day in Bogotá by participating in the Responsible Digital Future Forum, where they spoke about social media safety for young people. Although the forum featured quality experts and panelists, Harry and Meghan's participation brought the same thing to the table as their visit to the school: nothing. Two royals repeating clichés and the obvious about a subject they don't master. Of course, dozens of selfies were taken with those who did not want to miss the opportunity to be photographed with royalty.

On Friday, August 16, the Duke and Duchess continued their "humanitarian tourism" by visiting the La Giralda school in Bogotá. There, they enhanced their image of "child-concerned leaders" playing with young children in an art class and planting trees in the backyard, an eco-friendly activity that always gets a lot of "likes" on social media. Photos of the smiling dukes with children from a third-world country and the eco-friendly gesture were essential to their public relations campaign. The dukes are a sweetness!

This school is located in a vulnerable neighborhood, and the visit of the Duke and Duchess did not bring changes or tangible well-being for the children or the institution. The real winners were the dukes, taking with them publicity, empathy, followers, and some gifts from the children: two ponchos, some dolls and letters with messages that, hopefully, the duchess could have kept if she found one of them picturesque enough. The others, who knows, could already be in the trash.

The vice president said that this visit "enhances the socio-emotional skills of students, giving priority to mental health." Seriously? For many of those children, all that will remain is a photo and a blurry memory. Their daily worries, such as consuming three meals a day or the daily shortage of resources, are not going to change because they planted a tree with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

The Duke and Duchess then visited the Inclusive Rehabilitation Center, where they strategically arrived in time for a training session with Team Colombia of the Invictus Games, the sporting event founded by Prince Harry for military personnel wounded in combat. After a tour of the facilities, they pretended to "marvel" at the pool, the climbing wall and the gym. The soldiers, happy, presented the prince with a commemorative plaque, recognizing his dedication to the recovery of former soldiers injured in combat through sports.

As an anecdote, Harry and France Marquez's spouse played a game of sitting volleyball with the former military personnel in rehabilitation, while Meghan and France cheered from the bar. What a display of empathy, simplicity and kindness! A real media spectacle that well deserved another plaque for Harry.

But while photos of Harry playing volleyball with wounded servicemen circulate everywhere, the reality of Colombian soldiers wounded in combat is far less glamorous. They make up a population of 210,000 people, of which 58% live in poverty, 58% only reach the maximum level of high school education, 86% are not working, 26% have a disability and practically non-existent labor insertion, according to figures from the Directorate of Veterans and Inclusive Rehabilitation (DIVRI).

Faced with this worrying panorama of the Colombian ex-military, what positive change did the visit of the Duke and Duchess bring? None. There were no donations of prostheses, wheelchairs, or improvements in the facilities. The only beneficiaries were the dukes: Harry took home a plaque that reinforces his image as a celebrity committed to inclusion and disability, and excellent media exposure. Because of course, the prince even played volleyball with them. How moving! Lots of hearts for Harry's photos.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex then traveled to Cartagena de Indias, a city where neocolonialism and gentrification are breathed in the sea breeze. Their first stop was at the Cabildo de La Boquilla Drum Workshop School, where they joined a percussion class, played drums and participated in a performance with the students.

The media highlighted two "great" anecdotes: Harry and Meghan played drums with "a lot of rhythm" and Meghan even danced with the children. What a thrill! The visit was but an example of cultural neocolonialism, where the dukes turned traditional music and dances into simple objects of aesthetic consumption, ignoring their deep meaning for the community.

Beyond this, the children of La Boquilla were reduced to marketing objects to enhance the public image of the dukes, while their community, trapped in poverty and gentrification, continues to struggle to preserve their ancestral territory. The Raizal communities are seen as a "spectacle" for the delight of the tourist, in this case, the British royalty. Reinforcing negative stereotypes about Raizal cultures, presenting them as "primitive", "exotic" or "backward".

According to official sources, the dukes, experts in parenting and culture, offered local parents valuable advice on how to raise their children amid a reality that Harry and Meghan could hardly imagine. WTF!

In the end, the visit was a banal spectacle, more marketing for the dukes, who live by selling smoke, by projecting an image of charity and concern for the children of the world, while the reality of the communities they visit remains exactly the same.

The next stop was San Basilio de Palenque, the first free town in America. There they appreciated cultural samples and talked with leaders about cultural identity, structural racism and historical reparations for slavery. This pod seems like a joke: a British royal, descendant of the largest slave empire in history, giving lessons on racism and slavery. The visit lasted an hour; It was a "flash", they took longer to come and go. Neocolonialism in all its splendor.

There, the dukes acted as white salvationists, perpetuating a racial hierarchy where whites are seen as superior and non-whites as in need of ransom. Their presence reinforces the idea that Raizal communities are passive victims who can only be "rescued" by power figures. They need to be taught how to live their lives, overcome the racism and slavery that their ancestors experienced. In addition, the visit perpetuates stereotypes of poverty and lack of development, suggesting that these communities cannot improve without the intervention of white saviors.

To top off the visit, Meghan Markle attended the summit "Afro-descendant Women and Power: Voices of Equity" in Cali, where her interventions were limited to clichés and banalities typical of a self-improvement coach. The headlines highlighted her "nice" action of adjusting a fan for herself and how Prince Harry mingled with attendees to listen to his spouse.

And to close with a flourish, Meghan and Harry danced salsa, showed off their skills and the duchess said goodbye to Colombia in Spanish, as if that could erase the superficiality of her visit.

It is not yet clear how much the "humanitarian tourism" trip of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, invited by the vice presidency, cost Colombia. The Ministry of Equality promised a statement to detail the expenses, while the vice presidency mobilized time, personnel and resources so that part of the costs were covered by international cooperation agencies.

According to various media, the visit did not result in concrete agreements or specific projects, beyond the good intentions of collaborating with the Archewell Foundation of the dukes.

Who are the Duke and Duchess of Sussex? Prince Harry, son of the current British king, and Meghan Markle, an American actress and model. Harry, with no outstanding academic achievements or spokesperson for a cause; His only "achievement" is being born into British royalty. Meghan also does not have an outstanding career. The couple married and as in many families, Meghan disliked her spouse's grandmother, her in-laws and her brother-in-law, due to her race and temperament incompatible with her brother-in-law's spouse, according to royal gossip magazines. They decided to move away from the royal family and stop receiving money from their father (not to be a supporter). seeking to sustain their luxurious lifestyle through contracts and conferences.

Without notable skills or professions, they sell their image. Netflix paid them $100 million for documentaries that glorify their lives and portray them as victims of oppression, a trick that touches empty brains, as happened with the vice president of Colombia, who sees in them people to admire. Their popularity allows them to charge high sums for conferences and public appearances, such as the million dollars Harry received for speaking at a private JP Morgan summit in 2020.

Visits like these help them to have a huge media impact, monopolizing the international press. The more popular they are, the more money they make.

France Márquez stated that the visit of the Duke and Duchess was crucial to address cyberbullying and discrimination, promoting female leadership in Colombia and in the world. However, this is nothing more than empty promises. The reality is that the only beneficiaries were the dukes, who reinforced their media and monetary image.

Today, the disappointment generated by France Márquez is growing. As vice president and minister, her performance has been almost nil in terms of generating real change for the vulnerable populations she represents. Although he leads a ministry with resources to improve the lives of the population, his work is limited to appearing in the media with banal actions and without tangible impact.

The visit of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is a clear example of their search for prominence. France Márquez not only managed to monopolize the national and international press, but also fulfilled her personal desire to meet these figures she admires. His performance seems more like a celebrity whim than a real government management.

After the visit, the children of La Boquilla will not have new drums, nor improvements in their facilities or in their food. Her role as Minister of Equality should focus on improving the living conditions of those communities, not on bringing celebrities for her own enjoyment. Who will be your next guest? That will depend on which documentary she watches on Netflix that moves her.

Diana Patricia Pinto

Social communicator and journalist, master's degree in Business Management and Tourism Organizations. Author of books of short stories and novels for children, young people and adults. She is also the author of academic books on tourism, communication, and politics. He writes avant-garde poetry, self-help and reflections. He currently has thirteen books published in different genres and themes. Director of Cartagena Post, an information portal of Cartagena de Indias. Creator of the podcast Plétora. University professor for more than 15 years, in the areas of communication and tourism in important Colombian universities. Creator of several innovative academic programs at a public university in her city. She has higher studies in Marketing Management, project management and university teaching. She is an opinion columnist for Latin American media and portals. On all social networks you find her as a @dianapatrypinto Website: http://dianapatriciapinto.com

[sixseasonsofodestawithatardis]

🔥?

Okay, so I'm not sure if this is an unpopular opinion, but to me, many of the characters within the narrative of THG are disabled/ have experienced disability in some way! Sorry for how long this post this about to be!

I'll explain further just so others can understand my thought process:

Katniss- Goes deaf in the first book, and whilst that is cured in the 2nd, throughout the rest of the trilogy has PTSD/ trauma, which is a disability/ becomes disabling.

EDIT: Katniss is indigenous (Gale and Haymitch are also part of the seam!) How disability and race intersect is important, too!

Peeta- Loses his leg and has to use a prosthetic, a visible disability, on top of the hijacking and how that affects his mental health.

Johanna- Also has PTSD and severe Hydrophobia due to being electrocuted by the Capitol- to the point where she can't go out into the rain and is used against her when applying to D 13's army. (Not sure if that's 100% correct, but Johanna stans, feel free to correct me!)

Beetee- Again, most likely has PTSD, but also in book 3, due to the lightning ( I think), he is in a wheelchair.

Enobaria- Again, PTSD; I also want to include how her teeth were fashioned into fangs ( Idr if it happened in the book!) But I'm unsure how that would affect her emotionally, physically, medically, etc., so I can't get deeper into that. I've put it down anyway.

Mags- Had a stroke, and her speech isn't as clear as it used to be. Also, she uses a cane, which was taken away from her during the 75th games, presumably because it can be used as a weapon, and she had to rely on Finnick to be mobile during that time in the arena, on top of PTSD or some form of trauma.

Haymitch- Has PTSD (i.e. the bad nightmares), and whilst nothing is said in the book, the alcoholism he has to use to cope with everything has probably messed his liver up. On top of that, the withdrawal symptoms whilst sobering up in D13 were probably disabling, too.

Annie- Has PTSD or Psychosis. She has hallucinations, putting her hands to her ears when triggered by things that remind her of the 70th games or being tortured.

Finnick- PTSD and had multiple breakdowns in D13. On top of the trauma that comes with sexual exploitation, which many other Victors would also have (maybe not the same presentation of symptoms/ coping mechanisms!) if/when Snow forced them into prostitution.

Also, obviously, Chaff, Seeder, Wiress, Cashmere, Cecilia, and basically every Victor is dealing with the trauma and various mental and physical problems after the games, which again are disabilities or disabling!

Non- Victors

Mrs Everdeen- Has depression that renders her mute and unresponsive after Mr Everdeen's death.

Gale- Not stated explicitly, but having to work in the same mines that killed your father, having to then be the one to have to hunt so they survive on top of being in poverty, and then having to save as many people from your district when Snow tries to bomb it would lead to some sort of impact on your mental, physical and emotional health. Also, the whipping he received in Catching Fire would leave a massive injury and be a nightmare for anyone.

Madge's mom- Has constant migraines, which I assume increased after Maysilee's death.

Pollux—He has his tongue cut out and communicates through gestures; this also applies to the rest of the Avox's.

District 10 Boy- in the 74th games, this tribute is described as having a crippled foot.

Those are all the characters from the book who are disabled or become disabled by the system. And I think the fandom forgets that a lot—which isn't helped by the movies erasing things like Johanna's Hydrophobia or Peeta's prosthetic leg. This is annoying to me as many characters, such as Annie, will get ableism thrown their way, yet that person's favourite character will actually be considered disabled- also because I am a disabled woman and having to put up with ableism is a nightmare anyway.

I know we talk about trauma such as PTSD and Psychosis a lot in this fandom, as we should! It's imperative to the message of THG's and the characters of these books! But I've never seen someone explicitly say these characters are disabled; they count as disability representation. And I think if we did that, then

a) We could talk about things like psychosis, PTSD and other traumas these characters experience with greater insight and find empathy and strength within characters we couldn't before and maybe the ableism thrown at the characters would lessen a bit as well.

b) Calling it disability/ disabling on top of the diagnosis would enable us to examine other bits of Panem and see another way it affects people. It would also provide a greater depth of analysis in terms of how we talk about poverty, the games, and other things within the narrative.

Such as how if you were a wheelchair user in the districts, especially D8-12, you wouldn't have access to a mobility aid, so you are either forced to find or create an unsuitable mobility aid such as a cane or are effectively left without aid. On top of this, if they did have a wheelchair (I highly doubt it!) It would be taken away because it could be used as a weapon ( like Glimmer's ring or Mags's cane- also, wheelchairs make good battering rams), so you would be left immobile. We could also discuss how D1-D4 are wealthier and how that affects things like disability and healthcare compared to D7, 8, 9, 10,11,12. Also how D1, D2, D3 and 5 or 6 have the materials or would be the Districts most able to make mobility aids if the Capitol even let them.

This is also a double-edged sword because I know if this conversation around disability within THG starts, there will be many that are going to have some terrible takes. It's going to make my blood pressure rise, and it'll be a nightmare to combat and, as a disabled woman, worse to read. And if this discussion does take off, then I'm gonna need this fandom to understand the three models of disability at a bare minimum! Not that you can't comment without that knowledge at all it just will save a lot of bad takes!

DISCLAIMER- I am just one disabled woman. There are plenty of disabled ppl within this fandom with a different opinion from mine, and I AM NOT AN EXPERT on disability!

TLDR: Many of the characters are disabled and yet face ableism within fandom when they shouldn't. We should start explicitly analysing the series through a disability lens on top of the ones we already explore, but I am terrified by the terrible takes and analysis that would occur.

Thank you for sending in an ask; I'm always happy to answer more! Also, I'm so sorry it's so long. It's probably not what you were expecting for an unpopular take ask. I had a huge thought process for this one, and I really wanted to go in-depth and try to make sure others understood!

Also, I love your odesta fanfiic's and can't wait to read more 🙂!

[int3r3st1ng]

HOO

Since the series has brought the PJO books back to life, I was suddenly struck that I needed to get this off my chest.

I read the HOO books years ago, after the PJO books as well, and I liked them. Unfortunately, there were many parts I disliked.

This post will probably infuriate so many people and I will be referencing to future books, but I'm not interested in angering you, I'm more interested in what your opinion is after reading mine.

Don't write hate comments and don't strart hating my opinion just because I don't have the same one as you.

Battle with Gaea:

This was the biggest let down.

The battle with Kronos was gorgeous. It was beautiful with a great build up and so many emotions. I adored that entire battle. It literally lives on an invincible throne in my head.

I had high hopes for the battle with Gaea, after all she is more powerful than Kronos, right? It must be harder to defeat her, right? She has to fall to storm or fire, right?

Wrong!

Piper, don't worry I like her character, has so much dam power in her charm speak that she can put a primordial goddess to sleep. Unfortunately, I explicitly remember the prophecy not even mentioning her.

"To storm or fire, the world must fall"

Then Leo and Jason were fire and storm, but I'm pretty sure that "Stormbringer" is Poseidon's title. I get that Percy isn't always meant to be the hero, but he learnt that lesson. He wasn't the hero in his own book series. He stepped back in the Mark of Athena so Annabeth could be the hero. He knew that he couldn't always be the hero, so why did Rick make his arc be he has to learnt he isn't always the hero?

To be honest, I think that if Rick had written it that Piper didn't lull the goddess to sleep, but the seven all fought together again, that would have been better. Imagine the seven all working together. Imagine Percy and Jason creating a storm together. Imagine Leo ending Gaea in one fiery end.

It is honestly such a shame that nothing can shine on this fight, not when it will always live in the shadow of an undefeatable throne.

Ships:

(Not exactly sorry for what I say)

Percabeth, although cute, is not a perfect ship. They are not the "It" couple and they most certainly not what I would look for in a relationship. I don't want a girlfriend/boyfriend who gives me a nickname that constantly downgrades my intelligence. I don't want a gf/bf who judo flips me onto hard gravel. I most certainly don't want a bf/gf that is scared of me. I don't hate Percabeth, but Percy and Annabeth deserve better. Percy deserves someone that he knows he can talk to about Gabe while Annabeth, even if Percy chose her and gave her love, first needs familial love before romantic love.

Jasper/Jiper, was so bad. Jason got with Piper out of duty and they did break up in the end, but Rick got them to get together in one book. Secondly, Piper is so possessive and obssessive. I don't hate either characters, I just feel that Leo x Jason would have been a much better ship because at least Leo doesn't have fake relationship memories. For Piper, I would give her a girl. First, they would complete the quest then Piper settles down with a girl, like Rick did in Trials of Apollo, which I'm really happy about.

Frazel is cute. I thought the ship was adorable, but once again it felt like Rick was focusing on ships too much. They've known each other for two-three months and are dating by the end of a week. Not how I would plan that. I once again think that them getting through the entire quest would have been much better.

Caleo, in my opinion, is the worst. Leo wanted romantic love to fill the void he felt due to his lack of familial love. Why the hell did Rick think that giving him a love interest was a good idea?! Leo felt like the seventh wheel so Rick should've fixed that by, like, making the other seven want him around. You know, like a family? As for Calypso, I believe she should have either joined the Hunt or she was an asexual lesbian. Either way, I believe she would want to experience the real world before trying a relationship.

Solangelo was, quite frankly, my least favourite. Look, I love Nico and Will. Both are cool characters with so much potential, but it once again felt rushed. It felt wrong that Rick had Nico get over Percy only to get with Will like a week later. Secondly, Will and Nico didn't fit like yin yang. I know you're all thinking "Hey! That's my ship you're sinking!", but you have to admit that Will saying that the loneliness Nico felt at camp was fake. Nico was literally avoided because of his dad. The hell you mean, Will? I believe, Will and Nico shouldn't have gotten together. Nico should have gotten with someone else while Will explored his bi-ness.

Friendships:

There were so many friendship potentials.

Percy and Leo 1. Percy's burn proof-ish 2. Sass 3. Literally both met Calypso so why did Leo hate Percy when he left for the same reason? 4. Should've talked it out and figured it out 5. Bonded over having excellent mothers

Nico and Percy 1. Rick you butchered this entire relationship 2. Percy did trust Nico and had this relationship that essentialy said "The only person who gets to kill Nico is me" and even then Percy wouldn't have killed Nico 3. Took a dam prophecy to save Nico 4. Saved each other's lives 5. Deal with shared trauma 6. Like, cousins? You gave Nico and Jason time, can you please give Percy and Nico some time. They deserve to talk things over and figure things out 7. Percy did what he could for Nico to stay at Camp 8. Percy's response to Nico's accidental trick was completely fair because would you trust the guy who said they would help you but (accidentally, which Percy didn't know) led you to a death trap? 9. Top two most powerful demigods 10. Literally my fav characters (until the Nico fanbase made Nico feel so overrated, still love him though)

Leo and Annabeth 1. Two badass geniuses 2. Two book smart people on a giant boat 3. Both searching for love (Annabeth was hurt by her family and Leo lost his) 4. ADHD madman and ADHD Annabeth "Stay up till 5AM to work" Chase 5. Where was the friendship between the smartypants?

There are more but these are my top 3 platonic relationships that Rick would have explored.

Thanks for reading! You can say your opinion, but no hate comments.

[that-ari-blogger]

Wicked's Existential Crisis

Deception is a big theme in Wicked. I don't think this is news to many people. The wizard is a wizard, truth is truth, happy is what happens when all your dreams come true.

Galinda embodies this pretty heavily, but so does Fiyero, although they do so in similar ways. They both lie to others, and realise that they have been lying to themselves later on.

But, you need a baseline before you get to character development. You need a benchmark for everyone to either move up or down from, depending on the genre.

In my opinion, Dancing Through Life establishes that benchmark, while asking a few more philosophical questions as it does.

Let me explain.

SPOILERS AHEAD

"Dancing through life, Down at the Oz Dust If only because dust Is what we come to. Nothing matters, But knowing nothing matters, It's just life So keep dancing through"

Fiyero, buddy, friend, pal... are you ok?

Dancing Through Life is the introduction of Fiyero, and there is a enormous difference between what he is saying and how he is saying it.

That dust line is actually a biblical allusion, with various Judeo-Christian books and prayers claiming that G-d created humans from dust, and that when someone dies, they return to that dust. Hence the "ashes to ashes, dust to dust" saying (source). So, Fiyero is nihilistic.

"Nothing matters, so why bother trying" is such a morbid idea, and its usually associated with emo music, either lots of drums and raw emotions, or quiet and sad. So, when Fiyero sings it as a musical theatre, bombastic full orchestra song, his message flies under the radar because it is so dissonant with the style.

That's the key here. Most of the time, people are nuanced, and stereotypes do not encompass the human experience at all. The emotionally confused or depressed or spiraling person isn't the one who sits in the moonlight writing sappy poetry, it's the person who manages to hide it the most easily because they've been doing it for the longest.

Fiyero is putting up a mask to hide his insecurities, and he is doing it by... not wearing a mask?

Lampshading is the practice of softening elements in a piece of media, letting the audience know that something is out of order or farcical, and turning it into a joke. Overly Sarcastic Productions (@comicaurora) has a video explaining the trope in detail.

In a weird way, this is what Fiyero is doing. He is turning his own crisis into a joke. He doesn't have to hide it if he can poke fun at it. He becomes self-referential, and tells people to move on past the words he is saying and focus on the fun dancing and music.

I see where Fiyero is coming from, here. Purpose is difficult to find in this world, and it definitely seems like neither good or bad are rewarded, and luck will do what it will. But I would like to present a counter point.

Everything Everywhere All At Once was easily the most emotionally powerful film of 2022, and it also discussed nihilism in detail. I don't want to get into plot spoilers, but this movie asks the question: If nothing matters, then what?

And the answer to this is clear: Everything. In a Cinema Therapy video on the film, Johnothan Decker states this:

"If nothing we do matters, then the only thing that matters is what we do."

Actions have whatever meaning we ascribe to them, and if we ascribe no meaning to anything, then everything has meaning on the same level. If nothing matters, then everything matters.

This segways into another core question of the musical and especially this song. Do intentions matter?

Galinda and Elphaba have a comedy of errors with the gift giving, specifically when Galinda sets up Nessa with Boq, and Elphaba arranges for her to receive a wand in return, contrasted with the infamous hat.

Galinda does things for personal gain, and accidentally makes someone's life slightly better for a moment, and Boq kind of does the same. Neither of the two cares about Nessarose, but they bring her happiness in the short term.

"We deserve each other, and Galinda helped it come true."

I mentioned in my post about The Wizard And I that this theme comes up there first, in association with meeting the wizard, and I think there is something else to it than just deception. Don't get me wrong, this is deception at work, Elphaba with the Wizard and Nessa with everyone around her. But that lie has a positive result here, for the moment.

It also separates the consequences from the intention. Elphaba sees the wizard and wants to improve the world, her hopes are on rocky foundations, but her actions are strong, and I have already mentioned what Galinda's actions do.

However, I would argue that intentions do matter, and that this musical agrees with me, and that is with Boq, a person whom I despise.

As a character, Boq is fascinating. He is a direct satire of the hopeless romantic of stereotypical fairy tales, think Ariel from The Little Mermaid, or Lancelot from the 1963 movie, Lancelot and Guenevere. Boq is trying desperately to court someone who does not care about him and has someone who does care fall from the sky in front of him, but he can't see past himself.

Now, pining is all well and good, you are allowed to pine, and if someone is attracted to you, there is no law that says you must be attracted back. But Boq goes a step further.

"It's because I'm in this chair and you felt sorry for me. Isn't that right?" "No! No! It's because you are so beautiful."

Boq had an opportunity to back out of the romance handed to him on a silver platter. He could have said it was just a dance, or even confessed that Galinda put him up to it, if he so desired. But Boq made a choice to keep stringing Nessarose along. He may have his reasons, but I think his actions are not excusable, and the gut punch at the end of the musical when he tells her that he never cared is a betrayal that could have been so easily avoided.

Boq and Fiyero go on to become key players in the "death" of the Wicked Witch of the West, and they do so for alternative reasons, and it reframes Dorothy's journey.

For a more nuanced explanation of what I mean, consider this: In 2019, youtuber Hbomberguy (Harry Brewis) raised $347000 for a Brittish charity organisation called Mermaids in a livestream of Donkey Kong 64, and he gave a speech in October of that year about why he did such a thing.

"I think secretly, we're always making one of two decisions, and we make that decision even if we don't know we're making it. You're either choosing to make life worse for someone you don't like, or better for people you care about. There is an actual difference, and I didn't realise I made the wrong choice until a lot of people came over and helped change the choice retrospectively."

What you are trying to do matters, because if you keep trying to do good, even if you hit roadblocks, if you are truly committed, you will eventually do some good in the world.

I actually like Brewis' definition of right and wrong here, because it isn't overly philosophical, it pertains to individual actions. You either make someone else's life better or worse.

I have been rambling around my point for a while, so let me make it concise. Dancing Through Life asks philosophical questions about life. What matters? Is it you? Is it your actions? Is it your intentions?

Final Thoughts

There are two other things I need to mention before I finish. First up, the extras are some of the best parts of this musical, and in this song, that is driven home. Everything comes across as so superficial, and not in a "that's bad acting" way, but in a "that's an actor playing a character who is acting" way. This carries over to Galinda's entire style of talking, but the extras knock it out of the park here. It means that the only sincere moments in the song hit with the relevant weight. Those being Elphaba and Nessa's conversation, and the Elphaba dance (something remarkably difficult to find images of).

That dance is the moment I see Glinda x Elphaba (I still refuse to use the Gelphie ship name) actually taking off, rather than in What Is This Feeling, because it's the first moment that the two see eye to eye, and Galinda finally understands Elphaba. She earns her friendship and trust by trying to make up for her mistakes. Galinda talks a lot, but actions speak louder than words, and that dance kicks off a love story.

Next week, I will be diving into Popular, a number that really takes apart the theming to an overt level only matched by one other song, and we will get to that one soon.

Previous - Next

[gryphis-eyes]

⊙ ἀγάπη

" Unable to perceive the shape of You, I find You all around me. Your presence fills my eyes with Your love, It humbles my heart, For You are everywhere. "

⊙ Welcome to this Shape of Water love reading, yes I finaly took my balls and make a love pac hehehe this reading isn’t truly a prediction its more of an assumption about what your ideal partner would be based on your present self but you can technically see this reading as a way to confirm who your next partner would be y’know. It was supposed to be longer but I decided to do it chill since im still a bit rusted lol but I really miss being active on tumblr. For more explaination, the ”core card” is found by additioning the numbers of the cards you picked with Lenormand, for me its a card that show the core/hidden part of a reading but you can use this method in other ways.

◇ Deck used : Rider Waite (only court cards), Lenormand

Masterlist ⊙

 

🜄 Pile 1  

♤ Key, book, ship 【core : coffin】

Court card : king of cups

They seem like someone who’s heart and mind are often clashing but despite it they are quite emotional intelligent, by this I mean that they might be very emotional by nature but they did learn to manage their emotions OR they take an intellectual approach to their feelings, is it a good thing or not ? Well its up to them because this kind of behavior can become toxic for themselves but i got a lot of cards who refer to them being very intelligent. They probably follow a specific philosophy or are into litterature in general, there is this dark academia vibe to them. Very hardworking, full of knowledge but never got enough at the same time, they got bof ”personal intelligence” and academic intelligence, talking to them about various subject must be a great experience for sure. Their intelligence and serious aspect make them quite sensual people might often look at them even if they dont seem to care about other’s look they seem introverted to me. Its like if someone stopped them to compliments them they would be a bit awkward like ”uh? Thank you I guess?”. Very INTP vibe. To be honest I was persuaded that I'll pick the King of Swords to them because of their vibe but not, its the King of cups with the Coffin as the core card so we got someone who have a cold exterior and keep their good side to themselves and to a very close group of people. They have been through tuff situation in their life, would I dare say that they might have experienced depression ? I see them as a melancholic King of cups, imagine an King alone on a cliff looking at the sea, so many thoughts are passing by from a strange theory about a myth to a sad realisation that they are indeed, a hopeless lover. Seems like someone needs to go under that shell to see their true self and heart (but not in a savior way, y’know).

🜄 Pile 2  

♤ Mouse, whip, house, 【core ; whip】

Court card : queen of pentacles

Your ideal partner seem to be... interesting for sure, when I took the first cards I was a bit worried but the last one put the pieces togheter. Basically you got someone who ready to risk it all just to have a quiet and comfy life in their house (the house can also symbolise your relationship), listen to Faith from Karen Aoki the lyrics match them but most importantly for the one who get the reference from where the song come from you might understand the reading in a quite twisted way haha. The character who’s listening to this song is a pretty bad person with a very clean and kind exterior. Of course im not saying that your ideal partner is 100% this character but they remind me of him because he goes as far as killing people to have his quiet life but your reading is LESS extreme haha it just reminded me of him a lot in a softer way. Your ideal partner might even had broken many hearts because they know what they worth and what they want in life and in love, probably even in work and we got an other hopeless lover. They are so focused on perfection that sadly, they became pessimistic wether its because things are too slow, they are faaar from their ideal life or just sometimes they ask themselves if they are good enough or ask for too much in the end but it doesn’t last long since they will quickly get a reminder to not make the bar lower. However when they finally get something wether its a person an animal or an object they take extremely good care of ”it” they are very nurturing and caring, probably got a sweet voice (and touch ?). Once they settle its for the long run, I get something  that they might need a reminder of not being too possessive with their partner because of course a partner is an other human being you can’t predict everything they would do, its the sad truth even the most loving wife can turn into a backstaber (that’s an exemple of course) they are probably terrified of the idea of being cheated on. Especially since they seek their ideal life it probably attract people with the intention to take and disappear. They need a big hug if you want my opinion they probably got some hard time with family and people while growing up. They need love and they know it.

🜄 Pile 3

♤ Sun, cross, Fox, 【core ; bouquet】

Court card ; King of wands

Alright you got the incarnation of the sun here, a golden person ! Very charismatic (and they know it) they make the room light up and when they smile the world is illuminated (I'll stop give it to their ego now). Your ideal partner’s personality remind me of Giorno from jjba. The big light of the sun is balanced by the cross and the fox who add some shade in a good way. Life have been hard on them and so they had to be a fox to survive, sneak their way into situation maybe even got to have jobs that they hated just to get enough money to escape their nasty place. Despite still having a hard time in life they keep up and seem to be always in all of their glory, they are a true born leader and dont mess around. I think if you try to trick them you'll fall from high ground since they are used to hardship nothing can stop them and their heart of gold will always feed their inner flame ! Like the sun they shine bright but alone, despite being great leaders they also do well alone and seem to value those hermit period. People might always say that they are about to fail or that their situation look doomed but you know what ? Even if its need to have some failed attempt they always end up wining,  like I said they are very determined and probably stubborn about their goal. Its someone that you can trust. They got the vibe of the movie Fantastic Mr.Fox, maybe they put a lot of effort into being impressive for ”the public”? Like if someone tell them they can’t do something they will be like ”oh really?” and end up doing this thing better than necessary. Its nice, its amazing but they need some rest and to stop feeling the need to show off all the time haha they know their limit and their worth so they know how to chose their battles, simply because of those things it look like they are always wining.

[hanilessa]

Can I please request part two of the previous request where this time Kazuha's wife is almost due to have their first baby and is nervous about it but he would calm down and try his best?

` Author’s notes: hello, dear anon!! thank u for your request! i really hope you like it <3 enjoy reading!!

also i would like to say that i'm in love with kazuha's voice… and when i wrote about his whisper, i completely melted >_<

` Kazuha x Fem!Reader

` Genre: fluff, romance, mention of pregnancy

Maple leaves gradually fell from the trees, letting the world know that late autumn was finally coming. It made you more nervous because you were about to give birth soon.

It was scary, you didn't know what to expect. It was the first time for you. Many times you imagined the day when you would go into labor, and the realization of this fact sent cold shivers down your skin.

You tried to distract yourself from obsessive thoughts, engaging in routine activities or your hobbies, but sooner or later your thoughts still returned to the starting point.

You tried to pretend that everything was fine so as not to worry Kazuha, but your husband began to notice changes in your behavior. This made him very worried, and he decided to ask you directly about what was bothering you.

You sat in a small rocking chair and read a book, stroking your big round belly. Your legs were covered with a cotton blanket and you felt very comfortable. It helped to relax.

Kazuha entered the bedroom you both shared with a glass of warm milk. You stopped reading and looked at your husband, smiling warmly at him. But he didn't seem to believe your smile at all.

"Honey, would you like some warm milk?" The man asked and sat in front of you on the bed. His red eyes skimmed over your face with concern, noticing the small bags under your eyes and your overall tired look.

"It would be fantastic!" You answered and put the book aside, taking a glass of milk in your hands. You lifted the glass to your lips and took a small sip. The warm liquid flowed pleasantly inside you, warming your body.

Kazuha continued to watch you, but his anxiety overcame him and he finally asked, "Y/n, is something bothering you?"

You raised your eyebrows in surprise and put the glass on the table, looking at your husband with a question. Kazuha's face kept a worried look.

"I'm fine." You bit your lip awkwardly and looked away to avoid meeting his penetrating eyes. After all, you knew that he could read your emotions and feelings just by looking into your beautiful eyes.

"Please, Y/n, be honest with me." You can't resist his pleading voice, and your hands slowly begin to tremble.

Kazuha notices this and immediately runs up to you, kneeling in front of you. He takes your small hands in his strong hands and begins to gently stroke them.

"Tell me, dear. I'll try to help you."

You take a deep breath, gathering all your thoughts together, and slowly begin to speak.

"I'm scared." Your body trembles slightly, as does your voice, but you keep talking. "The due date is coming soon, and it scares me a lot. Will something bad happen?"

Kazuha takes your face in his hands and strokes your cheeks with his fingers, helping you relax. You look into his beautiful eyes, which seem to have the power to take away all your worries.

"It will be all right, dear." Husband's whisper relaxes you, his hoarse sweet voice helps you calm down. "You will definitely get through this. You're very strong and brave! You will see! Everything will be fine. With you and with our baby."

Your crystal clear eyes filled with tears of happiness that quickly rolled down your face. You smiled at Kazuha and nodded, absolutely grateful for his support and love.

"Thank you."

"We'll manage, dear." Stroking your belly with his hand, he gave you a kiss, and you both melted into your love for each other.

And now, after a short period of time, your son was born. He was born the day after Kazuha's birthday. And for him it was the most wonderful gift in the world.

You smiled and held your baby in your arms, your face glowing with happiness as you cradled the baby in your arms. It was a gift from above, and Kazuha, smiling happily, wrapped you in a strong hug and stroked his son on the head.

"I love both of you."

[thecaffeinebookwarrior]

Am I the only person who doesn’t like Wonder Woman and thinks she is, in fact, a Mary Sue? I haven’t read or watched much with her in it so maybe I’m just basing my opinions on one Wonder Woman book I read where I thought she was written poorly.

But I don’t know. She’s literally everything a modern woman is supposed to be (sexy, strong, righteous, soft, etc.) and she never struggles. She’s always right, she never makes mistakes, and she’s very boring to me as a result. I haven’t seen the recent film, but I dislike the fact that they made her love babies. A lot of pressure is put on women to love babies/children and/or want one of their own, and if a woman doesn’t like or want them then she’s seen as a cold, callous bitch. So to me, that part seems like the writers put it in thinking ‘see she’s not an evil man hating feminist you guys, she loves babies!’

Idk. I know she’s seen as THE role model for women and girls but I just can’t understand her appeal. What exactly do you like about her?

Hello there!

As someone who grew up with a lot of Wonder Woman content, I have to personally disagree!

Like any major superhero, Wonder Woman gets a lot of good content and plenty of bad content, too.

Yes, she's idealized - but almost all superheroes are idealized. Superman is literally a mirror of the philosophical concept of the "Ubermensch," a term coined by Nietzsche meaning "superman" and describing an ideal human being. By this standard, he could also be described as a Mary Sue!

But just being beautiful, powerful, and good does not a Mary Sue make. These idyllic superheroes work well when they're put in circumstances that challenge them. It's fascinating to see characters that seemingly embody the highest reaches of human potential pushed to their limits, when we see that they too have flaws and weaknesses that they can overcome through perseverance.

You say that she "never struggles," but a good Wonder Woman writer knows that she NEEDS to struggle to be interesting. In shows like the animated Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, she and all the other major heroes are put in situations that challenge them on every level - physical (like fighting literal gods) and emotional (being banished from her home for bringing men to the island).

And also funny scenarios that put them at disadvantages, like being turned into children or a pig that then must be chased through the city by Batman (yes, both real episodes) that humanize them and show that they're not invulnerable.

For the more recent, live action movies, I liked the first Wonder Woman but not the second. I personally liked the fact that she was excited to see a baby, especially in the context that there were no babies on her island, because women are often expected to reject feminine characteristics to be strong.

I see your point, but I also have a different view regarding children: I think a lot of the oppression experienced by women is also experienced by children, and children are frequently dehumanized.

Not everyone who says they don't like kids is a bad person - I know plenty of great people who say they don't like kids - but I'm not really comfortable with the concept of disliking an entire group of human beings. Children have such varied personalities, just like any other group.

Granted, most people who say they don't like kids don't mean they dislike ALL kids, but it's still a sentiment I don't really like from a cultural standpoint.

As for women who don't WANT kids, I agree - it's deeply messed up that many people don't see women as complete or fulfilled unless they have kids. But (though it's been a while since I've seen it) I don't recall Wonder Woman in the 2017 movies planning to have children of her own. Plenty of women like children without intending to have them, myself included.

Again, though, I do see your point that the writers may have been trying to soften Wonder Woman in the eyes of the audience by having her love babies.

I still prefer that over the original Joss Whedon script, where a little girl at one point asks her to get a cat down from a tree (I think. Perhaps it was a lost toy) and Wonder Woman callously tells her to get it herself. To me, that plays into a sexist stereotype that women must reject all feminine attributes in order to be strong.

The sequel film, on the other hand, really embodies how NOT to write Wonder Woman in every way: largely exempt from moral criticism, inherently better than those around her, and with few meaningful challenges that aren't solved through plot convenience. She isn't "always right," however, because another flaw in that film's plot is the fact that she's learning a vague and contrived lesson of not cheating to get what she wants, though that's never explored in any way that feels human or applicable.

To conclude, I'll reiterate -- and this is just my opinion -- Wonder Woman is done GREAT when written by someone who understands the appeal of the character. Her idyllic characteristics apply to most superheroes, and can work great if the person writing her knows how to challenge her. I don't mind when she has feminine characteristics, and I love when all superheroes love kids, male and female. And last but not least, Justice League and Justice League unlimited reign supreme in terms of superhero content.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to ramble and spill my potentially controversial opinions!

[mimisempai]

Just a bad day

Summary

Even for an angel with a rather cheerful disposition, there are sometimes bad days, but fortunately at the end of the day, there's the comfort of his demon's arms.

Notes

50 Types of Kisses - Writing Prompts

Kiss #39: Kissing tears from the other’s face

On Ao3

Rating G -  672 words

Aziraphale didn't often have bad days, so when he had one like today, it hit him hard.

On days like this, doubt came to haunt him, he wondered if his happiness was real, he wondered if he really deserved it, he wondered if he was worth anything.

Aziraphale had gone through the day avoiding as many people as possible and immersing himself in the most boring tasks or reading book after book to avoid having to think. 

So when, at the end of the day, the angel heard the bookshop door open as Crowley returned from a session at the planetarium, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"Angel, are you in there? Today was really fantastic, it was a special session for kids, and they were absolutely enthralled, drinking in my words, and I have to say it's very refreshing to be listened to like that. Angel?"

Aziraphale smiled at first at the sound of the familiar voice, happy to hear the demon recount his day with such joy, but just as he was about to answer, his throat tightened and he couldn't hold back the unexplained tears that ran down his cheeks. It was an emotion he couldn't hold back, a mixture of joy, relief, too much happiness, he didn't know. He had an irrepressible need to cry, and knowing that he didn't need to wear a mask with Crowley, he let the tears flow.

He made his way to the center of the bookshop where Crowley's voice seemed to be coming from, but with his vision blurred by the tears, he didn't see that Crowley was already there and bumped into him.

"Angel, did you miss me so much that you threw yourself into my arms?"

The demon put his hands on his shoulders to steady him, then, seeing the angel's tear-stained face, asked in a worried tone, "Hey, what's wrong?"

Aziraphale shook his head, unable to answer.

Crowley asked him softly, "Can I hold you?"

The angel nodded, and that was all it took for the demon to wrap his arms around his lover and hold him tight before asking quietly, "Did something happen?"

Aziraphale shook his head again and murmured, his voice muffled by the demon's chest, "No, it's just, you know... one of these days..."

Crowley nudged Aziraphale a little before cupping his chin and asking thoughtfully, "Do you want me to take care of you? "

Aziraphale shook his head, uncertain, "I don't want to be a burden. "

The demon replied tenderly, "I'm not asking what you don't want to be, I'm asking what you need now. "

Crowley planted a soft kiss on Aziraphale's forehead before leading him over to the sofa to sit down.

Then he pulled the blanket from beside him and, once seated next to Aziraphale, pulled the angel into his arms, wrapping the blanket around them.

Aziraphale buried his face in Crowley's neck as his tears continued to flow. Crowley said nothing, just continued to hold Aziraphale, kissing his cheeks from time to time, catching the tears with his lips.

The two of them remained in this comforting embrace until the tears had dried and Crowley felt Aziraphale relax against him.

Then he asked him softly, "Are you feeling better, Angel?"

Aziraphale lifted his head and, with a trembling smile, responded to Crowley with a kiss. 

He did indeed feel better, thanks to this demon who understood him better than anyone. Since the beginning of time.

The demon that allowed him to be himself.

The demon who accepted everything from him, even on bad days like today.

The demon he didn't have to hide his tears from.

He snuggled up to Crowley again and murmured against his chest, "I love you."

The demon wiped away a last tear with his thumb and kissed his hair before holding him tight again.

"I know... I love you too."

And there, just like that, the last remnants of the angel's bad day vanished into the comforting embrace of the demon who loved him.

_________

Still not beta'd

Still not my native language

Still hoping you'll enjoy this story  🥰

Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝

Ineffable kisses series : here

Ineffable Growing Love - Series post S2

Part 1 Story 1-99

Part 2 Story 100-?

[dainesanddaffodils]

okay so I think I have maybe like 2 mutuals who are ffxiv enthusiasts, but I gotta yell into the void about my warrior of light and the fact that, in true oc fashion, she went and did her own thing without my consent and now I gotta deal with all the feelings it is giving me

so, my partner finished endwalker last year and Had Many Emotions about it and afterword I said, sure, put me in Character Creation For Fun I Won't Do Anything About It

but then I made a cute little Au Ra and named her Cimorene to reference my fav childhood book series and I was like, oh no I love her I guess I'll have to put her through The Trauma that is this whole game

(I know there is much trauma, again, because I witnessed my partner finishing endwalker and she also would tell me things about what was going on, vague enough - and long ago enough - that I'm not like SUPER spoiled on what I have ahead of me, but like, enough that I know shit is Sad)

but ANYWAY I was still pretty casual about this because, friends, I am not a Gamer. The last game I played, that wasn't a Mariokart/Mario Party/Smash that I've played at a friend's house, was like... on my family game cube 15+ years ago. I want to be a gamer but my brain can't find time for it... until now

so I'm casually trucking along through a realm reborn doin my little white mage quests and meeting the characters my partner has cried about, especially this one guy called thancred - of whom I had heard quite a lot about and my brain had already decided, I want that one.

(he's voiced by Taliesin Jaffe at first, he's a pretty white haired anime boy with trauma, he's got horrible coping mechanisms, what was I supposed to do? to quote Richard Gansey, "Crushed and Broken, just the way women like 'em")

so that was like in the back of my mind because obviously my little baby wol has to go through a lot and he has to go through a lot (most of which I am well aware of) before that's going to take off and even then I already imagine it's going to be a sort of background tension they refuse to actually speak on but both just Know for like, ever (yes my favorite ship is Roy and Riza from FMA why do you ask)

but then I'm like a little over halfway through this first installment and a bunch of awful things happen to my baby for the first time and I'm kinda invested in how she's having a kind of terrible time and the first group of people she'd felt some kind of belonging with are in danger and she feels lost and helpless -

and my partner is sitting next to me watching me play and starts getting excited about the fact that I'm close to meeting another character

that character is haurchefant

and I had never heard them talk about him before so I didn't really know who he was, but he's the first person to be genuinely kind to my warrior after several very bad days. they're in a fortress in an eternal winter and he's still the warmest person she's met in a very long time...

and I thought, oh that's so nice I'm glad she got someone in her corner now after all that shit, anyway moving on

but then, like for the following few days I kept. thinking about it. about how much that would have meant to her, about how lonely she had been feeling before meeting him and how, now that she's found that, she kind of just, wants to be around him

and it hit me that, without my own consent on it, Cimorene had said, I want that one.

so now I have to deal with my baby's first love (which, judging by my partner and her friends reactions when I told all of this to them, is going to be a fucking tragic first love) when I hadn't expected to deal with that at all and now I'm like really really invested in this dumb game

(this got way longer than expected, I just had to Yell. also this is probably a precursor for things to come. I may be reblogging Final Fantasies up in here before long)