#this applies to everyone else now they're just in different shapes

[m340700]

so i'm trying to figure out how to make a single dca mask where i just spin a part of the face plate and retract the rays to turn sun into moon (hence the several layers) and.

Burger

[wrotelovelytears]

Nymph on the track

Literally don't know what I'm doing

‍♀️The 22° does represent a type of death (and y'all can cry about it). Death isn't always the leaving of the physical plane, it could be the active suppression of something that leaves one feeling not complete/whole.

🐍I have this degree on my Moon, and when I tell you people constantly try to make me suppress my emotions AND when I actively do so I don't feel as complete as when I'm being my normally expressive self. It feels like part of me is gone not that I'm physically gone.

‍♀️As someone with a Jupiter in my first house I have no idea where people got this happy go lucky idea from. I've been told countless times I'm more of a realist or even a pessimist at times. And no my Jupiter doesn't have a ton of negative aspects (there's more positive ones).

🐍I believe Jupiter First house is more of a sign of hyper awareness of self (hence the realism) not ignorance.

🐍I am very aware of my limits and literally will not push myself if I know something is pointless.

‍♀️ I've been stuck in a Saturn ruled year/pattern for the past two years and in two years I'll be starting my Saturn return. I no longer like the number two

‍♀️This applies to the doms/venuses of these modialites Cardinals attract people in the same age range. Fixed attract people older. Mutable attract younger.

‍♀️As a Venue square Ascedant I can tell you now, I love the way I look until someone says something negative then I'm mad the rest of the day. In vice versa if someone says something positive that makes my whole day.

‍♀️I've also notice I get a lot of stares outside (regardless of what I wear), yes my Venus is in the 10th house, that might play a larger role in why others perceptions of me impact me so much.

‍♀️Pluto makes people really blunt and forward with you.

‍♀️Just because one has fame degrees it doesn't mean you'll actually be famous. Depending on the signs/planets/houses it's found in

‍♀️Aqua first house traits: Being called "UniQUe", Major rbf, diamond shaped head (yes you got a big head), coming off different than others in the room (if everyone is bubbly, you mean;if everyone is mean, you bubbly), calling people out then being upset about getting attention

‍♀️Aquarius placements might like the whole "-core" idea a lot. I have no idea why (it's literally just regular traits and interests being turned into a personality but that's just me)

‍♀️Having all three modalities in your big three can show you have great intuition. However your mars sign impacts how much you use said intuition.

⋘ 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑎... ⋙

‍♀️Sun and Neptune are to intuition while Uranus and Mars are to expedition

‍♀️Despite an empty 11th house I tend to care too much about friends. Then I realized I have a 7th house Mars and North Node, therefore relationships are the focal point of my life. So no the 11th house isn't about friendships completely it's about your broad socialization.

‍‍♀️Having a first and seventh house stellium make you an ambivert. You wanna be around others but on your own terms.

‍♀️7th house NN is completely about using relationships to shape yourself into your best version. It's about experiencing all the social parts of life and learning the lessons that come with it.

‍♀️I might be biased but I've never met a Taurus I (out right) hated. I vibe so well with them (unless they start acting goofy).

‍♀️Having Neptune and Venus heavily impact you can make you idealistic, fluid, and

‍♀️Saturn is the most ghetto planet. I have nothing else to say in this.

‍♀️Heavy Pluto influence makes one seek out others reactions. Not that they're insecure they just love attention (don't even lie about it).

‍♀️That also applies to Scorpios, they do shit just for a reaction. The only case it might be out of some form of insecurity is if paired with Aquarius or Leo.

𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. . .

‍♀️As Pluto transits Aquarius we might see more people diagnosed with nerve problems and long term illness.

‍♀️Another thing about Pluto in Aqua is the increase in cultish behavior/ organizations, terrorist attacks, and standoffish actions. Like I've seen people become real... racist, classist, sexist etc. Almost like all the behaviors we agreed were gross are now okay.

‍♀️North Node in Aries isn't helping with the lack of sociability. I wouldn't be surprised if people started being more individualistic to the point of isolation.

‍♀️Geminis got big ass ears (better to hear everyone's business with)

‍♀️Gemini kids may be vocal a lot sooner than their peers

🐍May also be more curious than other children

‍♀️Sag kids might really like fixed sign adults. Sag adults on the other hand...

‍♀️I mentioned a lot of Scorpios/Pluto doms may work well/with kids but I've noticed the sister sign Taurus might do just as well and work with kids too.

‍♀️Gemini adults are great with babies/toddlers, older kids not so much (because of similarities in disposition)

�� ... ⋙

‍♀️I've seen a lot of memes about kids "suddenly being aware of their surroundings" and the most notable ages that come up are 3,4 and 5 year olds. The magical astrology thing that happens around that age is your first Saturn square. That's why you'll see those kids asking a lot more why and essential questions

‍♀️Y'all gonna be mad, but the Sag/Gemini axis has more.... "familiar" issues than the Cap/Cancer one. I'm sorry I don't make the rules.

‍♀️I'm sorry but having a 5th house stellium is not an indicator of creativity. I've met and seen quite a few that couldn't draw a fucking line if you gave them an outline. They tend to be more gifted in whatever the sign is over their fifth house rather than "creativity" in general.

🐍My mom has a fifth house stellium but can't draw, color OR paint (despite taking plenty of art classes) to save her life. Yet she is an extremely good person with health based and routine problems (isn't a doctor but can easily tell you something a doctor would).

‍♀️The fifth house really can tell your preferences. I don't just mean "intellectual" or "sympathetic", it could also talk about the appearance and disposition of individuals as well.

🐍Gemini over the 5th can indicate the preference for androgynous (presentation, gender, energy) folks. That could be someone who dates gnc/non binary people more than cis or aligned trans folk. Or be with people who don't conform to gender roles (in a societal sense) by having equal masculine and feminine traits.

⋘ ᴛʀʏ ʟᴀᴛᴇʀ... ⋙

‍♀️I've been wondering when people were going to stop (over) hyping the K *insert literally anything* industry. And I realized it won't be until Neptune is out of Pisces. I made a post a hot minute ago about Korea being specifically the arts being linked to Neptune. And seeing that Neptune in Pisces high key started the globalization (the idea even) of many Korean based arts, it's not going to chill out until Neptune dances its way into Aries.

‍♀️Speaking of Neptune in Aries, we can expect a drastic change in media, the likes and overall expectations of the entertainment industry (that includes physical and digital artists as well). Since more "warish" "rough/hospitable" countries are ruled by Aries we could see the rise of heavy metal, folk (that includes heavy drumming not the more gentle one that's Cancer's domain), and loud, rough music.

🐍We would see a change from fantastical beauty being the standard to people who look like they've seen some shit. There would definitely be a decrease in cosmetic surgery HOWEVER it might also be an increase in steroid usage (everyone wants to look strong).

🐍We could also see more wars, aggression and overthrows during this time. The last time Neptune was in Aries was the mid 1800s. That was a time of government overthrowing, revolts around racial/ethnic inequality (Haitian Revolution, Civil War, Qing dynasty getting jumped, etc etc).

🐍We might actually see true differences made in the world due to this shift.

‍♀️I haven't really seen people talk about Uranus since last year so I just wanted to talk more about what this Taurus and future Gemini transit means.

🐍We have already seen banks and economies crashing. It's only been a few months of Uranus in Taurus and financial stability is looking like a whole joke. While this may not seem big to some or others may be looking forward to this, it's a very big cautionary sign. Since the world does rely on paper/coin currency having banks and whole economies flat line doesn't just mean we'll have some communist revolution, it means we'll have to quickly adapt to a skill base trade or watch the world go up in flames. We could see more wars, famines and disease due to this. I haven't seen anyone touch on the increasing tensions in the world due to the high inflation rates. Yes I mentioned more wars in the Neptune observation but with it corresponding with the current economic instability, yeah. We do have to learn trade/life skills because other things are becoming obsolete.

🐍Another Uranus in Taurus observation is the increased use in technology. You might be confused why this is being mentioned with Uranus and not Pluto, but I'll explain. Taurus is linked to stability and comfort (very similar to the 2nd house), and due to the ease technology gives many folks, it's not surprising we see more and more being used. This leans more into Uranus in Gemini, but AI technology will (for better or worse) become integrated into everyday life. That means communication will change drastically because teachers most likely won't be mostly humans but AI and robotic. Many languages might end up fully dying out by the time Gemini Uranus comes around because no one will be writing and verbalizing them anymore. In the near future I can already tell people will get more lazy in certain aspects leading to a decline in creativity and diversity. Because why should I have to think harder and be uncomfortable when there are things available to do that for me. We could see the rise of more mega cities (think Tokyo) due to human population clustering in certain areas and leaving others. Honestly the thing I can see happening and kinda fear is lack in biodiversity leading to us just cloning to make up for life lost.

‍♀️I said in a previous observation that Aquarius is linked to Nuerodivergence and now I figured out how. It relates more to the "physically visible" ones. I'm taking Tourettes, Epilepsy and Alzheimer's.

(If you learned something new or would just like to support me you can leave a wittle tip via the tip button or one of the links in my masterlist. Kofi: nymphdreams🧸)

[pomplalamoose]

If you are ever down I would love your take on a Luke with a ND partner, maybe one who isn't expressive or picks up on social cues. says what ever comes to mind. Takes things a little too literally, is blunt in conversations. Like someone who struggles with their tone so people think they're bored or mean when they really have constantly racing thoughts and new ideas and are always open to new relationships.

I'm pretty sure it has never taken me this long to answer an ask before, but I wanted to make sure I'd put the same time and effort into yours as I did with every other one so far. Sadly I never seemed to get the free time to do so until now, so I REALLY want to thank you for your patience, anon, and hope you're happy with the result🩵

Please note though that for requests like these I'm only able to draw from my own experiences which possibly differ from those of others.

Accordingly nothing I said about "you" is meant to impose any kind of insinuations about behavioral patterns on those reading this, nor is it my intention to criticize or sound harsh in any way.

It goes without saying that Luke, as a friend as well as a partner, couldn't be any more wonderful to be around and I believe that especially for someone on the neurodivergent spectrum it's basically a dream come true to date him.

(Apart from that he's definitely that one friend who listens to you when you think nobody else does and waits for you when you need to stop to tie your shoe laces.)

He's empathetic and sensitive to the emotions of those surrounding him and thus would never make you feel like you don't belong, are weird for acting a certain way, or like you'd be better off pretending to be something you're not to "fit in".

And while Luke's connection to the Force certainly adds a lot to the fact that he has no trouble reading you, he would manage to just as well without it.

Still there's no denying how useful his abilities could prove themselves to be in a relationship, especially should his partner struggle with expressing themselves.

I won't go into much more detail though, because many of the things I already talked about in my other posts regarding his understanding and supportive character can be applied here as well.

(e.g. Master Luke Skywalker headcanons, Luke with a partner on their period, Luke x a reader with mental health issues, breaking down in front of Luke)

However I think it'd be really interesting to take a look at his initial reaction to getting to know a neurodivergent person with the behavioral features you described since I believe they differ depending on which Luke era we're talking about.

• ANH Luke wouldn't even bat an eye

• on Tatooine everyone has to put up a rough exterior in order to protect oneself

• it's not a place of friendly conversations and common niceties; people know they're better off minding their business and staying on their own

• you're very blunt and speak your mind?

• you seem unfazed, even bored during most encounters?

• good for you, it's not easy to navigate this corner of the galaxy and much safer to hold others at a distance

• growing up Luke came across a wild array of all kinds of beings too, one more interesting (and really scary) than the other

• he's not put off, instead even used to supposed unfriendliness

• also he doesn't know anything about where you're from and your people, maybe that's just the way they are and how you were raised?

• he probably thinks you're very cool too

• because surely you have seen a lot? Been on great adventures across the galaxy?

• he really wants to do the same

• if you come across as mean without meaning to it's not a big deal, it only makes him want to spend even more time with you

• ("if mean, then why friend-shaped??")

• most importantly ANH Luke judges a person more by their actions than their words, so there is absolutely no need to worry about how he may perceive you

• it's safe to say you're not getting rid of him as it's nearly impossible to shake him off once he decides he wants to be someone's friend

• he's more than delighted once you get to know each other better and it turns out his intuition was right!

• ESB Luke, on the other hand, may be a bit slower to come around

• not necessarily because he dislikes you but because he doesn't have the time nor the patience to put effort into really getting to know you

• people talk and so he probably heard a thing or two that has him eyeing you curiously

• most likely he won't pay you much mind as he's gone most of the time anyways

• generally speaking though, I think you'd get along pretty well, Luke is a friendly and open minded person after all and would surely grow fond of your quirks before even knowing about their source

• still there's a possibility of the two of you butting heads should it come to an actual meeting

• nothing really severe, of course, but still I can see Luke growing easily frustrated at, for example, your lack of expression, or at your questions when you don't quite get something and want to make sure you understood everything correctly

• and while he's not going to show it or tell you outright that he thinks you're a bit annoying, he's not that good at surpressing dramatic sighs or a roll of his eyes

• HOWEVER if you catch him off guard with blunt words said in a tone that could come across as mean it could definitely get a rise out of him

• after all we get to see that he has developed a certain attitude; he's snippy, quick to talk and slightly judgemental

• (mainly towards Han and Yoda but I can see him acting this way quite often because of all that he's being put through)

• I'm sure that under different circumstances Luke wouldn't react as strongly but with how things are during ESB he might hurt your feelings without meaning to

• once the dust settles and he has a quiet moment to himself he'll feel awful though and most likely seek you out to make amends

• naturally RotJ Luke is a different story altogether

• (the character development this man went trough is absolutely crazy, and I'm amazed every time I do comparisons like these)

• before even taking to you for the first time he'd regard you with a warmth and patience you seldom get to experience

• he quietly smiles to himself when he overhears you having a conversation in that special way of yours or when he senses something sparking an idea

• he appreciates your bluntness

• maybe at first you'd think he's laughing at you but don't worry, he just thinks you're cute

• he feels you in the Force, senses your excitement, your curiosity

• it draws him in

• he is able to see you as a whole, not just what you present on the outside, and so isn't deterred by what others would view as a potential attack or criticism

• (take notes ESB Luke)

• once you've grown closer he's always there to point out social clues you might have missed and/or walks you through certain situations to explain how your behavior might have looked to others when it's something you're worried about

• often he knows what you're going to say before you do and, if that's what you want, gives you a sign you agreed upon, letting you know if maybe it'd bet better for you to be silent instead

• (he absolutely explains dumb sexual jokes to you when you don't get them and I don't care how self indulgent this is, I could really use someone to do that for me, thank you very much)

[tavshortfortavern]

Urban Druid!Tav

Just discovered Urban Druids and Circle of the City. Its a homebrew subclass for druids but they're whole thing is going against the traditional druids even more so than Spores and Dreams. Everyone thinks cities would be the opposite of nature but urban druids believe that cities are their own ecosystems. Will now be applying this to my Tav.

Imagine Urban druid Tav who adapts to both being in the wild and in the city. They love nature for its tranquility but can't stay away from the chaos in city. Their subclass has buffs depending on wether the terrain their on is natural or manmade.

First shows up to the Grove, they're sort of discretely rolling their eyes at the typical reclusive druids. Especially when the Rite of Thorns is brought up. Like. Really? That's how your going to help preserve nature? By ignoring people and staying in your little bubble?

It goes against what they stand for. People are just as much a part of nature. They find they could learn a lot and help nature even more with mankind's wisdom. They ditch the whole secrecy and reclusiveness most circles hold sacred to aid people in cities, bringing nature to them but also teaching them to use nature as a tool. (Basically how to live sustainably)

They banter with Dammon about druids only using wood as if metal isn't from nature just shaped in man's hands. Rocking up to the grove in heavy armor (this subclass could have proficiency in them as like a tank). They save a literal child from being murdered ("These crazy hermits... *mumble*). They jump right in to helping that one refugee with the stew taste better.

Just vibing more with these 'outsiders' than the druids. They're used to helping the marginalized and downtrodden in the cities. People left behind by those better off.

Stepping into the temple to get rid of all the goblins they showcase some of their abilities. One of their abilities lets them sense how many people there are in a manmade building and where they are.

At the end they save the grove and stop the ritual. They gain a new alley Halsin who seems more open-minded than the rest of them. Score.

Imagine them in Baldur's Gate. We saw how badly it kinda chafed Halsin. It would be an intresting juxtaposition to Tav who settles in just fine and immediately blends in with everyone. Soon they'll know the best places to get a meal from and the best shortcuts.

The city itself might know their purpose and arranges things to suit their needs.

To them there is no line between nature and cities. Life should be encouraged to grow everywhere. Its just in a different form. From the animals and creatures people considered vermin. The trees may not remember the forest but they know the history of this city, of every event that happened, and of words spoken.

Someone else had this idea before but urban druids can be scary in cities. Their whole thing is area of effects spells and their in a city with narrow alleys and paths. They can speak and befriends animals, starting up a whole spy network with the rats, crows, and other vermins. Heck they can spy too thanks to wildshape and blend in with the stray dogs and cats. Eyes and ears everywhere that others can't even detect with magic.

[esthermitchell-author]

Headcanon/FanFic "Why"

Okay... I understand everyone has their own take on everything, and I fully support "to each, their own." But I think I need to explain a couple of pertinent "whys" to my headcanon/fanfic decisions... particularly as to applies to one subject: parenthood.

Why did I do it? Why did I give them a child?

Well, there are a few reasons, and the one that is NOT a reason is to be a slap in anyone's face, or act like I think having children is the end-all of a relationship or marriage (even though marriage is a very real practicality, from a legal aspect, once you have a child -- particularly for LGBTQ couples. It's a sad fact of the world we live in that without marriage/adoption papers, one parent can find themselves without any legal ground if something happens to the biological parent. )

Now, to the reasons I DID do it (not all of these are going to make sense to everyone -- some are VERY personal to me -- so just understand these are MY reasons... you don't have to agree with them.):

Crowley presents in a way that lends him to actually being a very devoted and protective parent, and I wanted to explore that. Throughout both the book and the series, we see Crowley interact and engage with children in a very different way than he does with adults. Adults annoy him. He quickly runs out of patience (if he has any to start) with adults. But with children, he is far more patient. We get this first in his appalled reaction to the news of the impending flood. He seems rather ambivalent about the destruction of the adults. But when he realizes the children are also included in that destruction, his expression goes from mild "well, that's a little extreme, but okay" to complete "that's utterly barmy! We need to get all these kids out of here!" Then, with Job's lot -- he could have just destroyed them -- especially after the older two started annoying him (less patience - but they're closer to adults) -- but his response to Jemimah ("that's all right. You haven't annoyed me, yet." and then his acquiesence to her request to "be a blue one" while still maintaining the tone of an indulgent parent, rather than an annoyed demon) borders strongly on parental. He finds her adorable, imaginative, and not at all annoying. Fast forward to Warlock. Now, as an infant, he seems a little ambivalent, but I think that was more because he just saw the kid as the source of the end of the world. But later, even as he's trying to mold the boy into the evil incarnate he's supposed to, he is almost tender -- or as tender as he can be, given what he's supposed to be up to -- with Warlock. And yes, he did talk about killing first Warlock and then Adam, but when the chips came down, he was supportive and encouraging toward Adam. He just has this parental feel to him that calls for an inquisitive young mind to help shape, and once he's allowed to really express his emotions, I think a child brings out that side of him without fearing rejection.

2. Aziraphale has a need to take care of someone. Yes, he can take care of Crowley, but eventually, without an additional outlet, I can see that concern getting smothering to the demon. Aziraphale needs a redirect for his natural propensity to worry about someone else's welfare and comfort. And I keep going back to A Companion to Owls, and can't get the image of two things out of my mind: the way Aziraphale's face softens and he just has that look of wanting to immediately praise Jemimah's good work making the pot when the girl announces she made it, and then the way he hovered over the bowl full of gecko/children with that parental worry, making sure they were safe and comfortable, and not scared. Also, he worried about Eve's unborn child so much at Eden, he gave up his flaming sword to make sure she and the baby were going to be okay. He's gentle and patient with Warlock, and he's hesitant to harm either Warlock or Adam, and the gentle way he speaks to Adam, and talks about how much he worried about how Adam would turn out.

3. Here's the very personal one: I loved the idea of creating a child for them that would come from Heaven, because the idea of a child of the heart/spirit soothes something very personal inside of me. I lost a child many years ago -- I was in an accident and had a miscarriage when I was 5 months along with my daughter. Just a few weeks after losing her, I lost her father, as well. I have been walking around with a large piece of my heart and soul missing, for a very long time. And since part of my headcanon for my fanfic is that Crowley and Aziraphale share a piece of their heart and always have (you have to read the fic to get all the nuance -- I'm not going to explain it, here), and I created something called the Starlight Chamber in Heaven (this was originally the "workshop" of the angel Crowley was), this was a way I brought it all together. Creating a daughter for them gave me a very personal connection to the story, without the cringey aspect of being a part of the story.

4. This is the biggest part, though: It just WORKS. It makes the story richer, makes their story more complete. Jemima adds a dimension, an element to their story, that brings more joy, more love, (and yes, more worry, but hey...). She's adorable, has facets of both of their personalities, plus her own little quirks that complement their personalities. She completes the picture, in my headcanon. And I think that's reason enough. 😊

[via-rant]

Comfort character Leo Valdez sounds (starting with aus) because I can't draw and I have no motivation to actually learn:

Gaea: This latest little game of yours. Thank the Gods it's over. Did you have fun? Did you get everything out of your system?

Leo: I-

Gaea: Good, good. Everyone is so relieved. Welcome home Leo.

-----------

Leo: You guys have no idea what it's like. She knows what a shitty person I am but she still smiles at me.

-----------

Leo as a kid sensing something wrong: Where are you going?

Some guy who took him in: Ah..... Just on a little trip.

Leo: [name redacted]? Will I ever see you again?

The guy: Sure you will kid. Sure you will.

Leo wanting to believe it: Well then. Goodbye [name redacted]. I'll miss you.

The guy: Goodbye.

------------

Percy: THAT'S ENOUGH!! GIVE US BACK OUR FRIEND!! OR ELSE!!

Leo: Now isn't. This. INTERESTING?!

(Be informed that these are all different aus I came up with and they're not well thought out. At all. Also that was the last one.)

--------------

Frank: You didn't tell me they were part of a gang!!

Leo: What difference does that make?

Frank: What diff- They're dangerous!

Leo: I. Was part of a gang.

(After meeting with one of Leo's old friends.)

--------------

Piper: It's not your fault.

Leo: I know. I mean I know, but I don't always know y'know? Like sometimes there's a tiny voice in the back of my head that goes "Hey, everyone hates you and they're not wrong to feel that way."

(This can be applied to literally any situation he was in.)

--------------

Leo: I sacrificed a ton and tried to be a good kid.

Some asshole: What have you ever sacrificed?

Leo: Everything. I gave up everything to be a good kid.

Asshole: Oh please. You died because you wanted to be a hero.

Leo: I'm not talking about my death, I'm talking about my life! I gave up my whole! LIFE!!

--------------

Terra (11): You're my best friend Leo! Cause I'm special! A-and you're special-

Leo (11): WE'RE NOT SPECIAL!!

Leo: Don't you get it?! We'll never be one of them, we're freaks! We're not special Terra!! It's just something your mom told you to make you feel better about yourself because you CAME OUT WRONG!!!

(Like everyone else I made up a lot of stuff Leo went through while he was on the run.)

----------------

Leo: Why would I make them so uncomfortable?

Hazel: It probably has to do with your reputation.

Leo, smirking: I have a reputation?

Hazel: They see your fire, how much you can control it, it's....

Leo frowning: Freaky?

Leo, setting his hands on fire: Do you think I'm freaky?

------------------

A voice: Do you blame yourself?

Leo:...... What?

Voice: Well it's quiet common in this situation for a patient to feel a kind of... Guilt.

Leo: What situation?

Eidolon, showing itself: The accident.

--------------------

Percy: No your wrong, she loves you.

Leo rolling his eyes: No that's where you're wrong. They act like they love you. They act like they'll be there forever. Then one day they make you pack up all your things and kick you out and leave a 12 year old orphan to fend for himself!!

(Leo meeting Percy's mom and stepdad for the first time. I specifically chose this situation because of what the original audio was.)

---------------------

Piper: I think you'll get it some day.

Leo: Get what?

Piper: Love silly.

Leo: Well what if I don't want a partner?

Piper: Who said anything about a partner? Love comes in all shapes, sizes, and forms darling, self-love being one of them. It's a hard one to get at, that's for sure but once you have it, it's certainly nice to have.

(Aroace Leo Valdez my beloved.)

[toasteaa]

ooh ooh 🦋 and 🪽 (that emoji isn't working for me but just in case it is the one for trope!). feel free to answer them about you and your f/o or about your ocs and their love interest, i will just be happy to read them!!! ;w; go hog wild Have Fun!!!

NAT 😭💕 You've activated my trap card and now I won't shut up about Éclair and Neuvillette ehehe

random selfship ask game

🦋 — what kind of dates do you and your f/o’s go on? Hmmm...I don't think they go actual dates per say! Or more like, they don't call them dates. They call them "working later than necessary but neither of them want to leave first". Sometimes that involves going to Hotel Debord to get a change of scenery from either of their offices, and sometimes it involves more conversation that it does work, but that's just what coworkers do, right? Right?

Neither of them like sticking around too many people for too long after work though (and the fact that Hotel Debord is far too close to The Steambird for their liking - too many people like to make presumptions) so more often than not, they'll just...walk. It's not what most people would consider a "date", but it's one of the only things that gets Neuvillette out of his office. Never during the peak hours of the day though; they'll either walk to work together or Neuvillette will walk Éclair home at the end of the work day. It wasn't always like that, especially since Neuvillette comes and goes at ungodly hours of the day, but it's slowly adjusted the longer they've worked together to reflect both of their schedules. Just a few little moments of peace before the grind of work puts them back in the places.

I also like to think about the really rare moments that are more appropriately date shaped - like the times where Neuvillette has invited Éclair to spend the evening with him in his home. Completely innocently of course; spending time listening to spincrystals, sharing stories they've likely never told anyone else - just having time to themselves to, well, be themselves. There's always something in the stretches of silence and even after they've gone to bed (separately, of course) that neither of them address, but that's okay. It's not like these are *actually* dates, right?

🪽 — what is/are you and your f/o’s trope(s)?

I think it's pretty obvious at this point that they're firmly in the "not actually unrequited love, they're just idiots" camp but what if I told you their relationship is also the slowest burning chunk of mutual pining I've ever seen? And EVERYONE can see there's something between them EXCEPT them?

Outside of that, I'm always a sucker for a good Sun and Moon pairing. The only difference is that instead of Éclair being the "super sunshiny bright one", she's the "delightfully smug one that teases". It's more warm than it is actual teases (like when she calls him "vieux/mon vieux"), but I also love the trope of the flirty one and the stoic one.

I'm pretty sure there are like, a ton of other tropes that could apply to them, but my brain is NOT working and I can't think of any, I'm sorry!!! 😭

[tainbocuailnge]

Will we ever get a full expert opinion tier list of female Fate characters who should and should not have slicked back hair?

that sounds like a lot of work that would grow outdated the moment a new banner drops so instead I'm going to explain some of the design patterns around hairstyle in fate so that you can use your own brain to determine when slicked hair is the best choice (because no matter how horny i may be, the answer is not "always")

first of all there's a difference between base design and alternate outfits for ce's, costumes, fanart, etc. if it's an alternate outfit you should always consider slicked hair because alt outfits have much more leeway in how they should fit into the overall design patterns and depending on the context the look being somewhat out of character will actually be its charm point. you should consider different hairstyles just in general actually, not just slicked, because anime characters tend to rely a lot on the shape of their hair to be recognisable so changing the shape of the hair without accidentally turning them into someone else (especially with how many characters already intentionally look similar) is a good design challenge. pako changes karna and arjuna's hair around a lot for example, but my favourite case is actually mephy's ce's. it's a complete image change every time but you can still see it's the same clown

now as I've explained in the other post slicked hair is a style that takes active effort to achieve, so it signifies someone who does not care that they are seen but they do care how they are seen. slicked hair is a display of competence, confidence, authority, and the desire to inform others of these qualities (regardless of the truth of this claim). there are simpler ways to get your hair out of your face without actually slicking it so slicked hair conveys a degree of vanity, a concern with appearances. a slicked hair character either thinks they're hot shit, or they want other people to think they're hot shit. tightly pushed back hair conveys propriety rather than the boisterous confidence of spiky hair, but either way what it says is "I know what I'm doing". not everyone is confident and not everyone who is confident will also be concerned with appearances enough to slick their hair about it, so while slicked hair is universal as sex appeal it's not always appropriate as character design element.

also since we're talking female characters and those tend to have long hair i have to make the distinction between pushing your hair back and having it pulled back in a ponytail, these are very different flavours and I'm talking about the former (although they can overlap in the case of someone with bangs pushing them back while also having a ponytail). ponytails have a practical element to them that slicked hair lacks by virtue of the effort required. hairbands on the other hand will subtly enhance the flavour of slicked hair if used in the right context.

slicked hair Does also carry connotations of masculinity because of how aforementioned traits are designated masculine in type moon (but also anime design in general) so that is still something to consider in how you apply it, not to dissuade you from applying slicked hair to female characters but to do so with intent and purpose. drake, musashi, kiichi, kagetora, these all would have their hotness enhanced immensely if their standard design had slicked hair because that touch of masculinity is already part of their sex appeal. quetzalcoatl, medb, jing ke, the likes of these have the benefit of hair accessories to get the intentional display of confidence while maintaining the more feminine appeal they also have to get the best of both worlds. koyanskaya's ideal secretary + head of an interdimensional weapon dealing empire image begs for a slicked hair look. atalante should honestly have her hair back just because it makes her look faster + resembles lion's mane. the list goes on.

there's a bit of muddled water when it comes to hair like achilles or protocu or saber lancelot have, where part of it is pushed back but they still have that bang. i don't really count those as slicked hair but they're often still designed with the intent of dipping into that confident slicked hair image and whenever I do see a female character with her hair back it's usually like this. it's not nearly as sexy though so fuck em, don't do this, commit to the hairline or face my eternal curse

now to really identify where it's appropriate to slick a character's hair it's important to identify when type moon does the complete opposite and has a character's hair cover one or both of their eyes, because it gives context on how hair is used for characterisation. a lot of characters in fate hide (part of) their face as a clue that there is something shaky about their identity. eyes are the windows to the soul, so covering the eyes makes the soul ambiguous. mashu's hair covers one eye because she was barely human for the longest time and is still figuring out her place in the world. robin's hair covers one eye because he's one of many robin hoods and isn't eager to be their sole representative. kippoushi and maou nobu cover one eye because they share their saint graph with tons of different nobus and you're only ever seeing a small part of the whole. fran covers her eyes because she's artificial and was denied even her own name let alone identity, and she shows one of her eyes in her summer version because she's building her own life with her new dads now. kotarou covers his eyes because he's one of many generations of fuuma kotarou working from the shadows. kariya gets half his face fucked up including his eye because he's losing himself to his grudges the further the 4th war goes on. anastasia actually does it because mashu does it which is a whole other post i probably won't make so don't even worry about it

if a character doesn't HAVE a face (identity) then they can't slick their hair back to put that face on full display because there's just nothing there. conversely, slicking their hair means they know exactly who they are. this does not however mean that these characters should never slick their hair back, it just means that you need to think carefully about what it would mean for them. maou nobu can't have slicked hair even though she ticks all the boxes for the character traits associated with it because her character concept leans into the ambiguity of not knowing what the rest of her face looks like, but if mashu were to push her hair back it would signify her casting aside all doubts and forming an identity she takes pride in. for arjuna, slicking his hair every now and then even though he's got such a complex about wanting to hide his "true face" is a hint that there's actually nothing fundamentally wrong with him at all, he's just really concerned with his image.

finally since this is fate you also have to consider what other characters they look like because this is a kaleidoscopic spider web and we're all just bugs stuck in it. mordred wants to portray an image of competence but he can't have his hair back as part of any of his default looks because it's important to the story that he looks like arturia, and it's also important to him that he looks like arturia as proof that they're related. if he then slicks it back in his suit it's a sign that he's moving away from clinging to this identity as "king arthur's son" and figuring out his own sense of self. koyanskaya meanwhile has tons of different looks and makes a point of hiding the shape of her tamamo bangs in a bunch of them because she doesn't want to associate with the tamamo nine, so it makes sense for her to have a look where she pushes her bangs back while she's #girlbossing. saber can't have alt costumes where her bangs are significantly different because her hair is such a cornerstone of fate design and then she wouldn't be saber anymore, but nero can pull it off because she's gilgamesh flavoured saber so it won't destroy her character image if her default casual look has slicked hair. for kama she may not have the actual confidence but especially as a beast she has the false bravado for it and occasionally slicking her hair to play with the masculine flavouring it gives can work miracles regarding kama originally being a male figure without losing the link to sakura's character themes.

im going to end this post on shilling good game tales of berseria because when i found out they have a built in slicked hair option for every party member (so that their anime bangs don't clip through any hats you might put on them) it was like 10 birthdays at once, they even modeled unique hairlines that account for their default hairstyle for each of them.

[bookwyrminspiration]

'However Shannon also wants to break away from body stereotypes (and in my opinion is doing so unsuccessfully but that's a different topic)'

Wait I'd actually love to read about that if you have time!

I do have the time!! And I would love to talk more about it if you'd like to read it, so I'll just get right into it. (I focus mostly on fat characters in this post, but everything I'm saying applies to non-conventional body types in general, not just fat ones)

One of the first things we're introduced to in the Lost Cities is that it's free of human prejudice, that's something very emphasized. It has it's own prejudice against bad matches and talentless, but when it comes to human prejudices the elves are superior. They don't discriminate based on gender, race, and among other things, appearance.

This includes stereotypes based on weight, as all elves are said to be more attractive than humans and it would be glaringly harmful if Shannon said that and then emphasized that all elves are skinny and fit. This advanced, superior race doesn't have any fat people is not the message you want your story to send, and Shannon knows that! She doesn't want kids to feel bad about their bodies when reading her books, and she doesn't want to perpetuate harmful stereotypes.

But I think the way she's approached fat characters is like...halfway there. Let me explain. She hasn't vilified any fat characters in her story for their weight or appearance, but she also hasn't included them. They're absent from the story instead. Unless you count Mr. Forkle, who is artificially fat through ingesting berries that make his body swell up, something that is reversible and goes away with time or when he takes the antidote. Or Sophie's human family who were described as chubby, though Amy apparently had a growth spurt and is more lean now. they're a better example, but they're part of this "lesser" species and also not featured in the story significantly.

My point here is that the main characters from this superior, magic race that kids want to be a part of aren't fat. They apparently wouldn't be discriminated against for being fat, but they're also just not present in the story, and I think that's where Shannon falls short.

There's one line in particular from Flashback that I want to point out, and it's "She spotted every hair color, skin color, feature shape, and body type" (pg 17) when she's talking about the extensive Vacker family. That is, as far as I can remember throughout the entirety of the series, the extent of diverse body types that are mentioned. We don't get any descriptors of these different body types, or meet any of the characters that supposedly have them. We're just told that they exist, that the Lost Cities has diverse body types after all. It feels, at least to me, very superficial? As a writer this feels like the kind of line you write when you realize you've missed something and need to find a way to squeeze it into the story, so she's covering her bases because none of the main characters are fat or have different body types.

The two main love interests, Fitz and Keefe, are both muscular and physically fit in a conventionally attractive way. Dex is skinnier and in the deleted scene from Neverseen Shannon shared, this is shown as something that will change and he'll grow into a more muscular form like the others. The scene was deleted, but I find it relevant enough to include it. We can also see from various covers and general descriptors that everyone else also has a conventional body type.

We can see from the comments about the Vacker family and the emphasis on lack of human prejudices is the intention for the story to break away from stereotypes of different kinds, including appearance. But from the lack of fat characters and other body types in general--physically strong women, chubby men, non-muscular people, flat people, etc.--I think that her attempts are noticeable but falling short.

I'd like to have regular, important characters with various body types in the story. Not just Mr. Forkle's disguise or Sophie's human family we almost never see, but people with presence in the story being naturally diverse and fat with different appearances being treated the way they supposedly would.

The Lost Cities supposedly have no prejudice against different body types, so I'd like to see it.

[goomauve-goodies]

Zulius and Shipping

Hi there and welcome to my first post on my secondary that isn't a repost of any kind, this post is basically my stance on Zulius and the topic of shipping, I don't really mind if nobody sees this, it's just a lil important to me I suppose! So my stance on Zulius and his sexuality and shipping huh, well!! For one I believe that Zulius is 100% a queer man, specifically a feminine gay male, but in terms of shipping here's my stance.

I don't ship him with anyone nor do I personally like the idea of him being with anyone, I do believe he and splendib were possibly exes but nothing beyond that (like I don't believe they like eachother anymore, I believe they're very much just bitter exes). Why do I not like the idea of him being with anyone, well I'll explain my various reasons now!

He's perfectly fine the way he is

For one I don't think he has any problems with the way he is, and I personally don't think his character needs any changes, he's fine the way he is and I think that's what matters in fact I think this point stands for everyone in Centaurworld, the show isn't exactly a romance and I just cannot see anyone dating without it being some kind of one episode gag like that one episode with sunfishmerguy besides that I just can't see it especially with the tone of the episode and I'm especially against them dating anyone in their herd because their herd is basically coded siblings with a single mom and that just gives me a super icky feeling and they've out right been called as much too, like derpulton calling them family, wammawink essentially calling them that, and I'm definitely sure they've been called that other times too or like when water baby told Wammawink she did good with the herd as if complimenting how she raised her kids idk it just gives me a big nasty feeling seeing people ship adopted siblings if you get what I mean. I know 99% of the fandom don't ship the characters but this post is mainly about the people who do. It just gives off an uncomfortable feeling and it's just important for people to remember adopted and found family is just as much family as biological family, in fact that's literally one of the main themes of the show, that family comes in all shapes and sizes and even though they might not look like it, the herd IS a family.

It kind of goes against what he stands for

A good line I like to think of when thinking about Zulius is "Ha, I don't need a thing. You can't improve on perfection" when offered to go to the tree shamans to request for something he needs. He's happy the way he and his life currently is and I honestly like that a lot. Characters are always wanting something or aren't happy with their lives or themselves for some reason or another and just being himself is enough for Zulius he doesn't need anything or anyone else but his family to be happy and I think that's such a sweet message to give to kids! That being you is enough and you don't need to date people or to change yourself for people in anyway to be good enough for others.

You can be perfectly happy without dating anyone

I feel like this is very important to say not just for this post but for anyone who needs to hear it, you don't need people to date you to love yourself, you're wonderful just the way you are and that's really important to remember! Coming from a Demipanromantic transman who has stopped dating I can tell you I've grown to appreciate myself more and I've felt a lot happier once I stopped dating and took a step back to just appreciate myself for who I was after I stopped and I think that's super applicable to Zulius, I think he's a raw example of, you don't need to be in love or to date someone to be happy, as long as you're yourself that's enough! Don't get me wrong there's nothing wrong with people who do date, but I honestly think the message that Zulius gives off to people intentional or not is super beautiful and very important for kids especially in this era where dating and love and romcom shows are everywhere and you needing to date someone to be happy is forcefully shoved into your face!

Not every queer character needs a love interest

This is something that doesn't apply to just Zulius but queer characters in general, you don't HAVE to be with anyone just because you're queer, yes! Queer representation is good, but you can represent queer people without having them date people, and I think people are just using that as an easy way out so it makes me so happy that this show isn't just taking the easy way out and is putting the effort in to represent him in other ways, it just is something you don't see often and I think it's just something people should think about more y'know?

One more thing!

This didn't really fit in any category so I just thought I'd shove it in here but I see people shipping him with characters because of the way he speaks or words he uses to people and it's just important to remember that a lot of queer folks use certain words and it's kind of uncomfortable to see people take them and twist them into something romantic, for example, in one episode he says babes, but I know multiple queer people including myself that use words like babe, girlie, girlboss, sister, queen and other words to anyone INCLUDING family, words like these aren't exclusively romantic, and they can be said to anyone from friends to siblings of any gender so please keep that in mind when saying stuff like that because seeing stuff we say being twisted to be made exclusively romantic is actually kind of uncomfortable, I know I don't speak for all queer people but I do know multiple of my other LGBT friends would or do agree with it, it's just kind of not fun to see phrases, words and terminology being twisted to mean something they don't, I get to some people it can mean a totally different thing and that's fine!! But the way Zulius used it was very blatantly not romantic haha,,!!

But yeah that's all I have to say and if you don't agree or anything I'm not gonna complain or anything, I doubt anyone will see this I just needed to let it all out haha, but if you do see this!! Thank you for taking the time to read it <3

[tobydoesfuxkall]

Uh this is my first post here so hi! I'm Ash Toby (tub/he/they). I'm a non-binary notguy who's just learning to live life one day at a time :)

Here's something I wrote while I was exploring my identity :

—·—·—·—

The Countdown.

"Meet me at 9, our usual place ", he says nervously.

This is it. This is where it begins. Or where the ship sinks. Tonight will decide their fate. Reveal their destiny. Oh how long had he waited for this moment. How long had he yearned to be there at that time. How he had hoped, dreamed of kissing them under the stars in the moonlight. 'Not everyone gets this moment,' he thinks to himself, 'Not everyone gets this chance'. He picks up the watch lying on his bed-side table. It reads 6:00 PM. Three long, painfully patient hours to go.

He glances over to the mirror, heart fluttering, and ruffles his short auburn hair to make it sit right. Messy but collected is his go-to after all, for all things in life. He examines his own face - his grey-blue eyes, his button nose, his unkempt eyebrows - but he only notices the excitement and the happy nervousness. His thin lips can't help but smile, thinking about the moment when he'll hold their hand and say the words. He has been practising since before he even invited them to the lake. For quite some time now. 'It has to be just right.' he thinks. His round ears listen intently as each second ticks by, waiting anxiously for the watch to read go time.

Tick, tick, tick.

A couple of miles away, in a neat apartment tucked away on the city edges; rumbling through their closet, they look up at the clock. 6:00 PM. Three short hours before they need to be present and be ready for whatever is to come. This was quite not like him, to invite them in such a way. So abrupt, and only a few words? 'He definitely has something big planned.' Usually there's small talk, some light jokes and a sly grab of their arm — is what they assume, for they're always lost in his eyes and presence to pay much attention. But this time was different. He looked nervous, like he was in a hurry to blurt it out. And the way he ran with his tail between his legs after muttering those words. It all felt strange to them. A beautiful, scary, wonderful strange.

They come out of their closet with a few options picked and walk to the mirror. They look closely at every curve of their body and every wrinkle of the fabric. This is the millionth outfit they’ve tried on. They look at themselves from head to toe - all of themselves. They are tall enough to not be considered short, which is kind of a bummer. But hey, at least all the cool new fashion is always available and looks good in their size. The one they have on now is a combination of a muted olive-green shirt from when they were still a man to the world, into a flowing black skirt, reaching just below their knees. They play around with having the shirt tucked in or let out, and finally settle on tucking some of it in and leaving some fabric hanging.

Onto their face now. They have always loved playing with makeup. They pick up some matching green eye-shadow and apply it around their almond eyes. And some highlighter on their long nose and pocked cheeks. Some black lipstick on their heart-shaped lips. They tuck their hair behind their narrow ears, letting the one cross earring they wear on their left ear come to view. Their hair barely reaches their neck, having just cut it some time ago.

They think to themselves, 'He can only have good news, or else he would have warned me earlier'. This isn't very convincing but it still gives them hope. They look into their hazel eyes in the mirror, and a drop of sweat as it rolls down the edge of their hair. They take in the moment — pure silence in their room, only their slow breaths and the clock.

Tick, tick, tick.

[bigskydreaming]

What kills me in fics is when you have tags going like "Good brother Jason", which, cool, but in the same story there's " Dick TRIES to be a Good Brother" LOL way to switch the dynamics. I also tend to stay clear of the ones where the centric character seems to have a platonic relationship tag with everyone (including the ones where they're antagonists in canon like Jason & Tim) except Dick. You can feel the hate/dislike/prejudice a MILE away.

Yeeeeeeah. You are definitely not alone. Like pretty much every Dick Grayson stan I’ve ever talked to on the subject stays the hell away from any fic tagged “Dick Grayson tries to be a good brother.”

LOL like....it’s basically what I was talking about in that older post I just reblogged a few minutes ago. That thing where Dick’s actions or choices in a canon story or fic aren’t judged on their own merits but are rather inherently weighed against some hypothetical perfect choice that he DIDNT make and so he’s basically evaluated based on how much he falls short of that mark each time instead of anything he actually did.

Sorry not sorry, but I’m just not interested in stories that TRANSFORM the character most commonly referred to as the emotional glue of the family and the only one who consistently even CARES about them all being a family....into the fumbling incompetent relationship disaster man who at best gets credit for at least putting in an attempt at being there for his family.

Especially not when Bruce and Jason and Tim are praised for doing the bare minimum in canon when it comes to family interactions while everything Dick ACTUALLY did is just completely ignored and overwritten in order to make his Failure to People Good the narrative obstacle to be overcome.

Now, the “Dick Grayson Tries To Be A Good Brother” tag applied to Tim-centric fics in particular tho....hoo boy I am out of there so fast there’s a Kool-Aid Man shaped hole in the wall and not a sign of me as far as the horizon.

Like, currently my Pet Peeve Thermostat is set to Battle for the Cowl-referencing fics that don’t use this tag but very much are in that spirit. You probably know the ones, like their summaries suggest they’re open to considering Dick’s side of the situation but turns out the author at most is throwing him a “well at least you tried not to suck” bone while still reading him the riot act for very much still sucking.

Because what drives me up a flipping WALL here in particular, when I naively click on a link that seems different from the usual and ignore the voice of experience because I’m just desperate enough for Tim and Dick food that doesn’t just go on and on about how Dick ruined their brotherhood and it will never be truly repaired....

What makes the fruit bats in my belfry go absolutely B-A-N-A-N-A-S is not just the super fun realization that Psych! You thought this fic might be different but it’s actually the same!

Nah.

It’s how much people, both writers AND commenters, just absolutely LOVE to reference Tim’s shitbag parents and how emotionally abusive and neglectful they were (all true and valid, btw, let’s be totally clear about that)....but bringing them up here specifically to emphasize just how great Dick’s ‘betrayal’ was and how what he did makes him no better than them.

It’s like. Oh. I see.

So because after twenty years worth of stories about Dick dropping everything the second Tim needs him, whether it’s for help or just advice or even just reassurance or comfort or ANYTHING ....because after two decades worth of content showing Dick absolutely doting on Tim in their EVERY SINGLE interaction and buttressing his self confidence at every opportunity, never passing up a chance to call him his brother and emphasize that they’re family and he loves Tim and is so proud of him...

Because after all that there’s a story whose very premise forced Dick to choose between two kids, both still very much his brothers and their shared father’s sons even if one was new to him and didn’t have the same history the other two had....

Because by the very nature of the story Dick had no choice but to prioritize one over the other due to them both hating each other and Dick already being stretched to his absolute limits trying to live his dead father’s life and take on everything Bruce used to do at the cost of giving up everything Dick had chosen for his own life and wants and priorities, all while dealing with his own grief....

And with it being inevitable that the boy he DIDNT choose to prioritize was going to be hurt....

Because after twenty years of never failing to put Tim first the second Tim needed him, never even putting HIMSELF first OVER Tim....because for the first time Dick felt that someone else he felt obligated to, felt a responsibility towards, actually needed him MORE than Tim....

And for that reason and that reason ONLY, Dick picked that other boy, all while trying his best to tell Tim that he still needed him, still valued him, all the things that Bruce DIDNT tell him when he took Robin not even because he thought someone else needed it at the time but simply to take away, with absolutely nothing Dick said in any way negating or contradicting any of his many, MANY assurances to Tim over the years that they were brothers and always would be and with them still very much legally brothers and with concrete ties to each other that declared them family even WITHOUT the connection of Robin....

Because after and despite ALL OF THAT, Dick picked the brother that he didn’t know and frankly didn’t even LIKE, because he knew no one else was going to pick this kid and he also knew he’d already picked Tim a hundred times before and hoped that at least all that HISTORY of past focus and attention he’d given Tim to help build him up, give him foundations to build further upon, that hopefully at least that history that was still there, still relevant, still something Tim had actively benefited and grown from in ways Dick now hoped to help Damian....like surely this would be of at least SOME significance to Tim, SOME kind of proof of how much Dick loved and valued Tim....

Because one time and one time ONLY, Dick DIDNT put Tim’s needs first, not because he didn’t want to or because he was being selfish or short sighted or simply didn’t care, but rather solely because this one time Tim’s needs were in direct opposition with the needs of another young boy Dick saw as his responsibility and in even greater need and with even less of a foundation than the one Dick had helped Tim build....

This puts Dick on the same level as Tim’s shitbag parents, the ones who are infamous for (and practically synonymous with) emotional abuse and neglect. Dick’s basically interchangeable with them now. Certainly no better than them. Tim’s entire emotional well-being rested on Dick and Dick alone and nothing he’d provided Tim with in the past counts, just this one moment in time right here right now, that’s the entirety of their relationship see, it all comes down to this and nothing else, and because Dick didn’t put Tim first, no matter WHAT his reasons or how much he wanted to, he has officially failed Tim as hard as the neglectful parents who did nothing BUT neglect, ignore and just not give a shit at all, simply because they couldn’t be bothered to.

Yeah.

That’s neat.

[buckyjamess-archive]

𝓻𝓸𝓼𝓲𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓲 ❁ 𝓫𝓾𝓬𝓴𝔂 𝓫𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓼

chapter eighteen • a/n: last chapter folks- wanna thank all those who interacted/read it, I hope you enjoyed it! ♡ gonna miss these fools, ngl • wordcount: 2k • warnings: nothing but fluff. Parenthood. Babies. Kids.

summary

going through  rough years after losing your husband, you try to raise your daughter the best you can. With the help from the wilson's you make the best of it but the road is bumpy when sam introduces you to his friend.

masterlist

His hands are warmer and maybe even bigger as his fingers are intertwined with yours, gently swaying back and forth, his thumb rubbing the back of your hand or a light squeeze to remind you he's still there. 

a few steps ahead, rosie groans, huffs and puffs as she pushes the stroller the best she can. Talking to her little brother who gurgles back just as much. 

"You're really heavy!" 

a soft pink, round handbag with minnie mouse printed on the front hangs loosely in Steve's other hand. Handed to him seconds after leaving the restaurant by Rosie herself as she offered to push her little brother back home. A heavy diaper bag he'd taken off the stroller to take away some weight, hangs of his shoulder– you told him you could carry one of the two but Steve being Steve, refused your offer and instead clamped his hand in yours.

A day out planned by the man walking next to you. A day with the four of you, letting Rosie and JJ get used to Steve being around for more than the two hours every night before getting tucked in. That Steve wasn't just a friend anymore– though Rosie 'just knew' when you told her Steve was more than a friend, a special friend. 

'I don't kiss my friends like that' 

Rosie didn't mind, or at least you think. She was good with everyone, stranger or not. Opening up to Steve wasn't a problem, becoming friends with Steve came easy for the girl. 

And bucky, bucky would always be dad.

'Now I have three daddies. My real daddy, my normal daddy and steve.' 

And though you never intended to let Steve in your life so quickly, it became serious pretty fast. 

Delicately glueing back each other's pieces left of a broken heart; giving solace, a shoulder to cry on and someone to hold. Steve and you never intended to become this, you were just friends, used-to-be-coworkers. It happened. Bucky no longer floating through your head every other minute or feeling that ache in your chest– just you and Steve and for now after the heartbreak Bucky caused you could in all honesty say that Steve Rogers treated you better than anyone ever did.

The stroller comes to a halt when Rosie stills in front of the apartment block. She let's go of the stroller and places both hands on her sides, bright yellow sunglasses resting on the bridge of her nose, she sighs heavily. 

"That was heavy." 

You and Steve chuckle at Rosie her stance as if an old man admiring his self-built furniture, sarcasm dripping from her body yet as innocent as can be. 

"I bet it was, kid." 

"Yes, JJ eats too much." 

"Says the girl who ate all my fries." 

Letting go of your hand, Steve hands Rosie back her own bag which she happily takes– slipping the diaper bag from his shoulder, you wrap your hand around it and carefully toss it over your own. Hand digging in to find your keys. Taking the few steps up the building, you push open the door and watch how Steve casually carries the stroller and JJ up the steps and follows Rosie in the building.

The walk to the elevator is short, the three of you and the stroller packed tight in the small space– you stay quiet, watching the interaction between Rosie and Steve, your heart grows ten times its size. You thank the gods above for giving you all these amazing men in your life, even if they broke your heart in different ways- teaching you the ways of life, giving the best things to ever exist, trusting you, caring about you..loving you.

Riley, your first real love. The one that changed your life forever. Teaching the ropes of this crazy thing called adult life. Be the calm to your chaos. Showed you love like you'd never had before– sure enough about it all to put a ring around your finger and giving you the most important job of them all; be a mother to a beautiful, funny and feisty daughter. Riley who gave you real heartbreak, leaving an empty hole in your heart and took a piece of your soul with him

Sam who stood by your side through it all. Going through the process together of losing a spouse and partner on the field. Your shoulder to lean on when things got rough, a friend of your man turned into your best friend– showing you the meaning of family by letting you into his own.

Bucky who stole your heart so fast, you never had a chance to let it settle– a wild man willing to wait. A wild man who showed you that life after Riley could be something beautiful; taught you how to love again, brought you back to life and gave you the gift you call your son, gave Rosie a father figure. Bucky the best mistake you'd ever made in your life.

And maybe all these men were needed to get you with the one. Without Riley no Sam and without Sam no Bucky, and you'd never have met Steve if you didn't move to Brooklyn. All these men lead you to him.

Steve. The man who picked up the pieces and put them back together– the man you so desperately needed in your life. The calm that Riley once gave you and the wild and silly bucky once showed. The one for real this time.

Even if things didn't go your way, men changing every chapter of your book– life was pretty amazing. 

Steve must've seen the slight wobble of your chin and your eyes filling with tears. His firm hand back into yours, you look up to meet his blues, you shoot him a tight lipped smile.

"Mommy, why are you crying?" 

You inhale deeply, quickly wiping away the tears that have made their way down your cheeks and not trusting your own voice, you smile at your daughter but shrug. 

"You know what I think?" Steve quips, the hand that's intertwined with yours now snaking around your waist to pull you ever closer into his side "I think mom's just really happy." 

Rosie nods unsure but gives a toothy grin "then I'm happy too, then we're all happy." 

"Then we're all happy." 

He reads you like an open book, something you got to love and hate over the last few weeks. Nitpicking little flaws to get under your skin or be the biggest sap whenever you're feeling down; he knows you like the back of his hand. 

"This is so stupid," you breath out a shaky chuckle "Jesus, I'm crying in an elevator–" 

"It's not stupid," Steve reassures "we're all just very happy, right?" 

"Yeah." You nod. 

Squeezing your side, Steve let's you know he's there and plants a kiss to your temple before resting his chin upon your head.

"I love you, sweetheart." 

Bucky can't quite believe it himself; just a month ago he labeled Steve Rogers as his arch enemy and wish bad things upon the blonde and now, now bucky hopes and wishes the blonde would treat you better than anyone else– welcomed Steve into the mess. 

At ease, okay, alright but above all grateful. You didn't kick him out of your life or that of his kids– you wouldn't be the first mother to do such a thing, he's seen it on TV multiple times. Bucky's grateful that you and him still were a thing just not the same. Parents of your kids, friends.

Though jealousy would strike once in a while and he reminded himself of the mistake he'd made, It was good this way.

Big helium balloons in the shape of letters and numbers float above the table shoved against the wall, reading 'JJ 1 YEAR'. Silver birthday garlands hanging from ceilings along the baby blue and white balloons– table filled with snacks, gifts and drinks. Cramped in your apartment but done together– texting back and forth, nights of planning brought you all here, JJ his first birthday.

Friends and family here to celebrate something the two of you made from love.

Bucky leans against the kitchen bar, one hand tucked deep into the pocket of his jeans and the other wrapped around a bottle of beer. Eyes upon the small crowd gathered and lands on Steve, barely on his knees next to a side table, small plastic tiara on his head as Rosie applies makeup on the guy's face from the set she'd just got as a gift from uncle Sam.

Bucky smiles, at least you picked a child magnet, a guy who'll love his kids as much as the two of you do. 

Bucky scans the crowd again and spots you without any problem, another smile on his face at the sight of his godchild hailey holding JJ, probably gossiping around with you.

It's good this way.

"Hey man." 

Snapping out of his own world, Bucky meets the eyes of a man he hasn't spoken to in months; sam. Not since he got to learn about Bucky's mistake.

"Hey." Bucky shoots him a tight lipped smile.

Standing still next to Bucky, Sam leans against the bar in the same stance and follows Bucky's gaze to the crowd to you, his son and hailey.

"He looks like you." Sam confesses "scary." 

Letting his head fall, Bucky chuckles and nods "at least we know it's mine." 

Sam chuckles along till it dies down, silence falling over both men as they keep watching the scene in front of them. How you leave Hailey with her nephew and mingle with some friends– bucky can feel Sam's eyes burning on his face. 

"Told you so, didn't I?" 

Bucky snorts "Let's not go there, I've learned my lesson." 

"Do you?" Sam quips with a grin on his face "No new love on the horizon?" 

Bucky nods, he has learned his lesson and he knows he'll never find someone like you again– he has definitely learned his lesson and definitely not ready for something new.

"No man, I'm going to focus on my kids." Bucky breathes out a soft chuckle "apparently I still have two." 

"Rosie loves you– I have to thank you for that, giving Rosie a father figure." 

"Wouldn't trade it for anything else." 

"I know." 

Another, comfortable silence falls like a thick blanket. Knowing each other well enough to know what they're thinking– a smile creeping on both men's faces at the sight of you pushing yourself past some people and beelining towards the duo.

"Mind If I join?" 

Scooting aside, both Sam and bucky make space for you in between and your arm that snakes around Bucky's back gives him a warm and fuzzy feeling– he pulls you closer into his side with his arm dropped over your shoulder 

"A year ago you nearly passed out." You mumble softly 

"I didn't pass out." Bucky scoffs 

"I said nearly–" 

"Not even nearly." 

"The nurses had to sit you down." 

"They never–" 

"They did!" 

It's a game of back and forth, getting underneath each other's skin and Bucky hopes things like this will never change even if you decided to spend the rest of your life with steve. The silly arguments, the silly fights and the lame jokes– bucky would be alright as long as that stayed. 

The squeeze around his side makes Bucky aware you're still there. Locking eyes with yours, one's he's found himself lost in many times before, he copies your smile. 

"What?" 

"Nothing– we did good." You state.

Though things didn't go the way it was supposed to, the two of you did good indeed, more than good even. 

"I think we did amazing." Bucky smiles back.

Wrapping his arm around your shoulder a bit tighter, he places a quick kiss on your forehead before following your gaze into the crowd, his daughter, his son, his family and steve.

It's good this way.

"So, guys," Sam clears his throat from beside you "really gotta know what happened on hailey her birthday party that day." 

"No, you don't." You and Bucky chuckle in unison "you really don't."

Taglist: @farfromshawn @Nicollettemarie @wooya1224 @felicityofbakerstreet @agentmstark @sierrax023 @lilyevanswhore @qhbr2013 @buckybarnesobsessed @themaddies-obx @aloserwithoutacause @aanngie @sebby-staan @sweetth1ng @starrystarkey93 @libidinexx @dontputyourfckingdrinkonmytable @gasly-kvyat @brown-bi-beautiful @peter-laufeyson @im-squished @meshlababy @lindseyrae20 @cb97skies @qwccrr @ssprayberrythings @yougottalovefandoms @jbcalway @realgaytrash @natyvwe @poetryazenth @winterberryfox @ahahafudge @okiegirl24 @0moondoodler0 @why-wait-4-eventually @abzidabzy

[nexyra]

RWBY's Love Language - Part 2

Hello friend ! I'm back at it with a second part and whatever character I can think of ! (Among which best boy Oscar because he deserves it, and also more adults)

Let's go !

***

Oscar Pine

So ! While I love Oscar with my whole heart, honestly guessing his Love Language is no easy feat. One thing for sure : touch isn't is thing even if it's how everyone else chose to communicate their love.

I saw a post a while back detailing how Oscar is always putting his hands up as a barrier when he's scared or uncomfortable and that makes me cry a little instead but it's true TT. Anyway...

In the latest volumes we've got quite a bit of comforting Oscar-talks but I have to wonder how much of that is due to Ozpin's influence really. As a result I've decided to settle on... Acts of Service or Quality Time ! This is based on a few details : when people are upset with him in one shape or form, Oscar was always very eager to prove himself useful, give some aspect of concrete help (such as cooking a Casserole, ringing any bell ?). Plus I imagine that's the exact brand of help his Aunt would have needed most on a farm. Added to that, he always seems fairly happy to be included, be with the others no matter what's going on. Training ? Yay ! A movie with Jaune & Weiss ? Smiling puppy look. Fancy party ? Shenanigans together ! So yea, I love seeing my boy loved and hugged but please everyone settle for the loving he's most comfortable with <3

“She made a choice! A choice to put others before herself! So do I.”

“Oh, uh, yeah. I thought you guys would appreciate a hot meal after... spending all day looking for me, apparently.”

“No, it's okay. These past few days, I've been scared of the same things you were. I don't know how much longer I'm going to be... me. But I did some thinking, and I do know that I want to do everything I can to help with whatever time I have left.”

- - - - - - - - - -

Ozpin

For our favorite immortal wizard aka not quite dead Headmaster... I think the answer is rather obvious. When you're so careful with your words, but also so fiercely devoted to humanity, Words of Affirmation is a must. Ozpin constantly does his best to calm, to reassure. He's good at controlling the conversation and getting people where he wants... Except he more often than not use it to make them think and help them reach an healing ore motivating conclusion. This man is so insisten on giving and cultivating hope, so painfully aware of just how much words can change... There's no doubt in my mind that it's through these very same words that he tries to fight the darkness in others' mind, even when they don't want to let themselves be persuaded. And with some help from the farmboi, Ozpin is gaining in honesty and earnestness. And that can only help in giving comfort.

But to be honest... If you offer him a hug I doubt he'd refuse, and he definitely deserves one. Also therapy. For Oscar too. Everyone in therapy 2k21.

“Ruby. I've made more mistakes than any man, woman, and child on this planet. But at this moment I would not consider your appointment to leader to be one of them. Do you?”

“It's not every day that friends are able to come together like this. Time has a way of testing our bonds, but it's nights like these that can help keep them stronger than ever. Nights like these are ones we'll never forget.”

“Don't worry, Mr. Arc. Your journey is far from over, and the same might be said for all of you. Unlocking your Semblance isn't the end. It can still grow and evolve. Providing you are willing to put in the work, who knows what could happen?”

- - - - - - - - - -

Emerald Sustrai

Now here I'm gonna go ahead and say that the way Emerald has been taught to express her love and the way SHE would rather preffered to be loved most likely do not align. At the side of someone like Cinder, and even Mercury who isn't exactly the most emotionally vulnerable person; the only brand of love that gets an easy pass is Acts of Service, and that's probably what Emerald is the most used to. I can go on a mission with you. I can help. We go right back to the "I can be useful" mentality and I'm not sure she's been shown any other way honestly. Let's be real though : if someone offered a hug or some gentle words ? She'd probably pout & fuss but I hardly doubt she'd object.

“I don't care about Salem! But I owe Cinder everything. You want to fight her that bad? Be my guest.”

“I just... Cinder was the only family I ever had. She cared about me, taught me things... But without her here, I don't know if what we're doing--”

“I've been working on my Semblance. I can help. I won't tell anybody.”

- - - - - - - - - -

Pyrrha Nikos

What's with everyone and dedicating their whole love toward just helping their teammates anyway they can ?! Stop ! But any way, you guessed it. I'm pretty sure one of Pyrrha's top way of showing love is Acts of Service, and nothing means quite as much to her as Quality Time. For someone who's been put on a pedestal and has a hard time relating to people; both touch and words can be a bit awkward. But if they're wrapped up neatly in a training session or semblance explanations ? Well that's already a more familiar area. Pyrrha gives her whole to her friends and those she cares about. And in exchange, if anyone can simply... be there and spend time with her... May it be at the ball or simply sitting in the courtyard... I'm sure our girl would be delighted.

“Jaune, you know if you ever need help, you can just ask.”

“I'm constantly surrounded by love and praise; but when you're placed on a pedestal like that for so long, you become separated from the people that put you there in the first place. But thanks to you, I've made friendships that will last a lifetime.”

“I'll do it. If you believe this will help humanity, then I will become your Fall Maiden.”

- - - - - - - - - -

Qrow Branwen

If I say Gift Giving for the corvid, is someone gonna hit me ? Come on it's fun ! Okay, more seriously... I think this kind of love conversation is kind of a necessity for Qrow. With a semblance such as Bad Luck, making everything complicated... Qrow tries to keep his distance from those he cares about. And since he's an emotionally repressed (but caring) asshole on top of it... Well that kinda narrows down his option. You know what DOESN'T put anyone at risk but can still bring smiles on their face ? GIFTS. Shiny things, souvenirs from his missions all over the world to give to 2 smol nieces. Sounds safe right ? That said, as any good emotionally unavailable character in this show, I gotta say Qrow probably has a thing for helping out and making himself useful in relation to Oz, Tai or the rest of the inner circle. So you know what that means *whisper* Acts of Service.

That said ! When it comes to receiving some love back... Qrow probably likes everything he doesn't allow himself to have. Soft touches, loving & comforting words, spending time with a friend without his semblance making everything complicated... We know that's all he wants.

“You idiot. I know you didn't do this.”

“Look, pal, I'm not sure who you are, but you need to leave my niece alone.”

“No one wanted me... I was cursed... I gave my life to you because you gave me a place in this world... I thought I was finally doing some good...”

- - - - - - - - - -

Clover Ebi

And among our newbies (and gone too soon) friends we have Clover ! Clover was a very good contrast to our dusty old crow but also a great help. Kind-hearted, perceptive and honest; he knew just how to put Qrow's self-loathing in his place and push him to give himself some credit. He always had a nice word or a joke for everyone, and visibly the rock of the Ace Ops : an expert a keeping the moral up and the mood companiable. Evidently, Words of Affirmation was his expertise. Had things gone differently, I'm sure we'd have had time for many more earnest and helpful conversations with this teal-eyed fisherman.

“It's a good thing they had someone to look up to and get them through it. Not everyone is so lucky.”

“I meant deflect a compliment. Those kids wouldn't be where they are without you. You've had more of an effect on them than you realize.”

“We don't have to fight, friend.”

- - - - - - - - - -

Winter Schnee

And today in the "emotionally unavailable" category we have... Winter Schnee ! TALK ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS PEOPLE ! Just - I would say look at Ruby but even she doesn't talk about her bad vibes... Nor does any of the "Words of Affirmation" peeps. Honestly what's wrong with y'all people ? Anyway Winter cares so much. Is it hidden behind professionalism and a stern *big sister* demeanour ? Sure. But it doesn't negate just how much she loves her closed ones. She's fiercely loyal, and even if she doesn't let her personal feelings get in the way of her duty and doing what needs to be done, no one is allowed to say she doesn't care. Countrary to Weiss, Winter doesn't seem as good nor as aware of the love that exists in simply *being* with people. Rather, she's dutiful and ready to help any way she can when given the chance. You guessed it, yet another Acts of Service kind of love... Maybe I'm doing this wrong XD. I'm on the fence about Words of Affirmation as well. Despite her standoffish looks, Winter has always been very open & reassuring during her discussions with Penny. But she's more stern when it comes to Weiss so I dunno x)

“I don't recall asking about your ranking, I'm asking how you've been. Are you eating properly? Have you taken up any hobbies? Are you making new friends?”

“You've grown up a bit, haven't you? You're not the little girl clinging to the family name anymore.”

“You can't just buy trust like everything else! You have to earn it!”

And that's it for Part 2 ! I might do some other characters if people suggest some but I don't have a pressing need to right now. I have many ideas of songs to apply to various characters however so that's prob what my next posts will consist of (or fun templates)

If anyone has tips to create RWBY gifs or links to download the eps in good quality I'll take it ! Good day everyone !

[beautifulterriblequeen]

Trickster: an Ethari theory

I've had yea many Ethari headcanons, and I hope I live to have yea many more. Most of them are probably wrong, or incomplete at best. But boy are they fun.

I love to wonder what Ethari will really be like in canon when we get to know him for more than 3 minutes, but whoever he really is on his own, he will have an effect on Runaan , Rayla, and everyone who loves him, because they love him.

The first headcanon I can remember having for "Tinker" was that he could be like Leonardo da Vinci: a genius, creative, surrounded by beautiful ideas given shape by his hands, but also capable of creating deadly weapons, enchantments, and devices with equal beauty, and perhaps not really seeing where the line between them was. It was fun, but Ethari has ended up far softer than my headcanon, and I love and support him in his softness!

After a nice string of Ethari headcanons, this year I've started poking at the Trickster archetype and seeing if it applies to him. And I think it absolutely does!

Tricksters often seem like Chaos. But they're not. They're just Difference. "Chaos" is subjective. Like the "divergent" in "neurodivergent." Who says? Divergent from what, exactly? Perspective matters, and Tricksters have a very broad take on things which allows them to think outside any box people might try to invite them into.

My enjoyment of Loki has brought all kinds of ideas to my dash with the arrival of the Loki show. I've got a copy of the Edda, and I highlighted the hell out of it a couple of years ago as I searched for the roots of Loki's origin story. (It's truly fascinating reading and the symbolic language hidden inside their poetry is dazzlingly amazing and I'm super using it sometime just so you know)

Loki is a Trickster, and he's far from alone in myth and legend. Anansi, Coyote, and Sun Wukong are some you may have heard of. Aaravos is another, of course. Tricksters can be called upon to lend aid and wisdom when the rules don't have an answer for some extraordinary circumstance which the Trickster's people find themselves in. But that's not because they are truly outside the rule of order. They are actually a part of it. They are the catch-all for when the everyday ordinary rules fail people, and something "unthinkable"--in the literal sense--might just hold the answer.

This post crossed my dash today, and something finally clicked in my head, and all of this coalesced from what felt like separate places. But they're not separate, not anymore! Serotonin, baby. It's basically upped my headcanon to a full-blown theory.

What caught my eye was an answer to why Ethari's clothing is so determinedly asymmetrical, compared to Runaan's specifically, but Moonshadows in general. It's because of this:

Long protective sleeves below patterns on shoulders. A high collar paired with a bright and noticeable swoop around the neck. Fine detailing and graceful taste. Asymmetrical tunic point on the left, below broad strappy leather. Knee high boots with stylish protective gaiters.

And let's not forget the curling horns! In some comics, Loki has a broken horn. So does Ethari.

Yes, there is a lot of similarity here, but I'm not focused so much on the visuals as the reason they were chosen. Feel free to consider other aspects of Ethari's personality and how they might be similar to certain parts of Loki's. I did! But I wouldn't be me if I didn't go deeper than that.

My favorite book in the universe (so far) is Lois McMaster Bujold's The Curse of Chalion, and one of the many reasons why is because of her pantheon. It holds five gods, represented by a hand: Father, Mother, Son, Daughter, and Bastard. The first four all have their roles and places. The Bastard--the thumb--inherits everything else. He is the god of all things that do not belong to any other gods, and that includes self-sacrificing vengeance and queerness. He is a Trickster, and his influence on Cazaril's life is far deeper than at first glance. Chaos has its place. It belongs, and so do the Tricksters who engender it. God, I love this book. Please read it if you haven't. Bujold's work is amazing.

If you've seen or read any version of MDZS/Untamed, you know that Wei WuXian is a trickster. Competent and badass in battle, but playful and teasing to the point where sometimes even he isn't sure what he truly wants, he can bring a massive amount of power and focus when he wants to. It's always a matter of "but is it important to me?"

I love WWX so much. The Trickster vibe is very apparent in his character, and in a way you just don't get in Western media. We see him on his own, and we see him with family and loved ones. And he's always feeling something so intensely! He's driven by his emotions, for good or ill. He vibes with chaos, and he will create it if it doesn't exist yet. But he will also create family from nothing, and that's something you don't see enough of! WWX is a Trickster with an emotional preference for joy.

In TDP, Ethari doesn't have a lot of lore yet. It's being Moonshadowed because spoilers for future seasons, and I respect that. The longer the wait for S4, the more ideas I will just amuse myself with in the meantime--and yeah, this is one of them, so what? :))) But we do know a little about him.

He loves music. He loves to read. He leaves his mark on things in swirly form. He works very hard, even through headaches, because what he's doing is that important to him, even though he would much rather be making jewelry. He loves taking the time to polish rough stones into brilliant jewels, and he adores big pretty flowers and had them at his wedding.

Ethari has a temper, but he also loves puns. The weapons he crafts are exquisite: "light, elegant, strong, and clever." And he knew darn well that Runaan was trying to flirt with him, but why return a sentiment he may or may not feel yet when he can play with the overly earnest assassin just a little bit first?

Okay, just... A "simple craftsman" deciding that it's going to be fun to toy for a bit with a broody assassin's feelings? Would you risk that? Ethari got balls the size of the moon, and a brain to match. When he has to make weaponry, he does not half-ass it. Ethari's stabby creations nearly have a life of their own. His creations are literally called "trick weapons." This elf is a lot, okay. And it's possible that he doesn't even know how "a lot" he is. Yet.

We're meeting Ethari after he's found something that is, in fact, genuinely important to him: Runaan, and Rayla, and Laindrin too. Ethari has found a relatively stable place to settle and find a role to adopt. I say adopt, though, because making weaponry for his loved ones is not what he grew up wanting to do. It's what he had to do to keep them safe, once he found a place to bestow his heart.

But in the show, Ethari has lost his family, one by one. First Lain and Tiadrin, ghosted. Then Runaan, supposedly fallen on his mission. Then Rayla, ghosted for abandoning Runaan. He and Rayla have reconnected now, but the rest of his family is still out of his reach. If Rayla has indeed told him, by S4, what she learned at the Moonhenge in TTM, then Ethari may parallel Rayla's journey to seek answers. But even if he doesn't know yet, and gets pulled into some other story arc first, we will be seeing Ethari without his family.

Remember the ATLA episode "Zuko Alone"? Consider: "Ethari Alone."

Ethari has chosen, for love, to fit himself into a box that wasn't of his own making. And now that box has broken. His family doesn't need him to be their craftsman anymore. Perhaps others will need him to be other things to them. Or perhaps he will know that his family does need him, but to be far more than just a maker of pretty swords. A rescuer, perhaps. A healer, a guide? An avenger?

A trickster. Capable of taking many shapes, because he understands them all. Ethari works with form and function. If he needs to transform himself, he will.

That's what Tricksters do. It's delightfully queer and delightfully neurodivergent. Ancient peoples accepted and revered the different among them and actively sought their help with things they themselves struggled with.

Tricksters are Difference. Sometimes that manifests as chaos, sometimes as genius. But if you do not love and appreciate your chaos, it will absolutely turn on you. Wei Wuxian did. Loki certainly has, many times. Perhaps Aaravos is doing so as well.

I cannot wait to see what Ethari does with his difference. I have something very specific that I hope he goes and breaks.

All this from a picture of Tom Hiddleston in his Avengers 1 Loki costume? Yeah. Because Ethari was designed to wear asymmetrical clothing, in a Moonshadow culture that prides itself on balance. Sure, there are some other Moonshadows who wear this or that asymmetrical item, and I do love to see it. But Ethari has the most asymmetrical lines of them all. The meta glee I feel knowing that Moonshadow elves are designed to hold many layers of meaning in their appearances--that the writers, creators, and character designers just flexed with them--is truly a delight.

Ethari is asymmetrical. The full and practical application of that is a glass casket, and I hope it becomes a gift that keeps on giving, because boy do I want to keep receiving it. But right now, I'm genuinely seeing evidence of the Trickster archetype in him. And I really hope it gets to come out and play.

[descendant-of-truth]

I genuinely don't understand the hatred for Sonic having blue arms. The argument I usually see is that the original peach arms break up his character design better, but I think that's disregarding how the Boom and Movie Sonics are designed, themselves.

So first, let's talk Original Sonic.

I agree that the peach arms do a great job of breaking up his design, but the reason it works so well is partly due to his proportions. Classic Sonic in particular has very simple shapes, and making his arms match his stomach is a good way to make him pop out more. If his arms were blue, their shape could get a bit lost in the rest of his design - because nothing else is separating them.

So, surely this applies to Boom!Sonic, right? Not as much you'd think.

His design is broken up not by arm color, but his bandanna and sports tape. The scarf defines where his arms start, and the tape makes them more visually interesting. Combining that with peach arms would be a bit much all at once, and make him less streamlined.

He's also proportioned to be taller than the original Sonic, so his design has more room for accessories - hence the sports tape. I think it all works really well.

Before I go on to Movie!Sonic, I want to point out that Shadow and Silver's designs are similar to Boom!Sonic's in this sense.

They have big patches of fur on their chests, placed similarly to Sonic's bandanna, and they both do something with their arms and legs to make them stand out despite being the same color as the rest of them. Shadow has red stripes, Silver has long boots, and they both have gold cuffs.

"But Truth!" you may be thinking, "Movie!Sonic doesn't have anything to break up his design, so surely the blue arms on him are a problem!"

And I can understand why you'd think that, but now we gotta talk about the main difference between these Sonics and the movie one: texturing.

This Sonic is fluffy. With everyone else, the art style isn't detailed enough to warrant a realistic fur texture, but this one has to exist in a real-world environment. Not only that, but his arms have more definition than the others - he has actual shoulders.

He doesn't need his arms to be more defined than they already are. They'd just look awkward if they were peach-colored at this point. It may be more accurate to the game design, but they're working under fundamentally different rules here.

In summary: the only versions of Sonic to have blue arms look better than they would with peach ones, you guys just can't deal with redesigns.